Straight Talk For Real Life

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many things have been out of our control—causing fear, stress, sleeplessness, and anxiety. Mindfulness and meditation are helping millions of people around the world cope. In this episode, we'll learn how mindfulness and meditation can help you cope with whatever life throws at you—today and in the future. Guests: Eve Lewis and Tom Freeman from Headspace.

How can we prepare our minds and bodies to successfully win the fight against COVID-19? In this special mini-episode, a medical doctor provides invaluable tips, not only about how to protect yourself from catching the virus, but about how to boost your immunity and survive COVID-19. Guest: Ronesh Sinha, M.D.

Exercise—walking, running, dancing, moving—enhances and extends our lives. Yet many of us think of exercise as a chore. Discover how exercise can be a source of joy. Guest: Kelly McGonigal, PhD, research psychologist, speaker (her 2013 TED Talk, "How to Make Stress Your Friend," has been viewed more than 21 million times), and author of The Upside of Stress (2015) and The Joy of Movement (2019).

In today's stress-filled world, we're all looking for healthier ways to cope. For years, meditation has been standard practice for some of the most successful people in business, the tech world, and sports. Perhaps it could work for you too. Headspace can help. Guest: Headspace's Chief Science Officer, Megan Jones Bell.

Stress can make your life miserable, but could it be killing you? Recent research shows that your mental state can have a big impact on your physical wellness. In particular, stress can cause heart disease. Learn about it and what you can do to keep a healthy heart. Guest: Alexandra Crosswell, PhD, Assistant professor in psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.

Sleep is incredibly important to your mental and physical health—and your overall performance. In this episode, we explore things you should—and shouldn't—do to improve your sleep. Our guest: Chris Winter, M.D., author of The Sleep Solution: Why Your Sleep Is Broken and How to Fix It.

Ultimately, it's your decision whether to smoke tobacco or use a vaping device, or perhaps your children have jumped on the vaping bandwagon, so it's important that you know the facts. In this episode, we talk about smoking and the growing popularity of vaping—and what you need to know. Our guests: Pamela Ling, MD, MPH; Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, PhD.

In recognition of International Men's Day on November 19, this episode focuses on men's health issues and what it takes to live a longer, happier, and healthier life. Guest: Dr. David C. Batman, a registered medical practitioner in the U.K. and international occupational health advisor for Virgin Pulse.

American record holder, Olympic medalist, and New York Times best-selling author Deena Kastor has discovered what it takes to win. Hear how you can apply her winning recipe for success to your life—and get ready to achieve more than you ever dreamed. Guest: Deena Kastor.

In this episode, we look at drug and alcohol addiction, a complex health issue affecting every region of the world today. An estimated 107 million people worldwide have an alcohol dependence. It is a disease that affects the rich and poor, male and female, young and old, and every ethnic background. The good news is that hope exists through treatment and recovery. Guests: Andrew B. Mendenhall, MD,...

Anyone can experience anxiety—even Olympic champions like Michael Phelps. In this episode, we discuss anxiety and a documentary titled Angst (2017, IndieFlix), which is raising awareness and providing hope. Learn how to recognize and manage anxiety. Guests: executive producer of Angst Scilla Andreen; clinical psychologist Tam Nguyen, PhD.

It's OK to not be OK. It just means that you're human. Things like stress, anxiety, and depression can affect anyone. The important thing to know is that you don't have to go through it alone. There are experts available to help you at any moment, night or day. In this episode, we'll talk about the resources available through Optum's Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Guests: Jessica Zach, Greg Ca...

Dr. William Li gave a groundbreaking TED Talk in 2010, titled “Can We Eat to Starve Cancer?” To date, it has garnered more than 11 million views. In it, Dr. Li explained that there are microscopic, pre-cancerous cells in most human bodies, just waiting to grow. The good news is that our bodies are equipped with strong health defense systems that, if nourished with the right foods, can prevent more...