Did you know that cycling has been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer and lift your mood? 

This week, Sarah and Erika talk to Kristine Krueger, a passionate cycling enthusiast and full-time physician devoted to the field of gastroenterology. In this compelling episode, Dr. Krueger discusses how she found her passion for cycling and health after facing down and beating breast cancer. Listen as she discusses how cycling helped lift her depression and navigate her through a difficult time. 

We also listen as Dr. Krueger provides insights into gut health. She explains the gut impact on our bodies and the importance of positive gut health lifestyle choices, including the best way to leverage vitamins and supplements for overall health. 

Dr. Kristine Krueger is a Professor of Medicine and chief of Academic and Clinical Affairs in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition at the University of Louisville School of Medicine.   Her interests in the realm of gastroenterology include helping patients focus on healthy eating and lifestyle, gut microbiome, and alternative medicine for gastrointestinal illnesses. Dr. Krueger was born in Texas, the daughter of an Air Force Pilot, and spent a large part of her childhood and youth moving from town to town. She graduated from Florida State University, where she was a proud member of the FSU Flying High Circus, and then completed her medical degree at the University of Florida. Her proudest accomplishments include raising her daughter (a veterinarian) and her son (an engineer and chef). Besides her busy academic life of seeing patients daily, performing endoscopies, and teaching, she is an avid cycling enthusiast.  

What is a 'Cycle’?

Our bodies have natural body cycles, and more diseases become prevalent as we age. Taking care of our gut microbiome and enjoying regular exercise is crucial to maintaining a good health standard.

For more techniques, tips, and behind the scenes on Connections in Flight:
Instagram: @connectionsinflight;
Facebook: Connections In Flight

Connect with us: [email protected]  

This podcast is proudly produced by the team at Ampel. Ampel is an audio content agency specializing in podcast, radio, and audio content creation. For more information, head to www.ampel.com.au or reach out to us at [email protected]  

Executive Producer: Josh Butt
Head of Strategy: Michelle Lomas 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know that 80% of diseases come from long term underlying stress in the body?

This week, Sarah and Erika talk to Robin Aleksevitch, a Biofeedback Practitioner in Louisville Kentucky. Every therapist needs a therapist, and Robin is the ‘go-to’ person that Erika goes to when the stress of her job catches up with her.

In this incredible discussion, Robin shares her learnings over years of treating patients with various chronic illnesses through Biofeedback. She discusses the effect that chronic illness has on the body, and how chronic stress can cause illness, chronic pain and more.  Biofeedback uses safe microcurrents/frequencies to balance and reeducate the body. Through her treatments, she has helped clients regain optimum health and connect with their bodies to reduce pain, manage stress, headaches, depression, anxiety, insomnia, digestive issues, hormones and inflammation, and so much more. 

What is 'Stress'?

Stress is the feeling of being overloaded, wound-up, tense and worried, and occurs when we face situations we feel we can't cope with. Repeated acute stress and persistent chronic stress contribute to inflammation, causing various health issues.

Discussed in this episode: 

• Dr. Masaru Emoto and the Study of Water
• Learn more about biofeedback 
• Additional link for biofeedback 

For more techniques, tips, and behind the scenes on Connections in Flight: 
Instagram: @connectionsinflight;
Facebook: Connections In Flight
TikTok: @connectionsinflight;
Connect with us: [email protected]  

This podcast is proudly produced by the team at Ampel. Ampel is an audio content agency specializing in podcast, radio, and audio content creation. For more information, head to www.ampel.com.au or reach out to us at [email protected]  

Executive Producer: Josh Butt
Head of Strategy: Michelle Lomas 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Beauty can inspire us, make us happy, and make us feel good. But at what point does our focus on beauty become an impairment rather than something that inspires awe? 

This week, Sarah and Erika discuss the word beauty. In this inspiring episode, Erika shares the concept of awe, and by shifting our focus on what we find beautiful and where we find it, we can lift any negative thoughts and reconnect with our values. They also discuss the importance of beauty and not letting it become an obsession that makes us lose sight of our values. . 

What is 'Beauty'?
Beauty is a combination of qualities in humans or things, such as shape, color, or form, that gives pleasure to the senses, especially the sight.

Discussed in this episode: 

• Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women, By Renee Engeln PhD 
• Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, ByDacher Keltner 
• Live your Values Deck, By Lisa Congdon

For more techniques, tips, and behind the scenes on Connections in Flight:
Instagram: @connectionsinflight;
Facebook: Connections In Flight
TikTok: @connectionsinflight;

Connect with us: [email protected]  

This podcast is proudly produced by the team at Ampel. Ampel is an audio content agency specializing in podcast, radio, and audio content creation. For more information, head to www.ampel.com.au or reach out to us at [email protected]   

Executive Producer: Josh Butt
Head of Strategy: Michelle Lomas

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it mean to live a life of passion? And how can we harness that in our lives to live a life of joy? 

Erika and Sarah sit with the inspirational Annie Locke in this week's episode. Annie is a fitness instructor with a cult local following. As Annie approaches 60, this episode is both her story and reflections on the lessons she has learned. Listen as Annie shares her story of growing up in poverty with an alcoholic mother and how it spurred her to find her passion. And how she uses her passion for good, inspiring others to live healthy lives and seek the positives in life and exercise.

Annie Locke has been in the fitness industry since 1984 in Louisville, Kentucky, starting by owning her studio “Power Moves,” which was her brand for 14 years. She has been running teams for full and half marathons for over 15 years, participated in triathlons, and joined forces with Baptist East Milestone Fitness Center, where she worked for 14 years. Annie became part owner of Pure Barre Summit and served on the franchise consultant board. While working for Pure Barre, she bought Cyclebar Middletown and purchased Cyclebar St Matthews. Annie has over 38 years of fitness training experience with many different fitness certifications. She shares her time with organizations, including Maryhurst Charity, and serves on the board for the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky (BIAK). Annie is a wife to the love of her life,  and mom to two great young adults.

Discussed in this episode: 

• Cyclebar: Middletown Station & St. Matthews
• Maryhurst Charity
• Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky 

For more techniques, tips, and behind the scenes on Connections in Flight:
Instagram: @connectionsinflight;
Facebook: Connections In Flight
TikTok: @connectionsinflight;

Connect with us: [email protected]  

This podcast is proudly produced by the team at Ampel. Ampel is an audio content agency specializing in podcast, radio, and audio content creation. For more information, head to www.ampel.com.au or reach out to us at [email protected]   

Executive Producer: Josh Butt
Head of Strategy: Michelle Lomas 

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we age, as our wrinkles grow and our skin starts to sag, is it ok to be vain? And how can we be kinder to ourselves as we age? 

In this intriguing episode, Sarah raises the question with Erika, when is being vain a little too much and how can we be more accepting of the aging process?  Sarah is married to a plastic surgeon, which means she has a wealth of procedures at her fingertip. And as each year reveals more signs of aging, she opens up about how her obsession with appearing younger has increased

In this honest and raw conversation, Erika discusses Vanity with Sarah in the context of how we view the world and how the world has shaped our perspective and values on vanity, and ultimately how we can be kinder to ourselves as we age. 

What is 'Vanity’'?

Vanity can be categorized as an excessive concern over physical appearance and achievements, along with an inflated self view.

Discussed in this episode are the 10 Cognitive Distortions

1. All-or-Nothing Thinking: You think about yourself or the world in black or white, all or nothing categories. Shades of gray do not exist. 
2. Overgeneralization: You think about a negative event as a never-ending pattern of defeat or a positive event as a never-ending pattern of success. 
3. Mental Filter: You think exclusively about your shortcomings and ignore your positive qualities and accomplishments. Or, you dwell on the positives and overlook the negatives. 
4. Discounting the Facts: You tell yourself that negative or positive facts don’t count, so as to maintain a universally negative or positive self-image. 
5. Jumping to Conclusions: You jump to conclusions that aren’t warranted by the facts. There are two common forms:
   - Mind Reading: You make assumptions about how other people are thinking and feeling.
   - Fortune-Telling: You make dogmatic negative or positive predictions about the future. 
6. Magnification and Minimization: You blow things out of proportion or shrink their importance inappropriately. Erika also calls this the “binocular trick” because it’s like looking through the ends of a pair or binoculars - some things either look much bigger or much smaller than they are in reality.
7. Emotional Reasoning: You reason from how you feel. In point of fact, your feelings result from your thoughts and not from what’s actually happening. If your thoughts are distorted, your feelings will be as misleading as the grotesque images you see in curved funhouse mirrors. 
8. Should Statements. You make yourself (or others) miserable with ‘Shoulds’, ‘Musts’ or ‘Ought to’s’. 
9. Labeling: You label yourself or others instead. Labeling is actually an extreme form of overgeneralization, because you see your entire self or essence as defective and globally bad, or superior. 
10. Blame: You find fault with yourself (Self-Blame) or others (Other Blame).   

 

For more techniques, tips, and behind the scenes on Connections in Flight:
Instagram: @connectionsinflight;
Facebook: Connections In Flight

Connect with us: [email protected]  

This podcast is proudly produced by the team at Ampel. Ampel is an audio content agency specializing in podcast, radio, and audio content creation. For more information, head to www.ampel.com.au or reach out to us at [email protected]   

 

Executive Producer: Josh Butt
Head of Strategy: Michelle Lomas 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ever get that horrible, sinking feeling like you just don’t belong somewhere? 

Sarah and Erika are back this week talking about the word Belonging. After a strange feeling at a recent friend outing, Sarah wants to explore her emotions around belonging. Why can even the most confident of us feel entirely alone sometimes? And what is it that makes us lose our confidence? 

Join us as we explore Belonging and how to overcome those awkward feelings, reclaim your confidence, and benefit from new friendships and relationships.  

What is 'Belonging’?
Belonging can be defined as a feeling that one is an integral part of their surrounding systems, including family, friends, school, work environments, communities, cultural groups, and physical places. (Hagerty et al., 1992).

Discussed in this episode: 

• Pickleball 

For more techniques, tips, and behind the scenes on Connections in Flight: 
Instagram: @connectionsinflight;
Facebook: Connections In Flight
TikTok: @connectionsinflight;
Connect with us: [email protected]  

This podcast is proudly produced by the team at Ampel. Ampel is an audio content agency specializing in podcast, radio, and audio content creation. For more information, head to www.ampel.com.au or reach out to us at [email protected]   

Executive Producer: Josh Butt 
Head of Strategy: Michelle Lomas

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you ever been in a situation that has captured your complete attention and focus, and not in a good way? 

This week, Sarah jumped in the chair to talk to Erika about her word Attention. Sarah has been dealing with a difficult situation for months that has plagued her thoughts and affected her focus. 

Listen to this special one-on-one episode as Sarah opens up to Erika about how it is affecting her both mentally and physically, and hear Erika provide guidance and tips on how to navigate those difficult moments when a situation or person is having far too much impact on our thoughts and feelings in a negative way. 

What is 'Attention'?

Attention in the context of this episode is thinking too much about one particular person or thing, in a way that is not reasonable or normal.

Discussed in this episode: 

• Gratitude Journaling
• The Grey Rock Method
• Michelle Obama Quote: ‘When they go low, we go high’. 
• The Three R’s: Respect, Re-Direct and Remove 

For more techniques, tips, and behind the scenes on Connections in Flight:
Instagram: @connectionsinflight;
Facebook: Connections In Flight
TikTok: @connectionsinflight;
Connect with us: [email protected]  

This podcast is proudly produced by the team at Ampel. Ampel is an audio content agency specializing in podcast, radio, and audio content creation. For more information, head to www.ampel.com.au or reach out to us at [email protected]  

Executive Producer: Josh Butt
Head of Strategy: Michelle Lomas

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our lives are full of unexpected twists that force us to re-evaluate what is important to us. But why is it so hard sometimes to come to terms with it?

In this episode, Erika and Sarah sit down with multi Emmy Award-winner Shannon Cogan. Shannon is a highly successful and awarded news anchor at WAVE News Sunrise and WAVE News Midday. She is proud of her life and achievements in her home of Louisville, Kentucky - but her original plan and path for her career could have been a lot different. 

Just as her career took off, Shannon became pregnant with twins. But once she gave birth, the unthinkable happened. Shannon's son Colt was born with a medical complication that required life-saving open heart surgery, followed by a cardiac arrest that subsequently impacted his life. Forced to re-evaluate what mattered to her, Shannon quit her job in Miami, and moved back to her husband's hometown of Louisville to give her son Colt a better life. Listen as we discuss her powerful story, coming to terms with a new reality and the importance of constant reflection and re-evaluating what matters most. 

What is 'Re-evaluate'?
To re-evaluate is to judge or calculate the quality, importance and value of something a second, third or more time.

Discussed in this episode: 

• • The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
  • Tomorrow, and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
  • Canine Companions. Read and listen to Colt and Shannon’s story here, and Colt’s beautiful companion dog Wink 
  • Heuser Hearing and Language Institute 
  • Wave 3 News
  • Indiana University

For more techniques, tips, and behind the scenes on Connections in Flight:
Instagram: @connectionsinflight;
Facebook: Connections In Flight
TikTok: @connectionsinflight;
Connect with us: [email protected]  

This podcast is proudly produced by the team at Ampel. Ampel is an audio content agency specializing in podcast, radio, and audio content creation. For more information, head to www.ampel.com.au or reach out to us at [email protected]   
Executive Producer: Josh Butt
Head of Strategy: Michelle Lomas 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We know we can live a fulfilled life when we find our Purpose. So why is it so hard to find it? 

In this beautiful and inspiring episode, Erika and Sarah sit with Victor Strecher to discuss Purpose. Vic is a visionary leader and expert in behavior change, digital communication, and well-being. He's the Founder & CEO of Kumanu, a next-generation wellbeing company, a Professor at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, and a renowned researcher, educator, speaker, and author. His work has touched and helped thousands of people find Purpose in their lives. 

But the road to finding and understanding Purpose, and ultimately helping others hasn't been easy for Vic. After tragically losing his daughter at a young age, Vic's search for Purpose became a lifeline as he worked through his grief. In this episode, he shares his learnings and research for the formula for finding what matters, how to identify and live a life of Purpose. 

What is 'Purpose'?

Purpose is an abiding intention to achieve a long-term goal that is personally meaningful and makes a positive mark on the world. A personal experience usually drives it; its outcome is beyond the self.

Discussed in this episode: 

• Life on Purpose: How Living for What Matters Most Changes Everything, By Victor J Strecher 
• On Purpose, Lessons in Life and Health from the Frog, Dung Beetle, and Julia, By Victor K Strecher
• Victor Strecher TedTalk: Life on Purpose: How Living for What Matters Changes Everything
• Man’s Search for Meaning By Victor E Frankl 
• Chatter: The Voice in Your Head, Why It Matters, and How To Action It By Ethan Kross

For more techniques, tips, and behind the scenes on Connections in Flight:
Instagram: @connectionsinflight;
Facebook: Connections In Flight
TikTok: @connectionsinflight;
Connect with us: [email protected]  

This podcast is proudly produced by the team at Ampel. Ampel is an audio content agency specializing in podcast, radio, and audio content creation. For more information, head to www.ampel.com.au or reach out to us at [email protected]  

Executive Producer: Josh Butt
Head of Strategy: Michelle Lomas 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why do we only ever feel truly at peace when we are on vacation? And how do we capture that peaceful feeling every day? 

In our most insightful episode yet, Sarah and Erika sit down to talk about Escape. Sarah is back after a two-week vacation in Japan which opened her eyes to the importance of meditation - and she can't wait to talk to Erika about it. Listen as they explore how meditation and mindfulness (something Sarah has struggled with and discussed in previous episodes) can help us have that 'holiday feeling' if not every day, but some days. And how techniques like visualization and gratitude journaling can stimulate the brain and reframe our minds to bring us more calm and positivity.  

What is 'Escape'?

Escape can be defined as a tendency to escape from the real world and pressures at large. Since life is innately stressful, coping strategies are essential to making it through each day. This can be escapism behavior, such as daydreaming, or physical escaping, such as holidays and meditation. 

Discussed in this episode: 

• Carry On: Republic of Tea Peach Bellini special ‘Princess’ edition. 
• The 3 C’s - A Framework for Regulation: Talk to ourselves with a: 
  • 1. Calm Tone 
  • 2. Curiosity about what we notice we are feeling right now 
  • 3. Care/Compassion about what feels hard right now. 
• Breathwork Techniques:
  • Mindfulness Breathing: Follow your breath, in and out (repeat)
  • 4-7-8 technique: Breathe In 4 seconds- Hold 7 seconds- Exhale 8 seconds (repeat)
  • Box Breathing: In 4 seconds- Hold 4 seconds- Exhale 4 seconds- Hold 4 seconds (repeat)
• Visualization Technique: Imagine a scene or picture of a time you felt peaceful, calm, or centered. Use your five senses to imagine being in that secure space and imagine what that felt like in your body. Just hold space for that regulation and notice where you feel the calmness in your body now.
• Gratitude Journaling: In a journal only used for gratitude, write down 3 things you’re grateful for that day. They can be one-word answers, but the more specific, the better. For example, instead of being thankful for “my health,” you could be more specific by writing gratitude for “my headache going away.” Writing your three grateful things with pen and paper before bed each night for 30 days will affect your brain in many ways. The handwritten thoughts of gratitude will imprint differently than if they’re typed on the phone. And the gratitude practice before bed will help sink into your subconscious, so you’ll find yourself noticing gratitude more effortlessly through the next day. 
• Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association website
• Definition of the Pineal Gland
• Research report on the effectiveness of meditation: Brief, daily meditation enhances attention, memory, mood, and emotional regulation in non-experienced meditators.
• Paper on how meditation increases your Intelligence and IQ
• Effects of meditation Brain Images; Meditation Can Change Your Brain for Better & Longer. Yang-Sheng.com

For more techniques, tips, and behind the scenes on Connections in Flight:
Instagram: @connectionsinflight;
Facebook: Connections In Flight
TikTok: @connectionsinflight;
Connect with us: [email protected]  

This podcast is proudly produced by the team at Ampel. Ampel is an audio content agency specializing in podcast, radio, and audio content creation. For more information, head to www.ampel.com.au or reach out to us at [email protected]   

Executive Producer: Josh Butt
Head of Strategy: Michelle Lomas 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.