Dr Shojai dives into the science to inner perception and how we need to feel safe for our bodies to heal, recover and thrive.

Pedram is joined by Dr Sara Szal (formerly Gottfried) in a super fun reunion of "The Health Bridge" which was a show they cohosted for several years which was often the top health podcast on the charts.

They talk about the toxic bro culture of biohackers and how that advice is often terrible for women of any age. They talk about SAFETY as a prerequistive for healing and much much more. Enjoy this super fun reunion!

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Listen to the episode on Spotify here or on your favorite podcast platform and check out the Urban Monk Academy here.

With Andy Tanner

Andy is a renowned paper assets expert, successful business owner and investor known for his ability to teach key techniques for stock options investing. He serves as a coach to Rich Dad’s Stock Success System trainers and as the Rich Dad Advisor for Paper Assets.

As a highly sought after educator, Andy has taught tens of thousands of investors and entrepreneurs around the world. He often speaks to students at the request of Robert Kiyosaki, showing how paper assets fit into the Rich Dad system of investing.

In 2008, Andy was key in helping develop and launch Rich Dad’s Stock Success System, which teaches investors advanced technical trading techniques to profit from bull and bear markets.

Listen to the episode on Spotify here or on your favorite podcast platform and check out the Urban Monk Academy here.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Listen to the episode on Spotify here or on your favorite podcast platform and check out the Urban Monk Academy here.

With Ryan Bentley

Ryan Bentley, MD, DC, is a board-certified family physician and chiropractor with Vitalis Health in Holland, Michigan. He is a graduate of University of Indiana-Bloomington. He earned an addtional undergraduate degree and his doctor of chiropractic from National University of Health Sciences. He earned his medical degree from University of Science Arts and Technology. He completed his family medicine residency with Western Michigan University Homer Stryker M.D. School of Medicine.

Dr. Bentley's clinical and research interests include preventative, lifestyle, and regenerative medicine.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Listen to the episode on Spotify here or on your favorite podcast platform and check out the Urban Monk Academy here.

With Zach Cahn

Dr. Zachari Cahn holds a Masters degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Oregon College of Oriental Medicine, the top rated accredited Chinese Medical School in the US and Doctorates from the Pacific College of Health & Sciences .  With over 6 years of training and 20 years practicing researched based natural compounds, acupuncture, herbs, nutrition, massage, western clinical diagnosis and pharmacology (drug/herb interaction), he is among the premiere provider of alternative healthcare in Asheville.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Listen to the episode on Spotify here or on your favorite podcast platform and check out the Urban Monk Academy here.

With Christian Drapeau

Christian Drapeau is one of the leading Stem Cell scientists today. He is one of America’s best known advocates for Adult Stem Cell research and the health applications of Adult Stem Cell science. He gained recognition when his breakthrough theory gained widespread interest across the scientific and medical communities. He has been advocating for years that the role of Adult Stem Cells in the body is nothing less than its natural healing system.

With Dr Pedram Shojai

NY Times Best Selling author and film maker. Taoist Abbot and Qigong master. Husband and dad. I’m here to help you find your way and be healthy and happy. I don’t want to be your guru…just someone who’ll help point the way. If you’re looking for a real person who’s done the work, I’m your guy. I can light the path and walk along it with you but can’t walk for you.

Welcome to a special solo episode of The Urban Monk Podcast. Today we're diving deep into a crucial topic: how your mood influences the outcomes in your life. This episode is part of a new series where we'll be exploring key focus areas in depth.

Expect more of these concentrated, impactful discussions in the future as we delve into the science and practice of personal transformation. Let's begin our exploration of how changing your mood can truly change your life.

Listen to the episode on Spotify here or on your favorite podcast platform and check out the Urban Monk Academy here.

With Dr Pedram Shojai

NY Times Best Selling author and film maker. Taoist Abbot and Qigong master. Husband and dad. I’m here to help you find your way and be healthy and happy. I don’t want to be your guru…just someone who’ll help point the way. If you’re looking for a real person who’s done the work, I’m your guy. I can light the path and walk along it with you but can’t walk for you.

Welcome to a special solo episode of our podcast. Today, we're diving deep into a crucial topic that affects many of our lives: people-pleasing and setting healthy boundaries. This focused, in-depth exploration is part of our new format, where we'll be dedicating entire episodes to key issues that matter to you.

Expect more of these concentrated, insightful discussions in the future as we tackle important subjects one by one. Now, let's jump into today's topic with Dr. Pedram Shojai, the Urban Monk, as he shares valuable insights on breaking free from people-pleasing tendencies.

Listen to the episode on Spotify here or on your favorite podcast platform and check out the Urban Monk Academy here.

With Dr Pedram Shojai

NY Times Best Selling author and film maker. Taoist Abbot and Qigong master. Husband and dad. I’m here to help you find your way and be healthy and happy. I don’t want to be your guru…just someone who’ll help point the way. If you’re looking for a real person who’s done the work, I’m your guy. I can light the path and walk along it with you but can’t walk for you.

Welcome to another episode of the Urban Monk Podcast! In this solo episode, I delve deep into a crucial topic that affects us all: sleep. This focused, in-depth exploration is part of a new format we're introducing, where we'll be dedicating entire episodes to key areas of health and wellness.

In the coming weeks and months, you can expect more of these solo deep dives, each concentrating on a specific subject that's vital to your overall well-being. These episodes are designed to provide you with comprehensive insights and practical strategies you can implement in your daily life.

So sit back, relax, and get ready to gain valuable knowledge on how to prep for deep, restorative sleep.

https://series.theurbanmonk.com/deep-sleep-solution/

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Dr Sharon Stills

Dr. Sharon Stills is a Naturopathic Medical Doctor providing comprehensive health care, therapeutic and diagnostic services to patients worldwide. She combines her conventional medical training, data-driven science, cutting-edge diagnostic tools and a deep knowledge of natural healing to effectively identify and treat health concerns ranging from allergies to end stage cancer, and everything in between. 

Dr. Stills is a 2001 graduate of SCNM (The Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine) in Tempe, Arizona, one of the nation’s foremost accredited medical schools. She specializes in European Biological Medicine –having trained extensively with Dr. Thomas Rau formerly of the Paracelsus Clinic in Switzerland. She was chosen to lecture alongside him as part of the Paracelsus Academy. In addition, she is also extremely well-versed in pro-aging therapies and Bio-identical Hormone Replacement. She is well known for her successful involvement with patients dealing with a Cancer Diagnosis – both early and advanced stage – and has been featured in many Oncology Summits based on her experience and knowledge of the subject. Dr. Stills travels the world seeking out the best of Natural Medicine options and bringing them back to the US.

Drawing from a wide variety of traditions and healing foundations, including Naturopathic, Bio-Regulatory, Functional, Homeopathic, TCM and Ayurveda, she has been successful in providing answers and healing pathways to her patients when others have failed.

Some of Dr. Stills’ favorite healing modalities include the use of isopathic and complex homeopathic remedies, bioidentical hormone replacement, live cell therapeutics, targeted use of vitamins and herbs along with the therapeutic use of color, breathwork and sound frequencies. 

Dr. Stills has a passion for her profession and that drives her to embrace opportunities to lead, participate and contribute her vast knowledge and expertise.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Ryan Blaser

Ryan Blaser is the accomplished Founder and CEO of Test My Home, an environmental company dedicated to improving people's health and wellbeing. As a functional medicine doctor for your home, Ryan uses his expertise in building biology and healthy home consulting to identify and address toxic sources that could be impacting your health. Ryan's extensive educational background in electrical engineering, environmental toxicology, and electromagnetic radiation, combined with years of experience in industries such as mold remediation, construction, and nuclear waste cleanup, has given him a deep understanding of the relationship between humans and their built environment.

After a personal wellness journey, Ryan founded Test My Home to help others achieve optimal health. He personally experienced the detrimental effects of mold exposure and lead inhalation, which caused unusual and serious health symptoms like fatigue, weight loss, and brain fog. After unsuccessful attempts with conventional doctors, Ryan took the initiative to investigate his home environment and found the source of his health issues.

He cured himself and is now sharing his knowledge and experience with the world. What makes Ryan stand out is his genuine care for people and his commitment to finding real solutions. Whether you are seeking answers or simply peace of mind, Test My Home is the perfect solution. Ryan's expertise will change your life

Listen to the episode on Spotify here or on your favorite podcast platform.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Warren Phillips

Warren Phillips, M.S., the Non-Toxic Dad, is a social movement that educates individuals to choose a non-toxic lifestyle. A passionate and energetic individual, he lives by his words and works tirelessly to educate the world about avoiding and removing toxins. Non-Toxic Dad has reached and impacted over 100,000 million people in the last year. During the first 9 + years of his career, Warren worked as a published scientist and Environmental Consultant, cleaning and evaluating chemical and heavy metal impacts on human health and the environment. This work exposed him to these toxins, and he eventually fell ill with an “unexplainable illness.” The symptoms, including chronic pain, weight gain, and anxiety, were so severe that he struggled to find a reason to live. But he refused to give up on himself. After exploring alternative and natural methods of heavy metal detoxification, dietary changes, cellular support, and restoring his health, Warren became ignited with a passion for helping others facing similar challenges. For the past 18+ years, Warren has empowered health practitioners, health experts and the public through education, podcasts, and events. Now living in Utah with his wife and three young daughters, he is grateful for his family’s support as he continues this mission to help others choose a non-toxic lifestyle.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Dr Joel Warsh

Joel Warsh is a Board-Certified Pediatrician in Los Angeles, California who specializes in Parenting, Wellness and Integrative Medicine. He grew up in Toronto, Canada and completed degrees in Kinesiology, Psychology and Epidemiology and Community Health before earning his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson Medical College. He completed his Pediatric Medicine training at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) and worked in private practice in Beverly Hills before founding his current practice, Integrative Pediatrics and Medicine Studio City, in 2018.

Dr. Gator has published research in peer-reviewed journals on topics including childhood injuries, obesity and physical activity.

He has been featured in numerous documentaries, films, summits, podcasts and articles including CBS, Fox, LA Parent, Washington Post, MindBodyGreen, and many others.

He is also the founder of the Parenting Masterclass Platform Raising Amazing which can be found at RaisingAmazingPlus.com

Dr. Joel Gator may be best known for his popular Instagram DrJoelGator where he offers weekly parenting and integrative pediatric support.

He is a consultant for high-profile brands in the health and wellness space.

Dr. Gator is married to Sarah Intelligator, an attorney, whose Holistic Divorce and Family Law practice is located in Beverly Hills. For almost 20 years, she has taught yoga throughout Los Angeles. Dr. Joel was given the nickname, Dr. Gator, by his peers after marrying Sarah Intelligator (yes that is her real last name) and the nickname stuck.

Dr. Gator is an avid athlete, foodie and traveler.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Gabby Reece

Gabrielle Reece is not only a volleyball legend, but an inspirational health and fitness leader, podcast host, corporate speaker, New York Times bestselling author, wife, and mother. The former professional beach volleyball player and Nike’s first female spokeswoman is the definition of both athleticism and beauty. Gabby is a force to be reckoned with in the gym and on a microphone. She is the host of her podcast The Gabby Reece Show.

Gabby has become a force in the health and fitness category with and #1 in Mental Health in just 2 years. She interviews leading health, wellness, sport, psychology, and business experts to share their most valuable and actionable information to her audience. Together with her husband big wave surf pioneer and entrepreneur Laird Hamilton, they run health food company Laird Superfood along with many many other entities.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Deborah Kagan

Deborah Kagan is an author and mentor with years of practice being a turned-on woman. She supports entrepreneurs, small business owners, consultants, creatives and the career-oriented to tap into their innate power and connect with their mojo – a source of true self-esteem.

Her methods combine over 25 years of experience in personal development, metaphysical studies, and embodiment practices. She is the author of Find Your ME Spot: 52 Ways to Reclaim Your Confidence, Feel Good in Your Own Skin and Live a Turned On Life and creator of the Rock Your Mojo™ Programs. She is also the host of The Real Undressed Podcast. Deborah’s upcoming book Undressed: An Invitation to Claim Your Erotic Nature (Urano World) will be released on October 24, 2023. Featuring real-life, candid stories from Deborah’s past personal sexual and relationship experiences, Undressed demonstrates the profound personal journey of discovering one’s erotic nature and awakening sexually. Undressed rips the bandage off the stigma of the turned-on woman, inviting readers to become erotically alive.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

About Elliot Roe

Elliot Roe is a leading mindset and performance coach, celebrated for elevating the mental game in poker. With a foundation in hypnotherapy, Elliot has developed 'Primed Mind,' an app acclaimed for helping players achieve peak performance.

His expertise is not limited to poker; he also advises high performers across various disciplines, from UFC fighters & Olympians, to CEOs, Founders, and Hedge Fund Managers.

Elliot's holistic approach to mindset and performance has positioned him as a pivotal figure for those seeking to conquer stress, enhance focus, and master the emotional complexities inherent to high-stakes decision-making, both on and off the felt. Learn more at ElliotRoe.com.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

About Jeff Krasno

Jeff is the co-founder and CEO of Commune, a masterclass platform for personal and societal well-being. He hosts the Commune podcast, interviewing a wide variety of luminaries from Deepak Chopra and Marianne Williamson to Matthew McConaughey and Gabor Maté. Jeff pens a personal weekly essay titled “Commusings” that explores spirituality, wellness and culture and is distributed to over one million subscribers every Sunday. Jeff is the creator of Good Stress, a collection of wellness protocols that he developed to reverse his diabetes, lose 60 pounds and reclaim his health at age 50.

Good Stress is available as on-line course and is being developed into a book and TV series. Jeff and his better three-quarters, Schuyler Grant, operate Commune Topanga, a 10-acre wellness center and production lab where they host regular retreats together featuring yoga, cold plunging, sauna bathing, lectures and story-telling. Jeff attended The Hotchkiss School and received his BA in 1993 from Columbia University. In 2008, Jeff co-created the concept for Wanderlust, a series of large-scale events combining yoga & wellness with the arts. Wanderlust became the world’s most recognized wellness events brand with 65 events in 20 countries. Jeff served as co-CEO for eight years. Jeff serves on the board of Pure Edge, a non-profit organization dedicated to integrating yoga and mindfulness curriculum into the public school system.

Jeff is a contributor to the Huffington Post and Fast Company. His first book, eponymously named, Wanderlust, debuted in May 2015 on Rodale and has sold more than 50,000 copies worldwide. He also curated the Wanderlust cookbook, Find Your True Fork which came out in July 2017. In 2016, he was selected by Oprah Winfrey to be part of the SuperSoul100 as one of the nation’s leading entrepreneurs. Jeff & Schuyler have three beautiful daughters, Phoebe, Lolli and Micah. They currently live in Los Angeles, California.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

About Claire and James Davis 

Claire and James Davis are the husband and wife team behind the multi-award winning wellbeing company The Midlife Mentors, which gives men and women over 40 the body, mind and lifestyle tools they need to live their best life.

The couple also have a successful midlife health podcast; The Midlife Mentors (top 1.5% in global charts), run luxury retreats in Ibiza and Marbella and are regular media commentators, having been featured in The New York Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Sunday Times, The Observer & Conde Nast Traveller to name but a few.

The couple’s science based approach, leveraging their backgrounds and qualifications in psychology, coaching, hormones, nutrition, personal training, stress management, menopause and NLP, empowers individuals to regain control and make positive, lasting change.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

About Elaine Glass

Elaine Glass, a visionary author and highly experienced Master Life Coach, is renowned for her transformative retreats tailored for women navigating intricate midlife transitions. Her book, GET QUIET, will empower you to get back to feeling like yourself again! Elaine's path has been marked by significant leaps of faith. Understanding the profound impact of connection and compassion, she realized that true transformation occurs when people feel genuinely acknowledged and understood. Driven by a profound sense of purpose, Elaine’s mission is helping people live their BEST life.

Her unique approach, known as "The Get Quiet Way," is a roadmap to discovering your inner treasures and bringing them fully up to the surface and out into the world. She encourages you to be who you truly want to be, feel good again in your own skin, and realize your positive influence on your family and the world. Elaine's deepest commitments serve as more than just inspiration, they serve as a catalyst for action. She inspires and encourages people to dive deep within, acknowledge their truths, and lead a life that is unapologetically authentic. Her journey exemplifies that it is never too late to pivot, find your voice, and make a meaningful impact on the world.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Dr Dave Rabin

Dr. David Rabin, MD, PhD, a board-certified psychiatrist and neuroscientist, is the co-founder & Chief Medical Officer at Apollo Neuroscience, the first scientifically-validated wearable technology to improve heart rate variability, focus, relaxation, and access to meditative states by delivering gentle vibrations to the body.

In addition to his clinical psychiatry practice, Dr. Rabin is also the Executive Director of The Board of Medicine, and a psychedelic clinical researcher currently evaluating the mechanism of psychedelic medicines in treatment-resistant mental illnesses.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Kristin Kirkpatrick

Kristin Kirkpatrick, RD, MS, author of Skinny Liver and upcoming book, Regenerative Health Kristin Kirkpatrick is a best-selling author, an experienced presenter, and an award-winning Dietitian. She is the President of KAK, Consulting, LLC, a dietitian at the Cleveland Clinic Dept of Department of Wellness & Preventive Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio, and a Senior Fellow at the Meadows Behavioral Healthcare in Wickenburg, Arizona.

Kristin is also a contributing writer for TODAY.com, Eating Well Magazine, Costco Connection, and Cleveland Clinic Essentials and has appeared on both local and national shows such as the TODAY show, NBC Nightly News, Fox Business, Bloomberg TV, and the Dr. Oz show. Kristin is also a Nutrition Expert with the NBC affiliate for Denver, Colorado. In January 2017, Kristin published her first book, Skinny Liver: A Proven Program to Prevent and Reverse the New Silent Epidemic—Fatty Liver Disease. In February 2024 Kristin will release her second book, Regenerative Health: Discover Your Metabolic Type and Renew Your Liver for Life.

Kristin has over 25 years of experience in health management. She holds an M.S. in Health Promotion Management from American University in Washington, D.C., and a B.A. in Political Science from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. She is licensed as a Registered Dietitian in the state of Ohio. In May 2012, Kristin received the Ohio Outstanding Dietetic Educator of the year award and, in 2013, received alumni of the year from her high school, Gilmour Academy.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Dr. Jeff Bland

Dr. Jeffrey Bland, World-Renowned Nutritional Medicine Expert , “father of Functional Medicine”, and founder of Big Bold Health, a company on a mission to transform the way people think about one of nature’s greatest innovations — the immune system. Through Big Bold Health, Jeffrey is advocating for the power of Immuno-Rejuvenation to enhance immunity at a global level, often through the rediscovery of ancient food crops and superfoods. To get there, Jeffrey is building a network of small farms and suppliers throughout the US that take a clear stance on regenerative agriculture, environmental stewardship, and planetary health.

Jeffrey’s career in health spans more than 40 years. A nutritional biochemist by training, he began in academia as a university professor. Jeffrey then spent three decades in the natural products industry, working alongside other pioneers. A lifelong educator, Jeffrey has traveled the world many times over in his role as the “father of functional medicine.” In 1991, he and his wife, Susan, founded The Institute for Functional Medicine.

In 2012, Jeffrey founded another educational nonprofit called the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute. Jeffrey is the author of The Disease Delusion: Conquering the Causes of Chronic Illness for a Healthier, Longer, and Happier Life, as well as countless additional books and research papers.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Dave Asprey

Dave Asprey is an award-winning entrepreneur and tech innovator known around the world as, "The Father of Biohacking." He's a multi-New York Times and national bestselling author of Game Changers, Head Strong, The Bulletproof Diet, and Smarter Not Harder, the creator of Bulletproof Coffee, and the host of the Webby Award-winning #1 rated health show, The Human Upgrade Podcast (formerly Bulletproof Radio). Dave is the founder and CEO of Upgrade Labs, the first franchise of biohacking gyms, and Danger Coffee, his mineralized, mold-free coffee.

Over the last two decades Dave has worked with world-renowned doctors, researchers, scientists, and global mavericks to uncover the latest, most innovative methods, techniques and products for enhancing mental and physical performance. Dave has personally spent over $2 million taking control of his own biology – pushing the bounds of human possibility all in the name of science evolution and revolution.

The creator of the Bulletproof diet and innovator of Bulletproof Coffee, Collagen Protein supplements and many more advances in commercial wellness products, Dave’s mission is to empower the entire globe with information and knowledge that unlocks the Super Human in everyone at any age. The proof of these advancements are better sleep, energy, and expanded capacity for all.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Dr Patrick Porter

Patrick K. Porter, Ph.D. is an award-winning author, educator, consultant, entrepreneur, and speaker. With 20 years of experience operating the largest self-help franchise in the world, he has become a highly sought-after expert within the personal improvement industry, having sold over 3 million of his self-help products worldwide.

Dr. Porter has been on the cutting edge of brainwave entrainment technology for 32 years. His team was voted the “Best New Health App” at 2019 Consumer Electronic Show. His newest brain-training platform, BrainTap, is distinctively designed to activate the brain’s neuroplasticity. The BrainTap headset uses light & sound technology in combination with Dr. Porter’s proprietary guided visualization audio-sessions to help people achieve brain fitness, overcome stress, lose weight, stop smoking, manage pain, accelerate learning, enjoy superb sleep and make any number of lifestyle improvements. 

He is the author of the award-winning bestseller, Awaken the Genius, Mind Technology for the 21st Century, Discover the Language of the Mind, Thrive in Overdrive, How to Navigate Your Overloaded Lifestyle, among others.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

___

Meet Sarah Intelligator

Sarah is the author of “Live, Laugh, Find True Love: A Step-By-Step Guide to Dating and Finding a Meaningful Relationship, By a Divorce Attorney”.

Raised by a mother who has practiced Family Law for almost thirty years, and still practices, Sarah feels as though she has been exposed to the issues Family Law practitioners encounter on a daily basis, her entire life. 

Sarah graduated from UCLA, cum laude, with a Bachelor of Arts, in English.  She received a Juris Doctorate, from Southwestern Law School, in Los Angeles.

In her first year of law school, Sarah earned the coveted title of First Place Oralist in Southwestern Law School’s Intramural Moot Court Competition.  Not only was this achievement a product of her extreme diligence and dedication, but also a testament to her strong skills as an advocate.  Through this experience, Sarah learned that she truly had a passion for litigation.

In addition, while attending Southwestern Law School, in Los Angeles, Sarah clerked for the District Attorney, which provided her with a solid Criminal Law background as well. 

Practicing exclusively Family Law since 2008, Sarah worked for the Law Offices of Rosaline L. Zukerman, APC, for five years, prior to opening her own practice.

Sarah recognizes that Family Law litigation is highly emotional and deeply personal, and she is dedicated to striking that delicate balance between zealous advocacy and empathy.  The practice of Family Law is unique.  Family Law litigants transcend any socio-economic, race or gender classifications.  Divorce, domestic violence, and issues concerning child custody affect everyone equally.  Sarah appreciates that her clients are people, who, for the most part, have never been involved in any litigation, going through what is, arguably, the most difficult time in their lives–often being asked to support two households on an income that previously supported only one.  To that end, it is important to Sarah to keep her rates reasonable, as compared to other Family Law practitioners, in order to make legal representation as accessible as possible.

Sarah has also been a yoga instructor since 2000. Sarah incorporates her experience as an instructor into her lawyering style. Teaching has enabled Sarah to maintain calm even under the most rigorous of pressures.  It has provided her with the invaluable opportunity to command the respect and attention of any group of individuals she addresses, and it is her nurturing nature that gravitated her, both, to teaching and to the practice of, specifically, Family Law.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Dr Steven Gundry

Dr. Steven Gundry MD, Heart Surgeon, New York Times Bestseller, Host of The Dr. Gundry Podcast.

Dr. Steven Gundry is one of the world’s top cardiothoracic surgeons and a pioneer in nutrition. He hosts top-rated health show, The Dr. Gundry Podcast, is the Founder and Director of The International Heart and Lung Institute Center for Restorative Medicine, and founder of Gundry MD, a line of wellness products and supplements.

After a distinguished surgical career as a professor and chairman of cardiothoracic surgery at Loma Linda University, Dr. Gundry changed his focus to curing modern diseases via dietary changes. He is the author of New York Times bestsellers The Plant Paradox, The Plant Paradox Cookbook, The Plant Paradox Quick & Easy, and The Longevity Paradox, along with national bestsellers The Plant Paradox Family Cookbook, The Energy Paradox, Dr. Gundry’s Diet Evolution, and Unlocking the Keto Code, and has had more than 300 articles published in peer-reviewed journals on using diet and supplements to eliminate heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disease, and multiple other diseases. He will also be releasing his next book Gut Check: Unleash the Power of Your Microbiome to Reverse Disease and Transform Your Mental, Physical, and Emotional Health on January 9, 2024.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Meet Dr Dale Bredesen

Dale Bredesen, MD, received his undergraduate degree from Caltech and his medical degree from Duke University. He served as resident and chief resident in neurology at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and as postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Nobel Laureate Professor Stanley Prusiner. He was a faculty member at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) from 1989 to 1994 and was then recruited by the Burnham Institute to direct the Program on Aging. In 1998, he became the founding president and CEO of the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and adjunct professor at UCSF. From 2013 to 2023, he returned to UCLA as a professor and director of the Easton Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research. He is currently Senior Director of the world’s first precision medicine program for neurodegenerative diseases, which is at the Pacific Neuroscience Institute.

The Bredesen Laboratory studies basic mechanisms underlying the neurodegenerative process and the translation of this knowledge into effective therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative conditions, which has led to the publication of over 200 research papers. He was the principal investigator for the Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center at UCLA. He established the ADDN (Alzheimer’s Drug Development Network) with Dr. Varghese John in 2008, leading to the identification of new classes of therapeutics for Alzheimer’s disease. His group has developed a new approach to the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, the MEND protocol, and this approach has led to the first description of a reversal of symptoms in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Bredesen is the author of two New York Times bestsellers: The End of Alzheimer's: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline and The End of Alzheimer's Program.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Meet  Katie

Katie Silcox, M.A. is the New York Times Best-Selling author of the book Healthy, Happy, Sexy - Ayurveda Wisdom for Modern Women and the upcoming new book - Glow-Worthy. She is the founder of The Shakti School, a premier online certification school for women-centered holistic wellness. She holds a Masters degree in Ayurvedic Medicine, is a member of the National Ayurvedic Medicine Association and is currently pursuing depth studies in Jungian Psychology. Her platform focuses on the convergence of ancient holistic medicine, functional medicine science and heart-centered spirituality. In her former life, she has been a researcher in Artificial Intelligence, a cover model for Yoga Journal magazine in Russia and the owner of a beach bar in Spain.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Meet Jaiya

Award-Winning Somatic Sexologist, Author of Your Blueprint for Pleasure, Star of Netflix's Sex, Love & goop

Jaiya is an award-winning Somatic Sexologist, Author, Founder/Creator of The Erotic Blueprint Breakthrough™ and Star of Netflix's Sex, Love & goop. For over three decades, Jaiya has been immersed in the study of turn-ons, ancient erotic rituals, tantric sex, mastery of sensual touch, pure erotic play, kinky dynamics, and the biology and psychology of attraction and sexual fulfillment. She works with all kinds of bodies and sexual orientations, and through observation and clinical research, she discovered the Erotic Blueprint™, a map of arousal that reveals one’s specific erotic language and patterning and helps create a path forward to greater sexual fulfillment. She recently released her fourth book, Your Blueprint for Pleasure, which outlines the Erotic Blueprints.

Instagram: @MissJaiya

Website: https://missjaiya.com/

Link to book: https://www.amazon.com/Your-Blueprint-Pleasure-Awaken_and-Fulfill_Your/dp/145495003X

Link to Erotic Blueprint quiz: https://theblueprintbreakthrough.com/

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Meet Jeff Hays

Jeff Hays, an award winning filmmaker, author, and television producer since the early nineties, gained national attention with Fahrenhype 9/11 (2004), a response to Michael Moore’s Fahrenheit 9/11. He followed that with On Native Soil (2006). Narrated by Kevin Costner and Hilary Swank, the documentary focused on the perspective of surviving family members of 9/11 victims and their efforts to create the 9/11 Commission. The film was acquired by LionsGate and NBC and was short-listed for an Academy Award. Hays produced a yearlong television series for Lifetime Television, and then returned to documentary film with Doctored (2012), and Bought (2014).

In 2017, Jeff partnered with Dr. Patrick Gentempo to create Revealed Films. Together they have released many multi-part series covering subjects including health and nutrition, medical issues, wealth-building, religious and political topics. (Money Revealed, Vaccines Revealed, Crypto Revealed, End Game, GMOs Revealed, etc.) Revealed Films launches 5-6 series each year adding to the rich stream of information they’ve produced in the past. Revealed recently released a series on the use of psychedelics in therapy, Psychedelics Revealed, and has completed a new series on addiction. Revealed Films was acquired by Genius Group, an NYSE listed company on October 4th, 2022. Hays and Gentempo will continue to run the company for the next 3 years. In addition to the Revealed projects, Jeff Hays Films was the Executive Producer for The Fix, a documentary series based on Johann Hari’s NY Times bestseller, Chasing the Scream, which was made into both an Academy Award-nominated film and an eight-part TV series presented by Samuel L. Jackson.

JHF has acquired the rights to three other books to produce via film: the NY Times bestseller Lost Connections by Johann Hari, The Bad One by Erin Tyler, and The Real Anthony Fauci by Bobby Kennedy, Jr. Additionally, JHF produced a series with Adam Carolla on resilience and another on happiness with Ben Greenfield, and completed The Millionaire Within Her with Kristi Frank. In 2021, JHF produced Amy Redford’s new narrative film, What Goes Around, which had its world premier at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022, and was sold to IFC. In September of 2022 Hays completed his newest documentary, The United States vs. Andre Norman, to be released in 2023. This film covers the poverty to prison pipeline for people of color in the US through the amazing story of Andre Norman. The covid lockdowns of 2020 provided ample time to finish two books. The first on entrepreneurship, The Entrepreneurial Brain, which has been acquired by Harper Collins and will be released in October of 2023. The second book, on spirituality called Love and Drugs; Tripping past Trauma into Joy, will be released in 2024.

Jeff resides in the mountains of Utah and works out of Jeff Hays Films’ soundstage and studio in Midvale, Utah. Together with his beloved wife Dori, he has eleven children and many grandchildren.

Find the full episode transcript and additional info here: https://theurbanmonk.com/the-brain-of-an-entrepreneur-is-different-with-guest-jeff-hays/

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Meet Dr Nicole Beurkens

Dr. Nicole Beurkens’ career has spanned many areas of human development, health, and wellness. While she has served in diverse roles of licensed psychologist, teacher, consultant, board-certified nutritionist, researcher, and advisor, her guiding principle has always been the same - provide people with information and tools that empower them to become the best version of themselves. Nicole’s advanced degrees in education, psychology, and nutrition have allowed her the opportunity to support children and adults in a wide variety of inpatient and outpatient settings, including her own award-winning clinic. She’s partnered with companies and brands to reach people around the globe with the innovative research, strategies, and products that get to the root of their challenges, and help them feel and function better.

Now she is proud to be leading the team at Berkeley Life as CEO, to bring the life-changing power of nitric oxide to the forefront of medicine, mental health, and people’s everyday lives. This represents the continued evolution of her mission to show the world that with the right foundations in place every human being has the capacity to thrive.

Find the full episode transcript and additional info here: https://theurbanmonk.com/nitric-oxide-and-your-health-with-dr-nicole-beurkens/

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Meet Dr Gary Richter

Dr. Gary Richter, DVM, is a distinguished veterinarian, author of newly launched books Longevity for Dogs and Longevity for Cats, international bestselling author of The Ultimate Pet Health Guide, founder of Ultimate Pet Nutrition. Dr. Richter is certified in veterinary acupuncture, as well as veterinary chiropractic. Dr. Richter understands the benefits of both conventional and holistic treatment methods. His professional goal is to provide a center where pets can receive effective holistic and regenerative therapies in conjunction with the highest quality of western medical care. He also places great emphasis on the well-being of the pet owner, knowing that a sick pet can cause great strain and strong emotions. He instills this understanding in his staff and works to ensure that both pet and owner are treated with the utmost care and respect.

Dr. Richter’s professional interests are the integration of holistic and general practice veterinary medicine, regenerative medicine, and educating professionals and pet owners on the benefits of integrative care. Dr. Richter is a past-president of the Alameda County Veterinary Medical.

Find the full episode transcript and additional info here: https://theurbanmonk.com/the-holistic-healthy-pet-lowdown-with-dr-gary-richter/

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Meet Dr Gina

Dr. Gina Nick is a world-renowned Naturopathic Physician, Researcher, and Formulator based in Newport Beach, California. With a dedication to holistic wellness, she’s known for her expertise in treating a wide range of health concerns, from autoimmune diseases to addiction recovery, anxiety, and more.

After graduation from medical school, she became the Director of Research for a leading supplement company, earning the company billions. She’s since held the roles of Executive Healthcare Consultant to Local and Government Agencies and President Emeritus of the California Naturopathic Doctors Association. As the Founder and Director of Healthbridge in Newport Beach, California, her practice was awarded “Top Medical Practice 2017,” a testament to her commitment to excellence.

As a published author, entrepreneur, and certified yoga instructor, Dr. Gina is a multifaceted professional with a passion for improving the lives of others. With her unwavering commitment to nurturing health naturally, she’s not just your typical medical professional. Dr. Gina is a nurturing soul, a devoted mom, and an advocate for holistic well-being. She’s licensed in both California and Hawaii and is excited to share her journey with you…

Learn More

Get The Pixie Sticks

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Dr. Kavita Desai, Pharm. D., Revivele Founder
As an accomplished hospital-based pharmacist and the founder of the women’s health platform Revivele, Dr. Kavita Desai, Pharm. D. spent 13 years as a clinical pharmacist before pivoting to focus on preventative women’s healthcare. She established Revivele with a mission to fill the gap in women’s healthcare, and also wrote the book “Lady Parts: Putting Women's Health Back Into Women's Hands” (February 16, 2023), a handbook that empowers women to take control of their health through easy-to-follow tips and foundational knowledge. She was inspired to make a difference in this category when her mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, which was originally misdiagnosed as menopause. She currently uses her clinical skills to focus on brain health, disease prevention and how chronic illnesses affect women. Originally from Ontario, Canada, she earned her Doctorate in Pharmacy from Ohio Northern University in 2001. As an expert on women’s health, brain health and pharmacology, she has been featured on many national and regional broadcast health news segments.

About Dr. Desai: https://www.revivele.com/about/

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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About Peter Hoppenfeld. 

Peter Hoppenfeld is widely recognized as the “go to” attorney and advisor in the representation of direct marketers, speakers, authors, information marketers, “thought leaders,” entrepreneurs and domestic and international training companies and their founders in all aspects of their legal and business affairs. Peter is a seasoned transactional, commercial attorney with direct marketing, internet marketing, distribution, licensing, marketing, branding and operational expertise. On a daily basis, Peter helps authors, speakers, entrepreneurs, business owners and thought leaders create effective marketing, merchandising and expansion strategies. His mission is to rapidly, smartly and strategically grow people’s businesses, reach and revenues. Peter’s been described as “a lawyer who understands marketing and a marketer who happens to be a lawyer”.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Alex Howard is Founder & Chairman of The Optimum Health Clinic (OHC), one of the world’s leading integrative medicine clinics.  With a team of 25 full time practitioners supporting thousands of patients in 50+ countries, the OHC team integrates a therapeutic coaching approach with functional nutrition.

Alex is creator of the Therapeutic Coaching methodology, and since March 2020, has been documenting his therapeutic work with real life patients via his In Therapy with Alex Howard YouTube series.  In the last few years, Alex has created some of the largest online conferences in the health and mind–body markets; including the world leading Trauma Super Conference. Alex’s online conferences have been attended by over a million people. 
Alex has published academic research in publications such as the British Medical Journal Open and Psychology and Health, and is the author of the books Why Me? and Decode Your Fatigue.  Alex’s latest book, It’s Not Your Fault – Why childhood trauma shapes you and how to break free is out now. 

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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About Dr. Margaret Christensen. An Institute for Functional Medicine faculty member for 12 years, Dr. Christensen first became interested in functional medicine 15 years ago when trying to solve the riddle of her and her family’s complex health challenges-- unbeknownst to her at the time were consequences of severe toxic mold exposure. She became intimately familiar with Chronic Fatigue, Fibromyalgia, Autoimmune, Hormonal, Neurological and Psychiatric consequences of unrecognized Biotoxin illness. A board-certified OB-GYN for 23 years, her initial boutique Functional Medicine practice has grown into The Carpathia Collaborative, a large multidisciplinary, FM Practice based in Dallas and covering the full spectrum of complex chronic disease. The practice provides 360 degree functional lifestyle and nutritional medicine and includes an onsite teaching kitchen, yoga studio and education library that also serves as the site for community-learning events. Dr. Christensen is passionate about educating her clients and colleagues about root cause, whole-systems medicine! 

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Anna Cabeca, DO, OBGYN, FACOG, is triple-board certified and a fellow of gynecology and obstetrics, integrative medicine, and anti-aging and regenerative medicine. She has special certifications in functional medicine, sexual health, and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy. She is known for her work using natural alternatives and traditional healing modalities for managing menopause successfully. She is the creator of the highly acclaimed virtual transformation programs Women’s Restorative Health, Sexual CPR, and Magic Menopause. The creator of the alkaline superfoods drink Mighty Maca Plus and the vulvar anti-aging cream Julva, she has been interviewed by all major television networks and has been featured in InStyle, HuffPost, and Mind Body Green. She lives on Saint Simons Island, Georgia, with her four daughters and her dog, Sandy.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Amish Shah was on top of the world and then he wasn't. It turns out, health and wealth don't always go hand in hand. When you lose your health, it's bad. Let's take a ride on this journey and see how Amish found his way back and learn from his experience.

Discover nature’s secret code to lifelong health & happiness:

https://theurbanmonk.com/naturallaw/

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Izabella Wentz, Pharm.D.

https://mybook.to/adrenalprotocol

Izabella Wentz, PharmD, FASCP, is an internationally acclaimed thyroid specialist and a licensedpharmacist who has dedicated her career to addressing the root causes of autoimmune thyroid disease after beingdiagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis in 2009.

She is the author of three books on Hashimoto’s: Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis Lifestyle Interventions for Finding and Treating the Root Cause, Hashimoto’s Food Pharmacology,and Hashimoto’s Protocol, which became a #1 New York Timesbestseller. Dr. Wentz currently lives in Austin and Los Angeles with her husband, Michael, and their son, Dimitry.

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

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Jill Carnahan, MD

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

In this episode, Pedram and Chris discuss the ins and outs of functional medicine. How can you enhance your lifestyle with the right supplemments and treatments without paying millions at a time? What solutions exist that won't require you to bend over backwards for relief? Learn more in this episode with Chris Kresser! 

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

In this episode, Pedram discusses his thoughts on sleep patterns and revisits his own experience with the ups and downs of sleeping. How can you achieve more consistent sleep? How can you reach deeper sleep? And what tricks can you add to your arsenal that will allow for a much improved and healthier lifestyle?

bPOSSIBLE podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

In this episode, Pedram and Warren discuss the flaws in so many supplements that are common today and what the differences are between suplements that have a positive impact on your health and those that can be damaging. They also explain how to avoid toxic chemicals, whether they're in the air you're breathing or the food you're eating. 

You can visit https://truecellularformulas.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

Pedram and Greg sit down to discuss how you can make changes to encourage your brain to work better for you. They also dive deeper into the specifics of energy and how the brain and energy are connected. Learn more about these interesting connections and the link between neuroscience and energy at Neurohacker Collective. 

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

In this episode, Pedram talks with Ari Whitten about the ways that we can use energy to positively impact our lives and health. They discuss a wide range of forms of energy along with how each form can develop and the ways in which it can change your life for the better. 

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

In this episode, Pedram talks with Dr. Greg Eckel about longevity and how the most recent advancements in eastern medicines can improve peoples' lives in the West. What strategies can you pursue to lessen your pain, improve upon your illness, or simply live a happier and longer life? You can continue to learn about these topics at bpossible.com. 

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

In this episode, Pedram Answers Your Questions, Dr. Pedram Shojai responds to questions centered around gut health, the current state of Western Medicine, telehealth, and other interesting topics. Make sure to visit bPOSSIBLE.com for more info and advice from Dr. Pedram Shojai and many other renowned doctors and scientists! 

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

In this episode, The Children with Dr. Nicole Beurkens, Pedram and Nicole discuss how modern developments in alternative medicine can directly impact the health of your children. They take a deeper dive into specific medicines and healing routes that might help children focus better in schools, avoid long-term health issues, and get on a better track towards a healhy adulthood. 

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Health, wellness, and personal development media in a new steaming service that's designed to help you live your best life. Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

In this episode, Quantum Biology with Catherine Clinton, Pedram and Catherine analyze how quantum biology has exploded to the forefront of modern medicine. What treatments now how substantial evidence that might've been doubted in the past? How are ancient indigenous medical practices re-emerging as essential perspectives on our health? What can you be focusing on if you want to live a healthier lifestyle? Join Dr. Pedram Shojai and Dr. Catherine Clinton in this episode of the bPOSSIBLE podcast!

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr Pedram Shojai.

https://www.theurbanmonk.com/

Pedram Shojai is the Urban Monk. He is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, a Taoist Priest, a Qi Gong Master, film maker, author, and Kung Fu world traveler. He invites you to join in the conversation exploring what it means to live with balance in the 21st century.

In this episode, Gut Health with Kiran Krishnan from Microbiome Labs, Pedram and Kiran discuss the evolution of our perception of the microbiome and how the microbiome is currently viewed in science and society. What new science and treatments are emerging that could improve your health and lifestyle?  What small changes can you make in the ways you eat, sleep, and go about your day that can greatly impact the health of your microbiome?

Discover Microbiome Labs

https://get.bpossible.com/microbiome/

https://get.bpossible.com/microbiome-tgr/

What has been the crisis here in the West, where articles are constantly written about the dogmatic American work ethic? We don’t know why we’re doing what we’re doing. We’re just responding to our basest impulses – gotta eat, gotta pay bills, gotta avoid bad feelings, gotta up the dopamine. And until we know why we’re doing what we’re doing – chasing jobs or quitting them – nothing’s going to change.  Jonathan Fields is obsessed with this problem. As a writer, his primary curiosity is what gets people up in the morning… and what makes them keep getting up when times get hard. Tune in and learn about your own sparketype so you can change your entire relationship to work. 

What does your brain have in common with a fungal network? Well, have you ever seen both? They look quite a bit alike... Often, neurologists frustrated at the stalemate we've reached as regards healing people are the first to research alternative methods – anything from psychedelics to bio feedback and even the physiological power of soothing. Listen to Dr. David Rabin tell me what he discovered about diverting resources away from survival and straight into recovery... 

Trying to get whole after a traumatic experience can feel like a lesson in acronyms – NLP, EMDR, CBT, etc. One method deserves to be better understood. You’ve likely seen videos of powerful physical reactions as people release the trauma their nervous systems have been holding onto. This is somatic experiencing. And Karlee Holden is a dedicated practitioner. She grew up well-versed in NLP and the language of healing. But later in life, it simply wasn’t enough to heal her. So she searched, and she foun

Ann Louise Gittleman, who is 71 years young (though you’d never know it to hear about how she spends her days), fell into the world of detoxifying 40 years ago. The woman who became her mentor was 84 when they met; she lived to be 106. She taught Ann everything she knew about longevity and sparked in her a powerful urge to grow stronger as the years advance. Now, her life is lived in the service of unearthing cutting-edge resources that dismantle the myth of aging. We’re living longer, but we’re not necessarily living healthier. That’s where the term radical longevity comes from. The future is here, and Ann’s at the helm.

Imagine if “joining the family business” meant partnering with your father to make groundbreaking microbiome research and gut solutions available to the masses twenty years before mainstream medicine gets hold of them. For Afif Ghannoum, that’s exactly what happened.  His dad, Dr. Mahmoud Ghannoum, was one of the first major medical minds to study the microbiology of the oral biome… and then, in time, the GI biome. His discoveries have led to breakthrough after breakthrough, especially as regards a very important consideration: The presence of fungi in the gut and its interaction with the bacterial community.

There's no punchline here – just a frank, honest, and loving discussion about the unconventional paths Rabbi Doniel Katz and I took to achieve and sustain enlightenment. Across disciplines, religions, practices, and ideologies, there’s something we all have in common that makes us more alike than it makes us different. We build and rebuild our spiritual hygiene every single day. The work and the discipline and the years of studying create an energy field around all of us that binds us to a shared purpose – to find true integration, and train the muscles that got us there to remember how to do it again and again and again.

Whole body vibration isn't a new idea, but the advancement of the technology recently might as well have reinvented the wheel. My good friend Perry Cammisa has been helping me rehab an injury through PM&R with the power of vibrational therapy, and if you didn't know that was a possibility... you need to hear this. This tech can be traced back to Russian astronauts innovating ways to reintegrate back into Earth's gravity-laden environment. Actually, even farther than that, but we'll get there. Ultimately? We're talking about bone mass and why it's so important to your WHOLE body health. 

In 2019, former bodybuilder Aaron Alexander published his book all about the eponymous method he developed himself: "The Align Method: 5 Movement Principles for a Stronger Body, Sharper Mind, and Stress-Proof Life." He thinks our bodies speak more than one language – and depending on how connected you are to its pain and joy, you may not be able to understand what it’s telling you. And then how will you know when you’re aligned and when you’re not? How will you read the signal? Alignment isn’t just a yoga buzzword – it means a lot more than that, and it’s informed by more than how advanced your practice is. Tune in as we talk about compensatory practices (both Western and not, male and not), the importance of heightened senses to our nervous system, why nutrition means more than diet, the two biggest factors in miscommunication, and so much more. 

How long is it going to take for the emotional tectonic plates of society to shift from grounding in foundation and tradition to exploring lofty ideals and leading with imagination? Who did ancient cultures believe they were worshipping when they looked to the heavens for advice? How do we respond to good times, to chaos, to tough times? How did our ancestors? These are the kinds of questions that keep Dr. Rachelle Dixon busy in her practice and in her personal development. We got to dig into how astrology can be used as an optimization tool to guide us towards our best lives, even if you choose not to believe in it. She's spent her life as a doctor, healer, and educator trying to instill belief in one's own intuition into those she works with – and the stars are often a historical and contemporary source of wisdom from which to draw. Pedram and Rachelle wax astrological about where we've been, where we are, and how we can prepare for where we're going. 

If your first reaction to drinking the olive oil in your cabinet is to check the date or gag, you're probably using olive oil as distant from a fresh olive oil harvest as the tea in your cupboards are from Chinese botanicals. T.J. Robinson, former chef and professional olive oil tester and judge, had such a revelation upon tasting his first fresh olive oil that he not only never went back... But he started a Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club that sources from four different seasonal harvests per year in order to deliver perfectly aged olive oil made from the highest quality olives that can be certifiably found. He talks me through a taste-testing of his latest batch, debunking all sorts of myths about the health benefits, cooking uses, and grocery store varieties of olive oil along the way.

Ron and Johanna Melchiore have been living off the grid for decades, but what does it mean to go off the grid? How disconnected must one be? Ron and Johanna join Pedram Shojai and discuss their experience in having their own chunk of wilderness. What was it like getting started? How did they build their home? How do they get food? How do they collect water for cooking, drinking, and bathing? And what do they do during the winters? Pedram asks about the freedom of having the land work for you but also the potential dangers of being isolated. Becoming an independent homesteader does not mean fully disconnecting from society, but what complications could still arise? Is this something anyone can do?

"Plants often look like what they're for," Evan Cohen tells Pedram Shojai. For many of us who have lived in urban environments all of our lives, this can be a difficult concept to grasp. This week's guest to The Urban Monk Podcast discusses the benefits of how plants in certain cases can have obvious benefits just based on what they look. How can we determine the energetic signature of plants and how can we harness their essence to benefit our health?

We don't need to tell you, but 2020 has been quite the wild ride! With so much going on from the US Presidential election to the pandemic to wild weather events such as wildfires and hurricanes, it's hard to just focus! Attention is being pulled in every direction. Social media is even monetizing attention! So how do we get our focus back to ourselves? Pedram Shojai here on The Urban Monk Podcast wanted to take a moment to discuss the importance of drawing attention back to yourself. With how media can divert our attention to things that may not be affecting us in the moment, it can be hard to focus on your own needs. What is important to you? What goals do you have? And what are you doing to reach those goals? Pedram gives some tips based on his studies with Chinese Medicine on how you can make yourself your own main focus again.

Everyone is exhausted! We all run into walls. We have trouble waking up in the morning and we go for the cup of coffee or tea to pick us up, but by the afternoon we crash. We do we continue to ride these waves of highs and lows of energy? Why do so many of us suffer from chronic fatigue? The usual suspects of stress and lack of sleep are obvious, but what if there was more to it? Is it the food we eat? The lack of exercise? Could it be unchecked mold building up in our homes?

Do we have to drastically change our lives to live a life full of energy? Or are the minor changes and shifts we can make that add up to leave chronic fatigue behind?

News used to be just the facts. But nowadays media has become highly charged, fear-based grabs for ratings. While it's important to be an informed citizens, sometimes the dour news can be extremely detrimental to our own outlook on the world while adding undue stress into our lives. Guest John Biffar, founder and president of PeaceVision, has a different approach. John through PeaceVision produces original video aiming to be free of negativity, politics, and violence while showcasing paths towards positive change. How is John able to bring to light stories of positivity in a society of click-bait headlines? How does John hope to provide people with actionable ways to achieve more peace in their own lives? How can we be conscious of the media we consume and how that affects our own lives in the era of coronavirus and COVID-19?

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues many people are looking to whatever they can to take preventative measures against the coronavirus risk. Washing hands and sanitizing surfaces are great steps, surely, but what about other over the counter remedies? Dr. Elroy Vojdani and Dr. Pejman Katiraei join Pedram Shojai on this episode of The Urban Monk Podcast to discuss how certain measures might actually be more damaging to the gut and the gastrointestinal tract that might work against the immune system. What is happening in the gut and the immune system when we are infected with COVID-19 or other viruses? Why does infection affect some with terrible symptoms while others are asymptomatic? How is the mucosal immune system a front line defense and how can we bolster its effectiveness through lifestyle? Is the conventional traditional medical model able to study viral infections from a holistic perspective?

The pandemic of COVID-19 has changed the world and how we all interact with one another. But for many of us this pandemic has also affected our jobs, our schools, our livelihoods. While it is important to remain safe and follow social distancing guidelines, how must we change our mindsets on how we earn an income? Pedram Shojai invites Robert Kiyosaki to The Urban Monk Podcast. Robert is the author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad. He discusses how we must think about cashflow and the system many of us find ourselves trapped in. That is the system that has now broken during a pandemic. How can we leave the rat race to become financially independent and prepare for the next economic downturn?

2020 is off to a wild start! The world is chaotic. How do we find a calm respite while balancing work, children, dinner, and errands that take over our lives? Pedram discusses how he uses qi gong to still the chaos of the world.

Marijuana and its various forms are getting a second look from both the general public and the medical community. The scientific community is diving deep into research of CBD and its potential various medical applications to heal but without the psychoactive effects. What is the new research on the healing properties of CBD? Pedram Shojai welcomes guest Leonard Leinow to discuss how CBD can help patients heal.

Contemporary life provides us with infinite opportunities. We can immerse ourselves in the vast, enticing world of digital media. But living in this 24/7 hyper-reality comes at a steep cost: left unchecked, it poses serious risks to our physical and mental health, relationships, and even the ability to control our thoughts. David Perlmutter, MD joins Pedram Shojai on The Urban Monk Podcast to discuss how the culture around us can affect us. Based on the latest science, Dr. Perlmutter reveals the mental hijacking that undermines each and every one of us, and presents the tools necessary to think more clearly, make better decisions, strengthen bonds with others, and develop healthier habits.

Stem cells were once controversial due to their method of acquisition but the research has advanced and there are new ways to gather stem cells. The benefits of using stem cells to heal are great and Pedram Shojai himself has been using stem cells to help heal a previous hip injury of his under the supervision of this week's guest, Dr. Harry Adelson! How do stem cells work and where are doctors now getting them from? What is the success rate and what can someone using stem cells reasonably expect?

Flint, Michigan was only the tip of the iceberg. From big cities and suburbs to the rural heartland, chemicals linked to cancer, heart disease, obesity, birth defects, and lowered IQ routinely spill from our taps. Many are to blame: the EPA, Congress, a bipartisan coalition of powerful governors and mayors, chemical companies, and drinking water utilities—even NASA and the Pentagon. Meanwhile, the bottled water industry has been fanning our fears about tap water, but bottled water is often no safer. So then what is the solution? Pedram Shojai welcomes author Seth M. Siegel back onto The Urban Monk Podcast to discuss the current state of drinking water how to ensure the water coming out of your tap is safe to drink.

When you invest your money in either the banks or on Wall St. have you ever considered what your money is actually doing? What impact does your money have when you put it into a savings account or a retirement fund? Is your money going towards companies that you would want to do business with? And how can you tell if a company is actually doing good, not just on a financial sheet, but for the world and its environment? Martin Whittaker, founding CEO of JUST Capital, takes out the guesswork when trying to find ethical places to invest your money. He joins Pedram Shojai on The Urban Monk podcast to discuss the current state of finance and how that is impacting the world at large.

Toxins are everywhere and they're difficult to avoid. Even when we try our best we may still be exposed to harmful toxics that affect our health and wellbeing. What sort of toxins are we being exposed to regularly and how do they affect us? Pedram Shojai welcomes Urban Monk Podcast regular Tom Malterre back to the show to discuss the ongoing research into endocrine disrupters that mess with our lives.

Are women showing off their full authentic selves? Traits labeled as "feminine" such as sensitivity, intuition, or feeling emotional were once disparaged as weaknesses and both men and women were encouraged to shut down these aspects of their personalities. Author Amy Stanton challenges old and outdated perceptions that feminine traits are weaknesses and the book The Feminine Revolution revisits those characteristics to show how they are powerful assets that should be embraced rather than maligned. It argues that feminine traits have been mischaracterized as weak, fragile, diminutive, and embittered for too long, and offers a call to arms to redeem them as the superpowers and gifts that they are.

Many people enjoy a glass of wine whether it be with dinner or just a way to unwind after a long day at work, but have you ever thought about what's actually in your wine? Wine doesn't actually list the ingredients on the bottle. Well Todd White of Dry Farm Wines joins Pedram Shojai on The Urban Monk Podcast to discuss exactly why that is. Todd also talks about the process in which wine is mass produced and the troubling toxins that may actually be the cause of some headaches associated with wine. What does it take to remove the wine of these toxins? What is the end result for the taste and flavor of the wine?

You may have heard (often) to fire up your metabolism in order to lose weight, but what really does that mean? How are we able to control our metabolism? Dr. Alan Christianson suggests we should focus on our livers to better serve our body. How does the liver control the fat being stored in our bodies? How can we work better to lose extra inches off our bellies? What role does the liver play in suppressing metabolism?

The Urban Monk is back after a hiatus from the podcast. Pedram Shojai has been busy all year filming a new docu-series on the microbiome titled Interconnected! Here he takes some time to sit and just talk about the experience of filming the series and what he learned and the many experts he was able to interview. No guest in this episode, just Pedram at the wheel driving solo.

Dr. Tom O'Bryan is no stranger to The Urban Monk and he returns to talk about what it takes to restore cognitive function. We've all experienced that brain fog where we can't remember where we put our keys or can't connect the name to the face or forgotten birthdays. What causes our brain to slow down and what can be done to bring it back to optimal operation? Dr. Tom O'Bryan has a step-by-step plan to bring our brains back to tip-top shape so that we can live our best lives!

There's a lot of information when it comes to dieting. Things to eat, things not to eat, things to eat at a certain time, times to not eat, how long to eat, how much to eat, eating as much as you want, restricting how much you want to eat, tricking yourself into not wanting to eat, what the hell are we supposed to do? Cassie Bjork comes onto the podcast this week to talk it out with Pedram about all the diets that are circulating around. Paleo, keto, Atkins, what are all of these and which one is right for each person? How can a person even know?

Aimee Raupp is an acupuncturist and herbalist who has worked with scores of women through various issues. Through her experience in the clinic she has come up with a roadmap to heal from autoimmune disease. She transitioned from helping women with poor fertility outlooks to working with patients on a more spiritual and emotional level. How can one attune one's behavior to better serve your own body?

How important is a morning routine? How can what we do in the morning affect the rest of our day? Benjamin Spall has written about this very topic and joins Pedram Shojai to deeply examine the common habits people get into when they wake up. Think about what you do when you wake up. The very first thing. Do you take a moment to appreciate perhaps your spouse? Or are you reaching for the phone to see who's emailed you in the last 8 hours? What affect could this have on our day to day lives? How do we break routines and add in new ones? What positive routines can we fold into our mornings?

Microbes are life forms that are too small to see without a microscope. There are microbes in the soil, in the atmosphere, and even inside every one of us. How do these microbes live? How do they behave? What are they doing inside each and every person and do they affect the person as a whole? Author Eugenia Bone joins Pedram on The Urban Monk to discuss the fascinating micro-world.

Many of us try to do everything we can to stay healthy, but at times it can be overwhelming. Thankfully, Dr. Rangan Chatterjee through his years of experiences as a doctor has worked out four key components to keep focus upon if we want to prevent disease: food, relaxation, sleep, and movement. By focusing on little changes, the multitude of little changes can add up to big results that will make all aspects of life better. What is the best way to incorporate these four pillars into our everyday lives?

Technology in all of its forms is becoming more prevalent in our every day lives. From mobile phones to tablets and video games and social media, it's quite pervasive. For developed adults, we've come to adapt, but how does it affect the development of a child? Pedram talks with psychologist Richard Freed about the studied effects of technology on the developing brain. How much is too much? Is there an acceptable amount of screen time at all for younger children? How can a parent best control the amount of time their children spends in front of the television or holding a tablet?

This week's episode of The Urban Monk is extra special as guest Emily Fletcher was able to actually visit with Pedram and record with him in his own dining room! Emily was a performer on Broadway stages for ten years which is one of the high forms of insanity. She would wake up and head to a theater sometimes not knowing what role she would be performing that evening. In such a high-stress environment, what made her finally settle down to try meditation? Did she have any pre-conceived notions about meditation? How does she make time for meditation in our current world of deadlines and meetings and conferences?

At the age of 22, Leo Galland's son, Christopher, passed away. He was a brain-damaged special needs child who was able to provide uncanny insights. Though Christopher is gone, to Leo his wisdom and presence remains. What is it to feel someone's presence after they've passed away? What is the spirit? How can we feel the spirit of a loved one? How can we connect with our own?

Many of us understand the importance of diet when it comes to health. Sure, eating the right food is important if we want to maintain a healthy weight, but what other effects does food have? Max Lugavere has come to know the power of food very well. His mother was displaying symptoms of Alzheimer's disease but they never made any connections that the foods she was eating may have been worsening the disease. What connections was Max seeing between what his mother was eating and what symptoms were being displayed by his mother? Were changes made that resulted in a different health outlook?

Prion diseases are very rare. There are on average only about 300 reported cases in the U.S. every year. Because of its rarity it can be difficult to diagnose. Dr. Greg Eckel is very aware of the topic because his wife has been inflicted with a prion disease. It's been a very scary struggle for him and his family as she struggles with this incurable disease. What are prion diseases specifically? What causes them? What symptoms exist?

Water is essential to life as we know it. Not only do we need it to survive, we also use water for so many other things such as agriculture, food preparation, and showering. For many of us, we take the water that comes from our taps for granted, but where exactly is that water coming from? What sort of infrastructure is required to deliver endless gallons of water to millions of people? 

The earth's population is above 7.6 billion people. That's a lot of people who need to eat. Fishing is an especially large industry, but it's wreaking havoc for certain natural ecosystems and habitats. Some species are being fished in the tens of millions each year. Is there a better way? Bren Smith is a former fisherman who understood he was involved in a highly destructive industry. He then began working with a large salmon farm, but found it was essentially the same destruction. He began searching for a more sustainable way to fish and farm which led him to develop 3D ocean farms. What are 3D ocean farms? What sort of seafood is Bren able to farm? What are the benefits of 3D ocean farms versus traditional seafood farms?

Diets are hard. Not even in the weight loss sense, but just in the general idea of the general foods a person should eat to be generally healthy. We're told that fats make us fat, but then someone else comes along to say that fats actually help to lose weight. Salt is bad, but someone else says it's fine. Gluten will mess you up, but someone else says, "Maybe in moderation you'll survive." What is it?? Dr. Mark Hyman joins Pedram Shojai on The Urban Monk to discuss the confusing, confounding, conflicting messages regarding what to eat. Who should we listen to? What do all the various food studies mean? What the heck should we eat?

There's a lot going on in the world and it's easy to believe we won't be able to make a difference, especially at the individual level. It's easy to think we're alone in our feelings, but what if there was actually a community that was as passionate as we are? Fiona Hazell and Emelie Ekblad had a chance meeting that led them to create MAD. What were their individual journeys and experiences through various conditions that led them to madness? How did Emelie and Fiona meet? What about their meeting led them to forming MAD? What are they hoping to accomplish? How are they forming a new community to work together to resolve the big issues they see around the world?

Autonomous cars hold a lot of promise. Imagine if we could reduce or even fully eliminate automobile accidents due to road rage, drunk driving, or distracted drivers. Imagine if rush hour traffic was no more! Imagine the time you could get back to nap, read, or talk more intently with someone on the phone if you didn't have to drive! These are some of the various promises made by the concept of a self-driving car, but how realistic are these promises? On this episode Pedram Shojai welcomes Eric Noble from The Car Lab to discuss the advancements auto-makers have been able to make and how much further we still have to go before we get a fully autonomous car that allows us to take a heavy duty nap on the road. What are the technological limitations? Are we sure we'll be able to overcome these barriers? What sort of time frame can we expect before everyone is able to afford a self-driving car? Are there legal barriers to self-driving cars? How long before we can expect everyone to have a driverless car?

Dieting sucks. Let's just be honest about that. Holidays, birthdays, and even just a Friday night out with friends means we are all often surrounded by tempting foods that are not perhaps the best for our midsections. How can we easily navigate the endless food options that always appear in front of us at the worst times? For Robyn Youkilis, she understands this struggle. She also recently had her first child and had to re-shift her thinking as she set realistic goals in returning to her normal pre-baby weight. Regarding the struggle of losing weight, sometimes people can become hard on themselves if the results aren't immediate. How can we push back against this mentality of wanting and needing quick weight loss?

How do we know something is safe? From lotion to food to soap and shampoo, we interact with so many different items in a single day. Who is checking that these items are safe? Amy Ziff was a journalist living in Silicon Valley who asked these questions when twins were having allergic reaction to otherwise normal items such as pillows and diapers. She had an older child who did not have any sort of reaction to these items. What was happening with her younger children? What chemicals were going into household items? Are these all listed on packages? If not, how did Amy figure out what was contained in various items? Even when doing the research, how are we able to filter what is truth and based in science rather than a blogger's speculation?

After a little hiatus The Urban Monk podcast is back with new episodes! Starting off 2018, we have Scott Stabile joining Pedram Shojai. Scott is the author of Big Love: The Power of Living with a Wide-Open Heart. It's really easy to focus on the negative aspects of our lives and the world at large, but what happens if we choose to focus exclusively on the kindness and love? Scott insists that change can lead to endless good. Scott didn't have it easy either. His parents were murdered when he was fourteen. His brother later died of a heroin overdose. After that Scott joined a cult that dominated his life for thirteen years before he took the steps to walk away. How was he able to face these struggles and emerge on the other side with endless love for not only himself, but the world around him?

Many suffer from fatigue. Despite making lifestyle changes regarding diet and schedules some people are still plagued with fatigue. Could it be exhausted adrenal glands that are unable to produce adequate amounts of hormones that are leading to fatigue? This is a hotly debated topic in the medical community. To some there is an easy correlation between symptoms and diagnosis, but what is the real research? Ari Whitten looked into the concept of "adrenal fatigue" to see what research existed. What did he find? What data exists? Does adrenal fatigue really exist? How can data be cherry-picked to back a pre-determined argument? Are there possibly other reasons for chronic fatigue? What other factors might exist that leads to a person fatigue?