The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology

Dr. Lustig is an endocrinologist, professor emeritus of pediatrics at UCSF, and bestselling author of Fat Chance. He also wrote The Hacking of the American Mind: The Science Behind the Corporate Takeover of Our Bodies and Brains. Dr. Lustig holds a BS from MIT, an MD from Cornell, and a Masters of Studies in Law from UC Hastings College of Law. We discuss the basic brain mechanisms behind various addictive products that are hacking our reward centers, the 7 key differences between pleasure and happiness, neuromarketing, and what to do about all this. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Dr. Roger Walsh has a unique background that makes him one of the world's leading experts on the mind. He graduated from Australia's Queensland University with degrees in psychology, physiology, neuroscience, and medicine and then came to the US as a Fullbright Scholar. He's now a professor of psychiatry, philosophy, and anthropology at the University of California Irvine. Dr. Walsh has written several books and collectively, Dr. Walsh's writings and research have received over two dozen national and international awards and honors, while his teaching has received one national and six university awards. He's a close friend and confidant of The Dalai Lama, Ken Wilber, Stan Grof, and other legends in the field. We discuss altered states, stages of adult psychological development, shamanism, the power of rituals, and much more. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Dr. Adam Gazzaley is a neuroscientist, author, photographer, entrepreneur, and inventor. He's the Founder and Executive Director of Neuroscape, a lab that bridges technology and neuroscience to enhance brain function. His team invented the first video game approved by the FDA as a medical treatment. Dr. Gazzaley is also the David Dolby Distinguished Professor of Neurology, Physiology, and Psychiatry at UCSF. He's the Co-Founder and Chief Science Advisor of Akili Interactive Labs, JAZZ Venture Partners, and Sensync. In addition to entrepreneurial endeavors, Dr. Gazzaley's also an active scientist, having authored over 150 scientific articles. He holds MD and PhD degrees in neuroscience from Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York. He's been profiled in the NY Times, The New Yorker, WSJ, TIME, and many other publications. We discuss the current distraction crisis, Dr. Gazzaley's video game for improving ADHD, the new psychedelics division of Neuroscape, and much more. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Dr. Robynne Chutkan is the Founder of Gutbliss, an integrative gastroenterologist, microbiome expert, and bestselling author. She did her undergrad pre-Med at Yale and went on to get an MD from Columbia. Here we dive deep into a relatively recent discovery and surprising area of mental fitness—your second brain, the gut. Dr. Chutkan describes the incredible research showing just how intimately connected our mental health is with the bacteria in our guts. She also gives her top tips for creating a healthy microbiome. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Mantak Chia is a Taoist meditation master who has taught millions of students worldwide for over 45 years. He's authored 57 books and founded the Universal Healing Tao Center in Thailand. Master Chia has also studied Western anatomy and medicine. In this episode, we discuss the ancient tradition of mind training called Taoism and its methods, like meditation and dark rooms. Master Chia explains how to stop wasting mental and sexual energy and start cultivating more of it for a happier and healthier life. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Dr. David Perlmutter, is a world-renowned neurologist and 5-time NY Times bestselling author, including #1 NY Times bestseller Grain Brain. Dr. Perlmutter has received the Linus Pauling Award (Institute for Functional Medicine) and National Nutritional Foods Association Clinician Award. He serves as a medical advisor for The Dr. Oz Show and Men's Health. We talk about the connection between your gut and brain, the best foods to eat for a healthy microbiome, why our brains need a detox, and much more. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind   Website: www.fitmind.com 

Bhante Vimalaramsi is a Buddhist monk and renowned meditation teacher. He founded the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center and authored several books on meditation with over a million copies worldwide. We go into Bhante's fascinating background, the mechanics of deep meditation, whether lasting happiness (nirvana/nibbana) is possible, and his practice advice. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind  Website: www.fitmind.com 

Dr. Tara Swart is a neuroscientist, medical doctor, bestselling author, peak performance coach, and former psychiatrist. She holds positions as a Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan, Chief Science Officer at Heights, Neuroscience and Psychological Advisor at To Be Magnetic, and Chief Neuroscience Officer at Arowana International. Dr. Swart received a PhD in Neuropharmacology and BS in Biomedical Science from King's College London, and a BM BCh in Medicine from Oxford. Topics in this episode include the law of attraction, autopilot thinking, organizational plasticity, and the exciting/scary intersection between neuroscience and technology. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Charlie Morley is one of the world's leading experts on lucid dreaming and dream yoga. Charlie has been practicing lucid dreaming for over 20 years and was "authorized to teach" by Lama Yeshe Rinpoche in 2008 within the Kagyu School of Tibetan Buddhism. He has also written multiple books on the topic, delivered talks at Oxford and The Houses of Parliament, and is a black-belt in kickboxing. In this episode, we unpack the science of lucid dreaming and then get into its wild potential for exploring and transforming the mind. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com

Dave Asprey is the Founder of Bulletproof, a 3x NY Times bestselling author, and regarded as the father of biohacking. Dave's an expert on peak mental and physical performance. He also founded a neuroscience company called 40 Years of Zen and has been featured on several programs, including CNN, the Today Show, and Dr. Oz. In this episode, you'll hear about Dave's wild adventures with shamans, fasting for mental benefits, and how to face your fears. FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind Website: www.fitmind.com