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What drives us to accept a healthcare system that only slaps Band-Aids on our problems while ignoring their root causes?
The conventional approach to medicine—treating lungs, kidneys, and heart as if they’re sitting in separate jars—has become the fundamental paradigm that prevents true healing.
My guest today is Dr. Robin Berzin, the Founder and CEO of Parsley Health, who stands at the precipice of a healthcare revolution. Her work is particularly remarkable because she’s done what seemed impossible: making functional medicine both affordable and accessible nationwide through telehealth. The typical response I get from audiences after hosting functional medicine doctors is: “Amazing, but I can’t afford to see them; they’re not taking new patients; or I don’t live in New York or LA.” Dr. Berzin has solved this through a scalable virtual care model available in all 50 states.
Starting from a bootstrapped clinic in a WeWork, Parsley Health has grown dramatically—now even achieving in-network insurance coverage for almost 15 million people in New York and California, with plans to expand. Dr. Berzin’s trajectory demonstrates how treating root causes isn’t just more effective—it’s more economical. Her data is compelling: 80% of patients significantly improve or resolve their chronic conditions within their first year, reducing prescription drug burden by 65% and specialist visits by 77%. This success stems from her fundamental understanding that the body isn’t a collection of separate parts, but one interconnected ecosystem requiring comprehensive care.
“Ninety-nine percent of our health happens to us outside a doctor’s office.”
– ROBIN BERZIN, MD
Today, we explore how millions suffer from what Dr. Berzin calls “FLC—feel like crap syndrome,” battling gut dysbiosis, metabolic dysregulation, and autoimmune conditions that standard medicine often fails to recognize, let alone treat effectively. Through her innovative “Brains, Bones and Booty” protocol, Dr. Berzin demonstrates that treating the whole person isn’t just possible—it’s transformative.
Our conversation spans everything from GLP-1s to supplements, reshaping traditional wisdom about health optimization. What’s remarkable is that despite the obvious need, Parsley Health stands alone in 2024 as the only organization to successfully scale this model of care. Together, we consider her vision for medicine’s future—one where prevention and root cause resolution become the norm, not the exception.
Our discussion revolves around the delicate interplay between physiology and psychology, and how lasting wellness requires more than just medical interventions. Success demands a comprehensive system of patient engagement, ongoing support, and consistent follow-up care to guide people on their path to optimal health.
NOTE: If you’d like to learn more, Parsley has offered $150 off their membership—valid only for cash-pay members (not available for those paying with insurance) with promo code RICHROLL.
For those who prefer a visual experience, the conversation is available on YouTube. As always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
I left this conversation deeply moved by Dr. Berzin’s vision. She proves there’s a better way forward—one that makes functional medicine accessible to all by treating people, not just symptoms.
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AG1: If there’s one product I trust to support my whole-body health, it’s AG1, and that’s why I’ve partnered with them for so long. Every week of November, AG1 will be running a special Black Friday offer for a FREE gift with your first subscription, in addition to the Welcome Kit with 5 AG1 travel packs and a bottle of Vitamin D3+K2. Visit drinkAG1.com/richroll to learn more.
-Parsley Health: Website | Instagram | Facebook
-Book: State Change: End Anxiety, Beat Burnout, and Ignite a New Baseline of Energy and Flow
-Book: Prescription for Happiness: How to Eat, Move, and Supplement for Peak Mental Health
-Robin’s Newsletter: Sign up here
-Forbes: With New Book, Parsley Health Founder Dr. Robin Berzin Wants To Bring Holistic Health To All
-Forbes: How Parsley Health Pivoted From Chic Clinics To A National Telehealth Platform
-Well+Good: Robin’s Stories
-BeautyINC: Dr. Robin Berzin on Parsley Health’s Approach to Medicine
-Women’s Health: This Doctor Is Changing The Way We See Medicine
-Fierce Healthcare: Parsley Health inks deals with California, New York insurers, now in-network for 10M patients
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Thank The Team: I do not do this alone. Send your love to Jason Camiolo for audio engineering, production, show notes and interstitial music; with additional audio engineering by Cale Curtis and additional music by Moby; Blake Curtis & Dan Drake for video, & editing; graphics by Alejandro Ribadeneira & Bryan Lawrence; portraits by Davy Greenberg, Grayson Wilder & Gizelle Peters; copywriting by Ben Pryor; and theme music by Tyler Piatt, Trapper Piatt & Hari Mathis.
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