Ask the Health Expert JJ Virgin

Did you know that the gut and brain are connected? Maybe you’ve heard of the gut-brain axis, and that your diet impacts mental health, but did you know that significant amounts of serotonin and dopamine are made in the gut? To truly heal, it takes both a dietary and mental-health approach.
Dr. Will Cole is an expert in functional medicine with a focus on thyroid disease, autoimmune conditions, hormone imbalances, and digestive disorders. He is the author of several bestselling books, including The Inflammation Spectrum and Intuitive Fasting, and was one of the first doctors to embrace telehealth as a means of reaching more patients.
In this episode, we talk about Dr. Cole’s newest book, Gut Feelings, and the relationship between mental and physical health. We tend to separate the two, but they are actually intimately connected.
“Shameflammation,” as Dr. Cole calls it, is the intersection between mental/emotional issues like stress and shame and how that impacts your physical body. He also explores what stress can do to your gut and how practices like meditation and breathwork can help regulate the nervous system.
You’ll learn how diet, chronic infections, and nutrient deficiencies impact why you feel the way that you do, specifically when it comes to brain fog, fatigue, and other mental-health concerns. And conversely, how stress, shame, trauma and other mental health issues impact your physical body.
Pre-order Dr. Cole’s new book: Gut Feelings, and you will get FREE VIP access to exclusive swag delivered straight to your inbox!
http://drwillcole.com/gut-feelings

Are you looking for a natural mood energizer that can help support everything from your workout, recovery, and stress relief to immune and heart health? In this week’s episode, I'm going to show you how to chill out and level up your health with cold therapy.

Cold therapy refers to exposing your body to cold water or air, cooler than 59°F. The concept has been around for millennia, but it’s gained popularity recently as studies are showing the potential benefits for everything from mental health and mood to a healthy inflammatory response and better metabolism.

Exposure to cold water causes the blood vessels to constrict and push all of the blood
toward the organs. As a result, the blood acquires more oxygen and becomes super nutrient-rich. As the body starts heating up again, the blood vessels expand, allowing oxygen and that nutrient-rich blood to flow back to the tissues. This increased circulation can help support focus and concentration because the brain is getting oxygenated—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits of cold immersion!

I’ve been using my cold plunge for a while now, and I can’t say enough about the benefits I have personally experienced. Tune in to learn about the 10 incredible benefits of cold therapy that just might convince you to give it a try!

Energy can feel harder and harder to come by as we age. But what is the underlying cause of low energy? For a long time, this topic has been poorly understood, but my guest on this episode has devoted the past decade to finding the answers and is sharing them with us today.

Ari Whitten is an energy and longevity coach, host of the Energy Blueprints Podcasts, and bestselling author of The Ultimate Guide to Red Light Therapy and Eat for Energy. He’s also a natural health expert with a Master of Science degree in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine.

In the episode, Ari talks about the various mechanisms that act on our energy and the important role our mitochondria play as cell defenders within our bodies. He discusses the benefits of circadian-rhythm optimization, as well as the importance of light exposure, the best foods for energy, and physical activity in order to get the most out of your day. You’ll learn how to reduce stress levels, optimize your sleep cycle, and increase mental clarity.

Plus, listen for actionable tips on how to optimize your energy levels and boost your productivity, including strategies to balance hormones and keep your energy levels up throughout the day.

Ready to feel energized? Tune in now!
Watch Ari’s FREE Breathing For Energy Webinar
https://theenergyblueprint.com/breathing-for-energy-replay/

Have you noticed the workouts you were doing in your 20s and 30s that worked so well aren't working for you anymore? That it feels harder to stay in shape as you get older?

In this episode, I talk about the best ways for people over 40 to build muscle and burn fat. We discuss the importance of consistency, rest, and nutrition, and my recommendations for exactly what kind of workouts you should be doing and how often you need to do them. We also talk about why it’s so important to eat high-protein meals and get adequate rest.

Additionally, I give you specific pointers for increasing the intensity of your workouts gradually, not overtraining, and focusing on compound exercises to optimize results.

Turns out… you may be doing just the wrong exercise for your age, so stay tuned! I walk you through exactly what you need to do to switch up your routine to build muscle and lose body fat more efficiently in your 40s, 50s, and beyond!

Frailty doesn’t have to be your reality as you age. With the right approach, it's possible to maintain a vibrant and active lifestyle, even in your 60s, 70s and beyond. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Anurag Singh, the Chief Medical Officer at Timeline Nutrition, who also runs a Switzerland-based research company working to discover and develop novel nutritional compounds that target improvements in mitochondrial health. 
We delve into the three essential elements that contribute to your overall well-being as you age: diet, exercise, and supplementation. According to Dr. Singh, one of the most important factors is maintaining the health of your mitochondria. With age, these powerhouses of your cells can decline, leaving you feeling tired and unable to do the things you enjoy.
You’ll discover how to know if your mitochondrial health is declining and steps you can take to keep them functioning at their best. Muscle health is critical, and maintaining it requires a sufficient intake of protein. After focusing on diet and an active lifestyle, specific supplements can further promote your health and support your energy levels, which we explore in this enlightening discussion.
We also discuss the exciting area of mitophagy, the process by which faulty mitochondria are eliminated and replaced with healthy ones. Dr. Singh shares information about a test he developed and the latest research on urolithin A, a food-based compound that plays a role in mitophagy and cellular health in ground-breaking ways.
Get 10% off all Timeline products by using code JJ10
Get a free Mitopure Sample Pack from Dr. Anurag Singh (limited to the first 1000 listeners)

In just 3 weeks, Kim Kardashian lost 16 pounds to fit into a dress for the Met Gala. I’ve helped actors get ready for roles, including Brandon Ralph when he debuted as Superman, and I see this situation as similar to getting ready for a film. In this episode, I critique Kim’s weight loss plan, revealing the good and the bad—and what you actually want to do for fast and lasting fat loss.

You’ll learn all about the diet and exercise plan Kim went on. To be honest, some of the things she did, I’d do myself and recommend to others! But other parts of her plan have some serious health risks, and will cause you to actually hold on to weight, not lose it!

Ultimately, Kim Kardashian’s diet may work for a one-night role, but it’s not a healthy or sustainable solution for long-term weight loss. If you want to lose weight fast, I reveal what you need to do to make it healthy and sustainable.

If you’re going to go for fast weight loss, you’ve got to do it right, or it’ll backfire and you’ll have another yo-yo diet on your hands. Be sure you listen to the whole conversation to get my nutrition and exercise tips, plus two strategies I recommend for boosting your metabolism and losing body fat.