Road To Wellness

Have you ever felt that quiet pull toward something bigger, but stayed put because it felt safer? On this episode of Road to Wellness, I'm sharing the story of my own leap: leaving a rut in California and moving across the country to Washington, DC to pursue my intention of shaping policy and creating massive impact.

Change rarely happens all at once. For me, it came down to five steps:

Identify the issue and clear the noise. Get honest about what's holding you back, and tune out the voices that keep you small.

Tap into your network, or build one. Reach out, show up, and step outside your comfort zone. The right people open the right doors.

Invest in yourself and make the changes. Put your time, energy, and resources behind your vision.

Make sure your basic needs are met and stay aligned. A bold move works best when your foundation is steady and your choices match your values.

Take action and go. At some point, planning has to become doing. This is where the leap happens.

Whether you're thinking about a new city, a new career, or a new chapter, this episode is your reminder that the life you want is waiting on the other side of your next brave step. Listen in, take what resonates, and go make your leap.

In this Episode, you'll hear:

- How endurance sport builds the mental agility that leadership demands- Why reframing your internal narrative is more powerful than chasing external milestones- What it means to be a female leader in a region where the path isn't always clearly marked- How physical training becomes a masterclass in resilience, consistency, and self-trust- Why your worst training day might be your greatest teacher- The difference between performing wellness and actually living itWhat does it take to go from never having raced a bike to standing on the podium with the highest cycling honor in your country, all while leading high-stakes innovation across one of the world's most dynamic regions? Jennifer Choi did it in four years while managing international teams, crossing time zones, and navigating the very real challenges of being a female executive in Singapore.1. The Lesson the Road Teaches YouThere's a moment every endurance athlete knows when your body is screaming and your mind starts negotiating. It's in that moment that real leadership is forged. 2. Training for endurance sport strips away everything external - the title, the approval, the metrics and forces you to ask a harder question: "Why am I doing this, and do I believe I can?" That internal reckoning is the muscle women in leadership need to build. Trust in your own process even when the results aren't visible yet.3. From External Validation to Internal Compass: One of the most powerful threads in this conversation is the shift from seeking external validation to building an internal one. In male-dominated spaces, in cultures where leadership has a very specific look and sound, women are often trained, consciously or not, to measure their worth by what others reflect back at them. When you're training at 6 days a week, when your fitness drops after a grueling travel schedule, when you have to rebuild from scratch after every setback — there's no one handing you a gold star. You learn to find your own signal. You learn that the data on your screen means less than the conversation you're having with your own body. That reframe, she says, changed everything — not just on the bike, but in every room she walks into.4. Mental Agility as a Wellness Practice: What endurance sport and great leadership share is this: both demand that you stay present under pressure, adapt mid-race, and resist the urge to catastrophize when the plan falls apart.5. Stop measuring yourself against others and focus on being a better you.

If this episode resonates, share it with a woman in your life who is running her own race — on the road, in the boardroom, or somewhere in between."The journey back to yourself is always worth it."

Being an entrepreneur is hard and finding the right group to work with and why you should consider joining an accelerator is highlighted here in the benefits and discussions with my dear friend, Levi Reed at Startup425 in Seattle, WA.

Cohort 4 of the Startup425 Accelerator will be starting January 26th. Applications open November 18, 2025. Go to startup425.org/accelerator to learn more, sign up for our email list, and apply for the next cohort! If you’re interested in learning more about mentoring with Startup425 or have any other questions about the program please send us a note through the contact form on the startup425.org website.

The challenges as a founder is being told you need to grind and that can take a toll on your health. A conversation to help you feel inspired to move forward and why your wellbeing is so important to the cause of what you're building and the future impact of those who will be following you.

Levi is the director of the Startup425 entrepreneurship program in Washington State and a venture partner with Loyal VC. He also teaches courses in entrepreneurship and marketing at the University of Washington. Originally from upstate New York, Levi received his MBA from ESADE Business School in Barcelona and currently lives in Seattle.

Consulting: AmyHTruong.com

Virtual Wellness Check: Road-To-Wellness.com

Recommendations to your health and wellness should be coming from evidence based research. Often, the studies designed may not be all inclusive which means what is recommended to you, may not have been studied in people who share some of your makeup.

On this episode, Amy Truong, DTCM, MPH thoughtfully discussed with Danika Kelly, CEO and founder of My Normative.

My Normative is a health research and innovation focused on disrupting the sex and gender data gap through clinically validated data collection, data management, and analytical processes.

This episode emphasizes that better data collection isn't an "add-on" cost but should be the baseline for population health research, ultimately leading to more effective treatments and improved healthcare outcomes for everyone.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Sex and Gender Data Gap - How medical research has historically used male bodies as the default, leading to significant knowledge gaps in women's health outcomes
• Real-World Impact of Flawed Data - The COVID vaccine menstrual cycle controversy as a prime example of how excluding female-specific variables creates distrust and missed health insights
• Healthcare Communication - Strategies for providers to better communicate with patients about research gaps without dismissing their experiences
• Red Flags in Health Studies - What patients should look for when evaluating research, including inclusion/exclusion criteria and data analysis methods
• Innovation in Women's Health - How health tech companies can design more inclusive pilots and research protocols from the ground up
• Chronic Conditions & Gender - The 80% of autoimmune disorders that disproportionately impact women, and opportunities in underserved markets
• FemTech Growth - Promising developments in the industry and the importance of collaboration over competition
• My Normative's Mission - Three program pillars (Collect, Contribute, Catalyze) helping researchers and companies incorporate sex and gender variables into their work

How do we hold on to hope and direction when healing feels out of reach? In this episode, we explore the power of mindset, the beauty of flexibility, and what it means to find dignity in both life and illness—through the lens of Traditional Chinese Medicine and lived experience.

This episode is about reclaiming agency in the midst of uncertainty—shifting from victimhood to conscious response. Whether you’re navigating illness or simply trying to realign with your purpose, this conversation offers both compassion and clarity.

• 🌱 Setting meaningful goals while remaining flexible during life’s twists and turns

• 🧭 Releasing blame when healing isn’t linear—and embracing dignity in all outcomes

• 🔄 Reclaiming your power when health reversal is possible

• 💭 Navigating despair and remembering that emotional pain is temporary

• 🛤️ Letting go of “why me?” and stepping into choice, even during suffering

• 🚫 Avoiding toxic comparison and tuning into what wellness means for you

• 🌍 Seeing yourself as part of a larger system—and choosing your perspective

• ☯️ Embracing yin and yang: how balance in TCM can guide our mindset and healing

Social Services Support:

Food Security - Food Assistance Programs

CalFresh Program - access to fresh foods

Join us for a powerful conversation with psycho oncology specialists Laura Tanner, Dr. Corina Lopez and Dr. Olivia Pointer three mental health professionals with over 20 years of combined experience in oncology care together, they unpack how to show up as your authentic self throughout the cancer journey while embracing vulnerability building, self-worth, and practicing radical self-care.

We dive into:

• Health therapist and social workers truly support you behind the scenes
• The importance of self advocacy and finding your voice
• Navigating tough conversations around death and dying
• Normalizing emotional responses and reclaiming agency in your care
• The evolving role of AI in managing your mental health

This is a must listen for anyone touched by cancer and for the loved ones walking beside them. Tune in for real talk, expert insight, and compassionate guidance.

Laura Tanner LCSW, OSC-C

https://www.unraveledtherapy.com/

Olivia Pointer, PhD

Psychosocial Oncology Fellow at Colorado Anschutz Medical

https://oncopsychologycare.com/

Corina Lopez, PhD

https://lopezpsychology.com/

For integrative oncology care, visit www.road-to-wellness.com

A common question I get is why a MPH (Master's in Public Health) as an acupuncturist? There are some complexities within healthcare that impacts our patients significantly. This is just my take on why it is important or the application that is available to me with a MPH.

Acupuncture improves circulation in the reproductive organs and have shown to be effective by more than 50% in fertility patient and chronic pain, including pelvic pain, and pain associated with endometriosis, period pain, and the like. But don't just hear it from me. Listen in to Allison Locke, an acupuncturist and integrative health practitioner based out of Vancouver, British Columbia. She is a fellow of the American Board of Oriental Reproductive Medicine and member of the Obstetrical Acupuncture Association. She has specialized training in treating fertility and reproductive health. As a stage 3 endo warrior herself, Allison is extremely passionate in helping treat the pain and symptoms of endometriosis.

There are many different types of care providers, occupational therapists are one of them. Occupational therapist are found in various settings of healthcare and has an integral part in sharing the recovery, healing, and wellbeing of a patient. As an acupuncturist, I share many patients with occupational therapists. A few questions Mr. Batstone Raja, an occupational therapist in Los Angeles, CA will answer includes:

What is an OT or occupational therapist?

What do they do?

How can you access care?

How does OT relate to public health?

How is care access affected through housing and health system gaps?

www.road-to-wellness.com

Got Questions for Batstone? Shoot us a message at [email protected]