Podcast Summary

Podcast: The Bryce Crawford Podcast
Episode: Santa Cruz Medicinals Confronts Bryce About Gluttony (EP 148)
Date: November 24, 2025
Host: Bryce Crawford
Guest: Brendan (Santa Cruz Medicinals/Santa Cruz Paleo)

Overview

This episode is a deep dive into the intersection of Christian faith, health, and practical wellness. Bryce welcomes Brendan, founder of Santa Cruz Medicinals, to discuss physical health as a neglected but key element of honoring God, the problem of gluttony, practical steps to improve wellness, and the synergy between faith and discipline. The conversation blends personal stories, scriptural references, actionable advice, and honest questions—including a challenging discussion about faith, other religions, and the universal need for clarity and wholeness.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Neglect of Health in Christian Circles

Dishonoring the Body: Brendan expresses concern that many Christians ignore health, equating post-church visits to places like McDonald’s or Crumbl Cookie with spiritual compromises.

“Going to a Crumbl Cookie or McDonald's after church... is not much different than going to a liquor store or even going to a strip club.” – Brendan (04:14)
Biblical Mandate: Multiple references to scripture stress that honoring God includes honoring the body:
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Use your body to honor God.” (06:03)
- Proverbs 25:27: “Don’t eat too much honey…” (06:31)
- Proverbs 23:20-21: “Don’t be a heavy drinker or stuff yourself with food.” (71:34)
- Bryce observes gluttony as a kind of idolatry. (11:36)

2. Practical Health & Discipline

Bryce’s Journey: Four and a half months into his fitness transformation, Bryce shares struggles and victories, linking discipline in health to spiritual discipline.
Morning Routine:
- Brendan advocates a simple, daily routine: hydration, prayer, gratitude, sunlight, and 10 minutes of mobility/stretching (09:25).
- Evening Routine: Relaxation stretching and ‘4-7-8’ breathing technique for sleep and stress (10:29).
Actionable Tips:
- Start with small, practical steps.
- Try a 24-hour fast to reset discipline and cravings (37:37).
- Prioritize real food and whole ingredients; limit processed foods, sugar, and excess bread/gluten (54:41).
- Use reverse osmosis water filters; avoid plastic and microplastics where practical (28:18, 29:01).

3. Health, Science, and Faith

Brendan’s Story:
- Grew up in a Christian home, drifted from faith as a teen, struggled with addiction/loss in high school, found healing in both scientific study and eventual return to faith (13:32–17:14).
- Academic studies in anthropology underlined that ancient tribes (without processed foods) had significantly fewer health issues despite modern myths:
  
  “All of our ancestors died at age 30. That's not true at all... that's just data that's skewed because western medicine's amazing.” (18:15)
Design & Faith:
- Personal accounts and stories (including scientists and even neurobiologists) who encountered evidence of divine design in the complexity of human biology.
  
  "There is no way scientifically that this... is not intelligent design." – Brendan paraphrasing a mitochondrial biologist (19:44)

4. Systemic Issues in Modern Medicine

Functional vs. Conventional Medicine:
- Difficulty of accessing comprehensive lab work through insurance (24:00).
- Example: Cancer, chronic illness often missed by standard protocols but detected and managed through more robust (but expensive) testing (21:40–25:38).

5. Diet, Food Culture, and Addictions

Sugar & Processed Foods:
- Overconsumption is profoundly normalized and physically addictive; gut bacteria like Candida can drive sugar cravings (36:37).
- “If you don’t know how good you can feel... you’re not gonna know how bad you feel on a normal day.” (27:43)
Notable Viral Moments:
- Brendan’s social experiments (e.g., offering $100 to people not to eat Crumbl Cookie) are meant to wake people to the power of food choices (26:17).
Water & Microplastics:
- Detailed breakdown of dangers from plastics, microplastics, and reasons to invest in quality filtration (28:11–32:48).
Artificial Sweeteners:
- Sucralose, found in many energy drinks (e.g., Celsius), shown to negatively impact gut health in studies (63:42).

6. Fast Food & Better Choices

Healthiest Fast Food?
- Chipotle (“best option”) and In-N-Out (especially protein-style) as relatively healthy choices (52:56).
- Recommendation to do a 30-day gluten/bread elimination to gauge effects (54:41).
French Fries, Coca-Cola, and Processed Foods:
- Comparing McDonald’s fries (with anti-foaming agents and additives) to cigarettes is “a little egregious”; the biggest issue is the ingredient list/purity (49:19–50:25).

7. Substances: Soda, Caffeine, Alcohol, and Nicotine

Soda:
- Diet/Zero-sugar sodas slightly better than full-sugar due to lower caloric load, but not ideal; better options are flavored sparkling water or stevia-sweetened drinks (48:02).
Caffeine:
- Not inherently bad, but timing is everything.
  - Caffeine has a half-life of 5-6 hours—avoid late-day consumption as it greatly disrupts sleep quality and architecture (61:22–63:04).
Alcohol:
- “One of the worst things you can put in your body.”
  - Depletes glutathione (body’s master antioxidant).
  - Impairs gut health, skin, cognition.
  - Risk increases even with so-called “moderate” drinking (74:02).
Nicotine (Vapes, Zyn, Cigarettes):
- Rising concern for new generations; anxiety/dependence driven by neurochemical manipulation despite clever marketing as “nootropics” (56:32–59:26).

8. Faith, Community, and Final Reflections

Integration of Health and Faith:
- Both Bryce and Brendan agree spiritual discipline is reinforced by physical discipline, and vice versa.
- Testimony: The loss of Brendan’s father, coping through recommitment to both health and faith (41:21).
- Encouragement to take personal steps, and to help others—“If you are healthy... you have to pick people up around you to help them.” (71:46)
Evangelism and Realness:
- Bryce addresses doubts about the exclusivity of Jesus and the inclusivity of Christian faith vs. other religions (66:06–69:45).
- Value of clarity in an age full of noise and misinformation (43:28–44:48).
  
  “People are getting sick and tired of the fake stuff because they're always fed fake... what you're bringing to the table... is clarity.” – Bryce (43:29)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Gluttony vs. Other Sin:

“If you’re worshiping the processed food, like I'm like, everyone's telling you to do it, you're doing something wrong.” – Bryce (44:35)
On Intuitive Eating:

“Now that I'm getting back into faith... I do think there's a bit of a demonic energy there... you now don't like what God put on this earth.” – Brendan (35:37)
On the Power of Small Changes:

“Give yourself 30 days… If you don’t even know how good you can feel, then you’re not gonna know how bad you feel on a normal day to day basis.” – Brendan (27:43)
On Caffeine and Sleep:

"Let’s say you had that Celsius at 2 or 3... at 11 [pm], you still have 50 milligrams in your system. If before bed... I said, 'hey, Bryce, do you want a 50 mg pill of caffeine?' You would go, 'get out of here!'" – Brendan (62:48)
On Faith and Motivation:

“If I’m doing this for myself, I get burned out. It was easy to quit... [now] I want to honor God with my body, and that changed it.” – Bryce (70:26)
On Alcohol:

“Alcohol is one of the worst things you can put in your body for your health. No doubt about it.” – Brendan (74:02)
On Substance Use and Worship:

“If you want to know what you worship, look at the things you turn to when you’re going through it.” – Bryce (76:17)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Segment/Event | |------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:09 | Introduction of gluttony, health neglect in Christian spaces | | 06:03 | Scriptural references on honoring God with your body | | 09:25 | Brendan’s daily health routine: hydration, prayer, stretching | | 13:32 | Brendan’s background, faith journey, and struggle with addiction | | 17:14 | Anthropology, ancestral diet, and real vs. myth health data | | 19:44 | “Intelligent design” – scientists returning to faith through study of biology | | 21:40 | Medicine, cancer, and holistic health approaches | | 26:17 | Viral “$100 not to eat Crumbl Cookie” challenge | | 28:18 | Water filtration and the dangers of microplastics | | 36:37 | Gut health and cravings; practical first steps (fasting) | | 41:21 | How personal family tragedy led Brendan back to faith and service | | 48:02 | Soda: comparing sugary vs. diet/zero sugar vs. alternatives | | 54:41 | 30-Day bread/gluten challenge | | 61:22 | Caffeine: half-life, timing, energy drinks, and sleep | | 66:01 | Checking in on Brendan’s faith; heavy question about salvation across religions | | 70:19 | The motivation behind health: doing it for Jesus | | 71:34 | Proverbs on gluttony and drink; tying scripture to practical health | | 74:02 | Alcohol: the physiological and spiritual downsides | | 76:17 | “What you turn to is what you worship”—how addiction and faith interrelate |

Closing Thoughts

The episode is a call for Christians and the broader audience to see health as an act of worship and responsibility. Bryce and Brendan blend frank discussion, biblical wisdom, and practical expertise, creating a genuinely motivating conversation. Both encourage stepping away from the typical American cycle of overconsumption and seeking clarity and discipline—for both body and spirit.

Action Step:
Take 30 days to radically prioritize health—real food, water, movement, prayer—then notice the difference.

Final Blessing:
Bryce closes in prayer for listeners to apply wisdom, discipline, and health for the glory of God and personal wholeness. (77:58)

For More:

[Santa Cruz Medicinals – website and socials]
[Bryce Crawford – Podcast, YouTube, and Live Events]
[jesusonthesthestreet.org tour] for 2026 events

(All timestamps in MM:SS format. Summary intentionally excludes ad reads, intros/outros, and non-content segments as requested.)

Podcast Summary

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Neglect of Health in Christian Circles

Dishonoring the Body: Brendan expresses concern that many Christians ignore health, equating post-church visits to places like McDonald’s or Crumbl Cookie with spiritual compromises.

“Going to a Crumbl Cookie or McDonald's after church... is not much different than going to a liquor store or even going to a strip club.” – Brendan (04:14)
Biblical Mandate: Multiple references to scripture stress that honoring God includes honoring the body:
- 1 Corinthians 6:19-20: “Use your body to honor God.” (06:03)
- Proverbs 25:27: “Don’t eat too much honey…” (06:31)
- Proverbs 23:20-21: “Don’t be a heavy drinker or stuff yourself with food.” (71:34)
- Bryce observes gluttony as a kind of idolatry. (11:36)

2. Practical Health & Discipline

Bryce’s Journey: Four and a half months into his fitness transformation, Bryce shares struggles and victories, linking discipline in health to spiritual discipline.
Morning Routine:
- Brendan advocates a simple, daily routine: hydration, prayer, gratitude, sunlight, and 10 minutes of mobility/stretching (09:25).
- Evening Routine: Relaxation stretching and ‘4-7-8’ breathing technique for sleep and stress (10:29).
Actionable Tips:
- Start with small, practical steps.
- Try a 24-hour fast to reset discipline and cravings (37:37).
- Prioritize real food and whole ingredients; limit processed foods, sugar, and excess bread/gluten (54:41).
- Use reverse osmosis water filters; avoid plastic and microplastics where practical (28:18, 29:01).

3. Health, Science, and Faith

Brendan’s Story:
- Grew up in a Christian home, drifted from faith as a teen, struggled with addiction/loss in high school, found healing in both scientific study and eventual return to faith (13:32–17:14).
- Academic studies in anthropology underlined that ancient tribes (without processed foods) had significantly fewer health issues despite modern myths:
  
  “All of our ancestors died at age 30. That's not true at all... that's just data that's skewed because western medicine's amazing.” (18:15)
Design & Faith:
- Personal accounts and stories (including scientists and even neurobiologists) who encountered evidence of divine design in the complexity of human biology.
  
  "There is no way scientifically that this... is not intelligent design." – Brendan paraphrasing a mitochondrial biologist (19:44)

4. Systemic Issues in Modern Medicine

Functional vs. Conventional Medicine:
- Difficulty of accessing comprehensive lab work through insurance (24:00).
- Example: Cancer, chronic illness often missed by standard protocols but detected and managed through more robust (but expensive) testing (21:40–25:38).

5. Diet, Food Culture, and Addictions

Sugar & Processed Foods:
- Overconsumption is profoundly normalized and physically addictive; gut bacteria like Candida can drive sugar cravings (36:37).
- “If you don’t know how good you can feel... you’re not gonna know how bad you feel on a normal day.” (27:43)
Notable Viral Moments:
- Brendan’s social experiments (e.g., offering $100 to people not to eat Crumbl Cookie) are meant to wake people to the power of food choices (26:17).
Water & Microplastics:
- Detailed breakdown of dangers from plastics, microplastics, and reasons to invest in quality filtration (28:11–32:48).
Artificial Sweeteners:
- Sucralose, found in many energy drinks (e.g., Celsius), shown to negatively impact gut health in studies (63:42).

6. Fast Food & Better Choices

Healthiest Fast Food?
- Chipotle (“best option”) and In-N-Out (especially protein-style) as relatively healthy choices (52:56).
- Recommendation to do a 30-day gluten/bread elimination to gauge effects (54:41).
French Fries, Coca-Cola, and Processed Foods:
- Comparing McDonald’s fries (with anti-foaming agents and additives) to cigarettes is “a little egregious”; the biggest issue is the ingredient list/purity (49:19–50:25).

7. Substances: Soda, Caffeine, Alcohol, and Nicotine

Soda:
- Diet/Zero-sugar sodas slightly better than full-sugar due to lower caloric load, but not ideal; better options are flavored sparkling water or stevia-sweetened drinks (48:02).
Caffeine:
- Not inherently bad, but timing is everything.
  - Caffeine has a half-life of 5-6 hours—avoid late-day consumption as it greatly disrupts sleep quality and architecture (61:22–63:04).
Alcohol:
- “One of the worst things you can put in your body.”
  - Depletes glutathione (body’s master antioxidant).
  - Impairs gut health, skin, cognition.
  - Risk increases even with so-called “moderate” drinking (74:02).
Nicotine (Vapes, Zyn, Cigarettes):
- Rising concern for new generations; anxiety/dependence driven by neurochemical manipulation despite clever marketing as “nootropics” (56:32–59:26).

8. Faith, Community, and Final Reflections

Integration of Health and Faith:
- Both Bryce and Brendan agree spiritual discipline is reinforced by physical discipline, and vice versa.
- Testimony: The loss of Brendan’s father, coping through recommitment to both health and faith (41:21).
- Encouragement to take personal steps, and to help others—“If you are healthy... you have to pick people up around you to help them.” (71:46)
Evangelism and Realness:
- Bryce addresses doubts about the exclusivity of Jesus and the inclusivity of Christian faith vs. other religions (66:06–69:45).
- Value of clarity in an age full of noise and misinformation (43:28–44:48).
  
  “People are getting sick and tired of the fake stuff because they're always fed fake... what you're bringing to the table... is clarity.” – Bryce (43:29)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On Gluttony vs. Other Sin:

“If you’re worshiping the processed food, like I'm like, everyone's telling you to do it, you're doing something wrong.” – Bryce (44:35)
On Intuitive Eating:

“Now that I'm getting back into faith... I do think there's a bit of a demonic energy there... you now don't like what God put on this earth.” – Brendan (35:37)
On the Power of Small Changes:

“Give yourself 30 days… If you don’t even know how good you can feel, then you’re not gonna know how bad you feel on a normal day to day basis.” – Brendan (27:43)
On Caffeine and Sleep:

"Let’s say you had that Celsius at 2 or 3... at 11 [pm], you still have 50 milligrams in your system. If before bed... I said, 'hey, Bryce, do you want a 50 mg pill of caffeine?' You would go, 'get out of here!'" – Brendan (62:48)
On Faith and Motivation:

“If I’m doing this for myself, I get burned out. It was easy to quit... [now] I want to honor God with my body, and that changed it.” – Bryce (70:26)
On Alcohol:

“Alcohol is one of the worst things you can put in your body for your health. No doubt about it.” – Brendan (74:02)
On Substance Use and Worship:

“If you want to know what you worship, look at the things you turn to when you’re going through it.” – Bryce (76:17)

Timestamps for Important Segments

Closing Thoughts

Action Step:
Take 30 days to radically prioritize health—real food, water, movement, prayer—then notice the difference.

Final Blessing:
Bryce closes in prayer for listeners to apply wisdom, discipline, and health for the glory of God and personal wholeness. (77:58)

For More:

[Santa Cruz Medicinals – website and socials]
[Bryce Crawford – Podcast, YouTube, and Live Events]
[jesusonthesthestreet.org tour] for 2026 events

(All timestamps in MM:SS format. Summary intentionally excludes ad reads, intros/outros, and non-content segments as requested.)

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Santa Cruz Medicinals Confronts Bryce About Gluttony (EP 148)

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Summary

Podcast Summary

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Neglect of Health in Christian Circles

2. Practical Health & Discipline

3. Health, Science, and Faith

4. Systemic Issues in Modern Medicine

5. Diet, Food Culture, and Addictions

6. Fast Food & Better Choices

7. Substances: Soda, Caffeine, Alcohol, and Nicotine

8. Faith, Community, and Final Reflections

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Important Segments

Closing Thoughts

Summary

Podcast Summary

Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Neglect of Health in Christian Circles

2. Practical Health & Discipline

3. Health, Science, and Faith

4. Systemic Issues in Modern Medicine

5. Diet, Food Culture, and Addictions

6. Fast Food & Better Choices

7. Substances: Soda, Caffeine, Alcohol, and Nicotine

8. Faith, Community, and Final Reflections

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Important Segments

Closing Thoughts