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Why I Created Hone In

Why I Created Hone In

It is incredibly hard to find reputable wellness experts. We’re bombarded with unchecked health information on social media, in the news, and even by our friends. Fad diets pop up left and right. Risky “hacks” are championed by uninformed influencers.

But experts are out there, and Hone In host Saad Alam has made it his personal mission to find them and bring you their knowledge. That’s what the Hone In podcast is all about.

 

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Epsiode 1: Optimize Your Brain for Peak Performance

Louisa Nicola, M.S. is a neurophysiologist, celebrity performance coach, and CEO of Neuro Athletics. Elite athletes—including NFL player Bryce Butler and NBA player Omer Stevenson—turn to Nicola to optimize their performance and health, and fortify their competitive edge. In this episode she shares:

  • How to improve your VO2 max for boosts in learning and memory
  • Reaction training to improve your physical and mental performance
  • Exactly which exercises to do for the biggest brain benefits
  • How to improve neuroploasticity by spending time with friends and family
  •  How to keep your brain healthy as you age

Epsiode 2: How to Unlock Your Hidden Genius

Polina Pompliano, author of Hidden Genius: The Secret Ways of Thinking that Power the World’s Most Successful People, sat down with Hone In host Saad Alam to discuss:

  • The one thing that all exceptional people do to distinguish themselves from the crowd
  • Why creativity is a skill, not a talent
  • Why mental toughness may be just as important as smarts
  • How to reason your way through complex problems

Epsiode 3: How Ketamine, Psilocybin, MDMA Rewire the Brain for Mental Health

Tim Schlidt is the co-founder of psychedelic-focused VC fund Palo Santo. He is one of the leading voices pushing for the development of psychedelic-backed mental health therapies and has deployed over $25 million into 20 companies. Schlidt is also pushing for the FDA approval of psychedelic-assisted therapies to make them more accessible, affordable, and safe for patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression.

In this episode of Hone In, host Saad Alam sat down with him to talk about:

  • How psychedelics literally rewire your brain by promoting neuroplasticity
  • The anti-inflammatory and longevity benefits of psychedelics
  • How MDMA and psilocybin are being used to treat PTSD and treatment-resistant depression
  • Why psychedelics could yield better results than SSRIs
  • When to expect FDA approval of psychedelic therapies
  • How much psychedelic-assisted therapy costs

Epsiode 4: Chronic Stress, Inflammation, Testosterone and Veterans’ Health

Anastasia Jandes, M.D., is a functional medicine doctor who is at the forefront of research on  inflammation, chronic stress, sleep, and testosterone.

In this episode, she talks about:

  • How the physical, mental, and emotional stresses faced by military personnel during service can set them up for health issues when they return home
  • Why toxins from burn pits are a leading cause of hormone imbalance in veterans (plus, why that matters even if you haven’t served)
  • The link between traumatic brain injuries and low testosterone
  • How PTSD can show up differently in different people
  • The hurdles veterans face to access healthcare and why the VA isn’t currently set up to fully serve them
  • How stress drives inflammation, the number one cause of chronic disease
  • How artificial sweeteners disrupt hormone health

Epsiode 5: The Top Ways to Reverse Aging & Increase Your Lifespan

Frank Lipman, M.D., is a function medicine doctor and founder of the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center and an expert in preventative medicine, longevity, and gut health.

In this episode of Hone In, you’ll learn:

  • How pre-, pro-, and postbiotics work to balance your gut microbiome
  • Why prioritizing community is a cornerstone to any good longevity protocol
  • How genetic testing can improve preventative medicine
  • Actionable steps to reduce inflammation
  • The best biomarker tests to monitor your health
  • How to boost your growth hormone levels

Epsiode 6: The Doctor Recommended Cheat Code to Getting What You Want in the Bedroom

Laura Purdy, M.D., is a board-certified family medicine physician and a leading expert in men’s sexual health. In this episode of Hone In, podcast host and Hone Health CEO Saad Alam sat down with her to talk about how men can wow their partners in the bedroom and the common causes of male sexual dysfunction.

In this episode she discusses:

  • How frequent orgasms can condition you and your partner to want more sex
  • How to identify the cause of sexual dysfunction
  • What women really want in the bedroom
  • Whether increasing your penis size is possible
  • If penis size can affect fertility
  • Why your sex mindset is important

Epsiode 7: How Protecting Your Joints Can Extend Your Life

Chris Vincent, D.C., is a board-certified chiropractor and U.S. Olympic team doctor who has helped thousands of athletes and celebrities face their biggest challenges.

In this episode Vincent gives a glimpse into A-list endurance, including:

  • Vincent’s longevity treatment protocol for athletes, actors, and everyone in between
  • Exactly how to improve mobility and strength to boost longevity
  • The secret to recovering faster and better to skyrocket performance
  • How and when to get chiropractic adjustments to improve joint health
  • Why a little stress is overwhelmingly good for your body
  • The exact exercise routine to keep your joints, muscles, and body healthy as you age

Epsiode 8: How to Live a Regret-Free Life

Sahil Bloom is an inspirational writer and entrepreneur. He is an expert in productivity and life management and has spent the last two years writing The Curiosity Chronicle newsletter and running SRB Ventures. In a world obsessed with hustle culture, Bloom’s perspectives on productivity and success is refreshing. It’s not about doing more; it’s about doing what’s important. It’s about discernment—understanding what truly deserves our time and energy.

Sahil shares:

  • How to take advantage of your personal energy peaks
  • Why multitasking could be throwing you off your A-game
  • The power of self-reflection
  • The detriments of non-stop hustle culture
  • How to become a “Time Billionaire”

Epsiode 9: The Future of Fertility is Now

Khaled Kteily, founder and CEO of the male fertility clinic Legacy, wants men to know that there are ways to protect their sperm, whether you’re thinking about starting a family now or in the distant future.

In this episode, Kteily shares simple lifestyle tweaks that can help optimize your sperm quality and discusses:

  • Why and how sperm counts have been trending downward for decades
  • How common medications like antidepressants, anabolic steroids, and antibiotics can impact male fertility
  • How chronic illnesses like diabetes can negatively impact sperm count and quality
  • Why all men should consider sperm freezing—even if they aren’t thinking about having kids soon
  • The risks of having kids at an advanced paternal age

Epsiode 10: How to Build Emotional Resilience

Psychologist and author Dr. Guy Winch encourages people to add mindfulness tools to their emotional first aid kit, which allows them to patch themselves up as easily as a physical injury.

On this episode, Winch emphasizes the importance of reframing failure and acknowledging emotional pain. He also shares:

  • How to take power away from setbacks—with a simple mindset reframing trick
  • Tools to form your own stress management strategy
  • How self-correcting strategies from physical exercise can help you break out of toxic thought patterns
  • The power of practicing gratitude
  • Why prioritizing community and connection could be the cornerstone of your emotional wellbeing protocol

Epsiode 11: How to Get Fit After 40

Celebrity fitness trainer and founder of IndoorphinsCharlie Curtis, CPT, has helped his clients—from celebrities like Ryan Hansen, Dax Shepard, and Kristen Bell to average Joes—build strength, lose weight, and gain energy and confidence through his functional-based approach to fitness. According to Curtis, anyone can lose weight and build muscle (yes, even if you’re over 40).

On this episode, Curtis reveals:

  • The importance of consistency for fitness results
  • Why it’s harder (but not impossible) to build muscle as you age
  • Whether weight loss really comes down to calories in, calories out
  • Why overdoing it might be detrimental to your results
  • The minimum amount of reps and sets needed weekly to build muscle

Epsiode 12: How to Heal a Leaky Gut For Good

Dr. Steven Gundry, M.D., is a cardiologist, heart surgeon, medical researcher, and author. After working in medicine for more than 40 years, Gundry shifted his focus to teaching people how to avoid surgery in the first place through simple diet changes. According to Gundry, what we eat is behind everything from chronic diseases like obesity and cardiovascular disease to unexplained ailments like autoimmune disorders and migraines.

In this episode, podcast host and Hone Health CEO Saad Alam sat down with Gundry to discuss:

  • How your gut microbiome is linked to chronic disease
  • The “healthy” foods that might be causing gut dysbiosis
  • How endocrine disruptors wreak havoc on your gut
  • Why you’re probably doing the keto diet wrong
  • Why time-restricted eating might be the secret to metabolic flexibility

Epsiode 13: The Secret to Deeper Intimacy With Your Partner

Psychophysiologist Nicole Prause, Ph.D., is an expert on sexual behavior. In this episode Prause dives into orgasms, masturbation, and sexual health—including what really happens to your brain during sex.

She also reveals:

  • The difference between male and female orgasms
  • Why NoFap is horrible for your mental health
  • What sex does to your brain
  • The relationship between testosterone and masturbation
  • The most common orgasm myths

Epsiode 14: Are You Having a Midlife Crisis?

Greg Scheinman is the creator of The Midlife Male, a weekly newsletter and podcast designed to help men navigate and maximize middle age.

On this episode of the Hone In podcast, Scheinman discusses his own midlife journey, and strategies for reframing success personally and professionally, prioritizing happiness, and staying accountable. You’ll learn:

  • How TRT can help men with low T break through a midlife crisis
  • The “Six Fs” of living a balanced, successful life
  • Small swaps that can improve your mental health
  • The power of doing three personal and three professional tasks daily
  • The one no-equipment-needed workout  you need to stay fit and energized

Epsiode 15: Proven Ways to Improve Gut Health

There’s nothing sexy about the gut. At least, that’s what internist and functional medicine specialist Vincent Pedre, M.D., thought when he was in medical school. But once he discovered how gut health impacts almost every system of the body, he dedicated his entire career to it.

In this episode of Hone In, Pedre reveals:

  • Why regional differences in the gut microbiome could contribute to Blue Zone-level longevity.
  • Exactly which lifestyle factors could make or break chronic gut inflammation
  • Stress management strategies to improve gut health
  • How antibiotics and pesticides can impact your microbiome
  • The “Weed, Seed, and Feed” method of curing gut inflammation

Epsiode 16: How Sleep Impacts Heart Rate Variability and Performance

As the vice president of performance science and principal scientist at WhoopKristen Holmes, PhD aims to move the needle big-time on health markers that matter. Her average day involves researching the effect of sleep, circadian recovery, and load behaviors on physical, mental, and emotional resilience.

In this episode of Hone In, Holmes shares:

  • The exact changes that make the biggest impact on how you show up and perform every day
  • The link between sleep quality and heart rate variability (HRV), a key biomarker linked to how hard you can push during a workout (or workday).
  • How your physiological behaviors are linked to your psychology
  • When (and when not to eat) to optimize your circadian rhythm
  • How circadian rhythm plays a role in boosting recovery

Epsiode 17: Why Women Should Fast Differently Than Men

Many proponents of intermittent fasting are men. But intermittent fasting works differently depending on your sex, according to Cynthia Thurlow, N.P. She says that  intuitive fasting—a type of time-restricted eating that’s individually tailored to your goals, stress, hormones, and sleep—is optimal for women.

She also explains:

  • How different hormonal states, like menopause and menstruation, can impact the effectiveness of intermittent fasting, exercise, and diet
  • The 12-hour magic mark for maximum IF benefits
  • How to use fasting to activate autophagy
  • How to pick the best fasting window for your lifestyle
  • The best IF protocol for women
  • Easy ways to incorporate time-restricted eating, without a big commitment