The Business of Life with Dr King
Dr Ariel Rosita King brings on a variety of International guests from various countries, cultures, organisations, and businesses to talk about turning
problem into possibilities! Let's turn our challenges in opportunities together!
The Business of Life with Dr King
Dr. Sherri James, MD: Transforming Holistic Wellness and Cultivating Empathy for Lasting Health and Empowerment
Join us for a transformative conversation with the inspiring Dr. Sherri James, as she shares her journey to achieving holistic wellness by her milestone 60th birthday. Discover how Dr. James, a family physician in Durham, North Carolina, overcame genetic predispositions and personal health challenges to promote the eight tenets of wellness outlined in her influential book, "Finding Wellness in a Pandemic and Beyond." Dr. James's practice, Body Mind Integration Wellness Concepts, emphasises the integration of body, mind, and spirit, and her personal "journey to sexy 60" is fueled by the Five Principles: Pausing, Processing, Pivoting, Proceeding, and Prospering. Her commitment to wellness is not only about overcoming her own health challenges but also about empowering others to get well, be well, and stay well.
Immerse yourself in Dr. James's philosophy on the vital role of empathy and listening in building strong doctor-patient partnerships, which are key to improving health outcomes. Through anecdotes and reflections, she illustrates how personal experiences and life lessons have shaped her empathetic approach to patient care, while her interactions with her family further fuel her dedication to a healthy lifestyle.
Celebrating alongside Dr. Sherri James, we explore themes of self-awareness, balance, and the empowering questions that guide us in life.
As we express gratitude to our audience, we leave you with the powerful reminder: "If not me, then who?" This episode offers profound insights and inspiration for anyone eager to enhance their well-being.
Music, lyrics, guitar and singing by Dr Ariel Rosita King
Teach me to live one day at a time
with courage love and a sense of pride.
Giving me the ability to love and accept myself
so I can go and give it to someone else.
Teach me to live one day at a time.....
The Business of Life
Dr Ariella (Ariel) Rosita King
Original Song, "Teach Me to Live one Day At A Time"
written, guitar and vocals by Dr. Ariel Rosita King
Dr King Solutions (USA Office)
1629 K St, NW #300,
Washington, DC 20006, USA,
+1-202-827-9762
DrKingSolutons@gmail.com
DrKingSolutions.com
Hi, welcome to the Business of Life. My name is Dr Ariel King and today we have a very special guest, Dr Sherire James. Welcome, dr James, thank you. Thank you for having me Today. I would love to know more about you. Can you tell the audience more about you and what you do?
Dr Sherri James:I am a family physician, currently practicing in Durham, north Carolina. However, I've been basically all over the United States practicing in different areas of medicine, and I have a special day today, as it is my 60th birthday. I am also a mother of three young men. I have had my own practice a wellness practice for quite some time now, as well as I've worked in other areas of medicine. I'm just glad to be here. Me personally, I've had some health challenges myself, so this is how I arrived at Dr James, the holistic health doctor.
Dr Ariel King:I love it, and happy birthday to you. Thank you so much for giving us the privilege of sharing this day with you. Wonderful, so you're a mom and you yourself have dealt with all types of health issues. Can you tell us more about a healthy lifestyle? What does that mean, and also about what you do in helping people to have a healthy lifestyle?
Dr Sherri James:I basically focus on wellness and not necessarily solely health. So wellness is more than just being free from illness. So wellness integrates the body and the mind and the spirit, or what have you. So, back several years ago, during the pandemic, I wrote a book called Finding Wellness and Beyond, and it just started, based on the George Floyd incident back in 2020. So I wanted everyone to know that we can be free from illness, but it's important for us to feel well, not only in the body, but also in the mind. So the book focused on the eight tenets of wellness, which only in the body, but also in the mind. So the book focused on the eight tenets of wellness, which included physical, financial, emotional, social. Those were some of the occupational wellness as well. And so from that time, since 2020, and so from that time since 2020, I have tailored what I do in my own practice based on these eight tenets of wellness.
Dr Sherri James:So back in 2021, immediately after the pandemic, I opened a brick and mortars clinic called BMI Wellness Concepts. So BMI Wellness Concepts was actually started back in 2017. And the B and the M and the I is not necessarily your body mass index, as I don't believe in body mass index, but what it stands for is body, mind integration, so we try to incorporate the entire person in helping you feel well. And how I arrived at the point where I am now? Back 60 days ago, I started on a journey to 60 and I called it my journey to sexy 60. So today is my 60th birthday and even though I called it my journey to sexy 60 is not really my journey. It is the destination, because my journey continues. And again, my motto with BMI Wellness Concepts has always been get well, be well and stay well.
Dr Ariel King:Oh, I love that. Get well, be well and stay well. I love that. I love that.
Dr Sherri James:So can you tell us a little bit more about the get well, be well and stay well. And then you want to go a little bit more about the get well, be well and stay well. Get well came from the fact that a while ago I was diagnosed with some health conditions, and there were a lot of them were hereditary. So I lost my mom a few days before her 62nd birthday and my mom had had, by the time she finally succumbed to diabetes and heart disease. She had had both legs amputated and a couple of strokes and a heart attack. So I knew that this was my genetic map. So I wanted to do something to change my genetic map and because I realized all throughout my mother's family, as well as my father's family, that we had these certain illnesses that were in our family. So my goal was to turn it all around and a lot of it was initially based on weight or obesity. We used to have a thing whenever we got together for family, family gatherings or family holidays. This one uncle is only two years older than me. My mother had 10. It was 10 of them total. So her young, her youngest brother would always say OK, we're sitting around the dinner table at the Buffalo Convention and he would say which of my sisters will will will join the Buffalo Convention. He called it the Buffalo Convention because as they got older they all gained weight and their knees got bigger. So I made a point to not become a member of the Buffalo Convention. So that was the get well part. So I decided to do something about my diabetes, do something about my blood pressure and do something about my cholesterol and, of course, my weight. So once I got to that point right now I think, after my uh, my 60 days and arriving at my 60th birthday, I think I'm just now on the cusp of the be well stage and trying to transition over to the stay well to the stay well stage. So I still have a ways to go.
Dr Sherri James:But when I started thexy Journey, I based it on five principles, and those five, the five principles, are P's, and one P was pause. The next P was process. The third P was pivot. The fourth P was proceed, and then the fifth P, which is today, was prosper. The fifth P, which is today, was prosper.
Dr Sherri James:So for the first P of pause, I decided to take a seat and reflect on what I'd done all of my life growing up, my eating habits, my exercise habits, how much sleep I got, how much water I consumed, and I realized, well, there were some huge deficits, huge deficits. So I said, okay, well then, for like a whole week I kept a log of everything I ate, how much exercise I did, everything, the amount of water I drank, how much sleep I got. And then at the end of that week I was like, oh my God, I have such great, huge room for improvement. So then I decided, on going at the 30 day mark, that it was time for me to pivot and adjust what I've been doing.
Dr Sherri James:So for 30 days, starting last month, everything was based on proceed. So I got to make sure I got seven to nine hours of sleep per night, make sure I drink half my body weight in ounces of water, make sure I walk a minimum of 6,000 steps per day and try with the goal of walking 10,000 steps per day. Also, I made sure I cut out white bread, additional white sugar and white flour, and then I tried to try to eat a little bit healthier. And then so I arrived at today. So over that, over that period of time of those 30 days, I lost a total of six pounds and a few little inches, so I still have a ways to go.
Dr Sherri James:In 30 days. I still have a ways to go, but I'm feeling a lot better and I'm realizing I feel good when I wake up in the morning, especially if I don't fall asleep on the couch and have to drag myself off the couch. But I'm just feeling overall much better, with much more energy.
Dr Ariel King:That's really fantastic. So we have the two P's. What's the third and fourth and fifth P? I really love these P's.
Dr Sherri James:So first P was pause, second P was process, the third P was pivot, ok, and then the fourth P is proceed, and then the fifth P is prosper.
Dr Ariel King:What is the proceed? P what does that mean?
Dr Sherri James:prosper. What is the Proceed P? What does that mean? The Proceed P was the different things I did every day. So the Proceed P included walking a minimum of 6,000 steps per day, drinking half my body weight in ounces of water. So let's say, I'm not afraid to say how much I weigh. I can start out weighing 200 pounds. So let's say my goal is to drink at least 100 ounces of water per day because water makes the body's metabolic processes function. And then another proceed was watching what I ate and eliminating some high calorie foods, including alcoholic beverages, even though every now and then I'll celebrate and also eliminating the proceeding with eliminating processed foods.
Dr Ariel King:Yes, yes, that's fabulous. And then prosper, I guess would be. The result is what you've had. It's not just a matter of weight, as you said, but it's a matter of having more energy, feeling better, Just as you said, the body and the mind. It's not just the body, that's fabulous.
Dr Sherri James:And it took a lot to adjust the mind. So a lot of what your success at anything you try has to do with mindset. So even with the first little half a pound, a few little ounces, I felt good and made me stay motivated to continue on that path.
Dr Ariel King:And I was surprised. One month is great, exactly so.
Dr Sherri James:One of my sons is visiting for my birthday today, so I got changed into this dress. This is my first time wearing this dress and I was so surprised that the dress even zipped up.
Dr Ariel King:You look absolutely gorgeous on your 60th, your sexy 60th birthday. Absolutely gorgeous, I love it. So can I ask, the journey that you've had yourself in BMI body, mind and with yourself does that help you with integration? Does that help you understanding other people that come to you and ask for your assistance, not just as a physician, but as someone who's gone through it in order for them to also take the same type?
Dr Sherri James:in order for them to also take the same type of teaching. Absolutely, it does so you can't. It's good that you practice what you preach and that you're a product of your own teachings, so it helps so much. When patients come to me, I always tell my patients it's not just the doctor-patient relationship, we're partners. And my patient appreciate the fact that I listen to some of the, let's say, myths they may have or the way they want to do things and I'll say, okay, my attitude is, as long as you're not speeding up your death, as long as you don't kill anybody, I'm willing to listen to you and try anything and you'll find that they really appreciate that. And try anything and you'll find that they really appreciate that. And I think they appreciate the fact that I'm going through some of the same challenges that they have and so I can show them tried and true ways.
Dr Sherri James:Now, I haven't always been this way. Sometimes I have my moments where I just can't pick it up or get it going and I feel down and demotivated. I'm trying to encourage myself. So everybody goes through this and I think it helps and it makes me feel good to know that when a patient is sharing with me some of their most intimate secrets or concerns. I can look back, and I can look back on my own life and say, you know, been there, done that. But I still try not to be overbearing and sharing my experiences and let them get it out first, and then I'll say well, you know, you might want to try this, You're not alone. I've been there, done that. So even on my birthday on Friday, one of the one of the front desk medical personnel the medical assistants so she got me this beautiful card and said thank you so much for your motherly teachings and your words of encouragement and your hilarious attitude. So I said, okay, well, thank you.
Dr Ariel King:It makes a big difference, doesn't it?
Dr Sherri James:Doesn't it.
Dr Ariel King:I mean you've. You've done so much in your life with, with all of your experiences and um you know how does that affected you um being a mom to three young men, and have they seen your journey and how do you think it might affect them in the future? Seeing your journey? Have they seen your?
Dr Sherri James:journey and how do you think it might affect them in the future? Seeing your journey? So I got a beautiful card from them, a birthday card from them today, and each one of them said in their section of the card thank you for being such an inspiration. So it almost brought tears to my eyes to know that. So one son was saying, ok, this really started a long time ago. I'm so glad to see and see you're keeping this up.
Dr Sherri James:And then sometimes they'll, uh, they may say, oh, okay, yeah, mom, you're right, mom, how many times have we said this? Blah, blah, blah. So I'm like, well, I'm gonna prove it to you. So my, my actual, my actions speak louder than my words. So it feels good when they say, mom, you look good and again and again, you sound good, you sound so much happier and I'm so glad to see you at this point in your life. And so I know my sons. They are all three of my athletes, they're all exercise holics, but I think they know what their genetic makeup is, but I think they know that what their genetic makeup is, so they're, they're, uh, bound to not, does not not be another statistic. And so they, they, and then they motivate me. They're the my talk to them. Somebody's at the gym, somebody's juicing. I was like, oh, I guess I need to get on board.
Dr Ariel King:I think it's a circle within the family. You motivate them and you inspire them and they inspire you. Remember, you're the mother first and you're the one that helped them into those athletics and you're the one that was there helping them with that, and so I think that the family helps each other. That's really fantastic, really fantastic. Can I ask you, can you tell us any? Do you have any stories, for example, of, I would say, patients or partners that you've had and how they went from one point to another using your system of BMI? Sure?
Dr Sherri James:Oh, let me see if I can think of any. Oh man, there are quite a few. Well, I have this. Of course, I can't use any names.
Dr Sherri James:I have this one lady. So she's in her 70s and she wrote me the most beautiful I'll tell two stories. So this lady's the most beautiful. Thank you for listening to her and partnering with her and helping her to get better. So she had an episode where she was very depressed and others took her the ticket as her wanting to take her life.
Dr Sherri James:So I had to talk with her. She was even hospitalized in a psychiatric hospital for a few days, so I had to speak with the doctor there to let them know what was really going on. Blah, blah, blah, but then trying to, she was having issues too with getting her blood sugar under control, so it was like a medical and a psychiatric challenge. So she pulled out of it after about a good week or two and she has been ever so grateful and thankful for me listening to her and looking at what's going on with her blood sugars and her blood pressures, getting to realize that some of her psychiatric issues had to do with her blood sugar as well. So so so we got. We got her back on track that's another story too.
Dr Sherri James:Like I was in residency this is what, oh, sad to say, about 30, 30 plus years ago, but anyway, in any event. So I was in residency and this is this one lady. It was another guy, older, elderly female who kept coming back and forth to the emergency room and so so all the other residents and the doctor and the attendings, they just kept blowing off. Oh, what is she in here for? What is she in here for? Blah, blah, blah, blah. So I got, took, I sat there and I just listened to her. And then she says I get a headache every day at this certain time. So I said so what are you doing every day at this certain time? Come to find out.
Dr Sherri James:Sometimes, when you come in the emergency room, your blood pressure is really high. When we give you put a blood pressure medicine that comes so like a little gel liquid in a little capsule, we will puncture the capsule and put the liquid up under your tongue, so to rapidly lower your blood pressure. Well, she had been in the emergency room so many times and on her blood pressure she decided she would do this at home herself. So she would take a safety pin and poke a hole in the little pill and put the liquid up under her tongue so it would lower her blood pressure to the point of where she would get a headache the same time every day. But all it took was listening to what her daily routine was to realize what the issue was. That's amazing. So I still have it to this day. She made me a homemade angel for my Christmas tree.
Dr Ariel King:That's so kind. So that actually allows me to understand how you came up with this body and mind integration, and that has been a part of your journey as a healer and as a physician for many, many years. And it does make sense that the mind affects the body but, more importantly, the body truly does affect the mind. So to have an integration of both makes all the difference.
Dr Sherri James:And it's so important as caregivers or healers or physicians, that we listen to our patients caregivers or healers or physicians, that we listen to our patients. And I have this thing on one of my bedroom walls. It's a. It's a quote from I assume I'm saying this correctly Desiderata, and there's one line in there that says everybody has their story, even even the vein and the. It's one of the words they may use, the word ignorant. I hate that word, but that's that's my thing. Everybody has a story. Just listen, let a person tell their story and let them allow you to help them decipher their story and see how they can turn their story around. That is, they want help. Some people just want somebody to listen to them, and that's fine too.
Dr Ariel King:That's a very good point. Sometimes people don't want a solution. They just want you to hear what they have to say, and they want you to hear what they're going through. But that's part of the body mind too, isn't it? Because sometimes people feel that they're not heard and they go to the doctor to be heard, and once they heard, then maybe they can actually go to whatever step that they need to after being heard. So that's just as important.
Dr Sherri James:And it reminds me of another story. This was my oldest is 26, even though according to his birthday card, he thinks he's still 25. Anyway, he's 26. And I remember when he was a sophomore in college. He calls me at two o'clock in the morning and he's crying on the phone. I said what is going on? He says, mom, don't try to fix it, just listen to me. So he told me the story of what had happened to his friend, who had just had a paranoid, schizophrenic episode and wound up in a psychiatric hospital again. So so my son was like. He loved his friend dearly, so he just wanted someone to listen to him and listen to his concerns and see him cry. And that's when I realized, as a mother, definitely as a doctor, we're always trying to fix it. And that's when I realized everything doesn't need fixing. It only needs fixing if you decide you want to fix it.
Dr Ariel King:I agree, that's so true, and maybe quote unquote fixing it is just listening and being there and experience this with me. I want you to know what's happening to me, I want you to know what's happening for me. And that makes all the difference, doesn't it? So perhaps, even with your bmi and body, um, body, mind integration, it's really just a matter of being a good human being that's also a physician yep, absolutely.
Dr Sherri James:And then nowadays too, people are steering away from synthetic medicines and more of a holistic approach, and I am all for that. So I go back several years ago. I took myself off a thyroid medication, two blood pressure medications, an anemia medication and a diabetes medication. So I was taking five different medicines and again I realized you know, I can do this, I don't need all of this. So I figured the pharmaceutical companies were just making a killing and everybody had a hand in my health and in my decisions. I said something has got to be done, there has to be a better way. So that's the vision or the mission of BMI Wellness Concepts is to educate people and improve health literacy so you can take care of some of your own issues yourself.
Dr Ariel King:I think you're absolutely amazing and I've learned so much from you, and I'm sure that our audience has learned so much from you too. Do you have any last thoughts, any last words you'd like to tell our audience about this?
Dr Sherri James:uh, body, mind, integration, uh I would say um, you can do it, and also never let a certain thing, like like my birthday 60 be be your final destination. So so life, life is a journey, not not just a pit stop or a destination.
Dr Ariel King:Thank you, I love that. Thank you for Dr Cherie James and her company is Body Mind Integration and she also has a book. Can you please show us your book? And we'll also put it in the chat, so people can, and where can we find it?
Dr Sherri James:You can find it on Amazon. What's the Barnes and Noble bookstore? It's a quick read. It has a worksheets in here. It's a wonderful book, if I should say so myself. And then also if you're into social media or Facebook, I got started a Facebook group called Holistic Health Tips with Dr J, so just go on there and join that Facebook group, and what we focus on is every so many days a week we focus on different holistic tips. For example, I did something on I don't know how many people participate in the New Year's tradition of collard greens and black eyed peas, so I did a quick blurb on the benefit and the real reason we eat collard greens and black eyed peas. How it lowers your LDL a bad cholesterol improves your HDL. A good cholesterol also keeps your arteries from clogging up and can prevent heart attacks and strokes. So just little things like that, everyday things you can do to help with your health and wellness.
Dr Ariel King:Thank you. You have so many resources for people out there, so that's wonderful, not only just your book, but also you have a Facebook group. We're going to be putting that within the chat of the Business of Life. And, dr Shui James, I want to thank you for being with us. I've learned so much today and it's really been a privilege to speak with you in your sexy 60s and your birthday. Happy birthday to you, all the best to your wonderful sons, and I want to thank our audience for joining us today and remember, if I am not for myself, who will be for me? If I am only for myself will be for me. If I'm only for myself, what am I? If not now, then when? That's hello, and I always say if not me, then who? Thank you for joining us. We'll see you the next time.