Are Bunions genetic? How does functional podiatry differ from traditional podiatry? Dr. Emily walks the path of bunions, plantar fasciitis, and other foot conditions through the lens of functional podiatry, She begins by explaining the importance of educating individuals about orthotics and the general foot types. Then, she explains how foot structure is not necessarily related to symptoms and whether or not your foot condition is genetic. By discussing the importance of spending more time barefoot and exposing the feet to different structures to optimize neurological feedback, she dives into how the nervous system manifests in the feet, how training function is beneficial, and the role emotions play in feet’ health. Let’s get your feet functional!

30 Days of Strength and Mobility:

We’re focussing on Strength & Mobility this time around. DocJen is going to show up with you every day for 30 days to open up your mobility, build consistency, re-coordinate your core, and build some true strength. We’re getting to the roots of form and the body, moving you forward to feel something different. Grab a special podcast discount using code OPTIMAL20 at checkout! Join us before it’s too late!

VivoBarefoot Discount

A study showed a 60% increase in foot strength by wearing VivoBarefoot shoes for 6 months consistently. They are shoes that work with your feet and not against them. Try them out and invest in your health. Use code ‘TOB‘ to get 15% off! 

**Vivo offers a 100-Day trial period. If you are not completely satisfied, you can send the shoes back and get a refund.

What You Will Learn in this Interview with Dr. Emily:

3:08 - What is a functional podiatrist?

4:57 - What is a functional podiatrist?

6:44  - How to educate individuals out of orthotics

8:44 - Dr. Emily’s Foot Self-assessment

10:06 - Three types of feet: a starting place

11:11 - Disregarding the term “flat feet”

13:32 - Are your foot issues genetic?

16:11- Dr. Emily’s advice on preventing bunions when familial

19:02 - Treating function, structure, or both for bunions

22:34 - Toe & Spacers Naboso Technology for foot health

24:58 - Sensory ability with feet

27:52 - Barefoot Strong Book

30:43 - How emotions play a role in foot health

35:57 - Nervous system manifestations in the feet

36:56 - Learn more with Dr Emily

Items mentioned:

To learn more about Dr. Emily and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/183

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show!

Unsure of what to say to someone going through trauma or loss? Following on from last week’s episode on what DocJen & Dr. Dom wish they’d known, going through a miscarriage. they discuss how to be there for someone during a tragic loss. From getting professional help with therapy to receiving support from those who have been through it, DocJen & Dr. Dom hone in on the uniqueness and subjectivity of tragic loss and how you support it, but from a place of comfort and acknowledgment. Using language to support healing, they emphasize providing space for the individual going through loss to approach you instead of providing unsolicited advice. They hone in on what may not be advantageous to say and how loss may persist and it’s about learning to navigate light with a loss potentially being a part of you. By highlighting setting up a healing environment, they discuss differences in approaching the healing process, barriers, and the impact of toxic positivity on the grieving process. As an individual who may be going through loss, communicate your needs to support your healing process.

30 Days of Strength and Mobility:

30 Days of Strength and Mobility! We’re focussing on Strength & Mobility this time around. DocJen is going to show up with you every day for 20 days to open up your mobility, build consistency, re-coordinate your core, and build some true strength. We’re getting to the roots of form and the body, moving you forward to feel something different. Through these shownotes, you'll still be able to get a special discount using code OPTIMAL20 at checkout! Come Join Our Community and Get Strong!

What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl:

03:28 - Getting through the psychological with therapy

05:20 - Support from those who have been through it

06:36 - Everyone has their own, unique traumatic experience

08:00 - What to say to someone experiencing loss

13:52 - Resources

15:10 - Let them know they don’t need to respond

17:06 - Self-advocacy: Let them come to you

19:06 - What not to say to someone experiencing loss‌‌

22:09 - It’s not about the pain going away‌‌

23:22 - Getting through Physical and emotional reminders & setting up a healing environment‌‌

30:04 - Different people process differently

33:25 - Bringing up barriers does not help‌‌‌‌

34:50 - Toxic Positivity & Grieving

36:36 - Other ways to let them know you’re thinking about them

Watch Episode 182 on Youtube

For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/182

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show!

Going through pelvic organ prolapse? Considering surgery? Thinking about pregnancy? Katie Goss takes us through her story with multiple pelvic organ prolapses and her experience with the healthcare industry. As she educates more in an online space, through Whealth, she speaks to changing the realms within the healthcare industry and the importance of valuing child care. Furthermore, she describes her prolapse symptoms, providing insight into her initial experiences with pelvic floor physical therapy, and how it took time for her to find the right one. Providing the physiology behind prolapse and the different stages, she dives into what she did to return to running and lifting. Moreover, Katie discusses how pelvic organ prolapse is diagnosed and whether or not repercussions of her surgery persist. She gets vulnerable about pelvic pain and her decision to choose surgery, ultimately sharing the purpose behind Whealth! Tune in!

30 Days of Strength and Mobility:

30 Days of Strength and Mobility! We’re focussing on Strength & Mobility this time around. DocJen is going to show up with you every day for 20 days to open up your mobility, build consistency, re-coordinate your core, and build some true strength. We’re getting to the roots of form and the body, moving you forward to feel something different. Through these shownotes, you'll still be able to get a special discount using code OPTIMAL20 at checkout! Come Join Our Community and Get Strong!

What You Will Learn in this Interview with Katie Goss:

3:23 - Katie’s background - changing realms within the healthcare industry

7:16 - Educating more in an online space

11:57  - Valuing Childcare

13:11 - Valuing Childcare

17:52 - How did Katie return to running & PT

20:36 - What is Pelvic Organ Prolapse & the different stages

23:27 - Examinations & Diagnosis

25:40- How did Katie work on her prolapse

28:16  - Katie’s experience with surgery for her prolapse

31:20 - Did surgery help Katie’s symptoms

33:36 - Has Katie felt any repercussions after her surgery?

39:38 - The purpose behind Whealth

42:15 - Pillars of Whealth

Items mentioned:

To learn more about Katie and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/181

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show!

Been through a miscarriage? Perhaps, loss? Are hospitals too generalized? Is the medical institution set up to treat trauma, the individual? DocJen & Dr. Dom get real about their recent experience with miscarriage. Loss, pain, trauma, healing – they discuss it all. From start to finish, Jen dives into her how her symptoms progressed and how she advocated for herself through her experience in the hospital. From lack of communication to an overwhelming and unnecessary amount of tests that repeatedly confirmed the loos of her baby, DocJen and Dr. Dom provide insight into the operations behind the medical system, insurance, finance, and the lack of general humanization when approaching patients. With an overarching emphasis on asking better questions, they express their concerns with the lack of patient-doctor communication, treatment protocols, and navigating choices in addressing a miscarriage. As DocJen gets vulnerable with her physical and emotional traumas throughout the experience, Dr. Dom faces the anger and frustration with the repercussions of feeling helpless with hospital orders. Finally, as they find their way through the healing process, they reveal the true realities of miscarriages and loss.

Optimal Body Therapy Kit:

Grab your Therapy Kit now! It’s a portable home therapy equipment kit with 12 pieces of professional physical therapy equipment for improved flexibility, stability & strength to reduce pain & improve muscular activation. This kit includes: 4 resistance band lengths, 4 resistance band loops, 1 pull up band, 1 jump rope, 2 sliders 2 towels and a mesh bag. And, when you purchase this kit, you will also get access to Dr. Jen Esquer’s 7 Day Back Pain Program for absolutely free. These are low-impact exercises that you can do anywhere you’re at with the use of your Optimal Body Therapy Kit. Grab an extra discount using code OPTIMAL10 at checkout!

What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl:

01:35 - Communities as an initial resource

02:50 - Options, Risks & figuring out your doctor’s language

06:15 - No matter where you are in the journey, it’s still a loss

10:49 - Miscarry & its done? The true impact on your body as a miscarriage

16:14 - Navigating repetitive confirmation of miscarriage

19:06 - Advocacy for yourself: Testing & financial communication

21:31 - Advocacy for yourself: Asking questions

23:12 - Insurance & the medical system‌‌

24:13 - Doctors need to communicate the pros and cons of every treatment‌‌

27:17 - Labor with miscarriage‌‌

38:20 - The importance of positions & how it affects examinations

44:27 - A miscarriage is not a day - how necessary is a DNC surgery?‌‌‌‌

49:31 - True aftermath of miscarriage‌‌‌‌‌‌‌‌

Watch Episode 180 on Youtube

For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/180

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show!

Unsure of what to say to someone going through trauma or loss? Following on from last week's episode on what DocJen & Dr. Dom wish they'd known, going through a miscarriage. they discuss how to be there for someone during a tragic loss. From getting professional help with therapy to receiving support from those who have been through it, DocJen & Dr. Dom hone in on the uniqueness and subjectivity of tragic loss and how you support it, but from a place of comfort and acknowledgment. Using language to support healing, they emphasize providing space for the individual going through loss to approach you instead of providing unsolicited advice. They hone in on what may not be advantageous to say and how loss may persist and it's about learning to navigate light with a loss potentially being a part of you. By highlighting setting up a healing environment, they discuss differences in approaching the healing process, barriers, and the impact of toxic positivity on the grieving process. As an individual who may be going through loss, communicate your needs to support your healing process.

What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl:

03:28 - Getting through the psychological with therapy

05:20 - Support from those who have been through it

06:36 - Everyone has their own, unique traumatic experience

08:00 - What to say to someone experiencing loss

13:52 - Resources

15:10 - Let them know they don’t need to respond

17:06 - Self-advocacy: Let them come to you

19:06 - What not to say to someone experiencing loss‌‌

22:09 - It’s not about the pain going away‌‌

23:22 - Getting through Physical and emotional reminders & setting up a healing environment‌‌

30:04 - Different people process differently

33:25 - Bringing up barriers does not help‌‌‌‌

34:50 - Toxic Positivity & Grieving

36:36 - Other ways to let them know you’re thinking about them

Watch Episode 182 on Youtube

For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://www.docjenfit.com/podcast/episode182/

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show!

Thinking about pregnancy? Curious about getting pregnant and how to stay pregnant. Tasha Blasi, the fertility consultant, provides us with a holistic approach to fertility. Utilizing science, space, energy, and support to form her unique approach, Tasha explains where her passion for fertility came about and the importance of root cause over science. Then, she discusses what she wishes she knew when during her IVF journey and the role mental clutter plays in physical illness. She dives into how you can begin to de-clutter the mind with one simple tool. Furthermore, Tasha provides insight into understanding the education behind fertility-specialized doctors, and the role of integrative medicine for fertility. Finally, Tasha discusses the role of stress and fertility, how you can optimize sperm and egg health by approaching your environment, the emotional vibrational stage, and how you can optimize your biological age to preserve fertility at an older age. Let’s dive in.

PRX Gym Equipment Discount:

Looking for gym equipment? PRX performance has got you covered with a variety of gym equipment that you can easily store in a compact and easily accessible manner. Grab your PRX equipment now! Use code OPTIMAL at checkout to get a discount!

What You Will Learn in this Interview with Tasha Blasi:

Items mentioned:

To learn more about Tasha and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/179

Abs vs Core? Is there a difference? DocJen & Dr. Dom dive into the anatomy of what we know as the abs and how that differs from the true core. They provide insight into the transverse abdominal activation, how it may relate to back pain, and where belts for lifting should be considered. Furthermore, they discuss the importance of midline stability, providing cues and descriptions of their 3 favorite ab and core exercises. Let’s dive in!

What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl:

01:09 - Anatomy of the abdominal region

02:04 - TV activation & core

03:22 - Anatomy of true core & midline stability

06:00 - Belts, the core, and lifting

07:33 - Fundamentals of ab exercises

14:40 - Core exercises

20:40 - Learn with Jen about the core!

Watch Episode 178 on Youtube

We think you’ll love:

For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/178

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show!

Want to transition into barefoot shoes? Dr. Laura, doctor of physical therapy, preaches optimal foot functionality by spending time barefoot, but with safety and slow progression. As a gymnast, she spent much of her upbringing barefoot, however, with several foot fractures, she briefly speaks into how combining the use of the minimal shoe and conventional shoe can be beneficial in transitioning to going fully barefoot! She provides insight into why your feet may be in pain after wearing barefoot shoes, and how minimalist shoes differ from the conventional shoe. Furthermore, she speaks about how the physical therapy industry is evolving and becoming more popular amongst athletes, how in-clinic experiences differ from online physical therapy sessions, and whether physical therapy can be for everyone. She speaks about movement diets and the importance of introducing variety and reflection in approaching movement and health! Let’s dive into the world of optimal foot health and physical therapy with Dr. Laura!

VivoBarefoot Discount

How may VivoBarefoot shoes be beneficial? Through building strength in the foot and teaching the foot to accommodate your own body! A study showed a 60% increase in foot strength by wearing VivoBarefoot shoes for 6 months consistently, and you a little over 3 months to return your shoes. Try them out and invest in your health. Use code ‘TOB‘ to get 15% off! 

**Vivo offers a 100-Day trial period. If you are not completely satisfied, you can send the shoes back and get a refund.

What You Will Learn in this Interview with Dr. Laura

3:00 - What drove Dr. Laura’s passion for physical therapy

4:13 - Is physical therapy becoming popular amongst athletes?

5:22  - Where does the “paradigm of perfection” come from?

6:48 - Physical therapy in clinic vs online

10:16 - Can physical therapy be for everyone?

12:24 - Conventional shoe vs minimalist shoes

15:30 - Why your feet may be hurting wearing barefoot shoes?

17:47 - Navigating the transition to barefoot shoes

20:06  -  Explaining movement diets

21:13 - What exercise can look like for YOU

23:08 - How to add exercise to reduce aches/ injuries

24:14 - Starting movement assessments & maintaining consistency

26:14 -  Differentiating between soreness & pain

27:27 - Improving range of motion vs reducing stress

28:20 - How do you know if you’re drinking enough water

30:30 - Do you need to self-assess?

32:57 - Learning more with Dr. Laura

Items mentioned:

To learn more about Dr. Laura and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/177

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show!

Dealing with soreness? Concerned about your soreness? DocJen & Dr. Dom dive answer frequently asked questions about the science behind soreness. Diving into what delayed onset muscle awareness is, where you might feel it, and why soreness occurs, DocJen & Dr. Dom describe the types of exercises that might elicit a greater soreness response and what other factors could be contributing to the degree of soreness felt. As an adaptation mechanism, they provide insight into whether or not soreness is bad and how you can distinguish between pain and soreness. Finally, they provide their best tips for managing soreness and discuss soreness in relation to heat, ice, foam rolling, massage guns, and massages! Let’s dive in!

What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl:

02:21 - What are DOMS?

04:54 - Why we get DOMS

05:47 - Types of exercise that might

06:18 - Other factors contributing to the degree of DOMS

09:46 - Brain Protection: Are DOMS bad?

10:55 - Pain indicating damage vs pain indicating adaptation

14:19 - Management of DOMS

17:45 - Heat vs Cold for DOMS

20:47 - Foam rolling & massage guns for DOMS

Watch Episode 176 on Youtube

For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/176

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show!

Struggling with back pain? Feel like your back pain is never getting better? Tim Reynolds and Bryan Guzksi, physical therapists, take you from PT school to clinical practice as they hone in on how their curiosity drove their career path. Then, they discuss the psychology behind back pain and how you can trust that your back pain will resolve. In the name of research and clinical experience, Tim & Bryan share how physical therapy can support back pain and the best ways in which you can address your back pain as you navigate the world of physical therapists to find your optimal one. As they provide tips in finding a physical therapist, they discuss the importance of shifting language around the medical diagnosis and how language plays a role in instilling fear in patients. As psychology plays an immense role in pain perception, they provide their best tips to navigating the fear around back pain, how to set yourself up for success at your medical appointments, and how education about pain science should be consensual and on the patient’s terms. Finally, they share the purpose behind their book and how practitioners and the general public get educated now! Let’s dive in!

PRX Gym Equipment Discount:

Looking for ways to work out at home or create your own at-home gym? DocJen & Dr. Dom used PRX performance to build their at-home gym. With innovative designs to t store and set up your gym to make a small space feed big, smash your next product with quality-conscious PRX Performance equipment! You can also grab and extra discount using code OPTIMAL at checkout!

What You Will Learn in this Interview with Tim Reynolds and Bryan Guzski

3:54 - How and why did Tim specialize in the spine?

5:08 - What is the benefit of residency?

10:58  - Did residency help imposter syndrome?

11:54  - How can you trust that your back pain will resolve

14:55 - How physical therapy supports back pain

18:05 - How to find YOUR PT?

22:29 - Shifting the language around medical diagnosis

24:46 - Navigating fear around back pain vs what’s really happening

30:21 - How to get the most out of your medical appointments

40:04 - Inspiration behind the book

43:36 - Purpose behind the book

39:57 - Is there an easy method to calculating caloric needs

47:13 - Where you can find the “Movers & Mentors” book

Items mentioned:

To learn more about Tim &  Bryan and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/175

Thank you so much for checking out this episode of The Optimal Body Podcast. If you haven’t done so already, please take a minute to subscribe and leave a quick rating and review of the show!