The Mindbodygreen Podcast

We know lifestyle changes such as better nutrition, more movement, and less stress can make a big difference in our health. No one knows this better than Jason Karp, the chairman, and co-founder of Hu Kitchen and founder and CEO of HumanCo who reversed what was deemed an incurable condition through nutrition. He joined me on the mbgpodcast to talk about his transformative health journey and share what we can do today for better health. At the age of 23, Jason started having double vision, brain fog, and hair loss, and an ophthalmologist told him he would likely go blind from what was diagnosed as a degenerative corneal disease. From there, he went to another doctor that (he credits with saving his life) who tested his blood and found his cortisol levels were some of the highest he’d ever seen. He told Jason he wouldn't live until the age of 40 unless he changed what he was doing. After an elimination diet for three months where he gave up packaged food, caffeine, and alcohol paired with more exercise, much to

The CDC reports that more than a third of adults in the U.S. are getting less than 7 hours of sleep which, according to their research, is not enough (getting less than 7 hours of sleep has been linked to issues like high blood pressure, diabetes, and weight gain). While these stats may be enough to keep you up at night, there’s actually a lot we can do to get some better quality sleep. Chris Masterjohn, Ph.D., wellness entrepreneur and researcher, joined co-CEO Jason Wachob on the mbgpodcast to talk about what we can do for better sleep. It comes down to understanding what our bodies need and then putting the right things in. Chris has seen the immense impact nutrition has had on his mental, physical, and emotional health as well as his mother’s. Growing up, he watched his mother heal from fibromyalgia through eating more macrobiotics and doing practices like Tai Chi, and Qigong, and yoga. “I got a very early example to see how powerful diet and lifestyle could be in addressing chronic disease, said Chris.”

Consumers are demanding more from brands—authenticity, transparency, and functionality are just a few traits that people are looking for. It often comes down to the values of which the brand is built on and Veronica and Miguel Garza co-founders of Siete Family Foods are an example of a brand created on a strong foundation. The brother and sister team, joined me on the mbgpodcast to talk about how they started a “better-for-you Mexican-American food brand” and why remaining true to their core values is critical as they grow. After Veronica was diagnosed with her first auto-immune condition at the age of 17, which then developed into lupus and Hashimoto’s years later, her brother suggested she try the paleo diet. Eating a healthier diet was just one component of her health puzzle that helped improve her symptoms, but she missed eating the foods she grew up eating like tortillas and chips. This led to her experiment with different grain-free flours. In her childhood, she learned how to make tortillas from her gr

We all want to find ways to heal our ailments, but conventional medicine doesn’t always have the answers. No one knows this better than Kelly Turner, Ph.D., New York Times best-selling author, who has been studying what she calls “radical remissions,” for years. She joined mbg founder and co-CEO Jason Wachob on the mbgpodcast and described this term as “the remission from cancer that occurs in the absence of conventional medicine, or after conventional medicine has failed.” In her book Radical Remission, she describes her interviews with people who were told they had days to live but ended up surviving and thriving some 25 years later. Kelly pioneered this research and traveled the world for a year to 10 different countries to find the radical remission survivors and their healers. During her experience, she found nine common healing factors among the survivors, which she explains in her book. The process of healing does not have a set prescription or a list of steps. Each of us will have a different path tha

There are so many exciting things happening in wellness from personalized testing to plant-based burgers popping up at fast-food chain burger restaurants. We invited entrepreneur, investor, and shark on ABC's Shark Tank Rohan Oza to join us on the mbg podcast to talk about the exciting wellness trends he expects will stick around and how he sees them evolving over time. As a consumer packaged good expert, Rohan is versed in the products and trends that have the potential to make it into stores across the country rather than just the coasts (where wellness fads traditionally start). Rohan pointed out that he believes fads are more fleeting and draw attention on the coasts and eventually fizzle out, while trends are indicative of more significant conversations in wellness and are followed in the middle of the country. Rohan breaks down the seven trends he sees as major players in wellness now and in the future. With all of these trends, Rohan said to expect bigger brands and companies to take a large share of t

When Michael Chernow got his first restaurant job at the ripe age of 13 he felt like he arrived. Now, with many successful restaurants under his belt plus two kids, the founder of the NYC sustainable seafood restaurant Seamore’s, co-owner of The Meatball Shop, and Executive Culture Officer of WellWell, a functional beverage brand offering sports and wellness drinks is taking his love of fitness and nutrition to every endeavor. It was that first gig that led to him becoming a dishwasher, then bartender, and eventually landed him a job as a bartender and server at Frank Prisinzano’s restaurant Frank. It was then that he got into alcohol and drugs, which wasn’t uncommon in the restaurant lifestyle. One day Frank took him aside and said “I love you, but I can’t watch you do this,” and said if he committed to getting sober, he could have his job back. This was a big enough incentive for Michael to get to the restaurant at eight in the morning sober and work. Since then fitness and wellness have become paramount i

We all want to optimize our time on this planet and live the healthiest, longest lives possible. Joel Dudley, Ph.D., and Chris Mason, Ph.D., the founders of Onegevity, an AI-driven healthcare service, are committed to empowering people to better understand and take charge of their health through data-driven and customized solutions. Dudley and Mason joined me on the mbgpodcast to talk about what they believe doctors should be testing for, what we should be doing daily for our microbiome, and why prevention is critical for the future of healthcare. A big topic here at mbg is longevity, and with advancements in genetic, microbiome, and blood testing we know more than ever before. In this episode, we delve deeper into all that, but here, they offer four things we can all be doing right now, today. Whether it’s longevity, cardiovascular, gut, or immune health, it’s important to remember that every part of our health story is connected. Mason and Dudley explain that it takes the whole picture to understand what’s

Tom Colicchio entered the NYC food scene in 1993 cooking for restaurants including Gotham Bar & Grill and then opened Gramercy Tavern in 1994. In 2001, Tom left Gramercy Tavern to open his own restaurant, Craft, to focus on serving dishes with high-quality ingredients in the simplest way possible. He is the founder of Crafted Hospitality, which includes several restaurants across the U.S. and has a mission to bring healthy food to more people. Tom is also the head judge on Bravo’s hit show, Top Chef, and uses his platforms to highlight the issue of food insecurity and food waste. Tom joined me on the mbgpodcast to talk about his path to becoming a celebrity chef and why food issues became a prominent focus for him. He talks about his eye-opening experience as the executive producer of the documentary A Place at the Table, which delves into the roots of food insecurity in the U.S. “Right now in this country, we have around 40 million people who struggle to put food on the table,” said Tom. In light of this sta

Lissa Rankin, M.D., is the New York Times bestselling author of Mind Over Medicine, The Fear Cure, and The Anatomy of a Calling. She’s a physician, a mystic, and the founder of the Whole Health Medicine Institute. Growing up as the daughter of a physician put Rankin on the traditional Western medicine track and she trained as a physician at Duke University, the University of South Florida, and Northwestern University. After practicing as an OBGYN for eight years in San Diego, she reached an all-time low. She was pregnant with her daughter, sick on seven medications, and overwhelmed by the guilt of not living up to her patient's needs. It wasn’t until she found herself sitting on the floor ready to end her life that she discovered what she calls her inner pilot light. Lissa joined me on the mbgpodcast to discuss this challenging time in her life and how her inner pilot light saved her. At the time, this voice told her to quit her job and she did not know what was next. For two years she felt directionless, but

When we think of musicians on tour we think of late nights, junk food, and a whole lot of partying—in other words, we don’t think wellness. While this may be true for many, SOFI TUKKER, a Grammy-nominated musical duo featuring Sophie Hawley-Weld and Tucker Halpern, take their wellness practices on the road with them. Sophie & Tucker joined me on the mbgpodcast shortly after releasing their new single Fantasy to talk to us about what brought them together, bringing positivity to the stage, and how they spark creativity. Sophie and Tucker attended Brown University, where they met, and as Sophie told me, “the lack of wellness [in college] is really what brought us together, and we bonded over it.” Tucker had been an all-star basketball player at Brown, then had a severe illness that caused him to be bedridden for seven months, which was what ultimately led him to pursue music. As for Sophie, she explains, “I kind of beat up my body emotionally, physically, and mentally.” It wasn’t until someone close to her was

After watching her family members struggle with addiction and depression, and living an intensely stressful life while working for the United States Senate, Kelsey Patel found herself with debilitating back pain and anxiety. Uprooting her life, she moved to Los Angeles and was introduced to Reiki and the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT). At the time she was skeptical of the healing powers of these modalities, but after seeing Reiki’s positive impact on her back pain and EFT on her anxiety, she took a leap of faith and started her Reiki training. Now a certified Reiki master, yoga instructor, meditation teacher, and expert in EFT, Kelsey is transforming people’s lives helping them to recognize their authentic selves and full potential. Kelsey joined me on the mbgpodcast and explained how growing up in North Dakota she was never exposed to energetic forms of healing and it took a free Reiki session with some relief from her back pain for her to give it a chance. Kelsey started with her Reiki 1 certification wh

Jolene Brighten, NMD, is a naturopathic medical doctor, a leading expert in post-birth-control syndrome, the author of the new book Beyond the Pill, and a member of the mbg Collective. After struggling with post-birth-control symptoms like cystic acne and amenorrhea—and hearing her doctor say she was the only person ever to experience it—she decided to make women's health her life's work. Now, she has patients reaching out to her every single day saying "You're the doctor who believes women's birth control stories." This week on the mbg podcast, I sat down with Jolene to talk about how we should be addressing the rarely talked about but long-term side effects of taking hormonal birth control. She explains the science behind what the pill is doing to our health and the implications it could have on future fertility. We also discussed why women are starting to look for other options, beyond just oral contraception. "While 100 million women are using oral contraceptives currently in the world, we are seeing a de

Do you feel like you always have to be perfect? Well, for years, Kimberly Snyder, New York Times best-selling author, nutritionist, and the author of the new book Recipes for Your Perfectly Imperfect Life, felt that way too. Throughout high school, Kimberly struggled with eating disorders and, ultimately, found yoga as a way to connect with her body and ground herself. Instead of adhering to a strict diet and exercise regimen, Kimberly strives to stay in tune with her body's needs through morning walks on the beach, a plant-based diet, and surrounding herself with people who lift her up. In this episode we talk about:What her difficult pregnancy taught her about perfectionism in the wellness worldWhy her food philosophy is all about digestion and fiber-filled foodsHer unique outlook on the cause of bloating (hint: It doesn't have to do with food) It wasn't until her mother passed away within days of her son turning one that she understood perfection came from within. "Your value is not in what you do; your va

How often do you really think about your hydration? Is it just after a hot summer day? According to Kevin Rutherford, triathlete and CEO at Nuun Hydration, that's not nearly enough—and focusing more on it may be the key to optimal health. Kevin joined me on the mbgpodcast to discuss the myths of hydration (hint: gulping down water is not the most effective strategy), and why people aren’t eating enough water-based foods. He unpacks how much water you should really drink every day and shares the five hydrating fruits and veggies he loves. “More and more people are realizing that to 'take care of myself I need to do more preventative versus reactive medicine,'" says Kevin. Nuun started out with a product for the sweaty athlete and while they continue to cater to those with an active lifestyle they are also developing products like the Immunity line for people who just want to be healthier and stay healthy. In this episode you’ll hear aboutKevin’s No.1 tip for staying hydrated on a planeWhy the future is female

Some of you may know Lo Bosworth from MTV's Laguna Beach or The Hills, but that's so early aughts. Since her time in the reality television spotlight, Lo has taken the wellness world by storm. Inspired by her own personal struggle with anxiety, she found solace in mindfulness practices and naturopathic care that helped fill the gaps traditional medicine couldn't. She now runs Love Wellness, a female-first wellness company that aims to create a more open and honest self-care culture. She's a graduate from the French Culinary Institute, where she deepened her passion for nutrition and learned how to master the best cooking techniques in the world. We dish on how holistic self-care, from her favorite hot yoga classes to her daily skin care routine, has changed her life for the better. In this episode, you'll hear about:Lo's best tips and tricks to calm a racing mindWhat she eats in a day, including her staple breakfast that powers her through her morningsLo's honest opinion on social media, and whether or not sh

Hannah Bronfman is the founder of HBFIT, a DJ, and the author of the new book Do What Feels Good. Growing up with a mother who was a reiki healer and lover of crystals, Hannah was introduced to wellness at a young age. We talk about the career changes, illnesses, and lessons that shaped her wellness journey and led to her philosophy “do what feels good”. She joined me on the mbgpodcast to talk about what we can do to bring more diversity into wellness and the simple yet impactful actions we can take today. She also shares her struggle with leaky gut and why she believes colon hydrotherapy is critical to gut health.  In this episode you’ll hear about:The gut-healing reason she doesn’t drink water during mealsHer three tips for staying well while travelingHannah’s go-to breathing exercise to use in intense moments“Wellness to me is not about eating organic food and going to boutique workout classes, wellness to me is really about those in-between moments—how you’re talking to yourself.” Hannah’s words will insp

A spiritual icon, the author of 25 New York Times bestselling books, and the co-founder of The Chopra Center, Deepak Chopra, M.D., has traveled around the world inspiring people to ask questions and rethink their perceptions of the world. I sat down with Deepak for the second time on the mbgpodcast to talk about awareness and the challenges of love, life, and death. He explains how each of us experiences consciousness every day and the paradox of reality we all struggle with. We delve into the constructs that humans fall into and how an understanding of the realm of consciousness can help you get clear on your path. In this episode you’ll hear about:How to find love after heartbreakThe No.1 healing force we need to tap into todayHow to reconnect with someone who has passedDeepak encourages us to question assumptions and societal constructs while staying aware of our thoughts and how we may be exiting consciousness unknowingly. He also shares the one surprising mindful-awareness practice he does daily to evoke

Wim Hof holds the Guinness World Record for the longest ice bath, he’s run a marathon in the desert without drinking and regulated his own body temperature and has held his breath for six minutes. It sounds crazy, but for the “Iceman” extreme cold and breath are the keys to his connection to himself. In this episode of the mbg podcast, Wim draws us into the icy depths of the sea sharing the moment 42 years ago when he first submerged under the ice and felt the power of himself “being unconditionally there." That feeling became his life-long catharsis, especially critical after his wife took her own life in 1995: "I had to survive, I went into the cold and it healed me." From there he discovered that through specific breathing techniques he could withstand any amount of cold to the point where he did not feel the low temperatures. He since has developed the famous Wim Hof method, which he says is “extraordinarily simple but also extraordinarily effective—and it is backed up by science.” Here’s what to get exci

Dr. Sheeva Talebian is a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist. After graduating top of her class from Colombia University, she went on to get her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine and continued her training at New York University where she did her residency in obstetrics and gynecology and a fellowship in reproductive endocrinology and infertility. Sheeva joined me on the mbgpodcast to talk about what inspired her to become a fertility specialist and why the future of fertility testing excites her. She tells about recent successes with her patients after starting to blend her traditional Western medical background with more Eastern-influenced practices such as a Traditional Chinese Medicine diet, acupuncture, and anti-inflammatory supplements. In this podcast you’ll hear about:The main reasons most couples are not getting pregnant (and the myths debunked)The less-talked about role that men’s sperm has in infertility and the conversation you need to haveThe key factors to consider whe

Marco Borges is the founder of 22 Days Nutrition, a New York Times bestselling author, and author of his new book The Greenprint. Marco joined us back in 2017 on the mbgpodcast to discuss what led him to create 22 Days Nutrition and why he’s inspired to share his passion for plant-based eating with the world. A self-proclaimed eternal optimist (and it’s true), an advocate for sustainable living, and a believer that change begins with us, Marco is one of my favorite people, and I’m so excited to have him back on the podcast. His new book The Greenprint, is a plant-based holistic lifestyle plan featuring 22 laws to help you achieve your healthiest life and more than 60 recipes you can make at home. He calls it “plant-based living defined by you,” and shares why the laws give you more freedom in your life. He approaches diet as he does all aspects of life—with a non-judgmental perspective. In this podcast you’ll hear about:Why 22 is the golden number for making sustainable change in your lifeHow to live by one o