Christian Natural Health

Dr. Afton L. Hassett is an Associate Professor and Director of Pain and Opioid Research in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Michigan. She is a principal investigator at the Chronic Pain & Fatigue Research Center who has over $14M of research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Viewed as a leader in the field of chronic pain and resilience, she recently gave the Keynote address at the 2023 Pain Consortium Symposium on Advances in Pain Research for the NIH. While studying established treatments for chronic pain and developing new approaches is her passion, her frustration is that exciting research discoveries rarely make it to the people who could benefit the most. Thus, Afton’s mission was to write Chronic Pain Reset to bring evidence-based strategies from research and academic medical settings directly to people who live with chronic pain with the hope that they will gain new tools to lead more rewarding lives with less pain. To learn more about Dr Hassett, see aftonhassett.com  You ca get her book, Chronic Pain Reset, here.  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

How to deal with stressful situations: pray and then let God's peace rule:  Pray and thank God for the answer in advance, and you will have peace: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7 Col 3:15: "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." 2 Thess 3:16: "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you." Fearing circumstances is not from God: 2 Tim 1:7: "For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid (give us a spirit of fear), but gives us power, love and self-discipline." If you are weary, let God refresh you: "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7 Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Hope, faith, and trust which comes from love are antidotes to fear: Believe you have it before you pray: Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." When you understand His perfect love, you will trust: 1 John 4:18: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love." Luke 1:37: "For no word from God will ever fail." Psalm 56:3: "When I am afraid, I put my trust in you." Isaiah 40:31: "but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me." John 14:1 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27 God delivers from fear and rescues from the trouble that besets you: Psalm 55:22: "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." If you trust, you will flourish no matter the circumstances: Jeremiah 17:7-8: “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” Heb 13:5-6: 'God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”' Psalm 34:4: "I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears." Psalm 34:17: "The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles." "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10 Joshua 1:9: "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Isaiah 35:4: "say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”" Psalm 23:4-6: "Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever." "When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy." Psalm 94:19 "And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8 Proverbs 3:5-6: "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own u

Today's podcast comes from this blog post, How to Stimulate Autophagy to Live Longer and Healthier Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Kelly Needham is a servant of Jesus Christ, a student of the Bible and COO of her home, where she lives with her husband, Jimmy, and their five children. She is the author of Friendish: Reclaiming Real Friendship in a Culture of Confusion (Thomas Nelson, 2019) and has been a contributing author to many other books, including Faithful (David C. Cook, 2021) and Beautifully Distinct (Good Book Company, 2020). She has served on staff at multiple churches, serving in youth, college and women's ministry. Kelly currently co-leads a women’s teaching program, training women to accurately handle the word of truth and co-hosts a podcast, Clearly with Jimmy and Kelly Needham. Whether writing or speaking, Kelly’s aim is to convince as many people as possible that nothing compares to knowing Jesus. You can find Kelly's books, podcast, and learn more about her at jimmyandkelly.com  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Dr. Alan Bauman is an accomplished hair restoration physician, known for his expertise in treating hair loss and his pioneering work in the field. His state-of-the-art "Hair Hospital" in downtown Boca Raton, FL, covers 12,000 square feet and is recognized worldwide for its advanced hair restoration technologies. His dedication to the field of hair restoration has earned him many accolades throughout his career. He is one of approximately 200 physicians worldwide to have achieved certification from the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery (ABHRS). He has pioneered numerous technologies in the field of hair restoration.  Dr. Bauman's expertise has made him a highly sought-after speaker and guest expert. He has been featured in hundreds of news stories in the media. Dr. Bauman has also been recognized for his contributions to the field of healthcare, receiving the 2022 "Lifetime Achievement Award in Hair Restoration" and being named one of "10 CEOs Transforming Healthcare in America" by Forbes. To learn more about Dr Bauman or for a consultation, visit baumanmedical.com  Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 That's a command for all of us, but some of us find it easier to do than others. I do a lot of neurotransmitter testing in my practice: urine testing for brain signaling chemicals, including serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, GABA, glycine, and glutamate. I used to simply feed the appropriate pathways with the precursors if they were low, and feed the enzymes for metabolism if one was too high, to try to balance things out. I still do that to an extent, but I've also started to recognize patterns. Sometimes a neurotransmitter test can suggest to me that someone is low in some of the cofactors (vitamins or minerals) for certain pathways. Other times, it can suggest that there's a common genetic predisposition to metabolizing neurotransmitters in a particular way. I also used to do a lot more genetic testing than I currently do (for a variety of reasons, though it can still be useful). Sometimes the genetics can tell me that someone will tend to make an excessive amount of a particular neurotransmitter, or that they don't tend to make enough of it, or that they tend to break it down really fast, or break it down really slowly. That can help inform what I see on neurotransmitter testing, and how I might go about trying to maintain balance, once we've achieved it. There are certain personality types, as well as patterns of thinking, that go along with patterns of neurotransmitters. Serotonin and dopamine tend to be an especially striking see-saw. Those with high (but not too high) serotonin tend to be very laid back and in the moment. Those with high (but not too high) dopamine tend to be very driven, always checking off their to-do list, and then moving straight on to the next thing. Too much of either one, or too little of either one, can lead to a particular type of anxiety or depression. Those with excessively high (but more often excessively low) norepinephrine or epinephrine (together known as adrenaline) tend to be jumpy, and constantly in fight-or flight mode. Usually I see this pattern in people who have been stressed out for a long time. Some of these patterns can be explained by the genetics, but it's also true that neurotransmitters and thoughts are a "chicken-or-egg" scenario: which comes first? We all are familiar with the downward spiral of negative thinking: the more you do it, the harder it is to stop. I think this is why Paul told us to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ," (2 Cor 10:5), and then to think on "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." Phil 4:8. We do have a choice--but our habitual thinking makes this easier or harder to do. A few years ago I read a fascinating book called "The Molecule of More" by Daniel Lieberman. It fleshed out not so much the acute imbalances, but the personality types that go with certain patterns. Lieberman categorizes norepinephrine, along with serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins, as “here and now,” or H&N neurotransmitters, meaning they help with enjoyment of the moment and satisfaction in one’s actual, current experience. By contrast, the neurotransmitter dopamine is all about novelty and desire (it is the "Molecule of More," as in always wanting more). The moment that a pleasure is no longer unexpected, or a goal is achieved, dopamine is quenched. The enjoyment associated with expected pleasures or enjoying what one already possesses requires the H&N neurotransmitters–and certain kinds of people are predisposed more toward one over the other. The highest achievers in history tended to be very dopamine dominant, with all its attendant benefits and pitfalls. They are constantly driven, and usually obsessed with achievement and efficiency–but this also means they are rarely “happy”, where happiness is defined by satisfaction with what they actually have. Many of them are more susceptible to affairs and divorce, because for them, it’s more about the thrill of the chase than the actual relationship. They often care for humanity in the abstract, but have little patience with individual people. But on the plus side, they also are quite resilient to adversity and change, since novelty produces the dopamine spike they crave. On the flip side, those more predisposed genetically to the H&N neurotransmitters tend to be happier and more content, and to have stronger interpersonal relationships, but far less driven to achievement, and less resilient to the stress of change. Lieberman doesn't argue that either is "better" than the other per se; each has their own strengths and weaknesses (and he also makes the fascinating argument that one's political leanings can often be affiliated

Dr Jacob Teitelbaum is one of the most frequently quoted integrative, pain and fibromyalgia medical authorities in the world. He is the author of the best-selling From Fatigued to Fantastic!, Pain Free, 1,2,3!, The Complete Guide to Beating Sugar Addiction, Real Cause Real Cure, The Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Solution, Diabetes Is Optional and the popular free Smart Phone app Cures A-Z. He is the lead author of 8 studies on effective treatment for fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, and a study on effective treatment of autism using NAET. Dr. Teitelbaum appears often as a guest on news and talk shows nationwide including Good Morning America, The Dr. Oz Show, Oprah & Friends, CNN, and FoxNewsHealth. Learn more at: Vitality101.com endfatigue.com You can get Dr Teitelbaum's personalized analysis at  energyanalysisprogram.com  You can contact Dr Teitelbaum for information sheets on various conditions at  fatiguedoc@gmail.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

The biggest obstacle to faith for a lot of people is this: “If God is all powerful, then why does He cause (or allow) bad things to happen?” There's something fundamental that we must establish before we ever address this question directly: God is good, all the time (James 1:16-17).   We know this, at least in part, by what Jesus did. Jesus said that he who has seen him has seen the Father (John 14:8-9), and Jesus went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38, Matt 15:30, Matt 4:23-24, Matt 8:16, Matt 9:35, Matt 10:1, Matt 12:15, Matt 15:30, Luke 4:40, Luke 10:9).  He never refused healing to anyone who came to Him. He never harmed anyone "for their own good," or put a disease on anyone "to teach them something" or "to discipline them." Not once. In fact, He actively worked against all sickness and disease, to destroy the devil's work (1 John 3:8). He is the same today as He was when He was on earth (Hebrews 13:8). God the Father doesn't change either (Malachi 3:6). We know of God's character from His names in the Old Testament. He is Jehovah Nissi (The Lord my Banner - Ex 17:15). He is Jehovah-Raah (The Lord my Shepherd, or My Friend - Gen 48:15, Psalm 23:1, 80:1, Ez 34:11-15). He is Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals, Ex 15:26). He is Jehovah Shammah (The Lord is There - He has not abandoned you: Eze 48:35). He is Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness, Jer 23:6, 33:16). He is Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord who Sanctifies You: Ex 31:13, Lev 20:8). He is Jehovah Jireh (The Lord will Provide, Gen 22:14). He is Jehovah Shalom (The Lord is Peace, Judges 6:24). He is Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts, 1 Sam 1:3, Ps 24:9-10, 84:3, Isa 6:5). Many other scriptures establish His goodness. He is ONLY good. (1 John 1:5, Psalm 84:11-12; Psalm 146:6-10; Psalm 107:9, Psalm 31:19, 1 Tim 4:4-5, Eph 1:3, Romans 8:28, Ps 103:2-5, Ps 145:16-19). God doesn’t do bad things to His children. Yet He’s powerful enough that for those who trust in Him, He can take even terrible circumstances that were not part of His plan, and bring good out of them.“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). Those who know their scriptures well may point out Old Testament passages that sound like God, in fact, did do evil things. One example is in 2 Sam 24:1, when it says the Lord moved David (in pride) to count the number of his subjects... and then condemned David's sin in having done so (2 Sam 24:10) and punished him severely for it. Yet the exact same story appears in 1 Chron 21:1, where it says Satan moved David to number Israel. This is a very rare glimpse into what was happening in the spiritual realm in the Old Testament, where there is almost no doctrine of Satan. The primary exception to this is at the beginning of the book of Job; otherwise Satan is only mentioned by name here, and in Zechariah 3:1-2. (He is mentioned in Genesis 3 as "the serpent," of course, and also as Lucifer in Isaiah 14:12 and Ezekiel 28 as well.) The Old Testament had almost no doctrine of Satan because the people had no authority over him under the Mosaic covenant. What good would it do to learn that you have a bloodthirsty enemy, but there is nothing you can do to protect yourself from him? Because of this, in the Old Testament, anything supernatural, good or bad, was attributed to God, whether God was the instigator or not. The New Testament (and the revelation in Job 1:6-12) shows that this is not the case; there is a spiritual war going on, and we have an adversary who hates us. (For more on how God's dealings with man changed with different covenants, see my Blood Covenant biblical retellings duology: Blood Covenant Origins and Blood Covenant Fulfilled.) So if God doesn't cause bad things to happen, why do they happen? Evil comes about as a result of one of or a combination of three things -- 1) Satan, the enemy of God and therefore of us, who would like nothing better than to see us destroyed:“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I [Jesus] have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).1 Peter 5:8 — “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 2) A fallen world that will be redeemed one day, but isn’t yet: “For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from

Dr. Erik Korem has always been driven by a relentless pursuit of high performance. As time progressed, that drive became a purpose — to improve the lives of others in ways they didn’t know were possible. Whether fueling the performance of NCAA athletes or the U.S. Dept. of Defense, implementing one of the NFL's first sports science programs, or coaching Olympic gold medalists, his desire to leave people and places better than he found them is unwavering.  Now, as Founder and CEO of AIM7, he’s employing his unique expertise as an applied performance scientist to unleash the true power of wearables in a way that tangibly improves the lives of others. Their proven algorithms analyze users' health data and provide custom recommendations for enhancing the mind, body, and recovery process. Leveraging the science of adaptive capacity, Erik and his team are unlocking a new level of human performance for anyone with a wearable device. To learn more about Erik, you can find him on Instagram and YouTube @ErikKorem Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sam Black is a renowned author and expert in the field of pornography recovery. As the Director of Recovery Education at Covenant Eyes, he brings a wealth of experience to his work, having joined the organization in 2007 after a distinguished 18-year career as an award-winning journalist. Sam is the author of two groundbreaking books: "The Healing Church: What Churches Get Wrong About Pornography and How to Fix It" and "The Porn Circuit: Understand Your Brain and Break Porn Habits." He has also edited 16 other books on the impact of pornography and regularly speaks at parenting, leadership and men's events across the country. Sam's deep knowledge and compassionate approach have helped countless individuals and families find healing and hope. To learn more about Sam, see thehealingchurch.com, or go to the app store and download the Victory App for content! Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.