In my clinic, I regularly see the negative results that happen to women when they overtrain. While it’s true that many of us think that more is better, this can ultimately lead to burnout and more problems down the road.

Jessica Drummond MPT, CCN, CHC, the Founder and CEO of the Integrative Women's Health Institute, is passionate about caring for and empowering women who struggle with women’s and pelvic health conditions. She is equally passionate about educating and supporting clinicians in confidently and safely using integrative tools to transform women's and pelvic healthcare.

Today, Jessica and I talk about how we can optimize our monthly hormonal cycles to make workouts more efficient and less dangerous. This involves really understanding what is going on with our hormones throughout the month and structuring your workout to maximize its benefits while reducing the risk of injury.

We discuss what overtraining looks like for women and how you can recognize its red flags. Being attuned to what your body is telling you, but also seeking professional guidance is crucial to staying fit without causing negative health effects. With that in mind, Jessica tells us how to train well, without pushing it too far.

Jessica has also worked extensively on studying endometriosis. She explains just what this condition is and its impacts. While it is common, it’s not normal. We talk about ways to treat endometriosis and why it’s important to do so.

Do you change your workout based on your monthly cycle? Has that helped you to reduce injury and maximize the benefits? Let us know in the comments on the episode page.

• The female-specific risks that come from overtraining
•  Understanding and optimizing your monthly cycle for the most healthy training results
• Addressing the mental health implications of overtraining
• The numerous warning signs that you’re overtraining
• The effects of endometriosis and new ways to treat it
• Understanding pelvic floor health and how problems with it can present
• Ways to literally nourish and feed resilience

Quotes

“For women, if you think of the month as a time to optimize your periodization of you’re training for performance, it’s really valuable because you’re not only protecting and nourishing your hormones and muscle, but you’re improving your longevity.” [2:42]

“We have to really emphasize rest and nourishment. Outsleep your competition, outeat your competition, just for recovery’s sake.”  [8:56]

“It not actually normal to have very bad cramps. It’s normal to have mild cramps maybe a day or two with a little fatigue. That’s it. You shouldn’t be sidelined by your period.” [23:48]

“Don’t be afraid to expose anything that you are worried is wrong. If anything is going on in your body, training, or health, unearthing it and optimizing women’s health and performance is part of a strong conversation.” [42:02]

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Outsmart Endo

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Highly stressful situations can lead to an inability to act and respond. These feelings have long-lasting impacts that affect people well afterward. However, as you’ll hear, this is not the result of some inadequacy, but an ancient neurological response.

Stephen Porges, Ph.D. is a distinguished university scientist at Indiana University, professor of psychiatry at the University of North Carolina, and Professor Emeritus at both the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Maryland. With more than 300 peer-reviewed papers, Dr. Porges pioneered the Polyvagal Theory which links the evolution of the mammalian autonomic nervous system to social behavior and emphasizes the importance of the physiological state in the expression of behavioral problems and psychiatric disorders. 

Dr. Porges explains what Polyvagal Theory is and how it relates to all of us on a physiological level. According to this approach, stress has little if anything to do with our physical state, and everything to do with our emotional and psychological wellbeing. We talk about how Polyvagal Theory helps explain a state in between stress and unstress in which we actually disassociate from our surroundings as a result of trauma.

We then talk about how to handle the effects of this neurological response. It may lead to an inability to fully engage with people and feelings of shame and inadequacy. However, proper narrative framing, self-compassion, and even intentional breathing can help to make shifts towards recovery.

How might an understanding of Polyvagal Theory change the way you interact with other people? Let’s talk about it in the comments on the episode page.

• How trauma can trigger a reflex that leads to an inability to act
• The ways that stress and trauma impact future relationships
• How to cope with the lasting effects of trauma
• The power of breath for helping to regulate parts of the nervous system
• Ways to make others feel safe simply by using your voice
• The link between feelings of safety and creativity
• Technological innovations that may reduce inflammation of the vagal nerve

“I would say that the nervous system is much more rational in its decision-making properties and we have to be very careful about imposing a simplistic worldview on it and trying to make everything fit that simplicity.” [1:43]

“This whole act of going into immobilization or inability to recruit fight-flight is a powerful reaction that many people have experienced. But once they experience it, they don’t know how to make sense of it.” [9:47]

“Breath is really a wonderful gift because when we manipulate our breathing we can change the tone of our autonomic nervous system. And if we change that tone, even for short periods of time, we can experience the world differently for those moments.” [16:52]

“What we really want is to enable people to be better witnesses of their own body and to become more self-aware and compassionate to respect those bodily feelings.” [48:38]

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How to think clearly in beleaguered times

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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Soy is a popular protein source in the fitness world and in food in general. There are countless different soy-based products out there claiming that soy is a miracle food. However, there is also a lot of evidence that soy can lead to a whole host of medical problems. Perhaps, few people understand this better than today’s guest.

Dr. Kaayla Daniel, aka the Naughty Nutritionist, is an author and a nutritionist who earned her Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences and Anti-Aging Therapies from the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati. Her mission is to debunk myths surrounding much of what we commonly think is good for our health using humor and a down-to-earth approach.

Today, Dr. Kaayla Daniel and I discuss some of the lesser-known effects of soy. She explains the history of how soy has been marketed over the years and how this has led to its profusion in so-called health foods. However, we are becoming increasingly aware that eating too much processed soy can lead to many issues, from auto-immune disease to heart problems. To that end, Dr. Daniel tells us how to determine if we have a soy sensitivity and how to avoid it.

Have you cut soy out of your diet? What challenges has that created and how has it helped? Let’s talk about it in the comments on the episode page!

• The history of research into soy’s actual nutritional effects
• The links between soy and certain auto-immune diseases
• How soy can be enjoyed when consumed in moderation
• The challenges of avoiding soy for those with allergies and sensitivities
• The effects of heavy soy consumption on thyroid and gut health
• Why consuming a lot of soy during menopause can lead to particular health problems
• Ways to determine if you have a sensitivity to soy

“The problem is when people have a whole slab of soy instead of steak. That starts to add up very quickly if you’re doing that every day.” [13:49]

“With humans, there are so many factors. It’s never just one miracle food, a few miracle foods, or for that matter, a few devils like soy.” [18:22]

“Soy is in more than 60% of processed and packaged food. It’s in nearly 100% of fast foods. It’s hiding in a whole lot of restaurant foods where you might not even suspect it.” [19:13]

“With soy, certainly avoid it to excess, avoid the modern processed soy foods, like protein shakes, the energy bars, and soy milk.” [34:57]

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The Whole Soy Story

Nourishing Broth

Hook Line and Stinker

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Whether you’re an athlete or not, proper movement is the key to preventing injury and staying fit overall. DNS is one of the many tools that is helping people properly find stabilization and operate at peak performance. Today’s guest is an expert in its application and is here to share how this movement system can help you too.

Dr. Michael Rintala is a San Diego based chiropractor who has specialized in rehabilitation and sports medicine for 17 years. His career has taken him to work with golfers on the PGA tour, professional surfers, and athletes of all sorts.

Dr. Rintala explains what it means to be a chiropractor for athletes. DNS (Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization) is a large part of the work that he does. Dr. Rinalta shares how it has been instrumental in keeping high-performers in top shape.

If you’ve never heard of DNS and its role in rehabilitation, Dr. Rintala breaks it down in terms that any of us should be able to understand. It all hinges on deep stabilization which in turn permits better joint movement throughout the body. Dr. Rintala uses this throughout his practice and explains how it has helped many people, from professional to amateur athletes, manage their movement better and avoid injury.

How might you be able to apply DNS in your practice? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!

• The type of work that chiropractors do when serving athletes
• The role of DNS in improving the efficiency of movement
• Common biomechanical compensations and injuries of elite and amateur surfers
• What the Czech Get-Up is and why it is a good alternative to the Turkish Get-Up

“If we improve efficiency in our movement, we decrease potential for injury and we increase the potential for performance.” [6:45

“Ideal deep stabilization - that ability to create a fixed point through the trunk and the pelvis - also allows the joint centration throughout the whole chain of movement with the human body.” [10:43]

“If I can maintain the synergy and stabilization and joint centration through the transitions at each developmental sequence, that’s where the magic happens in integrating dynamic movement into the sport you do.” [25:23]

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Prague School of Rehabilitation

The Czech Get-Up

IntelliSkin

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Pelvic floor health is too often ignored by women. Especially after childbirth, but throughout life, the pelvic floor needs loving care. The great thing is that it is well within your control to address the needs and wellbeing of this important group of muscles. 

Isa Herrera is a licensed physical therapist, as well as an expert in integrative pelvic floor therapies in the field of women’s health. With expertise in diagnosing and treating pelvic pain, she has helped over ten thousand women at her NYC-based healing center through a combination of integrative modalities.

Isa and I discuss how you can best keep your pelvic floor healthy and strong. Whether or not you just had a child, there are steps you can take to maintain a fit pelvic floor. Isa starts by sharing why Kegels alone aren’t the answer and how to balance them out with reverse-Kegels.

Isa also shares what she’s learned about helping women create counter-balance for their normal exercises. Certain workouts can inadvertently tighten the pelvic floor which can lead to problems during childbirth. With Isa’s counter-balance exercises, this risk can be mitigated.

We also talk about what to do after childbirth to avoid damaging your pelvic floor. Many women are told that they can resume normal workouts after only a few weeks, but this can actually lead to more problems. Isa shares some tips on how to ease back into your old routines without causing avoidable trauma.

What was your greatest challenge returning to a regular workout after childbirth? Let’s talk about it in the comments on the episode page!

• The effects and limitations of the kegel if utilized properly along with reverse-Kegels
• Why certain exercise routines can lead to pelvic-floor complications during childbirth
• Tips for safely returning to your old workout routine after giving birth
• Why many women experience leaking and why they shouldn’t accept it
• The importance of knowing your pelvic anatomy so that you can better listen to your body

“As you’re doing the breath-work, you have to do the visualization. Sometimes you need visualization, you need breath-work, you need positioning to accomplish the exercise.” [7:29]

“There are so many ways to train the pelvic floor. It’s only limited by experience.” [11:57]

“You can’t rehab the core after labor and delivery and a cesarean if you’re not addressing the trigger-points in the belly.” [31:09]

“The guru and the doctor lives within you. All you need is the right mentor and the guide to bring that guru forward. You ultimately hold the entire key to your healing.” [39:22]

The Ultimate Guide to Happier Lady Parts

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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There are many causes of chronic pain. Sometimes it’s not even entirely physical or connected to the place that’s hurting. Healing is complex and not always a straightforward process. My guest today knows this as well as anyone and has developed a fantastic method that we can all benefit from.

Sue Hitzmann is the creator of the Melt Method, a simple self-treatment technique that helps people get out and stay out of chronic pain. She is a nationally recognized educator, manual therapist, exercise physiologist, and founding member of the Fascia Research Society. As the author of the New York Times bestselling book The MELT Method, Sue has helped over 200,000 people lead a healthy, pain-free life.

Today, Sue shares the story of how her own experience with chronic pain drove her to find a better solution. By seeing the connection between fascia, trauma, and pain, she was able to develop a method of treatment that people can do together or at home.

We talk about what we can do, starting with gently addressing the needs of our fascia, to address pain and get it under control. Sue’s Melt Method is designed to look at the larger dynamics of fascia and how it helps the free nerve endings in the body send messages to the brain. Gently addressing this dynamic system as a whole can do wonders eliminating pain.

We also discuss the importance of mindset and being brave enough to face the causes of our trauma and pain. Without this, we are just treating the symptoms. True healing is a transformative process that takes courage and determination. 

Have you ever addressed the underlying root causes of trauma and chronic pain? Let’s talk about it in the comments on the episode page!

• How trauma can lead to a lifetime of physical pain if left unaddressed
• The role of fascia in pain perception
• The need for a gentle approach to treating trauma and pain
• The power of touch for truly sensing one’s self and healing
• Identifying the less obvious root causes of pain
• The transformative process that comes from introspection and staying rooted in the present

“I realized that trauma can actually cause more pain in the body than an accident.” [2:47]

“Touch, in general, is really an effective way to alter the brain’s pathways that we miss.” [13:54]

“Pain is just the brain’s way of alerting you that something is not right. Pain is the great motivator to take action.” [16:17]

“Sometimes we’re reacting to something right now, but actually we’re not. We’re reacting to something of our past and putting it in the present…. Focus on what’s happening right now. Just start right now and peel those layers of the onion back. Suddenly you’ll realize how not present you really are.” [33:24]

“Sharing vulnerability is one of the most courageous steps of healing. We don’t move on from it. We walk through it and walk through it together.” [44:12]

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Fascia Research Society

The MELT Method by Sue Hitzmann

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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I’ve seen many elite runners come through the doors of my clinic. I know first-hand what their muscle quality feels like and the injuries they’ve dealt with. I’ve also seen how they train and how they recover from big races. That’s why I’m doing a solo episode to tell you what I’ve learned about how to best recover from running a marathon.

By using technologies like NormaTec and utilizing active release techniques, you can best come back from a long intense run without suffering from many common long-term injuries. I talk about the importance of movement sequence resets and using gentle strength-training to get the body moving again in a healthy and well-rounded way.

Many runners also get sick in the days after a marathon. Big runs send our hormones haywire which lowers our immune response. However, there are steps you can take to keep from getting sick, such as getting plenty of rest and proper nutrition.

What helps you recover after a marathon or other long-distance race? Share it in the comments on the episode page!

• Common over-compensations that runners need to be aware of for their recovery
• How active release techniques can help protect your muscles from the damage of running
• Using gentle strength-training to get your muscles moving during recovery
• Why runners get sick after a big race and how to prevent it

“The elite runner’s train and then they recover for the rest of the day. Recovering from their runs is also their full-time job.” [1:51]

“A lot of people get sick after they run the marathon. There’s so much excitement, the crowds are going wild, the adrenaline is rushing. 72 hours later your body is more susceptible to colds and flu due to elevated cortisol from stress.” [13:52]

“Before your run, don’t do anything new that you didn’t do in training.” [17:55]

NormaTec

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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Today’s guest is a little different than my usual ones. Marcy Tardio is a certified nurse-midwife who’s been practicing for over 30 years. In fact, she’s my midwife. Marcy specializes in homebirths, where she assists women from the very beginning to end of their pregnancies.

In this interview, Marcy explains just what a midwife is, the training required, and the various roles one plays. We also discuss the different opinions that surround homebirths and how to make these important decisions without fear.

The topic of homebirths often brings up the topic of hospital births too. Marcy discusses how each has their advantages and risks. The important thing to consider is just how real the risks are when faced with their likely advantages. 

Marcy also explains what you can do to recognize and create the birth environment that is right for you. This involves being really mindful and deliberate with who should be there with you during the birth. As Marcy tells us, it isn’t always the most likely people.

We also talk about the difficulties that often arise when trying to be in more control of our pregnancies. Marcy shares some advice for talking with your practitioners to make sure that they are hearing your needs and wants and what to do if it’s time to find someone else.

Finally, Marcy shares some very important information to be aware of for the post-partum period. The support that new mothers need is great and recognizing this is crucial to the health and wellbeing of both parents and baby.

Have you had or considered having a birth at home? Let’s talk about it in the comments on the episode page!

• What exactly a midwife is and what they do
• How midwifery has evolved over the years
• The ways in which a woman can be supported emotionally during the birth process
• Why getting some sleep is often a great way to help in the labor
• How to create a birth environment that is ideal for you
• The reasons why a home birth may have to be transferred to a hospital
• What women should know about the afterbirth period

“A midwife is a medical advanced practice. We are clinicians.” [6:47]

“Giving birth is hard work. It’s sweaty and it’s emotional and it’s not necessarily candlelights and waterbirths.” [10:32]

“Intellect doesn’t have any place in labor. It’s primal. It’s physical. Getting your head out of the way is often the way to go. Sleep helps that.” [20:30] 

“We need to see the post-partum as a time where you do nothing. It’s enough work to just nurse your baby and sleep.” [48:01]

“It’s all about letting go. What are you doing at that point? You’re letting go of your baby. You can’t have tight muscles and release. It’s about release. It’s about softening.” [1:05:03]

Find Marcy Tardio Online

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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It’s well known that maintaining muscle mass is one of the most crucial things we can do as we age. It has been shown to be the number one factor in preventing injuries, regulating hormones, and increasing longevity overall. But here’s the thing, it isn’t necessary to go all out at the gym every day. Today’s guest is a leader in this movement of micro-dosing fitness.

Jacques Devore is the owner of Sirens & Titans Fitness in Los Angelas. He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Primal Health Coach, and is licensed as an expert USA Cycling Coach. In addition to training many elite athletes and being one of the fittest and strongest men I know of his age, Jacques holds the world record for the mile in the Versaclimber.

In today’s talk, Jacques uses his unique insight into the fitness industry to examine how it can better help us maintain health as we age. Instead of killing it at the gym, Jacques describes how he has maintained healthy muscle mass through short but regular workout routines.

Even though we all lead busy lives, everyone has a few minutes every day to work on their fitness. Jacques walks us through the ways we can carve out little bits of time here and there in order to meet our fitness goals, build muscle mass, and ultimately improve longevity.

What can you do for just ten minutes today to start adding micro-dosing fitness into your daily routine? Tell me in the comments on the episode page!

• How micro-dosing fitness at home can be a useful alternative to long sessions at the gym
• The importance of goal setting in your exercise routines
• The five principles behind maintaining healthy fitness that everyone can incorporate into their week
• How endurance athletes can prevent burnout by weightlifting just a few hours a week
• What a week of small doses of exercise looks like

“I started realizing that what I have done consistently is small doses of exercise, but I do it regularly.” [4:38]

“Injury becomes a greater risk as we get older. When you think about people who you know, you see their health deteriorate usually after an injury.” [22:23]

“What people don’t realize is the irony of fitness; the more fit you get, the more efficient you get, and the fewer calories you burn in the same hour of training.” [30:07]

“You have to believe that you can move the needle with small doses of exercise. If you don’t believe that then you won’t try it.” [52:33]

“If you’re your own coach, you have to call yourself on your BS. You have to really recognize that you can do this and you shouldn’t let someone tell you that you can’t.” [57:27]

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Bicycling Maximum Overload for Cyclists

The Death of the Perfect Set

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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For most of my adult life, I’ve been dealing with gallbladder issues. Last month it even landed me in the ER with severe pain under my right shoulder-blade. So today I’m talking about a number of the common root causes of pain that can hit you hard underneath the shoulder-blade.

First, I’m taking a deep look into common gallbladder problems and how these can lead to a number of complications that manifest as shoulder-blade pain. Poor posture and frequently stressed breathing are other big causes. There is good news though because you can address these potential problems yourself with a few mindful practices.

Another more serious cause of shoulder pain is a disc herniation in the cervical spine. Partially dislocated ribs are another common cause. Fortunately, you don’t have to live in pain forever. Once the biomechanical cause of the pain is known, there’s almost always something that can be done to help you live pain-free once again.

Have you experienced shoulder-blade pain? Were you able to figure out its route cause and address it? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page!

• What the gallbladder is and how it can cause shoulder-blade pain
• Why people pass gallstones and what the symptoms are
• When to seek medical help as a result of gallbladder issues
• How poor posture and stressed-out breathing can cause pain in the shoulder-blade and how to remedy it
• Herniations in the cervical spine and their effect on pain
• Partial dislocation of the ribs and how to avoid it

“The gallbladder is one of the potential causes of pain underneath the shoulder-blade. Especially on the right side.” [3:03]

“If you drink coffee there’s a lower risk of having gallstones. This is because caffeine enhances the gallbladder motility, inhibits gallbladder fluid absorption, and decreases the crystallization of cholesterol in the bile.” [9:33]

“So when we get tightness in that mid-back from stress, we can start to get mid-back pain or pain under the bottom tip of the shoulder-blade.” [12:49]

“A subluxated rib 99 percent of the time goes hand in hand with a breathing issue.”[17:10]

 5 Possible Causes of Pain Under Your Shoulder Blade Blog Post

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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