Humarian Health

Today, we welcome Dr. Pamela Wartian Smith, MD, MPH. Amy and Dr. B. sit down to discuss Dr. Smith’s book, What You Must Know About Thyroid Disorders and What to Do About Them. Some of the topics discussed include: what the thyroid regulates in the body, common thyroid disorders and symptoms, how to identify a thyroid deficiency, the importance of iodine for thyroid health, why thyroid disorders are so much more prevalent in women, why good thyroid health begins before we’re born, the effect of thyroid health on mental health, some things you can do to improve your thyroid health, and how sugar matches up against cocaine in addictive properties. You can find Dr. Smith’s book on Amazon.com or wherever books are sold.

On this week’s show, we welcome back our favorite veterinarian, Dr. Julie Towle, to talk about some of things pet owners can do to help their pets stay healthier in 2018. Dr. Towle talks about wet food vs. dry food, core exercises for dogs, mental and environmental enrichment for dogs and cats, the importance of preventative medicine, and more. She even surprises Amy and Dr. B. with some facts about the importance of dog jobs!

Today, we are joined by Dr. Peter Abaci, MD, one of the world’s leading experts on pain and the director of the Bay Area Pain Center. Amy and Dr. B. meet with Dr. Abaci to discuss his book, Conquer Your Chronic Pain, and his transformative model for a more holistic and personal approach to pain management. Dr. Abaci tells us why he decided to get into pain management, then moves on to topics like the politics of pain, why the structure and function of the brain is different for those with chronic pain and those without, why we should temper our expectations about using medicine alone to fully healing chronic pain, why common pain management practices contribute to issues like the opioid crisis, ways that patients can manage a system that’s set up to make them fail, how catastrophic thinking can increase our risk of chronic pain and disease, and Dr. Abaci’s personal experience with pain informed his views on pain management.

We're excited to welcome back Tom Monte, teacher, counselor, and author of "Unexpected Recoveries: Seven Steps to Healing Body, Mind and Soul When Serious Illness Strikes," for some listener Q&A. Dr. Benzinger sits down with Tom to chat about how he got into the field, how he helps people work through anxiety, how to help a depressed loved one that doesn't want to seek out help, and how to effectively wind down in the evenings to sleep well.

A New Year means it’s time for a new podcast! Today is all about goal setting. We all make promises for the New Year, but very few of us actually follow through on our resolutions. Amy tells Dr. B. all about the SMART system that she uses for goal setting, and Dr. B. fires back with some discussion about “guilt goals”. Our personal goals often seem so lofty we never actually start them. How do you fit goals that take genuine effort into a life that’s already too busy? What goals are realistic and attainable without transforming into overwhelming guilt when we fall off? Amy and Dr. B. work through these questions by sharing their own 2018 goals and how they hope to work them into their lives. As an added challenge, Amy asks Dr. B. to categorize each of his goals by where they fit into the dimensions of health.

We're back for the second part of our Q&A session with Geoff Bond, author of "Paleo in a Nutshell: Living and Eating the Way Nature Intended." Amy sits down with Geoff to discuss the correlation between what we eat and how that affects brain health in relation to the Paleo way of life. Geoff had so much valuable information to share on this topic that we decided to break this question off into its own show. Enjoy!

Today, we are joined by Tom Monte, a leading teacher, counselor, and author of over 35 books, including the focus of today’s discussion, "Unexpected Recoveries: Seven Steps to Healing Body, Mind and Soul When Serious Illness Strikes." Amy and Dr. Benzinger sit down with Tom to discuss dealing with serious illnesses and life-altering crises and how to pursue physical, emotional, and spiritual recovery. Tom dives deep on specifics of the healing process, including some riveting roleplaying with Amy and Dr. B. You can purchase Tom’s books on Amazon or at squareonepublishers.com.

We're excited to follow up with Geoff Bond, author of "Paleo in a Nutshell: Living and Eating the Way Nature Intended," for some listener Q&A! Amy sits down with Geoff to discuss his thoughts on the following questions:

1. What should we be looking for if we want a pasture-raised egg? What should the label say?

2. “You’ll feel better” is kind of a nebulous phrase. Can you describe some of the specific benefits people notice when following a paleo diet?

3. Personally curious how long it too for Geoff’s wife to move to a Paleo diet?

4. How does the “macro” diet compare with the paleo diet?

5. Do you have any tips on how to eat out without straying too far from a paleo diet?

We're excited to welcome back Sandra Woodruff, registered dietitian and co-author of "Dr. Vlassara's AGE-less Diet: How a Chemical in the Foods We Eat Promotes Disease, Obesity, and Aging and the Steps We Can Take to Stop It," for some listener Q&A!

Social connection is the final dimension of health. Everybody wants to feel a sense of inclusiveness, to feel like they belong. Whether with family, friends, or colleagues, community and social interaction is an integral aspect of personal well-being. Amy and Dr. B. sit down to talk about blue zones, the reality of loneliness in the elderly, and the power of compassion.