Tag Archives: Healthspan

Building World-Class Athletes with CrossFit Games Coach Matt Torres



In this week’s episode of Healthspan Academy, I interviewed CrossFit Games coach, Matt Torres. We talked about all things relevant to getting maximum performance out of an athlete. We talked about setting expectations, programming, improving weakness, and adapting scope throughout the training season. Matt talked about his approach to mentality and recovery, and event-to-event strategy. 

Coach Matt Torres is a Jack of all Trades in sports and fitness. Growing up, his passion for sports helped him earn a scholarship to play division one college football at Central Michigan University from 2006-2011. He was a wide receiver at CMU and played with some top-notch athletes, such as Antonio Brown (Steelers), Joe Staley (49ers), Eric Fisher (Chiefs), Frank Zombo (Chiefs), and Jahleel Addae (Chargers).

After college, he and his colleague Dario Aviles found CrossFit in Naples and loved everything about it. What began as a motivation for fitness rapidly grew and transformed into a real business as they opened the doors of North Naples CrossFit in 2013. Since 2018, he has worked with Brute Strength, where he has helped several athletes reach their goals of making it to the CrossFit Games, including:  Jason Carroll, Dallin Pepper, Tudor Magda, Emma Cary, Fee Saghafi, James Sprague, and Phil Toon.

If you want to find out more about Coach Matt, check out his website at www.northnaplescrossfit.com and on Instagram at @heycoachmatt.   

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


Building Habits for Younger Looking Skin and Appearance with Dr. Jennifer Haley



In this week’s episode of Healthspan Academy, I chatted with Dermatologist and Host of Radiance Revealed Podcast, Dr. Jennifer Haley. We talked about a range of topics related to improving skin appearance and health. Jennifer outlined her recommendations for ideal dosage of sun exposure and red light therapy. We discussed the relationship of skin and gut health and means of improving both. Jennifer also gave her list of supplement recommendations and skin care habits for maintaining a healthy and youthful appearance. 

Dr. Jennifer Haley is a Board-Certified Dermatologist with more than 20 years of experience in medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology. She graduated from Cornell University with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and Nutrition and went on to pursue a medical career in dermatology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences F. Edward Herbert School of Medicine.

Dr. Haley enjoys treating skin holistically by educating her patients on how they can make the right lifestyle choices to optimize their health. While being passionate about the integration of health, skincare, fitness, nutrition, and environmental well-being in her practice, she has also worked as a consultant for several Global Fortune 500 companies, advising, writing, developing educational content, and speaking using her years of experience in medicine focusing on integrating lifestyle in maintaining health and disease prevention.

 To find out more about Dr. Haley, you can visit her website at drjenhaley.com and on Instagram @drjenhaley.

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


Latest Developments in Our Understanding of Mitochondrial Function and The Physiology of Aging



In this week’s episode of Healthspan Academy, Dr. Joseph Baur and I chatted about his research in the field of aging. We discussed his graduate work on the role of telomeres on the prospect for cell immortality, and his more recent research on the role of NAD on cellular aging. Dr. Baur outlined his breakthrough discovery of a specific gene responsible for the NAD synthesis. He also discussed the role of intermittent fasting and other lifestyle activities that have been linked to slowing or reversing the aging process. 

Dr. Joseph Baur is an Associate Professor of Physiology at the Perelman School of Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania. He is considered as one of the world’s leading NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) researchers who made key contributions to the understanding of how metabolism and dietary factors influence longevity. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas where he studied mechanisms that limit the lifespan of cultured animals. 

Moving into Harvard University, Dr. Baur trained as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. David Sinclair where he developed a strong interest in the regulation of aging and metabolisms by sirtuins. Together with his team at The Baur Lab, he currently studies metabolic and signaling pathways by which nutrient intake can influence longevity, with a particular emphasis on NAD and mTOR.

He has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed scientific publications, including seminar papers in Nature and Science. Findings from his work have been reported by leading news media, including the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times.

You can find more about his team’s research and work on their Buar Lab website

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