BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast

The old playbook of "buy ads, rank for keywords, and wait for patients" is failing. According to Paige Velasquez Budde, CEO of Zilker Media and author of The Strategic Business Influencer, we've entered an era of "corporate suspicion." Trust in institutions is at an all-time low, while trust in individuals is skyrocketing. For health and wellness organizations, you can no longer rely on your company brand alone. AI Search Demands Leader Visibility Patients now find health providers through AI platforms like ChatGPT, not just Google. Budde calls this Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Unlike traditional SEO, AI platforms prioritize trust and credibility over keywords. "You've gotta earn trust, people to people. It's no longer people to logo," Budde emphasizes. When AI aggregates answers about wellness clinics, it searches for verified, authoritative sources—leaders who are visible, cited, and trusted. "If you are thinking you can pay your way to AI discoverability, that is not the case right now," says Budde. If you hide behind a corporate logo, AI platforms may overlook you entirely. A lack of personal visibility "is actually hurting you." PR Outpaces Traditional SEO Today, "It's no longer the loudest one that wins, it's the most trusted." While SEO remains relevant, Public Relations and Micromedia build trust faster with both AI algorithms and human patients. You don't need CNN. Niche channels carry more weight. Budde distinguishes between "Name Brand" media like Forbes and "Micromedia"—industry podcasts, niche blogs, and influencers. She estimates "about 60% or more [of AI citations] come from true journalistic content." Without media coverage, you're invisible to the algorithms defining search's future. When featured on a respected podcast or blog, you borrow their trust through "Authority by association." Health practice owners get discovered and trusted faster than by publishing on their own blog alone. Audit Your Digital Presence You don't need a million followers. You simply need to influence the right 500 people. Treat your digital presence like a passport—verified and accurate. Google yourself in Incognito Mode. Search your name in ChatGPT and ask, "Who is [Your Name]?" If AI doesn't know you or the information is wrong, you have a discoverability problem. Ditch stock photos. Authenticity builds trust. "Throw stock images out the door as much as you can," Budde advises. Use photos of you in action—leading a class, speaking to patients, or teaching. Think Like an Editor Stop thinking like a marketer and start thinking like a media outlet. Budde suggests a specific content mix to keep audiences engaged without burning them out on sales pitches: 40% News-Driven: Commentary on headlines and new health studies 40% Relationship-Driven: Interviewing peers and partners (creating a "win-win") 20% You-Driven: Your personal story and promotional material Don't build your house on rented land. Social media algorithms change constantly. Use your social media and PR wins to drive traffic back to assets you control: your website, your email list, or your podcast. In this podcast you'll learn: Why AI search and GEO make individual leader visibility critical for health and wellness organizations How PR, micromedia, and thought leadership strategies can help wellness and health practice owners Actionable steps health and wellness leaders can take to elevate their credibility and create a durable reputation EPISODE RESOURCES: Website LinkedIn ZilkerMedia

Are you constantly battling fatigue, brain fog, and persistent bloating? You might be dealing with a silent instigator: LPS endotoxins. We recently dove deep into this topic with Martha Carlin, a pioneering microbiome researcher and founder of The BioCollective. Here's what you need to know about this stealthy driver of chronic inflammation. What is LPS? LPS, or lipopolysaccharide, is an endotoxin—a component of the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria in your gut. While these bacteria are normal, problems arise when they die and release inflammatory debris. In a healthy gut, this isn't a major issue. But if you have poor elimination or a leaky gut, this toxic debris leaks into your bloodstream. Over time, your immune system stops recognizing it, causing low-grade chronic inflammation wherever it travels—in the brain, joints, or digestive system. This inflammation silently drives fatigue, brain fog, joint pain, and digestive distress. What Your Poop Reveals A stool test can analyze your microbiome and reveal if you have a high LPS load, giving insights into your immune burden and inflammatory state. However, not all tests are created equal. Carlin sequenced her own sample and sent it to three different labs—all had different results. Pick one kit and stick with it to compare apples to apples. Daily Toxins Fueling Inflammation The first step to lowering your endotoxin load is removing the red flags from your daily life that feed bad bacteria: Processed Foods & Sugar: Sugar feeds pathogenic bacteria that produce endotoxins. Household Cleaners: Quaternary ammonium compounds in liquid soaps and laundry detergents damage your gut lining. Tap Water: Our water systems now carry a toxic load of chemicals. The Soil Connection Your gut is an ecosystem that directly reflects our planet's ecosystem. You cannot heal one without the other. Our modern food system, reliant on chemicals like glyphosate, has decimated soil health. Glyphosate binds up minerals, meaning our food has less mineral density. When soil is stripped of microbes and minerals, the plants are less nutritious. The chemicals we spray on farms don't stay "out there." They end up inside our bodies, damaging our gut lining and allowing endotoxins to flourish. Healing is about supporting a food system that supports the soil and removing daily chemicals that disrupt our internal ecosystem. In this podcast, you'll learn: What is LPS and how does it silently drive fatigue, bloating, and brain fog? What your poop can tell you about your hormones, brain, and immune system Red flags hiding in your daily routine—and how to shift them naturally Why healing starts in the soil (and what that means for your plate) How the microbes in your food, your gut, and your garden are all connected—and how eating for soil health supports your own. EPISODE RESOURCES: https://biotiquest.com https://www.marthasquest.com LinkedIn Instagram

With long-term health, the mouth is often overlooked. For most people, the dentist is someone only seen for a cleaning or to fix a problem like a cavity or crown. However, according to Dr. Jonathan B. Levine, a world-renowned oral health expert, we are undergoing a massive paradigm shift. It is time to stop seeing the mouth as separate and recognize it as a critical data center for your entire body's well-being. This new approach, which Dr. Levine's practice calls "mouth mapping," is poised to change how we manage everything from heart disease to sleep. The Biological Connection: Mouth Mapping for Longevity For decades, dentistry and medicine have operated in "siloed" worlds, but Dr. Levine explains that this separation is political, not biological. He stresses that "the mouth is connected to the rest of the body". The mouth is the second-biggest microbiome after the gut, containing over 600 species. When it is unhealthy, foundational research shows that pathogenic bacteria can cause "leaky gums, like leaky gut," giving harmful bacteria a direct route into the bloodstream. Research has found bacteria associated with oral disease in the inner walls of the carotid artery in people with cardiovascular disease. The connection, he says, is undeniable, linking oral health as a causal factor or risk factor for diseases including diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and pancreatic cancer. The statistics are staggering: 70% of the adult population has some type of inflammation in the mouth, and North of 55% suffers from periodontal disease (chronic inflammation). Studies show that as periodontal disease increases, rheumatoid arthritis also increases, and P. gingivalis has been found in the amyloid plaque of Alzheimer's patients. Mouth Mapping Diagnostics If your mouth is a window to health, "mouth mapping" is the diagnostic toolkit used to look through it. This integrative approach goes beyond just looking for cavities. Dr. Levine's practice, Smile House, uses a "digital workflow" to create a complete profile of your oral and systemic health. This "mouth mapping" can include: Saliva pH Testing: A simple, first-line indicator, as "the bad bugs thrive in a low pH environment". Salivary Diagnostics: Saliva is sent for analysis to get a readout profile of 200 bacteria in about 10 days, educating patients on the specific pathogenic bacteria they possess and the risks they pose. CBCT (Cone Beam CAT Scans): This 3D scan analyzes anatomy from the "Top of the nose to the airway," showing how well the airway is functioning and if it is anatomically small. Blood Prick Testing: This new model of dentistry even includes checking "inflammatory markers in your blood," such as C-reactive protein. The Oral Physician This rich diagnostic data is shared with the entire health team. Dr. Levine is pioneering the concept of the "oral physician". Because patients typically see their dentist more regularly than their primary care physician, the dentist is uniquely positioned as the "tip of the spear" for addressing chronic inflammatory diseases early. This allows care providers to "go upstream" and build a "wellness model". For instance, using a CBCT scan, an "oral physician" can immediately spot issues like a deviated septum that causes mouth breathing and prevents "deep regenerative sleep," leading to an immediate referral to an ENT specialist. A New Pillar of Longevity For years, longevity experts cited motion, nutrition, and stress management as the pillars of health. Dr. Levine argues it is time to add the pillar of oral health. Understanding how important a healthy mouth is "will lead to longevity". This collaborative, integrated model marks the future of healthcare, moving away from the "sickness model" and toward true wellness. This innovation means that "If you're in an innovative dental office, you shouldn't be able to recognize it... Today, it's a new day". In this podcast you will learn… Why the mouth is considered a critical data center for the entire body's well-being. How pathogenic bacteria from "leaky gums" can enter the circulatory system and contribute to conditions like cardiovascular disease. That inflammation in the mouth is linked to diseases such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, pancreatic cancer, and Alzheimer's. The function of specialized diagnostics used in mouth mapping, including Salivary Diagnostics and 3D CBCT scans. Why the dentist, acting as the "oral physician," is considered the "tip of the spear" for catching chronic inflammatory diseases early. Why Dr. Levine argues that oral health must be added as a fourth pillar of longevity alongside motion, nutrition, and stress management. EPISODE RESOURCES: Dr. Levine offers $100 off your first visit to Smile House or JBL NYC. Just mention BIOptimizers or Awesome Health Podcast when booking your appointment at smilehouse.co Not in the city? Dr. Levine has curated a comprehensive Home Care Guide just for you. Visit @SmileHouseTribeca on Instagram and DM "GUIDE" to receive your free guide! Other accounts to Collaborate on Social: @drjonlevine, @smilehousetribeca, @jblnewyorkcity

It is a staggering statistic that an estimated 90% of women and up to 50% of men in North America struggle with binge and emotional eating. For those caught in this exhausting cycle—marked by shame, frustration, and the feeling of being completely out of control—the common response is often another diet, followed by self-blame for lacking willpower. However, according to emotional eating and hormone expert Amber Romaniuk, focusing on willpower is exactly the wrong approach. Individuals are attempting to fix a deep, multi-layered issue with a surface-level solution. The true healing, she explains, requires digging deeper to uncover the root causes. The Real Root Causes Amber Romaniuk, drawing on her own challenging journey of gaining and losing over a thousand pounds, identifies two critical areas often overlooked: deep-seated emotional roots and the powerful influence of hormones. For many, the pattern of using food as a coping mechanism begins very early, often stemming from personal trauma or a pervasive feeling of not being safe or heard. Amber shares her own "origin story" of being bullied and called "fat and ugly" on the bus when she was five years old. This type of wounding, combined with growing up in a home with unprocessed grief and stress, can place the body into chronic survival mode, where food becomes a source of comfort. She explains, "I was in survival mode from a very young age." The Industry Trap This personal vulnerability is then exploited by a culture that profits from insecurity. Amber notes the irony that the diet, weight loss, food, and Hollywood media industries are the ones that created the problem by conditioning women and men to feel insecure and believe they must be "as skinny as possible." These same industries then sell the "solution"—diets, restriction, and over-exercise. This creates a trap: either complete loss of control with food or trying to grip control through restriction. The restriction inevitably leads to a binge, reinforcing the false belief that the individual is the failure, not the system. Amber is clear that this struggle has nothing to do with willpower; these are the "lies that were sold by the industry." How Hormones Fuel the Binge If cravings feel like a separate, uncontrollable force, it is often because they are deeply physiological, not just psychological. Our hormones and neurotransmitters play a massive role in driving emotional eating behaviors. Amber discovered this firsthand when her own extreme dieting and over-exercising pushed her into being "post-menopausal at 24." Understanding how internal chemistry becomes a primary trigger is crucial for healing. Stress and Chemical Depletion A common trigger is stress, which leads to high cortisol levels. When a person is caught in a cycle of restriction and self-loathing, the body is in a constant state of stress, which skyrockets cortisol. High cortisol doesn't just increase stress; it increases ghrelin, a hormone that makes you more hungry and causes you to feel less full more easily, often leading to a sensation described as having a "hollow leg." Furthermore, especially for women, low progesterone significantly impacts neurotransmitter levels, including lower dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and oxytocin. This leads to poor sleep and heightened sugar cravings. When this occurs, the body is not simply "craving" sugar; it is "screaming for dopamine and serotonin," and sugar is the quickest way to get that hit. The person is "depleted in dopamine and serotonin," which fuels the addiction. The Path to Root Cause Healing Understanding these deep roots is the first step toward freedom. This knowledge shifts the conversation from self-blame ("What's wrong with me?") to validation ("What's happening to me?"). The path to healing focuses on "root cause healing," which involves processing stored trauma, healing the wounded inner child, and rebalancing the hormones that push the body into panic mode. This validation—realizing that physiological and emotional pieces are fueling the problem—is very liberating, providing more answers and information for true recovery. Know that you are not alone and you are not broken. In this podcast, you'll discover: Emotional eating affects an estimated 90% of women and up to 50% of men in North America. The root causes of emotional eating are deep-seated emotional issues and powerful hormonal influences. Early childhood trauma, such as bullying, can place the body into survival mode where food provides comfort. Diet and media industries profit by conditioning insecurity and selling restrictive solutions that fuel the binge/restriction cycle. High cortisol levels caused by stress increase ghrelin, the hormone that causes persistent hunger and a feeling of being less full. Healing begins with validating the problem by shifting from self-blame to understanding the physiological and emotional triggers. EPISODE RESOURCES: Website Emotional Eating Quiz Schedule a Complimentary Body Freedom Session Podcast Amber Approved podcast Instagram

We all want to age with vitality and independence. Yet, there's a stark statistic looming over Americans: 1 in 3 people over 65 will suffer a fall. This "overlooked aging crisis" isn't just about a broken bone; it's often the starting point for a decline in health, confidence, and independence. According to Dr. Alan Rozanski, a distinguished professor of medicine, the solution isn't a new drug or a complex medical procedure. It's a proactive, powerful strategy he calls "muscle care." The Real Reason We Fall The primary driver behind this crisis is a natural process that we've accepted for too long: muscle loss, or sarcopenia. Dr. Rozanski lays out the startling reality of what happens when we remain sedentary. "If you're not doing resistance training, you are going to lose, even from the age of 30 on, you're starting to lose about 3-8% of your muscle mass per decade, and that accelerates after age 60." This isn't just a cosmetic issue. That loss of muscle mass is directly linked to a loss of strength, power, and… most critically… balance. When you have to stop a stumble or catch yourself, you're relying on muscle. When that muscle isn't there, a simple trip becomes a disaster. The Answer: Stress Your Muscles The good news, as Dr. Rozanski explains, is that this decline is not inevitable. We have a powerful tool to fight back. "You've got to stress your muscles, you know? We call it muscle care," he states. He emphasizes that this muscle loss "can be largely minimized if you are doing resistance training." The benefits go far beyond just being stronger. Dr. Rozanski notes that resistance training "promotes better immunological health, biochemical health, better mindset, greater sense of resilience, stronger muscles, and you decrease your risk of falling." This is the key takeaway: building strength is a direct investment in your stability and your ability to live life on your own terms. Start With One Simple Move For many, the idea of "resistance training" conjures images of intimidating gyms and complex machines. Dr. Rozanski insists on a different approach, one that prioritizes consistency over intensity. "We want psychological success before aerobic success," he says. He calls this "the power of the first step." The goal isn't to become a bodybuilder. The goal is to get on the playing field. "Choose one exercise," Dr. Rozanski advises. "Let's get you to do one thing that you will do each day." His favorite starting point for someone completely sedentary? "My favorite would be just to do a sit-to-stand. You know, sit in a chair, have your hands up against your chest, and just get up without using your hands, go back down." Resistance Snacks Work Wonders You don't need to block out an hour every day. Dr. Rozanski is a proponent of what he calls "resistance snacks," or "exercise snacks." These are small, manageable bits of exercise you can do throughout your day. "Dedicating about a half hour twice a week," he says, is enough to start making a profound difference. You can develop a simple repertoire of 5 or 6 exercises that target your core, upper body, and lower limbs. A few sit-to-stands, some calf raises, or stepping up and down on a stair. This small, consistent effort builds the resilience you need. Aging doesn't have to mean a loss of independence. By actively caring for your muscles, you are building a biological insurance policy against falls and decline. As Dr. Rozanski puts it, starting this practice, even in the smallest way, "is a tremendous investment in terms of your life." In this podcast you'll learn: Why 1 in 3 Americans over 65 will fall… and how "muscle care" is the key to independence. The shocking reality of muscle loss: 3-8% per decade starting at age 30, accelerating after 60. Dr. Rozanski's "power of the first step" philosophy and why sit-to-stands are the perfect starting exercise. The concept of "resistance snacks"... small bits of exercise throughout your day that build real strength. Creative ways to integrate micro-strength training into daily routines (like squats at lunch) as a practical, sustainable way to stay strong at any age. EPISODE RESOURCES: LinkedIn Website