"Soaring In Health & Wellness"

We begin our third year with "Soaring In Health & Wellness" in the area of "Cultural Wellness". As I have mentioned in the beginning episodes of our podcast that we are going to look at all the different dimensions of wellness:physical, emotional, intellectual, interpersonal, cultural, spiritual, environmental, financial and occupational. One cannot truly have optimal health and wellness unless all of these components are operating at the highest level. These different components are interrelated and effect one another. With what is happening in our world today with COVID-19 pandemic, the rioting and destruction of property, loss of lives on a daily basis, loss of jobs you can see how this would effect our overall health. We as a nation our entering a very important election in November. I thank God for the brave men and women that sacrificed their lives that we may live in a free nation, where we have the right to peacefully protest, the key word is peaceful. Where we have liberty and justice for all, not just for a select few. We have the freedom to worship as we choose. Thank God for our law enforcement who go to work each and everyday protecting our cities not knowing that they may not come home that evening. When I look at what is going on in different parts of our nation where the rioting is, not anywhere close to peaceful, cities trying to defund our law enforcement, I am very troubled and often ask the question why? The Bible notes in Hosea 4:6, 'my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge." Proverbs 5:23, "He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly". Proverbs 10:21, "The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of judgement." As I am watching the nightly news and see that the majority of people who are rioting and destroying personal and federal property are young, my children's ages. I sincerely believe most of them do not know what they are doing or why they are doing it, lack of knowledge. I heard Kevin speak in our church on a Sunday morning on the topic of Marxism, Socialism and Communism. I knew that I had to do my part and get educated on these topics. I have a long way to go. I would like to share a couple of quotes; "It's been said that socialism would only work in heaven--where it is not needed and in hell--where they already got it", by Jonah Goldberg; Mark Levin notes that Kevin Williamson shows why the problem with socialism isn't just that it hurts the economy, but that it undermines all the institutions that allow a free society to function-and that is why it can't co-exist with liberty; Larry Kudlow explains, "socialism isn't just bad for business, but bad for the poor, bad for the environment, and bad for your health." Support the show

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I Know The Plans I Have For You," Declares The Lord, "Plans To Prosper You And Not To Harm You, Plans To Give You Hope And A Future." On today's episode, titled "Amazing Grace At The Front Line", Dr. Gayle Galan, MD and her husband Karl, with a "K" discuss God's all sufficient grace during these difficult times of this COVID-19 Pandemic. Dr. Gayle works in the emergency room of her local hospital, actually, the front line. We discuss her story, along with her husband Karl, whom is 88 years old, as she battled this invisible enemy. Additionally, on today's episode we discuss the negative health consequences of this national shutdown which has caused: an increase of 600% of suicide hotline phone calls; an increase of 300-600% of liquor sales; an increase in cigarette sales; family relationships have become frayed. Dr. Gold, MD with over 500 physicians noted that millions of casualties of a continued shutdown will be hiding in plain sight, but they will be called alcoholism, homelessness, suicide, heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure. In youths it will be called financial instability, unemployment, despair, drug addiction, unplanned pregnancies, poverty , and abuse. With these severe consequences of this pandemic causing a significant amount of distress. How do we deal with it? Dr. Gayle, Karl and the work of Dr. Ken Matto inform our listeners what they can do from a biblical viewpoint in dealing with "stress". Support the show

We open today's episode with my discussion on the topic of "Isolation" with Dr. Stephen Givens and Michael Moore. Dr. Givens notes that "isolation" is the worst kind of human torture one can go through. As one needs air to breathe, food to eat, water to drink we all desire and need to be connected. Connectivity is part of our DNA. Additionally, we discuss the importance of spirituality in dealing with stress as well as cognitive strategies. Cognitive strategies include but are not limited to positive thinking, constructive thoughts, laughter and many more. Furthermore, Stephen, Mike and I discuss financial strategies in dealing with financial. We finish the episode with what we can do physically and Mike goes through breathing techniques that we can do to help relieve stress. I know you will enjoy today's episode. Support the show

I am excited about today's episode, "Surviving Stress In Unknow Times" with Dr. Stephen Givens and Michael Moore. Dr. Givens, Michael and I discuss "counterproductive" and "productive" coping strategies or collectively known as "stress management techniques." We are going through some very difficult times with COVID-19. Individuals and families are being isolated in their homes, businesses are closing, individuals losing their jobs and health care workers going to work each and everyday not knowing if they are going to catch this virus. This episode could not have come at a better time. They say college is a time when you will learn to adapt to new and challenging situations and gain knowledge and skills that will last a lifetime. It is also a time when many people will develop counterproductive and unhealthy habits in response to stress. Donatelle notes, although we can't eliminate all life stressors, we can train ourselves to recognize the events that cause stress and to anticipate our reactions to them. She notes one of the most effective ways to combat stressors is to build coping strategies and skills that will negate the psychological and physical effects that stress brings. Support the show

During this episode, Dr. Wells discusses the different causes of stress transitioning from high school to college and during college life. Dominique, a graduate from Marshall University with an emphasis on Exercise Science, currently working on completing her Masters in Business Administration from Fairmont State University and small business owner as a personal trainer; Caleb, a graduate from Ohio Valley University with a degree in Forensic Investigative Accounting and a four-year college baseball player give their input on how they adjusted to the different stressors during college. Support the show

Statistics show that 40% of deaths in the United States are related wholly or in part to stress. Stress effects our lives in three different areas which include: physical, psychological and intellectual. Donatelle notes that stress is often described as "disease of prolonged arousal" that leads to a cascade of negative health effects. The longer you are chronically stressed, the more likely will be the negative health effects. She continues to explain that nearly all body systems become potential targets, and the long term effects may be devastating. The higher the levels of stress you experience, the greater the likelihood of damage to your physical health (P.Thoits, "Stress and Health": Major Findings and Policy Implications, "Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 2010). Donatelle notes increase in rates of suicide, homicide, hate crimes, alcohol and drug abuse, and domestic violence across the United States are additional symptoms of a nation under stress. I also discuss "Happiness: The Magic Stress Elixir". Some positive psychologists have found that people who are generally more optimistic or happier have fewer mental and physical health problems, and less stress! If happiness and optimism are keys to stress reduction, how can you find them? Listen to podcast below find some of the answers. We are now on Pandora. Support the show

On today's episode, Dr. Fritz Huber and I discuss the topic of "Stress" and what we can do to mange stress in a more healthier way. The question is , who doesn't have stress? We all have some form of stress, rather it be eustress (good stress) or distress (bad stress). With the holidays coming around the corner and college students preparing to take their final exams, I thought this would be the ideal time on discussing this topic of stress. The American Psychological Association. Press Release: APA Survey Raises Concern About the Health Impact of Stress on Children and Families, November 9, 2010. According to the results of a American Psychological Association poll, "year after year, nearly three-quarters of Americans say they experience stress at levels that exceed what they define as healthy, putting themselves at risk for developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and depression...people are also saying that they have difficulty implementing the changes they know will decrease their stress and improve their lives." Nearly half of American adults (44%) believe that their stress has increased over the past five years, affecting their personal and professional lives.(IBID) The exact toll stress exerts on us during a lifetime is unknown, but we know stress is a significant health hazard. It creates numerous negative effects on the body and mind. In addition, stress impacts your relationships with friends, family, and co-workers and can have a significant impact on the well being of children.(IBID). Is too much stress an inevitable negative part of life? Rebecca Donatelle says "No". She explains we can learn to anticipate and recognize our personal stressors and develop skills to reduce or better manage those stressors we cannot avoid. Furst, we must understand what stress is and how it can affect our health and our lives. Support the show

Today's guests include Dr. Bonnie Buchman, RN, ND. PhD and Helen. Helen tells her story of going through breast cancer along with Dr. Bonnie. Support the show

Today's episode is a continuation of our discussion on Breast Cancer Awareness with Dr. Stephan Hanna, MD, Reinnie Leavitt and Renee Stevenson. Dr. Hanna is a family physician who been practicing in West Virginia for over 30 years. Dr. Hanna has been a guest on "Soaring In Health &Wellness" in the past and will continue to be in the future. Reinnie Leavitt, BART, (R) (T) is the Director of Cancer Services, Cancer Service Line Administrator at WVU Cancer Institute; Camden Clark Comprehensive Regional Cancer Center. Renee Stevenson, BSN, Masters in Divinity, RN is an Oncology Nurse Navigator Breast Health at WVU Medicine, Camden Clark Medical Center. Our discussion today includes: local statistics as well as state statistics; other most common cancers; different types of screening for breast cancer- genetics, imaging, etc; stratifying breast cancer through the TNM System; simple overview of treatment options (Breast Conserving Therapy-lumpectomy, radiation, chemotherapy, surgery); preventive lifestyle changes and areas in the world with extreme longevity. Support the show

On today's episode, my special guests are Dr. Bonnie Buchman, RN, ND, PhD. and Toni Ligas, RN. Dr. Bonnie is a nurse / naturopath offering a more natural approach healthcare with numerous options in complimentary medicine. Dr. Bonnie's clinic is the Vibrant Wellness Center with two locations: Parkersburg, WV and Charleston, WV. Toni Ligas is an RN who has been practicing for the past 11 years and is a Breast Health Educator at the Strecker Cancer Center at Marietta Memorial Hospital in Ohio. The month of October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers. The average risk of a woman in the United States developing breast cancer sometime in her life is about 13%. This means there is a 1 in 8 chance she will develop breast cancer. This also means there is a 7 in 8 chance she will never have the disease. In 2010, approximately 230,480 women and 2,140 men in the United States were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer for the first time. The American Cancer Society's estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2019 are: * About 268,600 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women. * About 62,930 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is a non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer). * About 41,760 women will die from breast cancer. In recent years, incidence rates have increased slightly by 0.3% per year. Fewer than 2% of breast cancer cases occur in women under age 35, but incidence rates increase quickly with age. About 50% of cases are diagnosed in women aged 45-65. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, only lung cancer kills more women each year. The chance that a woman will die from breast cancer is about 1 in 38, about 2.6%. Death rates from female breast cancer dropped 40% from 1989 to 2016. Since 2007, breast cancer death rates have been steady in women younger than 50, but have continued to decrease in older women. These decreases are believed to be the result of finding breast cancer earlier through screening and increased awareness, as well as better treatments. At this time there are more than 3.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. This includes women still being treated and those who have completed treatment.(source: American Cancer Society. Cancer.org) Dr. Bonnie, Toni and I discuss what breast cancer is, risk factors (risk factors you cannot change, risk factors related to lifestyle, disproven or controversial risk factors), factors that we can do to lower our risk of breast cancer. signs and symptoms and more. Support the show

Today's episode is a continuation of suicide awareness for the month of September. The question that I have, as well I believe many of us ask, "Is Suicide an Unforgiveable Sin?" Dr. Matthew Stanford does an excellent job in answering this question in his book, "Grace For the Afflicted." He devotes a whole chapter in his book in regards to suicide. Pastor Dan Stevens and I discuss this on today's program. Dr. Stanford opens this chapter noting that suicide is a word that provokes fear, shame, and sadness. He continues to note that some have called suicide "a selfish act" and "a permanent answer to a temporary problem." He continues to explain that both of these statements wrongly imply that suicide is a reasoned and rational decision to take one's life. Since its beginning, the church has struggled with understanding the spiritual consequences of suicide , at times even refusing burial and religious rites to the victims because they were thought to have committed an unforgiven (mortal) sin, damning them to hell. Dr. Stanford notes that suicide is neither reasoned nor rational, and mental illness is the most common cause. So, is suicide an unforgiveable sin and does it affect an individual's eternal destination? Support the show

Dr. Stephen Givens, Michael Moore and I discuss walking through that valley in our lives where it may appear there is no hope. Dr. Stanford describes "suicide" as a word that provokes fear, shame, and sadness. Some have called suicide "a selfish act" and "a permanent answer to a temporary problem." He continues to explain that both of these statements wrongly imply that suicide is reasoned and rational decision to take one's life. He continues to explain that suicide is neither reasoned nor rational, and mental illness is the most common cause. Rebecca Donatelle explains that we as humans possess a resiliency that enables us to cope, adapt, and thrive, regardless of life's challenges. We discuss some of the factors that could influence our psychological health such as family or other areas that could cause someone to want to hurt themselves or take their own life such as Neurobiology, Neuroanatomy and Neurochemistry. Additionally, our discussion includes the prevalence, risk factors, warning signs, preventive strategies and knowing when one might need to seek treatment for psychological problems. When your life or a family member, a loved one, a friend or co-worker is going through a crisis rather it be health, financial, spiritual or emotional where there seems to be no hope and "you have lost your voice" to get you through this valley. You need to find a friend, family member, church, pastor, mental health care provider who can be that voice for you to help you walk through that valley praying and encouraging you. YOU ARE NOT ALONE! Support the show

As per our last episode with David, depression was a major psychological effect on the bully, victim and the observer. The month of October being observed nationally as the month for "suicide awareness." Peter D. Kramer, MD says, "Suicide is what the death certificate says when one dies of depression." Dr. Stanford explains that suicide is neither reasoned nor rational, and that mental illness is the most common cause. I though it would be appropriate to discuss what depression is. Rebecca Donatelle notes that major or clinical depression is not the same as having a bad day or feeling down after a negative experience. It is also not something that can be wished away or ignored for the sake of "growing a thicker skin." The National Institute of Mental Health notes that major depression is the most common mood disorder, affecting approximately 7% of the United States population. Major depression is characterized by a combination of symptoms that interfere with work, study, sleep, appetite, relationships, and enjoyment of life. Symptoms can can last for weeks, months, or years and vary in intensity. I discuss the common signs of depression; depression regarding gender and age; prevalence and age of onset; risk factors; ways of dealing with and defeating depression. Support the show

On today's program we discuss the topic of "Bullying" with my guest, David Wells. Not only is David my brother, but he is also the CEO of the Chocolate Jazz Foundation 501C3. David is endorsed by Conn & Selmer as a national performer. He was a nominee for the 51st Grammy. He is a concert promoter in Nashville TN and is the producer and host of his individual podcast, "The Bully Resistant Show With David Wells." For the past 18 years, he has traveled across the United States as a full time Smooth Jazz musician and the last 7 of those 18 years, he has devoted his life in going into the public and private school system at every level in educating children on "bullying"and the repercussions that bullying has not only on the victim, but as well on the bully and the bystander / observer. On today's program we discuss what bullying is, the different types of bullying, the short and long term effects of bullying on the victim, the bully, the observer and those that were bullied and now are the bully themselves. Additionally, we discuss the long term risk of those who are involved in bullying and the relationship between bullying and suicide. Support the show

On today's program, my guest Stephen Givens and I finish up our series on changing our bad behaviors. We discuss behavior change strategies provided by Rebecca Donatelle which include: visualization, countering, controlling the situation, changing your self-talk, rewarding yourself and journaling. Stephen and I discuss how mental practice can transform unhealthy behaviors into healthy ones. Athletes use a technique known as "imagined rehearsal". Careful mental and verbal rehearsal of how you intend to act will help you anticipate problems and greatly improve the likelihood of success. Mental rehearsal is also known as mindfullness meditation, prepping your mind or putting your thoughts into action. As the saying goes, "Practice makes perfect." Practice can cause improvement, but "perfect practice" can lead to better results than practice full of failures. Because mental practice is perfect practice, it is also a confidence booster. Experiencing success increases confidence. Additionally, we discuss "countering". Stephen gives a nice illustration or example of the "fire escape plan." Controling the situation, "P To The Seventh Power"-Prior Proper Planning Prevents Pitiful Poor Performance. These are just a few of the items that were discussed on today's program. I would strongly recommend listening to today's show. There is a lot of great information. Keep advancing toward's optimal health and wellness. Support the show

In today's program I continue my discussion on how to improve our bad behaviors with my guest, Stephen Givens. Stephen is a professional counselor who has a special interest in addictions as well as marriage and family counseling. In today's program we learn what it takes to conquer your Mount Everest in your life that is keeping you from living a life with purpose, vitality and optimal health. Support the show

On today's program we continue our discussion on improving our lifestyle health behaviors with professional counselors Michael Moore and Stephen Givens. Michael Moore has served as a minister in the Church of Christ for the past 25 years. He has been a Licensed Professional Counselor for the past 14 years and is a Behavior Specialist for for the local school districts. Stephen Givens is a Nationally Certified Addictions Counselor and has a passion for christian counseling. He is a co-owner of Counseling and Wellness Center Ohio. On our last program, the question was asked why do so many New Year's resolutions fail before Valentine's Day? According to Drs. Prochaska and DiClemente, it's because we are going about things in the wrong way; fewer than 20 percent of us are really prepared to take action. They concluded after considerable research that behavior changes usually do not succeed if they start with the change itself. Instead, we must go through a series of stages to prepare ourselves for that eventual change. According to Prochaska and DiClemente's transtheoretical model of behavior change (also called the stages of change model), our chances of keeping those New Year's resolutions will be greatly enhanced if we have proper reinforcement and help during each of the stages. Michael and Stephen discuss the first stage in this process and that is the "percontemplation" stage. In this stage, people have no current intention of changing. They may have tried to change a behavior before and failed at doing so, or they may be in denial and unaware of any problem. Stephen gives a great point of individuals in our lives, such as friends and family that enable us to continue down this path of unhealthy behavior patterns. He explains that while attending a conference on addiction he listened to an motivational speaker mentioned six important words and that is, "You Can Love Somebody To Death." Support the show

In today's podcast, I have as my guest Tim Craft. Tim Craft is the Founder of High on Hope Ministries. Tim was a 12 year drug addict who God delivered in 2014. His mission is to bring Jesus Christ to the center of the drug addiction crisis. My interview with Tim will be in the second part of today's program. Improving our lifestyle behaviors begins with assessing our habits: 1) Recognizing that the behavior is unhealthy and we can make changes. 2) Identify alternative behaviors for our unhealthy behaviors. 3) To be successful in changing our behaviors, we must be ready physically and mentally. 4) Consider why it is important for us to change. Powers, Dodd and Jackson explain once we have assessed our current behavior patterns, we can then focus on the barriers that may prevent us from changing our behavior. Powers, Dodd and Jackson continue to note there are four major barriers that contribute to this low level of exercise activity: 10 Lack of time. 2) Lack of social and environmental influences. 3) Inadequate resources. 4) Lack of motivation / commitment We noted in our last podcast that 35% of people who make New Year's resolutions break them by the end of January. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2015 noted that nearly 70% of U.S. adult smokers want to quit. Why do so many New Year's resolutions fail before Valentine's Day? If you are interested in being more successful in changing your bad lifestyle behaviors then you will want to tune in on this podcast. Support the show

This is probably the beginning of the most important decision of improving your overall health. We begin a multi-part series consisting of different guest discussing what you and I can do to change our lifestyle behaviors from negative to more positive. It's important that you listen to each part if you are able because it will definitely change your life. In our previous episodes we have discussed lifestyle behaviors and their effect on our overall health and well-being. Dr. Huber explains of all the contributors to health and disease, lifestyle represents 50.3%. Dr. Hanna and I discussed the leading causes of death shifted to chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that chronic diseases are the leading causes of death and disability in the United States, responsible for 7 out of 10 deaths. Dr. Huber explains that chronic degenerative diseases are primarily disease of lifestyle. Additionally, Dr. Huber notes that life insurance companies reported that 83% of deaths before age 65 could have been prevented with a health lifestyle. Studies at the University of Tennessee and at the Massachusetts General Hospital revealed that lifestyle was a major contributing factor in more than 78% of the hospital admissions. As I and my guest have mentioned, improving our health behaviors comes through lifestyle management. It is important to note that through the power of prayer, God's mercy, God's strength and God's love for us is also needed in helping us make this change. My guest today is Pastor Jim Hodges. Pastor Hodges is the founder and President of FMCI (Federation of Ministers and Churches International), a multigenerational network of Ministers, Churches, Market Place Leaders, Intercessors, and Worship Leaders. FMCI's emphases are Spiritual Awakening, Reformation of the Church and Cultural Transformation. Pastor Hodges and his wife Jean and their family have been friends of mine for many years, since 1980. Moving towards optimal health and wellness means establishing healthy behaviors and working to overcome unhealthy ones. Dr. Morris notes in his book, "Health Care You Can Live With," that many people do want to help themselves, but finding the right starting point isn't always easy. We some times chase the wrong information because we haven't stopped to ask the right questions. If God wants wholeness for us as whole beings, what gets in the way of experiencing it? What can I do to remove the obstacles in my own experience? What can I do to make myself healthier? What shifts do I need to make in my own life? What kind of health do I want for myself? Change starts with individuals. Change in your health starts with you. Support the show

My guest on today's program is Stacy Houser, founder of Temple Challenge. When beginning Temple Challenge in 2014, she had one goal in mind and that was to make all communities healthier. Stacy uses her combination of education, experience, and passion to inspire and encourage entire communities to be more physically active tipping that teeter totter towards health and wellness. She emphasizes three things: 1) God, 2) Love, 3) Fitness. What do you think of when you hear someone say "exercise?" Many people would think of someone running on a treadmill, or exercising on an elliptical, lifting weights and so on. A lot of times we don't think hiking in the woods or mountains is exercise. However, all the activities mentioned earlier can be exercise, and both are good for your health. The point is there are many different ways to exercise. So if going to the gym is not for you, there are many other ways you can be active and improve your health. One important part in designing your own fitness program is to find out what works best for you. The importance of regular physical activity in promoting good health and wellness is emphasized in the 1996 Surgeon General's report on physical activity. This report concludes that lack of physical activity is a major public health problem in the United States and that all Americans can improve their health by engaging in as little as 30 minutes of light to moderate intensity physical activity most days of the week. The Surgeon General's report recognizes numerous health benefits of physical activity and exercise: Improved Psychologically Well-Being; Increased Longevity; Maintenance of Working Capacity During Aging; Increased Bone Mass; Reduced Risk of Diabetes; Reduced Risk of Heart Disease. It is important to keep in mind that different levels of physical activity or exercise are needed for different health benefits. Support the show