The Ultimate Achievement Show

Abigail Dyson has been training in martial arts with her family for 13 years. She earned her black belt as a young teenager and became one of the youngest certified instructors in the US. Now, years later, she is a 4th degree black belt, runs her own martial arts school, and has taught thousands of families across the world to become Black Belt leaders. She also is a certified personal trainer and has been an active weightlifter for the past 8 years. She runs a successful fitness Instagram account where she is passionate about women owning their strengths in and outside of the gym. In this episode we talk about: How to build greater confidence in yourself? Advice for young girls struggling with self esteem issues, but this can be applied to anyone How to develop more consistency and discipline in your life The value of martial arts for kids  Abigail is super bright, very well spoken, successful ,and kind. She is the real deal. I think you guys will really enjoy this episode!  If you like it, please consider sharing it and leaving a review on social media! 

Jason Stein is a Movement and Mindset coach in Charlotte, NC. His journey began as an accomplished powerlifter and that expanded into a passion for movement and improving the way people think from disempowering self talk to empowering self talk. It is this unique combination that allows him to get amazing results with his clients.  Though in Charlotte, his company, Longevity Movement, is based online where he works with clients across the globe. His goal is to educate and empower the world to improve the way we move and think on a daily basis, effectively improving the quality of life for individuals and society, as a whole. - What are the top 5 most OVERRATED exercises? - What are the top 5 UNDERRATED exercises? - Where does mobility, strength, cardio, flexibility, motor control fall in order of priority? - The biggest mistakes people make with deadlifts? Squats? Press?  And much more! Jason is one of the most passionate students I have ever met. He loves to learn and grow and take that knowledge to better the people around him.  Email: longevitymovementforlife@gmail.com Facebook: Longevity Movement Instagram: @longevitymovement You can reach out to me, Dr. Matt Westheimer, at www.precisionchiroclt.com.

On the show today, I have Dr. Bridget Kelly Sinha. Bridget is an orthopedic physical therapist, with specialties in working with dancers, runners, and individuals with vestibular conditions. She does physical therapy, personal training and pilates, and dance conditioning. In this episode we discuss: Her favorite things to do for active recovery How to increase resiliency Her 5 favorite exercises The main issues she sees with the feet and how to correct them Her favorite tools as a PT Bridget attended Elon University where she began training as a BFA Dance Performance and Choreography major.  After many dance-related injuries, she began studying dance biomechanics and injury prevention. This interest lead her to develop an independent major in Dance Science.  After completing her BA in Dance Science, Bridget worked as a Director of Dance Medicine and Conditioning in a physical therapy practice. While working closely with physical therapists there, it became clear that physical therapy would be a great career path to help both dancers and non-dancers rehabilitate from injuries and improve their quality of life. Bridget went on to attend the University of Kentucky, where she received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree. Prior to relocating to Charlotte, she has been a practicing physical therapist in Minneapolis, MN where she specialized in working with dancers, runners, and treating chronic low back and neck pain. Bridget has also worked as a personal trainer and Pilates instructor. Her dance biomechanics research has been presented internationally. She is also an active member of the International Association for Dance Medicine and Science. You can connect with Dr. Bridget Kelly Sinha at: Website: www.balancedptclt.com Instagram: @balanceddancept Facebook: Balanced Physical Therapy and Dance Wellness Thank you for listening!  Dr. Matt Westheimer You can reach out to me at www.precisionchiroclt.com

Tyka Calloway is the founder of Purely Wrapped LLC., an organic skincare and natural pain mediation company that's affordable for every household income.   Purely Wrapped was born out of love for her children and an allergic reaction that almost claimed the life of her mother. When her oldest daughter was born, she wanted to only use organic products on her skin. So began her journey with essential oils. She started creating butters and “potions” of her own.  Years later her mother was crippled with a bout of Stevens-Johnson Syndrome due to an allergic reaction from a prescribed medication.  Her pain levels were off the charts and nothing was working. As her frustrated caregiver, she knew she had to find a natural source of pain mediation. So she created the Pain Salve for her. For centuries Essential Oils have been used to enhance our body's natural rejuvenation.  The world has used these plant-based oils for a wide variety of emotional and wellness applications, which is why she wholeheartedly believes in what they do.  Her favorite quote from Albert Einstein says it all: “Only a life lived in service to others is worth living”.   Enjoy the episode! And we always appreciate a great review and sharing us with others! 

On the show today, I have Nate Turner, the executive chef and owner of Your Custom Catering. He has been named one of “Charlotte's Best Caterers” for two years consecutively. He is also an incredible human being who has dedicated a tremendous amount of time, energy, and money toward feeding the homeless community in Charlotte building up an amazing Food Pantry. His kindness and heart is what makes him so loved by the people close to him and as a successful entrepreneur and amazing chef, he is what we would call in baseball a 5 tool player. In this episode, we talk about: What it is like growing up as a black man in the USA How he developed such a high level of self-esteem and confidence How pervasive racism is in the US today and what we can do to make a difference His passion for taking care of the underserved in our community How old he was when he realized he was gay And much much more. He is a native of Maryland, but moved to Charlotte three days after his high school graduation to pursue his degree in culinary arts at Johnson & Wales University. He received his Associate of Applied Science in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University in 2008. Upon graduation, he continued to manage restaurants and hospitality along with offering private chef services in the Charlotte metro area. In 2012, he opened Your Custom Catering & Events, a full-service catering and events firm. His idea was to offer catering and event management to those who were priced out of the big-name competitors within the industry. Following his first open tasting, which was attended by more than three hundred potential clients, his calendar quickly filled. Five years later, with more than twenty employees and the ability to cater events for 500+ guests, he is considered one of the best in Charlotte. His company has consistently received the Spectrum Customer Service Award for three years as well. Nattiel prides himself in a client centered approach to catering and event management and maintains an “A+ Rating” and is an Accredited Business with the Better Business Bureau and is listed as an accredited business in the North Carolina. In addition to his culinary prowess, he is also very involved in his community. His philanthropic beneficiaries include the Charlotte Men's Shelter, Time Out Youth, Urban Ministry, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and The Relatives. In 2017, Nate was honored as one of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Black Chamber of Commerce's 30 Under 30 for his entrepreneurial success and what he has given to the Charlotte community through his business, activism and volunteerism. Nate is awesome and you guys are going to love him.

On the show today, we have Chad Turner. Chad is President of the Charlotte LGBT Chamber and high level HR executive and consultant. His leadership is extraordinary and you are going to love this interview. In the interview we discuss: The history of the Charlotte LGBT chamber starting in such a conservative area. What can people do to enhance equality among the LGBT and POC communities and general population?  Challenges the LGBT community face that people would not really think about What it will take to break down the barriers of judging and excluding people based on their skin color or sexual orientation  What are the qualities of a great leader How we become better communicators And much more! What I found especially interesting about what Chad has created and is continuing to create in the community and as president of the LGBT chamber is that he is working to build up all small businesses and success for EVERYONE in the community and not just the LGBT community. He is an amazing human being with a heart of gold and a brilliant mind. Under his direction with Chamber, they have received national affiliation with the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce, established the Aspiring Professionals' Initiative for local colleges and also created a comprehensive training program for LGBT owned businesses.  The Chamber is now one of the largest LGBT chambers in the southeast.  In addition to his duties with the Chamber, Chad is a human resources consultant in the Charlotte region assisting businesses and professionals with their human resource needs. Chad has spent the past nine years training and advising small business owners, corporations and individuals in the areas of LGBT workplace issues, diversity, inclusion, equity and policy development. In his endeavor to create more equitable workplaces, he has opened dialogue with businesses by providing specialized training in benefit administration, policy creation and implementation and leadership development. He believes that companies and workplaces will create a new standard and develop best practices that will evolve from the changing perception of the LGBT community and those who support equality for all.   In 2008, Chad was designated a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) by the Human Resources Certification Institute.  In 2015, 2017 and 2019 he completed certificates with Notre Dame School of Business in the areas of human resources, small business supplier diversity, organizational development and chamber planning.  He is a frequent clinician in the Charlotte region on these topics.  Chad holds a BA in Music from Lee University and his BS in Human Resource Management from Villanova University.  His work has also provided the ability to work with various organizations such as Charlotte Pride, Charlotte Black Pride, Time Out Youth, RAIN and the Charlotte LGBTQ Elders to be a support and resource for development, philanthropy and marketing.  He serves on the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance (Charlotte Chamber) Business Leader's Roundtable, the Mecklenburg County Business Roundtable and the Charlotte Small Business Recovery Taskforce.  Most recently, as a founding member, Chad and the Charlotte LGBT Chamber formed the Charlotte Small Business Coalition, which he serves as chair.  Chad's efforts and strategic planning assisted with the passage of the $50 million dollars of grant funding for small businesses in Charlotte affected by COVID-19. Chad and his husband, Nate, are both small business owners and actively involved in both the business and LGBT community.  Chad has accomplished more in the last 10 years than most people do in 2 lifetimes. It was a privilege to sit down and have this amazing conversation.   

On the show today, we have a true superhero in the fitness world - Kelly Fillnow. She is a professional athlete, world record holder, world champion, and an all-around amazing human being. Her passion and knowledge shine through this entire interview. In this episode we talk about: - her recent knee injury a few months ago that took her out of competition for a few months and the lessons she has learned from that experience. THAT alone is worth listening to this episode for. - where to start if you are a novice at running - the biggest mistakes people make when training - top recovery strategies to decrease injury and keep training - the “junk” zone of training and how it can destroy your progress - her morning routine - and much more! While in college, she discovered a love for running and joined the cross country team. She ended up leading Davidson College to their first ever Southern Conference title and finished her career as a 10 time All Conference Honoree in tennis and cross country, while graduating cum laude..) In 2016, she was inducted into the Davidson College Hall of Fame. After graduating from Davidson, Kelly ran for Duke University, then ranked #1 in the nation in cross country. A few years after college, she stumbled into triathlon and finished 3rd in her first triathlon. She went on to win her first half IRONMAN, and then she qualified for the Hawaii IRONMAN World Championships in her debut. She finished on the podium in her two IRONMAN World Championship appearances, became a Duathlon Age Group World Champion, a Duathlon National Age Group Champion, and set an American amateur IRONMAN record in her third Ironman in 9:29:49. As a professional triathlete, Kelly has placed as high as 3rd place in both the 70.3 + IRONMAN distance. Kelly has been working with athletes of all abilities for the last twelve years. She has coached a National Age Group Champion, World Championship qualifiers, and helped athletes who could not run more than 2 minutes to crossing marathon finish lines. She is passionate about helping people achieve their dreams and discovering the greatness within them. Enjoy! You can reach me at drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com.

On the show today, I have Bob Barton, a man of many talents. He is a decorated military officer, a pastor, and now a financial advisor. The first 2/3 of this interview is all about finance and the last 1/3 is about developing a resilient mindset and how to find peace in turbulent times. I had a blast with this interview. In this episode, we talk about: The biggest mistakes people make when it comes to their finances How to balance wealth preservation with wealth creation How to build financial resilience Developing a powerful mindset And much more! He is a graduate of Marshall University and served as an Officer in the United States Army, spending most of his service with the 10th Mountain Division.  Bob also served for many years as a pastor, traveling to more than a dozen different countries around the world as a teacher, coach and advisor. He was a decorated military officer, received national recognition working for a fortune five company and has almost three decades of experience in various levels of financial coaching. Bob's practice is client-centered and service-focused.  His two decades of pastoral ministry has produced a heart of service; putting his clients first in all matters.  Bob has been married to his wife Pam since 1986 and has one son, Billy who also lives in the Charlotte area.

There are a few things we can do when life gets crazy and throws a curveball at us. Fighting it doesn't work and neither does ignoring it. There are specific actions we can take that make a massive difference. Number 1: Practice Gratitude. Number 2: Connect with people. Number 3: Strategies for getting back to the breath. Number 4: Feel the feeling and move on. Enjoy the episode! Feel free to reach out to me at www.precisionchiroclt.com or drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com

On the show today, we have Coach George Maoury. In the realm of fitness and movement especially with kids, George is the real deal. IYCA Level 3 Youth Fitness Specialist IYCA High School Strength and Conditioning Specialist IYCA Certified Youth Speed and Agility Specialist National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Advanced Golf Fitness Instructor (AGFI) through Titleist Performance Institute AND he has an unparalleled experience working with kids as well as elite and professional athletes. In this episode we talk about: Some of his favorite exercises/activities/movements for kids and young adults What should parents and coaches stay away from? When can weightlifting begin? The answer might surprise you! Should exercise be used as a punishment? Should we be training kids like adults/pro athletes? And much more! Coach George has appeared on Charlotte News Channel 6, Sports Extra (NBC), Got Game (Sunday Sports Extra on Fox), and his training techniques have been reported in the Charlotte Observer, South Charlotte Sports Report and Pub Link Golf Magazine.  Dynamic sports is a place where kids are having fun, being active and working hard to be their healthiest. One of Coach George's favorite quotes is: “Any trainer can make you tired, not everyone can make you better”.  At Dynamic Sports Performance they guarantee to make you better!  This episode was a blast for me. I think you all are really going to love this one. You can reach out to Coach George at george@dsp4athletes.com or (704) 841-6108 or Facebook at George Maoury and Dynamic Sports Performance.

On the show today is Tyler Reavis, owner of 9 round Fitness and became the youngest franchisee in the world's largest kickboxing fitness franchise with over 800 locations in 20 countries and growing. He is a Man of Faith// Entrepreneur//Life Coach, a follower of Christ and all things health and business. Tyler has had quite the unconventional career path. From banker, to apprentice plumber, to lineman/car wash entrepreneur side hustler. To now a full time gym owner/operator here in beautiful Charlotte, NC. He is an incredible guy. Full of passion, insight, and tools to help you grow. In this episode, we talk about: Why “cold cereal is a cold killer.” That one was funny! What his personal routines are that he attributes to his success How we can all step out of our comfort zone and achieve more How to make fitness fun Building a community And much more! If you'd like to reach out to Tyler you can reach him at @9roundcotswold on Instagram and your first workout is FREE. You can find me on Instagram @drmattwestheimer, Facebook at Precision Chiropractic Charlotte, or email me at dmatt@precisionchiroclt.com. 

Lieutenant Joe Johnson is from Anderson, SC and currently works for the Rock Hill Police Department with over 25 years of law enforcement experience. On this episode, we discuss: What do you do when you get a cancer diagnosis and only a 5% chance of surviving The power of the mind Building a community And much more… He has an extraordinary story about an experience that happened to him 5 years ago that he had to overcome and it put a lot of things in my life in perspective.   During his law enforcement career he has worked as a Correctional Officer, Field Training Officer, Shift Investigator, Under Cover Narcotics Officer, Detective, Training Sergeant, Hostage Negotiator, graduate of the Administrative Officers Management Program (AOMP) through NC State University and currently a Patrol Lieutenant and Motivational Speaker. Motivational Speaker/Leadership Manager lt.joejohnson50@gmail.com www.joejohnsonenterprisesllc.com 803-984-5276 You can always reach me at drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com or www.precisionchiroclt.com! 

Danny Decker is an entrepreneur, speaker, author, and podcast host. He co-founded and built Spotlight Branding into a nationally recognized online branding firm for solo & small firm lawyers. In 2012, he started the business out of a spare bedroom in his apartment, along with his partner Marc. In six years they went from a tiny “two-man shop” to a thriving business with a full-time staff of nearly a dozen generating over $1M in annual revenue. Now, he coaches and mentors entrepreneurs to build effective and robust marketing systems to grow and scale their businesses. This episode is full of actionable information that you can use to build a thriving business that does good for the world. If you would like to connect with Danny, you can reach him at www.dannydeckermarketing.com and Danny Decker on Facebook and Linkedin. You can always reach me at drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com or FB, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  

On the show today is a really powerful individual. Tracy Bria is the owner of Hotworx in Ballantyne. Hotworx is a really unique and exciting concept in the fitness industry where you train inside of an infrared sauna. Yes, you heard that right! You do a combination of cycling, full body machines, and isometrics inside of a 125-130 degree infrared sauna. It is fun, really good for you, and a great workout. I have been training there since they opened and it has been a blast. Tracy has an amazing story. She had a long, successful career as a regional director of a medical device company leading a team of 150 people, and she also has a background in exercise and physiology. She is married with two kids, and still finds time to build a fantastic community with a really passionate and strong team. In this episode, we talk about: Optimizing your fitness Overcoming fear Building a strong community And much more… Reach out to Tracy at https://hotworx.net/studio/ballantyne/ or (704) 942-7444. You can always reach me at drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com or (980) 202-2890.

This episode is a special Q and A. I asked a friend to provide me with questions that he would love for me to address on the podcast and he came up with some wonderful topics. I chose three of them for this episode - OCD, Overcommitment, and People Pleasing. I hope you really like this one. If you enjoy this format or you have questions yourself that you would like for me to address on future episodes, please reach out and let me know. You can reach me at drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com and at Precision Chiropractic on Facebook. Enjoy!

On today's episode, I have the brilliant Dr. Brenda Gajowski. Dr. Gajowski is a doctor of physical therapy who specializes in the pelvic floor. She helps postpartum women and moms of any age return to the activities they love without pain, leaking, or instability. This episode is NOT just for women. As men, the more we can understand our partners, the more we can support them and some of the principles we talk about can be applied to men as well. In the episode, we talk about: The importance of breathwork and how to breath properly for core stability and control. What is the pelvic floor and why it matters. How your abs are only a piece of the core and if that is all you are focusing on, you are going to be in big trouble The importance of the squat How alignment plays into strength and even leaking while working out And much more She takes an orthopedic approach to pelvic health and your body as a whole, with an integrative and holistic mindset, and she has a special love of guiding healing and return to activity in the postpartum period.  She has 15+ years of experience in orthopedics, sports therapy, and perinatal health and is a mom who loves working with moms.    ​Her special passion of working with women in the postpartum period, and throughout the journey of motherhood, began when she had her third baby in 2015 and wound up with diastasis recti (split of the abdominal muscles).  Her experience showed her the gap of support and education the traditional model gives to women during the amazing, and often chaotic, transition through pregnancy, birth, and motherhood.  A time in a woman's life when learning alignment, muscle control, stability, and optimal healing principles are so important to prevent pain and dysfunction in the future!  She wants to be a part of changing the way we look at postpartum health and the return to activity, sports, and life.  She also collaborates in the community as a Simple Wellness Coach and a co-founder of the non-profit Mind Body Baby. For questions and feedback, you can reach me at drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com or www.precisionchiroclt.com  ​  

Lora Solomon is a Nurse Practitioner with a masters in nursing and a member of the Institute of Functional Medicine. She has specialties in family medicine, functional medicine, and hormones. In this episode, we talk about: How to achieve optimum brain function and brain health How our nutrition effects our health and brain function Best types of movement to optimize your brain What do our hormones tell us And much more…. Reach out to Lora at Beautiful Brain Health and www.beautifulbrainhealth.org and you can reach out to me, Dr. Matt Westheimer, at drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com or www.precisionchiroclt.com. 

Today's guest, Beth Misner, is an extraordinary individual. She is a TED speaker, Corporate Vice Chair of BNI, Co-Founder of the BNI Foundation, and Director of the Journey Center. She is a certified sports nutritionist, black belt in karate, tai chi/qi gong instructor, ordained minister, and meditation/prayer leader. She grew up plagued by rage, depression, and anxiety and over the years transformed herself into one of the most peaceful individuals I have ever met. She exudes confidence, presence, and compassion and influences hundreds of thousands of people around the world.  In this episode we cover everything from networking and building relationships to overcoming rage issues to becoming a peaceful and present individual.  Enjoy the episode! You can look her up at Beth Misner on Facebook or Beth_Misner on IG. You can reach me at Precision Chiropractic Charlotte on Facebook, Drmattwestheimer on IG, and drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com.   

On today's episode, we discuss the Buteyko Method and how to optimize your sleep, overcome asthma, and support healthy breathing through nasal breathing and other breathwork techniques. Steven Todd, D.M.D. is one of the foremost authorities on treating snoring and sleep apnea. Upon retiring from oral rehabilitation and dental anesthesiology, Dr. Todd turned his focus to Dental Sleep Medicine (DSM) treating both adult and pediatric patients.. He realized CPAP therapy and Oral Appliance Therapy just treated the SYMPTOMS of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) – they did not treat the CAUSE of OSA. Then he discovered the Buteyko Breathing Method and knew this was the missing piece of the puzzle to treat patients with Sleep Apnea and Sleep Disordered Breathing. Dr. Todd, with the Buteyko Breathing Method, could now treat the CAUSE of OSA not just the SYMPTOMS. The results his patients have experienced with Buteyko Breathing have changed their lives! He is the only Certified Buteyko Breathing Method instructor in the Gulf Coast of Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi. For more information and to contact Dr. Stephen Todd at www.gulfcoastsleepspecialist.com. You can contact me at drmatt@precisionchioclt.com or www.mattwestheimer.com.

The biggest risk to you not achieving your goals when it comes to fitness just behind discipline is going to be injury. So many people would love to stay healthy, lose weight, and get fit but they fall off the wagon because they get injured along the way. Here's how to stay on top of your game. Prioritize the warm-up. Use full body movements and movements specific to the movements you are going to be focusing on in your workout to sufficiently prepare your body for battle. Form Over Intensity. Stop making intensity your primary focus. You are not a professional or Olympic athlete. You need to stay healthy above all else. Never forget the recovery component. Keep your tissues supple and your joints happy. Do not do a movement until you have restored your body to the point that you can sufficiently perform the movement. There is always time to focus on intensity. Movement first. Then strength. And then intensity. Keep working hard and stay healthy! Always here for you at drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com and on Facebook at Precision Chiropractic Charlotte.

Jon is a fourth-generation investor, first introduced to the world of finance by his great-grandfather. Though initially solely a personal pursuit and hobby, Jon turned his passion into a career by joining Morgan Stanley, one of the countries most renowned Wealth Management firms. We had an amazing conversation that is ESPECIALLY relevant to the current state of affairs with the economy. We talked about the different vehicles you should absolutely be putting your money into to maximize your long term returns. We talked about how to save money on taxes. We talked about how to invest to take advantage of downturns in the market. And much more. Reach out to Jon at jonathan.tedesco@ms.com or on LinkedIn or Facebook. As always, if there is anything I can do for you, reach out to me at drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com or on Facebook at Precision Chiropractic Charlotte.

Most people fall short of their fitness goals or increase their risk of injury because their training focus is too limited. If you really want to be fit and healthy, there are 5 areas of fitness you must address: strength, mobility, stability, low-intensity cardio, and high-intensity training. Master these and watch your performance and your health take off. Enjoy!  For questions or a consultation, you can reach me at drmatt@precisionchiroclt.com or www.mattwestheimer.com

This is a timely episode with all of the uncertainty in the world. Resilience is the ability to recover quickly and bounce back from difficulties. We all possess the ability to create powerful resilience but it is a muscle that must be built like your biceps. Check out the Resilience Doughnut and Resilience Report for more information!

One of the biggest and least known methods for getting better and more restorative sleep is NASAL BREATHING. Mouth breathing deprives us of the oxygen that our tissues need. How the heck does that happen? Our ability to extract and utilize oxygen is not so much based on the amount of oxygen we are bringing in but the balance between carbon dioxide and oxygen. We need to retain carbon dioxide to weaken the bond of oxygen to the RBC so we can extract and use it. Mouth breathing releases way too much carbon dioxide from the body and disrupts this balance. Nasal breathing restores it. I cover a few more benefits to nasal breathing in this episode as well as some techniques to optimizing your breathing and your sleep. Enjoy the episode!

Welcome to our 100th Episode!  It has been a labor of love and I feel incredible honored that you have listened to what I have to say about a wide variety of subjects and hope it has added value to your life. This episode is about developing an outward mindset. An outward mindset is about looking to serve the needs of the people around us as a way to create a bigger impact. Most leaders fail in that they are so inwardly focused that they are blind to the needs of the people above them, below them, and around them. If you really want to lead, you have to be focused outward.

It is impossible to be depressed and to truly be of service to someone else. By definition, depression is all about you and focusing on YOUR situation. You cannot be depressed unless you are thinking about a situation in your life that is bad or hopeless. If you are in service to someone else, you are focusing on them and since we cannot hold 2 simultaneous conscious thoughts at one time, a powerful antidote to depression is to serve others. Three of my favorite things to do are coaching, seeing patients, and speaking. That is when I am truly in flow state. When I am coaching, I am fully present and focused on my client and their specific needs. Same with patients. Same with speaking. Takeaway: Find something you love to do. Throw yourself into it. Find ways to give back and serve others – charity and business. Want to do well in business? Find ways to add massive value to your community.

We are always either repelling or attracting people. We had a great guest last night at toastmasters who is a professional speaking who travels around the country teaching pubic speaking and communication skills. He shared a really interesting exercise with us. He had 2 people stand on opposite sides of the room. Person A had to cue other person whether or not he wanted to speak to him/her based on body language. When Person B interpreted a signal that Person A wanted him/her to come closer, he/she would walk closer. When he got the opposite signal, he would stop. What the exercise showed is that we are ALWAYS giving signals of repelling or attraction. Almost always it is subconscious. We must learn to be more deliberate with our communication.

Ep 097: Improve Your Sleep One of the most underrated and important strategies for optimal health and disease prevention is SLEEP. We have all heard the phrase “I'll sleep when I'm dead.” Well there is more and more research to suggest that will be a lot sooner if you neglect your sleep! “I think that sleep may be one of the most significant lifestyle factors that determines your risk ratio for Alzheimer's disease.” – Matthew Walker, PhD When we sleep, we assimilate all of the data and stimuli from throughout the day. We organize that information into different areas of the brain and discard the stuff we don't need. Our brain also has a glymphatic system similar to the lymphatic system in the rest of the body that clears our metabolic debris and waste products. Sleep also reduces the amyloid plaque and tau proteins that are found in the brains of Alzheimer's patients. According to Dr. Walker, there are 4 pillars of sleep – regularity, continuity, quantity, and quality. Regularity consists of going to bed and waking up at the same time every day. Continuity consists of whether we stay asleep for long periods or have periods of wakefulness. Quantity is in regards to the amount of sleep we are getting – 4 hours or 8 hours. Quality refers how solid and deep the sleep is. Everything we do in regards to sleep should be on maximizing the integrity of these four fundamental characteristics of sleep. And the thing we have to be careful about is confusing sleep with being unconscious. They are VERY different things. If someone were to get knocked out by a baseball bat. We would never say that person is sleeping. When you or someone you know is taking sleeping pills like Ambien, that is the equivalent to taking a chemical baseball bat to the head. We are unconscious but we certainly are not benefitting from the healing processes that deep sleep has to offer. Humans have 2 stages of sleep – non-REM and REM. Non-REM has 2 parts consisting of light sleep and deep restorative sleep. REM sleep or Rapid Eye Movement sleep occurs in 90 minute stages. Deep non-REM sleep is essentially for protecting new learning from the day before. “You need to sleep after learning to essentially hit the save button on new memories so you don't forget.” – Matthew Walker, PhD. REM sleep is valuable for optimizing mental health and emotions. Poor sleep has shown to not only be a huge risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease, but it is also a major contributor to cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and reproductive function. One of the studies Dr. Matthew Walker talked about was with premature babies in the NICU.  When the hospital went from fluorescent lights at night to darkness, the babies had 50% better oxygen saturation and left the NICU 2-2.5 weeks early!  Some of the biggest factors that affect sleep are light, sound, drugs like caffeine and alcohol, and food. Top tips for getting better sleep: Get on a regular schedule. Go to bed and wake up at the same time every night. Keep the room cool. We sleep much better when I core body temperature is lower rather than higher. Keep the room dark and quiet. Get black out shades. Sleep with an eye mask. Sleep with ear plugs. If you are in a loud area, get a sound machine to give a constant ambient noise. Do not drink alcohol right before bed. Alcohol has been shown to significantly impair our normal sleep cycles. Keep caffeine confined to the morning. Caffeine has a half life of 6 hours and a quarter life of 12 hours. This means that even 12 hours after you have consumed caffeine, you still have some in your system. Stay away from blue light in the evening. Blue light is found in fluorescent and LED bulbs, TV screens, computer screens, and phone screens. Replace your bulbs with softer yellow or red bulbs. Install an app on your phone and computer that turns the screen yellow at night and removes the blue light, and look into wearing a pair of blue light blocking glasses in the evening time. Read before bed instead of scrolling through your phone or watching something so you slow your brain down and prepare it for sleep. Practice nasal breathing and even look into getting special mouth tape to reinforce breathing through your nose while you sleep. I know this seems like a lot but every step makes a big difference so slowly start to implement these strategies over time and definitely utilize these strategies for your kids. It will have a profound on their growth and development.  

096: Nutrition Part 3 Supplements *Greens Powder *Fish Oil *Probiotics *Vit D/K *Creatine *Collagen Peptides *Chlorophyll *Magnesium *Dessicated Liver *Vit C

The holiday season is when people usually fall off the rails when it comes to their health. They eat way too much sugar, put on weight, and get sick. It doesn't have to happen to you.  In this episode, I discuss specific strategies to stay healthy through the holidays and still enjoy yourself! Enjoy!

Nutrition Part II: The last episode was the longest solo episode I have done at a whopping 33 min. It is only a tip of the iceberg when it comes to nutrition but hopefully it is a good start for you. I realized I covered a ton of stuff in regards to nutrition but I did not cover ideas of what to eat. So today I want to give you some actionable steps when deciding what to eat. If you are looking for some good healthy and tasty recipes Marksdailyapple is a fantastic resource but I like to keep it simple so here we go. First thing in the morning –  a cup or 2 of coffee and a big glass of water with chlorophyll and 3-5 grams of creatine. Creatine has been known to be great for physical performance but it also has shown to be valuable for cognitive improvements. I always attempt to do at least a 12-hour fast. It depends how strict you are but I do not count coffee so I should so not food for at least 12 – 14 hours. My first meal is almost always eggs. I alternate between 2 different meals – eggs in a bone broth or over easy eggs with a side of guacamole. I do NOT want to spike my insulin for the first meal of the day so I do not have anything with high glycemic index like fruit or sweet potato unless it is the occasional berries. Lunch depends on where I am or what I am doing but it might be a salad or just a grass-fed burger with pickles or maybe some chicken thighs in the airfryer with Chulula hot sauce and some avocado mayo. Dinner is almost always either a naked grass-fed burger with sweet potato pieces cooked in the airfryer and then I drizzle truffle oil on it and eat it with avocado mayo. It is the food I would take on a dessert island for sure! Then dessert is usually a piece of extra dark chocolate (80-90% dark). Snacks will consist of nut bars, nuts, or even a can of olives. I know I am weird but I snack on olives like I would on chips. lol I do have berries, mushrooms, and sautéed spinach on occasion. And while 90+% of my diet looks like this I love the occasional NY style pizza and sushi! The last thing I love to snack on is something my wife makes which are 4 ingredient almond cookies. All they contain are almond flour, a little bit of maple syrup, baking soda, and vanilla. That is it and they are delicious. She uses only a fraction of the recommended maple syrup so they are not too sweet but you can decide the sweetness for yourself. Here is the thing, I love food. I love trying new food and I love the taste of food. Everything I eat I enjoy… for the most part. I or more specifically Jen (my wife) just finds healthy ways of preparing it.

094 Nutrition The only way you could not be confused about nutrition and how to eat is if you have been living under a rock. There are so many diets out there and each one more ridiculous than the other. The cookie diet, tapeworm diet, and the wine diet are just to name a few but a quick search on the internet will show you hundreds more. Anybody with a modicum of an IQ will be able to see through the craziness of many of the diets but there are a few that are quite a bit more nuanced. Those 3 that I would like to talk about are the vegan diet, omnivore diet, and carnivore diet. Vegan diet consumes zero meat or animal products. The really strict ones won't even have honey because it comes from bees. PROS: Gets people away from processed foods Gets people thinking about what they are eating More nutrient dense foods …… usually CONS: Very difficult to get the nutrients you need without extreme planning and food combining and supplementation….. essential amino acids and B12 and Omega 3s like EPA and DHA Carnivore Diet – Only meat PROS: Same as vegan is it gets people away from processed foods and more mindful about what they are consuming Eliminates insulin spiking foods like sugar True elimination diet for extreme cases – Paleomedicina and Saladino and Mikhala Peterson. Very nutrient dense CONS: Phytonutrients Fiber Omnivore is really any spectrum from 95% plant and 5% animal to 95% animal and 5% plant but most people will fall somewhere in the middle. Explain my N=1 Then talk about what MOST people in the nutrition space agree on: Pastured eggs and animals – for the animals, the environment, and health. White Oak with regenerative farming and US wellness meats Local grocery and farms Eat organic as much as possible Eliminate dairy or keep it to a minimum and ONLY have organic, grass-fed Eliminate grains especially the commercial ones. Sprouted and ancient grains like millet and quinoa seem to be a bit more tolerable but I stay away as much as I can NO sugar Minimal alcohol – glass of dry wine or spirits BUT do not mix with sugar Give your body a break every day from eating. Fasting or time restricted eating. Fats are not bad for you. Avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, and even meat from pastured animals are healthy. Stop being afraid of cholesterol. Stop being in a caloric surplus Organ meats are natures multivitamin. Eat it or at least get supplements that contain it.    

093: Leadership and Self-Deception What does it mean to be a great leader? Leadership applies to every aspect of your life and its importance cannot be understated. Self-leadership as well as leading others are key ingredients to being healthy, happy, and successful. The book, Leadership and Self-Deception, was a phenomenal book. In this episode, I share with you some of my most powerful take-aways from the book. Enjoy!

Welcome to Part 2 of 2 of the Alzheimer's series. Dementia, more specifically Alzheimer's, is a complicated disease that has been plaguing society for far too long.  We have spent way too much money to have made such little progress. At some point, we have to step back and rethink our approach.  I hope you learn something from this episode and apply it to your life. The magic comes from taking action.

Alzheimer's Disease has been a devastating diagnosis that far too many people have had to suffer through. Billions of dollars have be spent on drug research, what do we have to show for it? A 99.6% failure rate. Of the .4% that have reached the market, they have shown to be of minimal value. In the book The End of Alzheimer's, Dale Bredesen, MD, demonstrates a step-by-step manual for preventing and reversing the cognitive decline of early Alzheimer's disease. Over the next 2 episodes, I will be discussing some of my biggest take-aways from the book as well as the three things that must be addressed if you want to give your body the best opportunity to ward off Alzheimer's. Enjoy the podcast. If you have any questions, you can always reach me at mattwdc@gmail.com.

090 Rebuilding the Neck Your neck is the link between your brain and the rest of the body. The upper neck region is an area rich in mechanoreceptors and neurological activity. The neck is not just a support structure for the skull but neurological superhighway. In this episode you will learn more about the neck and what it takes to keep it healthy. If you are suffering from headaches, neck pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, or general fatigue and issues sleeping then this is the episode for you. Please reach out with questions at mattwdc@gmail.com or just email me with what you learned! I always love to hear from my listeners!

Ep 089: A Test that Predicts Early Mortality Nothing in life is guaranteed, but you want to set yourself up with the greatest opportunity for the greatest health span and lifespan. In order words, you want to live as long as you can as healthy as you can. One of the most challenging things people face as they age is loss of strength and mobility. Once we reach a certain age, our muscle mass and strength naturally decline unless we do something to oppose it. It takes work and it takes energy. But it beats spending our later years in a wheelchair or worse! The test I talk about in the podcast has been shown to be correlated with a higher risk of early mortality. Give it a try and see how you do! If you have any questions or need support, you can always reach me at mattwdc@gmail.com

Almost everyone at some point in their life is going to experience a bout of extreme back pain. I have been fortunate enough to experience it a few times! The reason I say I have been fortunate is because those experiences have made me a much better doctor. They not only helped me to truly empathize with what my patients were going through, but they also inspired me to learn and understand the human body at an even higher level so I can help my patients get better results. Enjoy this episode of Rebuilding the Low Back. If you have been enjoying these episodes, please share it with your friends and families. We appreciate your support. You can reach me at mattwdc@gmail.com if you have any questions or I can support you further on your journey to better health.

Ep 087: Rebuilding the Hip How many people do you know who have had a hip replacement? I have had dozens of patients and people in the community that have either had a hip replacement or were recommended one because their condition was so severe. And it doesn't have to be this way! Think about it. How many people get double hip replacements? It is not common. Why? Because one hip wears out faster than the other. If it was normal aging, wouldn't both hips be the same? Joints wear out due to abnormal wear and tear – abnormal biomechanics and abnormal loading over an extended period of time. Don't wait until your time is up. Build the well before you are thirsty. If you have any questions, you can always reach out to me at mattwdc@gmail.com.

Episode 086: Rebuilding the Knee If you want to move more like a gazelle and less like a turtle as you age, this is the podcast for you. In this episode you will learn about a surprising mistake people make when it comes to keeping their knees healthy and rehabilitating bad knees. You will also learn about what it takes to keep your knees performing at their best. I hope you enjoy! If you need anything, please feel free to reach out to me at mattwdc@gmail.com

Episode 085: What is good enough? “The best decision is the right decision. The second best decision is the wrong decision. The worst decision is no decision.” – Scott McNealy This was shared with me by my therapist a while back and I think it is super powerful. There is a delicate balance when making decisions. If we rush into an important decision without thinking things through, we risk making irreparable mistakes with catastrophic consequences. But if we overthink things to death, it can rob us of joy and fulfillment. What is good enough? When do we have enough information to make a decision. We discuss that in today's episode. I hope you enjoy! If you need anything, please feel free to reach out to me at mattwdc@gmail.com

Hyperkyphosis – Two Tests and Two Fixes Today we talk about the dreaded upper back hump AKA The Thoracic Hyperkyphosis. It is most noticeable in the elderly when we see our grandparents or people in their 70s and 80s walking around with that big round hump in their upper back. Many people think it is just a sign of aging but that not even close to the whole truth. The hyperkyphosis is not a genetic condition but one that is acquired due to a unhealthy lifestyle and poor habits. The sad thing is that we are seeing it more and more in the younger generation as early as elementary school. It is devastating to see because  hyperkyphosis increases the risk of morbidity and mortality in the aging population but it also has really strong developmental implications in the younger generation. The best thing is prevention and second best is early detection. Do not wait until this gets out of control because then some of changes might be permanent. In the podcast, I go over two tests you can do to see if you might have hyperkyphosis. This is by no means a complete list of tests but they are a good start. Then I give you a couple of fixes you can work on to be proactive with your situation. On top of this, if you feel like you might have a hyperkyphosis, I highly recommend seeking out the care of a great structural chiropractor. If you need help finding one, please feel free to reach out to me and I would be happy to help. My contact is mattwdc@gmail.com

We are starting a new series of episodes dedicated to Rebuilding Your Body. The Rebuilding Your Body Series will focus on movements and exercises that will help you to recover from injuries and even prevent them in the first place. Let's dig in! Today we focus on an area of the body that we normally don't pay much attention to - the feet. We briefly go through the anatomy of the foot, and how the forces in the feet send signals to the brain in a feedback loop for grounding and balance. How do we injure our feet? We don't use them enough. No stimulation, no neuromuscular feedback. We are literally wearing casts on our feet every day. Shoes are great for skin protection and hygiene. They are, however, not great for moving and activating the intricate musculature in the feet which is an important neuromuscular feedback loop. That's when injuries start to occur. Wearing footwear that are not too restrictive or padded would be ideal Exercises for rebuilding the feet: Walk bare foot more often - Start on dirt, sand or grass. These will mold into your feet and will help in articulation of the muscles and joints in the feet. Ball exercises – Take a tennis or lacrosse ball under the foot and drive it into the arch, all the way to the different bones underneath the foot. This will help move the bones and the sliding surfaces of the plantar fascia (connective tissue on the bottom of the feet). The goal is to be able to stand on the ball on one foot and wrap your foot and toes around it while rolling it back and forth. Small foot exercise- With your foot flat on the floor, pretend like your balling a piece of paper under your foot. The foot movement will look like you're contracting your foot, trying to touch the ball of your foot to your heel. Do not curl your toes, leave your toes flat on the ground and curl in with the ball of your foot. Single leg balance – balancing on one leg. Good for proprioception and balance. Stacking tasks tip: Do this exercise while brushing your teeth. Calf stretch- wearing elevated footwear most of the time shortens the achilles and calf muscle which in turn will yank on your heel and create bone spurs and damage your plantar fascia. Some exercises for calf stretch- down dog pose, forward bending, wall push stretch. Hope you enjoy this podcast! If you have any questions, you can reach me at mattwdc@gmail.com

One of the most important factors for staying fit and healthy as we age is to NOT get injured. Today we talk about the 2 practices that will maximize your potential to staying injury-free and perform at your best. Preparation/Prehab is Your Best Friend – Make the preparation and warm up more important than the actual work out. Moving your body through full ranges of motion in preparation for heavy lifts, explosive movements, or movements that require heavy cardiac output will help to fully warm-up and ramp up your system for the strenuous work ahead. The ideal order for a full workout: Preparation -> Intensity/Strength/Power Create balance in your training program- You want a good mix of longer sustained movement (i.e. jogging, long walks, running), explosive movements (i.e. box jumps, burpees, sprints), weight training, and mobility training (i.e. yoga, pilates). Active recovery days are also part of great balance. Develop the habit of incorporating these 2 practices into your workouts and daily movement sessions and you will increase your potential for longevity and resilience from injury. Hope you enjoy this one!

The world of health and fitness has become incredibly confusing. There is so much misinformation out there when it comes to health, it is astounding. The internet has provided us a valuable resource to learn, grow, and share our ideas with others, but with that comes the challenge of knowing what is good information and what is bad information. There are keys to health that revolve around nutrition, exercise, and a healthy mental attitude, but there is one that supersedes them all - our body's ability to adapt to its internal and external environment. I hope you enjoy today's podcast!

The most powerful way to start your day is with a morning routine. These are the habits and strategies that juice you up first thing in the morning and get you prepared to crush the rest of your day.  In this episode I share with you some of my strategies and the most powerful weapon I have to master my morning is coffee - the nectar of the gods! Just kidding, but not really. The second most powerful strategy is movement. Movement is life.  I share with you some of my favorite movements to do in the morning among other things. If you enjoyed this podcast, I would love to hear from you. Even if you did not enjoy it, I would love to hear from you anyway with suggestions on how to improve.  Until next time, keep achieving!

Does it ever drive you crazy thinking about the amount of time you wasted doing things that did not matter? And what about all of the important things you have put off doing? I reached a point a while back where I learned a great technique for getting things done. This is especially effective when it comes to doing things that are really important but you hate doing. It is called stacking, and I explain how to effectively use this technique in the podcast today. I hope you enjoy!

When many people think of heroes, they thing of the fairytales and comic books like Superman, Batman, and Spiderman. The true heroes are not the ones who came out of imagination, but real people risking it all and making a difference in the world like the people in the military, doctors, servicemen and women, mothers and fathers, and even those who come back from the brink of death and show us what it means to have resilience, meaning, purpose, strength and vulnerability.  Janine Shepherd is one of those heroes. Defiant is her autobiography. This podcast contains the lessons I learned from her story. Enjoy!

Have you ever not confronted someone before because you told yourself that you are just "too nice?" Or do you just use your dominance to steamroll over people around you? Being "too nice" or steamrolling over people are NOT strengths. They are both weaknesses! If you fall into one of these categories or if you deal with people in one of these categories, then this episode is for you. Enjoy!

Some people go through their entire life just going through the motions. Don't be that guy/gal. Discovering what inspires you is not as difficult as you might think. In this episode I help you to discover what truly inspires you. It all comes down to 4 questions: 1) What do you find yourself love doing that you would do even if you didn't get paid? 2) Who do you admire? 3) What is it about them that you admire? 4) Why do you admire it? Listen until the end for specific action steps. Enjoy!

This episode was recorded in Split, Croatia. It has been said, “If you want to get something done, give it to a busy person.” Mechanisms to maximize your productivity: 1) Set up a productivity meeting every week. 2) Create a strict morning routine. 3) Commit to a daily physical, gratitude, meditation, and learning practice. 4) Re-evaluate and adapt. Enjoy!