The Body Nerd Show

Headaches suck. And while my tension headaches were resolved through structural and movement work, that's not always the case. Because sometimes, headaches aren't structural - they're hormonal. I'm joined today by Functional Medicine Practitioner and Doctor of Pharmacy, Dr. Meg Mill, who shares all the ways in which hormones can impact gut health, headaches, and more. Her online practice is focuse...

I used to think electrolytes were only needed if you were doing a super hard workout, but since i've been supplementing with them, I've been feeling great. Which has me wonder - do you need electrolytes or can you get rehydrated from water alone? Because you can get hydration in a million different forms - gels, pre-mixed drinks, sparkling beverages, powders and more. And it's totally overwhelming...

Raise your hand if you're stressed 🙌 Honestly, even if you don't feel super stressed, your physiology still does. Spending time inside, under artificial lights, staring at screens, only to go outside and get into your car and drive around is incredibly stressful for your nervous system, whether or not you feel it. The good news is that there's only one nerve that's responsible for relaxation - yo...

Things don't always feel the same after an injury. Let's say you sprain your ankle, and after a few months you notice your back starts hurting. They couldn't be connected… right? Your body is super smart and efficient. Andd it will do everything it can to get you from point A to Z with the least amount of energy possible. Even if that means creating wonky movement patterns that cause issues (aka c...

If you're a runner or have foot pain, you may have been told that you over (or under) pronate. And you may have also been sold a highly engineered shoe or arch support to help. And while for some this may resolve the pain, for others, it's just a bandaid. But what exactly do pronation and supination of the foot and ankle even mean? Is it a bad thing? Or totally normal part of movement that we need...

Not all jaw pain is TMJ - but there can be lots of issues here from muscular tension and pain to arthritic changes in the joint. The more you can understand HOW the temporomandibular joint actually functions, the better decisions you can make about what the next best step is for you. So whether you suffer from tension headaches, jaw pain, neck pain, or are just curious - today's episode is for you...

Have you ever laid down on a massage tool and felt your entire body tense up and completely forget how to breathe? Massage has more to do with relaxing your nervous system than it does with breaking up your fascia. Which means the tool you use, absolutely matters. There are all sorts of massage tools from knobby foam rollers, to balls with spikes, soft air-filled balls, and everything in between....

Did you know that your inner thigh muscles (called adductors) are also involved in hip flexion, extension, and even flexing your knee? More often than not, they get lumped into an "inner thigh" category, but the anatomy of these muscles is even more interesting when you understand how it's all connected - especially if you've been struggling with hip pain or tight inner thighs. If you're on the jo...

Plantar fasciitis, neuromas, heel spurs, Achilles tendinitis - there are a lot of different ways to have foot pain. And while addressing issues in those areas specifically is important, one joint you probably aren't addressing is your big toe. Flexibility in your big toe is non-negotiable for walking. But the human body is super efficient and will work around it if it's lacking, leaving you with s...

Have you ever tweaked your low back? First of all, it sucks. But coming back from a low back injury without worrying about doing it again is a very steep, uphill battle. Is it just muscles? Is it degeneration? Is it arthritis? IS IT SI JOINT PAIN? 😱 It can all be very overwhelming. But you know I'm all about helping you better understand what's going on so you can make the best next step for your...

Should you keep running when you're injured? And what should you do for that sore Achilles when you're done? RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) is considered the gold standard when it comes to addressing pain, but the latest research has found that a little inflammation might not be a bad thing when it comes to healing. I'm joined on the show today by physical therapist and host of the Run S...

Have you ever woken up with a stiff neck and wondered if there was some magic grail of pillows that would prevent it? You spend 1/3 of your life asleep - but do you actually need a bunch of fancy (and probably overpriced) pillows to keep you out of pain while you sleep? I hate to break it to you, but how you feel in the morning has less to do with your sleep position and everything to do with how...

When was the last time you thought specifically about your grip strength? You know, the strength of your hands? You use grip strength to pick up your phone, feed yourself, open jars and doors, and every interaction you have with your hands in your environment. But what should you do to build grip strength (beyond the spring-loaded squeeze contraption or rubber bands)? Not only is grip strength use...

How is it that you can get golfer's elbow or tennis elbow, even if you've never golfed or picked up a racket? Elbow pain affects almost 3 million Americans, so chances are you know someone who experiences elbow pain or are someone who suffers with it yourself. Common treatment strategies like steroids, bracing, or nerve stimulation may passively address pain, but don't fix the underlying movement...

If you're not following @DocLyss on Instagram -you're missing out. Dr. Alyssa Olenick holds a Ph. D. in Exercise Physiology and is a certified sports nutritionist and Crossfit Level 1 Trainer. Her research is focused on exercise and metabolism and how fitness status, sex, and menstrual cycle/oral contraceptive use impact this. Now, you may remember that back in episode 111 , I talked about the imp...

Have you ever hurt your back doing something super basic…like sneezing? I've seen a few memes about how when we were in our 20s we could get away with anything but now if you sneeze you throw out your back. 🙈 And while back pain may seem like something you have to wait out from the couch, there's a lot you can do to strengthen your back - none of which is crunches. Core strength is more than bein...

Have you ever experienced heel pain? Achilles tendonitis is fairly common - with almost 200,000 annual cases in the US. And while it commonly affects runners, if you have feet - you can have pain here. And because of the Achilles' direct connection to your plantar fascia, tendonitis and plantar fasciitis go hand in hand. (or is it foot in foot? 🤔) So if you're currently struggling with heel pain,...

Sometimes having pain seems very straightforward - you have a tear/bulge/strain in X so it hurts. But what about when you have surgery to fix that thing… and you still have pain? Or if you have pain, but nothing is structurally wrong? The link between pain and the body isn't a straight line, so I'm grateful to be joined by physical therapist Dr. Ashley Mak to help us understand the science of pain...

Did you know up to 1 in 3 Americans have bunions? You might have been told they're caused by genetics - especially if other people in your family have them. Or maybe you've heard its because of high heels (even if you've never worn them). The truth is, there are a lot of reasons why you might have bunions. But the good news, is there are things you can do to decrease foot pain that do not involve...

So you've seen me talk about therapy balls for every part of your body - but have you ever wondered how they work? Then today's episode is for you! Therapy balls and soft tissue mobilization is a key component of the mobility workout plans I create for clients for good reason - when it comes to improving flexibility and decreasing pain, they are the best tool for the job. So whether you've got a m...

If you've been struggling with back or hip pain that you can't quite solve, the pelvic floor could be the culprit. And while we normally talk about the pelvic floor in the context of postpartum, everyone has one. And anatomically your pelvic floor is facially connected to your lower back, deep hip rotators, and overall core stability - whether you have a uterus or not. Which is why I'm so happy to...

Just because you have an MRI that says something is torn or bulging does not mean you have to have pain. Seems unbelievable, right? But what if I told you that there are multiple research studies that have compared low back MRIs of people with and without pain and found no correlation between structural issues and pain? That you can have NO pain, even if you have a bulging disc. And you can have p...

Welcome to summer. You're hot. You're sweating. You drink some water. But you wake up the next day with a headache…are you dehydrated? And is 8 glasses a day really the fix? In today's episode, we're diving into the deep end with all things hydration. Which means I'll be busting the 8 glasses a day myth and share with you the surprising link between anxiety and hydration status that recent researc...

Do you have a labral tear? They're one of those scary diagnoses that usually make you think of surgery and a super long healing time. But actually understanding what a labral tear is… that's not normally a conversation your ortho has time for. And when you consider that labral tears appear in more than 50% of asymptomatic shoulders - a better understanding of what's going on and what you can do to...

Back pain sucks - but not all back pain is sciatica. I'm joined by physical therapist, Dr. Ashley Mak, who is sharing his best tools for sciatic pain relief and prevention. As a true body nerd, he believes that you can live pain-free without the use of surgery and medications and teaches others how to make that a reality. And after overcoming unrelenting back pain and sciatica as a college student...