Episode 74: How to Live a Longer, Healthier Life with Parsley Health's Dr. Robin Berzin
Dr. Robin Berzin is the CEO and founder of America’s leading holistic medical practice, Parsley Health, which she created after realizing a desperate gap in healthcare that prioritizes prevention, treating chronic symptoms, and identifying the root cause. In this episode, Dr. Robin gives tips and strategies to not just heal symptoms and chronic issues, but to feel as energized, vibrant, and well as possible. Dr. Robin and Josie discuss the role of epigenetics versus genetics, how health is a currency, and why the majority of women are dealing with symptoms or chronic issues. Dr. Robin also shares her best health tips, a workout "prescription," and how people in the Blue Zones are living until they're 100. From tips to make your alcohol healthier to how to reduce biological aging, this episode is packed with important information that every woman needs to hear to live her healthiest life.
SHOW NOTES:
To kick off The Everygirl Podcast’s first episode of November, Emma and Josie discuss the holiday season and tips for incorporating gratitude into your everyday life. Josie shares how she thinks about gratitude not as a routine, but rather a way to be present in and grateful for every single day. Emma explains why she thinks gratitude is more about being in the moment and experiencing each day as it comes, instead of making gratitude lists. The interview with Parsley Health founder Dr. Robin Berzin begins with Josie asking Dr. Robin why she started Parsley Health in the first place. Dr. Berzin discusses how her training at Columbia Medical School allowed her to see the revolving door of patients and prescriptions within our medical system, instigating her own investigation of the root cause of her patient’s symptoms. She dives into a host of issues that are unbelievably common among American patients, specifically women, that our healthcare system is failing to address as root cause issues and instead sees as isolated incidents. Then, Dr. Berzin explains how our healthcare system has become very transactional, and that it is not necessarily the fault of doctors but rather the fault of the system itself that we have been treating health problems with Band-Aid solutions rather than addressing the time, cost, and lifestyle limitations that are causing health issues in the first place. Josie adds anecdotal information about her own experience of feeling rejected and dismissed in interactions with doctors, which inspires Dr. Berzin to explain a recent Parsley Health study that was conducted on women in the workforce. She rattles off statistics regarding the sheer number of women in the workforce who are experiencing major health issues yet do not feel that they have the time, money, or trust in the healthcare system to address those issues. Josie then pivots the conversation to epigenetics versus genetics, and the impact that our lifestyles can have on our overall health in addition to our genetic makeup. Dr. Berzin picks this up and provides further insight, explaining how genetics do play a role in how healthy we are, but that environmental and lifestyle factors can make a huge impact as well. Josie asks Dr. Berzin to provide some insight on changes people can make for preventative health, and Dr. Berzin lists off several action items for addressing health problems from the front end, rather than triaging them with prescriptions and pills. Josie brings up the Blue Zones—areas of the planet where people live to age 100—and Dr. Berzin discusses the factors that allow people who live in the Blue Zones to experience such great health. The two discuss biohacking, and when biohacking can be useful versus when biohacking can be less than helpful in helping people achieve optimal health. They also have a conversation about alcohol and the role that alcohol plays in our day-to-day lives, plus how to consume alcohol more thoughtfully for the sake of your health. Finally, the episode closes with some rapid-fire questions for Dr. Berzin.
Must-Listen Moments:
[6:04] Ask The Everygirl: How do you practice gratitude in everyday life?
[23:02] Dr. Berzin explains how our healthcare system is failing us by neglecting to address the root cause of symptoms
[33:05] Why women in the workforce are struggling with chronic fatigue, bloating, thyroid issues, and more—and why most of them feel unable to address those health problems
[44:11] Dr. Berzin’s step-by-step guide to focusing on preventative health
[59:42] How to re-evaluate your relationship with alcohol for the sake of your health, plus a few tips for facing cold and flu season
More from The Everygirl:
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