Thyroid Strong

Developments in functional medicine are increasingly showing us the importance of diet in supporting your health, and even in combating chronic illness. These discoveries are game changers when it comes to treating these diseases and they’re providing hope and relief for many who had previously thought there was none.

Dr. Terry Wahls is a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. In addition, she conducts clinical research and has published over 60 peer-reviewed scientific abstracts, posters, and papers. Besides being a doctor, Dr. Wahls has added insight into her profession as a patient with multiple sclerosis. After discovering the benefits of functional medicine in reducing the painful symptoms of her disease, Dr. Wahls has reclaimed control of her life and continues to study and write about the role that nutrition and lifestyle interventions can play in treating MS.

In this interview, Dr. Wahls shares her amazing story of transformation after her MS diagnosis and how her recovery shattered many of her previous beliefs about medicine. She explains the protocol that she came up with to help other patients with MS regain control of their health through diet and exercise. As the research continues, more and more is being discovered about the role that functional medicine can play in helping people with chronic degenerative diseases and Dr. Wahls shares some of her groundbreaking discoveries with us today.

Have you or someone you know drastically changed their diet to manage symptoms after a diagnosis? Tell me how it went in the comments on the episode page!

• Dr. Wahls’ story of redesigning her life after a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis
• Mitochondria’s function in maintaining the overall health of your organs and how to support its health through diet
• How air travel negatively affects your health by exposing you to more toxins
• The transformations and healing that have been seen with the Wahls Protocol
• When to start taking better care of our mitochondria
• The most important supplements you can take to support your mitochondria

“I had to combine the principles of ancestral health and functional medicine and what I was learning based on my own reviews of the basic science of MS to create this very intentional and intense therapeutic diet and lifestyle program.” [8:18]

“The organs that are most dependant on mitochondria are the ones with the highest energy needs -- so your retina, your heart, and your brain... It’s those three organs where the mitochondrial dysfunction will first show up.”  [16:07]

“We had one lady who came to us using a cane for short distances and a walker for long distances. She was jogging by six months!” [21:46]

“We can’t be successful if we have ill mitochondria.” [32:09]

Find Dr. Terry Wahls online

Follow Dr. Wahls on Facebook | Pinterest | Twitter | YouTube

The Wahls Protocol by Terry Wahls, M.D.

Watch Terry Wahls’ Ted Talk

Get the Wahls Protocol Diet Handout

Read Dr. Wahls’ work here

The Women Cards

Check out the full show notes for this episode here

Urban Wellness Clinic

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Most of us don’t get enough light in our daily lives. Sitting under fluorescent lights and in front of computer screens don’t count. What more and more studies are showing is that exposure to natural light leads to numerous health benefits. But how can you get more of this healing light in your life?

Justin Stahan is a co-founder and creator of the JOOVV, a truly incredible light therapy and the first of its kind on the market. Justin has poured his engineering expertise into the development of this product to create something with a truly wide range of health benefits. These systems are gaining popularity in people’s homes as well as with chiropractors, practitioners, and in all sorts of wellness centers.

In this interview, Justin explains what you want to look for in a light therapy, also called photobiomodulation. He also sheds light on what is happening at the cellular level when exposed to photobiomodulation and how it can benefit your tired muscles as well as its other potential health benefits.

Have you used photobiomodulation as part of your therapy? Tell me all about it in the comments on the episode page!

In this episode:

• Why size matters when it comes to light therapy
• What light therapy does at the cellular level and how it can help your muscles recover
• How light therapy has been shown to support thyroid health
• Battling seasonal affective disorder with infrared light
• Light’s role in regulating hormones to improve your quality of sleep
• The difference between light therapy and sauna therapy
• Infrared light’s ability to help heal the eyes

Quotes:

“The dosage that has been shown to be productive for a wide range of health benefits is a significant amount, particularly for deeper tissue benefits such as muscle aches and pains, helping with recovery, joint pain, and things of that nature.” [5:47]

“Thinking about light, it’s essentially nutrition for your cells. Just like you wouldn’t go weeks without eating or drinking anything, you shouldn’t go weeks without getting a significant amount of  natural light.” [10:46]

“Once people try it, they feel a difference. They may not have an interest to dig into the science, but most people who try it and give it a shot, they really can notice a difference, especially those individuals who are really in tune with their body.” [26:13]

Links:

Find JOOVV online

Follow JOOVV on Facebook | Instagram

Check out the full show notes for this episode here

Urban Wellness Clinic

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Do you feel like one side of your body is stronger or weaker than the other? Perhaps some muscles are overcompensating for this and maybe it’s even affecting your breathing. This isn’t uncommon. In fact, it’s quite normal and there are systems out there to help address this.

Mike Cantrell is an instructor for the Postural Restoration Institute (PRI) where he helps all sorts of people gain stability and strength in their bodies. He has a Master’s degree in Physical Therapy from Emory University School of Medicine and uses his expertise in PRI as well as his sense of humor to break down difficult concepts of human kinetics for anyone to understand.

In this interview, Mike introduces us to the PRI system. This involves recognizing that our bodies are naturally asymmetrical. This impacts everything from the way we breathe to how we perceive our environment. Once we have this knowledge we can start to purposefully breathe, move, and exercise in ways that support both sides of our bodies. Throughout this really fun conversation, Mike shares his unique perspective on many topics concerning our asymmetrical anatomy that will help anyone become more knowledgeable and comfortable in their body.

Have you noticed an asymmetry in your body affecting your movements? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page!

In this episode:

• The natural asymmetry of the human body and why it’s important to understand it
• The asymmetry of the brain and why this matters
• The importance of fully exhaling and why so few of us truly do so
• Your hamstrings as some of the most important yet neglected muscles you have
• The integrative breath-centered PRI approach to dealing with hypermobility and ligamentous laxity
• How asymmetry plays out in the bodies of high-performance athletes and how to use this knowledge to keep them healthy
• PRI activities that you can safely try at home

Quotes:

“PRI is simply an institute that is crystalizing an understanding about human asymmetry. That’s the job and the role of the Postural Restoration Institute, to synthesize and collect research and data on the fact that humans are asymmetrical and that it matters.” [8:56]

“What I would love to see people do is fully exhale before they decide to inhale, or fully load right before they decide to fully load left. Then we can learn ‘em how to fully load left and teach them how to go back to the right. That’s called pendular alternating lateralization.” [15:12]

“The more confident you are about the science about what you’re saying, the more reliant that patient will be upon your instruction -- and then the better off you are at prescribing whatever it is you want to do.” [29:47]

Links:

Find Mike Cantrell online

Follow Mike on Instagram | Twitter

Postural Restoration Institute

American Academy of Physiological Medicine and Dentistry

Check out the full show notes for this episode here

Urban Wellness Clinic

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Think you know what yoga has to offer? Well, it can go far beyond what you’d get out of a typical class when used as therapy. Even more, when applied incorrectly, yoga can cause more harm than good. But with thousands of yoga classes available all the time, how can you find the right practice for you?

Jory Serota has been in love with yoga for over 20 years. As the founder of Applied Yoga Integration, Jory has established the link between yoga, physical therapy, and personal training. By combining his in-depth knowledge of yoga and with neurokinetic therapy, Jory takes a novel yet comprehensive approach to healing people’s bodies. Additionally, he has trained thousands of yoga teachers and bodyworkers and has become an influential figure in shifting the movement and therapy paradigm.

In this interview, Jory sheds light on the many therapeutic roles of practicing yoga. Breaking down common misconceptions that can lead to injury and explaining just how yoga can make us all feel better in our bodies, Jory unpacks just what it means to make yoga part of your regular therapeutic practice. This involves practicing smartly so that you can maintain strength for the long-term while avoiding injuries.

Do you use yoga in a therapeutic way? Tell us how it’s going in the comments on the episode page!

In this episode:

• Why it’s important to practice yoga properly to avoid injury
• Yoga’s role in developing a fuller awareness of your body
• How yoga has changed as it has become more popular
• The link between yoga, strength, and longevity
• Understanding the role of proper motor-control in a therapeutic setting
• Creating stability and balance by focusing on the wellbeing of the joints

Quotes:

“Therapy is so involved. It’s so important for us to do the tissue work, and it’s so important for us to actually give people that kind of attention. It’s also really important for us to teach people how to move better.” [1:38]

“That’s where the yoga therapy really comes in because it has potential to give people an experience of their bodies and an awareness of different aspects and parts of their bodies that they have not been able to get anywhere else.” [7:12]

“Depending on what a person’s muscular-skeletal system is, and depending on what kind of pain or injury that they have, there is a likelihood that some of the poses in a yoga class are not going to be beneficial.” [8:12]

“Our pain, physical pain, predominantly comes from our joints. If our joints are not mobile and not functioning well, then the surrounding muscle tissue is going to compensate. We’re going to develop faulty movement patterns - we’re going to walk funny, we’re going to stand funny.” [27:59]

Links:

Find Jory Serota online

Follow Jory on Facebook | Instagram | YouTube

Applied Yoga Mobility Certification Course

Neurokinetic Therapy

Check out the full show notes for this episode here

Urban Wellness Clinic

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We’ve all got stress in our lives. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but if left unchecked stress can lead to a host of health problems. Luckily, meditation can serve as a counterbalance to match the stress we experience.

Emily Fletcher has been busy rebranding meditation as the performance and productivity tool that it can be. She is the founder of Ziva, the creator of The Ziva Technique, and regarded as a leading expert in meditation for high performance. Emily also just published her first book, Stress Less, Accomplish More which is already a bestseller.

In this interview, Emily breaks down the many aspects of stress in our daily lives. Stress can cause inflammation, which we know is the cause of many chronic diseases. After explaining the damage that stress can do, Emily describes just how you can use meditation to get your body’s chemistry re-balanced. Throughout this conversation, Emily deconstructs the common excuses that people make for not meditating and shares just how easy it can be for you.

Is mediation part of your wellness routine? How has it helped? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!

In this episode:

• The ways that stress can present physically in your body
• The healing properties of the type of rest that comes with meditating
• The difference between stress and demands and why you should know what sets them apart
• The difference between mindfulness and meditation and how they are related
• How meditation can help heal old wounds from your past
• How to get beyond the “I’m just too busy” excuse and start meditating

Quotes:

“You really can be fully present and firing on all cylinders with access to your creative energy and critical mind simultaneously if you invest the time to manage your stress so that your stress is not managing you.” [3:29]

“When we get stressed, we become acidic, and when the body becomes acidic it leads to inflammation, and inflammation is the basis for all chronic disease.” [5:19]

“It’s almost like mindfulness is a byproduct of meditation because as you meditate and you get rid of the stress from your past and get rid of the stress in your nervous system, then you become more mindful, you become more present and it’s easier to take that pause in between stimulus and reaction.” [15:06]

“We don’t meditate to get good at meditation. We meditate to get good at life.” [32:56]

Links:

Find Ziva Meditation online

Follow Ziva on Instagram | YouTube

Stress Less, Accomplish More by Emily Fletcher

Inner Worlds, Outer Worlds

The Hidden Messages in Water by Masaru Emoto

Emily’s interview on the Impact Theory podcast

zivaONLINE

Ziva Tribe on Facebook

Check out the full show notes for this episode here

Urban Wellness Clinic

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On the Muscle Medicine Podcast, we usually talk about how to rehab, train, and feed the muscle. You may have noticed a connection between these topics and how we hold ourselves when we are interacting with others. Body Language is really just another aspect of muscle memory and training, the implications of which have profound effects on how we communicate with others.

Blake Eastman is the owner and founder at The Nonverbal Group, a behavioral research group in New York City. He is an expert at reading body language, a skill that helps him immensely when sitting at the poker table but also makes him an indispensable resource for understanding how we physically impact the way we communicate with other people.

Understanding how you present yourself to others, often unconsciously, through body language goes a far way in building and maintaining important interpersonal and professional relationships. Throughout this interview, Blake shares some ways that others may see you based on small things that you may not even realize you’re doing. Blake also provides some great tips to get your communication game back on track.

Have you noticed a connection between your body language and how you communicate? Tell us about it in the comments on the episode page!

In this episode:

• How understanding body language and patterns of behavior affect how others see you
• How someone’s physical posturing affects how they interact with a team
• Actionable tips you can start taking if you don’t think that you’re a good communicator
• The limitations of personality inventories and why labels are misleading
• What makes a smile genuine
• How body language differs among elite athletes and other high performers
• Harnessing your body language to create a good and effective style of leadership

Quotes:

“When you talk to someone, you’re viewing that person’s behavior through your own lens, through your own filters, through society. When I look at people, I try to take an evaluative approach where I’m looking at them how like ten people would approach it.” [5:40]

“We don’t understand the why behind why people are behaving the way they are. We see someone walking down the street and they look weird, we just process it as weird, dangerous or not dangerous. But the reality is, if sometimes you give the people the ‘why’ of why they’re behaving a certain way, it makes much more sense.” [7:06]

“We go to the gym to work out. We work on our health, we work on all these aspects of our life. But people don’t really work on their communication. It’s not something you diligently look at and a lot of problems in life and a lot of issues are stemming from that.” [18:07]

“Like anything else, it takes work to look why you are the way that you are and then to re-engineer it in the way that makes the most sense for what you need to do. But the cool thing is you have 100% control of this.” [21:05]

“There’s different styles of leadership that demand certain styles of communication. Some work, some don’t work. Some work but everybody hates you, but your company’s doing really well. Some everybody loves you, but his company’s not doing so well. Some you’re not taken seriously, some you are. It’s a spectrum of how you’re actually interacting with people and it’s all about what you choose.” [40:07]

Links:

The Nonverbal Group

Follow Blake Eastman on Linkedin | Instagram | Twitter

Landmark Forums

Tony Robbins

Check out the full show notes for this episode here

Urban Wellness Clinic

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There are many reasons beyond birth control that many women start taking the pill. However, there are also countless side-effects that doctors often don’t warn us about. Things can get even more complicated once you decide to stop taking hormonal birth control. Dr. Jolene Brighten has made it her mission to study this relationship between birth control and your body so that women can take better control of their health.

Dr. Brighten is a functional medicine and naturopathic medical doctor and the founder of Rubis Health, a clinic specializing in women’s hormones. She is recognized as a leading expert in post-birth control syndrome and the long term effects of hormonal contraceptives and explains it all in her incredibly informative book, Beyond the Pill.

If you’re currently taking birth control or feeling the results of recently stopping, you’ll want to hear this interview as Dr. Brighten shares some fascinating insight into what is going on in your body. Dr. Brighten tears apart commonly accepted but little questioned notions about what birth control does throughout your body. She also breaks down just what can happen in your body when you stop taking the pill.

Were you aware of the many links between hormonal birth control and the many different aspects of your health? Have you recently stopped taking the pill and noticed a difference in your well-being? Tell us about it in the comments on the episode page!

In this episode:

• The seldom acknowledged link between birth control and your metabolism
• The consequences of doctors dismissing the symptoms of women
• How birth-control impacts your ability to build muscle mass
• Hormonal birth control’s role in causing inflammation
• Ways to get off birth control without experiencing too many harsh side-effects
• What seed-cycling is and how you can use it for a better hormonal balance
• How knowledge of your hormonal cycle can be used to help you work out better

Quotes:

“While it is your right to use birth control to control your symptoms, it is also your right to understand that there can be consequences related to that.” [4:03]

“While hormonal birth control was designed to impact the reproductive system alone, your body doesn't work that way. Your hormones impact every system in your body.” [15:47]

“If your period comes and it differs from what you’ve been following, follow your body’s wisdom, don’t try to strongarm it….Whatever moon-cycle you are with has more to do with the purpose you are serving in this life and the work that you are currently engaged in.” [29:47]

“In this day and age, [the pill] gets passed out like candy, but with the research, we have now, nobody passes out candy like that anymore. So it’s passed out more than candy.” [38:46]

“I’m all for giving women access and the ability to control their reproductive health, but let’s also give them access to the ability to have insight and knowledge about their body to stay safe.” [40:06]

Links:

Find Dr. Jolene Brighten online

Follow Dr. Brighten on Instagram | Facebook | Pinterest | YouTube

Beyond the Pill by Dr. Jolene Brighten

Check out the full show notes for this episode here

Urban Wellness Clinic

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For women, the idea of strength training is full of misconceptions. Many avoid it for all the wrong reasons. But, as you’re about to hear, training right is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy for the long-term.

Today I’m joined by two of my favorite trainers, Melissa Paris, and Lacee Lazoff. They are both StrongFirst certified instructors based in NYC. They take a holistic view of strength in which mind and body are inseparable elements. These two amazing trainers practice what they preach. They train regularly (and I mean almost every day) with the same programs and equipment that they work with their clients.

Today we’re talking all about what it means for women to strength train. Specifically, we talk about building and maintaining strength is part of caring for the whole person - body, mind, and soul. As Melissa and Lacee explain, strength training is an essential part of staying healthy for the long-term that can’t be ignored.

Throughout this interview, Melissa and Lacee share so many reasons why it’s crucial to train smarter and not harder. They break down the importance of forming good habits and not being taken in by the current fads in exercise. You’ll hear how to make training part of your regular practice along with effective self-care so that you’ll stay fit and healthy for life.

How do you incorporate self-care into your training? Tell me about it in the comments on the episode page!

In this episode:

• How strength training can only really happen when the whole person is being cared for and addressed
• The many reasons why every woman should strength train as part of a program
• Why consistency is one of the most important parts of training and how to make it a part of your practice
• Why performing better reps are so much better and healthier than simply doing more reps
• Effective kettlebell alternatives to popular but less effective exercises
• Shifting perspectives away from focusing mostly on aesthetics towards focusing on overall health
• How and why to incorporate self-care into your daily practices

Quotes:

“I don’t think that people can make real strides in developing their physical strength until they really have a hold on their goals, who they are, and consistency in their habits. All those things go hand-in-hand.” [1:55]

“I think a lot of women when they’re in their 20s and 30s need to start looking at it like, I need to take care of myself in a way that the magazines aren’t telling me to do because they’re only focused on aesthetics.” [11:52]

“It’s not easy, but it [looks easy] because we’re conscious of our movement now and we’re conscious of our programs. And it just comes with being a professional at it and doing it every day.” [28:18]

“When you don’t sleep enough, your cortisol level rises. So it’s really hard to lose weight or to maintain any lean muscle mass that you have if you’re not sleeping properly.”  [43:42]

Links:

Find Melissa Paris online

Follow Melissa on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Find Lacee Lazoff online

Follow Lacee on Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

NEOU Fitness Hub

The Joe Rogan Experience

Broken Brain Podcast

Check out the full show notes for this episode here

Urban Wellness Clinic

Follow Emily & Urban Wellness on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

We all feel stressed sometimes. For some of us, it may feel like we’re stressed-out all the time. Stress can certainly feel like a constant weight on your shoulders with no reprieve. However, in the right circumstances, it can be used as a tool for success! Today's guest Dr. Heidi Hanna’s specialty is stress and she will show us how we can learn to fall in love with it and use it to help and not hinder us.

She is an integrative neuroscience researcher and the executive director of the American Institute of Stress. Dr. Hanna has trained thousands of people in practical ways to incorporate nutrition, exercise, and positive psychology strategies to improve their health, productivity, and performance. As such, she’s working hard to understand the role of chronic stress on the brain and on our overall health.

Dr. Hanna discusses how to learn to master stress as opposed to simply managing it. Stress can actually be a helpful tool for creating positive change. She tells us the difference between acute and chronic stress and the ways they affect our whole body and mind. Breaking down just how stress plays around with your brain chemistry, Dr. Hanna sheds a lot of light on this important topic. Throughout this interview, you’ll hear Dr. Hanna’s techniques to getting a better handle on the stress we all inevitably encounter.

Have you taken steps to become the master of your own stress? What helped and what didn’t? Leave a comment on the episode page!

In this episode:

• The many ways that chronic stress affects your brain and your body
• How to recognize the common symptoms of stress
• What’s going on in the different parts of our brains when we are under stress
• How we can shift our thinking away from being purely reactive to stress and towards mindful responses through physical activity and sensory stimulation
• The role that technology can play in helping us master our stress and its limitations
• How to know if your stress is having a positive or negative impact
• Tips for teaching your child about stress

Quotes:

“Stress is really just a challenge, it’s a stimulus for growth, it’s something that we need. But there’s a big difference between that intentional acute short-term stress and what most of us deal with every day -- the nagging, chronic, ‘I just don’t have enough time’ kind of stress.” [2:37]

“It’s just like training our physical body -- we want our muscles to work well to help us do what we want to do. So it’s important with the brain to do the same, to really intentionally train what we want and to be careful that we’re not accidentally training what we don’t want.” [13:39]

“I think it’s important to really understand what your makeup is, what your intentions are, how do you want to show up. Then you can intentionally use that high energy activation stress and adrenaline as something positive to fuel performance as long as you build-in adequate recovery.” [21:31]

“When we do feel stress or overwhelmed, or whatever is going on, I think it’s really important to lean into that and see that it’s an opportunity for us to learn and make an adjustment.” [31:00]

Links:

Find Dr. Heidi Hanna online

Follow Dr. Hanna on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube

American Institute of Stress

HeartMath

Watch Dr. Hanna’s TedX talk

Take the Stress 360 survey

Check out the full show notes for this episode here

Urban Wellness Clinic

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Perhaps you’ve had to stop performing a particular movement as the result of an injury. Whether it’s squats or lifts or something else, there is a way to get it back with the right guidance. This can often be confusing as there’s a lot of conflicting information when it comes to strength training at any level. Today’s guest, Chris Duffin, is a pro at helping all sorts of people overcome what’s holding them back in their training by focusing on clean and natural movements as part of building strength.

Chris, the “Mad Scientist of Strength”, is an expert in dynamic neuromuscular stabilization and the effects of the intra-abdominal brace. Chris co-owns the Kabuki Strength Lab in Portland, Oregon and is the CEO and Co-Founder of Kabuki Strength Equipment which provides innovative equipment and methodologies to the S&C field. As a coach and strength trainer, Chris has the remarkable ability to show how techniques and skills that all of us should know work at the highest level of performance.

In this interview, Chris discusses his approach to skill development in strength training. His approach starts with the spine and understanding proper bracing. He also shares his insight into the importance of your feet and how you stand and root yourself. Chris sheds light on the importance of stress in developing skills and strength. Throughout our chat, Chris shares his expert advice on how to train and develop skills efficiently and effectively so that you’ll experience improvements without injury.

Have you had injuries that held you back? What tools or programs did you use to help you overcome? Let me know in the comments on the episode page!

In this episode:

• How DNS and understanding the diaphragm can impact your personal performance
• Why it’s important to understand your feet to get to the root of pain issues elsewhere in your body
• The crucial role of stress as a catalyst for change when developing skills and strength
• Why everybody on earth needs to know how to deadlift
• Understanding the mechanics of squats so that you can do them safely and effectively
• How to properly use a weight belt while avoiding common mistakes

Quotes:

“You can actually see the breakdown easier during basic core-loaded movements than in some sort of corrective-type position.” [5:27]

“We as human beings adapt to stress. Stressors come at us and this is how we live and grow. This is not strength training, this is life. This is emotional well-being, spiritual well-being, becoming mentally stronger. All this comes down to managing those stressors.” [14:26]

“We can actually change our engagement patterns, we can change our biomechanics, we can change things and finetune it just for the specific lifter.” [38:35]

Links:

Find Chris Duffin online

Follow Chris on Linkedin | Instagram

Kabuki Strength

Watch Chris’ 1002 x 2 Deadlift

Kabuki Movement Systems

The Duffalo Bar

Check out the full show notes for this episode here

Urban Wellness Clinic

Follow Emily & Urban Wellness on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube