I Choose Health Podcast

#72: Do We Really Have to Let Go? The Truth About Grief, Healing & Moving Forward | Chaya Lerner

🧠Start healing today with our #sponsor BetterHelp and get 10% off your first month by going to: https://www.betterhelp.com/ichoosehealth [https://www.betterhelp.com/ichoosehealth] Do we ever truly let go of the people we love?After recently losing family members, Stefan Lessie sits down with licensed therapist, chaplain, and trauma expert Chaya Lerner, LCSW for one of the most honest conversations on grief, trauma, suicide, healing, dementia, forgiveness, and finding meaning after loss. In this deeply personal episode, we explore: • The real truth about the stages of grief • Why grief is not linear • How to cope with losing a loved one • Suicide, hopelessness, and finding reasons to hold on • How dementia creates a different kind of grief • Trauma, resilience, and learning to heal • Why gratitude may be more powerful than we realize • How pain can become purpose Stefan also shares personal experiences with family loss, suicidal ideation, fatherhood, and navigating grief in real time, making this one of the most vulnerable and important conversations on I Choose Health.If you are grieving, struggling emotionally, or supporting someone through loss, this episode is for you. Connect with Chaya Lerner: 🌐 Website: https://chayalernerlcsw.com/ [https://chayalernerlcsw.com/] 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clerner1/ [https://www.instagram.com/clerner1/] 💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaya-lerner-907753139/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaya-lerner-907753139/] Subscribe to I Choose Health for conversations about health, healing, mental wellness, and living with purpose. 🔔 Subscribe & Connect with I Choose Health: 🎥 YouTube Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast ] 💪 Fitness Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mindcorefitness1 [https://www.youtube.com/@mindcorefitness1 ] 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ichoosehealthpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/ichoosehealthpodcast/] 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ichoosehealthpodcast [ https://www.tiktok.com/@ichoosehealthpodcast] 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0rxOkqBlAQBZVfznoUpNvP?si=1322c21652c74cf4 [https://open.spotify.com/show/0rxOkqBlAQBZVfznoUpNvP?si=1322c21652c74cf4] 🛍️ Shop Merch: https://linkly.link/2ii1x [https://linkly.link/2ii1x] #Grief #Healing #MentalHealth #TraumaHealing #Forgiveness #SelfGrowth #EmotionalHealing #IChooseHealth #ChayaLerner #PersonalGrowth

#71:Recovering From Substance Addiction & How Families Can Help

🧠Start healing today with our #sponsor BetterHelp and get 10% off your first month by going to: https://www.betterhelp.com/ichoosehealth [https://www.betterhelp.com/ichoosehealth] Amber Hollingsworth is an addiction counselor with 20 years of experience and over 1,000 free videos on YouTube. But her approach is radically different from traditional recovery. She focuses on motivation over method, connection over confrontation, and helping people decide to get sober before they lose everything.In this episode, we talk about the "villain role" — why family members often unknowingly extend their loved one's addiction, why marijuana is the hardest addiction she treats, how the need for control backfires, and why most people actually do beat addiction without ever going to treatment. Whether you're struggling yourself or watching someone you love struggle, this conversation might change how you see it.Topics covered:Why you don't have to hit rock bottom to get soberThe villain role and how families accidentally become oneWhy marijuana is harder to treat than opiates or alcoholThe identity and lifestyle that's harder to quit than the substance itselfHow the need to control a loved one's addiction prolongs itWhat actually motivates people to changeThe Amber AI she built from her entire content libraryAdvice for parents raising kids in a world of accessible substances🔗 Connect with Amber Hollingsworth:Website: https://www.familyrecoveryacademy.online/ [https://www.familyrecoveryacademy.online/]Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/puttheshoveldown/ [https://www.instagram.com/puttheshoveldown/]YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@PutTheShovelDown [https://www.youtube.com/@PutTheShovelDown]📚 CHAPTERS00:00 – Intro: The villain role in addiction01:57 – I Choose Health theme03:10 – Welcome Amber Hollingsworth03:54 – You don't have to hit rock bottom04:58 – How Amber accidentally entered addiction counseling07:29 – Getting teenagers to show up (and stay sober)10:02 – Why traditional recovery thinking contradicts itself11:42 – It's not about how to quit — it's about wanting to14:59 – Why ambivalence is normal, even in recovery17:27 – Is behavioral addiction the same as substance addiction?19:20 – Diet and exercise as a comparison to addiction20:22 – What addictions are most common today?22:01 – Why marijuana is the hardest addiction to treat25:02 – Lifestyle identity vs. the substance itself27:50 – The social circle problem in quitting30:07 – How addiction destroys emotional connection32:11 – Why families unknowingly become the villain34:31 – How to not get sucked into the power struggle37:03 – When to stay vs. when to leave an addicted partner39:17 – Amber's personal history with addiction in her family41:41 – Raising kids in a world of accessible substances43:32 – The preacher's kid phenomenon and rebellion45:42 – Why Amber is the least strict parent despite her career47:15 – How control makes addiction worse49:37 – The mama bear instinct51:59 – Advice for people struggling and for their families54:50 – Where to find Amber + the Amber AI57:31 – The power of AI in addiction support🔔 Subscribe & Connect with I Choose Health:🎥 YouTube Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast ]💪 Fitness Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mindcorefitness1 [https://www.youtube.com/@mindcorefitness1 ]📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ichoosehealthpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/ichoosehealthpodcast/]🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ichoosehealthpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@ichoosehealthpodcast]🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://anchor.fm/mindcore-fitness [https://anchor.fm/mindcore-fitness]🛍️ Shop Merch: https://linkly.link/2ii1x [https://linkly.link/2ii1x]#AddictionRecovery #FamilyAndAddiction #AmberHollingsworth #HowToGetSober #MentalHealth #SubstanceAbuse #RecoveryMotivation #IChooseHealth #PutTheShovelDown #WellnessPodcast

#70: Faith & the Power of Positive Thinking | I Choose Health: Ashley St. Fort

🧠Start healing today with our #sponsor BetterHelp and get 10% off your first month by going to: https://www.betterhelp.com/ichoosehealth [https://www.betterhelp.com/ichoosehealth] In this powerful episode of the I Choose Health Podcast, Stefan Lessie sits down with Ashley St. Fort— a woman who has navigated over a decade of complex health challenges with unwavering faith, resilience, and a smile. From lymphedema and endometriosis to an enlarged heart, blood transfusions, and a rare case of strep throat C, Ashley shares her extraordinary medical journey and what it truly means to choose health in the face of the unthinkable. Ashley also introduces her mentorship program U.P.L.Y.F.T. and their upcoming community wellness event — Walk a Mile in My Shoes — happening May 23rd in Brooklyn, NY. 🚶‍♀️ Support Ashley's Wellness Walk — Walk a Mile in My Shoes (May 23rd, Brooklyn):https://linkly.link/2iaUO [https://linkly.link/2iaUO] 📲 Follow Ashley & U.P.L.Y.F.T.:https://www.instagram.com/u.p.l.y.f.t/ [https://www.instagram.com/u.p.l.y.f.t/] ⏱️ CHAPTERS 0:00 - Introduction & Ashley's Story Begins 1:12 - BetterHelp Sponsorship 2:25 - Welcome to I Choose Health 3:34 - Ashley's Background & Resilience 4:44 - The First Diagnosis: Lymphedema 7:07 - 9 Years to a True Diagnosis 8:40 - Fractured Foot & Growing Complications 9:19 - Rare Strep Throat C & Kidney Damage 11:43 - Timeline of Diagnoses 12:00 - Endometriosis & Bleeding Every Day 15:56 - Blood Transfusions & Finding the Right Doctor 17:13 - Iron Infusions, Holistic Remedies & Faith 19:04 - DNC Surgery & Cancerous Polyps 22:00 - Allergic to Anesthesia — The Skin Cancer Scare 25:27 - IUD, Continued Bleeding & More Treatments 27:06 - Conventional vs. Holistic Medicine 29:05 - COVID, Hospitalization & an Enlarged Heart 32:54 - Dr. Vladimir Friedman & the Heart Halter Monitor 35:18 - Heart Stops While Sleeping 37:35 - Is It All Connected? The Root Cause Question 39:00 - Costochondritis & the Role of Stress 40:39 - A Love-Hate Relationship With Food 41:11 - The Power of Positive Thinking & Les Brown 43:18 - Stefan's 20 Years of Public Speaking 43:58 - The U.P.L.Y.F.T. Mentorship Program 45:12 - Walk a Mile in My Shoes — May 23rd, Brooklyn 45:57 - Closing Thoughts & Choosing Health 🎙️ The I Choose Health Podcast is your source for holistic health, integrative medicine, and real stories of healing. Choosing health is choosing power, possibility, and purpose. 📱 Follow us on socials for more content. 🔔 Subscribe & Connect with I Choose Health: 🎥 YouTube Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast] 💪 Fitness Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mindcorefitness1 [https://www.youtube.com/@mindcorefitness1 ] 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ichoosehealthpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/ichoosehealthpodcast/] 🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ichoosehealthpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@ichoosehealthpodcast] 🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://anchor.fm/mindcore-fitness [https://anchor.fm/mindcore-fitness] 🛍️ Shop Merch: https://linkly.link/2ii1x [https://linkly.link/2ii1x] #IChooseHealth #AshleyStfort #ChronicIllness #Lymphedema #Endometriosis #WomensHealth #FaithAndHealth #MedicalMysterySolved #HolisticHealth #ChoosingHealth #BlackWomensHealth #UPLYFT #WalkAMileInMyShoes #PositiveThinking #ChronicPain #IntegrativeMedicine #HealthPodcast #ResilienceStory #YouAreNotAlone #PowerOfFaith

#69: She Replaced Toxic First Aid With Plants… Now Doctors Are Paying Attention | Jodi Scott

🧠Start healing today with our #sponsor BetterHelp and get 10% off your first month by going to:https://www.betterhelp.com/ichoosehealth [https://www.betterhelp.com/ichoosehealth]What if everything in your first aid kit was working against your body instead of helping it?In Episode 69 of the I Choose Health Podcast, I sit down with Jodi Scott, CEO and co-founder of Green Goo—a company redefining how we heal.Jody shares the powerful story behind creating plant-based first aid products that challenge everything we’ve been taught about healing cuts, burns, eczema, and inflammation.From questioning why we put flammable chemicals on our skin… to building an FDA-registered, plant-powered alternative… this conversation will change how you think about your health.🔑 What You’ll Learn:Why traditional first aid products may be harming your bodyThe hidden dangers of petroleum, parabens, and synthetic chemicalsHow plant-based healing actually works (and why it’s more effective)The connection between your skin, nervous system, and overall healthHow one family built a wellness company that’s now influencing doctors and patients🌱 Key Takeaway:Your body already knows how to heal—sometimes the best thing you can do is stop getting in its way.🔗 Connect with JodiScott:Website: https://www.greengoo.com [https://www.greengoo.com]Amazon: Search “Green Goo First Aid”📌 Chapters:00:00 – The moment that changed everything02:25 – Meet Jody Scott & Green Goo06:24 – Why traditional first aid is outdated10:34 – The shocking discovery about skincare14:35 – Why “pain = healing” is a myth19:57 – Building a business with family23:45 – Breaking into a skeptical industry30:05 – Doctors are starting to notice32:36 – What this taught her about health#PlantBasedHealing #GreenGoo #NaturalHealth #FirstAid #HolisticHealth #IChooseHealth #WellnessJourney #ToxicFreeLiving #SkincareTruth #healthpodcast 🔔 Subscribe & Connect with I Choose Health:🎥 YouTube Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast ]💪 Fitness Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mindcorefitness1 [https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast ]📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ichoosehealthpodcast/ [https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast ]🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ichoosehealthpodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast ]🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://anchor.fm/mindcore-fitness [https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast ]🛍️ Shop Merch: https://ichoosehealthpodcast.myshopify.com/products/healthy-girl-dad-premium-hoodie?variant=53587408716140 [https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast ]

#68: Juicing for Life| George Foreman's nutritionist Cherie Calbom on the Power of Juicing

🧠Start healing today with our #sponsor BetterHelp and get 10% off your first month by going to: https://www.betterhelp.com/ichoosehealth [https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbWVQMkZCbkMyRVphQ2NwRVZ4bEpwWW00Ui0tQXxBQ3Jtc0treXNOSFNuX0phVHphRVA1ZlZMU2JEamVncW1la0xJUGl1NWNtVnhlSnVSQ2R6VERMQ3FaN2VMUzBRb21XdXRoenV5NHJlS3ZYdzA4ZU55TkFCckVRVTJVMGpqTkl1SlRqcVhxTnpQckYyU3diQWpmUQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.betterhelp.com%2Fichoosehealth&v=texOkwgas44] What if your food could either heal you… or harm you?In this powerful episode of the I Choose Health Podcast, we sit down with Cherie Calbom, M.S., world-renowned nutritionist, author of Juicing for Life, and former nutritionist to George Foreman to break down the truth about juicing, seed oils, and the modern diet. From her personal healing journey to working alongside legends, Cherie shares how simple nutrition changes can transform your energy, mental health, and longevity. 👉 This episode covers:The shocking story that started her juicing journey Why the Standard American Diet (SAD) is destroying health The truth about seed oils and inflammation How juicing impacts your brain, mood, and energy The connection between diet and mental health Why “moderation” might not work the way you think This conversation may change how you think about food forever. 🔗 Connect with Cherie Calbom 🌐 Website: https://www.juiceladyinfo.com [https://www.juiceladyinfo.com] 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/juiceladycherie/📚 [https://www.instagram.com/juiceladycherie/📚] Cherie Calbom Books (Amazon) 📗 Juicing for Life (BESTSELLER)👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/0895295121 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/0895295121] 📘 The Juice Lady’s Guide to Juicing for Health👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1583333177 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1583333177] 📙 The Truth About Seed Oils👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1631441000 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1631441000] 📕 The Juice Lady’s Living Foods Revolution👉 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1616383631 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/1616383631] 👕 Podcast Merch (Support the Movement)🔥 Healthy Girl Dad Hoodie👉 https://ichoosehealthpodcast.myshopify.com/products/healthy-girl-dad-premium-hoodie?variant=53587408716140 [https://ichoosehealthpodcast.myshopify.com/products/healthy-girl-dad-premium-hoodie?variant=53587408716140] ⏱️ Chapters 0:00 – Intro: The Power of Food & Healing 1:29 – Mental Health & Choosing Healing 3:02 – Meet Cherie Calbom (The Juice Lady) 4:36 – Her Healing Journey Through Juicing 9:20 – The Western Diet Problem 13:11 – Losing Loved Ones & Health Wake-Up Call 17:11 – Why Fresh Juice Tastes Better Than Store Juice 20:23 – Energy, Fitness & Nutrition Connection 23:30 – Juicing Pioneers (Jack LaLanne & More) 25:56 – Working with George Foreman 29:17 – Protein, Diets & Longevity 32:35 – Veganism & Faith-Based Nutrition 36:27 – Food, Mood & Relationships 40:24 – Mental Health & Diet Connection 44:13 – The Truth About Medication vs Root Causes 47:04 – Supplements vs Diet (What Really Works) 48:07 – The Myth of Moderation 50:52 – Final Thoughts on Health & Lifestyle 53:05 – Healthy Girl Dad Movement 55:24 – Where to Find Cherie + Closing 🔔 Subscribe & Connect with I Choose Health:🎥 YouTube Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/@IChooseHealthPodcast ]💪 Fitness Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@mindcorefitness1 [https://www.youtube.com/@mindcorefitness1 ]📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ichoosehealthpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/ichoosehealthpodcast/]🎵 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ichoosehealthpodcast [https://www.tiktok.com/@ichoosehealthpodcast]🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://anchor.fm/mindcore-fitness [ https://anchor.fm/mindcore-fitness]🛍️ Shop Merch: https://bit.ly/45Xd3r0 [https://bit.ly/45Xd3r0] #JuicingForLife #CherieCalbom #SeedOils #NaturalHealing #HolisticHealth #PlantBased #Nutrition #MentalHealth #IChooseHealth #HealthyLiving #Juicing #WellnessJourney #HealthPodcast #VeganLifestyle #CleanEating