After 40, it can feel like your body rewrote all the rules overnight. The weight seems harder to lose. Energy feels elusive. And your hormones? They’re suddenly calling the shots. But what if it didn’t have to be so confusing?

In this episode of the Five Rivers Podcast by Heald, Personal Trainer for 50+ & Best Selling Author, Igor Klibanov joins us to decode the changes women face after 40. With a knack for blending science, strategy, and a touch of humor, Igor breaks down what’s really happening inside your body and how to work with it, rather than against it.

We cut through the myths and noise to bring you real, practical solutions. No fad diets. No magic pills. Just the honest truth about how to feel like yourself again, stronger, more energetic, and more confident than ever.

Here’s what you’ll take away from this episode:

● Why hormonal shifts can make weight management feel impossible, and how to tip the balance back in your favor

● The surprising link between sleep, stress, and stubborn fat

● How to eat in your 40s and beyond without feeling restricted or overwhelmed

● Why strength training is more important now than ever before

● Small, consistent habits that create big results over time

Whether you’re navigating perimenopause, struggling with low energy, or simply wondering how to keep your health on track, this conversation will give you clarity and actionable steps to take control of your wellness journey.

Igor’s perspective is refreshingly real and unexpectedly quirky, proving that health over 40 doesn’t have to feel like a battle. With the right approach, it can be an opportunity to reset, refocus, and thrive.

Visit HealD for more resources on diabetes management!

Can your sleep habits make or break your blood sugar levels? In this eye-opening episode of Five Rivers, your host Preetpal Singh sits down with integrative health expert Shilpa Pandey to unpack the hidden but powerful connection between sleep quality and blood glucose regulation—especially for those navigating type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance.

Sleep isn’t just for rest; it’s a critical regulator of your metabolism, hormones, and glucose control. And if you're skipping sleep or dealing with poor-quality rest, it could be silently sabotaging your health. Whether you're dealing with prediabetes, chronic fatigue, or unexplained glucose spikes, this episode provides actionable insights into how your circadian rhythm might be the missing piece in your diabetes reversal journey.

Visit HealD for more resources on diabetes management!

Family History & Diabetes Risk: What One Must Check at 30+ is the question every American millennial and Gen-Xer should be asking right now. In this revealing Five Rivers episode, powered by Heald, host Dr Sumeet sits down with precision-wellness strategist Todd Smith to map out exactly what one must check at 30 plus if family history hints that diabetes risk is lurking in the genes. Whether you’re a health-curious viewer, a seasoned Type 2 diabetes coach, or a health podcaster hunting fresh angles, this 14-minute master-class shows how early screening turns frightening odds into actionable insight..

Remember: family history may load the gun, but daily habits pull (or don’t pull) the trigger. What one must check at 30+ is simple; doing it is life-changing. Hit Subscribe, ring the bell, and forward this video to a sibling who keeps saying, “I’ll worry at forty.” Your prevention countdown starts at 30+, let’s beat genetic odds together.

Visit HealD for more resources on diabetes management!

Advanced Glycation Explained: How to Look 10 Years Younger is the skin-savvy, science-rich episode of Five Rivers that teaches you how to slow visible aging while slashing hidden Type 2 diabetes damage. Host Dr Sumeet teams up with integrative-nutrition analyst Shannon Davis to translate the complex chemistry of advanced glycation into simple food, cooking, and lifestyle tweaks you can start tonight. If you want to look 10 years younger, lower A1C, and create share-worthy wellness content, this 26-minute master class belongs on your watch list.

When excess glucose or fructose collides with proteins in your bloodstream, the reaction called advanced glycation creates sticky compounds known as AGEs (Advanced Glycation End products). These AGEs cross-link collagen, stiffen arteries, cloud eye lenses, and accelerate nerve damage. People with unmanaged blood sugar or char-grilled diets build AGEs rapidly, aging skin and organs in parallel. Shannon Davis explains how sugar-protein “caramelization” inside the body mimics that golden crust on barbecue—and how swapping cooking methods, sequencing carbs, and adding antioxidant spices can drop AGE intake by 45 % in a week.

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Habit Stacking for Health: Small Steps, Big Impact is the spotlight topic on this week’s Five Rivers podcast, proudly powered by Heald. Host Preetpal Singh sits down with behavioral-change strategist Nadeem Ashraf to prove that disciplined Habit design—not heroic motivation—drives lasting results for metabolic Health. Whether you’re living with Type 2 Diabetes, producing evidence-based wellness content, or simply tired of white-knuckle programs that fizzle, this episode shows how Small routines deliver a Big Impact when they’re carefully Stacking onto anchors you already perform.

A 2025 JAMA Network analysis found adults who added one friction-free Habit each week lost 5 lb more and cut fasting insulin 12 % compared with “all-at-once” dieters. Meanwhile, Stanford’s Behavior Design Lab reports that Stacking routines improved six-month adherence to exercise prescriptions by 43 %—proof that Small Steps create a Big metabolic Impact even in high-stress U.S. lifestyles.

Visit HealD for more resources on diabetes management!

In this powerful episode of Five Rivers, sponsored by Heald, host Dr. Sumeet Arora is joined by Dr. Todd Smith, a seasoned physician, to explore the evolving landscape of diabetes management in today’s world. Titled “Culture, Care & CGMs: Key to Modern Diabetes Management”, this conversation dives deep into how personalized care, cultural sensitivity, and the use of Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) are reshaping the way we approach Type 2 diabetes and metabolic health in the U.S.

Dr. Smith shares firsthand clinical insights on why early intervention in pre-diabetes is critical, how emotional and financial burdens compound after a diabetes diagnosis, and what healthcare systems can do to catch and reverse insulin resistance before it escalates. Discover how CGMs aren't just for the tech-savvy—they’re an empowering behavior modification tool that enables users to track real-time blood glucose trends, identify triggers, and actively reverse metabolic decline.

What makes this episode especially relevant is the attention to health disparities and the need for culturally competent care. Dr. Smith outlines real-world examples from his practice in Minneapolis, where diverse communities such as Somali and Southeast Asian populations bring unique dietary habits, languages, and family structures to the healthcare table. The discussion highlights how understanding cultural nuances and removing judgment from care conversations can make or break a patient’s long-term outcome.

You’ll also hear about the SMART goal approach in diabetes care, the importance of educational resources, the role of AI and health apps in interpreting CGM data, and why mental health support is a non-negotiable element in chronic disease care.

Visit HealD for more resources on diabetes management!

Are you constantly tired, struggling to lose weight, or waking up feeling foggy, even after a full night’s rest? In this eye-opening episode of Five Rivers, sponsored by Heald, host Preetpal Singh sits down with Dr. Shilpa Pandey, a board-certified sleep medicine expert, to decode how poor sleep could be sabotaging your metabolism, hormones, and long-term health.

Titled "Tired and Gaining Weight? Your Sleep Hormones Are to Blame", this conversation dives deep into the misunderstood connection between sleep deprivation, weight gain, and chronic conditions like Type 2 diabetes. Dr. Pandey breaks down how critical hormones like leptin and ghrelin regulate hunger and satiety and how disrupted sleep throws them completely out of balance.

From understanding the difference between fatigue vs. sleepiness to learning about sleep's effect on your immune system, blood pressure, and insulin sensitivity, this episode is packed with science-based insights and relatable real-life scenarios. You’ll also hear about how shift work, blue light exposure, and late-night snacking loops can trigger metabolic chaos that no amount of willpower can fix without restoring sleep quality.

This isn’t just about getting 8 hours of sleep, it’s about hormonal timing, circadian rhythm alignment, and recognizing the early signs of sleep disorders.

If you’re on a wellness journey, trying to reverse insulin resistance, or wondering why your best efforts at dieting still leave you stuck, this conversation will change the way you think about restorative sleep as a foundation for metabolic health and weight management.

Visit HealD for more resources on diabetes management!

Hunger, Hormones and Health: What Your Body’s Really Telling You kicks off this week’s Five Rivers episode, powered by Heald, and delivers a front-row seat to the most important conversation happening inside your body right now. Host Preetpal Singh welcomes ultramarathon runner, CEO, and founder of an IT company Vinayak Sharma to decode how everyday hunger signals, master hormones, and whole-person health metrics interact, information every U.S. viewer managing Type 2 diabetes, pursuing wellness, or producing health podcasts needs to hear.

The CDC projects one-third of Americans may develop diabetes by 2050, yet most treatment still ignores the hormonal conversation beneath calorie counts. Vinayak shows how small, evidence-backed changes to meal timing, nutrient ratios, nightly wind-downs, let your body’s real messages surface, lowering A1C, reducing visceral fat, and boosting morning energy without crash diets.

Visit HealD for more resources on diabetes management!