Efforts & Challenges in Promoting Public Health | Dr. Vivek Murthy

Welcome to the Huberman Lab podcast, where we discuss science and science-based tools for everyday life. I'm Andrew Huberman, and I'm a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. Today my guest is Dr. Vivek Murthy. Dr. Vivek Murthy is a medical doctor and acting Surgeon General of the United States. As Surgeon General of the United States, Dr. Murthy oversees more than 6,000 dedicated public health officers whose job is to protect, promote, and advance our nation's public health. Dr. Murthy received his bachelor's degree from Harvard University and his medical degree from the Yale University School of Medicine. Today's discussion covers some of the most important issues in public health, not just within the United States but worldwide, including nutrition and the obesity crisis as well as food additives and why certain food chemicals and additives are allowed in the United States versus in other countries. We also discuss mental health, the youth mental health crisis, the adult mental health crisis, and the global crisis of loneliness and isolation. We also talk about corporate interests, that is whether or not big food and big pharma industries actually impact the research and/or decisions that the US Surgeon General takes in his directives toward public health. And, of course, we discuss some of the major public health events that occurred over the last five years and the current and future landscape of how to restore faith both in public health officials, in public health policy, and science more generally. By the end of today's episode, you not only will have learned a tremendous amount about public health and why you hear the particular public health directives that you do, but also how to better interpret future public health directives. You will also come to learn that as Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy has both an extremely challenging job, but one that he meets with a tremendous amount of both rigor and compassion. Before we begin, I'd like to emphasize that this podcast is separate from my teaching and research roles at Stanford. It is however part of my desire and effort to bring zero cost to consumer information about science and science-related tools to the general public. In keeping with that theme, I'd like to thank the sponsors of today's podcast. Our first sponsor is Maui Nui Venison. Maui Nui Venison is the most nutrient dense and delicious red meat available. I've spoken before on this podcast in solo episodes and with guests about the need to get approximately one gram of high quality protein per pound of body weight each day for optimal nutrition. Now, there are many different ways that one can do that, but a key thing is to make sure that you're not doing that by ingesting excessive calories. Maui Nui Venison has the highest density of quality protein per calorie, and it achieves that in delicious things like ground meats, venison steaks, jerky, and bone broth. I particularly like the ground venison. I make those into venison burgers probably five times a week or more. I also like the jerky for its convenience, especially when I'm traveling or I'm especially busy with work and know that I'm getting an extremely nutrient-dense, high quality source of protein. If you'd like to try Maui Nui Venison, you can go to mauinuivenison.com/huberman and get 20% off your first order. Again, that's mauinuivenison.com/huberman to get 20% off. Today's episode is also brought to us by ROKA. ROKA makes eyeglasses and sunglasses that are of the absolute highest quality. I've spent a lifetime working on the biology of the visual system, and I can tell you that your visual system has to contend with an enormous number of challenges in order for you to be able to see clearly in different environments. ROKA understands the biology of the visual system and has designed their eyeglasses and sunglasses so that you always see with crystal clarity. Originally, their glasses were designed for performance, that is for running and cycling and for sport, and indeed they can still be used for performance. They won't slip off your face if you get sweaty. They're extremely lightweight. But I should mention that ROKA eyeglasses and sunglasses come in some of the aesthetics more typically associated with performance glasses, like those cyborg-style glasses, but they also have a number of styles that you would be perfectly comfortable wearing out to dinner or to work. I wear readers at night or when I drive, and I wear sunglasses during the day if I happen to be driving into bright light or outside and it's just overwhelmingly bright. I do not wear sunglasses when I do my morning sunlight viewing to set my circadian rhythm, and I suggest that you do the same. If you'd like to try ROKA eyeglasses or sunglasses, you can go to ROKA, roka.com and enter the code Huberman to save 20% off your first order. Again, that's ROKA, roka.com and enter the code Huberman at checkout. And now for my discussion with Dr. Vivek Murthy. Dr. Vivek Murthy, welcome.