Jj Virgin Lifestyle Show

What if the healthy foods you are eating are actually hurting you—and you don’t even realize it? Maybe you’re struggling with fatigue, joint aches, bloating, headaches, digestive issues, cravings, autoimmune issues, skin breakouts, or you just can’t seem to lose the weight. It could be because of hidden food intolerances in your diet. In this episode, I’m going to share with you the top food intolerances I see time and time again, how I figured them out, and how you can determine if they’re problem foods for you, too. You’ve probably heard the term “leaky gut,” which is where food particles can pass through a damaged gut lining into your body where the immune system sees them as intruders. It then sounds the alarm and sets off a host of unwanted symptoms. This phenomenon occurs all too often and many people are completely unaware that the foods they are eating, even those that seem healthy, are actually the cause of the symptoms they are experiencing. You don’t want to miss this one, because I’m going to shar

Your nervous system is key to helping you stay healthy as you age. So it only makes sense that keeping the nervous system functioning optimally is a key component to long-term health. My guest on this episode is Dave Asprey, the original biohacker and founder of Upgrade Labs. He is the author of multiple New York Times bestsellers and the creator of Bulletproof Coffee and Danger Coffee. He also hosts the award-winning podcast, Human Upgrade. In this episode, we talk about the importance of taking care of your nervous system and the various methods of biohacking that can be done with little to no money to improve your overall health and well-being. In a past life, Dave used to overtrain and under fuel, which led to few results from his efforts. He figured out that he had to fix his nervous system and learn to nourish his body the right way in order to reach his goals. In his new book, Smarter, Not Harder, he explains that you don't need to overwork yourself to get the results you want, but you do need to take

Have you noticed that as you’ve entered menopause, the belly pooch seems to be hanging on, no matter what you do? You’re not alone. This happens for several reasons, including changing hormones and the way your body processes insulin as you age. What if I asked you to take your mind off of your weight for a moment, and focus instead on what your weight is made up of? Your body composition, or the amount of muscle you are carrying compared to the amount of fat, has a huge effect on belly fat—including the dangerous visceral belly fat that is a precursor to disease. In this episode, I’ll walk you through my best tips for increasing muscle mass and getting rid of that hormonal belly, including the exact type of exercise you need to be doing, how often you should be doing it, supplemental movement that enhances your results, and how to fuel your muscles so they grow. Stay tuned to the end because I’ll also share a few tips and tricks to level up your strategy so you can look your best and age healthfully. Full sh

Why are we seeing such increasing rates of autoimmune disease? How do past traumas and toxic exposures affect our health decades later? My guest is often referred to as the "Sherlock Holmes of Medicine" for solving the cases of the most well-known medical mysteries. Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD., is a board-certified Integrative Holistic Medicine specialist, known as Your Functional Medicine Expert. Utilizing state-of-the-art lab testing and biochemical analysis, she helps each patient discover the root cause of their illness by identifying nutritional or metabolic imbalances that may be contributing to their symptoms. Her new book, Unexpected, is a cross between Dr. Carnahan’s memoir about trauma, healing, and recovery coupled with a personal development/self-help guide designed to give practical advice for those seeking solutions to long-term chronic illness. Dr. Carnahan’s journey with aggressive breast cancer early in life, and the recovery from the side effects of cancer treatment, taught her that autoimmunity

Just because your standard thyroid tests come back in the normal range, it doesn’t always mean your thyroid is working optimally. Fatigue, unexplained weight gain, and brain fog can all be symptoms of an underactive thyroid—or hypothyroidism. When you’re not producing enough thyroid hormones, other hormones in your body (including insulin and cortisol) can all be affected. This disruption can impact all parts of your body, including your mental health. In this episode, we take a look at hypothyroidism manifestations you might not be aware of, how to get the thyroid tests that will give you a more accurate picture of your thyroid health (spoiler alert: these are not the standard tests your doctor ordered), and how to get the help you need to get your thyroid hormones back to optimal balance. How does The Virgin Diet impact the thyroid? Gut health is a common factor in autoimmunity, and what you eat directly impacts your risk of developing certain conditions, including thyroid issues. Tune in to find out how I

What’s the #1 reason people don’t get enough quality sleep? Alcohol, caffeine, eating too close to bedtime, and poor sleep hygiene are all major factors. But for most people the answer is stress. My guest on this podcast, Devin Burke, was working with a lot of high-performing entrepreneurs when he realized none of them slept well. He set out to find what they had in common, which led him to become a leading expert in helping people get to the root cause of their sleep issues. Devin Burke is an international and TEDx speaker, the bestselling author of The Sleep Advantage, founder of Sleep Science Academy, and one of the top health and sleep coaches in the world. His books, keynotes, programs, and videos have inspired thousands of people to improve their sleep, energy, and life.  Devin’s method involves helping people take a holistic look at their sleep and understand that sleep is a result, not the problem. By recognizing and addressing the underlying problem, we can achieve better sleep. Tune in to find out w

Is your thermostat making you gain weight? That might sound crazy, but if the scale hasn’t budged no matter what you've tried, this might be one of the surprising reasons you’re struggling to lose weight. Supporting your metabolism, getting rid of inflammatory foods, and making sure you’re getting appropriate exercise are foundational elements to losing weight. But, if you’re doing all of those things and still not seeing results, there are some lesser-known habits that may be sabotaging your efforts. Did you know that how much you fidget can have an impact on weight loss? Or that meal timing can be a game changer? And how does water impact fat loss? Tune in to find out my top nine secrets to flipping the switch on stubborn weight loss–you might just discover the unknown habit that has been holding you back!  Full show notes: jjvirgin.com/9reasons Cold therapy can increase “brown fat” (the good kind). Go to https://www.koorucoldplunges.com/ and use code JJVIP1000 for $1,000 off a Kooru Cold Plunge. Sauna ther

What if simple habits, practiced for a few minutes each day, could improve your mental health and enhance your life? Dr. Daniel Amen is back to share with us his approach to brain health and how it can help you improve your overall well-being. He’s a renowned psychiatrist, brain-health expert, and the founder of Amen Clinics, a group of medical clinics that specializes in diagnosing and treating brain-related disorders. He is also a bestselling author of several books on brain health, including his latest release, Change Your Brain Every Day. Dr. Amen's approach to brain health is based on the principle of personalized medicine. He believes each person's brain is unique and requires a tailored approach to achieve optimal health. His approach involves a comprehensive evaluation of the brain using advanced imaging techniques and other diagnostic tools. Did you know brain health and mental health are intimately connected (though science has separated them for years)? Many mental health disorders, such as depress

What if you could personalize your diet to help keep you in optimal health, drop the extra pounds, and feel your energized best? And what if there were a quiz that helped you determine exactly how to do it? I’m joined this week by Dr. Vincent Pedre, medical director at Pedre Integrative Health founder/CEO of Happy Gut Life. He believes the gut is the gateway to excellent wellness, and his newest book, The GutSMART Protocol—a 14-day personalized gut-healing plan based on the GutSMART Quiz—is the culmination of years of research and clinical experience as a functional gut-health expert. In this episode, Dr. Pedre discusses the importance of gut health in overall wellness and how a disrupted gut microbiome can lead to various health issues. He also talks about the impact of stress, diet, and environmental toxins on digestive health and provides tips on how to improve it through lifestyle changes, such as incorporating fermented foods and probiotics into the diet and reducing stress levels. In his words, “Microbi

Which foods are natural fat burners, and how exactly does that work in our bodies? Dr. William Li is back with the book that I have been waiting for. We’ll discuss which foods you should choose for health and fat loss, how you may damage your metabolism, and how he came up with the Mediterrasian diet. William W. Li, MD, is an internationally renowned physician, scientist and author of the New York Times bestseller, Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself. His groundbreaking work has led to the development of more than 30 new medical treatments and impacts care for more than 70 diseases including cancer, diabetes, blindness, heart disease and obesity. In this interview, Dr. Li dives into what emerging research teaches us about human metabolism, and how the quality of your food makes all the difference in terms of what that fuel is able to do for you. He walks us through the grocery store to help us choose the foods that stoke our metabolic fire. Ingredients that are good for our m

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

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

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 o

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