Dr. Aditi Nerurkar (@draditinerurkar) is a physician and public health expert who specializes in stress management, resilience, burnout, and mental health. She currently serves as Co-Director of the Harvard Medical School Clerkship in Community Engagement and formerly was medical director of a Harvard integrative medicine program. Her research has been published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, and she is a frequent medical commentator for MSNBC and NBC News.

Dr. Nerurkar has worked extensively in global public health, including on HIV/AIDS and refugee health projects in Africa. She is the author of The Five Resets, a book on rewiring your brain to manage stress. An internationally recognized speaker, she has given talks at major conferences and corporations on building resilience. Dr. Nerurkar aims to provide science-backed strategies to help people thrive in the face of modern stressors. She also co-hosts the Time Out podcast produced by iHeartmedia and Hello Sunshine. 

What Travis and Dr. Aditi discussed:

• Stress is unavoidable, but we can rewire our brains to manage it in a healthy way. Dr. Nerurkar explains how techniques like mindfulness and neuroplasticity can strengthen neural pathways to activate the prefrontal cortex instead of the stress-response amygdala. This allows us to thrive rather than just survive.

• Know yourself and walk your own path. Travis emphasizes the importance of self-discovery, following your intuition, and being true to yourself rather than conforming to others' expectations. This self-awareness and authenticity lead to fulfillment.

• Small steps add up through neuroplasticity. By repeating simple practices like taking mindful walks, we cement new neural pathways over time. Consistency matters more than duration. Even reluctant patients find these lifestyle tweaks effective.

• Combat negativity bias intentionally. We're bombarded with up to 10,000 marketing messages daily, predominantly negative. This can wire our brains to constant stress. Seeking positive inputs counteracts this, whether it's reading good books or avoiding toxic media. Our brains are shaped by what we expose them to.

• Live a lifetime daily. Dr. Nerurkar recommends devoting bits of each day to the important elements of life - childhood play, work, family, vacation, and retirement. This provides balance and meaning. Details like phone calls to loved ones count.

Dr. Nerurkar offers science-based, actionable strategies to refocus our minds and lives. Tune into this episode of Travis Makes Friends to learn more about mastering stress, understanding neuroplasticity, and optimizing your well-being.

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