The Habit Healers

Can the number of push-ups you can do say something about your heart health? On this episode of The Habit Healers Podcast, I’m unpacking the well-known firefighter push-up study, what the headlines got wrong, and how to start strength training as a beginner, at any age.I’ll tell you about one of my patients, a woman in her 60s who started with two counter push-ups and worked her way up to sixty in a few months. Her story is a perfect example of how small habits add up. Then we’ll look at what the research actually found when firefighters did push-ups during routine checkups, and why your push-up number is best used as a free, simple check on your overall fitness rather than a guarantee about heart disease risk.You’ll also learn why a push-up works like a wheelbarrow, why a raised surface can be easier than the classic knee push-up, and how bodyweight exercise at home stacks up against the bench press. I’ll walk you through a six-step plan that takes you from the wall to the floor, plus the warning signs that mean you should stop.What you’ll learn:* What the firefighter push-up test revealed about heart health, and its limits* Why strength training is linked to lower risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes* How to start push-ups as a beginner, from the wall, a counter, or a stair* How often to do bodyweight exercise at home for healthy aging* Good push-up form and when to stop and call your doctorDr. Marbas Substack Article: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/p/how-to-get-strong-with-push-ups-inCheck out the Habit Healers Community: https://www.skool.com/habithealers/about Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe

Can poor sleep raise your blood sugar during menopause? If your fasting glucose is creeping up even though you’re eating well, broken sleep from hot flashes and night sweats may be the hidden driver nobody has asked you about. I’m Dr. Laurie Marbas, and this episode of The Habit Healers Podcast is about treating sleep as metabolic medicine.I start in an unlikely place, the apple storage warehouses of eastern Washington, where fruit stays fresh for nine months on a knife’s edge of oxygen. Your body runs a similar system every night, and perimenopause insomnia can crack the door open for years before anyone notices. I walk you through a randomized trial showing that sleeping about ninety minutes less each night raised insulin resistance in women within six weeks, with no weight gain, and why the effect was stronger after menopause. We also talk about why deep sleep matters as much as total hours, and why the usual over-the-counter sleep aids can work against you.Then I give you the evening-to-morning protocol I use with my patients, from a simple post-dinner walk to the options I discuss when hot flashes are still waking you up.What you’ll learn:* How short or fragmented sleep drives insulin resistance and higher fasting glucose* Why menopause and perimenopause sleep problems raise type 2 diabetes risk* A bedtime routine for better deep sleep, including warm showers, kiwifruit, and cyclic sighing* How to handle hot flashes and night sweats at night without wrecking your sleep* Where hormone therapy, gabapentin, low-dose doxepin, and CBT-I fit for menopause insomnia* Why consistent sleep and wake times and morning light protect your blood sugarDr. Marbas Substack Article: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/p/if-your-fasting-glucose-is-creepingCheck out the Habit Healers Community: https://www.skool.com/habithealers/about Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe

Thank you Helene Broitman, Heather in 🇬🇷, David Hawkins, Afsi, Karen Frye, and many others for tuning into my live video with Chef Martin Oswald! Join me for my next live video in the app. Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe

Can a weighted vest help prevent osteoporosis and improve insulin resistance? The research says a small amount of added weight, worn while you walk or do everyday chores, may be one of the simplest ways to protect your bones and your metabolism as you age.In this episode of The Habit Healers Podcast, I walk you through the science of putting gravity back into your life. You’ll learn how your body’s internal gravity sensor, called the mechanostat, decides how strong your bones need to be, and why it cares more about load than calcium. I share a five-year study where postmenopausal women wearing light weighted vests kept their hip bone density while women without them lost it, plus an eight-week study where “skinny fat” women who wore a vest during circuit training cut their insulin resistance by 27 percent. Then we talk about the minimal effective dose, why more weight isn’t better, and how to build a weighted vest walking habit without hurting your knees or joints.What you’ll learn:* How a weighted vest supports bone density and may help slow osteoporosis after menopause* Why weighted vest workouts improved insulin resistance and body composition* What “skinny fat” means and why looking thin doesn’t always mean metabolically healthy* The minimal effective dose: why 5 to 10 percent of your body weight is the sweet spot* How weighted vest walking and everyday chores can turn into strength training* Why consistency matters more than intensity for long-term bone healthDr. Marbas Substack Article: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/p/is-a-weighted-vest-the-cure-for-theCheck out the Habit Healers Community: https://www.skool.com/habithealers/about Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe

Why is it so hard to be alone with your thoughts, and why does your hand reach for your phone the second you’re bored? In one famous study, people chose to give themselves an electric shock rather than sit quietly with their own minds for fifteen minutes.In this episode of The Habit Healers Podcast, I walk you through that research and what it reveals about boredom, distraction, and why we reach for screens. Your phone, a book, and music all do the work for you, like a player piano. Your own mind is more like a regular piano, where every note has to come from you. That takes real effort, and it’s why quiet time feels so uncomfortable. The good news is there’s a simple fix backed by follow-up studies, and it doesn’t require meditation experience or a digital detox. It takes one index card and a few minutes. I’ll show you how to make one, where to keep it, and what to put on it so your quiet moments become something you actually enjoy.What you’ll learn:* Why being alone with your thoughts feels so hard, and why it’s not a sign your mind is broken* How phone habits fill every bored moment, and what to reach for instead* The simple “thinking card” that made quiet time more enjoyable in research studies* Which kinds of thoughts boost enjoyment, and why to leave work off your list* What doesn’t help, including planning your daydream in detail or fidgeting* How to start a screen-free habit tonight in under five minutesDr. Marbas Substack Article: https://drlauriemarbas.substack.com/p/how-to-enjoy-your-own-imaginationCheck out the Habit Healers Community: https://www.skool.com/habithealers/about Get full access to The Habit Healers at drlauriemarbas.substack.com/subscribe