The Optimal Body

Wondering what the hype is around nasal breathing?  Brian Mackenzie is on for the second time to explain the science behind breath and how it can modulate panic, anxiety, and pain. Brian discusses how we can control our breathing to upregulate or downregulate the body, and the power in-breath, and how it can potentially take you off pharmaceuticals. In light of his Nosevember challenge, Brian dive...

Do you get cortisone injections for pain? Thinking about cortisone injections for pain relief? DocJen & Dr. Dom let the truths ring free about cortisone injections. They dive into how cortisone injections work, simply describing how it affects pain and inflammation. They break down cortisone injection categories and provide insight into how glucocorticoids metabolize in the body.  Moreover, they p...

Feeling a need to be inspired with confidence? Olympian, Samantha Peszek, shares her journey with confidence and self-talk through her Gymnastics Career. As a high-level and young athlete, specifically, the beam event in gymnastics presented several obstacles that Samantha had to overcome through confidence and the support of others around her. She dives into how one’s environment and parental sup...

Feeling pain around the outer hips? Been diagnosed with hip-related bursitis/ tendonitis/ tendinopathy? DocJen and Dr. Dom dive into current perspectives on inflammation-related diagnosis in the hips. With shifts in understanding towards tissue adaptations and tissue arrangement dysregulation, they explain the differences between the different diagnoses and what is happening when symptoms are elic...

Find eating healthy boring? Feeling like social experiences are compromised with healthy eating? We have Jennifer Peters, founder of Just Be Kitchen, on to expand your views on getting creative with healthy eating. From start to finish, Jennifer outlines her journey to how she opened up the JustBe restaurant, and where her passion came from. Through her story, she shares the changes she made to he...

Wanting to kick-start your movement journey, but don’t know where to start? Wondering if a 30-day challenge is for you? Wanting to create more sustainable and healthier habits? DocJen & Dr. Dom navigate the world of healthy movement habits, speaking into the upcoming Grateful For My Body challenge, starting November 1st. Firstly, they discuss what to consider when kickstarting your journey to crea...

We’re dropping the facts on Vaginal health with Dr. Janelle Howell. With an overarching emphasis on addressing the root cause, Dr. Janelle kicks off the podcast on the topic of normalizing the “tabooness” around the pelvic floor and vaginal health. Then, she debunks common myths about Vaginal Hygiene, highlighting the history and consequences of Lysol- use and toxic chemicals to clean the vagina....

Have you been diagnosed with Scoliosis? Do you fear your diagnosis? Believe that you can’t move a certain way due to your Scoliosis? DocJen & Dr. Dom are here to tell you that your image does not necessarily determine your pain or describe your function. As DocJen describes her journey with her diagnosis story, she shares her experience with attributing her pains and limitations to her scoliosis a...

Need more time with your doctor? Feel like you’re not being heard by your doctor? Frustrated with the lack of help you get in the traditional health care system? We have got Dr. Alec Weir, Dr. Dom’s functional medicine doctor on Steady MD, here to talk about how virtual medicine may be exactly what you need. With an underlying theme of availability, convenience, and connection, Dr. Alec shares wha...

Do you really have bad posture? What even is posture? DocJen and Dr. Dom break down the misconceptions around posture and unveil the truths around how posture is dynamic rather than a static hold. With an overarching emphasis on the act of moving frequently, they preach the message that the “best” posture is the next posture. Throughout the episode, they shift the narrative around addressing postu...

Do you practice yoga? Practice yoga and still have pain? Stretching out aches and pains? Mesmerized by all the yogic shapes? Hiro discusses his method of bridging science and anatomy with the spirituality of Yoga. Hiro paves the path of his journey from Ashtanga Yoga to his current Body Smart Yoga method. He shares his story with pain arising after years of the Ashtanga practice and how he changed...

Diagnosed with Arthritis? Worried about Arthritis?  DocJen & Dr. Dom hone in on stripping away the fear that is associated with the Arthritis diagnosis. They touch base with 7 different types of Arthritis, what is happening within the body respectively, and emphasize the importance of moving. They provide insight into how to continue to move within what is tolerable within your body and the import...

#womenarenotsmallmen Wondering how to optimize your nutrition & training as a female? Lost a period? Struggling to figure out nutrition and exercise around menopause? Dr. Stacy Sims dives deep into hormones, nutritional, and training considerations during the menstruating phase of life, perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause. Dr. Stacy explains Amenorrhea, nutritional considerations during a...

Is your pain caused by your misaligned kneecap? Wondering if it matters that your patella appears misaligned? Unsure if you have patella tracking? Let’s take a deep dive into patella (kneecap) tracking! Firstly, DocJen & Dr. Dom explains patellofemoral syndrome and how it may relate to patella tracking, providing insight into why physical therapists may focus on the appearance of structures as a g...

Is cupping worth the hype? Curious to learn about cupping? Dr. Chris Daprato walks us through the path of his journey to cupping and where his passion stemmed from. Soon after, he discusses his experience with cupping and why pairing movement with cupping changed the game for him. He deciphers the science behind cupping, addressing range of motion, blood circulation, and fascial lubrication. Then,...

Love to use a massage gun? Curious about the hype around them? Tune in to learn all about what the massage gun is and the mechanism behind its function put simply. Debunking myths, DocJen & Dr. Dom explain the role massage guns play in manipulating the fascia, breaking down adhered tissue, and range of motion. They describe how the pressure feedback massage guns provide affects the fascia through...

Is pain in the head? Finding pain flare up at random times? Curious about current perspectives on pain? “Pain is an experience and perception,” says Dr. Kyle, co-founder of Integrated Kinetic Neurology. Dr. Kyle unpacks the truths around pain and deciphers the mechanisms behind how the pain experience is elicited. With an emphasis on survival and protection, Dr. Kyle discusses 2 reasons why revisi...

Feeling continual ankle instability? Constantly getting ankle injuries? Overall weak ankles? You're not alone. DocJen & Dr. Dom present the literature and statistics on the prevalence of chronic instability and preditors of chronic instability. Furthermore, they explain the anatomy of the ankle and the different types of ankle sprains that can occur. They dive into how grades are determined, sympt...

Struggling to release food restrictions? Wanting to commit to a challenge to kickstart your journey, but feel like you can’t commit? Curious about simple nutritional guidelines to consider? Cara deciphers nutrition and provides insight into changing the focus around food restriction, yet appealing to the control food restrictors desire. After a dive into Cara’s passion, her motivations, education,...

Diagnosed with IT Band Syndrome? Feeling pain on the outside of the knee? Rolling out your IT band? DocJen & Dr. Dom describes the anatomy of the IT bands, the muscles that connect into, and why it is said to be a “friction injury.” They discuss whether or not foam rolling is beneficial, the mechanism behind foam rolling, and how to optimize its use. Then, they explain the potential causes of feel...

Feel like your chronic pain is never-ending? Completely ignoring your emotions? Wondering why you can’t quite let go of struggling past experiences? Dr. Liz Letchford, Athletic Trainer with a P.h. D in Kinesiology, uncovers the current perspectives on how trauma impacts pain and performance. Through a holistic health approach, Dr. Liz speaks to the importance of staying curious, honing in on how e...

Diagnosed with Piriformis Syndrome? Is it actually your Piriformis causing you pain? The victim, your piriformis that tends to get much of the blame, is not always the culprit. DocJen & Dr. Dom take a deep dive into the anatomy of the Piriformis, its function, and how it may be affected by the way it coordinates with or how the 7 other external rotator muscles may be affecting the surrounding nerv...

Struggling with mindset? Wondering how language affects mindset? Curious to dive deeper within yourself? Mike Aidala, a health and wellness expert, explores mindset in its whole capacity. With a look into his background, Mike shares his “addiction” to yoga and the mental space it provided him in helping him perform better with his lifting. He leads by example, setting the example of this dualism i...

Got an ACL Injury? Considering surgery? DocJen & Dr. Dom address it all in this PT Pearl. After describing the anatomy and function of the ACL, they explain the different degrees of the ACL injury and the tests that are used to diagnose an ACL injury. They name the signs and symptoms associated with an ACL injury and who is at higher risk. Then, they take a deep dive into surgery. Debunking the co...

Stuck in a cycle to lose weight to try and fit into a norm? Have doctors been weight-shaming you? Body Positivity. It is a hot topic. But, what does it really encompass? Dr. Lisa Folden sets us off on her journey with diet culture that started as early as 12 years old! She speaks about when her perspectives started shifting and how we can change the narrative behind diet labels in the next generat...