The Health Upgrade Podcast

Navaz Habib

This podcast is for high-performing entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, and those who want to upgrade every aspect of their lives by experiencing UPGRADED energy, UPGRADED focus, and UPGRADED ability to show up, every day of their lives. Dr. Navaz Habib and JP Errico will bring you weekly shows including interviews with world-class experts in functional medicine, longevity, health, high performance, and functional movement. We aim to bring you game-changing tools to upgrade your performance, so you can eliminate what is holding you back, show up in your business, relationships, and family, and bring your gifts to the world. Find out more at: www.healthupgradepodcast.com

  1. 170: How Does Light Affect Your HRV?

    2 days ago

    170: How Does Light Affect Your HRV?

    In this episode, I explore the connection between your light environment, the vagus nerve, and heart rate variability (HRV). Drawing on a 2025 systematic review of 25 studies, I explain how both the timing and quality of light exposure can influence nervous system function and overall recovery. I discuss how morning exposure to bright, blue-enriched light helps regulate your circadian rhythm and support healthy biological rhythms, even if it may cause a temporary reduction in HRV. In contrast, warmer, dimmer light in the evening can help promote relaxation and prepare the body for restful sleep. I also share practical strategies for optimizing your daily light exposure, particularly for individuals who experience anxiety, stress, or heightened sensitivity to environmental factors. As a simple challenge, I invite you to pay closer attention to your light habits for one week. Aim to get natural light in the morning and use warmer, lower-intensity lighting in the evening. Observe how your HRV responds over time, rather than focusing on moment-to-moment changes.  If you find this episode valuable, share it with someone who may benefit from it. Small changes in daily habits can have a meaningful impact on long-term health and well-being. Dr. Navaz Habib Email: podcast@healthupgraded.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrNavazHabib/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnavazhabib/LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/drnavazhabib

    22 min
  2. 169: Rewiring Trauma: The Neuroscience of Safety and Healing f. Dr. David Rabin

    17 June

    169: Rewiring Trauma: The Neuroscience of Safety and Healing f. Dr. David Rabin

    Welcome to another episode of the Health Upgrade Podcast! Today I am joined by Dr. David Rabin to dive deep into the science of stress, healing, and the power of the vagus nerve. Dr. Rabin unpacks decades of research, explaining how chronic stress impacts our cells, the crucial role of safety in the healing process, and how modern medicine often misses the importance of looking at the whole person rather than isolated symptoms. Together, we reveal how ancient practices align with the latest neuroscience, showing that mindful breathing, touch, and familiar, calming experiences directly influence our health. The conversation also explores cutting-edge topics like MDMA-assisted therapy, epigenetics, and the power to reverse trauma at both psychological and genetic levels. Dr. Rabin discusses how trauma can be inherited, and more importantly, how healing is absolutely possible, with evidence-backed tools and practices ranging from technology like Apollo Neuro to traditional approaches such as yoga, meditation, and breathwork. If you’re looking to upgrade your health and feel empowered in your healing journey, this episode is for you. Share it with friends who could benefit, and discover practical steps you can take today to reconnect your mind and body for a healthier, happier life! Dr. Navaz Habib Email: podcast@healthupgraded.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrNavazHabib/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnavazhabib/LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/drnavazhabibDr. David RabinWebsite: https://www.drdave.io/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdavidrabin/

    1hr 7min
  3. 165: Eliminate Chronic Illness with Brain Retraining f. Ashok Gupta

    20 May

    165: Eliminate Chronic Illness with Brain Retraining f. Ashok Gupta

    In this episode of the Health Upgrade podcast, I sit down with Ashok Gupta to explore the groundbreaking science of neuroplasticity and how retraining the brain may hold the key to healing chronic illness. Ashok shares his personal journey with chronic fatigue syndrome and how that experience inspired him to create the Gupta Program, a brain retraining method that has helped thousands of people around the world transform their health by calming deeply ingrained survival responses. We dive into how childhood experiences, trauma, chronic stress, and even generational patterns can shape the brain’s threat response system, contributing to symptoms such as fatigue, chronic pain, food sensitivities, anxiety, and inflammation. Ashok explains how the nervous system can become stuck in a cycle of hypervigilance, and more importantly, how we can begin to rewire those patterns through neuroplasticity. Throughout the conversation, we discuss practical tools for healing, including somatic retraining, meditation, emotional regulation, and lifestyle changes, as well as the growing body of scientific research supporting these approaches. This episode offers hope and a fresh perspective for anyone struggling with chronic symptoms or searching for a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection. If you believe in the body’s incredible ability to heal, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Dr. Navaz Habib Email: podcast@healthupgraded.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrNavazHabib/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnavazhabib/LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/drnavazhabib

    1hr 10min
  4. 164: Chaotic HRV, Productivity and Creativity

    13 May

    164: Chaotic HRV, Productivity and Creativity

    In this episode of the Health Upgrade podcast, I dive into a fascinating research article from March 2026 exploring how chaotic fluctuations in heart rate variability (HRV) signal mental activity during task-based work. I unpack the science behind HRV, highlighting the dynamic interaction between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and explain how healthy levels of chaos in HRV reflect our brain’s ability to shift seamlessly between productivity, creativity, and focus. I also break down the study’s findings, emphasizing that true productivity and creativity aren’t about pushing harder, but about cultivating an adaptable, well-regulated nervous system, particularly through vagus nerve activation. I offer actionable steps, like resonance breathing, sleep optimization, cold exposure, and environmental tweaks, to boost vagal tone and foster that ideal, “chaotic” heart signature associated with our best cognitive work. Ready to level up your performance? Try my top tip this week: practice 10 minutes of resonance breathing before your work sessions and see how your focus and creativity improve. Curious to learn more? Access the free 10-day Vagus Nerve Jumpstart and join the Health Upgraded community for more science-backed tips! Dr. Navaz Habib Email: podcast@healthupgraded.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrNavazHabib/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drnavazhabib/LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/drnavazhabib

    26 min

About

This podcast is for high-performing entrepreneurs, healthcare professionals, and those who want to upgrade every aspect of their lives by experiencing UPGRADED energy, UPGRADED focus, and UPGRADED ability to show up, every day of their lives. Dr. Navaz Habib and JP Errico will bring you weekly shows including interviews with world-class experts in functional medicine, longevity, health, high performance, and functional movement. We aim to bring you game-changing tools to upgrade your performance, so you can eliminate what is holding you back, show up in your business, relationships, and family, and bring your gifts to the world. Find out more at: www.healthupgradepodcast.com

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