Thyroid Warrior Podcast

This podcast episode is just the beginning of something new... When managing grief, conflict, chronic illness, or life in general, it can be A LOT. My wish for you is that you will be able to check in with your body. I have lived the true definition of you can't be someone else's something if you're nothing for yourself. Can you take some time to figure out the following questions: What do I want? What makes me feel good? What have I said yes to, that I should have said no to? How can I say yes to myself more? It's only up from here friends...

This week is a very important topic - living wills, advanced directives, and healthcare proxies.  It is critical to have a conversation about these topics, and I encourage you to choose a trusted advocate or caregiver who can make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to. Please don't forget to document important information that may be crucial in times of emergency or if you are no longer able to make decisions for yourself: Keep track of passwords, bank accounts, and contact information for renovation workers.  Set up a legacy contact with Apple, enabling access to a deceased person's computer. Check for updates to these documents regularly as you change passwords or as things in your life change These steps can ease the burden on loved ones during difficult times. We also discuss different names for advanced directives, which may vary from state to state. In some areas, they may be referred to as healthcare agents or patient advocates. The key is to ensure you have a documented process for your medical decisions such as preferences regarding organ donation, pain management, resuscitation, ventilation, feeding tubes, and palliative care. By documenting these preferences, individuals can ensure that their wishes are respected and followed. When in doubt, consult with a lawyer regarding these documents and make sure you carry a copy with you at all times/you have a copy in your medical record.    

This podcast episode is about the struggle to manage grief. We are discussing how grief has impacted my thyroid condition, and I discuss the importance of expressing oneself and seeking support during challenging times. Grief will impact us differently, but it is important to connect with people and a care team who will support you throughout the entire process.  

This series is very close to home. This text discusses the importance of advocacy and communication in healthcare, particularly when it comes to end-of-life planning and death. This series is going to highlight the importance of establishing support systems, learning how to utilize clear communication during difficult times, and why it's so important to be open to having difficult conversations around death. Since it is Mental Health Awareness Month, I will also be hosting a kindness and gratitude challenge from May 22nd-May 26th (2023). Sign up at joyfulebony.com/kindness.  

When we think about our health, it can be easy to assume we don't have many options. However, I have been exploring different forms of treatment to support my health from Western Medicine to other modalities, including acupuncture and I must say, it's been great. I have recently been paying more attention to lifestyle medicine because I can't accept that prevention of disease is impossible for many of us. I also strongly believe in starting small and creating habits that will help you sustain your lifestyle. This episode was in part about lifestyle medicine and what is, as well as about how to make small changes (specifically diet in this case) that can help your health outcomes.  If you would like to learn more about lifestyle medicine, please visit the American College of Lifestyle Medicine https://lifestylemedicine.org/ to learn more.

For those of you who may be new to the show, let me reintroduce myself.   My name is Ebony, I have Hashimoto's Disease, I am a patient advocate, personal trainer, nutrition coach and aromatherapist. Through my own struggles, I have learned so much about this condition and have made it my mission to share what I have learned with all of you. As we move forward with the podcast, I am excited to announce that we will be taking a seasons-based approach. Each season will focus on a specific aspect of thyroid disease, from diagnosis to treatment options to self-care. I will be discussing my four step method I use to help clients in detail and I will also be enlisting the support of professionals in the field. I encourage all of you to take the time to get to know yourself and your own unique needs when it comes to managing thyroid disease. Together, we can support each other and thrive. Let me know your thoughts and what you want to hear more of!

Sometimes it can be a challenge to outgrow the things that used to make you feel safe and secure. We all know the struggle even when we're not aware of it: You want to say no to going out because you just don't like it anymore You've outgrown your current circle of friends, but you don't know how to say it Things that used to seem really difficult are merely bumps Don't forget that you can change and each of us will evolve over time. It doesn't make you a bad person, but you'll have to work through what feels safe for you in terms of navigating new spaces. Just like you may experience difficulty when you're adjusting to a new medication or health regimen, everything around you can shift too. If you're interested in learning more about my free monthly aromatherapy classes, click here. Choose Aromatherapy classes and you will be able to book the free class.

In this episode, we are going to talk about exploring this question: "Am I safe here"? I heard this question on a podcast from the Truth Doctor and it has revolutionized my thought process related to how I process my emotions, trauma and my condition.  I also spoke about ACEs or Adverse Childhood Events and I encourage you to be sure to do things that make you comfortable and safe while you explore this concept. For more informationon ACEs, check out: https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/index.html  

In this episode, we are going to go deep and talk about some real stuff. For months, it has been a challenge and I often find myself asking the question "Why Bother"? This series is going to be going in detail with this. Updates: If you missed last week's episode, check out Near Country Provisions at nearcountry.com and enter the code "Ebony" for free meat provisions. Today is the last day to grab my Go Ahead, Eat the Cookie program at $197. Head to joyfulebony.com/cookiecourse to sign up and remember to use the code podcast as the price increases to $597 after September 1st Finally, if you love Strong Fitness Magazine as much as I do, grab a discount on a subscription using the code SFC3  

In today's episode, we have a treat of having a different perspective on Hashimoto's Disease. As many of us know, women are at a higher risk of developing Hashimoto's Disease, but that doesn't mean that men can't develop it. We all develop passions for good health in different ways and today's guest, Adam Gerson, of Near Country Provisions shares how he used the information from his journey to develop a subscription-based meat delivery service in the Mid Atlantic region (DC, Maryland and Virginia) that provides nutrient dense and grass-fed meat.  They are also testing out new cuts and other items. You can use the code "Ebony" to provisions with your first order! If you have any questions at all, you can reach out to Adam at adam@nearcountry Visit their website: https://nearcountry.com/ Check them out on social media: https://www.instagram.com/nearcountrydelivered/    

This podcast episode highlights Shalini Arora of Sunny Side of You. She helps busy people on the go, with no time and energy,  nurture a healthy lifestyle using principles of Natural Hygiene so that they become their best versions. We spoke about various ways of living a healthy lifestyle and she talks about different strategies to take care of oneself. You can check out her free masterclass here: https://www.balancethyroid.com/register  

It is very easy for us to focus so much on being self-sufficient. However, we forget that we contribute to our stress. Being aware means more than processing your environment.   It can also relate to your body and how it responds to things, places, or people.   Today, I want to ask you this question…can you change your circumstances when you don't like them? Maybe you can…maybe you can't; however, there are things you can do when you are unable to remove yourself from a situation…   Listen to the episode to learn more and to complete a few visual exercises!  

This podcast episode is calling out some of the feelings associated with things we tend not to say out loud.  Each of us has unique life experiences that will impact how we react to things that happen to us. Today I'm sharing how comments from our loved ones can be helpful and hurtful, especially when it comes to how we manage our conditions or choices related to our health.

Just don't stay there… Take a listen to Kim Walsh of Warrior Forward as we discuss her account of learning about her condition. One big takeaway for me as I listened again has been sometimes we do have to push forward in the moment, but it's so important to take time to grieve and heal. https://www.warriorforward.com/  

It can be very easy to get lost in the "I'm fine" trap.  I often ask my friends, how are you really? I want you to focus on the same thing today.  How are you? What's really going on? It's totally okay if that is something you are struggling with right now in this season, but I want to remind you that you can do it, whatever it is...even if it means going slower than originally planned.

Today's podcast episode is all about vegetable oils.  Yes, we are still in high school chemistry as we review the basic structures of lipids and such. However, when you understand the makeup of plant oils, you can develop an understanding of why some of your favorite products work. Also,  we celebrated Thyroid Awareness Month in January! Visit joyfulebony.com/thyroidawarenessmonth for all of the details, plus, some proceeds will be going to autoimmune.org!

This episode is all about patient portals.  It may be easy to call the doctor's office, but you also want to be able to see your health information at a glance and be able to message your care team.

Care coordination is defined as the process of organizing patient care and any activity for that patient to improve health outcomes (AHRQ.GOV).  In this podcast episode, we go over the basics of what that means and I provide you with an overview of how this works. We are also setting the stage for effective communication in the doctor's office. This brings me to a bonus! I'm so excited to share that my health journal is available digitally! Grab yours here: https://www.joyfulebony.com/product/health-journal/ https://soulabeautyco.com/collections/health-and-wellness/products/digital-health-journal  

Today's episode is giving you an actual example of how social determinants of health can impact someone's care.   For me, we have to have a more broad conversation about care. It's not solely on race. If we could focus more on how similar we are despite our experiences and differences.   Yes, health disparities exist.    Yes, minority populations are usually impacted by these structural issues.   However,   WE have all struggled with access to care.   WE come from different backgrounds and have had poor experiences in getting to appointments.   WE have all struggled with watching loved ones get sick because they can't afford their medications.   The question is how do WE work TOGETHER to help each other MORE?   Resources Marmot, Michael, and Ruth Bell. "Social Inequalities in Health: a Proper Concern of Epidemiology." Annals of Epidemiology, Elsevier, 3 Mar. 2016, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1047279716300400.  Healthy People. "Social Determinants of Health." Social Determinants of Health | Healthy People 2020, www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/topic/social-determinants-of-health.  Eighty-Six Percent of Primary Care Patients Believe Racism Is Impacting Their Health." Primary Care Collaborative, 22 July 2020, www.pcpcc.org/2020/06/10/eighty-six-percent-primary-care-patients-believe-racism-impacting-their-health.  Evans, Michele K., et al. "Diagnosing and Treating Systemic Racism: NEJM." New England Journal of Medicine, 17 June 2020, www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMe2021693.  PatientEngagementHIT. "Patients, Providers Reflect on Racism as Public Health Crisis." PatientEngagementHIT, 15 June 2020, patientengagementhit.com/news/patients-providers-reflect-on-racism-as-public-health-crisis.  Nolen, LaShyra, et al. "How Medical Education Is Missing the Bull's-Eye: NEJM." New England Journal of Medicine, 25 June 2020, www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1915891?query=recirc_mostViewed_railB_article.  Wakefield, Emily O, et al. "Describing Perceived Racial Bias Among Youth With Sickle Cell Disease." OUP Academic, Oxford University Press, 17 Mar. 2018, academic.oup.com/jpepsy/article/43/7/779/4942298.  Betancourt, Joseph R. "Cultural Competence And Health Care Disparities: Key Perspectives And Trends." Health Affairs, 2005, www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10.1377/hlthaff.24.2.499.  Henderson, Saras, et al. "Cultural Competence in Healthcare in the Community: A Concept Analysis." Wiley Online Library, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd, 7 Mar. 2018, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/hsc.12556.  Rukhsana Ahmed & Benjamin R. Bates (2017) Patients' fear of physicians and perceptions of physicians' cultural competence in healthcare, Journal of Communication in Healthcare, 10:1, 55-60, DOI: 10.1080/17538068.2017.1287389  Joseph R. Betancourt, Alexander R. Green. "Defining Cultural Competence: A Practical Framework for Addressing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care - Joseph R. Betancourt, Alexander R. Green, J. Emilio Carrillo, Owusu Ananeh-Firempong, 2003." SAGE Journals, 1 July 2003, journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1093/phr/118.4.293.  Crawford, Dana E., et al. "'LET UP': A Systematic Approach to Responding to Cultural Bias in Health Care." ZERO TO THREE, vol. 40, no. 2, Nov. 2019, pp. 10–17. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&AuthType=ip,shib&db=eric&AN=EJ1244159&site=ehost-live&scope=site.  Place, Not Race: Disparities Dissipate In Southwest Baltimore When Blacks And Whites Live Under Similar Conditions 

Health disparities aren't something that impact people of color. Each of us are impacted in different ways. This podcast episode is going to begin the process of exploring how we can all recognize how each of us has much more in common from the perspective of access to care. Today, I will be introducing the basics of social determinants of health. You can reference healthypeople.gov in the US to read more.