The Doctor's Farmacy With Mark Hyman, M.d.

Think about walking into a room full of people who are giving off good energy. They are smiling, kind, welcoming—you can feel what they are putting out into the world and want to be a part of it. Alternately, think about a room full of people who are scowling, complaining, angry, etc. The energy in that room does not feel good and you are going to want to get away from it as soon as possible. This is a small glimpse into the powerful energy fields within all of us at work. My guest on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, medical anthropologist and psychologist Alberto Villoldo, is here to expand on that notion and what it means to support your luminous body. He is a longtime friend and colleague of mine who has spent decades traveling the world to learn ancient shamanic wisdom. Alberto has made it his mission to learn from the people who sense the spaces between things and perceive the luminous strands that animate all life. Alberto is founder of the world-renowned Four Winds Society and of the Light

As my friend Ocean Robbins says, “When you eat the Standard American Diet you get the standard American diseases.” In fact, poor diet is responsible for almost 700,000 deaths in the US each year, and 11 million worldwide! And the average American consumes 55 pounds of added sugar each year, which we know is a major contributor towards the diabesity epidemic. The good news is that each step towards real, wholesome, delicious foods reduces your risk for chronic disease and increases your ability to feel great. This week on The Doctor’s Farmacy, I sit down with Ocean to talk about the current state of our food system and what we can do to be part of the revolution to create a healthier and happier future for everyone. Ocean is the author of 31-Day Food Revolution: Heal Your Body, Feel Great, & Transform Your World. He serves as CEO and co-founder of the Food Revolution Network—one of the largest communities of healthy eating advocates on the planet, with more than 500,000 members.

The immune system: we hear about it all the time, especially this time of year as cold and flu season is in full swing. But there’s a lot more to it than just your susceptibility to a runny nose. 50 million people suffer from immunologic diseases, ranging from an overactive immune system (autoimmunity) to an underactive one (immunodeficiency), and many stages in between. The field of immunology is much more expansive than you might think, spreading into neurology, gastroenterology, epigenetics, psychosocial health, and even mindfulness and gratitude. My guest on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr. Leonard Calabrese, is an expert in immunology and rheumatology. In fact, he is a Professor of Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University and Vice Chair of the Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Diseases. Dr. Calabrese is the director of the RJ Fasenmyer Center for Clinical Immunology at the Cleveland Clinic and holds joint appointments in the Depa

If there was something you could do everyday to boost your focus and productivity, feel energized, reduce stress, sleep better, maintain a positive outlook, and support whole-body health, wouldn’t you do it? It’s for all these reasons, and more, that I consider meditation a foundational pillar to good health. I used to think I didn’t have time for meditation but now I know I don’t have time NOT to do it—it’s become that integral in helping me manage all of my other many responsibilities and passions. Since starting, I’m happier than ever, have found the love of my life, and my business is rocking. Today, on The Doctor’s Farmacy Podcast, I talk to my good friend and personal meditation teacher, Emily Fletcher, about meditation for the modern world. Emily is the founder of Ziva, the creator of The Ziva Technique and regarded as a leading expert in meditation for high performers.

It’s never too late to turn your life around. Doing deep emotional work can not only help us find better health and happiness, it can also help us discover our true purpose and understand how to fully share our gifts with others. Being vulnerable and open to reality, rather than focusing on the stories we tell ourselves, is a major step in the right direction. My guest on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy has done all of that and more. You probably recognize Lisa Lampanelli’s name from the world of comedy, with a career spanning more than 30 years. She has numerous tours, Grammy nominations, and national TV guest appearances and specials under her belt. Lisa made national headlines in 2012 when she lost more than 100 pounds with the help of bariatric surgery. The comedian went on to speak with unflinching honesty about her lifelong food and body-image issues and has since gone from insulter to inspirer. Now, in her 50’s, she’s done a career overhaul and works as a life coach, food and body-image wo

Think about how often you check one of your many social media accounts. Chances are you spend a pretty good portion of your time, productivity, and brain power participating in these apps each day. Though it may seem harmless, or even beneficial, the ubiquitous use of social media is working against our health. Our brains evolved to process social cues from real people; the more we’re on social media the less we’re having real-world interactions that challenge and support our cognition. My guest on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy has never had a social media account—and he’s managed to thrive! Cal Newport is an associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University and writes about the impact of technological innovations on our culture. Newport is the author of six books, including Digital Minimalism and Deep Work. As we dive into the topic of social media, Cal shares his expertise on how it’s impacting public health and culture in ways much greater than you might expect.

There are many health topics considered too taboo to talk about—menstruation being one of them. By ignoring this completely normal part of women’s health we miss out on the ability to empower young girls to become educated, strong women who support communities and positive social change. Overcoming stigmas and challenging cultural norms is what my guest on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, Miki Agrawal, was born to do. Miki is a successful entrepreneur who creates innovative products to disrupt industries and change perspectives. She co-founded and led THINX, the high-tech, period-proof underwear brand, and most recently founded TUSHY, a company revolutionizing the American bathroom and making bidets mainstream in the US, to support better health for our sensitive private areas and the environment, all at once. Miki is also founder of the gluten-free pizza chain WILD and the author of Do Cool Sh*t and Disrupt-Her. She was recently named Fast Company’s Most Creative People of 2018 and Most Impressi

Obesity and type 2 diabetes create trillions of dollars in direct and indirect healthcare costs each year, due to their high prevalence and their ability to promote a wide range of other chronic diseases. These diseases are perpetuated by subsidies of the wrong kinds of foods—like sugar and flour—making them cheaper and more widely available while creating a vicious cycle of poor health. It’s social detriments to health like this that support a sick-care system, as opposed to empowered wellness. My guest on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr. Toby Cosgrove, shares his decades of experience in working to turn our healthcare system around for the better and change the future of medicine as we know it. Toby and I met at the World Economic Forum many years ago, when I jokingly asked how he would feel about emptying out his hospitals and cutting the angioplasties and bypasses at Cleveland Clinic in half using a systems-based approach. At that time, Dr. Cosgrove was the CEO and President of Cleveland C

Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, is estimated to impact more than 2 million Americans. This term encompasses different disorders relating to inflammation in the digestive tract, such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. And up until now, traditional gastroenterology took a linear view of treatment options, ignoring the impacts of diet and lifestyle, while many patients continued to struggle. Today’s guest on The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr. Miguel Regueiro, is part of the positive shift happening in the conventional approach to IBD. Dr. Regueiro is the chair of Cleveland Clinic’s Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology; his main clinical and research interest is IBD, with a focus on the natural course of these diseases and postoperative prevention of Crohn’s disease. Recently, he has been involved in developing new models of healthcare, including the first-of-its kind specialty medical home for IBD. This innovative healthcare delivery system has defined the concept of specialty medical home and will l

How did a skeptical journalist find his way from depression and panic attacks to a more balanced, mindful life? Meditation. For a long time, meditation was sold in a way that made many people wary of its actual benefits. But now, we know this practice of sitting calmly, focusing on the breath, and watching thoughts come and go can actually produce physiological shifts in the brain and in our ability to cope with the stressors of life. Our guest on today’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dan Harris, walks us through his own journey into meditation and the amazing payoff it’s had in his life. Dan is an Emmy Award-winning journalist and the co-anchor of ABC's Nightline and the weekend editions of Good Morning America. He is the author of two New York Times best-sellers, 10% Happier & Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics: A 10% Happier How-to Book. He went on to launch the 10% Happier podcast and an app called 10% Happier: Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics.

There’s a lot more happening in your gut than you might think. Sure, our digestive system moves food through the body, extracting nutrients and eliminating waste. But there’s actually a significant portion of calories we ingest that don’t get absorbed and instead are used to feed our gut bacteria. This inner microbiome creates its own type of waste: metabolites that can be absorbed into the bloodstream and pumped throughout the rest of the body. We’re finding some of these compounds can impact everything from obesity and diabetes to blood pressure and heart disease—it’s astounding to realize the far-reaching effects on whole-body health that all start within the gut. Today’s guest on The Doctor’s Farmacy is here to explain that connection on a deeper level. Dr. Stanley Hazen is both the chair of the Department of Cellular & Molecular Medicine at the Lerner Research Institute and section head of Preventive Cardiology & Rehabilitation at the Heart and Vascular Institute of the Cleveland Clinic. He’s published

Aging without feeling old—isn’t that what we all want? By embracing the right lifestyle practices, it’s possible to get a new lease on life. Emerging research is showing optimal health and graceful aging have just as much to do with when you eat as what you eat. We’ve been hearing a lot in the last couple years about intermittent fasting and time restricted eating, which many folks practice by avoiding meals earlier in the day and breaking their fast with a late lunch or large dinner. My guest on today’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr. Michael Roizen, is here to share why science says late eating is not in our favor and how we can flip the script to make time restricted eating support optimal health. Dr. Roizen is the first Chief of Wellness at the Cleveland Clinic, is board certified in internal medicine, an anti-aging expert, and is the author of many New York Times best sellers. His most recent book, What to Eat When, takes an in-depth look at how planning your meal times more mindfully can dramatical

I often talk about the interconnectedness of the body. After all, Functional Medicine is all about looking at the way our systems function together, rather than focusing on one part of the body at a time. The steps you take to support whole-body health work in the same way. Diet, exercise, stress reduction—they simultaneously affect more than just one aspect of your health—and new research has revealed that choices like these can have major impacts on our sleep, and how that cycles back to support overall optimal health. On this episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, I discuss all-things-sleep with my guest Shawn Stevenson. Shawn is the author of the international best-selling book Sleep Smarter and creator of one of my favorite podcasts, The Model Health Show. A graduate of The University of Missouri - St. Louis, Shawn studied business, biology, and kinesiology, and went on to be the founder of Advanced Integrative Health Alliance, a company that provides wellness services for individuals and organizations world

Many of you who have been following my journey know that last year I got pretty sick. A perfect storm of mold toxicity, babesia, and a few other insults came together that left me in bed for about five months. As part of my treatment plan I decided to go to Sanoviv, a state-of-the-art, fully-licensed hospital that offers a unique blend of conventional, alternative, and integrative programs to help maintain good health and treat a wide range of diseases. This week I interview Dr. Meza, the Chief of Medical Staff at Sanoviv. Dr. Meza played an integral part in my treatment protocol. He is trained extensively in many areas of integrative medicine, including natural approaches to the treatment of cancer and other chronic illnesses.   In this episode of The Doctor's Farmacy, Dr. Meza explains the innovative therapies that they use at Sanoviv, and how they look beyond the symptoms of a patient to deal with the root cause of their illness.

The news about climate change seems bleak and hopeless, but my guest on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy is here to give us hope. Paul Hawken is an environmentalist, entrepreneur, author, and activist who has dedicated his life to environmental sustainability and changing the relationship between business and the environment. He is one of the environmental movement’s leading voices, and a pioneering architect of corporate reform with respect to ecological practices. His work includes founding successful, ecologically conscious businesses, writing about the impacts of commerce on living systems, and consulting with heads of state and CEOs on economic development, industrial ecology, and environmental policy. Paul is Executive Director of Project Drawdown, a non-profit dedicated to researching when and how global warming can be reversed. He is on a mission to present real, already existing solutions to reverse global warming.

We’re often told that eating well can prevent diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, but what about the effects of diet on mental health? The correlation is just as strong. What we eat impacts our brains and mental health—food does affect mood. In fact, highly processed foods can lead to a 50 to 100% increased risk for clinical depression and high-glycemic foods pose a significant risk as well. It’s time we stop thinking of the way we eat as relevant to only one piece of our health; it dramatically influences the entire body. Today’s guest on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy is here to talk about the link between diet and mental health. Dr. Drew Ramsey is not your average psychiatrist. A writer, farmer, and doctor who focuses on the connection between mental health and food, he is passionate about nutritional interventions and creative media to share a different way of thinking about the brain and mood. He is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Columbia University College of Physicians

When you meet someone who embraces their own spirit and the spirit of others in a loving way it engenders connection; it can be transformational on a physiological level and create change throughout entire communities. But approaching life with this mindset doesn’t always come easy, though it is innately within all of us. It is possible to shift a perception of fear to one of love, from judgement to acceptance, from blaming to wishing well, we just have to choose to do so. This week’s guest on The Doctor’s Farmacy, Marianne Williamson, is here to talk about why that shift is not only crucial to our individual happiness, but why it’s imperative in order for our relationships, society, and even our political system to function at their best. Marianne is a spiritual and political activist, entrepreneur, and New York Times best-selling author. She also just announced she is considering running for the democratic nomination in the upcoming 2020 presidential election.

We are in the middle of a food revolution. Right before our eyes, a new food system is growing from the ground up, and as consumers we have a large impact on what form it takes. The future of food is not as dark as you might have imagined. My guest on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy is Walter Robb, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, who has a long and varied entrepreneurial history ranging from natural food retailer to farmer to consultant. Walter is a mentor and advisor to the next generation of American food companies and he is dedicated to transforming our food system.

Having weak social ties is as harmful to our health as being an alcoholic and twice as harmful as obesity. Lack of support is one of the number one things my patients complain about. I’ve seen, firsthand, how social isolation can manifest into illness. Studies show that isolation can set off a cellular chain reaction that increases inflammation and suppresses the body’s immune response to disease. Without community, we cannot survive and we cannot thrive. Finding our tribe is the topic of this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy with guest Radha Agrawal. Radha is the Co-founder, CEO, and Chief Community Architect of Daybreaker, the early morning dance and wellness move-ment. Daybreaker currently holds events in 25 cities and more than a dozen college campuses around the world and has a community of almost half a million people. She is also the author of a new book called Belong: Find Your People, Create Community, and Live a More Connected Life. In this episode, Radha makes a case for community. I hope you

So often doctors tell their patients, just eat less and exercise more. The patient who is overweight is often blamed and called a lazy glutton who doesn’t have enough willpower. Well, willpower is not enough. Patients aren’t simply lacking in self-discipline. They are not weak and lazy. Most of them are biologically addicted to sugar, and it’s no wonder! Willpower is not enough to stand up to easy, cheap, convenient food. We need more than willpower. We need solutions.   My guest on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy is Dr. Sean Lucan, a practicing family physician in the Bronx treating children and adults. He is an award-winning NIH-funded investigator who has published numerous articles on food-related issues. Dr. Lucan and I talk about food environments—essentially how our surroundings dictate our food choices, and how OSBs (other storefront businesses, places like gyms, laundromats, the barbershop, etc…) are becoming a huge source of providing junk to both children and adults. It all comes down t