Lisa and her family traveled on another college tour Wednesday to her alma mater, Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, MD. As a treat to listeners, Lisa and her staff compiled a "best of" show, full of notable interviews and monologues from past episodes.

Lisa's recent (February 9, 2010) interview with Ellen Whitehurst, Feng Shui and astrology expert, was the first flashback in Wednesday's compilation of past shows. Lisa mentioned that despite never meeting Ellen face-to-face, she received a red bag full of quartz crystals from her, and asked if there was any significance to the gift. Ellen explained that the crystals have a live energy to them. She explained the slower vibrations that exist within crystals and rocks that "raise the energy" in that area. She also explained her work with people's energy in their work and living spaces. Lisa admitted to thinking of rocks as dead and not having energy. Ellen explained a form of photography called Kirian Photography that actually photographs the energy of an object, which allows you to see the activity with an object that one might expect to be "dead." Ellen and Lisa went on discuss the category of quartz, and Ellen explained that it's a stone, not necessarily a jewel, but said it could be called a gem stone.

Lisa switched gears to talk more specifically about Ellen's business, as she is a Feng Shui and astrology expert, but also a columnist and writer. Ellen has a book called, Make This Your Lucky Day, as well as an e-book called, 27 Ways in 27 Days to the Love of Your Life. Ellen explained that for the past 20 years, she has been studying different cultures and religions and how they bring in luck and fortune. She said that in most of these traditions, that under the umbrella of luck falls the idea of love. She says love and money are the two most common topics she's asked about by clients. Ellen has gone back to her research to pull 27 helpful ways to change the mindset with which people receive love so that a relationship lasts and is fulfilling. Ellen explained that research supports the idea that in order to get into a habit or routine, it be repeated for 21 days. She said that her book only calls for a few minutes per day to commit to the process.

Ellen also went on to state that when a person becomes proactive about something, there is always going to be a positive outcome. She also suggests having at least one positive affirmation at the end of the day so that you wake up with a positive thought to start the day.

Lisa questioned Ellen about the two things people say that they want most in life: love and money. She points out the irony that money is one of the great stress factors in a relationship. Ellen agreed, but clarifies that she doesn't think that that's necessarily what people want most in life, but instead both topics are the focus of many of her questions and e-mails from clients. Ellen commented that the new self-help paradigm seems to revolve more about peace of mind than anything else. Lisa asked Ellen about her predictions for 2010, based on astrological evaluations. Ellen mentioned the Chinese New Year which happened on Valentine's Day this year, and explained that this is the year of the metal tiger, metal being interpreted as money.

A caller named Lucy wanted to ask Ellen about her astrological sign, Virgo. Ellen said that in 2009, Lucy's year was about relationships in every respect of the concept. Her advice to Lucy in 2010 was to push through conflict and get to a positive place. She said that this is the year to take old challenges and to face them and push through them to feel more positive and successful.

After a short news break, Lisa introduced her next clip from an interview with Dr. Stuart Bussell (February 4, 2010), a colon and rectal surgeon at Danbury Hospital and director of the Colon and Rectal Cancer Program. Lisa said that she found out about Dr. Bussell while reading an article in The Wall Street Journal and commented on his special practice of doing a personalized risk assessment of every patient before he operates.

She welcomed Dr. Bussell by first mentioning the article about him in The Wall Street Journal. They talked about his risk assessment in terms of the surgical waiver that patients do not necessarily read thoroughly. To curb the potential surgical complications, because all surgeries have risks, Dr. Bussell assesses each patient by entering their risk variables in a program that assess their personal risk for complication during surgery.

Lisa asked Dr. Bussell a specific question regarding how he makes the assessment. She gave him a scenario involving an individual who requires colo-rectal surgery but is 25 pounds overweight. Dr. Bussell said that issues like that are hard to judge because in the case of cancer, waiting is not an option. In other cases though, like with patients who have diverticulitis, he might ask them to make lifestyle changes if they smoke or have a small amount of weight to lose because it can greatly impact the recovery and outcomes. Lisa complimented the article by saying she loved that it touched on the idea of personalized health care, an idea that most everyone is interested in. She commented on how treatment like that provided by Dr. Bussell is one step in the direction of the medical future where people will be able to have a genetic blueprint of their potential health risks.

In terms of the risk factors, length of the surgery and age are key players. Lisa commented on her father's experience with lung cancer surgery. Despite approaching 80 at the time, his physiological condition was closer to that of a man 15 years younger. Lisa and Dr. Bussell agree that age involves more than the years a person has been alive, but the condition that their body is in as a result of good diet and exercise. These factors can significantly impact the outcome of a surgery. Speaking of other risk factors, smoking was also a significant risk factor. Other things like cancer, stroke history, high blood pressure, or emergency cases are all risk factors. He mentioned that people suffering from severe emphysema usually are at risk for complication because of their reaction to anesthesia.

Lisa and Dr. Bussell announced that March is national Colo-Rectal Awareness Month. In terms of preventative care, Dr. Bussell encourages that people with no risk factors for colo-rectal cancer have a colonoscopy at age 50. For patients with an increased risk factor, it is recommended that they are screened at 40.

On the subject of health and awareness, Lisa's third clip for today's show comes from an interview with Samantha Heller, registered dietician and author of Get Smart. Samantha's book was published by the Johns Hopkins University Press, Lisa's alma mater. Lisa jumped right into the interview by talking about Samantha's book and Samantha's mother's struggle with dementia. Samantha explains that like cancer, dementia is an umbrella term and there are several different types of the disease.

In her book, Samantha explained that through nutrition, there are ways to possibly "stave off" dementia. Nutritionally speaking, she explained that the kind of fat consumed by people impacts brain function. Saturated fat, a very bad fat, can really impair how the brain functions. Lisa and Samantha started talking about cheese, and Lisa comically explained her distaste for cottage cheese in all varieties. Samantha explained that she urges people to stay away from high-fat cheese, and instead opt for fat-free varieties. In terms of mozzarella, she suggested opting for part-skim. It is important to note that while cheese is high in sodium, it also often very high in bad, saturated fats that increase chances of heart disease and diabetes.

Lisa directed the conversation over to the concept of animal fat, joking that the Food Network makes it seem as though the concept of vegetarianism is fake because of its meat-centric programming. Cholesterol and saturated fat are both fats, and both are found in animal products. High saturated fat content is worse for you than cholesterol, but cholesterol-laden foods should still be monitored and consumed in moderation. Man-made trans fats should also be avoided. Despite the ban on trans fats in restaurants in New York, they are still found in packaged and frozen foods.

Lisa asked Samantha about Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. Samantha explained that they are both fats, but the term Omega-3 references the chemical structure of the molecule. Omega-3s are anti-inflammatory and help your brain function and grow. They also can help reduce the risk of depression and schizophrenia. Samantha stressed that because this is emerging research, do not over consume these fats. She said that a doctor or dietician should be consulted before you start taking any supplements. Lisa asked Samantha about where olive oils falls in the spectrum, and she was surprised to find that olive oil is a monounsaturated oil, so it's neither a 3 or 6. She explained that olive oil is good in moderation, but that in terms of plant and corn oils, we're getting too much of them from processed foods.

Samantha suggested basing diets on more whole foods like fruits, vegetables, fish, and nuts and seeds. Essential fatty acids can be found in avocados and peanuts. Even good fats, though, should be consumed in moderation.

Speaking of fish, Lisa posed the question of which fish is good fish, because of the recent research on mercury levels in fish. Additionally, she comments on how she enjoys farm salmon over wild salmon because it's fattier, but that studies show that people should really consume more wild salmon. Samantha explained that the larger the fish, the more mercury they are going to have. Health benefits of eating fish outweigh the risks. The Environmental Defense Fund has a website about low-mercury fish in specific states. For tuna eaters, go for chunk light as opposed to white tuna to reduce the mercury and pollutants.

For a caller who asked about how to find foods with fatty acids while having to avoid her fish allergy, Samantha suggested canola oil, flax seeds, supplements, and soy.

The one thing that Samantha suggests for people who follow the current Western diet, that increases risks for a whole host of diseases, is to lower the amount of animal fats consumed, eat more whole foods, and to go low-fat or fat-free whenever possible.

The final, but equally as interesting, clip that Lisa aired in her flashback episode on Wednesday was an interview with former NFL player turned commentator, Jamie Dukes (February 5, 2010). Jamie talked about his struggle with weight after leaving the NFL and his eventual decision to undergo gastric bypass surgery. Lisa explained how her husband Bill struggled with his weight and made the same decision and is now healthier and happier as a result. She commented on how Bill now exercises everyday and watches what he eats. Jamie shared that he is now down over 100 pounds and has significantly modified his diet from his 40-ounce serving sizes back in his NFL days. Lisa and Jamie discussed statistics of over consumption and how the second most indulgent festivity in America next to Thanksgiving is the Super Bowl.

In addition to replaying some interesting health and lifestyle related interviews, Lisa also brought up some news that viewers may have missed.

Lisa mentioned lobbyists in DC changing the profiting of student loans. Obama mentioned that he thought it would be easy, and it appears he was wrong. Lisa mentioned the issues of finance that impact college students in addition to student loans. For example, banks unfairly promote credit cards, eventually luring students into thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of debt. President Obama wants to have the federal system take over for student loans as opposed to the current heavily privatized system.

Lisa mentioned her opposition to the health care bill, while mentioning its stalled state. She brought up an article that said that 50 percent of the medical spending that already occurs is governmentally subsidized. She thinks we need to do more in terms of preventing diseases, not just treating them when they arise.

Lisa also mentioned a news story revealing e-mails that have recently surfaced which state that Todd Palin was deeply involved in the Alaska's governance while his wife, Sarah, was governor. She goes on to explain how Sarah Palin sneakily masked the cost of installation for a tanning bed in her mansion, and the state of Alaska, which ultimately boils down to Alaskan citizens, paid the price.

Also in the news was troubled actor Charlie Sheen, whose car was reportedly driven off a cliff. He received a call from his car's OnStar system notifying him of the wreck around the same time he called to report the car as missing.

In more tragic news, Lisa mentioned a woman, Victoria Hope, who bled to death while delivering three still-born babies. Lisa tried to understand why the woman, already the mother of two, did not seek out prenatal care, or why she didn't turn to the other health care options women have.

For more on news and thought-provoking interviews, tune into The Lisa Wexler Show, Monday through Friday, 4 p.m.-6 p.m.

Written by Alexandra Kirsch (kirscha2@msu.edu)