September Newsletter 2025
Provider Spotlight: Dr. Jose Ostaiza
Dr. Jose Ostaiza is a physician from Ecuador with more than 10 years of experience in Family Medicine, a CrossFit athlete for 14 years, and a CrossFit Level 3 Trainer. He first discovered CrossFit in 2011 at Māori CrossFit in Guayaquil, Ecuador, during his final year of medical school. What began as a personal effort to reclaim his health quickly grew into a passion that would shape both his career and philosophy of care.
After graduating in 2013, Dr. Ostaiza completed his rural service year, where he saw the realities of health disparities firsthand. Over the next nine years, he practiced family medicine, emergency care, and healthcare administration in Ecuador, with a strong emphasis on quality of care. At the same time, he began coaching CrossFit in 2015 and steadily advanced his education in the methodology, ultimately earning his Level 3 credential.
In late 2022, Dr. Ostaiza relocated to the United States to continue his medical career. While completing rotations and studying for qualifications, he coached at CrossFit SoFlow in Florida, further developing his expertise in lifestyle-driven health. In July 2025, he began his Family and Lifestyle Medicine residency at the South Texas Health System in McAllen, Texas—a city recognized as having the highest obesity rate in the nation. For him, the placement was more than coincidence; it was a calling to serve a community facing urgent health challenges.
Today, Dr. Ostaiza balances the demands of residency with consistent training and coaching at Deepwater CrossFit, where he also leads a weekly class for his co-residents. His vision is to bridge the continuum of care: as a physician, he works in the sickness-to-wellness space, and as a coach, he empowers people in the wellness-to-fitness space. He believes both roles are essential to closing the gap between patients with chronic disease and access to fitness.
Dr. Ostaiza’s academic focus mirrors his practical mission. His upcoming research paper (see below) explores lifestyle interventions and epigenetics, and he is leading a quality improvement project aimed at creating stronger pathways for patients to engage with CrossFit. By integrating prevention, performance, and education, he hopes to merge the best of medicine and fitness to build healthier, more resilient communities.
Research Corner
Title: Epigenetic modulation by lifestyle: advances in diet, exercise, and mindfulness for disease prevention and health optimization
Authors: Ostaiza-Cardenas J., Tobar A.C., Costa S.C., Calero D.S., López-Carrera A., Bermúdez F.G., & Orellana-Manzano A.
Journal: Frontiers in Nutrition, Volume 12, Article 1632999
Published: August 21, 2025
DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2025.1632999 fnut-12-1632999
Summary:
This review explores how lifestyle factors—nutrition, physical activity, and mindfulness—affect epigenetic mechanisms that regulate gene expression. By examining over a decade of research, the authors show how dietary patterns such as the Mediterranean and DASH diets, mindfulness practices like meditation, and exercise modalities including high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and strength training can positively alter DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNA activity. These changes support improved metabolic function, cardiovascular health, stress resilience, and reduced risk of chronic disease. The paper emphasizes that lifestyle-driven epigenetic modulation has significant potential for both disease prevention and long-term health optimization, while calling for more longitudinal studies to understand sustained and personalized effects
CommunityCare Launches Longevity Program
CommunityCare isn’t insurance—it’s a movement. By cutting out the middleman and pooling resources directly, our members cover healthcare costs together at a fraction of the price of traditional insurance. Over the last year, the average monthly contribution has been just $153 per individual, proving that health freedom doesn’t have to break the bank. CommunityCare is built on prevention, empowerment, and transparency—and now we’re making it even more rewarding.
Starting October 1, 2025, we’re launching the Longevity Discount Program, designed to pay members back for investing in their health. By completing at least one qualifying test—fasting insulin, hs-CRP, or a DEXA scan for visceral fat—you can earn up to 20% off your monthly contributions for the following year. One test passed earns you 10% off, while two or more tests unlock the full 20% discount. For households, both adults must participate to qualify, ensuring that everyone shares in the commitment to better health. Tests are eligible for crowdfunding support (up to $100 each, max of two per adult), making participation accessible to all.
This program is more than a discount—it’s a reflection of our core belief that prevention pays. By choosing fitness, nutrition, and proactive testing today, members lower long-term risks, strengthen our community, and enjoy even greater savings tomorrow.
We power health! That’s the power of CommunityCare.
Updates & Events
We’re excited to share a few important dates coming up this fall. On September 26, we’ll be in Boston for the New England Affiliate Gathering. There’s still time to join us—just email Danielle@crossfit.com to register and be part of the conversation. This is a free event for affiliate owners and coaches. This is a one day event. If you’re looking to turn your affiliate into a health hub for your community, join us!
Looking ahead, mark your calendars for Thursday, October 16 at 12 p.m. ET for the next U.S. Affiliate Roundtable. The session, titled “CrossFit is the Cure: How CrossFit Affiliates Are Changing the System from the Ground Up”, will take a detailed look at how affiliates across the country are already functioning as community health hubs. From partnerships with healthcare providers to offering labs, nutrition services, and access to CommunityCare, affiliates are proving to be the grassroots alternative to Big Food, Big Pharma, and the medical industrial complex. Expect to leave with inspiration, clarity on what’s already working, and actionable ideas to put into practice. To register, visit your affiliate tool kit on CrossFit.com.
Then we’re heading to Dallas for AffiliateCon, October 24–26. The schedule is stacked with incredible speakers and breakout sessions designed to help affiliate owners level up their impact. There’s still time to grab your ticket—use code CFMS when registering at AffiliateCon for exclusive savings.
Additionally, we are here to support the journey for affiliates to become health homes. Schedule time to chat with us any time!
CFMS Journal Updates
We’re continuing our deep dive into the Four Models of Fitness in the Defining Fitness series, with a new article now live on Stamina. This installment explores how stamina differs from strength and endurance, why it matters in the CrossFit framework, and how it plays out both inside and outside the gym.
Alongside this, we’ve added to the CFMS Journal, continuing to build out our library of thought leadership at the intersection of CrossFit and healthcare. These articles are designed to equip affiliates, providers, and community members with the language, research, and practical applications needed to redefine what health and fitness look like in practice.
CrossFit Podcast Series
Next week launches an exciting new collaboration between the CrossFit Podcast and the CrossFit Medical Society. Together, we’re unpacking key topics from the CrossFit is the Cure campaign—exploring health autonomy, prevention, and how affiliates can be change agents in their communities.
In the meantime, here are recent livestreams where CFMS joined the conversation. Catch up with these episodes, then tune in for the next release on September 23:
F*ck the System: In this livestream, Jocelyn Rylee sits down with Matt Souza, Jenn Pishko, and James Hobart to respond to the ad together, unpacking what it means in the context of CrossFit’s mission to make the world a healthier place. Whether someone is seeking to dominate their sport or improve their quality of life, CrossFit works. Our program can be scaled for anyone. But even in meeting people where they are, CrossFit requires hard work. “CrossFit is for anyone, but not for everyone.” We own this adage because it is in the challenge of CrossFit that people come to understand what they are capable of, where true potential is unlocked, not just in terms of belief in ourselves, but in terms of our health and fitness — our degree of capacity and vitality for life. “Tens of thousands of coaches around the world teach functional movement, nutrition, recovery, and resilience … They build relationships, and they track results. This is what real public health looks like.” Let’s talk about what it all means. Buckle up. We’re Forging Elite Fitness. — Watch livestream here
What Does Community Mean? On this livestream, we’re unpacking why and how CrossFit’s community is different — to the point that some even call us a cult.
Is it the culture or the community that makes us different? What’s the difference between them? What defines them?
What does “community” even mean if everyone says they have it?
Do you believe that walking into a CrossFit gym is palpably different from walking into any other brand of gym? What creates this?
Why have we been called a cult?
What are the social components of health and fitness? How important are they?
What role does the methodology play in promoting and preserving the culture?
Host James Hobart will be joined by Jenn Pishko and Matt Souza. Bring your perspectives to the comments, and let’s get into it. — Watch livestream here
CrossFit, GLP-1 RAs and the Serena Ad: We’re sitting down to have an honest, nuanced conversation about Ozempic (semaglutide), other GLP-1 RAs drugs, and their role in lifestyle intervention and health. We want to understand who benefits, who profits, and what the implications are for individuals, coaches, and the broader CrossFit community. The goal is not to provide all the answers or be the experts, but to create space for a thoughtful discussion around an important and highly visible issue, especially in light of GLP-1 RAs provider Ro’s recent sponsored post featuring Serena Williams. Host Denise Thomas will be joined by Dr. Tom McCoy, Jocelyn Rylee, and Joe Alexander. Bring your perspectives to the comments, and let’s get into it. — Watch livestream here
Cutting Through the Noise on Nutrition: Nutrition is one of the most debated topics in health and fitness, and it’s central to CrossFit’s methodology. In this livestream, host James Hobart sits down with Jocelyn Rylee, Joe Alexander, and Jenn Pishko to talk nutrition. The conversation tackles CrossFit’s nutrition principles, how they apply in real life, and what the science actually says. With so many competing voices in the space, we cut through the noise to address strategies for everyday CrossFit athletes, elite athletes, and those battling chronic disease. Expect honest discussion on food quality vs. quantity, calories in vs. calories out, the 80/20 rule, food addiction, and more. — Watch livestream here
