The mindbodygreen Podcast

“Sweating is our superpower," explains Bill Gifford.

Gifford, a veteran science journalist and author of Spring Chicken, a New York Times bestseller on longevity. His latest book, Hotwired: How the Hidden Power of Heat Makes Us Stronger, dives deep into the emerging science of heat, sweating, and what happens when we stop running from discomfort.


​​00:00 — Sweating as an evolutionary superpower


03:00 — The science of ancient heat rituals


05:45 — How long & how hot?


07:55 — The dehydration trap


09:52 — All about Finnish sauna culture


12:50 — Heat acclimation training


16:41 — Elite athletes & what they can teach us


18:50 — The science on hot-cold contrast


21:49 — The case against cold plunging


29:08 — Sauna as a social ritual


33:20 — Heat as a mental health tool


36:34 — A beginner's guide to safe heat exposure

Referenced in the episode: 

Find Bill Gifford on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/billgifford/ 

Get his book here: https://a.co/d/01osyyRH 

Learn more about The Culture of Bathing here: https://www.instagram.com/thehighlineguy/?hl=en

Mayo Clinic review of the effects of Finnish sauna bathing (2018): https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(18)30275-1/fulltext 

Journal of Exercise Science & Fitness study on the effects of hot yoga (2011): https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1728869X12600033 

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: [email protected].
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This podcast was created in sponsorship with Toyota. Find a vehicle that makes memorable moments happen, from the 2026 RAV4 and Sienna to the Highlander and Grand Highlander. Plan the trip, pack the trunk, gather your crew, and go places—together. Toyota: People are the destination. 

"Emotional flexibility is literally the skill that we all should be sharpening like a muscle," explained Deepika Chopra, Ph.D.

Chopra (widely known as The Optimism Doctor) is a clinical health psychologist, visual imagery expert, and author of the upcoming book The Power of Real Optimism. But here's what makes Deepika's work so different: she's not selling you positivity. In this episode, we get into the real science of optimism—and why it has far more to do with resilience and curiosity than with good vibes. 


Optimism vs. positivity: what we're getting wrong (0:00)


Why affirmations don't always work (6:58)


The seven-tenths rule for effective affirmations (10:00)


Manifestation and getting what you expect (10:50)


Emotional flexibility: the skill to sharpen like a muscle (17:46)


Why the nervous system has to feel safe before growth can happen (23:11)


Deepika's son's rare diagnosis (23:40)


A Holocaust survivor with real optimism in practice (36:58)


Letting go of control vs. reclaiming agency (40:52)


Healthy hope vs. delusion—the dark room metaphor (42:45)

Referenced in the episode: 

Find Deepika Chopra on her website: https://www.drdeepikachopra.com

Get her book here: https://a.co/d/0dG1VFwX

Find her viral article from 2018 here: https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/what-to-do-if-positive-affirmations-dont-work-for-you

Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index (2026): https://news.gallup.com/poll/702125/american-optimism-slumps-record-low.aspx

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: [email protected].

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"Your body heals better when it feels safe, when your nervous system is quiet,’ explains Victoria Maizes, M.D.

Maizes is the Executive Director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine and co-host of the Body of Wonder podcast. She's a leading voice in integrative medicine and author of the new book Heal Faster, which makes the case that modern medicine has been so focused on treating disease that it's largely overlooked the body's most powerful asset: its innate capacity to heal.

In this episode, we discuss:


What is the recovery reflex? (1:10)


Why two people can have completely different health outcomes (3:26)


Protein, the catabolic state, & tests to run before major surgery (6:11)


The difference between managing disease & actually healing (18:21)


The power of language (19:00)


Trauma & how to activate your vagus nerve (29:00)


Mindset, guided imagery, & letting go of outcomes (35:42)


The mystery of long COVID (41:46)


Circadian medicine & red light therapy (48:50)

Referenced in the episode: 

You can find Dr. Maizes website here: www.drvictoriamaizes.com

And her latest book, Heal Faster, here: https://a.co/d/0i0OT4KJ

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: [email protected].

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"You are in control of your brain health, just the same way you're in control of your heart health."

Today's guest is Majid Fotuhi, M.D., a Harvard and Johns Hopkins-trained neurologist, brain health researcher, and author of Invincible Brain. Dr. Fotuhi has spent his career studying one of the most pressing questions of our time: why do some people's brains deteriorate with age, while others stay sharp well into their eighties and nineties? His answer might surprise you.

Why 45% of dementia is preventable (00:00)

The biomarkers worth testing for cognitive decline (1:53)

Why you should never test tau in isolation (2:50)

How COVID can spike your tau levels (10:54)

How to grow your hippocampus in 12 weeks (16:00)

The 5 pillars of brain health (18:16)

Slow breathing can reduce amyloid in the brain (24:00)

Chronic stress is silently shrinking your brain (30:13)

Why your IQ doesn't define your intelligence (33:19)

Lifestyle outperforms Alzheimer's drugs by 200-400% (43:02)

Referenced in the episode: 

Learn more about Dr. Fotuhi on his website: https://drfotuhi.com/about-dr-fotuhi/

You can find Dr. Fotuhi’s book here: https://a.co/d/00qJcyuE

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: [email protected].

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“When we really look at the definition of flourishing, it's joyful, meaningful growth shared,” explains Daniel Coyle.

Coyle is the bestselling author of The Culture Code and The Talent Code, who just released his latest book, Flourish: The Art of Building Meaning, Joy, and Fulfillment. After spending decades studying elite performers, Navy SEALs, championship sports teams, and top business leaders, Coyle had climbed to the mountaintop of success research only to realize it wasn’t what he thought it would be. Now, he focuses his work trying to answer the question: What actually makes a life worth living? 

Here's a glance at our conversation:


What makes a life meaningful? (00:24)


Why you can’t flourish alone (00:45)


Shifting your focus (04:43)


Rituals vs habits (09:12)


The value of small, frequent connections (12:49)


The 33 miners & bottom-up rituals (15:51)


A tiny Vermont town that produces Olympians (19:14)


Rebuilding community in Paris (25:30)


How to design vulnerability (30:53)


Why connection creates health & safety (31:38)


Cleveland Guardians case study (33:25)


Joy vs fear as fuel (40:13)

Referenced in the episode: 

Find more on Daniel Coyle and his books at his website, danielcoyle.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: [email protected].

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices