Why Whole Foods Founder John Mackey Is Tackling America’s Health

The Dr. Hyman Show

Dr. Mark Hyman

Health & Fitness, Nutrition, Medicine

4.6 • 8.7K Ratings

🗓️ 20 August 2025

⏱️ 66 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In a world where healthcare often focuses on treating illness rather than promoting wellness, what does it really take to live a healthy, vibrant life? In this episode of The Dr. Hyman Show, I sit down with John Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods Market, to explore his journey from building one of America’s most iconic food companies to rethinking health, purpose, and consciousness. We talk about his new venture, Love.Life, and how it fits into a bigger philosophy that includes conscious capitalism and living with meaning. You can catch our full conversation on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. We unpack: • What psychedelic insights can teach you about health and consciousness • How conscious capitalism can create “win-win-win” outcomes in your life • Steps you can take to break free from habits driving weight gain and poor health • Why building the right community accelerates your health journey • What living with purpose can do for your well-being at every stage of life This conversation reinforces a belief we both share: that true health comes from love, community, and a comprehensive approach. View Show Notes From This Episode Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hyman https://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journal https://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Health https://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Results https://drhyman.com/pages/hyman-hive This episode is brought to you by Seed, PerfectAmino, Function Health, BON CHARGE, Big Bold Health and Pique. Visit seed.com/hyman and use code 25HYMAN for 25% off your first month of Seed's DS-01® Daily Synbiotic. Go to bodyhealth.com and use code HYMAN20 for 20% off your first order. Join today at FunctionHealth.com/Mark and use code HYMAN100 to get $100 toward your membership. Head to boncharge.com and use code DRMARK for 15% off your order. Get 30% off HTB Immune Energy Chews at bigboldhealth.com and use code DRMARK30. Receive 20% off FOR LIFE + a free Starter Kit with a rechargeable frother and glass beaker at Piquelife com/Hyman.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Coming up on this episode of the Dr. Hyman Show, you've found it whole foods. It's changed the face of in America for the better. First store was called Safer Way. Changed the name of Whole Street Market and it took off. It became the highest-fung of natural feast for in the United States, six months after it opened. Why have you sort of turned your attention from groceries and food to health care? I had a tab of LSD and it was incredibly powerful, the strongest dose
0:21.9	of any psychiatric I've ever taken, and I basically was swept away. John Mackey, co-founder of Whole Foods Market,
0:28.5	grew one store into a $22 billion natural foods empire and champions conscious capitalism
0:34.8	to elevate humanity. Today, chronic diseases, not infectious diseases
0:39.4	are what are killing us. Chronic disease can be contagious. You're more likely to be obese.
0:44.0	Your friends are overweight than even your family's overweight. We spend almost 18% of our GDP. But where are we
0:49.5	in terms of longevity? When I checked it out today, we were 48. You started basically a movement called conscious
0:55.4	capitalism. We had some shareholder activists that were trying to take over the company. Basically,
0:59.4	Amazon was the best solution for us in a very situation where we didn't have a lot of good
1:03.7	solutions. Conscious capitalism has four basic principles to that mark. First principle is
1:15.1	In functional medicine, we always start with the gut.
1:20.3	It's at the core of nearly every aspect of health, from digestion and immune function to brain and skin health.
1:25.6	Your gut microbiome regulates inflammation, absorbs nutrients, and maintains the integrity of your gut barrier.
1:31.3	That's why I take and recommend seeds DSO-1 daily symbiotic, a next-level probiotic designed to go beyond digestion. With 24 clinically studied probiotic strains and a pomegranate-based prebiotic, DSO-1, supports gut immune function,
1:38.3	gut barrier, integrity, and even heart health through the gut liver axis.
1:41.3	But here's what's really exciting.
1:43.3	Research now shows that gut health directly impacts skin health through the gut liver axis. But here's what's really exciting. Research now shows that
1:45.2	gut health directly impacts skin health through the gut skin axis. DSO1 contains targeted strains
1:50.9	clinically validated to support clear, hydrated skin from within. As a member of Seeds Clinical
1:55.4	Board, I've seen the science behind their formulations. And new research shows DSO1 supports
2:00.2	short-chain fatty acid production,
2:02.2	which is key for gut barrier function, immune health, and healthy aging. If you're ready to
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