The Mindbodygreen Podcast

This episode of the mindbodygreen podcast features Desiree Nielsen, R.D., a renowned dietitian, TV host, and plant-based cookbook author. In this episode, Nielsen sits down with mbg founder and Co-CEO, Jason Wachob, and explains how our anxiety levels can shed light on digestive issues, as well as why we should prioritize gut health and decreasing chronic inflammation. Tune into this episode to hear more about her personal food philosophy—you might be surprised at the many ways you can make the most of a plant-based diet.  To contact the mindbodygreen team with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please email podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please email sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast email newsletter? Sign up here! Enjoy this episode! And don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher, and sign up for our podcast newsletter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This episode of the mindbodygreen podcast features Daniel Amen, M.D., a pioneer in the field of brain health. A double board-certified psychiatrist and New York Times bestselling author, he has an unparalleled view on brain health, especially the ways in which we can take control of our own lives and strengthen our brains—no matter your age.  In this episode, Founder and Co-CEO, Jason Wachob, sits down with Amen to discuss everything related to the brain. Tune in to find out the 5 primary types of brains, the best foods for brain function, and which supplements he recommends for optimal brain health. According to Amen, we have the power to better our own brains. To contact the mindbodygreen team with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please email podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please email sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast email newsletter? Sign up here! Enjoy this episode! And don't forget to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, or Stitcher, and sig

A leading functional medicine practitioner, Will Cole, D.C., IFMCP, is an expert when it comes to analyzing the underlying factors of chronic disease. In his practice, he customizes health programs for thyroid issues, autoimmune conditions, hormonal dysfunctions, digestive disorders, and brain problems. And with this impressive resume, it’s no surprise he was named one of the top 50 functional-medicine and integrative doctors in the nation. When Founder and Co-CEO, Jason Wachob, sat down with Cole on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, he was so excited to hear details about his upcoming book, The Inflammation Spectrum. In this book, Cole educates people on how they differ in terms of an inflammatory response, as well as urges us to discover how our bodies respond to certain lifestyle practices, both positively and negatively. Another component Cole mentions is the fact that there are certain markers of inflammation that might look “normal” to the average eye, when really these signs can be crucial for

When it comes to working with her patients, Bindiya Gandhi, M.D. has a goal of getting to the root cause of certain issues and making patients feel healthy in the most natural way possible. As a family medicine physician with a passion for functional medicine, Gandhi couples her traditional education and training with a nutritional medicine lens, making her a unique, cutting-edge professional in the medical field. Gandhi offers some great tips and advice (you’ll seriously want to listen to this episode of the podcast with a notebook and pen in hand), on a variety of topics we can approach with a “food is medicine” mentality, ranging from balancing hormones, taming inflammation, and fertility. Another topic she covers as she chats with Olessa Pindak, mindbodygreen's Chief Content Officer, is how she advises her patients to optimize their gut health. Gut health should be a priority, Gandhi states, because of its ability to affect so many other processes in our bodies. When our gut health becomes compromised, it

These days, it’s not uncommon for people to strive to be more proactive about their health and prevent diseases before even the preliminary signs of an illness arise. Molly Maloof, M.D., a personalized medicine physician and one of our speakers at this year’s revitalize event, works with the top Silicon Valley investors and executives on how to seek empowerment and prescribe health in all aspects of life—not just for the body, but for the mind and community around us. On this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, Jason Wachob, founder and co-CEO of mindbodygreen, sat down with Maloof to chat about how we can truly optimize our health, rather than trying to seek quick fixes whenever we’re feeling not-so-great. After discussing whether psychedelics can have a role in medicine, as well as how she sees the future of the industry shifting, it's clear that Maloof has an unparalleled view on how we can take control of our wellbeing. One way she mentions we can ensure a healthy body and mind is by biohacking safely a

Anna Yusim, M.D., works with many patients who come to her with the full spectrum of human issues, but one of the most common she sees is existential anxiety, a paralyzing fear for people who face it in their everyday lives. An award-winning psychiatrist, Yusim couples her medical practice with spiritual principles in order to treat this anxiety, which is a combination that truly promotes holistic healing for our minds, bodies, and souls. Olessa Pindak, mindbodygreen's CCO, sat down with Yusim on this week’s episode of the podcast to chat with her about the specific tools she utilizes during a psychotherapy session. She affirms that feeling anxious about our human existence is completely normal. Her first step to coping is to recognize that every human being has this same fear at some point in their lives (sometimes at many points in their lives, in fact), and that it’s a completely valid fear to have. Yusim is no stranger to supplements, and she believes that they can be helpful tools to cope with existen

While Heather Moday, M.D., is an allergist and immunologist. Through treating her patients with immunodeficiencies, she's noticed how her patient's diets and lifestyles affect the health of their immune systems.  mindbodygreen's founder and co-CEO, Jason Wachob, sat down with Moday for this week’s episode of the podcast to discuss vitamin deficiencies, what's really causing our allergies, and other common ailments she sees most in her functional medicine practice. If you've ever wondered why nuts are so allergenic or if there's such thing as good inflammation, you'll want to tune into this one. Moday received her medical degree from Tulane Medical School in New Orleans. She completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in allergy and immunology. She completed a fellowship in integrative medicine with the Arizona Integrative Medicine program and is board-certified in integrative and holistic medicine. She completed her functional medicine training with the Institute for Functional Medicine and th

If there’s one thing journalist and teacher, Esther Wojcicki, knows, it’s how to empower children. She has raised some pretty successful daughters—Susan, Anne, and Janet—who have grown up to become the CEO of YouTube, the co-founder and CEO of 23andMe, and the assistant professor at the UCSF with a Ph.D. and master’s in public health, respectively (Janet also spoke at our revitalize event in 2015!). Not only has Wojcicki learned the importance of empowerment in raising her own family, but she makes it a point to empower the children she teaches in school. A firm believer in making mistakes, Wojcicki knows how to create uplifting environments where kids can flourish and take healthy risks. When I sat down with Wojcicki on this week’s episode of the podcast, we chatted about her book, How To Raise Successful People, as well as the advice she would give to parents who want to empower their own children. Her instruction was simple, yet has remained with me since: treat your kids like adults.  Learn more about yo

When Diana Rodgers, R.D., found out that she had celiac disease at 26, all of her digestion issues during childhood finally made sense. Growing up, she was underweight, frequently sick, and struggled with blood sugar related issues. These symptoms seemed to be a result of her gluten intolerance, but even when she incorporated gluten-free alternatives into her diet, she still found herself unsatisfied and, oftentimes, ravenous. It was only when she starting incorporating more fat (think raw milk and butter) that she started to see real progress in her digestion. Even further into her journey with different diets, it wasn't until she came across Robb Wolf's The Paleo Solutionthat she finally found the golden ticket for her eating lifestyle: real foods, less processed carbs. Her one takeaway after her own experience and completing her nutrition degree? Stay away from processed foods and don’t be afraid to up your intake of animal products. While this rule of thumb may sound simple, it can be quite difficult to m

According to Alyssa Dweck, M.D., enhancing women’s quality of life as they age makes up a significant portion of her practice. Although she works with women in all stages of life—she lectures various Westchester public schools in her spare time and educates students about important gynecological issues—she places emphasis on the relationship between the aging process and gynecological health at a cellular level.  What most people might not know, is that aging happens at the cellular level due in part to a lack of something called NAD in the body. NAD, at its core, is a substance that every cell in our body uses to turn food into energy, and it decreases as we age. It also decreases due to many other life stressors—being postpartum, excessive alcohol, over-eating, and getting too much sun exposure, to name a few. That said, it’s in every woman's best interest (no matter her age) to become well-versed in all things NAD and start taking the necessary steps to maintain levels of this coenzyme.  After chatting wit

Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., is a go-to source when it comes to questions surrounding gut health. Board-certified in both internal medicine and gastroenterology and published in America’s top gastroenterology journals, he’s seen hundreds of cases surrounding our most common gut health complaints. Additionally, he earned a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation (MSCI) from Northwestern University, as well as a certificate in nutrition from Cornell University. When it comes to the gastroenterology and the microbiome, Bulsiewicz is nothing short of a seasoned professional. Jason Wachob, mindbodygreen founder and co-CEO, was able to chat with Bulsiewicz about whether cutting out whole food groups is really a good idea, as well as what he believes are the most important foods to consume for a healthy microbiome. For now, here are the three reasons why you shouldn’t cut grains out of your diet, straight from Dr. B himself. For more tips on how to create the perfect eating plan for your gut health microbiome, be sure

Deepak Chopra, M.D., is one of the most renowned spiritual teachers of our time. The author of more than 80 books, including 25 New York Times bestsellers, Deepak's groundbreaking work on metaphysics and the mind-body connection has touched millions of lives. At this year's revitalize event, Deepak joined me on the main stage to discuss consciousness and its role in longevity. You could hear a pin drop as the crowd listened attentively to his nuanced take on some of life's biggest questions. One topic that kept surfacing was this idea of "waking up," which Deepak writes about extensively in his upcoming book, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential. There are many things keeping us from true awakening, stuck in a state that Deepak describes as "a lucid dream in a vivid now," and the rise of social media is a big one. From his perspective, social platforms actually often encourage us to focus on the self—and in the process only make us feel more separate from one another. They take us away from our sha

As a reproductive psychiatrist, Alexandra Sacks, M.D., helps people navigate the emotional toll of pregnancy and parenthood. A lot of her work is normalizing the ups and downs of motherhood. In the age of highly curated Instagram posts, Sacks breaks down the myth that being a parent is all joy all the time. She helps patients differentiate between the emotions that are to be expected with new momhood—ambivalence, isolation, and frustration—and more serious conditions like postpartum depression. She likes to use the phrase "matrescence" to describe this complicated time, which can mirror the awkwardness and discomfort of adolescence. Sacks lectures at major corporations on attitudes around maternity and paternity leave, and her work has appeared in the New York Times, Time, and on NPR. She also hosts a weekly Motherhood Sessions podcast, where she has honest conversations with new moms to learn about their experience and her new book What No One Tells Youhas been dubbed "the new essential book for soon-to-be-p

Today's podcast episode is a special recording from our sixth annual revitalize event, which was held in Dove Mountain, Arizona, in June. The insights we learned on the main stage this year were too good not to share, so we're broadcasting them on the podcast over the next few weeks. Today, we'll hear four perspectives on the role of psychedelic drugs in today's wellness world. From the decriminalization of psilocybin in Oakland and Denver to the rise in ayahuasca ceremonies around the world, it feels like psychedelic drugs previously taken in hushed settings are now gaining mainstream appeal. So much so that the rate of use is quickly outpacing the research on how these substances actually affect the body. At this year's revitalize event, we invited four health experts to give their take on what exactly this means. What role, if any, should drugs like THC, MDMA, LSD, ayahuasca, and psilocybin play in wellness? Who should be taking them, and how can they do so safely? The panel covered massive questions like

Lissa Rankin, M.D., and Kelly Turner, Ph.D., have both spent years studying how people use spirituality to overcome illness against all odds. And what they've found is fascinating. Turner, a researcher who has spent time with over 1,500 hospice patients, has identified nine keys to healing—and only two of them are physical. The others, things like releasing suppressed emotions and identifying your reasons for living, may be difficult to write a prescription for, but they provide a potent medicine. Rankin is intimately familiar with these more emotional approaches to healing too, and she has spent the last seven years traveling to lands near and far to study other cultures' sacred healing practices. When Turner and Rankin took to the revitalize stage this year, the topic of trauma inevitably came up. When trauma, no matter how severe, is left unattended to, it can spiral into the types of illnesses that these two New York Times bestselling authors are so intimately familiar with. "The more of those 'Big T' and

Today's episode is a special recording from our sixth annual revitalize event, which was held in Dove Mountain, Arizona, in June. The insights we learned on the main stage this year were too good not to share, so we're broadcasting them on the podcast over the next few weeks. First up: Two legendary functional medicine doctors discuss the science-backed secrets to aging gracefully. Frank Lipman, M.D., and Robert Rountree, M.D., are two of the most trusted voices in functional medicine today. Lipman is a New York Times bestselling author who has been marrying Eastern and Western medicine in a clinical setting since the 1980s, and Rountree's Boulder-based institute seamlessly blends functional nutrition, medical herbalism, and mind-body therapy. It's no surprise that the audience had their notepads out and pens poised when these two took the stage at revitalize 2019 to discuss aging. Over the course of their panel, Lipman and Rountree dove into the lifestyle factors that they believe dictate longevity. "You're

John Mackey, the co-founder and CEO of Whole Foods, wasn’t always the leader and innovator that he is today. Believe it or not, John started his career as a busboy. Never did he imagine that he would create a grocery store that would launch a new era of health and wellness—an era in which people felt empowered people to eat well and live better. In this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast—which comes straight to us from the main stage of this year’s revitalize event—John delves deep into what it means to be a conscious leader in today’s world and why it’s important for all of us to be purpose-driven, loving, and authentic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With estimates that around 12,000 million metric tons of plastic will be in landfills or in our environment by 2050, it's easy to feel like this overwhelming issue is out of our control, but the change actually starts with us as the consumers. You may know Bonnie Wright better as Ginny Weasley from the Harry Potter films, but she's much more. Bonnie is an environmental activist and advocate for eliminating single-use plastics, a film director, producer, and screenwriter. Colleen Wachob, co-CEO at mindbodygreen, sat down with Bonnie on the mbg podcast to discuss how she became passionate about reducing her impact on the environment and the simple ways she's cut down on plastic in her life. Growing up, Bonnie spent time on the coast of England with her family and came to love the ocean. She gained inspiration from her surroundings and developed an understanding of nature's cycles. Over time she's seen a cultural shift toward convenience and the subsequent negative impact on the environment. As a surfer who spen

In his early 20s, Chris Kresser, M.S., LAc, sold everything he owned and took off around the world. He wanted to travel and surf and planned to spend two years doing both. But his path took a turn nine months into the trip when he began experiencing symptoms of tropical illness, including vomiting, nausea, and delirium. After taking antibiotics, he was able to keep traveling, but several months later it was clear that this was serious. It didn't make sense—he was eating well and in the best shape of his life, and yet this seemingly small bout of sickness was evolving into a chronic illness. He decided to go home and seek medical help. Over the next five years, Chris saw upward of 50 doctors and practitioners to try to get better. It turns out he had multiple parasites. He spent most days curled up on the floor in pain and thought he wasn't going to have a future. That's when he began to look beyond modern medicine and discovered functional medicine and the paleo diet. By changing his diet and lifestyle, Ch

At mbg, we've long been interested in recovery techniques as part of a well-rounded fitness program and predicted that we’d see an even greater shift toward it in 2019. Lo Roxburgh, best-selling author and expert on fascia and alignment, joins mbg's Chief Content Officer, Olessa Pindak, on the mbgpodcast to talk about how she got started in movement medicine and let us in on the best ways to relieve tension. Growing up, she was an All-American swimmer so understood the importance of taking care of her body. When her mother was diagnosed with Stage 5 breast cancer when she was 16, she took a step back and realized just how important the mind-body connection was. She went on to get degrees in nutrition and physiology and certifications in structural integration, Pilates, and personal training. Now Lo works with clients to help them align their bodies and inner selves. Recovery is a not only a vital part of a fitness routine, it's also become part of our wellness conversation. Join in! To contact Colleen or Ja