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In this episode, Sachin interviews Dr. Elena Villanueva on her journey from chiropractic to holistic health practitioner. She shares some of her origin and the health crisis that cost her three sports medicine centers and her home before she recovered.
Listen to learn more about the Holistic Health practices of Dr. Elena Villanueva.Key Takeaways:
[1:01] Sachin introduces today’s guest, Dr. Elena Villanueva. Dr. Elena runs an amazing practice that brings the best of ancient wisdom and modern science together to help people have their deepest healing and feel amazing even when all other things have failed.
[1:42] ModernHolisticHealth.com is where you can learn more about her work.
[1:49] Sachin will ask Dr. Elena to unpack her recipe for growth, persistence, and success, and share with us how we can build a practice that we love, that gets amazing outcomes, and that has an awesome impact in the community, and build an amazing team that does great work.
[2:33] Sachin welcomes Dr. Elena to Perfect Practice.
[3:04] Dr. Elena’s biggest challenge has keeping her personal life and lifestyle as her “number one.” She starts working and she can just go, go, go, like a racecar. Before you know it, the wheels are coming off the car because she put herself on the back burner.
[3:51] Her biggest rewards have been when she sat down and took time to get right with herself, reprioritize her values, and get a deeper understanding of how she can have longevity in this type of work.
[4:24] Dr. Elena aspired to be in the health field from the time she was six or seven years old. Her stepfather was a surgeon. Her uncle is a surgeon. All her uncles are in the medical field. She wanted to be like them, helping people, and making a difference.
[4:49] In her pre-teens, Elena started going to the clinic with her dad, getting patients ready to be seen. As a teenager, she was with him in his plane, flying to border towns to do charity cataract surgeries for the farmers. She helped him in the surgery room.
[5:39] Elena developed a love for helping people. That led her to go to chiropractic school to learn to do things in a more natural way. At the time, she didn’t know about naturopathic school or she might have gone in that direction. That’s the essence of the work she does today.
[6:03] After chiropractic school Dr. Elena had three successful sports medicine practices in the Austin, Texas area but she ended up getting very sick. Her father had just passed on and she had no advocate to help her. She was ashamed to tell anyone she was suffering.
[6:41] Dr. Elena was so sick she almost died. She lost her three practices and her home. She lived in her car but didn’t share with anyone what had happened to her because she carried a lot of shame.
[7:03] Dr. Elena survived. She experienced a lot of miracles along the way and says miracles are always there if you’re looking for them. She had a big shift that led her to where she is today. She went back into practice with opportunities to cover for other doctors on maternity leave.
[7:33] Dr. Elena rediscovered her love for being in the health and wellness field, this time, doing more holistic and functional-type care rather than strictly the biomechanics of the back and neck. She discovered her purpose for what she is supposed to do, and that’s why she is here.
[8:03] It has been a beautiful ride, but it’s not always easy. It presents itself with challenges. If we can become conscious of the common challenges, we can overcome them and we can complete our mission or whatever it is we believe that we’re here to do.
[8:23] Sachin points out the many similarities between Dr. Elena’s journey and his own, including the unwellness he experienced and thought was normal before discovering functional medicine. Informed decisions bring better outcomes.
[9:57] Dr. Elena found out that there was a combination of factors that had led to her becoming ill and unable to heal. That is what she teaches today in her five-part series. She had had a combination of toxins in her body, including mold. She wasn‘t eating the right foods.
[10:40] She was burning the candle at both ends so she had a lot of physical and mental stress running three clinics as a single mother. She worked super hard to build security. Her choices, combined with toxins in her environment, and unresolved trauma, led to massive dysbiosis.
[12:11] Dr. Elena also suffered fatigue, brain fog, and back pain, She went down quickly with some severe symptoms and conditions. Doctors didn’t know what to do for her. She had severe bleeding for about two years. The doctors wanted to cut out her reproductive organs.
[12:55] Looking back, she sees it was a lot of grief being processed. She lost her memory gradually. She developed complete aphasia and severe gut issues. She had to take things to help her sleep and to help her massive panic attacks that she thought were heart attacks.[13:47] She experienced massive headaches, emotional breakdowns, massive depression, and rashes all over her body. It felt like everything that could go wrong was going wrong.
[15:10] Dr. Elena talks about how her experiences help her as she reaches out to others through an educational five-part series, starting with the Beyond the Pill Masterclass, and the Mental Health Masterclass, exploring the root causes of problems and offering solutions that work.
[16:24] Dr. Elena’s experiences also show up in her practice. Everyone who works for Dr. Elena first came to her because they saw her teaching when she shared a part of her story when she found that our mess is really our message. Her story can inspire audiences and practitioners.
[17:53] Dr. Elena’s approach incorporates a multi-faceted system addressing the conscious and the unconscious mind, the belief systems, the mindset and the stories that we create, and the unprocessed emotions and trauma, as well as the physical facets of who we are.
[18:21] The physical aspects are explored through bloodwork and labs, to help guide the bio-individual needs of their foods, lifestyle choices, and manner of exercise, supplements, and protocols to work on for the different organ systems of their body.
[19:34] Modern Holistic Health has a six-pillar system: Personal, Business, Marketing, Sales, Lifestyle, and Integration. Personal comes at the top, as she learned from her very successful mentors. She applies the Personal to her team, helping them to develop themselves.
[20:27] Dr. Elena believes that the degree of success that you can see in your business is directly correlated to your personal development and growth. Success to us doesn’t just mean money. What happens if you’re healthy in the money section, but not in the relationship section?
[21:12] A lot of people have a bad relationship with money. They generate money but later they have nothing to show for it. They don’t know how to invest their money, build their portfolio, or be better stewards of the money they make. This is under the Personal pillar.
[21:45] Personal is the first of the six pillars and Dr. Elena teaches a lot of personal development. Dr. Elena sees that as a gap in a lot of practitioner certification courses and masterminds. Dr. Elena has a lot of breakthroughs with her practitioners on that.
[22:11] The second pillar is Business. What are the foundations and the values upon which we are building our business? Why are we doing the business? It’s important that what we are doing with our business is in alignment with our value systems. Know basic business strategies.
[23:01] Building a solid foundation is important so you can get to that million-dollar mark and beyond it. What worked for you to get to $500,000 isn’t necessarily the same structure that will get you from $500,000 to $1,000,000, from a million to two million, and so on.
[23:47] One of the biggest mistakes practitioners make is that they try to grow wide quickly rather than focusing on growing deep roots first. Be involved in and understand every bit of your processes, in the beginning. Know that Version One is not going to be the final process.
[24:42] You need to be on top of your processes. When you scale to the next level, if your processes are not solid, and you’re not deep-rooted in your processes, that’s where things will go sideways really quickly and you could end up losing money without even knowing it.
[25:03] Dr. Elena teaches her practitioners to develop a mindset of curiosity and excitement around the processes. If you dread working on your processes, you are saying to the universe, “I don’t want this anymore,” and something will happen to mess up what you’re trying to build.
[25:38] The other four pillars are Marketing, Sales, Lifestyle, and Integration. Building the right team around you that has the same values is part of integration. Integration is key. That is where you get the real growth. Integrate all the parts for long-term business success.
[30:12] Modern Holistic Health has an organizational chart showing who is on each team. Dr. Elena tracks metrics and KPIs of the top things each member of each team is responsible for doing. She has them fill out a questionnaire to assess their values every year.
[31:20] Annual assessments help Dr. Elena to know if employees are still a good fit in the practice, should be promoted, moved, or go somewhere else. This is vital to the success of the business. Implement a process like this from the beginning, with a chart, to be able to scale.
[35:48] Dr. Elena believes it is important to invest in your team members’ professional development. It’s expensive; structure it so that if they leave your organization shortly after your investment in them, they owe you back the money you paid for their training.
[42:16] Dr. Elena has experienced stress when someone wasn’t meeting their metrics and she found it hard to fire them. Now she sees that if someone is not doing well, they know it and they’re not happy in their job, so it’s easy to fire them. Help them find a job where they fit.
[43:31] Dr. Elena speaks of having kept people in the practice for too long. It was bad for the business. After firing them, the business rebounded like a rubber band. Don’t keep people that hold your business back. They’re not happy, either. Let them go sooner rather than later.
[46:09] Dr. Elena has been super blessed to attract amazing mentors who have also been amazing friends to her. She has burned through a lot of money hiring mentors and joining masterminds. She feels a lot of gaps with practitioners in the personal development area.
[47:38] About two-and-a-half years ago, Modern Holistic Health hired their most recent business coach. After spending about $85,000 on him, they realized he wasn’t delivering what he promised, which was to help them set up a C-Suite and investors. Dr. Elena says this is rampant.
[49:41] Dr. Elena has probably spent $250,000 hiring people who didn’t help them. Ask for referrals from people who are where you want to be. Don’t get your referrals from somebody promoting themselves on stage but from people who have hired the best themselves.
[50:42] Dr. Elena speaks of some practitioners paying to go to an event and leaving feeling overwhelmed, having gotten little pearls of advice but not enough to connect the dots and implement in their practice, leaving a gap.
[51:08] Dr. Elena says the program she has put together is something that fills those gaps for practitioners. She also comments on the success of Sachin’s Metabolic Program. Besides the program she offers, she helps practitioners with their personal development.
[52:05] A big reason why people are not breaking the $250K or the $500K mark is their own limiting belief system. It’s not all just about the mechanics of building out the right SOPs and hiring the right people. It’s about what’s going on with your money mindset.
[52:30] Modern Holistic Health, is filling in the gap with a lot of personal development tools and breakthrough tools. She speaks of just finishing a week-long Level 1 Breakthrough event that took people through amazing blocks and limiting belief breakthroughs.
[53:15] One of Dr. Elena’s clients at the Breakthrough last week just sold one of her clients a $12K Breakthrough on the same tools she had learned in the Breakthrough.
[53:47] Certain practitioners have money mindset issues and limiting beliefs. Dr. Elena helps them to break through those blocks and limits. She sits with them, looks at where their process is breaking, puts together a process for them, and asks them to follow up in eight weeks.
[55:37] Dr. Elena has been diving into esoteric studies and is excited to explore spiritual experiences with mature women, traveling to ancient, megalithic sites and gathering in a community with like-minded women to live their lives in head-heart coherence.
[57:24] Practitioners and mentors can learn about Dr. Elena’s work by visiting ModernHolisticHealth.com and @ModernHolisticHealth on YouTube with case studies and teachings on things from bioenergetics to hormones to epigenetics.
[58:33] Sachin thanks Dr. Elena for the conversation today. Here’s to an amazing year ahead helping people in the capacity that brings you the absolute most joy. Dr. Elena sends the same wishes to Sachin and everyone listening to this episode of Perfect Practice.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Dr. Elena Villanueva
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
Tweetables:
“If we can become conscious of the common challenges, we can overcome them and we can complete our mission or whatever it is that we believe we’re here to do.” — Dr. Elena Villanueva
“The degree of success that you can see in your business is directly correlated to your personal development and your personal growth.” — Dr. Elena Villanueva
“Know that Version One is not going to be the final process. You may go through 10 versions of how you want your front office, whether it’s virtual or a physical office, to operate each day and the checklist of what you want them to do first.” — Dr. Elena Villanueva
“Integration is not optional, it’s key. That is where you get the real growth. We need to integrate all of the parts, all the things that I just talked about.” — Dr. Elena Villanueva
“A players only want to work with A players and B players only want to work with C players” — Sachin paraphrasing Steve Jobs
“We have experienced keeping the wrong people for too long, for whatever excuses we came up with. … But when we let go of them it was like the business rebounded and did way better as soon as we cut the branches.” — Dr. Elena Villanueva
“Oftentimes, a big reason why people are not breaking the $250K or the $500K mark is their own limiting belief system. So, it’s not all just about the mechanics of building out the right SOPs and hiring the right people.” — Dr. Elena Villanueva
Dr. Elena Villanueva
ModernHolisticHealth.com@ModernHolisticHealth on YouTube
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In this episode, Sachin interviews Dr. Olga Stevko on unconscious programs and how to transform them, relieving symptoms caused by the stress created by your unconscious programs.
Listen for insight on stress and its effects on many systems in the body, and most importantly, how to become neutral to stress triggers.Key Takeaways:
[1:01] The topic is our subconscious and unconscious nervous system and how it affects our health, business, and the way we show up for others and ourselves.
[1:28] Sachin introduces today’s guest, Dr. Olga Stevko. Sachin met Dr. Olga last year at Mindshare. Sachin and Dr. Olga have connected several times over the past few months as she helped him with some of the subconscious challenges holding him back.
[2:32] Sachin welcomes Dr. Olga Stevko to Perfect Practice.
[2:58] Dr. Oga developed her methodology by combining several modalities. She trained as a medical doctor in Russia and practiced medicine there. She learned neurolinguistic programming and started working with the unconscious mind.
[4:06] In her medical practice, Dr. Olga observed that people of similar age and condition healed at different rates. Some healed quickly. Some never healed completely. Dr. Olga believes that their mindsets would determine how they would heal.
[4:58] Dr. Olga’s curiosity led her to explore the work of Carl Jung, Sigmund Freud, and Milton Erickson. She realized that the unconscious mind is so powerful it creates our subjective reality and things related to it.
[6:28] Dr. Olga explains that unconscious programs result from stressful life events and trauma, including transgenerational epigenetic inheritance. Dr. Olga says that 95% of our entire life experiences are shaped by unconscious programs.
[7:40] She says unconscious programs influence how we perceive ourselves, other people, and the world around us.
[8:18] Dr. Olga states that unconscious programs affect our nervous system with fight, fight, or freeze responses. This can lead to many different issues in many areas of our lives; relationships, business, health, and even premature aging for some people.
[9:11] Dr. Olga says perception is how we perceive with all of our senses: what we see, hear, touch, smell, and taste. Perception comes through our autonomic nervous system. Dr. Olga’s theory is that our unconscious mind is our autonomic nervous system and much more.
[10:13] The perception of an experience is different for every person in a group in the same situation. This comes from unconscious programs from unresolved genetic trauma, wound trauma, and childhood trauma.
[10:58] For some people, the perception can be fearful, for some, neutral. For some, it can create anger. Our perception is not our reality. Our perception creates in us a certain reaction because of our unconscious programs that can create fight, flight, and freeze responses.
[11:28] All of that can affect our body and mind in a big way. Psychoneuroimmunology shows that stress affects our immune system and endocrine system. Perception can affect how our brain, peripheral nervous system, and autonomic nervous system react to a certain stimulus.
[12:34] That creates biochemical and physiological changes in our body that can lead to our immune system response, which can lead to health conditions. Stress can lead to numerous health conditions, including cardiovascular, autoimmune, and allergies.
[13:35] Your perception can create a stress response. That stress response can be because of emotions like fear, sadness, grief, and anger. Dr. Olga found that emotions support us through our autonomic nervous system.
[13:58] It’s unconscious. No matter how you prepare yourself not to react, in that situation when you have a similar perception and response to certain emotions, your unconscious mind will rule, no matter how consciously you’re preparing yourself to react differently.
[14:24] It’s significant that emotions are created on the unconscious level. To change the response, you need to work on the unconscious level. You need to transform unconscious programs that create that response and perception that create many issues in your life.
[14:59] Your business and relationships are about you, how you look at situations, how you perceive situations, how your thoughts are forming, your ability to verbalize those thoughts, and your emotional intelligence and social intelligence.[15:36] All of that can create can create problems in your relationships and business, or allow you to be very good in business, communication, and relationships.
[16:53] Dr. Olga believes that everybody experiences trauma. She believes the opposite of the consequences of trauma is resilience. Some people are resilient. They find new meaning and resources to deal with challenges.
[18:07] Dr. Olga has a theory that some people are so resilient because of their ancestral genetic experience. Their ancestors’ ability to be resilient can be passed down genetically.
[18:49] Some people are resilient even if something horrible happens, while others cannot function under stress.
[19:33] Dr. Olga explains that people are born with a certain set of genes that do not change. Genes can be expressed in the womb. People are born already with certain symptoms. In some people, genes are expressed in childhood or adult life. Trauma leads genes to express.
[20:35] Dr. Olga’s process can work even with children several months old. She would work directly with the children and with their parents. She asks that the child be present in the room, playing, sleeping, or watching TV. The child’s unconscious mind can still be listening.
[21:29] During the process Dr. Olga created, the trauma that created the unconscious program will resolve and the unconscious program will be transformed. As a result, there can often be dramatic shifts not only for that issue, but other issues can also resolved or symptoms reduced.
[22:00] The same unconscious program can create more than one issue.
[23:24] How the mind reacts to some unconscious programs wastes a lot of energy. Some people are in a freeze, fight, or flight state every day. Dr. Olga observes how people look. Unconscious programs often create neuromuscular locks everywhere in the body and face.
[25:47] Dr. Olga describes traits she observes in people with neuromuscular locks from unconscious programs in their facial expressions, posture, breathing, and speaking.
[27:12] For example, if there are neuromuscular locks in muscles for breathing and voice production, often, people’s voices will be not deep but airy, or they might have a choked voice or feel a lump in their throat that will remarkably affect their voices or breathing.
[28:02] Dr. Olga has seen multiple clients with panic attacks who had such strong neuromuscular locks that they could not breathe deeply to help calm their panic. It’s important to train your muscles and transform the unconscious programs that create neuromuscular locks.
[28:55] Dr. Olga had a client who, by transforming several of his unconscious programs, went from a high-pitched nasal voice to a voice like a baritone singer. It’s a total change, without doing voice exercises. He’s breathing dramatically deeper without trying to change it.
[30:16] She has observed a change in body language in some clients. She asks people to express themselves by drawing lines and shapes. Dr. Olga sees in these shapes unconscious patterns that guide her in what unconscious program to work on during that session.
[31:05] Dr. Olga works on one program at a time. Even transforming one unconscious program can produce truly dramatic shifts for many people.
[33:34] Some people sabotage themselves all their lives because of unconscious programs. They’re doing so much but not moving in the direction they want.
[34:41] Some unconscious programs trigger neuromuscular locks that affect muscles and joints, and even after adjustments, they do not stay adjusted. When you identify what causes some neuromuscular locks, the problems are resolved. Dr. Olga gives patient examples from her website.
[35:43] Dr. Olga talks of the process she created. After an assessment, observation, and looking at the drawing or drawings, Dr. Olga identifies what unconscious program the person will work on in the session. During the process, the client’s unconscious mind will do most of the work.
[36:18] While the client’s unconscious mind is working, consciously, the client will be doing the two or three steps of the process. The unconscious program the client will be working on creates certain somatic experiences. It can be an emotional experience.
[36:45] The process will guide the client’s unconscious mind to find all the memories that created these unconscious programs and the symptoms they created. Your mind can be working on groups of memories at the same time, including genetic and childhood memories.
[37:30] After the client’s unconscious mind finds all these memories, your conscious mind does not need to recall these memories. Recalling some traumatic memories can recreate the trauma. For some people, short-term concepts of memories of trauma might come.
[38:11] Dr. Olga asks the unconscious mind to do several steps and during these steps, trauma or traumas they experienced during those traumatic memories can be resolved.
[38:34] At the end of the process, the unconscious program will be transformed and symptoms can be gone, or reduced if something else caused the same symptoms. It will positively influence all the areas of the client’s life that the unconscious program influenced.
[40:23] Dr. Olga did not do this type of work in Russia. Russian medical school is different from American medical schools. She is grateful for the medical training she received in Russia. Russia has a more holistic approach. They look at the entire system to resolve symptoms.
[42:58] Most people are not aware of the unconscious patterns and programs. They are aware of issues that are created because of their unconscious programs. It is important for everybody to bring awareness to these unconscious patterns that create issues.
[43:39] Bringing awareness is the first step for healing, transformation, and resolving issues.
[44:55] Most of the time, unconscious programs cause the issue you are having. Dr. Olga mentions that not everyone has the chance to work on the unconscious program, but other things can be done that will make your life easier.
[46:25] When you change your perspective, it can shape how you feel. If you can imagine stepping out or dissociating from the situation, it is better than reliving the trauma or associating with it. When trauma is resolved, people feel dissociated from it. They are neutral to it.
[48:04] You can observe yourself. How are you feeling in the situation? Can you change your position? Step right. Imagine you are the person you are dealing with. Observe the perspective of the person. Find the positive intention of the person and why the person is behaving that way.
[48:56] Become a witness of the situation. Then step left and you can imagine yourself as the wisest teacher or grandmother you had. Look at the situation from her point of view. After you get this information, be yourself being a witness. It might shape how you act in the situation.
[50:10] Stress responses are not about the stressful situation. Stressful situations can come every day. It’s all about how you perceive the situation and react to it. That all can be treated by working on the unconscious programs or even changing your perspective.
[50:52] When you work on unconscious programs, when the unconscious programs are transformed, the next time you are in the same triggering situation, your emotions and behavior will be neutral, not triggered.
[51:39] Dr. Olga had a client with Hashimoto’s Disease, an autoimmune disease. She was overwhelmed. By working on unconscious programs, all symptoms of Hashimoto’s were gone. Her doctor took her off several medications. She could deal with situations without overwhelm.
[53:42] For more information about Dr. Olga’, go to DrOlga.com. Dr. Olga would like to let people know that even watching some podcasts and webinars and bringing awareness to others can shape how you feel. People have told her that by watching her videos they feel better.
[54:36] Sachin went through this process and experienced great benefits from it. He endorses it highly. Check out the amazing testimonials on DrOlga.com. Sachin thanks Dr. Olga Stevko.
[54:54] To everyone listening, here’s to your highest healing. Let’s get rid of those unconscious blocks and patterns that aren’t serving us so we can step up and live our best lives but also help others live their best lives!
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Dr. Olga Stevko
The Power of Your Unconscious Mind, by Joseph Murphy
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
Tweetables:
“I realized that the unconscious mind is so powerful it pretty much creates our subjective reality.” — Dr. Olga Stevko
“Some unconscious programs stop us from creating our best life and becoming our best self. Unconscious programs are called as a result of stressful life events and trauma, including trauma passed genetically as transgenerational epigenetic inheritance.” — Dr. Olga Stevko
“Unconscious programs influence how we perceive ourselves, other people around us, and the world around us.” — Dr. Olga Stevko
“The same unconscious program can create more than one issue.” — Dr. Olga Stevko
“Some people sabotage themselves all their adult lives because of unconscious programs.” — Dr. Olga Stevko
Dr. Olga Stevko
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In this episode, Sachin interviews Dr. Penney Stringer on her journey from working as a family practice physician to achieving her purpose of bringing healing to groups of people through a mindful functional medicine practice.
Listen for insight on following your heart in the flow of abundance as you help clients heal.Key Takeaways:
[1:01] Sachin introduces Dr. Penney Stringer, a trailblazer and mother of two children. Sachin welcomes Penney to Perfect Practice.
[2:22] Dr. Penney Stringer started as a medical doctor and moved into functional medicine. After her residency, she worked in a community healthcare center outside Seattle, Washington, working with people on the margins. The clinic also had an acupuncturist and naturopaths.[2:54] Dr. Stringer was a family medicine doctor. She referred everyone to the people she knew could help them: a nutritionist, a naturopath, an acupuncturist, and a counselor. There was also a dispensary. At the same time, she did hospital work associated with the clinic.
[3:36] All she had to do was write prescriptions. One day, she felt sick writing a prescription for a medicine she knew was harmful. A young patient with ankylosing spondylitis and bad back pain had been to a naturopath and had been given antibiotics and fish oil for a gut infection.
[4:08] The patient came back to Dr. Stringer and was all better. He didn’t need the prescription for pain medication. After being treated for his gut infection, his autoimmune disease got better. Dr. Stringer questioned how that happened.
[4:26] About that time, she was invited by a naturopathic student to a Jeffrey Bland lecture in 2000, in Seattle. Jeffrey Bland is the “grandfather” of functional medicine. She started going to the free lectures Jeffrey Bland was giving.
[4:57] The first lecture was all about the microbiome and the biochemical pathways. It was what Dr. Stringer had thought she would learn in medical school. She went to her first training not too long after that. She says the rest is history.
[5:28] Dr. Stringer moved to a new town in the early 2000s. A doctor was practicing functional medicine there with a patient waitlist of five years. A nearby hospital funded the functional medicine wellness clinic and Dr. Stringer’s salary at the clinic.
[6:43] Right out of her Institute for Functional Medicine AFMCP course in Boston, Dr. Stringer had a mentor, all the testing, all the supplements, all the patients lined up to see her, and a salary that she didn’t have to worry about. She felt like it was what she was supposed to do.
[8:21] Dr. Stringer says it was a blessed situation in every way. It was all insurance-based so patients could get the best care with two dedicated physicians. The doctors were free to do what they believed in. It was not regular Western medicine. It was functional medicine from the start.
[8:47] The town is a nuclear toxic cleanup site. A lot of the jobs are in the cleanup. She helps with people’s detox and hormone renewal analysis. Her first patient was full of heavy metals, just as she had learned in class. She feels like things are put in our path to see if we’re awake.
[10:45] Dr. Stringer thinks that the key is paying attention. If you want to learn about something, request it from whoever is listening and see how long it takes to show up at your doorstep.
[11:52] Dr. Stringer talks about her sense of presence. She says her dad was a keen observer of nature. He was a biologist and environmental scientist with a doctorate in parasitology from Johns Hopkins. He viewed the world with a beginner’s mind and asked profound questions.
[12:25] Dr. Stringer tells how her father researched the chrysalis of the monarch butterfly, and presented papers on it around the world, all because he wanted to know what happened in the chrysalis. He asked the question and got a grant to find out. He’s now in a documentary.[13:35] One of Dr. Stringer’s earliest memories with her dad is going in the woods. He would stoop down and turn over a rock and show his children the universe under the rock. He instilled in Penney some of that sense of presence.
[14:01] Dr Stringer spent her junior college year in Spain, studying Spanish literature and she saw daily siestas. When she came back, she learned transcendental meditation. After meditating, when she went outside, she could see every shade of green she had never seen.
[15:05] Dr. Stringer teams up with a master cranial sacral therapist to do a double hands-on with patients. They sit in silence with a patient for an hour.
[15:50] That has given Dr. Stringer so much insight and awareness about the process of healing and being present with another human being and holding the space for transformation, being there with their joy, pain, or release. It’s not always comfortable.
[16:18] Dr. Stringer has to do cranial sacral herself to release what she observes in others. There’s a lot of pain and suffering. Some of us are very in tune with that pain and suffering. It’s important to do your own work to release what you observe so it doesn’t get stuck in your body.
[17:28] If you are not dissipating the energy that’s building up, you feel burned out or don’t care as much. You feel tired. Dr. Stringer notices that her nervous system gets shaky. You could get headaches, upset stomach, or not sleep well, or more, from holding onto other people’s energy.
[20:13] Dr. Stringer worked at the functional medicine office for about five years and then they went their separate ways. She had children. She went back and worked at the community health center so she didn’t have to run a business when her babies were little.
[20:30] Then Dr. Stringer started her own practice. For 18-and-a-half years, she had done functional medicine in the insurance system. With Sachin’s mentorship, she took the leap and jumped out of the insurance system, partially spurred by how the recent pandemic was handled.
[22:00] Sachin has been Dr. Stringer’s only business growth mentor. She has done everything by her heart. She doesn’t do or choose anything based on finances. Dr. Stringer thinks that when you have the right intention, things work out for you and abundance flows.
[22:46] Dr. Stringer says that Sachin has been a very helpful mentor for her, for thinking heart-centered but business savvy. Beyond finances, for Dr. Stringer, the bigger part of abundance is being in nature every day as part of her ability to do her work.
[23:32] Dr. Stringer had another important mentor in medical school at Georgetown, Dr. Jim Gordon, who runs the Center for Mind Body Medicine. He’s a Harvard-trained psychiatrist and an acupuncturist. Dr. Gordon informed me so much about the way Dr. Stringer thinks about healing.
[24:09] Dr. Stringer’s purpose is healing in community. The reason she joined the mentorship was to solidify doing groups and making the community the hallmark of her dynamic and system. Dr. Gordon’s training in mind-body medicine is the basis of all of Dr. Stringer’s groups.
[24:45] Dr. Stringer says Sachin is a great mentor. She feels that learning business and healing are not that different and that they can all be together.
[25:12] Dr. Stringer recommends learning to facilitate mind-body skills groups as an eloquent and beautiful model for being a facilitator but also a participant in the group. It’s mindfulness-based training.
[25:35] Dr. Stringer had another pivotal shift when she went to ECO Conference. It helped her reframe the way she thinks about barriers to healing and how to address toxins and stealth bugs.
[26:17] Dr. Stringer speaks of a book that was pivotal to her, The Nature Fix, by Florence Williams which documents a positive biochemical effect in the brain that PTSD sufferers receive from being in nature for three days. Sachin relates it to the wellness modality of forest bathing.
[29:02] Nature is a powerful teacher and powerful medicine for our sanity. Sachin suggests prescribing forest bathing to your patients and clients. It could be a missing link for a lot of people’s healing journeys.
[29:23] Dr. Stringer notes a recent NYTimes article on the recommendations of nature for health benefits. They recommend spending 20 minutes in nature, three days a week, plus five hours a month of longer hiking, plus going off-grid for three days a year.
[30:19] Sachin is going on a three-day snowshoeing hike with his brother and a guide in Algonquin Park where the lake freezes over. They’ll have a sauna tent and bathe in a hole in the ice in the water. He’s super stoked about it.
[30:55] Being in nature is such an important thing we should all be doing. He hopes what you learn from this conversation is to spend some more time in nature.
[31:41] Dr. Stringer brings up the benefits of fasting. She is on the second day of a three-day ProLon mimicking fast and she feels an amazing shift. It’s amazing to get into a fasting state. It’s phenomenal. Sachin notes that It’s an easy modality to integrate into your practice.
[33:44] Dr. Stringer recommends bodywork; worrying with the subtle energy of the body, as another modality. She sticks to the elemental, basic things.
[39:43] Dr. Stringer thinks medical physicians and professionals pairing up with health coaches is a no-brainer.
[40:12] If you are interested in setting up a group-based program, Dr. Stringer says to follow what interests you and lights you up in terms of the kinds of patients you want to work with, and the setting. She believes that word of mouth is always the best way to grow a practice.
[40:35] If you want to do groups, start doing them. Don’t wait for the perfect system; no one really has the perfect system. Just start doing groups of five, six, or 10 people. It’s an efficient way to teach and to be compensated. Sometimes you have to start with individual people.
[41:23] Dr. Stringer doesn’t have a referral system. That will be the next phase of what she does to reach more people. So far, it’s 90% word of mouth.
[41:36] Offerings of teachings and master classes are a good way for people to know that you know what you’re talking about, that you care, and that your heart’s in it. Dr. Stringer has done master classes for the past three years and it has been great.
[41:58] Now she is doing more in-person things, which are the most fulfilling for her. Getting in front of people and being generous with your offerings to share your knowledge will come back to benefit you. Generosity is reciprocal.
[43:04] Dr. Penney Stringer says this is her year for saying, “yes” to everything. For the next four weekends, she is traveling to visit friends and family and to a breathwork conference with James Nestor.
[44:34] Dr. Penney Stringer learned of the James Nestor breathwork conference from Sachin, who says going to that event was one of the highlights of his life.
[44:45] Dr. Penney Stringer is also planning to go with a functional medicine friend to a nature-based three-day retreat for women in menopause.
[45:09] Sachin thanks Dr. Stringer for spending time with him and his audience today and sharing her wisdom. There are great takeaways of things we can do in nature, with self-care, keeping things simple in our practice, and following our hearts, with the highest integrity.
[46:02] To learn more about Dr. Stringer’s practice, go to PenneyStringerMD.com.
[46:32] Penny’s last words: “Follow your heart and trust that you are in the abundance flow.”
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Dr. Penney Stringer
Jeffrey Bland
The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative, by Florence Williams
ProLon
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
Tweetables:
“I feel like things are put in our path to see if we’re awake and see if we’re paying attention and I think that can happen with your patients and with your process as a healer and as a business owner.” — Dr. Penney Stringer
“If you want to learn about something, request it from whoever is listening and see how long it takes to show up at your doorstep.” — Dr. Penney Stringer
“I did all this training so I can teach people how to eat and breathe, and touch nature? How is that possible? … That’s what gets people better!” — Dr. Penney Stringer
“I would say if you want to do groups, start doing them. Don’t wait for the perfect system; no one has the perfect system. Just start doing groups of five, six, or 10 people.” — Dr. Penney Stringer
“Generosity is reciprocal.” — Dr. Penney Stringer
Dr. Penney Stringer
IFM -
In this episode, Sachin interviews Dr. Debi Silber, founder of the Post Betrayal Transformation® Institute about her journey from television production to coaching people to post betrayal transformation. She shares the problems that grow from past betrayals relating to emotional, mental, physical, and spiritual issues that remain unhealed until the betrayal is faced and dealt with. She shares examples from life and even from her family life and career.
Listen in for insight on how your clients’ betrayals or your betrayals may be causing issues for them or you.Key Takeaways:
[:59] Sachin introduces Dr. Debi Silber, who joins us for a conversation about our business, our emotional health, integrity, and betrayal.
[1:42] Betrayal is something we deal with constantly. It likely happened to us many years ago and it currently impacts the way we operate. It may impact our nervous system, our relationships, and the dreams and aspirations we reach for; certainly, it impacts our self-worth.[2:17] Dr. Debi Silber has developed a very successful business following her passion and her mission, speaking to people about betrayal and the trauma that it causes, the impact it has, and the breakthroughs that can come as a result.
[2:35] Sachin thanks Dr. Debi for being here on Perfect Practice.
[3:34] Dr. Debi followed her gut. She had graduated from college with a double major in TV production and broadcast journalism but she learned that production wasn’t rewarding or fulfilling her. Debi didn’t immediately give up production, but health was what was calling to her.
[4:32] Eventually, Debi became an NSRD and a holistic dietician with a Master’s in nutrition. From there, Debi became a personal trainer. That business took off. Although Debi was eating well and exercising, she realized she was sick. She was anything but the picture of health.
[5:13] Debi studied to become a whole health coach. She learned that the thoughts she was thinking, the stress she was under, and the relationships she had were at the root of her sickness.
[5:30] Debi cut the ties and healed from all of it. That was the beginning of this new health journey. Years later, her traumas from betrayal led her to the Ph.D. program, the studies, and where she is now.
[5:51] Dr. Debi founded the Post Betrayal Transformation® Institute. She is a holistic psychologist with a health and personal development mindset. She is a two-time bestselling author. She has a popular podcast. She gave two TEDx talks. She’s been on the Dr. Oz Show.
[6:40] About toxic relationships. Dr. Debi says you’re in a toxic relationship when you start questioning and doubting yourself, when you stop believing in yourself and you figure that someone else knows better than you, and when you don’t realize your value and worth.
[7:21] Often, it starts with an early betrayal. A child is shushed by his mother and starts to think he doesn’t matter. If that’s his belief, it will affect his choices, the work he would do, and the people he would date, if it doesn’t get looked at.
[9:10] The second of Debi’s three discoveries is that post betrayal syndrome has symptoms. It shows up in health, work, and relationships. It can show up as a repeat betrayal. The faces change but it’s the same thing. You go from boss to boss, friend to friend, partner to partner.
[9:40] It’s not your fault, it’s your opportunity: There’s a profound lesson waiting to be learned! You are lovable, worthy, and deserving. You need better boundaries in place. Whatever it is, until and unless you get that, you will have opportunities in the form of people who teach you.[9:56] A repeat betrayal means it is unhealed.
[9:59] The second way betrayal shows up in relationships is the big wall keeping everyone at a distance. It comes from a place of fear. Our trust was so shattered that we would rather keep everyone at bay than risk vulnerability and feel that pain again. That’s an unhealed betrayal.
[10:24] At work, your confidence was shattered so you don’t have the confidence to ask for a deserved raise or promotion, and you’re bitter and resentful instead. Or you want to be a team player but the person you trusted the most, or your boss, proved untrustworthy.
[10:47] In health, people go to a well-meaning doctor, coach, healer, or therapist to manage a stress-related issue. At the root of it is an unhealed betrayal.
[11:06] Dr. Debi founded National Forgiveness Day, September 1. If you’re working on forgiveness for the wrong reasons, it backfires every time. Move toward acceptance first, it’s an easier reach.
[12:26] Withholding forgiveness only hurts us. In the betrayed community, we feel the rug has been pulled out from under us and we barely have any control over our lives. Granting or withholding forgiveness is something within our control and we are hesitant to give it back.
[12:52] Debi shares a story of the power of forgiveness for an elderly woman with an old family betrayal. She also had digestive issues. She participated in a 21-day forgiveness journey. Two weeks into her forgiveness journey, she healed from her digestive issues.
[14:36] Dr. Debi says 95,000-plus men and women have taken the Post Betrayal Quiz from many countries. Of respondents, 78% constantly revisit their experience, 81% feel loss of personal power, 80% are hyper-vigilant, and 94% deal with painful triggers.
[15:08] Physical symptoms reported are low energy (71%), sleep issues (68%), extreme fatigue (63%), weight changes (47%), and digestive issues (45%). Mental symptoms reported are overwhelm (78%), disbelief (70%), shock (64%), and inability to concentrate (62%).
[15:42] You can’t concentrate, you have a gut issue, you’re exhausted, and you still have to raise your children; you still have to work.
[15:52] Emotionally, 88% experience extreme sadness; 83% are very angry. Think about what your nervous system is doing when that’s happening.
[16:07] Eighty-two percent are hurt; 79% are stressed; 84% have an inability to trust; 67% prevent themselves from forming deep relationships for fear of being hurt again; 82% find it hard to move forward, and 90% want to move forward but don’t know how.
[17:01] This betrayal could be from a parent when you were a child or the boyfriend or girlfriend who broke your heart in high school. They may not know, care, or even be alive and you have these symptoms from something years ago. You can heal from all of it.
[17:34] People typically go to therapy, where they feel heard but also retraumatize themselves, solidify their story, and make it who they are. They are stuck with repeat betrayals.
[18:32] Some people numb, avoid, and distract. They use food, drugs, alcohol, work, TV, or more to numb, avoid, and distract themselves. In PBT, people learn to face it, feel it, and heal it. That’s how to move through it. You can’t move through it if you're numbing or coasting.
[19:03] Some people join a support group and are miserable together. They sabotage their healing because they don’t want to outgrow their people.
[19:28] Numbing, hanging onto your story, or seeking people with the same story is like Krazy Glue® keeping you stuck in one spot, preventing you from moving through the five stages from betrayal to breakthrough.
[20:35] We can stay stuck for decades but if we’re going to fully heal from post betrayal syndrome to a completely rebuilt space, post betrayal transformation, (Dr. Debi’s first discovery), we’re going to move through five proven, predictable stages (Dr. Debi’s third discovery).
[20:58] We know what happens physically, mentally, and emotionally, at every one of the five stages and what it takes to move from one stage to the next. Healing is entirely predictable.
[21:18] Stage 1 is before it happens. Imagine four legs to a table, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. People lean heavily on the physical and mental and neglect the emotional and spiritual. A table with only two legs topples over.
[21:40] Stage 2 is shock, trauma, and discovery day. It’s the scariest, by far of the stages. It’s the breakdown of the body, mind, and worldview. You ignite the stress response. Your mind is in total chaos and overwhelm. You can’t wrap your mind around what you just learned.
[22:39] Stage 3 is survival instinct. You grab hold of anything or anyone to stay safe and alive. This is the most practical stage. It’s the most common place to get stuck. Once we’ve figured out how to survive our experience, as it feels better than shock and trauma, we plant roots.
[24:25] Because we don’t know there’s anywhere else to go, but it still feels bad, we start numbing and distracting. This can go on for years and we’re stuck in Stage 3.
[25:19] If you are willing to let go of your story, the benefits you’re receiving, grief, and more, you move to Stage 4.
[25:31] Stage 4 is finding and adjusting to a new normal. You acknowledge you can’t undo what happened but you control what you do with it. That turns down the stress and stops the damage you’ve been accumulating in Stage 2 and Stage 3. It feels like you’ve moved to a new place.
[25:55] When you move, you don’t take things with you that don’t represent who you are ready to become. Old relationships that were not there for you or don’t change with you are left behind. You’ve outgrown them.
[26:26] When you settle into your new space that you have made mentally home, you move into Stage 5. Stage 5 is healing, rebirth, and a new worldview. Your body starts to heal. Self-love, self-care, eating well, and exercising. You didn’t have the bandwidth for that before; now you do.
[26:44] Your mind is healing. You make new rules, set new boundaries, and you have a new worldview, based on everything you’ve been through. The four legs of your table, physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual, are solidly grounded. You are focused on all four legs.
[27:04] Sachin relates his life’s growth to the five stages and speaks of a big shift when he moved away from a bad job. He considers his clients as possibly going through betrayal. He considers his relationship with his son and asks how to break the ice if he may be the betrayer.
[30:22] Debi’s betrayal came when she had four teens. It was the biggest wake-up call. They are so close now, like having been through a war together. At the time, she told them how she loved them and was not at her best, but was giving them the best she could. They supported her.
[31:07] Debi finds that nothing beats honesty. She explains how that would work in a conversation with a child about falling short in dealing with that child. When in doubt, honesty wins every time. Sachin recommends you play this part of the episode back and practice it.
[32:25] Debi adds advice for a betrayer who wants to be accountable and repair trust in a relationship. Your honesty is not supposed to flow out of you beautifully. That doesn’t build trust. It’s supposed to be awkward. You’re not supposed to be smooth at this. It’s unfamiliar to you.
[33:08] It’s OK. You’re learning something new because that person is worth it. Instead of trying to get the words right, just tap into your heart. Conversations go wrong when we go from our head to reach someone’s head or to reach their heart. Go from your heart to their heart.
[34:24] Debi has always gone by her intuition. Early on, with four kids, six dogs, and a thriving business, it was all about holding it together. Her advice is to be careful what feeds you. To keep it going, Debi was sacrificing sleep and cutting corners on herself, and that caught up quickly.
[35:15] The lesson learned led Debi to leave health in that way and move toward something that involves what stress is doing and what your lifestyle is creating. From there, Debi realized that toxic family relationships were at the root of her issues.
[35:52] When Debi cut those ties, her mentor told her it was like she had traded an anchor for a pair of wings. She healed from everything. Debi wrote her first book in two-and-a-half weeks. It flew out of her. She wanted every mom to know the “secret to everything” she thought she had.
[36:18] Debi became an FDN. Then Debi’s betrayal came, from her family and her husband. She enrolled in a Ph.D. program in transpersonal psychology and did her study on betrayal, to get herself out of the jam and understand how the mind works and why we do these things.
[37:05] When the discoveries in her study showed up, Debi was on a Zoom call with a mentor talking about the discoveries but not sharing her story. Her mentor told her to stop hiding behind her study. She knew he was right.
[37:45] She sat down with her children and her husband, as they were working on reconciliation, and told them she was going to write their story in a book. Her children approved. Her husband got emotional and said, “You’re going to help so many people.” So it was in the book.
[38:30] Debi gave two TEDx talks. In the first one, “Stop Sabotaging Yourself,” six weeks after her betrayal, she hinted at her story. In the second one, “Do You Have Post Betrayal Syndrome?” she talked about her betrayal for one of the first times. It’s changed her life.
[39:24] Debi describes how people move through the stages at the PBT. She also offers two certification programs: Certified PBT Coach or Practioner and Certified Support Group Host. The intention is for people to get the right kind of support to lift and inspire them.
[40:15] Support groups are going up around the world, the PBT is growing and certifying more coaches and getting more members, especially corporate employees with fear, who are acting from unhealed betrayals of years ago. PBT is approaching corporations to help address this.
[41:58] Debi loves speaking and would like to do more of it. In the beginning for her, speaking was a means of imparting information. Then she realized it’s not about information but about sharing a special experience with the audience, as though telling them about a great book.
[42:34] When Debi changed her speaking to sharing what excited her, she began to love speaking. Her favorite parts are the book signing or getting to hug people afterward. Her talks sometimes shock people to prod them out of numbness.
[43:32] When it comes to sharing your message, share it in a way that feels really good for you. If blogging feels natural and comfortable, do that. If podcasting feels great, do that. Or being on stages. The world needs what you have in the specific way you have it.
[44:01] Don’t try everything. When you’re doing what you do best, it’s effortless and you love it. Why not just do more of that?
[45:26] Debi describes the Hero’s Journey, going about their business, then there’s the big trauma, and then the part where they start to rise and realize their worth and value. The trauma starts to subside and they ask “What can I do with this and use it to my advantage?”
[46:18] That’s what excites Debi, because that’s when you’ll see new levels of health, new relationships, new passion projects, new businesses, and endless possibilities.
[47:26] The PBT offers two tracks for certifying PBT coaches. One is for coaches and healers and the other is for doctors, therapists, counselors, psychologists, and psychiatrists. It’s the same training of the five stages, it’s just a difference in the title and pay of coach or practitioner.
[47:50] The ideal candidate is a coach who has experienced betrayal and wants to serve this niche. As 45% of betrayed people have digestive issues, a digestive doctor would be a perfect candidate. How much more effective would they be if they got to the root cause of the issue?
[49:05] If a practitioner wants to refer to Dr. Debi Silber, start at ThePBTInstitute.com. The PBT can work remotely. They have clients and coaches all over the world. There’s a recent coach from Dubai and one who’s starting from Kenya. Members are from all over the world.
[49:45] Dr. Debi Silber shares her one message with the world: “As it relates to betrayal, even though it happened to you, it’s not about you. Say that to yourself a million times until you believe it because that’s absolutely true. There’s a roadmap. Healing has become a choice.”
[50:03] “As far as business goes, follow your gut. If you feel called to do something, it’s because you’re supposed to. And do it boldly, and proudly, and don’t give up, ever.”
[50:32] Sachin thanks Dr. Debi Silber for being such a source of inspiration on Perfect Practice. Sachin would love to hear about breakthroughs his listeners have as a result of listening to this conversation. Listeners, please check out the links in the show notes.
[51:39] Dr. Debi Silber thanks Sachin.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
“Debi Silber: Stop Sabotaging Yourself” TEDx
“Debi Silber: Do You Have Post Betrayal Syndrome?” TEDx
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
Tweetables:
“You’re in a toxic relationship when you start questioning and doubting yourself; when you stop believing in yourself and you figure that someone else knows better than you; when you don’t realize your value and your worth.” — Dr. Debi Silber
“A repeat betrayal means it is unhealed.” — Dr. Debi Silber
“Withholding forgiveness only hurts us.” — Dr. Debi Silber
“Stage 5 is healing, rebirth, and a new worldview. Your body starts to heal with self-love, self-care, eating well, and exercising. You didn’t have the bandwidth for that before; now you do.” — Dr. Debi Silber
“We just want to get the Five Stages into as many hands as possible.” — Dr. Debi Silber
Dr. Debi Silber, WBENC Certified WBE
The PBT® Institute -
In this episode, Sachin interviews James White, CEO of KBMO Diagnostics about the Food Inflammation Test or FIT, what it does for patients and practitioners, and how it works. James shares his career history and how KBMO Diagnostics came to be a key tool for determining the trigger foods for patients with inflammation. They also discuss the Gut Barrier Panel and the Cardiovascular Inflammation Test and how they could help your patients.
Listen in for the details of how you can use KBMO Diagnostics to improve your health and in your practice to improve the health of your clients.Key Takeaways:
[1:01] Sachin introduces James White, the founder of KBMO Labs. This lab has been instrumental in Sachin’s healing journey with a better understanding of what foods he should and should not be eating. One person’s food could be poison for somebody else.
[1:38] Today we will discuss what functional food testing looks like to get a better understanding of how our body responds to foods that are favorable to it and foods that are not. This can give insight into what might lead to chronic inflammation or pain, despite a healthy and nutritious diet.
[2:04] James ran Sachin’s labs on-site at Mindshare. Sachin made some unexpected discoveries. There could be hidden triggers to people’s underlying issues or even issues they do not know. Sachin loves the convenience and the amazing service provided by the team.
[2:56] Sachin gives a shoutout to Dr. Robert Silverman, who introduced James to Sachin.
[3:05] Sachin welcomes James White to Perfect Practice.
[3:35] James has a background in running diagnostics companies from blood gas analysis to molecular diagnostics. Then he got involved in specialized cardiovascular testing. The mantra of cardiologists at the time was “eat less and exercise more,” without individualized care.
[4:59] James was looking for a better way to address heart issues when he came across Brent Dorval, Ph.D., who had invented the first rapid HIV diagnostic. Dr. Dorval had a new test that he had three providers using. James called each provider and they were unanimous in their praise.
[6:28] That led to James leaving a larger public company and joining Dr. Dorval in the diagnostic lab. They started with two people. Now the lab works with over 10,000 practitioners.
[8:00] KBMO Diagnostics offers the FIT or Food Inflammation Test. It is different from the C3d test. It doesn’t just look at what you are exposed to but also at which foods are causing inflammation.
[9:35] James did a Dry January where he exercised every day and did the KBMO Cardiovascular test and the FIT. Twelve years ago, James did the FIT and it indicated five or six foods. This time, the text indicated five foods. The test is highly accurate and reproducible.
[11:05] James educates the population about what they are exposed to and which foods cause them inflammation. James took an Everlywell IgG test that indicated over 25 foods, versus the FIT, that indicated five foods. Twenty of the foods identified by the IgG test are false positives.
[12:38] Dr. Dorval’s FIT uses a double screen to measure the whole immune system rather than just the front end of it, giving a more accurate result. The accuracy means fewer foods for the patient to eliminate.
[14:21] Sachin tested for 176 foods and for a leaky gut. The leaky gut test came back all clear. Certain foods showed up for Sachin. The two highest were cow’s milk and eggs. Then there were cauliflower and other foods he doesn’t often eat.
[15:21] Because it looks at the inflammatory response, the FIT is helpful for migraines, weight loss, joint pain, and skin-related issues. One patient with back acne learned to eliminate spinach to clear up the acne. You never know which food is going to be the trigger.
[17:21] The FIT also measures colorings and additives that are increasingly found in foods, supplements, and personal hygiene products. One 10-year-old boy was lethargic until benzoic acid was removed from any product he used. After eight weeks, his turnaround was remarkable.
[18:54] KBMO did a study on IBS patients and saw dramatic improvements. Migraines are another issue that shows remarkable improvements for patients who have suffered for years by eliminating a handful of trigger foods. It’s a game-changer.
[20:08] KBMO suggests for their providers to do a symptom checklist. What symptoms are patients living with, that they can eliminate by reducing their inflammatory burden via diet?
[21:00] The test is made simple to help the busy provider and their busy patients understand it and move forward on their journey from a healthcare perspective.
[21:36] Sachin looks at his FIT results as a way to know the foods to eliminate to reduce low-grade chronic inflammation and potentially feel overall better. Food doesn’t only affect the digestion or how you feel immediately. It can add to the load of inflammation in many systems.
[22:34] The two times James took the FIT over 12 years, the list of five foods to eliminate was very similar. Eggs, dairy, and wheat were the big three and then either clam or lobster were the top foods to eliminate. He says he’s a bundle of laughs at breakfast time.
[23:12] When James first bought the company, his triglycerides were nearly 500. After eliminating gluten, eggs, and dairy, within six months his triglycerides were 100 by taking out those three foods. He also dropped 15 pounds in six months. He was also exercising more.
[25:04] One of the things patients and providers like about the FIT is there’s no judgment attached. It’s not telling you your triglycerides, but what your trigger foods are. It gives patients the ability to take control of their health and do meaningful, understandable things.
[26:17] Sachin points out that knowing what to do instead of just knowing what’s wrong is a powerful position to be in. When the doctor tells the average patient “These numbers are off,” it doesn’t mean much to the patient. Sachin thinks everyone should have the FIT done.[27:23] Sachin especially recommends the FIT for diabetics, autoimmune patients, cognitive decline patients, and IBS and digestive issue patients. James says mainstream evidence links leaky gut to “leaky brain.” Leaky gut may come from food inflammation.
[30:21] James believes 95% of patients most providers see have inflammation. The FIT is a great way to get to what might be causing some of that underlying inflammation burden to try to make the patients feel a bit more normal by taking control of their health.
[31:31] KBMO just did a study in Chengdu, China, on 75 patients with a variety of symptoms. They did a three-month elimination diet. Eighty-two percent of those patients saw an improvement from running the test. All KBMO did was provide the test plates. It’s a robust test.
[35:10] How can a practitioner get the FIT? To sign up, go to [email protected]. Mention Sachin’s name and that you heard about it on Perfect Practice. They will send you a one-page new account form. Fill it out.
[35:52] The FIT kits are free. They can be sent to your office or drop-shipped to your patients. Your patients can go to the KBMO website and order the kits but they have to have a C-dash number that is linked to you, the provider. Everything is provider-centric.
[36:25] Whether given in the office or the patient’s home, the kit is a finger stick. The patient kit includes two finger sticks. You or the patient mail it in. The patient kit has a stamped, self-addressed envelope back to KBMO.
[36:46] In seven to 10 business days, KBMO puts the results online for you, the provider, to see. You will have 14 days to go over the results with your client. Fourteen days after KBMO sends the results to the provider, the client gets an app to see the results on their phone.
[37:34] The app includes an individualized meal plan for your patient. If you need the 14-day consulting period to be longer, KBMO can adjust it for you so the app comes to the patient later. Having the results on their phone helps the patient to comply with the meal plan.
[38:05] With the app on their phone, patients love to share the results with their friends, talk about their amazing results following the meal plan, and encourage them to go to you to be tested. The app is great for marketing your practice to your patients’ family and friends.
[39:16] If anything’s elevated on the Gut Barrier Panel, there are a number of protocols KBMO has set up with a number of leading supplement companies and has also partnered with Fullscript. The Gut Barrier report will recommend going on a good gut-healing protocol.
[40:35] KBMO can either bill you, the provider, or bill the patient directly, as you choose. KBMO makes the process easy and transparent, and they walk you and the patient through it in a manageable way.
[40:55] Sachin tells how easy it was for him to take the test and get his results. He has his results on the app on his phone, which makes it easy to shop for his meal plan. Sachin notes that you can show the app to your server if you have questions about a menu.
[41:20] Sachin says it’s been a positive experience and KBMO’s customer service is exceptional.
[41:28] James adds that as a provider, when you run your first FIT on yourself or a patient, there is a doctor working with KBMO who can review your results with you. She has been running the test for 12 years in her practice.
[42:24] Sachin thanks James for being on Perfect Practice and he appreciates everything James is doing to make our lives as clinicians better. Clinicians can register for the FIT at [email protected] or on the website at KBMODiagnostics.com.
[43:25] “Here’s to avoiding eggs, for both of us, and here’s to amazing health and wholeness to everyone listening! Thank you so much!”
[43:33] James thanks Sachin. The time is much appreciated!
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Mindshare
Fullscript
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
Tweetables:
“When I first did the test many years ago, it was five or six foods, and today, it remains five or six foods. It’s interesting, the stability and the reproducibility of the testing over a 12-year period, in my case.” — James White
“We take this unique science and then re-educate the population about it, saying there’s a real advantage in knowing what you’re exposed to but if you take it to the next level, you’re going to find out which foods are causing you inflammation.” — James White
“We measure colorings and additives. Regardless of how clean a lot of us try and live these days, you’re going to get exposed to these colorings and additives. … They’re increasingly in supplements and personal hygiene products.” — James White
“Your patients can go to the KBMO website and order the kits but they have to have a C-dash number that is linked to you, the provider. Everything is provider-centric.” — James White
James White, CEO of KBMO Diagnostics
Email: [email protected] -
In this episode, Sachin interviews Dominik Martineau about his metabolic reboot practice and what he has done to get to his level of success. Dominik tells about the struggle he had with a weight loss practice that was not reliably producing great results for everybody. When he was looking for a better solution someone told him to call Sachin. Dominik explains how it went from there. The metabolic reboot program he adopted for his clients has grown consistently and his clients are engaged and happy with the results.
Listen in for the details of how his practice works and how it grows. You may gain insight for your practice.Key Takeaways:
[1:02] Sachin introduces and welcomes Dominik Martineau, a student of the metabolic reset program who has adopted a version of the program for his audience. We will get insights from him as he tells us what he has done to grow his business successfully.
[1:53] Dominik is grateful to Sachin for the metabolic reboot program and the opportunity to grow his business to where it is. From their first phone call, Dominik knew what he needed.
[2:44] Dominik is based out of Quebec. He has taken the English-based program and adopted it into the French world. Not many people are doing a French-based metabolic program like this.
[3:18] When Sachin came into Dominik’s life, Dominik’s problem was not in attracting clients but in having a system that gave great results. He was not able to give great results to everybody.
[3:57] It was a big struggle for him. People paid him and he wanted to deliver good results for them. He was praying for a solution. Someone told him to call Sachin and he would help.
[4:19] Dominik booked a call. When they talked, Sachin told him how the metabolic program worked. Dominik started to use the metabolic program with his clients, and they all had results.
[4:36] That was the big switch for Dominik. He had more confidence in his selling because he knew he could give value to his clients.
[5:33] At the time, 80 percent of his clients were women. While he had had great results with some, many had hit a plateau and nothing he tried worked for them. It was frustrating.
[6:02] When Dominik started doing the metabolic reboot with clients, people lost 22 pounds or more. It was simple and it was easy to coach people on the program.
[6:25] People lost weight. The metabolic reboot is so easy that the habits you start in the metabolic reboot can be continued after the reboot, so people lose weight and maintain the loss.
[6:48] People gained confidence in the program because of the result and they referred Dominik. That’s when the business started to grow a lot.
[6:58] People on the program saw improvement in their energy, digestion, and inflammatory disease. Dominik transformed 1,500 people with the metabolic reboot. Dominik gets messages every day thanking him.
[7:31] Dominik has about 500 testimonials. When people pay him, he knows he can give value back. It has been the biggest game-changer of his business life.
[9:19] It’s great having the proven system of the metabolic reboot. Dominik says having an educational portal for information and video, has simplified his job. People enter the program and Dominik gives them the portal with a consult to follow up.
[10:14] Dominik gets clients by referral. He tells people during the sales call and in the program how they can refer to him. Dominik gives a $200 bonus to clients who are referred to him and a $150 discount to the person who referred them. His referrals have grown.
[11:51] Dominik’s program costs clients between $2,200 and $3,500. For a nine-week program, it’s six weeks of losing and three weeks of maintenance.
[12:29] People are happy when they lose weight but you have to create another vision for them after that. Dominik has a five-month program where he teaches people how to tone up, use supplementation, and take their nutrition to the next level.
[12:54] They follow up with a nutrition coach and a Pilates coach so they have a target after losing weight. Having a continuation program is great for the client. They like group coaching with Dominik every month. People feel they are valued in the discussion.
[15:30] Continuity is great for building trust with clients. They lose weight and have a new goal to pursue.
[15:46] Most people will choose the big program at first, not the small program. Increase your price with that continuity. Dominik had thought it would be impossible to sell a $3.5K program when he started three years ago.
[16:14] In one day, Dominik just made two sales of $3.5K with a daily routine. When Dominik started with the metabolic reboot, he sold it for $1.5K. He was alone. He didn’t have ads. Now, he has a team of six and more traffic.
[16:49] If you are starting alone, at $1.5K you have a great profit for a great life. You’ll have profit to grow a team. When you grow a team, raise your price. Dominik started the program at $1.5K and got many referrals. It was great for Dominik and his clients were engaged.[18:40] In the beginning, Dominik was targeting real estate people because they had money. Decide your audience. If you start putting your offer in front of people who don’t have money, you’re going to start questioning yourself. You’re putting the offer in front of the wrong people.
[20:59] Product-wise, it was Sachin who helped Dominik make the biggest shift. Dominik also recommends the book by Alex Hermozi, $100 Million Offers::How To Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No. It helped Dominik a lot.
[22:10] To get better at sales in the beginning, Dominik looked to Grant Cardone. He liked his energy and it helped him a lot. Now that he is successful, he uses his own approach.
[23:18] Dominik tells how his team grew from the start when he handled everything and was making $30K, to today. He hired his girlfriend first to reach out, do messaging, and book calls.
[24:14] Dominik saw the potential in that, so his second hire was another person to reach out and book calls for a program. One year after that, he hired a coach. Dominik was also coaching. When their schedules were full, Dominik hired another coach and then another coach.
[24:42] At that point the practice hit $100K in a month. Dominik hired a setter. Now they have two messengers for booking, one setter, and two coaches. It’s great to have a team of people that are aligned with your mission! Dominik has been able to travel while transforming people.
[25:35] Dominik suggests for your first hire, someone who will book calls to give you opportunities to sell, then coaches, and other setters, last.
[26:38] Dominik talks about using Facebook Messenger to message some of the 3,000 real estate agents on his Facebook page. Be consistent. Put your message in front of a lot of people who have money. When someone likes a post, he messages them, asking about their goals.
[27:44] That was the first strategy he used to get to $30K a month. It’s a lot of work, not automation.
[28:16] You want clients who have invested in themselves, in smaller programs. People who have tried everything are great people to enter your pipeline. They’re looking for a solution. He messages, “If you have tried everything to lose weight, this solution is really great!”
[29:20] Last year, Dominik traveled a lot, but he’s found that he’s more happy when he’s growing and working. His business has been at a comfortable point; now he wants to continue to grow it. There are so many people to help.
[30:06] Dominik just invested another $20K in a mentor program. He wants to hire another setter. He has a working ad system. His vision this year is to scale it and push himself to see where he can go, how many people he can help, and how his team can grow.
[31:17] Dominik used to run Facebook and TikTok ads. He recommends hiring for that, as it takes a lot of knowledge. First, he made the mistake of hiring low-quality people to run his ads. His accounts on Facebook and TikTok got shut down! It was tough, after that!
[31:59] Dominik hired someone great to run his ads and his ads are working well. The ads include video and copy with a link to his Facebook Group, creating a lot of volume going to his Group. His setter joins the Group and they have a webinar. They take consultations from that.
[32:36] That’s Dominik’s funnel. He puts about $200 a day into ads. He pays his advertising person $3K plus bonuses for sales. You want a professional to run your ads and not do it wrong to be shut down.
[34:05] Dominik has an email list of 20K people. He uses Datasun to send out 30 days of automated emails to the list. He recommends them. They make beautiful emails. Email is not where Dominik’s cash comes from, though; it’s from the setters creating appointments.
[37:07] If Dominik didn’t have his setter, the business wouldn’t grow. It’s an easy job when you have a process to do it.
[38:35] Dominik thanks Sachin for his example in showing him the life he wanted. To see more about how Dominik works, go on Facebook Relance Métaboliques, on YouTube: Dominik Martineau Relance Métabolique, and TikTok: Relance Métabolique. All in French.
[39:36] Dominik thanks Sachin for the opportunity to tell people about his work and inspire them. Sachin thanks Dominik and says he will post those links in the show notes.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Joe Polish
$100 Million Offers::How To Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No, by Alex Hermozi
Grant Cardone
Datasun
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
Tweetables:
“Sachin told me how the metabolic program works and when I began to use that with my clients, every client began to have results. That was the big switch. At that moment, I had more confidence in my selling because I knew I could give value to those people.” — Dominik Martineau
“People — when they finish losing weight, they are happy, but you have to create another vision after that for them.” — Dominik Martineau
“It’s really fun to have a team of people — it’s great — aligned with your mission! I can just leave those people and I have the time I want, when I want, to do whatever I want.” — Dominik Martineau
“That’s the vision for this year. Push myself to the next level and see where I can go with that and see how many people I can help and grow my team.” — Dominik Martineau
“” — Dominik Martineau
Dominik Martineau:
FB: Relance MétaboliqueYouTube: Dominik Martineau Relance Métabolique
TikTok: Relance Métabolique
Dominik Martineau bio
Dominik is a naturotherapist and the CEO of Metabolic Recovery.
He is dedicated to improving your physical, mental, and energetic health. He is passionate about personal transformation and excited to share with you tips, tricks, and knowledge to help you achieve your wellness goals.
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In this episode, Sachin interviews chef James Barry about his career as a personal chef to celebrities, how James became interested in organ meats, what inspired him to formulate an organ meat supplement called Pluck, and his passion for eating the whole animal as our ancestors did. James shares some research on the nutritional density of organ meats. Sachin tells how he broke his meat fast to try Pluck so he would be able to endorse it with integrity.
Listen in for ancestral knowledge about eating for your biological needs.
Key Takeaways:
[1:02] Sachin introduces James Barry, a chef, and the Founder of Pluck, a company that makes organ meat-based seasoning. James had talked about Pluck on the stage at Mindshare where he pitched the idea to Joe Polish in a mock Shark Tank.
[2:15] James has found a way to make the delivery of organ meats simple and tasty for anyone. Sachin had lunch with James at Genius Network and they had a fascinating conversation they wish they had recorded! They will try to replicate and extend that conversation in this episode.
[2:40] Sachin welcomes James Barry to Perfect Practice.
[2:51] James Barry has been a celebrity personal chef for over 20 years. He names some of his clients.
[4:25] There was no blueprint for how to be a celebrity chef when James started. When he began, he found a private chef who mentored him. James has mentored many chefs since.
[5:22] Most who hire a private chef do so because they value their appearance and their time. Many of us don’t value our precious time. Outsource things that are not your specialty.
[6:17] A lot of celebrities are just following the trend. They talk about the most popular book. When James first got out of culinary school the trend was the fat flush diet.
[6:38] James learned he had to understand the trending diet, not only by reading but also by working on the recipes to be very good at them. If a celebrity has a nutritionist, you need to execute that nutritionist’s instructions or already know that diet to work with them.
[7:11] James had also studied nutrition. When he cooked for celebrities, they only wanted to eat what he cooked for them. Everything was from scratch. He used Whole Foods. He didn’t use anything that was ultra-processed. He focused on clean eating and fairly low-carb.
[8:37] James describes celebrities as human beings with extraordinary attention focused on them, more money and resources, but just normal human beings. James treated them like regular people. He didn’t try to become their best friend. He focused on fulfilling his role, honoring their environment and privacy.
[9:50] James thinks that sometimes a celebrity’s “why” is a lot clearer. They know why they want to be healthy and mindful of what they put in their mouths. If you have a $300 million movie you are performing in and want to perform at your top, that’s a lot of pressure.
[11:17] James has always strived to support people where they are. He learned the culinary arts to help people. Humans are inconsistent and gravitate toward comfort foods. He wanted to improve the foods people were eating.
[12:01] James has researched organ meats and calls them the most nutritionally dense foods on the planet. He wondered how to get over the hurdles that people had, eating them. They struggle with the taste, sourcing, how to cook them, and what to do with them.
[12:22] On a trip, James’ two young girls got Shiga toxin from E. coli and couldn’t hold anything in. James was warned not to give them antibiotics as it would release the toxin faster and overwhelm them. The two-year-old got to almost skin and bones and recovered slowly.
[14:01] When she recovered, all she would eat was toast. James wanted something he could sprinkle on the toast to make it healthier. He realized we have freeze-dried organ meats but it’s in capsules because it doesn’t taste good. James wanted to make organ meats taste better.
[15:13] Deconstructing paté, James found the ingredients he needed to add to make it taste better. James recreated the taste of paté with dry ingredients. The result is Pluck. It contains five organ meats, which are the liver, heart, kidney, spleen, and pancreas from 100% grass-fed cows.
[15:44] It removes the barriers. You can sprinkle it on anything. It tastes delicious. Most people don’t even realize they’re eating organ meat. James gets amazing feedback from parents who sprinkle it on everything.[16:33] When Sachin and James were at lunch, James was giving people samples of Pluck. Sachin, though a vegetarian, decided to try it so he would know if he could endorse it to listeners with an honest opinion.
[17:26] Sachin tried it and it tasted quite good. He sprinkled it on his salad and enjoyed it immensely. Sachin’s honest truth is the product tastes amazing. It tastes good, it’s healthy, and it upgrades the things family members are consuming without them realizing it.
[19:00] James has learned that for healthy food to become a lifestyle, it has to be easy because humans will do hard things for a while, not that long, and it has to be delicious because we will eat something that tastes bad for a bit, but then we default to what stimulates our dopamine.
[19:42] James knew he had to make a product that was easy and tasted good. James also wanted eating the whole animal, not just the muscle meat, to be as easy as possible.
[20:16] Ancestrally, archeologist Dr. Bill Schindler, author of Eat Like a Human, said humans are the only species in the world that look to someone else to tell us what to eat. We have lost our way around our food. James speaks about ancient tribes eating the whole animal.
[22:59] James tries to get to what is simple, easy, and delicious, so you’ll eat it, feel better in your body, and treat others better. Once we feel better, we treat others better.
[24:06] The organ meats are raw frozen, processed to be a uniform size, freeze-dried, and powdered. There’s no flow agent added to it. It’s very pure. No one had combined them with spices before. The USDA and FDA didn’t know what to do with it.
[26:22] When it was called food, a USDA-approved food processor had to do the packing. James tried for eight months to find a processor who could handle the powder without contamination by air but no one could. James had to repurpose it as a dietary supplement.
[27:29] A lot of people don’t realize it’s a dietary supplement. The box on the back of the package says Dietary Supplement, not Nutritional Facts. So it’s an FDA product. James sources from New Zealand.
[29:47] New Zealand has very high standards. They have green grass year-round and cattle is one of New Zealand’s major exports. The whole animal is accessible. You can get brains in New Zealand, but not in the U.S. James is trying to source through the U.S. but it’s not possible yet.
[31:54] James launched Pluck during COVID-19. People didn’t know what it tasted like and he had no means of getting samples to people. He got on as many podcasts as he could and sent the product ahead of time to the podcast host for an honest assessment. That was the launch.
[32:50] The biggest questions James gets are “How much am I really getting?” and “How do I know it’s really working?” Our bodies know what they need. How do you get back to that intuitive knowledge? You won’t get it by swallowing capsules and bypassing biological communication.
[33:54] James says digestion starts with your eyes. You see something that looks good. When you get closer, you smell a good aroma. That triggers something in your brain. You take a bite and you taste it. Your saliva starts breaking it down. Your body decides if you want more.
[34:57] If you eat slowly, your body will tell you when to stop. Too many of our foods have more flavor than nutrition, and that confuses the body. Swallowing a capsule bypasses biological communication. Eating a salt tablet instead of tasting salt bypasses communication.
[36:18] James emphasizes to people that when you eat, your body will tell you how much you need or don’t need. Beef liver is huge and hard to eat in one sitting. If you eat a lot, it starts to taste different. If you keep eating when it doesn’t taste good, you’re not listening to your body.
[37:10] We’re already seasoning our food. Instead of an all-purpose seasoning, Seasonings have anti-caking agents and stabilizers, that are not good for us. Most blends will be high in salt. That’s the cheapest ingredient. Pluck gives you nutrients you do not get from seasonings.
[40:06] Organ meats are natural multivitamins. You don’t have to worry about eating it with food; it is food. Like supports like. The liver can support your liver. Orcas are known for attacking a shark and eating only one part of the shark, the liver. Animals in the wild go right for the organs.
[44:03] James cautions us about getting too “heady” about things. Our bodies have responses we can learn from as we listen. Our body knows. You can’t escape the truth your body will reveal. Follow it where it goes vs. your head leading you. James lauds Sachin for trying Pluck.
[46:45] Sachin agrees that the body never lies. Let’s put our dogma aside and give our body more of what it needs so that we can be around longer and be of service to others longer, as well.
[47:10] To get Pluck, go to EatPluck.com or get it on Amazon under Pluck seasoning or organ seasoning. Also on the website, there are some clinics listed where Pluck is sold. There are some places in Canada where it is sold. There are also recipes on the website.
[47:48] If you have any questions about organ meats and how to cook them, James’s mission is to help people learn how to eat that whole animal. They have resources about how to ease organ meats into your diet, besides Pluck.
[48:10] Sachin thanks James Barry for taking time out of his schedule to guest on Perfect Practice, spend time with Sachin, and share his passion with the audience. Here’s to an amazing epic year for James and the team at Pluck!
[48:32] Here’s to our listeners’ health, wellness, and happiness! Get your products at EatPluck.com, check your grocer; if you’re a practitioner, see if you can try out the products yourself first, and perhaps even encourage and endorse them to your patients, as well.
[48:55] James wishes everyone a fabulous year and please know to reach out. Pluck has affiliate programs and wholesale. “We’re always happy to answer any questions and to support the eating of the whole animal, so please ask.”
[49:15] Sachin thanks James and wishes him a wonderful rest of the day.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Mindshare
Genius Network
Eat Like a Human: Nourishing Foods and Ancient Ways of Cooking to Revolutionize Your Health, by Dr. Bill Schindler
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
Tweetables:
“Many of us don’t value our time. As I get older, I’m realizing that time is much more precious than I’ve ever valued it.” — James Barry
“If it tastes good and it’s good for you, and it’s easy to apply, why wouldn’t you use it? I’m not just talking about Pluck, I’m talking about anything!” — James Barry
“For health food to become a lifestyle, it has to hit two things. It has to be easy, … but then it also has to be delicious.” — James Barry
“Once we feel better, we treat others better.” — James Barry
“You can get too little of something, you can also get too much of something.” — James Barry
Chef James Barry:
FB: Eat PluckWebsite: Eat Pluck
Bio: James Barry
James Barry’s 20 years in the culinary field started as a private chef cooking for celebrities such as Tom Cruise, Mariska Hargitay, George Clooney, Gerard Butler, Sean “Puffy” Combs, Barbra Streisand, and John Cusack. Most recently, James launched his first functional food product, Pluck, an organ-based seasoning. It's the first of its kind and an amazingly easy and delicious way for people to get organ meats into their diet.
James is also a published cookbook author having co-authored the recipes in Margaret Floyd’s book Eat Naked and co-authored the follow-up cookbook The Naked Foods Cookbook. He most recently co-authored the recipes in Dr. Alejandro Junger’s book, Clean 7.
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In this episode, Sachin interviews Dr. Tracy Gapin about his career, what inspired him to leave his urology practice and focus on precision medicine for men’s health, and some of the purposes of the Gapin Institute. Dr. Gapin talks about the success of the Gapin Institute, why he did a TEDx talk, and what his plans are for 2024. He also discusses his book, Male 2.0, and offers his High-Performance Health Handbook.
Listen in for some practical tips for transformation for your practice.
Key Takeaways:
[1:02] Sachin introduces Dr. Tracy Gapin, M.D., a urologist, and the CEO and Founder of the Gapin Institute, a leader in precision medicine.
[1:21] Dr. Gapin is here to share some of the trials and tribulations he has gone through in becoming who he is today, setting up his practice, becoming a thought leader, an innovation leader, and somebody Sachin looks up to.
[1:38] Dr. Gapin has overcome mental, physical, and spiritual challenges to get to where he is today, with over 25 years of clinical experience.
[2:40] Dr. Gapin is reading a book on cardiovascular health and disease, by Dr. John Huston. Dr. Gapin is all about the science.
[3:25] Dr. Gapin explains his takeaway from the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M). Things are constantly evolving. Dr. Gapin says it’s easy to get stuck on the business side. Don’t forget the science behind what you do and why you do what you do.
[4:16] Dr. Gapin mentions other conferences he attends regularly. He encourages you to stay focused on the constantly evolving science. Whatever your niche may be, you need to be able to provide outcomes. That comes from your scientific and medical knowledge and background.
[5:51] Dr. Gapin started as a urologist. His passion is men’s health. He became disillusioned with urology and looked for a better way to serve patients.
[6:53] Through the health challenges he experienced, Dr. Gapin found an amazing world of precision medicine, epigenetics, functional medicine, hormone optimization, peptides, and longevity. It changed his perspective on medicine. He became passionate about it again.
[7:50] Dr, Gapin was driven to make a change. It was scary to throw away a very lucrative career and practice and start over. But he felt like he had no choice because he found something he loved. He didn’t want to live the rest of his life being a miserable surgeon.
[8:15] It was a tough decision for Dr. Gapin. His wife supported him 1,000%. He made a decision, saved up some money, and started going through certification, courses, and conferences about eight years ago. That’s how it took off for him.
[9:13] Dr. Gapin's career change decision was an evolution. When he knew he was going to leave urology, he got some coaches and business development learning. He battled impostor syndrome, wondering if he was good enough to pivot his career.
[11:11] Dr, Gapin had a hard childhood. When he was five, his dad left. He never had a father figure. That may be why he’s drawn to men’s health and is passionate about being a dad. His kids are his “why” that drives everything he does. He’s trying to fix the childhood he had. Starting something new and different was overwhelming.
[12:54] Dr. Gapin advises new practitioners to stay true to who they are and what they want. Dr. Gapin once joined a Vistage group of entrepreneurs. One of them asked him “What do you want?” He thinks about that question almost every day.
[13:30] Dr. Gapin asks people who are starting what their ideal ending is and if what they do is aligned with that ending. There are many business processes. Dr. Gapin’s business now is high-ticket, low-volume, but at first, he was in the trap of selling many low-ticket items.
[14:30] It’s hard work to slow down, do some introspection, and understand what is right for what you want. The majority of courses are not making the seven figures you might assume they are. Don’t use somebody else’s idea. Pilot your life and make adjustments as you go.
[17:11] Dr, Gapin learned a question from Carl at Mindshare: What is the transformation that you provide? Does this thing that you offer solve that? If not, you can’t create the business you want to build.
[18:14] Dr. Gapin learned from J.J., don’t build it until you fly it. Build it while you’re flying it. Dr.Gapin first offered his programs to his existing patients. After he had a client book of business, he opened his facility, Gapin Institute. That applies to building a digital program, too.
[20:09] Dr. Gapin believes coaching is underappreciated. Dr. Gapin hired a business coach as he was preparing to transition his career. He was in two masterminds before Mindshare. Mindshare was great for him for three years. The one-on-one coaching sessions were the best.
[20:53] Sachin did a one-on-one call with Dr. Gapin several years ago and advised him to keep it simple. He still quotes Sachin’s advice to this day. Dr. Gapin has three coaches now and each provides different aspects of his business. You need a coach or guidance and support.
[23:04] Dr. Gapin’s wife has been instrumental for him as a support in hiring decisions and counseling him not to go after shiny objects. Some tech can be offered for sale to clients to use in their homes instead of buying it for the center.
[27:47] Dr. Gapin had a coach specifically to prepare for a TEDx talk. He had to come up with ideas to make it interesting, unique, and appropriate and do a lengthy application. Once he was accepted, he had to script it, practice it, and refine it. He had to deal with his nerves.
[28:37] It was nine months from Dr. Gapin starting the application process until he gave his talk. A lot of that is time waiting for a response. It was an amazing experience. It was empowering to share his perspective in his voice.
[29:35] If you have information or wisdom that could help somebody else, you’re selfish if you don’t share that with the world. Dr. Gapin loves sharing his message in front of groups now.
[30:35] Dr. Gapin wrote Male 2.0 when he was in his urology practice. Male 2.0 represents a new generation focused on the prevention of problems. Dr. Gapin lists many metrics we can track with electronic tools to generate health data.
[32:45] Dr. Gapin was a co-author with Dr. Melissa Petersen for the book The Codes of Longevity. Each author had to give their perspective on what are the secrets to longevity.
[33:19] Dr. Gapin attributes longevity to cellular efficiency by fasting for 16 to 18 hours once a week, building up to three to five days a week. Dr. Gapin fasts for 24 hours, once a week. He says it’s easy, once you get used to it.
[34:29] Blood sugar regulation is another critical factor in longevity. Poor sleep boosts cortisol, which boosts blood sugar. Get enough deep sleep. Managing blood sugar is critical.
[35:13] Oxidative stress slows down the mitochondria and the production of ATP as free radicals overcome your body’s anti-oxygen system. How can you improve this problem? The science of longevity is always evolving.
[35:09] Dr. Gapin’s business plan for 2025 was to open two new centers with partners but those partnerships were terminated. So 2024 will be a year of expansion and finding compatible partners. Sachin recommends the NEO Personality Test to find partner compatibility.
[42:26] Dr. Gapin received advice from colleagues (not coaches) to do things that didn’t align with his business model. Ask yourself. Who is your avatar, what’s the problem you are trying to solve, and does the thing align with that?
[46:26] Where are your clients in the sales process?
[45:48] Dr. Gapin’s last words of advice: Do one thing at a time, focus on your avatar, know how you differentiate yourself from others, and be able to articulate it. The biggest one is to have a very clear sales process and sales funnel. Dr, Gapin explains how a sales funnel is used.
[46:24] Where are your clients in the process? Is your client aware they have a problem? Do they know they have a problem but have no idea about a solution? Are they aware of solutions? Are they aware of your solution? You have to meet them where they are.
[46:53] At the end of his content, Dr. Gapin asks people to text the word HEALTH to 26786 for a free copy of his High-Performance Health Handbook with 15 tactics to have more energy, have better focus, lose weight, have better sex, and live longer. He gives away information.
[47:52] The prospect also gets nurtured with an email message of informational content every other day for eight days, so they’re more aware. He hopes they will eventually want to engage with his team and work with them. You have to meet people where they are.
[48:24] Use whatever lead magnet works for you. It can be an opt-in through text or your webpage so that you give them more information and nurture them along with content.
[49:59] We tend to undervalue what we’re providing. People who pay more are more invested and willing to commit more to an outcome. It takes the same effort to acquire a client, whether they pay 1X or 10X. Dr. Gapin raised his prices and the conversion rate stayed the same.
[52:56] Don’t try to justify your pricing like you’re selling a car. You’re selling an outcome. You’re selling a transformation, What is that worth?
[53:33] Sachin thanks Dr. Tracy Gapin for such valuable insights, and for his humility, vulnerability, authenticity, and leadership.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Mindshare
Genius Network
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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In this episode, Sachin interviews Dr. Betty Murray
Key Takeaways:
[1:02] Sachin introduces Dr. Betty Murray, the CEO and Founder of Living Well Dallas, a functional medicine center. Betty is a nutritionist and researcher who has helped hundreds of people to feel their absolute best, so she has had great success and prosperity.
[2:08] Sachin and Betty will focus on Betty’s methods for success and prosperity to help you succeed and prosper in your practice and life. Sachin welcomes Betty to Perfect Practice.
[2:52] Betty started her practice 20 years ago. In 2004, she did not find many clients for functional medicine. She bootstrapped her business with her part-time job. She didn’t have enough runway to make a lot of mistakes. She had to be more resourceful with her resources.
[4:58] In Betty’s clinic today, there are internal medicine, psychiatry, hormone replacement, clinical nutritionists, life coaches, counselors, and diagnostics. At first, her clinic was fee-for-service, and nobody was using coaching because they didn’t know its value.
[6:40] Betty had to let go of her belief that if she educated someone, they would find value in her program, and instead, create the value proposition and give it to them so they would find value. If the market is not buying your strategy, your strategy is wrong and you need to rearrange it.
[8:44] Always add value for your client first. When you give value to your customers, patients, and clients, you get rewarded. When you’re driving toward a value, and you’re giving people what they need and helping them understand what they need, people will value that.
[9:47] When you’re starting, the narrower you get with what you’re doing, whom you’re serving, and what problem you’re solving, the easier it is to stand out in that market. Don’t go bigger, faster, better and think it’s going to be more money. It’s complex. Betty has to spend more on marketing than others because she has more avatars. She has to spend more time on staff.
[13:45] Sachin says to keep it simple. Betty adds that if you have this burning desire to have a multi-disciplinary team, recognize that you’d better be a good business person or hire a good business person, which requires a runway of cash flow. It’s not a low-paying job.
[14:57] Most of us in healthcare never had business training. Betty had a business degree before she came into healthcare. It’s still a concept until you get it into action. Being a 30,000-hour expert comes from experience, not from a book or an education.
[17:09] The Mosaic of Autoimmunity, by Dr. Yehuda Schoenfeld, is a textbook Betty has been studying. It’s probably the best textbook to explain the underpinnings of autoimmunity. Regardless of who our avatar is, all of us are going to be in the immune system.
[18:07] 10X is Easier than 2X: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less, by Dan Sullivan is the business-building book Betty recommends. It is easier and more effective to leapfrog from where you are to where you want to go than it is to make small changes.
[18:52] Betty recommends two personal/financial development books: Disruptor: How to Challenge the Status Quo and Unlock Innovation, by Alex Gonzalez, about innovation. The second book is Die with Zero: Getting All You Can from Your Money and Your Life, by Bill Perkins. It’s about not amassing money but using it to do good as you go.
[24:11] Betty tells how she grew her money mindset. As a child, she was determined to work and she falsified her birth certificate to get a job underage. She sees the world as abundant and if she lives in that abundance and does the right things, she will be rewarded for it. She doesn’t hesitate to spend money. He husband is cautious so she asked him to handle the finances.
[25:55] Sachin also has a story about going after what he wanted at a young age. He learned to cut hair by watching a barber and then opened a barber shop in his garage. Bety’s and Sachin’s experiences helped mold them into who they are as adults.
[28:57] Walter Isaacson wrote about Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, and others who have changed the world. None of them had an easy life. Those things that are more difficult for us make us tenacious. Opening a practice outside the traditional medical establishment is also an adversity. Don’t keep a Plan B that’s easy to go back to. Keep marching forward, iterating, and changing.
[31:33] Whenever Betty is told she can’t do something or the world will beat her, that is when it’s “game on” for her. That guarantees she would act. Recognize that your challenges are also helpful.
[32:34] Justin notes that success is in doing things differently. Sally Hogshead said that different is better than better. Betty built a large, busy center. At first, she didn’t want to be the brand but learned that your brand is you. You have to be part of the brand. One year, Betty spoke 220 times. She showed up everywhere as the owner so people would know about the center.
[34:17] When people leave a practice it’s not from what happened but how it was handled. Every part of the customer experience must be planned and managed to make it extraordinary. If there’s a problem, own it, fix it, and apologize. Betty’s team out-executes everybody.
[35:37] When you want to stand out, look at the non-clinical stuff and double down on it all, from the emails to how the phone is answered. Those things will make up for a world of pain and will make you look better. Most practices shirk that, and people get mad about it.
[36:42] Betty tells about her hiring process. She starts with a matrix of requirements. Betty has a team member do the initial interviews to figure out if the applicant is a culture fit. Betty doesn’t want “yes people” but they have to be on board for her strategy. Betty has a “Volkswagen test.”
[38:34] If they pass the culture fit and the skill set, they come in to interview 12 to 14 of the practitioners. Finally, Betty interviews them. If she likes them, they come in for a working day. They get paid for the day and do a final interview with Betty. Betty is slow to hire; and quick to fire. Because of the extensive interview process, Betty doesn’t often have to fire.
[39:31] Betty tells about her first hire. It was an administrative assistant. Betty’s role was to bring people through the door. She didn’t want to spend billable hours doing unbillable work.
[42:09] Betty’s last piece of advice: If you’re a practitioner, you do not need any more certifications or training to do what you do. You need to do what you are trained to do.
[44:04] Sachin warns against continual certifications. It’s a form of procrastination and it leads to imposter syndrome. The way you build the muscles is by doing the reps. If you get into a situation where you don’t know the answer, you have the resources to find it quickly.
[45:17] Betty got her Ph.D. not because she needed it for her business but because she wanted to dig into the research and get better at that, to prove this type of medicine works.
[46:12] Sachin thanks Dr. Betty Murray for everything that she shared today. Betty mentions her practice Livingwelldallas.com, her website, Bettymurray.com, and her podcast Menopause Mastery. Sachin thanks her for sharing her wisdom.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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In this episode, Sachin interviews Chris Kelly, backcountry outfitter and friend, about the benefits of being in nature with a group, disconnecting from technology and using primal survival knowledge and skills, supporting each other, and growing naturally. Listen in for ways to embrace the natural world and put aside the office for a while.
Key Takeaways:
[1:02] Sachin introduces and welcomes Chris Kelly to the Perfect Practice podcast. Chris is an outfitter and Sachin’s outdoor mentor, friend, and guide in so many ways.
[2:11] Sachin met Chris on a three-day group camping trip in Algonquin. Chris and his brother Kieran involved everyone in meaningful, positive ways. Sachin was so impressed, he brought a group of his friends the following year for another amazing trip.
[3:46] The Time we spend with people is magnified in a backcountry camping experience over multiple days. Sachin learned more on a four-day trip than on a three-day trip.
[4:55] Sachin points out that your business can never grow bigger than you. You’re like the trunk of a tree and your business is a branch coming off of that tree. Grow yourself to grow all the branches of your life, including your business. Part of that process occurs when we disconnect and go back to the essence of who we are.
[6:37] Chris describes the moment on a paddle when the person he was paddling with told him that his trips were transformational. It was an epiphany. People can rewrite their stories. They take down barriers they have put up. They stop telling themselves “I can’t,” knowing “I did.”
[8:41] In the backcountry, there are no services, electronics, or artificial lights. On the first day, you find your footing and it seems to be going in slow motion. In a new environment, you’ve got to pay attention to everything. If you twist your ankle, you’re a liability. The environment brings you new ways of thinking.
[10:16] When you’re out there, you’re a different person, entirely. There’s so much onboarding of these skills that we have from being hunter-gatherers for 99.9% of our existence. You might think portages are scary but you navigate it with ease. It’s amazing how we adapt. You’re breaking an autopilot. You have an intense presence.
[12:02] Taking high school kids to the backcountry for four days removes them from their devices. When they get home, they don’t want to see their phones. You see a shift in their behaviors. In the case of an emergency, Chris had a satellite phone available.
[14:05] Coming back from the first trip, Sachin realized he would rather paddle for three hours than drive for three hours to get home, it was such a magical experience that changes you in so many ways. It makes you tough; it softens you. Sachin describes the magic of seeing the sun for 15 minutes after five cloudy, rainy days.
[17:04] Chris says you build a relationship with nature. It’s a reflection of your relationship with yourself. As people return to the backcountry, they become more themselves. They become more grounded. Families experience great beneficial changes. Everyone’s accomplishing something together. Their stories wash away in community and love. This carries back to life.
[20:31] Sachin shares a reflection learned from the second trip when portaging uphill to the next lake, carrying packs or canoes. Everyone plays a role, big or small, glorious or not glorious.
[23:37] Chris talks of finding power in being humbled and disempowered and ultimately finding fulfillment. Finding wood to build a fire, feeling the heat of the fire, and cooking food on it is primal and satisfying. Everything you put energy into provides energy.
[24:33] One of Sachin’s goals for 2024 is to get his team up there. His wife is hesitant because in the backcountry there are no bathrooms. Some on his team are eagerly looking forward to it. You bond on a backcountry camping trip in a way that you don’t find going to dinner together.
[26:18] Chris tells how to prepare your team for a backcountry trip with him and Kieran. They set you up with a packing list. You show up with a weekend bag, and they take care of the rest. Top-end gear, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, tents; you’re going to be warm, cozy, and dry. High-end, ultra-light canoes. Hop on a call and you won’t regret it.
[27:13] Some people’s highlight of camping in the backcountry is using the Thunderbox, the sun peeking through the canopy, hearing the call of the morning birds, and the lapping of the water on the shore. Chris does a guided meditation about this. It’s not the problem, it’s the attitude on the problem.
[28:21] Chris describes the benefits of getting your team together in the backcountry. You’re putting work aside and getting to know each other as individuals. Handling hard things and fun things together grows a deep-rooted connection. Trust is formed on these trips. It’s a great opportunity for inspiration to come through outside of the workplace structure.
[31:07] You’re outside your comfort zone and so you’re more vulnerable but also supported by the people you’re spending time with. That allows you to show up at the office in a completely different way. On the trip, you are supporting people who might be lower or higher on the ladder. We have titles for our jobs but we are all humans.
[32:11] Chris cites the Dr. Chatterjee podcast. When we’re making decisions, we’re either making a decision to find happiness or making decisions from a place of happiness. The difference is drastic. Decisions you make from happiness are legacy decisions about your life. Chris uses Sachin as an example of making decisions from happiness after a trip.
[34:33] We all have nature around us. Have a plant in your house, at least. Find a sit spot. Sit quietly for five minutes, closing your eyes and tuning into your other senses. Open your eyes and see everything with a new lens. It’s magnificently impactful. There’s something special about going back to the same place daily. The birds and animals will accept you in their world.
[36:42] Chris describes some weather experiences and even a moving encounter with a mother and baby moose on backcountry trips. Sachin describes an unplanned trance experience he felt with others at the lake’s edge.
[40:31] There are amazing sunsets. Being out there so long, Chris is confident in feeling whether it will rain soon or not. He shares an experience of imagining himself as a sapling growing up in the forest and growing through the canopy of massive trees. That inspired him to start Driftwood with his brother Kieran. Guiding exclusively gives him renewed energy.
[44:26] Chris learned from Majeed on a trip that nature is full of infinite intelligence. He feels that if you open up to that, it does come through. He and Sachin are walking examples of it.
[45:08] Sachin gives his endorsement to Chris as a life-changing companion on a trip like this. It is crucially important who you go with to lead you on the journey. Sachin urges every practitioner or individual listening to this to consider this as a valuable team-building, friendship-building exercise, or even for building yourself.
[46:08] To reach Chris and Kieran at Driftwood Paddle, go to their website, fill out the simple form, and let them know what your dreams are and what you’re envisioning. They will book a call and have a Zoom meeting with you to show what they can offer and make sure it’s the right fit. Every trip is curated toward the group or individual, including diet and itinerary.
[46:53] Chris and Kieran and the two other guides that work with them, Troy and Craig, are mature, with adaptive life experience. They are passionate about backcountry camping. There are barriers to backcountry camping. The guides provide food, water, shelter, safety, and security. You work on the needs of loving and belonging, self-realization, and team cohesion.
[48:36] Sachin thanks Chis for his time today and his contribution to this episode of Perfect Practice.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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In this episode, Sachin interviews Jay Abraham, the Founder and CEO of The Abraham Group, Inc. in Los Angeles, California. Jay attests to the power that practitioners have with the knowledge to remarkably improve the lives of people around them, clients, potential clients, and people who may never become clients. Jay speaks of investing in people first and how that pattern helped him in his career as an entrepreneur, business leader, and consultant. Jay offers ideas that can bring you success in your practice by caring more about the people around you than about your finances. Listen in for an inspiring message from Jay Abraham to improve your life and practice.
Key Takeaways:
[1:02] Sachin introduces and welcomes Jay Abraham to the Perfect Practice podcast. Jay has helped thousands of companies and entrepreneurs around the world generate revenue. Jay invites Yuri to ask him questions that might give clarity and actionable strategy to the audience.
[3:31] Jay thinks that we all have an enormously greater capacity to contribute to transforming people’s lives. We must understand that most people don’t know what we already know. Believe in your ability to contribute your knowledge and in your moral obligation to contribute. Be a positive catalyst in somebody’s life. It’s all about them.
[6:13] Jay’s advice for people starting in the health and wellness space is to know that you have the knowledge and the ability to change someone’s life. You have to get it into their mind in a way that they embrace it, believe it, and want it from you. How will you do that?
[7:40] Depending on the size of your market, local or national, find the lowest common denominator of influencers and offer to reciprocate a trade of services. Jay offers a script to use to give them your services for permanent wellness and healing and to ask them to introduce you to their clientele throughout their life, for a presentation of your services.
[11:00:] Jay tells how this worked for him when he started taking off in his services for entrepreneurs.
[12:25] You could become the recommended provider. Jay offers a way to do this ethically through exchanges of services. First, be the one to invest in others.
[13:07] Jay recommends his program on pre-eminence for Sachin’s listeners. Jay always wants to invest first in others. If you invest in someone and it has a positive payoff, everyone may not turn into a future compensated client, but the numbers will work for you if you make a profound difference and if you choose wisely in terms of their values and respect your methodology.
[16:10] Everyone is not going to do as much with the profound knowledge, the methodologies, techniques, regimens, and protocols you are going to share. Choose people who have the highest probability of doing something with it and seeing the most wonderful outcome. Ask them to nominate people who are struggling. Try it in general and for specific applications.
[20:26] Sachin points out this is a long game. We can’t add value to the lives of people who don’t share the values we do. You can add value to the world with every hour, or you can miss the opportunity to add value to the world with every hour. When you add value, the referrals are much more genuine.
[21:06] Jay says half the people don‘t know what greatness is supposed to look like in health. They’ve never had it or it was so long ago, it’s become hazy. They don’t know what it’s like to sleep through the night and have energy and focus with dramatically reduced stress levels, to have their bodies feel and look better. Give them an impact analysis tied to future pacing.
[24:30] Help someone consider what it would be like not to be tired but to have energy and focus galore.
[25:42] Jay shares a profound exercise to do with people. Ask “Who do you know in your life of your age that you would like to have the energy of?” That becomes the reference model for them to go after. If they have no model, ask them about an active celebrity of their age.
[27:39] Jay has been very successful in getting a lot of his clients to help them understand a holistic view of all the things going on in their lives. If you can help them in something that may even be outside the area of your skillset, you have a value-added advantage over your competitors.
[28:30] When you allow people to come to decisions and conclusions, themselves, it’s a different kind of education, a way to validate what is being said, so they can come to the conclusion themselves.
[29:21] Jay tells how he built a half-a-billion-dollar-a-year company in the gold, silver, and rare coin market, by giving people a tripe case for why the research was worth understanding and letting them decide for themselves if it factored into their wealth creation. There’s much more power in a decision when they make it themselves, based on gained knowledge you provide.
[31:17] Jay explains the power of having influential endorsers and champions who advocate for you to build trust with their audience. It’s the safest short way to build a clientele. You don’t build trust through advertising.
[32:20] You want to have ideas and perspectives nobody else does and do what nobody else does to differentiate yourself.
[32:55] Jay once helped a Beverly Hills cosmetic surgeon by getting him to write a book that he deposited in the waiting room and stations at every hair salon, dental office, and related non-competitive location. It was successful through implied endorsement of the establishments where patrons saw the book. What can you do to educate people in an inspiring way?
[35:34] Jay has written 15 books over his career. Some of them have not been published but are available as digital files for free to his potential clients. He recommends practitioners who have published to provide their books for free without shipping and handling to the right potential clients. It is to let your potential clients know that their situation is not hopeless.
[39:10] Jay separates his investment in people from the financial reward that may or may not follow. He tells how he developed that perspective. He was never obsessed with making money. He gravitated toward entrepreneurs who were on missions to fill voids that nobody was filling or to add value to a segment of the market that was underserviced.
[40:09] Jay found himself worried more about the outcome for the end consumer than for himself. He saw how he could enhance, improve, and re-invigorate somebody’s career or life. He was all about making a big difference for people, first and foremost.
[42:52] Jay says the greatest acknowledgment or reward you can give him, is if you are capable of transforming and catalyzing positively a multitude of people’s lives over the next, 10, 20, 30 years, then do it! Do something meaningful with what he has shared.
[44:46] If you ask yourself how many people’s lives can you transform each and every day by what Jay said or by what Sachin is teaching, that’s compensation enough for the time Sachin and Jay have shared today.
[45:08] Sachin thanks Jay for his contribution to this episode of Perfect Practice.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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In this episode, Sachin interviews Yuri Elkaim. Yuri is prolific in the athletic world and the health and entrepreneur space. Sachin met Yuri at a conference that Peter Osborne was hosting. Yuri was onstage and “knocked it out of the park.” Yuri shares many nuggets of advice for the health practitioner who wants to move up to the next level. Listen in for a perspective that may improve your practice.
Key Takeaways:
[1:40] Sachin welcomes Yuri Elkaim to the Perfect Practice podcast. Yuri is a former pro athlete and current entrepreneur in the health and athletic space. Sachin looks forward to today’s conversation with Yuri about business and personality in the health space.
[3:14] Yuri trained, played, and competed in soccer from age 10, to become a pro player. He played professionally in his early 20s. When he was 17, he lost all his hair in six weeks, from an autoimmune disorder, alopecia. Before his hair loss, he had a lot of hair. Going from a full head of hair to bald in senior year was a transition, but his friends accepted it.
[5:12] Developing alopecia was one of the greatest things that happened to Yuri. It opened his eyes to what was going on with his health. Besides Western medical doctors, he was introduced to some amazing alternative practitioners. Nothing worked for his alopecia, but he is grateful for his exposure to these practices.
[5:59] Yuri studied kinesiology and health sciences at the University of Toronto and played pro soccer in France. After Yuri retired from pro soccer around 24, he came back and decided to pursue studies in holistic nutrition. That’s when his life changed. He was being exposed to information he never knew existed. He started applying what he learned.
[6:31] After about two months of cleaning up his diet at the university, Yuri grew back pretty much all his hair. The diet was such a profound change and he had so much more energy. He worked with personal training clients, practicing what he had learned in school. He realized that there were billions of people who didn’t know the holistic nutrition practices he had learned.
[7:29] That set Yuri on a mission. He started writing a book in the back row of nutrition class. Eight years later, he published the New York Times bestseller, The All-Day Energy Diet. Yuri’s passion for wanting to help others came from his own struggle. He struggled for seven years trading time for money as a one-on-one trainer-nutritionist; overworked and underpaid.
[8:18] Yuri had a bigger vision, wanting to help more people. He went online in 2005 and tried to figure it out for himself. It didn’t happen for three years. Then he hired a coach and things started to take off. With mentorship, coaching, and guidance, Yuri started to build a pretty substantial business. He helped half a million people to better health
[8:50] Yuri sold the company 13 years after starting it. During those 13 years, a lot of people had come to Yuri for business advice. He saw a space in the market and he started his current company, Healthpreneur®.about seven years ago. Some amazing health practitioners don’t know how to get their message out.
[9:36] Yuri seeks to help them to build better businesses. His vision is to help a billion people improve their lives in some way, shape, or form. He knew he couldn’t get there, direct to consumer, but he thought if he had these skills and capabilities to help other practitioners build better businesses, virtually, then they could help more people and reach that goal collectively.
[10:22] Yuri truly cares about helping people stand in their power, shine their lights, and become the best version of themselves so they can share with more people. That’s what he is here to do. He works hard because it is so much joy.
[11:34] Yuri discusses practitioners who are not moving forward. There are some mindset blocks common to health professionals that keep them small. One is the need to be liked. They don’t want to post too much or email too often. Don’t worry about the few people who might unsubscribe. Inspire others to be who they can be. Don’t be afraid of sales!
[13:43] Another thing that holds practitioners back is a bad money mindset. There’s a mindset that healthcare should be given to others for free. Some people delegate their health to others instead of taking responsibility for it. When a practitioner offers a package for $3,000 for an outcome, some people are offended. But people don’t do anything unless they pay.
[15:07] Yuri talks about the self-inflicted lifestyle disease of diabetes 2. People about to have a leg amputated are not likely to turn their lives around. Give people a hand-up, not a handout. Don’t be a martyr in the service of other people. Practitioners end up giving their services away for too little and work themselves to the bone, leading to burnout.
[16:14] Yuri’s mission with Healthpreneur® is to help health entrepreneurs and practitioners make their dreams happen in the service of other people.
[18:03] Yuri and Sachin talk about how practitioners develop the mindset that their services are not worth a lot. Yuri tries to get health practitioners to recognize the value of what they do. If we’re in the business of transforming people’s lives, the best thing we can do is charge a premium price. Thinking a $20.00 diet book will change lives is delusional.
[22:52] We don’t have to serve everyone on the planet. You have to be very clear about whom you want to work with, who would be a joy to serve, and for whom you could produce the best results. If some people are not ready to step up to that level, support them however you can with content until they are ready to work with you.
[23:13] Recognize that we can transform people’s lives. How do you put a price tag on someone who’s been dealing with weight issues for 20 years? If you can’t help yourself, you can’t help anyone. Fill your cup first, before giving your services away.
[25:12] Yuri recalls his process for hiring a good business coach. For years, he resisted hiring a coach because he didn’t want to pay; he thought he could figure it out for himself. But after spending six figures on your education, isn’t some kind of mentorship worth the investment? If you're not where you want to be, you’re not good enough. Find someone who’s been there.
[26:04] Do you value your time or your money more? If you are willing to spend your time to save money, then you value your money more. If you are willing to spend money to save time, then you value your time more. Posting on social media is not free. It costs you the thing you never get back, your time. If you don’t pay to play, you value your money more than your time.
[28:08] It’s time to stop preparing with extra certifications and a curriculum. Don’t fear that you’re not good enough for your clients. Work with your clients and you’ll build the bridge as you go.
[31:25] Never take criticism from someone you’d never take advice from. Being online, you have to develop a thick skin. Don’t engage with accounts talking trash online. Delete the comments. Don’t give them any fuel.
[32:00] Yuri shares an anecdotal story about himself. In his late 20s, his hair had come back. When he was 31, he got a tetanus shot. His hair all fell out again and for two years he applied makeup eyebrows. He didn’t want people to see a health guru with hair loss. He decided to stop the makeup after two years and he taped a YouTube video explaining what had happened.
[35:03] When you’re sharing yourself in everything you do, whether it’s social media, content, or whatever, the best thing you can all do is be the fullest version of yourselves. That’s what appeals to people. They want to see the real you. There’s always a group of people looking for someone they have an affinity to. If you don’t share your true self, you may never find them.
[37:05] When Yuri revealed himself without eyebrow pencil, it was a relief and it felt like taking off a weighted vest. He recalls going for a dive in the ocean. It was cathartic and beautiful. He believes our business only grows to the extent that we do. He wouldn’t be where he is now, had he not revealed himself.
[39:23] Yuri got into debt, got out of debt, and turned himself around financially. His mistakes allowed him to improve and get to where he is now. When he invested in products, he didn’t build skills. When he invested with a coach, he did.
[43:32] When Yuri asks practitioners why they invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in Naturopathic College, it comes down to having the capability to help people. That tells Yuri that this person values investing in their skills. Then he asks, wouldn’t it make sense for them to invest in business skills, so they can repay their debt and go where they want to go?
[44:24] If Yuri invests in advertising and can turn a profit on it in a month or two, that is a great return. In contrast, real estate takes more than seven years to double in value. If you invest in a coach, how long will it take you to turn a profit?
[45:04] Value is an extraction game. It’s most often caught, not taught. Take full ownership of your results. Don't look for a guarantee. Did Naturopathic College give you a guarantee? A lot of fear comes from small thinking and small vision. When Yuri invested $18,000 in coaching, it was like he had been dropped into the ocean and had to find a way to swim to shore.
[48:00] The payoff is worth it. People get hung up on the price instead of the payoff. They’re comfortable in their current situation instead of thinking about what their vision looks like. If your vision is to pay the bills, just go work for someone else. There are many mediocre businesses and it doesn’t take that much to be a lot better than them. You just have to have a bigger vision.
[49:54] You may not be an entrepreneur if you don’t have self-belief. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. The odds are so stacked against you in business that you have to have what Yuri calls “delusional optimism.” You have to persistently think that you’re going to make it work and the universe is supporting you. Most people don’t have that.
[51:17] You have to have drive. You have to have a big vision or it’s not worth attempting. You can change the model from one-to-one care to working with thousands of clients at once.
[52:28] You have to have humility and coachability. Delegate. Yuri hasn't delegated marketing yet, because he does it best, but it is holding him back from additional growth. Yuri is humble enough to recognize that there are people way smarter than him in certain verticals, and he has to get out of their way and allow them to drive the bus.
[54:21] You have to be so committed to the vision you want to build. Yuri would never consider throwing in the towel. An entrepreneur, at the core, wants freedom but it doesn’t mean lying on a beach. Yuri works now more than when he was a personal trainer but he loves his work. He wakes up at 4:00 a.m. to get to it.
[55:24] For Yuri, it’s not about the money. It’s about the growth and who he gets to become as he goes through this journey. What problems will he learn how to solve? A lot of entrepreneurs are very growth-oriented and they relish that growth and that contribution. The grass is not greener on the other side, it’s greenest where we water it. You’ll always deal with the same stuff.
[56:47] If you are committed to a great life and contributing in a big way, you know in your core that you’re unemployable, and you have ideas that you want to bring to life, then you have to pursue that. If you can make decisions, take action, pivot quickly if something doesn’t make sense, have mentorship and guidance, and fire in the belly, go for it. Not everyone has that.
[58:02] Yuri talks about aspects, traits, and elements he admires in specific people. Greatness lies in committing to the process. Yuri is transparent with the people who work with him. He sets expectations properly. It will be hard. There are no guarantees but there is help all along the way. What success looks like in Yuri’s life is putting together things he has learned from others.
[1:02:41] Yuri’s day starts at 4:00 a.m. He drinks a bottle of water and reviews his vision. He has an app where he has all his goals and his visualizations and he reviews that for five minutes. He doesn’t go on social media. Then he gets into his most important work from 4:30 to 8:00, doing thought leadership in a Google Doc or a notepad.
[1:04:13] Yuri hangs out with his kids until they ride their bikes to school around 9:00. Then he does meetings on Monday or has focus time until 11:00. From 11:00 to 3:00 or 4:00 there are more meetings and interviews. Some days he goes outside. He works out for 45 minutes every day and walks or runs five K every day. Yuri stretches every day. Activity is very important.
[1:05:21] Yuri does a minimum of 30 minutes of learning every day, reading, listening to podcasts or audio; something to broaden his mind. He coaches his clients a couple of times a week, coaches his team, and looks at how they can continually elevate the business. Then it’s family time, dinner time, and taking the kids to soccer. He gets joy from his routine.
[1:07:48] Sachin thanks Yuri Elkaim for this conversation. Sachin invites you to go back and listen again, as there are a lot of nuggets. You could listen again in 30 days and pick up something different.
[1:08:21] Learn more about Yuri or get in touch with him on the podcast The Healthpreneur Show, Instagram, and YouTube. See the links below.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
The All-Day Energy Diet: Double Your Energy in 7 Days, by Yuri Elkaim
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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In this episode, Sachin interviews Dr. Bryan Walsh. Sachin bumped into Dr. Walsh at ECO, the CellCore Conference. After talking, Sachin invited Bryan to be a guest on Perfect Practice. Bryan is extremely passionate about functional medicine. He brings over 25 years of experience in helping us become better clinicians, looking at our patients through a slightly different lens and upgrading our paradigm so we can be of better value to the people we want to serve the most.
Key Takeaways:
[2:12] Sachin welcomes Dr. Bryan Walsh and thanks him for joining the podcast today. Sachin speaks of producing evidence-based treatment driven by awareness. There are more tests coming onto the market and more supplements and more research being done every year.
[3:10] Bryan started as a fitness specialist. He read much about nutrition. Before going to naturopathic school, Bryan went to a functional medicine weekend seminar produced by a lab. He was amazed by all the available tests. That hooked him on functional medicine.
[4:06] Bryan then went to naturopathic school where he met his wife. He learned about many tests and did them all: organic acid test, salivary cortisol test, urinary hormone test, stool test, hair tissue mineral analysis test, you name the test, he did it. But he started hearing gurus say things he knew not to be true and he started questioning the supplements.
[6:14] Bryan asked himself why he was running expensive tests if he didn’t know their scientific validity. The scientific literature is not friendly to these biomarkers and tests. He compares it to testing your home for radon with a bad test. Bryan is trying to raise the bar in the industry for better practitioners and healthier patients for less money, and being more evidence-based.
[8:10] Bryan and his wife run their business while trying to raise the bar in the industry as much as they can. Sachin loves that they are holding the entire industry to a higher standard. You have to feel solid on the tests you order for people. The foundation of our business is the outcomes we produce.
[9:24] Sachin asks, “How do I create a program that is independent of the labs, that produces results every single time that has tons of evidence and ancient wisdom wrapped up into it, and common sense wrapped up into it, and develop a lifestyle-design program that isn’t dependent on lab testing?” Sachin includes Oura rings for his patients so they can measure their progress.
[10:18] Bryan’s view is that a lab test should not give you any new insights into the person, it should just confirm what you already believe to be true. That means going back to your clinical skills, history-taking, symptom questionnaire, and physical exam. Bryan’s not opposed to any test that he knows of, but a test is not a fishing expedition, it’s confirmation of a suspected issue.
[11:28] For example, if a patient has hypoglycemic symptoms, there’s probably something going on. Testing blood glucose and A1C gathers hard data and allows for interventions and tracking progress. If someone has hypothyroid symptoms, run a complete thyroid panel and see where the defect is.
[12:35] Blood chemistry is one of Bryan’s passions. Standard blood chemistry is one of the most studied labs around the world. It’s been scientifically validated over and over. It’s inexpensive for what you get, if you know what you’re doing, have good reference markers, and are up to date on the modern literature on these markers.
[14:02] When you look at the literature on Albumin, old markers have new reasons they might be high or low that have implications for us as practitioners. If you take old tests and combine them with updated research on the markers, they can tell you as a clinician far more than you were using them for in the past.
[14:47] Bryan cites recent research linking high HDL with leaky gut. A high HDL may indicate testing for intestinal permeability of lipopolysaccharides to confirm. There is updated research on many old markers. Some inoculations are indicated from existing markers. There are new calculations for fatty liver. Some markers are useless and don’t need to be run.
[17:55] Bryan notes that with too much data, it’s hard for practitioners to know what to work on first. Go back to the fundamentals and the basics that you have evidence that they improve people. People are suffering and practitioners are suffering with inaccurate tests. Patients are spending on tests unnecessarily. Some tests just give patients something new to worry about.
[21:50] Bryan does not see people being plain honest about the industry. Practitioners do the best they can and show confidence about it but they don’t know if the second test will show improvement over the first test.
[23:46] Bryan tells more about HDL. If triglycerides are low, HDL tends to be high, lymphocytes tend to be high and neutrophils in women tend to decrease. Potassium tends to high normal and sodium tends to low normal, because of low cortisol and aldosterone. Females with this pattern have autoimmunity and get dizzy when they stand up. Bryan looks hard at HDL.
[24:51] Bryan found one paper years ago that included in the data tape but did not report, data that people that had a higher HDL also had a higher incidence of cancer. There is an HDL immunological component. Bryan has been seeing HDL higher than LDL in the past five years more than ever before.
[24:45] Bryan talks about optimal functional ranges and shares a story. If you don’t have a reference, don’t speak of an optimal range. Bryan has stacks of references of ranges for various markers and he has the papers about them and how he came up with the ranges.
[28:06] The literature on GGT very clearly says high normal levels, in the upper 20s or 30s, are more accurate as a pathophysiology marker than CRP, some metrics like blood pressure, or A1C. GGT is a robust marker of pathology, xenobiotic exposure, and hepatic glutathione deficiency. It’s a marker to justify your use of n-acetylcysteine.
[29:51] Pyroglutamic acid is lower in autoimmune patients than in healthy patients. Low bilirubin is a marker of fat-soluble oxidative stress. Papers that Bryan read recently show a highly increased risk of mortality for bilirubin levels below .4. This points to fat-soluble oxidative stress and may call for support from fat-soluble anti-oxidants, Co-Q 10 and Vitamin E and/or GGT.
[31:28] Bryan refers to water-soluble glutathione. N-acetylcysteine can lower High-normal GGT. These are old markers. Bryn mentions there are also loads of novel and new markers.
[32:13] What about mold? Bryan waits for the bandwagon to turn around and come back before hopping on. He doesn’t want to give the newest supplement only to find it causes cancer. Mold is insidious. People are hyper-stressed about mold. A few years ago, people were stressed about candida and then heavy metals. Bryan doesn’t run a blood chemistry for mold.
[35:41] High albumin is a dehydration marker. Low albumin is an inflammation marker. A1C and C-peptide are insulin markers. If fasting glucose is normal with high A1C, give a C-peptide test. Globulin is a marker of all globulins. IGG antibodies are the greatest contributor to serum globulin. To make globulin, tryptophan is required. High globulin is an autoimmunity marker.
[38:32] If a woman is taking exogenous estrogen (birth control, hormone replacement) that will drive up sex hormone-binding globulin. These women may have mild depression because of a relative tryptophan deficiency. Try tryptophan. Bryan discusses protein electrophoresis, CBC, and other tests.
[40:02] Iron fluctuates by within-person variability. Bryan talks about homocysteine. It is suggested to have a within-person variance of about 8% of 10 Mol/L. About 95% of people will have within +/- 2 standard deviations of that 8% variance. The results of a year’s worth of monthly homocysteine tests might be as high as 11.2 mol/L and as low as 8.4.
[41:50] Iron has a 32% within-person variance. If iron is all over the place, so will serum iron. Don’t consider iron overload protocol unless a reading is high again in 30 days. A standard iron test would be, iron, ferritin, and TIBC. Some use transferrin instead of TIBC. Ferritin has a variance of around 20%. Iron has a variance of upwards of 32%. TIBC has a low variance.
[43:19] When TIBC goes up, the body is looking for more iron. This may be because of a bacterial infection. TIBC is an important marker. The soluble transferrin receptor is a receptor for iron on transferrin. If there are no iron receptors on transferrin, the body is low on iron but doesn’t want any, because it’s fighting off a bacterial infection that thrives on iron. Clear it up.
[48:47] Bryan believes the bacteria appear first in a leaky gut situation. He describes how they wake up without proliferating into sepsis. That’s where the HDL test comes in. Bryan doesn’t differentiate between a gut protocol and a non-gut immune protocol. Any botanical gets absorbed in the gut. Fibers and most minerals don’t get absorbed.
[53:46] Bryan lists classifications of tests he recommends not using, and he explains why: Organic acid tests, salivary cortisol tests (unless you run it serially a few times in a week for patterns), hair tissue mineral analysis tests, and stool tests (unless you suspect a raging infection). Bryan cites incorrect medical treatments of past decades.
[1:04:45] Bryan started his career with more liberal and aggressive protocols. He is conservative now. He works with blood chemistry, evidence-based supplements, and the mental-emotional components and how they affect physiology. Not running all these labs and not going crazy about the best diet has been a huge stress reliever for Bryan.
[1:05:58] About CGM. Sometimes more data can cause anxiety, especially when used by people without diabetes. Bryan is interested in what the counterregulatory hormones are doing. If someone has hyperglycemia, is it because they have no insulin, or too much insulin and it’s not working?
[1:07:56] Why do you have high glucose? Is it because you’re not making enough insulin, insulin’s late to the party, or do you have hyperinsulinemia and insulin resistance? That’s two different patients and protocols.
[1:08:23] There is also hyper insulin sensitivity. Bryan believes that is caused by too much GLP-1. These patients have totally normal glucose but they’re having a hyper insulin response with insulin receptors that are more sensitive. That is not normal physiology. The only thing CGMs focus on is the easy one, glucose. Bryan has never recommended one to a client.
[1:08:38] Sleep trackers were part of a study. They put two groups of sleepers in a room with a clock showing the wrong time. Some people had a great night’s sleep but they thought they had a restricted sleep. They were asked to do math problems and they did poorly. They thought they were exhausted after eight hours of sleep.
[1:10:12] The other sleep group was interrupted after four hours of sleep but the clock showed they had slept eight hours and they believed it. They reported feeling wonderful. They did well on the math problems. The problem with gadgets is that a little information is good but we can sometimes get taken too far. Use tools as they are defined and don’t take them too far.
[1:11:39] Sachin commits to give up personal tech devices for a week and see the results. Bryan says one of the biggest issues we have right now is that we are hyper-focused on ourselves and no longer focused on life and our community. In the past, who you were was who you were to the community. It was your purpose in the community.
[1:12:43] Now we look so much within ourselves, we don’t look out anymore. Nobody’s focused on anybody else anymore. Bryan thinks that one of the biggest health issues we have is people running around lacking purpose, lacking knowing who they are and lacking connections to other people. Bryan thinks it’s showing up in neurotransmitters and hormone issues.
[1:13:54] Sachin is a student for life, like Bryan, willing to learn and adapt and experiment. He will let Bryan know in a week how the tech fast goes. The Oura ring will sit on his desk for a week.
[1:14:37] What is Bryan’s take on AI in blood chemistry? He thinks it has fantastic potential. His fear is that people don’t like to think. Thinking is hormetic but we just want a protocol. The literature about AI in interpreting blood chemistry is good. It does what we are trying to do mentally and manually with the numbers. Bryan’s concern is we will forget how to observe.
[1:16:05] Bryan has experience with AI and labs. He looks at the lab first and draws his conclusions without bias before looking at the AI interpretation. Sachin agrees. No one can do your pushups for you.
[1:17:09] Bryan and his wife have their business at MetabolicFitnessPro.com. They are trying to raise the bar. They are Christian. In a world of dishonesty, they run with humility and integrity and they hope that everything they do emanates from there. They have a number of courses people can get to improve what they do in their practice, be successful, and feel good about it.
[1:18:47] Bryan says he doesn’t think of himself as smart; when you’re dumb, you keep trying to be smart. He’s always trying to impress his wife, who doesn’t impress easily. They are working on creating a lab with some pretty cool markers that aren’t on standard labs but the evidence suggests they should be. They teach a course in blood chemistry analysis.
[1:20:04] Sachin thanks Dr. Bryan Walsh for this enlightening conversation. Sachin invites Bryan to return for further discussions, to speak at Sachin’s events, and to offer mentorships.Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
ECO CellCore Conference
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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In this episode, Sachin interviews Dr. Peter Osborne, his first mentor. Sachin met Dr. Osborne in California at a conference Dr. Osborne was hosting, called Market Functional Medicine. Sachin went to the event after downloading a lead magnet e-booklet from Dr. Osborne on how to build your practice. Sachin learned about the conference from an email. That conference changed Sachin’s life. It was wonderful for Sachin to hear someone who was a few years ahead of where he wanted to be, so open and willing to share his knowledge, holding nothing back. Sachin got some wonderful advice that he immediately applied to make an instant difference in his practice.
Key Takeaways:
[2:51] Sachin welcomes Dr. Peter Osborne and thanks him for joining the podcast today. Sachin thanks him for being a great role model as a father, husband, practitioner, clinician, and entrepreneur. Sachin elaborates on the connections between being a clinical practitioner and running a business.
[4:23] How has Dr. Osborne found passion to keep tapping into and how has he continued doing it all these years? Dr. Osborne says the passion found him. It came from the lack of knowledge, empathy, and discernment that he saw in medicine in his exposure to medical environments while in chiropractic school.
[6:36] Functional medicine practitioners have to be great clinicians as well as great at business. Hospitals and medical doctors aren’t going to refer patients, so you have to understand business. Less than one percent of people will see a functional medicine practitioner. Let’s change that so we can help more people. Dr. Osborne is passionate about helping people.
[7:37] In Dr. Osborne’s view, if you’re not passionate about helping people you should leave the practice. The way to be successful is to love people and have great empathy, great concern; that you care, and that you’re going to do what it takes. You’re going to spend more than a 20-minute appointment with a person if they start crying and you need that time to help them.
[8:14] One of Dr. Osborne’s mentors taught him to help the people and the money will follow. If you go for the money, you’ll never be happy.
[10:01] It can be challenging to keep up with the literature. There is so much you can learn on the internet from others who have different expertise than you. Your patients have the same access to those interviews as you do. Dedicate time for study. Learn how to learn. Humbly understand that we don’t know what we don’t know. Continue to learn more. You’ll get better.
[11:52] Sachin talks about things he’s learned over the years, like breathwork. Dr. Osborne advises you to get really good at something first before you try to get really great at everything. Dr. Osborne is the master of gluten. That’s what people know about him. The biggest change in his clinical life was understanding that topic better than anyone else.
[13:21] After mastering gluten, Dr. Osborne broadened his horizons. He organizes his week into blocks. Monday through Wednesday is his clinical schedule. On those days, he is not studying extra. Thursdays and Fridays are filled with blocks dedicated to research, writing, interviews, running his business, thinking about his business, and his family, meditation, and exercise.
[14:02] It boils down to just being organized and having intent. Thinking about what it is that you want. So many people want to be successful but they don’t think about what needs to happen for that success to happen. Organization has to be a big part of your thought process. If it’s not, there are too many distractions and shiny objects that will pull you in.
[14:28] A mentor of Dr. Osborne, Craig Ballantyne, said “Stop it! You’re going in too many directions. Just stop. Think about the direction you need to be going. What is the one thing that you can do today that serves your clientele that will increase your revenue? Focus on that. Everything else is just a distraction.” Identify first what will grow your business and then do it.
[15:39] Once you identify the needle movers, structure your day around those priorities. Prioritizing what you do is as important as taking action. This good advice made Sachin think of things he is avoiding and the things that are distracting him! We all fall into traps if we don’t have systems to guide us. View your business as an entity that has needs, like a plant.
[17:25] Dr. Osborne sees certifications and additional degrees as shiny objects. You don’t need them for credibility. If you’re getting people better consistently, that is your credibility. Dr. Osborne has a DC license, but he practices under his pastoral license and nobody questions it. People are seeking a new model because medical doctors failed them. Focus on outcomes.
[21:27] How does Dr. Osborne stay so committed to the topic of gluten? Dr. Osborne attributes it to the outcome. Dr. Osborne states there’s no diet that helps people more than the gluten-free diet, done properly. Dr. Osborne can stay passionate about great outcomes. If you’re not helping people it shows up in your practice.
[23:19] To optimize time in his practice, Dr. Osborne automated the educational process about gluten. He switched from one-on-one meetings to a webinar with 20 people in a room. It’s a 90-minute webinar and for the last five minutes, Dr. Osborne answers questions live. That shaves 20 hours off his week for five minutes of questions.
[23:12] Learn. Do. Teach. So we learn something that excites in functional medicine, then apply it in our practices, and do it. And then, as we’re doing it, we’re teaching it to our patients. And that’s where mastery comes. Once you’re past the teaching aspect, anytime you can automate the process but still deliver the value of the education, use the technology to do it.
[24:45] Dr. Osborne explains how automation has made him so successful. He wanted his clients to get him, not a coach or nutritionist he hired to mimic him.
[25:26] Sachin cites a book written about Naval Ravikant. Naval talks about four levers you can pull in business: human capital, money capital, media, and code — taking your process and codifying it so it can be replicated in other clinics. The third and fourth levers are the most powerful ones. Sachin observes that Dr. Osborne is doing well with those two levers.
[27:22] Sachin suggests that if a practitioner has a six-month waiting list, the practitioner may be successful, but people are suffering unnecessarily for six months to be seen. If you have a waiting list, pull the levers of media and code to serve your clients sooner.
[27:57] Technology provides even more than a one-on-one session, Dr. Osborne points out. The clients get access to a recorded question and answer session, with five minutes of live questions at the end, and also have access to the replay of the session. The spouse can also watch the replay. It also saves your staff from being asked a lot of questions.
[29:05] In functional medicine, you’re delivering educational value to people so that they can spread their wings and fly. You’re trying to fire your patients. No other medical model has that in mind, but we do because we want them to get better. If we educate them, they can fly. Part of that education is staff time. Now, staff can refer patients to your recordings to answer questions.
[31:39] Besides the degrees and diplomas, functional medicine practitioners might be distracted by things that they shouldn’t be focused on. If you’re new, think of every way that you can leverage yourself as being your first priority and not an afterthought. If you don’t have staff, things like maintenance that shouldn’t take your attention distract you from your clients.
[32:46] If Dr. Osborne could do one thing over, earlier in his practice, it would be to leverage himself better. Have time in your schedule when you can think about your business, how you can improve it, and how you can leverage yourself. That’s what’s going to save your resources of time, money, and relationships. The website is the leverage piece. It houses your content.
[33:55] The more you spend that time leveraging yourself to serve your communities, the easier it gets. At first, it’s a lot of work. Dr. Osborne has over 1,500 videos and over 1,000 blog posts online. Those took time to write and produce. With these leveraged, your business seasonally gets better and richer as a result of higher service.
[34:51] Dr. Osborne warns against relying on AI to give you informative, reliable articles. He has tested it a lot. It made up false references, after very specific instructions about the article. Every footnote, every time, was fake. Remember, your brain is your number one asset. Outsourcing your brain to an artificial source to emulate what you could put together will “dummify” you.
[36:56] A false source can certainly damage your reputation. Business is about reputation management. Don’t rely on AI for your business. You could destroy your reputation. Do your own work. Jim Rohn says you can’t have someone do your pushups for you. Dr. Osborne will use AI for the framework of an article, then turn it over to a writer to research it and fill it in.
[40:07] Dr. Osborne recommends you navigate and find your strengths. He is good with video and ad-lib, so he would rather make videos than spend hours researching and writing blogs.
[40:55] Dr. Osborne reveals his current work on an affiliate program for healthcare providers to use his DNA testing services through Gluten Free Society, his hub. Your clients and patients can be DNA tested for both gluten sensitivity and celiac disease. He offers DNA interpretation. Affiliates can order DNA tests, be reimbursed, and have them accessible to their clientele.
[41:34] Gluten Free Society is also offering very accurate food sensitivity testing. Within the next half year, they are looking to launch an intracellular nutrition deficiency test direct for affiliates. Providing these core services to affiliate practitioners is an expansion of their competencies.
[42:37] If Dr. Osborne had to start again from nothing, the first thing he would do would be to hire Sachin as a mentor, someone who’s doing it and has it figured out. Dr. Osborne spent his first two years in practice eating his ego. He made a lot of costly mistakes. The first mentor he hired doubled his revenue in the first year. Time is of the essence. Make money early and invest it.
[43:55] Dr. Osborne, before hiring a mentor, invested over $50K in a nutrition supplement company, with a partner. It failed. There was no market for the supplement it produced because it didn’t solve a pain point.
[47:35] Dr. Osborne advises practitioners in the insurance model to leave it. Walk away, giving your patients into the hands of other doctors that can do a good job taking care of them. The year Dr. Osborne got out of insurance he tripled his revenue, seeing half the clientele. People are looking for your service and they will pay cash for it.
[49:02] The third thing Dr. Osborne would do, starting over, would be to leverage himself a lot sooner. He would have hired a lot sooner. He and his wife, practicing together, went too long without bringing in help. Leverage yourself first with technology, then with people. That will exponentially help your freedom to work on your business and grow it. Run the math.
[53:39] Sachin paraphrases their mutual friend, Joe Polish, about HALF. HALF is the hard, annoying, lame, and frustrating things that you hate doing, that somebody else will love doing.
[54:04] Sachin thanks Dr. Peter Osborne for his generosity over the years. Sachin always looks forward to their conversations because he gives such great advice.
[54:37] Dr. Osborne thanks Sachin for having him on the podcast and thanks the audience.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Dr. Peter Osborne
No Grain, No Pain
Jeffrey Bland
Jim Rohn
Craig Ballantyne
Brian Tracy
Naval Ravikant
The Almanack of Naval Ravikant: A Guide to Wealth and Happiness, by Eric Jorgensen
AI
Gluten-Free Society
Joe Polish
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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In this episode, Sachin interviews Dave Asprey, a speaker, best-selling author, and biohacking entrepreneur, by video from Costa Rica. Dave shares some of his experiences, including the health challenges that enabled him to invent biohacking to improve his health. Dave discusses states of consciousness, tools for biohacking, tech entrepreneurship, the importance of mentors, how he deals with personal attacks from trolls, and how he has achieved greater equanimity in the face of stress and triggering events. Dave shares hacks he learned that he wrote into his books. Listen in for many more hacks you can use for better health.
Key Takeaways:
[1:03] Sachin welcomes everyone and introduces the guest, Dave Asprey, who speaks on being an entrepreneur. Dave is a long-time entrepreneur and a best-selling author. His newest book is Smarter Not Harder. Sachin recommends you read it. Dave will talk about his experiences and how he can help your functional medicine or holistic health coaching practice.
[1:59] Dave joins the podcast from Costa Rica. Sachin thanks him for joining us. Dave is passionate about helping people feel and do their best. Dave is known as the Father of Biohacking. His definition of biohacking is the art and science of changing the environment around and inside you for full control of your biology.
[2:55] The definition is still basically the same but the domains of the environment around you that you can change are constantly expanding. Some of the biohacks that have the broadest impact are at the cellular level. When your cells start to work better, your capacity for consciousness starts to improve. You have more bandwidth to access hidden parts of reality.
[4:02] Dave speaks of the hidden parts of reality and non-ordinary states of consciousness reached through neurofeedback and breathwork and having science-based and consciousness-based techniques that allow us to access altered states of high performance, including healing, relationships, and feeling inner peace and compassion.
[4:54] The set of tools for biohacking is ever-expanding.
[5:40] Writing didn’t come naturally to Dave. He is a computer coder by training so he knows how to group things logically. He held Google’s first servers when Google was two guys with two computers. He co-founded the Professional Services Group there. He was part of building Salesforce’s architecture when Salesforce had eight employees.
[6:09] Early-stage work requires structured thinking and the ability to teach new knowledge. For five years, Dave ran a program at the University of California starting each day in a tech startup and then teaching working engineers in Silicon Valley for two and a half hours how to build the internet and cloud computing. After dinner, he studied trade journals and wrote his next class.
[6:44] It was stressful, but Dave learned to assimilate information rapidly, translate it, and make it teachable. That made him one of the most powerful people in his company. Teaching is the best way to learn something. If you’re not going to teach, write a book as if you were teaching. When Dave writes, he asks how he would teach it. That forces him to structure his thoughts.
[7:35] Dave is good at building the skeleton of a book and at putting the outer skin on it. The part of writing he doesn’t enjoy is putting the muscles on the skeleton, so he works with a writing partner to flesh it out before putting on the finishing skin.
[8:37] Dave’s first book, The Bulletproof Diet, had managed to break onto The New York Times list. He talks about the tech he used to achieve altered states of consciousness so he could write. The tech and coffee got him into a flow state quickly.
[10:04] Sachin advises opening Smarter Not Harder and finding something to quote on social media, giving Dave credit. Teaching knowledge is the best way to learn it. Dave’s goal as an author is to say something that hasn’t been said. He writes books to be launching points for things you haven’t seen somewhere. Quote something from the book and add your nuance to it.
[11:48] Sachin adds, nuance it to your audience.
[12:34] Dave mentions WIFY, What’s In it For You (your client)? Create content not for yourself but for your audience. Put yourself in your audience’s mindset. What is the goal of your audience? How do you make what you have to share relevant and useful for them? Dave credits Joe Polish for WIFY.
[14:21] In Dave’s early 20s, he was running a portion of the IT for a hospital. It was taking him a lot of time to manage their eight servers that did most of the work. He considered how to automate his job to free up time to learn more about tech. That was the thinking that led to the early days of cloud computing.
[15:00] Dave says with confidence that the first shipping modern cloud computing was his product. It shipped one day before Marc Andreessen shipped Loudcloud. There were probably 1,000 people in Silicon Valley all working on the same concept. It was driven by laziness. We all have a deep shame for being lazy. Dave explains how laziness is biologically built into us.
[17:27] Dave wants to have his cake and eat it, too, and says that’s normal and healthy; just find a way to do it. That will motivate you more than the hope of being efficient. Dave wants “epic,” not efficient. He tells how to motivate yourself to exercise for eight minutes.
[20:21] Dave has set up the world’s first biohacking facility, Upgrade Labs, in Santa Monica, California. Thousands of people have come through it. Dave is franchising it across the country with dozens of labs opening soon. You can go to ownanupgradelabs.com to get a franchise of a business that is profitable and makes a huge difference to the people who go there.
[21:06] Dave could write his book because after thousands of people have come through his biohacking facility, he had enough data on five big domains people are asking about.
[22:04] Dave is on 25 or 30 advisory boards and he has a portfolio of biohacking companies he has invested in. He does a lot of advising work for equity so he often has the conversation on where entrepreneurs waste their time. Many entrepreneurs are looking to prove they are good enough. There’s a great deal of shame-based behavior. Many were bullied in school.
[23:12] Instead of running away from their past, what if entrepreneurs figured out what they are moving toward that’s worthy? That is so much more motivating than running away. That’s working smarter, not harder. Work hard when you need to, but there’s no correlation between working hard and success. You’re not here to be a better worker.
[25:10] When you read Smarter not Harder, figure out what you want. What matters to you? What problem are you going to solve? How do you want to be? This requires freedom of energy and freedom of time. If you’re working hard, you have neither one. This book says, let’s give you five to ten hours a week back, and let’s double your energy and let’s see what’s possible.
[26:52] Dave’s advice for people under 35: spend time with old people, your elders. These are people who’ve already had to solve all the problems you’re trying to solve. You could try to do it all by yourself, but you could get help from others. Dave talks of the many health challenges he experienced in his early 20s that enabled him to create the biohacking movement.
[28:17] Dave ate salads and exercised 90 minutes a day, six days a week, but didn’t lose weight. He still weighed 297 pounds. He realized it wasn’t working even though he did everything he was supposed to do. Smarter Not Harder is his revenge for those lost 702 hours. He then listened to orthomolecular physicians, now known as functional medicine practitioners.
[31:26] Dave started working with the Silicon Valley Health Institute and became chairman and president of it when he was 30 and was the only guy under 50 in the room. He applied a strategy of finding mentors in business and following leaders who lived by different rules. In a tech company, a VP of Strategy taught Dave how to navigate the halls of power.
[33:16] Go to the elders and ask them how they dealt with marriage. Ask them what they learned. They all know and they want to tell you. He tells of mentoring he received from Ken Crittendon, who had in turn been mentored by Jack Welch. Joe Polish was another mentor. They want to help you and they’re not transactional about it. Dave lists more mentors.
[35:22] When you are mentored, let the mentor know that you followed their advice and it helped you. They will be more inclined to continue to mentor you. As an advisor, Dave wants equity in the company as skin in the game. It gives the advice more weight when the company has paid something for it. Free advice, even when it’s great, is not often followed.
[36:12] Sachin says, if you pay, you pay attention. Sachin gets excited when he gets feedback from someone who applied his advice successfully.
[38:00] Dave tells of a “wantrepreneur” who made a knock-off of the oil for Bulletproof Coffee that didn’t work because it was the wrong formula. He says some narcissists and sociopaths want to steal your idea, make it cheaply, and claim credit for the original. Dave calls it the race to cheat instead of the race for results.
[41:08] Sachin wants you to know that Dave is the real deal and his recommendations are for things that he has done. Dave also endorses Sachin as one of the genuine helpers. There are helpful souls in the entrepreneurial health community. Dave cites Daniel Amen and David Perlmutter as people always willing to help. Some people will try to take advantage of helpers.
[42:48] David tells how good people help each other to win. People pretending to be good don’t do good for others. They want you to lose if it benefits them. You need discernment to see when someone wants to take advantage of you to their benefit and your harm. The more successful you are, the more those people are attracted to you. Your discernment is visceral.
[46:57] Dave tells about appearing on the Joe Rogan show three times. At first, Joe Rogan was very complimentary and grateful for Dave’s product that changed his life but when his friend was trying to steal the name Bulletproof, Rogan and his “death squad” became accusatory and defamatory in an 18-month-long online attack. It was very hard on Dave.
[48:45] Dave wondered why that was a trigger for him. On self-reflection, Dave saw that his trigger was around injustice. Most children experience it. Dave cleared the rage of injustice using the reset process in his book. He also saw that every time Joe Rogan attacked him, his coffee sales went up. When Joe Rogan moved to Spotify, he deleted the episodes with Dave.
[50:28] Dave thanks Joe because the concentrated attacks Dave endured on his media highlighted some important things. It takes a bully a minute or two to come up with an attack on you. It takes you half a second to click “delete.” You have a moral obligation to keep your environment clean for the people you serve. People who attack are kicked off. Dialog is fine.
[52:08] Dave and his clients are united in the goal to be healthy, have a better planet, and reduce animal cruelty. People who attack are blocked. Narcissists looking for attention and conflict are blocked. Sometimes Dave will use humor to defuse tyranny. He shares examples.
[56:21] Dave’s newest coffee brand is called Danger Coffee. He explains how he is dangerous to trolls, but they pose no danger to him. They drive up his metrics.
[58:08] Dave got pulled over a while ago. He showed so much grounded love to the police officer that the officer asked if they could shake hands. Treat people as individuals trying to do their best.
[59:14] Dave reveals how he reacts to aggressive drivers without resorting to road rage. He tells that the other driver has a bowel emergency and has to get home. Don’t be programmable by another person’s behavior. What you are going to do is what you choose to do. When we have our full power, what we will choose to do is to support other humans and the planet.
[1:01:10] Rapid-fire round of questions from attendees:
If you could choose one biohack to incorporate for the next 30 days, what would it be?
Read Smarter Not Harder, because to answer that question you need to know your goal. Dave lists the Five Big Goals people want. Prioritize them. Dave and Sachin share supplement notes for health.
Einstein said that the future of medicine is frequencies. What do you think about vibrational frequencies as modalities for healing?
Don’t look to Einstein for health advice. Dave recommends Nikola Tesla and Royal Rife. They were using frequencies for healing almost 100 years ago. Go to 40yearsof zen.com for Dave’s brain upgrade program. Your body talks in frequencies of sound, light, and electromagnetics. More about light frequencies
What is Brain Tap?
BrainTap is a Biohacking Conference sponsor. It uses lights and sounds to lead a person quickly into a meditative state.
Have you heard of Medbed?
It is one of 30 or 40 brands of light beds that expose the body to light frequencies for healing. Dave talks about using lasers for healing. AI is helping to accelerate the world of biohacking. There is still much to study about light frequencies.
What are the top free longevity hacks? What are the top longevity hacks to invest in?
Read Superhuman, Dave’s book on anti-aging. He goes through dozens of things shown in studies to extend the lifespan of mammals. The top thing is to learn how to get better (not more) sleep. Go to Sleepwithdave.com for a free sleep hack.
Skip breakfast and don’t eat after the sun goes down. Eat some animal protein.
[1:15:06] Dave has had many stem-cell treatments. That’s a very expensive thing you can do. Use TrueDark sleep glasses. Wearing them puts your brain in a meditative state. Using them for an hour before bed, Dave does not get jet lag anywhere on the planet. He gets better sleep.
[1:16:13] Sachin thanks Dave for appearing from Costa Rica. Sachin recommends Dave’s book Smarter Not Harder.
[1:17:15] Dave thanks Sachin as one of the people working for the betterment of the world and he genuinely appreciates that. People genuinely want to help you succeed. If you ask for help, you’ll get it. Dave talks about his tech contemporary, Marc Andreessen, who sought a mentor’s help and is a multi-billionaire. Dave wanted to do it himself and is not a multi-billionaire.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Dave Asprey
Smarter Not Harder: The Biohacker's Guide to Getting the Body and Mind You Want
The Bulletproof Diet: Lose Up to a Pound a Day, Reclaim Energy and Focus, Upgrade Your Life
Upgrade Labs
Ownanupgradelabs.com
40 Years of Zen
Joe Polish
Loudcloud (Now part of HP)
Silicon Valley Health InstituteThe 48 Laws of Power, by Robert Greene
The Laws of Human Nature, by Robert Greene
Genius Network
Daniel Amen
David Perlmutter
Joe Rogan
Danger Coffee
VitaminDAKE.com
Nikola Tesla
Royal Rife
BiohackingConference.com
BrainTap
Super Human: The Bulletproof Plan to Age Backward and Maybe Even Live Forever, by Dave Asprey
Sleepwithdave.com
TrueDark sleep glasses
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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In this episode, Sachin emphasizes how the abundance mindset works to attract and create abundance in your life, relationships, and businesses. An abundance mindset is key to your happiness and success. Listen in for tips on getting rid of scarcity and negativity and dwelling in joyful abundance.
Key Takeaways:
[1:02] Sachin introduces the topic for today, the abundance mindset. This is one of the most important mindsets to adopt and is crucial and key to your success and happiness and the legacy that you leave behind. Everyone around you, including your kids, is paying attention to your mindset, whether you express abundance or scarcity.
[1:40] Sachin has 14 rules to follow when it comes to abundance. He asks you to pick one, then two, and work your way up to all 14. He promises you will have plenty of opportunities every day to implement all 14 rules. Write them down and be more conscious of whether you are abundant in your thoughts, actions, behaviors, and in your reflection.
[2:17] There is always opportunity for us to find abundance and Sachin has learned that you always find what you’re looking for. So if we seek abundance, we become abundance, we embrace abundance, and we act abundantly, then abundance flows in our direction. Our actions act like an antenna to attract the right people and circumstances into our lives.
[3:00] 1. The difference between an extractor and a multiplier. A multiplier takes an idea and multiplies its value. This is like juicing an orange and planting the seeds. If we carefully pluck the idea from a conversation, we can plant a seed and grow it. An extractor has a scarcity mindset. They try to extract every drop of juice but miss the seed. They are always disappointed.
[5:38] 2. The quantum handshake. Think about how you show up to greet and connect with people. Use what’s culturally appropriate for them and your relationship with the person. Sachin describes handshakes and greetings from Level 0 (dead fish) to Level 3 (firm handshake, left hand on the shoulder, with a compliment). Or give a heart-to-heart hug with a compliment.
[10:06] 3. Leave people and places better than you found them. Clean up after yourself at a restaurant. Clean up your room at a hotel. Make other people’s jobs easier and make them feel appreciated. In a hotel room, leave a generous tip and a thank you note. How would an abundant person act in a situation? They leave people and places better than they found them.
[11:51] 4. Stop playing victim. It’s hard to play victim and have an abundance outlook on life and an abundance of opportunities coming your way. Abundance runs away from victims. Victims never take ownership of what’s happening in their life. As a result of playing victim, energy and abundance do not flow their way.
[13:29] 5. Trust the journey. Sachin’s sister-in-law had a saying, “Everything works out in the end. And if it hasn’t worked out, it’s not the end.” It’s rare when everything goes as planned although we might achieve the outcome. Part of life is trusting the journey. The universe, which is abundant by design, has a plan for you.
[14:49] 6. Never show up empty-handed. Bring a gift when you visit someone’s house, especially for the first time. If you’re car-pooling, show up with snacks. Pay for gas. It says a lot about you when you show up with an abundance mindset. Sachin loves bringing artwork, that will be part of their lives forever.
[16:24] 7. Empty your cup. If our cup is full, there’s no room for creamer. Every day we have to empty our cups a little bit so that others can pour into us; the universe can pour into us. Part of that is having humility.
[17:01] 8. Create a vacuum. Emptying your cup ties into creating a vacuum. Create a vacuum of opportunity so energy comes your way. Clear up your calendar so that you have room for opportunity. Clean up your closet if you want new clothes to flow in your direction. You have to create some lack for abundance to flow your way. The universe hates vacuums.
[17:53] 9. Always send a follow-up. When you interact or engage with somebody, send a follow-up message. Take a picture with them as a reminder in your photo album to follow up with a text message and check in with them. If you’re thinking about that person, check in with them. Maintain relationships. You never know when you can help that person or they might help you.
[19:04] 10. Genuinely be supportive. Supporting can be sharing a post or making a referral or an introduction for that person. Sometimes it could be commenting on their social media and giving them an endorsement or writing them a review. Be genuinely supportive of businesses you patronize, entrepreneurs you might know, and your friends and family members.
[19:51] 11. Send them a thank you gift or note. Thank you emails often get lost. Send a text, a voice note, or best of all, send a hand-written card or thoughtful gift. Something like that can go a remarkably long way. There are send-out services you can use to send a note with a gift.
[20:46] 12. Eliminate all the moaners and groaners. Get rid of the Negative Nellies and Nelsons. You don’t have to unfriend them but unfollow them. If somebody continually triggers you and takes you out of an abundance mindset, you don’t want to see their posts. You can still remain friends. Clean your feed. Abundance loves company. Mirror people with abundance mindsets.
[22:28] 13. Be unusually happy and blissful. When you have a smile on your face, the chemistry in your body completely changes. When you start showing up happy and blissful, it gets people’s attention. Pay attention to your energy and how you’re showing up.
[23:14] 14. Leave a tip. Be generous with how you acknowledge people. It doesn’t have to be exorbitant, but be generous. “Tip fatigue” is for people who have scarcity mindsets. When you give, there’s always more. Sachin’s mentor Majeed taught him, “It’s just money.” Money is energy. It’s a representation of how we show up energetically.
[24:28] Sachin hopes these tips are helpful for you. He hopes there is one thing in there that you can identify as a way to show up to be more abundant. He hopes that this gives you an opportunity to be reflective and also to take action. It’s not thinking about abundance that counts, but it’s the action steps that you put into place that truly matter.
[24:50] Sachin would love to hear how you apply this framework and what you found to be most impactful and beneficial, and how, over the next few weeks and months, how being more abundant in your life has created more abundance for you. Sachin sends you lots of love and gratitude and wishes you abundance, health, and happiness.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Jay Abraham
Joe Polish
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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In this episode, Sachin and Dr. Eniko Loud talk about Dr. Loud’s training, background, and interest in applying functional medicine practices to holistic dental care. Dr. Loud explains there is more to dental care than treating cavities and broken teeth. Sometimes teeth break when there is uneven pressure in the bite. Dr. Loud explains how this happens. She covers what kinds of problems mouth-breathing can cause, why there is so much dental crowding and a functional problem with braces. Listen in for information on holistic and myofunctional dental therapy.
Key Takeaways:
[1:02] Sachin introduces the topic for today: oral health and beyond and introduces his guest Dr. Eniko Loud, a pioneer in the treatment of orofacial conditions. Dr. Loud provides dental care in a very holistic way using functional medicine. She focuses on the whole patient. Sachin shares more about Dr. Loud and how Joe Polish of Genius Network introduced them.
[3:33] Sachin welcomes Dr. Loud to the podcast.
[3:56] Dr. Loud was trained in medicine and dentistry in Europe. She had a passion for seeing the whole person. When she discovered functional medicine, it was a paradigm shift. She decided to get certified in functional medicine. She started making an impact on her patient’s health, with documents and dietary plans. She was excited about showing up for work.
[6:30] Dr. Loud tells how diseases of the body can show up on the tongue seven to 10 years before they show up in the body. She says bad breath is one of the biggest indicators of disease.
[8:11] Dr. Loud explains the patient's experience. The first appointment can take up to two hours. Based on functional medicine, there is a lot of listening and gathering of information. Before the appointment, Dr. Loud reviews records, diet, toxin exposure, and sleep habits. She connects all parts of the patient’s history with their oral health. Patients are amazed.
[9:38] Dr. Loud says this should be the standard of care in dentistry. Dr. Loud is a guide to her patients on their journey. She offers two ways, down the path of disease or the path of health. Most patients choose health. The patient is in the driver’s seat and makes all the decisions. Patients receive a report card after their hygienist appointment showing markers of health.
[12:15] The standard in Dr. Loud’s practice is for patients to have zero bleeding. That is how the patients can measure their success and progress.
[13:03] Bleeding gums might signal malnutrition. A lot of times, it indicates a lack of proper care. Mouth-breathing could be an issue or bacterial overgrowth even if they brush and floss properly. Toothbrush heads or mouth appliances may not be properly sterilized, spreading bacteria. Toothbrushes should be changed after two months. Dr. Loud likes electric toothbrushes.
[15:15] Dr. Loud likes Oral B iO series brushes. Dr. Loud says it rotates and oscillates so it is very effective at removing plaque.
[16:25] To tell if you have a tongue-tie, open your mouth wide and touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue. If you cannot, it is likely you have a tongue-tie. Dr. Loud explains some of the problems a tongue-tie can cause, and how the posture may be affected. Swallowing problems, sleep apnea, and snoring also may result from a tongue-tie.
[19:33] Dr. Loud describes a 3-D scan that can show abnormalities from a tongue tie. An oral surgeon can perform a frenectomy to relieve a tongue-tie.
[20:35] Dr. Loud recommends myofunctional therapy before and after a frenectomy to prepare the muscle for what it will have to do when the release is done.
[22:15] Two different things impact teeth; bacteria and forces. Most patients don’t know they have an overload of forces on their teeth. Dr. Loud explains what can happen when a crown is a few microns too high. This may change the joint position. If the forces are not distributed evenly, some teeth may be overloaded, crack, need a crown, have a root canal, and finally, extraction.
[26:11] Joint position problems may cause more extractions than tooth decay. There are different schools of thought on bite forces and the joints. It would require the dentist to start asking better questions like, “Why is this happening to my patients?” Wanting to learn to fix it may be the biggest problem.
[26:51] Dr. Loud works within a group called OBI Bioesthetic Dentistry and their focus is helping discover the root causes of dental diseases. Once they restore the natural anatomy of the teeth, the face immediately becomes rejuvenated. The focus is function. When you restore jaw joint function, muscles relax and don’t clench. There is no more joint pain and muscle tension.
[28:33] Orthodontics can aggravate the joint problem if the dentist doesn’t know what a stable bite should be or doesn’t have the knowledge to see the patterns of tooth wear. Dr. Loud explains the correct bite.
[31:13] After Invisalign, if the bite is still not mechanically correct, there are options available to correct the joint position. Dr. Loud explains the process she uses to keep the musculoskeletal system in balance. If there is tooth wear, they add back the enamel that’s missing with dental materials to restore the natural form of the tooth structure and stabilize the bite.
[33:01] Dr. Loud discusses research that reveals why dental crowding is happening in children. It may be due to diet and mouth-breathing. Dr. Loud recommends working with a myofunctional therapist and a pediatrician to remove dairy and sugar from the diet to reduce inflammation, mouth-breathing, and apnea.
[36:11] It wasn’t until after Breath, by James Nestor came out that Sachin learned the connection between mouth-breathing and dental problems. Breath is a diagnostic tool.
[38:13] About jaw size and wisdom teeth. Sachin’s relatives in India chewed on sticks to make toothbrushes. They had perfect teeth, no extractions, no braces, without having access to dentists. Soft foods and processed foods have weakened American teeth. Myofunctional therapists prescribe biting appliances to strengthen the joints and the bite.
[42:13] Dr. Loud explores functional medicine and has started a study of ayurvedic medicine. She is preparing to merge it into the functional medicine practice to address the emotional and spiritual parts of a patient, also.
[43:41] Dr. Loud shares her thoughts on the Ayurvedic principle of oil pulling. She believes it works by the effects of the herbs and the surface tension of the oil trapping the bacteria. She recommends it for people who have dry mouths. She tells the types she uses.
[45:12] Sachin thinks he should make an appointment with Dr. Loud on his next trip to Phoenix! He thanks Dr. Loud for the work that she does.
[45:52] Dr. Loud shares her contact information. See the links below.
[47:10] Dr. Loud talks about the associate she hired last year and is training her to help take care of patients. There has been a huge need since the podcast.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Joe Polish
Genius Network
Ben Greenfield Life Podcast
Oral B iO toothbrushes
Frenectomy
OBI Bioesthetic Dentistry
Invisalign
Breath, by James Nestor
Ayurvedic medicine
Dr. Eniko Loud:
Dr. Eniko Loud is a pioneer in the treatment of orofacial conditions. She is reinventing the world of dental care with an in-depth holistic approach applying her extensive training in Functional Medicine. She is focused on treating the whole patient, not just the health of their teeth and gums, by examining biochemical, genetic, and lifestyle factors and how these impact the oral microbiome. She is a sought-after speaker in the world of cutting-edge holistic dental care and has appeared on podcasts such as Ben Greenfield Life and Treat The Source.”Dr. Loud believes that providing excellent dental care is so much more than just treating the mouth, it requires treating the whole person. She acknowledges that one-size-fits-all dentistry is outdated and uses her training in functional medicine to identify disease patterns that caused oral health issues in the first place.
She is considered a “physician of the mouth” — getting to the root cause of dental hygiene issues, unique to each patient, that require disease resolution. Rather than just filling cavities, she examines the lifestyle factors, genetic, and biochemical imbalances that create disease in the mouth and guides patients to heal the underlying root cause. Her goal is to guide patients on their wellness journey toward optimal dental health.
Dr. Loud has had extensive training in all forms of dentistry as well as in functional and conventional medicine. She attended the School of Medicine and Dental Medicine in Romania, Oradea graduating with an MD and DDS degrees in 2000. In 2006 she obtained her doctorate from Case Western Reserve University and completed an AEGD residency, obtaining extensive experience in full-mouth rehabilitation and complex implant dentistry. She went on to complete a one-year Mastership in Implant Dentistry from American Dental Implant Association through Loma Linda University in 2009, then became the Dental Director for Bright Now Dental, overseeing the clinical development of 13 dental offices.
In 2013, she completed a Laser Associate Fellowship certification from the World Clinical Laser Institute, and in 2017 she completed a one-year Mastership in Implant Dentistry from the Global Institute for Dental Education. Finally, in 2019 she became a certified functional medicine provider by the Institute of Functional Medicine, one of only 3 certified dentists globally at the time. She received advanced training for applying for functional medicine in clinical practice, bioenergetics, cardio-metabolic diseases, environmental health and detoxification, gastrointestinal diseases, and hormone and immune-related conditions.
Following the completion of the IFM certification she attended the Kalish institute 12-month mentorship program for advanced lab interpretation, using lifestyle medicine and lab-based metabolic interpretations as part of a personalized medicine-based practice.
She is a member of the American Dental Association, the American Academy for Oral Systemic Health, the Institute of Functional Medicine, and the International Academy of Oral Medicine and Toxicology. She is also an OBI Academy Member.
Connect with Eniko:Website: Wholehealthdentistryaz.com
IG: @wholehealthdentistryaz
FB: Facebook.com/wholehealthdentistryaz
Phone: (480) 563-4141
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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In this episode, Sachin and Aron discuss what an objection is, why you are getting objections, how to rethink objections, and how to remove that word from your vocabulary and get down to being of value and service to people.
Key Takeaways:
[1:02] Sachin introduces the guest, Aron, one of the Perfect Practice community super coaches. Aron has onboarded many Mentorship and Accelerator clients. Aron is a fellow practitioner. The topic is objections.
[2:40] Aron has sold well over seven figures in the last couple of years. He has taken thousands of calls to help people get onboarded in programs. He had been shy and reserved and it’s been a great growth experience!
[5:38] Aron used to be afraid of confrontation in a sales call. He thought objection was rejection. With experience, he learned to reframe objections as forms of interest in making it happen.
[7:12] If you’re dealing with an adversarial type of conversation, then you’ve probably done something wrong. Objections are really interest in problems you’re trying to solve. Sachin uses the metaphor of a boxing coach in the corner cheering the client on. The goal is to build confidence.
[9:22] Aron differentiates between objections and excuses. Objections are usually at the end of a call before someone moves forward. No amount of objection handling will help someone do what they are not willing to do. You can’t drag a horse across a finish line.
[11:31] Building rapport with the client before the call prepares the client for the call. If you haven’t built rapport, you will face objections. Rapport is what they see from you. Do they have a familiarity with how you think, what you sound like, what you look like, and what you value? When you’re on the call, can you find commonality? Can you be approachable?
[13:16] Do you show up fully ready to listen to someone? Do you show interest in the other person, not as a dollar sign but as a real human being, and that you care about what they’re struggling with and care to connect them with a solution to solve that problem? If you feel it, it will come across on your call. Did you look at the intake form that they filled out?
[15:09] By understanding their circumstances, we’re able to provide a more fitting solution for them.
[16:10] A lot of the value practitioners offer is in the questions you ask to help clients understand that you know what you’re talking about. The questions you ask about their problem show them you have the experience in dealing with that problem to ask the right questions. People understand that you know what you’re talking about. Then the number of objections decreases.
[17:23] Trust is built through the questions you ask. Tell stories of real experiences about the problem they’re coming with. Once they can identify with the stories and experiences, then the trust is there.
[19:22] When Aron uses technical terms only if the client has seen them on a lab test and they’re presenting it. When you explain terms, don’t be overly technical. Making people confused decreases rapport. If someone feels ignorant during a call, that’s not a way to help them where they are. Don’t lose them. Help them stay on track.
[22:47] The moment you identify they’re not a good fit for your process, you stop, because you can’t take them where they want to go. You’ve got to be ethical and make that decision for them. You only want to work with people who are the right fit, as well. Look for the 20% of people who are the right fit for you.
[24:31] Aron uses a metaphor of swimming to see if someone is a good fit. As the conversation progresses, does it seem the client is swimming toward you and you are getting closer? Or are you chasing them in circles? You’re not selling a product, you’re committing to a relationship. Would you want to spend time with that person? Are they coachable and open to learning?
[27:20] Aron shares how values fit in functional medicine. What are the values important to you? Tell pertinent stories. If you don’t have client stories to share, start with your story. If you are clear on your values, you can communicate that on a call. Spell them out. Values can pre-address objections. For example, offer a transformational experience, not a diet.
[32:27] IBM developed a sales method they called BANT. B is Budget. Does the person have the budget to work with you? A is Authority or Able. Does the person you’re speaking to have the decision-making power to move forward? N is Needs. Do they have a problem you can solve? T is Timing. Can they work on their need now? Aron gives BANT examples.
[40:35] Sachin walks through BANT concerning his offer calls to see how it can give more transparency.
[42:27] Sachin outlines what the next segment with Aron will cover about objections in more depth. Sachin thanks Aron for sharing his knowledge on this episode of Perfect Practice.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
Genius Network
Rocky III
Rocky IV
How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie
BANT
Aron Choi, N.D. Bio:
Dr. Aron Choi, ND — Naturopathic Physician and Perfect Practice Advisor for The Perfect Practice Mentorship.You will often find Aron co-hosting live trainings with Sachin, guiding prospective mentees through our enrollment process, and working with the team to make the Perfect Practice vision become a reality.
Connect with Aron:Website: Aronchoi.com
Facebook: Facebook.com/DrAronChoi
YouTube: Aron Choi, ND
LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/aronchoiMore about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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Today, Sachin presents a solo episode focusing on your practice marketing success. Take one, two, or three of these ideas, to share your message and expand your reach in 2023.
Key Takeaways:
[1:03] Sachin introduces the theme: 23 things you can do to uplevel your practice, reach more people, have a bigger impact, and make the world healthy, happy, and whole through the outstanding work that you do. Sachin assumes you do meaningful work and you’re passionate about helping people but you struggle to help more people learn about the work you do.
[1:29] No matter how many people you help, you’re always going to feel that way. You’re always reaching for the carrot dangling in front of you. If you’re looking for more ways to help people and looking to make this year more impactful, and you want to make the world, healthy, happy, and whole, then this episode may be helpful for you.
[1:51] Sachin will unpack 23 things, but he wants you to know that these things can be unpacked even further and there is a lot more to each of them. Sachin hopes you will find and take action on one to three of these things that excite you and help you to feel you are getting things done.
[2:27] Find something in your “zone of genius” that allows you to feel like you’re making a difference in people’s lives. Marketing is storytelling; it starts with the story that we tell ourselves before we start telling our story to others. If you struggle with that, Sachin invites you to listen to “Mindset Mastery,” Episode 42 of Perfect Practice, about breaking down limiting beliefs.
[3:10] Of Sachin’s 23 topics, the one that is most important for you to focus on is the one that resonates with you.
[3:25] 1. Have a website that is easy to navigate, that explains what you do, who you are for, how you solve the problem that the client wants to be solved and that you help people in a different way than what they’ve tried before. It should be easy on the eyes and mobile-friendly, and easy to schedule from. It should speak for you. It should have a pixel. Google it.
[5:16] 2. Use social media to share information about your practice, including updates to your services, new programs you launch, testimonials, case studies, educational content, and the life you live as functional medicine practitioners and health coaches. Introduce people to the way you look at the world.
[5:55] 3. Write articles or blog posts about what you do. Blog posts can be great for backlinks, education, and positioning you as an authority. You never know what can come from a great blog post or article you’ve written and who might see it, and what opportunities may open up for you, If you like writing, blogs can be a great way to express yourself. They can go viral, as well.
[6:31] 4. Offer educational workshops, in person or online, about what you do and what problem you solve, and whom you solve it for. You’ll want a punchy title that hooks people in and helps them understand the problem that you solve and how you solve it. Webinars and workshops are great ways to educate people and build trust, share case studies, and offer a discovery call.
[7:12] 5. Partner with other healthcare practitioners such as chiropractors, naturopaths, medical doctors, massage therapists, and personal trainers; there could be plenty of people that you could connect with in your region that can be great referral partners. Do a Google search for the best chiropractor in your town. Email them an offer to meet for coffee and discuss referrals.
[9:52] 6. Attend local health fairs and events to meet potential patients and promote your practice. Having a booth or table at these events gives you exposure to a local audience. You can have a raffle to give away some great prizes. Sachin has had great success at health fairs with a five-pound challenge. You can also sponsor these events to get a lot of exposure.
[11:16] 7. Run targeted ads on social media in your area. You can target people who have a certain demographic or meet certain criteria in your local region. Your ad can say “Local functional medicine practitioner…” or “Functional medicine practitioner in ____ City…” That could be a great way to hook people in.
[12:02] 8. Use email marketing to stay in touch with people. The fortune is in the follow-up. About 90% of people buy after 90 days. If you don’t have a retargeting or nurturing email strategy, most people are going to forget you or go to someone else whom they might perceive as caring more than you do.
[12:49] 9. Connect with other businesses you can collaborate with such as fitness studios, yoga studios, and health food stores. If someone’s seeing a personal trainer, chances are they’re interested in personal wellness. You should be known at your local health food store. Be their number one referrer and buy products there. Offer to do a workshop there.
[15:04] 10. Offer discounts or promotions, such as a free discovery call, to attract new patients.
[16:03] 11. Use online directories and review sites to promote your practice and encourage patients to leave reviews on online directories and review sites, such as Yelp! Tell happy clients how helpful reviews are in helping others learn about your practice.
[16:57] 12. Create a referral program to encourage current patients to refer their friends and family to your practice. As always, follow the rules and laws of your state for your scope of practice.
[17:19] 13. Attend local networking events. Sachin attended BNI for many years and joined the local Chamber of Commerce. It’s a great way to meet other professionals, build networking skills, and have a “givers gain” attitude. People attending these meetings have reached some level of success in their business and they’re willing to support up-and-coming businesses.
[18:13] 14. Use online marketing tools such as SEO to improve your website’s visibility in search results. If you’re not using SEO, Sachin encourages you to evaluate that. It could be a hidden opportunity awaiting you,
[18:35] 15. Create promotional materials, such as brochures and flyers. These can be digital flyers, as well. Promotional materials can help people understand what you do. Using, an infographic is an excellent way to be able to depict the services you offer and how you offer those services, and how they are better and different from what else is out there.
[19:00] 16. Host a “Meet the Practitioner” event. You can host an “Ask Me Anything” event. You can have an open house event to introduce yourself and your practice to your community, where people get to learn a little bit more about you and what you offer people, and how you are a positive influence on your community’s health and wellness.
[19:28] 17. Offer free health assessments or consultations to potential patients. Sachin does free or low-cost discovery calls all the time. It helps in getting new patients onboarded.
[19:53] 18. Use patient testimonials and success stories on your website and on social media to demonstrate the effectiveness of your programs. Use social media as a powerful agent to communicate case studies, success stories, and testimonials from patients in your practice.
[20:13] 19. People value telemedicine services as a great way to save time, energy, money, gas, transportation, time off work, etc. Make sure people know that you work with people remotely.
[20:59] 20. Partner with local gyms or wellness centers to offer functional medicine services. They7 may not offer the services that you do. Do a workshop there.
[21:33] 21. Use paid advertising. Print ads, online ads, banners, and billboards, can be great for promoting your practice. Never discount the impact that direct print marketing can have, even sending cards in the mail. It makes you more real to people when they see you in multiple locations and formats.
[22:07] 22. Create a loyalty program to reward and retain your current patients. How can you gamify the results that your clients are getting? Give them points for milestones achieved. Points add up to free products or services that you offer them, creating a gamification process. Clients love to be celebrated and they may not be receiving enough celebration in their lives.
[22:59] 23. Speak at local events or conferences to raise awareness about function medicine. Look on Eventbrite for local events. Join your Chamber of Commerce and see what events are happening. There are lots of opportunities in your local community and most cities for you to be able to speak and share what you do. We have a unique perspective on health and wellness.
[23:49] There’s a lot to unpack in each one of these. Find one that works for you. Start where you are and then keep growing, keep evolving, and keep spreading your message. Sachin hopes this helps you attain that next level of growth that you’re looking for. Here’s to an amazing 2023!
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
“Mindset Mastery” Episode 42 of Perfect Practice
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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Today, Sachin interviews April Stroink on our money journey as practitioners. They discuss how April came into coaching practitioners on finances after being trained as a financial advisor. April shares how her baby benefitted from health practitioners when medical care was powerless to help her. April talks about how a holistic view of well-being is similar to a holistic view of financial well-being, which she calls “wealthcare,” and how she began coaching practitioners. The conversation covers how little entrepreneurs know about finances, and how they can put together a financial system they can manage with the right team. Listen in for advice on fixing your finances while you still can.
Key Takeaways:
[1:02] Sachin welcomes listeners to Perfect Practice. Today, Sachin is speaking with April Stroink. Sachin introduces April and her work of coaching about money and thanks her for joining the podcast.
[3:24] April describes her work as a “wealthcare” practitioner. Your financial well-being is closely connected to your physical health, mental health, and close relationships. It’s important to understand what’s happening in our finances if we want to get healthy.
[3:51] Finance is one of the pillars of overall good health and well-being. It is one of the major stressors for most people. When the body is under stress it releases cortisol. Stress also impacts sleep. A lack of sleep impacts health. In Canada, where April lives, money stress is the number one reason for relationship breakdown, as well.
[4:57] April was trained as a financial advisor to get people to retirement with a safety net. She was not trained in behavioral finance. Money is emotional and we have biases about it. People behave differently with their money than with other areas of their lives.
[5:56] April worked with clients who told her they were living paycheck-to-paycheck even though they were making a good income. The more they made, the less disposable income they had and they were drowning in debt from student loans and business loans.
[6:26] In 2017, April shifted her practice away from “assets under management” to helping people on the coaching side of things to help people understand their spending behaviors and their emotions around money so they can reach their financial goals.
[6:56] Along the way, April has been very in-tune with her “wealthcare” and healthcare and the health of her family. Her nine-month-old daughter was constantly sick. Antibiotics made her sicker. April tried naturopathic medicine and worked with an ND as part of her healthcare team. Within 48 hours her daughter was like a new child.
[7:54] April’s classical financial training wasn’t serving her clients. She needed a more holistic view to look at the entire picture of their wealthcare, as naturopathic doctors and functional medicine professionals use in treating patients. April’s approach to wealthcare is similar to this healthcare community. So she started to work financially with the community of practitioners.
[9:15] Numbers don’t lie. When you use good data, it takes gives you a solid foundation to work past the emotion of the equation. April asks her clients to step into the Chief Financial Wellness Officer role for their firms. There are three attributes of a CFWO: 1. To be fearless about their numbers, 2. To be curious about their finances, and 3. To be passionate about their numbers.
[11:36] April will show a client the mechanics that work with the cognitive biases around money. She says the biggest thing that she helps clients with is increasing and boosting their confidence when it comes to their numbers and their finances.
[12:57] We have to realize Parkinson’s Law that demand always meets supply. If we have a month to do a task, it will take a month. If we have a week, it will take a week. The same happens with our money. As business owners, we have the axiom that Sales minus Expenses equals Profit. As we grow, we can increase our revenue but our expenses also increase.
[13:50] You need to take a deep dive into the Costs of Goods Sold. What is your Gross Margin per unit of everything that you are selling? From there, you want to have as much margin as possible to run your operation.
[14:19] April conducts regular expense audits with her clients. She categorizes expenses into three buckets. The first bucket is “Key” (Key) Expenses that drive profit, including staff, software subscriptions, and marketing. In a business crisis, such as a pandemic, do not cut profit-driving expenses first. Consider the effect of any cut over 10 days, 10 months, and 10 years.
[19:37] The second bucket is “R” (Recurring) Expenses such as subscriptions and insurance. Research your insurance providers and you may be able to cut the cost for the same coverage. Look at all your systems and subscriptions with a critical eye regularly.
[21:20] The third bucket is your “U” (Unnecessary) Expenses. This is where it gets down to emotion. It’s helpful to have a third party who is committed to the success of your business but is not emotional about your business, taking a look and asking, “Is it necessary to have all this furniture or all this office space?”
[21:57] It’s not what you bring in, it’s what you keep. Be diligent about regular expense audits. Sachin’s wife goes over the credit card receipts every month and asks “Are you still using this subscription?”
[23:52] Take a look at the products and services you offer. Have you changed the price of the offerings to keep up with the cost of goods to provide them? Which of your services are profit generators and which are profit detractors? The one you are emotionally attached to because it was how you started your practice may be a profit detractor now.
[25:50] April asks clients first, “Do you have the right people on your ‘wealthcare’ team?” This includes your bookkeeper, your accountant, your banker, your lawyer, your financial adviser, or your financial coach. She wants her clients to have the right team because they need the data. Without the right data, the wrong systems may be put into place. April looks at their books.
[27:24] A lot of practitioners don’t understand the role of the bookkeeper, vs. the role of the accountant, vs. their role as business owners. Just as you cannot advocate your health to anyone else, you cannot advocate your wealth to anyone else. You are 100% responsible for your business.
[28:04] Bookkeeping is not regulated in Canada. April has a list of questions for clinicians to ask when interviewing potential bookkeepers. It’s important to have a proper “wealthcare” team in place so that you get the right data. Without the right data, putting the rest of your systems together is a moot point. “Garbage in, garbage out” will not help you.
[29:23] April has facilitated many courses for the Province of Nova Scotia, including “Financial Essentials 101 for Entrepreneurs.” The number one feedback she gets from the course is “I wish I had learned this when I first started my business!” If you don’t have the right habits when you start your business, bad financial habits may continue and may end your business.
[30:38] April thinks finances should be learned through conversations in the home, starting at a very young age, so people don’t become adults without knowing about finance and are confronted by institutions that profit from their being ignorant and in debt until they get to a place where they have to confront their bad financial habits when the money stops flowing.
[32:03] Finance should be taught in high school and as part of process management in colleges. Business owners need to be learning it immediately.
[32:54] Sachin points out that the three most profitable segments of our economy are health management, wealth management, and the food industry. The more we know, the better we can take these matters into our own hands. The powers that be are not necessarily interested in us having that skill set.
[35:40] April can be found on Instagram and Facebook @AprilStroink. People can book a free 30-minute consultation through the website Aprilstroink.ca.
[36:10] If you sign up for a free consultation call, there are some questions to answer before the call. April wants to know your impetus for calling her. What is preventing you from sleeping at night when it comes to your finances? How she can best serve you, and are you ready? She really wants to work with people who are ready to put the systems in place.
[36:53] April’s mission is to eradicate entrepreneurial poverty. She wants to make sure people are ready to do the hard work. It’s not easy and you do have to follow through.
[37:28] April’s last words: “Wealth is very subjective. What I determine as wealth for myself will be completely different from what you determine as wealth for yourself.” April wants to unpack the definition of wealth and talk about what prosperity means to you and what a purposeful life means to you. That’s what the definition of wealth comes to.
[38:28] Sachin thanks April Stroink for sharing her expertise.
Mentioned in this episode
Perfect Practice Live
April Stroink
April Stroink is a money coach and advisor for individuals and entrepreneurs who want clarity, ease, and abundance with their finances. Here is April’s story from her website:
“Do you want to feel ease and calm around your finances? Let’s see if this is familiar: You work hard and make good money…but you’re still living paycheck to paycheck. You can’t seem to get ahead. The money stress causes you sleepless nights (and strains your relationships). You want to find a better way to manage your debt and save for the future. AND… above all, you want it to be easy. Sound impossible? It’s not. I know it’s not because I’ve been in your shoes… As an entrepreneur who’s operated and sold several profitable businesses, I’ve had the same challenges and dreams. I’ve navigated the highs and lows of owning a business and managing household finances.
“Many years ago I took over the reins of our family’s outdoor retail chain. On paper, it looked pretty profitable. But in reality, we had our struggles, like most small businesses. We needed a system to plan for our expenses, our cash flow, and our taxes. We wanted to pay ourselves regularly while keeping our family business and household finances separate. It was complicated. There were periods when I felt like our finances were in absolute chaos. We had a lot of sleepless nights as we weathered economic downturns, changes to tax laws, personnel challenges, and the stresses of day-to-day family life.
“But, in a few short years, I discovered a new way of managing our business and household cash flow and spending. I completely transformed our business’s profit margins. Our family business improved to the point where it was VERY lucrative, and we ultimately sold it. And shortly after that, our household became debt-free. We celebrated with a pre-paid trip to Greece! But here’s the thing. Throughout the financial transformation and paying off debt, we NEVER felt restricted about our money. Even though we were managing our spending and savings, we ONLY felt freedom and abundance.
“And that’s when I knew I had found something very special. Once I discovered the right tools to create financial ease and calm in my family and our business, I began sharing these systems to help others calm their own financial chaos.”
Connect with April Stroink:Website: Aprilstroink.ca
Facebook: Facebook.com/AprilStroink
Instagram: Instagram.com/AprilStroink
LinkedIn: April Stroink
More about your host Sachin Patel
How to speak with Sachin
Go one step further and Become The Living Proof
Perfect Practice Live
To set up a practice clarity call and opportunity audit
Books by Sachin Patel:
Perfect Practice: How to Build a Successful Functional Medical Business, Attract Your Ideal Patients, Serve Your Community, and Get Paid What You’re Worth
The Motivation Molecule: The Biological Secrets To Eliminate Procrastination, Skyrocket Productivity, and Get Sh!t Done
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