Dr Shauna Shapiro is a clinical psychologist and an internationally recognized expert in mindfulness and self-compassion. Her TEDx talk, The Power of Mindfulness, has been viewed almost 4 million times. In this episode, Drs. Andrew Weil, Victoria Maizes, and Shauna Shapiro explore mindfulness, its profound impact on our well-being, and practical te…

In this episode, we are joined by Harvard-trained physician, integrative medicine expert and graduate of our Fellowship, Dr. Akil Palanisamy. Dr. Palanisamy is the creator of the T.I.G.E.R protocol, a guide to address and heal autoimmune diseases. Combining modern science and traditional medicine approaches, Dr. Palanisamy discusses the five elemen…

Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes are joined by Seth Viddal, entrepreneur and leading voice in the word of green burials, as we explore conscious alternatives to common day burial practices. Viddal, who leads a green burial funeral home, sheds light on the growing popularity of green burials, the ecological benefits, and the cultural shift to…

Discover ways to extend your pet's lifespan through diet, exercise, and essential lifestyle choices. On this episode, Drs. Andrew Weil and Victoria Maizes sit down with integrative veterinarian, Dr. Randy Aronson to discuss the world of integrative pet care. In this interview, Dr. Aronson offers listeners insights from his decades of experience imp…

Dr. Elizabeth Raskin is a trailblazing integrative surgeon who is combining nutritional guidance, mind-body techniques, and cutting-edge robotics to change surgical care. Dr. Raskin’s journey into medicine was marked by a deep curiosity about the interconnectedness of the human body, mind, and spirit. As a result, she has become a pioneer in the fi…

Join us as we discuss the intricate connections between two seemingly opposing aspects of human experience, joy, and trauma. Dr. Tanmeet Sethi, an expert in integrative medicine and mental health, guides us through this complex terrain of our emotions. On this episode, Dr. Sethi shares insights on how to cultivate joy in our daily lives. As Dr. Set…

Join us for an enlightening conversation with the esteemed Tibetan Medicine expert, Dr. Leslie Blackhall. Currently the Section Head for Palliative Care at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Dr. Blackhall is a nationally recognized expert with pioneering work in bioethics, spirituality and medicine, and palliative care. Tibetan Medicine…

In this episode, hosts Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes dive into the world of culinary medicine with physician and food advocate, Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark. Dr. Maker-Clark shares insights on transforming the food landscape in hospitals and schools, revolutionizing nutrition education in medical schools across the United States, and empowering …

In this thought-provoking conversation we explore the impact of compassion on health and spiritual wellbeing. Our guest today is Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison, Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, and author, who brings a wealth of knowledge and personal experience to our discussion. Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes discuss the impact of comp…

Caring for an individual with a serious medical diagnosis can be difficult for patients, their families, and caregivers. For some, a palliative care professional can make a big difference. On this episode, we welcome Dr. Delia Chiaramonte, an integrative, palliative care physician and medical educator, who helps seriously ill patients live their be…

Dr. Bernard Beitman is a psychiatrist, author, and founder of the Coincidence Project. Throughout his life, he has observed and documented the patterns of meaningful coincidences. Coincidences, says Beitman, are an expression of the mind's relationship with the environment, and he offers ways to make use of them when they occur. According to Beitma…

Cannabis has been used as a medicinal substance for more than 5,000 years. And, for good reason. Cannabinoids, the active compounds found inside cannabis, offer potential solutions and symptom relief for a wide range of ailments including chronic pain, neuropathy, muscle spasms, and anxiety. Until the 19th century, cannabis was part of the United S…

Known as qi in ancient China and prana in ancient India, energy has long been recognized by traditional cultures for its influence on the body's vitality and healing. Energy healing seeks to balance and promote the innate flow for optimal health, and it attributes illness to disturbances in the flow. In recent decades, researchers have measured the…

Would you consider communication a key factor in the healing process? According to our guest, words matter, and language can reach beyond the conscious mind to activate the body’s healing response. Emergency medicine physician, Dr. Steve Bierman joins Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes to discuss how language, and the power of suggestion can s…

A healthy lifestyle begins with the foods we put on our plate. According to our guest, integrative nutritionist Diana Weil, a daily practice of eating well can be both delicious and rewarding. Diana is a nutritionist, certified integrative and holistic health coach, and yoga instructor who works with clients to optimize their well-being through the…

On today’s episode Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes sit down with Wade Davis PhD, an explorer, ethnographer, writer, and filmmaker on this episode to discuss humans and the natural world. Wade spent years living among 15 indigenous groups while collecting 6,000 botanical specimens in Amazonia and the Andes. He’s traveled around the world stu…

Vegetable oils are the most consumed food in the world second only to rice and wheat. Cooking oil now accounts for 20% of our daily calories, representing the greatest increase in the sources of calories since the globalization era. Today, cooking oils are a staple in our diets, with canola, sunflower, soy, peanut, and palm oil being the most consu…

Your body naturally produces nitric oxide, a small gaseous molecule; while it exists for mere seconds, it is vitally important for your health. The main function of nitric oxide is vasodilation. Nitric oxide also improves brain cognition, stabilizes blood pressure, and supports exercise performance. Today we welcome, Dr. Louis Ignarro, who won the …

Every parent wants to raise a healthy child. Yet, this goal is becoming more difficult as chronic pediatric diseases are becoming increasingly common. An integrative pediatrics approach emphasizes preventive care and uses a personalized approach which includes diet, environmental exposures, and healthy relationships. On this episode, we talk with i…

Autoimmune diseases result when the body's immune system attacks healthy cells of the body. The tissue damage leads in the development of chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and type 1 diabetes. Our guest today is rheumatologist and integrative medicine specialist, Dr. Aly Cohen. Dr. Cohen specializes in treating arthr…

On this special episode, integrative medicine experts, Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes, answer questions sent by listeners. Join us as our hosts share integrative approaches to popular questions, such as: Is a vegan diet healthy for everyone? What about popular keto and paleo diets? How can you discern gluten-intolerance facts from fiction?…

Lao Tzu, the 6th-century Chinese philosopher, wrote, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” 500 years later a growing number of studies demonstrate the powerful compounding effects of a singular action repeated over time. We welcome Arianna Huffington and Dr. Aaliya Yaqub, leaders of Thrive on this episode. Arianna Huffington is…

Primary care providers are often the first to recognize and treat mental health disorders including depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Despite the growing number of pharmaceutical agents that can be prescribed, there has been a dramatic increase in mental health disorders. What is happening in our society that is leading to this increa…

What are the keys to living a long, healthful life? Insights from regions where people thrive well into their 100’s demonstrates that diet, physical, social, and even spiritual factors contribute to longevity. In this episode, Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes sit down with award-winning journalist, best-selling author, and National Geographi…

Addiction is a public health crisis, made worse in the last year by the emotional stress and grief experienced by so many during the pandemic. It is characterized by compulsive actions despite harmful consequences. Our guest on this episode is addiction expert and author, Dr. Gabor Maté. He is internationally known for his work on mind-body unity i…

Our daily food choices can have a lasting impact not only on our personal health but also on the health of our planet. The worldwide population is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050 and research shows that human dietary patterns may have a staggering effect on climate change. Today we’re joined by Brent Kim, MHS a global disease epidemiologist an…

Living with chronic pain can be both physically and emotionally challenging. Nearly 50 million individuals in the US report experiencing chronic pain. The symptoms may become worse over time, spread to new areas of the body, and result in restricted mobility and limitations in daily activities. Evolving research has demonstrated that for some suffe…

Plants have provided human beings with nourishment, medicine, fibers, and other resources for millennia. And, the passing of botanical knowledge through generations not only ensured survival, it shaped how cultures understood their world. Occasionally, this knowledge would be exchanged with neighboring people in the forms of stories, rituals, and d…

Psychedelics, such as ketamine, MDMA, psilocybin, and LSD have been tightly controlled and highly debated substances for decades, but after several years of clinical trials, the FDA has recently awarded both MDMA and psilocybin, when used in conjunction with psychotherapy, with breakthrough status for the research of challenging mental health disor…

At some point in your life, you’ve likely been told to “trust your gut” when making a decision or experienced a “gut reaction” to external stimuli. Medical research indicates that these gut idioms might just be right about the role of the gut! It turns out that the gut microbiome communicates with the brain and can potentially influence our behavio…

Fungi have shaped our world for billions of years and are present in us, on us, and in nearly every environment. They are one of the oldest lifeforms found on earth and throughout time formed landscapes and helped to give rise to the plant and animal kingdoms. These organisms forge mutually beneficial life-sustaining partnerships with us and can te…

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders, affecting more than 10% of the population. Symptoms include chronic constipation, diarrhea, or acute abdominal pain a short time after eating. The unpredictable and disruptive nature of these symptoms along with their emotional toll can lead to heightened levels of…

For many months, grief has been at the forefront of our collective global consciousness. We have been pushed to confront a world of uncertainty from the tragic loss of millions of lives, to the loss of social relationships and identity, to the sudden disruption of daily structure. The events of the last year have certainly been a lesson in imperman…

Breathing is an essential function of the body influencing nearly every organ and metabolic process. We average 20,000 breaths per day, often without much thought. Breathwork, or the action of controlled breathing, is a powerful and simple technique that can be used to alter physical and mental states. Studies show that it can regulate the heart ra…

Cannabis research has caught the attention of medical providers and patients for its many potential health benefits. For decades cannabis has been categorized as a Schedule 1 drug, which is defined as a drug with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse. And while 33 states have approved its medical use, it continues to be f…

Dr. Robert “Bob” Langer joins us to discuss his work microencapsulating probiotics, micronutrients, and even human cells. Microencapsulating is the scientific process which creates a protective barrier around a cell and has been a lifesaving technology for a variety of conditions. Researchers are just on the cusp of nano-encapsulating technology. D…

Adaptogens are a unique group of plants and mushrooms that helps to normalize the functions of the body. They are favorites among many herbalists, naturopaths, and integrative medicine practitioners as they’ve been clinically proven to help the body to cope with acute and long-term stress, boost immunity, and increase energy. Highly regarded in tra…

Psychedelics are a family of psychoactive substances that induce a non-ordinary state of consciousness and altered sensory perception. Many individuals who have experienced psychedelics report transformative experiences, including a profound sensation of ego dissolution and deep spiritual awakening. While psychedelics have a long and interesting hi…

In an accelerated world, with constant connectivity, it’s more important than ever to balance our technology dependence with time in nature. For the first time in human history, we spend the greater portion of our lives indoors. And, not surprisingly, feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression are on the rise. Forest Bathing or Shinrin Yoku is …

These days, we hear a lot about gut health. And many people want to know about the effects of probiotics, antibiotics, gut inflammation, and modern digestive issues. You are a walking ecosystem home to a microbial community made up of bacteria, fungi, and viruses. You may be surprised to learn that you are more bacteria DNA than you are human DNA. …

Your mind is powerful. Thoughts that initiate in your mind not only impact your emotional well-being, but actually send signals that influence your body's physical reality. In this episode we learn about a gentle and inexpensive mind-body technique called guided imagery that is being used in healthcare to improve patient outcomes. Guided imagery is…

Paul Stamets and Andrew Weil have been enamored with wild mushrooms for decades - and for good reason. Mushrooms have the potential to be delicious, deadly, and even mind-expanding. Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of vast underground mycelial (or fungal) networks that inhabit every soil on earth. In fact, it's estimated there are about eight mile…

There's new evidence that intermittent fasting boosts immunity, improves cognition function, helps with weight loss, and even reverses certain diseases. How is it possible that simply restricting meal times can alter how your body functions? There are several ways to approach fasting including, intermittent fasting, alternate-day fasting, and water…

The spread of the novel coronavirus SARS-COV2 is a seismic global event that has pushed healthcare systems and societies into new realities. So, how does a virus become a global pandemic? After all, the world is veiled with viruses and this isn't the first time human history has been altered by one - we need only to recall viruses like the Bubonic …

What happens when good cells go rogue? What if those cells reside inside your brain can have a dramatic impact on your body and mind? In this episode we discuss the fascinating world of the brain's tiniest cells, microglia. Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes speak with award-wining science journalist Donna Jackson Nakazawa on her latest book, …

What happens when your body isn't absorbing the nutrients it needs from your daily food intake? What about long-term depletion? Access to a diverse variety of food products has never been easier for many households. With so much variety at our fingertips how is it possible that we are lower in necessary vitamins and minerals and missing nutrient-de…

What is consciousness? Are "you" your body or your mind...or something else entirely? Is it possible to quiet the mind and free it from wondering thoughts? Can psychedelics and cannabis help you reach higher states of consciousness? In this episode of Body of Wonder, Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Deepak Chopra, two of the most well-known integrative heal…

Dr. Andrew Weil is a world-renowned leader and pioneer in the field of integrative medicine. His philosophy is centered on a healing-oriented approach to healthcare which encompasses the body, mind, and spirit. So, what is integrative medicine? How does it differ from conventional medicine? In the new series, Body of Wonder, Dr. Weil and internatio…