Here & Human Wellness Podcast

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October 29, 2024

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Ep 49:  Beyond the Silence: Real Talk on Women’s Health with Dr. Melanie McKean 

 Episode summary:

In this episode, Jen is joined by Dr. Melanie McKean, a reproductive psychiatrist specializing in women’s health, to talk about perimenopause—a topic that’s often shrouded in silence. As Jen opens up about her own experience with perimenopausal symptoms, like brain fog and forgetfulness, Dr. McKean dives into the neurological and hormonal shifts women undergo during this transition and shares actionable steps to help, from better sleep and exercise to mental health care.

They discuss the challenges women face in finding safe spaces and supportive medical guidance for conditions like PMDD, pre- and postpartum mood changes, and menopause-related mental health. Dr. McKean offers expert insights on navigating perimenopause and debunks common myths while highlighting the evolving standards of care, recent advancements in hormone therapy, and when women should consider speaking to a professional.

Guest Bio:

Dr. Melanie McKean, D.O., Ph.D., a board-certified psychiatrist with extensive experience across multiple areas of reproductive mental health, recently launched McKean Reproductive Psychiatry, LLC, specializing in comprehensive care for women navigating perimenopause, preconception, postpartum, and more.

Favorite Quotes:

“We’re finding out more and more that hormone therapy is going to treat a lot more than hot flashes.” - Dr. McKean

“Get that team of people … it’s okay to ask for help.” - Dr. McKean

“There is a beauty involved in coming into our own.” - Jen

Resources
 
Jennifer's Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Website
McKean Reproductive Psychiatry
Menopause Society
Menopause STRONG
Dr. Rachel Rubin

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October 15, 2024

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Ep 48: Sleep and the Feldenkrais Method with Sandy Weiss, PT, GCFP

 Episode summary:

In this episode, Jen welcomes back one of her favorite people, her Feldenkrais teacher Sandy, to dive into the transformative power of self-care and sleep. They explore Sandy’s recent sleep camp and how it uses Feldenkrais methods to help participants achieve better sleep and greater body awareness. Jen shares her own experiences from sleep camp and offers tips on how to improve sleep quality at home, even if you can't attend the camp.

Together, Jen and Sandy discuss the importance of recognizing the value of self-care choices and how, sometimes, it takes time to be ready for new ideas. They reflect on their personal journeys of embracing what they now value and share techniques to help listeners become more mindful of their physical presence.

Favorite Quotes from Sandy:

“Go with what you know and appreciate whatever it is. Wherever you are.” 

“Rest is as valuable as sleep. Especially when you can’t come to sleep.”

“This is you exchanging with your environment and having awareness of the abundance in your home and you’re allowing your experience to really enmesh with your kids and an appreciation.”

Resources
 
Jennifer's Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Website
Sandy’s Website
Feldenkrais Website
Sounder Sleep System
Sandy's Email: [email protected]
 

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October 1, 2024
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Ep 47: Is Your Self Care Routine Serving You?

Episode summary:
After a recent talk centering on burnout and self care for a group of registered dietitians, Jen has found herself coming back to the idea of finding the self care practices that serve the individual. 

In this episode, Jen shares her most effective self care practices and the ways that she has adapted them to work for her. Not all of these will work for everyone, but they are tools to add to your self care toolbox. 

From techniques for evaluating your current self care routine to determine if it is actually causing stress to ideas for slowing down and removing yourself from the busyness cycle, this episode will help anyone trying to incorporate more meaningful self care practices into their life.

Favorite quotes:
“Can there be times in your day where … you just sit in your chair, close your eyes for a moment, and feel your breath, your heart rate, your body in the chair?” 

“There needs to be time in your day in which things are calm, where things just slow down.”

“What would it mean to be done for the day?” – Oliver Berkman

Additional Resources
The Burnout Book
Oliver Burkeman
Sandy Weiss Sleep Camp
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy

Past Episodes
Feldenkrais Method for Self Care
What are you doing with your 4000 weeks?

Calls to action
Follow me on Instagram:  @jenmcdanielrdn
Episode Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1835775/episodes/15763562

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September 17, 2024 
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Ep 46: Exploring Sobriety with Alex Highsmith

Episode summary:

In this emotional and candid episode, Jennifer and special guest, Alex Highsmith, open up about their sober journeys. From drinking daily and living moment to moment to owning multiple businesses, Alex shares her highs, lows, and tips for staying sober. If you're sober or sober-curious, this episode is a must listen.

Check out the links below to visit the first non-alcoholic bottle shop in the US!

Favorite Quotes:

“[Sobriety] is a lot like yoga, a lot like sports – sometimes you need to use the blocks, sometimes you need the modification. It’s not like you’re going to need it your whole life.” - Alex

Resources 

Spirited Away
Sober Sallies Podcast
Alex's Instagram
Don, Pat & Tom

Meeting Finder app
The Naked Mind
Zero Proof Nation

Jennifer's Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Website
Past Podcast Episodes
Meal Planning with McDaniel Nutrition

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September 3, 2024
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Ep 45: Getting Real About Infertility with Guest Dr. Maureen "Moe" Schulte

Episode summary:

In this episode, Jen talks with Dr. Maureen "Moe" Schulte about self-care strategies for people experiencing infertility. From taking blame out of the conversation to maintaining a healthy exercise program, Dr. Moe draws on her own experience to connect with her patients and guide them through the physical and emotional challenges of infertility.

This is an authentic and vulnerable look into the complexities and emotional effects of infertility that you want to listen to. 

Dr. Schulte's Bio:

Dr. Schulte’s accomplishments are vast, however, her passion is treating patients. Building families through personalized fertility care, utilizing the latest technological advancements is career fulfilling for Moe. She approaches her patients with transparency, trust, and compassion and strives to combine the art of human connection with cutting edge-science to care for fertility patients.

Favorite Quotes:

“I did everything wrong. I share with my patients that I learned the hard way about what not to do.” – Dr. Moe

Resources 

Functional Elements in Creve Couer, MO
Dr. Maureen Schulte's Instagram
Dr. Molina Dayal
STL Fertility Instagram
STL Fertility


Jennifer's Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Website
Past Podcast Episodes
Meal Planning with McDaniel Nutrition

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August 20, 2024
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Ep 44: Supporting Your Energy

Episode summary:

In this episode, Jen shares her go-to strategies for keeping both her mental and physical energy levels up. She dives into the importance of nutrition, offering tips on building a day's worth of meals that keep your energy steady—from managing blood sugar to finding the right rhythm with meal timing. Jen also opens up about her alcohol-free lifestyle, explaining how it helps her maintain consistent habits and avoid the energy-draining effects of alcohol. Plus, she touches on the vital role of quality sleep and how even power naps can be game-changers when you're running low on rest.

But that's not all—Jen also explores how movement can boost your energy, emphasizing the importance of finding exercises that feel good without wearing you out. Whether you're looking to fine-tune your daily habits or just curious about how to feel more energized, this episode has you covered!

Favorite Quotes:

“What works for me does not work for all.” - Jen

Resources 

Insight Timer
CGM Monitor Information

Jennifer's Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Website
Past Podcast Episodes
Meal Planning with McDaniel Nutrition

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August 6, 2024
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Ep 43: Internal Family Systems Therapy with Karissa Mueller

Episode summary:

It seems like everyone is talking about Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. On today's episode, Jennifer talks to IFS certified therapist, Karissa Mueller.  Karissa walks us through the ins and outs of IFS and even walks Jen through a live therapy session in the episode. You don't want to miss this one - it could actually change your life.

IFS is good for everyday life, not only when something is wrong. It can be a paradigm shift for living and how you think about your internal experience relating to the world. You can get a lot of long term benefits from learning how to relate to the world.

If you're feeling stuck in your current therapy or feel like there is more that you want to explore, sit back and take a listen.

Guest Bio: Karissa Mueller

Karissa is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) certified therapist who is passionate about helping ironically unhappy, compulsively introspective, functional-but-not-fulfilled women emerge into vibrant clarity. She's an Enneagram 9, can't see magic eye pictures, and brings an energy and focus to every therapy session.

Favorite Quotes:

“When we’re really in that space where we’re listening, that’s where we want to be relating to our parts from. Where we can have this relationship with them that’s really helpful.” - Karissa

Resources 

Karissa's Website
What is IFS Therapy?
Enneagram
No Bad Parts (book)

Jennifer's Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Website
Past Podcast Episodes
Meal Planning with McDaniel Nutrition

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July 23, 2024
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Ep 42: Reflections on 1 year 7 months Alcohol Free

Episode summary:

Jen's back for a third season and in this first episode she's reflecting on the past 1 year and 7 months that she's spent sober. From more even social energy to feeling more authentic to sleeping better to being more present with her family, Jen has noticed both expected and unexpected benefits from not drinking. But, it hasn't been without struggle and Jen opens up about how she navigates the bumps in the road. 

As always, Jen would love to connect with other sober and sober-curious listeners via social media (or in real life!). 

Favorite Quotes:

“I worry that people can’t connect with me because I’m not drinking along with them or that I’m judging them or something.”

“The more I go, the more I feel confident that I don’t need alcohol to make those connections. I find that I can really be more true to who I am.”

Resources 

Jennifer's Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Website
Past Podcast Episodes
Meal Planning with McDaniel Nutrition

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April 16, 2024
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Ep 41: Taking Control of Your Pelvic Floor - An Interview with Physical Therapist Jamie Kocher

Episode summary:

Dr. Jamie Kocher, a leading expert in women's health and fitness,  joins us today to get personal about everything from incontinence to how tight jeans can affect your health. With years of experience helping women work through pelvic floor dysfunction to return to sports and active lifestyles. 

Pelvic floor concerns can be extremely embarrassing and frustrating. So many people feel really alone with it and pelvic floor physical therapy can be a very conservative way to help with pelvic floor dysfunction. Jen opens up about the her struggles that began in high school and that still plague her today. 

Dr. Jamie's Bio

Dr. Jamie Kocher is a leading expert in women’s health and fitness on a mission to help women feel confident, strong, and EMPOWERED in their bodies. She created Empower Her Physical Therapy to help women eliminate fear and return to exercise and sport. 

Favorite Quotes:

“Normal bladder function is being able to maintain continence, voiding every 2-5 hours throughout the day, controlling your urgency…for the vast majority of us, you should be able to sleep 6-8 hours without having to get up and pee during the night.”
- Jamie Kocher

Resources 

Empower Her Website
Dr. Jamie's Instagram

Jennifer's Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Website
Past Podcast Episodes

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April 2, 2024
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Ep 40: Reframing Masculinity: Navigating Emotions and Self-Care with Dr. Bryan Pearlman

Episode summary:

In this episode, Jen's family therapist, Dr. Bryan Pearlman, joins the show as we delve into the topic of self-care for boys and men. From exploring the barriers that get in the way of emotional awareness to the stigma surrounding vulnerability and expressing feelings, this conversation goes deep. 

In his practice, Dr. Bryan focuses on the power of mindfulness and being present and living in the now. He works with men and boys of all ages and helps them to embrace their emotions as part of their masculinity. From years in the educational system and his recent work as a therapist for men and boys, Dr. Bryan's insights are invaluable. You'll want to tune in for this one! 

Dr. Bryan's Bio

Dr. Bryan Pearlman is a former school principal & teacher, a keynote speaker, and an adjunct professor of education psychology. He is also the author of three books and the co-founder of a mental health non-profit. Bryan utilizes a customized approach to help people to become the best version of themselves. Bryan works with children, teens, adults, couples, and families to progress in their day-to-day lives, school, careers, and relationships with a focus on achieving balance. Bryan also works with competitive athletes on mental performance.


Favorite Quotes:

"Self Care doesn't have to be hours of things...you could get a decent amount of self care in 10 minutes if that's all you have." - Bryan

"The idea of being open and being yourself and challenging those past ideas of masculinity. I can still be a tough guy, I can still be masculine, I can still be competent and successful and be really in tune with my emotions and be able to express them." - Bryan

"Self care doesn't make us selfish." - Bryan

Resources 

Pearlman and Associates
Distinguished School of Mental Health & Wellness
Find Dr. Bryan's Books on Amazon
[email protected]

The New Masculinity Book

Jennifer's Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Instagram
McDaniel Nutrition Therapy Website
Past Podcast Episodes

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