Pain and Placebo (0:00:00) The human brain can do some incredible things. It can store millions of memories, do complex math problems by itself, and (on a good day) it can even remember your neighbor’s name. But did you know that it has the power to relieve your body of pain, without taking any medicine? This interesting phenomenon is called the “placebo effect” and has been studied by scientists for centuries. Joining us on the show today is Dr. Jeffrey Mogil, a pain researcher from McGill University, here with us to talk about the placebo effect and how it is impacting pain research. Don’t Slow Down (0:14:31) For a lot of us, retirement is a ways away, but it’s something we still think about. And, it’s always good to plan ahead. But do you ever fear that once you do retire, you’ll have way too much free time? You’ll have 40 or so extra hours during the week. What are you supposed to do with them? Seymour Ubell is an entrepreneur who founded a company in his sixties and continues to work as Chairman. He has no intentions of slowing down. We love his hardworking and driven attitude and wanted to find out how he stays motivated. Stand-Up in a Crisis (0:32:05) When the world is as crazy as it is right now, where do you turn to take your mind off of things? When we’re trying to forget our worries, some people throw themselves into their work. Others dig into a good book. But nothing works quite like finding something to make you laugh. Whether it’s watching a classic sitcom or listening to a full standup performance, comedy can help us come to terms with reality, while also helping us forget about it. We’re joined this morning by standup comedian and actor Ethan Herschenfeld to talk about what comedy means to him. Safe Communities (0:50:38) When we talk about “safety”, we usually think about those who are in charge of protecting us... homeland security, neighborhood watch or police patrol. But even though these protection organizations are in place all across the country, we all still have feelings of anxiety about our safety. We still lock our doors at night. We might even invest in a home security system. And sometimes our reactions to our anxiety can negatively affect marginalized people. So, what can be done to build communities where everyone feels safe? Here to share with us his ideas on the subject is Zach Norris, author of “We Keep Us Safe.” Struggling with Food (1:05:47) In our culture that is focused so much on appearance, it’s easy to beat ourselves up based on what we eat. Some of us eat too much, some of us eat too little. Especially now that most of us are quarantined in our own homes, it can be so hard to have a good relationship with food. Here to help us learn how to develop a healthy relationship with food as we travel our own paths is Kim Howie and Nancy Werteen. They are the co-founders of The Wisdom Coalition. Weekend Review (1:25:06) Lisa and Richie discuss what there is to do this weekend while everyone is cooped up at home.