Full Breakdown
Norah O'Donnell Launches “Healthful,” a Women’s-Health Podcast
7/16/2026, 12:51:37 PM
Core Announcement
CBS News senior correspondent Norah O'Donnell will debut the weekly podcast “Healthful” on July 22, 2026. Episodes drop every Wednesday and focus on women’s health topics—including reproductive health, menopause, cancer research, the gut microbiome, and sexual health. A recurring “Turning the Tables” segment puts O'Donnell in the interview chair to answer questions about her own wellness habits.
Career Background
After stepping down as anchor of the “CBS Evening News” in January 2025, O'Donnell remained with CBS as a senior correspondent, contributing to “60 Minutes” and “Person to Person.” Earlier roles included chief White House correspondent (CBS, 2011), co-host of “CBS This Morning,” and the network’s only Washington-based evening-news anchor.
Podcast Format & Content
Each episode features doctors, scientists, and innovators. The premiere episode examines the rising incidence of lung cancer among women who have never smoked; upcoming shows will cover hormone therapy, “movement as medicine,” and the diet-Alzheimer’s connection. The “Turning the Tables” segment allows guests to quiz O'Donnell on her personal health routine.
Personal Wellness Routine
O'Donnell works with personal trainer Kira Stokes two to three times weekly on functional strength and mobility, plays tennis on weekends, and takes a 10- to 20-minute post-dinner walk to manage insulin levels. She rises at 4:30 a.m., starts the day with a smoothie containing turmeric ice cubes, black pepper, frozen blueberries, banana, pineapple, Greek yogurt, almond butter, creatine, and almond milk, eats a salad for lunch, and finishes dinner with protein and vegetables before an 8:30-9 p.m. bedtime.
Why It Matters
O'Donnell frames the series as a response to an “information landscape where women have more access than ever and are more confused than ever.” By delivering “fact-based information that you can trust,” the podcast seeks to cut through misinformation and address health topics that affect virtually every woman.
Official Statements & Responses
In a July 2024 network statement, O'Donnell said, “I have spent 12 years in the anchor chair here at CBS News, connected to a daily broadcast and the rigors of a relentless news cycle. It’s time to do something different.” CBS described the podcast’s aim as “simple … to deliver fact-based information that you can trust.” The network highlighted her shift to a less demanding schedule that allows deeper focus on health journalism.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I'm introducing women to the world's leading experts on all these things that we want to know more about at a time where we have all this access to information, and yet many of us are more confused than ever,” — Norah O'Donnell, CBS News senior correspondent
- “Every week I want to bring you the latest science and trusted medical expertise,” — Norah O'Donnell, podcast trailer
- “Our goal is simple … to deliver fact-based information that you can trust,” — Norah O'Donnell, CBS announcement
- “As a journalist I always say, ‘Tell me something I don't know,’ and we're really doing that with this podcast,” — Norah O'Donnell, Women’s Health interview
- “I actually like the mornings because it's kind of my quiet time, and I can read and get a lot done,” — Norah O'Donnell, Women’s Health interview
What’s Next
New episodes will continue every Wednesday beginning July 22, with additional topics announced on the podcast’s official channels. Listeners can submit questions for future shows, keeping the series interactive and responsive to audience concerns.
