Live Beyond the Norms

What happens when someone who built her career around intermittent fasting decides to stop doing it? That's one of the questions I explore with Cynthia Thurlow, a nurse practitioner, bestselling author, and women's health expert whose TEDx talk on fasting has reached nearly 16 million views. Cynthia's own experience with midlife changes has reshaped her approach to health. She now prioritizes building muscle over losing weight, keeps her fasting windows shorter, and challenges the advice women are often given when their usual diet and exercise routines stop working. We also discuss hormone replacement therapy, the connection between menopause and gut health, and why women may need to rethink their habits as they get older. Cynthia shares what she's learned about protecting strength, maintaining independence, and making informed decisions about aging well. “The things that allowed us to be successful in our teens, 20s, and 30s become maladaptive in menopause.” ~ Cynthia Thurlow Enjoying Live Beyond the Norms? Leave us a review on iTunes and Spotify, let us know, and we'll thank you with 50% off MCT oil and free shipping! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566 Resources Mentioned: Intermittent Fasting Transformation: https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/intermittent-fasting-transformation The Menopause Gut: https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/the-menopause-gut Intermittent Fasting: Transformational Technique (TEDx Talk): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6Dkt7zyImk Real Food for Kids: https://www.realfoodforkids.org/ About Cynthia Thurlow: Cynthia Thurlow is a nurse practitioner, bestselling author, international speaker, and host of the Everyday Wellness podcast. With nearly 30 years of experience in healthcare, including emergency medicine and cardiology, she now focuses on helping women navigate perimenopause, menopause, and metabolic health. Her TEDx talk, Intermittent Fasting: Transformational Technique, has reached nearly 16 million views. She is also the author of Intermittent Fasting Transformation and The Menopause Gut, which explore the roles of nutrition, hormones, and gut health in healthy aging. Connect with Cynthia Thurlow: - Website: https://www.cynthiathurlow.com/ - YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/cynthiathurlow - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-thurlow Connect with Chris Burres: - Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myvitalc - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/ *Disclaimer* The content shared in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice of any kind, nor does it include any specific claims or guarantees. The views expressed are based on personal experiences, research, and individual perspectives, and are meant to inspire and inform listeners on topics related to wellness, lifestyle, and personal development. We strongly encourage all listeners to consult with a qualified professional or licensed expert before making any decisions related to health, finances, or other sensitive areas of life. Thank you for tuning in—and for taking proactive steps toward a more informed, intentional life.

Every 20 seconds somewhere in the world, a person with diabetes loses a limb to amputation. For many, the path to that point begins with diabetic neuropathy. Sensation in the feet fades, so injuries can go unnoticed long enough to become ulcers. Some of that lost sensation may not be as irreversible as patients are often told. Podiatric and peripheral nerve surgeon Dr. Stephen Barrett argues that diabetes can cause nerves to swell and become compressed. He believes that relieving the pressure can restore sensation and function in some patients. Dr. Stephen and I talk about how this happens and what nerve decompression could mean for people with diabetes. We also get into the patient whose foot moved again after five years. “It's always easier to prevent a problem than to try to reverse a problem.” ~ Dr. Stephen Barrett Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping—just leave us a review on iTunes and Spotify and let us know! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566 Resources Mentioned: U.S. Neuropathy Centers - https://usneuropathycenters.com/ The Pod of Inquiry - https://podofinquiry.com/ Some Nerve: New Hope for Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy - https://podofinquiry.com/2025/12/some-nerve-hope-for-patients-diabetic-peripheral-neuropathy/ About Dr. Stephen Barrett: Dr. Stephen Barrett is a podiatric and peripheral nerve surgeon with decades of experience treating foot, ankle, and nerve conditions. He holds patents for endoscopic surgical procedures and has trained more than 6,000 surgeons worldwide. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and co-authored a textbook on neurosensory testing. Dr. Barrett is board-certified by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery and the American Board of Podiatric Medicine and has served as president of the Association of Extremity Nerve Surgeons. Connect with Dr. Stephen Barrett: - Website: https://www.usneuropathycenters.com/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-barrett-92776a51/ Connect with Chris Burres: - Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myvitalc - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/ *Disclaimer* The content shared in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice of any kind, nor does it include any specific claims or guarantees. The views expressed are based on personal experiences, research, and individual perspectives, and are meant to inspire and inform listeners on topics related to wellness, lifestyle, and personal development. We strongly encourage all listeners to consult with a qualified professional or licensed expert before making any decisions related to health, finances, or other sensitive areas of life. Thank you for tuning in—and for taking proactive steps toward a more informed, intentional life.

Americans love their supplements. After all, they spend up to $70 billion per year on supplements, according to some estimates. But supplements can only do so much if your lifestyle keeps exposing you to the things that are affecting your health in the first place. Chemical Free Body founder Tim James believes supplements have their place, but reducing that exposure has to be part of the equation. We talk about chemicals in everyday products, how stress affects the body, and why he starts some people with greens when they barely have the energy to make other changes. This is only part of our conversation. To listen to the entire episode, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTULXv5i5F4 “You gotta stop putting in what was causing the problem in the first place.” ~ Tim James Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping. Leave us a review on iTunes and Spotify and let us know! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566 Resources Mentioned: Global Healing - https://globalhealing.com/ Dr. Bryan Ardis - https://thedrardisshow.com/ Focused Life-Force Energy (FLFE) - https://www.flfe.net/ About Tim James: Tim James is the founder of Chemical Free Body, a health coach, speaker, and supplement formulator. At 37, the former athlete and financial advisor was 42 pounds overweight and dealing with severe digestive issues, eczema, and chronic fatigue. His health journey eventually took him to the Hippocrates Health Institute and led him to leave the financial industry behind. He has since spent more than 15 years focused on nutrition, detoxification, and reducing everyday chemical exposure, while developing products through Chemical Free Body. Connect with Tim James: - Website: https://chemicalfreebody.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chemicalfreebody - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-james-cfb/ Connect with Chris Burres: - Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myvitalc - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/ *Disclaimer* The content shared in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice of any kind, nor does it include any specific claims or guarantees. The views expressed are based on personal experiences, research, and individual perspectives, and are meant to inspire and inform listeners on topics related to wellness, lifestyle, and personal development. We strongly encourage all listeners to consult with a qualified professional or licensed expert before making any decisions related to health, finances, or other sensitive areas of life. Thank you for tuning in—and for taking proactive steps toward a more informed, intentional life.

The rise in human life expectancy is one of medicine’s biggest achievements. In 1950, the global average was just over 46 years. Today, it has passed 73. But living longer has also given us more time to accumulate the cellular damage behind many diseases of later life. That brings me to my guest, Aubrey de Grey. A biomedical gerontologist and creator of SENS, Aubrey sees accumulated damage as something future medicine could repair again and again, potentially pushing biological decline further into the future. Aubrey and I discuss his work with mice, the possibility of rejuvenating people later in life, and his idea of longevity escape velocity, where advances in medicine keep buying us enough time to benefit from whatever comes next. “I don't work on immortality. I don't work on longevity. I work on health.” ~ Aubrey de Grey Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping—just leave us a review on iTunes and Spotify and let us know! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566 Resources Mentioned: Ending Aging: The Rejuvenation Breakthroughs That Could Reverse Human Aging in Our Lifetime - https://www.amazon.com/Ending-Aging-Rejuvenation-Breakthroughs-Lifetime/dp/0312367074 The Mitochondrial Free Radical Theory of Aging - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20021368/ Healthspan XPRIZE - https://www.xprize.org/prizes/healthspan About Aubrey de Grey: Aubrey de Grey, PhD, is a biomedical gerontologist and President and Chief Science Officer of the LEV Foundation. He developed the Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS), an approach to combating aging by repairing the cellular and molecular damage that accumulates over time. He is the co-author of Ending Aging and previously co-founded both the Methuselah Foundation and SENS Research Foundation. His work has made him one of the most prominent advocates for rejuvenation biotechnology and extending healthy human lifespan. Connect with Aubrey de Grey: - Website: https://www.levf.org/ - X: https://x.com/aubreydegrey - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aubrey-de-grey-24260b/ Connect with Chris Burres: - Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myvitalc - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/ *Disclaimer* The content shared in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice of any kind, nor does it include any specific claims or guarantees. The views expressed are based on personal experiences, research, and individual perspectives, and are meant to inspire and inform listeners on topics related to wellness, lifestyle, and personal development. We strongly encourage all listeners to consult with a qualified professional or licensed expert before making any decisions related to health, finances, or other sensitive areas of life. Thank you for tuning in—and for taking proactive steps toward a more informed, intentional life.

You can feel healthy, stay on top of your numbers, and still have something serious developing beneath the surface. I know because many of my standard markers looked good when I learned I had a 50% blockage in my widowmaker artery. I wanted to know what else could be contributing to it. Preventive health and longevity physician Dr. Gregory Burzynski joins me to review my Toxin Zoomer results and put the findings into perspective. What showed up has me taking a closer look at the toxins I’m exposed to every day and what they could mean for my heart. Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping—just leave us a review on iTunes and Spotify and let us know! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566 Resources Mentioned: Vibrant Wellness Toxin Zoomer - https://vibrant-wellness.com/tests/toxin-zoomer Boston Heart Fatty Acid Balance Test - https://bostonheartdiagnostics.com/test/boston-heart-fatty-acid-balance-test/ RAADfest - https://www.raadfest.com/ Previous Episode With Dr. Burzynski: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-KBxljOhhE About Dr. Gregory Burzynski: Dr. Gregory Burzynski is a board-certified internal medicine physician and the founder and CEO of Houston Concierge Medicine. He earned his degree in neurobiology from the University of Texas at Austin before studying medicine at Jagiellonian University Medical College and completing his internal medicine residency through UT Southwestern. He also trained in integrative and functional medicine through the University of Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine. Connect with Dr. Gregory Burzynski: - Website: https://www.houstonconciergemedicine.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/houstonconciergemd/ - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drgregoryburzynski/ Connect with Chris Burres: - Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myvitalc - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/ *Disclaimer* The content shared in this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice of any kind, nor does it include any specific claims or guarantees. The views expressed are based on personal experiences, research, and individual perspectives, and are meant to inspire and inform listeners on topics related to wellness, lifestyle, and personal development. We strongly encourage all listeners to consult with a qualified professional or licensed expert before making any decisions related to health, finances, or other sensitive areas of life. Thank you for tuning in—and for taking proactive steps toward a more informed, intentional life.