How can you restore and deepen the strength of your romantic partnership? Kameran Alareqi is a certified marriage coach who meets couples where they’re at to help them strengthen their marriage by coaching them to become truly qualified to be in a marriage as individuals, deepen connection, improve communication, and apply tools needed to create the healthy marriage they envision and desire.  Kam taught Ramsey a lot in this conversation about attachment, how people need to be honest with each other from the outset of a relationship, and how to establish safety between two people.  She also introduced her own version of “the bases” that we are all trying to get around after our partner pitches us the ball.  This is a great episode to learn what’s worthwhile to focus upon, in order to build healthy relationships.  Learn more at www.recognizingpotential.com.

Why set aside focused, non-stressed time to eat lunch? Because we can create a bubble of space and time where our bodies can enter Rest and Relax mode, even if only for 30 to 60 minutes during an otherwise stress-filled day. That promotes effective digestion, especially when paired with some nice and fun or productive movement and exercise.  It’s good to move throughout the day.  We get stuck in traffic and at our desks too often, and movement is a big part of healthy living. I know we’re all busy, but lunch is worth scheduling and not cutting short.

How can we feel our best year-round, nourish ourselves with the right foods, and avoid illness as the weather (and our bodies!) change with the seasons? Marylee Calmes is a 30-year practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and an educator. Her own healing journey began in the midst of illness, where she discovered that true healing is not a race,  it’s a rhythm. That gentle, cyclical approach now informs everything Marylee teaches through her work with Living in the Season. Ramsey and Marylee spoke about the five seasons of TCM and how they connect to the elements, how TCM can complement Western Medicine, and specifically what we should be eating as we head into late Summer. In her practice, MaryLee offers seasonal guides, reflections, recipes, and meditations that bridge science, spirit, and natural medicine. She holds advanced degrees in Acupuncture, Oriental Medicine, Chinese Herbal Medicine, Psychology, and Education. Her approach is one of calm compassion and practical advice.  Learn more at livingintheseason.com.

Are tribes good or bad, healthy and natural, or destructive and hateful? I’ve heard a lot of negativity directed at tribalism, but recently also read about how people find belonging and shared purpose within their tribes. So what are the best and worst aspects of modern life within our various tribes? We all have tribes, whether they are ethnic, cultural, sports teams, shared hobbies, or faith traditions. Can we question the leaders and dogma of our tribes, and sometimes agree with those of others? Can we admit when other tribes get things right, and ours do not? Can we celebrate our tribes without hating others? The answers to these and other questions may determine not only the health of our tribes, but also our own independence and personal expansion within our tribes.

What can we do to push back burnout, retake control of our basic health foundations, and bring vitality home to our lives? Ramsey is launching a LIVE, weekly interactive and informative program on Zoom, Tuesdays at Noon Pacific Time, starting July 21st, called “Better Before Burnout: Waking, Eating, Moving, and Sleeping to Beat Stress and Bring Vitality.” Each weekly hour-long session will bring value on its own, and also build your knowledge, capabilities, and momentum week over week. In this episode, Ramsey lays out what impending burnout looks like, how we can push it back with the foundations of health, and how that all connects to nervous system regulation.  Listen to the end of the episode to get a coupon code to enjoy your first Tuesday session free.  Learn more at whatsworthwhile.net/better-before-burnout.

How can we reach out to others who are different and unfamiliar, to put them at ease and gain new friends? My friend Parfait knows what it feels like to be the outsider, as an immigrant from West Africa who came to the U.S. to go to college.  In the decades since, he’s become an expert and leading voice in peacemaking, fostering belonging, and creating social and business structures that bring people together.  In his new book “The Way of Befriending,” Parfait tells the story of how he found his way, how he finds joy and healing in music, and how he has witnessed many others become unlikely friends. The book also presents many practical models for us to use in social and business settings.  Here in my response, I talk a bit about his and my friendship and how Parfait’s ideas resonate with mine.  To learn more about Parfait and order his book, visit parfaitbassale.com.

What did our small group learn about holistic brain health, and what were the extra benefits of getting together each week? Here are my reflections on the Amen WHOLE-4 6-week Foundations Program after facilitating our faith-based group. We expected to learn a lot about how brain health was tied into other aspects of the body, mind, and spirit, and we definitely did.  But we also learned a lot about each other, and built stronger relationships. There’s something really powerful about working towards individual health within a group that is striving for the same goals.  We are happy and feel blessed to be a part of this national pilot program, and to offer our feedback.  Learn more at https://amenwhole4.com.

How can moving and pressing on muscles or finding genetic “snips” provide answers to things like fatigue, depression, blood sugar swings, inflammation, or toxin overload? Dr. J Ann Dunn BS, DC, CKP, CWK, is a chiropractor, certified functional medicine practitioner, and the creator of Wholistic Kinesiology® and Wholistic Methylation, two groundbreaking approaches to natural health that have helped practitioners and patients around the world find answers conventional medicine couldn't provide.  Dr. J teaches Ramsey all about Kinesiology and Methylation, including their definitions, why they are relevant to such a wide range of issues, and how people can find answers to things they’ve experienced their entire lives.  Ramsey decides to get his genes tested, and you can to, with a 15% off discount code shared at the end of the episode.  Visit myhappygenes.com to learn more and get started.

What can we do and control to improve our energy, attitude, strength, stress response, stamina, and all the other factors that push back the overwhelm of our lives? It’s not that complicated, and does not rely upon expensive formulas or products. However, it is tough to do on your own, without guidance or a deliberate strategy.  Ramsey introduces the upcoming weekly workshops he will host and lead on Establishing Daily Vitality to get Better Before Burnout.  You know how when you lift weights, you need to get your reps, right?  Well, for daily Vitality you need to get your WEMS right:  Waking, Eating, Moving, and Sleeping.  Starting in July, join Ramsey each week to work on getting those foundations of health in line.  Learn more at www.whatsworthwhile.net.

What goes with exercise? How about meditation, Qi Gong, Yoga or even Cannabis? Last we visited with Jill Wisehart, she was in Union, Washington, but she has since moved Treetop Fitness fully online and is expanding her holistic health experience offerings through a new network of practitioners … including Ramsey’s Better Before Burnout foundations of health program. Jill and Ramsey chat about all the changes Jill has navigated this past year, how exercise has kept her centered, and how the transformation of Treetop Fitness into a holistic and supportive community is shaping up.  Listen in to get the full run-down of offerings that start in July.  Learn more at www.treetopfitness.com.