Fire Rescue Wellness

If you know me, you know that I love on my people and trust them implicitly. So when I needed to find a guest to talk about brain injuries and recovery, I went straight to my girl Dr. Katie Dabrowski (Episode 7) from Old Bull Athletics in Miami. And as always, Katie said, "I gotchu!"

She recommended I speak with Dr. Chung, and she steered me right! Dr. Chung and I discussed the difference between minor, moderate, and major brain injuries; intelligent treatment plans, and how to kindly invite your practitioner back to the 1980s should they happen to call.

We also riffed on the fact that fire departments that provide EMS services and operate under SOPs should probably get their hospital system to provide a concussion SOP for US!

Dr. Jonathan Chung is an upper cervical chiropractor and owner of Keystone Chiropractic and Neuroplasticity based out of West Palm Beach, Florida. He is board certified in chiropractic neurology and has specialty training in traumatic brain injury and concussion rehabilitation. Dr. Chung has been published in peer-reviewed journals and is a neurology instructor for the Carrick Institute for Graduate Studies in Clinical Neuroscience.

So what, now what???

Although a concussion or more severe brain injury isn't a death sentence, a solid treatment plan starting with the identification that there's an issue is critical. Our best concussion spotters are the men and women we work with daily. When a co-worker takes a fall or a blow to the head, it's on US to figure out of they're acting normal, having gait or balance issues, answering questions slowly, or having memory lapses.

Check out Jonathan's website

Email Dr. Chung: [email protected]

Follow Jonathan on IG

*****
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Today I fielded some listener questions on the following:

• What younger me wishes I had known when I started the fire service
• What supplements do I take based on my comments (Episode 36) regarding my geriatric container and prepared in-advance protein shakes?
• If I had unlimited resources, what change would I immediately affect in the fire service?
• What must happen individually and collectively to address the cancer risk in the fire service?

So what, now what?

I've learned a few things in 19 years, and sharing what I've learned with others in the fire service feels like my life's mission. Sharing knowledge is vital, but instead of taking my word (or anyone else's), listen, ask questions, read data, and draw conclusions.

ISSN Position Stand on Creatine

ISSN Position Stand on Beta-Alanine

ISSN Position Stand on Protein

Link for TryCreate

Check out Bonafide

Link for United Diagnostic Services

*****
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I had the fantastic opportunity to sit down in person and talk to my sleep bestie Major Allison Brager about her research and expertise on snoozing. We invaded Valerie's office at Nova Southeastern before our 4th Annual Society for Neurosports Conference and talked about sleep. We also hit on her unique path to serving in the Army, her experience competing in Crossfit, and her casual foray into the United States Astronaut program.

In Allison's words: I am a neurobiologist specializing in sleep and circadian rhythms for the United States Army (active duty). I work on human and animal models of study. This work examines substrates and mechanisms of resiliency to extreme environmental stress (exercise, jet lag, and sleep deprivation). I have several leadership and service positions for the federal government, professional research societies, and university departments. Currently, I sit on fatigue management and neuroenhancement working groups through NATO, US Special Operations Command, the Office of the Army Surgeon General, and inter-government (DoD, NASA, FAA, NHTSA, NIH). I have also written military training doctrine on holistic health and co-authored the first edition of the NCAA student-athlete mental health handbook. I have served on the Board of Directors and have chaired committees for the Sleep Research Society, the Society for Research on Biological Rhythms, and Gordon Research Conferences. In addition to peer-reviewed publications in flagship society journals, I have written op-eds and column pieces for Science and professional society bulletins, have been on many podcasts and authored a popular science book, Meathead: Unraveling the Athletic Brain.

So what, now what??

Lack of sleep is fatal, and adequate sleep is a superpower, and as Allison says, "Sleep should be your second job." Although it's tempting to jump to sleep medications, there are many steps along the spectrum in improving sleep, including simply giving yourself an adequate opportunity to get enough sleep.

Take the PSQI (choose PSQI score at the end vs. 'by category')

Check out Allison on IG

Check out PotCake Annie on IG

Buy Allison's book Meathead

Get involved with us and the Society for Neurosports!

*****
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No matter how skilled and credentialed the professional is, if you ask a sh***y question, you're likely going to get an equally sh***ty answer (unless, of course, you ask a guru; they are all-knowing and context doesn't matter!) Although there's not supposed to be a bad question, I'm here to tell you that some of them are certainly not good!

So what, now what?
Ask better questions to get better answers. 
*Put a 'face' on the question
*Ask the real question
*Be prepared for clarification questions (tell me more, etc.)
*If you're simply asking to confirm your own bias, do everyone a favor and just use google!

*****
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Firefighter cancer is on the rise, and anything we can do to bolster our chances of avoiding it = winning! I sat down with Tara Cornett, the creator of Flame Decon products, and we spoke about minimizing risk and washing away the carcinogens and endocrine disruptors after the fact.

Tara founded Flame Natural Decon, a company specializing in firefighter decontamination. You can now order her products directly through your Darley vendor! Make sure to seek her out and say "hi" at FDIC.

So what, now what?
When you know better, DO BETTER! Minimize exposure to carcinogens whenever possible, decontaminate your skin and gear as soon as possible, and take a cleansing shower within an hour of release from the fireground.

Email Tara [email protected]

Check out the products!

Check your own products: EWG Website Tara mentioned

Follow Tara on Tik Tok, IG, LinkedIn, and FB @flamedecon

*****
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FRW20 at Fluid Nutrition

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Have you ever taken a moment to consider how thankful you are that you completed a task yesterday, which has made your day easier today? This is the perfect opportunity to express gratitude to your past self.

By completing a task or taking action in the past that benefits your future self, you can practice the idea of "doing something today that your future self will thank you for." Although this concept is not an original thought, as it was recently introduced to me by my friend Christina Montalvo, I have unknowingly been doing it for years and found it to be a valuable tool in keeping my life organized and uncomplicated. 

So what, now what?

Give yourself a fighting chance by setting your future self up for success anytime it's an option.

*****
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The Behind the Shield Podcast is one of the most successful and well-known podcasts for first responders and one of the first I ever listened to. James and I have been friends for years, and I was honored to bring him on as a guest.

We discussed everything from his early life to his fire career to his thoughts about work schedules and recruitment/retention. 

James Geering was born in England and spent almost thirty years there before emigrating to the U.S.  Early years saw him in a spectrum of jobs, from lifeguard to stuntman.  Geering had always dreamed of becoming a Firefighter but was told as a child that poor color vision would disqualify him from the process.  It wasn't until he moved to America that he realized the vision deficit was mild and a poor excuse for not following his dream.  James promptly enrolled in the Fire Academy, and the rest is history.  Geering was a Firefighter/Paramedic and retired to make a more significant impact on other first responders. He is also a Crossfit coach and a graduate of the University of Florida with a Bachelor's in Exercise Physiology and Kinesiology.

Read more about James here!

So what, now what?

Sometimes, the most significant impact you can make as a first responder is the work you do outside of being a first responder. Take care of yourself and take care of others!

Email James: [email protected]

Follow Behind the Shield on IG

Grab James' book One More Light

Listen to me on Behind the Shield

Listen to Dan Bornstein on the FRW Podcast

Listen to Dan Bornstein on the Behind the Shield Podcast

*****
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As firefighters, we stick to what we know: local conferences, maybe FDIC. As health and wellness pros, we tend to self-separate into our appropriate silo: strength coaches go to NSCA National Conference, Physical Therapists to APTA CSM etc.

What if I told you I've learned and grown far more in places I don't belong! What if I told you that breakthroughs in my growth and development of my career and business 

*****
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FRW20 at Fluid Nutrition

Affiliate Links

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What do CBD, red light therapy, breathing, and community have in common?

Fringe.

Fringe is a company based on education and options for feeling your best. Their products include high-quality and third-party tested water soluble and topical CBD, red-light wraps and panels, and the kalm breathing device. I'm such a fan of their company that I became an affiliate (disclosure: the link at the end of the show notes is my affiliate link).

Dr. Alyson Evans, DC, has dedicated the last 20 years to mashing up her passions for healthcare and education, alongside pursuing her purpose of building and serving a team. Alyson has helped grow multiple businesses by prioritizing professional education and product innovation. She was at the forefront of increasing the RockTape brand and community for a decade. Up for a new challenge,  Alyson is the Co-CEO and Founder of Fringe, a company blending yesterday’s medicine with today’s science grounded by its dedication to improving how we live and how we learn.

So what, now what?

Sometimes western medicine isn't your only or even your best option for feeling better.

Follow Fringe on IG

Check out the products with the FRW Affiliate Link

Email Alyson at [email protected]

*****
Register for 7-Minute Science here

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Get on the Waitlist for Building Your Career in Fire

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FRW20 at Fluid Nutrition

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Ironically, the less competent you are, the more confident you'll feel about your level of expertise. This phenomenon, known as the Dunning-Kruger effect, is why career firefighters feel compelled to lecture their coworkers on the benefits of cold plunges or Wendler 5-3-1 after reading one article or listening to one podcast.

Knowing about Dunning-Kruger might assist a firefighter or a fire department when choosing an outside educator or coach. Hear about D-K and the red flags you can look for in today's episode!

So what, now what?
Picking the right professional for your fire department or yourself can be tricky. But if you listen carefully, they'll tell you everything you need to know!

Dunning-Kruger Effect

*****
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FRW20 at Fluid Nutrition

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Please rate, share, and subscribe to the podcast!