Movement is Medicine

Getting older is unavoidable. Falling apart because of it is not. In this episode, Dr. Gene, Dr. Meghan, and Dr. Michelle take aim at one of the most common and damaging narratives in health: the idea that pain, weakness, stiffness, and decline are just "part of getting older." They break down why age itself is often not the real problem — and why inflammation, inactivity, isolation, fear, and loss of control usually have a lot more to do with how people actually feel. The conversation gets into what really protects people as they age: strength, power, community, and a reason to keep showing up. They talk about exercise as a retirement account for your future self, why power disappears faster than people realize, and how quickly life shrinks when fear starts making decisions for you. They also hit the mindset piece hard — how people hand their agency over to the calendar, stop asking what they can influence, and quietly accept a version of aging that is far worse than it needs to be.  This one is part wake-up call, part permission slip, and part reminder that training is not about aesthetics forever — it's about protecting your ability to live the kind of life you still want decades from now.   Explore RECHARGE: www.rechargexfit.com 

In this episode, Gene, Meghan, and Michelle pull on a thread that shows up in the clinic constantly: work stress that quietly turns into pain, fatigue, and "mystery symptoms." The conversation starts with a deceptively simple question—why do you go to work?—and quickly turns into a bigger truth: most of your life happens on the clock, so your health can't avoid being affected by what happens there. They unpack how people often confuse stress with anxiety ("I'm not anxious, so I'm not stressed"), why numbness and detachment can be stress signals too, and how chronic workload pressure lowers your threshold until the smallest "final straw" triggers pain. You'll also hear a sharp take on "outlets": when coping strategies become a survival requirement rather than a healthy choice—and why building inlets (journaling, therapy, reflection, regulation practices) is the missing counterpart.  The episode weaves in purpose science, America's relationship with work, the reality of golden handcuffs, and a practical reframing: money can buy freedom, but it can't replace meaning. The goal isn't to quit your job and move to an island (although… coconuts). It's to build awareness, reclaim a little control, and stop letting your workday silently write your health story.  Explore Recharge: www.rechargexfit.com 

In this episode, Gene, Meghan, and Michelle debrief the American Physical Therapy Association's Combined Sections Meeting (CSM) — where Gene presented. From there, the conversation turns into something bigger: a blunt look at how modern healthcare became an opaque, transaction-heavy system where patients don't know costs up front and clinicians are squeezed by productivity demands. The hosts unpack why physical therapy burnout is so common, how student debt traps good clinicians in bad models, and why "more volume" often means less actual care.  Finally, they explain the Recharge philosophy as a direct response to that reality: build long-term relationships, remove as many transactions as possible, and create a community where movement is sustainable, honest, and often fun.  Explore Recharge: www.rechargexfit.com 

There's a big moment at the top of this episode… but we're not spoiling it here. What we can tell you: the conversation that follows is one of the most practical breakdowns we've had on breathing, pain, stress physiology, and women's health.   Explore Recharge www.rechargexfit.com 

It's a two-host episode (no referee!), and Gene and Megan go straight at one of the most common pieces of bad advice women still get: "Your cortisol is high… you should stop working out." They break down why cortisol is supposed to fluctuate, why strength training creates a healthy temporary spike, and how lifting actually improves the systems that help cortisol  They also hit the hard truth that makes strength training non-negotiable: after 30, women tend to lose muscle mass over time and bone density can decline each year—unless you load the system and give it a reason to adapt. The episode lays out simple best practices: consistency, progressive overload, training with enough intensity to create change, and not confusing "a lot of sweating" with "the right stimulus." If you've been told to back off lifting because of stress hormones—or you're stuck in the "cardio-only" loop because you're afraid of getting bulky—this is your reset button (and your permission slip). Subscribe to get the latest dose of Movement is Medicine! Explore Recharge: www.rechargexfit.com 

Ever feel like you held it together through December… and then January quietly body-slammed you? In this shorter episode, the Movement Is Medicine crew breaks down the "boomerang season": the post-holiday crash where routines normalize, adrenaline drops, and a lot of people start feeling tired, irritable, unmotivated, or strangely "flat."  They unpack how stress shows up even when you don't feel anxious, why winter overstimulation and lack of nature-time can amplify the slump, and how men and women often miss stress in different ways (either not acknowledging it or acknowledging it without changing anything) The takeaway is refreshingly simple: name what's happening, then commit to small, low-friction actions that pull you forward—like keeping plans you're tempted to cancel, creating a tiny routine reset, and building momentum one "easy win" at a time. If you've been wanting to curl up under a blanket and disappear until spring… congrats. You're human. This episode helps you climb out anyway.  Subscribe for more health and fitness content! Explore Recharge: www.rechargexfit.com 

Following last week's GLP-1 conversation, the Movement Is Medicine crew sits down with Becky Ramsing, registered dietitian and public health expert at Johns Hopkins, to talk about nutrition in a way that actually fits real life. Instead of chasing perfect meal plans, Becky explains why dietary patterns matter more than extremes—and why food decisions are shaped by culture, emotions, access, and the environment we eat in.  You'll hear practical strategies for making change without the all-or-nothing spiral: choosing small "next steps," building habits through repetition, and using your environment to make healthier choices easier (without relying on willpower as your full-time job). The group also tackles common myths—carbs aren't villains, sugar isn't a superdrug, and most people don't need protein in every beverage—while making a strong case for basics like whole grains, fruits/vegetables, and fiber.  If you've ever felt overwhelmed by nutrition advice, this episode gives you a calmer, smarter framework—and a few laughs along the way (including a serious debate about the "correct" chocolate chip cookie).  Subscribe to get your regular health RECHARGE! Explore Recharge: www.rechargexfit.com 

Dr. Spencer Nadolsky joins the podcast to cut through weight-loss hype. We cover GLP-1 meds, calorie realities, visceral vs. other fat, telemedicine models, and how evidence + high-touch care beat the latest fad. Practical, clear, and candid. Interested in working Dr. Nadolsky's Company Vineyard to lose weight safely and effectively? Go to: https://joinvineyard.com/join/recharge/ 

  Lauren Sambataro — dancer, long-time performer in Wicked, and functional health practitioner — joins the hosts to unpack what it takes to keep a high-level body doing high-volume work. We talk about the realities of performing eight shows a week on raked stages, the evolving relationship dancers have with pain, and why pain signals aren't always simple or scary. Lauren frames pain as information and explains how performers learn to distinguish the tweak that can be managed from the problem that needs a plan. The conversation turns practical and wide-ranging: what "biohacking" really means (an individualized, evidence-aware effort to optimize biology), why lab testing should confirm—not replace—good clinical history, and the common trap of chasing supplements while ignoring foundations. Lauren's top priorities? A consistent sleep schedule (wake/sleep times within ~30 minutes), removing phones from the bedroom, and returning to nutritional basics (including trace minerals) before adding a forest of pills. She also reflects on the emotional labor of working with clients, the promise and limits of AI in care, and why simple behavior changes often beat flashy shortcuts. Actionable takeaways you can use today: Lock in a consistent sleep/wake window and optimize your sleep environment. Ditch the phone from the bedroom (or add a physical blocker) to improve sleep signals. Prioritize foundational habits (sleep, nutrition, movement) before layering in tech or supplements. Use labs to confirm patterns suggested by history; one test rarely tells the whole story. For clinicians and coaches: manage your energy and be purposeful about when to push versus when to repair.   Experience Recharge: www.rechargexfit.com 

In this episode the hosts dig into the mechanics, healing timelines, and clinical clues behind the soft-tissue problems that land people in clinic. Moving beyond "it hurts," they explain how muscles, tendons, ligaments, and fibrocartilage (meniscus and labrum) differ in blood supply, injury patterns, and recovery — and why that matters for decisions about rest, rehab, or surgery. You'll hear clear explanations of grade-1 through grade-3 tears, why tendons can be stubborn, how meniscal and labral tears present (think delayed swelling and the dreaded "bucket-handle"), and when an avulsion changes the game. The team will explain how strength testing, unilateral vs bilateral pain as diagnostic clues, and how building the right tissue "environment" (progressive loading, targeted rehab, and realistic timelines) is the best path to lasting function.   Explore Recharge www.rechargexfit.com 

We are taking a little detour from our tissue health series. In this episode we discuss modern wellness trends and how to evaluate health claims: from the limits of single case stories to the value of high-quality evidence and thoughtful clinical judgment. Along the way the hosts mix in candid studio banter (yes, there's a memorable detour into perineal sunning) while returning repeatedly to practical takeaways: move intelligently, prioritize progressive loading over needless rest, and use critical thinking when assessing health advice. Experience Recharge: www.rechargexfit.com   

In Part 1 of "Tissue Issues" the Movement Is Medicine team break down the biology behind the aches and tears that bring people to the clinic. We cover: • Muscle strains and grade 1–3 tears (why partial tears can hurt more than full tears and typical 2–8 week timelines) • Tendons as the "ropes" that fray over time — why they're slow to heal, how tendinopathy differs from true tendonitis, and why progressive loading matters (hint: rest isn't always the answer) • The avulsion problem (strong tendon, weak attachment) and the role of vascularity, hormones, and systemic disease in tissue health • How to triage pain without catastrophizing — strength testing, unilateral vs. bilateral pain clues, and when pain is likely a misfiring brain signal rather than structural doom Practical, direct, and full of clinical stories, this episode gives listeners the language to understand tissue injuries and the timelines to expect — plus the clinical heuristics clinicians use when deciding "rest vs. load" and when to worry. Subscribe for Part 2 where we tackle ligaments, bone, cartilage, capsules, and nerves. Experience RECHARGE: www.rechargexfit.com   

The holidays should be cozy — but for a lot of us they're a stress test. In this episode the Movement Is Medicine hosts tackle how to survive (and even thrive during) the holiday season. From sleepless nights with toddlers and ADHD brain noise to one-hundred-burpee traditions, we cover practical strategies you can actually use: keep a consistent routine, prioritize sleep and sunlight, move smart (yes, even burpees), meal-prep and favor vegetables when travel makes everything harder, and set compassionate but firm boundaries with family. We also dig deeper: why holidays amplify old identities and unresolved dynamics, how "pain is a passenger" shapes behavior, and ways to reframe uncomfortable holiday rituals into curiosity, new traditions, or intentional acts of connection. Honest, funny, and real — this episode is for anyone who wants sanity, permission to feel, and a plan for the season. Key takeaways: keep your routine, get sunlight, lean on exercise and friends, hold boundaries (but allow for growth), and trade consumerism for meaningful ritual. Experience Recharge: www.rechargexfit.com 

What does "healthy" look like for women — and who gets to define it? In this episode the Movement Is Medicine hosts talk with Tierra Duncan, author of The Birth Control Illusion (coming out soon), about how hormonal birth control, endometriosis, and a siloed medical system can mask the most important signal of women's health: the menstrual cycle. Tara recounts her personal journey off hormonal contraception, explains why periods are a vital sign, and walks through how to build a meaningful baseline for hormones using better sleep, nutrition, strength work, targeted lab testing, and clear questions to bring to your clinician. We also tackle a darker reality: how well-intentioned medical pattern-recognition can become gaslighting — and why knowledge, context, and informed consent are the best tools for reclaiming care. Practical, grounded, and full of real-life examples from coaching and clinic work, this episode gives listeners the language and first steps to make smarter choices about hormones and performance. Experience Fitness with Clinical Precision www.rechargexfit.com  Tierra's contact: Instagram Website

Longtime Recharge member and respected journalist Amanda joins us to share her candid and refreshingly humorous journey through chronic pain, setbacks, and breakthroughs. From navigating unclear medical advice to rediscovering strength and trust in her body, Amanda gives a firsthand account of how community, fitness, and persistence can rewrite anyone's pain narrative. Listen in for a thoughtful yet fun discussion on debunking pain myths, reconnecting with movement, and why trusting yourself is the best recovery tool you never knew you had.   Learn about Amanda's work: www.amanda-loudin.com  More about RECHARGE: www.rechargefit.com

On this episode, we are joined by special guest LCSW Jan Carey and discuss sexual health. Jan is also a specially certified sex therapist.  To connect with Jan: jan@jancareytherapy.com  To learn more about RECHARGE: www.rechargexfit.com 

Ever been told your chronic pain is "all in your head"? Well, the reality isn't far off—but it's not what you think! In this episode, we dive deep into the complex nature of chronic pain, exploring why pain persists long after tissues have healed. We unpack the myths and realities around pain, why emotional stress and life experiences shape your body's alarm system, and what you can actually do about it. Using practical metaphors and some questionable knock-knock jokes, we reveal how your nervous system might be overly sensitive—and how you can recalibrate it. If you've been stuck in a frustrating cycle of pain, confusion, and mixed messages from healthcare providers, this episode offers clarity and hope.   Learn more about RECHARGE: www.rechargexfit.com 

Low back pain is the most common medical issue. Yet, there are MANY reasons for it. On this episode of Movement is Medicine Podcast, we break down disc herniations. What they are, the different types, and how they typically effect people.    Explore RECHARGE: www.rechargexfit.com 

This is Cory's last podcast and last week at Recharge. We send him off in style, and with tears.    Learn more about Recharge.  www.rechargexfit.com 

Cory is leaving, so we decided to spring for an upgrade. Meet Michelle, our newest PhysioCoach!   Learn about RECHARGE www.rechargexfit.com