Health Gig

Pancreatic cancer expert, Dr. Anirban Maitra, is the first Co-Director and Scientific Director of M.D. Anderson Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research at the University of Texas in Houston. As well, Dr. Maitra is the center’s Deputy Division Head of Academic Science and a Professor of Pathology and Translational Molecular Pathology. His time at both John Hopkins and the University of Texas has solidified his position as a leading expert in the field of pancreatic pathology. Dr. Maitra's passion is to improve patient’s survival by discovering and developing ways to detect and treat pancreatic cancer. His conversation is candid, personal, and showcases the widespread effects of this illness. To see Dr. Maitra speak on the importance of progress in the pancreatic cancer research community, follow this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crt1wvXZN3Q.

Chade-Meng Tan (Meng) is an award-winning engineer, international bestselling author, thought leader, movie producer and philanthropist. He is Co-founder of the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute and Co-chair of One Billion Acts of Peace, which has been nominated eight times for the Nobel Peace Prize. He was also Executive Producer of the movie Walk With Me, and Adjunct Professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy in the National University of Singapore. He retired from Google as its "Jolly Good Fellow" at the age of 45. Meng led the creation of a groundbreaking mindfulness-based emotional intelligence course at Google called Search Inside Yourself, which is also the title of Meng’s New York Times bestselling book which has been endorsed by world leaders such as President Carter of the United States, business leaders such as Eric Schmidt of Google and John Mackey of Whole Foods Markets, and spiritual leaders such as the Dalai Lama. Meng hopes Search Inside Yourself will eventually contribute to world peace in a meaningful way. Meng delivered a TED talk on compassion at the United Nations and spoke at the White House about the development of kindness. His personal motto is, “Life is too important to be taken seriously”. To learn more visit http://chademeng.com. More on Chade Meng-Tan Website: http://chademeng.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chademeng LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ctan2/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/chademeng Books Mentioned Win Friends & Influence People: https://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/0671027034 Guns, Germs and Steel - The Fate of Human Societies: https://www.amazon.com/Guns-Germs-Steel-Fates-Societies/dp/0393317552

Jon Meacham, first and foremost is a friend. We were honored to have him speak at both my parents funerals this year and last year. He's also an amazing presidential biographer who's written about Thomas Jefferson, Andrew Jackson, Franklin D Roosevelt, and my father, George H.W. Bush. And the truth is, he knows more about our family than, well, our family does. In this interview, Jon pulls out anecdotal stories which define the personalities and ways of being of our most memorable presidents. He even creates a recipe for the perfect leader based on a combination of four presidents and the traits of: intellectual curiosity, candor, empathy and humility. We learn that self care, mind body and spirit health, and relationships with families and friends is in a sense a reflection of our health as a nation. More From Jon Meacham Website: http://www.jonmeacham.com Book Highlights: Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music That Made a Nation The Soul of America: The Battle for Our Better Angels Twitter @jmeacham Facebook @meachamjon

Erik Moses is Team President of Washington, D.C.’s new XFL team -- DC Defenders. The XFL will reimagine football for the 21st century. The new league is committed to delivering a fan centric, innovative experience, including fast paced games and a family friendly environment complemented by cross platform viewing options and real time fan engagement. The league also focuses on overall player health and safety as well. Erik Moses, originally from central New Jersey, grew up playing sports but was always interested in the business side of the industry as well. The University of North Carolina undergraduate later attended Duke University for law school and that’s where his passion for business began to blossom. The creative thinker, problem solver, attorney, entrepreneur and adjunct professor shares how his new role came about and the importance of having mentors in your life. Moses also shares his take on mindfulness, overall health and his current favorite book. The XFL league and the DC Defenders team has a bright future ahead with an opportunity to be a innovative league, both for rule changes, for executives, players, coaches, officials and others who aspire to the top league in this particular sport, which is the NFL. “I want to build a beloved D.C. sports team. I want this team to represent this community in this region and the values of this community, broadly speaking. I want it to be the kind of team and players and coaches and administrators where people are proud to be represented by us, Moses said.” For More Info on Erik Moses and The DC Defenders Website: https://www.xfl.com/en-US/teams/washington-dc Twitter: @DCSportsCEO and @XFLDefenders Facebook: @XFLDefenders Instagram: @xflDefenders LinkedIn: Erik A. Moses

We are so happy to be here with Suzan Murray, who is the program director of the Global Health Program of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. She has been with Smithsoanian for over 30 years -- thirteen of which was as head of the National Zoo hospital. She is now working with the Smithsonian Global Health Program to build bridges and create international collaborations to increase and diffuse knowledge in wildlife and human health care. In this podcast, Murray talks about how the health of the environment, humans and animals is inextricably linked. Illnesses that are in the wildlife population can jump into the human population, just like the Coronavirus. Murray is working with UC Davis and USAID on a project called PREDICT which uses modeling to identify the regions in which the next emerging disease is most likely to erupt. Murray also talks about the pandas, the elephants and even the incredible flying fox. Murray is enamored by all of the diverse expertises needed to care for wildlife. She sees the clear power of interdisciplinary and international teams working together to solve the world’s problems. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the Smithsonian will host the 2020 #EarthOptimism Summit in Washington, DC on April 22-25th. The Summit will showcase stories of both small- and large-scale actions that frame the conversation and demonstrate that success is possible.

Zenka is a futurist. She is a thought leader in the future of extended reality, virtual augmented in mixed reality, big picture thinking and exponential change. She works as an advocate for collaboration tools and models which can allow humanity to flourish. In this podcast Zenka admits that people can feel outstripped by all the technology terminology coming through at such a fast pace, but she believes it’s important to remember that there is a brand new opportunity underfoot. Even though it is easy to sit back, companies are actually listening to what we want as consumers. This is our chance to get into the driver’s seat, create a new precedent, and ask for everything we and our communities need to thrive in our lives. She argues, when we step back, things have never been better. We are living twice as long, women are offering a new balance to our decision making, and we have more than enough tools to solve even our biggest challenges. The key is to come together to direct ourselves, rather than letting the technology or autopilot type inertia direct us. In this interview you will learn about the power of our subconscious mind, meditation headsets, voice diagnostic AI, the power of heart and brain coherence, the human genome, and health trackers that give you a window into your emotions. Zenka believes everyone has a gift and a part to play in creating our new future - each little nudge and joyful creation helps get us there. More From Zenka Caro Website www.zenka.org Instgram @hellozenka Twitter @hellozenka Facebook @hellozenka

Mitchell is a former all pro NFL linebacker who early in his career suffered an injury on the field that left him partially paralyzed with his career, body and identity destroyed and the doctors unable to help him. Keith lost his sense of identity and suffered from depression and even suicidal thoughts. A nurse recommended that Keith try controlled breathing, which eventually led him to meditation and yoga. Today, Keith is a master certified yoga instructor who through his Light It Up charity foundation is bringing yoga and mindfulness meditation to children, vets, first responders, former NFL players and other trauma survivors. In this inspiring podcast you will learn how breath supports our internal organs and how to use it to manifest love and direction in your life. Keith shares why keeping your identity fluid is critical and why he is so focused on being more human. Mitchell’s life’s mission is to see how much greatness we can put into the world. He explains, “We can't eat money. We can't connect to money, but we can connect to people. We can build a community of people, of conscious thinkers. We can take problems that are happening in our world and we can create a collective and solve them.” Love, specifically self-love, Mitchell explains, naturally goes into other people. What does a fully loved you look like? His new book, The Mindfulness Playbook explains more and will help your turn your world into a playground. More From Keith Mitchell Website www.keithmitchell59.com Book: The Mindfulness Playbook Foundation: Light It Up Foundation Twitter @K_Mitchell59 Facebook @keithmitchell59, @thelightitupfoundation Instagram@keithmitchell59 YouTube Keith Mitchell

Ryan Zimmerman’s nickname is Mr. National. He has been breaking records and playing professional baseball for the Washington Nationals for fifteen years. Last year, Zimmerman helped lead the team to their first ever World Series win and is truly a hometown hero. In this interview Ryan tells us about growing up with athletic parents who pushed him to constantly play outdoors. As a teenager, he found himself learning to cook and help around the house, as is mother was diagnosed with M.S. and confined to a wheelchair. Now, with his own experience as a parent under is belt, he explains that good parenting is really about good listening and showing up daily for your kids in thick and thin. He hopes to show his children that baseball is a great sport because it teaches you that life is not perfect (even though Instagram and Facebook make it seem like that). Failure is an opportunity, he explains. Listen in to learn what a day in the life of a major league baseball hero feels like and why luck happens to those who get out of the backseat, stop blaming people and simply prepare for upcoming opportunities in life. More From Ryan Zimmerman Foundation Website: https://zimsfoundation.org Twitter @zimsfoundation Instagram: @ryanzimmerman11 Facebook @ziMSfoundation, @RyanZimmermanOfficial Wikipedia: Ryan Zimmerman YouTube: ziMSFoundation

Vinny Ferraro has been a practitioner of insight meditation (vipassanā) since the mid 90’s and he is the co-founder of the Dharma Punxs. He's been the guiding teacher of Sangha in San Francisco for 15 years. He is also a nationally recognized leader in designing and implementing interventions for at-risk adolescents and is a senior trainer for Mindful Schools. Ferraro explains that our nervous system is trying to protect us from danger and it often becomes hyper vigilant. This can make us very uncomfortable in our experience. It can also cause us to check out - run through addiction, relationships, food and a thousand other things. Your mind can literally highjack your life. Ferraro explains that mindfulness is almost a silver bullet because for most all people it can put us back in relationship with ourselves and our bodies and direct our attention to a different dimension of our experience. Then we are freed up to place our attention on things we feel are worthy. Our awareness becomes almost a super power. In this podcast, he also explains that self-compassion and letting go of the tyranny of perfection is critical. Life is not something you can do wrong. Once we're able to see obstacles as doorways, then we see that whatever we think was IN the way IS the way. We can literally turn curses into blessings using the alchemy of presence. More From Vinny Ferraro Official Website: https://vinnyferraro.org Facebook @vinny.ferraro Other Links Websites: Mindful Schools, Mind Body Awareness Project Twitter @Mindful_Schools Facebook @mindbodyawarenessproject @mindfulschools @AgainstTheStreamMeditation Instagram: @againstthestreammeditation @mindful_schools YouTube: Against The Stream Meditation

American veteran and highly decorated soldier Dan Nevins is a professional speaker who for over a decade has shared an inspirational message of leadership, perseverance, resilience and overcoming adversity with audiences around the globe. His work with professional and business communities enables his passion of sharing and teaching yoga to the world. At one time Dan was horrified to think that he would ever become a Yoga teacher, because the image he had of Yoga didn’t fit at all with the image he had for himself. After having a life changing experience his third time on the mat, he began to realize that yoga and mindfulness meditation help people powerfully return to their bodies and heal themselves definitively from the inside out. He says that many people get disconnected from their body. Yoga helps change the chemicals in the body and reconnect people with their personal power and each other. Dan explains that for him Yoga is a petri dish for his life, teaching him how to slow down, connect, belong and push through all of his limitations. Now, he lives in creation of his life moment to moment rather than in reaction to his life. Ironically self love has a boomerang effect. Dan explains, “What happens if I'm kind to myself? I can actually demonstrate kindness for others much more easily. And what happens when I feel compassion for myself? Then I can find compassion for other people that I might not see eye to eye with.” Listen in to this powerful interview about how Yoga can transform our lives. More From Dan Nevins Official Website: www.dannevins.com http://www.warriorspiritretreat.org/ Linkedin @dannevins Twitter @dannevins Facebook @WarriorSpiritRetreat @thedannevins YouTube @WoundedWarriorProject Instagram @dannevins @warriorspiritretreat

We are hosting in partnership with the Gasparilla Inn, a three day Wellness Experience On January 27 in Boca Grande, Florida. We will be doing cooking demonstrations, walking on the beach and doing yoga every morning. We're going to be learning from world class teachers on how to take better care of ourselves. It's going to be amazing. This is a community affair, and we want all in our community to know that they're welcome and we hope they'll join us. Gasparilla Inn is known for it’s incredible chefs, and the island is a throwback in time where people abandon cars for bikes and golf carts. We will be sharing the experience with Matt Dawson, Keith Mitchell, Kristin Kirkpatrick, Mark Middleton, Dr. Tracy Freeman. Plus the Sweet Potato Queen, Jill Conner Brown, will be with us and she's hilarious. We will learn about laughter, and longevity growing bolder, not older at any age. Wonder how to transform anxiety into peace? We will learn about food and mood and how they relate with one another. We will also learn the distinction between real food vs. food. Come down, get out of the cold, destress, boost your resilience, increase productivity and most importantly join our friends as we build community.

Dr. Brandon Nappi is a spiritual teacher, speaker and writer who passionately believes in the capacity of the human spirit to awaken. Inspired by the common wisdom of the world's spiritual traditions. He has dedicated his life's work to sharing the transformative power of mindfulness practice. He founded Copper Beach Institute in 2014 and is the institute's executive director. In this podcast you will learn about Dr. Nappi’s mission to bring more curiosity and meaning into the world. Curiosity was a special trait his earliest school teachers noticed about him. A turning point in his life was working as a janitor in a church in highschool. He found a world there in the quiet stillness, and began to come alive. Today, he helps others find that world through mindfulness -- which can be done lying down, standing, walking, or sitting. He says this practice of staying present will in effect almost double your life. Recent study show that we spend more than 48% of our time distracted, unconsciously projecting into the past or present. Dr. Nappi naturally felt compassion for others but grew to use mindfulness to cultivate his own self compassion. This double synergy is powerful and without it is like breathing with one lung or flying with one wing. Mindfulness takes courage, but it transforms pain at the root, because pain that isn’t transformed is transferred. When we go through life we can be reactive but mindfulness helps us to look at our life with exceptional courage and compassion, allowing us to respond outside of our normal patterns. It is not enough to want to be kinder and more loving, we must practice our way into whole heartedness. People who visit the Copper Beech Institute often say their hearts have grown ten times. Often when people are not wiling to feel emotions that come with mindfulness we can live in denial and we can begin to self medicate with addiction, self medication, lashing out at others. If we don't take care of our pain, profound depression and anxiety that may seem to have no exact explanation, a kind of vague sense of unease. I'm fond of saying if you can feel everything and anything that a human being can feel, then you will be free. The purpose of our mindfulness practice is freedom, true freedom. And that freedom then makes joy and love and compassion really possible. Website www.copperbeechinstitute.org Live Stream Meditation - Mondays EST 12:30pm Facebook Copper Beach Institute, Dr. Brandon Nappi Twitter @CopperBeechCT Instagram @CopperBeachInstitute , @bnappi4

David Feherty is a former professional golfer on the European Tour and PGA Tour. He now works as a writer and broadcaster hosting his own show called Feherty on NBC’s Golf Channel. In this podcast Feherty talks about how he walked out of a high school lecture on rain when he was 17 to become a professional golfer. He also talks about the alcoholism in his family and how that lead to his own encounter with the permanent condition where he some days drank two bottles of whiskey and downed 20 Vicodin. He believes, speaking frankly about his bipolar condition and recovery has been healing for many people. That, and David’s never-ending sense of humor is truly healing. David talks about the missing ingredient in the world today - kindness and the power of coming from a place of non-judgement. More From David Feherty Website: www.feherty.com and www.troopsfirstfoundation.org Podcast: http://www.feherty.com/podcasts Twitter @Fehertwit Facebook @FehertyShow Instagram: @golfchannel

Ronan Tynan is an Irish tenor, physician and former Paralympic athlete who won 18 gold medals and set 14 world records. Ronan gained international acclaim as a member of the Irish Tenors. You can read about his extraordinary life in his autobiography, Halfway Home My Life Till Now. Ronan is here to speak to us about the transcendent power of music and how music can help us live more fully in the moment. Ronan Tynan knew what he wanted to do with his life after an epiphany he had when he was 7 years old. Both of his parents installed him in at an early age that nothing is impossible. Later in life he realized that being a singer was as healing to the world as being a doctor. He realized that vulnerability allows people to open up blockages and that music tends to cleanse people in ways they might not even realize. Not only can music heal divisions within a person it also has the power to transcend and heal divisions that separate us as a society. He explains, “No matter how much anger or contempt that people can have for each other, sometimes a piece of music can bring people and unify people in the most amazing way.” Website: http://ronantynan.net/ Twitter @ronantynan

Ep. 55: Tenia Tapscott - How Does Your Life Story Influence Your Health? - NIHA Dr. Denias Tapscott’s story began in 2014 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. After a traditional medial approach, she shifted and ultimately found her cure at the Institute of Functional Medicine. This process forever changed her career -- and her world view. Dr. Tapscott specializes in functional medicine, adult holistic primary care and obesity medicine. She believes that it's not enough to diagnose a disease or to treat a symptom without understanding the root cause. Testing beyond the conventional labs helps her to address nutritional, metabolic, genetic and hormonal optimization. Tapscott believes that everyone has a life story that influences their health. The functional medicine approach is used for chronic conditions like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dementia, depression, gastrointestinal conditions, cancers, and autoimmune diseases. It doesn’t treat the symptoms with medicine, it looks even deeper to find the root cause of disease. For example, sometimes the root cause of depression can be related to nutritional deficiencies which affect the gut microbiome, which in turn affects the ability to make neurotransmitters. It also might be a sleep problem, too much nutrients or hormonal imbalances. If you want to learn about Omega 3’s, which fish to eat, the rage over the microbiome, vitamin D, and what the intake form looks like the first time you visit a functional medicine doctor, listen in. Dr. Tapscott is generous with her wisdom. She explains, “Too often we rely on someone else or something else to fix us. What we try to emphasize in functional medicine is that you're in control. You just need the knowledge to create your optimal wellness.” More From Denia Tapscott Dr. Denia Tapscott at NIHA: https://www.nihadc.com/practitioners/dr-denia-tapscott-m-d.html Twitter @nihadc Facebook @nationalintegratedhealthassociates Instagram:@deniatapscott