Quality of Life Radio

Author Maura Casey - Saving Ellen

Celebrating Women's History Month, this episode of Big Blend Radio features award-winning journalist Maura Casey who discusses her debut memoir, "Saving Ellen: A Memoir of Hope and Recovery” (Skyhorse Publishing, April 1, 2025). The book crafts a vivid and poignant narrative of a working-class family’s resilience in the face of a terminal diagnosis.
Growing up in a family torn by addiction and financial hardship, Maura’s early years were shaped by instability and survival. Cared for by Dr. Mary Hawking (sibling of Stephen Hawking), her sister Ellen’s life-threatening battle with kidney disease added another layer of heartache, but it also deepened Maura’s understanding of courage and family bonds. Through it all, Maura has reframed the pain of her past, uncovering hope and meaning even in life’s darkest chapters. More: https://www.caseyink.com/ 
For over 30 years, Casey was an opinion writer for three New England newspapers and The New York Times, where she had a seat on the exalted Times editorial board. Today, Casey writes a weekly column, Casey’s Catch, at https://maurac.substack.com    

Obesity and Heart Health

This episode of Big Blend Radio's HEART HEALTHY LIVING WITH DR JACKIE Podcast focuses on how obesity increases the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. And, hear how achieving the ideal weight and body mass index can boost heart health.
Dr. Jacqueline Eubany is a board-certified cardiologist and electrophysiologist, and author of the best-selling book, "Women and Heart Disease: The Real Story." More: https://womenandheartdiseasebook.com/  
New episodes of "Heart Healthy Living with Dr. Jackie" air every 2nd Wednesday. Follow the Podcast: https://hearthealthyliving-drjackie.podbean.com/ 

The Art of Listening

March is Listening Awareness Month, and while we often think of listening as something we do for others, it truly begins with listening to ourselves. We live in a world filled with noise—external chatter, social media, news updates, and the constant hum of distractions. But how often do we pause and really listen—not just to others, but to our own inner wisdom?
This episode of Big Blend Radio's SOUL DIVING SUNDAY Show with Shelley Whizin focuses on the Art of Listening. You can read Shelley's article that offers tips on how to Master the Art of Listening, here: https://blendradioandtv.com/listing/the-art-of-listening/
And, check out the new seasonal Big Blend "Soul Diving" digital publication featuring her past articles and podcasts here:  https://online.fliphtml5.com/yhwzg/ylqx/#p=1 
SHELLEY WHIZIN is the founder and CEO of the Soul Diving Institute™ and author of "What Do You Bring to the Table? A Savory, Sensory and Inspirational Guide to Living a Yummy Delicious Life." Keep up with Shelley and her coaching programs, courses, and workshops here: https://www.shelleywhizin.com/ 
Tune in to Big Blend Radio's "Soul Diving Sunday with Shelley" show every first Sunday here: http://tinyurl.com/2bjbectk 
This episode is also being shared and featured on Big Blend Radio's "Quality of Life" channel and "Big Daily Blend" Channel. Check out our network of podcasts: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-network/bigblendradionetwork 

World Peace and Understanding

This episode of Big Blend Radio's BIG DAILY BLEND Show with cohost musician Joey Stuckey celebrates World Peace and Understanding Day (Feb 23) that commemorates the first meeting of Rotary and is also part of February being World Understanding Month. We also discuss the recent Grammy Awards, the Power of Community, Sleep and Meditation, and Pizza! 
CHECK OUT OUR PEACE MUSIC PLAYLIST on Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/463urhyf 
JOEY STUCKEY ‪is known as the Music Ambassador of Macon, Georgia "The Southern Rock Capital of the World." He's an award-winning blind guitarist, songwriter, singer, composer, producer, and sound engineer. Visit: https://www.joeystuckey.com/ 
FEATURED GUESTS:- JOHNNY SCHAEFER is an awarding-winning singer-songwriter and cohost of Big Blend Radio's BIG DAILY BLEND Show every 4th Sunday. Visit: https://hearjohnny.com/ - GLYNN BURROWS is the owner of Norfolk Tours in England, and host of Big Blend Radio's "ENGLISH CONNECTION" Podcast. Visit: https://norfolk-tours.co.uk/ 
This show is also featured on Big Blend Radio's "Quality of Life" Podcast Channel. Follow the BIG DAILY BLEND Show, here: https://big-daily-blend.podbean.com/ 

How to Support a Friend Who is Dying

In observance of International Friendship Month, this final episode of Big Blend Radio's SOUL JOURNEY DOULA podcast series with death doula Lea Brovedani focuses on how to support a friend or colleague who is at their end-of-life. 
Lea's 5 Pillars of Support as a Death Doula:Spirit - Uphold beliefs and practicesEmotion - Honor feelingsMind - Life review and gleaning meaningBody - Increase comfort, health and safetyPractical - Create completions
Learn more about Lea's work at https://souljourneydoula.com/ Listen to the rest of the podcast episodes here: http://tinyurl.com/b6c9jfnu 

Dr. Kathy Gruver: Stress, Childhood Trauma and the World of Psychedelics

This episode of Big Blend Radio features a catch-up conversation with Dr. Kathy Gruver who talks about different ways to relieve stress, childhood trauma and internal family systems, and the world of psychedelics.
Dr. Kathy Gruver is an award-winning author, professional speaker, hypnotherapist, and ACC life and executive certified coach with over 30 years of experience in mind/body medicine and human behavior. An entertainer and educator imbuing all her programs with practicality and passion. With a West Coast mentality and an East Coast delivery her humorous, down to earth, and engaging style has captivated hundreds of audiences on four continents, three cruise ships and a handful of islands. It’s been her true honor to have delivered two TEDx talks.
Kathy has written eight books which have garnered 12 awards, hosted a TV series based on her first book and developed a stress reduction program for the US military. She has penned countless articles and appears regularly as a guest on radio, TV and in print media including the Dr. Phil Show. She has earned her PhD in natural health and has studied mind-body medicine at the famed Benson Henry Institute for Mind-Body Medicine at Harvard. For fun and stress relief Kathy does flying trapeze, aerial silks and plays Dungeons and Dragons.
Keep up with Dr. Kathy Gruver at http://www.kathygruver.com/ 

Mark Rowlands - The Word of Dog

On this episode of Big Blend Radio's "Pet Connection" Show, Mark Rowlands talks about his new book, "The Word of Dog: What Our Canine Companions Can Teach Us About Living a Good Life" (Liveright; Jan 28, 2025). Here, Rowlands shows us we could do a lot better than we’re doing simply by listening to the unspoken wisdom our dogs reveal to us every day of their happy, uncomplicated lives.
Rowlands is professor and chair of the philosophy department at the University of Miami, a leading figure in the morality of animals, and author of twenty-three books on the philosophy of mind, the moral status of non-human animals, and cultural criticism. He is known within academic philosophy for his work on the animal mind and is one of the principal architects of the view known as vehicle externalism, or the extended mind, the view that thoughts, memories, desires and beliefs can be stored outside the brain and the skull. His works include Animal Rights (1998), The Body in Mind (1999), The Nature of Consciousness (2001), Animals Like Us (2002), and a personal memoir, The Philosopher and the Wolf (2008).
Big Blend Radio's PET CONNECTION Show is cohosted by Angela Laws, veteran pet sitter, and community manager at https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/   
This episode is also featured on Big Blend Radio's "Quality of Life" Podcast Channel. Follow the "Pet Connection" podcast at https://pet-connection.podbean.com/ 

Leah Rothstein - Author, Community Organizer, Housing Program Expert

In observance of World Social Justice Day, this episode of Big Blend Radio features Leah Rothstein, a veteran community organizer, local housing program expert, and co-author of "Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law" (Liveright: June 2023), which will be released in paperback on March 4, 2025.
In 2017 Richard Rothstein wrote "The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America." The book has sold more than 1 million copies and started a revolution in the housing industry by explaining America’s troubled housing situation.  
Newly educated and informed communities across the nation began to take action.  As Richard toured the country educating local communities, the communities began reviewing their housing policies and initiating changes.Realizing direction was needed to help communities get started and move the process forward, Richard enlisted his daughter, Leah Rothstein, to co-author "Just Action." 
"Just Action" provides concrete examples of what communities can do to improve local housing policies. Paired with an active "Just Action Substack" column, challenging segregated housing is happening across the nation. Visit: https://www.justactionbook.org/