Htw With Zoe And Erica

Ok time for some major girl talk. Lauryn Evarts Bosstick is the founder of The Skinny Confidential, the truth-telling, real talking, and often hilarious blog that she has brilliantly turned into a book, “The Skinny Confidential Lifestyle Guide,” a podcast, a monthly subscription app that provides workouts and meal plans, and more. Girl is kicking ass and taking names.  We get the real scoop from her about how the responsibility of being an influencer in a constructive way, working with her husband, the importance of stoic philosophy in her life, and the future of The Skinny Confidential brand.   Lauryn talks about... The ugliness behind the world of influencers Going into business with your significant other Pregnancy, new motherhood and how psilocybin helped to cure her postpartum depression Practicing stoicism daily   Resources: theskinnyconfidential.com Listen: tscpodcast.com Instagram: @theskinnyconfidential Visit earthandstar.com and use code HTW for 15% off at checkout   Highway To Well is a product

We have a strict policy for 2021: No assholes. Let’s leave them behind in 2020. We all need to respect each other’s space and just move on. In this quick and honest chat with just us girls, we trade stories about some less-than-pleasant interactions we’ve had with folks recently, how we’ve (maybe sometimes regrettably) handled them, and how we’re trying to draw the line between letting things go and standing up for ourselves.   Resources: Visit earthandstar.com and use code HTW for 15% off at checkout   Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

Rob Willey is Chief Marketing Officer at Emil Capital Partners, a private equity firm based out of New York City that invests in and manages many companies mostly within the natural food and beverage space. He was part of the early dream team at Method, one of the earliest examples of powerful category disruption that  created a superstar brand still beloved today. He is as excited as we are to see how wellness has become more deeply embedded into consumer culture and he gives us his take on where the wellness market is headed once the dust settles from COVID-19, what he hopes returns to normal (and what he hopes doesn’t), and how consumer knowledge and expectation is changing.   Rob Willey talks about... Helping businesses find meaning and provide health and wellness What wellness means post-COVID How brands can compete without retail The importance of standing for something Having an authentic founder story The rising expectations of consumers   Resources: LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/robwilley Twitter: @ro

Tune in for a quick and dirty (not really) chat with friend of the pod and leading functional medicine expert, Dr. Will Cole, author of “Ketotarian,” and private practitioner.  We talk wellness trends for the year ahead, with a specific focus on how we are thinking more about proactive and preventative health rather than reacting with quick fixes.  He talks all about why this trend is happening, making long-term improvements to chronic health issues, and we spend some time geeking out over functional mushrooms (which you know we love).   Dr. Will Cole talks about... Why people are suddenly taking more action on their health The double-edged sword of the internet Moving fitness habits into the home The benefits of functional mushrooms & how they work in the body   Resources: Learn more: drwillcole.com Read “Ketotarian” Visit earthandstar.com and use code HTW for 15% off at checkout   Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

Daina Trout is the CEO and co-founder of Health-Ade Kombucha. Along with two friends who set out to make a mark on the world, they created an entrepreneur club where they would brainstorm solutions to their everyday challenges.  Including hair loss.  But after learning about an unexpected link between hair loss and scoby—the “mother” of kombucha—they promptly shifted gears and wound up with the multi-million-dollar success we all know as Health-Ade, now available in 35,000 stores nationwide.   In 2018, Health-Ade became the fastest growing refrigerated functional beverage brand in the country.  We love Daina's badass approach to business and hilarious storytelling talents.    Daina talks about... How she was first introduced to the power of kombucha and promptly fell in love Backing into a business idea by identifying a problem to solve first Staying nimble to allow for quick pivots in your business The hurdles of educating the masses on new and strange ingredients--ahem, preach, girl! Resources: healt

Eli Finkel is a social psychology professor at Northwestern University who studies romantic relationships and American politics, and has been named by The Economist as “one of the leading lights in the realm of relationship psychology.” He set out thinking—and intending to prove—that we were ruining the institution of marriage by putting so much pressure on our partner to meet many of our emotional and psychological needs. He found out that he was wrong: While the average marriage today is worse than the average marriage in the 1950’s, the best marriages today are even better. He shares some of what he learned from studying modern marriage and even some hacks from the best marriages he’s seen.  We. Love. This. Book.    Eli talks about... How marriages have become “all-or-nothing” What a good marriage looks like The problem with the 1950’s marriage model The COVID-19 effect on marriage The happiness vs meaning model How having kids impacts your marriage The modern purpose of marriage Love hacks for a healthy

The excellent Dr. Ellen Vora is on the podcast today, and we’re big fans because yes, she’s really cool, but she’s also not down with the over-prescription of meds as treatment. Ellen believes that the power to heal lies within each of us. She’s not anti-medications, but she is all about trying other, more holistic approaches to healing first. Today we’re talking all things functional and holistic, with a special focus on everybody’s favorite, anxiety! Dr. Ellen Vora is a board-certified psychiatrist, acupuncturist and yoga teacher. She’s all about taking a functional medicine approach to mental health, considering the whole person and addressing the problem at the root, rather than reflexively prescribing medication to suppress symptoms.  We’d loved this conversation with Dr. Vora, and know you will too, so listen up as she sheds some light on... What the heck a holistic psychiatrist is  Why she practices functional medicine Anxiety and how we all have it  Shame around mental illness The transition into mot

Katherine May, author of fiction and nonfiction, wrote her new book “Wintering” — which, published in February, now comes across as almost prophetic. In the book, she recognizes that we all have dark periods in our life where nothing seems to be going quite right and that there really isn’t a good way of talking about them without feeling ashamed. She opens up about her own wintering moments, and how she came to recognize she could play a role in helping others understand how to cope with theirs. We talk all about removing the shame of dark moments, the isolation of social media, and of course, some of our favorite vulgarities. It’s a light conversation about dark moments, which is exactly what Katherine was shooting for.   Katherine May talks about... The concept of wintering is and what lead her to write the book Finding the change that’s happening with you Not denying yourself the chance to learn from your down moments--no more fake positivity, please Sifting through the fake lives on social media Supple

Todd White is the founder of Dry Farm Wines, with a great story and a fun and lively approach to life in general.  A self-described biohacker who practices daily meditation, Wim Hof breathing, cold thermogenesis, a ketogenic diet, and daily 22 hour intermittent fasting, he wanted to find a better way of enjoying an evening glass of wine without it interrupting his lifestyle, and from this came Dry Farm Wines. A sourcing company of pure, Natural Wines that lab tests to ensure each bottle is sugar free (0-0.15g per glass), lower in sulfites, and lower in alcohol (under 12.5% alc/vol).    Todd helps demystify the dark secrets of the wine industry along with what makes natural wines so unique. You’ll want to drink a bottle yourself when this is over.   Todd White talks about... How he looks like 30 at 60 years old through fasting The concept behind Dry Farm and what natural wines are The wine industry’s dirty, dark secrets How Todd stumbled into the natural wine industry How wine can be sugar free when grape jui

Every overnight success is actually years in the making, and Charles Coristine, CEO and President of Lesser Evil Snacks, is here to share his journey to making the greatest paleo puff snack of all time (IOHO).   He takes “failure is not an option” to an extreme, and it really works for him. We get good and business-y in this one, and Charles is transparent about the uphill climb he had to go through to get to where he is now. Plus, he’s found an awesome way to incorporate a balance of spirituality and meditation into his focused business life, allowing him to really bring his whole self to the work. Sit back, enjoy your Buddha Bowl with Sea Salt and enjoy.   Charles talks about... Being an early adopter for meditation to escape from the stress of business Taking over the Lesser Evil business with a vision of taking it new places The investor dance, we know it all too well The struggles of growing into a national brand Investing in marketing research Doing what’s right for the planet   Resources: lesserevil

Dr. Michael Roizen, Emeritus Chief Wellness Officer of the Cleveland Clinic, and chief medical consultant on “The Dr. Oz Show,” is the co-author of “The What to Eat When Cookbook,” which we talked about with his colleague Dr Crupain in episode 105. He completely walks the walk when it comes to science-based diet planning based on the clock, (and he legit walked on his treadmill during the entire interview). We chatted about the powerful effects of eating the right foods at certain times of day, specifically for longevity. And good news: alcohol is on the list! Pour yourself a glass of wine (but check the clock first) and enjoy this data-packed conversation.   Dr. Michael Roizen talks about... Eating food that you love and that loves you back Using your diet to get younger How food can stave off dementia The 10 foods he couldn't do without--prepare for a run on Costco salmon burgers The benefits of alcohol depending on your health history   Resources: www.whenway.com Read: "RealAge" Read: “W

Because we are Hamil-nerds, sometimes we start with a quote: “Immigrants, we get the job done”  basically tells the story of Julie Smolyansky, CEO of Lifeway Foods, who moved from Russia to Chicago as an infant. Her parents brought with them a centuries-old tradition used in their homeland for generations — kefir, the hard-to-pronounce probiotic that does wonders for the gut — and began to share it in the community. A business was born, and in 2002, Julie became the youngest female CEO of a publicly held firm when she took over the company at the age of 27.  Since then, Julie has continued the company’s growth trajectory, bringing an Eastern European product into the U.S. mainstream and boosting annual company revenues to over $120 million in 2017 from $12 million when she took over.  She has been named to Fortune Business ‘40 under 40,’ Fortune’s 55 Most Influential Women on Twitter and Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business 1000. Today, Lifeway is working to promote their BioKefir product line, wh

Take a deep breath, because it might be your last without giving it some serious thought from here on out.  NY Times Bestselling Author and journalist James Nestor is taking years of incredible research and self-experimentation and applying it all to the world of breathing, sharing all the benefits it can provide with the world. This conversation with James may very well be the most eye-opening (or nose-opening) conversation around health that you’ve heard in years. Get ready, because this episode is going to take your breath away.  Ok no more breath clichés, promise.    James talks about... Why we needed another book about breathing How we have become a culture of mouth breathers and what it's doing to our physiology--spoiler alert: it's not cute How we get more (not less) oxygen by breathing slowly through our noses How breathing affects your posture Why our mouths are getting smaller and how it affects our airways The sleep apnea epidemic and what we can do about it The benefits of staying calm to

Dr. Michael Crupain is the medical director of “The Dr. Oz Show," chief medical officer of Sharecare and co-author of the upcoming The What To Eat When Cookbook. He is board certified in preventive medicine, a fellow of the American College of Preventive Medicine and part-time faculty at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.  He and his partner co-authored “What to Eat When,” along with “The What to Eat When Cookbook,” with amazing recipes tailored around when you should eat them. We know the drill on intermittent fasting, but Dr C helps us learn the importance of what we're eating at different times of day and how it impacts weight management and energy.  Pre-Order the book now!  https://amzn.to/2GpUpSl Dr. Crupain talks about... The general ideas behind “What to Eat When” Eating more earlier and less later What happens when you fast How to use the methodology for weight loss, maintenance, and gain The effects of when we eat on our microbiome How to eat when working the night shift

Is there something going on in your Venus? Haley Houseman, who’s in charge or brand and content at Sanctuary, knows all about astrology. While we are in a complete state of mess over the last few months, it’s times like these where people are drawn to finding some information or sanity to the world, and astrology can do that for a lot of people. She gives us a crash course in astrology that goes well beyond the typical “sun signs” we’re all used to—like, did you know you have a sign for every planet and even for asteroids? Astrology doesn’t define who you are, necessarily, but it can be a powerful tool for going inward and understanding yourself.  Sanctuary recently released its interactive birth chart feature on iOS, a really fun tool where an expert astrologer is waiting to help you break down your totally custom birth chart reading right in the app!   Haley Houseman talks about... Astrology 101 How astrology became an area of study The cultural context of astrology The luminary signs What Venus return mea

Marcina Hale is a Therapist trained in psychedelic therapy at CIIS and also a founder of Reconsider, a nonprofit that focuses on catalyzing reflection, dialogue, and action around our relationship to life. She is also a producer of the films Fantastic Fungi (one of our favorites, natch!) and Disturbing the Peace.  We dive into the fascinating field of psychedelic therapy--using plant medicines like psilocybin and ayahuasca to tap into our greater sense of self, and how her work in film and media helps to bring awareness to our need for compassion as a culture.   Marcina talks about... Questioning the way we are living and what life is about Affecting change through media Connecting with kids’ curiosity Opening up to psychedelics Why we are suddenly becoming interested in fungi The importance of integrating change into your life The loneliness epidemic   Resources: reconsider.org fantasticfungi.com tedxkc.org/marcina-hale linkedin.com/in/marcina-hale-lmft-a014181a twitter.com/marcinalee Visit earthandstar.

This episode is a little bit of catharsis for us as we talk about the struggles we’re facing when it comes to finding a sense of normalcy. We’re all still dealing with the isolation that comes with COVID, as well as wading through the poo that comes with building a startup, and maybe it’s getting to us a little bit. It’s a strange experience to feel lonely in your own home, even when you’re not the only person in the room. We hope you either can relate to us and feel a little less alone, or otherwise feel relieved that you’re much better off!   We talk about... Loneliness in isolation Not knowing where the endgame is Startup struggles Hopes for the future   Resources: earthandstar.com   **Check out our new mushroom lattes at earthandstar.com and use the code HTW for 15% off! Mush love, Erica & Zoe**    Highway To Well is a production of Crate Media

At the beginning of her career, Bozoma Saint John turned down a job at Goldman Sachs and, shortly afterwards, found herself temping for Spike Lee. Since then, she’s worked in C-level roles for the likes of Apple and Uber (being tasked with repairing their reputation after mistreatment of drivers and reports of sexual harassment surfaced) and is now Chief Marketing Officer at William Morris Endeavor. In this episode, she joins us to talk about being a Black woman in corporate America, the strange mixture of arrogance and diplomacy she’s sometimes been forced to employ to get her point across, and the benefits of choosing joy in the face of immense grief.    Bozoma Saint John talks about... How her parents are her superheroes, dating back to her childhood when her family escaped a violent coup d'etat in Ghana Her career path and how she chooses next steps-- it’s rarely about the money or about the title, but about what she will learn Her experience of being a Black woman in a junior role, and the challenge

Kendall Dabaghi has spent the last ten years working at different tech startups, but it was the variety of health issues he faced his whole life that led him to his best work yet. After developing acute digestive issues traveling abroad, and seeing a range of specialists, nothing seemed to work. He started reading up on the gut biome and after adding a variety of fermented foods to his diet, the pain disappeared completely. No big surprise- he knew his next business would be focused on the microbiome. He went back to school, and together with his co-founder Ravi Sheth developed systems for isolating and the individual strains of microbial communities. They looked at what they had built, and realized they could apply what they had learned to creating new kinds of foods. We’re super impressed and excited to see where they take this exciting new technology- as we like to say, let’s all keep the fun in fungi.    Kendall Dabaghi talks about... Creating different kinds of fermented foods Leveraging the latest in m

Lulu Ge is the founder of Elix, an herbal nutritional supplement company that helps women balance their hormonal cycle. When she stopped taking hormonal birth control, she found herself unable to move her body for 2-3 days a month around the time of her cycle—and her doctor’s only suggestion was to start taking birth control again.  Her grandfather connected her to a renowned Chinese medical expert who examined her, gave her a list of herbs, and instructed her on how to take them. Cut to: after a single course of drinking the elixirs, she experienced zero symptoms any longer! The secret to these medicines is in how personalized they are, so she looked into how she should scale that personalization in a way that would be accessible to more people.  Cycle-related symptoms continue to affect up to 90% of women in the US, leading to over a billion hours of lost productivity annually; yet in today’s health care system, only 4% of research and development addresses women’s health issues.  Sad trombone.  Lulu shares