You wouldn’t drive your car 100,000 miles without an oil change—so why are we waiting until our bodies break down to take care of them? In this episode, we dive into how Direct Care can help families save money and feel better, longer. Think of it as your personal pit crew: regular check-ins, the right “fuel,” and a system built to keep you on the road—not stuck on the side of it. We’ll explore how simple, proactive care can extend your healthspan and your budget. And next week? We’ll tackle the real question: how do we even know what the “right fuel” is in today’s misinformation mess? (Spoiler: TikTok doctors aren’t it.)

What if your dry eyes, brain fog, or fatigue weren’t random... but messages from your body trying to get your attention?

In this episode, Dr. Kara Foster breaks down the truth about inflammation, what causes it, how it silently shows up in the body (including the eyes!), and most importantly, how to start healing from the inside out. From food to sleep, stress to screen time, this is your roadmap to understanding inflammation as a call-in, not a call-out.

You'll learn:

• The difference between acute and chronic inflammation

• Sneaky sources of inflammation in everyday life

• Why dry eye disease might be your first clue

• Simple, science-backed steps to lower inflammation naturally

• How to listen to your body without fear or shame

You were never meant to just survive—you were meant to feel alive. And this episode is your invitation to begin.

Download the free guide at KaraFosterOD.com
Share this episode with someone who needs to hear: “You’re not crazy. You’re inflamed.”

Most people guess smoking, alcohol, or accidents. The truth is far more common - and far more within our control.

In this episode of Opt Out with Kara Foster, I unpack the science showing how poor diet has become the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S. and worldwide. You’ll learn:

• Why this shift has happened

• How our culture makes healthy choices harder than they should be

• The small, practical changes that can have a huge impact on your health and longevity

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to begin.

Listen in and discover the power you already have to change your story - and your future.

Can one town really change the healthcare system?

In this episode, Dr. Kara Foster lays out an actionable vision for transforming American healthcare, starting at the local level. Drawing from the success of Direct Primary Care, Blue Zones longevity research, and her experience as an optometrist who ditched insurance to put patients first, she explains how we can shift from a profit-driven model to one rooted in prevention, transparency, and trust.

You’ll hear:

• Why kitchen tables, not Capitol Hill, are where real change starts

• A roadmap for implementing Direct Care in your community

• How healthcare professionals, patients, and policymakers can work together to fix a broken system

• What you can do today to join the movement

It’s time to opt out of the sick-care system, and build something better.

Visit www.karafosterOD.com to learn more
Subscribe, share, and leave a review if this episode sparks something in you!

What if healthcare actually made sense? In this episode of the Opt-Out Podcast, Dr. Kara Foster unpacks how Direct Care works — and why it could change everything for you, your family, and even the future of medicine.

You’ll learn:
-What Direct Care is
-How much it costs — and how much you could save
-Why it’s better for your health, your wallet, and your kids
-How to find Direct Care doctors and no-insurance hospitals
-A realistic, step-by-step plan to help shift our healthcare system back to sanity

With real numbers, real stories, and a little humor (because healthcare could use it), Kara shows you how to opt out of the broken system, and opt into care that actually cares.

It’s not just possible, it’s already happening.

Listen now and start your quiet revolution.

In Part 2 of this series, Dr. Kara Foster shares what she calls her “secret weapon” for creating an unforgettable patient experience: her team.

You can’t create a “Wow” experience alone — and you don’t have to. In this episode, Kara explains how to set clear expectations, train your team to handle real-life situations with confidence, and keep morale high through shared wins, gratitude, and purpose.

We’ll talk about why hiring for attitude matters more than skill, how to prepare your team for those critical “Moments of Truth,” and why a strong sense of mission keeps everyone motivated — even on tough days.

Along the way, you’ll hear what healthcare can learn from Disney, the Ritz-Carlton, and even a flock of geese about building a culture where people feel proud to show up and give their best.

Whether your team is just you and one assistant or a larger staff, these lessons will help you create an environment where your team feels empowered — and your patients feel the difference.

When your team feels cared for, your patients do too.

Listen now and discover how to reimagine healthcare, one happy exam room at a time.

What makes a patient walk out of your office saying, “Wow… this feels different”?
In this episode of Opt-Out with Kara Foster, OD, we dive into the little (but powerful) ways to create a memorable, trust-building experience for your patients — from the moment they Google your name to the moment they leave with their new glasses.

Dr. Kara shares the exact strategies she uses in her own practice: creating a warm, welcoming environment, educating patients with clarity and care, showing how their eye health connects to their overall well-being, and even the seamless handoff to optical.

You’ll also hear:
The top 5 ways to accidentally sabotage the patient experience — and how to avoid them

How connection improves patient compliance (with the data to prove it)
Why the “Wow” isn’t about perfection — but about trust, dignity, and those human touches

If you’re ready to reimagine what eye care, and healthcare, can feel like, this episode is your first step.

In this heartfelt episode, Dr. Kara Foster shares powerful stories from her recent mission trip to Guatemala—and what they reveal about the brokenness of our own healthcare system. With honesty, humility, and hope, she reflects on the kind of care that truly transforms lives: care that’s human-centered, relationship-driven, and grounded in compassion—not paperwork.

Whether you're a provider feeling burned out or a patient tired of feeling like a number, this episode will inspire you to imagine a better way—and maybe even be part of building it.

Topics Include:

• What serving in rural Guatemala taught me about dignity and access

• Why empathy is more powerful than any diagnostic test

• How Direct Care can bring mission-style compassion to your own community

• A call to action: from global outreach to local reform