Former CDC Director on Rebuilding Public Health and Trust in America | Dr. Tom Frieden

Mark Hyman

22 oct 2025

Episode description

My guest today on The Dr. Hyman Show, Dr. Tom Frieden has spent decades proving how small, smart changes can save millions of lives. 

We talk about his new book, The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own—a fascinating look at what really works to prevent disease and rebuild public trust. We also dive into his See–Believe–Create framework—how it connects public policy with personal action to make prevention the easy choice.

Catch the full conversation on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. 

We unpack: 

• Why rebuilding trust in public health is key to protecting your own wellbeing 

• How balancing sodium and potassium could transform your heart health 

• What the food industry learned from Big Tobacco—and how to take back control of your choices 

• Simple policy shifts that could save millions of lives and make prevention easier for everyone 

• How AI and team-based care could shape a future of medicine that works for you 

We already know what works. The challenge is putting it into action. This conversation is about how each of us can help create that change, one small step at a time. 

View Show Notes From This Episode 

Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hyman https://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast 

Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journal https://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast 

Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Health 

https://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox 

Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Results 

https://

Episode description

My guest today on The Dr. Hyman Show, Dr. Tom Frieden has spent decades proving how small, smart changes can save millions of lives. 

We talk about his new book, The Formula for Better Health: How to Save Millions of Lives—Including Your Own—a fascinating look at what really works to prevent disease and rebuild public trust. We also dive into his See–Believe–Create framework—how it connects public policy with personal action to make prevention the easy choice.

Catch the full conversation on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. 

We unpack: 

• Why rebuilding trust in public health is key to protecting your own wellbeing 

• How balancing sodium and potassium could transform your heart health 

• What the food industry learned from Big Tobacco—and how to take back control of your choices 

• Simple policy shifts that could save millions of lives and make prevention easier for everyone 

• How AI and team-based care could shape a future of medicine that works for you 

We already know what works. The challenge is putting it into action. This conversation is about how each of us can help create that change, one small step at a time. 

View Show Notes From This Episode 

Get Free Weekly Health Tips from Dr. Hyman https://drhyman.com/pages/picks?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast 

Sign Up for Dr. Hyman’s Weekly Longevity Journal https://drhyman.com/pages/longevity?utm_campaign=shownotes&utm_medium=banner&utm_source=podcast 

Join the 10-Day Detox to Reset Your Health 

https://drhyman.com/pages/10-day-detox 

Join the Hyman Hive for Expert Support and Real Results 

https://

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Consider B12 supplementation to lower dementia risk

Even if your B12 levels are 'normal,' taking a supplement might help reduce dementia risk because lab tests can miss subtle deficiencies.

Reject future invitations by assessing immediate desire

To counteract 'hyperbolic discounting' (shortchanging the future), when you get an invitation for months away, ask yourself if you would want to do it tomorrow; if not, say no.

Implement black stop-sign warning labels to reduce food consumption

Studies show that simple traffic light or letter-grade food labels don't work; the only thing that substantially reduces consumption is a black stop-sign warning label.

Rethink cholesterol: not all LDL is bad, not all HDL is good

The idea of LDL being 'bad' and HDL being 'good' is too simple, as there are hundreds of types, with some HDLs being unhealthy and some LDLs being healthy.

Prioritize blood pressure and lipid control over sugar for diabetes management

For a person with diabetes, the health gain from controlling blood pressure and lipids is far greater than the health gain from controlling sugar.

Recognize salt as a greater public health threat than sugar

After decades of consideration, Dr. Frieden concludes that salt kills more people than sugar, making it a more significant public health threat.

Overcome opposition to implement impactful public health changes

The biggest public health changes come from small changes affecting many people, but these face powerful, organized opposition from the few who face concentrated losses, like industry.

Recognize tobacco's engineered addiction through rapid nicotine delivery

A single puff of a modern cigarette is designed to deliver more free nicotine to your brain, and faster, than an intravenous injection of nicotine.

Switch to potassium-enriched salt to lower heart attack risk

One of the best life hacks is to simply switch to a potassium-enriched, low-sodium salt at home to reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke.

DESCARGA LA APLICACIÓN

Descubre la sabiduría de la longevidad

DESCARGA LA APLICACIÓN

Descubre la sabiduría de la longevidad

DESCARGA LA APLICACIÓN

Descubre la sabiduría de la longevidad