Intro Vinni Morais grew up in one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in Brazil, using jujitsu as a survival tool before it became a career. He came to the US on a soccer scholarship, earned degrees in sport management and international business, won a BJJ world title in 2021, placed ninth at Mr. Olympia in 2024, and won both his division and the overall at the Arnold Classic, one month after losing his mother.

Topics Covered

• Growing up in poverty in Brazil and how sports became a way out
• The soccer scholarship pipeline and why he walked away from soccer permanently
• BJJ black belt journey (15 years) and the 2021 World Championship
• The transition to competitive bodybuilding and what his first show taught him
• Losing his mother one month before his 2025 competition prep, and competing anyway
• "Impossible" tattooed on his abdomen with the end scratched out to read "I am possible"
• Peptides vs. PEDs: why the distinction matters and how the industry gets it wrong
• The three-dose problem: what the coach prescribes, what the athlete actually takes, and what they tell people they take
• MOTS-c, SS31, NAD+, IGF-1, SAOPP, Retatrutide, and GHK-Cu, how they work and when to use them
• Why MOD-GRF should be taken in the morning, not at night
• Mitochondrial function, aging after 30, and why NAD+ supplementation isn't a stimulant
• Cycling off peptides and why continuous use can blunt receptor response
• Why sweating more doesn't equal fat loss

Mentioned

• Arnold Classic
• Mr. Olympia
• Panic! at the Disco, "High Hopes"
• Freddie Mercury, "The Show Must Go On"
• "Pressure Creates Kings" (song referenced by Vinni)
• Flame and Fire (Arnold Classic sponsor)
• Trifecta Medical

Connect

• Trifecta Medical: trifectamedical.org | (661) 677-2623 | 7702 Meany Ave #101, Bakersfield CA
• Guest inquiries and episode submissions: justin@thebeaconstudios.com

Topics Covered

Fatherhood at 27 — what changes the moment you realize there is a literal half-you in the world, and how every week brings a new chapter.

Medicine and performance — why getting the degree does not mean you stop answering to someone, and why the bosses just multiply.

Private investigation work — what Miguel actually does day to day, why infidelity is the most common individual case, and why the hardcore criminal work is a building phase.

The marriage scale — why six to ten is a green light, five is a dead zone, and the Malta family tree moment that reframed everything.

Accordion at a quinceañera — buying a $1,200 instrument before you can play it, performing before you are ready, and why that is the right move every time.

Sunday as a non-negotiable — how faith, family, and zero work became the structure that grounds the rest of the week.

Fitness with real life — why 20 minutes of air squats in the living room after a 12-hour shift counts, and why consistency beats intensity every time.

Legacy over logistics — why keeping the bigger mission in mind is the only way to survive both parenting and partnership.

The hormonal cycle explained — Dr. Civelli's rapid-fire relationship advice to close out the episode.

Mentioned in This Episode 
McGarry's Irish Pub — Bakersfield, CA Fitology Wellness Center — Florida Bakersfield College, CSUB, University of West Florida, Adventist University of Health Sciences The Epstein files and child safety conversation Follicular, LH, and luteal phases of the female hormonal cycle

Connect
Miguel Morales
https://www.instagram.com/miguelangelmorales
https://www.tiktok.com/@miguelangelmorales
https://www.facebook.com/miguel.morales.363540

Dr. Valerie Civelli — trifectamedical.org Trifecta Medical — 7702 Meany Ave #101, Bakersfield CA 93308 | (661) 677-2623 | info@trifectamedical.org
Services: HRT, Peptides, Health Optimization, Botox, IV Hydration, Functional Medicine, Dermatology, Aesthetics, Regenerative Medicine, Hair Loss Treatments, Psychiatry, Clinical Trials

Guest intake: justin@thebeaconstudios.com

Topics Covered

• Personal branding in a community where your name IS your reputation
• Healthcare marketing: what it means to build someone else's vision when you're aligned with it
• Collagen types 1 through 5, why chicken beats beef for type 2, and what chicken sternum, crest, and feet actually do
• GLP-1 medications: Tirzepatide vs. Retatrutide, accessibility, micro-dosing, and the inflammation angle
• Chicory root in your coffee — it might not be for everyone
• Hiring with intention: building a team of hand-selected people, not people with a pulse
• Faith, alignment, and turning down money when your values aren't in line
• The "coming in hot" text and why respecting time is a form of love
• Social media and the danger of getting health information from influencers

People and Things Mentioned

• Terri Agcaoili — @agcaoili on Instagram
• Fitology Wellness Center, Pensacola FL — fitologylife.com
• Dr. Sandhu, California Cardiovascular Institute
• Tirzepatide (GLP-1 / GIP receptor agonist, brand name Mounjaro / Zepbound)
• Retatrutide (GLP-1 / GIP / glucagon triple receptor agonist, in development)
• Collagen types 1 through 5
• Chicory root — common coffee alternative, in many products, not tolerated by everyone

Connect Terri Agcaoili — @terriagcaoili | terriagcaoili@gmail.com | (661) 205-4079
Dr. Valerie Civelli — trifectamedical.org Trifecta Medical — 7702 Meany Ave #101, Bakersfield CA 93308 | (661) 677-2623 | info@trifectamedical.org Services: HRT, Peptides, Health Optimization, Botox, IV Hydration, Functional Medicine, Dermatology, Aesthetics, Regenerative Medicine, Hair Loss Treatments, Psychiatry, Clinical

Trials Guest intake: https://forms.clickup.com/9017720434/f/8cqyzkj-7997/PAKUAT3ISINQJZFNDQ

Topics Covered

• Snoring and sleep as the foundation of every health problem
• Testosterone: why total T vs. free T matters, and what 310 actually means
• GLP-1s and Ozempic: the real concern isn't addiction — it's what happens when skinny becomes the goal at any cost
• Antidepressants: how to taper off safely, and why methylene blue is worth looking at
• Recognizing depression in men who don't think they're depressed
• Inflammation markers: what "eat better" actually means and what doctors miss
• Functional medicine explained: root cause vs. Band-Aid, and the chess game of complex health
• Stress and the mom who does everything right but still feels off
• Sleep tracking tools: wearables, rings, bedside apps, and vagal nerve stimulators
• Fitology Medical in Pensacola — how a Facebook poke accidentally started a wellness center

Mentioned

• Viome (customized toothpaste + microbiome supplements)
• BioCell collagen
• Lion's mane, ashwagandha, chaga, L-theanine, BCAAs
• Vivix antioxidant
• NMN (NAD precursor)
• Methylene blue / BPC-157
• Creatine (10mg/day split)
• Oura Ring / Whoop
• CPAP, mouth tape, jaw repositioning devices
• Vagal nerve stimulator (Q Collar adjacent)
• Retatrutide / Tirzepatide (GLP-1s)
• Quest Diagnostics (cash-based lab orders via Dr. Civelli's Instagram)

Connect

• Instagram: @drcivelli
• Trifecta Medical: trifectamedical.org | (661) 677-2623
• New patients: info@trifectamedical.org
• Guest inquiries / questions: justin@thebeaconstudios.com

Intro Dr. Civelli sits down with Jinal for a conversation that goes exactly where you'd hope two clinicians obsessed with functional medicine would take it — deep into the gut, the genome, and the gap between what conventional medicine offers and what patients actually need.

Topics Covered Functional medicine and how the field has evolved over the past 20 years. Cycle syncing and how menstrual phases should inform workout intensity, intermittent fasting, and nutrition. The Oura Ring and heart rate variability as stress indicators. The beta-glucuronidase gene, estrogen dominance, and implications for hormone replacement therapy. Gut microbiome testing and DNA sequencing as tools for personalized treatment. Glucose monitoring and how eating order at meals affects A1C. The connection between work culture, community, and long-term health. Why the basics — sleep, diet, movement, social connection — have to come before supplements or peptides can make a meaningful difference.

Mentioned Oura Ring, Glucose Goddess, Viome gut microbiome test, DNA Collect, CGM (continuous glucose monitor), functional medicine conference in Las Vegas, MTHFR gene, beta-glucuronidase enzyme, GLP-1s, NAC, glutathione, blue zones

Connect 
Trifecta Medical — trifectamedical.org | (661) 677-2623
Jinal Patel — Adventist Health Chester | https://doctors.adventisthealth.org/provider/jinal-patel/3095648
IG @np.jinal

Want to be a guest on White Coat Black Sheep? We're always looking for clinicians, researchers, and health professionals who are ready to challenge the status quo. Email justin@thebeaconstudios.com to start the conversation.

Dr. Hugh Beatty has spent over four decades in medicine, including 25 years in anesthesiology and pain management before pivoting to functional medicine in 2013. Today he runs a thriving private practice in Bakersfield, CA, treating complex chronic conditions that traditional medicine often can't solve. In this conversation, Dr. Beatty and Dr. Civelli explore the philosophy, science, and patient stories behind functional medicine's growing impact.

Topics Covered

• Physician burnout: Dr. Beatty's decision to step away from anesthesiology and the two years that reset his career

• Functional vs. traditional medicine: the diagnostic mindset shift from "what" to "why"

• Collaborative care: why functional medicine works best alongside specialists, not against them

• Ozone therapy (MAH IV): mechanism, safety, and case studies including prostate cancer radiation damage

• The Otto Warburg hypothesis: oxygen deprivation, inflammation, and disease

• Neuropathy, Bell's palsy, and chronic pain resolved with ozone injections

• Mitochondrial health and NAD as the "money of the cell"

• Residency culture: 36-hour shifts, hazing, and what hasn't changed

• The med school application grind: 2.6% acceptance rate and the $30K residency match process

• Cold plunge, red light therapy, and blood flow as the foundation of healing

• Why functional medicine patients and doctors tend to look healthier

Mentioned in This Episode

• Otto Warburg and the Nobel Prize theory on oxygen and cancer

• Amen Clinic (brain health and Alzheimer's support)

• GainsWave / shockwave therapy

• MAH IV ozone (major autohemotherapy)

• "Don't Let Your Doctor Kill You" (book referenced by Dr. Beatty)

• Jules Stein Eye Institute, Harbor-UCLA, Howard University

Connect

• Dr. Hugh Beatty: https://www.hughbeatty.com/

• Dr. Valerie Civelli | Trifecta Medical: trifectamedical.org | 7702 Meany Ave #101, Bakersfield CA | (661) 677-2623

• White Coat Black Sheep: listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube

Dr. Civelli sits down with Tim Pace — physician assistant, 20-plus year clinical veteran in orthopedic surgery, and doctoral candidate in lifestyle medicine graduating in 2027. What starts as a catch-up between colleagues turns into a deep, honest conversation about stress, burnout, the six pillars of lifestyle medicine, and why the people most qualified to give health advice are often the last ones following it.

Topics Covered

What Is Lifestyle Medicine? Lifestyle medicine is built on six pillars: adequate nutrition, avoiding risky substances, restorative sleep, physical activity, stress management, and social connectedness. Tim's two favorites — stress management and social connection — are also the two most overlooked. The field goes far deeper than it sounds, because the problem isn't that people don't know what to do. It's that they don't do it.

The Lifestyle Medicine Assessment When Tim completed the long-form intake questionnaire for his own program, he discovered he scored off the charts on anxiety — something he'd never considered a diagnosis. That moment of stopping, reading, and looking inward changed how he thinks about both himself and his patients. The American College of Lifestyle Medicine holds providers to living the lifestyle themselves, which Tim calls one of the most therapeutic parts of his doctorate.

Box Breathing — The One-Minute Reset Box breathing is simple: inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four — and repeat while visualizing a box in your mind. The benefits are measurable: increased oxygen, decreased blood pressure, reduced cortisol and adrenaline, activated prefrontal cortex for clearer decision-making, and a calmed amygdala — your brain's fear center. You can do it at a red light, between patients, or the moment you feel yourself flooding with stress.

Your Brain Can't Tell Real From Imagined When you run a stressful scenario in your head — even one that never happens — your body responds with the same chemical cascade as if it were real. Cortisol spikes, adrenaline surges, oxidative stress builds. The amygdala fires whether the threat is real or imagined. The good news is the reverse is also true: calm the thought, calm the chemistry.

Medical Provider Burnout Tim and Dr. Civelli get candid about the reality of provider burnout — chugging Mountain Dews, smashing Red Bulls, eating Snicker bars at 3am between surgeries, going home with amniotic fluid on your neck. Medical training is entirely patient-focused, and providers are expected to just be okay. Burnout rates are skyrocketing alongside documentation demands, EMR systems, social media, and post-COVID anxiety. You cannot pour from an empty cup.

Nutrition — Whole Food Plant-Based The evidence overwhelmingly points toward whole food plant-based eating. Not vegetarian, not giving up meat entirely — just making plants the foundation. Tim reversed his chronically elevated triglycerides and cholesterol by shifting away from meat at every meal. His weekly routine is simple: random vegetables from Trader Joe's, protein beef broth, bullet it, done. Lentils, soy, beans — protein is not a problem.

Sleep, Distraction, and the Art of Recentering Both Tim and Dr. Civelli admit to the middle-of-the-night spiral — waking up, brain firing, anxiety about not sleeping compounding into anger. Tim's trick is listening to something without a storyline, like David Attenborough narrating animal facts. The key is redirecting focus away from the stressor before the amygdala takes over. Meditation is the cleanest solution, but it takes practice — real, ongoing practice, like any skill.

Social Connection as Medicine Isolation is one of the most underestimated health threats. When people are stressed, they isolate. But social connection drives oxytocin, reduces cortisol, and is a documented protective factor against chronic disease. It doesn't require a big social life — wave at your neighbor, find a community around something you love, try Meetup or Bumble BFF. Small moves count.

Reading Research Without Bias Tim and Dr. Civelli discuss the responsibility that comes with a platform — how easy it is to take a study, spin a narrative, and present it as truth. The goal for this show is always to create conversation, not confirm bias. Look it up yourself. If they're wrong, they want to know.

Mentioned in This Episode

• The six pillars of lifestyle medicine
• American College of Lifestyle Medicine
• FITT prescriptions (frequency, intensity, time, type)
• Stages of change / pre-contemplation model
• Box breathing technique
• Amygdala and prefrontal cortex
• Cortisol, GABA, adrenaline, noradrenaline
• Oxytocin and pet bonding research
• Calm app / bedtime stories
• David Attenborough sleep listening
• Game Changers documentary
• Whole food plant-based nutrition
• Bumble BFF / Meetup for social connection
• Medical provider burnout statistics
• Research bias and media spin

Connect with Tim Pace t.paceoflife

Connect with Dr. Civelli 🌐 trifectamedical.org 📍 7702 Meany Ave #101, Bakersfield, CA 93308 📞 (661) 677-2623 📧 info@trifectamedical.org

White Coat Black Sheep — where science gets curious and dogma gets uncomfortable.

Dr. Civelli sits down with Jerry Teixeira — founder of Bodyweight Strength, Marine Corps veteran, competitive jiu-jitsu athlete, and coach helping busy professionals over 40 build real strength at home with no gym required. What starts as a conversation about fitness habits turns into a masterclass on training efficiency, aging, and why most people are doing far more work than they need to.

Topics Covered
From the Marine Corps to Bodyweight Strength Jerry never considered himself an athlete growing up on his grandparents' dairy in McFarland. He left for the Marines at 18, and the daily morning PT habit just stuck. Years later, inspired by watching gymnasts train his daughter at practice, he realized bodyweight training could deliver the same results as the gym — and built his entire business around that insight.

The 80% Rule Your first set delivers about 55% of your possible gains. Sets two and three get you to roughly 80% of the total. Every set after that is chasing the last 20% at the cost of doubling your time. For most people, two to three hard sets per exercise is all they need.

The Velocity Method — How to Know You're Actually Building Muscle Instead of counting arbitrary reps, Jerry teaches clients to track movement velocity. When you have to push harder to maintain the same pace, that's when muscle building begins. Push a few more reps from there — not to complete failure, but close.

Reps, Ranges, and Bone Density High reps and low reps both build muscle as long as you get close to failure. But lower rep ranges of five to eight are better for strength and bone density. One heavy set per exercise is enough to stimulate bone, with the rest of your sets at higher reps if you prefer.

Aging Is the Loss of Fitness Muscle loss begins in your 30s at around 5% per decade, accelerating through your 50s and 60s. Strength and power go first — even NFL players lose explosive capacity before they lose muscle size. But the research is clear: you can reverse it at any age. A 70-year-old client of Jerry's was curling 30-pound dumbbells within weeks and had visible muscle definition that made him question whether her numbers were even real.

The Metabolism Myth Your metabolism doesn't slow down in your 30s and 40s. Research shows it stays stable from your early 20s all the way to your 60s. The decline after 60 may actually be driven by muscle loss — which means building muscle is one of the most powerful things you can do to protect your metabolic rate long-term.

Non-Linear Aging — The Mid-40s Acceleration A recent study found that aging doesn't happen in a straight line. There are two windows where certain organ systems accelerate: the mid-40s and the mid-60s. People who get proactive before those windows hit build a biological reserve that slows the process down.

Exercise Snacks and Micro Workouts The total weekly volume of work is what your body responds to — not how it's spread across time. A 45-minute dedicated workout and the same exercises broken into micro sessions throughout the day produce the same results. Jerry literally works out between cooking dinner, stepping into his garage gym between stirs.

The Mindset of an Outlier Jerry started jiu-jitsu at 44 and competed at 45 against guys 20 years younger. He talks about why he eventually decided to share his story publicly — not to show off, but because someone in his demographic needed to see that it was still possible.

Mentioned in This Episode

• Arnold Schwarzenegger's Guide to Modern Bodybuilding
• Bodyweight Strength method
• Maximum recoverable volume
• Reps in reserve concept
• Velocity-based training
• Fast-twitch vs. slow-twitch muscle fibers
• Sarcopenia and muscle loss with aging
• Non-linear aging study (mid-40s and mid-60s acceleration)
• Metabolism stability research
• Oura Ring and sleep tracking
• Deep sleep and light discipline
• Placebo effect and mindset research
• Gymnastics as a bodyweight strength model
• Exercise snacks and micro workouts

Connect with Jerry Teixeira Website: bodyweightstrength.fit YouTube: Jerry Teixeira

Connect with Dr. Civelli https://trifectamedical.org/

White Coat Black Sheep — where science gets curious and dogma gets uncomfortable.

From morning routines and the four burner method to retatrutide, cold plunging, and life insurance that pays out while you're still alive, this episode is equal parts practical and personal.

The Four Burner Method Kristin shares a framework she discovered that changed how she thinks about balance — health, wealth, family, and friends. The idea is simple: not all four can run at full capacity at the same time. Something has to turn down so nothing burns out.

Morning Routines & Real Consistency Kristin breaks down her 5:30am routine — Bible study, 20-30 minute workouts, Peloton, running, sauna, and cold plunging in the pool. The conversation gets honest about internal resistance, sleep quality, and what actually makes showing up easier.

Peptides & Retatrutide Dr. Civelli and Kristin dig into retatrutide — what makes it different from semaglutide and tirzepatide, why it's more activating than depleting, and how it helped Kristin lose 90 pounds post-pregnancy and clear inflammation tied to Hashimoto's.

Cold Plunge & Mitochondrial Health Kristin cold plunged throughout her second pregnancy. Dr. Civelli explains why the ability to tolerate extreme cold is actually a marker of mitochondrial health — and what overdoing it can do to your adrenal system.

NAD, NMN & Supplements Dr. Civelli breaks down the difference between NAD and its precursor NMN, why NAD dose matters more than people realize, and how she tracks mitochondrial health through labs every three months. Also covered: Vitamin D3 paired with K2 and why that combination matters for calcium and bone health.

Selank & Semax Nasal Sprays Kristin shares her experience with cognitive-enhancing nasal sprays for winding down at night — and yes, the taste is rough, but the calm is worth it.

Microbiome Testing & Food Sensitivities Kristin reflects on her microbiome test results and how discovering that bell peppers were triggering inflammation changed her meal prep entirely.

Alcohol & Inflammation An honest conversation about what alcohol actually does to the body, the liver's bandwidth during illness, and how quality of life factors into every medical decision — including whether to take brownies away from a grandma with dementia.

Life Insurance with Living Benefits Kristin introduces the concept of living benefit riders — life insurance policies you can cash in on before death if diagnosed with a critical, chronic, or fatal illness. She shares a real story of a couple who used their policy to access $900,000 for specialty cancer treatment outside their network. He's alive today.

Real conversation. Real science. No fluff.

For educational purposes only. Consult your provider before use.

Episode Description

In Episode 5 of White Coat Black Sheep, Dr Civelli and Dr Matt Bear explore addiction medicine, burnout, harm reduction, and the evolving philosophy of patient-centered care.

They discuss how addiction is a complex neurobiological disease, why moral narratives fail patients, and how harm reduction strategies save lives.

The conversation expands into opioid prescribing, chronic pain, hyperalgesia, and the unintended consequences of regulatory fear. They also examine functional medicine, sleep optimization, inflammation, Alzheimer risk, and the future of longevity care.

This episode blends science, real-world practice, and honest reflection about where medicine needs to evolve.

In Episode 4 of White Coat Black Sheep, Dr Civelli and Lord Elliot explore the psychology behind ambition and the hidden trigger word enough.

Lord shares how early discipline in powerlifting shaped his identity, how emotional avoidance led to unhealthy patterns with food, and how a diabetes diagnosis forced a complete reset.

They discuss:

• The power of accountability
• Why community matters more than branding
• Emotional maturity and vulnerability
• The physiology of blood sugar swings
• Rebuilding health one disciplined day at a time

This episode blends mindset, physiology, and lived experience in a way that challenges both comfort and complacency.

In this episode Dr Civelli sits down with Jose Gonzalez to talk about the long path from grinding to wholeness

They unpack why health is not just labs or workouts and why living longer starts with living slower

From burnout to recovery and from pain to purpose they cover

• The pillars of wholeness spiritual mental emotional physical
• Why the grind mindset feels productive but creates damage over time
• How reflection and intentional rest improve focus and longevity
• Why medication can have a place but can’t replace root work
• The difference between learning through pain and learning through wisdom
• Why mentorship and humility are rare and powerful
• How purpose changes the way you train work and lead

If you’ve ever built your life on overdrive and wondered why it still feels heavy this episode will land

Subscribe for weekly conversations where science gets curious and dogma gets uncomfortable

Disclaimer
This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not provide personal medical advice Always consult your healthcare provider for individual care

In this episode, Dr Civelli breaks down why you can sleep eight hours and still wake up exhausted.

If you are not dreaming, waking up multiple times a night, or living in light sleep without realizing it, this conversation will change how you think about recovery.

From circadian rhythm to cortisol physiology, we unpack:

• Deep sleep vs REM and why dreaming matters
• Why checking your phone at night resets melatonin
• The difference between light sleep and restorative sleep
• Snoring, oxygen drops, and hidden sleep apnea
• When to use wearables vs formal sleep studies
• How stress and cortisol timing affect sleep quality
• Why no heavy conversations after 5 pm can protect recovery

This episode is for clinicians, entrepreneurs, parents, and high performers who feel tired despite doing “everything right.”

If you’ve ever thought,
There has to be a better way to do this.
You’re in the right place.

Subscribe to White Coat Black Sheep for weekly conversations where science gets curious and dogma gets uncomfortable.

Disclaimer

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not provide personal medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider for individual care.

They talk about why reference ranges can mislead, how clinicians decide what’s urgent vs. noise, and the difference between “normal” and optimal. Along the way: a story from the gym that turns into a serious safety lesson, why people misunderstand medications as “only for one thing,” and a candid conversation about hormone therapy myths that have shaped an entire generation’s decisions.

In This Episode

• The origin of White Coat Black Sheep and what the show is here to question
• Why Dr. Civelli calls herself a “hybrid” physician (and why that matters)
• Hospital lab priorities vs. optimization medicine: what gets missed
• “Don’t send the babies to war”: understanding bands and what they can signal
• Why people panic at bolded lab values—and what’s often actually relevant
• Injection safety basics (and a serious warning about the inner-thigh/groin “triangle”)
• “You don’t ‘used to’ have a heart condition”: risk, denial, and the danger of ignoring data
• How medications get pigeonholed—and why side effects are sometimes the point
• Hormone therapy fear, the culture that spread it, and what patients are hearing now
• Topical vs oral vs injection delivery: why the route changes the physiology
• Dr. Civelli’s philosophy: if you’re going to push limits, you don’t get to skip the data