Emily Splichal is a podiatrist and the founder of Evidence Based Fitness Academy (EBFA). In this episode, we discuss somatosensation, how awareness of interoception can help manage stress, stem cells, sound and vibration healing, breathwork, chronic pain, functional fitness, and much more. Emily is working on a book titled “Own it: Offensive Techniques to Owning your Health.” You can find her at her various websites namely, dremilysplichal.com, ebfaglobal.com, and neboso.com, or on Instagram @dremilydpm. Enjoy.

(Note: This podcast deals heavily with anatomy and uses a lot of medical terms; you may want to skip if that doesn't pique your curiosity.)

(2:34) Why don’t other animals have ruffini receptors/ruffinian endings found in humans?

(5:53 – 7:18) The relationship between breathing and stress, and somatic responses and stress; an interesting definition of stress in terms of energy.

7:50 – 12:49) Sound healing: how sound and vibration can be used to influence muscular activation and relaxation (it may be possible to sing your way into a high); a possible theory of how breathwork helps manage stress

(12:56 – 18:59) Our perception of the inside affects how we view the outside, even before we’re born; how we learn about the world from our mothers while in the womb; the importance of being able to regulate emotions and maintaining a relaxed state of mind during pregnancy, and while raising children.

(18:58 – 25:53) Most of our agitation and chronic pain issues result from unconscious cognitive and emotional processes, preventing us from being able to effectively deal with them consciously; how psychedelics and alternative therapy methods can give us access to these aspects of ourselves and help us work through them.

(27:34 – 29:43) Stem cells: do they work? Emily shares how she uses them in her treatments and the wrong ways doctors apply them in treating patients.

(29:45 – 31:33) Growth factors, what are they? What do they do? Are they different from hormones?

(31:39 – 33:56) Functional fitness vs artificial fitness; hammers and axes vs dumbbells and barbells.

(33:57 – 35:07) The relationship between the feet and the brain; why the feet are so neurally important; what running barefoot, in nature, can do for memory.