Changing the world one baked good at a time. This is the mission of  "Bakers For Change" (BFC). In this interview we meet three of its five founders: Camille, Kait and Sophia. Bakers For Change is a non profit organization founded by these like-minded young women, who felt increasing concern over the current political and societal climate in the United States. They are champions for justice, voting rights, equality and protecting marginalized groups. They found a way to enact change through baking, which is their common passion, and leverage the power of global social media to create an activism model that can also work at the local level. The power of the spatula has no boundaries and what better medium than a cake to share a powerful message. They have raised over $50,000 since they started in June 2020, and recently over $27,000 to support organizations involved with #StopAsianHate. They have supported the ACLU, the #BLM movement, voting rights and more in the past months. They usually have one big fundraiser event per quarter. They organize local bake-sales and auctions, or inspire famous bakers or bakeries all over the US to raise money through special sales for the causes that BFC supports. They also sell their cool merchandise – tee-shirts, aprons and bags through www.bonfire.com. They have experienced meteoric growth. They are at a crucial point where people now reach out to them to offer collaboration, interviews and podcasts. In this conversation we are talking about their mission and future, and most importantly how we can all become activists. How can they grow their organization without losing its authenticity, attention to details, and thoughtful goals? It is a good problem to have, and these five bright  women with jobs, families and other passions will continue to fight with conviction and the desire to leave their mark. They have now reached over 6,000 Instagram followers @bakersforchange and you can visit them at www.bakersforchange.org.

Make Your Brain Happy with Veronique Cardon, MS

How to Harness a Passion to Promote Societal Change Via Social Media

In this podcast, my guest is Sean Hudson, a successful and fulfilled man in many ways, within his family, community and career. Except for the never-ending fight for equality and the open and blatant mounting racism in this country. We discuss the BLM movement, the current efforts to suppress voting rights, the continuous fight for basic rights written in the US Constitution and the demands it imposes on raising two teenage black sons. Sean is an alumnus of Morehouse College and the University of Michigan Graduate School of Business.  He is passionate about mentoring and serves on the Board of Directors of the National Mentoring Partnership.  He has been a contributor to the Youth About Business (Columbia University) and the LEAD Program (University of Michigan). However, nothing gives Sean a greater sense of purpose than his wife Karen and their two teenage sons Julian and Clay.  Sean has been working at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals in New York for the past 17 years and has a passion for health. He led an enterprise-wide initiative sponsored by the Office of the Chairman to address health equity for under-served patient populations and create more intentional engagement with leading social-civic organizations in the communities where we work and live. Sean Hudson is currently the Vice President in the Pfizer Digital organization and is responsible for Learning and Development worldwide.  In his role, Sean oversees the integration of advanced analytics and informatics and digital technology to transform how Pfizer colleagues acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for Pfizer to deliver breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. 

Trying to Live a Life That Matters

In this podcast with ADHD Coach Jane Milrod, based in Princeton, NJ, we discuss the impact of the COVID-19 quarantine, social distancing and distance learning on children and adults living with ADHD. It has taken a toll and she has observed a substantial increase in her workload. Very often ADHD is associated with co-existing conditions such as Procrastination. Anxiety, OCD, and Depression. These conditions have been exacerbated by the current situation and its associated growing feeling of isolation, extra stress, and anxiety. The new “Zoom lifestyle” has required new approaches and organization skills for both students, adults, and parents. We discuss her methods and challenges. Her remote coaching sessions, an integral part of support for people living with ADHD, is centered on helping her clients learn practical skills and strategies that fit their unique aptitudes and personal attributes.  She helps her clients narrow the gap between their intentions and their behaviors using an approach rooted in the Neurobiology of ADHD partnered with the Science of Behavior Change.  She is a skilled listener and integrator of client needs and guide her clients to create new Operating Instructions that help them live a life in alignment with their core values and objectives. Jane is a Phi Beta Kappa, High Honors graduate of Rutgers College with a Major in History. Professional Coaching Credentials include:  Graduate of the Advanced Professional ADDCA Coach Program, earning the ACCG and The PACG designation Graduate of the Coach Training Program with Master ADHD Coach Susan Sussman, and MCCC Sheila Kutner Jodi Sleeper-Triplett's Coaching Children and Teens, Coaching Teens and College Students.  Jane is a graduate of CHADD National Teacher Certification Program – Parent to Parent: Family Training on AD/HD.in 2006, and a Co-teacher of this class for 15 years. Part-time employment in the Attention Lab at Princeton University Neuroscience Institute. 

Understanding, Supporting, and Treating ADHD in a Time of Social Distancing

In this podcast, I have a conversation with Isabella de la Houssaye, a Louisiana native, living in Princeton, NJ. The interview was taped in June 2019 for Princeton Community Television, but I decided to share this amazing story on my podcast series. We spoke about mindfulness, persistence and being able to live your life in the present. She speaks about being aware of the voices in your head and learning to quickly identify when they serve you or when they create stress and hold you back. Diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer with tumors in her lungs, brain, spine, bones, and adrenal gland in January 2018, she was bed-ridden, in excruciating pain, and felt life was unfair. She was given at best a few months to live. After a high-profile career as a lawyer at Lehman Brothers, she was raising 6 children, competing and winning ultra-races and winning them.” I was unstoppable” she says. “But, within weeks of my diagnosis, I could neither walk nor drive and I was told to put my affairs in order”. Extremely healthy and as an extreme endurance top athlete who had run every marathon and climbed almost every mountain on the planet, she decided that she would take what was left of her life and use it to enjoy her last adventures, often shared with her children to share her pearls of wisdom and lessons in courage. As she fought back and with the help of new immunotherapy and chemotherapy treatments, she accepted what she had control over and stopped wasting energy trying to control what was not within her power to control. She embarked on new adventures including climbing the Aconcagua in Argentina, the highest mountain outside of Asia, with her daughter in January 2019. She was interviewed by the New York Times about it: NYT Interview. She recognized fear and putting it in its place or rather expand her comfort zone so that fear did not control you. She learned to stay completely in the present. Quoting Isabella: “At this moment in time am I alive? do I have frost bite? can I breathe? Can I take another step forward? The summit day on a mountain like Aconcagua is about 18 hours long. Many people get all the way to summit day and set out at 4 AM and at about 5 AM they are thinking--Oh my God, I have 17 more hours of this--I don't think I can last another 17 hours--and they quit”. According to the National Cancer Institute, the five-year survival rate for people with Stage 4 lung cancer is 4.4% About 50% die within five months. She is still alive today, three years later and last year, decided to bike across America to raise awareness about lung cancer and advocate for more comprehensive screening and more research on treatment options. She feels blessed. She has decided every hour of her life is worth living to the fullest. She is practicing yoga and meditation. She knows now that mindfulness is facing your fears and moving on. 

The Life Lesson and Mindfulness Journey of an Endurance Athlete. Conversation with Isabella de la Houssaye

In this podcast, I interview Nancy Novack, PhD, a stage 4 ovarian cancer survivor, clinical psychologist, founder and Executive Director of Nancy’s List, a non-profit foundation serving the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs of persons living with cancer and those who love and care for them. Dr. Novack developed Nancy's List after her recovery from cancer to leverage her own professional practice skills and emotional journey. Stage 4 ovarian cancer is almost like a death sentence. The prognosis of survival is bleak. We talk about her resilience, how she found help and support from her principal treating physician, adopted a positive and optimistic attitude and why it is so important to create a supporting and holistic ecosystem around patients who go through cancer. The mission of Nancy’s list is to create space for survivors and healing professionals to share resources that will compliment cancer treatments, mitigate the stresses, and deepen the healing process. These resources include a community of over 19,000 subscribers, 600 clinicians and holistic practitioners, and a terrific library of information about financial assistance, integrative therapies, stories of hope and gratitude, and a book entitled “I Am with You: Love Letters to Cancer Patients”.   Nancy’s List website: https://nancyslist.org/

Resilience When Facing Stage 4 Ovarian Cancer, a Psychologist's Perspective and Story of Survival with guest Nancy Novack, PhD

 In this podcast I interview Lisa Feiner, a certified health and wellness coach, brain longevity specialist, and co-founder and Board Chair of Sharp Again Naturally. Link to their website: https://sharpagain.org/   We are discussing the 10 causes of memory loss and provide solutions to combat them. We also speak about Dr. Dale Bredesen’s lifestyle protocol to restore memory and reclaim your life. Working with their Medical and Dental Advisory Board, Sharp Again has identified 10 causes of dementia that can be evaluated and treated, potentially reversing memory loss and restoring full cognitive function: Nutritional imbalances and deficiencies Toxins in food, water, air, work/home environments Effects of prescription medications Mercury and other heavy metal toxicity  Hormonal imbalances (T3 thyroid, HGH, estrogen, testosterone, and others) Inflammation from low-level infections, including oral infections, mold, food sensitivities, URI’s and Lyme Disease Inadequate physical activity, mental stimulation, and social interaction  Prolonged stress   Sleep and breathing problems  Physical and emotional trauma To appreciate the science underlying this multi-therapeutic approach and why the medical community is having such a difficult time finding answers, read about the prevalence of dementia and why dementia is hitting us now.   Lisa educates the public and medical community about causes of memory loss and how to address them. Since 1992, she has been a volunteer and board member of The New Jewish Home in NY, working with elders who have dementia.    Lisa speaks to the “worried well” about preventing memory loss, and coaches individuals and families who want to take steps to regain cognitive health.   

The Roadmap to Brain Clarity with guest Lisa Feiner, MBA

Veronique Cardon, MS, and founder of The CogniDiet Programs created the "Make Your Brain Happy" podcast to help you understand the science of the brain and the ability to unleash its power. A healthy and happy brain is the gateway to living your best life for the longest possible time. In this podcast you will learn to boost your mental, emotional and intellectual performance. You will listen to experts who will help you treat your brain like a treasure. The brain is plastic and can learn new behaviors. It is never too late to change, and your brain can heal. Yes, you can rewire your brain for increased happiness, performance, resilience to stress, management of anxiety, and so much more.

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Make Your Brain Happy with Veronique Cardon, MS

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