Rebellious Wellness Lifestyle

The Meraki Project: A New Framework for Women Navigating Life's Biggest Shifts

When a health event, financial shift, or relationship change hits, most support systems treat each issue in isolation. The Meraki Project [https://www.merakidignity.com], founded by Stephanie Geprges, was built on research with 1,000 women to do the opposite — centering dignity, connection, and agency at life's hardest inflection points. In this episode: • Why midlife transitions never stay in their lane — and why that matters for how we get help • What dignity actually means, and why it's more useful than empowerment as an organizing principle • The $38 trillion wealth transfer to women — and why so much wellness noise is pointed directly at midlife women • How the Meraki Project platform works, including Sophie the AI navigator • The Dignity Report: how aggregate data becomes a tool for systemic change • Clarity → Confidence → Agency: the framework at the heart of the platform The beta is open now at merakidignity.com [https://www.merakidignity.com] — no cost, no coaching, no advice. Just your experience contributing to something that's trying to get this right.

Can Breathwork Really Clear Trauma? Jon Paul Crimi on Circular Connected Breathing

If breathwork sounds like a lot of work to you, we’re in the same boat. I have tried it a couple of times, once in a room filled with others seeking transformation of some kind, once in a small room with five “regulars” at this particular studio. Neither time did I feel I was going it “right.” Is there a right way? I asked JP if my resistance was just a matter of “this isn’t for everyone.” His answer surprised me. According to JP, you've been breathing your whole life, you're probably doing it wrong — and it's costing you more than you think. Breathwork pioneer Jon Paul Crimi joins the show to explain why shallow breathing is emotional avoidance, how 30 minutes of circular connected breathing can clear what years of therapy haven't, and why the results are immediate and undeniable. What You'll Hear * Why most of us breathe shallow — and the emotional reason behind it * The science of how breathwork processes stuck emotion and generational trauma * What actually happens in one of JP's sessions * Why self-love is the work, not the reward * Purpose vs. happiness — and why the distinction matters Connect with Jon Paul Crimi breathewithjp.com [https://www.breathewithjp.com/] | Sunday live classes — first session $19

Medicare Without the Mystery: What to Know Before and After 65

Medicare is one of the most consequential — and confusing — decisions you'll face as you approach 65. In this episode, Greg sits down with Danielle Roberts, co-founder of Boomer Benefits and author of 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make, for a clear-eyed breakdown of how Medicare actually works. From the structural difference between Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage, to the one-time Medigap enrollment window most people miss, to the income-based premium surcharges that can blindside high earners — this conversation gives you the roadmap to make smarter decisions, earlier. About Danielle Roberts Danielle Roberts is the co-founder of Boomer Benefits, [https://boomerbenefits.com] an independent insurance agency helping people in 49 states navigate Medicare. Over two decades and more than 100,000 policyholders, Danielle and her team have built their practice around making a complex federal program simple and accessible. She is the author of the bestselling book 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make and hosts free public webinars walking people through enrollment step by step. Key Takeaways * Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage are fundamentally different products. Original Medicare (Parts A and B) provides nationwide access to any Medicare provider. Medicare Advantage works like group health insurance — network-based, usually lower premiums, less flexibility. Today the two options split the market roughly 50/50, with Advantage plans slightly edging ahead. * Your initial enrollment window is seven months, and the clock is running. It opens three months before your 65th birthday and closes three months after. Missing it triggers permanent late penalties on Parts B and D. * The Medigap underwriting window is a one-time, six-month opportunity. Starting from your Part B effective date, you have six months to enroll in any Medigap plan with no medical underwriting. After that window closes, insurers can decline you based on health history. * Plan G is currently the most comprehensive Medigap option. It covers everything except the Part B deductible ($283 in 2026). Once that's paid for the year, your out-of-pocket costs for covered services are effectively zero — regardless of what medical events occur. * Skipping Part D drug coverage carries a permanent penalty. Every month without qualifying coverage adds 1% to your Part D premium for life. Even if you take few medications, maintaining a low-cost plan protects you from both penalties and unexpected drug costs. * The donut hole is gone — but Part D is still worth understanding. Under the Inflation Reduction Act, out-of-pocket drug costs are now capped at $2,100 annually (2026). All plans must cover six mandatory medication classes, including cancer, anti-depressants, and antiretrovirals. * High earners pay more for Medicare — and can plan around it. IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) can push Part B premiums to over $600/month per person based on income from two years prior. Financial decisions at 63–64 — IRA distributions, capital gains, severance — can significantly affect what you pay. * Start your Medicare research at 64½. Give yourself six months to learn before you need to decide. Arriving at enrollment with knowledge under your belt changes the entire conversation with a broker. Resources & Links * Boomer Benefits: https://boomerbenefits.comboomerbenefits.com [https://boomerbenefits.com] * Book: 10 Costly Medicare Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make [https://www.amazon.com/Costly-Medicare-Mistakes-Cant-Afford/dp/B0F7NDP6Z3/ref=sr_1_1?crid=4RFS07ZF9O5E&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.tXk7DIdkgkigw90HBjcDK_s-BPAr8wqypUhE6dRPl-XbXpo_NYUghqKIerjdhdl7KkjlV_evWhAA4hQCopEppJyUMgp3SAV2Z1XBFQwoYLVxWqNCI5Vc36S97lXN_slH_tF2ORd3aCf2IksSgLuaqRhCUGz312-XAo7aFejbkHmZm5VoYlVwLBRXRfmbo7N51tH3TuBT7W4ERwttLZsOyPtrOpYhafL-9yrTCJVzAOc.57fqPiAZuB4zNTaf_ULRejph1j3g4brjO-lw-2rlQU0&dib_tag=se&keywords=10+Costly+Medicare+Mistakes+You+Can%27t+Afford+to+Make&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1778097945&s=books&sprefix=10+costly+medicare+mistakes+you+can%27t+afford+to+make%2Cstripbooks%2C128&sr=1-1] — available on Amazon * Medicare's official website: medicare.gov [https://www.medicare.gov] * Your state's Department of Insurance website — search your state name + "Department of Insurance"

Slam Into the Wall: What Real Longevity Looks Like with “Dr. G”

What does aging well actually look like—and who gets to define it? In this episode, Greg is joined by Dr. Golnosh Sharafsaleh, a triple board-certified physician in geriatric medicine, family medicine, and lifestyle medicine, whose approach to aging turns the conventional medical model on its head. From reframing the very language we use around getting older, to a frank conversation about end-of-life planning and quality of life over quantity, Dr. G brings clarity, science, and personal depth to one of the most important conversations we can have. Her message: aging is not a disease, decline is not inevitable, and your elderhood deserves a plan. ABOUT DR. G Dr. G practiced for years within traditional academic medicine before developing her own patient-centered health framework, built around what actually matters to each person. She practices in Asheville, North Carolina, and founded Geri Academy to expand access to her approach to healthy aging. At 46, she has navigated her own health journey—including bilateral hip replacement due to congenital hip dysplasia—and brings both clinical expertise and lived experience to her work. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Aging is not a disease. The World Health Organization classifies aging as a disease process—Dr. G disagrees. Cellular change and transformation across the life spectrum are natural. Disease and aging are distinct, even when they intersect. * Elderhood is the right word. Geriatrician Louise Aronson’s [https://louisearonson.com/]framework—childhood, adulthood, elderhood—gives language that honors the final third of life rather than diminishing it. Each stage carries equal weight and deserves intentional planning. * The longevity trap is real. The goal isn’t the longest possible lifespan—it’s the most functional, independent one. Dr. G’s mantra: “I don’t want to ease into death. I want to slam into the wall and die.” Supplements and biohacks aren’t the answer; the foundational pillars of lifestyle medicine are. * What matters to you comes first. Before any medical recommendation, Dr. G asks patients what matters to them. That answer shapes everything else. It’s not traditional medicine—and that’s the point. * Gait speed is the sixth vital sign. Research supports slower walking speed as a meaningful predictor of morbidity and mortality. Functional strength—getting up off the floor, carrying groceries, maintaining balance—matters more than gym performance metrics. * Functional strength is use-it-or-lose-it, but recoverable. Both Greg and Dr. G share personal experiences of noticing strength loss and regaining it quickly with intentional movement. The message: it’s never too late, but it’s always better not to stop. WHAT YOU’LL HEAR * Dr. G’s origin story: a childhood spent with elders, a best friend at age 80, and why geriatrics was always the destination * The shift from conventional academic medicine to patient-centered, integrative geriatric care * Why the language we use around aging matters—and the case for “elderhood” * Aging as transformation, not disease—and what that shift requires of medicine and culture * Dr. G’s HEALTH framework: How you age, Energy, Activity, Longevity, Transformation, Habits * Gait speed as a vital sign, functional strength as a daily practice, and why Dr. G refuses to let her patients use handicap placards they don’t need * The real cost of cancer treatment that prioritizes length over quality—and when enough is enough * A deeply personal story about making end-of-life decisions for a child, and what another mother’s grief taught Dr. G about medicine’s limits * Advance directives, family conversations, and why planning before crisis is an act of love RESOURCES & LINKS Dr. G’s website: GeriAcademy.com [https://geriacademy.com/] Book mentioned: Elderhood by Louise Aronson [https://louisearonson.com/books/elderhood/] Author mentioned: Eckhart Tolle [https://eckharttolle.com/]

Choosing to Die: One Daughter's Story of Her Mother's Assisted Death

Medical assistance in dying is one of the most consequential — and least discussed — health decisions a family can face. Theresa Evans, critical care nurse and author of Choosing to Die, sat with Greg to talk about the three and a half months she spent by her mother's side in Canada as her mother chose MAID (Medical Assistance in Dying). The conversation covers the legal landscape, the family dynamics, the anticipatory grief of knowing the exact date, and — most importantly — why having these conversations now, before you need to, changes everything. ABOUT THERESA EVANS Theresa Evans [https://theresaeevans.com/blog/introduction-from-choosing-to-die/a9lva3] is a critical care nurse, international educator, and the author of Choosing to Die: A Daughter's Story of Supporting Her Mother's End of Life Through Assisted Death. Having spent decades at the bedside witnessing both good and difficult deaths, Theresa brings a rare combination of clinical fluency and personal candor to one of medicine's most sensitive topics. She lives in the United States and divides her time between nursing education and advocacy for informed end-of-life choice. KEY TAKEAWAYS * Knowing your options reduces fear. Once Theresa's mother understood that MAID was available to her, she stopped fixating on future suffering and refocused on the time she had left. The option itself became a source of peace. * MAID in Canada vs. the US looks very different. Canada permits intravenous administration by a physician; the 13 US states (plus Washington DC) where it is legal require patients to self-administer orally — a critical distinction, especially for those with progressive conditions like ALS. * Two independent physicians must approve. In Canada, the patient must be evaluated and deemed appropriate by two separate physicians before MAID can proceed. The process is deliberate, not automatic. * Anticipatory grief is its own experience. Knowing the date — November 15th, her mother's 80th birthday — meant living three months of grief before the death itself. Theresa writes honestly about how disorienting and unexpectedly clarifying that was. * Advanced directives are a gift to the people you love. Theresa, at 66 with her 75-year-old husband, has already completed her own DPOA for healthcare and finances. She makes the case that waiting until a crisis is too late — and that even grown children may resist these conversations. * You can do hard things. Theresa's takeaway isn't about MAID specifically — it's about showing up without an agenda. Her experience taught her that she could hold enormous difficulty with love and without pushing her own outcomes onto someone else. WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT * How Theresa raised the option of MAID with her mother — and what her mother did with it * The difference between MAID as practiced in Canada and in the US states where it is legal * Why her devoutly Catholic mother called a nun before making her decision — and what happened * How the family navigated disclosure: who knew, who didn't, and why * The role Theresa's nursing background played in being the family's "death sister" * How a complicated mother-daughter relationship healed over four decades — and at the end * What Greg's own experience with a dying stepfather revealed about forgiveness and apology * VSED (voluntary stopping of eating and drinking) as an alternative available to anyone * Why the garden became a metaphor for everything the family was living through * How to start having end-of-life conversations with people you love — now, not later * Resources & Links * Theresa's book: Choosing to Die: A Daughter's Story of Supporting Her Mother's End of Life Through Assisted Death * Follow her in IG [https://www.instagram.com/stonepathpress_/] * Website: choosingtodie.com [https://choosingtodie.com/] * MAID legal status in the US: Currently legal in 13 states and Washington DC, with approximately 12 additional states with legislation in progress * VSED: Voluntary stopping of eating and drinking — a legal option available to any patient in any state, typically in the context of hospice or palliative care CONNECT WITH THE REBELLIOUS WELLNESS LIFESTYLE PODCAST * Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts * Share this episode with someone navigating end-of-life decisions in their family * Leave a review — it helps more people find the show. Need help? Here are step by step directions [https://rebelliouswellnesslifestyle.com/leave-a-review-instructions/]