Htw With Zoe And Erica

Dr. Kirk Parsley didn’t set out to become a sleep expert. He became a Navy SEAL at a young age, and then went on to medical school before returning to the SEAL team as their doctor, where he was put in charge of building out and managing a sports medicine facility. He saw patient after patient, many of them former SEALs and colleagues, who were experiencing performance issues but didn’t have any known, diagnosable diseases. However almost every single one of them reported to be using sleep aids. Aha! So the more he researched, the more he understood the correlation between overall health and sleep, and he discovered the winning combination of supplements that proved to help everyone. He has since created Doc Parsley’s sleep remedy so that all of us can sleep as well as a SEAL. Special note for listeners!  Doc and his team will be offering a special promotion on their new Sleep Remedy Flavor, Lavender. Listeners can learn more by subscribing to their email list at  www.docparsley.com.   Dr. Kirk Parsley talks

TedX Speaker, Author and Coach Keren Eldad is back on the pod to talk about the paradox of overachievers--how they strive to get everything right but can still end up feeling less-than on the inside.  Sound familiar, anyone? She calls this phenomenon the Superstar Paradox. We cover the ways that perfectionism can quickly become toxic, and try to understand how it has become so pervasive in our culture, sad but true. Learn the difference between self-esteem and self-love, and try to get a handle on your own negative inner monologue.   Coach Keren talks about... The definition of the “superstar paradox” How to some degree, everyone suffers from overwhelm, and what we can do about it Challenging what you think you know vs. what you actually don’t know Vulnerability is a strength--say it again! How critical it is to be kind to yourself How social media has an impact on negative self-talk and our own ability to be authentically vulnerable What you can do about imposter syndrome   www.KerenEldad.com @CoachKeren H

Paul Kempisty is an acupuncturist, Chinese medicine practitioner, and a wealth of knowledge on the magical world of fungi. They have incredible healing properties, and it’s great to see them pop up--like mushrooms, one might say-- in more products everywhere. We get into some of the buzzwords (hello, adaptogens and nootropics), and gain more insight into relying on roots, plants, and herbs for healing purposes. He breaks down some of the science behind them and tells us what is undebatable when it comes to the benefits of mushrooms.   Paul Kempisty talks about... -What the hell are adaptogens and what they do -Whether you can take too much of ashwagandha or other adaptogens -Why the robustness of mushrooms benefits us -Nootropics and how those affect us -How adaptogen coffee doesn’t taste like mushrooms -Understanding the source of your mushroom product -How some molds are harmful/deadly and some can be beneficial -The “stoned ape” theory   Resources: -Website -@iloveacupuncture Highway To Well is a producti

We’ve got another Zoë and Erica minisode this week! We are (un)officially starting Season 2 of the podcast, and we’re excited for what’s to come with the show. We’ll be doing things a little differently. We start off by talking about New Year’s resolutions (spoiler: we don’t do them), what we’re excited about this year, as well as what you can look forward to on the show in the future. We’re gonna go deep on sleep, diabetes, longevity, the pelvic floor, adaptogens, and more. And we’re going to be gearing up for some fun stuff that has nothing to do with podcasts. We’re working on re-entering the world of consumer goods, and we’re super excited about it. Stay tuned for more hints and tidbits leading up to that! Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

Dr. Joe Askinasi is a holistic chiropractor and applied kinesiologist who has worked his magic on both of us and perhaps dozens of our loved ones. He is a master of diagnosis, being able to identify root causes of issues that have nothing to do with how it's actually presenting. We love his incredibly common sense approach to wellness--it’s a refreshing reminder that it needn’t be complicated. The wellness biz could stand to learn a thing or two...   Dr. Joe Askinasi talks about... -How a broken arm and an accounting professor who wouldn’t give him a break led to him practicing medicine -How if he ever wrote a book, it would be called, Your Ankles Are Attached To Your Ear -Why you should just get off the treadmill and step outside once in a while--you actually use 30% more muscle -Choosing a movement practice--spoiler alert, whatever you’ll actually stick to is the best  -Why going to bed early is better than sleeping late -Eating for your blood type--bad news for chickens and mutton...   Resources: -Webs

Evan Golub was a seemingly healthy 29-year-old until he woke up one day with a crazy case of vertigo, and four years and 30+ practitioners later he still had no diagnosis. He lived with pain and disorientation and was told by doctors that everything looked ok, it was all in his head, and he just needed to move on, prompting a period of deep feelings of isolation and loneliness.  Cue Hinge.com! He went on a date with a woman who ultimately reconnected with him when she started experiencing the same symptoms. Thus began their journey into researching the disease and treatment options, which sparked the idea to create Wana, an online community for people with chronic illnesses so that no one else need ever feel alone.     Evan Golub talks about... -The pain of living with undiagnosed illness, and the relief that comes with getting answers.  In his case, a latent case of Lyme disease.  -Being his own detective and tracing back the steps and signs of illness back to childhood tick bite -What we know about Lyme dis

Dr. Kevin Gilliland is a psychologist and the Executive Director of Innovation360, an outpatient counseling service that works with people struggling with mental health, substance abuse and relationship issues. He believes in a holistic approach to health and is passionate about using movement and connection as medicine for problems like depression.   We loved chatting with Kevin to carve out the conversation around depression on its own, since it’s often associated with anxiety but they don’t always present together.   Dr. Kevin Gilliland talks about... -The difference between depression and being down--how to identify when it’s time to get help -How depression can present even during times of success, and as such often gets overlooked or dismissed -The shame and stigma that still exists around depression--people are sometimes more comfortable suggesting it’s Lyme disease -The importance of seeing a mental health professional for mental health issues--don’t just drop by your OB-GYN’s office when you need a s

Before Kerry Harling found her own Highway to Well, she spent years suffering from fibromyalgia, depression, Lyme disease, anxiety and chronic fatigue and eventually, she was diagnosed with mercury toxicity. Five years and several life-changing events later, she stumbled onto an ayurveda course and jumped in with both feet.  With that knowledge she has been able to heal herself and others and now runs ayurvedic practice The Holistic Highway.   Kerry Harling talks about... -How 87% of Americans have digestive problems and--fun fact, burping is on the rise! -Ayurveda’s influence on Traditional Chinese Medicine, which then traveled to Greece, to create the foundation for our Western medicine -Raw food--it’s not for everyone but it’s great for some.  The debate continues... -The difference in meal plans depending on your dosha--guess what? It’s not one size fits all...are you noticing a theme yet? -The benefits of seasonal eating--including the best time of day to eat cookies and ice cream   Resources: -Website -

20 years ago, at the age of 25, Dawn Russell was diagnosed with Stage 3 cancer. After getting a bone infection from surgery, she decided that chemotherapy and radiation were not for her and began a quest around the world to research alternative healing methods. She ended up focusing on nutrition, consuming tons of greens at a time. After her recovery she founded 8Greens with the mission of getting quality nutrients into peoples’ in the most convenient way possible, sparing us all the need to do as much exhaustive research on algae as she did. 8Greens makes eating your greens easy with a tasty effervescent tablet, gummies (perfect for kids!) and a cookbook.  Dawn Russell talks about... -Going from NYC 20-something life to cancer patient in the blink of an eye -Too sick to tolerate traditional courses like chemo and radiation, she went on her own wellness journey and discovered the true benefits of nutritional healing with greens -The true entrepreneur grit that came from being told her vision couldn’t be achi

Sharon Brown’s middle son, Blake, was a perfectly healthy baby until at six months old, he developed a sinus infection and was put on antibiotics. Thanks to old school Western medicine, he pretty much lived on antibiotics for the next 5-6 years, battling chronic sinus infections, ear infections and respiratory infections. When his teacher informed Sharon that Blake likely had Attention Deficit Disorder and would benefit from being on Ritalin, Sharon, a Clinical Nutritionist herself, wondered if maybe he was just unable to focus because he felt so miserable all the time. She decided to take matters into her own hands to stop the downward spiral of conventional medicine. She started to research alternative remedies for inflammation and infection and thus cracked opened the world of gut health. Once she learned about the powerful gut-healing benefits of bone broth, it was a game changer for Blake. In 2011 Sharon and her husband (a chef! lucky lady...) launched Bonafide Provisions with the mission of making tradi

A must-listen for entrepreneurs!  Dave Heath is the co-founder of Bombas, soon to become your favorite socks too--because they’re insanely comfortable, but also for their social impact, donating one pair for every pair sold. He didn’t set out to sell socks, but everything changed the day he was scrolling Facebook and learned that socks were the number one requested item in homeless shelters.  And a business was born.   Dave Heath talks about... -His early entrepreneurial inspirations, from his dad’s business to door-to-door sales -Backing in to the ideal product, inspired by the desire to give back -Hacking a tired and somewhat unsexy industry to understand all the required elements to design the perfect sock -The Indiegogo experience that yielded 10x their goal.  10X!!!! -How he celebrated reaching their millionth pairs of donated socks...by getting a different kind of buzz -Their winning video marketing strategy  -Training customers to talk about the brand by focusing on one core story -Some of their more e

Mastin Kipp is a functional life coach and trauma hacker that Oprah has referred to as the up-and-coming thought leader of the next generation of spiritual thinkers. All that pressure aside, he says the reason why we need to talk about trauma is because it’s blocking you from reaching your goals, whether for weight loss, relationships, finances or business. And trauma doesn’t just to the big stuff, like physical abuse or violence. It can trace back to childhood feelings of loneliness or feeling unsafe.  Regardless of its source, Mastin explains how it plays out in limiting our beliefs and shaping our thinking, and is ultimately the root cause that blocks ability to function optimally.   Mastin Kipp talks about... Growing up in a household with two scientists--but one addicted to painkillers and the other with severe PTSD How his childhood experience led to the drugs, alcohol and codependent relationships that played a key role in his 20s Generational trauma--sometimes what you experience in your own life can

It’s another Z&E special minisode!  This is part two of our personal experiences with what we like to call a wellness wake-up call. This week it’s Zoë’s turn, and it just so happens she’s had some tummy troubles too, of a different sort. Two years ago she had her second baby, and that sweet little baby broke her mama in half. Zoe had severe diastasis recti, which can occur during pregnancy when the growing uterus puts pressure on the two bands of abdominal muscles that meet in the middle of your stomach and causes them to separate. When the baby comes out, they're supposed to come back together but Zoë’s did not. The result was a two year struggle to be able to take a full breath. Doctors from all different fields have offered a range of diagnoses from reflux to anxiety, but nothing has healed the issue, which has been super frustrating.   She’s tried so many things to heal this, she ended up having surgery recently, and going to reiki, which led to surprising discoveries about--wait for it--her past

We’re back with another Z&E special minisode!  This week and next week we’re sharing our personal experiences with what we like to call a wellness wake-up call.  You can be doing everything “right” and still not be focusing on the right things, and unfortunately sometimes you have to learn that the hard way.  This week Erica tells the story of when her stomach exploded (yep, literally). After multiple doctors failed to diagnose a stomach ulcer, she wound up in emergency surgery in the nick of time and is grateful to be able to share the story now. The irony is that she felt like she was living her healthiest life at that point, but it just goes to show that wellness is not one size fits all--you have to know what’s right for you.   We finish our talk with how you have to be your own doctor, even before you have a health issue.   Erica talks about... Celebrating every November 1 as her “rebirthday” to acknowledge the night that everything changed The series of misdiagnoses and treatments that made everyth

Today we’re talking to Andrew Shearer from Farmshelf. Not so fun fact--in the US, most of the food we eat is grown 1500 miles away. Farmshelf is reducing food miles and making it easy to grow fresh food all year round by building smart indoor farms for restaurants and hotels. Farmshelf is a plug and play product--it even includes cameras to track the plants’ growth and create time lapses for education and social media. As their business expands, Farmshelf is creating partnerships with schools and other organizations to help more people grow food where they live, work and eat.    Andrew Shearer talks about... How he got interested in growing his own food while working at Pinterest How he’s a maker at heart--in college he built a rock climbing wall that he could collapse and hide from his landlord The craziness of shipping food across the country The need for food production to increase by 70% by 2050   Resources: farmshelf.com @farmshelf Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

Dr. Sonya Rhodes is a psychotherapist and author of four books including Cold Feet and The Alpha Woman Meets Her Match. (ahem, attention Santa!)  She’s a relationship therapist who’s actually been married for… she didn’t want to say exactly but for a long time. In this episode she spills the beans on what makes a marriage work or not, and gets honest about the struggles in her own marriage (her husband originally thought she would be putting his clothes away and arranging the flowers). We love her for getting super candid and vulnerable, and helping us to better navigate what relationship wellness means today.  We also cover what kind of marital problems couples are bringing to her couch.    Dr. Sonya Rhodes talks about... Slow love and pre-marriage Who’s getting divorced--spoiler alert: it’s not the young-uns Resentment in a relationship--spoiler alert: it’s actually a GOOD thing--do we have your attention yet?? Couples who haven’t had sex in years--heads up: the prognosis is not good How many positive to n

This week we’re back at FounderMade’s discovery show with a whole new batch of founders.  We love getting a chance to hear their inspiring stories, but even more, we love our rapid fire Q&A’s as it always brings some fun facts and surprising stories to light.  Today’s ep features founders from: Green Road Cannuka Higher Mind Intoxicating Beauty Final Straw Between them they make beauty items with cannabis, manuka honey, beer, sake, wine or spirits, pharmacist-formulated CBD products, adaptogen beverages to help your brain focus and a turtle-friendly collapsible straw.    Our guests talk about... Snake oil salesman and the lack of regulation in the CBD industry How we need more CBD nutrients in our lives, but not in burgers or ice-cream  Beauty for the canna-curious Staying awake at work without caffeine or sugar How beer is SO GOOD for your skin Non-consensual plastic How if you don't like turtles, you're a monster Bunny smuggling Foreverables   Resources: FounderMade Cannuka Higher Mind Int

If nothing makes you happier than than an ice cream sandwich chasing a meatball, Michael Chernow is your patron saint of restaurateurs. In this episode we chat with our fellow nightlife industry veteran, whose long road to sobriety culminated in career success beyond his dreams.  Michael rode the huge success of Meatball Shop on to his second project, Seamore’s, a sustainable seafood restaurant, all the while pursuing his passion for Thai boxing that goes well beyond skin deep (spoiler alert!), and still making quality time for family, fishing trips and his involvement in WellWell, one of the tastiest recovery drinks around--and a good thing he’s got that on hand, this is one busy fella.   Michael Chernow talks about... His entrepreneurial childhood, starting with his dog-walking business in sixth grade  (in NYC, this is impressive!)  Falling in love with the food business when he started working with his high school friend and later business partner Daniel Holzman at the Candle Cafe--shout out to the OG v

Cynthia and Jamie are the co-founders of Stix, a company that makes the experience of buying and taking a pregnancy test a comfortable experience for women. Stix pregnancy tests are home-delivered in discreet packaging. No more running into your nosy neighbor at the drugstore or having the cashier all up in your business.    Jamie and Cynthia talk about... How they started Stix after having terrible experiences buying pregnancy tests - Cynthia actually ran into her boyfriend’s mom! Pregnancy tests and tampons locked up at stores mean you have to ask somebody to unlock them (totes humiliating!) The pink tax--why there’s a movement to eliminate the tax on tampons and other NECESSARY feminine products while dudes get their stuff tax free How traditional pregnancy tests are locked in the dark ages of marketing--hullo, not everyone wants to see pictures of babies on the box Smart tips on when and how you should take a pregnancy test   Resources: Website Instagram Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

At the beginning of her career Bozoma Saint John turned down a job at Goldman Sachs and shortly afterwards found herself temping for Spike Lee. Since then she’s worked in C-level roles for the likes of Apple and Uber (being tasked with repairing their reputation after mistreatment of drivers and reports of sexual harassment surfaced) and is now Chief Marketing Officer at Endeavor. In this episode she joins us to talk about being a black woman in corporate America, the strange mixture of arrogance and diplomacy she’s sometimes been forced to employ to get her point across and the benefits of choosing joy in the face of immense grief.        Boz talks about... How her parents are her superheroes, dating back to her childhood when her family escaped a violent coup d'etat in Ghana Her career path and how she chooses next steps-- it’s rarely about the money or about the title, but about what she will learn Her experience of being a black woman in a junior role, and the challenges she faced in being taken ser