As we close out 2025, hosts Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh and Dr. David Freeman pause to reflect on a year of conversations that shaped The Wellbeing Manifesto Podcast—not through quick answers or trending hacks, but through better questions, deeper listening, and honest dialogue.

This year, we sat with clinicians, scientists, journalists, humanists, and leaders who challenged easy narratives and resisted shortcuts. Together, we explored the real forces shaping health, wellbeing, care, culture, technology, trust, movement, meaning, and community—at the personal, societal, and global levels.

What stood out most wasn't consensus—it was integrity. Conversations that honored complexity. Reflections that acknowledged trade-offs. And a shared understanding that health and wellbeing are never just individual choices or just systems—but always both.

In a world optimized for speed and noise, choosing to slow down, think carefully, and listen deeply matters. We are profoundly grateful to our guests for their generosity and intellectual humility—and to our listeners for trusting us with your time and attention.

As we move into the year ahead, our commitment remains clear:
Less hype. More truth. Better living.
Fewer slogans. Deeper conversations. Science, humanity, and lived experience—held in equal measure.

Thank you for being part of this unfolding dialogue. One thoughtful conversation at a time.

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In this episode of The Well-Being Manifesto Podcast, hosts Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh and Dr. David Freeman welcome one of the world's most influential physician-scientists, Dr. Eric Topol—cardiologist, geneticist, digital medicine pioneer, and founder of the Scripps Research Translational Institute.

Dr. Topol, author of Deep Medicine, The Creative Destruction of Medicine, and his latest book Super Agers, joins the conversation to explore the future of evidence-based medicine, longevity science, and how emerging breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, genomics, immunology, and lifestyle medicine are reshaping healthcare.

This wide-ranging discussion dives into the critical difference between lifespan and healthspan, why genetics matter less than most people think, and how lifestyle-plus factors—nutrition, exercise, sleep, gut health, social connection, and environmental exposures—play a central role in preventing age-related disease. Dr. Topol explains why the immune system may be the single most important driver of healthy aging and how inflammation ("inflammaging") underlies cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's.

You'll also hear Dr. Topol's clear-eyed perspective on:

• How AI in medicine can enable personalized prevention and early disease detection

• Why multimodal AI is essential for predicting risk years before symptoms appear

• The promise and limits of GLP-1 medications beyond weight loss

• New insights into vaccines, including shingles vaccines and dementia risk reduction

• The growing role of the gut microbiome, brain–immune connection, and metabolic health

• Misinformation, medical hype, and rebuilding trust in science and healthcare

• Why prevention—not just treatment—is the future of modern medicine

This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in longevity, preventive medicine, digital health, AI in healthcare, Alzheimer's prevention, lifestyle medicine, healthspan optimization, genomics, and evidence-based wellness.

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In this episode of The Well-Being Manifesto, hosts Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh and Dr. David Freeman sit down with renowned cardiovascular and clinical exercise physiologist Dr. Barry Franklin to explore how movement truly becomes medicine.

Dr. Franklin, a pioneer in cardiovascular disease prevention and past president of the American College of Sports Medicine, breaks down the most dangerous exercise myths, reveals the smallest effective dose of physical activity, and explains how even 1-minute bouts of movement can improve longevity and reduce the risk of heart disease. If you're overwhelmed by fitness trends, confused by VO2 max, METs, and heart rate zones, or worried about starting an exercise plan safely, this episode provides clarity rooted in decades of clinical research.

Learn why:
• 7,000–8,000 steps per day may be more effective than 10,000
• Stair climbing can reduce mortality by up to 30%
• Walking speed predicts longevity and heart health
• High-intensity exercise can be risky for sedentary individuals
• Even a 5% weight loss significantly improves health outcomes
• METs, VO2 max, and aerobic capacity matter for your aging process
• The safest approach to movement is gradual, consistent, and individualized

This conversation is essential listening for anyone interested in healthy aging, longevity, heart disease prevention, functional fitness, exercise safety, metabolic health, and sustainable lifestyle change. Whether you're a medical professional, fitness coach, or simply someone trying to build healthier habits, Dr. Franklin's insights will change how you think about exercise and aging forever.

Subscribe to The Well-Being Manifesto for more expert conversations on health, resilience, optimized performance, and living longer — better.

In this episode of The Well-Being Manifesto, hosts Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh and Dr. David Freeman sit down with legendary nutrition expert, author, and public health advocate Professor Marion Nestle to explore the truth behind nutrition politics, food policy, ultra-processed foods, and what people should actually eat today.

Professor Nestle—author of Food Politics, Unsavory Truth, What to Eat, and her newest book What to Eat Now—breaks down the hidden forces shaping the American food system, including corporate influence, agricultural subsidies, dietary guidelines, food marketing, and why it's so hard for individuals to make healthy choices in a system designed to push the opposite.

This episode dives deep into the intersection of science, policy, culture, and personal health, offering grounded insights, practical advice, and a rare behind-the-scenes look at how nutrition research and public health decisions get made.

• The real story behind food politics and how it shapes what we eat

• Why ultra-processed foods dominate over 60% of the American diet

• How agricultural subsidies, corporate lobbying, and policy decisions impact public health

• The challenges of nutrition research and why the public is often confused

• The truth about access, affordability, and equity in healthy eating

• What Marion Nestle believes people should eat today for better health

• The rise of GLP-1 drugs and how they're reshaping the food industry

• The future of American farming, food production, and sustainability

• How clinicians, journalists, and policymakers can rebuild trust in nutrition science

This episode is essential for anyone interested in:
nutrition science, food policy, public health, healthy eating, sustainable agriculture, ultra-processed foods, organic farming, obesity, the food industry, GLP-1s, food systems, and evidence-based wellness.

Hosted by Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh and Dr. David Freeman, The Well-Being Manifesto unpacks the systems, science, and stories shaping human well-being. With leading thinkers in health, policy, medicine, and culture, the show explores what it truly means to live well in today's world.

Learn more at: https://www.thewellbeingmanifesto.com/

In this episode of The Well-Being Manifesto, hosts Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh and Dr. David Freeman welcome world-renowned physician, researcher, and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Dean Ornish — founder and president of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute and pioneer of lifestyle medicine.

For over four decades, Dr. Ornish's groundbreaking research has proven that comprehensive lifestyle changes — including nutrition, movement, stress management, love, and connection — can not only prevent but even reverse chronic diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, prostate cancer, and now early Alzheimer's disease.

Together, they explore:

• 💪 The science behind reversing heart disease and Alzheimer's naturally

• 🧠 Why small, consistent steps can drive big, lasting health transformations

• ❤️ How love, compassion, and social connection are medicine for the heart and mind

• 🥗 The impact of a whole-food, plant-based diet on longevity and emotional well-being

• 🧘 The role of stress management and mindfulness in true healing

• 🌍 How lifestyle medicine empowers people and systems to move from "sick care" to real health

Dr. Ornish's message is clear: change doesn't have to be radical to be powerful. Every small, mighty step — in how we eat, move, breathe, and connect — brings us closer to healing, purpose, and joy.

If you're ready to reimagine what's possible for your health and well-being, this conversation is a must-listen.

Nutrition is the focus of this episode of The Well-Being Manifesto, as hosts Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh and Dr. David Freeman sit down with Jerold Mande, CEO of Nourish Science, former senior advisor at the USDA, FDA, and White House, and adjunct professor at Harvard University's T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Together, they dive deep into how food as medicine can transform public health, healthcare costs, and equity across America.

From designing the Nutrition Facts Label to shaping landmark food and tobacco policies, Jerold Mande has spent decades on the front lines of nutrition science, food labeling reform, and evidence-based public health.

This conversation uncovers:

🍎 Why food is the most powerful — yet underutilized — lever for better health outcomes

🏥 How the U.S. "sick care" system can shift toward true healthcare through nutrition policy

💰 The role of the food industry, government, and NIH in advancing (or blocking) nutrition research

🌍 How inequities in food access, food deserts, and food swamps perpetuate chronic disease

⚖️ Why we need systemic reform — including a National Institute of Nutrition and accountability for ultra-processed foods

Mande also shares a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the FDA, the origins of modern food safety laws, and how America can reclaim public health leadership by treating food as the foundation of wellness, not disease. If you care about nutrition policy, preventive healthcare, food systems, and health equity, this is a must-listen episode that challenges the status quo — and offers a roadmap for change.

🌐 Learn More & Connect with Us

Explore more conversations, research, and resources on well-being at TheWellBeingManifesto.com.

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Together, let's redefine what it means to live well — through science, compassion, and community. 💙

In this episode of The Well-Being Manifesto, hosts Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh and Dr. David Freeman sit down with award-winning health journalist Julia Belluz, co-author of the groundbreaking book Food Intelligence: The Science of How Food Both Nourishes and Harms Us. Julia shares her personal journey with weight, health reporting, and how our modern food environment, not just individual choices, plays a central role in the global epidemic of obesity, chronic disease, and nutrition-related illnesses.

Together, we explore:

• Why food systems and the rise of ultra-processed foods are reshaping our health
• The truth about metabolism, calories, carbs vs. fat, and why diet debates often miss the bigger picture
• How research from The Biggest Loser revealed surprising insights about long-term weight loss and metabolism
• The promises and pitfalls of precision nutrition, supplements, and continuous glucose monitors
• The dangers of blame and shame culture around food and the urgent need to rethink public health and food policy

(2:00) - Julia's Background

(7:52) - Metabolism and 'The Biggest Loser'

(17:58) - Diet Tribes

(25:46) - Personalized Nutrition

(34:49) - Tobacco's Influence on Food

(42:51) - GLP-1s

(49:41) - Rapid-Fire Questions

Julia brings her evidence-based lens to topics like diet fads, nutritional science, food addiction, and toxic food environments, while Moain and David connect these insights to practical strategies for living well. If you're curious about the science of food, nutrition myths, and how to make healthier choices in a world stacked against us, this conversation will change the way you think about eating.

Support for Food Intelligence: The Science of How Food Both Nourishes and Harms Us was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

Buy Julia's book: https://www.amazon.com/Food-Intelligence-Science-Nourishes-Harms/dp/059333230X

Stay connected at: https://www.thewellbeingmanifesto.com

In this episode of The Well-Being Manifesto, hosts Dr. Moain Abu Dabrh and Dr. David Freeman sit down with Dr. Robert Waldinger—psychiatrist, psychoanalyst, and director of the world-famous Harvard Study of Adult Development. As co-author of The Good Life, Dr. Waldinger brings decades of research and 80+ years of data on happiness, relationships, and health to the conversation.

Dr. Waldinger shares practical insights from neuroscience, psychology, and mindfulness practices, showing how cultivating relationships, gratitude, and presence can protect both mental health and physical health. Whether you're seeking strategies for emotional wellness, curious about the science of happiness, or looking to build more meaningful connections, this episode offers evidence-based guidance on living a good life.

(2:00) - Dr. Waldinger's Background

(3:55) - Harvard Study of Adult Development and Findings

(11:48) - The Power of Connection

(16:20) - Limitations of Harvard Study

(20:46) - Impact of Early Caregiving

(27:02) - Meditation and Mindfulness

(34:18) - Being Grateful

(42:13) - Types of Happiness

✨ Don't miss this deep dive into happiness, health, and human connection with one of the world's leading voices on well-being.

Stay connected at: https://www.thewellbeingmanifesto.com