The Vitalist

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