Reclaim Your Wonder: The Science of Play and Awe in Adult Health

Reclaim Your Wonder: The Science of Play and Awe in Adult Health

When did you last truly play? In this episode of FullerLiving, Dr. Ashitey explores the growing body of research on adult play,wonder, and awe and why these aren't luxuries. They're genuine health behaviorswith measurable effects on stress, resilience, mental health, and longevity. You'll learn: • Why playfulness remains stableacross the entire lifespan and what that means for you • What the science of"awe" reveals about stress, depression, and physical well-being • How a study of nearly 80,000adults found hobby engagement linked to a 29% reduction in mortality risk • What makes awe different fromother positive emotions and why it matters • One practical SMART goal tostart reclaiming play this week If you've been running on emptyand wondering why nothing feels quite enough, this episode might offer aperspective you haven't considered. Play is not the opposite ofhealth. It might be part of the foundation of it.

75 Episodes Later: It All Comes Back to This

What actually moves the needle when it comes to health? We’ve talked about blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, weight loss, stress, sleep, burnout, mindset, habits, and behavior change. While those may seem like separate conversations, they all point back to a few deeper patterns that influence how we feel, how we heal, and how we live. In this special Episode 75, I’m sharing the five themes that sit underneath almost every health conversation we’ve had on this podcast: * How your environment shapes your health * Why awareness is the foundation of change * Why consistency beats intensity every time * The connection between health and the way we live * Why fuller living is about capacity, not perfection If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by conflicting health advice, frustrated by quick fixes, or stuck in the cycle of starting over, this episode will help you zoom out and focus on what truly matters. Because sustainable health isn’t built through hacks, extremes, or perfection. It’s built through awareness, intention, consistency, and the small choices we make every day. In This Episode: * The hidden ways your environment affects your health * Why information alone doesn’t create change * The real reason motivation isn’t enough * How stress, relationships, purpose, and rest influence wellbeing * What it means to build capacity instead of chasing perfection * A simple SMART goal to help you reflect and take action this week If this episode encouraged you, please share it with a friend, leave a review, and subscribe so you never miss an episode.

When Life Feels Heavy

Why does life feel so emotionally heavy right now? In this episode of Fuller Living with Dr. Ashitey, we explore the growing emotional exhaustion many people are quietly carrying in modern life and why so many feel mentally overloaded, overstimulated, and depleted even while continuing to function. Dr. Ashitey discusses: * Mental overload and constant information consumption * Chronic stress and nervous system exhaustion * Why many people are functioning but not truly recovering * The emotional effects of modern life and overstimulation * Loneliness, disconnection, and emotional isolation * The connection between stress, recovery, and wellbeing * What people genuinely need more of in this season of life This episode is a grounded and compassionate conversation about emotional heaviness, burnout, recovery, and what it means to care for our mental and emotional health in an overwhelming world. If you’ve been feeling tired in a deeper way lately… this conversation is for you.

Where Trauma Lives: Understanding the Nervous System, Survival Patterns & Healing

Trauma has become a major buzzword in today’s culture. But what does trauma actually mean? And how does it affect the mind, body, relationships, and nervous system? In this episode of Fuller Living with Dr. Ashitey, we explore trauma in a grounded, compassionate, and evidence-based way—beyond social media trends and stereotypes. Dr. Ashitey discusses: * What trauma actually is * How trauma affects the nervous system and body * Why trauma responses are often misunderstood * Hyper-independence, people pleasing, perfectionism, and over-functioning * How survival responses can become normalized patterns * The connection between trauma, anxiety, stress, and emotional safety * Why healing often begins with safety instead of shame This episode is not about labeling people as broken. It’s about understanding how overwhelming experiences can shape the ways people think, cope, relate, and survive—and why awareness can be the beginning of healing. If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who may need it and don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast.

Faith and Medicine: The Missing Link in Healing

Does faith belong in medicine? In this episode of Fuller Living with Dr. Ashitey, we explore the intersection of faith, spirituality, and health through both science and lived human experience. Why has medicine often struggled to talk about faith and healing? And what happens when we ignore the emotional, relational, and spiritual parts of being human? In this conversation, Dr. Ashitey discusses: * Herbert Benson’s research on stress and the nervous system * Viktor Frankl’s work on meaning and resilience * The connection between faith, community, and healing * Why loneliness and chronic stress affect health more than many realize * The growing shift toward whole-person care in medicine This is not a conversation about replacing medicine with faith. It’s a thoughtful discussion about healing, hope, meaning, and the ways human connection may shape health more deeply than we once understood. If this episode resonated with you, share it with someone who may need it and don’t forget to follow, rate, and review the podcast.