Part One: George Lopez on Finding Laughter Despite Neuropathy

Episode Transcript

Dr. Correa (00:01):
Saludos and hello, I'm Daniel Correa.

Dr. Nath (00:04):
And I'm Audrey Nath.

Dr. Correa (00:05):
We're two neurologists and fellow brain geeks hosting the Brain & Life Podcast. This show, The Brain and Life Magazine and website are all brought to you by the American Academy of Neurology.

Dr. Nath (00:18):
We're so glad you're joining us. We'll be here each week for conversations and interviews with community members, celebrities, and experts on brain health and living with neurologic conditions. Now let's get to today's show.

Dr. Correa (00:33):
I'm so excited about today's episode. I had a chance to interview George Lopez.

Dr. Nath (00:40):
I am so jealous.

Dr. Correa (00:42):
It's just so nice also to like talk to someone that I saw on TV growing up, and really also the experience of really seeing a Latino family on television one of the first times, I mean, it was a lot of fun. What was crazy is the whole time he was dealing with kidney disease. He was born with an anatomic abnormality and part of his whole standup routines and a lot of the stories he talks about really it's important to us because he talks about the culture in some communities of avoiding healthcare and waiting for emergencies. How important it is to really listen to your body, seek care, early detection of different medical conditions before they cause more problems.

Dr. Nath (01:28):
Absolutely. And it's not just the Latino community, I know in some communities, there's some hesitancy to go and see a physician for a number of reasons. Sometimes there's language barriers. Sometimes there's not wanting to find out that something's wrong, which is understandable, but especially in the case of an anatomic kidney issue, catching that early can make all the difference.

Dr. Correa (01:49):
I hope that you enjoy the interview and our listeners really get something out of it. He even shares two personal stories that he's always kept private, including the reality of bladder dysfunction and challenges with memory on stage.

Dr. Nath (02:04):
Oh wow. I'm looking forward to it. Can't wait.

Dr. Correa (02:07):
Thank you for joining us. And I hope everyone really enjoys this interview. Hello and today we are joined by the award winning comedian, actor, writer, producer, George Lopez, gracias for being here with us today.

George Lopez (02:27):
Yes, of course.

Dr. Correa (02:28):
Now, George, are there any jobs left in Hollywood that you're aiming still for? Because that's a long list already that you've held.

George Lopez (02:34):
That's a good question. Any machine will run without a part. So to know that Hollywood is portrayed as make-believe that people can fly and that people can breathe underwater and that people can save the world. It's daunting to me the task of these last 42 years and trying to get people to understand that Latinos can have a family and not everything has to derive about coming from insufficient funds.

Dr. Correa (03:12):
In his shows, George often makes observations about how people deny they have medical or mental health conditions or even misunderstand the health information. Next, George comments on this and shares this observation and laughter.

George Lopez (03:31):
Nobody wants to admit that they may be mentally ill or come from people who have mental illness or some people just to have, or come from means where, what would I say in my jokes? Are you still taking your blood pressure medicine? No, man. I started feeling good. I stopped. And it's like, it can get refilled. It's like, you don't want to take them as much as you're supposed to take them because you feel good and then you don't take them and then you don't take them.

Dr. Correa (03:58):
That's one thing that many people living with different neurologic conditions, they also live with different mental health outcomes that may be part of their condition or just even coping with the condition. And also like you said, the ordinance of even just understanding simply how to take a medication.

George Lopez (04:17):
Or having to take it at the same time every day, twice a day. I have a kidney transplant since 2005, and I've been very diligent. I mean, I've missed days, times to take the medicine, but it shows in my immune system. And I was never a person that was reliable enough to take medicine when I was supposed to take it. But this is a fact that if I don't take it, I go into rejection. But also I know that there's people out there that don't have the ability to be in a comfortable place at the same time twice in the same day. And it's daunting because after two days, you might think you can't play catch up, but it's important that people take their medicine when they're supposed to and kids as well.

Dr. Correa (05:05):
And I think, these are important and essential conversations for us to have, not just as doctors, but together with the community and advocating for changes that might improve health for everyone, with our legislatures, both state and federal. And starting some of that conversation about what matters to the community living with neurologic conditions. As a part of what we are trying to work towards with the Brain and Life Magazine and this podcast. And we were so honored to have you join us, not only in the December, January issue cover story, but having you join us here with the podcast. Personally, I remember laughing at episodes of the George Lopez show and noticing the difference of inclusion. I felt seeing a loving family sitcom from a Latino background. And I thank you for bringing us laughter, but also relating Latinos to all of America and making us feel at home, seeing us on TV.

George Lopez (06:06):
I never thought of the show personally, and then you just kind of, as time goes by, it starts to happen. But we did an episode where my son was wetting the bed, and I wet the bed growing up, but it was because I was born early. I didn't know until I was an adult, I didn't know until just maybe five years ago that I was born early and that my ureters didn't fully develop. And I had what was called, like wine glass ureters instead of a funnel, they went down like this and it would back urine into my kidneys, and it made them toxic and it made them go bad.

George Lopez (06:41):
So if I had known that we had come from a culture where you took a kid to the doctor when you thought that bedwetting is not normal. But they think it's a dog that scared me when I was walking, or they think that it's because I drink too much water right before I go to bed. And they had more excuses than they had zero answers and only excuses and things that were very demeaning to me as a kid. I didn't plan it, but in wanting to address that issue, I gave it to my son. And then we took him to a urologist who was played by Ken Howard who passed. And he was the white shadow, great actor. And he was a transplant recipient as well. I got him to play the doctor, but also we made it so that my child had what I had growing up and that with wine glass ureters, we were able to save his kidney.

George Lopez (07:36):
So I took my issue, and I made a show, and I became my grandmother in that show where he was walking down with some sheets. And I said, what are you doing? And he's like, oh, I wet the bed. I go, Max, come on, man. Don't you just go upstairs and lay in the bathtub, but undo the plug, the drain. I don't want you to drown. So in still getting the message over, but still being able to find humor in it. We got letters from a bunch of families and fathers that said that my son or my daughter was doing that. And we, would've not known that it could be tied to something else, which everything is. Nothing is just on its own, everything is tied to something else.

George Lopez (08:15):
The fact that they were able to let me do that, that show and let me do shows like that, was a huge asset for I think the show as well. And for me as a guy that, if my grandparents would've gone to the doctor, if we were at a culture that would've seen something in that, I don't think I would've ever needed a transplant.

Dr. Correa (08:34):
You've done so much for many communities, Latino communities, like you've talked about now for people living with different kidney diseases and urinary dysfunction, all early on for you, living with severe kidney disease and the uremic neuropathy that it comes from that. Como sera, how did you do it? Was it comedy that you feel like actually even helped you live through and find your way to the stage?

George Lopez (09:03):
I think, I don't think I've ever told this story before, but I was playing senior major. I was probably like 15 and we were playing in a playoff game against the Reds. I was on the Giants and I playing left field. And when you have to go to the bathroom, it doesn't start a little bit, it starts like all at once because it just backs up, the pressure. And man, I would hold it in, holding it in as bad. People don't think that holding it in is bad. It backed all that urine into my kidneys. We were having a long inning, I'd pee twice out there. Like I could see the pee going through my baseball pants and just letting it out because I couldn't hold it in, I couldn't run off the field and go behind the equipment building and do it. I was in left field up there, nobody's going to see me and pee twice in the time of that at any man. And I mean, there's not a ton of things that pop out like that on me, but that does, and it just is not a way to live.

George Lopez (10:05):
So if anybody that's listening to this or knows anybody that does that, or urine just comes on to you and these things just kind of happen fast, that it's happening fast for a reason. When I was, April of 1979, I was probably still 17, about to turn 18. Then you take the physical for any sports back then, they would take your temperature and they would put the stethoscope on your chest and they would grab your testicles and make you turn your head and cough. And they took your blood pressure.

George Lopez (10:33):
Well, I would consider myself at that time, playing baseball, I played sports all year round, maybe in the best condition in April that I would've been. And I had borderline hypertensio,n and everybody passed. And the doctor that was there said, "This is strange." So go outside and wait outside the desk that the other guys come in and you can go again. And I just passed.

George Lopez (10:55):
And that guy told me to think of like, water and think of the mountains and try to lower whatever your thoughts are. And it was still remotely high. And he passed me because I wouldn't have been able to play baseball, but he said, "You should go get checked and see why somebody who's 17 has borderline hypertension." And that was related to my kidneys and to my dysfunction of being born with the narrow ureters.

Dr. Correa (11:21):
Well, I'm glad at least eventually you got to the right doctors, you got it figured out. And was it some, what were the symptoms that first brought it out? Or was it the pain issues? Was it that once you had the neuropathy, how did you start to find out more about it?

George Lopez (11:38):
I would call all people out to say that they've seen their bodies in distress. They've seen things that should not be normal, whether it's blood in your stool or blood in your urine or high blood pressure or your feet are swollen, your body is swollen. I was on the road in San Antonio and felt better in water than I did in the bed. So I was in the water a lot in that week, and my kidneys were shutting down and I was taking Advil, but overprescribed, that wasn't helping my kidneys, that's too much. And when I got on the plane, I could not sit upright. And I had this pain in my lower back. And when I went to the doctor, I walked in half bent over, like if I had hurt my back, I walked in bend over. I sat there, he took some blood sample and came back and said, "You have advanced kidney disease and you're going to need to transplant before you're 45." I was 38.

George Lopez (12:35):
And I was in Las Vegas and I was working at Harrah's and afterwards, me and the sound guy from the show went to a club, we were sitting at the bar having a drink. And when I went to the bathroom, my urine was purple. It was purple like the color of, like I would say darker than pomegranate juice. And I should have gone to emergency that night, I did not. I did not. So I'm fortunate to be able to be alive. I would believe that I could have died in my sleep. My kidneys would've shut down in my sleep, but also, I don't ever let anything make me feel like I have to do something because of me surviving something.

Dr. Correa (13:14):
Now let's take a pause and get real about our pee. There are many causes of color changes in your urine, but any change in your urinary or bowel patterns should be discussed with a doctor. Briefly, orange color urine can be associated with dehydration, blood in your urine, liver issues or anti-inflammatory medications. Now, red changes in your urine, you're first concerned of course, with blood, but it can also be related to urinary tract infections, prostate issues, but also there are certain medications and foods that if you're eating a large amount of them can cause a red change in your urine.

Dr. Correa (13:53):
Dark red changes in your urine, we first have to be concerned with muscle injury or prolonged exercise causing something called rhabdomyolysis. Though, it can also be caused by some foods and medicines. So we're hearing a little bit of a theme here. Now let's get a little bit wilder, pale green, blue, or even purple violet urine can be caused by some bacteria or bacterial infections and also can be caused by some inherited medical conditions. And like many of the other color changes, it can also be caused or related to some medicines and foods.

Dr. Correa (14:29):
So basically, if you start peeing the rainbow, it's time to see a doctor. Talk frankly about the colors and the changes that you're seeing and get a better understanding of what's going on. Hopefully, it's just one of these medicines and foods that can change things, but it is important to make sure you're not missing something that needs to be taken care of. Now let's get back to our discussion with George.

Dr. Correa (14:56):
So many of these things, unfortunately, come with complications of many neurologic conditions, but neuropathy, and you dealt with uremic neuropathy. There's people can have diabetic neuropathy. Do you remember what it was when you got some of the initial tests that told you about the nerve pain and the pain issues that you were having and the neuropathy?

George Lopez (15:19):
It's funny because you think that it's almost like a charley horse, like the nerve endings on your feet. I mean, I would feel like I could shoot like electric bolts out of my hands. And I was get lightheaded, and you know that the nerve endings or standing and all those things that hurt. I was fortunate to be able to ask doctors, hey, what's going on with me here? And they were maybe even more a side effect of the medicine at that time or things that were going on with my body.

Dr. Correa (15:50):
And I just wanted to emphasize that, just so important to listen to our bodies, to call each other out on seeking out the help when we need it. I mean, you thankfully have survived through several instances where you didn't pay attention up front, but thankfully you got to the doctor. And anybody out there who they're having issues and symptoms that they're not sure about, even if you have financial issues limiting you, look for free clinics, look for opportunities, or even if you have to get to the ER to at least start getting evaluated. It happens in many cultures, but why do you think some Latino men just seem to avoid seeing the doctor?

George Lopez (16:30):
I'm going to tell you that I think it's fear.

Dr. Correa (16:36):
It's been so amazing to hear so much about George Lopez's life story and the health challenges of the men in his family. Subscribe to our podcast now so that you won't miss part two of our interview with George Lopez, where he shares, frankly, how impactful his kidney transplant was for his neuropathy and his life.

George Lopez (16:56):
If you like me, and you are a fan of mine, imagine that you would've never heard about me because I was afraid and didn't go and do this procedure that I needed to have done.

Dr. Correa (17:08):
Audrey, what has been your experience with people in your family or your patients avoiding seeing doctors?

Dr. Nath (17:14):
So there was one time when my husband's appendix was about to burst, and he didn't want to go to the hospital. I'm not even kidding. He had this classic pain in his belly button that then went down to the lower right part of his belly. And he had every one of the physical exam findings that goes with an appendicitis. And I said, you're going to have to go to the hospital, go to the ER, just put me on FaceTime, and I'll just like help you with it. He said, "No, I hate hospitals. I'm not going, I'm not going without you."

Dr. Nath (17:48):
So I said, fine. I called a babysitter to watch our kid. And I took him there, and then he had surgery and on the pathology report, it showed that his appendix was like super duper distended, which means it was like seriously about to burst. And this was about 12 hours later once he was in the operating room. So, I mean, this can happen to so many people from so many different backgrounds that there's this aversion to going into the medical setting. Hospitals can be really scary for people. I totally understand.

Dr. Correa (18:21):
Totally. I mean, they're scary places and yes, go see your doctor. You go to the hospital, they might find something wrong, but in the other hand, they might also catch it before it causes more problems and before it affects your lifestyle. So hopefully more of us think of not necessarily finding more issues when we go to the doctor, but actually think about protecting our health and protecting our current capabilities.

Dr. Nath (18:46):
Absolutely.

Dr. Correa (18:48):
So, now let's talk to an expert about neuropathy signs and symptoms, and even better how it's managed. In many of our episodes, we'll include an expert interview and tips about living with a neurologic condition. Today, we're really excited to be joined by Dr. Anne Louise Oaklander, to learn more about neuropathy and what she tells the people she cares for about living and managing their condition.

Dr. Correa (19:16):
Welcome back. I'm honored to introduce Dr. Anne Louise Oaklander, a fellow of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Neurologic Association and a former member of the Scientific Advisory Board for the NIH. She works at Harvard Medical School as an associate professor of neurology and assistant in neurology and neuropathology at Massachusetts General Hospital. There at MGH, she's the director of a great named unit, the director of the nerve unit. Her work has contributed to over 130 scientific articles across the scope of many causes of neuropathy. And she also founded and directs the Neuropathy Commons website. It's a really great non-commercial resource for anyone living with neuropathy and wants more information.

Dr. Correa (20:05):
Her work and expertise has been profiled in PBS, The New Yorker. And she also has multiple educational videos about neuropathy on YouTube that might be of interest to our community. Thank you for joining us Anne Louise. Can you talk a little bit about how you describe neuropathy to your patients for our listeners? We had a great discussion with George Lopez about his neuropathy and his kidney condition, but I'd like to hear how you approach that discussion.

Dr. Oaklander (20:37):
Thank you very much, Daniel, for including me on your program and giving me the opportunity to speak with your listeners. I read the article of the American Academy of Neurology, and I thought it was terrific. I welcome the opportunity to participate. Neuropathy is confusing, and it's confusing not only to patients, but to doctors as well. And the reason why it's confusing is because nobody ever came into my office and said, doc, my nerves are killing me, you got to do something to help my nerves.

Dr. Oaklander (21:17):
Instead, they come into my office and your office and everybody else's office, and they say, doc, my feet are killing me or my belly aches or my skin itches or I can't think straight. And it's very hard to connect the dots and realize that the underlying problem is a nerve problem. The problem is, again, all you see is what appears on the surface and you don't realize what the cause is.

Dr. Oaklander (21:47):
So patients with neuropathy very typically experience a long wait in delay to figure out that they have neuropathy. And in fact, many of them never even get that diagnosis even after they've been in medical care. They're also these labels that get put on patients that are based on symptoms. One of them, for instance, is fibromyalgia, which really is a label to describe a collection of symptoms. Another one we're all hearing about now is long COVID and what it's turning out in that, in some of these patients, not all of them, the underlying problem is neuropathy.

Dr. Oaklander (22:34):
So I want to incentivize your listeners to take the time to learn more from the AAN, from our neuropathycommons.org website, from their libraries about what the common symptoms are, so that they can take charge of their own healthcare and ensure they get the workup they need to get a diagnosis.

Dr. Oaklander (22:58):
The analogy that I often use with patients is our computers. When you look at the computer, you see your screen, you see your keyboard, you see your mouse, but what you don't see is the wires under the hood that connect all the different parts. And when the wires don't work, the parts you see don't work either. Even though the problem may not be with those parts, maybe your mouse is working fine, but it's the wire that connects your mouse to the computer that isn't working or something you might not even see at all. There's no way for you to know that the problem is with the electrical connections rather than the surface.

Dr. Correa (23:46):
And so really these nerves are the connections between everything in our body and our brain.

Dr. Oaklander (23:52):
Yes. These nerves are what connect our brain and our spinal cord to the outside world. Many people think of neurology as the study and the care for people with brain problems. But in fact, if the wires don't work, the best brain is not going to be able to function. And the brain, in a way, is completely dependent on the sensory input that comes in through those wires and is actually extensively modulated by those wires. And it also depends on the wires that go out to the muscles and all the organs in our body to carry out the wishes of the brain. Otherwise, the brain is three pounds of soft material that's incapable of doing anything on its own without the wires to connect it.

Dr. Correa (24:54):
It's fascinating to realize that, really these nerves as a part of the function of the brain and all of its connections really actually connect to every part of our body and every experience that we have in the world. And so George Lopez with his kidney condition developed uremic neuropathy. So what is uremic neuropathy and how is it different from other causes of neuropathy?

Dr. Oaklander (25:20):
Uremic neuropathy refers specifically to neuropathy that occurs in the context of severe chronic kidney disease. The problem is that our kidneys are what's constantly filtering our blood to keep the good stuff in and get rid of the bad stuff. And we all know where that goes down the drain. And when the kidneys don't work well, the bad stuff builds up, and it overwhelms the cells and tissues, and they begin to malfunction. So our own internal body becomes toxic, becomes a toxic environment. This will affect many, many parts of the body, but one of them, in addition to the brain, is the peripheral nerves.

Dr. Oaklander (26:07):
And so uremia or kidney problems is a cause of nerve problems. It's actually become very rare. The reason why it's become rare is because most often, in many parts of the US, kidney failure is picked up early, and the patients are treated before they get to the point of damaging their own nerves. But it's a very well known cause of it. In the US, the bigger problem, the biggest cause of neuropathy right now is diabetic neuropathy. And diabetes ties in with uremic or kidney neuropathy because they all kind of build on each other, and diabetes can damage the kidneys as well as the nerves. So people can have both diabetes as a cause of neuropathy, along with kidney problems as another cause of neuropathy.

Dr. Correa (27:04):
So there's so many things that affect the health of our nerves.

Dr. Oaklander (27:08):
Yes. That's one message I'd like to get through today is that when I was trained, we were taught to look for the one cause of the damage. You see a person, you make the diagnosis of neuropathy and you say, well, what's the cause here? Is this diabetes? Is this cancer chemotherapy? Is there a vitamin deficiency or excess? And let's treat it. That idea remains sound. But what I've come to realize is that the health of our nerves is the aggregate result of a myriad of influences, both positive and negative on the health of our nerves.

Dr. Oaklander (27:48):
And I want to empower the public to understand that even if the cause or causes of their neuropathy are unknown, there are things entirely within their power that they can do to improve their nerve health. So, I've come to view neuropathy as having multiple causes, many, not all, but many of which are in the patient's control.

Dr. Oaklander (28:17):
Furthermore, even the ones that require physician intervention are still within the patient's control because it's really up to the patient to pull on that white coat of the doctors, the medical system is overwhelmed. Doctors are busy, and it's up to the patient to come into the doctor, educated, ask the right questions and keep reminding the doctor that other testing may be needed to get to the bottom of this. So why am I harping on testing so much?

Dr. Oaklander (28:57):
The reason is I think the best treatment for neuropathy is to get rid of the causes of it. Get rid of it. I think for too long, a lot of what's been offered to patients is symptom management. If you have pain, well, then you should take these drugs. If your stomach and your digestive tract aren't working well because of neuropathy, you could take these medicines to slow your bowel movements, fight diarrhea, or take these others to fight constipation. If you're nauseated from neuropathy, you can take this. If your blood pressure is low from neuropathy, these are medicines you can take.

Dr. Oaklander (29:37):
And yes, I do recommend all those medicines, but at the end of the day, what's even more powerful is getting rid of the causes of the symptoms and to doctors to make sure that they do all the testing necessary to identify what the exact contributors are and to fight back against them.

Dr. Correa (29:59):
So it sounds like our nerves in a way can be a canary in the coal mine for other conditions. And there's so much going on that affect the health of our nerves. So, the nerves and neuropathy connects to every part of our body and affects many of our experiences that we have with the world. If you're having pains and changes and either strength or sensation, and you're concerned about neuropathy, then getting these tests help objectively diagnose what's going on and where it's happening, but it really raises the attention towards making sure we get the lab tests and the workups with our primary care doctors and hopefully also neurologist to see what we can do. And that really then opens the door to treatment options, but like you said, not just treatment to treat the symptoms, but to try to resolve what's causing your neuropathy and that nerve damage.

Dr. Correa (30:57):
Now, some people, the treatment options may not really end up hitting all the things that they need and they may need other therapies to help them live with the neuropathy. Some people talk about this as like complementary therapies or complementary medicine. What are some avenues for patients who are living with neuropathy that's not going to get completely better as they're living and coping with those symptoms?

Dr. Oaklander (31:23):
Great questions, Daniel. I think that the most important complementary therapy is actually understanding and education, bar none. And the reason why I say that is because patients who have chronic undiagnosed symptoms inevitably develop some level of distress, anxiety, a good number go on to develop depression. It hangs over them like a cloud. And I call this the double burden. So in addition to the actual symptoms they may be having, whether they're sensory symptoms, whether they're unexplained nausea, vomiting, weight loss, constipation, whether they have POTS where they can't get through their daily routine because they feel faint when they stand up, whether they have chronic headaches and perhaps even difficulty thinking, because they're not getting the right blood flow to their brain, whether they're having urinary problems, difficulties sweating, temperature regulation, problems with sexual function, all those are bad enough.

Dr. Oaklander (32:38):
But then when you don't even know what's going on, it's inevitable that you have secondary problems. Many patients also go on to move less, to reduce their exercise, to gain weight, and some of them drop out of school or are unable to continue working. And I think when I encourage a patient to get the right testing, and I tell them your test results were abnormal, here's what I think you have. I've had patients cry regularly. They're not crying out of unhappiness to get a bad diagnosis, they're actually crying out of happiness that someone has finally told them, yes, there's something objectively wrong with you, and once you have that diagnosis, then you have a framework for getting care.

Dr. Oaklander (33:32):
So to me, I don't view this as complementary therapy, I view this as patient centered therapy, things that patients can do themselves. It's very important that when patients take control of their health, as I encourage them to, and I'm sure you do also, that they continue to follow evidence based guidelines and treatments, the exact same way that doctors do. And what that means is not flipping through your cell phone and looking for apps that offer to cure neuropathy or to treat neuropathy or seeing them in the back pages of the newspaper. But again, getting information from your librarian, from reputable websites, which includes those of the National Institutes of Health, the American Academy of Neurology, et cetera.

Dr. Oaklander (34:26):
And there's a lot of research that's been done on complementary therapies as well, not just medication treatments. What's really come out of those studies is that among the most important things to do, I break it down into what you should think about doing and things you should avoid doing. Among the things to be encouraged are number one, stop smoking. People hear all the time stop smoking because of cancer, which is true. They hardly ever hear stop smoking because it's terrible for your nerves, but that is true as well.

Dr. Oaklander (35:06):
And the reason is because smoking chokes off the flow of blood to enable your nerves to maintain and recover themselves. Unlike our brain cells, the peripheral nerves normally grow continuously throughout life. So anything a patient can do to improve their health is going to help their nerves grow back and fight back against uremia or diabetes or damage from chemo. Another is to exercise regularly and try to aim for five, six, maybe even seven days a week of aerobic exercise, which means exercise that gets your heart pumping and really sends blood through your body. There's no one best exercise for this. It's really whatever you can do in your own environment that you like, and that you'll continue to do.

Dr. Oaklander (36:03):
And all too often, I hear from patients, but doc, I can't do that. I can only walk once around the block, or I struggle to get up one flight of stairs to my apartment. And I say, that's okay. What that tells me then is you need to be taking that one flight of stairs to your apartment three times a day, every day, to where you build up to the point where you can do two flights of stairs to your apartment. If you can only walk around the block once, or you can only go 30 seconds on a treadmill, that's okay as well. I want to see you doing your 30 seconds on the treadmill or walking once around the block every day, because that's what will build up your health. Another area that's within patient control and that the evidence strongly supports is nutrition, diet, and correct use of vitamins to what's evidence based.

Dr. Correa (37:03):
So I think, it's working within our capabilities to move more and whether that's what we think of traditionally as exercise, or just getting up and doing that 30 seconds, trying doing it regularly and building on that and growing our ability to move more, working with our nutrition to work towards some weight loss goals, because that potentially could help. And then along with the nutritional goals of making sure we're getting the vitamins we need and not taking too much of things that maybe our bodies don't need.

Dr. Correa (37:34):
Thank you so much for joining us and starting this discussion. Please make sure to join us next week for our part two of the episode with George Lopez and Dr. Anne Louise Oaklander on living better with neuropathy. We'll be back, and we'll see you next week. Follow and subscribe to this podcast so you don't miss our weekly episode. You can also sign up to receive The Brain and Life Magazine for free at brainandlife.org.

Dr. Nath (38:13):
Also, for each episode, you can find out how to connect with us and our guests along with great resources in the show notes. You can also reach out by email at BLpodcast@brainandlife.org.

Dr. Correa (38:28):
Follow me and Audrey and The Brain and Life Magazine at your preferred social media channels.

Dr. Nath (38:34):
Special thanks to The Brain & Life team, including:

Dr. Correa (38:37):
Nicole Lussier, our Public Engagement Program Manager.

Dr. Nath (38:40):
The amazing Clayton Stansberry, our Digital Media Production Editor.

Dr. Correa (38:45):
And Andrea Weiss, our Executive Editor for Education and News Publications at The Brain and Life Magazine.

Dr. Nath (38:51):
We are your hosts.

Dr. Correa (38:53):
Daniel Correa, joining from New York City and online @NeuroDrCorrea.

Dr. Nath (38:59):
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Part One: George Lopez on Finding Laughter Despite Neuropathy

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