Podcasts about Oura

In this episode of the LIFTS podcast, hosts Matthew Januszek and Mohammed Iqbal sit down with Lauren Foundos, founder of Forte (recently acquired by Echelon Fitness). Lauren shares her journey from Wall Street bond trading to becoming a pioneer in digital fitness, her lessons from building Forte, and her insights on the future of the fitness industry. Highlights: - How Lauren transitioned from Wall Street to fitness entrepreneurship. - The early challenges of selling digital fitness before gyms were ready. - Lessons learned from building and rebuilding fitness tech. - How content drives engagement and performance in gyms. - Why personal training is undervalued and how to fix it. - The explosive growth of Pilates and low-impact workouts. - How wearables and AI are reshaping fitness engagement. - The power of intellectual property in fitness tech. - Predictions for the future of gyms, training, and consumer behavior.

What does it take to grow a breakthrough product … without losing your balance as a leader? Tom Hale, CEO of Oura, shares how he's scaling one of the most innovative wellness companies out there—the one behind the popular (and powerful) Oura Ring.  See how he's constantly calibrating to offer the right blend of support and challenge, value and pricing, innovation and trust. You're going to love this one, especially if you're developing a product or running a subscription-based business. You'll also learn: A simple (but game-changing) formula for running a subscription-based business The management move you need to make if your tech team is lagging  How to think about product value in a fresh (and profitable) way The #1 skill to develop if you want to be better at everything else Take your learning further. Get proven leadership advice from these (free!) resources: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The How Leaders Lead App⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: A vast library of 90-second leadership lessons to stay sharp on the go  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Daily Insight Emails⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: One small (but powerful!) leadership principle to focus on each day Whichever you choose, you can be sure you'll get the trusted leadership advice you need to advance your career, develop your team, and grow your business.

Hosts: Lalo Solorzano & Andy Shiles Guest: Diane Perez, Senior Trade Manager Published: August 28, 2025 Length: ~38 minutes Presented by: Global Training Center

What if you could completely transform your body and mind without spending a fortune on unproven fads? Discover the simple, science-backed habits that can sharpen your focus, speed up recovery, and dramatically improve your health for years to come. In episode 809 of the Savage Perspective Podcast, host Robert Sikes sits down with scientist and endurance athlete Thoryn Stephens to reveal the most effective biohacking strategies. They discuss how to use data from wearables like Garmin and Oura to fine-tune your biology, which peptides actually work for reducing inflammation, and how building powerful micro habits is the true secret to lasting success in health and business. This conversation separates fact from fiction, giving you practical tools to enhance your daily life.Ready to build a stronger, more powerful body? Join Robert's FREE Bodybuilding Masterclass to learn the exact systems and strategies to build muscle and optimize your health. Sign up here: https://www.ketobodybuilding.com/registration-2Follow Thoryn on IG: https://www.instagram.com/ragearea/Get Keto Brick: https://www.ketobrick.com/Subscribe to the podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/42cjJssghqD01bdWBxRYEg?si=1XYKmPXmR4eKw2O9gGCEuQChapters:0:00 - The Biohacks With The Biggest Bang For Your Buck 0:50 - The Thrill of Backcountry Adventures 1:40 - Surviving Grizzlies in Alaska's Final Frontier 2:30 - Racing Triathlons For a Cause 2:58 - The Scientist Who Hacked His Own Body 4:55 - The Best Wearable For Sleep vs. Activity (Oura vs. Garmin) 6:35 - Using Data to Dominate Triathlons8:18 - Why This Athlete Needed 4 Knee Surgeries 10:16 - The Hot Workout That Changed Everything 11:05 - The App That Creates Your Perfect Health Plan 13:51 - How AI Tracks Your Health Habits For You 16:16 - A Top Biohacker's Daily Non-Negotiables 18:55 - The Secret to Making Good Habits Stick 21:25 - Using Video Games to Build a Healthier Life 23:57 - Why Doctors Don't Understand Nutrition 26:46 - Cutting Through Conflicting Health Advice 28:02 - Your Voice Can Reveal Your Health Secrets 32:10 - Is Modern Life Making Us Sick? 36:21 - Ancient Secrets to Modern Health Problems 39:00 - Are Most Biohacks a Waste of Money? 42:41 - When Will Brain One Be Available? 44:28 - The One Habit This Biohacker Struggles With 46:18 - The Shocking Power of Russian Bath Houses

New York Times bestselling author Jim Murphy is a Performance Coach to some of the best athletes and leaders in the world. He began his career as a professional baseball player in the Chicago Cubs organization. He has worked with some of the world's best golfers, including world champions, FedEx Cup champions, and world #1's.  This is a Biohacking Reviews episode, where we review; products, supplements, health tech, practices... whatever is new and whatever we've been trying.    THIS REVIEW SHOW IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY: BiOptimizers Sleep Breakthrough and Magnesium Breakthrough These are BIOptimizers sleep and magnesium supplements which I take every night.  I have also been using the new Magnesium Breakthrough drink - delicious way to get magnesium. I have been putting a scoop in my protein shake after a workout.  Just go to BIOptimizers.com/tony and use code TONY15 for at least 15% off (often more). Code works worldwide, and on all their products. Follow Jim Murphy on Instagram.

If you came here for a "how to" on making a fake Instagram profile, you're in the wrong place. Or... are you?

In this episode of the Smarter Not Harder Podcast, the HOMeHOPe Faculty comes together for a roundtable conversation exploring the evolving landscape of wearable health technologies. This spirited discussion dives into the science, pitfalls, and possibilities of using wearables like Oura, WHOOP, Eight Sleep, and more to decode personal health and performance. Join us as we delve into: • The real value and limits of bio-data from wearables • How to avoid “orthometria”: the obsession with perfect health metrics • Why wearables should be mirrors, not masters • The future of personalized, real-time health feedback This episode is for you if: • You're curious about how wearables like Oura or WHOOP work • You've ever questioned if your sleep score should control your day • You're exploring personalized health and data-driven optimization • You want to avoid data anxiety while using biofeedback tools You can also find this episode on… YouTube: https://youtu.be/ROTrxyPvzfs Find more from Smarter Not Harder: Website: https://www.troscriptions.com/pages/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/troscriptions HOMeHOPe Symposium: https://homehope.org/homehope-symposium Get 10% Off your purchase of the Metabolomics Module by using PODCAST10 at https://www.homehope.org Get 10% Off your Troscriptions purchase by using POD10 at https://www.troscriptions.com Get daily content from the hosts of Smarter Not Harder by following @troscriptions on Instagram.

Send us a textWhen will you retire?What years of your life should be the ones where you work the longest, hardest hours?On the show today is Derek Coburn, author of Let's Retire Retirement: How to Enjoy Life to the Fullest—Now and Later, a book that very probably will rock your mind  because it challenges key beliefs that most of us share about retirement.For instance: at what age will you retire?  Probably your answer is 65, that's the number that jumps off most lips.  But Coburn says probably you won't and he adds the zinger that other ages may well work much better for you.Like what? How about 75?  Or 70?And fact is more Americans are working longer- indeed the fastest growing age cohort in the workplace is Americans aged 75 and older!Surveys also say that approaching 25% of Americans age 65 and higher are now working.And Ciburn believes that number will only increase as many American seniors are today healthier, more active than were Americans of the same age a generation ago.A bonus: retire later in life and you need far less retirement savings.  You'll hear actual numbers in the show - and it will blow your mind.As for what years you should work longest and hardest? Coburn argues that it's when your kids are home and for many that means working less in your thirties and forties.Is that catastrophic for your retirement savings?  No, because you will be working later in life you need less retirement savings.  QED.In the show, mention is made of an app. Death Clock AI.  Here's a link to the Washington Post story about it.  In the show Coburn mentions CU 2.0 founder/CEO Kirk Drake and Resistance Wine.  I've drunk it, it's good.Coburn says he wears an Oura ring. Here's the linkIn the show also there's mention of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a brilliant psychologist who documented the phenomenon he called flow where work is highly focused and we are happiest.  

It will help you track your vital signs during both processes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Should Rover be worried about skin cancer? Jeffrey got new shoes. Duji is wearing the Oura ring. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Should Rover be worried about skin cancer? Jeffrey got new shoes. Duji is wearing the Oura ring. A new statistic claims that 1 in 10 Americans are now millionaires. Expensive Charlie had drinks by the dumpster before a concert over the weekend. Rover owes Charlie and Snitzer money. Footage has been released of former NFL player, Terrell Suggs, confrontation in the Starbucks drive thru. Duji cannot figure out how to use the bank drive thru. JLR went to Wilson Phillips with his wife. Basketball, woman and dildos. Duji and Krystle compete to see who can make the most dildo baskets. Duji and Jeffrey suffer the consequences of losing. Nelly Furtado looks a little different these days.

Should Rover be worried about skin cancer? Jeffrey got new shoes. Duji is wearing the Oura ring. 

Should Rover be worried about skin cancer? Jeffrey got new shoes. Duji is wearing the Oura ring. A new statistic claims that 1 in 10 Americans are now millionaires. Expensive Charlie had drinks by the dumpster before a concert over the weekend. Rover owes Charlie and Snitzer money. Footage has been released of former NFL player, Terrell Suggs, confrontation in the Starbucks drive thru. Duji cannot figure out how to use the bank drive thru. JLR went to Wilson Phillips with his wife. Basketball, woman and dildos. Duji and Krystle compete to see who can make the most dildo baskets. Duji and Jeffrey suffer the consequences of losing. Nelly Furtado looks a little different these days. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wie kann ein smarter Ring deine Gesundheit tracken und verbessern? Dorothy Kilroy von Oura erklärt, wie Wearables wie der Oura-Ring über 50 Biometriken messen, Frauengesundheit unterstützen und gesunde Routinen fördern.

Is your hustle keeping you up at night? Sleep is often the first thing we sacrifice when time feels stretched, but it's also the very thing that can restore your clarity, energy, and emotional resilience. In this powerful episode, Dr. Alison Kole debunks the myths around shut-eye and provides practical, science-backed ways to reset your relationship with sleep. You'll learn how your circadian rhythm actually works, how jet lag can be hacked, and why quality sleep is more about consistency than supplements or tech. Whether you're a night owl, a sleep-deprived parent, or just tired of feeling tired, this episode is packed with actionable takeaways.  What You'll Learn: 1:50 Why “go to bed earlier” is actually terrible advice 7:00 How to use brain dumping, body temperature, and timing to wind down 13:50 Dr. Kole's unglamorous (but effective) travel hack for jet lag 27:36 Can what you eat before bed sabotage your rest? 41:43 The truth about “sleep banking” and how elite performers actually use it Today, Ginni is joined by sleep expert and pulmonologist Dr. Alison Kole to explore the real-world ways sleep affects your productivity, mental health, and longevity. From high-performance athletes to high-achieving founders, sleep debt is costing us more than we realize. You'll hear about the physiology of sleep, the circadian impact of light, and why consistency beats perfection when it comes to rest. You'll hear her personal story of burnout, motherhood, and medical training, and how learning to prioritize sleep became her superpower. You'll learn how to conquer jet lag, the pros and cons of devices like the Oura ring and Moita Sleep headset, and surprising sleep-supporting snacks. If you've ever wondered why you're exhausted despite doing everything right, this conversation offers a wake-up call…pun intended. Connect with Dr. Alison Kole: Website: https://www.askthesleepmd.com/home Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/sleep-is-my-waking-passion/id1684976379 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-kole-md-mph-fccp-faasm-b6a26715 Connect with Ginni: Website: https://ginnisaraswati.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theginnishow/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ginnisaraswati Ginni Media: www.ginnimedia.com

Vandaag in Zo Word Je Steenrijk: Stephan Krijger en Jamar Tahya. In deze aflevering duiken we in de wereld van biohacking en gezondheid. Want wat heb je aan vermogen als je niet gezond en vitaal bent?We bespreken waarom zoveel mensen kampen met een gebrek aan energie en hoe je hier iets aan kunt doen. Ook gaan we in op de kritiek op biohacking en de vraag: wat is nu eigenlijk een goed ontbijt? Daarnaast hoor je inzichten uit gezondheidstests, bespreken we HRV, de waarde van tools zoals WHOOP en Oura, en de invloed van telefoonverslaving op je welzijn. Tot slot krijg je praktische tips om je slaap te optimaliseren.Ben je bezig met het verbeteren van je gezondheid en energie? Dan is deze aflevering zeker de moeite waard.In deze aflevering kom jij te weten:-Waarom jij ‘s middags dips in energie ervaart-Wat een goed ontbijt is-Waarom gezondheidstesten effectief zijn voor ondernemers-Hoe Stephan en Jamar kijken naar kritiek op biohacking-Welke inzichten je krijgt van een WHOOP of Oura-Hoe je afkomt van jouw telefoonverslaving-Hoe je nooit meer verrot wakker wordtEn veel meer!Luister of kijk nu de podcast om hier de antwoorden op te weten te komenWIL JIJ OOK VOOR VRIJHEID EN VASTGOED GAAN?Net als Dennis financieel vrij worden met vastgoed? Of ook lekker voor een langere periode in het buitenland gaan wonen? Kortom meer vrijheid hebben door vastgoed?Plan dan een gratis en vrijblijvend gesprek in met iemand uit ons team. Dan kunnen we samen kijken waar je nu staat, je doelen bespreken, samen een plan maken en al je vastgoed gerelateerde vragen beantwoorden. Plan nu een gesprek in via https://www.vrijheidvastgoed.nl/gratisgesprek Meer over Zo word je steenrijk vind je op https://www.zowordjesteenrijk.nlVolg ons op Instagram!Zo Word Je Steenrijk: https://www.instagram.com/zowordjesteenrijkpodcast/Dennis Mulder: https://www.instagram.com/dennis__mulder/Laat je ons weten wat je van de podcast vond? We maken deze gratis content met liefde voor je, maar een duimpje omhoog, comments, een review of een share kunnen we heel erg waarderen en helpt ons om Nederland het "rijkste" land van de wereld te maken! Abonneer je om als eerste te weten dat er een verse aflevering online staat! Deel de podcast zeker ook met familie, vrienden en collega's.Contact: info@vrijheidvastgoed.nlDisclaimer: Deze podcast is ter entertainment en inspiratie. Uitspraken van Dennis en zijn gasten kunnen niet gezien worden als financieel advies. Je bent zelf verantwoordelijk voor je investeringen. Informeer je goed en beleg nooit met geld wat je niet kan missen.0:00 - Introductie0:56 – Waarom heb ik geen energie?7:41 – Kritiek op biohacking13:21 – Wat is een goed ontbijt?15:25 – Stephan en Jamar over testen26:46 – Inzichten uit testen30:44 – HRV38:23 – Welke inzichten krijg je van WHOOP en Oura?48:11 – Telefoonverslaving1:02:08 – Hoe optimaliseer je jouw slaap?Zie het privacybeleid op https://art19.com/privacy en de privacyverklaring van Californië op https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I honestly can't believe I'm saying this…but today's episode is #200. And as of this week, we've officially hit 1 MILLION DOWNLOADS for Unf*ck Your Fitness.I'm not usually at a loss for words, but I'm feeling that way right now!To celebrate this huge milestone, I wanted to do a fun Q&A episode, based on your questions from Instagram! I'm answering everything from what motivates me now, to how I track on vacation, my favorite self-tanner, podcasts, and more.I've been reflecting a LOT on what this journey has meant to me. I've stayed consistent, I've adjusted when I needed to, and I've done my best to ALWAYS show up authentically. This podcast has helped me build confidence in myself in ways I NEVER expected, and reminded me (just like I remind you all the time) that you CAN do things that scare the shit out of you!I belong in this space, and I have value to share. So yeah…I want to thank ME (cue Snoop Dogg)! Whether this is your first time tuning in or you've been around since day one - THANK YOU. You're a HUGE part of why I started this, and I'm so glad you're here!!Episode recap:Reflecting on my podcast journey so far (200 episodes + 1M downloads)What motivates me now + why I keep showing up behind the micWhy I still keep my cosmetology license activeMy honest thoughts on the Oura ring & how it's helped my healthMy dream rice cake flavorMy go-to self-tannerSome of my fave podcasts right nowThe #1 mistake I see women make in their fitness journey + how to avoid itHow I track food when macros/calories aren't availableMy flexible & realistic approach to vacation eating + movementWhere I currently stand with balancing macro tracking vs. focusing on ingredientsA personal update on my recent blood pressure & heart health improvementsLinks/Resources:Check out the Oura RingEp. 131 | My Experience with the Oura Ring: A Game-Changer for Your Long-Term HealthJoin FIT CLUB, my monthly membership with workouts you can do at home or the gymPRIVATE COACHING is my 1:1 program (choose 3 or 6 month option)Connect with me on Instagram @kristycastillofit and @unfuckyourfitnesspodcast so we can keep this conversation going-be sure to tag me in your posts and stories!Join my FREE Facebook group, Unf*ck Your FitnessClick HERE for my favorite fitness & life things!Send me a text with episode ideas or just to say hi! Support the show

Neues aus der Schlafforschung und den schlauen Algorithmen von Oura & Whoop: Wieso es deinen Schlaf verbessert, wenn du ihn trackst (richtig gelesen!). Wie wichtig deine Einschlaf-Zeit wirklich ist. Und: Wir kennen jetzt das absolute Schlaf-Minimum!   Hurra, es gibt ab sofort unter biohacking-praxis.de die Möglichkeit, sich für den kostenlosen Newsletter der Biohacking-Praxis anzumelden. (Inklusive persönlicher Begrüßung durch Andreas und Stefan.) Wir versprechen, euch regelmäßig, aber nicht zu oft etwas zu schicken, auf jeden Fall immer was Spannendes, was Persönliches, Tipps aus der Praxis und den einen oder anderen zeitlich begrenzten Sonder-Rabatt-Code. Wir freuen uns sehr, wenn ihr euch freut, von uns auch zu lesen!   Zum Oura-Ring geht es hier.   Zum Whoop Band geht es hier.   „Das Große Buch vom Schlaf“ von Matthew Walker ist hier erhältlich.   Glycin gibt es hier.   Ashwagandha mit dem Marken-Rohstoff KSM-66 gibt es hier.   Hier und hier gibt es Deckenventilatoren mit Sommer- und Wintermodus. (Die Beleuchtung lässt sich abschalten.) Weil Andreas Breitfeld und Stefan Wagner so häufig gefragt werden, welche Produkte sie selbst verwenden, haben sie gemeinsam mit Julia Tulipan ⁠⁠⁠diese Seite⁠⁠⁠ eingerichtet, auf der sie ihre persönlichen Lieblingsprodukte (und aktuelle Rabattcodes) sammeln.   Das Buch „Ab jetzt Biohacking“ von Andreas Breitfeld und Stefan Wagner ist beim Ecowing-Verlag erschienen. Bestellen kann man es zum Beispiel ⁠⁠⁠hier⁠⁠⁠.   Das Buch „Viel Erfolg beim Misserfolg“ ist der Biohacking-Business-Ratgeber von Stefan Wagner, erschienen im Seifert Verlag, erhältlich ⁠⁠⁠hier⁠⁠⁠.   Zur Website von Andreas Breitfeld geht es ⁠⁠⁠hier⁠⁠⁠.   Wie Andreas Breitfeld und Stefan Wagner einander kennen gelernt haben? Stefan hat über Andreas ein Porträt für The Red Bulletin verfasst. Nachzulesen ist das ⁠⁠⁠hier⁠⁠⁠.   Andreas Breitfeld und Stefan Wagner haben gemeinsam für The Red Bulletin INNOVATOR ein Biohacking-Spezialheft verfasst. Das ist ⁠⁠⁠hier⁠⁠⁠ zu finden.   Stefan Wagners Biohacking-Kolumne für „carpe diem“ ist ⁠⁠⁠hier⁠⁠⁠ nachzulesen.

This episode is for you if you'd like to learn how trackers like Apple Watches, Oura Rings, Fitbits, Whoops, the Lumen and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) can support your behavioral choices & help you lose weight, sleep better, eat better and exercise more consistently. Dr. Lara Zakaria is a pharmacist and nutritionist with a focus on implementing solutions for functional medicine and personalized nutrition. Dr. Zakaria works one-on-one with patients helping them with behavioral change.We learn:How trackers like Oura ring, Apple Watch, Whoop, FitBit, Lumen and continuous glucose monitors help you change body compositionHow body composition scales can help track muscle and bone densityMany people say they thrive under stress and get caught up in constant “fight or flight”High cortisol levels can eventually lead to burnout and a lack of cortisolHow to check in with your body while using trackersMuscle building is key in midlife; lifting heavy is necessaryThe better you can maintain your muscle, the longer you can maintain your heart, your brain and your boneIf you wake up at 3 am to pee, it could be your blood sugar crashing; using a continuous glucose monitor could track thisIf you're not going to use the data from trackers to make changes, maybe you don't need oneHow Lumen tells you if you're burning fat or glucose helping you become more metabolically flexible*This episode was recorded at the 2025 Institute for Functional Medicine annual international conference (AIC) in San Diego, California.*Connect with Dr. Zakaria:https://www.instagram.com/foodiefarmacist/https://www.linkedin.com/in/lara-zakaria/https://www.tiktok.com/@foodiefarmacist/https://www.facebook.com/foodiefarmacist/https://larazakaria.com/https://www.youtube.com/@functionalmomspodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/functionalmomspodcastinfo@functionalmoms.com

As the Rams gear up for training camp, Erin chats with Rams Performance Science Coordinator and Strength & Conditioning Associate, Trent Frey to break down his unique dual role blending sports science with strength & conditioning. Now in his second year with the Rams after a stint with the LA Kings, he shares how his approach shifts from OTAs to game prep. What it takes to bring players back to game speed after injuries. How will the Rams manage the fatigue that will come from traveling the 2nd most air miles in the NFL. From wearables like WHOOP and Oura rings to sleep habits and recovery routines, Trent explains how data is used to amplify sports performance.

As the Rams gear up for training camp, Erin chats with Rams Performance Science Coordinator and Strength & Conditioning Associate, Trent Frey to break down his unique dual role blending sports science with strength & conditioning. Now in his second year with the Rams after a stint with the LA Kings, he shares how his approach shifts from OTAs to game prep. What it takes to bring players back to game speed after injuries. How will the Rams manage the fatigue that will come from traveling the 2nd most air miles in the NFL. From wearables like WHOOP and Oura rings to sleep habits and recovery routines, Trent explains how data is used to amplify sports performance.

Oura Ring: https://ouraring.com/raf/4e13755f6c?utm_source=user&utm_medium=iac_raf&utm_type=alwayson-cvr&utm_campaign=2025RAF&utm_variant=2025_raf_aprilFollow Dr. Jess and Prairie Roots Health Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/prairierootshealth?igsh=MTloOGl2cjJnN2U1cA==Prairie Roots Health website: https://prairierootshealth.com/Prairie Roots Health phone number: (605)307-5737SummaryIn this conversation, Jessica Pearson, a board-certified OBGYN and functional medicine practitioner, discusses the complexities of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and hormone imbalance. She emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying causes of hormonal issues, the role of cortisol, and the differences between bioidentical and synthetic hormones. The discussion also covers the significance of lifestyle factors, the importance of data monitoring through devices like the Oura ring, and considerations for women approaching menopause. Jessica encourages a holistic approach to health, urging listeners to look beyond quick fixes and to consider their overall well-being.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Functional Medicine and HRT02:47 Understanding Hormone Imbalance and Misconceptions05:26 The Role of Cortisol in Hormonal Health08:06 Bioidentical vs. Synthetic Hormones10:51 Identifying Candidates for HRT13:43 The Impact of Lifestyle on Hormonal Balance16:09 Navigating Hormonal Changes in Midlife18:39 Cautions and Considerations for HRT21:34 The Importance of Data and Monitoring24:05 Final Thoughts on Hormonal Health

Eric Topol (00:06):Hello, this is Eric Topol from Ground Truths, and I'm delighted to welcome Owen Tripp, who is a CEO of Included Health. And Owen, I'd like to start off if you would, with the story from 2016, because really what I'm interested in is patients and how to get the right doctor. So can you tell us about when you lost your hearing in your right ear back, what, nine years ago or so?Owen Tripp (00:38):Yeah, it's amazing to say nine years, Eric, but obviously as your listeners will soon understand a pretty vivid memory in my past. So I had been working as I do and noticed a loss of hearing in my right ear. I had never experienced any hearing loss before, and I went twice actually to a sort of national primary care chain that now owned by Amazon actually. And they described it as eustachian tube dysfunction, which is a pretty benign common thing that basically meant that my tubes were blocked and that I needed to have some drainage. They recommended Sudafed to no effect. And it was only a couple weeks later where I was walking some of the senior medical team at my company down to the San Francisco Giants game. And I was describing this experience of hearing loss and I said I was also losing a little bit of sensation in the right side of my face. And they said, that is not eustachian tube dysfunction. And well, I can let the story unfold from there. But basically my colleagues helped me quickly put together a plan to get this properly diagnosed and treated. The underlying condition is called vestibular schwannoma, even more commonly known as an acoustic neuroma. So a pretty rare benign brain tumor that exists on the vestibular nerve, and it would've cost my life had it not been treated.Eric Topol (02:28):So from what I gather, you saw an ENT physician, but that ENT physician was not really well versed in this condition, which is I guess a bit surprising. And then eventually you got to the right ENT physician in San Francisco. Is that right?Owen Tripp (02:49):Well, the first doctor was probably an internal medicine doctor, and I think it's fair to say that he had probably not seen many, if any cases. By the time I reached an ENT, they were interested in working me up for what's known as sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL), which is basically a fancy term for you lose hearing for a variety of possible pathologies and reasons, but you go through a process of differential diagnosis to understand what's actually going on. By the time that I reached that ENT, the audio tests had showed that I had significant hearing loss in my right ear. And what an MRI would confirm was this mass that I just described to you, which was quite large. It was already about a centimeter large and growing into the inner ear canal.Eric Topol (03:49):Yeah, so I read that your Stanford brain scan suggested it was about size of a plum and that you then got the call that you had this mass in your brainstem tumor. So obviously that's a delicate operation to undergo. So the first thing was getting a diagnosis and then the next thing was getting the right surgeon to work on your brain to resect this. So how did you figure out who was the right person? Because there's only a few thousand of these operations done every year, as I understand.Owen Tripp (04:27):That's exactly right. Yeah, very few. And without putting your listeners to sleep too early in our discussion, what I'll say is that there are a lot of ways that you can actually do this. There are very few cases, any approach really requires either shrinking or removing that tumor entirely. My size of tumor meant it was really only going to be a surgical approach, and there I had to decide amongst multiple potential approaches. And this is what's interesting, Eric, you started saying you wanted to talk about the patient experience. You have to understand that I'm somebody, while not a doctor, I lead a very large healthcare company. We provide millions of visits and services per year on very complex medical diagnoses down to more standard day-to-day fare. And so, being in the world of medical complexity was not daunting on the basics, but then I'm the patient and now I have to make a surgical treatment decision amongst many possible choices, and I was able to get multiple opinions.Owen Tripp (05:42):I got an opinion from the House clinic, which is closer to you in LA. This is really the place where they invented the surgical approach to treating these things. I also got an approach shared with me from the Mayo Clinic and one from UCSF and one from Stanford, and ultimately, I picked the Stanford team. And these are fascinating and delicate structures as you know that you're dealing with in the brain, but the surgery is a long surgery performed by multiple surgeons. It's such an exhausting surgery that as you're sort of peeling away that tumor that you need relief. And so, after a 13 hour surgery, multiple nights in the hospital and some significant training to learn how to walk and move and not lose my balance, I am as you see me today, but it was possible under one of the surgical approaches that I would've lost the use of the right side of my face, which obviously was not an option given what I given what I do.Eric Topol (06:51):Yeah, well, I know there had to be a tough rehab and so glad that you recovered well, and I guess you still don't have hearing in that one ear, right?Owen Tripp:That's right.Eric Topol:But otherwise, you're walking well, and you've completely recovered from what could have been a very disastrous type of, not just the tumor itself, but also the way it would be operated on. 13 hours is a long time to be in the operating room as a patient.Owen Tripp (07:22):You've got a whole team in there. You've got people testing nerve function, you've got people obviously managing the anesthesiology, which is sufficiently complex given what's involved. You've got a specialized ENT called a neurotologist. You've got the neurosurgeon who creates access. So it's quite a team that does these things.Eric Topol (07:40):Yeah, wow. Now, the reason I wanted to delve into this from your past is because I get a call or email or whatever contact every week at least one, is can you help me find the right doctor for such and such? And this has been going on throughout my career. I mean, when I was back in 20 years ago at Cleveland Clinic, the people on the board, I said, well, I wrote about it in one of my books. Why did you become a trustee on the board? And he said, so I could get access to the right doctor. And so, this is amazing. We live in an information era supposedly where people can get information about this being the most precious part, which is they want to get the right diagnosis, they want to get the right treatment or prevention, whatever, and they can't get it. And I'm finding this just extraordinary given that we can do deep research through several different AI models and get reports generated on whatever you want, but you can't get the right doctor. So now let's go over to what you're working on. This company Included Health. When did you start that?Owen Tripp (08:59):Well, I started the company that was known as Grand Rounds in 2011. And Grand Rounds still to this day, we've rebranded as Included Health had a very simple but powerful idea, one you just obliquely referred to, which is if we get people to higher quality medicine by helping them find the right level and quality of care, that two good things would happen. One, the sort of obvious one, patients would get better, they'd move on with their lives, they'd return to health. But two and critically that we would actually help the system overall with the cost burden of unnecessary, inappropriate and low quality care because the coda to the example you gave of people calling you looking for a physician referral, and you and I both know this, my guess is you've probably had to clean plenty of it up in your career is if you go to the wrong doctor, you don't get out of the problem. The problem just persists. And that patient is likely to bounce around like a ping pong ball until they find what they actually need. And that costs the payers of healthcare in this country a lot of money. So I started the company in 2011 to try to solve that problem.Eric Topol (10:14):Yeah, one example, a patient of mine who I've looked after for some 35 years contacted me and said, a very close friend of mine lives in the Palm Springs region and he has this horrible skin condition and he's tortured and he's been to six centers, UCSF, Stanford, Oregon Health Science, Eisenhower, UCLA, and he had a full workup and he can't sleep because he's itching all the time. His whole skin is exfoliating and cellulitis and he had biopsies everywhere. He's put on all kinds of drugs, monoclonal antibodies. And I said to this patient of mine I said, I don't know, this is way out of my area. I checked at Scripps and turns out there was this kind of the Columbo of dermatology, he can solve any mystery. And the patient went to see him, and he was diagnosed within about a minute that he had scabies, and he was treated and completely recovered after having thousands and thousands of dollars of all these workups at these leading medical centers that you would expect could make a diagnosis of scabies.Owen Tripp (11:38):That's a pretty common diagnosis.Eric Topol (11:40):Yeah. I mean you might expect it more in somebody who was homeless perhaps, but that doesn't mean it can't happen in anyone. And within the first few minutes he did a scrape and showed the patient under the microscope and made a definitive diagnosis and the patient to this day is still trying to pay all his bills for all these biopsies and drugs and whatnot, and very upset that he went through all this for over a year and he thought he wanted to die, it was so bad. Now, I had never heard of Included Health and you have now links with a third of the Fortune 100 companies. So what do you do with these companies?Owen Tripp (12:22):Yeah, it's pretty cool. These companies, so very large organizations like Walmart and JPMorgan Chase and the rest of the big pioneers of American industry and business put us in as a benefit to help their employees have the same experience that I described to provide almost Eric Topol like guidance service to help people find access to high quality care, which might be referring them into the community or to an academic medical center, but often is also us providing care delivery ourselves through on-demand primary care, urgent care, behavioral health. And now just last year we introduced a couple of our first specialty lines. And the idea, Eric, is that these companies buy this because they know their employees will love it and they do. It is often one of, if not the most highly rated benefits available. But also because in getting their employees better care faster, the employees come back to work, they feel more connected to the company, they're able to do better and safer and higher quality work. And they get more mileage out of their health benefits. And you have to remember that the costs of health benefits in this country are inflating even in this time of hyperinflation. They're inflating faster than anything else, and this is one of most companies, number one pain points for how they are going to control their overall budget. So this is a solution that both give them visibility to controlling cost and can deliver them an excellent patient experience that is not an offer that they've been able to get from the traditional managed care operators.Eric Topol (14:11):So I guess there's a kind of multidimensional approach that you're describing. For one, you can help find a doctor that's the right doctor for the right patient. And you're also actually providing medical services too, right?Owen Tripp (14:27):That's right.Eric Topol (14:30):Are these physicians who are employed by Included Health?Owen Tripp (14:34):They are, and we feel very strongly about that. We think that in our model, we want to train people, hire people in a specific way, prepare them for the kind of work that we do. And there's a lot we could spend time talking about there, but one of the key features of that is teamwork. We want people to work in a collaborative model where they understand that while they may be expert in one specific thing that is connected to a service line, they're working in a much broader team in support of the member, in support of that patient. And we talk about the patients being very first here, and you and I had a laugh on this in the past, so many hospitals will say we're patient first. So many managed care companies will say they're patient first, but it is actually hard the way that the system is designed to truly be patient first. At Included Health, we measure whether patients will come back to us, whether they tell their friends about us, whether they have high quality member satisfaction and are they living more healthy days. So everybody gets surveyed for patient reported outcomes, which is highly unusual as you know, to have both the clinical outcomes and the patient reported outcomes as well.Eric Topol (15:41):Is that all through virtual visits or are there physical visits as well?Owen Tripp (15:47):Today that is all through virtual visits. So we provide 24/7/365 access to urgent care, primary care, behavioral health, the start of the specialty clinic, which we launched last year. And then we provide support for patients who have questions about how these things are going to be billed, what other benefits they have access to. And where appropriate, we send them out to care. So obviously we can't provide all the exams virtually. We can't provide everything that a comprehensive physical would today, but as you and I know that is also changing rapidly. And so, we can do things to put sensors and other observational devices in people's homes to collect that data positively.Eric Topol (16:32):Now, how is that different than Teladoc and all these other telehealth based companies? I mean because trying to understand on the one hand you have a service that you can provide that can be extremely helpful and seems to be relatively unique. Whereas the other seems to be shared with other companies that started in this telehealth space.Owen Tripp (16:57):I think the easiest way to think about the difference here is how a traditional telemedicine company is paid and how we're paid because I think it'll give you some clue as to why we've designed it the way we've designed it. So the traditional telehealth model is you put a quarter in the jukebox, you listen to a song when the song's over, you got to get out and move on with the rest of your life. And quite literally what I mean is that you're going to see one doctor, one time, you will never see that same doctor again. You are not going to have a connected experience across your visits. I mean, you might have an underlying chart, but there's not going to be a continuity of care and follow up there as you would in an integrated setting. Now by comparison, and that's all derived from the fact that those telehealth companies are paid by the drink, they're paid by the visit.Owen Tripp (17:49):In our model, we are committing to a set of experience goals and a set of outcomes to the companies that you refer to that pay our bill. And so, the visits that our members enjoy are all connected. So if you have a primary care visit, that is connected to your behavioral health visit, which is great and is as it should be. If you have a primary care appointment where you identify the need for follow-up cardiology for example. That patient can be followed through that cardiology visit that we circle back, that we make sure that the patient is educated, that he or she has all their questions answered. That's because we know that if the patient actually isn't confident in what they heard and they don't follow through on the plan, then it's all for naught. It's not going to work. And it's a simple sort of observation, but it's how we get paid and why we think it's a really important way to think about medicine.Eric Topol (18:44):So these companies, and they're pretty big companies like Google and AT&T and as you said, JPMorgan and the list goes on and on. Any one of the employees can get this. Is that how it works?Owen Tripp (18:56):That's right, that's right. And even better, most of what I've described to you today is at a low or zero cost to them. So this is a very affordable, easy way to access care. Thinking about one of our very large airline clients the other day, we're often dealing with their flight crews and ramp agents at very strange hours in very strange places away from home, so that they don't have to wait to get access to care. And you can understand that at a basic humanitarian level why that's great, but you can also understand it from a safety perspective that if there is something that is impeding that person's ability to be functioning at work, that becomes an issue for the corporation itself.Eric Topol (19:39):Yeah, so it's interesting you call it included because most of us in the country are excluded. That is, they don't have any way to turn through to get help for a really good referral. Everything's out of network if they are covered and they're not one of the fortunate to be in these companies that you're providing the service for. So do you have any peers or are there any others that are going to come into this space to help a lot of these people that are in a tough situation where they don't really have anyone to turn to?Owen Tripp (20:21):Well, I hope so. Because like you, I've dedicated my career to trying to use information and use science and use in my own right to bring along the model. At Included Health, we talk about raising the standard of care for everybody, and what we mean by that is, we actually hope that this becomes a model that others can follow. The same way the Cleveland Clinic did, the same way the Mayo Clinic did. They brought a model into the world that others soon try to replicate, and that was a good thing. So we'd like to see more attempt to do this. The reality is we have not seen that because unfortunately the old system has a lot of incentives in place to function exactly the way that it is designed. The health system is going to maximize the number of patients that correspond to the highest paying procedures and tests, et cetera. The managed care company is going to try to process the highest number of claims, work the most efficient utilization management and prior authorization, but left out in the middle of all of that is the patient. And so, we really wanted to build that model with the patient at the center, and when I started this company now over a decade ago, that was just a dream that we could do that. Now serving over 10 million members, this feels like it's possible and it feels like a model others could follow.Eric Topol (21:50):Yeah, well that was what struck me is here you're reaching 10 million people. I'd never heard of it. I was like, wow. I thought I try to keep up with things. But now the other thing I wanted to get into you with is AI. Obviously, that has a lot of promise in many different ways. As you know, there are some 12 million diagnostic serious errors a year in the US. I mean you were one, I've been part of them. Most people have been roughed up one way or another. Then there's 800,000 Americans who have disability or die from these errors a year, according to Johns Hopkins relatively recent study. So one of the ways that AI could help is accuracy. But of course, there's many other ways it can help make the lives of both patients helping to integrate their data and physicians to go through a patient's records and set points of their labs and all sorts of other things. Where do you see AI fitting into the model that you've built?Owen Tripp (22:58):Well, I'll give you two that I'm really excited about, that I don't think I hear other people talking about. And again, I'm going to start with that patient, with that member and what he or she wants and needs. One and Eric, bear with me, this is going to sound very banal, but one is just making sense of these very complicated plan documents and explanations of benefits. I'm aware of how well-trained you are and how much you've written. I believe you are the most published in your field. I believe that is a fact. And yet if I showed you a plan description document and an explanation of benefit and I asked you, Eric, could you tell me how much it's going to cost to have an MRI at this facility? I don't think you would've any way of figuring that out. And that is something that people confront every single day in this country. And a lot of people are not like you and me, in that we could probably tolerate a big cost range for that MRI. For some people that might actually be the difference between whether they eat or not, or get their kids prescription or not.Owen Tripp (24:05):And so, we want to make the questions about what your benefits cover and how you understand what's available to you in your plan. We want to make that really easy and we want to make it so that you don't have to have a PhD in insurance language to be able to ask the properly formatted question. As you know, the foundation models are terrific at that problem. So that's one.Eric Topol (24:27):And that's a good one, that's very practical and very much needed. Yeah.Owen Tripp (24:32):The second one I'm really excited about, and I think this will also be near and dear to your heart, is AI has this ability to be sort of nonjudgmental in the best possible way. And so, if we have a patient on a plan to manage hypertension or to manage weight or to manage other elements of a healthy lifestyle. And here we're not talking about deep science, we're just talking about what we've known to work for a long period of time. AI as a coach to help follow through on those goals and passively take data on how you're progressing, but have behind it the world's greatest medical team to be able to jump in when things become more acute or more complex. That's an awesome tool that I think every person needs to be carrying around, so that if my care plan or if my goal is about sleeping better, if my goal is about getting pregnant, if my goal is about reducing my blood pressure, that I can do that in a way that I can have a conversation where I don't feel as a patient that I'm screwing up or letting somebody down, and I can be honest with that AI.Owen Tripp (25:39):So I'm really excited about the potential for the AI as an adjunct coach and care team manager to continue to proceed along with that member with medical support behind that when necessary.Eric Topol (25:55):Yeah, I mean there's a couple of things I'd say about that. Firstly, the fact that you're thinking it from the patient perspective where most working in AI is thinking it from the clinician perspective, so that's really important. The next is that we get notifications, and you need to not sit every hour or something like that from a ring or from a smartwatch or whatever. That isn't particularly intelligent, although it may be needed. The point is we don't get notifications like, what was your blood pressure? Or can you send a PDF of your heart rhythm or this sort of thing. Now the problem too is that people are generating lots of data just by wearing a smartwatch or a fitness band. You've got your activity, your sleep, your heart rate, and all sorts of things that are derivatives of that. No less, you could have other sensors like a glucose monitoring and on and on. No less your electronic health record, and there's no integration of any of this.Eric Topol (27:00):So this idea that we could have a really intelligent AI virtual coach for the patient, which as you said could have connects with a physician as needed, bringing in the data or bringing in some type of issue that the doctor needs to attend to, but it doesn't seem like anything is getting done. We have the AI capabilities, but nothing's getting done. It's frustrating because I wrote about this in 2019 in the Deep Medicine book, and it's just like some of the most sophisticated companies you would think Apple, for the ring Oura and so many others. They have the data, but they don't integrate anything, and they don't really set up notifications for patients. How are we going to get out of this rut?Owen Tripp (27:51):We are producing oil tankers of data around personal experience and not actually turning that into positive energy for what patients can do. But I do want to be optimistic on this point because I actually think, and I shared this with you when we last saw each other. Your thinking was ahead of the time, but foundational for people like me to say, we need to go actually make that real. And let me explain to you what I mean by making it real. We need to bring together the insight that you have an elevated heart rate or that your step count is down, or that your sleep schedule is off. We need to bring that together with the possibility of connecting with a medical professional, which these devices do not have the ability to do that today, and nor do those companies really want to get in that business. And also make that context of what you can afford as a patient.Owen Tripp (28:51):So we have data that's suggestive of an underlying issue. We have a medical team that's prepared to actually help you on that issue. And then we have financial security to know that whatever is identified actually will be paid for. Now, that's not a hard triangle conceptually, but no one of those companies is actually interested in all the points of the triangle, and you have to be because otherwise it's not going to work for the patient. If your business is in selling devices. Really all I'm thinking about is how do I sell devices and subscriptions. If my business is exclusively in providing care, that's really all I'm thinking about. If my business is in managing risk and writing insurance policies, that's really all I'm thinking about. You have to do all those three things in concert.Eric Topol (29:34):Yeah, I mean in many ways it goes back to what we were talking about earlier, which is we're in this phenomenal era of information to the fifth power. But here we are, we have a lot of data from multiple sources, and it doesn't get integrated. So for example, a person has a problem and they don't know what is the root cause of it. Let's say it's poor sleep, or it could be that they're having stress, which would be manifest through their heart rate or heart rate variability or all sorts of other metrics. And there's no intelligence provided for them to interpret their data because it's all siloed and we're just not really doing that for patients. I hope that'll happen. Hopefully, Included Health could be a lead in that. Maybe you can show the way. Anyway, this has been a fun conversation, Owen. It's rare that I've talked in Ground Truths with any person running a company, but I thought yours.Eric Topol (30:36):Firstly, I didn't know anything about it and it's big. And secondly, that it's a kind of a unique model that really I'm hoping that others will get involved in and that someday we'll all be included. Maybe not with Included Health, but with better healthcare in this country, which is certainly not the norm, not the routine. And also, as you aptly pointed out at terrible costs with all sorts of waste, unnecessary tests and that sort of thing. So thanks for what you're doing and I'll be following your future efforts and hopefully we can keep making some strides.Owen Tripp (31:15):We will. And I wanted to say thanks for the conversation too and for your thinking on these topics. And look, I want to leave you just with a quick dose of optimism, and you and I both know this. The American system at its best is an extraordinary system, unrivaled in the world, in my opinion. But we do have to have more people included. All the services need to be included in one place. When we get there, we're going to really see what's possible here.Eric Topol (31:40):I do want to agree with you that if you can get to the right doctor and if you can afford it, that is ideally covered by your insurance. It is a phenomenal system, but getting there, that's the hard part. And every day people are confronted. I'm sure, thousands and thousands with serious condition either to get the diagnosis or the treatment, and they have a really rough time. So anyway, so thank you and I really appreciate your taking the time to meet with me today.****************************************************************Thanks for listening, watching, reading and subscribing to Ground Truths.An update on Super Agers:It is ranked #5 on the New York Times bestseller list (on the list for 4th time)https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/advice-how-to-and-miscellaneous/New podcastsPBS Walter Isaacson, Amanpour&Co Factually, With Adam ConoverPeter Lee, Microsoft Researchhttps://x.com/MSFTResearch/status/1943460270824714414If you found this interesting PLEASE share it!That makes the work involved in putting these together especially worthwhile.Thanks to Scripps Research, and my producer, Jessica Nguyen, and Sinjun Balabanoff for video/audio support.All content on Ground Truths—its newsletters, analyses, and podcasts, are free, open-access.Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Please don't hesitate to post comments and give me feedback. Let me know topics that you would like to see covered.Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years. Get full access to Ground Truths at erictopol.substack.com/subscribe

For the last 6 months I have been doing some intentional healthy habit changes, and I want to talk about the results! (spoiler: it has nothing to do with weight loss!)To learn more about Ali Ramos, my nutritional therapist, check her out here. Listen to our podcast episode together: is cycle syncing a wellness scam? // with Ali RamosIf you want to track fertility and sleep without spending $500 on an Oura ring, check out Tempdrop.Support the show

If you want to get leaner and live longer, check out https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/   What if your body could warn you about burnout or illness before you even feel it, possibly even days before it happens?   In this episode, I sat down with Dr. Torkil Færø, a Norwegian doctor and author of The Pulse Cure, to talk about heart rate variability, or HRV and how it can give us early warning signs about our health. He shared how he got into HRV tracking while on a sailing trip, and how it opened his eyes to how much stress and recovery affect our bodies.   We talked about what HRV really tells us, how wearables like Garmin, WHOOP, and Oura can help track it, and how small daily habits, like what you eat, how you sleep, or even when you work out, can change your HRV. Dr. Færø also told stories of real people who've used this data to catch serious health issues early, like cancer.   Key Takeaways:   It's personal, track your own trends instead of comparing numbers with others. HVR It's like having your own early warning system for stress and health. Garmin gives more detailed stress tracking, while Oura and WHOOP are great for sleep and tagging daily habits.   Resources:   Dr. Torkil Færø is a Norwegian medical doctor, emergency physician, and bestselling author of The Pulse Cure. After realizing his lifestyle was quietly damaging his health, he dove into the science of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and became a leading voice on how to use wearable tech to track and improve stress, recovery, and overall well-being. His work has helped thousands of people better understand their bodies and take control of their health before problems arise.   @dr.torkil (IG) https://www.instagram.com/dr.torkil/    The Pulse Cure by Dr. Torkil Færø  https://a.co/d/iWWB5Ub - https://thepulsecure.com/    Book mentioned:   The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk _________________________________________ Host Nate Palmer The founder of The Million Dollar Body and Author of "The Million Dollar Body Method", Nate has been in the industry of coaching over 15 years and has worked with over 1000 clients personally. Nate Palmer's Website: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/    "The Million Dollar Body Method" by Nate Palmer: http://getnatesbook.com   Lean Energy Stack: https://milliondollarbodylabs.com/pages/lean   @_milliondollarbody (IG) https://www.instagram.com/_milliondollarbody  

Brent Vartan is Managing Partner and Co-Founder at Bullish, a unique hybrid combining a branding agency and a consumer-focused venture fund. With decades of experience in brand strategy, Brent and his team have been early investors and builders behind some of the most iconic DTC and consumer brands of the past decade, including Peloton, Warby Parker, Casper, Harry's, Hu, Bubble, and more.In this episode of DTC Pod, Brent shares his perspective on what it takes to build generational consumer brands from the earliest stages. He discusses Bullish's hands-on investment approach, the importance of brand strategy as a growth mechanism, and what differentiates brands that become household names. Brent also breaks down real playbooks from companies like Sunday Lawn and Nom Nom, providing founders concrete advice on what it takes to build brands worth talking about—and worth buying.Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. Bullish's hybrid brand agency and VC model2. What it means to invest as “first money” and why it matters3. The difference between building a business and building a brand4. Why customer lifetime value (CLV) trumps CAC and COGS5. Product-market fit: moving from awareness to lifetime value6. How Bullish supports brands like Harry's and Nom Nom in their earliest days7. Tactical advice for founders on capital raising and allocation8. Building brands for acquisition vs. IPO9. The playbook for becoming an acquisition target (what buyers actually want)10. The underrated power of innovation and product launches11. The role of cultural relevance in DTC brand building12. Real-world examples from Sunday Lawn, Peloton, Bubble Beauty, and more13. How great DTC brands focus on AOV, CLV, and brand loyalty14. Pitfalls to avoid around capital structure and loss of momentumTimestamps00:00 Introducing Brent Vartan and Bullish03:49 Bullish's track record and notable investments05:22 What makes Bullish different10:10 Investing as “first money,” how Bullish evaluates concepts13:19 Patterns Bullish looks for in breakout DTC brands16:09 Deep dive: Sunday Lawn's growth and strategy18:36 Positioning Harry's and building a hundred-year business21:04 Timelines, capital, and operational realities for breakout brands23:37 Building for acquisition vs. IPO: how strategies diverge28:57 What buyers are really seeking in DTC acquisitions31:47 Nom Nom's Mars acquisition and the power of niche audiences33:59 The importance of cultural relevance and taking creative “shots”35:32 Bubble Beauty: case study in innovation and customer engagement38:27 Finding the right capital structure and maintaining founder equity41:06 The risks of stalling momentum and overplanning43:33 Where to allocate raised capital: innovation vs. marketing46:20 Where to find Bullish, Brent's socials, and their newsletterShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokBrent Vartan - Managing Partner & Co-Founder of BullishBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Andrea shares a simple but powerful habit she's been practicing to enhance her energy during the day and focus in the mornings. She opens up about the personal benefits she's already experienced, from clearer focus to improved workouts, and even data from her Oura ring confirming reduced stress. Andrea backs her story with research on how early phone use triggers stress and grogginess, and invites listeners to join her in a month-long challenge. This episode is both encouraging and informative, offering a realistic shift to support mental and physical wellness.Make Fit Simple is sponsored by Cozy EarthCozyEarth.com/makefitsimple use code SIMPLE40Research Articles https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00626/fullhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31692489/https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0079688&utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5073830/https://www.nature.com/articles/s41746-021-00466-9#:~:text=A%20previous%20study%20that%20concurrently%20measured%20sle Follow the Make Fit Simple Podcast@MakeFitSimplePodcastHave a suggestion for a topic click HEREHave a suggestion for a guest click HERENEW! Leave a question for Andrea HERE on SpeakPipe! Follow Andrea on Instagram@deliciouslyfitnhealthy@dfh.training.picsTraining & Coachinghttps://www.deliciouslyfitnhealthy.com/linksVisit Andrea's Websitewww.deliciouslyfitnhealthy.comProduced by Light On Creative Productions

Jyl called an emergency recording session this week as, well, it was a hell of a week in which she was called a bitch, given the finger AND urged to leave the country. What the actual eff? Kathy had her own thoughts and complaints, especially when she realized Jyl was trying life without a watch. Listen along as we talk about:The importance of returning your cart (or thanking the person who does).Judging someone for the car they drive. Does the middle finger mean Jyl's Tesla is #1? Why telling someone to leave the country only makes YOU look like the dumbass.Family dynamics and Jyl's inability not to step in a pile of shit. No watch week.***Our Nonsor this month is Burger King: The only King we're interested in. Other mentions: Q-Ring, Oura, Tesla , and Holland America.***Can't get enough of us? Well, you're one of the very few.Get to know us! ⁠⁠Jyl Barlow⁠⁠ has all things Jyl! Also, it's pronounced, “jill.”⁠⁠Which Way's Up⁠⁠ is Jyl's blog, home of weekly epiphanies and often overshares⁠⁠What to Expect When You Weren't Expecting⁠⁠ is Jyl's best-selling memoir about her hilarious struggles as a (step)mother. Buy it online at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads, and Target!⁠⁠Kathy Crowley⁠⁠'s Thought for the Day (accessorized with a favorite timepiece and signature scent) can be found on ⁠Instagram⁠. Watch videos of all our Nonsor products on ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠ or⁠ ⁠TikTok⁠⁠!Wine & Whine is part of Bearlow Productions and is created Jyl Barlow and Kathy Crowley. 

Mikään ei yhdistä tätä kansakuntaa yhtä paljon kuin se että meitä vituttaa. Ja kun oikein miettii ja kaivelee niin meitä vituttaa todella paljon, usein ja mitä pienimmätkin jutut. Seuraavan jakson aikana kuitenkin tähän kansansairauteen nimeltä: Vitutus, koitetaan etsiä yhdessä parannuksia ja ainakin muutama asia saadaan jälleen ratkottua studiossa. Saraa vituttaa junaan rynnivät ihmiset, huonot internetit.. Saarinen puolestaan lappaa pöytään Oura-sormuksen ja huonon näön, mutta ei hätää: Ongelmat on tehty ratkottavaksi. Tämän jakson jälkeen olo on kevyempi ja meillä on muutama murhe jälleen vähemmän. Vitun hauskaa viikonlopun jatkoa! Jakso on tuotettu yksinoikeudella Podmelle. * Tiedäthän, että tämä kuuntelemasi jakso on throwback-jakso podcastin alkuvaiheilta. Nikotellen -podcastin tuoreita jaksoja löydät Podmesta. Podmessa voit kuunnella vaikka putkeen satoja ja taas satoja Nikotellenin aiemmin julkaistuja jaksoja, ja tuoretta sisältöä tulee lisää joka viikko - ja mikä parasta, ilman mainoksia. Eli jos tykkäät Nikotellen-podista ja haluat lisää, sitä löytyy yllin kyllin osoitteesta podme.com. Uusi throwback-jakso joka perjantai.

Apoorva Govind is the founder and CEO of Bestever, a platform focused on helping brands and marketers generate ad creatives powered by real performance data and advanced AI models. With a background spanning technical roles at Apple, Uber, and Nvidia, Apoorva brings unique insights into the intersection of technology and growth marketing.In this DTC POD episode, Apoorva and Blaine discuss how the AI toolkit for advertisers is evolving, the reality behind AI-generated ads, and why strategic inputs—not just rapid content production—drive sustainable brand results. Apoorva outlines how Bestever AI analyzes existing ad data to identify winning creative elements, then automates the production of new assets using the latest AI models. The episode also covers practical advice for early-stage brands on managing creative ops, what workflows will look like as AI video matures, and the future role of platforms like Meta in creative automation.Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. Apoorva's background at Apple, Uber, and Nvidia2. The early vision and pivot of Bestever AI3. The role of AI in modern creative production4. Ad creative strategy vs. pure output volume5. Measuring ad performance with data-driven insights6. Practical workflow tips for early-stage brands7. When and how to leverage agencies8. How to analyze competitors and learn from top-performing brands9. Demystifying AI video: state of the tech in 202510. Building workflows to leverage multiple AI models11. How Meta and other platforms are automating creative12. The importance of creative analysis and transparent reporting13. Future trends for agency and brand marketersTimestamps00:00 Intro and Apoorva's technical background01:19 Apoorva's early career at Apple, Nvidia, and Uber03:04 Apoorva's take on Apple's iOS 26 glassmorphic UI and focus on AI06:09 Security, future, and mass adoption of self-driving cars13:30 Transition into ad creative, Bestever AI's founding, and early pivots18:31 How Bestever AI analyzes ad data to inform new creative20:49 Current state and skepticism around fully AI-generated ad content23:44 Meta's push toward creative automation26:56 Ad creative strategy for early and scaling brands35:24 How Bestever AI helps brands diagnose and double down on winning ads43:07 The reality of AI video: what's possible now and what's coming next46:18 Investing in workflows and abstraction layers for future-proof creative ops50:14 Where to connect with Apoorva and learn more about Bestever AIShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokApporva Govind - CEO and Founder of BesteverBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

In this Ask Me Anything episode, I'm answering some of your thoughtful, layered questions—on everything from managing anxiety to navigating skincare in the age of aesthetic overload.What I cover in this episode:* Whether the Oura ring helps or hinders my nervous system* My approach to skincare, makeup, and hair care (simple, intentional, and not what your might expect)* How I manage anxiety—especially in high-stress seasons* When and how I create content without burning out* A peek into life on my farm—renovation, food growing, and what I've learned along the wayMentioned in the episode:* Oura Ring* EWG.org to look up your skincare products- I am for a 1-2 green score in everything I use * Make-up I love: Ilia + Jones Road* Skincare I love: La Roche-Posay* Wont deliver to Canada but looks good: Tangie Shampoo and Conditioner Bars* Hum to Activate your Vagus Nerve* The anxiolytic effects of resistance training across ages* Is anxiety more common in our 30s and 40s? I hope this was helpful. Feel free to email me with any questions for a future AMA. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit meaganrosewilson.substack.com/subscribe

Discover the elite insights of former JTF2 Operator, world-champion endurance athlete, and high-performance coach, Shaun Taylor. In this exclusive conversation, Shaun shares powerful lessons from decades of trial and error, guiding you on the path to superior sleep, effective stress management, optimal nutrition, hormonal optimization, and an unbreakable mindset. Whether you're a performance-driven athlete or simply seeking to live your best life, learn the strategies Shaun employs daily to maintain peak performance and personal fulfillment.https://www.instagram.com/shauntaylors1/https://www.instagram.com/the_collective_ig/https://www.youtube.com/@the_collective_yt/streamshttps://the-collective.ca/https://open.spotify.com/show/51fDAvBeENd0ANZhkw2pww______Silvercore Club - https://bit.ly/2RiREb4 Online Training - https://bit.ly/3nJKx7U Other Training & Services - https://bit.ly/3vw6kSU Merchandise - https://bit.ly/3ecyvk9 Blog Page - https://bit.ly/3nEHs8W Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors____Timestamps:00:00 – The vision for a Silvercore Podcast Live Event03:00 – Welcoming Shaun Taylor & The Collective04:00 – The power of showing intensity authentically10:00 – Shaun's comprehensive approach to sleep19:00 – Using tools like the Oura ring for sleep tracking25:00 – Sleep hygiene protocols & practices40:00 – Supplements for sleep optimization51:00 – Mindfulness strategies for deeper sleep52:30 – Managing stress & the internal vs. external worlds1:10:00 – Meditation & the path to mindfulness1:18:00 – Perspective shifting & problem-solving1:26:00 – Shaun's essential guide to optimal nutrition & macros1:39:00 – Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT): pros, cons & personal insights1:57:00 – Exploring peptides: potentials and pitfalls1:59:00 – Routines, mindset, and finding your purpose2:05:00 – Final thoughts & what's next

Oura's new campaign hits the mark, understanding the abundance agenda, why luxury fashion brands are in a tricky position, addressing intergenerational unfairness & the tell tale signs of ChatGPT. Get in touch with Russ & Freddie via Instagram or LinkedInSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My conversation with Matthew Walker, PhD on faculty at UC Berkeley where he is a professor of neuroscience and psychology, the founder and director of the Center for Human Sleep Science, and has a long history of seminal contributions on sleep science and health. Audio File (also downloadable at Apple Podcast and Spotify)“Sleep is a non-negotiablebiological state required for the maintenance of human life . . . our needsfor sleep parallel those for air, food, and water.”—Grandner and FernandezEric Topol (00:07):Hello, it's Eric Topol with Ground Truths, and I am really delighted to welcome Matt Walker, who I believe has had more impact on sleep health than anyone I know. It's reflected by the fact that he is a Professor at UC Berkeley, heads up the center that he originated for Human Sleep Science. He wrote a remarkable book back in 2017, Why We Sleep, and also we'll link to that as well as the TED Talk of 2019. Sleep is Your Superpower with 24 million views. That's a lot of views here.Matt Walker:Striking, isn't it?Eric Topol:Wow. I think does reflect the kind of impact, you were onto the sleep story sooner, earlier than anyone I know. And what I wanted to do today was get to the updates because you taught us a lot back then and a lot of things have been happening in these years since. You're on it, of course, I think you have a podcast Sleep Diplomat, and you're obviously continued working on the science of sleep. But maybe the first thing I'd ask you about is in the last few years, what do you think has been, are there been any real changes or breakthroughs in the field?What Is New?Matt Walker (01:27):Yeah, I think there has been changes, and maybe we'll speak about one of them, which is the emergence of this brain cleansing system called the glymphatic system, but spreading that aside for potential future discussion. I would say that there are maybe at least two fascinating areas. The first is the broader impact of sleep on much more complex human social interactions. We think of sleep at maybe the level of the cell or systems or whole scale biology or even the entire organism. We forget that a lack of sleep, or at least the evidence suggests a lack of sleep will dislocate each other, one from the other. And there's been some great work by Dr. Eti Ben Simon for example, demonstrating that when you are sleep deprived, you become more asocial. So you basically become socially repellent. You want to withdraw, you become lonely. And what's also fascinating is that other people, even they don't know that you sleep deprived, they rate you as being less socially sort of attractive to engage with.Matt Walker (02:35):And after interacting with you, the sleep deprived individual, even though they don't know you're sleep deprived, they themselves walk away feeling more lonely themselves. So there is a social loneliness contagion that happens that a sleep deprived lonely individual can have almost a viral knock on effect that causes loneliness in another well-rested individual. And then that work spanned out and it started to demonstrate that another impact of a lack of sleep socially is that we stop wanting to help other people. And you think, well, helping behavior that's not really very impactful. Try to tell me of any major civilization that has not risen up through human cooperation and helping. There just isn't one. Human cooperative behavior is one of our innate traits as homo sapiens. And what they discovered is that when you are insufficiently slept, firstly, you don't wish to help other people. And you can see that at the individual level.Matt Walker (03:41):You can see it in groups. And then there was a great study again by Dr. Eti Ben Simon that demonstrated this at a national level because what she did was she looked at this wonderful manipulation of one hour of sleep that happens twice a year to 1.6 billion people. It's called daylight savings time at spring. Yeah, when you lose one hour of sleep opportunity. She looked at donations across the nation and sure enough, there was this big dent in donation giving in the sleepy Monday and Tuesday after the clock change. Because of that sleep, we become less willing to empathetically and selflessly help other individuals. And so, to me I think it's just a fascinating area. And then the other area I think is great, and I'm sorry I'm racing forward because I get so excited. But this work now looking at what we call genetic short sleepers and sort of idiots like me have been out there touting the importance of somewhere between seven to nine hours of sleep.Matt Walker (04:48):And once you get less than that, and we'll perhaps speak about that, you can see biological changes. But there is a subset of individuals who, and we've identified at least two different genes. One of them is what we call the DEC2 gene. And it seems to allow individuals to sleep about five hours, maybe even a little bit less and show no impairment whatsoever. Now we haven't tracked these individuals across the lifespan to truly understand does it lead to a higher mortality risk. But so far, they don't implode like you perhaps or I would do when you are limited to this anemic diet of five hours of sleep. They hang in there just fine. And I think philosophically what that tells me, and by the way, for people who are listening thinking, gosh, I think I'm probably one of those people. Statistically, I think you are more likely to be struck by lightning in your lifetime than you are to have the DEC2 gene. Think about what tells us, Eric. It tells us that there is a moment in biology in the evolution of this thing called the sleep physiological need that has changed such that mother nature has found a genetic way to ZIP file sleep.Matt Walker (06:14):You can essentially compress sleep from seven to nine hour need, down to five to six hour need. To me, that is absolutely fascinating. So now the race is on, what are the mechanisms that control this? How do we understand them? I'm sure much to my chagrin, society would like to then say, okay, is there a pill that I can take to basically ZIP file my own sleep and then it becomes an arms race in my mind, which is then all of a sudden six hours becomes the new eight hours and then everyone is saying, well, six hours is my need. Well I'll go to four hours and then it's this arms race of de-escalation of sleep. Anyway, I'm going on and on, does that help give you a sense of two of the what I feel the more fascinating areas?Eric Topol (07:01):Absolutely. When I saw the other recent report on the short sleep gene variant and thought about what the potential of that would be with respect to potential drug development or could you imagine genome editing early in life that you don't need any sleep? I mean crazy stuff.Matt Walker (07:19):It was amazing.Glymphatics and Deep Sleepfor more, see previous Ground Truths on this topic Eric Topol (07:22):No, the mechanism of course we have to work out and also what you mentioned regarding the social and the behavior engagement, all that sort of thing, it was just fascinating stuff. Now we touched on one thing early on to come back to the glymphatics these channels to get rid of the waste metabolites from the brain each night that might be considered toxic metabolites. We've learned a lot about those and of course there's some controversy about it. What are your thoughts?Matt Walker (07:55):Yeah, I think there's really quite comprehensive evidence suggesting that the brain has this cleansing system like the body has one the lymphatic system, the brain has one the glymphatic system named after these glial cells that make it up. And I think there's been evidence from multiple groups across multiple different species types, from mouse models all the way up to human models suggesting that there is a state dependent control of the brain cleansing system, which is a fancy way of saying if you are awake in light NREM, deep NREM or perhaps you're just quiet and you are resting in your wakefulness, the glymphatic system is not switched on at the same rate across all of those different brain states. And I think the overwhelming evidence so far using different techniques in different species from different groups is that sleep is a preferential time. It's not an exclusive time, it's a preferential time when that brain cleansing system kicks into gear because as some people have, I think argued, and you could say it's hyperbolic, but wakefulness is low level from a biochemicals perspective, it's low level brain damage and sleep is therefore your sanitary salvation that combat that biochemical cascade.Matt Walker (09:15):So in other words, a better way of putting it would be, sleep is the price that you pay for wakefulness in some ways. And I think there was a recent controversial study that came out in 2022 or 2023, and they actually suggested quite the opposite. They said using their specific imaging methods, they found that the sort of clearance, the amount of cerebral spinal fluid, which is what washes through the brain to cleanse the toxins, the rate of that flow of cerebral spinal fluid was highest during wakefulness and lowest during deep NREM sleep, the exact opposite of what others have found. Now, I think the defendants of the glymphatic sleep dependent hypothesis pushed back and said, well, if you look at the imaging methods. Firstly, they're nonstandard. Secondly, they were measuring the cerebral spinal flow in an artificial way because they were actually perfusing solutions through the brain rather than naturally letting it flow and therefore the artificial forcing of fluid changed the prototypical result you would get.Matt Walker (10:27):And they also argued that the essentially kind of the sampling rate, so how quickly are you taking snapshots of the cerebral spinal fluid flow. Those were different and they were probably missing some of the sleep dependent slow oscillations that seemed to sort of drive that pulsatile flow. Honestly, I think that paper was still very well done, and I still think there is right now, I would still cleave to the majority of overwhelming evidence considering it's not just from one group in one species, but across multiple species, multiple groups. And I think it's nevertheless a weight of burden that has pushed back. And my sense right now, I used to think and cleaves to the notion that it was a sleep expressly selective process. Now I don't think that that's the case anymore. I think that the glymphatic system is a dynamic system, but it's always looking for the opportunity to go into cleansing mode. And you can kind of go into almost like a low battery mode when you are awake, but in quiet rest. And I think that can drive some already early clearance from the brain and then when you go into sleep, it's like powering your phone off entirely. It truly gets the chance to cleanse and reboot the biochemical system. But I think it's really interesting. I think there's a lot of work still yet to be done. It's not quite as case closed as we used to think.Eric Topol (12:03):Yeah, I mean first of all, it's great that you straighten out the controversy because that's exactly what I was referring to. And secondly, as you also pointed out, the weight of the evidence is that it's a sleep dependent phenomena, particularly during flow wave deep sleep is at least what I've seen.Matt Walker (12:21):Yes.Eric Topol (12:22):What's also interesting, your point about it being dynamic, which fascinating, there was a paper in my field of cardiology, people with atrial fibrillation had less active glymphatic, less clearance which was really interesting. And then the other finding that's also noteworthy was that Ambien made things worse. What do you think about that?We Are An Embodied OrganismMatt Walker (12:45):I think it's really interesting, and just to come back to your point about the AFib paper, what we know is that this cleansing system in the brain does seem to track the big slow brainwaves of deep slow wave sleep, but it's not only tracking the big slow brainwaves. If anything, there's something to do with the cardiorespiratory cycle, the respiration rate and the cardiac signal that may actually sink with the brainwaves. And it's essentially a cardiorespiratory neurophysiological coupling, which is a lot of ways, which is to say heart, lungs and brain coupled together. And it's the coupling of the cardiorespiratory slow oscillations that drive these pulsatile fluid mechanical, it's literally a hydro mechanical, hydro meaning cerebral spinal fluid push and pull in and out of the system drawing those metabolites out. So ago, if you have a disrupted either cardiac or respiratory or neurophysiological signal, no wonder the glymphatic system isn't going to work as efficiently.Matt Walker (14:00):I think that's a beautiful demonstration of the hemineglect that people like me who study sleep largely from the neck upwards would miss. But if you think about sleep is not just for the brain, it's for the body and it's not just for the body, it's for the brain. And we're an embodied organism. We study the organism in silos, neurology, psychiatry, cardiology, respiratory, but they all interact. And so, I think what's lovely about your example is the reminder that if you don't study the body in this study of the glymphatic system, you could miss out a profound explanation that possibly accounts for the head scratching, I don't know why we're getting this result. So that's a long way to come back to it. But the same group that was the pioneer in the discovery of the glymphatic system led by Maiken Nedergaard at the University of Rochester.In SUPER AGERS, p. 57. SRI-sleep regulatory indexSleep MedicationsMatt Walker (15:01):She has gone on to then look to say, well, if this is a sleep dependent process of brain cleansing during deep sleep, what about sleeping pills because so many people are either taking or are addicted to sleeping pills. And we've gone through, we're in the era of web 3.0 with sleeping pills, we started off web 1.0 which were the benzos, the kind of temazepam, diazepam, lorazepam. Then we went to web 2.0, which was sort of the Ambien (zolpidem), Lunesta, Sonata. And what was common about those two classes of drugs is that they both went after something called the GABA receptor in the brain, which is this major inhibitory receptor in the brain. And essentially, they were called sedative hypnotics because they sedated your cortex. And when you take an Ambien and not going to argue you're awake. You're clearly not awake, but to argue you're a naturalistic sleep, if you look at this, physiology is an equal fallacy.Matt Walker (16:01):They made this interesting experimental hypothesis that when you take Ambien, you sleep longer and based on how you score deep sleep, it would seem as though Ambien increases the amount of minutes that you spend in deep sleep. But if you look at the electrical signature during that “increased deep sleep” it's not the same. Ambien takes a big bite. There's a big dent out of the very slowest of the slow brainwaves, and it's the slowest of the slow brainwaves that drive the glymphatic system. So what they found was that when you take Ambien or you give mice Ambien. Yes, they sleep longer, they seem to have more deep sleep, but the brain cleansing mechanism seem to be reduced by anywhere between 30-40%, which is counterintuitive. If you are sleeping more and you're getting more deep sleep and the glymphatic system is active during deep sleep, you should get greater cleansing of the brain.Matt Walker (17:05):Here they found, yes, the drug increased sleep, particularly deep sleep, but it empowered the cleansing of the brain system. Now, have we got evidence of that in humans yet? No, we don't. I don't think it's far away though, because there was a counter study that brings us onto web 3.0. There's a new class of sleep medications. It's the first class of medications that have actually been publicly advocating for, they're called the DORAs drugs, and they are a class of drugs and there's three of them that are FDA approved right now. DORA stands for dual orexin receptor antagonists, which means that these drugs go in there and they block the action of a chemical called orexin. What is orexin? Orexin is the volume button for wakefulness. It dials at wakefulness, but these drugs come into your system and unlike the sedative sort of baseball bat to the cortex, which is Ambien, these drugs are much more elegant.Matt Walker (18:11):They go down towards the brainstem and they just dial down the volume on wakefulness and then they step back, and they allow the antithesis of wakefulness to come in its place, which is this thing called naturalistic sleep. And people sleep longer. So as a scientist, you and I perhaps skeptics would then say, well, so you increase sleep, and I have four words for you. Yes, and so what. Just because you increase sleep, it doesn't mean that it's functional sleep. It could just be like the old notion of junk DNA, that it's epiphenomenal sleep. It's not functional sleep. There was a study out of WashU and they took 85-year olds and above and they gave them one of these DORAs drugs. It's a drug called Belsomra, it's a play on good sleep or beautiful sleep, chemical named suvorexant and randomized placebo control. What they found is that when they took the drug, yes, these older adults slept longer, they had more deep sleep, but then what they did was clever. Before and after the night of sleep, they drew blood because we can now measure markers of β-amyloid and tau protein circulating in the bloodstream, which are these two markers of Alzheimer's disease.Matt Walker (19:28):Why is that relevant to the glymphatic system? It's relevant because two of the pieces of metabolic detritus that the cleansing system washes away at night, β-amyloid and tau. I'm sure enough of what they found was that not only did the adults sleep longer with these sleeping medications, they also had a greater clearance of β-amyloid and tau within the bloodstream. So this was the exact opposite of the Ambien study, which was where they were seeing an impairment in the glymphatic activity. Here in humans was a study with the web 3.0 sleep medications. Suvorexant, not only did it increase sleep, but it seemed to increase. Well, the assumption was that it was increasing glymphatic clearance because at least as the end outcome product, there was greater clearance of β-amyloid and tau protein in the blood. It wasn't just junk sleep, it was functional sleep. So for the first time I'd seen a sleeping medication that increased sleep more naturalistically, but that increased sleep made you the organism function better the next day as a consequence. Does that make any sense?Eric Topol (20:38):Absolutely. And it's interesting that we may have a sleep medicine finally or a class that actually is doing what is desired. This is one of the other things I was going to ask you about is that as you pointed out, this is an interaction throughout the organism, throughout the human being, and we've seen studies about how sleep disrupts metabolism and through that of course, and even separately, can take down our immune system or disrupt that as well. And so, one of the questions I guess is your thoughts about these other effects because you mentioned of course the potential of looking at things like p-Tau217 markers or other markers that would denote the status of your ultimate risk for moving on to Alzheimer's disease. But there's these other factors that also play a role with lack of adequate sleep and perhaps particularly sleep quality. I wonder if you could just comment about this because there's so many different systems of the body that are integrated here, and so the sanitary effect that you just described with the ability to potentially see less, at least biomarkers for what would be considered risks to ultimately develop Alzheimer's, there's also these other very important effects when we talk about high quality sleep, I guess, right? And maybe you could comment about that.Matt Walker (22:21):Yeah, I think quantity is what we've been talking about in some ways, but quality has also come onto the radar as absolutely essential. And what we find is that the quality of your sleep is as if not more predictive of both all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, metabolic mortality, and in some regards, cancer mortality as well. And when I say quality of sleep, what we're really referring to here is at least one of two things. One is the continuity of your sleep. So you could be sleeping for eight and a half hours according to your sleep tracker, but maybe you are getting eight and a half hours by spending ten hours of time in bed because you are awake so much throughout the night and your sleep is very sort of punctured and littered with all of these awakenings across the night. That's sufficient quantity of sleep eight and a half hours, but it's poor quality of sleep because you are spending too much time awake.Matt Walker (23:30):And so, our measure of quality of sleep typically is what we call sleep efficiency. Of the time that you are in bed, what percent of that time are you asleep? And we like to see some measure of at least 85% or above because once you get less than 85% in terms of your sleep quality or your sleep efficiency, then you start to see many of these unfolding system-wide impairments. You seem to have high risk of diabetes, high risk obesity, high risk, as we said, cardiovascular disease. Also, hormonal changes both in men and in women. We see upstairs in the brain with poor quality of sleep, much more so than quantity of sleep. Poor quality of sleep is a more powerful predictor of mood disturbances and psychiatric conditions. And in fact, I think if you look at the data, at least in my center in the past 23 years, we've not been able to discover a single psychiatric condition in which sleep is normal, which to me is a stunning revelation. And what that tells us is that in many of those conditions they do seem to be getting not too bad of quantity of sleep. What is the marker of psychiatric sleep disturbance is not short quantity, it's poor quality of sleep. So I think it's a wonderful important point that I don't think we pay enough attention to, which is the quality.Eric Topol (25:05):Yes. And the other thing that you've emphasized, and I just want to reiterate to people listening or watching that is the regularity story, just like you said with quality. The data and I'll put the figure in that shows the link between regularity and cardiovascular, neurodegenerative, cancer, that regularity thing. A lot of people don't understand how important that is as well.Matt Walker (25:30):Stunning study from data from the UK Biobank, and this is across thousands and thousands of individuals and they tracked quantity and they tracked regularity and they split people up into the quartiles, those who were most regular and those who were least regular. And as you'll see in those sort of the figure that you flash up, those people who were in the upper quartile of regularity, de-risk all-cause mortality, cancer mortality, cardiovascular mortality, it was stunning. And then they did a cute little experiment of a statistical test where they took quantity because they had it in these individuals and regularity and they kind of put them in the same statistical bucket and did a sort of a Coke Pepsi challenge to see which one won out. And what it seemed to be was that regularity almost beat out quantity in terms of predicting all-cause mortality. Now that's not to say that you can get away with saying, well, I sleep four hours a night, but I sleep very regularly, consistently four hours a night. No, you need both, but regularity. I was someone who based on my remarkably vanilla and pedestrian personality, I've always been quite regular in my regard. But goodness me, even when I read that paper, I thought I'm doubling down on regularity. It's so important. That tells us, I think something that is in some ways a story not about sleep. It's a story about your circadian rhythm.Matt Walker (27:02):We speak a lot, or I speak a lot about sleep, and I think I've probably done a mis service to the other aspect of the sleep wake rhythmicity, which is called your 24 hours circadian rhythm. Now your sleep pressure, the drive to sleep is independent of your circadian rhythm, but they often work beautifully in harmony with each other, and you fall asleep, and you stay asleep. But I think the circadian system is critical because, excuse me, and what the circadian rhythm also regulates, sneezing right at the inopportune moment when you are recording a podcast. But nevertheless, what that tells me is that when you feed your brain signals of wake sleep consistency, which is to say wake, sleep, timing, regularity, there is something about feeding the brain signals of regularity that anchor your 24-hour circadian rhythm and as a consequence, it improves the quantity and the quality of your sleep. They're intertwined.What About Sleep Trackers?Eric Topol (28:09):That's a terrific explanation for what I think a lot of people don't appreciate it's importance. Now, last topic about tracking. Now we understand how important sleep is. It is the superpower I am with you on that really brought that to light in so many ways. But of course, now we can track it with rings with smart watches and we get these readouts things like efficiency as part of the Oura score and other rings and deep sleep or NREM, REM, the works, you can see your awake times that you didn't know you're awake and the whole bit. Do you recommend for people that aren't getting great sleep quality beyond that they should try to establish a regular schedule that they should track to try to improve it and of course how would they improve it? Or are these things like having a cold mattress temperature that is controlled? What are the tricks that you would suggest for trying to improve your sleep through tracking? Or do you think tracking shouldn't be done?Matt Walker (29:16):Oh gosh, it's such a wonderful question and as with wonderful questions, the answer is usually it's complicated and I have to be careful because for someone who's currently wearing three different sleep trackers, it's going to be hard for me to answer this question completely in the negative. And there are three different sleep trackers. But I would say that for the most part, I like the idea of sleep tracking if you are sleeping well, meaning if as long as you're not suffering from insomnia. The reason is because sleep unlike those two other critical of health, which is diet and exercise, is very difficult to subjectively estimate. So if I were to ask you, Eric, how many times have you worked out in the past week, you'd be able to tell me how cleanly or how poorly have you been eating in the past week. You could tell me.Matt Walker (30:09):But if I was to say to you, Eric, how much deep sleep did you get last Tuesday? And if you don't have a sleep tracker, you'd say, I don't know. And so, there's something useful about tracking, especially a non-conscious process that I think is meaningful to many. And often medicine we say what gets measured gets managed, and there is that trite sort of statement. I do think that that's still true for sleep. So many people I've spoken to have, for example, markedly reduced the amount of alcohol consumption because they've been seeing the huge impact that the alcohol consumption in the evening has on their ring smart ring data as a consequence. So overall, I think they're pretty good. When people ask me what's the best sleep tracker, I usually say it's the one that you wear most frequently because if I come up with a band, headband, chest straps, all sorts of different things and it's a hundred percent accurate, but after three uses of it, you stop using it, that's a useless sleep tracker. So I like to think about sleep trackers that are low friction and no friction. When we go to sleep, we take things off, we don't put things on. That's why I liked things like the ring. For example, I think that's a non-intrusive way. I think the mattress may be as if not better because it's a completely friction less device. You don't have to remember to charge it. You don't have to put it on, you just fall into bed, and it tracks your sleep.Matt Walker (31:40):One form factor, I like to think about sleep trackers is the form factor itself. But then the other is accuracy. And I think right now if you look at the data, probably Oura is winning the ring kind of wars. If you look at all wristband wars, I think it's probably the most accurate relative to something like Fitbit or Apple Watch or the Whoop Band. But they're all pretty close. I think Oura is probably the leader in class right now at least. Keep in mind that I used to be an advisor for Oura. I want to make that very clear. So take what I say with a grain of salt in that regard. I think to your question, well, I'll come back to mattresses in just one second.Matt Walker (32:34):For people who are struggling with sleep, I think you've got to be very, very careful with sleep trackers because they can have the counterproductive effect where I gave you the example of alcohol or eating too late. And these sleep trackers help you modify your behaviors to improve your sleep. Well, there are places where these trackers can actually do you a disservice. When you get so hyper focused on your data and your data not looking good each and every day, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy of a negative spiral. And we now have a condition in sleep medicine called orthosomnia. So ortho in medicine typically means straightened. So you've heard of orthodontic straightening teeth, orthopedic straightening bones, orthosomnia is about getting so obsessed with getting your sleep perfect and your sleep straight that it causes an insomnia like syndrome. Now, I don't know, I think the press has made more of this than there is.Matt Walker (33:30):It probably is about 5-7% of the population. I would say at that moment in time, do one of two things. Either take the ring off entirely and just say, I'm going to get my sea legs back underneath me, get some cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia. And when I'm confident I'll put the ring back on. Or don't throw the baby out with the bath water, keep wearing the ring. Try to say to yourself only on let's say a Sunday afternoon, will I open up the app and look historically what's been happening during the past week so that you keep getting your data, but you don't get the angiogenic daily sort of repetition of reinforcement of I'm not sleeping well. I should also note by the way that I think sleep trackers are not a substitute for either a sleep recording laboratory, but also, they're not a substitute for ultimately telling you entirely how good your sleep is.Matt Walker (34:24):Don't forget, you should always keep in mind how do I feel the next day? Because I think a lot of people will see their readiness score as 92 and they feel miserable. They just feel rough. And then another day, my readiness score was 62 and I just went out and I just ran my fastest five mile that I've done in the past six months. So don't forget that subjective sense of sleep is just as important as objective measures of sleep. The final thing I would say to your point about the mattresses, I actually do think that they are a really great vehicle for sleep augmentation because these smart mattresses, they're filled with sensors, things like Eight Sleep, and they will assess your physiology, they will track your sleep just like a sleep tracking ring. But what's also good is that because they can manipulate temperature and your sleep is so thermoregulatory sensitive that they create this kind, it's almost like this bent arc of thermal story throughout the night because you have to warm up at the surface to cool down at the core to fall asleep, then you have to stay cool to stay asleep, then you have to warm up to wake up and they take you through that natural change.Matt Walker (35:41):But they do it intelligently because they're measuring your sleep minute to minute. And then they're saying, I'm tweaking temperature a little bit. Has sleep improved? Has it become worse? Oh, it's become better. Let's lean into that. Let's get them even colder. Oh, wait a second, it's getting worse. Let's warm it back up a little bit. It's like a staircase method, like a Richter shock. And gradually they find your sweet spot and I think that is a really elegant system. And now they're measuring snoring. Snoring perturbations, and they can augment the bed and raise the angle of the bed up just a little bit so that the gravity doesn't have as much of a hold on your airway because when you're lying on your back, the airway wants to collapse down to gravity, and when you raise back up again, it will change that. And so, I think that there's lots of new advantages in, I think mattress technology that we'll see coming out into the future. I think it's a great vehicle for sleep augmentation.Eric Topol (36:37):That's terrific. Well, this has been for me, very educational, as I would've predicted, if anybody's up on everything in this area, it would be you. So thank you, Matt. It's a really brilliant discussion, really enlightening. We could talk some more hours, but I think we've encapsulated some of the big things. And before we finish up, is there anything else you wanted to say?Matt Walker (37:05):No, I think just to thank you for both your work in general in terms of science communication, your offer here specifically to allow me to try to be a very poorly communicated voice of sleep, and also just what you've done in general for I think the accuracy of science communication out into the public. Please never stop, continue to be a shining light for all of us. You are remarkable. Thank you, Eric.Eric Topol (37:31):Oh, you're very kind. And I look forward to the next chance we get to visit in person. It's been too long, Matt. And all the best to you. Thanks for joining today.************************************************A quick pollI cover much about sleep and healthy aging in SUPER AGERS, which has been on the NYT Bestseller list for 3 weeks. I'm very grateful to many of you for being one of the book's readers.And thanks for reading and subscribing to Ground Truths.If you found this interesting please share it!That makes the work involved in putting these together especially worthwhile.All content on Ground Truths—its newsletters, analyses, and podcasts, are free, open-access.Paid subscriptions are voluntary and all proceeds from them go to support Scripps Research. They do allow for posting comments and questions, which I do my best to respond to. Many thanks to those who have contributed—they have greatly helped fund our summer internship programs for the past two years Get full access to Ground Truths at erictopol.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of Conversations with Rich Bennett, marketing powerhouse Julie Matzen joins Rich and co-host Michelle Hayes to share how her innovative platform, Boarderline, is transforming the way small and mid-sized businesses access expert marketing advice. Julie explains how AI, strategic planning, and curated advisory boards are giving entrepreneurs affordable access to top-tier knowledge, without burning through budgets. A must-listen for anyone looking to launch or grow a business in today's digital world. Guest: Julie Matzen Julie Matzen is a seasoned marketing expert with over 25 years of experience working with major brands like Sherwin-Williams, Oura, and Yale Smart Locks. She is the founder of Mayday Agency and co-founder of Boarderline, a groundbreaking advisory platform that connects startups and small business owners to elite industry experts. Julie's mission is to make high-level guidance accessible to entrepreneurs at every stage of growth. Main Topics: ·         Julie's path from PR to founding a full-service ad agency·         The birth and mission of Boarderline·         Common marketing mistakes small business owners make·         Why “everyone is not your customer”·         How to use AI effectively—and what to avoid·         Strategic planning and the importance of a business plan·         PR vs. paid media: what works and why·         How to build an advisory board on a budget·         The future of advertising and attribution in a post-cookie world·         Why personalization and strategy matter more than “cute content” Resources mentioned: ·         Mayday Agency (Julie's marketing agency)·         Boarderline – Business advisory platform·         Sherwin Williams, Cricut, Oura Ring, Yale Smart Locks, Master Lock·         Brad DeLava – Media expert at Borderline·         Janet Notardonato – Market research expert at Borderline·         Authority Magazine (Medium.com feature)·         LegalZSend us a textPre-order your copy todaySupport the showRate & Review on Apple Podcasts Follow the Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast on Social Media:Facebook – Conversations with Rich Bennett Facebook Group (Join the conversation) – Conversations with Rich Bennett podcast group | FacebookTwitter – Conversations with Rich Bennett Instagram – @conversationswithrichbennettTikTok – CWRB (@conversationsrichbennett) | TikTok Sponsors, Affiliates, and ways we pay the bills:Hosted on BuzzsproutRocketbookSquadCast Contests & Giveaways Subscribe by Email

In this episode of the MindBodySpace Podcast, we explore how data can empower us to build resilience by motivating us to change and choose healthy behaviors!I sit down with Jasmin Hemdani, a software and data engineer at Oura Ring, to talk about her inspiring journey in tech and how data science can support everyday wellness.Jasmine shares how moms can use simple, engaging ways to introduce data concepts to their kids—boosting both resilience and future-ready skills. We also dive into how Oura's biosensors, including their new cardiovascular age algorithm, help families better understand and support physical health. Plus, we touch on the growing role of AI in making smarter, more personalized health decisions.Whether you're data-curious or already tracking your sleep, this episode offers practical insights for weaving data into your daily routines—for your well-being and your child's future.

The rise of AI in fitness is impossible to ignore — but is it a threat to personal trainers or the ultimate tool for growth?In this episode, Eddie Lester (Founder of Fitness Mentors) dives deep into how artificial intelligence is reshaping the personal training industry. From ChatGPT-generated workout plans to wearable tech like WHOOP and Oura, the tools your clients use are getting smarter. So where does that leave you?

Today, I pull back the curtain on my daily routine for optimizing my health and energy, sharing tools from my personal biohacking toolkit and clarifying the science behind how these simple interventions can radically transform the way you feel and function. In this episode, we explore how your cells are constantly under attack, the benefits of EMF mitigation, and the unexpected ways that blue light disrupts sleep and metabolism. I also explain how red light laser therapy can stimulate hair regrowth at a cellular level and why morning sunlight might be the most powerfully effective biohack available for free.  If you have ever wondered whether these biohacking tools are science-based or just expensive placebos, this episode is for you. Tune in for a breakdown of exactly what happens in your body and some actionable steps you can take immediately to start optimizing your health. The Benefits of Red Light Therapy: Stimulates collagen production Reduces inflammation Improves circulation  Accelerates wound healing  Supports mental and emotional health Dr. Stephanie Gray's Bio: Stephanie Gray, DNP, FAARFM, is a functional medicine provider and mother who helps men and women build sustainable and optimal health and longevity so they can focus on what matters most to them!  She is an Amazon best-selling author of her book Your Longevity Blueprint, host of the Your Longevity Blueprint podcast, and co-founder of Your Longevity Blueprint Nutraceuticals with her husband, Eric. They founded the Integrative Health and Hormone Clinic in Hiawatha, Iowa. In this episode: How EMFs disrupt your physical health The biohacking interventions I use to mitigate the effects of EMF exposure Why blue light-blocking glasses are essential for kids and adults How red light hair growth laser therapy works, its benefits, and how it helped me reduce my postpartum hair loss How exposure to morning light resets your circadian rhythm and improves sleep The benefits of combining salt and light therapies  How the Oura ring helps you track your sleep and recovery How Pulsetto Vagus Nerve Stimulator works as an instant stress reduction button   How the WavWatch uses sound frequency as a medicine The value of stacking various interventions and supplements to biohack your health Links and Resources: Use code BRAINMAG to get 10% off ⁠⁠Neuro Magnesium Support Try Halo (Salt) Therapy for respiratory and skin health. Call 319-363-0033 to schedule your session. Relative Links for This Show: Episode 209: Sound Therapy with WavWatch, Part 1 with Linda Bamber-Olson  Episode 217: Halotherapy (Salt Therapy) with Leo Tonkin Follow Your Longevity Blueprint  On Instagram| Facebook| Twitter| YouTube | LinkedIn Get your copy of the Your Longevity Blueprint book and claim your bonuses here Find Dr. Stephanie Gray and Your Longevity Blueprint online   Follow Dr. Stephanie Gray  On Facebook| Instagram| Youtube | Twitter | LinkedIn Integrative Health and Hormone Clinic Podcast production by Team Podcast

Happy Wednesday, it's time for our weekly chat, wahooo.A recent piece in the New York Times asked Is All of This Self-Monitoring Making Us Paranoid? It was all about wearable health technology such as Oura rings. Oura rings are smart devices worn on the finger that contain sensors so you can track over 20 biometrics such as sleep, movement, body temperature, stress, menstrual cycles and something called daily readiness. They're between around £350 and £500, which I don't believe covers a subscription to data and insights, which is an additional monthly or yearly fee, and they promise to “empower you to prioritise your long term health goals and build healthy habits that will last a lifetime.” The New York Times piece is really interesting, and explores how this kind of data isn't always a gateway to good physical health habits, but can for some people, increase their anxiety and unhealthy body monitoring habits. We get into it and hear from you, the listeners, too!We hope you enjoy, and as always please do follow + review the show on your podcast player app as it helps others to find the podcast :)O,R,B xIs All of This Self-Monitoring Making Us Paranoid? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Welcome to the latest episode of L.I.F.T.S – your bite-sized dose of the Latest Industry Fitness Trends and Stories. This week, Matthew and Mo dive deep into the evolving landscape of fitness tech. From the exploding smart ring market and wearables like Oura, Ultrahuman, and Bond, to the rise of sleep-focused products like AGZ and Athletic Greens, we examine what's real, what's hype, and how to stay ahead. We also cover EOS Fitness's billion-dollar acquisition and what it means for the future of budget-friendly premium gyms. Don't miss this engaging breakdown of what's next in fitness, tech, and wellness. ====================================================== Support fitness industry news by sponsoring future LIFTS episodes. Contact us at wendy@escapefitness.com for advertising opportunities. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and turn on your notifications so you never miss a new video when it's published: https://www.youtube.com/user/EscapeFitness Shop gym equipment: https://escapefitness.com/shop View our full catalog: https://escapefitness.com/support/catalog (US) https://escapefitness.com/support/catalogue (UK)  ====================================================== Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Escapefitness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/escapefitness Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/escapefitness LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/escapefitness/   0:00 – Intro & Mo's Harvard Update 2:00 – Matthew's BrainTap Experience 5:30 – The Smart Ring Revolution 13:15 – ECG and Glucose Monitoring in Wearables 18:30 – Sleep Supplements: Innovation or Repackaging? 24:00 – EOS Fitness's Billion Dollar Buyout 31:00 – The Rise of Interactive Strength 36:00 – OpenAI, Johnny Ive & the Next iPhone? 40:00 – Final Takeaways

Chris Koch is the founder and CEO of VO/D, a venture studio that partners with massive talent celebrities to build enduring CPG brands across DTC, e-commerce, and retail. With a background in sports, investment banking, and talent management, Chris brings deep experience in identifying consumer needs, pairing them with the right creators, and executing product-first brand launches.In this episode of DTC Pod, Chris walks through Void's venture model, emphasizing the importance of strong products over mere celebrity endorsement. He shares the inside story of 1Up Candy's rapid national retail rollout and outlines key frameworks for structuring talent partnerships, screening for true product-market fit, and ensuring long-term profitability in the saturated creator-led brand space.Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. VO/D's Venture Studio Model  2. Partnering with Celebrities and Creators  3. Product-First Versus Talent-First Approach  4. Identifying Consumer Problems 5. Selecting The Right Talent  6. Talent as a Marketing Utility  7. Challenges in Sourcing and Engaging Talent  8. Social Following vs Purchase Influence  9. Structuring Talent Partnerships  10. Brand Launch Funding and Operations  11. 1Up Candy Launch Story  12. Retail Distribution Partnerships  13. Inventory Financing and Cash Flow  14. Creator-Led Marketing Strategies  15. Legal and Contractual Safeguards  16. Tips for Talent-Led Brands  17. VO/D's Future Direction Timestamps00:00 Chris's background & intro to VO/D03:35 Why Void is product-first, not just talent-powered05:04 An inside look at VO/D's venture studio model06:55 Talent as a utility & making brands that stand alone10:31 Challenges matching creators to authentic product opportunities11:28 Assessing conversion, reach, and fit in creator partners13:40 How 1Up Candy with FaZe Rug came together17:31 Disrupting candy with innovation and viral challenges20:33 Breaking into 4,000 Walmart stores & key retail strategy23:30 Operational realities of scaling fast (financing, supply chain, DTC vs. retail)29:18 How to structure talent deals: equity, vesting, and incentives35:17 Red flags and protective provisions in creator agreements40:08 What's next for VO/D: new categories, creator partners, and acquisition opportunitiesShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokChris Koch - Founder of VO/DBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

If you had just minutes to grab only the essentials for your health—what would make the cut? In this episode, Chalene breaks down her ride-or-die wellness tools, the exact 11 things she had to take when she and Bret had to suddenly evacuate their home due to toxic mold. From ugly (but genius) barefoot shoes to supplements that legit saved her energy, skin, and sleep, she's not holding back. Whether you're rebuilding your health routine or just want to see what Chalene swears by, this list is packed with tried-and-true essentials for women in midlife and beyond. Watch this Episode on YouTube this Sunday

Locke Hughes, a Park City-based journalist and head of content at Oura, shares how health wearables empower users to understand their bodies better — tracking everything from sleep quality to heart health and fertility— while emphasizing a compassionate, data-driven approach to wellness and self-awareness. Then, Kendra Wyckoff, executive director of Peace House, discusses the prevalence and complexity of domestic violence, the wide range of services Peace House provides to those in crisis and how community members can support survivors with compassion and care.

In this powerful episode of SHE MD, hosts Mary Alice Haney and Dr. Thaïs Aliabadi sit down with Amy Griffin, author of the memoir "The Tell”. Amy shares what “The Tell” is about. She recounts her experience of childhood trauma and finds healing through unconventional methods. The conversation addresses the complexities of repressed memories, the pursuit of perfection, and the transformative power of vulnerability.Access more information about the podcast and additional expert health tips by visiting SHE MD Podcast and Ovii. Sponsors: Equip: To learn more about Equip treatment, visit equip.health/sobermomlife. Cymbiotika: Go to Cymbiotikia.com/SHEMD for 20% off your order + free shipping today.KiwiCo: Get $15 off on your Summer Adventure Series at kiwico.com/SHEMDNutrafol: Nutrafol is offering our listeners ten dollars off your first month's subscription and free shipping when you go to Nutrafol.com and enter promo code SHEMDStriVectin: StriVectin – Discover the Science Behind Great SkinOpill: Opill is birth control in your control, and you can use code SHEMD for twenty five percent off your first month of Opill at Opill.com AMY GRIFFIN'S KEY TAKEAWAYS:Embrace Vulnerability: Allow yourself to be open and honest about your feelings.Seek Support: Reach out to trusted friends or professionals for guidance.Explore Alternative Therapies: Consider therapies like psychedelic-assisted therapy, ensuring you have medical supervision.Practice Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness you offer others.Be Patient with Healing: Understand that healing is a journey, not a destination.Own Your Truth: Listen to your inner voice and find empowerment in acknowledging and owning your experiences.Seek Joy Amidst Challenges: Look for light even in the darkest times, knowing that joy can follow pain.IN THIS EPISODE: (00:00) Intro(05:47) What happened to “The Tell” author Amy Griffin? (08:42) Children's role in uncovering hidden truths(13:16) Breaking free from perfectionism and control(17:48) Graphic details of childhood sexual abuse(25:55) MDMA-assisted therapy: A transformative experience(40:58) Vulnerability as a source of strength(42:12) What is “The Tell” by Amy Griffin about?(44:58) Finding light after facing the darknessRESOURCES:Amy Griffin's - InstagramAmy Griffin's - LinkedInThe Tell Book GUEST BIOGRAPHY:Amy Griffin is the Founder and Managing Partner of G9 Ventures, a private fund that invests in generation-defining brands. G9 has partnered with over 60 companies, including Bobbie, Bumble, Evvy, Kitsch, Midi Health, On Running, Oura, Saie, and Spanx. Amy is an enthusiastic champion of women with more than 70% of G9's portfolio companies being female founded or led. She is known for her ability to help build brands by fostering community, creating authentic connections, and solving problems. Amy serves on the Board of Directors of Bumble, Spanx, and Gagosian and is a member of the Board of Trustees of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Women's Board of the Boys Club of New York, and the Advisory Board of the One Love Foundation. She is a frequent speaker at notable conferences and events, including those hosted by The New York Times, The Information, JPMorgan, among others. Amy's debut memoir, The Tell, about the transformative power of sharing one's story, will be published in March 2025. Amy graduated with a BA in English from the University of Virginia where she was Captain and MVP on the women's volleyball team. She lives in New York City with her husband, John, and their four children.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode is a full-on catch-up as Chalene answers the most asked questions from her community. From testing four different smart fitness rings at once, to navigating mold-related health drama, unpacking after eight moves, and breaking down the real deal on GLP-1s and micro-dosing — nothing's off limits. She also opens up about stepping back from travel plans, why true rest matters, and spills some behind-the-scenes tea on the book-writing world. It's a packed episode that's honest, unfiltered, and unexpectedly helpful.

Ever wake up after a full 8 hours and still feel like a groggy, overworked version of yourself? Optimizing sleep is something I've worked hard at, and now I've cracked the code to get high-quality rest almost every night. It improved after going alcohol-free and has become even better since starting my fertility journey! In this episode, I'm spilling the (decaf!) tea on why you might not be sleeping and how to finally sleep like a freaking baby. Some tips you've probably heard before (no tech before bed!) but I also share the lesser known practices that aren't talked about - the nitty gritty microchanges you can make TODAY that have enormous potential impact. If you're done settling for restless nights and tired mornings, this episode will give you the exact practices to reclaim your rest and your freaking life. These tips are exactly what you can expect inside Euphoric the Club, my brand new membership program for successful women who don't drink (and the women who are becoming them).  Become a founding member of this revolution and join for $59 a month, which also includes access to all my signature courses like Become Euphoric and Become Emboldened. It's going to be the most incredible experience on the internet, and I can't wait for you to get started.   IN THIS EPISODE: Why alcohol is the WORST sleep disruptor, with neuroscience behind why it puts your brain into a coma state, blocks REM cycles, and triggers 3 am wake-ups Luxurious nighttime rituals and science-backed hacks I use to sleep like a freaking baby, from bath-time decompression to reading before bed Surprising sleep saboteurs, including late-night snacks, sugary desserts, and even the way your phone emits blue light (plus Karolina's ultra-simple tricks to overcome them) How tracking your sleep (with devices like the Oura ring) creates instant feedback and builds motivation to make tiny tweaks that deliver massive results All the details on Euphoric the Club, a community of like-minded women who want to live their best and most successful alcohol-free lives   LINKS/RESOURCES MENTIONED Euphoric the Club is your ultimate alcohol-free space for successful women who don't drink (and also the women who want to be them)! It's a place where you can lose the desire for alcohol and feel normalized among like-minded women, with monthly challenges and meet-ups that help you feel your best, step into your purpose, and light your fire. Join for $59 a month.  My book is available in hardcover, Kindle, and as an audiobook. Be sure to get your copy of Euphoric: Ditch Alcohol and Gain a Happier, More Confident You today and leave your review. Follow @euphoric.af on Instagram. And as always, rate, review, and subscribe so we can continue spreading our message far and wide.

Aaron Nosbisch is the founder and CEO of BRĒZ, a cannabis social tonic beverage designed as an alcohol alternative that offers a euphoric, feel-good effect without the downsides of alcohol. He built his expertise in e-commerce from an early age, launching multiple internet brands and scaling previous ventures like MONQ (portable aromatherapy diffuser, 0 to $15 million in three years as CMO), and running Lucyd Media, the world's largest cannabis social advertising agency, which run 80% of meta ads for the cannabis space.In this episode, Aaron and Blaine explore how BRĒZ identified untapped demand, iterated their product to solve a genuine founder problem, and brought it to market with precision: leveraging lean startup methodology, subscription-first landing pages, micro-batch production, effective founder-led UGC creative, and meticulous customer service. They discuss cash flow realities, funding first runs, the role of retention in beverage DTC, and how direct-to-consumer momentum powers retail expansion and shelf velocity. Aaron also shares transparent insights on ad spend, internal ops, and the principles that fuel brand growth.Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. Pillars of a Successful DTC Brand2. Challenges of Scaling Beverages DTC3. Early Stage Funding and Resources Management4. Supply Chain Processes in Product Launches5. Team Building, Finding the Right Partners6. Pre-Launch and Launch Strategies7. Testing and Iterating Ad Campaigns8. Founder-Led Content in Advertising 9. Guerrilla Strategies for Audience and List Building10. Media Buying, Optimizing CAC, and Scaling Spend11. Building AOV, Subscription, and Retention12. Customer Feedback and Iteration Cycles13. Importance of Timing and Market ReadinessTimestamps00:00 Introducing Aaron and BRĒZ05:06 The “alcohol alternative” white space and product vision13:21 Launching a DTC beverage: initial capital and inventory20:32 Validating demand, managing resource constraints25:44 First ads and sales: founder content, guerilla tactics34:07 Early CACs, ad budgets, and optimizing for LTV38:22 E-commerce vs retail: channel mix and growth phases46:50 Key takeaways & where to follow Aaron and BRĒZShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokAaron Nosbisch - Founder and CEO of BRĒZBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic

Dexom and Oura announced a partnership a few months ago and now they've announced a new integration. This is the Dexcom Stelo – the OTC biosensor (they don't call it a CGM) for people who don't use insulin and Oura a smart ring for fitness stress sleep and health. From the news release: This first to market glucose biosensor and smart ring integration will provide members with a personalized metabolic health experience that will allow users to better understand the link between activity, sleep, stress, nutrition and their glucose. It will be available in the new Glucose feature within the Oura Ring app to all US members. Also, Dexcom and Oura are making this partnership as accessible as possible by allowing Oura members to purchase Stelo directly from ouraring.com.  My guest is endocrinologist Dr. Helen Baron, Medical Director of Diabetes Education Services at Eisenhower medical center in California.  This podcast is not intended as medical advice. If you have those kinds of questions, please contact your health care provider. Join us at an upcoming Moms' Night Out event! Please visit our Sponsors & Partners - they help make the show possible! Learn more about Gvoke Glucagon Gvoke HypoPen® (glucagon injection): Glucagon Injection For Very Low Blood Sugar (gvokeglucagon.com) Omnipod - Simplify Life Learn about Dexcom  Check out VIVI Cap to protect your insulin from extreme temperatures The best way to keep up with Stacey and the show is by signing up for our weekly newsletter: Sign up for our newsletter here Here's where to find us: Facebook (Group) Facebook (Page) Instagram Check out Stacey's books! Learn more about everything at our home page www.diabetes-connections.com  Reach out with questions or comments: info@diabetes-connections.

Marin Ištvanić is a partner at Inspire Brands, a boutique agency focused on paid social ads, primarily on Facebook and Instagram. He has personally spent over $150 million on Facebook ads for clients and internal brands, successfully scaling Inspire's own brand to $30 million in revenue by their third year.In this episode of DTC Pod, Marin shares his insights on growing brands profitably through paid social. He discusses the importance of achieving product-market fit, crafting compelling offers, and understanding unit economics. Marin also details his agency's creative testing process and how to efficiently scale winning ad angles from static images to videos to landing pages.Interact with other DTC experts and access our monthly fireside chats with industry leaders on DTC Pod Slack.On this episode of DTC Pod, we cover:1. Achieving Product-Market Fit2. Scaling Brands through Facebook Ads3. Product Differentiation4. How to Craft a Compelling Offer5. Subscription Products and Pricing Strategies6. Landing Pages for Facebook Ads7. Advertorials and Third-Party Content for Ads8. Whitelisting and Leveraging External Trust in Ads9. Ad Format Mix and Budget Allocation10. Advantage+ Campaigns and AI11. Scaling Ad Creative Production12. Testing Ad Variations and HooksTimestamps00:00 Marin's background and joining Inspire Brands 04:48 Importance of product-market fit and differentiation 06:50 Creating demand vs picking an established market10:34 What makes an effective offer and how to craft one12:41 Subscription models and free trial strategies16:59 $1K/day spend as indicator of product-market fit 18:36 Choosing the right landing page for your product 25:07 Whitelisting strategies and organic-looking content27:48 Typical budget allocation across ad formats30:29 Facebook's Advantage+ campaigns and AI features 33:23 Strategies for scaling ad creative24:44 Final tips: know your numbers and when to spendShow notes powered by CastmagicPast guests & brands on DTC Pod include Gilt, PopSugar, Glossier, MadeIN, Prose, Bala, P.volve, Ritual, Bite, Oura, Levels, General Mills, Mid Day Squares, Prose, Arrae, Olipop, Ghia, Rosaluna, Form, Uncle Studios & many more.  Additional episodes you might like:• #175 Ariel Vaisbort - How OLIPOP Runs Influencer, Community, & Affiliate Growth• #184 Jake Karls, Midday Squares - Turning Your Brand Into The Influencer With Content• #205 Kasey Stewart: Suckerz- - Powering Your Launch With 300 Million Organic Views• #219 JT Barnett: The TikTok Masterclass For Brands• #223 Lauren Kleinman: The PR & Affiliate Marketing Playbook• ​​​​#243 Kian Golzari - Source & Develop Products Like The World's Best Brands-----Have any questions about the show or topics you'd like us to explore further?Shoot us a DM; we'd love to hear from you.Want the weekly TL;DR of tips delivered to your mailbox?Check out our newsletter here.Projects the DTC Pod team is working on:DTCetc - all our favorite brands on the internetOlivea - the extra virgin olive oil & hydroxytyrosol supplementCastmagic - AI Workspace for ContentFollow us for content, clips, giveaways, & updates!DTCPod InstagramDTCPod TwitterDTCPod TikTokMarin Ištvanić - Partner at Inspire BrandsBlaine Bolus - Co-Founder of CastmagicRamon Berrios - Co-Founder of Castmagic