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

While we are in an incredibly exciting time when it comes to preventing and reversing disease, issues such as misleading scientific research, imperfect policy, corporate financial interests, and other biases often act as roadblocks to enhancing the health of our population and our planet. Yet, when we recently reflected on a number of conversations from The Doctor’s Farmacy, we couldn’t help but hear a common and hopeful message. In this mini-episode, we revisit four conversations Dr. Hyman has had with guests on this podcast, each with a common refrain: Progress is being made and it’s happening fast!  Michael Pollan is the author of the New York Times bestsellers Cooked, Food Rules, In Defense of Food, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, The Botany of Desire, and his latest book How to Change Your Mind, which is all about the new science of psychedelics. A longtime contributor to the New York Times Magazine, he also teaches writing at Harvard and the University of California, Berkeley where he is the John S. and James L

The gut and brain are strongly interconnected. That’s why in Functional Medicine we always take the gut into account, along with the rest of the body, when trying to understand a brain disease. Unfortunately, conventional medicine likes to look at each part of the body separately, which may be why doctors have a hard time effectively treating neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and ALS. Knowing that the gut affects the brain and understanding the far-reaching role of the microbiome has led this week’s guest on The Doctor’s Farmacy to approach neurodegenerative conditions with a whole new perspective.  Dr. Jay Lombard is an internationally acclaimed neurologist, author, and keynote speaker specializing in neuroimmunological conditions and medical mysteries. Dr. Lombard integrates biological, psychological, and existential components in his holistic treatment approach. Dr. Lombard’s clinical experience revealed an interesting pattern: one patient with ALS also had small intestine bacterial over

Wellness is more than just eating right and exercising; feeling well means feeling whole, balanced, vibrant, and alive. And there are many moving pieces that we can tap into to feel empowered in our own wellness journey. In this miniepisode, Dr. Hyman sits down with his friend and life coach Lauren Zander to explore the importance of personal integrity, and how it relates to overall well-being. He also speaks with Dr. Shefali about reclaiming our connection to our innate authentic spirit, both in relationship to ourselves and our families Lauren Handel Zander is the Co-Founder and Chairwoman of Handel Group, an international corporate consulting and life coaching company. Her coaching methodology, The Handel Method, is taught in over 35 universities and institutes of learning around the world, including MIT, Stanford Graduate School of Business, NYU, and the New York City Public School System. Lauren is the creator of Inner.U: Learn to Human BetterR, the online coaching course that teaches the entirety of The

You may have heard about emotional intelligence, but have you really ever paused to think about where you fall on the spectrum, and how it’s influencing your relationships and place in the world? It actually impacts everything, from our family lives to our leadership abilities and careers. But it’s something we’re never taught in school and often pressured to ignore when it comes to “being professional.” Luckily, emotional intelligence is something we can work on and grow like many other parts of our lives—you probably won’t be surprised that meditation is one way to do just that.  Personally, I have noticed that when I’m staying current with my meditation practice, I’m less easily triggered and more emotionally resilient, which allows me to be more present for my family and my work. This week on The Doctor’s Farmacy, I had the pleasure of sitting down with my good friend Dan Goleman to talk about cultivating emotional intelligence through meditation, and why it matters more than you might think.  Daniel is b

We’ve all heard the fiendishly simple and completely untrue colloquialism about how to lose weight: Just eat less and exercise more. The idea that all calories are created equal has been one of the most pervasive and damaging food lies in history. Not only is it completely unsupported by science, it develops a blame-the-victim mentality that tells people who are struggling with their weight that it is just a matter of willpower. In this mini-episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr. Hyman talks with Gary Taubes about this topic and the history behind how science got it so wrong. Gary Taubes is co-founder and President of the non-profit Nutrition Science Initiative (NuSI). He’s an investigative science and health journalist, the author of The Case Against Sugar, Why We Get Fat and Good Calories, Bad Calories. Gary is a former staff writer for Discover and correspondent for the journal Science. His writing has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, and Esquire, and has been included in numerous

Sometimes the best ideas are the most simple. In an age where technology is ever-evolving and often responsible for the latest inventions, it can be easy to forget that even the most basic of ideas can add up to massive change. But it’s accessible, small steps that our food system needs now, more than ever, if we want to see a global shift. Food waste, in particular, is one of the biggest problems of our food system that desperately needs new solutions.  Think of just one head of lettuce: It takes lots of water, manpower, and resources to grow, then it’s picked and transported in a refrigerated truck, moved to a refrigerated cooler, and you take your car to go to the market and buy it. That’s a lot of resources that are all for nothing if that head of lettuce goes bad and gets thrown in the trash before you have a chance to enjoy it.  Today’s guest on The Doctor’s Farmacy has the answer for this common problem, one that is making huge impacts on our food system from farm to fork. Kavita Shukla is the Founder

How much personal choice do we really have when it comes to our food choices? The science is clear—our processed, sugary, starchy diet is the single biggest cause of disease and death. And health outcomes are disproportionately worse in minority communities. There are social and cultural inputs at play and many reasons we need to begin looking at health beyond the individual to a community and population-based level. In this mini-episode, Dr. Hyman speaks with Dr. Sonia Angell about how when it comes to social determinants and what we view as cultural tendencies for food choices, much has been imposed from outside influences. He also speaks with Pam Koch about the need to move away from a system that overwhelmingly supports growing commodity crops such as corn, soy, and wheat, and move toward incentivizing the production and purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables. Dr. Sonia Angell is a former Deputy Commissioner at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH), where she oversaw the Divis

When it comes to looking at studies on nutrition, we need to ask the right questions. What type of study is it? Who funded it? What kinds of variables were and weren’t accounted for? And so much more. There is a lot of information out there to sort through in order to truly understand what the science says about diet and health. One of the most important things to remember, that is often taken out of context in the nutritional studies shared by the media, is that correlation does not equal causation.  Part of being a Functional Medicine doctor is staying up to date with the latest research from sources I know and trust, and there’s no one better to break down the science than today’s guest on The Doctor’s Farmacy, Chris Kresser. Chris Kresser M.S., L.Ac is the co-director of the California Center for Functional Medicine, founder of Kresser Institute, creator of ChrisKresser.com, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Paleo Cure and Unconventional Medicine. He is one of the most respected clinicians

Globally women are leading the way when it comes to caring for biodiversity, water quality and quantity, soil health, and other aspects of consciously producing food for an ever-growing population. They are also producing 43% of the world’s food, despite lesser accessibility to own land, receive loans, and other essential components of farming. In this mini-episode, Dr. Hyman talks with Danielle Nierenberg and Paul Hawken about the potential for women to fundamentally improve our broken global food system, and in doing so, significantly contribute to the reversal of global warming. Danielle co-founded the non-profit Food Tank in 2013, an organization focused on building a global community for safe, healthy, nourished eaters. Prior to starting Food Tank, Danielle spent two years traveling to more than 60 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin America, meeting with farmers and farmers’ groups, scientists and researchers, policymakers and government leaders, students and academics, along with journ

Food impacts everything, which is why changing the way we eat and working towards a new food system can be so powerful and far-reaching. Cooking at home used to be the norm but it’s become the exception. Food marketing has convinced us our kitchens are holding us hostage and that true freedom is convenience, found in packaged and fast foods. In fact, 50% of meals are now eaten away from home.  That’s why cooking at home is a revolutionary act. When we prepare our own meals, we can control what’s really going into our bodies, and we also get to buy ingredients that meet our standards and values, like humane treatment of farmworkers and animals. Today’s guest on The Doctor’s Farmacy is one of my personal mentors and idols as a leader in the food movement. Mark Bittman is the author of more than 20 acclaimed books, including the How to Cook Everything series. He was a food columnist, opinion columnist, and the lead magazine food writer at the New York Times, where he started writing in 1984 and still writes occa

Epigenetics suggests that our behavior can influence which of our genes are turned on or off. This has been one of the biggest breakthroughs in medicine. Predisposition is not pre-destiny and a familial history of disease does not render you powerless. In this mini-episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, we revisit two recent interviews in which Dr. Hyman and his guests discuss epigenetics and how things like food, movement, sleep, detoxification, and mindfulness influence our genes to create health or disease.  Dr. Marwan Sabbagh is a board-certified neurologist and considered one of the leading experts in Alzheimer’s and dementia. He is on the editorial board for the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and BMC Neurology and is now editor in chief of Neurology and Therapy and is the author of The Alzheimer’s Answer: Reduce Your Risk and Keep Your Brain Healthy, and The Alzheimer’s Prevention Cookbook: 100 Recipes to Boost Brain Health. Dr. Sabbagh’s latest book is, Fighting for My Life: How to Thrive in the Shadow of Al

When it comes to aging well, we all have to set our own standards and goals. That might mean playing with your grandkids on the floor, carrying groceries up several flights of stairs, or being able to be present emotionally and mentally for your spouse. Thinking of these detailed goals helps us reverse engineer our lives to achieve the quality and longevity in life we truly desire. It just takes a little thought and planning, and of course the right actions to make it happen.  Today’s guest on The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr. Peter Attia, shares his own story of setting those kinds of goals, a process called backcasting, and how he overcame obesity and pre-diabetes by establishing a foundation of healthier aging. Dr. Attia is the founder of Attia Medical, PC, a medical practice with offices in San Diego and New York City, focusing on the applied science of longevity. His approach focuses on increasing lifespan by delaying the onset of chronic disease, while simultaneously improving “healthspan,” or quality of life.

Lack of community and strong social connection can have a disastrous outcome on your health, which is why taking the time to strengthen existing relationships and build your personal community is an integral part of any wellness plan. In this mini-episode, Dr. Hyman talks to Radha Agrawal about the importance of fostering a loving community, starting with going inward and acknowledging our own values and gifts and then taking those gifts out into the world to make friendships that matter. He also sits down with Marie Forleo to discuss the power of community and the idea that friend power is more powerful than willpower.  Radha Agrwal is the Co-founder, CEO, and Chief Community Architect of Daybreaker, the early morning dance and wellness move-ment. She is also the author of Belong: Find Your People, Create Community, and Live a More Connected Life. Named by Oprah as a thought leader for the next generation and one of Inc.’s 500 fastest growing companies, Marie Forleo is the creator of the award-winning online

I often talk about the importance of high-quality restful sleep and getting the right amount when it comes to creating great health. But what about the role of dreaming? You might be surprised to learn that the way we dream can have a multitude of benefits on our waking life—specifically through lucid dreaming, or the act of knowing we are dreaming while we are, in fact, completely asleep. To dig into this intriguing topic further, I sat down with expert lucid-dreamer Charlie Morley on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy.  Charlie is a bestselling author and teacher of lucid dreaming and shadow integration. He was authorized to teach within the Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism by Lama Yeshe Rinpoche in 2008 and has since developed a holistic approach to dreamwork called Mindfulness of Dream & Sleep, and has written three books which have been translated into 13 languages. In 2018 he was awarded a Churchill Fellowship grant to research mindfulness-based PTSD treatment and continues to teach on retreats

A few decades ago, most people didn’t know anything about gluten. Today there is an unmistakable trend of people going gluten-free in the hopes of solving all of their gut woes. Why is this? In this mini-episode, Dr. Hyman explores this question with the world’s top gluten expert, Dr. Alessio Fasano. Dr. Fasano founded the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in 1996. In 2013, he moved the Center to Massachusetts General Hospital and renamed it the Center for Celiac Research and Treatment. He is chief of the Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition at MassGeneral Hospital for Children and professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. Find Dr. Hyman’s full-length conversation with Dr. Fassano here: https://DrMarkHyman.lnk.to/DrAlessioFasano

Climate change is not moving as slowly as we’d like to think. In fact, half of all the damage done through burning fossil fuels has been just over the last 30 years. Unfortunately, every year is now more damaging than the last. The good news is that we are not at a point of no return. While we will never have the same climate we had before industrialization, we can make a positive impact on the future of climate change by taking action now.  My guest on this week’s episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy is here to tell us how. David Wallace-Wells is the deputy editor of New York magazine and the author of the international bestseller The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming, published in February 2019, which the New York Times called both "brilliant" and "the most terrifying book I have ever read." While the real truth about climate change can be scary, it’s a more important conversation than ever. Throughout our talk, David shares the history of climate change and the three major issues at hand: speed, scope, an

For so long we were told that having low LDL cholesterol is the key to preventing heart disease, which led to doctors overprescribing statins to keep LDL low. Many people still believe that eating cholesterol and fat, especially saturated fat, causes heart attacks and that taking statin drugs provides a powerful way to reduce your risk of heart attacks. But is this really true? In this mini-episode Dr. Hyman sits down with internationally renowned Consultant Cardiologist and best-selling author of The Pioppi Diet, Dr. Aseem Malhotra. Dr. Malhotra has become one of the most influential and well-known health campaigners, and a pioneer of the lifestyle medicine movement in the UK. Together, Dr. Hyman and Dr. Malhotra discuss the effectiveness of statin drugs on heart disease, and Dr. Malhotra discusses why he believes that reducing insulin resistance may be the key to better heart health.  Find Dr. Hyman’s full-length conversation with Dr. Aseem Malhotra  https://DrMarkHyman.lnk.to/AseemMalhotra

Many of us are in the middle of an identity crisis when it comes to what we eat. We’re pulled one way or another about macronutrients and labels, all the while missing the most important concept of all: food is medicine. We can align our foods to feed our health and get incredible flavor and variety all at once. We can cook our way out of illness and overcome the fear and overwhelm of dietary choices by getting more personal with our kitchens.  There’s no one better than the world-renowned Chef David Bouley to dive into this topic with— he’s this week’s guest on The Doctor’s Farmacy. Among many accolades, Bouley earned several four-star reviews in The New York Times; seven James Beard Foundation awards for best restaurant and best chef; he was named “Best Chef in America” by Herald-Tribune; he received the TripAdvisor Traveler’s Choice Awards “The Best Restaurant in the United States” and #14 in the world; a 29 out of 30 rating in Zagat, and ranked #1 in New York City for many years. Chef Bouley is known as o

Our children are being bombarded by powerful marketing messages from the food industry promoting unhealthy processed food-like substances. In fact, the food industry spends billions of dollars on marketing junk food to our kids every year. The average child in the United States sees over 6,000 ads for junk food and soda on TV and even more through social media. And poor and minority children are targeted more aggressively.  In this mini-episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, Dr. Hyman speaks with researcher and family physician in the Bronx, Dr. Sean Lucan, and investigative reporter and Pulitzer Prize winner, Michael Moss, about Big Food’s addictive mission to hook the most vulnerable consumers - our children - and keep them coming back for more. You can find Dr. Hyman’s full-length conversation with Dr. Sean Lucan at https://DrMarkHyman.lnk.to/SeanLucan You can find Dr. Hyman’s full-length conversation with Michael Moss at https://DrMarkHyman.lnk.to/MichaelMoss

These days, we hear a lot about carbs versus fats. But what about protein? It’s become the forgotten macronutrient. The diet-wars have been tough on protein, as strict vegans and believers in Paleo strongly disagree on the best forms of it to consume. But protein plays an essential role in good health. So despite the emotional response it elicits in many, it’s about time we pay it more attention. Protein is responsible for the growth and maintenance of new tissue (the building blocks for a strong body!) and makes up certain hormones that act as messengers, as well as the enzymes that we need for metabolic reactions. Today on The Doctor’s Farmacy, I talk with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon about the importance of protein and why we should shift our dietary focus. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is an integrative physician who completed her fellowship in Nutritional Sciences and Geriatrics at Washington University, St. Louis. She is board-certified in Family Medicine and completed her undergraduate work in Human Nutrition Vitamin and M