VIBRANT
THE GIFT OF GIVING Dr. Stacie J. Stephenson on how the philanthropic drive can lead to more vibrant living. things that people say have no science behind them. Talk a little bit about this research that you’ve done as a longtime doctor, and what you’ve discovered. SS: It’s a miscommunication that took root decades ago. So for example, let’s say you were seeing a holistic nutritionist for a medi“Animals’ presence is cal concern or just weight calming, balancing loss. Then you later saw a and healing,” says typical Western doctor, and Dr. Stephenson. you told them the nutritionist had given you a detoxifying drink and some essential oils. Western medicine will typically say that we can try all that, but it’s not researched. Here’s the thing: A) It is. B) You have to look under the covers a little bit more, and see that holistic practitioners are utilizing research from the foundations of science. Also remember that there were human beings through the centuries who didn’t have laboratory science, who still made decisions for their health and helped others.
CRISTINA CUOMO: So good to see you. I’ve been adhering to much of your wisdom from your book, as well as your new Vibrant section in Purist, which debuted in our spring 2022 issue. Let’s talk about vibrant giving. Giving has such an incredible impact on not just our community, but on oneself. Let’s go back to the beginning with you. Tell me what “vibrant” means to you? STACIE J. STEPHENSON: Vibrant encompasses so much for me, but it’s truly a lifestyle and a state of being. I’m so proud of the entire integrative wellness movement in this country. Living authentically is vibrance, from what you do, to what you eat, to how you move. The giving aspect is important, because we’re at our best when we’re helping others. CC: Human connection is so important to nurturing that vibrancy and feeding our soul. You’re a big giver. A doctor is the most noble profession. You’re engaged 24/7. But you also have created a vibrant community where you’re celebrating different organizations and finding pathways to help others in deeper and more meaningful ways. One of the things you’ve created with your husband is the Gateway Celebrity Fight Night. I know that took place in March. SS: There’s a rich history of giving in Celebrity Fight Night. It all began with Muhammad Ali and his friends who came together to raise money for Parkinson’s disease 28 years ago. It was like a goofy thing, honestly, where they were goofing around with their friends to raise money. They had no knowledge of philanthropy or organizing; it’s funny to see the old pictures. Fast-forward to now, after Muhammad’s passing six years ago. Fight Night needed a new home. We decided to do some work with the group, and we’d transition it to becoming a part of Gateway for Cancer Research, which currently has 71 clinical cancer trials ongoing. We raised $5 million—not too bad for something fresh out the gate.
CC: The foundation of one’s personal well-being is this idea of relationships, community, connection and giving to others, because it does fortify you on every level. The personalized nutrition program that you create for people has to be individualized because everyone’s immunity, gut, allergies, are all different. That’s key to what you’ve created with your VibrantDoc program. You probably have a ton of patients asking you “What’s the one thing I should do?” and there’s no one thing. Probably besides drinking tons of
CC: You make a great point that gestures of thoughtfulness for others are the best remedies for stress and depression. You are leading the charge on this, and talking about 66
Courtesy of Dr. Stacie J. Stephenson
CC: Let’s talk about your book, Vibrant: A Groundbreaking Program to Get Energized, Own Your Health, and Glow. What do you believe are the root causes of things and what are the effects on mental health, and the physical body? SS: Everything you put in your body is critical. How you move your body is critical. We’re exposed to a lot of fads right now, and it’s hard for people to filter through those. People ask me to tell them about a specific diet or exercise that works best. You have to figure it out on an individual basis. My hope in Vibrant was to give people an easy-to-read bible for taking care of their body, so they can then branch out.
