Becoming a High-Performing CEO of Your Health

Dr. Michael Turner joins Josh Tapp on The Lucky Titan podcast to discuss his 5 dimensions of healthy living, focused around the question, “What would it feel like to be as healthy as I could possibly be?”

Key Takeaways

• Your most valuable asset is your health, which impacts all other areas of life.

• Quality sleep is foundational to good health. 

• Eating well isn’t about depriving yourself of things that taste good; rather, moderation is the key idea.

• Consistent exercise is your single best anti-aging strategy, affecting multiple pathways of aging.

• Stay mentally healthy with positive self-reinforcement and affirmations.

• Social connectedness is vital: our purpose in life is ultimately to give and receive love, both with God and with others.

Time Stamps

00:00 Introduction

01:02 From Classroom Teacher to Doctor to Online Teacher

• Burned out from undergrad; needed to take some time doing something else

• Started as a 5th grade teacher (all subjects); later moved to 7th and 8th grade Science. 

• Desire to reach more people, more effectively, through online health courses

• Ability for patients and others to access online curriculum content 24 hours a day

05:00  Your greatest possible investment = improving your health

• Your most valuable asset is your health

• What would it feel like to be as healthy as you could possibly be?

• And what would be the return on investment for spending time getting healthier?

• Don’t compare yourself to others around you: this is about you, not them

07:56 Dimension #1: The importance of sleep

• Immune system

• Your immune system has natural killer (NK) cells that target infections and cancerous cells in your body 24/7

• After just one night of 4 hours of sleep, NK cell activity dropped by 30%

• Mental acuity

  • After being awake for 18 hours, you become as cognitively impaired as someone who has a blood alcohol level of 0.05

• Brain health

  • Strong correlation between poor sleep and Alzheimer’s

  • Sleep is a cleansing process that helps reduce amyloid proteins

11:48 Optimal Sleep Patterns

• You want your sleep to be front-loaded; earlier than midnight is ideal

  • 6 hours of sleep between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. is not the same as between 1 a.m. and 7 a.m.

• Aim for 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep

• If you find yourself needing to take a nap in the afternoon, or drinking coffee regularly, you’re not getting enough sleep

14:15 Dimension #2: Eating patterns and supplements 

• Supplements can be powerful

  • E.g. Ginkgo Biloba improves blood flow to the brain

  • Dr. Daniel Amen – “All of my best brains take Ginkgo.”

• The overall healthiest diet is whole foods and plant-based (WFPB). 

• Avoid sugar and saturated fat. 

• Moderation, not deprivation, is the key concept, since food isn’t just about your health

  • Social aspects, taste, joy of living

19:35 Dimension  #3: Exercise

• The #1 best anti-aging strategy is consistent exercise

• Contributes significantly to multiple areas of your body, including:

  • Heart and lung health

  • Brain health

  • Musculoskeletal structure

  • Testosterone levels

  • Inflammation

  • Improves sleep

• Try to exercise every day, even if it’s small. Avoid “all or nothing” thinking

  • E.g. Tabata workout methods - high intensity, 4 min duration

27:30 Dimension #4: Mental Health

• Positive self-talk is hugely important

• Key takeaway = create affirmations and rehearse them daily

30:39 Dimension #5: Social Connectedness

• What is the purpose of life?

  • To give and receive love 

• Make time for your relationships, focusing on one or two meaningful relationships every week

35:40 Final Thoughts

• Fall in love with the question, “What would it feel like to be as healthy as I could be?”

• Take small, consistent, cumulative actions and you will be well on your way.

Resources

• Whole foods plant-based diet solves cardiovascular problems https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5466936/

• And is effective for weight loss

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7444011/

• The Godfather of psychological research on the power of the subconscious mind to shape behavior is John Bargh. Great interview here. 

About 

Michael K. Turner, M.D., is a graduate of Stanford University, Harvard Medical School and The Mayo Clinic. He practices Integrative Medicine in his own national concierge practice, providing personalized approaches (including hormones, sleep, recovery, nutrition, supplements and exercise) to help people achieve their optimal state of health. Called “genuine”, “caring”, and “the best doctor in the world” by patients, he brings a high degree of empathy, trademark optimism, and a holistic approach to patient care. He brings a passion for excellence to everything he does. He believes in living and modeling a healthy, balanced lifestyle.  

What would it feel like to be as healthy as you could possibly be?

Let’s begin the journey…