How can you calm yourself down and move towards the version of yourself that you want and imagine for the future? Sarah Avilla is an energy coach and teaches the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) to her clients.  EFT Tapping is a way to acknowledge your stressed-out feelings and physically calm yourself by using your fingers to tap on the same energy meridian endpoints used in acupressure and acupuncture.  Sarah leads a demonstration during the discussion (watch video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/9edsJVLCvag), and she and Ramsey talk about nervous system regulation, releasing emotional blocks, and the value of imagining how we want to be.  In fact, Sarah is recruiting for her new program, The Future You Challenge, where participants will imagine the future versions of themselves that they want and take “messy” actions to bring that version of themselves into being.  This is a fun one and powerful one to take in.  To learn more and join The Future You Challenge, visit www.sarahavilla.com/store/p/future-you-challenge.

What if you could consciously signal safety and intention through your body to your mind? You can, through Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) “tapping.” This process is based on the energetic meridians of Traditional Chinese Medicine, acupuncture and acupressure, but is noninvasive and applied on oneself.  My guest this week is an EFT Tapping practitioner, and she leads a demonstration during our episode, but in this solo message, I give a deeper explanation of what the technique is, how it works, and my first impressions as I learn about it. I find EFT Tapping to be a fascinating, empowering modality, as it is a means for us to consciously take physical action to signal to our bodies and our deeper emotions that we are okay, we are safe, and we have intentions of moving forward. Learn about this nervous system regulation tactic in today’s message and the discussion coming up later in the week. 

How can we get to the root causes of so many digestive, nervous system, and hormonal dysfunctions?  Megan Abbott and her company Trifecta Collective use nutritional analysis, blood chemistry testing, and energy healing techniques to find and address what’s going on with their clients.  Megan dealt with a whole suite of challenges in her own life, including chronic back and hip pain/sciatica, heartburn, parasites, heavy metal toxicity, anxiety, depression, nervous system dysregulation, and chronic viral infections.  Through extensive training and personal discovery, she overcame these issues and now helps others do so as well.  Ramsey and Megan discussed strategies to regulate the nervous system, an expanded definition of stress, and the value of removing energetic, emotional blocks. Learn more at www.trifectacollective.net. 

What happens when all the little stuff piles up? We do our best, we have big things that need doing, there’s never time to do everything or to do every little thing right.  We have little bad habits and coping mechanisms and shortcuts that get us through.  But what happens when the years of accumulated little things catch up with you all at once? For my guest this week, it was a car accident that triggered a cascade of lurking health problems.  For me, it was neglecting my blood pressure for years until my doctor laid it out for me.  How about you?  Is something sneaking up on you?  Maybe it’s time to take a good look around and deal with it head on before it gets out of hand.

How do we take in what we need and avoid what we don’t? Becky J. Webb is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner, certified life coach, and faith-based wellness coach focused on helping clients to balance their hormones, energy and vitality through boosting their foundations of health. Becky and Ramsey discuss whole food as the primary source of nutrition, high-quality supplements as a secondary source, and the use of essential oils to acquire even more helpful substances (as opposed to whatever it is in those wonderful-smelling fabric softeners these days).  Becky also opens up about her background, her decisions around vaccination, and experiences with illnesses.  This is an honest and open conversation, and a great resource for those who wish to nourish and balance not only their bodies, but also their minds and spirits. Learn more at www.instagram.com/beckyjwebb.

Do we truly know if vaccines are safe and effective, and what kind of study would tell us definitively? I’ve successfully dodged talking about vaccines until this week, when my guest brought up the topic, and I saw in my newsfeed a post for the new film “An Inconvenient Study” by Del Bigtree and The HighWire, of VAXXED infamy. The film is now available to watch for free online, and it centers around the hidden camera gotcha moment where Dr. Marcus Zervos admits that he won’t publish a study because he believes it would ruin him professionally, not because the study is flawed, but because the results don’t line up with the accepted narrative.  In fact, the results of the unpublished study are quite alarming. Vaccines are not my fight, and I don’t want to fight.  But I do think that it is crucial that we all learn as much as we can, and talk about what we learn, no matter how inconvenient.  Learn more and watch the film online at https://www.aninconvenientstudy.com.

How can we find what will work best for us? Alatian Health founder Jeanette De Caro went from a stressed-out semiconductor professional to a healthy and well-balanced Functional Nutritional Therapy Practitioner by walking a path of discovery, attempts, testing and ultimately finding solutions.  Now Jeanette works with clients through lab testing, fine-tuning nutrition, and recommending lifestyle strategies.  Ramsey and Jeanette trade notes on how best to respond to stress, their own experiences changing gears mid-career, and their go-to strategies to feel better.  Jeanette also shares the pros and cons of intermittent fasting, especially for females and especially for athletes. Learn more about Alatian Health at www.alatianhealth.com.

What is the DUTCH Test and what does it uniquely tell us about hormones?  I didn’t know either, so I looked it up.  The Dried Urine Test for Comprehensive Hormones (DUTCH) Test tracks hormones throughout a full day, giving a more complete picture than other tests.  This is one of many functional tests that inspire us to collect samples of just about every fluid and product that the body offers, package them up and send them off to the labs. I’m just learning about all the various tests and how they find issues before they become huge problems, like going through the house and finding an electrical issue before a short circuit causes a full-blown fire.  Learn along with me the benefits of perusing our pee and poo!

We can’t bottle the body’s own power to clean the brain, assemble memories, process traumas, heal and grow tissues, sharpen skills, rejuvenate skin and so many other things, which take place during high-quality sleep.  Dr. Leah Kaylor is a licensed clinical and prescribing psychologist who became the FBI’s in-house sleep expert.  She has just released the book “If Sleep Were a Drug,” available on Amazon, that not only drives home the critical need for enough high-quality sleep, but also actionable and practical strategies to get it. Dr. Leah speaks directly to first responders and other high achievers who rely upon peak performance to save lives, but her wit and upbeat attitude will appeal to anyone who seeks on a daily basis to get their jobs done.  This episode is fast-paced and engaging, gives much guidance on how to fall asleep and stay asleep, but is itself anything but sleepy.  Learn more and find the book at www.drleahkaylor.com.

Are you or someone you care about stressed out, anxious, exhausted, and maybe even headed towards BURNOUT? Get the new eBook free for 3 days only on Amazon - “Stress Response: Manage your Response to Stress, in order to Reduce Anxiety, Avoid Burnout, and Find Calm and Steady Focus.” The eBook is free in order to drive as many downloads and honest reviews and ratings on Amazon as possible, so that more people will be able to find it and benefit from it.  Stress Response features insights from the health and wellness expert guests on the What’s Worthwhile Podcast.  I give a mix of practical in-the-moment strategies and foundational nutrition, movement, and sleep advice in a straightforward How-To format. It’s a stressful world we live in today, but we don’t face physical challenges like sabertooth tigers anymore.  We need a new type of Stress Response, and this book lays it out.  Download your free eBook at Amazon today, and pay it forward by going back and leaving an honest review and rating!  https://www.amazon.com/Stress-Response-Manage-Anxiety-Burnout-ebook/dp/B0FRVMZTPC 

How can the foods we eat cause, worsen, improve or correct chronic diseases and conditions? Functional medicine practitioner Dr. Kevin Smith has been in practice since 2001, and in that time, he has seen thousands of people regain their function, restore their health, overcome imbalances, preserve their independence, and decrease their reliance on medications. Dr. Smith is quick to point out that Western allopathic medicine excels at correcting acute and emergency issues.  But in his practice, he uses expanded testing to determine what each individual likely needs to subtract or add from their eating to address the root cause of problems, and improve ongoing health.  Ramsey and Dr. Smith discussed many chronic issues including thyroid dysfunction, gut problems, and autoimmune disorders.  This is a great episode to help you understand how food acts as medicine, for better or for worse.  Learn more at metabolicsolutions.net.

When is the right time to boldly blaze ahead? It’s easy to hold back, go along to get along, stay with the crowd, let someone else take the risk of innovating.  But how do you know when the time is right to begin, to push ahead, to try? Whether we’re talking about having difficult conversations, improving your health and wellness, or launching a new endeavor (like a podcast, a new raft of services as an NTP, and a book!), I contend that when we have the knowledge, the experience, the desire and the conviction, we know it, and we should go for it, try it, fix things as they break, and try again.  Nothing is ever perfect, and we never have complete information.  We should not let that hold us back.

How can we best take care of our brains, the amazing and useful biological structures that do so much for us?  Dr. Ryan Williamson is a board certified neurologist, founder of the online community Transcend Health, and author of the new book: The Incredible Brain.  Dr. Williamson offers an Acronym BRAIN which stands for Breathe, Rest, Active, Intake and Nurture, representing five pivotal actions we can all take on a regular basis to improve neurological and overall health.  Ramsey and Dr. Williamson go through all five, and also talk about how loss has been a significant driver in Ryan’s life, why he put his energy into writing a book and building an online community, and why so many people today struggle with managing their response to stress.  Dr. Williamson has a talent for explaining things directly and simply, and this is an informative and highly practical episode for anyone who wants to keep their thinker in prime shape for years and decades to come.  Learn more at www.transcendhealthgroup.com.

What’s worthwhile to focus on today? This is the 100th time that I’ve recorded and posted a message, and I’ve covered energy, political reform, building bridges between people, health & fitness, and Christian spirituality.  Although my recent efforts focus upon nutrition, holistic health and “Building Mind, Body and Spirit Wellness,” I feel the need to address recent events. One of the most prolific speakers of our time had his voice removed by an assassin’s bullet.  I believe strongly that as a society, we need to engage in difficult conversations with those who think differently than ourselves, and violence is not an acceptable alternative.  Speaking up and speaking out are risky and dangerous, but an essential right, and we should pair our speech with listening, empathy and analysis.  Naturally, our speech will sometimes offend, because there is much happening in the world today that is offensive. This is a difficult message … but it is a crucial one, and a message I want you to hear.

Can you feel what your body is trying to tell you?  Angel Howard can! After an early corporate career and a shocking end to her marriage, Angel Howard began a quest to figure out what had gone wrong.  A lifelong dancer and dynamic person, she learned through several fields of study how our bodies experience and store difficult and traumatic experiences.  Today Angel works one-on-one and in group retreats with people to understand what their bodies need and how to move them out of pain and discomfort. She’s the author of “Issues in your Tissues” and is working on a second book (about communication).  Ramsey and Angel discussed how movement releases trauma, how Angel senses what’s going on in people’s bodies, and even a full overview of the 7 major chakra energy centers, with Angel’s overlay of emotional elements.  This is a fascinating and moving conversation for anyone who does not feel free in their own body.  Learn more at www.angelhoward.co.

While chasing your goals, do you feel at your best or do you feel kind of lousy? In order to work hard and succeed, you don’t need to feel stressed, exhausted, hangry, depleted, and starved all the time!  I just officially finished my Nutritional Therapy Practitioner certification.  As an NTP, I work with clients in 5 main areas: stress response management, sleep quality and quantity, blood sugar regulation, effective digestion, and nutrient-dense whole food in order to help them feel more calm, rested, steady, energetic, and well-fed so that they can better accomplish all of their professional and family goals. Sound nice?  Let’s talk about it. Learn more at www.whatsworthwhile.net.

Do we need to feel past trauma to heal, or can we focus on positive signals instead to enable improvement?  Longtime therapist and founder of Organic Intelligence, Steven Hoskinson contends that a safer and gentler way to help our brains heal from past trauma is to look for and focus upon positive signals perceived in the environment as the basis for moving forward.  Steve and Ramsey discuss several critical concepts including Orientation (a type of Mindfulness), the brain’s Prediction (setting off processes based on expectations) and Somatic Therapy (based on physical sensations). This episode is a great explainer of a different approach to healing Mind, Body and Spirit.  Learn more at www.organicintelligence.org.

What does the psychedelic plant medicine Ayahuasca do, and why do people seek it out? Used for hundreds of years in Peru in traditional ceremonies, Ayahuasca creates an alternative mental state, and users report profound mental and physical impacts, often including significant improvements.  Michael Tierno is a transformational guide and relationship coach specializing in deep emotional healing and conscious personal growth, and specializes in providing Ayahuasca experiences to clients through well-established practitioners in Peru.  Ramsey had basically no prior knowledge, opinion, or experience with Ayahuasca before speaking with Michael, and this episode is not an endorsement nor suggestion of the practice.  Rather, it is an open-minded, honest, and curious exploration of what Ayahuasca does, why people choose to have the experience, and how it changes them as a result.  If you have heard about plant medicine, but don’t know the details, then this episode will be a great way to glimpse what this South American mystery is all about.  Learn more at https://www.michaeltiernoguide.com/.

What are the unspoken beliefs about yourself, which govern your actions, and are they beneficial?  We all have them … those echoes of voices from past experiences and influential people telling us what to do, and more often, what NOT to do.  They keep us out of trouble, keep us in line, but also hold us back from exploring, growing, or expanding beyond our own imagined limitations.  Do you know what rules you live by? Have you evaluated them recently? Let’s take a few minutes and do just that.

What can a sample of your hair tell you about the minerals and heavy metals in your body? HTMA is Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis, and this protocol is a non-invasive, cost-effective way for people to learn about potential mineral deficiencies and heavy metal burdens that their bodies may have.  Diane Yoder is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner who is trained and experienced in facilitating and interpreting the results of HTMA for her clients.  Ramsey and Diane discuss the details of HTMA, including how it’s done, how it compares to bloodwork, and what to do if we learn bad news from the analysis.  So if you are concerned that you or your family members may be missing critical minerals, or that you may be harboring heavy metals, which you are better off without, this is an excellent episode for you.  Learn more at https://northwestnatural.health.