Health Is the Key

In our January episode, we got to know Dr. Lela Mayers, the Benefit Funds’ new Deputy Chief Medical Officer. In this month’s Key Note, Dr. Mayers discusses the wide range of wellness resources members can take advantage of to support them on their health journeys.  
The Takeaway
We want to hear from you! Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook// Instagram // YouTube
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician.
Visit our Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Talk to your doctor about any screenings you may need: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthybodies.
Know your numbers to find out where you stand: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyhearts.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
Guest BioDr. Lela Mayers is the Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) of the 1199SEIU Benefit Funds, which provide comprehensive self-insured, self-administered healthcare benefits to more than 450,000 healthcare workers, retirees and their families. As DCMO, Dr. Mayers assists the Chief Medical Officer with the Benefit Funds’ clinical and care management strategies, as well as health and wellness initiatives.
Prior to joining the Benefit Funds, Dr. Mayers served as Senior Medical Director at CVS Health/Aetna. There she collaborated with the account management teams, pharmacy teams, consulting firms and plan sponsors to drive improved health outcomes for commercial and labor health plan members. Prior to that, she served as Chief of Medicine at Premier Healthcare, where she managed five ambulatory health centers across New York City. Her previous experience with union membership was earned at the Benefit Fund of the New York Hotel Trades, where she was medical director of the Harlem Health Center. Dr. Mayers worked for many years as a primary care physician at the Farrell Health Center of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where she served as faculty and medical director of the resident training program. Dr. Mayers continues to hold a position as voluntary faculty/instructor in clinical medicine at Columbia University’s Center for Family and Community Medicine. She is a licensed physician in New York State and is board certified with the American Board of Family Medicine.
Dr. Mayers received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University, a Doctor of Medicine from Cornell University Medical College (now Weill Cornell Medical College) and a Master of Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Lela Mayers, the Benefit Funds’ Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO). Dr. Mayers recently joined us to work alongside Chief Medical Officer Dr. Van Dunn in supporting our members’ health journeys. In our conversation, we get to know more about our new DCMO, who began her career as a family medicine physician. Among other things, we learn what she loved about family medicine, why she made the transition to her current role at the Benefit Funds, why it’s so important for healthcare workers to make their own health a priority, what she’s learned from walking in our members’ shoes and what she looked for when she found the perfect doctor for her parents – and what we can all look for, too.
The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician.
Visit our Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Talk to your doctor about any screenings you may need: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthybodies.
Know your numbers to find out where you stand: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyhearts.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
We want to hear from you! Drop us a line at our social media channels: Facebook // Instagram // YouTube
Guest BioDr. Lela Mayers is the Deputy Chief Medical Officer (DCMO) of the 1199SEIU Benefit Funds, which provide comprehensive self-insured, self-administered healthcare benefits to more than 450,000 healthcare workers, retirees and their families. As DCMO, Dr. Mayers assists the Chief Medical Officer with the Benefit Funds’ clinical, care management and analytics functions, as well as health and wellness initiatives and value-based strategies.
Prior to joining the Benefit Funds, Dr. Mayers served as Senior Medical Director at CVS Health/Aetna. There she collaborated with the account management teams, pharmacy teams, consulting firms and plan sponsors to drive improved health outcomes for commercial and labor health plan members. Prior to that, she served as Chief of Medicine at Premier Healthcare, where she managed five ambulatory health centers across New York City. Her previous experience with union membership was earned at the Benefit Fund of the New York Hotel Trades, where she was medial director of the Harlem Health Center. Dr. Mayers worked for many years as a primary care physician at the Farrell Health Center of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where she served as faculty and medical director of the resident training program. Dr. Mayers continues to hold a position as voluntary faculty/instructor in clinical medicine at Columbia University’s Center for Family and Community Medicine. She is a licensed physician in New York State and is board certified with the American Board of Family Medicine.
Dr. Mayers received a Bachelor of Arts from Cornell University, a Doctor of Medicine from Cornell University Medical College (now Weill Cornell Medical College) and a Master of Public Health from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University.

In our December episode, Dr. Karinn Glover joined us to help explore why the holidays can stir up so many conflicting feelings – and share a few simple self-care strategies. In this month’s Key Note, Dr. Glover discusses the post-holiday letdown some of us can feel once the festivities are over – and offers some solutions to get us through what can seem like a long winter ahead.
The Takeaway
Visit the Healthy Minds section of our Healthy Living Resource Center for additional information and resources: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyminds/
Find a mental health therapist through the Benefit Funds’ Provider Directory: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Connect with a therapist online through Teladoc: Teladoc.com or (800) TELADOC (835-2362).
For additional support, call our Wellness Member Assistance Program: (646) 473-6900.
Contact our partners at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for a wide variety of community resources: naminycmetro.org.
Reach out to the New York State Office of Mental Health Emotional Support Helpline at (844) 863-9314.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
Guest BioKarinn Glover, MD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she teaches psychopharmacology and aspects of psychotherapy to Psychiatry and Family Medicine residents. Her decade-plus experience as a psychiatrist and leader in the practice of integrated care and workplace mental health has informed her approach to health equity, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI+B), and the styles of leadership that produce organizational success. Dr. Glover attended SUNY Downstate College of Medicine and obtained a Master of Public Health from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health via the highly competitive Macy Scholars Program.

With the holidays well underway, some of us may be feeling pressure to enjoy “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” when the spirit of the season just isn’t grabbing us. Or maybe it has, but the hustle and bustle is overwhelming and leaves us experiencing some less-than-jolly emotions. To help us navigate the holidays, if not joyfully then at least healthfully, we asked Dr. Karinn Glover, an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, to join us for this month’s episode. Dr. Glover helps us explore why the season stirs up so many conflicting feelings – and shares self-care strategies we can use to rediscover some of that comfort and joy we all deserve.
 
The Takeaway
Visit the Healthy Minds section of our Healthy Living Resource Center for additional information and resources: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyminds/
Find a mental health therapist through the Benefit Funds’ Provider Directory: 1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Connect with a therapist online through Teladoc: Teladoc.com or (800) TELADOC (835-2362).
For additional support, call our Wellness Member Assistance Program: (646) 473-6900.
Contact our partners at the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) for a wide variety of community resources: naminycmetro.org.
Reach out to the New York State Office of Mental Health Emotional Support Helpline at (844) 863-9314.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
Guest BioKarinn Glover, MD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, where she teaches psychopharmacology and aspects of psychotherapy to Psychiatry and Family Medicine residents. Her decade-plus experience as a psychiatrist and leader in the practice of integrated care and workplace mental health has informed her approach to health equity, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEI+B), and the styles of leadership that produce organizational success. Dr. Glover attended SUNY Downstate College of Medicine and obtained a Master of Public Health from Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health via the highly competitive Macy Scholars Program.

In our November episode, we were joined by renowned chef Marcus Samuelsson, who offered some simple ideas to give your holiday meals a healthy twist. In this month’s Key Note, Chef Marcus shares a simple recipe for injera, a super-nutritious bread that makes a great go-with for any meal. Bonus: For a chance to win Chef Marcus’s book The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food – complete with injera recipe – just share your favorite tip for making the holidays healthier at instagram.com/1199SEIUBenefitFunds or facebook.com/1199SEIUBenefitFunds. But hurry: Our book giveaway ends Saturday, November 30. The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Visit the Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Join WeightWatchers at a discounted rate of just $8 a month; $0 if you are living with diabetes or prediabetes: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/ww.
If you are living with type 2 diabetes, find out more about our partner Virta’s diabetes reversal program: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/news/virta.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on building healthy meals, managing stress and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Find a greenmarket near you by visiting grownyc.org/greenmarket/ourmarkets.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of cooking demos and healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
To order one of Chef Marcus’s books, visit marcussamuelsson.com/shop.
Guest BioMarcus Samuelsson, award-winning chef, restaurateur, author and activist, is the esteemed chef behind many restaurants worldwide, including Red Rooster in Harlem and Red Rooster Overtown in Miami; Hav & Mar in the Chelsea Arts District; Metropolis at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in lower Manhattan; and several international locations, including the Bahamas, Canada and Ethiopia. Samuelsson was the youngest person ever to receive a three-star review from The New York Times. He has won eight James Beard Foundation Awards and was the guest chef for the Obama Administration’s first state dinner.In 2023, Marcus earned an Emmy Award for the Short Form Program “My Mark.”  He is a longstanding judge and TV personality on the hit Food Network show Chopped, head judge of Top Chef Family Style, and an Iron Chef on Netflix’s rebooted Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. Samuelsson served as host and producer of the Seat at the Table audio series on Audible and co-host of the This Moment podcast with Swedish rapper Timbuktu on Acast. He is the author of multiple books, including The New York Times bestseller Yes, Chef: A Memoir, as well as the critically acclaimed The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food.To complement his professional commitments, Samuelsson is co-chair of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), which focuses on helping underserved youth. An active public speaker, Marcus hosted his first TED Talk at the world-famous Apollo Theater in 2012. He was invited back in 2024, when he was joined in conversation by renowned curator Thelma Golden to discuss the intersection of food, culture and community. He participates in lectures globally, most recently with the Gates Foundation and The New York Times during Climate Week NYC 2024.Follow Samuelsson on Instagram, Facebook, and X at @MarcusCooks and on TikTok at @Marcus_Cooks

Ready or not, the holidays are coming – along with the challenge of eating healthfully. To help us navigate the season’s menus, we are joined this month by a special guest – Marcus Samuelsson, award-winning chef, restaurateur, author and activist. Chef Marcus shares cherished holiday memories, simple cooking techniques to make your holiday meals healthier and some not-so-common – and inexpensive – ingredients to boost the nutrition in your favorite recipes. Happy cooking!The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Visit the Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Join WeightWatchers at a discounted rate of just $8 a month; $0 if you are living with diabetes or prediabetes: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/ww.
If you are living with type 2 diabetes, find out more about our partner Virta’s diabetes reversal program: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/news/virta.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on building healthy meals, managing stress and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Find a greenmarket near you by visiting grownyc.org/greenmarket/ourmarkets.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of cooking demos and healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
To order one of Chef Marcus’s cookbooks, visit marcussamuelsson.com/shop.
Guest BioMarcus Samuelsson, award-winning chef, restaurateur, author and activist, is the esteemed chef behind many restaurants worldwide, including Red Rooster in Harlem and Red Rooster Overtown in Miami; Hav & Mar in the Chelsea Arts District; Metropolis at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in lower Manhattan; and several international locations, including the Bahamas, Canada and Ethiopia. Samuelsson was the youngest person ever to receive a three-star review from The New York Times. He has won eight James Beard Foundation Awards and was the guest chef for the Obama Administration’s first state dinner.In 2023, Marcus earned an Emmy Award for the Short Form Program “My Mark.”  He is a longstanding judge and TV personality on the hit Food Network show Chopped, head judge of Top Chef Family Style, and an Iron Chef on Netflix’s rebooted Iron Chef: Quest for an Iron Legend. Samuelsson served as host and producer of the Seat at the Table audio series on Audible and co-host of the This Moment podcast with Swedish rapper Timbuktu on Acast. He is the author of multiple books, including The New York Times bestseller Yes, Chef: A Memoir, as well as the critically acclaimed The Rise: Black Cooks and the Soul of American Food.To complement his professional commitments, Samuelsson is co-chair of Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP), which focuses on helping underserved youth. An active public speaker, Marcus hosted his first TED Talk at the world-famous Apollo Theater in 2012. He was invited back in 2024, when he was joined in conversation by renowned curator Thelma Golden to discuss the intersection of food, culture and community. He participates in lectures globally, most recently with the Gates Foundation and The New York Times during Climate Week NYC 2024.Follow Samuelsson on Instagram, Facebook, and X at @MarcusCooks and on TikTok at @Marcus_Cooks

In our October episode, we talked to 1199ers Sal Oliveri and Joanne Rosso about how they support each other on their health journeys. In this month’s Key Note, Joanne shares how a co-worker’s tough-love advice helped her get through a rough patch. Bonus: You’ll also hear from the Benefit Funds’ own dedicated WeightWatchers coach Angelica McQuade, who shares an inspirational message and explains why that peer-to-peer support is so important.The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Visit the Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Join WeightWatchers at a discounted rate of just $8 a month; $0 if you are living with diabetes or prediabetes: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/ww.
If you are living with type 2 diabetes, find out more about our partner Virta’s diabetes reversal program: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/news/virta.
Get inspired by fellow members, like Sal and Joanne, through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
Guest Bios
Sal Oliveri is a radiology imaging associate at Long Island Community Hospital, where he works with Joanne Rosso, a unit secretary in the emergency department. Friends for nearly 10 years, both Sal and Joanne began their health journeys on WeightWatchers to lose weight, feel better in mind and spirit, and ensure that they’re around for a long time to enjoy all of life’s pleasures with their families and friends. View their Healthy Living story in our Members' Voices  series.Angelica McQuade is a National Virtual Coach at Weight Watchers International, as well as a fitness trainer certified through several organizations, including Les Mills International and AFFA-Athletics and Fitness Association of America™. Angelica’s Instagram presence (angelica_real.life.wellness)  captures her philosophy with respect to weight health: Actions that lead to feelings of deprivation, guilt or worthlessness have no place in a sustainable healthy lifestyle.

This month, 1199 members Sal Oliveri and Joanne Rosso from Long Island Community Hospital join us to share their WeightWatchers secret to success. Spoiler alert: It’s each other! For nearly two years, Sal and Joanne have supported one another throughout their weight-loss journeys on WeightWatchers – and they show no signs of stopping. Whether they’re celebrating successes or navigating challenges, these two friends and co-workers truly demonstrate the power of “strength in members.”
The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Visit the Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Join WeightWatchers at a discounted rate of just $8 a month; $0 if you are living with diabetes or prediabetes: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/ww.
If you are living with type 2 diabetes, find out more about our partner Virta’s diabetes reversal program: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/news/virta.
Get inspired by fellow members, like Sal and Joanne, through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube Channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
Guest BioSal Oliveri is a radiology imaging associate at Long Island Community Hospital, where he works with Joanne Rosso, a unit secretary in the emergency department. Friends for nearly 10 years, both Sal and Joanne began their health journeys on WeightWatchers to lose weight, feel better in mind and spirit, and ensure that they’re around for a long time to enjoy all of life’s pleasures with their families and friends. View their Healthy Living story in our Members' Voices  series.

In our September episode, Dr. Chiti Parikh joined us to explore how setting a health intention and focusing on four basics of well-being – nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management – can support you on your health journey. In this month’s Key Note episode, Dr. Parikh shares a brief overview of her book, Intentional Health, and the inspiration behind it.The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Visit the Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Join WeightWatchers at a discounted rate of just $8 a month; $0 if you are living with diabetes or prediabetes: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/ww.
If you are living with type 2 diabetes, find out more about our partner Virta’s diabetes reversal program: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/news/virta.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
For more information about the Integrative Health and Wellbeing program, visit www.nyp.org/integrative-health-program
To find Dr. Parikh’s book, visit www.intentionalhealth.io.
Guest Bio
Chiti Parikh, MD, is the Executive Director of Integrative Health and Wellbeing at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Integrative Medicine, with additional training in Functional Medicine, Medical Acupuncture and Ayurveda. 
 
To provide the highest level of compassionate and individualized care, Dr. Parikh combines cutting-edge Western medicine with Eastern traditions into a truly holistic approach. She has co-founded the Integrative Health and Wellbeing Program, the leading integrative center in the country, which offers modalities such as acupuncture, meditation, yoga, nutrition and psychotherapy.Dr. Parikh’s focus on prevention helps her address not just the physical but also psychological, social and environmental influences on health and healing. She recently published her first book, Intentional Health. Dr. Parikh has been featured on NBC News and Vice news, and in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Women’s Health and The Wall Street Journal.

When Dr. Chiti Parikh meets a new patient, the first question she asks is “What is your health intention?” In the Integrative Health and Wellbeing program at NewYork-Presbyterian, Dr. Parikh treats each patient as a whole person, not just a collection of symptoms – a philosophy the Benefit Funds have long embraced. In this episode, Dr. Parikh explains how setting a health intention and focusing on four basics of well-being – nutrition, sleep, exercise and stress management – can support you on your health journey.The Takeaway
Start your health journey by making an appointment with your primary care physician. Don’t have one? Find one at our Provider Directory: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/find-a-provider.
Visit the Healthy Living Resource Center for wellness tips, information and resources; www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving.
Join WeightWatchers at a discounted rate of just $8 a month; $0 if you are living with diabetes or prediabetes: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/ww.
If you are living with type 2 diabetes, find out more about our partner Virta’s diabetes reversal program: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/news/virta.
Get inspired by fellow members through our Members’ Voices series: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/healthyliving/membervoices.
Stop by our Benefits Channel to view webinars on managing stress, building healthy meals and more: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/videos.
Visit our YouTube channel to view a wide collection of healthy living videos: youtube.com/@1199SEIUBenefitFunds/playlists
Sample our wellness classes to exercise body and mind: www.1199SEIUBenefits.org/wellnessevents.
For more information about the Integrative Health and Wellbeing program, visit www.nyp.org/integrative-health-program
To find Dr. Parikh’s book, visit www.intentionalhealth.io.
Guest BioChiti Parikh, MD, is the Executive Director of Integrative Health and Wellbeing at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medicine. She is board certified in Internal Medicine and Integrative Medicine, with additional training in Functional Medicine, Medical Acupuncture and Ayurveda. To provide the highest level of compassionate and individualized care, Dr. Parikh combines cutting-edge Western medicine with Eastern traditions into a truly holistic approach. She has co-founded the Integrative Health and Wellbeing Program, the leading integrative center in the country, which offers modalities such as acupuncture, meditation, yoga, nutrition and psychotherapy.Dr. Parikh’s focus on prevention helps her address not just the physical but also psychological, social and environmental influences on health and healing. She recently published her first book, Intentional Health. Dr. Parikh has been featured on NBC News and Vice news, and in Rolling Stone, The New York Times, Women’s Health and The Wall Street Journal.