Body of Wonder

Join us for an enlightening conversation with the esteemed Tibetan Medicine expert, Dr. Leslie Blackhall. Currently the Section Head for Palliative Care at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Dr. Blackhall is a nationally recognized expert with pioneering work in bioethics, spirituality and medicine, and palliative care. Tibetan Medicine is an intricate practice that blends herbalism, spirituality, and holistic well-being. This ancient system was developed in Tibet and is based on Buddhist philosophy. On this episode, Dr. Blackhall sheds light on its core principles and their significance in the modern world including the interplay between mind, body, and spirit. Drs. Weil, Maizes, and Blackhall discuss how Tibetan Medicine practices align with the whole-person view of health and how they can contribute to a more harmonious life. This conversation promises to broaden your perspectives on what it means to live well.  

In this episode, hosts Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes dive into the world of culinary medicine with physician and food advocate, Dr. Geeta Maker-Clark. Dr. Maker-Clark shares insights on transforming the food landscape in hospitals and schools, revolutionizing nutrition education in medical schools across the United States, and empowering patients and healthcare providers with the knowledge and skills to prioritize their health through culinary practices. With her expertise in nutritional sciences, she discusses innovative strategies for introducing fresh, plant-based foods to enhance well-being. Dr. Maker-Clark also shares her experience teaching cooking classes to young adults and how they cultivate a sense of empowerment and ownership over their health journey. The episode wraps up with a focus on the importance of fostering positive relationships with food from an early age. Join Body of Wonder as we discuss the transformative power of culinary medicine!

In this thought-provoking conversation we explore the impact of compassion on health and spiritual wellbeing. Our guest today is Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison, Zen teacher, Jungian psychotherapist, and author, who brings a wealth of knowledge and personal experience to our discussion. Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes discuss the impact of compassionate care with Sensei Ellison. Through Buddhist koans (traditional stories), meditative practices, and inspiring personal stories, he shares how compassion can transform patients' and their families' lives. In this conversation, we discuss the broader societal benefits of compassionate care, such as fostering a culture of empathy and improving quality of life. Weil, Maizes, and Ellison also highlight the challenges that healthcare providers often face in providing compassionate care, such as burnout and meeting the demands of our modern healthcare system. In this episode, we gain practical insights into how to develop an empathic and healing approach to our struggles and those around us.  

Caring for an individual with a serious medical diagnosis can be difficult for patients, their families, and caregivers. For some, a palliative care professional can make a big difference. On this episode, we welcome Dr. Delia Chiaramonte, an integrative, palliative care physician and medical educator, who helps seriously ill patients live their best life. By going beyond symptom management, forward thinking palliative care professionals aim to develop a model of care that places the individual's physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing at the center. Integrative palliative care combines conventional and complementary approaches. It has been shown to provide significant benefits to patients, including improved symptom management, better relationships with healthcare providers, and increased satisfaction with care. In this episode, we discuss mind-body tools for symptom relief, experiencing joy while living with a serious condition, confronting the fear of mortality, the growing use of psychedelics in terminal care, the advantages of team-based care, and improving overall quality of care for individuals.  

Dr. Bernard Beitman is a psychiatrist, author, and founder of the Coincidence Project. Throughout his life, he has observed and documented the patterns of meaningful coincidences. Coincidences, says Beitman, are an expression of the mind's relationship with the environment, and he offers ways to make use of them when they occur. According to Beitman, all individuals experience meaningful coincidences, and the frequency of those experiences grows with increased attention. Drawing on his career and the work of Carl Jung, he explains why he believes coincidences are more than statistical probabilities or acts of fate. Instead, he suggests that coincidences, “illuminate the hidden currents that connect and unite us.” On this episode, Dr. Weil, Dr. Maizes, and Dr. Beitman examine the differences and similarities between coincidences, synchronicity, and serendipity. They discuss common examples and draw from personal experiences.  

Cannabis has been used as a medicinal substance for more than 5,000 years. And, for good reason. Cannabinoids, the active compounds found inside cannabis, offer potential solutions and symptom relief for a wide range of ailments including chronic pain, neuropathy, muscle spasms, and anxiety. Until the 19thcentury, cannabis was part of the United States Pharmacopoeia and widely used by doctors. But, in 1942 the U.S prohibited the substance and all forms of use.Today, cannabis is still a Schedule 1 Substance, which is defined as a drug having a high potential for abuse and no accepted medicinal use. And yet, acceptance and attitudes toward cannabis are rapidly evolving. In the U.S., 37 states have approved medical cannabis and more than 3.2 million people report using the substance for wide range of conditions. As acceptance of cannabis grows and demand increases, more health care providers are seeking guidance on prescribing methods. Our guest today is Rebecca Abraham, a critical care nurse, medical cannabis expert, and founder of Acute on Chronic – a medical cannabis clinic working to help patients navigate the safe and effective use of cannabis for hard-to-treat medical conditions. In this episode, Rebecca discusses how nurses are leading the charge in prescribing medical cannabis. She describes how nurses assess patients for cannabis use. Dr. Victoria Maizes and Dr. Andrew Weil ask important questions about dosing recommendations and ingestion methods for safe and effective treatment, and the challenges cannabis faces within our healthcare system. Rebecca describes common conditions and symptoms that respond well to cannabis and also shares common drug interactions to look out for.

Known as qi in ancient China and prana in ancient India, energy has long been recognized by traditional cultures for its influence on the body's vitality and healing. Energy healing seeks to balance and promote the innate flow for optimal health, and it attributes illness to disturbances in the flow. In recent decades, researchers have measured the body's subtle electromagnetic signals, known as the biofield, leading to new theories and applications. As interest in biofield and energy modalities continues to grow, it raises questions about where and how this practice can be applied. In this episode, we sit with Dr. Ann Marie Chiasson, the Director of the Fellowship at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine to discuss the energy body. Dr. Chiasson has a life-long interest in the healing capacity of meditation, consciousness, and energy healing, and studied extensively with indigenous healers. She has authored Energy Healing - The Essentials of Self Care and co-authored Self-Healing with Energy Medicine with Dr. Andrew Weil. This conversation explores the principles of energy medicine, including how traditional cultures first recognized the body's energy flow, how energy points work, and how we can assess blockages. Dr. Weil tells us about the influence indigenous healers had on his own practice. Dr. Maizes discusses government supported research that examined pain and energy healing. Dr. Chiasson shares how energy medicine works, what it is, and how to find a qualified practitioner.

Would you consider communication a key factor in the healing process? According to our guest, words matter, and language can reach beyond the conscious mind to activate the body’s healing response. Emergency medicine physician, Dr. Steve Bierman joins Dr. Andrew Weil and Dr. Victoria Maizes to discuss how language, and the power of suggestion can serve as positive or negative influences on our health. Dr. Bierman challenges caregivers to choose words wisely and harness the power of communication when treating patients. Using examples from his practice, Bierman demonstrates how carefully chosen language can ease pain and yield lasting health outcomes. His approach blends humanism, hypnosis, and neurolinguistics with conventional medicine. In this conversation, Drs. Weil, Maizes, and Bierman discuss hypnosis, the placebo effect, proper informed consent, patients’ belief systems, and why communication should be taught in medical schools.  

A healthy lifestyle begins with the foods we put on our plate. According to our guest, integrative nutritionist Diana Weil, a daily practice of eating well can be both delicious and rewarding. Diana is a nutritionist, certified integrative and holistic health coach, and yoga instructor who works with clients to optimize their well-being through their relationships with food. Diana joins us on this episode to discuss creating healthy relationships with food and understanding what your body needs. Her philosophy is, "food doesn’t just taste good, it does good." In this conversation, Diana tackles common food misconceptions and makes suggestions on how to surround yourself with healthy options. She offers strategies to address anxiety and stress around eating. Dr. Weil addresses widespread myths about diet trends, including meat-exclusive diets and fear of vegetables. Dr. Maizes discusses how feasting has been a source of social connection and pleasure for humans throughout history, and why it continues to be practiced today.   Let’s enjoy!  

Wade Davis, cultural anthropologist and ethnobotanist who lived with Indigenous Amazonian and Andean peoples, shares stories from decades of fieldwork. He explores how societies shape perception, the sensory and spiritual knowledge in traditional plant use, the cultural history of ayahuasca and coca, and the tensions around biodiversity, commercialization, and reclaiming sacred medicines.