Health Gig

Santana Moss is a television and radio analyst and former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League for 14 seasons, 10 of which were with the Washington Redskins. Santana Moss now hosts is own Podcast, and YouTube Show The Santana Moss Show and. He also runs a foundation called 89 Ways to Give. In this interview Moss talks about wanting more from life in early childhood. He shares his insights on perseverance and how “working for what you want” is the key to a good life. He encourages us to roll the dice on ourselves and don’t let regret of not doing something prevail. Moss also shares his wisdom on taking care of our body and mind, the power of humility and transcending victimhood in this empowering podcast.

Our guest today is ABC News correspondent and best selling author Dan Harris at ABC. Dan has been co-anchor on Good Morning America and on Nightline. Although Dan has recently stepped down as the anchor of Nightline to focus more on the business that has grown out of his New York Times bestselling book on meditation, 10 Percent Happier How I Tamed the Voice in my Head, Reduced stress without losing my edge and Found Self-Help that actually works. Dan continues to co-anchor the weekend edition of Good Morning America as he hosts an ABC radio podcast inspired by his book called 10 Percent Happier with Dan Harris. We are so excited to have Dan with us today to talk about how meditation has impacted his life and how we can all get started meditating. Dan’s life took a radical turn when he was on the air on Good Morning America in June 20034 and had a panic attack. He turned to meditation to turn around the inner narrator in his head. His first meditation experience was terrible. He confesses it took him a year to move from 5 minutes up to 10 minutes. In this podcast, he will tell you why feeling anger or fear during meditation is just something to notice. Today he is a meditation evangelist who caters to skeptics. Once you know what is happening in your mind, you don’t have to get yanked around by it. Harris explains, “The good news is that you are not stuck with your level of happiness, your level of calm, your level of distractibility, your level of compassion. These are all skills that are susceptible to training.” Dive into the details on this incredible podcast on the calm, focus and mindfulness which can be yours through the practice of meditation. More From Dan Harris Twitter @10percent Facebook @tenpercenthappier Instagram: @tenpercenthappier

Dr. Matthew Johnson is the associate professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He is an experimental psychologist and an expert on psychoactive drugs (such as psilocybin) in the psychology of addiction and risk behavior for over 12 years. In this podcast Dr. Johnson describes how the psychoactive drugs act like a psychological therapy, where self observation can be heightened like a helicopter shortcutting a patient to the top of the mountain to deal with addiction or depression. Often only one experience is life changing. Unlike most traditional drugs, psilocybin is not addictive and there are no known lethal doses. In addition, this type of therapy works to treat the underlying roots of disorders rather than treating symptoms. Psychoactive drugs tend to connect different areas of the brain, causing synchronicity to occur. Dr. Matthew Johnson explains that often times facing the adversity in life is where you find the meaning in it.

Tricia and I are delighted that Dr. Jim Allison and Dr. Padmanee Sharma are with us today on Health Gig. Both are pioneers in the cancer world. One of them is a Nobel Prize winner and they are married. Their lives are so fascinating that we think there should be a movie about them -- but wait a minute -- there is. In this interview you will learn how to tenaciously stand up for your ideas despite decades of skepticism and resistance within the status quo. By tenaciously pursuing a new path and a bold idea, a totally new form of cancer treatment (found within your own immune system) was discovered by Dr. Allison. By turning off the “off switch” of T cells (the soldier cells which fight disease) your own body can actually get these defense cells to keep fighting remnants of cancer until they are totally gone from the body. Plus these T cells are trained for any recurrence of this type of cancer (similar to the way a vaccine works in your body). In addition to understanding the basis for Dr. Allison’s Nobel Prize and the hopeful future of cancer treatment, you will get the backstory of this hero's journey. We cover stories from the time Dr. Allison’s father was a country doctor getting paid for his house calls in tamales and the initial letter Dr. Sharma drafted to speed up their first scientific collaboration -- all the way up to the couple’s scientific collaborations and happy marriage.

Brad Snyder calls himself a dreamer and a doer. He is a retired U.S. Navy officer who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan after a battlefield injury that resulted in complete blindness. Brad began his second career as a U.S. Paralympian. Brad has competed at two Paralympic Games, earning five gold medals, two silver medals and a world record at all. He is a wonderful, remarkable man. After his injury he and his family found comfort and freedom in his childhood routine of swimming. Once he learned to navigate the water, Brad Snyder won a gold medal on the anniversary of the day he lost his sight. Brad explains that once you have a near death experience, you emerge on the other side thankful, and ironically gaining more than you have lost. In this podcast you will learn to give up on the things you can not control, (such as what people think of you), and make the most of the things you can control. Persistence and a positive outlook are not always easy, but the outcome certainly is stunning. More From Brad Synder Webpage http://bradsnyder.us Twitter @BradSnyderUSA Facebook @BradSnyderUSA Instagram @bradsnyderusa

Dr. Mary Neal is board certified orthopedic spine surgeon and she's an author -- two times over. In this interview she talks about how she spent 30 minutes without oxygen underwater but came back to life. During those thirty minutes she felt a shift in time and dimension and she watched her body being pulled to the shore. She explains how she didn’t feel unconscious, she felt more conscious and more alive than she has ever felt. In this interview she shares that there are millions of people who have had this life after death experience and that the stories people share upon returning are similar. She explains, “You can't go through an experience like this without having everything about you change. And I will say that I spent many months afterwards trying to come up with a scientific or medical explanation and ultimately was unable to.” Dr. Neal believes that it's a false choice to either believe science or believe in a spiritual world because they co-exist and integrate very easily even though they are very different. She explains, “They answer different questions. Science will always be the means by which we try to figure out how things work and spirituality will always be the pathway by which we answer the questions of meaning and purpose.” She explains that it is ironic people feel threatened by spirituality because in death “all relationships are reconciled and there is nothing but love”. To find your true path, she explains, you must leave the couch, try things and wait for a sign to see if you are headed in the right direction. More From Dr. Mary Neal Website: www.drmaryneal.com Twitter @drmarycneal Facebook @DrMaryNeal Instagram:@drmaryneal

Tami Simon is the founder and CEO of Sounds True, a multimedia publishing company with a mission to wake up the world, for over 30 years. Tami has been disseminating the wisdom and guidance of today's leading spiritual teachers. Tami is also the host of the popular weekly podcast Insights at the Edge and the author of the audio book Being True: What Matters Most in Work Life and Love. We grew up with Sounds True over the last 25 years listening -- and being so inspired. Tami talks about her candid personality and her early childhood experiences cherishing books which reflected back her inner knowing that the world was interconnected. Working with hundreds of famous leaders and spiritual teachers in her company, she comments that the true litmus test is to observe ourselves and look at how we interact with other people outside of work, books and lectures, backstage. The mindfulness boat is all about “generating greater love, greater understanding, greater appreciation” and deep humility and listening within your daily social interactions. Tami explains that everyone wants to be heard and that is often more productive to listen from a place of not having a position, so that you can surrender to the moment. Humility, she adds, is letting ourselves not always have all the answers. It’s a lot more interesting to be on a path of discovery with other people. In this podcast, you will learn how to be vulnerable, and how to love and accept yourself even in your most dark and difficult moments. What are the most powerful ideas on the frontier? The concept of co-mindfulness - which allows us to see cooperation and understanding in the social structures which drive forward our interconnected future. Sounds True Website: www.soundstrue.com Twitter @soundstrueFacebook @soundstrue Instagram: @soundstrue

Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, LD is the lead dietitian and manager of wellness nutrition services at the Cleveland Clinic Wellness Institute in Cleveland Ohio. She is a best selling author, an experienced presenter and an award winning dietitian. Kristin is asking the question, “How are you fueling?” everywhere she goes, in fact you've probably seen her on the Today Show or The Dr. Oz Show asking this very question. Today Kristin joins us on Heath Gig. Kristin admits, though there is a lot of knowledge within her patient base, many of them don’t look at the practicality of nutrition choices in their lifestyle or their own unique genetics. What works for someone might not work for you. She breaks down different diets including mediterranean, low fat, high fat, dash, ketogenic and vegan. Time restricted eating, or reducing the hours of eating to eight to ten hours is helpful. She also believes that unhealthy eating habits often arise from mental issues and stress which must be addressed. In this podcast you will learn the difference between polyunsaturated fats, trans fats, saturated fats, and monounsaturated fats. You will also understand why carbs which are mixed with fiber reduce your net carbs and why BMI and scales are overrated. Join us in this episode for a deep dive into nutrition. More From Kristin Kirkpatrick Twitter @KristinKirkpat Facebook @kristinkirkpatrickRD Instagram @krissypicks Books Skinny Liver: A Proven Program to Prevent and Reverse the New Silent Epidemic--Fatty Liver Disease by Kristin Kirkpatrick TV The New Rules of Food

Dr. Matt Dawson has been obsessed with performance optimization as long as he can remember. Matt is co-founder of Wild Health, has his own personalized medicine practice where he works in genomics and functional medicine. He has lectured in over 20 countries and trained thousands of other physicians. We thought it would be fun to focus our discussion today on CBD oil which is being used to treat seizures, autism, anxiety, sleep issues and more. Dr. Dawson discusses our endocannabinoid system and explains that lower doses (15 to 25 milligrams) tend to work better for anxiety and chronic pain but much higher does work for sleep (100 to 150 milligrams. ) Dr. Dawson outlines how to select CBD oil. Because it is still new in the market it is important to go with bigger more established brands, check for a third party evaluations, and avoid processed versions placed in water and candy. His personal preference is to prioritize the “entourage effect”, which states that the closer to the whole plant that you get the more therapeutic it is. Want to test what is working to improve your health? Looking at sleep is a major area which can impact alzheimer's, chronic disease, performance and immunity. The sleep tracker that Dr. Dawson currently recommends is the Oura Ring so he can measure the therapeutic interventions along side his patients. John Muir once said, “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." Dr. Dawson says this holistic approach applies to the body as well. Listen in to learn about adaptogens, homeostasis, THC, CBD, Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) technology and more. More From Dr. Matt Dawson and Wild Health Wild Health Website: https://www.wildhealthmd.com Wild Health CBD: https://wildhealthcbd.com Facebook: @wildhealthmd Instagram: @wildhealthmd, @wildhealthcbd

Bridgit Fried is a marketing specialist for Epic Private Journeys, a company who specializes in custom travel to exotic locations. She is on the board of directors for Living Classrooms Foundation which strengthens communities and inspires young people to achieve their potential through hands-on education and job training. In this podcast she talks about her transition from the local Billy Goat Trail, to climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. It all started with a formulation in her head, declaring that she wanted to expand her world. She explains, once you commit to an idea and decide you want to do it, if you love it, you will do it. Pushing herself mentally, physically and spiritually has become a way of life for Fried. She shares her experiences in Africa where there is no possible way to not be present in the moment as you watch the animals in their environment. She explains, “Every minute something is going on -- something incredibly intense. It’s just almost overwhelming how you feel your place and strength in that natural setting.” She talks about Women’s Adventure Wellness in Patagonia with Epic Private Journeys, and how to pack to go with the flow. She explains that we are all a masterpiece and a work in progress at the same time. She also unpacks happiness. She explains that happiness is not a destination, it is a result. It is not the goal, it flows as a product of doing what you love and working hard. More From Bridgit Fried Website: https://epicprivatejourneys.com Twitter @bridgitfried, @EpicPvtJourneys Facebook @EpicPrivateJourneys Instagram @epicprivatejourneysbridgit, @epicprivatejourneys

We're so happy to have Dr. Howard Weiner on this episode of Health Gig. Dr. Weiner knew he would be a doctor since he was tiny boy and he has left a big impact in the medical field. He is the director and co-founder of the Partners Multiple Sclerosis Center at Brigham and Women's Hospital. He also happens to be a film writer and a film director. In this podcast Dr. Weiner explains MS in basic terms, outlining the stages, the known causes and the evolution of MS medical interventions from the 1990’s into the 2030’s. He predicts the first vaccines will be tested in 5 to 10 years. He also shares that studies have found the further you live from the equator the higher chance you have of contracting MS. Dr. Weiner breaks down Vitamin D3 and gut health. The microbiome of the gut is one of the big revolutions in medicine now. The gut and the microbiome, now considered our second brain, could be the reason we are seeing and increased in some of the autoimmune diseases like MS and Type 1 diabetes. If you were born with a vaginal birth, you get the microbiome from your mother. Dr. Weiner is happy that he can now tell patients with relapsing remitting MS that they can live a normal life. Dr. Weiner is not only a doctor, he is also a book author and a film director. He books include such titles as, Children’s Ward and Curing MS: How Science Is Solving the Mysteries of Multiple Sclerosis. He studied philosophy in college and made a documentary called What Is Life, where he went around the world and interviewed people to ask them the big questions. He also made the film Abe and Phil’s Last Poker Game. He is currently developing two new projects Fire in the Brain and Subways of the Mind. More From Howard L. Weiner, MD Website Brigham Women’s Hospital Wikipedia: Howard_L._Weiner Facebook @BrighamandWomensHospital Twitter @BrighamWomens Instagram @brighamandwomens Linkedin Brigham Women’s Hospital YouTube: @Brighamandwomens

Doro talks with her nieces, Jenna Bush Hager, co-host of NBC's Today Show and an editor-at-large for Southern Living magazine and Barbara Bush,  the board chair and cofounder of Global Health Corps, an organization that has mobilized almost one thousand young leaders to take an innovative approach to solving some of the world's biggest global health challenges.  This charming family interview includes how both Barbara and Jenna found their callings and have made their mark on the world.  They open up about their daily morning routines, favorite interviews, biggest mistakes, and favorite mindful app.   They teach us to let go of the perceptions of others, ground with breathwork and intentions in the morning, take walks after dinner and stay curious about this wild and wonderful life.   Perhaps their greatest gift as children was to be given the permission to make mistakes and let go of perfection.  Both Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager are New York Times Best Selling authors. Their books include, Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life By Jenna Bush Hager and Barbara Bush and Anna’s Story: A Story of Hope by Jenna Bush. More From Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hagar Global Health Foundation Website: https://ghcorps.org/ Hoda & Jenna Show: https://www.today.com/hoda-and-jenna Twitter @JennaBushHager, @ghcorps Facebook @jennabushhager @GlobalHealthCorps Instagram: @jennabhager, @todayshow, @globalhealthcorps Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/global-health-corps/ Books by Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hagar Sisters First: Stories from Our Wild and Wonderful Life By Bush Hager, Jenna, Barbara Pierce Bush Anna’s Story: A Story of Hope by Jenna Bush  Our Big Back Yard by Jenna Bush  Ready All About it by Jenna Bush

We are so excited to have Dr. Tracy Freeman (BB&R’s Chief Medical Officer) in the studio today to share her thoughts on fatigue. She is a doctor who specializes in holistic medicine and integrative medicine. Dr. Freeman is noticing more and more people coming into her office who are complaining that they lack the energy to live their optimal lives. This can be caused by being over scheduled. We create ongoing and never ending duties and to do lists that undermine our well being. Women often feel that they need to keep going going going and doing doing doing. She explains that vitamin D3 can help fight fatigue. Vitamin D3 is actually not a vitamin it is a hormone that integrates with the cholesterol in our skin. Fair skinned people need 10 minutes of sun a day (when at it’s high point 11am to 1pm). Dark skin people need about 30 minutes a day. Dr. Freeman also talks about our second brain (our gut) and breaks down what you need to know about probiotics. She talks about how to rotate brands of pills (minimum 25 billion CFU) and get them naturally in things like apple cider vinegar and fermented foods. The light on computer screens can also keep our brain in day mode, but herbs like basil, ashwagandha and rhodiola actually tell the brain, “just take it easy for a moment let it go”. If you have problems staying asleep your adrenal glands may be overworked from stress and chronic fatigue. If you are feeling severe and chronic fatigue that is not linked to your lifestyle it might be time for a workup on anemia, mono or lyme disease.

Florence Williams is a journalist who writes about the connections between people, health and nature. In this podcast she tells us about the superpowers of nature. Her book The Nature Fix reveals that even five minutes in nature can start to make a difference. The optimal goal is to have 5 hours in nature a month (which is about two 30-40 minutes in nature per week). After 20 minutes in nature our blood pressure starts to drop, our respiration can calm our entire nervous system, we have an expanded perception of time, we move into alpha brain waves and we become less short tempered throughout the day. Studies show that people with views of nature from their hospital bed need less pain medication and prisoners with nature on the walls of the gym have lower incidences of aggression. Studies also show that depression and rumination goes down on a 60 minute walk in nature but not in the city, which makes finding a park or something natural optimal. Williams also teaches us about forest bathing, popularized by Shinrin-yoku. It talks about the benefits of opening yourself up to all of your senses when you are in nature. When you can turn off running through the to-do list and move into a sensory, mindful mode, your blood pressure drops, your mood gets boosted and your heart rate variability improves. Nature is truly a superpower and we all deserve to have a park less than 10 minutes away. Florence Williams is the author of The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative as well as Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History which won the 2012 Los Angeles Times Book Prize the 2012 Audie Award and a notable book of 2012 by the New York Times. Official Website: www.florencewilliams.com Books: The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative and Breasts: A Natural and Unnatural History Podcast: The 3-Day Effect and Breasts Unbound Facebook @florencewilliamsauthor Twitter @flowill Instagram @florence999

Antwone Fisher is an award winning writer and director whose life story was captured in the film Antwone Fisher which was directed by Denzel Washington who also costarred in the film with actor Derek Luke in the title role. Antwone's life inspired a Hollywood movie because he was born in prison to a single mother and spent most of his childhood with the foster care family where he was physically, sexually and emotionally abused. And yet Antoine managed to overcome the many traumas he suffered when he joined the Navy where he met Lieutenant Commander Williams a psychiatrist who helped Antoine turn his life around. In today's podcast we are going to talk to Antwone about resilience, dreams, forgiveness, gratitude and community. He was homeless on the streets at age 17 after being released from school. Antwone then joined the Navy and found he could travel the world, work with people from all different backgrounds, and hone his inner confidence. He shows us how he was able to turn a life of terrible circumstances into a life of forgiveness and self empowerment. He used his childhood imagination and survival skills to create a life of his dreams. We hear the incredible story of how he turned a security job at 20th Century Fox, into a quarter million dollar screenplay, and a long career as a professional screenwriter. He is now directing his first feature film called Lincoln Perry.