With all the misinformation out there about health and nutrition, it’s hard to know what you can do keep your body and mind in tip-top shape.
Dr. Sam Graber specializes in helping people stay healthy and looking great now… and for years to come.
This retired chiropractor turned health coach is a big advocate for “real food” that hasn’t had the nutrition processed out of it. And she doesn’t believe in dieting.
We talk about how you can get started on a more healthy lifestyle and maintain it in the long term.
Listen in to find out…
The trusted advisor you need for your health – it’s not your doctor
The unexpected factors that increase your chances of dementia
The better alternative to dieting
How you should exercise (it’s easier than you think)
And more
Listen now…
Mentioned in This Episode: www.drsamgraber.com
Episode Transcript:
John Curry: Hi folks. John Curry here with another episode of John Curry's Secure Retirement Podcast. You know, I talk all the time about retirement is not just about money. You can have all the money in the world but if you're not healthy, so what? It would be a lousy retirement. I've been looking forward to this interview today because I'm sitting across the table from a lady named Sam Graber, Dr. Sam, they call her. And she's going to talk with us today about some of the crazy things that people have never asked her in her 25-year career. So, Sam, welcome.
Dr. Sam Graber: Thank you. I'm happy to be here.
John Curry: I'm glad you're here and I'm looking forward to learning more about your topic. But first, would you please tell our audience who you are, what your background is, and why in the world you're sitting here sharing information to help people have a better health and retirement?
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure. The last part, why I'm here sharing it, this information, is because it is an absolute passion of mine. I've always been one of those people that feels like I want to be helping. And so, years, and years, and years ago I decided to go to chiropractic school because I thought that would be such a good way for me to be able to help people really improve, not only their health but the way their body feels, the way they look, all these great things. Over time, I practiced for 25 years, and I enjoyed every minute of it. But I felt like I was kind of being restricted by just being within that specific profession because people just see you as a back and neck and headache doctor. But really my passion was so much more. So, I have been obsessed with nutrition for practically 30 years because I really know that that's where everything's at.
So, what brings us across the table from each other today is we met last month at one of our business masterminds and it was instant, where it's like, "Wow, you do the wealth, I do the health. They are so intertwined." So, after a 25-year career in chiropractic, I retired two years ago to do online coaching 100% of the time. So now I take care of people in a different way. I mostly help them take care of themselves. I teach them what to do. I give them the exact steps to take. I help hold them accountable because that's a big part of it is you know, we've all learned things, and I heard someone the other day call it shelf-esteem. You know you take a class, you take all these notes, you put it in the book, and it goes on your shelf, and you don't do anything with it.
John Curry: I like that, shelf-esteem.
Dr. Sam Graber: Don't you like that? Now I'm remembering, it was Jack Canfield. And he is, you know, he's the Chicken Soup for the Soul guy. But it's a thing where we sometimes know what we need to do, and just when we think we know what we need to do, as far as our health, we read some report or some headlines that say, "That's bad for you now."
John Curry: Well, let's address that for a moment.
Dr. Sam Graber: Let's do it.
John Curry: Because I guarantee you, people that listen to this are in the same boat that I've been in.
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure.
John Curry: Okay, caffeine is not good for you. Don't drink coffee. Then you see another article or a research, they say coffee is great. Don't do this. Don't do that. You know what I came up with after my heart surgery 10 years ago?
Dr. Sam Graber: What's that?
John Curry: The hell with it. I'm going to do what I want. But I'm going to do it in moderation.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah. Yeah.
John Curry: I'm going to eat what I want. If I want a bowl of ice cream right now, I'm going to go find a bowl of ice cream. I'm just not going to eat the whole box of ice cream.
Dr. Sam Graber: There you go.
John Curry: Like I did when I weighed 282 pounds.
Dr. Sam Graber: There you go.
John Curry: ... that?
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: So, I'm just totally convinced that, 65 soon to be 66, that we don't know how long we're going to live. I teach my clients assume you're going to live to be age 100 so we know that you don't outlive your financial resources. But you could die today. You could die of a heart attack now.
Dr. Sam Graber: Absolutely.
John Curry: I could.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: You know? So, we've got to have a balance there between I could die today, not likely, or I could live to be 100 years old, not like either, but it's somewhere in there, maybe 80s or 90s. But if I don't take care of myself, with the nutrition, and the exercise, then I'm in trouble.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes.
John Curry: And you made a comment about health and wealth.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes.
John Curry: I think it was Benjamin Franklin who gets credit for saying, "Healthy, wealthy, and wise."
Dr. Sam Graber: Absolutely.
John Curry: So, we've got to be wise with both of those, with our wealth and our health. We don't have to. You know, the choice is ours.
Dr. Sam Graber: It is. And in this day where you really can get any bit of information you want, and you can find a "diet" that will accomplish whatever your goals are. But most people, when they go on a diet, they're just grumpy. And they don't like it. And it's something to rebel against. And it makes them feel just like they're having to do something they don't want to do. I work with people and help them figure out, well, what really makes you happy? Like what is the exercise you enjoy? Because the best kind of exercise is the one you're going to do.
John Curry: Absolutely. And if you enjoy it, you're going to do it.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes, exactly.
John Curry: I want to come back to that in a moment when we'll get into some of your specifics.
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure.
John Curry: But right now, we're going to address this for a moment. From the standpoint of dieting, I don't believe in diets.
Dr. Sam Graber: Me neither.
John Curry: I think they are a waste. I'm thinking of one of my dear friends right now, I know at least on four occasions, he's lost 50 pounds or more. He'll lose it and he'll gain more back than what he was.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes.
John Curry: And he and I talk about it all the time. He said, "John, you have dropped ..." Firstly he said, "You have lost over 60 pounds." I said, "Nope, haven't lost any weight at all." He said, "Yes, you have." I said, "No, I have released 60 pounds."
Dr. Sam Graber: I like it.
John Curry: Because if you lose something, you go looking for it.
Dr. Sam Graber: Oh, yeah.
John Curry: I'm damned sure not looking for it. Okay? It's released, be gone.
Dr. Sam Graber: Be gone with you.
John Curry: That's right. So, I think this also comes down to words have power. Okay? It's how we talk to ourselves. The self-talk in our heads. And how we see ourselves. You talked about shelf-esteem.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: Well, there's the self-esteem and we are our biggest enemies. And that's why what you do is so important. See, I'm a financial coach, you're a nutrition coach and a fitness coach, in a lot of ways.
Dr. Sam Graber: Absolutely.
John Curry: And we'll circle back on that for a minute.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: But tell us a little bit about what you want to get covered today because I was intrigued because folks, I don't know what all she's going to cover. This is going to be interesting.
Dr. Sam Graber: You can never know with me.
John Curry: That's true. But I do know this is going to some things that you said that people have never asked you. And I think you have your own top five list.
Dr. Sam Graber: I do. I do.
John Curry: So, can we just launch into that and just go back and forth?
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure. Imagine us here on the night show when David Letterman used to do his top 10? Where here's my top five.
John Curry: All right.
Dr. Sam Graber: And these are the five things that nobody has ever asked me in 25 years of practice.
John Curry: Ok
Dr. Sam Graber: Number five, I can't wait to retire and move into a nursing home. I want to have to follow the rules of some corporation the rest of my life. Independence is so 2013.
And number four, I can't wait to spend my retirement in doctor's offices. Those waiting rooms, they're my favorite place to hang. No one has ever said that.
Number three, walking on my own, who needs that trivial ability? I'd rather rely on others for everything I need, even a trip to the loo.
And number two, I want to invest wisely so I can blow it all on medical costs that could have been prevented, and easily at that.
And, drumroll. Number one, I want to forget my kids. No one has ever said that. And that one is the most serious to me because there is such a fear of that. And it's a valid fear. But unfortunately, we've been kind of misled to think that it's a flip of the coin. You're either going to get dementia or you're not. And if you get it, oh, I am so sorry. I am just so sorry. There is nothing you can do about it. That's all false. There are a lot of things you can do to stack the deck in your favor. And 99.999% of it comes from what you eat and what you don't eat. And not as well, just what you eat, or don't eat, but when you eat and don't eat.
John Curry: Okay, let's talk about that in more detail.
Dr. Sam Graber: Let's do, yes.
John Curry: Do you mind if we just start there? I don't know what your order is on your list.
Dr. Sam Graber: No.
John Curry: Let's start there because most people that are listening to this, and most people that I meet with, when I'm in the office working, I see four, sometimes five people per day.
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure.
John Curry: And then, on Mondays, I'll have five or six, sometimes seven telephone appointments.
Dr. Sam Graber: Okay.
John Curry: It's amazing to me the topics that will come up. It's never just about the money. And if it is just about the money, I always circle back and say, "Wait a minute, if we get you to where you have zero financial pressure, zero, life's good. You got the money, you got the time. So, you got money, you got time, will you have the health to be able to travel and do the things you want to do?"
Dr. Sam Graber: Right, yes.
John Curry: It comes back every time. So, talk about some of this ... One more thing first.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes, absolutely.
John Curry: The two things I hear all the time in people's fears about retirement, it's either running out of money, income, or not being able to afford their health insurance premiums or health care, or fear of going in a nursing home. That's why I want us to come back to what you just said. You said, "If somebody starts taking care of themselves now with what they eat and fitness." Take that thread and run with that for a few minutes.
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure. Sure. And it comes down to also having a trusted advisor because I know everyone who's under your tutelage and your mentorship for their finances has a trusted advisor. We think of having a financial advisor. We have maybe an investment advisor and retirement advisor, I know that's all you. And we have these people out in our outer world advising us on these tangibles I should say. But then we don't have people advising us on the intangibles which in essence can be tangible. Things like our health. You know, we don't have someone looking at us holistically.
We've got our doctor we go to for a problem, a check-up, et cetera, et cetera. Get your blood work. Okay, looks good, no Hs, no Ls, boom, you're fine. But really, there's patterns that are always being revealed. And there are behaviors that we do that we know based on nerdy science stuff that, I am 100% geek. I am always researching. I'm always learning. What is the validity of this data? And how does that data apply to people, my people? But when you really drill down about it, there are a few things that you can do on a consistent basis, that can clean out the gunk that gets built up, especially in our brain.
And one thing I often remind people is that your body is a brain transport system. That's what it's designed for. All those muscles, they generate energy for your brain. Everything that happens in your life happens on a brain level, for memory, for being able to coordinate things, everything is in your brain. So, I am ... It's a little different approach. I don't really do a lot of this weight-loss stuff because to me that's not important. And I'll get back to that if we can. It's more about feeding your body what it needs, how it needs to be nourished. And when you do that, with the focus on your brain, it's amazing what your body does with that.
So, it basically comes down to the science of it has been there for decades. The science of how to truly feed the human system is there. But we've monkeyed it around with all these different programs and diets, and you know, eat this, don't eat this. We've processed the real out of our food.
John Curry: We're killing ourselves.
Dr. Sam Graber: Oh, my goodness. I mean, this processed food, John, is off the charts.
John Curry: Killing.
Dr. Sam Graber: And so many people, they don't eat any real food. Everything comes from a box. It's been processed in some way, shape, or form, whether it's been chemically added, or chemically extracted, or heated to the point that what would be naturally available, whatever would nourish them, is dead now because it's been heated.
John Curry: Or a bag.
Dr. Sam Graber: Or a bag. Yes. And it's just, it's amazing. So, when I help people get back into eating real food. And you can be a foodie or not. I'm a total foodie. I love food. I love to cook. It's not necessary to be healthy. You can find different ways to get real food, simple recipes. When I have a client, I give them, you should see what I give them, it's amazing, recipe books. They get taught how to cook. You know, because they need to know how to cook. You do need a little of that.
John Curry: Okay, I'm sitting here looking at you, watching the passion here, but I'm also realizing there's some people on this podcast that are probably like me, some man, especially, in his 60s or 70s, maybe even their 50s, saying, "Ah, hell, here we go again. So, now I've got to learn how to cook this or do that."
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure.
John Curry: So, break this down for the people who, number one, don't want to do it. Or don't know how to do it.
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure.
John Curry: Because I've learned, I prefer to cook my own meals. I don't like going out. I will, but when I cook it, I know what I've got.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes.
John Curry: And I know what's in it. And I know what's not in it.
Dr. Sam Graber: It's very important.
John Curry: So, break this down real simple for us. And then I'm going to jump into you going into more details on these top five.
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure. Sure. You know, the key is really having, on average, people have a few different meals that they make, especially when they cook their own selves. Or even when they grocery shop, they kind of are attracted to five to seven meals on a regular basis.
John Curry: That's me.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah. Yeah. So, I teach people how to make that the most real version of something. Like if they love steak and vegetable or they like steak and potato, there are ways to augment your food and make it more of something that has nourishment on every level. There isn't just fillers. Like your pastas, and your breads and your potatoes, those are more fillers. And there's not a lot of nutrition necessarily from them. So, I teach them how to make alternatives to those that are actually nutrient dense and give you nourishment. And I have worked with everybody.
I've worked with people who, again, love to cook, like major chefs who've shared some recipes with me, which I really love. And I've worked with folks that have just always heated up something in the microwave. And I just teach them little things along the way. Or if you're going to do that, here, you want to go with the frozen veg because that's pretty much the freshest you're going to get. Or you want to go with these certain choices. And I lay it all out for them at first because sometimes the hardest thing is taking that first step. So I give them a meal plan for the first two weeks that they can change a couple things here and there, but it's mostly a way to kick start the program. Kick start their body to allow it to start making the changes they need.
And it's really, everything is laid out. And that's what my clients, whenever they look back at the beginning of working together, and they say, "You really held my hand the whole time. And I didn't realize it because I was all caught up in what I needed to change and I was overcomplicating it." My clients always say, "You know, I was overcomplicating it. You made it so simple that I was able to radically change my life."
John Curry: Well, what you gave them was a plan of action.
Dr. Sam Graber: Correct.
John Curry: See, people are seeking.
Dr. Sam Graber: Everything.
John Curry: Whether it be in your world or my world, they're seeking someone, number one, they can trust.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: Okay. And let's be candid, folks, there's got to be a mutual self-interest. Obviously, you get paid for what you do, and I get paid for what I do. People listening, they get paid, they go to work, they have a job, they get paid. We all want to earn money.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes.
John Curry: But it comes down to purity of intent. What is it you're trying to accomplish? And I know from sitting in meetings with you, you're a lot like I, in the sense that you have a flock. And you're like a shepherd protecting that flock.
Dr. Sam Graber: I love that.
John Curry: And I think that's what we have to do. We have to protect the people that are under our care. Now, sometimes those people don't want to hear what they need to hear.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes.
John Curry: And my deal is, I'm strong enough, I'll say, "Excuse me, I know you don't want to hear this now, but here's the deal. Okay, and then do with the information as you please." And people need that.
Dr. Sam Graber: They do.
John Curry: But they don't need people pointing their fingers at them, you know, "You're stupid. You don't do this. You don't do that. You got to do this."
Dr. Sam Graber: Correct.
John Curry: Because we all resent that.
Dr. Sam Graber: Absolutely.
John Curry: And we won't do it.
Dr. Sam Graber: Oh, yes.
John Curry: So it's got to be, we got to be a coach, we got to be a leader, a guide if you will.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes. And I love that. And that's a great visual because it is. And folks know enough to kind of, I think maybe kind of get started, but you get kind of stuck. You know? And doing it yourself, you probably have seen people who've invested on their own and they've done an okay job.
John Curry: Sure.
Dr. Sam Graber: They know enough. I always say, "I know enough to be dangerous in certain situations." But, you can't really bridge that gap between where you are and where you ultimately want to be. Having an advisor, having a coach is a way to just bring that gap, close the gap quickly. You know, and you're spot on where there has to be that trust. And there has to be that tough love, I call it. I'll tell people, you know, I give you simple tools. I give you an excellent strategy, a proven strategy, and a little dose of tough love here and there.
John Curry: Correct.
Dr. Sam Graber: Because that's what we all need.
John Curry: By the way, my next book is going to be real short and sweet.
Dr. Sam Graber: Uh-oh.
John Curry: How to release 60 pounds. Okay?
Dr. Sam Graber: I like it.
John Curry: And it's real simple, there's only two chapters.
Dr. Sam Graber: Okay.
John Curry: Chapter one ... Oh, and there's only one page ... There's only one paragraph per chapter. And I think I've narrowed it down to only one sentence per chapter.
Dr. Sam Graber: Okay.
John Curry: So it's going to be a real short book. You could put it on a business card. Are you ready for it?
Dr. Sam Graber: I'm ready.
John Curry: Okay. Chapter one, eat less.
Dr. Sam Graber: Okay.
John Curry: Chapter two, move more. If we just do that, we'd be in good shape.
Dr. Sam Graber: Mostly. But I will tell you, you know, and I'm going to buck that just a little bit.
John Curry: I need to add chapter three, eat better.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes. Yeah, eat better, definitely. But I'll tell you, one of the things, and there's something I always say, I'm one of these people that is bucking conventional wisdom. And I call it unconventional wisdom. That's one of my books that I'm working on. Because conventional wisdom has told us, yes, you must eat less and move more. But I will tell you this, if you do that, you know, we've all seen that show, what is it? The Biggest Loser.
John Curry: Right.
Dr. Sam Graber: You know, these people, they work out like 19 hours a day and they eat four peas and a stick of carrots or something. Like their diets are ridiculous. And you're going to lose the weight, but I'll tell you, you are going to wreck your metabolism. So, I actually teach people, eat more and move less. And I'm going to tell you why.
John Curry: Good. Sign me up.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah. Well, and this is the thing, it's about nourishing your system. It's about healing your metabolism. It's about getting all your cells on board because we have this really amazing hormone called insulin. And I know at this point everyone's eyes kind of start to glaze over because I go into biochemistry a little bit with my folks. But I want to teach them why their body is doing these things. You know, we've taught that we must be doing it wrong. And the way I got into this current way of eating and thinking, and I do a lot of mindset work with my folks because it's critical, but I got into it because I was at the point, I hit about 42, 43.
And what I was doing was not working anymore to keep my figure. And I was so ... I decided well, I must need to eat less, even less and move even more. So, Ms. Smarty-pants over here joined CrossFit Gym, holy good night. I almost killed myself 19 times. Loved it. Loved the passion. Love all those things. But I was wearing myself out. And my metabolism was getting more and more wrecked. So, I just started researching because that's what I do. And I found a way of feeding my system that I'm never hungry. I mean, I feel like food is my friend now.
John Curry: Share, give people a sample. Just kind of walk through a little bit of the changes that you made. What you're thinking about here. And then we'll get back on track with these five things if you want to spend a little bit more time on them.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah. Yeah. Well, it's about nutrient composition, nutrient timing, and restorative motion training. The restorative motion training comes from my 25-year career as a chiropractor. I've worked with people, I give them stretches, exercises to help rebuild their system. And so, for me, that's about healing your frame. Healing your body. Healing your relationship with your body because so many, especially women, we've been taught to be at war with our body. You know, we can never like it. You can never be satisfied, God forbid, because the obesity profiteers, where would they make their money?
John Curry: Right.
Dr. Sam Graber: If we're all of a sudden feeling good about the way we look and the way we feel and all these things. How are they make their millions? So, we've been basically, conditioned to be at war with our bodies.
John Curry: Yep.
Dr. Sam Graber: So, that's something I handle in every program I do because without that, yeah, sure, we can lose the weight. You can do the things I tell you. You cannot do the things I tell you. But if you don't change that mindset, that's why your friend continues to regain the weight. That's why people do that. And you hit it earlier when you said, I release it because you're changing your words. You're changing the way you think about that weight. And you're realizing that that's not mine. That is not me. That's not my identity. I don't claim that.
John Curry: That's another person.
Dr. Sam Graber: That is.
John Curry: That's a person from my past.
Dr. Sam Graber: Absolutely.
John Curry: I don't know that person anymore.
Dr. Sam Graber: Exactly. Exactly. And I teach people about that. And that's something that they're always really floored about because you know, they come to me for weight loss. And as I mentioned a little earlier, like I really, literally, could care less about that part because that's going to happen if you change the behavior. And it's not necessarily eating less and moving more because we've been taught that. But what happens over time is your body will just reset your metabolism lower.
John Curry: Right.
Dr. Sam Graber: And healing that is very tough.
John Curry: I discovered six, seven years ago now, I hired a coach, a strength coach.
Dr. Sam Graber: Excellent.
John Curry: In the last three weeks, I've not been doing any weightlifting because of some other health issues.
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure.
John Curry: Some veins issue, arteries. But, three days a week, we'd work out. When I first started, second trainer now, first guy, for five years I worked out. And I was shocked that we only had forty minute sessions. I said, "I was thinking we'd do an hour." He said, "We don't need an hour. In forty minutes we can do everything we need to do." He said, "The others days, do 20, 30, 40 minutes maximum of cardio."
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: He said, "You don't need to do crazy stuff." He said, "Occasionally if you want to go on long hikes or something."
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure.
John Curry: He said, "You don't need to do all that nonsense." And that was my first introduction, I'd say seven years ago now, to you don't have to do as much, but the quality of what you do is more important. This morning, I was on the treadmill early. I only spend 17 minutes but those 17 minutes were pretty intense. You know, going up and down on the incline.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes, perfect.
John Curry: And we're all busy. And none of us really want to work out anyway. I don't want to go workout, for just "workout". Now, I must also admit that the adrenaline kicks in and I love doing it. Endorphins and all. But most of us don't want to go to the gym to work out. But the results from doing that.
Dr. Sam Graber: Right. And since they haven't invented a pill yet, we still got to do some stuff.
John Curry: So, why don't we just invent the pill and get wealthy and be done with it?
Dr. Sam Graber: I know. Well, they're working on it. Let me tell you. The side effects will be immediate death though so I'm not sure that I really want that.
John Curry: I don't want that either.
Dr. Sam Graber: No, but you're right on. And that's another thing that I do with my restorative motion training, it's all about high-intensity interval training because the key is you need to have the restore, the recovery time, that's where the magic happens. And then I time that with that's when you eat. You want to be sure that you're fasted and you're exercising without food in your system because then you have to tap into all these really cool hormones that your body's just like waiting for you to tap into. Come on man, let's do it. And then we never allow it to because we're eating all the time because we're following this conventional wisdom which is really conventional stupidity.
When we really look at what the research shows us, we don't need to eat two to three times a day. Good Lord. Or two to three times. Excuse me, every two to three hours. We really only need to eat a couple meals. Even one meal can do it if that meal has what your body needs, has the nutrients. There's a certain amount of protein we need to have. And I help people calculate that. That's based on your frame. That's based on what your digestive system can do. Because some folks don't have enough acidity in their stomach to digest the protein.
John Curry: I'm sure some people listening are out there saying, "Wow, I need to know more about this." So, let's do this.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes.
John Curry: Let's give people the opportunity to know how to find you. Let's share your website with them.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes. My website's super easy. If you're seeing my name here on the podcast, you'll see how it's spelled. It's Doctor, D-R S-A-M, Graber, G-R-A-B-E-R. So that's D-R S-A-M G-R-A-B-E-R dot com.
John Curry: Perfect.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: Because I didn't want to miss that because I know we're going to cover it at the end.
Dr. Sam Graber: I appreciate that.
John Curry: But people ... I get frustrated now, I'm listening to something and I have to wait all the way to the end to get something. I think I'm going to change it. I think I'm going to start doing that at the very beginning.
Dr. Sam Graber: That's a great idea.
John Curry: And say, "Look, just in case you want to contact this person."
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure. Sure.
John Curry: But let's go back to your top five for a minute. And just, are there any other things you want to add to any of those?
Dr. Sam Graber: To the top five? When I look back at them and many people they say, "You know, I don't want to end up in a home." You know, a nursing home. I guess there's probably more technical, correct terms now, but these facilities. Folks want to be independent. They want to be at their own home. Here you've spent all these years refining your home, decorating, picking colors, and really making it a home. Having to leave that because you're not capable of taking care of yourself, that's a tragedy.
John Curry: Well, there's another issue too that I get frustrated with. People are being, I don't want to use the word pressured, but they're getting more and more sales pitches as to why they shouldn't be in their home. And from assisted living facilities, retirement communities, whatever. I was at one yesterday, in fact, that goes, I'm in involved in something called Honor Flight, Tallahassee. Where we fly World War II, Korean, and now Vietnam Veterans to D.C. to see the memorials. And at Westminster Oaks, there are 37 veterans that have gone on these flights. Sadly, several of them have died in the past two years. So, yesterday, they were being recognized and those as us who served as a guardian were asked to attend. So, I'm sitting there with my veteran. A good friend of mine of 40 years-
Dr. Sam Graber: Oh, wow.
John Curry: ... Charles [Namathack 00:26:19]. And we were talking about how if you are in the right "place", facility, that's good. But what if you're in the wrong place, where you're not getting the encouragement to do the things you want to do? This is the oldest retirement community in Tallahassee. And they've done a great job. Constantly adding programs and people love it. So, I was just thinking as you were saying that, some people should go to a community like that. Others should stay where they are.
Dr. Sam Graber: Right. And I'm sure it, let's say, it comes down to such a personal decision and what kind of family support you might have. Now, if you're alone and feeling lonely in your home, loneliness, I mean, that takes the joy out of life and that can be very dangerous.
John Curry: That can kill you.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes.
John Curry: But it comes down, not only ... It comes down to the money side of it. It comes down to the emotional side. I'm a people person.
Dr. Sam Graber: Me too.
John Curry: If I had to be by myself all the time, I wouldn't like it.
Dr. Sam Graber: But I do like a little alone time. I need that.
John Curry: Oh, well, I definitely want my me time.
Dr. Sam Graber: That's what's good for the rest of the world. Give me my alone time a little bit here and there.
John Curry: Right.
Dr. Sam Graber: But yeah, I hear what you're saying. And if it's a community, and if it's a place where it's just you're independent in your own little place, and someone comes in and cleans it, I mean, hey, sign me up. What's the age limit? I'll be there. You know, like I dig that part. But it's the typical nursing home where we see someone laying in their bed all day, that's the heartbreaking stuff.
John Curry: Well, you hit a nerve there because my grandmother was in a nursing home for 11 years. 11 years. And I saw her just wilt.
Dr. Sam Graber: Me too. I've had that same experience.
John Curry: And she died two years shy of being 95 years old.
Dr. Sam Graber: Wow.
John Curry: My grandfather died 27 years before she did. He retired thinking he had a long life ahead of him. Died probably five, five and a half years into retirement. Took a pension option where he got all the money, the day he died, she got nothing. She just got social security from then on. So, not only did she have health issues for a long time, there were financial issues. So, my dad and my uncle pitched, we all helped out actually, on the financial side. So, over the years, because of seeing those experiences and the thousands of people I've interviewed, for some reason, somehow, I gravitated more toward, well, okay, what about the retirement planning side? What about the once you're in your 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s? My oldest client's 101.
Dr. Sam Graber: Oh, that's awesome.
John Curry: So what do you do later in life? See, as a financial advisor, I was not taught anything about that. I was not taught anything about gerontology. I was none of that.
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure.
John Curry: So, I had to do like you did, go out and research it and learn. And a lot of my peers thought I was nuts. They said, "Why do you care about that? You know, you're a financial guy." Well, it's not just about finance.
Dr. Sam Graber: Right. Absolutely not. And when you're a real advisor, you look at the person holistically. You know, you do that with the finances and taking care of them, their life. What is their life like? What's their marriage like? What's their relationship with their children? All these things factor in. And I do the same when I'm across the, usually it's across the screen now, I'm not doing a lot of my work in person. I do it on the phone or through something like Skype or Zoom.
But I like ... It's all about connecting that person to what they really want and what's really in their best interest. And helping them find that with a roadmap. Or you know, sometimes, like I mentioned earlier, I tell them exactly what they need to do to get started. And then we tweak it from there. You know, it's like, okay, let's do this first, see how you resonate with it, see how you're jiving. And then we're going to find out what your body likes and what your body's not jiving with. And then you can tweak it.
John Curry: I get the impression that you have multiple ways where people can benefit from your services. So let's talk about that because there are some people who are listening to this, Sam, and they're going to say, "You know, I don't think I need a coach. I just think I just need somebody to get me started." Because I have that with clients who'll come in, "I don't really want to pay a fee and do the planning. I don't want to buy a product. I just want some information."
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure.
John Curry: So, if you would, walk through a little bit about the different levels of service, and education, and information you provide.
Dr. Sam Graber: Absolutely. I'd be thrilled.
John Curry: And then, for those who want a bit more they can dig into it. But just, I think it's important to understand how it is that you deliver this knowledge.
Dr. Sam Graber: And I appreciate you clarifying that and allowing me to clarify that because it can seem like well, what is going on? Do I just read some books? Do I just find this information? Is there a website where I download something? And it's like, yes, yes, and yes, all those things. But it depends what your goal is. If you want to just know what to eat and how to move and do some basics, I have a 12-week program that I do with clients. And it's all done through email and online. And then we have calls once a week where you can ask questions, get some refinement for things. That's usually the starting point for folks.
John Curry: This is one on one coaching.
Dr. Sam Graber: It's a small group coaching.
John Curry: Small group.
Dr. Sam Graber: But really, it ends up being one on one because you can ... I send you what you need. Every week there's a module that comes across via email. And then you set it up for what your body needs. You know, what your goals are. What your limits are, timewise, et cetera. It's a roadmap, so it's all listed. This what you do Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. And they tailor it to themselves. So, what kind of food they're going to eat, all these things are tailored. So, it's individualized, but it's a proven system. You just do A, and then you do B, and then you do C. And it's delivered via email so it can be anybody, anywhere.
Now, you can get a little more personalized. Some folks, they have some health issues. And so, I might have to go, dive in a little bit deeper. And because of my background in the medical profession, I'm really skilled at helping look at the blood work, look at those patterns. So, if somebody needs a little more TLC and a little more one on one time that is available. But the way I usually start it is with that 12-week program because that's kind of like a foundation for them to get the knowledge because if I just send you out and say, "Hey, read this book." Or, "Read this document." Or, "Watch these videos." It's just a smattering.
So, I kind of take it from the baseline levels. Kind of like, imagine training wheels, learning to ride a bike. You start with training wheels and someone's right there with you. And then, eventually, you're riding on your own, but you've still got your training wheels. And you're just cruising along. And then eventually you're ready for the training wheels to come off. And that's what I like in my work too is I start out and I give you everything you need. And then I teach how to make decisions and choose foods, and find the right exercises for you, find the right everything that you need to maintain your health. And then we work on nutrient timing which is, there's a terminology called intermittent fasting. But I like to call it more of a nutrient timing, knowing when to eat and when to let your body rest so it can regenerate and heal.
So, I go through all of those patterns with people. They can find me through Facebook. They can join my Facebook group. That's a real low level of coaching because I share vetted information in that group. So, you can just go to Facebook and find Dr. Sam Graber. My business is called the ROXOlution. And so, it's basically a solution for you to get through all the confusing information out there.
John Curry: Say again what the business is called.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah, R-O-X-Olution, ROXOlution. So kind of like a revolution, but R-O-X-O and people always ask me what does that stand for? It really doesn't stand for anything. It's Portuguese for purple. Because I was trying to think, what is something that I would love forever. And purple's my favorite color. And everybody that knows me knows that. So, it's just a name that I came up with. And plus, it's something that when you know how to spell it, there's nothing else, no one else using that name. So, it's great for people to be able to find me.
John Curry: That's funny.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah. But, as far as being able to have access to me, the clients who really engage in the process, they get a lot of one on one time because like I mentioned, we do a once a week call. You can call in and ask any question. Email me questions. I'm available via email. I do take a little personal time on the weekend because I think we all need that. But I get back with folks because I really want to be there to help them make the changes and then release them into the wild when they're done.
And they are fully capable of anything that they need when they read health information, they can vet through that. And they can say, "This is written by so and so." This is definitely, you know, follow the money trail. I teach them how to do that. I teach them about their body because I know the better you understand how this whole amazing entity works, the better care you can take of it. And the less vulnerable you're going to be to all these guys out there trying to sell you a bunch of junk.
John Curry: I'm going to make a little plug for my trainer again, his name is Jason Harville
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah. Awesome.
John Curry: And he is a, let me see if I can get this right, certified ... I can't get it right now. But anyway, the bottom line is I have rotator cuff [inaudible 00:35:37] in both shoulders. And surgeon just said, "John, if you don't do something about this you're going to have to have surgery." Certified exercise specialist, I think what it's called.
Dr. Sam Graber: Okay.
John Curry: But what happened with working with him, I said, "I need help. I've got to work on my flexibility in these shoulders." And instead of having surgery then having rehab, we're going to create a prehab program. So we sat down and determined the things to do. Now, excuse me, corrected exercise specialist, that's his title.
Dr. Sam Graber: Oh, I love it. Very good.
John Curry: So, by working with him, I have not had to have surgery. I can pick up two 50-pound kettlebells and do like a farmers walk with them.
Dr. Sam Graber: Awesome.
John Curry: You know?
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: As I used to do. Walk 100 yards, put them down, walk back, pick them up, and walk back. But so what you're saying is so important in the sense that I've learned more about my body because he really works on the explaining why we're something, the anatomy of it. I don't fully understand everything, don't get me wrong. It's not my world. I'm a financial guy. You know?
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes.
John Curry: I'm not an anatomy guy or a doctor or chiropractor like you are.
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure.
John Curry: But it's important to at least know part of it.
Dr. Sam Graber: It is.
John Curry: The basics. The fundamentals. The fundamentals.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes, I agree. I agree. Yeah, the fundamentals. And that's a perfect terminology for it. That's what I just, I teach people enough, you know? I simplify it. I wade through all the confusing stuff. I decipher research for them. And show them, this is the valid stuff. The rest of this is just marketing hype.
John Curry: Yes.
Dr. Sam Graber: A lot of it's marketing hype.
John Curry: We've got a few minutes left here.
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure.
John Curry: So, in the few minutes we have left, I would like for you to kind of summarize and maybe give people an idea of what they would see when they go to your website. And how would they best start the process of learning more about you, getting to know you, and learning and maybe engaging with you?
Dr. Sam Graber: Oh, that's a great question.
John Curry: So, walk us through that.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah. And I would love for anybody, if you come to my website, there's going to be a little box that'll either, depending on what my website designer's doing at the moment, we'll either have a box that's popping up or it's somewhere at the top of the website. Just share with me your email address and your first name. And then I have a nurturing kind of education system that I do via email to help you start to understand your body better, learn a little bit more about what I do. Instead of just kind of throwing it all at someone because it's a little overwhelming.
John Curry: So there's no cost for that?
Dr. Sam Graber: Oh, no. No, none at all. I'm really key on educating. I give everything away. I let you know ... In fact, I'm doing some webinars these next few weeks. And I'm not sure when this will go live, but more than likely, at any point in time, I'll be having a webinar coming up. And I let all the people know on my email list when I'm doing a webinar.
John Curry: Good.
Dr. Sam Graber: I think the one coming up now is how to shed stubborn fat because sometimes that ... You're doing all these things. You're eating right. And you're exercising in the way, the high intensity.
John Curry: But you're stuck.
Dr. Sam Graber: But that won't go.
John Curry: But you're stuck.
Dr. Sam Graber: Mm-hmm (affirmative).
John Curry: So, let's be clear on something.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes. Yes.
John Curry: Because there's a lot of hype out there.
Dr. Sam Graber: Oh, so much.
John Curry: In my world and yours. So, let's be clear, if someone goes to your website and they want to receive this email information, there's no sales pitch. It says, hey, here's what I'm doing, partake or not partake.
Dr. Sam Graber: Exactly. Yeah. It's almost, it's like being in a restaurant, you either want it or you don't.
John Curry: I love that.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: See I tell people when I'm working with them, I meet with somebody new, even existing clients, I say, "Look, there's only four things you can do with the information I provide you. You can totally ignore it, do nothing. You can take the information and do it all by yourself. You can take it to another advisor, perhaps a competitor. Or you can hire team Curry to help you. It's your choice."
Dr. Sam Graber: I love that. I'm going to start using that.
John Curry: Hey, you're welcome to.
Dr. Sam Graber: Because that's great.
John Curry: Because I think everyone should use it because there's no pressure.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: And I'm to the point in my life of where if you don't want me, I don't want you.
Dr. Sam Graber: Right.
John Curry: I'm not going to chase you down. I'm not going beg you.
Dr. Sam Graber: Right. Same.
John Curry: Damn it, it's your financial world. It's your health. Either you want help or you don't.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah, and it took me a good decade in practice to come to that kind of realization. And I call it loving detachment now because, as you know, you can tell I'm very passionate. I get connected to people. And I cannot want it more than they do. And that's the one thing on every time that I chat with folks, your commitment comes from you. That's the only thing I can't do for you. I can show you ... Heck, I can come cook for you. Not everybody. But, there's things that everyone can do for you, but that commitment, that decision has to come from you.
John Curry: Absolutely.
Dr. Sam Graber: So, it has to be attached to ... It has to have meaning. And that's why we go into the mindset stuff because if it's just about losing 10, 15 pounds, I mean, shoot, I can teach you how to do that in lickety split, no problem. But it's doing it healthfully. It's maintaining that. And it's teaching your body how to be stronger from the inside out because as we age, I mean, let's face it, we're hopefully going to be blessed to be able to age. You know everyone talks about this anti-aging, I'm like no, heck, pro-aging. I want to get older. I can't wait. I hope I am blessed to live to 110. And I'm literally working with my body to make sure I am in incredible shape and healthy for that entire 110 years. I do not want to get to age 80 and live another 30 years falling apart. Thank you, no. Not on my watch. And that's what I tell my folks all the time, "Listen, not on my watch. But I can't want it more than you do."
John Curry: That's right.
Dr. Sam Graber: "Maybe this just isn't the right timing. And that's okay." I tell them, "You know, your options are yes and no." And they'll think it over. Yes, it's great, let's dive in. A no is your decision at the moment, but you know I'm here. You know?
John Curry: Come back when you're ready.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah, just because you choose no doesn't mean we're breaking up. It's just you know where to come for the true answers. And if I don't know them, I'll call in the big brains to help me. I've got a great group that I work with.
John Curry: Well, the key is that you're not applying pressure.
Dr. Sam Graber: Never. Never, never, never.
John Curry: It's up to you. I've had people say, "I'm feeling some pressure." And I say, "Well, is it because you think I'm pressuring you or because the situation is pressuring you?"
Dr. Sam Graber: Great call.
John Curry: They go, "Holy cow, you're right."
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes.
John Curry: I say, "Because I'm not going to pressure you."
Dr. Sam Graber: No. No. No. And my programs are all really very reasonable. You know and I tell them there's no ... Oh, and people always think because we're constantly being bombarded by our nephew or aunt or someone who just joined some multi-level marketing club that has these potions and these pills and these supplements and this gel and all this stuff, I don't do any of those. I have used them in the past thinking okay maybe this one's going to be the answer for folks. But what I have decided after 30 years of working with my own body, none of that stuff works. It's about real food.
John Curry: I'm glad you shared that. So, this is not something where someone's thinking, "Okay, I'm going to engage with Dr. Sam here, but it's going to be 'Oh, you've got to buy this supplement, this supplement.'" So, it's none of that?
Dr. Sam Graber: None of that.
John Curry: That's great. I think that's good.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah. Because I feel like if you get your health really firing on all cylinders, then you're going to know what things are really, truly deficient. Like you might literally, actually have a thyroid problem, but if you mask it with all these supplements and injections and all these things, and these shakes and these energy drinks, you're going to be going further and further into the tank, not knowing what your real symptoms are.
John Curry: You mess up your system.
Dr. Sam Graber: Absolutely.
John Curry: We've got to wind down here.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: Any final thoughts that you want to share with the folks?
Dr. Sam Graber: Well, I think, you know, you can tell I've got a lot to offer. And it can seem overwhelming but really the best thing is, is just connect with me. If you find me on my website, there's always a contact us kind of thing. You can fill in your information. I'm the only one that gets that. Or my marketing assistant. It doesn't go anywhere. We don't provide your information to anyone. I would flip out if someone did that to me. I would never do that to people. So, just contact me.
You know you can find me on Facebook. Send me one of the private messages. I answer all my own messages. So it's important just to reach out. We may be a fit and we may not be. Some folks are really looking to just like some little magic. There's never ... There is no magic. The magic resides within you. We just need to tap into it.
John Curry: Absolutely.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yeah.
John Curry: Tell everyone again, your website.
Dr. Sam Graber: Sure. Website is my name D-R Sam Graber, G-R-A-B-E-R, so drsamgraber.com.
John Curry: Dr. Sam, it's been a pleasure.
Dr. Sam Graber: Absolutely, John.
John Curry: Thank you.
Dr. Sam Graber: Thanks for having me. You bet.
John Curry: You're welcome. Thank you for sharing with my audience for this podcast.
Dr. Sam Graber: Yes. Thank you so much.
John Curry: Folks, we'll talk to you in the next episode. Be healthy, wealthy, and wise.
Dr. Sam Graber: Love it.
If you would like to know more about John Curry's services, you can request a complimentary information package by visiting johnhcurry.com/podcast. Again that is johnhcurry.com/podcast. Or you can call his office at 850-562-3000 again, that is 850-562-3000. John H. Curry, chartered life underwriter, chartered financial consultant, accredited estate planner, Masters in science and financial services, certified in long-term care. Registered representative and financial advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC.
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2018-70198 Exp 11/20