Dealing with pain on the front of the kneecap? Perhaps, diagnosed with it? DocJen & Dr. Dom have got you covered with what Chondromalacia is, how it may occur, and what you can do to address it. Honing in on the idea that symptoms are not necessarily correlated with imaging, they explain the origins of pain in the context of chondromalacia, and how mobility, developing the inner core, strength, and balance outline the pillars of rehabilitating from Chondromalacia. Let’s explore how we can rid that knee pain!

Knee Plan on Jen Health - Get a Free Week!

Need a Knee Plan? Join the Jen.Health platform to gain access to a 30-day plan that will help rehabilitate your knees from any aches or pains you may be experiencing. Through a multidirectional approach that includes mobility, muscle activations, core stability, strength workouts, and mind-body connection tools, we’re looking to create a safer and more beneficial environment for those knees! Let’s dive into physical therapy for your knees at home!

What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl:

01:15 - What is Chondromalacia?

02:40 - Symptoms don’t always equate to imaging

03:44 - How does chondromalacia occur?

08:28 - How to train more control in knees through strength

12:15 -  The impact of the inner core with knee issues‌‌

14:31 - Strength exercises for knee pain

1‌‌‌‌8:30 - The  power of training balance

21:48 - Key Takeaways

Watch Episode 192 on Youtube

For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/192

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!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Wanting to come off birth control? Struggling to find a diet that works for you? Hoping to optimize hormone health? We've got Sarah Grace, dietitian, and licensed nutritionist, on to explore the realms of nutrition and how it relates to hormone health, birth control, and PCOS. With an emphasis on steps to compiling reliable and credible advice, Sarah describes whether or not intermittent fasting and the keto diet are beneficial for women. Through this discussion, she discusses optimal sources of carbohydrates and the truth around birth control. With masking effects of birth control, Sarah shares how birth control may be perpetuating the root causes of different symptoms and diagnoses. In light of getting to the root cause, Sarah provides her best tips on how you can optimize your physiology, while on birth control, and what to focus on coming off birth control. She dives into what the anti-inflammatory diet consists of and what lab/ blood tests to look into if you are wanting to approach your hormonal health. Finally, she dabbles into the world of supplements and its role in the birth control process. 

Vivobarefoot Discount:

Looking to transition into going BAREFOOT? As part of VivoBarefoot Health, they are providing a complimentary fundamental barefoot course along with a purchase of their Primus Lite or Tracker FG shoes. Use OPTIMAL to get 15% off, gain functionality back in your feet, and educate yourself along the way! Furthermore, VivoBarefoot Health offers barefoot assessment tools and online courses!

**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

:

4:37 - How to combat the misinformation on the internet?

6:32 - Are they diets that can be harmful to women?

11:51 - Sources of smart carbs

14:11 - Why nutrition and educating online?

19:17 - The truth around birth control

22:28 - Wanting to get off birth control & approaching the root cause

27:30 - How to start optimizing your hormone health?

22:56 - Anti-inflammatory Diet

37:47 -  Labs & blood work for hormone dysregulation

38:58 - Supplements to help to go off birth control

42:29- Recommendations for reputable companies

Items mentioned:

To learn more about Sarah and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/191

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!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Are you someone who deals with pain and tingling sensations that run down your leg? Been diagnosed with Sciatica, but don’t know where to start? Then you are definitely going to want to tune in to this episode as Dr. Jen and Dr. Dom dive into what Sciatica ism potential causes and what you can do to begin to desensitize your nerve symptoms. They share three main focusses to approaching Sciatica, diving into simple lifestyle changes you can make in order to help you live your most optimal life!

Optimal Body Therapy Kit Discount - Free Low Back Program!

Need at-home equipment to level up your workouts? Need equipment to try Dr. Jen’s IG tips? We’ve got you covered with The Optimal Body Therapy Kit! As listeners of our podcast, use code ‘Optimal10′ to grab your discount!

Vivohealth Foot Health Hub:

Reconnect to your more natural self. Vivohealth hub is a growing body of courses and experiences that guide you through the joys of moving more naturally. The hub includes content from natural health experts! Check out the Vivohealth Barefoot Courses and assessments.

What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl:

03:08 - What Sciatica is & potential causes

05:15 - How to desensitize your nerve symptoms

11:34 - Steps to creating safety within the body

20:26 - Best 3 tips for Sciatica

Watch Episode 190 on Youtube

For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/190

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!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feel like your health is compromised even though you've got nutrition, hydration, sleep, movement, stress? Nothing helping your chronic conditions? Dr. Perry shares a different perspective and approach to optimizing health. One that may be simpler, yet not emphasized enough. Dr. Perry shares the origins of his practice and how his practice has evolved as he learned more about how all the systems are truly integrated. Expanding beyond the exact pain point, Dr. Perry shines light on the lymphatic system as a system that connects the whole. With a common focus on nutrient delivery and doing more to see successful results, Dr. Perry shares how less is more and how it may be worth looking at the elimination phase of cellular health. Explaining fundamental physiology, Dr. Perry touches base with the importance of order, nasal breathing, the diaphragm m movement, and stress. With small bouts of tips, Dr, Perry shares the significance of the lymphatic system and how it can be your secret to truly optimizing your health. Finally, he explores the realms of paradigm shifts in pain science, how pain can perpetuate itself with psychological influences, and how pain and inflammation closely relate to efficient and adequate elimination. Let's take a trip down the lymphatic system!

What You Will Learn in this Interview with Dr Nickelston

:

4:32 - Is the pain point really the trouble area?

8:31 - Changing the narrative on what pain communicates

10:50 - Thinking about elimination to prevent sickness

13:01 - The importance of order

14:36 - 4 steps to begin addressing your lymphatic system

20:32 - How to know if you’re breathing through your diaphragm

26:59 - How breathing differently impacts our pain

32:39 - How has Dr. Perry’s practice evolved?

37:25 - Paradigm shifts in pain science

41:23  - The pain-fear cycle: anticipation, self-fulfilling prophecy, pain focus

44:47 - Learn more with Dr. Perry!

Items mentioned:

To learn more about Dr. Perry and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/189

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!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feeling tingling, numbness, radiating pain in your heel? Could it be Morton Neuroma? DocJen & Dr. Dom explain what Morton’s Neuroma is and the different grades of nerve-related symptoms that could be explained. They describe a few potential causes of Neuroma, including types of footwear or trauma to the foot. Utilizing research, they explain how MRI images may not correlate or confirm symptoms, and how treatment typically surrounds changing footwear, building ankle and foot mobility and strength, promoting relaxation in the foot, and addressing sources of persistent inflammation. Finally, they explain foot exercises to try. Let’s dive in!

VivoBarefoot Discount

Reconnect to your more natural self. Vivohealth hub is a growing body of courses and experiences that guide you through the joys of moving more naturally. The hub includes content from natural health experts! Check out the Vivohealth Barefoot Courses and assessments.

**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 PT Pearl:

01:59 - What is Morton's Neuroma?

03:33 - Nerve-related symptoms

05:41 - Potential causes of Neuroma

07:22 - MRI’s do not necessarily confirm symptoms

08:09 - Potential Treatments

11:07 - Exercises to implement

12:28 - Addressing inflammatory conditions

14:49 - Tools to promote relaxation in the foot‌‌

17:05 - Foot exercises to try

Watch Episode 188 on Youtube

For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/188

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!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Thinking about eating more plant-based? Hollan explores the realm of vegan eating and how it can manifest in enhanced awareness and connection within your body. With 15 years of experience eating vegan, Hollan emphasizes that her journey continues to evolve and change over time. As she shares what inspired her passion for food, Hollan shares her best tips to giving vegan eating a try and how you can begin to make substitutes. She describes the changes she felt in her body with energy, mood, and overall health, and how she loved food while being healthy. She hones in on trusting the process and giving the body time to adapt to changes in food intake and how she progressed from a state of "not health" to "health." Finally, she speaks to the short-term changes you may feel when you first switch to vegan eating and the best type of oils to use. Let's dive into the world of plant-based eating!

What You Will Learn in this Interview with

:

2:42 - What drove Hollan’s passion for food?

5:30 - How does Hollan love food so much and be super healthy?

8:01 - Hate vegetables? How to make vegan eating more accessible?

10:50 - How did Hollan switch to becoming vegan & what changed within Hollan’s body?

15:34 - Basic switches to move towards plant-based eating

18:25 - Taking the time to actually try a diet change

21:51 - What Hollan changed to get to a state of  “not health” to “ health” for Hollan?

23:50 - Changes when you switch up the way you're eating?

27:04 - Best types of oils to use & Hollan's vegan ranch

32:29 - Learn more with Hollan

Items mentioned:

To learn more about Hollan and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://jen.health/podcast/187

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!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Flexible, but still tight? DocJen & Dr. Dom discuss tests and ways to determine if you are hypermobile, speaking into the spectrum of hypermobility that ranges from localized to Elhers-Danlos Syndrome. Explaining the neurophysiology of tightness briefly, they dive into how you can reduce the sensation of tightness through strength, using examples to relieve tightness in the hamstrings, inner thighs, chest, quadriceps, and hip flexor tightness. They provide a few tips for passive stretching, yoga, and hypermobility, and discuss how mindful breathing can support tightness relief.

What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl:

03:11 - How do you know if you are hypermobile

04:25 - Spectrum of Hypermobility

05:15 - Elhers-Danlos Syndrome

07:25 - How to reduce the tightness sensation?

08:08 - TIghtness in hamstrings?

11:29 - Tightness at inner thighs?

12:50 - Awareness with yoga postures

13:38 - Tightness in pec areas?‌‌

14:40 - Quad Tightness?‌‌

15:24 - Hip Flexor Tightness‌‌

16:18 - Reduce tension in the body with mindful breathing

Watch Episode 186 on Youtube

For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/186

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!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Struggling with Chronic Pain? Debilitating pain keeping you from getting on with your daily life? Find yourself really flexible? Andrew walks the path of his EDS diagnosis, and how his chronic pain and many injuries took up the majority of his experience in sport from a young age. We take a peek through Andrew's perspectives on pain, whether or not it makes him want to stop moving, and his experience with his Herniated Disc. With Sciatica pain in both legs, Andrew speaks to how his treatment journey changed and progressed from the time of diagnosis. Andrew dives into some heavy-hitter recommendations to approaching movement with EDS and the importance of gaining control over extreme ranges of motion. Through the ridgid-hypermobile spectrum, he speaks to exploring the happy medium between the two to move the most optimally for you! Finally, he touches base with mindfulness as a main component to navigating pain. Instead of meditation or journaling, Andrew shares his conscious practice of mindfulness. With that, comes permission and a strong meditation to find time to downregulate and enter a true state of play. Tune in!

As a listener of The Optimal Body Podcast, we would like to offer a $20 discount for our all new Move 2 Improve challenge. Join in on the fun and let’s move together! Find out more details on our website, get your friends to tag along, and enter in to win some prizes! Use code ‘TOB20’ at checkout.

4:03 - How Andrew approached having experienced chronic pain since 5

6:57 - What is EDS and is it related to chronic, systemic pain

10:00 - Did Andrew’s pain make him want to stop moving & is the brain becomes less sensitive to pain response

14:03 - Andrew’s Disc Herniation

12:37 - Focusing on the small wins

23:43 - Physical therapy & how Andrew progressed through his exercises

28:44 - Debunking the myths & what Andrew recommends

31:48- Addressing flexibility without control

37:10 -How Andrew defines mindfulness & how it helps his pain experience

44:24 - Whealth

Items mentioned:

To learn more about Andrew and view full show notes, please visit the full website here: https://www.docjenfit.com/podcast/episode185/

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!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Want to start breathwork, but don’t know where to start? DocJen & Dr. Dom present 4 different breath exercises: variations of box breathing, extended breathing, the one-minute reset, and Wim Hoff Breathing. They dive into how to perform these exercises, how these different exercises can be advantageous, how breathing can be beneficial in mobility, and how breathing can optimize CO2 tolerance, especially done nasally. Let’s dive into breath work!

30 Days of Strength and Mobility Discount:

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!

What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl:

02:49 - Box Breathing

05:01 - Modulating stress/relax response with inhalers & exhales

06:19 - Extending breaths

08:08 - How to Box breath

10:38 - The One Minute Reset

11:36 - How to access the diaphragm & improving mobility

15:21 - Holotropic/ Wim Hoff Breathing

18:42 - Why breathing practices are important - CO2 tolerance‌‌

20:38 - Nasal Breathing

Watch Episode 184 on Youtube

For research and full show notes, visit the full website at: https://jen.health/podcast/184

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!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.