What if the grind that built your career is quietly breaking your health?

We share a candid story of chasing productivity through 70–80 hour weeks, new fatherhood, on-call nights, and late teaching prep that spiraled into stress, palpitations, and creeping burnout, then the pivot that turned sleep into a non-negotiable performance tool.

Together we unpack why sleep is an active biological process, not downtime. You’ll hear how deep sleep drives tissue repair and metabolic recovery, how REM consolidates memory and stabilizes mood, and why the brain’s glymphatic system clears waste most effectively at night.

We connect the dots between short or fragmented sleep and higher risks of hypertension, insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all-cause mortality, and we talk frankly about circadian rhythm disruption and why shift work raises disease risk across populations.

We also get practical. Learn how consistent bed and wake times strengthen your internal clock, how dimming lights and reducing blue light support melatonin, and how to build a wind-down routine that conditions your brain to switch states on cue.

We share simple cues, light stretching, a brief breath practice, a sleep mask, less evening caffeine and alcohol, that protect sleep architecture and translate into clearer focus, steadier mood, and better choices the next day. The takeaway is simple and powerful: productivity without recovery is a dead end; prioritize sleep and the other lifestyle pillars naturally align.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who’s burning the candle at both ends, and leave a quick review to help others find these tools. Your eight hours might be the most effective upgrade you make this year.

Go check out my website for tons of free resources on how to transition towards a healthier diet and lifestyle.

You can download my free plant-based recipes eBook and a ton of other free resources by visiting the Digital Downloads tab of my website at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/shop

Don't forget to check out my blog at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/blog

You can also watch my educational videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpkQRXb7G-StAotV0dmahQ

Check out my upcoming live events and free eCourse, where you'll learn more about how to create delicious plant-based recipes: https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/

Go follow me on social media by visiting my Facebook page and Instagram accounts
https://www.facebook.com/plantbaseddrjules
https://www.instagram.com/plantbased_dr_jules/

Last but not least, the best way to show your support and to help me spread my message is to subscribe to my podcast and to leave a 5 star review on Apple and Spotify!
Thanks so much!

Peace, love, plants!
Dr. Jules

Fear sells, but at what cost to our health? In this unscripted, heart-to-heart conversation, I address a troubling pattern I've noticed in wellness culture: the rise of fear-based health information that lacks crucial context and nuance.

When patients ask me whether chia seeds are "toxic" unless soaked, or show me how their healthy peanut butter scores poorly on wellness apps while processed diet foods receive high marks, I worry about the impact of black-and-white thinking on our relationship with food. The internet's tendency to demonize ultra-rare risks while ignoring substantial benefits creates unnecessary anxiety and potentially harmful avoidance behaviors.

Through practical examples—from the misunderstood dangers of chia seeds to the methodological limitations of the Environmental Working Group's "Dirty Dozen" list—I explain how "the dose makes the poison" and why counting ingredients without considering their amounts or effects leads to flawed conclusions. Food processing exists on a spectrum; protein powder is technically ultra-processed yet consistently associated with positive health outcomes. Context matters enormously.

What's most concerning is how social media algorithms reward sensationalism over substance. A 22-minute video exploring nutritional nuance won't go viral like a shirtless influencer making alarming claims about "toxic" foods in a 30-second clip. This creates an environment where our attention spans shorten (we now have an acronym—TLDR—for content deemed too long) and our anxiety about food choices grows.

The solution isn't abandoning tools like food tracking apps entirely—they can help people become more educated about what they consume. Rather, we need to approach health information with critical thinking skills and awareness of these tools' limitations. Your balance point may differ from mine, but I hope these conversations help you develop the discernment to navigate wellness information wisely, without letting fear dictate your choices.

Go check out my website for tons of free resources on how to transition towards a healthier diet and lifestyle.

You can download my free plant-based recipes eBook and a ton of other free resources by visiting the Digital Downloads tab of my website at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/shop

Don't forget to check out my blog at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/blog

You can also watch my educational videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpkQRXb7G-StAotV0dmahQ

Check out my upcoming live events and free eCourse, where you'll learn more about how to create delicious plant-based recipes: https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/

Go follow me on social media by visiting my Facebook page and Instagram accounts
https://www.facebook.com/plantbaseddrjules
https://www.instagram.com/plantbased_dr_jules/

Last but not least, the best way to show your support and to help me spread my message is to subscribe to my podcast and to leave a 5 star review on Apple and Spotify!
Thanks so much!

Peace, love, plants!
Dr. Jules

A father ran down a hospital hallway and placed his lifeless child in our arms.

That single moment changed how we practice, how we teach, and how we judge the flood of health advice that fills our feeds. We talk candidly about the weight of trust, why humility can save lives, and how real medicine often starts with knowing when to call for help, and doing it fast.

From there, we zoom out to the online health economy, where fear and urgency sell quick fixes. We unpack the red flags behind discount codes and sweeping claims, and we explain why experts speak in nuance, not absolutes.

You’ll hear how we think through personalized decisions, why supplements can be helpful only in context, and what accountability should look like when outcomes are on the line.

Along the way, we share practical filters: ask who benefits, demand evidence that matches your situation, and look for guidance that admits uncertainty and details trade-offs.

Prevention takes the spotlight as science-based care that happens before the crisis. We lay out how daily habits, nutrition rich in plants and fiber, movement you can sustain, consistent sleep, stress tools that stick, and strong social ties, quietly compound to keep families out of hallways on the worst day of their lives.

If you value evidence over hype and want a stronger therapeutic alliance with your clinician, this conversation offers a grounded path forward. If it resonates, follow the show, share it with someone who needs a steady voice, and leave a review so others can find it too.

Go check out my website for tons of free resources on how to transition towards a healthier diet and lifestyle.

You can download my free plant-based recipes eBook and a ton of other free resources by visiting the Digital Downloads tab of my website at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/shop

Don't forget to check out my blog at https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/blog

You can also watch my educational videos on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCMpkQRXb7G-StAotV0dmahQ

Check out my upcoming live events and free eCourse, where you'll learn more about how to create delicious plant-based recipes: https://www.plantbaseddrjules.com/

Go follow me on social media by visiting my Facebook page and Instagram accounts
https://www.facebook.com/plantbaseddrjules
https://www.instagram.com/plantbased_dr_jules/

Last but not least, the best way to show your support and to help me spread my message is to subscribe to my podcast and to leave a 5 star review on Apple and Spotify!
Thanks so much!

Peace, love, plants!
Dr. Jules