Pursuing Health

Katrín Davíðsdóttir is a legendary CrossFit athlete renowned for her impressive career, which includes ten appearances at the CrossFit Games. Over her last eight appearances, she consistently finished in the top ten, and in 2016, she made history as only the third athlete ever to claim back-to-back first-place titles. Widely respected for her grit, resilience, and unshakable mental toughness, Katrín brings an unmatched competitive spirit to every challenge she faces. Originally from Iceland, Katrín now resides in Idaho. Beyond her athletic achievements, she is also a published author, skincare entrepreneur, and passionate traveler. You can connect with Katrín  via Instagram @katrintanja Related Episodes: Ep 47 - Coffee Talk at the Reebok Athlete Summit with Jennifer Smith, Katrin Davidsdottir, Kelley Jackson   Ep 56 - Katrín Davíðsdóttir and Ben Bergeron on The Process of Creating a Champion   If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Joel Warsh is a Board-Certified Pediatrician in Los Angeles, California who specializes in Parenting, Wellness and Integrative Medicine. He grew up in Toronto, Canada and completed degrees in Kinesiology, Psychology and Epidemiology and Community Health before earning his medical degree from Thomas Jefferson Medical College. He completed his Pediatric Medicine training at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA) and worked in private practice in Beverly Hills before founding his current practice, Integrative Pediatrics and Medicine Studio City, in 2018. Dr. Gator has published research in peer-reviewed journals on topics including childhood injuries, obesity and physical activity. He has been featured in numerous documentaries, films, summits, podcasts and articles including CBS, Fox, LA Parent, Washington Post, MindBodyGreen, and many others. He is also the founder of the Parenting Masterclass Platform Raising Amazing which can be found at RaisingAmazingPlus.com Dr. Joel Gator may be best known for his popular Instagram DrJoelGator where he offers weekly parenting and integrative pediatric support. He is a consultant for high-profile brands in the health and wellness space. Dr. Gator is married to Sarah Intelligator, an attorney, whose Holistic Divorce and Family Law practice is located in Beverly Hills. For almost 20 years, she has taught yoga throughout Los Angeles. Dr. Joel was given the nickname, Dr. Gator, by his peers after marrying Sarah Intelligator (yes that is her real last name) and the nickname stuck. You can connect with Dr.Gator via Instagram @drjoelgator. Related Episodes: Ep 305 - What Modern Medicine Gets Wrong with Dr. Marty Makary Ep 237 - Fitness, Nutrition +  Motherhood with Sarah Hopping Estrella   If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Dr. Marty Makary is a New York Times bestselling author and health care expert at Johns Hopkins University. He writes for The Wall Street Journal and served in leadership at the World Health Organization. Marty is the recipient of the 2020 Business Book of the Year Award for his most recent book, The Price We Pay, which has been described by Steve Forbes as “A must-read for every American”. His newest book, BLIND SPOTS, explores the latest scientific research or major health topics today where medical dogma has loomed large. A public health researcher, Dr. Makary leads efforts to improve the health of communities and focuses on the “re-design of health care” to make health care more reliable, holistic, and coordinated, especially for vulnerable populations. He leads national efforts to increase medical transparency and lower health care costs for everyday businesses and consumers. Clinically, Dr. Makary is the chief of Islet Transplant Surgery at Johns Hopkins and is the recipient of the Nobility in Science Award from the National Pancreas Foundation. He has been a visiting professor at over 25 medical schools, has published over 250 peer-reviewed scientific articles, and has been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.  A graduate of Bucknell, Thomas Jefferson, and Harvard Universities, he completed his surgical residency at Georgetown University and his specialty training at Johns Hopkins Hospital. You can connect with Dr. Markary via Instagram @martymakary and his website martymakarymd.com. Related Episodes: Ep 202 - Environmental Toxins and Your Health with Jackie Bowen + Oliver Amdrup Ep 123 - Dissecting Nutrition Research and Dietary Guidelines with Zoë Harcombe If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Lauren Rubal, MD, is a USC-trained Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility physician with a boutique practice in Orange County, CA. Her unique approach focuses on fertility, recurrent miscarriage, painful, irregular, or heavy cycles, and menopause using an integrative lens. Dr. Rubal is double board certified in Integrative Medicine and  Ob/Gyn. She is a FEMM Fellow at the Reproductive Health Research Institute and has completed a Fellowship with the Leonine Forum. Dr. Rubal's greatest career achievement is one defined by its end: leaving a traditional REI partnership to pursue a radically reimagined vision for reproductive care. Her mission is to identify the root cause and heal reproductive issues holistically. She is a Board Member of the Couple to Couple League and serves on the Advisory Board for the non-profit Pre-Health Shadowing. When not at work, she's wrangling her 3 boys with her amazing husband, trying to homestead, or spending time in nature (though, as a native Floridian, usually not in the water). Resources: Fertility Science Institute International Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine FACTS About Fertility Natural Womanhood You can connect with Dr. Rubal via Instagram @laurenrubalmd and her website laurenrubalmd.com Related Episodes: Ep 155 - Dr. Marguerite Duane on FACTS About Fertiilty Ep 293 - Dr. Erin Faules on Support for Infertility and Autoimmune Disease If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Tony Nader, MD, PhD is a medical doctor trained at Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Ph.D. in neuroscience) and a globally recognized expert in the science of Consciousness and human development. Dr. Nader, whose training includes internal medicine, psychiatry, and neurology, is a bestselling author (One Unbounded Ocean of Consciousness), with his book Consciousness is All There Is recently released on August 6 (Penguin/Hay House). He is the successor to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and the head of the Transcendental Meditation organizations globally.   Dr Nader conducted research on neurochemistry, neuroendocrinology, and the relationship between diet, age, behavior, mood, seasonal influences, and neurotransmitter and hormonal activity, and on the role of neurotransmitter precursors in medicine.   Dr. Nader’s interest to explore the full potential of the human physiology, and the human mind led him to also study and conduct research on ancient and modern techniques of self-development.   For many years, Dr. Nader worked closely with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who first introduced Transcendental Meditation or TM® to the world in 1958, and who emphasized the scientific understanding and validation of Transcendental Meditation.   Dr. Nader has discussed his expertise at academic institutions such as Harvard Business School on The Neuroscience of Transcendence, Stanford University, where he gave talks in a series entitled "Hacking Consciousness" as well as the keynote speaker for a number of conferences at the House of Commons, British Parliament. His research has been published in Neurology, Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, Journal of Gerontology, Progress in Brain Research, and many other journals. Dr. Nader has been awarded  many time for his outstanding contribution in human development, environment, education, and health.   You can connect with Dr. Nader via Instagram @drtonynader Related Episodes: Ep 223 - Tapping to Reduce Stress with Nick Ortner Ep 277 - The Science of Spirituality and Mental Health with Dr. Lisa Miller If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Dr. Cate Shanahan is the leading authority on nutrition and human metabolism. A board-certified Family Physician with over 20 years of clinical experience, and NY Times bestselling author of The FatBurn Fix, Deep Nutrition and Food Rules, her expertise is fixing the underlying problems that cause metabolic damage and inflammation, leading to autoimmunity, weight gain, diabetes, cancer and accelerated aging processes. Her passion is helping people feel their best.   After getting her BS in biology from Rutgers University, she trained in biochemistry and genetics at Cornell University’s graduate school before attending Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. She practiced in Hawaii for ten years where she studied ethnobotany and her healthiest patient’s culinary habits. She applied her learning and experiences in all these scientific fields to write Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food.   Her most recent book, Dark Calories, explains how eight common seed oils cause the cellular damage that underlies virtually all chronic disease, exposes the corruption that deceives doctors and consumers alike, and gives us a clear roadmap to recovery and rejuvenation.   You can connect with Dr. Shanahan via Instagram. @drcateshanahan Related Episodes: Ep 71 - The Sugar Free Revolution with Karen Thomson Ep 123 - Dissecting Nutrition Research and Dietary Guidelines with Zoë Harcombe If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Christine Bald is a freelance writer in the CrossFit space. She is best known for her deeply human behind-the-scenes coverage of the CrossFit Games season via Dave Castro’s Instagram. She is the co-author of Resilient with Brooke Wells, Chasing Excellence with Ben Bergeron and What Is The Way? with Annie Thorisdottir and Katrin Davidsdottir. You can connect with Christine via Instagram. @christinedca Related Episodes: Ep 84 - Chasing Excellence with Ben Bergeron Ep 131 - Dave Castro on Changes in Life and the CrossFit Games If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

300 episodes of Pursuing Health—what an incredible journey! It’s been almost three years since my last Q&A-style episode, so to celebrate this milestone, I'm hosting a special Q&A session with the help of the amazing Nicole Carroll. Thank you to everyone who responded to my call for questions via email; there were so many excellent ones, and I wish I could have answered them all! I deeply appreciate your support for the podcast. Many of you have followed my path from CrossFit Games athlete to medical student to physician, and I'm truly honored that you tune in week after week. It's been a privilege to listen and learn from an array of remarkable guests—medical experts, elite athletes, and everyday individuals with inspiring transformation stories—and I'm grateful to share these conversations with you. Cheers to nine years of Pursuing Health, and here's to many more ahead! You can connect with Julie and Nicole via Instagram @JulieFoucher, @Nicole.Carroll Related Episodes: Ep 200 - Q+A: Catching Up with Julie Foucher Ep 58 - Nicole Carroll on the early days and preserving the culture of CrossFit If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Wayne Jonas, MD, is a widely published investigator, practicing family physician, and professor of medicine at Georgetown University and at Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. He is also a retired lieutenant colonel in the Medical Corps of the United States Army.    Dr. Jonas was the director of the Office of Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health from 1995 to 1999 and led the World Health Organization’s Collaborative Center for Traditional Medicine. Prior to that, he served as the director of medical research fellowship at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.   He now advises national and international organizations on ways to implement evidence-based healing practices in their medical systems.   He serves as the President of Healing Works Foundation and participates with Primary Care for All Americans.  His newest book is Healing and Cancer: A Guide to Whole Person Care, co-authored with Alyssa McManamon, MD, released April 23, 2024 by Rodin Books.  You can connect with Dr. Jonas via Instagram. @drwaynejonas Related Episodes: Ep 242 - Exercise to Prevent and Treat Cancer with Dr. Allison Betof Ep 288 - From the Vault: How Healing Works with Dr. Wayne Jonas If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Lisa Miller, Ph.D., is the New York Times bestselling author of The Spiritual Child and a professor in the Clinical Psychology Program at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is the Founder and Director of the Spirituality Mind Body Institute, the first Ivy League graduate program and research institute in spirituality and psychology, and has held over a decade of joint appointments in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical School. Her innovative research has been published in more than one hundred peer-reviewed articles in leading journals, including Cerebral Cortex, The American Journal of Psychiatry, and the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Dr. Miller is Editor of the Oxford University Press Handbook of Psychology and Spirituality, Founding Co-Editor-in-Chief of the APA journal Spirituality in Clinical Practice, an elected Fellow of The American Psychological Association (APA) and the two-time President of the APA Society for Psychology and Spirituality. A graduate of Yale University and University of Pennsylvania, where she earned her doctorate under the founder of positive psychology, Martin Seligman, she has served as Principal Investigator on multiple grant funded research studies. Dr. Miller speaks and consults around The Awakened Brain and The Spiritual Child for the US Military, businesses (including tech, finance, HR and sales), personal development, faith based organizations, schools and universities, and for mental health and wellness initiatives. You can connect with Dr. Miller via Instagram. @dr.lisamiller and her website lisamillerphd.com.  You can access her book,  The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life, via Amazon.  Check out her Ted Talk on Depression and Spiritual Awakening via YouTube. Related Episodes: Ep 149 - The Science of Spontaneous Health with Dr. Jeffrey Rediger Ep 267 - Elijah Muhammad: Always Positive Energy If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every week. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Andrew Carter is the founder and lead pastor of Royal City Church in Los Angeles, CA. He runs a popular live YouTube Bible study called 'Coffee and Prayer' that streams on all major podcast platforms. He appears on television networks, podcasts and stages preaching the good news of Jesus. Andrew travels the world guest speaking at conferences, churches, and events, and recently released his first book, The Privilege of Prayer.   Andrew has become an inspiration for others who face difficult times and struggles. With millions of followers, Andrew has become an influencer for God's Kingdom. He is a leader, speaker, writer, husband and father.   In addition to his social media, you can find Andrew on Kinship, a platform to make connections and share conversations. You can connect with Andrew via all social media channels. @andrewfcarter Related Episodes: Ep 175 - Pursuing Your Passion with Jonny + Libby Diaz Ep 173 - Small Steps, Big Results: Carrie McCall If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Dr. Perlmutter is a Board-Certified Neurologist and Fellow of the American College of Nutrition.  He received his M.D. degree from the University of Miami School of Medicine where he was awarded the Leonard G. Rowntree Research Award.  He has published extensively in peer-reviewed scientific journals and is a frequent lecturer at symposia sponsored by such medical institutions as Columbia University, Scripps Institute, New York University, and Harvard University.  He also serves as an Associate Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Perlmutter is the author of four New York Times bestselling books showing the connection between gut health and brain health, including Grain Brain, Brain Maker, The Grain Brain Cookbook, and his most recent book, The Grain Brain Whole Life Plan.  Dr. Perlmutter has also been interviewed on many nationally syndicated television programs including 20/20, Larry King Live, CNN, Fox News, Fox and Friends, The Today Show, Oprah, The Dr. Oz Show, and The CBS Early Show. He is also the recipient of numerous awards, including: the Linus Pauling Award for his innovative approaches to neurological disorders; the National Nutritional Foods Association Clinician of the Year award; the Humanitarian of the Year award from the American College of Nutrition; the Media Award from the American College of Nutrition; and the Healthy Living Award from The Invisible Disabilities Association. Related episodes: Ep 22 - Brigid Titgemeier on Functional Nutrition Ep 38 - Micronutrients and Quality Supplementation with Oliver Amdrup and Julius Heslet If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Stacy T. Sims, MSc, PhD, is a forward-thinking international exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who aims to revolutionize exercise nutrition and performance for women. She has directed research programs focusing on female athlete health and performance and pushing the dogma to improve research on all women. During her tenure at Stanford, she had the opportunity to translate earlier research into consumer products and a science-based layperson's book (ROAR) written to explain sex differences in training and nutrition across the lifespan. Both the consumer products and the book challenged the existing dogma for women in exercise, nutrition, and health. This paradigm shift is the focus of her famous "Women Are Not Small Men” TEDx talk. Her contributions to the international research environment and the sports nutrition industry has established a new niche in sports nutrition; and established her reputation as the expert in sex differences in training, nutrition, and health. Stacy currently holds a Senior Research Associate position with SPRINZ- AUT University, supervises PhD students, writes academic papers, and is on the advisory board of some cutting edge companies including Tonal Strength Institute, WILD.AI, and EXOS.  She also has her own business (www.drstacysims.com) where she creates and delivers online learning material focused on women training with their physiology across the lifespan. She currently resides at the beach in Mt. Maunganui, New Zealand with her husband and young daughter. You can connect with Stacy via Instagram. @drstacysims Related Episodes: Ep 155 - Dr. Marguerite Duane on FACTS about Fertility Ep 176 - Women are Not Small Men with Dr. Stacy Sims If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Joseph Janesz, PhD, is an Associate Staff and Director of the Outpatient Executive and Professional Program at Cleveland Clinic.  He has been a Psychotherapist, Clinical Supervisor, lecturer, author and national Consultant for the past 30 years. Dr. Janesz completed his undergraduate work at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, and received his PhD degree from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. His training includes couples and group therapy, performance enhancement and sports psychology, executive coaching and management and organizational consulting.  He consults with a wide range of clients in the medical, legal, financial, sports and entertainment fields and has been a Consultant to the National Football League for the past 20 years and a key player in the first NFL Players Assistance Program -- the Cleveland Browns "Inner Circle Program." Dr. Janesz played an integral role in my own training as I prepared for the CrossFit Games.  It was a pleasure to re-connect with him to learn more about his approach for helping individuals become their own personal best self and how high-performers can find balance and excellence through mindfulness. *Dr. Janesz’s Bio was adapted from clevelandclinic.org Related episodes: Ep 274 - Be the Hero of Your Own Story with Donald Miller Ep 264 - How to Build Mental Resilience with Dr. Lara Pence If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Dr. Erin Faules (formerly Donaldson) is on a mission to educate and challenge others to take charge of their health. She is board certified in Family Medicine, and practiced rural ER and Hospital Medicine before settling into her true love of Precision Medicine, specializing in Autoimmune Diseases. She now owns her own practice, Doctor Erin Health, where she uses genomics and comprehensive data to co-create a health plan with her patients.   She believes the majority of health is accomplished through daily habits, a philosophy sparked by her own health journey with autoimmune disease.  She understands first-hand the overwhelming feeling of navigating our healthcare system, and more importantly the liberation that comes with taking control back of your outcomes through optimizing daily choices. Above all, she believes joy feeds health. When not practicing medicine, you can find her hanging out with her dogs, practicing yoga, adventuring around the world, or laughing with her friends and family. You can connect with Erin via Instagram, @thedoctorerin and on her website, www.thedoctorerin.com Free Webinar: https://erin-faules.mykajabi.com/webinar Autoimmune Academy: https://erin-faules.mykajabi.com/academy   Related Episodes: Ep 246 - Overcoming Celiac Disease and Infertility Ep 252 - Healing Autoimmune Disease with Dr. Erin Donaldson If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Michael F. Roizen, MD, is an internist and anesthesiologist who is passionate about helping people choose to live younger and healthier lives. He is the Chief Wellness Officer at Cleveland Clinic, the co-founder of RealAge Inc, a five-time number one New York Times best-selling author, and the Chief Medical Consultant on the Dr. Oz Show.  An accomplished lecturer, researcher, CEO, television personality and author, Dr. Roizen’s myriad achievements are too numerous to count. Dr. Roizen continues to practice internal medicine, using the RealAge metric to motivate his patients. He routinely sees patients who are in the midst of struggling with tobacco, heart, diabetic or arthritic problems and coaches them with simple (but persistent) lifestyle changes to be able to live, feel, look and be years younger. He really enjoys getting them to throw away their medications when they no longer need them, and teaches the role of food and other simple steps in reversing disease processes. I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Roizen during my medical school studies, and I was thrilled to catch up with him at his home to talk about the benefits he’s witnessed since Cleveland Clinic implemented an Employee Health Plan, the most important lifestyle factors we can change to improve our overall health and wellness, and his take on What to Eat When. You can connect with Dr. Roizen via Instagram. @drmichaelroizen Related episodes: Ep 99 – Dr. Axel Pflueger on Fighting Chronic Disease with Fitness Ep 38 – Micronutrients and Quality Supplementation with Oliver Amdrup and Julius Heslet If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Brigid Titgemeier, MS, RDN, LD, IFNCP is a Functional Medicine Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and health advocate.  Inspired by her own health journey in which changing nutrition played a key role, she is on a mission to transform your health and change your life through personalized nutrition. With a Master’s degree in Public Health Nutrition and Board Certification in Integrative and Functional Nutrition, Brigid was a founding dietician at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine, under Dr. Mark Hyman. Throughout her career she has worked with thousands of clients.  She founded the functional nutrition and health consulting business, BeingBrigid Nutrition in 2018 to offer consistent health outcomes for her executive clients by leveraging a data driven personalized nutrition approach, advanced lab testing, education and coaching. Brigid has a Bachelor of Science degree in Dietetics from Miami University, as well as a Masters of Science in Public Health Nutrition from Case Western Reserve University.  Brigid has completed four years of advanced functional medicine training through the Integrative and Functional Nutrition Academy and the Institute for Functional Medicine. You can connect with Brigid via Instagram. @beingbrigid and thebeingcollective.co Related Episodes: Ep 22 - Functional Nutrition with Brigid Titgemeier Ep 210 - HRV + Pregnancy with Dr. Shon Rowan If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Dr. George Slavich is a leading expert in the conceptualization, assessment, and management of life stress and it's relationship to poor health. He is the founding Director of the Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research at UCLA whose goal is "to advance the science of stress and health to help prevent disease and improve human health and resilience worldwide." Since beginning his career as a clinical psychologist, Dr. Slavich has been researching the relationship between stress and health for over 20 years.  His area of focus is psychoneuroimmunology, which studies the effect of the mind on health and resistance to disease. By integrating tools from psychology, neuroscience, immunology, biology, genetics, and genomics, Dr. Slavich’s research has provided new insights into the inflammatory response to social stress and helped to pioneer a new field of research called human social genomics. He has also developed the first online system for measuring lifetime stress exposure called the Stress and Adversity Inventory (STRAIN), and proposed a new theory called the Social Safety Theory, which hypothesizes that developing and maintaining friendly social bonds is a fundamental organizing principle of human behavior and that threats to social safety are a critical feature of psychological stressors that increase risk for disease. Dr. Slavich completed undergraduate and graduate coursework in psychology and communication at Stanford University, and received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Oregon. After graduate school, he was a clinical psychology intern at McLean Hospital in Boston and a clinical fellow in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. He subsequently completed three years of NIMH-supported postdoctoral training in psychoneuroimmunology at UCSF and UCLA. He is presently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA, a Research Scientist at the Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, and the Founding Director of the UCLA Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research. His research has been covered by many media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Scientific American, TIME Magazine, HBO, NPR, U.S. News & World Report, and others. In this episode, we talk about the science behind how stress impacts our body down to the level of gene expression and immune system activation, what type of stressors seem to have the biggest impact on our health, some of the things we can do to mitigate the negative impact of stress, and how measuring stress may improve our ability to address it on a large scale. We also talked about how Dr. Slavich's work provides insight into the current coronavirus pandemic including the impact of stress on chronic systemic inflammation, why we should be practicing physical distancing instead of social distancing, and how best to communicate with others during this time to preserve the protective effects of social bonds on our health. Bio adapted from uclastresslab.org You can connect with Dr. Slavich via Instagram. @uclastresslab Related episodes: Ep 105 - Sleep, Stress and Brain Health with Dr. Nate Bergman Ep 135 - Immune System Strength with Dr. Leonard Calabrese If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Niraj Naik is a professional musician and pharmacist turned holistic health and breathwork expert. He started his path in healing others, as a community pharmacist, yet after several years he found himself a patient with stress-related depression and ulcerative colitis. This was a wake-up call that made him embark on a journey of profound self-healing and education. He created a global community of heart-centered changemakers by founding SOMA Breath - the global breathwork and wellness movement with over 2000 certified instructors, and hundreds of thousands of students around the globe.                                     Known internationally as the Renegade Pharmacist, Niraj is dedicated to educating others on topics of holistic health, breathwork, meditation, and more. Niraj’s breathwork is advocated by some top names in wellness such as Ben Greenfield, Marisa Peer, Vishen Lakhiani, and Josh Trent of Wellness Force Radio and his techniques are currently being studied by leading neuroscientists at Cambridge University.   In addition to the global breathwork and wellness movement, Niraj has created many other brands related to health and healing and was featured in articles from multiple news outlets across the world as well as hundreds of podcasts. You can connect with Niraj via Instagram. @nirajnaikofficial DM the word ‘BREATH’ Related Episodes: Ep 223 - Tapping to Reduce Stress with Nick Ortner Ep 286 - Music for Healing: Barry Goldstein If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Dr. Wayne Jonas is a practicing family physician, an expert in integrative health, and a widely published scientific investigator. In addition to his medical practice, he has served as President, CEO, and Executive Director for Samueli Integrative Health Programs, Director of the Office of Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, and Director of the Medical Research Fellowship at the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.  Dr. Jonas is a retired Lieutenant Colonel in the Medical Corps of the United States Army and a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.   Drawing on his experience from leading hundreds of research studies, Dr. Jonas authored the book How Healing Works, in which he explains the biology of healing and the science behind the discovery that 80 percent of healing can be attributed to the mind-body connection and other naturally occurring processes.  His goal is to change the way doctors and patients approach healthcare—away from a disease treatment model to an integrative system that incorporates the best of evidence-based conventional, complementary and self-care approaches.  Dr. Jonas’s advice can help us facilitate our own innate ability to heal after both minor and major medical incidents, changing how we consume healthcare, and enabling us to be more in control of our recovery and lasting wellness. You can connect with Dr. Jonas via Instagram. @drwaynejonas Related Episodes: Ep 99 – Dr. Axel Pflueger on Fighting Chronic Disease with Fitness Ep 109 – All About Functional Medicine with Dr. Elizabeth Bradley, Medical Director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health. Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.