Well Beyond 40

Are you carrying around a grocery bag full of daily supplements without actually knowing if they’re working for your body?

In this episode, I break down exactly which supplements matter for women over 40, from the foundational must-haves like vitamin D, magnesium, omega-3s, and creatine to the amino acids, electrolytes, and collagen I layer on top to support muscle, energy, and recovery. I answer your biggest supplement questions live, covering everything from creatine safety around kidney stones and cancer survivorship to magnesium types, taurine, B12, and what to do about a bloated belly. My goal is always to help you simplify your routine so you know exactly what you need, what you can skip, and how to build a supplement stack that actually works for your body.

What you’ll learn:
(02:38) The Yolked egg-yolk supplement can support muscle building for women 40+.
(10:59) Vitamin D should be dosed based on lab testing, and why it works best paired with K2.
(12:55) How much magnesium most people need and why it's essential for hormones and energy.
(13:35) Creatine HCl is better absorbed than monohydrate, and why women need to supplement with it.
(17:55) Collagen doesn't build muscle, but it does support your connective tissue.
(23:54) What the research says about creatine's safety for kidney stones and cancer survivors.
(30:45) Which types of magnesium are more likely to cause diarrhea, and which ones to use instead.
(35:10) Fiber and plant variety are key to restoring your gut microbiome as you age.

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Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/allaboutsupplements

What would change about your healthcare if an AI could model your exact biology instead of general population averages?
I sat down with Dr. Darshan Shah, a physician of 30 years and the founder of Next Health, to talk about where personalized medicine is headed — starting with the wild idea of a "digital twin" that can help predict how your body will respond to everything from sauna sessions to surgery. We got into why AI is only half the equation, and why the best care will always pair that technology with an empathetic human practitioner. Darshan also walked me through the pyramid he uses with patients, proving that the flashiest biohacks mean nothing without the foundational habits of sleep, movement, and nutrition underneath them.

(00:00) What a digital twin is and how it's built from your data.
(01:31) How close we already are to having your own digital twin.
(01:44) Why digital twins could be a game changer for menopause.
(02:53) The biggest risk of letting AI replace human healthcare.
(04:39) What Next Health is and why Dr. Shah built it.
(07:07) Why your foundational habits have to come before advanced biohacks.
(08:13) How Next Health's four-level pyramid guides your health journey.
(10:11) What's most exciting right now for women's health over 40.

Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/SIZ3_JWVoBo?si=qbLR_RT2xfRZec0U

Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/drshah

Are you taking the right form of vitamin C, or is most of it going to waste?

In this episode, I sit down again with Dr. Dan Pardi to unpack a brand-new study revealing "ferroaging" — a mechanism where iron builds up in our tissues and quietly accelerates how we age. Dan, a researcher and health-behavior expert who helps develop products at Qualia, walks me through why vitamin C turned out to be the single most powerful compound for slowing and even reversing this process. We get into the forms, doses, and timing that actually make vitamin C work, so you can move it from an afterthought to a true foundation of your longevity stack.

What you’ll learn:

06:08 Why vitamin C matters far beyond fighting off colds and flus.

06:57 What the brand-new Cell Metabolism study revealed about a new aging mechanism called ferroaging.

08:22 How ferroptosis differs from normal cell death — and why iron makes cells "explode".

13:01 Why vitamin C beat every other compound at blocking this iron-driven aging process.

16:52 What happened when monkeys drank vitamin C for 40 months, including younger brains and tissues.

22:03 How liposomal, buffered, and ascorbic-acid forms of vitamin C differ in absorption.

27:07 How to time your vitamin C so it doesn't blunt your workout gains.

47:19 Which foundational supplements Dan builds his own longevity stack around.

Love the podcast? Here’s what to do:

• Subscribe to the podcast. 
• Leave a review. 
• Text a screenshot to me at 813-565-2627 and wait for a personal reply because your voice is so important to me.

Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/danpardi

Episode Sponsor: Try Qualia (http://qualialife.com/VIRGINWELLNESS) risk-free for up to 100 days and use code VIRGINWELLNESS for 15% off 

If your routine or eating habits have changed recently head to BodyBio.com/JJVIRGIN to start supporting your gut. 

Mitopure supports the cellular energy that allows your muscles to actually respond and adapt. Mitopure gummies make it simple. Visit https://timeline.com/jjvirgin for 20% off your order. 

Did you know that women naturally have 70% to 80% lower tissue stores of creatine than men?

Creatine has evolved from a “bodybuilding” supplement into a practical tool for energy, recovery, strength, and even brain support, with especially compelling benefits for women who may have lower creatine stores and notice more fatigue, brain fog, or slower recovery. It works by helping replenish ATP, the body’s quick-access energy supply, which can translate into harder workouts, better performance, stronger muscles, and longer-term support for bone and metabolic health; while creatine monohydrate is the most studied form, many people also look at alternative forms for better tolerance and dosing convenience. My perspective is that creatine is particularly valuable for women—not just “gym bros”—especially during cycling, perimenopause, and menopause, when energy, mood, muscle, and cognition can all be challenged.

What you’ll learn:
(00:00) Why creatine is essential for women, not just bodybuilders
(01:55) Why women have lower baseline creatine stores than men
(03:22) How menopause increases your need for creatine
(04:06) Why creatine monohydrate causes bloating and gas
(05:31) Why creatine HCl absorbs better with no digestive side effects
(06:51) How muscle mass boosts your resting fat burn
(08:55) Debunking myths on bulkiness and kidney damage
(09:41) How to dose creatine HCl with magnesium and taurine

Love the podcast? Here’s what to do:
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Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/creatineplaybook

What makes BBLs one of the riskiest procedures in plastic surgery?

I’m sitting down with plastic surgeon Dr. Rady Rahban to get real about one of the most talked-about and misunderstood procedures in beauty: the Brazilian Butt Lift. We break down why BBLs can be so risky, what actually happens when fat is removed and transferred, and why aggressive liposuction can create problems long after the initial “wow” moment. We also explore a new fat-transfer option that could be a total game changer for lean, fit women who want subtle volume without having enough fat to donate.

(00:00) Why board certification matters, but why doing your homework still matters even more.

(00:49) What a Brazilian Butt Lift actually is and why it became such a popular procedure.

(01:39) Why creating even a small change in the butt requires a surprisingly large amount of fat.

(02:22) Why liposuction for a BBL is often much more aggressive than standard targeted liposuction.

(03:41) How BBLs became one of the deadliest procedures in plastic surgery.

(04:42) Why injecting too much fat too deeply can lead to a dangerous fat embolism.

(06:31) Why lean, fit women may struggle with volume loss in the face, breasts, or butt despite being in great shape.

(07:32) How donor fat scaffolding may offer a new way to restore volume without traditional fat harvesting.

Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/0yLzL_GGiy8?si=qRnRDfT85adflE9Q 

Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/drrady

Could your bloating, burping, or reflux actually be a sign of low stomach acid?

In this empowering episode, I sit down with Dr. Kiran Sachdev, a prominent integrative gastroenterologist and microbiome longevity specialist, to uncover how your digestive system serves as ground zero for overall wellness and powerful aging. We dive deep into the specific biological shifts that occur during menopause, including the common loss of stomach acid and the development of a leaky gut barrier, while outlining tactical solutions to slow down and reverse this decline. From customizing your individual protein-to-fiber ratio to exploiting the cutting-edge science of postbiotics and exercise diversity, this conversation provides the ultimate roadmap to help you refuel your body, renew your passions, and look and feel your absolute best.

What you’ll learn:
(07:24) How menopause can make the gut more vulnerable, reduce keystone bacteria, and contribute to leaky gut, inflammation, brain fog, bone loss, and muscle decline.
(09:39) Why next-generation probiotics like Akkermansia, Veillonella, and Clostridium butyricum may play a role in metabolism, gut-barrier strength, exercise performance, and immune regulation.
(12:04) Why low hydrochloric acid becomes more common after 50 and how poor protein digestion can show up as bloating, burping, reflux, and foul-smelling gas.
(15:03) How the baking soda test may offer clues about low stomach acid and why Dr. Sachdev recommends pairing protein with fiber or polyphenols.
(18:28) Why fiber is essential for gut health, why some people react poorly to it at first, and how polyphenols and fermented foods can act as a bridge.
(29:26) What the Stanford fermented-foods study found about microbiome diversity and inflammatory markers compared with a high-fiber diet.
(37:17) Why Dr. Sachdev likes the fasting-mimicking diet for autophagy, mitochondrial repair, and gut stem-cell renewal.
(40:27) How different types of exercise may shape different gut bacteria and why combining walking, HIIT, resistance training, and mobility work supports microbiome diversity.

Love the podcast? Here’s what to do:
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Text a screenshot to me at 813-565-2627 and wait for a personal reply because your voice is so important to me.

Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/drkiran

Episode Sponsor: Try Qualia risk-free for up to 100 days and use code VIRGINWELLNESS for 15% off

If your routine or eating habits have changed recently head to BodyBio.com/JJVIRGIN to start supporting your gut.

Mitopure supports the cellular energy that allows your muscles to actually respond and adapt. Mitopure gummies make it simple. Visit https://timeline.com/jjvirgin for 20% off your order.

Are you tired of letting minor daily inconveniences trigger an oversized, reactive emotional response that drains your daily energy?

In this episode, I catch up with my long-time friend Dave Asprey to dive deep into the science behind his groundbreaking book, Heavily Meditated. We break down why traditional meditation practices can fall short for modern brains and introduce a highly efficient "Reset Process" designed to erase emotional triggers and past trauma forever. By learning how to optimize your physical energy and master your biological operating system, you can stop reacting from a place of fear and step into a life of genuine peace, wisdom, and vitality.

What you’ll learn:
(03:06) Why JJ calls Dave Asprey the father of biohacking and credits him with introducing her to a different kind of meditation.
(06:24) How Dave’s own struggles with weight, brain fog, stress, and unhappiness led him into meditation, biohacking, and altered-state research.
(09:03) Why Dave explored ayahuasca, Tibetan monasteries, and ancient wisdom traditions to understand how people change their state.
(12:51) Why traditional meditation may not work for every modern brain and why Dave compares meditation to choosing the right diet or exercise tool.
(16:06) How the reset process helps turn off emotional triggers instead of simply managing them.
(18:14) Why fear, food, and fertility drive many of the body’s automatic reactions before the conscious brain can respond.
(26:29) How forgiveness can help disentangle you from old grudges without pretending that what happened was okay.
(33:50) Why releasing trauma, supporting hormones, and restoring energy can help women become powerful elders instead of reactive adults.

Love the podcast? Here’s what to do:
Subscribe to the podcast.
Leave a review.
Text a screenshot to me at 813-565-2627 and wait for a personal reply because your voice is so important to me.

Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/heavilymeditated

How can you distinguish between a plastic surgeon's actual skill and a clever marketing campaign?

I’m joined by Dr. Rady Rahban for a very real conversation about celebrity plastic surgery, facelifts, fillers, and the beauty expectations women are navigating after 40. We talk about why even famous people with unlimited resources can end up with disappointing results, and why edited photos and dramatic “reveals” can create unrealistic expectations for the rest of us. Dr. Rahban also explains what actually starts changing in the face around midlife, how fillers became so overused, and what you need to know before chasing a look that may not even be real.

(00:26) How celebrities frequently experience botched surgeries despite having access to immense wealth and top-tier resources.

(01:53) Why many plastic surgeons struggle to say no to famous clientele and end up performing unnecessary operations.

(02:16) Why you cannot use surgery to fix an aging problem that has not actually occurred yet.

(02:44) How aggressive marketing campaigns can easily mask a surgeon's poor reviews and lack of actual skill.

(03:41) The truth behind Kris Jenner's viral facelift reveal and the reality of how a face settles three months post-surgery.

(07:07) Why a broad surgical focus makes a doctor far more well-rounded than someone who only specializes in one area.

(08:34) The predictable physiological changes and facial shifts you will naturally experience when you reach your 40s.

(11:31) How a gradual, repetitive cycle of getting cosmetic fillers leads to an unnatural and puffy face over time.

Watch the full episode: https://youtu.be/xULXR6bq3kY?si=qwVcNNwPmOy-cVAU

Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/drrady

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Are you unknowingly masking chronic physical burnout under the guise of disciplined biohacking?

I invited Zane Griggs on the show to talk about the sneaky ways high performers can turn discipline into burnout, especially after 40. Zane brings such a grounded perspective on carbs, fasting, testosterone, recovery, and the lab markers that can reveal when your body is stressed instead of thriving. In this episode, we’re cutting through the noise so you can build a strong, sustainable health plan that still leaves room for joy, connection, and real life.

What you’ll learn:

(03:20) High performers often crash their health by overusing extreme stress levers like chronic caloric restriction and over-exercising.

(05:10) Modern biohacking and rigid morning routines can accidentally manifest as a new form of physical burnout disguised as discipline.

(09:45) Glucagon acts as an under-discussed initial stress hormone that can chronically elevate your blood sugar when your body is under-fueled.

(11:24) Long-term adherence to strictly low-carb or ketogenic diets can inadvertently destroy your body's innate metabolic flexibility.

(17:55) Eliminating plant foods on a permanent carnivore diet starves crucial gut bacteria, damaging your immune system and intestinal lining.

(26:36) Fasting insulin is frequently omitted from standard blood panels because many conventional practitioners lack the training to interpret optimal ranges.

(30:07) Adding tests for reverse T3 and free testosterone provides an accurate baseline of how stress is affecting your metabolic and endocrine systems.

(42:08) Testosterone is a vital human hormone for women that safely restores libido, protects muscle mass, and eliminates stubborn fat.

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Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/zane

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What if your insomnia, migraines, or digestive issues are signs of deeper imbalance?

In this fascinating episode, I sit down with award-winning retired neurologist and Ayurvedic coach Dr. Trupti Gokani to explore how blending ancient wisdom with conventional medicine can revolutionize your well-being. We break down her unique Three Brain Optimization Program, focusing on how aligning your central nervous system, enteric nervous system, and gut microbiome addresses the true root causes of stress, insomnia, and chronic pain. By discovering your specific energetic type—whether it's vata, pitta, or kapha—you will walk away with practical, foundational strategies to fine-tune your diet, lifestyle, and emotional health for lifelong longevity.

What you’ll learn:

(06:12) How Dr. Trupti Gokani’s severe insomnia in medical school led her to question conventional answers and search for a deeper root cause.

(12:32) How discovering Ayurveda helped Dr. Gokani identify a vata imbalance and restore her sleep without relying on medication.

(17:55) What Ayurveda means and how the three doshas, vata, pitta, and kapha, reflect different elemental patterns in the body.

(21:14) How vata, pitta, and kapha types show up in personality, body structure, digestion, stress response, and emotional patterns.

(24:29) Why disrupted circadian rhythm, cold foods, skipped meals, and constant movement can aggravate vata and contribute to anxiety, insomnia, constipation, and tightness.

(33:20) How Dr. Gokani’s three-brain model connects the head brain, gut brain, and microbiome brain to stress, emotions, digestion, and chronic symptoms.

(39:49) How warming, cooling, spicy, light, or grounding foods can be used differently depending on whether someone is in a vata, pitta, or kapha state.

(52:29) How simple Ayurvedic practices like warm oil massage, yoga, breathwork, and adjusting exercise intensity can support longevity, joint health, and nervous system balance.

Love the podcast? Here’s what to do:

Subscribe to the podcast.

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Text a screenshot to me at 813-565-2627 and wait for a personal reply because your voice is so important to me.

Full show notes (including all links mentioned): https://jjvirgin.com/trupti

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices