The Elevated Health Podcast

Muscle: The Unsung Organ for Metabolic Health

This episode reframes muscle as a metabolic and endocrine organ—vital for blood sugar control, insulin sensitivity, energy, and long-term independence, not just strength or appearance. Muscle pulls glucose from the bloodstream through GLUT4 transporters, helps regulate hormones, and modestly increases resting calorie burn. Maintaining muscle supports metabolic flexibility and resilience as we age. New research shows weight loss (including from GLP‑1 medications) can reduce lean mass, but lean mass on scans includes more than just skeletal muscle. The point is intentionality: preserve muscle while pursuing weight or metabolic goals. Practical steps: prioritize protein (a common starting target is ~100 g/day), add resistance to daily life (bands, bodyweight exercises, carrying groceries, stairs), and use short bouts of movement—especially after carb-containing meals—to improve glucose use. Special considerations include hormonal differences in women and greater muscle loss with age, so plan intentionally to maintain muscle through life stages. Overall, preserving muscle is one of the highest-return investments for long-term health, metabolic control, and independence.

Dayna Schertler, LCSW: CBT to Rewire Your Thinking

On this episode, host Amanda Jones, FNP welcomes LCSW Dayna Schertler, a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) specialist with over 30 years of experience. Dayna and the host discuss what CBT is, how it developed, and why its structured, goal-focused approach helps people make measurable changes in anxiety, depression, trauma, and everyday problems. They cover the typical CBT session: setting an agenda, using Socratic questioning, assigning practical homework, and celebrating small wins to build momentum. Dayna emphasizes behavioral activation (starting small and building) and how testing new behaviors between sessions accelerates progress. The conversation also explores how CBT can change the brain by creating new neural pathways, the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on lifelong mental and physical health, and the importance of integrated care that treats mental and physical health together. Dayna discusses the role of medication, nutrition, and sleep alongside therapy. To wrap up, Dayna gives tips for choosing a therapist — ask about training, orientation, and whether they use homework — and reassures listeners that evidence-based therapy can be time-limited, practical, and focused on giving you tools to thrive.

Glycemic Index vs Glycemic Load: What Actually Matters for Blood Sugar?

This episode traces the history and purpose of the glycemic index (GI), created by David Jenkins in 1981 to compare how foods affect blood glucose in controlled tests, and explains why glycemic load (GL) was introduced to account for portion size. It highlights the limits of GI testing—fasting subjects and isolated foods—and why real-world meals, meal composition, and preparation methods change glucose responses, using examples like watermelon and cooled-and-reheated rice. The show covers modern findings that individual glucose responses vary widely, how continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) reveal personalized patterns, and the many factors that influence blood sugar including sleep, stress, muscle mass, microbiome, and timing. Practical tips include pairing carbs with protein, fat, and fiber, choosing less-processed options, moving after meals, improving sleep, and using GI/GL as tools rather than moral judgments about food. Overall, the episode encourages using data wisely—focusing on how high and how long glucose rises and how well it recovers—rather than aiming for a perfectly flat glucose line, and emphasizes personalization over universal food rules.

Dr. William Braudt: Chiropractic Care From People to Animals

Dr. William Braudt of 806 Chiropractic joins Amanda Jones for a deep dive into what chiropractic care actually is — and what most people misunderstand about it. The conversation explores the history and evolution of chiropractic medicine, how chiropractors are trained in the United States and abroad, and why the profession often sits at the intersection of conventional medicine, movement, mobility, and nervous system regulation. Dr. Braudt explains how chiropractic care may support people across the lifespan, including newborns, pregnant women, athletes, working adults, and older adults looking to maintain mobility and quality of life. Amanda and Dr. B also discuss the mind-body connection, stress patterns stored physically in the body, posture, nervous system function, and how modern lifestyles may contribute to chronic tension and pain. The episode also takes a fascinating turn into animal chiropractic, where Dr. Braudt shares how he expanded from human care into treating animals, the specialized training required, and the dramatic ways horses, dogs, and other animals can respond to treatment. Along the way, they tackle: * Common myths about chiropractic care * How to choose a qualified chiropractor * Red flags patients should watch for * What realistic treatment plans look like * Why different chiropractors practice differently * How chiropractic fits alongside traditional healthcare Whether you’re skeptical, curious, or already a fan of chiropractic care, this episode offers a balanced and practical look at one of healthcare’s most debated fields.

Why the Scale Goes UP When You’re Sick

When you’re sick, you probably expect the scale to go down. After all, you’re eating less, moving less, maybe even sweating or dehydrated.   So why does the number sometimes go up?   In this mini episode of The Elevated Health Podcast, Amanda Jones, nurse practitioner, breaks down the real physiology behind illness-related weight gain — including inflammation, fluid retention, stress hormones, slowed digestion, glycogen storage, medications, and immune system activation.   You’ll learn:   * why inflammation can make you feel swollen or “puffy” * how cortisol and stress hormones affect fluid balance * why eating less doesn’t always equal immediate weight loss * the role of hydration, sodium, glycogen, and digestion * why the scale is measuring far more than body fat     If you’ve ever stepped on the scale during a cold, allergy flare, pregnancy, autoimmune flare, or stressful week and thought “this makes no sense,” this episode is for you.   Because sometimes your body is trying to heal — not trying to lose weight.   #weightloss #inflammation #wellness #nutrition #podcast #healthpodcast #hormones #immunesystem #metabolism #fluidretention #womenshealth #longevity