Healthy Wealthy & Smart

On today's episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, I had the honor of welcoming Professor Lorimer Moseley onto the show to answer audience questions regarding persistent pain. Lorimer Moseley's interests lie in the role of the brain and mind in chronic pain. He is Professor of Clinical Neurosciences at the University of South Australia and a Senior Principal Research Fellow at Neuroscience Research Australia. In this episode, we discuss: -The Pain Revolution: creating a public discourse about persistent pain -Misconceptions surrounding the biopsychosocial model and pain -Confronting medical providers who promote negative pain beliefs -Is there merit in using placebo treatments for chronic pain? -How does Lorimer stay critical of his own scientific work? -And so much more! Persistent pain needs to be understood not only by clinicians but the general public and policymakers. Lorimer believes, "It's our most burdensome non-fatal condition facing our species." Clinicians need to understand what motivates their patients. Lorimer reminds us that, "When push comes to shove, in the raw moment, you ask a patient with persistent pain or anyone in pain, what do you want most right now? I think most of them would say pain relief." Medical providers hold a great deal of sway with patients. This influence can be used to validate what patients are feeling and aid the healing process. Lorimer states, "Nearly all health professionals have a natural tendency and a very slick skill set of legitimizing someone's suffering." Although the biopsychosocial model differs in many ways from the biomedical model, there are many opportunities to share insights and practitioners of both frameworks should be self-critical. Lorimer advices, "It's tempting for us to cast character judgments on those who are not like us. Actually, I think that people are trying to help their patients a lot of the time. They're good people. I really think we need to collaborate and just keep open the possibility that we're wrong. We have to be committed to try and prove ourselves wrong." For more information on Lorimer: Professor Lorimer Moseley is a clinical scientist investigating pain in humans. After posts at The University of Oxford, UK, and the University of Sydney, Lorimer was appointed Foundation Professor of Neuroscience and Chair in Physiotherapy, The Sansom Institute for Health Research at the University of South Australia. He is also Senior Principal Research Fellow at NeuRA and an NHMRC Principal Research Fellow. He has published over 200 papers, four books and numerous book chapters. He has given over 140 keynote or invited presentations at interdisciplinary meetings in 30 countries and has provided professional education in pain sciences to over 10,000 medical and health practitioners and public lectures to as many again. His YouTube and TEDx talks have been viewed over 200,000 times. He consults to governmental and industry bodies in Europe and North America on pain-related issues. He was awarded the inaugural Ulf Lindblom Award for the outstanding mid-career clinical scientist working in a pain-related field by the International Association for the Study of Pain, was shortlisted for the 2011 and 2012 Australian Science Minister's Prize for Life Sciences, and won the 2013 Marshall & Warren Award from the NHMRC, for the Best Innovative and Potentially Transformative Project. He was made Fellow of the Australian College of Physiotherapists in 2011, by original contribution, and an Honoured Member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, their highest honour, in 2014. Resources discussed on this show: Pain Revolution Pain Revolution Facebook Explain Pain Supercharged Body In Mind Twitter Body In Mind Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes! Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart! Xo Karen P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jo Gibson is featured to discuss physical therapy treatment of the unstable shoulder. Jo is a Clinical Physiotherapy Specialist working at the Liverpool Upper Limb Unit at the Royal Liverpool Hospital and a Consultant in private practice. She has worked as a Shoulder Specialist since 1995 and lectures nationally and internationally about assessment and rehabilitation of the shoulder complex. Jo has co-developed Masters modules with Liverpool University for the diagnosis and treatment of upper limb pathology and has co-authored national guidelines for the management of different shoulder pathologies. She has presented original research at many National and International conferences, published in peer-reviewed journals and written several book chapters. In addition she is an Associate Editor of the British Shoulder & Elbow Journal. In this episode, we discuss: -Using patient history to classify shoulder pathology -Factors to consider when deciding whether to treat with surgery or rehabilitation -The nervous system's role in shoulder instability -How to use language and metaphors to develop buy-in -Jo's takeaways from the British Elbow and Shoulder Society Conference -And so much more! Jo prioritizes learning about a patient's history during the initial evaluation because it can serve as a roadmap for treatment. Jo has found that, "The biggest investment of my time is hearing how everything started and what the story has been from there." Jo believes patient history to be more valuable than other evaluation method as she states, "The history tells me far more than any clinical test." Symptom modification can be an important psychological tool to encourage more confidence in a patients shoulder capabilities. Jo stresses, "It is very empowering for the patient because it shows them that if we make their muscles work differently they are stable." Jo's treatment protocol includes a variety of functional exercises which utilize external cues to promote motor learning and neuroplasticity. Jo believes there is room for physical therapists to get creative with these treatments and that sometimes, "We kind of undermine the artistry of what we do." Jo has found that improving her communication skills has led directly to improved physical therapy treatment outcomes. Jo reminds us that, "This is about being human. Communication underpins everything we do… Patients are just the biggest source of information and actually they give us all of the clues and give us the language to use." For more information on Jo: Jo Gibson Grad.Dip.Phys MSc.(Adv.Pract) MCSP. Jo Gibson studied physiotherapy at the Salford College of Technlogy and qualified in 1987. Her physiotherapy career started in Nottingham in 1987 at Queen's Medical Centre where an encounter with Professor Angus Wallace fuelled her interest in the shoulder. Jo moved to Liverpool in 1989 and after completing several years of rotational experience she joined forces with Professor Simon Frostick and in 1996 she became one of the first specialist Upper Limb Physiotherapists in the UK. In order to increase her subspeciality knowledge and expertise, Jo completed travel fellowships in the UK, Europe and the USA sponsored by the British Elbow and Shoulder Society and Royal Liverpool University Hospital Trust Charities Board. Since that time the Liverpool Upper Limb Unit has gained an International reputation as a centre of Excellence in Shoulder and Elbow surgery and it was here that Jo started working with Peter Brownson. Jo has a passion for education and since 1996 she has lectured nationally and internationally on rehabilitation of the shoulder and she runs her own courses all over the World. Internationally, in 2004 she was a co-founder of the International Congress of Shoulder and Elbow Therapists, a meeting which now runs tri-annually. In addition, Jo has served as Vice president and Chair of the education committee on the EUSSER board (European Society of Shoulder & Elbow Rehabilitation). Nationally, Jo has been the AHP representative on the British Elbow and Shoulder Society (BESS) Council and in addition she has served as a member of the BESS Research and Education Committees. She is an associate lecturer at the University of Liverpool and has co-developed tailor made masters modules to support physiotherapists working in or towards specialist Upper Limb appointments. Jo completed her Masters in Advanced Practice at Liverpool University in 2012 and completed her dissertation on the Biopsychosocial model cementing her belief in tailoring treatment to the individual and the importance of communication skills. She continues to be involved in upper limb research, has presented original research at many National and International conferences winning three Best Paper prizes. She has published in peer-reviewed journals and written several book chapters. Jo has also co-authored BESS Care Pathways for the British Elbow and Shoulder Society. Jo's recognized expertise in the assessment and management of shoulder pathology has resulted in consultancy work with many elite sports teams in a variety of sports including football, rugby, cricket, gymnastics, swimming, boxing and tennis. In addition she is regularly sought out by other clinicians to help problem solve more challenging presentations. Her close working relationship with Peter Brownson has been pivotal in the opportunity to develop postoperative rehabilitation regimes facilitating early return to sport or function and has resulted in a publication of results in an elite football population. Resources discussed on this show: Stanmore Classification Sham surgery versus labral repair or biceps tenodesis for type II SLAP lesions of the shoulder: a three-armed randomised clinical trial Derby Shoulder Jane Moser Research Noi Group Apps Noi Group Website Twitter #bess2017 British Elbow and Shoulder Society Jo Gibson Twitter Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes! Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart! Xo Karen P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy & Smart podcast we continue with the PT Side Hustle series. This series is all about adding a side hustle to your physical therapy career. In this episode I discuss: - Types of side hustle (hint they don't have to be patient care related) - An easy technique to get clear on what your side hustle could be (get a pen and paper ready) - Setting SMART goals and why they is important - Making sure everyone in your life is ready for your side hustle (sometimes it is not all about you) - How to pick up at least 10 extra hours in your week. Resources from this episode: Freshbooks Chris Winfield Entrepreneur.com Side Hustle Series with Chris Winfield Pomodoro Method Example of Theta Wave Music Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes! Thank you for embracing this new series the PT Side Hustle! Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart! Xo Karen

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Dr. Andrew Murray joins me to discuss the building blocks of population health. Dr. Murray is a Sports and Exercise Medicine doctor, GP and runner who has worked in the Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and with various national and international squads. He currently works for the European and Challenge Tour Golf, the SportScotland Institute of Sport, and the Scottish Rugby Union. He is passionate about increasing physical activity for health and has worked for the Scottish Government as their first "physical activity champion", and enjoys research with the University of Edinburgh in this area. In this episode, we discuss: -The role of preventative care as the foundation for population health -How much exercise is enough? -How sleep and diet contribute to optimal health -Practical tips to implement healthier lifestyle changes and ways to advocate in the community -And so much more! Modern medicine is capable at combating many ailments however, Dr. Murray believes, "What isn't working at the moment is preventative medicine." From international government relations to community outreach programs, collaboration, education and other forms of social support are needed for more individuals to achieve optimal health outcomes. Dr. Murray stresses, "Everyone's got a role as being part of the solution." Physical activity has been shown to be a key prevention tool. Dr. Murray encourages everyone to at the very least start small and get moving as, "Something is better than nothing…You're never too late, you still got time…Start today." Although preventative medicine is not an immediate fix for patients, Dr. Murray encourages practitioners and the broader industry to adopt a long-term perspective for better outcomes over time. Dr. Murray is a proponent of, "If we do the basics right then good health will follow." For more information on Dr. Murray: My background is as a Sports and Exercise Medicine doctor, GP and runner, whilst I have written a couple books, enjoy a load of speaking engagements and do a little journalism. As a runner, I have completed challenges including a 4,300km run from far north Scotland to the Sahara desert, 7 ultra-marathons on the 7 different continents in under a week, and with Donnie Campbell the first run across the mighty Namib desert and a run across East Africa. Race wise, I've placed first in the North Pole Marathon, the Antarctic Ice Marathon, the Gobi Challenge, the Indo Jungle Ultra, and races closer to home, whilst also competing for Scotland in various events. Work wise I have worked at the Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games, the Ryder Cup and with various national and international squads. I currently work for the European and Challenge Tour Golf, the SportScotland Institute of Sport, and the Scottish Rugby Union from the elite sport side of thing, but am passionate about increasing physical activity for health. To this end, I worked for the Scottish Government as their first "physical activity champion", and enjoy my research with the University of Edinburgh in this area. Getting active, and staying active really is the best thing you can do for your health. Each step is a step to health. I needed a good kick up the backside from a mate to get active again after university, and urge everyone to GET ACTIVE today, and spread the word. Updates from various capers, health promotion stuff and injury advices will appear in my blog and the site content will be updated. My next big adventure is a husky riding, running extravaganza to Outer Mongolia in temperatures around -40 celsius in January 2016. Preparation and the adventure will be shared fully in my blogs. Please take the time to check out my charities. Thanks to you all, over £150k has been raised through various runs for 3 amazing causes. My books "Running Beyond Limits" and "Running Your Best – Some Science Medicine" are available via Amazon and the usual book stores. For talks or inquiries, please get in touch ! Resources discussed on this show: 23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health? Video Yann Le Meur Website Dr. Andrew Murray Twitter Dr. Andrew Murray Website Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes! Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart! Xo Karen P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Jim Klopman joins me to talk about the integral role of balance for health and longevity. Jim is a lifelong innovator who has always been one of those people who thinks differently. He believes balance training has sharpened his ability to make new neural connections and see the possibilities and pathways that others miss. In this episode, we discuss: -The statistics of the death and injury caused by poor balance -Four ways modern life impairs our balance -The link between balance and athletic performance -Balance training for concussion patients -And so much more! Jim believes that balance is a fundamental component of longevity; however its decline can easily be overlooked by most people. Jim has found that, "Balance is this kind of hidden system that we don't know has gotten worse. When it gets worse, we don't recognize it but we do see fall off in the performance of our sports." Jim notes, "We have more fitness, we have better physical therapy, we have better medical care. Our spaces that people walk around in since the ADA has been instituted are perfectly flat, there's ramps everywhere, there's no place you should be able to trip in any public space. Yet this number of accidental deaths and accidental injuries for the people over 65 have nearly doubled." In a world where our balance system is no longer challenged on a daily basis, Jim believes individuals must work to actively include it in their exercise programming. We gravitate to and enjoy sports and recreation which challenge our balance and yet day to day workplace activities we do are predictable. Jim believes, "The problem is that we are losing this sense of balance because of the modern world we live in." He challenges, "We are not really meant to live in this world where there are perfectly flat floors and perfectly vertical walls." For more information on Jim: Jim is a lifelong innovator who has always been one of those people who thinks differently. He believes balance training has sharpened his ability to make new neural connections and see the possibilities and pathways that others miss. Originally Jim was looking for a way to maintain his own athletic performance well into his 90s. But the Slackbow Balance Training System he developed turned out to be a key to whole body and mind fitness that was even more revolutionary than he could have imagined. He is eager to spread his knowledge, techniques and tools far and wide to help seekers like him tune their brains to perform better in work and sports, sleep better, look younger and live longer. Resources discussed on this show: SlackBow Website SlackBow Products SlackBow Facebook Balance is Power Email: jim@slackbow.com Phone: (435) 200-3287 Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes! Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart! Xo Karen P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy & Smart podcast I am so happy to debut a new series called the Physical Therapy Side Hustle! I get so many questions from physical therapists across the country every week that I thought I would answer many of those questions right here on the podcast. Enter the PT Side Hustle Series! This series will have 2 episodes a month dedicated to the true side hustle. I will share my ups and downs as an entrepreneur, answers lots of your questions and hear from business experts. Topics will range from shifting your mindset, systems set ups, goal setting, handling the day-to-day grind of essentially working 2 jobs, marketing, branding and much more! I am really excited to share this series with you and I hope you enjoy it as I much as I do! In this episode I discuss: - Why I decided to start a PT Side Hustle Business - The big mistake I made when I first started - Do you need a corporate entity for a side hustle? - What kind of malpractice insurance do you need? - How can you start to create your client list? Resources discussed in this episode: Is Professional Liability Insurance Worth it? This is a nice article from WebPT Corporate Entities Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes! Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart! Xo Karen

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, I had the pleasure of welcoming Dr. Kenneth Miller onto the show to discuss patient care transitions between physical therapy settings. Dr. Kenneth L. Miller is a physical therapist and educator with more than 20 years of experience working in home care and inpatient rehab settings, as well as more than 7 years in adjunct faculty roles for the University of St Augustine, New York Institute of Technology, University of Michigan–Flint, and Touro College. He is a clinical educator at Catholic Home Care, in Farmingdale, N.Y., has developed a course on clinical pharmacology for GREAT Seminars and has several online courses for MedBridge. Dr. Miller chairs the APTA's Home Health Section Practice Committee and is a member of the editorial boards of Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, GeriNotes, and is a manuscript reviewer for the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. In this episode, we discuss: -The current state of information transmission between physical therapy settings -Biomarkers used to evaluate the health status of patients -The real risk of patient fragility and the importance of adequately overloading during treatment -How to enhance home compliance and educate patients through technology -And so much more! Information sharing between healthcare settings is often not reliable. Instead practitioners should focus on ensuring they have the most salient information. From Dr. Miller's experience, he states, "It is often difficult to get the information I need. It becomes futile sometimes to try and get that information. Some clinicians have stopped reaching out to hospitals and just try to do the best they can with what they have." Effective and literature supported biomarkers such as gait speed and distance are useful tools to assess risk of re-hospitalization and guide plan of care. Dr. Miller stresses to, "Get those biomarkers out there, so that way even if we can't get all of the information, be very specific with the type of information, and we can reduce readmissions." With a growing demographic of home care patients, assessing patient risk level and the need for physical therapy is becoming more important. Dr. Miller notes, "Our patient case loads are going through the roof. I think we need to be able to triage our patients more appropriately for who does need care and who doesn't and try not to make visits that are not necessary." One of the biggest challenges facing physical therapy exercise prescription is effectively loading patients. Dr. Miller shares that, "The only known way to combat frailty at this point is exercise and it has to be appropriately dosed." For more information on Dr. Miller: Dr. Kenneth L. Miller is a physical therapist and educator with more than 20 years of experience working in home care and inpatient rehab settings, as well as more than five years in adjunct faculty roles. He is currently a clinical educator and physical therapist at Catholic Home Care, in Farmingdale, N.Y., and a consultant, for The Corridor Group. He has taught for New York Institute of Technology, University of Michigan–Flint, and Touro College. He is the co-author of the book Providing Physical Therapy in the Home, published by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), as well as the author of peer-reviewed publications in Neurorehabilitation and the Journal of Geriatric Physical Therapy. He has presented at the APTA Combined Sections Meeting and NEXT Conference. Dr. Miller chairs the APTA's Home Health Section Practice Committee and is a member of the editorial boards of Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, GeriNotes, and the Journal of Novel Physiotherapy and Physical Rehabilitation. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including three APTA Home Health Section awards: 2016 Section Contribution Award, 2015 Outstanding Effort Award, and 2010 Excellence in Home Care Award. In 2012, he received the Shining Star Award from the Long Island Health Network. He is a Board Certified Geriatric Specialist, a TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer, an APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor, and an APTA Certified Exercise Expert for Aging Adults. Resources discussed on this show: Fried et al. 2001: Frailty in older adults: evidence for a phenotype. Dr. Kenneth Miller Twitter Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes! Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart! Xo Karen P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

On behalf of the British Journal of Sports Medicine, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Marie-Elaine Grant on taping and bracing in the athletic population LIVE from the IOC World Conference in Monaco. Dr. Marie-Elaine Grant, is a chartered physiotherapist currently on the IOC medical commission and has monitored physiotherapy services on behalf of the IOC for the past 2 Summer Olympic games in addition to owning a clinical practice in Dublin, Ireland. Dr. Grant's globally recognized Chartered Physiotherapist qualification has led to a career of preparing, rehabilitating and working with Olympic athletes and clinical patients. In this episode, we discuss: -The top 3 reasons for when to use and not use tape or a brace on your athlete -Does the ongoing use of taping or bracing develop dependency? -The most important considerations to uphold the integrity of taping during sport -Is bracing or neuromuscular training more effective post-injury? And what are the validity of the outcome measures? -And so much more! There are many nuances to treating the high level athlete that can sometimes be more important than clinical reasoning. Dr. Grant believes, "Every elite athlete will have a very strict drill the day before and certainly in the hour leading into competition. And that drill and that discipline that they have developed that they get themselves to the starting blocks of the track that has to absolutely be something that is fully respected." The ultimate goal of a physiotherapist is to help the athlete return to sport without the use of taping or bracing. Dr. Grant finds, "The less dependency that athletes have on extraneous supports, the better and the more likely they are to have consistent and really good performances." Regardless of whether the mechanisms of taping and bracing have gained support from the research literature, "Athletes will continue to use it and they will continue to request it. Therefore, there is something in this… we have to try and understand why athletes find this beneficial even if the science is not there." From Dr. Grant's experience with the Olympics, she has found that the real importance is, "we need to have a much better understanding of what it is doing, how it does it and to ensure that athletes don't develop a false dependency on it." For more information on Dr. Grant: Dr. Marie-Elaine Grant (PhD, PT), Physiotherapist to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Medical Commission, Games Group. Ireland's Olympic Team Lead Physiotherapist from 1990 – 2010. A specialist member of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists. Marie-Elaine is a physiotherapy graduate of UCD (University College Dublin). During the early phase of her career she worked in University Hospitals in Dublin before traveling to Europe and the USA to further her learning and skills. During this time she developed a keen interest in sports physiotherapy and advanced her knowledge and expertise by successfully completing post graduate courses in core sports physiotherapy skills and at the same time advancing clinical experience working with sports teams and aspiring young athletes before advancing to supporting the high performance athlete. She was appointed to the Medical Committee of the Olympic Council of Ireland in 1990 and subsequently appointed as their lead physiotherapist. Marie-Elaine has served with the Irish Olympic Team for 5 consecutive Summer Olympic Games commencing with Barcelona 1992 through to Beijing 2008. She also served with the Irish Olympic Team for the Turin 2006 and Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and was appointed to 10 Irish European Youth Olympic Squads. In this role she planned, implemented strategies for provision of high quality physiotherapy services and injury prevention screening programmes for high performance and developmental athletes together with developing physiotherapy support networks with the National Governing Bodies of Olympic Sports. Marie-Elaine was inspired by the commitment, focus and dedication of so many athletes which in turn inspired her to push the boundaries of her clinical understanding by undertaking further learning by scientific research. She was awarded a PhD in 1997, the title of her research thesis was: 'Evaluation of the Effects of Spinal Strengthening using a Sports Medicine Exercise Approach'. She continues to participate in clinical research, has had peer reviewed publications and presents regularly at international conferences. In 2011 Marie-Elaine was appointed to the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) Medical Commission Games Group, as a clinical expert in sports physiotherapy, in this role she has been responsible for monitoring physiotherapy activities and facilities for participating nations at the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Summer Olympic Games and the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympic Games, and is currently preparing for the 2018 Winter Olympic Games to be held in PyeongChang. The key aims of this role are to protect the health of the world's Olympic athletes and advance the role of physiotherapy within the global Olympic movement. Marie-Elaine continues to further advance sports physiotherapy ensuring recognition of the very important role that physiotherapy plays in protecting the health of the athlete through prevention, delivery of treatment of the highest standard and also intervention to support performance. She continues to work extensively in clinical practice focusing on all aspects of sports physiotherapy. She also lectures on third level BSc Physiotherapy programmes and post-graduate MSc programmes in Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy for Universities in Ireland and has also been an external examiner. She supervises clinical placements for physiotherapy students and mentors post graduates. She was awarded Specialist Membership of the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists in Sports Medicine in 2006 which has been renewed in 2013 for a second term. In September 2013 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from University College Dublin in recognition of expertise and contribution to Sports Physiotherapy in Ireland and beyond. Resources discussed on this show: Marie-Elaine Grant Publications Grant Physiotherapy Website Marie-Elaine Grant LinkedIn Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes! Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart! Xo Karen P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

On this episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, I had the pleasure of welcoming Cynthia Toussaint onto the show to discuss her experiences as a patient managing Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. Cynthia Toussaint is the founder and spokesperson of For Grace, an organization that promotes better care and wellness for women in pain. Toussaint championed and gave key testimony at two California Senate hearings – one was dedicated to CRPS awareness, the second explored the chronic under-treatment of and gender bias toward women in pain. She will lead a 2017 conference that will convene healthcare and policy leaders to bring pain care into the 21st century. The solutions proposed at the event will mandate structural changes that respond to patient needs and gender inequalities in California. Toussaint is the author of Battle for Grace: A Memoir of Pain, Redemption and Impossible Love. In this episode, we discuss: -The story behind Cynthia's long battle with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome -How Cynthia developed independent survival solutions when medical providers would no longer help -Why gratitude, acceptance and grieving are necessary components for the management of chronic pain -For Grace: better care and wellness for women in pain -And so much more! Cynthia's long history of battling unimaginable physical and psychological pain has taught her how to be resilient. She believes, "We don't know what we can live with until we are there." Cynthia has used her past experiences as inspiration for her advocacy and has created meaningful change for CRPS patients. Based on her experience, she stresses, "Don't ever let anybody say you can't get something done." Cynthia has found that adversity can breed strength and that, "People who go through the impossible odds survive and they go on to make the world a better place." After exhausting her family support system and the recommendations of her medical providers were unable to help with her chronic pain, Cynthia found her greatest relief through her own strength and will. She states, "With high impact chronic pain, we have to refuse to be a victim. We have to be our own advocates. We have to be deeply involved with self management." For more information on Cynthia: Cynthia Toussaint serves as Spokesperson at For Grace and has had Complex Regional Pain Syndrome for 34 years. She later developed Fibromylagia and other over-lapping, auto-immune conditions. Cynthia founded For Grace in 2002 to raise awareness about CRPS and five years later expanded the organization's mission to include all women in pain. Before becoming ill, she was an accomplished ballerina and worked professionally as a dancer, actor and singer. Since 1997, she has been a leading advocate for women in pain, raising awareness through local, national and worldwide media as well as public speaking. Toussaint championed and gave key testimony at two California Senate informational hearings. The first, in May 2001, was dedicated to CRPS awareness. The second took place in February 2004 and explored the chronic under treatment of and gender bias toward women in pain. Both of these efforts were the first of their kind in the nation. In 2006, Toussaint ran for the California State Assembly to bring attention to her CRPS Education Bill that Governor Schwarzenegger vetoed after she got it to his desk in its first year. Her next bill, a seven year effort, was signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown in 2015. This Step Therapy legislation reformed an unethical prescription practice used by the health insurance industry to save money in a way that increased the suffering of California pain patients. Toussaint was the first CRPS sufferer to be featured in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times and on the Public Broadcasting System and National Public Radio. She is a consultant for The Discovery Channel, ABC News, FOX News, the National Pain Report and PainPathways, the official magazine of the World Institute of Pain. Also, she is a guide and guest contributor for Maria Shriver's Architects of Change website. Her many speaking engagements include the National Institutes of Health and Capitol Hill. She is the author of Battle for Grace: A Memoir of Pain, Redemption and Impossible Love. Also, Toussaint is experiencing her first-ever partial CRPS remission largely due to the narrative therapy of writing this book. Toussaint continues to be a leading advocate for health care reform in California. She was instrumental in changing public opinion which sparked sweeping HMO reform legislation that was signed by Governor Gray Davis in 1999. Her focus has now shifted to creating a single-payer, universal health care plan in California that would provide a model for the rest of the country. Resources discussed on this show: Battle for Grace: A Memoir of Pain, Redemption and Impossible Love For Grace: Women in Pain Facebook Cynthia Toussaint Twitter For Grace Website Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes! Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart! Xo Karen P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!

On today's episode of the Healthy Wealthy and Smart Podcast, Sharon Salzberg joins me to discuss her new book Real Love which will be released on June 6th, 2017! In her tenth book, Sharon Salzberg provides a pathway towards more sustainable and authentic connection by offering a creative toolkit of mindfulness exercises and meditation techniques that guide us to strip away our layers of habit to access a truer understanding of love, "real love." This journey enables us to become more present and to begin to experience real love—love based on direct interactions, rather than preconceptions. When we are truly engaged in these present experiences we are not only able to feel more connected to our own core selves, but also to those around us, and ultimately to life itself. Divided into three sections, Real Love explores love in three arenas of life: for oneself, love for an other, and love for all of life. In this episode, we discuss: -An introduction to Loving Kindness Meditation -Practical strategies to incorporate meditation into a busy schedule -Is self compassion through meditation considered laziness? -What Sharon hopes readers will learn from Real Love and viewing love as an ability not a feeling -And so much more! Sharon believes that our human brain, "can tend to fixate on what's wrong and not appreciate what's right and what's good." Loving Kindness Meditation understands our bias to focus on the negative and balances it with positive reflection for a holistic view of ourselves. Incorporating meditation into a busy schedule can be as simple as being more present in everyday activities. Sharon stresses that, "Just short moments that break the crazy momentum that we get lost in, they make a difference too." According to Sharon, meditation is not a process of resetting our inner thoughts but rather enhancing them. "Our goal is not to wipe out thoughts, our goal is to develop a different relationship to our thoughts… The kind of awareness we are cultivating is balanced, it's clear, it's present, it's loving." Sharon shares that the ultimate effect of meditation is revealed through a constant practice. By mastering the skill, "We learn to let go and begin again. When we do that over and over and over again, what happens is that our attention starts to get stabilized." For more information on Sharon: Born in New York City in 1952, Sharon Salzberg experienced a childhood involving considerable loss and turmoil. An early realization of the power of meditation to overcome personal suffering determined her life direction. Her teaching and writing now communicates that power to a worldwide audience of practitioners. She offers non-sectarian retreat and study opportunities for participants from widely diverse backgrounds. Sharon first encountered Buddhism in 1969, in an Asian philosophy course at the State University of New York, Buffalo. The course sparked an interest that, in 1970, took her to India, for an independent study program. Sharon traveled motivated by "an intuition that the methods of meditation would bring me some clarity and peace." In 1971, in Bodh Gaya, India, Sharon attended her first intensive meditation course. She spent the next years engaged in intensive study with highly respected meditation teachers. She returned to America in 1974 and began teaching vipassana (insight) meditation. In 1976, she established, together with Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfield, the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts, which now ranks as one of the most prominent and active meditation centers in the Western world. Sharon and Joseph Goldstein expanded their vision in 1989 by co-founding the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (BCBS). In 1998, they initiated the Forest Refuge, a long-term retreat center secluded in a wooded area on IMS property. Today she teaches a variety of offerings around the globe. Sharon resides in Barre, Massachusetts, and New York City. She served as a panelist with the Dalai Lama and leading scientists at the 2005 Mind and Life Investigating the Mind Conference in Washington, DC. She also coordinated the meditation faculty for the 2005 Mind and Life Summer Institute, an intensive five-day meeting to advance research on the intersection of meditation and the cognitive and behavioral sciences. At the 2005 Sacred Circles Conference at the Washington National Cathedral, Sharon served as a keynote speaker. She has addressed audiences at the State of the World Forum, the Peacemakers Conference (sharing a plenary panel with Nobel Laureates His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Jose Ramos Horta) and has delivered keynotes at Tricycle's Buddhism in America Conference, as well as Yoga Journal, Kripalu and Omega conferences. She was selected to attend the Gethsemani encounter, a dialogue on spiritual life between Buddhist and Christian leaders that included His Holiness the Dalai Lama. The written word is central to Sharon Salzberg's teaching and studies. She is the author of nine books including Lovingkindness, the NY Times best seller Real Happiness, and Real Happiness at Work. In her early Buddhist studies at the University of Buffalo, she discovered Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche's book, Meditation in Action. She later heard him speak at a nearby school: he was the first practicing Buddhist she encountered. While studying in India, Shunryu Suzuki's book Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind profoundly influenced the direction of her meditation practice. She is a weekly columnist for On Being, a regular contributor the the Huffington Post, and was a contributing editor of Oprah's O Magazine for several years. She has appeared in Time Magazine, Yoga Journal, msnbc.com, Tricycle, Real Simple, Body & Soul, Mirabella, Good Housekeeping, Self, Buddhadharma, More and Shambhala Sun, as well as on a variety of radio programs. Various anthologies on spirituality have featured Sharon Salzberg and her work, including Meetings with Remarkable Women, Gifts of the Spirit, A Complete Guide to Buddhist America, Handbook of the Heart, The Best Guide to Meditation, From the Ashes—A Spiritual Response to the Attack on America, and How to Stop the Next War Now: Effective Responses to Violence and Terrorism. Resources discussed on this show: Sharon Salzberg Website Real Love Book Sharon Salzberg Twitter Thanks for listening and subscribing to the podcast! Make sure to connect with me on twitter, instagram and facebook to stay updated on all of the latest! Show your support for the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes! Have a great week and stay Healthy Wealthy and Smart! Xo Karen P.S. Do you want to be a stand out podcast guest? Make sure to grab the tools from the FREE eBook on the home page! Check out my blog post on the Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2016!