The Dr. Hyman Show

Trying to eat healthy has gotten surprisingly complicated. You pick up salmon and wonder about mercury, grab strawberries and think about pesticides, or drink from a plastic bottle and start worrying about microplastics. But not every food-safety risk deserves the same level of concern. In this episode, I break down what actually matters, what’s worth paying extra for, and the simple changes that can reduce your exposure without making you afraid of everything you eat.
Here’s what I discuss in today’s episode:

Which food-safety risks actually deserve your attention—and which ones may be creating more fear than necessary

How to think about organic produce, pesticides, recalls, and foodborne outbreaks without avoiding healthy foods altogether

What labels like grass-fed, organic, pasture-raised, wild-caught, and farm-raised really tell you—and what they don’t

The hidden exposures that can come from packaged foods, plastics, cookware, and even common mistakes in your own kitchen

Food safety isn’t about eliminating every possible risk. It’s about knowing which risks matter, understanding where small changes can make a meaningful difference, and having enough good information to separate a real concern from a scary headline.

Resources Mentioned:

Check current food recalls and outbreak updates from the FDA and CDC

Explore the Environmental Working Group’s Dirty Dozen™ to help decide where buying organic may be most worthwhile: https://www.ewg.org

Learn more about lower-mercury seafood choices through the FDA and EPA guidance

Listen to my conversation with Autumn Smith of Paleovalley for a deeper dive into meat labels, sourcing, and food quality

Have a question you’d love answered on Office Hours? Submit it here.

0:00 Food safety concerns and grocery shopping tips

2:34 Organic produce, washing, and handling recalls

7:40 Frozen produce, meat, and seafood label guidance

13:17 Seafood safety: mercury, wild vs. farm raised

16:45 Processed and ultra-processed foods explained

21:10 Food packaging chemicals and plastic safety

23:08 Kitchen safety and cross contamination

25:26 Key food safety takeaways and conclusion

Chronic illness rarely fits neatly into a single diagnosis. Symptoms can span multiple systems, leaving people profoundly unwell even when standard testing appears normal. I understand this experience from the inside out because I’ve lived it myself.

Today, I sit down with Dr. Neil Nathan, a leading expert in complex chronic illness and author of Toxic, now in its second edition. We explore why these conditions are so often misunderstood and how identifying what is driving them can create a path toward recovery.

We discuss:

Why mold toxicity, Lyme disease, and long COVID can be so difficult to diagnose

How to identify the root cause instead of chasing downstream symptoms

What the Cell Danger Response is and why the body can remain stuck in survival mode

Why some people suddenly become sensitive to foods, chemicals, medications, light, and sound

Why the right treatment can make symptoms worse when introduced at the wrong time

I’ve been sick enough to know how quickly chronic illness can narrow your world—and how discouraging it is when no one can explain why. But I’m also living proof that the body can recover. The answer is not always more treatment. Often, it begins with finding the root cause, respecting what the body can tolerate, and addressing each layer in the right order.

View Show Notes From This Episode

Sign up for Dr. Hyman’s Brainshaping Academy to learn how to nourish the biological systems that support your mental, emotional, and cognitive health

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This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers, Cozy Earth, Perfect Amino, Seatopia, Made In, and BON CHARGE.

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(0:00) Introduction and Dr. Hyman's health journey

(3:11) Challenges and limitations of conventional medicine

(5:03) Environmental toxins and chronic illness

(7:21) Identifying root causes and treatment order

(16:14) Dr. Hyman’s mold struggle, toxicity vs. sensitivity

(21:01) Dr. Nathan’s books and diagnosing chronic illnesses

(28:53) Treatment strategies: primary cause, gut health, and mold

(34:22) Addressing limbic, vagal, and mast cell issues first

(39:52) Complexities of treating tick-borne infections

(44:46) Emotional and psychological aspects of recovery

(45:04) Encouragement and hope for chronic illness sufferers

(46:36) Closing remarks and podcast info

Brain fog isn’t just a normal part of getting older—and it may not be a brain problem at all. If you struggle to focus, lose your train of thought, forget why you walked into a room, or feel mentally exhausted after eating, your body may be trying to tell you something.

Here’s what I discuss in today’s episode:

The five foods I most commonly see contributing to brain fog—and why some seemingly “healthy” choices may be working against you

The surprising connection between your gut and your ability to think, focus, and remember

Why certain foods can affect your brain even when you don’t have obvious digestive symptoms

Brain fog is a messenger, not the root problem. When you start looking at what’s happening throughout your body—especially your gut, blood sugar, inflammation, and microbiome—you can begin uncovering what’s getting in the way of a clearer, healthier brain.

Resources Mentioned:

Learn more about my 10-Day Detox Diet, a whole-food reset designed to help identify common food triggers, stabilize blood sugar, and support gut health: https://10daydetox.com

Have a question you’d love answered on Office Hours? Submit it here.

0:00 Introduction, Dr. Hyman's experience, and foods contributing to brain fog

1:31 Functional medicine and the gut-brain connection

2:30 Vagus nerve, gut microbiome, and inflammation

4:21 Long COVID, gut damage, and ultra-processed foods

6:51 Alcohol, artificial sweeteners, and their effects on the brain

9:51 Dairy, gluten, and elimination diets

15:41 Ten Day Detox Diet, food journaling, and reintroducing foods

18:23 Personalized nutrition, functional medicine, and conclusion

This week, I’m the one answering the questions in a deeply personal conversation about my health journey. I speak openly about some of the hardest parts of that journey, the treatments I’ve tried, the beliefs I’ve reconsidered, and what a lifetime devoted to health has taught me about what matters most.

Here’s some of what I share:

How becoming the patient changed the way I practice medicine

How nearly dying changed what longevity means to me and what I believe a healthy life is actually for

Which wellness and longevity therapies I personally use, and how I decide what’s worth trying

Why the pursuit of optimal health can sometimes become unhealthy

What I’m still trying to understand about myself at this stage of my life

I’ve spent much of my life trying to understand how we can live longer and feel better. But nearly losing my own life reminded me that health isn’t the destination. It’s what allows us to be present for the people we love, remain curious, and experience our lives more fully. I hope this conversation encourages you to ask yourself what you want your health to make possible.

Continue exploring:

Watch my conversation with Dr. Tyna Moore here.

Learn more about my Brainshaping Academy here.

View Show Notes From This Episode

Sign up for Dr. Hyman’s Brainshaping Academy to learn how to nourish the biological systems that support your mental, emotional, and cognitive health https://drhyman.com/products/brainshaping?utm_source=dr_hyman_show&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=may_27&utm_content=link

Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hymanhttps://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast

Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journalhttps://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast

Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Healthhttps://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox

Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Resultshttps://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive

This episode is brought to you by Paleovalley, BIOptimizers, Timeline, Rho, Sunlighten, and Pique.

Shop nutrient-rich foods and supplements at paleovalley.com/hyman and save 15% off your first order.

Shop Magnesium Breakthrough at bioptimizers.com/hyman and save 15% with code HYMAN.

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(0:00) Dr. Hyman's health decline, initial back surgery, and introduction to Q&A session

(1:51) Dr. Hyman's early career, first herniated disc, and subsequent back surgeries

(10:55) Mercury poisoning and its impact on health

(17:06) Discovery of functional medicine and Jeffrey Bland's influence

(20:27) Impact of personal health journey on Dr. Hyman's career and recovery from major surgery

(24:04) Reflections on mortality, peace during surgery, and the role of spirituality and psychedelics

(26:21) Changes in perspective on longevity, health, and specific recovery strategies

(30:06) Navigating physiological depression and relationship with body as we age

(33:48) Rapid-fire health tools: cold plunges, sauna, and more

(43:32) IV therapy, red light therapy, and stem cell therapy for recovery

(47:26) Exosomes and critique of wellness industry trends

(50:31) Risks of over-testing, over-supplementation, and underrated treatments in functional medicine

(58:13) Dr. Hyman's personal life, hobbies, and balancing passion with well-being

(1:04:51) The Ultramind Solution, mental health, and root cause analysis in MS

(1:07:06) Focus on strength training, functional health, and shifts in health understanding

(1:09:23) Surprising changes in beliefs and impact of becoming a grandfather

(1:11:42) Career reflections, ongoing curiosity, and closing remarks

(1:14:38) Disclaimer and gratitude to sponsors

With the Labour Day long weekend here, we’re bringing back one of our most popular Office Hours episodes on what really happens to your body when you take a break from alcohol. Whether you’re drinking less this weekend or simply curious about how quickly your body can recover, this conversation is worth revisiting.

Today I discuss:

What alcohol really is—and why the “buzz” is actually your brain slowing down

How alcohol affects neurotransmitters like GABA, dopamine, and glutamate

Why even moderate drinking disrupts sleep, mood, hormones, and metabolism

How alcohol impacts the liver, gut microbiome, immune system, and cancer risk

Why hangovers feel like the flu—and what’s actually happening in your body

What happens when you stop drinking, week by week, from detox to deep repair

The surprising benefits to energy, focus, skin, sleep, and emotional resilience

Practical tools to manage cravings, social pressure, and sleep disruption

Why community support makes behavior change easier and more sustainable

Your body has an incredible ability to heal and often, it just needs you to take your foot off the gas. Try it for 30 days. You may be amazed by how different you feel.
If you want extra support, join us for the Hive January Challenge, where we’ll guide you through the process, track progress, and share experiences together.
Visit ⁠functionhealth.com⁠ for 160+ lab tests at just $365 a year.

Helpful Resources:
Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Health
⁠https://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox⁠
Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Results⁠ ⁠⁠https://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive⁠
Have a question you’d love answered on the podcast? ****Submit it here 👉 ⁠https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdNF2y4lFWEOMLlzVNlFDpJ4xl7oOpH9NlImMoHr5mHggL_Ww/viewform?usp=header