The Optimal Body

You are not defined by your injury, your pain, your diagnosis, or what the MRI scan depicts. Dr Malek emphasizes the significance of rapport and her ultimate goals of creating a brain-safe environment for all “athletes of life.” Through her unique and individualized method, Dr. Malek re-iterates how vital it is to explore novelty, optimal sensation, and what “good discomfort” feels like in your bo...

Do you get jaw pain when opening your mouth? Maybe pain associated with clicking noises from the jaw? Heard of TMJ pain? Dr. Jen & Dr. Dom explore TMD or temporomandibular disorders and address the factors that may contribute to the symptoms you are experiencing in and around the jaw. They kick it off by explaining the basic anatomy of the jaw, move into when you should address pops and clicks fro...

Got a nagging shoulder issue? Wondering if physical therapy is for you? Interested in how you can perform better? This episode covers it all. Dr. Mike Reinold speaks to his expertise with the shoulders, and why shoulder issues are common. By exploring movement through the context of motor patterns and motor control, Dr. Mike explains how the sedentary lifestyle contributes to the “use it or lose i...

Love the feel-good crackles and pops when you receive an adjustment? Feeling helpless and in pain, because you can’t get to your PT during lockdown? “Once you pop the fun don’t stop?” Dr. Jen & Dr. Dom spill the truths about what is really happening when you receive an adjustment. In essence, it all comes down to “talking” to the tissues and the brains’ perception. Dr. Jen provides insight into he...

“Relationships is a skill,” says Mat. It is common to feel this expectation to have all your relationships, whether romantic, familial, or professional, figured out. But, in reality, most of us don’t really have them all perfect. Relatable right? Mat explores the dynamics of relationships by discussing the spectrum of masculine and feminine energies. By disregarding past archetypes surrounding gen...

Are you wondering whether heat packs actually work? Wondering if saunas are more than just a spa day treat? Tune in to Dr. Jen & Dr. Dom explain how heat relates to physiological, localized, and systemic effects throughout the body. With an initial conversation about localized heat applications and the nervous system, they explore the use of saunas, uncovering some mind-blowing statistics on how c...

Do your doctors prescribe an end-all-be-all generalized medication protocol to your unique condition? Contemplating what life might look like off medication? Tune in as Sheeva shares her experience coming off 17 years of Adderall. Sheeva walks you through her story that started with an Adderall prescription for hormonal imbalances and ADHD, and led to a plethora of consequences where she began to...

Confused about the different opinions on foam rolling? Feel an immense and soothing release when you foam roll? Breaking up tissue adhesions or getting more flexible with foam rolling? Dr. Jen & Dr. Dom dive into the science behind foam rolling and how foam rolling is a tool for accessing the nervous system. With more scientific literature, the beliefs around foam rolling as a self-myofascial rele...

When we approach health holistically, it becomes more than diet and exercise. True health encompasses everything in our environmental umbrella, including the chemical toxins we inhale, ingest, and come into contact with. Allison Evans, the co-founder of Branch Basics, takes you on a ride through her PCOS and chronic pain story, unveiling her Aunt Marilee’s secrets to health. By addressing the toxi...

Are you feeling excruciating pain around the ribs? Have you been or know anyone diagnosed with slipped ribs? Doc Jen & Dr. Dom begin the conversation by talking into the ribcage and addressing the fear that commonly surrounds diagnostic verbiage, particularly with the use of “slipped” in this context. They explore the literature around the cause of “slipped” ribs, as well as the role and informati...

Ever been curious about psychedelics? Looking to learn more about plant medicine? This episode has got you covered with the healing effects of psychedelics and the therapeutic benefits of drug therapy. Drugs have been stigmatized and have received a bad rep. However, Lauren Taus, psychedelic assisted psychotherapist, sheds light on the healing effects of plant medicine and how appropriate psychede...

Feeling aches and tightness around your upper back, shoulders, and neck? Take a moment to reflect back on the last 24 hours and notice how many different positions you’ve moved into. We tend to find ourselves stagnant in one position for long periods of time. Our bodies crave movement. Doc Jen and Dr. Dom dive into the anatomy of rounded shoulders and why you find yourself in a rounded position. I...

Do you find yourself stuck in the past? Are you seeking but cannot seem to move on? Is your go-to solution to triggers and “undesirable” emotions to suppress and repress them? The truth is, we all suffer from trauma in some way shape or form. We live in a society that stigmatizes emotional behaviors and representations that consequently arise from our experiences of trauma. Shannon Algeo speaks th...

To ice or not to ice an injury? With different health professionals advising for and against using ice post-injury, you are not alone if you are feeling confused. From RICE to PEACE & LOVE, Dr. Jen & Dr. Dom uncover the evolution of the ice protocol, and simplify explanations surrounding the immunology behind inflammation and swelling. By honing in on the importance of allowing the body to mediate...

Find yourself in a vicious diet-binge cycle? Overwhelmed with all the fat loss advice out there? We are all exposed to a multitude of fad and short-term diet hacks and training programs that are band-aid and unsustainable approaches to weight loss. Dr. Andy Galpin uncovers the truth of fat loss through a biochemical lens. Using analogies that compare cooks to bakers, Dr. Andy uses a personalized a...

Do you feel pins and needles around your wrist and fingers more often than not? Feeling tingling sensations down your arm when you move your neck around? Dr. Jen and Dr. Dom may have your answer. Listen in as they lay out the specifics as to why you may be feeling the sensations you are feeling and what you can do about it. From symptoms of edema, burning and tingling sensations, along with uncomf...

Tired of reading all the contradictory perspectives on health and diet? Are you or do you know someone struggling to figure out their diet with a diagnosis, like epilepsy? This podcast is for you! This is your one-stop shop to your questions regarding diet and optimizing your health for top performance. Scott Sommer provides you with simple answers to holistic health, using your diet, which we’ve...

“It’s natural and normal for the head to follow your gaze and your gaze to follow attention,” says Dr. Jen. But, do you find yourself staring down at your screen for hours at a time? As we progress further into the digital age, especially in times of a pandemic where everyone is working from home, we are almost all subject to being glued to our devices. However, Dr. Jen and Dr. Dom describe how we...

Want to boost your brain health?! Looking for ways or reasons to spice up your physical activity? Listen in as Ryan Glatt explains why aerobic activity may not be the BEST exercise for brain health. He will guide you through what a “3 Macronutrients” approach is, a metaphor describing a holistic approach to exercise, which uses all the benefits of physical movement to maximize brain health. With e...

Ever wonder why you feel your pinky tingling when you hit your funny bone? Feeling radiating pins and needles? We’ve all felt pins and needles in our feet and hands, but neurotension is a little different. Dr. Jen and Dr. Dom break down the knits and grits of different types of pain and how they may associate with neural tension, through the concept of neurodynamics. They describe possible reasons...

Need some reassurance that you’re not “crazy”? That what you feel is REAL and there could actually be solutions? Confused as to why your complications are persisting or might be driving your mind or mood down? Interested in the concept of  “disease reversal?” Perhaps you are or know of someone struggling with autoimmune disease. Hear Dr. Brooke Goldner, MD, as she walks us through her story with L...

Seen or been told your shoulder blade is in a funky position during exercise? Perhaps popping out a little bit? Heard that scapular winging will cause pain inadvertently? Dr. Jen and Dr. Dom have your back as they explore all things scapular and debunk the common myths surrounding scapular winging. Tune into how scapular winging occurs, how you can begin to explore scapular range of motion, and ho...

Stuck in a mind rut? Ever felt ashamed to have body-appearance related goals? Trying to figure out your gut issues but don’t know where to start? You’re not alone. Jacquelyn Umof, former dancer and current fitness instructor, opens up about her story and struggles through anxiety, finding mind-body connection through movement, body image and identity, empowerment and gut issues and more! As Jacque...

Ever wonder why your hamstrings are always tight? Do you find yourself constantly stretching, only to feel tight again in a few hours? Are you a runner but feel discomfort in the back of your thighs? Dr. Jen and Dr. Dom dive into the hamstrings, culprits to hamstring strains and overuse injuries, and what you can do to help your hamstrings. They hone in on the importance of building hamstring awar...

Feel like you can’t meditate? Perhaps fighting yourself while meditating? Catch yourself spending time worrying? Or even feel like emotions are a waste of time? In a fast-paced, ever-going, and dynamic world, we’re taught to submerge ourselves in a culture that distances ourselves from our emotions, promotes instant gratification, and always looks to achieve more. Listen in as Justin speaks to sta...