DeAnna Schaefer, Dr. Angela Gao, Dr. Lisa Brent & Katie Bressack · Point Reyes Lavender · AHCNJ · Be Well Natural Medicine · Katie Bressack
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Wellness Essentials, Uncomplicated with DeAnna Schaefer, Dr. Angela Gao, Dr. Lisa Brent & Katie Bressack
The Incorporation Method helps you turn what matters into practical changes that fit your life.
“If patients pause to not only do the exercises in physical therapy, but take time to focus on yourself, look inward, focus on your own healing journey, that's what can catapult you into a quicker recovery.”
— Deanna
Show Notes
Wellness doesn't have to be complicated. Four experts share simple strategies for self-care, stress, hormones, and nutrition that can make a real difference.
Wellness Essentials, Uncomplicated: 4 Simple Shifts That Matter
Wellness can feel overwhelming when every day brings a new trend, supplement, or rule to follow. But lasting health is often built on something much simpler: paying attention to your body and making small, consistent changes.
Four health experts share practical insights that cut through the noise. From creating a calming ritual to understanding cravings, their advice reminds us that wellness does not have to be complicated to be effective.
Start with Simple Self-Care
DeAnna Schaefer of Point Reyes Lavender sees wellness as something that can begin with a simple daily ritual. Smelling lavender for a set amount of time each day may help lower tension and create a dedicated moment for recovery and self-care.
Dr. Angela Gao, a Chinese medicine practitioner, offers another uncomplicated approach to understanding health. She advises patients not to brush their tongues before appointments because the tongue's color and coating can provide valuable clues about what may be happening inside the body. In Chinese medicine, it is considered a visible internal organ that offers important diagnostic information.
Pay Attention to Every Signal
One of the simplest wellness habits is also one of the most overlooked: noticing what your body is telling you.
Dr. Lisa Brent explains that hormonal changes, including perimenopause, menopause, and andropause, can affect nearly every system in the body. Mood, sleep, digestion, energy levels, joints, and nutrient absorption can all be influenced by these shifts.
Her advice is straightforward: report everything. Even symptoms that seem small or unrelated, such as an occasional eyelid twitch, can help a practitioner understand the larger picture. Your role is not to diagnose yourself. Your role is to share what you notice.
Treat Cravings as Information
Many people view cravings as something to fight. Dr. Lisa Brent and Katie Bressack suggest a different perspective: curiosity.
Dr. Brent notes that a craving for carbohydrates may be your body's way of raising serotonin, which can support sleep during times of hormonal fluctuation.
Katie Bressack encourages people to see cravings as useful feedback rather than a lack of willpower. Craving French fries may signal a need for more healthy fats in your diet. Constant sugar cravings may indicate a need for more protein. She also emphasizes the importance of getting enough fiber from vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and seeds.
Address Stress Before It Becomes Normal
According to Katie Bressack, one of the most common wellness challenges is chronic stress that has become so familiar it goes unnoticed.
Long-term stress can place strain on the body and contribute to hormonal imbalances. Rather than searching for a dramatic solution, she encourages people to start with manageable changes that support resilience and recovery.
Your Next Step
The most important wellness essential may be simplicity.
Take a lavender pause. Pay attention to a symptom you've been dismissing. Add more healthy fat, protein, or fiber to your meals. Notice a craving instead of judging it.
Wellness rarely comes from a complete life overhaul. More often, it grows from small actions, repeated consistently, and a willingness to listen to what your body has been trying to tell you all along.
Hear more from DeAnna Schaefer, Dr. Angela Gao, Dr. Lisa Brent, and Katie Bressack in the full episode: https://tinyurl.com/Essential-Ingredients-Podcast
Meet DeAnna:
DeAnna Schaefer is the founder of Point Reyes Lavender Company and a seasoned physical therapist with over 25 years of experience. Combining her passion for healing with her love for agriculture, DeAnna transitioned from a successful career in physical therapy to establish a sustainable lavender farm in Point Reyes, California. Drawing on her scientific background and entrepreneurial spirit, she has developed a unique line of natural wellness products that emphasize self-care and community connection. DeAnna is dedicated to fostering a joyful, regenerative future through innovative business practices and meaningful collaborations within her local community.
Meet Angela:
Dr. Angela Gao, DACM, MSTOM, is a licensed acupuncturist in New York and New Jersey, a nationally board-certified NCCAOM Diplomate of Oriental Medicine, and Director of the Acupuncture Holistic Center of New Jersey (AHCNJ). Since joining AHCNJ in 2018, she has continued the center's mission of helping patients achieve lasting wellness through natural, holistic care.
Born into a martial arts family in China and raised in New York, Dr. Gao developed an early appreciation for the principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine and holistic living. She earned both her Doctorate and Master's degrees in Acupuncture and Traditional Oriental Medicine from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine and completed extensive clinical training at leading New York healthcare facilities, including NYU Lutheran.
Dr. Gao specializes in pain management, women's health, digestive disorders, facial rejuvenation, and hormonal health. Combining acupuncture, herbal medicine, cupping, moxibustion, and Tui-Na therapy, she provides personalized treatments designed to restore balance and activate the body's natural healing abilities. Her unique background in martial arts, education, and fashion design brings a thoughtful, whole-person approach to patient care and wellness.
Connect with AHCNJ:
Meet Lisa:
Dr. Lisa Brent is a licensed naturopathic doctor and acupuncturist specializing in women's health. With a commitment to holistic and patient-centered care, she integrates primary care training with expertise in lifestyle medicine, nutrition, bioidentical hormone therapy, and gut health. Dr. Brent is dedicated to empowering her patients through education, individualized wellness strategies, and compassionate support. She is the founder of Be Well Natural Medicine, hosts educational events such as the Women’s Health Symposium, and provides care both in-person and via telehealth.
Meet Katie:
Katie is an award-winning holistic health coach who specializes in women’s hormonal health. As a holistic nutritionist, she helps women prepare their bodies for pregnancy, increase energy, get their periods back on track, lose weight, eat healthier,, and maintain a balanced mood through 1-on-1 personalized nutrition and group programs. She attended the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and is Board Certified by the American Association for Drugless Practitioners (AADP). Katie has furthered her education through the Institute of the Psychology of Eating, Dr. Sara Gottfried, and Nicole Jardim. She’s also a registered yoga instructor.
For ten years, Katie supported companies through corporate wellness programs in New York City and Los Angeles. She has partnered with Fortune 500 Companies including Mattel, Vice Media, Digitas, Karl Storz, Publicis Modem, and Prodege. She previously worked in digital advertising and print journalism before pursuing a career in nutrition and wellness.
Connect with NextGen Purpose:
Chapters:
- 00:35 Meet DeAnna Schaefer: Lavender and Self-Care Rituals
- 02:01 Meet Dr. Angela Gao: Meridians and Chi Explained
- 03:00 Li 4 (He Gu) Point: Acupressure for Digestion, Allergies
- 05:21 Tongue Diagnosis: Why You Shouldn’t Brush Your Tongue
- 05:53 Meet Dr. Lisa Brent: Hormones in Perimenopause & Menopause
- 07:36 Midlife Anxiety: How to Report Symptoms to Your Doctor
- 09:09 Midlife Nutrition: Zinc, Carb Cravings and Serotonin
- 11:58 Meet Katie Bressack: Chronic Stress and Estrogen Dominance
- 13:24 Healthy Fats, Protein and Fiber for Hormone Balance
- 15:10 One Small Change to Try This Week
Podcast
- Planting Self-Care: How Lavender Teaches Rest, Renewal, and Joy with DeAnna Shaefer
- Why Your Doctor's "Blank Stare" is Ruining Your Health with Dr. Angela Gao Part 3
- Is Qi Real? Dr. Angela Gao Explains the Science, Myths & Benefits of TCM with Dr. Angela Gao Part 2
- The 400 Hidden Transit Lines In Your Body (Ancient Science Explained) with Dr. Angela Gao Part 1
- The Midlife Hormone Reset: Food, Mood, And Vitality Simplified with Dr. Lisa Brent
- Eat for Your Hormones, Improve Your Health with Katie Bressack
Inspirational Quotes:
01:49 “If patients pause to not only do the exercises in physical therapy, but take time to focus on yourself, look inward, focus on your own healing journey, that's what can catapult you into a quicker recovery.” —Deanna Shaefer
02:42 “If all your qi is flowing properly, all the channels are open, nothing is blocked, then you should be in stellar health.” —Dr. Angela Gao
03:53 “Everything intersects and connects with the cause.” —Justine Reichman
06:11 “There's no system left untouched by hormonal changes. So we want to use that as a filter to make sure that we're looking at the big picture.” —Dr. Lisa Brent
11:38 “It's hard to give across-the-board guidelines because everybody is different; phases are different. I do love the idea of listening to what our bodies are telling us that they're wanting, because it's often very wise if we cut out the noise and the judgment.” —Dr. Lisa Brent
14:43 “We can learn a lot about our cravings. Our cravings are our BFF because when we start craving things, that's when we need the healthier version of what we're craving.” —Katie Bressack
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Justine Reichman
Founder & CEO of NextGen Purpose. Host and Executive Producer of Essential Ingredients — 11 seasons, 330+ episodes, and a growing movement.
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