Healthy Living by Willow Creek Springs

Joe Grumbine
  • 5.0 (4)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT
  • UPDATED DAILY

A podcast about practices to promote healthy lives featuring experts, businesses, and clients: we gather to share our stories about success, failure, exploration, and so much more. Our subscription episodes feature some personal and vulnerable, real-life stories that are sensitive to some of the general public. 

  1. 1D AGO

    Winter Solstice, Health, And Hope

    Send us a text The day after the solstice feels different for a reason: the light begins to return, and with it a chance to reset our bodies and our outlook. We dive into what short days really do to mood, immunity, and motivation, then map out simple ways to bring light back into daily life—through sunlight, sleep, food, and community. We start with the science behind seasonal affective dips and why morning light is a powerful anchor for your circadian rhythm. From vitamin D’s role in immune strength to the mental lift of bright light therapy, you’ll hear practical tactics that work in any latitude: get outside early, stack short daylight breaks, and consider D3 with K2 if your levels run low. We talk about aligning sleep with longer nights to improve recovery, using evenings for slower tasks, and guarding your wake time with morning sun so your rhythm stabilizes without heroic discipline. Then we head to the kitchen and the table. Winter favors nourishing choices: soups, stews, legumes, roots, and greens that keep blood sugar steady and the microbiome happy. Small upgrades—garlic, ginger, turmeric, leafy add-ins—turn comfort food into a health habit. Just as important, we look at the social medicine built into solstice traditions. Blue Zone patterns show how connection and chosen family buffer stress and lengthen life. If your biological ties feel heavy, curate your circle; host a simple meal, share stories, and practice gratitude or journaling to anchor your inner weather while the outer world stays dim. We close by treating the solstice as a marker, not a myth. Each day grows a little longer; meet it with small, repeatable steps that compound: sunlight in your eyes, earlier wind-down, a pot of soup, a text to someone who matters. If you’ve got a story about navigating health challenges or seasonal shifts, we’d love to hear it—reach out and join the conversation. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs a winter lift, and leave a review to help this community grow. Intro for podcast information about subscriptions Support the show Support for Joe's Cure Here is the link for Sunday's 4 pm Pacific time Zoom meeting

    35 min

  2. 5D AGO

    Finding Joy In Dementia Care with Marilyn Raichle

    Send us a text What if the story we tell about dementia is upside down? Jill sits down with author and advocate Marilyn Raichle to trace her path from reluctant caregiver to devoted care partner for her mother, Jean—a journey sparked by a single painting class that turned fear into curiosity and connection. Instead of bracing for loss, Marilyn learned to invite joy first, and everything changed: colors warmed, conversations opened, and the person everyone thought was gone stepped forward again. We unpack the small choices that make a big difference—arriving early to build a calm day, choosing rituals that prime the brain for engagement, and replacing “Do you remember?” with open questions that honor dignity. Marilyn shares how assisted living became a new family, how a piano medley stitched Silent Night to Polly Wolly Doodle, and why a plate of outrageously rich cookies can be medicine for the soul. She explains the power of language, preferring “dementia” as an accessible umbrella and pushing back on the paralysis that the word “Alzheimer’s” can provoke. Marilyn also introduces Maude’s Awards, a national program granting $100,000 each year to individuals and organizations innovating in dementia care. These awards celebrate work that lifts daily life—programs that reduce anxiety, invite creativity, and center enduring personhood. Her book, Don’t Walk Away: A Care Partner’s Journey, gathers short, hopeful stories illustrated with her mother’s art, offering a practical and heartening alternative to despair-heavy narratives. If you’re caring for someone with memory loss—or love someone who is—this conversation offers tools and a mindset shift: people living with dementia are valuable, with gifts to give and lives to live. Subscribe, share this episode with a friend who needs encouragement, and leave a review with one small change you’ll try this week. Intro for podcast information about subscriptions Support the show Support for Joe's Cure Here is the link for Sunday's 4 pm Pacific time Zoom meeting

    32 min

  3. DEC 16

    From Feeding Tube To Freedom with Sara Kelsey

    Send us a text A teenage diagnosis of achalasia set Sara on a path she never asked for—esophageal surgery, years of nausea and vomiting, and a later diagnosis of gastroparesis that made eating unpredictable and exhausting. Add the weight of a “permanent” feeding tube, depression, and the slow drift into binge drinking, and you get a life that looked functional from the outside but felt unsustainable from the inside. We sit down with Sara to unpack how health, marriage, parenting, and purpose tangled—and how she began to untie the knots. The turning point arrived with a hard truth: a drunk driving incident with no memory attached. That shock ended all the excuses. She and her husband quit drinking the same day, and everything shifted—mornings were clearer, fights faded, and parenting stabilized. As the fog lifted, Sara started working out, lost 30 pounds, and rebuilt her routines. But the tube remained, and a painful replacement left her sleepless and raw. One late night, she broke down and prayed with total surrender, asking simply for the pain to ease. Days later, a surgeon who once said removal wasn’t possible took the tube out. The wound healed. The pain stopped. Sara credits sober living and healthier choices—and she won’t ignore the part that faith played in opening a door no one expected. We explore the practical playbook behind her recovery: choosing your circle like your health depends on it, protecting home life from the pull of nightlife, advocating fiercely in a complex GI system, and structuring work to support a child’s therapies without burning through every hour of PTO. We also dig into her new purpose through Booked by Sara, where she helps mission-driven guests share stories that heal, inform, and move people to act. If you’re facing chronic illness, strained relationships, or a habit that keeps winning, this conversation offers a map: small daily wins, strong boundaries, honest help, and a belief that your body—and your life—can still respond. If this story resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review to help others find it. Ready to choose one change today? Intro for podcast information about subscriptions Support the show Support for Joe's Cure Here is the link for Sunday's 4 pm Pacific time Zoom meeting

    34 min

  4. DEC 12

    Healing The Past Through Yoga with Rachel Krentzman

    Send us a text What if the cure you’re seeking is less about fixing a body part and more about meeting your whole self with honesty and skill? That’s the thread we follow with Rachel Krentzman—yoga therapist, physical therapist, and certified Hakomi psychotherapist—whose life journey moves from an Orthodox childhood in Montreal to San Diego’s studios and finally to Israel, where reconnection and reconciliation take center stage. Her story is raw, hopeful, and practical, showing how breath, movement, and mindful awareness can reshape both pain and identity. We unpack what yoga really is: not a trend, but a toolkit for attention and nervous system regulation. Rachel explains why treating chronic pain demands more than a diagnosis code—why two people with the same MRI can experience opposite realities—and how yoga therapy integrates posture, breathwork, and somatic insight to reduce threat and restore confidence. Her clinical lens is both grounded and compassionate: treat the person, not the condition; find the cause, not just the symptom; build safety before strength. Rachel also opens her memoir, As Is: A Memoir on Healing the Past Through Yoga, revealing how “small” childhood moments quietly formed big beliefs about voice and worth. Through years of journaling, she mapped those stories, separated identity from biography, and learned to live with integrity—without abandoning roots or family. We talk scoliosis strategies, authentic change after trauma, and the relief that comes from realizing you are not your story. Along the way, you’ll hear actionable steps for breath, mindful movement, and reframing pain through a whole-person lens. Ready to rethink healing from the inside out? Listen now, then subscribe, share with someone who needs hope, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Intro for podcast information about subscriptions Support the show Support for Joe's Cure Here is the link for Sunday's 4 pm Pacific time Zoom meeting

    40 min

  5. DEC 10

    Reading The Signs: Purpose In Motionn with Bishop Kevin Foreman

    Send us a text Some moments feel like they were made just for you. That’s where we begin: with signs that don’t demand worship, but invite movement. Joe shares a mysterious “divine download” memory and Bishop Kevin reframes it as a signal that did its job. From there we trace a throughline of purpose: how to recognize direction, how to respond without getting stuck, and how to keep evolving even when the road dips into a valley after a peak. We ground transformation in something you can hold: a butterfly garden. Watching a chrysalis split open makes struggle look different. Kevin urges us to step back from our lives like observers in a garden, celebrate what’s growing, and accept that cycles repeat at higher levels. The key is rhythm. Celebrate and pivot. To drive it home, we unpack a sharp parable: Blockbuster vs. Netflix. Stay in the party too long and you miss the future; iterate and you lead it. That mindset applies to health, faith, leadership, and relationships. Music becomes the universal language in this story. Kevin walks us through his self-taught journey from drums to songwriting and the message behind his favorite track, Already Won. We explore how melody reaches places words can’t, including one guest’s recovery from a severe mental health battle. Then we widen the lens to ministry at scale: a multicultural, multi-generational, hybrid church that measures impact by changed lives, not busy schedules. Thousands of faith decisions, meals and toys distributed, a leadership network across the seven spheres of society, and a digital reach that proves a phone can be a sanctuary. The most gripping moment is quiet: a staff member planning to end her life prays for a sign; minutes later, Kevin feels an odd urge to drive to the campus and unknowingly interrupts the plan. That theme repeats daily in smaller ways—short videos, timely messages, answered DMs—that give someone one more day. We close with a practice you can use right now: pray to see the signs and respond to them. If this conversation spoke life into you, subscribe, share it with someone who needs a sign today, and leave a review to help more people find it. Intro for podcast information about subscriptions Support the show Support for Joe's Cure Here is the link for Sunday's 4 pm Pacific time Zoom meeting

    36 min

  6. DEC 8

    He Chose To Live, Found Purpose, And Built A Safer Way To Hire Contractors

    Send us a text A whispered “he’s tombstone” in a silent hospital hallway became the pivot point. John Stewart Hill chose to stay, and that decision reshaped his life—and the way homeowners find trustworthy help. What began with a weak heart and a yellow legal pad turned into The Good Contractors List, a national network that vets pros with FBI-level checks and backs every job with a $25,000 guarantee. We walk through John’s raw origin story—three divorces, no clear career, and prayers to disappear—until a cardiologist’s screen revealed arteries nearly blocked and a life on the brink. The promise he heard in that moment, to be given purpose, led him to build something the industry lacked: true accountability. Not another review site. Not a badge you can buy. A community where good contractors earn their place, and homeowners have real protection when things go wrong. You’ll hear how he quit his sales job to avoid divided loyalties, how DFW grew through shared advertising, and why the national model focuses on lower fees and stronger local ecosystems. John explains collective authority marketing: when roofers, painters, HVAC techs, and plumbers all point clients to the same trusted hub, they create their own organic lead engine and raise the standard together. With over five billion dollars in work backed and only $127,000 paid out, the results speak to the power of careful vetting and clear consequences. If you’re a homeowner, you’ll learn how to use the platform to hire with confidence—or refer a contractor you’d hand your keys to and earn a reward when they qualify. If you’re a contractor with integrity, you’ll see how joining the movement can grow your business without the grind of expensive leads. Subscribe, share this story with someone planning a project, and leave a review telling us what “good” looks like to you. Intro for podcast information about subscriptions Support the show Support for Joe's Cure Here is the link for Sunday's 4 pm Pacific time Zoom meeting

    35 min

  7. DEC 6

    Scans, Choices, And Taking Charge with Dr Robert Hoffman

    Send us a text A “good scan” can feel like a finish line, but we dig into why it’s often just the start of smarter decisions. Joe walks through a favorable MRI, an attentive ENT visit, and the practical next move: get a CT to clarify what’s scar, what’s necrosis, and what—if anything—still needs attention. Along the way, we unpack the real limits of imaging, the differences between diagnostic radiation and therapeutic doses, and how to frame each test around a specific question so you get answers you can act on. We also talk through the fork in the road if a suspicious area shows up. Needle biopsy can miss or confuse; open surgery can traumatize tissue and may not eliminate microscopic disease. That’s why we map out a measured path: layer CT for anatomy and consider Japan’s methionine PET for metabolic clarity before committing to invasive steps. Joe shares how coming prepared—records, images, drug history, and a clear timeline—transforms the clinical conversation. When you arrive with your binder and your goals, your care team can actually meet you where you are. Beyond one case, we shine a light on a bolder vision: a dedicated hospital model for stage four patients, led by experts who combine advanced imaging, radiology, and supportive therapies instead of defaulting to “nothing left” and hospice. Many people still have options if we move with focus and creativity. That spirit is alive in our weekly support group where patients compare notes, trade resources, and help each other find second opinions and better questions to bring to their doctors. If you’re navigating cancer or supporting someone who is, this conversation offers a roadmap: prepare, layer your data, pace your decisions, and keep your agency. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a lift, and leave a review with the one question you’re planning to ask your doctor next. Intro for podcast information about subscriptions Support the show Support for Joe's Cure Here is the link for Sunday's 4 pm Pacific time Zoom meeting

    37 min

  8. DEC 4

    From Diagnosis To Direction: Cara Lockwood On Taking Back Control

    Send us a text A routine mammogram, a life-altering call, and a decision that would shape everything that followed: who holds the wheel. Author Cara Lockwood joins us to talk about facing HER2-positive breast cancer, reclaiming agency, and transforming a frightening diagnosis into a blueprint for action, humor, and hope. We start with the fog of early days—the “white room” where language blurs and time stretches—then move into the moment Cara decided cancer wouldn’t decide for her. She walks through the realities of standard of care, the personal calculus behind chemotherapy, and the filter that guided her choices: throw everything you can at the first fight and live without regret. Along the way, we unpack how to prioritize when energy is scarce, using the glass-versus-rubber-ball mindset to protect what truly matters and let the rest bounce. The conversation gets real about relationships under pressure, the “pity and pivot” friends who fade, and the quiet heroes who check in without prescribing cures. We also lean into humor as legitimate medicine—from techno-symphony MRIs to awkward clinic moments—and the science-backed power of positive expectancy in recovery. Kara reframes the old war metaphor, treating the body not as an enemy but as a confused part that needs clear direction, compassion, and boundaries. It’s tough love paired with deep grace. Cara’s new book, There’s No Good Book For This, But I Wrote One Anyway: The Irreverent Guide to Crushing Breast Cancer, blends memoir, practical guidance, and end-of-chapter pep talks that refill resilience when it runs low. If you’ve been navigating a new diagnosis, standing with someone who is, or just rethinking how you make hard choices, this one’s for you. Listen, share with someone who needs courage today, and if this conversation helped, subscribe and leave a review to help others find it. Intro for podcast Support the show Support for Joe's Cure Here is the link for Sunday's 4 pm Pacific time Zoom meeting

    34 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

A podcast about practices to promote healthy lives featuring experts, businesses, and clients: we gather to share our stories about success, failure, exploration, and so much more. Our subscription episodes feature some personal and vulnerable, real-life stories that are sensitive to some of the general public. 

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