Health Is A Skill with Todd Vande Hei

When entertainment executive and former touring musician John Taylor found himself at 450 pounds, depressed, breathless, and ashamed, he knew something had to change. Years of food addiction, alcohol dependency, and extreme dieting had left him broken—and despite trying everything from rehab to running marathons, nothing stuck. Then, he stopped chasing perfection and started practicing self-forgiv...

When 61-year-old executive Craig Harper heard the words “incurable blood cancer,” his oncologist told him there was nothing he could do except wait for chemo. Craig refused to roll over. Instead, he doubled-down on strength, mobility and metabolic health—dropping to 9 % body-fat, hiking 15 k weighted steps a day and surfing every chance he gets. In this conversation Craig tells Todd: Why proactive...

StrongFirst Master Instructor Brett Jones trains on just five kettlebell moves—cleans, presses, squats, swings and get-ups—but keeps making progress because he “minds the gap.” In this episode Brett shows Todd how screening ankles, hips and T-spine first, then adding a five-minute ground warm-up, fixes hidden leaks that stall strength. You’ll learn why nasal breathing balances your nervous system,...

Ten years ago Alison Wayne measured health by the bathroom scale and a nightly glass of wine. Today the 55-year-old mom of three rings PR bells, sleeps migraine-free and wears two sizes smaller while weighing 20 lbs more. Host Todd Vande Hei digs into the mindset shifts, nutrition hacks and family dynamics that rewrote Alison’s future — and why she now sees her 50s as the launchpad , not the slowd...

At 52, experiential-marketing CEO Cara Kleinhaut dead-hangs surfboards, hikes Kilimanjaro for fun—and still cooks rainbow-bright farmer-market meals for her teenage girls. In this candid conversation with Stark CEO Todd Vande Hei, Cara unpacks how perimenopause panic turned into the best decade of her life—by trading “skinny” for strong and “busy” for health-span. Inside the episode: The Road Gets...

Mission Matters COO Chirag Sagar works 14-hour days, pops up at every L.A. networking event—and just popped a calf walking up the stairs. In this candid jam-session, Chirag asks Stark CEO Todd Vande Hei one simple question: “Where does a time-starved entrepreneur actually start?” Todd unpacks Stark’s L.E.N.S. framework (Lifestyle, Exercise, Nutrition, Stress-management) and shows how tiny, hunter-...

Natural‑health broadcaster Dr. Jeffrey Burke has spent 45 years translating nutrition science for everyday people. In this lively conversation with Todd Vande Hei, he compares the 1980s “fat‑free” craze to today’s ultra‑processed foodscape, and explains why the next wellness revolution will merge real food , regenerative farming , and real‑time biomarkers . What we cover: AI, LLMs & Tele‑Healt...

Former NBA shooting-coach-turned-mindset maestro David Nurse joins host Todd Vande Hei for a wide-ranging crash course on building greatness from the inside out. Drawing on epigenetics, Navy SEAL “attribute stacking,” and his brand-new Flow Code Formula, David explains how anyone—from pro athletes to busy executives—can up-regulate or down-regulate their brain to hit the coveted 10-hertz flow stat...

World‑renowned “Sleep Doctor” Dr. Michael Breus joins host Todd Vande Hei to strip wellness back to its three most powerful (and too often ignored) dominoes: sleep, hydration, and breathing. Drawing from his new book Sleep, Drink, Breathe and two decades of clinical practice, Dr. Breus lays out a practical, three‑week protocol that upgrades each pillar without gimmicks or guesswork. Tune in to lea...

Why are chronic illness, fatigue, and plummeting testosterone rampant in the most “advanced” nations on Earth? Host Todd Vande Hei argues it’s simple: we’re ancient hardware running on futuristic software. Our hunter‑gatherer genes are drowning in a tech‑soaked, climate‑controlled, hyper‑processed world—and the gap is making us soft, sick, and tired. In this solo master‑class, Todd breaks down: Mi...

When holistic nutritionist Elissa Goodman was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma at 32, a forward‑thinking oncologist asked questions she’d never heard in a doctor’s office: Are you happy? Do you love yourself? That moment ignited a three‑decade journey of radical healing—and today Elissa feels stronger in her 60s than she ever did in her 30s. In this lively conversation with host Todd Vande Hei, E...

In this enlightening episode, host Todd Vande Hei sits down with Dr. Paul Anderson—co-author of Outside the Box —to explore how chronic and complex health issues often slip through the cracks of our traditional medical system. Dr. Anderson explains how “inside-the-box” care excels at addressing acute emergencies, yet struggles when a patient presents multiple, smaller issues that add up to a serio...

Masculinity is evolving, but are men keeping up? In this compelling discussion, Dr. Hillary Goldsher joins Todd Vander Hei to unpack the societal pressures shaping modern masculinity and the consequences of emotional suppression.<br>They explore how men are taught to suppress emotions like fear, sadness, and anxiety—often leading to long-term consequences such as agitation, depression, sleep...

Masculinity is evolving, but are men keeping up? In this compelling discussion, Dr. Hillary Goldsher joins Todd Vander Hei to unpack the societal pressures shaping modern masculinity and the consequences of emotional suppression. They explore how men are taught to suppress emotions like fear, sadness, and anxiety—often leading to long-term consequences such as agitation, depression, sleep disorder...

How do concussions, repetitive head trauma, and strokes impact long-term brain health? Neuroscientist Dr. Kristen Willeumier and naturopathic physician Dr. Alice Nguyen join Todd Vande Hei for an eye-opening discussion on brain resilience, recovery, and performance. Dr. Willeumier explains the dangers of subconcussive impacts—those repeated hits that don’t cause immediate symptoms but lead to long...

How do concussions, repetitive head trauma, and strokes impact long-term brain health? Neuroscientist Dr. Kristen Willeumier and naturopathic physician Dr. Alice Nguyen join Todd Vande Hei for an eye-opening discussion on brain resilience, recovery, and performance. Dr. Willeumier explains the dangers of subconcussive impacts—those repeated hits that don’t cause immediate symptoms but lead to long...

Strength training isn’t just about lifting heavier—it’s about training smarter. Brett Jones, director of education at StrongFirst, rejoins Todd this week on the podcast, sharing his philosophy on strength training as a skill. Brett dives into the science behind recovery and why effort alone doesn’t equal better results. He also highlights the role of grip strength as a key predictor of longevity a...

Strength training isn’t just about lifting heavier—it’s about training smarter. Brett Jones, director of education at StrongFirst, rejoins Todd this week on the podcast, sharing his philosophy on strength training as a skill. Brett dives into the science behind recovery and why effort alone doesn’t equal better results. He also highlights the role of grip strength as a key predictor of longevity a...

Hydration is more than just drinking water—it’s about optimizing how your body absorbs, utilizes, and retains fluids to enhance mobility, reduce inflammation, and support long-term health. On this week’s episode of Health Is A Skill, Bryce Turner—owner of Beach Fitness and ELDOA USA—returns to the podcast, this time breaking down why hydration is a foundational component of structural wellness, pa...

Hydration is more than just drinking water—it’s about optimizing how your body absorbs, utilizes, and retains fluids to enhance mobility, reduce inflammation, and support long-term health. On this week’s episode of Health Is A Skill, Bryce Turner—owner of Beach Fitness and ELDOA USA—returns to the podcast, this time breaking down why hydration is a foundational component of structural wellness, pa...

Intimacy is about so much more than physical connection—it's a pathway to deeper relationships, stronger communication, and improved mental well-being. On this week’s episode of Health Is A Skill, relationship coach Aaro Ardis joins Todd for a fascinating conversation about the complexities of love, sex, and connection. During their conversation Aaro explains the significance of conscious coupling...

Intimacy is about so much more than physical connection—it's a pathway to deeper relationships, stronger communication, and improved mental well-being. On this week’s episode of Health Is A Skill, relationship coach Aaro Ardis joins Todd for a fascinating conversation about the complexities of love, sex, and connection. During their conversation Aaro explains the significance of conscious coupling...

Most people don’t simply live their lives—they live out the stories going on in their minds. On this week’s episode of Health Is A Skill, Todd sits down with “The Mind Architect”, Peter Crone, to dive into how deeply ingrained subconscious beliefs drive behavior and limit potential. Peter shares how he helps elite athletes, executives, and everyday individuals break free from fear, stress, and sel...

Most people don’t simply live their lives—they live out the stories going on in their minds. On this week’s episode of Health Is A Skill, Todd sits down with “The Mind Architect”, Peter Crone, to dive into how deeply ingrained subconscious beliefs drive behavior and limit potential. Peter shares how he helps elite athletes, executives, and everyday individuals break free from fear, stress, and sel...

The foundation of health starts in the gut—something ancient wisdom and modern science both can agree on. In this week’s episode of Health Is A Skill, Dr. Bob Rakowski unpacks the critical role gut health plays in overall wellness and why functional medicine is the key to addressing the root causes of disease. Together Todd and Dr. Rakowski highlight the dangers of xenoestrogens and microplastics,...