The John Vincent Podcast

What happens when a psychedelic experience intended to unlock human potential leads to psychosis, psychiatric hospitalisation and a complete loss of trust in your own mind?Jonathan Ramalho joins John Vincent to share the extraordinary story behind Beyond The Pill, his exploration of mental health, psychedelics, human potential and recovery. After years exploring human potential, mental health and psychedelics, Jonathan travelled to Guatemala for an ayahuasca retreat. What began as a blissful out of body experience developed into paranoia, frightening hallucinations and what Western medicine would later describe as drug induced psychosis.Jonathan describes being locked away by the shaman, his family arranging for his sister and her partner to rescue him, returning to London while still feeling unsafe in his mind and body, and eventually spending time in psychiatric care.The conversation explores his experience with antipsychotic medication, his refusal to define himself through a schizophrenia label, and the practices he believes helped him rebuild his life. Sleep, real food, movement, introspection, nature, hope, personal responsibility and supportive community became central to his recovery.In this episode you'll learn:◼ How Jonathan’s search for human potential led him from filmmaking and entrepreneurship into researching mental health and psychedelics◼ What happened during his ayahuasca retreat in Guatemala and how a blissful psychedelic experience developed into paranoia, disturbing hallucinations and drug induced psychosis◼ What psychosis felt like from Jonathan’s perspective and why he compares the experience to carrying an invisible psychological weight that nobody else can see◼ Jonathan’s experience of psychiatric hospitalisation, antipsychotic medication and rebuilding stability after his psychedelic experience◼ Why he prefers to view his recovery through the idea of post traumatic growth rather than allowing a psychiatric diagnosis to define his identity◼ The four foundations Jonathan now prioritises for health: sleep, nutrition, movement and mood◼ The relationship between personal responsibility, mental health, human potential and the systems people live withinKey Moments:0:00 Jonathan’s story and the search for human potential8:25 The mental health crisis and exploring psychedelics11:18 The ayahuasca retreat in Guatemala14:48 Hallucinations, fear and drug induced psychosis17:38 Being locked away and rescued by his family22:43 Returning to London and entering psychiatric care25:12 Post traumatic growth and rebuilding after psychosis28:52 Antipsychotic medication and regaining stability32:44 The four foundations for health: sleep, nutrition, movement and mood35:41 Biohacking, wearables and learning to listen to your body41:10 Nature, personal agency and the pressures of modern life53:15 Community, mental health and would Jonathan recommend ayahuasca?

What should we actually eat for a longer, healthier life? Dr Alan Desmond, gastroenterologist and author of What Your Doctor Isn't Telling You About Food, joins John Vincent to examine the evidence behind plant based diets, ultra processed food, dietary fibre, protein, heart disease, obesity, metabolic health and longevity. They explore why health span matters as much as lifespan, why the modern food environment drives chronic disease, what precision nutrition can really tell us, and how GLP 1 medications fit into the future of health. The conversation also examines the NOVA food classification, nutrition education for doctors, meat consumption, the National Food Strategy and the changes needed to create a healthier food system.In this episode you'll learn:◼ Health span versus lifespan and why living longer does not always mean living healthier◼ How the modern food environment contributes to obesity and chronic disease◼ Why nutrition science must evolve as new evidence emerges◼ Precision nutrition and whether personalised diets actually outperform healthy whole food diets◼ Why ultra processed foods now make up such a large proportion of the UK diet◼ The debate around meat, low carbohydrate diets and evidence based nutrition◼ GLP 1 medications, weight loss and the limitations of treating a food environment problem with medication◼ The National Food Strategy and the case for systemic food reformKey Moments:0:00 The global food system and the cost of poor nutrition1:40 Why nutrition science must keep evolving2:34 Plant based nutrition and the current scientific consensus3:00 Lifespan versus health span8:00 Why obesity cannot be explained by personal responsibility alone15:32 The 15 conversations everyone should have about food17:52 Precision nutrition and personalised diets20:44 Why personalised nutrition performed no better than healthy plant based food25:56 Eating at LEON and the importance of accessible healthy food28:06 Why doctors receive so little nutrition education30:00 Nutrition and medical training34:00 Diet and heart disease39:00 Fibre, protein and the foundations of healthy eating45:00 Why eating more plants matters56:00 Growing your own food and reconnecting with nature58:05 How much meat should we actually eat?1:02:00 The case for a plant predominant diet1:08:00 Blood sugar spikes and continuous glucose monitors1:12:13 What ultra processed food actually means1:14:15 The NOVA classification explained1:19:00 Why unprocessed does not automatically mean healthy1:21:45 The debate around diet drinks and artificial sweeteners1:23:34 The food choices that can improve health1:37:40 Low carbohydrate diets and the evidence1:42:17 Food, community and GLP 1 medications1:50:42 The National Food Strategy and reforming the food system1:52:54 John Vincent on the School Food Plan1:55:00 The case for changing how we eat

How did Gaz Oakley go from city-life burnout to a calmer, more authentic life connected to nature?Gaz Oakley, the chef, author and creator joins John Vincent for a powerful conversation about plant based food, burnout, fermentation, herbalism, homesteading, nature deficiency, social media, city life, anxiety, authentic living and the spiritual power of reconnecting with the land.From starting work in professional kitchens at 15, to burning out after years of 80 hour weeks, building a huge YouTube and Instagram audience, leaving London, growing his own food in Wales and discovering the wisdom hidden in plants, Gaz explains why modern life has disconnected so many of us from the food we eat, the seasons we live through and the natural world around us.In this episode you'll learn:◼ Why Gaz Oakley believes society is suffering from “nature deficiency”, and how growing food helped him feel grounded, present and more himself◼ How burnout in professional kitchens pushed him away from restaurant life and eventually led to YouTube, plant based cooking and millions of followers◼ Why social media followers stopped feeling like success, and how Gaz realised he had been living an inauthentic life by chasing trends online◼ How fermentation, sauerkraut, chilli hot sauce and preserving harvests can help people reduce reliance on supermarkets and reconnect with food◼ Why Gaz believes the lawn is “the greatest scam that’s ever existed”, and why balconies, gardens, windowsills, allotments and community growing spaces can all become sources of food◼ What herbs such as mullein, yarrow, southernwood and lemon balm taught Gaz about plant wisdom, folklore, natural remedies and the people who lived before us◼ Why city life can make us forget birdsong, trees, seasons, soil and community, and how people in London and other cities can still start foraging, growing and noticing nature◼ How love, fatherhood, family, community and living closer to the land have reshaped Gaz’s ideas of success, survival, happiness and what it means to provideKey Moments:0:00 Intro to The John Vincent Podcast 1:26 Fermentation, sauerkraut and preserving the harvest3:12 Gaz Oakley on YouTube, Instagram and why followers no longer define success3:53 Living an inauthentic life, chasing trends and feeling ungrounded4:36 Growing up in Cardiff, wanting to play rugby for Wales and discovering cooking6:02 Starting in professional kitchens at 156:57 Burnout, 80 hour weeks and not looking after himself10:04 Leaving restaurants, working in a builder’s yard and finding food again12:06 Going plant based, sharing recipes and launching on social media13:58 Becoming a new person through growing food15:49 Nature deficiency as a physical and spiritual problem16:02 Seasons, indigenous wisdom, weeds, folklore and feeling rooted17:42 City convenience and forgetting the natural world19:56 Mullein, lung health, tinctures and ancient plant uses22:38 Southernwood, folklore and “lads love”23:31 Yarrow, Achilles and the plant wisdom hidden in common weeds24:58 Lemon balm, stress and the calming ritual of making tea25:51 Opening your eyes to nature in the city30:35 The fisherman story and redefining success33:05 Why the countryside felt less lonely than London34:43 Social media as a servant, not a master38:38 The power of learning where your food comes from39:03 Turn your balcony, windowsill or lawn into a farm40:35 Local, seasonal, unpackaged food and avoiding plastic41:48 Why culinary herbs are also part of medicinal plant traditions42:44 Birdsong, lost wisdom and reconnecting with the natural world44:13 Foraging, scything, soil, serotonin and getting dirt under your nails46:42 Community, land, shared skills and intergenerational living48:23 Opening a farm shop in Abergavenny and rebuilding local community51:33 Plants, music, water, weeds and the healing power of nature53:59 Finding your authentic voice online56:33 Love, fatherhood and why Gaz now wants to provide presence, not just money

How does a teenager pushed into a toxic diet culture by the modelling industry end up a three-time Number 1 bestselling nutritionist on a mission to make healthy eating feel normal again?Em the Nutritionist aka Emily English, joins John Vincent live to make the case that nutrition has been made far more complicated, frightening and expensive than it ever needed to be. She shares how a single comment from a modelling agency sent her spiralling into an eating disorder as a teenager, how recovery led her to study nutrition at King's, and why she now believes "your body is not a maths equation."In this episode you'll learn:◼ Why "we don't eat nutrients, we eat food", and how to translate nutrition science into meals you'll actually look forward to ◼ The four everyday pillars she'd give anyone who wants to feel better, starting with sleep and a daily walk ◼ Why your body "isn't a maths equation", and how obsessive tracking can quietly take more from your life than it gives ◼ "Protein diversity is king": how to build meals that leave you fuller and more satisfied without just piling on meat ◼ What the Blue Zones get right that has nothing to do with what's on the plate, and everything to do with how, and who, you eat with ◼ Why she calls it "criminal" to prey on people's insecurities to sell health, and her take on the personalised-nutrition and glucose-monitor boom ◼ How pressure from the modelling industry led to an eating disorder in her teens, and the realisation that set her on the path to recovery and a career in nutrition ◼ Why nutrition should feel normal, joyful and unintimidating, not a source of fearKey Moments: 0:00 Intro 01:02 Starting with the book: So Good Express, her third Number 1 in a row 01:31 The lost romance of cookbooks (and her mum's cocoa-dusted Nigella) 03:40 Recipes that actually work, and the chefs who sabotage theirs on purpose 05:00 Why nutrition doesn't need reinventing at every corner 05:34 Her own story: when food stopped being simple 06:56 The agency photoshoot that changed everything 08:18 Falling into toxic diet culture, and the eating disorder 09:25 "If your goals take more than they give, it's not health" 10:00 Therapy, King's, and turning pain into purpose 12:26 "We don't eat nutrients, we eat food" 14:03 Why nutrition research is so hard: we're all unique 15:27 Why she calls fear-based wellness marketing "criminal" 16:23 The four everyday pillars: sleep, move, whole foods, hydration 17:54 How food makes you feel, during and after 18:30 Being present at the table, and the Blue Zones 20:12 The most important ingredient in health: purpose 22:31 "Your body is not a maths equation" 23:00 The protein question: why "protein diversity is king" 26:29 Rapid fire: meat-only diets, fasts and "your body, your choice" 29:08 What she most wants people to remember: nutrition should be normal

How does someone go from homelessness, poverty and violence to selling over 3 million books worldwide? Number 1 Sunday Times bestselling author Vex King reveals the single mindset shift that ended his victim story, why your sense of purpose only ever exists in the present moment, and the "spiritual ego" trap that keeps so many seekers stuck. Recorded live, this is one of the most honest conversations John Vincent has had on self-love, healing, manifestation and what it really means to live a whole life.Vex King is the Number 1 Sunday Times bestselling author of Good Vibes, Good Life, Healing Is the New High, Closer to Love and Things No One Taught Us About Love. A mind coach and one of the leading voices in modern personal development, Vex rose to fame on Instagram before his debut, Good Vibes, Good Life, went on to sell over 2.5 million copies, get translated into 40 languages, spend 132 weeks on the Sunday Times bestseller list and land at number 18 on the Sunday Times Top 100 books of the past 50 years. Born into hardship after losing his father as a baby, he turned his life around to build an audience of millions.In this episode you'll learn:◼ The mindset shift that ended his victim story, and why seeing yourself as a victim keeps your life stuck◼ Why your purpose only exists in the present moment, and how chasing it in the future is the reason you can't find it◼ The "sunshine" truth that means nothing inside you is ever actually missing◼ Why he walked away from TV shows, lucrative courses and even an approach from OnlyFans to stay aligned with who he is◼ How to tell genuine, nourishing excitement apart from the empty dopamine spike◼ The difference between passion and anger, and why anger never takes you anywhere good◼ How to spot the "spiritual ego" in yourself before it traps youKey Moments:0:00 Intro1:33 The second-ever live John Vincent Podcast2:44 Vex's story begins: a blank canvas3:22 Growing up with homelessness, poverty, violence and racism5:35 The book that changed his life (and how he got hold of it)6:59 Was there a mentor? His mum's visit to the guru10:47 The seed that was planted, and the vanishing woman on the train platform14:59 Synchronicities, omens and deciding to trust the path16:43 Quitting his corporate job with no backup plan17:18 The hustles: clothing lines, the music industry and "Good Vibes Only"21:50 "What are you doing with your life?"22:48 Anger, Wing Chun and the true self25:15 The sunshine analogy: why nothing in you is missing29:21 Why every wisdom tradition points to the same truth30:11 Why you should never take anything personally32:37 The Four Agreements, the Enneagram and our hidden fears36:28 Passion vs anger: "What happened to you?"38:24 Making a living without selling your soul38:47 Turning down TV, courses and OnlyFans to stay aligned42:20 The real price we pay for clinging on43:33 The conversation that changed everything49:22 Why purpose only exists in the present moment51:31 The trap of the spiritual ego55:09 Can a nurse or a bus driver really live this way?56:05 Finding purpose in everyday interactions57:55 The miserable ticket seller who could change lives59:22 Why real change starts small (and starting from zero)1:00:55 How trust compounds over time1:02:23 True excitement vs the dopamine spike1:04:06 Final reflectionsWelcome to The John Vincent Podcast, where we explore ancient healing and modern medicine, and the best ways, both old and new, to help people enjoy naturally healthy lives. Hosted by John Vincent, co-founder of LEON, the podcast brings together the world's leading doctors, scientists, nutritionists, healers and practitioners of indigenous wisdom to explore health in body, mind, spirit and emotion, and to pin down what we can actually do to live and heal well.

When I started The John Vincent Podcast, I did not know I was going to buy back LEON. I recently did so. And it gives me a whole new way of helping you enjoy natural health. And a very practical perspective on how we need to become aware of how everything is linked.When I started The John Vincent Podcast, I did not know I was going to buy back LEON. I recently did so. And it gives me a whole new way of helping you enjoy natural health. And a very practical perspective on how we need to become aware of how everything is linked.

In this episode, I am lucky to have spoken to two doctors and pioneers in preventative medicine.Claire Merifield and Alasdair Scott were doctors in the NHS for years. But after being disillusioned by the medical system, they realised what their patients really needed was preventative, personalised healthcare. So they set up Selph, using their respective expertise to create a system with which they help people get to know their health profiles, risk factors, lifestyle and prevention opportunities through diagnostic testing and health coaching. Claire Merifield is a microbiome PhD, a London GP and a Breathworks Mindfulness instructor.Alasdair Scott is a microbiome scientist, former cancer surgeon in the NHS and a researcher with Imperial College.They cover:Why pivoting to prevention is urgent.Positive proactivity your future health - some of the diseases we think are ‘inevitable’ are actually preventable.Is the study of “medicine” the same thing as the study of “health”?Medicine 3.0: what it is, Lifespan vs health span and personalised medicine How to create achievable goals, avoid unattainable trends, and create environments in which you can access the health you have a right to. The current state of health advice: influencers and scaremongeringEvidence-based vs evidence-informed approaches (there’s an important difference)Understanding testing and diagnosticsWhat counts as ‘safe’ treatmentsThe role of emotional and spiritual health, mindfulness, and the gut in physical wellbeingI’m so grateful to Claire and Alasdair who made a brave leap to do the right thing for us, even if it takes a lot of hard work and re-wiring of how we, as a population, are taught to think about our health. Learn more about Selph here:https://www.selph.co.uk(The information provided in this podcast is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The views expressed by guests are their own. We strongly advise that you contact a registered and experienced healthcare professional if you have any health concerns.)

In this third episode recorded at the Integrative and Personalised Medical Congress 2025, I spoke with Holistic Facialist, Elizabeth King.Elizabeth is Weleda UK's Esthetician Education Lead and has specialised in the anthroposophic-based holistic approach to caring for the skin for over 24 years. An experienced trainer, Elizabeth has created Weleda’s Ofqual regulated, CFI Level 4 Certificate course for Holistic Estheticians, focused on the life of touch. Elizabeth ran a private skincare practice in London and was featured in Vogue as one of the top five facialists. She has looked after many high-profile clients and celebrities over the years and has a particular interest in rosacea, teenage acne, and irritated, hypersensitive skin conditions.In today’s episode, Elizabeth explores:- what are the rhythms in nature that affect our skin and beauty?- How can you work with them to optimise your skincare and self care?- What are the three body types that Elizabeth works with?- Which body type are you?- How will that inform what you put on your skin and how to apply it?- How can your skincare help you find out more about your whole self?- What is a skin barrier?- What is a lymphatic pathway?- What are the surprising effects of the value of touch?- Why nature’s ingredients holds the wisdom our skin is asking for.Elizabeth reminds us to listen to our bodies and planet in a world that makes it easy not to, by honouring nature and individuality in our skincare and self care.Elizabeth’s credentials include:3 year diploma in Health & Beauty TechnologyFurther qualifications: Reflexology, Aromatherapy and energy workPrincipal of Dr. Hauschka UK training (1999-2011) Anthroposophic study through 4 year part-time Eurythmy intensive (2017-2021)(The information provided in this podcast is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The views expressed by guests are their own. We strongly advise that you contact a registered and experienced healthcare professional if you have any health concerns.)