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Your butt is not about aesthetics. It is a longevity organ that directly impacts metabolism, brain optimization, resilience, and how long you stay strong as you age. In this episode, you'll learn why strength training and protein intake matter more than body fat percentage, how mitochondria drive human performance and recovery, and why building muscle protects your brain, stabilizes mood, and supports long-term longevity. This conversation reframes biohacking, anti-aging, and health from weight loss to muscle span, the length of time you live with strong, functional skeletal muscle. Watch this episode on YouTube for the full video experience: https://www.youtube.com/@DaveAspreyBPR Host Dave Asprey sits down with Gabrielle Lyon, an accomplished physician and New York Times bestselling author of Forever Strong: A New, Science-Based Strategy for Aging Well, and author of the upcoming The Forever Strong Playbook, releasing January 27, 2026. Dr. Lyon pioneered the Muscle-Centric Medicine® approach, which places muscle at the center of disease prevention, metabolic health, and true vitality. She has trained elite athletes, military operatives, and public figures, while also living this philosophy at home as a mother of two with her husband, a retired Navy SEAL. Together, they break down why intermuscular fat may matter more than body fat percentage, how skeletal muscle drives insulin sensitivity and lowers inflammation, and why becoming physically stronger improves brain function and neuroplasticity. They explore protein needs across the lifespan, fasting, ketosis, carnivore-style nutrition, supplements, sleep optimization, and the real tradeoffs of GLP-1 drugs, including the risk of accelerated muscle loss if strength and protein are neglected. The conversation also covers mindset, hormesis, and why physical resilience creates emotional regulation and clearer decision-making in a world increasingly shaped by AI and convenience. This episode is essential listening for anyone serious about biohacking, hacking human performance, longevity, mitochondria, neuroplasticity, nootropics, metabolism, functional medicine, anti-aging strategies, supplements, and living Smarter Not Harder, ideally with a cup of Danger Coffee in hand. You'll Learn: • Why your glutes and skeletal muscle are critical drivers of longevity and brain health • Why intermuscular fat can matter more than body fat percentage for metabolic dysfunction • How strength training improves neuroplasticity, cognition, and emotional resilience • Why protein needs increase with age and why outdated limits can hold you back • What GLP-1 drugs get right, where they fail, and how to protect muscle span • Why progressive stimulus beats lifting heavy for long-term strength and injury prevention • How sleep optimization and recovery support mitochondria and human performance • How building muscle creates clarity, resilience, and better decision-making Dave Asprey is a four time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade is the top podcast for people who want to take control of their biology, extend their longevity, and optimize every system in the body and mind. Each episode features cutting edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, hacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. Thank you to our sponsors! Quantum Upgrade | Support your brain, energy, focus, sleep, and recovery with Quantum Upgrade, a 24/7 streaming quantum energy service designed to work continuously in the background. Try it free for 15 days with no credit card required: https://quantumupgrade.io/DAVE Screenfit | Get your at-home eye training program for 40% off using code DAVE at https://www.screenfit.com/dave BrainTap | Go to http://braintap.com/dave to get $100 off the BrainTap Power Bundle. KillSwitch | If you're ready for the best sleep of your life, order now at https://www.switchsupplements.com and use code DAVE for 20% off. Dave Asprey is a four-time New York Times bestselling author, founder of Bulletproof Coffee, and the father of biohacking. With over 1,000 interviews and 1 million monthly listeners, The Human Upgrade brings you the knowledge to take control of your biology, extend your longevity, and optimize every system in your body and mind. Each episode delivers cutting-edge insights in health, performance, neuroscience, supplements, nutrition, biohacking, emotional intelligence, and conscious living. New episodes are released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday (BONUS). Dave asks the questions no one else will and gives you real tools to become stronger, smarter, and more resilient. Keywords: muscle longevity organ, glutes brain health, strength training longevity podcast, muscle span aging, intermuscular fat metabolism, IMAT insulin resistance, skeletal muscle brain function, neuroplasticity strength training, protein intake aging, high protein diet longevity, metabolism muscle health, mitochondria muscle brain, muscle centric medicine podcast, gabrielle lyon podcast, forever strong playbook, women strength training longevity, GLP-1 muscle loss, sarcopenia aging prevention, resistance training brain health, sleep optimization muscle recovery, fasting ketosis muscle health, carnivore diet muscle metabolism, functional medicine muscle health, biohacking strength longevity, human performance muscle, anti-aging strength training, supplements muscle recovery, progressive stimulus training, blood flow restriction training, muscle resilience mindset Resources: • Get Gabrielle's NEW book Forever Strong: https://drgabriellelyon.com/forever-strong/ • Gabrielle's Website: https://drgabriellelyon.com/ • Follow Gabrielle's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drgabriellelyon/ • Gabrielles Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrGabrielleLyon • Get My 2026 Biohacking Trends Report: https://daveasprey.com/2026-biohacking-trends-report/ • Join My Low-Oxalate 30-Day Challenge: https://daveasprey.com/2026-low-ox-reset/ • Dave Asprey's Latest News | Go to https://daveasprey.com/ to join Inside Track today. • Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com/discount/dave15 • My Daily Supplements: SuppGrade Labs (15% Off) • Favorite Blue Light Blocking Glasses: TrueDark (15% Off) • Dave Asprey's BEYOND Conference: https://beyondconference.com • Dave Asprey's New Book – Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated • Upgrade Collective: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com • Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com Timestamps: 0:00 – Introduction 1:01 – The Playbook vs Workbook 3:47 – Protein & Metabolic Health 6:21 – Mindset & Negativity 7:20 – Histamines & Hot Flashes 10:49 – Women & Strength Training 13:40 – Connective Tissue & EDS 16:15 – Muscle Span & Aging 19:41 – Training for Kids 21:55 – Pain Cave & Discomfort 25:25 – Emotional Regulation 29:46 – Resilience & Dating 32:11 – Building Friction & Discernment 35:47 – Self-Denial vs Awareness 41:03 – Mitochondria & Energy 42:46 – Bigger Booty, Bigger Brain 44:52 – Body Fat vs IMAT 49:01 – Measuring Muscle Health 52:08 – GLP-1s & Muscle Loss 56:12 – Protein Absorption Myths 59:30 – mTOR & Protein 1:01:29 – Closing Thoughts See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Today we're taking a fresh, much-needed look at screen time—one that moves beyond fear, shame, and power struggles and into something far more nuanced and humane. My guest is Ash Brandin, also known as TheGamerEducator, and the author of the new book, Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family. In this episode, Ash and I talk about screen time through the lenses of social equity and moral neutrality, and why empowering kids with skills, not control, is key to navigating technology well. We also explore practical strategies for managing screen use, how engaging with kids around their interests can change everything, and what a truly collaborative approach to technology can look like inside families. This is a grounded, compassionate conversation for anyone feeling stuck or conflicted about screens and modern parenting. About Ash Brandin, EdS Ash Brandin, EdS, known online as TheGamerEducator, empowers families to make screen time sustainable, manageable, and beneficial for the whole family. Now in their 15th year of teaching middle school, they help caregivers navigate the world of tech with consistent, loving boundaries, founded on respect for children, appreciation of video games and tech, and knowledge of pedagogical techniques. Ash has appeared on podcasts including Thinking with Adam Grant, Good Inside with Dr. Becky, and Culture Study with Anne Helen Petersen, and has contributed to articles featured on Romper, Scary Mommy, Lifehacker, The Daily Beast, USA Today, and NPR. Their bestselling book, Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family debuted in August, 2025. In their free time, Ash loves to hike, bake, play video games, and spend time with their family. Things you'll learn from this episode How screen time can be reframed more positively when we move away from fear-based narratives Why understanding social equity issues is essential for having nuanced, moral-neutral conversations about technology How focusing on access, behavior, and content helps parents manage screen time more effectively Why empowering kids with skills—and engaging with their interests—builds trust and connection How creating safe, clear boundaries allows children to explore technology responsibly Why collaborative approaches (and simple tools like the sticky note trick) make screen time transitions smoother and more supportive Resources mentioned Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family by Ash Brandin Ash Brandin on Instagram The Game Educator (Ash Brandin's Substack) The Game Educator (website) Meryl Alper on Screens & Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age (Tilt Parenting podcast) Kids Across the Spectrums: Growing Up Autistic in the Digital Age by Meryl Alper (via MIT Press website) Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World by Dr. Devorah Heitner Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World by Dr. Devorah Heitner Dr. Devorah Heitner on Online Safety, Internet “Rabbit Holes,” and Differently Wired Kids (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Dr. Devorah Heitner on the Pros & Cons of “Managing” Our Kids' Screen Time (Tilt Parenting podcast) Dr. Devorah Heitner on Parenting Kids Who Are Growing Up Online (Tilt Parenting podcast) Dr. Alok Kanojia on How to Raise Healthy Gamers (Tilt Parenting podcast) We Asked Roblox's C.E.O. About Child Safety (Hard Fork episode) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Episode Notes On E412, Andrew sits down with Katie Farrell to talk about her experience with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and EDS. We talk about why she uses comedy as her alchemy to find the humour in all the things. This was a really fun one. Enjoy! Follow Katie Farrell at linktree.com/thehotfunnyone Get tix to her show in support of JRA on Feb 19th Tickets:https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1955230008589?aff=oddtdtcreator Episode Sponsors Support USICD's Ten for 2030 Campaign: www.usicd.org Do you wanna turn b*tt stuff up a notch. Go to bvibe.com and use code AFTERDARK to receive 20% off orders of $100 (including bundles, discounted items and more). Disability content creation doesn't have to be hard. Follow @seated.perspectives on Instagram to learn how to make content creation a gentle, easy, accessible experience. Are you looking for attendant care when you need it at your convenience? Check out your team, on tap www.whimble.ca Get 15% off your next purchase of sex toys, books and DVDs by using Coupon code AFTERDARK at checkout when you shop at trans owned and operated sex shop Come As You Are www.comeasyouare.com Order Notes From a Queer Cripple and hire him to speak on it by e-mailing andrew@andrewgurza.com US: https://us.jkp.com/products/notes-from-a-queer-cripple Canada: https://www.ubcpress.ca/notes-from-a-queer-cripple Support the show with a donation: https://patreon.com/disabilityafterdark This podcast is powered by Pinecast.
In this episode, Dr. Linda Bluestein is joined by Dr. Eric Singman, a neuro-ophthalmologist who lives at the intersection of the eyes, the brain, and the complex symptoms so many people with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome experience. They dig into why EDS patients often struggle with vision even when everything looks “normal,” why convergence problems and visual fatigue are so common, and how conditions like POTS, mast cell activation, Chiari malformation, and cervical instability quietly affect how we see. They also talk about dry eye, visual snow, glare sensitivity, elevated intracranial pressure without papilledema, and why so many EDS patients are sent down expensive treatment paths that may not actually help. This conversation is part science, part myth-busting, and part reality check for anyone who's been told their symptoms don't make sense. If you've ever felt dismissed, confused, or overwhelmed by eye and vision issues in connective tissue disorders, this one's for you. Takeaways: Normal eye exams don't mean your vision problem isn't real, especially for people with EDS. Many vision symptoms in EDS are collateral damage, not primary eye disease. Convergence issues are often blamed, but fatigue, cognition, and neck instability may be the real drivers. Dry eye in EDS is more complex than “use drops”, especially with mast cell involvement. The neck may be the missing piece in vision, brain fog, headaches, and reading difficulty. Find the episode transcript here. Want more Dr. Eric Singman? https://www.umms.org/find-a-doctor/profiles/dr-eric-lowell-singman-md-1881654804 Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD? Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/ Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd Dr. Bluestein's Recommended Herbs, Supplements and Care Necessities: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/hypermobilitymd/store-start Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them. Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/. YOUR bendy body is our highest priority! Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com Part of the Human Content Podcast Network FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week on Hoop Troop, we break down Iowa high school basketball with a full preview of the MLK Classic, upset alerts, and the toughest places to play in Iowa.We dive into:How to define roles and build winning lineupsWhich teams are overachieving and under the radarCould Harrison Barnes' team make a run at the Iowa 1A state title?Plus:A new Lunch League LegendTony's expert analysisDoug's Pick of the WeekIf you love Iowa hoops, high school basketball, rankings, and game predictions, this episode is for you.Shooters shoot.LUNCH LEAGUE LEGEND: Thatcher Doughan - MOC Floyd ValleySchools mentioned: Waukee Northwest, Dowling Catholic, Valley, Cedar Falls, Ames, Pella, Norwalk, St. Eds, LeMars, Urbandale, Decorah, Heelan, Council Bluffs AB Lincoln
In this episode we explore The Theophanic Replacement Protocol, a forensic model explaining the formation of normative Christian orthodoxy through a coordinated, multi-phase program of theological, literary, and physical overwriting. Central to this model is the spiritual identity theft of God Our Father. The persona of “Yahweh” - characterized by violence, tribalism, and conditional law - was systematically grafted onto the biography of the true God of grace revealed by Jesus. Our roundtable discusses five evidentiary strata: 1) The traditio-historical datum of the 29 AD Eclipse-Seismic Theophany; 2) The textual witness of the primitive Evangelion and Apostolikon; 3) A characterological antithesis proving Yahweh's incompatibility with the Father; 4) The material evidence of the Diocletian Persecution's targeted destruction; and 5) The archival dependency of later orthodoxy on Marcionite sources. We also discuss how the Protocol culminated in a Damnatio Memoriae against the primary stratum, erasing its physical texts and memory, allowing a synthetic, Yahwistic Christianity to emerge as the sole historical narrative.Notes:Journal of Pre-Nicene Christian Studieshttps://journal.pre-nicene.org/TheophanicReplacementProtocol.htmlISSN: 3068-8469 December, 2025DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17964659ReferencesBarnes, T. D. (1981). Constantine and Eusebius. Harvard University Press.BeDuhn, J. D. (2013). The First New Testament: Marcion's Scriptural Canon. PolebridgePress.Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. (12th cent.). Codex Vaticanus Arch. B. S. Pietro A 3 (Vat.lat. 214664). Digital Vatican Library. https://digi.vatlib.it/mss/detail/214664The Canons of the Council of Nicaea (325 CE). In Schaff, P., & Wace, H. (Eds.), *Nicene andPost-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 14.*Lactantius. (c. 313-315 CE). On the Deaths of the Persecutors (De MortibusPersecutorum).The Very First Bible. https://theveryfirstbible.orgLe Bas, P., & Waddington, W. H. (1870). Inscriptions grecques et latines recueillies enGrèce et en Asie Mineure (Vol. 3, Inscription 2558).Roth, D. T. (2015). The Text of Marcion's Gospel. Brill.Tertullian. (c. 207-212 CE). Against Marcion (Adversus Marcionem).Marcionite Church. https://marcionitechurch.orgPrimary Source Tradition:Marcionite Church (2020). The Very First Bible: The Evangelion and Apostolikon (ISBN 978-0578641591).
Eddie and Edwin are back and catching up and reflecting on 2025. Amid many struggles, Edwin opens up how he’s gotten through what he says were the two toughest years of his life. Plus, Eddie and Edwin share an inspirational outlook on making 2026 the best year yet. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Moyamoya Syndrome Stroke Recovery: Judy Kim Cage's Comeback From “Puff of Smoke” to Purpose At 4:00 AM, Judy Kim Cage woke up in pain so extreme that she was screaming, though she doesn't remember the scream. What she does remember is the “worst headache ever,” nausea, numbness, and then the terrifying truth: her left side was shutting down. Here's the part that makes her story hit even harder: Judy already lived with Moyamoya syndrome and had undergone brain surgeries years earlier. She genuinely believed she was “cured.” So when her stroke began, her brain fought the reality with everything it had. Denial, resistance, bargaining, and delay. And yet, Judy's story isn't about doom. It's about what Moyamoya syndrome stroke recovery can look like when you keep going, especially when recovery becomes less about “getting back to normal” and more about building a new, honest, meaningful life. What Is Moyamoya Syndrome (And Why It's Called “Puff of Smoke”) Moyamoya is a rare cerebrovascular disorder where the internal carotid arteries progressively narrow, reducing blood flow to the brain. The brain tries to compensate by creating fragile collateral vessels, thin-walled backups that can look like a “puff of smoke” on imaging. Those collateral vessels can become a risk. In Judy's case, the combination of her history, symptoms, and eventual deficits marked a devastating event that would reshape her life. The emotional gut punch wasn't only the stroke itself. It was the psychological whiplash of thinking you're safe… and discovering you're not. The First Enemy in Moyamoya Stroke Recovery: Denial Judy didn't just resist the hospital. She resisted the idea that this was happening at all. She'd been through countless ER visits in the past, having to explain Moyamoya to doctors, enduring tests, and then being told, “There's nothing we can do.” That history trained her to expect frustration and disappointment, not urgent help. So when her husband wanted to call emergency services, her reaction wasn't logical, it was emotional. It was the reflex of someone who'd been through too much. Denial isn't weakness. It's protection. It's your mind trying to buy time when the truth is too big to hold all at once. The Moment Reality Landed: “I Thought I Picked Up My Foot” In early recovery, Judy was convinced she could do what she used to do. Get up. Walk. Go to the bathroom. Handle it. But a powerful moment in rehab shifted everything: she was placed into an exoskeleton and realized her brain and body weren't speaking the same language. She believed she lifted her foot, then saw it hadn't moved for several seconds. That's when she finally had to admit what so many survivors eventually face: Recovery begins the moment you stop arguing with reality. Not because you “give up,” but because you stop wasting energy fighting what is and start investing energy into what can be. The Invisible Battle: Cognitive Fatigue and Energy Management If you're living through Moyamoya syndrome stroke recovery, it's easy for everyone (including you) to focus on the visible stuff: walking, arms, vision, and balance. But Judy's most persistent challenge wasn't always visible. It was cognitive fatigue, the kind that makes simple tasks feel impossible. Even something as ordinary as cleaning up an email inbox can become draining because it requires micro-decisions: categorize, prioritize, analyze, remember context, avoid mistakes. And then there's the emotional layer: when you're a perfectionist, errors feel personal. Judy described how fatigue increases mistakes, not because she doesn't care, but because the brain's bandwidth runs out. That's a brutal adjustment when your identity has always been built on competence. A practical shift that helped her Instead of trying to “finish” exhausting tasks in one heroic sprint, Judy learned to do small daily pieces. It's not glamorous, but it reduces cognitive load and protects energy. In other words: consistency beats intensity. Returning to Work After a Moyamoya Stroke: A Different Kind of Strength Judy's drive didn't disappear after her stroke. If anything, it became part of the recovery engine. She returned slowly, first restricted to a tiny number of hours. Even that was hard. But over time, she climbed back. She eventually returned full-time and later earned a promotion. That matters for one reason: it proves recovery doesn't have one shape. For some people, recovery is walking again. For others, it's parenting again. For others, it's working again without losing themselves to burnout. The goal isn't to recreate the old life perfectly. The goal is to build a life that fits who you are now. [Quote block mid-article] “If you couldn't make fun of it… it would be easier to fall into a pit of despair.” Humor Isn't Denial. It's a Tool. Judy doesn't pretend everything is okay. She's not selling toxic positivity. But she does use humor like a lever, something that lifts the emotional weight just enough to keep moving. She called her recovering left hand her “evil twin,” high-fived it when it improved, and looked for small “silver linings” not because the stroke was good, but because despair is dangerous. Laughter can't fix Moyamoya. But it can change what happens inside your nervous system: tension, stress response, mood, motivation, and your willingness to try again tomorrow. And sometimes, tomorrow is the whole win. Identity After Stroke: When “Big Stuff Became Small Stuff” One of the most profound shifts Judy described was this: the stroke changed her scale. Things that used to feel huge became small. Every day annoyances lost their power. It took something truly significant to rattle her. That's not magical thinking. That's a perspective earned the hard way. Many survivors quietly report this experience: once you've faced mortality and rebuilt your life from rubble, you stop wasting precious energy on what doesn't matter. Judy also found meaning in mentoring others because recovering alone can feel like walking through darkness without a map. Helping others doesn't erase what happened. But it can transform pain into purpose. If You're In Moyamoya Syndrome Stroke Recovery, Read This If your recovery feels messy… if you're exhausted by invisible symptoms… if the old “high achiever” version of you is fighting the new reality… You're not broken. You're adapting. And your next step doesn't have to be dramatic. It just has to be honest and repeatable: Simplify the day Protect energy Build routines Accept help Use humor when you can And find one person who understands Recovery is not a straight line. But it is possible to rebuild a life you actually want to live. If you want more support and guidance, you can also explore Bill's resources here: recoveryafterstroke.com/book patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health or recovery plan. Judy Kim Cage on Moyamoya Stroke Recovery, Cognitive Fatigue, and Finding Purpose Again She thought Moyamoya was “fixed.” Then a 4 AM headache proved otherwise. Judy's comeback will change how you see recovery. Judy’s Instagram Highlights: 00:00 Introduction and Guest Introduction 01:43 Life Before the Stroke 11:17 The Moment of the Stroke 19:56 Moyamoya Syndrome Stroke Recovery 25:36 Cognitive Fatigue and Executive Functioning 34:50 Rehabilitation Experience 42:29 Using Humor in Recovery 46:59 Finding Purpose After Stroke 54:19 Judy’s Book: Super Survivor 01:05:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts Transcript: Introduction and Guest Introduction Bill Gasiamis (00:00) Hey there, I’m Bill Gasiamis and this is the Recovery After Stroke podcast. Before we jump in a quick thank you to my Patreon supporters. You help cover the hosting costs after more than 10 years of doing this independently. And you make it possible for me to keep creating episodes for stroke survivors who need hope and real guidance. And thank you to everyone who supports the show in the everyday ways too. The YouTube commenters, the people leaving reviews on Spotify and Apple. The folks who bought my book and everyone who sticks around and doesn’t skip the ads. I see you and I appreciate you. Now I want you to hear this. My guest today, Judy Kim Cage, woke up at 4am with the worst headache of her life and she was so deep in denial that she threatened to divorce her husband if he called 911. Judy lives with Moyamoya syndrome, a rare cerebrovascular condition often described as the puff of smoke on imaging. She’d already had brain surgeries and believed she was cured until the stroke changed everything. Judy also wrote a book called Super Survivor and it’s all about how denial, resistance and persistence can lead to success and a better life after stroke. I’ll put the links in the show notes. In this conversation, we talk about Moyamoya Syndrome, stroke recovery, the rehab moment where reality finally landed. and what it’s like to rebuild life with cognitive fatigue and executive functioning challenges and how Judy used humor and purpose to keep moving forward without pretending recovery is easy. Let’s get into it. Judy Kim Cage, welcome to the podcast. Life Before Moyamoya Syndrome Judy Kim Cage (01:43) Thank you so much, Bill Bill Gasiamis (01:45) Thanks for being here. Can you paint us a picture of your life before the stroke? What were your days like? Judy Kim Cage (01:51) Hmm. Well, my life before the stroke was me trying to be a high achiever and a corporate nerd. I think so. I think so. I, you know, I was in the Future Business Leaders of America in high school and then carried that forward to an accounting degree. Bill Gasiamis (02:04) Did you achieve it? Judy Kim Cage (02:20) and finance and then ⁓ had gone to work for Deloitte and the big four. ⁓ And after that moved into ⁓ internal audit for commercial mortgage and then risk and banking and it all rolled into compliance, which is a kind of larger chunk there. But ⁓ yeah, I was living the corporate dream and Traveling every other week, basically so 50 % of the time, flying to Columbus, staying there, and then flying back home for the weekend and working in a rented office for the week after. And I did that for all of 2018. And then in 2019 is when my body said, hang on a second. And I had a stroke. Bill Gasiamis (03:17) How many hours a week do you think you were working? Judy Kim Cage (03:19) Well, not including the treble, ⁓ probably 50-55. Bill Gasiamis (03:26) Okay. Judy Kim Cage (03:26) Oh, wish, that wasn’t that that really wasn’t a ton compared to my Deloitte days where I’d be working up to 90 hours a week. Bill Gasiamis (03:37) Wow. in that time when you’re working 90 hours a week. Is there time for anything else? you get to squeeze in a run at the gym or do you get to squeeze in a cafe catch up with a friend or anything like that? Judy Kim Cage (03:51) There are people that do. think, yeah, I mean, on certain particular weekends and my friends, a lot of my friends were also working with me. So there was time to socialize. And then, of course, we would all let off some steam, you know, at the pub, you know, at the end of a week. But ⁓ yeah, I remember on one of my very first jobs, I had been so excited because I had signed up to take guitar lessons and I was not able to leave in order to get there in time. ⁓ so that took a backseat. Bill Gasiamis (04:40) Yes, it sounds like there’s potentially lots of things that took a backseat. Yeah, work tends to be like that can be all consuming and when friendships especially are within the work group as well, even more so because everyone’s doing the same thing and it’s just go, Judy Kim Cage (04:44) Yeah, definitely. Absolutely. We started as a cohort essentially of, I want to say 40 some people all around the same age. And then, you know, as the years ticked by, we started falling off as they do in that industry. Bill Gasiamis (05:19) Do you enjoy it though? Like, is there a part of you that enjoys the whole craziness of all the travel, all the hours, the work stuff? it? Is it like interesting? Judy Kim Cage (05:31) Yeah, I do love it. I actually do love my job. I love compliance. I love working within a legal mindset with other lawyers. And basically knowing that I’m pretty good at my job, that I can be very well organized, that it would be difficult even for a normal healthy person and challenging and that I can do well there. And yeah, no, was, when I had put in a year, when I was in ⁓ acute therapy, ⁓ I had spoken with a number of students and they had interviewed me as a patient, but also from the psych side of it all, ⁓ asking, well, what does it feel like to all of a sudden have your life stop? And I said, well, ⁓ and things got a bit emotional, I said, I felt like I was at the top of my game. I had finally achieved the job that I absolutely wanted, had desired. ⁓ I felt like I’d found a home where I was now going to retire. And all of a sudden that seems like it was no longer a possibility. Bill Gasiamis (06:55) So that’s a very common thing that strokes have over say who I interviewed. They say stuff like I was at the top of my game and there’s this ⁓ idea or sense that once you get to the top of the game, you stay there. There’s no getting down from the top of the game and that it just keeps going and keeps going. And, I think it’s more about fit. sounds like it’s more about fit. Like I found a place where I fit. found a place where I’m okay. or I do well, where I succeed, where people believe in me, where I have the support and the faith or whatever it is of my employers, my team. Is that kind of how you describe on top of your game or is it something different? Judy Kim Cage (07:41) I think it was all of those things, ⁓ but also, you know, definitely the kindness of people, the support of people, their faith in my ability to be smart and get things done. But then also ⁓ just the fact that I finally said, okay, this was not necessarily a direct from undergrad to here. However, I was able to take pieces of everything that I had done and put it together into a position that was essentially kind of created for me and then launched from there. So I felt as though it was essentially having climbed all of those stairs. So I was at the top. Yeah. you know, looking at my Lion King kingdom and yeah. Bill Gasiamis (08:43) just about to ascend and, and it was short lived by the sound of it. Judy Kim Cage (08:49) It was, it was, it was only one year beforehand, but I am actually still at the company now. I ⁓ had gone and done ⁓ well. So I was in the hospital for a few months and following that. Well, following the round of inpatient and the one round of outpatient, said, okay, I’m going back. And I decided, I absolutely insisted that I was going to go back. The doctor said, okay, you can only work four hours a week. I said, four hours a week, what are you talking about? ⁓ But then I realized that four hours a week was actually really challenging at that time. ⁓ And then ⁓ I climbed back up. was, you know, I’m driven by deadlines and… ⁓ I was working, you know, leveraging long-term disability. And then once I had worked too many hours after five years, you know, I graduated from that program, or rather I got booted out of the program. ⁓ And then a year later, I was actually, well, no, actually at the end of the five years I was promoted. So, ⁓ after coming back full time. Bill Gasiamis (10:20) Wow. So this was all in 2019, the stroke. You were 39 years old. Do you remember, do you remember the moment when you realized there was something wrong? We’ll be back with more of Judy’s remarkable story in just a moment. If you’re listening right now and you’re in that stage where recovery feels invisible, where the fatigue is heavy, your brain feels slower. or you’re trying to explain a rare condition like Moyamoya and nobody really gets it. I want you to hear this clearly. You’re not failing. You’re recovering. If you want extra support between episodes, you can check out my book at recoveryafterstroke.com slash book. And if you’d like to help keep this podcast going and support my mission to reach a thousand episodes, you can support the podcast at Patreon by visiting patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke. All right, let’s get back to Judy. The Moment of the Stroke Judy Kim Cage (11:16) Yes, although I was in a lot of denial. ⁓ So we had just had dinner with ⁓ my stepdaughter and her husband ⁓ and ⁓ we were visiting them in Atlanta, Georgia. ⁓ And we said, OK, we’ll meet for brunch tomorrow. You know, great to see you. Have a good night. It was four in the morning and I was told I woke up screaming and I felt this horrible, horrible worst headache ever ⁓ on the right side. And I think because I have, I have Moyamoya syndrome, because of that and because I had had brain surgeries, ⁓ 10 years or back in December of 2008, I had a brain surgery on each side. And that at the time was the best of care that you could get. You know, that was essentially your cure. And so I thought I was cured. And so I thought I would never have a stroke. So when it was actually happening, I was in denial said there’s no way this could be happening. But the excess of pain, ⁓ the nausea and ⁓ it not going away after throwing up, the numbness ⁓ and then the eventual paralysis of my left side definitely ⁓ was evidence that something was very very wrong. Bill Gasiamis (13:09) So it was four in the morning, were you guys sleeping? Judy Kim Cage (13:14) ⁓ yeah, we were in bed. Yep. And yeah, I woke up screaming. According to my husband, I don’t remember the screaming part, but I remember all the pain. Bill Gasiamis (13:24) Yeah, did he ⁓ get you to hospital? Did he the emergency services? Judy Kim Cage (13:30) I apparently was kind of threatening to divorce him if he called 911. Bill Gasiamis (13:38) Wow, that’s a bit rough. Oh my lord. Judy Kim Cage (13:41) I know. mean, that could have been his out, but he didn’t. Bill Gasiamis (13:45) There’s worse things for a human to do than call 911 and get your support. Like marriages end for worse things than that. Judy Kim Cage (13:53) because I’ve been to the ER many, many, many times. And because of the Moyamoya, you would always, it being a rare disease, you would never be told, well, you would have to explain to all the doctors about what Moyamoya was, for one. For two, to say if I had a cold, for instance, that Moyamoya had nothing to do with it. Bill Gasiamis (14:11) Wow. Judy Kim Cage (14:19) But also, you know, they would give me an MRI, oof, the claustrophobia. I detested that. And I said, if you’re getting me into an MRI, please, please, please, a benzodiazepine would be incredible. Or just knock me out, whatever you need to do. But I’m not getting into that thing otherwise. But, you know, they would take the MRI, read it. and then say, hours and hours and hours later, there’s nothing we can do. The next course of action, if it was absolutely necessary, would be another surgery, which would have been bur holes that were drilled into my skull to relieve some sort of pressure. ⁓ In this particular case, the options were to ⁓ have a drain put in my skull. and then for me to be reliant on a ventilator. Or they said, you can have scans done every four hours and if the damage becomes too great, then we’ll move on. Otherwise, we’ll just keep tabs on it, essentially. Bill Gasiamis (15:37) Yeah. So I know that feeling because since my initial blade in February, 2012, I’ve lost count how many times I’ve been to the hospital for a scan that was unnecessary, but necessary at the time because you, you know, you tie yourself up in knots trying to work out, is this another one? Isn’t it another one? Is it, it, and then the only outcome that you can possibly come up with that puts your mind at ease and everybody else around you is let’s go and get a scan and then, and then move on with life. Once they tell you it was, ⁓ it was not another bleed or whatever. Yeah. However, three times I did go and three times there was a bleed. So it’s the whole, you know, how do you wrap your head around like which one isn’t the bleed, which one is the bleed and It’s a fricking nightmare if you ask me. And I seem to have now ⁓ transferred that concern to everybody else who has a headache. On the weekend, my son had a migraine. And I tell you what, because he was describing it as one of the worst headaches he had ever had, I just went into meltdown. I couldn’t cope. And it was like, go to the hospital, go to the hospital, go to… He didn’t go, he’s an adult, right? Makes his own decisions. But I was worried about it for days. And it wasn’t enough that even the next few days he was feeling better because I still have interviewed people who have had a headache for four or five or six days before they went to hospital and then they found that it was a stroke. it’s just become this crazy thing that I have to live with now. Judy Kim Cage (17:26) I essentially forced Rich to wait 12 hours before I called my vascular neurologist. And once I did, his office said, you need to go to the ER. And I said, okay, then that’s when I folded and said, all right, we’ll go. ⁓ And then, ⁓ you know, an ambulance came. Bill Gasiamis (17:35) Wow. Judy Kim Cage (17:53) took me out on a gurney and then took me to a mobile stroke unit, which there was only one of 11, there were only 11 in the country at the time. And they were able to scan me there and then had me basically interviewed by a neurologist via telecall. And this was, you know, before the days of teams and zoom and that we all tested out ⁓ from COVID. ⁓ yeah, that’s. Bill Gasiamis (18:35) That’s you, So then you get through that initial acute phase and then you wake up with a certain amount of deficits. Judy Kim Cage (18:37) Yeah. my gosh. ⁓ Well, yeah, absolutely. ⁓ Massive amounts of pain ⁓ from all the blood absorbing back into the brain. ⁓ The left side, my left side was paralyzed. My arm fell out of my shoulder socket. So it was hanging down loosely. ⁓ I had dropped foot, so I had to learn to walk again. Double vision and my facial group on the left and then. Bluff side neglect. Bill Gasiamis (19:31) Yeah. So, and then I see in our, in your notes, I see also you had diminished hearing, nerve pain, spasticity, cognitive fatigue, ⁓ bladder issues. You’d also triggered Ehlers-Danlos symptoms, whatever that is. Tell me about that. What’s that? Moyamoya Syndrome Stroke Recovery Judy Kim Cage (19:56) So I call myself a genetic mutant because the Moyamoya for one at the time I was diagnosed is discovered in 3.5 people out of a million. And then Ehlers-Danlos or EDS for short is also a genetic disorder. Well, certain versions are more genetic than others, but it is caused by a defect in your collagen, which makes up essentially your entire body. And so I have hypermobility, the blood, I have pots. So my, my blood basically remains down by my feet, it pulls at my feet. And so not enough of it gets up to my brain, which also could, you know, have affected the moimoya. But Essentially, it creates vestibular issues, these balance issues where it’s already bad enough that you have a stroke, but it’s another to be at the risk of falling all the time. Yeah. Or if you get up a little too fast, which I still do to this day, sometimes I’ll completely forget and I’ll just bounce up off the sofa to get myself a drink and I will sway and all of a sudden Bill Gasiamis (21:07) Yeah. Judy Kim Cage (21:22) onto the sofa or sit down right on the floor and say, okay, why did I not do the three-step plan to get up? ⁓ But sometimes it’s just too easy to forget. Bill Gasiamis (21:37) Yeah, yeah. You just act, you just move out of well habit or normal, normal ways that people move. And then you find yourself in a interesting situation. So I mean, how, how do you deal with all of that? Like you, you go from having experienced more and more by the way, let’s describe more and more a little bit, just so people know what it is. Judy Kim Cage (22:02) Absolutely. So, my way is a cerebrovascular disorder where your internal carotid progressively constricts. So for no known reason, no truly known reason. And so because it keeps shrinking and shrinking, not enough brain, blood gets to your brain. So what the brain decides to do to compensate is it will form these collateral vessels. And these collateral vessels, which there are many of them usually, you know, the longer this goes on, ⁓ they have very thin walls. So due to the combination of the thin walls, and if you have high blood pressure, these walls can break. And that is what happened in my case. ⁓ Well, the carotids will continue to occlude, but what happens is, ⁓ least with the surgery, they took my temporal artery, removed it from my scalp, had taken a plate off of my skull and stitched that. temporal artery onto my brain so that it would have a separate source of blood flow so that it was no longer reliant on this carotid. So we know that the carotid, sorry, that the temporal artery won’t fail out. ⁓ So usually, ⁓ and this was my surgery was actually done at Boston Children’s Hospital ⁓ by the man who pioneered the surgery. And he was basically head of neurosurgery at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s because they more often find this in children now. And the sooner they find it, the fewer collateral vessels will form once the surgery is performed. Bill Gasiamis (24:17) Okay, so the long-term risk is that it’s decreased, the risk of a blade decreases if they do the surgery early on too. I love that. Judy Kim Cage (24:25) The rest. But I was diagnosed at the age of 29. So I had quite a while of these collateral vessels forming in what they call a puff of smoke that appears on the MRI. ⁓ And that is what, you know, Moyamoya essentially means in Japanese, is translated to in Japanese, it’s puff of smoke. Bill Gasiamis (24:50) Wow, you have been going through this for a while then. So I can understand your whole mindset around doctors, another appointment, another MRI. Like I could totally, ⁓ it makes complete sense. You you’re over it after a certain amount of time. Yeah, I’m the same. I kind of get over it, but then I also have to take action because you know what we know what the previous Judy Kim Cage (25:07) Absolutely. Bill Gasiamis (25:19) outcome was and now you’re dealing with all of these deficits that you have to overcome. Which are the deficits that you’re still dealing with that are the most, well, the most sort of prolonged or challenging or whatever you want to call them, whatever. Cognitive Fatigue and Executive Functioning Judy Kim Cage (25:34) The most significant, I guess it’s the most wide ranging. But it is. ⁓ Energy management and cognitive fatigue. ⁓ I have issues with executive functioning. ⁓ Things are, you know, if I need to do sorting or filing. ⁓ That actually is. one of my least favorite things to do anymore. Whereas it was very easy at one point. ⁓ And now if I want to clean up my inbox, it is just a dreaded task. ⁓ And so now I’ve learned that if I do a little bit of it every day, then I don’t have, it doesn’t have to take nearly as long. ⁓ Bill Gasiamis (26:26) What it’s dreaded about it is it making decisions about where those emails belong, what to do to them or. Judy Kim Cage (26:33) Oh, no, it’s just the time and energy it takes to do it. It drains me very quickly. Because you have to evaluate and analyze every line as you’re deciding what project it belongs to. And there’s a strategic way to do it in terms of who you normally deal with on each project, etc. etc. This chunk of time, calendar dates you’ve worked on it, etc. But, know, That might by the time I get to this tedious task, I’m not thinking about it strategically. ⁓ Yeah, I’m just dragging each individual line item into a little folder. ⁓ So, ⁓ but yeah, like the cognitive deficits. gosh. mean, I’m working on a computer all day. I am definitely a corporate desk rat or mouse, you know, on the wheel. ⁓ And a lot of Excel spreadsheets and just a lot of very small print and sometimes I get to expand it. ⁓ And it really is just trying not to, well, the job involves making as few errors as you possibly can. Bill Gasiamis (28:01) Yeah. Judy Kim Cage (28:02) ⁓ Now when I get tired or overwhelmed or when I overdo it, which I frequently frequently do, ⁓ I find out that I’ve made more errors and I find out after the fact usually. So nothing that’s not reversible, nothing that’s not fixable, but it still is pretty disheartening for a perfectionist type such as myself. Bill Gasiamis (28:30) Wow. So the perfectionism also has to become something that you have to deal with even more so than before, because before you were probably capable of managing it now, you’re less capable. yeah, I understand. I’m not a perfectionist by all means. My wife can tend to be when she’s studying or something like that. And she suffers from, you know, spending Judy Kim Cage (28:46) the energy. Bill Gasiamis (29:00) potentially hours on three lines of a paragraph. Like she’s done that before and I’ll just, and I’ve gone into the room after three hours and her, and her going into the room was, I’m going to go in and do a few more lines because she was drained or tired or, you know, her brain wasn’t working properly or whatever. I’m just going to go do three more lines and three hours later, she’s still doing those three lines. It’s like, wow, you need to get out of the, you need to get out. need to, we need to. break this because it’s not, it’s not good. So I totally get what it’s liked to be like that. And then I have had the cognitive fatigue where emails were impossible. Spreadsheets forget about it. I never liked them anyway. And they were just absolutely forget about it. Um, I feel like they are just evil. I feel like the spreadsheets are evil, you know, all these things that you have to do in the background, forget about it. That’s unbelievable. So, um, What was it like when you first sort of woke up from the initial stroke, got out of your unconscious state and then realized you had to deal with all of this stuff? I know for some time you were probably unable to speak and were you ⁓ trapped inside your body? Is that right or? Judy Kim Cage (30:19) I was in the ICU. I was paralyzed on the left side, so I was not able to get up, not really able to move much. ⁓ I was not speaking too much, definitely not within the first week. I was in the ICU for 10 days. ⁓ And yeah, I just wasn’t able to do much other than scream from the beam. ⁓ And then I, once I became more aware, I insisted that I could get up and walk to the bathroom myself. I insisted that I could just sit up, get up, do all the things that I had done before. And it being a right side stroke as well, you know, I think helps contribute to the overestimation or the… just conceitedness, guess, and this self-confidence that I could just do anything. Yes, absolutely. And I was told time and time again, Judy, can’t walk, Judy, can’t go to the bathroom, Judy, you can’t do these things. And I was in absolute denial. And I would say, no, I can, I can get up. And meanwhile, I would say that Bill Gasiamis (31:30) Delusion Judy Kim Cage (31:51) husband was so afraid that I was going to physically try to get up and fall over, which would not have been good. ⁓ And so, you know, there was, there were some expletives involved. ⁓ And, ⁓ and then eventually once I was out of the ICU, ⁓ I didn’t truly accept that I couldn’t walk until Bill Gasiamis (32:00) but. Judy Kim Cage (32:20) one of the PT students had put me into an exoskeleton and I realized that my foot did not move at all, you know, like a full five seconds after I thought I picked it up. And I said, wait, hang on, what’s going on here? And I said, ⁓ okay, I guess I have to admit that I can’t walk. And then I can’t, I can’t sit upright. I can’t. You know, and like you had mentioned, you know, I had lost the signals from my brain to my bladder. They were slow or whatnot. And I was wetting the bed, like a child at a sleepover. And I was pretty horrified. And that happened for, you know, pretty much my, pretty much all my time at Kratie, except I got the timing down. ⁓ eventually, which was fantastic. But then when I moved to post-acute, ⁓ then I had to learn the timing all over again, just because, you know, of different, rules being different, the transfers being different, and then, ⁓ you know, just ⁓ the timing of when somebody would answer the call button, et cetera. Bill Gasiamis (33:45) Yeah. Do you, what was it like going to rehab? I was really excited about it. I was hanging out because I learned that I couldn’t walk when the nurse said to me, have you been to the toilet yet? And I said, no, I hadn’t been to the toilet. We’re talking hours after surgery, you know, maybe within the first eight or nine hours, something like that. And I went to put my left foot down onto the ground. She was going to help me. She was like a really petite Asian. framed lady and I’m and I’m probably two feet taller than her, something like that, and double her weight. And then she said, just put your hand on my shoulder and then I’ll support you. So I did that. I put my hand on her shoulder, stepped onto my left foot and then just collapsed straight onto the ground and realized, ⁓ no, I’m not walking. I can’t walk anymore. And then I was then waiting. hanging out to go to rehab was really excited about that. ⁓ What was it like for you? Moyamoya Syndrome Stroke Rehabilitation Experience Judy Kim Cage (34:48) Initially, well, do you so you mean. ⁓ Bill Gasiamis (34:56) Just as in like, were you aware that you could ⁓ improve things? Were you kind of like, we’re gonna overcome this type of stuff? Because you had a lot more things to overcome than I did. So it’s like, how is that? How do you frame that in your head? Were you the kind of person who was like, ⁓ rehab’s around the corner, let’s do that? Or were you kind of reluctant? Judy Kim Cage (35:19) It was a combination of two things. One, I had been dying to go home. I said, I absolutely, why can’t I go home? I was in the hospital for three weeks before we moved to the rehab hospital. And once we had done that, I was there basically for the entire weekend and then they do evaluations on Tuesday. And so I was told on Tuesday that I would be there for another at least four to six weeks. And so that was even before therapies really began. So there was a part of me saying, I don’t care, let me go home and I’ll do outpatient every day and everything will be fine. At least I get to go home. But then the other part. Bill Gasiamis (35:52) Thanks. Judy Kim Cage (36:11) said, okay, well, once I realized I was stuck and that I couldn’t escape, I couldn’t go anywhere, ⁓ I actually, I did love therapy. ⁓ I loved being in speech therapy, being in OTE, being in PT even, because my girls were fantastic. They were so caring, so understanding. They made jokes and also laughed at mine, which was even better. And when you’re not in therapy, especially on the weekends, you’re just in your room by yourself. And you’re not watching TV because that input is way too heavy. Listening to music. maybe a little bit here and there. ⁓ You know, all the things that you know and love are nowhere to be found, you know, really. ⁓ Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, yeah. And I get claustrophobic in the MRI, in the hospital, et cetera. yeah. Bill Gasiamis (37:14) Oscillating. Yeah. I was on YouTube, searching YouTube videos that were about neuroplasticity, retraining the brain, that kind of stuff, meditations, type of thing. That really helped me on those weekends. The family was always around, but there was delays between family visits and what have you that couldn’t be there that entire time. ⁓ So I found that very interesting. And you know, rehab was a combination of frustration and excitement, excitement that I was getting the help, frustration that things weren’t moving as quickly as I wanted. ⁓ And I even remember the occupational therapist making us make breakfast. And I wouldn’t recommend this breakfast for stroke survivors. I think it was cereal and toast or something like that. And I remember being frustrated, why are they making me make it? My left side doesn’t work. Like I can barely walk. I cannot carry the glass with the tea or anything like that to me. What are these people doing? They should be doing it for us. I wasn’t aware. I wasn’t aware that that was part of the therapy. I just thought they were making us make our own bloody breakfast. I thought these people are so terrible. And it took a while for me to clue on like, ⁓ okay. Judy Kim Cage (38:44) you Bill Gasiamis (38:52) They want me to be able to do this when I get home. ⁓ understood. Took a while. I’m thick like that. Judy Kim Cage (39:00) Fortunately, wasn’t made to cook until close to the end. And also during outpatient, I was tasked to make kind of a larger, you know, crock pot dinner so that, you know, I could do that at home. Meanwhile, the irony of it all is that. I can cook and I used to love cooking, but I don’t do it nearly as much as I used to. So that skill did not really transfer over. ⁓ I have Post-it notes up by the microwave that tell me right hand only because if I use my left hand, the temperature differential I will burn myself ⁓ without even realizing it or even reaching for a certain part of a pan that I think is going to be safe and is somewhat heat resistant. And I touch it and then poof, well, you know, get a burn. So there are post-it notes everywhere. There’s one by the front door that says, watch the steps, because I had a couple of times flown down them and gashed my knee. Bill Gasiamis (40:13) Yeah. Judy Kim Cage (40:26) And it’s amazing actually how long a Post-It note with its temporary stick will stay up on a wall. Bill Gasiamis (40:35) Well, there’s another opportunity for you there, like do a project, ⁓ a longevity of Post-it Notes project, see how long we can get out of one application. Judy Kim Cage (40:46) Yeah, well, this one actually, so I think it was three months after I had moved in, which would have been 10 months into my stroke recovery. And that’s when I fell down these steps. And that’s when I put up the Post-It note. it has been, a piece of tape has been added to it. but it only fell down, I think, a couple of years ago. Bill Gasiamis (41:18) Yeah. So 3M need to shift their entire focus. I feel like 3M. Yeah. I think 3M needs to have a permanent ⁓ post-it note application, but easy to remove. if I want to take it down, like it’s permanent once I put it up, but if I want to take it down, it’s still easy to remove and it doesn’t ruin my paint or leave residue. Judy Kim Cage (41:44) They do actually have that tech. have it for, they call it command. It’s what they have for the hooks for photos and whatnot. And then if you pull the tab and then release it, it will come off and leave the wall undamaged, but it will otherwise stay there for a long. Bill Gasiamis (42:04) Yes, yes, I think you’re right. Most of the time it works, yes. Okay, well, we’re moving on to other things. You’ve overcome a lot of stuff. You’re dealing with a lot of stuff. And yet, you have this disposition, which is very chirpy and happy, go lucky. Is it real, that disposition, or is it just a facade? Using Humor in Moyamoya Syndrome and Stroke Recovery Judy Kim Cage (42:29) No, no, it’s real. It’s real. ⁓ I think I’ve always ⁓ tried to make light of things. ⁓ Humors, probably my first defense mechanism. ⁓ And I think that helped out a lot ⁓ in terms of recovery. And also, ⁓ it put my therapist in a great mood. Also, because not many people did that apparently. You know, most people curse them off or, you know, were kind of miserable. And there were times when I was miserable too. Absolutely. But, but I probably took it out more on my husband than I did the staff. And he, and he would call, you know, I said, I was so mean to you, Rich. was so mean to you. And he said, yeah, you were nicer to the nurses than to me. And I. I apologized for it, but at the same time I’m like, yeah, but sometimes, bud, you are so annoying. Bill Gasiamis (43:33) You had it coming. Judy Kim Cage (43:34) Yeah. Why are you so overprotective? Why do you point out every crack in the sidewalk? Why do you know, you still say I have to stop to tie up my hair when we’re walking on the sidewalk, you know, because you’re not supposed to do two things at once. ⁓ Yeah. So I felt as though I would make jokes all the time. I when my left hand would start to regain function. I called it my evil twin because I didn’t even recognize that it was mine. But then I would give it a high five every time I started gaining function back. And I would say things like, yeah, hey, evil twin, congrats. Or ⁓ I would say, I guess I don’t have to clean the house anymore. I don’t have to use my left hand to dust. I’m not capable of doing it. So why do it? Bill Gasiamis (44:29) Yeah. Judy Kim Cage (44:30) And I’m like, let’s always look for the silver lining. And it would usually be a joke. But, you know, if you couldn’t make fun of it or think about the ridiculousness of it, then I think it would be easier to fall into a pit of despair. Bill Gasiamis (44:48) I agree with you and laughing and all that releases, know, good endo, good endorphins and good neurochemicals and all that kind of stuff really does improve your blood pressure. It improves the way that your body feels, you know, the tightness in your muscles and all that kind of stuff. Everything improves when you laugh and you have to find funny things about a bad situation to laugh at, to kind of dial down the seriousness of the situation. can you know, really dial it down just by picking something strange that happened and laughing at it. I found myself doing that as well. And I’m similar in that I would go to rehab and they would, you know, we would chit chat like I am now with you and would have all sorts of conversations about all kinds of things. And the rehab was kind of like the, the, it was like the vessel, you know, to talk shit, have a laugh. ⁓ you know, be the clown of the rehab room. And I get it, everyone’s doing it tough, but it lightened the mood for everybody. You know, was, it’s a hard thing. You know, imagine it being just constantly and forever hard. And it was like, I don’t want to be that guy and wish they have fun as well. And, and I think my, my, my tough times were decreased as a result. Like, you know, those stuff, mental and emotional days, they, they come, but they go. then you have relief from them. And I think you need relief. Judy Kim Cage (46:23) Absolutely. Otherwise, just could feel perpetual and just never ending. ⁓ And why or how could you possibly survive feeling that way? Bill Gasiamis (46:39) Yeah. So who are you now? as in your, how does your idea of who you are sort of begin to shift after the initial acute phase and now six years in, almost seven years into your stroke journey? Finding Purpose After Stroke Judy Kim Cage (46:59) I think I am. I’m pretty confident in who I am, which is funny. ⁓ I ⁓ actually lean more into making more jokes or ⁓ lean into the fact that things don’t, they don’t have nearly the importance or the impact that you would otherwise think. ⁓ One of my sayings, I guess I say all the, you know, how they say don’t sweat the small stuff. my big stuff, like big stuff became small stuff, you know. So it would have to be something pretty big in order for me to really, really, you know, think about it. And a lot of the little things, you know, the nuisances in life and stuff, would usually just laugh or if I tripped or something, then I would just laugh at it and just keep moving on. ⁓ And I think, you know, It’s funny because some people will say, ⁓ gosh, like stop, you know, there is toxic positivity, right? And there’s plenty of that. And ⁓ I stay away from that, I think. But when I try to give people advice or a different outlook, ⁓ I do say, well, you you could think of it this way, you know. It’s not all sunshine and rainbows and flowers and, you know, care bears, but it is, you know, but it, but you can pull yourself out of a situation. You can try to figure out a way to work around it. You can, you know, choose differently for yourself, you know, do things that you love. You know, you’re only given a certain amount of limited time on the earth. So how do you want to spend it? And if you are on your deathbed, you know, would you have, do you have any regrets? You know, like you did read the books about, you know, that, ⁓ why am I forgetting? Doctors ⁓ that perform palliative care and, you know, they’ve written books about you know what people’s regrets have been after, know, once they are about to pass and you know, that not taking action was a regret. You know, like why didn’t I do this? Or why didn’t I do this? Why didn’t I try this? Like really, what would have been the downfall to trying something? ⁓ And I find that, you know, aside from just naturally being able to see things to laugh at or, or positive sides of things. ⁓ I tried, like, I wish that people could experience that without having gone through what we went through. ⁓ but that’s virtually impossible. I think. Bill Gasiamis (50:18) I think it’s impossible, totally, 100 % impossible because everybody thinks they’re doing okay until they’re not. You just cannot prevent somebody from going through something by taking the learning first. The learning has to come second. Sad as that is. Judy Kim Cage (50:39) ⁓ Well, and we all think we’re invincible to a large extent. ⁓ But ⁓ I think what I’ve been trying to do or me now, I’ve always, you know, volunteered in various ways, but now I take and hold extra value in being a mentor for other stroke patients. Bill Gasiamis (51:03) Yeah, yeah, that’s Judy Kim Cage (51:04) And for, you know, individuals that even just come up to me and talk about all of their medical problems, it doesn’t matter if it’s circulated or not, you know, it’s medically they’re like, there’s some white matter on my MRI, what do think I should do? I’m like, it’s not that simple of an answer. I think you should go to the doctor. Get on a list. Bill Gasiamis (51:29) Yeah. Your journey seems like you’re growing through this adversity, like as in it’s very post-traumatic growth type of experience here. Something that I talk about on my book, the unexpected way that a stroke became the best thing that happened. Not something that I recommend people experience to get to the other side of that, of course. But in hindsight, like it’s all those things that you’re describing. Judy’s Book: Super Survivor And I look at the chapters because in fact, you’ve written a book and it’s going to be out after this episode goes live, which is awesome. And the book that you’ve written is called Super Survivor. And indeed that is a fitting title. Indeed it is. How denial, resistance and persistence can lead to success and a better life after stroke. Right? So just looking at some of the chapters, there’s a lot of overlap there, right? And one of the chapters that there’s overlap in is the volunteering and purpose. I’ve got parts of my book that specifically talk about doing stuff for other people and how that supports recovery and how the people who said that stroke was the best thing that happened to them, the ones that I interviewed to gather the data, one of the main things that they were doing was helping other people, volunteering in some way, shape or form. And that helped shape their purpose in life. and their meaning in life. And it’s how I got there as well. It was like, okay, I’m gonna go and prevent stroke. I’m gonna go talk on behalf of the Stroke Foundation. We’re gonna raise awareness about what stroke is, how to take action on stroke, what to do if somebody’s having a stroke. And I started to feel like I gained a purpose in my life, which was gonna to not allow other people to go through what I went through. And then, With that came public speaking and then with that came the podcast and then the purpose grew and it became really ⁓ all encompassing. It’s like, wow, like I know what my mission is. I didn’t seek to find it. I stumbled across it and the chapter in my book is called stumbling into purpose because you can’t think it up. You just have to take action and then bam, bam, it appears. Like, is that your experience? Judy Kim Cage (53:53) ⁓ Well, so much of my identity had been wrapped up in my occupation. ⁓ And so when, you know, the stroke first happened, et cetera, but then as time has passed, ⁓ yeah, I’ve absolutely found more meaning in providing comfort to other stroke patients. whether it’s because they see me as inspiring that I was able to recover so quickly or that I was able to go back to work, you know, permanently. And just to give them hope, really. And ⁓ when I was in acute, I felt as though like, We do so much of the recovery alone ⁓ and there isn’t a ton of, you know, of course our therapists are fantastic and they’re, you know, they’re loving and they’re caring. But in terms of having to make it through, you know, certain darkness alone or, ⁓ you know, just feeling sorry for yourself even sometimes, or feeling like, hey, I can do everything, but nobody’s encouraging that. because they think it’s dangerous. ⁓ I had wished that, you know, there were more people who could understand ⁓ what survival and then recovery was, you know, truly like. And so I had read that in a number of books before hearing people tell me their stories in person because Emotionally, I absorbed too much of it. ⁓ I wanted to, I think I passed that five-year survival mark of the 26.7%, which I know varies for everybody. ⁓ at the same time, I said, wow, I did, I made it to the other side, I beat these odds. I think I wanted to keep it secret from all the people I worked with. which I still have actually, it won’t be for too much longer. ⁓ But ⁓ just being able to share that and to be vulnerable and to say all the deficits that I have and what I have overcome, ⁓ I think it’s also given people some hope that they can, if she was able to do it, then maybe it isn’t as tough as I think it is. Bill Gasiamis (56:43) Anyone can. Yeah, I love that. That’s kind of my approach to, you know, I’m just a average, humble, normal, amazing guy. You could do it too. You know, I could, I could teach you to what you need to do is learn. ⁓ but that’s true. It’s that it’s that we are, I get, I get people come on the podcast going, I’m so nervous to meet you. You’re on the, I’m on your podcast. Dude, you don’t know who I am. Like if you think I’m the podcast guy, you’ve got no idea. I’m in the back of my, in my garden, in a shed. what was something that’s meant to be a shed that looks like a studio and amazing and all this kind of stuff. Like, dude, I’m just. Judy Kim Cage (57:29) would not have known if you hadn’t told me. Bill Gasiamis (57:32) That’s right, because looks can be deceiving and that ideas that we get of people are just, you know, they’re just not accurate until we get to spend time with people and understand them. And I always try and play down who I am so that people can see that I am just a regular guy who went through this and had no, no equipment. had no ⁓ knowledge. had no skills overcoming learning. Like I just, I picked up what I needed when I could just so that I can stumble through to the next hurdle and stumble through that one and then keep going. I really want people to understand that even the people who appear to be super fabulous at everything, like they’re just not, nobody is that, everyone is just doing their best they can. Even the guy who’s got more money than you, a bigger house, whatever, a better investment, all that stuff, they’re all faking it until shit hits the fan and then they’ve got to really step up to be who they are. You know, that’s what I find. But attitude, mindset, ⁓ approach, know, laughing, doing things for other people all help. They are really important steps, you know. The other chapter that kind of. made me pay attention and take note ⁓ was you talk about the night everything changed, complicated medical history, lifesavers, volunteering and purpose, the caregivers, ⁓ easing back into life, which I think is a really important chapter, returning to work, which is really important. then chapter nine, life after stroke continued. That kind of really is something that made me pay attention because that’s exactly what it is, right? It’s life after stroke. It’s like a continuation. It’s a never ending kind of ⁓ unattainable thing. Judy Kim Cage (59:27) It just keeps rolling on. doesn’t stop. You know, even if you’ve gone through a hardship and overcome it, it doesn’t mean that life stops. You’ve got to keep learning these lessons over and over and over again. Even if you don’t want to learn them, however stubborn you are. ⁓ And I, you know, I one thing that I had written about was that I had resented ⁓ you know, what I had gone through for a little while. I said, why do I still have to learn the same lessons that everybody else has to learn? You know, if I’ve gone through this kind of transcendental thing, why do I still have to learn, you know, these other things? But then I realized that I was given the opportunity ⁓ from surviving, was given another chance to be able to truly realize what it was like to be happy and to live. And I’d never, I mean, I had, I had been depressed, you know, for an anxious for years. And, you know, I’ve been in therapy for years and, ⁓ you know, it really wasn’t truly until kind of getting this push of the fast forward button on learning lessons that it truly became happy, like true, true happiness. And I said, wow, that was the gift. And then to try to pass that on. Bill Gasiamis (1:01:10) It’s a pretty cool life hack. A shit way to experience it, but a pretty cool life hack. Judy Kim Cage (1:01:15) Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely don’t I don’t recommend it I don’t Bill Gasiamis (1:01:20) Yeah. You get the learning in a short amount of time instead of years of years of wisdom and developing and learning and overcoming, which you avoided up until your first, you know, 38 years. And then, you know, you then, and then you kind of all of a sudden go, okay, well, I really have to buckle down and do these, ⁓ these modules of learning and I’ve got no choice. And I was the same. ⁓ and I have my days, I have my Good days, bad days, and I even recently had a bit of a day where I said to my wife, I got diagnosed with high blood pressure, headaches, migraines, a whole bunch of stuff, and then just tomorrow, I’m I’ve had enough. Why do I need to to be diagnosed with more things? Why do I need to have more medical appointments? Enough, it’s enough. I need to stop this stuff. It’s not fun. And then it took me about half a day to get over myself and go, well, I shouldn’t be here, really. Technically, Somebody has three blades in the brain, you know, I don’t know, maybe 50 years ago, they weren’t gonna make it. So now you’ve made it also high blood pressure. If you had high blood pressure 50 years ago, there was nothing to do to treat it. It was just gonna be high until you had a heart attack or ⁓ a brain aneurysm burst or something. And it’s like, I get to live in a time when interventions are possible and it is a blip on the radar. Like just all you do is take this tablet and you’re fine. Not that I revert to give me the tablet solution. I don’t, I’m forever going under the underlying cause. I want to know what the underlying cause is trying to get to the bottom of all of that. But in the meantime, I can remain stable with this little tablet and ⁓ decrease the risk of another brain hemorrhage. So it’s cool, know, like whatever. And that kind of helps me get through the, why me days, you know, cause They’re there, they come, they turn up, especially if it’s been one day after the next where things have been really unwell and we’ve had to medical help or whatever. When it’s been kind of intense version of it, it’s like, okay, I don’t want any more of this. So I get the whole, I’ve experienced the whole spectrum in this last 13, 14 years. We’re coming up to, I think the 20th or 21st, I think is my, maybe the 25th of my anniversary of my brain surgery. Jeez, I’ve come a long way. It’s okay. It’ll be like 11 years since my brain surgery. A lot of good things have happened since then. We got to live life for another 13 years, 11 years. I keep forgetting the number, it doesn’t matter. Yeah. Judy Kim Cage (1:04:17) Mine will have been my 17th ⁓ anniversary of my brain surgery ⁓ will be in January, sorry, in December. And then the seventh anniversary of the stroke is in January. So lot of years. Bill Gasiamis (1:04:33) Yeah, yeah. A lot of years, a lot of years, great that they’ve happened and I’m really happy with that. Keep doing these podcasts, makes me forget about myself. It’s about other people, so that’s cool. know, meet people like you, putting out awesome books. And when I was going through early on, there wasn’t a lot of content. It was hard to get content on stroke surviving, recovery, all the deficits, all the problems. That’s part of the reason why I started this. And now I think I’ve interviewed maybe 20 or 30 people who have written a book about stroke, which means that the access to information and stories is huge, right? So much of it. ⁓ Your book comes out in early December. Where is it going to be available for people to buy? Conclusion and Final Thoughts Judy Kim Cage (1:05:20) It is currently available to download ⁓ through the Kindle app and through Amazon. The hard copies will be available to order through Amazon and hopefully in other booksellers, but that’s TBD. Bill Gasiamis (1:05:39) Yeah, well, we’ll have all the current links by then. We’ll have all the current links available in the show notes. ⁓ At the beginning of this episode, I would have already talked about the book and in your bio when I’m describing the episode and who I’m about to chat to. So people would have already heard that once and hopefully they’ll be hearing it again at the end of the episode. So guys, if you didn’t pay attention at the beginning, but now you’re at the end, it’s about to come. I’m going to give all the details. Judy Kim Cage (1:06:07) stuck around. Bill Gasiamis (1:06:09) Yeah. If you stuck around, give us a thumbs up, right? Stuck around in the comments or something, you know? ⁓ Absolutely. Thank you so much for joining me, reaching out, sharing your story. It is lovely to hear and I wish you well in all of your endeavors, your continued recovery. yeah, fantastic. Great stuff. Thank you so much. Thank you. Well, that’s a wrap for another episode. want to thank Judy for sharing her story so openly. The way she spoke about denial, rehab, reality, cognitive fatigue and rebuilding identity is going to help a lot of people feel less alone. If you’re watching on YouTube, let us know in the comments, what part of Moyamoya Syndrome stroke recovery has been the hardest to explain to other people for you? Was it the physical symptoms or is it the invisible ones? like fatigue and cognition. And if you’re listening on Spotify or Apple podcasts, please leave a review. It really helps other stroke survivors find these conversations when they need them most. Judy’s book is called Super Survivor, How Denial Resistance and Persistence can lead to success and a better life after stroke. And you’ll find the links in the show notes. And if you want more support from me, you can Grab a copy of my book at recoveryafterstroke.com/book, and you can become a Patreon supporter at patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke. It genuinely helps keep this show alive. Thanks again for being here. Remember you’re not alone in this recovery journey and I’ll see you in the next episode. Importantly, we present many podcasts designed to give you an insight and understanding into the experiences of other individuals. Opinions and treatment protocols discussed during any podcast are the individual’s own experience and we do not necessarily share the same opinion nor do we recommend any treatment protocol discussed. All content on this website and any linked blog, podcast or video material controlled this website or content is created and produced for informational purposes only and is largely based on the personal experience of Bill Gasiamis The content is intended to complement your medical treatment and support healing. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical and should not be relied on as health advice. The information is general and may not be suitable for your personal injuries, circumstances or health objectives. Do not use our content as a standalone resource to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease for therapeutic purposes or as a substitute for the advice of a health professional. 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However, third party links from our website are followed at your own risk and we are not responsible for any information you find there. The post Moyamoya Syndrome Stroke Recovery: How Judy Rebuilt Her Life After a “Puff of Smoke” Diagnosis appeared first on Recovery After Stroke.
In this episode of EMS One-Stop, Rob Lawrence is joined by his own Medical Director, Dr. Maia Dorsett, to unpack the 2025 NEMSQA Measures Report — a deep dive into trauma-focused quality measures built largely from NEMSIS data. Dr. Dorsett frames the discussion around the central aim of quality improvement: Are we doing a good job? Are we delivering the best possible care? How do we get better? From pediatric vital signs to traumatic brain injury (TBI) fundamentals, she walks listeners through what the report reveals, what it can't reliably measure yet, and why some of the “sexy” procedures are too rare to serve as useful system-wide metrics. The conversation highlights a recurring theme: fundamentals matter most. Dr. Dorsett explains how measures like complete vital signs and avoiding secondary brain injury in TBI (hypoxia, hypotension, hyperventilation) can drive meaningful outcomes — even during relatively short prehospital intervals. She also points out where current measurement approaches unintentionally create documentation burden for clinicians, arguing that systems should do more of the “figuring out” (like trauma center designation and prenotification capture) without requiring extra clicks. The episode closes with a call to action: anyone can join NEMSQA, contribute to the work, and help shape what EMS quality measurement becomes next. Memorable quotes from Dr. Maia Dorsett “I think the most fundamental question in quality improvement is, are we doing a good job?” “I think part of the value of this report is specifically looking at those things and saying what should we be measuring using NEMSIS data or how should things be integrated into that database so that the answers are there rather than needing to be documented on each individual case?” “If there's one thing that you're going to take away from this trauma report is that, the sexy stuff is important, but it happens rarely. And if you want to improve care in your system, it's about the fundamentals of good care.” Additional resources NEMSQA 2025 Report Release EMS One-Stop: Leading through momentum: Dr. Douglas Kupas on steering NAEMSP Episode timeline 00:31 – Rob welcomes listeners; introduces the 2025 NEMSQA measures discussion and notes prior episode with Dr. Jeff Jarvis 01:10 – Dr. Dorsett joins; holiday surge discussion and flu impact on EDs and admissions 03:08 – Dr. Dorsett explains her role as co-chair of NEMSQA's Measure Analysis and Research Committee; trauma focus of the 2025 report; pain measures not included due to active research 05:00 – NEMSIS scale and opportunity: extracting meaningful measures from a massive national dataset 05:35 – Dr. Dorsett on what NEMSIS measures well vs. what it shouldn't force clinicians to document (system should determine trauma center status) 07:46 – “HALO procedures” table: why rare interventions shouldn't become national quality measures 10:17 – Trauma 08: complete vital signs; pediatric gap (adults ~93% vs pediatrics ~85% in discussion) 14:22 – TBI measures: preventing secondary brain injury; why fundamentals outperform “sexy” fixes; correction rates for hypotension/hypoxia discussed 21:39 – Trauma 04: trauma triage criteria and transport to trauma centers; why national measure looks low; documentation field limitations 24:17 – State collaboration comparison: using state trauma center designation data shifts performance dramatically (often 75–90%+ in examples) 26:55 – Trauma 14: hospital prenotification; importance and measurement challenges (multiple modalities, inconsistent capture) 30:01 – Rob raises operational/policy concerns about trauma alerts and incentives; Dr. Dorsett adds nuance about local criteria variation 33:22 – Closing: Dr. Dorsett's “fundamentals matter” takeaway; impact at scale 34:44 – Dr. Dorsett plugs joining NEMSQA as an individual/agency; committees are open 35:31 – NAEMSP Tampa preview; Dr. Dorsett: “The people” are why she goes — leaves energized with new ideas Enjoying the show? Email editor@ems1.com to share feedback or suggest guests for a future episode.
What if your chronic pain, bloating, or fatigue wasn't in your head, but in your blood vessels? In this episode, Dr. Linda Bluestein sits down with vascular surgeon Dr. Robert Hacker, who's on the front lines of diagnosing and treating complex conditions like MALS (Median Arcuate Ligament Syndrome), Nutcracker Syndrome, May-Thurner Syndrome, and pelvic venous congestion syndrome, conditions that disproportionately affect women and often go undiagnosed for years. Together, they dive into the frustrating diagnostic delays, the overlap between vascular compression and syndromes like POTS (Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome) and EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome), and how new surgical approaches are offering hope. Whether you're navigating chronic pelvic pain, unexplained GI symptoms, or fainting episodes, this conversation breaks down the misunderstood links between your veins, nerves, and connective tissue—and what to do about them. Takeaways: MALS isn't rare, it's rarely diagnosed. Dr. Hacker explains the symptoms and scans to look for when your gut symptoms don't match the tests. Why so many women are misdiagnosed with IBS or anxiety. Pelvic venous congestion, Nutcracker Syndrome, and May-Thurner often mimic more common conditions—but require totally different treatments. The surprising connection between vascular compression and POTS. It's not just nerves, your veins might be compressing in ways that worsen dysautonomia. Surgery isn't a silver bullet, but it can be life-changing. Dr. Hacker shares what makes a good surgical candidate and how his team helps patients navigate workup and recovery. When your connective tissue works against your vascular system. Hypermobility and EDS can make vascular compression more likely and more complicated to treat. Want more Dr. Robert Hacker? Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stlvascular/ Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD? Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/ Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd Dr. Bluestein's Recommended Herbs, Supplements and Care Necessities: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/hypermobilitymd/store-start Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them. Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/. YOUR bendy body is our highest priority! Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com Part of the Human Content Podcast Network FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Eddie’s other half Tamra cohosts this week’s episode to dive into what 2026 holds for them. They debunk rumors about their marriage, and if Eddie would be disappointed if Tamra returned for Season 20. Plus, what does Eddie truly think of Vicki coming back to RHOC?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The news of Texas covered today includes:Our Lone Star story of the day: There is plenty of irony in the U.S. action in Venezuela to go around. But, the biggest thing I've noticed is the utter nonsense being spewed by Democrats about the action being illegal. Jonathan Turley well covers that fact that this exact issue has already been litigated to the Supreme Court (a court Dems liked at the time.)Our Lone Star story of the day is sponsored by Allied Compliance Services providing the best service in DOT, business and personal drug and alcohol testing since 1995.AT&T contributing to the hollowing out of our great cities. AT&T announced today it would leave it giant skyscraper in downtown Dallas for the old EDS campus in Plano.U-Haul report says Texas is back to #1 on people moving one-way into the state.Listen on the radio, or station stream, at 5pm Central. Click for our radio and streaming affiliates. www.PrattonTexas.com
Episode 210: Heat Stroke BasicsWritten by Jacob Dunn, MS4, American University of the Caribbean. Edits and comments by Hector Arreaza, MD.You are listening to Rio Bravo qWeek Podcast, your weekly dose of knowledge brought to you by the Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program from Bakersfield, California, a UCLA-affiliated program sponsored by Clinica Sierra Vista, Let Us Be Your Healthcare Home. This podcast was created for educational purposes only. Visit your primary care provider for additional medical advice. Definition:Heat stroke represents the most severe form of heat-related illness, characterized by a core body temperature exceeding 40°C (104°F) accompanied by central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction. Arreaza: Key element is the body temperature and altered mental status. Jacob: This life-threatening condition arises from the body's failure to dissipate heat effectively, often in the context of excessive environmental heat load or strenuous physical activity. Arreaza: You mentioned, it is a spectrum. What is the difference between heat exhaustion and heat stroke? Jacob: Unlike milder heat illnesses such as heat exhaustion, heat stroke involves multisystem organ dysfunction driven by direct thermal injury, systemic inflammation, and cytokine release. You can think of it as the body's thermostat breaking under extreme stress — leading to rapid, cascading failures if not addressed immediately. Arreaza: Tell us what you found out about the pathophysiology of heat stroke?Jacob: Pathophysiology: Under normal conditions, the body keeps its core temperature tightly controlled through sweating, vasodilation of skin blood vessels, and behavioral responses like seeking shade or drinking water. But in extreme heat or prolonged exertion, those mechanisms get overwhelmed.Once core temperature rises above about 40°C (104°F), the hypothalamus—the brain's thermostat—can't keep up. The body shifts from controlled thermoregulation to uncontrolled, passive heating. Heat stroke isn't just someone getting too hot—it's a full-blown failure of the body's heat-regulating system. Arreaza: So, it's interesting. the cell functions get affected at this point, several dangerous processes start happening at the same time.Jacob: Yes: Cellular Heat InjuryHigh temperatures disrupt proteins, enzymes, and cell membranes. Mitochondria start to fail, ATP production drops, and cells become leaky. This leads to direct tissue injury in vital organs like the brain, liver, kidneys, and heart.Arreaza: Yikes. Cytokines play a big role in the pathophysiology of heat stroke too. Jacob: Systemic Inflammatory ResponseHeat damages the gut barrier, allowing endotoxins to enter the bloodstream. This triggers a massive cytokine release—similar to sepsis. The result is widespread inflammation, endothelial injury, and microvascular collapse.Arreaza: What other systems are affected?Coagulation AbnormalitiesEndothelial damage activates the clotting cascade. Patients may develop a DIC-like picture: microthrombi forming in some areas while clotting factors get consumed in others. This contributes to organ dysfunction and bleeding.Circulatory CollapseAs the body shunts blood to the skin for cooling, perfusion to vital organs drops. Combine that with dehydration from sweating and fluid loss, and you get hypotension, decreased cardiac output, and worsening ischemia.Arreaza: And one of the key features is neurologic dysfunction.Jacob: Neurologic DysfunctionThe brain is extremely sensitive to heat. Encephalopathy, confusion, seizures, and coma occur because neurons malfunction at high temperatures. This is why altered mental status is the hallmark of true heat stroke.Arreaza: Cell injury, inflammation, coagulopathy, circulatory collapse and neurologic dysfunction. Jacob: Ultimately, heat stroke is a multisystem catastrophic event—a combination of thermal injury, inflammatory storm, coagulopathy, and circulatory collapse. Without rapid cooling and aggressive supportive care, these processes spiral into irreversible organ failure.Background and Types:Arreaza: Heat stroke is part of a spectrum of heat-related disorders—it is a true medical emergency. Mortality rate reaches 30%, even with optimal treatment. This mortality correlates directly with the duration of core hyperthermia. I'm reminded of the first time I heard about heat stroke in a baby who was left inside a car in the summer 2005. Jacob: There are two primary types: -nonexertional (classic) heat stroke, which develops insidiously over days and predominantly affects vulnerable populations like children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses during heat waves; -exertional heat stroke, which strikes rapidly in young, otherwise healthy individuals, often during intense exercise in hot, humid conditions. Arreaza: In our community, farm workers are especially at risk of heat stroke, but any person living in the Central Valley is basically at risk.Jacob: Risk factors amplify vulnerability across both types, including dehydration, cardiovascular disease, medications that impair sweating (e.g., anticholinergics), and acclimatization deficits. Notably, anhidrosis (lack of sweating) is common but not required for diagnosis. Hot, dry skin can signal the shift from heat exhaustion to stroke. Arreaza: What other conditions look like heat stroke?Differential Diagnosis:Jacob: Presenting with altered mental status and hyperthermia, heat stroke demands a broad differential to avoid missing mimics. -Environmental: heat exhaustion, syncope, or cramps. -Infectious etiologies like sepsis or meningitis must be ruled out. -Endocrine emergencies such as thyroid storm, pheochromocytoma, or diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can overlap. -Neurologic insults include cerebrovascular accident (CVA), hypothalamic lesions (bleeding or infarct), or status epilepticus. -Toxicologic culprits are plentiful—sympathomimetic or anticholinergic toxidromes, salicylate poisoning, serotonin syndrome, malignant hyperthermia, neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), or even alcohol/benzodiazepine withdrawal. When it comes to differentials, it is always best to cast a wide net and think about what we could be missing if this is not heat stroke. Arreaza: Let's say we have a patient with hyperthermia and we have to assess him in the ER. What should we do to diagnose it?Jacob: Workup:Diagnosis is primarily clinical, hinging on documented hyperthermia (>40°C) plus CNS changes (e.g., confusion, delirium, seizures, coma) in a hot environment. Arreaza: No single lab confirms it, but targeted testing allows us to detect complications and rule out alternative diagnosis. Jacob: -Start with ECG to assess for dysrhythmias or ischemic changes (sinus tachycardia is classic; ST depressions or T-wave inversions may hint at myocardial strain). -Labs include complete blood count (CBC), comprehensive metabolic panel (electrolytes, renal function, liver enzymes), glucose, arterial blood gas, lactate (elevated in shock), coagulation studies (for disseminated intravascular coagulation, or DIC), creatine kinase (CK) and myoglobin (for rhabdomyolysis), and urinalysis. Toxicology screen if history suggests. Arreaza: I can imagine doing all this while trying to cool down the patient. What about imaging?-Imaging: chest X-ray for pulmonary issues, non-contrast head CT if neurologic concerns suggest edema or bleed (consider lumbar puncture if infection suspected). It is important to note that continuous core temperature monitoring—via rectal, esophageal, or bladder probe—is essential, not just peripheral skin checks. Arreaza: TreatmentManagement:Time is tissue here—initiate cooling en route, if possible, as delays skyrocket morbidity. ABCs first: secure airway (intubate if needed, favoring rocuronium over succinylcholine to avoid hyperkalemia risk), support breathing, and stabilize circulation. -Remove the patient from the heat source, strip clothing, and launch aggressive cooling to target 38-39°C (102-102°F) before halting to prevent rebound hypothermia. -For exertional cases, ice-water immersion reigns supreme—it's the fastest method, with immersion in cold water resulting in near-100% survival if started within 30 minutes. -Nonexertional benefits from evaporative cooling: mist with tepid water (15-25°C) plus fans for convective airflow. -Adjuncts include ice packs to neck, axillae, and groin; -room-temperature IV fluids (avoid cold initially to prevent shivering); -refractory cases, invasive options like peritoneal lavage, endovascular cooling catheters, or even ECMO. -Fluid resuscitation with lactated Ringer's or normal saline (250-500 mL boluses) protects kidneys and counters rhabdomyolysis—aim for urine output of 2-3 mL/kg/hour. Arreaza: What about medications?Jacob: Benzodiazepines (e.g., lorazepam) control agitation, seizures, or shivering; propofol or fentanyl if intubated. Avoid antipyretics like acetaminophen. For intubation, etomidate or ketamine as induction agents. Hypotension often resolves with cooling and fluids; if not, use dopamine or dobutamine over norepinephrine to avoid vasoconstriction. Jacob: What IV fluid is recommended/best for patients with heat stroke?Both lactated Ringer's solution and normal saline are recommended as initial IV fluids for rehydration, but balanced crystalloids such as LR are increasingly favored due to their lower risk of hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis and AKI. However, direct evidence comparing the two specifically in the setting of heat stroke is limited. Arreaza: Are cold IV fluids better/preferred over room temperature fluids?Cold IV fluids are recommended as an adjunctive therapy to help lower core temperature in heat stroke, but they should not delay or replace primary cooling methods such as cold-water immersion. Cold IV fluids can decrease core temperature more rapidly than room temperature fluids. For example, 30mL/kg bolus of chilled isotonic fluids at 4 degrees Celsius over 30 minutes can decrease core temperature by about 1 degree Celsius, compared to 0.5 degree Celsius with room temperature fluids. Arreaza: Getting cold IV sounds uncomfortable but necessary for those patients. Our favorite topic.Screening and Prevention:-Heat stroke prevention focuses on public health and individual awareness rather than routine testing. -High-risk groups—elderly, children, athletes, laborers, or those on impairing meds—should acclimatize gradually (7-14 days), hydrate preemptively (electrolyte solutions over plain water), and monitor temperature in exertional settings. -Communities during heat waves need cooling centers and alerts. -For clinicians, educate patients with CVD or obesity about early signs like dizziness or nausea. -No formal "screening" exists, but vigilance in EDs during summer surges saves lives. -Arreaza: I think awareness is a key element in prevention, so education of the public through traditional media like TV, and even social media can contribute to the prevention of this catastrophic condition.Jacob: Ya so heat stroke is something that should be on every physician's radar in the central valley especially in the summer time given the hot temperatures. Rapid recognition is key. Arreaza: Thanks, Jacob for this topic, and until next time, this is Dr. Arreaza, signing off.Even without trying, every night you go to bed a little wiser. Thanks for listening to Rio Bravo qWeek Podcast. We want to hear from you, send us an email at RioBravoqWeek@clinicasierravista.org, or visit our website riobravofmrp.org/qweek. See you next week! References:Gaudio FG, Grissom CK. Cooling Methods in Heat Stroke. J Emerg Med. 2016 Apr;50(4):607-16. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.09.014. Epub 2015 Oct 31. PMID: 26525947. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26525947/.Platt, M. A., & LoVecchio, F. (n.d.). Nonexertional classic heat stroke in adults. In UpToDate. Retrieved September 7, 2025, from https://www.uptodate.com/contents/nonexertional-classic-heat-stroke-in-adults. (Key addition: Emphasizes insidious onset in at-risk populations and the role of urban heat islands in exacerbating classic cases.) Heat Stroke. WikEM. Retrieved December 3, 2025, from https://wikem.org/wiki/Heat_stroke. (Key additions: Details on cooling rates for immersion therapy, confirmation that anhidrosis is not diagnostic, and fluid titration to urine output for rhabdomyolysis prevention.)Theme song, Works All The Time by Dominik Schwarzer, YouTube ID: CUBDNERZU8HXUHBS, purchased from https://www.premiumbeat.com/.
In this Office Hours episode, Dr. Linda Bluestein tackles some of the most challenging questions from our listeners and dive deep into the overlooked intersections of hypermobility, surgical complications, and neurodiversity. What happens when five rectal prolapse surgeries fail? Dr. Bluestein breaks down why so many surgical interventions fall short for people with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and what you must consider before your next procedure, including essential imaging, anesthesia concerns, pelvic floor support, and mesh alternatives. Then, she explores a lesser-known but increasingly discussed connection: how vision dyspraxia and dyscalculia often go hand-in-hand with hypermobility, and why challenges with balance, motor planning, and even math might be far more physical than we think. Plus, you'll hear my own hypermobility hack for surviving the dreaded shampoo bowl at the salon. Whether you're navigating chronic pain, misunderstood learning challenges, or a body that just won't follow the rules, this episode is packed with the nuanced insight you've been waiting for. Takeaways: Why rectal prolapse surgeries often fail in HEDS and the exact workup to request before considering another one. The real risks of mesh, sutures, and tension-based surgical repair in connective tissue disorders. How vision dyspraxia and convergence insufficiency can disrupt learning and quality of life and why they're so common in EDS. Dyscalculia explained: not just a math issue, but a brain-body mismatch often missed in neurodiverse bendy bodies. Two hypermobility hacks worth stealing including a genius way to get your hair washed without neck pain. Find the episode transcript here: https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/rectal-prolapse-dyscalculia-dyspraxia-the-connective-tissue-connection-office-hours-ep-177/ Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD? Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/ Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd Dr. Bluestein's Recommended Herbs, Supplements and Care Necessities: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/hypermobilitymd/store-start Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them. Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/. YOUR bendy body is our highest priority! Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com Part of the Human Content Podcast Network FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this Office Hours episode, Dr. Linda Bluestein tackles some of the most challenging questions from our listeners and dive deep into the overlooked intersections of hypermobility, surgical complications, and neurodiversity. What happens when five rectal prolapse surgeries fail? Dr. Bluestein breaks down why so many surgical interventions fall short for people with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (hEDS) and what you must consider before your next procedure, including essential imaging, anesthesia concerns, pelvic floor support, and mesh alternatives. Then, she explores a lesser-known but increasingly discussed connection: how vision dyspraxia and dyscalculia often go hand-in-hand with hypermobility, and why challenges with balance, motor planning, and even math might be far more physical than we think. Plus, you'll hear my own hypermobility hack for surviving the dreaded shampoo bowl at the salon. Whether you're navigating chronic pain, misunderstood learning challenges, or a body that just won't follow the rules, this episode is packed with the nuanced insight you've been waiting for. Takeaways: Why rectal prolapse surgeries often fail in HEDS and the exact workup to request before considering another one. The real risks of mesh, sutures, and tension-based surgical repair in connective tissue disorders. How vision dyspraxia and convergence insufficiency can disrupt learning and quality of life and why they're so common in EDS. Dyscalculia explained: not just a math issue, but a brain-body mismatch often missed in neurodiverse bendy bodies. Two hypermobility hacks worth stealing including a genius way to get your hair washed without neck pain. Find the episode transcript here: https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/rectal-prolapse-dyscalculia-dyspraxia-the-connective-tissue-connection-office-hours-ep-177/ Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD? Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/ Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd Dr. Bluestein's Recommended Herbs, Supplements and Care Necessities: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/hypermobilitymd/store-start Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them. Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/. YOUR bendy body is our highest priority! Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com Part of the Human Content Podcast Network FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The Plant Free MD with Dr Anthony Chaffee: A Carnivore Podcast
This episode dives into carnivore experiences with Edward Goeke (@e.goeke_), the straight-talking YouTuber who shares his path from vegan trials, keto phases, and personal challenges like panic attacks, neuropathy, and EDS to exploring a meat-focused approach. Listen as he breaks down nutrition debates, critiques common studies and plant-based narratives, and discusses his views on dietary experiments in a no-nonsense style. Perfect for anyone curious about low-carb journeys, science scrutiny, and real-talk alternatives to standard advice. If you liked this and want to learn more go to my new website www.DrAnthonyChaffee.com
Can Sir Ed Davey really take the fight to the right when it comes to the next election? In this special episode of Political Currency, Ed Balls speaks to the Liberal Democrat leader - and his politician of the year from 2024. In this wide-ranging conversation, the two Eds talk about Ed Davey's passion for care provision and his deeply personal connection to the issue. Ed Balls also asks Ed about his time in the Coalition government with George Osborne and they reflect on their shared school days - including time spent out of the classroom. But will Ed Balls finally return the history notes he lost?Plus, with Nigel Farage's Reform rising up the ranks, Ed Balls asks Ed Davey if he would go into a coalition with Nigel Farage at the next general election. Don't forget to vote for us as the Political Podcast Award's People's Choice of the year. Follow the link to vote: https://politicalpodcastawards.co.uk/the-peoples-choice-award/ And we love hearing from you, so please don't forget to send all your EMQs to questions@politicalcurrency and make sure to include a voice note of your question.EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/politicalcurrency Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!Thanks for listening. Remember Kitchen Cabinet members get exclusive access to live EMQs recordings, briefings from the team, and an exclusive Political Currency mug: tr.ee/gift-pc
From RHOSLC, Lisa Barlow’s other half, John joins Eddie and Edwin for an all new episode! John debunks a rumor about how the franchise was brought to Salt Lake City. Plus, is it true, did John really meet Lisa by dating her sister?!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode, Dr. Linda Bluestein sits down with Lara Bloom, President and CEO of The Ehlers-Danlos Society, for a revealing look behind the curtain of the Society's ambitious global roadmap to 2026. What will it take to finally change the trajectory for people with EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes) and HSD (Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders)? Why have progress and awareness lagged for so long? And what is happening right now around the world that could shift everything? Together, they unpack the systemic obstacles still tripping up patients, from years-long diagnostic delays and rampant misinformation to critical gaps in research, policy, and clinical education. Lara shares the driving force behind her vision for global change and the monumental international effort unfolding to move EDS and HSD into the spotlight they've long deserved. If you've ever wondered why the system feels stuck, or what it might take to finally break through, this conversation offers rare insight and genuine hope. Takeaways: Lara reveals why global alignment across policy, education, and clinical care could be the missing key to major breakthroughs for EDS and HSD. The episode exposes the hidden consequences of misdiagnosis and why early recognition, especially in children, may be more urgent than most clinicians realize. Linda and Lara dig into how outdated terminology and dismissive provider attitudes continue to shape patient experiences in ways few talk about openly. Lara shares how her personal journey fuels her global leadership and why patient voices are becoming impossible to ignore in research, advocacy, and policy. The international symposium and roadmap point toward real momentum, but lasting change will require unprecedented collaboration across borders and specialties. Find Episode Transcript here: https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/the-roadmap-that-could-change-eds-forever-with-lara-bloom-ep-176/ Want more Lara Bloom? Website: https://www.larabloom.com/ Twitter: @larabloom Instagram: @lara.bloom Youtube: @LaraBloom Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD? Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/ Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd Dr. Bluestein's Recommended Herbs, Supplements and Care Necessities: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/hypermobilitymd/store-start Linda's favorite powdered Vitamin C Product: https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd/list/3PBOYTJKW5YIX?ref_=aipsflist Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them. Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/. YOUR bendy body is our highest priority! Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com Part of the Human Content Podcast Network FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Dr. Linda Bluestein sits down with Lara Bloom, President and CEO of The Ehlers-Danlos Society, for a revealing look behind the curtain of the Society's ambitious global roadmap to 2026. What will it take to finally change the trajectory for people with EDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes) and HSD (Hypermobility Spectrum Disorders)? Why have progress and awareness lagged for so long? And what is happening right now around the world that could shift everything? Together, they unpack the systemic obstacles still tripping up patients, from years-long diagnostic delays and rampant misinformation to critical gaps in research, policy, and clinical education. Lara shares the driving force behind her vision for global change and the monumental international effort unfolding to move EDS and HSD into the spotlight they've long deserved. If you've ever wondered why the system feels stuck, or what it might take to finally break through, this conversation offers rare insight and genuine hope. Takeaways: Lara reveals why global alignment across policy, education, and clinical care could be the missing key to major breakthroughs for EDS and HSD. The episode exposes the hidden consequences of misdiagnosis and why early recognition, especially in children, may be more urgent than most clinicians realize. Linda and Lara dig into how outdated terminology and dismissive provider attitudes continue to shape patient experiences in ways few talk about openly. Lara shares how her personal journey fuels her global leadership and why patient voices are becoming impossible to ignore in research, advocacy, and policy. The international symposium and roadmap point toward real momentum, but lasting change will require unprecedented collaboration across borders and specialties. Find Episode Transcript here: https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/the-roadmap-that-could-change-eds-forever-with-lara-bloom-ep-176/ Want more Lara Bloom? Website: https://www.larabloom.com/ Twitter: @larabloom Instagram: @lara.bloom Youtube: @LaraBloom Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD? Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/ Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd Dr. Bluestein's Recommended Herbs, Supplements and Care Necessities: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/hypermobilitymd/store-start Linda's favorite powdered Vitamin C Product: https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd/list/3PBOYTJKW5YIX?ref_=aipsflist Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them. Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/. YOUR bendy body is our highest priority! Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com Part of the Human Content Podcast Network FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to today's episode, with my friend & colleague, Dr Carina SiracusaIn today's conversation, we focused on discussing dysautonomia and its implications for pelvic health, as well as the role of the autonomic system, the overlap of issues including POTS, MCAS & hEDS…and of course we talked about bowel health (shocker!) and the chapter we wrote on GI dysfunction in female athletes for Grainne Donnelly's new book ‘Sports Medicine & the Pelvic Floor' which is coming out in early 2026 (available for pre-order now!)In this conversation:we explored how dysautonomia manifests in pelvic floor dysfunction, bladder and bowel issues, and its connection to conditions like POTS and EDS. The conversation covered diagnostic approaches, medical management strategies, and the importance of considering the autonomic nervous system in pelvic health treatment. We also discussed the broader role of physiotherapy in addressing both physical and mental health aspects, emphasising the need for therapists to recognise when to refer patients to other specialists while maintaining their scope of practice. The discussion highlighted the evolving nature of physical therapy practice and the profession's growing recognition of the importance of mental health and lifestyle factors in patient care…and much more! You can find Carina on Instagram as @carinadpt and of course you can find me there too as @michellelyons_physio If you're listening to this before the end of December, a reminder that my winter sale is still on for a few more days - you can use the code PF75 for a €75 discount on any of my online courses - all the details are at CelebrateMuliebrity.com
Steve Rother joins Trish and Rob for a deeply personal, mind-bending conversation about why we incarnate, how “the Group” first came through, and what it really means to be a spirit pretending to be human. Steve Rother is a pioneering spiritual teacher, channel, and author known for his work with non-physical beings he calls “the Group.” A former general contractor who “went kicking and screaming” into metaphysics, Steve has spent the last three decades teaching worldwide, including five live channels at the United Nations in Vienna and New York. He and his wife traveled the globe for 15 years offering workshops, private sessions, and trainings that help people access their own intuitive and channeling abilities. His latest book, Spiritual Psychology: The Twelve Primary Life Lessons, explores how to understand everyday challenges from a spiritual perspective. In this episode, Steve shares the powerful New Year's Eve beach ceremony that cracked him open to the Group and instantly redirected his life from construction projects to global spiritual work. He explains how his channeling began in old-school internet chat rooms, evolved into books translated into multiple languages, and eventually took him to the UN, where delegates asked questions about everything from Kosovo to planetary evolution. The conversation ranges from soul contracts and past lives to multidimensional realities, the rising feminine, and why we are “spiritual beings trying to cope with being human” rather than humans looking for a spiritual experience. Steve unpacks the Group's teachings on why we choose our parents, lovers, and even our most painful experiences, and how trauma can be reframed so it loses its grip and becomes a source of power. Trish, Rob, and Steve dive into simultaneous lifetimes, the multiverse, and what the Mandela Effect might reveal about thinning walls between dimensions. They also explore extraterrestrials as “extra-dimensional” beings (EDs), nuclear interference by advanced civilizations, and the idea that some ET races function as humanity's parental line. The discussion then turns to AI, anti-gravity tech, quantum and ternary computing, and why Steve believes we are on the verge of a massive technological and spiritual leap.
Today we are featuring two articles that relate to moving genetics into mainstream healthcare. In our first segment, we discuss polygenic risk scores and the transition from research to clinical use. Our second segment focuses on hypermobility Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and the triaging of clinical referrals. Segment 1: Readiness and leadership for the implementation of polygenic risk scores: Genetic healthcare providers' perspectives in the hereditary cancer context Dr Rebecca Purvis is a post-doctoral researcher, genetic counsellor, and university lecturer and coordinator at The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre and The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Dr Purvis focuses on health services delivery, using implementation science to design and evaluate interventions in clinical genomics, risk assessment, and cancer prevention. In this segment we discuss: - Why leadership and organizational readiness are critical to successful clinical implementation of polygenic risk scores (PRS). - How genetic counselors' communication skills position them as key leaders as PRS moves from research into practice. - Readiness factors healthcare systems should assess, including culture, resources, and implementation infrastructure. - Equity, standardization, and implementation science as essential tools for responsible and sustainable PRS adoption. Segment 2: A qualitative investigation of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome genetics triage Kaycee Carbone is a genetic counselor at Boston Children's Hospital in the Division of Genetics and Genomics as well as the Vascular Anomalies Center. Her clinical interests include connective tissue disorders, overgrowth conditions, and somatic and germline vascular anomaly conditions. She completed my M.S. in Genetic Counseling at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2023. The work she discusses here, "A qualitative investigation of Ehlers-Danlos syndrome genetics triage," was completed as part of a requirement for this graduate program. In this segment we discuss: - Why genetics clinics vary widely in how they triage referrals for hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS). - How rising awareness of hEDS has increased referral volume without clear guidelines for diagnosis and care. - The ethical and emotional challenges genetic counselors face when declining hEDS referrals. - The need for national guidelines and clearer care pathways to improve access and coordination for EDS patients. Would you like to nominate a JoGC article to be featured in the show? If so, please fill out this nomination submission form here. Multiple entries are encouraged including articles where you, your colleagues, or your friends are authors. Stay tuned for the next new episode of DNA Dialogues! In the meantime, listen to all our episodes Apple Podcasts, Spotify, streaming on the website, or any other podcast player by searching, “DNA Dialogues”. For more information about this episode visit dnadialogues.podbean.com, where you can also stream all episodes of the show. Check out the Journal of Genetic Counseling here for articles featured in this episode and others. Any questions, episode ideas, guest pitches, or comments can be sent into DNADialoguesPodcast@gmail.com. DNA Dialogues' team includes Jehannine Austin, Naomi Wagner, Khalida Liaquat, Kate Wilson and DNA Today's Kira Dineen. Our logo was designed by Ashlyn Enokian. Our current intern is Stephanie Schofield.
Kia ora e te ball bags! Producer Arun on the tools today as Eds has travelled to Mars to be with their family. Here's what you missed on the show today: Fame talks about his wholesome experience at Farro in his diary. Can we all agree that the Nokia 3310 was the GOAT?! We try to count to 100 in one breath, it's harder than you think... Fame comes clean and drops some juicy confessions from the year. What can't you be bothered doing this side of the year? Hangi vs Fried Bread vs Chop Suey vs Mainese vs Ika Maui... Which one you getting rid of? Tegs went on a ridealong with the police and found out some epic perks... So what's the unexpected perk from your job? Turns out Miley didn't write Party in the USA?! Thanks for listening whānau! Lots of love Producer Arun, Producer Alonaa, Producer A-Aron, Producer Kanuka!!!! xoxox
An EMS medic, an MVA, a STEMI, a stroke—and everyone's still playing “telephone” with the hospital. In this episode of EMS World Podcasts, host Mike McCabe sits down with Mitch Scott, Solutions Architect at General Devices, to tackle one of EMS's biggest headaches: communication and coordination with the emergency department and specialty teams. Scott breaks down how GD's e-Bridge platform lets crews securely send photos, EKGs, videos, and patient data straight from the field to the ED, cath lab, stroke team, transfer centers, and more—all in one HIPAA-compliant app that never stores images on personal devices. They dig into real-world pain points: long wall times, “we never got your call,” lack of accountability, rural agencies with hour-long transports, and busy EDs juggling multiple priorities. You'll hear how features like GPS tracking, acknowledgement alerts, and detailed timestamps create a defensible QA/QI trail and give everyone—from medics to cardiologists—a shared, real-time view of the patient before they hit the door. If you've ever felt unheard on the radio or wished you could “show, not tell” your next handoff, this episode is for you.
Seriously. Don't listen to this episode. Whatever you do. Don't. Press. Play. (Warning: this episode contains explicit language.) --- Adam's agency: https://thinkerbell.com/ Adam's books: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/author/B07K5R1MTX Sign up for my newsletter: https://www.nudgepodcast.com/mailing-list Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phill-agnew-22213187/ Watch Nudge on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nudgepodcast/ --- Today's sources Driscoll, R., Davis, K. E., & Lipetz, M. E. (1972). Parental interference and romantic love: The Romeo and Juliet effect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 24(1), 1–10. Heath, R. (2006). Brand relationships: strengthened by emotion, weakened by attention. Journal of Advertising Research, 46(4), 410–419. Maimaran, M., & Fishbach, A. (2014). If it's useful and you know it, do you eat? Preschoolers refrain from instrumental food. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(3), 642–655. Mazar, N., & Soman, D. (Eds.). (2022). Behavioral science in the wild: Behaviorally informed organizations. University of Toronto Press. Ryan, R. M. (1982). Control and information in the intrapersonal sphere: An extension of cognitive evaluation theory. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 43(3), 450–461.
A seasoned professional with over 40 years of experience, Dan Silberberg is a visionary leader who combines business expertise with a profound commitment to personal transformation and growth. With a background in the Global 500, Tier 1 business consulting, with EDS and as a managing director at Oracle, and serial entrepreneur, he possesses an exceptional track record in driving exponential growth. Dan has been a CEO for 25 years and has led businesses from $7 million to $400 million exceeding operational and financial expectations. Embracing the concept of “ENTELECHY”, Dan's aim is to unleash the genius within and bring forward each person's human potential, guiding them to lead authentically embodying their inner genius. Dan challenges institutional norms and empowers individuals to design the life they yearn for and deserve. He is the author of several books, including his most recent book, The Uncopyable Enterprise: Designing Structural Advantage in the Age of AI. You can download a complimentary pdf here.
Kia ora e te ball bags! Producer Arun on the tools today as Eds is away getting a hair transplant. Here's what you missed on the show today: Fame's Diary is throwing shade at the office again. Tegan's Tips: How to hard reset for 2026. The office thief is back at it... WHO STOLE ARJU'S WINE?! It's breakup season whānau so look out... What's your 2 degrees of separation to us? Producer Arun went to a club by himself... Where's the worst place to be alone? Louis Davis had an awkward interaction with Nickson and hit Eds up about it. Bella Kalolo joins us to talk about the Shortland Street season finale. Thanks for listening whānau! Lots of love Producer Arun, Producer Alonaa, Producer A-Aron, Producer Kanuka!!!! xoxox
AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Angel Abuelo, AABP member on faculty at Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Abuelo presented at the 2025 AABP Recent Graduate Conference in Norman, Okla. on managing Salmonella Dublin. AABP members can listen to this presentation for free by accessing the online CE portal on this page or download the BCI Mobile Conference app from your device's store. Salmonella Dublin is a host-adapted pathogen that results in high morbidity and mortality due to the systemic nature of the disease in calves and in most cases, the pathogen exhibits multi-drug resistance. This pathogen also has implications for human health as a zoonotic disease. Abuelo discusses the clinical presentation in calves is primarily respiratory disease and the carrier state that can be seen in adult cows that serve as a continuous reservoir to maintain the disease on a farm. Diagnostics should include multiple tissues from deceased calves that are necropsied. The best sample to submit in live calves is not feces, but aseptically collected blood cultures. Abuelo discusses the nuances of treatment in affected calves and due to multi-drug resistance, response to therapy can be poor or lead to a carrier state in recovered animals. Although enrofloxacin is labeled for treatment of bovine respiratory disease, it is not specifically labeled for treatment of Salmonella Dublin and extralabel use of fluoroquinolones in food animals is prohibited by the FDA. Prevention of the disease is multifactorial and includes all aspects of proper neonatal calf management including adequate and timely pasteurized colostrum, maternity pen management, ventilation, sanitation and nutrition. Abuelo also discusses the use of vaccines in cows and calves to manage the disease on endemically infected farms to prevent outbreaks. Continued research on managing this disease, including the use of vaccines and improved diagnostics, will be important topics for veterinarians and producers who are managing this pathogen. REFERENCES: Frye E, Jennings C, Kremer K. Aseptic technique for blood culture collection in the field to diagnose Salmonella Dublin in calves. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2025;263(7):1. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.25.02.0116. PMID: 40267971. https://avmajournals.avma.org/view/journals/javma/263/7/javma.25.02.0116.xml Castro-Vargas RE, Cullens-Nobis FM, Mani R, Roberts JN, Abuelo A. Effect of dry period immunization of Salmonella Dublin latent carriers with a commercial live culture vaccine on intrauterine transmission based on the presence of precolostral antibodies in offspring. J Dairy Sci. 2024;107(12):11436-11445. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2024-24945The effect of Salmonella vaccination on Salmonella Dublin blood enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results. Bov Pract. 2025;59(2), 53-60. https://doi.org/10.21423/bpj20259266 Abuelo A, Renaud D. Salmonella Dublin Infection in Cattle. Merck Veterinary Manual. 2024. Winter A, Abuelo A, Allen DG, et al. (Eds). Merck, Rahway, NJ, USA. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/digestive-system/salmonellosis/salmonella-dublin-infection-in-cattle Salmonella Dublin Risk Management HERD SD app: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/herd-sd/id6748356498
Think EDS and pregnancy is a straightforward conversation? Think again. In this jam-packed Office Hours episode, I dig into everything I wish someone had told me and everything I've since learned from patients, research, and my own pregnancies. From racing heart rates and failed epidurals to postpartum complications and misunderstood mental health shifts, we're laying it all out. We explore rapid labor, prolapse risk, anesthetic resistance, dysautonomia flares, pelvic floor fragility, and why some babies bruise easier than doctors expect. Whether you're prepping for pregnancy, navigating birth, or recovering afterward, this is your roadmap for a more informed journey. Takeaways: Pregnancy with EDS or HSD isn't automatically high-risk, but it comes with specific concerns like tissue fragility, anesthesia resistance, and prolapse that OBs may overlook. Labor can be rapid and unpredictable in people with connective tissue disorders, making delivery planning (and backup plans) especially important. Local anesthetics may not work as expected, so communicating prior resistance to meds like lidocaine is crucial for anesthesia teams. Postpartum recovery often takes longer, with higher risk of complications like joint instability, slow healing, and mental health shifts, including postpartum depression. Medical students with EDS should choose specialties with pacing and physical demand in mind, considering how residency schedules and procedures might affect long-term career sustainability. Find the episode transcript here. Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD? Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/ Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd Dr. Bluestein's Recommended Herbs, Supplements and Care Necessities: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/hypermobilitymd/store-start Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them. Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/. YOUR bendy body is our highest priority! Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com Part of the Human Content Podcast Network FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kia ora e te ball bags! Producer Arun on the tools today because Eds is being a nerd down in Wellington interviewing James Cameron. Here's what you missed on the show today: We check in with Eds to see how they're feeling about their interview. Fame wants to know who has the most diverse relationship out there. Nickson reaaaally wants to know how good the IKEA Meatballs are... The Farro comp gets a little out the gate this morn. Nickson got Arju for secret santa, and it's about as offensive as you'd imagine. When did you think your friend had backs? Martin Devlin is back to fill us in about all the sport going down this week/weekend. Thanks for listening whānau! Lots of love Producer Arun, Producer Alonaa, Producer A-Aron, Producer Kanuka!!!! xoxox
Think EDS and pregnancy is a straightforward conversation? Think again. In this jam-packed Office Hours episode, I dig into everything I wish someone had told me and everything I've since learned from patients, research, and my own pregnancies. From racing heart rates and failed epidurals to postpartum complications and misunderstood mental health shifts, we're laying it all out. We explore rapid labor, prolapse risk, anesthetic resistance, dysautonomia flares, pelvic floor fragility, and why some babies bruise easier than doctors expect. Whether you're prepping for pregnancy, navigating birth, or recovering afterward, this is your roadmap for a more informed journey. Takeaways: Pregnancy with EDS or HSD isn't automatically high-risk, but it comes with specific concerns like tissue fragility, anesthesia resistance, and prolapse that OBs may overlook. Labor can be rapid and unpredictable in people with connective tissue disorders, making delivery planning (and backup plans) especially important. Local anesthetics may not work as expected, so communicating prior resistance to meds like lidocaine is crucial for anesthesia teams. Postpartum recovery often takes longer, with higher risk of complications like joint instability, slow healing, and mental health shifts, including postpartum depression. Medical students with EDS should choose specialties with pacing and physical demand in mind, considering how residency schedules and procedures might affect long-term career sustainability. Find the episode transcript here. Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD? Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/ Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd Dr. Bluestein's Recommended Herbs, Supplements and Care Necessities: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/hypermobilitymd/store-start Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them. Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/. YOUR bendy body is our highest priority! Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com Part of the Human Content Podcast Network FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
From Real Housewives of Orange County, Katie’s husband, Matt Ginella, joins Edwin and Eddie for an unfiltered conversation about what really happened to Katie this season. Matt shares his behind the scenes truth on what went down at Maestros, and the reason for Katie’s time being cut short. Plus, why he believes he was the only husband to step in the reunion hot seat to defend Katie. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Governor Wes Moore is back—and this time, the stakes are even higher. As Trump tests the limits of presidential power, perhaps the most exciting and inspiring Governor in America joins Paul Rieckhoff to explain how far the White House can really go in deploying the National Guard into American cities, what is and is not a “lawful order,” and how governors can (and must) hold the line. From war-crime allegations to loose talk about striking Venezuela, Moore lays out what responsible, principled leadership looks like when America's global reputation is collapsing fast. Recorded during Army–Navy week, Paul and Wes dig into why that game should be “mandatory viewing” for anyone who wants to understand real patriotism, service, and brotherhood. Moore talks candidly about his role as commander in chief of Maryland's Guard, what he'd do if he were president right now, and why he sees himself as a “healer” for all 6.5 million Marylanders—not a partisan warrior. They also dive deep on Moore's pioneering work with men and boys—from getting more men into classrooms and hospitals to building healthier models of masculinity that steer young guys away from grievance and extremism. Moore explains how Maryland went from 43rd in unemployment to one of the lowest jobless rates in America, cut violent crime and teacher shortages, and launched a first-in-the-nation “Feds to Eds” program that turns fired federal workers into urgently needed teachers. And, talks openly about the struggles of his beloved Baltimore Ravens. Plus, Paul opens the show hitting the hottest stories: Trump's refusal to release the December 2nd boat strike video, the latest on Ukraine's fight and Zelensky's resolve, the Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury files, RFK Jr.'s pull-up stunts, Nancy Mace's TSA tirade, Golden Globe snubs, and a wild NFL Monday night. And they both close with “Something Good”—that'll leave you feeling warm for the holidays and more hopeful about the days ahead. Because every episode of Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the most important news stories--and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's independent content for independent Americans. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. The podcast that helps you stay ahead of the curve--and stay vigilant. -WATCH video of this episode on YouTube now. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power. -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours. -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the holidays. -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm. Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Podcasts Ways to watch: YouTube • Instagram X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook Ways to listen:Social channels: Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Governor Wes Moore is back—and this time, the stakes are even higher. As Trump tests the limits of presidential power, perhaps the most exciting and inspiring Governor in America joins Paul Rieckhoff to explain how far the White House can really go in deploying the National Guard into American cities, what is and is not a “lawful order,” and how governors can (and must) hold the line. From war-crime allegations to loose talk about striking Venezuela, Moore lays out what responsible, principled leadership looks like when America's global reputation is collapsing fast. Recorded during Army–Navy week, Paul and Wes dig into why that game should be “mandatory viewing” for anyone who wants to understand real patriotism, service, and brotherhood. Moore talks candidly about his role as commander in chief of Maryland's Guard, what he'd do if he were president right now, and why he sees himself as a “healer” for all 6.5 million Marylanders—not a partisan warrior. They also dive deep on Moore's pioneering work with men and boys—from getting more men into classrooms and hospitals to building healthier models of masculinity that steer young guys away from grievance and extremism. Moore explains how Maryland went from 43rd in unemployment to one of the lowest jobless rates in America, cut violent crime and teacher shortages, and launched a first-in-the-nation “Feds to Eds” program that turns fired federal workers into urgently needed teachers. And, talks openly about the struggles of his beloved Baltimore Ravens. Plus, Paul opens the show hitting the hottest stories: Trump's refusal to release the December 2nd boat strike video, the latest on Ukraine's fight and Zelensky's resolve, the Ghislaine Maxwell grand jury files, RFK Jr.'s pull-up stunts, Nancy Mace's TSA tirade, Golden Globe snubs, and a wild NFL Monday night. And they both close with “Something Good”—that'll leave you feeling warm for the holidays and more hopeful about the days ahead. Because every episode of Independent Americans with Paul Rieckhoff breaks down the most important news stories--and offers light to contrast the heat of other politics and news shows. It's independent content for independent Americans. In these trying times especially, Independent Americans is your trusted place for independent news, politics, inspiration and hope. The podcast that helps you stay ahead of the curve--and stay vigilant. -WATCH video of this episode on YouTube now. -Learn more about Paul's work to elect a new generation of independent leaders with Independent Veterans of America. -Join the movement. Hook into our exclusive Patreon community of Independent Americans. Get extra content, connect with guests, meet other Independent Americans, attend events, get merch discounts, and support this show that speaks truth to power. -Check the hashtag #LookForTheHelpers. And share yours. -Find us on social media or www.IndependentAmericans.us. -And get cool IA and Righteous hats, t-shirts and other merch now in time for the holidays. -Check out other Righteous podcasts like The Firefighters Podcast with Rob Serra, Uncle Montel - The OG of Weed and B Dorm. Independent Americans is powered by veteran-owned and led Righteous Media. Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Podcasts Ways to watch: YouTube • Instagram X/Twitter • BlueSky • Facebook Ways to listen:Social channels: Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Major gift fundraising is where many nonprofit leaders freeze, but not because they lack passion or skill. The fear lives in the body, the brain, and the stories we tell ourselves long before we walk into the room.In this episode, I'm joined by Nathan Ruby, Executive Director of FOTCOH (Friends of the Children of Haiti), one of the rare EDs who has raised millions of dollars from individual donors, not foundations. Nathan brings 20+ years of experience in major gifts, donor psychology, cross-cultural fundraising, and what it actually takes to have confident, courageous donor conversations. Together, we discuss the neuroscience behind fear and rejection, how imposter syndrome shows up during big asks, why culturally we struggle to talk about money, and why donors actually want us to be honest and direct. If you struggle with fear, freezing, or overthinking around major gift asks, this conversation will change how you fundraise forever.Topics:Why major gift fear is not a personality flaw, it's neuroscienceHow to reframe donor conversations by focusing on the people you serveWhy donors are used to talking about money (and why you don't need to be scared)The science behind rejection and why “no” activates the same regions as physical painNathan's background in sales and how it shaped his fearless fundraising mindsetHow to use donor questions to inform the right ask amountWhy genuine honesty is more magnetic than a perfect pitchWhy your donors want you to win and how to invite them into partnershipFor a full list of links and resources mentioned in this episode, click here.Bloomerang is the complete donor, volunteer, and fundraising management solution that helps thousands of nonprofits deliver a better giving experience and create sustainable, thriving organizations. Combining robust, easy-to-use technology with people-powered support and training, Bloomerang empowers nonprofits to work efficiently, improve supporter relationships, and grow their donor and volunteer bases. Learn more here.Resources: Easy Emails For Impact™: The $5K+ Fundraising Campaign System Purpose & Profit Club® Fundraising + Marketing Accelerator The SPRINT Method™: Your shortcut to 10K fundraisers Instagram, LinkedIn, website , weekly newsletter [FREE] The Brave Fundraiser's Guide: Stop getting ignored. Start raising more. May contain affiliate links
In an ideal world, college would help students explore possibilities and imagine a future that fits who they are. Instead, many choose majors before they know themselves and get pushed onto a career conveyor belt with little space to discover what matters to them. Farouk Dey wants to change that. His work encourages students to pause, experiment, and learn from real experiences before deciding where they want to go. In this episode, Dart and Dr. Farouk Dey discuss how life design can help students find direction through experimentation, and how universities can create fuller, more meaningful journeys for the people they serve.Dr. Farouk Dey is the President of Palo Alto University. He has spent more than two decades reimagining how universities help students prepare for life and work.In this episode, Dart and Farouk discuss:- The Imagine Center for Integrative Learning and Life Design- How economic shifts drive national career changes- The growing need to develop minds, not just careers- Changing the outdated career service models of American universities- Balancing competition and curiosity when choosing a career- The importance of experiential learning for life design- How universities can give students a higher return on their investment- Farouk's advice for companies who want to build a life design center- How to construct your passion – not find it- And other topics…Dr. Farouk Dey is the President of Palo Alto University and the former Vice Provost for Integrative Learning and Life Design at Johns Hopkins University. He previously held senior roles at Stanford University and Carnegie Mellon University, where he led work in career and experiential education. His focus is helping students navigate learning, work, and meaning through applied design principles. Dr. Dey holds a PhD and EdS in Higher Education Administration, an MBA, an MEd in Counseling Psychology, and a BBA in Finance.Resources mentioned:Bill Burnett on Work For Humans: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/designing-your-life-how-to-use-design-principles-to/id1612743401?i=1000738307337 Connect with Farouk:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/faroukdey/Work with Dart:Dart is the CEO and co-founder of the work design firm 11fold. Build work that makes employees feel alive, connected to their work, and focused on what's most important to the business. Book a call at 11fold.com.
Most nonprofit leaders want more unrestricted revenue - but few have a strategy for building it.In this episode, The Charity CFO's Tosha Anderson and Aaron Landis explain why unrestricted funds are the true fuel behind nonprofit growth, stability, and innovation. Drawing on conversations with hundreds of CEOs and EDs, they highlight why organizations with the highest unrestricted percentages are often the most resilient and mission-aligned.You'll learn: • Why unrestricted revenue is essential to scaling programs • The risks of relying on restricted grants or government funding • How unrestricted dollars improve staffing, operations, and long-term planning • How boards and CEOs can shift the fundraising mindset • Practical ways to increase unrestricted support in your next budget cycleA must-listen for CEOs, CFOs, development leaders, and board members serious about financial health.Follow Us Online
Ehhh kia ora e te homies! Here's what you missed on the show today: Eds vs Tegs on the quiz today Arun has a crush on someone in the office Tegs tips - what she’s learnt so you don’t have to Workplace wrap 2025 What is a moment in TV that changed your life? Why is your dad a g? Kanuka’s Country Calendar Shot for listening, From Eds AKA Eric AKA Edith AKA Eteni
Geschiedenis voor herbeginners - gesproken dagblad in virale tijden
Waarin het Europese kolonialisme ons naar het Verre Oosten voert, in de greep van opiumoorlogen, een Bokseropstand en een keizerlijk moderniseringsproject.WIJ ZIJN: Jonas Goossenaerts (inhoud en vertelstem), Filip Vekemans (montage), Benjamin Goyvaerts (inhoud) en Laurent Poschet (inhoud). MET BIJDRAGEN VAN: Pieter Jan de Paepe (Lin), Annelies Gilbos (keizerin Tsju-sji), Anouck Luyten en Marjan De Schutter (Koningin Victoria). WIL JE ONS EEN FOOI GEVEN? Fooienpod - Al schenkt u tien cent of tien euro, het duurt tien seconden met een handige QR-code. WIL JE ADVERTEREN IN DEZE PODCAST? Neem dan contact op met adverteren@dagennacht.nl MEER WETEN? Onze geraadpleegde en geciteerde bronnen:Boeken en artikels: Benson, A.C., Strachey, L. (Eds.). (2018). The letters of Queen Victoria. John Murray. Londen.Evans, R. J. (2023). De eeuw van de macht: Europa 1815–1914. Spectrum. Amsterdam.Flath, J. (2011). “This is How the Chinese People Began Their Struggle.” Humen and the Opium War as a Site of Memory, In: Matten, M.A. (2011). Places of Memory in Modern China. pag.167–192.Grataloup, C. (2024). Atlas van de wereldgeschiedenis. Nieuw Amsterdam. Amsterdam.Maalouf, A. (2021). Een doolhof vol verdwaalden. Ambo|Anthos. Amsterdam.Websites:Baird, J. (2024). Koningin Victoria: een intieme biografie. Historiek. https://historiek.net/koningin-victoria-verenigd-koninkrijk/67918/ (geraadpleegd op 14/11/2025).Crowning the Colonizer. The Museum of British Colonialism. https://museumofbritishcolonialism.org/2023-4-22-monarchy-and-empire-victoria/ (geraadpleegd op 14/11/2025).Dower, J.W. (s.d.). Black Ships and Samurai. Commodore Perry and the Opening of Japan (1853-1854). MIT Visualizing Cultures (geraadpleegd op 1/12/2025).Queen Vicyoria's Journals. Royal Archives. queenvictoriajournals.orgThe Letters of Queen Victoria. Project Gutenberg. https://www.gutenberg.org/files/20023/20023-h/20023-h.htmYamamoto, J. (2003). Perry in Japan, a visual history. Brown University Library Centre for Digital Scholarship. https://library.brown.edu/cds/perry/scroll9_Yamamoto.html?utm_source (geraadpleegd op 2/12/2025).Beeld: Wikimedia CommonsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
https://BetterHealthGuy.comWhy You Should Listen: In this episode, you will learn about the many pieces that contribute to the puzzle of Long COVID. About My Guest: My guest for this episode is Dr. Robin Rose. Robin Rose, DO, author of "The 28-Day Gut Fix," is a double board-certified specialist in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, specializing in gut health and Long COVID. She is founder and CEO of Terrain Health where she practices next-generation precision healthcare, integrating systems biology with an innovative approach that requires a deep understanding of each person's biochemical, genetic, and lifestyle factors. Her comprehensive approach prioritizes patient-centered care by creating healthcare interventions that are more precise, personalized, predictive, participatory and preventative. Her philosophy is deeply rooted in healing her patients from the inside out so they will age LESS. Dr. Robin received her bachelor's degree in Behavioral Neuroscience from Lehigh University, graduating with honors. She then went on to obtain her master's degree in Neuropsychology from New York University. Dr. Robin received her medical degree from the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine, graduating with honors, and was inducted into the Psi Sigma Alpha Osteopathic National Honor Society. She did her postgraduate training in Internal Medicine, followed by fellowship in Gastroenterology and Hepatology, at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, and holds board certifications in both disciplines. Dr. Robin practices longevity medicine teaching women and men how to achieve their best selves by restoring and optimizing gut health, balancing hormones, and proactively managing metabolic, cardiovascular, and brain health. Maximizing these outcomes will pave the way for optimal healthspan and performance and looking and feeling your best! Key Takeaways: What is Long COVID? What are the symptoms or phenotypes of Long COVID? How does SARS-CoV-2 act as a bacteriophage impacting our microbiome? Who is more likely to develop Long COVID? Should ongoing exposures be avoided even if someone already had COVID? What are ACE2 receptors? Furin cleavage site? Receptor binding domain? What testing is used to explore Long COVID? Is there a direct test available for spike protein? What role does coagulation and vascular health play in Long COVID? How do MCAS, POTS, and EDS enter the Long COVID discussion? What is the role of neuroinflammation in Long COVID? Has cognitive decline accelerated during the pandemic era? What role do mitochondria play in Long COVID? What iron dysregulation pattern is commonly observed? Have more cancers been seen since the start of the pandemic? Do EMFs play a role in those struggling with Long COVID? How is treatment of the sensitive patient approached? What is the high-level treatment methodology for those struggling with Long COVID? How are bacteriophages addressed and the microbiome restored? What is a spike protein binder? What is the role of senolytics in removing spike proteins from the body? Where does autoimmunity enter the COVID conversation? What is Vedicinals®9? Is there a place for Ivermectin? How should the sinuses be supported? Do EBOO or TPE play a role in Long COVID recovery? Connect With My Guest: TerrainHealth.org Related Resources: Vedicinals® USA Vedicinals®9 Sequesterol® Senolescence® Neuralescence® Night Use code BETTERHEALTH for 25% off Our Wellness Journey Spike Protein Testing - https://ourwellnessjourney.us Interview Date: November 17, 2025 Transcript: To review a transcript of this show, visit https://BetterHealthGuy.com/Episode225. Support the Show: To support the show and Buy Me a Coffee, visit https://betterhealthguy.link/BuyMeACoffee. Additional Information: To learn more, visit https://BetterHealthGuy.com. Follow Me on Social Media: Facebook - https://facebook.com/betterhealthguy Instagram - https://instagram.com/betterhealthguy X - https://twitter.com/betterhealthguy TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@betterhealthguy Disclosure: BetterHealthGuy.com is an affiliate of Vedicinals USA. Disclaimer: The content of this show is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any illness or medical condition. Nothing in today's discussion is meant to serve as medical advice or as information to facilitate self-treatment. As always, please discuss any potential health-related decisions with your own personal medical authority.
FOR MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS:
In this bonus episode of A Friend for the Long Haul, I get to talk with Dr. Julia Moore Vogel from Scripps Research. I slid into her DMs to see if she'd like to join me to discuss the recruitment and structure of a new clinical trial examining the effects of tirzepatide, a dual GLP-1 and GIP agonist, on long COVID symptoms. Dr. Vogel is the Senior Program Director, The Participant Center, All of Us Research Program. She's a fellow long hauler and "manages The Participant Center (TPC) for the All of Us Research Program which is charged with recruiting and retaining 350,000 individuals that represent the diversity of the United States. TPC aims to make it possible for interested individuals anywhere in the US to become active participants, for example by collaborating with numerous outreach partners to raise awareness, collecting biosamples nationwide, returning participants' results and developing self-guided workflows that enable participants to join whenever is convenient for them." (Thanks for letting me borrow the blurb, Scripps.
Ehhh kia ora e te homies! Here's what you missed on the show today: Arun & Nickson looked like a gay couple last night Eds tells you if your voice is big back Nickson has to make a big apology this morning … So does Arun … So does Fame … Team trip to Wash World yesterday was INTERESTING What does your Christmas work party say about you? Shot for listening, From Eds AKA Eric AKA Edith AKA Eteni
Serving SMB mid-market customers is one thing, but when you go upstream to enterprise sales, everything changes: go-to-market strategy, the sales process, how you structure deals, even how you define customer value. Today's guest, Andrew Casey, has helped scale four SaaS companies: ServiceNow, WalkMe, Lacework, and his current company, Amplitude. At ServiceNow, he worked closely with Snowflake's Mike Scarpelli and Coatue's David Schneider, and he was instrumental in establishing the company's deal desk to support its sales motion. As an operationally focused CFO, he shares a wealth of knowledge on the importance of staying close to the customer, structuring deals that work for both sides, establishing transparency in usage-based pricing, aligning incentives and strategy in sales, the pros and cons of multi-year deals, the problem with auto-renewals and what to do instead, and how to adapt your go-to-market strategy when moving from SMB mid-market to enterprise.—SPONSORS:Metronome is real-time billing built for modern software companies. Metronome turns raw usage events into accurate invoices, gives customers bills they actually understand, and keeps finance, product, and engineering perfectly in sync. That's why category-defining companies like OpenAI and Anthropic trust Metronome to power usage-based pricing and enterprise contracts at scale. Focus on your product — not your billing. Learn more and get started at https://www.metronome.comMercury is business banking built for builders, giving founders and finance pros a financial stack that actually works together. From sending wires to tracking balances and approving payments, Mercury makes it simple to scale without friction. Join the 200,000+ entrepreneurs who trust Mercury and apply online in minutes at https://www.mercury.comRightRev automates the revenue recognition process from end to end, gives you real-time insights, and ensures ASC 606 / IFRS 15 compliance—all while closing books faster. For RevRec that auditors actually trust, visit https://www.rightrev.com and schedule a demo.Tipalti automates the entire payables process—from onboarding suppliers to executing global payouts—helping finance teams save time, eliminate costly errors, and scale confidently across 200+ countries and 120 currencies. More than 5,000 businesses already trust Tipalti to manage payments with built-in security and tax compliance. Visit https://www.tipalti.com/runthenumbers to learn more.Aleph automates 90% of manual, error-prone busywork, so you can focus on the strategic work you were hired to do. Minimize busywork and maximize impact with the power of a web app, the flexibility of spreadsheets, and the magic of AI. Get a personalised demo at https://www.getaleph.com/runFidelity Private Shares is the all-in-one equity management platform that keeps your cap table clean, your data room organized, and your equity story clear—so you never risk losing a fundraising round over messy records. Schedule a demo at https://www.fidelityprivateshares.com and mention Mostly Metrics to get 20% off.—Andrew Casey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-casey-6b14875/Amplitude: https://amplitude.comCJ on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cj-gustafson-13140948/Mostly metrics: https://www.mostlymetrics.com—RELATED EPISODES:An Operationally-Focused CFO's Guide to Scaling From SMB to Enterprise: Lessons From ServiceNowhttps://youtu.be/iUpMAQ14YpM—TIMESTAMPS:00:00:00 Preview and Intro00:03:27 Sponsors – Metronome, Mercury, RightRev00:07:08 Andrew joins the podcast00:08:10 Becoming an operational CFO00:09:25 Early customer-empathy beginnings at Sun00:11:34 How customer-empathy shaped Andrew's career00:14:08 Navigating HP's troubled EDS contracts00:16:05 Sponsors – Tipalti, Aleph, Fidelity Private Shares00:19:37 Returning from ads – running toward hard markets00:20:13 Scaling ServiceNow's sales operations00:23:27 Breaking into the trusted circle after the Q1 miss00:25:26 Building and scaling the ServiceNow deal desk00:28:11 Principles of transparent, value-aligned pricing00:30:17 Rethinking metering models and usage alignment00:33:01 Diagnosing budget constraints vs. cash timing00:36:14 Incentives, comp plans, and high-trust selling00:39:21 Training enterprise reps for long-term value00:40:17 Multi-year deals and when they actually work00:43:05 Overselling, discount levers, and ZIRP contract bloat00:45:58 How enterprise scale transforms go-to-market00:51:03 Pipeline coverage and maturity modeling00:54:02 Not all pipeline dollars are created equal00:57:05 Career-risk mindset in enterprise selling01:00:02 Defining enterprise and moving upmarket01:01:00 A business-first approach to the CFO role01:03:10 Getting hired at ServiceNow01:06:37 Building GTM finance, deal desk, and a 400-person org01:08:00 Lightning round – biggest mistakes and IR lesson01:11:10 Advice to his younger self and leading through change01:13:34 Defining customers, ARR accuracy, and hierarchy pitfalls01:15:12 The wildest expense attempt ever submitted#RunTheNumbersPodcast #SaaSFinance #EnterpriseSelling #GTMStrategy #CFOInsights This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit cjgustafson.substack.com
Okay girlfriend, we're going there. We're talking about the thing nobody talks about when it comes to eating disorders: sex, intimacy, and what's happening (or NOT happening) in your bedroom. If you've noticed your sex drive has disappeared, you're avoiding intimacy with your partner, you can't be present during sex because you're too busy worrying about what your body looks like, or your relationship is suffering and you don't know why - this episode is for you. Host Lindsey Nichol gets incredibly vulnerable about her own experience with blocked intimacy during her eating disorder - how she was physically shut down, emotionally unavailable, and performing instead of experiencing. She shares the research-backed reasons why eating disorders completely sabotage intimacy (spoiler: your body is literally in survival mode), and gives you practical tools to address it. This isn't just about emotional connection - we're talking about SEX. Physical intimacy. The bedroom. Your relationship with your spouse or partner. Because your eating disorder isn't just stealing your relationship with food and your body. It's stealing your relationship with your partner too. In this episode, you'll learn: The 5 reasons why intimacy gets completely blocked when you have an eating disorder Why your libido has disappeared (hint: hormones, energy, survival mode) How body shame follows you into the bedroom Why you can't experience pleasure when you're disconnected from your body How to check your "intimacy temperature" and get honest about where you are Exactly what to say to your partner about what's going on Practical steps to start reconnecting This is real talk. This is vulnerable. This is the conversation we need to have. So grab your favorite Tarjay journal and let's get into it. Content Note: This episode discusses sexual intimacy and eating disorders openly. Best listened to in a private space. In This Episode, You'll Hear: Lindsey's Vulnerable Truth What intimacy looked like when she was in the thick of her eating disorder Being in a relationship while physically and emotionally shut down Not being present during sex - performing instead of experiencing Constantly worried about what her body looked like during intimacy Anxious thoughts: "Is my stomach flat enough? Can he feel certain parts? Should the lights be off? Should I keep my shirt on?" The realization: She wasn't experiencing intimacy, she was performing it The Research Nobody Talks About Women with eating disorders experience significantly higher rates of sexual dysfunction Lower libido, avoidance of intimacy, relationship dissatisfaction are common We suffer in silence, fake it, avoid it, make excuses And our relationships suffer while we pretend everything is fine The Question We're Answering Why is intimacy blocked when you struggle with an eating disorder? And what can you actually DO about it? The 5 Reasons Why Intimacy Gets Blocked: Reason #1: Your Body is Literally Shutting Down When you restrict food, your body goes into survival mode Sex, reproduction, intimacy are NOT essential for survival Your hormones tank: estrogen, progesterone, testosterone plummet Your libido disappears completely You lose your period (amenorrhea) Your energy is non-existent Research shows women with anorexia and bulimia have significantly disrupted hormone levels All of these hormones impact sexual desire and function If you have zero sex drive, if intimacy feels like a chore, if you're exhausted - your body is saying "I don't have resources for this" Your body is trying to keep you alive, not reproduce Reason #2: You're Disconnected From Your Body When you spend every day hating, criticizing, punishing your body - you disconnect You dissociate from physical sensations The problem: You can't experience pleasure in a body you're not connected to Intimacy requires being IN your body, feeling sensations, being present But when you're trapped in your head analyzing what you look like - you're performing, not experiencing Research: Women with eating disorders report significantly higher body image concerns during sexual activity This directly correlates with lower sexual satisfaction and avoidance behaviors You can't enjoy intimacy when you're worried about appearance the entire time Reason #3: The Shame is Paralyzing Body shame doesn't stay in the mirror - it follows you into the bedroom When you feel disgusting in your own skin, how are you supposed to let someone see it? Touch it? The shame is so heavy that many women avoid intimacy altogether Making excuses, shutting down, pulling away Being vulnerable and exposed when you feel shame about your body is terrifying Intimacy requires vulnerability - shame blocks that completely Reason #4: You're Emotionally Unavailable When you're consumed by an eating disorder, there's no room for anything else Your entire mental and emotional bandwidth is taken up by food thoughts, body checking, planning, restricting, compensating You don't have capacity to show up emotionally for your partner Can't connect, can't be present, can't be intimate beyond the physical act Intimacy requires emotional availability When your eating disorder is screaming 24/7, you're not available - you're surviving Reason #5: Control Issues Prevent Vulnerability Eating disorders are about CONTROL Intimacy requires letting GO of control, being vulnerable, surrendering If you can't let go of control long enough to eat without anxiety, how can you surrender during intimacy? The same rigidity and need for control with food shows up in the bedroom It blocks true intimacy completely The Impact on Your Relationship: What This Means: Distance and disconnection in your relationship Your partner might feel rejected, confused, helpless They might think you're not attracted to them anymore They might think they did something wrong You feel guilty, broken, like you're failing at one more thing "I can't do anything right - not food, not my body, and now not my relationship" The Truth You Need to Hear: This is not a personal failure. This is a SYMPTOM of your eating disorder. Just like: Restriction is a symptom Body checking is a symptom Blocked intimacy is a symptom The Hope: Research shows that as women recover from eating disorders, sexual function, desire, and satisfaction improve SIGNIFICANTLY. Recovery doesn't just give you food freedom - it gives you intimacy freedom too. If your relationship is suffering, recovery is the answer. Not just for food. Not just for your body. But for your relationship too. What You Can Do About It (6 Action Steps): Step 1: Check Your Intimacy Temperature Get honest with yourself. On a scale of 1-10, where is your intimacy RIGHT NOW? Not where you think it should be. Not where it used to be. Where is it TODAY? Ask yourself: Am I avoiding intimacy? Am I going through the motions? Am I anxious the entire time? Am I emotionally checked out? Is my libido non-existent? Am I making excuses to avoid it? Get real about what's actually happening. You can't change what you won't acknowledge. Step 2: Recognize This is an ED Symptom Stop blaming yourself. Stop thinking you're broken or wrong or failing. This blocked intimacy is a SYMPTOM of your eating disorder. Your body is depleted. Your hormones are disrupted. You're disconnected. You're consumed. This isn't about: Not loving your partner enough Being inadequate Being broken Personal failure This is about your eating disorder stealing one MORE thing from you. Name it for what it is: An eating disorder symptom. Step 3: Bring It Into the Light - Talk to Your Partner This is the scariest step, but it's the most important. You have to talk to your spouse or partner about what's going on. When to Have This Conversation: NOT in the moment NOT during intimacy In a calm, safe space where you can be honest What to Say (Script): "Hey, I need to talk to you about something that's been hard for me. I've been struggling with my relationship with food and my body, and it's affecting our intimacy. I want you to know it has nothing to do with you or how I feel about you. My body is depleted, my hormones are off, and I'm having a hard time being present. I'm working on it, but I need you to know what's going on." You Don't Need: All the answers A complete plan To have everything figured out You Just Need: To be honest about what's happening To help them understand it's not about them To let them in instead of shutting them out Step 4: Start Small With Reconnection You don't have to fix everything overnight. Start somewhere small. Ideas: Physical touch that's NOT sexual - holding hands, cuddling, hugging Reconnecting with non-sexual physical intimacy first Being honest when you're not in the mood instead of forcing it or avoiding it Working on being present - staying in your body during intimacy instead of in your head Taking pressure off yourself and your partner Just start. Somewhere. Anywhere. Step 5: Work on Body Acceptance You don't have to LOVE your body to be intimate. But you do have to accept that your body is allowed to: Exist Be touched Experience pleasure Take up space This is work: Therapy work Coaching work Recovery work Daily practice work The more you work on accepting your body (not loving it, just ACCEPTING it), the more available you'll be for intimacy. Step 6: Prioritize Your Recovery If you want intimacy back in your relationship, you MUST prioritize recovery. Because the eating disorder is the blocker. What This Looks Like: Get support (coach, therapist, dietitian) Join a community Do the work of nourishing your body Work through the shame Address the control issues Heal the disconnection Recovery gives you: Food freedom Body peace Your relationship back Intimacy freedom Key Takeaways: ✨ Your ED isn't just stealing food freedom - it's stealing intimacy too ✨ Blocked intimacy is a SYMPTOM, not a personal failure ✨ Your body is in survival mode - sex is not a priority when you're starving ✨ You can't experience pleasure in a body you're disconnected from ✨ Body shame follows you into the bedroom and paralyzes intimacy ✨ You're emotionally unavailable because the ED consumes all your bandwidth ✨ Control issues with food show up as control issues with intimacy ✨ Research shows recovery improves sexual function, desire, and satisfaction ✨ You need to talk to your partner - bring it into the light ✨ Start small: reconnect with non-sexual touch first ✨ Body acceptance (not love) opens the door to intimacy ✨ Recovery gives you your relationship back Powerful Quotes from This Episode: "Let me just be really honest with you. When I was in the thick of my eating disorder, intimacy was one of the first things to go" "I wasn't experiencing intimacy. I was performing it. And I was anxious the entire time" "Research shows that women with eating disorders experience significantly higher rates of sexual dysfunction, lower libido, avoidance of intimacy, and relationship dissatisfaction" "But we don't talk about it. We suffer in silence. We fake it. We avoid it. We make excuses" "When you're restricting food, your body goes into survival mode. And guess what's not essential for survival? Sex. Reproduction. Intimacy" "You can't experience pleasure in a body you're not connected to" "Intimacy requires you to be IN your body. But when you're trapped in your head analyzing what you look like - you're performing" "Body shame doesn't stay in the mirror. It follows you into the bedroom" "When you're consumed by an eating disorder, there's no room for anything else" "Eating disorders are about control. And intimacy requires letting go of control" "This is not a personal failure. This is a symptom of your eating disorder" "Recovery doesn't just give you food freedom - it gives you intimacy freedom too" "If your relationship is suffering, recovery is the answer" "You can't change what you won't acknowledge" "Stop blaming yourself. This blocked intimacy is a SYMPTOM" "You don't have to have all the answers. You just have to be honest about what's happening" "You don't have to love your body to be intimate. But you do have to accept it" "Your eating disorder has stolen enough from you. Don't let it steal your intimacy too" Research-Backed Information: Sexual Dysfunction & Eating Disorders: Women with eating disorders experience significantly higher rates of sexual dysfunction Lower libido is common across all ED types Avoidance of intimacy and relationship dissatisfaction are prevalent Hormone Disruption: Women with anorexia and bulimia have significantly disrupted hormone levels Estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone all tank during restriction These hormones directly impact sexual desire and function Amenorrhea (loss of period) is common and signals reproductive system shutdown Body Image During Sex: Women with EDs report significantly higher body image concerns during sexual activity Body image concerns during sex directly correlate with lower sexual satisfaction This creates avoidance behaviors and performance anxiety Recovery Improves Everything: As women recover from eating disorders, sexual function improves Desire returns as hormones regulate Satisfaction increases as body acceptance grows Recovery restores intimacy capacity Questions to Reflect On: About Your Intimacy: On a scale of 1-10, where is your intimacy right now? Are you avoiding intimacy? How often? Are you going through the motions or truly present? What are you thinking about during intimacy? (Your body? His reaction? What you look like?) When did intimacy start feeling like a chore instead of connection? About Your Body: Do you insist on lights off? Shirt on? Certain positions only? Are you disconnected from physical sensations during sex? Can you feel pleasure or are you too in your head? What body parts are you most self-conscious about during intimacy? About Your Partner: Have you talked to them about what's going on? Do they know you're struggling with an eating disorder? Do they understand why intimacy has changed? Are you making excuses or being honest? About Your Recovery: Is blocked intimacy motivation for you to prioritize recovery? What would it mean to get intimacy back in your relationship? Are you willing to do the work to heal this area too? What's one small step you can take today? Who This Episode Is For: This episode is essential listening if you: Have noticed your sex drive has completely disappeared Avoid intimacy with your partner or spouse Go through the motions but aren't present during sex Can't stop thinking about what your body looks like during intimacy Insist on lights off, shirt on, or specific positions to hide your body Feel anxious or panicked about being intimate Make excuses to avoid sex Feel guilty about avoiding your partner Feel broken or like you're failing at your relationship Have a partner who feels rejected or confused Want to understand WHY this is happening Need practical tools to start reconnecting Are married or in a long-term relationship Are ready to bring this into the light and talk about it Want your relationship back Need to know recovery can restore intimacy The Conversation Starter (What to Say): The Script: "Hey, I need to talk to you about something that's been hard for me. I've been struggling with my relationship with food and my body, and it's affecting our intimacy. I want you to know it has nothing to do with you or how I feel about you. My body is depleted, my hormones are off, and I'm having a hard time being present. I'm working on it, but I need you to know what's going on." Why This Works: Acknowledges there's a problem Takes responsibility without self-blame Reassures your partner it's not about them Explains the physical reality (hormones, depletion) Shows you're working on it Opens the door for support What Happens Next: They might have questions They might be relieved you're talking about it They might not fully understand (and that's okay) The important thing is you brought it into the light Important Truths About Intimacy & EDs: Your Libido Disappearing is NOT Your Fault: It's biology. Your body is in survival mode. Sex is not essential for survival. Your hormones are disrupted. This is a symptom. You're Not Broken: Your body is responding exactly as it should to starvation and restriction. This is protective, not defective. Your Partner Isn't the Problem: Even if you're attracted to them, your body can't prioritize sexual function right now. This isn't about attraction. Shame is the Enemy: The shame you feel about your body during intimacy is what's blocking connection. The body itself isn't the problem - the shame is. Recovery Restores Everything: This isn't permanent. As you nourish your body, your hormones will regulate. Your libido will return. Your ability to be present will come back. Intimacy can be restored. You Deserve Intimacy: Even with an eating disorder, you deserve connection, pleasure, and intimacy. But you have to do the recovery work to get there. Ready for Support? Work with Lindsey One-on-One: If you're ready to prioritize your recovery - not just for food freedom, but for your relationship too - Lindsey offers personalized recovery coaching where you work through: The food piece The body image piece The relationship piece The intimacy piece ALL of it Your relationship deserves you showing up fully. Your partner deserves you being present. YOU deserve to experience intimacy without shame, anxiety, or the ED blocking it. Recovery gives you that. And Lindsey is here to help you get there. Ready for Support? Option 1: The Recovery Collective Join Lindsey's group coaching program where you'll get: Community support from women who understand Weekly guidance and tools Accountability for hard days Strategies for stomach triggers and body image struggles Option 2: One-on-One Personalized Coaching work directly with Lindsey for: Custom plan for YOUR triggers and challenges Weekly support and accountability Tools specific to your recovery journey Personal guidance through the hardest moments Learn more about both options at www.herbestself.co You don't have to navigate this alone. Let's walk through recovery together. Connect with Lindsey Website: www.herbestself.co Private Facebook Community: Her Best Self Society www.herbestselfsociety.com 1:1 Client Applications: HBS Co. Recovery Coaching - Client Application - Google Forms . Subscribe & Review: If this episode resonated with you—if you saw yourself in Lindsey's rejection story—please subscribe to Her Best Self wherever you listen to podcasts and leave a review. Your reviews help other women who are tired of perfectionism and people-pleasing find this show and realize they're not alone. Share this episode with a friend who needs to hear the truth! About the Host Lindsey Nichol is a former competitive figure skater turned God-led entrepreneur, boy mom, and digital CEO. She understands how core beliefs formed in childhood can create and maintain eating disorder patterns, and she's passionate about helping women identify and transform these beliefs to find lasting freedom. If this episode helped you feel hopeful again and remember your worth isn't found in your body or on your plate, please share it with someone who needs to hear this message. Your support helps more women break the chains of limiting beliefs. *While I am a certified health coach, anorexia survivor & eating disorder recovery coach, I do not intend the use of this message to serve as medical advice. Please refer to the disclaimer here in the show & be sure to contact a licensed clinical provider if you are struggling with an eating disorder.
In this solo episode, Dr. Linda Bluestein brings on her producers to help unpack the hidden complications that can follow seemingly routine medical procedures. From the lingering effects of breast surgery to the controversial use of nitrous oxide, Dr. Bluestein explores how standard treatments can backfire, especially for patients with EDS, MCAS, or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). She also dives into the surprising risks of cervical collars, and why something that feels stabilizing may actually worsen pain over time. If you've ever been told your symptoms “shouldn't be happening,” this episode might finally connect the dots. Takeaways Dr. Bluestein explains how this commonly used sedative can trigger or worsen neurological symptoms in vulnerable patients and why you might want to avoid it. From scar sensitivity to chronic nerve pain, Dr. Bluestein explores the challenges many face but few anticipate. You'll learn when collars are truly helpful and when they might prolong instability, weakness, and pain. This condition affects the nervous system in ways most clinicians miss. Dr. Bluestein breaks down how to recognize early signs and advocate for better care. Dr. Bluestein reveals the disconnect between standard protocols and what EDS/MCAS patients actually experience in the OR and during recovery. Want more Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD? Website: https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@bendybodiespodcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hypermobilitymd/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BendyBodiesPodcast X: https://twitter.com/BluesteinLinda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hypermobilitymd/ Newsletter: https://hypermobilitymd.substack.com/ Shop my Amazon store https://www.amazon.com/shop/hypermobilitymd Dr. Bluestein's Recommended Herbs, Supplements and Care Necessities: https://us.fullscript.com/welcome/hypermobilitymd/store-start Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them. Join YOUR Bendy Bodies community at https://www.bendybodiespodcast.com/. YOUR bendy body is our highest priority! Learn more about Human Content at http://www.human-content.com Podcast Advertising/Business Inquiries: sales@human-content.com Part of the Human Content Podcast Network FTC: This video is not sponsored. Links are commissionable, meaning I may earn commission from purchases made through links Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode we're delving back into the world of OBM with special guest Dr. Doug Johnson. And after giving us a crash course in meaningful instrucitonal design, Dr. Johnson discusses many of the ways that meaningful teaching can leverge amazing business trainings. Shockingly tons of video and flashy graphics don't actually make your new employee orientation webinar good. There are rules about this kind of stuff, and Dr. Johnson points out some of the most important ones. This episode is available for 1.0 LEARNING CEU. Articles discussed this episode: Johnson, D.A. (2021). The foundations of behavior-based instructional design within business. In Houmanfar, R.A., Fryling, M., & Alavosius, M.P. (Eds.), Applied behavior science in organizations. (pp. 65-80). Routledge. doi: 10.4324/9781003198949-3 Johnson, D.A., Li, A., McCalpin, A.L., & Laske, M.M. (2024). The advancement of training within business using behavior-based instructional design. Journal of Organizational Behavior Management, 44, 150-171. doi: 10.1080/01608061.2023.2225792 If you're interested in ordering CEs for listening to this episode, click here to go to the store page. You'll need to enter your name, BCBA #, and the two episode secret code words to complete the purchase. Email us at abainsidetrack@gmail.com for further assistance.
Would you ever switch your lavish lifestyle to live completely off grid? Angie from Real Housewives of Salt Lake City did for Wife Swap with her husband Shawn! Shawn gets candid with Eddie and Edwin which he prefers filming, housewives or wife swap? Plus, would he be able to handle certain bathroom situations the same way Angie did in Idaho?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Psychologists Off The Clock: A Psychology Podcast About The Science And Practice Of Living Well
Parenting in the digital age can feel overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be. For this episode, Emily brings in the insight of Ash Brandin for a thoughtful conversation about her book, Power On, and what healthy screen use can actually look like for families. With over 15 years of hands-on experience teaching in the classroom, Ash shares a perspective that moves away from fear and guilt, encouraging parents to think about screens with the same balance and neutrality we often bring to food or other everyday choices.By the end, you'll hopefully have a more compassionate lens for thinking about tech and some practical, flexible ideas for creating a calm, balanced approach to screen time that truly fits with your own family's life.Listen and Learn: How viewing kids' screen time with moral neutrality can help parents move past guilt and fear to understand the real purposes screens serve and the deeper systemic issues driving our reliance on themWhy the old “two-hour screen limit” is outdated and oversimplified, and how a personalized family media plan can lead to healthier, more sustainable screen useReframing of screen time and how systemic factors make it unfair to place all the blame or responsibility on individual parents, and why true change requires collective, not individual, solutionsHow self-determination theory explains kids' relationships with screens, not as addiction but as a way to meet core needs for autonomy, competence, and connection, and how parents can stay neutral, understand what needs are being met, and help kids find healthy, varied ways to fulfill themWhy not everything that releases dopamine is addictive, how our relationship to an activity matters more than the activity itself, and why screens aren't “evil dopamine machines”Resources: Power on: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family https://bookshop.org/a/30734/9780306836992Ash's Website https://www.thegamereducator.com/Connect with Ashon Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/thegamereducatorhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-brandin025For More on Ash's Work, Subscribe to their Substack https://thegamereducator.substack.com/ About Ash BrandinAsh Brandin, EdS, known online as TheGamerEducator, empowers families to make screen time sustainable, manageable, and beneficial for the whole family. Now in their 15th year of teaching middle school, they help caregivers navigate the world of tech with consistent, loving boundaries, founded on respect for children, appreciation of video games and tech, and knowledge of pedagogical techniques. Ash has appeared on podcasts including Re:Thinking with Adam Grant, Good Inside with Dr. Becky, Care and Feeding from Slate, Brave Writer Podcast with Julie Bogart, Learning Curve with Mr. Chazz, Burnt Toast with Virginia Sole-Smith, Your Parenting Mojo with Jen Lumanlan, and Kid Talk with Katie Plunkett, and has contributed to articles featured on Romper, Scary Mommy, Lifehacker, The Daily Beast, USA Today, and NPR. Their bestselling book, "Power On: Managing Screen Time to Benefit the Whole Family" debuted in August, 2025. In their free time, Ash loves to hike, bake, play video games, and spend time with their family. Related Episodes382. The Anxious Generation? The Conversation We Should Be Having About Kids, Technology, and Mental Health369. The Good News About Adolescence with Ellen Galinsky319. Autonomy-Supportive Parenting with Emily Edlynn317. Growing Up in Public with Devorah Heitner256. Social Justice Parenting with Traci BaxleySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.