Optamiz Your Health!

Kellie Straub is the Vice President of Growth & Innovation, National Wellness Institute. The National Wellness Institute (NWI) is the leader in providing professional development and engagement opportunities that support individuals from a variety of disciplines in promoting whole–person wellness.

At the core of NWI’s offerings is its Six Dimensions of Wellness model, developed by NWI co-founder Dr. Bill Hettler in 1976.

NWI enriches the lives and careers of wellness professionals by:

• Serving as the global professional network for connecting to all disciplines of wellness
• Providing education and training that promotes life-long learning
• Identifying and representing inclusive whole-person professional standards and competencies

The Vision of the National Wellness Institute (NWI) is to be the worldwide voice of the wellness community.

The National Wellness Institute, Inc. (NWI) was officially formed in 1977, but held two wellness symposiums (1975 and 1976) prior to the official organizational launch. Originally, the organization was launched under the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point (UWSP) Foundation, as the Institute for Lifestyle Improvement. Three UWSP faculty at that time—Dennis Elsenrath, EdD, CWP, director of counseling services; Fred Leafgren, PhD, director of student life; and Bill Hettler, MD, CWP, director of health services—joined together with the idea that we, as humans, could live better, healthier lives through the principles of balance and awareness. In 1976, Dr. Hettler released what was to become the base philosophy for the National Wellness Institute: the Six Dimensions of Wellness model. The six dimensions are intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, occupational, and physical. By balancing these six dimensions and actively seeking to improve them, the organization’s founders believed individuals could improve their overall well-being.

In 1985, the name of the organization was changed to the National Wellness Institute to reflect a more global mission. Then, in 1988, NWI separated from the UWSP Foundation and applied for its own nonprofit status, which was granted August 3, 1989. The National Wellness Institute is a registered 501(c)(3) organization headquartered in Stevens Point, Wisconsin.

Each summer NWI welcomes well-minded individuals to its annual National Wellness Conference. Patch Adams, Geoffrey Canada, Mike Huckabee, Naomi Judd, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., David Katz and many other notable individuals have given voice to the wellness movement at the National Wellness Conference. The NWI Foundation, launched in 2003, has actively brought individuals to the National Wellness Conference on scholarships.

Programmatically, NWI began accrediting undergraduate health promotion and wellness programs in 2008. It began certifying professional wellness practitioners in early 2009. Today the organization has an active membership and educational outreach program and continues to expand its offerings to meet the growing needs of wellness professionals globally.

For more information, please visit www.nationalwellness.org

Blue Zones puts the world’s best practices in longevity and well-being to work in people’s lives. The company was founded by Dan Buettner, an internationally recognized researcher, explorer, and New York Times bestselling author and National Geographic Fellow. His National Geographic cover story on longevity, “The Secrets of Living Longer” was one of their top-selling issues in history and made him a finalist for a National Magazine Award.

Since 2009, we've partnered with Healthways in the Blue Zones Project®. Our evidence-based program uses the secrets of the Blue Zone regions to transform communities into areas where the healthy choice is easy and people live longer with a higher quality of life.

The Blue Zones Project® is dedicated to creating a nation of Blue Zones communities – healthier cities, states and businesses where people live longer, better. For more information, please visit www.BlueZones.com

Nick Buettner is the Vice President of Product at Blue Zones. He is an Innovator with deep experience engaging schools, employers, and community leaders.

Nick is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the Blue Zones Project in all of the Blue Zones communities and corporate sites. He is also a National Speaker, Blue Zones expedition member, and ed-tech innovator. Over the last 20 years, Nick has led 17 expeditions in over 6 continents around the world, three of which were to Blue Zones sites. Nick received his BA in International Business with a minor in Economics from Augsburg College. In his free time, Nick enjoys playing hockey, gardening, and going on adventures.

Plant-Based Jumpstart Program: https://www.optamiz.com/jumpstart

In 2006, David Lyons was hospitalized and diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at the age of 47. David, a former bodybuilder and health club owner, exercised regularly and lived a healthy lifestyle. He was devastated by the diagnosis and frustrated by the physical limitations of his condition. His initial MS attack left him with partial paralysis, tightness, pain and numbness in his extremities and back. These common symptoms of MS come and go without warning. The multiple lesions in David’s spinal cord made it difficult for him to coordinate movements and they affected his balance. The lesions in his brain caused cognitive problems affecting his concentration. And the lesion by his optic nerve, at times, caused vision impairment and blackness when seeing out of his left eye. David also lives in a constant state of fatigue caused by this disease attacking his nervous system. While in the hospital the doctors told David he would most likely leave in a wheelchair and would not return to his normal workout routine. They also warned him that MS is a disease that most often progressively worsens and to prepare for his limitations as he ages. So what does David do? Give up and sink into depression? Grab a walker to steady himself? Retreat to bed to conserve his strength?

NO…AT THE AGE OF 50 DAVID LYONS DECIDED TO COMPETE IN A NPC BODYBUILDING COMPETITION!

For more information on the MS Fitness Challenge, please visit: https://msfitnesschallenge.org/

For more information on the Optimal Body Training membership, please visit: https://obpfitness.com/

For more information on Medfit Education Foundation, please visit: https://medfitnetwork.org/public/about-us/industry-experts/david-lyons/

For training certifications w/NFPT Essentials, please visit: https://www.nfpt.com/product/ms-fitness-training-specialist

For more information on the Optamiz Plant-Based Jumpstart program, please visit: https://optamiz.com/jumpstart

Download the Optamiz Mobile app:
App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/optimiz/id1567977806
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skylab.optamiz

Dorian Greenow, Founder, Keto-Mojo

In 2015, Dorian weighed 210 lbs, was constantly tired, on anti-depressants, and had nearly all the markers for metabolic syndrome. He and his wife, Gemma embarked on the ketogenic lifestyle, began monitoring their glucose and ketones, and dialing in their diet.  Within six months, he had lost 47 lbs, came off all medications, and finally got his mojo back. The Ketogenic lifestyle changed their lives, and they wanted to give back.

However, back then, ketone testing was expensive – at $4-$5 a strip.  Keto meters and test strips were produced by a few big players in the bio-tech industry - therefore inaccessible to many in need.  In 2017, after countless doors closed in his face, Dorian successfully launched Keto-Mojo, lowering the cost of ketone testing by 75%, to 99¢/ strip, offering the first affordable, accurate blood glucose and ketone testing meter with a lifetime guarantee. With the recent launch of the new GK+ meter and the HIPAA-compliant MyMojoHealth cloud connector platform, Keto-Mojo has not only successfully improved the technology, but also continued to bring down the cost of testing, while providing an information sharing website, free to all.

Over the past 4 years, Dorian has attended and spoken at numerous conferences globally.  Dorian and Gemma have worked extensively with the ketogenic community to learn and understand the many facets of the scientific underpinnings which lead to overall medical benefits.  They have founded The Ketogenic Foundation, a 501(c)(3)non-profit, which fosters Ketogenic Education, Medical Research, and Information Sharing for the benefit of improving the health of humankind.

https://keto-mojo.com

This episode of Optamiz Your Health is sponsored by MS Hope. MS Hope was launched by Mathew Embry, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and advocate for patients with multiple sclerosis. His recent feature documentary, Living Proof, which is available globally on Amazon Prime, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and has sold out theaters in multiple countries. Mathew Embry was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1995 and his documentary Living Proof is an autobiographical story demonstrating why more than 25 years after his diagnosis he is symptom free and living an incredible life.

At MSHope.com, you will find information on the key components of MS Hope, along with useful guidelines and links to the research explaining the science behind the strategies. Mathew invites you to hear more of his story and begin your journey to regain control of your health and future. He truly is Living Proof.

Living Proof Documentary on Amazon Prime

Web sites mentioned in the episode:

Mathew's site:
MSHope.com

Dr. Ashton Embry and Mathew Embry host a free live Zoom meeting every Tuesday at 2:00pm EST / 11:00am PST to answer questions and discuss the latest MS research.

Click HERE on Tuesday’s at 2pm EST/ 11am PST to participate! 

Scientific Research:
Direct-ms.org

Dr. Joshua Odea is a doctor of oriental medicine and has a vast knowledge of issues of gut health, the microbiome, food addictions, mood issues and mental health. He has a vast array of insight on these issues and a deep understanding between eastern and western approaches to health and healing. 

Book by Dr. Julie Ross referenced in the episode: The Mood Cure - buy on Amazon:  https://amzn.to/3m4uPp1

Optamiz Health co-founders, Heather Hackett & Dr. Ken Kaufman reveal their path towards establishing the impactful mobile app and program, Optamiz. Optamiz combines health and nutrition content with social connectivity. Optamiz is a community striving for optimized health through collaboration, motivation, and nutrition. With the Optamiz App, We help you make educated decisions on the food you eat, the supplements you take, your overall health and the impact you have on others. 

One of the biggest challenges for moms is balancing healthy nutrition, work, fitness and family. In episode 0001, our guest Angela Sherk lives the mom lifestyle and manages to excel at balancing the needs of her family as well as budgeting time for herself. "It's all about balance". www.Optamiz.com