YOU: The Owner's Manual

Everyday, we encounter many mental, physical, and social challenges that we have to overcome in order to thrive. Some we can immediately recognize and tackle, and others—the most dangerous of all— are camouflaged by what is considered “normal.” How we deal with this can make the difference between a long and healthy life and one that is cut short.

In HEALTHY NO MATTER WHAT: How Humans Are Hardwired to Adapt, innovative doctor Alex Jadad, MD, and his philosopher daughter Tamen Jadad-Garcia take you to peek behind many curtains, giving you access to places traditionally reserved for insiders. Building on data and experiences from millions of people around the world, this book shows you how a healthy and long life is possible, even with serious diseases. It condenses the best scientific knowledge and insights from medicine, psychology, and sociology, from the microscopic to the colossal.

As much as the healthcare system can be very beneficial, it can also be a hotbed of lethal threats. The book will give you evidence about whether, how, and when to use it, to get optimal results and avoid being harmed. Through engaging stories and case studies, the authors show you how trees can heal, how fake pills can still work, and why making comparisons with your peers can kill you. Throughout, the Jadads will ask you questions, including one able to predict whether you could lose 20 years of life.

With wisdom and empathy, HEALTHY NO MATTER WHAT underscores that you can overcome practically any obstacle that prevents you from being healthy with your natural gift of adaptation. Wellness enthusiasts, medical practitioners, and curious readers will find this book to be an illuminating exploration into the vast world of health and will leave them empowered with immediately actionable tips to have the healthiest and longest life possible.

Dr. Roizen talks about the latest health headlines that YOU need to know.  

 

Consumer Reports has called on leading dark chocolate makers today to reduce the level of dangerous heavy metals in their products after they found concerning amounts of lead and cadmium in some of their offerings. In letters accompanied by nearly 55,000 signatures, CR urged Trader Joe’s, Hershey’s, Mondelez, and Theo to make a commitment to take action by Valentine’s Day.

Consumer Reports scientists measured the amount of heavy metals in 28 dark chocolate bars and detected cadmium and lead in all of them. For 23 of the bars, eating just one ounce a day would put an adult over a level that public health authorities and CR’s experts say may be harmful for at least one of those heavy metals. 

Five of the bars were above those levels for both cadmium and lead: Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Lover’s Chocolate 85% cacao; Lily’s Extremely Dark Chocolate 85% cocoa (owned by Hershey’s). Theo Organic Pure Dark Chocolate 70% cocoa; Theo Extra Dark Pure Dark Chocolate 85% cocoa. and Green & Black’s Organic Dark Chocolate 70% cacao (owned by Modelez).  

Consistent, long-term exposure to even small amounts of heavy metals can lead to a variety of health problems.  The danger is greatest for pregnant people and young children because the metals can cause developmental problems, affect brain development, and lead to lower IQ.

Our guest, Kevin Loria is a Senior Health Reporter for Consumer Reports.

Dr. Roizen talks about the latest health headlines that YOU need to know.  

 

Netta Gorman was desperate to overcome her debilitating health issues. She struggled with chronic constipation, headaches, achy joints, uncomfortable extra pounds, energy slumps, anxiety, mood swings, and more. By the age of 45, she’d tried everything...except for one solution!

Cut sugar.

But she resisted it – until she realized that “nothing changes if nothing changes”. It started as a temporary 2-week experiment to cut sugar, flour and sweeteners in July 2015. And to her amazement, Netta started feeling so much more energetic and vitalized that she carried on... and it’s been 7 years and counting! Now Netta shares her voyage of self- discovery that transformed her relationship with sugar and her need for comfort foods. 

Netta is inspiring thousands as the host of the popular Life After Sugar podcast. Her passion is to guide people who struggle with cravings and mindless eating so that they can learn to let go of sugar, gain energy and confidence, and make their intermittent fasting lifestyle easy and natural.

Dr. Roizen talks about the latest health headlines that YOU need to know.  

 

Dr. Roizen talks about the latest health headlines that YOU need to know.  

 

What is Parkinson’s Disease? Parkinson’s Disease is a degenerative condition of the central nervous system that results in a slowing of movement, tremors, postural abnormalities, loss of facial expression, rigidity, impaired balance, and in some cases alterations in behavior and thought. The source of impaired function results from the loss of a population of dopamine-producing cells in a region of the brain called the ‘substantia nigra’, and the loss of the orchestrated release of dopamine has a profound impact on movement.

But ping pong is a therapeutic exercise that has been shown to improve the quality of life of Parkinson’s patients. Based on the concept of neuroplasticity- the brain’s capacity to make new neurons and connections through challenging physical exercise- the PPP method benefits the brain by engaging motor and cognitive skills such as visuospatial attention, motor planning/sequencing, processing speed, and executive skills such as strategy formation and problem-solving. Most importantly, the physical and cognitive engagement is fun and provides a valuable opportunity for social interaction.

Elana Clar is a board-certified neurologist specializing in movement disorders. In this episode, she tells us more about the disease and how best to manage it.

In The Anti-Viral Gut: Tackling Pathogens From the Inside Out, Dr. Robynne Chutkan, founder of the Digestive Center for Wellness, faculty member at Georgetown University Hospital, and bestselling author, demonstrates how vital a healthy microbiome is in keeping us protected against viral infections and supporting a healthy immune system. Combining groundbreaking research with patient stories, Dr. Chutkan gives a fresh perspective on what we can do to empower and protect ourselves against illness.

As viruses become more common, exposure to them is inevitable but illness is not. Science has proven that the majority of your immune system is located in your gut - microbes responsible for keeping a healthy gut also directly affect your immune system. These microbes:

She also goes into detail about how the immune system reacts to viruses and how we can keep it healthy - from what to eat for a healthy immune system (artichokes, leeks, bananas, etc) to tips for sleep, mindfulness, the importance of nature  - and a full anti-viral gut plan with tips and recipes. The human body plays host to a vast system of a trillion bacteria that comprise the microbiome, many in our digestive tract.

With 70% of our immune system located in our gut, keeping these organisms happy and healthy does more than just make us feel good - a healthy microbiome means a healthy body, and a healthy immune system. Western culture focuses so heavily on medicating and sterilizing that we kill off our gut bacteria, and the fewer we have, the fewer barriers we have against future viruses.

Dr. Roizen talks about the latest health headlines that YOU need to know.