The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai

The Breathing Crisis: How Modern Life Stole Your Breath and the Ancient Practice That Gets It Back

🎙️ Most people breathe 20,000 times a day, yet modern life has systematically broken this fundamental function. Dr. Pedram Shojai reveals how collapsed posture, chronic stress, mouth breathing, and lost body awareness have created a breathing crisis—leaving us in survival mode with shallow, chest-based breathing that signals constant danger to our nervous systems. In this essential episode, discover the four ways modern life has stolen your breath and why dysfunctional breathing creates cascading physical consequences from chronic anxiety and brain fog to digestive issues, immune dysfunction, and even facial distortions. Dr. Shojai guides you through a practical breathing restoration practice combining postural awareness, nasal breathing, and diaphragmatic techniques that can increase heart rate variability by 15-25% in just weeks. 🎯 What You'll Learn: * The Four Ways Modern Life Broke Your Breathing: Collapsed posture (8-12 hours hunched compressing diaphragm), accumulated stress (chronic sympathetic dominance), mouth breathing epidemic (reduces oxygen delivery by up to 20%), and lost interoceptive awareness (breathing 15-20 times/minute instead of optimal 6-8) * The Devastating Physical Consequences: Chronic hyperventilation leading to alkalosis and anxiety, diaphragmatic dysfunction creating digestive and pelvic floor problems, lymphatic stagnation reducing immune function, fascial restrictions causing chronic pain, and facial distortions requiring orthodontics and cosmetic surgery * Why Your Breath is the Master Control Panel: The only part of your autonomic nervous system you can consciously control—bridging conscious and unconscious mind * The Guided Breathing Restoration Practice: Postural setup (stacked spine), nasal breathing technique (engaging nitric oxide production), 4-2-6-2 diaphragmatic pattern (belly → ribs → chest like filling a glass), and expanded multi-awareness practice * The Science Behind Restoration: Heart rate variability increases 15-25% in weeks, improved vagal tone for inflammatory control and emotional regulation, increased oxygen delivery for cellular energy, improved CO2 tolerance reducing anxiety * Becoming a Breath Researcher: Investigation questions for the week—when do you hold your breath, what situations trigger shallow breathing, how does breath change with posture, what's the quality upon waking or before bed * Why Breath is Foundation for Everything: All other practices (qigong, meditation, cold exposure, movement) build upon proper breathing—fix this first 🔑 Key Insights: "Modern life has systemically stolen your breath through a perfect storm of posture, stress, and environmental factors. Your nervous system thinks you're being chased by a tiger while you're sitting at your dumb desk." "Your breath is the only part of your autonomic nervous system you can control—it's the bridge between your conscious and unconscious mind. This isn't woo woo. This is just taking back control." "Mouth breathing bypasses nitric oxide-producing bacteria and reduces oxygen delivery by up to 20%. It's connected to sleep apnea and facial structure changes over time." "Most people breathe using only 10% of lung capacity while breathing 15-20 times per minute instead of the optimal 6-8 times. Your nervous system thinks you're being chased." "If you fix your breathing, you fix the foundation of everything else. Ancient technology we've forgotten to use—bring it back." 💡 Action Steps: * Do the Quick Assessment now: Place one hand on chest, one on belly—which moves more when you breathe? Non-judgmental awareness of current pattern * Practice the 4-2-6-2 Pattern: Inhale through nose 4 counts (belly → ribs → chest), pause 2 counts, exhale 6 counts (belly draws in), pause 2 counts—do 5 rounds right now * Become a Breath Researcher this week: Notice when you hold your breath, what situations trigger shallow breathing, how posture affects breath, quality upon waking/before bed * Set up proper posture throughout your day: Sit forward on chair with stacked spine, crown pulling upward, shoulders relaxed down and back, grounded through sit bones * Try the Chinese practice: Keep tongue tip touching roof of mouth while nasal breathing to enhance the practice 🎧 Perfect for: Anyone experiencing chronic anxiety, brain fog, or muscle tension, people stuck in sympathetic dominance who can't access rest-and-digest mode, those with digestive issues or immune dysfunction that might stem from dysfunctional breathing, anyone who's tried meditation or stress management but struggles with the foundation, or people spending 8-12 hours hunched over screens with collapsed posture. 📚 Mentioned Resources: * New 52-module breathing course (launching mid-January) * The Urban Monk Academy Temple Grounds (breathing practices, qigong, meditation) * Gene Keys book and website (genekeys.com) - ongoing book study through late January * CO2 tolerance training and free diving experience in Thailand 🌐 Connect with Dr. Shojai: * Website: theurbanmonk.com * Books: The Urban Monk, Inner Alchemy, The Art of Stopping Time, Focus * Documentaries: Interconnected, Gateway to Health, Trauma, Conscious Parenting #BreathingCrisis #BreathworkHealing #NervousSystemHealth #DiaphragmaticBreathing #HeartRateVariability #VagalTone #FunctionalMedicine #HolisticHealth #MindBodyConnection #InteroceptiveAwareness #StressResilience #AutonomicNervousSystem #AncientWisdom #ModernWellness #HealthOptimization #UrbanMonk #Wellness

Breaking the Sympathetic Spiral of Doom with Dr. Scott Sherr

🎙️ Dr. Pedram Shojai sits down with integrative medicine physician Dr. Scott Sherr to unpack one of the most overlooked health crises of our time: the sympathetic spiral of doom. When your nervous system gets stuck in fight-or-flight mode, your mitochondria desperately try to produce more energy but lack the resources to sustain it. The result? Plummeting energy, skyrocketing stress, and a body that can't heal itself. Dr. Sherr explains the intricate dance between sympathetic nervous system activation and mitochondrial dysfunction, revealing how this vicious cycle begins and, more importantly, how to break it. 🎯 What You'll Learn: * The Sympathetic-Mitochondrial Connection: How chronic fight-or-flight forces mitochondria to produce excessive energy, creating reactive oxygen species (free radicals) until cells trigger "cell danger response" and shut down to protect themselves * The GABA System as the Unsung Hero: Why depression is more likely a GABA deficiency than serotonin deficiency, and how GABA controls the sensory gate (anxious brains: 70,000 thoughts/day becomes 120,000 with anxiety) * The Six Major Drivers of Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Insulin resistance (75% of US adults), chronic sympathetic activation, environmental toxins, infections (COVID, mold, Lyme), medications (birth control, PPIs, metformin), and lack of stimulation * Why GABA supplements often indicate a leaky blood-brain barrier—and how healing gut permeability affects efficacy * The Caffeine Trap: How caffeine blocks adenosine receptors creating the "adenosine crush" and inevitable crash, tolerance, dependence, and the morning headache cycle * Strategic Supplement Support: Nicotinamide GABA (B3-GABA) crosses blood-brain barrier effectively, muscimol from Amanita muscaria for sleep, natural GABA receptor support (CBD, CBG, CBN, kava) * Advanced Interventions Timing: Why hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can make things WORSE during sympathetic spiral—optimal timing is 3-6 months after baseline optimization * The shocking statistic: 94% of US adults have mitochondrial dysfunction; only 6% are metabolically healthy 🔑 Key Insights: "The sympathetic spiral of doom is a vicious cycle where stress damages mitochondria, which triggers more stress. It's like revving your car engine in a closed garage—pushing harder just makes things worse." "GABA deficiency symptoms include anxiety, depression, insomnia, and tremors. Depression is more likely a GABA deficiency than the serotonin deficiency theory we've relied on despite lack of evidence." "The productivity paradox: doing less with a calmer nervous system produces better results. You can't supplement your way out when you're clamped down in fight-or-flight." "Sleep is the most leveraged cornerstone habit because it forces brutal awareness in the quiet night. It's where detoxification happens via the glymphatic system." "Don't believe everything you think—the survival-focused mind lies. The goal is creating an ecosystem of health, not finding a magic bullet." 💡 Action Steps: * Test your GABA system: If GABA supplements help you sleep or reduce anxiety, that's diagnostic information suggesting leaky blood-brain barrier—address gut permeability first * Implement cornerstone sleep habits: Consistent sleep-wake timing (even weekends), dark room, wind-down routine without alcohol, separate beds if needed for quality sleep * Convert glutamate to GABA naturally: Ensure adequate magnesium and B6 (both commonly deficient)—the glutamine-glutamate-GABA pathway requires these co-factors * Use caffeine tactically, not habitually: Recognize the adenosine crush and morning headache trap as signs of tolerance and dependence * Wait 3-6 months after baseline optimization before advanced therapies: Hyperbaric oxygen, methylene blue, red light, and sauna work best AFTER stabilizing sympathetic activation 🎧 Perfect for: Anyone who's "wired but tired," doing more but accomplishing less, stuck in chronic stress with declining energy, struggling with anxiety or insomnia despite trying multiple interventions, experiencing brain fog or mental health issues that might be mitochondrial dysfunction, or dealing with the aftermath of COVID, mold, or Lyme infections. 📚 Mentioned Resources: * Dr. Scott Sherr's website: DrScottSherr.com * Health Optimization Medicine and Practice: HOPEhope.org * Troscriptions products: TRO Calm, TRO Zzz, Just Blue (methylene blue), Blue Canine * OneBase Health (technology and software integration) * Book: "The Power of Habit" by Charles Duhigg * Methylene blue dosing: 4-25mg range for mitochondrial support * Natural GABA support: CBD, CBG, CBN, kava, nicotinamide GABA, muscimol 🌐 Connect with Dr. Shojai: * Website: theurbanmonk.com * Books: The Urban Monk, Inner Alchemy, The Art of Stopping Time, Focus * Documentaries: Interconnected, Gateway to Health, Trauma, Conscious Parenting Guest: Dr. Scott Sherr - Integrative Medicine Physician, Health Optimization Medicine and Practice (HOMP) #SympatheticNervousSystem #MitochondrialHealth #ChronicStress #GABASystem #FunctionalMedicine #HealthOptimization #MitochondrialDysfunction #StressManagement #IntegrativeMedicine #BrainHealth #MentalHealth #CellDangerResponse #SleepOptimization #HyperbaricOxygen #MethyleneBlue #GutBrainConnection #LeakyGut #UrbanMonk #Wellness

The Exhaustion Medicine Can't Find

🎙️ Dr. Pedram Shojai addresses one of the most common yet dismissed complaints in modern medicine: chronic fatigue that conventional doctors can't diagnose or explain. He reveals why standard medical tests fail to identify this multi-system breakdown and presents a comprehensive, phased recovery approach spanning 6-24 months. Drawing from his experience treating thousands of patients, Dr. Shojai explains the seven interconnected systems involved in energy production—from mitochondrial function to gut health to nervous system regulation—and why treating just one piece never works. If you've been told "everything looks fine" while feeling bone-deep exhaustion, this roadmap offers the answers conventional medicine can't provide. 🎯 What You'll Learn: * The Seven Systems of Energy Production: Mitochondrial function (cellular ATP), HPA axis (stress response), thyroid (metabolic regulation), gut (nutrient absorption), sleep architecture (restoration), inflammation (master disruptor), and nervous system regulation * Why standard medical tests miss the real problem: Testing the wrong things, "normal" lab values (bottom 10% of normal still feels terrible), and conventional medicine's single-system focus * The Four-Phase Recovery Framework with realistic timelines: Phase 1 Stabilization (10-20% improvement by week 4), Phase 2 Foundation Building (30-50% by week 12), Phase 3 Building Capacity (60-80% by week 24), Phase 4 Optimization (months 6-24+) * The Cascade Effect: How chronic stress triggers cortisol dysregulation → poor sleep → inflammation → gut dysfunction → nutrient malabsorption → mitochondrial breakdown → profound fatigue (completing the vicious cycle) * Urban Monk Awareness Training: Using interoception, proprioception, and exteroception to read your energy state with sophistication * Phase 1 Priority Actions: Sleep architecture stabilization, blood sugar regulation (eat within 1 hour of waking, protein every 3-4 hours), inflammatory load reduction, and nervous system support * Critical testing recommendations: Comprehensive thyroid panel (TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3), 4-point salivary cortisol, GI Map, food sensitivity testing, RBC magnesium, vitamin D, B12, organic acid tests 🔑 Key Insights: "Just because standard tests can't find it doesn't mean it's not real. Chronic fatigue is a multi-system breakdown that conventional medicine isn't designed to see or treat." "Your body is like a child that's been abused—it's waiting for the next thing to crash it. It doesn't trust you yet after 50 years of being run ragged. Build slowly. Capacity builds at 10% at a time, not 100%." "Nothing heals without sleep. Sleep architecture is the critical foundation—everything else fails without it." "Your body knows what's wrong; the question is whether you're listening with enough sophistication." "The magic word is lifestyle. You cannot rush this process—rushing causes relapse. Recovery requires 6-24 months of systematic work across all seven systems." 💡 Action Steps: * Track daily metrics starting today: Morning energy (1-10), afternoon energy (1-10), sleep quality, digestive function (gas/bloating), brain fog, stress resilience * Implement Phase 1 Priority 1: Stabilize sleep architecture with same sleep-wake time (even weekends), magnesium glycinate 300-400mg before bed, no screens one hour before bed * Phase 1 Priority 2: Blood sugar regulation—eat within one hour of waking (include protein), never go 3-4 hours without eating, protein with every meal * Phase 1 Priority 3: Remove inflammatory triggers—eliminate refined sugar, processed foods, seed oils; trial removal of gluten and dairy for two weeks * Get functional medicine testing: Comprehensive thyroid panel, 4-point salivary cortisol, GI Map, food sensitivity testing (like FIT 176 that revealed Gina's bloating causes) 🎧 Perfect for: Anyone who's been told "everything looks fine" while experiencing bone-deep exhaustion, people who wake up more tired than they went to bed, those dismissed by conventional doctors with normal lab results, anyone experiencing post-exertional malaise or exercise intolerance, or people stuck in the "wired but tired" cycle with cortisol dysregulation. 📚 Mentioned Resources: * FIT 176 (Food Inflammation Test) - revealed Gina's bloating causes * Testing: Comprehensive thyroid panel, 4-point salivary cortisol, GI Map, Oral Biome analysis, gut permeability, organic acid tests * Supplements: Magnesium glycinate (300-400mg), CoQ10 (200-400mg), B-complex (methylated), Alpha lipoic acid (300mg), L-carnitine (500-1000mg), L-glutamine, adaptogens * Recent podcast: Mitochondrial function with Dr. Sherr * Gene Keys book reading (end of January) - information under "monthly book readings" * Documentaries: Interconnected, Gut Check, Gateway to Health 🌐 Connect with Dr. Shojai: * Website: theurbanmonk.com * Books: The Urban Monk, Inner Alchemy, The Art of Stopping Time, Focus * Documentaries: Interconnected, Gateway to Health, Trauma, Conscious Parenting #ChronicFatigue #FunctionalMedicine #EnergyRecovery #GutHealth #MitochondrialHealth #HolisticHealth #RootCause #Fatigue #HealthOptimization #ThyroidHealth #InflammationReduction #SleepOptimization #HPAAxis #StressManagement #FoodSensitivities #LeakyGut #Microbiome #VagusNerve #ChronicIllness #InvisibleIllness #UrbanMonk #Wellness

Your Best Shot: The Truth About GLP-1s and Natural Weight Health Hormones

🎙️ Registered dietitian Ashley Koff joins Dr. Pedram Shojai to unpack the truth about GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Wegovy. While these drugs mimic hormones our bodies naturally produce, they don't solve the root cause of why our own weight-health hormones aren't functioning properly. Ashley explains how gut health, the vagus nerve, stress, and digestive function all play crucial roles in our body's natural hormone production. She shares her personal journey from childhood obesity to understanding that healing weight health isn't about what you eat or avoid—it's about optimizing your body's operating system. 🎯 What You'll Learn: * Why GLP-1s are biosimilar hormone replacements that stay active 24/7 (vs. natural hormones working 2-5 minutes)—and why they don't address the root problem * The two key reasons our weight-health hormones aren't working: digestive system damage and inflammatory cascades blocking hormone delivery to receptor sites * The Pizza-Making Framework: Crust (digestion/hydration), Sauce (nutrition), Cheese (lifestyle), Toppings (supplements/medications)—why GLP-1s are great toppings on bad pizza * The 3-Hour Pit Stop Strategy: Moving beyond daily totals to consistent intervals for breathing, bathroom, movement, nutrient-balanced meals, and mental reset * Why protein absorption matters more than protein consumption—and how eating 150g daily with poor digestion creates inflammation, not muscle * Ashley's gastroenterologist insight that changed everything: "It's not what you're eating or not eating—your digestive system doesn't have what it needs" * GLP-1 Activators as alternatives: Amarasate (hops from New Zealand) increases GLP-1 and PYY by 600% naturally while you fix the root cause * The Proton Pump Inhibitor problem: Most people prescribed PPIs actually have LOW acid (not high), creating downstream B12, calcium, and protein breakdown issues 🔑 Key Insights: "It's not what you're eating or not eating—your digestive system doesn't have what it needs to function." - Ashley's gastroenterologist "GLP-1s slow digestion and delay gastric emptying for 24 hours. These medications can exacerbate underlying digestive issues. There's no free lunch." "Every diet focuses on what to eat, missing the underlying operating system. Fix the root cause, and weight loss, energy, and appearance follow naturally." "On a 1-10 stress scale, digestion shuts down at 7 or above. Even superfoods won't help if you're not absorbing nutrients." "Protein going into your body doesn't equal protein to muscle. Excess undigested protein causes inflammation—especially when GLP-1s delay gastric emptying." 💡 Action Steps: * Take the sweet taste bud test: Bite into an apple, rate sweetness 1-10—this reveals if you're overusing non-nutritive sweeteners * Assess your hydration: If you drink water and pee within 2 hours, you're a "hose" (not absorbing)—water needs to be absorbed to bring nutrients into cells * Implement the 3-hour pit stop protocol: Every 3 hours do breathing exercises, bathroom break, movement, nutrient-balanced meal (15-40g protein), mental reset * Get comprehensive gut testing before spending $1200/month on GLP-1 shots—testing reveals easily solvable inflammatory problems * Recognize your stress signals: What are your personal indicators? (Ashley's: talking fast, raised shoulders) 🎧 Perfect for: Anyone considering GLP-1 medications like Ozempic or Wegovy, people who've tried every diet without sustainable results, those dealing with decades of food noise and body trauma, anyone spending money on supplements without understanding their digestive system, or those who want to hack their own hormones naturally before turning to medications. 📚 Mentioned Resources: * Ashley Koff's book: "Your Best Shot" * Gut testing (discounted for Dr. Shojai's listeners) * Amarasate - GLP-1 activator (hops from New Zealand) * Gateway to Health documentary series 🌐 Connect with Dr. Shojai: * Website: theurbanmonk.com * Books: The Urban Monk, Inner Alchemy, The Art of Stopping Time, Focus * Documentaries: Interconnected, Gateway to Health, Trauma, Conscious Parenting Guest: Ashley Koff, RD - Registered Dietitian specializing in weight health and digestive optimization #GLP1 #Ozempic #Wegovy #GutHealth #WeightLoss #DigestiveHealth #FunctionalMedicine #HormoneHealth #RootCauseHealing #NaturalWeightLoss #Microbiome #IntegrativeHealth #HealthOptimization #SustainableWeightLoss #UrbanMonk #Wellness

Energy Sovereignty: Reclaim Your Power Through Boundaries

🎙️ In this transformative episode, Dr. Pedram Shojai addresses the modern energy crisis that leaves so many people chronically depleted. Moving beyond simple fatigue from lack of sleep or overwork, he reveals how we experience systemic energy depletion from thousands of tiny leaks we haven't learned to protect against. Through practical frameworks and actionable strategies, he teaches listeners how to identify what drains their vital energy, recognize energy drains in real time, and implement boundaries that protect their life force. This isn't about becoming selfish or isolated—it's about learning to give from fullness rather than depleting yourself to emptiness. 🎯 What You'll Learn: * The Four Categories of Energy Drains: Digital vampires (social media, email, notifications), relational drains (victims, narcissists, boundary pushers), environmental factors (clutter, noise, crowds), and internal leaks (unexpressed emotions, unaligned actions, mental loops) * The Three Types of Sensing to practice daily: Interoception (internal energy state), proprioception (body position and tension), and exteroception (environmental impact)—catching drains in real time * The Three Levels of Boundary Management: Awareness boundaries (internal energy accounting), interpersonal boundaries (the clear no and qualified yes), and environmental boundaries (digital, time, space, social protections) * How to practice "the clear no" with exact phrases that require zero explanation or justification * The 24-hour rule: Never say yes to anything non-urgent immediately—check your calendar and energy capacity first * Why every yes when you mean no betrays yourself and builds resentment (worse for relationships than an honest no) * The relationship audit framework: Five critical questions to identify which connections nourish versus deplete you 🔑 Key Insights: "Your energy is your life force, and when you protect it, you protect your health, your relationships, your capacity to serve and to be fully alive." "Every time you say yes when you mean no, you are betraying yourself and you are building resentment towards the other person. That's worse for the relationship than an honest no." "When someone pushes on your boundary, that's information. People who genuinely care about you will respect your limits. People who only value what you give them will resist your boundaries." "Your body knows before your mind even rationalizes it. Please learn to trust that." "Resentful giving helps nobody. Good boundaries make space for aligned, joyful giving." 💡 Action Steps: * Rate your current energy level on 1-10 scale right now—then track how many times you feel noticeable energy drain today * Practice the body check-in before agreeing to anything: Does it feel expansive and aligned (yes) or constricted with dread (no)? * Implement Week 1: Build awareness of what's draining and what's restoring throughout your day * Week 2: Start with ONE boundary—your biggest energy drain—and protect it fiercely * Practice "the clear no" phrases: "I don't have the capacity for that right now" and "That doesn't work for me" (no explanation needed) 🎧 Perfect for: Anyone running on empty by day's end, people-pleasers who say yes when they mean no, highly sensitive people exhausted by environments and relationships, anyone spending more time managing other people's emotions than their own, or those who've forgotten what having energy actually feels like. 📚 Mentioned Resources: * The Sanctuary Course (available in academy)—creating energetically supportive physical environments * Temple Grounds—Qigong and restorative practices * Monthly Reading: "The Gene Keys" (large reference book, review mid-January) * Gut Testing Options: $199 test only, $299 includes Jeff Bland's Gut Healing Masterclass 🌐 Connect with Dr. Shojai: * Website: theurbanmonk.com * Books: The Urban Monk, Inner Alchemy, The Art of Stopping Time, Focus * Documentaries: Interconnected, Gateway to Health, Trauma, Conscious Parenting #EnergySovereignty #BoundariesForHealth #EnergyManagement #VitalEnergy #HealthyBoundaries #SelfCareIsNotSelfish #EnergyDrains #ConsciousLiving #HolisticHealth #ProtectYourPeace #IntentionalLiving #EmotionalWellness #DigitalDetox #MindfulBoundaries #EnergyHealing #UrbanMonk #Wellness