Health Power: The OG Health Podcast & Dog-Eared Podcast

Science has proven that conditions like diabetes, obesity and heart disease are preventable, and even in many cases reversible, with proper diet and exercise.According to the CDC, as of 2014, 29 million Americans have diabetes, while 86 million have pre-diabetes; 70% of adults are overweight or obese. As a country we spend $315 billion annually on treating cardiovascular disease alone. Yet, science has proven that all of these conditions are preventable, and even in many cases reversible, with proper diet and exercise. As the public and doctors become more educated, there has been an increased focus on lifestyle medicine as a more viable solution than drugs and surgeries, which do not address the root causes of these diseases. The goal and primary focus of lifestyle medicine is simply the prevention and treatment of disorders caused by lifestyle factors such as nutrition, physical inactivity, and chronic stress. This is done by helping individuals to make healthier lifestyle choices, including diet, exercise, and stress reduction. Frustrated by the shortcomings of today’s health care industry in treating preventable conditions like heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, Dr. Lindsey Mcilvena was compelled to create her own unique model for patient care. Her pioneering approach combines traditional medicine with proactive, customized treatment plans that focus on addressing the root causes of chronic disease. The sole focus of Dr. Mcilvena’s medical practice is on helping patients slow and reverse chronic lifestyle diseases. She subscribes to a strategy of treating the whole person and underlying causes of disease through a synthesis of whole foods, plant-based nutrition exercise, smoking cessation, stress management and other healing methods. Dr. Mcilvena believes every person has the power to manifest change and is passionate about helping individuals take an active role in achieving greater health and longevity. Listen in as Dr. Mclivena joins hosts Andrea and Lisa to share her view on disease prevention, lifestyle medicine, following a plant-based diet, and how she helps her clients live longer, healthier lives.

Instead of looking at life's events as wins versus losses, what if you focused on the lessons you've learned from those experiences?People experience many losses in life. Perhaps you lost a job you wanted or lost a job you had. There are relationship losses, and losses of loved ones.  Sometimes, the losses seem to outweigh the "wins," which can put you into a downward spiral. Instead of looking at it in terms of wins versus losses, what if you focused on the lessons you've learned from those experiences? Maybe it wasn't meant to be. Ask yourself: what's the next "win" that will come your way? Listen in as Cornell Thomas, author and motivational speaker, joins hosts Andrea and Lisa to share how he views losses as lessons, as well as how you can learn, grow, and thrive from all of the experiences in your life.

Send us Fan Mail

How can you heal yourself through spiritual methods?Yol Swan's book, The Indigo Journals, is half fascinating memoir and half guidebook for wayward Indigo and feminine souls.

The book follows her life from childhood in Mexico where she perceived herself as the unloved Ugly Duckling, through her world travels, personal relationships, mystical experiences, encounters with enlightened teachers, marriage to a controlling husband, the self-awareness spawned by motherhood and finally, her emergence as the fully empowered and renowned spiritual healer she is today.

What are Indigo Souls?

Indigo adults are feminine souls with certain masculine qualities. Their main traits are:

• Highly sensitive, emotionally and otherwise
• Receptive and intuitive, including a non-cognitive perception
• Empathetic and compassionate
• Drawn to metaphysical and spiritual subjects
• Deeply connected to animals and nature
• Highly creative and solution-oriented
• Hungry for a deeper understanding
• Bound to the truth
• Non-linear, spherical thinking
• Freedom-seeking nature
• A stranger in a strange land, never seem to feel like you belong in the world or to your family of birth
• Driven by a sense of purpose, and searching for that purpose

Listen in as Yol joins Naturally Savvy host, Lisa Davis, to share more about her book and how you can heal yourself with spiritual methods.

Send us Fan Mail

All of the conflicting nutrition information can be incredibly confusing. It's what Registered Dietitian Ashley Koff calls "nutrition whiplash."Ever notice how one day coffee is good for you, and the next it's leading to your early death? Or how eggs were once a big no-no and now they're almost a superfood?

All of this conflicting information can be incredibly confusing. It's what Registered Dietitian Ashley Koff calls "nutrition whiplash."

Koff also uses the term, "nutrition over-simplification." An example of that is the current USDA MyPlate representation, which consists of veggies, fruits, grains, proteins, and dairy as the "fifth" food group. But, according to Koff, you can go your whole life without traditional dairy and be completely healthy. Not only that, but the MyPlate recommendation doesn't explain which foods you should combine, which can lead individuals to eating far too many carbs in one meal.

Koff says that better nutrition can be simple; it's not easy and it's not one-size-fits-all. But it's doable. 

For instance, take a look at what you ate and drank yesterday, and consider these four factors:

1) Quality. Make sure you're eating foods, not chemistry products. An apple provides you with nutrition; an apple-flavored food does not.
2) Quantity. Your "gas tank" is only so big. If you put too much in your gas tank, things start to get messy.
3) Frequency. Think of your body like a race car. Your body needs energy about every three hours.
4) Nutrient balance. Make sure you're getting a balance of carbs, protein, healthy fats, and non-starchy veggies. 

You may also need supplementation, but try to get as much nutrition as you can from real food.

Listen in as Koff joins Naturally Savvy host, Lisa Davis, to explain the four pillars of proper nutrition and good health.

Send us Fan Mail

Are you continually striving for perfection, but still feel disappointed when you achieve that "perfect" career, relationship, or family life?Are you constantly looking for the next best thing in your life? Are you continually striving for perfection, but still feel disappointed when you achieve that "perfect" career, relationship, or family life?

These thoughts and feelings can be extremely debilitating in living a happy, fulfilled life.

Diane Altomare, Integrative Life Coach, joins Naturally Savvy host, Lisa Davis, to share insights from her new book, Clarity: Ten Proven Strategies to Transform Your Life. 

• When you look for fulfillment from external things, you’re bound to be disappointed. When you think you can only find happiness from a prestigious job, enviable home, just-right wardrobe, top-of-the-line beauty products, or coveted goal weight, you likely will feel disillusioned and resign yourself to accept that this is “just the way it is” or you don’t have “what it takes.”
• It is critical to understand that the things you desire are already available to you and the only reason you aren’t able to access them is because you tackle the problem from the outside when you should look inward.
• When you experience your feelings and understand that the emotions you feel, you are often can led to the answers you most need.
• It's essential that you make friends with your own mind and emotions.
• Positive affirmations can actually contribute to your failure, not your success.
• We can paint a beautiful picture of ourselves on Facebook and Instagram (a false persona), when what is really going on inside our heart may be devastating. No matter how good things look on the outside, if we don’t feel happy and at peace on the inside, it will never bring us what we desire.
• Success can actually make you feel depressed.
• The key to being more efficient is NOT time management.
• An imaginary circle and piece of chalk (The Full Proof Circle Technique) can help you create more harmony, love and respect in your relationship.

Listen in as Altomare explains these concepts and more.

Send us Fan Mail

New research points to an "adventure" gene in those who have ADHD.There are a rich number of examples of "restless youths" who went on to become celebrated iconoclasts, including John Muir and Frederick Law Olmsted. 

That restlessness may have actually been an indicator of our modern-day ADHD.

In fact, science suggests that there is an "adventure gene." One mutation pops up in those with ADHD, a variant called 7R on the DRD4 gene that helps regulate how signals from dopamine are processed. People with 7R are more likely to take risks, travel, and try new things.

Why is this important to consider?

As kids are asked to sit still in classrooms and given more medications to help them do it, what is the fate of the next generation of adventurers? Adventure needs these kids just as much as these kids need adventure.

Kids learn best when they're outside, using all of their senses.

Listen in as author, Florence Williams, joins Lisa to share more about the connection between ADHD and adventure, as well as the significant individuals in our history who were thought to have ADHD.

Send us Fan Mail

Sonograms and Doppler exams are often able to diagnose disease without biopsy.If you aren't feeling well, the typical steps you take are to visit your doctor, who may then order tests or even biopsies for certain concerns.

What if you could skip the biopsy?

The use of Doppler and sonogram technology may be the answer. These tools are often able to diagnose disease without biopsy.

These methods can be used for so many different things, including potential tumors. You don't want to stress an already stressed body, or further inflame an already inflamed body. Doppler exams detect blood flow to the tumor, which would likely indicate a malignant tumor, or lack of flow, which likely indicates a benign tumor.

Many symptoms can slide by physicians. Sonograms and Doppler exams can help detect underlying problems.

Listen in as Carol Alt joins Lisa to share her personal experience using these tools, as well as the varying conditions they may detect.

Are you continually striving for perfection, but still feel disappointed when you achieve that "perfect" career, relationship, or family life?Are you constantly looking for the next best thing in your life? Are you continually striving for perfection, but still feel disappointed when you achieve that "perfect" career, relationship, or family life? These thoughts and feelings can be extremely debilitating in living a happy, fulfilled life. Diane Altomare, Integrative Life Coach, joins Naturally Savvy host, Lisa Davis, to share insights from her new book, Clarity: Ten Proven Strategies to Transform Your Life.  When you look for fulfillment from external things, you’re bound to be disappointed. When you think you can only find happiness from a prestigious job, enviable home, just-right wardrobe, top-of-the-line beauty products, or coveted goal weight, you likely will feel disillusioned and resign yourself to accept that this is “just the way it is” or you don’t have “what it takes.” It is critical to understand that the things you desire are already available to you and the only reason you aren’t able to access them is because you tackle the problem from the outside when you should look inward. When you experience your feelings and understand that the emotions you feel, you are often can led to the answers you most need. It's essential that you make friends with your own mind and emotions. Positive affirmations can actually contribute to your failure, not your success. We can paint a beautiful picture of ourselves on Facebook and Instagram (a false persona), when what is really going on inside our heart may be devastating. No matter how good things look on the outside, if we don’t feel happy and at peace on the inside, it will never bring us what we desire. Success can actually make you feel depressed. The key to being more efficient is NOT time management. An imaginary circle and piece of chalk (The Full Proof Circle Technique) can help you create more harmony, love and respect in your relationship. Listen in as Altomare explains these concepts and more.

How can you heal yourself through spiritual methods?Yol Swan's book, The Indigo Journals, is half fascinating memoir and half guidebook for wayward Indigo and feminine souls. The book follows her life from childhood in Mexico where she perceived herself as the unloved Ugly Duckling, through her world travels, personal relationships, mystical experiences, encounters with enlightened teachers, marriage to a controlling husband, the self-awareness spawned by motherhood and finally, her emergence as the fully empowered and renowned spiritual healer she is today. What are Indigo Souls? Indigo adults are feminine souls with certain masculine qualities. Their main traits are: Highly sensitive, emotionally and otherwise Receptive and intuitive, including a non-cognitive perception Empathetic and compassionate Drawn to metaphysical and spiritual subjects Deeply connected to animals and nature Highly creative and solution-oriented Hungry for a deeper understanding Bound to the truth Non-linear, spherical thinking Freedom-seeking nature A stranger in a strange land, never seem to feel like you belong in the world or to your family of birth Driven by a sense of purpose, and searching for that purpose Listen in as Yol joins Naturally Savvy host, Lisa Davis, to share more about her book and how you can heal yourself with spiritual methods.

All of the conflicting nutrition information can be incredibly confusing. It's what Registered Dietitian Ashley Koff calls "nutrition whiplash."Ever notice how one day coffee is good for you, and the next it's leading to your early death? Or how eggs were once a big no-no and now they're almost a superfood? All of this conflicting information can be incredibly confusing. It's what Registered Dietitian Ashley Koff calls "nutrition whiplash." Koff also uses the term, "nutrition over-simplification." An example of that is the current USDA MyPlate representation, which consists of veggies, fruits, grains, proteins, and dairy as the "fifth" food group. But, according to Koff, you can go your whole life without traditional dairy and be completely healthy. Not only that, but the MyPlate recommendation doesn't explain which foods you should combine, which can lead individuals to eating far too many carbs in one meal. Koff says that better nutrition can be simple; it's not easy and it's not one-size-fits-all. But it's doable.  For instance, take a look at what you ate and drank yesterday, and consider these four factors: 1) Quality. Make sure you're eating foods, not chemistry products. An apple provides you with nutrition; an apple-flavored food does not. 2) Quantity. Your "gas tank" is only so big. If you put too much in your gas tank, things start to get messy. 3) Frequency. Think of your body like a race car. Your body needs energy about every three hours. 4) Nutrient balance. Make sure you're getting a balance of carbs, protein, healthy fats, and non-starchy veggies.  You may also need supplementation, but try to get as much nutrition as you can from real food. Listen in as Koff joins Naturally Savvy host, Lisa Davis, to explain the four pillars of proper nutrition and good health.