Athena Brownson - Former Pro Skier / Realtor at Compass

05/29/24 • 48 min

Without the high-octane grit she cultivated as a professionally sponsored ski jumper starting at age 15, our guest on this episode of Beyond the O.R. could never have navigated the onslaught of illnesses that laid her low by the time she was 25. Athena Brownson shares with Co-hosts Dr. Kevin Brenner and Elizabeth Morales her journey from hair-raising half pipes on the slopes to the top of her game as a high-profile Denver-based realtor with Compass. “I always say skiing was the best business school I ever could have gone to,” say Athena. “Real estate and the competitive nature of it (mirrors) being an athlete and the basic principles of discipline and accountability.” The same can be said of battling back from the complex web of afflictions – Breast Implant Illness and Lyme Disease among them – that ultimately turned this dynamic young woman into a powerhouse realtor, protecting her homebuyers’ best interests while ensuring their dream homes are also healthy homes. Athena shares with us the toxins she watches out for as well as some of the strategies she has deployed in coming back from an array of autoimmune and related symptoms that would have sidelined Athena entirely were it not for her pro athlete’s determination to seek education and healing. Learn about what it means when “the body keeps the score” and how the work of advocates like our guest and co-hosts is improving women’s health, quality of life and environmental wellbeing.

Follow all things Athena @Instagram! Or find her at Compass real estate in Denver.

Want to reach out to Dr. B? You can make an appointment here or call his office directly at 310-777-5400 to open a conversation about whatever cosmetic, reconstructive or related issue is on your mind!

Follow all things Athena @Instagram! Or find her at Compass real estate in Denver.

Previous Episode

Daisy White - Certified Natural Health Specialist/Lyme, Long-Haulers & More

Dr. Kevin Brenner takes us deeper into understanding chronic illness with his guest on this episode of Beyond the O.R. We meet Daisy White, a Certified Natural Health Specialist who is challenging all of us to get educated to the root causes of disease.
She also shares the very personal health journey that has inspired her dedication to helping others manage the multi-factorial nature of infections like Lyme Disease and chronic impacts of conditions like Long Covid and Breast Implant Illness. With her skill set and compassion, Daisy’s practice is devoted to promoting health and resiliency through tools she first had to develop in order to secure wellness for herself. We learn from Daisy what it takes to reclaim health – a process often guided both by alternative practices and the holistic approach required for transforming family systems.
Find out how this wise and intuitive defender of those fighting chronic illness views the many variables that impact long-term individual wellness and our overall health as a society – including afflictions that often go undiagnosed or are dismissed altogether. Much of the problem, says Daisy, is a constellation of symptoms that can be hard to correlate to a specific, consistent source of inflammation. As an example, she explains, “A lot of people have breast implants that are making them sick and they really don’t know why they don’t feel good.” It’s certainly a story with which both Dr. B. and co-host Elizabeth Morales are familiar! If you’ve struggled to pinpoint an accurate diagnosis or locate the right treatment for chronic illness (such as surgical breast implant ex-plantation), this conversation with Daisy will speak directly to you and your options.

If you’d like to learn more about how to restore health and well-being to your family, please visit Daisy's website or reach out to her directly here.

Next Episode

Mark Owen, Former Navy SEAL, TV Producer & #1 New York Times Bestselling Author (Pt. 1)

Fasten your seatbelt for an extraordinary interview long in the making when Dr. Kevin Brenner sits down with a Navy SEAL whose life experience is the stuff – quite literally – of high-profile drama. On this special two-part episode of Beyond the O.R., Mark Owen gives us a very personal look at the world of special forces he has chronicled in the New York Times bestselling book, "No Easy Day" as well as on "SEAL Team," the hit CBS show he co-executive produces. His remarkable 13 deployments – top secret, extraordinarily dangerous missions – were bookended by his entry into the Navy right after 9/11 and retirement from active duty following the capture of Osama Bin Laden. This very private, highly decorated former member of SEAL Team 6 offers an honest take on the controversy surrounding the publication of his book and the satisfaction he takes in supporting the big emotional transition fellow veterans face when returning to civilian life. Mark (who uses a pseudonym) has lived the life he first dreamed of as a kid in rural Alaska – and then some!
Stay tuned for Part II, which will take us even deeper into the stories behind the unparalleled history Mark and his fellow SEAL teammates have lived in the line of duty. “Every SEAL knows they’re going to go into combat and deal with SEAL stuff. That’s easy, the expected, the known,” says our guest in this rare, very intimate interview. “What’s harder is the unknown: dealing with family and your kids ... who unfortunately are not the priority while you’re trying to stay alive.”

Learn more about all Mark Owen’s writing, including his #1 New York Times Bestseller, “No Easy Day: The Autobiography of a Navy Seal: The Firsthand Account of the Mission That Killed Osama Bin Laden,” at this link.