“You Have to Become the Boss of Your Biology” — Dr. Darshan Shah on Mental Health, Longevity & Healing from the Inside Out

What if your doctor was the one who needed saving?

In this eye-opening episode of The Big Silence, Karena Dawn sits down with Dr. Darshan Shah, a surgeon, longevity expert, and founder of Next Health. After decades in medicine and a career spent helping others, Dr. Shah found himself battling chronic disease, obesity, depression, and burnout. But it wasn’t pills or procedures that saved him. It was a radical shift toward root-cause healing and functional medicine. This episode dives deep into the science behind metabolic health, food and mood, hormones, inflammation, and even Alzheimer’s prevention. If you’ve ever felt like your health was spiraling or your mind was foggy beyond repair, this conversation is your invitation to start again from a smarter, stronger, and more self-aware place.

What’s the Real Cause of Chronic Illness, and Can We Reverse It Without Medication?

Dr. Shah explains why most health advice treats symptoms, not causes, and how root-cause medicine, nutrition, and tracking your biomarkers can change everything.

(00:03:15) When the Doctor Becomes the Patient: Dr. Shah’s Wake-Up Call

• At 42, Dr. Shah was 50 pounds overweight, had high blood pressure, prediabetes, and depression — despite being a leading surgeon.
• He realized that traditional medicine taught him how to treat disease, but not how to prevent or reverse it.
• His journey into functional medicine began with uncovering the root causes of mental and physical illness.
• The experience made him rethink everything he thought he knew about health — and launched his mission to transform care from reactive to proactive.

(00:11:05) Food, Mood & Metabolic Disease: What Your Grocery Cart Isn’t Telling You

• Ultra-processed foods cause nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, and metabolic chaos — and often trigger depression and anxiety.
• Reducing sugar and refined carbs (like bread, pasta, and pastries) is critical to brain and body health.
• Dr. Shah recommends key books:
• Good Energy by Dr. Casey Means
• Brain Energy by Dr. Christopher Palmer
• Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspé
• Metabolic health is deeply connected to mental health — you can’t treat one without addressing the other.

(00:14:19) Hormones, Bloodwork & Becoming the Boss of Your Own Biology

• Most doctors don’t check thyroid, testosterone, or estrogen levels — even though these regulate nearly every cell in your body.
• Annual (or even quarterly) bloodwork is essential to catch changes before they become diagnoses.
• At home, you can track body composition with a bioimpedance scale and sleep/stress with wearables.
• Knowing your health data empowers you to take action before symptoms spiral.

(00:18:44) Fitness for Longevity: Why “Exercise Snacks” Work Better Than the Gym

• Dr. Shah encourages 3–5 minute movement breaks throughout the day — called “exercise snacks” — to counteract sedentary behavior.
• Research shows that every 45 minutes of sitting increases your risk of disease. Breaking it up adds up fast.
• Karena shares how she intuitively built strength this way with small workout breaks.
• Your genome is malleable, based 95% on your day-to-day habits and 5 % genetics.

(00:24:22) Alzheimer’s, Genes & How to Take Control of Your Brain’s Future

• Having the APOE gene doesn’t guarantee Alzheimer’s, but lifestyle factors like poor sleep, sugar consuption, and inflammation increase risk.
• Dr. Shah outlines 15 modifiable root causes of cognitive decline, from toxins to sedentary behavior.
• Healing your gut, balancing blood sugar, and protecting your mitochondria can dramatically reduce your risk.
• Recommended read: The End...