Healthy AF | Healthy After 50

I sat down LIVE at Mindshare with Dr. Anil Bajnath to talk about where medicine is headed next: precision medicine, advanced biomarkers, genetics, chronic illness, longevity, and regenerative health.

Dr. Bajnath is a family physician with additional training in anti-aging, regenerative, functional, and precision medicine. He founded the Institute for Human Optimization and the American Board of Precision Medicine, and his approach is built around connecting what he calls the molecular dots—from your genome to your phenotype—to understand what is actually driving an individual's health.

In this conversation, we get into why two people can be exposed to the same environment and respond completely differently, how genetics and environmental exposures can interact, and why advanced testing can reveal patterns that standard labs may miss.

We also talk about:

• Whole genome sequencing and individualized risk
• Chronic inflammatory response syndrome and complex illness
• Mold, Lyme, viral illness, and environmental exposures
• Detoxification pathways and pharmacogenomics
• Advanced biomarker testing
• Alzheimer's and neurodegenerative disease
• Therapeutic plasma exchange
• Hyperbaric oxygen and photobiomodulation
• Environmental toxicants and microplastics
• Ozone therapies
• Regenerative medicine, stem cells, and exosomes
• Why I like Dr. Bajnath's philosophy of letting the data drive the treatment, rather than chasing whatever health trend happens to be popular

One of my favorite concepts from this conversation is his approach to P4 medicine: personalized, predictive, preventative, and participatory.

This is what the future of individualized health care looks like to me: understanding the person in front of you first, then choosing the intervention.

Huge thanks to Dr. Anil Bajnath for sitting down with me at Mindshare.

Learn more about Dr. Bajnath: Institute for Human Optimization: https://www.ifho.org/ American Board of Precision Medicine: https://theabopm.org/ Transcript(20261019-002329)

YouTube Chapters

0:00 The Future of Personalized Medicine 1:00 Inside the Institute for Human Optimization 2:00 Chronic Complex Illness & CIRS 3:00 Genetics, Environment & Chronic Inflammation 5:00 Transcriptomics: Which Genes Are Being Turned On? 6:00 Whole Genome Sequencing & Precision Medicine 8:00 Testing Beyond Standard Labs 9:00 Advanced Treatments for Complex Disease 10:00 Therapeutic Plasma Exchange & Neurodegeneration 11:00 Environmental Toxins, Microplastics & Detoxification 12:00 Ozone Therapy, NRF2 & Advanced Interventions 13:00 "Weed, Seed & Feed" Before Regenerative Medicine 14:00 Health Optimization for Executives & High Performers 15:00 P4 Medicine: Personalized, Predictive & Preventative 16:00 Stem Cells, Exosomes & Regenerative Medicine 17:00 The Future of Stem Cell Access 18:00 Where to Find Dr. Anil Bajnath

Why is your fasting blood sugar high even when you're eating clean, training consistently, cutting sugar, or even following a low-carb diet?

That's what I'm breaking down in Part 3 of this series.

I've dealt with this myself.

There was a period where I was eating low carb, doing intermittent fasting, training fasted, and still waking up with fasting glucose in the 90s and sometimes higher.

At first glance, that doesn't make much sense.

But once I started looking deeper into glucagon, cortisol, adrenaline, liver glucose production, and what happens when your cells aren't producing enough ATP, the picture changed.

Your fasting blood sugar isn't just about what you ate the night before.

Your liver is making glucose all night long, and hormones like glucagon, cortisol, and adrenaline help control how much gets released into the bloodstream.

In this episode, I break down:

• Why low ATP can create a stress response
• How adrenaline raises blood sugar and free fatty acids
• How cortisol can keep gluconeogenesis running
• Why glucagon may be one of the most overlooked hormones in metabolic health
• How insulin and glucagon are supposed to regulate each other
• Why fasting glucose can stay elevated even on a low-carb diet
• How the Randle cycle can interfere with glucose oxidation
• Why simply cutting more carbs may lower the number without fixing the underlying issue
• The labs I look at beyond fasting glucose alone

This connects directly back to Parts 1 and 2, where I explained how mitochondrial dysfunction can reduce ATP production even when enough calories are coming in.

When that energy deficit keeps happening, your body responds like there's an emergency.

And over time, that hormonal response can start showing up in your labs.

If you haven't watched the first two episodes yet, go back and start there. It'll make this one much easier to follow.

In Part 4, I'm going to zoom out and show how this same underlying metabolic dysfunction can show up as several different problems across the body.

Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss it.

Stay Healthy AF, Zane

Episode Timestamps:

• 0:00 The Overlooked Hormone Behind Fasting Blood Sugar
• 0:45 Zane's Own Experience With Elevated Fasting Glucose
• 2:00 When You're "Doing Everything Right" But Glucose Is Still High
• 3:00 How Seed Oils & Mitochondrial Dysfunction Fit Into the Story
• 5:00 Adrenaline: The First Stress Response
• 6:20 How Adrenaline Raises Fat & Glucose in the Blood
• 8:00 Why Stored Linoleic Acid Matters
• 8:45 Cortisol Takes Over When the Stress Doesn't Stop
• 10:00 Gluconeogenesis & Chronically Elevated Cortisol
• 12:00 Cortisol, PGC-1α & Mitochondrial Repair
• 13:00 Glucagon: The Overlooked Hormone
• 14:00 Why Low ATP Can Drive Glucagon Higher
• 15:00 When Insulin & Glucagon Stop Regulating Each Other
• 16:00 Why Your Liver Makes Glucose Overnight
• 17:30 The Randle Cycle Explained
• 19:00 Why Glucose Can Back Up in the Bloodstream
• 20:00 Why Cutting More Carbs May Not Fix the Problem
• 21:00 What Your Fasting Glucose Number Doesn't Tell You
• 21:40 Labs Zane Looks At
• 22:40 What's Coming in Part 4
• 23:20 Looking at the Whole Metabolic Pattern

Connect with Zane Griggs:

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📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness

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🌐 Website: https://zanegriggs.com/http://zanegriggs.com

Research Referenced in This Series

Hulbert et al. (2007) — Membrane Composition & Lifespan — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17928583/

Seebacher et al. (2010) — Oxidative Metabolism & Proton Leak — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20586603/

Paradies et al. (2009) — Cardiolipin & Mitochondrial Dysfunction — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19368971/

Chicco & Sparagna (2007) — Cardiolipin Alterations — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16899548/

Stanley et al. (2012) — Dietary Fat & Mitochondrial Function — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4067133/

Khairallah et al. (2012) — Membrane Fatty Acids & Mitochondrial Function — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3316678/

Penzo et al. (2002) — Fatty Acids & Mitochondria — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12206909/

Hulbert et al. (2006) — Peroxidation-Resistant Membranes & Longevity — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16620917/

Pamplona et al. (2004) — Fatty Acids & Mitochondrial DNA Damage — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15130667/

Porter, Hulbert & Brand (1996) — Mitochondrial Proton Leak — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8997352/

What if declining vision, eye strain, headaches, brain fog, and difficulty focusing weren't simply things you had to accept as you get older?

In this episode of Healthy AF, Zane Griggs sits down with neuro-optometrist Dr. Bryce Appelbaum to explore the connection between your eyes and your brain—and why he believes vision should be trained just like the rest of your body.

Dr. Appelbaum explains the important difference between eyesight and vision, how hours of daily screen time can place the visual system under stress, and why functional vision problems can sometimes produce symptoms that overlap with problems involving attention, reading, and learning.

They also dive into vision after 40, reading glasses, screen-related eye strain, concussion recovery, and how Dr. Appelbaum works with professional and Olympic-level athletes to improve visual processing, peripheral awareness, reaction time, depth perception, and performance.

Plus, Dr. Appelbaum walks Zane through a simple "eye push-up" exercise designed to train the focusing system and shares the 20-20-20 rule you can start using during screen-heavy days.

In this episode:

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Eyesight vs. vision: why they're not the same thing

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How screen time affects the eye-brain connection

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Vision, attention, reading, and focus

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Why your distance vision may change with heavy near work

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The 20-20-20 rule for screen breaks

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Vision training for professional athletes

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Vision changes after concussion and head injuries

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Why vision matters for balance and fall prevention as we age

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What happens to near vision after 40

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How to perform Dr. Appelbaum's eye push-ups

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Reading glasses and the focusing system

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Digital performance lenses and screen stress

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How to start training your vision

Connect with Zane Griggs:

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🧠 Free Plan: https://free40plan.com

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📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness

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🌐 Website: https://zanegriggs.com/http://zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

ScreenFit: ScreenFit.com — use code ZANE for $200 off / 40% off

My Vision First: MyVisionFirst.com

Digital Performance Lenses: use code ZANE for 10% off

https://myvisionfirst.com

0:00 Meet Dr. Bryce Appelbaum

1:42 Vision Problems, ADHD & Dyslexia Symptoms

2:33 Eyesight vs. Vision: What's the Difference?

3:45 Why Your Eyesight May Change With Screen Time

5:48 Can You Actually Exercise Your Vision?

6:41 What Screens Are Doing to Your Visual System

8:39 The Problem With 7+ Hours of Screen Time

10:55 How Vision Can Affect Your Stress Response

12:29 Adding "Vision Snacks" to Your Day

13:43 The 20-20-20 Rule

16:19 ScreenFit & Vision Performance Training

17:34 How Elite Athletes Train Their Vision

20:34 Concussions, Head Injuries & Vision

23:47 How Vision Training Changed an MLB Player's Performance

25:09 Does Vision Have to Decline With Age?

43:58 Why Reading Gets Harder After 40

45:53 How to Do Eye Push-Ups

50:02 The Problem With Monovision

52:26 Vision Training for Longevity

53:21 ScreenFit + Special Offer

55:02 Digital Performance Lenses

58:44 Where to Find Dr. Bryce Appelbaum

What actually happens to seed oils once they enter your body?

In this first episode of a new Healthy AF series, Zane Griggs breaks down the metabolic chain reaction he argues can begin when dietary polyunsaturated fats become incorporated into the membranes of your mitochondria.

Your mitochondria produce the ATP that powers your cells—but the fats you eat can become part of the physical structure of the mitochondrial membrane. Zane explores research around membrane composition, polyunsaturated fats, oxidative vulnerability, proton leak, mitochondrial uncoupling, and cardiolipin.

You'll learn why Zane believes the conversation around seed oils needs to go much deeper than calories or inflammation—and why mitochondrial health may be an important piece of understanding metabolic health, energy production, and longevity.

Zane also discusses research suggesting mitochondrial membrane composition can change in response to dietary fat composition, meaning what your mitochondria are built from isn't necessarily fixed.

This is Part 1 of Zane's deep dive into seed oils, mitochondria, and metabolic health. In the next episode, he'll explore how this chain of events may connect to hunger and why you can feel hungry even when you're consuming plenty of food.

Get Zane's FREE Fit Over 40 Plan: https://Free40Plan.com

Research & Resources

Want to dig into the research behind this episode? Here are some of the studies and reviews referenced in Zane's deep dive into dietary fats, mitochondrial membranes, oxidation, and longevity:

• Life and Death: Metabolic Rate, Membrane Composition, and Life Span of Animals — Hulbert et al. (2007) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17928583/
• Role of Cardiolipin Peroxidation and Ca²⁺ in Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Disease — Paradies et al. (2009) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19368971/
• Role of Cardiolipin Alterations in Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Disease — Chicco & Sparagna (2007) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16899548/
• Improved Mitochondrial Function with Diet-Induced Increase in DHA or Arachidonic Acid in Membrane Phospholipids — Khairallah et al. (2012) https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3316678/
• Effects of Fatty Acids on Mitochondria: Implications for Cell Death — Penzo et al. (2002) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12206909/
• Extended Longevity of Wild-Derived Mice Is Associated with Peroxidation-Resistant Membranes — Hulbert et al. (2006) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16620917/
• Modification of Fatty Acid Unsaturation, Oxidative Damage & Longevity — Pamplona et al. (2004) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15130667/
• Allometry of Mitochondrial Proton Leak: Membrane Surface Area & Fatty Acid Composition — Porter, Hulbert & Brand (1996) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8997352/

YouTube Chapters

0:00 What Happens to Seed Oils After You Eat Them? 2:15 How Your Mitochondria Produce Energy 3:25 The Fats You Eat Become Part of Your Mitochondria 4:20 Why Polyunsaturated Fats Are More Vulnerable to Oxidation 6:40 Mitochondrial Membranes and the "Pacemaker of Aging" 8:00 How Seed Oils May Contribute to Proton Leak 10:40 Cardiolipin and the Mitochondrial Damage Cycle 14:00 What Long-Lived Species Can Teach Us About Membrane Fat 15:20 How This May Connect to Metabolic Disease 16:05 Can You Rebuild Your Mitochondrial Membranes? 17:00 What's Coming Next + Free Fit Over 40 Plan

Can you be Healthy AF if you still drink alcohol?

In this episode of Healthy AF (Healthy After 50), I sit down with functional diagnostic nutritionist, peptide educator, and My Peptide University faculty member Sam Lander for one of the most honest conversations we've had on the podcast.

Sam opens up about her incredible journey—from addiction, prison, and rebuilding her life—to becoming one of the most respected educators in functional medicine and peptide therapy.

We dive into why so many people are doing everything "right" but still don't feel well, how functional lab testing uncovers hidden problems, and why alcohol may be the single biggest obstacle standing between you and optimal health.

If you're focused on building muscle after 40, increasing energy, improving your gut, optimizing hormones, or extending your healthspan, this is an episode you don't want to miss.

In this episode we discuss:

• Sam's journey from addiction and prison to functional medicine • Why functional lab testing changes everything • The hidden connection between gut health and chronic symptoms • Why peptides require individualized protocols • The truth about "mommy wine culture" • How alcohol affects metabolism, inflammation and longevity • Why quitting alcohol is the biggest health hack most people ignore • Building resilience physically and mentally • Creating lasting health after 40

Connect with Sam Lander

https://seefitliving.com

https://www.instagram.com/seefitliving

• 0:00 Introduction: Meet functional diagnostic nutritionist Sam Lander
• 1:25 What functional diagnostic nutrition really is
• 2:05 Sam's childhood health struggles
• 3:20 Addiction begins at a young age
• 6:10 Prison, rock bottom, and rebuilding her life
• 10:45 Becoming a personal trainer after prison
• 15:30 Why doing "everything right" still wasn't enough
• 16:40 Discovering functional medicine through gut health
• 18:00 Why alcohol is the biggest health hack people ignore
• 22:30 The truth about mommy wine culture
• 27:40 How alcohol affects hormones, weight loss, and longevity
• 33:15 Peptides: why certification and protocols matter
• 38:20 Creating personalized health strategies instead of one-size-fits-all advice
• 43:10 Recovery, resilience, and building a healthier future
• 48:10 Final thoughts and where to connect with Sam

A new seed oil study may look reassuring at first glance — but what did it actually measure?

In this episode, Zane Griggs breaks down a 2025 review of clinical studies on seed oils and explains why short-term improvements in blood markers do not necessarily tell us what is happening inside the mitochondria.

You'll learn why the real concern is not only what shows up in a blood draw, but what happens when polyunsaturated fats become incorporated into mitochondrial membranes over time.

Zane walks through:

• what the seed oil review actually found
• why flaxseed and sesame oil are not the same as soybean or corn oil
• the difference between blood markers and mitochondrial damage
• cardiolipin, ATP production, and oxidative stress
• why 4-HNE and other aldehydes matter
• how cooking oils change when heated
• why stored linoleic acid can remain in the body for years
• why a short-term study may miss a long-term mitochondrial problem
• how soybean oil consumption has changed over the last century
• why stable fats may matter more than most people realize

Studies:

• Laurindo et al. Frontiers in Nutrition. 2025;12:1502815
• Hulbert AJ et al. Physiological Reviews. 87:1175–1213, 2007
• Seebacher F, Brand MD, Else PL, Guderley H, Hulbert AJ, Moyes CD. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology. 83(5):721–732, 2010
• UC Riverside / Journal of Lipid Research, November 2025
• SNI Global soybean oil consumption data

The point is not to ignore studies that show short-term improvements. The point is to understand their limitations and ask whether they are measuring the outcome that actually matters.

Download Zane's Free Fit Over 40 Plan: https://free40plan.com

00:00 The seed oil study everyone is going to cite 01:00 What the 2025 review actually measured 02:00 Why flaxseed and sesame oil are different 03:30 The short-term benefits are real — but limited 04:00 The problem with relying on blood markers 05:00 What happens inside the mitochondria 06:00 Cardiolipin and ATP production explained 07:00 The damage the studies did not measure 08:00 Why higher antioxidant activity can be misleading 09:00 The researchers admitted a major limitation 10:00 They did not verify the oil composition 11:00 Why processing, heat, and storage matter 12:00 Fast-food fryer oil is not the same intervention 13:00 How stored linoleic acid remains in the body 15:00 Why the control groups were not truly low-PUFA 16:00 The washout problem no short-term study solves 17:00 Comparing two versions of excess exposure 18:00 How much soybean oil Americans consume 19:00 Physiological need vs modern consumption 21:00 Why the baseline recommendation may already be too high 22:00 The UC Riverside soybean oil research 23:00 Oxylipins, liver health, and mitochondrial function 25:00 Why standard blood tests may miss the damage 26:00 The peroxidation index explained 27:00 Omega-3 vs omega-6 vs monounsaturated fats 28:00 Why more fish oil may not solve the problem 29:00 Saturated fat and mitochondrial membrane stability 31:00 What membrane fluidity actually requires 32:00 Why longer-lived species matter 33:00 What the pro-seed-oil literature can and cannot prove 35:00 Short-term blood improvements vs long-term membrane loading 36:00 What fats Zane recommends using instead 38:00 Why ingredient labels matter 39:00 Final takeaway: read the studies carefully

What happens when your body gets stuck burning fat and can't switch back to glucose?

In Part 2, Zane breaks down metabolic inflexibility and explains why being locked into fat-dominant metabolism is not the same as being metabolically healthy.

You'll learn how this pattern affects the muscle, heart, and liver — and how elevated fatty acids can impair glucose oxidation, disrupt insulin signaling, and contribute to insulin resistance, fatty liver disease, and heart failure.

Start with Part 1 first for the ATP and glucose-efficiency breakdown.

• 01:00 The metabolic signature of insulin resistance
• 03:30 Why your body should switch between fat and glucose
• 06:00 The 3 tissues that reveal metabolic inflexibility
• 08:30 Why Zane changed his mind about low carb
• 13:30 The real definition of metabolic inflexibility
• 15:00 Why elevated blood sugar can happen on keto or carnivore
• 20:00 Heart failure and metabolic disease
• 22:00 Why failing hearts become more dependent on fat
• 25:00 Why glucose is not the problem
• 29:00 The liver and fatty liver disease
• 33:00 Fatty liver is a metabolic inflexibility problem
• 34:00 Why the liver starts producing more glucose
• 40:00 How liver disease progresses
• 41:00 The muscle, heart, and liver connection
• 46:00 How to restore glucose oxidation
• 47:00 Why high-fat, low-carb can mimic metabolic disease

Kelley, D.E. (2005) "Skeletal muscle fat oxidation: timing and flexibility are everything" Journal of Clinical Investigation — JCI25758 / PMC1159159 Used for: Definition of metabolic inflexibility; experimental elevation of plasma FFAs recreating T2D metabolic signature in skeletal muscle; blunted insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation; impaired suppression of lipid oxidation

Ukropcova, B. et al. (2005) "Dynamic changes in fat oxidation in human primary myocytes mirror metabolic characteristics of the donor" Journal of Clinical Investigation — JCI24332 Used for: Formal definition of metabolic inflexibility — insulin-resistant muscle characterized by lower fasting lipid utilization and failure to switch to carbohydrate oxidation in response to insulin

Sun, Q., Lopaschuk, G.D. et al. (2024) "Mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation is the major source of cardiac ATP production in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction" Cardiovascular Research, Volume 120 — PMID 38193548 Used for: Direct radiolabeled substrate measurements in HFpEF; suppressed insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation; increased FAO; decreased PDH phosphorylation confirmed in human heart samples; disrupted glucose/fat ATP balance

Sun, Q., Karwi, Q.G., Wong, N., Lopaschuk, G.D. (2024) "Advances in myocardial energy metabolism: metabolic remodelling in heart failure and beyond" Cardiovascular Research — PMC11646102 Used for: Comprehensive synthesis — decreased glucose oxidation as universal defect across HFpEF, HFrEF, and diabetic cardiomyopathy; uncoupling of glycolysis from glucose oxidation; FAO increases in HFpEF and diabetic cardiomyopathies

Lopaschuk, G.D., Ussher, J.R., Folmes, C.D.L., Jaswal, J.S., Stanley, W.C. (2010) "Myocardial Fatty Acid Metabolism in Health and Disease" Physiological Reviews — PMC3976623 Used for: Fat oxidation dominance in HF, ischemia, and diabetes; uncoupling of glycolysis from glucose oxidation; therapeutic case for reducing FAO and increasing glucose oxidation (quotes carried over from Video 1 for context)

Fillmore, N., Jaswal, J.S., Lopaschuk, G.D. (2011) "Uncoupling of glycolysis from glucose oxidation accompanies the development of heart failure" Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology — ScienceDirect Used for: Pharmacological shifting from fat to glucose oxidation improving ATP efficiency; cardiac ischemia and heart failure therapeutic mechanism (context reference from Video 1)

Satapati, S. et al. (2011) "Excessive hepatic mitochondrial TCA cycle and gluconeogenesis in humans with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease" Cell Metabolism — PMC3658280 Used for: 50% higher lipolysis in NAFLD; 30% higher gluconeogenesis; 2-fold increase in TCA cycle flux correlated with intrahepatic triglyceride content; increased FFA delivery and oxidation driving gluconeogenesis and oxidative stress

Donnelly, K.L., Smith, C.I., Schwarzenberg, S.J., Jessurun, J., Boldt, M.D., Parks, E.J. (2005) "Sources of fatty acids stored in liver and secreted via lipoproteins in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease" Journal of Clinical Investigation — JCI23621 Used for: Fat source breakdown in NAFLD — ~60% from plasma NEFA/adipose lipolysis, ~26% from de novo lipogenesis, ~15% dietary fat; stable isotope methodology confirming adipose lipolysis as primary driver

Kolwicz, S.C. Jr. (2021) "Ketone Body Metabolism in the Ischemic Heart" Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine — DOI 10.3389/fcvm.2021.789458 Used for: Supporting context on cardiac metabolic flexibility; KD association with worse ischemic outcomes in some models; ketone-glucose suppression dynamic in the ischemic heart

What if the most efficient fuel for the human body isn't fat… but glucose?

In this episode, Zane Griggs breaks down the actual biochemistry behind ATP production, mitochondrial efficiency, and why cardiologists actively try to shift failing hearts away from fat oxidation and back toward glucose oxidation.

This conversation dives deep into the P/O ratio, oxygen efficiency, insulin resistance, heart failure, ketones, metabolic flexibility, and the misunderstood role of glucose in human metabolism.

If you've been told that fat is always the superior fuel source, this episode may completely change how you think about metabolism, performance, and energy production.

In this episode:

• Why glucose produces more ATP per oxygen molecule
• The truth about fat oxidation vs glucose oxidation
• Why the heart becomes "stuck" burning fat in heart failure
• The real meaning of metabolic flexibility
• Why insulin is not the villain it's been made out to be
• The difference between glycolysis and glucose oxidation
• Why ketones are not the "super fuel" many claim
• How mitochondrial inefficiency impacts metabolic disease
• The connection between diabetes, heart disease, and fuel selection

This is Part 1 of a deeper metabolic series exploring insulin resistance, ATP production, glucose metabolism, and how the body actually creates energy.

Feeling "off" despite doing everything right?

Download Zane's free Metabolic Stress Marker Guide to learn: ✔ what your labs may actually be telling you ✔ why "normal" doesn't always mean optimal ✔ the hidden hormone, thyroid, and metabolic markers most people overlook

👉 Get the free guide: https://zanegriggs.com/freeguide

Ready to learn more? Get Zane's Free Over 40 Performance Plan: https://free40plan.com

00:00 Why fuel efficiency matters 01:00 What is ATP and the P/O ratio? 02:00 Why oxygen efficiency changes everything 03:00 Calories vs mitochondrial efficiency 05:00 The engine analogy explained 06:00 The studies comparing glucose, fat, and ketones 08:00 Why glucose creates more ATP than fat 09:00 What happens in heart failure 11:00 Are ketones really a "super fuel"? 13:00 Ketones and mitochondrial uncoupling 14:00 How cardiologists use glucose therapeutically 16:00 Fat oxidation and heart dysfunction 18:00 Diabetes, heart disease, and blocked glucose oxidation 20:00 Why doctors shift patients toward glucose oxidation 22:00 The metabolic flexibility explanation 24:00 Fat oxidation blocking glucose oxidation 25:00 Why insulin is NOT the enemy 27:00 The real driver of insulin resistance 28:00 Key takeaways on glucose vs fat burning 30:00 Preview of Part 2

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Mookerjee et al. (2017) "Quantifying intracellular rates of glycolytic and oxidative ATP production and consumption using extracellular flux measurements" Journal of Biological Chemistry — PMC5409486 Used for: Glucose P/O ratio of 2.79; updated theoretical maximum ATP yields

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Agilent Technologies / Seahorse Bioscience (white paper) "Quantifying ATP Production Rate Using the Seahorse XF Real-Time ATP Rate Assay" Agilent application note 5991-9303EN Used for: P/O ratio range — palmitate 2.45, glucose 2.79–2.86; average cellular P/O of 2.75

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Lopaschuk, Ussher, Folmes, Jaswal, Stanley (2010) "Myocardial Fatty Acid Metabolism in Health and Disease" Physiological Reviews — PMC3976623 Used for: All four extended quotes on fat oxidation dominance in heart failure, ischemia, and diabetes; therapeutic strategy of reducing fat oxidation and increasing glucose oxidation

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Fillmore, Jaswal, Lopaschuk (2011) "Uncoupling of glycolysis from glucose oxidation accompanies the development of heart failure" ScienceDirect / Journal of Molecular and Cellular Cardiology Used for: Quote on pharmacological shifting from fat to glucose oxidation improving ATP efficiency; cardiac ischemia and heart failure

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Sun, Lopaschuk et al. (2024) "Mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation is the major source of cardiac ATP production in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction" Cardiovascular Research, Volume 120 — PMID 38193548 Used for: HFpEF data — suppressed insulin-stimulated glucose oxidation, increased FAO, decreased PDH phosphorylation in mouse and human samples

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Kolwicz (2021) "Ketone Body Metabolism in the Ischemic Heart" Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine — DOI 10.3389/fcvm.2021.789458 Used for: Ketone P/O ratio ~2.50 vs glucose ~2.58 vs fat ~2.33; ischemic heart disease ketone data; KD associated with worse outcomes post-MI in some models

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MDPI / Koutnik et al. (2020) "Ketones Elicit Distinct Alterations in Adipose Mitochondrial Bioenergetics" International Journal of Molecular Sciences — DOI 10.3390/ijms21176255 Used for: β-hydroxybutyrate increases respiration without commensurate ATP production; elevated O2:ATP ratio confirming uncoupling; UCP1 and PGC1α upregulation

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Sullivan et al. / ResearchGate (2004) "The Ketogenic Diet Increases Mitochondrial Uncoupling Protein Levels and Activity" Used for: Ketogenic diet increases hippocampal uncoupling proteins; decreased ROS but at cost of coupling efficiency

In this episode, Zane sits down with registered dietitian and Type 1 diabetic Isaac Pohlman to challenge one of the biggest misconceptions in modern health: that carbs are the problem.

Isaac shares his powerful personal journey—from a high-level athlete dealing with chronic fatigue, hormonal issues, and gut dysfunction to being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in grad school. What followed wasn't just managing symptoms, but completely rethinking metabolism, energy production, and how the body actually uses fuel.

Together, Zane and Isaac break down why the fear around carbohydrates is not only misguided—but often making blood sugar issues worse. They unpack the real drivers of insulin resistance, including stress, circadian rhythm disruption, ultra-processed foods, and loss of muscle mass.

This conversation goes far beyond "carbs vs. no carbs." It reframes metabolic health as a system—one that includes lifestyle, light exposure, recovery, food quality, and nervous system regulation.

If you've been told to cut carbs to fix your blood sugar… this episode will challenge everything you thought you kne

👇 Download Zane's Free Plan https://free40plan.com/ Follow Zane IG: https://www.instagram.com/zanegriggsfitness

Guest:

https://www.thepohlmaninstitute.com/

https://www.facebook.com/isaacpohlmannutrition/ https://www.instagram.com/isaacpohlman/

https://www.youtube.com/@isaacpohlman Where to learn more about the Pohlman Institute's work and protocols Carb Sweet Spot Masterclass [FREE] https://programs.isaacpohlman.com/offers/FoFv4San

Have Your Carbs and Eat 'Em Too Book https://book.isaacpohlman.com/book-sales-page The Pohlman Method - 1:1 Coaching: https://www.thepohlmaninstitute.com/the-pohlman-method 00:00 – Intro: Why cardio & diet aren't working anymore 01:00 – Isaac's background & metabolic health approach 03:00 – Athlete to chronic fatigue: early warning signs 05:00 – Stress, trauma & the link to autoimmune conditions 07:00 – The moment metabolism changed everything 10:00 – Type 1 diabetes diagnosis & symptoms 13:00 – Why carbs are misunderstood 15:00 – Fear of carbs & blood sugar spikes explained 17:00 – Why blood sugar SHOULD rise after meals 19:00 – Insulin, thyroid & energy production connection 21:00 – The real cause of insulin resistance 23:00 – Why low-carb can backfire 26:00 – Stress hormones, muscle loss & metabolism 29:00 – How to actually reverse pre-diabetes 31:00 – Lifestyle before diet (what most people miss) 34:00 – Food density & why your meals aren't satisfying 37:00 – What's REALLY causing the diabetes epidemic 40:00 – Light exposure, circadian rhythm & blood sugar 42:00 – Ultra-processed foods & fat storage 44:00 – Personal fat threshold explained 47:00 – Getting off medication naturally 50:00 – Reintroducing carbs safely 54:00 – Best carbs for blood sugar control

Most people believe your metabolism automatically slows down after 40.

But the science says something very different. In this episode of Healthy AF, Zane Griggs breaks down the truth about metabolism, aging, and why fat loss gets harder for many people after 40.

You'll learn why muscle loss, lifestyle habits, and hormone changes play a much bigger role than age itself — and what you can do to keep your metabolism strong for decades.

If you want better energy, improved body composition, and long-term metabolic health, this episode is a must watch.

Download Zane's Free Fit Over 40 Plan: https://free40plan.com

00:00 Why metabolism doesn't actually slow after 40 02:10 The metabolism myth most people believe 04:45 What really causes weight gain after 40 08:10 Muscle loss and its impact on metabolism 12:00 Why strength training becomes critical 16:15 Hormones and metabolic health 21:40 Lifestyle habits that slow metabolism 27:20 The role of sleep and stress 32:45 Nutrition strategies for metabolic health 38:30 How to support metabolism as you age 43:15 Practical habits to improve fat loss 47:30 Key takeaways for staying metabolically healthy

Most people think fatigue is a sleep problem.

But the truth is… sleep is often just a symptom.

In this episode, Zane breaks down why so many people—especially after 40—feel exhausted even when they're getting 7–8 hours of sleep.

The real issue often comes from under-fueling, chronic fasting, low carb diets, and excessive training, which drive up stress hormones like cortisol and disrupt recovery.

Zane shares the mistakes he made for years with fasted workouts, low-carb dieting, and overtraining, and explains how these habits can impact:

• Thyroid function • Testosterone levels • Sleep quality • HRV and recovery • Energy and mood

You'll also learn how to properly fuel your body for better energy, deeper sleep, and sustainable performance.

If you're tired all the time, this episode could completely change how you think about recovery.

Download Zane's Free Fit Over 40 Plan: 👉 https://free40plan.com

00:00 Why You're Still Tired 00:45 Sleep Is a Result of Your Day 02:10 The Hidden Cause of Poor Sleep 04:00 My Personal Low Carb & Fasting Mistake 05:40 Underfueling and Stress Hormones 07:10 Cortisol, Adrenaline, and Glucose Production 09:30 How Fasting Disrupts Sleep 11:30 Why You Wake Up at 2–3 AM 13:00 Fasted Workouts and Hormone Stress 15:10 Why Recovery Changes After 40 17:00 HRV, Heart Rate, and Recovery 18:40 The Mood and Energy Connection 20:10 Why Metabolic Stress Isn't Strength 22:00 Eat Less, Move More Is Wrong 23:40 How Much Protein You Actually Need 25:20 The Right Way to Eat Carbohydrates 27:30 Foods That Support Recovery 29:00 Training Smarter After 40 30:20 Managing Stress and Recovery 31:50 Why Sleep Starts When You Wake Up 33:10 Strategy Beats Extreme Discipline 35:20 Why Fatigue Is a Fuel Problem 36:00 Free Fit Over 40 Plan

Many people struggling with fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, or low libido may actually be dealing with thyroid dysfunction — and not even know it.

In this episode of Healthy AF, Zane explains how common lifestyle habits like low-carb dieting, intermittent fasting, overtraining, chronic stress, and sleep deprivation can quietly disrupt thyroid function and slow your metabolism.

You'll learn why markers like T3, reverse T3, and TSH matter more than most standard lab panels suggest, how the body adapts to low energy availability, and why many people with thyroid symptoms are often told their labs look "normal."

Zane also breaks down the role of insulin, leptin, liver glycogen, and carbohydrate intake in thyroid hormone conversion — and why reintroducing the right foods can often restore metabolic function.

If you've ever struggled with low energy, stubborn weight gain, cold intolerance, or declining performance despite dieting and training harder, this episode will help you understand what may really be happening inside your metabolism.

👇 Download Zane's Free Plan https://free40plan.com/

Follow Zane IG: https://www.instagram.com/zanegriggsfitness/

Supportive research

Low carb diet increases incidence of REDs and low T3⁠ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40639795/%E2%81%A0 ⁠ Low carb diet reduces T3 in athletes⁠ https://blogs.bmj.com/bjsm/2023/08/14/a-bad-situation-made-worse-low-carbohydrate-intake-amplifies-low-energy-availability-hormonal-disturbances/⁠ ⁠ Low carb diet induces low thyroid function⁠ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11558958/⁠ ⁠ Keto diet reduces thyroid function⁠ https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0269440⁠

https://www.free40plan.com

00:00 – Introduction: Thyroid Health and Metabolism 00:40 – Remembering Charlie 02:00 – Common Symptoms of Low Thyroid 03:30 – How Thyroid Affects Metabolism and Energy 04:30 – Hormonal and Cardiovascular Effects of Thyroid Dysfunction 05:30 – Why Thyroid Issues Often Go Undiagnosed 06:30 – Stress, Overtraining, and Aggressive Dieting 08:00 – How Thyroid Hormones Work (T4, T3, Reverse T3) 09:40 – What Low-Carb Diets Do to Thyroid Function 11:00 – Low Energy Availability in Athletes 12:30 – Why Your Body Interprets Low Carb as Scarcity 14:00 – The Impact of Fasting on Thyroid Hormones 15:30 – Liver Glycogen and Overnight Stress Hormones 17:00 – Why High Performers Are Vulnerable 18:30 – Insulin, Leptin, and Thyroid Signaling 20:00 – Optimal Thyroid Lab Ranges Explained 22:30 – Why Symptoms Matter More Than "Normal" Lab Ranges 24:30 – How Thyroid Issues Affect Testosterone in Men 26:00 – Insulin Signaling and Thyroid Conversion 28:00 – Low Carb vs Insulin Resistance: Different Labs, Same Symptoms 31:00 – Why Leptin Is the Missing Link 33:00 – Reintroducing Carbs to Restore Thyroid Function 35:00 – LDL Changes After Increasing Carbohydrates 36:30 – Body Temperature and Metabolic Rate 37:30 – Training, Recovery, and Sleep 38:30 – Best Carbohydrate Sources for Thyroid Health 41:00 – How Much Carbohydrate You Actually Need 43:00 – Macro Ratios for Fat Loss vs Performance 45:00 – What Indigenous Diets Teach Us About Metabolic Health 47:00 – How Ultra-Processed Foods Disrupt Energy Production 49:00 – The Real Cause of Fat Gain and Metabolic Dysfunction 51:00 – Why "Calories In Calories Out" Misses the Real Problem 53:00 – Fixing Metabolism Through Food Quality and Energy Availability

Most men focus on body weight, workouts, or body fat… but those numbers don't tell the full story.

In this episode of Healthy AF, Zane breaks down the five blood markers every man over 40 should be tracking if they want to stay strong, energized, and metabolically healthy for decades to come.

These biomarkers can reveal problems years before symptoms appear and help you catch issues related to metabolic dysfunction, heart disease, inflammation, testosterone decline, and prostate health early.

You'll learn why markers like fasting insulin and fasting glucose often reveal metabolic issues long before diabetes develops, how free testosterone reflects metabolic stress, and why inflammation markers like hs-CRP matter for long-term health.

Zane also explains how lifestyle factors such as poor sleep, chronic stress, excessive fasting, overtraining, and ultra-processed foods can quietly push these numbers in the wrong direction.

If you're over 40 and serious about longevity, performance, and metabolic health, these are the numbers you need to know.

👇 Download Zane's Free Plan https://free40plan.com/

Follow Zane IG: https://www.instagram.com/zanegriggsfitness/

00:00 – 5 Blood Markers Every Man Over 40 Should Know 00:55 – Why Body Weight and Workouts Aren't Enough 01:40 – Marker #1: Fasting Insulin (Earliest Warning Sign) 02:50 – Ideal Fasting Insulin Range 04:00 – What Causes Insulin Resistance 05:05 – Marker #2: Fasting Glucose 06:00 – Why Chronically High Glucose Damages Blood Vessels 07:20 – Low-Carb, Fasting, and Elevated Blood Sugar 08:25 – Ideal Blood Sugar Range 09:15 – Stress Hormones and the "Dawn Effect" 11:00 – Marker #3: Free Testosterone 12:00 – Stress, Fasting, and Testosterone Suppression 13:20 – Ideal Free Testosterone Range 14:10 – Marker #4: hs-CRP (Inflammation Marker) 15:00 – What Drives Chronic Inflammation 15:40 – Visceral Fat, Diet, and Alcohol Effects 16:00 – Marker #5: PSA (Prostate Health) 17:00 – Testosterone and Prostate Cancer Myths 18:20 – Why You Should Start Tracking These Markers Early 19:10 – Why "Normal" Lab Ranges Aren't Optimal

I recommended low-carb and intermittent fasting for nearly 20 years.

Then my labs started telling a different story.

In this episode, I break down why I stopped fasting, increased carbohydrates, lowered fat intake, and how that shift improved my fasting glucose, thyroid markers, LDL, sleep, and recovery.

This isn't anti-keto/carnivore. It's anti-dogma.

If you care about metabolic health, ATP production, thyroid function, or insulin sensitivity, this conversation will challenge what you think you know.

Chapters below 👇

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Why I Needed to Address This Publicly
• 01:30 — The Hard Realization I Was Wrong
• 03:00 — 20 Years of Low-Carb & Fasting
• 05:00 — Carnivore Experiment & What It Felt Like
• 08:30 — My Blood Markers That Didn't Make Sense
• 11:30 — Thyroid, SHBG & Sleep Disruptions
• 13:30 — Over-Leveraging Metabolic Stress
• 14:00 — Ending Intermittent Fasting
• 15:00 — Increasing Carbs to 300g
• 17:00 — Improved Bloodwork Results
• 19:00 — Lower LDL Without Medication
• 20:00 — Phase Two: High-Carb, Low-Fat Experiment
• 23:00 — Adjusting Protein & Fat Down
• 27:00 — Blood Sugar Dropped to 80
• 28:00 — Visceral Fat & DEXA Results
• 29:00 — Doctor's Reaction
• 30:00 — Thyroid & Cholesterol Mechanisms Explained
• 32:00 — Gluconeogenesis & Starvation Signaling
• 35:00 — My Wife's Results
• 36:00 — Cellular Energy & ATP Explained
• 38:00 — What I Eat in a Day
• 44:00 — Night Waking & Liver Glycogen
• 45:00 — How I Lean Out Now
• 48:00 — Who Should Increase Fat vs Lower Fat
• 50:00 — Free Fit Over 40 Plan
• 52:00 — Why ATP Production Is the Real Focus

Connect with Zane Griggs:

•

🧠 Free Plan: https://free40plan.com

•

📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness

•

🌐 Website: https://zanegriggs.com/http://zanegriggs.com

Low-carb, ketogenic, and carnivore diets have helped a lot of people — myself included — at different stages of their health journey. But what happens when a strategy meant to heal is followed too long without reassessment?

In this episode of Healthy AF, I sit down with Dr. Rachel Brown, a psychiatrist and functional medicine practitioner who shares her deeply personal experience after 10 years of ketogenic eating — six of those strictly carnivore.

Dr. Brown opens up about the symptoms she believes were connected to long-term carbohydrate restriction, with gut dysbiosis and thyroid dysfunction becoming the most prominent issues. Coming from both a psychiatric and functional medicine background, she brings a rare perspective — one that bridges mental health, metabolism, and digestive health.

We explore how restrictive diets can alter the gut microbiome over time, why a lack of fermentable carbohydrates may compromise microbial diversity, and how chronic stress physiology can quietly impact thyroid signaling. Dr. Brown also explains how symptoms can be missed or rationalized in high-discipline health communities, where feeling unwell is often reframed as "adaptation."

This is not an anti-keto or anti-carnivore conversation. It's an anti-dogma conversation.

We talk about the importance of metabolic flexibility, ongoing self-assessment, and the willingness to evolve as your body's needs change. Dr. Brown emphasizes that healing isn't about ideology — it's about listening to physiology, respecting individual variability, and understanding that no approach should be considered permanent by default.

If you've ever wondered whether a diet that once helped you might now be holding you back, this episode offers clarity, nuance, and reassurance that changing course isn't failure — it's growth.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Keto and carnivore can be powerful tools, but may not be lifelong solutions
• Gut dysbiosis can develop when microbial diversity is chronically reduced
• Thyroid function is highly sensitive to long-term energy and carb availability
• Mental health, digestion, and metabolism are deeply interconnected
• Symptoms are often rationalized in high-discipline diet cultures
• Metabolic flexibility and reassessment are key to long-term health
• Health strategies should evolve as physiology changes

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Introduction: Dr. Rachel Brown's background
• 03:00 — Why keto initially worked
• 06:30 — Transitioning into long-term carnivore
• 10:30 — Early warning signs that were easy to dismiss
• 14:00 — Gut dysbiosis explained
• 18:00 — Thyroid dysfunction and restrictive diets
• 22:30 — Mental health implications of chronic restriction
• 27:00 — When discipline becomes self-harm
• 31:30 — Reintroducing carbs and gut-supportive foods
• 36:00 — Metabolic flexibility vs diet identity
• 41:00 — Lessons learned after 10 years
• 45:00 — Final thoughts: evolving without shame

Connect with Zane Griggs:

• 🧠 Free Plan: https://free40plan.com
• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness
• 🌐 Website: https://zanegriggs.com/http://zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

• IG: @‌drrachelsarahbrown
• https://drrachelsbrown.com/

For years, the health and fitness space has rewarded extremes — more restriction, more protocols, more supplements, more "hacks." But what happens when chasing optimization starts to quietly dismantle your health instead of improving it?

In this episode of Healthy AF, Zane sits down with Dylan Gemelli for one of the most honest, wide-ranging conversations the show has had. Dylan's journey doesn't begin with illness — it begins with pushing the limits of health itself. From elite athletics to bodybuilding, from underground supplementation to biohacking and cellular health, Dylan has lived on both sides of the extreme.

Dylan opens up about his early life, disordered eating patterns, overtraining, and the mentality that "more is always better." He shares how chasing leanness, control, and aesthetics eventually led to mental exhaustion, physical pain, and metabolic stress — even while appearing outwardly "healthy." This episode pulls back the curtain on how easily discipline can turn into self-abuse when intention is lost.

The conversation then shifts into Dylan's transformation. After years of ultra-low fat, ultra-low calorie dieting, relentless cardio, and rigid food rules, he finally reached a breaking point. Adding fats back in. Eating whole eggs instead of only egg whites. Introducing real carbohydrates. Cooking with butter. Allowing flexibility. What surprised him most wasn't weight gain — it was improved energy, recovery, mood, body composition, and freedom.

Zane and Dylan also dig into the biohacking world — what's helpful, what's misunderstood, and what's being misused. They discuss why piling on peptides, supplements, and therapies without addressing nutrition, stress, sleep, and foundations often leads to worse outcomes, not better ones. Dylan explains why many "biohackers" actually show poorer mitochondrial health when measured — not because the tools are bad, but because balance is missing.

At its core, this episode is about accountability, intentionality, and purpose. Dylan shares how prison, adversity, and personal responsibility reshaped his outlook — and why he now sees health as a long game, not a shortcut. This is a conversation for anyone who's burned out from extremes, confused by conflicting health advice, or ready to rebuild their body and life with clarity instead of chaos.

If you've ever felt trapped by rigid protocols, afraid to eat, or overwhelmed by "doing everything right," this episode will hit home.

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Why extremes dominate the health space
• 02:10 — Dylan's early years: athletics, body image, and control
• 05:30 — Disordered eating, overtraining, and chasing leanness
• 09:00 — Consequences of "discipline without intention"
• 12:30 — Prison, accountability, and rebuilding identity
• 16:00 — Bodybuilding, supplements, and extreme protocols
• 19:40 — When optimization turns into self-destruction
• 23:00 — Enter biohacking: curiosity vs obsession
• 26:30 — The breaking point: hunger, fatigue, and burnout
• 30:00 — Adding fats and carbs back in (and what changed fast)
• 33:40 — Energy, recovery, mood, and metabolic freedom
• 36:40 — Why foundations beat advanced protocols every time
• 39:40 — Biohacking done wrong: too many tools, no alignment
• 43:00 — Purpose, responsibility, and long-term health
• 46:00 — Final reflections: balance, curiosity, and growth

Connect with Zane Griggs:

• 🧠 Free Plan: https://free40plan.com
• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness
• 🌐 Website: https://zanegriggs.com/http://zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

• https://dylangemelli.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/dylangemelli/
• http://www.youtube.com/@DylanGemelliBiohacking

We talk a lot about fitness, metabolism, and hormones on this show — but if your gut's not right, none of it works properly.

In this week's episode of Healthy AF, I sit down with Dr. Vincent Pedre, board-certified internist, functional medicine pioneer, and author of the bestselling book Happy Gut. Dr. Pedre has spent over two decades helping people repair their gut health, rebalance their microbiome, and understand how the gut affects every system in the body — from mood and memory to metabolism and sleep.

We dive deep into the gut-brain connection — how your gut literally talks to your brain through the vagus nerve, and why 95% of serotonin is produced in your gut (not your head). Dr. Pedre breaks down how stress, alcohol, and common over-the-counter meds disrupt digestion and even rewire your mood.

He also explains how gut dysfunction can lead to metabolic disease, chronic fatigue, and hormone imbalance, and what to do about it. From fermented foods and fiber to liver detox and real-world habits, this conversation connects the dots between gut health, mental health, and longevity.

We also talk about Dr. Pedre's new product, Happy Gut Coffee — a low-acid, toxin-free roast tested for mold, glyphosate, and pesticides — and why something as simple as your morning coffee might be holding back your health goals.

If you've ever struggled with brain fog, bloating, or burnout — this episode will help you understand why your gut might be the first place to start healing.

💡 Key Takeaways

• The gut microbiome influences mood, metabolism, and immune health.
• 95% of serotonin is made in the gut, not the brain.
• The vagus nerve connects your emotions, digestion, and sleep quality.
• Alcohol, NSAIDs, and stress are major microbiome disruptors.
• Fermented foods lower inflammation and improve brain health.
• Gut inflammation can lead to insulin resistance and metabolic disease.
• Fiber + fermented foods = powerful combination for reducing stress and inflammation.
• Regular, effortless bowel movements are essential for detox and hormone balance.
• Your liver and gut work together to remove toxins and regulate estrogen.
• Even your coffee can support (or sabotage) your gut health.

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Meet Dr. Vincent Pedre, gut health and functional medicine expert
• 03:00 — The missing piece: what doctors never learned about the gut microbiome
• 06:00 — The gut-brain connection explained
• 08:00 — How serotonin is made in the gut (and why it matters)
• 12:00 — Stress, the vagus nerve, and sleep quality
• 15:00 — Alcohol: short-term calm, long-term chaos
• 18:00 — Why mindset and emotion drive gut-related habits
• 22:00 — Stomach acid, digestion, and feeling full
• 27:00 — Fermented foods vs. fiber: which one lowers inflammation
• 29:00 — The psychobiotic diet and its effect on stress levels
• 33:00 — Endotoxin, leaky gut, and how inflammation starts
• 37:00 — Gut health and detoxification: liver, estrogen, and weight loss
• 40:00 — Why bowel regularity matters for hormones
• 43:00 — Creating Happy Gut Coffee: how Dr. Pedre cleaned up caffeine
• 47:00 — Why your coffee could be sabotaging your health goals
• 49:00 — Where to learn more and connect with Dr. Pedre

Connect with Zane Griggs:

• 🧠 Free Plan: https://free40plan.com
• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness
• 🌐 Website: https://zanegriggs.com/http://zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

• https://pedremd.com/
• https://happygutlife.com/
• IG: @‌drpedre

Most of us don't realize how deep our relationship with food runs until we try to change it.

In this Healthy AF episode, I sit down with Meghann Hempel, who shares her powerful journey from battling food addiction, emotional eating, and self-sabotage to finding complete freedom through mindset, community, and real nourishment.

For years, Meghann found herself stuck in the cycle so many of us know too well — using food for comfort, trying every new plan, and blaming herself when nothing worked. But everything changed when she stopped chasing perfection and started addressing the root causes: stress, trauma, and a dysregulated metabolism.

We talk about the real, unfiltered side of healing — the emotional work behind breaking addiction, rebuilding trust with your body, and learning to eat without guilt or obsession. Meghann also shares how she helps others now, teaching them how to build a relationship with food that's grounded in awareness, balance, and self-respect.

This episode isn't just about what you eat. It's about what's eating at you — and how to finally take your power back.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Food addiction isn't a lack of willpower — it's a sign of imbalance and disconnection.
• Stress and shame are two of the biggest drivers behind emotional eating.
• Healing starts when you shift from punishment to nourishment and awareness.
• Community and accountability are key in breaking cycles of addiction.
• Hormones, mindset, and blood sugar all play a role in cravings and energy.
• The goal isn't perfection — it's freedom.

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Meghann's story and the roots of food addiction
• 06:30 — The emotional connection between food and identity
• 13:00 — From dieting to healing: why restriction makes things worse
• 19:00 — Breaking cycles of shame and guilt
• 25:00 — The role of stress, trauma, and environment in cravings
• 32:00 — Rebuilding trust with your body through awareness
• 39:00 — Hormones, blood sugar, and emotional balance
• 46:00 — How Meghann found freedom and peace around food
• 52:00 — Coaching others through the same transformation
• 59:00 — Final thoughts: food freedom as a lifelong practice

Connect with Zane Griggs:

•

🧠 Free Plan: https://free40plan.com

•

📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness

•

🌐 Website: https://zanegriggs.com/http://zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

Meghann's links:

https://join.brainbodyandbeyondllc.com/home-2636

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5WrqWIExmHshHL9pUk5Xsi?si=3JFTuIM9SAq1ioBtof5I_g

https://www.instagram.com/meghann.alice

Low-carb, high-fat, keto — for a while, these were the tools that saved so many of us from the blood sugar rollercoaster. But what happens when the same diet that once healed you… starts to hold you back?

In this week's Healthy AF episode, I sit down with Jen Winkler, a Functional Health and Hormone Coach who helps women heal from PCOS, PMS, insulin resistance, and blood sugar struggles through food, movement, and lifestyle balance.

Jen shares her personal healing journey — from managing PCOS through a strict ketogenic diet to later realizing that long-term hormone health requires more flexibility, color, and nourishment. Together, we explore the shift from restriction to restoration — how embracing real, whole foods (including fruit!) can rebuild your metabolism, support your thyroid, and calm your nervous system.

We also get real about the role of stress, over-exercising, and the tendency to "biohack" our way into burnout. Jen explains how to rebuild trust with your body, why hormone balance starts with blood sugar balance, and how small daily changes can completely transform your energy, mood, and cycle health.

If you've ever felt like your body's working against you — or like you've done everything right and still don't feel great — this episode will give you hope and practical tools to start healing, without extremes.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Healing PCOS and PMS starts with balancing blood sugar, not restricting food.
• Keto and low-carb can be useful, but long-term flexibility is key for hormone health.
• Fruits and colorful vegetables support liver detox, estrogen balance, and energy.
• Chronic stress and over-training can mimic hormone dysfunction.
• Real food > perfection. Listening to your body is the ultimate biofeedback.
• Building muscle is critical for stable hormones and better insulin sensitivity.

Connect with Zane Griggs:

•

🧠 Free Plan: https://free40plan.com

•

📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness

•

🌐 Website: https://zanegriggs.com/http://zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

•

http://www.jenwinkler.me/

•

IG: @‌Jenwinklerwellness

•

YT: @‌Jenwinklerwellness

Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Jen's journey from PCOS to functional health coaching
• 06:00 — Healing with keto: how low-carb changed everything (at first)
• 11:00 — When restrictive diets stop working
• 16:00 — The link between blood sugar, insulin, and women's hormones
• 22:00 — Why color and carbs matter more than you think
• 29:00 — The stress factor: how overtraining and under-eating backfire
• 35:00 — Metabolic flexibility: eating for energy and hormone balance
• 42:00 — How to transition from strict keto to a whole-food approach
• 50:00 — Supporting liver detox and thyroid function naturally
• 58:00 — Muscle, movement, and mindset
• 1:05:00 — Practical tips to start healing today
• 1:12:00 — Final thoughts: balance, not extremes

Low-carb might not be the health solution you think it is.

After years of eating low-carb, fasting, and grinding through high-stress training, I started to notice something: my results were stalling, my sleep was off, and my labs were telling me I wasn't as metabolically "healthy" as I thought. When I added carbs back in—real food carbs from fruit, honey, and roots—my energy, recovery, and hormone markers improved across the board.

That shift led me back to today's guest, Jay Feldman, a health researcher and coach who's redefining what it means to be healthy through the bioenergetic model—the science of optimizing how our cells create and use energy.

The Conversation

In this episode, Jay and I dig deep into what's really driving modern metabolic disease—and spoiler alert—it's not sugar.

Jay explains why cellular energy production is the foundation of true health and how modern diets, stress, and lifestyle habits are interfering with that process. We discuss why low-carb and fasting protocols, while helpful short-term, can mimic stress states in the body and lead to burnout, hormonal dysfunction, and poor metabolic flexibility.

We also get into the massive role that seed oils and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) play in modern disease. Jay breaks down how these unstable fats damage mitochondrial membranes, reduce ATP production, and set off oxidative stress that disrupts everything from blood sugar regulation to brain health.

And, for anyone who still believes sugar is the bad guy, this episode flips that narrative upside down. Jay explains why sugar—especially from real foods—has been wrongly blamed for problems actually caused by PUFAs, endotoxin buildup, and poor energy metabolism.

Key Takeaways

• Energy, not restriction, drives health. When energy production drops, disease takes root.
• Low-carb can mimic disease states. The body reads low energy availability as stress.
• Seed oils are the real metabolic disruptors. They damage mitochondria and drive inflammation.
• Sugar isn't the villain. Whole-food carbohydrates can restore balance and energy.
• Endotoxin and gut imbalances are the hidden factors fueling chronic disease.
• Mitochondrial health is everything. The more stable your cellular structure, the longer—and better—you live.

Connect with Zane Griggs:

• 🧠 Free Plan: https://free40plan.com
• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness
• 🌐 Website: https://zanegriggs.com/http://zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

• https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/
• Get Jay's Free Guide: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/
• https://www.youtube.com/c/JayFeldmanWellness
• instagram.com/jfwellness

Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Jay's story and the foundation of the bioenergetic model
• 05:00 — Zane's low-carb journey and realizing more isn't better
• 10:00 — Why cellular energy, not macros, defines metabolic health
• 16:00 — The hidden cost of low-carb: stress, hormones, and fatigue
• 22:00 — PUFA explained: how seed oils damage your mitochondria
• 30:00 — Oxidative stress and the link between fat structure and lifespan
• 36:00 — The "engine analogy" of energy metabolism
• 42:00 — Why most restaurant foods keep you inflamed
• 48:00 — Processed sugar vs. seed oils: the real metabolic villain
• 56:00 — Why sugar became a scapegoat (and how to rethink carbs)
• 1:03:00 — Whole-food carbs, gut health, and microbiome balance
• 1:12:00 — Endotoxin explained: the toxin your gut makes daily
• 1:22:00 — Restoring digestion and energy through nutrient balance
• 1:31:00 — Zane's personal shift: bringing back carbs and seeing better labs
• 1:40:00 — The mindset shift: curiosity over dogma
• 1:47:00 — Final thoughts: what true metabolic freedom looks like