The Optimal Body

Wanting to come off birth control? Struggling to find a diet that works for you? Hoping to optimize hormone health? We've got Sarah Grace, dietitian, and licensed nutritionist, on to explore the realms of nutrition and how it relates to hormone health, birth control, and PCOS. With an emphasis on steps to compiling reliable and credible advice, Sarah describes whether or not intermittent fasting and the keto diet are beneficial for women. Through this discussion, she discusses optimal sources of carbohydrates and the truth around birth control. With masking effects of birth control, Sarah shares how birth control may be perpetuating the root causes of different symptoms and diagnoses. In light of getting to the root cause, Sarah provides her best tips on how you can optimize your physiology, while on birth control, and what to focus on coming off birth control. She dives into what the anti-inflammatory diet consists of and what lab/ blood tests to look into if you are wanting to approach your hormonal health. Finally, she dabbles into the world of supplements and its role in the birth control process.  Vivobarefoot Discount: Looking to transition into going BAREFOOT? As part of VivoBarefoot Health, they are providing a complimentary fundamental barefoot course along with a purchase of their Primus Lite or Tracker FG shoes. Use OPTIMAL to get 15% off, gain functionality back in your feet, and educate yourself along the way! Furthermore, VivoBarefoot Health offers barefoot assessment tools and online courses! **Vivo offers a 100-Day trial period. If you are not completely satisfied, you can send the shoes back and get a refund. What You Will Learn in this Interview with : 4:37 - How to combat the misinformation on the internet? 6:32 - Are they diets that can be harmful to women? 11:51 - Sources of smart carbs 14:11 - Why nutrition and educating online? 19:17 - The truth around birth control 22:28 - Wanting to get off birth control & approaching the root cause 27:30 - How to start optimizing your hormone health? 22:56 - Anti-inflammatory Diet 37:47 -  Labs & blood work for hormone dysregulation 38:58 - Supplements to help to go off birth control 42:29- Recommendations for reputable companies Items mentioned: Sarah's Website Sarah's Podcast: Real SOULutions Sarah's Tik Tok Sarah's Instagram To learn more about Sarah and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/191 Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are you someone who deals with pain and tingling sensations that run down your leg? Been diagnosed with Sciatica, but don’t know where to start? Then you are definitely going to want to tune in to this episode as Dr. Jen and Dr. Dom dive into what Sciatica ism potential causes and what you can do to begin to desensitize your nerve symptoms. They share three main focusses to approaching Sciatica, diving into simple lifestyle changes you can make in order to help you live your most optimal life! Optimal Body Therapy Kit Discount - Free Low Back Program! Need at-home equipment to level up your workouts? Need equipment to try Dr. Jen’s IG tips? We’ve got you covered with The Optimal Body Therapy Kit! As listeners of our podcast, use code ‘Optimal10′ to grab your discount! Vivohealth Foot Health Hub: Reconnect to your more natural self. Vivohealth hub is a growing body of courses and experiences that guide you through the joys of moving more naturally. The hub includes content from natural health experts! Check out the Vivohealth Barefoot Courses and assessments. What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 03:08 - What Sciatica is & potential causes 05:15 - How to desensitize your nerve symptoms 11:34 - Steps to creating safety within the body 20:26 - Best 3 tips for Sciatica Watch Episode 190 on Youtube For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/190 Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feel like your health is compromised even though you've got nutrition, hydration, sleep, movement, stress? Nothing helping your chronic conditions? Dr. Perry shares a different perspective and approach to optimizing health. One that may be simpler, yet not emphasized enough. Dr. Perry shares the origins of his practice and how his practice has evolved as he learned more about how all the systems are truly integrated. Expanding beyond the exact pain point, Dr. Perry shines light on the lymphatic system as a system that connects the whole. With a common focus on nutrient delivery and doing more to see successful results, Dr. Perry shares how less is more and how it may be worth looking at the elimination phase of cellular health. Explaining fundamental physiology, Dr. Perry touches base with the importance of order, nasal breathing, the diaphragm m movement, and stress. With small bouts of tips, Dr, Perry shares the significance of the lymphatic system and how it can be your secret to truly optimizing your health. Finally, he explores the realms of paradigm shifts in pain science, how pain can perpetuate itself with psychological influences, and how pain and inflammation closely relate to efficient and adequate elimination. Let's take a trip down the lymphatic system! What You Will Learn in this Interview with Dr Nickelston : 4:32 - Is the pain point really the trouble area? 8:31 - Changing the narrative on what pain communicates 10:50 - Thinking about elimination to prevent sickness 13:01 - The importance of order 14:36 - 4 steps to begin addressing your lymphatic system 20:32 - How to know if you’re breathing through your diaphragm 26:59 - How breathing differently impacts our pain 32:39 - How has Dr. Perry’s practice evolved? 37:25 - Paradigm shifts in pain science 41:23  - The pain-fear cycle: anticipation, self-fulfilling prophecy, pain focus 44:47 - Learn more with Dr. Perry! Items mentioned: Stop Chasing Pain Website Stop Chasing Pain Instagram Dr. Perry Nickelston's Youtube To learn more about Dr. Perry and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/189 Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feeling tingling, numbness, radiating pain in your heel? Could it be Morton Neuroma? DocJen & Dr. Dom explain what Morton’s Neuroma is and the different grades of nerve-related symptoms that could be explained. They describe a few potential causes of Neuroma, including types of footwear or trauma to the foot. Utilizing research, they explain how MRI images may not correlate or confirm symptoms, and how treatment typically surrounds changing footwear, building ankle and foot mobility and strength, promoting relaxation in the foot, and addressing sources of persistent inflammation. Finally, they explain foot exercises to try. Let’s dive in! VivoBarefoot Discount Reconnect to your more natural self. Vivohealth hub is a growing body of courses and experiences that guide you through the joys of moving more naturally. The hub includes content from natural health experts! Check out the Vivohealth Barefoot Courses and assessments. **Vivo offers a 100-Day trial period. If you are not completely satisfied, you can send the shoes back and get a refund. What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 01:59 - What is Morton's Neuroma? 03:33 - Nerve-related symptoms 05:41 - Potential causes of Neuroma 07:22 - MRI’s do not necessarily confirm symptoms 08:09 - Potential Treatments 11:07 - Exercises to implement 12:28 - Addressing inflammatory conditions 14:49 - Tools to promote relaxation in the foot‌‌ 17:05 - Foot exercises to try Watch Episode 188 on Youtube For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/188 Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thinking about eating more plant-based? Hollan explores the realm of vegan eating and how it can manifest in enhanced awareness and connection within your body. With 15 years of experience eating vegan, Hollan emphasizes that her journey continues to evolve and change over time. As she shares what inspired her passion for food, Hollan shares her best tips to giving vegan eating a try and how you can begin to make substitutes. She describes the changes she felt in her body with energy, mood, and overall health, and how she loved food while being healthy. She hones in on trusting the process and giving the body time to adapt to changes in food intake and how she progressed from a state of "not health" to "health." Finally, she speaks to the short-term changes you may feel when you first switch to vegan eating and the best type of oils to use. Let's dive into the world of plant-based eating! What You Will Learn in this Interview with : 2:42 - What drove Hollan’s passion for food? 5:30 - How does Hollan love food so much and be super healthy? 8:01 - Hate vegetables? How to make vegan eating more accessible? 10:50 - How did Hollan switch to becoming vegan & what changed within Hollan’s body? 15:34 - Basic switches to move towards plant-based eating 18:25 - Taking the time to actually try a diet change 21:51 - What Hollan changed to get to a state of  “not health” to “ health” for Hollan? 23:50 - Changes when you switch up the way you're eating? 27:04 - Best types of oils to use & Hollan's vegan ranch 32:29 - Learn more with Hollan Items mentioned: Hollan's Website Hollan's Instagram Hollan's Blog To learn more about Hollan and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/187 Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Flexible, but still tight? DocJen & Dr. Dom discuss tests and ways to determine if you are hypermobile, speaking into the spectrum of hypermobility that ranges from localized to Elhers-Danlos Syndrome. Explaining the neurophysiology of tightness briefly, they dive into how you can reduce the sensation of tightness through strength, using examples to relieve tightness in the hamstrings, inner thighs, chest, quadriceps, and hip flexor tightness. They provide a few tips for passive stretching, yoga, and hypermobility, and discuss how mindful breathing can support tightness relief. What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 03:11 - How do you know if you are hypermobile 04:25 - Spectrum of Hypermobility 05:15 - Elhers-Danlos Syndrome 07:25 - How to reduce the tightness sensation? 08:08 - TIghtness in hamstrings? 11:29 - Tightness at inner thighs? 12:50 - Awareness with yoga postures 13:38 - Tightness in pec areas?‌‌ 14:40 - Quad Tightness?‌‌ 15:24 - Hip Flexor Tightness‌‌ 16:18 - Reduce tension in the body with mindful breathing Watch Episode 186 on Youtube For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/186 Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Struggling with Chronic Pain? Debilitating pain keeping you from getting on with your daily life? Find yourself really flexible? Andrew walks the path of his EDS diagnosis, and how his chronic pain and many injuries took up the majority of his experience in sport from a young age. We take a peek through Andrew's perspectives on pain, whether or not it makes him want to stop moving, and his experience with his Herniated Disc. With Sciatica pain in both legs, Andrew speaks to how his treatment journey changed and progressed from the time of diagnosis. Andrew dives into some heavy-hitter recommendations to approaching movement with EDS and the importance of gaining control over extreme ranges of motion. Through the ridgid-hypermobile spectrum, he speaks to exploring the happy medium between the two to move the most optimally for you! Finally, he touches base with mindfulness as a main component to navigating pain. Instead of meditation or journaling, Andrew shares his conscious practice of mindfulness. With that, comes permission and a strong meditation to find time to downregulate and enter a true state of play. Tune in! As a listener of The Optimal Body Podcast, we would like to offer a $20 discount for our all new Move 2 Improve challenge. Join in on the fun and let’s move together! Find out more details on our website, get your friends to tag along, and enter in to win some prizes! Use code ‘TOB20’ at checkout. What You Will Learn in this Interview with Andrew Dettelbach: 4:03 - How Andrew approached having experienced chronic pain since 5 6:57 - What is EDS and is it related to chronic, systemic pain 10:00 - Did Andrew’s pain make him want to stop moving & is the brain becomes less sensitive to pain response 14:03 - Andrew’s Disc Herniation 12:37 - Focusing on the small wins 23:43 - Physical therapy & how Andrew progressed through his exercises 28:44 - Debunking the myths & what Andrew recommends 31:48- Addressing flexibility without control 37:10 -How Andrew defines mindfulness & how it helps his pain experience 44:24 - Whealth Items mentioned: Spread Whealth Website: Andrew's Programs Spread Whealth Instagram To learn more about Andrew and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://www.docjenfit.com/podcast/episode185/ Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Want to start breathwork, but don’t know where to start? DocJen & Dr. Dom present 4 different breath exercises: variations of box breathing, extended breathing, the one-minute reset, and Wim Hoff Breathing. They dive into how to perform these exercises, how these different exercises can be advantageous, how breathing can be beneficial in mobility, and how breathing can optimize CO2 tolerance, especially done nasally. Let’s dive into breath work! 30 Days of Strength and Mobility Discount: We’re focussing on Strength & Mobility this time around. DocJen is going to show up with you every day for 30 days to open up your mobility, build consistency, re-coordinate your core, and build some true strength. We’re getting to the roots of form and the body, moving you forward to feel something different. Grab a special podcast discount using code OPTIMAL20 at checkout! Join us before it’s too late! What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 02:49 - Box Breathing 05:01 - Modulating stress/relax response with inhalers & exhales 06:19 - Extending breaths 08:08 - How to Box breath 10:38 - The One Minute Reset 11:36 - How to access the diaphragm & improving mobility 15:21 - Holotropic/ Wim Hoff Breathing 18:42 - Why breathing practices are important - CO2 tolerance‌‌ 20:38 - Nasal Breathing Watch Episode 184 on Youtube For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/184 Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are Bunions genetic? How does functional podiatry differ from traditional podiatry? Dr. Emily walks the path of bunions, plantar fasciitis, and other foot conditions through the lens of functional podiatry, She begins by explaining the importance of educating individuals about orthotics and the general foot types. Then, she explains how foot structure is not necessarily related to symptoms and whether or not your foot condition is genetic. By discussing the importance of spending more time barefoot and exposing the feet to different structures to optimize neurological feedback, she dives into how the nervous system manifests in the feet, how training function is beneficial, and the role emotions play in feet’ health. Let’s get your feet functional! 30 Days of Strength and Mobility: We’re focussing on Strength & Mobility this time around. DocJen is going to show up with you every day for 30 days to open up your mobility, build consistency, re-coordinate your core, and build some true strength. We’re getting to the roots of form and the body, moving you forward to feel something different. Grab a special podcast discount using code OPTIMAL20 at checkout! Join us before it’s too late! VivoBarefoot Discount A study showed a 60% increase in foot strength by wearing VivoBarefoot shoes for 6 months consistently. They are shoes that work with your feet and not against them. Try them out and invest in your health. Use code ‘TOB‘ to get 15% off!  **Vivo offers a 100-Day trial period. If you are not completely satisfied, you can send the shoes back and get a refund. What You Will Learn in this Interview with Dr. Emily: 3:08 - What is a functional podiatrist? 4:57 - What is a functional podiatrist? 6:44  - How to educate individuals out of orthotics 8:44 - Dr. Emily’s Foot Self-assessment 10:06 - Three types of feet: a starting place 11:11 - Disregarding the term “flat feet” 13:32 - Are your foot issues genetic? 16:11- Dr. Emily’s advice on preventing bunions when familial 19:02 - Treating function, structure, or both for bunions 22:34 - Toe & Spacers Naboso Technology for foot health 24:58 - Sensory ability with feet 27:52 - Barefoot Strong Book 30:43 - How emotions play a role in foot health 35:57 - Nervous system manifestations in the feet 36:56 - Learn more with Dr Emily Items mentioned: Barefoot Strong Nabosos Dr. Emily's Website Dr. Emily's Instagram To learn more about Dr. Emily and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/183 Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Unsure of what to say to someone going through trauma or loss? Following on from last week’s episode on what DocJen & Dr. Dom wish they’d known, going through a miscarriage. they discuss how to be there for someone during a tragic loss. From getting professional help with therapy to receiving support from those who have been through it, DocJen & Dr. Dom hone in on the uniqueness and subjectivity of tragic loss and how you support it, but from a place of comfort and acknowledgment. Using language to support healing, they emphasize providing space for the individual going through loss to approach you instead of providing unsolicited advice. They hone in on what may not be advantageous to say and how loss may persist and it’s about learning to navigate light with a loss potentially being a part of you. By highlighting setting up a healing environment, they discuss differences in approaching the healing process, barriers, and the impact of toxic positivity on the grieving process. As an individual who may be going through loss, communicate your needs to support your healing process. 30 Days of Strength and Mobility: 30 Days of Strength and Mobility! We’re focussing on Strength & Mobility this time around. DocJen is going to show up with you every day for 20 days to open up your mobility, build consistency, re-coordinate your core, and build some true strength. We’re getting to the roots of form and the body, moving you forward to feel something different. Through these shownotes, you'll still be able to get a special discount using code OPTIMAL20 at checkout! Come Join Our Community and Get Strong! What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 03:28 - Getting through the psychological with therapy 05:20 - Support from those who have been through it 06:36 - Everyone has their own, unique traumatic experience 08:00 - What to say to someone experiencing loss 13:52 - Resources 15:10 - Let them know they don’t need to respond 17:06 - Self-advocacy: Let them come to you 19:06 - What not to say to someone experiencing loss‌‌ 22:09 - It’s not about the pain going away‌‌ 23:22 - Getting through Physical and emotional reminders & setting up a healing environment‌‌ 30:04 - Different people process differently 33:25 - Bringing up barriers does not help‌‌‌‌ 34:50 - Toxic Positivity & Grieving 36:36 - Other ways to let them know you’re thinking about them Watch Episode 182 on Youtube For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/182 Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.