Building Healthy Communities Through the Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine Presentation to Navajo Nutrition Summit 2026

In this presentation at the Navajo Nation Special Diabetes Program Nutrition Summit, program supervisor Kenan Barlo introduces keynote speaker Mei Liu, founder of the Lotus Health Foundation and non-profit partner of Rochester Clinic.

Drawing from her work in Rochester, Minnesota, Mei Liu explores how evidence-based lifestyle medicine aligns with Diné cultural traditions and ancient wisdom to promote community wellness.

Key Highlights & Topics Covered:
The Six Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine: An introduction to a whole-person health framework encompassing w...

Stop Feeling Stuck: Simple Changes for a Healthier Life

Stop Feeling Stuck: Simple Changes for a Healthier Life is the topic of today’s episode of Healing Steps to Wellness with Mei L:iu & Dr Jengyu Lai. Learn practical healing steps to wellness with actionable strategies from the experts at Rochester Clinic.

This presentation offers a clear guide to improving your overall health through structured wellness tips. Mei Liu and Dr. Jengyu Lai break down essential concepts to help you navigate your path to better health, focusing on sustainable habits rather than quick fixes. Whether yo...

More Than Medicine: Movement, Connection & Healthy Aging

More Than Medicine: Movement, Connection & Healthy Aging. What does it really mean to age well? It’s about more than treating illness. It’s about creating a life that keeps us moving, connected, engaged, and supported.

In this episode of Healing Steps to Wellness, Dr. Jengyu Lai and Mei Liu welcome Sylwia Bujak Oliver, Executive Director of 125 LIVE, for a lively conversation about healthy aging and the powerful role community can play in our overall well-being.

Sylwia shares how 125 LIVE has grown into much more than a fi...

What a Brain Tumor Taught the AMA President About Health

What a Brain Tumor Taught the AMA President About Health is the topic of this episode, the AMA President opens up about how a brain tumor changed the way he thinks about health, medicine, and what it really means to care for people. Rather than focusing only on treatment after illness begins, he makes a strong case for prevention, lifestyle medicine, nutrition, and the community factors that shape long-term well-being.

The conversation explores why so many health problems are connected to what happens outside the...

Blue Zones, Longevity, and Whole-Person Health with Dr. Wayne Dysinger

Blue Zones, Longevity, and Whole-Person Health is the topic of this episode of Healing Steps to Wellness. Dr. Jengyu Lai and Mei Liu welcome Dr. Wayne Dysinger for a deep conversation on Blue Zones, longevity, and whole-person health. They explore how lifestyle medicine is reshaping the future of care through nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management, and social connection.

Dr. Dysinger shares how the Blue Zones approach helps communities live longer, healthier lives by focusing on practical habits that support vitality and reduce chronic disease risk...

The Hidden Hormone Shifts Behind Anxiety, Brain Fog and Fatigue

The Hidden Hormone Shifts Behind Anxiety, Brain Fog and Fatigue is the topic of this episode of Healing Steps to Wellness, Mei Liu and Dr. Jengyu Lai sit down with guest Denise Stegall to explore the hidden hormone shifts that can contribute to anxiety, brain fog, fatigue, sleep changes, mood swings, inflammation, and midlife weight gain. Denise shares how hormone changes can begin earlier than many people realize, why nutrition matters more during midlife, and how stress, sleep, and blood sugar all connect to hormone health.

Morning Movement, Sunlight, and Brain Health Habits That Work

Morning Movement, Sunlight, and Brain Health Habits That Work is the topic of this episode of Healing Steps to Wellness, Dr. J and Mei explore the powerful connection between heart health, brain health, plantar fasciitis, insulin resistance, and inflammation. They discuss how muscle health affects glucose use, why walking after meals can help reduce blood sugar spikes, and how daily movement supports whole-body wellness. The conversation also includes practical lifestyle tips, healing strategies, and delicious food as medicine ideas featuring beets, kale, and other anti-inflammatory foods.

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What Young Adults Really Think About Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Medicine

What Young Adults Really Think About Healthy Eating and Lifestyle Medicine is the topic of this episode of Healing Steps to Wellness with Mei & Dr. Jengyu Lai, the family sits down for a real and practical conversation about how healthy habits develop across life stages. Mei and Dr. Jengyu Lai are joined by their children, Elden and Hannah, to talk about transitioning from a standard American diet to a whole food plant-based lifestyle, learning to cook, staying active, and making better food choices in college and...

Healing the Body: Regenerative Medicine and Root-Cause Care

In this episode – Healing the Body: Regenerative Medicine and Root-Cause Care, Mei Liu interviews Dr. Jengyu Lai about one of the biggest health topics right now: chronic inflammation and how it may be affecting your energy, weight, brain fog, pain, and overall wellness. They explore how inflammation is connected to gut health, insulin resistance, sleep, stress, movement, and the foods we eat — all themes that continue to resonate strongly with health-conscious YouTube audiences.

Dr. Lai explains why many people feel “off” even when their lab results look normal...

Chronic Pain Won’t Go Away? The Regenerative Medicine Approach that Actually Works

Chronic Pain Won’t Go Away? The Regenerative Medicine Approach that Actually Works. Most people are told their labs are “normal” — but normal isn’t the same as optimal. In this episode, Dr. Jengyu Lai (board-certified podiatrist and lifestyle medicine physician) reveals why chronic, low-grade inflammation is silently driving fatigue, brain fog, weight gain, and some of today’s most serious diseases — and why your doctor may not be catching it.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
The difference between acute inflammation...

How do you enjoy a cruise without sacrificing your health gains? In this episode, Dr. J and Mei share practical, real-life strategies for staying healthy before, during, and after a cruise — from researching your ship and ports, to packing smart snacks, hydrating well, and navigating buffets with intention. They also talk about avoiding the […]

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Join us for a powerful Healing Steps to Wellness conversation on healing, food sovereignty, and Indigenous wisdom in action. In this episode of Healing Steps to Wellness, Dr Jengyu Lai & Mei Liu explore how traditional foods, cultural teachings, and community-driven policy are helping reclaim health in Native American communities. Our guests Former President Jonathan […]

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The post Habits That Could Change How You Age from the 2026 Health & Wellness Symposium appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

How can busy adults eat for longevity without spending hours in the kitchen? In this conversation, Dr. Jengyu Lai and Mei Liu speak with Dr. Laura Rhaney about practical, evidence-based strategies for building a plant-forward diet, improving healthspan, and making sustainable nutrition changes that actually fit real life. We discuss: – How to make plant-based […]

The post How to Eat for Longevity: Practical Plant-Based Nutrition for Busy Adults appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

In this inspiring conversation, Tiffany Olson shares her journey from working as an X-ray technologist and project manager at Mayo Clinic to becoming a powerful force in her community through nonprofit leadership, volunteer service, and whole-person wellness advocacy. Tiffany discusses her work with Elder Network, Lotus Health Foundation, and the Small Business Referral Group (SBR), […]

The post The Hidden Power of Nutrition, Connection, and Care appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

Discover how a low‑fat, whole‑food plant‑based diet can transform your blood sugar, weight, and long‑term health in as little as three weeks with Dr. Neal Barnard. In this powerful conversation, Dr. Barnard shares the research behind plant‑based nutrition for type 2 diabetes, heart health, brain protection, and sustainable weight loss. You will learn why fat […]

The post Three Weeks to Change Your Health: Dr. Neal Barnard’s Plant-Based Blueprint appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

Mei Liu, Dr Jengyu Lai, Suzanne Koepplinger Healing Steps to Wellness In this heartfelt episode of Healing Steps To Wellness, Mei Liu and Dr. Jengyu Lai sit down with Suzanne Koepplinger, the early funder and champion who helped them secure seed grants to launch the very first Lotus Health Foundation Community One Symposium and gala […]

The post Lotus Health Foundation: Building Community Wellness One Soul at a Time appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

Discover how world‑renowned physician and bestselling author Dr. Joel Fuhrman helps patients reduce or eliminate medications by using a Nutritarian, food‑as‑medicine approach. In this in‑depth conversation with hosts Mei Liu and Dr. Jengyu Lai on Healing Step to Wellness, he shares his journey from elite figure skater to pioneer in nutritional medicine, and why so […]

The post Off Meds and Truly Well: How Dr. Fuhrman Uses Food to Heal appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

In this powerful episode of Healing Step to Wellness, hosts Dr. Jengyu Lai and Mei sit down with triple board–certified gastroenterologist and best-selling author Dr. Will Bulsiewicz (“Dr. B”) to unpack the missing links between leaky gut, chronic inflammation, and autoimmune disease. You’ll hear Dr. B explain how the gut barrier works, what “leaky gut” […]

The post Leaky Gut, Inflammation and Autoimmune Disease: What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

In this episode of the Healing Steps to Wellness podcast, we share a powerful real life story of diagnosis, lifestyle change, and renewed health. Guest Steve Thompson discusses how a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis shortly before retirement became a turning point rather than an endpoint. Facing strong family history and rising health risks, he explains […]

The post Can Diet Reverse Type 2 Diabetes? A Real Patient Experience appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

In this episode of “Healing Step to Wellness,” Dr. Jengyu Lai and Mei Liu sit down with Dr. Robert Kornfeld, a pioneer in functional podiatric medicine, to explore how treating the whole person—not just the foot—can radically change outcomes for chronic foot and ankle pain. Dr. Kornfeld shares his unconventional journey from aspiring rock star […]

The post Why Your Foot Pain Keeps Coming Back: Root Cause Functional Medicine Explained” appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

Breathing is something we do all day without thinking about it—but what if changing how you breathe could support your brain, your mood, and even your long‑term risk for dementia? In this episode of Healing Step 2 Wellness, Dr. J and Mei sit down with Dr. Paul Min, a Mayo Clinic neuroscientist who spends his […]

The post Can Breathing Help Prevent Alzheimer’s? New Brain Research Explained appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

The post GBOMBS, Rainbows, and 30 Plants a Week: A Fun Guide to Gut Health appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

Many professionals feel they “don’t have time” for regular workouts, yet they worry about losing muscle, strength, and energy. This live session with Dr. J explores the concept of “Zero‑Time Fitness” — integrating brief, strength‑supporting movements into your existing day so you can build and maintain muscle without extra gym time. Using a lifestyle medicine […]

The post Zero-Time Fitness? How to Build Muscle with No Extra Gym Time appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

In this episode of Healing Step to Wellness, Mei & Dr J explore why gentle, sustainable movement can be more healing than high‑intensity workouts. They explain how over‑exercise can lead to muscle breakdown, inflammation, free radicals, hormone disruption and immune imbalance, and why movement should create energy, not exhaustion. You’ll learn about: Hand‑swing Qigong (Pin […]

The post Hand‑Swing Qigong: The “Boring” 30‑Minute Practice That Transforms Your Health appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

Discover how to rethink fitness beyond six-pack abs and step into a lifestyle that protects your brain, strengthens your body, and supports long-term vitality. In this Healing Steps to Wellness episode, Dr. J and Mei unpack how movement, daily habits, and whole-person health choices can prevent chronic disease, improve circulation, support skin and foot health, […]

The post Rethinking Fitness Exercise for Brain, Body, and Longevity appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

In this episode, Functional Medicine Nurse Practitioner Dawn Ritter joins Mei and Dr. J to break down one of the most misunderstood health challenges today: the connection between hormones, thyroid function, stress, and unexplained weight gain. Dawn explains why so many women are told their labs are “normal” even when they feel anything but normal—fatigue, […]

The post Hormones, Thyroid & Weight Gain: What Your Doctor Might Be Missing. appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

In this Healing Steps to Wellness episode, Dr. J and Mei explore how everyday choices around food, movement, sleep, stress, social support, and passion shape the way your feet feel and how you move through life. Instead of focusing on medications or procedures, they talk about practical lifestyle shifts that can ease nagging foot and […]

The post Plantar Fasciitis Pain? Everyday Habits That May Be Making It Worse appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

When it comes to reclaiming our health, many of us start by looking for external solutions—new medications, trendy supplements, or quick-fix detox plans. But as this week’s conversation on Giving Staff to Wellness revealed, the most powerful medicine often comes from the simplest source: whole, natural food. In this heartfelt episode, Dr. J and Mei […]

The post The Emotional Side of Eating: What No One Talks About appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

In the latest Healing Steps To Wellness episode, Dr. J and Mei welcomed holistic practitioner and educator Gail Van Kanegan for an inspiring discussion on energy, healing, and seasonal balance. As autumn settles in and the frost begins to form, the trio explored how we can align our inner rhythm with the cycles of nature. […]

The post Energy Medicine for Modern Times: Healing with the Seasons appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

On this episode of Healing Steps to Wellness, Dr. J and Mei invite Dawn Ritter, a seasoned nurse practitioner and former registered dietitian, to share her remarkable path from clinical nutrition at the Mayo Clinic to leading in the field of lifestyle medicine. With over 25 years of clinical experience, Dawn’s perspective on healing is […]

The post From Dietitian to Healer: Dawn Ritter’s Path to Wellness Leadership appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

Sometimes, the best lessons in health don’t come from textbooks or fitness routines—they come from observing how people live. On this episode of Healing Steps to Wellness, Dr. J and Mei share reflections from their recent journey through Vienna, Budapest, and Prague, uncovering powerful wellness habits hidden in everyday European life. From the moment they […]

The post The Secret to European Longevity: Lessons from Our Wellness Journey appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

On the latest episode of Healing Step to Wellness with Mei and Dr. J, the spotlight shines on a truly inspiring guest: Jessie Allison. With a background as a registered dietitian and a passion for service, Jessie has built a life centered on community, compassion, and wellness. Her journey illustrates the powerful ways in which […]

The post Community, Wellness, and Service: A Conversation with Jessie Allison appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

A breast cancer diagnosis changes life in an instant. For many women, the journey brings not only physical challenges but also emotional hurdles, uncertainty, and the need for support. On Healing Steps to Wellness, host Mei Liu sits down with Lori Denison, a breast cancer survivor whose story embodies strength, resilience, and the healing power […]

The post From Diagnosis to Advocacy: Lori Denison’s Breast Cancer Story appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

Join Dr. J and Mei on Healing Steps to Wellness as they welcome Art Meyer, a respected elder, community leader, and passionate advocate for whole-person health. In this inspiring conversation, Art shares his journey of integrating lifestyle medicine, plant-based living, and faith to uplift both personal and community wellness. From the Complete Health Improvement Program […]

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Join Dr. J and May on Healing Steps to Wellness as they welcome Dr. Amit Sood, a globally recognized expert in resilience, mindfulness, and emotional well-being. In this engaging and insightful conversation, Dr. Sood shares science-based strategies for reducing stress, enhancing joy, and building emotional strength. Discover how mindfulness can fit seamlessly into your daily […]

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Join Dr. J and Mei on Healing Steps to Wellness as they welcome Dr. Mark Melin from the Mayo Clinic. In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Melin shares insights on whole-person wellness, immune system health, and the power of community. Topics discussed include: – Practical steps to strengthen your immune system – The role of community […]

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In this milestone episode of Step 2.1: Whole-Person Health, Dr. J and Mei get personal as they reflect on their first 90 days of podcasting together. From humble beginnings to heartfelt interviews, they share the most powerful moments, meaningful guests, and surprising lessons learned along the way. You’ll hear highlights from conversations with wellness leaders […]

The post Behind the Mic: Reflections & Real Talk with Dr. J and Mei appeared first on Healing Steps to Wellness.

In this episode of Healing Steps to Wellness, we welcome Gail Van Kanegan, a highly respected nurse practitioner, Reiki Master, and energy medicine educator. Gail brings her deep experience in both clinical and holistic health to explore how energy awareness can transform your approach to healing and self-care. We discuss Gail’s journey from traditional nursing […]

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In the latest episode of Hearing Steps to Wellness, Dr. J and Mei welcome two distinguished guests—former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez and First Lady Phefelia Nez. This enlightening discussion dives into their personal and community-based wellness journey, shedding light on how leadership, tradition, and resilience are tightly woven into holistic health practices. Broadcasting from […]

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