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Healthy Wealthy & Smart

Dr. Karen Litzy, PT, DPT


Podcast Overview

The Healthy Wealthy & Smart podcast with Dr. Karen Litzy features top experts in health, wellness and business with a particular focus on physical therapy. We take evidence based medicine and break it down making it easier to understand and immediately apply to your life. At Healthy Wealthy & Smart our goal is simple: to provide you with the best information to live a healthy and pain free life!

Podcast Episodes

285: Physical Therapy Side Hustle: Chapter 2

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy & Smart podcast we continue with the PT Side Hustle series. This series is all about adding a side hustle to your physical therapy career.

In this episode I discuss:

- Types of side hustle (hint they don't have to be patient care related)

- An easy technique to get clear on what your side hustle could be (get a pen and paper ready)

- Setting SMART goals and why they is important

- Making sure everyone in your life is ready for your side hustle (sometimes it is not all about you)

- How to pick up at least 10 extra hours in your week.

 

Resources from this episode:

Freshbooks

Chris Winfield

Entrepreneur.com Side Hustle Series with Chris Winfield

Pomodoro Method

Example of Theta Wave Music

 

Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Thank you for embracing this new series the PT Side Hustle!

Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!

 

Xo Karen

 

284: Dr. Andrew Murray: Building Blocks of Population Health

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Dr. Andrew Murray joins me to discuss the building blocks of population health. Dr. Murray is a Sports and Exercise Medicine doctor, GP and runner who has worked in the Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and with various national and international squads. He currently works for the European and Challenge Tour Golf, the SportScotland Institute of Sport, and the Scottish Rugby Union. He is passionate about increasing physical activity for health and has worked for the Scottish Government as their first “physical activity champion”, and enjoys research with the University of Edinburgh in this area.

In this episode, we discuss:

-The role of preventative care as the foundation for population health

-How much exercise is enough?

-How sleep and diet contribute to optimal health

-Practical tips to implement healthier lifestyle changes and ways to advocate in the community

-And so much more!

 

Modern medicine is capable at combating many ailments however, Dr. Murray believes, “What isn’t working at the moment is preventative medicine.”

 

From international government relations to community outreach programs, collaboration, education and other forms of social support are needed for more individuals to achieve optimal health outcomes. Dr. Murray stresses, “Everyone’s got a role as being part of the solution.”

 

Physical activity has been shown to be a key prevention tool. Dr. Murray encourages everyone to at the very least start small and get moving as, “Something is better than nothing…You’re never too late, you still got time…Start today.”

 

Although preventative medicine is not an immediate fix for patients, Dr. Murray encourages practitioners and the broader industry to adopt a long-term perspective for better outcomes over time. Dr. Murray is a proponent of, “If we do the basics right then good health will follow.”

 

For more information on Dr. Murray:

My background is as a Sports and Exercise Medicine doctor, GP and runner, whilst I have written a couple books, enjoy a load of speaking engagements and do a little journalism.

As a runner, I have completed challenges including a 4,300km run from far north Scotland to the Sahara desert, 7 ultra-marathons on the 7 different continents in under a week, and with Donnie Campbell the first run across the mighty Namib desert and a run across East Africa. Race wise, I’ve placed first in the North Pole Marathon, the Antarctic Ice Marathon, the Gobi Challenge, the Indo Jungle Ultra, and races closer to home, whilst also competing for Scotland in various events.

Work wise I have worked at the Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and with various national and international squads. I currently work for the European and Challenge Tour Golf, the SportScotland Institute of Sport, and the Scottish Rugby Union from the elite sport side of thing, but am passionate about increasing physical activity for health. To this end, I worked for the Scottish Government as their first “physical activity champion”, and enjoy my research with the University of Edinburgh in this area. Getting active, and staying active really is the best thing you can do for your health. Each step is a step to health.

I needed a good kick up the backside from a mate to get active again after university, and urge everyone to GET ACTIVE today, and spread the word.

Updates from various capers, health promotion stuff and injury advices will appear in my blog and the site content will be updated. My next big adventure is a husky riding, running extravaganza to Outer Mongolia in temperatures around -40 celsius in January 2016. Preparation and the adventure will be shared fully in my blogs.

 

Please take the time to check out my charities. Thanks to you all, over £150k has been raised through various runs for 3 amazing causes.

 

My books “Running Beyond Limits” and “Running Your Best – Some Science Medicine” are available via Amazon and the usual book stores.

 

For talks or inquiries, please get in touch !

 

Resources discussed on this show:

23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health? Video

Yann Le Meur Website

Dr. Andrew Murray Twitter

Dr. Andrew Murray Website

 

Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!

 

Xo Karen

 

P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

 

283: Jim Klopman: The Challenge of Balance

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jim Klopman joins me to talk about the integral role of balance for health and longevity. Jim is a lifelong innovator who has always been one of those people who thinks differently. He believes balance training has sharpened his ability to make new neural connections and see the possibilities and pathways that others miss.

In this episode, we discuss:

-The statistics of the death and injury caused by poor balance

-Four ways modern life impairs our balance

-The link between balance and athletic performance

-Balance training for concussion patients

-And so much more!

 

Jim believes that balance is a fundamental component of longevity; however its decline can easily be overlooked by most people. Jim has found that, “Balance is this kind of hidden system that we don’t know has gotten worse. When it gets worse, we don’t recognize it but we do see fall off in the performance of our sports.”

 

Jim notes, “We have more fitness, we have better physical therapy, we have better medical care. Our spaces that people walk around in since the ADA has been instituted are perfectly flat, there’s ramps everywhere, there’s no place you should be able to trip in any public space. Yet this number of accidental deaths and accidental injuries for the people over 65 have nearly doubled.” In a world where our balance system is no longer challenged on a daily basis, Jim believes individuals must work to actively include it in their exercise programming.

 

We gravitate to and enjoy sports and recreation which challenge our balance and yet day to day workplace activities we do are predictable. Jim believes, “The problem is that we are losing this sense of balance because of the modern world we live in.” He challenges, “We are not really meant to live in this world where there are perfectly flat floors and perfectly vertical walls.”

 

For more information on Jim:

Jim is a lifelong innovator who has always been one of those people who thinks differently. He believes balance training has sharpened his ability to make new neural connections and see the possibilities and pathways that others miss.

 

Originally Jim was looking for a way to maintain his own athletic performance well into his 90s. But the Slackbow Balance Training System he developed turned out to be a key to whole body and mind fitness that was even more revolutionary than he could have imagined.

 

He is eager to spread his knowledge, techniques and tools far and wide to help seekers like him tune their brains to perform better in work and sports, sleep better, look younger and live longer.

 

Resources discussed on this show:

SlackBow Website

SlackBow Products

SlackBow Facebook

Balance is Power

Email: jim@slackbow.com

Phone: (435) 200-3287

 

Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!

 

Xo Karen

 

P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

 

282: Physical Therapy Side Hustle, Chapter 1

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy & Smart podcast I am so happy to debut a new series called the Physical Therapy Side Hustle! I get so many questions from physical therapists across the country every week that I thought I would answer many of those questions right here on the podcast.

Enter the PT Side Hustle Series! This series will have 2 episodes a month dedicated to the true side hustle. I will share my ups and downs as an entrepreneur, answers lots of your questions and hear from business experts. Topics will range from shifting your mindset, systems set ups, goal setting, handling the day-to-day grind of essentially working 2 jobs, marketing, branding and much more!

I am really excited to share this series with you and I hope you enjoy it as I much as I do!

In this episode I discuss:

- Why I decided to start a PT Side Hustle Business

- The big mistake I made when I first started

- Do you need a corporate entity for a side hustle?

- What kind of malpractice insurance do you need?

- How can you start to create your client list?

 

Resources discussed in this episode:

Is Professional Liability Insurance Worth it? This is a nice article from WebPT

Corporate Entities

 

Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!

 

Xo Karen

 

 

281: Dr. Kenneth L Miller, PT, DPT: Transitions From Acute Care to Home Health

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, I had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Kenneth Miller onto the show to discuss patient care transitions between physical therapy settings. Dr. Kenneth L. Miller is a physical therapist and educator with more than 20 years of experience working in home care and inpatient rehab settings, as well as more than 7 years in adjunct faculty roles for the University of St Augustine, New York Institute of Technology, University of Michigan–Flint, and Touro College. He is a clinical educator at Catholic Home Care, in Farmingdale, N.Y., has developed a course on clinical pharmacology for GREAT Seminars and has several online courses for MedBridge. Dr. Miller chairs the APTA’s Home Health Section Practice Committee and is a member of the editorial boards of Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, GeriNotes, and is a manuscript reviewer for the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy.

In this episode, we discuss:

-The current state of information transmission between physical therapy settings

-Biomarkers used to evaluate the health status of patients

-The real risk of patient fragility and the importance of adequately overloading during treatment

-How to enhance home compliance and educate patients through technology

-And so much more!

 

Information sharing between healthcare settings is often not reliable. Instead practitioners should focus on ensuring they have the most salient information. From Dr. Miller’s experience, he states, “It is often difficult to get the information I need. It becomes futile sometimes to try and get that information. Some clinicians have stopped reaching out to hospitals and just try to do the best they can with what they have.”

 

Effective and literature supported biomarkers such as gait speed and distance are useful tools to assess risk of re-hospitalization and guide plan of care. Dr. Miller stresses to, “Get those biomarkers out there, so that way even if we can’t get all of the information, be very specific with the type of information, and we can reduce readmissions.”

 

With a growing demographic of home care patients, assessing patient risk level and the need for physical therapy is becoming more important. Dr. Miller notes, “Our patient case loads are going through the roof. I think we need to be able to triage our patients more appropriately for who does need care and who doesn’t and try not to make visits that are not necessary.”

 

One of the biggest challenges facing physical therapy exercise prescription is effectively loading patients. Dr. Miller shares that, “The only known way to combat frailty at this point is exercise and it has to be appropriately dosed.”

 

For more information on Dr. Miller:

Dr. Kenneth L. Miller is a physical therapist and educator with more than 20 years of experience working in home care and inpatient rehab settings, as well as more than five years in adjunct faculty roles. He is currently a clinical educator and physical therapist at Catholic Home Care, in Farmingdale, N.Y., and a consultant, for The Corridor Group. He has taught for New York Institute of Technology, University of Michigan–Flint, and Touro College.

 

He is the co-author of the book Providing Physical Therapy in the Home, published by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), as well as the author of peer-reviewed publications in Neurorehabilitation and the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. He has presented at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting and NEXT Conference.

 

Dr. Miller chairs the APTA’s Home Health Section Practice Committee and is a member of the editorial boards of Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, GeriNotes, and the Journal of Novel Physiotherapy and Physical Rehabilitation.

 

He is the recipient of numerous honors, including three APTA Home Health Section awards: 2016 Section Contribution Award, 2015 Outstanding Effort Award, and 2010 Excellence in Home Care Award. In 2012, he received the Shining Star Award from the Long Island Health Network.

 

He is a Board Certified Geriatric Specialist, a TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer, an APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor, and an APTA Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults.

 

Resources discussed on this show:

Fried et al. 2001: Frailty in older adults: evidence for a phenotype.

Dr. Kenneth Miller Twitter

 

Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!

 

Xo Karen

 

P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

 

280: Dr. Marie-Elaine Grant: Taping and Bracing

On behalf of the British Journal of Sports Medicine, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Marie-Elaine Grant on taping and bracing in the athletic population LIVE from the IOC World Conference in Monaco.

Dr. Marie-Elaine Grant, is a chartered physiotherapist currently on the IOC medical commission and has monitored physiotherapy services on behalf of the IOC for the past 2 Summer Olympic games in addition to owning a clinical practice in Dublin, Ireland. Dr. Grant’s globally recognized Chartered Physiotherapist qualification has led to a career of preparing, rehabilitating and working with Olympic athletes and clinical patients.

In this episode, we discuss:

-The top 3 reasons for when to use and not use tape or a brace on your athlete

-Does the ongoing use of taping or bracing develop dependency?

-The most important considerations to uphold the integrity of taping during sport

-Is bracing or neuromuscular training more effective post-injury? And what are the validity of the outcome measures?

-And so much more!

 

There are many nuances to treating the high level athlete that can sometimes be more important than clinical reasoning. Dr. Grant believes, “Every elite athlete will have a very strict drill the day before and certainly in the hour leading into competition. And that drill and that discipline that they have developed that they get themselves to the starting blocks of the track that has to absolutely be something that is fully respected.”

 

The ultimate goal of a physiotherapist is to help the athlete return to sport without the use of taping or bracing. Dr. Grant finds, “The less dependency that athletes have on extraneous supports, the better and the more likely they are to have consistent and really good performances.”

 

Regardless of whether the mechanisms of taping and bracing have gained support from the research literature, “Athletes will continue to use it and they will continue to request it. Therefore, there is something in this… we have to try and understand why athletes find this beneficial even if the science is not there.” From Dr. Grant’s experience with the Olympics, she has found that the real importance is, “we need to have a much better understanding of what it is doing, how it does it and to ensure that athletes don’t develop a false dependency on it.”

 

For more information on Dr. Grant:

 

Dr. Marie-Elaine Grant (PhD, PT), Physiotherapist to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Medical Commission, Games Group. Ireland’s Olympic Team Lead Physiotherapist from 1990 – 2010. A specialist member of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists.

 

Marie-Elaine is a physiotherapy graduate of UCD (University College Dublin). During the early phase of her career she worked in University Hospitals in Dublin before traveling to Europe and the USA to further her learning and skills. During this time she developed a keen interest in sports physiotherapy and advanced her knowledge and expertise by successfully completing post graduate courses in core sports physiotherapy skills and at the same time advancing clinical experience working with sports teams and aspiring young athletes before advancing to supporting the high performance athlete.

She was appointed to the Medical Committee of the Olympic Council of Ireland in 1990 and subsequently appointed as their lead physiotherapist. Marie-Elaine has served with the Irish Olympic Team for 5 consecutive Summer Olympic Games commencing with Barcelona 1992 through to Beijing 2008. She also served with the Irish Olympic Team for the Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and was appointed to 10 Irish European Youth Olympic Squads. In this role she planned, implemented strategies for provision of high quality physiotherapy services and injury prevention screening programmes for high performance and developmental athletes together with developing physiotherapy support networks with the National Governing Bodies of Olympic Sports.

 

Marie-Elaine was inspired by the commitment, focus and dedication of so many athletes which in turn inspired her to push the boundaries of her clinical understanding by undertaking further learning by scientific research. She was awarded a PhD in 1997, the title of her research thesis was: ‘Evaluation of the Effects of Spinal Strengthening using a Sports Medicine Exercise Approach’. She continues to participate in clinical research, has had peer reviewed publications and presents regularly at international conferences.

 

In 2011 Marie-Elaine was appointed to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Medical Commission Games Group, as a clinical expert in sports physiotherapy, in this role she has been responsible for monitoring physiotherapy activities and facilities for participating nations at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games and the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, and is currently preparing for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games to be held in PyeongChang. The key aims of this role are to protect the health of the world’s Olympic athletes and advance the role of physiotherapy within the global Olympic movement. Marie-Elaine continues to further advance sports physiotherapy ensuring recognition of the very important role that physiotherapy plays in protecting the health of the athlete through prevention, delivery of treatment of the highest standard and also intervention to support performance.

 

She continues to work extensively in clinical practice focusing on all aspects of sports physiotherapy. She also lectures on third level BSc Physiotherapy programmes and post-graduate MSc programmes in Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy for Universities in Ireland and has also been an external examiner. She supervises clinical placements for physiotherapy students and mentors post graduates.

 

She was awarded Specialist Membership of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine in 2006 which has been renewed in 2013 for a second term. In September 2013 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from University College Dublin in recognition of expertise and contribution to Sports Physiotherapy in Ireland and beyond.

 

 

 

 

 

Resources discussed on this show:

Marie-Elaine Grant Publications

Grant Physiotherapy Website

Marie-Elaine Grant LinkedIn

 

Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!

 

Xo Karen

 

P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

 

279: Cynthia Toussaint: Battle for Grace and CRPS

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, I had the pleasure of welcoming Cynthia Toussaint onto the show to discuss her experiences as a patient managing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Cynthia Toussaint is the founder and spokesperson of For Grace, an organization that promotes better care and wellness for women in pain. Toussaint championed and gave key testimony at two California Senate hearings – one was dedicated to CRPS awareness, the second explored the chronic under-treatment of and gender bias toward women in pain. She will lead a 2017 conference that will convene healthcare and policy leaders to bring pain care into the 21st century. The solutions proposed at the event will mandate structural changes that respond to patient needs and gender inequalities in California. Toussaint is the author of Battle for Grace: A Memoir of Pain, Redemption and Impossible Love.

In this episode, we discuss:

-The story behind Cynthia’s long battle with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

-How Cynthia developed independent survival solutions when medical providers would no longer help

-Why gratitude, acceptance and grieving are necessary components for the management of chronic pain

-For Grace: better care and wellness for women in pain

-And so much more!

 

Cynthia’s long history of battling unimaginable physical and psychological pain has taught her how to be resilient. She believes, “We don’t know what we can live with until we are there.”

 

Cynthia has used her past experiences as inspiration for her advocacy and has created meaningful change for CRPS patients. Based on her experience, she stresses, “Don’t ever let anybody say you can’t get something done.”

 

Cynthia has found that adversity can breed strength and that, “People who go through the impossible odds survive and they go on to make the world a better place.”

 

After exhausting her family support system and the recommendations of her medical providers were unable to help with her chronic pain, Cynthia found her greatest relief through her own strength and will. She states, “With high impact chronic pain, we have to refuse to be a victim. We have to be our own advocates. We have to be deeply involved with self management.”

 

For more information on Cynthia:

Cynthia Toussaint serves as Spokesperson at For Grace and has had Complex Regional Pain Syndrome for 34 years. She later developed Fibromylagia and other over-lapping, auto-immune conditions. Cynthia founded For Grace in 2002 to raise awareness about CRPS and five years later expanded the organization’s mission to include all women in pain. Before becoming ill, she was an accomplished ballerina and worked professionally as a dancer, actor and singer.

 

Since 1997, she has been a leading advocate for women in pain, raising awareness through local, national and worldwide media as well as public speaking. Toussaint championed and gave key testimony at two California Senate informational hearings. The first, in May 2001, was dedicated to CRPS awareness. The second took place in February 2004 and explored the chronic under treatment of and gender bias toward women in pain. Both of these efforts were the first of their kind in the nation.

 

In 2006, Toussaint ran for the California State Assembly to bring attention to her CRPS Education Bill that Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed after she got it to his desk in its first year. Her next bill, a seven year effort, was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in 2015. This Step Therapy legislation reformed an unethical prescription practice used by the health insurance industry to save money in a way that increased the suffering of California pain patients.

 

Toussaint was the first CRPS sufferer to be featured in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and on the Public Broadcasting System and National Public Radio. She is a consultant for The Discovery Channel, ABC News, FOX News, the National Pain Report and PainPathways, the official magazine of the World Institute of Pain. Also, she is a guide and guest contributor for Maria Shriver’s Architects of Change website.

 

Her many speaking engagements include the National Institutes of Health and Capitol Hill.

 

She is the author of Battle for Grace: A Memoir of Pain, Redemption and Impossible Love. Also, Toussaint is experiencing her first-ever partial CRPS remission largely due to the narrative therapy of writing this book.

 

Toussaint continues to be a leading advocate for health care reform in California. She was instrumental in changing public opinion which sparked sweeping HMO reform legislation that was signed by Governor Gray Davis in 1999. Her focus has now shifted to creating a single-payer, universal health care plan in California that would provide a model for the rest of the country.

 

Resources discussed on this show:

Battle for Grace: A Memoir of Pain, Redemption and Impossible Love

For Grace: Women in Pain Facebook

Cynthia Toussaint Twitter

For Grace Website

 

Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!

 

Xo Karen

 

P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

 

278: Sharon Salzberg: Real Love and Meditation

On today’s episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Sharon Salzberg joins me to discuss her new book Real Love which will be released on June 6th, 2017! In her tenth book, Sharon Salzberg provides a pathway towards more sustainable and authentic connection by offering a creative toolkit of mindfulness exercises and meditation techniques that guide us to strip away our layers of habit to access a truer understanding of love, “real love.” This journey enables us to become more present and to begin to experience real love—love based on direct interactions, rather than preconceptions. When we are truly engaged in these present experiences we are not only able to feel more connected to our own core selves, but also to those around us, and ultimately to life itself. Divided into three sections, Real Love explores love in three arenas of life: for oneself, love for an other, and love for all of life.

In this episode, we discuss:

-An introduction to Loving Kindness Meditation

-Practical strategies to incorporate meditation into a busy schedule

-Is self compassion through meditation considered laziness?

-What Sharon hopes readers will learn from Real Love and viewing love as an ability not a feeling

-And so much more!

 

Sharon believes that our human brain, “can tend to fixate on what’s wrong and not appreciate what’s right and what’s good.” Loving Kindness Meditation understands our bias to focus on the negative and balances it with positive reflection for a holistic view of ourselves.

 

Incorporating meditation into a busy schedule can be as simple as being more present in everyday activities. Sharon stresses that, “Just short moments that break the crazy momentum that we get lost in, they make a difference too.”

 

According to Sharon, meditation is not a process of resetting our inner thoughts but rather enhancing them. “Our goal is not to wipe out thoughts, our goal is to develop a different relationship to our thoughts… The kind of awareness we are cultivating is balanced, it’s clear, it’s present, it’s loving.”

 

Sharon shares that the ultimate effect of meditation is revealed through a constant practice. By mastering the skill, “We learn to let go and begin again. When we do that over and over and over again, what happens is that our attention starts to get stabilized.”

 

For more information on Sharon:

Born in New York City in 1952, Sharon Salzberg experienced a childhood involving considerable loss and turmoil. An early realization of the power of meditation to overcome personal suffering determined her life direction. Her teaching and writing now communicates that power to a worldwide audience of practitioners. She offers non-sectarian retreat and study opportunities for participants from widely diverse backgrounds. Sharon first encountered Buddhism in 1969, in an Asian philosophy course at the State University of New York, Buffalo. The course sparked an interest that, in 1970, took her to India, for an independent study program. Sharon traveled motivated by “an intuition that the methods of meditation would bring me some clarity and peace.” In 1971, in Bodh Gaya, India, Sharon attended her first intensive meditation course. She spent the next years engaged in intensive study with highly respected meditation teachers. She returned to America in 1974 and began teaching vipassana (insight) meditation. In 1976, she established, together with Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield, the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, which now ranks as one of the most prominent and active meditation centers in the Western world. Sharon and Joseph Goldstein expanded their vision in 1989 by co-founding the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (BCBS). In 1998, they initiated the Forest Refuge, a long-term retreat center secluded in a wooded area on IMS property. Today she teaches a variety of offerings around the globe. Sharon resides in Barre, Massachusetts, and New York City. She served as a panelist with the Dalai Lama and leading scientists at the 2005 Mind and Life Investigating the Mind Conference in Washington, DC. She also coordinated the meditation faculty for the 2005 Mind and Life Summer Institute, an intensive five-day meeting to advance research on the intersection of meditation and the cognitive and behavioral sciences.  At the 2005 Sacred Circles Conference at the Washington National Cathedral, Sharon served as a keynote speaker. She has addressed audiences at the State of the World Forum, the Peacemakers Conference (sharing a plenary panel with Nobel Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Jose Ramos Horta) and has delivered keynotes at Tricycle’s Buddhism in America Conference, as well as Yoga Journal, Kripalu and Omega conferences. She was selected to attend the Gethsemani encounter, a dialogue on spiritual life between Buddhist and Christian leaders that included His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The written word is central to Sharon Salzberg’s teaching and studies. She is the author of nine books including Lovingkindness, the NY Times best seller Real Happiness, and Real Happiness at Work. In her early Buddhist studies at the University of Buffalo, she discovered Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche’s book, Meditation in Action. She later heard him speak at a nearby school:  he was the first practicing Buddhist she encountered. While studying in India, Shunryu Suzuki’s book Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind profoundly influenced the direction of her meditation practice. She is a weekly columnist for On Being, a regular contributor the the Huffington Post, and was a contributing editor of Oprah’s O Magazine for several years. She has appeared in Time Magazine, Yoga Journal, msnbc.com, Tricycle, Real Simple, Body & Soul, Mirabella, Good Housekeeping, Self, Buddhadharma, More and Shambhala Sun, as well as on a variety of radio programs. Various anthologies on spirituality have featured Sharon Salzberg and her work, including Meetings with Remarkable Women, Gifts of the Spirit, A Complete Guide to Buddhist America, Handbook of the Heart, The Best Guide to Meditation, From the Ashes—A Spiritual Response to the Attack on America, and How to Stop the Next War Now: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism.

 

Resources discussed on this show:

Sharon Salzberg Website

Real Love Book

Sharon Salzberg Twitter

 

Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!

 

Xo Karen

 

P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

 

277: Dr. Liam West: Sports Medicine as a New Clinician

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Dr. Liam West joins me to discuss how young medical professions can break into the competitive sports and exercise medicine world. Dr. Liam West trained at Cardiff Medical School in Wales, United Kingdom and has transitioned into working in Australian Rules Football both at the elite and Academy levels whilst still working in Soccer for Melbourne Victory. He is also working in research at La Trobe University whilst also helping lead their SEM departments Social Media and content creation

In this episode, we discuss:

-Tools young clinicians use to break into sports and exercise medicine

-Tips for introverts preparing for networking events

-The key element to master for buy-in with athletes

-Why you should seek out communication training to supplement your clinical skill set

-And so much more!

 

Sports and exercise medicine has a lot of traction globally and getting involved in international conferences can lead to many opportunities. Dr. West believes, “You don’t just need a local network, you need an international network.” One of the easiest tools at your disposal to connect with people outside your geographic region is through the use of social media. However, Dr. West warns, “Be very careful on social media,” and always project professionalism.

 

Gaining access to a niche field like sports medicine requires hard work and self-initiative, Dr. West reminds us that, “People don’t owe you the experience.”

 

Sports medicine practitioners face the unique dilemma of supporting a team’s success while looking out for the player’s best interest and health. Maintaining professional boundaries is critical to sustaining objectivity and ensuring positive outcomes and Dr. West stresses, “You’re there to work, do not become a fan.”

 

While experience is valuable, young clinicians will find that athletes care more about your commitment to their success than how long you have been treating patients as Dr. West points out, “Athletes don’t really care how much you know until they know that you care.” Dr. West believes, “Honesty is really powerful with an athlete.”

 

For more information on Dr. West:

Dr. Liam West trained at Cardiff Medical School in Wales, United Kingdom. During his first few years there he also completed a Sports Science Bachelors degree to dip his toes into the alluring water of Sports Medicine. During his undergraduate studies he set up a student society to promote, educate and offers opportunities within SEM to his peers both in medicine but all areas of SEM such as physiotherapy, sports science etc. Through the national acclaimed success of this society he then crated similar societies across the UK before founding an overarching UK student society and later a European wide one.

These societies kick started what is now an extremely strong and vibrant junior SEM scene in the UK. In his fourth year of his studies he single handedly ran his own student SEM conference attracting 250 delegates - this introduced him to Karim Kahn and Peter Brukner. A role within BJSM followed and over the years this has developed into being a Senior Associate Editor and a role within education.

After his studies finished he completed a Diploma in SEM whilst working full time as a junior doctor. He picked up his clinical work by working in horse riding, the Women's Soccer Premier League and as the England Under 16 Doctor.

In 2015 he made the switch to live in Melbourne where he still currently resides. He has transitioned into working in Australian Rules Football both at the elite and Academy levels whilst still working in Soccer for Melbourne Victory. He has left hospital medicine and is working in research at La Trobe University whilst also helping lead their SEM departments Social Media and content creation. He wrote a chapter in the newly released Clinical Sports Medicine (Brukner and Kahn).

Away from Academia, after playing soccer all of his life he has now converted this season to playing Australian Rules Football and is slowly learning what a true contact sport feels like.

 

Resources discussed on this show:

Switch: How to Change Things When Change Is Hard

Liam West Twitter

Journal Articles:

BJSM: Inside Track

 

West, L. R. (2013). Sport and exercise medicine in the undergraduate curriculum. Are we inspiring the next generation of sport and exercise medicine doctors and helping them overcome the barriers they face getting into the specialty? British Journal of Sports Medicine, 47(11), 664-5

 

West, L. R., & Griffin, S. (2016). Sport and exercise medicine in the UK: what juniors should know to get ahead. British Journal of Sports Medicine, bjsports-2016-096631Published Online First: 8 October 2016

 

To train or not to train for SEM – the medical student dilemma - British Journal of Sports Medicine

 

What my 13 flight, 4 country sports medicine elective taught me – 5 lessons for success in sports & exercise medicine – British Journal of Sports Medicine

 

To MSc or not to MSc; a Doctor’s perspective – British Journal of Sports Medicine

 

 

Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!

 

Xo Karen

 

P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

 

276: Dr. Jackie Whittaker: Youth Sports Injuries

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Dr. Jackie Whittaker and I discuss youth injuries in sport. Dr. Whittaker is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, Research Director of the Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic and recognized as a clinical specialist in musculoskeletal physiotherapy by the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. Jackie’s research is focused on prevention of youth sport injuries and the consequences of these injuries as it relates to later negative health outcomes such as inactivity, obesity and osteoarthritis.

In this episode, we discuss:

-The most common injuries in youth sports and their lasting impact

-Physical therapy’s role in youth medical care

-What is most important in your first patient encounter?

-How to intervene for primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention

-Dr. Whittaker’s current research on long-term effects of youth injury

-And so much more!

 

Physical therapy’s role in youth healthcare is very important and Dr. Whittaker notes that, “The leading cause of injury requiring medical attention is related to sport and recreation participation.” Injury amongst youth athletes is driven by multiple factors including early sport specialization and year-round seasons.

 

Within a few years following youth injury, Dr. Whittaker shares, “They are starting to head down this trajectory of having negative health outcomes,” which includes becoming less active and obese.

 

When treating adolescents, it is important to consider the long-term impact beyond the initial injury. Preventing negative outcomes in the future requires setting realistic expectations and instilling confidence in their body’s capabilities. Dr. Whittaker stresses, “We also have to have their long term musculoskeletal health in the back of our head when we are treating their acute injury and trying to get them back to sport.”

 

Physical therapists should advocate active alternatives to competitive sport to allow youth to maintain involvement in a peer group and mitigate risk of future negative health outcomes. Dr. Whittaker believes physical therapists need to have the difficult conversation about how, “There knee is never going to be the same again.”

 

 

For more information on Dr. Whittaker:

Dr. Whittaker is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, and Research Director of the Glen Sather Sports Medicine Clinic at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada. She is recognized as a clinical specialist in musculoskeletal (MSK) physiotherapy by the Canadian Physiotherapy Association and is a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Manipulative Physical Therapists. Jackie’s research interests lie in scientific inquiry that will substantially influence a shift in the approach taken to manage chronic MSK disorders from treatment of chronic disease (tertiary prevention) towards prevention and delaying/halting disease onset (primary and secondary prevention) including optimizing the musculoskeletal health of youth and adolescent populations. Jackie’s background combines knowledge gained through 21 years of clinical practice and intensive research training (PhD and post-doctoral fellowship). In addition to her appointment at the University of Alberta, Dr. Whittaker is an Adjunct Professor at the International Olympic Committee funded Sport Injury Prevention Research Centre at the University of Calgary, Canada and Associate Member of the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Sport, Exercise and Osteoarthritis.

 

Resources discussed on this show:

Jackie Whittaker Twitter

Jackie Whittaker University of Alberta Website

Email: jwhittak@ualberta.ca

 

Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes!

 

Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart!

 

Xo Karen

 

P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

 

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