by Rona | Jun 12, 2020 | KPFA, Nurse Rona, Podcasts, Radio Shows
It’s vital that we all reflect on how we talk with children about racism and understand how our spoken and unspoken words and actions shape them. Are you raising your kids to be anti-racist and compassionate people? How do we help them see that Black Lives Matter? And do they see you stand up for antiracist policies?
As parents, grandparents, teachers, aunts and uncles, we have a big responsibility. Our kids are always watching us and listening to how we understand the world. Let’s help each other, for our kids sake.
Allison Briscoe-Smith, Ph.D—6/15/20 on KPFA.org—94.1FM

by Rona | May 28, 2020 | KPFA, Podcasts
Feeling fear and uncertainty is normal at this time. There is so much going on that is out of our control. How do we work with our mind and body to reduce the negative effects of stress and call on our mental resources for well being?
I’m honored to have Rick Hanson, PhD, join us for a conversation about his work.
Listen now to the show on 6/1/20 at KPFA.org, 94.1FM
Rick Hanson, PhD is a psychologist, Senior Fellow of UC Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center, and New York Times best-selling author. His books have been published in 29 languages and include Neurodharma, Resilient, Hardwiring Happiness, Buddha’s Brain, Just One Thing, and Mother Nurture. His free weekly newsletter has 150,000 subscribers and his online programs have scholarships available for those with financial need. He’s lectured at NASA, Google, Oxford, and Harvard, and taught in meditation centers worldwide. An expert on positive neuroplasticity, he began meditating in 1974 and is the founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom. He loves wilderness and taking a break from emails. 
by Rona | May 14, 2020 | KPFA, Podcasts, Radio Shows
Listen now to our show on 5/18/20 @KPFA.org—94.1FM for a conversation with Geriatrician Dr. Louise Aronson on elders during this deadly pandemic.
The CDC reports that 80% of coronavirus deaths are people 65 and older.
Research is showing that adults 60 and older, especially those with preexisting medical conditions, are more likely to have severe coronavirus infection than other age groups. One way to reduce the risk of older family members catching the virus is to limit in-person visits—but there are also consequences to this strategy. Social distancing doesn’t have to mean isolation or loneliness. We need a society that cares about elders!
Dr. Louise Aronson is a geriatrician, writer, educator, and professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and the author of the New York Times bestseller Elderhood: Redefining Aging, Transforming Medicine, and Reimagining Life. A graduate of Harvard Medical School and the Warren Wilson Program for Writers, Dr. Aronson has received the Gold Professorship in Humanism in Medicine, the California Homecare Physician of the Year award, and the American Geriatrics Society Clinician-Teacher of the Year award. Her writing appears in publications including The New York Times, Washington Post, Discover Magazine, and the New England Journal of Medicine. Her work has been featured on CBS This Morning, NPR’s Fresh Air, Politico, LitHub, Kaiser Health News, and Tech Nation. And recently we heard that Elderhood was one of 4 finalists for the General Nonfiction Pulitzer Prize! Find out more at https://louisearonson.com/

by Rona | Apr 30, 2020 | KPFA, Podcasts
Listen now to 5/4/20 show on About Health (KPFA.org–94.1FM)
With the Covid-19 Pandemic, anxiety about our health, safety, and future is high! It’s hard to relax when there is so much uncertainty. For many people it’s particularly challenging. Under normal conditions anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults in the US age 18 and older, and is thought to be the most common mental health problem in the US.
Call us with your concerns and questions: 1-800-958-9008

Jennifer Shannon, LMFT is a licensed psychotherapist and a Certified Diplomat in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy specializing in anxiety. She has over thirty years of experience treating children, teens and adults. She is the author of five books, including Don’t Feed The Monkey Mind, The Anxiety Survival Guide for Teens, and Monkey Mind Workbook for Uncertainty to be published August of this year. She is coming out with a kindle book this month called The Anxiety Virus, Five Essential Practices to Build Immunity to Uncertainty. She speaks regularly at national conferences and has been featured on radio programs, in magazines and newspapers. She co-authors her books with her husband Doug, a gifted illustrator. Find out more about Jennifer Shannon at www.jennifershannon.com
by Rona | Apr 16, 2020 | KPFA, Podcasts, Radio Shows
Listen now to the show we did 4/20/20 on About Health KPFA.org—94.FM
We discussed things to do (and to avoid) to build a strong immune system and stay healthy.
We know that basic things like eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising are all key ingredients to good health, but during a pandemic things get more complicated.
Are you having trouble sleeping? Do you find yourself looking in your refrigerator for foods high in fats, carbs, and sugar too often? Is your anxiety about the future getting the best of you? And are you worried about an underlying medical issue, but not sure if you should call your doctor?

Harry McIlroy, MD, is an integrative physician certified with the Institute for Functional Medicine. Before medical school and completion of residency at Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, he had a background in nutrition and obtained a Master’s degree in acupuncture and Chinese medicine. Dr. Harry strives to provide patients with health tools that empower them to improve their well being. Some of his specialities include Medical Cannabis, Chronic Pain, Digestive Health, Regenerative Medicine, and Insomnia. He serves as a volunteer clinical faculty member for the UCSF Medical School, and mentors and teaches medical residents at the Contra Costa Regional Medical Center, which provides medical care to underserved populations.