HTW with Zoe and Erica – Details, episodes & analysis

You know we’re all about the shrooms here on HTW, and not just the ones that take you on a trip. But when it comes to other psychedelics and their potential health benefits, it can be hard to get over some misconceptions we have. Most of us grew up hearing “drugs are bad, mkay,” and while many can be—and nearly all without taking the proper precautions—it’s taken a toll on public perception around certain compounds and held us back from some very useful and SAFE benefits.

Lauren Taus is a licensed psychotherapist, practicing Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), and trained to work with both psychoactive compounds and plant medicines. Lauren leads Inbodied Life, a group therapy practice and she also offers immersive educational programs for clinicians to learn psychedelic assisted therapy and integration in contexts that hold personal healing as essential to effective facilitation. Lauren is a lifelong student, educator and activist. For decades, Lauren’s work has focused on creating aligned, and kind mind-body connections to support complete health for individuals and the collective.

She helps walk us through using these potent plants as tools for healing, looking at ketamine beyond the stigma (and where those stigmas may be right), and the potential uses for future psychedelic-assisted therapies.

Lauren talks about…

• Her pain-to-purpose path into the world of mental health

• The value people get from their addicitons

• How ketamine-assisted psychotherapy works and the history of drug-assisted healing

• The experience of using ketamine beyond the stigma

• How we compromise ourselves to maintain relationships

• The impact of drug legalization

Resources:

• Learn more at inbodiedlife.com

• Instagram: @lauren.taus

• Listen: Inbodied Life Podcast

• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

Oh hey, wellness fanatics! Buckle up for a wildly entertaining chat with the fabulous Candice Kumai, who's basically the Swiss Army knife of the wellness world. She's a chef, journalist, author, model, and host of the Wabi Sabi podcast, and now she's got a new book out on Audible called "Spirited." Brace yourselves for some juicy girl talk and plenty of laughs!

Candice and Erica have been running side-by-side on this wacky wellness rollercoaster for years, watching the landscape morph into something we barely recognize, and still riding those entrepreneurial highs and lows. In this episode, we dish out some real talk about our battles with imposter syndrome, anxiety, insomnia, and all those not-so-glamorous moments that come with the territory.

Expect a healthy dose of chuckles and maybe even a little cat chatter, as among other roles, Candice also devotes many hours to rescuing and fostering kittens.  So, if you're ready for a wild ride through the ever-shifting world of wellness, and a deep dive into Candice's new book "Spirited," don't miss this outrageous and downright honest conversation with the one and only Candice Kumai. 

Candice talks about…

• The beautiful heartbreak of cat rescue and fostering

• Boundaries, the silver linings of the pandemic, 

• Feeling empowered to be your full self, the light and the dark

• The ugly side of social media and fake influence in the wellness world

• Leaving the legacy of being a good person

Resources:

• Learn more at Candice’s website: https://candicekumai.com/

• Listen to "Spirited" exclusively on Audible: http://audible.com/spirited

• Kintsugi Wellness: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0062669850/

• Clean Green Eats: https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Green-Eats-Clean-Eating-Recipes-ebook/dp/B00O11JTME

• Listen to Wabi Sabi Podcast: https://candicekumai.com/wabi-sabi-podcast/

• Follow Candice to support her work: https://www.instagram.com/candicekumai/

• Candice's shop site: https://thematchashoppe.com

• Candice on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CandiceKumai/videos

• Candice on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@candicekumai

• Visit earthandstar.com and use the promo code “PODCAST” to get 15% off your first order

• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

Neuroscientist, board-certified psychiatrist, health tech entrepreneur, and inventor Dr. David Rabin has spent more than 15 years researching the effects of persistent stress on people. He’s also the co-founder and CIO of Apollo Neuroscience, which created the first wearable device verified by science to actively enhance sleep, relaxation, focus, and calmness by employing a new touch therapy that sends a signal of security to the brain.

As a psychiatrist, Dr. Rabin focuses on very difficult to treat mental illnesses. He has been constantly fascinated by why chronic and intense stress can sometimes make people stronger, while other times it holds us back — even within the same person. Medication doesn’t work for more than half of patients, which led Dr. David to find something else to treat mental illness. We discuss the path that led to that discovery, how it works, and why it’s so important in reducing stress.

SPECIAL OFFER FOR LISTENERS: Use the code EARTHSTAR for $40 off your order at www.apolloneuro.com

Dr. David Rabin talks about…

• Using technology to put us into a state of safety
• Hacking the autonomic and parasympathetic systems to 
• How sound can be used as a signal to evoke a soothing response
• The problem with too much data and how that leads to more stress

Resources:

• drdave.io
• apolloneuro.com
• Instagram: @drdavidrabin
• Twitter: @drdavidrabin
• Visit earthandstar.com and get 15% off your first order with code HTW
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel!

Fighting stigma about sexual pleasure is all in a day’s work for Alex Fine, co-founder of DAME Products. She believes fully that a good vibrator can improve someone’s life, but first we need to address the shame that we associate with sexual pleasure, and all the other fun cultural hangups that are holding this conversation back. 

Alex talks about...

• Her early days in this biz--she started making sex toys at home and got her friends to try them out in front of her.  She has good friends. 
• How she and her co-founder teamed up to make toys they couldn’t find on the market
• Dame is currently suing the MTA subway system for reneging on a deal to run her ads even though the MTA runs ads for erectile dysfunction medication, breast augmentation, and the Museum of Sex. Ahem.
• The state of porn--how some is good, and some is really just not
• The current state of our sex education curriculum in schools
• Her favorite sex toys
• Her fantasy dinner party as you might imagine, is quite fantastic

Resources:

• Dame Products’ website
• Dame Products’ Instagram

Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

Today our guest is Dr. Ellen Vora, MD and Holistic Psychiatrist. We loved our previous chat with her about about anxiety and this time she’s back to speak about bipolar. Ellen says she is here to do something a little bit different than other psychiatrists, which is to help people who either want to manage mental illness holistically and never go on medication in the first place, or work with people that want to do the hard, slow work of getting off it. She shares innumerable tips in this episode, including how upping magnesium intake, keeping blood sugar levels stable and addressing thyroid problems have really helped her patients with bipolar. As with other health issues, diet and lifestyle are key to avoiding or minimizing problems (our key takeaways: aim to sleep like a kitten and step away from the pancakes). We also chat about how psychedelics can be useful for treating a range of conditions but are not safe for people with bipolar. 

Special note: If you are struggling with bipolar, depression or any other mental health issues, or if you know somebody that is, help is available at any time on the suicide prevention hotline on 1-800-273-8255.

Dr. Ellen Vora talks about...

• The different types of bipolar and the ways it can manifest
• Tools for diagnosing it and how it is sometimes over-diagnosed 
• How she helps patients treat their bipolar holistically 
• How SSRI antidepressants can cause bipolar episodes in people who are predisposed
• Following a disciplined diet and lifestyle can be the key to transitioning off of some seriously scary meds that are used to treat disorders like bipolar
• How bipolar tends to travel genetically with things like celiac disease, thyroid, autoimmune illness and alcohol abuse
• Other hidden and surprising triggers...ahem, GLUTEN.  
• How Klonopin and other “benzos” are being handed out WAY too cavalierly, and withdrawal from those drugs is no joke.  
• Microdosing with drugs such as Lithium as a potential treatment option

Resources:

• Dr. Ellen’s website
• Dr. Ellen’s Instagram
• Dr. Ellen’s Twitter
• Dr. Ellen’s Facebook
• Dr. Ellen’s YouTube
• Anatomy of an Epidemic

Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

Today our guest is Nick Marsh from CHOPT Creative Salad Company. CHOPT is all about changing people's perception of what a salad can be, setting mouths on fire and resetting the nation’s palate. Tune in for this truly fascinating, colon-friendly conversation about the fast casual food landscape and how much salad in America has changed since CHOPT opened its first location in 2001.

Nick Marsh talks about...

• What he puts in his salad
• The origins of CHOPT
• How to change people's perception of what a salad can be
• How much the culture and mindset of food has changed in the past two decades
• How the mission of CHOPT is to get Americans to eat better and eat more vegetables
• The challenges of selling healthy casual meals in an industry designed to meet the needs of traditional fast food
• Options for making healthy food more accessible to people on low incomes

Resources:

• CHOPT’s website
• CHOPT’s Instagram

Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

Jennifer Sun is the founder of Sun For Soul, a brand rooted in Chinese medicine. She joins us to talk all about adaptogens and the amazing nut butters she has created to deliver powerful Chinese herbs in a delicious way. The inspiration for Sun For Soul comes from Jennifer’s dad, who’s been an acupuncturist and Chinese medicine doctor in New York for 35-plus years. Jennifer grew up drinking all different types of his herbal remedies and was inspired to make Chinese medicine more accessible by combining some of his popular herbal blends in fun and yummy products.

Jennifer Sun talks about...

• How she wanted to use her father’s expertise to create fun products that introduce some of the basics of Chinese medicine.
• Her Sprouted Almond Butter which helps to increase energy, and her Matcha Pumpkinseed Butter to cleanse the liver.
• How Chinese herbs support acupuncture treatment.
• The Chinese medicine diagnostic process (tongue readings!)
• Her journey from working in the pharma industry to bringing her vision to life.
• Why you need expert advice rather than buying random herbs.
• How she defines adaptogens--elements in nature, food, herbs and teas that readjust your body in the way that you've unbalanced it.
• How to diagnose if your body is naturally overheated or heated after certain meals, just by looking at your tongue.
• How to use the Chinese horoscope calendar to assess what you need.
• Her evening routine, which helps her check in with herself.
• Different types of dried mushrooms and how they help to balance your yin.

Resources:

• Sunforsoul.com

Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

This week we have an absorbing and in-depth discussion about supplements with our friend and trusted functional medical practitioner Dr Zandra Palma.   It can be so confusing wondering what supplements we need to take to boost energy and health, and which ones are pure marketing bullsh*t. And even the ones to avoid altogether!  We think you’ll get a lot out of this week’s discussion.

Dr Zandra Palma talks about...

• Busting supplement myths-- there is no one supplement prescription for everyone.
• Evolution and the concept of toxins and cleansing. We don’t eat as diverse a diet as we used to, and that’s why we need help clearing out the crap!
• Folic acid vs methylated folate--this is a biggie, listen closely. 
• How science shows that multivitamins are often the absolute least effective supplements.
• The essential Vitamins A and D. 
• The value of organ meats and their essential vitamins.
• Sunlight and Vitamin D--it’s an individual assessment.
• We’re all deficient in magnesium, mainly due to modern farming practices.  Magnesium comes in a variety of forms, which run a range of benefits. 
• Our adaptive environment and probiotics.
• The microbiome, why it's so important to have a healthy gut and targeting the right probiotic for you.
• Gut bacteria, heartburn and reflux--the perfect storm
• Good old fashioned Vitamin C.

Resources:

• Dr Palma’s website

Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

Today we talk with special guest Dr Josh Axe. Not only is he a wealth of knowledge on nutrition and Chinese medicine, he’s also a regenerative farmer!  He’s very easy to chat with and very happy to give us the benefit of his amazing knowledge. We loved talking to Dr Axe and we think you’ll get a great deal out of this episode as well. Plan to pause and take notes.  Enjoy!

Dr Axe talks about...

• The benefits of a Keto diet.  Spoiler alert--here’s a guy who speaks up that Keto is not for everyone and is only designed for short term use.
• Keto for weight loss but also for brain focus.
• Keto is not just about butter--healthy fats and vegetables should play a big role.
• The final word on Atkins vs Keto.
• Insulin imbalance.
• Keeping stress hormones low and their impact on Keto 
• Intermittent fasting and its role in all diets, Keto and beyond.
• Hippocrates and “heal thyself”. How your body heals itself.
• What’s in his own daily regimen, and what’s NOT--hint: bad news for pork and shrimp lovers.
• The astonishing healing compounds of turmeric and rosemary.
• Good news for lectin-avoiders: sprouted rice!
• His deep knowledge of Chinese medicine 
• What your tongue will tell you about your health.
• Should you eat before or after a workout?
• Which meat to eat?
• His regenerative farming methods.
• Veganism and replacing meat as an athlete.
• Collagen and skin health.
• Liver as an iron supplement.

Resources:

• Keto Diet — Dr Josh Axe
• Dr Axe.com

Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

In this episode, we talk to author, attorney, podcaster, speaker and generally cool chick Heather Hansen. In her book The Elegant Warrior, Heather highlights the importance of being your own advocate in health as well as in other areas of our lives. She discusses compassion and empathy but also the key role that trust plays in our wellbeing, specifically the kind of trust we place in our medical practitioners. This is big stuff.  We loved chatting with Heather and think you’ll get a great deal out of this episode as well.

Heather talks about…

• How to learn to ask the right questions as an attorney and in life.
• She started out working in medical malpractice and quickly realized that the skills learned in the courtroom are pretty much universal life skills.
• What is an Elegant Warrior?
• Trust between physician and patient has been proven to be key to good health
• The stress of medical malpractice trials.
• Trust and credibility.
• Trust and placebo studies.
• Trust, Empathy and Compassion--notice a theme here?  It’s TRUST.  
• Learning to object and how to overcome objections, particularly for young women.
• Teaching people, particularly young people, to advocate for themselves.
• The principle of The Curse of Knowledge
• When you know that it’s time to object, do so!

Resources:

• The Elegant Warrior
• The Elegant Warrior podcast 
• Joyful — Ingrid Fetell Lee
• The Happiness Project — Gretchen Rubin
• Compassionomics — Stephen Trzeciak, Anthony Mazzarelli

Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media