The following program
presents principles designed
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to promote good health
and is not intended to take
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the place of
personalized professional care.
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The opinions and
ideas expressed are those
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of the speaker. Viewers
encouraged to draw their
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own conclusions about
the information presented.
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Hello welcome for a
Health For A Lifetime,
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I am your host Don Mackintosh.
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We are glad that
you joined us today.
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We are gonna be
talking about a very important
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subject today and
that is addictions.
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And we are gonna get
some definitions about what
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that means and we are
delighted today to have
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Vicki Griffin with us.
She is from the Michigan
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Conference and she
also has a lot of education
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in different areas
focusing on nutrition.
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She is the author of many
books and a lot of resources
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under the name of
lifestyle matters health
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intervention series.
And when you talk about what
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Vicki Griffin has done.
It's really quite amazing
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and we are thankful
that she can be here,
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we are glad you are
here today, thank you Don.
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Now a lot of things we
talk about today can be accessed
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you know when we talk
about them more fully or
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people want to look at
more fully on your website,
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lifestylematters.com. I
understand that and the new
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book that you've
written that we're talking about
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today is living free,
finding freedoms from habits
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that hurt, we are
talking about addictions,
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isn't that right?
That's absolutely right,
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now let's talk about habits.
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How is a habit formed
and what is the difference
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between you know a
good habit and a bad one?
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Well habits are
automatic behaviors and the
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characteristics of a good
habit, when someone learns
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how to do a behavior
automatically it take some
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effort, takes concentration,
it takes motivation but
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as we learn those new
behaviors what we have
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learned and put conscious
effort into is now push down
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to what is called the
subcortical level and that
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makes the behavior
automatic. For instance
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a pilot who goes through
hours and hours of training,
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now his responses
are automatic and that's
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a good thing. And
habits are very good; Elbert
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Hubbard said that
habit is the great economizer
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of energy. So this is
good habits, good habits.
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Good to be able to just
know how to do things just
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routinely. Yes and there
are many reasons why these
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good habits that we
develop throughout life and our
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brains are designed to
develop help us to repeat safe
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and effective behavior,
and perform multiple tasks
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with very little effort.
You don't have to think about it
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too much to increase the
tasks, speed and accuracy.
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We can actually become
better at the things we do
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automatically and also
freeze mental resources
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for challenges and change.
Just freeze up hard drives
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space so that you can pay
attention to other things,
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it also builds security
and consistency into our lives.
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These routines are good,
but routines can become ruts
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and when habits turn bad,
the exact opposite is happening,
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you are actually losing
the ability to pay attention
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to other things, it's
called Runaway Motivation
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where you are now
focusing more and more on that
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one thing to the exclusion
of other necessary functions
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and priorities in life, so
that you are actually losing
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the ability to learn
other things, losing the ability
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to deal with challenges,
losing the ability to focus
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on the other
priorities. So habits are good,
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you get in this routine,
and you take care of the kids,
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you take out the trash,
you do all these different
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things but then when
you get some kind of runaway
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motivation, motivation it
kind of messes up all those
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positive habit
patterns and you have what maybe
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is well let's see. Is that
what an addiction is, right,
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runaway motivation.
That's what it's been called
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and the traditional classical
definition of addiction
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is the compulsive need for
and you saw the habit forming
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substance characterized by
drug tolerance and withdrawal.
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However we know that
people can be addicted to things
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beside substances and
drugs. So like you know pasta,
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yes, I think some
people stick to the pasta.
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So the definition of an
addiction, it is a compulsive
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need which means you just
have to have it I suppose.
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Well according to Howard
Shaffer from the division
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of addiction at Harvard
University and others but
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his statement I think
reflects what the growing
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consensus is, I think you
have that too well look at it.
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Yeah drug use is not a
necessary and sufficient
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cause of addiction. He
says it is improper to consider
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drugs as the necessary
pre-condition for addiction
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so the newer expanded
understanding what addiction
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and composites includes the
persistent compulsive behavior
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that is harmful or destructive
characterized by an inability
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to stop. So it
doesn't necessary to just have
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to be drugs, it can't be
but it's just this you have
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to do it kind of thing.
The body becomes addicted
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to its own opioids,
people can become habituated
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to pornography,
gambling, Internet.
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And I suppose these are
all things stimulate opioid
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production in the
brain or dopamine production
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in the brain. Both
absolutely, and there are other
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things going on, addictions
are actually learned there
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are other neurotransmitters
besides dopamine
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involved in the
development of addiction.
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And I like what
Howard Shaffer has had to say
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about this, he is from
the division of addiction at
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Harvard University. He
says a lot of addiction
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is the result of experience.
Repetitive high emotion,
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high frequency, experience.
So what you're saying
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is its just, you keep
doing something again,
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again and again and
then your brain chemistry
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kind of organizes around
that, can you actually see
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structural changes in the
brain? There is no question
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that structural
changes take place in the brain
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according to what we
choose to pay attention to over
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and over and over
again. I like the way Steven
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Grant states it, he is
from the National Institute
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of Drug Abuse. He says
what is coming up fast as being
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the core issue is
continued engagement in self
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destructive behavior
despite adverse consequences.
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So why do you like that
quote, because it talks about
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again the repetitive nature
of things that's the course
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you just doing it again and
again? It confirms with what
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many people
intuitively already understand.
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If a person intellectually
knows that what they're
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involved in is too
much and they can't seem
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to breakaway from it, they're
in bondage to this thing,
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they're slaves to this
thing. There are very real
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changes that have taken
place in the brain as a result
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of that. Not only at the
metabolic and physiological
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level but at the
genetic level, there are changes
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that take place and
in a funny kind of way,
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that's great news.
Because what we learned we can
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unlearn and the brain is
very, very responsive to the
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choices that we make
and that's a good thing.
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So even shopping you
say here is something that
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can be addictive.
They've studied and seen that
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the brain
organizing around the mall.
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Well, yes you see
those bumper stickers shop
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until you drop, but
actually the most important
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reinforces are food
and sex. And according
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Mark Gold from the
McKnight Brain Institute at the
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University of Florida, he
said what is the difference
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between someone who is
lost control over alcohol
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and someone who's
lost control over good food
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when you look at their
brains and their brain responses
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the differences are
not very significant.
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So food, you know the
sexual responses all that it's
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triggering the same
places in the brain and when
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you see someone that
is addicted to may be a
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substance or addicted to
food or addicted to pornography
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is the same area of the
brain that's being changed.
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That's exactly right, and
the changes that take place
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are just as real and
just as significant as changes
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that take place with
substances although there are
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degrees of damage that
are done with substances that
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are of course not the same
as with some of the natural
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rewards. Yeah I mean I've
heard someone say that if we,
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if we have a victory or
are able to handle food in
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our lives and a lot of
other things are easily handled
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as well and this
certainly seems to speak to that
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same concept. Absolutely,
and we are gonna be doing
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some programs, a program
together on food addiction
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and its actually very
much more complex than drug
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addiction in many respects
because there are changes
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taking place in other systems
that are equally challenging
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and so what we want to
develop our strategies for long
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term success. But many
people do not realize that
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they are
struggling with an addiction,
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there is a
rationalization that goes on,
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there is a failure to
see patterns in the life,
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so there are signs
that the brain is addicted,
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there are some very
typical. So, I mean you know
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when we look at
this, you know you can see
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those real signs but
you know it's kind of hard
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to admit that you're
addicted, you know I've said
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in AA meetings and others,
where it's just as really
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hard for someone to
admit that they're powerless
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that they need help
and put themselves to be,
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you know if you will,
the patient instead of being
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in control. Well on
especially when you consider
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that when these sort
of patterns developed,
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often it's an attempt to
gain control in the life,
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it's an attempt to gain
control of the emotions,
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it's again attempt to
gain control of the mood
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or the
environment or some of these.
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So what are some of
the signs, excuse me,
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what are some of the
signs of an addicted brain?
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How can you tell
may be your relative,
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your husband, your
wife, well, your children what
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are you looking at to see
in terms of signs of addiction.
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There are 10 standard
well known signs that the
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brain is getting into
trouble and one of the premier
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ones is you are spending a
lot of time with this thing.
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You are spending
more time than you plan,
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you have repeated
failure to reduce time with it,
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what ever it is?
Lying, sneaking and hiding,
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regarding it, hoarding,
inability to enjoy other
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pleasures that's
something called Anhedonia.
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You just lose the,
Anhedonia, yeah you just lose
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the ability to enjoy people,
things, other events in life.
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You obsess and plan and
hoard it, underlying depression
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and anxiety is a really
key factor in the development
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of compulsive
behavior. The work and family
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deteriorate because of
this thing, you give up useful
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activities for it,
people spend all-night on the
00:11:18.58\00:11:21.22
Internet compulsively
day after day, week after
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week and they just can't
seem to get away from it.
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The studies have shown
that even with television
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it can become compulsive,
although the use of television
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can be become
compulsive and withdrawal signs
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when you should
stops, that's another one.
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So all these different things
if any of those signs have
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shown up you need to
be concerned that may be
00:11:42.44\00:11:44.64
you or your relative are
becoming addicted to this.
00:11:44.67\00:11:48.65
Yes, you're involved or
whatever it is, is becoming
00:11:48.68\00:11:51.49
compulsive, is becoming
destructive it is creating
00:11:51.52\00:11:55.10
the opposite of the
effect that you are seeking
00:11:55.13\00:11:58.74
and now you are doing
this thing not in order
00:11:58.77\00:12:01.45
to feel good. You are
doing it in order to keep from
00:12:01.48\00:12:03.99
feeling bad, even the
pleasure of the activity itself
00:12:04.02\00:12:07.44
is now gone. So talk
to me then about genetics
00:12:07.47\00:12:10.42
environment and the choice
that plays a part of this.
00:12:10.45\00:12:14.53
Well, we know that a
person can be genetically
00:12:14.56\00:12:17.66
prone to heart disease
or diabetes or depression,
00:12:17.69\00:12:20.34
a person can be
genetically prone to addictions
00:12:20.37\00:12:23.20
as well those with the
family history of alcoholism,
00:12:23.23\00:12:27.14
drug abuse, eating
disorders, depression,
00:12:27.17\00:12:30.09
they are at risk. And
we also know that those who
00:12:30.12\00:12:34.95
come from an
environment where there's been
00:12:34.98\00:12:36.75
neglect or abuse that
they are at higher risk
00:12:36.78\00:12:40.58
and then our own
behavioral choices
00:12:40.61\00:12:42.30
can also pull us
into a trap because of the
00:12:42.33\00:12:45.57
reinforcing property
of what are engaged in.
00:12:45.60\00:12:48.19
You can take
perfectly healthy happy lab rats
00:12:48.22\00:12:51.38
from good homes and
they can become addicted
00:12:51.41\00:12:54.11
to substances and
to different behaviors.
00:12:54.14\00:12:56.46
So there are the
three aspects, now the thing
00:12:56.49\00:12:58.79
that we need to
remember though and I'm really
00:12:58.82\00:13:01.05
thankful for this, is that
association is not causality,
00:13:01.08\00:13:03.81
in other words genetics,
environment and behavioral
00:13:03.84\00:13:07.07
choices don't cause addictions,
00:13:07.10\00:13:09.08
they're just
associated with the higher risk.
00:13:09.11\00:13:11.14
So you are not
doomed to do the same thing
00:13:11.81\00:13:14.40
just because your
parents did it and others did it
00:13:14.43\00:13:16.46
and that's not even good excuse.
00:13:16.49\00:13:18.65
And I'll tell your book
has hope in it, that's right,
00:13:18.68\00:13:21.97
talking about
addictions and how to break
00:13:22.00\00:13:24.48
free from those, that's
right. I know that on your
00:13:24.51\00:13:28.23
website, it's a great
website lifestylematters.com
00:13:28.26\00:13:30.70
and you have information
about that book there.
00:13:30.73\00:13:32.77
But you know I want to
shift may be now from the
00:13:33.41\00:13:37.52
problem to the
solution, is there hope,
00:13:37.55\00:13:41.52
we want to talk about
this in the second half but
00:13:41.55\00:13:43.58
set us up is there
hope, is there a reason
00:13:43.61\00:13:45.51
to come back. There
is so much exciting new
00:13:45.54\00:13:48.78
information out
there, there is so much hope.
00:13:48.81\00:13:50.79
God has designed
our brains for recovery,
00:13:50.82\00:13:55.02
renewal and
restoration. We're talking with
00:13:55.05\00:13:58.45
Vicki Griffin, we are
talking about addictions.
00:13:58.48\00:14:00.55
A lot of people have addiction;
00:14:01.28\00:14:02.78
a lot of people have
positive habits but then also
00:14:02.81\00:14:05.67
negative addictions
that some times develop.
00:14:05.70\00:14:07.91
We've talked about
that we are gonna come back
00:14:08.54\00:14:09.86
and talk about what
can be done to address
00:14:09.89\00:14:12.53
those problems, join
us when we come back.
00:14:12.56\00:14:14.62
Are you confused about
the endless strain with
00:14:16.92\00:14:19.34
new and often contradictory
health information?
00:14:19.37\00:14:21.94
With companies trying to
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00:14:22.81\00:14:25.21
interest groups paying for
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00:14:25.24\00:14:27.93
where can you find a
common sense approach
00:14:27.96\00:14:30.69
to health. One way is to
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Dr. Arnott's 24 realistic
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Lifestyle Center of America
00:14:37.62\00:14:40.35
produced this
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practical health tips
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happier, and
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00:15:12.23\00:15:13.81
Welcome back, we've been
talking with Vicki Griffin,
00:15:16.46\00:15:18.35
we've been
talking about addictions.
00:15:18.38\00:15:20.27
We've talked about the problems,
00:15:20.30\00:15:21.75
we talked about how
people can have positive habits
00:15:21.78\00:15:24.08
but then they can be
drawn into these addictive
00:15:24.11\00:15:27.13
behaviors pornography,
foods, shopping, drugs,
00:15:27.16\00:15:31.45
all these things impact
the same area of the brain
00:15:31.48\00:15:34.40
and we got good news.
You know before we talk
00:15:34.43\00:15:37.38
about this good news I
know that you have a website
00:15:37.41\00:15:40.29
lifestylematters.com,
an excellent website,
00:15:40.32\00:15:42.77
all kinds of resources
there for food addictions
00:15:42.80\00:15:47.13
and in this new book that
you have written living free,
00:15:47.16\00:15:51.14
finding freedom from habits.
00:15:51.17\00:15:52.59
And it's just a great
resource I want to just
00:15:53.33\00:15:55.62
thank you for putting
that together. Well thank you,
00:15:55.65\00:15:58.19
we've written it with
addictions specialists and
00:15:58.22\00:16:00.69
a dietician and so we
have a really great team that
00:16:00.72\00:16:03.66
has come together
collaboratively with their
00:16:03.69\00:16:05.83
experience and their
expertise and we believe
00:16:05.86\00:16:08.43
that we've got
some good materials.
00:16:08.46\00:16:10.05
I mean in a program like
this we can only kind of scratch
00:16:10.08\00:16:12.38
the surface, right, we
can get some high points but
00:16:12.41\00:16:14.32
there really is a process as
like at your book that really
00:16:14.35\00:16:17.67
leads people
through. You know number one
00:16:17.70\00:16:20.27
identifying the addictions
and all those different
00:16:20.30\00:16:22.66
things and then what
to do get out of those.
00:16:22.69\00:16:24.21
Well here is the thing,
people know how to their
00:16:24.24\00:16:26.30
addiction and they
know how to stop but,
00:16:26.33\00:16:28.42
it's everything in between
the sort of falls through
00:16:28.45\00:16:29.98
the cracks and so, okay.
So you know I think there
00:16:30.01\00:16:34.33
is additional information
there lifestylematters.com
00:16:34.36\00:16:37.02
and this gonna
really help people,
00:16:37.05\00:16:38.64
this is only a springboard.
Once the brain is locked
00:16:38.67\00:16:41.60
into a pattern is it possible
to break free that's the
00:16:41.63\00:16:45.81
big question on,
and people are asking.
00:16:45.84\00:16:47.75
Yes, and this is
the thrilling part,
00:16:47.78\00:16:49.75
this is what motivates me
to do these kinds of programs,
00:16:49.78\00:16:52.47
because our brains
were designed by our creator
00:16:52.50\00:16:55.93
to be resilient, there
is a lot of redundancy built
00:16:55.96\00:16:59.61
into the brain in other
words, what does that mean
00:16:59.64\00:17:02.49
redundancy? Well redundancy,
00:17:02.52\00:17:03.49
what resiliency means
the capacity to bounce back,
00:17:03.50\00:17:05.26
redundancy means there
is a lot of compensatory
00:17:05.29\00:17:09.75
mechanisms in the brain to
compensate for the problems
00:17:09.78\00:17:14.88
that we may have
created by our choices
00:17:14.91\00:17:17.22
or by whatever situation
that we have cultivated
00:17:17.25\00:17:20.39
in our lives and so there is
a lot of ability of the brain
00:17:20.42\00:17:24.98
to grow, to recover,
to renovate and to renew.
00:17:25.01\00:17:29.95
And I really love the way
neurosciences is validating
00:17:29.98\00:17:34.84
what the Bible has
said about having the
00:17:34.87\00:17:36.29
new mind. They don't
understand the spiritual part
00:17:36.32\00:17:38.68
about how Christ
comes, God comes and he gives
00:17:38.71\00:17:42.10
us a new will and a new
desire but the Lord does
00:17:42.13\00:17:45.44
even more for us he
gives us more than just the
00:17:45.47\00:17:48.21
power of the
will and the desire,
00:17:48.24\00:17:49.79
but he also gives us a
plan and its that very plan
00:17:49.82\00:17:52.46
that neurosciences is
honing in on and seeing.
00:17:52.49\00:17:56.60
I just want to
quote Dr. John Ratey from
00:17:56.63\00:18:00.14
Harvard University, he
is a neuro-psychiatrist
00:18:00.17\00:18:02.13
who wrote a fascinating
little book called the
00:18:02.16\00:18:04.49
Users Guide to the Brain.
And he says the adult brain
00:18:04.52\00:18:07.61
is both plastic and
resilient and always eager
00:18:07.64\00:18:11.49
to learn. Now plastic
doesn't mean like hard plastic,
00:18:11.52\00:18:14.52
but plastic in the
sense of malleable,
00:18:14.55\00:18:16.92
it's very
responsive to our choices.
00:18:16.95\00:18:19.15
And new choices do
make a new you and he says
00:18:19.18\00:18:23.16
this we always have
the ability to remodel our
00:18:23.19\00:18:26.37
brains. This is why we
can learn in the first place,
00:18:26.40\00:18:29.20
and unlearn too. Changing
your pattern of thinking
00:18:29.23\00:18:33.48
changes the brain's structure.
00:18:34.39\00:18:36.45
So it's by the way you
think that's what you are,
00:18:37.02\00:18:40.93
as a man think and so
is he. It is a principle
00:18:40.96\00:18:43.61
and that principle can
be turned into a process
00:18:43.64\00:18:45.83
in our lives and
other scientists have stated
00:18:45.86\00:18:48.99
it in different
ways. William James,
00:18:49.02\00:18:50.57
I like the way he puts it
and he is a famous psychologist,
00:18:50.60\00:18:53.71
he says attention and
remember we talked about
00:18:53.74\00:18:55.92
runaway motivation and
the brain learns according
00:18:55.95\00:19:01.02
to what we pay attention
to. And it says attention
00:19:01.05\00:19:03.54
is a mental state that
allows us moment by moment
00:19:03.57\00:19:07.38
to choose and sculpt
how our ever changing
00:19:07.41\00:19:10.35
minds will work, to choose
who we will be for the next
00:19:10.38\00:19:14.44
movement in a very
real sense and those choices
00:19:14.47\00:19:17.77
are left embossed
in physical form on our
00:19:17.80\00:19:20.99
material selves. So we
can change, and it sounds,
00:19:21.02\00:19:24.87
that sounds a very
promising but it also for the
00:19:24.90\00:19:28.54
person that is in the
midst of addiction and then
00:19:28.57\00:19:30.55
in the midst of
you know whatever it is
00:19:30.58\00:19:33.39
to do say to them, well
you can think differently,
00:19:33.42\00:19:36.68
right, is like wait a
minute you don't understand
00:19:36.71\00:19:40.45
all of these things,
emotion and everything
00:19:40.48\00:19:42.78
that's involved in
this, right what do you say
00:19:42.81\00:19:44.43
to someone that is
responding to this that way.
00:19:44.46\00:19:48.78
Well what's they
are saying is true,
00:19:48.81\00:19:52.15
because once a person
has developed an addiction
00:19:52.18\00:19:54.94
changes have taken
place in multiple circuits of
00:19:54.97\00:19:57.16
the brain. Circuits that
are involved with motivation
00:19:57.19\00:19:59.81
and drive, memory,
compulsion, stress, learning,
00:19:59.84\00:20:03.04
self control, mood all
of these things are effected
00:20:03.99\00:20:06.95
and so what we want to
understand is how to enter
00:20:06.98\00:20:10.13
into a process that
will build a bridge back to
00:20:10.16\00:20:12.54
the power of
initiation of self will, choice.
00:20:12.57\00:20:15.40
Motivated choices that
we can initiate in a self
00:20:16.29\00:20:20.14
determined way and
there is a process of getting
00:20:20.17\00:20:22.98
there. So let's look
at that process I mean
00:20:23.01\00:20:24.91
lets kind of map it out
one of the practical steps
00:20:24.94\00:20:28.16
involved in, you know
remapping that and I know
00:20:28.19\00:20:31.51
again the best thing
is to look more fully
00:20:31.54\00:20:34.07
at your book
and what not, right,
00:20:34.10\00:20:35.52
so let's give a framework
here. Well just briefly
00:20:35.55\00:20:38.20
there are some very
practical steps not only to
00:20:38.23\00:20:41.74
implement the power
of God in our lives,
00:20:41.77\00:20:43.48
people become disappointed they
00:20:43.51\00:20:45.37
say I want God's power,
they claim God's power but
00:20:45.40\00:20:47.79
then they don't
understand the process of long
00:20:47.82\00:20:50.34
term change,
staying with the program.
00:20:50.37\00:20:53.96
It's like Jackie
Gleason said, he said the second
00:20:53.99\00:20:55.77
day of the diet is
always the best because
00:20:55.80\00:20:57.58
by then you through
with it you know depending.
00:20:57.61\00:20:59.63
So it's one thing to
have the power to stop doing
00:20:59.66\00:21:02.32
something but it's
another thing to learn new
00:21:02.35\00:21:06.16
behaviors, new
choices, new responses and new
00:21:06.19\00:21:08.48
motivations. And that
is part of God's plan,
00:21:08.51\00:21:10.69
he has given us a
process by which we can do that
00:21:10.72\00:21:13.65
and so his purpose that
can be fulfilled in our lives
00:21:14.36\00:21:17.36
on a long term and part of
that has to do with creating
00:21:17.39\00:21:21.56
an environment.
Creating an environment means
00:21:21.59\00:21:24.76
your internal and we
gonna talk about this problem
00:21:24.79\00:21:27.57
on some future programs
but creating an internal
00:21:27.60\00:21:30.06
attitude, the way that
I choose to thing about
00:21:30.09\00:21:34.31
a thing has a power a
sculpting effect on the
00:21:34.34\00:21:36.93
brain. The external
environment are the,
00:21:36.96\00:21:40.00
my immediate surroundings,
it has to do with removing
00:21:40.03\00:21:43.43
triggers and it has to
do with changing the way
00:21:43.46\00:21:46.29
I think about the
triggers that I can not remove
00:21:46.32\00:21:48.89
in my life. So there is
this very first step of the
00:21:48.92\00:21:52.97
environment and I, hence
that's so treatment program.
00:21:53.00\00:21:56.11
Treatment programs. Is
that creating an environment?
00:21:56.14\00:22:00.26
You know God has many
ways to help his children
00:22:00.29\00:22:04.03
that may
involve some medication;
00:22:04.06\00:22:06.25
it may involve certain
types of support groups,
00:22:06.28\00:22:08.69
treatment
programs, interventions,
00:22:08.72\00:22:10.18
that's all part of that program.
00:22:10.21\00:22:12.14
So God took people
out of Egypt he took them
00:22:12.17\00:22:14.43
to the wilderness that
was of treatment program,
00:22:14.46\00:22:16.81
it was a treatment
program, no question about it.
00:22:16.84\00:22:17.91
Okay internal and
external, internal and external
00:22:17.94\00:22:19.71
environment and
I love also the way
00:22:19.74\00:22:22.20
Dr. Ratey from Harvard
says, he says experiences,
00:22:22.23\00:22:25.64
thoughts, actions and
emotions actually change
00:22:25.67\00:22:29.56
the structure of the
brain that's really encouraging
00:22:29.59\00:22:31.47
for people to know and
it says by viewing the brain
00:22:31.50\00:22:34.60
as a muscle that can be
weakened or strengthened
00:22:34.63\00:22:36.69
then we can exercise
our ability to determine
00:22:36.72\00:22:39.21
who we become. We need
to build a bridge to that
00:22:39.24\00:22:41.39
place where we can
exercise those choices
00:22:41.42\00:22:44.01
and that happens
within the right environment
00:22:44.04\00:22:47.10
internally that our
thoughts and then externally
00:22:47.13\00:22:49.71
as well being in
supported area, that's right.
00:22:49.74\00:22:53.09
Well there is another
layer to that and that is
00:22:53.12\00:22:54.75
creating a lifestyle,
okay. Now lifestyle is not
00:22:54.78\00:22:58.93
restrictive the
lifestyle that God has given us
00:22:58.96\00:23:01.16
is not just
restricted. It is protective,
00:23:01.19\00:23:04.19
it actually
protects and motivates us,
00:23:04.82\00:23:07.37
it surrounds us it
keeps us safe it keeps us in a
00:23:07.40\00:23:11.18
direction by helping us
and encouraging us to choose
00:23:11.21\00:23:14.30
a certain way and
nutritionally when we get
00:23:14.33\00:23:17.83
proper nutrition it's gonna
lower stress and depression
00:23:17.86\00:23:20.36
levels when you get
your sleep, when you get your
00:23:20.39\00:23:22.78
exercise it will elevate
mood controls stress hormone
00:23:22.81\00:23:25.69
production. So there
are physiological responses
00:23:25.72\00:23:28.26
to positive lifestyle
changes that are very protective
00:23:28.29\00:23:32.27
against
addictions. So you said here,
00:23:32.30\00:23:34.27
you know to create an
environment but really
00:23:34.30\00:23:36.31
there is already been
an environment created
00:23:36.34\00:23:38.75
that's optimal for us is
discovering what that is?
00:23:38.78\00:23:41.42
Right what is protective
against addiction also helps
00:23:41.45\00:23:45.64
maintain long term success.
So there are steps there is
00:23:45.67\00:23:49.63
the internal attitude,
there is external environment
00:23:49.66\00:23:52.61
of what we are gonna
surround ourselves with but
00:23:52.64\00:23:54.14
then there is the lifestyle
layered on top of that,
00:23:54.17\00:23:57.03
the Lord has given us community,
00:23:57.06\00:23:59.08
it is our responsibility
to create and get involved
00:23:59.11\00:24:03.36
with community.
You mentioned support,
00:24:03.39\00:24:05.60
but it's about more
than support because being
00:24:05.63\00:24:08.87
involved in social
networks that are positive,
00:24:08.90\00:24:12.40
role modeling of
people, from people that have
00:24:12.43\00:24:15.43
learned how to solve
problems in a positive way,
00:24:15.46\00:24:17.63
who know how to meet
obstacles and challenges
00:24:17.66\00:24:22.18
in a good way,
taking classes, learning
00:24:22.21\00:24:24.60
new hobbies getting
involved in social interaction,
00:24:24.63\00:24:27.50
church group volunteering
not only does it create
00:24:27.53\00:24:30.26
support but it also
creates an environment of
00:24:30.29\00:24:33.92
responsibility and
accountability and we need,
00:24:33.95\00:24:36.45
then you call it
community, that is community.
00:24:36.48\00:24:38.85
And when you
enhance your community
00:24:39.15\00:24:41.49
intellectually and
socially, it also increases
00:24:41.52\00:24:44.62
the neuronal networks
in the brain which actually
00:24:44.65\00:24:48.58
will buffer the brain
against depression and anxiety
00:24:48.61\00:24:54.26
and it also enhances the
ability to meet challenges
00:24:54.29\00:24:57.27
because that is the
big problem with addiction,
00:24:57.30\00:24:59.79
the inability
to meet challenges.
00:24:59.82\00:25:01.55
And you are all
many times isolated,
00:25:01.58\00:25:03.60
so an environment, a
lifestyle, a community
00:25:03.63\00:25:06.12
and then you say
create a connection,
00:25:06.15\00:25:07.60
that's right. The
spiritual connection of course
00:25:07.63\00:25:10.75
for me is the most
important part I struggled
00:25:10.78\00:25:12.98
for many years with
bulimia and had involvement
00:25:13.01\00:25:15.76
drugs and all of those
kinds of things and so that
00:25:15.79\00:25:17.63
I know for myself that
giving up control is a main
00:25:17.66\00:25:23.79
feature of victory,
of long term success.
00:25:23.82\00:25:28.95
And that means that you
give control of your life
00:25:28.98\00:25:31.77
to God who was able to
superintend your experiences
00:25:31.80\00:25:35.61
and you know longer look
at obstacles and challenges
00:25:35.64\00:25:40.60
as threats to your
survival. You now look at them
00:25:40.63\00:25:44.44
as opportunities to gain
more strength and to gain
00:25:44.47\00:25:47.33
more resiliency and
to learn and to balance
00:25:47.36\00:25:50.07
out your mind
and your character.
00:25:50.10\00:25:51.93
You look at them as
good positive things because
00:25:51.96\00:25:54.11
you believe in a
beneficent Father in heaven
00:25:54.14\00:25:56.68
who will help you to
reinterpret your past,
00:25:57.18\00:25:59.73
will help you to
reinterpret what has happened
00:25:59.76\00:26:02.05
to in your life in a
new and significant way
00:26:02.08\00:26:05.20
that makes you
strong instead of week.
00:26:05.23\00:26:06.88
So you know, you
are coming from the,
00:26:07.70\00:26:09.07
in writing this
book along with this,
00:26:09.10\00:26:11.40
you know team you
are coming with your
00:26:11.43\00:26:14.52
own personal testimony
and you know that this works
00:26:14.55\00:26:17.78
that God can help you
created, new internal and
00:26:17.81\00:26:20.72
external environment
that can help you create
00:26:20.75\00:26:22.69
community and all of
these different things in the
00:26:22.72\00:26:25.17
connection. Are
there any special text,
00:26:25.20\00:26:27.47
or special spiritual
nuggets that have really
00:26:27.50\00:26:30.68
helped you on your journey?
00:26:30.71\00:26:31.81
Oh there are so
many, and I always think of
00:26:32.35\00:26:35.57
Mencius the Chinese
sage, he said that knowledge
00:26:35.60\00:26:38.18
imparts information but
not the power to execute.
00:26:38.21\00:26:41.01
So we need the power
to execute what we know
00:26:41.04\00:26:43.39
intellectually but we
also needs God's plan.
00:26:43.42\00:26:46.20
He changes our
will and our desire but
00:26:47.01\00:26:48.75
he also has a plan that
he wants for us to follow
00:26:48.78\00:26:51.72
and I love
Philippians 2:13 it says,
00:26:51.75\00:26:54.63
"For it is God Himself
whose power creates within
00:26:54.66\00:26:57.85
you the desire to do
His gracious will and brings
00:26:57.88\00:27:01.94
about the
accomplishment of the desire."
00:27:01.97\00:27:04.10
So he creates it in
you and then he carries
00:27:04.85\00:27:08.78
it through if you
don't get in the way,
00:27:08.81\00:27:10.22
we have to not only
not get in the way we
00:27:10.25\00:27:12.42
have to shoulder our
own part of the work.
00:27:12.45\00:27:15.77
We have to get involved
and engaged in the process,
00:27:15.80\00:27:19.39
it's the journey
that gives strength.
00:27:19.42\00:27:21.68
We always want
beginnings and ends but
00:27:21.71\00:27:23.53
it's actually what happens
in the middle that builds
00:27:23.56\00:27:26.21
the strength that you
need for your journey.
00:27:26.24\00:27:28.86
By the people are
responding very well to this
00:27:28.89\00:27:31.94
material your
team has created at
00:27:31.97\00:27:33.99
lifestylematters.com. I
am just really enthusiast
00:27:34.02\00:27:37.40
about that. I really
wanna thank you for coming
00:27:37.43\00:27:39.03
and spending this time
with us talking about this new
00:27:39.06\00:27:41.94
book and we look
forward to talking more with
00:27:41.97\00:27:45.06
you and we look
forward talking more with you
00:27:45.09\00:27:47.43
on Health for a
Lifetime. We hope that today
00:27:48.22\00:27:50.51
as a result of what
you've learn you can break free
00:27:50.54\00:27:53.73
and have the
life God has intended
00:27:53.76\00:27:55.62
for you and for
those that you love.
00:27:55.65\00:27:58.05