Toxins, Stress, and Sleep: The Overlooked Roots of Decline

Your body’s not broken—it’s just overloaded. Here’s how to empty your ‘defense bucket.’ In this episode of Vitality Made Simple, Dr. Joe Nieusma joins us to explain toxicology as the study of how xenobiotics, or things that don’t belong in the body, interact with our physiology. Using his ‘defense bucket’ metaphor, he shows how water, air, food, medications, sleep, and activity all influence the body’s ability to neutralize oxidative stress and chronic inflammation, the common pathways behind much of age-related decline. He offers accessible steps—filter water, eat whole foods, hydrate, move, rest—and cautions that real life is exposure to mixtures, not one substance tested in isolation.

We tackle polypharmacy and how to question long-standing prescriptions with your doctor, the overlooked role of the oral microbiome in systemic inflammation and heart health, and why ‘normal’ (dehydrated, stressed, under-rested) shouldn’t be our goal. Dr. Joe also delves into smoke-damaged homes that can harbor dioxins, furans, and heavy metals, and shares perspectives on antioxidants framed as personal anecdotes.