The Optimal Body

Diagnosed with hip dysplasia? DocJen and Dr. Dom discuss what the hip dysplasia diagnosis is and how it presents in the body.  They discuss its prevalence amongst females and newborns and what to do to support a baby's hip, especially considering the use of devices. Finally, they discuss safe management with a physical therapist in person with guidance on active mobility and strength of what is av...

Struggling with a disc herniation? Matt Hall discusses his perspective through rehabilitation and away from surgery. With a quick rundown of his previous symptoms throughout his professional baseball career, Matt explains his journey with different therapists and his hip restrictions. Then, he unveils his symptoms and the effect his beliefs had on his pain experience. With the use of epidurals, he...

Curious about Nerve Blocks? DocJen and Dr. Dom provide clarity about nerve blocks, explaining what a nerve block is, the pros of nerve blocks, as well as how epidurals work. They distinguish surgical and non- surgical types of nerve blocks, and how it’s effect in pain affects the duration of impact. Finally, DocJen and Dr. Dom dive into opioid use, and the importance of movement as a tool to inhib...

Could your pain points be fascia related? We have David Lesondak, a fascia expert, on to discuss what fascia is and its physiological function. As an integrative network of connective tissue, David shares how fascial manipulation has its own method of maneuver and how issues related to fascia can affect areas above or below the symptomatic area. Furthermore, David explains how to establish long-te...

Diagnosed with a Biceps Tendinitis? DocJen & Dr. Dom break down what biceps tendinitis is and the paradigm shift from tendinitis to tendonosis or tendinopathy. Furthermore, they discuss the pathophysiology behind its prevalence amongst overhead or throwing athletes, how bicep injuries may be associated with rotator cuff injuries, and who amongst the general population is most susceptible. Finally,...

#womenarenotsmallmen Wondering how to optimize your nutrition & training in and around menopause? Dr. Stacy Sims dives into what menopause is and how vital it is to consider the changes that occur through menopause. She speaks about hormonal replacement therapy and menopause therapy, as well as key behaviours to consider: nutrition and training. She discusses the cultural stigmatization around men...

Diagnosed with a Hip Labrum tear? DocJen & Dr. Dom breakdown what the hip labrum is and how a tear may have occurred. Explaining common characteristics of the diagnosis, they mention who is at most risk, symptoms of hip labrum tears, and explain the mobility and strength components of rehabilitation for a hip labrum tear. Let's dive in. Grab Jen Health Annual Membership at almost 50% off! Prevent...

Andrea Nakayama, functional nutritionist, explains her methods of strategically approaching symptoms from a root-cause based mindset. She discusses the 3 tiers of nutrition mastery and her best recommendation to identifying the source of your symptoms. With tracking in mind, she explains the importance of stool and elimination, and how the stool spectrum provides informative data about your health...

Could it be a sprain or strain? DocJen & Dr. Dom differentiate sprains from strains, describing their experiences with strain in gymnastics and football respectively. They have into the pathophysiology of strain, explaining why or when they may happen, common systems, risk factors, and causes for strains. Finally, they list how strain grades are diagnosed and the four phases of healing for strains...

Movement and exercise is vital during pregnancy, but how informed do you feel? We’re bringing you this interview with Gina Conley to discuss lifting during pregnancy, as well as birthing positions. Gina explains her passion for pregnancy- specific exercise education as she felt uninformed during her pregnancy experiences. Then, she dives into the shifts that may occur between exercising in trimest...

It’s time to change it up. DocJen & Dr. Dom preach changing up your position for at least 30 seconds every 30 minutes or 1 minute every hour. With the best posture being your next position, they describe 10 different sitting positions and how they are optimal! Brentwood Home Bundle: Is sitting on the floor uncomfortable? We highlight elevating the seat to make these sitting positions more accessib...

Is a low fat diet the best diet for pregnancy? Does blood sugar have a generational impact? Lily Nichols, registered dietician and certified diabetes educator, debunks misconceptions surrounding diet and gestational diabetes throughout pregnancy. Diving into generational impact and the importance of maternal nutrition for the baby’s lifelong health, Lily explains the importance of blood sugar cont...

Could you be overtraining? Estimates conclude that up to 60% of competitive athletes overtrain at some point in their career, however, overtraining can affect anyone. DocJen and Dr. Dom dive into progressive overload and how it relates to overtraining and functional overreaching. They explain the symptoms related to overtraining and how it can affect anyone. Futhermore, they discuss how acute chro...

Could your feet be related to your low back pain? Ben, functional exercise specialist, briefly describes his journey through transitioning towards going barefoot. Explaining the biology simply and briefly, Ben explains how a barefoot shoe can help your back pain, who barefoot shoes are for, and the role of barefoot shoes in sport. He explains how long it may take for significant changes in foot fu...

Feeling tingling or numbness around the neck area? Been diagnosed with a herniation? DocJen & Dr. Dom dive into the different types of herniations, where it’s most prevalent around the neck, what symptoms correlate with the diagnosis, and contributing factors to the nerve-related symptoms. They explain nuances surrounding the herniation diagnosis, debunk myths about neck herniations and nerve-rela...

Can essential oils help digestion, detoxification, and recovery? We have Jodi Cohen, functional practitioner, author, and and founder of Vibrant Blue Oils, on to discuss the science and research behind essential oils. After Jodi unveils her journey through her passion for essential oil, she discusses how impactful essential oils can be on the vagus nerve, and therefore the rest, digest, and recove...

Got tingling hands? DocJen & Dr. Dom discuss the Cubital Tunnel diagnosis including the anatomy of what could be contributing to the tingling symptoms and potential causes. Furthermore, they present risk factors and the few tests that contribute to the nerve compression associated with the tingling sensation. Then, they dive into more optimal positioning for the elbow and how you can introduce act...

Is posture linked to your pain? We have Lara Heimann, founder of the LYT method and physical therapist, to discuss whether or not posture matters. Lara provides insight on how posture is multifaceted and how it relates to energy, mood, movement efficiency, biomechanics, and pain! Debunking myths around how posture is the cause of all pain, Lara briefly discusses the neurology surrounding pain. Fur...

Knee pain from running or jumping? Perhaps a knee tendonitis diagnosis? DocJen & Dr. Dom present current perspectives on understandings surrounding tendonitis and tendonopathy. As they describe the anatomy of the patella tendon, they dive into potential risk factors for tendonitis, stages of tendonopathy, and stages of rehabilitation for tendon re-modelling, Theu provide insight on whether or not...

Struggling with painful sex? Leaking issues? This podcast episode is for you! We have Dr. Sneha Gazi on to educate you and provide insight on how you can begin to take ownership of your health issues through simple steps. Using her approach that combines Eastern and western schools of thought to health, she speaks about how she navigates patient issues. With body awareness being a necessary first...

Got corns? DocJen & Dr. Dom have got you covered with everything you need to know about corns. They explain what corns , how they develop, and how they differ from calluses. Then, they describe the differences between the 5 types of corns and how your footwear could be contorting majorly to the development of corn in your feet! Finally, they touch base with movement and how movement biases could b...

Is Bison more nutritious than Beef? What labels should you look out for? We're re-discovering the meat industry, deciphering the nuances in labels and how you can get the most ethically and nutritious sourced meats. Sean dives into what brought him to the Bison business, explains what ruminants are, and why grass-fed is important. Furthermore, he unveils the truths about buying meat by the weight...

Whether marriage is around the corner or you're in a marriage currently, this podcast provides insight into relationships and maintaining an optimal relationship. Through examples, DocJen & Dr. Dom explore the topics of scheduling, awareness for your partner, communication, and goal-setting, and how these topics create harmony in a relationship!  Let's dive in! What You Will Learn In This PT Pearl...

Mindfulness vs meditation - what's the difference? Dr. Sharuna Shapiro unveils the science behind meditation and mindfulness. As she dives into her journey to finding truths within research on mindfulness, she discusses the beauty in patience, presence, and calmness that comes with meditation and how you can overcome "failing" at meditation. She uncovers how mindfulness can change your pain experi...

Is your child complaining of pain with a bump on the front of their knee? It could be Osgood Schlatter. DocJen & Dr. Dom explain what Osgood Schlatter is and how it is a progressive injury, classified as an overuse injury. They address the research and how physical therapy can be up to 90% effective when addressing Osgood Schlatter. They hone in on how you can modulate activity, which exercises yo...