What is health? Such a simple question but perhaps one we don't spend enough time clarifying and certainly not one that has an agreed upon answer.  Peter Sterling takes a stab at it by combining his life's work as a neuroscientist with his lifelong commitment to social activism, and makes a convincing argument for a completely different model that questions some of the most basic assumptions currently taught in medical schools.  Understanding the evolution of our nervous system over the last 3 billion years, while considering the changes in our lifestyle in the last 200 years, and the undeniable effects of social inequities and injustices on health, Peter argues that the current model of human physiology in medicine not only falls short of promoting health, but also serves to maintain systemic racism in modern medicine.  Peter's proposal for a paradigm shift has been falling on deaf ears for most of his career, but now in his 80s, while promoting his new book What is Health: Allostasis and the Evolution of Human Design, he is hopeful that the medical community is finally starting to listen.  

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains descriptions of racial violence and discrimination

More about Peter Sterling.

Where to order What is Health? 

Every human body has a pelvic area but we rarely have a chance to talk openly about our middle parts and most hands-on therapies skip over it entirely, for obvious reasons.  Pelvic area pain and functional problems are surprisingly common but because they are rarely discussed in public, many people suffer in silence.  Today’s guest calls the pelvis the “centre of your universe”.  Listen to find out what your pelvis might be trying to tell you, if only you are willing to listen.

One of the hardest things as a parent is to watch your child struggle.  How can a parent best support their child when faced with the inevitable challenges of life?   In the midst of a growing epidemic of youth anxiety and depression, Dr. Jen Forrestal, Naturopathic Doctor and creator of the Umbrella Project explains how parents and teachers can support an uncomfortable child AND themselves in order to build the skills needed to cope with all kinds of adversity.

Episode 2 is finally here! Transformational Leadership with Yashar Khosroshahi of Mindshift Leadership.  Yashar believes being "A leader means to step into yourself, understand yourself, and then provide space for others to do the same.”  It's a simple definition but undeniably difficult for most of us to do.  However when we take the time to look inwards for answers, it can be more difficult but is often more fruitful.  "I have never met anyone who didn't have the answer to their own problems or their own questions - I've only met people who have denied or dismissed the answers that do come up for them".  Listen as Yashar shares his painful journey to becoming the leader he is today and the ideas he uses to make space for those around him to do the same. 

The Meditation Contradiction.  Many people explore meditation as a means to cope with the stress of modern life or with the hope of easing their suffering.  My guest today, William Byers, says a lot of people go into meditation expecting a miracle however people should know what they are getting into.  We discuss how his regular meditating and sitting with his own discomfort has affected his life and if, in his opinion, meditation is actually the universal game changer it is touted to be.  You just might be surprised by what he has to say!

Welcome to Uncomfortably Human!  Listen here for a short blurb on what this podcast is all about, what questions I'll be asking, and what I hope you'll take away from each episode.