Ep 044: Spry and Spunky at 74 - Joe Buishas on Choosing Health Span Over Life Span

What if the goal isn’t just to live longer—but to live better?

 

In this energizing and insightful episode of the Nutritional Therapy and Wellness Podcast, host Jamie Belz is joined by one of her most cherished mentors: Joe Buishas—functional health educator, wellness speaker, and the voice behind The Tuesday Minuteand The Wellness Minute.

 

Joe has been a pioneer in integrative health and wellness for over 50 years, coordinating training for physicians and nutritionist through his educational company, Metabolic Management.

 

At 74 years young, Joe is vibrant, curious, and full of life. With decades of experience in the natural health field and a relentless hunger for learning, Joe shares what he believes are the most important elements for extending health span—the number of years you live with strength, clarity, energy, and joy.

 

Together, Jamie and Joe explore the key principles that promote long-term wellness, backed by clinical experience, functional insights, and timeless wisdom.

 

Joe’s Top Health Span Essentials:

• Prioritize gut health and optimize digestion
• Keep the body in motion with daily, natural movement
• Eat real, nutrient-dense food that will rot or spoil—but eat it before it does
• Nourish your microbiome with fermented foods, polyphenols, and fiber
• Build and maintain lean muscle as your best anti-aging asset
• Strengthen your lymphatic system through regular movement
• Ground yourself in faith and spiritual peace
• Cultivate strong relationships and live with clear purpose
• Avoid ultra-processed foods and limit unnecessary antibiotics
• Support emotional and mental health through gratitude, prayer, and nervous system regulation

 

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• The difference between health span vs. lifespan
• The role of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) in systemic inflammation
• Why emotional trauma impacts gut health and disease
• How short-chain fatty acids like butyrate heal both gut and brain
• Why digestion begins in the brain—and why slowing down before meals matters
• The overlooked power of fermented foods, including sauerkraut and raw fiber
• How purpose, movement, and joy extend your years—and make them worth living
• What the Blue Zones reveal about longevity—and how to apply their 9 principles to your everyday life

 

Resources & Mentions:

• Watch Joe’s Tuesday Minute episode on melatonin
• Listen to The Wellness Minute
• Explore the science behind alcohol and how it impacts your brain and body:  Huberman Lab: What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain & Health

 

Whether you’re in your 30s or your 70s, this conversation will help you reconnect to what truly matters for long-term health: whole food, movement, faith, community, and alignment with your body’s natural rhythms.

 

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