#223 — VO₂ Max and The Science Behind CAROL Bike: 8-Minute Workouts to Boost VO₂ Max, Metabolism & Longevity with Ulrich Dempfle

Ready to upgrade your health, energy, and longevity? Download my free 10 Life & Longevity Hacks Playbook → https://longevity-and-lifestyle.com/freebie This episode is brought to you by: Axolt, a daily brain drink with 46 carefully selected ingredients, no caffeine or stimulants, and formulated with input from neurologists and brain health researchers: https://axoltbrain.com/claudia Get 20% off through the link above Why is sugar so hard to resist, even when you know it is not helping your health? Claudia speaks with Sander Brus, scientist, entrepreneur, and founder of NoSu Health, about the biology behind cravings and how to change your relationship with sugar. After COVID temporarily took away his sense of taste, Sander stopped reaching for Coca-Cola, changed his eating habits, and lost 15 kilograms. This sparked his exploration of taste receptors, dopamine, and food reward. They discuss how ultra-processed foods keep us coming back, why willpower alone often fails, and how glucose swings, GLP-1 medications, and satiety influence appetite. Sander also explains NoSu Health and Gymnema sylvestre, the “sugar destroyer,” which can temporarily reduce sweet taste. Plus, discover how at-home diagnostics and AI-powered retinal imaging could support earlier detection of health risks. IN THIS EPISODE • Sugar cravings, dopamine, and the “bliss point” • Blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, and GLP-1s • Gymnema sylvestre and sweet taste receptors • Practical ways to reduce sugar • At-home diagnostics and AI retinal scans • Prevention, behavior change, and enjoying life TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 01:29 Surfing, dopamine, and big-wave risk 04:47 Claudia’s father’s stroke recovery 09:45 How losing taste changed Sander’s relationship with food 10:30 The “bliss point” and engineered food reward 12:55 How appearance and texture change how much we eat 14:22 Why sugar is so hard to resist 15:00 Dopamine and the brain’s reward pathway 15:55 Big Tobacco and Big Food 17:00 Why willpower is not enough 19:14 GLP-1s and addictive behavior 20:25 Why ultra-processed food is so difficult to resist 22:29 Why sugary breakfasts can trigger more cravings 23:19 The glucose rollercoaster 25:28 How quitting sugar changed Sander’s body 26:26 The story behind NoSu Health 27:00 Blocking sweet taste receptors 28:49 Reducing glucose spikes and crashes 29:32 Gymnema sylvestre and metabolic health 31:08 Where to start if you want to reduce sugar 31:56 How taste buds can reset 32:39 Different ways to use NoSu 35:55 Rewiring the reward response to sugar 37:20 Is sugar really as addictive as cocaine? 38:35 The science behind Gymnema sylvestre 40:00 Sugar hiding under different names 40:30 NoSu’s ongoing research 42:17 Can NoSu complement GLP-1 medications? 43:43 Sander’s other health-tech companies 44:19 The future of at-home diagnostics 47:14 Using the retina to assess cardiovascular health 48:42 Retina scans vs CT calcium scoring 50:38 Why early detection matters 53:08 AI, health technology, and behavior change 55:45 Where to follow Sander 56:31 Sander’s final longevity advice ABOUT SANDER BRUS Sander Brus is a Dutch scientist and entrepreneur working across metabolic health, diagnostics, sustainability, and AI. He founded NoSu Health and AUCAS Diagnostics and works with IRO on AI-powered retinal imaging for cardiovascular risk assessment. #SanderBrus #SugarCravings #MetabolicHealth #Dopamine #UltraProcessedFood #BloodSugar #Longevity #HealthyAging

Ready to upgrade your health, energy, and longevity? Download my free 10 Life & Longevity Hacks Playbook and start living smarter, stronger, and longer → https://longevity-and-lifestyle.com/freebie This episode is brought to you by: BioLongevity Labs, science-led supplements supporting mitochondrial function, gut resilience, recovery, and eye health, with transparent ingredients and third-party testing: https://BioLongevitySupplements.com Get 20% off with code CLAUDIA20. Axolt, a daily brain drink with 46 carefully selected ingredients, no caffeine or stimulants, and formulated with input from neurologists and brain health researchers: https://axoltbrain.com/claudia Get 20% off through the link above What if your future self stopped feeling like a stranger and became someone you could talk to, learn from, and feel responsible for? Claudia speaks with Gazal Vakili, founder and CEO of Future Self, an AI-powered personal transformation platform that helps people connect with who they want to become. With more than 15 years of experience across clinical research, biotech, digital health, virtual reality, cognitive science, and AI-enabled health technologies, Gazal explores how our beliefs and identity influence today's choices. Discover how AI voice cloning, personalized meditations, visualization, and daily micro-actions can help bring your future identity into the present. Together, Claudia and Gazal explore purpose, intuition, self-worth, and learning to listen to yourself. IN THIS EPISODE • Imposter syndrome, identity, and the power of belief • Silent meditation, intuition, and self-awareness • Why we treat our future selves like strangers • The psychology of future-self continuity • Creating an emotionally meaningful future vision • AI voice cloning and future-self conversations • Personalized meditations and daily micro-actions • Why worthiness cannot come from achievement TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 04:33 Gazal’s journey into Future Self 05:27 Imposter syndrome 06:00 The placebo effect and belief 07:38 Identity and expectations 08:24 Childhood and self-belief 09:17 Reprogramming identity 11:34 The Future Self mission 12:36 Voice cloning and inner wisdom 14:21 Silent meditation 15:28 Sitting with your thoughts 17:27 Intuition vs the monkey mind 18:08 Observing your thoughts 18:58 Journaling for answers 21:08 Your future self as a stranger 23:38 Future-self continuity 24:56 Connecting with your future identity 26:50 Why identity is not fixed 27:24 How beliefs filter reality 29:16 Creating a bold future vision 30:24 Making your future feel real 31:00 Talking to your future self 32:50 Daily guidance and micro-actions 34:05 Multi-sensory visualization 35:31 Meditations in your own voice 36:29 Weekly future-self check-ins 38:03 Gazal’s transformation 39:08 An emotional future-self encounter 40:38 Becoming an entrepreneur 41:45 Gazal’s daily practice 44:09 Questioning your identity 45:17 Listening to yourself 45:56 What’s next for Future Self 46:58 Gazal’s final message LEARN MORE ABOUT FUTURE SELF Website: https://www.future-self.ai/ Join the waitlist for updates on beta access and future availability. #GazalVakili #FutureSelf #AI #Identity #Mindset #Visualization #HumanPotential #PersonalGrowth #LongevityPodcast

Ready to upgrade your health, energy, and longevity? Download my free 10 Life & Longevity Hacks Playbook → https://longevity-and-lifestyle.com/freebie Join Claudia at Eudēmonia in West Palm Beach this November! Get 10% off eligible Standard and Enhanced badges with code LONGEVITYANDLIFESTYLE → https://eudemonia.net/longevityandlifestyle What’s the point of living to 100 if you’re not truly enjoying your life? In this special episode of The Longevity & Lifestyle Podcast, Claudia welcomes Sean Hoess, Founder and CEO of Eudēmonia, to explore why longevity is about more than living longer. From corporate law to co-founding Wanderlust and creating Eudēmonia, Sean shares his journey and the importance of purpose, community, fulfillment, and evidence-based wellness. They discuss the evolution of wellness, the power of human connection, navigating health information, self-experimentation, and what makes Eudēmonia a unique gathering for the longevity community. IN THIS EPISODE • Sean’s journey from corporate law to Wanderlust and Eudēmonia • Why purpose and fulfillment are essential to longevity • The evolution of evidence-based wellness • How community and connection influence well-being • Why failure and experimentation support growth • Navigating health information and scientific integrity • Peptides, self-experimentation, and safety • What makes Eudēmonia different and what’s new this November TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 01:13 Sean’s journey into entrepreneurship 05:24 Building Wanderlust and lessons learned 11:40 The inspiration behind Eudēmonia 13:15 Living well versus living longer 15:13 The evolution of wellness 17:48 Bridging wellness communities 20:55 Encouraging respectful debate 22:42 Why purpose matters for longevity 25:58 Finding purpose through experimentation 30:55 What makes Eudēmonia different 33:22 Scientific integrity and commercial influence 38:13 Peptides and self-experimentation 44:01 What’s new at Eudēmonia 46:15 Sean’s final message on purpose ABOUT SEAN HOESS Sean Hoess is the Founder and CEO of Eudēmonia and co-founder of Wanderlust. His work brings together longevity science, fitness, mindfulness, and community to help people make informed health decisions and live more fulfilling lives. COME JOIN US AT EUDĒMONIA Join Claudia in West Palm Beach this November and enjoy 10% off eligible Standard and Enhanced badges with code LONGEVITYANDLIFESTYLE. https://eudemonia.net/longevityandlifestyle #SeanHoess #Eudemonia #Longevity #Wellness #Purpose #Biohacking #HealthyAging #LongevityPodcast

Ready to upgrade your health, energy, and longevity? Download my free 10 Life & Longevity Hacks Playbook → https://longevity-and-lifestyle.com/freebie This episode is brought to you by: BioLongevity Labs, science-led supplements supporting mitochondrial function, gut resilience, recovery, and eye health, with transparent ingredients and third-party testing: https://BioLongevitySupplements.com Get 20% off with code CLAUDIA20. Axolt, a daily brain drink with 46 carefully selected ingredients, no caffeine or stimulants, formulated with input from neurologists and brain health researchers: https://axoltbrain.com/claudia Get 20% off automatically through the link above. No code needed. What if brain health depends on the entire infrastructure that keeps neurons alive, fueled, and protected? Claudia speaks with Martin Valovsky, co-founder of Axolt Brain, about the overlooked systems supporting long-term brain health, from glial cells and astrocytes to blood flow, the blood-brain barrier, the glymphatic system, and mitochondria. They explore how brain damage can accumulate silently, how APOE4 influences risk, and why daily habits matter before symptoms appear. Martin shares his experience with double-copy APOE4, why he stopped drinking alcohol, his concerns about sugar, and why he prioritizes movement. They also discuss Axolt’s formulation, polyphenols, bioavailability, and ingredient safety. IN THIS EPISODE • Glial cells, astrocytes, and the brain’s support systems • The blood-brain barrier and glymphatic clearance • Sleep, mitochondria, and brain energy • APOE4 and Martin’s personal journey • Movement, alcohol, sugar, and daily habits • Polyphenols, bioavailability, and Axolt’s formulation • Supplement safety and when to consult your doctor TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Introduction 03:54 Why brain health matters 04:29 Brain health as an infrastructure problem 05:30 Blood-brain barrier and brain protection 06:30 The glymphatic system and brain cleaning 07:49 Why glial cells matter 08:55 Astrocytes: the brain’s “IT system” 10:00 Oligodendrocytes and brain signaling 11:37 Mitochondria and brain energy 12:13 How much control do we have over brain aging? 12:36 APOE4 and Martin’s personal motivation 14:26 Axolt Brain partner message 16:08 The fundamentals of brain longevity 16:23 Why Martin stopped drinking alcohol 17:00 Why he considers sugar a major culprit 17:30 Why movement comes first 18:30 Polyphenols and brain health 19:47 Building the Axolt formula 20:08 Three years of formulation work 21:00 Safety and ingredient selection 22:00 Bioavailability and the blood-brain barrier 23:30 Spearmint, memory, and brain nutrition 24:18 What users report 25:27 Who should speak to their doctor 25:50 Peptides and brain health 27:11 Martin’s final message ABOUT MARTIN VALOVSKY Martin Valovsky is the co-founder of Axolt Brain, a daily brain nutrition company focused on long-term cognitive performance and brain health. After more than a decade in the high-pressure defense industry, Martin and his co-founder experienced burnout, brain fog, and poor sleep. This led them to explore the brain’s nutritional needs and develop Axolt with neurologists, researchers, and scientific advisors. #MartinValovsky #AxoltBrain #BrainHealth #Longevity #CognitiveHealth #APOE4 #GlymphaticSystem #HealthyAging #LongevityPodcast

Ready to upgrade your health, energy, and longevity? Download my free 10 Life & Longevity Hacks Playbook and start living smarter, stronger, and longer → https://longevity-and-lifestyle.com/freebie