Breaking Free from Toxic Overload
The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai
Release Date: 07/18/2025
From Military Service to VA Benefits Champion: How One Navy Doctor is Fighting the System for Veterans
The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai
Dr. Matt Wilyonson, a former Navy orthopedic surgeon and current Chief Medical Officer of Woobie.io, shares his powerful journey from serving 10+ years in the military to becoming a fierce advocate for veterans navigating the broken VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) disability system. The VA is the U.S. government agency responsible for providing healthcare, benefits, and support to military veterans, but as Dr. Wilyonson reveals, it often fails those it's meant to serve. After witnessing firsthand how hardworking service members were being shortchanged by bureaucratic red tape while serving...
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Environmental Toxins and Mycotoxins: The Hidden Health Crisis
The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai
Dr. Dennis Hooper, founder of Real Time Laboratories and a pioneer in mycotoxin testing, shares his personal journey from growing up in Nevada's nuclear testing zone to becoming a leading expert in environmental toxicity. After his family and community developed widespread autoimmune diseases from nuclear fallout and mining toxins, Dr. Hooper dedicated his career to understanding and testing for environmental toxins, particularly mycotoxins from mold. He discusses the widespread nature of mold exposure, the importance of proper testing methods, and why treating the whole patient—not just...
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The Protein Problem: Why Most People Aren't Getting Enough (And What to Do About It)
The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai
In this enlightening episode of the Urban Monk Podcast, host Pedram Shojai engages with Angelo from Kion to investigate one of the most misunderstood aspects of nutrition: protein. Moving beyond the polarized debates and one-size-fits-all advice, Angelo explains the fundamental science of why protein is literally the building material of your body - not just another energy source like carbs and fats. The conversation addresses the challenges of getting adequate protein as we age, the critical difference between essential and non-essential amino acids, and why traditional approaches to protein...
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AI, Consciousness, and the Quest for Human Vitality: A Deep Dive with Dr. Srini Pillay
The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai
In this enlightening episode of the Urban Monk Podcast, host Pedram Shojai engages with Dr. Srini Pillay, a psychiatrist, brain researcher, and author, to investigate the intersection of artificial intelligence, human consciousness, and the concept of living with vitality in an increasingly dynamic world. The conversation addresses the challenges of navigating the uncertainties associated with the AI revolution through curiosity rather than fear, the risks of delegating our emotional experiences to technology, and the potential shortcomings of the current longevity movement. Dr. Pillay shares...
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Hacking the Vagus Nerve: How a Rocket Scientist's $200 Device Replaced $30,000 Medical Equipment
The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai
When rocket scientist Mark Fox started experiencing debilitating anxiety around blood pressure measurements that haunted him for 40 years, he never imagined he'd become a pioneer in nervous system healing technology. In this groundbreaking conversation with Dr. Pedram Shojai, Mark reveals how his skepticism transformed into innovation as he developed the Vaguvibe - a pendant that increases heart rate variability by up to 50% in just 30 minutes. From teachers reporting dramatic improvements in students' attention without medication changes to trauma survivors finding peace after decades of...
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From Sun Fear to Sun Healing: Reclaiming Our Natural Relationship with Light
The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai
When conventional wisdom tells us the sun is our enemy, Nadine Artemis stands as a beacon of truth, challenging decades of fear-based programming about sun exposure. Broadcasting from her stunning lakeside property in Ontario, Canada, Nadine dismantles the modern myth that sunlight is dangerous and reveals how our ancestors understood something we've forgotten: the sun is essential medicine for optimal health. From the Nobel Prize-winning heliotherapy practices of 1902 to modern understanding of vitamin D receptors and mitochondrial function, this eye-opening conversation with Dr. Pedram...
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Your Health Coach Will See You Now
The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai
In this compelling conversation, Dr. Sandi Scheinbaum, founder of the Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach Institute, joins Pedram to discuss the transformative power of health coaching in our broken healthcare system. With over 50 years in the field and 5,000+ coaches trained worldwide, Dr. Sandi shares her journey from special education teacher to clinical psychologist to pioneering health coach educator. The discussion explores how health coaching addresses the critical gaps in modern healthcare—from the loss of bedside manner to the rush of 7-minute appointments—by empowering...
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Breaking Free from Toxic Overload
The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai
Dr. Aly Cohen, integrative rheumatologist and author of "Detoxify," reveals the shocking truth about modern toxic exposure: we're surrounded by over 95,000 synthetic chemicals that didn't exist 75 years ago, yet medical schools don't teach doctors about their health impacts. From air fresheners and personal care products to canned foods and cleaning supplies, these everyday items are contributing to autoimmune diseases, hormone disruption, chronic fatigue, and even early puberty in children. Rather than preaching doom and gloom, Dr. Cohen offers her practical "Four A's" framework for...
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Beyond the Scope: Gut Health, Polyphenols, and the Real Medicine of Lifestyle
The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai
Dr. Ken Brown, a practicing gastroenterologist and researcher, joins host Pedram Shojai for an in-depth conversation about the evolution of gut health medicine. From his groundbreaking work with Dr. Mark Pimentel on SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) to his discovery of polyphenols that reduce methane-producing bacteria, Dr. Brown shares insights from 25 years of clinical practice. The discussion covers the limitations of traditional scopes, the challenges of medical research funding, and why sleep, stress management, and whole foods form the foundation of gut health—before any...
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From Toxic Babies to Clean Homes: How One Dad's Chemical Crisis Sparked a Non-Toxic Revolution
The Urban Monk podcast with Dr. Pedram Shojai
When Stephen Ezell's newborn son broke out in a horrific rash from toxic laundry detergent, it set him on an 18-year mission that would transform him from a restaurant owner into one of America's leading non-toxic product manufacturers. In this eye-opening conversation with Dr. Pedram Shojai, Ezell reveals the shocking truth about household chemicals lurking in our homes - from the 200+ toxic compounds found in newborn umbilical cord blood to the disturbing reality that 82% of consumers equate "clean" with artificial scent rather than actual cleanliness. Ezell shares the wild journey of...
info_outlineDr. Aly Cohen, integrative rheumatologist and author of "Detoxify," reveals the shocking truth about modern toxic exposure: we're surrounded by over 95,000 synthetic chemicals that didn't exist 75 years ago, yet medical schools don't teach doctors about their health impacts. From air fresheners and personal care products to canned foods and cleaning supplies, these everyday items are contributing to autoimmune diseases, hormone disruption, chronic fatigue, and even early puberty in children.
Rather than preaching doom and gloom, Dr. Cohen offers her practical "Four A's" framework for navigating environmental health without perfectionism or judgment. She shares real patient success stories, addresses the social challenges of living "clean" in a toxic world, and provides actionable strategies for high-impact changes that won't break the bank. This conversation is essential for anyone wondering why they don't feel well despite doing "all the right things" - the answer might be hiding in plain sight in your daily routine.