Advertise on podcast: People and their Passions

What if your next dental appointment came with a vacation in Paradise? In this episode, I sit down with Dr Ricardo Lopez of LS Dental, right here in Playa Del Coco, Costa Rica – my own dentist! I recently had a bridge and crowns done, and the results were life-changing. We talk about what drew him into dentistry, what sets his practice apart, and what Dental Tourists can expect from start to finish. We also chat about how long treatments can take – because some smile transformations need a few days or even a few weeks – and why having a comfortable, beautiful place to stay nearby makes all the difference. Quotation marks (Casa Claudia CR is just around the corner! 🏠 Whether you’re a local, an expat, or planning a dental Tourism trip to Costa Rica, this episode is for you. 📍LS Dental - Playa Del Coco, Guanacaste, Costa Rica 🏠Casa Claudia CR - www.casaclaudiacr.com

Stephane and I catch up and discuss Macros & Micros as well as body image, weight loss, weight training and more. Stephanie is currently a coach with HABYT, a Micronutrient specific program.

Meet Surfer Stacey Mac, she surfs, skis, snowboards, and sometimes jumps out of helicopters to enjoy the ride.  Stacey was an accountant on the east coast for years before she made the transition to live full time in Costa Rica where she shares her love of "the stoke" with others looking to explore the great big oceans.  Whether you are into surfing or paddle boarding, you are in amazing hands with an expert who loves what she does. Listen and be inspired to make some waves of your own.

Bethy Mccune and I sat down at Bodhi Tree House in Nosara, Costa Rica where she teaches spin every Tuesday & Saturday at 9:00am.  Bethy was  recently diagnosed with MS and has empowered herself through Functional Medicine, yoga and spinning. Listen to her story of inspiration and start showing up as your most authentic self today.

I sat down with Rhoda Plotkin who imports Lifefield Buckwheat to discuss the various health benefits of this "superfood".  Buckwheat is a highly nutritious whole grain which is also a good source of protein and fiber, plus it's gluten free.  Buckwheat may improve hearth health, promote weight loss, and help manage diabetes. There is a delicious recipe available on the back of the bag as well as the recipe of the month available online @lifefieldbuckwheat.com. Order online or you can purchase at the following locations, North Shore Farms in Port Washington & Great Neck, Neils Naturals, Queens Health Emporium and Sahadi Importers in Brooklyn. Or call 516-487-2262

In this podcast with Maria Costello, we discuss the overall benefits of exercise at City Row in Plainview, NY.  If you are looking for a high intensity, low impact burn with total body results, then look no further.  Maria brings her currency/energy to everything she does with a passion to help fuel you through an amazing workout in a fun, friendly and competitive environment. Your first class at City Row is free, book an appointment today to see what you may have been missing out on.

Ray Mohler was only 5 when he was inspired to start his foundation.  Take a listen as we unfold his story of love and inspiration.  Since its' inception, the Little St. Nick Foundation has handed out 2 million welcome bags for every child that enters Schneider's Children's Hospital,  South Oaks Hospital, Mount Sinai, South Nassau in the NY area, and also now at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital in Florida.  We hope his story inspires you to share some time and love too. Volunteer today @ https://littlestnick.org, or call 516-837-3335.

When was the last time you disconnected from the world to reconnect to yourself?  If you are looking for something to reset your body, mind & spirit, look no further than Floatopia.  I hope you enjoy the podcast and feel free to book your first session using code: claudia50 to save 1/2 off your first float.  What are you waiting for?  Go float your boat.

Meet Casey of Casey's Creations.  Casey is a Long Island native who came to the conclusion at 15 years-old that the foods he was eating early in life were doing him more harm than good.  Always tired, low energy, and unhappy.  He was overweight at 11 years-old and didn't want to continue in this direction, so he decided to take matters into his own hands.  He researched, and read numerous books to help put him on his path to a better overall feeling, and found this information to be invaluable to what he'd be able to accomplish in his lifetime.  His true passion is our "soil", the source of all the vitamins and nutrients our bodies need.  Studying here, and abroad in Nepal, showed him his true purpose.  Listen as we unravel why this is not only an important issue for Casey to undertake, but all of ours as a human race.  Casey's Creations include delicious coffee beans, direct from the Himalayan Mountains, loose healing teas, and freshly made juices. All of which are organic and can be delivered to your home or available at your nearest farmers market. We hope you enjoy our podcast.

Rachel is a proud Long Island native that pours her heart and soul into creating kombucha for all to enjoy.  She led an active lifestyle and learned to recognize how certain foods made her feel.  Working around food all of her life led her to look at food as not only a source of benefit to one's health but one that should also be a source of enjoyment.  She uses the highest quality and freshest organic ingredients, which are then brewed and crafted with loose leaf teas, herbs, flowers, spices, whole produce and fresh juices.  She strives to create a kombucha that is simply downright delicious.  I think she nailed it and I think you will think so too! She currently is the only female owned kombucha brewer (YES, ALL WOMEN) on Long Island and has faced many obstacles in the process.  I was really impressed with her journey to get to where she is today, including a recent rebrand of her company.  I do like the updated and improved logo which includes Dora or Abuela.  You'll have to listen to the podcast for the back story. I’m sure you’ll have a favorite after you try them all, I’m personally leaning toward “Jones Beach Ginger”, but the “Beech Street Berry” isn’t far behind.  Check out her website @ coastalcraftkombucha.com for the Tap-Room hours and where you can also pick up kombucha in growlers as well as some pretty cool merchandise.   Strive to do something good for your body, your temple, daily! PS>Kids love this Kombucha too! Facebook/instagram @coastalcraftkombucha [email protected]

In todays podcast, I sat down with Mary Kay Diehl of Simplicity Yoga Studio in Kings Park, NY.  Mary Kay shared her story with us and her reasons why she cares to share her knowledge and love of yoga, meditation & breath work.  Taking time to take care of yourself, should be a priority in our everyday.  Mary Kay Diehl, E-RYT500, licensed NYS Physical Therapist Assistant, has been practicing yoga since the late 90s and began her teaching career 15 years ago training with Alan Finger, the founder of ISHTA yoga (Integrative Science of Hatha Tantra and Ayurveda) and the NYC Yoga Works studios. She considers yoga an inward conversation of self exploration, the physical practice of asana poetry in motion; each opportunity you unroll your mat is a new chance to discover more about yourself, your unbound potential, an opportunity to return home. Through her teaching career, she has taken part in multiple anatomy trainings, functional movement certifications specifically targeting skilled movement through yoga asana. After years of dedicated study she officially became a licensed NYS Physical Therapist Assistant working in an outpatient orthopedic setting. In the summer of 2020, Mary Kay began to delve into understanding the energy body with the certification course Energy Medicine with Donna Eden. She is also Seraphim Blueprint Level 5 certified. Mary Kay uses her extensive knowledge of the human body as her foundational element to build her classes. With a keen eye and succinct instruction she builds a safe, stable base for her students to grow. I hope you enjoy our session!

So this may be a little longer than your typical podcast, but maybe you will be able to relate to his story because it may resonate with you.  If you grew up like so many of us did, RAISED TO BE OBESE.   Michael Strahl unravels his journey by watching his father decline over the course of 25 years.  He suffered sickness early in life and saw some of those same flaws in himself, not only in the mirror and on the scale, but in the way he felt the entire time.  Michael suffered from severe anxiety and depression for years before realizing what he was inputting into his body, i.e. the food he was eating and the medications he was taking.  If we are what we eat, shouldn't we be more thoughtful for our own sake?  He never quite felt himself, probably due to the SSRI's (Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) medications, which really only masked the issue.  While some medications are sometimes needed, we never really want the body to have to rely on outer stimuli because they affect other aspects of ourselves which aren't always beneficial.  It should function as intended but we also need to fuel our body properly in order for it to function in the right manner.   He decided during his journey that he wanted to retake control of his life.  He educated himself with new information that is available to all of us.  During this time he came across a 2011 film, "FORKS OVER KNIVES", by Lee Fulkerson (available on @YouTube ), where they discuss the correlation between eating gluten and suffering from anxiety and depression.  He had nothing to lose, except the anxiety he was dealing with, and he slowly weened himself off of his medication while switching to a life style of plant based, vegan, gluten free eating.  He lost over 50 lbs., no longer requires the anxiety medications, and describes it as a "life changing experience".  We all deserve to feel our best, but are we doing our part?  Michael and his partner, Pat Charity, opened Sweet Soul Bakery because she's an amazing chef and to provide that which supports, fuels and places you on the right path to wellness.  Eating better doesn't mean you have to give up flavor, but more importantly it will help you feel better in so many ways.  Have a listen, take some breaks if you need to!  We hope you enjoy the podcast and start introducing yourself to a more plant based way of life.  Your body is depending on it.  Check out their savory foods on Saturdays as well, they're not just a delicious bakery, they offer many organic, gluten free delicious options, some that come from other local and small business owners as well. Start living a better way of life.  Visit them in St. James at 454 Lake Avenue soon, and check out their website as well, @sweetsoulbakery.com.  You can find out more on Facebook and Instagram @sweetsoulbakeryny. #CAUSEEVERYBITECOUNTS

I sat down on this farm in Huntington, NY with Elizabeth Rexer to discuss the many benefits of supporting local farms and families.   Not only do we lower our carbon footprint by buying locally, but the value of the locally grown food is almost always more beneficial for us.  On average our produce travels 1500 miles from farm to table.  Food is being bred to last longer in trucks and on shelves, but not necessarily providing the energy and requirements our bodies need to stave off disease and fuel our engines.  Organically grown food is better for us and with minimal tilling of the soil, cleaner air, water and soil are a result.  It really is very clear that supporting local farming families benefits us all as a community, wherever that community is.  When do we stop paving over all the soil under us and allow each community to be able to support itself?  This farm is family owned and operated and much love, care, hope, and hard work provide the source of life (energy) that our bodies require, the vehicles we are blest to occupy.  Visit Rexer Farms located at 1028 Park Avenue, Huntington,  NY 11743.  Visit their website @rexerfamilyfarm.com and order a weekly farm basket of assorted in-season vegetables today.

I sat down at the park with my friend, mentor and all around great guy, James Bazakos, and discussed what spirituality means to us.  James and I started working together over two years ago and found out that we share some of the same values regarding spirituality and our well being.  No two people are ever alike completely and spirituality is something that is so unique in all of us because we are each a different spirit and being.  Spirituality has some universal themes; love, compassion, altruism, wisdom, truth and life after death.  You may not think that spiritual wellness effects your overall wellness, but its significance is stronger than you may believe.  According to the American Council on Exercise, spirituality is defined as aligning one's beliefs and values with one's world view to establish meaning and purpose in life.  A model of wellness, known as the wheel of wellness, states that spirituality serves as the center or foundation of all wellness (Myers, Sweeney and Witmer (2000)).  The search for meaning and purpose in life leads us to strive for a state of harmony with ourselves and others while balancing our inner needs with the rest of the world.  Are you in oneness with yourself?

I was treated to a an assisted stretching session at StretchLab with James as my flexologist.  Their goal is to improve flexibility, enhance movement, reduce pain and improve range of motion. This session did just that, I left feeling more open and less tense. See for yourself why more and more people are choosing to get stretched.  Let them help you reclaim the freedom of movement that may be missing which creates an increased sense of ease in your daily activities.