Men’s lifespans are, on average, shorter than women’s. While there are many potential reasons for this, one is undoubtedly men’s tendency to neglect their health.

I note the importance of trusting your doctor and give tips on how to get the best from him or her. I explain why you need to stay informed about your body. I give a list of the aspects of your health you should be keeping track of, and I offer guidelines of when to be concerned. I note the basic lifestyle practices you should keep to stay healthy. Finally, I note that men’s health affects everyone, not just men.

• The importance of looking after your health

The post Men’s Health Podcast: In the Doctor’s Chair by Irish Doc Mark Rowe appeared first on Dr. Mark Rowe: Lifestyle Medicine.

Roy F. Baumeister is one of the world’s most prolific and influential psychologists. He has published well over 500 scientific articles and more than 30 books. In 2013, he received the highest award given by the Association for Psychological Science, the William James Fellow Award, in recognition of his lifetime achievements.  He is currently the Eppes Eminent Scholar and a professor of psychology at Florida State University, and he holds distinguished visiting professorships at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia and VU University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. His 2011 book Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength (with John Tierney) was a New York Times bestseller, and he has appeared on several television shows.

In Part 2 of this episode, Roy and I discuss overcoming the power of Bad, negativity bias, and negative impact on wellbeing. We talk about why, while we live better today than ever before in history, we’re full of more anxiety and worry than ever. To respond to the power of Bad, Roy suggests that we look for the positive things in life. He shares the power of living a low-Bad diet, not trying to be perfect, and focusing instead on being good enough. We also discuss the importance of focusing on the big picture.

“Don’t try to be perfect. Perfection is associated with all sorts of mental illnesses and anxieties and problems. Focus on being good enough.”
– Roy F. Baumeister

This week on In the Doctor’s Chair

• The power of Bad

In the Doctor’s Chair 

Thanks for listening to In the Doctor’s Chair, the show where you’ll hear conversations that share life lessons, health habits, and leadership practices that focus on positive psychology, lifestyle medicine, and ways for you to live with more vitality.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a comment wherever you listen to your podcasts.

For more resources to help you to live with more vitality, please visit my website.

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The post The Power of Bad: How the Negativity Effect Rules Us – and How We Can Rule It with Roy Baumeister Pt 2 appeared first on Mark Rowe.

Roy F. Baumeister is one of the world’s most prolific and influential psychologists. He has published well over 500 scientific articles and more than 30 books. In 2013, he received the highest award given by the Association for Psychological Science, the William James Fellow Award, in recognition of his lifetime achievements.  He is currently the Eppes Eminent Scholar and a professor of psychology at Florida State University, and he holds distinguished visiting professorships at King Abdulaziz University in Saudi Arabia and VU University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. His 2011 book Willpower: Rediscovering the Greatest Human Strength (with John Tierney) was a New York Times bestseller, and he has appeared on several television shows.

Today, Roy joins me to talk about willpower. We explore willpower, what it is, and why it matters. We discuss how we can strengthen our self-control, and we note the impact of stress on decision-making. We discuss how when we use self-control to establish good habits and routines, our lives can run smoothly on autopilot, which manages the depletion of energy. We note the importance of sleep for the body, mind, and self-control. We also talk about how to live in the present while respecting the future.

“The people who go through life just trying to improve a little bit, they often do the best.”
– Roy F. Baumeister

This week on In the Doctor’s Chair

• What is willpower

In the Doctor’s Chair 

Thanks for listening to In the Doctor’s Chair, the show where you’ll hear conversations that share life lessons, health habits, and leadership practices that focus on positive psychology, lifestyle medicine, and ways for you to live with more vitality.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a comment wherever you listen to your podcasts.

For more resources to help you to live with more vitality, please visit my website.

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The post Willpower: What it Is and Why it Matters with Roy Baumeister Pt 1 appeared first on Mark Rowe.

We live in a culture that promotes a pill for every ill. Increasingly, we’ve been made to become passive consumers of healthcare instead of taking an empowered, active role in our health. Today, I look at the role of lifestyle medicine in increasing your agency when it comes to your health and improving your wellbeing.

In this episode, I share why well-being is concrete as opposed to abstract. I talk about the needed change in our health culture and I discuss the importance of looking back before you look forward. I talk about what wellbeing really is and note its five aspects. I discuss the cruciality of relationships and the concept of eudaimonia, or human flourishing. I also note that our health is our greatest asset and that our environments play a huge role in our well-being.

“Wellbeing isn’t just something that exists in your head; it’s an objective, measurable construct.”
– Dr. Mark Rowe

This week on In the Doctor’s Chair

• The meaning of wellbeing

In the Doctor’s Chair
Thanks for listening to In the Doctor’s Chair, the show where you’ll hear conversations that share life lessons, health habits, and leadership practices that focus on positive psychology, lifestyle medicine, and ways for you to live with more vitality.

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The post What is Wellbeing? appeared first on Mark Rowe.

Traditional psychology is incredibly important and helpful, but it’s focused on turning negative mindsets into better mindsets. Positive psychology, on the other hand, is focused primarily on the positive. Instead of asking how you can move away from a negative mindset, it asks how you can move towards a positive one.

Today, I share insights from patients and research on the power of positive psychology. I discuss why, even when you can’t change your experience, you can change the explanation. I note that positive psychology takes a strength-based approach instead of a weakness-based one. I share the five aspects of positive psychology. I talk about the benefits of journaling and the power of gratitude. I discuss the importance of focusing less on having more and focusing more on being more. I talk about the ripple effect of happiness and the effect of feelings and thoughts on behavior and action. Finally, I note the physical benefits of a positive mindset.

“Gratitude is all about wanting what you have, as opposed to having what you want.”

– Dr. Mark Rowe

This week on In the Doctor’s Chair

• Positive psychology vs traditional psychology

In the Doctor’s Chair 

Thanks for listening to In the Doctor’s Chair, the show where you’ll hear conversations that share life lessons, health habits, and leadership practices that focus on positive psychology, lifestyle medicine, and ways for you to live with more vitality.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a comment wherever you listen to your podcasts.

For more resources to help you to live with more vitality, please visit my website.

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The post Positive Psychology Principles: ‘Your Positive Vibe Can Influence Your Tribe’ appeared first on Mark Rowe.

Heather Fennimore has been an owner and partner at Humanscale since 1986.  Ms. Fennimore has established a successful sales organization of over 300 sales professionals and managers in the Americas.  She created the Humanscale University Program, the Recruiting Division, Humanscale Consulting, and Customer Service. Currently, Ms. Fennimore oversees Humanscale Global Healthcare and the Global IT distribution organizations, along with expanding Humanscale Consulting globally.  She’s the first chairperson of the Scientific Advisory Committee for Cornell University’s Atkinson Center for Sustainable Futures.  She also sits on several boards and is a member of the Hoover Council at Stanford University. Ms. Fennimore is an avid environmentalist and animal advocate.  She resides in Colorado with her husband.

Today, Ms. Fennimore joins me to share her story. She shares what prompted her to found Humanscale and discusses the importance of motivation to want to make things better. She talks at length about her parents and their influence, and she shares her definition of leadership. She also offers her views on women in leadership, and she notes that good leaders know they have more to learn. She talks about the importance of caring in whatever you do, and she shares what she’s learned and accomplished in a year of COVID-19. She expounds on her love for the environment and animals and notes the importance of our physical aspect as human beings.

“Caring is the difference between success and failure.”

– Heather Fennimore

This week on In the Doctor’s Chair

• The story behind Humanscale

In the Doctor’s Chair 

Thanks for listening to In the Doctor’s Chair, the show where you’ll hear conversations that share life lessons, health habits, and leadership practices that focus on positive psychology, lifestyle medicine, and ways for you to live with more vitality.

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the show and leave a comment wherever you listen to your podcasts.

For more resources to help you to live with more vitality, please visit my website.

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The post Leadership, Being True to Your Purpose, Continuous Learning and Love with Heather Fennimore appeared first on Mark Rowe.

Dr. Doireann O’Leary is a practicing medical doctor, health advocate, blogger, and social media influencer. She is passionate about health education and empowering her patients and social media followers to look after their health and wellbeing. Dr. O’Leary has overcome many adversities in her life and her story is an inspiration to others. Her medical practice is based in Co. Cork, Ireland.

Today, Dr. O’Leary joins me to share her story. She shares why she decided to become a doctor and why she loves it. She speaks about the experience of losing her big sister and the effect the event had on her life. We discuss her cervical cancer diagnosis and how it has helped her to grow and instilled a strong sense of gratitude in her. We talk about the importance of having a support system of friends and family around you, as well as why you need to make time for them. She also talks about the importance of following your passions while simultaneously recognizing their tendency to change.

“You never feel bad after a walk.”
– Dr. Doireann O’Leary

This week on In the Doctor’s Chair

• The power of gratitude

Connect with Dr. O’Leary 

• O’Leary’s Instagram

The post Pursue Your Passions to Realize Your Best Possible Future Self with Dr Doireann O’Leary appeared first on Dr. Mark Rowe: Lifestyle Medicine.

We all face fires in our lives, whether in relationships, careers, ourselves, or a number of other places. Today, in my first short solo episode, I talk about how to respond to these setbacks and move forward through acceptance and resilience.

In this episode, I discuss the concept of post-traumatic growth in the context of a personal story of setbacks in my practice. I share how, early in my practice, I literally watched my life’s work and livelihood go up in flames. I discuss the importance of embracing the fires in your life and define Realistic Optimism. I note the power of a positive mindset shift and share what Victor Frankl has to say on the subject of coping with situations outside of our control. Finally, I share why, many years later, I’m thankful for the event. 

“More than pills and Prozac, people really needed a new sense of hope and purpose and the sense of new possibilities.”
– Dr. Mark Rowe

• Lifestyle as medicine

• Man’s Search for Meaning by Victor Frankl

The post Dr. Mark Rowe’s Medical Practice Story – Facing Fires in Our Lives and Moving On appeared first on Dr. Mark Rowe: Lifestyle Medicine.