Chasing Life

Trying new things. Setting Goals. Rebounding from setbacks. All of these tasks have at least one thing in common – they require confidence. And according to neuropsychologist Ian Robertson, confidence can also make us happier. Robertson is the T Boone Pickens Distinguished Chair at the Center for BrainHealth, UT Dallas, an Emeritus Professor at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, and author of How Confidence Works: The New Science of Self Belief. He and Dr. Sanjay Gupta discuss how confidence might be the most important resource for well-being and why imposter syndrome isn’t such a bad thing. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever wondered if stress and trauma from your past could be making you sick? Author and trauma expert Dr. Gabor Maté, says our past experiences may literally be the root cause of “trauma related illness,” something he writes about in his most recent book, “The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness, and Healing in a Toxic Culture.” Drawing on his experience as both a Holocaust survivor, and a physician, Mate sits down with Dr. Sanjay Gupta for an intimate and wide-ranging conversation to share his steps for healing and living happier lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to finding joy and happiness, exercise is not always top of mind but maybe it should be. Exercise benefits our physical health as well as helps to reduce anxiety, stress and symptoms of depression, yet many Americans say exercise is not something they enjoy. So where’s the disconnect? And how can people consistently reap the “feel good” benefits of exercise? Health psychologist and author of The Joy of Movement: How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection and Courage, Kelly McGonigal talks with Sanjay about the why moving your body can be a source of joy and hope. And for listeners who say they don’t enjoy exercise or have limited mobility, she has some tips that might turn things around. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dr. Anthony Fauci became a household name during the COVID-19 pandemic as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. But the coronavirus pandemic wasn’t the first public health crisis Dr. Fauci helped Americans navigate, or the first time he’s come under fire. Dr. Fauci sits down for an interview with CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta to discuss his life and new memoir "On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An update on the current bird flu outbreak: it’s still infecting wild birds, mammals and now several farmworkers in the United States. The virus does not appear to be transmitted between humans, but can we prevent further spread? And what are public health officials doing to contain it? Immunologist and virologist Rick Bright has been studying the bird flu for decades and tells Dr. Sanjay Gupta why he thinks more action is needed and who he thinks should be leading the charge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

With the surge in telemedicine, therapy has seen a remarkable rise in popularity. But could therapy hold the key to a happier life? And should everyone go to therapy? Sanjay speaks with psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb, acclaimed author of "Maybe You Should Talk to Someone," and co-host of the Dear Therapists podcast, about how therapy can actually change your brain and get you one step closer to achieving happiness. Plus, Lori sheds light on the surprising ways therapy can reshape your perspective, especially for those who are therapy-curious. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you spend time worrying about what could go wrong in the future, or stressing about something you did or said in the past? That nagging feeling has a name: anxiety. But what if worrying about preventing anxiety is actually getting in the way of our happiness? New York University neuroscientist Wendy Suzuki is on a mission to help more people accept, and even embrace, what she calls “the most misunderstood emotion.” In this episode, we’ll explore an unexpected solution to happiness: embracing stress and how accepting “good” anxiety can help us feel happier and more at ease with uncomfortable feelings. Plus, Professor Suzuki explains why our society’s obsession with avoiding anxiety and negative emotions may be doing more harm than good. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever wondered: What does it mean to be truly happy? Can our brain chemistry, or even our genetics, determine how we feel about our lives? And, most importantly, can we learn to be even happier? Cognitive scientist and Yale University Psychology Professor Laurie Santos has spent her career researching these questions. As the host of The Happiness Lab, Laurie has gone on her own journey to discover what it truly means to be happy. On today’s podcast episode, Professor Santos will share her findings and how she says we can re-train our brains to make better choices, build better habits, and ultimately, be happier. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It turns out a simple “thank you” really can go a long way. In fact, giving thanks doesn’t just make others feel good – it can also boost your own mental and physical well-being. Dr. Sanjay Gupta hears how gratitude helped one woman navigate a life-changing medical diagnosis. Plus, how you can implement a gratitude practice into your daily life. This episode originally aired on May 17, 2022. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We've all heard of processed foods, but what about ultraprocessed foods, which make up more than half of the typical American diet? In this special Chasing Life: Spotlight, CNN Medical Correspondent Meg Tirrell explores how these foods became so widespread and the potential risks they pose to our health. She speaks with Professor Marion Nestle, a leading authority on nutrition and food policy and NIH senior investigator Kevin Hall, who conducted the first and only controlled clinical trial on ultraprocessed foods. Hear about the study's remarkable findings; it may change some of the choices you make in the grocery store. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The U.S. is grappling with a recently discovered outbreak of avian influenza in dairy cows, driven by the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. It's the first instance that the bird flu virus has been detected in US cattle. How concerned should we be about drinking milk or even eating chicken? And could this lead to the next pandemic? Sanjay speaks with epidemiologist Prof. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, about the complexities of the current outbreak and what the public needs to know right now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Global temperatures are rising, severe storms are intensifying and people are feeling climate anxiety. Does saving the planet mean living without comfort or convenience? Can policies and technology turn things around? CNN Chief Climate Correspondent, Bill Weir believes taking better care of the earth and our ourselves can go hand-in-hand. He talks with Dr. Sanjay Gupta about what’s working, what needs to change and why there is reason to be optimistic about the future. They also discuss Weir’s call to action - his new book, “Life as We Know It (Can Be): Stories of People, Climate and Hope in a Changing World.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

For many of us, our weight and eating habits feel deeply intertwined. But how do you strike a balance between eating for pleasure and eating for fuel? How can we reframe our relationship with food – so it doesn't revolve around what’s “bad” or “good?” Sanjay speaks with Dr. Linda Shiue, an internal medicine physician, trained chef, and the author of Spicebox Kitchen. Dr. Shiue sheds light on sustainable approaches to healthy eating and we’ll hear from listeners about the foods that bring them joy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When it comes to optimizing our mental and physical health, many of us focus on managing our weight and metabolic function. But what happens when the numbers are good but the way we feel about our bodies is bad? Should we be striving to love the way we look? Or is it better to not think about our bodies at all? Actress and activist, Jameela Jamil thinks a lot about health, food and diet culture. After years of struggling with anorexia, “The Good Place,” star and host of the "I Weigh with Jameela Jamil" podcast tells Sanjay why she thinks food, mental health, and body image are intertwined. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Keto. High protein. Intermittent fasting. So many diets claim to be the best way to lose weight. But do diets actually work? Research shows that diets don’t lead to long-term weight loss for most people, and that even two people following the same “healthy” diet can have wildly different results. Stanford University nutrition professor Dr. Christopher Gardner has spent more than 20 years studying nutrition and comparing different diets. He spoke to CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta to share what he’s learned and shares his tips for personalizing the way you eat to fit your body’s needs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There's no shortage of products and procedures promising a quick way to weight loss. But do they work? Or is it all just marketing and hype? In this episode, Sanjay speaks with Dr. Mikhail Varshavski – better known as Doctor Mike — who has made it his mission to debunk medical misinformation. He’ll dive into popular weight loss methods, how they supposedly work, and the truth behind cleanses, juices, tummy teas, and more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thirteen years ago, Seattle-based writer Lindy West wrote an essay that took the internet by storm called “Hello, I’m Fat.” That essay would become the 2016 New York Times best-selling memoir, Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman, and later a Hulu television series. On today’s episode, Lindy, who is still writing and hosts a podcast, sits down with CNN’s Chief Medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta for a candid and honest conversation about living as a self-described “fat” person, and how the way she thinks about weight has changed since writing Shrill. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How much do our genetics determine our destiny when it comes to how much we weigh? Cambridge geneticist Giles Yeo says your genes play a bigger role than you might think. “In casino terms, the house will always win if the die is weighted just a little bit one way versus the other.” On today’s Chasing Life, Professor Yeo, a pioneer in the field of obesity research, joins Dr. Sanjay Gupta to explain his ground-breaking research into why some people are genetically predisposed to eat more, and why it’s still so controversial to classify obesity as a “disease.” Plus, Professor Yeo shares how to treat and prevent obesity, a condition that impacts more than 40 percent of Americans, and counting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Weight gain is a common complaint among women in their 40s and 50s, with many blaming it on the ups and downs of menopause. But what exactly is the connection between menopause and weight gain? And can anything to be done to avoid it? In this episode, Sanjay speaks to Dr. Monica Christmas, the director of the menopause program at the University of Chicago Medicine and an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology. She explains effective strategies for tackling midlife weight gain and shares practical advice on navigating this transformative phase with grace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Alabama’s Supreme Court has ruled that embryos are children and anyone discarding frozen embryos could face wrongful death charges. So where does this leave fertility doctors and their patients in the state? And could this ruling have national implications? For this special episode, Dr. Sanjay Gupta turns to IVF expert, Dr. Eve Feinberg from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University. She explains how embryos are handled during the IVF process and why the ruling is contentious for fertility care providers. Also, CNN Correspondent Isabel Rosales shares how some families and fertility clinics in Alabama have responded. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices