
The Energy Balance Podcast
Discover how you can live without constant hunger and fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, and other low-energy symptoms. The Energy Balance Podcast will teach you how to maximize your cellular energy so you can take back your health and finally experience clear-headed focus, restful sleep, and all-day energy you didn’t think was possible.
Latest episodes

Feb 7, 2022 • 1h 16min
Ep. 80: How Much Exercise Is Too Much From The Bioenergetic View? (Fitness vs. Health Part 1)
In this episode we discuss:
The harmful effects of excess exercise
Why increasing exercise beyond moderate amounts is NOT effective for weight loss
The harmful effects of excessive endurance training on cardiovascular health
How excess exercise can drive degeneration and contribute to various health issues
How much exercise is “too much”
Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy
Click here to check out the show notes: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-80-how-much-exercise-is-too-much-from-the-bioenergetic-view-fitness-vs-health-part-1/
Timestamps:
2:37 – framing the question of where health and fitness meet from the bioenergetic view
13:12 – how excess exercise can cause degeneration and contribute to various health conditions
21:03 – what level of exercise is harmful for cardiovascular health
29:55 – how the expensive tissue hypothesis applies to exercise
45:14 – how excess exercise can steal energy from other areas of our physiology, and how this affects the calorie equation
1:08:23 - can moderate-intensity endurance training for 25 minutes 3 days per week be too much?

Jan 13, 2022 • 1h 11min
Ep. 79: Hyperthyroidism, Collagen Alternatives, and Forcing Mitochondrial Respiration (Q & A)
In this episode we discuss:
Whether it’s beneficial to force increased mitochondrial respiration with supplements
How to determine the ideal amount of pro-metabolic supplements to take
What to do if you react poorly to collagen or gelatin protein powder
Whether food additives like carrageenan, gums, nitrates, sorbates, MSG, microbial enzymes, cultures, and artificial colors are worth avoiding
Whether we need to be concerned about hyperthyroidism and whether hyperthyroidism can be caused by over-supplementing thyroid hormone
Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy
Click here to check out the show notes: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-79-hyperthyroidism-collagen-alternatives-and-forcing-mitochondrial-respiration-q-a/
Timestamps:
2:39 – is it beneficial to “force” increased mitochondrial respiration and the oxidation of glucose
15:09 – alternatives to collagen or gelatin protein powder
19:19 – which food additives are worth avoiding
58:53 – whether hyperthyroidism is something we should be concerned about

Dec 22, 2021 • 1h 16min
Ep. 78: Why Maximizing Energy Production and Minimizing Stress Is Optimal For Health (Hormesis Part 4)
In this episode we discuss:
How you can induce mitochondrial biogenesis and uncoupling without stress
Why you want tighter mitochondrial coupling if you want to induce uncoupling in a healthy way
The difference between reactive oxygen species production in a high energy state versus a low energy state
How many supposedly hormetic interventions, like exercise, fasting, and ketogenic diets, can be beneficial despite the stress they cause rather than because of it
How the fact that we can’t avoid stress fits into the bioenergetic, anti-hormetic view
What anti-hormesis looks like in a practical sense
Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy
Click here to check out the show notes: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-78-why-maximizing-energy-production-and-minimizing-stress-is-optimal-for-health-hormesis-part-4/
Timestamps:
3:22 – the difference between producing ROS in a high energy state compared to a low energy state
9:38 – how ATP protects against oxidative stress
21:55 – how CO2 protects against oxidative stress
26:31 – how tighter mitochondrial coupling is better for inducing uncoupling
27:48 – the broader context of why we want to adapt to a high-energy, low-stress state
33:28 – how exercise can be beneficial despite the stress it causes, rather than because of it
47:06 – how low-carb/ketogenic diets can be beneficial despite the stress they cause, rather than because of it
57:40 – what to expect when moving away from a hormetic approach
1:02:16 – how the fact that we can’t avoid stress fits into the bioenergetic, anti-hormetic view
1:03:39 – what anti-hormesis looks like in a practical sense

Dec 13, 2021 • 1h 13min
Ep. 77: Why You DON’T Want to Force Autophagy, Mitochondrial Biogenesis, & Uncoupling (Hormesis Part 3)
In this episode we discuss:
Why the stress caused by calorie restriction, exercise, cold thermogenesis, fasting, ketogenic diets, Wim Hoff breathing, and supplements like resveratrol is not supportive of our health
Why autophagy, mitochondrial biogenesis, and uncoupling are not always beneficial
Whether being tolerant to stress is a sign of health
Why it’s virtually impossible to apply hormesis in a practical sense
The difference between reactive oxygen species production in a high energy state versus a low energy state
Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy
Click here to check out the show notes: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-77-why-you-dont-want-to-force-autophagy-mitochondrial-biogenesis-uncoupling-hormesis-part-3/
Timestamps:
3:27 – why reductions in adaptive responses in degenerative states and the benefits of “hormetic” interventions does not lend support to hormesis
13:49 – why improving tolerance to stress is not inherently beneficial and the cost of stress across generations
28:58 – how the fact that stress is cumulative throws a wrench in the idea of hormesis
37:05 –the difference between producing ROS in a high energy state versus a low energy state
49:16 – the low energy, high ROS state is a feature of degenerative conditions

Dec 2, 2021 • 1h 41min
Ep. 76: Why Caloric Restriction Is NOT Responsible For Lifespan Extension (Hormesis Part 2)
In this episode we discuss:
How the largest body of evidence cited in favor of hormesis actually doesn’t support it at all
Why caloric restriction is NOT responsible for slowing aging and extending lifespan (and what is actually responsible)
The many factors that confound the calorie restriction research (including differences between organisms, poor research design, amino acid restriction, PUFA, endotoxin, and more)
Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy
Click here to check out the show notes: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-76-why-caloric-restriction-is-not-responsible-for-lifespan-extension-hormesis-part-2/
Timestamps:
3:36 – the physiology of hormesis and the general support for hormesis
12:54 – outlining the problems with hormesis
18:51 – how differences between organisms confound the caloric restriction research
37:34 – the problem with using proxy markers to evaluate health effects and the importance of context
48:20 – how differences between organisms confound the caloric restriction research (cont.)
51:58 – how hydration status and macronutrient ratios confound the caloric restriction research
55:57 – how the myopic hormetic view leads to the ignorance of many confounding variables
1:02:00 – how the restriction of particular amino acids, ad libitum feeding, and a refined diet confound the caloric restriction research
1:11:58 – how PUFA confounds the caloric restriction research
1:30:09 – how endotoxin and gut health confound the caloric restriction research

Nov 23, 2021 • 1h 7min
Ep. 75: Hormesis As An Anti-Scientific Defense For Industrial Pollution And Chemical Exposure (Hormesis Part 1)
In this episode we discuss:
How the concept of hormesis defends our exposure to toxic chemicals, industrial contaminants and pollutants, and ionizing radiation
Why hormesis is a dangerous, anti-scientific idea masquerading as science
The suspicious history of hormesis and its current definitional problems
The important distinction between stress and adaption
The problems with the terms “eustress” and “distress”
Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy
Click here to check out the show notes: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-75-hormesis-as-an-anti-scientific-defense-for-industrial-pollution-and-chemical-exposure-hormesis-part-1/
Timestamps:
3:36 – an introduction to hormesis as a means to reverse aging and reverse chronic health conditions
6:45 – what is hormesis
12:34 – the suspicious history of hormesis
16:20 – the definitional problems with hormesis
34:51 – how hormesis is influencing dangerous public health policies
47:35 – the difference between stressor effects and specific effects, creating a distinction between stress and adaptation, and the problems with the terms “eustress” and “distress”

Nov 8, 2021 • 1h 33min
Ep.74: Refuting Nutrition With Judy’s “Thoughts on the Ray Peat Diet” (Part 2)
In this episode we discuss:
Why low-carb diets are inherently stressful
How carbohydrates oppose stress and decrease the stress hormones
Why carbohydrates ARE essential and why their intake plays a vital role in our endocrine systems
Whether most people have hypothyroidism and how carnivore diets can cause hypothyroidism
Why carnivore diets are NOT ideal for gut health even if they improve symptoms in the short-term
The real reason why people are moving from a carnivore diet to a “Ray Peat Diet”
Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy
Click here to check out the show notes: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-74-refuting-nutrition-with-judys-thoughts-on-the-ray-peat-diet-part-2/
Timestamps:
3:03 – why low-carb diets drive physiological stress and carbohydrates oppose stress
21:51 – why carbohydrates are essential and why our endocrine systems are so tightly tuned to carbohydrate intake
29:19 – do most people have hypothyroidism?
44:38 – is hypothyroidism ever the root problem?
53:28 – how carnivore diets can cause hypothyroidism
1:01:36 – whether taking exogenous steroid hormones (like pregnenolone or progesterone) will increase cortisol
1:12:19 – should we focus on gut health over thyroid health?
1:23:31 – why are people really moving from carnivore to a “Ray Peat Diet?”

Oct 29, 2021 • 1h 22min
Ep. 73: Refuting Nutrition With Judy’s “Thoughts on the Ray Peat Diet” (Part 1)
In this episode we discuss:
Why our brains favor glucose as their fuel source
Why fat is less energetically favorable as a fuel compared to carbohydrates
The problem with reducing the bioenergetic view to the “Ray Peat diet”
The amount of carbohydrates our bodies can handle before storing them as fat
Whether consuming carbohydrates causes Alzheimer’s disease
Whether the raising of our blood sugar and the production of insulin is wasteful and harmful
Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy
Click here to check out the show notes: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-73-refuting-nutrition-with-judys-thoughts-on-the-ray-peat-diet-part-1/
Timestamps:
3:01 – an introduction to Nutrition With Judy’s article on Ray Peat
7:41 – energy and metabolism are at the core of the bioenergetic view
18:43 – the problem with reducing the bioenergetic paradigm to the “Ray Peat diet” and the importance of context
29:28 – why carbohydrate oxidation is more energetically favorable to fat oxidation
41:09 – why consuming carbohydrates does not make you fat or prevent you from oxidizing fat
45:35 – our body’s impressive capacity for carbohydrate oxidation and storage
58:06 – glucose requirements in the brain other than energy production
1:00:21 – why the increased production of CO2 from carbohydrate oxidation further supports the energy favorability of carbohydrates
1:00:58 – does consuming carbohydrates cause Alzheimer’s disease?
1:06:05 – why the raising of blood sugar and the production of insulin is not wasteful or harmful

Oct 15, 2021 • 58min
Ep. 72: Dental Health on a High-Sugar Diet & How To Determine What’s Blocking Energy Production (Q & A)
In this episode we discuss:
Which vitamins and minerals are most relevant to dental health
How our gut health and microbiome can affect oral health
How to prevent potential dental harm on a high-sugar diet/from consuming fruits and other sugar-containing foods
How to determine the order of operations for making lifestyle adjustments
The first step to addressing virtually all health issues
Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy
Click here to check out the show notes: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-72-dental-health-on-a-high-sugar-diet-how-to-determine-whats-blocking-energy-production-q-a/
Timestamps:
2:49 – factors to consider for supporting dental health and preventing tooth erosion and decay
23:10 – how to determine the order with which to address different aspects of health to address first and how to determine what’s blocking our energy production

Oct 4, 2021 • 45min
Ep. 71: Weight Gain From Replenishing Glycogen & Calcium Sources Other Than Dairy (Q & A)
In this episode we discuss:
How much weight gain can be attributed to increases in glycogen storage when adding in carbohydrates
At what point weight gain would be a sign of an underlying metabolic issue
The best ways to get calcium if you’re not eating dairy
Potential ways to improve your tolerance to dairy
The best form of calcium to use as a calcium supplement
Which calcium-containing vegetables might be worth including in your diet
Sign up for the Free Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy
Click here to check out the show notes: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/ep-71-weight-gain-from-replenishing-glycogen-calcium-sources-other-than-dairy-q-a/
Timestamps:
3:13 – how much weight gain can be attributed to refilling glycogen
25:02 – calcium sources other than dairy
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