The Frum Health Club Podcast

Mendel Krashunsky
  • 5.0 (2)
  • HEALTH & FITNESS

The Frum Health Club Podcast We started The Frum Health Club with a clear mission: to spark real change in our community’s health and well-being. Too many in the Frum world lack the knowledge and guidance needed for proper nutrition and fitness, leading to preventable illness and, tragically, lives cut short. This podcast and group is here to change that. Each episode brings you practical health tips, simple meal ideas, fitness guidance, and inspiring stories, all designed to help you live longer, feel stronger, and have more energy for your family and your avodas Hashem. Your health matters. Your family matters. Together, we can build a healthier, stronger future for Klal Yisrael.

  1. He Lost Himself to Addiction. Then He Rebuilt His Life | Eli Hayempour

    3D AGO

    He Lost Himself to Addiction. Then He Rebuilt His Life | Eli Hayempour

    In this episode of the Frum Health Club Podcast, I sit down with Eli Hayempour for a powerful and deeply moving conversation about addiction, recovery, fitness, Yiddishkeit, and what it truly means to rebuild your life from the ground up. Eli shares his story of growing up in a Persian Orthodox home in Los Angeles, and how, despite a strong upbringing, he began struggling with drugs and alcohol from a young age. What started as experimentation quickly turned into years of addiction, leading him down a path of chaos, broken structure, and eventually hitting rock bottom. One of the most intense moments in this episode is when Eli describes being homeless on the streets of Los Angeles, feeling completely lost, and having a life-changing encounter that pushed him to return home and finally ask for help. Shortly after, he made the decision to get sober, a decision that completely changed the trajectory of his life. We also speak about what addiction really looks like, how to recognize when something has control over you, the role of discipline and fitness in recovery, and how structure, community, and spirituality can help a person rebuild themselves. Eli shares how he returned to Yiddishkeit, built a family, and created a life centered around purpose, gratitude, and growth. This conversation is raw, honest, and extremely inspiring. About Eli Hayempour: Eli Hayempour is over 10 years sober and uses his life experience to inspire others who are struggling with addiction and searching for a better path. Through his openness, discipline, and commitment to growth, he has rebuilt his life as a husband, father, and entrepreneur, while helping others see that transformation is possible no matter how far someone has fallen. Follow Eli : https://www.instagram.com/sobermob26/ Join the Frum Health Club WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KaCltJZoGmp3qbeZh9K7z4?mode=gi_t

    49 min
  2. The Hidden Causes of Anxiety and Depression | with Dr. Robert Hedaya

    MAR 8

    The Hidden Causes of Anxiety and Depression | with Dr. Robert Hedaya

    In this episode of the Frum Health Club Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Robert J. Hedaya, one of the true pioneers in functional psychiatry, for a fascinating and eye-opening conversation about mental health, depression, anxiety, trauma, gut health, sleep, exercise, and what is really driving so much suffering today. Dr. Hedaya has been practicing psychiatry for more than 46 years and has spent decades asking deeper questions than the conventional model often asks. Instead of seeing depression, panic attacks, and other mental health struggles as purely “psychological,” he explains why many of these issues are deeply connected to the body, including nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, hormones, infections, gut health, toxins, sleep deprivation, and chronic stress. One of the most powerful moments in this episode is when Dr. Hedaya shares the story of a woman he treated for panic attacks for a year without success, only to later discover a possible B12 deficiency. After one B12 injection, her panic disorder disappeared. That case helped change the way he practiced medicine and opened the door to the work he has been doing ever since. This conversation is deep, practical, and extremely important. About Dr. Robert J. Hedaya: Dr. Robert J. Hedaya is widely recognized as a pioneer in functional psychiatry. With more than four decades of clinical experience, he has helped patients with complex, treatment-resistant mental health conditions by looking beyond symptoms and exploring root causes in the body and brain. His work integrates psychiatry with nutrition, endocrinology, immunology, toxicology, neurology, gut health, and advanced brain-based therapies. Learn more about Dr. Hedaya: Website: https://wholepsychiatry.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drroberthedaya/ Join the Frum Health Club WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KaCltJZoGmp3qbeZh9K7z4?mode=gi_t

    54 min
  3. Why This Rabbi became Vegan with Rabbi Akiva Gersh

    FEB 24

    Why This Rabbi became Vegan with Rabbi Akiva Gersh

    In this episode of the Frum Health Club Podcast, I sit down with Rabbi Akiva Gersh, known to many as The Vegan Rabbi, for a real conversation about veganism, health, and living with values. Akiva’s story is incredible. He grew up in the U.S. eating a typical American diet, felt disconnected from Yiddishkeit, and then had a major wake up call in college through environmental activism. He became vegetarian, then fully vegan at 19, and that journey unexpectedly became the doorway that led him back to Torah. We talk about what veganism actually means, why it is still so uncommon in the Orthodox world, what a normal day of eating looks like, and how to think about Shabbos, Yom Tov, and tradition in a modern food system that looks nothing like our grandparents’ world. This is not a preachy episode. It’s honest, practical, and thought-provoking. Topics we cover: • How Akiva became vegan at 19 • Why veganism was the beginning of his journey back to Judaism • Common misconceptions in the frum world about meat on Shabbos and Yom Tov • Blue Zones and why plant-based eating is linked to longevity • What vegans do about B12, iron, and omega-3 • The difference between vegan, vegetarian, and pescatarian • How Akiva approaches tefillin and leather from a Torah perspective • What a vegan Shabbos meal can actually look like • Simple ways to start, including “vegan Mondays” and practical meal planning About Rabbi Akiva Gersh: Rabbi Akiva Gersh has been educating students for over 25 years and speaks about conscious living, compassion, and plant-based health through a Torah lens. He lives in Israel with his wife Tamar and their four children. Learn more about Rabbi Akiva Gersh: Website: https://www.akivagersh.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veganrabbi Join the Frum Health Club WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KaCltJZoGmp3qbeZh9K7z4?mode=gi_t

    46 min
  4. What Stress Is Really Doing to Your Body with Dr. Andrew David Shiller

    FEB 19

    What Stress Is Really Doing to Your Body with Dr. Andrew David Shiller

    In this episode of the Frum Health Club Podcast, I sit down again with Dr. Andrew David Shiller, Duke and Harvard-trained physician and integrative medicine expert, for a deep dive into one of the most important topics affecting our generation: stress. But this is not just another “stress is bad” conversation. Dr. Schiller breaks down what stress actually is from a biological perspective, how it impacts the autonomic nervous system, and why chronic stress quietly drives inflammation, fatigue, pain, metabolic dysfunction, and long-term disease. We explore the brain-gut-immune connection, blood sugar instability as a hidden stressor, circadian rhythm disruption, and why many chronic illnesses cannot be understood without looking at stress physiology. Then we go deeper. We discuss the difference between simply managing stress and reconnecting to who we really are, a neshama with a body. We explore how Torah, connection, meaning, and identity influence healing at the deepest level. Some topics we cover: • What stress really is: external events, perception, and physiology • Sympathetic vs parasympathetic nervous system explained clearly • The gut-brain-immune loop and “leaky gut” • Blood sugar spikes as a hidden stress trigger • Why inflammation and stress feed each other • Adverse childhood experiences and lifelong health patterns • Vagal tone, breathwork, and nervous system regulation • Why meaning and connection protect against trauma • Moving from stress management to spiritual alignment Learn more about Dr. Shiller Consultations (in person + telemedicine): www.drshiller.com/consult Join the discussion on Torah, Healing, and Medicine (Substack): https://substack.com/@drshiller Join the Frum Health Club WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KaCltJZoGmp3qbeZh9K7z4?mode=gi_t

    1h 3m
  5. This Stability Ball Rewires Your Nervous System with Yossi Montrose

    FEB 3

    This Stability Ball Rewires Your Nervous System with Yossi Montrose

    In this episode of the Frum Health Club Podcast, I sit down with Yossi Montrose, a movement specialist and longevity-focused educator and the creator of Performa Ball. Yossi has spent over 23 years studying how the body builds real strength, posture, confidence, and long-term resilience. In this conversation we explore why posture is not just “standing straight,” how the nervous system learns safety, and why the stability ball can become a powerful teacher for movement, blood flow, and calm presence. What we talk about  • How early experiences and trauma can shape posture, breathing, and confidence  • Why slouching can become a “survival posture” and how to reverse it  • The stability ball as a real-time nervous system feedback tool  • Why blood flow is one of the biggest foundations of healing and longevity  • The difference between short-term fitness goals vs sustainability for a lifetime  • Sitting on a chair vs sitting on a ball (and how to build up to it safely)  • Nutrition principles: avoiding ultra-processed ingredients, seed oils, and “shortcuts”  • Running, overtraining, and learning to listen to the body before injury hits  • Yossi’s coaching programs: posture, confidence, pain reduction, and performance Connect with Yossi Website: https://www.performaball.com/ Instagram: instagram.com/yossi_montrose_  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@YossiMontrose Work with Yossi Yossi offers 1-on-1 coaching (including a 12-week Posture + Confidence program) with weekly Zoom sessions and tailored daily exercises. Join the Frum Health Club WhatsApp community https://chat.whatsapp.com/KaCltJZoGmp3qbeZh9K7z4

    43 min
  6. Why You Feel Tight, Tired & Stiff (And How to Fix It) with Bentzi Taubenfliegel

    JAN 29

    Why You Feel Tight, Tired & Stiff (And How to Fix It) with Bentzi Taubenfliegel

    In this episode of the Frum Health Club Podcast, I sit down with Bentzi Taubenfliegel, a life coach and certified assisted stretching therapist based in Atlantic Beach, New York, who has been helping people move with more ease, less pain, and greater awareness for decades. Bentzi has a background in martial arts and lifelong fitness, and through years of personal practice and working with others, he noticed a common pattern, especially in middle-aged men: as we get older, we stretch less, even though our bodies need it more than ever. We talk about how flexibility, posture, breathing, and simple daily movement habits directly affect physical health, mental clarity, energy levels, and long-term resilience. Bentzi shares practical insights from his work with assisted stretching and explains why pain, stiffness, and fatigue are often not “normal aging,” but signals that the body needs attention. Some topics we cover: • Why flexibility becomes more important with age • Static vs. dynamic stretching and when to use each • How stretching helps prevent injuries, especially for runners • Posture, sitting, and how modern habits quietly drain energy • Assisted stretching explained and who it’s for • The connection between tension in the body and tension in the mind • Why breathing matters for mobility, relaxation, and recovery • How stretching before bed can improve sleep quality • Simple stretching habits anyone can start, even 5–10 minutes a day • Staying active, grateful, and consistent over a lifetime Bentzi also shares how he personally stays healthy, how movement strengthens family connection, and why caring for the body is essential for serving Hashem with joy, strength, and clarity. Learn more or work with Bentzi Taubenfliegel: WhatsApp: +1 (845) 300-6404 Join the Frum Health Club WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KaCltJZoGmp3qbeZh9K7z4

    36 min
  7. Torah, Healing & Medicine Insights on optimal health from a frum, Harvard-trained doctor.

    JAN 3

    Torah, Healing & Medicine Insights on optimal health from a frum, Harvard-trained doctor.

    In this episode of the Frum Health Club Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Andrew David Shiller, a physician with world class training and decades of experience in integrative and holistic healing. Dr. Shiller earned his M.D. at Duke University School of Medicine and completed double residency training at Harvard Medical School in Internal Medicine and Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. He is board certified in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Holistic Integrative Medicine, and is fully licensed in Israel, New York, Connecticut, Florida, and New Jersey. We talk about what it really means to heal the whole person, why conventional medicine often treats symptoms instead of root causes, and how Dr. Shiller’s approach connects modern systems biology with deep Torah based principles of healing. Some topics we cover:  • Why mind, body, and soul must be addressed together  • Root cause medicine explained through a powerful “tree” framework  • The “3 M’s” model: Mind, Movement, Metabolism, and where real health happens  • Stress, vagal tone, inflammation, and why calm is not just “mental”  • Bringing Hashem-consciousness into eating, running, and daily life Learn more about Dr. Shiller Consultations (in person + telemedicine): www.drshiller.com/consult Join the discussion on Torah, Healing, and Medicine (Substack): https://substack.com/@drshiller Join the Frum Health Club WhatsApp Community: https://chat.whatsapp.com/KaCltJZoGmp3qbeZh9K7z4

    1h 9m
  8. The Longevity Secrets of a 93 Year-Old Frum Health Author | Michael Kaufman

    12/13/2025

    The Longevity Secrets of a 93 Year-Old Frum Health Author | Michael Kaufman

    In this episode of the Frum Health Club Podcast, I sit down with Michael Kaufman, author of Am I My Body’s Keeper: The Way of Torah and Science to Be Healthy and Fit, Lose Weight, Live Years Longer. Michael is 93 years old, healthy, fit, and full of energy, and he truly lives what he teaches. This conversation explores the Torah obligation to protect our health, why so many good intentions around fitness fall apart, and what it actually looks like to build sustainable health into daily frum life. At the core of this discussion is the Torah’s clear directive: ונשמרתם מאד לנפשותיכם “You shall guard yourselves very well.” We discuss how this mitzvah is not symbolic or optional, but foundational. Without health, every other mitzvah becomes harder or impossible to fulfill. You will also see Michael’s powerful morning routine before davening.  Get the book Am I My Body’s Keeper: The Way of Torah and Science to Be Healthy and Fit, Lose Weight, Live Years Longer. https://a.co/d/idGwgC2 Join the Frum Health Club WhatsApp Community https://chat.whatsapp.com/KaCltJZoGmp3qbeZh9K7z4

    59 min
See All (22)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

The Frum Health Club Podcast We started The Frum Health Club with a clear mission: to spark real change in our community’s health and well-being. Too many in the Frum world lack the knowledge and guidance needed for proper nutrition and fitness, leading to preventable illness and, tragically, lives cut short. This podcast and group is here to change that. Each episode brings you practical health tips, simple meal ideas, fitness guidance, and inspiring stories, all designed to help you live longer, feel stronger, and have more energy for your family and your avodas Hashem. Your health matters. Your family matters. Together, we can build a healthier, stronger future for Klal Yisrael.

Information

  • Creator
    Mendel Krashunsky
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    22
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Frum Health Club Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Frum Health Club Podcast

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