#623 How Red Light Restores Mitochondria, Thyroid & Gut Health | Interview with Zulia Frost

In this episode, Coach Debbie Potts sits down with Dr. Zulia Frost, Co-Founder and Medical Director of Recharge Health, to explore how targeted red light therapy can support mitochondrial repair, thyroid function, gut health, liver detoxification, and overall metabolic resilience for adults navigating midlife. If you are in your 40s, 50s, 60s, or beyond and want to improve your energy, metabolism, hormone balance, digestion, and recovery, this conversation provides the education, tools, and strategies you need to optimize your health from the inside out. Zulia explains the science behind photobiomodulation, how red and near-infrared light activate cellular energy pathways, and why FlexBeam delivers medical-grade targeted therapy directly to organs and tissues that need it most. We break down the research on mitochondrial function, Hashimoto's and thyroid hormone conversion, gut inflammation, motility challenges, liver congestion, stress recovery, and active aging. This episode is especially relevant for midlife athletes, high performers, over-40 adults experiencing metabolic slowdown, and anyone wanting to age with strength, clarity, and vitality. Mentioned in the Episode FlexBeam by Recharge Health Try FlexBeam and save with code: CoachDebbiePotts Website: https://recharge.health (affiliate support is appreciated) Topics Covered • Why mitochondrial function declines with age and how red light supports ATP production • The connection between photobiomodulation and thyroid hormone activation • Clinical research on PBM for Hashimoto's and autoimmune thyroid dysfunction • Red light therapy for gut inflammation, motility, and microbiome balance • Liver detoxification, metabolic health, and targeted PBM application • Supporting the nervous system, vagal tone, sleep quality, and stress recovery • FlexBeam protocols for midlife athletes and active aging • How to integrate daily PBM routines into lifestyle, training, and recovery • Why targeted photobiomodulation works differently from full-body light panels About Zulia Frost Dr. Zulia Frost is a pioneer in photobiomodulation, neuromuscular rehabilitation, and integrative medicine. With more than two decades of clinical experience, she is internationally recognized for her work in cellular repair technologies and her scientific leadership at Recharge Health. Connect with Coach Debbie Potts Website: https://www.debbiepotts.net Podcast: The Coach Debbie Potts Show YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coachdebbiepotts Instagram: @coachdebbiepotts Email: [email protected] Support the Show If this episode helped you understand how to age stronger instead of slower, please rate, review, and share it with someone looking to improve their health, metabolism, and longevity.

Why Your Cholesterol Is High (Hint: It's Not Red Meat) Most people are told that high cholesterol means "eat less fat" — but the science tells a very different story. In this episode of The Coach Debbie Potts Show, we unpack the real root causes behind elevated cholesterol and why your numbers are actually messages from your metabolism, not dietary mistakes. Coach Debbie breaks down the five most common drivers of high cholesterol in midlife: 🔥 Thyroid Sluggishness — Low T3 slows LDL clearance 🔥 Stress & Inflammation — Cortisol raises triglycerides & VLDL 🔥 Insulin Resistance — The #1 cause of small, dense LDL 🔥 Sluggish Bile Flow — Cholesterol gets recirculated instead of eliminated 🔥 Perimenopause & Menopause — Estrogen decline naturally raises LDL You'll learn how cholesterol reflects deeper patterns in your thyroid, liver, hormones, insulin signaling, and metabolism. And most importantly — why cholesterol isn't the villain you've been taught to fear. This episode is perfect for anyone struggling with stubborn cholesterol labs, midlife metabolic changes, fatigue, hormone symptoms, or confusing "normal" labs that don't match how you feel. If you're ready to decode YOUR numbers, identify your hidden root causes, and build your personalized FutureYou Blueprint™, schedule your consultation at: 👉 www.DebbiePotts.net

In this episode, Coach Debbie reveals why your thyroid isn't the problem — your cellular environment is. Learn how vagus nerve dysfunction, LPS, H. pylori, low stomach acid, sluggish bile, and mitochondrial stress block T4 → T3 conversion and prevent T3 (even medication!) from entering your cells. Debbie shares her personal case study connecting GI-MAP, MEScreen mitochondrial testing, blood chemistry, HRV, and vagus nerve suppression to low T3 activation, slow metabolism, and performance plateaus. Key topics: • Why T3 meds don't always work • How LPS blocks thyroid hormone • Gut–vagus–thyroid connection • Bile flow + fat-burning • Mitochondria + metabolism • How stress shuts down thyroid activation Pulsetto Vagus Nerve Stimulation: 👉 https://pulsetto.sjv.io/YRQyQP Learn more or begin your FutureYou Blueprint™ investigation: 👉 www.debbiepotts.net

What if your lab work, genetics, and lifestyle data could all talk to each other—giving you a single, clear picture of how to optimize your energy, hormones, and longevity? In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Meghan Jones, a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician and Fellow of Wild Health's Precision Medicine Program, to explore how their Clarity Report™ uses genomics and biomarker analysis to map out a personalized path toward healing and performance. Dr. Jones shares her journey from emergency medicine to precision health—why she left crisis care to help people prevent disease and live stronger, longer lives. Together we unpack my own Wild Health Clarity Report™ findings and discuss how data-driven coaching can uncover the hidden stressors, nutrient gaps, and hormone imbalances that keep you stuck. In this episode: What the Wild Health Clarity Report™ measures and why it matters How genetics, labs, and lifestyle data combine to reveal your root causes My personal insights from metabolic and hormone testing How precision medicine can improve energy, resilience, and longevity If you're ready to move beyond symptom management and start your own investigation, visit www.wildhealth.com and use code COACHDEBBIEPOTTS to save on your Precision Medicine Clarity Report™. Guest Bio: Dr. Meghan Jones, MD is a board-certified Emergency Medicine physician and Fellow of Wild Health's Precision Medicine Program. She earned her medical degree at West Virginia University and completed her residency at The Ohio State University. After years in emergency medicine, Dr. Jones transitioned to precision health to help patients uncover root causes and achieve results once thought out of reach. She's passionate about helping people live as well as they can—for as long as they can—and is an active mom of two who loves fitness, outdoor adventure, and community. Links 🌐 Wild Health Clarity Report: https://www.wildhealth.com — Use code COACHDEBBIEPOTTS to save 🎧 Listen to More Episodes: https://www.debbiepotts.net/podcast 📸 Follow on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachdebbiepotts ▶️ Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@coachdebbiepotts 💻 Learn More & Work With Me: https://www.debbiepotts.net

 Are you "doing all the right things" — eating clean, working out, fasting, taking supplements — yet still feeling stuck, tired, or inflamed? In this series deep-dive solo episode, Coach Debbie Potts takes you down the Root Cause Rabbit Hole to uncover why "surface-level fixes" often fail and how to rebuild your metabolism, hormones, and energy from the inside out. You'll learn how to: 🧠 Map your North-to-South health highway — from brain to bile ⚙️ Understand the 3 Phases of Liver Detox (and why "drainage before detox" matters) 💧 Support bile flow and methylation for clean energy and hormonal balance 🔥 Break the cycle of stress, fatigue, and inflammation by calming your nervous system 🧪 Use functional and metabolic testing (GI-MAP, DUTCH, OAT, PNOĒ) to find your true bottlenecks 🌿 Apply The WHOLESTIC Method to design your ideal Future You This episode is a blueprint for thriving as you age — not by doing more, but by restoring flow, function, and resilience from within. ✨ Learn more and schedule your PNOĒ Metabolic Analysis + Future You Review at www.DebbiePotts.net  

Your muscle isn't just for strength—it's your metabolic organ, your glucose sink, your hormonal stabilizer, and your anti-aging insurance policy. But here's the hard truth: If your protein is low in leucine, hard to digest, or blocked by anti-nutrients, you're putting the brakes on everything you're trying to optimize. 🧬 In this episode of The Coach Debbie Potts Show, we explore how poor protein choices impact: 📉 Blood sugar and insulin resistance 🧠 Brain fog and neurotransmitter function 🔥 Mitochondrial energy production 🧘 Hormone health and thyroid function 💪 Muscle loss and metabolic decline We dive deep into the science of anabolic resistance, leucine thresholds, and the dangers of anti-nutrients like phytates, oxalates, and lectins—especially for those navigating perimenopause, menopause, or andropause. 🙌 Your Next Step: Build Your FutureYou Blueprint™ Let's design your protein-first, gut-friendly, muscle-building plan—customized to your: Metabolism Stress load Age & midlife goals 📅 Book your FutureYou Strategy Session today at 👉 www.DebbiePotts.net Together, we'll test—not guess—and create the plan your body actually responds to. Because your symptoms aren't random… they're data. Let's decode the root cause and build the strongest, most resilient version of you. 🛑 Disclaimer: Educational only. Partner with a qualified practitioner—especially if you're on medications, have gallbladder disease, significant anemia, active IBD, are pregnant, or have complex conditions.

Dr. Nathan Bryan is an international expert in nitric oxide biochemistry and molecular medicine. With more than two decades of groundbreaking research, Dr. Bryan has made numerous seminal discoveries, holds dozens of U.S. and international patents, and has created technologies that have improved patient care worldwide. He earned his B.S. in Biochemistry from the University of Texas at Austin and his Ph.D. from LSU School of Medicine, followed by post-doctoral training at Boston University's Whitaker Cardiovascular Institute under Nobel Laureate Dr. Ferid Murad. In this episode, Coach Debbie Potts and Dr. Bryan explore: ✅ What nitric oxide is and why it's vital for cardiovascular, metabolic, and brain health ✅ Why nitric oxide production declines with age and modern lifestyle habits ✅ How to naturally restore nitric oxide through nutrition, sunlight, exercise, and targeted supplements Learn more about Dr. Bryan's work and nitric oxide-based innovations at www.N1O1.com (save with code COACHDEBBIEPOTTS), www.drnathansbryan.com, and www.nitricoxideinnovations.com. Connect with Dr. Bryan on Instagram @drnathansbryan | Twitter @drnitric | LinkedIn @drnathansbryan.

In this FutureYou Blueprint™ deep-dive episode of The Coach Debbie Potts Show, we explore one of the most overlooked truths in functional health: 👉 Protecting your brain begins in the gut. 👉 Up to 70–80% of neuroinflammation is driven by digestion, blood sugar, and lifestyle—not age. If you want sharper memory, better focus, emotional resilience, and long-term cognitive health, you must understand how your daily choices directly affect your gut, mitochondria, nervous system, and blood-brain barrier. Today, I break down the four most powerful lifestyle levers you can start using immediately to reduce neuroinflammation and build a stronger brain from the inside out. 🔍 In This Episode, You'll Learn: 🛏️ 1. Why Sleep Is the #1 Brain Detoxifier How 7.5–9 hours of sleep activates the glymphatic system, repairs the blood-brain barrier, calms microglia, improves gut motility, and regulates inflammation. 🏋️‍♀️ 2. How Strength Training Boosts BDNF and Insulin Sensitivity Why lifting weights 2–3 times per week supports brain plasticity, improves mood, and stabilizes blood sugar—the biggest driver of neuroinflammation. 🚶‍♀️ 3. The Role of Aerobic Training in Cerebral Blood Flow How Zone 2 cardio improves oxygen delivery, enhances mitochondrial function, supports gut motility, and reduces stress on the nervous system. 🧲 4. Why Reducing EMFs and Neurotoxins Matters More Than You Think How everyday exposures—like Wi-Fi at night, fragrance, plastics, pesticides, and mold—affect brain inflammation, sleep, and BBB integrity. 🧠 Why This Matters Brain aging is not random. Brain fog is not normal. Cognitive decline does not start in the brain — it starts in your gut, your environment, and your lifestyle signals. By adjusting these four non-negotiable foundations, you lower neuroinflammation, strengthen your gut-brain axis, and build long-term cognitive resilience. This is how you train the WHOLE you… to become your strongest, sharpest FutureYou. 💬 Connect with Debbie Website: www.DebbiePotts.net FutureYou Blueprint Sessions: https://DebbiePottsCoaching.as.me/futureyoublueprint PNOĒ Metabolism Testing & Coaching: www.DebbiePotts.net

Are you doing all the right things—clean eating, daily workouts, supplements—yet feeling tired, inflamed, or stuck in a midlife plateau? On today's deep-dive episode of The Coach Debbie Potts Show, we unravel the hidden biology behind slow metabolism, stubborn fat gain, chronic fatigue, and the loss of muscle as we age. Coach Debbie Potts—FDN-P, FNTP, NASM-CPT, and certified PNOĒ Metabolic Analyst—guides you through the interconnected systems that determine how you age, burn fat, build muscle, and generate energy from the inside out. This is not your typical "eat less, move more" conversation. This is FutureYou Biology—the science of rebuilding metabolism, rewiring resilience, and restoring cellular safety so you can thrive, not struggle, in midlife. In This Episode, You'll Learn: PNOĒ Metabolic Testing — Your Real-Time Metabolic Blueprint How RER, VO₂ Max, FatMax, and ventilatory efficiency reveal whether your metabolism is stuck in sugar-burning mode or capable of efficient, flexible fat oxidation. AMPK — The Fat-Burning, Repair, and Longevity Switch Why Zone 2, fasting windows, cold exposure, and specific nutrients activate AMPK to improve mitochondria, reduce inflammation, and enhance metabolic flexibility. The Cell Danger Response (CDR) — When Mitochondria Hit the Brakes Based on Dr. Robert Naviaux's research, we explore why chronic stress, toxins, infections, or trauma push your mitochondria into "protection mode"—slowing metabolism, lowering energy, and blocking fat loss. The Vagus Nerve — The Hidden Root of Weight Loss Resistance If your nervous system doesn't feel safe, your metabolism won't unlock. Learn how vagal tone affects digestion, hormones, inflammation, and fat-burning—and how to train the vagus for better metabolic outcomes. mTOR + Protein After 40 — How to Rebuild Muscle & Strength Why women and men after 40 need higher protein, targeted leucine, and heavy strength training to overcome anabolic resistance and maintain metabolic rate and longevity. Cortisol, Hormones & Aging The stress-metabolism connection: how elevated cortisol suppresses thyroid function, blocks fat burning, and accelerates aging—and how to fix the rhythm. The FutureYou™ Formula How AMPK, mTOR, the vagus nerve, and mitochondrial health integrate into a personalized, test-not-guess blueprint for metabolic harmony. Featured Framework: FutureYou™ Meal Method Protein-forward, leucine-optimized meals to turn on muscle protein synthesis, maintain metabolic health, and improve fat-burning—especially for midlife women and men. "Protein is the ignition switch for metabolism. Leucine is the spark plug." — Coach Debbie Takeaway Aging well isn't luck—it's strategy. When you retrain metabolism, restore cellular safety, and rebuild vagal resilience, your body becomes capable of fat-burning, muscle building, and long-lasting energy again. It's time to rewrite your midlife biology and create your FutureYou. Work With Coach Debbie Ready to stop guessing and start testing? Book your PNOĒ Metabolic Test or schedule a discovery call at: 👉 www.DebbiePotts.net Escape METABOLIC CHAOS® and rebuild METABOLIC HARMONY so you can strive to thrive as you age—not struggle. Safety Note Educational only. Partner with a qualified practitioner—especially if you're on medications, have gallbladder disease, significant anemia, active IBD, are pregnant, or have complex conditions.

Are you eating all the right foods, taking supplements, and still feeling tired, bloated, or stuck with stubborn weight? You might not have a food problem… you might have a digestion problem. In this episode of The Coach Debbie Potts Show, Debbie takes you deep inside the root cause of many "mystery" symptoms — low stomach acid (HCl) — and explains why this one simple imbalance can create a domino effect across your metabolism, hormones, energy, and brain. You'll learn: ✅ How stomach acid actually works — and why it's the spark plug for your entire digestive system ✅ The connection between low HCl, fatigue, hormone imbalance, thyroid function, and brain fog ✅ The weird clues your body gives you (like brittle nails, reflux, or even body odor) ✅ How HCl "unlocks" essential minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium — and what happens when it doesn't ✅ Why PPIs and antacids can make things worse long-term ✅ The fascinating nitric oxide connection for gut health, motility, and LES tone ✅ How to safely restore your stomach acid, rebuild digestion, and reignite your metabolism ✅ The step-by-step FutureYou™ Rebuild Plan to move from metabolic chaos to metabolic harmony "Your stomach acid isn't the problem — it's the messenger. When you restore that first spark, everything downstream—your energy, hormones, and metabolism—starts working again." Topics Covered: 00:00 – Intro: Digestion as the missing link 04:30 – What stomach acid really does 08:00 – The mineral vault: how HCl unlocks nutrients 13:00 – Weird signs of low stomach acid 17:00 – PPIs, antacids & rebound reflux 22:00 – Nitric oxide and the vagus nerve 27:00 – The FutureYou™ Rebuild Plan 35:00 – Closing: How to test, not guess Resources Mentioned: 🌐 Learn more: www.DebbiePotts.net 📊 Book your PNOĒ Metabolic Test + Functional Review 🧬 Shop digestive and enzyme support: use code COACHDEBBIEPOTTS on Fullscript link here -https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/debbiepotts/store-start 🎧 Subscribe for more episodes on digestion, metabolism, and midlife health optimization Disclaimer: Educational only. Partner with a qualified practitioner—especially if you're on medications, have gallbladder disease, significant anemia, active IBD, are pregnant, or have complex conditions.