What if chronic illness wasn't the end—but a new beginning? In this episode of Productivity Smarts, Gerald J. Leonard welcomes Rebecca Renck, author of Healing Habits: How to Help Your Body Heal Itself from Chronic Illness. Rebecca shares her transformative journey through Crohn’s disease and breast cancer, revealing how intentional lifestyle choices and healing habits empowered her to reclaim her health and purpose.
Together, Gerald and Rebecca explore the connection between faith, holistic health, productivity, and identity. From decoding your body’s signals to detoxing your environment and managing stress with grounding techniques, this episode is packed with practical insights for living well—even when faced with adversity.
Whether you’re navigating illness or just looking to live more mindfully, Rebecca’s story will inspire you to listen to your body, trust your inner wisdom, and create habits that support healing and happiness.
What We Discuss
[00:00:00] Introduction to Rebecca Recnk
[00:04:01] Rebecca’s health journey and early decisions
[00:10:25] Recognizing the body’s healing ability
[00:13:13] Understanding and interpreting body signals
[00:17:40] Modern life and digital detox
[00:19:02] Role of intuition and de-stressing practices
[00:21:55] Developing healing routines and rhythms
[00:27:45] Managing cravings and addictions
[00:29:57] Importance of routines for self-care
[00:33:08] How to connect with Rebecca Renck
Notable Quotes
[09:01] “You have to make that hard stand. When you do, you start to create an identity around what you want to be.” – Rebecca
[10:38] “The body wants to heal. There’s no reason to believe it can’t heal from disease too.” – Rebecca
[25:41] “If I could tell anybody to do anything, it would be to get outside more. You know, sit in the sun without sunscreen on for a couple of minutes and, you know, just use the earth.” — Rebecca
[32:48] “Healing is a lifestyle. You can’t ever think that you're done.” – Rebecca
Our Guest
Rebecca Renck is the author of Healing Habits: How to Help Your Body Heal Itself from Chronic Illness, a book inspired by her journey through Crohn’s disease and breast cancer. She empowers readers to develop awareness, create healing routines, and trust their body’s natural wisdom. Through writing, coaching, and public speaking, she helps others explore holistic health through faith, self-awareness, and daily practice.
Resources
Rebecca Renck
Website - https://rebeccarenck.com/
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-renck-2b0814329
Book: Healing Habits - https://rebeccarenck.com/healing-habits
Productivity Smarts Podcast
Website - productivitysmartspodcast.com
Gerald J. Leonard
Website - geraldjleonard.com
Turnberry Premiere website - turnberrypremiere.com
Scheduler - vcita.com/v/geraldjleonard
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