The Optimal Body

Do you practice yoga? Practice yoga and still have pain? Stretching out aches and pains? Mesmerized by all the yogic shapes? Hiro discusses his method of bridging science and anatomy with the spirituality of Yoga. Hiro paves the path of his journey from Ashtanga Yoga to his current Body Smart Yoga method. He shares his story with pain arising after years of the Ashtanga practice and how he changed his pain game by introducing active stretching, engagement, and strength to his practice. Throughout the episode, Hiro discusses how mobility and different types of engaged stretching can allow safe access into different postures, can rid your pain, and how strength is not just built in the gym. He addresses the trending wave of focus on aesthetics and shapes in yoga, and how that distracts from respecting anatomical differences. Using the example of pigeon pose, Hiro dives into the urge of needing to stretch unstable, weak, and tight muscles and how that may be non-optimal as increased stretching shifts into targetting passive structures (joints and ligaments) in the body. Through this example, Hiro highlights the importance of integration of flexibility and strength, and how this practice of mobility can help hyper and hypo-mobility individuals. Finally, Hiro shares his programs and challenges that outline the drills, exercises, and knowledge that got him out of pain. Let’s take a deep dive into practicing yoga without pain! Free Week of the Jen Health Membership: Looking for a movement community that gives you the plan specific to your body? Need accountability and a plan that is specific to your restrictions?! Come grab a free week of our Jen Health Membership! You'll have access to 12 plans that were all currated by Doc Jen, Dr of Physical Therapy. We make sure you get set up with the plan that will be best for your goals and the rest is laid out for you to follow! Come check it out today! You can even get a discount on your first month using code OPTIMAL at checkout! What You Will Learn In This Interview with Hiro 3:45  – Is Yoga Spiritual or Science? 6:00 – Is Yoga all about aesthetics? 7:30 – Why may Yoga be bringing up your pain points again? 9:55  – How to address anatomical differences when approaching the general public 12:15 – Is Yoga about making the shapes? 15:05  – Should you be forcing pigeon pose & how to perform it safely 23:21  – The importance of integration, strength, and mobility 27:30 – When did Body Smart Yoga evolve? 35:10 –  Why does Body Smart Yoga help hypermobility? 38:37 – Perks of Hiro's Hip Program 41:49 –  What Hiro's challenge entails 44:13 – How to learn more with Hiro About Hiro Hiro Landazuri always knew he wanted to heal others from a young age. He began teaching yoga in 2007 while pursuing a dual master's degree in medical pharmacology and cardiopulmonary surgery. Body Smart Yoga is meant to empower his students to find a deeper awareness of their physical and emotional bodies through detailed self-assessment and injury prevention.  Items mentioned: Hiro’s Website Hiro’s Hip Program Hiro’s Instagram To learn more about Hiro and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/141 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.

Diagnosed with Arthritis? Worried about Arthritis?  DocJen & Dr. Dom hone in on stripping away the fear that is associated with the Arthritis diagnosis. They touch base with 7 different types of Arthritis, what is happening within the body respectively, and emphasize the importance of moving. They provide insight into how to continue to move within what is tolerable within your body and the importance of looking at the body systemically and how to combat systemic and chronic inflammation. Finally, DocJen & Dr Dom mention their favorite tips on how cold and hot therapy may be beneficial, the power of breath in modulating the nervous system to navigate chronic inflammation, and how to address your stressors! Let’s take a deep dive into the world of Arthritis and how you can begin to let that fear go! Free Week of the Jen Health Membership: Looking for a movement community that gives you the plan specific to your body? Need accountability and a plan that is specific to your restrictions?! Come grab a free week of our Jen Health Membership! You'll have access to 12 plans that were all currated by Doc Jen, Dr of Physical Therapy. We make sure you get set up with the plan that will be best for your goals and the rest is laid out for you to follow! Come check it out today! You can even get a discount on your first month using code OPTIMAL at checkout! What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 3:14 – What is Arthritis? 4:00 – Don't be afraid of Arthritis 6:00 – Osteoarthritis 8:37 – Should you stop moving if you have Arthritis? 9:55 – Spondylitis 14:35 – Autoimmune Arthritis 16:15 – Rheumatoid Arthritis 20:48 – Junior Rheumatoid Arthritis 23:06 – Juvenile Arthritis 23:27 – Psoriatic Arthritis 24:19 – Reactive Arthritis 24:40 – Looking systemically for Arthritis 30:49 – Cold & Hot therapy for Arthritis 32:57 – Stressors 36:30 – Ask Questions! 34:21 – Dr. Dom’s Takeaway To Watch the PT Pearl on YouTube, click here: https://youtube.com/watch/ For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/140 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.

#womenarenotsmallmen Wondering how to optimize your nutrition & training as a female? Lost a period? Struggling to figure out nutrition and exercise around menopause? Dr. Stacy Sims dives deep into hormones, nutritional, and training considerations during the menstruating phase of life, perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. Dr. Stacy explains Amenorrhea, nutritional considerations during and post-exercise, and how eating times affect hormones and recovery. Dr. Stacy deciphers nutrition and training considerations throughout the different phases of the menstrual cycle and her top recommendations to getting your period back. Then, Dr. Stacy dives into the fad trends women should avoid, and research generalizability and transferability to women. She discusses the world of menopause and how hormonal changes affect physiological metrics like heart rate, respiratory rate, sleep, lean muscle mass, bone density, mood, and overall health. In spite of these physiological metrics, Dr. Stacy addresses optimizing recovery before, during, and after menopause. Finally, she provides a brief scope into the current research she is undergoing with WHOOP.  Learn about nutrition and training from puberty to menopause. Dr Stacey's Microlearning Courses: Get 20% Off Dr Stacy’s Microlearning courses that launch July 7th with code OPTIMAL! Link to get free Hydration cheat sheet and get on the Microlearning Waitlist Use code OPTIMAL and purchase any of the Microlearning Vivobarefoot Shoe Discount:  Our foundations are everything. Our feet are everything. Our feet are our base of support and affect everything up the chain! A study revealed a 60% increase in foot strength from 6 months of wearing VivoBarefoot shoes. Strengthen your feet to build more resilience and move more with Vivo Barefoot! Use code TOB to get 15% off! What You Will Learn In This Interview with Dr. Stacy Sims: 5:10 – Dr. Stacy's Passion 6:46 – Why may your menstrual period stop? 8:39 – Why eating at the right time matters 10:44 – What women should eat post-training? 14:39 – Nutritional & training changes during the menstrual cycle 18:40 – Recommendations to get your period back? 26:30 – Why research from a clinical population is not transferable 28:53 – Popular trends women should stay away from 37:02 – Premenopause, perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause 34:59 – Changed during Menopause 35;55 – Perimenopause Training 37:09 – Peri-menopause Nutrition 38:28 – Your doctor’s guideline for post-menopause may not be correct 40:33 – Training post-menopause 43:45 – Dr. Stacy’s study on recovery with contraceptive pills 49:04 – Learn more with Dr. Stacy About Dr Stacy Sims Stacy T. Sims, Ph.D., is an applied researcher, innovator, and entrepreneur in human performance, specifically sex differences in training, nutrition, and environmental conditions. Prior to being launched into the industry, she served as an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist at Stanford University. Her contributions to the international research environment and the sports nutrition industry have established a new niche in sports nutrition; and established her reputation as the expert in sex differences in training, nutrition, and health. She is a regularly featured speaker at professional and academic conferences and is a senior researcher. To learn more about Dr. Stacy and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/139 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.

Is your pain caused by your misaligned kneecap? Wondering if it matters that your patella appears misaligned? Unsure if you have patella tracking? Let’s take a deep dive into patella (kneecap) tracking! Firstly, DocJen & Dr.Dom explains patellofemoral syndrome and how it may relate to patella tracking, providing insight into why physical therapists may focus on the appearance of structures as a guide to diagnosing. They discuss if taping or manual therapy actually puts the kneecap back into alignment, the extent to which the appearance of structure actually matters, and the anatomy and physiology surrounding the patella. They provide insight into how symptoms can rise with patella tracking, how to begin addressing your patella tracking, and how to focus on function over appearance. Finally, they address the VMO muscle and explain how it integrates with the rehabilitation of patella tracking-related issues. Let’s tune in! Genius Mobility Supplement We also mention the GeniusMobility Supplement in this episode. In this Genius x DocJen collaboration, the supplement contains all-natural ingredients with superfoods known to have joint supportive, stress balancing, and anti-inflammatory effects based on research-based dosing. With one scoop of the supplement, containing Ashwagandha, Nuclear Eggshell Membrane, Antioxidant-Rich Fruits, Vitamin D & K2, and Curcumin, you will be on your way to replenished and optimally functioning joints! Dose your joints with the nutrients it needs to soothe pain and move with ease. What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 2:29 – What is Patellofemoral Syndrome (Check out Episode 10 to learn more) 3:14 – Why physical therapists look at the structure of the body 5:29 – Does tape fix patella tracking 9:08 – How the patella tracks 9:47 – Does DocJen have pain with her patellar tracking 10:52 – To what degree do biomechanics and structural form matter? 12:07 – What about patella tracking would be causing you pain? 15:42 – Is it bad if the kneecap is not tracking perfectly 17:38 – Changes to feel something different at the knee 18:00 – What is the VMO muscle & should you train it for patella tracking? 21:02 – Is taping pulling your kneecap back in space? 23:43 – What do manual techniques help with 25:21 – What you need to do to optimize your rehabilitation journey 27:18 – How to start addressing your patella-tracking 30:28 – How The Optimal Body Membership can help! 34:21 – Dr. Dom’s Takeaway To Watch the PT Pearl on YouTube, click here: https://youtube.com/watch/ For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/138 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.

Is cupping worth the hype? Curious to learn about cupping? Dr. Chris Daprato walks us through the path of his journey to cupping and where his passion stemmed from. Soon after, he discusses his experience with cupping and why pairing movement with cupping changed the game for him. He deciphers the science behind cupping, addressing range of motion, blood circulation, and fascial lubrication. Then, Dr. Chris explains the term ‘fascial decompression,’ and how cupping can pull in fascial slings. Furthermore, he debunks myths around cup coloration, the ultimate goal of cupping, and his best tips on how to perform cupping on yourself. He provides insight on the self-starter cup kit and the difference between heat and non-heat cups. Tune in to learn all about the science and intention behind cupping. What You Will Learn In This Interview with Dr. Chris Daprato 2:35  – What makes Dr. Chris passionate about cupping 8:05 – Chris’s experience with cupping 9:14 – Movement with cupping or not? 10:52 – Science behind cupping 14:07 – Cupping & range of motion 16:57  – Does cupping release the fascia/ decompress the tissue? 22:06  – What does pulling of the muscles do in the body? 25:24  – Does the colour of your cup mark dictate the health of your tissue? 29:13 –  Goal of cupping & how you know its effective 33:08 – Can you cup on yourself and how do you know what movements to pair with cupping? 36:52 – Heat Cups vs Non-heat Cups 37:57 –  Find more about Chris or How to get your kit About Dr Chris DaPrato Dr. DaPrato currently holds an Associate Professor Faculty appointment at the UC San Francisco School of Medicine Mission Bay Campus, treating all spectrums of sports and orthopedics. He teaches in the DPT program in the areas of Advanced Exercise Prescription, Manual Therapy, Sports Medicine and also holds a joint appointment in the Department of Orthopedics. Prior to his current position, he was a Team Physical Therapist for the University of California Golden Bears treating Div. 1 NCAA and professional athletes in their sports medicine department, and a previous Clinic Director for Physiotherapy Associates in the Denver area. He is a strong proponent and educator for manual therapy in sports orthopedics and has specialized in HVLATs, Muscle Energy, and functional manual therapy. He received his BS in Human Physiology, his Masters in Physical Therapy from Long Beach, and his Doctorate from Temple University. His approach to patient care also encompasses advanced level strength and conditioning, and received his CSCS through the NSCA, and certified as a Performance Enhancement Specialist from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Items Mentioned Cup Therapy Website What The Cup Podcast To learn more about Dr. Chris and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/137 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.

Curious about massage guns? Discover how these devices work and their role in muscle recovery. The hosts debunk myths about their effectiveness and highlight the importance of combining these tools with active recovery. Learn about their benefits, such as enhanced range of motion, and the best times to use them during workouts. Explore different physical therapy tools and their unique advantages, emphasizing the need to recognize muscle tension for optimal performance. Tune in for insights on maximizing your recovery routine!

Is pain in the head? Finding pain flare up at random times? Curious about current perspectives on pain? “Pain is an experience and perception,” says Dr. Kyle, co-founder of Integrated Kinetic Neurology. Dr. Kyle unpacks the truths around pain and deciphers the mechanisms behind how the pain experience is elicited. With an emphasis on survival and protection, Dr. Kyle discusses 2 reasons why revisiting pain may occur and how they may relate to stress, and the concept of the path of least resistance. Then, he provides his insights on the dichotomy between pain from the body versus pain from the brain. In doing so, he explains how pain perception may be molded by stress threshold and 2 ways to address it. Moreover, Dr. Kyle provides 2 ways to build resilience in the nervous system, speaking to the power of breathing and novel movements. He shares his go-to breathwork activity and why breathing may be your first line to saving your pain, through integrated understandings between neurology & and biochemistry, He briefly discusses hyperventilation, the importance of nasal breathing, the role neural tricks play in rehabbing chronicity, and how to create lasting change within the nervous system. Finally, he addresses the role tools can play in optimizing an individual’s rehabilitation journey and the role touch plays in the brain’s internal map of the body. Tune in to re-discover your knowledge around pain with Dr. Kyle. What You Will Learn In This Interview with Dr. Kyle Paxton 3:21  – What is Integrated Kinetic Neurology? 6:32 – What is Pain Science? 10:10 – How to address revisiting pains? 13:28 –Is your pain from your body or brain? 20:18 – Types of breathwork to feel shifts in the body 22:38  – Why breathing can save your pain 27:38  – Is the hyper around neuro-tricks worth it? 32:38  – Should we be using tools for pain? 36:10  – Why touch may help you feel better 41:25 – Learning more about Integrated Kinetic Neurology About Dr Kyle Paxton Dr. Kyle earned both his bachelor's in exercise science and doctor of physical therapy degree up in western NY and now lives in Tampa, FL. He is the Co-Founder of Integrated Kinetic Neurology a continuing education company that focuses on educating providers on how neuroscience influences our movement and pain experience. Dr. Kyle also owns Performance Care Clinics which are physical therapy practices in the DC area and FL and Tampa Composition Testing. Items mentioned: Integrated Kinetic Neurology Website Integrated Kinetic Neurology Instagram To learn more about Dr. Karl and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/135 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 continual ankle instability? Constantly getting ankle injuries? Overall weak ankles? You're not alone. DocJen & Dr. Dom present the literature and statistics on the prevalence of chronic instability and preditors of chronic instability. Furthermore, they explain the anatomy of the ankle and the different types of ankle sprains that can occur. They dive into how grades are determined, symptoms and tests that indicate chronic ankle instability, and how mechanical and functional instability looks like with ankle instability. Finally, they provide a real-life perspective to how psychology can influence your movement patterns or rate of re-injury, as well as, provide you with the steps and tools to rehabilitate your or prevent chronic ankle sprains.  To learn how to re-pattern and re-coordinate your ankles to prevent spraining your ankle again, tune in! Vivobarefoot Shoe Discount: ALERT: TOB is now the 15% off code How may VivoBarefoot shoes help you with chronic ankle sprains? Through building strength in the foot and teaching the foot to accommodate your own body! A study showed a 60% increase in foot strength by wearing VivoBarefoot shoes for 6 months consistently, and you a little over 3 months to return your shoes. Try them out and invest in your health. Use code 'TOB' to get 15% off! What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 3:11 – Types of Ankle sprains 4:00 – Grading for Ankle Sprains 4:28 – Prevalence & Etiology 6:07 – Risk factors 7:58 – How does it go from acute stag to chronic stage 9:41 – Symptoms that indicate chronic ankle instability 10:20 – Tests for Chronic Ankle Instability 13:33 – Different types of instability 15:30 – What to do if you are hypermobile 15:52 – Steps to address your chronic instability 17:29 – Psychological influence with chronic ankle sprains 18:00  – The biggest focus of your rehabilitation journey To Watch the PT Pearl on YouTube, click here: https://youtube.com/watch/ For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/134 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 to release food restrictions? Wanting to commit to a challenge to kickstart your journey, but feel like you can’t commit? Curious about simple nutritional guidelines to consider? Cara deciphers nutrition and provides insight into changing the focus around food restriction, yet appealing to the control food restrictors desire. After a dive into Cara’s passion, her motivations, education, and what motivated her to pursue nutrition, Cara provides simple nutrition principles and explains the typical structure of her challenges. Through an elimination and reintroduction phase, Cara presents an efficient technique to understand the types of foods that are optimal for you. Furthermore, Cara re-defines success, as her challenges follow a no-fail system, and the benefits of food-logging, Moreover, she discusses season diet and two factors that make eating according to season advantageous, providing examples and tips to introducing higher vegetable intakes to children. Let’s dive in! Starting September 7th is the Fall Back To Health challenge with certified nutritionist, Cara Clark, and functional medicine expert. Dr. Kaisa Coppola, DC. If you're feeling the need to re-commit or tired of feeling the way you're feeling with "winging" your meals, feeling bloated or fatigued after meals, or unable to fit in nutritious meals and keep with your routine with kids, this challenge is for you. With an overarching focus on hormone health, You can take a quick assessment to have the team tailor the challenge for you and will be getting meal plans, meal ideas, food exchange ideas and grocery lists, community, structure, logging systems, and education on optimizing your nutrition and hormone health. Join the Fall Back To Health challenge here! What You Will Learn In This Interview with Cara Clark 3:43 – What drove Cara to her expertise? 6:31 – What motivated Cara to pursue nutrition 13:25 – How can we begin education earlier 15:56 – Clara’s nutrition guidelines 19:39 – Cara’s challenges 25:15 – Food Logging 26:04 – Clara’s fall back to health challenges 28:45 – How to address not feeling so great when making a change 32:35 – How to get yourself to start a challenge 34:31 – Seasonal Diet 37:31 – Key foods for different vegetables 40:02 – Ho to teach kids why we need to eat colors 43:35 – Learn more with Cara About Cara Clark Cara Clark is the owner and primary Certified Nutritionist of Cara Clark Nutrition. Cara works with individuals and groups to promote overall health and to manage a wide range of nutrition-related issues. With a ‘non-dieting approach, she has helped clients manage weight, energy, performance, diabetes, thyroid-related disease, allergies, eating disorders, and more. Her goal is to expose as many people as possible to optimal health for elite performance, and she is very sensitive to the needs of each individual client as a mother to four daughters. To learn more about Cara and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://www.docjenfit.com/podcast/episode133/ 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.

Diagnosed with IT Band Syndrome? Feeling pain on the outside of the knee? Rolling out your IT band? DocJen & Dr. Dom describes the anatomy of the IT bands, the muscles that connect into, and why it is said to be a “friction injury.” They discuss whether or not foam rolling is beneficial, the mechanism behind foam rolling, and how to optimize its use. Then, they explain the potential causes of feeling ITB syndrome-related symptoms, and how you can begin to address the root cause issue. After discussing 3 was to address ITB Syndrome, they provide insight into why it is common amongst runners and the ultimate importance of building strong internal foundations. Keep activating and exploring! Vivobarefoot Shoe Discount: ALERT: TOB is now the 15% off code Feeling extra warm this summer? What's your message to our earth. VivoBarefoot is all about connection. As much as nature's natural terrains are optimal for our feet, their purpose is to use the needle in how we treat the environment, our earth, and utilize its resources. Join the Letters To The Earth movement below to become more aware of respecting the earth's gifts and saving our home! While you're at it, you can further support this movement by purchasing  VivoBarefoot shoes. Use code 'TOB' to get a 15% off discount! What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 2:31 – What is the IT Band 4;38 – Why might you be feeling pain 5:46  – How to fix it 7:06 – Should you foam roll? 7:54 – Why might foam rolling be ineffective? 8:37 – Where to foam roll if you’re going to do it 10:44 – When you may be feeling a rubbing/friction/tight sensation 11:38 – How to address your ITB 15:03 – The role breathwork plays with ITB syndrome 16:25 – Why is it common amongst runners 17:09 – Addressing internal over external To Watch the PT Pearl on YouTube, click here: https://youtube.com/watch/ For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/132 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.