Scheduling Sex, Overcoming Adversity, and Intermittent Fasting With Cynthia Thurlow

Today, I am blessed to have here with me Cynthia Thurlow. Cynthia is a globally recognized expert in nutrition and intermittent fasting, highly sought-after speaker, and the CEO and founder of Everyday Wellness Project. She's been a nurse practitioner for 20+ years, and is a two-time TEDx speaker. Her viral TEDx Talk: Intermittent Fasting: Transformative Technique has been viewed nearly 5.5 million times in less than 9 months. She has been featured on ABC, FOX5, KTLA, CW and in Medium and Entrepreneur. She's also the host of Everyday Wellness podcast, which was listed as "20 Podcasts That Will Help You Grow in 2020"  by Entrepreneur magazine.

In this episode, Cynthia dives deep into her viral TEDx Talk. She speaks about what it was like to prep for her speeches and how her hospital experience fueled her drive even more. Then, we talk about why Cynthia ended up leaving clinical medicine; she had been feeling very disillusioned with the practice for a long time. Fortunately, Cynthia landed on her feet, and she loves being an entrepreneur and teaching people about nutrition and intermittent fasting. Tune in as we chat about sex, healthy foods, and the life lessons we should teach our children.

[04:00] What It's Like To Actually Give An Unforgettable TEDx Talk

• For Cynthia’s first TEDx Talk, her most significant concern was if she could pull off memorizing 15 to 20 minutes of a speech. During the event, her goal was to be the best speaker.
• After the first experience, Cynthia felt completely confident that she could pull off another TEDx Talk. 
• A month before the second TEDx Talk, Cynthia was sent off for an emergency CAT scan which revealed that her appendix had ruptured. Unfortunately, the entire length of her colon was inflamed, which explained why she was in so much pain.
• Next, the surgeon came in, and the first thing she said was, “if I take you to surgery tonight, you'll lose your colon.” 
• Cynthia was in a panic – she didn’t want to lose her colon. However, Cynthia wasn’t getting any better. She had lost fifteen pounds in five days.
• When they did the second CAT scan, they realized that she developed abscesses in her abdomen.
• 27 days after Cynthia left the hospital, she did the talk on intermittent fasting. Ten days later, Cynthia had her appendix out. 

[12:25] Writing A Speech And Committing It To Memory For TEDx

• Cynthia knew that she needed a solid two weeks to write a speech and commit to memory. 
• She only had twelve minutes – it was a challenge because when you get up in front of a live audience, your cadence generally slows down. Once you find your stride, you relax, and you might draw things out a little longer.
• So, midway through her talk, Cynthia realized that she didn't have enough time to get through the whole speech. 
• Right after the TEDx Talk, Cynthia told her coach it was the worst one that she has ever done. 

[15:15] Becoming A Popular TEDx Talk After Almost Dying

• Cynthia knows that mindset is everything. So, Cynthia wanted to get up there and give her talk no matter what. After, she knew she was going to be so proud of herself.
• Retrospectively, she has no idea how it all came together. 
• When she watches it now, she thinks about how painful it was.
• Luckily, Cynthia is now in a completely different place on every level.

[24:05] Ditching Doctor Days For The Untamed World Of Entrepreneurship

• On April 1, 2016, Cynthia left clinical medicine. She had been feeling very disillusioned with clinical medicine for a long time.
• Eventually, Cynthia realized what truly lit her up. What Cynthia enjoys doing is food and nutrition work. Plus, she loves to talk about the influence of food and nutrition on our well-being and our health.
• Cynthia spent the rest of 2016 navigating the journey from being a clinician to being an entrepreneur. She built a group program and was profitable fairly quickly.
• Plus, Cynthia started podcasting – it is an amazing opportunity to connect with people!

[32:10] Potential Pitfalls When Treating Symptoms Rather Than The Root Cause

• Chronic disease management is terribly unfulfilling.
• Doctors forget to talk to patients about the quality of the foods they eat. Plus, many doctors tell patients that saturated fat is bad and they should be drinking these plant-based garbage seed oils.
• Sadly, there isn’t enough time for doctors to talk with patients about nutrition.
• Cynthia’s patients opened her up to the possibility that maybe there were other alternatives or other ways of thinking about things rather than these medications. 
• Many medications have sexual side effects – what 35-year-old would want erectile dysfunction? 
• Unfortunately, our society is increasingly metabolically unstable and obese. Men can actually aromatize testosterone to estrogen.

[43:50 Taking The Power Of Your Sex Life As You Get Older

• You have to schedule a time for intimacy. Also, intimacy can represent many different things.
• Intimacy doesn't have to mean penetrating sex, it could be like someone's giving you a massage, or you're just cuddling with one another.
• You have to schedule time together.
• Cynthia recommends looking into Susan Bratton, a trusted sex advisor: https://susanbratton.com/.
• Plus, you should continue to date your spouse.
• Lastly, don’t be afraid to explore using new devices.

[56:15] Overwhelmed In 2021? Find Balance!

• You have to have a partner who is supportive of your needs.
• For Cynthia, there's a lot of role modeling that goes on. Her kids see that she is committed to being physically active.
• When you're trying to find balance, then you need to acknowledge the things you don't do well and pay someone else to do them. 

[61:50] Foods That Promote A Healthy Heart  

• Peppers
• Tomatoes
• Eggplants
• Salmon
• Mackerel
• Tuna
• Sardines
• Butter
• Avocados
• Olive oil

[65:50] Top Foods For A Developing Child  

• Salmon
• Tuna
• Avocado 
• Walnuts
• Macadamia nuts 
• Olive oil
• Olives
• Coconut butter
• Coconut milk

[76:20] What Cynthia Hopes Her Children Learn In School

• Cynthia hopes her children learn to think outside the box and to not be afraid to do or live differently than the way their peers do.
• She hopes that her boys feel confident enough in themselves that they will follow their own path without necessarily doing everything that their peers are doing.
• Overall, we're the only ones that are responsible for our happiness.

AND MUCH MORE!

Resources from this episode: 

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Disclaimer: This podcast is for information purposes only. Statements and views expressed on this podcast are not medical advice. This podcast including Jeremy Abramson disclaim responsibility from any possible adverse effects from the use of information contained herein. Opinions of guests are their own, and this podcast does not accept responsibility of statements made by guests. This podcast does not make any representations or warranties about guests qualifications or credibility. Individuals on this podcast may have a direct or non-direct interest in products or services referred to herein. If you think you have a medical problem, consult a licensed physician.

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