On Purpose with Jay Shetty

What if we've been thinking about mental illness all wrong? Harvard psychiatrist Dr. Chris Palmer argues that conditions like anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia may be rooted in metabolic dysfunction, not just genetics or trauma. Drawing on decades of clinical research, he explains which chemical additives may be harming our brains, why ketogenic diets are showing remarkable promise for severe mental illness, and why recovery is about far more than willpower. Chris also opens up to Jay about the deeply personal story of his mother that inspired him to pursue psychiatry, and why, despite the growing mental health crisis, he remains genuinely hopeful for the next generation.

In this episode you'll learn:
How to Recognize the Connection Between Diet & Mental Health
How to Notice Warning Signs of Metabolic Dysfunction
How to Support Loved Ones Through a Mental Health Crisis
How to Become More Resilient with Self-Care
How to Turn Personal Pain Into Purpose
How to Use Fasting & Ketogenic Diets Safely
How to Talk to Kids About Nutrition & Brain Health

Healing rarely comes from one single fix. Instead it comes from understanding the whole person: body, brain, and everything we feed both. Sometimes the most radical form of self-love is simply asking what’s going into your body, and why?

With Love and Gratitude,
Jay Shetty

JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX
Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe

Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast

What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro
00:22 The Chronic Disease Epidemic
01:54 The Link Between Mental Health and Diet
05:17 What Metabolism Really Means
07:57 The Shocking Chemicals Added to Food
09:55 Why Is The Food System In America So Harmful?
14:45 The Impact of Ultra Processed Foods on Mental Health
16:29 Why Your Brain Actually Needs Certain Foods
17:21 Brain Fog, Depression, Anxiety & Burnout
18:46 Building Mental Resilience
21:48 Self Care Will Improve Your Brain Functioning
23:57 The “Make America Healthy Again” Movement
25:25 The Next Era of Healthcare in America
27:45 A Healthy vs Unhealthy Metabolism
28:30 Warning Signs From Your Metabolism
29:13 93% of Americans Have Abnormal Biomarkers
30:00 6 Steps For Healing Your Metabolism
31:11 The Truth About Alcohol, Weed & Vaping
35:46 Exercise Doesn't Have to Be Extreme to be Effective
36:30 Stop Looking at Screens All Day!
37:10 Why No Single Diet Works for Everyone
38:45 The Power of Eating More Whole Foods
39:45 Do You Know What Your Body Needs?
40:20 What Are Nutrient Dense Foods?
41:17 Why Some People Are Metabolically Compromised
42:22 Dietary Intervention
44:00 The Ancient Power of Fasting
46:17 Why Bipolar Diagnoses Are Rising
50:08 When Medication Isn't Enough
51:24 How a Ketogenic Diet Can Impact Bipolar Disorder
53:06 The History of The Ketogenic Diet (It’s Not What You Think)
54:50 How The Ketogenic Diet Can Stop Seizures
56:20 The Power of Healing
57:47 The Unexpected Grief of Getting Better
59:05 A Life Dedicated to Psychiatry
1:04:15 Keeping a Healthy Dose of Skepticism
1:05:30 Rethinking New Treatments
1:06:55 Advice for Concerned Parents
1:07:31 What Are Epigenetics?
1:11:23 The Worst Chemicals For Brain Health
1:13:30 This Is An Ethics Issue…
1:14:09 Which Chemicals Cause Generational Anxiety?
1:18:20 Dr. Chris Palmer on Final Five

Episode Resources:

Read | Brain Energy
Website | https://www.chrispalmermd.com/
YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@ChrisPalmerMD
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/ChrisPalmerMD/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/chrispalmermd/
X | https://x.com/ChrisPalmerMD/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ten years after the loss of her husband, neurosurgeon and bestselling author Paul Kalanithi, Dr. Lucy Kalanithi reflects on how grief continues to evolve rather than disappear. In this deeply moving conversation with Jay, she shares what it means to find purpose alongside pain, why the goal isn't to fix suffering but to make meaning from it, and how staying present through life's hardest moments can transform the way we love, heal, and truly live.
In this episode you'll learn:
How to Live Through Grief
How to Support Someone Grieving
How to Talk About Death
How to Stay Present Through Pain
How to Comfort Without Trying to Fix
How to Honor Loved Ones
How to Raise Resilient Children
No matter what season of life you're in, remember that joy and sorrow can exist side by side. Healing isn't about leaving pain behind, it's about learning to carry it with greater compassion, presence, and hope.
With Love and Gratitude,
Jay Shetty
JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX
Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe
Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro
01:20 Life After Loss
03:22 A New Perspective on Death
07:15 Does Time Really Heal?
08:36 Does Everything Happen for a Reason?
11:12 Helping Someone at the End of Their Life
15:33 The Biggest Myth About Grief
17:56 Preparing for Death
23:08 Lessons From Facing Death
30:28 You Are Stronger Than You Think
35:33 Let Your Child Find Meaning On Their Own
40:02 Choosing Family Despite Uncertainty
43:48 A Different Way to Grieve
47:38 Keeping a Loved One Alive After They’re Gone
50:33 Can You Love Again?
53:23 What Real Partnership Means
57:19 Letting Go vs. Giving Up
01:02:39 Sitting With the Dying
01:05:58 Sharing Life-Changing News
01:08:41 How to Live Well
Episode Resources:
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-kalanithi-baab214
X | https://x.com/rocketgirlmd
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In one of her most honest conversations yet, Layla Taylor reflects on the quiet journey of becoming herself. She opens up about coming out as bisexual, navigating faith, identity, single motherhood, and the weight of growing up feeling like she had to fit into everyone else's expectations. Rather than focusing on the hardships alone, this episode explores what happens when you stop living in survival mode and finally choose authenticity, self-worth, and the freedom to define your own life.
In this episode you'll learn:
How to Stop Living for Other People's Approval
How to Finally Embrace Your Authentic Self
How to Leave a Toxic Relationship Without Regret
How to Find Yourself After Divorce and Heartbreak
How to Be Comfortable Being Alone for the First Time
How to Turn Your Hardest Experiences Into Strength
The greatest freedom comes from embracing yourself with honesty, letting go of the expectations that no longer serve you, and trusting that growth often begins on the other side of fear. Your story doesn't have to be perfect to be meaningful, it just has to be yours.
With Love and Gratitude,
Jay Shetty
JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX
Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe
Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro
00:48 Coming Out for the First Time
02:45 Stop Living for Other People
03:48 Choosing to Be Yourself
06:33 Understanding Your Sexuality
07:56 Why We Need to Talk About Sex
10:08 Why I Became Mormon
12:50 The Need to Fit In
15:12 How My Kids Changed Me
16:53 Becoming a Mom at 19
18:15 Why I Chose Marriage
19:53 Inside a Toxic Relationship
21:04 Learning to Know Your Worth
23:24 Starting Over as a Single Mom
25:54 My Lowest Point
27:31 Learning to Date Again
29:05 Finding Yourself in Solitude
30:32 The Conversation Women Need to Have
33:08 Why Sex Education Matters
36:26 Letting Go of Perfection
36:59 Accepting Who You Are
38:51 Facing Your Biggest Fear
39:40 Dating Women for the First Time
41:07 The Reality of Parenting
43:00 Raising Mentally Healthy Kids
44:16 Healing Low Self-Worth
46:41 Using Your Platform for Good
47:58 Opening Your Heart Again
49:03 If You're Afraid to Come Out
52:30 Layla on Final Five
Episode Resources:
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/laylaleannetaylor
TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@laylaleannetaylor
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Some endings hurt because they leave us with unanswered questions. After a breakup, it’s natural to search for reasons, replay memories, and hope for one final conversation that will make everything make sense. In this episode, Jay explores why closure is often misunderstood and how the answers we seek from someone else rarely bring the peace we’re hoping for. True healing begins when we stop waiting for another person to explain our pain and start turning inward instead.
Jay shares a powerful perspective on heartbreak: closure is not something we receive, it’s something we create. Through acceptance, self-reflection, and intentional healing, we can transform loss into growth. Rather than centering our lives around what ended, we learn to rebuild around who we are becoming. The goal isn’t to erase the past, it’s to emerge from it with greater self-awareness, stronger boundaries, and a deeper trust in ourselves.
In this episode you'll learn:
How to Heal Through No Contact
How to Rebuild Yourself After Heartbreak
How to Separate Facts From Feelings
How to Stop Romanticizing Your Ex
How to Turn Heartbreak Into Growth
How to Measure Healing the Right Way
Heartbreak has a way of convincing us that healing is somewhere in the future, waiting behind the perfect explanation, apology, or final conversation. But growth often begins the moment we stop chasing what we cannot control and start caring for what we can.
With Love and Gratitude,
Jay Shetty
JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX
Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe here: https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe
Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro
01:46 Why More Answers Create More Questions
05:52 The Power of No Contact After a Breakup
08:44 Why Real Closure Comes From Within
15:17 The Best Way to Find Closure
18:45 The Biggest Mistake People Make After a Breakup
20:55 It's Okay to Hold Contradictory Feelings
23:56 Measure Healing in a New Way
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, we’ve been told that success and spirituality live in separate worlds. One is about achievement, the other about inner peace. In this conversation, John Mackey shares why he believes the two are deeply connected. Reflecting on the journey of building Whole Foods Market, he explores how purpose, intuition, gratitude, and conscious leadership shaped both his business and his life. From navigating near-failure and selling the company to Amazon, to redefining success beyond money and status, this episode is a powerful invitation to lead with more awareness, build with more heart, and create a life that feels as meaningful on the inside as it looks on the outside.
In this episode you'll learn:
How to Build a Business With Purpose
How to Turn Setbacks Into Growth
How to Find Joy in Your Work
How to Turn Envy Into Learning
How to Create a Culture People Never Want to Leave
How to Make Difficult Decisions With Compassion
How to Stay Connected to What Matters Most
There will be setbacks, doubts, and moments when things don’t go according to plan, but those moments don’t define your journey. What matters is continuing to move forward with purpose, staying connected to what brings you joy, and remembering that success means little if it costs you who you are.
John’s book, The Whole Story: Adventures in Love, Life, and Capitalism, talks about why Whole Foods isn’t just a business success story, it’s the story of a retail, cultural, and dietary revolution that has forever changed the industry and the way we eat. Grab a copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Whole-Story-Adventures-Love-Capitalism/dp/1637745125
With Love and Gratitude,
Jay Shetty
JAY’S DAILY WISDOM DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX
Join 900,000+ readers discovering how small daily shifts create big life change with my free newsletter. Subscribe https://news.jayshetty.me/subscribe
Check out our Apple subscription to unlock bonus content of On Purpose! https://lnk.to/JayShettyPodcast
What We Discuss:
00:00 Intro
02:37 Answering the Call to Adventure
05:53 The Search for Meaning and Consciousness
09:42 A Spiritual Awakening Through Psychedelics
13:40 Exploring the Inner Universe
17:45 Envy Steals Joy
19:49 Understanding Ego Death
24:54 The Power of Play and Creativity
27:33 Follow What Brings You Joy
29:36 Confronting Your Inner Critic
33:45 Building a Business With Heart
35:45 The Gift of Being Fully Present
39:10 Responding to Life’s Greatest Challenges
41:35 Turn Mistakes Into Growth
44:24 The Rise of Conscious Leadership
46:15 The Decision to Sell to Amazon
53:34 A Year of Gratitude and Goodbyes
55:23 Attracting Great People to Your Mission
57:10 Letting People Go With Compassion
59:45 John on Final Five
Episode Resources:
Website | https://johnpmackey.com/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/iamjohnmackey
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/iamjohnmackey/
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamjohnmackey
X | https://x.com/iamjohnmackey
Linktree | https://linktr.ee/iamjohnmackey
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.