60-90 million people are affected by digestive problems ranging from acid reflection and heartburn to constipation and other issues. Poor digestion can cause problems with metabolism, cravings, mood swings, frenzy thinking, and even sinus problems. Learn how to improve the digestive process with Darlene Kvist, M.S., C.N.S., L.N., who is a a licensed nutritionist and Certified Nutrition Specialist, and co-founded Nutritional Weight & Wellness, based in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Listen: 1-22-10: Healthy Nutrition and Digestion – Guest: Darlene Kvist, MS, CNS, LN

Darlene  Kvist, MS, CNS, LN

Darlene Kvist, a licensed nutritionist and Certified Nutrition Specialist, co-founded Nutritional Weight & Wellness, based in St. Paul, Minnesota. Darlene has over twenty-five years of experience as an educator, counselor, and psycho-nutritional consultant. She currently serves on the Board of Dietetics and Nutrition Practice for the State of Minnesota. Dar also hosts “Dishing up Nutrition,” a popular radio show that she developed, Saturdays on FM 107. She consults with the media on nutrition regularly and has been quoted in Time. For more information about Nutritional Weight & Wellness, go to www.weightandwellness.com.

According to best-selling author, Dr. Joan Borysenko, “Resilient individuals face reality head-on, take action, find deeper meaning in life, laugh often, and are masters of improvisation.” As our first guest, Joan will help you discover how to become more resilient as we discuss her new book, It’s Not the End of the World: Developing Resilience in Times of Change. Our second guest, Alex Acker, will continue our conversation by discussing how resiliency helped her cope with a stage 4 cancer diagnoses, child abuse, rape and sexual exploitation. A Renewing Life ® group facilitator and inspiring presenter, Alex now helps others transform their lives and find meaning within serious illnesses and other challenges.

Listen: 1-15-10: Developing Resilience in Times of Change – Guests: Dr. Joan Borysenko and Alex Acker, MA

J. Alex Acker, MA

With a master’s degree in writing, Alex is a published author of several books and numerous articles. She is also a public speaker and seminar presenter. Alex is a certified Renewing Life program facilitator and offers this transformative program at Well Within and Regions Hospital Cancer Care Center, both located in St. Paul, MN. In 2007, Alex was diagnosed with Stage Four colon cancer which she successfully battled. She has also survived child abuse, rape and sexual exploitation. Alex now offers her tools and stories to help others with serious and life-threatening illnesses find ways to increase the quality of their lives.

Joan Borysenko, PhD

Dr. Joan Borysenko is a Harvard-trained medical scientist, psychologist and best-selling author of 14 books. An expert on how to navigate the journey from stress to strength, she is a nationally known speaker and journalist. Her work has appeared in many newspapers and magazines, from the Wall Street Journal to Prevention to the Huffington Post where she currently blogs in the Living Section. Her latest book is It’s Not the End of the World: Developing Resilience in Times of Change. You can find out more about her at http://www.joanborysenko.com.

Despite billions invested, the overall mortality rate from cancer hasn’t changed in 60 years. Have you lost someone in your life to cancer and wished you could have prevented it? In this episode, learn about the many things you can do to help keep you and your family cancer-free. If you are a cancer survivor, this show will empower you to do what you can to prevent a recurrence. We’ll discuss Dr. Lynne Eldridge’s award-winning book, Avoiding Cancer: One Day at a Time, which provides solid, practical advice, from an experienced physician and epidemiologist. The new year is the perfect time to discover how to prevent cancer by avoiding carcinogens and implementing lifestyle/dietary practices that modify cancer causing factors.

Listen: 1-8-10: Avoiding Cancer One Day at a Time – Guest: Lynne Eldridge, MD

Lynne Eldridge, MD

Lynne Eldridge MD is an Honors Graduate from the University of Minnesota Medical School. She practiced primary care medicine for 15 years before becoming a full time author and speaker. As an author, her first book, Avoiding Cancer: One Day at a Time (http://www.avoidcancernow.com) earned six national book awards including the prestigious 2009 Writers Digest International Book Award. Dr. Eldridge is an internationally recognized speaker on health & wellness and Medical Journalist/Investigative Reporter for the New York Times Company, and guides the lung cancer site for About.com (http://lungcancer.about.com). She is a visionary and passionate champion for a healthy, natural lifestyle that includes primary prevention as the key to greatly reducing your risk of getting cancer. Lynne empowers you to take charge of your own health and learn how prevention can save your life!

Welcome the new year with a renewed commitment to creating a healthy lifestyle for yourself and your family. Learn why it’s so important to manage the stress that contributes to so many illnesses. Discover where to find a plethora of information that will enable you create your own personalized plan for fostering healing, overall wellbeing and nurturing mind, body and spirit. Our guests, Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer and Dr. Karen Lawson, will describe some of the innovative programs offered at the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality and Healing that will empower you to take charge of your own health, navigate the healthcare system and explore a variety of integrative healing practices.

Listen: 12-18-09: Taking Charge of Your Health: Guests: Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD and Karen Lawson, MD

Mary Jo Kreitzer, PhD

As founder and director of the Center for Spirituality and Healing, Dr. Mary Jo Kreitzer brings more than 20 years of leadership and expertise to the field of integrative health and medicine. She has been the principal investigator of several NIH and NCCAM clinical trials on the impact of various mind/body interventions. Mary Jo also teaches a course on optimal healing environments in the graduate minor in complementary therapies and healing practices and is a tenured professor in the School of Nursing where she is co-director of the doctorate in nursing practice (DNP) program in integrative health and healing. From 2004-2007, she served as the vice-chair of the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine. In 2008, she was named by Minnesota Physician as one of the 100 most influential health care leaders in the state. Dr. Kreitzer earned her doctoral degree in health services research and her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in nursing.

Karen Lawson, MD

Board-certified in family medicine and holistic medicine, Karen Lawson, M.D., is teaching faculty at the Center for Spirituality and Healing, where she leads the integrative medical education efforts, teaches about Shamanism, and is the Director of the Health Coaching program. She is an Assistant Professor of Family Medicine and Community Health, and teaches in the UMN Medical School. She is immediate past-president of the American Holistic Medical Association and a founding Diplomat of the American Board of Holistic Medicine. Karen is an author, researcher, integrative medicine consultant and popular national speaker. She has advanced training in homeopathy from the Northwest School of Homeopathy in MN where she is also on the faculty. She has studied shamanic medicine for the last 10 years and brings expertise in meditation techniques, yoga, dance/movement therapies and nutrition. Karen’s special interests include rites of passage and ritual for healing.

Depression, anxiety and other stress-related mental health problems are among the most common and disabling medical conditions in the US, affecting nearly 1 in 5 adults at some point in their lives. Antidepressants can help some, but are of little benefit to others, plus often have negative side effects. In this episode, learn about various holistic treatment options, including the “Resilience Training Program,” developed by Henry Emmons, MD. This unique program helps restore people to a more resilient state by integrating nutrition, exercise and “the psychology of mindfulness” to improve outcomes in the treatment of depression and anxiety.

Listen: 12-11-09: A Holistic Approach to Depression and Anxiety, Guest: Henry Emmons, MD

Henry Emmons, MD

Henry Emmons, M.D., is a consultant to seven Twin Cities area college counseling centers and several other organizations, in addition to being a popular workshop presenter. He is a past recipient of a Bush Medical Fellowship, which funded a sabbatical to study natural and mindfulness therapies in the practice of psychiatry. He has created adult education programs through the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality and Healing. Dr. Emmons developed the “Resilience Training Program” for the Penny George Institute for Health and Healing in Minneapolis, MN. Dr. Emmon’s first book, The Chemistry of Joy: A Three Step Program for Overcoming Depression Through Western Science and Eastern Wisdom, was published by Simon and Schuster in January of 2006. His next book, The Chemistry of Calm: Cultivating the Roots of Resilience will be published in October, 2010

The natural world offers a variety of integrative healing options. Naturopathy is an eclectic and comprehensive integrative medical system that focuses on using natural remedies to prevent illness, enhance wellbeing and promote the body’s innate ability to heal and maintain itself. Naturopathic physicians offer several treatment modalities, including diet and lifestyle advice, and using plants and minerals to promote good health. Animal-assisted therapies also have resulted in impressive outcomes for numerous health challenges. In this episode, learn how natural remedies can effectively supplement allopathic medical treatment, including surgery and drugs, and thereby help heal mind, body and spirit.

LIsten: 12-4-09: The Healing Power of Nature: Plants, Minerals, Animals and More Guests: Helen Healy, ND and Bill Benda, MD

Helen Healy, ND

Helen Healy received her B.A. in biopsychology from Vassar College in 1977. She earned her N.D. degree from the National College of Naturopathic Medicine and was licensed in Oregon in 1983. Since 1984, she has had a wholistic practice at Wellspring Naturopathic Clinic in St. Paul, MN. Dr. Healy lectures on nutrition, botanical medicine, and specific health issues. Helen is one of the founding members of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians (AANP), is immediate Past President of the Minnesota Association of Naturopathic Physicians (MNANP), is the Speaker of the House of Delegates to the AANP, and is a member of the Oncology Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Dr. Healy is a community based faculty member of the University of Minnesota Medical School, in which medical students and residents come to observe her in her clinic as part of their rotation within the Spirituality and Healing program.

Bill Benda, MD

Bill Benda MD served as Director of Emergency Medical Services at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center before entering the residential fellowship in the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. He is an NCCAM principal investigator researching the effects of equine-assisted therapy on children with cerebral palsy, and serves on the editorial board of several peer-reviewed journals. His is also the first MD elected to the Board of Directors of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians. Dr. Benda is currently hosting invitational conferences at the Esalen Institute exploring the philosophical infrastructure of the current humanistic medicine paradigm.