The mindbodygreen Podcast

Jon Sebastiani is no stranger to the world of entrepreneurship. At the age of 8, Jon got his taste of working as an entrepreneur on his family’s vineyard in Sonoma Valley, founded in 1894 as one of the wine region’s first vineyards. He continued to work on the business side of the family brand throughout his 20s and early 30s, until the company was sold in 2005. After a self-proclaimed identity crisis of sorts, Jon shifted his focus to his own health, which led him to run in the New York City Marathon, and shortly after, put him on the fast track to launching a jerky brand, KRAVE. Now, his passion for wellness influences the majority of his business endeavors as founder of Sonoma Brands, one of the most well-respected and innovative venture capitalist firms in natural consumer packaged goods right now, with investors in wellness favorites like Hu Kitchen and True Botanicals. In this episode, we trace Jon’s entrepreneurial spirit from his beginning wine days to the genesis of Sonoma Brands, the trend of mission-driven food companies, and how he uses his savvy business chops to tap into the heart of the wellness industry and introduce products that are bold and accessible to all. We also talk about the tough side of family business, what it was like to sell his company to Hershey, and how to elevate classic, old-fashioned snacks with a modern twist to the masses with health, innovation, and wellness in mind. If you’re curious about the future of small food brands, the tricky business of wellness and fast trends, and how to combine grit and passion as an entrepreneur, this episode’s the one for you. Enjoy! Go to TryOmax.com/mindbodygreen to get a box of Omax3 Ultra-Pure, for FREE! Omax3 comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you have plenty of time to try it and really feel the Omax difference! Hungryroot delivers weekly boxes of healthy convenience foods that customers can use to make a variety of inspiring and delicious dishes. All our food is plant-based and gluten-free, and comes either ready to eat or ready in less than 15 minutes. Use code mbg to get $25 off your first two deliveries with a total savings of $50. To contact Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please e-mail podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jasmine Hemsley has been a force in the wellness world since she started the world-famous Hemsley + Hemsley brand alongside her sister Melissa in 2014. Their first book, The Art of Eating Well, flipped the script on dieting and proved that eating well can be delicious, soul-satisfying, and not at all restrictive. Since this book became an international best-seller, Jasmine has served as a food consultant to a celebrity clientele, penned two more cookbooks, and traveled the world sharing her food philosophy with the masses. Along the way, she stumbled into a food philosophy that would ultimately change her life: ayurveda. The answer to why she always preferred hot, stewy foods and would take a burger over a salad any day, ayurveda is an ancient Indian approach to whole-body healing that focuses on centers of heat within the body. It extends far beyond food and touches on how we can find balance across our lives. Though it dates back around 5,000 years, its remedies for everything from poor digestion to anxiety continue to prove effective today. In this episode, Jasmine, a longtime friend of mbg, mbg Collective member, and workshop host at mbg's revitalize event last month, takes us through the three different ayurvedic personalities, or doshas, and how to find out which one you are. Along the way, she dispels some of the leading myths about practice, lists the little ayurvedic-approved tweaks that she can't live without, and provides top tips for anyone looking to dive deeper into this timeless approach to healing. To contact Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please e-mail podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Erik Oberholtzer is a renowned professional chef who spent 10 years in some of the best fine dining kitchens in California. After getting his start at Chez Panisse, he cooked everywhere from Lark Creek Inn to Left Bank to Shutters on the Beach. Inspired by his relationships with local farmers and his access to fresh ingredients, he became passionate about finding a way to bring farm-to-fork to the masses. In 2006, he opened Tender Greens, a slow-foods-meets-fast-food restaurant in Culver City with an emphasis on affordable chef-created dishes. It has since grown to 28 locations spanning across both coasts and is backed by hospitality giant Danny Meyer. In this week’s episode, Erik and I discuss how he cultivates culture at Tender Greens, America’s shifting relationship with food, and why it’s an exciting time to be in the food space. We also talk about the "forgotten foods" you might be seeing on the Tender Greens menu soon, his commitment to regenerative agriculture, the collision of technology and food, and the power of partnership in growing a business. Go to TryOmax.com/mindbodygreen to get a box of Omax3 Ultra-Pure, for FREE! Omax3 comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you have plenty of time to try it and really feel the Omax difference! To contact Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please e-mail podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. Tanzeem Bhatia, M.D., is a superwoman in her own right. She's not just an M.D.—she has functional medicine, integrative, and holistic physician training, and she's a certified nutritionist, acupuncturist, yoga teacher, and traditional Chinese medicine practitioner. Whew! She might be one of the most qualified medical professionals to help women, as she's seen thousands through her practice and has noticed a few patterns in the way health issues present themselves. Her book, Superwoman Rx, speaks to her experience by demystifying common health problems women face—low energy, unwanted weight gain or loss, and hormone-related issues, to name a few—by breaking them down into five different archetypes. Dr. Taz has been part of the mindbodygreen family since the early days. She's a class instructor, part of mbg's Functional Nutrition Program, and a longtime contributor. In this podcast episode, Dr. Taz and I discuss the reason we're facing a women's health crisis in the first place; how each of the five archetypes named in her book can start to take charge of their own health; what blood tests to run when going to your doctor; nuances about thyroid, gut, and metabolic health; the best herbs women can add to their diets; and much, much more. One question Dr. Taz asks all of her patients is: Why are you trying to take control of your health? She believes that the answer will help clarify the right path for you and motivate you on your journey. If you're someone who has struggled with these issues, or know someone who has, if you prefer taking the more natural route with your body, if you're dealing with information overload, or could benefit from a detailed primer on women's holistic health and well-being, this episode is for you.To contact Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please e-mail podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Weleda is a green brand that goes way, way back—it's been around since 1921. Originally a plant-based medicine company, over the years it has evolved into a natural beauty powerhouse that calls on the power of plants for its nourishing products. In this episode, Rob Keen, who has served as Weleda's CEO for North America since 2016, gives us an inside look into the green beauty industry. He predicts the ingredients that are about to shake up our routines, describes what's next for skin care, and talks about what it will take for natural products to become the new normal. Along the way, he touches on issues of access in the natural beauty space, gives tips for spotting "faux natural" brands, and shares the nonnegotiable beauty products to add to your repertoire. For Weleda, at the end of the day, it's all about going back to the basics. Though the company is nearly a century old, its ingredient list has remained relatively unchanged since the beginning, which speaks volumes about its sourcing. "People and nature have a symbiotic relationship," he tells mbg. "When they’re working together, it creates health." Now that's something we can get on board with. Enjoy this episode! Thrive Market's catalog includes 5,000 of your favorite premium, organic products up to 50% off and delivered straight to your door. Thrive Market is on a mission to make healthy living, affordable and accessible to everyone! Go to thrivemarket.com/mindbodygreen for a 30 day free trial and $60 off organic groceries with free shipping. KIND makes delicious, healthy snacks using whole ingredients. All of KIND’s snacks are crafted with delicious, wholesome ingredients like nuts, fruits and whole grains to keep your body and your taste buds happy! Enjoy 50% off and free shipping on your first Snack Pack when you subscribe to it through Snack Club, KIND’s monthly snack subscription service. Go to kindsnacks.com/MBG for more details. To contact Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please e-mail podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Max Lugavere is a filmmaker, health science journalist, TV personality, brain health expert, and author of the New York Times best-selling book Genius Foods. For Max, brain health isn't just a trend; it's personal. After his mother was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease at just 58, Max dedicated himself to understanding the link between diet, lifestyle, and cognitive function. After almost 10 years of research, he is sharing his brain optimizing philosophy to boost brain power, stimulate cognitive function, and prevent decline.In this episode of the podcast, Max and I talk about how modern dietary shifts may be messing with our brain, why conditionally essential nutrients are so important, and which foods to avoid to beat brain fog (spoiler: It's not just gluten!). He also makes a case for why red meat deserves a place in our diet, why sleep is non-negotiable, and how exercise stimulates the brain. This past weekend, he took the stage at mbg revitalize 2018 to bust common brain health myths and share his hard-earned knowledge with all of us. Max's science-backed evolution-based food recommendations will not only benefit your brain, but they will help you feel and perform better right now. To learn which nutrient-dense foods you need for a brain-boosting diet, check out this week's podcast.Go to TryOmax.com/mindbodygreen to get a box of Omax3 Ultra-Pure, for FREE! Omax3 comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you have plenty of time to try it and really feel the Omax difference! To contact Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please e-mail podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nutritionist, functional mediation practitioner, cognitive behavioral therapist, mindbodygreen class instructor and collective member, and dear friend Dana James has helped more than 3,000 women clean up their eating habits and move closer to their happy weight over the course of her career. Dana's emphasis on psychology is unique: She believes that in order to lose weight, we need to first address the mental blocks that are holding us back. In her 12 years as a practitioner, she's identified the four personality archetypes that most people fall into. Her brand new book, The Archetype Diet: Reclaim Your Self-Worth and Change the Shape of Your Body, dives into how to find your archetype, identify the mental and hormonal blocks keeping you from your healthiest life, and conduct mind-body exercises that will leave you feeling vibrant. It's a must-read for anyone struggling with their weight or just looking to clean up their relationship to food a bit. In this jam-packed podcast, Dana introduces the four archetypes and provides some loose food guidelines for each. From there, the Columbia-trained nutritionist breaks down all of the healthy eating trends of today, weeding out fact from fiction. Tune in to hear her take on why sugar is not addictive, how to really tell if you have a gluten sensitivity, why nuts aren't as great as people make them out to me, why you should never intermittent fast if you're stressed, and so, so much more. Go to TryOmax.com/mindbodygreen to get a box of Omax3 Ultra-Pure, for FREE! Omax3 comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee, so you have plenty of time to try it and really feel the Omax difference! To contact Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please e-mail podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Never heard of a chicken or lobster mushroom? Then you haven't talked to Julie Piatt. As the co-author of the new book The Plantpower Way: Italia: Delicious Vegan Recipes for the Italian Countryside, Julie can tell you all about them and will reassure you that they're vegan. This isn't the first book she's written with her husband, Rich Roll—the duo published their first vegan lifestyle book, The Plantpower Way, together back in 2015, and it became an instant hit. Between their success in the publishing world and Rich's own inspiring story of transforming himself from couch potato to endurance athlete (all of which is detailed in Rich's first book, Finding Ultra), it's safe to say that Rich and Julie—who are dear friends of ours, members of the mbg Collective, and mbg class instructors—are a wellness power couple. In this podcast episode, which is the very first one Colleen and I have ever hosted with another couple, you'll learn all about how Rich and Julie keep the spark alive in their relationship while working together, how they've navigated financial hardships, the secret ingredients to make your Italian cuisine vegan, and what work-life balance really means to them. To contact Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please e-mail podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Wilson is the journalist, entrepreneur, and author behind the I Quit Sugar empire who has helped people around the world give up the sweet stuff for the sake of their health. She is also a lifelong sufferer of anxiety. Her latest book, First We Make the Beast Beautiful, is a stunning account of how Sarah copes with anxiety and a must-have handbook for anyone who wants to understand the often illusive mental illness a little better.In this episode, Sarah—a longtime friend and contributor to mbg—dives into the practices and routines that have helped her reframe her anxiety as a "beautiful beast" instead of a straight-up monster. It's rich with practical information that anyone can benefit from, from how to talk your way down from a panic attack to how to help a friend or loved one through their anxious moments. She also covers the sugar-anxiety connection and shares some fascinating science on how the anxious brain works and how we can train ours to do things differently.Tune in to snag Sarah's No. 1 tip for maintaining good health, staying present in the age of social media, and simplifying your life for the sake of your sanity. In honor of Mental Health Awareness month, I'm honored to present this podcast. To contact Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please e-mail podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dr. David Perlmutter made waves years ago with the release of his book Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth About Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar—Your Brain's Silent Killers, which elucidated the connection between gluten, inflammation, and various modern diseases long before the mainstream media caught on. He's also a long-time member of the mbg family (and now an official collective member!)—he spoke at revitalize in 2016 about the connection between our guts and brains before anyone else was discussing it. Now, the neurologist is back with a new release of the book and tons of modern science back info on what we should actually put in our bodies.In this episode of the podcast, we dive deep into the science of eating for both brain and body health, including a fascinating discussion about Alzheimer’s—he shared some statistics that blew even my mind! We also talk about how, as he says, "the most important shift in the human lifestyle choice paradigm has been a shift from a diet that was fundamentally deriving its calories from fat, protein, and fiber to one that was deriving most of its calories from carbohydrates, with the introduction a couple hundred years ago from processed carbohydrates"—and what exactly that shift has done to our bodies.We also get into eating for DNA, whether sugar or grains are worse for your body, the ketogenic diet, and much, much more. This is a fascinating episode for anyone interested in eating for better brain health and better health generally.To contact Jason with comments, questions, or speaker ideas, please e-mail podcast@mindbodygreen.com. For all sponsorship inquiries, please e-mail sales@mindbodygreen.com. Want to join our podcast newsletter? Sign up here! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices