Low-carb, ketogenic, and carnivore diets have helped a lot of people — myself included — at different stages of their health journey. But what happens when a strategy meant to heal is followed too long without reassessment?

In this episode of Healthy AF, I sit down with Dr. Rachel Brown, a psychiatrist and functional medicine practitioner who shares her deeply personal experience after 10 years of ketogenic eating — six of those strictly carnivore.

Dr. Brown opens up about the symptoms she believes were connected to long-term carbohydrate restriction, with gut dysbiosis and thyroid dysfunction becoming the most prominent issues. Coming from both a psychiatric and functional medicine background, she brings a rare perspective — one that bridges mental health, metabolism, and digestive health.

We explore how restrictive diets can alter the gut microbiome over time, why a lack of fermentable carbohydrates may compromise microbial diversity, and how chronic stress physiology can quietly impact thyroid signaling. Dr. Brown also explains how symptoms can be missed or rationalized in high-discipline health communities, where feeling unwell is often reframed as "adaptation."

This is not an anti-keto or anti-carnivore conversation. It's an anti-dogma conversation.

We talk about the importance of metabolic flexibility, ongoing self-assessment, and the willingness to evolve as your body's needs change. Dr. Brown emphasizes that healing isn't about ideology — it's about listening to physiology, respecting individual variability, and understanding that no approach should be considered permanent by default.

If you've ever wondered whether a diet that once helped you might now be holding you back, this episode offers clarity, nuance, and reassurance that changing course isn't failure — it's growth.

• Keto and carnivore can be powerful tools, but may not be lifelong solutions
• Gut dysbiosis can develop when microbial diversity is chronically reduced
• Thyroid function is highly sensitive to long-term energy and carb availability
• Mental health, digestion, and metabolism are deeply interconnected
• Symptoms are often rationalized in high-discipline diet cultures
• Metabolic flexibility and reassessment are key to long-term health
• Health strategies should evolve as physiology changes

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Introduction: Dr. Rachel Brown's background
• 03:00 — Why keto initially worked
• 06:30 — Transitioning into long-term carnivore
• 10:30 — Early warning signs that were easy to dismiss
• 14:00 — Gut dysbiosis explained
• 18:00 — Thyroid dysfunction and restrictive diets
• 22:30 — Mental health implications of chronic restriction
• 27:00 — When discipline becomes self-harm
• 31:30 — Reintroducing carbs and gut-supportive foods
• 36:00 — Metabolic flexibility vs diet identity
• 41:00 — Lessons learned after 10 years
• 45:00 — Final thoughts: evolving without shame

• 🧠 Free Plan: free40plan.com
• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness
• 🌐 Website: zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

• IG: @‌drrachelsarahbrown
• https://drrachelsbrown.com
  
  
  

For years, the health and fitness space has rewarded extremes — more restriction, more protocols, more supplements, more "hacks." But what happens when chasing optimization starts to quietly dismantle your health instead of improving it?

In this episode of Healthy AF, Zane sits down with Dylan Gemelli for one of the most honest, wide-ranging conversations the show has had. Dylan's journey doesn't begin with illness — it begins with pushing the limits of health itself. From elite athletics to bodybuilding, from underground supplementation to biohacking and cellular health, Dylan has lived on both sides of the extreme.

Dylan opens up about his early life, disordered eating patterns, overtraining, and the mentality that "more is always better." He shares how chasing leanness, control, and aesthetics eventually led to mental exhaustion, physical pain, and metabolic stress — even while appearing outwardly "healthy." This episode pulls back the curtain on how easily discipline can turn into self-abuse when intention is lost.

The conversation then shifts into Dylan's transformation. After years of ultra-low fat, ultra-low calorie dieting, relentless cardio, and rigid food rules, he finally reached a breaking point. Adding fats back in. Eating whole eggs instead of only egg whites. Introducing real carbohydrates. Cooking with butter. Allowing flexibility. What surprised him most wasn't weight gain — it was improved energy, recovery, mood, body composition, and freedom.

Zane and Dylan also dig into the biohacking world — what's helpful, what's misunderstood, and what's being misused. They discuss why piling on peptides, supplements, and therapies without addressing nutrition, stress, sleep, and foundations often leads to worse outcomes, not better ones. Dylan explains why many "biohackers" actually show poorer mitochondrial health when measured — not because the tools are bad, but because balance is missing.

At its core, this episode is about accountability, intentionality, and purpose. Dylan shares how prison, adversity, and personal responsibility reshaped his outlook — and why he now sees health as a long game, not a shortcut. This is a conversation for anyone who's burned out from extremes, confused by conflicting health advice, or ready to rebuild their body and life with clarity instead of chaos.

If you've ever felt trapped by rigid protocols, afraid to eat, or overwhelmed by "doing everything right," this episode will hit home.

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Why extremes dominate the health space
• 02:10 — Dylan's early years: athletics, body image, and control
• 05:30 — Disordered eating, overtraining, and chasing leanness
• 09:00 — Consequences of "discipline without intention"
• 12:30 — Prison, accountability, and rebuilding identity
• 16:00 — Bodybuilding, supplements, and extreme protocols
• 19:40 — When optimization turns into self-destruction
• 23:00 — Enter biohacking: curiosity vs obsession
• 26:30 — The breaking point: hunger, fatigue, and burnout
• 30:00 — Adding fats and carbs back in (and what changed fast)
• 33:40 — Energy, recovery, mood, and metabolic freedom
• 36:40 — Why foundations beat advanced protocols every time
• 39:40 — Biohacking done wrong: too many tools, no alignment
• 43:00 — Purpose, responsibility, and long-term health
• 46:00 — Final reflections: balance, curiosity, and growth

• 🧠 Free Plan: free40plan.com
• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness
• 🌐 Website: zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

• https://dylangemelli.com
• https://www.instagram.com/dylangemelli/
• http://www.youtube.com/@DylanGemelliBiohacking

We talk a lot about fitness, metabolism, and hormones on this show — but if your gut's not right, none of it works properly.

In this week's episode of Healthy AF, I sit down with Dr. Vincent Pedre, board-certified internist, functional medicine pioneer, and author of the bestselling book Happy Gut. Dr. Pedre has spent over two decades helping people repair their gut health, rebalance their microbiome, and understand how the gut affects every system in the body — from mood and memory to metabolism and sleep.

We dive deep into the gut-brain connection — how your gut literally talks to your brain through the vagus nerve, and why 95% of serotonin is produced in your gut (not your head). Dr. Pedre breaks down how stress, alcohol, and common over-the-counter meds disrupt digestion and even rewire your mood.

He also explains how gut dysfunction can lead to metabolic disease, chronic fatigue, and hormone imbalance, and what to do about it. From fermented foods and fiber to liver detox and real-world habits, this conversation connects the dots between gut health, mental health, and longevity.

We also talk about Dr. Pedre's new product, Happy Gut Coffee — a low-acid, toxin-free roast tested for mold, glyphosate, and pesticides — and why something as simple as your morning coffee might be holding back your health goals.

If you've ever struggled with brain fog, bloating, or burnout — this episode will help you understand why your gut might be the first place to start healing.

• The gut microbiome influences mood, metabolism, and immune health.
• 95% of serotonin is made in the gut, not the brain.
• The vagus nerve connects your emotions, digestion, and sleep quality.
• Alcohol, NSAIDs, and stress are major microbiome disruptors.
• Fermented foods lower inflammation and improve brain health.
• Gut inflammation can lead to insulin resistance and metabolic disease.
• Fiber + fermented foods = powerful combination for reducing stress and inflammation.
• Regular, effortless bowel movements are essential for detox and hormone balance.
• Your liver and gut work together to remove toxins and regulate estrogen.
• Even your coffee can support (or sabotage) your gut health.

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Meet Dr. Vincent Pedre, gut health and functional medicine expert
• 03:00 — The missing piece: what doctors never learned about the gut microbiome
• 06:00 — The gut-brain connection explained
• 08:00 — How serotonin is made in the gut (and why it matters)
• 12:00 — Stress, the vagus nerve, and sleep quality
• 15:00 — Alcohol: short-term calm, long-term chaos
• 18:00 — Why mindset and emotion drive gut-related habits
• 22:00 — Stomach acid, digestion, and feeling full
• 27:00 — Fermented foods vs. fiber: which one lowers inflammation
• 29:00 — The psychobiotic diet and its effect on stress levels
• 33:00 — Endotoxin, leaky gut, and how inflammation starts
• 37:00 — Gut health and detoxification: liver, estrogen, and weight loss
• 40:00 — Why bowel regularity matters for hormones
• 43:00 — Creating Happy Gut Coffee: how Dr. Pedre cleaned up caffeine
• 47:00 — Why your coffee could be sabotaging your health goals
• 49:00 — Where to learn more and connect with Dr. Pedre

• 🧠 Free Plan: free40plan.com
• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness
• 🌐 Website: zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

• https://pedremd.com
• https://happygutlife.com
• IG: @‌drpedre

Most of us don't realize how deep our relationship with food runs until we try to change it.

In this Healthy AF episode, I sit down with Meghann Hempel, who shares her powerful journey from battling food addiction, emotional eating, and self-sabotage to finding complete freedom through mindset, community, and real nourishment.

For years, Meghann found herself stuck in the cycle so many of us know too well — using food for comfort, trying every new plan, and blaming herself when nothing worked. But everything changed when she stopped chasing perfection and started addressing the root causes: stress, trauma, and a dysregulated metabolism.

We talk about the real, unfiltered side of healing — the emotional work behind breaking addiction, rebuilding trust with your body, and learning to eat without guilt or obsession. Meghann also shares how she helps others now, teaching them how to build a relationship with food that's grounded in awareness, balance, and self-respect.

This episode isn't just about what you eat. It's about what's eating at you — and how to finally take your power back.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Food addiction isn't a lack of willpower — it's a sign of imbalance and disconnection.
• Stress and shame are two of the biggest drivers behind emotional eating.
• Healing starts when you shift from punishment to nourishment and awareness.
• Community and accountability are key in breaking cycles of addiction.
• Hormones, mindset, and blood sugar all play a role in cravings and energy.
• The goal isn't perfection — it's freedom.

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Meghann's story and the roots of food addiction
• 06:30 — The emotional connection between food and identity
• 13:00 — From dieting to healing: why restriction makes things worse
• 19:00 — Breaking cycles of shame and guilt
• 25:00 — The role of stress, trauma, and environment in cravings
• 32:00 — Rebuilding trust with your body through awareness
• 39:00 — Hormones, blood sugar, and emotional balance
• 46:00 — How Meghann found freedom and peace around food
• 52:00 — Coaching others through the same transformation
• 59:00 — Final thoughts: food freedom as a lifelong practice

• 🧠 Free Plan: free40plan.com

• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness

• 🌐 Website: zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

Meghann's links:

https://join.brainbodyandbeyondllc.com/home-2636

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5WrqWIExmHshHL9pUk5Xsi?si=3JFTuIM9SAq1ioBtof5I_g

https://www.instagram.com/meghann.alice?igsh=MTVkbnc0Z2RtMTJ4eA==

Low-carb, high-fat, keto — for a while, these were the tools that saved so many of us from the blood sugar rollercoaster. But what happens when the same diet that once healed you… starts to hold you back?

In this week's Healthy AF episode, I sit down with Jen Winkler, a Functional Health and Hormone Coach who helps women heal from PCOS, PMS, insulin resistance, and blood sugar struggles through food, movement, and lifestyle balance.

Jen shares her personal healing journey — from managing PCOS through a strict ketogenic diet to later realizing that long-term hormone health requires more flexibility, color, and nourishment. Together, we explore the shift from restriction to restoration — how embracing real, whole foods (including fruit!) can rebuild your metabolism, support your thyroid, and calm your nervous system.

We also get real about the role of stress, over-exercising, and the tendency to "biohack" our way into burnout. Jen explains how to rebuild trust with your body, why hormone balance starts with blood sugar balance, and how small daily changes can completely transform your energy, mood, and cycle health.

If you've ever felt like your body's working against you — or like you've done everything right and still don't feel great — this episode will give you hope and practical tools to start healing, without extremes.

💡 Key Takeaways

• Healing PCOS and PMS starts with balancing blood sugar, not restricting food.
• Keto and low-carb can be useful, but long-term flexibility is key for hormone health.
• Fruits and colorful vegetables support liver detox, estrogen balance, and energy.
• Chronic stress and over-training can mimic hormone dysfunction.
• Real food > perfection. Listening to your body is the ultimate biofeedback.
• Building muscle is critical for stable hormones and better insulin sensitivity.

• 🧠 Free Plan: free40plan.com

• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness

• 🌐 Website: zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

• www.jenwinkler.me

• IG: @‌Jenwinklerwellness

• YT: @‌Jenwinklerwellness

Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Jen's journey from PCOS to functional health coaching
• 06:00 — Healing with keto: how low-carb changed everything (at first)
• 11:00 — When restrictive diets stop working
• 16:00 — The link between blood sugar, insulin, and women's hormones
• 22:00 — Why color and carbs matter more than you think
• 29:00 — The stress factor: how overtraining and under-eating backfire
• 35:00 — Metabolic flexibility: eating for energy and hormone balance
• 42:00 — How to transition from strict keto to a whole-food approach
• 50:00 — Supporting liver detox and thyroid function naturally
• 58:00 — Muscle, movement, and mindset
• 1:05:00 — Practical tips to start healing today
• 1:12:00 — Final thoughts: balance, not extremes

Low-carb might not be the health solution you think it is.

After years of eating low-carb, fasting, and grinding through high-stress training, I started to notice something: my results were stalling, my sleep was off, and my labs were telling me I wasn't as metabolically "healthy" as I thought. When I added carbs back in—real food carbs from fruit, honey, and roots—my energy, recovery, and hormone markers improved across the board.

That shift led me back to today's guest, Jay Feldman, a health researcher and coach who's redefining what it means to be healthy through the bioenergetic model—the science of optimizing how our cells create and use energy.

In this episode, Jay and I dig deep into what's really driving modern metabolic disease—and spoiler alert—it's not sugar.

Jay explains why cellular energy production is the foundation of true health and how modern diets, stress, and lifestyle habits are interfering with that process. We discuss why low-carb and fasting protocols, while helpful short-term, can mimic stress states in the body and lead to burnout, hormonal dysfunction, and poor metabolic flexibility.

We also get into the massive role that seed oils and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) play in modern disease. Jay breaks down how these unstable fats damage mitochondrial membranes, reduce ATP production, and set off oxidative stress that disrupts everything from blood sugar regulation to brain health.

And, for anyone who still believes sugar is the bad guy, this episode flips that narrative upside down. Jay explains why sugar—especially from real foods—has been wrongly blamed for problems actually caused by PUFAs, endotoxin buildup, and poor energy metabolism.

Key Takeaways

• Energy, not restriction, drives health. When energy production drops, disease takes root.
• Low-carb can mimic disease states. The body reads low energy availability as stress.
• Seed oils are the real metabolic disruptors. They damage mitochondria and drive inflammation.
• Sugar isn't the villain. Whole-food carbohydrates can restore balance and energy.
• Endotoxin and gut imbalances are the hidden factors fueling chronic disease.
• Mitochondrial health is everything. The more stable your cellular structure, the longer—and better—you live.

• 🧠 Free Plan: free40plan.com
• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness
• 🌐 Website: zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

• https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com
• Get Jay's Free Guide: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide
• https://www.youtube.com/c/JayFeldmanWellness
• instagram.com/jfwellness

Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Jay's story and the foundation of the bioenergetic model
• 05:00 — Zane's low-carb journey and realizing more isn't better
• 10:00 — Why cellular energy, not macros, defines metabolic health
• 16:00 — The hidden cost of low-carb: stress, hormones, and fatigue
• 22:00 — PUFA explained: how seed oils damage your mitochondria
• 30:00 — Oxidative stress and the link between fat structure and lifespan
• 36:00 — The "engine analogy" of energy metabolism
• 42:00 — Why most restaurant foods keep you inflamed
• 48:00 — Processed sugar vs. seed oils: the real metabolic villain
• 56:00 — Why sugar became a scapegoat (and how to rethink carbs)
• 1:03:00 — Whole-food carbs, gut health, and microbiome balance
• 1:12:00 — Endotoxin explained: the toxin your gut makes daily
• 1:22:00 — Restoring digestion and energy through nutrient balance
• 1:31:00 — Zane's personal shift: bringing back carbs and seeing better labs
• 1:40:00 — The mindset shift: curiosity over dogma
• 1:47:00 — Final thoughts: what true metabolic freedom looks like

Zane sits down with Dr. Mariza Snyder—practitioner, author, and host of Energized with Dr. Mariza—to reframe midlife for women as a window of opportunity, not a season of decline. She explains what perimenopause actually is, why so many providers miss it, and how proactive care (including lifestyle, strength training, and appropriately-timed HRT) can protect bone, brain, heart, mood, and metabolic health for the decades ahead. You'll also hear about her upcoming book, The Perimenopause Revolution (launching October 21), which bundles training plans, recipes, and daily routines to support energy and body composition.

Why this matters: Menopause gets headlines, but perimenopause is where prevention pays off—estrogen and testosterone decline before the official 12-month mark, driving changes in bones, muscle, mood, and cardiometabolic risk. Getting ahead of it changes the next 40–50 years.

🎧 CTA: Listen now to learn how to spot perimenopause, build a plan you'll actually follow, and use HRT as a bridge to better lifestyle—not a replacement for it.

• Perimenopause vs. menopause—clear definitions and why there's no single diagnostic test for peri.
• What's happening hormonally (ovary–brain "static," FSH/LH shouting) and why symptoms vary.
• The midlife "window of opportunity" to protect healthspan (bone, muscle, heart, brain).
• Earlier risk rises: bone loss and cardiovascular risk begin before official menopause
• HRT as a catalyst: mood, motivation, and quality of life—why gatekeeping hurts outcomes.
• Lifestyle medicine still leads (sleep, training, nutrition), with HRT as a strategic "yes-and."

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 Meet Dr. Mariza & why perimenopause needs a reframe
• 02:30 Perimenopause vs. menopause—clear definitions
• 06:00 What's happening hormonally (ovary–brain "static")
• 10:00 Symptom patterns & why many women get misdiagnosed
• 13:30 The "window of opportunity" for bone, heart, brain, muscle
• 17:00 Testing & tracking: what to monitor (practical basics)
• 20:00 HRT 101: types, timing, and safety myths
• 24:00 HRT as a catalyst for better sleep, mood, and training
• 27:30 Strength training & protein targets in midlife
• 31:00 Metabolism & body comp: muscle over scale weight
• 34:00 Stress tools: breathwork, recovery, and nervous system care
• 37:00 Supplements vs. fundamentals: what actually moves the needle
• 40:00 Building a realistic weekly plan you'll follow
• 43:00 Common pitfalls & how to course-correct
• 48:00 The Perimenopause Revolution: what's inside & how to use it
• 50:00 Closing & where to find Dr. Mariza

• 🧠 Free Plan: free40plan.com

• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness

• 🌐 Website: zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

Book Bonus Page with a Perimenopause Toolkit ($500 value): http://drmariza.com/book

Free Thriving In Perimenopause Survival Guide: https://drmariza.com/perimenopausesurvival

• FB: @‌drmarizasnyder: https://www.facebook.com/drmarizasnyder

• Insta: @‌drmariza https://instagram.com/drmariza

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/drmarizasnyder

• Website: https://www.drmariza.com

In this episode of the Healthy AF Podcast, Zane Griggs sits down with Sammy Tejeda, CEO and founder of Liquivita, to discuss his powerful journey from firefighter paramedic to wellness entrepreneur. After witnessing the limitations of traditional medicine, Sammy set out to create a preventative health model that empowers both practitioners and patients.

You'll hear how Liquivita started as a single IV lounge and grew into a nationwide network of wellness centers offering IV nutrition, hormone optimization, and medical aesthetics. Sammy shares why living on purpose fuels growth, and how the five pillars of the VITA Journey are helping clients reclaim their vitality.

🎧 Tune in to hear how a firefighter's mission to save lives evolved into a movement to optimize them—one client, one lab test, and one connection at a time.

• Why the reactive medical model wasn't enough for Sammy
• How Liquivita is redefining wellness through personalization
• The five pillars of health in the "VITA Journey" framework
• Why community and connection are essential to healing
• The real difference between functional and traditional medicine
• How empowering practitioners leads to exponential change
• The role of detox, hormones, and data in long-term vitality
  
  

• 00:00 – From Firefighter to Wellness Advocate
• 05:06 – The Birth of Liquivita
• 09:55 – Transforming Healthcare: A New Approach
• 14:59 – The VITA Journey: Five Pillars of Health
• 19:55 – Data-Driven Health: Personalizing Wellness
• 24:56 – Empowering Health Practitioners
• 27:56 – Connecting and Inspiring Change
  
  

Connect with Sammy Tejeda:

• 🌐 Website: Liquivita
• 📲 Instagram: @sammy_tejada
  
  

• 🧠 Free Plan: free40plan.com
• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness
• 🌐 Website: zanegriggs.com
  

🔥 Ready to take charge of your health with a data-driven and purpose-filled approach? Don't forget to subscribe, share the show, and leave a review to support this movement for optimized living.