Optimal Health Uncovered

Sarah Gleeson, PTA, used to be a figure skater. She moved on to coaching, and found a home working for the Special Olympics chapter in Connecticut. Fast forward to a few years later, Sarah ended up in the realm of physical therapy — but she hasn't left the Special Olympics community behind. The Special Olympics world is thriving, yet not many know it exists. It provides healthcare, exercise p...

The ability to meditate does not often come naturally to many. You may get bored after a few minutes and find your mind wandering, or think meditating does nothing for you. But with practice and consistency, you can find yourself on a path to mindfulness that helps you destress. Don't know where to start? Try a meditation app! Listen to Ashley Moriarty, DPT, discuss her own journey with medit...

90% of the nation's $3.8 trillion in annual health care costs is for people with chronic conditions, and those numbers are only going to go up. Yet these increases are preventable: if we prevent the chronic illnesses, we can prevent an exponential increase in healthcare costs. By focusing on our diet, exercising and maintaining healthy habits, we can make a difference in our futures, ensuring...

The keto diet consists mostly of eating fats, aiming to put the person into a state of ketosis, during which the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. What seems like an easy way to lose weight can actually be a dangerous diet if done without supervision. From experiencing the keto flu to impaired bone health, the keto diet comes with a variety of warnings. But there's more to it...

Chances are, there's probably a coffee shop within five minutes of where you are currently located. It seems like everyone of age drinks it — with creamers, syrups and plenty of caffeine. In this episode, Mike & Todd break down not just the makeup of coffee, but what exactly it can do to your body and how much is safe to drink. While coffee has plenty of benefits, the way you prepare and...

Fads come and go, capturing the attention of health nuts everywhere. The latest trend? Chlorophyll supplements. Purported to benefit skin health, increase energy and act as a natural deodorant, among others, chlorophyll seems like a miracle supplement. But is it? Mike and Todd break down the research and let you know whether chlorophyll is actually worth a shot. Read more: Benefits of chlorophyll...

Running shoes are always being updated, and we've come a long way from those leather uppers. Nowadays, Fleet Feet is revolutionizing the way we choose our running shoes with 3D fit id® scanning . Fleet Feet Westport owner Dave Wright takes Mike through the process of evaluating foot shape, gait pattern and pressure points in order to get the best fitting shoe possible. They also dive into the...

Is running the answer to weight loss? Does cardio slow your gains? Can walking increase your life span? Todd  & Mike break down what's true and what's not, and share some surprising statistics about the relationship between exercise and heart health. Read more: Association of Exercise Preconditioning With Immediate Cardioprotection from The Journal of the American Medical Association...

There are a plethora of popular diets that claim to be best for you, but they often come with a catch or even turn out to be detrimental to your health. A plant-based diet, however, is proven to improve heart health and lower risks of cardiovascular disease & mortality. Registered dietitian Jacqueline Ballou Erdos, MS  explains how a plant-based diet, if executed properly, can make a huge impa...

Mike is joined by integrated health specialist Dr. Bronwyn Fitz, and they go in depth on the ways of embracing menopause and taking control of the symptoms and life change. Be sure to check out Dr. Bronwyn Fitz at: Women's Integrative Health | Bronwyn Fitz, MD (womensintegrativehealth.com)

This week on Optimal Health Uncovered, Mike is joined by Dave Reggina and Mike Parelli of No Snooze Podcast to discuss the "no snooze" mentality, the importance of creating goals and what it means to take control of your life. They reflect on personal experiences that have helped them establish their own lifestyle habits, from working on professional development to creating disciplined h...

Have you noticed that your energy or power production is decreasing, but you haven't changed your exercise routine? You might be overdoing high-intensity interval training (HIIT). In this episode, Mike and Todd dive into a recent study published in Cell Metabolism where researchers looked to determine the optimal amount of high-intensity exercise.  Hear us break down the study and learn more...

In this episode, Mike and Todd  review an article recently published  in the European Society of Cardiology that explains why exercising at work may not be the healthiest option. Read the full article here: Physically Active at Work? It's Not as Healthy as Leisure Exercise | Health News | US News

In this episode, Todd and Mike are joined by former MLB baseball player and founder of Vasami Training, Chris Vasami. They dive into Chris's baseball career and how his own experiences inspired him to start a training business to help athletes improve performance. Chris discusses the importance of understanding the mind-body connection, believing in the training process and adapting to the ne...

Whether it's work stress, financial stress, physical stress or emotional stress, everyone experiences some form on a daily basis. Finding the balance between your negative and positive stressors is critical to helping your body adapt and become stronger, and everyone's balance is different on goals and lifestyles. In this episode, Mike and Todd explain the key components of stress, why y...

Whether you are pregnant, postpartum or just struggling with daily discomfort, Jen Morgan, DPT, is here to discuss the importance of optimizing your health through your pelvic floor. On this episode, she and Mike discuss the importance of raising awareness about pelvic health physical therapy, normalizing the conversations, and proactively advocating for your health. As a women's pelvic healt...

In this episode, Mike is joined by physical therapist Ashley Moriarty to discuss why working from home can have a negative impact on your physical health. They dive into desk ergonomics, screen time, blue light and more. Ashley also provides exercises and tips to improve posture and ways to take a step back from your desk! For more, you can find our article on how to achieve proper workspace ergon...

In this episode, Mike and Todd are joined by one of Performance's very own strength and conditioning coaches, Megan Kudrick . Meg came to us after working with Division 1 athletes at Quinnipiac University and is a USA Weightlifting Level 1 Coach who focuses on recovery and injury prevention for athletes. They discuss different types of weight training programs, including those centered around...

This week, Mike and Todd dive into the lifestyle and habits of seven-time Super Bowl champion, Tom Brady. From nutrition to sleep habits, they discuss longevity and how Tom Brady has been able to perform at such an elite level for over 21 years due to his lifestyle that prioritizes the Four Pillars of Optimal Health. They analyze the TB12 Method and give you key takeaways that can be applied to yo...

This week, Mike is joined by toxicologist Dr. Joe Nieusma, CEO of Superior Toxicology & Wellness.  For the past 30 years, Dr. Nieusma has been involved in toxicology research, focusing on empowering his clients to take control of their medications and advocate for their own health. Rather than relying on prescriptions, he is a proponent of incorporating hydration, nutrition and quality sleep t...

In this episode, Todd is joined by Kevin Cota, Heather Pech, and Ridgefield Running owner Megan Searfoss. They discuss all things running, including how training has changed during the pandemic, how to get fitted for proper running shoes and making the most of your training.    You can find Heather on Instagram at @_knighttraining . If you want to read more about training with Heather, visit her c...

In this episode, Todd and Mike are joined by Riley Fitzgerald, a Sport Psychology Service Coordinator at Boston University.  Over the past six years, Fitzgerald has worked with numerous teams and organizations helping athletes develop their mental game in order to compete and perform at their best on a consistent basis. He has provided mental performance services to competitive athletes in the col...

In this episode, Mike takes the host mic solo in Todd's absence as he is joined by Francine Blinten, a nutritionist at Performance. Francine works with a unique segment of the population including oncology patients, substance abusers and generally sick individuals to get them back to healthy state. Mike and Francine discuss specific diseases and ways to reduce the risk through what you eat an...

It's time to revolutionize the way we move, and Director of Physical Therapy and Chiropractic Sales at Hyperice Eric Fernandez is doing just that. He joins Todd & Mike this week to discuss the importance of body maintenance and how percussion and thermal vibration can help soft tissue movement. This in turn helps speed up recovery, improve range of motion, decrease stiffness, accelerate a...

In this week's episode, Todd and Mike are joined by dietician Jacqueline Ballou Erdos , who specializes in weight management, sports nutrition and pediatrics. Jackie works with a range of clients, from working adults to high performance dancers at the Juilliard School in New York City. In this episode, Jackie discusses the "non-diet" approach to nutrition, how to develop realistic g...