Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

The bar for human performance is higher than it’s ever been. As a result, we all feel the need to do MORE. At the same time, we are becoming increasingly aware of the value of sleep, rest, recovery, and wellness. Accordingly, we also feel the need to do LESS. If you’re like most people, it can be challenging to reconcile this conflict of feeling the need to do MORE and LESS simultaneously, and that is likely contributing to high rates of burnout and decreased performance. So how do we reconcile these seemingly competing desires? That is where Human Optimization comes in. Human Optimization is the process of achieving more (however you define that for yourself) while simultaneously improving your wellness and well-being. Although it’s not easy, it’s certainly possible. Not only is it possible, but it is becoming increasingly essential. In this Mayo Clinic Talks Mini-Series, we are going to dive into the topic of Human Optimization and will focus on a few key areas including: exercise, nutrition, culture, emotional intelligence, and finding joy in all you do. Learn more about the Human Optimization Project at: https://ce.mayo.edu/optimize X: @MayoHumanOpProj Instagram: @MayoHumanOpProj YouTube: The Human Optimization Project - YouTube Email: optimize@mayo.edu Listening is free and no CME Credit is available for this series.

Episodes

June 11, 2025 48 mins

Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Carlos Coto, MA., CMPC., Head of Mental Performance | San Diego Football Club

Right now, we are all living our lives, striving for progress, and generally trying to improve ourselves, others, and the world around us. But how many of us have stopped to think about WHY we do this? What is the purpose behind our actions? What drives us...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Pablo Lopez, Professional Baseball Pitcher | Minnesota Twins Baseball Club

If you’ve ever been a part of a team, group, organization, or family, it’s obvious that much of your progress, success, and happiness in heavily influenced by the people around you. This can be a major blessing if you are surrounded by the right kind of peopl...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Stuart J. McCarter, M.D., Sleep and Cognitive/Behavioral Neurologist | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN

In the past, we’ve discussed the circadian rhythm and how it sets your clock for the day. Both when you are awake, and when you are asleep. Today, we are going to focus in on what happens to us when we go to sleep. We all know that for...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Katherine A. Zeratsky, RDN, LD, Assistant Professor of Nutrition, Registered Dietitian | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN

Would you describe yourself as someone who is busy, wants to save money, and likes things that taste good? That describes a lot of us, and those are some of the most common reasons many of us rely on processed foods. ...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Anni Shandera-Ochsner, Ph.D., ABPP-CN, Clinical Neuropsychologist & Medical Director of Joy at Mayo Clinic | Mayo Clinic Health System – La Crosse, WI   We all have areas of our lives that we’d like to improve. In fact, many of us have been at this for years…with varying levels of success. If you’ve been able to transform your ...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D., Creator & Guide | Mayo Clinic Human Optimization Project

Guest: Colin West, M.D, Ph.D., Medical Director of Employee Well-Being | Mayo Clinic – Rochester, MN

This week, we are focusing on a topic that many don’t like to discuss, but we all need to understand better. You may have experienced it firsthand, and it has major implications for all of us at home and in the workplace. The topic is Burno...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

Guest: Carlos Correa, Professional Baseball Shortstop, Minnesota Twins Baseball Club

Failure is tough, and if we are honest with ourselves, we all experience some level of failure on a near daily basis. Some of these failings are small, while others are substantial and can have real impacts on our lives. Given how commonly failure occurs, we need to figure out how to deal with it in a health way. To ...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.   Guest: Justin Anderson, Psy. D., LP, CMPC Owner/Founder | CEO | High Performance Psychologist Premier Sport Psychology   In our modern, hyper-connected world, our brain is subject to a non-stop barrage of noise, information, stimuli, and inputs. While much of it is necessary and meaningful, a large portion is just unnecessary distraction. With this heavy burden of constant stimuli, it’s easy for u...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

Guest: Dustin Morse, Senior Vice President of Communications and Public Affairs, Minnesota Twins Baseball Club

Connection with other people is the one of the most essential elements to a happy and fulfilling life. In order to connect with others, you MUST COMMUNICATE with others. However, in our hyper-electronic and busy world, effective communication has become a lost art for so many of us. We have ...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

Guest: Michael Howell, M.D.

You’ve likely heard of the concept of the “Circadian Rhythm,” but you may not fully understand it. Most people have no idea what their personal circadian rhythm is or how to determine it. Similarly, most of us don’t understand just how our circadian rhythm impacts our energy, sleep, mood, and productivity on a daily basis. Developing a better understanding of your circadia...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

Guest: Jason Ewoldt, M.S., RDN

There aren’t many words out there than can conjure up emotions, confusion, and frustration quite like the word we are discussing today, and that word is “calories.” However, a discussion on calories doesn’t have to be so complex and loaded with this unnecessary baggage. Today, we are going to bring clarity to the topic by focusing on what you really need to know from bo...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

Guest: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D.

We would all be open to the idea of a little less stress in our lives, especially if we can fill that with joy and happiness. For most of us, this holds true for both our personal and professional lives. But in this age of increasing pressure, demands, expectations, and deadlines, is that even a realistic expectation? Today we are going to dive deep into the meaning of j...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

Guest: Christina K. Zorn

“Culture” is a word that gets a lot of attention, and deservedly so! It is often thought of as the lifeblood of an organization. However, many of us don’t think about the fact that “culture” doesn’t just exist at the level of large organizations. Culture exists for smaller groups, teams, families, and even individuals. In today’s episode, we will work to define “culture”, dis...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

Guest: Mary Ann Djonne, M.Ed.

Most of us have heard the term “Emotional Intelligence,” and we understand that it’s generally important to our happiness and interpersonal relationships. However, most of us aren’t able to define it precisely or understand the key components that make it up. While many may think they do a good job of evaluating the emotional intelligence of others, it can be quite diffi...

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Host: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

Guest: Andrea Hayden MS, RSCC

The amount of “exercise” information, recommendations, plans, and opinions out there is greater than it’s ever been. Although our increasing knowledge is generally helpful, it’s easy to get lost in the rapidly evolving sea of information. This is particularly true because much of the information we hear is contradictory, and many people claim to have the perfect (and onl...

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Host: Darryl S. Chutka, M.D.

Guest: Christopher L. Camp, M.D.

Being a healthcare clinician is an extremely rewarding occupation, but it can be stressful. Every year, we’re asked to do more and more, the patients seem to get more challenging, and we get less time to spend with each one. A significant number of clinicians report emotional and psychological distress, and burnout remains a major problem in healthcare providers. This in...

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