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In this Supplement Stack Series episode, Nurse Doza introduces the Good Poops Protocol — a two-month routine built on three MSW Nutrition supplements: Liver Boost, Berberine, and GUT (L-glutamine powder). He explains how liver, gut, and gallbladder issues travel together — even for people who no longer have a gallbladder — and how supporting all three at once, alongside a healthier diet, can bring noticeable changes over the two-month protocol. FEATURED PARTNER The Good Poops Protocol bundles three MSW Nutrition supplements into one simple daily routine: Liver Boost, for everyday liver support; Berberine, which supports healthy blood sugar, appetite, and cholesterol levels already in a healthy range, along with overall metabolism; and GUT, a single-ingredient L-glutamine powder taken first thing in the morning on an empty stomach. Together, the combination is designed to support regularity, and better digestion tends to go hand in hand with a healthier liver, gut, and gallbladder. 👉 Get the Good Poops Protocol here: https://good-poops.mswnutrition.com Extra 20% off the Good Poops Protocol — $223.20 for the 60-day supply, automatically applied at checkout. Live now through November 30. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This protocol is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you take medication (especially for blood sugar), are pregnant or nursing, or are managing a gallbladder condition, talk with your provider before starting. JOIN THE SCHOOL Trying to fix your gut, liver, or gallbladder is a lot easier when you're not doing it alone. All-Access gets you every self-paced course in the School of Doza, live Tuesday classes, and a weekly live Ask Me Anything with Nurse Doza that runs like a group consult — labs, nutrition, supplements, whatever you're noticing in your own body. You bring the question, Nurse Doza answers it directly, live. Every course. Plus Nurse Doza, every week. $35 a month, cancel anytime. 👉 See All-Access: https://community.schoolofdoza.com 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS Liver, gut, and gallbladder issues travel together. Nurse Doza frames the three as one connected system — including for people who've had their gallbladder removed and are still looking for support. Liver Boost covers the daily liver-support piece. One capsule format is designed to give the liver the everyday support it needs, which in turn supports healthier digestion and regularity. Berberine is the metabolic anchor. It supports healthy blood sugar, appetite, and cholesterol levels already in a healthy range, and supports overall metabolism — which overlaps with gut and digestive support. GUT (glutamine) is as simple as it gets. A single-ingredient L-glutamine powder, mixed with water first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, starting with 1–2 scoops. Diet does the rest. Pairing the protocol with a healthier diet — cooking more meals at home — is part of the routine, with many people noticing initial changes within a few weeks and fuller improvement building out over the two-month protocol. HOW TO TAKE IT 1–2 scoops of GUT powder first thing in the morning, on an empty stomach, with water. Follow with Liver Boost and Berberine as directed on the label. Pair with a healthier diet — more home-cooked meals — and give the full two-month protocol time to work. Talk with your provider first if you take blood sugar medication, are pregnant or nursing, or are managing a gallbladder condition. RESOURCES Based on peer-reviewed literature: The gut–liver axis — Review of how the gut, microbiome, and liver communicate and why the intestinal barrier matters for liver health. Journal of Hepatology, 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31622696/ Berberine, metabolism, and blood sugar — Systematic review of berberine's effects on glucose, gut microbiota, and metabolic outcomes. Biomed Pharmacother, 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32353823/ Glutamine and the gut lining — Review of how glutamine supports intestinal barrier function and permeability. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care, 2017. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27749689/ NAFLD prevalence (liver–gut overlap) — Global epidemiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol, 2022. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36400097/ Milk thistle / silymarin for liver support — Narrative review of silymarin as supportive treatment in liver disease. Advances in Therapy, 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7140758/ 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL — All-Access, $35/month: https://community.schoolofdoza.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

Menopause belly fat isn't only about hormones and metabolism. In this episode, Nurse Doza explains how estrogen has quietly supported your liver for years, what changes when it drops, and why your waist, your liver, and your blood sugar are so closely tied after menopause. Learn five things every woman should understand about her liver in this season, plus questions to bring to your provider. Educational, not medical advice. FEATURED PRODUCT 👉 Get the Good Poops Protocol here: https://mswnutrition.com/products/good-poops-protocol Your liver and your gut do a lot of the behind-the-scenes work in this season of life. The Good Poops Protocol from MSW Nutrition is a two-month, three-product set: Gut (L-glutamine to support digestive health), Liver Boost (N-acetyl-L-cysteine, milk thistle, and selenium to support liver and gallbladder health), and Berberine Plus (dihydroberberine to support healthy blood sugar regulation).* It's support alongside the diet and lifestyle work, not a magic fix. If you're on hormone therapy or any medication, talk with your provider before you start. 🎁 Right now, take an extra 15% off the Good Poops Protocol bundle price, applied automatically at checkout through November 30. Shop it at mswnutrition.com. *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. JOIN THE SCHOOL If this episode sounded like your week - stubborn belly fat, riding blood sugar highs and lows, or a body that changed even though your eating didn't - and nobody has walked you through how the liver ties it together, you're not alone. That conversation rarely fits into a 15-minute appointment. Inside the School of Doza, it's the conversation we're having every week. All-Access gets you every self-paced course in School of Doza, live Tuesday classes, and a weekly live Ask Me Anything with Nurse Doza that runs like a group consult - labs, nutrition, supplements, what you're noticing in your own body. You bring the question, Nurse Doza answers it directly, live. The AMA is live only, so you have to be in the room. Every course. Plus Nurse Doza, every week. $35 a month, cancel anytime. 👉 See All-Access: https://community.schoolofdoza.com 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS Menopause is linked with a higher risk of fatty liver. Research shows the odds of fatty liver (now called MASLD) rise after menopause, and Nurse Doza explains why the groundwork often starts years earlier, which is why early attention matters. Estrogen has been quietly supporting your liver. The liver has estrogen receptors, and estrogen helps regulate how the body handles fat and insulin. When estrogen drops, some of that support goes with it. Estrogen and insulin work together. Lower estrogen is associated with rising insulin resistance and more fat stored around the middle, which is one reason menopause belly fat can show up even when eating habits have not changed much. Your liver (and gut) still help process estrogen after menopause. After menopause, the main estrogen the body makes is estrone, produced largely in body fat. The liver and the gut microbiome both play a role in how estrogens are processed and cleared. How estrogen is delivered may matter, so ask your provider. Oral estrogen passes through the liver first, while transdermal options (patches, creams) do not. Nurse Doza encourages you to ask your provider which option fits you, along with how to support your liver and gut at the same time. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 START – Welcome and episode overview 00:30 – Why belly fat after menopause is about more than hormones 02:55 – #1: Menopause and a higher risk of fatty liver 04:28 – #2: How estrogen supports the liver 06:15 – #3: Estrogen, insulin, and the liver 11:09 – #4: The liver, estrone, and how estrogen is processed 16:20 – The gut connection: the estrobolome 20:24 – #5: Oral vs. transdermal estrogen and questions for your provider 26:50 – Supporting your liver and gut: the Good Poops Protocol 28:50 – Closing thoughts RESOURCES The menopause-obesity axis in MASH progression: from estrogen decline to liver fibrosis (Frontiers in Gastroenterology) — 2026: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/gastroenterology/articles/10.3389/fgstr.2026.1889458/full Estrogens in the Regulation of Liver Lipid Metabolism — 2017: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5763482/ Gallbladder disease and use of transdermal versus oral hormone replacement therapy (BMJ) — 2008: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2500203/ The estrobolome: estrogen-metabolizing pathways of the gut microbiome and breast cancer: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12178105/ CONNECT 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

Hume Health makes health-tracking gadgets with a free app and a 10-year warranty. In this episode, Nurse Doza shows how he uses the Hume Band to look at sleep, HRV, and overnight oxygen together. It gives him a fuller picture of how his body responds to daily life, not just to workouts. 👉 Shop Hume Health: https://humehealth.com Code NURSEDOZA for 20% off. Hume is a wellness-tracking device and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk with your healthcare provider about any readings that concern you. 🎁 HUME GIVEAWAY (INSTAGRAM) In partnership with Hume Health, one winner gets their choice of a Hume Pod 1 or a Hume Band 2.0. How to enter (about 10 seconds): Follow Hume on Instagram: @humehealth Comment HUME on the giveaway video on Nurse Doza's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Open: Thursday, October 29, 2026 through Thursday, November 5, 2026 at 11:59 pm CT. One winner, chosen at random. No purchase necessary. A purchase, including through the Hume link above, does not improve your chances of winning. Open to legal residents of the US, UK, and Canada who are 18+ (or the age of majority where they live). Void where prohibited. Canadian winners must correctly answer a skill-testing question. Entry is on Instagram only; full official rules are in the Instagram caption. This giveaway is not sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, Instagram or Meta. JOIN THE SCHOOL Making sense of your own data is easier with support. Inside the School of Doza, members work through topics like sleep, stress, and recovery together, and every Wednesday at 1 PM Central there's a live group consult where you can bring your questions. 👉 Start your free trial: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS What happens outside the gym and kitchen matters. You can eat well and train hard and still feel stuck. Sleep, stress, and recovery are often the missing piece. Look at sleep quality, not just hours. Depth of sleep and the number of times you wake up add context that total hours can't. A rough night with little ones in the house is useful data, because it helps you adjust. HRV is a personal trend, not a competition. HRV reflects how your nervous system is responding to stress and recovery. Generally, higher readings may point to better recovery and lower ones to accumulating stress. The key is to compare yourself to your own baseline, not someone else's. Overnight oxygen is worth a look, and a provider is worth a call. Oxygen saturation typically sits in the mid-90s to 100% in healthy adults. If your readings keep dipping at night, don't self-diagnose. Bring the data to your provider. Treat beta features as trends. The Hume app's blood pressure feature is still in beta, so Nurse Doza uses it to watch direction over time and doesn't base decisions on it. Together, these metrics show how your body is handling your whole life, not just your workouts. RESOURCES Based on peer-reviewed literature: Sleep & recovery – Review of how sleep affects physical performance, recovery, injury risk, and mental health. Clocks & Sleep, 2023. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9960533/ Stress & HRV – Meta-analysis and review of the relationship between stress and heart rate variability. Psychiatry Investigation, 2018. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29486547/ HRV monitoring – Narrative review of how HRV is selected and applied for monitoring in sport and exercise. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13510882/ Overnight pulse oximetry – Overview of how overnight oximetry is interpreted. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5886424 Wearable sleep tracking – Meta-analysis comparing consumer wrist-worn sleep trackers to polysomnography. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11874098/ 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

Wondering about the signs your liver needs help? Nurse Doza breaks down five everyday cues - low energy, stubborn weight, blood sugar swings, trouble focusing, and restless sleep - and explains how your liver, gut, and fat cells work together. Plus simple lifestyle habits and ways to support your liver, even if you don't think you need extra help. Featured Product Your liver handles a lot every day, and what you eat, drink, and take all pass through it. Liver Boost by MSW Nutrition is a 16-ingredient formula designed to support your liver's natural phase I and phase II detoxification pathways.* 👉 Get Liver Boost here: https://mswnutrition.com/products/liver-boost Join the School If this episode sounded like your week - tired by mid-afternoon, stuck on the scale, riding blood sugar highs and lows, or not sleeping well - and nobody has walked you through how the liver ties it together, you're not alone. That conversation rarely fits into a 15-minute appointment. Inside the School of Doza, it's the conversation we're having every week. All-Access gets you every self-paced course in School of Doza, live Tuesday classes, and a weekly live Ask Me Anything with Nurse Doza that runs like a group consult - labs, nutrition, supplements, what you're noticing in your own body. You bring the question, Nurse Doza answers it directly, live. The AMA is live only, so you have to be in the room. Every course. Plus Nurse Doza, every week. $35 a month, cancel anytime. 👉 See All-Access: https://community.schoolofdoza.com 5 Key Takeaways Feeling sluggish all day can be a cue to look at your liver. Nurse Doza explains that the liver processes everything you eat, drink, and take, so how you eat and sleep shows up in your energy. Stubborn weight and your liver are connected. Fat tissue behaves like an organ that sends hormone-like signals, and a liver that is supported helps your body manage inflammation and metabolism. Blood sugar swings matter. If you crash a few hours after meals or cannot go long between meals, it is worth looking at how your body handles insulin, and how your meals are built. Focus and mood start in the gut. Much of your serotonin and dopamine activity is tied to the digestive tract, so supporting your gut and liver supports how you feel and focus. Sleep and your liver go hand in hand. Nurse Doza walks through why consistent, adequate sleep is one of the simplest ways to support your liver, and why lifestyle beats excuses every time. Important: These five signs are general cues, not a diagnosis. Fatty liver in particular often has few or no symptoms, so ask your healthcare provider about testing if you are concerned. Timestamps 00:00 START – Welcome and episode overview 02:28 – Sign 1: Feeling sluggish and tired 11:29 – Sign 2: Gaining weight and stubborn belly fat 16:21 – Your fat cells are an organ: hormone-like signals and metabolism 18:20 – GLP-1 medications, insulin resistance, and inflammation 20:08 – Sign 3: Blood sugar swings and constant hunger 24:27 – Sign 4: Trouble focusing and low mood 26:52 – Supporting focus: why your gut matters for dopamine 29:18 – Sign 5: Sleep and your liver 29:39 – Lifestyle, wrap-up, and how to get started Resources NIDDK: Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) & NASH: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/liver-disease/nafld-nash Short sleep duration and risk of NAFLD, meta-analysis — 2016: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/41057 Sleep duration and risk of fatty liver disease, meta-analysis — 2016: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4994071 Sleep duration, sleep quality, and NAFLD development, cohort study: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8528229 Liver Boost by MSW Nutrition: https://mswnutrition.com/products/liver-boost Start your free trial: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here Connect with Nurse Doza 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

Picking up from last episode on visceral fat, Nurse Doza connects the dots to the liver and blood sugar: fat built up around the organs is associated with fatty liver and less insulin responsiveness, often with no symptoms for years. He explains why labs are a snapshot while a daily trend line fills the gaps, what metabolic age can show, and his homework: set recent labs next to your pod numbers and bring questions to your provider. Next up: sleep, then stress and your heart. FEATURED PARTNER Hume Health makes the Hume Pod and companion app that Nurse Doza uses for a daily body-composition trend line between lab draws. In this episode he is clear about its role: it does not measure blood sugar and it does not diagnose anything. Labs and a provider do that. The pod is the "movie" between lab "snapshots," and one number he watches closely is metabolic age, which pulls body composition together to show how metabolism is tracking compared to actual age. His own reading was 44 when he started and has recently been 40, which he describes as feedback rather than a trophy. 👉 Get the Hume Pod, 20% off with code NURSEDOZA: https://humehealth.com/ Readings from at-home devices are estimates and aren't intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Affiliate disclosure: School of Doza earns a commission when you use this code. JOIN THE SCHOOL Bring your labs and your questions. Inside the School of Doza, every Wednesday at 1 PM Central there's a live group consult with Nurse Doza, a good place to ask how your numbers fit together. Start with a free trial and see whether it's a fit. 👉 Start your free trial: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS Visceral fat doesn't just sit there. The fat around your organs is metabolically active, and research associates it with fat accumulating in the liver and with a body that's less responsive to insulin, which makes blood sugar harder to manage. Fatty liver and insulin resistance are often quiet. Many people feel completely fine for years, which is why lab work and a provider's guidance matter even when nothing feels off. Labs are a snapshot; a trend line is the movie. A lab draw tells you where you were on one day. Between draws, a daily trend in body composition can show direction, as long as you treat it as context and not as a diagnosis. Know what the tool can and can't do. The Hume Pod does not measure blood sugar and does not diagnose. At-home body composition readings are estimates, and research comparing impedance-based visceral fat estimates with CT imaging has found limited agreement, so trend matters more than any single number. Metabolic age is feedback, not a trophy. It combines body composition into one number compared with actual age. Nurse Doza's moved from 44 to 40; his homework is to put recent labs next to pod numbers, see whether visceral fat and metabolic age are moving in the right direction, and if not, take that to your provider. RESOURCES Based on peer-reviewed literature: Visceral fat & insulin resistance – Zhang M, Hu T, Zhang S, Zhou L. Associations of Different Adipose Tissue Depots with Insulin Resistance: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies. Scientific Reports, 2015. https://www.nature.com/articles/srep18495 Visceral fat & fatty liver – Schäffler A, Schölmerich J, Büchler C. Mechanisms of Disease: adipocytokines and visceral adipose tissue—emerging role in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2005. https://www.nature.com/articles/ncpgasthep0186 Liver fat & insulin resistance elsewhere in the body – Meex RCR, Watt MJ. Hepatokines: linking nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and insulin resistance. Nature Reviews Endocrinology, 2017. https://www.nature.com/articles/nrendo.2017.56 Liver lipids & hepatic insulin resistance – Perry RJ, Samuel VT, Petersen KF, Shulman GI. The role of hepatic lipids in hepatic insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Nature, 2014. https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13478 Limits of at-home impedance estimates – Lu H-K, Chen Y-Y, Yeh C, et al. Discrepancies between leg-to-leg bioelectrical impedance analysis and computerized tomography in abdominal visceral fat measurement. Scientific Reports, 2017. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-08991-y Also useful (not peer-reviewed): NIDDK, Symptoms & Causes of NAFLD & NASH, which notes the condition often has few or no symptoms. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/liver-disease/nafld-nash/symptoms-causes 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

This episode covers what GLP-1s don't do for your body — and how to support the parts they leave to you. Nurse Doza walks through five areas the medication was never designed to handle: muscle, liver, gut, bone, and sleep. You'll learn why resistance training matters more once you start, how your gut makes GLP-1 on its own, the dopamine and "food noise" connection, and which nutrients support the work the injection can't do. Featured Product Gut (Digestive Health) by MSW Nutrition — $104 L-glutamine is the most abundant amino acid in your body, and your gut lining relies on it. Gut is single-ingredient L-glutamine — no fillers, no proprietary blend — formulated to support intestinal barrier integrity, healthy digestion, and your body's own glutathione production. When you're eating a lot less food overall, getting what your body needs takes more intention. Mix it in plain water on an empty stomach, first thing in the morning. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you take any medication, talk with your provider before adding a new supplement. 👉 Get Gut here: https://mswnutrition.com/products/gut Join the School If you're on a GLP-1 and nobody has walked you through the muscle, liver, and gut side of it, you're not alone — that conversation rarely fits into a 15-minute appointment. Inside the School of Doza, it's the conversation we're having every week. Every Wednesday we host a live Ask Me Anything that runs like a group consult — labs, protein targets, supplements, what you're noticing on your medication. You bring the question, Nurse Doza answers it directly, live. These are live-only sessions, so you have to be in the room. Every course. Plus Nurse Doza, every week. All-Access gets you every self-paced course in School of Doza, live Tuesday classes, and weekly AMAs with Nurse Doza. $35 a month, cancel anytime. 👉 See All-Access: https://community.schoolofdoza.com 5 Key Takeaways A GLP-1 changes your appetite — it does not build muscle. Weight coming off includes muscle mass and bone density, which is why resistance training matters more once you start, not less. Research links GLP-1 receptor agonists to reduced visceral and liver fat, but your liver still needs nutrients — B9, B12, B6, magnesium, selenium — to do its actual work. The medication does not supply those. Your gut makes GLP-1 on its own. Gut enteroendocrine cells produce it after a meal, so gut health and your natural GLP-1 production are the same conversation. "Food noise" has a dopamine component. Your gut, brain, and adrenal glands all make dopamine, and research describes dopamine acting as an anti-incretin — meaning dopamine and GLP-1 move in opposite directions. Bones and sleep are the two areas nobody mentions. Weight-bearing exercise plus vitamin D3 and K2 support bone density, and poor sleep works directly against glucose control and appetite regulation. Timestamps 00:00 START – Welcome and episode overview 02:09 – Class is in session: the three areas, and the bigger picture 02:50 – Area one: your muscle, and why resistance training beats cardio 04:35 – Muscle as an organ, and what fatty muscle looks like on a CT scan 06:57 – Simple resistance work anyone can start at home 08:05 – Area two: your liver, visceral fat, and insulin sensitivity 09:25 – Why the liver still needs nutrients in order to function 11:51 – MTHFR, B9, and glutathione production 13:35 – Area three: your gut is where GLP-1 is made 16:15 – The insulin analogy, and how to actually fix the gut 18:40 – Glutamine, the gut powder, and what the research shows 21:08 – Leaky gut, tight junctions, and berberine 23:29 – Dopamine, food noise, and the anti-incretin effect 32:39 – Bones: fracture risk, vitamin D3 and K2 34:56 – Sleep, glucose, and appetite Resources GLP-1 receptor agonists and visceral/liver fat (PLOS ONE, 2023): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10449217/ GLP-1 receptor agonists in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (IJMS, 2023): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9865319/ Role of folate in liver diseases (Nutrients, 2024): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11206401/ Glutamine supplementation and metabolic variables in diabetes (Nutrition & Metabolism, 2020): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7517657/ Circulating dopamine, dietary glucose, and GLP-1 action in white adipose tissue (IJMS, 2023): https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/3/2464 Acute sleep deprivation and the GLP-1 response (Nutrition & Diabetes, 2013): https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3697408/ Sleep and GLP-1 in patients with abnormal glucose tolerance (Journal of Sleep Research, 2017): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jsr.12552 Gut (Digestive Health) — MSW Nutrition: https://mswnutrition.com/products/gut Berberine Plus (Weight Management) — MSW Nutrition: https://mswnutrition.com/products/berberine-plus Liver Boost (Detox) — MSW Nutrition: https://mswnutrition.com/products/liver-boost Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/_nf6axyr5lk Connect with Nurse Doza 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: See All-Access — $35/month, cancel anytime: https://community.schoolofdoza.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

In this School of Doza episode, Nurse Doza kicks off a new series on the health numbers that matter more than the scale. Using the Hume Pod and app, he explains how body composition (body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, and visceral fat) tells a fuller story than weight alone, why two people at the same weight can differ, and a simple morning weigh-in habit that tracks trends, not daily swings. Next up: how these numbers connect to your liver and blood sugar. FEATURED PARTNER Hume Health makes the Hume Pod and companion app Nurse Doza uses in this series to look beyond body weight. Stepping on the pod shows body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, and visceral fat, and the app displays where you are alongside reference ranges so you're not guessing. Hume Health also backs its devices with a 10-year warranty. 👉 Shop Hume Health: https://humehealth.com Use code NURSEDOZA for 20% off. Disclosure: Hume Health provided the device featured in this series, and School of Doza earns a commission when you use the code NURSEDOZA. Only products Nurse Doza personally uses are featured. Body composition readings from at-home devices are estimates and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk with your healthcare provider about your results. JOIN THE SCHOOL Making sense of your numbers is easier with support. Inside the School of Doza, members learn alongside others working on the same goals, and every Wednesday at 1 PM Central there's a live group consult where you can bring your questions about labs, nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle. 👉 Start your free trial: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS Weight is just one number. The scale can't show what your weight is made of, and two people at the same weight can have very different body compositions. Body composition adds the missing detail. Beyond weight, the Hume Pod reports body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, and visceral fat, giving a more complete picture of where you stand. Visceral fat is the one you can't see. It sits deep in the abdomen around the organs, is associated with insulin resistance and fatty liver, and can be present even in people who look lean. Trends beat daily numbers. Nurse Doza suggests weighing in the same way, at the same time each morning, then watching the trend in muscle and visceral fat rather than fixating on the weight itself. This is Part 1 of a series. Up next, he connects these numbers to liver health and blood sugar. RESOURCES Based on peer-reviewed literature: Normal BMI, high body fat – Systematic review and meta-analysis of "normal weight obesity" (normal BMI with high body fat) and cardiometabolic risk factors. Frontiers in Endocrinology, 2022. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8987277/ Visceral fat & insulin resistance – Review of how visceral adipose tissue accumulation and liver fat relate to impaired insulin signaling. Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity, 2012. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4038351/ Visceral fat, liver fat & insulin sensitivity – Study of visceral and subcutaneous fat, intrahepatic lipid, and muscle microvascular function as independent contributors to obesity-associated insulin resistance. JCI Insight, 2017. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5499371/ Muscle mass & insulin resistance – Prospective study linking greater thigh muscle area with lower future insulin resistance. Diabetes & Metabolism Journal, 2018. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6300439/ At-home body composition devices: estimates, not diagnoses – Comparison of bioelectrical impedance (BIA) visceral fat estimates with quantitative CT, showing moderate agreement. Scientific Reports, 2021. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8154961/ 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

Fatty liver and belly fat tend to show up together, and this episode makes the case that it isn't a coincidence. Your liver is one of the main places your body decides whether fat gets stored, moved, or burned for fuel. Nurse Doza walks through six things that get in the liver's way — insulin resistance, too little brown fat, gut damage, eating when you're not hungry, poor methylation, and shallow sleep — and what the research says about each one. FEATURED PRODUCT Liver Boost (Detox) — $111 Sixteen ingredients in a single capsule — milk thistle, NAC, alpha-lipoic acid, turmeric, broccoli seed extract, green tea extract, selenium — formulated to support phase I and phase II liver detoxification and your body's own glutathione production.* This whole episode is about clearing the path for the organ doing the work. Liver Boost is support for that organ while you change the sleep, the food, and the fasting window. One to two capsules a day. Through October 31: buy 2, get 1 free — 3 bottles for $222, roughly a six-month supply. No code needed; the discount applies at checkout. 👉 Get Liver Boost here: https://liverboost.mswnutrition.com *These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results vary; this is education, not medical advice. JOIN THE SCHOOL OF DOZA If this episode left you looking at a lab report that never had fasting insulin or leptin on it, that gap is exactly what the School of Doza was built for. Same for the belly fat that hasn't moved in a year of doing everything right. Every Wednesday there's a live Ask Me Anything that runs like a group consult — labs, nutrition, supplements, liver questions, belly fat questions. You bring it, Nurse Doza answers it directly. It's live only and never recorded, so being in the room is the whole point. Inside you will also find the courses referenced in this episode — fasting, the liver, MTHFR, and sleep — plus the community working through the same things you are. 👉 Start your free trial: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS Insulin resistance usually shows up before the weight does. Research associates fatty liver with higher insulin resistance, and the early liver changes often appear ahead of obesity — which is part of why "eat less, move more" stalls out for so many people. Fat tissue behaves like an organ, not a storage closet. Inflamed white fat around the middle loses some of its ability to help regulate insulin, and cold exposure is associated with more brown fat activity and better clearance of circulating glucose and triglycerides. The gut tends to struggle first. Dysbiosis and a compromised gut lining are linked to liver fat and inflammation, and your gut microbiome is part of your own GLP-1 production — which is rarely part of the conversation. Leptin is insulin's shadow. It rises when you eat, it tracks with how much body fat you carry, and leptin resistance is why people end up eating on schedule instead of on hunger. Neither leptin nor fasting insulin is on a standard panel. Methylation and deep sleep are the two clearance pathways nobody checks. MTHFR variants are associated with higher fatty liver risk, and short sleep duration is associated with fatty liver — so the overnight hours matter as much as the plate. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 START – Welcome and episode overview 02:54 – #1 Insulin resistance 05:59 – Fasting to lower insulin 07:14 – Diet, simple carbs, and berberine 08:44 – #2 Not enough brown fat 11:35 – Cold exposure and thermogenesis 14:03 – #3 Gut issues and your own GLP-1 16:33 – Leaky gut, dysbiosis, and testing 18:58 – The inflammation cascade: IL-6 and hs-CRP 22:02 – #4 Eating when you're not hungry 23:25 – Leptin resistance and the missed signal 25:52 – Fasting insulin and leptin on labs 28:28 – #5 Poor methylation and MTHFR 33:21 – #6 Deep sleep 38:07 – Liver Boost and the October offer RESOURCES Links are printed as visible text — YouTube strips hyperlinks from descriptions. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and insulin resistance — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10638269/ Brown adipose tissue, cold exposure and hepatic fat (Cell Reports Medicine) — https://www.cell.com/cell-reports-medicine/fulltext/S2666-3791(21)00255-X Role of Leptin in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (Biomedicines, 2021) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8301314/ Leptin secretion and body energy stores (Metabolism) — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0026049514003060 Gut microbiome and NAFLD: impact and therapeutic potential (Frontiers in Microbiology, 2024) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11632136/ MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms and NAFLD risk (PLOS ONE) — https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0154337 MTHFR variants and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2797657/ Liver detoxification and endogenous antioxidants — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10181083/ Short sleep duration and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11729180/ Liver Boost by MSW Nutrition — https://mswnutrition.com/products/liver-boost School of Doza — free trial — https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here CONNECT 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

Muscle after 40 is the thing women are told to ignore, and it is the one that changes everything. Nurse Doza breaks down why skeletal muscle is an organ, how it makes its own estrogen, why insulin resistance shows up in muscle first, and how much protein menopause actually calls for. Plus the amino acid most women have never been told about. Featured Product Liver Boost (Detox) by MSW Nutrition — a comprehensive formula designed to support phase I and phase II liver detoxification of environmental toxins.* Estrogen doesn't simply disappear once it has done its job: it gets conjugated in the liver and cleared through bile. This episode is about the estrogen your muscles make, and the liver is the organ standing at the end of that pathway — the same organ Nurse Doza points back to when he talks about glycogen, fatty liver, and hormones in your forties. October only: buy 2, get 1 free — 3 bottles for $222, a six-month supply. No code needed; the discount applies at checkout. 👉 Get Liver Boost here: https://liverboost.mswnutrition.com Also mentioned in this episode — Gut (Digestive Health), the L-glutamine powder Nurse Doza takes at 8 grams each morning, 4 grams per scoop, nothing else added. 👉 Get Gut here: https://mswnutrition.com/products/gut These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Join the School of Doza If this episode named something you have been living with — aches that got written off as aging, a scale that will not move no matter how little you eat, hormone advice that contradicts itself every time you ask — the School is where those questions get answered directly instead of in a comment thread. Every Wednesday at 1pm Central there is a live Ask Me Anything that runs like a group consult. Labs, nutrition, supplements, what is actually going on in your body. You bring the question, Nurse Doza answers it in the room. These are live sessions, not recordings — you have to be there. The Liver Course is running right now, class plus Q&A every Tuesday, wrapping October 13 with Building Your Liver Protocol. September 29 is The Gut Liver Loop, which connects straight to the gut and muscle conversation in this episode. Your first 7 days are free, so you can sit in on an AMA or a class and decide for yourself. 👉 Start your free trial: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here 5 Key Takeaways Your muscles are an organ, not just tissue. Skeletal muscle is a collection of muscle, connective, nervous and vascular tissue working together, and it releases signaling molecules of its own. Treating it as decoration misses what it actually does for posture, structure, and metabolism. Skeletal muscle makes its own estrogen. Beyond the ovaries, muscle carries the enzymes to produce what researchers call myogenic estrogen. Exercise appears to support that local production, which in turn supports muscle mass, function, metabolism, and repair — a loop that matters most for women after menopause. Menopause raises the protein bar. The general recommendation is 1.0 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day. At 150 pounds that is roughly 68 to 81 grams daily, which is four to five eggs in the morning and something comparable at every other meal. Insulin resistance shows up in muscle first. Skeletal muscle is where most insulin-driven glucose uptake happens, so it is also where impaired glucose handling appears earliest — often years before anything shows on a routine panel. As estrogen falls, insulin sensitivity tends to fall with it, which is part of why weight becomes harder to manage in the forties. Toning versus bulking is a programming decision. Moderate weight, 8 to 12 reps, 2 to 3 sets, bodyweight and banded work mixed in — that builds strength and shape without the volume and intensity that drive maximum size. Bulk is something you train for on purpose, not something that happens by accident. Timestamps 00:00 START – Welcome and episode overview 01:45 – What is happening inside the School of Doza 03:00 – #1: Your muscles are an organ, not just tissue 04:39 – #2: Your muscles need estrogen 05:20 – Myogenic estrogen: made in skeletal muscle 07:01 – Atrophy, aches, and estrogen receptors 08:10 – Protein in menopause: the actual number 08:50 – The protein math: 68 to 81 grams a day 11:16 – When protein is simply too much food 13:40 – L-glutamine, and four grams per scoop 14:35 – #3: Insulin, the most anabolic hormone you make 15:48 – Estrogen, insulin, and the ovaries 18:12 – Glycogen, fatty liver, and fatty muscle 20:33 – #4: You will not bulk up unless you want to 25:18 – #5: Testosterone is not always the answer Resources Why are muscles considered organs — WellBX: https://wellbx.com/why-are-muscles-considered-organs-a-deep-dive-into-their-complex-anatomy Myogenic estrogen and skeletal muscle — J Endocrinol Invest, 2025: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40618-025-02726-x Menopause and metabolism — Oura: https://ouraring.com/blog/menopause-and-metabolism/ Skeletal muscle insulin resistance — PMC: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2811436/ How to lift without bulking — Simply Strong: https://www.simplystrongapp.com/blog/how-to-lift-without-bulking Low testosterone in women — Cleveland Clinic: https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24897-low-testosterone-in-women Hume Health body composition (Things We Love, code NURSEDOZA): https://schoolofdoza.com/recommendations Liver Boost by MSW Nutrition: https://liverboost.mswnutrition.com Gut by MSW Nutrition — L-Glutamine: https://mswnutrition.com/products/gut 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

In this Wellness Tech Series episode, Nurse Doza breaks down the Hume Band and why daily health data changes how he makes decisions. He walks through the metrics he checks every morning — sleep depth and wake-ups, heart rate variability as a window into stress and recovery, pulse oximetry day and night, body temperature, and steps — then explains how the Hume Pod adds body fat, skeletal muscle mass, and visceral fat. Labs are a snapshot; this is the daily trend line underneath them.   ---   ## Featured Partner: Hume Health   **Hume Health** makes at-home health tracking gadgets — the Hume Band (wrist wearable) and the Hume Pod (smart body composition scale) — paired with a free app and a 10-year warranty.   - **Storefront:** https://humehealth.com - **Discount code:** `NURSEDOZA` - **Offer:** 20% off *Note: a wearable is a trend-tracking tool, not a diagnostic device. Metrics like overnight oxygen saturation are worth discussing with a licensed provider if the pattern looks unusual — they do not replace a sleep study or clinical evaluation.*   ---   ## School of Doza   Want help turning your own health data into decisions? **School of Doza** is a health-education community with live group consults every **Wednesday at 1 PM Central**, plus courses and protocols you can actually follow.   **Start your free trial:** https://www.schoolofdoza.com   ---   ## 5 Key Takeaways   1. **Labs are a snapshot; wearables are the trend line.** A panel drawn twice a year can't tell you what last night did to your recovery. Daily metrics fill in the space between blood draws. 2. **Sleep isn't one number.** Total hours matter, but so do depth, light sleep, and how many times you were awake. Seeing the breakdown each morning is what makes the adjustment obvious. 3. **HRV reads both sides of the day.** Overnight HRV reflects recovery; daytime HRV reflects the stress load you're carrying right now. Watching both separately is more useful than either alone. 4. **Pulse ox is the quietly important one.** Continuous oxygen saturation — especially overnight — is a pattern worth bringing to your provider if you snore or wake up unrefreshed. Screening data is a conversation starter, not a diagnosis. 5. **The Pod covers what the band can't.** Body fat percentage, skeletal muscle mass, and visceral fat round out the metabolic picture. Visceral fat in particular is the depot most consistently associated with insulin resistance and fatty liver in the research. ---   ## Peer-Reviewed References   1. *Impact of objectively-measured sleep duration on cardiometabolic health: A systematic review of recent evidence.* PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9806213/ 2. *Stress and Heart Rate Variability: A Meta-Analysis and Review of the Literature.* PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5900369/ (PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29486547/) 3. *Overnight pulse oximetry for obstructive sleep apnea.* PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6259496/ 4. *Using wearable skin temperature data to advance tracking and characterization of the menstrual cycle in a real-world setting.* PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11294004/ 5. *The role of adipose tissue dysfunction in hepatic insulin resistance and T2D.* PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11378142/ (PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38967989/) *Citations were located via PubMed/PMC search and are listed by title and PMC ID. PMC blocks automated page fetches, so individual author lines were not machine-verified and are deliberately omitted rather than guessed.*   ---   ## Connect with Nurse Doza   - Website: https://www.schoolofdoza.com - Supplements: https://mswnutrition.com - Recommendations & partner codes: https://www.schoolofdoza.com/recommendations - YouTube / Instagram / TikTok / X / LinkedIn: @nursedoza

Most people handed an MTHFR result never get it explained. This episode connects MTHFR and liver function — why so much of that gene's work happens in the liver, what methylation actually means in plain language, and how the pathway ties into glutathione, detoxification, and mood. Nurse Doza also covers why methylfolate alone is rarely the whole picture, and what's worth discussing with your own provider. Education, not a protocol. Featured Product The MTHFR Stack — Bliss + Boost + Liver Boost Three formulas built around the same pathway this episode is about. Bliss is a sublingual shot with SAMe and TMG (trimethylglycine) — it supports biochemical reactions that require methyl groups and supports neurotransmitter synthesis and healthy mood. Boost is a morning stick pack built on methylcobalamin — B12 already in its methylated, active form — alongside methylated B vitamins, electrolytes, and antioxidant nutrients (heads up: it contains caffeine, roughly 95 mg). Liver Boost is the capsule piece, formulated to support phase I and phase II liver detoxification. The rhythm is simple: Boost in the morning, Bliss whenever it fits your day, Liver Boost with a meal. 👉 Get The MTHFR Stack here: https://mswnutrition.com/products/mthfr-stack If you take medication, run any new supplement by your provider first. Join the School of Doza If you walked out of an appointment holding a genetic result and no explanation, that's exactly the gap the School of Doza was built to close. Every Wednesday at 1pm Central we run a live Ask Me Anything — a group consult where you bring your labs, your questions, and whatever's actually going on with you, and Nurse Doza answers directly. It's live only, so you're getting a real conversation, not a recording. We're in the middle of The Liver Course right now — live class plus Q&A every Tuesday at 5:30pm Central. October 6 is the MTHFR and the Liver class, which goes deeper than this episode with diagrams, handouts, and live questions. October 13 closes the series with Building Your Liver Protocol. Your first 7 days are free, so you can sit in on a class and an AMA before you decide anything. 👉 Start your free trial: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here 5 Key Takeaways MTHFR isn't abstract — a lot of its work happens in your liver. The gene is expressed throughout the body, but the liver is where a large share of methylation activity plays out, which is why a variant shows up as a liver-support question and not just a vitamin question. Methylation is a cycle, not a single step. Folate gets converted to its active form, that feeds the methionine–SAMe cycle, homocysteine gets cleared down the transsulfuration pathway into cysteine, and cysteine is the rate-limiting input for glutathione. Slow the cycle down anywhere and everything downstream feels it. Glutathione is the connection point. It's one of the most abundant antioxidants the body makes, it's produced largely in the liver, and it's central to phase II detoxification — which is the same phase where methylation lives. Folate status and mood are genuinely linked. Folate deficiency is documented as a risk factor for major depressive disorder and for poorer response to antidepressants, and L-methylfolate has research behind it as a supportive option. Variants in MTHFR can reduce how well someone converts dietary folate and folic acid to the active form. Methylfolate alone often isn't the whole picture. The research on SAMe and betaine (TMG) points to the rest of the cycle mattering too — betaine supplementation lowers serum homocysteine, and SAMe plus betaine has been studied as an add-on with more effect than SAMe alone. Timestamps 00:00 START – Welcome and episode overview 02:08 – Who this episode is for, plus the Liver Course dates 04:27 – Why he started ordering MTHFR on everyone, including himself 06:27 – The gene is everywhere in the body, but concentrated in the liver 08:51 – How common variants are, and what epigenetics actually means 11:16 – Folic acid vs folate, and everything else the gene does 13:34 – The homocysteine and glutathione pathway 16:20 – The mood connection: folate, serotonin, and the gut 18:46 – What a clinic rotation taught him about prescribing B9 21:06 – Where serotonin is made, and where folate is stored 23:24 – Third: the pathway needs daily vitamins and supplements 25:50 – SAMe, methionine, and betaine (TMG) 29:11 – Fourth: what changes, and how to measure it 31:32 – Phase I and phase II detox, and the full methylation stack 33:49 – What to check, and closing Resources DNA Methylation in Liver Disease (Int J Mol Sci) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7662478/ MTHFR Polymorphisms, Homocysteine and Disease Risk (Genes) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12027316/ Glutathione Overview (ScienceDirect Topics) — https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/glutathione Glutathione Conjugation and Detoxification (PMC) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2696075/ L-Methylfolate and Depressive Symptoms (Neurology) — https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.92.15_supplement.P3.9-057 Folate, MTHFR and Depression (PMC) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4750636/ SAMe Plus Betaine as Add-On Therapy (PMC) — https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4303396/ Betaine Supplementation and Serum Homocysteine (Nutrition Research) — https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0271531724000691 Betaine, B12, Choline, Glutathione and Diabetes Parameters (PubMed) — https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39442756/ Connect 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

In this Wellness Tech Series episode, Nurse Doza breaks down SONA — an AI-powered earpiece that delivers gentle vagus nerve stimulation at the cymba concha, the one spot in the outer ear where a branch of the vagus nerve reaches the surface. He explains how the paired app reads heart rate variability in real time, why HRV is a window into stress and recovery, and how short guided breath and audio sessions are designed to fit a schedule with no room for a long meditation. FEATURED PARTNER SONA is an AI-powered wearable vagus nerve stimulator. It sits on the ear and delivers low-level, non-invasive electrical stimulation at the cymba concha — the auricular branch of the vagus nerve — while the companion app tracks heart rate variability so users can watch their own trend across a session. Guided breath work and audio pairings are built in, the app has no monthly subscription, and the device ships with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 1-year warranty. It's the tool Nurse Doza reaches for when the problem isn't knowing how to relax — it's having ten minutes and a way to tell whether anything actually happened. 👉 Get SONA (15% off with code NURSEDOZA): https://sona.pxf.io/k41Dxx SONA is a consumer wellness device, not a medical device, and nothing here is medical advice. If you are pregnant, have a pacemaker or other implanted electrical device, a heart-rhythm condition, or a history of seizures, talk with your provider before using any form of nerve stimulation. This page contains affiliate links. JOIN THE SCHOOL Nervous system work is a lot easier when you're not guessing on your own. Inside the School of Doza, members compare notes on the tools that actually earn a place in a daily routine — sleep, stress, recovery, labs — and every Wednesday at 1 PM Central there's a live group consult where you can bring your specific questions. 👉 Start your free trial: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS Chronic stress is a physiology problem, not a willpower problem. The stress response was built for short bursts. When it never gets a chance to downshift, telling yourself to calm down doesn't move the system — the input has to reach the nervous system itself. The vagus nerve is reachable through the ear. A branch of the vagus nerve surfaces at the cymba concha in the outer ear, which is why transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation is delivered there. It's the anatomical reason an earpiece can engage this pathway without anything invasive. HRV is a trend to watch, not a verdict. Heart rate variability reflects how flexibly the body shifts between stress and recovery. A single reading says very little; the useful signal is the pattern over days and weeks, which is what makes in-app feedback worth having. Feedback is what makes a practice stick. Breath work, meditation, and yoga all support the same system. Pairing them with a real-time measurement turns "I think that helped" into something a person can actually track — and track-ability is what keeps a routine alive. Consistency beats session length. Short daily sessions that survive a real calendar compound the way training does. Follow the manufacturer's recommended session guidance rather than self-escalating duration. RESOURCES Based on peer-reviewed literature: Why the ear – Butt MF, et al. "The anatomical basis for transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation." Journal of Anatomy, 2020;236(4):588–611. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/joa.13122 taVNS, HRV & mental stress – Drost L, Schulz A, Möck A, Vögele C. "Effects of taVNS on physiological responses and cognitive performance during a mental stressor." Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 2025;25(6):1655–1666. (Sham-controlled RCT, n=41: higher RMSSD during active stimulation; self-report and cognitive performance unchanged.) https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13415-025-01341-w What HRV actually indexes – Laborde S, Mosley E, Thayer JF. "Heart Rate Variability and Cardiac Vagal Tone in Psychophysiological Research — Recommendations for Experiment Planning, Data Analysis, and Data Reporting." Frontiers in Psychology, 2017;8:213. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00213/full Slow breathing & HRV – Laborde S, et al. "Effects of voluntary slow breathing on heart rate and heart rate variability: A systematic review and a meta-analysis." Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2022;138:104711. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35623448/ Non-invasive vagal approaches, reviewed – Gitler A, Bar Yosef Y, Kotzer U, Levine AD. "Harnessing non-invasive vagal neuromodulation: HRV biofeedback and SSP for cardiovascular and autonomic regulation (Review)." Medicine International, 2025;5(4):37. https://www.spandidos-publications.com/10.3892/mi.2025.236 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

Child immune system support isn't about stopping every cold — it's about knowing which ones are normal. Nurse Doza breaks down how a school-age immune system actually develops, what's worth a closer look, and five things you can do at home: sleep, food, the right supplements, movement, and nervous system care. Plus the one nutrient that keeps coming back low on lab work. Featured Product The D (4-Month Supply) — $75 Vitamin D receptors sit on immune cells throughout the body — in the gut, the sinuses, the lungs — and vitamin D is one of the most commonly low results on a standard lab panel. The D pairs vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) with vitamin K2 as MK-7 in a single daily capsule, and one bottle runs four months. One habit, one bottle, the whole season covered. 👉 Get The D here: https://mswnutrition.com/products/the-d Ask your child's pediatrician before giving a child any supplement, and ask them to check a vitamin D level so you're working from a number instead of a guess. Join the School of Doza If you're the parent who has been through four rounds of the same cold since school started and nobody will tell you whether that's normal, this is the room for you. Every Wednesday at 1pm Central we hold a live Ask Me Anything that runs like a group consult — bring your labs, your supplement questions, or what's going on at home and get direct guidance in the room. It's live only, so you're getting answers to your situation, not a recording of somebody else's. The Liver Course is also running right now — a live class plus Q&A every Tuesday, six weeks, wrapping with Building Your Liver Protocol. If you've ever been told your labs look fine and you still feel off, that's the one to sit in on. Your first 7 days are completely free. 👉 Start your free trial: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here 5 Key Takeaways Kids getting sick is part of how a young immune system learns. The goal is not zero colds — it is knowing which pattern is normal development and which pattern is worth bringing to your pediatrician. Sleep is immune infrastructure, not downtime. CDC/NIOSH training materials note that restricting sleep to four hours for a single night dropped natural killer cell activity to an average of 72% of a rested night, and six nights of short sleep cut influenza vaccine antibody production by more than half. Color on the plate is the simplest nutrition rule kids will actually follow. Fermented foods (kefir, sauerkraut, pickles, miso) supply probiotics; green bananas, plantains, jicama, yams and asparagus feed them as prebiotics; berries and dark leafy greens carry the antioxidants. Vitamin D is the one most often missing. In a trial of otitis-prone children, 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily reduced the risk of acute otitis media, and the protection tracked with final blood levels reaching roughly 40 ng/mL or higher — a level most standard reference ranges would still call "normal" well below. Movement and nervous system care round it out. Physical activity helps the body stay resilient against infection, and Nurse Doza makes the case from his chiropractic practice that regular adjustments support the nervous system that regulates the immune response. Timestamps 00:00 START – Welcome and episode overview 00:39 – The cold that never leaves the house, and the 2am question 02:05 – What's happening right now inside the School of Doza 04:05 – Thing #1: Sleep, and why it is the foundation of the immune system 06:05 – Four hours of sleep and what happens to natural killer cell activity 07:20 – Melatonin, dark rooms, and the difference between hours and depth 08:55 – Sleep and how well a vaccine actually works 09:48 – Thing #2: Eat the right food — vitamin D, sunlight, and fatty fish 12:30 – Eating the rainbow, and why yellow-and-white plates fall short 14:27 – Probiotic and prebiotic foods kids will actually eat 16:30 – Thing #3: The right supplements — vitamin D3 with K2 18:30 – What vitamin D level to aim for, and why "in range" is not the same as optimal 20:05 – Thing #4: Exercise — 60 minutes of real play, every day 23:49 – Thing #5: The one most families skip — chiropractic and the nervous system 30:52 – Test, don't guess — and the closing ask Resources 1. Sleep and the Immune System — CDC / NIOSH https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/work-hour-training-for-nurses/longhours/mod2/05.html 2. Melatonin, sleep and immune regulation — PMC8602722 https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8602722/ 3. How To Build Up Your Kid's Immune System — Cleveland Clinic https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-to-boost-your-kids-immunity 4. Whole foods for kids' immune health — CHOC https://health.choc.org/how-to-strengthen-your-childs-immune-system-with-whole-foods/ 5. Vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of acute otitis media in otitis-prone children (Marchisio et al., Pediatr Infect Dis J, 2013) — PMID 23694840 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23694840/ 6. Treatment and Prevention of Infections in Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (vitamin D section) — Cooperstock et al., 2017 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1089/cap.2016.0151 7. New Study Unveils Relationship Between Chiropractic Care and Immune Response — International Chiropractors Association https://www.chiropractic.org/new-study-unveils-relationship-between-chiropractic-care-and-immune-response/ 8. Immune Function: Top 5 research papers — Asia-Pacific Chiropractic Journal https://www.apcj.net/site_files/4725/upload_files/ImmuneFunctionTop5(1).pdf 9. The D (4-Month Supply) — MSW Nutrition https://mswnutrition.com/products/the-d 10. School of Doza — start your free 7-day trial https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here 11. $99 lab review with Nurse Doza https://labs.nursedoza.com Connect with Nurse Doza 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

In this Supplement Stack Series episode, Nurse Doza breaks down the MTHFR gene — the enzyme behind methylation, detoxification, neurotransmitter production, and energy — and explains why the form of folate you take matters if you carry one of the common variants. He walks through The MTHFR Stack by MSW Nutrition: the methyl donors, the methylated B vitamins, and the liver support that keep the methylation cycle turning. If methylation is your bottleneck, start here. FEATURED PRODUCT The MTHFR Stack by MSW Nutrition bundles the three formulas Nurse Doza reaches for when methylation support is the goal — Bliss, Boost, and Liver Boost — into one system. Together they cover the methyl donors (betaine/TMG and SAMe), the methylated B vitamins (methylfolate, methylcobalamin, B6 as P-5-P) and glutathione, and the phase II liver pathway where methylation and detoxification meet. Rather than supporting one step and starving the next, the stack works the whole cycle. 👉 Get The MTHFR Stack: https://mthfr.mswnutrition.com/ Launch pricing: $269 through September 30 (retail value $340). $299 from October 1. Discount applies automatically at checkout — no code needed. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you're pregnant or nursing, or take prescription medication, talk with your provider before starting a new supplement. JOIN THE SCHOOL Methylation is one of those topics where the labs, the genetics, and the supplement aisle all point in different directions. Inside the School of Doza, members work through it together — and every Wednesday at 1 PM Central there's a live group consult where you can bring your own questions about homocysteine, folate, B12, and what to actually do with an MTHFR result. 👉 Start your free trial: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS MTHFR isn't a niche gene — it's a hub. The MTHFR enzyme converts folate into its active 5-MTHF form, which feeds the methylation cycle behind detoxification, neurotransmitter production, cardiovascular health, brain function, and liver metabolism. Common variants mean less enzyme activity. The C677T variant is one of the most studied polymorphisms in human genetics and is associated with reduced enzyme activity and higher homocysteine — which is why the form of folate you take matters. Methylfolate skips the step your enzyme struggles with. Supplemental 5-MTHF is already in the active form, so it doesn't depend on MTHFR conversion the way folic acid does. It's the folate form the stack is built on. Methyl donors sit upstream of mood. SAMe is the body's universal methyl donor and betaine (TMG) helps recycle homocysteine back to methionine. The stack includes both, which is why Nurse Doza frames methylation support as something that also touches serotonin and dopamine pathways. The liver is where methylation and detox meet. Phase II detoxification runs through methylation, glutathione conjugation, and sulfation — so supporting glutathione and the phase II pathway is supporting the same system the MTHFR gene serves. RESOURCES Based on peer-reviewed literature: MTHFR C677T — epidemiology and metabolism – Review of the C677T polymorphism, its prevalence, its effect on enzyme activity and homocysteine, and associated conditions. Eur J Med Genet, 2015. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25449138/ Active folate vs. folic acid – Review of 5-MTHF (methylfolate) in human health and why the active form bypasses reduced MTHFR activity. Biomolecules, 2022. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9380836/ SAMe and the central nervous system – Systematic review of S-adenosylmethionine, transmethylation, and CNS health. 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11435340/ Betaine (TMG) – Comprehensive review of betaine's role as a methyl donor, its effect on homocysteine remethylation, and liver outcomes. Nutrients, 2021. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8224793/ Hepatic glutathione – Review of glutathione's synthesis, regulation, and role in liver detoxification. Mol Aspects Med. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2596047/ 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza

Menopause timing is not purely genetic — and this episode explains how to delay menopause by supporting the systems that actually set the clock. Nurse Doza covers the three estrogens you make across a lifetime (E1, E2, E3), why estradiol supports your heart, cholesterol, and insulin, how PCOS and inflamed fat cells drive estrone production, and which labs to order and when in your cycle to run them. You will also hear why the liver belongs in every hormone conversation. FEATURED PRODUCT Liver Boost (Detox) by MSW Nutrition — $111 Your liver is where estrogen gets processed, conjugated, and cleared — which is why this episode keeps circling back to it. Liver Boost (formerly known as Liver Love) is a comprehensive formula designed to support phase I and phase II liver detoxification of environmental toxins, the same two-phase pathway your body uses to handle hormones. When that pathway is working against processed food, alcohol, and years of medication, everything downstream of it gets harder. Nurse Doza takes it daily alongside Mitochondriac (NAD+ Support) — $119 — a complete bioflavonoid complex with resveratrol, quercetin, and pterostilbene. That pairing is what he names at the close of this episode: support the liver, support the mitochondria. 👉 Get Liver Boost here: https://mswnutrition.com/products/liver-boost 👉 Get Mitochondriac here: https://mswnutrition.com/products/mitochondriac JOIN THE SCHOOL If you have ever been told your labs are "normal" while you feel anything but — or you have never had FSH, LH, estradiol, and progesterone run together, at the right point in your cycle — that is exactly the gap this community exists to close. Inside the School of Doza we host a live Ask Me Anything every Wednesday, and it runs like a group consult. You bring your labs, your cycle, your symptoms, the thing your doctor waved off, and we work through it together in real time. These are live sessions, not recordings, so the answers are about your situation. Your first 7 days are completely free, so you can sit in on an AMA before committing to anything. 👉 Start your free trial: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here 5 KEY TAKEAWAYS 1. Menopause timing is not only genetics. "My mom went through it at this age, so I will too" is only part of the story. Liver health, insulin regulation, inflammation, alcohol, and years of hormonal medication all shape when the transition begins — which makes lifestyle a lever rather than a bystander. 2. You make three different estrogens, and they are not interchangeable. E1 (estrone) is the estrogen that dominates in menopause and in inflammation. E2 (estradiol) is the reproductive-year estrogen associated with feeling like yourself. E3 (estriol) is made in pregnancy. Standard panels rarely measure all three, which is why "your estrogen is fine" can be an incomplete answer. 3. Estrogen supports the cardiovascular system. Estradiol is associated with a more favorable lipoprotein profile — lower LDL, higher HDL — and that association is part of why cardiovascular risk in women shifts after menopause. Losing estrogen is not only a fertility event. 4. Estrogen and insulin are linked. Menopause has been described in the literature as a potential risk factor for insulin resistance independent of age. PCOS — the most common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age — sits at that same estrogen-insulin intersection, which is why blood sugar belongs in a hormone conversation. 5. Fat cells make estrone. Adipose tissue is a source of estrone and of inflammatory signaling like IL-6 and TNF-α. Higher body mass index in postmenopausal women is associated with higher circulating sex hormones and higher breast cancer risk — which reframes weight as a hormone input, not just a number on a scale. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 START – Welcome and episode overview 01:25 – Why women's health can't wait: the hysterectomy statistic 02:30 – Reason 1: The later the menopause, the longer the life 04:20 – Menopause is hormone loss, not just egg loss 06:35 – Estrogen, cholesterol, and cardiovascular protection 09:06 – The three estrogens: E1, E2, and E3 explained 10:48 – Reason 2: Estrogen, insulin, and diabetes risk 13:12 – PCOS as insulin resistance of the ovaries 15:12 – Birth control, IUDs, and what nobody explains 20:01 – Reason 3: Support your healthy estradiol now 24:37 – Reason 4: Fat cells, inflammation, and estrone 27:41 – Hormone replacement and the rest of the panel 29:39 – Which labs to order, and when in your cycle 32:52 – Why this is personal: Nurse Doza's mom 34:46 – Three things you can do today RESOURCES 1. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2002 — Endogenous sex hormones and breast cancer in postmenopausal women: reanalysis of nine prospective studies: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11959894/ 2. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, 2003 — Body mass index, serum sex hormones, and breast cancer risk in postmenopausal women: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12928347/ 3. World Journal of Gastroenterology, 2015 — Liver disease in menopause: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4491951/ 4. Current Vascular Pharmacology, 2019 — Menopause and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Review Focusing on Therapeutic Perspectives: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29992886/ 5. International Journal of Cancer, 2025 — The estrobolome and breast cancer risk: gut microbial estrogen metabolism: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12178105/ CONNECT WITH NURSE DOZA 🔗 Connect with Nurse Doza: JOIN MY SCHOOL for FREE: https://community.schoolofdoza.com/c/start-here YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwcKyagDi468WscAOWM5VHA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nursedoza/ Website: http://www.nursedoza.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-mendoza-dc-aprn-np-c-0609a038/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nursedoza Twitter: https://twitter.com/nursedoza