
Relationship Reset: Reignite, Reconnect, Rebuild
Feeling stuck in your relationship after years together? Relationship Reset is your go-to podcast for busy, high-achieving couples ready to break free from autopilot and rebuild a thriving partnership. Join relationship expert Katie Rössler, LPC for practical tools, real-life stories, and actionable advice to reignite passion, rebuild trust, and reconnect on a deeper level. Whether you’re navigating communication breakdowns, struggling with intimacy, or just feel disconnected, this podcast is here to help you transform your relationship—and create the love you’ve always envisioned.
Perfect for couples who want to reignite their spark and reconnect with purpose. It’s never too late to hit reset.
Relationship Reset: Reignite, Reconnect, Rebuild
How to be the CEO of Your Health with Esther Yunkin
Are you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted, and noticing your health starting to decline? In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to let stress take the wheel, but what if you could reclaim your well-being and become the CEO of your own health?
In this episode, I'm joined by Esther Yunkin, a registered nurse with a holistic approach to health and wellness. Esther shares her insights from years of experience in both conventional and alternative medicine, empowering you to take charge of your health journey.
In this insightful conversation, Esther highlights the importance of viewing health holistically, considering not just physical symptoms but also emotional and mental well-being. We delve into the challenges of navigating the modern healthcare system and the importance of advocating for yourself and the practical strategies for educating yourself about your health and making informed decisions. Also, the simple yet powerful ways to support your well-being, such as diaphragmatic breathing and mindful technology use.
In this episode:
- Why it's crucial to take ownership of your health and become an active participant in your healthcare decisions.
- How to build a "board of directors" for your health, including doctors, specialists, and other healthcare providers who align with your values and needs.
- How to identify and address the root causes of health issues, rather than just treating symptoms.
- Discover the impact of stress on overall health and the importance of stress management techniques.
Connect with Esther:
Website: https://healthwithhashimotos.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/health.with.hashimotos/
Resources:
Couples Goal Setting Workbook
Level 10 Relationship Assessment
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Follow Katie Rössler on Instagram
Check out the podcast website
Welcome back to the podcast!
Have you noticed your health is starting to struggle as you feel more stressed and overwhelmed? Probably, it's happening to all of us. So, I brought in Ester Yungkin, and we're going to be talking about how to be the CEO of your health and give you some more empowerment in how to handle how stress is impacting you.
Welcome to the Balance Code Podcast, a place for high achievers to step outside the hamster wheel of day-to-day life and start learning tools for more balance. I'm your host, Katie Rössler, and I will be guiding you on this journey of discovering your balance code.
Ester, thank you so much for being here! And I know you're going to have a lot of great wisdom and ideas for us. I'd love you to just take a moment and share about yourself, where you are, what you do, and who you serve.
Esther: Yeah, so I currently live in Minnesota, which is at the top of the United States. And growing up, I lived here, and then there wasn't enough snow, so I moved up to Alaska for a while because I needed more cold and snow. That's where I met my husband. Then after, we traveled around for a while and landed in Minnesota again. We have four boys and a whole bunch of chickens. Both of us are nurses, and I've always been a nurse. Like, you know, I went from high school to college and then was a nurse. And ever since the beginning, like my philosophy, my world view in nursing, is that you are a whole person. It's not just physical, like Western medicine tends to see people as. So, after about 17 years working in various emergency departments and trauma centers, uh, I just got fed up and I went back to school for holistic education. And now, my primary focus is helping women with autoimmune, specifically Hashimoto's, um, helping people really take ownership of their health and find answers. And with the experience that I have in Western medicine and holistic, like I feel like I really can help people find their own path.
Katie: Yeah, very holistic way of working. I love that you pointed out you needed more snow. I would love to switch—well, not from Minnesota, but you can come here in Germany. We do get a lot of snow. That that was one of the things where, you moved here, I was like, "Oh, all four seasons? What? Wow!" And winter is like, how long? Like, oh my gosh! So, I I respect that you love snow that much, um, but it is definitely not my calling, though.
I love that you work in the health field the way you do, and I love that nursing really guided you on a path to now working with your clients the way you do. So I think that's really cool. I'm I'm excited to hear, um, some of the suggestions you have for us and some, some maybe some stories you can share from your clients, your own experience, um, you know, what makes you so passionate about empowering people to really be the CEO of their own health?
Esther: It's something that that nobody can do for you. And I feel like we're raised in an environment, in a culture, that says the doctor is in charge of your health, and that's so—it just takes away your power. And so, if I can give that power back to people, they can do better. And and it's even little things. When I was in the emergency department, I remember one dad I would see, 'cause people come in frequently, like you get to know them, even though it's the emergency department. And usually, he would bring in his kids for ear infections, and I could smell that he was a smoker. So, I asked, you know, "Are you a smoker?" And he would say, "Yes." And I would just point out, not judgmental, not shaming, just educating, that smoking is linked to more ear infections. And one day, he came in without his kids and he's like, "You're that nurse!" And I was like, "Wait, what?" He's like, "I quit smoking. I wanted to let you know. I quit smoking because of what you said." Like, that is taking your power back. The doctor wasn't educating them about that; it was the nurse. And in knowing more, he can do better, and he could change his entire family. Like, that's why I love when people take that power back,
Katie: and I think that's really important, 'cause what we're about to venture into, this conversation, a lot of people can immediately be turned off from, 'cause it's like, "Oh, they're going to be bashing doctors." No. What we're saying is, you know, doctors and nurses have a skill—set—and you have the ability to say, "Here's what I know to be true about myself," or "Please educate me," like he did, right? Educate me better, so then I can make the changes and switches. It's not that one is better than the others, like, equal partnership. When I have couples in my office, I'm not coming in going, "I'm the expert who's going to tell you how to save your marriage and da da da." I'm listening, and I'm reflecting to them what I'm noticing so that they can make the shift so that they are empowered. So, it's exactly the same. So, if you're like, "Oh, what is this conversation going to be about?" Cool, cool, it it's okay. We're empowering of all sides.
Katie: What does it mean, beyond the "TWD skate," to really actually be the CEO of your health? Like, what—paint the picture, because in today's society, it's very easy for us to think it means one thing, like, "I'm the boss and this is all," but like, what does that actually look like?
Esther: I view it as you are the ultimate decision-maker. You have what I call a "board of directors," and that would be your doctor. You want a doctor on your board of directors because they have a specific viewpoint, and they are doing their best to help you. They might be limited by what insurance says, like they only get, you know, 8 minutes with you now, or something, but you want somebody on your team. You might want a specialist on your board of directors. You might want, you know, a chiropractor, or a nurse, or educator—there's so many different—or therapists you might—there's so many different people that you can put on that board of directors, and they're all giving you their best advice. And then, it's your job as the CEO to take all of that advice and to look at the full picture, like, "What is going to work for me? What is going to work in this season of life?" And then implement. Yeah, that's what I view as CEO.
Katie: So, Esther, for somebody who's listening who's like, "I'm just so exhausted, and I really just want to outsource this. Like, I really I don't want to have to research and go to three different doctors and, you know, get a second and a third opinion, and my insurance isn't covering stuff." That's often where we get the trap, right? We get sort of stuck in the "It's just easier to outsource it to one person, even though I don't really like them and I, you know, I've heard so many horror stories of like bad experiences, but they keep going back to that healthcare provider instead of going and searching for others, 'cause it's kind of like, you know, touching the stove and burning your hand, you're like, 'I'm just not going to do that anymore.'" And it's like, "Well, okay, but you just mentioned you need that, that board of directors. You do need a team that you trust as well and who listens to you." So, how do we get out of that mindset of like, "It's just so much easier to outsource this, Ester? Why do I need to be the CEO of—I'm already reading enough on this and that, and I'm listening to this podcast. What? Why? Why is it important?"
Esther: Well, number one, just know that healthcare isn't like it used to be. There are statistics that if you go to the doctor, if they just zip their lips and listen for, I think it's like 3 minutes, they can diagnose you 90% of the time. But because of what insurance companies have done to us, and to the medical world, um, they don't have that 3 minutes anymore. So, while they might want to do their best for you and and they're trained and everything, they don't have the time. And so, yes, you're like doing the shortcut of outsourcing and going to see your doctor, doing what they say, but you're not getting the best advice, and you're ending up wasting time, money, and resources while you wait for the real answer. Like, in Hashimoto's, which is an autoimmune condition that affects your thyroid, the average woman, before they're diagnosed, they see four different doctors or specialists. They get multiple misdiagnoses, and then it's 4 years until they finally figure out what's going on. So, it might seem like a shortcut to just go see your doctor, do what they say, but really, you're extending your time of getting sicker before you get an answer.
Katie: And I think that's that's true non-gender-specific, the health issues related to stress and overwhelm, and and that compounding of that, right? We will receive so many different diagnoses, and that's including with a therapist. You're going to hear, "Oh, I think you have this, or I think you have this," if they're not able to really stop and listen and to hear all the factors of what's going on and to ask good questions to reflect on. And that's the key. Like, if you don't—like you're being asked questions and you're just being talked to, that's very different, right? I think that's the different dynamic. Ah, no.
So, what are some things that we can start to do to—we've already talked about—build that team, but also educate ourselves, 'cause there's so much information out there. There's so much that it's so hard to get lost in and know what is right and what is wrong, and who's marketing to this and who's paying for that research. How do we find the stuff that actually supports us?
Esther: I think we go back to our toddler years and just keep asking, "Why?" Like, if the doctor says you have this diagnosis, "Why do you think that?" And then, more importantly, "What do you think caused it?" Because the diagnosis is just a name for the conglomeration of symptoms. It's not telling you what actually went wrong. So, ask "Why?" all the time. Ask "Why?" If you see somebody marketing to you on social media, ask yourself, "Why? What do they want to sell me? Are they selling their course, or are they selling their supplements, or their whatever, or are they actually selling me on me and my health?" Like, there are definitely courses and supplements and, you know, various things that can help you on your journey, but not every single thing is going to help you. So, just ask, "Why?" and then ask, you know, one layer deeper, "What is this going to address, or what caused it?
Katie: Such a great way. And, you know, I have found—and obviously, I'd live in Europe with a different healthcare system in a different way, depending if you're privately insured, publicly insured—but I find even in the States, you can call and speak with the nurse or the help desk and get more answers than you can in that appointment sometimes. Yeah.
And I'll go, "Okay, let me look at your chart. Oh!" And I remember this with my daughter, you know, and the pediatric services she would receive. It was very easy for them to go, "Okay, let me look at the chart. Okay, this was this diagnosis because of these things." And it was like, "Ah, thank you! I couldn't remember that piece." So, don't feel like if you don't get that moment, you can't get it till the next appointment. Call—call and ask, you know, or email and ask and say, "I'd like to see—" The biggest thing, you know, I I think, as far as being the CEO of your own health, is also ask for a copy of the results. Ask for a copy of the records to things, you know? And like likely your experiences, that education alone could be a game-changer for someone to go like, "Ah, this is what can be causing this! Like, oh, this is the issue! My levels were normal—where in the normal range were they?" Because if they're right on the cusp of being on the higher end—belike almost the higher end—that you and I would look at that, be like, "Oh, no. No, that's warning signs of something, so hey, let's start working on it." But you've just been told you're in the normal range, and, you know, or even the lower end, right? And so, that's the piece where you being the CEO, by asking the questions—I love that—by not being afraid to ask the questions, even after the appointment.
[Katie interrupts with a podcast advertisement]
Katie: What about when we're at home? You know, we love—we love the—what was it? WebMD is what I used to love in college. Like, I'd be like, "I have this symptom and this symptom on the left hand, right—the hemisphere, the right." Like, I love—and then you're going to die. Yeah. It was always something like, "Here's the 10 different things that could be," and the 10th one was always like the worst case, and you're like, "Yeah, it's definitely that, right?" I definitely have that. So, for those of us who like to do the self-diagnosing just to save time, right? That just seems like it's saving time. What are your tips and advice how that may not be being the CEO of your health?
Esther: To be honest, it's really not. I think keeping a log of your own symptoms and getting a good idea of, "What do these symptoms do?" Keeping, um, a diary of what impacts what. So, if you're keeping a log and you notice that when you don't get a good night's sleep, like you have a skin flare, or when you eat a certain thing, you're depressed, like, start noticing different relationships because it might not be like a diagnosis that you're seeking. It might be actually like right in front of your face, like, "Oh, I need to stop eating dairy." Like, you might not want to, but it might be right there. So, look at the clues. And then, yeah, of course you're going to go online, you're going to listen to podcasts, you're going to do your own research, because that's what we do. We want to learn; we want to fix ourselves. And there's nothing wrong with that. Um, I think what is bad is American blinders and like, "It can only be this thing," "I have to have this test so that I get this answer," like you know what answer you're looking for and you keep pursuing that. And in the research that they've done, the people who like demand that the doctors give them certain tests because they're concerned about things, they actually have more go wrong, like more medical events because of all the further testing. So, like, be your own advocate, but also like look at the symptoms and look at the things in front of you. And then also, don't be limited to one insurance plan. Now, I say that, like my husband's job gives us one insurance plan, like that's it. But at the same time, when I was looking for a specialist or a nurse practitioner who could help me with my Hashimoto's, I looked at how much I would pay with insurance for my office visits, and then I found a nurse practitioner who was outside of insurance. And so, per visit, it seemed more expensive, but because she's not controlled by insurance, she's giving me 30 minutes, and it ended up—when I did the math, like without the time, just with the math of the office visit—it ended up that I was going to save money going to her. I never would have considered that initially because we're so trained to like just follow the insurance. "While I have this insurance, I have to do this." So also, look at that when you're doing like your Google research, like, "Is there somebody who could see me who has better answers and who could fit into your budget?"
Katie: I love that tip. Lastly, before we wrap up, what are some signs and symptoms you notice for those who are really stressed and overwhelmed, you know, who are on that burnout train, is what I like to call it, 'cause they're like, "We're going—used to—no jumping off." What are some things that are those warning signs we should start to really pay more attention to?
Ester: They are, um—we know that stress is the leading root cause of medical problems, so pay attention to what your body is telling you. Every symptom is just a cry for help. I like to look at the—my dying plants off camera. Um, you know..there I've got brown leaves, and those brown leaves tell me a reason. Is it because I over-watered, under-watered? Is it because the cats got in and started eating the plants? Um, is it because—there's so many different reasons, but the problem is not the leaves. The problem is what caused that. So, like, be your own advocate, look for the reasons why. I guess that's that's the No. 1 thing. And if you know it's stress, which there's almost always a stress component, then work on the stress. Because if your doctor says you have this diagnosis, or if you, you know, "Google MD" says that you have this diagnosis, and you know that stress is an issue, no matter what the diagnosis is, you still have to address the stress. So, why not start addressing the stress right away?
Katie: Yes, and I think often we just try to fix the symptoms, right? You know, like, okay, well, having issues with digestion, let me take something for that. I'm having issues going to sleep, let me take something for that. And it ends up compounding in our system even worse, instead of, like you said, addressing the stress, which might mean uncomfortable conversations or difficult decisions. We're not downplaying the fact that that is hard, but you've just said it could save you time, energy, and your overall physical health if you just change the stressor, the thing that's actually causing stress, or maybe how you're managing the stress. And that's maybe seeking out support through a therapist, or coach, or, you know, finding—I've been all about like, hey, what sport, external, you know, outlet can you do to like let out that energy? We just need more of that in our lives if we're going to keep that compounding stressor. Yeah, you know, whether it be a job, whether it be a family situation, what is it—life! Sometimes there's just things we can't shift, so it makes sense. Yeah.
Esther: Or even just like diaphragmatic breathing before you eat. Like, you know, you're stressed, so you know your body is in, you know, that stress mode. So, take some deep breaths to switch over into the rest and digest and get out of the stress mode, at least while you eat, so that it helps your digestion. 70 to 80% of your immune function is in your gut, so there's little teeny tiny things you can do while you're addressing the stress.
Katie: I love that tip. I'm so glad you added that. I mean, I would even throw in, like, put your phone away, even 15 minutes before going to bed. Really just right it away. Like these little things… If people want to learn more from you and and tips like this and and, you know, being able to see how you could support them, where can they find you?
Esther: The best place is probably my podcast. There is a catalog of about over 100 episodes now, and they are not all Hashimoto-specific. My podcast is "Health with Hashimoto's," but I have a lot of episodes on stress, a lot of episodes on dealing with that because it's such a root cause. And then, I other—have other episodes about being the CEO of your own health. So that's the No. 1 place. And of course, they can come to my website, which is health with—health with [invalid URL removed].
Katie: Thank you, Esther. I will make sure those links are in the show notes. Maybe we can find one of those episodes and put that specifically in the show notes that people can go straight to that and start to binge-listen to your episodes as well. Esther, thank you for coming on, sharing your, you know, honest opinions and thoughts on things, but also from your experience and the work you've done as a nurse and giving us that chance to recognize the importance of being the CEO of our own health, um, how it's not so hard, it's not so scary, and actually will save you time, energy, and money. Like, that's like—what? All three? I'm in! Yes! You've sold me. So, I really, really appreciate you taking the time out to to talk with us. Yeah.
Esther: It's been an honor. Thank you for having me.
Katie: Of course. And, dear listener, here's to finding our balance code.
Katie: Thank you for listening to today's episode. I hope you enjoyed it. Take a moment to leave a rating and a review on your favorite podcast platform. That helps other listeners just like you to find this podcast, too. Want to connect and learn how we can work together? Check out the links in the show notes below. Discovering your balance code doesn't have to be a one-person journey; you can have a team, and I'd love to support you. So, here's to finding our balance code.