The mindbodygreen Podcast

"It's way better to pull yourself back from the brink of burnout before it hits than to let yourself fall all the way in,” says Elizabeth Svoboda.

Svoboda is an award-winning science writer and contributor to Scientific American, Discover, The Boston Globe, The New York Times, and other publications. Elizabeth is a winner of the Evert Clark/Seth Payne Award for Young Science Writers, and her work has been anthologized in the Best American Science and Nature Writing series. She lives in San Jose, California, with her husband and young sons. Her new book, The Art of Pacing, is available now.

00:00 - Why high performers always push to 110%

05:58 - Physical signs of burnout

09:14 - Getting more comfortable with recovery

12:16 - Pacing & how to take advantage of energy rhythms

16:00 - What an Olympic runner taught her about rest

18:32 - Modulation & the importance of breathwork

28:30 - Why it’s so hard recover from burnout

31:48 - Boom-bust cycles

35:12 - Gold star culture & unsustainable achievement

40:34 - Why early sports specialization backfires

44:08 - How to pace yourself with rigid flexibility

50:32 - The next wise choice

Referenced in the episode:

For more about Elizabeth Svoboda, visit her website: https://elizabethsvoboda.com/

Buy The Art Of Pacing here: https://www.amazon.com/Art-Pacing-Balancing-Short-Term-Long-Term/dp/1668022419/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?tag=mind0a3-20

Find the Maslach Burnout Inventory here: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5fecb650c2646617cb1e0599/t/6320f5325f757e4ad8bc0062/1663104306195/Maslach-Burnout-Inventory.pdf

For more about Joe Arpaia: https://www.centerfortransformativehealing.org/joseph

Follow runner Ajeé Wilson: https://www.instagram.com/ajeelenee/?hl=en

We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: podcast@mindbodygreen.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“We can choose our brain’s destiny,” says David Perlmutter, MD.

Perlmutter is a Board-Certified Neurologist and six-time New York Times bestselling author whose work focuses on the intersection of neurology, nutrition, and brain health. He is on the Board of Directors of the American College of Nutrition and the Editorial Board of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. His books, including the #1 bestseller Grain Brain, has been published in 32 languages and sold over a million copies. Perlmutter lectures globally at leading institutions and has been featured on major media outlets including 20/20, CNN, The Today Show, and Oprah. His new book, Brain Defenders, focuses on the pivotal role of microglia, the brain’s immune cells, in protecting, repairing, and reprogramming the brain for lifelong resilience, and is now available for pre-order.

00:00 - Treating the symptoms, not the cause

02:37 - Microglial cells & their evil twin state

05:44 - How metabolism affects the brain

08:00 - Gut bacteria, inflammation, & brain degeneration

11:38 - Why lifestyle beats the APOE4 gene

16:25 - Perlmutter’s daily routine

23:55 - Loneliness & oxytocin

26:21 - The effects of long COVID on the brain

32:18 - Glyphosate & other environmental factors

39:20 - Reprogramming microglia & mitochondrial transplants

41:35 - Own your brain's destiny

Referenced in the episode:

For more about Perlmutter, visit his website: https://drperlmutter.com/

For more about Perlmutter's upcoming book, visit: https://braindefenders.com/

Alzheimers & UPFs study: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjpad.2024.100042

POINTER study - https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2837046

20-week Alzheimer’s study:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13195-024-01482-z

Golf course & Parkinson’s study: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2833716

We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: podcast@mindbodygreen.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"If you don't get those foundational behaviors down, there ain't nothing a peptide's gonna do for you,” says Rachele Pojednic, Ph.D.

Pojednic is a professor of Sports Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at Stanford University and is the Chief Science Officer at Restore. Her work examines nutrition, supplementation and physical activity interventions on muscle physiology, performance and recovery, as well as muscle related chronic disease, with a particular focus on women. Pojednic holds a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) certification from National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and is board certified Health Coach from the National Board of Health and Wellness Coaches (NBHWC). She has a particular passion for science communication and has been a consultant and writer for many prominent news outlets, including NPR, Time, The Washington Post, and Popular Science.

Show notes:

00:00 - The difference between science & wellness

06:30 - The big vs. little levers of health

08:40 - What we do & don’t know about peptides

11:45 - A study on supplement stacking gone wrong

13:55 - Next-gen peptides (BPC-157 & more)

18:20 - All about NAD, NR, & NMN

29:57 - Creatine for muscle & brain health

33:48 - Looking at leucine & amino acid profile in protein

36:48 - Why fasting advice for women often backfires

40:24 - Stop chasing perfection

43:45 - How to use wearables & lab testing

50:13 - Bridging science & wellness

Referenced in the episode:

For more about Pojednic, visit her website: https://www.rachelepojednic.com/

mindbodygreen’s creatine brain supplement: https://shop.mindbodygreen.com/products/creatine-brain

mindbodygreen’s whey protein: https://shop.mindbodygreen.com/products/clear-whey-protein

We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: podcast@mindbodygreen.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"I think structure is more liberating than it is stifling, and it often takes people losing it to sort of realize that,” says David Epstein.

Epstein is the author of the number one New York Times bestseller Range and the New York Times bestseller The Sports Gene. He has master’s degrees in environmental science and journalism and has worked as a senior writer for Sports Illustrated and as an investigative reporter for ProPublica. He lives in Washington, DC. His newest book, Inside The Box, is out now.

00:00 - Why constraints drive creativity

06:35 - How mnemonics help you memorize

10:31 - The power of low-stakes practice

12:25 - The problem with youth sports

18:56 - The constraints-led approach in elite sports

22:25 - Good vs bad constraints

25:39 - Constraints at NASA & Pixar

31:07 - Why we always add instead of subtract

35:02 - The dizziness of freedom

41:29 - Experimentation as a practice

45:19 - The importance of self-reflection

49:02 - How to fix your fractured attention

Referenced in the episode:

Read The Athletic’s article about the constraints-led approach: https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6665943/2025/09/29/sports-training-cla-coaching-wembanyana-ohtani

For more about David Epstein, visit his website: https://davidepstein.com/

Buy Inside The Box here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FNDSKWMY/?/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?tag=mind0a3-20

Buy Range here: https://www.amazon.com/Range-Generalists-Triumph-Specialized-World/dp/0735214506/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?tag=mind0a3-20

We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: podcast@mindbodygreen.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"The diet you'll stay on is a diet that's enjoyable and not too hard,” says Wendy Bazilian, DrPH, MA, RDN.

Bazilian is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist, and Doctor of Public Health. She's authored multiple bestselling books, as well as contributed to a New York Times bestseller and a James Beard-nominated cookbook. She’s a spokesperson for Avocados – Love One Today and she’s a frequent nutrition expert cited in mindbodygreen articles.

This podcast is sponsored by Avocados - Love One Today®. Visit LoveOneToday.com for free nutrition resources backed by science and tasty recipes to help you find new ways to add more avocado to your plate, whether it’s breakfast, lunch, a snack or dinner.

00:00 - The value of the food we consume

03:06 - Why dietary fat was misunderstood for decades

07:47 - Nutrient density vs. calorie counting

09:56 - Why 94% of us fall short on fiber

14:26 - Heart health, satiety, & blood sugar control

16:48 - Why the best diet is one you enjoy

18:50 - Food synergy & nutrient absorption

21:51 - Unexpected ways to cook with avocados

26:58 - The glycemic load effect

31:28 - Serving size vs. portion size

35:41 - How to store avocados properly

40:06 - 3 rules for moving the needle on health

Referenced in the episode:

The HAT trial: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34496276/

Glycemic load study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2475299126000557

For more about Bazilian, visit her website: https://www.wendybazilian.com/

We hope you enjoy this episode, and feel free to watch the full video on YouTube! Whether it's an article or podcast, we want to know what we can do to help here at mindbodygreen. Let us know at: podcast@mindbodygreen.com.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices