Brain Power with Dr. Eko

EP. 36 | Tips for Boosting Family Health and Happiness, with Dr. Tolulope Olabintan

September 16, 2024 • Dr. Hokehe Eko • Season 1 • Episode 36

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Looking to transform your family's health habits without feeling overwhelmed? Get ready to be inspired by Dr. Tolulope Olabintan, a family physician, CEO, co-founder, and mom, as she shares her expert strategies for fostering a culture of health in your household. Learn how to seamlessly incorporate fresh fruits and vegetables into your daily routines, make exercise a fun and integral part of your family's life, and synchronize sleep schedules for optimal well-being. Dr. Tolulope delivers practical, actionable tips that will make healthy living second nature for both kids and adults.

Discover the secrets to integrating wellness into even the busiest of schedules, from taking family walks to involving everyone in meal prep. Dr. Tolulope also introduces us to the exceptional care available at Living Spring Family Medical Center in Mansfield, Texas. With an emphasis on brain health and open conversations about health goals, this episode is packed with valuable information that will help you create a supportive and health-focused home environment. Tune in and start your journey toward a healthier family today!

Connect with Dr. Tolulope!
livingspringmedicals.com
Instagram: dr_olabintanmd
Linktree: drolabintan

Connect with me!
If you want to schedule an ADHD/Autism appointment for your child, you may contact Glow Pediatrics:

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📧 dreko@glowpediatrics.com
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💼 LinkedIn: hokeheeffiongmd

And join our Glow Health Circle! Weekly coaching calls for a close-knit community of like-minded parents, to get practical strategies for your child's whole-child well-being — from brain and gut health to navigating the environment. Let's thrive together!

Dr. Eko:

Hello families, Welcome to another episode of Brainpower with Dr Eco. I have an amazing guest. She's my sister, she's like an amazing boss lady and all of the great things. I have the amazing Dr Tolu Olabintan here today and I want you to give her a big, big listen. Make sure you all listen to her today. Dr Tolu, welcome to the show.

Dr. Olabintan:

Oh, thank you so much for having me here. I'm giving you virtual hugs.

Dr. Eko:

So tell us more about you.

Dr. Olabintan:

So my name is Dr Tolulope Olabintan. I'm a family sensation, ceo, co-founder of the Living Spring Family Medical Center in Mansfield, Texas. I'm also a mama, I'm a wifey, I wear the hats and I love helping people live long and well, because I believe the quality of life is just as important as the quantity of life. I'm also a foodie. People don't know that because I talk a lot about fruits and vegetables, but I am a foodie. I enjoy a big meal and I'm a life enthusiast and I'm so excited to share with your audience. So thank you for having me.

Dr. Eko:

Yes, yes, the pleasure is all mine. So we're going to dive right in. Dr Toll, like she just said, she's a foodie, she's a life enthusiast, and so those are the things we're going to talk about today. How can we, what tips and what strategies can we, as parents, use to improve our life, both with the children and with the adults? Right, all right.

Dr. Olabintan:

So there are a lot of factors to consider, but the first thing I would say is it is possible to live a healthier life. It's worth it to live a healthier life, and I don't want people to feel discouraged, like it's either all or nothing, or feel like it's more tasks to do so. The easier way is to incorporate more healthy lifestyles in the family as a whole. Now, one of the things especially mommies that I notice moms tend to do is, oh, you eat your fruits and vegetables. They make sure everyone's well fed, but they don't consider themselves or they eat the left door. I don't know if I'm an example of that, but it's really important to know that. It's important that everyone is healthy and you are part of the process. Okay, so I'll say for tip number one.

Dr. Olabintan:

I would encourage more fresh fruit and vegetables. Yes, that is a short over and over again that the more you eat fresh fruits and vegetables, the more you don't have a food allergy. There is an increase in the longevity. Now, of course it doesn't sound very exciting, but what you should be incorporating is, you know, putting it as a reward. Think about this when we are telling our kids, eat your vegetables, we yell eat your vegetables, eat them. When they do a good job, we reward them with candy, with sweets. So it sends you a mixed message. You know vegetables, fruits, but with you know the candy is a negative reward system. And so you know, I've had conversations like oh my God, you do such a good job, here's a mango slice, and they're used to that.

Dr. Olabintan:

I grew up with that, I'll be honest with you. So my mom made it easier for me to adopt these healthier lifestyles because that's what she did when I came home Good job, this papaya slice she did. While in school I was rewarded with fruits and veggies, not with candy, and so that became normal to me. So you can start. That's tip number one when it comes to fruits and vegetables. Now tip number two with fruits and vegetables, create where they can see it.

Dr. Olabintan:

So I have strategically put a fruit basket on the kitchen aisle here. I always make sure it's fully stocked so when they're having conversations they grab one, they eat it. They don't even remember that they ate a fruit already. So it's right there and I put it about their height now so they have easy access to it. So it's right there and I put it about their height now so they have easy access to it. The same way, at grocery stores you see the candy at the lower aisle. It's for the kids, so they can say well, I want this, so I can save it home. So we can do that. And of course, you have to buy better groceries every week, so you have to have a kid, and so I order it every week and you eat at a big too. So fresh fruits and veggies becomes the next step.

Dr. Eko:

I love it, yes yes, I love it because you know the unconscious habits that they're creating become a lifestyle, and isn't that what we all want? The lifestyle. That's what? Because you're on the brain power show, it cleans your brain.

Dr. Olabintan:

That's right, that's right. And now, tip number two I would say is move together. I'll be honest with you. By the time you know what? I meet my patients and they tell me that they have to work eight hours or 12 hours and then they have to get the kids to sports. And this is it. I feel bad telling them to do exercise, too bad. So I feel like I'm giving you more work, like he's stressing my doc is stressing me. So I'm like you know what, if they're going to play? So two birds, one stone. Right, move to bed.

Dr. Olabintan:

Hey, you know, kids are like I don't spend time, like I'm very intentional about spending time with kids, so I'll batch it with what I'm doing. So, hey, can we take a walk together? I just want to have mommy and daughter time, and so the children quite over. Oh, it's my turn. But they don't know that I'm trying to get them excited. So we take a walk together, pray, a walk. I'll talk about what's going on with school. So that's it. Now, if you're at work, get a stepper onto your desk, ask them to see if that's something they can provide for you. So it helps you stay focused, it helps increase your endocrine levels while you work, so you work on their time. Find creative ways to move together and to stay active in a way that doesn't you know. You batch what you need to do or what you have to do. What you need to do, you gotta you have to work, you gotta pay the bills, you need to exercise. Batch it together. So that's trying. That's how you get moving yeah, I like it.

Dr. Eko:

I like the tip for for the workplace. Actually, I talked to another doc the other day and she told me I was telling her how I need to start lifting weights. I need to start. I've been trying to start, but yes, and so she was like whoa, put it by your desk, right, I just lifted.

Dr. Olabintan:

Why, in between seeing patients, I'm like I'm telling you, and I mean don't go with Zoom meetings. You could take a walk or Zoom. You know, like, hi guys, you know and encourage. It sends a message that you're about. And then, for those who run practices or run businesses, encourage your members to be healthy and model that too. You know that simple, like hey, we can have Zoom meetings, we could do it on a treadmill, everyone gets one and we're talking hey, it's a win-win for everyone.

Dr. Eko:

Yeah, I like it, and they're going to feel like you're an amazing boss Because you're trying to help them get healthier. That's right.

Dr. Olabintan:

I try to be, because when you're healthier they serve you and your clients better. So make it a win-win for everyone, and that's the mindset that drives the process. Now, tip number three synchronize your sleep routine. I can't tell you how much, oh, my goodness. You know I talk to the mom and I go.

Dr. Olabintan:

The kids are up late during the summer. They're confused. It's summertime, 9 o'clock, it's daylight, so they're like no, it's not time to go to bed, and so you're thrown off. Synchronize so as much as you can. Of course you're working different shifts. That may be hard to do, but the kids go to bed a certain time. You're able to better now live in there, because the things you want to do you and maybe the partner you synchronize have conversations around mind time, because that's very important for your health. It's not fair that someone you know gets to sleep a whole night that the other one doesn't. It can affect the dynamics of the home. So try as much as you can synchronize, communicate your sleep routine because I've been known to write prescriptions saying mommy needs to sleep.

Dr. Eko:

Mommies ask for help. I mean, have the discussion, though it's not your partner, may not always they don't know what's going on in your head. First of all, true true. So ask yeah, have the discussion for sure, true I?

Dr. Olabintan:

agree. Number four, you know. And back to the healthy eating. Involve them in the shopping. Involve team members, Ask for help. Involve your kids, like, let's go. Like when I go to all the, you know sometimes they're like oh, mom, this isn't good.

Dr. Olabintan:

The auntie presented the kids this is good. Does it this, this, this, this one is better than this one. Mom, can we have this? Or, if we eat this, can we eat this? But I'm not sure you understand.

Dr. Olabintan:

So involve them in the process. Involve them in meal prepping. Meal prepping the goody bags, the carrot sticks in the Ziploc bag, the sliced cucumbers. They can do it. You have to teach them and, yes, they'll make a mess, but you're also teaching them habits how to prioritize their health, how to prepare their muscle and their core. They can do that on their own. The messy kitchen is worth it long-term. The investment is okay, cause I had to get over this myself. So, getting them the process, asking your partner to help as well, can you do this? Can we batch this? Or could it be? Outsourcing, if you can, someone to do that for you. But evolve the team, all right, and how? You know. Probably this country like how can we? How can we be better as a family. How can we improve our health? What are our health goals? You know why. What about the? Why Could we want to enjoy a retirement together? Could we want to travel to places together? Because we don't have too much money on us to do business. So that's the conversation.

Dr. Eko:

Yes, that's the conversation. That's a powerful conversation to have, because I think it not only, yes, your ideas are clearer, or at least the roadmap for your family is clearer, but then it's bonds of partners together.

Dr. Olabintan:

I'm telling you there are ways that we can creatively do things for a healthier you involving them, and it's a win-win-win because you're spending quality time with your building memories. So this thing in kids, you know they remember the things, but they remember the memories. I mean, I'm furious. I tell them I remember when my mom used to cook with me. I remember when I used to, I learned how to do this with my mom, with my dad. I'm telling you it's like a trick, like a sweet trick, you know, but get them involved, don't always be the one slaving over. Oh, I got to cook healthier, I got to do this and I got to do that. And even if you're going to decide to eat out, look at that menu and see how they might respond to the side, slide it to the side and I get to control how much of it I put.

Dr. Olabintan:

I learned a lot of this from my patients too. I've had patients tell me you're trying to mess with my joy. Why are you about letting? Why are you trying to mess with my food? I work hard, I call mom and I'm like you know what. Okay, that's fair.

Dr. Olabintan:

So, meeting people where they are and saying how can we get it to be healthier? I can more of reading fresh fruits and vegetables throughout the day. Find ways to move. Make water your drink of choice, Like, get familiar with water.

Dr. Eko:

Try falling in love with water.

Dr. Olabintan:

Yeah, yes, falling in love with water. Find time to sleep. Take your real mentor by asking people you know for help. I'm taking them Right. They're talking about you today by having it out you know.

Dr. Eko:

Yeah, yeah, absolutely. I like to tell my little patients. I always ask them do you want your brain, do you love your brain, do you want your brain to feel better? And they're like yeah, it's like your brain needs water, so much water. Well, I'm like whatever it takes. They're like okay, we want our brains to feel better. I'm like okay, so can you drink one more bottle this week? And they're like okay, so that's another way I've found Like everybody wants their brains to feel better.

Dr. Olabintan:

Yes, yes, it's a drink effort and it's either just one or two or these things you take, and so you know what I want to implement. I don't want you to get overwhelmed, but start that way you are Little things over time and stay consistent. I think that's the hard part, the staying consistent. I tell people you get off the wagon, you get back on, that's okay, that's life.

Dr. Eko:

That's life right. It's better to get on that do not get on at all.

Dr. Olabintan:

So we'll take that. I concur. I have more tips. I would also say you know, choose variety and don't give up on variety. You know, remember your kid at three-year-old like, oh, I don't do this, I don't want to play this sport. But then at age six, it's like that's the best thing since slicing bread. Same thing with food, with food, same thing with activity. Keep the conversation going, don't. Don't give up. You know, don't give up that they'll never eat a carrot, you never eat a green pea. You never know.

Dr. Olabintan:

My kids, 40 would never eat brown rice. Like it was something I'd cook and I had to eat it. Sometimes I'd cook too much and we'd be tired of it. But one day I cook, I put some broth, like chicken broth, in it and I cooked it to a very soft texture, so really fluffy, almost a similar content fluffiness as white rice. And they accidentally ate it and kept eating and I'm like. I was like do you realize that's brown rice? I'm like, well, I like this brown rice and so I learned that I can cook it real soft. So don't give up in the conversations, don't get frustrated, don't get discouraged. The same way we keep teaching our kids, teaching them about how to be kind to other people, how to deal with anger, how to respond to challenges in life. Keep teaching them how to form healthy habits. It's an endless conversation, so don't be discouraged.

Dr. Eko:

I think that would be the last step. Okay, wonderful. So what are your thoughts about? When people say, oh, I don't have time to go to the gym and all of those things, how do you advise them to find something that they can do that will constitute movement for them? Okay, so one of the things I tell them is what do they enjoy doing? Do they that they can do that will?

Dr. Olabintan:

constitute movement for them. Okay. So one of the things I tell them is, like, what do they enjoy doing? Do they enjoy listening to music? Do they enjoy watching TV? Do they just go here my show? I say, can you get an exercise bike? I couldn't find any TVs. Like, it's okay with figures, but enjoy your color, see, you're fine. They're black, like. If it's black to say anything, I'd tell them, dude, it's on the TV. So I'd tell them make something that they enjoy, something they ain't ever been to.

Dr. Olabintan:

You know, for those French who are pretty spiritual, I'm like, do a prayer walk, and they go, no, not here you go, I'll do a priest dance. You know, it doesn't have to be punishment. I'll be honest with you. I don like, hey, right, yeah, so I go there, play with a few machines to my little thing, you know, then go to the sauna and then, so this is not my jam, that's okay, just move and talk about it at work. But like you see, the work with the kid under the desk, step by step, to stand there. So so when you are done, you've exercised on fear.

Dr. Olabintan:

Amen, you chose this. It's important to exercise and live longer, to enjoy that one thing. You're saving for a future event, all the things that matter to you. So you've got to take care of this body you're in. So you sell them on the wide and give them actionable tips. Practical way. It doesn't actually take more time Because you can dance and watch TV at the same time. So what's one last tip for kids that you have? For kids I would say don't give up on that fruit and vegetable. It's green, it's good for your brain, and sometimes you have to remember why. And then it's like okay, I'll do it for my brain, my brain will thank me. I agree, I agree, brain will thank me.

Dr. Eko:

I agree, I agree. I heartily endorse this message. Wonderful. So, people, you see, dr Tolu, this is exactly how she is in her practice. So you will be doing yourself a disservice if you're in Mansfield, texas, and you don't show up in her practice. So tell them where they can find you please.

Dr. Olabintan:

So we are located in Mansfield, texas, not far from Dallas, about 30 minutes from Dallas on Broad Street 3807 East Broad Street in Mansfield, texas. You can find us online at www. l ivingspringmedicals. com and provide us on social media. dr_olabintanmd. If you just Google us, Living Spring Family Medical Center or Dr Olabinta n.

Dr. Eko:

Wonderful. Thank you so much again for coming on and parents, kids listening to this. I hope you learned and remember love your brain, love your life. So until the next episode, I would please share this with anyone that you know needs to listen to this. Have an amazing day.