Most people know what they should do to be healthier. So why is it so hard to actually do it?

In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser sits down with Luanne Spiros, a Yoga Alliance E-RYT 200, ACSM Cancer Exercise Specialist, master beekeeper, and behavioral change expert who has spent her career helping people build healthy habits that actually last.

This conversation cuts through the generic advice and gets into the real mechanics of change. Why is movement easier to start with than nutrition? What makes the social environment so powerful? And what three skills does everyone need to make healthy living stick for life?

You will also hear about her work in oncology yoga and what she will be leading at the NHA Annual Conference in June.

In this conversation, you will learn:

Why movement tends to be the better entry point than nutrition for most people
The three S's: social, skills, and setting -- and why they make or break healthy living
Three skills everyone needs to build lasting health habits
Why reward beats fear as a long-term motivator (and what the research says)
The hardest parts of going plant-based and how to plan around them
How to build exercise into your life so it stops feeling like something to bolt on
What oncology yoga is and how it gives cancer patients agency and hope
How to handle a partner or household that isn't on the same page

Book recommendations from this episode: Atomic Habits by James Clear, Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg, Willpower by Roy Baumeister.

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LINKS AND RESOURCES

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Full episode and show notes:

NHA Today on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgXfvjZj34HbsD3-47eEC2kjBWeIvNhHl

Subscribe on your favorite platform: https://www.healthscience.org/podcast/

NHA Annual Conference (June 25 to 28): https://checkout.healthscience.org/2026-nha-conference

Follow Dr. Esser: https://www.instagram.com/esserhealth/

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About NHA Today: The National Health Association has championed the science of true health for over 75 years. NHA Today brings that legacy into your weekly routine with honest, evidence-based conversations to help you live your most vital life.