
Well Beyond 40
Well Beyond 40 with JJ Virgin is the podcast for women who want to age powerfully and enjoy the best chapter of their lives. It’s YOUR turn now to focus on nutrition, wellness, fitness, mindfulness, and beauty. Refuel your body. Reignite your wellness. Renew your passion. Fall (back) in love with your life, and discover what it means to age powerfully. Every information-packed episode combines cutting-edge science, pearls of wisdom from JJ’s four decades as a health and wellness leader and the world’s leading experts on weight loss, metabolism, menopause, life transitions and much more. We dive deep into topics like cultivating mindfulness, building strong relationships and setting boundaries, and choosing health…in a nutshell, how we can AGE POWERFULLY into this second half of our lives. At Well Beyond 40, we empower women in their 40s, 50s, 60, 70s (and beyond!) to defy stereotypes and say, “It's my time now. It's my turn now. It’s my opportunity to step into my best life!” For four decades, JJ Virgin has helped people lose weight and stop weight regain by eliminating hidden food intolerances and lowering their sugar impact. As a triple-board certified nutrition expert and Fitness Hall of Famer, JJ helps you stay fired up and focused on being your healthiest rockstar self. In addition to hosting Well Beyond 40, JJ is a prominent TV and media personality. She was co-host of TLC’s Freaky Eaters and the on-camera nutritionist for Weight Loss Challenges on Dr. Phil. Over the years, JJ has made numerous appearances on PBS, Dr. Oz, Rachael Ray, Access Hollywood, and the TODAY Show. She also speaks regularly and has shared the stage with notables including Seth Godin, Lisa Nichols, Gary Vaynerchuk, Mark Hyman, Dan Buettner, and Mary Morrissey. JJ is the author of 4 New York Times bestsellers: The Virgin Diet, The Virgin Diet Cookbook, The Sugar Impact Diet, and The Sugar Impact Diet Cookbook. JJ is also the author of Warrior Mom: 7 Secrets to Bold, Brave Resilience. She regularly writes for major blogs and other publications including mindbodygreen and Medium. Visit jjvirgin.com for hundreds of free recipes and resources, plus state-of-the-art programs, products, and plenty of support to help you rev up your metabolism, reignite your wellness, and step powerfully into the second half of your life. Love the Podcast? Here’s what to do: Make My Day & Share Your Thoughts! - Subscribe to the podcast & leave me a review - Text a screenshot to 813-565-2627 - Expect a personal reply because your voice is so important to me. Join 55,000+ followers who make this podcast thrive.
Latest episodes

Nov 30, 2022 • 51min
Increasing Your Brain Span with Bryce Wylde
What have you done for your brain today? That's the question we should all be asking ourselves every day, according to our guest, cofounder of The DNA Company, Bryce Wylde. A lot of conversations in wellness revolve around taking care of ourselves in order to have the longest, healthiest lives. But rather than focusing on lifespan, what we really should be focusing on is ""brain span."" A long life doesn't necessarily equate to a positive quality of life, and Bryce speaks with JJ about how to support your cognitive abilities for as long as possible. In this episode, you'll learn about what you can do naturally to achieve a long brain span, how to test for brain function and volume, what can cause shrinkage in the brain that may lead to neurodegenerative disease, and how leaky gut can lead to a leaky brain. Plus, you'll hear nutrition recommendations that can have a massive impact on the brain, the importance of supplements (because you can't always get enough nutrients through food), how to determine whether you're in or out of a fight-or-flight state, and the benefits of the Japanese practice of forest bathing. Grab a FREE download of Bryce’s latest book: Brainspanners (use password: getmorebrainspan) https://wyldeonhealth.com/brainspanners/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 28, 2022 • 8min
How Do I Test to See if I’m Inflamed?
Chronic inflammation is a silent killer, but there are ways you can monitor for this before your health is negatively impacted. In this episode, JJ answers a community member's question on how to test for inflammation. You'll learn which lab test to ask your doctor for, how you can monitor inflammation at home using a body composition scale, and the anti-inflammatory food swaps to make to help address inflammation in the body. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 25, 2022 • 21min
What to Eat When to Eat and Why for Liver Health
Your liver helps digest food, stores energy, plays an important role in blood sugar metabolism, and performs hundreds of other vital functions… and yet, we don’t pay much attention to this hardworking organ until something goes wrong. In this episode, JJ shares 9 simple, effective ways to optimize liver health. You’ll learn the big culprit behind nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and what you can do to support a healthy liver, foods that are good for your liver, the right tests to measure liver health, liver-supporting benefits of oats, and JJ’s favorite liver-supportive non-starchy veggie. Plus, you’ll learn how leafy greens can boost antioxidants, the surprising fruit that helps neutralize toxins, the best supplements to support liver health, the benefits of coffee and green tea for your liver, and the meal-timing strategy that one study shows may help reduce your risk of liver problems. These strategies give you everything you need to give your liver the love it deserves! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 23, 2022 • 59min
Going Gluten-Free the Right Way with Dr. Tom O’Bryan
Is your gluten-free diet actually making your health worse? Many folks who take this route don't have the right information on which foods to swap in, and they end up in the ""healthy"" food aisle loading up their cart with GF cookies and cupcakes thinking it'll make a difference. Dr. Tom O'Bryan is a world-renowned expert on food sensitivities, environmental toxins, and autoimmune diseases. He joins JJ for a discussion on where people go wrong when they go gluten-free. You'll learn about surprising research that shows how a poorly executed gluten-free diet changes your microbiome and impacts your mortality risk, the five pillars in the development of chronic inflammatory disease, environmental triggers to be mindful of in your health, how some foods may impact fertility, and so much more. But it's not all doom and gloom! Dr. Tom also talks about the tests you can take that are the most accurate for determining your intolerances to wheat and gluten. He also shares his recommendations for an actually-healthy gluten-free diet that provides all the probiotics and prebiotics your gut needs to thrive, including the right foods to eat and how to cook them. You won’t want to miss this episode! It’s jam-packed with helpful, science-backed information to help protect your family's health for many years to come. Get Dr. Tom’s FREE 3-Step Gut Reboot https://thedr.com/gut-reboot-guide/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 21, 2022 • 30min
[Beginnings & Breakthroughs] Training While Healing Injuries with Mekenna Smith
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 18, 2022 • 24min
What to Eat When to Eat and Why for Muscle Mass
Lean muscle helps you burn fat, balance your blood sugar, age powerfully, and so much more. In this episode, JJ reveals how building muscle starts in your kitchen. You’ll learn how much protein you need to gain muscle and lose weight, why food timing matters, the best scale to measure lean muscle, the top paleo protein sources, and the best plant-based protein sources for vegans and vegetarians. Plus, JJ shares how to make the perfect muscle-building meal, foods to eat to gain muscle, the #1 beverage to promote muscular strength, and how to optimize protein around your workout. As JJ says, it’s never too late to build and maintain strong muscles… all by what goes on the end of your fork! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 16, 2022 • 34min
How to Heal Your Drained Brain with Dr. Mike Dow
Dr. Mike Dow is a neurotherapist and JJ's co-star from the hit TLC show Freaky Eaters. He joins JJ today to talk about the inspiration behind his new book, Heal Your Drained Brain, and how the demands of today's modern world are leaving us stressed out and exhausted. Listen as Dr. Dow explains the 4 subtypes of drained brains and the long-term consequences that can wreak havoc on your health, as well as the diet and lifestyle strategies that can help you balance your stress hormones and brain chemicals so you can feel good again. Plus, you don't want to miss Dr. Dow's advice on exercise – it could be a lifesaver! Get Dr. Mike Dow’s free Drained Brain Quiz https://www.rachaelrayshow.com/lifestyle/health/26351_how_drained_is_your_brain_quiz_from_dr_mike_dow_book_on_anxiety Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 14, 2022 • 10min
Which Features Are Must-Haves When Selecting a Wearable Health Device Like an Apple Watch?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 11, 2022 • 19min
What to Eat, When to Eat, and Why for Heart Health
Supporting a healthy heart and reducing your risk of heart disease starts with what you eat. In this episode, JJ shares her top 5 needle movers for heart health. You’ll learn about the most important lifestyle risk factor for heart disease and stroke, the #1 thing you need to increase for a healthier heart, the best foods to help manage blood pressure, why low-fat diets are a disaster for heart health, and the best oil for a healthy life. Plus, JJ reveals why protein is critical, how wine can support heart health (if you choose this kind), how intermittent fasting impacts cardiovascular disease, and the most effective exercise to keep your heart healthy. Focusing on your heart health helps you make the most of your years… and this informative episode provides the tools you need to do that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nov 9, 2022 • 52min
What Causes Obesity? with Dr. Richard Johnson
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices