Small Changes Big Shifts With Dr. Michelle Robin

"Life is really simple but we insist on making it complicated." - Confucius In this episode of the Small Changes Big Shifts podcast, we are joined by board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist and yoga teacher, Dr. Ellen Vora who has also authored the chapter on Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Psychiatry in the textbook Mount Sinai Expert Guides: Psychiatry. Dr. Vora takes a functional medicine approach to mental health, considering the whole person and addressing the problem at the root, rather than reflexively prescribing medication to suppress symptoms. She also takes the whole person into consideration, focusing on everything from physical health, sleep, nutrition, digestion, thought patterns, relationships and community to our connection with nature and creativity, and the ways we find meaning in life. Ash she sits down with Dr. Michelle, we learn what drew Dr. Vora to learn more about holistic approach and other trainings to heal the human body such as Chinese medicine, movement, nutrition,

If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health. - Hippocrates Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine at Premier Integrative Health, Dr. Bradley Dyer, knew that there was more to helping others than just the misguided healthcare system he was working in. As a hospitalist, he was expected to practice in a very protocol driven way,  which can be life-saving in acute settings,  however, the majority of his patients were admitted for complications associated with chronic disease.  He realized that the protocols primarily addressed the symptoms, not the root cause, and did very little to change the trajectory of the disease process itself. Seeing patients like this over and over again, Dr. Dyer decided to change course and learn more about addressing chronic illness at Dr. Weil's Fellowship in Integrative Medicine. From there he went on to become certified in Functional Medicine and his life, and approach to his

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.- Albert Einstein A Los Angeles native, Kelly Noonan - Gores, started her career in front of the camera, acting and hosting over a span of 20 years and considers her latest project, the documentary feature, HEAL, which is now on Netflix, her greatest passion and life’s work.  Before releasing HEAL, she started Elevative Entertainment in 2012 and then transitioned into writing and producing. She is a seeker of truth and has practiced both yoga and meditation for 15 years.  In this Small Changes Big Shifts episode, she joins Dr. Michelle Robin to share what lessons she learned during the filming of HEAL, her goal to inform and help people become their own health advocates, and how we can all feel empowered by all of the holistic possibilities out there to heal. Listen and learn why even though our brains are hard-wired for fear, there are small changes we can make to evolve our consci

The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.- Jimmy Johnson A native of suburban Philadelphia and Chicago, Joel Goldberg has worked as part of the Royals’ broadcast team for FOX Sports Kansas City since 2008 and serves as the television play-by-play voice for the ECHL Kansas City Mavericks. In his career so far, he has spent nearly 25 years in television, developing and maintaining relationships with professional athletes, coaches, and team management. He became and continues to be an integral part of the Royals’ broadcast team and the overall Kansas City community. With his experience, he has become a powerful public speaker and presenter, talking with groups about the networking principles he’s learned from his experiences of interviewing successful icons. Joel drives home a strong message of personal perseverance tailored to each and every audience and focuses on delivery impact for growth. There’s a slippery slope between tradition and irrelevance. - Jeff Jones, CEO of H&R B

Shoot for the moon and you will land among the stars.  What comes to mind when you hear the words, ‘chiropractic medicine’? Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, we are joined by Chiropractor, Dr. Ann-Marie Barter of Alternative Family Medicine & Chiropractic, who was very skeptical about her now profession until she experienced the treatment first hand. It was like magic to her; she felt new and light...like a better version of herself. So, she immersed herself in school at the University of Western States in Portland, Oregon, learning not only the art and science of chiropractic modalities but also functional blood chemistry analysis, nutrition, applied kinesiology, and natural remedies. She now specializes in difficult functional medicine cases, helping people with issues concerning their thyroid, blood sugar, gut health, and hormone dysfunction as well as other metabolic conditions. Tune in as Dr. Robin and Dr. Barter discuss:  Her various health problems from acne and bloating to her feet and neck and

Your life reflects your choices that you have made. So if you want a different life, make different choices. - Dr. Michelle Robin How can improving your conscious awareness enhance both your life and those in your wellness tribe? In this Small Changes Big Shifts episode, we are joined by Chiropractor, Personal Coach, Author, and Speaker, Dr. Jay LaGuardia who has dedicated 30 years of his life to helping people around the world to understand the power of Conscious Awareness so they can live more intentionally while pursuing their highest-self. Through his coaching, speaking and writings, he teaches adopting the habits and rituals of an empowering mindset, a healthy lifestyle, and belief in something bigger than yourself. Many times in his life, and the lives of the people who have followed his advice, great prosperity in every area of life has been created. If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up someplace else. - Yogi Bear Joins us as Dr. Jay LaGuardia shares: What lead him to pursue chiropract

"Is suffering really necessary? Yes and no. If you had not suffered as you have, there would be no depth to you as a human being, no humility, no compassion. You would not be reading this now. Suffering cracks open the shell of ego & then comes a point when it has served its purpose. Suffering is necessary until you realize it is unnecessary." - Eckhart Tolle Are you ready to upgrade your life,  change the world, and experience the next level of human possibilities? Globally recognized Holistic Chinese Medicine Doctor, High Performance Coach, Podcast Host of The Dr. E Show, and Author of the Amazon #1 bestselling book, SuperWellness,  Dr. Edith Ubuntu Chan, joins Dr. Michelle Robin to share her own wellness journey, her 6 dimensions for H.E.A.L.T.H., and what health factors you must focus on besides just diet and fitness. Listen and learn how to turn small changes into big shifts as Dr. Edith shares:  The truth about how to live a healthy life amongst all of the myths and confusion. How an intense medita

“Go out into the world today and love the people you meet including yourself. Let your presence light new life in the hearts of others.”- Mother Teresa    Love yourself beyond anyone or anything else. Love yourself so much that you can’t do anything that doesn’t make you love yourself more. That is the message Small Changes Big Shifts Guest, Healer, Author, and Actress, Dee Wallace, is bringing to the world.  Originally from Kansas City, Kansas, Dee Wallace has worked as a teacher, dancer and actress in film, television, and stage for over 40 years including the role as Mary in Steven Spielberg's E.T., The Extraterrestrial. In addition to a career in acting, Dee is also the creator of the I Am Healing System, host of the Conscious Creation Radio Show, and Author of numerous books including Conscious Creation, The Big E!, Bright Light, Getting Stuff and Wake Up Now! “I am God and all whom I see do I love for I am all I see and I love what I am.”  As you listen, Dee shares:  Her ability to channel different

"Don’t wish it was easier, make yourself stronger." - JJ Virgin In this episode of Small Changes Big Shifts, JJ Virgin, joins Dr. Michelle to discuss her latest book, Warrior Mom: 7 Secrets to Bold, Brave Resilience ,the life and business challenges she has overcome, and what small changes we can make for vibrant health as we age. If JJ’s name sounds familiar, it should. She is a Fitness and nutrition expert who has written about health for such publications as Mind Body Green, Rodale Wellness, and Huffpost. She is the author of several New York Times best sellers including The Virgin Diet, The Virgin Diet Cookbook, and Sugar Impact Diet. She also has her very own podcast called the JJ Virgin Lifestyle Show. As you tune in, JJ shares: Who and what life-changing event inspired her to write Warrior Mom Her mission to help those struggling with individual challenges and adversity What it takes to become a Warrior Mom How parents can lead their families to live healthy lifestyles through the example of put

"Remind yourself how resilient you are, keep looking for answers and you can have extraordinary health." - Dr. Ann Shippy Toxicity surrounds all of us; at school, at work, in our cars, and even at home. But most of us have no idea what to look for or what to do about it when we find it. On this Small Changes Big Shifts episode, Dr. Michelle is speaking with Internal and Functional Medicine Physician andthe Author of the Mold Toxicity Workbook and Shippy Paleo Essentials, Dr. Ann Shippy about how she creates and uses wellness using cutting-edge science, testing tools, and the latest genetic research to determine and treat root causes, not just the symptoms, of illnesses and the toxins that cause them. Every person's health is unique and so Dr. Shippy develops custom blueprints for identifying, diagnosing, and treating issues directly related to the environment, nutrition, and health – three areas in which external toxicity plays a profound role. As you tune in, Dr. Shippy shares her own health issues and how

Our skin is the magic mirror that gives us great information about our overall health. Instead of seeing your skin’s appearance as something that needs to be covered up or suppressed, pay attention to what it’s telling you. - Dr. Trevor Cates Is that favorite lipstick, lotion, or perfume of yours actually harming your health? Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, we have Dr. Trevor Cates aka The Spa Doctor joining us on Small Changes Big Shifts. Dr. Cates is the founder and owner of The Spa Dr. organic skincare brandand author of the bestselling book Clean Skin From Within. She was the first woman licensed as a naturopathic doctor in California and currently lives in Park City, Utah where she helps patients from around the world achieve graceful aging and glowing skin. Dr. Cates is also the host of The Spa Dr. weekly podcast and has her own PBS special, Younger Skin From Within. She believes the key to healthy skin is inner and outer nourishment with non-toxic ingredients.  Find out what small changes you can

The body is a complicated machine but it’s actually pretty simple. It doesn’t need a lot to function effectively, we just have to make sure we give it the purity and sufficiency it needs so that it can have the tools to do the things that it was designed to do. - Dr. Michelle Robin  It's often overlooked but having healthy hormones is vital for our wellbeing and there are many outside factors that often disrupt them. One such example is birth control and this week we have Dietitian Nutritionist and Co-Founder of the Her Hormones Academy, Robyn Johnson MS, RDN, LD, joining Dr. Michelle Robin to discuss: The various reasons why women decide to use birth control from pregnancy prevention to reduce menstrual cramps to heal acne. How popular forms of birth control from the pill to the copper IUD work. The negative outcomes of birth control suppressing a woman’s natural hormone production in order to replace it with synthetic hormones. Other possible side effects that can occur in the gut, mind, and physical body

If I replace ‘I’ with ‘We,’ even ‘Illness’ becomes ‘Wellness.’ - Malcolm X Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, we have the Executive Director of Pathway to Hope, Kiersten Adkins, joining us to share how the organization is helping parents better understand their children’s mental illness diagnosis, treatments, and recovery plans in a supportive community that understands what they’re experiencing. Specifically, Kiersten and Dr. Michelle discuss Pathway to Hope’s E3 Education Program -Encourage, Empower, Educate which teaches the organization's members about self-care, healthy boundaries, advocacy, and how to use that information to communicate better with their loved ones. As you’ll hear in this episode, Dr. Michelle and Kiersten also discuss: Why we’re seeing spirituality become an even bigger part of an overall healthy recovery plan for mental illness compared to 20 years ago. How we can avoid disconnecting and connecting through superficial means such as Facebook or texting in order to truly build strong r

You have permission to rest. You are not responsible for fixing everything that is broken. You do not have to try and make everyone happy. For now, take time for you. It’s time to replenish. - Unknown Are you spending so much time helping others that you've forgotten to take care of yourself? If nothing was in the way, what would your ideal life look like? Many of us have been programmed to believe that it is selfish to put ourselves first but it's actually the opposite. Today we are joined by Life Coach,Gabriella Feingold, who is on a mission to teach others how to take better care of themselves, release the guilt they feel about self-care practices, dig themselves from under the weight of everyone’s needs and figure out what is actually important to them. As you listen to today’s podcast, you’ll hear Gabriella and Dr. Michelle Robin discuss: How to create a vision of what you want for yourself The importance of takingtime out to actually think of what you want for your life Steps we can take to connect wit

The gap between where you are and self-love is self-care.- Dr. Michelle Robin Young mother and Senior Operations Manager for the First Hand Foundation, Shanna Adamic, knew that something was wrong with her health but various misdiagnosis she received from dehydration to sinus infections were keeping her from knowing the truth that she had a rare benign brain tumor called an Acoustic Neuroma. Then, one day she and her husband learned about Maria Menounos' brain tumor diagnosis and noticed similar patterns and symptoms with what Shanna was experiencing. Discussing those very symptoms with her doctor set her on a new journey of healing and saving her life. As part of Brain Cancer Awareness Month for May, we are honored to share Shanna’s voice on Small Changes Big Shifts. As you listen to this episode, Shanna shares: The importance of being an advocate for your own health and digging for the right answers when you feel like you don’t have them yet. How she came back stronger after surgery with a drive to be a

"If I can find love, kindness, and compassion for myself, then I can find it for my mother because everyone is just trying to do the very best that they can." - Crystal Jenkins Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, we are honoring mothers with Your Wellness Connection’s very own, Crystal Jenkins. Crystal is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor at Your Wellness Connection as well was a Director of Teacher Training at The Hoffman Institute. Mother’s Day can mean a lot of different things for everyone as each of us has a different relationship with our mothers. Today, we’re reminding you that even if that relationship is complicated, you can still love and appreciate your mother in your own way. So, not only are we honoring mothers today but also supporting those who may be struggling with the relationship they have with their mother, their role as a parent, or finding inner peace and self-love for themselves. As you listen, you will learn: How to transfer from the relationship you had with your parents as

The opposite of addiction is connection. - Johann Hari Is love at the core of all healing? That is one of many topics that Dr. Michelle discusses with Chiropractor, Dr. Jonah Yakel, of Lifegate Health Center, in this week’s podcast episode. Practicing since 2006 at the LifeGate Health Center, Dr. Yakel is always seeking the most advanced techniques that have the most profound influence on the central nervous system. Specifically, he helps his patients heal with the following techniques that support the greatest expression of the body's own healing potential: Torque Release Technique, Network Spinal Analysis (NSA), and Flowtrition (Flow)  to maximize his patients’ results. "Addiction begins in pain and ends in pain." - Eckhart Tolle As you listen to this episode, Dr. Yakel explains the power of our body’s natural intelligence including how it knows how to heal itself and support its central nervous system. However, the body also needs some special attention from us through the Four Quadrants of Wellbeing: Ener

Good health starts in your mouth and don’t let it end there. - Trina Felber Is that favorite skincare product of yours disrupting your body’s hormones? Today we are joined by the International best-selling author of Beauty’s Dirty Secret and CEO of the Primal Life Organics Skincare Company, Trina Felber. A nurse with over 25 years of experience, Trina has developed over 100-food-based skincare solutions to feed the skin thus making her THENatural Skincare Expert and Skincare Biohacker. She is improving the way we feed our skin by helping others realize the dangers of everyday cosmetics and skin care while spreading awareness for the importance of using plant-based products. As the creator and CEO of Primal Life Organics, her entrepreneurial skills and business-savvy mindset are an inspiration to women everywhere as she puts her nursing knowledge and care into every product she creates. As our body’s largest organ, our skin plays a big part in our overall health and the importance of paying attention to how w

The self is the guru. If we stop and pause more often throughout the day, we will easily learn more about ourselves. Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, Yoga Teacher at the Sage Center for Yoga & Healing Arts, Chiropractor, and Ayurvedic Practioner as well as Author of brand new book, The Ayurvedic Self-Care Handbook, Dr. Sarah Kucera, is sharing how being brought up to have an appreciation for nature set her on a path to explore natural self-care and wellness. As she dives into her wellness journey story, Dr. Sarah explains what drew her towards Ayurvedic medicine, what exactly Ayurveda is, and how natural healing goes beyond the exoskeleton system. Together, we will learn how practicing Ayurveda allows us to stay connected with nature in our external environment as well as our true inner selves through the five elements of Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth.  By the end of this episode, you will have the knowledge of how you can reconnect with yourself today through these small, daily changes:  Observe

Good health rarely comes out of a medicine bottle.- Dr. Aseem Malhotra Today on Small Changes Big Shifts, we are speaking to the Founder of both Local Burger and Hilary’s Eat Well and now, the Chef at Optimal Living, Hilary Brown, who is on a mission to provide people with whole, local, and delicious meals that give them energy, make them feel good, and boost their health. However, before that goal even got put into motion, Hilary’s own wellness journey had taken a turn back in 2002 when her blood tests revealed that she had multiple food intolerances. Basically, she was allergic to the American Diet. That discovery led her down a path of researching nutrition and developing recipes from uncommon foods. Flashforward 3 years later and she launched her first business, the restaurant, Local Burger, in Kansas City which later led her to launch Hilary’s Eat Well in 2010. As you listen, Hilary shares how all of the forced changes happening at Hilary’s Eat Well led her on a spiritual journey to be more empathetic,