Degrees of Health

A refreshing take on what it means to be ‘physically active’. It’s actually way more simple than sweating bullets in lycra, and Dr Ed Laskowski emphasises the enjoyment to be found in movement far beyond the gym and cliquey exercise niches. Dr. Laskowski navigates the complexities of modern living, urging us to prioritise consistency and quality in our movement practices.We discuss:-the power of strength training (mitigating muscle loss and enhancing joint function, vital for preventing falls and maintaining independence as we age)-the importance of foundational movement and proper technique,-the kinetic chain of movement and the triad of fitness: heart health, strength, and flexibility, with the added dimension of stability.As Dr. Laskowski aptly puts it, why wait for a health crisis to make positive changes? Embracing movement as a preventative 'pill' enables us to maintain our ability to engage in the activities we love, for longer. So what are we waiting for?Dr. Laskowski, MD, is a highly acclaimed figure in his field, and it’s not hard to see why. Dr Laskowski’s relatable persona and ability to succinctly filter the science in a way that is digestible may indeed be why he served Presidents Bush and Obama after being appointed to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Dr Laskowski has been named among Americas Top Physicians, has served as an Olympic Polyclinic physician, in addition to publishing several hundred papers on health and fitness. He is also a former co-director of Mayo Clinic Sports Medicine (you may recognise this site from when you google your symptoms online).Find Dr Ed Laskowski:TwitterResearch Gate Publications MayoClinic.org - Strength Training Videos mentioned in this episode----------------------------------------------------------------------Want to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealth Tik Tok @degrees_of_healthDisclaimer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ever heard of Nitric Oxide (NO)? We wonder why this molecule is so under-discussed as its profound role in our bodies suggests it should be top of the list. This simple molecule:-controls oxygen and nutrient delivery to every cell in the body-regulates cellular communication-has anti-microbial properties that protect our body from invading pathogens.The loss of nitric oxide production is recognised as the earliest event in the onset and progression of most if not all chronic diseases.Dr Nathan Bryan is an international leader in molecular medicine and nitric oxide biochemistry - he has been at the fore of this field for two decades. In this episode, we explore the profound impact of nitric oxide (NO) deficiency on our health - from erectile dysfunction to cardiovascular disease, cognitive decline to sleep disorders, listen to the far-reaching consequences of inadequate NO production. But it's not all doom and gloom - Dr Nathan and Ben discuss with equal weight the pivotal role our choices make in the production of this molecule and where we produce it in the body - all helping you establish the crucial link between NO levels and overall well-being. Dr Nathan gives us simple things to be aware of that can optimise NO production and our enhance vascular, respiratory, and metabolic health. This episode gets pretty science-heavy at times, but stick with it and we can promise there's a lot to learn from Dr Nathan's extensive knowledge in this field!Find Dr Nathan (Dr Nitric):WebsiteInstagramYouTubeTwitterPubMed ResearchBook - Coming Soon!----------------------------------------------------------------------Want to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealth Tik Tok @degrees_of_healthDisclaimer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr. Tom Walters is a board-certified orthopaedic physical therapist who specialises in the treatment of pain and movement disorders. He is the founder of Rehab Science and dedicates his time to teaching people about human movement, pain, and how to most effectively recover from injury.Tom runs one of the world’s largest social media accounts dedicated to physical rehab that helps over a million people to master their movement. He makes understanding pain and injury easy, simplifying the science, and then providing the best exercises and suggestions to start, improve and make a holistic recovery. His book (Rehab Science) covers the most common musculoskeletal conditions that many of us either currently have or will have in our lifetime - this episode and Tom's book may just save you a ton on physio appointments. Regardless of where you’re at now, the knowledge Tom shares is beneficial for any and all of us to take on board - for injury recovery and injury prevention in all domains. In this episode, Tom and Ben discuss why we experience pain and the 3 types of pain, the difference between pain and injury, the cycle of pain avoidance, rehab vs. prehab, having a why behind movement habits, the importance of addressing impairments quickly and having a malleable mindset. As a source of knowledge on exercise, movement and the body - Dr Tom is the head-liner of the rehab science world and this is one to watch if you've ever suffered with any pain that debilitates you and lessens your ability to do the things you love. Besides running his clinical practice, Tom served as a full-time undergraduate kinesiology professor for eight years where he taught human biomechanics, therapeutic exercise, and pain science. Tom received his bachelor’s degree in exercise science from Montana State University and his Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from Chapman University. Afterwards, he completed a residency in orthopaedic manual physical therapy (OMPT) and a fellowship in lower quarter functional biomechanics.Find Tom (Rehab Science):InstagramYouTubeWebsiteRehab Science - The Book----------------------------------------------------------------------Want to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealth Tik Tok @degrees_of_healthDisclaimer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We dive into the invigorating world of cold water immersion and the transformative power of community with Sian Richardson, founder of the Blue Tits Chill Dippers Community. In this episode, Sian shares her journey of building a global community of over 120,000 cold water enthusiasts, united by their love for the icy plunge and the warmth of camaraderie 🤝🏻Sian illuminates the importance of embracing discomfort, confronting fear, and taking action in the face of uncertainty. From our innate human desire to belong, to the liberating effect of stopping overthinking, this episode is a conversation inspiring us to seize each moment, one small victory at a time. Discover the profound impact of simply showing up, spending time without an agenda, and the resilience gained from embracing failure. With heartfelt anecdotes and practical insights, Sian will empower you to challenge your limits, cultivate courage, and find solace in a community.We hope you enjoy this conversation as much as we did. If you choose to move through overthinking even with fear and try something new because of it - let us know on our instagram page! We’d love to hear from you.Find your local dipping community:The Blue Tits - Nippy Dippers----------------------------------------------------------------------Want to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealth Tik Tok @degrees_of_healthDisclaimer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Dr Roger Seheult. We highly recommend listening to Part 1 as a precursor to this episode to get the most out of terms and topics covered! In this episode, we discuss:-emerging research around red light and infra-red light-the impact of sunlight on Covid-19 surges-long covid-tools that may not only support in recovery from long covid, but could possibly speed up the rate at which you recover from other illnesses in the future tooRecap of Part 1:-the light spectrum of UV to infra-red-the importance of light exposure to regulate our circadian rhythm and reduce oxidative stress-impacts of light on hypersomnia, sleep inertia, hunger and satiety cues-the best times of day to eat, and differences in our insulin sensitivityA recap on Dr. Seheult - Roger is quadruple board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care Medicine, and Sleep Medicine through the American Board of Internal Medicine. He has a practice in California where he is a critical care physician, pulmonologist, and sleep physician. He lectures across the country, is the director of a sleep lab, and is the Medical Director for a Respiratory Care Program. In 2012 he co founded MedCram, a medical education company with videos that support medical learning (and over 1.5 million YouTube Subscribers). His passion is "demystifying" medical concepts.Find Dr Roger's work:MedCram WebsiteMedCram YouTube----------------------------------------------------------------------Studies mentioned in Part 1 and 2:Autumn COVID‑19 surge dates in Europe correlated to latitudes, not to temperature‑humidity, pointing to vitamin D as contributing factorUltraviolet A radiation and COVID-19 deaths in the USA with replication studies in England and ItalyA geographical approach to the development of hypotheses relating to Covid-19 death ratesCardiopulmonary and hematological effects of infrared LED photobiomodulation in the treatment of SARS-COV2Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become a Real Public Health Problem----------------------------------------------------------------------Want to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealth Tik Tok @degrees_of_healthDisclaimer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In Part 1 of this episode about light as medicine, Dr Roger Seheult talks us through the light spectrum of UV to infra-red and the importance of exposure to types of light at certain times of the day to regulate our circadian rhythm. Many of us suffer from some form of circadian rhythm dysfunction due to the technology-driven societies we live in. As a result, the cues our body takes from the external environment can become out of sync with our internal environment, causing an imbalance in many of our basic functions - the processes that aid good quality sleep, metabolic function, and everything down stream of these. We also discuss the impacts of light on hypersomnia, sleep inertia, hunger and satiety cues, the best times of day to eat, insulin sensitivity, infra red light and oxidative stress.Dr. Seheult is currently an Associate Clinical Professor at the University of California and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the School of Medicine and Allied Health at Loma Linda University. Dr. Roger is quadruple board-certified in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care Medicine, and Sleep Medicine. In 2012, he and Kyle Allred founded MedCram, a medical education company that creates videos utilised by hospitals, medical schools, and hundreds of thousands of medical professionals from all over the world (and over 1.5 million YouTube Subscribers). His passion is "demystifying" medical concepts.Tune in next week for Part 2 for more on the emerging research around red light, infra-red light, the impact of sunlight on Covid-19 surges, long covid, and possible tools to support in recovery from long covid.Find Dr Roger's work:MedCram WebsiteMedCram YouTube----------------------------------------------------------------------Studies mentioned in this podcast:Autumn COVID‑19 surge dates in Europe correlated to latitudes, not to temperature‑humidity, pointing to vitamin D as contributing factorUltraviolet A radiation and COVID-19 deaths in the USA with replication studies in England and ItalyA geographical approach to the development of hypotheses relating to Covid-19 death ratesCardiopulmonary and hematological effects of infrared LED photobiomodulation in the treatment of SARS-COV2Insufficient Sun Exposure Has Become a Real Public Health Problem----------------------------------------------------------------------Want to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealth Tik Tok @degrees_of_healthDisclaimer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Julien Périard is a research professor and deputy director of the University of Canberra Research Institute for Sport and Exercise. In our conversation, Julien proved to be a hub of information regarding heat stress, having worked with amateur and professional athletes across various sporting disciplines, and also with National and International Federations like World Triathlon and FIFA. In this episode, we discuss heat stress - what is it? Heat for recovery and heat for performance, VO2 max, pre cooling before exercise, perceived exertion, hydration, the placebo effect, and more. Julien gives detailed scientific explanations on how, what and why aspects of heat are measured in the lab, but also speaks to the inferences we can take from these in the challenges we face in light of our warming climate. Currently, Julien is working on developing extreme heat policies for safely exercising in hot environmental conditions and using exercise and heat exposure to maintain or improve resilience to rising global temperatures.Find Julien:University of CanberraTwitter----------------------------------------------------------------------Studies mentioned in this podcast:Cardiovascular and Other Health Benefits of Sauna Bathing: A Review of the EvidenceStandalone sauna vs exercise followed by sauna on cardiovascular function in non-naïve sauna users: A comparison of acute effectsEffects of physical exercise and cold stimulation on serum testosterone level in men----------------------------------------------------------------------Want to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealth Tik Tok @degrees_of_healthDisclaimer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Breath work instructor, wellness expert of 22 years, and author Níall Ó’Murchú grew up going in and out of the waters around County Dublin. What moved from childhood play and curiosity, has burgeoned into a practice, a philosophy, and a lifestyle for Níall, his family, and all those lucky enough to be taught by him.We talk about the importance of setting intentions going into the cold, and how this shapes our experience each time, the cold as a respite from grief, tightness, struggle, the art of ‘letting go’ and surrendering to soften, and bringing our physicalities (tension, breath, mood, state) conscious. There could be several reasons you are interested in entertaining some cold in your life - physical health, easing pain or inflammation, performance, recovery, or perhaps there’s just a dose of curiosity getting the better of you. The wonderful thing with the cold is that whatever your reason to start, it may not what you’ll end up finding. And Níall explains how the same could be said for breath work. But the most powerful tool? Bringing them together. There’s no way of foretelling what you might find beyond that. Like anything worth having, what we do know is the more regular the practice, the deeper it can seep - this merciless teacher of the cold and the power of the breath can help us find ultimate calm amidst any chaos. Find Níall:WebsiteInstagramFacebookYouTubeThe Breathe with Níall PodcastNíall's books:The Blissful BreathThe Power of Cold----------------------------------------------------------------------Mentioned in this podcast:Choke documentary - Rickson GracieStudies mentioned in this podcast:The positive effects of combined breathing techniques and cold exposure on perceived stress: a randomised trial----------------------------------------------------------------------Want to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealth Tik Tok @degrees_of_healthDisclaimer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To understand our physiology and health today, it’s critical to look back - a long way - at our evolution, not only to inform our now, but to better understand which mechanisms we may need to sustain us in the face of our changing world. Dr Cara Ocobock is an evolutionary anthropology encyclopaedia, an enthusiastic academic, and an incredibly engaging listen.In this episode, Dr Cara helps us to understand some of the interactions between our physiology, our evolution and our environments. In Cara’s work with reindeer herders in Finland, she explores physiological and behavioural mechanisms required to cope and adapt to extreme climates and activity. We discuss her findings into brown adipose tissue (BAT or brown fat), metabolic health, male/female differences, the potential drivers of metabolically healthy obesity, and the role of oestrogen in the body (spoiler: gents - you need this too!)Find Cara:cocobock@nd.edu‘Cara Ocobock’ Twitter, Bluesky, ThreadsCara also has a podcast of her own disseminating innovative research in the field - Sausage of Science----------------------------------------------------------------------Mentioned in this podcast:Jeremy DeSilvaMilford WolpuffHerman PontzerUniversity of LaplandUniversity of OuluStudies mentioned in this podcast:Maximal sustained energy budgets in humans and animalsCommentary - fat but fit…and cold?More of Cara’s work:Human Energy Expenditure in Anthropology and BeyondHuman Bodies in Extreme EnvironmentsHuman cold adaptation: An unfinished agenda v2.0Brown adipose tissue thermogenesis among a small sample of reindeer herders from sub-Arctic FinlandBetween a rock and a cold place: Neanderthal biocultural cold adaptations----------------------------------------------------------------------Want to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealth Tik Tok @degrees_of_healthDisclaimer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Head of the extreme environments lab at Portsmouth University, Professor Mike Tipton MBE has spent his working life understanding, evaluating and enhancing the comfort, performance and survival of human beings in extreme environments. With decades of knowledge gained in the lab, the aim is to apply the science to areas where it has most use and benefit. Having worked with the likes of the Ministry of Defence, RNLI and Olympic and Paralympic athletes, Mike is well-positioned to speak to the scientific and practical sides of the human response to cold water immersion.Critically, he clarifies what we don’t yet know, and what we need to be aware of in the time frame between now and finding out. We discuss what happens and why, the benefits and risks of both unintentional and intentional immersion, common mistakes about cold water, what he calls ‘the thermostatic human’, and ultimately, his faith in the resilience of human beings. Anglers, coastal walkers, yacht sailors, dinghy sailors, kayakers, open water or wild swimmers - pretty much anyone who operates or interacts by, under, or on the sea - there is an ocean of critical information to learn in this episode. It is applied science at the top of its game.Find Mike:University of Portsmouth website----------------------------------------------------------------------Mentioned in this podcast:Non-freezing cold injuryCold shock responseMammalian dive reflexAutonomic conflictLewis PughStudies mentioned in this podcast:Humans: A homeothermic animal that needs perturbationCold water immersion: kill or cure?Cold water therapies - minimising risksMoving in extreme environments: open water swimming in cold and warm waterOpen water swimming as a treatment for major depressive disorderDrifting into unconsciousness: Jason Zirganos and the mystery of undetected hypothermiaHuman Brown Adipose Tissue—A Decade Later----------------------------------------------------------------------Want to watch this on video? Subscribe on YouTubeInstagram  @degreesofhealth Tik Tok @degrees_of_healthDisclaimer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.