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The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai

The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai

By: Pedram Shojai
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 Join Dr. Pedram Shojai, New York Times bestselling author and acclaimed filmmaker, for deep conversations about living with balance and purpose in our chaotic modern world. As "The Urban Monk," Dr. Shojai brings a unique perspective as a former Taoist monk, Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Qigong Master, and creator of multiple documentary series including "Interconnected," "Gateway to Health," and "Trauma." Each week, he explores the intersection of ancient wisdom and modern science with leading experts, sharing practical tools for stress management, energy optimization, and conscious living. Whether you're a busy executive, overwhelmed parent, or anyone seeking more meaning and less chaos, this podcast provides actionable insights for transforming your daily life. Dr. Shojai is the author of bestselling books including "The Urban Monk," "Inner Alchemy," "The Art of Stopping Time," and "Focus." His no-nonsense approach combines Eastern philosophy with Western practicality, making ancient wisdom accessible for modern living. Perfect for listeners interested in mindfulness, wellness, productivity, and personal development. New episodes every week. 🎧 Featured Topics: Stress Management, Energy Healing, Mindfulness, Productivity, Ancient Wisdom, Modern Wellness, Work-Life Balance, Conscious Living 📚 Books: The Urban Monk, Inner Alchemy, The Art of Stopping Time, Focus 🎬 Documentaries: Interconnected, Gateway to Health, Trauma, Conscious Parenting 🌐 Website: theurbanmonk.com© 2025 Urban Monk Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Alternative & Complementary Medicine Hygiene & Healthy Living Spirituality
Episodes
  • The Breathing Crisis: How Modern Life Stole Your Breath and the Ancient Practice That Gets It Back

    The Breathing Crisis: How Modern Life Stole Your Breath and the Ancient Practice That Gets It Back
    Dec 8 2025
    🎙️ Most people breathe 20,000 times a day, yet modern life has systematically broken this fundamental function. Dr. Pedram Shojai reveals how collapsed posture, chronic stress, mouth breathing, and lost body awareness have created a breathing crisis—leaving us in survival mode with shallow, chest-based breathing that signals constant danger to our nervous systems. In this essential episode, discover the four ways modern life has stolen your breath and why dysfunctional breathing creates cascading physical consequences from chronic anxiety and brain fog to digestive issues, immune dysfunction, and even facial distortions. Dr. Shojai guides you through a practical breathing restoration practice combining postural awareness, nasal breathing, and diaphragmatic techniques that can increase heart rate variability by 15-25% in just weeks. 🎯 What You'll Learn: The Four Ways Modern Life Broke Your Breathing: Collapsed posture (8-12 hours hunched compressing diaphragm), accumulated stress (chronic sympathetic dominance), mouth breathing epidemic (reduces oxygen delivery by up to 20%), and lost interoceptive awareness (breathing 15-20 times/minute instead of optimal 6-8)The Devastating Physical Consequences: Chronic hyperventilation leading to alkalosis and anxiety, diaphragmatic dysfunction creating digestive and pelvic floor problems, lymphatic stagnation reducing immune function, fascial restrictions causing chronic pain, and facial distortions requiring orthodontics and cosmetic surgeryWhy Your Breath is the Master Control Panel: The only part of your autonomic nervous system you can consciously control—bridging conscious and unconscious mindThe Guided Breathing Restoration Practice: Postural setup (stacked spine), nasal breathing technique (engaging nitric oxide production), 4-2-6-2 diaphragmatic pattern (belly → ribs → chest like filling a glass), and expanded multi-awareness practiceThe Science Behind Restoration: Heart rate variability increases 15-25% in weeks, improved vagal tone for inflammatory control and emotional regulation, increased oxygen delivery for cellular energy, improved CO2 tolerance reducing anxietyBecoming a Breath Researcher: Investigation questions for the week—when do you hold your breath, what situations trigger shallow breathing, how does breath change with posture, what's the quality upon waking or before bedWhy Breath is Foundation for Everything: All other practices (qigong, meditation, cold exposure, movement) build upon proper breathing—fix this first 🔑 Key Insights: "Modern life has systemically stolen your breath through a perfect storm of posture, stress, and environmental factors. Your nervous system thinks you're being chased by a tiger while you're sitting at your dumb desk." "Your breath is the only part of your autonomic nervous system you can control—it's the bridge between your conscious and unconscious mind. This isn't woo woo. This is just taking back control." "Mouth breathing bypasses nitric oxide-producing bacteria and reduces oxygen delivery by up to 20%. It's connected to sleep apnea and facial structure changes over time." "Most people breathe using only 10% of lung capacity while breathing 15-20 times per minute instead of the optimal 6-8 times. Your nervous system thinks you're being chased." "If you fix your breathing, you fix the foundation of everything else. Ancient technology we've forgotten to use—bring it back." 💡 Action Steps: Do the Quick Assessment now: Place one hand on chest, one on belly—which moves more when you breathe? Non-judgmental awareness of current patternPractice the 4-2-6-2 Pattern: Inhale through nose 4 counts (belly → ribs → chest), pause 2 counts, exhale 6 counts (belly draws in), pause 2 counts—do 5 rounds right nowBecome a Breath Researcher this week: Notice when you hold your breath, what situations trigger shallow breathing, how posture affects breath, quality upon waking/before bedSet up proper posture throughout your day: Sit forward on chair with stacked spine, crown pulling upward, shoulders relaxed down and back, grounded through sit bonesTry the Chinese practice: Keep tongue tip touching roof of mouth while nasal breathing to enhance the practice 🎧 Perfect for: Anyone experiencing chronic anxiety, brain fog, or muscle tension, people stuck in sympathetic dominance who can't access rest-and-digest mode, those with digestive issues or immune dysfunction that might stem from dysfunctional breathing, anyone who's tried meditation or stress management but struggles with the foundation, or people spending 8-12 hours hunched over screens with collapsed posture. 📚 Mentioned Resources: New 52-module breathing course (launching mid-January)The Urban Monk Academy Temple Grounds (breathing practices, qigong, meditation)Gene Keys book and website (genekeys.com) - ongoing book study through late JanuaryCO2 tolerance training and free diving experience in Thailand 🌐 Connect with...
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    25 mins
  • Breaking the Sympathetic Spiral of Doom with Dr. Scott Sherr

    Breaking the Sympathetic Spiral of Doom with Dr. Scott Sherr
    Dec 5 2025
    🎙️ Dr. Pedram Shojai sits down with integrative medicine physician Dr. Scott Sherr to unpack one of the most overlooked health crises of our time: the sympathetic spiral of doom. When your nervous system gets stuck in fight-or-flight mode, your mitochondria desperately try to produce more energy but lack the resources to sustain it. The result? Plummeting energy, skyrocketing stress, and a body that can't heal itself. Dr. Sherr explains the intricate dance between sympathetic nervous system activation and mitochondrial dysfunction, revealing how this vicious cycle begins and, more importantly, how to break it. 🎯 What You'll Learn: The Sympathetic-Mitochondrial Connection: How chronic fight-or-flight forces mitochondria to produce excessive energy, creating reactive oxygen species (free radicals) until cells trigger "cell danger response" and shut down to protect themselvesThe GABA System as the Unsung Hero: Why depression is more likely a GABA deficiency than serotonin deficiency, and how GABA controls the sensory gate (anxious brains: 70,000 thoughts/day becomes 120,000 with anxiety)The Six Major Drivers of Mitochondrial Dysfunction: Insulin resistance (75% of US adults), chronic sympathetic activation, environmental toxins, infections (COVID, mold, Lyme), medications (birth control, PPIs, metformin), and lack of stimulationWhy GABA supplements often indicate a leaky blood-brain barrier—and how healing gut permeability affects efficacyThe Caffeine Trap: How caffeine blocks adenosine receptors creating the "adenosine crush" and inevitable crash, tolerance, dependence, and the morning headache cycleStrategic Supplement Support: Nicotinamide GABA (B3-GABA) crosses blood-brain barrier effectively, muscimol from Amanita muscaria for sleep, natural GABA receptor support (CBD, CBG, CBN, kava)Advanced Interventions Timing: Why hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can make things WORSE during sympathetic spiral—optimal timing is 3-6 months after baseline optimizationThe shocking statistic: 94% of US adults have mitochondrial dysfunction; only 6% are metabolically healthy 🔑 Key Insights: "The sympathetic spiral of doom is a vicious cycle where stress damages mitochondria, which triggers more stress. It's like revving your car engine in a closed garage—pushing harder just makes things worse." "GABA deficiency symptoms include anxiety, depression, insomnia, and tremors. Depression is more likely a GABA deficiency than the serotonin deficiency theory we've relied on despite lack of evidence." "The productivity paradox: doing less with a calmer nervous system produces better results. You can't supplement your way out when you're clamped down in fight-or-flight." "Sleep is the most leveraged cornerstone habit because it forces brutal awareness in the quiet night. It's where detoxification happens via the glymphatic system." "Don't believe everything you think—the survival-focused mind lies. The goal is creating an ecosystem of health, not finding a magic bullet." 💡 Action Steps: Test your GABA system: If GABA supplements help you sleep or reduce anxiety, that's diagnostic information suggesting leaky blood-brain barrier—address gut permeability firstImplement cornerstone sleep habits: Consistent sleep-wake timing (even weekends), dark room, wind-down routine without alcohol, separate beds if needed for quality sleepConvert glutamate to GABA naturally: Ensure adequate magnesium and B6 (both commonly deficient)—the glutamine-glutamate-GABA pathway requires these co-factorsUse caffeine tactically, not habitually: Recognize the adenosine crush and morning headache trap as signs of tolerance and dependenceWait 3-6 months after baseline optimization before advanced therapies: Hyperbaric oxygen, methylene blue, red light, and sauna work best AFTER stabilizing sympathetic activation 🎧 Perfect for: Anyone who's "wired but tired," doing more but accomplishing less, stuck in chronic stress with declining energy, struggling with anxiety or insomnia despite trying multiple interventions, experiencing brain fog or mental health issues that might be mitochondrial dysfunction, or dealing with the aftermath of COVID, mold, or Lyme infections. 📚 Mentioned Resources: Dr. Scott Sherr's website: DrScottSherr.comHealth Optimization Medicine and Practice: HOPEhope.orgTroscriptions products: TRO Calm, TRO Zzz, Just Blue (methylene blue), Blue CanineOneBase Health (technology and software integration)Book: "The Power of Habit" by Charles DuhiggMethylene blue dosing: 4-25mg range for mitochondrial supportNatural GABA support: CBD, CBG, CBN, kava, nicotinamide GABA, muscimol 🌐 Connect with Dr. Shojai: Website: theurbanmonk.comBooks: The Urban Monk, Inner Alchemy, The Art of Stopping Time, FocusDocumentaries: Interconnected, Gateway to Health, Trauma, Conscious Parenting Guest: Dr. Scott Sherr - Integrative Medicine Physician, Health Optimization Medicine and Practice (HOMP) #SympatheticNervousSystem...
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    53 mins
  • The Exhaustion Medicine Can't Find

    The Exhaustion Medicine Can't Find
    Dec 2 2025
    🎙️ Dr. Pedram Shojai addresses one of the most common yet dismissed complaints in modern medicine: chronic fatigue that conventional doctors can't diagnose or explain. He reveals why standard medical tests fail to identify this multi-system breakdown and presents a comprehensive, phased recovery approach spanning 6-24 months. Drawing from his experience treating thousands of patients, Dr. Shojai explains the seven interconnected systems involved in energy production—from mitochondrial function to gut health to nervous system regulation—and why treating just one piece never works. If you've been told "everything looks fine" while feeling bone-deep exhaustion, this roadmap offers the answers conventional medicine can't provide. 🎯 What You'll Learn: The Seven Systems of Energy Production: Mitochondrial function (cellular ATP), HPA axis (stress response), thyroid (metabolic regulation), gut (nutrient absorption), sleep architecture (restoration), inflammation (master disruptor), and nervous system regulationWhy standard medical tests miss the real problem: Testing the wrong things, "normal" lab values (bottom 10% of normal still feels terrible), and conventional medicine's single-system focusThe Four-Phase Recovery Framework with realistic timelines: Phase 1 Stabilization (10-20% improvement by week 4), Phase 2 Foundation Building (30-50% by week 12), Phase 3 Building Capacity (60-80% by week 24), Phase 4 Optimization (months 6-24+)The Cascade Effect: How chronic stress triggers cortisol dysregulation → poor sleep → inflammation → gut dysfunction → nutrient malabsorption → mitochondrial breakdown → profound fatigue (completing the vicious cycle)Urban Monk Awareness Training: Using interoception, proprioception, and exteroception to read your energy state with sophisticationPhase 1 Priority Actions: Sleep architecture stabilization, blood sugar regulation (eat within 1 hour of waking, protein every 3-4 hours), inflammatory load reduction, and nervous system supportCritical testing recommendations: Comprehensive thyroid panel (TSH, free T3, free T4, reverse T3), 4-point salivary cortisol, GI Map, food sensitivity testing, RBC magnesium, vitamin D, B12, organic acid tests 🔑 Key Insights: "Just because standard tests can't find it doesn't mean it's not real. Chronic fatigue is a multi-system breakdown that conventional medicine isn't designed to see or treat." "Your body is like a child that's been abused—it's waiting for the next thing to crash it. It doesn't trust you yet after 50 years of being run ragged. Build slowly. Capacity builds at 10% at a time, not 100%." "Nothing heals without sleep. Sleep architecture is the critical foundation—everything else fails without it." "Your body knows what's wrong; the question is whether you're listening with enough sophistication." "The magic word is lifestyle. You cannot rush this process—rushing causes relapse. Recovery requires 6-24 months of systematic work across all seven systems." 💡 Action Steps: Track daily metrics starting today: Morning energy (1-10), afternoon energy (1-10), sleep quality, digestive function (gas/bloating), brain fog, stress resilienceImplement Phase 1 Priority 1: Stabilize sleep architecture with same sleep-wake time (even weekends), magnesium glycinate 300-400mg before bed, no screens one hour before bedPhase 1 Priority 2: Blood sugar regulation—eat within one hour of waking (include protein), never go 3-4 hours without eating, protein with every mealPhase 1 Priority 3: Remove inflammatory triggers—eliminate refined sugar, processed foods, seed oils; trial removal of gluten and dairy for two weeksGet functional medicine testing: Comprehensive thyroid panel, 4-point salivary cortisol, GI Map, food sensitivity testing (like FIT 176 that revealed Gina's bloating causes) 🎧 Perfect for: Anyone who's been told "everything looks fine" while experiencing bone-deep exhaustion, people who wake up more tired than they went to bed, those dismissed by conventional doctors with normal lab results, anyone experiencing post-exertional malaise or exercise intolerance, or people stuck in the "wired but tired" cycle with cortisol dysregulation. 📚 Mentioned Resources: FIT 176 (Food Inflammation Test) - revealed Gina's bloating causesTesting: Comprehensive thyroid panel, 4-point salivary cortisol, GI Map, Oral Biome analysis, gut permeability, organic acid testsSupplements: Magnesium glycinate (300-400mg), CoQ10 (200-400mg), B-complex (methylated), Alpha lipoic acid (300mg), L-carnitine (500-1000mg), L-glutamine, adaptogensRecent podcast: Mitochondrial function with Dr. SherrGene Keys book reading (end of January) - information under "monthly book readings"Documentaries: Interconnected, Gut Check, Gateway to Health 🌐 Connect with Dr. Shojai: Website: theurbanmonk.comBooks: The Urban Monk, Inner Alchemy, The Art of Stopping Time, FocusDocumentaries: Interconnected, Gateway to Health, Trauma, ...
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    31 mins
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