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 lab work at Stark caught his multiple myeloma early How “body optimization” (not bodybuilding) beca...
Jun 26, 2025•47 min•Ep. 69
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, how minimalist shoes fire up foot-to-glute power, and why Turkish Get-Ups are insurance against fal...
Jun 12, 2025•50 min•Ep. 68
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 slowdown. Key Points Reactive → Proactive health – why “not sick” isn’t “healthy.” Protein as Nature’s Oz...
Jun 05, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 67
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 Narrower – why sleep, grounding and walking meditation moved from “someday” to non-negotiable. Prot...
May 29, 2025•43 min•Ep. 66
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-gatherer-inspired habits snowball into decades of longevity— before you waste money on cryo or IV th...
May 22, 2025•55 min
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‑Health – how chat‑based diagnostics and continuous wearables will move us from mystery symptoms to minute...
May 08, 2025•43 min•Ep. 6
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 state. Highlights include: The Four Pillars of Greatness – innate attributes, formative environment, eli...
May 01, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Ep. 5
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 learn: The Domino Theory of Health – why mastering breath (minutes), hydration (days), and sleep (weeks...
Apr 24, 2025•34 min•Ep. 4
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: Mismatch Theory 101 – from EMF overload to blue‑light insomnia, why modern comforts clash with Stone‑A...
Apr 17, 2025•35 min•Ep. 3
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, Elissa gets refreshingly real about: ● The mindset shift that saved her life—and why self‑love is the...
Apr 10, 2025•49 min•Ep. 2
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 serious problem. Together, they discuss the power of looking beyond standard protocols, embracing holisti...
Apr 03, 2025•38 min•Season 4Ep. 1
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 disorders, and even cardiovascular health issues. Todd shares his own experience with emotional suppression ...
Mar 27, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Season 3Ep. 12
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-term neurological damage. She breaks down the science of neuroplasticity, the role of tau protein i...
Mar 20, 2025•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 11
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 and how maintaining muscle mass can impact overall health, including disease recovery. Having gone th...
Mar 14, 2025•56 min•Season 3Ep. 10
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, particularly when it comes to joint mobility and fascia health. During their conversation, Bryce and T...
Mar 06, 2025•48 min•Season 3Ep. 9
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, how to set clear agreements in relationships, and the role of emotional awareness in creating long...
Feb 27, 2025•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 8
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 self-imposed constraints. Together the two discuss the difference between reactive and responsive livin...
Feb 20, 2025•53 min•Season 3Ep. 7
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, explaining their link to declining testosterone, metabolic disorders, and early puberty. The conver...
Feb 13, 2025•44 min•Season 3Ep. 6
Magnesium is responsible for over a thousand biochemical reactions in the body, yet more than 75% of people are deficient in this critical mineral. Dr. Robert Fredrickson joins Todd on this week’s episode of Health is a Skill to break down why magnesium is essential for energy production, blood pressure regulation, cardiovascular health, sleep, anxiety, and even muscle function. Together the two discuss how stress, processed foods, and modern farming practices contribute to widespread magnesium ...
Feb 06, 2025•32 min•Season 3Ep. 5
Menopause is an inevitable transition, but it doesn’t have to be miserable. In this episode, Dr. Alice Nguyen brings her wealth of knowledge to a candid discussion on managing menopause and metabolic health. She and Todd dive into how hormonal shifts affect weight, fat distribution, and mental well-being. Dr. Nguyen then explains why resistance training and optimal protein intake are critical for maintaining muscle mass and bone health, especially post-30 when muscle naturally begins to decline....
Jan 30, 2025•52 min•Season 3Ep. 4
On today’s episode of Health is a Skill, Todd is diving into a topic that is becoming more and more prevalent for men: lower rates of male fertility. Dr. Michael Moeller is a naturopathic medical doctor who specializes in men’s health, with a focus on fertility optimization and testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Together the two discuss why men across the board are experiencing lower rates of fertility and testosterone than ever before and how to combat this issue from a health standpoint. ...
Jan 23, 2025•1 hr 13 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Being that it’s the beginning of a new year, we’re continuing our conversation on the best ways to lose fat as we start off 2025! Today Todd is joined by Stark’s registered dietician, Geoff Samson. Geoff is an expert in all things fat loss and the foods you need to eat (and not eat!) to achieve your goals. On today’s episode, Todd invites Geoff to share some of that expertise: weighing in on many of the common mistakes he sees people making when trying to lose fat, the best foods to eat (and som...
Jan 16, 2025•55 min•Season 3Ep. 2
Welcome to Season 3 of Health is a Skill! We’re kicking off a brand new season—and a brand new year—talking about the most effective ways to burn fat and feel your best as we enter 2025. Stark’s head of training and health protocols, Amir Mofidi, is back on the podcast, this time joining Todd to discuss optimizing fat-burn, if cutting calories actually works, and which type of exercise to prioritize to lose fat in those stubborn areas. Let’s dive in! Amir and Todd have been perfecting their resp...
Jan 09, 2025•51 min•Season 3Ep. 1
We’re wrapping up Season 2 of Health is a Skill with a recap of the last 11 episodes—what our guests taught us about achieving a state of peak health, Todd’s insights into his own health journey, and a look back on how you can be the healthiest version of you. For this solo episode, Todd runs us through each guest from this past season, emphasizing what they taught us about taking health into our own hands. If you’re looking for a list of actionable steps to take charge of your health as the new...
Jan 02, 2025•21 min•Season 1Ep. 24
Todd is back for this week’s episode of Health is a Skill with a special guest he’s been meaning to reconnect with for over a decade: Dr. Chris Holder. Chris is a strength coach turned doctor of eastern medicine practices like Qigong and Christian mysticism, and today on the show he’s here to tell us more about where the two intersect. Todd begins the episode with an overview of what strength training is and its many benefits—inviting Chris to share how he’s seen eastern medicine practices enhan...
Dec 26, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 23
For today’s episode of Health Is a Skill Todd is joined by a very special guest, his brother Mark Vande Hei! But this isn’t just some catch-up conversation between two brothers. Mark is a NASA astronaut and retired U.S. Army colonel who served as a mission specialist aboard the International Space Station on multiple expeditions, including a record-setting stay of 355 days. Given his background in high-stress environments, Mark and Todd discuss how to build a foundation of mental well-being, why...
Dec 19, 2024•59 min•Season 1Ep. 22
For decades women have been told that taking the birth control pill is the best approach to controlling their cycle and regulating hormones. But as more research has been done in recent years, it’s become apparent that maybe this isn’t the best choice for all women. On today’s episode of Health is a Skill, Todd sits down with Alice Nguyen—Stark’s head of functional medicine—this time to take a realistic look at the birth control pill and its overall effect on a woman’s health. Todd begins the ep...
Dec 12, 2024•57 min•Season 1Ep. 21
Todd is back for this week’s episode of Health is a Skill, this time sitting down with Stark’s Amir Mofidi to talk all things muscle mass. Most of us know that having a healthier muscle mass percentage is a good thing for our bodies, but can it actually lead to living a longer, healthier life? And how do we go about building muscle in a way that’s beneficial and sustainable? Amir discusses all that and more on today’s episode. During their conversation Todd invites Amir to weigh in on the best w...
Dec 05, 2024•49 min•Season 1Ep. 20
The effect fasting can have on your health and longevity is a complicated one, and has become even less clear-cut in recent years. So how can we know if fasting practices like intermittent fasting benefit our overall health? Today on Health is a Skill Todd welcomes back Dr. Paul Anderson and Alice Nguyen, who team up on this episode to discuss if fasting can really optimize our health for the long term. Dr. Anderson and Alice work with different subsets of the population—where Dr. Anderson focus...
Nov 28, 2024•1 hr 4 min•Season 1Ep. 19
For this week’s special episode of Health is a Skill, Todd gives us an update on how the stroke he experienced in September has affected his overall health and outlook on life. There are many factors you can control when it comes to your health, but some elements will always remain out of our hands. Todd’s stroke on September 22nd of this year was one of those uncontrollables, but that doesn’t mean he let the experience set him back in any way. In this highly personal, candid episode, Todd walks...
Nov 21, 2024•25 min•Season 1Ep. 18
