Joy, Music, & Dancing As Longevity Tools

Joy, Music, & Dancing As Longevity Tools

Joy is not a luxury, it is biology. That’s the thread we pull with Tina Woods, a globally recognized longevity expert and social entrepreneur who started DJing at 60 and turned a dance floor into a living laboratory.  On today's episode we talk about why healing has many doorways, and why music, dancing, community, & joy might be one of the most underrated ways to support longevity, resilience, and a longer health span. Here's some of what we're covering today: • Tina’s path from genetics and medical education to longevity science, tech, and policy • Why health span matters more than “living forever” and the question of what makes a life worth living • The personal shift that led Tina to become a DJ at age 60 • The case for measuring joy as a health metric alongside steps and sleep  • Loneliness, social disconnection, and the exposome as drivers of modern disease risk • Sound, BPM, brain states, and wearable EEG tools used during dancing and raves • Plus simple ways to bring more dancing and connection into everyday life If you’ve ever felt that “electric” shift in your body when the right song hits, this conversation puts language and emerging science around that experience. I hope you enjoy today's episode and please remember to subscribe to the Ground and Root Podcast, share this with a friend who needs more joy, and leave a review so more people can find us. More about today's guest & how to connect with her: Tina Woods is a globally recognized longevity expert and social entrepreneur working at the intersection of science, technology and policy. She is Founder and CEO of Collider Health [https://www.colliderhealth.com/] and Business for Health [https://www.businessforhealth.org/], Executive Director of the International Institute of Longevity [https://l-institute.com/] (IIOL), and as a Steering Committee member of the Human Exposome Project [https://exposomemoonshot.org/] a leading voice in the emerging field of the human exposome — understanding how environment, lifestyle and connection shape long-term health and resilience. She brings together academia, business and government to drive system change from ‘sickcare’ to prevention — while also living her message as founder of Longevity Rave [https://www.longevityrave.world/], leader of the JoyScore Experiment [https://www.longevityrave.world/the-joyscore-experiment] and DJ Tina Technotic [https://www.instagram.com/tina.technotic/]. Tina sits on various advisory groups, including the XPRIZE Global Visioneering Brain Trust [https://www.xprize.org/about/people/tina-woods] and Global Commission on Healthy Indoor Air [https://resources.wellcertified.com/press-releases/global-commission-on-healthy-indoor-air-launches-at-the-united-nations-to-drive-action-to-improve-indoor-air/]. Tina’s book, Live Longer with AI: How artificial intelligence is helping us extend our healthspan and live better too  [https://www.amazon.com/Live-Longer-artificial-intelligence-healthspan/dp/1838646159]was published  in October 2020. 🌿 Let's Connect 🌿 Explore Coaching [https://groundandroot.com/the-healing-accelerator] Join Us On Substack [https://substack.com/@dionnedetraz]  Watch Episodes on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@groundandroot.nutrition]  Follow Us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/groundandroot.healing/]

What If Coherence Is The Real Medicine

Your healing plan doesn’t need to be perfect, it needs to be yours.  This month on the podcast, we’re exploring a simple framework I'm calling the “Doorways to Healing”. It's built around one big idea: energetic coherence & finding the path that will enhance your coherence.  When your cells and systems communicate clearly across the physical body, the nervous system, and your emotional and energetic layers, you create the conditions for balance, repair, harmony, and vitality in the body.  When coherence breaks down, the body gets pulled toward inflammation, stress physiology, and the kind of mis-signaling that can support disease...including cancer. In today's episode, we walk through the first three doorways, starting with the most practical paths related to our physical wellness. Here's some of what we're covering today: • First an overview of the framework of coherence across physical, emotional, spiritual, and energetic layers  • Removing disruptors & stressors like toxins, inflammation, blood sugar issues, infections, chronic stress, and stuck emotions so the body can heal itself...as one doorway. • Deepening nourishment through real food, plant allies, herbs, supplements, sleep, and self-care as another doorway. • Movement as yet another doorway to healing through exercise, walking, strength, yoga, tai chi, qigong, dance, and vibration. If this gives you a clearer starting point for your healing journey please subscribe, share the episode with someone who needs some renewed hope and structure, and leave a review so more people can find the show. 👉 Resources mentioned on today's episode: 1- Previous Podcast Episode with Dean on Exercise as a Doorway [https://groundandrootpodcast.buzzsprout.com/2539990/episodes/18584191-from-leukemia-to-lymphoma-to-life-dean-hall-on-the-power-of-resilience-nature-purpose] 2- Previous Podcast Episode with Kylie on Building Muscle [https://groundandrootpodcast.buzzsprout.com/2539990/episodes/18507040-building-muscle-to-age-well-reduce-cancer-risk] 3- Previous Podcast Episode with Lauren on Sound Healing [https://groundandrootpodcast.buzzsprout.com/2539990/episodes/18740519-can-vibration-enhance-healing-a-survivor-s-journey-to-coherence-calm] 🌿 Let's Connect 🌿 Explore Coaching [https://groundandroot.com/the-healing-accelerator] Join Us On Substack [https://substack.com/@dionnedetraz]  Watch Episodes on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@groundandroot.nutrition]  Follow Us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/groundandroot.healing/]

A 3-Step Holistic Plan For Stronger Immune Function & Cancer Prevention

Your immune system doesn’t just need more support, it needs the right kind of support in the right order.  We’re continuing our cancer prevention and immune system series with a simple 3-step system we use with clients to rebalance immune function and strengthen cancer surveillance...without making your life feel like a full-time wellness project. Here's some of what we're covering today: • how calming the stress response can move you out of fight-or-flight and back towards healing • grounding and nature breaks as fast nervous system support • breathwork plus herbs, flower remedies, and scent for regulation • raising positive emotions through gratitude, fun, laughter, and connection • the nutrients & foods necessary for white blood cell building & immune nourishment • deep restorative sleep, circadian rhythm habits, & lifestyle strategies that can further support immune function  • deeper emotional healing for stored trauma and stuck emotions • using blood work & functional labs to monitor immune function & dive deeper into what might be impacting it We can all use a little extra immune love. I hope today's episode inspires you with practical ways you can help your immune system work better. And if this helps you think differently about immune support and cancer prevention, please subscribe, share the show with someone you love, and leave a review so more people can find these conversations. 🙏 🌿 Let's Connect 🌿 Explore Coaching [https://groundandroot.com/the-healing-accelerator] Join Us On Substack [https://substack.com/@dionnedetraz]  Watch Episodes on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@groundandroot.nutrition]  Follow Us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/groundandroot.healing/]

East Asian Medicine Tools For Immune Resilience And Cancer Prevention

Your immune system is doing quiet, relentless work every day, and when it struggles, it shows up as more than just “getting sick.” It can look like poor recovery, chronic inflammation, constant fatigue, or a body that can’t downshift out of stress long enough to heal. That’s why I’m so focused on immune function and immune surveillance as a core cancer prevention strategy, and why I wanted an expert voice from outside nutrition to widen the lens.  On today's episode I’m joined by Dr. Jennifer Ashby, a doctor of East Asian medicine, licensed acupuncturist, and herbalist, to translate classic concepts into practical, modern language.  Here's some of what we're covering today: • how East Asian medicine maps “defensive” immunity through Wei Chi • why exposure to wind, cold, damp, heat, and dryness is a useful model for barrier health • lungs as an immune commander tied to breathing, skin, pores, and respiratory capacity • spleen as an immune factory tied to digestion, gut health, and food-to-energy conversion • kidneys as an immune battery storing Jing and what “push-through” energy costs • practical ways to support immunity with sleep, hydration, movement, and breathwork • emotional patterns linked to organs, including worry with digestion and fear with kidneys • Dr. Ashby’s upcoming book The Energy Prescription and why fundamentals beat biohacks --> coming in October 2026!! If this conversation helps you, please subscribe & share it with someone who needs a steadier energy baseline, and leave a review so more people can find these tools. 🙏 More about today's guest & how to connect with her: Jennifer Ashby is a leading doctor of East Asian medicine, board-certified and licensed acupuncturist and herbalist in San Francisco, California. She is the co-founder and one of the lead clinicians at the prominent Lotus Center, a senior acupuncturist at the UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Health, and leading voice on integrative East Asian medicine and the role of Eastern medicine in lifestyle, disease, and epigenetics. 👉 Website: https://www.drjenniferashby.com/ [https://www.drjenniferashby.com/]  👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjenashby/ [https://www.instagram.com/drjenashby/] 👉 TEDx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nRkzuN_j4o&t=3s [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nRkzuN_j4o&t=3s] 🌿 Let's Connect 🌿 Explore Coaching [https://groundandroot.com/the-healing-accelerator] Join Us On Substack [https://substack.com/@dionnedetraz]  Watch Episodes on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@groundandroot.nutrition]  Follow Us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/groundandroot.healing/]

Immune Surveillance 101

Your immune system is not just your cold and flu defense. It is also your front line cancer prevention system, running immune surveillance every day to spot abnormal cells and clear them before they can take hold.  This month we are diving deeper into immune support and in today's episode we are starting with what happens when that surveillance weakens. We walk through how cancer can start from normal cells that accumulate DNA damage, fail to repair, and avoid apoptosis. Then we zoom out to the real question so many people are asking: why does immune function get impaired in the first place? Here's some of what we're covering today: • why immune surveillance is a key defense against recurrence risk • how sugar intake can directly suppress immune function for hours • ultra processed foods, inflammation, and microbiome disruption • alcohol patterns that lower immune response including binge drinking • chronic stress, cortisol, and reduced immune surveillance • sleep deprivation and disrupted circadian rhythm as immune suppressors • the emotional trauma link to longer term immune suppression • how chronic infection and chronic irritation can create a cancer friendly environment • plus simple self assessment & monitoring options If this helped you think differently about immune support and cancer prevention, subscribe, share the show with someone you love, and leave a review so more people can find these conversations. 🙏 🌿 Let's Connect 🌿 Explore Coaching [https://groundandroot.com/the-healing-accelerator] Join Us On Substack [https://substack.com/@dionnedetraz]  Watch Episodes on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@groundandroot.nutrition]  Follow Us on Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/groundandroot.healing/]