As 2020 continues to unfurl in a fashion beyond surreal, more and more are descending into the anguished abyss of distress. Awakening to acrid tangerine skies that have transformed sunny California into a Blade Runner dystopia, I myself vacillate between melancholia and a commitment to forge a better world.

When the darkness descends, I find sanity in focusing only on those things I can control: my actions and reactions. Nonetheless, waves of anxiety -- and sometimes even despair -- continue to break on the shores of my consciousness. It is in these moments that I resort to a battery of simple but generally quite effective contrary actions. I spend time in nature. Double down on meditation and human connection. I eat better and move more. And I extend myself in service to others.

To further explore the many practical and unexacting things we can all undertake during this stressful time to course-correct our emotional disposition, reframe our reality and sustainably serve our well-being, I'm joined by my friend Rangan Chatterjee, M.D. -- who today returns for a third spin on the RRP flywheel.

One of the most influential doctors in the U.K., Rangan is a pioneer in the field of progressive, functional medicine. He is double board-certified in internal medicine and family medicine, holds an honors degree in immunology, and has appeared on seemingly every prominent media outlet from the BBC to The New York Times. 

In addition, Rangan prevails over the wildly popular Feel Better, Live More podcast. His TEDx talk, How To Make Diseases Disappear, has been viewed almost 3 million times. And he is the author of three #1 Sunday Times bestselling books. The focus of today's conversation is his latest well-being tome, Feel Better In 5.

A close cousin to my podcast with Atomic Habits author James Clear (RRP #401), today's exchange is all about habit change and habit formation. It's about the power of bite-sized actions. And how, when undertaken regularly, short and simple practices can rapidly and completely change your health and life.

We discuss the difference between breaking bad habits versus crowding them out with new, better habits.

We explore the realities of food addiction. Our epidemic of emotional eating. And Rangan's personal theory on cause and solution.

We talk generally about holistic health and lifestyle medicine, and why progressive wellness should be accessible to all -- now more than ever.

Interspersed throughout, Rangan shares how he has helped patients relieve stress, find fulfillment, and engender peace in these chaotic times.

But most importantly, we explore his very simple, almost effortless, methods for building a new and sustainable lifestyle to serve our long-term health.

The visually inclined can watch it all go down on YouTube (courtesy of Zoom). And as always, the conversation streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

I always enjoy time spent with Rangan, even when it's remote. My hope is that you do as well -- and put his advice into action.

Peace + Plants,

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Thanks to this week’s sponsors

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Note: One of the best ways to support the podcast is to support the sponsors. For a complete list of all RRP sponsors and their respective vanity url's and discount codes, visit my Resources page and click "Sponsors".

Books by Dr. Chatterjee:

• Feel Better in 5*
• The Stress Solution*
• How To Make Disease Disappear*
• The Four Pilllar Plan*

SHOW NOTES

• Connect with Dr. Chatterjee: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube
• Dr. Chatterjee’s Podcast: Feel Better, Live More
• TEDxLiverpool: How to make diseases disappear | Rangan Chatterjee
• New York Times: Stress is Making You Sick. Take Time to Reduce It.
• Forbes: Can This Doctor Make Disease Disappear?
• CNN: How Stress is Making us Sick
• The Telegraph: How to change your life in just 5 minutes a day
• The Telegraph: The Five Minute Workout That Really Works
• The Telegraph: Feeling anxious? How to de-stress your mind - and it only takes five minutes
• The Telegraph: Dr Rangan Chatterjee: Nourish your relationships, and de-stress your life
• Her: Dr. Rangan Chatterjee on the 'biggest mistake' people make while setting health goals
• Happiful: Dr Chatterjee Shares the Secrets to Feeling Better in 5 Minutes
• Irish Examiner: Time out: Dr Rangan Chatterjee on resetting your body and mind
• Irish Times: The doctor who treats the problems of modern lifestyles
• Ötillö Swimrun World Series: otilloswimrun.com
• BJ Fogg: Stanford behavior scientist, author of New York Times bestseller Tiny Habits*
• Helen Hall: Perpetual Forward Motion Run Coaching

Related Podcasts You Might Enjoy:

• RRP #486: Rangan Chatterjee, MD On Quelling Stress, Cultivating Intimacy & Reinventing Health Care
• RRP #376: Rangan Chatterjee, MD On How To Make Disease Disappear
• RRP #511: Charles Eisenstein on the Coronation
• RRP #401: James Clear On Why Habits Are the Compound Interest of Self-Improvement

Thanks to Jason Camiolo for production, audio engineering and show notes; Blake Curtis for video editing and graphics; Chris Terry, Johnny Stephens Photography, Justine Stoddart for images & portraits; and theme music by Tyler Piatt. Trapper Piatt & Hari Mathis.

*Disclosure: Books and products denoted with an asterisk are hyperlinked to an affiliate program. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

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