The Habit Healers

Welcome back to the podcast! Today, I had the pleasure of hosting my dear friend, Chef Martin Oswald. We had an enriching conversation about his fascinating journey in the culinary world, from his early days in Austria to working with renowned chefs like Wolfgang Puck. Martin shared his unique story of how he became interested in becoming a chef, starting with his experience at a health resort in...

Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe

When I talk to patients about diabetes, I often tell them to picture their body as a house with a smart thermostat. When that thermostat works, everything runs smoothly. But when it breaks — whether it’s fried, jammed, or just worn out — the whole system starts to fail. That’s exactly what happens in diabetes. We use one word, but it actually describes many different problems — different “houses,”...

In this episode, I’m diving into one of the most overlooked causes of disease — chronic inflammation. It’s the silent fire that fuels heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and more. But here’s the good news: you have the power to put it out, one meal at a time. I’ll walk you through a simple way to understand what’s really happening inside your body — imagine it as a living city. Every bite you ta...

In this episode, I’m diving into one of the most overlooked causes of disease — chronic inflammation. It’s the silent fire that fuels heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and more. But here’s the good news: you have the power to put it out, one meal at a time. I’ll walk you through a simple way to understand what’s really happening inside your body — imagine it as a living city. Every bite you ta...

Are You Taking More Pills Than You Need? Every year, 125,000 Americans die from medication side effects or dangerous drug interactions—often without realizing their symptoms are linked to the very pills meant to help them. In this video, Dr. Laurie Marbas shares real patient stories of how polypharmacy (taking 5+ medications at once) can quietly steal independence, joy, and even life itself. You’l...

Ever feel “starving” an hour after eating? Or find yourself staring into the fridge even though you just had dinner? I’ve been there—and it’s not about willpower. It’s about hormones. In this video, I break down the real drivers of appetite—ghrelin (the grumbler), leptin (the fullness whisperer), and insulin (the gatekeeper)—and how they get scrambled in insulin resistance. More importantly, I’ll...

In this episode, I dive into the fascinating concept of gait speed as an often-overlooked vital sign for assessing health, especially in older adults. I share groundbreaking research from the 1980s that found a strong link between walking speed and longevity—showing that faster walkers tend to have a significantly lower risk of death. I also break down the complexity of walking, from brain coordin...

In this episode, I’m excited to introduce my new series, The A to Z of Diabetes, created to demystify diabetes—especially type 2 diabetes. I know how overwhelming and confusing this condition can feel, so I’ll be breaking it down in a way that makes sense. Together, we’ll look at what really causes diabetes, how it progresses, and most importantly, how it can actually be reversed. I’ll emphasize t...

In this episode, I dive deep into the fascinating journey of food through our digestive system, exploring what really happens from the moment I take a bite until it leaves the body. I break down the different types of molecules we eat every day—carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals—and explain how they transform inside us. I’ll share how proteins help build muscle, why fiber is key...

A few months ago, my son Gabe boarded a flight to Indonesia. He wasn’t going to start a business. He wasn’t chasing a product idea or career opportunity. He was going to travel. To experience the world. To see what might unfold when you leave behind the familiar. What he didn’t expect was to meet tempeh. Or rather, for tempeh to find him. A Taste That Changed Everything Like many plant-based trave...

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Jud Brewer to tackle one of the questions I get asked all the time: how long does it really take to change a habit? We dive into the psychology behind why we’re so eager for concrete timelines—whether we’re trying to break a bad habit or build a new one. Dr. Brewer shares key insights from his article on the subject, reminding us that while numbers can feel rea...

In this episode, I dive into the frustrating topic of menopause-related belly fat. I talk about how the drop in estrogen during menopause changes the way our bodies store fat, shifting it from the hips and thighs to the waistline. I explain how this hormonal shift not only affects reproductive functions but also slows metabolism, making it easier to gain abdominal fat. I also cover the role of the...

In this episode, I dive into why it’s so hard for us humans to truly relax—even when we want to. To explain, I compare us to zebras. A zebra can face a life-or-death situation, shake it off, and return to calm. But we often keep replaying stressful events in our minds, which keeps our bodies stuck in a stress loop. I’ll break down the biology of stress—how our bodies react to emotional threats jus...

In this episode, I reveal how creatine isn’t just for building muscle—it’s a game-changer for brain health, mood, and healthy aging. Think of your brain like a firefighter with an oxygen tank—without enough energy, it can’t function at its best. That’s where creatine steps in as your body’s natural “battery pack,” fueling every single cell, especially in the brain. Even though the brain makes up o...

In this episode, I uncover the hidden health threat of sarcopenia—the gradual loss of muscle strength as we age. I’ll start with a quick, simple exercise you can do right now to test your muscle strength and see where you stand. Strong muscles aren’t just about lifting weights—they’re critical for balance, metabolism, independence, and protection against chronic disease. The problem is, as we get...

BMI is broken—and I learned that first-hand. In this episode, I share the Air Force story that changed my view on Body Mass Index (BMI) and explain why a metric from the 1830s (Adolphe Quetelet) still mislabels millions today. BMI can’t tell muscle vs fat, ignores waist distribution, and misses crucial markers like inflammation and cardiometabolic fitness. What you’ll learn: Why BMI was created fo...

In this episode, I share the transformative journey of navigating menopause—and the effects on my body I never saw coming. Shortly after setting a personal record at the Boston Half Marathon, my world flipped. I went from feeling unstoppable to battling joint pain and brain fog while wrestling with fluctuating cholesterol levels. It wasn’t just hot flashes or mood swings; the hormonal changes ran...

Today we’re nerding out on your body’s built-in GPS: **proprioception**—and how it teams up with your balance system to keep you upright and injury-free. We’ll start with a quick, fun game to show how proprioception works (think: knowing where your feet are without looking). It’s the secret behind walking to the fridge in the dark or snagging a falling cup on instinct. Then we’ll break down the th...

In this episode, I walk you through one of the most overlooked numbers on your bloodwork — something almost nobody talks about: ApoB. Think of it like this… It’s not just how much cholesterol is floating around in your bloodstream — it’s how many little particles are actually hitting your artery walls. Imagine someone throwing darts at you. Even if the darts are small, the more darts, the greater...

Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode, we dive into a topic most people completely overlook — inflammation — and why it acts like a slow-burning fire inside your body. To make it simple, I use a city metaphor to explain what’s going on. Your heart is like city hall. Your brain is the control tower. And your immune system? That’s your emergency response crew. Now here’s the catch… When something goes wrong — like a cut,...

Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to the Habit Healers Podcast with Dr. Laurie Marbas! In this episode, Dr. Laurie sits down with world-renowned psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr. Jud Brewer (Dr. Jud) to explore a groundbreaking idea: What if anxiety is actually a habit, not a disorder? Dr. Jud shares insights from decades of research on mindfulness, habit loops, and the science of worry. Together, they discuss how anxiet...

Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe