Today, Lisa joins me to share why she loves her job. She notes that we never stop learning, growing, or starting, and she talks about the satisfaction she gets from helping people. She offers some concrete tips for handling stress and emphasises the power of gratitude. She discusses the strong, supportive relationships in her life and notes their importance. She shares her thoughts on Imposter Syndrome, notes that it’s good for children to see their parents supporting each other, and observes that what we say to others can have a huge impact. She offers her thoughts on gaining the confidence to pursue a certain field, shares her experience with her first panic attack and what she took from the experience, and emphasises the power of positivity.

In this episode, I list 15 ways to boost your happiness, emphasising the power of gratitude, kindness, physical health, purpose, and simplicity. I tell a Chinese proverb and a story from Buddha to underscore the power of these elements, and I share the name of the book I wrote on the subject.

Today Liana joins me to discuss the importance of social connections and how they can lead to our long-term well-being. We analyze research from Harvard that proves that typical self-care techniques like sleep, diet, and exercise aren’t the most important factors in promoting longevity.

We discuss the negative side effects of loneliness and how being lonely is turning into a public health crisis. We discuss the number of people you need to interact with for optimal health. We also share some of our tactics for increasing your social circle and connecting more deeply with the people around you.

Today, Elaine joins me to discuss her research on zesty aging and how to approach life with vitality and be more open to new experiences. She shares some of the wisdom she has learned from writing her book The Power of Play: Optimizing Your Joy Potential, including how to increase the joy in your life by tapping into your inner child.

We discuss why adults neglect play and what you miss out on when you don’t prioritize it. Elaine also explains the PERMA model, what she learned from her mentor, Dr. Marty Seligman, and some simple strategies you can use to find opportunities for play in your life.

Today, I share some lifestyle changes you can adopt to help protect both your memory and overall health, using my 93-year-old patient Mary as a real-life success story. I explain what the MIND diet is and why it helps to slow cognitive decline. I discuss the roles that sleep and stress play in maintaining a good memory.

I recommend some fun ways to keep your brain health that will keep your social calendar full and make your next vacation easier. I also remind you that if you are experiencing any changes in your memory, you need to see your doctor.

Today, DeDe describes her journey from military insider to emotional intelligence expert and how she learned a new way to support young leaders. She discusses the small steps you can take to encourage young people in your life.

She talks about the value of looking inward and the importance of reflecting on your accomplishments to understand how you show up in the world. We deliberate on enhancing creativity using tools like stillness and spending time in nature. DeDe educates us about vulnerability and shares some stories about the resistance she faced when trying to get members of the United States military to be more vulnerable.

She offers advice on healthily navigating vulnerability. DeDe also discusses different types of vulnerability and why it’s more important to put yourself out there than to be perfectly eloquent.

Your immune system is really fundamental for survival – and it’s essential for good health!

When it’s working well, we take our immune systems for granted. But when we’re laid low by a virus or battling an auto-immune disease like arthritis, we quickly realize just how amazing and important our immune system can be – and how fragile. The stress of daily life can have long-lasting effects on your immune health. Fortunately, there are easy, accessible things you can do to help yourself ward off diseases and continue to support your immune health.

Today, I discuss what the immune system is and how its optimal function is vital for living a good, healthy life. I share my top tips for boosting the health of your immune system, from simple, easy-to-adopt health measures and small lifestyle changes to changing your diet and exercise routines. I recommend a fun, colorful way to approach healthy eating and discuss what foods you should avoid. I investigate the role that stress plays on immunity and the awful, lingering effects stress has on our long-term health. I also explain the difference between your biological age and your immunological age and share my favourite doctor-approved ways to relieve stress in your life.

• Why the immune system is so essential to life

• Article: Kaiser Permanente More exercise linked to less severe Covid-19 outomes

The post Lifestyle Changes You Can Make to Support Your Immune System appeared first on Dr. Mark Rowe: Lifestyle Medicine.

Professor Luke O’Neill is one of the most influential international names in science who came to prominence through Covid-19. As one of the top 1% of immunologists in the world, he has studied the toll of inflammatory disease on the human body.

He was a reassuring voice of reason, explaining the science behind the pandemic and helping the public navigate a trying and terrifying time. In 2008 Professor O’Neill was seated as the Chair of Biochemistry at Trinity College Dublin and appointed Chair of the Immunity and Infection panel of the European Research Council.

Since then, he has published nearly 400 scientific papers as well as best-selling books, including Keep Calm and Trust the Science, Humanology, and Never Mind the B#ll*cks, Here’s the Science.

Today, Luke joins me to discuss his work around immunity and how high-stress levels have catastrophic effects on your immune system, leaving you vulnerable to illness. We look back at the Covid-19 pandemic and the pathogen Luke thought may be responsible for the next pandemic. He shares his experience with depression, some of the tactics he used to feel joy again, and his mission to normalise mental health issues. We discuss how research has confirmed the benefits of ancient wellness practices like herbal medicine and meditation and how you can incorporate them into your wellness routine. We also discuss the importance of spending time in nature, how it’s an easy way to boost your immune system naturally, and the value of having a support system.

• Encouraging young people’s interest in science

• Book: Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

• Professor Luke O’Neill’s Public Speaking Profile

The post The Secret to Less Stress & Better Health with Professor Luke O’Neill appeared first on Dr. Mark Rowe: Lifestyle Medicine.

Today I share part two of my interview as a guest of the University College Dublin MGA Clinical Influencers Podcast interview with Professor Patrick Murray. I reflect on some of the challenges in my early days as a young GP.

Today, Suzann shares the inspiration that led to her book, Happy Together, and how fairy tales have warped our expectations of relationships. She discusses her unique approach to strengthening relationships and how couples benefit from focusing more on positive emotions than negative ones.

She describes how she approaches challenges in her own relationship, how she communicates with her husband, and the things she found adorable at the beginning of their relationship that is now a source of conflict. She also offers advice on why happiness is not the most important goal and how to recognize the other positive emotions we experience daily to redefine happiness.