With rates of Alzheimer’s and dementia rising steeply, especially among women, the conventional pharmaceutical model has largely failed in treating the brain. Functional Medicine takes a different systems-based, personalized approach—focusing on inflammation, metabolic health, and environmental exposures—which offers real hope for prevention and even reversal of cognitive decline.

In this episode, I discuss, along with Dr. Heather Sandison, Dr. David Perlmutter, and Maria Shriver, why it is possible to reverse cognitive decline and the cutting-edge science of brain health and Alzheimer’s prevention.

Dr. Heather Sandison is the The New York Times bestselling author of Reversing Alzheimer’s The New Toolkit to Improve Cognition and Protect Brain Health. As a renowned naturopathic doctor specializing in neurocognitive medicine, she’s the founder of Solcere Health Clinic, San Diego’s premier brain optimization clinic, and Marama, a residential program turning memory care into memory recovery. Dr. Sandison has dedicated her career to supporting those suffering with dementia and published her most recent clinical findings in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. She’s excited to shatter common misconceptions about Alzheimer’s and share what she’s learned about keeping your brain sharp at any age.

Dr. David Perlmutter is a Board-Certified Neurologist and five-time New York Times bestselling author. He serves on the Board of Directors and is a Fellow of the American College of Nutrition. He is the author of Grain Brain and Drop Acid, among others. Dr. Perlmutter received his M.D. degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine where he was awarded the Leonard G. Rowntree Research Award. He serves as a member of the Editorial Board for the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease and has published extensively in peer-reviewed scientific journals including Archives of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and The Journal of Applied Nutrition.

Shriver is a bestselling author, award-winning journalist, former First Lady of California, founder of the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement, and Strategic Advisor on Women’s Health and Alzheimer’s at Cleveland Clinic. Shriver works to use her voice and platforms to advance some of our nation’s most pressing issues affecting women and women’s health. In November 2023, Shriver joined the President and the First Lady to announce the first-ever White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, an effort led by Dr. Biden and the White House Gender Policy Council, to galvanize the Federal government and the private and philanthropic sectors to spur innovation, unleash transformative investment to close research gaps, and improve women’s health. Shriver’s advocacy led to the establishment of this historic initiative, and she continues to advise and collaborate with Dr. Biden. She is also the co-founder of the brain health and wellness brand MOSH and founder of Shriver Media.

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Full-length episodes can be found here:

How to Reverse Dementia with Dr. Heather Sandison

https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/podcast-ep929?_pos=24&_sid=7873ecf2c&_ss=r

How to Prevent Alzheimer’s with Your Fork

https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/podcast-ep47?_pos=8&_sid=7873ecf2c&_ss=r

Maria Shriver's Journey: Redefining Women's Health and Alzheimer's Prevention

https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/podcast-ep908?_pos=12&_sid=7873ecf2c&_ss=r

Dementia rates are skyrocketing, and cognitive decline is a growing concern. But what if you could actually grow a new brain? In this episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, I sit down with Alberto Villoldo, PhD, a medical anthropologist and shamanic healer (and author of Grow a New Brain), to explore the powerful intersection of ancient wisdom and cutting-edge neuroscience.

In this eye-opening conversation, you’ll discover:

• The Amazonian secret to protecting the brain from dementia and cognitive decline.
• How certain plant compounds can activate your body’s natural detox and repair systems.
• The surprising role of gut health in brain regeneration—and how to reset your microbiome.
• Why serotonin depletion is wreaking havoc on mental health and how to restore balance.
• How shamanic healing and modern science align to create lasting cognitive health.

Tune in to learn how you can take control of your brain health and unlock the potential for true regeneration.

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There is a significant impact of food on brain health and overall well-being, with great importance placed on nutrient-dense, anti-inflammatory foods. Unfortunately, nutrient levels of modern crops are declining, but regenerative agriculture is helping to restore food quality. Specific brain-boosting foods such as leafy greens, small cold-water fish, and polyphenol-rich plants have an ability to reduce neuroinflammation, protect against cognitive decline, and enhance mental clarity. And, ultimately, identifying whole food sources of essential nutrients will support your entire body.

In this episode, I discuss, along with Dr. Jeff Bland and Dr. William Li, practical tips on choosing the most nutrient-dense foods and how to harness their benefits for overall health.

Dr. Jeff Bland is the founder of Big Bold Health, a company on a mission to transform the way people think about one of nature’s greatest innovations—the immune system. Through Big Bold Health, Dr. Bland is advocating for the power of Immuno-Rejuvenation to enhance immunity at a global level, often through the rediscovery of ancient food crops and superfoods. To get there, he is building a network of small farms and suppliers throughout the US that take a clear stance on regenerative agriculture, environmental stewardship, and planetary health. Dr. Bland’s career in health spans more than 40 years. A nutritional biochemist by training, he began in academia as a university professor. He then spent three decades in the natural products industry, working alongside other pioneers. A lifelong educator, Dr. Bland has traveled the world many times over in his role as the “father of functional medicine.” In 1991, he and his wife, Susan, founded The Institute for Functional Medicine. In 2012, he founded another educational nonprofit called the Personalized Lifestyle Medicine Institute. Dr. Bland is the author of The Disease Delusion: Conquering the Causes of Chronic Illness for a Healthier, Longer, and Happier Life, as well as countless additional books and research papers.

Dr. William Li is a world-renowned physician, scientist, speaker, and author of Eat to Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself. He is best known for leading the Angiogenesis Foundation. His groundbreaking work has impacted more than 70 diseases including cancer, diabetes, blindness, heart disease, and obesity. His TED Talk, Can We Eat to Starve Cancer? has garnered more than 11 million views, and he has appeared on The Dr. Oz Show, Martha Stewart Live, CNN, MSNBC, NPR, Voice of America, and has presented at the Vatican’s Unite to Cure conference. An author of over 100 scientific publications in leading journals such as Science, The New England Journal of Medicine, The Lancet, and more, Dr. Li has served on the faculties of Harvard, Tufts, and Dartmouth Medical School. Find Dr. Li’s Eat To Beat Disease Masterclass at drwilliamli.com/masterclass and get a copy of his book, Eat To Beat Disease at drwilliamli.com/book-li/.

Full length episodes can be found here:

Nourish Your Brain with These Powerful Superfoods

https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/podcast-ep909?_pos=1&_sid=652901034&_ss=r

How The Most Important Superfood You've Never Heard About Will Rejuvenate Your Immune System

https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/podcast-ep176?_pos=10&_sid=652901034&_ss=r

Cancer Can't Stand This Diet: Dr. William Li's Anti-Cancer Nutrition Breakthroughs

https://drhyman.com/blogs/content/podcast-ep890?_pos=4&_sid=ec054bdd0&_ss=r

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Friendship isn’t just a feel-good concept—it’s essential for your health, happiness, and longevity. In this episode of The Doctor’s Farmacy, I sit down with world-renowned author and leadership expert Simon Sinek to explore the science and psychology of friendship—why we need it, how it impacts our biology, and what it takes to build deep, meaningful relationships in an increasingly disconnected world.

In this fascinating conversation, we discuss:

• The surprising link between friendship and physical health—how loneliness drives inflammation, chronic disease, and even early death.
• Why your five closest friends determine your habits, health, and overall well-being.
• The social contagion effect—how behaviors like diet, exercise, and even emotions spread through friend groups.
• Why food, fitness, and lifestyle interventions won’t work unless we also address social health.
• The biggest friendship mistakes people make—and how to fix them.
• The missing conversation in longevity research—why friendship might be the ultimate “biohack.”

If you’ve ever wondered why making friends as an adult feels so hard, or how to create stronger connections in your life, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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The rise in obesity and chronic disease over the years is alarming. Rather than genetics, it can be attributed to environmental and dietary changes, emphasizing the role of food quality over quantity. And while GLP-1 agonists like Ozempic may show some promise in addressing metabolic dysfunction, concerns about long-term effects, muscle loss, and cost highlight the need for a more nuanced approach. Ultimately, a holistic strategy that includes diet, lifestyle, and personalized interventions is essential for sustainable health improvements.

In this episode I discuss, along with Dr. Tyna Moore and Calley Means, the complexity of obesity, moving beyond the simplistic "calories in, calories out" model to focus on factors like insulin resistance, ultra-processed foods, and metabolic dysfunction.

With nearly three decades experience in the medical world, Dr Tyna Moore is a leading expert in holistic regenerative medicine and resilient, metabolic health. Traditionally and alternatively trained in science and medicine as both a Naturopathic Physician and Chiropractor, she brings a unique perspective to those wishing to build a more robust foundation in their health and well-being. She is a podcast host, author, speaker, kettlebell devotee and mother. She is a fierce advocate for health autonomy and personal responsibility, which she helps others improve through her many offerings at drtyna.com and on her podcast, The Dr Tyna Show. Her true passion is coaching healthcare practitioners to utilize social media and build the online business of their dreams so they aren’t shackled by illegal mandates and can enjoy more time, money and autonomy.

Calley Means is the founder of TrueMed, a company that enables tax-free spending on food and exercise. He is also the co-author with his sister, Dr. Casey Means, ofGood Energy: The Surprising Connection Between Metabolism and Limitless Health, and is now available for pre-order.Earlier in his career, Calley was a consultant for food and pharma companies and is now exposing practices they use to weaponize our institutions of trust. In the past year, he’s met with 50 members of Congress and presidential candidates advocating policies to combat the corruption of the pharma and food industries. He is a graduate of Stanford and Harvard Business School.

Full length episodes can be found here:

Can Ozempic Fix Our Obesity Crisis

Ozempic: A Weight-Loss Miracle of Metabolic Menace?

The Science of Weight Loss: What You Need to Know

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What if instead of managing diabetes with drugs, we focused on reversing it? In this episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, I sit down with Sami Inkinen, CEO and co-founder of Virta Health, and Dr. Greeshma Shetty, a board-certified endocrinologist, to discuss an approach that’s transforming how we treat metabolic disease. They share groundbreaking research and real-world results that prove type 2 diabetes isn’t a lifelong sentence—it can be reversed with the right nutritional and care model.

In this conversation, you’ll learn:

• Why mainstream medicine still treats type 2 diabetes as a progressive disease—even though science shows it’s reversible.
• How Virta Health is using a combination of nutritional therapy and continuous remote care to achieve Ozempic-level results, without the drugs.
• The critical role of personalized dietary interventions in reversing metabolic dysfunction.
• How a high-touch, tech-driven approach to patient care is leading to long-term success.
• The real cost of diabetes—not just for individuals, but for the entire healthcare system—and why prevention and reversal should be the priority.

If you or someone you love is dealing with type 2 diabetes, this is a must-listen episode.

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Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) are identified as the leading cause of preventable death globally. These foods are chemically altered, stripped of their natural structures, and filled with additives, sugars, unhealthy fats, and preservatives, resulting in products that offer little to no nutritional benefit while contributing significantly to chronic disease.

In this episode, I talk with Vani Hari and Dr. Shebani Sethi about why ultra-processed foods are not just a health risk—they are a public health crisis.

Vani Hari is the food activist behind FoodBabe.com, a NY Times best-selling author of 4 books, founder of the organic products brand Truvani, and was named one of the “Most Influential People on the Internet” by Time magazine. Hari’s viral testimony before the US Senate sparked a massive movement to stop American food companies from poisoning their own citizens with ingredients they don’t use in other countries. Hari founded Food Babe to spread information about what is really in the American food supply. She teaches people how to make the right purchasing decisions at the grocery store, how to live an organic lifestyle, and how to travel healthfully around the world. Vani has gathered hundreds of thousands of petitions to change the food system and influenced how major food giants like Kraft, Subway, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A, and Starbucks create their products, steering them towards more healthful policies.

Dr. Shebani Sethi is a double board-certified physician in Obesity Medicine and Psychiatry. She is the Founding Director of Stanford University’s Metabolic Psychiatry program and Silicon Valley Metabolic Psychiatry, a new center in the San Francisco Bay Area focused on optimizing brain health by integrating low carb nutrition, comprehensive psychiatric care, and treatment of obesity with associated metabolic disease. 

Full length episodes can be found here:

Why the Last Thing that Should Ever Eat is Ultra Processed Foods

How To Be A Food Activist In Your Own Kitchen

How Does Ultra-Processed Food Affect Our Mental Health?

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We all know sleep is important, but most of us don’t realize just how much it shapes our health—from metabolism and heart function to emotional well-being and even social connections. In this episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, I sit down with world-renowned sleep expert Matthew Walker, PhD, to uncover the science behind why sleep is one of the most powerful (and overlooked) tools for longevity.

In this fascinating conversation, we discuss:

• Why Dr. Walker sees sleep as the foundation of good health and how it enhances the benefits of diet and exercise.
• The dramatic effects of even mild sleep deprivation on cognitive function and emotional health.
• How poor sleep can disrupt blood sugar regulation and increase the risk of chronic disease.
• The science behind deep sleep and its role in memory, learning, and brain detoxification.
• Simple, science-backed strategies to improve your sleep quality starting tonight.

If you’ve ever struggled with sleep—or just want to optimize your health—this is an episode you won’t want to miss.

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Highly processed vegetable oils, derived from seeds and beans, have become a dominant part of modern diets despite significant health concerns. Historical biases in nutrition science, influenced by the vegetable oil industry, have promoted these oils despite evidence from controlled studies showing negative health outcomes. These oils are unstable, prone to oxidation, and can create toxic byproducts, particularly when exposed to heat, contributing to inflammation and chronic diseases. Although they can lower LDL cholesterol, studies have shown that this reduction does not necessarily improve heart health and may increase risks for other conditions like cancer. In contrast, traditional fats like extra virgin olive oil and omega-3-rich foods offer more stability and health benefits, emphasizing the need for a balanced, minimally processed approach to dietary fats.

In this episode, I talk with Nina Teicholz and Max Lugavere to explore the health impacts of different types of fats and oils, debunking misconceptions around cooking with extra virgin olive oil and emphasizing the dangers of industrial vegetable oils.

Nina Teicholz is a science journalist and author of the New York Times bestseller, The Big Fat Surprise, which upended the conventional wisdom on dietary fat—especially saturated fat—and spurred a new conversation about whether these fats in fact cause heart disease. She is also the founder of the Nutrition Coalition, a non-profit working to ensure that government nutrition policy is transparent and evidence-based—work for which she’s been asked to testify before the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Canadian Senate.

Max Lugavere is a health and science journalist and the author of the New York Times best-seller Genius Foods: Become Smarter, Happier, and More Productive While Protecting Your Brain for Life, now published in 10 languages around the globe. His sophomore book, also a best-seller, is called The Genius Life: Heal Your Mind, Strengthen Your Body, and Become Extraordinary and latest book Genius Kitchen. Max is the host of a #1 iTunes health and wellness podcast, called The Genius Life. Max appears regularly on The Dr. Oz Show, The Rachael Ray Show, and The Doctors. He has contributed to Medscape, Vice, Fast Company, CNN, and The Daily Beast, has been featured on NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, and in The New York Times and People Magazine. He is an internationally sought-after speaker and has given talks at South by Southwest, the New York Academy of Sciences, the Biohacker Summit in Stockholm, Sweden, and many others.

Full length episodes can be found here:

Is Vegetable Oil Good or Bad for You?

Nina Teicholz

The Best Diet for Your Brain

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Have you ever wondered if cholesterol-lowering statins are as effective as they claim? In this episode, Dr. Mark Hyman and Dr. Aseem Malhotra reveal the truth about these medications and the pharmaceutical industry’s influence on your health. Discover why lifestyle changes like diet and exercise can be more powerful than pills, and how misleading studies have shaped what we believe about heart health.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Big pharma’s influence on medical research
• The benefits, drawbacks, and misuse of statins
• The Role of Insulin Resistance in Heart Disease
• The Importance of Lifestyle Over Medication
• The Impact of Meditation on Heart Disease

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Our current food system is a national emergency. It’s intricately designed to confuse and mislead consumers, making healthy choices difficult and contributing to America’s chronic disease epidemic. In this episode, I sit down with Senator Cory Booker to delve into the systemic issues impacting our diet, food labeling, and the power of policy change. 

In this episode, we discuss:

• How food packaging is designed to confuse or mislead consumers
• The link between the food system, chronic illness, and the unintended consequences of food policies that increase disease and healthcare costs.
• The harmful effects of ultra-processed foods
• The negative impact of industrial farming practices on the environment, soil health, and the nutritional quality of food
• The importance of personal health advocacy and broader public health initiatives to transform the food system, improve health outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs

Uncover the truth behind our food politics and discover how informed choices can lead to a healthier future. This conversation was hosted by Sixth and I in Washington, DC.

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