Caregiving, Service, and Health Advocacy: Jack Clifford Helps Celebrate Episode 200

Two hundred episodes, y’all! To celebrate this milestone of Dishing with the DE Divah, I sat down with Jack Clifford, a retired U.S. Coast Guard Master Chief Petty Officer (E-9). After two decades of military service, Jack spent about 20 years as a family caregiver for his wife and both of his parents. That journey turned him into a fierce health advocate, an author, and the creator of two free resource websites. If you are caring for someone you love, or you want to age gracefully yourself, this conversation on caregiver self-care and speaking up for your health is for you.

From Coast Guard Master Chief to Family Caregiver

An Advocate by Nature

Jack has always seen himself as an advocate. In the Coast Guard, rising through the ranks meant he could help more people. When his wife’s health fell apart years ago, he put that same drive to work, learning everything he could about medicine so he could fight for her care.

He is quick to point out that his wife is the nurse in the family. Jack’s gift is resources: finding answers, connecting people to help, and pushing back on the system when a better outcome is possible.

“When somebody’s ready to try and challenge the system for a better outcome, boy, I’m right there.” – Jack Clifford

Jack also cared for his father, who passed a couple of years ago, and his mother, who is now in hospice. I shared my own story of caring for my grandmom, who transitioned at 98. Caregiving is learn-as-you-go, and it changes you.

Caregiver Self-Care: Why Stress Is the Real Threat

You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup

Jack watched his parents get maybe five good years of retirement before their health came crashing down. He refuses to accept that as the norm, for himself, for his wife, or for any of us.

His biggest warning? Stress. He calls it one of the most harmful forces working against healthy aging, and he says caregivers may need self-care more than anyone because the stress of the role alone can take a serious toll. He learned that firsthand: about five years ago, at 47, the strain of caregiving caught up with him physically and he was diagnosed with serious heart blockages.

Jack’s advice is simple:

• Build a self-care routine that fits you. It doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. It just has to be intentional.
• Treat sleep as non-negotiable. Jack calls sleep “the ultimate health enabler.” Sleeping in when your body needs it is not lazy.
• Listen to your body early. Don’t wait for it to yell.

“A symptom, I believe, is the body screaming at us.” – Jack Clifford

It’s Not Healthcare. It’s Your Healthcare.

How to Show Up Ready for Your Next Appointment

Jack tracks his own health data every morning with a sleep-tracking ring, and if the numbers say he needs more rest, he goes back to bed. His point: the more you know about your own body, the better prepared you are when you sit down with your doctor.

His tips for patients and family caregivers:

• Come with notes and questions. Research your condition and bring what you’ve learned to compare notes.
• Find a provider who matches your mindset. You want someone who welcomes questions and partners with you, not one who just hands you a prescription and moves on.
• Respect their training, and your own voice. Your doctor knows things you don’t. You also know your body in ways they can’t.

I added a point that hits home for me: as African Americans, many of us grew up without the same access to screenings and testing. That’s exactly why we have to be proactive about our health. Get those checkups, ladies. Men, get your blood work and cholesterol checked too.

Circulation, EECP, and Jack’s Free Resources

The Therapy Most People Have Never Heard Of

Jack believes circulation is the foundation of health, and that much of what we call aging begins with a slow decline in blood flow. That belief led him to EECP (enhanced external counterpulsation), a noninvasive therapy where cuffs on the legs and hips inflate in rhythm with your heartbeat to push blood back toward the heart.

When Jack faced his own heart diagnosis at 47, he searched hard for EECP, eventually brought a machine into his home, and says the change for him and his wife was profound. He wrote EECP: The Most Underutilized Therapy in Medicine, followed by the Circulation Solution book series, which he offers for free.

Please note: Jack and I are not medical professionals. This episode shares personal experience, not medical advice. In the U.S., EECP is used mainly for certain heart conditions, and research on other uses is still developing. Talk to your doctor before trying any new therapy.

Jack’s “Wow”: Take Your Vitamin G

Gratitude Is Good Medicine

I always ask my guests to leave us with a “wow,” and Jack delivered. Never stop seeking answers. Set your intention, wrap it in optimism, and take your daily dose of vitamin G: gratitude.

“You can’t hold negative thoughts and be grateful at the same time.” – Jack Clifford

And y’all know my motto: when you wake up looking up, everything else is gravy, baby!

Your Next Step This Week

If you’re a caregiver, block out 30 minutes on your calendar this week that belongs only to you, and write down three questions to bring to your (or your loved one’s) next doctor’s appointment.

Connect with Jack Clifford

• EECP book and Circulation Solution series: eecpbook.com
• Free Circulation Solution books (audio and PDF): thecirculationsolution.com
• Find an EECP provider near you: eecplocator.com
• Retired U.S. Coast Guard Master Chief, family caregiver, author, and health advocate

Subscribe & Share

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Thank you for helping me celebrate 200 episodes. Here’s to the next 200!