90% Healthy

Klaudia Balogh and Don Moxley

What if everything you thought about health was wrong? Most of us, when it comes to our health, are stuck at 50%—getting by, feeling “fine,” but far from thriving. In the 90% Healthy podcast, longevity journalist Klaudia and sports scientist Don Moxley peel back the curtain on wellness myths, extreme trends, and the obsession with perfection. This isn’t another podcast promising quick fixes, shortcuts, or hacks. It’s about 1% shifts at a time. With science-backed insights, relatable stories, and practical strategies, we’ll show you how to start feeling DAMN GOOD. Because 90% is all you need!

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S1 · E67
August 11 · 57 min
Is Cannabis Being Rescheduled? Here's What Changes | Ep 67
What happens to your nervous system when stress stops being a moment and starts being a mark you carry? In this episode of the 90% Healthy Podcast, co-hosts Klaudia Balogh and Don Moxley get into cannabis. Don Moxley worked inside the licensed cannabis industry before HRV and longevity, and in this episode he and Klaudia walk through what rescheduling means, why the endocannabinoid system was hiding in plain sight until the 1990s, and how a plant went from the U.S. Pharmacopeia to a federal ban and most of the way back. Not a pitch to use it, but rather to offer a map of where the science, the law, and the stigma stand. Klaudia holds the skeptic's line the whole way through, which is the point: this one's for the curious and the wary in equal measure. Timestamps 00:00 — Cold open: stress, trauma, and a nervous system out of balance 01:43 — Welcome back + Klaudia's Terry Crews cover story 03:18 — Why cannabis, why now: 17 days of hearings just wrapped 05:30 — From Ohio State HRV work to "the deep end of the pot pool" 07:00 — The endocannabinoid system we didn't know we had 09:30 — CB1, CB2, and the fear-to-love switch 12:28 — Stress vs. trauma: the anandamide drop 14:00 — Schedule I, interstate commerce, and the banking problem 17:06 — Hemp vs. cannabis: the Granny Smith / Fuji apple 19:00 — How we got here: 1937 Tax Act, 1970 CSA, the racial history 25:00 — Has the culture actually shifted? 30:00 — Kids, cigarettes, alcohol: putting the risk in order 39:00 — What's next, and the timeline nobody can pin down 46:33 — The 1% takeaway: plant medicine vs. the pharmacy 53:00 — Judgment, compassion, and set and setting Connect with the hosts: Don: https://trainrecoverwin.com Mode & Method (HRV+): https://modemethod.com Klaudia: https://longevityjournalist.com Who's the 90% Healthy Podcast for? It’s for you who wants to build a resilient body without losing your mind. If you are sick of counting every calorie, tracking too many stats, or not even wanting to start, yet ready to stop feeling just “OK”. Klaudia and Don invite you to build resilient health that bends with real life. No rigid rules. No guilt. Just simple 1% shifts that create a strong foundation, so you can sleep like a baby, perform like a boss. and feel damn good. We cut through the noise, bring you real science (not TikTok trends), and make it easy to understand what works for the long run. Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts.
S1 · E66
August 4 · 55 min
Can You Slow Down Aging Without Spending A Fortune, Or Is Longevity Only For The Ultra-Wealthy?
In episode 66 of the 90% Healthy Podcast, co-hosts Klaudia Balogh and Don Moxley unpack why the billionaire longevity race may be pointing everyone back toward the same affordable basics: sleep, breath, movement, nutrient-dense food, light, and community They dig into what the ultra-wealthy are really buying when they pour money into experimental longevity science, and why the fear-driven lifestyle that money builds (private security, constant vigilance) may quietly work against the healthspan they're chasing. From reverse-engineering the leading causes of death by decade to the difference between a million and a billion seconds, this conversation reframes longevity as something you already have agency over. In this episode: Why the ultra-wealthy have reportedly poured billions into longevity research, and what that money keeps circling back to The "million vs. billion vs. trillion seconds" reframe that puts wealth and time in perspective How stress, environment, and evolutionary mismatch drive aging more than most supplements Leading causes of death by decade, and why reverse-engineering them is the real longevity strategy Why falls become the threat after 70, and how strength and balance protect you= Intentional recovery: why sleep is a practice, not perfection (via Dr. Ron Garbo) Breath as your free "superpower"! Five seconds in, five seconds out for parasympathetic impact The Guardian's "anti-aging is anti-life" argument and longevity as comparison culture Why cannabis rescheduling (Schedule I to III) and psychedelics are the next frontier.... stay tuned for an upcoming episode Purpose and service as longevity tools, from Jimmy Carter to building your own community Your 1% takeaway: You don't need billions to have agency over your health. The most redundant, ordinary, affordable practices, including sleep, breath, movement, food, light, and community, move the needle the most, and they compound. LINKS: Klaudia — longevityjournalist.com Don — trainrecoverwin.com Guardian article: ‘Anti-ageing is anti-life’: why longevity culture is just ageism in a lab coat If this reframed longevity for you, leave a comment, drop a rating, and share it with someone who thinks healthy aging is only for the rich.
S1 · E65
July 19 · 57 min
This WIll Be More Important To The Human Race Than AI Is | Ep 65
You lose 30 pounds on a GLP-1. How much of it is muscle? On Episode 65, Klaudia Balogh and Don Moxley take on the objection nearly everyone lands on — "it eats muscle" — and find that it's wrong, but not entirely wrong. Don calls this class of drugs one of the most important developments in medicine, arguably more important to the human race than AI. He also takes them himself, watches his HRV drop when he does, and has decided not to stay on them forever. Both of those things can be true at once. In this episode, Klaudia and Don work through what's real about lean mass loss, what the pipeline looks like now, and the story that reframes the whole conversation: elementary schoolers being prescribed Wegovy. In this episode: Why "GLP-1s eat muscle" is the wrong framing, and what's happening instead. You cannot lose weight without losing some lean mass, whether that's from a GLP-1, from fasting, or from bariatric surgery Roughly a quarter of the total weight lost on GLP-1 receptor agonists is lean mass, comparable to other weight-loss methods but significant for anyone already vulnerable to sarcopenia. The highest-risk profile for muscle loss: older adults, rapid or large absolute weight loss, low dietary protein, sedentary patterns, chronic kidney disease, or long-standing diabetes Why GLP-1 use and the fasting literature overlap more than either camp acknowledges, and what that means for training in a deficit Don's case that GLP-1s will matter more to the human race than AI, and why he thinks the risk-to-benefit profile is better than almost anything else in the medicine cabinet Reported findings that people move less after starting a GLP-1 — not dramatically less, but in a direction worth watching• Myostatin inhibition and the uncomfortable question of what happens when the muscle problem also gets a pharmaceutical answer Doctors are prescribing Wegovy to elementary-school-age children, well below the FDA's approved floor of 12. Off-label use in an age group where the safety data isn't established. Source: "When Diets Don't Work, Parents Turn to Wegovy for Elementary School Kids," The Wall Street Journal Where Klaudia and Don disagree on mic: he extends the benefit of the doubt to prescribing physicians, she keeps asking who's responsible for the education that has to come with the prescription. Your 1% takeaway: if you're on a GLP-1 or considering one, two resistance sessions a week and protein-forward eating are the smallest evidence-backed hedge against the lean-mass tradeoff. And pick the movement you'd do anyway, because adherence is the whole game. More from Klaudia: https://longevityjournalist.comMore from Don: https://trainrecoverwin.comActa Diabetologica review on muscle loss and GLP-1R agonists: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41201615/ Who's the 90% Healthy Podcast for? It’s for you who wants to build a resilient body without losing your mind. If you are sick of counting every calorie, tracking too many stats, or not even wanting to start, yet ready to stop feeling just “OK”. Klaudia and Don invite you to build resilient health that bends with real life. No rigid rules. No guilt. Just simple 1% shifts that create a strong foundation, so you can sleep like a baby, perform like a boss. and feel damn good. We cut through the noise, bring you real science (not TikTok trends), and make it easy to understand what works for the long run. Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts. DISCLAIMER: This podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Nothing here replaces care from a qualified healthcare professional. Talk to your doctor before starting, stopping, or changing any medication, supplement, or exercise program. Hosts and guests share personal experience and opinion, and some discussion may involve off-label medication use. In an emergency, contact your local emergency services.
S1 · E64
July 11 · 1 hr 2 min
The $7 Trillion Wellness Industry Is Selling You Anxiety | Ep64
Your HRV dropped 15 points overnight. Does that ruin your day? On Episode 64, Klaudia Balogh and Don Moxley dig into the line between health agency and health obsession, and why "orthosomnia" (losing sleep over your sleep score) is a real and growing problem. We are the first generation that can walk into a doctor's office with months of our own health data, and that agency is genuinely powerful. But for a growing number of people, tracking has tipped into obsession. In this episode, Klaudia and Don talk through where that line sits, why it matters, and how to build real resilience instead of just chasing a better score. In this episode: • Why orthosomnia is becoming an actual clinical concern among wearable users • The Pareto principle applied to health: the last 20% of optimization costs roughly four times the effort of the first 80% • Don's "speedometer" rule for reading his own HRV data without letting it dictate his day • The controversy around a newly funded Stanford wearable claiming to track female hormones • Why the Global Wellness Summit named "over-optimization backlash" one of its defining 2026 wellness trends, and how the $7 trillion wellness industry is trying to solve a soon-approaching $7 trillion healthcare problem Source: US health spending to surpass $7T by 2031, and even $9 trillion by 2035, according to estimates from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Office • The data behind wearable abandonment: roughly a third of users quit within six months • How devices like the Oura Ring and Whoop are helping some users cut back on alcohol • Don's own experiment coming off metformin and blood pressure medication, and what he and his wife are noticing about GLP-1s and HRV • The Five Rocks: purpose, community, movement, nutrient-dense food, and sleep & light. The small, sustainable levers that build real resilience. LINKS More from Klaudia: https://longevityjournalist.com More from Don: https://trainrecoverwin.com Who's the 90% Healthy Podcast for? It’s for you who wants to build a resilient body without losing your mind. If you are sick of counting every calorie, tracking too many stats, or not even wanting to start, yet ready to stop feeling just “OK”. Klaudia and Don invite you to build resilient health that bends with real life. No rigid rules. No guilt. Just simple 1% shifts that create a strong foundation, so you can sleep like a baby, perform like a boss. and feel damn good. We cut through the noise, bring you real science (not TikTok trends), and make it easy to understand what works for the long run. Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts.
S1 · E63
July 2 · 1 hr 4 min
Leading HRV Expert On The Data Your Wearable Is Making Up | Marco Altini
Dr. Marco Altini joins Klaudia and Don for the deepest heart rate variability conversation the show has done yet. Marco holds a PhD cum laude in applied machine learning, an M.Sc. in human movement sciences and high-performance coaching, has published more than 50 papers and patents at the intersection of physiology and technology, co-founded HRV4Training, advises Oura, guest-lectures at VU Amsterdam, edits for IEEE Pervasive Computing Magazine, and just released his first book, Heart Rate Variability: Science and Strategies for Peak Performance (Human Kinetics, May 2026). This conversation covers the full arc of HRV, from the foundational science, to how to measure it correctly, to what actually moves the number, to how elite athletes and coaches use it to train smarter, to the surprising links between HRV, the brain, and burnout. A quick note on this episode: shortly after we started recording, Marco had to turn his video off to make sure we could give you the clearest possible audio. He was joining us from Italy, and the connection wasn't cooperating on the video side, but the conversation was too good not to bring to you, so we prioritized the story over the picture. Thanks for understanding! In this episode: Marco's path from machine learning to human movement science to HRV The most dangerous hype in wearables and biometrics right now The biggest HRV myths even serious athletes and coaches still believe Marco's validity findings on Garmin's Health Snapshot feature The minimum viable daily HRV measurement routine Vagally mediated HRV and the Vagal Tank Theory, explained simply Chest strap vs. wristband vs. finger sensor vs. phone camera — an honest accuracy ranking Whether continuous HRV monitoring is useful or just noise What the newest habit-and-HRV research actually shows Metabolic flexibility, fueling, and how it shows up in endurance athletes' data How altitude, heat, and travel affect HRV — and what to do about it What HRV-guided training looks like day-to-day Tapering, race-day HRV, and team-sport applications HRV, cognitive function, mental fatigue, and burnout The Normal Range concept from HRV4Training Pro Where wearable and HRV monitoring is headed in the next 5 years The 30-Day HRV Challenge from Marco's new book Guest: Dr. Marco Altini — Co-founder, HRV4Training | Advisor, Oura | Guest Lecturer, VU Amsterdam | Editor, IEEE Pervasive Computing Magazine | Co-Author, Heart Rate Variability: Science and Strategies for Peak Performance (Human Kinetics, 2026) Hosts: Klaudia Balogh (Longevity Journalist, longevityjournalist.com) & Don Moxley (Sports Scientist, trainrecoverwin.com) 🔗 Marco's Substack: hrv4training.substack.com📖 The book is available now through Human Kinetics and Amazon 🎧 New episodes of the 90% Healthy Podcast drop weekly. Subscribe, comment your HRV questions, and let us know who needs to hear this one.
S1 · E62
June 21 · 1 hr 4 min
Does Our Nervous System Switch Control All 12 Hallmarks of Aging? MIT-Trained Engineer Says, Yes!
We keep treating the 12 hallmarks of aging, like mitochondrial dysfunction, telomere shortening, epigenetic drift, and cellular senescence, as if they were the problem. JP Errico thinks they're symptoms. The real driver is upstream: the balance between your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. JP is an MIT-trained engineer and co-inventor of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation technology, and this conversation completely reframed how we think about the aging process. We get into: Why the hallmarks of aging aren't mechanisms, they're downstream consequences The analogy for why you can't fix aging, where the damage shows up How epigenetic drift quietly shuts down longevity genes while leaving inflammatory genes alone The cell danger response, and what happens when your body gets stuck in stage one and never resolves Partial reprogramming, Yamanaka factors, and why billionaires are pouring money into reversing aging A macaque study that reversed reproductive aging in older females, and why that result is hard to fake How vagus nerve stimulation boosted natural killer cell activity, and one person's HRV going from 30 to 120 in a year JP's current research into maternal vagus nerve stimulation and autism risk If you've ever wondered why one person crumbles under stress and another comes out stronger, this is the biology behind it. Recently published study of JP on the Sympathetic-parasympathetic system deregulation theory of aging Epigenetic Drift study: More from JP Errico: Instagram: @thevnsguy Health Upgrade Podcast More from us: Don Moxley: trainrecoverwin.com Klaudia Balogh: longevityjournalist.com This podcast is for educational purposes only and isn't a substitute for medical advice.
S1 · E61
June 10 · 1 hr 20 min
Dead Cells, Fake Labels, and The Stem Cell Industry's Dirty Secret | Ep61 with Jeff Turk
Jeffrey Turk has been inside the stem cell industry long enough to know where the bodies are buried — figuratively speaking. As a disabled veteran, NBC Operations Specialist, and founder of Mount Hydra, Jeff came into this space because stem cells were the only thing that helped him. What he found was an industry riddled with counterfeit products, dead cells dressed up in premium packaging, and a regulatory gap wide enough to drive a clinic through. This episode is a buyer's guide disguised as a conversation. Jeff breaks down the three tests every biologic product should be able to show you before it goes anywhere near your body, explains why "1 trillion exosomes" is almost always a warning sign, and reveals the graft-versus-host disease risk buried inside cord blood treatments that practitioners are largely not disclosing. He also shares what he believes the next five years look like: customized exosome therapy by biomarker, longevity escape velocity, and off-the-shelf treatments for the cancers that currently carry the worst prognoses. If you or someone you know is considering stem cell or exosome therapy — or you're already a patient wondering if you got what you paid for — this is the episode to send them. The checklist Jeff recommends every patient ask for: Endotoxin test results Mycoplasma test results Two-week sterility test results Post-thaw viability (gold standard: 80%+) Lot number and population doublings (cell age) Cryopreservative confirmation for any Wharton's jelly product CD63/CD81 marker confirmation for exosomes Jeff is currently working with AASCM to build a neutral, independent watchdog association for the stem cell industry — and he's offering to help patients and doctors who have questions. Connect with Jeffrey Turk:🌐 mounthydra.com Connect with the hosts of the 90% Healthy:🌐 Klaudia - longevityjournalist.com🌐 Don- trainrecoverwin.com
S1 · E60
June 3 · 56 min
The Blood Test Your Doctor Never Orders (But Should): 100 Biomarkers & Biological Age Explained
Klaudia's recent blood work came back with a surprise: her biological age clocked in 10 years younger than her real age, tracked across 100+ biomarkers by Mito Health. We brought in founder Kenneth Lou to break down exactly how that number is calculated, why the standard annual physical misses the markers that matter most, and how AI is making precision medicine accessible without a $20K clinic.Kenneth's father passed from a brain tumor at 54. That loss is the founding story behind Mito Health — and it shapes everything about how they think about early warning signals.In this episode:→ Why fasting insulin (not just glucose or A1C) is the early warning marker most labs skip→ The HOMA-IR formula — what it is and why it matters before pre-diabetes is even on your radar→ How Mito uses the Lineage 2 algorithm (developed with Dr. Brian Kennedy) to calculate biological age from 61 biomarkers→ Personalized reference ranges by ethnicity, age & gender — not the "Homer Simpson average"→ The Galleri multi-cancer early detection test and what "cancer signal detected" actually means→ Why Singapore is considered a manufactured Blue Zone — and what the US could learn from it→ How to compress a $20K longevity clinic experience into something Quest Labs can run for you today🔗 Mito Health: mitohealth.com🔗 Kenneth Lou on LinkedIn & Instagram: search @kennethloumito🔗 Klaudia: longevityjournalist.com🔗 Don: trainrecoverwin.com00:00 Intro — Klaudia's blood work came back 10 years younger01:35 Kenneth's background & why he founded Mito Health03:26 Singapore as a manufactured Blue Zone04:21 Brian Kennedy & Matt Kaberline connection05:29 What annual physicals get wrong07:08 The cash-pay health revolution10:07 HOMA-IR: the insulin resistance marker your doctor skips12:04 Glucose tolerance tests vs. a single fasting draw14:28 Optimal vs. acceptable vs. at-risk reference ranges15:39 Biological age: the Lineage 2 algorithm & 61 biomarkers17:57 How the algorithm was built (UK Biobank + NHANES)19:05 AI + human in the loop — where Rhonda comes in22:32 Getting results back the next day24:46 Who actually drives the purchase decision (hint: it's the wife)25:56 Early cancer detection — brain tumors, PSA, and the Galleri test27:23 Biohacking events, Brian Johnson, and the smarter-patient era30:04 Quest Labs everywhere — making precision health rural-accessible32:02 Compressing the $20K clinic experience33:37 Core, Pro, Ultra panels — what's in each tier35:27 Mercury, omega-3 check, allergy panels, AMH fertility markers38:03 Why cortisol testing time-of-day matters39:11 Supplement recommendations based on your actual deficiencies41:36 Gender differences in health data consumption43:22 What's coming next — biomarkers Quest doesn't run yet47:29 Singapore's polyclinic system vs. US healthcare50:35 Data as a trigger for behavioral change51:21 Kenneth's personal data story: Prolon fasting mimicking diet
S1 · E59
May 2 · 1 hr 11 min
Can You Outsmart Your Next Doctor’s Visit?
Your Oura tracks your sleep. Your Whoop measures your strain. Your CGM watches your glucose. Your bloodwork sits in a PDF. And none of them talks to each other. In Episode 59 of the 90% Healthy Podcast, hosts Klaudia Balogh and Don Moxley sit down with David Korsunsky — founder and CEO of Heads Up Health — to unpack how AI is finally connecting the dots between wearables, lab results, and personalized medicine. David built Heads Up Health after a sleep tracker shattered his assumptions about his own health. Ten years later, his platform is the device-agnostic hub powering longevity clinics and biohackers worldwide, pulling data from Apple Health, Oura, Whoop, CGMs, bloodwork, and more into one AI-readable dashboard. In this conversation, we cover:00:00 Intro — Why your health data is fragmented02:00 The Zeo, Dave Asprey, and David's wake-up call07:30 The keto rabbit hole and quantified self origins14:00 Don's full biohacking stack (and why nothing talks to each other)17:00 The state of AI + health data today29:00 Decoding 100+ biomarkers without a doctor33:00 How David's father uses LLMs to prep for specialist visits38:00 The "Joe Bag of Donuts" use case for AI health40:00 Data aggregation as a social determinant of health43:00 Bayesian analysis vs. population statistics — the N-of-1 revolution53:00 Hallucinations, citations, and trusting AI with your health57:00 HRV predicting illness before symptoms appear01:04:00 What sparks behavior change01:07:00 Vibe-coding your own clinical dashboards 🔗 LEARN MORE ABOUT HEADS UP HEALTHWebsite: https://headsuphealth.com🎙️ ABOUT THE 90% HEALTHY PODCASTHosted by Klaudia Balogh and Don Moxley, the 90% Healthy Podcast explores the intersection of human performance, longevity, biohacking, and modern medicine — with the world's leading practitioners, researchers, and founders. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for new episodes every week.👍 LIKE this video if it made you rethink your wearable data.💬 COMMENT: Which device is sitting in your drawer doing nothing?
S1 · E52
April 18 · 1 hr 1 min
Stress Is Cellular: The Night My Average HRV Hit 222, and What It Took to Get There | Salim Najjar
What if your heart rate variability score could tell you exactly how stressed, burnt out, or aligned you are?In this episode, we sit down with Salim Najjar (@ThatHRVGuy), a former nuclear power plant engineer turned HRV educator and nervous system coach. Salim broke down the science and the deeply personal story behind how he took his HRV from a baseline of 32 all the way to an overnight average of 222 and why chasing a high score isn't the point.We cover:→ Why chronic stress → cellular inflammation → is the root cause of all mortality→ What HRV actually measures (hint: it's the language of your nervous system)→ Salim's ART Framework: Awareness → Regulation → Transformation→ His 5 Pathways for HRV Growth (sleep, hormetic stress, reframing, intentionality, community)→ The difference between nervous system regulation vs. nervous system sovereignty→ How trauma, ayahuasca, and a dislocated shoulder all showed up in his HRV data→ Why you should never compare your HRV score to someone else's→ Tools Salim uses daily: NuCalm, binaural beats, somatic activation, and more→ How to find your HRV archetype (free quiz link below)🎯 FREE RESOURCES:→ Take Salim's free HRV archetype quiz: www.thathrvguy.com→ Don's 20 Tips for Measuring HRV + 10 Evidence-Based Techniques: trainrecoverwin.com/products👥 GUEST:Salim Najjar | @ThatHRVGuy | www.thathrvguy.com🎙 HOSTS:Don Moxley | trainrecoverwin.comKlaudia Balogh | longevityjournalist.com📌 SUBSCRIBE for weekly episodes on nervous system health, HRV, longevity, and performance optimization.
S1 · E57
March 22 · 57 min
Why Vagus Nerve Stimulation May Be the Missing Link to Your Low HRV | Ep57 with Povilas Sabaliauskas
If you track your HRV and the number won't move, this is the episode to listen to. Don Moxley has 8 years of HRV data. The day he started vagus nerve stimulation, his floors tripled and his ceilings doubled. He hadn't changed anything else. Povilas Sabaliauskas built the device that did it. A biomechanical engineer with a background in implantable neuromodulation, he spent years in operating rooms watching electrical stimulation do things medication couldn't — then went home to Lithuania and designed a wearable version. He built the first prototype for his father. In this episode, they get into: Why low HRV is fundamentally a nervous system regulation problem What vagus nerve stimulation actually does to shift your autonomic state, Why most recovery tools are treating the symptom while the cause keeps running in the background. They also discuss athlete data, GLP-1 stacking, the attention economy's measurable toll on your nervous system, and a road rage story that might be the most unexpected clinical outcome this technology has produced. If your HRV has plateaued and you've run out of obvious answers — start here. To learn more about Povilas Sabaliauskas and Pulsetto: https://pulsetto.tech/ Don Moxley: https://trainrecoverwin.com/ Who's the 90% Healthy Podcast for? It’s for you who wants to build a resilient body without losing your mind. If you are sick of counting every calorie, tracking too many stats, or not even wanting to start, yet ready to stop feeling just “OK”. Klaudia and Don invite you to build resilient health that bends with real life. No rigid rules. No guilt. Just simple 1% shifts that create a strong foundation, so you can sleep like a baby, perform like a boss. and feel damn good. We cut through the noise, bring you real science (not TikTok trends), and make it easy to understand what works for the long run. Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts.
S1 · E56
March 19 · 53 min
What Olympic-Level Performance Requires (And What It Costs) | Ep 56
The Harvard professor who studies Olympians says: If you have to choose between exercise and sleep, take the sleep. That's not an excuse to skip the gym. That's elite-level biology. This week on 90% Healthy, sports scientist Don Moxley and longevity journalist Klaudia Balogh broke down what it takes to perform at an Olympic level, and why blindly copying what elite athletes do will break most people. We talked about:→ The 50% load rule elite coaches swear by→ Why tapering feels like giving up but is actually the science→ What HRV data tells you that your coach can't→ The thing Lindsey Vonn's comeback got wrong→ Why being "in flow" means you won't remember your best performance. Referenced article: The Science of Olympic Performance Who's the 90% Healthy Podcast for? It’s for you who wants to build a resilient body without losing your mind. If you are sick of counting every calorie, tracking too many stats, or not even wanting to start, yet ready to stop feeling just “OK”. Klaudia and Don invite you to build resilient health that bends with real life. No rigid rules. No guilt. Just simple 1% shifts that create a strong foundation, so you can sleep like a baby, perform like a boss. and feel damn good. We cut through the noise, bring you real science (not TikTok trends), and make it easy to understand what works for the long run. Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts.
S1 · E53
March 10 · 56 min
Autonomic Rehabilitation: The Science of Training Your Nervous System to Recover | Dr. Raouf Gharbo | Ep 54
There are only a handful of physicians in the world practicing autonomic rehabilitation. One of them is on this episode. Klaudia Balogh and Don Moxley sits down with Dr. Raouf Gharbo, MD, Don's former Ohio State wrestling teammate, All-American, and one of the world's foremost experts in autonomic rehabilitation — the emerging field of training your nervous system to switch, shift, and recover on demand. Dr. Gharbo was admitted to his own hospital with atrial fibrillation at age 32. That wake-up call sent him deep into the science of Heart Rate Variability, parasympathetic function, and what it takes to rehabilitate a nervous system pushed past its limits — not just in patients, but in elite athletes, burned-out physicians, and high performers of every kind. In this episode you'll learn: What autonomic rehabilitation is — and why almost no one is doing it yet What HRV really measures (hint: it's not a fitness score) The two independent levers of your nervous system — and why "balance" is the wrong framework Why high performers can look completely fine while their nervous system is in crisis The difference between courage breathing and sleep breathing — and why it matters How gratitude physically shifts your physiology — backed by a veteran study The mitochondrial housekeeping your body does at night (and what happens when it can't) Why trauma — including generational trauma — seeds burnout at the nervous system level Dr. Gharbo's "Stop, Shift, Decide" autonomic reset method The 10-factor autonomic recovery checklist — rated live on air If you've ever felt "fine but exhausted," performed well while running on empty, or wondered why willpower alone isn't enough — this is the episode that explains what's happening under the hood. Who's the 90% Healthy Podcast for? It’s for you who wants to build a resilient body without losing your mind. If you are sick of counting every calorie, tracking too many stats, or not even wanting to start, yet ready to stop feeling just “OK”. Klaudia and Don invite you to build resilient health that bends with real life. No rigid rules. No guilt. Just simple 1% shifts that create a strong foundation, so you can sleep like a baby, perform like a boss. and feel damn good. We cut through the noise, bring you real science (not TikTok trends), and make it easy to understand what works for the long run. Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts.
S1 · E54
March 2 · 1 hr
Muscle Function Matters More Than Size (Here’s Why) | Ep 54
Muscle function matters more than muscle size, especially as we age. While most fitness conversations focus on building muscle mass and hypertrophy, the real predictor of longevity, independence, and injury prevention is functional strength. In this episode of the 90% Healthy Podcast, Klaudia and Don explore why power, balance, neuromuscular coordination, and fast-twitch muscle fiber activation are more important than simply increasing muscle size. We break down the science of aging and muscle loss, including: Why we lose power before we lose muscle mass How type 2 (fast-twitch) muscle fibers decline with age Why explosive strength helps prevent falls The role of grip strength in predicting longevity Deadlift vs squat for functional strength Why bench press doesn’t predict real-world performance How to train for independence in your 60s, 70s, and beyond The difference between hypertrophy and usable strength This conversation connects exercise science, longevity research, neuromuscular physiology, and practical strength training strategies you can apply immediately. If you care about healthy aging, functional fitness, muscle longevity, fall prevention, and long-term resilience, this episode reframes what “getting stronger” really means. Subscribe for weekly conversations on longevity, performance, metabolic health, nervous system regulation, and evidence-based training that moves the needle.
S1 · E50
February 19 · 59 min
Health Is Simpler Than the Internet Makes It | Ep 53
We just wrapped up Year 1 of the 90% Healthy Podcast. After 50+ episodes, many world-class experts, and several hours of conversations on longevity, recovery, brain health, wearables, peptides, sleep, and metabolic optimization, this is what we believe may move the needle the most. In this episode, we reflect on: Why hyper-optimization can backfire The “0 to 10” framework for building real health Why lean mass is your longevity currency The rise of dementia and what you can do now HRV, vagus nerve health, and nervous system regulation Why small daily habits outperform expensive interventions Red light therapy, GLP-1s, peptides, and when they make sense Why compassion beats perfection in long-term health If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the health and biohacking space, this episode simplifies it. 90% Healthy is about building resilience without losing your mind. 🎧 Welcome to Year 2. Subscribe if you value thoughtful, science-backed conversations about health that actually matter. Let us know who you want us to invite on the podcast and feel free to comment and reach out at any time. Hosts: Don Moxley - trainrecoverwin.com Klaudia Balogh - longevityjournalist.com
S1 · E52
February 11 · 55 min
The Brain Health Framework Everyone Needs Right Now | Ep52 Tommy Wood
Brain health is having a moment, and not by accident. Post-COVID burnout, rising dementia rates, mental health struggles, and chronic brain fog have pushed cognitive health to the center of the longevity conversation. But most people still don’t know what works. In this 1-year anniversary episode of the 90% Healthy Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Tommy Wood, neuroscientist, performance consultant, and author of The Stimulated Mind, to break down what really protects and improves your brain across the lifespan. In this episode, we cover: Why brain health suddenly feels urgent The real drivers of cognitive decline (and what’s preventable) The 3S Framework: Stimulus, Supply, and Support Why movement, learning, and novelty matter more than supplements How sleep, blood flow, and metabolic health shape cognition The surprising link between sedentary time and dementia risk What helps after concussions or brain injury Why small, consistent lifestyle choices beat “quick fixes” This episode is a playbook for people who want to stay sharp today and protect their minds for decades to come. Guest: Tommy Wood - https://www.drtommywood.com/ Book: The Stimulated Mind = https://www.drtommywood.com/stimulated-mind Tommy's podcast: https://www.drtommywood.com/podcast Hosts: Klaudia Balogh - https://longevityjournalist.com/ Don Moxley: http://trainrecoverwin.com/ 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on longevity, resilience, and real health.
S1 · E51
February 7 · 1 hr 5 min
Peptides Explained: Science, Safety, and the Billion-Dollar Confusion
Peptides are suddenly everywhere, from GLP-1 weight-loss drugs to recovery stacks, skincare, and “research-grade” compounds sold online. But what are peptides really? Which ones are proven? Which ones are dangerous? And why is the industry being called the Wild West right now? In this episode of the 90% Healthy Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Melissa Petersen, clinician, longevity strategist, and founder of Peptide University, to cut through the confusion. We cover: What peptides actually are (and why your body already makes thousands of them) Why GLP-1 drugs are peptides — and why dosing matters more than people realize The difference between FDA-approved, compounding pharmacy, and “research-grade” peptides Why bro science and influencer stacks are putting people at risk What the FDA crackdown really means for consumers How to think about peptides as signals, not shortcut Why peptides can enhance health, but never replace movement, sleep, nutrition, or even purpose 🎧 Listen now and share this with someone who’s peptide-curious but confused. This episode is for anyone curious about peptides but unwilling to gamble with their health. Guest: Dr. Melissa Petersen | https://mypeptideuniversity.com/ Hosts: Don Moxley | https://trainrecoverwin.com/ Klaudia Balogh | http://longevityjournalist.com/
S1 · E50
February 2 · 54 min
How This Founder Will Change the Way You Think About Light Therapy
Most people think light therapy is about buying the brightest panel or sitting in a sauna longer. This conversation changes that. In this episode of the 90% Healthy Podcast, Don Moxley sits down with Robbie Bresser, co-founder and Chief Science Officer of TheraSage, to unpack why how light is delivered matters more than how much, and why many people unknowingly misuse light therapy. What started as a father’s search for healing when his daughter was diagnosed with Lyme disease turned into a deep exploration of infrared biology, photobiomodulation, mitochondrial health, nervous system regulation, and recovery. Together, they explore: Why light therapy should be treated as biological signaling The real difference between infrared, near-infrared, and red light Why more light isn’t always better and when it can backfire How combining light, PEMF, and microcurrent changes recovery outcomes What most devices get wrong about proximity, dosing, and EMF exposure How athletes, high performers, and burned-out professionals can use light therapy more intelligently 🎧 Listen to learn more about recovery, longevity, nervous system health, and using technology in alignment with biology Host: Don Moxley | http://trainrecoverwin.com Guest: Robby Besner | http://therasage.com/ Special for 90% Healthy listeners: 20% off with code: "90%Healthy" Who's the 90% Healthy Podcast for? It’s for you who wants to build a resilient body without losing your mind. If you are sick of counting every calorie, tracking too many stats, or not even wanting to start, yet ready to stop feeling just “OK”. Klaudia and Don invite you to build resilient health that bends with real life. No rigid rules. No guilt. Just simple 1% shifts that create a strong foundation, so you can sleep like a baby, perform like a boss. and feel damn good. We cut through the noise, bring you real science (not TikTok trends), and make it easy to understand what works for the long run. Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts.
S1 · E48
January 25 · 44 min
The Reason You Wake Up Tired (Even After 8 Hours) | Ep 49 with Sleep Scientist Dr. Dan Gartenberg
Most people don’t need to “optimize” their sleep — they need to understand it. In this episode of the 90% Healthy Podcast, sleep scientist Dr. Dan Gartenberg (PhD, founder of SleepSpace) breaks down why so many disciplined, high-performing people still wake up tired, and why copying sleep hacks from friends, influencers, or wearables often backfires. We cover: Why sleep advice should never be one-size-fits-all The biggest mistakes people make with sleep tracking How wearables help — and when they hurt Why waking up groggy isn’t about willpower The science of sleep stages, smart alarms, and sleep inertia How light, sound, timing, and breathing shape sleep quality When insomnia, sleep apnea, or anxiety is the real root cause How to improve sleep without turning it into an obsession Dr. Dan has published 20+ peer-reviewed studies on sleep and cognition and has been featured in NPR, The New York Times, and TEDx. His work focuses on small, personalized changes that improve energy, clarity, resilience, and long-term brain health. 👉 Free sleep assessment + 30-day access: https://sleepspace.com/90percent If sleep affects your energy, mood, focus, performance, or longevity — this episode is for you. 👍 Like 📌 Subscribe 🔁 Share with someone who’s struggling with sleep Who's the 90% Healthy Podcast for? It’s for you who wants to build a resilient body without losing your mind. If you are sick of counting every calorie, tracking too many stats, or not even wanting to start, yet are ready to stop feeling just “OK”. Klaudia and Don invite you to build resilient health that bends with real life. No rigid rules. No guilt. Just simple 1% shifts that create a strong foundation, so you can sleep like a baby, perform like a boss. and feel damn good. We cut through the noise, bring you real science (not TikTok trends), and make it easy to understand what works for the long run. Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts.
S1 · E48
January 18 · 52 min
Why Disciplined People Still Feel Stuck — With Nervous System, Performance & Well-Being Coach Jose Maresma | EP48
You know what to do. You’ve tried discipline, consistency, and self-control. So why does it still feel so hard? In this episode of the 90% Healthy Podcast, we speak with Jose Maresma, a nervous system–informed performance and wellbeing coach who works with physicians, first responders, elite athletes, and high achievers living under constant pressure. Jose doesn’t teach motivation. He teaches regulation. This conversation explores why so many disciplined people feel stuck, burned out, or dysregulated — and how nervous system safety, embodiment, and meaning are often the missing link. We discuss: Why trauma and chronic stress override discipline How nervous system dysregulation blocks progress Why consistency only works when the body feels safe The difference between pushing harder and regulating smarter How high performers build resilience without burning out This episode is for people who are capable, driven, and committed — but exhausted from trying to force change. 🎙️ Guest: Jose Maresma 🧠 Nervous System–Informed Performance & Wellbeing Coach 🔗 Learn more: embodiedspirittherapies.com (linked in show notes) 🎙️ Hosts: Klaudia Balogh (longevityjournalist.com) & Don Moxley (trainrecoverwin.com) Who's the 90% Healthy Podcast for? It’s for you who wants to build a resilient body without losing your mind. If you are sick of counting every calorie, tracking too many stats, or not even wanting to start, yet ready to stop feeling just “OK”. Klaudia and Don invite you to build resilient health that bends with real life. No rigid rules. No guilt. Just simple 1% shifts that create a strong foundation, so you can sleep like a baby, perform like a boss. and feel damn good. We cut through the noise, bring you real science (not TikTok trends), and make it easy to understand what works for the long run. Tune in wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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