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  • Green Pill 002: 3 Tips on Talking Health w/ Family | Discipline vs. Desire | Fermented Foods Are Really Freakin' Powerful

Green Pill 002: 3 Tips on Talking Health w/ Family | Discipline vs. Desire | Fermented Foods Are Really Freakin' Powerful

"If you’re not taking care of your sleep, exercise and nutrition, you’re not giving yourself a fighting chance against depression and anxiety."

Author

Alex Shinkarovsky
January 20, 2023

Happy Thursday, fitfam.

This week's resources to improve your life, and get you where you want to be.

  1. Stories: Read about how a therapist tried to help her family get therapy.

  2. Weekly Quick Recs (Meme, A.M. Jump Rope, caring for elderly, Steve Harvey)

  3. Deep Dive on how freakin' powerful fermented foods are

 Green Pill Stories - Amanda Butler LMFT

*Scroll to the bottom for 3 tips on talking health w/ family*

So, my family is not the healthiest.  Diabetes, mental illness, cancer, etc.

I've always tried to lead by example. 

But there is also room for preaching, proselytizing, cajoling, convincing.

I decided to seek out strategies to be better at talking about health with loved ones.

Cuz after all, who doesn't want their family to live longer, healthier lives?

I started interviewing therapists & health pros to get the inside scoop on how they convince their loved ones.

Enter my new podcast, Green Pill.  Coming soon to theaters near you!

After all, one would think doctors families would be the healthiest.

Last week, I interviewed Amanda Butler LMFT on her take.

Amanda spoke to how religious, cultural, and other social aspects may affect one's ability to make healthy choices. She said:

The pattern in my family has been to complain & complain about relationship issues without really talking to the partner about it, going to therapy or actually doing something about it.I grew up in the Latter Day Saints community, the attitude towards women & relationships...always felt a little misogynistic, like women were 2nd-class citizens and had to do what the man told them...it has been awhile since I've been involved though.

She felt this may have affected their sense of empowerment to address relationship issues, which may have led to the situations she saw growing up where women would not take concrete actions to resolve problems and feel better.

She followed this up by saying:

I do see a fair number of clients now who are part of that faith - maybe it has changed

Amanda's 3 tips for Green Pilling your loved ones: 

  • Plant the seed - Frame it as "I really love you & am concerned. Therapy has been helpful for me. If you're interested, it may help..if open, I would help you find someone"

  • Get Authentically Curious - try to understand why a person acts, instead of assuming they're lazy, dumb, ignorant - most people know what they do is unhealthy.

  • Use the right language - "what makes you do that" instead of "why"

Get more from Amanda on her Instagram or website.

 Highlights of the Week

Meme of the Week:

meme on therapy

Health Hacks I’m Testing:  Jump rope first thing upon waking.  There is something about getting the blood flowing and consistently doing something challenging in the morning.  Some days, if I wake up groggy, congested, or not my best (see Steve Harvey below), the last thing (even alexlovescardio) wants to do is jump rope.  I do 120 skips, and really feel good afterwards.

What I’m Listening To: Steve Harvey's motivational speeches.  He is so direct & clear.

Let go of your old self, so you can step into your greatness - Steve Harvey

https://open.spotify.com/episode/1FW3Bpn6mhs5q0B9q8d2yu?si=9f42a62d20724d62

What I’m Reading: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End - Atul Gawande.  Gawande tackles the travesty of U.S. nursing homes, end-of-life care and the difficulties for geriatric and terminally ill patients in finding meaning & retaining a meaningful life in today's system.  In an engaging format weaving personal narratives and public health policy, he details how modern assisted living facilities developed from early-20th century poor houses.  By interviewing over 200 elderly or terminally ill individuals, geriatricians, philosophers of mortality & hospice providers, he shares alternate models for giving our elders & terminally-ill control and happiness in their last years.  If you don't have time to read, listen to one of his 20m talks on YouTube about the book.

Quote I’m Loving: "The desire is where you want to go, the discipline is how you get there. You can write down a list of the stuff you want to do all day but if you don't produce and show the discipline necessary to get there, what you think is gonna happen? -Steve Harvey

Sponsored by...me! 

I help my clients get from where they are, to where they want to be.   

I provide weekly accountability, remote physiological monitoring using wearable devices, and recommendations on specific action items to improve sleep, food choices, movement & emotional health.

 Deep Dive - Fermented Foods 

Podcast: Dr. Andrew Huberman interviews top gut researcher, Dr. Justin Sonnenburg The most impactful takeaway:  a high-fermented food diet (2x a day+ of 1/2 cup of fermented food/drink) produced radical changes in the immune response & self-reported quality of life, vs a high-fiber diet.  (at 1hr 32mins).  The Study.  The TLDR article.

Dr. Justin Sonnenburg: How to Build, Maintain & Repair Gut Health

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6py3mzlXRAnXTIf3C3PXUQ?si=6d31b34fcae442f0

Thanks for reading.  Your feedback really helps me!

You may find out more about my lifestyle adjustment & coaching services at my site, or read a Case Study here.