In this thought-provoking episode of The Art of Being Well, I sit down with Dr. Darshan Shah, founder of Next Health and a pioneer in longevity and functional medicine. We discuss his remarkable journey to becoming one of the youngest medical doctors in the U.S., how functional medicine transformed his career, and the latest advancements in health optimization. From essential biomarkers to watch, to actionable tips for building muscle and improving healthspan, Dr. Shah shares his expert insights. Plus, we dive into the hidden impact of environmental toxins and the role of health technology in shaping the future of wellness. This episode is packed with valuable knowledge to help you take control of your health and vitality.

Dr. Darshan Shah, is a health and wellness specialist, board-certified surgeon, published author, entrepreneur, and founder of Next Health, the world’s first, largest and fastest-growing longevity and health optimization clinic. With expertise in all body systems, he has performed over 20,000 surgical procedures, including trauma surgery and complex reconstructive procedures. As a longevity medicine specialist, he has advised thousands of patients on how to optimize their well-being and extend their health span and lifespan. He began his career at an accelerated MD program and earned his medical degree at the age of 21, becoming one of the youngest doctors in the United States. He continued his training at the Mayo Clinic. After earning his board certification, he opened medical/surgical centers throughout California, started companies in the health and wellness space, published a book, authored numerous papers and patented medical devices. Dr. Shah’s belief in continual education and self-improvement has earned him alumni status at Harvard Business School, Singularity University, and other prestigious institutions. His passion is speaking on the topics of longevity and health, having done over 100+ speaking engagements and appearances.

A few of my favorite things we cover in this episode: 

• Dr. Darshan Shah’s inspiring journey to becoming one of the youngest medical doctors in the U.S. at just 21 years old.
• How discovering functional medicine transformed Dr. Shah’s approach to healthcare and his personal health journey.
• The challenges of integrating functional medicine into conventional healthcare systems and how Dr. Shah successfully navigated them.
• The convergence of health and politics: Dr. Shah’s perspective on wellness movements and their role in shaping public health policy.
• The concept of being the CEO of your own health and essential biomarkers everyone should monitor.
• Dr. Shah’s insights on the next-level health tests and strategies to optimize well-being.
• Debunking myths and sharing evidence-based perspectives on saturated fats, red meat, and cholesterol’s role in health.
• The hidden impact of environmental toxins like microplastics and forever chemicals on cardiometabolic health.
• How to build lean muscle and improve skeletal muscle health, including actionable tips and strategies.
• Breaking down the difference between chronological and biological age and Dr. Shah’s top tips to improve healthspan and longevity.
• Five supplements Dr. Shah recommends to support overall health and vitality.
• The latest advancements in health technology and innovations Dr. Shah is most excited about, including NAD precursors like True Niagen.
• Dr. Shah’s experiences with cutting-edge therapies like NAD IV treatments and how they benefit cellular energy.

Links to things we talked about in this episode: 

• Get 30% off your first product order on Biosil.beauty website with code ‘drwillcole’.
• Go to zbiotics.com/WILLCOLE to learn more and get 15% off your first order when you use WILLCOLE at checkout.

Happy listening and we hope you learned a little bit more on the art of being well!

If you like what you hear, please rate and review the podcast, hit subscribe and pass it along to a friend.

In Health,

Dr. Will Cole

As a functional medicine practitioner, I’m always interested in the health trends people are talking about online, and I get asked about them a lot. 

Sometimes these trends are actually great new ideas. Often, they’re actually great old ideas that are finally getting their 15 minutes. Some trends are just noise, and others fall somewhere along the middle of the spectrum – not necessarily bad for your health, but not exactly the magical cure-all they may seem to be on social media. 

Today, we’ll explore the “7-second poop method” trend, how it works, and where it falls on the helpful-or-not spectrum. 

I’ll also throw in some of my own thoughts on constipation, because if you’re reading this, I’m sure you’re looking for guidance on becoming more regular with your bowel movements, and improving your digestion overall. 

Let’s get into it. 

What Is the 7 Second Poop Method? 

To be honest, with all of the fuss about this method, it’s surprisingly hard to get information about what it actually is. Many people online seem to have co-opted the term to share their own quick fixes for constipation. 

The original trend comes from a gastroenterologist named Dr. Gina Sam, who shared what she described both as her “7-second morning ritual” and “7 second poop trick” designed to ease constipation and improve gastrointestinal motility. 

The “7 second” component seems to be more for marketing effect than anything else, as to effectively move through the steps you’ll quite likely need more time than this – however, it doesn’t need to be overly time consuming or laborious.  

How It Works 

The 7 second poop method for constipation relief talks about addressing some of the common causes of slow motility, including dehydration, stress, and lack of physical activity. 

The method combines a few different steps that incorporate movement, breath, and hydration in order to target these causes and encourage healthy bowel movements.  

How To Do The 7-Second Poop Method

Here’s how to follow the 7 second poop method, step-by-step. Note that this is meant to be done first thing in the morning. 

1. Drink a full glass of warm water as soon as you get up in order to help wake up the digestive system and rehydrate. Optionally, add apple cider vinegar to further encourage digestive flow. 
2. Engage in gentle stretches and yoga poses, including cat-cow, forward bends, and/or the Pavanamuktasana pose (wind-relieving pose), in order to stimulate the bowels, increase blood flow, release trapped gasses, and get things moving. 
3. Practice deep breathing in order to reduce stress, activate the parasympathetic nervous system, and relax the body for better digestive function. 

LISTEN: Constipation Poop-Cast: How To Heal A Sluggish Gut (Foods, Supplements, Labs, Vagus Nerve Therapies) | Dr. Will Cole 

What To Be Aware Of

I’ll start by saying that I’m absolutely in support of all of the steps of this morning ritual. Morning hydration, apple cider vinegar, yoga and stretching, and breathwork are all great things you can do to support digestion and overall health. 

But… 7 seconds? Look, if you literally only have 7 seconds (or 30 seconds, or 60 seconds) to drink some water, do a quick stretch, and take a deep breath or two today, that’s better than nothing. 

But if you’re experiencing chronic constipation and you want to truly address the problem, this probably isn’t going to be enough. Stress is absolutely a contributing factor to many cases of constipation, and deep breathing and yoga are two practices that can really help with stress management. But a couple of seconds of each before returning to a stressful lifestyle are likely not enough to really address the problem. 

And on this note, if you’re finding yourself consistently experiencing constipation, bloating, and/or other digestive symptoms, the most effective thing you can do to truly feel better is to find and address your individual underlying causes. 

In some cases, the problem actually is as simple as dehydration. In other cases, and this is a lot of what we see at the clinic, there’s a greater underlying imbalance or issue, like SIBO. Here are a few of the most common causes of or contributing factors to constipation: 

Other Tips for Resolving Constipation

There are a number of holistic strategies and tools you can use to support digestive health, more regular bowel movements, and overall wellness, including the ones that are part of the 7 second morning ritual, and some others. Here are a few things that can help: 

READ NEXT: Using A Coffee Enema For Digestive Support | Dr. Will Cole   

Getting To The Root Cause Of Your Gut Issues

Ultimately, starting simple is great. If you’re not already drinking a full glass of water in the morning, yes, start there – adding apple cider vinegar is a good idea. Stretching and deep breathing in the morning are also great. 

So, this morning routine (however many seconds or minutes you actually spend on it) might be enough to get things moving for you. If not, you may want to look in a few other simple areas, like adding more fiber to your diet.  

And if you’re still not feeling your best, don’t worry – you may just need to look a bit deeper to find the underlying cause. Working with a functional medicine practitioner can help you put the pieces of the puzzle together if you get stuck. 

As one of the first functional medicine telehealth clinics in the world, we provide webcam health consultations for people around the globe.