The Good Life with Michele Lamoureux

Dr. Robynne Chutkan, best-selling author of numerous books which help people up-level their health is here to help us understand the importance of taking care of our gut health. We discuss her most recent book, The Anti-Viral Gut, which takes a complex topic and makes it easy to understand while providing great tips you can implement today. You’ll understand how to make simple, foundational changes in how you eat and live that will have a huge impact on your health and quality of life. If you want to learn how your gut health impacts your overall health and your ability to handle viruses, including Covid — you are going to love this conversation! All of the show notes can be found at https://thegoodlifecoach.com/222   While on the show notes page, I’d love for you to join our community. You’ll receive more inspiration and tips to love yourself and your life. You’ll get a FREE copy of Michele’s Book, Design a Life You Love. *This interview is for entertainment purposes only. For medical advice, seek out your trusted healthcare provider.   WHAT WE DISCUSS: How Dr. Chutkan evolved her practice to empower others around their health and understanding the role of the microbiome. How her daughter received more than 20 courses of antibiotics by the time she was 2 and how Dr. Chutkan slowly learned the importance of our microbiome and began educating others. She explains what our microbiome is. She also explains dysbiosis. How to make simple, foundational changes in how you eat and live that have a huge impact on your health and quality of life. Specific things we can begin doing today to improve our health, and much more.   RESOURCES MENTIONED Website: https://robynnechutkan.com/books/ – register for her free Masterclass Book: The Anti-Viral Gut Dr. Chutkan on Instagram Michele on Instagram   MORE ABOUT DR ROBYNNE CHUTKAN Dr. Chutkan is a board-certified gastroenterologist and the bestselling author of Gutbliss, The Microbiome Solution, The Bloat Cure, and The Anti-Viral Gut. Educated at Yale and Columbia, she’s a faculty member at Georgetown Hospital and the founder of the Digestive Center for Wellness in Washington DC. A former Governing Board member and Training Committee chair of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE), she’s authored dozens of scientific articles and lectured globally on autoimmune diseases and the role of the microbiome in health and disease. Dr Chutkan has her own PBS Special entitled “Gutbliss” and has been a frequent medical expert on the Dr. Oz Show, The Today Show, CBS This Morning, and other media outlets. She’s an avid (and slow) runner, squash player and yogi and is passionate about introducing more dirt, sweat and vegetables into her patients’ lives. Thank you for listening to the show!

“We have a human brain whose memory system is amazing and wildly imperfect.” – Lisa Genova New York Times bestselling author Lisa Genova joins us for a conversation about her book, Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting. What does normal forgetting look like? How do we improve our memory? How do we create a memory? What’s the distinction between normal forgetting and forgetting because of Alzheimer’s? What are some preventative measures we can easily incorporate to protect our memory? Lisa is a wealth of information and I am honored she is here to share the information from her recent book! So much to learn today and to feel empowered. About the author: Lisa has her PhD in Neuroscience from Harvard, is an acclaimed author, and has a TED Talk with over five million views. She also has appearances on the Today Show, CNN, and NPR, Dr. Oz and many more outlets. All of the show notes can be found at thegoodlifecoach.com/127. WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: It is okay to google the name of an actor whose name you can’t remember.  Young people who have used tech since birth just google without worrying about it, but most older adults believe we have to figure it out ourselves. Tip of the tongue – words like proper nouns, movie titles, names of cities – and why we have trouble recalling those names. Why “Memory isn’t stored in any one place.” Why in order to create a lasting memory it has to go through the hippocampus. You can’t remember what you don’t pay attention to.  This is the first thing to do to create memory. Outsourcing some things like taking a picture of where you parked isn’t going to make you dumber.  It is okay to use tech to help you remember. Our human brains are terrible at prospective planning. Context plays a big role in remembering things.  The second you are surrounded by cues you remember.  It helps to retrace your steps to trigger the cues. To do lists, pill boxes, checkboxes are all helpful for prospective memory. “The act of learning is remembering.  Memory is outstanding.  We can learn infinite amounts of things.” It’s not true that we only use 10 percent of our brain. Our brain is changing all of the time.  Every time you are learning something new your brain creates more neural pathways. We have the ability to create new neurons/nerve cells. Chronic stress will shrink the hippocampus. Meditation, yoga, mindfulness, exercise, staying socially active and learning new things helps to enlarge our hippocampus. Being sedentary makes you more likely to develop Alzheimer’s. Being active decreases your risk by half. Processing speeds slow down as we age a little bit, but we know more. Sleep is key.  The data is compelling – we need 7-9 hours of sleep to process what we’ve learned and to clear metabolic debris while we sleep. Alzheimer’s happens in the hippocampus – war in this area – first symptoms are not remembering what someone just said or repeating themselves — the present memory keeps cycling through.  Prevention is key.  Lisa shares what she does for preventative measures.  Eat a Mediterranean diet. Exercise.  Go for walks — move around every day. Your entire body wants and needs that. “This book is about your relationship with memory. We are afraid of it. We are judgmental  of it.  We don’t understand it.  It’s also imperfect.  Be in awe of it and take good care of it.” RESOURCES MENTIONED “Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting” by Lisa Genova Lisa Genova on Episode 1 of The Good Life Coach – about Lisa’s Transition from Neuroscientist to New York Times best-selling author Lisa Genova on Episode 104 of The Good Life Coach – what it means to live a life of meaning “Still Alice” by Lisa Genova “Every Note Played” by LisaGenova Lisa Genova’s website Lisa Genova on Instagram Lisa Genova on Facebook Lisa’s Ted Talk on Preventing Alzheimer’s Michele on Instagram Thank you for listening to the show! Please be sure to share it with your friends who would benefit from this information.  Also be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.  

Gloria Mark, PhD is the author of “Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity”. In this fascinating conversation Gloria explains the science of attention and specific solutions for regaining focus with our personal technologies. You’ll learn why the average attention span is now 47 seconds and why she believes it is important to make our wellbeing a priority. If you are looking for proven ways to get less distracted and live happier, this is a must listen! Check out our website for the show notes and join the newsletter to get a free copy of Michele’s Book, Design a Life You Love, for a limited time. https://thegoodlifecoach.com/246 What You’ll Learn: Whether attention span is a global issue and what she observed How her research over nearly twenty years shows that “our attention spans are declining, averaging just 47 seconds on any screen.” It used to be 2.5 minutes. Some of the reasons we have diminishing attention span The different attention types she discovered Multi-tasking which eats up our attentional resources When we are mentally exhausted we are more susceptible to distractions Technology isn’t the only issue as 1/2 the time we self-interrupt, and much more.   LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR GUEST: Website: www.gloriamark.com Book: Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gloriamark/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GloriaMark_PhD   GUEST BIO: Gloria Mark is Chancellor’s Professor of Informatics at the University of California, Irvine. She received her PhD from Columbia University in psychology and studies the impact of digital media on people’s lives: examining multitasking, interruptions, and emotions. She has published over 200 articles, and in 2017 was inducted into the ACM SIGCHI Academy which recognizes leaders in the field of human-computer interaction. She has presented her work at SXSW and the Aspen Ideas Festival, and her research has appeared in the popular media, e.g. New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, The Atlantic, the BBC, and many others. Her upcoming book Attention Span: A Groundbreaking Way to Restore Balance, Happiness and Productivity presents the science of attention plus solutions for regaining focus with our personal technologies.   If you enjoyed this episode, would you please take a minute to rate + review it on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player.   1. Click on this link 2. Click “View in Apple Podcasts” button 3. Click “Follow” button 4. Click “Ratings and Reviews” text 5. Click to rate and leave short review and you’re done! Thank you! If you want to connect, you can find Michele on Instagram Be sure to share this interview with your friends who would benefit from this information.  Also be sure to follow the show on Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.  

Dr. Suzanne Gilberg–Lenz is the author of Menopause Bootcamp: Optimize Your Health, Empower Your Self, and Flourish as You Age. As Dr. Suzanne explains, “menopause is not a disease” but it is something every woman will go through. She shares key information women need to know to navigate their symptoms. She also explains why there are so many changes that can happen with the decline of sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone). If you are confused about menopause this interview is for you! The show notes can be found at https://thegoodlifecoach.com/245 *This is a podcast interview and not intended to be medical advice. Please consult with your trusted healthcare professional for your health-related questions.   WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: Dr. Suzanne explains what happens to your body in the 7-12 years leading up to menopause. How hormone levels go from a very regular state to less predictable as the ovaries age and the levels of progesterone, estrogen, and testosterone decline. This is what triggers the various symptoms like hot flashes, brain fog, dryness, etc. Dr. Suzanne explains that there is a benefit to knowing your mother and even grandmothers experience with menopause as your symptoms and when you go through it may be the same. Why we need to focus on our brains, heart and bones with life-style well in advance. The benefits of starting HRT and suggestion to read the NYTimes article on menopause. The benefits of vaginal estrogen. What women who’ve had breast cancer need to know. The benefits of lifestyle modifications: exercise, mindset, and who we surround ourselves with and more.   RESOURCES MENTIONED: Website: https://thedrsuzanne.com/ and https://thedrsuzanne.com/themenopausebootcamp/ Book: Menopause Bootcamp IG: https://www.instagram.com/askdrsuzanne/?hl=en Michele on Instagram   GUEST BIO: A Diplomat of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz, MD, received her medical degree in 1996 from the USC School of Medicine and completed her residency in obstetrics and gynecology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Dr. Gilberg-Lenz is involved in women’s empowerment and public education and appears frequently as an expert in women’s health and integrative medicine on TV, in print, and online. She is the author of MENOPAUSE BOOTCAMP: Optimize Your Health, Empower Your Self, and Flourish as You Age (Harper Wave; October 11th)   Please be sure to share it with your friends who would benefit from this information.  Also be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.   Rate + Review: If you enjoyed this episode, would you please take a minute to rate + review it on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player.  

Dr. Valerie Cacho is an integrative sleep medicine specialist (MD), wellness consultant, and writer. Her interests and expertise include: diagnosing and treating medical sleep disorders during perimenopause and menopause, women’s sleep concerns, mind-body approaches to insomnia, self-compassion training, clinical hypnotherapy, and promoting sleep health and wellness. This is a fascinating conversation. The show notes can be found at https://thegoodlifecoach.com/244   WHAT YOU’LL HEAR: Dr. Val explains what integrative health is and how she uses it help her patients. She walks us through the sleep cycles.  Each lasts about 90 minutes and happens 4-6 times per night. She shares her opinion on sleep trackers. Ideal sleep in each stage in midlife.  She discusses HRV and what matters for sleep – having a higher score is better.  Lower scores can mean more stress.  She says don’t let the score impact her actual experience – sleep loss due to a positive event doesn’t have the same concern. Snoring in midlife. What happens during a sleep study and the health implications of sleep apnea. The role of dreams. Her opinion on naps and how long they should be and when to take them in order for them to be effective. What happens to women and sleep in menopause.  The holistic ways she helps her patients with sleep.   RESOURCES MENTIONED Website: sleeplifemed.com  Freebie: www.sleephoria.health/f/exhaustion-checklist IG: https://www.instagram.com/drvalsleepgal/ Michele on Instagram   GUEST BIO: Dr. Valerie Cacho is an integrative sleep medicine specialist (MD), wellness consultant, and writer. Her interests and expertise include: diagnosing and treating medical sleep disorders during perimenopause and menopause, women’s sleep concerns, mind-body approaches to insomnia, self-compassion training, clinical hypnotherapy, and promoting sleep health and wellness. She is the president and founder of Sleep Life Med, a tele-sleep practice in Hawaii and California. Additionally, Dr. Cacho is the CEO of Sleephoria, an online educational and sleep wellness company for women. Please be sure to share it with your friends who would benefit from this information.  Also be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.   Rate + Review: If you enjoyed this episode, would you please take a minute to review it on Apple Podcasts or your favorite podcast player.  

Are you a fan of art? Do you enjoy going to museums or appreciate the wonder of a sunset? Do you knit, sing, doodle, hum, dance, paint, sculpt, or make art in some way? Do you believe that is art is just for people who are good at it? What if you knew that participating in some form of art once a month or more could extend your life by a decade? It turns out it can! There is a field called Neuroaesthetics which is the study of how the arts and aesthetic experiences, in all forms, measurably change the body, brain, and behavior improve well-being. “The arts are a superpower with the ability to address physical and mental health issues, learning, flourishing and community building.” As you’ll hear in this interview we are hardwired for art as our birthright. This is a fascinating conversation with two female leaders, Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross, who wrote Your Brain on Art to educate people about the transformative power of the arts. This is an invitation to incorporate art to live healthier and happier lives based on the science-backed research showing the many benefits to you, your community, and the planet. You are going to love this conversation! Listen to the full episode at: https://thegoodlifecoach.com/242 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: What is neuroaesthetics. The transformative power of art and their mission with the book. How profound art is to our well-being. We can extend our life by participating in one art experience or more per month. How art rewires the brain and how the senses are involved. How the arts are being used to address health disorders, illnesses and mental health. They share stories relating to Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s. The kinds of activities people can explore who don’t see themselves as artists. (Hint – all of them). How the arts can help with mental health and much more. RESOURCES MENTIONED Book: Your Brain on Art Website: https://www.yourbrainonart.com/ https://neuroartsblueprint.org/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourbrainonartbook/ Michele on Instagram   GUEST BIOS: Ivy Ross is the Vice President of Design for Hardware Products at Google, where she leads a team that has created over fifty products, winning over 225 design awards. An artist with work in over ten international museums, Ivy is also a National Endowment for Arts grant recipient, and was ninth on Fast Company’s list of the 100 most creative people in business in 2019. Susan Magsamen is the Founder and Director of the International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics at the Pedersen Brain Science Institute of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she is a faculty member in the department of neurology. She is also the Co-Director of the NeuroArts Blueprint with Aspen Institute. Please be sure to share it with your friends who would benefit from this information.  Also be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.  

Are you a fan of art? Do you enjoy going to museums or appreciate the wonder of a sunset? Do you knit, sing, doodle, hum, dance, paint, sculpt, or make art in some way? Do you believe that is art is just for people who are good at it? What if you knew that participating in some form of art once a month or more could extend your life by a decade? It turns out it can! There is a field called Neuroaesthetics which is the study of how the arts and aesthetic experiences, in all forms, measurably change the body, brain, and behavior improve well-being. “The arts are a superpower with the ability to address physical and mental health issues, learning, flourishing and community building.” As you’ll hear in this interview we are hardwired for art as our birthright. This is a fascinating conversation with two female leaders, Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross, who wrote Your Brain on Art to educate people about the transformative power of the arts. This is an invitation to incorporate art to live healthier and happier lives based on the science-backed research showing the many benefits to you, your community, and the planet. You are going to love this conversation! Show notes can be found at https://thegoodlifecoach.com/242 WHAT YOU’LL LEARN: What is neuroaesthetics. The transformative power of art and their mission with the book. How profound art is in our well-being. We can extend our life by participating in one art experience or more per month. How art rewires the brain and how the senses are involved. How the arts are being used to address health disorders, illnesses and mental health. They share stories relating to Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s. The kinds of activities people can explore who don’t see themselves as artists. (Hint – all of them). How the arts can help with mental health and much more. RESOURCES MENTIONED Book: Your Brain on Art Website: https://www.yourbrainonart.com/ https://neuroartsblueprint.org/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/yourbrainonartbook/ Michele on Instagram GUEST BIOS: Ivy Ross is the Vice President of Design for Hardware Products at Google, where she leads a team that has created over fifty products, winning over 225 design awards. An artist with work in over ten international museums, Ivy is also a National Endowment for Arts grant recipient, and was ninth on Fast Company’s list of the 100 most creative people in business in 2019. Susan Magsamen is the Founder and Director of the International Arts + Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics at the Pedersen Brain Science Institute of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she is a faculty member in the department of neurology. She is also the Co-Director of the NeuroArts Blueprint with Aspen Institute. Please be sure to share it with your friends who would benefit from this information.  Also be sure to subscribe on Apple Podcasts so you don’t miss an episode.  

Have you been gaslit by someone in the medical system? Have you been unfairly labeled by a physician/nurse/provider? Have you your symptoms been dismissed and you were treated like it is all in your head? Has someone used their power to intimidate you so you doubt your experience to the point where you are afraid to say the wrong thing around the person? Gaslighting in the healthcare system is a problem. I share my opinion on the situation, a personal experience that almost caused harm to my newborn baby, and ways to take control of your health. I acknowledge that there are many amazing people working in the medical system and that the system is broken in many ways for everyone involved. Want to share your experience? Visit https://thegoodlifecoach.com/241 to leave a comment. Referenced in this Solocast. Listen to Monday Musings with Michele: Living Angels

Dr. Sara Gottfried, New York Times best-selling author of numerous books geared to empower women with the information they need to live healthier lives joins us to shed light on the relationship between our hormones and food. We discuss her most recent book, Women, Food, and Hormones: A 4-Week Plan to Achieve Hormonal Balance, Lose Weight, and Feel Like Yourself Again. If you want to understand your hormones and how to be healthy, strong, and to create balance in your life – you are going to love this conversation! All of the show notes can be found at thegoodlifecoach.com/153. While on the show notes page, I’d love for you to join our community. You’ll receive more inspiration and tips to love yourself and your life. You’ll get a FREE copy of Michele’s Book, Design a Life You Love.   WHAT WE DISCUSS: What is precision medicine and why it is way she practices medicine. How healthcare should focus more on personalization and bio-individuality, rather than focus on the population, which is the medicine of the average. Why women need to demand better care and ask doctors to look at root cause. Why we need to eat in a way that regulates our hormones, from insulin to estrogen. How anxiety and depression can be impacted by hormones being out of balance. Why classic keto doesn’t work for many women. The Gottfried Protocol and how to approach eating for metabolic health. The important role testosterone plays in women’s health. Dr. Gottfried’s daily morning routine and one thing not to do to begin your day, and much more!   RESOURCES MENTIONED: Website: Dr. Gottfried’s website with more resources Book: Women, Food, and Hormones – Book Instagram: Dr. Gottfried Integrative Practice: Dr. Gottfried Michele on Instagram   MORE ABOUT DR SARA GOTTFRIED: Sara Gottfried, MD is a board-certified physician, researcher, educator, and NYT bestselling author. She graduated from Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and completed residency at the University of California at San Francisco. Over the past 25 years, Dr. Gottfried has seen more than 25,000 patients and specializes in identifying the underlying cause of her patients’ conditions to achieve true and lasting health transformations, not just symptom management.Dr. Gottfried is a global keynote speaker who practices evidence-based integrative, functional, and precision medicine. She is Clinical Assistant Professor in Dept. of Integrative Medicine and Nutritional Sciences at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, and Director of Precision Medicine at the Marcus Institute of Integrative Health.Her three New York Times bestselling books include: The Hormone Cure, The Hormone Reset Diet, and Younger. Her new book just came out in September 2021, called Women, Food, and Hormones. Learn more at SaraGottfriedMD.com Thank you for listening to the show! If you enjoyed this interview, please take a moment to rate and review it on Apple podcasts. Your reviews are so appreciated! Not sure how to do it? Instructions are below. XO, Michele

Have you experienced imposter syndrome? Feeling like a fraud or that you don’t deserve the accomplishments or recognition you’ve earned. It’s more common than people realize with even the most accomplished actors/singers feeling like a fraud. Just google imposter syndrome celebrities and you’ll see a recognizable list including: Lady Gaga, Tina Fey, and Tom Hanks. I share my first experience with it and three things you can do to navigate it so it doesn’t keep you stuck. Want to share your experience? Visit https://thegoodlifecoach.com/239