Dr. Richard Blake responds to 3 million views, 3,000 comments, and a mental health system under fire. Last week Dr. Richard Blake (@the_breath_geek) posted a reel that challenged the foundational assumptions of modern therapy — and it exploded: 3M+ views, 100K shares, and thousands of comments.

In this episode recorded live from the Health Optimization Summit, Richard, therapist-in-training Natalia Blake, and co-host Joseph Anew unpack the firestorm. They address accusations of manipulation, the limitations of talk therapy, and the rise of therapy culture that may be doing more harm than good. This is a raw, honest, and timely conversation that asks big questions about how we heal, what’s keeping us stuck, and what a more empowered, integrated path forward might look like.

• The Limitations of Traditional Talk Therapy – Why many people feel stuck in therapy, and how the field is still influenced by outdated frameworks and models of the mind.
• The Rise of “Therapy Culture” – A critical distinction between therapy as a tool and the growing cultural identity around being in therapy, working on trauma, or identifying as broken.
• Personal Agency and the Path to Real Healing – How movement, community, breathwork, and lifestyle interventions can create the transformation many are seeking—but not finding—in conventional care.
• Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB) as a Therapeutic Alternative – Drawing from his PhD research, Richard shares why CCB may offer a more embodied and effective route for emotional processing and nervous system regulation.
• Rethinking the Mental Health System – From ghosting therapists to the limitations of insurance-based models, the conversation explores what’s not working—and what could work better.

Liability Note
This episode includes a critique of therapy culture, outcomes, and common practices. Listeners are reminded that not all therapy is ineffective, and many benefit from mental health support when well-matched with a trained professional. This podcast does not offer individualized clinical advice. Always consult a licensed provider for mental health needs.

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Joseph and Richard sit down with integrative nutritionist Marek Doyle for a deep and honest conversation about the true nature of stress, why cortisol isn’t the villain it’s made out to be, and how the nervous system—and our energy levels—shape our capacity to heal. Marek brings a refreshingly nuanced perspective to the world of functional medicine, challenging mainstream narratives and offering insight into how energy security, nervous system regulation, and breathwork all play a central role in true well-being. You’ll hear about his transition from reductionist, evidence-based protocols to a more intuitive and personal approach—one rooted in lived experience, clinical insight, and the intelligence of the body.

What You’ll Learn:

Why Cortisol Isn’t the Enemy: Marek breaks down the true role of cortisol, showing that it’s not the stress hormone we should fear—but a key player in turning off the stress response. Chronic stress, not cortisol itself, is what leads to health issues like inflammation, gut permeability, and burnout.

The Hidden Cost of Low Energy: He explains how low energy availability—not just poor nutrition—can prevent healing, stall progress, and make even the best protocols ineffective. Energy security, including how the body predicts and produces energy, is at the center of Marek’s system.

Rethinking Functional Medicine: Marek challenges the typical reductionist model in functional medicine. Rather than relying on isolated tests and trendy supplements, he emphasizes a personalized, systems-based approach rooted in how the body actually functions in real life.

The Limits of “Evidence-Based” Approaches: This episode dives into why rigid, data-only thinking can leave many people behind. Marek shares how effect sizes, individual responses, and clinical nuance are often more important than what the latest study says.

Breathwork as a Breakthrough Tool: After trying countless somatic practices, Marek found breathwork to be the most consistent and fast-acting way to shift someone out of stress and into healing. He now considers it essential for restoring nervous system balance and resilience.

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After a short hiatus, we're back with a bang. Joseph is joined by breathwork experts Richard L. Blake (aka The Breath Geek) and Taylor Somerville, founder and CEO of Symmetry, to discuss everything you need to know about breathwork.

If you’re curious about the transformative and healing power of breathwork, you’re in the right place, as Richard and Taylor bring their unique perspectives to this comprehensive discussion. They explore the physiological, mental, and emotional benefits, and share essential techniques like CO2 tolerance and nasal and diaphragmatic breathing.

Plus, they debunk common myths and caution against the dangers of unregulated breathwork coaching, offering the sage advice: “beware of the guru.”

Key takeaways from this episode:

• [04:57] The Science and Benefits of Breath Work Explained
• [17:07] Deep Dive into CO2 Tolerance and Its Impact on Health
• [28:26] The Magic of Nasal Breathing and Its Benefits
• [39:01] The Interplay Between Breath, Posture, and Emotional Well-being
• [48:45] Breathwork as a Foundation for Physical Strength and Stability
• [01:01:19] Harnessing Breathwork for Emotional Regulation and Reactivity Control
• [01:22:19] Debunking Myths and Navigating the Breathwork Space

Quotes from Episode:

“What I love about breathwork is that it acts like a rudder on your ship. Many people feel like they are a ship in a storm, being tossed around by life's waves. Breathwork helps you steer. If you need to relax, you can use your breath. If you need more energy for a workout, you can use your breath for that too.”

“As a breathwork practitioner, people often project their admiration onto you, thinking you're amazing. That power is so easily corruptible and that's why you get so many terrible life coaches, shamans and breathworkers.” 

Today's episode is brought to you by:

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Links from Episode: 

Joseph’s TEDx Talk: BREATHE.

Richard’s Website

Richard’s Medium Articles

Symmetry’s Instagram

Symmetry’s Website 

Taylor’s previous Intuitive Warrior appearance: 204 | Live from RUNGA 

Taylor’s previous Intuitive Warrior appearance: 161 | Taylor Somerville - 2021 Cold Plunge Tank Reviews, Breathwork, & Dumbbell Pool Workouts

Joseph’s appearance on the Laughing Through The Pain podcast

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Welcome to this week’s AMA episode, where I chat about some of the health, nutrition, and fitness issues I’ve been asked about lately. I also share the 5-day supplement program I’ll be using with the corporate guests attending our live Runga Event at Lake Austin this week. The supplement protocol focuses on maximizing sleep, hydration, and immunity and consists of two shots of Quicksilver’s Immune charge, three doses of Quicksilver’s Quinton 3.3 Hypertonic, and two tabs of Quicksilver’s H2 Elite Hydrogen per day. And (although they may not need it after a day of kettlebell training, yoga, and hot and cold immersion), our guests will be offered Quicksilver’s CBD Synergies and BiOptimizers’ Magnesium Breakthrough to improve the quality of their sleep. On a more general note, I also get into the benefits of a protein-forward, low-carb, no-sugar diet and explain how to do a 20-minute EMOM on a SkiErg.    

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My guest today is Dr. Jason Sonners, a certified hyperbaric practitioner and regenerative medicine specialist. Jason is the Director of NJ HBOT, a clinic in New Jersey that supports patients with various autoimmune and neurological conditions. Jason combines hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) with nutrition, exercise, and detoxification programs to guide his patients through their health challenges.  As a chiropractor and an exercise physiologist, he also uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy to help athletes improve their performance and take their recovery to the next level. 

Jason explains how hyperbaric oxygen therapy works and sets out the conditions it can be used to treat. He also describes some breathing and breath-holding techniques that train the body to absorb, deliver, and recycle oxygen more efficiently.

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On this Friday’s show, I’ve decided to share a twenty-minute workout that builds on the alternating EMOM of ten kettlebell swings and ten push-ups that I talked you through in Episode 101. However, this routine focuses on power, endurance, and stamina, and it has more of a metabolic component which means you’ll have to work a little harder this time. Today’s EMOM consists of ascending reps of five, ten, or twenty swings at station one, followed by ten push-ups (or preferably ten calories on a fan bike or SkiErg) at station two. If you’re doing the workout outside, you can substitute a 150-meter run or thirty steps of lightweight walking lunges for the time spent cycling, rowing, or skiing. Wherever you do the workout, remember to focus on your form. Make an effort to tighten your glutes, quads, and abs. And, as always, synchronize your breathing and try to breathe through your nose. 

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This week, I sit for a second time with Dr. Michael Rintala. Dr. Rintala is a chiropractor specializing in chiropractic sports medicine and rehabilitation. He’s also an international instructor for the Prague School of Rehabilitation who uses the principles of Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) to help his patients recover from injury and improve their performance. 

Since DNS works by training the body to tap into the movement patterns that we learn instinctively as infants, we talk about the stages of movement that babies go through as they grow. As well as discussing developmental kinesiology and explaining how DNS helps improve stability and mobility, Dr. Rintala describes some of the simple mouth breathing techniques he teaches to align the diaphragm. To round off our discussion, we get into the health and performance benefits of kettlebell training, and Michael talks about his upcoming course on the Czech Get-Up, which begins on the 20th of April.

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In this episode, I share the recent conversation I had with Strong Coffee founder Adam Von Rothfelder on his Up and Adam podcast. We talk about David Hawkins’ scale of consciousness and how negative emotions, such as fear, guilt, shame, and jealousy, keep us resonating at a lower vibration, whereas courage raises our levels of consciousness. As fathers and business owners, we compare notes on parenthood and reflect on the personal and economic challenges of the last year. We also emphasize the importance of speaking the truth (even when it isn’t what people want to hear), and I list the foods I think we should be eating more of as well as those we should be taking pains to avoid.

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My guest today is conditioning and performance expert Joel Jamieson. Joel is an online educator who teaches fitness professionals how to write science-based conditioning programs that deliver real-world results. He is also the CEO and founder of Morpheus, the world’s first personal digital recovery system. Joel was one of the first people to realize the importance of using heart rate variability as a gauge to measure where a person sits on the scale of fitness and recovery. In addition to measuring heart rate variability, activity, and sleep, Joe’s latest app, Morpheus, can help you achieve your fitness goals by balancing your training and moving your body into the recovery zone. 

As well as geeking out on heart rate variability, we talk about managing stress and training the autonomic nervous system to move out of sympathetic dominance.  As a recovery specialist, Joel emphasizes that our health is affected by many factors (not just the time we spend training) and advises paying proper attention to our sleep, diet, and stress levels. 

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Today I want to talk about the therapeutic effects of exposing the body to hormetic stressors such as exercise, fasting, and extremes of heat and cold. It’s important to remember that the benefits of these practices come with consistency. In the case of cold water immersion, I recommend trying to establish a routine that includes at least five cold showers and one ice bath per week. The water doesn’t have to be freezing; any temperature that makes you uncomfortable should be enough to spark an adaptive response and help the body mobilize fat, regulate blood sugar levels, and build resilience. To obtain the optimal health benefits from heat exposure, I suggest taking four saunas per week and limiting each session to 19 minutes. In this episode, I also answer some of the questions I’ve been getting lately about nutrition and exercise and explain how to build the stability and strength required to do a successful pistol squat.

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In today’s episode, I chat with my old friend Jeff Vernon, creator of the Trueform Runner, a treadmill designed to improve running form. Talking to Jeff reminded me of the first time I tried the TrueForm. As I recall, it was a somewhat awkward experience with a crowd of people looking on and making me feel self-conscious about my performance. The TrueForm Runner is self-powered, and it was unlike any treadmill I’d ever used before. You need to run with good form and technique to keep it moving, and it really shows up any quirks in your running style. In fact, it’s been called the ‘best lie detector in the gym’ for its ability to expose the flaws in your form.

My second experience of using the TrueForm (in private as part of a running course) was much more satisfactory, and I quickly realized what an important tool it is for improving form and turning people into better runners. I believe that the secret to injury-free running is running well, and the TrueForm teaches you how to run at the right pace and in the correct position. What’s more, it dramatically reduces your likelihood of injury.

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In this solo episode, I talk about the importance of focussing on the foods and exercises that make the most difference to our well-being. If you follow me on Instagram, you may have noticed my recent post supporting the theory that ‘pulls are proteins, pushes are carbs, and swings and carries are fats.’ Basically, I believe that certain foods and exercises are more important for our health than others, and I divide them into three categories, essential, non-essential, and conditionally essential (i.e., necessary for a specific period of time to recover from an injury or improve a particular health problem). 

In my opinion, pulls and proteins are essential, pushes and carbs are non-essential, and swings, carries, and fats are conditionally essential. I believe we eat too many carbs and not enough protein. I also think we spend too much time doing push-ups and back squats and not enough time practicing deadlifts and hang cleans. At a time when two-thirds of the population is overweight or obese, and many of us spend a significant proportion of our time hunched over our computers, I suggest some simple ways to redress the balance and prioritize healthy food and exercise choices over high-carb diets and old-fashioned Arnold Schwarzenegger-type workouts.  

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To follow on from my recent appearance on the Eben Flow podcast, Eben Britton joins me to talk about mindfulness, truth, and the healing power of cannabis. Eben is a former offensive lineman who played for the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Chicago Bears. He’s also a super-sensitive spiritual guy who studied creative writing at the University of Arizona and practices yoga, breathwork, and meditation. Since he retired from professional football, Eben has become an advocate for the healing power of cannabis. As a believer in holistic healthcare, he’s appalled by the way that pharmaceutical opiates are routinely prescribed to players, and he is one of the founders of Athletes for Care, a group of NFL footballers, UFC fighters, and Olympians who have experienced the power of natural healing through plant medicine.

We chat about the human experience and the problems of living isolated, disconnected lives rather than being part of a supportive, tight-knit community. We also touch on the difference between phony holiness and authentic spirituality, and Eben describes how he has managed to rebuild his life after his football career. 

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Dr. Tania Dempsey is an expert in chronic disease, autoimmune disorders, and mast cell activation syndrome. She is sought after internationally for her knowledge of chronic immune dysregulation and uses integrative medicine to get to the patient's root causes of their illness. Her purpose is to understand why people get sick and to help patients understand their body and why it fails them when it does. 

Joseph sat down with Dr. Dempsey to explore her long history working with “mystery diseases” and sheds light on the reasons they can go undiagnosed for so long.

This episode covers:

• The mystery and detective work of diseases. There are various approaches that doctors can take to understand a patient’s symptoms and help them look deeper at underlying causes. Dr. Dempsey explains the complexities of Lyme disease and the importance of understanding the immune system's response to infections.
• Mast cells are critical to optimal health, but often overlooked as an underlying cause of disease. Mast cells are everywhere throughout our body, and mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is a condition where mast cells release chemicals that cause inflammation in response to infections, stress, or other factors.
• MCAS affects a significant portion of the population, but awareness and understanding among doctors is limited. MCAS can manifest in a wide range of symptoms affecting various body systems, making it difficult to diagnose and treat. 
• The marketing industry has had a significant influence on diet recommendations, often prioritizing profitability over health. In today’s dietary landscape, the most important general guidelines are prioritizing protein and reducing sugar.

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In this solo episode, I talk about the four ways I’m bringing burpees back into my coaching programs. During my time as the Head of Sport for Spartan Race (where the penalty for failing to complete a challenge in a race was 30 burpees), I was responsible for making people do a lot of burpees. Perhaps understandably, ever since then, I’ve been reluctant to incorporate burpees into my training programs. However, just lately, I’ve started teaching them to people working out at home who want to get their heart rate up but don’t have access to a fan bike or a rower. But I’m not sticking to old-school burpees; I’m adding four variations that will bring variety and interest to your workouts. 

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Today, I sit down for the second time with Daniel DeBaun, the founder of Defender Shield, a company that provides industry-leading protection against the electromagnetic (EMF) radiation emitted from our digital devices. Daniel is a former engineer who has over 30 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. He is committed to helping people protect themselves from EMF radiation and has recently worked with a team of scientists and engineers to develop a new shielding technology designed to provide protection from 5G frequencies. 

Daniel and I discuss the 5G rollout and talk about its possible implications for our health. We also look into some of the recent research into electromagnetic radiation and consider how it can affect our bodies, disturb our sleep, and disrupt our connection to the Earth’s natural electromagnetic frequency. Above all, Daniel suggests some straightforward ways to manage our environment, limit our EMF exposure, and protect ourselves and our families from artificial electromagnetic radiation.  

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This Friday, I’m sharing a clip from my recent appearance on Eben Britton’s ‘Eben Flow’ Podcast. Eben is a former NFL player turned mindfulness practitioner and cannabis advocate. He’s a super-interesting guy, and we get into some profound and somewhat controversial topics in his show. My episode is called ‘Trust Thyself with Joe DiStefano’, and the first forty-five minutes are dedicated to kettlebells. The clip you’re going to hear today focuses on breath and why nasal breathing is so essential for our mental and physical health. 

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In this week’s show, I weigh up the benefits of the Carnivore Diet with cookbook author, chef,  and avid CrossFit competitor Erin Blevins. Erin has a background in competitive distance running, and she was introduced to CrossFit in 2016 while working as a chef for the Superman actor, Henry Cavill, during the filming of Justice League. As well as cooking for superheroes, Erin has worked as a nutritional coach for professional athletes, baseball players, and Navy Seals. She is the founder of shutupEAT and shutupWORK, and last year, she co-wrote The Essential Carnivore Diet Cookbook, a collection of meat-based recipes designed to promote healing and weight loss. 

As an athlete who has competed at a high level in multiple sports, Erin understands what foods are needed to fuel high-intensity exercise. She talks about her transition from vegan to carnivore and describes how shifting to a primarily meat-based diet has helped improve her health and performance. She sets out her organic approach to coaching and nutrition, emphasizes the character-forming aspects of competition, and explains how to keep motivated during the pandemic.

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Welcome to the Friday show. Today, I’m going to talk you through another one of my favorite workouts. It’s called The 30/30 for 30. For this workout, we’re going to do three different exercises. The first exercise is aerobic, so I recommend using a fan bike, a rowing machine, a treadmill, or a jump rope. The second exercise is the kettlebell swing (or the snatch if you’ve learned how to do it on an RKC-type course). The last piece is a core exercise, and for simplicity’s sake, I suggest that everybody does the hard-style plank. If you can, opt for a ring-suspended plank where the rings or suspension straps are positioned just above the mat and the feet are elevated 12-16 inches off the ground. This makes for a more challenging plank that perfectly complements the kettlebell training. 

During this 30/30 for 30 program, you’re going to do 30 seconds of work followed by 30 seconds of rest for 30 minutes. The purpose of this workout is not to get you sweaty and sore but to get some high-quality movement and recovery. It’s a feel-good workout that can be done on its own or after some strength work, such as heavy deadlifts. Of course, before you start, I suggest you spend 5 to 10 minutes warming up.

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This week, I sit with chiropractor, spine expert, and CrossFit enthusiast Dr. Andrew Yaun. Andrew is the owner of Optimal Sports Therapy and Wellness, a chiropractic practice in Fairfield, Connecticut, specializing in the treatment of sports injuries. He also happens to be my former college roommate, whose background as a CrossFit competitor and experience as a clinician, make him the perfect person to ask about the science behind kettlebell swings. 

We take a deep dive into the mechanics of the swing, and Andrew (who goes by the name of Dr. Spider in CrossFit circles), explains why the correct technique is crucial in protecting the spine and preventing injury. He talks about what makes kettlebell swings so special and helps to throw some light on the reasons why Stuart McGill’s research suggests they have the potential to undo some of the injuries and dysfunctional patterns associated with more conventional weightlifting.

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In today’s AMA, I turn my attention to sleep. We all know how important sleep is for our health and performance but many of us regularly experience problems sleeping, and we’re often unsure what the best strategies are for consistently getting a good night’s sleep. When it comes to improving the quality of our sleep, I believe we need to concentrate on three core areas; repairing our circadian rhythms, reducing our stress levels, and improving our sleep hygiene. Surprisingly, how well we sleep at night has more to do with how we start rather than how we end the day.  A calm and consistent morning routine and getting out into natural light as soon as possible in the day can help our bodies live in harmony with their natural rhythms and lay the foundation for a better night’s sleep.

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In this episode, I take an in-depth look at the benefits of heat and light therapy with the founder of SaunaSpace, Brian Richards, who describes how he was inspired to create his own near-infrared sauna when he was looking for a natural and drug-free way to cure his acne, insomnia, and adrenal fatigue. Although Brian’s first sauna was cobbled together from scavenged parts and chicken wire, he was so impressed by the transformative effect it had on his health that he spent the next few years refining his design. Today, his company produces unique and beautiful portable saunas made from high-quality materials that enable you to create a designated healing space in your own home.

Brian sets out the many benefits of sauna therapy, from detoxification and cellular rejuvenation to increased energy, better sleep, and clearer skin. He explains how near-infrared light promotes cellular healing and describes the joyful and rejuvenating experience of spending time in a specifically designed ritual healing space, free from modern technology and set apart from the stresses and demands of our everyday lives.  

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This show focuses on teaching you how to develop the skills you’ll need to swing a heavy kettlebell safely and effectively. As a coach, I know that building up to a Hardstyle Kettlebell Swing takes practice and if you’re new to kettlebells, you’ll need to work on your breathing and on developing the sort of explosive hip power that will allow you to swing a heavy bell between your legs. To get you started, I share some techniques and practices that will help you prepare your body for the swing and, to keep you motivated, I set out some of the many benefits of swinging heavier weights. 

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Today, I talk to martial arts guru and fear management expert Tony Blauer about how to understand, control and confront our fears. As someone who’s trained professional fighters, military personnel, and law enforcement officers, Tony understands how to face fear. His personal defense program, the SPEAR System, teaches people how to protect themselves in the event of a physical threat and his KNOW FEAR program provides strategies for overcoming panic and anxiety through the development of a rational and resilient mindset. 

Our conversation revolves around the consequences of living in fear and Tony encourages us all to stop wasting our time worrying about things that might never happen. Instead, he invites us to reframe our relationship with fear and to think of it as a catalyst rather than an obstacle. We also discuss the crucial role that coaches can play in helping athletes to  overcome their pre-competition nerves and improve their performance.

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Raja Dhir is the co-founder of Seed, a company at the forefront of utilizing bacteria to revolutionize human health and planetary well being. In this episode, Joseph and Raja discuss the importance of the microbiome in children's health. They also discuss the presence of environmental contaminants such as microplastics in our water and food supply, and what you can do to reduce your exposure and maintain optimal gut health.

How do we promote children’s health? The microbiome plays an important role in children’s health. Raja highlighted the importance of a diverse diet and the impact of certain factors like antibiotics, breastfeeding, and vaginal birth on the development of a healthy microbiome in infants.

What’s the science behind probiotic use in children, and their potential effects on issues such as constipation? Raja unveils some of the promising research and results of PDS-08®, their pediatric probiotic, for childhood health.

How microplastics in the environment are impacting gut health. Raja elaborates on the presence of microplastics in food and the potential risks they pose to human health, and the steps that we can take to minimize our exposure to contaminants.

Your microbiome influences metabolism and weight, and the keys to a healthier lifestyle. Raja explained how certain bacteria in the microbiome can affect energy harvest and metabolism, potentially contributing to obesity. He emphasized the need for a balanced diet, exercise, and stress management to maintain a healthy microbiome and overall well-being.

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This Friday Fitness Workout is a 20-minute EMOM (every minute on the minute) program that you can adapt to suit your fitness level and the equipment you have available. It consists of 10 sets of 10 Hardstyle Kettlebell Swings (that we’re going to do every other minute on the minute) and 10 sets of push-ups or chins-up (starting with 1 and building up to 10) that we’re going to do in the minute between the swings. This format is great for building strength and burning fat, and what’s more, it packs in a ton of density and enables you to get the work done in a relatively short period of time.

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Joining me for the 100th episode of the show is Greg Scheinman, the host of The Midlife Male Podcast. As a committed family man with a successful professional career, Greg feels that he is finally starting to come into his own at the age of 47. Although he had to deal with tragedy and adversity in his younger years, Greg is excited about the future and he is on a mission to help other men successfully navigate middle age, improve their fitness and their finances, and achieve a better quality of life.

We chat about fatherhood, friendship, the challenges of parenting in a pandemic, and the need for positive male role models and mentors. As someone who is keen to keep learning and evolving through midlife and beyond, Greg hopes that the informative interviews he conducts with entrepreneurs, innovators, and wellness experts will inspire his listeners and help them move forwards with their lives with a little more clarity, courage, and confidence

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Welcome to my first ever audio Kettlebell Workout where I guide you through a Kettlebell Deadlift, a Hardstyle or Russian Kettlebell Swing, and the Humane Burpees Workout. We start with the deadlift (which is a great precursor to the swing) and move on to the swing before practicing the correct technique for the Goblet Squat and the Push-Up. Finally, we put the Hardstyle Swing, the Goblet Squat, and the Push-Up together in the Humane Burpees Workout which consists of descending reps (from 10-1) of Goblet Squats and Push-Ups with 10 (or 5) swings between each rep. I love this workout because it never gets old, it never gets easy, and you can push yourself as hard as you want. It’s a full-body exercise that builds strength and endurance, activates your core, mobilizes your hips, and raises your heart rate.  

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In this super-informative episode, I’m joined by Dr. Emily Splichal. Dr. Emily is a podiatrist, a human movement specialist, and the founder of Naboso, a company whose proprioceptive insoles, yoga mats, and mobility balls are specifically designed to stimulate the hypersensitive nerves in the feet. As an expert in barefoot training and sensory movement, Emily’s mission is to help people move better and feel healthier by optimizing movement from the feet up.

During our conversation, she explains how Naboso’s proprioceptive surfaces facilitate correct movement patterns and she describes how to build strength and stability in the feet. We also dive deep into the mind-body connection, examine the complex and little-known link between the emotions and the myofascial system, and explore the benefits of being barefoot. As a podiatrist, Dr. Emily recommends going barefoot wherever possible, choosing natural minimalist shoes over conventional footwear, and strengthening the feet with exercises rather than simply relying on orthotics.

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Ancestral Supplements
Traditional peoples, the kind that would have been barefoot most of the time, out in the sun, moving all day, and doing ALL the things we biohackers are trying endlessly to figure out and find a way to PUT BACK into our modern existence, sensed intuitively, that eating the organs from a healthy animal would strengthen and support the health and longevity of them, their children, and their elders. In fact, they believed that like-supported-like and the eating fresh organs also corresponded to strengthen those organs of the individual. For instance, the traditional way of treating a person with a weak heart was to feed the person the heart of a healthy animal. Is it any surprise that HEART is the richest source of Co-Enzyme Q10, in a far more bioavailable form than those capsules in your kitchen cabinet? Similarly, eating the kidneys of a healthy animal was believed to support urinary ailments and overall kidney health... The pancreas was fed to people with digestive problems... and the spleen was fed to people with immune and blood deficiencies. And the list goes on. 

Our early ancestors KNEW these truths, which is why their traditional diets included the frequent and nourishing consumption of nose-to-tail organs that today are almost void from the diet.

So please visit my good friends over at Ancestral Supplements at coachjoedi.com/ancestral to see what they can do for you - and put back in, what the modern world has left out! 

SaunaSpace
Hundreds of studies now show sauna therapy to be one of the most effective ways to free yourself from the toxicity of modern living and extend your life and now that not many of us have space for a large, wood-burning Finnish barrel in our yard, SaunaSpace offers the only truly EMF-free sauna experience AND has pioneered the model I got with external EMF protection as well called, The Faraday.

I have not looked back and have enjoyed my SaunaSpace sauna literally everyday since I got it, Emilia loves it too. So if you’re looking to add an EMF-free, ritual space for relieving stress and transforming your body and mind take a visit now to coachjoedi.com/saunaspace

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This Friday, as a follow-up to my recent episode with Jim Crowell, I talk about my experiences as a coach, a gym owner, and the manager of a large fitness franchise. For the sake of the fitness professionals listening, I focus on the criteria I used to hire trainers and look into the reasons why some gyms succeed and others don’t. On a more general note, I make the case for a more heart-centered and holistic approach to health and caution against the tendency to confuse facts with truth.

Sign up for my newsletter at coachjoedi.com/newsletter and receive 10% off all Thorne products!

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This show focuses on the way forward for the fitness industry and my guest, Jim Crowell, the former CEO of OPEX Fitness turned independent adviser and business strategist, explains what coaches and gym owners need to do to survive and thrive in the current climate. Prior to his career in the fitness sector, Jim worked as a commodities trader for an energy hedge fund and his business acumen (along with his coaching credentials and experience of running his own gyms) makes him uniquely placed to provide some timely and much-needed advice about adapting and growing your fitness business in these changing times.

 As you’ll hear, Jim favors a proactive and pragmatic approach. He points out that sitting on your hands and just hoping that things will get back to normal isn’t an option. As an eternal optimist, he reminds fitness professionals that there are still opportunities to be had in the fitness industry if they are willing to make the necessary changes. We talk about creating successful strategies to scale both online and bricks and mortar businesses and we explore some of the metrics you’ll need to keep a close eye on to make sure your business is growing each month. Jim also shares details of some of the digital fitness companies he’s currently working with and explains how technology can be used to scale your business and make online coaching easier.

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In this AMA, I’m excited to share details of my daily morning movement and breathing practice and talk you through the exercises in my e-book Breathe Better, Move Better, which you can download for free from the RUNGA website. This workout is a combination of strength and conditioning exercises, Kundalini yoga postures, and powerful breathwork practices that have the potential to improve mobility, reduce chronic pain, and turbo-charge your energy levels. The Breathe Better, Move Better flow unlocks stubborn stiffness and strengthens the connection between the emotional and physical body, facilitating the release of stagnant energy and deeply-stored emotions. I find that starting my mornings with this mindful and energizing practice helps me to make the best of the day ahead and I invite you to try it and see for yourself the positive difference that it can make to your life.

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This week I’m joined by the legendary strength and conditioning coach Dan John. Dan is an All-American discus thrower who has also competed at the highest levels in Olympic Lifting and holds the American record in the Weight Pentathlon. Dan has spent many years training high-school and elite athletes and he has recently created the Workout Generator, an online exercise and coaching program that provides personalized workouts tailored to suit your individual requirements and resources. As well as his accomplishments as a coach and an athlete, Dan has written over forty books including one of my all-time favorites, Easy Strength, which he co-wrote with Pavel Tsatsouline. 

In this conversation, we talk about performance standards for at-home fitness and discuss how a degree of adversity can help us adapt and develop our training programs. Dan looks back over his career as a competitor and talks about his experience of coaching high school athletes and dealing with the expectations of their parents. He tells us how fitness training has changed over the past forty years and even shares details of his old-school 1974 training program. 

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Today I talk about some of the ways our approaches to health and wellbeing have changed over the past year and consider what action we should take to help us cope with the challenges ahead. On a positive note, I’ve noticed that many of us are having our blood tested more regularly to check for potential vitamin and mineral deficiencies and, as a result, we are starting to realize which supplements are most effective in supporting our health. I hope that my latest podcast with Dr. Chris Shade helped to throw some light on this subject and gave you the information you need to figure out which supplements you should use in 2021. Over the past month, I’ve also taken some time to redefine my personal fitness goals and set my intentions for the year ahead. In a rapidly changing world, I believe it’s more important than ever to concentrate on improving our physical and mental strength and focus on working towards optimal health and happiness. 

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In this episode, I sit for a third time with Dr. Chris Shade, founder and CEO of Quicksilver Scientific. As regular listeners to the show will know, Dr. Shade is an expert in detoxification and Quicksilver Scientific is known for its highly bioavailable supplements that deliver the nutrients you need quickly and efficiently to your cells. In previous episodes, Dr. Shade and I discussed free medicine, the role of NAD in the aging process, and how to fight infections and boost your immune system. Today, we talk about detoxification, the absorption and conversion of nutrients, and how to improve your body’s metabolic function so it can start burning more fat for fuel. 

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BLUblox
LIGHT in many ways is the “master switch” for many hormones rising and falling at the right times. And if we are exposed to the wrong lights at the wrong times, our hormones respond in the wrong ways. This impacts our sleep, our energy, our attitudes, and our nutritional choices. So if there’s one thing to focus on apart from diet and exercise, it just may be LIGHT. 

BLUBLOX glasses, block 100% of blue and green light, come in prescription or NON, and are available in clear, amber or red lenses. If you are able it is best to order all three, so you can use the clear, blue light filtering lenses during the day, the amber as the day wears on, and red after the sun goes down. So you’re more or less replicating the natural light that would otherwise be shining down on you throughout the day if you were say, a caveman! 

So head on over to coachjoedi.com/BLUBLOX for a special discount and some of the products I personally use every day.

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Dr. Michael Ruscio, DC is a Naturopathic Practitioner, Doctor of Chiropractic, clinical researcher and author. His primary focus is digestive health and its impact on other facets of health, including energy, sleep, mood, and thyroid function and optimization. Dr. Ruscio’s book, Healthy Gut, Healthy You, has paved the way for a ‘start with the gut’ philosophy that has enabled doctors and patients to see improved outcomes with minimal expense and effort. 

In this episode, Dr. Michael Ruscio draws from his vast experience to present an approachable perspective on diet and things we can all do to become healthier and enjoy our lives even more, starting today.

10:38 - Clinicians who are more opinionated tend to be more rewarded, but beware. When someone has a specifically clear narrative or is highly confident in their perspective, it’s best to proceed with caution. This can be a sign of ignorance of the full picture and the complexities of the human body.

20:45 - People can become less healthy overall when trying to maximize the health of their diet. If you’re learning about lichens, histamines, dairy, seed oils, etc., it is easy to put yourself in a dietary prison from a place of fear and worry. We need to ensure that we don’t end up diminishing quality of life by limiting social activities and other aspects of life.

31:37 - We each have a health bank account: you put deposits in the bank and sometimes you make withdrawals. Invest and deposit liberally in your health, and make exceptions to have fun, smile and laugh. Having the vitality from enjoying different experiences in moderation will lead to a net positive account.

34:50 - The mind-blowing way we might be causing ourselves to be more sensitive to certain foods and environmental triggers. The limbic system helps us recognize aspects of our lives that help us survive, and the amygdala and limbic system get overactive when associating certain foods with fear. This correlates with depression and anxiety, and most importantly, can lead to blood that is actually more prone to inflammation. This means that your relationship with and narrative around food can cause you to actually become more sensitive to things like mold, pollen, and perfumes.

This episode is sponsored by Quicksilver Scientific. Use code RUNGA for 15% off their advanced liposomal supplements to enjoy optimal health in 2024.

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In this special episode, I share a guided meditation that my wife Emilía recently hosted on The Tribe’s online community platform. Emilía is an amazing yoga and mindfulness teacher and in this offering, she concentrates on helping you to identify your priorities and face the New Year with a renewed sense of focus, courage, and intention. She starts the session with a short guided meditation before inviting you to reflect on a list of questions designed to help get you clear on what’s most important for you in 2021. This exercise is intended to help you stay true to yourself and start living a life that is aligned with your purpose rather than settling for something small and simply conforming to the expectations of others. This is your opportunity to look back on 2020 and define your goals for 2021, so grab your journal and get ready to do some serious self-reflection.

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My first guest of the year is the renowned fitness innovator and movement coach, Mike Fitch. Mike is the founder of Global Bodyweight Training and the creator of Animal Flow, a quadrupedal ground-based movement practice that helps you rediscover your body’s deepest evolutionary patterns. Mike teaches people how to master movements that were once ingrained in their DNA but have now been largely forgotten due to the sedentary nature of our modern lifestyles.

This episode is an absolute must-listen for anyone who works in health and fitness or is interested in exploring new types of movement. We talk about the catalyst that inspired Mike to create the Animal Flow system and we dive deep into the health benefits of quadrupedal movement and bodyweight training. This show covers aspects of topics that I’ve discussed with previous guests such as Dr. Jen Esquer, Perry Nickelston, and Steve Capobianco and it focuses on helping people to build strong, stable, and resilient bodies that will maximize their ability to pursue injury-free health and fitness for the long term.

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Welcome to the first episode of 2021. 2020 was a year that taught us a lot about ourselves and made us realize what really matters. Like many of us, I’ve had a chance to re-assess my priorities and work out where I want to focus my energy and resources in the future. For me, that means spending time with my family and my Tribe and choosing an active and engaged lifestyle that optimizes my health and allows me to be of service to others. My New Year’s resolution is to become a stronger version of myself by training hard, looking after my mental and physical wellbeing, and raising my energetic vibration. I hope that 2021 will be a year when we can start to live more courageously, with more compassion for others, and with a renewed determination to make our bodies and minds strong and ready for the battle ahead. 

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In this episode of the Best of Stacked 2020 series, I delve into the subject of consciousness and my guests discuss everything you need to know about raising your vibration, connecting to your highest self, and encountering the divine.  Amongst other things, we talk about the ability of the soul to survive the physical death of the body and consider the profound effects that psychedelic drugs and plant medicines can have on the brain. Above all, we focus on the persistent search to find meaning, purpose, and happiness in our lives.


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Magnesium Breakthrough
Magnesium is the body’s “master mineral” powering over 300 critical reactions within the body, including a major role in fat metabolism, energy, stress and digestion. Our DETOX system is literally rate-limited by the presence — or lack thereof — of MAGNESIUM.

That’s why I’m so excited to tell you about a new magnesium product called, Magnesium Breakthrough. It’s the ULTIMATE magnesium supplement, easily the best I’ve ever seen or experienced. It has all 7 forms of this mineral, so you don’t need to buy 7 different bottles of all the various forms of the mineral. 

Check out www.coachjoedi.com/magnesium for more on Magnesium Breakthrough and to get the BEST deal around (you won’t find a better deal on Amazon or even the company’s own website)!

Quicksilver Scientific
Glutathione enables the body to get rid of toxins by forming a soluble compound for the toxin to be consumed into that can easily be excreted through the urine or the gut without being reabsorbed somewhere else.

And the ONLY glutathione worth buying, in my opinion, is made by former podcast guest, Dr Chris Shade and you can find it over at coachjoedi.com/detox along with a special discount code for my listeners, and more information on this magical molecule.

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Welcome back to another installment in the Best of Stacked 2020 Series. This show is a sequel to my previous episode on nutrition and today I turn my attention to the topics of gut health, ancestral diets, healing mushrooms, and specialty coffee. As always, my guests have a wealth of knowledge and information to share and we dive into some interesting subjects, such as the complex and hugely beneficial impact that NAD, AMPK, and glutathione have on our health. 

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In Part 3 of the Best of Stacked 2020 series, I take a deep dive into nutrition. For this show, I’ve put together a compilation of clips that focus on all things food-related. The clips cover a wide range of subjects including natural wine production, biodynamic farming, fasting, food intolerances, and dietary supplements, and my amazing guests, who are all experts in their fields, provide some straightforward and actionable advice on improving your nutrition and optimizing your health. 

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Today, I share some Q&As from a recent call with members of The Tribe. We talk about how a breastfeeding mother’s diet affects her baby, the best grounding techniques to do when it’s freezing outside, toxins and radiation in the home, and how to move from guided to non-guided meditation. This AMA was super fun and, if you’d like to take part in these types of conversations and hear more in-depth advice about a wide range of health and wellness topics, you can try out The Tribe for a month for free by heading over to Rungalife.com 

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In this second installment of the Best of Stacked 2020 series, I dive deep into the subject of the breath and discuss how consciously making an effort to control and correct our breathing can have a significant impact on our mental and physical wellbeing. In this show, I’ve put together some of the best clips from previous podcasts that demonstrate the positive difference that diaphragmatic breathing can make to our ability to manage stress and include details of breathing practices and biohacks that can help optimize our performance and improve our quality of life.

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After 10 months in Europe, I’ve finally arrived back in the US and, since neither Emilia nor I experienced any jet lag after our journey, I want to talk about my approach to long-haul travel and share some of the hacks that helped my family, my dog, and myself move from Europe to the US without too much disruption to our health, our sleep patterns, or our stress levels. 

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Welcome to the first ever ‘Best of Stacked’ compilation episode where I’ve gathered together some of my favorite clips from former episodes. This show focuses on how to relieve pain and avoid injury and you’ll hear advice from some of the world’s leading scientists, doctors, and athletes on how to adapt your lifestyle and manage your training program to make sure you stay fit, healthy, and pain-free.

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BLUBLOX
Introducing a brand new, simple, and inexpensive way to improve the quality and depth of your sleep and support healthier hormonal rhythms for your entire family --- Lumi Light Bulbs

Lumi Summer, which is an amber bulb for daytime use, eradicates the nasty blue LED light spike at 465nm that could be causing digital eyestrain and headaches. Lumi Sleep+ eliminates 100% of all blue and green light between 400-580nm allowing you to protect yourself against any delay in your melatonin rising. 

Lumi light bulbs are LED but do not flicker, they are low EMF and have a long lifespan, making them the world’s first optimal circadian lighting solution for our modern world.

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TRAEGER GRILLS
Träeger Grills have changed the game of grilling, BBQ’ing, baking, and smoking with their all in one, pellet burning, wi-fire technology that you can control from the palm of your hand — I just cooked the most fantastic thanksgiving turkey ever on my Traeger using their recipe and their app. As I was cooking I was constantly pouring melted butter over the turkey but if I wasn’t doing that I could have done it all from my phone. I used hickory pellets, smoked the bird for about 4 hours; Then switched the grill with one click to a 375 oven for another hour. All the while tracking the internal temperature of the turkey from my phone. CRAZY! 

And tis the season for purchases like a new grill for the grill master in your house, especially since we are all cooking more at home right now in 2020 - this is absolutely worth the investment. So head on over to coachjoedi.com/traeger for the exact grill I use at home and to access any special offers Traeger is running right now heading into the holidays. 

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Joseph sits down with Dr. Mindy Pelz, who is a D.C., nutrition and functional health expert who has spent over two decades helping thousands of people successfully reclaim their health. She is a recognized leader in the alternative health field and a pioneer in the fasting movement, teaching the principles of a fasting lifestyle, diet variation, detox, hormones, and more. Her popular YouTube channel regularly updates followers on the latest science-backed tools and techniques to help them reset their health. She is the host of one of the leading science podcasts, The Resetter Podcast, and the author of three best-selling books.

In anticipation of her book, Fast Like A Girl, in this episode, Dr. Mindy Pelz describes the importance of understanding women’s hormones to fully optimize their health and unlock their “superpowers.” In her work, Dr. Mindy not only helps solve the fasting issue for women, but gives women a framework that is relevant for anything in their life—from exercise, to socialization, to protein intake. This is a must-listen for all women and the men who love them.

In This Episode:

Dr’ Mindy’s Book: Fast Like a Girl
Dr. Mindy’s Website
Follow Dr Mindy on Instagram
Subscribe to Dr Mindy on YouTube

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Quicksilver Scientific

Quicksilver Scientific supplements are highly bioavailable and help support a vibrant body and mind. Today, we’re highlighting glutathione as one of the top supplements we recommend. Glutathione helps safeguard our cells from the negative effects of toxins, helping to neutralize and remove them from the body. It is also your immune'system’s first line of defense. Most glutathione supplements have poor bioavailability, but Quicksilver Scientific’s liposomal delivery floods the body with nutrients and botanicals within minutes.

Save 15% on Glutathione & other products with code RUNGA.

The RUNGA Micro-Conference

Join us at RUNGA, happening this October 14 & 15 in Austin, Texas for two full days of hands-on workshops, interactive panel discussions and paradigm-shifting keynotes among an intimate group of passionate like-minds. Once you attend RUNGA, you’ll see right away why people call it the highest impact event in health & wellness.

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This week, I sit for a second time with Dr. Stuart McGill, one of the world’s leading experts on lower back pain, health, and high performance. Dr. McGill is the author of several bestselling books on treating back pain and preventing injury and he is a professor emeritus at Waterloo University where he taught for over 30 years. As well as being a respected clinician and an acclaimed academic who has had hundreds of articles published in peer-reviewed journals, Dr. McGill is the Chief Scientific Officer for Backfitpro Inc, which provides assessments and exercises for people with painful back injuries. In my previous podcast with Dr. McGill, we talked about his work in professional baseball and discussed who was at most risk for lower back injuries. 

In today’s show, we pivot from baseball to golf, and Dr. McGill shares some of his recent research that reveals that relaxation, not strength or power, is the key to a successful golf swing. In addition to explaining how to relax faster and swing better, Dr. McGill emphasizes the importance of hip mobility and talks about some of the biological features that can affect sporting performance. He also shares some spine saving strategies and divulges details of his weekly training program.

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This week I share my monthly AMA session with members of the Tribe who join me for a super-candid and casual online conversation where we dive deep into the topics of gut health, probiotics, injury prevention, and popping joints. This type of personalized monthly online AMA session is just part of the service I offer to Tribe members, a growing online community of like-minded individuals who have signed up to receive the specialist training programs, nutritional advice, and recipes that I normally only share with my private training clients. The first month is free and, in addition to gaining access to exclusive content, Tribe members are entitled to a 20% discount off all Thorne products, so head on over to www.coachjoedi.com and click on Tribe to find out more. 

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On this week’s show, I’m joined by Lindsey Mathews, the founder of BIRTHFIT, an organization whose strength and conditioning programs help keep women fit throughout pregnancy and prepare them mentally and physically for birth and the postpartum period. Lindsey’s qualifications and experience as a doctor of chiropractic, a doula, and a strength and conditioning coach have enabled her to create appropriate and effective prenatal and postpartum training programs that support women through their transition into motherhood and help them build trust and confidence in their bodies.

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