The Ascend Health Show: What 67 Episodes Have Taught Me About Health

Hello, and welcome to the 67th episode of the Ascend Health Show. I’m your host, Nick Angelis, and today I wanted to take a step back and provide an overview of what we’ve learned from all these conversations.

I’m not going to recap all 67 episodes individually. Instead, I want to talk about the bigger picture.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to interview dozens of experts across Northeast Ohio. At this point, we’ve accumulated a library of videos covering everything from chronic pain and mental health to functional medicine, relationships, trauma, and recovery. My concern is that these conversations aren’t always being used for the educational purposes they were intended for.

Whenever I encounter a health problem, I find myself thinking, Who have I interviewed that might be able to help with this? I’d love for everyone in the Akron area to have access to that same network of knowledge.

To start, let me tell you a story that I heard online.

There was a man in Cambodia who stepped on a landmine and lost a leg. After receiving a prosthetic leg, he returned to work in the rice paddies. Every day was painful. The work reminded him of the trauma he had experienced. He became increasingly depressed, crying at night and struggling to function.

The local doctors decided he needed an antidepressant.

The antidepressant they prescribed was a cow.

Instead of sending him back to the rice paddies, they helped him become a dairy farmer. The cow gave him a new source of income and allowed him to avoid the environment that had caused him so much suffering.

Later, when Western physicians arrived and said, “We have antidepressants,” the response was essentially, “That’s great. We already have cows.”

It’s an unusual story, but it illustrates an important lesson. Sometimes, especially in American medicine, we approach every problem with the same set of tools. The phrase “root cause” is often overused, but there are times when we need to look beyond symptom relief and ask a deeper question:

What is actually causing this person’s suffering?

Whether the pain is physical, emotional, or a combination of both, finding the right person to help often matters more than simply finding another treatment.

For example, we’ve talked extensively about pain on this show.

We’ve interviewed chiropractors from organizations such as HealthSource, Integrity Chiropractic, and Zel Vitality Center. We’ve discussed migraines, sciatica, neck pain, and chronic musculoskeletal conditions. We’ve explored treatments ranging from chiropractic care to cold laser therapy.

Most recently, I spoke with Dr. Frank Kousaie, an anesthesiologist who focuses on non-invasive, opioid-free approaches to pain management. As a nurse anesthetist myself, that naturally caught my attention.

What I’ve learned is that there are often many ways to address pain before jumping straight to surgery or long-term medication.

At the same time, I think it’s important to offer a bit of balance.

People often want something new, innovative, or different from standard medical care. But standard treatments became standard for a reason: they work for most people most of the time.

Occasionally someone will come to Ascend and ask, “This medication works well for me, but do you have something newer or better?”

Sometimes the answer is no.

If the first-line treatment for your condition is working and you’re feeling well, that’s wonderful news. You don’t necessarily need to start searching for hidden causes or revolutionary alternatives. Sometimes you had a problem, took an evidence-based medication, and got better.

That’s okay.

You don’t have to earn your health through endless optimization. You don’t have to become 110% efficient, biohack every aspect of your life, or spend every weekend reading wellness blogs. If your treatment is working and you feel good, go enjoy your life.

The deeper investigations become important when treatments stop working, create side effects, or fail to address the full problem.

That’s where many of our guests come in.

We’ve featured occupational therapists such as Rachel, who specializes in pelvic-floor treatment. We’ve interviewed the team from Custom Care Rehab about dizziness, balance issues, and chronic pain.

And I should probably repeat a disclaimer that I originally recorded years ago: these conversations are educational. They are not a substitute for individualized medical advice. If something resonates with you, discuss it with your healthcare team.

At the very least, run it past a trustworthy physician—or perhaps a very nosy AI system.

For chronic pain, we’ve covered chiropractic care, physical therapy, anesthesiology, regenerative medicine, and rehabilitation. For slower, more gradual health declines, we’ve explored functional medicine.

We’ve talked with Dr. McElrath from Monarch Ideal Care, Practical Healing–Bethany Ortlip, NP, Sarah Logan, PA, and many others about hormone optimization, nutrition, laboratory testing, and integrative approaches to health.

We’ve also featured Forum Health and interviewed Dr. Tara Scott during some of the earliest days of the COVID era.

Looking back, that feels like a lifetime ago.

Mental health has also been a major focus of the show.

We’ve discussed anxiety, depression, trauma, nervous-system regulation, and the role of the vagus nerve. We’ve talked with therapists from Deep Waters Therapy, Renew Counseling Services, Emerge Counseling, and Rachel Whitehawk’s equine-assisted therapy program.

One theme keeps appearing over and over:

Human connection matters.

Relationships matter.

Community matters.

When we think about health, most people assume our well-being is determined primarily by physical factors. Yet research consistently shows that social determinants of health play an enormous role in outcomes.

Our relationships influence neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and glutamate. They affect stress levels, resilience, healing, and even pain perception.

The way we relate to one another has far more influence on our health than most people realize.

Which brings us back to the story about the cow.

Sometimes the solution isn’t another prescription. Sometimes it’s a different environment, a different relationship, a different routine, or a different way of living your life.

That doesn’t mean simple changes cure every serious problem. I’m certainly not suggesting that changing your hairstyle will eliminate severe depression or suicidal thoughts.

What I am saying is that small, meaningful changes can sometimes become the first steps toward recovery.

We’ve also explored topics ranging from family dynamics and yoga to addiction, gambling, and trauma recovery.

At this point, after 67 episodes, I can honestly say these shows are not infomercials.

The goal has never been to convince you to switch doctors, change therapists, or seek treatment at a specific clinic.

The goal is much simpler:

Perhaps one of these conversations contains a piece of information that helps you see your own situation differently.

Maybe you’ve tried the same approach five times without success. Perhaps hearing another perspective helps you identify a sixth option worth exploring.

At Ascend Health Center, we offer treatments such as:

• Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) for depression, anxiety, and OCD
• EMDR and other forms of psychotherapy
• Psychiatric evaluations and medication management
• Spravato (esketamine) nasal spray for treatment-resistant depression
• Intravenous ketamine infusions
• Integrative and wellness-focused services

We continue to grow, learn, and evolve.

But the larger point of the show extends beyond Ascend.

Every day on social media, people are exposed to endless health claims. There is always a new supplement, a new gadget, a new trend, or a new company promising miracle results.

Many of those claims come from organizations that have no real connection to your community.

The people who appear on this show are different.

These are independent practitioners. They live here. They work here. They have families here. Their reputations matter because they serve the very communities they belong to.

That doesn’t make anyone perfect, but it does mean there is accountability.

So if you’re searching for answers, I encourage you to explore the conversations we’ve had over the years. You may find a perspective, treatment, or practitioner that helps you take the next step on your journey toward better health.

I’m Nick Angelis from Ascend Health Center.

Thank you for joining us. Thank you for watching. And thank you for being part of this ongoing conversation about health, healing, and wellness.

You’re watching WCTV, Wadsworth Community Television.