Health Is A Skill with Todd Vande Hei
Welcome to the Health is a Skill podcast with host Todd Vande Hei! Todd is the CEO of Stark, which exists to change the future of health and fitness in the communities they serve. For the last 15 years, Todd has been on a journey to discover what it means to be in a state of peak health. After suffering from a series of seizures and being diagnosed with high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation in his early 30’s, Todd decided it was time to make a change. Those changes fell into one of four categories: lifestyle, exercise, nutrition, and stress management. But the biggest thing Todd learned through it all? Health is a skill. You’re not born with it, like some would like you to believe, and it isn’t acquired by simply buying another product or starting that new diet. Health is something you can create for yourself, and over time it is possible to attain peak health.
Episodes
70 episodes
Magnesium, Stress & Performance — Why This Mineral Might Be the Missing Piece
In this episode, Todd Vande Hei sits back down with “the magnesium guy,” Dr. Robert Fredrickson, to go deeper into one of the most underrated levers in health optimization: magnesium.Dr. Fredrickson explains why magnesium isn’t just a l...
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Episode 33
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39:31
Strong on Purpose, Part 3 — Purpose, Discipline & Rebuilding Young Men
In the third and final part of his Young Men series, Todd Vande Hei shifts from diagnosis to strategy: how do we actually help boys become strong, grounded, purpose-driven men in a world of endless comfort and distraction?Building on parts ...
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Season 4
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Episode 32
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18:05
Thriving Through Thanksgiving — Todd’s Guide to Enjoying the Holidays Without the Setback
In this special Thanksgiving episode, Todd Vande Hei shares how to navigate the holiday season without derailing your health journey — and maybe even use it to get stronger.From practical nutrition strategies to mindset shifts, Todd refr...
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17:36
Is Your House Making You Sick? Mold, Mycotoxins & Heart Health with Dr. Jack Wolfson
In this episode, Todd sits down with cardiologist-turned-functional-medicine leader Dr. Jack Wolfson to unpack one of the most overlooked drivers of chronic disease: mold toxicity and water-damaged homes.Jack shares how discovering mold ...
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Episode 30
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42:39
Strong on Purpose, Part 2 — Young Men, Hormones & the Modern World
In part two of the Strong on Purpose series, Todd Vande Hei digs into what’s really happening to young men today — not just culturally, but biologically. Testosterone is crashing, motivation is fading, and more and more young men are drifting w...
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Season 4
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Episode 29
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22:08
Why Women and Men Need Different Nutrition for Optimal Health
In this solo episode, Todd Vande Hei breaks down one of the most overlooked truths in health optimization: men and women are biologically different — right down to how their cells process food. Yet most diets, supplements, and pharmaceutical re...
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Season 4
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Episode 28
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14:52
Strong on Purpose — Reclaiming Masculinity, Strength & Meaning
Episode DescriptionIn this solo episode, Todd Vande Hei tackles a deeply personal and cultural topic: masculinity—what it means, how we’ve lost touch with it, and why rebuilding it matters for the health of men, families, and communities.
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Episode 27
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27:08
Regeneration, Not Repair – Dr. Duncan Ross on Exosomes, Longevity & the Future of Healing
In this episode, Todd Vande Hei sits down with Dr. Duncan Ross, founder of Chimera Labs, one of the pioneers behind exosome science and regenerative medicine. Together, they unpack what exosomes are, how they work, and why they’re redefining wh...
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Season 4
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Episode 26
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29:54
The Calmness of Strength – Brett Jones on Emotional Resilience, Confidence & Mastery
In this episode, Todd sits down with renowned strength coach Brett Jones of StrongFirst to explore how physical strength training becomes a pathway to emotional strength, confidence, and mastery — both in and out of the gym.They discuss...
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44:20
Evacuating 63 Families from Israel – Dean Stott on Leadership, Courage & Connection in Crisis
When crisis strikes, most people run from danger — Dean Stott runs toward it. A former Tier One Special Forces operator turned humanitarian, Stott has led evacuations from war zones across the globe — from Afghanistan and Libya to Israel. In th...
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Season 4
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Episode 24
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25:42
From Fog to Focus: Regan Phillips on Reclaiming Strength, Clarity & Confidence in Midlife
In this heartfelt conversation, Todd sits down with longtime Stark student and CASA OC leader Regan Phillips to unpack a candid, hopeful journey through perimenopause—brain fog, joint pain, weight changes, and the moment everything turned aroun...
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36:08
Plaquex IVs Explained: Choline, Endothelium & Blood Pressure with Dr. Alice Nguyen
What actually happens when you infuse phosphatidylcholine (Plaquex)? Dr. Alice Nguyen breaks down the cell-level mechanics—how repairing membranes and supporting the endothelium can influence blood pressure, brain recovery post-stroke, and over...
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26:07
From Sunlight to Sulforaphane – Todd’s Fall Health Trends Breakdown
In this solo episode, Todd tackles the top trending conversations in health and longevity for Fall 2025. From circadian rhythm “microdosing sunlight” to the surprising new shift in cardio research, he shares what’s hype, what’s real, and how he...
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19:56
Todd’s No-BS Guide: Glutes, GLP-1s & Longevity Levers
CEO of Stark, Todd Vande Hei, goes solo and distills the practices he actually uses: how to make every lift a glute exercise, how to leverage GLP-1s without sacrificing muscle, why Zone 2 should be a tool (not a religion), when to prefer heat o...
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50:11
From Martial Arts to Menopause: Dr. Alice Explains the Real Foundations of Longevity
Dr. Alice Nguyen has never stopped moving. From martial arts competitions in her twenties to strength training through medical school, she’s built a philosophy of health that blends functional medicine, hormone optimization, and the overlooked ...
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Season 4
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Episode 19
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44:03
Rewild Your Feet, Rewild Your Life – Nicholas Charlier’s Mission for Natural Movement
When Nicholas Charlier, co-founder of Vivobarefoot’s VivoHealth platform, talks about “rewilding your feet,” he’s not just promoting a shoe — he’s describing a path back to how the human body was designed to move. Over the last 13 years, Nichol...
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Episode 76
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51:43
From Scale Obsession to Strength – Jaclyn’s Autoimmune Comeback Story
When joint pain and fatigue nearly took her off her feet, Jaclyn discovered she was facing rheumatoid arthritis—triggered after COVID—and a future of possible bone erosion and loss of mobility. Instead of letting the diagnosis define her, she r...
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Episode 75
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37:03
From 45 Shots a Day to Sober Strength Coach – Colton Danz’s Stark Recovery
Colton Danz was the picture of discipline on the outside—an elite strength coach with single-digit body fat, running eight classes a day. But behind closed doors, he was consuming 45 shots of vodka daily, hiding tremors, neuropathy, and shame. ...
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Episode 74
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35:22
Comfort Is the Enemy – Csaba Lucas on Oxygen, Exosomes, and the Mental War for Health
Csaba Lucas wasn’t just building wellness companies—he was testing their limits on himself. When low immunity and poor labs disrupted his health, the President of Hyperion Motors and General Partner at CerraCap North turned to the tools he trus...
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Episode 73
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1:43:29
From Diagnosis to Direction – Rachelle Ramiro on Rebuilding Her Body from the Inside Out
When Rachelle Ramiro was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in her early 30s, her first thought was: “I’ll figure it out.” But what followed was more than just a health protocol. It was a complete rewiring of how she viewed time, energy, productiv...
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Episode 72
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36:23
Drew Valentine’s Journey to Elite Health by Age 29
When 26-year-old yoga teacher and personal trainer Drew Valentine arrived at Stark, he seemed like the picture of health—lean, athletic, and mindful. But underneath the surface, his testosterone was dangerously low, his protein intake was inade...
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Episode 71
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41:16
From 450 Pounds to 10% Body Fat – John Taylor
When entertainment executive and former touring musician John Taylor found himself at 450 pounds, depressed, breathless, and ashamed, he knew something had to change. Years of food addiction, alcohol dependency, and extreme dieting had left him...
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Episode 70
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59:33
Be Savage, Not Average – Craig Harper’s Playbook for Out-Training Multiple Myeloma
When 61-year-old executive Craig Harper heard the words “incurable blood cancer,” his oncologist told him there was nothing he could do except wait for chemo. Craig refused to roll over. Instead, he doubled-down on strength, mobility a...
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Episode 69
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47:20
Minimalist Muscle & Mobility with Brett Jones
StrongFirst Master Instructor Brett Jones trains on just five kettlebell moves—cleans, presses, squats, swings and get-ups—but keeps making progress because he “minds the gap.” In this episode Brett shows Todd how screening ankles, hips and T-s...
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Episode 68
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50:23
From Meds & Merlot to Macros & Muscle: Alison Wayne at 55
Ten years ago Alison Wayne measured health by the bathroom scale and a nightly glass of wine.Today the 55-year-old mom of three rings PR bells, sleeps migraine-free and wears two sizes smaller while weighing 20 lbs more.Host Tod...
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Episode 67
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1:04:55