 For the latest episode of Tell Health in Hawaii, my name is Vikacharya. I'm the Chief Executive Officer of Cloudwell Health, an all virtual, physician-founded telemedicine organization based in Hawaii. We got a great show for you today. I'm very excited. This is Healthy Kids Week across the country, making sure that we provide the appropriate resources and access for all children to receive the best healthcare possible. To speak to us about Healthy Kids is none other than Luke Swanson. Luke is the top surfer under the age of 18 in the state of Hawaii. Extremely talented, extremely good in the world of surfing. It's an honor to have him on the show. I'm excited. I was showing videos of him to my kids earlier today. They're excited. Luke, it's great to have you on. How are you? I'm good. Thank you so much for having me. I'm super excited to chat today. Yeah. Thanks for being on the show. You know, to get things started, talk to me a little bit about where you're from and what brought you into surfing. What kind of drove you to get into the water? Yeah. So I currently live here on the North Shore of Oahu in Hawaii. And it's kind of the central surfing mecca. It's kind of like the center of surfing for the whole world. So we're home to some of the best waves. And just with the sport of surfing kind of being originated here in Hawaii, it's just, there's a big emphasis on surfing here. And the whole culture and community is kind of based on that. So it's an awesome place to live. And it's an awesome place to grow up. And I think just, you know, growing up here and being a part of that culture has kind of brought me into surfing. And I didn't necessarily have the background of like a surfing family or anything like that. But just naturally, I just kind of like move towards it. And I've been surfing since, you know, I was probably four or five years old. And I love doing it. It's what I know. It's what I do all day, every day. And I'm super excited to pursue it kind of going into the future. Yeah. You know, surfing is a pretty basically and mentally demanding sport, you know? And, you know, walk us through a little bit about what type of training, what type of preparation you do on a daily basis to perform at the level that you do. It's pretty impressive. Yeah. Yeah, there's so much. I mean, there's so much different cross training you can do, just a lot of other sports. And there's, I mean, just being in the ocean in general is just a really physically kind of tolling thing. You just get really tired out. I mean, you have to find a way to kind of be balanced and relaxed while you're on your surfboard in the water. And I think that the best training and the best exercise to get used to it and comfortable with it is just to be in the ocean. So I've kind of grown up going to the beach, going swimming and bodyboarding, just like on a regular board where you're just laying down. And we, I mean, me and my older brothers took swimming classes, swimming classes were a little, but that is nothing compared to just going out and just being able to enjoy the water. And all that time spent just recreationally being in the ocean, I think has prepared me best for being a surfer. But as I've gotten older and as I've kind of finished out growing and stuff like that, I've started to take on more kind of outside the water exercises with like weight training and kind of growing up. And until now just a lot of different nutritional kind of like maturing and stuff and learning how to eat healthy and just lead a healthy lifestyle. So there's a lot to it. And I'm always trying to learn and get better at it. But yeah, you know, I mean, there's nothing that beats just being in the ocean and getting comfortable that way. Yeah. What advice would you give to kids that maybe want to try surfing, but they're hesitant? You know, there's something, especially with kids, there's sometimes a fear factor about doing something new, about a new sport, especially something like surfing. And what advice would you give to them if they came up to you and said, you know, how did you get this far? Yeah, you know, I think that it's a sport with so much. It's a sport unlike most where there's a big fear factor for most people just getting comfortable and understanding the ocean in such a way that you're not afraid to be in it every time you go out. And so for me, it was starting at the most, you know, basic level and starting with where I was comfortable with. So when I was really little, I would just go out when the waves were really small and it was really peaceful. And a lot of what I was doing was just paddling around. And I think that's the best way to kind of get introduced to it because it's kind of this relationship with the ocean where you have to respect it to a certain degree. You have to know your limits. And I think that's kind of where you start is just knowing your limits and knowing how much to push yourself every time you go out. And yeah, I mean, I think that I haven't met too many people that don't enjoy being on the water, but for those kids that are looking to try something new, I don't think anything beats that feeling of standing up on a wave and riding a board. So I'd say if you're not there yet, that you gotta at least try that. And then once you've got there, maybe then you can start to decide whether it's something you like to do or not. But yeah, just starting, you know, small and working your way up and just enjoying it and just being in nature. And, you know, there's nothing man-made about it. You're out there in the ocean and there's waves that are breaking from storms and from wind. And it's just this really cool experience that you can't really get anywhere else. So yeah, I mean, I'd just say get out there and do it. So you're in school, you know, you're getting an education and you're also, you know, busy, surfing, catching waves, being a top performer at the same time. Take me through a typical day for Luke Swanson. What does it look like? Yeah, so I like some surfers here, especially on the North Shore, grew up homeschooling. The sport is really interesting in that you can't create a schedule around it because you're dealing with nature and you're dealing with changing conditions. There's bigger waves and smaller waves and really strong winds some days, which can make it harder to surf. So it was kind of fortunate that I was already homeschooling when I was really little. So as I became a surfer, I kind of created this really cool schedule where when the waves were good, you know, I was out there in the water and I was surfing and when the waves weren't so good, I was at home doing school. And so a typical day is always changing, but I mean, an average day is always different, but I would say usually waking up early, getting in the water for a couple of hours, coming home, eating a big meal, doing as much school as I can during kind of the middle part of the day when it's especially really hot outside and I don't want to be getting sunburned and then getting back out in the afternoon and then surfing for a few more hours, coming home, maybe getting a workout in and then, you know, getting all that rest they need to recover for the next day. That's a pretty busy schedule. Yeah, yeah, definitely. Yeah. You know, especially during COVID, it was very difficult, especially for kids. You know, those under the age of 18, a lot of things were unfortunately shut down and people didn't have a whole lot of places to go. Do you find that now more and more kids are coming out being more active when you're on the beach and everything? Is it getting better now? You know, in terms of the kids getting more exercise? Yes, I would say for sure. And Hawaii, it's interesting because even though we live so close to the beach, no matter where you're at, during COVID and during that whole pandemic, you know, a lot of people were being told it wasn't safe to be outside and people were, you know, kind of staying inside their homes a lot and staying, not getting the vitamin D they need and not getting the exercise they need. And then, you know, since, you know, all the different mandates and different restrictions have been lifted, I've seen a huge surge of people coming back out, going to the beach, laying out on the beach, getting tan, going out in the water, surfing, you know, swimming all over and just enjoying it. And it's definitely refreshing. It feels much more right and it feels, yeah, it's really refreshing to see people getting out there and making their way back to the beach. That's very cool. You know, what you do every day in terms of surfing, there's a lot of mental toughness that you need to have. You have to have a lot of resilience. You have to not have fear, you know. And so, especially for young kids, you know, if you're sitting with a group of kids and you're talking about the mental aspects of conquering your fears, what type of advice would you give them? Because there's a lot of things that kids worry about and they're afraid of, but surfing is something that can help you, you know. Yeah, I mean, that is really interesting. It's a common topic around the household, especially talking about just pushing your limits and surfing bigger waves, because, you know, here, especially on the North Shore, we're home to some of the most wild, powerful surf in the world where these waves just are really deadly. Like they can crush you and they can hold you under water for a long amount of time. So just learning how to surf here can be a really daunting task and it can kind of scare you away. But it's one of those things where I think you just have to be as objective as possible. And I always tell kids that are younger than me that you just have to know your limits. And that doesn't mean that you have to, that doesn't mean that you necessarily need to shrink back because some people set their limits kind of lower than it is. Sometimes people see the ocean go, oh, I wouldn't be able to last out there when in reality, they actually have the, you know, the lung capacity to hold their breath when they get pushed underwater. So I'd say it works both ways in that it encourage, when you know your limits and you know kind of the power of the ocean and what exactly it means to get pounded, we call it, you kind of start to figure out where you sit in this wide range of kind of the powerfulness of the ocean. So whether you think that you can handle it when it's really big and you actually can't or you don't wanna go out when it's big and you actually can, I just always encourage kids to know their limits. And, you know, if a kid is like, for example, my little brother, you know, he's 11 years old and there'll be days where it's pretty big and he's pretty scared because it looks scary from the beach or you've seen video of people get pounded. I always say like, hey, like, you know how long you can hold your breath. You know how well you can paddle. You know how well you can swim at your board where you get separated from you. Like you have to become really objective with it and set aside your fear and really control your thought process too because especially once you get out there, now you don't have really any options. You have to just deal with the next wave that's coming at you. And so a lot of that comes down to just knowing that whether or not you have a choice, you need to calm your breathing and think about your thoughts, like take control of your thoughts, really understand like, all right, here comes the wave. I'm gonna get pushed under. I know I can hold my breath so I'm going to start taking deeper breaths. I'm not gonna hyperventilate. And it's all kind of this common thread of just being really objective about it and just seeing everything as it is and not letting fear control you. And also at the same time, not allowing those kind of prideful thoughts of, oh, I can handle this or I can paddle that far out and be okay. It's about this constant balance of knowing your limits. And that's where people thrive. Like that's where you see people really become the best they can because every time you go back out, your limit can be pushed a little bit more. And so it's really exciting. It's a fun thing because every single time there's a new swell, you could, if you do it the right way, you can always get a little bit better. Yeah. Is there a particular moment in time where you had a significant challenge when you were out there and everything just clicked, and physically, thankfully, hey, it was like, hey, I got this. Is there one moment in particular that really stands out to you? Yeah, I can actually think of one, which is really interesting because I don't often think about this, but I remember when I was probably 11 years old, there was this one day at a surf break, probably 20 minutes from my house called Sunset Beach. And it was a day that had the size of waves that I've never been out in before that. It was probably 15 to 20 foot waves coming in and they're breaking a quarter mile out there where if you get separated from your board, it's a really, really physically draining task to get back to the beach. And it's just in general, it's a scary wave and you see it on TV and you see it on social media and you see people always talking about scary things. And I'd surfed it on smaller days. So I kind of knew what exactly to expect, but like here I was on this bigger day and I didn't know exactly what to expect, but I had a good idea. Yeah. I remember being with my dad and he was on the beach with me and he just kind of looked at me and said like, it's up to you and you decide whether you think you can handle this and you know your limits. So go out if you feel comfortable, but don't if you don't feel comfortable. And I remember paddling out and as far as like other kids my age, there was like nobody else surfing out there. And so it was this weird thing where I had to step out kind of trusting my own abilities and my own knowledge of what I could handle and just really kind of just, I don't know, trust God that I wasn't gonna get, you know, super pounded or anything. So I just paddled out and I sat there and I told myself, I can do it. I know I can catch one of these big waves and I sat there for probably 30 minutes before this one big wave came straight to me and I just turned around and the wind was blowing straight in my face and I just paddled as hard as I could and I got into the wave and I stood up and I remember just seeing this entire wave just scooping out and it was just like this big mountain behind me. And it was one of the coolest feelings because in that moment, not only was I like conquering sort of a fear, but I was so in control of my thoughts and I knew that I could handle it. And I remember I caught that wave and I maybe caught a few more and I came in and I was maybe the happiest I'd ever been up up until that point, just knowing that I just leveled up completely with my kind of my understanding of the ocean and like what I could handle. And yeah, that was like those sort of moments are the moments that where I realized like moving forward, there's always another level to push it. Cause if I had just listened to what my friends were saying or did what my friends were doing, I wouldn't have, you know, got that comfortability and that experience and that really fun moment. So that was really awesome. I'll never forget that. It goes back to, you know, the theme of a healthy child or a healthy kid under the age of 18, not only needs to have physical strength and physical health, but also mental resilience, mental health. And that looks like you're doing both, especially in that particular moment. Sounds pretty cool. Yeah. No, 100% when it comes to the ocean, there's a definite physical side where you need to be capable, but you also definitely need to have the mental strength to understand it all. Yeah. Now, we're gonna give it a little over to this subject of telehealth. So telehealth is obviously, care can be provided. You can see a doctor through your phone, through your laptop, through a computer. And I know that, especially many people around your age are using telehealth a lot more often, independently and both through or through their parents to access care. What are your thoughts on telehealth and how an organization like Cloudwell can service, you know, folks like yourself? Yeah, I'd say, I mean, just like in sports, we're surfing every single year, things are progressing and there's ways that you can kind of, you can kind of shortcut different things and become much more efficient. I'd say in the same way, telemedicine is such a cool opportunity moving forward into the future, especially for someone like me where, all the different questions, concerns, staying on top of your different health shortcomings or just things that you need to stay updated on. It's just, it's a new, really cool opportunity and it just makes things so much more efficient and so much more, I wanna say futuristic, but it really is, you know, it's something that you would never have thought about even a few years ago, but it's a really cool new area of life where now you don't have to make it something that's super far away and out of sight, out of mind, you can actually be staying on top of it because you have this really cool access to technology. So I think it's awesome. Because, you know, especially kids are so used to accessing their smartphone. So there's so many different things, you know, that now accessing the smartphone to see a doctor if you need it or for your mental health because you're so adept at using a phone, this is just something that's like a piece of cake for you, huh? Exactly, no, 100%. I mean, the traditional way of checking up with a doctor staying on top of your health is just, like I said, out of sight, out of mind and when you have it at the click of a button or the touch of a phone, that can, it can become so much more inclusive into your daily life and so much more of your daily thought process of staying healthy and staying on top of your health. Yeah, yeah, you know, especially coming out of the pandemic, you know, there's a lot of data out there that says that people haven't been seeing a doctor, you know, they haven't been active and now is the time to do so, you know, to get yourself checked out and everything. And I assume, you know, because of just the demands of surfing that you have, that making sure you have access to a doctor when you need it is something right at the top of your list, I would imagine. Oh, 100%, I mean, if it's not just daily recovery and knowing how to maximize recovery for surf competitions and going out and free surfing, it's something that you really need to stay on top of, especially for the longevity of it. So like, I look at my future as like, I'm not just surfing for a year or two, I'm trying to be a good surfer and sustain like high level of surfing for, you know, a couple more decades. And so in order to do that, I need to be on top of my health all the time and constantly checking in on, you know, what I'm putting in my diet or what I'm doing regarding sleep or what I'm, you know, doing regarding anything related to my body. And yeah, it's just, like I said, it just the technology aspect is it just makes it so much more freeing where you can actually be on top of it and not doing something, not going to the doctor once a year, twice a year, you know. Now, you've mentioned in your great stories, you know, your parents and, you know, I'm a parent, we have parents who watch the show and, you know, when it comes to sports and athleticism, you know, what advice would you give to parents who want to get their kids more involved, more of a hands-off approach saying, you know, let it come from the child to show interest or is it more of guiding? What type of advice would you give to somebody like me? Yeah, yeah, I know. I'd say that there's a perfect balance. It's like, you know, it's like a lot of other things where, you know, the kid has to be interested and the parents have to be ready to support and ready to know when to be a little bit more firm and when to know, you know, how to be a little bit more relaxed. And so for me with surfing, that fits right into the topic of pushing my limits, you know, there was days where I would tell myself, oh, I can't handle this. And my parents would have to be there to say, hey, we actually believe you can. And we're so confident that we know that you're going to be okay if you go out there and push yourself a little more. And those were the times where, if I listened to them, you know, I would go out and I would have a great time and I'd, you know, step up another level. And it was thanks to them being there to be a little bit more firm. But then, you know, again, there's other times where they would have to say, you have to know your limits and we want you to want this, not us. And so those were also times where there was a lot of maturing and a lot of excelling where I wanted something and I was able to go out there and do it because they were allowing me to kind of have that freedom. So, you know, I'd say the same thing, you know, regarding telemedicine and health, is parents have to be there to stay on top of their kids and make sure that they're keeping themselves healthy. And I think like a huge thing for me and like the kids in my community to sleep, you know, so many kids here are just dangering themselves and causing harm to themselves by just surfing all day or doing activities all day. And it's not like you're living a normal life here on the North Shore. You're surfing, you're in the ocean. Most kids are in the ocean all day long and you're getting really tired and you're getting really exhausted and then kids will go home and do school and stay up super late and then wake up really early and do it all over again. And so there's parents out there that kind of just, you know, let their kids run off and do whatever and get really tired and get no sleep. And you can see all the effects of it over a long period of time and they're always negative. And so I think it's super important and it's been important for my parents to be on top of me with all that stuff and to let there be that like amount of freedom but to also be there and know when to say, hey, you need to be home, you need to be resting or you need to stay on top of what you're eating all that different stuff. So I'd say it is a really good balance but yeah, it's all the different parents like especially within the realm of athletics it's more crucial than anywhere else. Yeah, that's some really interesting points you're bringing up. Now, how about when it comes to friends? So for example, there's a lot of times when maybe friends want to go to a party or they want to go out and hang out but you may have a big surfing competition the next day or you got to prepare for that. For kids who kind of struggle with that like, well, should I go to the party or should I go home or go to practice? How do you work through those kinds of things? Yeah, that is a really interesting topic because I mean, me personally I grew up with two older brothers and they had a lot of friends. And so a lot of the time regarding those different opportunities to go out and have fun but maybe do something that's not beneficiary to your health or to stay at home and get rest and be ready and focused for whether it's a school assignment or a surf competition. I got to see the effects and the outcomes of all their different decisions and I got to see where they kind of projected from there. And so it really made my job easier when it came to those opportunities to say yes or no to different things because I already knew what it would do and I already knew the outcomes. And if there ever was times where I would choose to hang out with friends or stay out late or whatever I would see myself but in a competition like lose or like do not nearly as good as I know I could. And those are the times where you got to be real with yourself and go, man, if I had focused more, if I had prepared myself more I could have done a lot better and it would have benefited me so much more than whatever it also I was doing. So I'd say that's huge. And yeah, I mean, it's really hard, temporary excitement or fun activities when you're a little kid or just like, it seems like the end of the world when you missed out on them but long-term it's so crucial to stay on top of being focused and being on your game and being healthy and being safe. And it just guarantees you so much more down the line. Yeah, I mean, you've touched on some really important things not only for kids to learn about and establish in their daily life but also adults. It's staying fit from a physical standpoint, staying fit from a mental standpoint but also providing care to children that's easy to access, it's efficient especially from your caliber. You shouldn't have to wait to see a doctor. You shouldn't have to wait to be seen but with things like telemedicine it meets all those goals it sounds like and really just for high performing athletes, for kids it really hits on all those areas it sounds like. Yeah, and just the fact is that it's something that is available to everyone for athletes and for people that aren't, you know going out and could possibly get hurt very often. It's such an easy thing. It's so silly to say no to it. So yeah, I'd say that like you said staying on top of it physically, mentally and then having access to, I guess kind of being on top of things is just it's a perfect storm. And I'd say that's just the way to do it. Yeah, yeah. Luke, you know, can't thank you enough for being on the show, you know just your articulate energetic, you know your focus on physical discipline, mental discipline advice to kids, advice to parents just really appreciate all your great insight, you know and just the level of maturity that you project. I mean, it's very impressive, very impressive. Thank you. Thank you, I really appreciate it. Yeah, and happy healthy kids week. Thank you very much for being on the show. Yeah, thank you so much for having me. And yeah, you know, I'm only a few years in this but I'm hoping that all the decisions I make now with telemedicine, with being an athlete and all that different stuff, you know just got to be smart about it and the future will be bright. Yeah, yeah, maybe in a few years we'll have you as an adult as like a surfing champion of the world. Never know you. Never know. But thanks for all your time, Luke. No, thank you. I really appreciate it. Mahalo, appreciate it. Mahalo. Thank you so much for watching Think Tech Hawaii. If you like what we do, please like us and click the subscribe button on YouTube and the follow button on Vimeo. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and donate to us at thinktechhawaii.com. Mahalo.