The Vitalist
Welcome to The Vitalist Podcast, where we take a vitalistic-powered approach to optimal living. This is your space to gain transformative knowledge, deepen your mind-body connection, and awaken your human spirit. Join us as we explore the art and science of healing through thought-provoking conversations with practitioners, scientists, creatives, and visionaries. Driven by awe and wonder, we deepen the conversation around health and healing. Here, we believe human beings are healable, thrivable, and adaptable. Our mission is to provide a vitalistic framework to help you reconnect with your innate healing potential, embrace the wisdom of your body, and trust the process of life’s challenges. Whether you’re seeking to enhance your well-being, or embrace a deeper perspective on healing, our mission is to help you experience moments of profound discovery that change how you see yourself and the world. The Vitalist Podcast invites you to slow down, be moved by beautiful questions, and live like a true vitalist.
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Let’s Talk About Poop: Trusting Your Gut with Marina Ortega
08/20/2025
Let’s Talk About Poop: Trusting Your Gut with Marina Ortega
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: Follow Scottsdale Hydrotherapy: - shop enemas and castor oil packs – technology for nervous system relaxation and healing Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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The Most Counterintuitive Healing Advice You’ll Ever Hear with Wes Kress (014)
08/13/2025
The Most Counterintuitive Healing Advice You’ll Ever Hear with Wes Kress (014)
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 Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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Numb Is a Feeling: How to Work with the Emotions You Can’t Name with Coach Micheline Green (013)
08/06/2025
Numb Is a Feeling: How to Work with the Emotions You Can’t Name with Coach Micheline Green (013)
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 Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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Healing Isn’t in Your Head: Why You Can’t Bypass What Lives in Your Body with Brittny King (012)
07/30/2025
Healing Isn’t in Your Head: Why You Can’t Bypass What Lives in Your Body with Brittny King (012)
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, 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 .” 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: Book: Book: Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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Music as Medicine: How Your Heart Can Rewire Your Nervous System at 60 BPM with Barry Goldstein
07/23/2025
Music as Medicine: How Your Heart Can Rewire Your Nervous System at 60 BPM with Barry Goldstein
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 Explore sound branding at Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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Turn Toward the Fear: Why Stillness Is the Hardest (and Most Healing) Thing You’ll Ever Do with Akshay Nanavati
07/16/2025
Turn Toward the Fear: Why Stillness Is the Hardest (and Most Healing) Thing You’ll Ever Do with Akshay Nanavati
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: Order your copy of Watch Read Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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From Overwhelm to Inner Wisdom: The Get Quiet Method Explained with Elaine Glass (009)
07/09/2025
From Overwhelm to Inner Wisdom: The Get Quiet Method Explained with Elaine Glass (009)
In a world that praises the hustle and drowns us in noise, what if the most rebellious thing you could do… is get quiet? In this soulful conversation, Dr. Keiko sits down with Elaine Glass, author of Get Quiet, transformational coach, and former dental hygienist, to explore what actually happens when we stop doing and start listening. Elaine has sat with over 40,000 people. She’s heard their fears, their stress, their longing for peace. And what she’s found is something we all need to hear: healing doesn’t happen in the noise. It happens in the stillness. You’ll hear the story of the day Elaine’s life shifted when, in the middle of a painful divorce and autoimmune burnout, she stumbled upon a labyrinth just half a mile from her home. That walk changed everything. It wasn’t just a path through the desert. It was a path back to herself. Whether you're a mom, healer, high-achiever, or human just trying to hold it together, this episode will meet you where you are. Because in a world that constantly asks for more, choosing to slow down, listen in, and get quiet? That’s not weakness. That’s your quiet rebellion. And honestly? It might be the most powerful thing you do all week. HIGHLIGHTS: How a heavy metal-loving, high-energy woman learned to get quiet. (1:30) What inspired Get Quiet and Elaine’s journey in reclaiming her inner peace. (2:20) Can you get quiet at a rock concert? The role of nature, environment, and embracing change. (3:27) The insight gained from 40,000 dental chairside conversations: “I just want people to get quiet.” (4:33) The moment Elaine found the labyrinth that would change her life. (6:09) What is a labyrinth and why are more people building them in their backyards? (7:41) How to enter the labyrinth (and life) with childlike innocence. (8:48) The first message Elaine heard in the labyrinth: Surrender. (9:11) Reconnecting to intuition after losing it to life’s noise and how the labyrinth woke her up. (11:29) Why the labyrinth always delivers a message and how it helps women release what they’re carrying. (14:06) How hearing these soul-messages changed Elaine as a woman. (15:16) The first path of the Get Quiet method: Nurturing your body. (15:48) Why women disconnect from their bodies and how to come back through movement and breath. (16:50) “For the first time, I heard myself breathing.” The rebellious simplicity of getting quiet. (17:54) The trap of “more, more, more” and how it numbs us from what really matters. (20:06) The second path: clearing your physical environment. (21:30) Letting go of memory clutter and finding safety in your body instead of your belongings. (23:03) Two truths every woman needs to hear about putting herself first. (24:37) Elaine’s surprising parenting advice: focus on your relationship, not just your kids. (25:12) From the sideline-yelling mom to the grounded, present one, what her boys noticed. (26:05) What becoming a life coach taught Elaine about healing herself (and her kids). (27:16) From autoimmune issues to vitality; how “getting quiet” allowed Elaine to feel 20 years younger. (29:47) Why “retirement” isn’t the end; Dr. Jeffrey Bland’s beautiful reframe. (30:52) The most difficult (and essential) path: quieting the mind. (32:01) What’s next: Elaine’s vision for building a labyrinth retreat and teaching others to live from soul. (34:26) RESOURCES Order your copy of Explore more of Elaine’s work . Download Elaine’s 6-minute visualization . Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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What No One Tells You About Your Cycle, Your Gut, and Getting Pregnant with Dr. Samantha Ess (008)
07/02/2025
What No One Tells You About Your Cycle, Your Gut, and Getting Pregnant with Dr. Samantha Ess (008)
If you’ve ever wondered why your cycle feels off, what your gut has to do with your fertility, or how to actually prepare your body to conceive, this episode is for you. In this powerful conversation, Dr. Sammie pulls back the curtain on what most women were never taught about their bodies. From cycle literacy and hormone balance to gut health, environmental toxins, and the truth behind “unexplained infertility,” we dive into the real, root causes that impact your ability to get pregnant and how to heal them. Whether you're just starting to think about having a baby or you've been trying for months (or years), this episode will leave you feeling informed, empowered, and more connected to your body than ever before. HIGHLIGHTS: Natural medicine transformed Dr. Sammie’s childhood health from daily oxygen treatments for asthma to thriving as an athlete with no inhalers. (1:50) From food to environment to emotional load, what you put in your body changes everything. (2:32) Dr. Sammie’s calling was written in her family's generational story of conception challenges. (3:20) Most women are never taught the three phases of their cycle, follicular, ovulation, and luteal, yet these phases govern everything from energy to conception. (4:30) The surprising truth? Many women don't know if they’re ovulating. Learning the rhythm of their body creates deep empowerment. (6:20) How to tell if your cycle is truly “regular” and why the luteal phase holds keys to your hormonal harmony. (7:00) PMS may be common, but it isn’t normal. Cramps, mood swings, and cravings are data, here’s Dr. Sammie’s advice. (8:00) Dr. Sammie’s foundational prescription: quality sleep, Mediterranean-style eating, hydration, and daily movement. (8:30) The biggest threat to hormone balance? The questions no one’s asking, especially around stress, emotions, and suppression. (9:40) How plastics, pesticides, even K-cups are hijacking hormonal balance. (10:40) Your labs are not just numbers, they’re a map showing how your body responds to stress, inflammation, and resilience. (11:30) Debunking ‘Unexplained’ Fertility. There’s always a reason. It may not be obvious, but it’s not ‘unexplained.’ (12:45) 70% of your immune system lives in your gut and it directly impacts your ability to conceive. (14:30) Your fertility window begins 3–6 months before conception. That’s when your body is setting the stage. (15:30) Coming off birth control isn’t one-size-fits-all. Endometriosis? Wait. PCOS? Start now. Strategy matters. (16:30) Menstrual cycle irregularity is normal in adolescence, but pain, nausea, or vomiting may signal something deeper like endometriosis. (17:55) Epigenetics proves it: what your grandmother ate, felt, or endured shapes your body today. (19:30) Dr. Sammie’s favorite tracking method: The Fertility Awareness Method. (21:40) The story of how one woman paused IVF to heal her gut and conceived twins naturally. (23:00) The liver can regenerate from the brink of cirrhosis. What else might be possible when we trust the body’s wisdom? (24:30) When a woman says, “I don’t trust my body,” Dr. Sammie helps her ask: Is my body failing me—or is it trying to communicate something deeper? (25:00) RESOURCES: Connect with Dr. Sammie Ess Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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Longevity Starts at Your Feet: Dr. Emily Splichal on Barefoot Science, Mobility & What Most People Get Wrong About Walking (007)
06/25/2025
Longevity Starts at Your Feet: Dr. Emily Splichal on Barefoot Science, Mobility & What Most People Get Wrong About Walking (007)
Your feet aren’t just for walking, they’re the foundation of your posture, your performance, and even your longevity. In this episode, Dr. Emily Splichal, functional podiatrist, barefoot science expert, and founder of Naboso, breaks down the overlooked role of the feet in whole-body healing. You’ll learn why 10 seconds of single-leg balance predicts your lifespan, how foot posture impacts your spine and pelvis, and why the way you’re walking might be limiting your mobility, stability, and overall strength. We dive into: The $0 exercise Dr. Emily gives all her patients How your feet connect to your pelvic floor (and your tongue) via fascia The real reason your shoes might be making you stiffer and slower Why walking isn’t cardio, it’s a neurological tune-up How movement accuracy, sensory input, and foot mechanics unlock true mobility Whether you’re healing chronic tension, chasing performance, or aging with vitality, this conversation will change how you move through the world, one step at a time. HIGHLIGHTS: When fitness and New York were non-negotiable, podiatry became Dr. Emily’s only option (1:19) Why she quit surgical residency to get her masters in human movement from A.T. Still. (3:35) Our foot posture will mechanically dictate how the rest of our body will align. (5:24) What happens to our posture when we don’t have a stable foundation in our feet. (5:47) How a flat foot is associated with slower stability in the pelvis and low back, increasing the risk of injury in the low back. (6:14) Dr. Emily reveals what makes a sprinter fast. (7:21) Everyone is born with flat feet. The key question: at what point does it impair movement? And what’s the real difference between overpronation and structural collapse? (8:13) Dr. Emily discusses how she works with children knowing “It takes until the age of 7 to develop an adult arch.” (8:58) Pediatricians often get this wrong saying “All children will grow out of their flat feet.” Here’s how this isn’t true. (9:28) The root cause of bunions is not genetics, it is midfoot ligament laxity. (9:45) Her unique, full body approach to treating bunions. (10:51) Your feet are sensory in nature, think “eyes to the ground”, feeding your brain constant information to calibrate balance, posture, and performance in real time. (12:09) Every step you take sends vibrational information through your body. On natural surfaces, it’s resonance; on concrete, it’s distortion. (13:09) Elite indoor tracks are tuned to the body’s optimal frequency, making world records possible. (14:10) The truth about shoes: Every footstrike is a vibration; cushioned shoes mute it. And when your brain receives incomplete feedback, your movement becomes less accurate, less efficient, and more injury-prone. (14:54) Three facets of movement Dr. Emily uses when working with athletes: Movement Longevity, Movement Accuracy, and Movement Efficiency. (16:37) How to use tools, such as weighted blankets and the , to improve spatial awareness, speed up recovery, and improve balance.(17:22) What is body schema and how is different than proprioception. (18:25) How concussions break down our body schema. (19:24) A sensory exercise to train body schema, upgrading your internal map to reduce falls and improve balance. (22:00) How your feet are connected to the pelvic floor. (23:35) The pelvic floor activation Dr. Emily gives all her patients using your toes and breath. (24:59) The longevity markers no one talks about: walking pace and single leg stability. (27:22) The benefits of walking at a fast enough pace. (28:01) Walking isn’t supposed to be cardio, it is designed to nourish your nervous system. (28:44) Most people walk with muscles, not fascia. True efficiency requires mobility in your big toe, ankle, pelvis, and spine. (29:26) How to know if you’re walking efficiently. (30:32) The importance of walking at your unique pace. (32:01) If your low back hurts after walking, it’s not overuse. It’s a sign your skeleton can’t keep up with your natural pace. (32:54) Dr. Emily’s new book “Sensory Sapiens” shares how sensory based movement unlocks longevity. (33:56) Want to wake up your nervous system? Naboso’s textured insoles and mats stimulate mechanoreceptors for better balance, strength, and brain-body precision. (34:30) RESOURCES: Youtube: Use code VITALIST for 10% off your order Youtube: Dr. Emily's latest book: Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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From Himalayan Caves to Healing Chocolate: Lisa Reinhardt on Meditation, Mindfulness, and Cacao as Medicine (006)
06/18/2025
From Himalayan Caves to Healing Chocolate: Lisa Reinhardt on Meditation, Mindfulness, and Cacao as Medicine (006)
What if the most powerful meditation practice didn't require a cushion, app, or even quiet, but a single piece of chocolate? After 11 years in the Himalayas, living in a cave and studying with Tibetan masters, Lisa Reinhardt returned to the modern world with a mission: to demystify meditation and make presence feel deliciously accessible. In this insightful episode, Lisa shares how she founded Wei of Chocolate and discovered that something as simple as intentionally eating chocolate could soften the nerve system, awaken the senses and reconnect us to our fundamental goodness. HIGHLIGHTS: Daily life in a remote cave, immersed in silence and Tibetan teachings. (1:21) A messenger arrives at her cave with an invitation that leads to rare teachings from a Tibetan master. (2:45) From growing up in a small town to living in a cave. (5:53) Meditation isn’t about “emptying the mind.” Lisa reframes it as a grounded, embodied practice accessible to anyone. (6:49) Most people won’t live in a cave, but everyone eats. Lisa found that chocolate could open the same door to presence. (8:11) Lisa describes traditional Tibetan practices that have been done for hundreds of years and engage the whole body. (9:35) Lisa shares how she prepares for her meditation practice by first noticing the space in the room. (11:12) Lisa invites you to “try on” your fundamental goodness. (13:52) How daily meditation practice softens any defensiveness. (15:43) We explore how meditative, tonal chiropractic and meditation complement each other. (16:18) Lisa shares a teaching from Brene Brown on softening difficult emotions. (17:56) Fluent in Tibetan, Lisa explains how language shapes perception and why certain meditative states are hard to access in English. (20:02) Lisa explains how in the Tibetan lineage, teachings were passed down human to human, not through an app or book. (21:04) How mind blown concepts are condensed into one syllable in Tibetan. (22:07) The meaning behind the name “Buddha” and how every Tibetan name means something. (22:59) Back in the U.S., Lisa discovered that chocolate was the secret to teaching the West about meditation. (25:03) Lisa’s first experience of chocolate as a meditation. (26:13) How to use Wei of Chocolate as a 2.5 minute meditation to shift your day. (26:45) How chocolate can be good for you, and the secret to what makes it healthy. (28:45) She unpacks what’s often hidden in mainstream chocolate, like soy lecithin, processed sugar, and pesticide residues. (33:05) Like water, chocolate holds intention. Lisa reveals the science of cacao’s crystalline structure and how it transmits energetic healing. (34:53) Lisa’s current favorite? Cherry Bomb. She shares how to connect with her in Phoenix or online. (35:46) RESOURCES: - use code THEVITALIST for 10% off your first order Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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Your Skin Is Smarter Than Your Products: Dr. Michelle Jeffries on the Skin’s Clock, Hormones, and Light (005)
06/11/2025
Your Skin Is Smarter Than Your Products: Dr. Michelle Jeffries on the Skin’s Clock, Hormones, and Light (005)
What if your skin could tell time, and was trying to tell you something deeper? In this mind-shifting episode of The Vitalist Podcast, Dr. Michelle Jeffries, triple board-certified dermatologist and founder of the Skin Clock Method, blows open everything you thought you knew about skin. She takes us on a journey through integrative dermatology showing how your skin is more than just a barrier. It’s a messenger. A memory keeper. A sensory organ that reflects your stress, emotions, rhythms, and story. We talk trauma, time, hormones, fascia, light, and the daily rituals that help your skin reset and regenerate. You’ll learn why breakouts might be messengers, why sunrise is medicine, and how syncing with your body’s internal clocks could change everything. If you’ve ever felt like your skin was trying to tell you something… it probably is. This episode will help you listen. Highlights: How Dr. Jeffries became a triple-board certified dermatologist and why it’s anything but traditional (1:35) What most dermatologists are missing when it comes to our skin (4:51) The wild connection you never learned about the skin and our nerve system (7:23) Why your skin is a sensory organ that remembers your story (7:41) How your skin expresses what’s beneath the surface (8:36) Can skin hold memory? And what that means for scars, trauma, and healing (10:53) Your cells can tell time: How light, rhythm, and clocks affect your skin (12:07) Want better skin? Start syncing with Chrono Beauty and your body’s natural rhythms (13:58) Your skin makes serotonin, dopamine, AND oxytocin (16:02) Stress on your face: What cortisol is doing to your skin texture + tone (18:20) Skin as an emotional map: How anger, frustration, and identity show up on the surface (20:00) How natural light heals and artificial light disrupts your biology (21:00) Ditch the sunglasses: Why sunrise needs your eyes (24:52) Supplements, sunscreen truths, and how to actually reverse sun damage (26:30) Why everyday sun might be healthier than intermittent exposure (32:27) Your skin protects more than your body, it protects your story (34:01) The Luminous Clock: Dr. Jeffries’ daily rhythm reset for radiant skin and whole-body healing (40:00) Resources: Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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Your Ring Isn’t Smarter Than You: Dr. Jen Huberty on Intuition, Hormones & Health (004)
06/04/2025
Your Ring Isn’t Smarter Than You: Dr. Jen Huberty on Intuition, Hormones & Health (004)
Just because your tracker says it, doesn’t mean your body agrees. Dr. Jen Huberty reminds us: intuition is data too. What if the key to better health isn't another wearable, protocol, or “science-backed” trend, but learning to trust your inner wisdom? In this eye-opening episode, we sit down with Dr. Jen Huberty, behavioral research scientist, former Head of Science at Calm, and founder of Fit Minded, to explore the intersection of science, self-worth, and spirituality. With over 190 peer-reviewed publications and $10M+ in research funding under her belt, Dr. Jen’s insights are as rigorous as they are refreshingly human. Highlights Is tracking helping or hurting your mental health? (1:53) Your ring says you slept badly, but you feel rested. Who do you trust? (2:44) The only meditation app Dr. Jen still uses and how she uses it differently. (3:19) Does waking up to a “bad” sleep score have a psychological impact? (3:36) Spirituality vs. Science? Why Dr. Jen believes we need both. (4:33) Why personalized health decisions must go beyond the research to consider your genetics, preferences, and intuition. (5:36) A powerful lesson from her 12-year-old on how to build habits that actually last. (6:46) How to spot real science vs. BS in wellness products. (8:13) Her unfiltered take on GLP-1 weight loss drugs and why it feels like déjà vu from the 80s. (9:08) What’s actually stopping people from lasting changing? (10:42) Dr. Jen’s early research revealed a missing link in most wellness approaches: emotional, social, and intellectual self-worth. (11:05) A book club that changed women’s health, without ever talking about weight. (13:21) How personal tragedy led Jen to yoga and meditation. (14:28) Dr. Jen’s personal experience navigating hormones, supplements, sleep, and learning to trust her body through perimenopause. (16:45) What Dr. Jen has learned from 250+ digital health companies. (18:23) Why daily meditation might be overrated, according to science. (19:06) What’s the minimum effective dose for meditation? (20:06) Dr. Jen shares how folding laundry or doing dishes can be a powerful practice—if you're aware. (21:32) From yoga to private meditation teachers, how Dr. Jen’s practice has evolved over time. (22:04) The 2 most powerful tools for lasting change: goals + asking for help. (23:25) The communication tool that helps you actually get the support you need. (25:11) The question that keeps Dr. Jen up at night and why you should ask it too. (26:34) Resources: by Nora Ephron Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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The Science of Flower Essences and What Nature Knows That We Don't with Katie Hess - Ep 003
05/28/2025
The Science of Flower Essences and What Nature Knows That We Don't with Katie Hess - Ep 003
In this episode of The Vitalist, we’re joined by Katie Hess—flower alchemist and founder of LOTUSWEI—for a rich conversation about the subtle yet powerful world of flower essences. We explore what flower essences are, the science behind the intelligence of plants, and how flowers communicate with us, often beneath the threshold of our awareness. Katie shares how nature speaks in quiet, potent ways, inviting us to slow down, tune in, and access our deepest gifts. This episode is a call to remember our connection to the natural world and to let it guide us back to our own innate wisdom. HIGHLIGHTS: When she met her mentor, he shared two transformative truths. (2:15) “If 3% of the world took flower essences, it would change the future of this planet.” (2:25) Dandelions aren’t weeds, they are medicine. A reminder that nature often gives us exactly what we need, right when we need it. (3:13) The difference between herbs, essential oils, and flower essences. (4:40) How flowers express themselves as crystals in water. (7:21) The unseen ways flowers communicate with us, down to the electrical charges bees detect. (8:51) The emotional uses of each flower. (9:41) Collecting flower essences blends science, spirit and deep intentionality (10:37) Indigenous people communicated to plants, altering their chemistry within 24 hours. (11:13) The go-to flower essence for stress, overwhelm, and burnout. (13:13) Flower essences clear up to 7 generations of inherited, acquired and collective patterns. (14:48) Flower essences create a 3 second delay to process emotional triggers. (19:42) Personal client transformations using flower essences. (21:48) Katie does a live flower card reading for Dr. Keiko. (22:39) The essential oils to pair with the flower essences. (26:45) The Flower Revolution program that Katie uses for personal growth. (26:45) Flower essences are our only bioenergetic tool for healing. (30:24) The science of energy transfer and how flower essences ripple through families. (32:02) The crystals in our bodies magnify the flower vibration. (33:04) The flower Katie is still looking for. (34:38) The research of Cleve Backster and how plants can feel and respond to your intentions. (43:19) A closing invitation to remember the gifts within, and how we can use flower essences to grow and evolve. (46:21) RESOURCES: - use code THEVITALIST for 10% off your first order book by Katie Hess Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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The New Blood Test Is in Your Mouth: Flying, Stress, and the Secret Language of Saliva with Dr. Patti Milligan - Ep 002
05/21/2025
The New Blood Test Is in Your Mouth: Flying, Stress, and the Secret Language of Saliva with Dr. Patti Milligan - Ep 002
What if the key to understanding your health, mood, and even how well you age can be measured in your saliva? In this fascinating episode, we’re joined by the brilliant Dr. Patti Milligan, a pioneer in the field of salivary science. Dr. Patti unpacks the groundbreaking world of saliva research. Join us as we cover how emotional states change your saliva composition and how it can help diagnose diseases years before symptoms arise. You’ll learn how air travel impacts your nervous system, and more importantly what you can do to support your body to mitigate jet lag. Plus, practical tips on foods and movements to boost nitric oxide and saliva production. HIGHLIGHTS How saliva shifts with emotion — 42 types tied to your nervous system! (3:33) Saliva’s 4 Superpowers: digestion, disease detection, nutrient levels, and immune defense. (4:38) Saliva can spot disease years ahead — including heart, inflammation & even breast cancer. (5:42) How one child reversed “failure to thrive” just by boosting saliva. (9:02) Low saliva = choking risk for elders — and why it’s more common than you think. (12:17) What your saliva says about your nervous system (14:39) How much saliva you produce every year (16:21) How goji berries and lemon drops help children emotionally reset. (17:11) The top foods that stimulate saliva naturally. (20:02) A simple 4-move tongue routine to boost your saliva flow. (24:19) How driving and flying suppress saliva—and what to do about it. (28:23) The Renewal Kit: The 3 ingredients that protect your body mid-flight. (32:18) The two groups leading the saliva research frontier (37:21) Easy ways to measure salivary biomarkers like nitric oxide. (38:16) Boost Your Longevity in 4 Minutes; Dr. Zach Bush’s movement hack to elevate nitric oxide fast. (41:13) RESOURCES AND LINKS Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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From Setback to Strength: Coach Dar on Turning Pain into Purpose - Ep 001
05/07/2025
From Setback to Strength: Coach Dar on Turning Pain into Purpose - Ep 001
Dr. Keiko sits down with powerhouse leadership coach and mental skills expert Darlene Santore—known as Coach Dar (@thecoachdar)—for a deep and uplifting conversation on resilience, purpose, and what it really takes to bounce back from life's hardest moments. From working with elite athletes and CEOs to surviving three strokes, Coach Dar brings real, raw wisdom on mental fortitude and the art of rewriting your story when life knocks you down. Her new book, , is a call to action for anyone ready to rise stronger—not in spite of challenges, but because of them. HIGHLIGHTS What it means to be “licensed to rise” after setbacks (5:61) Why adversity isn’t a punishment—it’s preparation (8:21) Finding your “flow state” and working in your genius zone (13:57) Coach Dar shares her mentor Laurie Beth Jones (14:02) Dar’s ultimate game changer in life when things get tough (18:10) The moment Dar stopped looking for approval (22:40) Letting people off the train. Not everyone is meant to go the full ride with you. Letting them go is part of your growth. (24:15) Mental resilience starts by choosing hard over easy (24:56) There’s no “right” way to grieve—just feel it, share it, and reframe it to keep moving forward. Grief is a personal journey (31:33) Dar reflects on giving a keynote less than 24 hours after watching her mother take her last breath—and how she channeled that pain into purpose. (32:28) Dar’s micro moments to recharge her energy (40:48) Using stillness to discover your strengths (42:20) Coach Dar shares her mental reset rituals even while in your car and with animals –sometimes it’s just the simple things that reset your soul. (42:57) How not to agree with everyone-it’s about embracing differences and finding common ground through kindness. (45:22) Surprising an Uber driver with apple pie to encourage the importance of human connection. (44:56) This episode is for the visionaries, the high-performers, the healers, and anyone who’s ever asked: Can I come back from this? Coach Dar’s answer? Yes. You’re born to rise. RESOURCES AND LINKS Never miss an episode. to get notified about what's coming next. Follow us Visit us
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