Smarter Strength w/ Dr. David Skolnik, DPT

Welcome to this week’s episode of The Essential Strength Podcast!

This week, our guest is Dr. Shena Vender Ploeg, a Naturapathiic Physician, with a background in biochemistry, psychopharmacology and psychology. Shena is a specialist in endocannabinology and founder of Protanicals, the first physician-formulated cannabis product line in Oregon, as well as owning Merkaba Natural Health, her integrative medicine platform where she offers in-person and telemedicine services.

Shena is, in my opinion, a genius by any definition of the word, and her combination of passion and intellect are impossible to overlook. 

As Shena and I prepared for today’s conversation, my initial intent was to focus on the impact of botanical elements and plant medicine on mental health conditions - historically, currently and what Shena see’s coming on the horizon with these alternative medical interventions. But, I honestly did not realize just how broad this topic is, how much history is involved, how much research is currently being done, and how integrated alternative medicine is with mind-body practices. So, rather than take only a surface level look at alternative medicine, today is an overview, and in many ways a teaser, for future conversations with Shena on the Essential Strength Podcast. That being said, buckle up for today’s conversation because you are about to learn a TON.

Connect with Shena

• On Instagram - @shenabadena
• Explore her Physician-formulated cannabis products -  Protanicals

Be an Active Listener

If you enjoyed today’s conversation, do us a favor - screen shot the episode and share it on social media, Tag the podcast @essential.strength.podcast, tag me @dr.davidskolnik.dpt, and tag Shena @shenabadena - we’d love to know what you thought of this conversation. And, as always, every rating, review and subscription means more than I can say.

Your Action Plan 

If you have a predetermined bias with regards to alternative, naturopathic, or botanical medicine - I’d ask you to open your mind to the possibilities these forms of treatment present. To do some research for yourself. To connect with Shena via social media, or with a local naturopathic physician to learn what it is they really do. As Shena said, often people relate these terms to a form of psychedelia that conjures images of Grateful Dead Groupies and stereotypical hippies. But there is far more to this science than you, or I, realize.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed today’s conversation with Dr. Shena Vander Ploeg, and until next time, we wish you STRENGTH and GOOD HEALTH.

Our guest today is Georganne Moline, and she has a distinction that very few can claim - Olympian. 

Georganne is a professional Track & Field athlete who represented the USA in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, running in the 400m hurdles. Her olympic chance came relatively early in her career, while she was still a student athlete at the University of Arizona. 

Despite that early success, Georganne experienced self doubt and anxiety that were often crippling. If she underperformed, she couldn’t handle the disappointment. If she performed well, she was terrified of the standard she was setting for herself. It’s these kind of experiences that lead Georganne to be an outspoken advocate for mental health, and the benefits of both therapy and coaching. Her outlook on competition has changed dramatically in the last few years, even while facing some of the biggest set backs and disappointments of her career. I think each of you listening will find that there is incredible value in much of what Georganne has to say during today’s conversation, and it serves as further evidence that even when things look perfect from the outside, often times the invisible internal struggles rage on none the less.

Connect with Georganne

• On Instagram @georganne400h

Your Action Plan

Your action plan for the week is this - Many of you have probably heard the saying - You never lose. You either win, or you learn. Cultivating that mindset has been huge for Georganne. And it’s what I want each of you to focus on this week. If you experience a situation that doesn’t go in your favor, or a project doesn’t go to plan - rather than focusing on the “failure”, figure out what you can learn from this situation. No one listening to this podcast is going to lose this week. You are either going to win, or you are going to learn.

Until next week, we wish you STRENGTH and GOOD HEALTH.

Want more content? Follow Dr. David on Instagram: @dr.davidskolnik.dpt

If you are a person who goes to the gym, you’ve likely experience A LOT of frustration in the last 11 months since the COVID-19 Pandemic started. You’ve also likely seen a lot of rhetoric that looks something like this:

If liquor stores are open, why aren’t gyms? Are we saying that alcohol is more essential than exercise?

OR

If 250 people can be shopping in a grocery story, why can’t 6 people be training at a small gym with all the same protocols in place?

I don’t have simple answers to these questions. No one does. That’s why they have been a source of so much frustration!

But instead of focusing on questions that I don’t have the answers to - I find it more productive to ask different questions. Questions that might actually have answers. One of which is - Why is it that Fitness is not considered essential in America? And, could the fitness industry itself be at least partially at fault for the situation we find ourselves in? 

For answers to those questions, today’s episode of Health & Fitness Friday is going to be referencing an outstanding article from Dr. John Rusin’s team! This article is also the newest addition to the Stronger In Motion Reading List.

Want more content? Follow Dr. David on Instagram: @dr.davidskolnik.dpt

Today’s guest is a kettlebell specialist who is on a mission to help women build strength and master the art of training with kettlebells. Her name is Colleen Conlon and her story is one that I am so happy I have a chance to share with all of you listening to this podcast.

As the title of today’s episode implies - Colleen hasn’t always been a confident, kettlebell swinging exemplar of strength. For major chunk of her life she was anything but. She was timid. She was uncomfortable in her own skin. She battled with an eating disorder that left permanent scars not just on her mind but on her body as well. And even when she began to get healthy and and happy again, her fitness journey was meandering and taught her a lot about what she didn’t want to do before ultimately finding her calling.

Her story is one I can relate to, and I think many of you will relate to as well.

Connect with Colleen

• Collen's Website - www.colleenconlon.com
• Colleen on Instagram - @iamcolleenconlon

Your Action Plan

Part of Colleen’s story that resinates with other guests we’ve has on the show, and with something that one of our Stronger In Motion Coaches, Coach Chris, shared earlier this week is that there is no one-size-fits-all form of exercise. What’s enjoyable for one person may not be enjoyable for you. And at the end of the day, regardless of any other research or “expert opinion”, nothing trumps consistency for improving your health. It took Colleen years, and multiple jobs within the fitness industry, to find kettlebells. Finding that tool, and hard style kettlebell training - it changed her life. So, for you dear listener, your task is to think about the exercise habits you have and whether you see them as rewards or punishments. Are you excited to exercise or do you dread it as a painful necessity? It’s never a bad time to switch up your routine if you aren’t enjoying it, and regardless of what anyone else does, it’s your job to find what makes you both happy and healthy.

Until next time, we wish you STRENGTH and GOOD HEALTH!

Want more content? Follow Dr. David on Instagram: @dr.davidskolnik.dpt

This week, we’re looking a little deeper at how the fluids you choose impact hydration, as well as other areas of health.

Let’s start by reiterating the fact that the majority of your fluid intake should come for plane old water. Nothing groundbreaking here. Intrinsically, I think we all know that water should be our beverage of choice most of the time when it comes to staying properly hydrated.

Next up on the list of hydrating fluids - are coffee and tea.

Third on the list is skim or 1% milk and non-dairy alternatives.

Level four beverages are labeled as “treats”, with the recommendation not to be consumed daily - diet sodas and other forms of drinks with non-calorie artificial or natural sweeteners like Stevia.

Level 5 includes alcohol, whole fat milk, sports drinks, fruit juices and vegetable juices.

And finally, at level 6, and given a resounding “thumbs down”  - beverages high in sugar or high-fructose corn syrup.

In summary - think before you drink and when in doubt, choose water.

For more - Check out the Stronger In Motion Reading List where you'll find a link to the original article on CNN that much of this information was cited from!

That’s it for today, have a great weekend and I will catch ya’ll next week!

Want more content? Follow Dr. David on Instagram: @dr.davidskolnik.dpt

Today we have a guest that is sure to inspire all of you. His name is Jason Hardrath. Jason is an elementary school PE teacher in a small town in Southern Oregon who spends his summer breaks on trails all over the country chasing what are known as FKTs - Fastest Known Times - which he defines in the beginning of our conversation today. His ultimate goal is to set 100 FKTs which involve anything from simple trail running over epic distances and sometimes multiple days of effort, to mixed discipline trails involving technical rock climbing or mountaineering.

Jason found running early in his life and it helped him overcome the struggles he was dealing with academically and socially due to impulsive ADHD. To this day, he still struggles at times with maintaining focus or staying on top of routine tasks, but he finds serenity, even spirituality, on the trails where he pushes his body harder and faster than anyone ever has, and advocates for the cognitive benefits of exercise in his classroom and his community.

I do believe all of you will feel inspired to find a pursuit that brings the level of fulfillment that the race for 100 Fastest Known Times has brought to Jason’s life.

Connect with Jason

• Instagram: @jasonhardrath
• Website: www.jasonhardrath.com
• Strava: Jason Hardrath
• LinkedIn: Jason Hardrath

Action Plan

Inspired by Jason’s stories, your action plan is this - I want you to do something you haven’t done since Episode 3 of this podcast, if you’ve been listening that long. Episode 3 focused on the philosophy of Momento Mori - a reflection on our own mortality which translates to “Remember, You Must Die”. We all must die at some point, no one is immortal. To consider your death is not a sign that you are surrendering your life, but that you are embracing some sense of urgency in how you will use your days, however many you have left, in pursuit of a purpose and with an intention to get the absolute most out of this one life. That was my biggest takeaway from this conversation with Jason - he is living a fully engaged life. He is immersed in this human experience. What is it that brings you the most joy? What leaves you feeling more “alive”? And how can you start to experience that feeling more often, even by just a few percentage points, in 2021? As always, write it down and make a plan - because without a plan a goal is just a dream!

Until next time we wish you STRENGTH and GOOD HEALTH.

Want more content? Follow Dr. David on Instagram: @dr.davidskolnik.dpt

Welcome to a very special episode of the Essential Strength Podcast, coming to you on Saturday morning, January 23rd, 2021! It’s a historic day, and you are about to find out why!

Today, we have a conversation between myself, and Mike McCastle, and if you are listening to this on the date of release, today is the day that Mike takes on his 8th Labor - attempting to break the world record for time fully submerged in ice. The goal - 3 hours packed in ice from the neck down.

Now, for those unfamiliar with Mike’s 12 Labors Project, this is the 8th in a series of progressively challenging physical challenges, each linked to a charitable cause that is close to Mike’s heart. From breaking the world record for pull-ups in 24hrs, to pulling a pick up truck 22 miles across Death Valley in July, Mike has set out to lead a life that inspires others, and challenges everyone - himself include - to find out what lies on the fringes of the human spirit, what greatness we are all capable of if we forgo comfort and choose a mission driven life.

Now, you’re probably wondering - what on earth would compel someone to do these things? I’ll let Mike answer that question.

You can tune into the Live Stream of Mike’s 8th Labor via his Instagram, where is is @mikemccastle - and if you’re listening to this after the fact, I would still highly recommend you give Mike a follow, because he is far from done chasing greatness. You can also contribute to the cause of furthering the research and treatment of Parkinson’s Disease through links provided by Mike or by connecting with the Brian Grant Foundation.

Action Plan

Your action plan for this special episode is short and sweet - I would ask you to reflect on the following questions:
How much of my life have I chosen, and how much have I allowed to be chosen for me? 
How much of my perceived suffering have a chosen, and how much have I allowed to be chosen for me?

That’s in for this week. We’ll be back on Wednesday, January 27th. Until then, we wish you STRENGTH and GOOD HEALTH.

Want more content? Follow Dr. David on Instagram: @dr.davidskolnik.dpt

Welcome to this week’s episode of Health & Fitness Friday on The Essential Strength Podcast. This is your 5 minute download of some health and fitness knowledge meant to make you a little bit smarter and a little bit stronger as you head into the weekend!

We’ve been talking about exercise for the last couple weeks, how it’s quite possibly the single most effective way to improve your overall health and also why it’s so hard to form an exercise habit. Today, we’re going to shift gears a little bit and talk about HYDRATION.

A few of the key bodily functions impacted by our hydration status are body temperature regulation, joint lubrication, nutrient delivery, cellular function, infection control and our natural detoxification processes.

The best way to avoid dehydration? You guessed it - drink water! It’s your zero calorie, readily available dehydration prevention beverage!

We will continue this conversation about hydration next week, when we will get into more detail about specific beverage choices, and the concept of “malhydration” - but in the meantime, if you’d like to read more on this topic, you can head over to strongerinmotion.com and check out the most recent article in our reading list, where much of today’s information came from! The title of the article is “Benefits of Water: Are You getting Enough Fluids to Stay Healthy” by Sandee LaMotte and was published on CNN Health!

Hope everyone has a GREAT weekend, and I will catch ya’ll next week!

Want more content? Follow Dr. David on Instagram: @dr.davidskolnik.dpt

This is Episode 27 and our guest is Kyle Sullivan.

Kyle has been sharing his story, speaking on his experiences with alcohol addiction, the trials he faced, mistakes he made, lies he told himself and others, and strategies he has used over the last four years to go from the lowest point imaginable - writing his suicide note - to the point where, in his own words he is just “happy to be existing on this planet”, happy to experience everything this life has to offer and happy to connect with anyone and share anything in an effort to be of service and continue walking down the path that led him away from despair and into hope and happiness.

I had heard bits and pieces of Kyle’s story over the course of our friendship, but a lot of the details and insights he shared during this conversation were brand new to me and every one of my expectations for this conversation were exceeded. I sincerely hope you enjoy this conversation with Kyle Sullivan, and share it far and wide because you just never know when a moment like this can change someone’s life forever.

Connect with Kyle

• On Instagram @celticjumper & @kyle_sullivan
• On TikTok @celticjumper
• On YouTube - Kyle Sullivan

Your Action Plan

Kyle’s example of extreme admission of his drinking problem made me think about what lies on the other side of change - something we spoke about with Chase Chewning on Episode 10. Chase’s answer: The life you’ve always dreamed of. Now, Kyle was in a position where his need to change something had become a life or death scenario, and his fear of the negative repercussions of giving up drinking was so powerful, taking his own life seemed like a better option. Having occupied that headspace myself, where death seems like the BEST outcome, I can say with all sincerity - I hope no one listening to this ever has to face that feeling. However, I do think there is something very valuable in taking inventory of your habits and identifying whether any of them are more harmful than they are helpful, and whether you are continuing to allow them to be a part of your life because you are afraid of what happens if you give them up. If you do this, and you identify a habit you know you should quit, then I hope you can find courage and take comfort in Kyle’s story, because even at absolute rock bottom, there is always a way to climb back up to the light.

That’s it for this week, stay tuned for a special episode coming out this Saturday - January 23rd - where Mike and I talk about both the mental and physical preparation for Mike’s next Labor, attempting to set a new world record for longest time spent submerged in ice, a challenge he will be taking on in Alaska on the Saturday the 23rd. For more details follow Mike on Instagram @mikemccastle.

Until next week - we with you STRENGTH and GOOD HEALTH.

Want more content? Follow Dr. David on Instagram: @dr.davidskolnik.dpt

Welcome to this week’s episode of Health & Fitness Friday on The Essential Strength Podcast. This is your 5 minute download of some health and fitness knowledge meant to make you a little bit smarter and a little bit stronger as you head into the weekend!

So, why is it that we haven’t evolved to enjoy something as beneficial as exercise? Evolution has created all kinds of hacks, loops and short cuts that in essence trick us into enjoying things that are good for us. But not exercise. Why? In a new book by Harvard Evolutionary Biologist Daniel Lieberman titled “Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to do is Healthy and Rewarding” we learn just that.

Want to learn EVEN MORE!?

Click this link to find the original article cited in this week's podcast and take a deeper look at exercise through the lens of human evolution!

Want more content? Follow Dr. David on Instagram: @dr.davidskolnik.dpt