The Number One Tool You Need To Get Healthy

Hey, everybody. Welcome to my weekly house call. Your chance to ask me your questions. And this week we're talking about community. Now, often my patients and my readers tell me that one of the biggest obstacles they face on their path towards better health is a lack of support. You know, this is a big challenge. I always say that getting healthy is a team sport, that everybody needs a buddy. Unfortunately, many of us are lacking that support and encouragement and those relationships that we really need in order to move forward toward our better selves. There was a psychological researcher, George Slavic of the University of California, Los Angeles, who studies human social genomics. And he said that our genes can actually be turned on or off depending on our social environments. And the studies actually show that compared to people who are socially connected, those living in isolation are more likely to suffer from viral infections and inflammation. This means that feeling socially isolated can actually make you sick. Dr. Slavic also points to the evidence which shows that a social stressor is a stronger predictor of chronic disease related mortality than physical inactivity, alcohol use and smoking. I think you're getting the idea that social connectedness matters. In fact, community is more important and often more effective than any medication. Even though people still use less than optimal and outdated nutritional lifestyle advice and interventions, clinical community still is very powerful. What's amazing is that doctors who are frustrated with the failure of medication and traditional medicine to treat their patients who have chronic illnesses like obesity and diabetes are actually starting small groups with eight to 30 people and patients and meeting every week to teach them about nutrition and cooking and shopping and exercise and stress management and more. In fact, two Portland doctors came up to me after a lecture and told me about their program for poor, undocumented Hispanic women with chronic symptoms and obesity and diabetes. Now, for very little money, about $15 a person, they successfully guided these women to health in a program they called Reclamado sus alud, which means reclaim your health. They used a program based on my book called the Blood Sugar Solution, which I have taught at many medical schools and conferences. Their group of 20 women met weekly for five classes and then every two weeks for a total of eight three hour classes. The weight loss ranged from about 5 to 20 pounds, blood pressures dropped an average of 10 to 20 points, and depression and inflammation scores dropped dramatically. Now, in 2013, I wrote the Daniel Plan book with Pastor Rick Warren and Daniel Amen based off a group program that we created at the Saddleback church, which included 15,000 people. We literally built this program from the ground up. Our goal was to challenge people over Six weeks through the principles of functional medicine and social connection to get healthy beyond just food. We brought in the principles like meditation and exercise to help people transform their lives. But we use the power of social networks to hold people accountable and to help them reach their goals through support and connection. The results were astounding. Warren's congregation lost a quarter of a million pounds in ten months. That's £250,000 in the bargain. They also improved things like depression and acne and autoimmune disease and migraines. In fact, one guy came up to me and he said, Dr. Hyman, last year I was in the hospital four times and on nine medications. I haven't been in the hospital all this year, and I'm only on one medication. That is dramatic, and the implications are huge for our healthcare system. The congregation put a giant garden on the church campus. They developed exercise courses around the campus. They really committed to transforming their health. And suddenly the culture changed. It became cool to be healthy rather than joining in on the all you can eat pancake breakfast or the ice cream socials and having some soda everywhere. I encourage you to form groups like this because they can make a huge difference. And these examples represent just the beginning of what's possible. When we work together, we're social beings, and we thrive with connection. We know that you literally adopt the habits and behaviors of the people who around you, right? If all your friends are drinking soda and french fries and watching tv, that might be your behavior. If all your friends are drinking green juices and taking the yoga mats to class, that might be your behavior. So we have to recognize that our social connections are far more important than our genetic connections. But sometimes it's not easy to find healthy friends or even start up a group like the Daniel Plan. Sometimes you need support when it comes to building community. And that's why, for the first time ever, my team and I are hosting the Feel Good Summit. Now, in the summer of 2018, we're going to gather in beautiful, sunny Southern California for three days, and we're going to dive deep into community and food, nutrition, stress management, movement, and so much more. My goal for you is to walk away with a plan to achieve your best health and to bring a few new best friends along with you. People who can inspire you and who you can inspire. Also. I'm so excited to share this experience with you. I've led thousands of patients toward a life of joy and vibrancy. I want this for you, too. And I want you to wake up every single morning and give your highest gift to the world. Which is why I decided to put together all my tips for a beautiful, thriving life and present it to you in one epic weekend. We've created the Feel Good Summit to foster community and to foster connection, all while learning how to take your health to the next level using expert guidance to create a wellness plan for you by you. So let's get healthy together at the Feel Good Summit. To learn more about the summit and for my top tips on creating community, check out the blog post attached to this video. I want to hear from you. Also, I want to hear from you. What are your top tips for creating community? Tweet me using the hashtag housecallwithdrhineman and tweet me your top health and wellness questions. And maybe next week I'll make a house call to you. Thanks for watching.