Hello, everybody and welcome back to the Alopecia Angel podcast. I am your host, Johanna Dahlman. This is the last podcast of the year. I am very excited to have wrapped up another year doing these podcasts because I love bringing you information, I love connecting with you and I love listening to your questions, seeing your comments and your reviews.

But then I also love to keep you updated and keep you in the know of what's happening, not just with my clients, not just their success stories, but then also. What's going on in the world because I know you're extremely busy, and I know this is a source of fantastic information for you, so that you can keep moving forward in your health journey. So, today's episode is the top 10 most downloaded podcast episodes for 2024. And they're in no particular order, but I also wanted to mention that with each one that I mentioned, I'm going to go ahead and also keep you updated on what's happening with that topic or situation that I recorded. So, this would be a great time for you during the Christmas holidays, during vacation, during this downtime to go back and review these episodes because they will motivate you and fast forward you into 2025 with the energy, the motivation and the gumption that you need to move forward and to feel better and to feel more confident in your next steps for your hair growth journey.

So, Number #1 would be episode number 114, how a breastfeeding mom sees hair growth in week 6 and she sheds 30 pounds. This mom has 3 kids and so she also during this time saw hair growth for the first time in 4 years. She talks about this in the interview, but then following up with her later on. She continues to see the hair growth and continues to see the improvements, and she knows what her blind spots is, she knows exactly what's going on, and she knows exactly how to handle it, and that's the key to healing, right? We want to understand ourselves, our particular situation, our personalized approach, so that we can move forward in the right path.

Number #2, episode 112 lady in her 60s grows hair with FFA. FFA is a type of scarring alopecia, it's frontal fibrosing alopecia. And later on, I met up with her and she also continues to see hair growth, health improvements and she's in menopause, so it's completely different her time of life and her cycle of life, but she continues to see improved health in all areas. And so, this is exactly what we're looking for: continued improvements, continued hair growth, continued health.

Number #3, episode 121, how to support a loved one family member with alopecia. This is a big one because alopecia, as doesn't just affect the person. For example, in my case, it didn't just affect me. It also affects those around me. At the time it was, my fiancé who was, turning into my husband. At the time, it could have been, in laws, it could also have been extended family or immediate family. So, all these people are affected one way or another, because of, let's say, my mood or my willingness to go out or not willingness to go out or, what have you. Alopecia affects much more than just you. And for those of you who have colleagues who go to work who see regular people on a regular, it also affects them because maybe they're also, odds at how to approach you or how to talk to you or how to handle this situation too, because it affects them as well.

During this year, I had a colleague, it's somebody on my team who was going through breast cancer. And even with a diagnosis that's not alopecia, but it's a health diagnosis, we're also caught off guard on how to handle and how to approach people with a new health diagnosis. My heart goes out to anyone going with alopecia, but also any type of health diagnosis, because again, it can be lonely, it can be isolating. But at the same time, help is there. And of course, your community is there waiting for you as well. So, listen to this because this is a great one to understand how to help maybe people who don't want your help, who don't want to listen to you or who've just, they're up to here and they're just defiant.

You see this a lot, maybe with adults of all ages, but then you also see this too with maybe older teens, anywhere from 18 to 25 or 16 to 25 who don't want to hear it from their parents or maybe don't want to hear suggestions on how to improve from anyone else. And they just want to sit with themselves for a little bit. So, this episode gives you a lot of tips on handle that and how to maneuver that, because that's actually really important for anyone trying to support their loved one who's going through alopecia.

So, the next one is episode 125. After 14 years of hair loss, this lady sees hair growth and continues to do and this is amazing. These stories of seeing people after 14 years of hair loss, after 17 years of hair loss, and they're seeing hair growth, maybe not for the first time, but maybe also depending, everyone has their own journey, but maybe also for the first time in such a short amount of time. And then also with the longevity of that hair growth, because the natural approach will give you that longevity. If we're going to look for, medications, minoxidils and all these other gimmicks, none of that is going to give you the long term strategy that you're looking for. So that's first and foremost.

So, I love these inspiring stories because they are inspiring, they're motivating and see, they let you know, and me know, and everyone else know that it's possible for anyone else to heal regardless of your type of hair loss, regardless of where you come from, regardless of how long you've had it, because it is possible. So, I love that after 14 years of hair loss, she saw hair growth. And of course, I continue to communicate with her and all my other clients. clients and yes, the progress is there.

By the way, shout out to Natasha, she is only in week 2 of the Hair N' Heal program, and it's been 24 years that she's been living with deep eczema, and this is the first time that it's clearing in 24 years. And so, shout out to you, Natasha, congratulations. I just got that email yesterday. So, I wanted to go ahead and let everyone know and congratulate you because this is a big win. Just imagine in 2 weeks of doing the Hair N' Heal program, the eczema is already going away, which is amazing.

So, the next one, which is already number #5 is episode 132. This one was actually one of my favorite interviews. It was about Botox and it was with Trina Felber about focusing on how Botox creates hair loss, which maybe you didn't know, but then also how it creates many other health problems. And so, this is a fantastic deep dive on Botox, healthcare, and then also beauty products. So, go ahead and take a listen to that one, that one is episode 132.

Number #6 in my lineup of top 10 podcasts for 2024 is episode number 134. Feeling stuck in hair loss and tips on what to do about it. This is a great one, especially now that we're moving into the new year and potentially you want to get back on the horse. Potentially you want to restart your program. You want to restart your strategy, you want to restart those feelings, you want to, put the holidays behind you as soon as possible and then move forward back into the regime back into your, situation of moving forward. This would give you that opportunity to revive and renew yourself because feeling stuck in hair loss happens and feeling stuck in general happens. It happens personally, it happens in business, it happens with your workouts, with your muscle. It's when our bodies plateau, right?

When we plateau and we need something new, maybe a new education, maybe it's a new inspiration, maybe it's something new in order for us to get to that next level. So, in working out with muscle growth, you can, let's say be on this weight loss journey, for example, lose 20 pounds, but then your body's going to plateau because guess what? What got you there?

Is it going to get you to the next level? That's just how it is, right? This is why we can't skip from first grade all the way to college. We can't do that because we have many years in between. Does that make sense? So, our bodies and our education and everything else plateaus. So, we need to always keep going, keep going and keep stacking the odds for us so that we can not feel stuck and not be in a stuck state. And so, if you're feeling stuck at this point, which maybe some of you are, I would say, go ahead and listen to podcast episode 134, feeling stuck in hair loss, because I'm going to show you exactly what you need to do to get unstuck and move forward. So, you can start seeing that hair growth.

Podcast episode 146. 5 myths debunked on hair loss. This podcast episode is really near and dear to my heart because I was published in an article in the biohacking magazine recently this year about the same myths that perpetuate the internet, that come up again and again through ads or through fake news, and it really bothers me that people believe these things. And so, this is a fantastic one to listen to as well. If you're feeling stuck, and then you also want to listen to these myths, because these myths are probably recorded, voices in your head that were going around and around in a circle: oh, this won't work for me. Oh, I'm too old. Oh, this. Oh, that. Listen to these myths and listen to the episode on feeling stuck and you'll get on the right path really quick. I'm going to move you there because again, we need to be aligned. You need to be aligned with the right approach, with the right strategy in order for you to see that long term hair growth, just like I have in my clients have.

So, the next one, we're already at number #8 of the top 10 podcast episodes for Alopecia Angel Awaken to Hair Growth for 2024. So, podcast episode number 148 was also a very inspirational podcast episode with a fellow Canadian 17 years of having tried everything, she's alopecia universalis and she sees hair growth twice, mind you, twice at the 4 week mark in my program, in the Hair N' Heal program. And just to give you a little backstory, this lady has had access to everything. Her grandmother was like the head doctor for Alberta, Canada. And so, she had access to all the doctors, to all the care, to anything and everyone that you can imagine in her province back in Canada.

She's tried it all, she's done it all, including, she's done the injection. She's done the medication. She's done it all. And yes, she did see results with medications, but it also backfired and she stopped. And then she also realized that it wasn't part of her path. Moving forward she found me, she started the program and she saw the hair growth at week 4, just like that. And this was the fastest that she's ever seen progress doing anything, and she's tried it all. Then, she's on her way. She's seen a massive hair growth. By month 6 she's already halfway there, she starts to spiral and she starts to do things that she shouldn't be doing, she loses all her hair. However, she gets back on track, she reconnects. And then she started seeing hair growth again at week four and it's an amazing journey.

But again, everyone has their own journey, but at the same time, I lay it out for you with the coaching of what to do, what not to do. She went against what not to do and you see those results, but then you get back on what I really need and what, how to do this. And guess what? It's a blueprint, it's a blueprint for you so that you can see the hair growth now and forever. And this is what I'm talking about, because for me, it's been more than 9 years. We're going on to 10 years of not seeing hair loss, not seeing hair loss due to alopecia autoimmune, post COVID, stressful times, etcetera. Life is always going to happen, but it's all about us, how to ride the wave of life. Does that make sense? And so, it's not about trying to avoid the big waves. It's about learning how to write them. And this is exactly what I show you for each individual person inside the program. So that was podcast episode number 148, a beautiful interview.

The next one, number nine. It is podcast number 151. This was a very popular one. Very popular one because you know what? It's very trendy. It's why the celery juice diet doesn't work for hair loss. I've talked to people here and there where, the celery juice diet has cleared up maybe their Hashimoto's or maybe it's cleared up their eczema or maybe the rosacea or maybe this or that, but I will tell you for hair loss, it just doesn't work and I explained why in the podcast episode. So please listen, it was a very popular one, it went viral on many ways. Because again the celery juice diet is one of those trendy diets, just like the south beach diet, just like the Atkins diet, just like any other diet that's out there it's on trend at the moment, but again, for your hair loss, it's actually going to worsen it. So, don't do it.

Last but not least, podcast episode number 106 Back to healing hair loss and how to get your hair back. So, this one's a great one because healing hair loss is, again, the reason why you are listening, the reason why we're here. The reason why I'm doing this is because I want everyone else to heal their hair loss in less time. I don't want you to take 4 years and some of you. When you come to me, you've been, on this trajectory for 10, 15, 20 years already. And maybe some of you like Grace, have only been working with me for just a few weeks. And this is your first time ever having alopecia. Which congrats to Grace who lives locally. She's already seen hair growth and she's at week 4 or 5.

And so, this is fantastic. Imagine being diagnosed, feeling all the feelings, of not knowing what to do, where to go, how to handle this. She actually learned through a gym that I used to go to, and she was going to, through the owners there because I'm friends with them about me. She contacted me and I got her in and in less than a month she's already seen the hair growth, she's already seen the changes.

And that's what I'm talking about. It's just you can see these changes in less time and you don't have to go to the same gym as me, you don't have to know people in connection with me. You just got to take action and sign up and move forward and trust the process because once you trust the process and once you do what I'm telling you to do, you will see the growth, you will see the changes, you will see the health improvements. Why? Because it's all science backed. And so, this is based for each person individually, because it's never going to be a one size fits all. So as this is the last podcast of the year, I wish you all a beautiful, fruitful, blessed end of the year, but then also a new gorgeous beginning to 2025. 

I would highly suggest that you meditate on these last couple of days, take some time to be still, to be quiet, set intentions for 2025, set intentions to your goals, to what you want to do and move in action. I'm a big believer in faith. And I know that sometimes we can be almost like in analysis paralysis. I've been there, I've been in analysis paralysis. And many times, you feel almost hesitant to move forward, you feel hesitant to make a change to, make a decision: Oh, should I join? Should I not join? Should I do this? Should I not do this? And whatnot. I will say a lot of the women who follow me, a lot of the people who work with me they tend to be encouragers, they tend to encourage a lot of people all the time.

I'm one of those people who tends to encourage others all the time. Even in my personal life, I encourage all my friends I've always been known as this optimistic ray of light to encourage people even when things, and don't seem like it's possible for them. I encourage them. I have them see a different way. We make it happen. Why? Because

1. a) that's my motto.
2. b) that's just my state of mind. It's just to make it happen. Whatever you want, you can have.

And so, I was roaming around the bookstore the other day and am a person of faith, as I mentioned before, and I've always been curious to read the Bible from like front to back. I've always personally been curious to do that I've gone to many different schools, Christian schools, Catholic schools, 7th Day Adventist schools within my life and there's many times where you read just excerpts of the Bible and little paragraphs and this and that. But to read the Bible front and back and to actually have it apply without being so dense was actually somewhat of a goal that I had at some point in my life, and not to mention that the goal has gone away, but it's actually reformulated itself.

So anyways. I'm in the bookstore, I'm shopping around and I see that there's this book written by Dr. Kimberly D. Moore and it's called "The Bible in 52 Weeks"; It's a year long Bible study for women and she dedicates it to women who are the encouragers, women who are constantly, doing so much more and giving so much more to others. Now, I just wanted to share this little tidbit with you because part of my goal is to complete this book, which I've actually already started. Because I do want to finish this Bible in the 52 weeks. It's not an actual Bible, but it's a book that's condensed. So each week is 2 or 3 pages and that's it. And it gives you like a synopsis with the story, with some other readings and some little homework to do. But I felt pulled to it and I felt really pulled to picking it up, buying it and taking it home.

And so I will say that sometimes you need to be aware of what you're being pulled to. If you're being pulled to something, go explore it, go venture, go explore, because sometimes it'll lead you to that next step, sometimes it'll lead you to that next level, sometimes it'll take you to a new area of life that you haven't explored, that you haven't been privy to before. And so believe that living life is not just about living life for ourselves, but also for others. But the more that we educate ourselves, the more that we open ourselves up vulnerably to learning more about the Bible or learning more about history or learning more about anything else, then this also helps others in need.

And this is also a reminder, I'll be honest and I'm going to share something really quick with you. I'm pretty vulnerable in my coaching calls and with my clients, but I'll be vulnerable right here right now. So I was in analysis paralysis a couple of days, weeks ago about a big decision that I needed to make and, praying is one thing, but then when I opened up this book, this, Bible in the 52 weeks, I opened it up and as I mentioned, I started reading this book already. So I started reading week one and week 2 and within the week one, week 2, boom, I got my answer that I needed to take and I made the decision and it was just quick. I love taking quick decisions, and so in general, you'll never see me. It's very rare that you'll see me in analysis paralysis, very rare. I like to take action and I like to just move forward, but sometimes. It happens, right? It all happens to us where you're just like iffy about things.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that look for books, look for possibilities, look for ways to be inspired to find that answer, I know a lot of you who follow me are people of faith, whether it's Christianity, whether it's Muslim. Whether it's Jewish or whether it's a different type of faith. I know many of you do have your own faith and, connection with source in the universe in other ways and that's great. I would also say that a lot of times it's our own, it's our own indecision of not getting that hair of not getting that health of not getting that next step. And so, find it within you to be quiet during this time, find it within you to look at all the options. And to help you make that right decision to help you make that right decision to move forward because I will say there's No worse feeling than being stuck. One thing is to have a diagnosis, but then you have a plethora of options of, and ways on how to challenge it and go about it. But the other thing is to be in a situation and feel stuck. I don't want any of you to feel stuck because again, we can unstick ourselves really quick with some action, with some inspiration, with some motivation.

And so this is primarily why I created the top 10 of the 2024 podcast, because this sometimes reignites what we're missing, it reignites that fire, it reignites that motivation, the gumption, the want, the desire to move forward, to improve, to get back on it, whether it is to lose those 10 pounds, whether it is to, read the Bible and finish this and complete this, or whether it is to grow your hair, whether it is to reconnect with a loved one, whatever it is that your goals are, you can accomplish them. But the indecision is where we need to break through and I hope that these top 10 podcasts give you some inspiration, light and motivation to move forward.

Wishing you all a beautiful, blessed, safe holiday season. And I look forward to talking with you and connecting with you in 2025. Thank you so much. Take care.