Healthy Living by Willow Creek Springs

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Most families don’t fail because they don’t care. They fail because they’re exhausted, scared, and trapped in patterns that quietly protect addiction and mental health chaos. I sit down with interventionist and counselor Mike Loverde to talk about what actually moves the needle when a loved one refuses help, and why “they have to want it” can be the most dangerous sentence a family ever hears.

We get into trauma-informed care and the surge in mental health symptoms since COVID, not as a trendy talking point, but as a real-world breakdown of coping tools, connection, and safety. Mike argues that we too often chase DSM labels and insurance-driven diagnosis instead of asking basic, human questions that reveal what’s underneath the behavior. We also talk about how substance use can mimic serious psychiatric conditions, why you need a clean baseline before you can trust an assessment, and how family systems can keep dysfunction running for years.

Mike shares hard stories from the trenches and explains why lived experience matters: interventionists in recovery can often connect in minutes in ways credentials can’t. We also cover what Family First Intervention looks like in practice, from face-to-face interventions to virtual aftercare, and why families are frequently “more flooded” than the person they’re trying to save.

If you’re searching for addiction intervention help, recovery coaching, or a clearer way to support a loved one without enabling, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share with someone who needs it, and leave a review with the biggest question you’re still wrestling with.

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Cannabis legalization headlines can feel like they’re only about markets, tax revenue, and who gets licensed. We wanted a different angle, so we sat down with Roger Christie, longtime cannabis advocate and author of The First Planting of Cannabis on Earth, to talk about something deeper: why this plant changes people, how prohibition shapes communities, and what “religious freedom” could mean for cannabis going forward. Roger starts with a personal story that’s both simple and startling, how cannabis helped him break a family pattern of alcoholism and sparked a lifelong commitment to health and conscience.

From there, the conversation turns into a Vietnam War era turning point. Roger describes joining the Army, being redirected into intelligence analysis, and discovering information about MK Naomi that he says set off a moral alarm. That moment leads to a refusal to deploy and an unlikely win that hinges on a single word: sincerity. We dig into how sincerity functions as a practical compass in activism, in spiritual life, and in the long fight over cannabis policy.

Then we go big: Hawaiʻi Island’s cannabis history, early hemp entrepreneurship, the idea of cannabis as a sacrament, and why Roger argues the First Amendment matters as much as any rescheduling debate. Roger also shares the provocative core of his book, an Anunnaki-based origin theory drawn from cuneiform tablet translations, and why he connects cannabis to the “Tree of Life.” We wrap with grounded takeaways on raw cannabis leaves, juicing, and nutrition-first approaches that aim to put health back at the center.

If you care about medical cannabis, hemp, cannabis history, religious freedom, or the future of legalization, listen through and join the conversation. Subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find it. What’s your biggest question about cannabis that nobody seems willing to answer?

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Your dentist might know more about your overall health than you think and not because they’re guessing. We sit down with Dr. Eugene Antonucci, a longtime New Orleans dentist, wellness coach, author, and LSU professor, to connect the dots between oral health and total-body longevity in a way that’s practical, grounded, and immediately useful. If you’ve ever treated brushing, flossing, food, and exercise as separate boxes, this conversation pulls it all into one clear picture.

We start with Dr. Antonucci’s 40-year view of patients across generations and the hard pattern he kept seeing: people who look “fine” slowly slide into metabolic disease, obesity, diabetes, and cognitive decline. That reality pushed him to change his own health and to stop thinking in extremes. We talk about why diets fail, how to turn nutrition into a sustainable lifestyle, and what Blue Zones and the Italian longevity mindset get right about whole foods, fewer processed foods, daily movement, and purpose.

Then we go deep on the mouth-body connection. Dr. Antonucci explains how gum disease, bleeding, and bacterial imbalance can drive inflammation that travels through the bloodstream and correlates with heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. He also shares what dentists can catch early, from the odors and pockets that signal periodontal disease to the small lesions that can become oral cancer, plus why preventive dental checkups are a real form of preventive medicine.

If you want healthier aging, better metabolic health, and a simple framework that doesn’t feel like a project, you’ll leave with a smarter way to think about your mouth, your habits, and your life. Subscribe, share this with a friend who keeps “starting over,” and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

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A wreck can end your old life in seconds, then leave you managing pain for decades. My guest Troy Bergen knows that reality firsthand. He survived a vicious motorcycle crash that shattered his leg, endured years of recovery and surgeries, and then spent more than three decades trying to function while stuck in the loop of pharmaceuticals. When the side effects started stacking up, he made a decision a lot of people talk about but few pull off: find a better path and commit to it.

We talk through what changed when Troy finally tried CBD the right way, why some products help with chronic pain and inflammation while others do nothing, and how to think about topicals versus internal options like sublingual drops and water-soluble nanoparticle CBD. Troy also shares what he learned selling at farmers markets and events, including how the CBD boom brought a flood of inferior formulas, misleading labels, and “more milligrams” marketing that leaves customers disappointed.

Today Troy is in Arizona near Prescott Valley, balancing his CBD work with a new chapter as a personal trainer at The Fit Zone. We dig into the pillars of longevity, why resistance training matters more as we age, and the simple nutrition basics that make everything easier, especially cutting refined sugar and processed foods. If you’re dealing with pain, trying to move better, or just tired of health advice that doesn’t fit real life, this conversation will give you a grounded place to start. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs it, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.

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A single winter crash can take away your freedom faster than you can process what happened. Reid Robinson knows that reality intimately, and he also knows what it looks like to fight your way back. After a brutal collision left him with a catastrophic lower leg injury and a long stretch of surgeries, setbacks, and pain, he ran into a second problem almost nobody warns you about: crutches can be their own kind of suffering. 

We sit down with Reid, COO of Robinson Exotech Corporation, to unpack the recovery journey that led to the X-Leg, a wearable knee crutch designed to keep you mobile while staying non-weight-bearing. Reid explains why most people use crutches wrong, how loading through the shoulders can cause real damage, and why putting all your weight through your hands turns everyday life into a punishing upper-body workout. Then he takes us into the origin story: patent searches, a first prototype welded in his garage, and the moment he realized he could walk again and even kick a soccer ball with his kids. 

We also dig into the realities of building a medical device business: Health Canada and FDA registration, iterative engineering and destructive testing, manufacturing costs, and how clinical studies and insurance reimbursement codes can change patient access. Along the way, Reid shares a grounded message he’d tell his younger self and anyone facing a hard season: you’re tougher than you think, and you’ll make it through. 

If this conversation helped you, subscribe, share it with someone recovering from an injury, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

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Most advice for type 2 diabetes starts and ends with “lower your blood sugar.” That sounds logical, until you realize blood sugar can be the smoke, not the fire. Joe Grombine sits down with functional medicine practitioner Dr. Jason Shumard to unpack a different model of insulin resistance and metabolic health, one that focuses on why your cells stop handling fuel well in the first place.

We break down diabetes in plain language: how glucose is supposed to move from food to bloodstream to cells, why insulin is the key, and how chronically high insulin can drive cellular damage over years. Dr. Shumard explains why diabetes gets labeled “progressive,” why an A1C can look “managed” while complications still build, and why the term “pre-diabetes” can be misleading if it makes you think nothing is happening yet. You’ll also hear how diet matters, but why diet alone may not fix a broken foundation.

From there, we zoom out to the root causes that keep metabolism stuck: fatty liver or liver congestion, systemic inflammation, gut health issues like dysbiosis and leaky gut, adrenal stress, thyroid dysfunction, autoimmune patterns, infections, and toxin exposures. The big theme is smarter precision: comprehensive lab testing, prioritized problem-solving, and a plan built around your biology instead of generic rules. Dr. Schumard also shares how his telehealth practice works across all 50 states and where to find his free webinar at drshumard.com.

If you know someone “managing” numbers but not feeling better, share this conversation, subscribe, and leave a review. What’s one symptom you’ve been told is “just aging” that you want to question?

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RT joins me for something different: a live, real-time consultation about prostate cancer, a rising PSA, and the messy reality of trying to self-navigate “natural” and conventional options. He did what many people are told to do, a strict high protein, low carb keto diet with no sugar, and still watched his PSA climb. That moment forces an honest question: if the numbers move the wrong way, what do you change first, and how do you change without panic?

We dig into cancer nutrition in plain language, especially methionine restriction and why certain “clean” proteins (even wild salmon and chicken) may be counterproductive when you’re trying to slow tumor growth. RT also needs weight gain badly, so we talk through a practical approach built on complex carbohydrates (potatoes and sweet potatoes), fruit for calories, and a targeted supplement option like Hominex as a substitute for plant protein powders. Along the way, we cover how to judge evidence, from group call experiences to published medical reports, and why layering multiple low-risk strategies often beats chasing one perfect cure.

We also get specific about add-ons: sodium bicarbonate for alkalizing urine, immune system support, and oxygen-focused tactics like exercise, ozone glycerin as discussed, and a simple box breathing routine to improve oxygenation. RT leaves with a tight two-week experiment and a plan to retest soon so we can see what actually moves the needle.

If you know someone stuck between fear and information overload, share this conversation with them, subscribe for the follow-up, and leave a review to help more people find it. What’s one change you’d commit to for two weeks to get real feedback?

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You can spend years fighting for people, lose your career to disability, and still find a new way to serve and heal, sometimes because a swarm of bees shows up at exactly the right moment. I’m joined by my longtime friend Devon Davis, whose path runs from cannabis patient advocacy and court support to an unexpected second calling as a beekeeper on the Canadian prairie.

We talk about what it actually means to “rescue a swarm,” why honey bee colonies swarm in the first place, and how queens, workers, and drones each play their role in keeping a hive alive. Devin breaks down the practical realities of beekeeping, including tools, mentorship, costs, and the learning curve that turns curiosity into responsibility. We also dig into Winnipeg’s urban beekeeping shift and how zoning changes can make backyard and rooftop hives possible.

From there, the conversation widens into pollinator health and native bees, plus the personal side of the bee yard: the smell of honey, the way sound can change your focus, and why hive life can feel like a model for human community. Devon shares how Aurora Farm became the land host for his hives and hive pod work, tying together sustainable land stewardship, heritage, and the kind of collaboration that makes real projects possible.

If you care about beekeeping, local honey, pollinators, sustainable agriculture, or finding purpose after a hard life change, this one will stay with you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who loves bees (or fears them), and leave a review so more people can find the show.

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A crystal singing bowl can change the whole room, but what does it actually do to you? We sit down with Anaiiz Molina, a yoga instructor stepping into sound healing, to unpack vinyasa flow, sound baths, and the kind of grounded calm that’s hard to explain until you’ve felt it in your body. Along the way, we talk about why the Gardens of Hope has become a space where people from all backgrounds say the same thing: “I feel safe here.”

Anais breaks down vinyasa yoga in a beginner-friendly way, sharing why her classes leave room for rest, choice, and listening to your own limits. We get into how a 40 to 45 minute grounding yoga flow can set you up for deeper stillness, and how adding a 20 to 30 minute sound bath can feel like a “shower of vibration” that helps clear mental noise. If you’ve been searching for yoga for stress relief, mindfulness practices, or holistic wellness routines you can actually stick with, her perspective keeps it real and accessible.

One of the most powerful stories comes from Anais’s first sound bath at the Integratron near Joshua Tree, where she experienced a surprising vision and that in-between state of feeling awake but shifted. We close with a question worth sitting with: if something’s been calling you, what’s holding you back from taking the chance? Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a reset, and leave us a review so more people can find these conversations.

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A lot of cancer advice sounds confident. Very little of it is actually well sourced. Joe Grumbine sits down with Dr. Robert M. Hoffman to unpack a skill that may matter as much as any single protocol: learning how to find, compare, and pressure-test medical information when the stakes are your life.

We start with Dr. Hoffman’s path from obsessive childhood reading to building a library of old herbal medicine books, then widen the lens to modern pharmacology. Many “synthetic” drugs trace back to compounds found in nature, which makes the usual natural vs pharmaceutical argument feel less useful than a better question: what does the evidence say, and for whom? From there we get specific about cancer metabolism, including methionine addiction in cancer, methionine restriction, and how methionine-restricted conditions can make a surprising number of treatments work better. We also talk methioninase, real-world experimentation, and why metabolic context can change outcomes.

One of the sharpest parts of the conversation looks at how the oncology information stream gets shaped, including the media spotlight on expensive new drugs versus quieter results like a Phase III high dose intravenous vitamin C trial for pancreatic cancer. Joe shares a powerful infusion-room story that highlights patient advocacy and something rare: an oncologist urging a patient to listen closely to another patient’s lived expertise.

If you care about evidence-based integrative oncology, chemotherapy and immunotherapy choices, and practical ways to evaluate research beyond headlines, this is for you. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more patients can find better information.

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