The Code: A Guide to Health and Human Performance

32. CARE for Your Injury, Don’t RICE It

“The principle of R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) has gone by the wayside,” explains host Dr. Andrew. When we get injuries, we often assume that icing the problem is best. However, there are more modern, effective ways to care for your injury, which Dr. Andrew lays out today. 
 
Although icing an injury can reduce inflammation or pain, it fails to promote the movement we need to heal. It may seem counterintuitive, but we do need to get our blood flowing to allow our body to do its natural processes. By incorporating active rest, compression, and elevation into your routine, you will be able to care for your injury in the most beneficial way possible. 
 
Whether you have a sprained ankle or shoulder, there’s more to healing than R.I.C.E. Learn more about the acronym behind C.A.R.E., the importance of active rest, and why you should modify your activities instead of not moving at all.
 
Quotes
• “The principle of R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) has gone by the wayside.” (1:22-1:29| Dr. Andrew) 
• “When we just ice, don't move, and take anti-inflammatory medications, we dampen or reduce the effect that our body goes through when trying to heal from an injury.” (6:47-7:02| Dr. Andrew)
• “Sometimes, when we take medications that block our body's natural processes, it kicks the can down the road on how long it actually takes us to recover from these things.” (7:33-7:43| Dr. Andrew) 
• “Ice, at the end of the day, doesn't promote movement. It doesn't promote healing at the moment right now.” (10:24-10:31| Dr. Andrew) 
Links
 
https://thesportjournal.org/article/the-r-i-c-e-protocol-is-a-myth-a-review-and-recommendations/
https://thischangedmypractice.com/move-an-injury-not-rice/
https://marathonhandbook.com/injury-recovery-rice-peace-and-love/
Connect with Physio Room: 
Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/ 
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco
Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/ 
Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

31. Find Your Space | Andrew Brandt

“The best life advice is to make yourself different. Make yourself something that's not like other people,” explains Andrew Brandt, an accomplished Sports Executive, Professor, and Executive Director of the Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law. A leader in sports, sports law, sports policy, and more, Andrew has a true respect for the field. With his vast experiences in mind, Andrew shares how his boyhood dreams led to an incredible career. 
 
While the Vice President of Player Finance for the Green Bay Packers, Andrew knew he needed a new challenge. He then got into running competitions and short-distance triathlons. After leaving the Packers and having separate careers at ESPN and Villanova Law School, Andrew recognized exercise's importance in his daily life. By continuously pushing his comfort zone, Andrew has found a way to take care of his physical health while fueling his professional passions.
 
Andrew’s most significant advice to listeners is to find their space. Learn more about the many chapters of Andrew’s career, the benefits of exercise, and the importance of self-discipline.
 
Quotes
• “What I tell young people all the time is find your space. And it's not necessarily the space that you're most interested in. It's like, where's the opportunity?” (7:43-7:54 | Andrew)
• “One thing that's become a non-negotiable in my schedule every day is exercise.” (17:33-17:38 | Andrew) 
• “The only way you progress, whether in fitness, life, or relationships, is by pressing the uncomfortable. So that the next time you face it, you're a little better at it.” (28:07-28:22 | Andrew) 
• “The best life advice is to make yourself different. Make yourself something that's not like other people.” (31:00-31:10 | Andrew) 
• “In my daily life, I make sure the harder things are done first thing in the morning.” (35:31-35:36 | Andrew) 
 
Links
 
Connect with Andrew Brandt:
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-brandt-2758757/
Website | https://www.andrew-brandt.com/
Twitter | https://twitter.com/AndrewBrandt?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/andrewbrandt2/?hl=en
Connect with Physio Room: 
Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/ 
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco
Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/ 
Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

30. Adaptation vs. Avoidance

“Pain does not always mean that there's significant tissue trauma that's taken place, it's a request for change,” explains host Dr. Andrew. Like all of us, Dr. Andrew understands there are times when you want to push yourself through exercise, but you have a physical issue. Today, Dr. Andrew gives tips on dealing with this, so you can still meet your performance goals.
 
Through his own experience with knee pain, Dr. Andrew details how he still trained without further injuring himself. Dr. Andrew got through his workout by modifying his exercises to accommodate his knees and asking another trainer to monitor his form. Although it may seem tempting to avoid exercising altogether, Dr. Andrew assures the listeners that solutions are always available. 
 
Throughout our lives, challenges may arise that we must work through, fitness-related or not. Learn more about adapting your activity, why avoidance isn’t the answer, and how you know your body better than anyone else.
 
Quotes
• “Pain does not always mean that there's significant tissue trauma that's taken place, it's a request for change.” (4:07-4:13 | Dr. Andrew)
• “Don't put so much pressure on a point that you can't breathe, so your body can actually desensitize and feel that pressure as a non-threatening stimulus.” (10:44-10:54 | Dr. Andrew)
• “Nobody knows your body better than you because you live in it. You move it. You spend time with it every day. So you're the expert in your body.” (16:04-16:12 | Dr. Andrew)
• “If you have something bothering you, there are different ways to handle it.” (16:37-16:40 | Dr. Andrew)
• “Things are going to happen, but we have to adapt and not avoid situations all the time. Whether that's a difficult conversation or pain, we're going to adapt, not avoid.” (19:29-19:49 | Dr. Andrew)
 
Links
 
Connect with Physio Room: 
Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/ 
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco
Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/ 
Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/
Couch Stretch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi7xoaJa9y8
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

29. Overcoming Leadman | Gabe Martinez

“The big thing is learning to take care of your body,” explains Gabe Martinez, a Leadville race series competitor. A client of Physio Room and a five-time 100-run finisher, Gabe has always been an active person. Committed to his training, Gabe shares how he overcame the physical feats of the Leadville Run and Leadman series.
 
Since twenty-one years old, Gabe has worked to complete multiple Leadville 100s and has learned a lot along the way. Realizing that he needed more sleep to recover, Gabe understands that you must prepare your body for the stress of marathon running. Ultimately, your body can do incredible things if you build physical resilience and discipline.
 
Tune into this week’s episode of The Code for a stimulating conversation on marathon racing. Learn more about the Leadman series, his creative training techniques, and the mental toughness required to finish a race.
 
Quotes
• “The big thing is learning to take care of your body. And by taking care of it, you can ensure it's prepared to undergo that type of stress.” (17:18-17:30 | Gabe)
• “We glorify not sleeping enough and doing that sort of thing. But I've tried to be more mindful of those things and how they impact me.” (17:44-17:59 | Gabe)
• “You're going to be tested in your day-to-day life, and how resilient are you to overcome those barriers?”  (29:12-29:20 | Gabe)
• “You'll start to make mountains out of molehills during races, and I think that happens in everyday life. But the more you practice breaking those things down and putting those things into perspective, the better.” (31:36-31:52 | Gabe)
• “The more you practice discipline, the more disciplined you're going to be in other areas, and the more you practice being patient, the more patient you're going to be.” (32:48-32:55| Gabe)
 
Links
 
Connect with Gabe Martinez:
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/gmmartinez/
 
Connect with Physio Room: 
Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/ 
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco
Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/ 
Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

28. The Code to Nutrition

“Everything will be impacted by what we put in our bodies,” explains host Dr. Andrew. Like sleep and exercise, diet is crucial to peak performance. As a result, Dr. Andrew gives helpful insight into how to use food to optimize your health. 
 
The key to nutrition is avoiding processed foods made with many ingredients. Instead, look for natural foods that are not filled with added sugar, such as fruit, meat, or vegetables. Ultimately, limiting sugary snacks and overeating will allow you to prevent inflammation in the body and help you better utilize the nutrients you’re taking in. 
 
Tune into this week’s episode of The Code for a straightforward conversation on nutrition. Learn more about how food impacts the body, the importance of protein, and the benefits of mindful eating.
 
Quotes
• “What we put in our mouths is extremely important in determining or dictating what we can expect from our body, whether it’s from a performance standpoint, or just how you feel, what type of energy levels you have, how your skin feels, nails, hair. Everything will be impacted by what we put in our bodies.” (2:29-2:53 | Andrew) 
• "Protein is essential for satisfying or satiating us from an appetite standpoint. Protein digests slowly in our system, making you feel full for longer.” (8:08-8:19 | Andrew)
• “We recommend eating until you're satisfied, not until you're full because there's a slight delay in when we put food into our mouth.” (16:02-16:11 | Andrew)
• “Eat real food. Shop the perimeter of the grocery stores, or the farmer's markets, or wherever you're going, and try to eat real food as much as possible.” (21:33-21:44 | Andrew)
• “Eat until you're satisfied, not really full, and you will feel so much better. And your body will thank you for it.” (22:41-22:50 | Andrew)
 
Links
 
Connect with Physio Room: 
Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/ 
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco
Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/ 
Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

27. Total Vitality | Dr. Jamie Kyei-Frimpong

“Functional Medicine gets to the root cause of illness,” explains Dr. Jamie Kyei-Frimpong, Medical Director of Total Vitality Colorado. A retired competitive marathon and ultra-runner, Dr. Jamie’s main passion has always been fitness. Through her own health journey, Dr. Jamie discovered functional medicine, leading her to open Total Vitality.
 
Due to overtraining, Dr. Jaimie started to notice that she was experiencing a slew of health issues, including weight gain and inflammation. This experience led her to seek a more holistic approach, which allowed her to discover the root of her underlying issues. Now, Dr. Jaimie opened Total Vitality, where she helps others balance their hormones and improve their life.
 
Tune into this week’s episode of The Code for a fascinating conversation on functional medicine. Learn more about the difference between functional medicine and going to your doctor, the power of peptides, and why providers should lead by example through a healthy lifestyle.
 
Quotes
• “Functional Medicine gets to the root cause of illness.” (4:31-4:34| Dr. Jamie)
• “I think it's great when we do something where we've had a personal experience because it drives our passion, but it also helps us relate to our patients. I don't like to give recommendations for things unless I've tried them.”  (18:32-18:46 | Dr. Jamie)
• “There are always choices. And I think the biggest thing is advocating for yourself because that's where people get stuck in the medical system. (44:24-44:33 | Dr. Jamie)
• “When you're doing functional medicine, every case is different.” (47:33-47:37 | Dr. Jamie)
• “Everything is about trying something and building from there with lifting, changing your diet, anything. It's just about taking those baby steps. And you'll never learn if you don't work on implementing it into your life.” (57:05-57:21 | Dr. Jamie)
 
Links
 
Connect with Dr. Jamie Kyei-Frimpong:
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-kyei-frimpong-dnp-fnp-bc-ifmcp-5b81835b/
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/jamiekyeinp/
Total Vitality Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/totalvitalitycolorado/
Website | https://totalvitalitycolorado.com/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/jamie.kyei
Total Vitality Facebook| https://www.facebook.com/totalvitalitycolorado
Connect with Physio Room: 
Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/ 
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco
Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/ 
Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

26. The Code’s Top 3 Sleep Quality Tips

On this episode of The Code, Dr. Andrew Fix walks us through three easily implementable changes we can make to improve the quality of our sleep. They include making your sleep area as dark and quiet as possible (including cutting down on screen time), keeping the bedroom cool, and avoiding caffeine and alcohol past a certain hour. He offers tips on products for cooling, light blocking, and noise cancelation, as well as tips for balancing a social life with quality sleep. 
 
Everyone has varying schedules, spouses or kids whose needs vary, and lives that don’t always go according to plan. Still, as much consistency as possible is key. Committing to a sleep schedule, including on the weekend, is the first step in getting quality–which is far more important than quantity– sleep. 
 
Join Dr. Andrew to learn what times Dr. Andrew recommends sleeping and waking, what the optimal temperature in the bedroom should be, and the book by Dr. Matthew Walker that inspired this episode. 
Quotes
• “Instead of trying to implement 15 different ideas, what if I just wanted to focus on one or two, which ones should I focus on that are going to have the biggest impact on my sleep.” (2:36-2:46 | Dr. Andrew)
• “I chose these three because they’re ones that are, for the most part, totally within your control, (3:52-3:57 | Dr. Andrew)
• “Every moment that I spend in bed, I’m not actually sleeping. I’m spending a portion of that time sleeping, but not the whole time.” (6:15-6:22 | Dr. Andrew)
• “We’re not talking about helping you feel drowsy at night. A lot of people feel like if they have a nightcap, it helps them fall asleep. We’re talking about increasing the quality of sleep that you get.” (11:46-11:54 | Dr. Andrew)
 
Links
 
Connect with Physio Room: 
Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/ 
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco
Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/ 
Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

25. Seize the Opportunity | Kristin Jones

“I have a lot of skills from my sports experience that can help people,” explains Kristin Jones, Elite Speed, Sports Performance Specialist. A life-long athlete from Colorado, Kristin started a grassroots effort to help others stay active during the pandemic with her business, The Fit & Fuel Youth Training Program. With a passion for fitness professionally and personally, Kristin’s mission is to help others get stronger, faster, and more consistent in their daily lives.
 
During the pandemic, Kristin saw a surge of people feeling unmotivated to exercise and spending too much time drinking wine and watching Netflix. Realizing her athletic skills and experience could be of service, Kristen worked to get people training not only for their physical, but mental health too. Ultimately, Kristin stresses the importance of building a sports foundation because it’s impossible to get desired results without that.
 
Tune into this week’s episode of The Code for an exciting conversation on seizing opportunities. Learn more about Kristin’s athletic and career journey, why you should have kids take ownership of their training, and the components of a quality warm-up program.
 
Quotes
• “If you're not here focused and putting your effort into this mentally and physically, you will not perform well.” (10:22-10:29) | Kristin)
• “I have a lot of skills from my sports experience that can help people.” (14:01-14:07) | Kristin)
• “If you're not sleeping well, eating well, and taking care of yourself at a foundational level, all the recovery tools in the world will not help you. That's secondary.” (26:03-26:16) | Kristin)
• “If you want to become a better athlete, surround yourself with great athletes.” (43:08-43:12) | Kristin)
• “Pain doesn't have to be normal. You don't have to live with pain. It just takes work.” (54:39-54:45) | Kristin)
 
Links
 
Connect with Kristin Jones:
https://www.instagram.com/kristinjones_22/
https://fitandfuel.godaddysites.com
https://elitespeedsp.com
Connect with Physio Room: 
Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/ 
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco
Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/ 
Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

24. Treating Humans Not Diagnoses

“I like to assess the person first so that I don't let the findings in an MRI cloud my judgment on what I think I'm seeing,” explains host Dr. Andrew. When people are not feeling great in their bodies, they often wonder if they should see a physical therapist or get an MRI first. With this in mind, Dr. Andrew explains how images aren’t always the primary factor in physical therapists’ treatment plans. 
 
When Dr. Andrew meets with a patient, he assesses the source of their discomfort straight on, regardless of what the MRI says. Although imaging can be helpful, getting an X-ray before seeing a physical therapist is often not beneficial to patients as many doctors fail to explain the MRI. Before getting an MRI, it’s important to see a physical therapist first, because healthcare should treat human beings, not images.
 
Tune into this week’s episode of The Code for an engaging conversation on treating humans, not the diagnoses. Learn more about imaging vs. physical therapy, why Dr. Andrew doesn’t always need an X-ray to assess a patient, and how unnecessary MRIs can lead to irresponsible healthcare.
 
Quotes
• “In healthcare, we treat human beings. We shouldn't be treating images, diagnoses listed on a computer, or somebody's chart.” (1:57-2:09 | Andrew)
• “I like to assess the person first so that I don't let the findings in an MRI cloud my judgment on what I think I'm seeing.” (4:07-4:14 | Andrew)
• “Providers, like myself and the rest of our team here at Physio Room, are trained to assess what's going on clinically, and then pick out what we call yellow and red flags.” (6:52-7:04 | Andrew)
• “You're a human being. You're not a diagnosis. You're not what an image shows. And that's how we should be treating you in the healthcare industry.” (12:59-13:08 | Andrew)
 
Links
 
Connect with Physio Room: 
Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/ 
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco
Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/ 
Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm

23. Stay Salty | Robb Wolf

“My sweet spot is working with folks who have had really complex gut and autoimmune issues and figuring out how to fix that,” explains Robb Wolf, Author, Lead Expert in Paleolithic Nutrition, and Founder of LMNT. Growing up, Robb was always interested in health and human performance. Now, he works with people who have struggled with standard medical intervention to improve their lifestyle and overall health.
 
Having gut issues himself, Robb was personally invested in discovering the perfect diet for peak human performance. Through trial and error, he learned about the critical importance of sodium, which led him to create the electrolyte-drink mix, LMNT. Robb’s goal is to educate the public on proper nutrition to ensure people can lead healthier and happier lives.
 
Tune into this week’s episode of The Code for a fascinating conversation on a salty diet. Learn more about the ancestral diet, why we need electrolytes to function, and how to address the root cause of your health issues.
 
Quotes
• “My sweet spot is working with folks who have had really complex gut and autoimmune issues  and figuring out how to fix that.” (5:40-5:53 | Robb)
• “The person that is a perfect fit for me. They've run the gauntlet of standard medical intervention, but they're still not where they want to be with health. And that is the center of the bullseye for me with the folks I bond with best.” (6:04 - 6:20 | Robb)
• “It's fairly obvious at this point that the first signs of electrolyte imbalance are diminished fine motor skills, brain fog, and neurological fatigue.” (36:08 - 36:20 | Robb)
• “You have the basic nutrient density, like how much vitamins, minerals, essential nutrients are in the food. But any given food, depending on how its prepared and what things are in it, it may be more or less accessible to our bodies.” (44:08 - 44:25 | Robb)
• “We must create space for people to push back against the dominant narrative. And sometimes, they're going to be wrong. But once we have decided we have it all figured out, we have died as a culture. That is the end of the development of exploring the truth.” (1:00:57 - 1:01:17 | Robb)
 
Links
Get LMNT here!drinklmnt.com/physioroom
Connect with Robb Wolf:
https://drinklmnt.com/
https://drinklmnt.com/pages/robb-wolf
https://elizabeth@robbwolf.com
https://robbwolf.com/media
https://www.instagram.com/drinklmnt
https://linkin.bio/drinklmnt
Connect with Physio Room: 
Website | ​​https://physioroomco.com/ 
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/physioroomco/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/physioroomco
Dr. Andrew’s Personal Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/dr.andrewfix/ 
Dr. Andrew’s Personal Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/andrew.fix.9/
 
Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm