NHA Today Podcast

Where healthy living meets unforgettable travelCan you explore the world, enjoy incredible food and still stick to the healthy lifestyle you’ve worked so hard to build?In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser sits down with Wanda Huberman, Executive Director of the National Health Association, and Lisa McCarl, RN, MS, CTA, of McCarl Travel, LLC, to explore how NHA is bringing plant-based living and unforgettable travel together.Lisa and Wanda take listeners behind the scenes of NHA’s plant-based cruises, including the work that goes into coordinating with cruise line culinary teams, arranging private dining and making sure ships are prepared for the way NHA travelers eat. On some voyages, NHA chefs even work alongside the ship’s culinary team to help bring the NHA approach into the kitchen.But the food is only part of the experience. These trips give travelers the opportunity to explore destinations around the world while connecting with people who share their commitment to healthy living. Wanda and Lisa share how friendships formed during NHA trips often continue long after everyone returns home.The conversation offers a look at cruises throughout the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Alaska, Australia, New Zealand and beyond. Lisa also explains why many trips are planned years in advance, how the wait lists work and why joining one can still be worthwhile when a trip appears to be full.Wanda also shares a preview of NHA’s land-based adventures, including upcoming trips to Rwanda and Botswana organized with World Vegan Travel. From wildlife encounters and hiking to cultural experiences, these trips offer even more ways to see the world while keeping healthy food, adventure and community at the center of the experience.If travel is on your wish list, discover what’s ahead and how NHA is making it easier to explore the world without leaving your healthy lifestyle behind.Links & ResourcesExplore NHA Plant-Based Travel:https://www.healthscience.org/plant-based-travel/Join the NHA Whole-Food, Plant-Based Travel Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/nhaplantbasedtravelConnect with Lisa McCarl, CTA, ECC, VTA | McCarl Travel, LLC:https://www.thetravelinstitute.com/agent/25665/Watch NHA Today on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@nationalhealthassociationFollow Dr. Stephan Esser on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/esserhealth/Learn more about the National Health Association:https://www.healthscience.org/

What everyone should know about building strength and supporting pelvic healthUrinary leakage, chronic constipation, pelvic pain, painful sex, organ prolapse and changes after childbirth or with aging are incredibly common. But that doesn’t mean they’re something you simply have to accept.In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser sits down with Laura Bunso, PT, MTC, a physical therapist who has specialized in pelvic health, women’s and men’s health and spine care since 1999.Laura explains what the pelvic floor actually does and why these muscles are so important for bladder and bowel control, stability, movement and sexual health. Like other muscles in the body, the pelvic floor can become weak, overly tight, injured or poorly coordinated after childbirth, surgery, menopause, aging, athletic activity and other changes throughout life.One of Laura’s most important messages is simple: just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s normal. Urinary leakage, for example, may become more prevalent with age, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do about it.The conversation also challenges the idea that better pelvic health simply means doing more Kegels. Some people need to strengthen their pelvic floor, while others need to learn how to relax and coordinate these muscles correctly. Even someone who is very active and physically strong can have pelvic floor dysfunction.Laura and Dr. Esser also explore the connection between the pelvic floor and chronic constipation, postpartum recovery, pelvic pain, organ prolapse and changes that occur as we age. Laura explains why maintaining muscle strength and coordination matters and when working with a pelvic floor physical therapist may help.Most importantly, this is a conversation about understanding your body and knowing that it’s okay to talk about symptoms that can feel personal or embarrassing. Laura shares practical ways to support pelvic health, from staying active and hydrated to learning how the pelvic floor should contract and relax.Whether you’re experiencing symptoms now or simply want to maintain strength and function as you age, this episode offers an important reminder: your pelvic floor is part of your overall health, and it deserves attention too.Links & ResourcesSmart Body Physical Therapy:https://www.smartbodypt.com/Listen to Laura’s podcast, Pelvic Like It Is:https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/pelvic-like-it-is/id1871478598Follow Dr. Stephan Esser on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/esserhealth/Watch NHA Today on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@nationalhealthassociationLearn more about the National Health Association:https://www.healthscience.org/

There’s always another diet, supplement or biohack promising better health. But what if we’re making it more complicated than it needs to be?Dr. Asa Frey and Dra. Joanna Frey believe the fundamentals of human health haven’t changed. At their residential lifestyle center, Back to the Garden in Puerto Rico, they focus on seven foundational pillars: presence, whole plant foods, movement, nature, sunlight, sleep and healthy relationships.In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser talks with Dr. Asa and Dra. Joanna about why these basic principles can be more powerful than constantly chasing the latest health trend and why knowing what to do is only part of the equation.They explore the role of presence in actually making healthy habits stick, simple ways to interrupt stress during a busy day and why getting outside, moving your body and protecting your sleep are non-negotiables in their own lives. They also discuss their medically supervised water fasting program, how they prepare patients before a fast and why fasting isn't meant to be a quick fix for the habits that contributed to poor health in the first place.You’ll also hear how they bring these same principles into family life, what they’ve learned from raising their children with healthy habits and why lasting change often begins by becoming the example rather than trying to change everyone around you.Better health may not require another hack. It may mean getting back to the things your body has needed all along.Links & ResourcesBack to the Garden:https://www.backtothegardenpr.com/enBack to the Garden en Español:https://www.backtothegardenpr.com/Get the Back to the Garden App:https://www.backtothegardenpr.com/en/btgappFollow Dr. Esser on Instagram:@esserhealthWatch NHA Today on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@nationalhealthassociationLearn more about the National Health Association:https://www.healthscience.org/

What if getting older didn’t have to mean slowing down?At 84, Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian, is living proof that our later years can still be active, productive and full of purpose. She’s still writing books, speaking, counseling clients and hitting the gym for five fitness classes a week. And she has decades of science and experience behind what she teaches.Vesanto is the author or co-author of 15 books on plant-based nutrition, including books recognized by the American Library Association as go-to resources in the field. Her latest, Plant-Powered Seniors, was written with Brenda Davis, RD and Dr. Charlyn Black. She also co-authored the #1 Amazon bestseller Plant-Powered Protein. Vesanto has taught nutrition at Bastyr University and the University of British Columbia, received both the Ryley-Jeffs Memorial Award and a lifetime achievement award as a dietitian and served as lead author of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ position paper on vegetarian diets across the life cycle.In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser talks with Vesanto about what she’s learned from more than three decades of vegan living and a lifetime spent studying nutrition. They dig into why she now emphasizes a well-planned plant-based diet, why legumes deserve a bigger place on our plates and the nutrients that become especially important as we age, including protein, calcium, vitamin D and omega-3s.They also explore the other side of healthy aging: staying strong and independent. Vesanto shares how exercise supports bone health, balance and fall prevention, why small changes can make a meaningful difference and why it’s never too late to improve the way you eat and live.Whether you’re already in your 70s or 80s or thinking about the health you want decades from now, this conversation offers a different vision of aging and practical ways to stay strong, active and engaged for the years ahead.Links and ResourcesOrder Plant-Powered Seniors:https://plant-poweredprotein.com/Learn more about Vesanto Melina:https://nutrispeak.com/Follow Dr. Esser on Instagram:@esserhealthNHA Today on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@nationalhealthassociationNational Health Association:https://www.healthscience.org/

Small Changes, Big Results: Taking Control of Your Health with Dr. Jeffrey PierceBetter health doesn't require waiting for the perfect time or changing everything overnight. Sometimes it starts with one better choice today.In this episode of the NHA Today Podcast, Dr. Stephan Esser talks with board-certified family and lifestyle medicine physician Dr. Jeffrey Pierce about the power of small, consistent changes and how much influence our everyday habits can have on our long-term health.Drawing on more than 18 years of experience in family medicine, Dr. Pierce shares how his approach to patient care evolved beyond simply managing chronic disease with medications to helping people address its underlying causes through lifestyle.The conversation takes a closer look at fatty liver disease, a condition Dr. Pierce says affects an estimated one in three American adults. He explains why fat can accumulate in the liver, how the condition is often discovered and four lifestyle approaches that may help improve it, including healthy weight loss, a low-fat whole food, plant-based diet, regular movement and certain approaches to meal timing and fasting.Dr. Esser and Dr. Pierce also discuss the growing interest in testosterone replacement, what the research says about potential benefits and risks and why nutrition, exercise, sleep and overall metabolic health deserve attention before looking for a quick fix.Finally, Dr. Pierce shares one of his own favorite prescriptions for health: gardening. For him, growing food brings together movement, nutritious food and time to slow down and reconnect.The message throughout the conversation is refreshingly simple: don't wait for the perfect day. Start with what you can do today and build from there.In This EpisodeWhat Dr. Pierce learned about health and nutrition from practicing medicine in the U.S. and abroadWhy lifestyle can have such a powerful influence on chronic diseaseWhat fatty liver disease is and why it deserves more attentionFour lifestyle approaches that may help improve fatty liverWhat to consider before pursuing testosterone replacementHow sleep and other lifestyle factors can affect hormonal healthWhy small changes can be more sustainable than waiting to make one dramatic transformationHow gardening can support physical, nutritional and emotional well-beingConnect with Dr. Jeffrey PierceBook an appointment with Dr. Pierce through Lifestyle Telemedicine:https://lifestyletelemedicine.com/find-your-doctor/jeffrey-pierce/Follow Dr. Pierce on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/drjeffpierce/Connect with the National Health AssociationJoin the National Health Association:https://membership.healthscience.org/join-membership?Learn more about the NHA:https://healthscience.orgExplore upcoming NHA events:https://healthscience.org/events/If this conversation inspired you, follow the NHA Today Podcast, leave a review and share this episode with someone who might be waiting for the "perfect" time to make a healthy change. Sometimes the best time to begin is simply today.