113. Dr. Karan Rajan: Why Gut Health Shapes Your Longevity
You can eat healthy, exercise daily, and still struggle with fatigue, inflammation, or brain fog. Why? Because every system in your body is connected. The gut, brain, and immune system are constantly communicating, and most health plans ignore that network. In this episode of Extend, I sit down with Dr. Karan Rajan to explore how the gut microbiome shapes everything from digestion and immunity to mood, skin, and longevity. We unpack the science behind leaky gut, fiber diversity, fermented foods, and the connection between microbiome imbalance and chronic inflammation. We also dive into practical steps such as how to feed all three layers of your colon, the right way to use fiber supplements, the truth about probiotics, and how daily habits like sleep timing, stress, and even phone use in the bathroom affect gut health. Dr. Karan Rajan is a surgeon, educator, and gut health expert with more than five million followers across social media. His research in microbiome science and human health has made him one of the most trusted voices translating complex medicine into actionable steps for modern life. What's Discussed: (00:00) From Surgery to the Science of the Microbiome (05:18) How Fiber Diversity Fuels a Healthy Gut (12:14) The Link Between Leaky Gut, Skin, and Inflammation (19:49) What Destroys the Microbiome and How to Rebuild It (27:56) Poop, Circadian Rhythms, and Real Gut Health Markers (40:13) Fiber Supplements, Fermented Foods, and Smart Probiotics (54:05) Inside the Future of Gut Health and the Loam Project  Thank You to Our Sponsors: IM8: Try IM8 today with a 30-day money back guarantee. You can get 10% off your first order with code DRSHAH at https://im8health.com/discount/DRSHAH. Pendulum: Go to pendulumlife.com and use code EXTEND at checkout for 20% off all Pendulum membership first orders.  Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram:@darshanshahmd  Learn more about Dr. Karan Rajan: Instagram: drkaranrajan YouTube: Dr Karan Linkedin: Dr Karan Rajan Â
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112. Josh Clemente: Why Energy Crashes Keep Happening and How to Stop Them
What if the future of medicine isn't about diagnosing disease, but preventing it entirely? For decades, our healthcare system has only reacted once things go wrong. We measure when there are symptoms. We intervene when there is a crisis. But what if we could see the shift before it becomes an illness? In this episode of EXTEND, I'm joined by Josh Clemente, founder of Levels and former SpaceX engineer, to explore how continuous health monitoring is about to change human health at scale. Josh shares how engineering principles—not traditional medicine—first revealed the hidden metabolic patterns that were draining his energy, affecting his cognition, and pushing him toward disease long before any lab test reflected it. We discuss why continuous glucose monitoring is only the first step in this revolution, how data empowers individuals instead of the healthcare system, and why the next era of health will be defined by observability—real-time insight that lets you adjust, course-correct, and optimize your biology every single day. Josh Clemente is the co-founder of Levels, a metabolic health platform bringing continuous glucose monitoring and real-time lifestyle coaching to the mainstream. Previously, he led life support systems engineering at SpaceX, where he developed safety technology for astronauts aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft. What's Discussed: (00:00) Why You Should Own Your Health Data — Not Your Doctor (05:50) The Tech That's About to Replace Annual Checkups (17:47) The Medical System Won't Fix Chronic Disease — You Will (26:02) AI + Biology: The Turning Point We've Been Waiting For (35:15) Learning to "Read" Your Body in Real Time (45:54) How Small Daily Inputs Create (or Reverse) Disease (57:05) What's Coming Next in Wearable Health Tech (01:06:57) Continuous Monitoring: The Future of Metabolic Health (01:13:57) Metabolic Health = Energy. And Energy = Life. (01:27:11) Final Takeaways: Empowerment, Data, and Ownership Thank You for Our Sponsors: NextHealth: Your destination for cutting-edge health optimization—from IV therapy to hormone balancing. Explore at https://www.next-health.com/  Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram:@darshanshahmd  Learn more about Josh Clemente: Instagram: @levels Instagram: @josh.f.clemente Website: https://www.levels.com/   Â
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111. Dr. Amir Vookshoor: Neurosurgeon Secrets For Bulletproof Brain Health
What if the real key to longevity has nothing to do with your workouts or supplements, but with how well your brain is wired to adapt, repair, and thrive? In this episode of EXTEND, I sit down with Dr. Amir Vookshoor, a board-certified neurosurgeon and founder of NeuroVella Brain Spa, to explore how modern neuroscience and biohacking are merging to shape the future of brain health. We dive into how trauma, inflammation, and stress rewire the nervous system and how to reset it. From neurofeedback and TMS to breathwork, sleep, and emerging tools like plasmapheresis and light-based neuromodulation, this conversation reveals the most powerful, science-backed ways to reprogram the brain for focus, resilience, and longevity. Dr. Amir Vookshoor is a pioneering neurosurgeon integrating modern neuroscience with holistic medicine to help patients achieve optimal brain function. His work bridges surgery, neuroplasticity, and mind-body science to unlock new pathways for healing and human potential. What's Discussed: (00:00) From Neurosurgery to the Future of Brain Health (10:42) How Stress and Trauma Rewire the Nervous System (19:58) Neurofeedback, Brain States, and Consciousness (31:25) Advanced Imaging and Early Alzheimer's Prevention (40:16) Plasmapheresis and the Science of Brain Renewal (50:27) Breathwork, Sleep, and the Brain-Body Connection  Thank You for Our Sponsors: IM8: Try IM8 today with a 30-day money back guarantee. You can get 10% off your first order with code DRSHAH at https://im8health.com/discount/DRSHAH. Vitaboom: For supplements you can trust and wellness solutions tailored to your health, visit https://vitaboom.com/  Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram:@darshanshahmd  Learn more about : Instagram: @drvokshoor Website: NEUROSURGERY & SPINE GROUPÂ
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110. Dr. Josh Axe: The Hidden Connection Between Faith, Emotion, and Aging
What if the key to living longer and feeling younger has been hidden in ancient medicine all along? Long before supplements, peptides, or wearables, healing was about restoring balance through food, movement, belief, and nature. Today, those same principles are being shown by modern science to protect your cells, extend your healthspan, and reverse root causes of disease. In this episode of EXTEND, I'm joined by Dr. Josh Axe and we explore how ancient healing systems like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine intersect with today's most advanced longevity research. We dive into the biology of faith and mindset, how chronic stress and emotion impact gene expression, and the connection between gut health, inflammation, and aging. We also discuss how to bridge natural and modern medicine, the surprising role of peptides and stem cells in regeneration, and why true longevity begins with the everyday habits you practice, not just the protocols you chase. Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS, is a doctor of chiropractic and natural medicine, a clinical nutritionist, and the co-founder of Ancient Nutrition. He is also the host of the podcast The Dr. Josh Axe Show and the bestselling author of Ancient Remedies and The Biblical Diet. We Also Discuss: (00:04) Traditional vs. Western medicine and where real healing happens (08:51) Ancient nutrition and the science of longevity (14:31) The emotional biology of healing in Eastern medicine (25:55) Biblical health codes and the roots of longevity (38:06) Mold toxicity, early signs, triggers, and recovery (52:26) Illness, purpose, and the path to healing (01:12:38) Regenerative therapies using peptides and stem cells (01:27:59) The future of wellness through ancient wisdom and modern science Thank You to Our Sponsors: Timeline: Go to timeline.com/drshah to get 20% off your order. Function Health: Learn more and join using functionhealth.com/drshah. The first 1000 get a $100 credit toward their membership. Visit www.functionhealth.com/drshah or use gift code DRSHAH100 at sign-up to own your health. Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram:@darshanshahmd  Learn more about Dr. Josh Axe: Website: www.draxe.com Instagram:@drjoshaxe YouTube: www.youtube.com/@DrJoshAxe Â
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109. Dr. Gladys McGarey: What 103 Years of Life Can Teach Us About Longevity
What if the real secret to longevity isn't found in science alone, but in how we choose to live, love, and connect every day? In this special posthumous episode of EXTEND, I revisit one of the most meaningful conversations I've ever had — with Dr. Gladys McGarey, the 103-year-old physician known as the Mother of Holistic Medicine and author of The Well-Lived Life. Before her passing, Dr. McGarey shared a century's worth of wisdom on what truly heals us, from the inside out. We talk about how she helped create the holistic medicine movement, the deeper meaning behind her "Five L's" — love, life, laughter, labor, and listening — and how energy, purpose, and community shape both health and happiness. She also shares powerful stories from her early life in India, her encounter with Gandhi, and how compassion became the foundation of her medical practice. Dr. Gladys McGarey reminds us that medicine isn't just about curing disease — it's about nurturing the human spirit, and remembering that love itself is one of the most powerful healing forces we have.  We Also Discuss: (00:00) A Century of Healing: The Life and Legacy of Dr. Gladys McGarey (09:45) Growing Up in India and Meeting Gandhi (20:23) How Holistic Medicine Was Born, and Why It Still Matters (25:32) The Physician Within: What True Healing Really Means (27:20) Energy, Purpose, and the Secret to Staying "Alive" at Any Age (33:55) Turning Setbacks into Teachers: Finding Growth in Pain (37:46) Why Community Is the Medicine We're Missing (43:54) The Vision for a Healing Village, Where Love and Life Lead Medicine Thank You to Our Sponsor: IM8: Try IM8 today with a 30-day money back guarantee. You can get 10% off your first order with code DRSHAH at https://im8health.com/discount/DRSHAH. Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram:@darshanshahmd  Learn more about Dr. Gladys McGarey: Website:https://gladysmcgarey.com/Instagram: @livingmedicinedrÂ
Extend with Darshan Shah, MD is a podcast dedicated to cutting-edge science, research, tools, and protocols designed to help you extend your healthspan.
Starting my medical journey at 16 and becoming one of the youngest doctors in the country, studying and training at the Mayo Clinic, Harvard Business School, Singularity University and other prestigious institutions, becoming a board certified surgeon and accumulating over two decades of practice, I have discovered that a mere 20% of health knowledge yields 80% of the results.
That's why this podcast is all about cutting through the noise on how to turn back the aging clock.
I interview world-renowned medical practitioners, doctors, experts, and thought leaders, offering you a step-by-step guide and actionable advice to proactively avoid disease and optimize your health.
Plus, I share weekly solo episodes giving you quick, digestible protocols for successfully extending your healthspan.
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