Nature of Wellness ™️ Podcast

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One of the biggest fears we face as a species is change. We have been socialized to believe that change is “bad,” or “scary,” or “hard.” While some changes are unpredictable and require more effort, change is the one true constant in our lives.

It is also important to remember that every good thing you've ever experienced, or accomplished in life was the result of change.

Change is a foundational part of our health and wellness journeys. Helping others make positive, lasting lifestyle changes lies at the very center of the wellness field.

What does it mean to “Elevate Change?”

Mark recently had the opportunity to gather with hundreds of wellness professionals to discuss this concept. He was lucky enough to be able to interview many of the speakers and change makers involved in the event. We are excited to share their wisdom with you.

Welcome to a bonus SPECIAL EDITION of The Nature of Wellness Podcast.

The Wellness Council of America (WELCOA) Summit was held in San Diego, at the end of September. Professionals from all corners of the wellness industry, from around the world were in attendance.

Mark provided a keynote session on “The Nature of Wellness” He was blown away by the response to the session, but also to our mission and this show.

On this compilation episode, Mark sat down with multiple speakers, entertainers, and change-makers who made the WELCOA Summit successful.

Join us as we speak with Human Resources Guru Julie Develin, Musicians Manas Itene and Mike Blankenship, Author and Summit MC Lucas Mack, Co-founders of Meet Your Magic Jana Wilder and Molly Strong, CEO and Speaker Andrew Sykes, Best-Selling Author and Speaker Dr. Daren Martin, and WELCOA CEO Ryan Picarella.

The depth and breadth of these powerful conversations were truly inspiring. They all represented ways to “Elevate Change,” which was the theme of the WELCOA Summit. We covered topics ranging from what it means to “be human,” managing traumatic situations, owning your “first and last name” identity, how music enhances spiritual wellbeing, discovering and embracing your personal magic, why a return to in-person gatherings (such as the summit) are desperately needed to combat loneliness and the future direction of health and wellness.

Mark often gets asked, “Who motivates the motivator?” After listening, you will truly understand the answer to that question, and why each of these amazing humans made the event so special.

Please subscribe, rate, and leave a review anywhere you listen to this podcast.
Stay tuned. Season Two is right around the corner...

We appreciate you all.

Be Well

-NOW

Links for Each Episode Guest:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-people-purpose-podcast/id1567454260

https://www.manasitene.com

https://www.mike-blankenship.com/music
https://www.jabstepproductions.com
https://www.yeahart.org

https://www.lucasmack.com

www.meetyourmagic.com

https://www.andrewsykes.com

https://linktr.ee/darenmartin

https://www.welcoa.org

The Nature of Wellness Podcast is produced by the remarkable Shawn Bell.

** The NOW theme song was written, performed, produced, and graciously p

We'd love to hear from you about this episode.

Music has always been an essential aspect of the human experience. Throughout our development as a species, music has had the power to influence society and culture in countless ways.

Music has been shown to impact our health and well-being by positively influencing mood, reducing anxiety, lowering blood pressure, as well as improving sleep quality, mental alertness, focus, and memory.

Music Therapy has been shown to improve physical rehabilitation, increase motivation, and provide an outlet for expressing and processing difficult emotions.

Like nature, music makes us better.

Welcome to Episode Nineteen of The Nature of Wellness Podcast.

https://natureofwellness.buzzsprout.com

On this episode, we sat down with Joe Mainlander, one-half of the Grammy-winning Okee Dokee Brothers. Along with his musical partner Justin Lansing, the five-time Parents’ Choice Award winners have created a special blend of Americana and Folk music full of life lessons and a love for the natural world.

Join us as we talk to Joe about their unique journey into the genre, how music transcends many of the labels we place upon ourselves and others, and how a lifelong love of nature has influenced much of their professional work. We cover a range of topics such as interconnection, intergenerational interaction, social wellness, and the importance of “Play” in our lives.

Joe shares the deep meanings behind some of the songs on their latest album BRAMBLETOWN, how nature can positively impact human development, and the process behind their incredible songwriting and “mini-documentaries.” He even performs one of our favorite Okee Dokee Brothers songs.

This conversation made our souls sing (pun absolutely intended).

Please subscribe, rate, and leave a review anywhere you listen to this podcast. It will help us extend the reach of these powerful messages.

https://natureofwellness.buzzsprout.com

We appreciate you all.

Be Well

-NOW

Okee Dokee Brothers Website: https://www.okeedokee.org

Okee Dokee Brothers Instagram: @okeedokeebros

Okee Dokee Brothers Twitter: @okeedokeebros

Brambletown Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2YfPpfdgvU

The Nature of Wellness Podcast is produced by the remarkable Shawn Bell.

** The NOW theme song was written, performed, produced, and graciously provided by the incredibly talented Phil and Niall Monahan.

We'd love to hear from you about this episode.

Let me ask you a straightforward question...Do you like food?
WHO DOESN’T???
Food is one of the cornerstones of human life- not just for survival but as a communal and cultural foundation.

During the winter months, it is often easy to develop an unhealthy relationship with food. The cold weather, the holiday season, the increased amounts of sugary sweet treats, and decadent desserts...

If you have ever struggled during this time of year, you WON’T want to miss this interview.

In this episode, we are excited to be joined by Dr. John Bagnulo, a rockstar in the world of nutrition.

John has acted as a researcher, an associate professor, and a sought-after consultant for the past twenty years.

He currently serves as a core faculty member for the Center for Mind-Body Medicine and as the Director of Nutrition for Nutritional Medicinals.

John is a lover of the natural world. He is an adventure traveler and climber, spending considerable time in many of the world’s remote mountain ranges with indigenous cultures.

I like to think of him as the Indiana Jones of nutritional well-being.

This episode will leave you feeling full.

Please subscribe and leave a review anywhere you listen to this podcast.

The Nature of Wellness Podcast is produced by Shawn Bell.

** The NOW theme song was written, performed, produced, and graciously provided by Phil and Niall Monahan.

We'd love to hear from you about this episode.

Swimming is one of our most popular recreational activities. It is a healthy, low-impact movement that we can continue throughout life.

Aside from being a lot of fun, swimming is a great way to enhance health and wellness holistically.

The mental health benefits of swimming include a release of endorphins and serotonin, an active form of mindfulness, lower stress and anxiety, and an overall sense of increased happiness. Simply hearing flowing water can induce a flood of neurochemicals, making us happier and healthier and lowering stress levels.

While aquatic therapies are standard for physical rehabilitation, more evidence shows successful management of mental and emotional challenges such as PTSD, addiction, and various anxiety disorders.

Welcome to Episode Forty-One of The Nature of Wellness Podcast.

In this episode, we sat down with Soldier, Medic, and Paralympic swimmer Elizabeth Marks. Injured in Iraq, Ellie discovered her love for swimming as part of her rehabilitation. After a few years, she was named to the Army's World Class Athlete Program and began competing at the International level as part of Team USA.

Ellie received the 2016 ESPY Pat Tillman Award, a 2017 induction into the Army Woman's Hall of Fame, the 2023 Soldier for Life award, and the 2024 Military Times Soldier of the Year award. She is a 12x World Record Holder, 16x American Record Holder, 2x Paralympic Games Record Holder, and 1x World Championships Record Holder.

We talk to Ellie about her journey through adversity, how "doing hard things" helped her effectively manage the multiple adversities associated with traumatic injury, how sport has allowed her to thrive in all areas of her life, and how "success is a team sport."

She shares the importance of "choosing your family" as a support system, how challenges can help us determine who we can and should be, and how our values factor impact our trajectory.

We couldn't wait to "dive right in" with this unbelievable human.

Please subscribe, rate, and leave a review anywhere you listen to this podcast.

We appreciate you all.

Be Well

-NOW

Ellie's Team USA Profile: https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=93c33c50d09bd4562&q=https://www.teamusa.com/profiles/elizabeth-marks-858203&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiw2NfpoqWGAxXQF1kFHfoFDdYQFnoECAAQAg&usg=AOvVaw0Q0Afaq0G9La_KXXMbKZ6B&fexp=72519171,72519168
Fisher House Foundation Website: https://fisherhouse.org/

US Olympic and Paralympic Committee: https://www.usopc.org/

DoD Warrior Games: https://dodwarriorgames.com/

Invictus Games Foundation: https://www.invictusgamesfoundation.org/

The unbelievable Shawn Bell produces the Nature of Wellness Podcast, making us sound so good.

** The NOW theme song was penned, performed, produced, and provided by the dynamic duo of Phil and Niall Monahan.
*** This show wouldn't exist without our amazing guests and all of you who listen. Please like, subscribe, follow, and review to help us get these important messages out to more folks who can benefit from them. Thank you all.

We'd love to hear from you about this episode.

Thanks to decades of advances in awareness, research, and resources, humans are living longer. Yet large amounts of the population are consistently facing chronic health issues, diseases, and health disparities, These ongoing challenges are common and costly, and many are preventable.

Many factors are behind our current levels of health, including the social narratives we have created around lifestyles that have become normal.’

These questionable lifestyles are undermining our well-being and imperiling the future of humanity.

Welcome to Episode Twenty-Eight of The Nature of Wellness Podcast.

On this episode, we sat down with award-winning health journalist, founding editor of Experience Life magazine (which reaches millions with each issue), and co-host of the top-rated The Living Experiment podcast Pilar Gerasimo.

Pilar served as senior vice president of Healthy Living for Life Time Fitness, lead health editor at The Huffington Post, and chief creative officer for the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Her incredible work has earned attention from the New York Times, Psychology Today, Mindful, Blue Zones, Thrive Global, and many other leading media outlets. Pilar’s work has also been embraced by the World Economic Forum, the International Monetary Fund, and a variety of healthcare organizations.

Join us as we talk to Pilar about her personal wellness journey, the power of standing out from unhealthy social norms, the pitfalls of comparison, and how to take the first steps toward building your own healthy identity.

Pilar discusses the power of awareness, the lessons that we should re-discover from our ancestors, the importance of including those we love in our journeys, how small modifications lead to big breakthroughs in personal health, and the power of community.

We left this conversation ready to become healthy deviants, and break from the ’norm.’

Please subscribe, rate, and leave a review anywhere you listen to this podcast. It will help us extend the reach of these powerful messages.

We appreciate you all.

Be Well

-NOW

Pilar Gerasimo Instagram: @pilargerasimo

Pilar’s Podcast www.livingexperiment.com.

The Healthy Deviant Website: https://www.thehealthydeviant.com

A very generous FREE offer for NOW listeners:

• 5-Day Un-Challenge sales page: https://www.thehealthydeviant.com/5day-unchallenge
• enter code NOW5DAY at checkout to get the course for free.
  

The Nature of Wellness Podcast is produced by the remarkable Shawn Bell.

** The NOW theme song was written, performed, produced, and graciously provided by the incredibly talented Phil and Niall Monahan.