The Dan Buettner Podcast

Can you train yourself to be happier? Best-selling author Gretchen Rubin (The Happiness Project) joins The Dan Buettner Podcast to break down the usable, evidence-based habits that can help upgrade your baseline level of joy. In this episode, Rubin shares how she walked away from a prestigious career clerking for the Supreme Court to study the psychology of human connection, routine, and fulfillme...

From trauma and a 10-year opioid addiction to becoming the world's fastest marathoner over 50, Ken Rideout’s story is a masterclass in human resilience. In this gripping episode, Ken joins Dan Buettner to unpack a life of extreme highs and devastating lows—from the high-stakes world of Wall Street to the grueling turning point of cold-turkey detox. To survive the agony of withdrawal, Ken started r...

In this episode, longevity expert Dan Buettner sits down with renowned academic and food politics expert Dr. Marion Nestle to unpack how the American food system became dominated by ultra-processed foods and skyrocketing obesity rates. Nestle breaks down the historical and political shifts—from the Nixon-era agricultural policies of the 1970s to the corporate deregulation of the 1980s—that priorit...

In this special reflective episode, we take a deep dive into the archives of the Dan Buettner Podcast, looking back at where we’ve been and the invaluable lessons shared by previous guests. From world-renowned researchers to the quiet wisdom of centenarians, we synthesize what we’ve learned about the journey to a long, happy life and where this exploration is taking us next. Learn more about your...

"Instead of a backpack, I had a microphone." After 20 years on the road studying the world's original Blue Zones, longevity researcher Dan Buettner opened the aperture to look at aging well from a completely new angle. In this milestone reflection, Buettner sits down to answer a surprise list of questions from his producer, looking back at the most impactful lessons from his first season. He candi...

We live in an era of massive "longevity washing". From expensive supplements to trendy biohacking routines, marketing machines have made the simple path to a long life feel far more complicated than it actually is. In this episode, we cut through the social media noise to reverse-engineer longevity using rigorous data. Discover the truth about Blue Zones research, why getting to age 100 has less t...

Dan Buettner, the explorer who identified the world's longevity hotspots, steps into the hot seat to pull back the curtain on decades of global research. In this candid conversation, he discusses the behind-the-scenes reality of his expeditions, from encountering illegal maggot-fermented cheese in Sardinia to surviving a freezing trek through the Costa Rican hinterlands. Dan also shares a rare loo...

In this episode, Dan Buettner sits down with author AJ Jacobs to discuss how 30 years of radical life experiments have distilled into 10 essential tips for a longer, happier life. Jacobs, known for his immersive books like The Year of Living Biblically and Drop Dead Healthy, shares his unique perspective on why willpower is a losing game and why our environment dictates our success. Learn why grat...

In this episode, legendary tech journalist Kara Swisher joins Dan Buettner to pull back the curtain on the multi-billion dollar longevity industry. Fresh off her own investigative journey into the world of elite biohacking, Swisher explains why she has traded high-tech interventions like stem cell treatments and cold plunges for the simpler, evidence-based wisdom found in the Blue Zones. Together,...

In this episode, we sit down with world-renowned endocrinologist and national bestselling author Dr. Rocio Salas-Whalen to pull back the curtain on the GLP-1 revolution. As obesity rates climb toward a projected 4 billion people by 2035, Dr. Salas-Whalen explains why these medications—originally inspired by the biology of the Gila monster—are far more than a weight-loss trend. She provides a compr...

In this episode of The Dan Buettner Podcast, Dan sits down with Samantha Feher, a journalist, content creator, and host of the Caps Lock podcast, to explore the unique perspective Gen Z brings to the world of longevity and wellness. Often referred to as a modern-day Carrie Bradshaw, Samantha shares her journey from the high-pressure world of New York journalism and reality TV to becoming a dedicat...

Could everything we know about carbs and chronic illness be wrong? In this eye-opening episode, Dan Buettner sits down with Dr. Neal Barnard, founding president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, to dismantle the biggest myths in modern nutrition. Dr. Barnard reveals groundbreaking clinical research suggesting that Type 2 diabetes isn’t caused by rice or bread, but by a "cellula...

Step into the world’s leading longevity lab as Dan Buettner sits down with Dr. Valter Longo, the pioneering Director of the Longevity Institute at USC, to uncover the "best medicine" already hidden within the human body. This episode breaks down the radical science of the Fasting Mimicking Diet, a revolutionary approach that tricks your cells into a state of deep repair—shrinking and regenerating...

In this episode of the Dan Buettner Podcast, Dan sits down with evolutionary anthropologist Dr. Michael Gurven to explore the secrets of the Tsimané, an indigenous population in the Bolivian Amazon with the lowest recorded rates of heart disease in the world. While the modern world spends billions on anti-aging supplements and extreme fitness trends, Dr. Gurven’s decades of research reveal a diffe...

From trauma surgeon to longevity pioneer, Dr. Darshan Shah joins Dan Buettner to reveal why modern medicine is often failing to prevent chronic disease and how you can take control of your health. Dr. Shah outlines the eight root causes of illness—ranging from metabolic dysfunction to circadian disruption—and shares the personal health crisis that led him to trade his scalpel for a mission of proa...

In this episode, Dan Buettner sits down with award-winning filmmaker and producer Kelly Noonan Gores, the creative force behind the groundbreaking documentary HEAL. While Dan’s work with the Blue Zones focuses on how environmental and social factors lead to longevity, Kelly investigates the "internal power" of the human mind—exploring how our thoughts, beliefs, and emotions fundamentally dictate o...

In this episode of The Dan Buettner Podcast, world-renowned demographer Dr. Jay Olshansky joins Dan to debunk the viral myths surrounding human longevity. While social media often promises a future where we live to 150, Dr. Olshansky reveals the hard biological truths and explains why we are hitting a "glass ceiling" of life expectancy. He breaks down the concept of "manufactured time," the realit...

Is the secret to a longer life already hidden in the animal kingdom? In this episode, Dan Buettner sits down with world-renowned biologist Dr. Steven Austad to explore how nature has already solved the mysteries of aging. Dr. Austad explains his "nature is smarter" philosophy, detailing how 500-year-old clams and tiny bats that outlive their peers can help us understand our own biological clocks....

In this episode of the Dan Buettner Podcast, Dan is joined by world-record swimmer and health advocate Rip Esselstyn to discuss the life-saving power of a "PlantStrong" lifestyle. They explore the legendary research of Rip’s father, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, whose work at the Cleveland Clinic proved that heart disease—the leading cause of death—can be halted and even reversed through a whole-food, p...

Are you "over-functioning" but feeling empty inside? In this episode, Dan Buettner sits down with board-certified psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Judith Joseph to pull back the curtain on a silent epidemic sweeping through our high-achieving society: High-Functioning Depression. Dr. Joseph, founder of the Manhattan Mind Health and Wellness Center, shares her pioneering research as the first to pub...

Is your gut microbiome the most important organ you're ignoring? In this episode of The Dan Buettner Podcast, world-renowned geneticist and epidemiologist Dr. Tim Spector reveals groundbreaking research on why the microbes in your gut are the ultimate indicator of your health and resilience. Drawing from a massive study of 300,000 samples recently published in Nature, Dr. Spector explains a startl...

What if your goal for 2026 wasn't just to feel better, but to live 10 to 15 years longer? According to Dr. David Agus, one of the world’s leading medical visionaries, we are currently at a tipping point where rapid advancements in AI and medicine can radically extend your lifespan in just a few short years. In this special "Future-Proof" edition of our New Year’s Refresh, the Ellison Medical Insti...

In this episode of the Dan Buettner Podcast, Dan sits down with board-certified OB-GYN and celebrity health expert Dr. Jessica Shepherd to uncover the surprising intersection between menopause and longevity. While we often associate menopause with hot flashes, the reality is far more complex—affecting everything from your brain health and sleep to your hair and life expectancy. Dr. Shepherd explai...

Every January, we chase the "New Year, New Me" dream—new house, new job, new body—only to find ourselves back at the same level of satisfaction by February. Why? In this essential New Year’s Refresh episode, we sit down with Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, the world-renowned "Doctor of Happiness." She explains the "Hedonic Treadmill"—the scientific reason why chasing life circumstances often leaves us disa...

In this episode of the Dan Buettner Podcast, legendary actress and "happiness expert" Goldie Hawn joins Dan to discuss the real science behind her joyful nature and the surprising struggles she faced early in her career. Despite her public image as a beacon of light, Goldie reveals her personal battle with severe anxiety and panic attacks that began at age 22, just as she was becoming a household...