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Jay Shetty Podcast

Dr. Will Cole ON: The Foods You ABSOLUTELY SHOULD NOT Eat To Live Longer! | Jay Shetty

Today, I sit down with Dr. Will Cole to talk about self-care. He shares the essential aspect of maintaining good physical, emotional, and mental health, the truth about eating foods that will "love you back", and how taking care of our gut…

Dr. Will ColeguestJay Shettyhost

Mar 20, 202353mWatch on YouTube

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Chapter summaries

Foods that “don’t love you back”: framing diet as self-respect
The episode opens with Dr. Will Cole’s metaphor that repeatedly eating foods that harm you is like staying in a toxic relationship. Jay Shetty welcomes listeners, shares his “happy, healthy, and healing” mantra, and introduces Dr. Cole and his book Gut Feelings.
- •Dr. Cole frames avoiding triggering foods as “self-respect,” not restriction
- •Jay sets the intention of pursuing happiness, health, and healing
- •Jay introduces Dr. Cole’s work and the themes connecting gut health, emotions, and physiology
Why gut health can’t be ignored: the gut–brain axis and inflammation
Dr. Cole explains that gut health affects far more than digestion, describing how the gut and brain are linked through shared developmental origins and the vagus nerve. He connects gut function to neurotransmitters, immune activity, and inflammation’s role in many modern health issues.
- •Dr. Cole says you can have gut-rooted issues without extreme digestive symptoms
- •He describes the gut–brain axis, including the role of the vagus nerve
- •He notes most serotonin and a significant portion of dopamine are made and stored in the gut
- •He emphasizes the gut’s connection to immune function and inflammation
- •He links inflammation to broad issues, including autoimmune, metabolic, hormonal, and mental health concerns
Common isn’t normal: using “check engine lights” to spot gut-related issues
Jay asks what people are doing that harms gut health, and Dr. Cole argues that widespread symptoms shouldn’t be treated as normal. He highlights digestion patterns and everyday signs—like energy crashes and cravings—as cues to investigate root causes.
- •Dr. Cole emphasizes that common symptoms should not be normalized
- •He discusses bowel-movement patterns as a window into overall health
- •He lists possible “check engine lights,” including fatigue, cravings, weight-loss resistance, hair loss, and skin issues
- •He frames functional medicine as looking upstream to identify root causes
“Shame-flammation”: when stress, shame, and trauma become physical inflammation
Jay brings up Dr. Cole’s concept of “shame-flammation,” especially relevant for people who eat clean and still feel unwell. Dr. Cole explains that mental health and physical health are intertwined, and that shame, stress, and trauma can measurably influence inflammation and physiology.
- •Dr. Cole describes “shame-flammation” as the convergence of mental, emotional, and physical factors
- •He says thoughts and emotions can spike inflammation and affect vagus nerve function and hormones
- •He stresses that mental health is physical health and the brain is part of the body
- •He says people can sabotage health gains if they pursue wellness with dread, obsession, or self-hate
- •He states: “You can’t heal a body you hate,” and that shame can’t drive sustainable wellness
The “inflammatory core four” (plus alcohol): what most disrupts the microbiome
Jay asks for practical inflammation triggers from what people consume. Dr. Cole outlines four major food categories he believes commonly disrupt the microbiome and raise inflammation, and he adds alcohol as an important additional consideration.
- •Dr. Cole says every meal either feeds inflammation or fights it—no neutral food
- •He lists the “inflammatory core four”: gluten-containing grains, industrial seed oils, conventional dairy, and added sugar
- •He notes nuance: in many cases, it’s what’s been done to foods rather than the foods alone
- •He calls out hidden “nice-sounding” sugar sources on labels and encourages awareness of total added sugar
- •He adds alcohol as a “plus one,” saying it can hold back gut health, energy, mental health, and weight goals
Medications, microbiome disruption, and being an empowered patient
Jay asks about the gut impact of pain medications after surgery. Dr. Cole explains that certain medications can harm the gut lining and microbiome, while emphasizing the need for pragmatic, medically appropriate use and a plan to support gut health afterward.
- •Dr. Cole says NSAIDs, antibiotics, and some pain medications can affect the gut lining and microbiome
- •He emphasizes this doesn’t mean people should avoid needed prescriptions after surgery
- •He frames gut support as a “long game” after medication use
- •He encourages patients to be informed, discuss options with doctors, and advocate for gut-health considerations
Alcohol and intuition: physiological disruption and the spectrum of relationship with drinking
Jay asks about alcohol’s connection to intuition and how it affects the body. Dr. Cole describes microbiome disruption, bacterial overgrowth, and intestinal permeability, then broadens the conversation to how people use alcohol socially and emotionally.
- •Dr. Cole says alcohol can make it harder to sense what your body tolerates and needs
- •He explains alcohol can disrupt the microbiome and contribute to bacterial overgrowth
- •He connects alcohol to increased intestinal permeability and inflammatory cascades
- •He discusses autoimmunity in the context of immune “mistaken identity” and inflammation
- •He says people’s relationship with alcohol exists on a spectrum and encourages reflection on alignment with desired health and life
Chronic stress and “metaphysical meals”: feeding your head and heart like you feed your body
Dr. Cole shifts to psychological contributors to inflammation, focusing on chronic stress and nervous system imbalance. He and Jay discuss why “don’t stress” isn’t helpful, and Dr. Cole introduces the idea of scheduling stillness and self-care with the same intention as meals.
- •Dr. Cole distinguishes normal, acute stress from chronic stress that keeps people in fight-or-flight
- •He explains cortisol and inflammation as not inherently bad, but harmful when chronically elevated or dysregulated
- •He describes an “evolutionary mismatch” between modern life and relatively unchanged human genetics
- •He points to factors like sleep disruption and unhealthy relationships with technology as contributors
- •He introduces “metaphysical meals”: treating stillness and self-care as non-negotiable nourishment
Where to start: headspace, self-respect, and “food peace”
Jay asks how someone should begin when they feel overwhelmed by everything they “should” change. Dr. Cole emphasizes starting with headspace and self-respect rather than perfection, and Jay shares personal stories about changing sugar habits and learning how foods feel afterward.
- •Dr. Cole says waiting for the “right time” often becomes paralysis; start now without needing perfection
- •He reframes self-care as self-respect and introduces the goal of “food peace” and “body peace”
- •He repeats his core metaphor about foods that “don’t love you back” and avoiding them as self-respect
- •Jay shares his past refined-sugar habits and how his relationship with sweets changed over time
- •They discuss how improved awareness can make formerly craved foods less appealing after noticing how they feel
Using food as mindfulness—and building social lives around wellness, not just eating and drinking
Dr. Cole proposes using food as a mindfulness tool—notice how it affects you, learn, and move on without shame. Jay and Dr. Cole explore practical ways to socialize that don’t rely on alcohol or unhealthy food, emphasizing experimentation and leadership within friend groups.
- •Dr. Cole suggests eating consciously and evaluating whether food “loved you back,” without shame
- •He says shame can be more harmful than the food itself, and urges moving on after mindful choices
- •Jay and Dr. Cole discuss enjoyable alternatives and better-for-you swaps that still taste good
- •Jay shares examples of socializing through workouts, cold plunges, and saunas
- •Dr. Cole notes that one person shifting habits can influence families and friend groups over time
Hormones as “biochemical emails”: context, testing, and how to access deeper labs
Jay asks about hormones and why they’re under-discussed; Dr. Cole describes hormones as internal communication signals influenced by stress, inflammation, and environmental factors. Jay then asks how people can get meaningful tests, and Dr. Cole outlines more comprehensive thyroid and hormone panels and how they may be accessed through conventional care or direct-to-consumer options.
- •Dr. Cole describes hormones as “biochemical emails” and emphasizes balance rather than “high vs. low”
- •He links hormone expression to nervous system stress states and broader physiological context
- •He discusses measuring cortisol rhythms and how chronic stress can suppress or dysregulate other hormones
- •He explains that many expanded labs are conventional tests, though not always routinely ordered
- •He lists examples of thyroid labs beyond TSH (including multiple thyroid markers and antibodies) and mentions direct-to-consumer testing options
Hidden “healthy” intolerances: FODMAPs, mold-related foods, histamines—and fixing root causes
Jay asks about commonly missed food intolerances, especially among people who already eat “healthy.” Dr. Cole highlights how conditions like SIBO, mold sensitivity, and histamine intolerance can make nutritious foods trigger symptoms, and he emphasizes avoiding fear-based eating while addressing the underlying cause so foods can often be reintroduced later.
- •Dr. Cole stresses bio-individuality: healthy foods can still be problematic for some people
- •He warns against orthorexia and says the goal isn’t fear of foods
- •He describes higher-FODMAP foods (like onions, garlic, and certain vegetables) as triggers for people with SIBO
- •He discusses higher mold foods as potential flare triggers for people dealing with mold toxicity concerns
- •He describes high-histamine and histamine-liberating foods (including certain fermented foods) as possible triggers, and emphasizes addressing root causes so reintroduction may be possible
Closing and Final Five: shame-free health, simplifying supplements, and core life principles
Jay invites any final thoughts and then moves into the show’s “Final Five” rapid questions. Dr. Cole reinforces shame-free wellness, prioritizing food over excessive supplements, and shares broader purpose- and kindness-oriented principles.
- •Dr. Cole reiterates: “You can’t heal a body you hate” as his best health advice
- •He calls “shaming your way into wellness” the worst health advice
- •He says he no longer values taking tons of supplements, emphasizing food-first with targeted additions
- •He shares his purpose as bringing hope to people struggling with silent health problems
- •He offers a principle to “be kind and think before you speak,” and adds “eat foods that love you back” as a guiding rule

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