The Dr. Greg Wells Podcast

Dr. Elaine Chin is trying to solve the problem of people aging into chronic inflammation, fatigue, and disease because they are surrounded by confusing wellness advice and are guessing instead of using a science-based, personalized approach to healthspan. In this episode, she frames the answer as precision medicine built on measurable biology and consistent daily habits.In today’s conversation Elaine Chin explores how precision medicine and lifestyle medicine can work together to improve healthspan and lifespan. She and Dr. Wells discuss telomeres, inflammation, Mediterranean-style eating, hydration, movement, recovery, and the role of purpose in healthy aging. The conversation stays grounded in practical decisions people can make every day while also emphasizing the value of understanding biomarkers and hormones. Overall, this episode helps listeners cut through health misinformation and return to a more evidence-informed foundation for wellbeing.You will learn how Dr. Chin thinks about lifestyle medicine as an “orchestra” that requires sleep, nutrition, movement, mindfulness, and social wellbeing to work together. You will also hear her explain why she pays close attention to telomeres, chronic inflammation, hydration, ultra-processed foods, omega-3 fats, and biomarker testing. The episode also clarifies the difference between exercise and general activity, and why small daily habits can shape long-term health more than extreme interventions.You will discover that many of the most powerful longevity tools are still the fundamentals: sleep, purpose, movement, hydration, and food quality. Dr. Chin’s core insight is that these are not just “healthy habits”; they are biological signals that shape inflammation, recovery, and the pace of aging.This episode helps solve the challenge of not knowing where to start with health and longevity when the wellness space feels noisy, extreme, and contradictory. Dr. Chin brings the listener back to a simpler model: understand your biology, focus on the basics, and use data to guide smarter decisions.Key take aways:Lifestyle medicine works best in combination.Telomeres reflect the wear of aging.Ultra-processed foods drive inflammation.Movement all day matters.Know your biology before guessing.

People are navigating stress, setbacks, and uncertainty by trying to control everything and doing it alone—which amplifies anxiety and drains performance. Dr. Robyne’s work in this episode reframes hope as a trainable, practical skill (not “toxic optimism”), and gives listeners a grounded pathway to regain agency, build support, and move forward—especially when life feels wobbly. In today’s conversation Robyne Hanley-Dafoe explores why hope is not the same thing as optimism—and why clinging to outcomes can backfire when life gets hard. She and Dr. Wells unpack “agency thinking” as the antidote to control spirals, then translate that mindset into practical micro-steps: get safe, get resourced, and choose the next right move. You will learn how Dr. Robyne distinguishes hope from optimism and why that matters under pressure, how to replace control-chasing with agency, and how to use “pathway thinking” to identify one realistic next step instead of trying to solve everything at once. You’ll also learn her “get to the shore” approach for moments when you’re overwhelmed. You will discover that hope is a skill you can practice to keep moving forward without needing perfect certainty or a guaranteed outcome. This episode helps you break out of the loop of “I must fix this right now” and move toward a more proactive approach that is achievable and sustainable.

Stephen is solving the “pressure gap”: the moment when stress hijacks focus and people react instead of respond—in leadership, business, and life—because they haven’t built a deliberate process to prepare for defining moments.In today’s conversation Stephen Drum explores what it really means to “perform on the X”—the critical moment when everything is on the line and you don’t get a do-over. He breaks down the difference between reacting and responding, and why presence, rehearsal, and simple performance cues matter more than raw intensity. Stephen also shares how Stoic philosophy, mindfulness, performance psychology, and breathing practices help leaders stay steady in chaos.You will learn how Navy SEAL teams prepare for “no-return” moments, and how to translate that into boardroom, relationship, and life pressure. You will learn practical tools to notice your stress signals early, pause, and choose a response that serves you. You will learn why confidence is earned through preparation (not “fake it till you make it”), and how to build a repeatable readiness process. You will learn simple breathing and mental rehearsal techniques that improve focus and composure fast.You will discover that your mind and body often respond to a high-stakes presentation (slides failing, tough feedback, big pitch) with the same stress physiology as truly dangerous situations—and the solution is a trained, deliberate process, not willpower.Stephen helps listeners solve the challenge of staying calm, clear, and decisive when pressure spikes—so they can execute effectively instead of getting pulled into fight/flight/freeze and regretful reactions.

Melissa is solving the “I’m functioning but not thriving” problem—where high performers feel tired, inflamed, foggy, or stuck with weight/metabolic issues because modern stress + ultra-processed food + hidden toxins quietly push them toward “not sick” instead of healthy and optimal. Her approach is to identify gaps (often via blood work), reduce toxic load, and build realistic nutrition routines that support energy, mood, and long-term disease prevention. In today’s conversation Melissa Piercell explores how we move along the health spectrum from disease → not sick → healthy → optimal using practical, high-impact nutrition and lifestyle changes. She and Dr. Wells unpack epigenetics (how lifestyle influences gene expression), why toxins and processed foods can amplify inflammation, and how digestion and “detox” really work in day-to-day life. Melissa shares simple rules for hydration, fiber, fats for brain health, stress routines, and time-restricted eating—tools that help busy people perform better without getting extreme.You will learn how epigenetics connects daily habits (stress, food, toxins) to long-term health outcomes. You will learn practical “detox” fundamentals—especially the role of daily elimination, fiber, and hydration. You will learn how fats (omega-3 vs omega-6, trans fats, and cooking oils) influence brain function and inflammation. You will learn why chronic stress changes immunity, recovery, and metabolism—and how routines support hormonal rhythms. You will learn realistic strategies for weight/body composition (including time-restricted eating and “no eating after dinner”).You will discover that the biggest breakthroughs often come from small, repeatable upgrades—like consistent sleep timing, daily fiber + water, and nutrient-dense meals—because these changes reduce physiological stress and improve how your body adapts over time.Melissa helps listeners solve the challenge of feeling depleted in a high-demand life—by turning nutrition into a realistic system that stabilizes energy, mood, digestion, and performance (even when schedules are chaotic).

Michael is fighting the core problem of stigma-driven silence—the belief that depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses are personal weaknesses. His work aims to shift the narrative to “sick, not weak”, so people get help sooner, caregivers understand better, and fewer individuals suffer alone. In today’s conversation Michael Landsberg explores his journey from decades in Canadian sports media to becoming one of the country’s most visible mental health advocates. He shares how anxiety shaped his early life, how a family health crisis preceded a devastating depressive episode, and why speaking openly on-air in 2009 changed the direction of his life. Dr. Wells and Michael dig into how language shapes stigma, why “weakness” is the wrong frame, and how being truly understood is often the first step toward healing. You will learn why mental illness stigma persists—and how a simple shift in language (“sickness, not weakness”) can change whether people reach for help. You’ll learn what depression can actually feel like from the inside, and why “normal stress” language can unintentionally minimize real illness. You’ll learn how honesty (shared with strength, not shame) can empower others to speak up—especially men and high performers who feel pressure to look “fine.” You’ll also learn why caregivers need support too, and how understanding—not fixing—is often the most powerful first move.You will discover that loneliness isn’t about being alone—it’s about not feeling understood—and that finding one person who truly “gets it” can meaningfully reduce isolation and open the door to recovery.Michael helps solve the challenge of how to talk about mental health in a way that reduces shame—so people struggling (and the people who love them) can move from silence to support without judgment.

How to pursue big goals (in sport, work, or life) without being limited by adversity — by building discipline, experimenting until you understand your “systems,” and leading yourself (and others) one step at a time.In today’s conversation Sébastien Sasseville explores how a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes became a turning point that pushed him toward structure, endurance, and purpose. He shares what it took to summit Mount Everest, why the Sahara strips away expectations fast, and how running across Canada became a mission-driven way to help others living with diabetes. Along the way, Sébastien breaks down the mindset of execution under pressure: balancing control with letting go, focusing on the return trip (not just the summit), and finding meaning beyond performance.You will learn how Sébastien trained for extreme goals by stacking skills, fitness, and logistics over years (not weeks), and how he “experimented” to understand his body well enough to perform safely with type 1 diabetes. You’ll hear why the desert is a masterclass in humility and presence, and how dropping expectations can actually improve performance and enjoyment. You’ll also learn how he translates endurance lessons into leadership: mission-first teams, disciplined execution, and purpose as the fuel that lasts.You will discover why the most dangerous part of big goals is often after the win — and how elite performers stay focused on the “way down,” not just the summit moment.Sébastien helps solve the common high-performer trap of setting ambitious goals but lacking the structure, patience, and process-focus required to execute consistently—especially when conditions are uncertain and discomfort is guaranteed.

High-performing people are stuck in a cycle of chronic stress that quietly erodes energy, mood, relationships, and results—until it becomes burnout. Susan’s work (and this conversation) focuses on breaking that cycle with science-based tools that help leaders build sustainable high performance without sacrificing health.In today’s conversation Susan Biali Haas explores how high achievers can build stress resilience and prevent burnout without lowering their standards. She and Dr. Wells unpack why the brain and nervous system can get “stuck” in threat mode, especially after prolonged stress, and how small, repeatable practices can shift you back toward calm, energy, and clarity. They also dig into the performance value of purpose, joy, and mental training—simple levers that help people show up better at work and at home.You will learn how to spot early burnout signals (before you crash), how to use neuroscience-informed strategies to downshift stress and rebuild capacity, how purpose and meaning protect performance over time, and why “fun” and recovery aren’t indulgences—they’re part of the physiology of sustainable output.You will discover that resilience isn’t a personality trait—it’s a trainable skillset, built through small, evidence-based shifts that change how you respond to pressure.This episode helps solve the challenge of trying to maintain elite performance while feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or emotionally flat—by giving you practical ways to protect your brain, energy, and mental health under real-world demands.

Today we will learn how to sustain world-class performance under rising expectations—by shifting from outcome obsession to process focus, protecting joy in training, and learning to turn the mind down when it matters most. In today’s conversation Kylie Masse explores her path from late-developing age-grouper to world record holder and Olympic medalist. She and Dr. Wells unpack why fun and a supportive training group kept her going when results lagged, how “process over outcome” became a competitive superpower, and what a full race day really looks like. Kylie shares practical tactics for managing pressure—balancing school and sport, using music to set state, and recovering like a pro—while aiming at Worlds and the Olympics. You will learn how elite swimmers structure heavy training loads (8–9 pool sessions/week) alongside school and life; how to recover between heats and finals (warm-down, food, rest, state reset); why focusing on process beats fixating on places and times; how Kylie uses sleep, physio, massage, and compression as a reliable recovery system. You will discover that thinking less can help you perform more: when the preparation is done, quiet the analysis and let the body execute. High performers often carry self-imposed pressure that sabotages execution. Kylie’s approach—focus on one thing, one session, one race—gives a repeatable way to reset after bad practices and compete freely on big stages.

Most people — and most organizations — confuse mental health with mental illness, so they miss early signals, underinvest in daily coping skills, and end up with preventable distress, disability, and burnout. Bill’s mission is to teach people and workplaces how to build mental health on purpose before it becomes mental illness. In today’s conversation Bill Howatt explores how his own lived experience with dyslexia, ADHD, anxiety, and shame became the engine for a 30-year career in mental health — and why he now focuses on helping employers create psychologically safe, health-promoting workplaces. He and Dr. Wells map the crucial distinction between mental health and mental illness, walk through the “awareness → accountability → action” pathway, and show why coping skills must be trained like oral hygiene. They also unpack the role of managers, stress, and fast-brain autopilot in the current “coping crisis.” The through-line: mental health is trainable, but only if we make it intentional. You will learn how Bill separates mental health (daily emotional weather) from mental illness (clinical criteria) — two axes, not one spectrum; how small, teachable “developmental coping skills” (locus of control, emotional regulation, self-efficacy) protect you from sliding into distress; how chronic stress, if unrecognized, quietly rewires behaviour and physiology; why managers and workplaces carry half the accountability for employee mental health; and how to create your own daily sustainability plan — the mental-health equivalent of brushing your teeth. You will discover that there is no finish line for mental health — just a repeatable loop: get a baseline → learn micro-skills → practise them daily → ask for help early. That loop is what keeps stress from becoming illness. Lots of high performers “renormalize” feeling lousy — they stay in emotional coping, add more stress, then wonder why they can’t recover. Bill gives a way to spot that slide and a language leaders can use with teams to intervene early.

We know exercise is “good,” but most people — parents, schools, workplaces — still undervalue movement as a brain tool. John is fixing that gap: he shows that physical activity is not optional wellness, it’s primary neurobiology for mood, learning, stress regulation, and healthy aging. In today’s conversation John Ratey explores the revolutionary science behind Spark — how movement changes brain chemistry in real time and why it should sit beside therapy and medication for depression, anxiety, ADHD, and even addiction. He tells the Naperville District story, where daily fitness flipped academic outcomes, then connects it to what we now know about BDNF, endocannabinoids, and neurogenesis. John and Dr. Wells go deep on stress reactivity, GABA, and why fitter people are harder to panic. They finish with a vision for a future where we move more, together, outside — because connection and nature amplify everything exercise does. You will learn how exercise acts like a “smart drug” for the brain — increasing dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, endorphins, and endocannabinoids — and why that cocktail can rival meds for mild-to-moderate depression. You will learn how BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) fertilizes neurons so we can learn faster, remember more, and age better, and why daily movement is the strongest known stimulus for it. You will learn how fitness dampens the stress response by building more GABA-producing cells in the hippocampus, making you less reactive to threat. You will also learn why doing activity with people and in nature multiplies the health effect — the “Spark + Go Wild” equation. You will discover that exercise doesn’t just make you healthier — it makes you a better learner and a more stable human the very same day you do it. Movement prepares the brain for input. Leaders, educators, parents, and even clinicians often treat physical activity as the first thing to cut when life gets busy. Ratey’s work shows that’s backward: if you want calmer kids, sharper teams, and more resilient brains, exercise has to go first, not last.

How do creative people keep making great work day after day — not just once? Tim’s answer is: show up, honor the idea, and build a repeatable co-writing process so inspiration has somewhere to land. In today’s conversation Tim Nichols explores the craft behind hit songs and why “must be present to win” is the real secret of Nashville. He tells the origin story of “Live Like You Were Dying” — casual coffee, two stories about mortality, and then a line that changed country music — and explains how he balances art and commerce without selling out. Tim and Dr. Wells dig into courage, collaboration, and why songs sometimes “choose” the artist (as Tim McGraw did in the middle of his dad’s illness). He also reflects on what’s next after the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame: keep growing, keep giving, keep creating. You will learn how Nashville’s co-writing rhythm actually works (come in with an idea, fish for a better one, write it that day); why most writers have to “write a lot of bad songs” to get to a great one; how to stay true to the song even when radio wants something different; how one honest story can become a global anthem; and why Tim still invests in personal growth, events, and speaking even after Hall-of-Fame status. You will discover that creativity is a discipline more than a lightning bolt — show up, protect the idea, and the day that changes your life will look exactly like every other day… until it’s not. Writers, founders, and leaders all face the same friction: “What if today’s idea isn’t good enough?” Tim’s approach replaces that anxiety with a system — write daily, co-create, let the song be what it wants to be — so the breakthrough can actually happen.

How to chase big endurance goals after major setbacks—without breaking your body or your life. Tara’s insights turn ambition into sustainable systems: smart load management, flexible mindset tools, and a supportive team culture. In today’s conversation Tara Norton explores the real mechanics of a comeback—how awareness, flexibility, and small, repeatable habits rebuild world-class durability. She takes us inside Ultraman’s three-day gauntlet and the mindset that carried her through broken bones, fear, and self-doubt. Tara shares how a mental coach rewired her response to panic, why “just start” beats perfect plans, and how community and crew make the hardest races possible. We end with practical ways busy people can train hard and stay healthy. You will learn how to separate real risk from recycled fear; a simple framework for adjusting plans when niggles appear (shorten, split, or swap); why missing the right workout protects race-day outcomes; how crew and accountability transform ultra goals; and how to carry a personal mantra into training and life. You will discover that resilience is mostly logistics and honesty: start, notice, adjust, repeat—with a team that keeps you moving when your brain wants an exit. Ambitious people over-index on willpower and under-index on awareness and recovery. Tara replaces “all-or-nothing” with flexible structure so you can build fitness, confidence, and longevity—at any age.