Alter Your Health

Dr. Ben Reebs was a classmate in Naturopathic Medical School who's ways of thinking and practicing always intrigued me. His "vitalistic" approach to healing was one that I have always strongly believed in as well, and his background and path into the field of naturopathic medicine is an inspiring one. In this conversation we talk about how there is no one-size fits all approach to health and healing, and how individualized vitalistic medicine is the way of the future (and past!). Even...

In this episode, we take advantage of an opportunity to check in along our journey, now in Carbondale, Colorado, talking about a topic that is extremely pertinent to us both - HOME! We have in some ways been on the search for our next home, which is inviting us both to tune into our feelings as we navigate through beautiful towns along our journey. We talk about the Blue Zones and Dan Buettner's work (check out his books - Blue Zones, Blue Zones Solution, and Blue Zones of Happiness) We...

After this powerful conversation, I came fully out of the closet - the VEGAN closet! For those of you who know me well, you probably are familiar with the fact that I don't eat meat or animal products. I have been teetering on the fence for several years, being fully "plant-based" for the last year or so. Dr. Rao is a brilliant individual who offers a comprehensive and unique approach to so many of the problems that plague our world today. This conversation is more about the macro...

In this episode, we turn back to nutrition to talk about my all time favorite nutrient - FIBER! It might be helpful to go back and listen to episode 15, episode 17, episode 19, and episode 23 where we cover other macronutrients. We talk about why fiber is important for: If you are going to focus on any one NUMBER in your diet - focus on FIBER. The recommended daily minimum of fiber is 25 grams, but the optimal diet contains at least 50g of fiber! - Show notes and resources:...

Dr. Glen Nagel was my botanical medicine professor during naturopathic medical studies. His knowledge is vast, and I've always appreciated his teachings that are infused with his light heart and athentic passion for the plants. In this talk we went into the range of therapeutic applications for many different plants, including cannabis. Dr. Nagel shares how all herbs can be used on energetic, physiologic, and pharmacologic levels to potentiate a range of desired effects in the body. We get...

In today’s podcast, we stray away from nutrition and into the vast world of emotions. If you listened to one of our first LIVE episodes, you will know that emotions are absolutely one of the primary determinants of health. And, if you are a human being, you know there is no escaping the emotions that come with our experience here on planet earth! Dr. Susanna leads the way as she shares about her growing and evolving emotional perspective, and I (Dr. Benjamin) also share a bit about my...

Yogi Arvind was my first ever proper meditation teacher! Since meeting him in Venice Beach, CA about 7 years ago, his presence has certainly influenced my path and understanding of health. In this conversation, Arvind and I discuss yoga and how it is such a powerful intervention for health and life when applied in its truest form. Arvind's work is to inspire and educate the world of the full depth and breadth of yogic wisdom, focusing beyond the yoga mat/yoga studio. We talk a bit about the...

In today’s podcast, we dive into the third and final macronutrient: PROTEIN! For more on CARBS and FATS I'd recommend checking out those episodes, along with our very popular episode - Simplifying Healthy Eating We talk about sources of protein, how much is needed, the harmful effect of eating too much protein, and what the deal is with protein powders. Similarly to the previous episodes on carbohydrates and fats, a brief but thorough description on the biochemistry and metabolism of...

Dr. Satya Ambrose has served as a teacher and mentor in my Naturopathic Medical education. In addition to being one of the kindest and most compassionate humans, she is a brilliant clinician. The way that she weaves Naturopathic and Chinese medicine together so artfully to support the holistic health of her patients is an inspiration. In this conversation we talk about the evolution of medicine and science. She shares how the field has changed over the years, with more and more doctors...

In this episode, we change directions for a moment to be present with where Dr. Susanna and I (Dr. Benjamin) are at personally in our life journey. We discuss why we are immersed in the beauty of Cortes Island, British Columbia, and how following our hearts calling continues to point us down our authentic path. Dr. Susanna shares a bit about her recent surrendering to some sudden and scary skin conditions, and how doing so led to a state of peace that fueled her recovery. I share a bit...

When I met Jovinna just over 5 years ago, I was struck by her strength, her presence, and her aliveness. She was the facilitator of my Yoga teacher training at Esalen Institute, a powerful month-long immersion that was a integral component to my own wellness journey. In this conversation Jovinna and I didn't talk much about yoga, but we explored the broader question of what it means to "Be Fully Alive." Having just led a workshop on this topic, we discussed some of the practices that...

In this episode, we dive deeper into healthy eating by tackling another macronutrient - FATS! Last week, we dove deep into carbohydrates - tune in if you'd like a review! This week we talk about all of the different types of fats - saturated, unsaturated, short chain, medium chain, long chain, omega-3, omega-6... All of these fats are different! We pick it all apart and talk about how these fats affect the body differently. The take aways are... I apologize for Susanna's poor...

I feel fortunate to connect with Amber Ryan this week to explore a new topic: healing through dance and movement. I was introduced to 5 rhythms and other meditative movement practices several years ago. At first, I was scared and exceedingly uncomfortable, but I was also intrigued. I kept coming back, slowly feeling the joy and freedom that was available through the simple uninhibited movement of my body. NOTE: I have never been a dancer or performer in anyway. Fortunately, such a...

In this episode, we dive deeper into healthy eating by tackling our first macronutrient - CARBOHYDRATES! The term, "CARBOHYDRATE" is thrown around recklessly in our world today. I've heard doctors compare a piece of fruit to a bag of skittles. We live in a world where low-carb dietary trends persist, and there is no sign of things quieting down. It's a bit longer than typical Alter Your Health LIVE episodes, but we covered a lot - from carbohydrate synthesis to metabolism, from fruit and...

Dr. Russell Marz is one of the most fun and fascinating individuals I know. He has a long history of teaching clinical nutrition at NUNM, my alma mater. I was not fortunate enough to have him as a professor when I attended NUNM, though I am grateful to connect with him in the naturopathic community of Portland, Oregon where he continues to practice. Like any conversation with Dr. Marz, this was a fun one! It can be hard to keep this character tethered to this planet, but what would you...

In this episode, we circle back around to the all important determinant of health - FOOD! The topic of food has been a hot one to handle for some time now, and there is no sign of it cooling down. In this episode we aim to CUT THROUGH THE CHAOS and find a simple and straight forward path to the optimal food choices and eating habits. To sum it up, we focus on... environmental working group's clean 15 and dirty dozen > Show notes and resources: https://alter.health/podcast/episode15/ >...

I was happy to connect and speak with Erin, a classmate of mine from the University of Santa Monica's Spiritual Psychology prorgam. Erin has taken a dive (no pun intended!) into using water to facility deep healing and trauma release. With trauma in our world today being such an epidemic, I was fascinated to learn of such a gentle yet powerful intervention. In this conversation we explore why trauma is and how our bodies can hold on to this energy, potentially leading to chronic mental,...

In this episode, we dive into another determinant of health - RELATIONSHIPS! As divine beings having a human experience, Earth School is where we learn and grow. In Earth School, our teachers are those who we have relationships with. Each reflecting opportunities to know ourselves and love ourselves more fully. In this episode we talk about how relationships can be both a source of stress and a source of love. We also talk about how loneliness and feelings of disconnection and isolation...

I am so thrilled to share this conversation with Walter Werzowa. You may not have ever heard his name, but you have certainly heard at least some of his musical creation. Walter has created the musical signature for Intel (ding.... dong-ding-dung-ding ---- I'm not very musical!), amongst many other audio signatures and musical masterpieces. Walter's classical musical career has evolved in a very unique direction that has given rise to his most recent endeavor, HealthTunes. The bulk of our...

In this episode, we dive into a very important topic, another determinant of health - THOUGHTS Dr. Susanna shares a powerful story about "thinking her way into health" where she overcomes chronic illness with changing the way she was thinking. We talk about thinking is one thing that can be blended to create a powerful wellness plan, when also considering other aspects to nourish physical health. One of the main take aways is "you don't have to believe everything that you think!" > Show...