Health Grooves

Decision making is one of the most challenging aspects of leading, as we never have all the information we need and yet we still need to act. Especially in these unprecedented times of great uncertainty. Our special guest, Rick Snyder, executive coach, and author of “ decisive Intuition," researches and implements how to incorporate intuition into the decision-making process make better and faster decisions that impact all areas of the business. And this conversation is more timely than ever. I talk to Rick about how to stay balanced and keep moving forward personally and professionally in this “time of Covid.

Veronika Gold, a psychologist from the Czech Republic and a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California, has an expertise in the treatment of anxiety, depression, and PTSD. She is a co-founder and CEO of Polaris Insight Center in San Francisco, clinic providing Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy treatment for depression, anxiety, PTSD, and other mental health issues.   Veronika provides Psychedelic Integration Therapy and serves as a consultant, trainer, and presenter on Psychedelic Assisted Therapies. In this conversation, we discuss her cutting edge work with psychoactive substances, her evolution as a therapist and the future of these modalities. Links: www.polarisinsight.comwww.veronikagold.comPolaris Pulse

Dr. Stephanie Wellington, also known as “The Nurturing MD” is an award winning physician, international keynote speaker, certified professional coach and the founder of “Nurturing MDs.” In this conversation, we discuss her work with medical doctors and other health care professionals suffering from burnout, an alarming trend throughout the medical profession. Her core curriculum, “Lessons in Life and Medicine,” is based on the premise that personal discovery is the missing piece to life and career success. We also discuss the unique challenges of being on the front lines in the battle against COVID-19, another layer of stress being faced by practitioners in hospitals around the country. Link: nurturingmds.com/

Larry Cammarata, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist specializing in mindfulness-based therapy and education. He’s the Director of Education for Mindfulness Travels, an organization that provides educational retreats around the world with leaders in the fields of mindfulness and mindful movement. Larry is also an instructor of the ancient Chinese movement arts of Qigong and Tai Chi. In this conversation, we discuss the challenges people are facing during the COVID-19 pandemic and how mindfulness based practices can help relieve stress and support peace of mind during this difficult time. Links: MindfulnessTravels.com Mind-BodyWellness.org

Bradley Angel is the Executive Director of Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice. In 1997, Bradley joined with grassroots urban, rural and indigenous community leaders from California and Arizona to form Greenaction, a multiracial organization working with low income, working class and communities of color on the frontlines of environmental racism, injustice, and climate change. For over 30 years, Bradley has been a local and national leader in the environmental health and justice movement and has helped communities win some of the most significant victories in the history of the environmental justice movement. Prior to co-founding Greenaction, Bradley was the Southwest Toxics Campaigner for Greenpeace USA from 1986 through 1997. In this conversation we discuss Brad’s work over the past decades and what he is working on today as well as the disparate health and economic effects on marginalized communities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Ruchi Puri is a San Francisco based Ob/Gyn who teaches clients holistic approaches to transforming their health. She is a graduate of George Washington and Duke Universities with additional education in Ayurvedic Medicine, Five Element Acupuncture, Trauma and Modalities of Spiritual Healing. She has an integrative women’s wellness platform with on-line courses and groups to support women embody their wellness potential and regain their vitality. Her blog: Unveiling Being on www.ruchipuri.com helps readers redefine their understanding of many of the modern challenges to health we are facing today. In this conversation, Ruchi gives her perspective on the COVID-19 pandemic, how we are treating it and its meaning on an individual and a collective level. She says that there is much for us to learn from what we are going through right now. The question is: will we learn those lessons.

Dr. David Seaman graduated from New York Chiropractic College in 1986 and almost immediately fell into inflammation, nutrition, and pain research. His scientific scientific papers on these topics have been cited by scientists at internationally. He has coined the term “DeFlame Nutrition” which describes the low grade chronic inflammatory process that afflicts much of our population and is the cause of most chronic disease. This is especially important in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in which it has been determined that those most at risk of infection with severe complications are suffering from chronic conditions. In this conversation, we discuss both the causes of this inflammation as well as the nutritional and lifestyle approaches we need to adopt to reverse the process. With the bulk of chronic disease today caused by lifestyle choices, from diet to exercise to sleep, Dr. Seaman’s work is especially poignant. Links: Web: www.DeFlame.com You Tube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC01BY1nkLX15_RdTd4LOK1g Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeFlameNutrition/?__tn__=%2Cd%2CP-R&eid=ARArbNVkbI5GtF8u6HY1ZD_SG9b5ZtIRWIvs93oRapO_g3Wwp2DQU-ANdBvs6LBBKRCcWESfd7DK-rNy

George has been a spiritual teacher and counselor in the Bay Area for over 30 years.  He is an Elder of Medicine Path Native American Church in the San Francisco Bay Area.  He lives and works in Berkeley, California. In this conversation we discuss the challenges of having our worlds turned upside down by the corona virus. From lost jobs and the financial strains suddenly thrust upon us to questions about the meaning for us individually and collectively in this time of great disruption. How has this crisis impacted our ideas of who we are and how do we move forward in a changed world? George provides important incites that can help guide us through this turbulent time. Links: medicinepath.org

MusiCares is the health and human services wing of the Recording Academy (which also produces the Grammys.) Musicares provides vital assistance to musicians in need of a variety of health services, from addiction services to dental, medical and even housing support. Harold Owens, Senior Director, has been providing lifelines for those in the music industry since 1999. As a musician who struggled with his own addiction, Harold understands the challenges and struggles that come with a life in the music business.  In this conversation we discuss Harold’s evolution to become one of the most trusted and respected people in the music community and his work with MusiCares; from setting up Safe Harbor Rooms at music festivals to advocating for musicians who have fallen on hard times and need a helping hand. We discuss his personal road to recovery and his advice for musicians struggling with “the creativity myth.” Link: Musicares: www.grammy.com/musicares

Denise Cicuto is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Chinese herbalist, and a diplomate in Oriental Medicine with certifications in Gua Sha, Alchemical healing, and advanced training in pregnancy and postpartum care. Denise once suffered from chronic pain, which lead her to try acupuncture and become an acupuncturist herself. Now Denise helps people live beyond emotional and physical pain. In this conversation we discuss Denise’s work with alchemical acupuncture, addressing the emotional components that underlie the manifestation of physical symptoms.

Ed Marshall has spent the last twenty years as the production and stage manager for Devo. From 2013 until 2016 he was on the road with Blondie and before that with TSOL. He is a veteran of many years on the road from touring  in a van to high end rock festivals. As part of a series on musicians health and healing, Ed and Ricky talk about life on the road, its effects on musicians both physically and emotionally, and how one cares for ones body, mind and soul under what can be some rough conditions. Ed describes the less glamorous life behind the stage and how he has successfully coped with the stresses of the “road life.” Ed still tours and plays in his own band, “The Ooks of Hazzard.” Links:  www.linkedin.com/in/ed-marshall-59b81732/ www.facebook.com/ooksofhazzard/

Thomas De Raedt, MSE, Ph.D., is a leading cancer researcher and an Investigator at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Center for Childhood Cancer Research . Dr. De Raedt joined CHOP from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, where he was a Post-Doctoral Fellow. He earned his Master’s degree in Engineering of Cell and Gene Biotechnology from Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, in Leuven, Belgium and his Ph.D. in Medical Sciences at the same institution in the Lab of Dr. Eric Legius, working on Neurofibromatosis type I. In this conversation, we discuss the state of cancer research in America, controversies over the direction of that research and the specific work he is doing in his lab. It was an honor to have the conversation with someone at the cutting edge of cancer research.

Dr. Ruchi Puri is a San Francisco based Ob/Gyn who teaches clients holistic approaches to transforming their health. She is a graduate of George Washington and Duke Universities with additional education in Ayurvedic Medicine, Five Element Acupuncture, Trauma and Modalities of Spiritual Healing. She has an integrative women’s wellness platform with on-line courses and groups to support women embody their wellness potential and regain their vitality. Her blog: Unveiling Being on www.ruchipuri.com helps readers redefine their understanding of many of the modern challenges to health we are facing today. In this conversation, Ruchi describes the evolution of women's health care over the past century and how she practices holistically, taking into account the significance of the physical, chemical, emotional and spiritual dimensions of health. Ruchi is practicing on the cutting edge of modern medicine.

Rik Center is the author of the new book, “If You Can’t Change Your Mood, Change Your Mind ~ mindful reflections toward self-discovery.” Rik is co-founder of the Mindfulness Care Center, through which he teaches and develops a variety of mindful classes and how to work with unresolved traumatic anxiety. Rik is a Mindful-Somatic Counselor, Mindfulness Meditation Teacher, and has served as a Buddhist/Interfaith Chaplain at San Francisco General and CPMC Hospitals. In this conversation we discuss Rik’s new book and the nature of mindfulness practice. You can reach Rik at rik@mindfulnesscare.org 415-786-5456 Websites: mindfulnesscare.org rikcenter.com

Nancy Myrick is a Certified Nurse-Midwife and has been the director of San Francisco Birth Center since 2015. She has practiced home birth midwifery since 2003 with Rites of Passage Midwifery. Nancy began attending births as a doula in 1993, received her RN in 2000, and completed her training in midwifery in 2003 through the UCSF Nurse Midwifery Education Program. She has attended hundreds of births in homes, birth centers, and hospitals and believes that choice in childbirth helps parents begin the long path toward building great humans! In our conversation we will discuss the history and the current state of midwifery in the United States, and particularly in the Bay Area. Links www.sfbirthcenter.com

Dr. Mark Schillinger is a writer, community leader, public speaker, family mentor, and an expert on stress management in family dynamics. He’s the creator of the parenting method, The RIGHT Way for Family Unity®, which provides a clear roadmap to help families achieve their true potential. Dr. Schillinger’s wisdom draws upon the sciences of personal growth, neuro-plasticity, positive discipline, stress management and Western psychology, as well as from the insights of Eastern philosophy and ancestral tribal wisdom. Dr.  Schillinger is the founder of the non-profit, the Young Men's Ultimate Weekend, a wilderness, non-religious rite of passage event that shows adolescent young men how to successfully handle the challenges of the adult world. He’s also the founder of Challenging Teenage Sons, which shows parents and their sons how to enjoy more caring and cooperative relationships. Dr. Schillinger teaches a continuing education course for health care practitioners called, Adjusting the Mind Seminar. This course explains the neuro-science of stress management and shows practitioners how to teach their patients effective mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques that lowers stress hormones levels in 15 seconds.

After working in the nonprofit human rights sector and overseeing advocacy travel programs for two decades, founder Malia Everette recognized the power of travel to increase intercultural understanding, forge peaceful dialogue, transform consciousness, and inspire the agency of the traveler. She simultaneously recognized the economic power of travel, when the experiences and the tourism dollars were directly benefiting local communities and the host economy. Thus AltruVistas was founded upon core ethical values as well as the pragmatic financial strategy of deeply examining our travel “supply web.” In this conversation Malia describes the relationship between travel, health and healing, on a personal, social, and global level. Travel, she believes is much more than checking off boxes on a wish list.  Rather, it is a way to heal and transform the world and ourselves. Altruvistas Travel: altruvistas.com/ Ethical Traveller: altruvistas.com/

Talal Khan is a physician delivering personal primary care by fusing modern medicine and lifestyle management. In this conversation, Dr. Khan describes his journey from idealistic resident to corporate MD, where his work was overseen by administrators in back offices far from where he was seeing his patients. He finally made the bold transition to private practice where he has been able to practice medicine in the way he envisioned, and taken control of his professional life. Too many practitioners today are suffering burnout, or what is becoming known as “moral injury,” because of the corporatization of medicine. Dr. Khan provides insight into why.

Jodi Halpern, MD, PhD, Professor of Bioethics at UC Berkeley, is the co-founder of the Berkeley Group for the Ethics and Regulation of Innovative Technologies.  Her work brings together psychiatry, philosophy and behavioral economics. Her first book, From Detached Concern to Empathy: Humanizing Medical Practice was called a “seminal work” by JAMA. Halpern’s most recent research projects address innovative health technologies, including genetic engineering, AI and VR.  She speaks internationally, including at Davos in 2018 and 2019 (and she has been invited back now for 2020). Jodi’s research focuses on the role of emotional beliefs in bioethics and how biased and unrealistic expectations create barriers to empathy and respect for autonomy. Her work lies ate the intersection of philosophy, psychiatry and psychology. In this conversation we discuss her ground breaking work on empathy and her new emphasis on the ethics of artificial intelligence and virtual reality. Links: jodihalpern.com https://publichealth.berkeley.edu/people/jodi-halpern/

Rick Snyder is the author of Decisive Intuition, and the Founder and CEO of Invisible Edge, an international consulting firm that develops intuitive intelligence for leaders and teams for more effective decision-making, sales, leadership and innovation. He speaks to businesses and organizations regularly and has been featured in Forbes, The Economist, Inc., CNBC, and Fast Company, as well as live TV.   Beyond consulting, he has launched four businesses and combines that experience with 20 years of studying human behavior to coach leaders to develop and implement intuitive skills into their business plans and company culture. In our conversation we discuss why his book and work, that seem to apply mainly to business, informs not just ones “bottom line” but the quality of ones life. In a free wheeling conversation, Rick shows why he is one of the best and most in-demand coaches in the space. Links:  Book: Decisive Intuition.  Website: Invisible Edge.  e-Learning Platform: Intuition University. 

Nancy Stein, Ph.D., is an epidemiologist and founder of Seniority Matters, a company designed to help aging parents in need of companion care as well as help with tasks such as bill paying, meal preparation or transportation solutions. Nancy, who spent many years providing long-distance care for her own parents, understands the value of having an experienced, trusted advisor. As a Miami resident for 25 years, Nancy has built an extensive network of healthcare contacts and resources.  You can think of her as your personal caregiving coach, who can help you create a care strategy, sort through your options and fine-tune solutions as your individual needs change.   In our conversation, we discuss the problems many of us encounter as caregivers and offers up solutions. Combining her academic work with real, in the weeds, practical experience, Nancy is a great source of information about how we can best support our loved ones as they age and need us. Links: www.senioritymatters.com www.facebook.com/senioritymatters www.twitter.com/senioritymatter

Kevin Pereau is a leading digital health expert and author of the The Digital Health Revolution. He spent the early part of his career managing strategy and management consulting firms with a specialty focus on technology. His first health technology company was a consumer health scoring firm who’s mission was to provide longitudinal context around how what we do and how we feel affects who we are. “You can’t manage, what you don’t measure” is something Pereau is fond of saying and for that, you need a scoring system. From there, Pereau founded one of the most influential boutique consulting firms in healthcare. He serves on the advisory boards of LifeData and HealthSaaS and speaks at healthcare conferences where he also moderates panel discussions. Pereau is probably one of the most connected people in healthcare. He has consulted to variety of digital health companies ranging from population health & tele-health solutions, marketplace and consumer transparency tools to predictive analytics engines. He likes to describe the industry as being on the cusp of the most exciting time ever; a world of connected health where sick-care, meets healthcare and data can be shared with any stakeholder in our healthcare value chain. In our podcast we discuss his excellent new book and the state of digital health care past, present and future. There are few people in the industry more up to date on this subject than Kevin.

Dr. Ruchi Puri is a San Francisco based Ob/Gyn who teaches clients holistic approaches to transforming their health.  She is a graduate of George Washington and Duke Universities with additional education in Ayurvedic Medicine, Five Element Acupuncture, Trauma and Modalities of Spiritual Healing. She has an integrative women’s wellness platform with on-line courses and groups to support women embody their wellness potential and regain their vitality. Her blog: Unveiling Being on www.ruchipuri.com helps readers redefine their understanding of many of the modern challenges to health we are facing today. In this conversation, Ruchi describes her journey from being a traditional Ob/Gyn, working within the allopathic tradition, to exploring the deep causes of health, wellness, disease and dysfunction. Ruchi represents the cutting edge of twenty first century medicine.

David Kahl is a furniture designer, mindfulness practitioner, and the founder and CEO ofFully. In 2002, inspired by a Norwegian task chair that completely changed how he felt at work, he left a successful but unfulfilling career on Wall Street to build a socially conscious business around active sitting and healthy workspaces. Fast forward 17 years, and Fully is now a Portland-based B Corp that designs its own innovative, movement-inspired furniture that fosters a connection between the body and the mind. In this interview David describes his journey to become one of the leading proponents and purveyors of high quality ergonomic furniture/equipment. Functional design is his passion. How and why that is comes out clearly in this conversation.   David speaking about emotional intelligence in the workplace at the Portland B Lab event (2018): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5uMmXZeT_qs&t=131s Blog post about the origins of Fully: https://www.fully.com/blog/our-founder-david-kahl Website: www.fully.com

Nicole is a nutritionist, certified by the National Association of Nutrition Professionals, who helps clients strategically develop food plans for themselves and their families according to their individual needs, situations, health challenges and preferences. She is inspired by the joy of fresh, whole foods and educates clients on the many benefits of optimal nutrition. Her areas of practice are gastrointestinal health and family nutrition, and she also helps individuals and groups address the role of added sugar and refined foods in our current food landscape. In this podcast, we discuss what healthy eating is; how, why and what to eat.  We also discuss the dangers of the most addictive substance in our diets, sugar, and how it contributes to the chronic disease that is ravaging our national health. LINKS: nicolebianchinutrition.com sfadvancedhealth.com/provider/nicole-bianchi-nc instagram.com/nicolebianchinutrition    

Dr. Walter Randolph Adams is a bicultural evolutionary ecological, biocultural (analyzing the nexus of biology and culture), medical anthropologist, whose primary research focused on the nutritional factors underlying alcohol abuse and domestic violence.  He served as co-director of an anthropological field school for 13 years in the highlands of Guatemala, resulting in three books published by the University of Oklahoma Press, all of which highlighted the contributions of the undergraduate participants.  After spending 15 years in the private sector, he has merged his investigative and business interests to work toward improving the provision of health care to disadvantaged populations. Walter is the research director of the Integrative Health Project, a non-profit organization, founded by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine. IHP runs clinics in Guatemala twice per year which provide free care to local populations. This work includes the training of local people to provide auricular acupuncture in clinics twice per month.  In this interview, Walter discusses his anthropological work, the state of health care in Guatemala and the role of the IHP in that health care system. Links: www.theintegrativehealthproject.org/ walteradams2002@gmail.com

Harry Nelson is the author of The United States of Opioids: A Prescription for Liberating a Nation in Pain (2019) and co-author of From ObamaCare to TrumpCare: Why You Should Care. He is the founder of Nelson Hardiman, L.A.’s largest healthcare/life science law firm (with 30 lawyers), more than half of whom devote some or most of their time to work on addiction treatment and behavioral health. He also chairs the board of the Behavioral Health Association of Providers (BHAP), an industry trade group focused on education and advocacy for the treatment community.  In this conversation, Harry and Ricky discuss Harry’s trajectory from health care attorney to expert on the opioid epidemic.  Harry brings his unique perspective to what has become the largest drug epidemic in US history. He describes the origins and evolution of the current crisis and offers solutions rooted in public policy guided by a heart of compassion. As an expert on the opioid epidemic and health care law, Harry is a much sought after speaker in the areas of public policy, health care and governmental regulatory reform. Links:https://harrynelson.com/ https://www.facebook.com/hnelso https://www.nelsonhardiman.com/

Cathryn Jakobson Ramin struggled with backache and sciatica for years. Like millions of other back pain sufferers, she was overwhelmed with ill-defined options for treatment. Which would work? Which would simply drain her wallet? And which might leave her in worse shape than when she began? As she struggled to answer these questions, she realized that she had plenty of company. In the United States, the cost of treating back pain exceeds $100 billion a year, and much of that money is wasted on ineffective tactics. What started as her straightforward effort to resolve an annoying problem turned into six years of investigative reporting and writing. The book, “Crooked: Outwitting the Back Pain Industry and Getting on the Road to Recovery,” is the culmination of her odyssey. Her goal with Crooked is to set the back pain industry’s offerings in their proper context so that patients have the information they need to make good decisions; to know what works sometimes, what works rarely, and what can cause harm. She engages in a lively conversation with Dr. Ricky Fishman, a chiropractor, a profession that receives quite a bit of scorn (along with many others) in Ms. Ramin’s excellent book. Links: https://www.cathrynjakobsonramin.com/books https://m.facebook.com/crookedbackbook/   www.cathrynjakobsonramin.com cjramin@me.com

Josh Kornbluth is an American comedic autobiographical monologist based in the San Francisco Bay Area who has toured internationally, written and starred in several feature films, and hosted a television interview show. Born in New York City, the son of Communist parents, Josh describes himself as a “Red Diaper Baby.” One of his monologues is so titled.  In addition to his solo performance work, Josh, in the last few years, has worked as a volunteer at the Zen Hospice in San Francisco and as an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Heath at the Global Brain Health Institute, as well as Hellman Visiting Artist at UCSF’s Memory and Aging Center. In this episode, Josh discusses his work at the hospice dealing with death and dying as well as his interest and focus on aging, dementia and empathy.  We can expect all of his work to show up in monologues that will be performed nationally. Links: Website: www.joshkornbluth.com Citizen Brain: "The Empathy Circuit": https://youtu.be/a_732-H1CUY "Citizen Brain: "Age Without Ageism": https://youtu.be/_7cIgjwZtPo Global Brain Health Institute: https://www.gbhi.org/

Vann Duke is a master fitness trainer and coach with 20 years in the fitness industry.  He is the founder of Second Half Fitness, an organization that specializes in online fitness and wellness services exclusively for adults 50+.  His unique approach to exercise and aging embraces sustainability and the belief that youthfulness can be experienced life-long.  In this conversation, Vann describes his philosophy of training.  His holistic approach includes movement, nutritional coaching and a focus on mindfulness.  He has worked with some of Hollywood’s top actors and he specializes on working with aging clients, in their “second half of life.”  He believes that we are fully capable of maintaining a high level of wellness into our later years.   Vann is about to move to France where he will be opening a wellness center that will be based upon his approach to fitness, including healthy outdoor exercise, delicious and nutritious food and inner mental work.  Vann is an elite trainer with a lot to say. Links: www.SecondHalfFitness.com Facebook: secondhalffitness Instagram: secondhalffit

John Weeks is a writer, speaker, chronicler and organizer whose work in the movement for integrative health and medicine began in 1983. He is publisher-editor of The Integrator Blog News & Reports which since 1995 – in various forms – has created primary connective terrain for the diverse stakeholders and professions in the field. Archived content from 2006-2015 is available here and subsequent content here. As an organizer, Weeks convened the Integrative Medicine Industry Leadership Summits (2000-2002), directed the National Education Dialogue to Advance Integrated Care (2004-2006), fund-raised the start-up and was on the founding steering committee of the Integrative Health Policy Consortium (2002-). He co-founded the Academic Collaborative for Integrative Health, which he directed 2007-2015, was on the founding board of the Academy of Integrative Medicine and Health, and is proud to be on the advisory board of Integrative Medicine for the Underserved. Since mid-2015, John has re-focused his work on presenting, teaching and mentoring. He has keynoted, led plenary sessions, breakouts and offered guest lectures for dozens of organizations. These range from the Association of American Medical Colleges and Harvard University to Bastyr University and American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine; from the UCLA School of Medicine to the Institute for Health and Productivity Management and Palmer College of Chiropractic; from the International Congress for Research on Integrative Medicine and Health to the American Hospital Association and the Midwives Alliance of North America. Since 1995, he has consulted with multiple insurers, employers, professional organizations, universities, and government agencies at all levels. In this interview, John discusses the state of integrative medicine and the challenges that alternative and complementary modalities face in today's health care landscape. Following there interview, Ricky describes his own perspective on the importance of complementary medicine and the paradigm shift in health care that we are in the midst of. Links:http://www.johnweeks-integrator.com/posts/ To sign up for John Weeks twice-monthly newsletter:https://gem.godaddy.com/signups/196108/join

David Escobar has served as an Administrative Aide to former Fourth District Supervisor Steve Kinsey in Marin County for 15 years. Before taking the appointment with the Marin County Board of Supervisors, he served as a parole and probation officer with the Marin County Probation Department in the Adult Division. After 21 years of service with the County of Marin, he took an early retirement to take on the position of Director of the State mandated re-Entry and rehabilitation programs at San Quentin State Prison. David identifies as an indigenous Salvadoran, recognized as a member of the Lenca-Poton nation which encompasses the eastern region of El Salvador, Honduras and parts of Nicaragua. David has attended the Indigenous Permanent Forum at the United Nations in New York for several years as a delegate with the American Indian Movement and on behalf of his maternal grandmother’s Poton community. He is the current Director of Programs & Operations for the Canal Welcome Center, a non-profit in San Rafael.David has also worked as an adjunct professor, at Dominican University and has taught Indigenous Perspectives, and Mayan Cosmologies. He will also be teaching pre-Columbian and Native studies at Holy Names University in the fall of 2018. David holds a Bachelor’s degree in Humanities from the New College, Masters in Organizational Leadership from Saint Mary’s College, and is currently completing his dissertation at the California Institute of Integral studies in Anthropology and Social Change with an emphasis on Indigenous Cosmopolitanism. He has been published in several publications including the Marin County Independent Journal, Nectar Magazine, Point Reyes Light and Kaiser Permanente’s Latino Association Newsletter which reaches several thousand members throughout the State of California. David lives with his daughter Kila in Windsor and in their spare time, they both work diligently on a 1952 Chrysler lowrider. In this episode, we discuss David’s ideas about cultural resistance and healing.  He describes “low-riding” culture, how it evolved and the many misconceptions and misunderstandings the dominant Anglo culture of the United States has about "low-riding.” David talks about the pain and trauma of cultural isolation and dislocation and how immersing oneself and ones group in activities that bond and empower can have profound individual and cultural benefits.  As an anthropologist, he places this resistance within a cultural and historical framework.  As a first generation Salvadoran-American he sees participation in low-rider culture as his own healing journey; one that has the added benefit of asserting his “cholo-power.” Following the interview, Ricky describes his recent work as part of the Integrative Health Project in Guatemala.That monologue is transcribed here: I just returned from a week in Guatemala working with the Integrative Health Project. The project was started by a few acupuncturists about six years ago to work with the underserved, indigenous population around Lake Atitlan, a beautiful, fertile and impoverished region in the Guatemalan highlands. I provided chiropractic care for men and women experiencing musculoskeletal, mainly back, pain. These are hardworking people, doing manual labor on the farms, in the hotels, on the lake.Guatemala has been devastated by decades of civil war and the results have been profound, both structurally and socially. Surrounded by fertile green fields, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes are epidemic. Too many eat cheap processed foods available at the small corner stores. Surrounded by fresh water, the people drink all manner of sugary drinks. Into this landscape drops the Integrative Health Project. In addition to acupuncturists, there are nurses, medical anthropologists, interns and local trainees and me, a chiropractor. Together, we are working to help educate and to treat; to mitigate the negative effects of lifestyles sure to kill. In light of David Escobar’s perspective piece and interview about healing the trauma of intergenerational and cultural abuse, multiple questions came up for me: ----How does a group of privileged middle-class Americans contribute in a significant way to the healing of devastating traumas of an indigenous population? ---Are we just a bunch of “do-gooders” making ourselves feel better? Are we giving, or are we the primary beneficiaries of the healing process? ---Is the work of this project an extension of a kind of colonialism; the creation of a dependency on the developing world, the superpowers with our superior health care modalities?David Escobar describes the effects of the colonization of minds and bodies. Ultimately, he locates healing in the artistic expression of the “low riders,” those rolling pieces of art that embody “cholo” culture; music, fashion, self-expression, and assertion of “we-ness.” I hesitated to participate in the project because of the questions I raised above. Was our role to just drop into a village beside Lake Atitlan, treat the “natives” and leave; if so, I surely would not have come. But this was not the case. This was not my job. My task and that of the Project was to treat, but more fundamentally, to educate; to relieve pain but to shine a light on the “why;” to provide tools, whether exercises, soft tissue self-help techniques, or advice on lifting; to leave something behind when I am long gone. Guatemala has suffered years of cultural and physical destruction. The wounds have left generational scars that will take a long time to heal. The Integrative Health Project is being received and accepted by the local population for three reasons. The care offered is free. It is given with love. And it works. Healing occurs most deeply when two or more people connect, when they see and feel each other with trust and respect. The various techniques matter; each has its place. Whether chiropractic, acupuncture or massage. But without the magic ingredient—love—those techniques will not provide their maximum benefit.That healing is badly needed in Guatemala; it is needed on the rest of the planet as well.  And it is possible.descobar@cwcenter.org

Julia Plevin, nature connection guide and author, is the founder of the Forest Bathing Club, Julia has more than a decade of experience guiding individuals and groups of people into the forest, where the practice of shinrin-yoku helps calm the mind and create space for wellness and prosperity. Through studies with Shamanic Reiki masters, Shugendo Buddhist monks, Mayan elders, Bhakti yogis, and Renewal rabbis, she has developed a unique program that both respects and transcends tradition and brings us back into direct connection with Source. Her work has been covered widely in outlets such as CNN, Outside Magazine, Business Insider, The New Yorker, and Sierra Magazine, and the Forest Bathing Club has more than a thousand members from around the world. She recently published her first book, The Healing Magic of Forest Bathing: Finding Calm, Creativity, and Connection in the Natural World. In this conversation, Julia describes how she came to be involved with forest bathing and what the work means to her and those she guides through the experience. She is actively engaged in bringing forest bathing to the world.  Following the conversation, Ricky reflects on the nature of healing from an energetic perspective, where he believes forest bathing is doing its deepest healing work. Links: http://forestbathing.club To purchase Julia’s new book: https://amzn.to/2XVmPrG

John Scaringe has been serving as President for the Southern California University of Health Sciences (SCU) for nine years. He began his career at Los Angeles College of Chiropractic (LACC) as faculty in 1991. In addition to private practice and over 25 years of teaching experience, Dr Scaringe has developed a reputation in change management and is a frequent lecturer on academic leadership and trends in healthcare education. In this episode we discuss the state of professional integrative health education.  The Southern California University of Health Sciences began as the Los Angeles Chiropractic College.  It later absorbed a college of traditional Chinese Medicine and recently added a Physician Assistants program. With this move, SCU is working to fully integrate western allopathic medicine and the complementary modalities of chiropractic and Chinese medicine.  In addition SCU has certificate programs in massage therapy, Ayurvedic medicine and health and wellness coaching.  Dr. Scaringe is a true leader in integrative medicine, setting up a medicine of the future where MDs, PA’s, chiropractors and other practitioners can work together seamlessly. Following the interview with Dr. Scaringe, Ricky does a solo reflection on one of the greatest challenges for students entering the health care field…debt.  The obscene load that these students face is a major obstacle to going into the field as well as a burden on society at large.  Link: https://youtu.be/t5j4BjRlAOw

Chanda Williams, MA, RYT, is a yoga therapist with a background in body mechanics, wellness coaching, and advanced training in trauma-informed yoga practices. Chanda has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and a master's degree in integrative health studies, focusing on resiliency and wellness in the workplace. She is a doctoral student in the Somatic Studies specialization in the Depth Psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute and is interested in researching the transformative aspects of movement-based contemplative practices for trauma and post-traumatic stress. With a deep devotion to service, she taught trauma-informed yoga in the San Francisco County jail for two years prior to joining the Prison Yoga Project, where she has taught regularly since 2014 at San Quentin State Prison. Prior to returning to full-time graduate studies, Chanda designed and managed corporate wellness programs for Fortune 100 companies. In this episode we discuss Chanda’s work as a health and wellness consultant and a yoga therapist with the Prison Yoga Project.  Chanda teaches classes with incarcerated men to support them in their personal transformation through yoga practice.  She describes how this work touches the men but also how it has changed her. Combining her work as a yoga therapist and her doctoral studies in Depth Psychology, Chanda assists these men who are choosing deep, personal freedom through yoga, working to release the mental and spiritual shackles so many experience both within and beyond concrete prison walls. Links:www.prisonyogaproject.com www.yogawithchanda.com

Dr.  Cliff Hochberg practiced as a chiropractor for 31 years before deciding to go full time into health coaching. After having had a personal health and weight loss transformation himself, Cliff felt he could serve people in a more meaningful way by helping others do the same. He currently works with people all over the United States virtually on the phone or via videoconferencing. Cliff is a COPE Certified Health Coach through Villanova University College of Nursing’s Center for Obesity Prevention and Education. In this episode, we speak with Cliff about his journey from successful chiropractor to health coach. Cliff is on a mission to transform the world one client at a time by teaching them about healthy eating and lifestyle. He has helped hundreds of people attain a state of natural health, full of energy. Cliff describes a system that enables people to tap into their innate abilities to heal themselves.   To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.   Connect with Dr. Ricky Fishman: www.conditionhealthnews.com www.rickyfishman.com https://www.facebook.com/ConditionHealthNews/

Jeff Raz has performed nationally and internationally for decades, starring in circuses (Cirque du Soleil, Pickle Family Circus and more) and plays, including Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors on Broadway. He co-founded the Medical Clown Project in 2010. His first book, The Secret Life of Clowns, was launched at the Smithsonian in 2017; his second book, The Snow Clown, is hot off the presses. Jeff continues to write, perform, direct, and teach as well as work globally as a communications consultant with Stand & Deliver. In this episode, we speak with Jeff about the role of clowning in health and healing as well as his own journey to become a world-renowned clown.   To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.   Connect with Dr. Ricky Fishman: www.conditionhealthnews.com www.rickyfishman.com https://www.facebook.com/ConditionHealthNews/

Ricky Fishman has been a Doctor of Chiropractic since 1986. As a leader in the field of integral healing, he has brought together and assimilated the work of chiropractors, medical doctors, acupuncturists, nurse practitioners, psychologists, physical therapists and others. Complementing his clinical work, Ricky has taught both graduate and undergraduate coursework in the history and philosophy of science and medicine. In addition to the treatment of back pain and other musculoskeletal injuries, he works as a consultant in the field of health and wellness with companies dedicated to re-visioning health care for the 21st century. “Condition” is the culmination of his many years in health care; of practice, teaching and research. In this, the first episode of the Condition podcast, Health Grooves, Ricky introduces himself and the purpose behind both the site Condition: Health News That Matters and the podcast.   To learn more about the resources mentioned in this episode, visit the show notes.   Connect with Dr. Ricky Fishman: www.conditionhealthnews.com www.rickyfishman.com https://www.facebook.com/ConditionHealthNews/