The mindbodygreen Podcast

Many moons ago, Robin Berzin was wondering how she would ever manage to merge her love of technology, health care, yoga, public health, functional medicine, and entrepreneurship. Fast-forward a few years—after working for Oprah, earning a degree in international relations, and becoming an M.D.—she's now the founder and CEO of Parsley Health, a successful membership-based holistic health practice with offices in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.In this episode of the mbg podcast, my good friend and mbg Collective member Dr. Berzin talked about the most common health complaints she sees in her clinic and why there are some supplements she recommends to (almost) everyone. She revealed the ins and outs of the diet—a "plant-based paleo" plan, full of fiber, healthy fatty acids, and protein—that is a fit for pretty much all her patients. And finally, we talked about how our perspectives on life have shifted since we both brought babies into the world last year around this time; our daughters even have the occasional "baby playdate," which is absolutely just as cute as it sounds.Trained in traditional medicine and then functional medicine, Dr. Berzin is passionate about the idea that we should each have a doctor that listens to us and looks at every aspect of our lives and factors that into our medical care every single day. You won't want to miss this one.Sonos is a wireless home sound system that blends impeccable sound quality with beautifully minimal design, allowing you to listen to your favorite music, radio stations, podcasts, books, movies, and more in any or every room of your home. Use promo code MINDBODY10 to receive 10% off one order up to $2,500USD on Sonos.com. 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

Even though she's written a book, filmed a TED Talk, and built an audience of 371,000 people and counting on Instagram, she still gets nervous before public speaking — it's one tiny but endearing example of what makes artist and poet Cleo Wade so relatable.Wade's first book, Heart Talk, is meant to be what you need it to be—a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear, or some simple spiritual inspiration to get through a creative block. In this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, we start from the very beginning of Wade's career as a writer and touch on all-important and sometimes divisive topics like self-care, social media habits and overwhelm, and what it means to be an informed citizen in modern society.To the core, Wade marches to the beat of her own drum. She's constructed a life and vocation that not only supports her well-being but allows her to understand what she needs to live well. During our chat, she said that the promise she made to her audience was to make them feel less alone. "As soon as you set the intention, everything else becomes clear," she said.Whether you've connected with Wade's poetry and wanted to know more about her life, or you're craving some deep, soul-food conversation, this episode hits on both points and everything in between. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!Sonos is a wireless home sound system that blends impeccable sound quality with beautifully minimal design, allowing you to listen to your favorite music, radio stations, podcasts, books, movies, and more in any or every room of your home. Use promo code MINDBODY10 to receive 10% off one order up to $2,500USD on Sonos.com. 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

As the best-selling author of Happy Gut: The Cleansing Program to Help You Lose Weight, Gain Energy, and Eliminate Pain, mbg Collective member Vincent Pedre, MD, is one of the country's leading experts on gut health. In this episode of the mbg podcast, we dive deep into the roots that shaped his current philosophy and lifestyle, from his Cuban background to how his family's immigration impacted his childhood. "If you're Cuban, you become a doctor, a lawyer, or a CPA," Pedre laughs, noting that, with two siblings filling the lawyer and CPA spots, there was only one real profession left for him to entertain.For him, doctoring is the perfect marriage of art and science, and he's perfected his field. In this episode, he shares the future of the microbiome, the most important foods to eat for gut health, how to know if coffee is good in your body, how to consume alcohol in a healthy way (including the surprising reasons he loves tequila), why French and Italian wines are healthier, and ways to cheat fasting so you're not starving all the time. He also gets into the few easy healthy things that makes a big difference in his diet, his thoughts on butter and ghee, and the hidden problem with consuming fat if you have a leaky gut.If you're looking for a common sense, implementable approach to changing your gut and life, this episode is a must-listen. When you're done, be sure to check out Pedre's teachings in the mbg Functional Nutrition program! 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

For entrepreneur Rachel Drori, access is at the core of her mission for her company, Daily Harvest. The food delivery service provides convenient fresh and frozen food without compromising on nutritional value—all delivered right to your door.Rachel essentially created Daily Harvest out of a personal need to prioritize wellness in her busy life as a working mom. She combined her background in marketing and hospitality and her passion for food politics to launch Daily Harvest on her own, starting in a commercial kitchen on Long Island City here in New York.Her passion for food politics started in college as a member of an organization that provided fresh produce to the underserved communities in West Philadelphia. Fast-forward to today: Her passion has only multiplied and now includes a mission to help broaden food access across the country, one nutritious frozen meal at a time. Even more so, Rachel is committed to changing the food system in a way that involves more transparency and outreach, particularly when it comes to the origins of our produce.Daily Harvest relies on farmers for the bulk of their inventory, and Rachel is a huge advocate for transitional farming—the process by which farmers transition from conventional farming to organic farming. Taking the small, incremental steps toward truly turning our food system inside out, Rachel believes, will not only empower us as individuals to feel good about making healthy decisions but will also aid in the overall picture of food pricing and accessibility for everyone.Of course, it wouldn't be a conversation about wellness, parenting, and entrepreneurship without some mention of balance. Rachel and I attempt to demystify the work-life juggling act and talk about the double duties that come along with being a mother and sole founder of a company (hint: she's not a fan of the 'mompreneur' label), all while navigating the tricky business-building process. Some buzzy wellness products that do keep her afloat? Homemade collagen gummies that are healthy and super easy to whip up.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

As one of mbg’s first contributors, a class instructor, and now mbg collective member, Rich Roll is passionate about using his personal story as a blueprint for how to build a life full of purpose and intuition.An ultra-endurance athlete, enthusiastic vegan, author, and podcast host, Rich has channeled his love for the outdoors and a plant-based diet into an inspiring health and wellness journey for a little over a decade. For Rich, wellness is about alchemy; health is about what’s on your plate. And although Rich credits yoga as his saving grace during his time fresh out of rehab, he recognizes that real transformation is an inside job that is oftentimes messy but always rewarding in the end.His book Finding Ultra was recently rereleased and happens to be one of my favorite books. Did I mention he was recently named the world’s fittest vegan? In this episode, Rich talks about how his rock bottom moments and early struggles with alcoholism and his climb up the corporate ladder left him broken and empty. Rich also shares the pivotal turning point of his journey—from Stanford swimmer to an overworked lawyer to recovering alcoholic—the night before his 40th birthday. It revealed a major health scare and his ongoing existential crisis and eventually, triggered his desire to seek a healthier lifestyle. He also describes the series of events that led him to pursue some pretty wild endeavors like finishing 5 Iron Man competitions in less than one week and swimming across the Baltic Sea—all while over the age of 40.If you're someone who's keen on resetting their biological clocks with the right fuel from exercise and nutrition or just simply want to learn how to maximize your life's path no matter the direction, you might want to tune in to hear Rich's insights on learning to build a life, not a résumé, all while cultivating healthy mental, physical, and spiritual habits.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

Ever wondered what the connection between chi and the mitochondria might be? Want to know why relaxation is all about activating the parasympathetic nervous system? The human body is endlessly fascinating, which can also make getting and staying healthy feel terribly complicated. That is, until you have an expert explain it to you in a way that makes perfect sense.Dr. Frank Lipman is a leader in integrative and functional medicine, my personal doctor, a New York Times best-selling author of five books, an mbg practices instructor, and a member of the mbg Collective. His new book, launching today, How to Be Well: The 6 Keys to a Happy and Healthy Life, puts four decades of experience in one place. It's like having a health coach right in your living room.Join me as I sit down with one of my favorite people to chat about sleep, diet, movement, protecting ourselves from chemicals, and connecting with our loved ones. As it turns out, being well doesn't have to be complicated; the ordinary things we take for granted—like reggae music, gratitude, and sunshine—can have extraordinary effects on our health.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

Paige Bourassa, a licensed acupuncturist and holistic nutritionist with a master's in traditional Oriental medicine, shares her deep knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). She breaks down essential components like acupuncture, cupping, and herbs while debunking common myths, including whether acupuncture hurts. Bourassa also highlights everyday nutrition and movement mistakes that may cause health imbalances. Plus, she offers insights on enhancing travel comfort and improving fertility through TCM practices.

Valter Longo, PhD, has been studying longevity for years. It wasn't long before he became fascinated by the world of fasting and calorie restriction and how they can help us maintain a healthy body and prolong our lifespan. He is now the director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California, creator of the ProLon fasting-mimicking diet, and author of the best-selling book The Longevity Diet.In this episode of the mbg podcast, we talked about the five pillars of longevity and the best way to eat to stay healthy long-term, which includes plenty of vegetables, nuts, legumes, and some fish. Dr. Longo also shared the mistakes people make when they're trying to get healthier—like moving from an unhealthy diet to an overly restrictive diet—which oftentimes leaves them lacking essential vitamins and minerals. He explained why it's important to eat food that you actually like and warned us not to assume a food that's bad for some people and is bad for everyone (think: gluten).Dr. Longo made us think twice about what healthy food really means and called our beloved avocados into question. You don't want to miss this one. 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

Functional medicine trailblazer Dr. Mark Hyman knows a thing or two about optimal living. A man with many titles—practicing family physician, ten time #1 New York Times bestselling author, and director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, just to name a few—Hyman has been force in the wellness world, revolutionizing our approach to eating, moving, thinking, and ultimately, thriving in transformative and healing ways. His upcoming book, Food: What The Heck Should I Eat? aims to wade through the chaos involving today’s food hysteria, including nutrition confusion, environmental factors, misinformation, and conflicting science.In this episode, Dr. Hyman gets real about the current state of confusion about food, policies and government practices. We also discuss a list of wellness topics and highly contested topics like, “is adding butter to your coffee a crime?" and whether all types of dairy should be permitted in the food pyramid. A practicing 'pegan', Dr. Hyman also shares the origins and makeup of this lifestyle and why everyone should consider adapting a paleo and vegan diet. Plus, we delve into the real time effects of climate change’s impact on food production and the consumption of meat in the context of healthy food—like how eating beef can help to save the environment.If you’re an avid follower of Dr. Hyman’s inspiring work in functional health or are looking for answers on what to eat and why, you'll want to grab a notebook and pen to record all of Dr. Hyman's invaluable tips about the who, what, where, when, and why of food.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

Teacher and innovator Light Watkins has been revolutionizing the practice of meditation since 1998—and now, he's on a mission to make meditation an everyday practice, for everyone. As first a meditation practitioner and then apprentice to his Vedic Meditation teacher, Light has worked to deconstruct meditation and make the practice more accessible and sustainable.He’s the instructor of the mindbodygreen classes A Meditation Expert's 14-day Guide and Meditation For Anxiety and founder of The Shine Movement, a global pop-up inspirational variety that spotlights the stories of everyday people. Light also takes his expertise on the road, traveling around the globe hosting workshops, panels, meditation trainings and retreats. His TED Talk, “Debunking the 5 Most Common Meditation Myths” further echoes his uplifting efforts to bring meditation into the public sphere, along with a focus on cultivating inner strength, as demonstrated with first book titled, The Inner Gym. And if that doesn’t seal the deal, Light is dedicated to using his platform to spread positivity and inspiration in all ways, including his daily inspirational email called The Daily Dose and his new book, Bliss More: How to Succeed in Meditation Without Really Trying.In this episode, Light recounts his many career paths—from yoga instructor to model and board game entrepreneur—and life-changing realizations that ultimately led him to meditation. We discussed the transformative power of using mantras while meditating, the resurgence of meditation, and the importance of introducing the practice to pop culture. Plus, Light shares his insights on building a healthy inner life and owning the shift of dialogue around meditation from one of productivity to sustainability.Whether you’re a bonafide meditation follower or a skeptic looking for more information, you won’t want to miss Light Watkins’s simple and refreshing real-life perspective on meditation as an art form, daily practice, and way of life.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