(BONUS) Should We Trust Health Advice on Instagram??

Summary

Podcast Summary: Bill and Giuliana: The Podcast

Episode: (BONUS) Should We Trust Health Advice on Instagram??

Release Date: June 5, 2026
Host(s): Bill Rancic & Giuliana Rancic
Guest: Dr. Daniel Amen (World-renowned psychiatrist, brain health expert)

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Overview

In this spirited bonus episode, Bill and Giuliana Rancic welcome Dr. Daniel Amen to debunk popular health myths circulating on Instagram and TikTok. The discussion spotlights the dangers of blindly trusting health advice found online, focusing on trending topics like nicotine pouches, alcohol, statins, GLP-1 medications, aspartame, and cannabis. Dr. Amen provides evidence-based answers while Bill and Giuliana share personal anecdotes about falling for viral health fads.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Lure and Danger of Instagram Health Advice

• Giuliana and Bill kick off the episode highlighting how easy it is to be swayed by seemingly credible influencers on social media.
• Giuliana recounts regarding nicotine pouches:

  “With Instagram and TikTok, everyone’s an expert… I’m getting fed all these ads… You should take these nicotine pouches.” (03:39)

• Dr. Amen quickly warns that nicotine is “one of the most addictive substances”, not a benign brain booster as some posts claim.

  “Why would you ever start something that you couldn't stop?” (04:00)

Timestamp

• Nicotine conversation: 03:37 – 05:49

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2. Nicotine Pouches—Not a Brain Hack

• Bill & Giuliana reveal personal experiences falling prey to “Zyn” nicotine pouches after seeing respected figures touting their supposed brain benefits online.
• Bill struggles to quit and experiences escalating usage.
• Dr. Amen warns that self-medicating with nicotine, often to self-treat undiagnosed ADHD, is not a safe or effective solution.

  “People think things are innocuous when they’re not.” (05:52)

• Memorable moment: Giuliana proudly announces:

  “I’m six days clean!” (05:12)

• Key advice: Ask, “Is what I’m doing now good for my brain or bad for it?” (06:45)

Timestamp

• Personal anecdotes and advice: 04:35 – 05:52

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3. Alcohol—No Safe Dose?

• Bill asks if his ritual of three glasses of wine per week is a “reward” or a health risk.
• Dr. Amen:

  “The American Cancer Society came out against any alcohol because any alcohol is associated with an increased risk of eight different cancers… I’m just not a fan.” (09:26)

• Dr. Amen debunks the “red wine is good for your heart” myth, framing alcohol as more of a punishment than a reward.
• Discusses how reframing treats (e.g., healthy “brain hot chocolate”) leads to habits that “love you back”.

  “Eating crappy food isn’t a reward, it’s a punishment.” (10:02 – Drew Carey quote)

Timestamp

• Alcohol and health: 08:58 – 10:24

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4. Food Habits—The “Love You Back” Test

• Dr. Amen stresses food and drink should “love you back”—promote brain health, not just bring pleasure.

  “Only love food or drink or activities that love me back.” (08:22)

• He shares his nightly ritual preparing “brain healthy hot chocolate” and his typical breakfast routine.
• Bill & Giuliana playfully compare their own routines and habits.

Timestamp

• Healthy food and routines: 10:24 – 12:07

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5. Milk Myths—Are We Off Oat?

• Bill asks about the latest “milk” trends:

  “Are we off oat? Are we back to real milk?” (15:47)

• Dr. Amen shuns oat milk, explaining:

  “We were sold another lie that oatmeal is good for you… It’s great for fattening pigs.” (16:06)

• Points out studies: As weight increases, “the size and function of your brain went down” (16:26).
• Recommends unsweetened almond milk with minimal ingredients, finds real cow’s milk less favorable due to antibiotic use.

Timestamp

• Milk, oats, and carbs: 15:47 – 17:44

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6. Debunking Statin & GLP-1 Myths

• Giuliana raises fears from social media that “statins give you Alzheimer’s” and that GLP-1s (weight loss injectables) are “bad for your brain”.
• Dr. Amen’s nuanced view:
  • Statins: Only for those who can't control cholesterol through diet; not all risks are equal.

    “Let’s not demonize them, but also let’s not give them to everyone.” (18:21)

  • GLP-1s:

    “There’s no evidence that they give you Alzheimer’s… If you do it without changing your habits, probably a waste of money.” (18:21)

Timestamp

• Statin & GLP-1 discussion: 17:46 – 20:18

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7. The Soda & Aspartame Wake-Up Call

• Giuliana describes memory lapses while consuming Diet Coke and Red Bull, suspects aspartame as the culprit (21:04).
• Dr. Amen links aspartame to arthritis and chronic anxiety, relates his own experience quitting diet soda for health.

  “Since then, you do the research—associated with all sorts of things that are not good for you, including chronic anxiety.” (21:47)

• Key fact: Aspartame’s impact can be generational; animal studies show anxiety can be passed to subsequent generations after exposure.

  “Their babies were anxious and their grandbabies were anxious even though they never had aspartame.” (26:14)

Timestamp

• Aspartame stories and science: 20:18 – 23:23, 26:14 – 26:42

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8. Cannabis & Other “Natural” Fads

• Giuliana asks about the perception that cannabis is safe because it’s “a plant from the ground.”
• Dr. Amen:

  “Cocaine is from a plant…heroin, same thing…It’s the lie that we have been sold.” (23:23)

  • Cannabis leads to reduced blood flow in the brain, especially in memory areas, and increases risks of psychosis and motivational issues.
  • Cites studies and personal patient stories showing negative brain impacts and recovery after cessation.

  “Every area of their brain was lower in blood flow [in marijuana users] than our healthy group.” (24:22)

• He extends the warning to other “natural” substances gaining buzz (psilocybin, etc.), emphasizing unseen risks.

Timestamp

• Cannabis and natural drugs: 23:09 – 28:28

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Notable Quotes

• Dr. Amen:
  • “Is what I’m doing now good for my brain or bad for it? And does it make the world better?” (06:45)
  • “Only love food or drink or activities that love me back.” (08:22)
  • “The American Cancer Society came out against any alcohol because any alcohol is associated with an increased risk of eight different cancers.” (09:26)
  • “Their babies were anxious and their grandbabies were anxious even though they never had aspartame.” (26:14)
  • “Cocaine is from a plant… heroin, same thing… It’s the lie that we have been sold.” (23:23)
• Juliana Rancic:
  • “I’m six days clean!” (05:12)
• Bill Rancic:
  • “That’s why my brain’s so beautiful.” (11:43)

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Segment Timestamps

• Intro & Callout to Dr. Amen: 02:41 – 03:37
• Nicotine Fad/Instagram Myths: 03:37 – 07:44
• Alcohol & "Reward" Mentality: 08:12 – 10:24
• Brain-Healthy Food Routines: 10:24 – 12:07
• Milk, Oat, and Carb Myths: 15:47 – 17:44
• Statins & GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs: 17:46 – 20:18
• Soda/Aspartame Anecdotes: 20:18 – 23:23, 26:14 – 26:42
• Cannabis & Plant-Based Myths: 23:09 – 28:28

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Episode Tone

The conversation is lively, candid, and often humorous as Bill and Giuliana openly share their wins, mistakes, and real-life struggles with health information online. Dr. Amen balances science with warmth and memorable metaphors, making complex brain health topics straightforward and actionable.

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Conclusion

This episode blends personal stories and expert insights to arm listeners with practical ways to judge the barrage of health content on social media. Dr. Amen’s central mantra—“Is what I’m doing now good for my brain or bad for it?”—serves as a down-to-earth tool for cutting through hype, and the Rancics' vulnerabilities make this advice accessible and relatable.

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Ideal for: Listeners skeptical about viral wellness fads, curious about real brain health, or just wanting straight talk and a laugh with their science.
Call to Action: Rely on science, not influencers, and let your habits be driven by long-term self-love, not fleeting trends.

Transcript

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[Juliana Rancic]

Welcome to Bill and Juliana, the podcast.

[Bill Rancic]

Hey, guys. Oh, my God. Didn't you. You take most of. Okay, go ahead, Bill. I'm watching the floor. No, no, no. I really want you to start the show today, and I'm gonna watch you and I'm gonna grade you.

[Juliana Rancic]

I don't wanna grade. I don't want that pressure. I'm good.

[Bill Rancic]

All right. Start the show. You know, you take it. All right. Hey, everyone.

[Juliana Rancic]

Bill and Juliana podcast.

[Bill Rancic]

Okay? And Juliana podcast. So today we are talking to one of our favorites. This. I mean, you've probably heard of his. Seen him on Instagram. He's incredible. He is a world renowned psychiatrist, brain expert, ADHD expert. He's incredible. His name is Dr. Amen. We are so lucky to have him on today. And today, what we want to talk to him specifically about is debunking all these myths that we see pop up on social media. Let's welcome Dr. Amen.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Well, thank you so much for having me.

[Juliana Rancic]

You know, now with Instagram and TikTok, everyone's an expert doc, as you know. And I'm getting fed all these ads. You know, nicotine is good for the brain. You know, you should take these nicotine pouches. Right, But I'm saying there's. I agree.

[Bill Rancic]

Yeah, can we just answer that right now?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Actually, while we're at it, I did

[Juliana Rancic]

a two week experiment.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Look, he said no, I. I fell for it.

[Juliana Rancic]

For two weeks. It is.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I just got off. I just got off a zoom with one of my patients who's like, how do I get off of it? You know, it's one of the most addictive substances, so why would you ever start something that you couldn't stop? Right? Yeah, no, I'm not a fan, okay? And a lot of people use it to treat their undiagnosed add. That's not the best treatment.

[Juliana Rancic]

They said these nicotine pouches.

[Bill Rancic]

Yeah.

[Juliana Rancic]

Will help prevent Alzheimer's and dementia.

[Bill Rancic]

The Zins.

[Juliana Rancic]

The Zins, or whatever they were.

[Bill Rancic]

Yeah. Tell them what happened, honey.

[Juliana Rancic]

So then I'm like, oh, you know, these guys I knew, they're highly intelligent, very successful guys. They were doing it, they were selling it, and every guy in Instagram, they were coming out with these studies from the 1950s that were hidden that the government didn't want you to see.

[Bill Rancic]

And meanwhile, Bill Rancic is a guy who, like, does nothing. Like, you're so, like, squeaky clean like doesn't do anything. So for him. And then all of a sudden I hear that he's like starting these Zyn.

[Juliana Rancic]

Well, I was gonna do one or two a week just to kind of as a preventative measure. And then it went up to a couple a day, then more day. I quit. But it was very difficult quit.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Last week I did.

[Juliana Rancic]

I'm six days clean.

[Bill Rancic]

And he said, it's so good.

[Juliana Rancic]

But I was on it for about almost a month. I was on it for probably a month.

[Bill Rancic]

Two months.

[Juliana Rancic]

Was it two months?

[Bill Rancic]

Maybe three. But the thing is, he did kick it a week ago. And, you know, what did you say yesterday? It's so. It's actually hard.

[Juliana Rancic]

It was hard to quit.

[Bill Rancic]

Can you believe this?

[Juliana Rancic]

It was very hard.

[Bill Rancic]

I mean. No, you can believe it, doctor. Amen. But I mean, people listening. Can you believe it? Because it's so crazy. You wouldn't think. But they're these little things. They don't look that scary, but they're scary.

[Juliana Rancic]

But I was taking more and more of them. I was getting anxiety. It was. I mean, it was just feeding the beast, you know, it was really good.

[Bill Rancic]

And something you learned on Instagram, basically.

[Juliana Rancic]

Instagram perpetuated it. Yeah. Because these guys seem credible.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Glad you said that. Because people think things are innocuous when they're not. Right. And I'm working on a national brain health revolution campaign actually with HHS and the White House. And it's all based around this one question. So if you ask me what's the number one thing I can do for my brain? It's this question, is what I'm doing now good for my brain or bad for it? And does it make the world better? If you can answer that with information and love, you get to keep a healthy brain or you get to create a healthy brain. And Quite frankly, most 7 year olds know the answer to the question. They'll get a 90% if you put a hundred things down and go, good for your brain or bad for it? And doesn't make the world better. And it comes from a game I played with my daughter, who's. When she was 2, we called it Chloe's game. And I'd go, good for your brain or bad for it? And I'm like, avocados to go two thumbs up God's butter. Like blueberries. She put her little fists on her hips and go, are they organic? Because non organic berries hold more pesticides than almost any fruit. Like hitting a soccer ball with your head. Oh, very bad. Talking back to your redheaded mother. Oh, no. Too much stress. But really, that's the question.

[Bill Rancic]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, not sleeping. Scrolling too much. And ultimately, I did an event Saturday with Jenny Garth, and I love her so much. She's my first scan my brain. She's the first person I did my podcast with, and she has a new book out called I Choose Me.

[Bill Rancic]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And ultimately, doing the right thing, because a lot of people go, oh, that means I can't have this. I can't have that. It's about deprivation. That mindset you never get. Well, when you realize that prevents you from getting what you really want. Energy, memory, passion, purpose. It's like, oh, no, I don't really want those things. I only love food or drink or activities that love me back. That ultimately, you're in this relationship with your habits.

[Bill Rancic]

So even a glass of wine a week.

[Juliana Rancic]

No, Doctor, you have way more than one a week.

[Bill Rancic]

I have three. Three glasses. And be honest with me. Do I need to stop that? Be honest with you? Because, you know, we have been trained, I think, to go like, oh, I earned this glass of wine at the end of the day.

[Juliana Rancic]

That's for my cholesterol day.

[Bill Rancic]

Or, yes, red wine is different than all the other wine. Red wine is quote, unquote, better for me than everything else. Is that just B.S.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

it's B.S. yeah. The American Cancer Society came out against any alcohol because any alcohol is associated with an increased risk of eight different cancers. And then, okay, it's like, so it's the extra calories, it's the dropping your frontal lobes, which then can lead to consequences with decision making. Yeah. I'm just not a fan.

[Bill Rancic]

Okay. Not a fan.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

You know Drew Carey, the comedian?

[Bill Rancic]

Oh, yeah.

[Juliana Rancic]

He.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

He lost a ton of weight and kept it off because he had this mindset. Eating crappy food isn't a reward, it's a punishment. And when you think of it that way, you have this beautiful brain, and. Well, don't you want to keep it that way?

[Bill Rancic]

Yeah, he's right. You're right. So the reward is eating something delicious that night. Salmon, you know, like avocado something. Right? Is that what you're saying? Like, yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And every night, I make my wife. Because we're all creatures of habit, I make my wife brain healthy hot chocolate. So unsweetened almond milk, raw cacao, organic cacao, and a little bit of chocolate stevia. Put it in a blender, frost like crazy. So heat the milk, and it's 60 calories. So it's smart and it tastes great. I love it. And it loves me because cacao is a superfood. And you just have to find like five snacks you like that are good for you or five dinners or five breakfasts. I mean, I have the same stinking breakfast every day.

[Bill Rancic]

What do you have? I want to have your breakfast. What are you eating?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I have three eggs and then I make a shake.

[Bill Rancic]

I had three eggs today. Perfect.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah.

[Bill Rancic]

Oh, great. And what's your shake? And do you poach your eggs or scrambled or does that not really matter?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I like poached eggs the best.

[Bill Rancic]

I had poached today.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I like poached eggs the best.

[Juliana Rancic]

You're such a show off.

[Bill Rancic]

That's why my brain's so beautiful.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I make a very clean protein powder at Brain MD and I put in something called Bright Minds powder. It's got like all the nutrients that I want Bill to take. Nutrients Is my NFL study something called Peak Energy.

[Juliana Rancic]

No coffee, no espresso, none of that.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I make a decaf cappuccino every morning for my wife. And she sent me this video yesterday that when the husband brings the wife a coffee drink in the morning, that's me. They are eight times happier and four times less likely to get divorced.

[Bill Rancic]

So the couple or the husband or the wife.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Apparently that's us. Where the husband is bringing it to the wife.

[Juliana Rancic]

I've been doing that for 20.

[Bill Rancic]

Does that mean you're eight times happier? I'm eight times.

[Juliana Rancic]

You're eight times happier.

[Bill Rancic]

Me or him?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah, you're eight times happier.

[Bill Rancic]

Oh, I agree with that. But you seem happy too when you bring me that.

[Juliana Rancic]

I like to make people happy.

[Bill Rancic]

Thank you, sweetheart. That's interesting. And can I ask you. Hold on.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So you and I do that together?

[Juliana Rancic]

Yeah, I do. I've been doing it for 20 years.

[Bill Rancic]

Dr. Because you saw your dad do it.

[Juliana Rancic]

And my dad did it for my mom my whole life.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Sign of intelligent life. Wow.

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[Bill Rancic]

So real quick, what milk do you use? Like when you said you you made your wife, Is it just almond? Because are we off oat? Are we back to real milk? Like, what's going on? Because I got off of oatmeal for sure. I had to get off of oatmeal.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So many calories, seed oils. Oat is bad for blood sugar.

[Bill Rancic]

All right?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

I mean we were sold another lie that oatmeal is good for you and oatmeal is great for pigs that they're trying to fatten. I was at Mount Vernon, George Washington's plantation. And there was actually a sign about during one of the seasons, they gave the pigs corn, wheat and oats, basically to fatten them up. And I'm like, oh, that's why we're overweight as a society. And I published three studies on 33, 000 people, showed as your weight went up, the size and function of your brain went down, which should scare the fat off anyone. So I'm not a fan of oat milk. I like almond milk, but I like unsweetened almond milk. Unsweetened is you don't want to get it poured with sugar. And the closer to not having a lot, the fewer the ingredients, the better.

[Bill Rancic]

How are we on, like, 2%, like, cow's milk or whole milk?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So I. I'm not a huge fan of milk just because most of the antibiotics in this country are given to cows. Yeah, that's true. You end up eating whatever the cow ate. And. Okay, so no one's suffering with almonds.

[Bill Rancic]

Yeah, you're right. We're on almond.

[Juliana Rancic]

All right, I have two Instagram myths that I want to debunk. One, because I'm recently taking a statin, and all these guys are now on the Internet saying statins are going to give you Alzheimer's and they're going to give you dementia.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Right.

[Juliana Rancic]

And the second one, and a lot of our listeners are participating, are GLP1s. And there's a lot of myths about GLP ones being bad for your brain, brain and things like that. And a buddy of mine just started on that, and I was concerned for him. So specifically statins and then GLP1 about

[Bill Rancic]

brain and how to fix your brain.

[Juliana Rancic]

Right. Is it going to give you dementia?

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

There's a really good book I like called the Great Cholesterol Myth. People at 225 have the best cognitive function as they age. And most cardiologists are putting you on a statin just with that one number. And I'm like, no, it's more complicated than that. Yes, get your cholesterol checked. If you can't get it right with diet, my mind always is first, not drugs. What can I do naturally? So get rid of sugar and foods that turn to sugar. If you can't get it right naturally, then a statin might be helpful for you. But let's not demonize them, but also let's not give them to everyone. GLP1 drugs are really interesting, and there's no evidence that they give you Alzheimer's disease. In fact, there's evidence that they help you prevent it in that obesity. If you're overweight or you have high blood Sugar, of the 11 major risk factors that steal your mind, you have all. All 11 of them. So you don't want to be overweight and you don't want to have a high blood sugar. And yes, of course, do it with your habits. But if you can't, then a GLP1 drug can be helpful. And now if there's some new research, they help with addiction. They can. One of my patients who had terrible migraines did much better on a GLP1. So I think they're very interesting. We should pay attention. If you do it without changing your habits, probably a waste of money. Ultimately, you want to change your habits and only love food that loves you back.

[Juliana Rancic]

I'm going to start living by that motto.

[Bill Rancic]

Yeah, I was going to say that's a good way to look at it. When you talked about. Because I know a lot of women are listening. When you talked about earlier, Diet Coke and soda. So, Dr. Amen. I quit soda 20 years ago, okay? I haven't had a soda, a sip of a soda in 20 years. A lot of people don't know this. And Bill just started soda.

[Juliana Rancic]

I never had soda my whole life. And I just started drinking Dr. Pepper.

[Bill Rancic]

And I have to tell you something, though, real quick.

[Juliana Rancic]

But not the Dietame.

[Bill Rancic]

No, but aspartame is so bad. Can I tell you? So I was drinking so much soda when I started at E. And I had just become the anchor of E. News, and I was drinking so much Diet Coke, okay? And then I moved on to Red Bull. Red Bull was like really big in the early 2000s. It was like Red Bull everything. And that has a lot, you know, aspartame. And one day, I'll never forget, I was on set and I was talking. We were live. E News used to be live back in the day. And all of a sudden, mid thought totally blanked. Totally blanked. I had never done this in my life. And I was like. And I literally blanked on live tv. And then I started having these little episodes happening where I was blanking. And back then, we didn't have ChatGPT and all these things where I could just get an answer quickly. But I did some research, and you know what? In my brain, what I came to, the conclusion I came to was that it was aspartame. Could that have been the aspartame? Because I am not kidding you. And then from that day, I went off of it and I've never, never had anything like that happen to me again.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

You bet. So I had arthritis when I was 35. And then one of my patients said when I stopped aspartame, my arthritis went away and I was drinking, no lie. 32 ounces of diet Pepsi at lunch from Jack in the Box across the street. So I hadn't gotten nutrition yet and I stopped the aspartame and my pain went away. And since then. And you do the research on aspartame, it's associated with all sorts of things that are not good for you, including chronic anxiety.

[Bill Rancic]

Yes.

[Juliana Rancic]

That's why I don't drink the diet stuff.

[Bill Rancic]

That's why I don't think I have.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah, but the sugar stuff, let's ask the seven year old. Good for your brain.

[Juliana Rancic]

Oh, I know I have one or two diet or Dr. Peppers a week,

[Bill Rancic]

but you have stress.

[Juliana Rancic]

I've had. My dad was a worrier, I'm a worrier. I have anxiety. That's just kind of how I'm wired.

[Bill Rancic]

But he's saying, then don't do soda.

[Juliana Rancic]

I'm aware of how bad it is.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Right.

[Juliana Rancic]

Even coffee is bad for me. But I just.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

That one question, Bill. Good for my brain or bad for it? How much do you love yourself? Yeah. Right. It's. It's all about love. Yeah. And am I letting my habits control me? Right.

[Juliana Rancic]

The temporary pleasure for, you know, long term loss and pain.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Yeah.

[Juliana Rancic]

A lot of people are now turning to cannabis, Right. Because it's a, you know, it's a plant, it's from the ground. And I know that you're not a fan of it, but maybe for the people who are listening, you can explain the harm that it does to your brain.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Well, cocaine is from a plant and from the ground, heroin, same thing. So I am not a fan of putting people who use marijuana in jail. So let's just start with that.

[Juliana Rancic]

Correct. No, no. But you're not a fan of it helping relax your br. Brain.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

And you know, it's not innocuous, it's just, it's the lie that we have been sold. And a lot of people ask me about the executive order that was signed recently about psilocybin, and I'm like, I've seen this party before. When I was a resident, Xanax came onto the market and benzos were mommy's little helper, and that just turned out to be a disaster. Benzos like Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin, Valium are addictive and they increase the risk of dementia. And then in the early 90s, my first clinic was outside the Napa Valley, and alcohol was a health food. You know, you really should have two glasses of red wine a day. And now we know alcohol is associated with eight different cancers. And both of you have been on television, and it's like, why, when I watch tv, people are drinking nonstop. It's. Alcohol is a scourge on our society. And then pain is the fifth vital sign. It's like, if your doctor is not giving you an opiate, he's a bad doctor. I went through that period where people would criticize me, and I'm like, look at their brain. And then it was, marijuana is innocuous. Marijuana is good medicine. And I published a study on a thousand marijuana users. Every area of their brain was lower in blood flow than our healthy group. And that was just replicated by a group completely separate from me. They looked at a thousand young marijuana users, and the areas especially involved in learning and memory were impaired. And now from the White House, well, psilocybin, we should study it, and we should. But the problem is now they're having mushroom parties on college campuses, and the incidence of psilocybin psychosis has gone up dramatically. I'm like, you know, if you're anxious, let me teach you diaphragmatic breathing. Let me teach you to get rid of the aspartame in Diet Coke. Did you know aspartame can actually cause generational anxiety, which is really interesting. Kill the diet soda.

[Bill Rancic]

Yes.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

They had this interesting study on mice where they gave them aspartame in normal doses. So not like 500 times what a mouse should have. Not that mice should have them made them really anxious. But what they then found was their babies were anxious and their grandbabies were anxious even though they never had aspartame.

[Bill Rancic]

Wow.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Isn't that interesting?

[Bill Rancic]

That is.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

So anyway, so the whole marijuana thing, I am not a fan. It increase the risk of psychosis once you start. Some people don't stop. It decreases motivation. So I have this very fun story. One of my patients, Public Knowledge, he did my podcast, Julius Randall. He's three time NBA all star. All NBA team twice. I mean, he's. He's just a wonderful superstar. And when I met him two years ago, he was smoking pot. You can smoke pot in the NBA, which I think is insane. He was smoking pot, he was depressed. He was in New York, and the media were terrible to him. And he's about to get divorced. And I'm like, julius, I'm going to be your Best investment immediately stop smoking pot. Because he could see the damage in his brain. And I'm like, you are playing at a very high level. You need your cerebellum back. Bottom part of the brain to work right. Taught him how to not believe every stupid thing he thinks. We did a treatment called emdr, which I'm a huge fan of, helps with past trauma. He grew up with some trauma and he was known for falling apart in the playoffs. And last year he had the best playoffs of his career and he's playing great right now. And it's. It's just. They all believe the lie.

[Juliana Rancic]

Yes.

[Bill Rancic]

Yeah.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

That marijuana is innocuous and it's not. That is worse than alcohol. They're both bad.

[Juliana Rancic]

We loved having you on. We love you. We think you are just a jewel. We follow you. We love all the advice you give. So thank you so much.

[Bill Rancic]

We so appreciate you. Thank you.

[Dr. Daniel Amen]

Thank you so much.

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