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Hart2Heart with Dr. Mike Hart

Hart2Heart with Dr. Mike Hart

By: Dr. Mike Hart
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 Hart2Heart is the show where Dr. Mike Hart breaks down evidence-based health, longevity, performance, and modern medicine without the fluff. Each episode explores practical, evidence-based strategies for improving your life, including hormone health, peptides, sleep optimization, nutrition, supplements, exercise, sunlight, psychedelics, and smarter medication use. The goal is simple: help you understand what actually works so you can make better decisions for your health. The show also looks at the bigger picture, including how public health policy and politics influence personal well-being, and what you can do to take back control. If you want clear, actionable, no-BS conversations about living healthier, performing better, and thinking for yourself, this podcast is for you.Copyright 2023 | Upfire Digital LLC Hygiene & Healthy Living Physical Illness & Disease
Episodes
  • #219 Dr. Allen Frances on AI Chatbots, Mental Health Risks, Privacy, and the Overdiagnosis of Autism

    #219 Dr. Allen Frances on AI Chatbots, Mental Health Risks, Privacy, and the Overdiagnosis of Autism
    Apr 30 2026
    Dr. Allen Frances discusses how AI chatbots can provide effective support for everyday stress and mild symptoms, with tens of millions using them, but warns they can be dangerous for vulnerable groups—especially the very young, the very old, the socially isolated, and people with severe mental illness—potentially contributing to psychosis, suicide, or eating disorders. He argues harm is driven by chatbots being programmed to be pleasing and validating to maximize screen time, creating dependency and "echo chambers," and highlights major privacy risks and manipulation potential given extensive data collection and weak safeguards. Frances advocates a hybrid model where therapists and patients train chatbots as assistants aligned with treatment goals, and cautions about industry profit motives, limited regulation, scams, political propaganda, and broader societal risks. He also explains autism's overdiagnosis since DSM-IV's expansion (Asperger's/autism spectrum) and describes ADHD and autism as current fad diagnoses amplified by services and social media. Dr. Allen Frances is a psychiatrist, author, and leading voice on psychiatric diagnosis, mental health, and the risks of overmedicalization. He is widely known for his work on the DSM-IV and for his book Saving Normal, which challenges the overdiagnosis and overtreatment of everyday life struggles. In this episode, he joins Dr. Mike Hart to break down the growing impact of AI chatbots on mental health, therapy, privacy, and clinical care. He explains when chatbot support may be helpful, why vulnerable users can be harmed, how AI could reshape psychotherapy, and why privacy with chatbots may be an illusion. He also discusses the overdiagnosis of autism and ADHD, the role of social media in self-diagnosis, and why false labels can change how people see themselves and their future. Books & Articles Saving Normal — Allen Frances Allen Frances mentions his book near the end of the episode. https://www.harpercollins.com/products/saving-normal-allen-frances Allen Frances — Psychiatric Times Articles He mentions his columns in Psychiatric Times about chatbots and psychiatry. https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/authors/allen-frances-md 1984 — George Orwell Referenced when comparing AI chatbots to "Big Brother." https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/326569/1984-by-george-orwell-with-a-foreword-by-thomas-pynchon/ AI Tools & Companies Mentioned ChatGPT / OpenAI Discussed throughout the episode as a major AI chatbot example. https://chatgpt.com/ Claude / Anthropic Mentioned as one of the safer chatbot companies. https://www.anthropic.com/ Grok / xAI Mentioned during the discussion on chatbot safety. https://x.ai/grok Character.AI Mentioned as an AI companion/chatbot platform. https://character.ai/ Replika Mentioned as another AI companion/chatbot app. https://replika.com/ Signal Mentioned during the privacy and encryption discussion. https://signal.org/ TikTok Mentioned during the discussion of autism, ADHD, and self-diagnosis trends. https://www.tiktok.com/ AI Regulation & News References EU AI Act Mentioned during the discussion of Europe's stronger AI regulation. https://digital-strategy.ec.europa.eu/en/policies/regulatory-framework-ai Australia Social Media Age Restrictions Referenced when discussing age limits and children's chatbot/social media exposure. https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/industry-regulation/social-media-age-restrictions Kaiser Mental Health Workers AI Strike Mentioned during the discussion of therapists being concerned about AI replacing care. https://apnews.com/article/kaiser-mental-health-therapists-ai-2d05d37fd8be8f05491f0f15d97a78af Psychiatry, Diagnosis & Mental Health References DSM-5-TR Referenced in the discussion of DSM-IV, Asperger's, autism spectrum, and diagnostic expansion. https://www.psychiatry.org/psychiatrists/practice/dsm Autism Spectrum Disorder — NIMH Useful support link for the autism overdiagnosis discussion. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/autism-spectrum-disorders-asd ADHD — CDC Referenced during the discussion of ADHD as a common modern diagnosis. https://www.cdc.gov/adhd/ SSRIs — FDA Mentioned during the discussion about antidepressant prescribing. https://www.fda.gov/drugs/information-drug-class/selective-serotonin-reuptake-inhibitors-ssris-information Hippocratic Oath Referenced through the idea of "first do no harm." https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hippocratic-oath Historical / Therapy References ELIZA Chatbot Referenced as the first chatbot and an early example of people bonding with machine-generated responses. https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1145/365153.365168 Carl Rogers Mentioned because ELIZA was designed to imitate a Rogerian-style psychotherapist. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Carl-Rogers Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to the Hart2Heart Podcast 00:49 Benefits vs Dangers 01:52 Engagement and Validation Trap 03:21 Who Is Most at Risk 04:19 When Chatbots Help 05:43 Hybrid ...
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    47 mins
  • #218 Lab-Grown Meat, Grocery Prices, and the Real Drivers of Food Inflation in Canada (with the Food Professor)

    #218 Lab-Grown Meat, Grocery Prices, and the Real Drivers of Food Inflation in Canada (with the Food Professor)
    Apr 23 2026
    In a wide-ranging interview, Dr. Sylvain Charlebois ("The Food Professor") discusses whether lab-grown (cellular) meat is overhyped, citing consumer acceptance, cost, and labeling as key barriers, though he found lab-grown chicken indistinguishable in taste and notes potential for nutrient customization. The conversation then turns to Canadian food inflation, arguing there is little evidence grocers are gouging consumers via higher margins, though grocers pressure suppliers through fees, affecting prices and supply-chain discipline. Charlebois contends food inflation is largely structural and policy-driven, pointing to trade barriers, carbon tax impacts, logistics, supply management, counter-tariffs, and the GST holiday's inflationary effect. He proposes solutions focused on competition, tax relief, logistics investment, and policy reform, and closes with a cautious view of ultra-processed food rhetoric, emphasizing consumer information over bans. Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is a professor of food distribution and policy at Dalhousie University and director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab, where his work focuses on food distribution, food policy, food security, and food safety. Widely known as "The Food Professor," he is one of Canada's most recognized voices on food inflation, grocery pricing, supply chains, and the future of food. His research has been featured in major outlets including The Economist, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Globe and Mail, and he also hosts The Food Professor Podcast. In this episode, he breaks down what's really driving food prices in Canada, whether grocers are being unfairly blamed, the debate around lab-grown meat, and how ultra-processed foods and GLP-1 drugs are reshaping the food industry. Sylvain / The Food Professor The Food Professor on X — https://x.com/FoodProfessor Sylvain Charlebois on LinkedIn — https://ca.linkedin.com/in/thefoodprofessor The Food Professor Podcast — https://the-food-professor.simplecast.com/ Food Tech / Salmon AquaBounty — https://aquabounty.com/our-salmon/why-aquabounty-salmon FDA AquAdvantage Salmon Fact Sheet — https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/aquadvantage-salmon/aquadvantage-salmon-fact-sheet Sustainable Blue — https://www.sustainableblue.com/ Canada Food Policy / Data Canada Grocery Code of Conduct — https://canadacode.org/ Code of Conduct Page — https://canadacode.org/code/code-of-conduct/ Health Canada Front-of-Package Nutrition Symbol — https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/food-nutrition/nutrition-labelling/front-package.html Statistics Canada Household Income — https://www.statcan.gc.ca/hub-carrefour/quality-life-qualite-vie/prosperity-prosperite/household-income-revenu-menage-eng.htm CUSMA — https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/trade-agreements-accords-commerciaux/agr-acc/cusma-aceum/index.aspx?lang=eng GST/HST Holiday Page — https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/child-and-family-benefits/gst-hst-holiday-tax-break.html David Dodge, Bank of Canada Profile — https://www.bankofcanada.ca/profile/david-dodge/ Companies / Brands Mentioned Loblaw Companies — https://loblaw.ca/ Sobeys — https://www.sobeys.com/ Walmart Canada — https://www.walmartcanada.ca/ CBC Organization Profile — https://federal-organizations.canada.ca/profil.php?OrgID=CBC&lang=en Johnson & Johnson — https://www.jnj.com/ McDonald's Canada — https://www.mcdonalds.com/ca/en-ca.html GLP-1 / Weight Loss Drugs Ozempic Canada — https://www.ozempic.ca/en_ca.html Wegovy Canada — https://www.wegovy.ca/en_ca.html Media / Podcast Reference The Joe Rogan Experience — https://open.spotify.com/show/4rOoJ6Egrf8K2IrywzwOMk Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to the Hart2Heart Podcast 00:37 Lab Meat Hype Cycle 01:50 How Cultured Meat Works 03:06 Acceptance and Cost Barriers 04:46 Taste Test and Nutrition Tweaks 06:54 Vegans Vegetarians and Labeling 14:53 Canada Food Inflation Debate 15:57 Grocers Fees and Supplier Squeeze 17:40 Policy Roots and Middle Class Squeeze 21:06 Fixes Without More Spending 23:27 Supply Management Price Premiums 24:51 Politics Crises and Inflation Spending 26:53 Inflation And Taxes 27:38 Conservative Policy Impact 28:19 Grocer Margins And Manufacturing 30:05 GST Holiday Backfire 33:18 Media Blind Spots 35:05 Counter Tariffs Price Ripple 37:41 Carney Versus Poilievre 42:53 Media Subsidies And CBC 44:39 Ultra Processed Food Debate 48:54 Addiction Obesity And GLP1 51:30 Regulation Tradeoffs Wrap Up 52:51 Where To Follow Closing The Hart2Heart podcast is hosted by family physician Dr. Michael Hart, who is dedicated to cutting through the noise and uncovering the most effective strategies for optimizing health, longevity, and peak performance. This podcast dives deep into evidence-based approaches to hormone balance, peptides, sleep optimization, nutrition, psychedelics, supplements, exercise protocols, leveraging sunlight, and de-prescribing pharmaceuticals — ...
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    54 mins
  • #217 Dr. Russell Kennedy on Anxiety as a Body Alarm: Childhood Patterns, Worry, Somatic Healing

    #217 Dr. Russell Kennedy on Anxiety as a Body Alarm: Childhood Patterns, Worry, Somatic Healing
    Apr 16 2026
    Dr. Mike Hart interviews Dr. Russell Kennedy about chronic anxiety as a childhood safety adaptation that never turns off, driven more by a body-based "alarm" than by thinking. Kennedy explains why understanding anxiety and talk-based cognitive approaches often have limited effect because subcortical systems communicate through feeling; alarm sensations trigger the mind to generate worries, which can become dopamine-reinforced and addictive. He discusses sensitivity (often cited as 15–20% of the population), modern stressors like smartphones and social media reducing discomfort tolerance, and high-functioning anxiety in high achievers and physicians, with sleep as a key regulation marker. Kennedy emphasizes reconnecting mind and body and adult self with younger self using somatic techniques (body scanning, hand placement, "sensation without explanation," and the SHOULD acronym), notes trauma can occur without an overtly traumatic life, links dysregulated autonomic states to varied symptoms, and shares rapid tools like the physiological sigh and alternate nostril breathing, plus his "Sanity" app and AnxietyMD resources. Dr. Russell Kennedy is a physician, author, and anxiety expert whose work explores the deeper roots of chronic anxiety, especially the role of childhood stress, nervous system dysregulation, and the body's stored alarm response. In this episode, he explains why anxiety is not just a thinking problem but a feeling problem, how worry becomes a coping pattern that keeps people stuck, why high performers often live in a state of hidden dysregulation, and how self-connection, somatic awareness, and better sleep can help break the cycle. Through a blend of clinical experience, neuroscience, and personal insight, Kennedy helps listeners better understand where anxiety comes from and what it actually takes to heal it at the root. Official site: https://www.dr-russ.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theanxietymd/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrRussellKennedyTHEANXIETYMD Therapies Mentioned Internal Family Systems (IFS): https://ifs-institute.com/ Somatic Experiencing / somatic therapy: https://traumahealing.org/ Physiological sigh: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter/breathwork-protocols-for-health-focus-stress Alternate nostril breathing: https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthy-aging-and-longevity/alternate-nostril-breath Pain / Neuroplasticity Resources Alan Gordon / Pain Psychology Center: https://painpsychologycenter.com/our-team Pain Reprocessing Therapy: https://www.painreprocessingtherapy.com/ Experts Mentioned David Goggins: https://davidgoggins.com/ Joseph LeDoux: https://www.joseph-ledoux.com/ Dr. Ethan Russo: https://ethanrusso.org/ Clinical endocannabinoid deficiency paper (PubMed): https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15159679/ Show Notes 00:00 Welcome to the Hart2Heart Podcast 01:19 Anxiety Starts in the Body 03:17 Sensitivity and Modern Stress 05:58 The Dopamine Worry Loop 08:08 Self Connection Over Self Punishment 09:09 High Functioning Anxiety and Burnout 12:41 Redefining Success Internally 17:19 Discipline vs Dysregulation 21:46 Mind Body Child Separation 27:10 Finding the Alarm Sensation 29:16 Somatic Steps to Soothe Alarm 33:18 Why We Should Say Alarm 35:07 Medicine Limits and SSRIs 35:36 Medicine Misses Root Causes 36:57 Trauma Behind Weird Symptoms 38:58 Fibro IBS and Nervous System 42:31 Forgiveness and Doctor Burnout 50:51 Biohacking Anxiety Spiral 56:56 Somatic Healing and Spirit 01:02:50 Psychedelics Need Foundation 01:03:39 Physiological Sigh Tools 01:06:24 App Plug and Farewell The Hart2Heart podcast is hosted by family physician Dr. Michael Hart, who is dedicated to cutting through the noise and uncovering the most effective strategies for optimizing health, longevity, and peak performance. This podcast dives deep into evidence-based approaches to hormone balance, peptides, sleep optimization, nutrition, psychedelics, supplements, exercise protocols, leveraging sunlight, and de-prescribing pharmaceuticals — using medications only when absolutely necessary. Beyond health science, we explore the intersection of public health and politics, exposing how policy decisions shape our health landscape and what actionable steps people can take to reclaim control over their well-being. Guests range from out-of-the-box thinking physicians such as Dr. Casey Means (author of "Good Energy") and Dr. Roger Sehult (Medcram lectures) to public health experts such as Dr. Jay Bhattacharya (Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Dr. Marty Mckary (Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and high-profile names such as Zuby and Mark Sisson (Primal Blueprint and Primal Kitchen). If you're ready to take control of your health and performance, this podcast is for you.We cut through the jargon and deliver practical, no-BS advice that you can implement in your daily life, empowering you to make positive changes for your ...
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    1 hr and 8 mins
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