The Optimal Body

Feel like your chronic pain is never-ending? Completely ignoring your emotions? Wondering why you can’t quite let go of struggling past experiences? Dr. Liz Letchford, Athletic Trainer with a P.h.D in Kinesiology, uncovers the current perspectives on how trauma impacts pain and performance. Through a holistic health approach, Dr. Liz speaks to the importance of staying curious, honing in on how emotions and past traumas can mold our movement patterns and persistent pains. Through a simple explanation of the mechanism, highlighting the nervous system, Dr. Liz shares an empowering story of her work with a client and how they found newfound strength after addressing their hidden and deep-rooted trauma. Nonetheless, Dr. Liz speaks to common egoistic characteristics in clinicians, and the need to allow space for clients to be listened to as the starting point to any rehab process. Finally, she provides her top tips to understanding if your pain has a deeper emotional root cause, and what to do, because “it likely does.” Step up your rehab game and get back to optimal health Dr. Liz! Paleovalley Discount: Do you know all the ingredients labeled at the back of your go-to snack? In this episode, PaleoValley is mentioned. Containing 100% grass-fed beef with a higher omega 3:6 ratio, antioxidant-rich foods, and some of the best anti-inflammatory whole food ingredients, PaleoValley has got your sweet or savory tastebuds covered with beef sticks or protein bars. Use code ‘OPTIMAL‘ to get 15% off. What You Will Learn In This Interview with Dr. Liz 4:23 – What drew Dr. Liz to helping people 5:55 – Differences between Athletic Training Certified & Physical therapy 9:31 – Origins of Liz’s passions 14:45 – How did Liz’s P.h.D Impact her 20:43 – Current perspectives on bodily responses to emotions. 25:31 – Encouraging & staying curious about the deeper root cause of pain 31:38 – Clinicians & their ego 35:32 – Impact of Trauma 39:22 – How emotion manifests through movement 42:02 – How to recognize if your pain has a deeper emotional root cause. 43:38 – Learn more with Dr. Liz About Dr. Liz: Dr. Liz Letchford is an Athletic Trainer and strength coach who takes a holistic approach to improve mechanics, posture, and pain. With a Ph.D. in Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Science, her research interests focus on injury risk reduction and the relationship between biomechanics and human emotion. She is the creator of The Release, a self-massage and movement experience designed to help students get out of their heads and into their bodies. Liz is a founding coach for Tonal, a connected fitness company where she is also part of the research and innovation team.  Items mentioned: Dr. Liz’s Release Method Dr. Liz’s Instagram Dr. Liz’s Website To learn more about Dr.Liz and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/131 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 Piriformis Syndrome? Is it actually your Piriformis causing you pain? The victim, your piriformis that tends to get much of the blame, is not always the culprit. DocJen & Dr. Dom take a deep dive into the anatomy of the Piriformis, its function, and how it may be affected by the way it coordinates with or how the 7 other external rotator muscles may be affecting the surrounding nerve endings. As a diagnosis related to the sciatic nerve, they describe what is happening in the body and how sciatica-like symptoms may be appearing when diagnosed with piriformis syndrome. Using research to gain a broader perspective on the diagnosis, they provide their step-by-step process to approaching your piriformis syndrome, emphasizing your resetting and habitual position and the relationship between your feet, knees, hips, and core or respiratory system. By explaining the ineffectiveness of smashing or stretching into your piriformis, they provide a more effective and optimal way of getting to the root cause and addressing the system as a whole. Kick-off your shoes and learn all about the Piriformis syndrome! 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: 1:07 – Synopsis of the Piriformis Syndrome 2:18 – Anatomy of the Piriformis 4:28 – Should you stretch or smash into the Piriformis? 5:59 – Research on Piriformis Syndrome 6:56 – Addressing the root cause of your Piriformis symptoms 8.36 – How your feet position affects hip mobility 10:26 – What stretches & manipulations are actually doing 12:30 – Your guide to addressing your Piriformis symptoms 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/130 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 mindset? Wondering how language affects mindset? Curious to dive deeper within yourself? Mike Aidala, a health and wellness expert, explores mindset in its whole capacity. With a look into his background, Mike shares his “addiction” to yoga and the mental space it provided him in helping him perform better with his lifting. He leads by example, setting the example of this dualism in his movement practice, opening up the freedom to embrace all schools of movement. Furthermore, he explains his mind-first approach to setting up goals, and how shifting your language to create more choice can make all the difference. His “shouldfast” techniques drop the judgment, bring more awareness, and allows individuals to be more present with their choices. Then, Mike unveils his journey to riding the wave of vulnerability. He provides his top tips for addressing physical manifestations of emotions and how to combat the fears and repercussions that come with failure. Finally, he offers his top recommendations on how to start diving into yourself. Let’s dive into all things mindset. 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 Mike 3:30 –  Mike’s Background 5:51 – Addiction to the athletic mindset (lifting + yoga) 7:15 – Opening your movement practices to find mind balance 8:23 – How to approach the mind in setting up goals 11:16 – Shifting language to create choice instead of judgment 12:51 – The “shouldfast:” how to implement language shifts 16:06 – The power of presence 17:13 – How did Mike navigate vulnerability? 21:35 – How emotions physically manifest 25:46 – How Mike approaches his client’s failure 30:26 – How to start diving into yourself: gratitude & hot baths 33:19 – Learn more with Mike About Mike Aidala: Mike Aidala is a leading health and wellness expert who has been mentioned in: Men's Journal, GQ, AskMen, Gear Patrol, Well+Good, PopSugar, Harper's Bazaar, Valet Magazine, and more. He is one of the top personal coaches in America and has been coaching and guiding others for over 15 years. Mike's various programs are for individuals who want to establish an enhanced, more familiar relationship with their body and mind. Using a range of modalities, Mike creates personalized programs to build stability, flexibility, and strength for efficient, effective life control. You will learn to pay attention as you move through the world, cultivating an awareness that will lead to a healthy and happy life! Items mentioned in this episode: Mike‘s Website  Mike’s Handstand Course To learn more about Mike and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/129 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.

Got an ACL Injury? Considering surgery? DocJen & Dr. Dom address it all in this PT Pearl. After describing the anatomy and function of the ACL, they explain the different degrees of the ACL injury and the tests that are used to diagnose an ACL injury. They name the signs and symptoms associated with an ACL injury and who is at higher risk. Then, they take a deep dive into surgery. Debunking the common misconception around absolutely no stability around the knee with a torn ACL, they explain what the ACL reconstructive surgery consists of and re-shape the narrative around ACL and surgery. With an overarching emphasis on function, they provide insight into the importance of proprioception and strength in and around the knee, the different components of stability around a joint, and why function is so important for ACL rehabilitation. They address laxity at the knee with no ACL, the association between ACL and Knee Osteoarthritis, and the controversy around Knee valgus. Finally, DocJen & Dr. Dom gift you with the ways you can begin to approach your ACL injury, empowering you with knowledge around joint proprioception, muscular coordination, and neurological control in optimizing your rehabilitation, regardless of if you get surgery or not. Tune in! Vivobarefoot Shoe Discount: Foundations. Our feet are our base of support, our foundations. DocJen & Dr. Dom live in their VivoBarefoot shoes. No matter what your foot looks like, VivoBarefoot shoes will help your feet return to optimal function and train that joint sense, coordination, control, and strength we have been honing in on in this PT Pearl. With 100 days to return the shoe, give your feet time to transition and adapt in style. Use code ‘TOB’ to get 15% off!  What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 2:08 – ACL Anatomy. 3:27 – Degrees of ACL Injury 4:20 – Tests to determine ACL Injury 5:07 – Signs & Symptoms 5:55 – Who is at higher risk? 7:28 – ACL Reconstruction Surgery - what’s the process? 10:12 – The literature on surgery vs PT, and associations with Knee OA 12:28 – Addressing the laxity associated with torn ACL 13:27 – Components of stability 14:03 – Prevalence of Re-injury 16:54 – Why Function is so Important 20:12 – Allow the knees to cave in or not? 22:37 – Your ACL Rehab Guide 26:08 – Get your own Physical Therapist! 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/128 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.

Stuck in a cycle to lose weight to try and fit into a norm? Have doctors been weight-shaming you? Body Positivity. It is a hot topic. But, what does it really encompass? Dr. Lisa Folden sets us off on her journey with diet culture that started as early as 12 years old! She speaks about when her perspectives started shifting and how we can change the narrative behind diet labels in the next generation. She describes how you can determine what “healthy” is and how healthcare providers or coaches can preach health at every size while talking about sensitive topics (e.g optimal diet, movement…). Moreover, Dr. Lisa takes a deep dive into her best tips to finding food freedom and setting up an environment that respects your child’s intuitive eating. She also, explains how you can refocus your health goals, the stigmas she still faces, how you can actually get to body positivity. A larger body doesn’t equate to being unhealthy. It’s the behaviors, lifestyle, awareness, and intention that matter. Learn how to optimize your health at any size with Dr. Lisa Folden! 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 Dr. Lisa 2:59 – Lisa’s story & diet culture 5:36 – When did Lisa’s perspective on diet culture shift? 7:31 – Changing the diet label for the next generation 10:43 – How do you determine what healthy is? 12:58 – Sensitive topics & still preaching for health at every size. 16:37  – Steps to getting to food freedom 23:36  – Guiding children to be more intuitive 25:36  – Reframing labels & modelling behavior as parents 28:43  – Re-focusing your goals 32:07  – Has Lisa faced stigmas? 36:55 – How do you get to body positivity? 41:33  – Learn more with Dr. Lisa About Dr. Lisa: Dr. Lisa N. Folden is a licensed physical therapist, mom-focused health coach and the owner of Healthy Phit Physical Therapy & Wellness Consultants in Charlotte, NC. As a body positive, women’s health expert and health at every size (HAES) ambassador, Dr. Folden assists women seeking a healthier lifestyle by guiding their wellness choices through organization, planning strategies and holistic goal setting. Additionally, Dr. Lisa has recently concentrated her efforts to further advance the field of physical therapy by examining the influence of weight stigma and bias in healthcare and PT. Items mentioned in this episode: Dr. Lisa's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/healthyphit/ Dr. Lisa's Website: https://www.healthyphit.com/ To learn more about Dr. Lisa and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/127 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.

Does KT Tape really work? What is the hype around it? Perhaps, you swear by it?  Find out what is truly happening in the body when you layer on that elastic tape. DocJen & Dr. Dom debunk common misconceptions associated with Elastic tape and provide insight into how you can use it to your advantage. Ultimately, Elastic tape is an incredibly low-risk product to use, but intention and awareness are everything. If you love your Elastic tape or are curious about it, this episode covers the truths about what Elastic Tape is truly doing. Let’s dive in! PaleoValley Discount: What is the one snack DocJen & Dr. Dom have stuck with? PaleoValley! It is full of great ingredients that you can pronounce and know. That way, you have full control of what is going into your body without the taste being compromised. PaleoValley has got sweet-lovers covered with their complete protein bars, and savory lovers with their complete protein 100% grass-fed beef jerky. Get 20% off your purchase, using code ‘OPTIMAL’ at checkout. What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 2:54 – What is Elastic Tape doing?. 5:56 – Are elastic tapes holding something in place? 8:17 – A psychological experience with Elastic †ape 11:12 – Compression & Perception of pain 12:42 – Research on Joint Sense 17:07 – Do Elastic Tapes have a physiological effect? 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/126 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 the Wine Industry? How about drinking wine that actually benefits your health? Is commercial different from natural different from organic? Todd White, Founder of Dry Farm Wines, deciphers the wine industry. With a passion to produce wine that is better for health and has better taste, Todd White, stumbled upon a passion to create premium health qualified wine that serves pure, natural, and lab-tested wine to ensure they are sugar-free, lower sulfates, and lower alcohol. Todd White speaks into the lack of transparency in the wine industry and its detrimental effects on health. He explores the topics of flavor palates and how changes occur depending on your diet. As he praises lighter wine, he takes a deep dive into how the commercial, natural, and organic labels differ, the FDA approval of additives, and how to choose your wine based on well-sourced grapes. After an evaluative exploration of irrigation and grapes, he provides insight into the ranking systems within the wine industry, and how to choose a healthier wine! Tune in and pick your best wine! Dry Farm Wines: We mention Dry Farm Wines in this episode. Dr. Jen & Dr. Dom love to enjoy a little bit of wine now and then, and they love Dry Farm Wine! They use organic grapes, practice regenerative agriculture, and test every bottle for herbicides and pesticides to produce vibrant, fresh, and bright wine. Buy one get one for just one extra penny! What You Will Learn In This Interview with Todd White 2:34 – Transparency in the Wine Business 5:47 – Natural vs Conventional vs Organic Wines 11:21 – What to look for when sourcing grapes 19:02 – Ranking & Criteria Systems 25:25 – How to determine the most healthful wine. 29:47  – Perks of wines from farmers markets About Todd White: Today, after 15 years in the wine business, his life is dedicated to educating and helping people make better choices about food, nutrition, and how they think about consuming alcohol. As the founder of Dry Farm Wines, a writer, speaker, and a leader in the organic/Natural Wine movement, he has widely educated communities on conscious consumption. Todd is deeply passionate about bringing people together to share love and laughter through Natural Wine. Dry Farm Wines sources pure Natural Wines and lab tests them to ensure each bottle is sugar-free (0-0.15g per glass), lower in sulfites, and lower in alcohol (under 12.5% alc/vol). The wines are friendly to low carb, Paleo, ketogenic, and low sugar diets. Dry Farm Wines is dedicated to supporting small natural growers, currently sourcing from 600 family farmers who preserve 87,000 acres of organic vineyards and save 1.4 billion gallons of water annually by not irrigating their vines. Items mentioned in this episode Dry Farm Wines Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dryfarmwines/ Dry Farm Wines Website: https://www.dryfarmwines.com/ To learn more about Todd White and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/125 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 a herniated disc? DocJen & Dr. Dom breaks it all down for you! Debunking the common messaging we hear about bulging discs, DocJen & Dr. Dom provide you the hopeful perspective you need to hear. With a strong emphasis on adaptability, they mold the conversation around function, instead of structure, through research and their client experience. Through a brief and simplistic explanation of modern pain science, DocJen & Dr. Dom moves past the stereotypes associated with disc herniations, and talk into how you can adapt back into your optimally functioning body! Let’s debunk the misconceptions around herniated discs! 15% OFF Vivobarefoot Shoes! 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! Get 15% off using code ‘TOB’ at checkout. What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 3:30 – Taking fear away from diagnosis names 5:33 – Disc Anatomy 7:37 – Disc Diagnosis & MRI Scans 10:27 – Studies of Disc Herniations 12:28 – Adapting to Pain 14:57 – Function over Structure 15:55 – Never flex the spine? 18:17 – Diaphragmatic Breathing 22:25  – Flexion in the Spine is normal 23:55  – Mobility Method 26:49  – Don’t be afraid and keep exploring! 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/124 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 healthcare in America, Getting ready for pregnancy? Pregnant and want to optimize your delivery? Dr. Fraboni covers it all! We dive straight into the biases within the healthcare system, especially in the context of pregnancy and labor, and how competition tends to disrupt the power of collaboration between health providers. Dr. Frabroni explores his training with nurses and midwives, and how he has carried forward his early teachings to his practice today. With insufficient access to healthcare for certain groups in America, and increasing numbers of c-sections in the country, Dr. Frabroni discusses the importance of prenatal access with respect to fetal comorbidity, and the necessity of blending fetal monitoring approaches to optimize labor and the health of the baby. Furthermore, Dr. Fabroni offers his insights into the dichotomies between natural birth and c-sections and the importance of being open to respecting the patient’s needs, while educating. He discusses openness and education further in the context of delivery positioning, caloric intake, weight gain, exercises when pregnant, and pelvic floor therapy. Tune into all things pregnancy, prenatal, cross-pollination between providers, and working in hospitals! PaleoValley Discount: We mention PaleoValley in this episode. Dr. Jen & Dr. Dom swears by Paleovalley because they know everything that is in their beef sticks of superfood bars and that they can trust the ingredients list that has no vague labeling and words they understand! Stack them up in your pantry using ‘OPTIMAL’ to get a 15% discount at checkout!  What You Will Learn In This Interview with Dr. Fraboni 4:05 – Biases in different providers 8:28 – Dr. Fabroni’s experience training with nurses & midwives 11:14 – The importance of collaboration 14:22 – Access to healthcare 17:43 – Foetal Monitoring 18:37  – Blending Foetal Approaches 22:15 – Scheduling c-sections 31:40  – Labor in a tub 38:11  – Issues with prenatal access 39:52  – Eating for two? 42:00 – Pregnancy & Exercise 46:57  – Dr. Fraboni’s biggest takeaways 48:52  – Pelvic Floor Therapy About Dr. Fraboni: Dr. Fraboni is an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota, School of Medicine, Minneapolis campus, in Minneapolis, MN, and is a staff physician and Chief of Staff at M Health Fairview Northland Medical Center, in Princeton, MN.  He received his Medical Degree from the University of Minnesota, School of Medicine, Minneapolis, and completed a residency in Family Medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital, St. Paul, through the University of Minnesota’s Department of Family Medicine and Community Health.  Dr. Fraboni also completed a 2 year surgical Fellowship in Maternal-Child Health at Brown University School of Medicine, Providence. To learn more about Dr. Fabroni and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/123 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.

Got Flat Feet? You’re in luck. DocJen & Dr. Dom unravel the misconceptions surrounding flat feet. Firstly, they explain the importance of focusing on function, rather than structure with more and more research, science is shifting away from scans, structure, and alignment indicating pain, injury, or dysfunction. They describe the different types of flat feet, their prevalence, and which of the diagnosis tends to be more commonly associated with symptoms. Briefly, DocJen & Dr. Dom discusses potential factors that could increase the risk of having symptoms associated with flat feet, and how the body may have adapted to foot positioning up the chain to accommodate flat feet as a consequence of the modern-day shoe. They provide their best tips to address your flat feet for optimal function, which includes more time spent barefoot and exercises to increase arch and foot awareness. Let’s dive in to find what’s optimal for your flat feet! Vivobarefoot Shoe Discount: It’s summer! As DocJen & Dr. Dom embarks on new adventures, traveling all around the US, they find themselves on a spontaneous hike more often than not. VivoBaefoot’s Tracker Forest esc has an extra grippy bottom and protects your feet against the rocky and varying terrains of nature, yet allows your feet to breathe and maneuver with ease. Get 15% off using code ‘TOB’ at checkout. What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl: 3:05 –What does having a flat foot mean? 7:23 – Flat Feet & Walking 8:20 – Compensatory Patterns 9:28 – Prevalence of different flat feet diagnosis 11:23 – Risk factors associated with symptomatic flat feet 12:58 – Signs & Symptoms 15:10 – Noticing tendencies within the body 15:40 – Shoes. 18:32  – Exercises to increase arch awareness 22:15  – Research and a PTs Role 23:23  – How VivoBarefoot shoes can help flat feet 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/122 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.