SuperLife with Darin Olien

In this wide-ranging and deeply grounded conversation, Darin sits down with Dr. Richard J. Brown to unpack some of the most pressing issues at the intersection of modern medicine, aesthetics, ethics, lifestyle, and personal responsibility.
From GLP-1 medications and obesity treatment to body dysmorphia, medical ethics, AI in healthcare, and the urgent need to integrate lifestyle medicine into traditional care, this episode explores what it truly means to help people heal — not just shrink symptoms.
Dr. Brown shares candid insights from the front lines of plastic surgery, preventative medicine, and fatherhood, offering a rare look at how discipline, community, and generational health can reshape both individuals and the healthcare system itself.
 
 
What You'll Learn
The real role of GLP-1 medications in obesity treatment

Why lifestyle change determines long-term success after weight loss drugs

The ethical dangers of cosmetic medicine driven by profit and aesthetics

How body dysmorphia is being amplified by social media culture

Why some patients should be turned away from surgery

The importance of mental health screening in aesthetic medicine

How AI is reshaping medical research and clinical decision-making

The risks of unverified online medical advice

Why doctors receive almost no training in nutrition and exercise

The disconnect between lifestyle medicine and the healthcare system

How preventative medicine could radically reduce chronic disease

The role of discipline, habit-building, and accountability in health

Why community is one of the most powerful drivers of lasting change

How generational health starts with parents modeling behavior

Why personal responsibility is the foundation of true sovereignty

 
 
Chapters
00:00:00 – Welcome to SuperLife and the mission of sovereignty
00:00:32 – Sponsor: TheraSage and frequency-based healing technologies
00:02:15 – Welcoming Dr. Richard J. Brown
00:02:55 – GLP-1 medications, obesity, and long-term use
00:03:31 – Why some people regain weight after stopping GLP-1s
00:04:20 – Lifestyle change as the differentiating factor
00:05:16 – Ethical concerns around GLP-1 misuse
00:06:02 – Body dysmorphia vs medical necessity
00:06:57 – GLP-1s as central nervous system drugs
00:07:37 – Compounding pharmacies and prescription risks
00:08:43 – Aesthetic pressure and social media distortion
00:09:31 – Ethics in plastic surgery and patient selection
00:10:05 – Saying no: turning patients away
00:11:19 – Weight loss, identity, and fear of letting go
00:12:20 – The need for qualified, ethical providers
00:13:13 – Exit strategies and long-term planning
00:14:22 – AI, ChatGPT, and medical misinformation
00:15:04 – How physicians are using AI responsibly
00:16:13 – Risks of self-diagnosis without medical context
00:17:17 – Empowered patients and the "Google MD" era
00:18:43 – Lifestyle medicine vs allopathic medicine
00:23:07 – Why lifestyle still isn't embraced by healthcare
00:24:21 – Doctors as educators, not just specialists
00:25:32 – The absence of nutrition training in medical school
00:27:17 – Redesigning medical education from the ground up
00:28:21 – Teaching exercise, VO₂ max, and resistance training
00:29:19 – How misinformation spreads through bad science
00:30:37 – Authority, algorithms, and ethical responsibility
00:32:12 – Debunking viral health claims
00:36:57 – Preventative medicine and generational health
00:38:26 – Parenting, discipline, and modeling health
00:39:35 – The 75 Hard program and mental resilience
00:42:15 – Planning, time management, and habit stacking
00:43:51 – Personal excellence as rebellion
00:45:25 – Health as agency and probability
00:47:22 – Community as the missing link
00:50:21 – A personal story on health consequences
00:52:03 – Accountability groups and shared momentum
00:54:12 – The future of plastic surgery and wellness integration
00:56:10 – Persistence, setbacks, and commitment
00:57:16 – Closing reflections and gratitude
 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Therasage: Go to www.therasage.com and use code DARIN at checkout for 15% off

Our Place: Toxic-free, durable cookware that supports healthy cooking. Use code DARIN for 10% off at fromourplace.com.

Manna Vitality: Go to mannavitality.com/ and use code DARIN12 for 12% off your order.

 
 
Find More From Dr. Ricky:
Instagram: @drrichardjbrown

Website: drrichardjbrown.com

YouTube: Dr. Ricky's YouTube

Book: The Real Beauty Bible

 
 
Find More From Darin:
Website: darinolien.com

Instagram: @darinolien

Book: Fatal Conveniences

 
 
Key Takeaway
True medicine doesn't just change bodies — it changes behavior, belief systems, and the trajectory of future generations.

In this solo episode, Darin dives into one of the most universal modern experiences: the feeling that time is accelerating. Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, cognitive science, and lived experience, he breaks down why time doesn't actually speed up, but our experience of it radically changes.
From the impact of digital distraction and divided attention to the way novelty, memory, aging, and even COVID reshaped our internal sense of time, this episode offers both clarity and agency. Darin shows how reclaiming attention, breaking monotony, and creating richer experiences can give us the feeling of having our time back.
 
 
What You'll Learn
Why time measured by a clock is different from time experienced by the brain

How attention, memory, and emotion construct subjective time

Why boredom feels slow while flow states feel fast

How novelty creates richer memories and longer-feeling lives

The role of routine and monotony in time compression

How digital technology fragments attention and erases memory

Why social media scrolling makes time disappear without satisfaction

How COVID disrupted temporal landmarks and distorted time perception

Why time feels faster as we age

The neuroscience behind memory density and perceived duration

Whether time itself is an illusion or a constructed experience

Practical ways to slow down your experience of time

How breaking routine restores a sense of fullness and presence

Why life is measured in experiences, not seconds

 
 
Chapters
00:00:03 – Welcome to SuperLife and the exploration of time
00:00:32 – Sponsor: TheraSage and frequency-based healing
00:02:16 – Why time feels like it's speeding up
00:03:07 – Measured time vs experienced time
00:03:39 – Subjective time and how the brain constructs duration
00:04:38 – Boredom, flow, and why time feels slow or fast
00:05:20 – Memory density and time compression
00:05:42 – Clock models vs attention and memory models
00:06:13 – Novelty, travel, and rich experiences
00:06:34 – Routine, repetition, and unremarkable days
00:07:21 – Divided attention and disappearing moments
00:07:56 – The digital shift and fragmented attention post-2000
00:08:30 – Micro-stimulation and wasted time
00:09:12 – Why scrolling doesn't equal flow
00:09:46 – Social acceleration and modern life
00:10:25 – COVID as a global experiment in time perception
00:10:55 – Loss of temporal landmarks during lockdown
00:11:57 – Sponsor: Caldera Lab and clean skincare
00:13:39 – Research on monotony and time compression
00:14:40 – Aging, fewer neural events, and faster time
00:15:30 – Childhood vs adulthood time perception
00:16:22 – Is time real or constructed?
00:16:57 – Physics, relativity, and subjective experience
00:17:56 – How to slow down your experience of time
00:18:12 – Novelty, adventure, and memory creation
00:19:00 – Sustained attention vs multitasking
00:19:37 – Breaking monotony in daily life
00:20:06 – Reducing digital distraction
00:20:25 – Enjoying life as a scientific practice
00:20:49 – Time as memory, not seconds
00:21:08 – Gaining agency over your experience of life
00:21:29 – Creating a richer year through experience
00:22:10 – Curiosity, adventure, and Darin's fascination with time
00:23:27 – Closing thoughts and call to action
 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Therasage: Go to www.therasage.com and use code DARIN at checkout for 15% off

Caldera Lab: Experience the clinically proven benefits of Caldera Lab's clean skincare regimen and enjoy 20% off your order by visiting calderalab.com/darin and using code DARIN at checkout.

 
 
Join the SuperLife Community
Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions:
Weekly voice notes

Ingredient deep dives

Wellness challenges

Energy + consciousness tools

Community accountability

Extended episodes

Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien
 
 
Find More from Darin Olien:
Instagram: @darinolien

Podcast: SuperLife Podcast

Website: superlife.com

Book: Fatal Conveniences

 
 
Key Takeaway
Time isn't speeding up — your brain is compressing it. When you change how you pay attention and what you experience, you change how long your life feels.
 
 
Bibliography & Research Sources
Droit-Volet, S., Gil, S., Martinelli, N., Andant, N., Clinchamps, M., Parreira, L., ... & Dutheil, F. (2020). Time paradox in COVID-19 lockdown: A web-based study. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, 2185.
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.577735
Lugtmeijer, S., Geerligs, L., & Cam-CAN. (2025). Temporal dedifferentiation of neural states with age during naturalistic viewing. Communications Biology, 8, Article 123. (This is the "2025 brain study" on older adults having fewer distinct neural states).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-025-08792-4
Ma, Q., & Wiener, M. (2024). Memorability shapes perceived time (and vice versa). Nature Human Behaviour, 8, 1–13. (The study showing memorable images dilate time).
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-01863-2
Matthews, W. J., & Meck, W. H. (2016). Temporal cognition: Connecting subjective time to perception, attention, and memory. Psychological Bulletin, 142(8), 865–907. (The core review often attributed to leading field researchers linking time to attention/memory).
https://doi.org/10.1037/bul0000045
Ogden, R. S. (2020). The passage of time during the UK Covid-19 lockdown. PLOS ONE, 15(7), e0235871. (The longitudinal study showing 80%+ reported time distortion).
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0235871
Rosa, H. (2013). Social acceleration: A new theory of modernity. Columbia University Press. (The sociological framework on "social acceleration").
https://cup.columbia.edu/book/social-acceleration/9780231148344
Wearden, J. H. (2016). The psychology of time perception. Palgrave Macmillan. (Comprehensive overview by the author mentioned in your notes).
https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-40883-9
Winkler, I., et al. (2020). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on time perception. Scientific Reports. (Likely reference for "Scientific Reports" findings on content-dependent timing).

In this raw, wide-ranging conversation, Darin sits down with Frank Zummo, award-winning drummer for Sum 41, founding member of Street Drum Corps, and current touring drummer for Electric Callboy, to explore what it really takes to sustain creativity, health, and purpose inside the extreme demands of the music industry.
From high-pressure fill-in moments and massive tours to mental health, fatherhood, fear, discipline, and recovery, this episode is a masterclass in resilience. Frank opens up about grief, identity, panic, persistence, and how true success comes from staying available when opportunity shows up.
 
What You'll Learn
What it takes to master an entire arena-level set in less than 24 hours
The mental and physical demands of high-performance touring
How Frank manages recovery, inflammation, and stress on the road
Why breathwork, cold exposure, and routine are non-negotiable
Hidden health risks of pyrotechnics, heavy metals, and touring environments
How discipline becomes freedom when it's built into daily systems
Navigating panic, uncertainty, and career transitions at the top level
Turning fear into a tool instead of something to suppress
The difference between rational and irrational fear
How availability creates probability in life and career
Lessons from loss, grief, and complicated parent relationships
Why creativity can't be replicated by machines or algorithms
Staying present as a parent while living an unconventional life
Why persistence beats talent over the long run
How the music industry, and wellness culture, is changing

 
Chapters
00:00:03 – Welcome to SuperLife and the mission of sovereignty
00:00:32 – Sponsor: TheraSage and natural healing technologies
00:02:10 – Introducing Frank Zummo
00:02:40 – Life as a professional touring drummer
00:02:56 – Learning a full Electric Callboy set in under a day
00:03:21 – Creativity, technology, and focus
00:04:07 – Frank's respect for Darin's work and health advocacy
00:06:01 – XPT, breathwork, and lifestyle changes
00:07:05 – Heavy metals, pyrotechnics, and detox protocols
00:08:27 – Sauna, ice baths, and recovery on tour
00:10:49 – Down-regulating after high-adrenaline performances
00:12:10 – Warming up smarter, not harder
00:12:53 – Nutrition, protein shakes, and avoiding tour junk food
00:13:52 – Discipline, planning, and long-term consistency
00:15:10 – Frank's relationship with his father and grief
00:16:35 – Learning from trauma instead of repeating it
00:18:30 – Workshops, kids, and mental health conversations
00:19:51 – Writing the book and creative freedom
00:22:25 – Filling in for Tommy Lee and career-defining moments
00:24:07 – Presence, gratitude, and holding onto the good
00:27:13 – Fear, uncertainty, and career transitions
00:28:16 – Breathwork for anxiety and panic
00:29:18 – Staying open when plans collapse
00:30:34 – Electric Callboy and a new chapter
00:31:36 – Family, touring, and being present as a father
00:32:47 – Rethinking fear and emotional programming
00:35:08 – Rational vs irrational fear
00:36:32 – Availability, probability, and opportunity
00:37:29 – Tunnel vision, persistence, and staying the course
00:39:35 – Doing whatever it takes early on
00:41:40 – Building Street Drum Corps from the ground up
00:43:11 – Walking away from success for mental health
00:46:03 – Health, discipline, and longevity in music
00:50:18 – Passion, authenticity, and staying true
00:52:06 – Social media, bullying, and kids today
00:55:00 – Parenting, education, and real-world learning
00:57:06 – Travel, family, and perspective
01:00:14 – Small changes, fatal conveniences, and starting slow
01:01:26 – Closing reflections on persistence and purpose
 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Therasage: Go to www.therasage.com and use code DARIN at checkout for 15% off
Bite Toothpaste: Go to trybite.com/DARIN20 or use code DARIN20 for 20% off your first order.
Caldera Lab: Experience the clinically proven benefits of Caldera Lab's clean skincare regimen and enjoy 20% off your order by visiting calderalab.com/darin and using code DARIN at checkout.
 
Join the SuperLife Patreon:
This is where Darin now shares the deeper work:
- weekly voice notes
- ingredient trackers
- wellness challenges
- extended conversations
- community accountability
- sovereignty practices
Join now for only $7.49/month at https://patreon.com/darinolien
 
Connect with Darin Olien:
Website: darinolien.com
Instagram: @darinolien
Book: Fatal Conveniences
Platform & Products: superlife.com
 
Connect with Frank Zummo:
Instagram: @frankzummo
Spotify: @frankzummo
Watch Street Drum Corps live!
Book: Unbreakable Rhythm
 
Key Takeaway
When you stay disciplined, present, and available, life has a way of meeting you with opportunities you could never plan.

In this solo episode, Darin breaks down one of the most misunderstood drivers of behavior change: environment. We've been taught that success comes down to discipline, motivation, and willpower, but neuroscience tells a very different story.
Darin explains how modern environments hijack the brain's reward system, override conscious choice, and quietly shape habits before we even realize it. This episode is a practical, science-backed roadmap for redesigning your surroundings so healthy behaviors become automatic and self-sabotaging patterns lose their grip.
 
 
What You'll Learn
Why willpower is a weak and unreliable backup system

How your environment shapes behavior before conscious choice

The neuroscience behind cues, habits, and automatic behavior

Why modern food and tech are engineered to hijack dopamine

How stress amplifies cravings and impulsive behavior

The link between cortisol, dopamine, and habit formation

Why changing your environment works better than "trying harder"

How visual cues influence food choices and cravings

Why phones, notifications, and color overstimulate the brain

Simple ways to design a SuperLife environment that supports your goals



 
 
Chapters
00:00:03 – Welcome to SuperLife and the mission of sovereignty
00:00:33 – Sponsor: TruNiagen NAD⁺ supplements and why verification matters
00:02:18 – Introducing today's topic: environment vs willpower
00:02:42 – Why willpower has been misunderstood
00:03:18 – Willpower as a weak backup system
00:03:32 – How surroundings shape habits automatically
00:03:53 – The neuroscience of behavior change
00:04:01 – Dopamine hijacking in modern life
00:04:14 – Designing environments that make good habits automatic
00:05:06 – Why this topic matters more than ever
00:05:46 – External cues and automatic brain responses
00:06:18 – Hippocampus, basal ganglia, and habit loops
00:06:55 – Nudge theory and environmental design
00:07:31 – Why willpower shouldn't lead behavior change
00:07:55 – Food cues, stress, and cravings
00:08:20 – Phones, notifications, and dopamine overload
00:09:05 – Reward prediction and cue-driven behavior
00:10:02 – Redesigning environments to reduce addiction
00:10:34 – Stress hormones and habit reinforcement
00:11:30 – Sponsor: Our Place non-toxic cookware
00:13:34 – Stress, scrolling, and lost time
00:14:26 – Junk food, stress, and compulsive eating
00:15:12 – How environmental cues shift food desire
00:15:28 – Engineered foods and reward circuits
00:16:09 – Tech cues, stress, and attention hijacking
00:17:06 – Practical solutions: designing a SuperLife environment
00:17:48 – Kitchen setup and visual food cues
00:18:41 – Workspace design and single-purpose zones
00:19:08 – Reducing digital dopamine triggers
00:19:32 – Using grayscale mode on your phone
00:20:32 – Social environment and behavior modeling
00:21:21 – Community, support, and the SuperLife Patreon
00:22:18 – Bringing nature into your home
00:23:19 – Environment influences habits more than willpower
00:23:52 – Why inaction keeps you stuck
00:24:13 – Changing your environment to change your life
00:24:26 – Closing thoughts and call to action
 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors:
Our Place: Non-toxic cookware that keeps harmful chemicals out of your food. Get 10% off at fromourplace.com with code DARIN.

Tru Niagen: Boost NAD+ levels for cellular health and longevity. Get 20% off with code DARIN20 at truniagen.com.

 
 
Find More From Darin:
Website: darinolien.com

Instagram: @darinolien

Book: Fatal Conveniences

 
 
Key Takeaway
If you don't change your environment, something else will keep making choices for you.
 
 
Bibliography/Sources
Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: An easy & proven way to build good habits & break bad ones. Avery. (Reference for Environment > Willpower).
https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits
Laran, J., & Salerno, A. (2013). Life-history strategy, food choice, and caloric consumption. Psychological Science, 24(2), 167–173. (Reference for harsh environment cues increasing desire for energy-dense foods).
https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797612450031
Mullainathan, S., & Shafir, E. (2013). Scarcity: Why having so little means so much. Times Books. (Reference for scarcity/environment hijacking cognitive bandwidth).
https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780805092646
Schwabe, L., & Wolf, O. T. (2011). Stress-induced modulation of instrumental behavior: From goal-directed to habitual control of action. Behavioral Neuroscience, 125(5), 664–673. (Reference for stress hormones amplifying habit/cue-reward learning).
https://doi.org/10.1037/a0024732
Story, M., Kaphingst, K. M., Robinson-O'Brien, R., & Glanz, K. (2008). Creating healthy food and eating environments: Policy and environmental approaches. Annual Review of Public Health, 29, 253–272. (Reference for the "ecological framework" of eating behavior).
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.publhealth.29.020907.090926
Subramaniam, A. (2025). How your environment shapes your habits. Psychology Today. (Reference for the specific Psychology Today article on external cues).
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/parenting-from-a-neuroscience-perspective/202503/how-your-environment-shapes-your-habits
Thaler, R. H., & Sunstein, C. R. (2008). Nudge: Improving decisions about health, wealth, and happiness. Yale University Press. (Reference for Nudge Theory).
https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300122237/nudge
Ulrich, R. S., Simons, R. F., Losito, B. D., Fiorito, E., Miles, M. A., & Zelson, M. (1991). Stress recovery during exposure to natural and urban environments. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 11(3), 201–230. (Reference for nature exposure reducing stress markers).
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0272-4944(05)80184-7
Wansink, B. (2004). Environmental factors that increase the food intake and consumption volume of unknowing consumers. Annual Review of Nutrition, 24, 455–479. (Reference for visual cues and food environment engineering).
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.nutr.24.010403.103025

In this powerful and deeply personal conversation, Darin sits down with Hagen Thiers to unpack one of the most misunderstood journeys in health: why doing "everything right" still doesn't always work — and how true transformation requires decoding the body's survival signals, not fighting them.
Hagen shares his remarkable physical transformation after decades of extreme metabolic adaptation, chronic gut inflammation, and stress-driven physiology. Together, they explore metabolism, inflammation, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, protein intake, discipline, and why sustainable health is built through patience, self-leadership, and listening to the body's intelligence.
 
 
What You'll Learn in This Episode
Why extreme dieting and endurance stress can permanently slow metabolism

How survival adaptation can block fat loss despite "perfect" habits

The overlooked role of gut inflammation in weight retention

Why fat is a protective organ, not just stored energy

How leptin signaling and inflammation dictate fat loss resistance

The difference between calorie math and biological reality

Why healing must precede weight loss for many people

How protein intake preserves muscle during fat loss

Why discipline beats motivation every time

The role of hyperbaric oxygen in reducing inflammation and restoring function

How oxygen delivery impacts fat tissue, gut health, and recovery

Why consistency over months—not hacks—creates lasting change

How physical freedom directly impacts happiness and life quality

 
 
Chapters
00:00:03 – Welcome to SuperLife and the mission of sovereignty and health
00:00:32 – Sponsor: Fatty15 and cellular health
00:04:14 – Introducing Hagen Thiers
00:09:43 – Hagen's transformation and why this conversation matters
00:11:26 – Doing everything right but still being stuck
00:13:28 – Discovering severe metabolic suppression
00:14:54 – Extreme endurance, starvation adaptation, and survival metabolism
00:17:04 – Why chronic calorie restriction backfires
00:20:56 – Gut inflammation as the real barrier to fat loss
00:22:41 – Healing before weight loss
00:23:26 – Fiber diversity, probiotics, and microbiome repair
00:24:30 – Enter hyperbaric oxygen therapy
00:27:57 – Why calories in / calories out breaks down
00:30:30 – Stress, inflammation, and metabolic shutdown
00:31:53 – Protein requirements and muscle preservation
00:35:47 – Discipline as a long-term lifestyle
00:38:54 – Eating frequency and metabolic signaling
00:43:39 – How hyperbaric oxygen works
00:47:31 – Why results accelerate after consistency
00:50:23 – 170 lbs lost and metabolic breakthrough
00:54:32 – Oxygen quality and chamber safety
00:58:22 – Breathwork vs hyperbaric oxygen
01:03:40 – Building an internal healing environment
01:05:05 – Life after transformation
01:06:42 – Discipline, the gym, and honest feedback
01:09:26 – Health as freedom, not restriction
01:11:39 – Inflammation as the missing piece for most people
01:12:45 – Closing reflections and hope for listeners
 
 
Thank You to Our Sponsors
Therasage: Go to www.therasage.com and use code DARIN at checkout for 15% off

Our Place: Toxic-free, durable cookware that supports healthy cooking. Go to their website at fromourplace.com/darin and get 35% off sitewide in their largest sale of the year.

Manna Vitality: Go to mannavitality.com/ and use code DARIN12 for 12% off your order.



 
 
Join the SuperLife Patreon Community
Get Darin's deeper wellness breakdowns — beyond social media restrictions:
Weekly voice notes

Ingredient deep dives

Wellness challenges

Energy + consciousness tools

Community accountability

Extended episodes

Join for $7.49/month → https://patreon.com/darinolien
 
 
Find More from Hagen Thiers
Website: https://waveguard.com/en/

Instagram: @biohacking_ht

 
 
Find More from Darin Olien:
Instagram: @darinolien

Podcast: SuperLife Podcast

Website: superlife.com

Book: Fatal Conveniences

 
 
Key Takeaway
True health isn't about forcing the body to change — it's about creating the conditions where the body finally feels safe enough to let go.