Low-carb might not be the health solution you think it is.

After years of eating low-carb, fasting, and grinding through high-stress training, I started to notice something: my results were stalling, my sleep was off, and my labs were telling me I wasn’t as metabolically “healthy” as I thought. When I added carbs back in—real food carbs from fruit, honey, and roots—my energy, recovery, and hormone markers improved across the board.

That shift led me back to today’s guest, Jay Feldman, a health researcher and coach who’s redefining what it means to be healthy through the bioenergetic model—the science of optimizing how our cells create and use energy.

In this episode, Jay and I dig deep into what’s really driving modern metabolic disease—and spoiler alert—it’s not sugar.

Jay explains why cellular energy production is the foundation of true health and how modern diets, stress, and lifestyle habits are interfering with that process. We discuss why low-carb and fasting protocols, while helpful short-term, can mimic stress states in the body and lead to burnout, hormonal dysfunction, and poor metabolic flexibility.

We also get into the massive role that seed oils and polyunsaturated fats (PUFAs) play in modern disease. Jay breaks down how these unstable fats damage mitochondrial membranes, reduce ATP production, and set off oxidative stress that disrupts everything from blood sugar regulation to brain health.

And, for anyone who still believes sugar is the bad guy, this episode flips that narrative upside down. Jay explains why sugar—especially from real foods—has been wrongly blamed for problems actually caused by PUFAs, endotoxin buildup, and poor energy metabolism.

Key Takeaways

• Energy, not restriction, drives health. When energy production drops, disease takes root.
• Low-carb can mimic disease states. The body reads low energy availability as stress.
• Seed oils are the real metabolic disruptors. They damage mitochondria and drive inflammation.
• Sugar isn’t the villain. Whole-food carbohydrates can restore balance and energy.
• Endotoxin and gut imbalances are the hidden factors fueling chronic disease.
• Mitochondrial health is everything. The more stable your cellular structure, the longer—and better—you live.

• 🧠 Free Plan: free40plan.com
• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness
• 🌐 Website: zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

• https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com
• Get Jay’s Free Guide: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide
• https://www.youtube.com/c/JayFeldmanWellness
• instagram.com/jfwellness

Timestamps:

• 00:00 — Intro: Jay’s story and the foundation of the bioenergetic model
• 05:00 — Zane’s low-carb journey and realizing more isn’t better
• 10:00 — Why cellular energy, not macros, defines metabolic health
• 16:00 — The hidden cost of low-carb: stress, hormones, and fatigue
• 22:00 — PUFA explained: how seed oils damage your mitochondria
• 30:00 — Oxidative stress and the link between fat structure and lifespan
• 36:00 — The “engine analogy” of energy metabolism
• 42:00 — Why most restaurant foods keep you inflamed
• 48:00 — Processed sugar vs. seed oils: the real metabolic villain
• 56:00 — Why sugar became a scapegoat (and how to rethink carbs)
• 1:03:00 — Whole-food carbs, gut health, and microbiome balance
• 1:12:00 — Endotoxin explained: the toxin your gut makes daily
• 1:22:00 — Restoring digestion and energy through nutrient balance
• 1:31:00 — Zane’s personal shift: bringing back carbs and seeing better labs
• 1:40:00 — The mindset shift: curiosity over dogma
• 1:47:00 — Final thoughts: what true metabolic freedom looks like

Zane sits down with Dr. Mariza Snyder—practitioner, author, and host of Energized with Dr. Mariza—to reframe midlife for women as a window of opportunity, not a season of decline. She explains what perimenopause actually is, why so many providers miss it, and how proactive care (including lifestyle, strength training, and appropriately-timed HRT) can protect bone, brain, heart, mood, and metabolic health for the decades ahead. You’ll also hear about her upcoming book, The Perimenopause Revolution (launching October 21), which bundles training plans, recipes, and daily routines to support energy and body composition.

Why this matters: Menopause gets headlines, but perimenopause is where prevention pays off—estrogen and testosterone decline before the official 12-month mark, driving changes in bones, muscle, mood, and cardiometabolic risk. Getting ahead of it changes the next 40–50 years.

🎧 CTA: Listen now to learn how to spot perimenopause, build a plan you’ll actually follow, and use HRT as a bridge to better lifestyle—not a replacement for it.

• Perimenopause vs. menopause—clear definitions and why there’s no single diagnostic test for peri.
• What’s happening hormonally (ovary–brain “static,” FSH/LH shouting) and why symptoms vary.
• The midlife “window of opportunity” to protect healthspan (bone, muscle, heart, brain).
• Earlier risk rises: bone loss and cardiovascular risk begin before official menopause
• HRT as a catalyst: mood, motivation, and quality of life—why gatekeeping hurts outcomes.
• Lifestyle medicine still leads (sleep, training, nutrition), with HRT as a strategic “yes-and.”

Episode Timestamps:

• 00:00 Meet Dr. Mariza & why perimenopause needs a reframe
• 02:30 Perimenopause vs. menopause—clear definitions
• 06:00 What’s happening hormonally (ovary–brain “static”)
• 10:00 Symptom patterns & why many women get misdiagnosed
• 13:30 The “window of opportunity” for bone, heart, brain, muscle
• 17:00 Testing & tracking: what to monitor (practical basics)
• 20:00 HRT 101: types, timing, and safety myths
• 24:00 HRT as a catalyst for better sleep, mood, and training
• 27:30 Strength training & protein targets in midlife
• 31:00 Metabolism & body comp: muscle over scale weight
• 34:00 Stress tools: breathwork, recovery, and nervous system care
• 37:00 Supplements vs. fundamentals: what actually moves the needle
• 40:00 Building a realistic weekly plan you’ll follow
• 43:00 Common pitfalls & how to course-correct
• 48:00 The Perimenopause Revolution: what’s inside & how to use it
• 50:00 Closing & where to find Dr. Mariza

• 🧠 Free Plan: free40plan.com

• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness

• 🌐 Website: zanegriggs.com

Guest Links:

Book Bonus Page with a Perimenopause Toolkit ($500 value): http://drmariza.com/book

Free Thriving In Perimenopause Survival Guide: https://drmariza.com/perimenopausesurvival

• FB: @‌drmarizasnyder: https://www.facebook.com/drmarizasnyder

• Insta: @‌drmariza https://instagram.com/drmariza

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/drmarizasnyder

• Website: https://www.drmariza.com

In this episode of the Healthy AF Podcast, Zane Griggs sits down with Sammy Tejeda, CEO and founder of Liquivita, to discuss his powerful journey from firefighter paramedic to wellness entrepreneur. After witnessing the limitations of traditional medicine, Sammy set out to create a preventative health model that empowers both practitioners and patients.

You’ll hear how Liquivita started as a single IV lounge and grew into a nationwide network of wellness centers offering IV nutrition, hormone optimization, and medical aesthetics. Sammy shares why living on purpose fuels growth, and how the five pillars of the VITA Journey are helping clients reclaim their vitality.

🎧 Tune in to hear how a firefighter’s mission to save lives evolved into a movement to optimize them—one client, one lab test, and one connection at a time.

• Why the reactive medical model wasn’t enough for Sammy
• How Liquivita is redefining wellness through personalization
• The five pillars of health in the “VITA Journey” framework
• Why community and connection are essential to healing
• The real difference between functional and traditional medicine
• How empowering practitioners leads to exponential change
• The role of detox, hormones, and data in long-term vitality
  
  

• 00:00 – From Firefighter to Wellness Advocate
• 05:06 – The Birth of Liquivita
• 09:55 – Transforming Healthcare: A New Approach
• 14:59 – The VITA Journey: Five Pillars of Health
• 19:55 – Data-Driven Health: Personalizing Wellness
• 24:56 – Empowering Health Practitioners
• 27:56 – Connecting and Inspiring Change
  
  

Connect with Sammy Tejeda:

• 🌐 Website: Liquivita
• 📲 Instagram: @sammy_tejada
  
  

• 🧠 Free Plan: free40plan.com
• 📲 Instagram: @zanegriggsfitness
• 🌐 Website: zanegriggs.com
  

🔥 Ready to take charge of your health with a data-driven and purpose-filled approach? Don’t forget to subscribe, share the show, and leave a review to support this movement for optimized living.