Jeff Krasno: Bad vs. Good Stress, Fasting, & Healing Through Hard Conversations

In this episode of The Art of Being Well, I sit down with Jeff Krasno, the visionary behind Wanderlust and CEO of Commune, to discuss how stress—when used correctly—can be a powerful tool for better health. Jeff opens up about his own wellness journey, how he reversed diabetes and lost 60 pounds, and the principles behind his upcoming book, Good Stress. We explore the distinction between good and bad stress, the unexpected health benefits of hard conversations, and how fasting can go beyond the physical to support mental clarity and emotional resilience. Jeff also shares his perspective on the evolving wellness space and how embracing challenges can lead to a more fulfilled life. If you’re looking to reframe stress and adopt new wellness tools, this episode is packed with valuable insights.

Jeff is the co-founder and CEO of Commune, a masterclass platform for personal and societal well-being. He hosts the Commune podcast, interviewing a wide variety of luminaries from Andrew Huberman and Marianne Williamson to Matthew McConaughey and Gabor Maté. Jeff pens a personal weekly essay titled “ Commusings ” that explores spirituality, wellness and culture and is distributed to over one million subscribers every Sunday.

Jeff is the creator of GOOD STRESS, a collection of wellness protocols that he developed to reverse his diabetes, lose 60 pounds and reclaim his health at age 50. The book, Good Stress: The Health Benefits of Doing Hard Things is being published March 25, 2025 (Hay House // Penguin Random House). Jeff is also the co-creator of Wanderlust, a global series of wellness events. In 2016, he was selected by Oprah Winfrey to be part of the SuperSoul100 as one of the nation’s leading entrepreneurs. In 1995, Jeff married his college sweetheart, Schuyler Grant. They live in Los Angeles and have three daughters.

A few of my favorite things we cover in this episode: 

•  Jeff Krasno’s background and the genesis of Wunderlust
• The inspiration behind Jeff’s upcoming book and why embracing hard things is essential for growth.
• Understanding the difference between good stress and bad stress, and how the right kind of stress can actually benefit health.
• Exploring the connection between hard conversations and overall well-being, and how they create a positive hormetic effect.
• Jeff shares how fasting provided unexpected benefits beyond the physical, and why it became one of the most profound practices in his life.

Links to things we talked about in this episode: 

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• Tap into your vitality this January. Visit oxfordhealthspan.com and use code WILLCOLE for an exclusive 15% discount.
• Seed.com/willcole and use code willcole to get 25% off your first month. 

Happy listening and we hope you learned a little bit more on the art of being well!

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In Health,

Dr. Will Cole