Live Beyond the Norms

Most of us are consuming the wrong fats and paying the price with our health, energy, and brain function.That’s what Udo Erasmus discovered after nearly dying from pesticide poisoning. His recovery sent him deep into the world of fats and oils, uncovering how the way we process and consume oils today is damaging our bodies at the cellular level.Udo’s not just a health expert—he’s the guy who redefined how oils should be made. With over 40 years of research, multiple books, and his own company, Udo’s Choice, he’s helped millions rethink fats, inflammation, and what the body actually needs to heal.In this episode, we unpack the omega-3 and omega-6 myths, why most oils are toxic, and how the right fats can fuel your brain, balance inflammation, and even boost athletic performance by 40-60%.“Usually, sugar is the one that people say is the worst thing for you. Damaged oils are worse for you than sugar.” ~ Udo ErasmusAbout Udo Erasmus:Udo Erasmus is a pioneer in health, a bestselling author, and the co-founder of Udo’s Choice—one of the first companies to make oils with health, not shelf life, in mind. After nearly dying from pesticide poisoning, Udo dedicated his life to understanding fats, oils, and what the body truly needs. With a background in biochemistry, genetics, and nutrition, Udo has spent 40+ years educating millions on the science of essential fatty acids, inflammation, and human nature. His books, including Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, have sold over 250,000 copies, and his oil blends are used by elite athletes and health professionals worldwide.Connect with Udo Erasmus:Website: https://udoerasmus.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/udoerasmus Book: https://a.co/d/3tLUb18 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UdoErasmus Connect with Chris Burres:- Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres

Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping – leave us a review on iTunes and let us know!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566It’s hard to explain the moment you realize you don’t like your own child.That’s exactly where Dana Kay found herself—exhausted, overwhelmed, and walking on eggshells in a house filled with tantrums, tension, and confusion. Her son had just been diagnosed with ADHD, and like so many parents, she was handed a prescription and told, “This is the only way.”It wasn’t.Dana watched her 5-year-old go from one medication to four, stacked to counteract the side effects of each other, until he became a shell of himself. So she rolled up her sleeves, dove into the science, and discovered something most pediatricians never mention: Inflammation and gut dysfunction can wreak havoc on a child’s brain, mood, and focus.What started as one mom’s desperate late-night research turned into a complete transformation and a thriving mission.Today, Dana is the founder of the ADHD Thrive Institute, where she has helped more than 1,300 families reduce ADHD symptoms naturally, using food, lifestyle, and lab testing to restore what medications often overlook: the root cause.In this episode, Dana walks us through her heartbreaking experience that changed everything, the trap of forever medications, and the exact nutrition and detox steps she used to get her son (and her sanity) back.“ If your kid's suffering with ADHD symptoms, most likely they've got leaky gut and gluten sensitivity. " ~ Dana KayAbout Dana KayDana Kay is a board-certified holistic health and nutrition practitioner, international bestselling author, and founder of the ADHD Thrive Institute. After watching her son suffer under a pile of prescriptions, she took matters into her own hands. She returned to school to study functional medicine and developed a system that now helps families worldwide manage ADHD naturally. Through science-backed protocols, customized testing, and accessible coaching, Dana empowers parents to get their children off the rollercoaster and back to thriving.Connect with Dana Kay:- Website: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/ - Book: https://a.co/d/52oLBgl Connect with Chris Burres:- Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres

Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping – leave us a review on iTunes and let us know!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566There’s something wild that happens when you hit rock bottom and don’t quit.Tim Thomas has been there—Australian Special Forces veteran, pro fighter, shark attack survivor, divorced, broke, and nearly suicidal at 3 a.m. on a couch in his parents’ house. That’s when he realized something had to change, and it wasn’t going to come from the outside.It started with a breath.That breath turned into a practice, a path, and a life-saving reset button that would not only change his sleep, his stress, and his health but help thousands of veterans and civilians do the same. Today, Tim is the founder of Breathwork in Bed, a program built to help people reconnect with their bodies, regulate their nervous systems, and restore what modern life takes away: peace, clarity, and rest.In this episode, Tim walks us through near-death moments, years of trauma and pressure, and how learning to breathe intentionally, if only for a few minutes, can radically change your sleep, your power, and your future."Everything we really want, everything we really need, is right here underneath our own skin. Accessed through our delightful breath." ~ Tim ThomasAbout Tim ThomasTim Thomas is an Australian Special Forces veteran, pro fighter, and founder of Breathwork in Bed, a practical and powerful system for recovering deep rest, emotional balance, and physical energy through breath. He’s helped veterans rebuild their nervous systems, guided civilians away from burnout, and turned decades of high-pressure survival into a message of hope and transformation.Connect with Tim: - Website: https://breathworkinbed.com.au - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/breathworkinbed Connect with Chris Burres:- Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres

It’s wild what your body knows about you, what it would tell you if only you'd listen.Dan Smith lived the first 40 years of his life as a brain on legs. He was emotionally disconnected, hyper-intellectual, and proud of it. He retired early, built multiple companies, advised founders, and by all accounts “won the game.” But something was off. His body screamed in quiet ways—chronic tension, sleepless nights, emotional numbness.Then came a moment of awakening.Dan stumbled into a world he once mocked, of energetic bodywork, emotion stored in tissues, healing through screaming (yes, screaming). And what he found wasn’t woo. It was the missing key to his health, relationships, decision-making, and leadership. Today, Dan works with high-level founders and individuals through a process he calls Integral Methodology to unlock stuck emotional trauma stored in the body, and the results are staggering.In this episode, Dan explains why you have to “go closer to what hurts” if you want to heal. We talk about physical pain that has nothing to do with injuries, sleep issues that resolve after an emotional release, and why your body (not your brain) makes decisions.“Focus on what you want and create more of it. Scream when you need to, and cry when you need to.” ~ Dan SmithAbout Dan SmithDan Smith is the founder of Integral Methodology, a process that helps people identify and release emotional blocks stored in their bodies that are sabotaging health, success, and relationships. His own journey through pain, healing, and emotional reintegration now fuels his work with founders, executives, and groups who want to stop repeating toxic patterns and start living in alignment—emotionally, physically, and energetically.Resources:- Website: https://integralmethodology.com - Emails: dan@integralmethodology.com  or dan@theprofitableleader.com Connect with Chris Burres:- Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres

Robbie Stahl, founder of The Fitness Doctor and biomechanical exercise specialist, shares transformative insights for fitness over 50. He discusses how traditional workouts often lead to injury and why biomechanical optimization is the key to healing while strengthening. Robbie emphasizes the importance of proper alignment and intensity to prevent injuries and combat age-related inflammation. He also highlights the role of protein intake and offers practical strategies to enhance health and longevity, proving that movement should be enjoyable, not painful.

Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping – leave us a review on iTunes and let us know!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566Ever met someone who helps people quit smoking… without withdrawal, meds, or even a second thought?In this episode, I sit down with Meridee Hlokoff, founder of LaserQuit, a revolutionary addiction recovery program that uses cold laser therapy to help people quit smoking, drinking, vaping, binge eating, and even phone addiction, often in just one session.Meridee’s journey started when she quit smoking herself after a 13-year addiction, and she did it without patches, pills, or suffering. That one treatment changed everything. Today, she’s helped thousands walk away from addiction and reclaim control over their lives.We dive into how cold laser therapy works, why traditional methods like nicotine patches and prescription meds fail long-term, and why dopamine, not willpower, is at the root of almost every addiction.We also talk about why most people relapse even after “success,” and how Meridee's approach rewires your brain to make sobriety feel natural.If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to break a lifelong habit, this one will change the way you think about addiction."Addiction isn't the problem. Addiction is the solution, and the problem is feelings we don't want to feel." ~ Meridee HlokoffAbout Meridee HlokoffMeridee Hlokoff is the founder of LaserQuit, a leading cold laser therapy program helping people end addictions without medication or withdrawal. After quitting smoking herself through this therapy over 13 years ago, she became certified and went on to develop her own unique protocol, one that now boasts a 95–98% long-term success rate. Meridee works with clients battling addictions to nicotine, alcohol, food, porn, stress, phones, and more.Resources:➡️ Learn more about the molecule behind the longest life extension in history at https://MyVitalC.com Connect with Meridee:- Website: https://laserquit.net - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sobercoachmer Connect with Chris Burres:- Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres

Struggling to conceive and feeling like the clock is ticking louder every day?In this episode, I sit down with Jessica Preston, a biochemist-turned-physician assistant and founder of Denovo Fertility, who’s flipping the script on traditional fertility care by helping couples dramatically boost their chances of conceiving, without jumping straight to IVF.Jessica brings 20 years of OB/GYN experience, a deep bench in functional medicine, and a wildly refreshing honesty about what fertility clinics often ignore. We talk about everything from the real story behind A.M.H. (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) levels to how stress can affect your fertility more than age, plus why miscarriage is more common than most people realize.If you’ve ever wondered whether IVF is your only path… or why your body just isn’t responding the way you thought it would… or how the hell someone can get pregnant naturally after years of unexplained infertility, this one will blow your mind."Miscarriage and infertility rank higher on a stress scale for women than the loss of a parent or a divorce." ~ Jessica PrestonAbout Jessica Preston, PA-CJessica Preston spent nearly 20 years in obstetrics and gynecology before she discovered the power of functional medicine to heal infertility naturally. As the founder of Denovo Fertility, she leads a team of eight specialized coaches who help couples optimize egg and sperm health through nutrition, stress management, biofeedback, and relationship healing. Jessica is also the author of a book and host of a TV program called The New Health. Her mission is to change how fertility is approached globally by targeting the root causes of infertility rather than merely treating symptoms.Resources:➡️ Learn more about the molecule behind the longest life extension in history at https://MyVitalC.com ➡️ Join the Year of the Healthy Baby Initiative: https://denovofertility.com/baby-basics-program/ Connect with Jessica Preston:- Website: https://www.denovofertility.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/denovo_fertility/ - Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/denovofertilitycommunitygroup/ - YouTube: www.youtube.com/@denovofertility - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/denovofertility - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@denovofertility Connect with Chris Burres:- Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres

Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping – leave us a review on iTunes and let us know!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566You go to the dermatologist with a full-body rash or a child who can’t sleep because they scratch till they bleed—and the first option you're handed is a lifelong biologic drug?Something's not right.In this episode, I sit down with Kerry Jenkins, a certified physician assistant with 23+ years in medical and aesthetic dermatology, who’s blowing the whistle on the standard system and helping patients heal chronic skin conditions by treating the root cause.Kerry doesn’t just talk about acne, eczema, and psoriasis. She gets into the deeper problem: what our skin is trying to say about our gut, our toxic load, and the way we eat, live, and sleep.We dive into everything from Accutane and vitamin deficiencies to the real deal with sunscreen. We also talk about the insane rise in chronic rashes in babies, and why so many parents are being pushed toward risky immune-suppressing drugs way too fast.If you’ve ever wondered why skin issues aren’t being solved, this one will wake you up."Just because somebody's popular and has a lot of followers and they're promoting a product does not mean that it's legit or that it works. You need to do your due diligence.” ~ Kerry JenkinsAbout Kerry Jenkins, PA-CKerry Jenkins is a certified physician assistant who has been practicing medical and aesthetic dermatology for over 23 years. After discovering the power of functional and integrative medicine, she obtained additional certifications from the School of Applied Functional Medicine, the Institute for Functional Medicine, and certifications in root cause dermatology. Today, she is the founder of Whisper Health, where she provides patients with a holistic approach to chronic skin issues. Kerry believes that true healing occurs when the underlying drivers of disease are identified and addressed. Her mission is to empower people with the knowledge that they can choose how they treat their skin conditions.Resources:➡️ Learn more about the molecule behind the longest life extension in history at https://MyVitalC.com Connect with Kerry Jenkins:- Website: https://www.whisper-health.com- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whisperhealth - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WhisperHealthFunctionalMedicine  Connect with Chris Burres:- Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/ 

Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping – leave us a review on iTunes and let us know!You think you're doing everything right. Eating clean, loading up on salmon, and seasoning with garlic and ginger. But what if the very foods keeping you “healthy” are quietly inflaming your body?In this episode, I bring back Margaret Floyd Barry—functional nutritionist, food sensitivity specialist, and founder of Restorative Wellness Solutions—to walk me through the gut healing protocol she created based on my own poop and blood.Seriously. I gave her both.We dive into why I’ve got to cut out garlic, ginger, and wine temporarily and why that doesn’t mean I’m stuck eating bland food forever. This isn’t about restriction. It’s about strategy. Margaret lays out the science behind MRT testing, explains why variety matters more than perfection, and shows how to build a gut that can handle life and wine again.If you’re training hard, trying to stay sharp, or wondering why your “clean diet” isn’t translating into energy, digestion, or results, this episode will make you rethink what’s actually helping or hurting your gut.If you're eating the same thing every single day and have a leaky gut, the likelihood of you being sensitive to what you're eating all the time is much more significant." ~ Margaret Floyd BarryAbout Margaret Floyd BarryMargaret Floyd Barry is a renowned Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (FNTP) and the founder of Restorative Wellness Solutions, where she trains health practitioners in the same strategies she has successfully used to transform her clients’ health. She holds multiple certifications, including Certified Healing Food Specialist, Certified Gluten Practitioner, and GAPS Practitioner. Margaret is also the author of the book Eat Naked: Unprocessed, Unpolluted, Undressed Eating for a Healthier, Sexier You and coauthored its follow-up cookbook. She deeply believes that food is medicine and advocates for using targeted nutrition and gut healing as powerful tools to improve health and longevity.Resources:Unlock longevity with ESS60, the Nobel Prize-winning molecule proven to extend lifespan by 90% in lab studies. Visit MyVitalC.com to learn more.Mentioned Episode:Can Food Really Heal You? Gut Health and Longevity Secrets with Margaret Floyd Barry: https://youtu.be/o33OORbsp70?feature=shared Connect with Margaret Floyd Barry:- Website: https://www.margaretfloydbarry.com/   - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/margaretfloydbarry   - Practitioner Training: https://restorativewellnesssolutions.com/ Connect with Chris Burres:- Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/

Support the show and get 50% off MCT oil with free shipping – leave us a review on iTunes and let us know!https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-beyond-the-norms/id1714886566Have you ever found yourself swinging between overindulging at a party and then swearing off carbs for a week, only to end up right back where you started?In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Hehmeyer—licensed dietary nutritionist, clinical nurse specialist, chiropractor, and founder of Well Empowered—to talk about what really keeps people stuck in cycles of guilt, deprivation, and all-or-nothing thinking when it comes to health.She shares how she broke free from her own obsessive cardio habits and restrictive eating mindset, why food isn’t moral, and how movement can be way more than a calorie-burn. We also talk about the role of language, lab data, fulfillment “homework,” and what it means to live your actual best (not perfect) life.This isn’t a talk about how to be disciplined. It’s about learning how to meet yourself where you are, and still win. If you’ve ever felt like your health goals were in flames, this one’s for you."The thing about this all-or-nothing overindulgence or deprivation approach is it doesn't work. It doesn't allow people to produce and sustain the health outcomes that are most important to them." ~ Dr. Jessica HehmeyerAbout Dr. Jessica HehmeyerDr. Jessica Hehmeyer is a licensed dietary nutritionist, clinical nurse specialist, and doctor of chiropractic. At 25, she co-founded CityWide SuperSlow, the first boutique strength training facility in Chicago. Now, as the physician founder of Well Empowered, she combines functional medicine with heart-centered coaching to help people master their "middle ground" in health. With 20+ years of experience, Jessica specializes in resolving digestive issues and hormonal imbalances, and creating sustainable health transformations through data, mindset, and individualized care.Connect with Dr. Hehmeyer- Website: https://wellempowered.com - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wellempowered Connect with Chris Burres:- Website: https://www.myvitalc.com/ - Website: http://www.livebeyondthenorms.com/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chrisburres/ - TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@myvitalc - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisburres/