The mindbodygreen Podcast

"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 a frequent nutrition expert cited in mindbodygreen articles.

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.
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What does driving a sports car actually do to your hormones? In this episode, we break down a surprisingly revealing 2009 study in which researchers had men drive a bright red sports car and a beige sedan and measured changes in their testosterone before and after.

The results weren't what anyone expected. And the real finding had nothing to do with speed, horsepower, or even the car itself.

We dig into the evolutionary biology behind status signaling, why social context drives hormonal responses, and what this study quietly reveals about how we chase external validation in modern life.

Ever seen someone rev a Ferrari at a stoplight and thought "midlife crisis"? This one's for you.

00:00 - Introduction

00:53 - The Experiment

01:44 - The Results (And Why They're Surprising)

02:41 - The Evolutionary Biology Behind Status Signaling

03:34 - Why the Audience Mattered More Than the Car

04:26 - What "Borrowed Status" Costs Us

05:33 - What Actually Sustains Us Long-Term

Read the study here: ⁠https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0749597809000442⁠

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.
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“As your time commitment goes down, the importance of intensity goes up,” says Kristi Storoshuk.

Storoschuk is a PhD candidate in Muscle Physiology at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. Her research focuses on the relationship between skeletal muscle metabolism and whole-body metabolism, with an emphasis on how nutrient–exercise timing influences physiological adaptations to exercise. Storoschuk has contributed to peer-reviewed publications and is passionate about translating complex scientific findings into practical, evidence-based recommendations. Outside of her academic work, Kristi is the founder of a women’s health coaching program focused on improving metabolic health through sustainable nutrition and exercise, particularly in the context of preconception health.

00:00 - What is Zone 2 training?

08:14 - The limitations of Zone 2 training

11:18 - Prioritizing intensity when time is limited

15:56 - All about interval training

19:16 - The truth about building your aerobic base

21:02 - We shouldn’t train cardio like elite athletes

24:48 - Fat burning & Zone 2

26:10 - Talking weekly cardio protocol

30:03 - Storoschuk’s habits

33:03 - Unpacking exercise culture & trends

37:22 - Recovery, wearables, & intuition

43:10 - HIIT above all else

Referenced in the episode:

Read Storoschuk’s research about Zone 2: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-025-02261-y

For more about Storoschuk, visit her website: https://krististoroschuk.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.
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"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.
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“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.
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