Late Night Health Radio Late Night Health

“From the worst of places to the best of intentions.”  That’s GC Brown’s motto. You’ll learn a lot more about GC Brown when he converses with Late Night Health’s Mark Alyn. 

Remarkably, despite being a felon who’s just finished serving 16 years in multiple federal facilities, GC Brown believes this sentence was the best thing that ever happened to him. What? How is that possible?

GC Brown became a writer during his confinement. Had he not been imprisoned, that would not have happened. He read a newspaper article that said that writing a novel is the third hardest thing to do. That’s when GC Brown picked up a pen. That was in 2014. He hasn’t stopped writing since. That’s how he completed two series, SNIFF, SMOKE, SHOOT, and The Mason Storm Series prior to his release late last year. 

And GC Brown loves being an author. SNIFF, published by Story Merchant Books, his first novel to be published, due out November 1, is exciting, action-packed, hard-hitting and plain-speaking with some tough language and wild scenarios. He’s also one of three partners in UpCup Koffee, a mushroom coffee company in which he’s partnered with two other felons, Alex Diaz, who was released in 2015, and Dr. William McArthur III, who was released in 2011. 

Coincidentally, SNIFF publishes November 1 and the Koffee company launches on the same date. GC Brown is now a free man, determined to make up for lost time. There’s no question that he’s about to do so with his two series being published, SNIFF, SMOKE, SHOOT, and The MASON STORM Series, UpCup Koffee, his new bride, Carla, and their identical twin boys, Tristan and Trevor, due in September. Learn more at gcbrownbooks.com/.net/.org. 

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/late-night-health-radio--2804369/support.

LEARN HOW SPECIAL GRANTS ARE HAVING A POSITIVE LOCAL IMPACT 
Kelly Goodejohn of Starbucks Foundaton Provides Important InformationAbout a Unique Program that is Helping More Than 2,800 Local Non-Profits Communities all across North America face many unique challenges. Experience shows that one of the the most successful ways address the various needs is with direct, local suppport at the neighborhood level. On June 17th, we have a special interview about a neighborhood grants program that supports local organizations that are empowering youth, fighting hunger, uplifting families and addressing homelessness and having a positive impact on many communities. Kelly Goodejohn, Social impact officer for Starbucks, will share details about The Starbucks Foundation’s Neighborhood Grants program, and how it is helping meet the needs of many communities. Starbucks has, of course, always been about great coffee, but through The Starbucks Foundation, it’s on a mission to nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection by working to strengthen local communities.  MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN COMMUNITIES:
 TARGETED HELP — Positive impact led by partner nominations for local non-profit organizations to received small grants
IMPACT — Five years and more than $20 MILLION in grants given
COMMITMENT — A promise to contribute positively to communities
 SPOKESPERSON BACKGROUND: Kelly Goodejohn is VP and Chief Social Impact Officer at Starbucks where she’s been working for 18 years. As part of the company’s community promise to contribute positively, she leads the community and social impact strategy including enabling partner engagement, developing social impact stores portfolio, community resilience programs and responding in times of disaster. With over 25 years of social impact and sustainability experience, Kelly has a relentless commitment to making a difference for all.


Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/late-night-health-radio--2804369/support.

In her recently released memoir ON MY WAY BACK TO YOU, Sarah explains an universal story that was her own too, when she found herself one of 39 million Americans taking care of an ailing loved one, when her husband’s body just started shutting down and needed an immediate heart transplant.   Sarah not only shares a love story with her husband, his heroic work to heal back to good health but also tips to handle and cope while simultaneously processing, triaging and coordinating as a caregiver as a dedicated life-partner/spouse and parent. She explains how she did it all with devotion, grit and grace. This video offers a short synopsis in her own words  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eZ5z6L-RMonXExrv7-lbH5rzgHaAHaah/view?usp=drive_link During it all, which included long drives to clinics, concerns about pain medication, an unfounded complaint of elder care abuse, a broken hip and just so much more, Sarah remained full of gratitude as a way to combat anxiety and took away so many gifts as explained in ON MY WAY BACK TO YOU: ·         STRENGTH Being a caregiver forces you to realize you own strength·        
PURPOSE You must continue to keep doing what you’re doing – it gives you much purpose even if filled with grit·        
NO SUGAR COATING You can’t sugar coat – you must be accepting and vulnerable when sharing how the patient is doing and how you’re feeling and managing as a caregiver·        
GIVE YOURELF SOME SPACE It also encourages you to give yourself grace and forgiveness during the most dark and challenging of moments, be kind. Take time to gather your own thoughts and emotions too.·        
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND SUPPORT You begin to really realize how strong a community you have both close-by and far away, if even a Zoom away·        
GRATITUDE The ability to find and process gratitude becomes heightened in many ways ·         BE THERE You demonstrate and learn the simple act of showing-up and being there·        
DEEPENS THE RELATIONSHIP It deepens how well you know someone·        
PHYSICAL TOUCH  Just being able to hold hands or kiss on the forehead – is so much more appreciated after a loved one was ill and you were unable to be together·        
HUMOR – Laughing helps as a couple when applicable·        
THE GIFT OF ORGAN DONATIONS, SECOND CHANCES AND INTERCONNECTIONS Most of all, the gift of a young, healthy heart – she and her family are so thankful, despite it coming from what they must assume was a family living in tragedy and grief – but the organ donation system, is a reminder how we are all interconnected and the preciousness of LIFE – and as Sarah shares, she’s so thankful to have annoying and wonderful Ben still with her -She has an incredible amount of tips she explains extremely effectively and efficiently and says to consider ON MY WAY BACK TO YOU a primer on caregiving. It’s really a life-safer if you’re finding yourself suddenly in that role and simply not prepared.  Sarah joins Mark for a look at caregiving.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/late-night-health-radio--2804369/support.

he Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recognizes Older Americans Month to empower older adults (ages 65 and older) to age without injury while still enjoying the hobbies and activities they love.  Still Going Strong is a national campaign from CDC raising awareness about common yet preventable injuries as we age. The campaign provides simple steps older adults and caregivers can do to improve social connectedness and prevent common injuries. 

This year’s theme, Powered by Connection, organized by the Administration for Community Living, emphasizes the profound impact that meaningful relationships and social connections have on our health and well-being.  According to CDC, maintaining strong social connections with family and friends plays a vital role in supporting independence and overall aging. Research shows that social connectedness can lead to longer life, better health, and improved well-being.

The Still Going Strong campaign equips older adults with tools to reduce social isolation and loneliness.  It also helps them to avoid the leading causes of unintentional injuries among older adults such as falls, motor vehicle crashes, and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). Older adults experiencing social isolation and loneliness have an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, dementia, and suicidal ideation.  There are steps older adults and their caregivers can take to improve social connectedness that helps to maintain their quality of life and stay independent longer. During interviews, a wellness expert and/or a CDC official would discuss:
Five ways to improve social connectedness, and why that can improve overall health/longevity.The fact that unintentional injuries resulting from falls, accidents, or TBI are the 8th leading cause of death among older adults 65+.How every second, an older adult falls in the U.S., and every year there are 9 million fall injuries that result in 3 million emergency dept. visits, 1 million hospitalizations, and 41,000 deaths. A 35% increase in fall death rates over the last decade.Tips for being aware of and avoiding what can lead to falls and preventable injuries.Dr. Gwen Bergen visits with Mark.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/late-night-health-radio--2804369/support.

If your doctor gives you bad news, what do you do? When Darrell Wayne was told he had Parkinson's Disease he kept it secret. Now he is sharing it with the world. Darrell has an intimate talk with Mark on this edition of Late Night Health.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/late-night-health-radio--2804369/support.

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of D-Day, the most significant single day of World War II.  Now, the Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress is looking for historic info, documents and interviews about D-Day – adding to the Our Voices exhibits and thousands of individual stories from veterans who served at D-Day. The interview is with Travis Bickford, Program Coordinator of the Veterans History Project, who is available to discuss how the VHP is actively seeking more stories of service from all veterans, living or deceased, especially from those who served in World War II and around D-Day, June 6, 1944. Travis visits with Mark Alyn on this special edition of Late Night Health.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/late-night-health-radio--2804369/support.