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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.
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.
Episodes

Feb 16, 2026
Feb 16, 2026
20 min
Check out the Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy/
Check out the Energy Balance Food guide here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/
Check out the Energy Balance Solution here:
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy-balance-solution/
Timestamps:
0:00 – intro
0:25 – why your vitamin D levels are still low despite supplementing
3:17 – the dangers of low vitamin D for bone health & immune function
7:16 – essential nutrients and food sources to resolve low vitamin D
17:25 – top supplement recommendations for optimal vitamin D
Feb 3, 2026
Feb 3, 2026
1hr 15 min
- Ray Peat’s ideas about fasting and the stress response
- Why relying on fatty acid oxidation is inherently stressful
Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide
The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/
Theresa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingrootswellness/
Timestamps:
0:00 – intro
1:03 – Ray Peat’s view on fasting for 12–15 hours without triggering stress
4:22 – the true definition of stress and how much stress is optimal
9:18 – how the efficiency of glucose metabolism and glycogen storage impacts stress
12:23 – whether we agree that fasting for 12–15 hours doesn’t cause stress in healthy people
17:05 – do hunger signals mean the stress response has already started?
21:08 – the short- and long-term costs of low carb diets
22:22 – finding balance between eating frequently to reduce stress and spacing meals out strategically
24:47 – why meditation, magnesium, and other tools don’t stop physiological stress
27:04 – Ray Peat on what happens when stored glucose (glycogen) runs out
28:53 – hypothyroidism as a driver of poor glucose utilization and liver glycogen storage
31:50 – stress hormones and elevated fatty acid metabolism characterize the stress response
34:50 – ketosis mimics starvation and lowers the metabolic rate
36:50 – sugar is anti-stress and whether sugar is addictive
41:46 – once you add in carbs you won’t go back
44:12 – how your body adapts when you add in carbs following low-carb diets
48:30 – Ray Peat on the harmful effects of fasting
50:14 – the cost of stress and increased fat metabolism
52:06 – the dangers of releasing PUFA from storage and how long it takes to deplete PUFA
55:11 – strategies for protecting against PUFA
1:01:50 – how long it takes to see benefits from lowering PUFA and setting expectations for progress
1:06:00 – binge-eating and food addiction resolved with a bioenergetic approach
1:10:48 – how low-carb and keto diets cause intense cravings and food obsession while a bioenergetic approach resolves them
Jan 27, 2026
Jan 27, 2026
1hr 59 min
- Justine’s response to our critique of her arguments against Ray Peat’s work
Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide
The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/
Theresa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingrootswellness/
Timestamps:
0:00 – intro
0:32 – recap of Justine Stenger’s claim covered in episode 19
2:26 – Justine’s response to our critique of her post
5:45 – why it’s crucial to separate personal feelings from intellectual discussions, especially when sharing information publicly
10:48 – our goal as health educators is not to shame or discredit individuals
13:33 – how today’s social media environment incentivizes low quality, thoughtless posts
18:30 – why attention and clicks take priority over quality on social media
21:34 – how to discern reliable information and whether we should outsource understanding to specialists
26:49 – how to develop true discernment in a world full of self-proclaimed experts
30:19 – Justine Stenger doubles down on her claim that fats are superior to carbohydrates32:47 –do carbs or fat better supports a compromised metabolic state?
39:45 – Justine contradicts her earlier claim that fat is a cleaner-burning fuel than carbohydrates
43:10 – Justine Stenger’s claim that glucose oxidation is only beneficial during hypoxia or the cell danger response
49:55 – why carbohydrates are the superior fuel source
55:17 – the difference between glucose oxidation and anaerobic glycolysis, and whether Justine is conflating the two
57:28 – how Ray Peat’s metabolic framework drives growth and expansion in society as a whole
1:01:53 – why having metabolic flexibility in a healthy state doesn’t refute our argument that carbohydrates are the superior fuel
1:08:23 – the inherent cost of favoring fat metabolism over carb metabolism, and why restoring carbohydrate utilization is essential for restoring a healthy metabolism
1:13:30 – Justine admits she hasn’t studied Ray Peat’s work
1:19:17 – Justine’s claim that it’s optimal to switch between fuel sources
1:20:55 – Justine’s claim that redox matter more than carbs vs fats
1:25:11 – did we publicly dismantle Justine’s work, and is it okay to critique others?
1:31:26 – Justine’s hypocritical shaming of us for addressing her incorrect claims about Ray Peat’s work and glucose vs. fat metabolism1:39:48 –there is no “Ray Peat Diet”
1:40:20 – how to embrace criticism and whether debates are typically helpful
1:45:04 – the responsibility that comes with being health educators
1:48:33 – common problems with debates and why we aren’t interested in debating Bart Kay
1:52:09 – how the nervous system impacts our ability to think critically
1:52:56 – problems with debates cont’d – are debates truly valuable?
1:57:24 – blood sugar improvements on a bioenergetic approach

Jan 15, 2026
Jan 15, 2026
1hr 10 min
Check out the Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy/
Check out the Energy Balance Food guide here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/
Check out the Energy Balance Solution here:
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy-balance-solution/
Timestamps:
0:00 – intro
0:57 – how Andrew was introduced to Ray Peat, the bioenergetic view of health, and Jay’s energy balance approach
5:48 – why we structure our programs with teaching the “why” alongside clear action steps and strategies
8:41 – increased energy and lower blood sugar levels while increasing carbohydrates
15:09 – how the Energy Balance approach resolved nighttime binging, high blood pressure, gut issues, and improved sleep quality
19:02 – how restricting carbohydrates leads to binging and “carbohydrate addiction”
21:33 – setting health and weight expectations: how long does it really take to heal your metabolism?
27:07 – refeeding, weight regain, and paying back metabolic debt: the process of losing weight without compromising your health
31:20 – the importance of keeping a health journal and documenting symptoms and wins
33:46 – weight loss as a result of improved health
41:29 – the cost of losing body fat by cutting calories
47:08 – how we work with clients using the Energy Balance approach
49:57 – how extreme diets isolate, while Energy Balance reconnects us by removing food dogma and providing the energy for healthy connection
55:31 – Andrew’s experience learning and applying the Energy Balance system
59:23 – how we structure the Energy Balance programs to foster learning and create lasting health improvements
1:07:02 – how the Energy Balance approach reshaped Andrew’s coaching style

Jan 8, 2026
Jan 8, 2026
42 min
Check out the Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy/
Check out the Energy Balance Food guide here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/
Check out the Energy Balance Solution here:
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy-balance-solution/
Timestamps:
0:00 – intro
1:03 – introducing Andrew Wallen
1:50 – Andrew’s background in sports, powerlifting, bodybuilding, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
6:20 – Andrew’s experience cycling through various dietary camps (CICO, paleo, ancestral, carnivore, fasting, low-carb, etc.)
12:04 – whether we should shape our diets around what our ancestors did 15:15 – how low-carb, keto, and fasting diets elevated stress and caused blood sugar issues for Andrew
20:45 – “optimal” blood glucose, HRV, and resting heart rate despite crashing health
23:50 – how stress-inducing (hormetic) health practices led to binging, self-blame, low brain energy, high blood pressure, and weakened immune function
27:36 – low-carb, keto, carnivore, fasting, and fear about reintroducing carbs
33:13 – Andrew’s breaking point with health and what led him to start questioning what being “healthy” really meant
36:27 –exercise intolerance, fatigue, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure, brain fog, gut issues, slow motility, and poor sleep: the product of years of low-carb and fasting

Dec 18, 2025
Dec 18, 2025
36 min
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/healthy/
Check out the Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy/
Check out the Energy Balance Food guide here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/
Check out the Energy Balance Solution here:
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy-balance-solution/
Click here to check out the show notes:
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/non-toxic-product-recommendations-for-your-home-body-cookware-skincare-clothing-emfs-more/
Timestamps:
0:00 – intro
2:29 – the hidden costs behind cheap products
5:42 – health concerns with common cookware: Teflon, non-stick coatings, PFAS, and leaching
9:34 – concerns with cast iron and carbon steel cookware
12:14 – how stainless steel compares to cast iron and carbon steel and concerns with nickel
15:20 – glass cookware and ceramic cookware
16:56 – the best cookware options
19:54 – recommendations for low-PUFA skincare
21:58 – recommendations for vitamin D and UV light
24:54 – the negative effects of synthetic clothing materials
27:46 – recommended brands for clothing, bedding, towels, and other fabrics
29:08 – coffee brands I trust and what to look for when buying coffee beans 30:30 – EMF protection and air tube headphones
33:09 – recommendations for high-quality meat

Nov 25, 2025
Nov 25, 2025
1hr 13 min
-
How the Randle Cycle actually works
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Whether eating carbs and fats in the same meal causes weight gain and insulin resistance
-
The efficiency of using fats as a fuel vs carbohydrate
-
How stress impacts fuel usage in the mitochondria
-
How to determine the optimal amount of carbs and fats in your diet
Check out the Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy/
Check out the Energy Balance Food guide here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/
Check out the Energy Balance Solution here:
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy-balance-solution/
Click here to check out the show notes:
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/eb-139-the-truth-about-the-randle-cycle-why-you-can-eat-carbs-and-fats-together/
Timestamps:
0:00 – intro
0:53 – misconceptions regarding the Randle cycle in the alternative health world
4:57 – what is the Randle cycle?
7:06 – what most people get wrong about the Randle cycle
10:44 – fat oxidation leads to increased ROS production and a decreased NAD+/NADH ratio
16:29 – how fat oxidation inhibits the utilization of carbohydrates
21:03 – the Randle cycle shows the benefits of burning carbs for energy
25:56 – how fat oxidation inhibits the utilization of carbohydrates cont’d
26:57 – metabolic dysfunction, not glucose, drives insulin resistance and aging
32:07 – fat metabolism causes a buildup of citrate which reduces glucose uptake and utilization
38:39 – how glucose oxidation inhibits the uptake and utilization of fats
45:32 – whether you can “activate” or “deactivate” the Randle cycle
47:22 – glucose oxidation leads to an optimal NAD+/NADH ratio and decreased ROS production
52:08 – the protective effects of CO2 and why the brain can’t use fats as a fuel
53:17 – whether we should strive for metabolic flexibility
55:55 – fat metabolism and ketone production as a mechanism for energy conservation and glucose sparing
1:00:02 – insulin resistance as a state of excess fat metabolism and decreasing fat metabolism or stress hormones improves this state
1:05:28 – should we avoid eating carbs and fats together due to the Randle cycle?
1:08:08 – different cells, tissues, and organs can use different fuels at the same time

Nov 5, 2025
Nov 5, 2025
1hr 9 min
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How glucose and insulin decrease glycation
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Why ketogenic diets can be worse than high-carb diets when it comes to AGE formation
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How autophagy helps to clear AGEs, but increasing autophagy is not the answer
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The true primary drivers of AGE accumulation
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The best diet and supplements for minimizing glycation
Check out the Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy/
Check out the Energy Balance Food guide here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/
Check out the Energy Balance Solution here:
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy-balance-solution/
Click here to check out the show notes:
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/eb-138-low-carb-diets-increase-glycation-and-what-to-do-instead/
Timestamps:
0:00 – intro
0:57 – how glycation products are detoxified and cleared from the body
4:03 – glycation detoxification is impaired by oxidative stress and inflammation, as seen in type 2 diabetes
7:56 – the benefits of carbohydrates for the detoxification of glycation products
10:42 – the benefits of insulin for the detoxification of glycation products
12:45 – how AGEs are cleared
14:36 – increasing autophagy via hormesis is not the answer for clearing AGEs
19:09 – autophagy can drive disease
20:50 – ATP protects against oxidative stress and allows for proper autophagy when needed
24:37 – impaired mitochondrial along with fatty acid oxidation impairs autophagy and increases oxidative stress
26:54 – carbohydrates do NOT inhibit autophagy
29:18 – adequate thyroid hormone supports proper autophagy
30:15 – adequate ATP and mitochondrial function is needed for the UPS (ubiquitin proteasome system)
32:56 – do high-carb diets actually impair metabolism and insulin sensitivity
35:26 – is fructose really worse for blood sugar regulation and glycation?
37:16 – are low-carb or ketogenic diets the solution to reduce glycation?
40:32 – increased glycation and oxidative stress on ketogenic diets
44:09 –low-carb diets don’t prevent glucose exposure
47:56 – there are still considerable insulin and glucose excursions on low-carb diets
50:06 – gluconeogenesis leads to same glycolytic intermediates as glucose metabolism
51:52 –the main driver of AGE formation and impaired AGE clearance
53:40 – the role of vitamin B1 (thiamine) and mitochondrial energy production in decreasing AGEs
56:27 –endotoxin as a driver of glycation and increased AGE production
58:12 – hypothyroidism as a driver of glycation and AGE accumulation
59:37 – dietary solutions for reducing glycation and AGEs
1:03:33 – how to support the glyoxalase pathway to support the detoxification of glycation products
1:05:56 – avoid calorie restriction, low-carb diets, fasting, resveratrol, cold exposure, excess exercise, and iron overload to decrease glycation and AGEs
1:07:33 – iron as a double-edged sword for oxidative stress

Oct 29, 2025
Oct 29, 2025
55 min
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Why glucose and fructose are not the primary drivers of AGE formation
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Whether blood sugar spikes cause glycation
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How fats and ketones can cause glycation
-
What’s really responsible for glycation in type 2 diabetes
-
Whether fructose causes more glycation than glucose
Check out the Energy Balance Mini-Course here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy/
Check out the Energy Balance Food guide here: https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide/
Check out the Energy Balance Solution Program here:
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/energy-balance-solution/
Click here to check out the show notes:
https://www.jayfeldmanwellness.com/eb-137-what-really-causes-glycation-is-sugar-really-the-problem/
Timestamps:
0:00 – intro
0:46 – common beliefs about carbohydrates and glycation
2:35 – what are glycation and advanced glycation end products?
6:57 – the process of glycation from glucose
9:30 – is sugar the only source of AGEs?
15:00 – primary drivers of glycation: dicarbonyls
19:30 – how fatty acids, amino acids, and ketones cause AGE formation
21:23 – how increased gluconeogenesis on low-carb diets increases AGE formation
22:53 – glucose metabolism produces very few glycation products in the context of a healthy metabolism
25:33 – omega-6s form AGEs more than 10x faster than glucose
28:24 – the role of ALEs (advanced lipoxidation end products) in glycation and chronic disease
30:36 – whether blood sugar spikes cause glycation
38:52 – whether fructose causes more glycation (or fructation) than glucose
47:05 – can glycation from fructose (fructation) be measured, and does this matter?
52:06 – problems with research looking at fructose’s AGE formation in animal models
Oct 15, 2025
Oct 15, 2025
1hr 8 sec
- Whether there are benefits to taking massive amounts of glucose for healing
- Whether there is a limit to the amount of glucose we should consume
Free Energy Balance Food Guide: https://jayfeldmanwellness.com/guide
The Nutrition Blueprint: https://mikefave.com/the-nutrition-blueprint/
Theresa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livingrootswellness/
Timestamps:
0:00 – intro
2:10 – David Stephens’ claim that glucose can't harm you in any way, no matter the amount
7:46 – the difference between glucose and fructose and whether fructose just gets converted to fat
11:13 – whether extreme acidity, alkalinity, and corrosivity are what make substances harmful to humans
15:14 – David Stephens’ claim that sucrose can't cross the blood-brain barrier
18:59 – how authoritarianism shapes the health industry and the difficulties of verifying information with AI
23:14 – whether the “chemical heaviness” of sucrose means that it can’t be helpful in the body
25:51 – whether we agree with David Stephens on the benefits of glucose
29:14 – whether anxiety, irritability, depression, autoimmune disorders, and diabetes are caused by a lack of glucose for your brain
34:37 – what David Stephens misses about the large amounts of glucose he recommends – poor glucose utilization, gut issues, and blood sugar instability
38:06 – whether glucose deficiency is possible and whether most people are eating enough carbs to thrive vs survive
39:04 – David Stephens’ claim that it’s impossible for glucose to be harmful to the body in any way
45:25 – why someone might feel better using large amounts of dextrose as their main carbohydrate source
48:00 – how large quantities of glucose can lead to weight gain, blood sugar spikes, and cardiovascular problems
52:27 – how to avoid dietary extremes and what balance really means
58:41 – weight loss and recovery from mental health issues using a bioenergetic approach
