126. How to Fix Your Metabolic Health at Any Age
126. How to Fix Your Metabolic Health at Any Age  
Podcast: Extend Podcast with Darshan Shah, MD
Published On: Thu Jan 01 2026
Description: Most people think they're doing "enough" for their health, yet nearly 90% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy and don't know it. In this episode, I challenge outdated metrics like BMI, explain why sleep quality matters more than hours slept, and break down what actually moves the needle when it comes to long-term health. In this solo episode of EXTEND, I outline my five core health frameworks for 2026. I also walk through what it means to become the CEO of your own health, how to use simple biomarkers instead of guesswork, how to run personal N-of-1 experiments, and why muscle, sleep, and toxic exposure play a far bigger role in health than most people realize. What's Discussed: (00:00) How to Take Control of Your Health in 2026 (01:41) Becoming the CEO of Your Own Health Using Your Data (02:50) Why 90% of Americans Are Metabolically Unhealthy (07:41) Why Weight and BMI Are Misleading Health Metrics (11:40) The Key Biomarkers That Actually Matter (13:01) Why Sleep Quality Matters More Than Sleep Duration (16:09) How N-of-1 Experiments Remove Health Guesswork (18:09) The Hidden Health Impact of Everyday Toxic Exposure Sleep Optimization Workbook: https://www.drshah.com/sleep   Thank You for Our Sponsors: Timeline: Go to timeline.com/drshah to get 20% off your order.   Learn more about Dr. Shah: Website: https://www.drshah.com/ Clinic: https://www.next-health.com/ Instagram:@darshanshahmd