Tag: health & wellness

What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it’s fame and money, you’re not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you’re mistaken. As the director of 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.

Watch this video and learn of the 10 health morning habits that can help you with a stress free day….

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. In this critically important talk, clinical psychologist Julia Rucklidge explores a range of scientific research, including her own, showing the significant role played by nutrition in mental health or illness.

Julia J Rucklidge, PhD is a Professor of Clinical Psychology in the Department of Psychology at the University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand. Originally from Toronto, she did her training in neurobiology (McGill) and Clinical Psychology (University of Calgary). Her interests in nutrition and mental illness grew out of her own research showing poor outcomes for children with significant psychiatric illness despite receiving conventional treatments for their conditions. For the last 6 years, she has been investigating the role of micronutrients in the expression of mental illness, specifically ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, anxiety and more recently, stress and PTSD associated with the Canterbury earthquakes.

“I want you to understand that it is good to feel chilly,” Patrick Rensen says. Though there are different ways to burn calories, Rensen argues there is a fairly straightforward way to achieve this: lower the room temperature.

“Activating brown fat to burn 200 kcal per day,” says Rensen, “can translate to about three kilograms of weight loss per year. We are now investigating whether nutritional and pharmacological interventions may be effective as well.”

As a Professor of Endocrinology at Leiden University Medical Center, Rensen studies the role of sugar and fat metabolism in diabetes and heart disease. In particular, Rensen is investigating something called ‘brown fat’ which is different from the all too familiar ‘white fat’ that tends to collect around our middles. “We know that babies are born with brown fat,” says Rensen, “but we thought it disappeared after a few years…”

How might your life be better with less? Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, known to their 4 million readers as “The Minimalists,” are the executive producers of MINIMALISM, the #1 indie documentary of 2016. They spoke at TEDxFargo about the benefits of letting go and living a meaningful life with less. For more info about The Minimalists visit http://theminimalists.com

Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, known to their four million readers as “The Minimalists,” have written four books, including the bestselling memoir, Everything That Remains. They write about living a meaningful life with less stuff at TheMinimalists.com. Their new film, Minimalism, is currently the #1 documentary of 2016.

“Have you ever had a gut feeling or butterflies in your stomach? Has hunger ever changed your mood? Our bellies and brains are physically and biochemically connected in a number of ways, meaning the state of our intestines can alter the way our brains work and behave, giving a whole new meaning to ‘Food for thought’.

As a nutritionist, microbiologist and neuroscientist, Ruairi Robertson is passionate about the link between our bellies and brains. His research is examining how our intestines and the microbes within them can influence both physical and mental health, and most importantly how our diets influence this relationship. Ruairi has traveled the world researching food, and believes it is the key to global public health. Ruairi is a PhD student in University College Cork in Ireland and current Fulbright Scholar (2015/16) to Harvard University.

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Most of us know we should eat better, but we don’t do it. We are increasingly confused over nutrition with so many conflicting views, and we give scarce thought as to how we eat or our relationship with food. We can only bring about real change when we end this confusion and bring the joy back to food.

Adopted by the nation as an honorary Aussie, Dr Joanna McMillan’s ever-growing following is the result of her high profile within the media, health and fitness industries, and through her roles as Vice President of the Australian Lifestyle Medicine Association (ALMA), Ambassador for Diabetes Australia, and Ambassador for Australian Pineapples (to name a few).

As a teenager Dr Joanna discovered that the way she ate and how much she exercised significantly impacted on her energy levels, mood, self-esteem, appearance and, consequently, her outlook on life. She initially studied psychology but her love of exercise resulted in a 15-year career as a fitness instructor.

Having completed a Bachelor Degree in Science with First Class Honours in Nutrition and Dietetics, Dr Joanna moved to Australia and won a scholarship to complete her PhD with The University of Sydney in 1999.

Today, Dr Joanna is the founder of Get Lean, a regular on the Nine Network and the official nutritionist for TODAY. She is also the author of several books, has a weekly column in Sunday Life and a blogger for Woolworths Baby & Toddler Club.

Dr Joanna is a busy working mother, a tautology that provides her with an unwavering drive to teach people how to live a healthy and nutrition-filled life – yet one that doesn’t require obsessive or unrealistic attention in order to achieve it.

The philosophy of this down-to-earth Scot is simple. She believes that having a good healthy relationship with food is just as important as eating nutritious foods, and she regards food as more than the nutrients it contains; rather, it is part of our social connection, our culture and a great source of pleasure in life.

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Environment and health conscious entrepreneurs explain how eating healthy can save the environment as well. This married couple has spent their careers devoted to health, nutrition and the environment, working together as a duo developing many mission-driven organizations.

FIU alumni Brian Machovina ’91, MS ’94, and Eileen McHale ’93 are the inventors of Yonanas, a kitchen appliance that turns frozen fruits into a treat that looks and tastes like soft-serve ice cream, now sold in over 50 countries. The married couple has spent their careers devoted to health, nutrition and the environment, working together as a duo developing many mission-driven organizations. As founders of Nui, they developed healthy beverages for children, published an eco-nutrition fictional chapter book, and promoted the youth-oriented healthy-lifestyle brand through a variety of media and marketing programs. At Guayaki Sustainable Rainforest Products they helped develop new products and marketing efforts that supported a rainforest-grown tea become a leader of “market-driven conservation,” positioning the company as one of the hottest selling brands in natural foods. The duo co-developed a charity, Oasis Preserve International, which preserved rainforests in Latin America, guiding a board of directors consisting of leaders in the entertainment, foundation, and scientific communities. McHale is the creator and host of Dish with Eileen, a healthy foods cooking show sponsored by Yonanas broadcasting to students in schools and youth centers nationwide on the HOPSports Network. McHale attended culinary school in Los Angeles and is a former caterer and private chef, with a focus on healthy, creative, and delicious foods. Machovina is now completing a doctoral degree in biology at FIU where he studies ecological issues related to food security.

This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Anna Verhulst (23) is a fifth year medical student at Maastricht University, doing her internship in Eindhoven. She has a particular interest in the fields of oncology and sports medicine, but isn’t quite sure yet what kind of doctor she wants to become when she graduates in 2016.

Anna is a keen writer, sharing her experiences as a junior intern through columns, essays and opinion pieces. A selection of her publications can be found at annaverhulst.blogspot.nl. In between her internships, she is also involved in a research project that explores the possibilities of exercise rehabilitation in cancer survivors.

On stage at TEDx Maastricht 2014, Anna will share a story that she has purposely kept silent for a long time. It is a story that has nothing to do with her work as a medical student, researcher or writer. It is her personal story, for which she has finally worked up the courage to share it with the public.

In order to eat less, most think prohibitively: “I’m allowed these, but not those” or “I mustn’t eat any more.” This can create a disastrous relationship with food; perhaps complying initially, only to rebel later. Instead of obeying rules, what works is a strong sense of freedom… then making choices.

Gillian Riley is an author whose work focuses on the mindset behind overeating. She teaches techniques that break patterns of eating behavior, delivering control that lasts. Weight loss, when appropriate, is one of many benefits.

Motivated by the effectiveness of this approach, she’s inspired by the practical application of the theory into the everyday lives of those who struggle with food.

Based in Leicestershire, she has a worldwide clientele. Gillian has been delivering her EATING LESS seminars in London since 1997, and is currently creating an online version. Her books, EATING LESS, DITCHING DIETS and WILLPOWER are steady bestsellers