US Reporter

Dr. Mike Stone On Starting Every Day On The Right Foot With Connection, Communication, And Community

Dr. Mike Stone Start Your Day with Connection and Community_2
Photo Courtesy: Mike Stone (@mikestonemd)

By: Sarshar Hosseinnia

“When you said you’re 50, I was blown away, I thought you were 30,” I start off, on what ends up being an eye-opening one-hour chat with the pioneer of Conscious Medicine, Dr. Mike Stone MD

Dr. Stone is as humorous in his response as he is dead set on revolutionizing the future of medicine. “I appreciate you saying that but that means you thought I was 45 … but I’ll take it,” he quips. 

The link between the medicinal approach Dr. Stone has reinvented and the key to longevity is no surprise though. Nor is it any laughing matter. Traditional allopathic medicine will soon be a thing of the past. Long wait lines, apathetic specialists, being rushed out of the doctor’s office frustrated – and oftentimes, without a solution or remedy. All of which has long been a staple of the North American healthcare system. With Dr. Stone’s approach, there’s hope for those who’ve long lived with an ailment that’s limited their quality of life. 

“Precision medicine really grew out of Oncology and targeting therapy for cancer patients based on that particular patient’s characteristics as well as the specific type of cancer the patient had,” he explains. “I don’t mean lung cancer vs breast cancer. I mean what type of lung cancer do you have and what are the genetics looking like in that cancer? That’s when we come up with a specific precision plan for that patient.”

Dr. Stone goes on to say that, in a nutshell, precision medicine means every single patient has a plan for them that is not a population-based plan, but one that is targeted to that specific individual. And, while tailoring a holistic plan around sleep, nutrition, training, connection, contemplative practice, and stress resiliency are all vital for this plan to take shape, there needs to be a degree of consistency to it. 

Professing to have a daily routine that refrains from rigidity and at the same time ensures significant room for growth, Dr. Stone shares his recipe for success:

Dr. Mike Stone Start Your Day with Connection and Community

Photo Courtesy: Mike Stone (@mikestonemd)

“I get up early in the morning, my eating habits stay consistent, and I get into nature and move my body. On top of that, I’ll engage in something contemplative as it grounds me and lets me bring that balance into the day.” 

The key here is consistency. Yet, he does allow time for treats without letting it affect his mental health or dietary requirements. 

“If it’s summertime and we’re taking the kids out and they want ice cream, I’m probably going to have ice cream, and I’m going to love it, and it’s going to be amazing. So it’s not an overly rigid framework.” With that said, the aforementioned framework can be customized depending on who works with Dr. Stone and his team, who admits not ever having the same plan for two patients. 

With his ‘3 C’s’ approach, the pathway to consistency becomes much more attainable for those looking to follow in his footsteps. “Connection, communication, and community. Those are the three pillars of Conscious Medicine,” he points out. “Personally, I connect with my family before the work/school day starts. That can be in the form of a walk with them and the family dog. I love opportunities to do a great thing for my health while simultaneously showing up for the people in my life. I also connect with others, basically at least one conversation a day that digs deep into any kind of friction or conflict I’m feeling, as well as offering myself as a resource to someone who I feel like might be needing an ear.” 

He’s passionate about being available to reflect and help others and laments the number of individuals not feeling empowered to have “the difficult conversations” with friends and family. 

“Those real conversations can be stressful, but as you start having them, you start opening up and are able to have those meaningful connections with others. As a communal organization, we’re able to get patients together to go hiking in nature or a cold plunge. Something that just doesn’t exist in standard healthcare – and one that sees the participants embrace a health-oriented community where they walk the walk. You’re part of a tribe who wants to support you.”

Medicine can truly be a community event, as opposed to a doctor-patient relationship. With his Conscious Medicine approach, this is slowly becoming a reality. 

“I’m so much healthier at 50 than I was at 30 or 40,” Dr. Stone admits. “I feel freaking amazing, and I’m truly grateful to have the chance to meaningfully improve even just one person’s life.”

He concludes; “Ultimately, our bodies do the work. We’re highly intelligent organisms, and I see myself more as a sherpa or quarterback than I do a traditional paternalistic physician. At the end of the day, the patient is the one who’s in charge of what they do, and their bodies know how to respond to that.”

Dr. Mike Stone MD is the pioneer of Conscious Medicine. 

To transform your own life, check out Dr. Stone’s practice and follow him on Instagram.

Published by: Martin De Juan

(Ambassador)

This article features branded content from a third party. Opinions in this article do not reflect the opinions and beliefs of US Reporter.