#417: Dr. Vivek Murthy — Former Surgeon General on Combatting COVID-19, Loneliness, and More

Dr. Vivek Murthy — Former Surgeon General on Combatting COVID-19, Loneliness, and More | Brought to you by NutriBullet and Trello. “All of us, regardless of what stage of life we’re at, we’ve got three basic needs: we all want to know that we matter, we want to be seen for who we are, and we want to know that we’re loved.” — Dr. Vivek Murthy Dr. Vivek H. Murthy (@vivek_murthy, vivekmurthy.com) served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States between 2014-2017. As the Vice Admiral of the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, he commanded a uniformed service of 6,600 public health officers globally. During his tenure, Dr. Murthy launched the TurnTheTide campaign, catalyzing a movement among health professionals to address the nation’s opioid crisis. He also issued the first Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health, calling for expanded access to prevention and treatment and for recognizing addiction as a chronic illness, not a character flaw. In 2017, Dr. Murthy focused his attention on chronic stress and loneliness as prevalent problems that have profound implications for health, productivity, and happiness. He has co-founded a number of organizations: VISIONS, an HIV/AIDS education program in India; Swasthya, a community health partnership in rural India training women as health providers and educators; software company TrialNetworks; and the grassroots physicians organization Doctors for America. Since leaving government service, Dr. Murthy has continued to focus on loneliness and social connection. His book Together: the Healing Power of Human Connection in a Sometimes Lonely World will be published this spring by Harper Collins. Please enjoy!  This episode is brought to you by NutriBullet. NutriBullet is the affordable, easy-to-use, easy-to-clean blender that was first recommended to me by entrepreneur Noah Kagan when I interviewed him for the podcast. Its signature blending process transforms high-fiber veggies, nuts, seeds, and fruits into silky, nutrient-dense smoothies (or protein shakes, savory soups, and dips) that are easy to digest and absorb. Now, the engineers at NutriBullet have created an incredibly convenient upgrade named the NutriBullet Blender Combo. This device is their most versatile yet, allowing you to effortlessly switch between single-serve and full-size blending—everything you know and love about the classic device, plus all the performance and capacity you expect from a full-size blender. Don’t settle for blenders that leave your smoothies filled with chunks. Get the NutriBullet Blender Combo, and introduce your veggies and fruits to 1,200 watts. It easily gets the job done. And for you, my dear listeners, NutriBullet is offering 20% off of all products on its website. To get your 20% off, just go to NutriBullet.com/Tim! This episode is also brought to you by Trello. Now, more than ever, teams must come together and work together virtually to handle challenges, opportunities, and everything in between. Trello, part of Atlassian’s collaborative suite, is an app with an easy-to-understand visual format and tons of features that make working with your team more functional and more fun. Teams of all shapes and sizes—and companies like Google, Fender, and even Costco—all use Trello to collaborate and get work done. With Trello, you can work with your team wherever you are, whether it’s at home or in an office. And no matter what device you’re using—computer, tablet, or phone—Trello syncs across all of them so you can stay up to date on all the things your team cares about. Keep your workflow going from wherever you are with Trello. Try Trello for free and learn more at trello.com/tfs! *** If you enjoy the podcast, would you please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcasts/iTunes? It takes less than 60 seconds, and it really makes a difference in helping to convince hard-to-get guests. For show notes and past guests, please visit tim.blog/podcast. Sign up for Tim’s email newsletter (“5-Bullet Friday”) at tim.blog/friday. For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts. Interested in sponsoring the podcast? Please fill out the form at tim.blog/sponsor. Discover Tim’s books: tim.blog/books. 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