Many conditions found in "bendy" people have a neurologic basis, impacting both the brain and nervous system. In this Bendy Bodies episode, Dr. Ilene Ruhoy, the Medical Director and Founder of the Center for Healing Neurology, walks us through the integrative approach she takes to healing the brain and the body. 

Dr. Ruhoy discusses the “cross talk” between the gut and the brain and explains how the food we eat and the way we exercise affects our most vital organ, the brain. She covers migraines, myofascial pain, neck pain, “brain fog”, dysautonomia, and more. She shares her approach to the Pentad - EDS, dysautonomia, MCAS, autoimmune diseases, and GI problems - and why she thinks the "Octad" may be the more appropriate term. 

Dr. Ruhoy explores the connection between hypermobility and dysautonomia, explains how she approaches small fiber neuropathy, and elaborates on the value of packaged protocols as a place for people to start, while acknowledging that everyone has his own story and no two people are alike. 

Learn more about Dr. Ruhoy at https://www.centerforhealingneurology.com 

Learn more about Dr. Linda Bluestein, the Hypermobility MD at our website and be sure to follow us on social media: Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com and www.BendyBodiesPodcast.com Instagram: @hypermobilitymd Twitter: @hypermobilityMD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hypermobilityMD/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ 

And follow guest co-host Jennifer at the links below: Website: www.jennifer-milner.com Instagram: @jennifer.milner Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifermilnerbodiesinmotion/ 

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World renowned expert in autoimmune disorders and the Founder and Director of the Center for Multisystem Disease, Dr. Jill Schofield, generously chatted with us in a recent interview. Autoimmunity (dysregulation of the immune system) is genetically inherited and will often have multiple triggers. Dr. Schofield discusses the relationship between autoimmune diseases, Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes, and dysautonomia (abnormal function of the autonomic nervous system). She dives into the difference between autoimmune and non-autoimmune dysautonomia and small-fiber neuropathy. She explores diagnoses like antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS), when you might seek a work up for APS, and issues a call for action for doctors and researchers in this fast-growing field. 

Learn more about Jill Schofield, M.D.: Website: https://www.centerformultisystemdisease.com Follow us on Instagram: @BendyBodiesPodcast 

Follow Host, Linda Bluestein, M.D.: Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com and www.BendyBodiesPodcast.com Instagram: @hypermobilitymd Twitter: @hypermobilityMD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hypermobilityMD/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ 

Follow guest co-host, Jennifer Milner: Website: www.jennifer-milner.com Instagram: @jennifer.milner Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifermilnerbodiesinmotion/ 

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In this episode, guest co-host Jennifer Milner interviews Bendy Bodies’ own host, Dr. Linda Bluestein! 

Hypermobility disorders can be frustratingly hard to diagnose or even define. From symptomatic joint laxity to connective tissue disorders like Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS) or Marfan Syndrome, the umbrella of hypermobility disorders covers a number of conditions and up-to-date information can be hard to find. 

Bendy Bodies' host, Linda Bluestein, M.D., shares her expertise with Jennifer Milner in this episode, opening up on how she turned the challenge of her own hypermobility disorder into a blessing for others as she made working with hypermobility disorders into her life’s work. 

Dr. Bluestein breaks down the different types of hypermobility, discusses the difference between signs and symptoms, and outlines some hallmark signs of connective tissue disorders. 

Be sure to listen to this incredibly informative episode! 

Learn more about Dr. Linda Bluestein, the Hypermobility MD at our website and be sure to follow us on social media: Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com and www.BendyBodiesPodcast.com Instagram: @hypermobilitymd Twitter: @hypermobilityMD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD/ Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hypermobilityMD/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ 

And follow guest co-host Jennifer at the links below: Website: www.jennifer-milner.com Instagram: @jennifer.milner Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifermilnerbodiesinmotion/ 

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Living with stress and anxiety has become the rule rather than the exception in today’s world. Everyone develops coping strategies of some kind, but without encouragement and guidance these strategies can be dysfunctional and even harmful. 

Dr. Bonnie Robson talks through the risks inherent in social and physical isolation and how to develop strategies that can support and encourage long-term mental and physical health. She explores how and why sleep is affected by stress offering ways to better regulate this crucial component of the circadian cycle. 

Dr. Robson walks through developing a safe place, the importance of paying attention to the present moment, and how and when you should take your emotional temperature. She outlines ways to build several tools for your emotional toolbox, and reminds us that in these times, good enough is a great goal to have. 

Links: 
Befrienders Worldwide - https://www.befrienders.org 
BBC Action Line UK - https://www.bbc.co.uk/actionline/ 
The Actor's Fund USA - https://actorsfund.org 
The AFC Canada - https://afchelps.ca 
IADMS's Response to COVID-19 - https://www.iadms.org/page/coronavirus 

Learn more about Dr. Linda Bluestein, the Hypermobility MD at our website and be sure to follow us on social media: 
Websites: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com and www.BendyBodiesPodcast.com
Instagram: @hypermobilitymd 
Twitter: @hypermobilityMD 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ 

And follow guest co-host Jennifer at the links below: 
Website: www.jennifer-milner.com 
Instagram: @jennifer.milner 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifermilnerbodiesinmotion/ 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dancing with a hypermobile body brings its own set of challenges, from a general lack of stability to a slower recovery time. As a young pre-professional, a dancer might not understand why she must find conscious strength before subconscious strength; why daily activities must be examined through the same placement lens as a dance class; and why “boring” and “tedious” can equal “good for you”. 

As a parent, helping a hypermobile dancer through the pre-professional years can be bewildering and frustrating for people who don’t understand why their daughter must wait another six months to go on pointe, or why they sometimes need to be “the bad guy” and advocate for their dancer at the studio. 

Listen in as physiotherapist Lisa Howell explains what every dance teacher needs to know about hypermobile dancers. She discusses the complexity and subtleties of working with an injured hypermobile dancer, how to optimally develop readiness to go on pointe, and how abdominal pain can affect turns and extensions. 

Lisa looks at why the key to greater flexibility is building stability, why the ability to self-assess is one of the most important things we can give dancers as human beings, and how this generation of pre-professional dancers will change the dance industry for the better. 

Learn more about Dr. Linda Bluestein, the Hypermobility MD at our websites and be sure to follow us on social media: 
Websites: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com and www.BendyBodiesPodcast.com
Instagram: @hypermobilitymd 
Twitter: @hypermobilityMD 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ 

And follow guest co-host Jennifer at the links below: 
Website: www.jennifer-milner.com 
Instagram: @jennifer.milner 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifermilnerbodiesinmotion/ 

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Your DNA holds many secrets.  Why do drugs work on some people and not on others?  Why are conditions expressed so differently in different family members?  How might hypermobility disorders, dysautonomia (like POTS) and Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) be related and how does coronavirus fit into all of this?  

Listen in as top geneticist, Dr. Paldeep Atwal, shared his expertise on the following: 

Important note: The discussion about nutrition and intermittent fasting refers to the body of research with subjects from the general population. Therefore, this information is most applicable to those who are overweight or obese. You need quality nutrients for your body to perform properly! PLEASE do not make any changes to your diet (meaning foods you eat), without consulting with your own primary care physician or nutritionist. 

Learn more about Dr. Linda Bluestein, the Hypermobility MD at our website and be sure to follow us on social media: 
Websites: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com and www.BendyBodiesPodcast.com
Instagram: @hypermobilitymd 
Twitter: @hypermobilityMD 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ 

And follow guest co-host Jennifer at the links below: 
Website: www.jennifer-milner.com 
Instagram: @jennifer.milner 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifermilnerbodiesinmotion/ 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PLEASE NOTE***:  The following episode was recorded in mid-April 2020, just four weeks after the World Health Organization declared the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes the disease known as COVID-19) as a global pandemic. At that time, schools and all non-essential businesses had been closed and people around the world were being asked to stay home. Scientists were learning a lot at this point, but it was unclear how many people would become ill and what the excess mortality would be. Although there had been some understanding of post viral syndromes prior to the COVID pandemic (like dysautonomia following influenza), we would quickly learn that there would be serious long-term effects of COVID-19 that had never before been witnessed with any other virus.

Ready for some cutting edge COVID-19 science? In this episode, learn new tips and gain insight into the coronavirus situation! SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus, has forever changed the world as we know it. 

Why is this virus unique? 

Why does the response to infection vary so dramatically? 

What can we do to minimize the risk of infection and decrease the impact if we get sick? 

Dwight McKee, M.D., Ph.D., board certified in immunology, medical oncology, hematology, nutrition, and integrative medicine, shares his unique perspective on the Bendy Bodies Podcast. Dr. McKee discusses with Dr. Bluestein useful foods and supplements, psychosocial strategies and special considerations for people with pre-existing conditions. 

Learn more about Dr. Linda Bluestein, the Hypermobility MD at our websites and be sure to follow us on social media: 
Websites: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com and www.BendyBodiesPodcast.com
Instagram: @hypermobilitymd 
Twitter: @hypermobilityMD 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ 

And follow guest co-host Jennifer at the links below: 
Website: www.jennifer-milner.com 
Instagram: @jennifer.milner 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifermilnerbodiesinmotion/ 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Traits that can make a dancer so valuable in the dance world - drive, perfectionism, obsessing over details - also put them at higher risk for mental health disorders. And while physical health resources become ever more commonplace in the dance world, mental health resources remain woefully lacking, oftentimes uncomfortably left in a hidden half-shadow.

A few years ago, Kathleen McGuire Gaines wrote an article, “Why are we still so bad at addressing dancers’ mental health?” for Dance Magazine. The article went viral, becoming one of the most-read articles in the history of the publication, and the response ignited a passion in Kathleen to bring mental health issues to the forefront of conversations, while bringing resources to the doorstep of every dancer. 

In this Bendy Bodies episode, Kathleen shares her own journey through the mental health minefield of the dance world, and how it spurred her to bring help to the current generation of dancers by founding Minding the Gap, a social good start up for dancers’ mental health. Kathleen talks about how depression isn’t simply weakness, that shame is a terrible motivator, and how encouraging and informing correct coping strategies can make all the difference. 

She shares her desire to reduce eating disorders by addressing the underlying mental health issues, and reveals why it’s so important to have one specific phone number ready in your phone for sharing. 

Join us for this important conversation we all should be having. 

Learn more about Dr. Linda Bluestein, the Hypermobility MD, at our websites and be sure to follow us on social media: 
Websites: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com and www.BendyBodiesPodcast.com
Instagram: @hypermobilitymd 
Twitter: @hypermobilityMD 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ 

And follow guest co-host Jennifer at the links below: 
Website: www.jennifer-milner.com 
Instagram: @jennifer.milner 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifermilnerbodiesinmotion/ 

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While many dancers strive to fuel healthily, making the most out of your meals can be overwhelming. In today’s world especially, dancers need strong immune systems and healthy bodies ready for whatever challenge may come next.

Registered dietician nutritionist Kristin Koskinen discusses nutritional needs for dancers and how to shape lifelong healthy eating habits. Kristin examines common mistakes dancers make in fueling choices, and how you can shape a flexible diet built to shift around external factors. She’ll explore creating flexible strategies like a Ballet Bento Box and discuss the base requirements of any foundationally strong diet.

Additionally, Kristin lists immune-boosting nutrients and how to find them in foods; explores why stress causes nutritional deficiencies; and explains why removing common inflammatory foods from your diet might help your overall health. Join us for this important discussion! As Kristin points out, “What you do now defines how long and how strong you dance.”

Learn more about Dr. Linda Bluestein, the Hypermobility MD, at our websites and be sure to follow us on social media:
Websites: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com and www.BendyBodiesPodcast.com
Instagram: @hypermobilitymd 
Twitter: @hypermobilityMD 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ 

And follow guest co-host Jennifer Milner at the links below: 
Website: www.jennifer-milner.com 
Instagram: @jennifer.milner 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifermilnerbodiesinmotion/ 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dancers train constantly to attain peak performance, working long hours to achieve physical and artistic perfection. Unfortunately, mental health is often sacrificed for that perfection. 

Terry Hyde, former dancer with the Royal Ballet and psychotherapist with patients all over the world, joins Linda and Jennifer to explore this often-neglected aspect of dancer health, and discusses how hypermobility can bring unique mental health problems of its own. Terry discusses the high incidence of anxiety, depression, and OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) in hypermobile dancers and explores how a dancer’s perfectionism can be both a blessing and a curse. He describes the intrinsic link between the mind and the body, and how anxiety can be reframed into excitement. 

Terry reveals why it’s important to practice talking to your body, and discusses how friends and loved ones can support a dancer needing emotional help - as well as what not to do. 

Learn more about Terry Hyde: 
https://www.counsellingfordancers.com/about/ 
https://www.instagram.com/counsellingfordancers/ 
https://www.facebook.com/counsellingfordancers 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-hyde-ma-mbacp-b68617176/ 
https://twitter.com/counselingdance 

Learn more about Dr. Linda Bluestein, the Hypermobility MD, at our websites and be sure to follow us on social media: 
Websites: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com and www.BendyBodiesPodcast.com
Instagram: @hypermobilitymd 
Twitter: @hypermobilityMD 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hypermobilityMD/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ 

And follow guest co-host Jennifer Milner at the links below: 
Website: www.jennifer-milner.com 
Instagram: @jennifer.milner 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jennifermilnerbodiesinmotion/ 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices