Fit As A Fiddle

Maternal mental health cannot be stressed enough folks. Sometimes it’s just referred to as “postpartum”, which is sad because it emphasizes how common perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) are. We have a riveting episode here for you today with the wonderful Dayna Kutrz, LMSW, CPT. Dayna is a psychotherapist and author with a subspeciality in perinatal mental health. She touches on how birt...

Ayurveda is an age-old tradition originating from India around the 2nd millennium BCE (a very very long time ago!). “Ayur” in Sanskrit means “Life” and “Veda” means “Science” or “Knowledge”. The Vedas, or Hindu scriptures, are one of the oldest pieces of text on the planet that contain scientific knowledge that is gradually only now being proven by modern empirical methods. Ayurveda is a practice...

What is birth justice anyway? Sometimes it might feel like there are too many voices in that room and the birthing individual’s wants and needs aren’t heard. It may seem at times like it’s medicine vs. parent. But it doesn’t have to be that way.  Today we talk to Janel Feliz Martir, a AAPI birth worker who has both medical school training in obstetrics as well as holistic prenatal wellness trainin...

Hello folks! Today's episode is a bit unique as it's my birthday and I'm 34 weeks pregnant! On the show I share a little bit about my journey over the last few months experiencing pregnancy after treating pregnant people for years and learning so much from all of the guests here on Fit As A Fiddle.

Here’s a bold statement. Dancers, while extremely great at moving their bodies, sometimes don’t actually know how to do it optimally. Getting injured on and off the stage is not uncommon for dancers. Oftentimes these aches, pains and sometimes broken or torn tissues are directly a result of improper, overused movements. Our passionate and incredible guest today is Jesse Barnett, a New York City-ba...

You might think a strong core is the most important thing when it comes to physical fitness. You might also think that age dooms you to weakness and that there’s not much you can do about it. Think again! Our guest today, Irene Donahue, a fitness expert and personal trainer in NYC, teaches us that the whole body needs to work together throughout life to make us feel supported and empowered in our...

Some people think physical therapy is all about getting massages. Others might think it’s about doing a few exercises. Still others (SADLY!) think it’s about getting a hot pack and ultrasound to their knee. Oof! Although my guest, Dr. Julia Rosenthal, and I are both physical therapists, we are not biased in knowing the truth that physical therapy is one of the only therapeutic professions that add...

The ambiguities and the “gray space” of birth and parenthood can often make it difficult for people to process and articulate emotions. But while you would think to enroll your toddler into art class and not yourself, it might be worth it to consider the power of art therapy. Our guest, Sharon Itkoff Nacache ATR-BC LCAT PMH-C, is a Perinatal Mental Health Certified Art Psychotherapist. Sharon chat...

The process of preparing for birth, giving birth, and recovering can be described in many ways. Some might say incredible, others might say life changing, and still others might say horrific. But whatever someone’s experience is, one thing is for sure. It always helps to know a bit about the process before the day you welcome your bundle of joy. Jen Buice joins us today for a deep and meaningful c...

Pelvic floor dysfunction is present across all age groups and anatomies. Particularly during the pregnancy and postpartum time in a birthing person’s life, pelvic issues often don’t get the attention they need. And sometimes, too much attention may be given in certain areas! Our guest today is Rachel Parrotta, a pelvic health physical therapist in New York. Today she discusses how we don't ta...

For too long, women’s health problems have been a mystery in the medical field. Often they are under-researched or just brushed off as part of the normal female experience. But with the help and expertise of our wonderful guest today, Dr. Andrew Goldstein, we are gaining massive insight and making large strides towards solving many of the issues that affect women’s bodies.  Dr. Goldstein is the Di...

Being human is more than just running your day-to-days. How can you find joy and meaning in it all? Well, maybe the answer lies in some confusion and… magic! Today we have the opportunity to chat with the renowned Mark Fisher, an international speaker, consultant, and entrepreneur. Mark is the co-founder of Mark Fisher Fitness (MFF), one of the most unusual gyms in the fitness industry. He’s also...

We are busting some myths on pregnancy, postpartum, and fitness here folks! Tune in today to gain exclusive insights into what we really need to focus on moving forward to optimize pregnancy and postpartum recovery. Spoiler alert - it is not recommended that you are inactive during your pregnancy unless medically necessary! Our guest today is the Director of Education for PROnatal Fitness, Carolyn...

Do you want to know the secret to long lasting fat loss? No, it’s not just dieting. No, it’s not just cardio. No, it's not just strength training. It is a combination of the three and strength training tends to need a bit more focus for most people!  Our guest today is Sarah Currie, MS RDN CDN, a Registered Dietitian, personal trainer and co-owner of Physical Equilibrium, a gym and Pilates st...

C-Section? Epidural? Hypnobirthing? Hospital gown? Midwife? Doula? Oh and hopefully the bassinet comes in time… Wait or is it better for the baby to sleep with me? So many thoughts, so many things, so many conversations to be had when it comes to pregnancy and birth! If you are overwhelmed or remember a time when you were, you are certainly not alone. Being a birthing individual in America today c...

You belong! Your body and the way you move belongs anywhere you want it to, whether it’s at a big gym, a small yoga studio, a group Pilates class, or a bootcamp-style intense training session. If you feel limited with your exercise because of fear of judgment, tune into today’s episode with Kirsten Adler.  Kirsten is an interdisciplinary movement instructor and the founder of Explore Movement, an...

There are different ways of looking at trauma, or the harm you have experienced in your life (physically, mentally, and/or emotionally). Sometimes it can feel like a long and daunting road to overcome this trauma, or various microtraumas, to live a fulfilling life. But what if we could shift our mental framework around trauma to serve us better? Instead of “overcoming” it, we could instead “unders...

It’s not just about knowing exactly what the diagnosis is, what treatment to provide, or in what dosage. In order to optimize a patient’s health, we must go beyond that. Whether you are a medical doctor, physical therapist, acupuncturist, or any other clinician that offers care to patients, there is a deeper level to patient centered care that involves mindset, communication and empathy. By becomi...

Today we hear the personal journey of a dear friend of mine, John Arthur Greene, an actor, singer and songwriter. John reflects on the impact that the pause during the pandemic’s lockdown had on his career and mindset. John walked away from the entertainment industry after 26 years, performing on Broadway for 8 shows a week, and more. He talks about how difficult his career has been on his body, n...

Anxiety and depression are prevalent across cultures and across time. It manifests in unique ways in the 21st century and particularly in America where technology and information is widespread. Our guest today is Allison Beck, a psychotherapist and pregnancy, postpartum and parenthood coach in private practice, specializing in reproductive psychology, parenthood and anxiety and mood disorders acro...

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t belong, that you don’t deserve to be where you are or go where you are going, or that you aren’t fit to provide the service you are expected to deliver, you’re definitely not alone. Star athletes, larger-than-life celebrities, and big business owners experience these feelings and thoughts from time to time. And so do pre-med students! My cousin Trinith Radhakrish...

It’s true. A bomb sets off, school children get shot, and an innocent man is murdered, and THEN we all rally to fight for justice. But we don’t always think of how we can prevent violent actions from happening in the first place, let alone invest time or money to get to the bottom of solving these issues. To commemorate Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday this week, Mandar Apte joins us to tackle these toug...

Everything in the human body is connected in some way. One type of tissue that provides structural integrity to our bodies, that we discuss today, is called “Fascia.” Our guest, Leslie Daley, is an occupational therapist using John Barnes Myofascial Release, a gentle, effective technique which provides consistent results in reducing pain, restoring motion and improving quality of life for her pati...

Kenna Bouvet is a Licensed Acupuncturist and Co-owner of Earth + Sky Massage and Acupuncture in Long Island City, NY. Kenna joins us to share with us about the integrative work acupuncture can offer from conception to birth for a birthing individual. She explains how nutrition, what you wear, mindset, movement, and energy can affect pregnancy. She encourages patients that she works with to be on b...

After a bit of a break, we resume season 6 on our podcast on Fit As A Fiddle! Today I give you a deep dive into some of the raw conversations I have with my patients regarding expectations from physical therapy, how movement (of some kind) is ALWAYS the answer, why it’s important to know the why behind what you are given to do during your course of care, and… “negative space.” Negative space is th...