Thyroid Strong

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]

Find Jacques Devore online

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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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With so much focus these days on training harder no matter what, it can be a challenge convincing my clients to slow down and focus on what’s right for them rather than just going all out. However, if you have a goal to achieve, training smartly with a coach is the best way to do it!

With nearly all the StrongFirst SFG certifications to her name, Ericka Darst knows training. She’s a strength coach with her own studio in Minneapolis, as well as an online practice where she helps people personalize their training in a way that’s right for them. 

Ericka and I are in agreement that it’s so much better to mindfully train, not just exhaust ourselves into a puddle of aching muscles and sweat. We talk about the benefits of using a coach to help us define the best ways to train for the long-term while building strengths, supporting recovery, and avoiding injury.

Ericka also shares how she finds a balance between strength training and her other workouts. As a marathon runner, this hasn't been a straightforward task. Ericka describes how she and her own coach decide what she needs to focus on at any particular time in order to meet her various goals.

Have you used a coach to help you meet a specific goal? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page!

• Why it’s important to be mindful and intentional in all aspects of strength training
• When and how it’s best to progress from kettlebells to barbells
• How using a private coach will help you reach your goals within a specific program
• Finding a balance between strength training and your other workout regimes
• Advice for pregnant and post-partum women as they strength train

“For me, training smarter just means training with intention. Knowing what you’re doing and why being mindful of your movement.” [3:44]

“Working with a coach has to be reciprocal. The coach can’t put in more energy than the student.” [13:09]

“That’s how training should be. You want to be thinking about how you’re moving and what kind of demands you’re putting on your body, not just about chasing the clock and getting it over with.” [17:21]

“It really boils down to what you’re used to and knowing your body well enough to understand how it will perform and also what you’re working towards.” [26:43]

Find Ericka Darst online

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StrongFirst

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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It’s almost impossible to completely escape the toxins in our environment that make us sick. But there are ways to limit their impact and detoxify your body. The truth is, it’s not as complicated to detoxify as many might think. You just need the right knowledge and the commitment to make it happen.

Bridgit Danner has been a licensed acupuncturist since 2004 and a certified Functional Diagnostic Nutrition practitioner since 2015. After spending many years constantly sick from toxic mold, Bridgit has dedicated herself to educating people about toxins and coaches women on how to detoxify through a functional approach.

Today Bridgit shares what she has learned about detoxifying your environment for a healthier life. She tells us what we need to avoid and what to seek out to stay healthy. This is great advice for anyone, and Bridgit also shares some solid tips specifically for high-level athletes.

Bridgit tells us what some common warning signs are for anyone who is not detoxifying well. She even shares what she’s learned about the dangers of many household products as well as safer alternatives to seek out.

Have you taken steps to reduce the toxins around you? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page!

In this episode

• The source of the most common toxins that we should avoid
• How to best nourish your body in order to detoxify
• Daily habits to help your body better flush out toxins
• What binders are and how they are an essential part of detoxification
• How detoxing can be especially helpful for athletes
• How products that we encounter everyday produce toxins that can affect our health
• Bridgit’s favorite supplements to help with detoxifying

Quotes

“Artificial fragrance is a cocktail of chemicals and it always includes an endocrine disruptor called phthalates. It’s just ever-present in a lot of things.” [4:46]

“If you’re educated and trying to do the right thing and some symptom isn’t going away, either it’s some kind of toxin or infection in your body you’re not aware of partnering with chronic stress that is just making a perfect storm.” [19:13]

“When you have mold you’re going to end up with leaky gut, they go hand in hand.” [31:05]

“If you have any suspicion that there could be something in your home or office affecting your body, please look into it because these things are quiet but they can be very serious.” [36:06]

Links

Find Bridgit Danner online

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How to Use Binders Part 1

How to Use Binders Part 2

Hormone Detox Shop -- coupon code for 15% off your first order: NEW15 

10 Best Supplements to Detox from Mold Exposure

5 Detox Swaps

Hormone Detox Tribe

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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Hypothyroidism Type 2 by Mark Starr, MD(H)

A lot of people talk about fascia in a lot of different disciplines. It is a crucial part of how we move and feel in our bodies, but few actually examine it from a medical point of view. However, more and more research is taking place into how our fascia works and how to best treat it to heal after an injury and reduce pain.

Dr. Antonio Stecco is an expert in the study of fascia and fascial manipulation. His organization, Fascial Manipulation®, operates all over the world and is conducting groundbreaking research and treating patients in all things fascia related.

Today, Dr. Stecco explains just what fascia is and how it’s crucially important from a medical perspective. He tells us how fascia is related to many types of pain that can often be hard to diagnose correctly. Dr. Stecco also goes over what he’s learned from recent research about the role of fascia and how to heal it after an injury.

Have you received fascial treatment or therapy? Leave a comment on the episode page!

• What fascia is and how it affects all your movement
• The relationship between fascia and pain and why many types of medical imaging can’t detect it
• What the latest research is saying about how fascia and muscle fibers interact
• How fascia limits range of motion when it becomes rigid and how to recover from this
• Just how incredibly flexible and strong fascia can be 
• Techniques for fascial manipulation and their desired outcomes
• What the future holds in store for fascial research and treatment

“Since we know that fascia is so well integrated, we understand that it can be a clear pain generator.” [4:16]

“The area of the symptom is not the origin of the problem. It is just the area where the poor biomechanics manifests. [13:05]

“The body is able to heal a small tear if the joint works in a proper way. If it’s not working in the proper way, it will never heal. So we want to restore biomechanics.” [33:15]

Find Dr. Antonio Stecco online

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Fascial Manipulation (FM) App

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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Hypothyroidism Type 2 by Mark Starr, MD(H)

From keto to nootropics to paleo and so much more, it’s overwhelming just trying to figure out how to build the best diet for yourself. The fact of the matter is that no single diet will solve all your problems. For most of us, a well-rounded and informed approach is key. That’s why I’ve brought someone onto this podcast who is an expert in helping people find the approach that works best for them.

Ashleigh Vanhouten is an author, coach, speaker, interviewer of badass women, and the host of two podcasts. Ever since she was young, Ashleigh has been driven by her natural sense of curiosity to learn as much as possible about fitness. She works with Paleo Magazine, where she develops features about people and companies doing incredible things in health and wellness, as well as nutrition research articles, product reviews, and more. Her mission is to support others on their own journey towards creating their own optimal, primally-aligned lifestyle.

Ashleigh and I cover a number of great topics today. We discuss what it means to be metabolically flexible and how it can help people lead well-rounded and healthy lifestyles. Ashleigh tells us why a good diet doesn’t have to be complicated but should revolve around simply eating well. We also talk about effective training regimens and why this is different from simply working out.

We also cover why strength-training is so very crucial to long-lasting health. Many people can be intimidated by this, but Ashleigh goes over how she approaches the subject with those who are feeling hesitant to start using the heavier weights. We even cover how to maintain your sense of identity among all the images and ideas of what strength-training is “supposed” to look like. 

How do you find balance in how you train and diet with your everyday lifestyle? Leave a comment on the episode page!

• Harnessing your innate curiosity to discover where your passions lie
• What it means to be metabolically flexible and how you can achieve it
• The difference between training and exercising and why the distinction matters
• Why you can’t properly train through low-impact exercises alone
• Why strength-training and femininity are not mutually exclusive concepts
• Determining a measure of success that is personally meaningful

“You don’t want to be so reliant on whatever your diet methodology is that you fall apart if you don’t have it.” [9:20]

“It is absolutely healthy to have a goal. You need to pick a healthy goal and do it in a healthy way, but always having something on the horizon is a healthy way for your brain to work because we’re goal-oriented creatures.” [18:40]

“Every new skill is scary until you know how to do it.” [26:50]

“There are no shortcuts, there really are not. We love to think that there are. We love to think that the nootropics and the keto fast and all this stuff is going to sort us out quicker, but it’s just about understanding yourself and doing the hard work and it takes time.” [40:36]

Find Ashleigh Vanhouten online

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Society Nine

EverybodyFights

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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Hypothyroidism Type 2 by Mark Starr, MD(H)

Rehab that involves tendons can be slow and frustrating. It may seem painful and like little progress is ever being made. The truth is, there’s a lot we still don’t fully understand about tendons. That’s why I’m talking today to one of the foremost experts in tendon pathology to try to make more sense of exactly how these important parts of our bodies function and heal.

Jill Cook, Ph.D., is a physiotherapist, musculoskeletal researcher, and professor. Her main interests are in connective tissue function, injury, and healing with a specific focus on the risk factors for tendon injury and the tendon in growth and development. She is currently working in the Musculoskeletal Research Centre at La Trobe University and at the Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition Research at Deakin University.

Today, Jill is explaining just what our tendons are, how they work, and how to heal them after an injury. Jill tells us how our tendons are the “springs” of our bodies that allow us to move in so many important ways. You’re going to walk away from this episode with a new appreciation for your tendons, how to prevent injuries, and how to help heal old ones.

Have you gone through rehab for a tendon injury? Tell me how it went in the comments on the episode page!

• How to diagnose issues with your tendons and common myths to ignore
• Why medical imaging is not useful for diagnosing problems with your tendons
• Some of the common causes of tendon breakdown to be aware of other than biomechanics
• Why cortisone and stem-cell injections won’t solve your tendon problems
• The reasons why loading programs are the most effective way to strengthen and heal tendons
• How to help people heal the psychological wounds from a tendon injury

“You can have profound tendon pathology and never have a symptom. So you can’t look at a picture of someone who has tendon pain and say that’s the source of the symptoms. It might be, but it might not be.” [7:15]

“There isn't a quick fix for tendons. People want something that’s latest, greatest, expensive; they’re not always the answer for tendons. The answer is unless you have the capacity in your tendon, muscle, kinetic chain and brain, then you’re going to have tendon pain.” [16:25]

“It doesn’t matter what you inject into the tendon, you’re not going to change the structure back to normal. Nothing will change tendon structure back to normal.”  [17:31]

Follow Jill Cook on Twitter

Episode 24 with Brett Winchester

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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Hypothyroidism Type 2 by Mark Starr, MD(H)

We are all goal setters. But setting goals is easy. Making the sacrifices and doing the work necessary to achieve them is hard. Without the right mindset, you’re going nowhere. But how can you keep your goals centered in your priorities when it seems so difficult, unclear, or overwhelming? My guest on this episode has dedicated his life to helping people answer those questions.

Dr. Jeff Spencer, often called part doctor, part guru, part medicine man, made a promise to himself when he was eleven years old to become an Olympic athlete. Since then, he’s been setting and completing similar goals for himself and helping others, like Tiger Woods and Lance Armstrong, to do the same. 

In our chat today, Jeff shares the qualities he feels are necessary to motivate us to set and accomplish big personal challenges. Jeff explains how this is all part of the bigger picture of creating a life of value that allows us to give back to others. As he tells us, it’s not an easy process, but nothing worth having ever comes easy. To help break it all down, Jeff lays out the fundamentals of his Goal Achievement Roadmap that is aimed at helping anyone see their goals through to fruition. 

What’s standing in the way of achieving your goals? What can you change today to make them a reality? Leave a comment on the episode page!

• Creating a mindset that encourages and supports you in the great accomplishments you set out to achieve
• The power of your achievements to motivate and inspire others
• The greatest myth that keeps people from achieving their goals
• Important steps in preparation that can’t be ignored if you’re going to succeed at anything
• Training your mindset to operate from a place of courage, not fear
• Recognizing the champion’s mindset in others and learning from their example
• Why it’s important to put yourself in uncomfortable situations if you’re going to move forward

“It’s always been about honoring the opportunity to express the talents that we’re all gifted with and I feel like we’re all honor-bound to do that. That’s why we’re here on this earth.”  [4:46]

“Your performance is solely dictated by your preparation.” [11:54]

“When we put ourselves in the presence of people who have done things we aspire to, it helps us get over our self-consciousness about what we feel about ourselves and how we may appear to them.” [29:13]

“In your worst moment, you may not believe it, but that’s your best opportunity because you will be forced to look at things in a different way and your best work will manifest.” [34:06]

“To learn to achieve your goals is life’s fundamental skill. And then when we get on the ladder, then we can climb the ladder to whichever level we aspire to.”  [42:45]

The Goal Achievement Roadmap

Find Dr. Jeff Spencer online

Follow Jeff on Twitter | Facebook

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Urban Wellness Clinic

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Hypothyroidism Type 2 by Mark Starr, MD(H)