Overview
Community is medicine, just like food or sleep. Without community, we can become isolated, which has been found to be connected with inflammation and can even negatively impact immune response. Moreover, whom you choose to be in community with also matters. Your immediate social circle—the four-to-five people you surround yourself with the most—has the greatest influence on your health. In today’s episode, I talk with Radha Agrawal, Dan Buettner, and Dr. Vivek Murthy about why community matters, what we have learned from cultures that prioritize community in their population, and how to take care of our needs first before giving to others.
Radha Agrawal is the Co-founder, CEO, and Chief Community Architect of Daybreaker, the early morning dance and wellness move-ment. Daybreaker currently holds events in 25 cities and more than a dozen college campuses around the world and has a community of almost half a million people. She is also the author of the book, Belong: Find Your People, Create Community, and Live a More Connected Life.
Dan Buettner is an explorer, National Geographic Fellow, award-winning journalist and producer, and New York Times bestselling author. He discovered the five places in the world— dubbed Blue Zones hotspots—where people live the longest, healthiest lives.
Dr. Vivek H. Murthy served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States from December 15, 2014 to April 21, 2017 and was confirmed by the United States Senate on March 23, 2021 as the 21st Surgeon General of the United States. In 2017, Dr. Murthy focused his attention on chronic stress and loneliness as prevalent problems that have profound implications for health, productivity, and happiness. He is the author of, Together: The Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World.