Autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s thyroiditis occur when your immune system goes haywire and attacks your healthy tissues (in this case, your thyroid). What you eat can have a huge impact on Hashimoto’s and other autoimmune conditions and boost your metabolism. In this episode, you’ll learn about the “healthy” foods that can contribute to autoimmune thyroid disorders, the connection between blood sugar imbalances and Hashimoto’s, and the trifecta to eat at every meal to support your thyroid. ...
Oct 28, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 485
Have you ever wondered why you eat a healthy diet but can’t lose weight? Or maybe you’re curious about what steps you should take to prevent disease, slow aging, and perform at your best. The answers lie in the 22,000 genes that make up your genetic code. In this informative episode of Ask the Health Expert, JJ speaks with Kashif Khan. Khan is CEO of the DNA Company, where unique insights into the human genome pioneer personalized medicine. Here, Khan discusses how your unique DNA can become you...
Oct 26, 2022•1 hr 3 min•Season 3Ep. 484
In this episode of Ask the Health Expert, JJ answers Maddie’s Facebook question, “What is the most accurate test for food allergies?” You’ll learn what separates a true food allergy from food intolerance, JJ’s favorite food sensitivity test, what testing ultimately reveals, what you should do before you test, signs and symptoms of food intolerance, the top foods that people respond to (which led JJ to write The Virgin Diet), and what doesn’t always show up on testing that can contribute to gut p...
Oct 24, 2022•12 min•Season 3Ep. 483
When your hormones are out of balance, those imbalances can impact your mood, weight, sleep, stress, normal blood sugar metabolism, and much more. In this episode, JJ shows you how to get your hormones to work for you so you can lose weight and feel better. You’ll learn why sugary foods make stress worse, the hormone solution that works almost all of the time, how “healthy” foods can create hormonal havoc, and JJ’s secret to keeping your favorite foods (while getting healthier). Plus, you’ll dis...
Oct 21, 2022•23 min•Season 3Ep. 482
Samantha Harris is an author, Emmy-winning TV host, and wellness enthusiast. After being blindsided by a breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 40, Samantha started investigating to discover why it could have happened and how to take back her health! Listen as Samantha shares the story behind her cancer diagnosis and the lessons she learned throughout her healing journey that inspired her to write her book, The Healthiest Healthy. Samantha also explains why you need to be aware of hidden toxins t...
Oct 19, 2022•36 min•Season 3Ep. 481
When it comes to evaluating body composition, measuring tape and skin fold calipers don’t provide a full picture. Your BMI doesn’t, either, because what we really want to know is what makes up the weight you see on the scale, where your body fat is, and whether that body fat percentage is healthy or unhealthy. In this episode, JJ explains how to more accurately assess your body composition, including the tools to use, the markers to look for, and ideal numbers for men and women. Learn more about...
Oct 17, 2022•17 min•Season 3Ep. 480
Fatigue, headaches, skin problems including acne, joint pain, brain fog, and cravings can all be connected to gut health. In this episode, JJ explains why digestive health issues like leaky gut could be the culprit that holds your weight and health hostage. You’ll learn why our modern diet has wreaked havoc on gut health, the best way to get more fiber, why cold foods can be harder for your gut to break down, and the healing power of fermented foods, bone broth, and healthy fats. Plus, you’ll le...
Oct 14, 2022•26 min•Season 3Ep. 479
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Oct 12, 2022•43 min•Season 3Ep. 478
Has life thrown you serious curveballs? With the right mindset, we can overcome those challenges and be better than ever. In this special episode of Beginnings and Breakthroughs, JJ talks with guest, Jennifer Love, about hope, miracles, overcoming adversity, and finding resiliency. Tune in to hear Love’s moving story about being thrown off a horse in May 2021, which crushed her spine. Doctors told her that she had a 10% chance that she would ever walk again. Through tenacity and resilience, Love...
Oct 10, 2022•39 min•Season 3Ep. 477
Stress and anxiety are at epidemic levels. But you can make your body more resilient to whatever life throws out at you… and it all starts with food. In this episode, JJ reveals why good nutrition can help 30% of mental health challenges (according to one top brain doc), the #1 way to help blood sugar, what should go first on your plate, why grass-fed meat can help brain health, and the difference between smart carbs versus dumb carbs. Plus, you’ll learn why you crave chocolate when your mood’s ...
Oct 07, 2022•30 min•Season 3Ep. 476
Nagina Abdullah is a health and weight-loss coach, and she struggled with her weight and energy levels for her entire life. As she began to add spices to her meals to make healthy eating more flavorful and sustainable, the extra pounds began to melt away and Nagina felt better than ever before. Listen as Nagina explains how chronic inflammation can block weight loss, plus the spices and foods you should be adding to your menu to help reduce inflammation, boost your metabolism, and jumpstart fat-...
Oct 05, 2022•35 min•Season 3Ep. 475
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Oct 03, 2022•46 min•Season 3Ep. 474
Most people don’t give bone health the attention it deserves until it’s too late. But as JJ explains here, being frail, suffering fractures, and getting osteoporosis aren’t inevitable consequences of getting older. In this episode, you’ll learn how to take control of bone health to prevent bone loss, including recognizing the signs and symptoms of osteoporosis. You’ll learn why strong bones are critical for being healthy, why bone loss accelerates after age 50, the risk factors beyond age for bo...
Sep 30, 2022•21 min•Season 3Ep. 473
You pay so much careful attention to the ingredients that go into your meals, but have you ever considered using that same discernment with what you slather on your skin? As today's guest likes to say, the skin is a sieve, and what you put on your body is just as important as what you put in. Brian Vaszily joins JJ to discuss the state of the conventional skincare industry and to bust a myth that has been one of JJ's long-held beliefs—that it is impossible to achieve great anti-aging results wit...
Sep 28, 2022•48 min•Season 3Ep. 472
After writing The Virgin Diet, JJ noticed that there was still one last thing tripping people up when it came to reaching their health and weight loss goals—their sweet tooth! Sugar is an addiction so many of us have trouble kicking. Today's interview features community member Kate Jansen and her story about how she finally overcame her persistent sweet cravings. You'll learn how Kate followed the Sugar Impact Diet to the letter, and how important her mindset was to make that final leap into tru...
Sep 26, 2022•36 min•Season 3Ep. 471
Getting your blood sugar under control is THE single most important thing you can do to get healthy and avoid insulin resistance. In this episode, JJ shows you how by revealing what your ideal fasting blood sugar level should be, how sneaky sugars lurk in “healthy” foods, the #1 macronutrient to help balance blood sugar, and how to eat at every meal for insulin sensitivity. You’ll also learn about intermittent fasting (and a simple way to do it), the best way to break your overnight fast, the mo...
Sep 23, 2022•27 min•Season 3Ep. 470
In today’s episode, holistic plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn shares how to reverse the signs of aging and look ten years younger without resorting to surgery or other invasive procedures. Listen to learn about the wrinkle-fighting foods you should be including in your diet, which skincare products really work, plus how to build a simple and affordable skincare regimen that delivers dramatic results. Don’t miss Dr. Youn’s top tips and secrets to start looking and feeling younger today! Get Dr. Y...
Sep 21, 2022•32 min•Season 3Ep. 469
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Sep 19, 2022•48 min•Season 3Ep. 468
If you think that menopause means giving up on life, you’ll want to hear this episode! JJ reveals 3 things you can do to avoid menopause weight gain, balance hormones, and feel your best during this transition. You’ll learn about the groundbreaking study that showed why menopause has little effect on metabolism (contrary to what we’ve been told that metabolism slows down with age), the secret to getting lean and feeling your best, and the most important thing you can do to get healthy. Plus, you...
Sep 16, 2022•20 min•Season 3Ep. 467
It is nearly impossible to live a life without stress and trauma. Fortunately, there are ways we can climb our way out of the stress cycle in order to improve our symptoms and move forward in good health. If you’ve been experiencing hormonal changes, inflammation, and digestive issues, it could be more than just being stressed out—these symptoms may have a root cause buried deeper than you realize. Aimie Apigian is a leading expert on the biology of trauma, and in this conversation with JJ she s...
Sep 14, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 466
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Sep 12, 2022•50 min•Season 3Ep. 465
What you eat and how much you eat matters, but so does where you start. In this episode, JJ explains why you want to focus every meal on protein. You’ll learn exactly why this macronutrient is a great metabolism booster for weight loss, the critical study that showed your metabolism doesn’t slow down as you get older, how muscle loss impacts quality of life, and why the wrong kind of exercise can work against you. Plus, JJ reveals how high protein meals can keep you full longer, why you burn mor...
Sep 09, 2022•29 min•Season 3Ep. 464
Emily Fletcher is the founder of Ziva Meditation and author of the book, Stress Less, Accomplish More: Meditation for Extraordinary Performance. After struggling with insomnia and illness while performing on Broadway, Emily experienced the healing power of meditation firsthand. Listen as Emily explains the top benefits of meditation, including how it can help reduce stress, fight insomnia, and improve your health. Emily also shares the most common obstacles to regular meditation and how to overc...
Sep 07, 2022•28 min•Season 3Ep. 463
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Sep 05, 2022•40 min•Season 3Ep. 462
Resistance training is the ideal type of exercise to prevent muscle loss, maintain a healthy weight, build lean muscle, age powerfully, and so much more. Here, JJ shares 4 things to focus on as you build muscle. She shows you how to design a workout routine regardless of your current fitness level, the overlooked key for lean muscle, the #1 food in your diet to build and maintain muscle, the best way to measure and monitor your progress, and how building muscle helps you age confidently. “You’re...
Sep 02, 2022•23 min•Season 3Ep. 461
Heart disease is the number one cause of death for women all over the world. Yet it's not talked about nearly as much as it should be. This conversation with functional medicine practitioner and heart-health expert Dr. Stephen Hussey is intended to spread awareness of how we ended up in this place, and what we can do to change it. Dr. Hussey is living proof that you can help reduce your risk of atherosclerosis through simple diet and lifestyle changes. He shares the steps he took to get healthie...
Aug 31, 2022•36 min•Season 3Ep. 460
Having a full life can be so rewarding, but it’s not without its challenges! On this episode of Beginnings & Breakthroughs, JJ talks to Dr. Janice R. Love—mother of eight, grandmother (and great-grandmother) to three, full-time employee, and business owner—about how she juggles it all while looking and feeling fabulous. Janice has a great foundation after going through the Virgin Diet and is a regular user of Reignite Wellness All-In-One Shakes, but she still has goals of achieving a flat tu...
Aug 29, 2022•41 min•Season 3Ep. 459
Perimenopause provides an opportunity to prepare for the upcoming changes of full-blown menopause. In this episode, JJ provides 7 ways to get a jumpstart on those big changes so you transition through menopause looking and feeling better than ever. You’ll learn why stress management is critical for hormone balance, how to optimize sleep, the overlooked secret for weight loss (if you don’t do this, it’s harder for your body to use fat as fuel), why thyroid health impacts nearly everything (and wh...
Aug 26, 2022•22 min•Season 3Ep. 458
Does getting older conjure uncomfortable images of broken bones and hip replacements? Or maybe you or a loved one struggles with osteoporosis or osteopenia. The good news is that you have plenty of ways to support bone health and help reduce your risk of developing bone issues… and it’s never too early to start! In this episode, Kevin Ellis – a health coach, bone health advocate, and founder of Bone Coach™ – talks with JJ about preventative and supportive strategies to maintain healthy bones at ...
Aug 24, 2022•45 min•Season 3Ep. 457
What do you do after you figure out your food intolerances? In this episode of Beginnings & Breakthroughs, JJ coaches Nicoleta, a community member whose Virgin Diet experience led her to discover multiple food sensitivities—and lose 30 pounds in the process. Bloating, stomach pain, gas, digestive upset—these were all things Nicoleta was dealing with prior to going on The Virgin Diet. After eliminating the Hi-FI foods in Cycle 1 and experiencing weight loss, better sleep, and many other amazi...
Aug 22, 2022•33 min•Season 3Ep. 456
