Health Without Risk

12/16/2025

Discussing Immunity from my SHINING protocol today.

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12/16/2025

STOP AGING NOW: 7 Safe Steps Your Doctor May Not Tell You
WEEKLY SHINING WRAP-UP! Tired of risky health trends? We spent the week on 7 non-negotiable steps for Hormone Harmony, Metabolism, and Immune Defense. Watch for your functional medicine Rx for Health Without Risk! Join our community LIVE Mon-Fri CST.

12/15/2025

H is for Hormone Harmony: Start Today!
As men and women age, hormones shift. These powerful chemical messengers—from cortisol and thyroid hormone to estrogen and testosterone—influence everything: mood, energy, metabolism, and sleep. Achieving Hormone Harmony is crucial for sustaining Health Without Risk.
The stress hormone, cortisol, is the ultimate disruptor. When we are chronically stressed, cortisol production often steals the building blocks needed to create other vital hormones (like progesterone).
Your Actionable Step: The 5-Minute Reset
You can support your hormones right now by actively lowering cortisol:
Stop what you're doing. Take 5 minutes, three times today.
Focus on your breath. Inhale slowly for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale completely for a count of six.
Use a mantra: As you breathe out, quietly say to yourself, "Release."
This simple practice activates your parasympathetic nervous system—the "rest and digest" mode—signaling safety to your brain and body. By reducing chronic, low-level stress, you free up your body to balance your hormones naturally.
Prioritize this 5-Minute Reset today. Your hormones will thank you!

12/15/2025

Hormone Harmony and the Cortisol Connection

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12/14/2025

S is for Sleep: The Non-Negotiable Foundation
The SHINING protocol begins with S is for Sleep because no amount of exercise or perfect nutrition can compensate for chronic sleep deprivation. Quality, restorative sleep is when your body's vital repair work happens—from clearing brain toxins (like amyloid) to balancing hormones (especially cortisol and growth hormone) and strengthening your immune system.
As we get older, sleep can become more fractured. This isn't just an annoyance; it accelerates the aging process and elevates your risk for chronic conditions. We want Health Without Risk, and that starts tonight.
The Functional Medicine Mindset
In functional medicine, we look beyond just "getting 8 hours" and focus on creating the optimal environment for your body to do its job and rest deeply. A major disruptor? Core body temperature.
To initiate sleep, your body temperature naturally needs to drop. If your bedroom is too warm, you'll struggle to fall asleep and are more likely to wake up in the middle of the night.
Your Actionable Step: Cool Your Core
This week, let's address the thermal environment:
Set Your Thermostat: Aim for a bedroom temperature between 60-67 F. This range signals to your body that it's time to rest.
Try a Warm Shower 90 Minutes Before Bed: This seems counterintuitive, but a warm bath or shower actually forces blood flow to your extremities (hands and feet). When you step out, the rapid cooling of your core body temperature acts as a powerful sleep signal.
Prioritizing your sleep environment is a small change with a massive return on investment for your long-term health. Give your body the thermal cue it needs to drift off into deep, restorative slumber!

12/13/2025

SHINING Protocol: G is for Get Moving
Don't Sit Idle! Movement is Medicine.
Sitting is an inflammatory trigger. Getting your body moving, even minimally, is critical for regulating metabolism, managing stress (cortisol), and supporting hormonal balance as we age.
The Benefit: Regular movement is one of your best "Health Without Risk" strategies—it improves circulation, mood, and long-term vitality.
Two Actionable Moves You Can Do Today:
The 5-Minute Reset: Set a timer and walk briskly for 5 minutes every hour you spend sitting. It boosts focus and prevents metabolic slowdown.
The Strength Snack: Do 10 wall push-ups or 15 squats right now. Building muscle protects bones and regulates blood sugar efficiently.
Move often, move naturally! Your future self will thank you.

12/13/2025

You've been told for decades that saturated fat is the enemy and swapping it for "vegetable oil" is key to heart health. But a shocking discovery—data hidden for over 40 years—reveals the exact opposite happened in a landmark study: the Minnesota Coronary Experiment (MCE).

12/12/2025

SHINING Protocol: N is for Natural Approaches
For true Functional Health, we prioritize natural, root-cause solutions before jumping to prescription risks.
Natural approaches empower your body's inherent healing systems:
Diet as Foundation: Choose whole, unprocessed foods. Food is your primary and safest intervention.
Movement is Medicine: Consistent daily movement (not just intense workouts) lowers stress hormones and boosts resilience.
Targeted Supplementation: Use high-quality supplements (Omega-3s, Vitamin D, Magnesium) only to fill identified nutritional gaps, guided by testing.
Empower your body naturally!

12/12/2025

SHINING Protocol: N is for Natural Approaches
For true Functional Health, we prioritize natural, root-cause solutions before jumping to prescription risks.
Natural approaches empower your body's inherent healing systems:
Diet as Foundation: Choose whole, unprocessed foods. Food is your primary and safest intervention.
Movement is Medicine: Consistent daily movement (not just intense workouts) lowers stress hormones and boosts resilience.
Targeted Supplementation: Use high-quality supplements (Omega-3s, Vitamin D, Magnesium) only to fill identified nutritional gaps, guided by testing.
Empower your body naturally!

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12/12/2025

I gave Final Exams to my students today and walked in looking like this. Several of them looked at me like I was there to es**rt them to the gallows. But they hunkered down and got after it. This is the most interactive and engaged group of students I’ve had since before that little virus problem. Did I look intimidating or no?

12/11/2025

The Second 'I' in SHINING: Inflammation Management
Inflammation is a natural part of the immune response, but chronic, low-grade inflammation is a silent disruptor of health as we age—for both men and women. It contributes to almost every chronic condition we face. Here are two highly actionable steps you can take starting today to manage your inflammatory load:
Fuel with Anti-Inflammatory Foods
Action: Commit to increasing your intake of Omega-3 fatty acids.
Why: Omega-3s (found in fatty fish, walnuts, and flax) directly inhibit inflammatory pathways. Food is medicine!
Optimize Your Sleep & Stress Response
Action: Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep nightly, and incorporate a brief 5-minute daily stress-reduction practice (e.g., deep breathing, meditation).
Why: Lack of sleep and chronic stress elevate cortisol, which, over time, disrupts the immune system and fuels inflammation.

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12/11/2025

Can You Starve While Obese?
Yes, you can starve even if you're obese. I'll explain why in this and the next video. This isn't a myth. It's a biological reality proven by horrific science. The Calories In, Calories Out (CICO) model is fundamentally flawed because your body's fat storage isn't about math—it's about a switch. I’m discussing the shocking Zucker rat experiments where subjects literally died with full fat stores. They had a Fuel-Partitioning Disorder that locked the energy away. If you struggle to lose weight despite dieting, this biological lock is why. Stop blaming willpower. Start learning the science that matters.