Welcome back to the inspired
living with autoimmunity podcast.
I'm your host, Julie Michelson.
And today we are joined by Dr.
Sandra shine, Baum, founder, and CEO
of the functional medicine coaching
academy, which is a collaboration with
the Institute for functional medicine.
You may have guessed it.
We are talking about health
coaching from what is a health
coach to why have a health coach
and how to become a health coach.
We're covering it all.
And Dr.
Sandy, a true leader in the field shares
her knowledge and inspiration with us
dr Sandy, welcome to the podcast.
Oh, it is such a pleasure
to be here, Julie.
I I'm so excited for this episode.
As you know, FMCA is very
near and dear to my heart.
And I'm, I'm really excited to introduce
the audience to just the other than
from me, because this is my passion,
the importance of health coaching
and the, the contribution you are
making to really the world by, by.
Your, your passion and sharing training,
coaches, sharing, coaching with all the
medical communities around the world.
And it it's, it's so exciting
to have you here and get your
perspective on health coaching.
Thank you.
So I'd love to start with story.
I would love to know, I would love
listeners to know a little bit about
your background and, you know, how does
one decide to really pioneer this field
of functional medicine, health coaching?
Well, where I started is
definitely not where I landed.
And if anyone had said back
in the sixties, when I was.
Oh, those days.
Hang on.
If anybody had told me back in
the sixties, when I was deciding
about a career that I would be
establishing a company to train
health coaches in my seventies.
I would've said you are crazy.
Because back in the day there
were few choices open to women.
You were a teacher, you
were a nurse, you were.
Secretary.
And while I chose to train to
be a teacher, and I did spend
years as a teacher, primarily
as in special education.
And that led to a strong
interest in helping parents.
And so I was running stress management
groups, and then I got my doctorate
in clinical psychology, and I was a
Renegade when I was a psychologist,
because I was not interested in.
The conventional more psychoanalytic
type model, very popular at the time
in the seventies, early eighties.
And I was exploring the effectiveness
of mind, body medicine practices,
teaching people how to breathe.
And I was pairing that with helping them
sort through their thought patterns.
What were they thinking about that
was resulting in emotional distress?
and then I discovered functional
medicine and I went through training
at these do for functional medicine.
So I put that into the mix and
now people were saying, you
know, I trained as a health coach
and I just don't feel prepared.
And I love your model.
Would you ever consider training health
coaches and then it started and we don't.
Alone.
And so I had a wonderful
partner, Elise Wagner.
She was a whole lot younger than I was.
And we partnered with the
Institute for functional medicine.
So they trained the doctors.
We trained the health coaches,
and this came about, I was 65.
I had zero, I mean, zero
business experience.
I learned quickly and it's
completely mission driven.
I'm inspired to train thousands of
health coaches to partner with people to
help them lead healthier, better lives.
Oh, my gosh.
Amazing.
And for anybody who hasn't
is not yet familiar with Dr.
Sandy talk about inspiring.
And I love that you threw
in that Elise is younger.
You have more energy than most
people and gumption as, as they say.
And I love that nothing calls you back.
You're like, oh, there's
a need and we're gonna.
We're gonna do this and that
E that evolution is perfect.
I don't think I had, I've interviewed one
person yet on the podcast that, you know,
is, is doing, you know, what they thought
they'd be doing when they were younger.
And this is living and
growing and expanding.
And so I, for 1:00 AM really
grateful because literally.
The first time I heard about the
functional medicine coaching academy and
its partnership with if FM I signed up.
And it has certainly been
a life changer for me.
I was already coaching functional
medicine is my passion.
I didn't know.
There was an opportunity to blend the two
and the rest is history, shall we say?
So I'm so excited that, and the
pro just watching the program grow.
And grow, which I know
is your vision, right?
A health coach in every office and this
access to health coaching for everyone.
Yeah.
And we're seeing.
About who knew when I started this,
that there would be a great movement
even to have services of health coaching
reimbursable through insurance, through
medical practices, and just so much
growth every day, I pick up a newspaper
and there's some article about.
Health coaching yet.
So it's, it's been really rewarding
to see this field grow because
our healthcare system needs help.
And especially we saw during the pandemic,
the incidents of chronic diseases.
I mean, it is abso astronomical
six and 10 people have.
For some chronic condition and
healthcare is also unaffordable
for so many people and health
coaching is an affordable model.
And what's more, if you wanna get into the
field, the bar for entry is really low.
You don't need to come from
a healthcare profession.
You don't need to go back to
school for four or six years.
You don't need to take out high student
loans to do it or disrupt your whole life.
You get a certificate and
then you're off to the race.
I love that.
And I, I love what, one of the things
that was so important to me is.
That when somebody goes through the
program at F M C a, they are qualified
to sit for the national boards, which
is really saying a lot as somebody who
was a coach before I became a certified
health coach, for me, it was important.
To, to, you know, unfortunately
anyone can call themselves a coach
and there's such a variance in the
quality of programs and training.
And so it's one of the things that really
makes FM C a stand out is this is the,
the top training and you're qualified for
the top certification in this country.
And, and I know in other countries,
you know, even if you're not national
board certified, you're still, you're
getting the best education you.
Thank you.
I appreciate
Thank you.
Thank you for all your hard work.
I love it.
So let's talk about, you know, people,
listeners are familiar with me.
They know I'm a health coach,
but I've honestly never gotten
into what is a health coach.
So share with us.
What is a health coach?
Sure.
So if you ask people.
You're likely to get answers
like, oh, aren't they like a
nutritionist don't they help people
with what to eat and yes and no.
So health coaches educate people
about what might be the evidence
based best weight for them.
It's personalized, but they don't
make that decision because they're
not licensed healthcare providers.
That is for a nutritionist for a
medical doctor, but the health coach.
Has the real crucial role because
how many people get advice, they get
the diagnosis and then they they're
told what to do and they don't do it.
And then may, may search
out another expert.
For example, health coaches are
behavior change specialists.
They help people change when
change is hard, you Julie help
somebody get from where they are.
To where they wanna be.
And you as the coach, aren't the
one that makes that decision.
You don't decide where they wanna be.
You're not saying, okay.
I think this person should be a vegan.
And so I'm going to
develop a plan for them.
That would be not the coach
approach and it fails.
They as the client make that decision.
And I interviewed so many health
coaches when we were writing a
book, how to become a health coach.
And they all said what really
is so crucial is when they see
their client have that aha moment.
Yes.
They make the decision to change.
They've dug deep into that
heart centered feeling.
What, what matters most to me?
What do I want my health for?
And from there, they make that
decision to change things.
And the rest is implementation and
learning and coaches support learning.
They help people become accountable.
How many times have people, you know, they
are making their new year's resolutions
in January, but by February, March,
they're, they've already given it up.
A health coach can help make
sure they stay on track.
In fact, there was this amazing randomized
controlled trial that looked at people
who were coached on an exercise program.
And those who had the health coach
by their side a year later were
still keeping up the exercise.
Whereas those who didn't have
a coach had already failed and
they had already abandoned it.
So this is highly significant because.
We know that when you have an ally,
when you have a guide, when you have
a personal cheerleader support, that
is absolutely crucial when you are
making big changes, cuz let's face it.
Lifestyle changes.
The kind of changes we're
talking about are hard.
Those are changes in areas like.
How do I wanna eat every day?
And what about sleep?
And what about my exercise and
real and movements and, and
dealing with the stress in my life.
So those are the areas that
health coaches work with people
on, but it is all client driven.
Again, it's not the coach
saying, I want you to do this.
They're not, they're
not acting as a coach.
If they
I love that explanation.
I, I often say I I'm the how, you
know, I'm not telling you what to do.
And I part, and I have people show up all
the time that are just tell me what to do.
And I'm like, no, that's
not how that works.
But.
Executing.
I, I, I work often in partnership with
a, a functional medicine doctor and you
know, when, hi, hi, his cue to recommend
me is when somebody want, you know,
they're, they're coming to see him.
They wanna change.
They, they wanna be healthy and
they keep showing up in the same
place and he keeps telling them
what to do and they're not doing it.
And that's when he says, oh,
obviously you need some support.
You know, we're talking about
often decades of pattern.
Yes.
To to that need changing.
And, and so I always tell people, you
know, one person's approach, isn't
gonna be the same as somebody else's
because your lifestyle, I work with
people who don't cook and I work
with people who love to cook, you
know, different approaches for sure.
Exactly.
It's it's personalized, you know,
you mentioned something crucial, and
that is decades of patterns, because
another way that there's confusion
about what a health coach does.
Well, isn't like a therapist then.
and the answer is yes and no.
So coaches can support
mental, emotional health.
They are great listeners.
And so the relationship that forms
between you as the coach and the
client is one that's is based on trust.
It's based on rapport and empathy.
And as a result, people who
are coached feel better.
Depression lessons.
There's been a lot of research on that
as well, but they're not diagnosing
a medical or a psychiatric condition.
They are not providing psychotherapy.
They're not doing that deep
dive into patterns that are
resulting in clinical disorders.
So they are what we call
subclinical providers.
And there is growing interest in that,
particularly since the pandemic, because
we have a severe shortage of mental.
Professionals and people are waiting.
They're not getting treatment.
And often they think they are crazy.
When often it's working with a coach
who can normalize these experiences
and feelings and all of a sudden,
well, they are feeling better.
Then when you add the functional
medicine or the lifestyle element,
like they're going out for a walk and
then, oh, I'm, I'm less depressed.
I'm not, my mood is better.
And coaches can guide people to engage
in those healthy lifestyle habits
that will have direct impact on mood.
Absolutely so well said.
I always say I, and I believe
the, the biggest gift.
The clients working with a health coach
receive is feeling heard, having that
container, that safe space, creating
that rapport, as you mentioned, and,
and feeling comfortable to share what
they need to share to make progress.
And it is very different from therapy,
but it, it can have amazing results.
And as you mentioned, the pandemic,
I mean the, the mental health crisis
right now is, is skyrocketing, but
it it's a health crisis period.
And, and so that's why it's a
wonderful thing that you've got so
many people going through the program
and, and getting that training.
Let's focus in a little
bit on auto immunity.
And again, I, I feel like I could
just kick back and I know why, I
mean this, I know, I know what health
coaching and, and auto immunity,
you know, why it's so effective and,
and can be so empowering for people.
But I would love to hear from
your perspective, you know,
again, you mentioned I'm not
a, I'm not a medical provider.
And so when I'm often, I, I will
see people who are new to functional
medicine and I will refer them to a
provider so that they can get full care.
I love partnering with all sorts of
doctors and providers that they don't
have to be functional medicine providers.
As long as they're
forward thinking and open.
But so someone has the, has a
doctor kind of, I just, one of the
things I just mentioned, right?
If you're showing up all the time and
you haven't been able to execute between
appointments obviously there's a, a, an
indicator that, that some support would
be good, but if someone has this great
functional medicine doctor, they love,
why might they still need a health coach?
If they're struggling with auto immunity?
Often what happens when you see a
functional medicine provider, you get a
whole laundry list of recommendations.
And they're good.
They may include supplements.
They may include exercise prescriptions.
They may look at well an elimination diet,
for example, and people may be gung ho.
But then when they get to the
actual, how, as you said earlier,
I'm the how person, how do I do this?
They may run into obstacles that they
didn't anticipate, like family members
are in a subtle way or not so subtle
way tempting to sabotage their efforts.
And so they now have stress
piling up as a result of that.
So they have a need for an
ally to break it down for them.
Starting with what this condition is.
Cause that's a hard concept to
wrap your head around, you know,
the traditional way of thinking.
I'm walking down the street as Dr.
Bob Roundtree says, and oops, I got
like, I got rheumatoid arthritis.
It just like hit me.
Like
just happened.
Go
got it.
I'm mobi business and oh,
got rheumatoid arthritis.
I got eczema, got hypothyroidism
and the coach can help.
To explain.
And it can be a dialogue where it's a
discovery process, where you go back
to, when was the last time you felt
well, how do you feel when you eat a
certain food versus something else?
And so they're starting to
become their own detectives.
And that creates that sense of
empowerment because when you understand
what could have triggered this.
Maybe I'll do an experiment
with this elimination diet.
What would it be like if I
eliminated gluten or dairy,
for example, how would I feel?
And the coach supports
them on that journey.
Whereas if somebody just says, okay,
you need to go on a gluten free
dairy, free egg, free soy free diet.
Well, that can be overwhelming.
In fact at FM C a, we are engaged in
research with the Institute for functional
medicine, where our graduates are
being are working with their trainees.
These are doctors who are perhaps still
in they're employed by a hospital, but now
they're intrigued by functional medicine.
They're studying with IFM and they
are being asked to do an elimination
diet as part of the training.
And so they are being coached as on that.
And so they're experiencing that process.
It is helping somebody to initiate change
and also, which is even harder sustain it.
So somebody might start off and okay,
I'm gluten free and I'm dairy free.
And then they're at an event and
well, a little bit won't hurt me
and then they have a setback and
maybe now they're demoralized.
Maybe they're blaming themselves
and feeling like a failure.
And when.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then if they sort that all
out with their coach, they are
feeling a renewed sense of optimism.
Hope that yeah, I can, I can I can heal.
And the other part of it is that
again, the mind what's real in
the mind is real in the body.
That was my mantra for years
as a clinical psychologist.
And so connecting your thoughts,
your emotions, seeing yourself as.
I can do it as opposed to I
have this debilitating condition
it's only gonna get worse.
And so picturing health, using positive
imagery and really garnishing your
strengths, your ability to be grateful,
to have hope, to laugh, to experience
your essence of those strengths, which
we teach at F M C a is really helpful
for dealing with autoimmune conditions.
So amazing.
There's about three hours of content.
I'd love to circle back and talk
about in there, or at least highlight.
One of, of which is how
I've evolved as a coach.
You hit all of it.
You know, I remember I used to start with.
Diet right.
Because I know how, how to me,
it's kind of low hanging fruit.
If that's that they start to feel,
people start to feel empowered when
they know can notice what's affecting
them with what they're eating.
And thank goodness for my clients.
I, I, then I realized, oh,
wow, I'm really adding stress.
We're starting right away.
Just putting more stress on before
we even get to managing their current
stress level that they came in with.
And so then I evolved and we, you know, I
always kind of started and it's all of it.
Right?
You mentioned these,
these lifestyle areas.
There's no one magic.
It's not just food.
It's not just.
Or just anything you can
fill in, in that blank.
And but then it evolved where I realized,
you know, what, if we start with
mindset, gosh, the results can be so
much more powerful, so much more quickly.
And it, and so many people,
like you mentioned, oh, you
know, RA doesn't just happen.
Right.
You're not walking down the street.
And, oh, I, I got RA, but I, I
have so many people who show.
And their identity is wrapped up in
their diagnosis and that's a thread
that we need to start to pull and
so that they can envision and under,
you know, I, I can be whole, I can
heal, I can again, fill in the blank
with every positive so that the body.
Can start to heal.
And my favorite is people say,
well, I don't have a diagnosis.
I'm like, great.
you're
Yes.
I love
we don't, we don't have to worry about
changing that identity and that and
I, and I say this from experience, I,
I was that way, you know, I, my life
eventually, as it got smaller, became
more and more centered around, you know,
I was a person with RA, as opposed to you.
First being, you know, a mom, a
friend, all the other wonderful things.
And, and so I, I love that you brought
up how important our mindset is and
how, what we believe can become our
reality, which is not, is the opposite
of showing up at the doctor's office and
having them say it's all in your head.
That's not what we're saying, but the
You didn't imagine
no,
arthritis.
It's real.
It is real.
And you know, now is something I
really don't think about at all
because it's luckily, you know,
for me, it's not a, it's not a
part of my daily routine anymore.
But we can all create that change.
And, and for me, it's an honor to stand
with people and, and watch them do that.
And, and so it's the, again,
it comes back to that.
How there can, it can be so overwhelming
if like I just mentioned, it's not one
thing, even just the elimination, an
elimination diet of whichever one you're
doing can be so overwhelming and then
add in all these other lifestyle areas.
And that to me, I think is where the,
the, having a coach, having somebody
to partner with you Is can really make
all the different, I wish I had one,
it took, I always say having a coach
to, to, in my opinion, you know, what
took me years and years and years of
figuring out and, and you can really
just figure it out so much quicker.
And like you said, that, which is
the key it's not for anybody can
do anything for a short period of.
But we're talking about
true lifestyle change.
We wanna be like the people that are
still working out a year or so later.
I don't know that gym owners
are gonna be thrilled.
The more and more coaches there are
cause they make their money on the
people that only show up in January.
But, but that yeah is such
a, is such a tremendous.
It, it's just a really incredible gift.
And so, you know, this
understanding of that, the coach
isn't telling you what to do.
Again, sometimes can be confusing
for people cuz they think
that's what they're coming for.
It's like, well, no, you've
been told what to do already.
You know, or you've read the book
or like you said, or you find a
different expert and this didn't work.
And I know, and I, I love the
study that FM C a coaches are
participating in supporting those docs.
I think every doc should have to do
an elimination diet to learn, you
know, to really experience some of
these parts and pieces that that
people need to do to heal for sure.
Absolutely.
For sure.
The other thing I wanna touch on
is that empowerment, the word.
I, I have a program called
take your power back.
It's all that, that's the key.
And, and so.
When working with people, we start,
we're looking for small wins, you
know, again, people sh show up and
they've got the big lofty goal and the
bar's really high and it's like, okay,
but , let's, let's really break it
down and that's how we make it doable.
But that's also how you create
that momentum and really.
Feel empowered.
I tease my clients.
I, I, I, the elimination
diet is so powerful, whatever
structure you're you're doing.
I'm also an auto autoimmune paleo coach.
And, and so you know, D depending, and
we do a lot of testing at the clinic too.
So there'll be personalized according to
sensitivities, but I joke, because I know
in a year nobody's gonna care that Julie
says gluten and autoimmunity don't mix.
But when you get to a point where you can
feel like it does what it's doing to you,
that you remember, and there's the power
that's where you can make that decision.
And it's the same with, do I sit on the
couch or do I get up and take a walk?
You know, you remember how you feel?
Absolutely.
And in fact, what I love is
focusing on your future self.
In fact, there's a great book by
Ben Hardy, be your future self now.
So you're deciding,
should I sit on the couch?
Should I go take a walk?
What would your future self say for you
to do so that that future you and you
wanna be alive and around and healthy
for that future self would say, you
know, take a walk because you will be
energized that a step towards health
and I will thank your future self will.
Thank you.
I love that.
And again, for anybody
who's not familiar with Dr.
Sandy, the hunter down and, and you
will see she, she is that inspiration.
It's like, there are no limit.
You can do anything.
I know we're here to talk
about coaching and FM C a.
But you it's talk about, you
know, I know you're not sitting
on the couch when you have that.
If you even have that thought.
I, I love just again, watching you
always learning, always growing, and
the way you take care of your physical
self is, is inspiring for all of.
So thank you for, for
being the example for.
at, at my age, there's no option.
so
Well, I , it's good.
That it's good that you, you know, I, I,
you know, know a lot of people that aren't
getting stronger at your age and aren't
working out in hotel rooms when they're at
a conference and, and doing the, the fun
things and enjoy, but you're enjoying it.
It, the, the smile on
your face says it all.
And, and so this.
That's powerful that, right.
This is a choice you're making.
Yeah, exercise has to be fun.
You choose something
that will light you up.
So this morning I did some yoga.
I did Pilates.
I jumped on the trampoline, did
some weight bearing exercise.
And then my favorite of all,
I go to my ballet class.
It is amazing.
I was never like good as a dancer.
I always loved it though.
And so I've gotten back into
it and it's just incredible.
It's good for your brain.
It's a social experience.
love to be in flow for the music and yeah.
Get to wear cool ballet slippers.
So it's something that is that
one time for an hour where I.
Nothing else, you know, I'm
totally focused and present
and that can be healing.
And many people don't realize
that the power of that.
And, and in fact there was somebody
there with some knee conditions
and she just said, yeah, like I,
I make modifications, but I do it.
And it's healing.
It is absolutely.
And you just gave the perfect
example of why there's no,
you know, one approach, right?
When people say, well, what
do you do for exercise?
Well, I love to ride horses.
That's my ballet.
Like that's where I'm a
hundred percent present.
But I don't think I would, I would
light up if I were in a ballet class
like you do, and this, this is why
we're all unique individuals and,
and it's not about grunting through
and doing something you don't enjoy.
It's about finding ways.
I love to use the word
movement instead of exercise.
because oftentimes I have clients and
they'll they'll, they don't even realize
how much movement they have in their day.
And it's like, okay, but
what, but what do you enjoy?
You know, is it hiking?
Is it so I, I love that and I love
that you just gave us, you you're
exercise routine today is basically.
What most people try to get in in a week.
so again, thanks for,
thanks for raising the bar.
I'm gonna go work out when we're,
when we're done recording love it.
So let's talk a little bit about how
people can work with health coaches.
We, we mentioned and I there's a variety
of ways and you'll share in a way
I, I mentioned, you know, I, I work.
With a clinic here.
I work with the clinic.
I don't work for the clinic and
I know there are clinics that
have full-time health coaches
all, all kinds of different ways.
So let's talk a little bit about
the idea of brick and mortar
versus virtual and how somebody
may go about working with a coach.
Sure.
So more and more doctors are engaging
health coaches to be part of their team.
So you may go to a doctor and
they may say, okay, now I'd
like to see my health coach.
Some practices, the health coach is
the one starting off the encounter.
So they are like the.
Concierge.
They're like your friend in the practice.
They're the liaison.
They can help troubleshoot if
you have an issue, even with
your billing, for example.
So there's also coaches who work privately
and there are people who work remotely.
There are people who are
working in a physical location.
More and more, there are people who are
running groups and that is a way that
you can feel like you're not alone.
And so it's very powerful for just looking
at working on your health goals with
another group of people that are having
often the same goals or establishing that.
And so that community.
Can be the medicine itself, so to speak.
And there are some coaches who are
working in insurance based practices
and that for some people that is
going to be really important for
them, coaches can be the monitors.
Of what we call remote monitoring devices.
So things like con continuous glucose
monitors, or some of the other app
based fitness devices, and they
can work in a practice and they
can help you sort out the data.
So if you are.
Seeing a doctor and they don't have
a coach, you can say, yeah, I'd
like to work with a health coach.
Do you have one in your office or
can you recommend somebody to me?
If you want somebody in your area,
you can go to our website, which is
functional medicine, coaching.org.
You can go to find a coach and you
can search by your zip code and
you can see who might be available.
And again, it's not one size fits all.
So you want to see just like
when you are finding a therapist,
Who do you connect with?
Who is going to have that a rapport
with you so that you feel really
comfortable in this relationship?
So those are just some of the ways
that coaches work and it's growing.
ways.
And I do love that you, that you
hit on, they can go to, to the
website and, and find a coach.
Cuz we, we talked about a little bit
about, you know, doctors, whether
there's a coach, you know, incorporated.
In the office or they're referring.
So, you know, for listeners that are, are
listening and they're intrigued and, and
wanna know more or think like, Ooh, this
would, this is the missing piece, right?
This is something that I could see
would really help move my needle.
You don't, it's not, you
don't need a doctor referral.
And I love the idea of starting.
If you, if you have a, a
practice that you're already.
You know, ask them, do
they have a recommendation?
But often even if they don't, again,
I know myself and, and many of the
other coaches I know, you know, we
enjoy collaborating with, we become
part of a collaborative care team.
And, and we're here to, to
support the plan that the
doctor puts into place for you.
I love that there's one other way.
And that is you may wanna
become a coach yourself.
If you've been inspired,
almost everyone who comes.
To study to become a coach or comes
to functional medicine is because
they had a chronic condition.
They're suffering from one right now.
And they're finding answers
through functional medicine or
through coaching, and now they
wanna give back, they wanna serve.
And typically it is those with
autoimmune conditions that are
now studying to be a coach.
And they find that that process of.
Becoming a coach is personally
transformative as well as a way to
be inspired, to work in an area that
really nurtures your soul and provides
meaning and purpose in your life.
Absolutely.
I know, even in the cohort that, that
I moved through the program with.
You know, I know there are a
lot, there are a lot of people
that join not to become a coach.
They, they want the education and
the information and the experience.
And then , by the time they get to the
end of the program, they're like, Ooh,
I think there's a career change in
Yes.
Yes.
which I love.
And we should all wake up
and, and be blessed to feel
passionate about what we do.
And so I say for those of
you that are, that are.
Thinking about it.
Check out functional
medicine, coaching academy.
It is such an amazing, not only
educational experience, but community.
I mean, truly, which is why
I was so excited to have Dr.
Sandy on today.
Cuz I, I miss seeing you all the time.
And, and Julie, you
are an exemplary coach.
I mean, you get it.
It's mission driven, it's from the heart.
And so that is why you have been
instrumental in changing the lives of, of
so many people that you've worked with.
I thank you so much.
And, and again, I continue
to be inspired by you.
I, I get to see you in person
soon and give you a hug.
I'm excited about that.
And this is why we're here having
these conversations so much.
I, I, I felt like I joke.
I used to say, like, I thought
I was smart, you know, there,
there was this whole world.
I had no idea about.
Before I had found functional
medicine before I found coaching.
And which is exactly why we're
talking today so that listeners
can check it out for themselves and
see whether it's to study, to be a
coach, whether it's to find a coach.
I, I cannot recommend.
Enough to go.
If you're looking for a coach for yourself
directly go through functional medicine,
coaching academy to their find a coach.
Because again, unfortunately, anybody
can say that they're a coach and
you wanna make sure you're getting
what you think you're getting.
That's so important.
Yes.
Oh my gosh.
Dr.
Sandy, thank you so much for this.
This has been amazing.
Listeners know what's coming next.
And this may, I didn't warn you
ahead of time, so , I'm sure
you'll have an answer for us.
It might be hard to have just one.
What is one step that listeners can take
today to start to improve their health?
I think what they can do is ask when
they're stressed, when they're upset.
Even when they're in pain to ask
themselves, am I in the gap or the gain?
This comes from my friend,
Ben Hardy again, and Dan
Sullivan of strategic coach.
It sounds simple.
When you are in the gap, you are
comparing yourself to others.
You are comparing yourself
to how you think you want to.
And that caused a
tremendous amount of stress.
When you are in the gain, you are looking
backwards, you are looking at how far
you've come, perhaps how far you've come
dealing with your autoimmune condition or
how far you've come in, any other area and
focusing on the gain in the experience,
maybe you've failed at something.
But what did you gain?
Did you gain some wisdom?
Did you gain a, an approach
that you might apply next time?
That situation comes up.
So just ask yourself, am I in the gap?
Am I in the gain?
Put yourself in the gain.
Think about gratitude in the moment.
And that is profoundly
healing down to every cell.
It is.
Anti-inflammatory.
Oh, my gosh.
Amazing, amazing gold.
Love that.
And, and you reminded me of
something you had said earlier,
which this is totally exemplifies
coaching for me, the most important.
Occasions during the coaching process
or the things that didn't go as planned.
That's where that that's it.
That's what it's all about.
And so I love this idea.
I say that all the time, I, I feel like
my, the, one of the biggest pieces in
my job is helping people look over their
shoulder to, to be in the gain, right.
To see like, okay, well, I didn't stick
with the eating plan, but you know what.
Five days outta seven.
I, you know, I was eating way better
than I was eating two months ago.
So this is, this is a gain.
This is a good thing.
I, I.
Just absolutely love that.
And I love how you always tie in,
you know, gratitude has come up a lot.
Listeners, if you missed
it, gratitude is healing.
It is anti-inflammatory,
it will change your life.
So Dr.
Sandy, thank you so much for all of the
amazing gold you've shared with us today.
Thank you.
Thank you for all the good that
you are doing in your work.
I'm grateful to know you and thank you
for having me on as your guest today.
My absolute pleasure.
We'll have all of your info in the show
notes, but where the, for the people
that are like, who is this amazing woman
who is such a rock star, where's the
best place for people to check you out?
If they're like me, I listen on the go.
I might, I'm not always good
about checking show notes.
Sure.
So it is Instagram is at Dr.
Sandy.
Our business page is at
functional med coach.
And also I'm on LinkedIn
as Sandra Scheinbaum.
And also starting a series fresh
from FMCA where it's short, 15 minute
little snippets about coaching.
So you can look through look for that.
Wherever you get podcasts.
Love that amazing for everyone listening.
Remember you can get the
show notes and transcripts by
visiting inspired living.show.
I hope you had a great time and
enjoyed this episode as much as I did.
We'll see you next week.
