
Nourished Asceticism: Fasting Without Crashing | Dr. Michael Moeller
About this episode
Is the Fast making you weak… or is it revealing what modern life already depleted?
In this episode of the Orthodox Health Podcast, Dr. Michael Christian & John continue the Apostle’s Fast arc with Dr. Michael Moeller, NMD, for a conversation on nourished asceticism, testosterone, men’s health, blood sugar, digestion, protein, metabolic resilience, peptides, berberine, & how to fast seriously without wrecking the body.
This is not an anti-fasting episode.
It is also not a “ignore your body & call it obedience” episode.
The fast is medicine. But the person receiving that medicine is a real embodied person with real sleep, real stress, real digestion, real nutrient status, real hormones, real labs, & real limits.
Takeaways:
Why Orthodox fasting can reveal depletion
Testosterone, dopamine, fatigue, libido, & the modern man
Sugar, cortisol, sleep, & low testosterone
Why fasting on processed carbs can backfire
How blood sugar crashes can masquerade as spiritual struggle
Protein, muscle, and fasting capacity
Berberine, peptides, GLP-1s, and advanced therapies
Why regular bloodwork matters
The problem with the modern medical model
How to walk the royal path without legalism or despair
Sound Bytes:
- “The way I think about Orthodoxy, it is the naturopathic medicine.”
- “Health is a journey… & it’s the same thing with our salvation.”
- “Your body is actually diabetes-ing.”
- “We don’t want to view health as a false idol.”
- “What do I need to do to optimize my testosterone? Move to the country, throw out your TV, plant a garden, find Jesus.”
- “That’s why you’re not a number. That’s why you’re not your blood work.”
- “The fast may not be the thing that caused the crash. It may be the thing that revealed the crash was coming.”
Chapters:
00:00 Coming Up
01:02 Orthodox Health Intro
02:32 Introduction to Nourished Asceticism
06:11 Introducing Dr. Michael Moeller, NMD
11:26 Hormonal Health & Men’s Wellness
16:17 Fatigue, Low Libido & “Not Feeling Like Myself”
19:23 The Interconnectedness of Body Systems
21:41 What’s Killing Modern Testosterone?
27:19 You Are Not Your Bloodwork
30:36 Should You Be Tracking Your Calories?
32:18 Assessing Health During the Fast
36:13 What to Check When You Feel Weak During the Fast
39:44 Avoiding Pride in the Fast
43:32 Addressing Underlying Health Issues During Fasting
44:20 Avoiding the Pharisee Meats Trap
47:37 Protein, Muscle & Fasting Without Crashing
50:31 Preparing Metabolically for Fasting
53:52 Berberine: Benefits & Considerations
57:13 Hormones, Cycles & the Fast
1:00:03 The Risks of Pushing Physical Limits
1:04:05 Peptides & Their Role in Recovery
1:08:18 Peptide Safety, Efficacy & Discernment
1:11:15 Weight Loss, GLP-1s & Health Risks
1:15:28 Why Regular Bloodwork Matters
1:18:21 What the Modern Medical Model Misses
1:21:02 The Royal Path: Discipline Without Destruction
1:22:47 Connecting with Dr. Michael Moeller, NMD
Connect with Dr. Moe: Website, Instagram, YouTube
Work with Dr. Mike
Signed Copies of Orthodoxy & The Medicine of the Future: OrthodoxHealth.com/book
Order Orthodoxy & the Medicine of the Future on Amazon
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Intro & Outro Music: St. John of Chicago Orthodox Church Choir (Arkansas) - Please support their building fund by buying the whole album here
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