The Vitalist

In this episode of The Vitalist, Dr. Aimie Apigian, double board-certified physician and author of The Biology of Trauma, redefines trauma through the lens of physiology, not psychology. This conversation moves beyond the story of what happened and into what your body did in response. We explore how trauma is not the event itself, but the moment your nervous system couldn't complete a response. How your body stores experiences not as memories, but as sensations, patterns, and associations that quietly shape your health, your relationships, and your sense of safety in the world. We talk about why chronic illness is often decades in the making, how your nervous system is constantly scanning for danger beneath your awareness, and why healing doesn't begin by revisiting your past, but by creating safety in your body. You'll hear how early attachment shapes your entire perception of reality, why most people are deeply disconnected from their bodies without realizing it, and what it actually takes to move from survival into a deeper, more alive way of being. This is a conversation about trauma, but more than that, it's a conversation about your body's innate intelligence. BIO: A Preventive and Addiction Medicine physician with Master's degrees in both biochemistry and public health, Dr. Aimie Apigian is the national bestselling author of The Biology of Trauma. She hosts her podcast, leads online nervous system healing courses and a practitioner certificate training program. Bridging the worlds of functional medicine, attachment and trauma, she is a leading expert on how the body holds fear and overwhelm from the past to make one sick today. HIGHLIGHTS:  Trauma isn't what happened to you, it's what happened inside your body. The physiological shift is what gets stored. (00:44) Stress is designed to move you into action, but trauma begins when your body can't. That moment of "stuck" is where the pattern starts. (01:46) Your nervous system, not your mind, is running the show, constantly scanning for safety or danger below your conscious `awareness. (05:20) Two people can live the same moment and experience completely different realities, shaped by their nervous system's history. (08:53) By just four months old, your nervous system has already formed a filter for the world: safe…or unsafe. (12:29) Chronic illness isn't random, it's often the result of decades of nervous system patterns finally expressing through the body. (14:24) Trauma doesn't just live in your body, it shows up in your relationships, your behaviors, and the way your life unfolds. (16:15) The most impactful trauma is often the one you don't remember, the unconscious patterns quietly shaping your biology. (16:59) Your body isn't betraying you, it's adapting. Symptoms are often the result of blocked healing, not broken design. (18:12) Your nervous system stores experiences as sensations and associations, which is why your body can react before your mind understands. (22:00) You can feel unsafe in a completely safe moment, because your body is responding to the past, not the present. (23:01) Healing requires addressing three layers: your thoughts, your body, and your biology. Miss one, and the pattern remains. (21:31) Most people aren't actually feeling their bodies, they've been disconnected for so long they don't even know what embodiment feels like. (34:22) You don't start healing by revisiting your past, you start by creating safety in your body. Without that, processing can overwhelm the system. (40:17) Healing isn't about digging everything up, it's about creating enough safety that what's ready naturally surfaces. (42:25) RESOURCES:  Connect with Dr. Aimie Apigian Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/draimie/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-aimie-apigian YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/DrAimieApigian Website: https://biologyoftrauma.com/ Podcast: https://www.biologyoftrauma.com/podcast  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aimie.apigian/   

What if the body was never meant to be something we "listen to," but something we are? In this episode of The Vitalist, Dr's Sera and Keiko sit down with Philip Shepherd, author of Radical Wholeness, New Self, New World, and Deep Fitness, to explore how culture has shaped us into living from the neck up… and what it would take to return home. Philip traces the roots of disembodiment back 10,000 years to the Neolithic Revolution, when we shifted from sensing the world through the belly to controlling it from the head. Together, they unpack the three foundational cultural shifts that reorganized our awareness, from mother-centered societies to patriarchal hierarchies, from earth-based spirituality to sky gods, from embodied intelligence to abstraction. This conversation moves far beyond "mind-body connection." Philip challenges the very phrase itself, proposing instead a body-world experience where intelligence is not confined to the brain, and presence is not something you manufacture, but something you surrender into. They explore trauma as cultural dissociation, why identity can block true presence, the forgotten intelligence of the pelvic floor, and how strength training, indigenous wisdom, and even spontaneous movement can become portals back into wholeness. At its heart, this episode is about remembering that you belong to your body, to the earth, and to the present moment. BIO: Philip Shepherd is recognized as a leader in the global embodiment movement. He is the founder of The Embodied Present Process™, which offers courses online as well as workshops, retreats and Facilitators Trainings worldwide. Philip is the author of two books, Radical Wholeness and New Self, New World, and co-author of Deep Fitness. HIGHLIGHTS: How the journey of disembodiment began 10,000 years ago with the Neolithic Revolution. (0:58) The three crucial cultural shifts that reorganized human consciousness: gathering around the father instead of the mother, sky gods replacing earth goddesses, and awareness migrating from belly to head. (2:50) In Homer's time, the word fren meant both "mind" and "diaphragm" and how Plato's philosophy later positioned the body as merely a vehicle for the head. (6:04) Was disembodiment necessary for art, science, and innovation? (8:19) Philip's definition of embodiment: when the whole of your intelligence comes into coherence with the present moment. (11:03) Why "listening to the body" still implies separation. (12:01) Rejecting the phrase "mind-body" altogether and reframing our experience as a body-world relationship. (12:37) How modern culture conditions us to experience life outside-in through the senses. (14:40) Philip's first remembered moment of full receptivity. (18:40) The relief of letting go of self-organization and discovering the deep link between presence and receptivity. (20:00) Why our language is saturated with words for the mind but impoverished when it comes to the body, and how "mind" has been reduced to "brain." (21:36) "Tension is who we think we are; relaxation is who we actually are." Exploring identity versus presence and the body as analog intelligence. (25:02) The radical choice between defending an identity or surrendering into presence. (26:44) "To feel yourself as whole requires that you feel the mystery that makes you whole." (28:58) Trauma defined as dissociation from the body and why, culturally, we are all traumatized. (29:55) The two-step process of healing trauma: expression of stored energy and integration through the pelvic bowl. (31:35) Living in a world of energy versus a world of ideas and why integration cannot happen through analysis alone. (33:23) Why the pelvic floor is the forgotten diaphragm of our culture and how releasing it to the breath restores security and grounded presence. (35:09) The relationship between pelvic bowl and heart and why going from head to heart still leaves the head in charge. (37:47) The difference between seeking safety and recovering embodied security. (39:06) Philip's favorite movement practice: stand still, and let the body initiate movement from within. (42:54) The meaning of entelechy: the seeded potential within each of us that knows how to grow. (44:33) The difference between cleverness and intelligence. (47:49) Recommended books for deeper embodiment, including Deep Fitness and Original Wisdom. (49:10) How modern fitness culture was shaped by a 1968 book, Aerobics by Kenneth Cooper and why its core assumptions were flawed. (49:39) Sarcopenia, myokines, and why muscle is essential for longevity and whole-body health. (50:58) The two primary functions of muscle: movement and the production of healing messenger molecules. (51:40) Why 30 minutes of focused strength training once a week can be more effective than chronic cardio. (51:54) How the world might change if we rediscovered "enough." (54:26) "When the present is not enough, it's because you are insufficiently present." (55:46) Gentleness as the quality of felt relationship and why without gentleness we remain immune to the body's guidance. (59:31) Where to connect with Philip. (60:35) RESOURCES: Connect with Philip Shepherd: https://embodiedpresent.com/ FB. https://www.facebook.com/EmbodiedPresent Linkedin. https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-shepherd-76287615/?msgControlName=view_message_button&msgConversationId=2-ODg4ZGRiY2MtM2Q5Ni00MGYxLWE5OGUtYThjMTcwMWQwZTI3XzEwMA%3D%3D&msgOverlay=true Books by Philip Shepherd: https://embodiedpresent.com/pages/books-philip-shepherd Book Original Wisdom by Robert Wolff: https://www.amazon.com/Original-Wisdom-Stories-Ancient-Knowing/dp/0892818662/ref=sr_1_1?crid=33BIWVR4Z2HS6&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.7K0PJECelK7Z9bP8X4FMEvgvUG38nsLVLBzx41x6h-7d9qIArPMten9oJlSsXbHSilZrScTsjvnu3QiicnpS7oUT7DKAMv4rXAqrYFLG3ibzKOAPmQ8mwdf7UxK6GDm-kIqZYe45-ESiWKx1xmUpDe8Ww8v15qZv-7EQhZJDA-spxXI50phgE3kPA4wmqk9m5wSum-iO_HJg8bXJf1JiUO_5fy6V_8-3d6tQpi-mhg8.BHI90wQdA-1UsFVO-CTzDAlxtr8Lw8vZgnljBeaqOB0&dib_tag=se&keywords=original+wisdom&qid=1772470128&sprefix=original+wisdom%2Caps%2C238&sr=8-1   Never miss an episode. 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What if your body already knows how to communicate with plants? In this episode of The Vitalist, Dr. Sera sits down with spiritual herbalist Tracy James to explore the living intelligence of plants, the five elements, and our innate ability to reconnect with nature as a source of healing, regulation, and wisdom. We dive into how the earth, water, fire, air, and ether elements shape the way plants communicate through the body, emotions, mind, and spirit. Tracy shares her journey into plant communication, her time learning from Shipibo shamans in Peru, and how practices like plant bathing, meditation, and sensory attunement can restore our sense of belonging to the natural world. This conversation explores modern disconnection from nature, the nerve system impact of land dislocation, and practical ways to rebuild relationships with the plants already around you, whether through tea, supplements, rituals, or simply sitting with a tree. If you're curious about plant intelligence, phytosomatics, nerve system healing, or how nature supports emotional regulation, grief, boundaries, and purpose, this episode offers both ancient wisdom and grounded, actionable insight. BIO: Tracy James is a spiritual herbalist and coach whose work explores the intersection of shamanism, leadership, eco-sentience, and embodiment. Over the past 25 years, she has developed Elemental Energetics™, a somatic coaching methodology that weaves ancient and modern approaches to personal growth and embodied leadership. Her years apprenticing with indigenous healers in the Peruvian Amazon and studying with mystics in India and Nepal inform her Regenerative Leadership methodology and her teaching on Phytosomatics, the practice of listening to how plants communicate through the body. She facilitates Reverence, a community for building relationship with the intelligence of plant spirits and the living world. HIGHLIGHTS: How the 5 elements relate to our ability to communicate with plants. Beginning with the earth element and what Tracy defines as phytosomatics. (0:54) Water element: emotional intelligence, adaptability, and how plants support fluid emotional regulation. (2:35) Fire element: passion, purpose, compassion, and the felt warmth of plant connection. (3:17) Air element: plants influencing thought, vision, inspiration, and mental clarity. (4:16) Ether element: space, unity, and the experience of oneness with all of life. (5:00) Tracy James shares how attuning her senses and sitting with trees transformed her health and awareness as a child. (6:39) Tracy's first journey to Peru and learning from Shipibo shamans who speak the language of plants and the body. (8:54) How the industrial age fractured our relationship with nature and why fear of nature limits our healing. (10:40) A simple question to deepen your relationship with nature right now: Where is nature already present in your life? (12:34) Working with Rose: heart-opening compassion paired with boundaries and resilience. (15:30) Forming a relationship with the plants in your supplements. (18:22) How Amazonian shamans know which plant to use and why lineage and deep listening are essential. (20:30) The foundational teaching Tracy received from the shamans: listening begins with faith. (21:50) Plant bathing as a ritual for communication, regulation, and embodied wisdom. (23:03) A story of grief, plant baths, and releasing loss through the intelligence of nature. (24:16) Where to begin if you feel disconnected from plants and learning to trust that nature communication is hardwired into your biology. (25:24) The unique personalities of plants; why a rose, a tree, and a cactus each teach something different. (27:06) Tracy shares a guided meditation to connect with the ancient spirit of the rose. (27:49) How plants sense us and why their relationship to humans is fundamentally benevolent. (29:42) Dr. Sera shares a practice for building relational "threads" with all living beings around your home. (31:31) Exploring land dislocation and how being removed from place impacts the nervous system and identity. (32:47) How displacement from place impacts the body and how intentional relationship with new land restores belonging. (35:00) How learning the plants native to your area restores belonging and feeling at home. (36:05) Using the PictureThis app to identify plants and deepen everyday plant awareness. (37:14) Tracy shares details about her monthly coaching and plant-based programs. (37:28) Tracy's 7-day guided plant meditation journey; one plant relationship per day. (38:32) RESOURCES: Connect with Tracy https://www.livingelemental.com/ https://www.instagram.com/coachtracyjames 7 day Guided Plant Spirit Meditation Journey https://www.livingelemental.com/7day Picture This Plant Identifier App: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/picturethis-plant-identifier/id1252497129 The work of Philip Shepherd: https://embodiedpresent.com/ Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

What if wine could be more than a beverage? What if it was a living expression of soil health, intuition, and care? In this episode of The Vitalist, Dr. Keiko sits down with Alice Anderson, founder and winemaker of Amevive, to explore the intersection of regenerative agriculture, biodynamic farming, and embodied winemaking. Alice shares her journey from growing up around wine labels to falling in love with animals, farming, and the intelligence of land, eventually founding Amevive in 2019 with a commitment to growing and producing wine that feels as good in the body as it tastes. Together, they unpack what biodynamic and regenerative farming actually mean, how celestial rhythms influence wine, and why small-scale, intuitive practices matter more than ever. This conversation dives into the unseen side of wine production: from additives and undisclosed processing aids to the sensory, tactile decisions that shape fermentation. Alice explains why many people feel better drinking additive-free wines, how she senses when a wine is ready, and why some of her most beautiful wines were born from accident. At its heart, this episode is about trust: trusting nature, trusting timing, and remembering that vitality comes from systems designed to work together. Whether you love wine, care about your nerve system, or feel called to more intentional ways of living and consuming, this episode invites you to slow down and taste what's possible. Connect with Alice & Amevive Website: https://amevivewine.com/ Find locally: Ask your local wine shop for Amevive Instagram: @amevive.wine HIGHLIGHTS: From horses and animals to Cal Poly: how studying general agriculture led Alice into viticulture and winemaking through hands-on curiosity. (1:43) Why Alice founded Amevive in 2019 and how it has grown into 21 acres of vineyards rooted in regenerative practices. (3:29) Living on the land you farm: how Alice experiences work–life balance when your home, vineyard, animals, and creativity are all one ecosystem. (4:29) What biodynamic wine really means and how the sun, moon, and stars influence the rhythms of farming and fermentation. (5:40) The role of biodynamic composts: how herbs are used intentionally to amplify soil vitality and microbial intelligence. (6:34) Regenerative agriculture explained as a closed-loop system where soil, plants, animals, microbes, and humans work in mutual relationship. (7:18) When and why American farming shifted away from regenerative systems toward monocrops, subsidies, and industrial agriculture. (8:37) Why intuitive farming matters: learning to observe, listen, and respond rather than impose rigid prescriptions on the land. (10:40) How to choose wine that's grown with integrity; what to ask for at your local wine shop to avoid greenwashing and monocropped vineyards. (12:34) Can you taste the difference between biodynamic/regenerative wine and conventional wine? Alice explains why it's more about energy than flavor. (15:14) Why many people get headaches or stomach aches from wine and why additive-free wines like Amevive feel radically different in the body. (17:00) A side-by-side look at small-scale, hands-on winemaking versus corporate wine production from harvest to bottle. (19:24) What is Velcorin, why large wineries use it, and why it's both toxic and legally undisclosed on U.S. wine labels. (22:48) How Alice knows when wine is ready; reading temperature, texture, tannins, and sensation through each phase of fermentation. (25:19) The most important decision in red winemaking: when to press and how Alice waits for tannins to soften into sweetness. (27:27) The art of restraint in farming and winemaking: learning when to intervene and when to trust nature's timing and resilience. (28:48) How one "mistake" in 2021 led to Alice's favorite Marsanne to date and reshaped her approach to letting wine evolve naturally. (29:26) Why winemaker-owned wineries often produce the most profound wines, free from external pressure, timelines, and marketing demands. (30:55) A lesson passed down from another natural winemaker: "If it tastes bad, just wait." Why patience is a creative force. (32:15) The true intention behind Alice's wine: not perfection, but joy, aliveness, and genuine pleasure. (33:17) Trusted regenerative wine producers to look for when Amevive is sold out: Scar of the Sea, Lady of the Sunshine, and Tablas Creek. (34:27) The future of regenerative farming and why Alice believes soil health is the foundation of human and planetary vitality. (35:08) Where to connect with Alice, experience the wines, and learn directly from the land. (37:53) Connect with Alice & Amevive Website: https://amevivewine.com/ Find locally: Ask your local wine shop for Amevive Instagram: @amevive.wine Scar of the Sea: https://www.scaroftheseawines.com/ Lady of the Sunshine: https://www.ladyofthesunshinewines.com/ Tablas Creek: https://tablascreek.com/   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us https://www.instagram.com/thevitalistpodcast/ https://thevitalistpodcast.com/ Visit us https://www.instagram.com/kinfolkoptimalliving/# https://www.kinfolkoptimalliving.com/  

In this episode of The Vitalist, Dr. Sera sits down with Dr. Alan Chang to discuss how acupuncture really works. Drawing from Chinese medicine, embryology, and decades of clinical experience, Dr. Alan shares how the body organizes itself long before symptoms appear. Together, they explore the meridian system as an energetic landscape, the five elements as living relationships within the body, and how modern metaphors like cellphones can help us understand invisible pathways of information and energy. This conversation also moves into the emotional terrain of healing, unpacking how stress and unprocessed emotion can shape the body over time, why physical symptoms are often downstream of deeper patterns, and how practices like walking in morning light, visualization, and gentle awareness can help restore balance. If you're curious about healing that feels grounded, human, and deeply respectful of the body's intelligence, this episode is for you. BIO: Dr. Alan Chang, L.Ac is a second generation acupuncturist, having taken over his father's practice 20 years ago in California.  Dr. Alan is gentle & intuitive; he quietly tunes in to what people need, picking up emotional causes behind what's causing physical symptoms. He can also identify daily lifestyle habits that greatly improve your vitality & wellbeing. Certified in the art of LOTUSWEI flower essences, Dr. Alan incorporates the bioenergetics of flowers into every single one of his treatments. HIGHLIGHTS: Dr. Alan shares what he learned from his father in practice. (2:06) Dr. Alan explains acupuncture meridians by comparing the body to nature, where the five elements move like living systems rather than fixed parts. (4:41) Using cellphones as a metaphor, Dr. Alan helps us understand how massive amounts of information can travel through pathways we can't see. (6:50) The very first meridian to appear in the embryo, the Chong meridian, acts like a central organizing line for life as it begins to form. (9:30) We explore what actually shapes the meridian system, from electromagnetic forces to the idea that the body has its own toroidal energy field. (10:42) Our bodies are constantly exchanging energy with the world around us and health is really about learning how to stay in balance. (12:05) Dr. Alan breaks down the five elements of Chinese medicine in a way that feels intuitive, grounded, and surprisingly practical. (13:44) He explains how the earth element connects to the stomach and spleen. (14:34) Worry and overthinking aren't just mental habits; they're deeply connected to the earth element and how the body processes stress. (16:25) One of his most recommended practices for balance is refreshingly simple: go outside and take a walk, especially in the morning light. (18:47) In Chinese medicine, the heart isn't just a pump, it's the center of an electromagnetic field that influences the entire body. (20:28) Dr. Alan reflects on how unprocessed emotional stress, particularly in men, can quietly show up later as serious illness. (22:18) Physical symptoms often come last; they're the body's way of signaling long-standing emotional or mental suppression. (24:36) When people can't remember parts of their childhood, it can be a sign of how the nervous system learned to protect itself. (25:19) He guides clients through a simple visualization, standing under a warm waterfall, to help the body feel safe enough to let go of stagnant energy. (26:34) A gentle body scan becomes a way to notice what's being held, without forcing anything to change. (27:44) Some of the most important information in healing never shows up on lab tests. (29:24) Even a needle placed far from an organ can create change, because the body works as one connected system. (31:05) Our energy fields are constantly overlapping with the people and environments around us; nothing about healing happens in isolation. (32:13) Dr. Alan shares where to find him, his practice, and the community classes he offers. (33:17) RESOURCES: Work with Dr. Alan: https://sancenterphx.com/pages/alanchang Learn more about Flower Essences: https://www.lotuswei.com/thevitalist (use code: thevitalist for 10% off) Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us https://www.instagram.com/thevitalistpodcast/ https://thevitalistpodcast.com/ Visit us https://www.instagram.com/kinfolkoptimalliving/# https://www.kinfolkoptimalliving.com/  

Your nervous system is always working in the background, shaping your perceptions, your mood, your reactions, and even your chronic symptoms. Yet most of us were never taught how it actually works. In this episode of The Vitalist, Dr. Sera talks with author and autonomic expert Gabriel Kram about the real biology behind stress and human behavior. Together they break down why the nervous system, not just the brain, drives your moment-to-moment experience, and how its early wiring determines what feels safe, overwhelming, or threatening. They explore the map to your nervous system: Connection, Movement, and Grounding systems. These states influence your physiology, and they discuss how your body can hold onto long-term patterns that affect your daily life. Inside the episode: How your body evaluates risk beneath awareness Why anxiety is often a mobilized response with nowhere to go How shutdown protects the system and why it feels like numbness, fatigue, or collapse The developmental window (womb to 18 months) that sets the foundation for lifelong patterns Why chronic conditions often reflect accumulated allostatic load, not isolated events How attention, behavior, and even identity emerge from repeated autonomic states BIO:  Gabriel Kram is an ancestral neuroscience pioneer, author, inventor and entrepreneur. For 30 years he has studied the intersections of neurophysiology, mindful awareness, and Indigenous Lifeways, mentored by world leading experts in the art and science of connection and wellbeing, and Indigenous Elders from many lineages and cultures. In the summer of 2024 his company, Hearth Science, rewrote the neural cartography of the living autonomic nervous system, the biological system that has the deepest shaping force on our moment to moment experience of wellbeing.  HIGHLIGHTS: Why does your nervous system and not your brain set the template for how you process energy, handle stress, and stay in balance? (3:43) Neuroscientists are now saying the nervous system isn't centered in the brain at all but operates as a whole body network with dozens of distributed "brains"? (6:06) How does your nervous system react to the world seconds before you consciously register what's happening? (7:26) What if the fight–flight–freeze model is only a fraction of the story and your nervous system is actually a dynamic, mixed-response system adjusting to the entire experience. (12:25) How does your body evaluate safety and danger beneath awareness through a built in surveillance system called neuroception? (12:51) Gabriel introduces the three nerve system phases; connection, movement, and grounding which create your everyday behaviors, emotions, and choices? (14:06) How to identify what state you are in using cues to locate yourself on the nervous system map? (16:22) Anxiety is often the residue of survival energy your body never got to fully move and process? (21:26) Why we feel anxious when there is no current threat? (23:48) Unlike animals, humans can override the stress response to maintain social connection? (24:40) How do your earliest experiences from the womb to 18 months lay the foundation for how you perceive safety in your life? (26:36) There are no 'bad' autonomic states, it's when we get stuck in one state and can't make our way back to safety and connection. (30:42) How does your nervous system store patterned responses from early life, creating predictable reactions decades later? (32:54) Why do chronic symptoms often reflect years of accumulated load your nervous system couldn't fully process and discharge. (39:51) "Allopathic medicine has never diagnosed or treated a stress related disorder successfully, it is fundamentally incapable of this." (45:39) How people pleasing and appeasing patterns create autoimmune conditions. (49:16) How to help people using the autonomic compass so they can orient and become aware of their autonomic states. (50:06) How Gabriel works with people in his current clinic and works with people with years of stress accumulation. (51:16) How someone with Chronic Pain Syndrome presents and how to understand it. (54:05) Try this proprioceptive activity to feel how the whole body responds. (55:26) Gabriel closes with how widespread dysregulation is not just a personal burden but a deeper breakdown in community, belonging, and shared safety? (57:56) A simple book for finding home in your nervous system book to help people understand how they live in their body. (61:37) RESOURCES: https://www.hearthscience.io/ Autonomics Tool: https://www.autonomics.health/ https://www.neurobiologyofconnection.com/ Explore Gabriel's Books: https://restorativepractices.com/product-catalog/ https://www.naturezagabriel.com/ White Paper: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/395656181_Towards_an_Accurate_In_Vivo_Reconceptualizing_of_Autonomic_State Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us https://www.instagram.com/thevitalistpodcast/ https://thevitalistpodcast.com/ Visit us https://www.instagram.com/kinfolkoptimalliving/# https://www.kinfolkoptimalliving.com/  

In this episode of The Vitalist, Dr. Keiko sits down with yoga and spiritual teacher Jenn Chiarelli to explore the quiet intelligence that lives in the body. Jenn shares her early years as a professional ballerina and the moment yoga cracked something open in her, shifting her from perfection to presence. She reflects on the practices that helped her reconnect to her essence: breathwork, subtle movement, mantra, meditation, and the lifelong inquiry that continues to guide her: Who am I? Together, Dr. Keiko and Jenn explore what it means to soften, to listen, and to trust the messages that arise in your body, especially when life feels buzzy, overwhelming, or demanding. They talk about injuries as wake-up calls, the art of holding space, and why even five minutes of stillness can change the direction of your day. BIO: Jenn Chiarelli is a lifelong yogi, E-RYT 500, and founder of Anahata Soul with over 10,000 hours of teaching experience. A former professional ballerina with the Cleveland San Jose Ballet, she performed principal roles in works by Balanchine, Martha Graham, and more. Jenn's spiritual practice is rooted in Kundalini Meditation under the guidance of Swami Khecaranatha. She teaches internationally, leading trainings, retreats, and workshops known for their grounding, heart-opening approach to movement and meditation. HIGHLIGHTS: Jenn shares her path from second-grade ballet class to a professional career, and how movement became her first language of self-expression. (2:05) Realizing ballet wouldn't last forever, Jenn turns to Ashtanga and is humbled by how much strength she still had to build. (3:55) A spiritual center leads her to a nurturing hatha teacher, helping her balance intensity with softness. (4:30) Jenn recalls her transformative teacher training at the Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica. (5:29) Her advice for beginners: don't stop after one teacher. Find the style of yoga your body and spirit resonate with. (5:59) How yoga offered what ballet couldn't: presence without criticism, and space to feel instead of perform. (6:45) Jenn remembers the first moment she touched her essence during subtle "movement inquiries" in an open-air shala in Costa Rica. (7:49) She explains how to process what arises in yoga: through breath, posture, chanting, and the cleansing support of the ocean. (10:19) For those new to spiritual practice, Jenn emphasizes safety: you don't need a teacher in your face, you need one who holds space. (11:41) How beginners can connect more deeply to breath: start by noticing you're breathing; slow it down with Durga pranayama. (14:11) Understanding Ujjayi (fog breath), the warming, oceanic breath that reconnects you to your body. (15:25) Meditation begins simply: follow your breath and let it lead you inward. (17:05) Jenn reflects on a childhood shaped by Ram Dass, Wayne Dyer, candle gazing, and early metaphysical teachings. (18:28) The book that changed everything: A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, heard on an eight-hour drive. (20:07) On the unseen forces that guide us, and the power of asking "Who am I?" again and again. (21:01) Why meditation is essential if we're practicing yoga as union. (23:05) Jenn shares the moment injuries made her question her trust in her body and how they act as wake-up calls. (24:29) Navigating the buzziness of the mind while honoring the stillness beneath it. (27:11) Tools to connect with your energetic essence: mantra, mala beads, chanting, and years of training that help you drop in quickly. (30:40) The simplest practice: give yourself five minutes of stillness each day to meet yourself again. (33:32) The hardest part of teaching spiritually: being the mirror, and not taking others' projection personally. (34:45) The one-word teaching she received from her teacher: "Surrender." (35:36) The one thing she wishes all students embodied: the reminder to continually turn inward. (38:35) Where to connect with Jenn and explore her offerings. (39:47) RESOURCES: Visit Jenn's Website: https://www.anahatasoul.com/ Follow Jenn: https://www.instagram.com/jennigirlyoga/ Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us https://www.instagram.com/thevitalistpodcast/ https://thevitalistpodcast.com/ Visit us https://www.instagram.com/kinfolkoptimalliving/# https://www.kinfolkoptimalliving.com/  

This week on The Vitalist, I sat down with Dr. Jocelyn Connolly, Co-founder of The Vagina Doc to talk about the part of our body we've been taught to whisper about, ignore, and tighten. The pelvis is a place where we hold our stories, our stress, our pleasure, our fear… and our power. Dr. Jocelyn is bold, brilliant, and refreshingly honest about pelvic health and she's on a mission to help women understand that their pelvic floor is not meant to be "tight." It's meant to be responsive, alive, and in relationship with your breath. In this conversation, she shares the moment everything changed for her, an emotional first pelvic exam with her mentor that helped her release years of shame and finally reconnect with her body. It's the kind of story that makes you realize why so many women struggle with this area of their body. Here's what we talked about: Why stress is the #1 reason pelvic floors go out of balance The difference between a "deep core" and the six-pack culture we grew up with How birth, posture, breath, and even personality types shape pelvic tone Why so many women who look "strong" on the outside feel weak on the inside How sensation training can actually enhance orgasms If you've ever dealt with leaking, pain with sex, disconnect, shame, birth trauma, or just the quiet belief that "something is off," this episode goes right to the truth. BIO: Our guest is Dr. Jocelyn Connolly, PT, DPT, is a Doctor of Physical Therapy, Pelvic Health Specialist, and Co-Founder of The Vagina Docs, a bold, feminist-forward practice redefining how we talk about and treat pelvic health. Her mission is to help people reconnect with their bodies through education, movement, and honest conversation. Known for her "Own It" approach, she blends science, storytelling, and humor to make pelvic health accessible, empowering, and deeply human. HIGHLIGHTS: Dr. Jocelyn shares her experience with being active, peeing her pants and pain with sex that led her to pursue a pelvic floor physical therapy. (2:08) How she connected the dots from her past symptoms to her pelvic floor while enrolled at Washington University in St. Louis. (4:08) Her fear and shame around having her pelvic floor examined until she met her mentor Katie, a pelvic floor PT. (5:13) Her fear of a pelvic exam and how meeting her mentor, Katie, changed everything. Their first exam together became the emotional turning point that put her on this path. (6:08) The role of the pelvic floor: from holding organs, movement, sex, lymphatic and brain (7:58) How the pelvic floor and core are connected to our breath. (9:30) The deep core explained: The diaphragm as the roof, the core muscles as the walls, and the pelvic floor as the foundation. (10:08) Stress is the most common cause of an imbalance of the pelvic floor because we breathe with the wrong muscles. (11:38) The common reasons people seek pelvic floor therapy… and the subtle dysfunctions most women ignore. (13:38) Pelvic floor therapists can catch things before a gynecologist, and provide alternatives to pelvic floor health that are more natural. (15:08) The culture of "tightness," the Kegel-only misconception, and why so many women are actually over-tightened, not weak. (16:08) Her cue for "taking up the slack," evaluating movement patterns, and identifying the pattern of being strong on the outside but weak in the deep core. (18:08) What "strong on the outside and weak on the inside" looks and feels like and how to check your deep core activation. (20:38) How vaginal vs. c-section births impact the pelvic system, and how labor positions change pelvic dynamics. (24:17) Male vs. female pelvic floors; the two layers of the pelvic floor and what each one does for sexual function and support. (27:33) How the pelvic floor changes over time especially with hormonal changes. (31:23) How to prime your body for a sneeze or cough to optimize pelvic floor engagement. Called the "knack" which prevents leakage. (33:28) How males can engage the pelvic floor with penis and scrotum cues. (35:18) How increasing sensation of the pelvic floor, enhances orgasms. (36:17) Dr. Jocelyn's DIY pelvic floor exam you can do on yourself. (38:38) What "owning it" means in terms of our life in relationships and boundaries. (39:48) A cue for type A personalities, and Type B personalities for their pelvic floor. (41:20) LINKS: Vagina Docs https://www.vaginadocs.com/ DIY Pelvic Floor Exam https://www.vaginadocs.com/pelvicfloor-diy-exam Instagram: Vagina Docs https://www.instagram.com/vaginadocs/ YouTube: Vagina Docs https://www.youtube.com/@vaginadocs TikTok: Vagina Docs https://www.tiktok.com/@thevaginadocs   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us https://www.instagram.com/thevitalistpodcast/ https://thevitalistpodcast.com/ Visit us https://www.instagram.com/kinfolkoptimalliving/# https://www.kinfolkoptimalliving.com/  

In this episode, Dr. Sera sits down with Rev. Doctor Joanne Avison, author, body worker and fascia whisperer, to explore the living architecture of the human body.  They discuss what happens when we move from seeing the body as parts to understanding the body as as a continuous network that communicates through light, sound, and movement. Joanne shares how embryology reveals the intelligence guiding our development, and why fascia is the substrate of our becoming. Together, they dive into the hidden continuity between the heart and tongue, what it really means to "speak from the heart," and why there's no such thing as one perfect yoga pose. They explore biotensegrity, how the body balances tension and compression, and how fascia stores memory. This episode challenges everything you thought you knew about anatomy. Joanne brings fascia, movement, and embryology together to show that the body isn't mechanical; the body is alive, intelligent, and continuously becoming. HIGHLIGHTS: The story of conception fascinates Joanne from every angle: physiological, anatomical, embryological, and spiritual. (1:45) "There ain't no muscle connected to no bone nowhere in nobody." — how one sentence from Tom Myers rewired everything Joanne knew about anatomy. (2:21) She went on to train with Tom, learned manual therapy, and helped proofread the first edition of Anatomy Trains. (3:40) Joanne uses Christine Wushke's "museum floors" analogy to describe different ways we understand anatomy, from naming parts to seeing the whole picture. (4:18) The second floor is Anatomy Trains, moving from separate bits to interconnected bands. (5:07) As a yoga teacher, she realized no two bodies move the same. There's no such thing as the pose, there's your version of it. (5:40) Anatomy trains were carved, not discovered. The body has always been one continuous whole. (8:45) Fascia isn't something that appears on day 18 of development, it's the foundation of how we become. (9:40) Joanne tells the story of dissecting the heart and discovering it's literally continuous with the tongue. We really do "speak from the heart." (10:51) The embryo teaches us: there is nothing mechanical about the human body. (12:33) Traditional biomechanics is based on levers and pulleys, but the human body doesn't actually work that way. (13:07) Every cell begins in the round, we are patterned in wholeness from the start. (13:26) The heart first forms in the crown before descending into the torso. (15:15) The egg and sperm represent archetypal opposites, largest and smallest, slowest and fastest. coming together to create life. (16:40) The first "cell division" is not division at all, it's cellular multiplication, an expansion of becoming. (19:19) Biotensegrity explains the intelligence of our developing limbs; a living balance of tension and compression. (25:17) Genes don't move. Motion and light do. The body organizes itself through energy and movement. (26:30) Fascia transmits light; a liquid crystalline medium of perception and communication.  (28:10) In the womb, we start learning through gravity and touch, through our mother's skin. (30:13) The body is like an orchestra. Each one of us needs different tension and tuning to play in harmony. (32:59) Fascia is the body's largest sensory organ; it is an organ of love, light, and sound. (34:53) Fascia isn't a system — it's the architecture of every system. (36:56) The fascial network changes how we understand the nervous system. They're deeply connected. (37:13) Fascia holds memory and shape; this is how "the body keeps the score." (40:48) The real spell in medicine is the language that divides us from our wholeness. (42:54) Joanne shares the story of a client who released a deep experience tied to being told his body was "deformed." (44:16) Connect with Joanne. (51:58) RESOURCES: Follow @JoanneAvison https://www.instagram.com/joanneavison/?hl=en Visit https://www.joanneavison.com/ The Joanne Avison Podcast https://joanneavison.buzzsprout.com/ Learn about Myofascial Magic in Action https://www.myofascialmagic.com/ Read Joanne's Books https://www.joanneavison.com/books ADDITIONAL REFERENCES: Tom Myer's and Anatomy Trains https://www.anatomytrains.com/ John Sharkey https://www.johnsharkeyevents.com/ Jill Bolte Taylor My Stroke of Insight http://mystrokeofinsight.com/ Iain McGilchrist The Master and his Emissary https://channelmcgilchrist.com/master-and-his-emissary/ Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us https://www.instagram.com/thevitalistpodcast/ https://thevitalistpodcast.com/ Visit us https://www.instagram.com/kinfolkoptimalliving/# https://www.kinfolkoptimalliving.com/  

In this episode of The Vitalist Podcast, Dr. Keiko sits down with Dr. Meghana Thanki, an Ayurvedic and naturopathic doctor, to explore the deep intelligence of Ayurveda, the original science of life. Together they unpack what it truly means to live in alignment with nature's rhythms and the body's innate wisdom. Dr. Thanki shares how she was called to Ayurveda while studying naturopathic medicine, and how the sister sciences of yoga and Ayurveda form a complete lifestyle system for healing. You'll learn about ojas (vital life force), the three doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha), and how everyday rituals, from tongue scraping and oil massage to mindful eating, can restore balance and longevity. They dive into practical tools for living Ayurveda in the modern world: how to nourish the seven tissue layers, feed your ojas, understand your constitution, and apply these timeless principles without overhauling your life. With warmth and clarity, Dr. Thanki bridges ancient medicine with contemporary wellness, showing that vitality isn't about perfection—it's about rhythm, awareness, and self-understanding. BIO: Dr. Meghana Thanki is a Naturopathic Doctor based in Scottsdale, Arizona, specializing in Ayurvedic medicine and holistic lifestyle healing. Her work blends the deep wisdom of Ayurveda with modern naturopathic principles to address not only symptoms, but the root causes of imbalance. Guided by the timeless philosophy that the body is designed to heal when in rhythm with nature, Dr. Thanki helps patients reconnect with their innate intelligence through personalized Ayurvedic care, ritual, and education.  HIGHLIGHTS: What led Dr. Thanki from naturopathic school to studying Ayurveda, yoga's sister science. (01:36) How Ayurveda complements rather than contradicts what's taught in naturopathic schools. (02:50) Why Dr. Thanki chose naturopathic medicine despite coming from a family of MDs. (03:20) How Dr. Thanki integrates traditional Ayurvedic practices into modern clinical care. (05:12) What Ayurveda really means, the science of life, and how it teaches us to live in rhythm with nature beyond the yoga mat. (06:38) Dr. Thanki explains "ojas," Ayurveda's concept of vital life force, and how to preserve it through daily rituals. (08:11) The seven tissue layers of the body. (10:12) How to directly feed your ojas with Ayurvedic superfoods like ghee, nuts, and spiced ojas balls. (11:00) Why skin conditions often reflect blocked nourishment in the blood tissue layer, especially in pitta climates like Arizona. (12:12) Why Ayurveda's power lies in simplicity, and how to begin without overwhelm. (13:35) Understanding the three doshas, Vata, Pitta, and Kapha, and how they shape your body and mind. (15:35) The role of Vata, the air element that governs all movement in the body. (16:15) Pitta as the fire element and why balanced digestion applies to food, emotions, and even information. (17:07) Kapha, the earth element that provides structure, strength, and grounded stability. (18:00) How Ayurvedic constitutions are formed and why we are all born Kapha. (19:07) Traits of the Vata constitution: creative, talkative, and energetic yet easily depleted. (20:18) Traits of the Pitta constitution: organized, driven, and fiery in both body and mind. (20:55) Traits of the Kapha constitution: steady, nurturing, graceful, and deeply reliable. (21:12) How doshic balance is inherited at conception and why preconception cleansing matters. (22:10) The doshas through life's stages: from Kapha in childhood to Vata in elderhood. (23:11) The ancient art of Ayurvedic pulse diagnosis to assess Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. (24:17) Ayurvedic tongue analysis: how your tongue mirrors your digestion and toxicity. (25:04) The benefits of traditional tongue scraping for digestion and detoxification. (25:31) Using abdominal percussion to locate where each dosha resides in the body. (26:58) What marma points are and how they serve as gateways of healing in Ayurveda. (28:50) How oil therapy for the ears treats tinnitus, travel fatigue, and jet lag. (29:07) Why we live in a Vata-toxic world and how regularizing Vata can prevent disease. (30:18) Applying Ayurvedic eating principles without cooking Indian food. (31:01) The top three Ayurvedic kitchen spices: cumin, coriander, and turmeric. (33:20) How to bloom mustard and cumin seeds in oil to enhance digestion and flavor. (34:15) The hidden gem spice asafetida and why it's a must for bloating relief. (35:02) How pressure cooking aligns with Ayurvedic digestion and the Plant Paradox principles. (35:43) Dr. Thanki's go-to teas and her caution around potent herbs like ashwagandha. (36:38) How Ayurveda views the emotional roots of disease through spiritual psychology. (37:23) Integrating Gene Keys and the work of Richard Rudd into Ayurveda. (38:02) Dr. Thanki's daily Ayurvedic practices and seasonal cleansing rituals. (39:12) Her take on the modern longevity movement through an Ayurvedic lens. (40:44) Inside Dr. Thanki's Royal Retreats: immersive experiences in Ayurvedic living. (41:31) Her Ayurvedic Supper Club: learning to eat for your dosha in community. (43:31) About her book The Ayurvedic Lens: an educational memoir written at a Tom Bird retreat. (45:32) Where to connect with Dr. Thanki online and in person. (46:35) RESOURCES: Follow @SecondNatureClinic: https://www.instagram.com/secondnatureclinic/?hl=en Visit Second Nature Clinic: https://secondnatureclinic.com/ Buy Dr. Thanki's Book The Ayurvedic Lens: https://amzn.to/4qFOqKY Copper Tongue Scraper: https://amzn.to/4nBEsY8 Book: Gene Keys by RIchard Rudd: https://amzn.to/4nBEsY8 Book: Plant Paradox by Dr. Steven Gundry: https://amzn.to/493fCNp Spice Asafoetida Powder: https://amzn.to/4oyeaYf   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us https://www.instagram.com/thevitalistpodcast/ https://thevitalistpodcast.com/ Visit us https://www.instagram.com/kinfolkoptimalliving/# https://www.kinfolkoptimalliving.com/  

We've been using our eyes all wrong. In this eye-opening conversation, Functional Optometrist Dr. Dana Dean reveals why seeing clearly has nothing to do with 20/20 vision and everything to do with how our brain and eyes communicate to create vision. After struggling through school and repeatedly failing her board exams, Dr. Dana discovered that what she was seeing wasn't translating to her brain. Once she retrained her vision, everything changed. Now, after 25 years in behavioral and developmental optometry, she's helping others do the same. We explore how vision is learned, and 75% of all sensory information flows through our eyes, and yet no one ever teaches us how to truly see. From ADHD and learning challenges to brain trauma, recovery, dementia, and even emotional healing, Dr. Dana shows how vision training can literally rewire the brain and change how we process and perceive our world. She explains why "the softer you look, the more you see," and how expanding our peripheral perception transforms not just how we view the world but how we live in it. "Vision is our leading sense. When we reconnect it, we reconnect to who we are." If you've ever wondered why you can't focus, why the world feels overstimulating, or how to feel more present in your body, this episode will change how you see everything. BIO: Dana Dean, OD, is a behavioral optometrist who specializes in holistic optometry and vision intelligence. Dr. Dean has had a private optometric practice in San Diego for the past 24 years. Originally from South Africa, she completed her studies in San Diego as well as attending the New England College of Optometry in Boston. She treats her patients holistically performing Neuro Vision Heart connection with  both children and adults. Her patients also include brain injuries, stroke victims and adults who want to achieve maximum success in life and reach their true potential.  Not only does she see patients performing eye-brain-body connection and building visual efficiency, she also lectures on the topics of vision and brain integration, vision and the aging eyes, vision and spirituality, vision with balance and coordination, as well as vision intelligence.  Connect with Dr. Dana Dean: https://www.visionintelligence.org/ HIGHLIGHTS: Growing up in South Africa as a competitive swimmer, Dr. Dana began noticing academic struggles in 8th grade with early signs of visual processing issues. (3:02) Her introduction to Behavioral Optometry revealed a new way of understanding the connection between vision and the brain. (6:32) Dana realized her visual disconnection caused her to reread constantly and fatigue easily until she retrained her system. (8:22) She explains the difference between Ophthalmology and Behavioral/Developmental Optometry. (10:52) The eyes reveal hidden health insights, from blood pressure and heart issues to cancer and viral patterns. (12:12) "Think of eyesight as a flip phone and vision as a smartphone"—a powerful metaphor for perception versus clarity. (12:52) Seventy-five percent of all sensory information comes through vision, yet most people are never taught how to truly see. (15:42) Babies need visual nurturing and space to sense their environment to build foundational visual pathways. (16:12) Vision training helps stroke and traumatic brain injury patients recover cognitive and motor function. (17:44) Thirty percent of children diagnosed with ADHD actually have a convergence issue with their eyes. (22:12) Dana demonstrates how peripheral vision training improves balance and spatial awareness. (24:02) Most people were never taught to use central and peripheral vision together for efficient processing. (26:12) Dana demonstrates how quickly the brain can be retrained to interpret visual information differently. (33:02) Tools for moving from memorization to visualization make learning more embodied and lasting. (37:47) Visualization strengthens spelling, comprehension, memory, and awareness. (41:46) Screen time and fluorescent lighting strain and dull the visual system. (46:38) RESOURCES: Connect with Dr. Dana Dean: https://www.visionintelligence.org/ Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us https://www.instagram.com/thevitalistpodcast/ https://thevitalistpodcast.com/ Visit us https://www.instagram.com/kinfolkoptimalliving/# https://www.kinfolkoptimalliving.com/  

In this inspiring conversation, Dr. Jeff Karp, Harvard Medical School professor, MIT scientist, and bioinspired innovator shares the story behind his revolutionary approach to learning, creativity, and curiosity. From being told in second grade that he'd "never make it," to leading a world-renowned biomedical lab, Jeff reveals how metacognition, thinking about how we think, became the foundation for his success. We explore how ADHD and neurodiversity can be superpowers, why true learning engages all the senses, and how curiosity can literally rewire the brain to foster connection and innovation. Jeff also exposes how modern systems, from education to technology, dull our natural wonder and attention, and offers practices to reclaim our creative potential through nature, questions, and embodied focus. Together, we unpack insights from his new book LIT: Life Ignition Tools, diving into: Turning failure into fuel for creativity Using pattern recognition and constraints to spark innovation The danger of AI homogenizing our minds The neuroscience of curiosity and connection Nature as the ultimate teacher and problem solver This episode invites you to rethink how you learn, create, and lead—igniting your curiosity to design a life that feels truly alive. BIO: Dr. Jeff Karp is a biomedical engineering professor at Harvard Medical School and MIT, a Distinguished Chair at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and a fellow of the National Academy of Inventors. Known for translating nature's intelligence into breakthrough medical technologies, his lab's work has launched thirteen companies—creating innovations from tissue glue for beating hearts to smart needles and cancer-fighting immunotherapies. Once told he'd never succeed in school, Jeff turned his learning differences into a superpower, developing Life Ignition Tools (LIT)—a framework for creativity, focus, and purpose. He also serves as Head of Innovation at Geoversity, a rainforest bio-leadership institute, and continues to mentor others in unlocking curiosity as the engine of discovery. HIGHLIGHTS: Dr. Jeff Karp is a Harvard professor leading groundbreaking innovation, but in 2nd grade, Dr. Jeff Karp was told he'd never make it. (1:55) A single question from a tutor in the 3rd grade asked "How did you think about that?" became the question that changed his entire life. How and why we think the way we do. (2:42) Jeff reveals how learning to observe deeply and seeing patterns that others don't serves as the foundation of his success. (4:25) What happens when teachers tell you to dream smaller and you refuse to listen? (6:35) After being diagnosed with ADD, Jeff's mom helped him discover how his mind really worked and he went from straight C grades to straight A grades. (7:15) "School has become a museum of ideas," Jeff says. He shares what true learning actually looks like when all your senses are awake. (8:00) Can ADHD be a creative edge instead of a diagnosis? Jeff shows how to turn it into a superpower. (11:10) What ancient tribes knew about survival and how their pattern recognition holds clues for modern innovation. (11:50) Why static classrooms and rigid systems are killing curiosity and how to bring learning back to life. (12:30) AI is flattening our language and numbing our imagination. Jeff explains how to keep curiosity alive in an automated world. (14:08) In a world with heightened feelings of aloneness and anxiety, curiosity can activate neurotransmitters that allow us to experience a world of connection. (15:30) The story behind LIT: Life Ignition Tools and how to reignite learning in a distracted world. (16:14) From spider webs to jellyfish, Jeff reveals how nature holds the blueprints for solving humanity's toughest problems. (16:45) Our attention is being monetized. Jeff exposes how corporations hijack our focus and how we can reclaim it. (17:58) Feeling overstimulated? Jeff teaches how to focus one sense at a time to reconnect with embodied learning. (19:05) The role of nature captivating and deepening our ability to imagine solutions that are about impact. (20:30) Curiosity begins with one thing: asking better questions. (23:30) What the world's top performers have in common when they ask questions. (26:18) How to ask questions that don't just inform but energize the mind. (27:50) Why constraints can be the birthplace of creativity and how limits actually set ideas free. (30:30) The most creative moments often follow failure and Jeff shares why. (31:30) When failure strikes, it's not the end, it's evolution in motion. (35:30) Why your best ideas come in the shower, and how to make space for them to find you. (38:00) How to stay in rhythm with failure and use it as feedback, not defeat. (40:30) The deeper reason connecting to nature awakens our creativity and sense of belonging. (43:30) Get a sense inside Jeff's lab, where innovation and nature merge in real-time discovery. (45:00) Why the brain craves low energy states and how that affects our problem solving and focus. (46:10) How convenience culture quietly drains curiosity and what to do about it. (48:30) The simple tools that help you reconnect to your biology and move through the world with intention. (50:30) Why Jeff uses a YouTube blocker and what it reveals about reclaiming attention in a noisy world. (51:53) Salt, sugar, and caffeine: the everyday algorithms of stimulation. Jeff invites us to interrupt these patterns and reawaken our senses by simply choosing to go without it and noticing how our perception changes. (52:15) RESOURCES: Visit Dr. Jeff Karps website: jeffkarp.com Buy his book: https://amzn.to/4qnQirG Watch his TedMed talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AshPR7OsZA0 Follow his lab work: https://www.jeffkarp.com/karps-lab/ Connect on social: https://www.instagram.com/mrjeffkarp/ Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

Why are so many of us burned out, checked out, or emotionally detached at work? In this episode of The Vitalist Podcast, Dr. Sera talks with organizational designer and certified Dare To Lead facilitator, Mack Fogelson about why we disconnect from our work and how to rebuild connection, purpose, and vitality from the inside out. We unpack the hidden design flaws in how most organizations operate, why "learned helplessness" shows up at every level, and how our personal patterns, like people-pleasing, perfectionism, or busyness, mirror the systems we work within. Mack shares her simple but powerful framework, Ways of Being + Ways of Doing = Ways of Working, and the surprising first step she uses to help teams heal: slowing down. Whether you're a solopreneur, a team leader, or just trying to feel more like yourself at work, this conversation will help you see your work not as the problem, but as one of your greatest teachers in self-trust, boundaries, and emotional resilience. BIO:  Mack Fogelson is a powerful, courageous, wholehearted change-maker. As an Organization Designer, she has guided entrepreneurs, leaders, and companies all over the world — from organizations like Apple, to those with hundreds of employees — to redesign their systems and build braver cultures. Mack lives in Fort Collins, Colorado where she's raising her two teenagers. She writes about uncertainty on Substack (https://mackfogelson.substack.com/). You can also find more about her and her work on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackenziefogelson/) and her website (https://mackfogelson.com/). HIGHLIGHTS:  The biggest way we give away our power at work is through learned helplessness; waiting to be told instead of trusting ourselves to lead. (1:39) We don't become different people at work; the same patterns of hiding or shrinking show up wherever we go. (2:42) Disconnection happens when we avoid what's uncomfortable, at work and at home. (3:32) Mack's framework for change: Ways of Being + Ways of Doing = Ways of Working. (4:02) Our organizational systems create both the behaviors we want and the ones that keep us stuck. (7:28) Everyone wants to go faster, but Mack's advice is simple: slow down, zoom out, and breathe. (8:45) For entrepreneurs, resilience begins by catching the stories we tell ourselves about success, failure, and worth. (12:29) Mack shares how she learned to move from living in her head to trusting the wisdom of her body. (15:59) Even if we can't change the systems at work, we can choose how we show up, through rest, nourishment, and radical accountability. (19:08) Mack's advice on setting boundaries in the work place. (22:26) Psychological safety starts with creating meeting structures that make space for truth and vulnerability. (25:15) Organizations mirror the human body: when one part is blocked, the whole system suffers. (26:40) Our work is one of our greatest spiritual teachers; it reveals where we've abandoned ourselves and where freedom is waiting. (29:40) Workaholism is a socially accepted stress cycle that keeps us too busy to feel. (31:35) Built on the work of Brene Brown, The Resilience Cycle helps leaders return to awareness, regulation, and grounded response. (36:27) When we shift from burden to possibility, we unlock creativity, curiosity, and flow. (44:50) Centering around energy instead of output transforms the way we work and live. (45:37) Our most common workplace defenses, busyness, perfectionism, or disappearing, are all forms of fear. (48:34) Every leader needs both masculine and feminine energy: strength to act, sensitivity to feel. (49:46) RESOURCES: My Substack channel (paid subscription option): https://mackfogelson.substack.com/ My Ways of Being training (Feb 25+26, 2025): https://mackfogelson.com/offerings/dare-to-lead-training/ Website: https://mackfogelson.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mackenziefogelson/

What if your body already holds the blueprint for regeneration? In this conversation, Christian Drapeau, neurophysiologist, stem cell researcher, and founder of StemRegen, reveals the remarkable intelligence of the body's repair system. We explore how stem cells act as the body's natural healing mechanism, capable of becoming any cell the body needs, from heart tissue to neurons, and how practices like fasting, meditation, and exercise can enhance their function. Christian breaks down the biology of stem cell renewal, the science of longevity, and how natural plant compounds can mobilize your own stem cells to restore health from within. He also shares his personal journey from studying neurophysiology to living in a monastery to pioneering a new frontier in regenerative wellness. If you've ever wondered how the body heals, why aging accelerates, or how to awaken your innate capacity for repair, this episode will completely reframe your understanding of health and vitality. Get 15% off your StemRegen order with code KINFOLK.   HIGHLIGHTS: What stem cells are and how they serve as the body's natural repair system. (1:34) How the body releases and multiplies stem cells daily for continuous healing. (2:36) The role of telomerase in cell division, aging, and cellular lifespan. (3:26) How every organ stores stem cells that dictate health, vitality, and longevity. (4:40) The process of stem cells transforming into specialized tissue types. (5:48) Why conception represents the ultimate stem cell potential and how potency changes with age. (7:31) How every organ in the body continuously regenerates, even the heart and brain. (9:18) Why stem cell production declines after age 30 and how that affects aging. (10:39) The difference between stem cell quantity and quality, and why youth matters. (12:32) A groundbreaking study showing natural stem cell release restoring heart function. (14:07) How a three-day fast can rejuvenate stem cells and reset the repair system. (14:35) How stress suppresses and meditation enhances stem cell circulation. (15:37) The biological sequence of how stem cells locate and repair injured tissue. (17:04) How cells communicate through light frequencies, not just biochemistry. (20:10) How stem cells detect where to go, even without visible injury. (22:49) The anticancer potential of stem cells to restore cellular organization. (24:52) Christian's journey from monastery life to studying the brain and consciousness. (29:37) The origins of StemRegen and the discovery of plant compounds that mobilize stem cells. (31:35) How plants mimic injury signals to release more stem cells naturally. (34:29) How to use StemRegen for daily maintenance or active repair. (36:50) The lifestyle practices that boost stem cell circulation and regeneration. (39:47) The story of a lab-grown, beating heart and what it means for regenerative medicine. (40:41) Why structured water enhances cellular function and vitality. (43:34) The mission of StemRegen and how stem cell science could redefine medicine. (44:50)   RESOURCES: Stem Regen - Use code KINFOLK for 15% off your order Follow @StemCellChristian   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

Most of us were never taught that there's an innate intelligence animating our bodies, a spark that builds us, heals us, and carries our stories. In this episode of The Vitalist Podcast, Keiko and Sera open up about their personal journeys from feeling broken and disconnected to discovering the life-changing philosophy of vitalism. Through stories of conception, embryology, and their first chiropractic experiences, they reveal how vitalism reframes pain, symptoms, and even grief, not as problems to be fixed, but as intelligence speaking through the body. They share how adjustments can help release buried emotions, why kids are natural vitalists, and how cultures and indigenous tribes intuitively relate to nature's wisdom in ways modern society has forgotten. This conversation is a reminder that healing is less about fixing what's "wrong" and more about reconnecting with what's already right within us. If you've ever felt disconnected from your body, struggled with symptoms that don't make sense, or wondered if there's something more to healing than quick fixes and protocols, this episode will expand your perspective and invite you into a heart-based way of living. HIGHLIGHTS: Why people don't know how to embody innate intelligence and how vitalism makes it practical. (1:27) The spark of life and why no one taught us this in school. (2:06) From broken to whole: how the story of conception shifted the belief "I'm broken" into "I'm inherently whole." (4:19) Why studying embryology, and how one cell becomes 70 trillion, changes how you'll see your body forever. (5:08) How vitalism changes the way we adjust, connect, and see people beyond the physical body. (6:37) How an adjustment helped Keiko release the buried longing for a mother. (8:20) Why healing is less about fixing and more about unlearning cultural conditioning. (9:48) Vitalism as a heart-based way of living: why it's about experiencing life force, not just intellectualizing it. (13:11) Holism vs. Vitalism: the crucial difference between "everything is connected" and "everything is bio-intelligent." (14:49) Kids as natural vitalists: curiosity, awe, and openness before culture puts us in boxes. (16:05) Why Amazonian tribes call plants "she" and what it teaches us about relating to nature's intelligence. (20:05) Food as information: why food is more than calories. (26:43) Reframing symptoms: shifting from "my body is punishing me" to "my body is communicating with me." (29:06) How we stopped burning out as chiropractors by realizing healing isn't about "fixing." (30:10) Root cause redefined: why it's not just the "root cause", but the soil it grew in. (32:56)   EPISODES WE REFERENCED: The Science of Flower Essences and What Nature Knows That We Don't with Katie Hess The Most Counterintuitive Healing Advice You'll Ever Hear with Wes Kress Breath Is the Steering Wheel of Your Nervous System with Dr. Sachin Patel   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

Dr. Sera sits down with personal trainer and gym owner, Deanna Kane to explore how fitness becomes transformation when we learn to feel instead of force. From bodybuilding competitions and punishing workouts that left her in dorsal vagal shutdown, to discovering breathwork, somatic healing, and nervous system-based training, Deanna shares her powerful journey of shifting from "muscling through" to connecting in. Together, we unpack how to create safety in the body, why dissociation hides in intense workouts, and how mindful weight training can rewire trust, presence, and resilience. Whether you're in the gym or navigating daily stress, this conversation invites you to stop overriding your body and start listening to it. HIGHLIGHTS: From Taco Bell to bodybuilding: Deanna's first days in the gym and the pressure to look "always flexing." (1:10) The moment Deanna discovered her nervous system had crashed; she was in dorsal vagal shutdown. (4:39) From "muscle through it" to "connect and be gentle": how Deanna redefined training. (5:59) Forget your device; here's how to know if it's a push day or a mobility day. (7:57) Training vs. working out: the one shift that turns random sweat sessions into real progress. (10:08) Becoming one with the weight and how a Joe Dispenza meditation cracked Deanna open to her body's voice. (14:12) Mind vs. body: the callout that taught Deanna to feel instead of think. (14:57) Movement reveals emotion: how she can tell if you'll miss a lift before you touch the bar. (16:59) When the weight scares you: mantras and mindset to move beyond your limits. (17:59) Plugging energy leaks: how foot-to-head body scans generate more power in every lift. (20:46) Master your breath, master your strength: why shallow breathing robs your power. (22:25) The hidden reason most people stall in the gym and the simple fix that makes progressive overload work. (34:18) When to add weight vs. reps: the squat depth rule that prevents injury and builds real strength. (34:42) The king of all movements: the deadlift. (35:51) Recovery made simple: walk, don't sit. (36:55) Mobility myth busted: why lifting should make you more mobile, not less. (37:10) Rethinking "tight muscles": is it fascia, energy, or something else entirely? (40:01) RESOURCES: Follow @DeanneKane_Fitness Follow @TheCocoonGym_Scottsdale Train with Deanna: The Cocoon Training Facility in North Scottsdale BIO: Deanna Kane is a personal trainer, gym owner, and spiritual expansion guide whose work bridges the physical and energetic realms of healing. With over 15 years of experience in weightlifting and strength training, Deanna now blends movement, nervous system regulation, and frequency practices to support vitality from the inside out. Her approach honors the body as both biology and energy, expanding resilience, creative potential, and heart coherence. Through her own journey of transformation, she embodies the balance of discipline and surrender, offering a fresh perspective on what it means to live and thrive as a modern vitalist.    Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

What if everything you thought you knew about your body, about muscles, joints, stretching, and even the brain, was wrong? In this groundbreaking episode of The Vitalist, Dr. Sera speaks with Paul Thornley, a leading voice in the fascia research movement, about why fascia is not just "connective tissue," but the living fabric that shapes, protects, and communicates throughout your body. From the first Fascia Congress at Harvard to the myth of "tight" muscles, Paul unpacks how this mysterious tissue influences our emotions, movement, pain, trauma, and resilience. He shows us why the skeleton is misleading as a model of movement, how micro-movements rehydrate and heal, and why fascia is the fastest communication system in the body, even quicker than your central nervous system. This conversation will change the way you think about movement, pain, and healing, and may just inspire you to become a "fascial whisperer." What You'll Learn in This Episode What fascia really is – not connective tissue, but a living, intelligent web that sets the tone of your body Why words like "connective tissue" create a false picture of separation and how embryology reveals the truth Why muscles don't contract (and what they actually do instead) The problem with stretching How fascia has its own neural network The hidden link between trauma, fascia, and stored experience in the body HIGHLIGHTS: Fascia decoded: not "connective tissue," but the living spiderweb that sets tone and communicates across the whole body. (1:14) Harvard's first Fascia Congress in 2007, where naturopathic and allopathic medicine finally came together to ask: what is fascia? (5:51) There are no joints in the body, there are areas that fold. (8:10) Fascia as soil: nourishing growth, guarding survival, and proving we are more emotional than mechanical. (8:26) The body's fastest messenger: fascia's neural network bypasses the brain, moving you instinctively before thought. (12:03) Your brain isn't just in your head, it's in your gut, skin, hands, and feet. Embryology explains why we feel the truth before we think it. (13:12) The skeleton myth: the most misleading teaching tool in medicine. (14:32) Why stiffness is systemic, not local: neck or back pain is the victim of whole-body movement patterns. (17:24) Humans were not designed to exercise. (20:16) No two bodies share the same anatomy. After 400 years of being told otherwise, fascia reveals our uniqueness. (22:52) Muscles don't contract, they tension fascia to fold and shape the body. If biomechanics worked, you couldn't even sign your name. (24:13) The stretch myth: living tissue resists stretching, creating defense instead of freedom. (25:45) The four F's: fight, flight, freeze, fawn and how they relate to fascia. (30:24) Tightness as dehydration: fascia dries out not from lack of water, but from dysfunctional movement. (31:13) Healing through micro-movement: real change comes from the smallest, subtlest shifts. (36:28) Paul demonstrates the micro-movement of the shoulder; how small cues create big change. (37:58) From pelvis to toe: your big toe grows from the sacrum, proving ankle and pelvis dysfunction are one story. (39:09) Trauma lives in fascia. Paul shares his own release from claustrophobia. (44:01) BIO Paul Thornley, a certified STOTT PILATES® Lead Instructor Trainer and Advanced Neuromuscular Therapist, with over 20 years of experience. Based in Dubai, Paul is an international presenter specializing in Fascial Movement and Living Tensegrity in Motion, known for a teaching style that is both precise and clinical, yet full of humor and humanity. RESOURCES: Work with Paul Thornley Follow @Paul.S.Thornley Follow @Myofacial_Magic Paul's course Myofascial Magic In Action Clinical Anatomist John Sharkey International Fascial Research Congress Follow @JoanneAvison Book: Myofascial Magic In Action by Dr. Joanne Avison   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

In this episode of The Vitalist, Dr. Sachin Patel, chiropractor, functional medicine practitioner, and breathwork facilitator, reveals why nothing heals the body better than itself. From the wisdom of a newborn's nervous system to the hidden traumas stored in our diaphragm and fascia, Sachin uncovers the intelligence we've been trained to ignore. We talk about why crying is one of the fastest ways to regulate the nervous system, how mouth taping can transform your health, and why your breath is the steering wheel of your biology. You'll hear stories of people releasing decades of pain in a single breathwork session, the science behind CO2 tolerance and the Bohr effect, and why the future of healthcare isn't found in more hospitals, but in remembering the inner doctor already within. HIGHLIGHTS: The doctor of the future is you: why the solution isn't more hospitals. (1:14) How modern medicine lost its way, vilifying natural healing, prescribing petroleum-based chemicals, and silencing the inner doctor within us. (5:03) The seed of vitalism: becoming a father revealed to Sachin that his son, and all of us, are born with the wisdom of the universe inside. (9:25) The nervous system as software: the master operator running every conscious and unconscious process in the body. (13:13) Breaking free from recycled thoughts: the default mode network, why 95% of our thinking is stuck on repeat, and how plant medicine or breathwork can rewrite the story. (15:56) Holographic Manipulation Therapy: how Dr. Gabe Roberts helps people rewrite the holograms of old stories stored in the brain. (18:06) Breath as the steering wheel of the nervous system: Sachin's first Wim Hof experience showed him how to reprogram the subconscious. (24:20) Where trauma hides in the body: grief in the lungs, stress in the diaphragm, memory in the fascia and why the diaphragm is our "second heart." (26:46) The truth about crying: why tears are one of the fastest ways to regulate the nervous system.  (30:07) The #1 breath practice you should be doing: mouth taping. Why 66% of people mouth-breathe at night and why it keeps the body stuck in fight-or-flight instead of healing. (35:17) Coherence breathing: a simple 6-second inhale and 6-second exhale boosts brain oxygenation by 20% and anchors calm on demand. (38:30) The Bohr effect: how breath holds build CO2 tolerance, shift body pH, and unlock deeper oxygenation for every cell. (44:13) The diaphragm as the lead domino: why regulating your breath cascades into regulating your heart, lymph, and nervous system. (50:56) What healthcare is missing: why your breath is a pharmacy, your body a surgeon, and your environment a nurse and how true healing begins with responsibility. (53:59) RESOURCES: Follow Sachin Patel DC  @thesachinpatel  Breathe With Sachin - BreathworkWithSachin.com Sachin's Metabolic Program – mymetabolicreset.ca Holographic Manipulation Therapy with Dr. Gabe Roberts Celliant - clothing that reflects InfraRed Light back into the body. Mouthtape Dr. Joe Dispenza Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

What if your brain fog, restless nights, and constant fatigue aren't a normal part of aging, but the silent signal of mineral deficiency? In this episode of The Vitalist, Dr. Sera sits down with Caroline Alan, co-founder of BEAM Minerals, who went from corporate burnout, autoimmune struggles, and flatlined adrenals… to discovering the cellular fuel that changed her life. Caroline reveals how plant-based humic and fulvic complexes, ancient compounds from rainforest soil, may be the missing link to your energy, clarity, and resilience. You'll learn: - Why 97% of Americans are mineral deficient (and how filtered water is part of the problem). - The truth about magnesium, zinc, and why isolated supplements could be sabotaging your health. - How fulvic and humic complexes deliver nutrients directly into your cells, where your mitochondria actually use them. - The everyday signs of deficiency, like brain fog, bloating, and poor sleep. - Why food alone can't replenish what your body really needs anymore. - If you're a woman in midlife navigating energy crashes, hormone shifts, or brain fog, this conversation offers not just the science, but a path to feeling truly replenished. Use code KINFOLK20 for 20% off at BEAM Minerals  HIGHLIGHTS: From corporate burnout to radical healing: Caroline's personal story of autoimmune struggles, pill fatigue, and flatlined adrenals. (1:14) Every structure in your body depends on minerals, yet most women don't realize it. (5:10) Why taking magnesium or zinc alone does not support long term health. (6:51) How decades of soil depletion left today's foods shockingly low in minerals. (9:32) Rock-based minerals don't work and why your body absorbs only 5% of that magnesium bottle. (12:36) Why dumping concentrated minerals in your gut is like wrecking your garden soil instead of feeding it. (14:03) The ancient wisdom of humic and fulvic complexes, decomposed rainforests, that unlock cellular absorption. (16:25) Why getting minerals out of the bloodstream and into your cells is the key to energy and mitochondria function. (19:01) Fulvic's superpower: the only molecule that can change polarity, carry 70+ minerals, and pass through any cell wall. (20:56) The balancing intelligence of humic. (26:27) Why nearly everyone is mineral deficient and how your filtered water is making it worse. (29:05) Rethinking "dosage" and why BEAM Minerals are not medicine but foundational ecosystem support. (30:44) Are you overhydrating? Caroline's surprising take on those giant water bottles. (34:22) Mineral deficiency symptoms hiding in plain sight like brain fog, cramps, and sleep struggles. (42:58) Simple solutions: how to use BEAM and HappyLytes for everyday support. (46:05)   RESOURCES: Follow Caroline @CarolineAlan.official Follow @BeamMinerals BEAM Minerals - Use code KINFOLK20 for 20% off   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

What if everything you've been taught about love is wrong?  In this conversation, Melissa Nanavati dismantles the myth that love is chemistry or luck and reveals how it's actually a skill you can train, and improve the quality of your relationship. From the neuroscience of attraction to the unspoken fears that sabotage intimacy, Melissa opens up about her own anxious attachment, vulnerable moments with her husband Akshay, and the radical frameworks they've created to repair and thrive. This episode will make you question what you believe about your relationships and inspire you to re-imagine what love could look like when you bring science, structure, and raw courage into it.   HIGHLIGHTS: Love isn't luck, it's a skill. Melissa's "four muscles of relational courage." (1:07) Her personal confession of a decade of anxiety, people-pleasing, and believing her needs weren't valid. (2:03) The fear behind not asking for what you need. (4:45) The chemistry of relationships requires dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin and why the honeymoon phase doesn't have to end. (5:14) The paradox of structure allows scheduling to bring back spontaneity and desire. (7:12) A nightly ritual that may save your marriage. (8:32) The BRAVE framework for hard conversations. (10:34) One shocking stat: Couples who end tough talks with physical touch are 80% less likely to repeat the same fight. (16:27) She shares the toughest conversation when her husband asked to return to Antarctica just two days after nearly losing his life there. (19:47) Her true fear beyond abandonment; it was more about the future they planned together. (24:34) The mantra that healed her anxious attachment and patterns of abandonment (23:58) How she forgave every single person from her past in five days with neurofeedback at 40 Years of Zen. (25:27) Why triggers and discomfort point us to our deepest work. (27:45) When one partner isn't growing like the other, be the example and watch your relationship transform. (35:20) When is it time to end a relationship? (37:10) Re-igniting intimacy after decades together with novelty. (38:43) The four core virtues of Peak Performance Love: curiosity, courage, play, and presence. (40:35) Her definition of love: "Love is accepting someone fully, exactly as they are… and realizing love is a choice." (41:33)   RESOURCES: Connect with Melissa here.  Follow @melissananavati Watch Melissa on Youtube Connect on LinkedIn 40 Years of Zen   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com    

In this episode, Dr. Keiko sits down with Marina Ortega, founder of Scottsdale Hydrotherapy and Trust Your Gut, to explore the fascinating and often misunderstood world of colon hydrotherapy. Marina shares her personal journey from debilitating constipation and chronic illness to becoming a leading voice in gut health and detoxification. Together, we dive into the science, history, and surprising emotional layers of gut healing. You'll learn why supporting your drainage pathways is essential, how the gut is directly tied to immunity and mood, and what you can expect if you're curious about colonics. HIGHLIGHTS: Marina's shocking history of going 7–10 days without pooping and losing 7 pounds in her first colonic. (00:53) Why Hippocrates believed all disease begins in the gut and how colonics were practiced as early as 500 BC until the rise of laxatives. (2:56) What happens in your large intestine if you're not pooping after every meal. (5:11) How a contracted nervous system and an inability to "let go" emotionally keep us constipated. (6:20) The crucial difference between drainage and detox and why you should never cleanse without open detox pathways. (7:46) Why your lymphatic system depends on movement and breath to clear toxins. (8:36) The surprising truth that 80% of your immune system and serotonin live in the gut. (9:54) Why colonics benefit not just constipation, but athletes, cancer recovery, and anyone seeking longevity. (11:01) What to expect during your first colon hydrotherapy session. (14:46) What really comes out in a colonic, think parasites, gallbladder sludge, and more. (18:06) How coffee enemas supercharge liver detox by boosting glutathione, the body's master antioxidant. (20:49) What is castor oil and how does it work? (24:12) The therapies Marina swears by: DermaShape and the HOCATT ozone sauna. (26:39) Why Marina created the Trust Your Gut product line. (36:26)   Resources: Follow Marina: @marinathepoopfairy Follow Scottsdale Hydrotherapy: @scottsdalehydrotherapy Scottsdale Hydrotherapy Trust Your Gut - shop enemas and castor oil packs  NuCalm – technology for nervous system relaxation and healing   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

From growing up in a cult religion to facing years of childhood trauma, autoimmune disease, and a body in constant distress, Wes Kress's story is not one of defeat, but of radical transformation. In this episode, Wes opens up about the hidden feedback loops that keep us stuck, the biology of emotional pain, and why true healing has nothing to do with fixing yourself and everything to do with listening to the truth your body has been telling you all along. We explore the patterns that wire shame into survival, why most people unknowingly run from the very thing that could set them free, and how to build a relationship with your body based on connection, not control. This conversation is raw, human, and packed with insights. Whether you're navigating physical symptoms, emotional wounds, or the relentless drive to "do more," Wes will challenge what you believe about healing and show you what's actually possible when you stop trying to think your way out of pain. HIGHLIGHTS:  Wes shares how growing up in a cult with years of sexual trauma shaped his nervous system for survival. (1:31) Wes reveals how 70+ symptoms and four autoimmune diagnoses weren't signs his body was betraying him. (3:30) Why most attempts at change fail — and the shift that turns survival loops into virtuous healing cycles. (5:05) How shame, blame, guilt, and fear are wired into the nervous system to keep us alive, but also keep us stuck. (6:06) Why trying harder often backfires and how presence, not productivity, creates deep transformation. (6:47) Learn why the urge to "do something" comes from not wanting to feel powerless. (8:11) The difference between processing trauma mentally vs. metabolizing it in the body. (9:44) Non-resistance is the direct experience of trust, and it starts with recognizing the body isn't the problem. (11:28) Walking into pain instead of running from it. The counterintuitive path to dissolving resistance and integrating all parts of yourself. (16:34) Depression is often anger turned inward. (17:27) Why psychology's mental frameworks can only take you so far, and why connecting with the body is essential. (22:05) The 'body buff' reset. The simple at-home tool Wes uses with every patient to bring them back into their body. (23:40) How genome mapping reveals emotional and physical predispositions — and why methylation matters for emotional processing. (24:35) Ask yourself: am I controlling my body — or connecting to it? The hidden difference that determines whether exercise heals you or harms you. (25:54) When exercise becomes self-abuse. Why the same workout can create vitality or depletion depending on your relationship to it. (28:50) Why five minutes a day won't rewire your nervous system, and how to use meditation as a return to wholeness rather than another escape.(32:15) The NeuBie technology. How this DC waveform device finds and dissolves resistance patterns your body has been holding for decades. (41:38) RESOURCES: Connect with Wes Kress @breakthroughperformance_rehab The Body Buff The Neubie by NeuFit   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

In this episode of The Vitalist, master life coach Micheline Green invites us into the complex terrain of true transformation. Drawing from over two decades of experience, including her early work investigating child abuse and her training in Integral Coaching, Micheline reveals what it really takes to shift deeply embedded patterns. Together, we explore: Why real change happens beneath the psychological immune system How fear shows up in disguise: as rage, anxiety, depression, or numbness The role of the "loving witness" in releasing trapped emotion Autonomic signatures beyond fight, flight, or freeze Micheline also shares her personal story of how her unprocessed childhood rage and belief that she "wasn't smart enough" became a portal into her own healing, and how we each carry patterns we think we're hiding (but aren't). HIGHLIGHTS Micheline opens up about investigating generational abuse at 23 and how motherhood forced her to face her own inherited parenting patterns. (1:40) Micheline introduces Integral Theory and how subtle shifts, not grand gestures, spark deep transformation by meeting people where fear is stored. (6:10) Micheline shares where she begins when addressing the whole human: not with a goal, but with a topic. (8:06) Fear wears many masks: anxiety, rage, numbness. Micheline helps us decode its signature in our body and reframe it as a wise teacher. (10:09) Using Dr. Robert Kegan's "competing commitments," Micheline shows how the very thing holding us back might hold the key to unlocking forward movement. (11:27) "Numb is a feeling too." We explore why disconnection from the body is often protection and how Micheline uses her own somatic awareness to sense what clients can't yet name. (13:21) From the "accomplished prairie dog" to the "devoted heart compass," Micheline shares how imagery become doorways unlocking deep unconscious patterning. (14:22) Micheline reflects on her belief of "I'm not smart enough" and how unprocessed childhood rage revealed itself during her coach training. (17:11) We talk about the shame of big emotions and what changes when a loving witness helps you stay present instead of suppress. (19:40) Beyond fight, flight, or freeze lies a more nuanced map. Micheline explores Gabriel Kram's Neurobiology of Connection and states like appease, accommodate, and collapse. (25:19) Want to control your kids, your partner, politics, or the food system? Micheline guides us through a powerful hand exercise to soften that grip. (27:50)   RESOURCES Connect With Micheline Green LinkedIn Instagram www.michelinegreen.com  Integral Coaching Canada Dr. Robert Kegan  The Neurobiology of Connection by Gabriel Kram   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

What if the stories you've been telling yourself—about your worth, your happiness, your healing, aren't the truth? In this raw and revelatory episode, Brittny shares her journey from high-performing "happy girl" to a deeply embodied woman rewriting generational patterns. From hiking Mont Blanc on her honeymoon to navigating postpartum anxiety and uncovering childhood trauma through motherhood, Brittny holds nothing back. She'll show you how a single belief like "everything is figureoutable" can become a lifeline, why you can't outthink a dysregulated nervous system, and how breathwork became the tool that helped her, and her clients, finally feel safe in their own bodies. If you've ever felt like you were too emotional, not emotional enough, or stuck in a cycle of "doing the work" but still repeating old patterns, this conversation is for you. We talk about: The grief that cracked her wide open Why emotional triggers are clues, not problems Raising resilient kids (and reparenting yourself in the process) What happens when we finally feel what's been buried The power of somatic therapy and breathwork to create real, lasting change By the end of this episode, you'll feel less alone, more seen, and more equipped to meet yourself where you truly are. This is the one you listen to with your journal nearby and your heart wide open.   HIGHLIGHTS: The book, The One Thing made her realize she was spreading herself thin, and it changed everything. (3:30) Her miscarriage opened a floodgate of unprocessed trauma she didn't even know was buried. (4:42) If your emotional reactions feel way bigger than the moment, you've got unhealed stories still running the show. (6:12) She used her "happy girl" mask to conceal childhood trauma until she went into  motherhood. (7:00) Her experience with postpartum anxiety until breathwork gave her a way back into her body. (8:08) No one warned her that becoming a mom meant losing herself and finding someone entirely new. (9:10) "You are not your thoughts," and believing otherwise is what's been holding you back. (11:06) Her favorite belief? "Everything is figureoutable." It's gotten her through some of the hardest chapters of her life. (12:00) You can't outthink a dysregulated nervous system. Period. You've got to go into the body to actually change. (16:00) Your emotions are like a check engine light and if you keep ignoring them, something will break. (18:49) Healing doesn't happen alone, it happens with someone safe enough to hold space for your truth. (20:00) Her daughter triggered patterns she thought she'd healed and gave her permission to finally break them. (22:20) She stopped trying to raise a happy child, and started raising a resilient one instead. (25:20) She's not the coach with the answers, she's the one who helps you remember you've had them all along. (30:15)   RESOURCES: Brittny King @BrittnyKing_ Positively Real Podcast Elemental Rhythm Breathwork Book: The One Thing by Gary Keller Book: Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

What if music isn't just something we hear, but something our bodies remember? In this powerful episode of The Vitalist, Grammy-winning composer, producer, and sound healing pioneer Barry Goldstein joins us to explore music as medicine. From heart coherence to brainwave entrainment, Barry breaks down how rhythm, intention, and vibration interact with the nervous system, emotions, and even the cells of the body. He shares his journey from burnout as a mainstream record producer to becoming a "musitarian", someone who uses sound to uplift humanity. Through personal stories, scientific insight, and practical tools, Barry reveals how the right music at the right tempo (especially 60–70 bpm) can activate deep healing, coherence, and states of flow. You'll learn: Why our earliest experience of sound begins in the womb How specific tempos and frequencies entrain the brain and heart How to become your own sound healer What it really means to "raise your vibration" Real-life stories of people using music to process grief, illness, and transformation Barry also shares the intention behind three of his most loved tracks, including Heart Codes and Hallelujah Amen, and explains how music can create a "field effect" that influences not just the listener, but the space around them. Whether you're healing from stress, seeking emotional regulation, or simply curious about the intelligence of sound, this conversation will change how you listen, forever.   HIGHLIGHTS: Growing up in the Bronx, Barry witnessed music's power to shift moods and uplift spirits across cultures long before he knew the science behind it. (1:26) Barry became a successful music producer, but success brought burnout eventually fading his passion for music. (3:16) Curious about heart coherence, Barry began composing music at the rhythm of a relaxed heartbeat, 60–70 beats per minute. What followed changed everything. (5:20) His hour-long ambient compositions began being used in massage therapy—and soon, in dental chairs, delivery rooms, hospice care, and more. (6:30) Parents of children on the spectrum gravitated toward Ambiology 5: Eden. Alzheimer's patients responded too. The music was helping, but the question became: how? (7:42) When the heart synchronizes with music, the brain follows. Barry explains how rhythmic sound brings the body into healing alpha brainwave states.  (8:07) Long before the ear forms in utero, we feel vibration. Our first music is the heartbeat and breath of our mother, imprinting a deep, embodied memory of rhythm. (10:35) The heart literally sets the tempo for every other system in the body, guiding regulation and coherence.  (11:20) Barry leads a grounding, integrative breathwork practice designed to restore inner harmony and reconnect to your unique frequency. (12:48) Frequencies aren't one-size-fits-all. Barry encourages us to become our own sound healers and discover what truly resonates with our ever-changing inner landscape. (15:45) Music carries information. But it's the emotion behind the intention that delivers healing. (17:31) Quincy Jones said it best: "Melody is a gift from God." And it's more powerful than any tech we try to layer on top. (18:06) Science is catching up. Studies now explore how frequencies can support cancer treatment. (19:16) Barry shares insights from Dr. Bill Tiller and Stephen Hawking: love and compassion literally vibrate higher than shame and fear. When we shift emotionally, we shift biologically. (19:36) Barry breaks down three powerful tracks, Heart Codes, Hallelujah Amen, and Om Shalom Home, and the intentional frequencies behind them. (21:19) Hallelujah Amen was composed with this intention: "The healing is already done."  (22:33) Om Shalom Hom channels the primordial sound "Om"—said to contain every frequency in the universe. (23:18) Real story: A man drove into the desert, intending not to return. But something made him hit play on Barry's track Lay Down in Love. He said, "Your music saved my life." (24:41) Barry calls his work Acousticeuticals. Like food, we can nourish ourselves with sound intentionally, morning, noon, and night.(26:42) He breaks down how binaural beats work and how to use them to target specific brain states. (29:27) His Ambiology series and Heart Codes are all set to 60 bpm—the tempo your body instinctively trusts for rest, repair, and coherence. (30:07) Research shows music can spark autobiographical memories and neuroplasticity—making it a powerful tool in Alzheimer's care. (30:44) His wife once felt the music he was composing, through a wall, with Barry wearing headphones. "Music creates a field beyond itself." (31:16) The more you play a song with intention, the stronger its energetic field becomes. Music magnifies presence. (32:04) Barry is exploring with researchers how music may impact cellular structures like mitochondria. (33:07) Barry now calls himself a musitarian, someone who uses music to uplift humanity.  (34:29)   RESOURCES Learn more at barrygoldsteinmusic.com @barrygoldsteinmusic Explore sound branding at sonic-signatures.com Book: The Secret Language of the Heart by Barry Goldstein   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

Let us be real with you: most people aren't actually afraid of failure, pain, or fear itself. They're afraid of being still long enough to feel any of it. In this episode, Dr. Keiko sits down with Akshay Nanavati, a former Marine, ultra-endurance athlete, and author of Fearvana, who went from addiction and self-harm to attempting the first ever solo ski crossing of Antarctica, pulling a 420lb sled. And no, this isn't about becoming fearless. It's about building the courage to face the parts of yourself you've been running from. We talk about: Why fear isn't your enemy, it's your access point. How to stop distracting yourself every time fear speaks Why stillness is the most terrifying (and healing) thing you'll ever do The neuroscience behind labeling emotions How Akshay went from drug addiction to becoming the most isolated life form on Earth What Antarctica taught him about presence, suffering, and spiritual strength This episode is packed with wisdom to help you face your fears and finally feel the stuff that's been trying to get your attention for years. Because the moment you stop performing and start feeling, you begin healing. So, if you're ready to do the hard thing? Be still. Listen. Feel. Fear is not here to break you. Fear is here to reveal you.   HIGHLIGHTS: Akshay's journey from addiction and self-harm to joining the Marines (1:50) How "Fearvana" was born and why it's not the antithesis of nirvana, but the access point. (4:17) What most people get wrong about "irrational fears" (4:59) How to engage with fear to build the muscle of courage (5:53) From avoiding stillness to becoming the most isolated person on Earth—how Akshay trained for fear, one small step at a time (7:24) The "two darts" of suffering, and how to stop adding to your pain (10:13) Neuroscience-backed tools to create space between you and fear (12:15) Akshay's method for preparing like an astronaut (13:39) The quote that changed everything for him: "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." (15:03) How moving to three different countries pulled Akshay into drugs, self-harm, and the identity of "the crazy one" (18:01) How becoming a Marine revealed the purity and paradox of human suffering (19:35) What makes suffering alone so different from suffering with others (21:38) The uncomfortable truth: most of us do anything to avoid being alone with ourselves (25:43) The biggest fear no one talks about: stillness (27:28) You don't need a cave, start training your stillness in a closet (28:11) The mission: 1,750 miles solo across Antarctica, dragging 420 lbs for 115 days (30:02) Why too much challenge blocks flow (32:21) How snow, pain, and presence shaped his mindset, and the mantra that kept him going (33:38) The real barrier to consistency? Knowing you have to do it again tomorrow (35:24) Day 58: gut pain, possible death, and the moment he finally had to stop (36:17) How to be with the emotional weight you carry, grief, guilt, shame, and how to stop minimizing it (38:40) The truth about the past: you don't have to live in a story you didn't choose (40:23) Pushing the edge of identity and why opposites can (and must) coexist (43:06) Akshay's most powerful mantra: "I am awakened to the truth that all of reality is an illusion." (45:16) His #1 advice if you want to step into your next level: "Be still with yourself." (48:17)   RESOURCES: @fearvana www.fearvana.com Order your copy of Fearvana Watch Blackhawk Down Read Blackhawk Down   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com

In a world that praises the hustle and drowns us in noise, what if the most rebellious thing you could do… is get quiet?  In this soulful conversation, Dr. Keiko sits down with Elaine Glass, author of Get Quiet, transformational coach, and former dental hygienist, to explore what actually happens when we stop doing and start listening. Elaine has sat with over 40,000 people. She's heard their fears, their stress, their longing for peace. And what she's found is something we all need to hear: healing doesn't happen in the noise. It happens in the stillness. You'll hear the story of the day Elaine's life shifted when, in the middle of a painful divorce and autoimmune burnout, she stumbled upon a labyrinth just half a mile from her home. That walk changed everything. It wasn't just a path through the desert. It was a path back to herself. Whether you're a mom, healer, high-achiever, or human just trying to hold it together, this episode will meet you where you are.  Because in a world that constantly asks for more, choosing to slow down, listen in, and get quiet? That's not weakness. That's your quiet rebellion. And honestly? It might be the most powerful thing you do all week.   HIGHLIGHTS: How a heavy metal-loving, high-energy woman learned to get quiet. (1:30) What inspired Get Quiet and Elaine's journey in reclaiming her inner peace. (2:20) Can you get quiet at a rock concert? The role of nature, environment, and embracing change. (3:27) The insight gained from 40,000 dental chairside conversations: "I just want people to get quiet." (4:33) The moment Elaine found the labyrinth that would change her life. (6:09) What is a labyrinth and why are more people building them in their backyards? (7:41) How to enter the labyrinth (and life) with childlike innocence. (8:48) The first message Elaine heard in the labyrinth: Surrender. (9:11) Reconnecting to intuition after losing it to life's noise and how the labyrinth woke her up. (11:29) Why the labyrinth always delivers a message and how it helps women release what they're carrying. (14:06) How hearing these soul-messages changed Elaine as a woman. (15:16) The first path of the Get Quiet method: Nurturing your body. (15:48) Why women disconnect from their bodies and how to come back through movement and breath. (16:50) "For the first time, I heard myself breathing." The rebellious simplicity of getting quiet. (17:54) The trap of "more, more, more" and how it numbs us from what really matters. (20:06) The second path: clearing your physical environment. (21:30) Letting go of memory clutter and finding safety in your body instead of your belongings. (23:03) Two truths every woman needs to hear about putting herself first. (24:37) Elaine's surprising parenting advice: focus on your relationship, not just your kids. (25:12) From the sideline-yelling mom to the grounded, present one, what her boys noticed. (26:05) What becoming a life coach taught Elaine about healing herself (and her kids). (27:16) From autoimmune issues to vitality; how "getting quiet" allowed Elaine to feel 20 years younger. (29:47) Why "retirement" isn't the end; Dr. Jeffrey Bland's beautiful reframe. (30:52) The most difficult (and essential) path: quieting the mind. (32:01) What's next: Elaine's vision for building a labyrinth retreat and teaching others to live from soul. (34:26)   RESOURCES Order your copy of Get Quiet  Explore more of Elaine's work here.  Download Elaine's 6-minute visualization here.   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

If you've ever wondered why your cycle feels off, what your gut has to do with your fertility, or how to actually prepare your body to conceive, this episode is for you. In this powerful conversation, Dr. Sammie pulls back the curtain on what most women were never taught about their bodies. From cycle literacy and hormone balance to gut health, environmental toxins, and the truth behind "unexplained infertility," we dive into the real, root causes that impact your ability to get pregnant and how to heal them. Whether you're just starting to think about having a baby or you've been trying for months (or years), this episode will leave you feeling informed, empowered, and more connected to your body than ever before. HIGHLIGHTS: Natural medicine transformed Dr. Sammie's childhood health from daily oxygen treatments for asthma to thriving as an athlete with no inhalers. (1:50) From food to environment to emotional load, what you put in your body changes everything. (2:32) Dr. Sammie's calling was written in her family's generational story of conception challenges. (3:20) Most women are never taught the three phases of their cycle, follicular, ovulation, and luteal, yet these phases govern everything from energy to conception. (4:30) The surprising truth? Many women don't know if they're ovulating. Learning the rhythm of their body creates deep empowerment. (6:20) How to tell if your cycle is truly "regular" and why the luteal phase holds keys to your hormonal harmony. (7:00) PMS may be common, but it isn't normal. Cramps, mood swings, and cravings are data, here's Dr. Sammie's advice. (8:00) Dr. Sammie's foundational prescription: quality sleep, Mediterranean-style eating, hydration, and daily movement. (8:30) The biggest threat to hormone balance? The questions no one's asking, especially around stress, emotions, and suppression. (9:40) How plastics, pesticides, even K-cups are hijacking hormonal balance. (10:40) Your labs are not just numbers, they're a map showing how your body responds to stress, inflammation, and resilience. (11:30) Debunking 'Unexplained' Fertility. There's always a reason. It may not be obvious, but it's not 'unexplained.' (12:45) 70% of your immune system lives in your gut and it directly impacts your ability to conceive. (14:30) Your fertility window begins 3–6 months before conception. That's when your body is setting the stage. (15:30) Coming off birth control isn't one-size-fits-all. Endometriosis? Wait. PCOS? Start now. Strategy matters. (16:30) Menstrual cycle irregularity is normal in adolescence, but pain, nausea, or vomiting may signal something deeper like endometriosis. (17:55) Epigenetics proves it: what your grandmother ate, felt, or endured shapes your body today. (19:30) Dr. Sammie's favorite tracking method: The Fertility Awareness Method. (21:40) The story of how one woman paused IVF to heal her gut and conceived twins naturally. (23:00) The liver can regenerate from the brink of cirrhosis. What else might be possible when we trust the body's wisdom? (24:30) When a woman says, "I don't trust my body," Dr. Sammie helps her ask: Is my body failing me—or is it trying to communicate something deeper? (25:00) RESOURCES: Connect with Dr. Sammie Ess @walkthenaturalpath www.walkthenaturalpath.com Youtube Channel   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

Your feet aren't just for walking, they're the foundation of your posture, your performance, and even your longevity. In this episode, Dr. Emily Splichal, functional podiatrist, barefoot science expert, and founder of Naboso, breaks down the overlooked role of the feet in whole-body healing. You'll learn why 10 seconds of single-leg balance predicts your lifespan, how foot posture impacts your spine and pelvis, and why the way you're walking might be limiting your mobility, stability, and overall strength. We dive into: The $0 exercise Dr. Emily gives all her patients How your feet connect to your pelvic floor (and your tongue) via fascia The real reason your shoes might be making you stiffer and slower Why walking isn't cardio, it's a neurological tune-up How movement accuracy, sensory input, and foot mechanics unlock true mobility Whether you're healing chronic tension, chasing performance, or aging with vitality, this conversation will change how you move through the world, one step at a time. Use code VITALIST for 10% off your order at Naboso.com HIGHLIGHTS: When fitness and New York were non-negotiable, podiatry became Dr. Emily's only option (1:19) Why she quit surgical residency to get her masters in human movement from A.T. Still. (3:35) Our foot posture will mechanically dictate how the rest of our body will align. (5:24) What happens to our posture when we don't have a stable foundation in our feet. (5:47) How a flat foot is associated with slower stability in the pelvis and low back, increasing the risk of injury in the low back. (6:14) Dr. Emily reveals what makes a sprinter fast. (7:21) Everyone is born with flat feet. The key question: at what point does it impair movement? And what's the real difference between overpronation and structural collapse? (8:13) Dr. Emily discusses how she works with children knowing "It takes until the age of 7 to develop an adult arch."  (8:58) Pediatricians often get this wrong saying "All children will grow out of their flat feet."  Here's how this isn't true. (9:28) The root cause of bunions is not genetics, it is midfoot ligament laxity. (9:45) Her unique, full body approach to treating bunions. (10:51) Your feet are sensory in nature, think "eyes to the ground", feeding your brain constant information to calibrate balance, posture, and performance in real time. (12:09) Every step you take sends vibrational information through your body. On natural surfaces, it's resonance; on concrete, it's distortion. (13:09) Elite indoor tracks are tuned to the body's optimal frequency, making world records possible. (14:10)   The truth about shoes: Every footstrike is a vibration; cushioned shoes mute it. And when your brain receives incomplete feedback, your movement becomes less accurate, less efficient, and more injury-prone. (14:54) Three facets of movement Dr. Emily uses when working with athletes: Movement Longevity, Movement Accuracy, and Movement Efficiency. (16:37) How to use tools, such as weighted blankets and the Naboso mat, to improve spatial awareness, speed up recovery, and improve balance.(17:22) What is body schema and how is different than proprioception. (18:25) How concussions break down our body schema. (19:24) A sensory exercise to train body schema, upgrading your internal map to reduce falls and improve balance. (22:00) How your feet are connected to the pelvic floor. (23:35) The pelvic floor activation Dr. Emily gives all her patients using your toes and breath. (24:59) The longevity markers no one talks about: walking pace and single leg stability. (27:22) The benefits of walking at a fast enough pace. (28:01) Walking isn't supposed to be cardio, it is designed to nourish your nervous system. (28:44) Most people walk with muscles, not fascia. True efficiency requires mobility in your big toe, ankle, pelvis, and spine. (29:26) How to know if you're walking efficiently. (30:32) The importance of walking at your unique pace. (32:01) If your low back hurts after walking, it's not overuse. It's a sign your skeleton can't keep up with your natural pace. (32:54) Dr. Emily's new book "Sensory Sapiens" shares how sensory based movement unlocks longevity. (33:56) Want to wake up your nervous system? Naboso's textured insoles and mats stimulate mechanoreceptors for better balance, strength, and brain-body precision. (34:30) RESOURCES: @thefunctionalfootdoc thefunctionalfootdoc.com Youtube: Dr. Emily Splichal @naboso_technology Naboso.com Use code VITALIST for 10% off your order Youtube: Naboso Dr. Emily's latest book: Sensory Sapiens   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com    

What if the most powerful meditation practice didn't require a cushion, app, or even quiet, but a single piece of chocolate? After 11 years in the Himalayas, living in a cave and studying with Tibetan masters, Lisa Reinhardt returned to the modern world with a mission: to demystify meditation and make presence feel deliciously accessible. In this insightful episode, Lisa shares how she founded Wei of Chocolate and discovered that something as simple as intentionally eating chocolate could soften the nerve system, awaken the senses and reconnect us to our fundamental goodness. Use code THEVITALIST for 10% off your first order at Wei of Chocolate HIGHLIGHTS:  Daily life in a remote cave, immersed in silence and Tibetan teachings. (1:21) A messenger arrives at her cave with an invitation that leads to rare teachings from a Tibetan master. (2:45) From growing up in a small town to living in a cave. (5:53) Meditation isn't about "emptying the mind." Lisa reframes it as a grounded, embodied practice accessible to anyone. (6:49) Most people won't live in a cave, but everyone eats. Lisa found that chocolate could open the same door to presence. (8:11) Lisa describes traditional Tibetan practices that have been done for hundreds of years and engage the whole body. (9:35) Lisa shares how she prepares for her meditation practice by first noticing the space in the room. (11:12) Lisa invites you to "try on" your fundamental goodness. (13:52) How daily meditation practice softens any defensiveness. (15:43) We explore how meditative, tonal chiropractic and meditation complement each other. (16:18) Lisa shares a teaching from Brene Brown on softening difficult emotions. (17:56) Fluent in Tibetan, Lisa explains how language shapes perception and why certain meditative states are hard to access in English. (20:02) Lisa explains how in the Tibetan lineage, teachings were passed down human to human, not through an app or book. (21:04) How mind blown concepts are condensed into one syllable in Tibetan. (22:07) The meaning behind the name "Buddha" and how every Tibetan name means something. (22:59) Back in the U.S., Lisa discovered that chocolate was the secret to teaching the West about meditation. (25:03) Lisa's first experience of chocolate as a meditation. (26:13) How to use Wei of Chocolate as a 2.5 minute meditation to shift your day. (26:45) How chocolate can be good for you, and the secret to what makes it healthy. (28:45) She unpacks what's often hidden in mainstream chocolate, like soy lecithin, processed sugar, and pesticide residues. (33:05) Like water, chocolate holds intention. Lisa reveals the science of cacao's crystalline structure and how it transmits energetic healing. (34:53) Lisa's current favorite? Cherry Bomb. She shares how to connect with her in Phoenix or online. (35:46)   RESOURCES: Wei of Chocolate - use code THEVITALIST for 10% off your first order San Center in Phoenix @lotuswei @weiofchocolate @sancenterphx   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

What if your skin could tell time, and was trying to tell you something deeper? In this mind-shifting episode of The Vitalist Podcast, Dr. Michelle Jeffries, triple board-certified dermatologist and founder of the Skin Clock Method, blows open everything you thought you knew about skin. She takes us on a journey through integrative dermatology showing how your skin is more than just a barrier. It's a messenger. A memory keeper. A sensory organ that reflects your stress, emotions, rhythms, and story. We talk trauma, time, hormones, fascia, light, and the daily rituals that help your skin reset and regenerate. You'll learn why breakouts might be messengers, why sunrise is medicine, and how syncing with your body's internal clocks could change everything. If you've ever felt like your skin was trying to tell you something… it probably is. This episode will help you listen.   Highlights: How Dr. Jeffries became a triple-board certified dermatologist and why it's anything but traditional (1:35) What most dermatologists are missing when it comes to our skin (4:51) The wild connection you never learned about the skin and our nerve system (7:23) Why your skin is a sensory organ that remembers your story (7:41) How your skin expresses what's beneath the surface (8:36) Can skin hold memory? And what that means for scars, trauma, and healing (10:53) Your cells can tell time: How light, rhythm, and clocks affect your skin (12:07) Want better skin? Start syncing with Chrono Beauty and your body's natural rhythms (13:58) Your skin makes serotonin, dopamine, AND oxytocin (16:02) Stress on your face: What cortisol is doing to your skin texture + tone (18:20) Skin as an emotional map: How anger, frustration, and identity show up on the surface (20:00) How natural light heals and artificial light disrupts your biology (21:00) Ditch the sunglasses: Why sunrise needs your eyes (24:52) Supplements, sunscreen truths, and how to actually reverse sun damage (26:30) Why everyday sun might be healthier than intermittent exposure (32:27) Your skin protects more than your body, it protects your story (34:01) The Luminous Clock: Dr. Jeffries' daily rhythm reset for radiant skin and whole-body healing (40:00)   Resources:  @drjeffries Dr. Michelle Jeffries Skin Clock Method   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com  

Just because your tracker says it, doesn't mean your body agrees. Dr. Jen Huberty reminds us: intuition is data too. What if the key to better health isn't another wearable, protocol, or "science-backed" trend, but learning to trust your inner wisdom? In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Dr. Jen Huberty, behavioral research scientist, former Head of Science at Calm, and founder of Fit Minded, to explore the intersection of science, self-worth, and spirituality. With over 190 peer-reviewed publications and $10M+ in research funding under her belt, Dr. Jen's insights are as rigorous as they are refreshingly human. Highlights Is tracking helping or hurting your mental health? (1:53) Your ring says you slept badly, but you feel rested. Who do you trust? (2:44) The only meditation app Dr. Jen still uses and how she uses it differently. (3:19) Does waking up to a "bad" sleep score have a psychological impact? (3:36) Spirituality vs. Science? Why Dr. Jen believes we need both. (4:33) Why personalized health decisions must go beyond the research to consider your genetics, preferences, and intuition. (5:36) A powerful lesson from her 12-year-old on how to build habits that actually last. (6:46) How to spot real science vs. BS in wellness products. (8:13) Her unfiltered take on GLP-1 weight loss drugs and why it feels like déjà vu from the 80s. (9:08) What's actually stopping people from lasting changing? (10:42) Dr. Jen's early research revealed a missing link in most wellness approaches: emotional, social, and intellectual self-worth. (11:05) A book club that changed women's health, without ever talking about weight. (13:21) How personal tragedy led Jen to yoga and meditation. (14:28) Dr. Jen's personal experience navigating hormones, supplements, sleep, and learning to trust her body through perimenopause. (16:45) What Dr. Jen has learned from 250+ digital health companies. (18:23) Why daily meditation might be overrated, according to science. (19:06) What's the minimum effective dose for meditation? (20:06) Dr. Jen shares how folding laundry or doing dishes can be a powerful practice—if you're aware. (21:32) From yoga to private meditation teachers, how Dr. Jen's practice has evolved over time. (22:04) The 2 most powerful tools for lasting change: goals + asking for help. (23:25) The communication tool that helps you actually get the support you need. (25:11) The question that keeps Dr. Jen up at night and why you should ask it too. (26:34)   Resources:  Dr. Jen Huberty on LinkedIn Fit-Minded.com Insight Timer App MyFitnessPal  Flow App I Feel Bad About My Neck by Nora Ephron    Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com

In this episode of The Vitalist, we're joined by Katie Hess—flower alchemist and founder of LOTUSWEI—for a rich conversation about the subtle yet powerful world of flower essences. We explore what flower essences are, the science behind the intelligence of plants, and how flowers communicate with us, often beneath the threshold of our awareness. Katie shares how nature speaks in quiet, potent ways, inviting us to slow down, tune in, and access our deepest gifts. This episode is a call to remember our connection to the natural world and to let it guide us back to our own innate wisdom. Use code THEVITALIST for 10% off your first order at LOTUSWEI HIGHLIGHTS: When she met her mentor, he shared two transformative truths. (2:15)  "If 3% of the world took flower essences, it would change the future of this planet." (2:25) Dandelions aren't weeds, they are medicine. A reminder that nature often gives us exactly what we need, right when we need it. (3:13) The difference between herbs, essential oils, and flower essences. (4:40) How flowers express themselves as crystals in water. (7:21) The unseen ways flowers communicate with us, down to the electrical charges bees detect. (8:51) The emotional uses of each flower. (9:41) Collecting flower essences blends science, spirit and deep intentionality (10:37) Indigenous people communicated to plants, altering their chemistry within 24 hours. (11:13) The go-to flower essence for stress, overwhelm, and burnout. (13:13) Flower essences clear up to 7 generations of inherited, acquired and collective patterns. (14:48) Flower essences create a 3 second delay to process emotional triggers. (19:42) Personal client transformations using flower essences. (21:48) Katie does a live flower card reading for Dr. Keiko. (22:39) The essential oils to pair with the flower essences. (26:45) The Flower Revolution program that Katie uses for personal growth. (26:45) Flower essences are our only bioenergetic tool for healing. (30:24) The science of energy transfer and how flower essences ripple through families. (32:02) The crystals in our bodies magnify the flower vibration. (33:04) The flower Katie is still looking for. (34:38) The research of Cleve Backster and how plants can feel and respond to your intentions. (43:19) A closing invitation to remember the gifts within, and how we can use flower essences to grow and evolve. (46:21)   RESOURCES: LOTUSWEI - use code THEVITALIST for 10% off your first order San Center in Phoenix @iamkatiehess @lotuswei @sancenterphx Flowerevolution book by Katie Hess Stephen Harrod Buhner Flower Revolution Program - LOTUSWEI Dr. Masaru Emoto - Hidden Messages in Water Cleve Backster   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com

What if the key to understanding your health, mood, and even how well you age can be measured in your saliva? In this fascinating episode, we're joined by the brilliant Dr. Patti Milligan, a pioneer in the field of salivary science. Dr. Patti unpacks the groundbreaking world of saliva research.  Join us as we cover how emotional states change your saliva composition and how it can help diagnose diseases years before symptoms arise. You'll learn how air travel impacts your nervous system, and more importantly what you can do to support your body to mitigate jet lag.  Plus, practical tips on foods and movements to boost nitric oxide and saliva production. HIGHLIGHTS How saliva shifts with emotion — 42 types tied to your nervous system! (3:33) Saliva's  4 Superpowers: digestion, disease detection, nutrient levels, and immune defense. (4:38) Saliva can spot disease years ahead — including heart, inflammation & even breast cancer. (5:42) How one child reversed "failure to thrive" just by boosting saliva. (9:02) Low saliva = choking risk for elders — and why it's more common than you think. (12:17) What your saliva says about your nervous system (14:39) How much saliva you produce every year (16:21) How goji berries and lemon drops help children emotionally reset. (17:11) The top foods that stimulate saliva naturally. (20:02) A simple 4-move tongue routine to boost your saliva flow. (24:19) How driving and flying suppress saliva—and what to do about it. (28:23) The Renewal Kit: The 3 ingredients that protect your body mid-flight. (32:18) The two groups leading the saliva research frontier (37:21) Easy ways to measure salivary biomarkers like nitric oxide. (38:16) Boost Your Longevity in 4 Minutes; Dr. Zach Bush's movement hack to elevate nitric oxide fast. (41:13)   RESOURCES AND LINKS Patti Milligan  Patti Milligan TedX "Your Saliva is Talking to You. Listen!" Renewal Kit for Travelers Everlywell Saliva Testing Dr. Zach Bush's Nitric Oxide Movement HumanN Dr. Paul Slowey Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com

Dr. Keiko sits down with powerhouse leadership coach and mental skills expert Darlene Santore—known as Coach Dar (@thecoachdar)—for a deep and uplifting conversation on resilience, purpose, and what it really takes to bounce back from life's hardest moments. From working with elite athletes and CEOs to surviving three strokes, Coach Dar brings real, raw wisdom on mental fortitude and the art of rewriting your story when life knocks you down. Her new book, The Art of Bouncing Back, is a call to action for anyone ready to rise stronger—not in spite of challenges, but because of them. HIGHLIGHTS What it means to be "licensed to rise" after setbacks (5:61) Why adversity isn't a punishment—it's preparation (8:21) Finding your "flow state" and working in your genius zone (13:57) Coach Dar shares her mentor Laurie Beth Jones (14:02) Dar's ultimate game changer in life when things get tough (18:10) The moment Dar stopped looking for approval (22:40) Letting people off the train. Not everyone is meant to go the full ride with you. Letting them go is part of your growth. (24:15) Mental resilience starts by choosing hard over easy (24:56) There's no "right" way to grieve—just feel it, share it, and reframe it to keep moving forward. Grief is a personal journey (31:33) Dar reflects on giving a keynote less than 24 hours after watching her mother take her last breath—and how she channeled that pain into purpose. (32:28) Dar's micro moments to recharge her energy (40:48) Using stillness to discover your strengths (42:20) Coach Dar shares her mental reset rituals even while in your car and with animals –sometimes it's just the simple things that reset your soul. (42:57) How not to agree with everyone-it's about embracing differences and finding common ground through kindness. (45:22) Surprising an Uber driver with apple pie to encourage the importance of human connection. (44:56) This episode is for the visionaries, the high-performers, the healers, and anyone who's ever asked: Can I come back from this?  Coach Dar's answer? Yes. You're born to rise.   RESOURCES AND LINKS instagram.com/thecoachdar www.coachdar.com The Art of Bouncing Back   Never miss an episode. Subscribe to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us @TheVitalistPodcast www.TheVitalistPodcast.com Visit us @KinfolkOptimalLiving www.KinfolkOptimalLiving.com