In this solo episode, I attempt to make the nervous system less intimidating by sharing some concepts and models that can help us all understand the nervous system. One of those concepts is the "black box," a theoretical object that accepts inputs, processes them, and creates outputs. We can view the nervous system as a big feedback loop that operates in this manner, and I share several examples of how the loop works to bring it to life. Another concept that helps us understand how the nervous system works is to understand that the brain's #1 priority is survival and protection. Because of that priority, the brain would rather have us do less and not more in order to keep us safe, and our brains often impose limitations on our bodies. Finally, we'll discuss how the purpose of functional neurology is to impact this loop by providing the right inputs, and what that can mean for rehabilitation and performance. Focusing on the software of the body, the nervous system, opens up breakthroughs in healing. This episode will help you better understand how to make those breakthroughs in your own lives and the lives of your patients/clients.

In this episode, Dr. John Marchese D.C. talks with us about Functional Neurology. We discuss how to precisely identify overactive or underactive brain areas and to guide them to optimal levels, what impact that can have on patient outcomes (even in "orthopedic" cases), how he uses the Neubie through the lens of functional neurology, his thoughts on asymmetrical training, and some common strength and conditioning tools that can actually create some problems when you look at them from a neurological perspective (including a bit about foam rolling, assault bikes, and more). 

(Note: this episode was extracted from a presentation Dr. Buckner gave during a recent Mastermind call among NeuFit practitioners. For a more complete experience, please check out this episode on YouTube which includes a slide presentation)

In this episode of the NeuFit Undercurrent podcast, Dr. Sam Buckner Ph.D. joins our monthly Mastermind call to go over the results of his study "The acute muscular response following a novel form of pulsed direct current stimulation (Neubie) or traditional resistance exercise." In the study, he shows that the acute response to training with the Neubie and no external load is similar to traditional resistance training with 70% of maximum resistance. The measured responses include increased muscle thickness (as measured by ultrasound), and also fatigue and soreness.

While the Neubie is already FDA-cleared for reducing atrophy, this is the first research study directly demonstrating that it may be able to do more in the realm of hyptertrophy, or muscle growth. By showing an acute, short-term response, it also leads to more questions about long-term effects which Dr. Buckner brings up and that will be answered in his future studies. Questions like: can the Neubie grow muscle over a complete training cycle? And how does it compare to traditional weight training?

Listen in to hear the details of the study as well as the science behind low-load training and why it can be beneficial in many circumstances. A link to the published article is below:

https://www.ismni.org/jmni/accepted/JMNI_21M-08-159.pdf

To see one of Matt's articles that we mentioned on the show, check out: https://simplifaster.com/articles/proprioception-training-sports-performance/

Visit our WEBSITE www.neu.fit to learn more! Follow us on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/neufitrfp/ Join our FACEBOOK page: https://www.facebook.com/neufitRFP 

I am so excited to talk with Dr. Terry Wahls, author of the book The Wahls Protocol, and an incredible researcher looking at how lifestyle changes can help multiple sclerosis (MS) patients control their symptoms and stop the functional decline that so often comes with MS.

In this episode, Dr. Wahls talks about how her own diagnosis of MS took her from being super active to a full reclining wheelchair. Not satisfied with the existing methods of treatment, Dr. Wahls dove deep into creating a diet focused on autoimmune health. Listen in as Dr. Wahls describes her milestones on the way to a full recovery plus what she's doing to manage her recovery now -- including her use of electrical stimulation throughout her healing journey and how it's evolved over the last two decades.

Additional Note: For any patients who are interested in signing up for the study that Dr. Wahls mentioned on this podcast, please visit https://wahls.lab.uiowa.edu/join-study

Visit our WEBSITE www.neu.fit to learn more! Follow us on INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/neufitrfp/ Join our FACEBOOK page: https://www.facebook.com/neufitRFP