296: Emerge From Behind Logo - with Paige Velasquez Budde
BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast
Release Date: 12/18/2025
301: The Menopause Gut Connection - with Cynthia Thurlow
BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast
The conversation around menopause is evolving toward a more holistic understanding of this transition. One crucial, yet often overlooked, aspect is the profound connection between menopause and gut health. Nurse practitioner Cynthia Thurlow is shedding light on what she terms the "menopause gut" to help women navigate this stage with vitality. The Gut-Hormone Connection Hormonal shifts during perimenopause and menopause have a direct and significant impact on the gut microbiome. This complex ecosystem of trillions of microbes is intricately linked to nearly every system in our body. As Thurlow...
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300: Roadmap to Tinnitus Relief - with Ben Thompson
BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast
While many perceive tinnitus as a problem solely with the ears, it is actually a neurological condition occurring in the auditory brain. The Auditory Brain Connection Because the brain possesses neuroplasticity—the ability to adapt and change—this "brain buzz" is not necessarily a permanent condition.In a deep dive into the subject, Dr. Ben Thompson, an audiologist and tinnitus expert, reveals that Tinnitus is not a disease itself, but rather a symptom of an underlying issue within the auditory system. The Impact of Stress A healthy brain typically utilizes a filter mechanism to...
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299: Fertility Beyond Biological Clock - with Gabriela Rosa
BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast
For decades, the conversation around starting a family has been dominated by a single, ticking sound: the biological clock. We're told that age is the ultimate arbiter of reproductive success. But according to Harvard-awarded fertility specialist Gabriela Rosa, age is only one piece of a much larger puzzle. If you've been told that your "labs are normal" but you still aren't pregnant, or if you're facing the daunting prospect of IVF, it's time to look deeper. Based on Gabriela Rosa's pioneering F.E.R.T.I.L.E. Method, here's why health matters more than age, and what's truly missing from the...
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298: Organic to Regenerative Agriculture - with Jeffrey Burke
BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast
Dr. Burke started working in health food stores while in college at the University of Michigan. In the late 70s and early 80s, he worked with industry pioneer Dr. Earl Mandel, eventually managing a chain of 170 stores. For 42 years, he hosted a national radio talk show focused on health. He now hosts the Honest Health with Jeffrey Burke podcast and serves as the Director of Education for Kokora Life, founded by Rick Scalzo. The Industry Evolution He credits his interest in natural medicine to his Ukrainian and Polish grandmother, who used to forage for mushrooms and dandelion tea and kept a...
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297: Insurance Rigged Against You - with Chris Hamilton
BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast
Health insurance in America is expensive on purpose, not by accident. Chris Hamilton argues that confusion and hidden incentives are the real products big carriers sell… and employers and employees pay the price. How Insurance Giants Game the System Under federal rules, large insurers in the USA can only keep about 15 percent of premiums as profit, which sounds protective until you realize it pushes them to grow the total cost of care. To do that, they've built a "massive ecosystem that's able to bill the insurance company" by buying physician groups, pharmacies, and pharmacy benefit...
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296: Emerge From Behind Logo - with Paige Velasquez Budde
BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast
The old playbook of "buy ads, rank for keywords, and wait for patients" is failing. According to Paige Velasquez Budde, CEO of Zilker Media and author of The Strategic Business Influencer, we've entered an era of "corporate suspicion." Trust in institutions is at an all-time low, while trust in individuals is skyrocketing. For health and wellness organizations, you can no longer rely on your company brand alone. AI Search Demands Leader Visibility Patients now find health providers through AI platforms like ChatGPT, not just Google. Budde calls this Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Unlike...
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295: Your Fatigue Has Hidden Roots - with Martha Carlin
BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast
Are you constantly battling fatigue, brain fog, and persistent bloating? You might be dealing with a silent instigator: LPS endotoxins. We recently dove deep into this topic with Martha Carlin, a pioneering microbiome researcher and founder of The BioCollective. Here's what you need to know about this stealthy driver of chronic inflammation. What is LPS? LPS, or lipopolysaccharide, is an endotoxin—a component of the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria in your gut. While these bacteria are normal, problems arise when they die and release inflammatory debris. In a healthy gut, this isn't a...
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294: Oral Health “Mouth Mapping” - Jonathan Levine
BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast
With long-term health, the mouth is often overlooked. For most people, the dentist is someone only seen for a cleaning or to fix a problem like a cavity or crown. However, according to Dr. Jonathan B. Levine, a world-renowned oral health expert, we are undergoing a massive paradigm shift. It is time to stop seeing the mouth as separate and recognize it as a critical data center for your entire body's well-being. This new approach, which Dr. Levine's practice calls "mouth mapping," is poised to change how we manage everything from heart disease to sleep. The Biological Connection: Mouth...
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293: Not Willpower, Your Roots - with Amber Romaniuk
BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast
It is a staggering statistic that an estimated 90% of women and up to 50% of men in North America struggle with binge and emotional eating. For those caught in this exhausting cycle—marked by shame, frustration, and the feeling of being completely out of control—the common response is often another diet, followed by self-blame for lacking willpower. However, according to emotional eating and hormone expert Amber Romaniuk, focusing on willpower is exactly the wrong approach. Individuals are attempting to fix a deep, multi-layered issue with a surface-level solution. The true healing, she...
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292: The Key to Aging Strong - with Alan Rozanski
BIOptimizers - Awesome Health Podcast
We all want to age with vitality and independence. Yet, there's a stark statistic looming over Americans: 1 in 3 people over 65 will suffer a fall. This "overlooked aging crisis" isn't just about a broken bone; it's often the starting point for a decline in health, confidence, and independence. According to Dr. Alan Rozanski, a distinguished professor of medicine, the solution isn't a new drug or a complex medical procedure. It's a proactive, powerful strategy he calls "muscle care." The Real Reason We Fall The primary driver behind this crisis is a natural process that we've accepted for too...
info_outlineThe old playbook of "buy ads, rank for keywords, and wait for patients" is failing. According to Paige Velasquez Budde, CEO of Zilker Media and author of The Strategic Business Influencer, we've entered an era of "corporate suspicion." Trust in institutions is at an all-time low, while trust in individuals is skyrocketing. For health and wellness organizations, you can no longer rely on your company brand alone.
AI Search Demands Leader Visibility
Patients now find health providers through AI platforms like ChatGPT, not just Google. Budde calls this Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Unlike traditional SEO, AI platforms prioritize trust and credibility over keywords.
"You've gotta earn trust, people to people. It's no longer people to logo," Budde emphasizes.
When AI aggregates answers about wellness clinics, it searches for verified, authoritative sources—leaders who are visible, cited, and trusted. "If you are thinking you can pay your way to AI discoverability, that is not the case right now," says Budde. If you hide behind a corporate logo, AI platforms may overlook you entirely. A lack of personal visibility "is actually hurting you."
PR Outpaces Traditional SEO
Today, "It's no longer the loudest one that wins, it's the most trusted." While SEO remains relevant, Public Relations and Micromedia build trust faster with both AI algorithms and human patients.
You don't need CNN. Niche channels carry more weight. Budde distinguishes between "Name Brand" media like Forbes and "Micromedia"—industry podcasts, niche blogs, and influencers. She estimates "about 60% or more [of AI citations] come from true journalistic content." Without media coverage, you're invisible to the algorithms defining search's future.
When featured on a respected podcast or blog, you borrow their trust through "Authority by association." Health practice owners get discovered and trusted faster than by publishing on their own blog alone.
Audit Your Digital Presence
You don't need a million followers. You simply need to influence the right 500 people.
Treat your digital presence like a passport—verified and accurate. Google yourself in Incognito Mode. Search your name in ChatGPT and ask, "Who is [Your Name]?" If AI doesn't know you or the information is wrong, you have a discoverability problem.
Ditch stock photos. Authenticity builds trust. "Throw stock images out the door as much as you can," Budde advises. Use photos of you in action—leading a class, speaking to patients, or teaching.
Think Like an Editor
Stop thinking like a marketer and start thinking like a media outlet. Budde suggests a specific content mix to keep audiences engaged without burning them out on sales pitches:
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40% News-Driven: Commentary on headlines and new health studies
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40% Relationship-Driven: Interviewing peers and partners (creating a "win-win")
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20% You-Driven: Your personal story and promotional material
Don't build your house on rented land. Social media algorithms change constantly. Use your social media and PR wins to drive traffic back to assets you control: your website, your email list, or your podcast.
In this podcast you'll learn:
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Why AI search and GEO make individual leader visibility critical for health and wellness organizations
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How PR, micromedia, and thought leadership strategies can help wellness and health practice owners
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Actionable steps health and wellness leaders can take to elevate their credibility and create a durable reputation
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