Holly Atkinson, M.D.

“Good Health” doesn’t just consist of the lack of illness and being in good physical shape. Optimal health is only achieved when an individual maximizes five key dimensions in his or her life. Dr. Atkinson will explore these five dimensions of optimal well being, offering practical advice from recent medical research mixed with pearls of wisdom handed down through the ages for improving one’s emotional, social, intellectual, physical and spiritual well being. “The 5 Keys to Optimal Health” is down-to-earth, warm, funny, and inspirational with loads of take home messages for both sexes and all ages.

With over 15 years of experience as a medical journalist, Dr. Holly Atkinson gives a fascinating talk on medicine and the media. She explores the challenges that consumers face today in sorting through the glut of medical information reported by the nation’s press. One week the headlines rave about the benefits of antioxidant vitamins or calcium; the next week they’re panned. Does a low-fat diet protect you against disease or not? So, how much exercise do you really need? Should menopausal women ever take hormones? Dr. Atkinson gives practical tips on how to read the medical news and sort through the clutter, and in the process, gives answers to many of burning questions that the health conscious audience is dying to ask.

For decades, the medical establishment ignored many diseases of women, conducted medical experiments with only male subjects and virtually failed to recognize the role of gender in healthcare. In this speech, Dr. Atkinson brings the audience up to date on the latest in women’s health: what’s hot, what’s not, what’s controversial and what questions women need to ask their doctors. In the question and answer period that follows, she fields questions about the best medical treatments for women; for heart disease, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease, breast cancer, weight loss, menopause and more. Not to be missed!

As we enter the 21st Century, the belief in human rights as fundamental to life everywhere on the globe has taken center stage. Violations of human rights have a particularly devastating effect on people’s mental and physical health. As Past President of the non-profit group, Physicians for Human Rights, Dr. Atkinson gives a fascinating talk on the intersection of Health and Human Rights. She argues passionately that by protecting and promoting human rights both home and abroad, we can have a major impact on protecting and promoting health: our own health, the health of our children and the health and well-being of our planet. Promoting human rights is not just a luxury, but a necessity that is in our own best interest. Dr. Atkinson delivers this presentation for college audiences, business audiences and health care professionals.