Chances are good that you, or someone you know, is dealing with anxiety. One in five Americans over 18, and one in three teenagers 13 to 18, reported having a chronic anxiety disorder during the past year.  

Now, everyone worries sometimes. But if you’re repeatedly feeling panicky, or anxious, or find yourself avoiding situations because of irrational fears, then you’re going to want to listen to today’s podcast.

I believe everything happens for a reason, and it was no coincidence that when I was shopping for an outfit for burning man, I met today’s guest, Julian Brass. Little did I know that chance meeting would lead to today’s podcast about a subject that I’m passionate about. 

His international best-selling book, Own Your Anxiety, takes you on an inspirational journey of self-discovery, to transform anxiety into your secret edge. With 99 bite-sized, powerful tips in the book, you may discover that anxiety is your greatest  gift. 

For more information, visit www.kathysmith.com/podcast.

Throughout the years, we hear about the latest innovations in fitness that claim to change the way we’re going to workout forever. Although most of these trends don’t really catch on, there is always one that manages to break through and get identified as a game changer. Well, the buzz right now is about “blood flow restriction training.” It is one of the newest training tools to hit both the rehab and sports performance worlds and it’s also being recognized as a potent tool for all of us aging baby boomers. There’s a lot of research that supports it, which is why Blood Flow Restriction or BFR is becoming more popular with athletes, physical therapists, trainers, and even celebrities like Mark Wahlberg. 

While the idea has been around for decades, it’s only now that we’re seeing it becoming more mainstream...and largely because of our next guest, Dr. Jim Stray-Gundersen. Jim runs the SG Performance Medicine Center. He is also the chief medical officer of B STRONG, a Utah based company he co-founded in an effort to make blood flow restriction training safe, effective, and affordable for the general public. 

For more from Kathy, visit www.kathysmith.com/podcast.

Growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone! A comfort zone is something you carry with you as you move through life. This comfort zone is very much like an invisible bubble of sorts that surrounds your psyche. And as you go about your day and encounter different circumstances, this bubble constantly expands and constricts depending on your situation. 

Having peak performance in life and in fitness starts by seeking that edge, that threshold, and staying there.  If you can’t confront something that’s outside of your comfort zone, then you won’t venture forward. And you can’t expand. In other words, you keep yourself limited. 

When it comes to this philosophy, Coach Bob Larsen was the master. When the running craze was in its infancy in the ‘70s, Coach Larsen took an unconventional group of young, rag-tag track and cross-country runners and launched them onto the national stage. During the course of his career, Coach Larsen developed sought-after training techniques that made him one of the greatest coaches of all time. 

Our guest is Matthew Futterman, author of Running to the Edge, which presents a riveting account of visionary coach Bob Larsen, who changed the sport of running in America.

The book is about the coach, the runners, and the training techniques. But even if you're not a runner, don’t miss this episode. There's a big takeaway for everyone, no matter what you do or who you are. This is a story about taking risks, stepping outside your comfort zone, changing your destiny, and knowing that if you work hard, you can do better tomorrow than you did yesterday.

Matthew is a New York Times Deputy Sports Editor, and has previously worked for The Wall Street Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and the Star-Ledger of New Jersey, where he was a part of the team that won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News. And, Matthew is also an avid runner.

For show notes, visit www.kathysmith.com/podcast.

Today’s podcast is a 10-minute visualization that I recorded that helps you break old patterns and switch away from negative and limiting ideas and put your energy into more positive outcomes. 

These types of visualizations are powerful. I like to start my morning routine with a visualization. Because it helps me focus on what I want to accomplish for the day… and I get so much more done! 

Remember, your thoughts create our actions...your actions create your habits… our habits create our character… and your character becomes your destiny. 

Where your focus goes, energy flows. 

For more, visit www.kathysmith.com/podcast.

CBD is popping up nearly everywhere. It’s in oils, lotion, toothpaste, bath bombs, shampoo, and even ice cream. It’s definitely moved from the experimental fringes and into the mainstream. 

Today, let’s dive into how CBD is different than THC - and how hemp is different than marijuana.

There's a lot of info in today's episode and, luckily, today’s guest is here to sort things out. Naturopathic doctor Dr. Melissa Gallagher has a YouTube channel that delves into the science, the safety, and the benefits of CBD. With her hundreds of thousands of followers, she’s helping to set the record straight on a subject that can be a bit complicated. So get ready for CBD 101 the beginner's course!

Dr. Gallagher's Endocannibinoid Deficiency Quiz: 

https://naturalhealthresources.com/cbd/edsquiz.html

Let me ask a question. Do you feel like you’re at a point in life where you feel like something has to shift...it could be changing a job, losing weight, moving to a new state, improving or ending a relationship?

If you’re frustrated or confused about how to take action and get started in that process, then today’s show with Julie Weiss is for you. Julie wrote the book, The Miles and Trials Of A Marathon Goddess.

Imagine having the determination to run 52 marathons in 52 weeks...it seems impossible. But that’s exactly what Julie did.

In her book, she opens up her soul and talks about the tough stuff that happened in her life...the dark side, the demons, the bad choices she made, and when she finally hit bottom and felt completely overwhelmed, she decided to finally reclaim her life. And she did it one step at a time...or should I say, 26.2 miles at a time. And along the way she raised over half a million dollars for a cause near and dear to her heart.

Julie’s powerful message of determination will give you the courage to step outside your comfort zone and make the changes you want.

If you’re ready to spread your wings and make things happen, listen up!

Today, we're talking about vitamins. It might have started with chewable Flintstones that your mom gave you as a kid, then in college it was vitamin infused water, and now there is an edgier and somewhat controversial method called vitamin vaping. Although the delivery systems might have changed through the years, this idea of supplementing your diet with vitamins has been something that’s been part of our lifestyle since the time we were little ones.

So the question is: Do we even need to take vitamins?

We know that taking vitamins and minerals is never going to justify less-than-healthy eating habits. But, there’s growing evidence that the right supplements can improve your health and vitality, including maintaining bone density and muscle mass, improving brain function and mental clarity, balancing hormones and rejuvenating skin, hair and nails.

One trip down the vitamin aisle and you’re bombarded with hundreds of options, and some with outrageous claims. That can cause decision fatigue and opting out of adding any of the supplements to your cart.

So, if your head starts to spin when you start to talk about vitamins, welcome to the club! But that’s all about to change because today’s guest Shawn Wells is here to clarify the confusion and simplify a conversation that can tend to be very complicated. Shawn has a divergent background. He is a Registered Dietitian with a decade of experience as a Chief Clinical Dietitian in hospitals and skilled nursing facilities. He is also a Certified Sports Nutritionist and has worked with celebrity clients and professional athletes. All of this experience combined with his extensive background in formulating supplements for big companies converge to make him the world’s greatest formulator.

Aging comes subtly. Sometimes, the changes might feel like joint stiffness in your hip or shoulder, or sometimes the signs are stooping posture, increasing belly fat and loss of muscle mass... those changes are easy to see and feel. Yet other changes are completely hidden.

I hear over and over again from my friends and listeners that after their annual bone-density scan, they’ve been diagnosed with thinning bones. It’s expected that by 2020, half of all American men and women over the age of 50 will have, or will be at risk of developing osteoporosis of the hip... and even more will be at risk of developing it elsewhere.

What if I told you that you can increase your bone density and actually reverse bone loss with a technique that requires only 10 minutes a week. Are you listening now? It seems unbelievable!

Make sure you listen to this show all the way to the end, because today’s guest Dr. John Jaquish has developed a device that’s placed in over 300 clinics worldwide. These clinics, called Osteostrong, focus on osteogenic loading (which basically means putting strain on the bone that applies enough impact or pressure to stimulate new bone growth). It has now helped over 30,000 individuals with their bone health.

We have a lot to cover and we're lucky to have Dr. Jaquish here to help us. He is an inventor, author, and scientist, and stumbled upon his life’s mission to promote bone health after his mother was diagnosed with osteoporosis. He is currently advancing osteogenic loading research and speaking worldwide, as well as developing other biotechnology devices and products that will aid in the advanced health and wellbeing of people all around the world.

For more, visit www.kathysmith.com/podcast.

Imagine being able to take cells and use them to cure all kinds of ailments - from diabetes to heart disease to macular degeneration. All across the world, scientists have begun clinical trials to try and do just that, by making use of the incredible power and versatility of stem cells.

Today’s guest, Dr. Amy Killen, is at the forefront of this movement with her revolutionary work with cosmetic stem cells to create youthful, healthy, glowing skin...also  to stimulate hair to move from the inactive “resting” phase to the active “growing” phase….. and she also works with sexual revitalization for both men and women.

Stem cells help heal tissues. Whenever you have some kind of injury, stem cells target those damaged tissues and release a rich mixture of growth factors to trigger the healing. With age, stem cells start to poop out, and you don’t heal as quickly. And this happens to every tissue in our body. Trying to boost the impact of your own stem cells has captured the attention of the medical community. Dr. Killen talks with us about the latest research and advancements in the field.

Dr. Amy Killen works at Docere Medical in Park City, Utah, where along with Dr. Harry Adelson they have built a reputation for regenerative optimization medicine.

For more, visit www.kathysmith.com/podcast.

What’s the optimal way to eat for good health? That’s a topic that seems to be very controversial right now. With all the conflicting information, it can get muddled and confusing, and often times emotional.

To help clear up some of the confusion is Dr. Joel Kahn, a cardiologist who has seen first-hand the devastating effects of your diet on your heart and on your health.

He’s also the founder of the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity in Michigan. He’s authored hundreds of articles on heart disease, and, he happens to be the owner of GreenSpace Café, advertised as plant-based and pure, where health tastes amazing.

In addition, Dr. Kahn is the author of five books, including The Whole Heart Solution and his newest offering, The Plant-Based Solution.

For more from Kathy, visit www.kathysmith.com/podcast.