Now Playing: Pounds for Poverty

In this podcast, Experience Life senior editor Anjula Razdan interviews psychotherapist Elad Levinson about his personal weight-loss experience and what led him to create Pounds for Poverty, a health and weight-loss program that is based on cultivating both mindfulness and altruism in order to achieve and sustain weight loss.

Learn about Pounds for Poverty at www.poundsforpoverty.com

Now Playing: The Rise of the Results-Only Work Environment

Imagine a job arrangement where you have the power to come and go as you please, and to work wherever and whenever you like, as long as your work gets done well and your goals get accomplished. This is the proposition of the "results-only work environment" (ROWE).

In this episode of Get a Whole Life, Pilar talks with Calli Ressler and Jodi Thompson, founders of the organizational consulting group CultureRx (www.culturerx.com), and innovators of the ROWE concept. They talk about the payoffs of "ROWE-ing," which include gains in corporate productivity, efficiency and employee engagement, as well as enormous improvements in worker job satisfaction and quality of life. Ressler and Thompson share "tipping point" insights from their experience with Best Buy headquarters, where just over half of the 4,000 corporate employees now operate under ROWE principles.

Now Playing: From Wal-Mart to Small-Mart

Do you spend more time and money in big-box retail stores than you like? Have you been concerned by the impact that the international franchises and huge mega-malls are having on your local landscape and economy? Have you witnessed the demise of a local drug store, bookstore, coffee shop or other neighborhood business in the wake of a category-killing replacement?

If you are one of many who has wondered or witnessed what it means to have a neighborhood or hometown transformed by the entry of a Wal-Mart or other mega retailer, you'll be fascinated by this conversation with Michael Shuman, a local-economies expert and the author of The Small-Mart Revolution: How Local Businesses Are Beating the Global Competition and Going Local. Michael explains how local businesses enrich and support local communities, why they often prove better neighbors and environmental stewards, and the many ways that thriving local businesses preserve the long-term quality of life for local residents and the country as a whole. Fore more information, visit www.smallmart.org or www.localeconomies.org.

Now Playing: The September 2009 Issue: Be an Inspired Family!

In their monthly radio chat, Pilar Gerasimo and Shelley Irwin - host of the WGVU Morning Show in Grand Rapids, Mich. - discuss the September 2009 "Be an Inspired Family!" issue of Experience Life. The issue is all about surrounding yourself by the people who inspire you to live as healthy and happy as possible. 

Now Playing: Body-Shifting Through Behavior Change

If you've struggled with excess weight, and struggled to do the things you know you need to do to slim down and get healthier, you've experienced firsthand how challenging it can be to make the lifestyle, habit and mindset adjustments essential to long-term success. And that's precisely why the emerging realm of wellness coaching has been gathering steam.

In this episode of Get a Whole Life, Pilar talks with Selina Blatz, a certifed nurse practitioner, founding director of HealthEast's Women's Wellness Journey, and certified wellness coach. Selina discusses why she took her career in the direction of coaching women toward lasting success, and about the dramatic difference she's seen in the progress of clients who augment their helath and weight-loss plans with regular coaching sessions.

For more information on the Women's Wellness Journey, visit www.stjohnshospital-mn.org. Find out about WellCoaching at www.wellcoaches.com.

Now Playing: The July/August 2009 Issue: Just for Fun!

Each month, editor in chief Pilar Gerasimo updates radio host Shelley Irwin of the WGVU Morning Show in Grand Rapids, Mich., about the latest issue of Experience Life. This time, they're discussing the July/August 2009 "Just for Fun!" issue, which is all about doing more of what makes you smile and brings you joy. 

Now Playing: Fresh Perspectives

Pilar Gerasimo and FM 107.1 radio host Kevyn Burger catch up over the May 2009 issue of Experience Life, discussing veganism advocate Rory Freedman, the biology of belief and a more proactive approach to healthcare. Plus, Pilar explains her choice to have her dental amalgams removed, and shares the story of her commune upbringing, which sheds light on how many of her personal perspectives and philosophies were influenced and shaped.  

Now Playing: The April 2009 Issue: Make It Sustainable

Editor in chief Pilar Gerasimo and WGVU Morning Show host Shelley Irwin catch up over the April 2009 "Make It Sustainable" issue of Experience Life. It's all about building health and happiness that last and adopting smart, sustainable strategies for living well and feeling great. 

Now Playing: The Debt-Stress Connection

Experience Life editor in chief Pilar Gerasimo talks with host Kevyn Burger about the role that debt can play in causing stress, and offers simple tips for taking control of your finances. Read more in "Out From Under: Escaping the Burdens of Debt Stress."

Now Playing: A Fresh Approach to Resolutions

With 2009 just around the corner, many people are starting to think about their New Year's resolutions and how they can hit the road running on January 1. In this interview with IndieBizChicks.com founder Crissy Herron Gipson, Experience Life editor in chief Pilar Gerasimo suggests an alternative approach to resolutions: Dream big, plan small. She explains that setting smaller goals not only nets tangible results, but also builds confidence, and sets the stage for making even bigger changes down the road.

Now Playing: The July/August Issue, Part 2

Pilar Gerasimo and Shelley Irwin, host of the WGVU Morning Show in Grand Rapids, Mich., dig deeper into the July/August issue of Experience Life. They discuss the noises our joints make - covered in "Creak, Crackle, Pop!" - along with strategies for finding happiness and the inspiring comeback of Success Stories profilee Jodi Ring.

Now Playing: The July/August Issue: Fit for a Lifetime

Pilar Gerasimo and Shelley Irwin, host of the WGVU Morning Show in Grand Rapids, Mich., catch up over the July/August 2008 issue of Experience Life. They talk about "Functional Wellness: Hormones and Inflammation," part 2 in Dr. Mark Hyman's six-part series, as well as "5 Ways to Practice Happiness," "Fitter Than You: Three 50-Plus Athletes Who Can Kick Your Butt," and a more "Fit for a Lifetime" articles that can benefit every generation.

Now Playing: The June Issue: Challenge Yourself

Pilar talks with Shelley Irwin, host of the WGVU Morning Show in Grand Rapids, Mich., about the June 2008 issue of Experience Life. They discuss "Functional Wellness: Genetics and the Environment," the first in a six-part series of articles by Dr. Mark Hyman on the emerging role of functional medicine, as well as the importance of stretching and how to get past pet peeves. (WGVU is an NPR-affiliate.)

Now Playing: Genetics Load the Gun

Pilar Gerasimo, editor in chief of Experience Life, sits down with FM 107.1 host Kevyn Burger to discuss the June 2008 "Challenge Yourself" issue. Their conversation focuses on how genes interact with habits, lifestyle and surroundings, and create a healthy or unhealthy body. They also chat about the importance of lifelong learning, time in nature and opening your mind to new perspectives. 

Now Playing: The May Issue: Live Clean

Editor in chief Pilar Gerasimo talks with Shelley Irwin, host of the WGVU Morning Show in Grand Rapids, Mich., about the May 2008 "Live Clean" issue of Experience Life. (WGVU is an NPR-affiliate.)

Now Playing: Celebrating a Different Kind of Mom, Part 1

Experience Life editor in chief Pilar Gerasimo guest hosts on FM 107.1's Get Real Girls with Colleen Lindstrom and Joan Steffend. In honor of Mother's Day, they celebrate mothers of all kinds - both those with children and those who have lost a child through miscarriage or death. Pilar and Colleen open up about their own experiences of loss, and then talk with Cathi Lammert, the executive director of SHARE, a nonprofit organization that supports those who are are touched by the tragic death of a baby. Cathi addresses the importance of honoring parents who have lost children on holidays like Mother's and Father's Day, and explains how her organization is working to support bereaved parents. Find out more at www.nationalshareoffice.com.

The Get Real Girls later talk with Sandy Puc, co-founder of Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS), a nonprofit organization that provides thousands of families of babies who are stillborn or are at risk of dying as newborns with free professional portraits of their child. Founded in April 2005, NILMDTS helps families honor and cherish their babies, and preserve their memory in images. NILMDTS has a network of more than 5,000 volunteer photographers across the United States and 19 international countries. Learn more at www.nowilaymedowntosleep.org. (Part 1 of 2)

Now Playing: Celebrating a Different Kind of Mom, Part 2

Experience Life editor in chief Pilar Gerasimo guest hosts on FM 107.1's Get Real Girls with Colleen Lindstrom and Joan Steffend. In honor of Mother's Day, they celebrate mothers of all kinds - both those with children and those who have lost a child through miscarriage or death. In the first hour, Pilar and Colleen open up about their own experiences of loss. They then talk with Cathi Lammert, the executive director of SHARE, a nonprofit organization that supports those who are are touched by the tragic death of a baby, and Sandy Puc, co-founder of Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep (NILMDTS), a nonprofit organization that provides thousands of families of babies who are stillborn or are at risk of dying as newborns with free professional portraits of their child. 

In the second hour of the show, the Get Real Girls talk with Tracy Gaudet, MD, director of the Duke Integrative Medicine at Duke University and author of Body, Soul, and Baby: A Doctor's Guide to the Complete Pregnancy Experience, From Preconception to Postpartum (Bantam, 2008). She stresses the importance of grieving the loss of child - no matter how you experience the loss.

The ladies then pose the question of "What makes a mother?" opening the discussion of who is a mom and how to honor all kinds on this Mother's Day. They also talk with Get Real Girl of the Week, writer and performer Sunny Hilden, who shares her own unbelievable story of loss and strength.

Now Playing: Spring-Cleaning the Body, Mind and Soul, Part 2

In this episode of Get Real Girls, Pilar Gerasimo, Colleen Lindstrom and Joan Steffend talk about spring-cleaning - your body, mind and soul! They share how they're doing this on their own, then talk about different strategies for clearing out and recharging on your own.

Now Playing: Spring-Cleaning the Body, Mind and Soul, Part 1

In this episode of Get Real Girls, Pilar Gerasimo, Colleen Lindstrom and Joan Steffend talk about spring-cleaning - your body, mind and soul! They share how they're doing this on their own, then talk about different strategies for clearing out and recharging on your own.

Now Playing: Day-to-Day Detox

Pilar Gerasimo and radio show host Kevyn Burger catch up over the May 2008 "Live Clean" issue of Experience Life, discussing "Day-to-Day Detox," "The Clean-Eats Pantry," and "Goodbye, Friend."

Now Playing: The April Issue: Move Forward

Pilar chats with Shelley Irwin, host of the WGVU Morning Show in Grand Rapids, Mich., about the April 2008 issue of Experience Life. In addition to discussing the wide range of healthy-living articles, they also talk about the magazine's Web site, which launched on January 1, 2008. (WGVU is an NPR-affiliate.)

Now Playing: No-Vacation Nation

In their monthly chat, host Kevyn Burger and Experience Life editor in chief Pilar Gerasimo talk about the March "Get a Whole Life" issue of Experience Life. Their main topic of conversation? John de Graaf's feature story, "No-Vacation Nation," which addresses why vacation is good for business and why taking all of your vacation days is better than just taking some. They also catch up with Fox 9 reporter Jason Matheson, and delve into the benefits of the Tabata Protocol, an intense 14-minute workout that improves athletic performance - fast. (Read more about that in "The Tabata Tune-up," available in our March 2008 archives.)

Now Playing: Big Picture Partnering

Pilar and host Kevyn Burger chat about high self-esteem, the characteristics of egomaniacs and social vulnerability, to start. They then segue into a discussion on relationships and the biochemical effects of relational stress on the body, mentioning the work of John and Julie Gottman at the Gottman Institute and Jan Hoistad, author of Big Picture Partnering.

Now Playing: All About Experience Life

Pilar shares the premise of Experience Life magazine with Shelley Irwin, host of the WGVU Morning Show at WGVU AM/FM radio, an NPR-affiliate in Grand Rapids, Mich. They discuss how Experience Life is different from other health and wellness publications, and dig into Pilar's background a bit, too.

Now Playing: The Brains Behind Experience Life Magazine

Pilar talks with AM-radio host Peter Solomon about how Experience Life is different than other health and fitness magazines available today.

Now Playing: Ringing in the New Year

Pilar takes a seat behind the mic and plays cohost with Kevyn of the Kevyn Burger Show. They discuss their pet dogs - from past and present - their strategies for dealing with all those worries (see Pilar's January/February 2008 Thoughts From the Editor for more on that), the rejuvenating benefits of spa retreat vacations, and more.

Listen to Kevyn's show weekdays from 9 to 11 at FM 107.1.

Now Playing: Let the Healing Begin

Pilar joins host Kevyn Burger to discuss the November "Let the Healing Begin" issue of Experience Life. They talk about Minnesota-born Olympic skier Lindsey Kildow and how she allowed herself to heal after serious injury, which leads to conversation about the importance of listening to our bodies.

You can tune in to The Kevyn Burger Show weekdays from 9 to 11 on FM 107.1.

Now Playing: Your Body Speaks Your Mind

By now, most of us are aware that the body-mind connection is a powerful one, and that it plays a huge role in determining our health and well-being. We know that emotions and thoughts give rise to biochemical phenomena and other dynamics that science is only beginning to fully comprehend. And increasingly, many of use are recognizing that our bodies do, in fact, express - in a complex language of symptoms, conditions and other responses - the experiences and reactions occurring in the farthest reaches of our hearts and minds. In this episode of Get a Whole Life, Pilar talks with mind-body authority Deb Shapiro, ahutor of Your Body Speaks Your Mind: Decoding the Emotional, Psychological and Spiritual Messages that Underlie Health, a book broadly hailed by scientific and medical experts. Deb explains, in both scientific and psycho-emotional terms, the dynamics that make the body-mind connection so powerful.

Deb and her husband, Ed Shapiro, have been leading retreats and personal-development programs for over 25 years., and are the authors of 15 books. They have hosted their own top-rated TV series and they author the "Daily Chillout" messages for Sprint cell phones. Learn more about Deb's work at www.edanddebshapiro.com. For more on the connections between emotion and health, see "Emotional Biochemistry" in the November 2003 archives.

Now Playing: From Career Gal to Stepmom

You’re a single woman with a successful career, a groovy social life and a cool pad of your own. And then along comes Mr. Right. Except that he’s also Mr. Divorced - with one or more kids in tow. And you’re about to go from being an established, independent career gal to becoming a brand new wife and stepmom. Eek!

It’s a role change that can be daunting, but it’s also doable - if you have the right guidance, support and savvy from someone who has been there before you.

That’s the whole idea behind Jacquelyn B. Fletcher’s hugely helpful and hopeful new book: A Career Girl's Guide to Becoming a Stepmom: Expert Advice From Other Stepmoms on How to Juggle Your Job, Your Marriage, and Your New Stepkids. In addition to offering perspective on a underreported trend (millions of successful, single career women marrying later in life to divorced men who already have kids), Fletcher’s book helps resolve all kinds of burning questions including: Will I have to sacrifice my career?? How do I build a strong relationship when there are kids around?? Will I have any privacy?? How do I deal with the ex when she’s also mommy??

In this episode of Get a Whole Life, Pilar talks with Jacque about her new book, the phenomenon, and the first-hand experience that inspired this recent work. Jacque offers up clear-eyed, compassionate (and often funny) wisdom on how smart women can survive and even thrive in this challenging relational context.

Jacquelyn B. Fletcher is a journalist, a novelist, a stepdaughter and stepmother of three. She teaches writing at the Loft Literary Center and writes for Daughters (www.daughters.com). Learn more at www.becomingastepmom.com.

Now Playing: The Power of the Pause

Get a Whole Life is all about making the most of real-life challenges and opportunities. So in this episode, we talk with Ann W., a busy working mom in the midst of an important life pause.

Taking a sabbatical from a demanding job in order to recuperate her sense of center and clarify her sense of direction, Ann is looking for some guidance on how to make the best use of the summer ahead of her, and how to develop a plan for what comes next.

To that end, we invite accomplished life coach and author, Kate Larsen, to facilitate Ann's exploration and help her come up with a strategy that makes her feel more grounded about where's she at - and more confident about where she's headed (even if that means not having all the answers right now).

In the process, we learn something about the process of discovering our core priorities in the face of doubt and distraction, about the value of stopping before we start, and about setting limits and boundaries around the things that matter most.

Kate Larsen is a certified coach, and the author of Progress Not Perfection: Your Journey Matters. She's also a regular contributor to Get a Whole Life and Experience Life magazine. Learn more about her work at www.katelarsen.com.

Now Playing: A Better Way

With cohost Colleen Lindstrom away on maternity leave, Pilar fills in to keep Kevyn Burger company. They discuss the April 2007 issue of Experience Life (A Better Way) and the small ways we can tweak our thoughts and actions to work for us rather than against us. They also talk about volunteering and the helper's high, and the neurological benefits of giving your time and energy to a worthy cause.

Now Playing: Five Spring Cleaning Mistakes to Avoid

It's that time of year again: The cobwebs, dust and clutter start showing up much better in the new sunlight, and you realize your house needs a serious spring cleaning. But before you dive in - or get overwhelmed and throw up your hands in dismay - listen to what an expert has to say about returning order and sanctity to your space the smart way.

In this episode of Get a Whole Life, Feng Shui consultant and decluttering expert Andrea Gerasimo (Pilar's sister and favorite clutter-buster) shares her insights about the top five mistakes most of us make when attempting a spring-cleaning foray.

From starting without a purposeful plan to finishing without a satisfying flourish, Andrea sheds light on the classic errors that waste our valuable energy and rob us of our best possible spring-cleaning results. She also shares insightful tips for banishing clutter and filth of all kinds - without wasting all of our nicest spring days indoors.

To find out more about decluttering and Feng Shui - and to get help if you need it - visit Andrea's Web site, www.thirdmountain.com, which includes information, resources and links to several related sites she recommends.

Now Playing: The Food Fight Continues

In 2004, Kelly Brownell, PhD, published his controversial and now famous book, Food Fight: The Inside Story of the Food Industry, America’s Obesity Crisis and What We Can Do About It (McGraw Hill 2004). Brownell’s credentials - as the Director of the Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders - and his well-researched statistics made him hard to ignore. But his message - that our country’s “toxic food environment” of mass-promoted junk foods and unhealthy public policies are largely responsible for the obesity crisis - made him unpopular with some very powerful people, including many food-industry leaders and lobbyists.

In the years since Food Fight came out, though, many folks have come around to Brownell’s way of seeing things. Books like Fast Food Nation and Chew On This and movies like Super Size Me have succeeded in creating a grassroots movement that’s putting more pressure on food companies and policy makers to evolve their approaches - and our food culture - for the better.

But both consumers and advocates for large-scale healthy change still have some formidable challenges ahead. In this episode of Get a Whole Life, Pilar talks with Dr. Brownell about some of the more compelling and promising shifts that have occurred since Food Fight first came out, and where he and fellow health-crusaders are taking their efforts next.

Find out more about Dr. Kelly Brownell and his work at www.yaleruddcenter.org.

Now Playing: Mom-Camp

Women want to lead passionate, meaningful and fulfilling lives. Increasing societal demands, however, especially on moms, to balance an unprecedented number of activities for their families has created chronic stress and anxiety, and a lack of time to pursue personal interests.

Studies show that women who take time for themselves are more productive, happier people, and better for those who depend on them - like children, friends, spouses, significant others, co-workers and bosses. That's why Mom-Camp's mantra is "Secure your own oxygen mask before assisting others."

Teresa Fudenberg and Mary Kay DuChene are the co-founders of Wonderful U, Inc., and Mom-Camp. Strong believers in encouraging women to put themselves first more than they do now, Teresa and Mary Kay created Wonderful U to reach out to women (especially moms) with products, services, inspiration and resources to help women take time for themselves, and lead fulfilling, balanced lives.

Whether through numerous resources on the Web site, communication through e-newsletters, staying connected with our counselors and sponsors through Mom-Camp Connection Members program, attending a Mom-Camp event, discovering self in a coaching class, or connecting with other Mom-Camp followers, you're sure to find yourself through Mom-Camp. www.mom-camp.com

Now Playing: Five Essentials for a Winning Life

Want to get a good start on ’07 - and upgrade the rest of your life? In this episode of Get a Whole Life, we hear from Chris Carmichael, Olympian and personal coach to world-class athletes (including seven-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong).

Chris shares insights from his new book Five Essentials for a Winning Life: Chris Carmichael’s Nutrition, Fitness and Life Plan for Discovering the Champion Within (Rodale, December 2006). The book offers busy professionals practical advice on how to harmonize the five essential aspects of life – fitness, nutrition, relationships, career and health – to achieve overall success and happiness.

Chris talks about his own life challenges (including stress and health concerns that came out of being over-busy), and about the integrated program he used to get his life back on track and create positive, lasting change. Learn more at www.chriscarmichael.com.

Now Playing: Anatomy of a Potbelly

Ever wonder what makes a potbelly protrude in that characteristic way? Or why some potbellies are so surprisingly hard to the touch? Sorry, no, those aren’t abs of steel - that’s something called “visceral fat,” and in this episode of Get a Whole Life, Pilar talks with someone who has seen a lot of it (and a lot of potbellies) up close and personal.

Michael Schwartz, MD, PhD, has been a practicing bariatric surgeon since 1978, and is one of the heads of bariatrics at St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Paul. He joins us to give us an insider’s look at what goes on inside a potbelly, how potbellies are formed, and the dangers they pose to our health.

Learn about the special “metabolically active” nature of visceral fat, and why it causes far more health risks than the subcutaneous, “pinch an inch” fat that sits just under our skin.

Dr. Schwartz and Pilar discuss the best ways and reasons to avoid developing a potbelly in the first place. They also have a brief but lively discussion about the pros and cons of bariatric surgery as one option for those who are 100 or more pounds overweight.

For more on HealthEast Bariatric Care and Dr. Schwartz’s work, visit www.healtheast.org/bariatric.

Now Playing: Getting Weight Loss Right

If you’ve tried to drop unwanted weight and struggled, or found yourself on a series of yo-yo diets that left you heavier and less healthy than when you began, then you know that much of what we think we all know about weight loss is just plain wrong. But how do you get it right?

In this episode of Get a Whole Life, we talk with Dr. Mark Hyman, the author of The New York Times bestseller UltraMetabolism, about the keys to sustainable weight loss and about the myths and misunderstandings that send so many people down unrewarding paths.

Drawing on some of the “Weight Loss Rules to Rethink” featured in the October 2006 issue of Experience Life magazine (for which Dr. Hyman was a source), we explore the underlying causes of unwanted weight gain and the right ways to reverse it.

Dr. Hyman also highlights key things any person can do to begin losing unwanted fat, now, and to get healthier in the process. For more information on Dr. Hyman’s work, approach, books and more, visit www.drhyman.com. His book is available at bookstores nationwide.

Now Playing: Conscious Bookkeeping

Does dealing with your finances freak you out? Are you repeatedly "messing up" your money, or dreading the process of paying your bills, preparing your taxes, balancing your checkbook, and so on? Perhaps you’d just like to have more conscious, positive and successful relationship with money in general?

If any of these apply to you, you'll be interested in learning more about "Conscious Bookkeeping," an approach that combines the practical skills of financial literacy with an introspective, values-aligned money philosophy. The result? More confidence, comfort and success in the financial realms that once caused you stress and anxiety - and some personal discovery in the bargain!

In this episode of Get a Whole Life, Pilar talks with Bari Tessler, MA, teacher, therapist and founder of the Conscious Bookkeeping method. Bari explains the underpinnings of the Conscious Bookkeeping approach and "Three Domains" that form its core. For more information, or to sign up for a monthly newsletter, visit www.consciousbookkeeping.com or read "Conscious Bookkeeping".

Now Playing: Working Well

With healthcare costs threatening corporate returns and employee performance suffering under the influence of lackluster health and fitness, many companies are turning to corporate-wellness programs to help them turn the situation around. From offering on-site health screenings and yoga classes to purposely slowing elevators in an attempt to encourage folks to take the stairs, companies are embracing a wide range of strategies designed to encourage employees to get healthier, fast. These approaches fall into both the "carrot" (lower healthcare premiums and subsidized fitness-club memberships for those who participate in suggested programs) and the "stick" (smokers risk losing their jobs) categories.

On this episode of Get a Whole Life, Pilar talks with Life Time Fitness's Glen Gunderson, Vice President of Business to Business, about the trends shaping these initiatives today. Glen, who has overseen the company's Corporate Wellness division for the past several years, explains the bottom-line benefits many companies are recognizing by empowering their employees to take better and more proactive care of themselves - and what direction corporate-wellness strategies are poised to take next.

Now Playing: Reclaiming Your Health

With healthcare costs skyrocketing and many deadly lifestyle-related diseases on the rise, it’s time for all of us to take a proactive and informed approach to our personal health and healthcare. But how?

In this episode of Get a Whole Life, Pilar talks with Mary Jo Kreizer, PhD, RN, founder and director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Spirituality and Healing, about how we can reclaim responsibility and control over our care, how we can shift our attitudes about health and healing for the better, and how we can navigate the healthcare system more effectively.

Check out the powerful tools and resources - including the My Health Planner and Taking Charge of Your Health tools that the U of M’s Center for Spirituality and Healing has made available to the general public through their Web site at Center for Spirituality and Healing: www.csh.umn.edu.

Now Playing: The Simple Solution

You've probably got way too many things to do, and not nearly enough time to do them all. But did you know you can get help in the form of a personal errand runner/assistant/all-around day saver? Meet Katie Peterson, owner of The Simple Solution, one of a growing number of on-call errand-running businesses that offer to take care of the life details you don't have time or inclination to do yourself. From scheduled daily or weekly tasks to quirky one-offs, Katie talks about the kinds of things she handles for clients of all sorts, and why. If you're looking for a fabulous Mother's Day gift your mother will actually use, consider the gift of a helping hand she can call on anytime. For more info, visit The Simple Solution at www.thesimplesolution.biz.

Now Playing: Your Body, Reframed

You're working out and eating right, and - hurrah! - your body is changing for the better. But is your brain on board with the look and feel of the new-and-improved you? Sometimes even a relatively subtle change in our weight or level of fitness is enough to trigger subconscious discomfort. When our engrained body image and self-perception suddenly don't sync with our physical reality, that sense of discrepancy may send us into an unconscious backslide - without our even realizing what's happening.

In this episode of Get a Whole Life, Pilar talks with friend and fellow journalist Jacquelyn B. Fletcher about how the mental and emotional "frames" we have can interfere with the physical reality we're working so hard to create. Jacque, a writer, editor, author and instructor at the Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis, once weight 100 pounds more than she does now. She has has written numerous real-person transformational profiles for Experience Life's popular Success Stories department.

Jacque and Pilar share insights from their own experiences, and also explore the "framing" suggestions from Michael Hall, PhD, a cognitive psychologist and neurosemantics expert who was a key source for Experience Life's recent article "Your Body, Reframed." Hall is also the author of several books, including Games Slim and Fit People Play and Secrets of Personal Mastery.

Now Playing: Coaching Our Way to Wellness

Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancer - the most promising solutions to these vexing problems are rooted in our daily choices, habits and lifestyles. Recommended strategies like exercise, eating well and managing stress all involve personal behavior and attitude change - which, for most of us, is far easier said than done.

What we need, perhaps, is some personal coaching! But how do we get it? Margaret Moore is the founder and CEO of Wellcoaches Corporation, and the chief architect of a vision and business committed to promoting coaching for physical and mental behavior change on a large scale. Margaret founded Wellcoaches in early 2000 to train health and fitness professionals to become health, fitness and wellness coaches, and to market wellness-coaching services to consumers, corporations, health clubs, health plans and physicians. To date, nearly a thousand wellness coaches have been trained, including nutrition and fitness professionals, medical professionals, and mental health specialists. Through a strategic partnership with the American College of Sports Medicine, a physician-education program developed for Harvard Medical School, and a variety of Web-supported coaching, training and certification tools, Wellcoaches is now poised to reach millions more.

On this episode of Get a Whole Life, Pilar talks with Margaret about what Wellcoaching is all about - including its foundation in coaching psychology and the Positive Psychology movement - and about the promise it holds for a society struggling with some very pressing health and fitness challenges. Margaret even gives an on-air taste of the wellness coaching experience!

Learn more about Margaret at  her blog, Coach Meg, at www.wellcoaches.com/CoachMeg.htm; find out more about Wellcoaches at www.wellcoaches.com.

Now Playing: Longevity and Ageless Vitality

In this episode of Get Whole Life, Pilar talks with adventurer-journalist Dan Buettner about his travels to Okinawa, Japan, one of the four designated Blue Zones, or pockets around the world where people live the longest, healthiest lives. In Okinawa, people have one-fourth the rates of cancers as Americans and one-fifth the rate of cardiovascular disease; they also live eight good years longer than the average American. Listen in to discover the healthy habits of this population.

Learn more about Dan Buettner and the Blue Zones at www.bluezones.com.