820 – A First Responder Health Program That Addresses Mental AND Physical Wellness

In this episode, Dr. Sunjya Schweig—an expert in complex chronic illnesses—speaks about the first responder health program he devised for the Berkeley Fire Department. 

Exposure to extreme stressors leaves first responders prone to many health risks themselves. To date, the top two killers within this profession are cancer and suicide. 

Recognizing the need to help first responders with their physical and mental health, Dr. Schweig built a program that follows many of the best practices we use at our clinic. 

Hear what gut health, nutrition, stress management, and sleep techniques can help improve overall health. 

Featured Studies 

• https://rudermanfoundation.org/white_papers/police-officers-and-firefighters-are-more-likely-to-die-by-suicide-than-in-line-of-duty/

• https://www.wshu.org/news/2019-04-01/suicide-the-leading-cause-of-death-for-police-officers-data-show#stream/0

• https://www.nami.org/Advocacy/Crisis-Intervention/Law-Enforcement

• https://www.police1.com/police-products/fitness-mental-health-wellness/articles/tackling-the-obesity-epidemic-in-law-enforcement-Wjww8YOny7DXry6Z/ 

Featured Resources

• Effects of Stress on the Brain: https://drruscio.com/effects-of-stress-on-the-brain/ 

• California Center of Functional Medicine’s Project Wellness Program: https://www.ccfmed.com/functional-medicine/first-responders 

• HeartMath Biofeedback App: https://www.heartmath.com/ 

• Buddify Meditation App: https://buddhify.com/ 

• Align Podcast: https://www.alignpodcast.com/ 

• Neuroplasticity Healing: https://drruscio.com/neuroplasticity-healing/ 

• Breath by James Nestor: https://www.amazon.com/Breath-New-Science-Lost-Art/dp/0735213615 

• Gupta Program for Brain Retraining: https://www.guptaprogram.com/

• Zemedy IBS & Gut Health Care App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/zemedy-ibs-gut-health-care/id1442789941 

Timestamps

00:00 Intro 

05:33 What the Right Care Looks Like 

09:30 The First Responder Program

14:00 EMS Stress Management

18:35 Hallmark Symptoms of PTSD

22:00 Effective Stress Tools 

24:27 Useful Apps

26:48 The Impact of Breathwork

29:07 EMS Cancer Risks

32:28 Structuring Shiftwork

37:39 The Conditions Being Seen

39:41 The Tools Being Used

42:30 Ketamine & Psilocybin

45:36 Avoiding Burnout

46:59 Time in Nature

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DISCLAIMER: The information on this site is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before starting any new treatment or discontinuing an existing treatment.

Music featured in this video: "Modern Technology" by Andrew G, https://audiojungle.net/user/andrew_g 

*Full transcript available on YouTube by clicking the “Show transcript” button on the bottom right of the video.