Katy Bowman

Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr. Jeannette Loram unpack emerging research on heart disease, inflammation, cholesterol, and arterial plaque. Inspired by a recent Scientific American article, they explore what plaque is, how and why it forms, and how blood flow patterns influence where plaque accumulates in the arteries. They discuss recent evidence that places inflammation as a foundational piece of heart disease and how the ‘spiky’ shape and structure of cholesterol in plaque has a direct role in the inflammatory pathways and immune system overreactions that occur in heart disease. Katy and Jeannette offer practical insights into how r...

This is the Men’s Health episode in honour of Father’s Day this month. Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr Jeannette Loram discuss health issues more common in male bodies, including abdominal aortic aneurysms, type 2 diabetes, gout, and male pelvic health. Drawing on anatomy, physiology, and lifestyle habits, they explore why men may be more susceptible to these conditions and offer movement and lifestyle solutions to consider. They also take a deeper look at the relationships between abdominal aortic aneurysms, pelvic health, and how chair sitting and sedentary lifestyles may affect both. Whether you're interested in men's health or caring for the men in your life, this episode offers a fresh perspective on common health challenges through a movement lens. Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript 0:00 — Intro and welcome. 2:40 — Conditions more common in men: abdominal aortic aneurysms, diabetes, gout, and testicular issues. 3:40 — Thanks to our sponsors: the Dynamic Collective. 6:20 — What is an abdominal aortic aneurysm? 9:33 — Why are abdominal aortic aneurysms more prevalent in men? 16:10 — Sitting as a cardiovascular risk factor. 17:07 — Testicles, chairs, and pelvic tucking. 25:20 — Waist stiffness, abdominal weakness, and pelvic floor function. 29:19 — Movement considerations for pelvic and abdominal health. 31:00 — Type 2 diabetes, muscle loss, and men’s health. 32:48 — Gout: why men are more at risk and exercise considerations. 37:30 — Listener question: male vs. female flexibility (sponsored by Ikaria Design ). Books, Links and Resources: Rethink Your Position by Katy Bowman Diabetes and Exercise: How Exactly Muscle Movement Manages Blood Sugar –– Podcast Ep 187 Connect, Move & Learn: Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses Follow Katy on Substack Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days! Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors: Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10 ScreenFit™: a complete online vision training program —take $200 off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus. Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs and floor cushions that encourage dynamic sitting My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable shoe recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA Freet Barefoot: creators of comfortable barefoot shoes built for natural movement, flexibility, and durability— use code DNA10</stron

Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr Jeannette Loram explore the fascinating world of vibration: the benefits and costs of impact to the body and the importance of sensing vibration in humans and other animals. Katy and Jeannette discuss how foot impacts during walking may actually form part of the brain’s circulatory system. They also unpack the science of vibration plates and whether they are useful for muscle strength, bone health, and balance. The conversation then turns to running, exploring how it generates vibrations through the body’s soft tissues, how these vibrations may affect performance, and what runners can do about it. Finally, they share some remarkable examples of vibration sensing in animals and consider how modern lifestyles may limit this sense in humans. The discussion on impact and contact with the ground continues with Mike Dally of Earth Runners® , creators of minimalist earthing sandals. Katy and Mike talk about the aims of minimalist footwear in reducing interference between the foot and the ground, how to adapt to minimalist sandals, and new designs in development, including an easy-to-put-on children’s sandal. Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript 0:00 The barefoot shoe expo debrief 3:40 The Dynamic Collective 6:40 Introduction to vibrations and waves 8:22 Walking vibrations and brain health 13:26 Vibrations and bone: building bone and fracture 16:04 Soft tissue vibration during running 17:45 Vibration plates: how do they work, and are they worth it? 25:25 Running revisited 33:44 Vibration sensing in animals 40:08 Mike Dally from Earth Runners® 52:25 Over-engineering health solutions rather than removing interference 56:00 Adapting to minimalist sandals 58:40 New products coming up: user-friendly children’s sandals 1:06:45 Listener question on foot pressure issues, sponsored by Movemate Books, Links and Resources: An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Yong Mary Roach books Katy’s stylish strappy shoes How Walking Benefits The Brain Tacoma Narrows bridge collapse The Ins, Outs, Ups and Downs of Breast Movement Interview with Dr Libby Hinsley: Hypermobility, Proprioception & Building Up a Bendy Body - Podcast Ep #177 Earth Runners® Sandals Connect, Move & Learn: Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses Follow Katy on Substack Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days! Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors: Movemate: Active standing board

Biomechanist Katy Bowman speaks with physical therapist Dr Anietie (Tia) Ukpe-Wallace about pelvic health, movement, and self-care. They discuss Tia’s recent book, Tending To Your Womb , a guide to caring for the uterus and pelvic tissues through awareness, movement, and practical self-care strategies. In this episode, Katy and Tia focus on movement-based approaches for uterine retroversion, a pelvic misalignment that can contribute to sacral pain, sciatic symptoms, and constipation. They also explore clitoral atrophy — a reduction in tissue size, tone, and flexibility that can occur during menopause — and share movement and self-care practices to help maintain mobility and function. Tune in and join in for a guided pelvic clock movement sequence taught by Tia. Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript 0:00 Intro & New Dynamic Collective 6:56 Meet Dr. Tia Ukpe-Wallace 9:49 Misalignments of the uterus 15:30 Symptoms of a retroverted uterus: constipation, sacral pain & sciatica 19:55 The pelvic clock: join in with a guided practice! 27:43 Clitoral atrophy in menopause & movement-based approaches 35:24 Self-care: not indulgence, but simple body maintenance 42:25 Where to find Tia Ukpe-Wallace 46:34 Listener question on prolapse, sponsored by Earth Runners Books, Links and Resources: Tending to your Womb: Self-Care for Every Stage of Your Reproductive Journey, No Matter the Outcome by Anietie Ukpe-Wallace About Tia Ukpe-Wallace Tia on Instagram @selfcarephysio Connect, Move & Learn: Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses Follow Katy on Substack Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days! Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors: Freet Barefoot: creators of comfortable barefoot shoes built for natural movement, flexibility, and durability— use code DNA10 for 10% off. Earth Runners: makers of minimalist earthing sandals designed for natural foot movement and connection to the ground— use code DNA10 for 10% off. ScreenFit™: a complete online vision training program —take $200 off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable shoe recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10 Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus. Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs and floor cu

Biomechanist Katy Bowman speaks with gerontologist and author Dr. Kerry Burnight about her concept of joyspan—a missing piece in how we think about aging well. We often hear about lifespan (how long we live) and healthspan (how long we stay physically well), but what about the quality of those years? Dr. Burnight introduces joyspan as our capacity to experience a meaningful, fulfilling life as we age. In this framework, joy is not simple happiness, but a deeper sense of wellbeing that can coexist with challenge, grief, and change. Katy and Dr. Burnight explore the Joyspan Matrix—Give, Connect, Adapt, and Grow—and how these actions enable us to thrive as we age. Rather than viewing aging as inevitable decline they discuss aging as development, the positives of aging and how to step into eldership. Katy also speaks with our sponsor, Sohail Shariff of Movemate, creators of a unique dynamic wooden standing board that provides continuous, wave-like movement in the body while you are working at your desk or at home. They discuss how the board supports musculoskeletal health, while also improving focus, creativity, and calm—reducing fatigue and the mental boredom and stagnation that comes from prolonged stillness. They also explore the role of play in the design, and how a serious problem—sedentary behavior—can be addressed in a way that is engaging, enjoyable, and even joyful. Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript 00:00 – Lifespan, Healthspan… and Joyspan 01:20 – Dynamic Collective Sponsors 02:30 – Dr Kerry Burnight Explains Joyspan: The Science of Thriving As You Age 09:40 – The Joyspan Matrix: Grow, Connect, Adapt, Give 19:30 – Giving, Purpose & Becoming an Elder (Rethinking Aging) 42:00 – Meet Movemate : A Dynamic Standing Board for Work and Play 46:00 – How Movemate Works: Movement, Feeling & Physical Benefits 49:15 – Cognitive & Emotional Effects of the Movemate Board 54:00 – Play & Solving Sedentary Behavior With Enjoyable Movement Tools 1:05:20 – Listener question: resolving amenorrhea, sponsored by Ikaria Design Books, Links and Resources: Joyspan: The Art and Science of Thriving in Life’s Second Half – Dr Kerry Burnight About Dr Kerry Burnight (gerontologist, author of Joyspan) Dr Kerry Burnight on Instagram Movemate – Dynamic Active Standing Board for Work & Play Movemate on Instagram Connect, Move & Learn: Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses Follow Katy on Substack Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days! Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors: . Peluva: Five-toe minimalist shoes that move like you do—take 10% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus. Smart Playrooms: Be

Frailty isn’t just something that happens “later”; it’s a gradual loss of resilience that can begin much earlier than most people think. Katy Bowman and Dr. Jeannette Loram unpack what frailty and pre-frailty mean biologically. They explore the five key hallmarks used to identify frailty, including walking speed and grip strength, and how a large proportion of people in their 30s and 40s already fall on the spectrum of pre-frailty. The conversation also explores the muscle–gut connection, explaining how frailty is influenced by exercise, diet, and the health of your microbiome. Katy and Jeannette also discuss the potential for rapid-onset frailty linked to the use of GLP-1 medications. Most importantly, frailty can be reversed and this episode focuses on what you can do. From simple ways to improve resilience through movement, nutrition, and rest, to understanding how your attitude toward aging might influence your resilience Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript 00:00 – Intro + Sponsors 01:30 – What Is Frailty (and Pre-Frailty) 03:00 – The 5 Hallmarks of Frailty 10:50 – How Pre-Frailty Can Start in Your 30s 12:40 – Muscle–Gut Connection & the Microbiome 19:40 – Exercise as “Fuel” for Your Microbiome 27:30 – Supplementation and the Psychology of Change 29:50 – GLP-1 Medication & Rapid-Onset Frailty 42:20 – Listener Question: Finding Glute Strength (Sponsored by Peluva) Resources and Books Mentioned: Joyspan by Kerry Burnight Frailty Sets In Far Earlier Than You’d Expect But You Can Reverse It, by David Cox in the New Scientist Frailty and pre-frailty in middle-aged and older adults and its association with multimorbidity and mortality: a prospective analysis of 493 737 biobank participants by Hanlon et al 2018 Evidence For The Contribution Of Gut Microbiota To Age-Related Anabolic Resistance by Watson et al 2021 Semaglutide Therapy and Accelerated Sarcopenia in Older Adults With Type-2 Diabetes: A 24-Month Retrospective Cohort Study by Ren et al 2025 Connect, Move & Learn: Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses Follow Katy on Substack Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days! Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors: . My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10 Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs that encourage dynamic sitting Peluva: Five-toe minim

Inspired by a moving letter from a parent of an adult son with autism, biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr. Jeannette Loram explore the relationship between movement, health, and quality of life for people with disabilities. They are joined by Kristina Montgomery, a special education teacher at a school for children and young adults affected by autism, and a behavior analyst working with Essential for Living, a curriculum designed for those with learning difficulties. Through her work, Kristina teaches an event-based approach to learning—one that moves away from abstract, isolated skills and instead “stacks” goals within meaningful, naturally occurring events. This approach supports not only skill development, but also health, social inclusion, and caregiver sustainability. Together, they discuss the importance of choosing activities that are meaningful to the learner both in the moment and for future independence, and the shift from instructing a task to modeling it alongside the student. Kristina also shares how powerful movement stacking has been in her work, improving both the happiness and wellbeing of the people she supports. This episode is a powerful reminder that movement truly is for every body, and that by embedding it into daily life, caregiving, parenting, and teaching can become more sustainable, and joyful for everyone involved. Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript 00:00 – A Letter from a Parent of an Autistic Son 04:50 – Movement & Disability: Movement is for Every Body 07:57 – Podcast Sponsors 09:44 – Introduction to Kristina Montgomery 14:00 – Essential for Living: Life Skills Curriculum 15:58 – What Are Functional Life Skills? 19:45 – Movement, Health, and Wellness in Special Education 23:05 – What and Why is Movement Stacking? 37:00 – Designing Environments to Promote Movement and Education 44:12 – Event-Based Teaching Course 53:46 – Listener Question: Balance Training with a Sore Knee Resources, Books and Courses Mentioned: Kristina Montgomery Learn more about Kristina and her work in special education and behavior analysis. Event-Based Learning Course (Essential for Living) A practical course on designing special education goals using event-based learning and movement stacking. Includes 20% discount for listeners. Essential for Living: Introduction Course An overview of the Essential for Living curriculum and its core principles. Includes 20% discount for listeners. Grow Wild Book Club – Katy Bowman A free book club for therapists and parents of neurodivergent children. Connect, Move & Learn: Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses Follow Katy on Substack Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days! Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors: Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs that encourage dynamic sitting. My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realig

We dive into the often-overlooked topic of amenorrhea: the absence of menstruation. Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr. Jeannette Loram unpack the science with a focus on Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (FHA) linked to energy deficiency in athletes. They explore how intense training and and sport pressures around leanness or weight can disrupt regular hormonal signals, affecting long-term bone density, cardiovascular health, and performance. They also discuss the original concept of the Female Athlete Triad (low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density) and its evolution into RED-S (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport), a more holistic model encompassing many aspects of health and wellbeing. The conversation expands into evolutionary perspectives, comparing Western menstrual experiences—from menarche to menopause—with those of hunter-gatherer populations like the Hadza, and questioning what “normal” really means. Ultimately, this episode reframes intense athletics as a nuanced practice that must be supported by adequate nutrition and recovery. Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript 00:00 – Intro & Sponsors 02:45 – What Is Amenorrhea? 05:40 – Primary vs Secondary Amenorrhea 09:00 – Functional Hypothalamic Amenorrhea (FHA): Energy deficiency and hormonal suppression 11:10 – Female Athlete Triad → RED-S: Evolution of understanding in sports science 21:30 – The Hadza perspective: menarche to menopause 25:25 – Negative consequences of amenorrhea: Bone Health 29:15 – IUD induced amenorrhea 37:00 – Historical and modern timelines for menarche compared to the Hadza 50:45 – Closing thoughts on ancient humans Links & Research Mentioned: Substack article that prompted this episode Dr Jen Gunter’s article on the hormonal IUD and bone health Foraging & Menstruation in the Hadza of Tanzania Comparison between The Female Athlete Triad & RED-S Connect, Move & Learn: Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses Follow Katy on Substack Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days! Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors: Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10 . Smart Playrooms: Beautiful playroom design and movement-rich equipment— save 10% on monkey bars and rock-wall items with code DNA10 . Peluva: Five-toe minimalist shoes that move like you do—take 10% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus. My Hap

Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr. Jeannette Loram explain how just nine minutes of vigorous activity can make a measurable difference for your cardiovascular health. They break down what counts as vigorous exercise, how to gauge it “old skool” without complicated gadgets, and how much is needed based on the movement patterns of the heart-healthy Hadza. Plus, they share nine practical ways to fit short bursts of higher-intensity movement into your day , from running stairs and kitchen dance parties to treading water in a pool. The episode also explores a personal experience related to the menopause transition , including the onset of salt sensitivity, water retention, and hypertension. Katy and Jeannette discuss the link between estrogen and salt management , explaining why the loss of estrogen can make women more susceptible to salt-induced high blood pressure—and what lifestyle shifts can help protect heart health. Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript 00:00 — Introduction & Sponsors 01:50 — Heart Health and Midlife Movement 03:45 — What Counts as Vigorous Exercise? 07:00 — How Much Vigorous Do We Actually Need? Insights from the Hadza 12:30 — Nine Minutes of Vigorous Movement: Practical Ideas to fit into your life 25:00 — Listener Question: Vigorous Movement in the Pool 36:20 — Warming Up for Vigorous Movement Snacks 41:30 — Salt Sensitivity, Menopause & Blood Pressure Links & Research Mentioned: Physical Activity Patterns and Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Hunter Gatherers by Raichlen et al (2017) Lifestyle and Patterns of Physical Activity in Hadza Foragers by Sayre et al (2023) Association of wearable device-measured vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity with mortality by Stamatakis et al (2022) Postmenopausal Salt Sensitivity and Hypertension by Kim et al (2014) Estrogen negatively regulates the renal epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) by promoting Derlin-1 expression and AMPK activation by Zhang et al (2019) Salt Sensitivity of Blood Pressure in Women by Barris et al (2023) Connect, Move & Learn: Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses Follow Katy on Substack Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days! Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors: Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus. Peluva: Five-toe minimalist shoes that move like you do—take 10% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA . Venn

Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr. Jeannette Loram explore the prevalence and underlying causes of knee issues, from popping and noisy knees to everyday pain and osteoarthritis. The knee is not just a simple hinge, and Katy explains its anatomy using a helpful “cube” model that includes bones, ligaments, cartilage, and the meniscus. Together, they clarify the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and examine how movement patterns influence the forces and loads placed across the knee joint. Katy and Jeannette share practical strategies for changing knee loading through gait retraining, along with tools to improve muscle strength, stability, and proprioception to help protect ligaments and cartilage. They also discuss why women tend to experience more knee problems due to hormonal and biomechanical factors, and why prehab and post-surgery exercise training play a critical role in achieving better outcomes after knee surgery. Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript 00:00 Introduction: The prevalence of knee issues and arthritis 02:00 Why movement and position matter for knee health 04:08 Sponsors: The Dynamic Collective 05:58 The knee as a “cube,” not just a hinge 10:58 Ligaments vs muscles: Why ligaments are seat belts, not brakes 14:20 Cartilage and the knee meniscus: Function and damage 18:00 Changing movement patterns for knee pain: Gait retraining 24:21 Noisy knees explained 26:22 Knee instability: Strength, proprioception, and hypermobility 33:07 Listener question: Why do women have more knee issues? Hormones and Q-angle 46:40 Prehab and post-surgery knee care Links & Resources Mentioned: The Pelvic List Connect, Move & Learn: Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses Follow Katy on Substack Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days! Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors: Smart Playrooms: Beautiful playroom design and movement-rich equipment— save 10% on monkey bars and rock-wall items with code DNA10 . Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs that encourage dynamic sitting. Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus. Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10 . Peluva: Five-toe minimalist shoes that move like you do—take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA . Thoughts/questions email us at podcast@nutritiousmovement.com Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits <a href="https://nutritiousmovement.com/live