13 Health and Wellness Podcasts with Evidence Based Advice

I enjoy consuming content about fitness and healthy living in general. It helps me stay motivated, it gives me ideas what to improve and it gives me a sense of community to listen to other people nerd out about my interests.

However, so much about fitness and self-improvement content has been infected by harmful ideas like red pill, tech broness, hustle culture and other bullshit that doesn't benefit anyone but its peddler. I would love to find some alternatives, so I can learn things and be entertained, but without supporting people who spread toxicity in our society.

Can anyone recommend me podcasts like that?

I know this is a challenge. It feels like any podcast that was originally about health has been flooded by sensationalist pop science, a lot of the time lots of unnecessary fear mongering. To be fair this is probably just the top podcasts we're talking about, ones like Huberman and diary of a CEO and feel good move more come to mind.

Bonus if there are podcasts with moderate sized episodes, as a 2.5-3h podcast just feels like too much.

Hi everyone,

Would you have *evidence-based* health / wellness podcasts to recommend? Other than Huberman please.

Thank you!

Huberman is the GOAT. But who else is worth listening to in this space?

Sawbones is hosted by a medical doctor and her husband (who acts as the everyman) and covers a wide range of medical topics that vary from informative to humorous.

I've learned a ton about medicine, medical history, and statistics by listening to This Podcast Will Kill You, but I'm not sure if that's what you're looking for.

Im in that phase where I’m obsessed with listening to podcasts that talk about nutrition, health, fitness, etc…

What are the BEST podcasts on this topic?

Science vs will tackle popular health trends with evidence. I really like it and it’s good to just bring things back down to earth.

Huberman is very, very far from science based.

The Happiness Lab is a great one about mental wellness. And I second Science Vs too.

Zoe podcast is usually pretty good. My parents love it and been making healthier choices.

Also second Science Vs. (if you can handle the host banter)

Huberman labs I'd be wary of, he does like to always offer a brilliant solution regardless of if it actually works. Don't go near Diary of a CEO.

For more mental health then Psychology in Seattle, Mindset Neuroscience, and Growth Mindset Psychology all do some interesting science backed content.

I’m looking to get into some podcasts that can help improve my basic medical knowledge, as well as just general health focused podcasts.

Not looking for anything that’s alternative medicine or spiritual health of anything like that, more so looking for traditional medicine and general practices for improving your health, but physical and mental.

Does anyone have any podcasts like that, either hosted by doctors or just medical professionals in general?

The Happiness Lab is a data-driven approach to happiness and is hosted by a professor a Yale after a full quarter of the campus population enrolled in her class "Psychology and the Good Life."

Not a lot of talk about health/diet but positivity/happiness 110%!

I honestly recommend against self help/psychology podcasts, they may seem great at first but essentially their whole goal is to convince you that the way you are now is wrong, so they can sell you the solution. It's very motivating, because you feel like 'omg this info is going to change my life'. But it won't, and you'll likely end up in a vicious cycle of believing you are living life wrong but failing to change anything. (I am not a therapist but I have had this realisation in therapy). 

If you do want to give it a try, I have 3 self help adjacent podcasts that I feel don't have that 'selling you a problem and the solution' vibe: - The Happiness Lab: documentary going into the science of happiness. - Happier with Gretchen Rubin: a chatty podcast about making small changes in your life to enjoy it more, without making big changes. - Dear Hank and John: a chatty, empathetic advice podcasts, occasionally silly, occasionally serious.

But really, I would recommend finding new podcasts that you enjoy. For example, what about investigative podcasts? They follow the same format as true crime, but with less gruesome topics! Examples: - The Gift: about DNA tests and what kind of mysteries get unraveled by their widespread use. - Sold a Story: about a fraudulant reading curriculum that was heavily marketed and led to kids being illiterate. - Wind of Change: an investigation into the conspiracy theory that the CIA wrote a hit song to affect the cold war.

I have a very long blogpost with over 30 non murder investigative podcasts, if that would help!

And there are also a lot of fun history podcasts to explore. Learning is generally great for mental health, so the fact that you have an interest with so many available podcasts is honestly really nice!

Edit to add: Diary of a CEO is a very classic self help podcast that sells the problem and then the solution. The podcast is filled with pseudoscience and the majority of the guests are grifters. The host does not fact check properly, ever. It's very Joe Rogan esque, but for a different audience. Mel Robbins and Huberman's are two other popular podcasts like that, that I would recommend avoiding at all costs!

Nutrition for Mortals covers the science behind food and diet trends

Conspirituality covers the MAHA/ wellness to qanon pipeline

Ologies covers science in general

Virology

Food, We Need To Talk. The hosts debunk all the myths around health and fitness and offer realistic and practical advice on improving health. Everything they discuss is backed by research and they have experts on to discuss various topics. It is also a delightful and charming podcast as the hosts get on so well.

Nutrition for Mortals is great.

Maybe not quite what you were asking for, but I'm really enjoying Nutrition for Mortals. Two Registered Dieticians discuss nutrition trends and what's the truth.

IMO if you have something that interests you and boosts your mood while you’re listening, then it doesn’t really matter what the subject matter is, it’s not holding you back mentally. Stuff doesn’t need to be self-improvement or self-care stuff to be good for you mentally.

During a visit with my cousin this Christmas break we began talking about Podcasts we indulge in. She likes Diary of a CEO (which if anyone has pros or cons I’d love to hear them, it was her top rated)

I primarily listen to historical pods or Ethical True Crime. However my husband is convinced that with the amount of death and pain I’m consuming it’s holding me back mentally. Esp during periods of depression like I’ve been in.

I’ll take any and all recommendations but I’d prefer to hear from real psychologists/therapists. Thanks in advance everyone!

House of Pod is hosted by a gastro doctor. It's kind of a comic medical podcast that's also topical, and features a bop of a theme song.

How To Keep Time by the Atlantic is good.

I started it recently and it has shifted my perspective on a couple things that we often overlook.

If you are interested in it, I’d recommend starting on season 1.

I’m looking for a podcast about all aspects of health and wellness. Not just fitness or diet but that along with mental health, maybe spirituality. Ways to be happier and healthier. Thanks!

The Happiness Lab

Hidden Brain

Love Factually

Dear Hank and John

Anything related to health, wellness, or even basic neuroscience (I know neuroscience is a bit different than the previous two but some overlap). I know this breaks the rule that I’ve imposed on you but I’ve really enjoyed the Matt walker podcast about sleep and am looking for other related stuff that will allow me to live healthier/better (nutrition, immune system, improving brain function, preventing aging, or anything else that seems up that alley).

Now for the aforementioned rule: preferably people not associated with Joe Rogan, Jordan Peterson, and Tim Ferris. I know some of the people they are associated with have good credentials and probably have some good stuff to say, but with this stuff where most regular people are in the dark, credibility matters a ton and I find those mentioned to be hacks. Not here to argue about that, but it just seems like those guys have kind of cornered this market so if there’s anyone not associated with them, would be glad to listen.