Health is Everything™

What happens when the worlds of technology, medicine, and spirituality collide? In this fascinating episode, Dr. Charles Raison sits down with Fayzan Rab, a former Silicon Valley tech professional turned medical student and researcher, to explore how psychedelics are reshaping mental health as well as our understanding of the role of spiritual experience in mental health more generally. Fayzan shares his personal journey from being a Google product manager to becoming a key member of Emory University's Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality.

The conversation dives deep into groundbreaking research on how psychedelics can transform not only the mental health care of individuals but entire models of care. We discuss a recent paper written by Fayzan that uses advanced health economics strategies to show that many millions of Americans with major depression might be able to benefit from psychedelic-based treatments, should such treatments be approved by the Food and Drug Administration. We then discuss studies involving cancer patients and group therapy dynamics, during which Fayzan offers insights into what these models may tell us about creating scalable, accessible treatments. He also reveals his passion project: understanding how psychedelics are perceived in the Muslim community—an area previously untouched by research—and how these experiences are prompting deep questions about faith and identity.

We then tackle the growing trend of CEOs and entrepreneurs using psychedelics for personal and professional breakthroughs. Is it all hype, or is there genuine potential for innovation and healing? Fayzan hints at upcoming studies to get real answers, bringing scientific rigor to a space often dominated by anecdotes and media buzz.

If you're curious about how psychedelics are poised to influence medicine, spirituality, and even the business world, this conversation is not one to miss. Expect surprising insights, heartfelt stories, and a fresh look at how ancient practices are finding new relevance today.

Featuring:

Fayzan Rab, a former Silicon Valley tech professional turned medical student and researcher

Host:

Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory University

About Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:

The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.

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Blog: Exploring Health
Facebook: @EmoryCSHH
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Twitter: @EmoryCSHH

In this thought-provoking podcast, Christof Koch, Chief Scientist at the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation and former President of the Allen Institute for Brain Science, delves into one of humanity's most profound questions: What is consciousness, and where does it come from? With decades of experience studying the brain's mysteries, Koch offers insights into why consciousness is central to our existence and why understanding it is so challenging.

Koch explains that consciousness encompasses everything we feel, think, and perceive—it’s the very essence of being. Yet, science struggles to explain how physical processes in the brain give rise to subjective experiences. He discusses historical and modern theories, including Integrated Information Theory (IIT), which posits that consciousness emerges from the brain's complex connectivity and its ability to process information holistically.

The conversation also touches on the ethical implications of artificial intelligence. As machines become more intelligent and capable of mimicking human behavior, Koch cautions that they lack consciousness—the ability to "feel" or "be." This raises concerns about how we interact with increasingly human-like AI and the moral dilemmas of attributing consciousness to machines.

Koch reflects on his collaborations with prominent scientists, including Francis Crick, co-discoverer of DNA's structure, to pioneer the search for the neural correlates of consciousness. He describes groundbreaking experiments and the ongoing quest to map how specific brain regions generate conscious experiences.

The podcast concludes with a discussion of the future—whether AI could ever achieve consciousness and how our understanding of the brain might evolve. Koch’s message is clear: while consciousness remains a mystery, exploring it brings us closer to understanding what it means to be truly human.

Featuring:

Christof Koch, Chief Scientist at the Tiny Blue Dot Foundation and former President of the Allen Institute for Brain Science

Host:

Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory University

About Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:

The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.

Follow Us:

Blog: Exploring Health
Facebook: @EmoryCSHH
Instagram: @EmoryCSHH
Twitter: @EmoryCSHH

How Your Immune System and Metabolism Shape Depression with Dr. Mandy Bekhbat

In this episode, Dr. Mandy Bekhbat, a neuroscientist and assistant professor in the Emory University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, takes us on a deep dive into the surprising relationship between the immune system, metabolism, and mental health. Her groundbreaking research is reshaping how we think about depression by exploring how these interconnected systems influence our mood, energy, and overall wellbeing.

Dr. Bekhbat explains how psychological stress can trigger chronic, low-grade inflammation, even in individuals without infections or medical conditions. This inflammation doesn’t just affect the body—it has profound effects on the brain. When coupled with metabolic disturbances, such as obesity or energy imbalances, it creates a perfect storm that can lead to a unique subtype of depression called “immunometabolic depression.” People with this condition often experience fatigue, increased appetite, slowed movement, and diminished motivation, driven by disruptions in how their immune cells and brain handle energy.

The podcast explores cutting-edge insights into how immune cells “consume” energy differently during inflammation, resembling metabolic patterns seen in cancer cells. These discoveries open up exciting new possibilities for treatment, from targeting immune cell metabolism with therapies borrowed from cancer research to lifestyle interventions like fasting or ketogenic diets, which naturally shift the body’s metabolic processes.

Key Takeaways:

• The Immune-Metabolism Connection: The immune system and metabolism are deeply intertwined, influencing how stress, energy, and inflammation affect mental health.
• A Unique Depression Subtype: Immunometabolic depression highlights the role of inflammation and metabolic issues in driving symptoms like fatigue and overeating.
• Promising Treatments: Therapies that recalibrate immune cell metabolism, alongside lifestyle strategies like fasting, could revolutionize mental health care.

Join this fascinating conversation to learn how these discoveries are unlocking new approaches to treating depression and improving overall mental health.

Featuring:

Dr. Mandy Bekhbat, a neuroscientist and assistant professor in the Emory University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

Host:

Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory University

About Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:

The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.

Follow Us:

Blog: Exploring Health
Facebook: @EmoryCSHH
Instagram: @EmoryCSHH
Twitter: @EmoryCSHH

Exploring The Often Under-Appreciated Risks of Meditation and Psychedelics: a Conversation with Roman Palitsky, PhD

In this episode, Dr. Roman Palitsky, a clinical psychologist and Director of Research Projects for Emory Spiritual Health, dives deep into the complex interplay between spirituality, meditation, and mental health. Drawing from his extensive research, Palitsky highlights the lesser-known risks of meditation and psychedelics—two practices often celebrated for their transformative benefits but rarely discussed for their potential challenges.

Dr. Palitsky's journey into this field began with a fellowship to study mystics in India, where he noticed that meditation was approached more cautiously in its original cultural context than it is in the West. This observation sparked his ongoing exploration into the risks associated with meditation, which he pursued further during a post-doctoral fellowship at Brown University. There, he analyzed data from the Varieties of Contemplative Experience Study, uncovering that some meditators experience adverse effects like heightened anxiety, panic attacks, and dissociative symptoms. These challenges, he notes, can disrupt daily functioning and may require individuals to seek professional help or pause their practice.

Building on this work, Dr. Palitsky has expanded his focus to the risks associated with psychedelics, another spiritual tool that carries both profound benefits and potential pitfalls. While recognizing the tremendous therapeutic potential of these agents, he emphasizes the importance of recognizing the spiritual and existential risks these substances can pose. Palitsky and the team at Emory's Center for Psychedelics and Spirituality are working on new frameworks to assess and manage these risks, aiming to make psychedelic therapies safer and more effective.

This conversation is essential listening for anyone interested in the deeper, more nuanced aspects of meditation and psychedelics.

Featuring:

Dr. Roman Palitsky, a clinical psychologist and Director of Research Projects for Emory Spiritual Health

Host:

Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory University

About Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:

The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.

Follow Us:

Blog: Exploring Health
Facebook: @EmoryCSHH
Instagram: @EmoryCSHH
Twitter: @EmoryCSHH

In Search of Good Sauna: Heat, Tradition and Connection, with Glenn Auerbach, Founder and Editor of Sauna Times

Heat is really having a moment. And not just heat, but cold, too. Saunas and cold plunges, sweat lodges, and swimming in freezing oceans. Infrared home saunas and cold showers. In the last year, all of these and more have been featured in every conceivable form of media. Why the sudden fad?

While there is likely more than one answer to this question, a major reason for the popularity of exposure to heat and cold is the purported health benefits of these practices, everything from treating depression to reducing the risk of developing dementia or dying of a heart attack. Unlike many flash-in-the-pan health fads, data supports these claims. Not that heat or cold treatments will solve all our health problems, but they actually do appear to hold promise as a means of enhancing mental and physical health.

As more and more of us either contemplate or actually begin to expose ourselves to hot and cold therapies, the question of how to optimally do this becomes increasingly relevant. That is where this podcast comes in. Today we speak with Glenn Auerbach, Founder and Publisher of SaunaTimes.com and a leading expert on what makes for “good sauna”. He joins us to explore the question of what are the elements that make the traditional use of heat and cold as emotionally and physically effective as possible?

Featuring:

Glenn Auerbach, Founder and Editor of Sauna Times

Host:

Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory University

About Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:

The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.

Follow Us:

Blog: Exploring Health
Facebook: @EmoryCSHH
Instagram: @EmoryCSHH
Twitter: @EmoryCSHH

Life on Purpose: Insights on well-being and education from Ira Bedzow, PhD, Executive Director of the Emory Purpose Project

Purpose and meaning are foundational to any definition of the good life. They are also a trendy topic these days. Like all trendy topics, they risk being trivialized by our intense hunger for easy answers to life’s difficulties. Enter Ira Bedzow, PhD, Executive Director of the Emory Purpose Project, one of the signature elements of the University’s Student Flourishing Initiative. In this podcast, Dr. Bedzow provides an inspiring, holistic, and challenging take on how to bring the power of purpose into our lives and educational systems. We learn that purpose starts not with answers but rather with questions that help identify our deeper, unique motivations for doing what we want to do in life and whether our chosen goals actually satisfy these motivations. We discuss purpose as one’s self-defined long-term life intention that is both meaningful and impactful, that will guide one’s decisions, behavior, and goals, that will provide a sense of direction, and help infuse life with a sense of meaning. This definition points to the fact that purpose, properly understood, is integral to all aspects of human life, including education. This perspective has pragmatic implications for college education that form the bedrock of the Emory Purpose Project. Rather than seeing purpose as an add-on that can be cordoned off into a separate class, Dr. Bedzow outlines a vision that seeks to infuse purpose-based analyses and perspectives into the entire spectrum of university disciplines.

In addition to his role as Executive Director of the Emory Purpose Project, Ira Bedzow is an Associate Professor in the Department of Medicine, a core faculty member of Emory’s Center for Ethics, a senior fellow in the Center for the Study of Law and Religion, and the unit head of the International Chair in Bioethics at Emory University.

Featuring:

Ira Bedzow, PhD, Executive Director of the Emory Purpose Project

Host:

Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory University

About Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:

The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.

Follow Us:

Blog: Exploring Health
Facebook: @EmoryCSHH
Instagram: @EmoryCSHH
Twitter: @EmoryCSHH

Sanity in the Wild New World of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

The buzz about psychedelics is everywhere these days, especially in the mental health space, where these compounds are being hailed as the greatest potential therapeutic breakthrough of the last 50 years. What was once elemental to the hippie movement of the 60s and then stigmatized and forgotten is now all over the news. Billions of dollars have flowed into companies wanting to cash in on the financial potential of new miracle cures for mental illness. The drive to get psychedelics into use is so intense that states are beginning to bypass the rigamarole of FDA approval and are directly legalizing psychedelics for both personal betterment and to treat the current epidemic of mental illness that is afflicting the United States. And eager not to be left out, clinicians of all stripes are paying significant fees to receive training in “psychedelic-assisted therapy” even though none of the extant programs—of which there are many—can in any way guarantee that program completion will be of any practical import whatsoever in either FDA approved or legalized psychedelic treatment contexts.

Into this heady mix comes Chantelle Thomas, PhD, Executive Director of Windrose Recovery & Integrata, a substance abuse program that uses ketamine-assisted therapy as a strategy for helping individuals recover from drug and alcohol use disorders. In addition to her many years of working with ketamine as a psychedelic agent, Dr. Thomas has spent the last 10 years delivering psychedelic-assisted therapy in the context of clinical trials of both psilocybin and MDMA. Most recently she has taken a leadership role in psychedelic assisted training programs sponsored by Usona Institute, a non-profit medical research organization conducting studies that if positive will support a “new drug indication” from the FDA for psilocybin as a novel treatment for major depression.

This podcast will be of huge interest to anyone who wants to get an insider’s view of the current psychedelic world in general and the risks, challenges, and deep satisfactions that can come from working with psychedelics in a therapeutic context in particular. You will never look at psychedelics the same after listening to our discussion with Dr. Thomas. And for more from Dr. Thomas, check out her podcast at: https://windroserecovery.com/podcast/

Featuring:

Chantelle  Thomas, PhD, Executive Director of Windrose Recovery & Integrata

Host:

Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory University

About Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:

The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.

Follow Us:

Blog: Exploring Health
Facebook: @EmoryCSHH
Instagram: @EmoryCSHH
Twitter: @EmoryCSHH

Oxytocin the Human Hormone: A Report from a Life in Science

If you are not holding the hormone oxytocin in the highest regard now, you will after listening to this episode’s guest, Sue Carter, PhD, as she explains how this remarkable hormone may hold the key to much of what makes us who we are. In particular, Dr. Carter describes the myriad ways that oxytocin allows humans to feel safe enough in the world and with each other to engage in the many types of bonding/sharing behaviors that have allowed us to create the world in which we live. The science is fascinating and highly relevant to our health and well-being, but in this podcast, Dr. Carter reaches further into our shared humanity to tell the tale of how she discovered the power of oxytocin when she was given the hormone to help induce labor during her first pregnancy and how her body’s intense response to the hormone made her realize how little medical uses to induce labor captured the more profound aspects of oxytocin’s effects on the human brain and body. From that beginning, Dr. Carter describes how she overcame many of the challenges that she faced and that women devoted to a career in science continue to face.

Dr. Carter is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia and a Distinguished Research Scientist and Rudy Professor Emerita of Biology at Indiana University. She has held Professorships at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the University of Maryland, College Park (where she was a Distinguished University Professor), and the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. Between 2014 and 2019 she was the Executive Director of the Kinsey Institute. Dr. Carter’s research was integral to discovering the relationship between social behavior and oxytocin. She was the first person to detect and define the endocrinology of social bonds through her research on the socially monogamous, prairie vole. These findings helped lay the foundation for ongoing studies of the behavioral and developmental effects of oxytocin and vasopressin and a deeper appreciation for the biological importance of relationships in human health and well-being.

Featuring:

Dr. Sue Carter, Professor of Psychology at the University of Virginia, Distinguished Research Scientist and Rudy Professor Emerita of Biology at Indiana University

Host:

Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory University

About Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:

The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.

Follow Us:

Blog: Exploring Health
Facebook: @EmoryCSHH
Instagram: @EmoryCSHH
Twitter: @EmoryCSHH

Want to Change Your Life? Take a Breath, Part 2

This conversation between host Charles L. Raison and Donald J. Noble, PhD, picks up where the first part of this series left off by extending our discussion of the potential health benefits of breathing into more esoteric domains. We explore breathholding and its role in advanced Tibetan Buddhist meditation practices before turning to a discussion of the psychedelic effects of rapid breathing, especially as exemplified by holotropic breathwork, a practice that reliably induces experiences akin to those occasioned by drugs such as LSD or psilocybin. Finally, we return to Dr. Noble’s primary area of research, which is the health benefits and neurological effects of slow deep breathing. We conclude by pondering the possibility that spiritual practices such as chanting, saying the rosary, and repeating mantras may function to entrain the brain in ways that promote neuroplasticity and thereby enhance brain health and emotional well-being.

This episode is Part 2 in a two-part series.

Featuring:

Dr. Don Noble, Instructor at Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health

Host:

Charles Raison, Psychiatrist, Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Emory University

About Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health:

The Emory Center for the Study of Human Health was developed to expand health knowledge and translate this knowledge to all aspects of life – for the individual and populations as a whole. The Center assembles the extraordinary faculty, researchers and thought leaders from across disciplines, departments, schools and institutions to bring this knowledge to Emory University students and inspire them to become leaders for the next generation in meeting challenges facing human health.

Follow Us:

Blog: Exploring Health
Facebook: @EmoryCSHH
Instagram: @EmoryCSHH
Twitter: @EmoryCSHH