In this week’s episode of Healthspan Academy, I sit in with Margaux Alvarez who is a seven-time CrossFit Games Athlete and 2020 Titan Games West Champion. Margaux chats about how she got started in CrossFit and how she became one of the fittest humans on earth. Successful in both athletic competition and running her own business, she discusses the challenges of competing as an elite athlete, her training regimen, and the mindset that allowed her to excel. Margaux discussed some of her secrets to establishing longevity in the sport of fitness and some brilliant tips for preventing injuries. 

Margaux Alvarez is well rounded athlete and entrepreneur. She is fueled with passion for coaching, mentoring, entrepreneurship, and everything in between. An accomplished athlete with nearly a decade of experience in the CrossFit games, she has long been regarded as one of the strongest competitors in the CrossFit world having competed in multiple events and consistently finishing in the top ten. She first participated in the CrossFit Games as a volunteer in 2011 and rapidly grew dedicated to making it onto the field. She qualified for regionals in 2012 and broke into the Games circle in 2013. In 2015, she took 9th as an individual and then 7th on Team Invictus X, in 2019. 

At present, Margaux has already established herself as one of the true ambassadors of the sport and a source of inspiration to countless athletes, both through her performances as well as her passionate work as a coach, affiliate owner, and mentor. Today, she is devoted to her winery business, which is located in her hometown in Las Vegas.

To know more about Margaux, you can visit The G.O.A.T WINE.

*** Please note that the content discussed in this podcast is intended for self-education and is not to be interpreted as medical advice.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 39:38 — 36.8MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

In this week’s episode of Healthspan Academy, Jesse Coomer shares his personal expertise on the practical applications of breathwork, cold exposure, and the Wim Hof Method. We chatted about the power of breathwork and meditation, the therapeutic benefits of cold exposure, and other key habits for optimizing physical and cognitive function.

Jesse Coomer is the author of A Practical Guide to Breathwork. He is a professional breath worker, cold training expert, certified Wim Hof Method instructor, a certified personal trainer on the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NSAM), and a Professor of English at Vincennes University, Indiana. He’s also a voice of practicality in the world of breathwork and cold exposure on his YouTube channel, Midwestern Method. In 2009, Jesse began a life transformation journey that led him to discover how physiology and psychology often conflict with the modern world. For most of his life, he suffered from anxiety and stress. It was in 2014 when his passion for breath training became a method to combat his anxiety. Since then, he has trained over a thousand students in various modalities and leads workshops, lectures, and training sessions around the USA while training athletes, military, and people from every walks of life.

To know more about Jesse, his products and services, check out JesseCoomer.com.

*** Please note that the content discussed in this podcast is intended for self-education and is not to be interpreted as medical advice.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 49:44 — 46.0MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

In this week’s episode of Healthspan Academy, I am joined by Audrey Carriere, a Health & Nutrition Coach and a Diabetes Counseling Specialist, to discuss insulin sensitivity and management and prevention of diabetes. We explored the root causes for the continuous rise of diabetes cases, chatted on the effects of diabetes on lifestyle and mental health, and outlined preventative strategies for improving insulin sensitivity. Audrey also offers suggestions for helping friends and family get over the initial hurdle of improving their lifestyle habits.

As a mental health worker, Audrey Carriere started her academic career with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology at University Guelph. She later pursued the medical industry as a paramedic after graduating from Lambton College. She continued on her career path towards health and nutrition at Nutraphoria, a School of Holistic Nutrition. Afterward, Audrey completed her Masters of Counseling and Psychology at Yorkville University and currently works in health, nutrition, and mental health in group homes specifically helping people deal with their lifestyle habits.

*** Please note that the content discussed in this podcast is intended for self-education and is not to be interpreted as medical advice.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 30:14 — 28.2MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

In this week’s episode of Healthspan Academy, I chatted with Dr. Nishi Bhopal as we explore the field of sleep medicine and how sleep impacts our overall health. We discussed what the latest research shows regarding optimal blue light exposure and the importance of nasal breathing in sustaining cognitive function. Dr. Bhopal also outlined her recommendations for establishing a dietary strategy for improving sleep quality, as well as some great tips for designing the ideal sleep environment. 

Dr. Nishi Bhopal enjoys reading and hearing people’s stories and is fascinated by the mind-body connection, which drew her to a profession in Psychiatry. She founded IntraBalance Integrative Psychiatry & Sleep and is a founding member of the SamHere Psych Alliance, a global campaign to reduce the stigma around mental health.

After earning her medical degree from the University of Cork, Dr. Nishi then completed her psychiatric residency at Henry Ford Health System and her sleep medicine fellowship at Harvard Medical School. She went on to expand her education at the Maharishi Ayurveda Institute of America and the Integrative Psychiatry Institute.

As a triple board-certified professional in Psychiatry, Sleep Medicine, and Integrative Holistic Medicine, she includes mindset coaching, yoga and medication, psychology, and Ayurveda into her work, offering a comprehensive approach to her clinical treatment. She passionately believes in the innate healing capability of the mind, body, and spirit and aims to help each patient harness their own ability to sleep and perform better through her therapeutic method.

To know more about her services and work, check out IntraBalance Integrative Psychiatry & Sleep.

*** Please note that the content discussed in this podcast is intended for self-education and is not to be interpreted as medical advice.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 36:42 — 34.1MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More

In this week’s episode of Healthspan Academy, Dr. Gabrielle Fundaro and I chat about the digestive tract, the function of the gut microbiome and its importance to the human body. We talked about genetic versus environmental factors on the microbiome and the effects of macronutrient balance and food on gut health. 

Dr. Gabrielle Fundaro has transitioned from the world of academia to an accomplished full-time nutrition coach, guiding hundreds of clients to achieve their long-term goals. She graduated from Radford University with a BS in Exercise, Sport, and Health Education in 2009 and went on to earn a Ph.D. in Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise at Virginia Tech in 2014, where she studied the effect of probiotics on skeletal muscle metabolism. Dr. Fundaro previously taught nutrition for performance and health, physiology, and macronutrient metabolism as an assistant professor of exercise science at Georgia Gwinnett College.

In the spring of 2017, she got her CISSN as an ACE Certified Health Coach and ISSN Sports Nutritionist from the International Society of Sports Nutrition and began working as a nutrition coach with Renaissance Periodization.

She also interacts with peers as a board member of both the Nutrition Coaching Global Mastermind (NCGM) and the Sports Nutrition Association (SNA) to steer discussions and drive change toward best practices in the online nutrition coaching industry.

To know more about her work and services, you may visit Vitamin PhD Nutrition, LLC. Check out her book “The Science of Gut Health” for more details on how to improve your gut function and health. 

*** Please note that the content discussed in this podcast is intended for self-education and is not to be interpreted as medical advice.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 43:06 — 39.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS | More