
Tonka Talk Community and Connection
Welcome to Tonka Talk, the podcast that explores community and connection around Lake Minnetonka.
Nestled near the serene shores of Lake Minnetonka in the Twin Cities, our show is your guide to discovering the inspiring stories of individuals and groups who are crafting vibrant, meaningful community and connection in this picturesque setting.
From lakeside gatherings to community events, from stories of local heroes to heartwarming tales of collaboration, we dive into the ways people are coming together to create a strong sense of belonging.
Whether you're a longtime resident, a newcomer to the area, or simply interested in the power of community, Tonka Talk has something for you.
Do you know of someone creating community and connection in a unique or big way? Share it with us. We would love to hear from you.
Learn more and connect with us at https://www.tonkatalk.com
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Tonka Talk Community and Connection
Blue Zones to Snowy Homes Dr. Jason Strandberg on Cultivating Health in Winter
Discover the secrets of thriving through the chill of Minnesota's winters. You'll be enlightened by our conversation about the essential role of sunlight in boosting our vitamin D—and mood!—even when the mercury drops.
We also tackle the powerful influence of laughter, daily exercise, and the underestimated importance of a hearty social life. Dr. Jason's expertise brings to light the fascinating connections between our well-being and the warmth of community ties, proving that a good laugh with friends might just be the best medicine for the winter blues.
Dr. Jason Strandberg
https://www.lakeminnetonkamobilewellness.com/
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Hello everybody, welcome. I'm Natalie. This is Tonga Talk, where we talk about the ways people create community and connection all around Lake Minnetonka and beyond. If it's your first time here, welcome. Be sure to hit the subscribe button and, as we go along, if you like this video, go ahead and like it as well. If you've been here before, welcome back.
Speaker 1:You know what we like to talk about and I like to bring in people who are contributing to that whole motion of improving the ways that we live and the ways we can come together in the community. And today I get to talk to Dr Jason Strandberg. Hello, how you doing today. Fabulous, especially now that you're here and I can pick your brain with all kinds of stuff. But don't worry, I'm not going to show you a rash and ask you what it is, unless you're okay with that Matt on camera. No, now he owns and runs Lake Minnetonka Mobile Wellness, which is just like it sounds. It's actually mobile. You get to mobile and go see patients, and today we're going to talk about the whole idea of you know, taking care of ourselves, that well-being, but especially in the wintertime because we live in Minnesota.
Speaker 2:It's cold here sometimes.
Speaker 1:It is. And right now, right now, as of this recording, I don't even know how cold it is. It's like massively cold outside and what I think. So this is what happens to me. I will use myself as an example for all of you, because I'm sure I'm the only one. When it gets like this, it's you know I don't want to go anywhere because it's cold or I just want to. I find myself even on the weekend. I just want to close the blinds and put the fireplace on, even if it seems like it's nice outside in terms of light. And what do you think like does that from a health perspective because you know where we live in Minnesota, we're not always getting a lot of sun and daylight and I know that can affect people is what would you say? Is there a downside to locking myself in and closing the blinds and trying to do it like that?
Speaker 2:Yes, there is. I mean, fresh air is good for everybody, sunlight is good for everybody, and we don't get a ton of that here. So when it's here, during the winter months, when we have such short days, it's a good idea to get out and let a little of that sun hit your face, hit your hands, even though the weather is well. My car said negative one when we were pulling in. It's ridiculously cold, but we lose out on so much sunlight in the winter, we get so much in the summer. Because this is Minnesota, everybody wants to be outside in the summer. Yeah, but only a select few want to be outside in the winter. And if you don't like ice skating and cross country skiing or downhill skiing, you don't have a ton of reasons to be outside, because even the ice fisherman or people who are doing ice fishing are inside their tents or their houses.
Speaker 1:Yeah, in the ice house. If they're in an ice house, I don't even think about that. You're right because you think about that, like, oh well, I'm going to go ice fishing, I'm going to be outside, but if you're in an ice house or a tent, you're still not in the sun.
Speaker 2:You're still not getting the sun, and the sun, when it hits your skin, makes vitamin D, and we all know that vitamin D is important for a lot of things.
Speaker 1:Does that? Is it the same? If it's, maybe you know sunlight through a window, does it need to be direct outside sun for that, that to get those the benefits from?
Speaker 2:it. It's any white light, pure white light. So sunlight through a window, sunlight for real. Even the fake full spectrum lights are better than nothing, but there's still that benefit of fresh air and community outside. And when you lock yourself in your house, it's just you and your partner or your kids or whoever is with you. Yeah, and sometimes they drive you nuts, being trapped up with them in the house all day.
Speaker 1:Definitely so it's. It's even more of a reason and I've not thought about that in the wintertime that in the winter that we still need that sunlight, that we need it to hit our bodies even if it's freezing cold out. What do you think about the? I've been reading some things lately that talk about how people who don't spend time with other people socializing or pursuing an interest, that there's an actual decline in health From that, from having that disconnection or that lack of community.
Speaker 2:Well, there's definitely a connection to health and well-being and to having a support system, a support group. Back in the 1970s we there were research studies done that showed that people who had a support network, people who felt like they could talk to somebody when they needed to, were significantly less likely to die or be hospitalized of significant health problems. Wow, and that didn't even take into account all the things that we look at when you go to the doctor's office blood pressure, yeah, weight.
Speaker 1:That's fascinating. So, basically, by not maybe isolating yourself and not having that interaction is detrimental to your health. I've kept, I've heard that and, like I said, I've been reading about it, but I've been dying to sit down with you. I feel like is this true or is this just made up to get me outside and around people?
Speaker 2:No, it's not made up, it's true. The studies behind exercise and health and the studies behind socialization, or human connection and health are overwhelming. Just getting 20 minutes of your heart rate up a day and just spending a few minutes a day with somebody that makes you smile, makes you laugh, is going to actually make you feel better and be better.
Speaker 1:I like that and that's doable, because you said 20 minutes, not an hour. Or you know what I'm saying, because, it's right, I haven't quite gotten to the point yet where exercise is a regular thing and I want to do that. But part of it is I get overwhelmed because I'm like, oh, 45 more minutes or an hour, it's more the time, but you're saying it could make a difference in our health even if we were just 20 minutes, being consistent and getting our heart rate up.
Speaker 2:Most of the research out there shows that if you can get your heart rate elevated for 20 minutes a day and not even 20 consecutive minutes, 20 total minutes a day you will reap significant health benefits.
Speaker 1:Wow, not even consecutive. So if I had a break in my day, or sometimes what I like to do is take a phone call and then lap around the office just walking and talking, so if I were able to kind of piece 20 minutes together of that even you're saying there could be a benefit.
Speaker 2:Absolutely.
Speaker 1:Oh, I'm liking this, I can do that, and that's what I'm hearing from you is it's actually to make significant improvements in our health. You're talking about things that are really doable 10 minutes here, 10 minutes there, but put together 20 minutes during the day. Spend time with people you enjoy being around and get outside, absolutely. Have you ever heard of the blue zones?
Speaker 2:Yeah, oh yeah. The blue zones are nine places around the planet that people tend to live to 100 years or older and don't have the diseases and conditions that we do. They don't have heart disease, they don't have most of the cancers that we do and they die at 100, 110 years old With all their original teeth and all of the there's. They don't have the health problems we do. One of the things that they noticed about all those communities is none of them had exercise plans, but every one of them had exercise in their daily routines. They walked places, they bite places as a form of transportation, so they were getting physical activity, but they weren't going to a gym.
Speaker 1:But they weren't going to the gym. Wow, what are some of the other things that they do in blue zones that we could kind of pick up on? You know here, and not being in a blue zone, I'm in Minnesota. Is there a blue zone in the United States?
Speaker 2:Yes, there is one in California. Okay, it's a, I believe it's a seventh day Adventist community and it is a definitive blue zone, and I believe somebody's trying to add another one in an area in Hawaii. Oh, oh, because there's a. There's an area in Hawaii where people tend to have the same characteristics and traits.
Speaker 1:Wow, I would write that is.
Speaker 2:I'd have to look it up, but there's definitely one in southern California.
Speaker 1:Yeah, if you know and you're with us on the live and go ahead and put it in the chat and if you're catching this on the replay, tell me in the comments if you know when this blue zone is, or coming up in Hawaii and have you ever gone to or visited a blue zone. I would love to hear about your thoughts on that.
Speaker 2:But the blue zones is basically people tend to eat diets that are low in animal fat. It's a mostly plant-based with lots of nuts, lots of beans, lots of Lots of protein from other sources. Not vegetarian strictly. They will eat meat or fish or poultry On occasion, sure, but it's not like a burger. Is there every day meal.
Speaker 1:Yeah, they eat a burger and fries in a shape fries in a shake.
Speaker 2:No, it would be Fruit and vegetable and rice and some sort of protein with yeah, so they're tending to eat More of the Mediterranean style, that more of the Asian style diet, um, and they tend to also be in communities where People interact with each other a lot and sometimes you've got multiple generations in households.
Speaker 1:Is that specifically a trait, that that's common? You're so you're saying that's a common trait in blue zones, because I know I I grew up in Hawaii and it was very common to have multi-generational families living together grandparents with the grandkids and the parents and so on well, I mean Hawaii is a lot of Asian and Pacific Islanders.
Speaker 2:Yeah, we've come to live in Hawaii and and that is a very, very big part of the culture a lot of Asian and Latino culture Is that families live close to or with each other.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that would make sense then. Huh, I had no idea that are actually was a thing and happening in Hawaii.
Speaker 2:It's not. Nobody's actually said it is a blue zone yet, but they're definitely saying it could be yeah, because then if you look at Hawaii, has the highest life expectancy of any state in the US.
Speaker 1:What? I didn't know that either.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Whoa, you just blow in my mind with the facts today.
Speaker 2:The surprising thing is, you know what? I don't know if this is true from last year, but as of three years ago, minnesota was either number two or number three. Whoa of longevity Of longevity.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I like liking this.
Speaker 2:But again, think about all the things. You might not yourself like to go outside and play in the snow or in the ice.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 2:Think about all the things you could do if you wanted to.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's true, when it's not too cold, like I don't mind getting out. You know, I like to make a snowman, I love to do stuff like that in the snow, but it knowing that, like even thinking about, here in Minnesota the ice freezes. I don't know if you know, if you live in the area, you know, like Minnetonka, which is right across the street from us, will freeze over in the wintertime and you can go ice fishing, ice skating, and there are multiple events happening around the like Minnetonka area that happened on the ice this year, though.
Speaker 2:They canceled a bunch of them because there wasn't enough snow and ice.
Speaker 1:Yes. So what I'm hearing from you, then, is if this is a way, if these different events that happen outside because of the lack of ice and snow being canceled, there's probably a lot of people then who aren't really going to be getting outside in the wintertime Not unless they find another reason.
Speaker 1:Yeah, huh. So do you think that then? Do you kind of see around? Well, we can only let's talk about the area that we live in, and you know you see patients in the area as a doctor. Do people generally know about kind of some of these concepts with the blue zone? I mean, I've heard of it, but is it something that you talk about with your patients too?
Speaker 2:Sometimes, yeah. Sometimes the blue zone concept comes up. A lot of people know about it but a lot of people have no idea. Yeah, some people think it's just good genetics, but it's really a lot more than that. Yeah, health partners years and years ago started working with a group that actually a friend of mine from college was running, where they did a blue zone collaborative and then we'd go to cities that were trying to develop themselves and to create as much of a blue zone effect as they could.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So if you're building, if you're creating a new city, they're, first of all, sidewalks everywhere so you can walk to places. Have stores intermingled with houses so people can walk to the shops and so they can see their neighbors when they're going shopping. Have a park be the central part of the city so people can be outdoors interacting, exercising together.
Speaker 1:You know I went to I remember going to Texas and I think it was around Houston where I was shocked by a lack of sidewalks in places. I don't know if you've been there, I've been there yeah. But did you notice that too, I know? At least when I was there I was kind of like why aren't there more sidewalks where people can walk? Because nobody walks.
Speaker 2:It's. You know, in the summer it's 100 degrees and it feels like it's 125. Nobody walks.
Speaker 1:Well, but I mean here in Minnesota, if we can go out when it's like I've been at events outside, you just dress for it when it was like definitely air temp close to zero and probably some zero. You're not out there a long time, but I think I'd rather, if I had to be ridiculously super hot or cold and be able to dress for that, I'd probably take the cold Minnesota temperatures. What would you take?
Speaker 2:I would take the cold as well, but I grew up here and yeah, it's easier to put clothes on.
Speaker 1:You can only take off so much if it's really hot.
Speaker 2:Right, and if the sweat isn't evaporating, you're not going to feel good period.
Speaker 1:Yeah, is there anything else that in the wintertime and even if people don't live around here in this area, that they should be thinking about in terms of things they can do throughout the week to help with their just overall well-being? Because I feel this time of year, as we gear up for the holidays, I feel there's this excitement, more and this energy. But then you get past the holidays and then if you live in a place where it's cold, like I do, then it's like such a bummer and it's dark at 430 and you're just like is that an effect from just it being a lack of sunlight, lack of being outside? Probably, well, think about what just happened here.
Speaker 2:We're in the second week of January right now heading into the third week of January.
Speaker 1:And already. I'm complaining about it.
Speaker 2:We are on some of the shortest days of the year, and so the farther north you go in the US or anywhere north of the equator, the farther north you go, the less sunlight we get at this time of year. Well, sunlight hitting your skin makes vitamin D. Vitamin D, among other things, makes you feel happy.
Speaker 2:It helps with your mood. It helps with a bunch of other things too, so we're not getting as much sunlight. If, because of the cold, you're staying indoors, you're getting even less sunlight. Now, not getting the vitamin D, can you take a supplement? Can you get a diet? Yeah, but still not quite as the same effect of the sun.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so it's not a substitute for the sun. Even if you took a bunch of vitamin D, you still want to have that exposure. You still do.
Speaker 2:Yeah, vitamin D, shellfish, seaweed or kelp.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:So I mean, if you have an Asian diet, you're in much, much better shape than people who won't eat.
Speaker 1:That's good to know, because I do love. I love Japanese food and Korean food.
Speaker 2:There just isn't a whole lot of non seabaring food that has the amount of vitamin D that those things have.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:But the community piece. And also, okay, we're in the middle of January. How many people just spent more money than they had on Christmas? How many people just did a hundred parties and they only wanted to go to two? How many people did all of these things? You're finally catching up, yeah true.
Speaker 2:It's catching up to you. Yeah, and we know this. When you put yourself through a high stress situation for a long, long period of time, for several days or weeks, the amount of cortisol in your body goes up and up, and up and up to keep you going. And then when you finally stop with all that stress, it crashes. And so you feel this crash. Your immune system has become depressed and oh yeah, by the way, you probably just got sick after Christmas.
Speaker 1:Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, I actually know a lot of people who got sick after Christmas.
Speaker 2:now that you mentioned it, and then if you're talking about the feeling, feeling glum feeling blue somewhere right around now.
Speaker 2:You probably got your credit card for Christmas too, so you know, oh, yeah. So how do you deal with all of that? I mean, you do the things that can make you happy. Yeah, get some sunlight, get outdoors, get fresh air. Fresh air is an amazing cure for many things, even if you can only get five or 10 minutes of it at a time. Yeah, exercise. Like we said, just 20 minutes of exercise a day will make you feel better and will make you be healthier. Now, if you're trying to lose 50 pounds, no, that's going to take a long time.
Speaker 1:20 minutes a day what if I'm trying to lose like 10 pounds?
Speaker 2:So I mean, if you're trying to lose 10 pounds a day, there is a 10 pounds total. There is a way staying in that 20 to 30 minutes a day that you can easily do that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, still reasonable.
Speaker 2:Just do I mean really, if you're just trying to lose a little bit of the holiday fat? The funny thing is lift weights.
Speaker 1:Lift weights huh. Well, in keeping it in that 20 minute realm, I feel like I can do that. If it needed to be a lot more then I'd be like, ah, maybe I'll keep the 10 pounds.
Speaker 2:Some people love exercise, some people do. I wish I had more time to do it, because I do enjoy it. But, that being said, it's not reasonable to spend three or four hours a day at the gym. If you have family, kids, a job, people who count on you for other things, it's just not going to happen. Yeah, that makes sense. So, yeah, you're better off doing smart exercise than hard exercise or long exercise.
Speaker 1:What if I crammed my sunlight time into go spending a week in Hawaii right in February or March and I was in the sun like every day, all day? I'm assuming it doesn't work that way, that you can't. Just, I'm not squirrel collecting nuts that I can hold on to through winter. Sunlight isn't held in my body. It's something that more regularly needs to occur.
Speaker 2:It is something that more regularly needs to occur. Now. My wife and I took our kids to Mexico for a few days for New Year's. I will tell you this I think the effects last for a few weeks, so does it. Getting the sun, getting the relaxation, the reduced stress, will help you feel better. Now, how do you reduce stress? Well, one of them is exercise. Another one is laughing.
Speaker 1:Ooh, I like that.
Speaker 2:Laughing releases a bunch of stress relieving hormones. So does exercise. So does interacting with friends, being in the community.
Speaker 1:So, if you can, get together with friends you like who make you laugh, and go on a walk that you're kind of like hitting all the points there.
Speaker 2:You're nailing everything right there.
Speaker 1:yes, that's what I'm hearing. You need to get more friends together. Get outside, do a little bit of walking, but with people who are fun and make me laugh.
Speaker 2:And you'd probably feel better for it.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And you'd enjoy it.
Speaker 1:Mm-hmm, you're right. That's much more enjoyable. I think part of with the exercise. Why I push back on it or I don't make it happen is because I don't generally enjoy it. I enjoy afterwards.
Speaker 2:You enjoy the results, not the process.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, but I do enjoy walking outside, not when it's as cold as it is now, but I would say, walking around outside, especially with like you're saying with people that I like and enjoy, I do enjoy that and I'll stay outside walking longer. Or if I've got a great podcast or if I'm like listening to something on YouTube, then I'm more likely to do it.
Speaker 2:Well, why do you think exercise classes are so popular? Yeah, I mean, with an exercise class you get the exercise piece, but you get the community part, and the community part one holds you a little bit more accountable to showing up, yeah, but two, you get that socialization along with the exercise. That makes a lot of sense, and so people will get a lot more. A lot of people get more results out of doing an exercise class.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Or say, playing a pickup game of basketball with a bunch of friends, yeah, and then they'll laugh at the same time.
Speaker 1:They'll laugh at the same time. They're exercising.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they get the community, they get the laughter, they get the exercise all in one shot, wow.
Speaker 1:These are great tips. You must be a doctor or something. Now I have. In the description of this video, there's a link where you can learn more about Dr Jason Strandberg and what he does with Lake Minnetonka mobile wellness in the area. I appreciate you so much coming in and basically telling me things that I can actually deal with. I can get outside, I can get a little bit more sun and I can piece together 20 minutes a day of activity. And I really feel, too, like you just signed off on, because one thing that I have been kind of like I think I need to improve on is spending more time with friends and doing those things that I do, things that I enjoy and luckily I enjoy my job a ton, but getting out and doing that. So you are inspiring me, dr Jason.
Speaker 1:Well, I'm glad, so thank you so much for joining, thank you for having me and everybody else, thank you for being here and if you're catching this on the replay, by all means, I want to hear in the comments what you think about this and if you're listening on our Tonka Talk podcast. Thank you so much for being here, everybody, and you know you will catch me again soon talking about something else having to do with community and connection in the area. Have a great day.