Core Connections with Erica Ziel

Latest Episodes:

Riding a Bicycle without Pain Jul 11, 2023

Show notes

I think this episode should come with a warning: Do not listen unless you want practical tips on how to ride your bike without pain or discomfort.

That's right – this episode is a conversation about bringing awareness to how you are holding and moving your body to make your bike rides more effective.

(Spoiler: it starts at the pelvis)

If you want to increase your endurance but are struggling to do so in a way that doesn't involve back, knee, or neck pain, you'll want to click play ASAP and hear this conversation about:

[01:33] My biggest pet peeve with bikers
[03:42] How to properly activate your core while biking
[04:39] This adjustment will improve your upper back pain
[06:44] Using your breath to increase endurance
[07:48] You can't bike pain-free without talking about THIS
[12:19] Teaching your body how to move effectively
[15:12] My thoughts on recumbent biking

Click >>HERE

The System You Need for Toddler Sleep Training with Kim West Jul 04, 2023

Show notes

Have you found your toddler struggling to sleep?

Perhaps they're staying up too late or wanting to sleep with you just one more time or wake you up in the middle of the night – and not to mention you need sleep as well.

You feel both exhausted from trying any and all recommendations and uncertain about what to try next...and are looking for a solution that can make the whole family happy and rested.

If you're in this place – or perhaps you're going to have a toddler soon – then this episode with Kim West is exactly what you need.

Click play right now to hear our conversation about sleep training toddlers, including:

[05:40] Kim's development of her gentle sleep method
[11:09] The 3 types of sleeping methods you can use for your toddler
[16:32] Why Kim's sleep training method is different (and successful)
[18:04] Kim's top reasons an older child comes into bed with parents
[23:10] What could be causing your child's restless leg syndrome
[28:29] Can kids get obstructed sleep apnea
[30:29] Kim's step-by-step solution to help kids go to sleep on their own
[37:19] How parents can handle their children when they wake up in the middle of the night
[40:41] Kim's piece of advice for families struggling with bedtime

If you want to learn more about Kim, you can follow her on Instagram at @thesleeplady. You can learn more about Kim's books at sleeplady.com/books

For complete show notes, go to ericaziel.com/blog/282

STOP Using Deodorant with Aluminum Jun 27, 2023

Show notes

I recently had a conversation with a woman who courageously shared with me that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

As we were talking, she mentioned how she was still using a deodorant with aluminum and was needing to swap it out.

That's the exact comment that made me feel called to record this episode.

You'll hear me talk about the importance of mitigating aluminum in all products – because let me tell you, it is TOXIC to the body. But it's more than being aware of the dangers of aluminum, it's educating yourself on how to reduce aluminum in your body and learning ways to detoxify.

If you're ready to reduce the toxic load in your body, this episode is for you!

Click play now to hear more about:

[00:58] The conversation that inspired this episode
[02:10] Why your armpits smell
[05:07] Ways to reduce aluminum in your body
[06:40] Research connecting breast cancer to aluminum
[09:04] The heavy metal test I run on all my private health coaching clients
[11:23] How to move toxins out of cells
[16:18] If your body isn't doing THIS you're recirculating toxins
[17:14] Can you mitigate Herxheimer reactions?

Have questions after listening to this episode? You can send me a DM on Instagram.

For complete show notes, visit ericaziel.com/blog/281

How to Relieve Your Headaches and Prevent Them from Coming Back with Dr. Meg Mill Jun 20, 2023

Show notes

When I started my career years ago, it came from the understanding that everything in the body is connected and that knowledge is power when it comes to getting your body out of pain. That's why I started this podcast – to educate others looking for answers.

This episode is no different – it's a conversation I had with Dr. Meg Mill, a functional medicine practitioner who is passionate about helping people end headaches and migraines.

It's actionable, it's educational, and no medication is required. We want to see your health thrive and not just survive.

This episode isn't just about headache relief though – shocker, it's deeper than that. Meg gives you tactical advice that will significantly improve your health and longevity. If you're ready to get clear on the root cause of your headaches so that you can transform your life, grab something to take notes with and click play right now to hear:

[02:52] The gap Meg saw in medical care
[05:53] Differences between functional medicine and conventional medicine to decrease headaches
[07:34] Common trends that cause headaches
[09:01] Pain-stress cycle inducing headaches
[13:01] Exercises impact on adrenal health
[15:20] Why slower movement promotes headache relief
[19:01] What foods trigger headaches
[24:08] What is causing hormonal headaches and migraines
[29:48] Why you still feel sluggish when your labs come back normal
[34:18] Ways to improve detoxification of your liver naturally
[37:01] One simple thing to improve migraines and headaches

If you'd like to connect further with Meg, visit helpmyheadaches.com to sign up for a free 8-Step Guide to Say Goodbye to Headaches Naturally. You can also follow Meg on Instagram at @drmegmill and listen to her podcast A Little Bit Healthier right >>HERE.

For complete show notes, visit ericaziel.com/blog/280

Stop Your Joints from Popping: How to Create Stability to Align Your Body Jun 13, 2023

Show notes

This episode is more than what you think.

Yes, it's tactical – but it also delivers a little tough love that you need to hear.

I get honest with the fact that if you're experiencing joint popping in your movement practice it's a sign that you should stop doing that exercise.

Let's cut to the chase – you're not going to make backward progress by not doing an exercise that isn't appropriate for your body right now. Joint popping is your body's way of telling you that something is misaligned.

But there are a few things you can do to realign your body so you can get back to doing the movement that you love.

In this episode, I detailed WHAT causes joint popping and the one thing you need to do to avoid it all: create stability.

(Creating stability in the body comes from incorporating fascia-focused movement. This allows you to naturally improve the alignment of your body.)

If you want to know more about stopping your joints from popping and how I train my clients to get rid of knee, hip, and shoulder pain (and how you can do the same), click play. You'll hear:

[01:13] Why joint popping happens in the morning
[02:28] Why joint popping happens during exercise
[03:39] How to avoid clicking of your knees, hips, and shoulders
[08:35] The source of knee pain is rarely the knees
[10:45] What is causing hip snapping syndrome
[14:03] Two things you can do today to stop hip snapping syndrome
[14:29] The mindset shift that will improve the way your body feels
[15:47] Exercises to improve hip or knee popping with squats
[19:30] Ways to stop your shoulder from popping
[23:26] What you can take away from this episode

For full show notes, visit ericaziel.com/blog/279

How to Mitigate Children's EMF Exposure with R Blank Jun 06, 2023

Show notes

If you've listened to the Core Connections Podcast for awhile, you may remember an EMF conversation in 2021 where EMF expert R Blank talked about EMF protection, safer ways to use technology, and impacts EMF can have on our health.

It's been two years since our last conversation and we're ready to dive in deeper into this topic – specifically on mitigating children's exposure to EMFs. I invited R back on the show to have an honest conversation about how to think about EMF protection and ways parents can better manage EMF exposure.

If you're curious about protecting your children from EMF exposure or simply want to learn more about the effects of EMFs, >>click play

[03:54] Negative effects EMFs can have on the body
[09:26] Diseases and cancers that EMFs can impact children's development
[13:10] How cell phones heighten EMF sensitivity
[20:34] 2 rules for EMF protection and ways to mitigate technology with your kids
[34:36] Screen time impacting toddler behavior
[39:05] How to approach technology with kids
[45:03] What you can do about EMF exposure with your child's school technology

For full show notes, visit ericaziel.com/blog/278

How to Breathe into Your Diaphragm for Optimal Pelvic Floor Function May 30, 2023

Show notes

I gotta admit: the pelvic floor is involved in everything we do. When I sat down to record this episode about breathing into your diaphragm it was only natural that I started talking about the optimal pelvic floor function. So if you're ready to learn about the love triangle between your diaphragm, breath, and pelvic floor, click play now to hear:

[01:55] Diaphragm breathing techniques and cues
[04:44] My favorite tool to improve breathing into your diaphragm
[06:50] The realization you need to make when teaching your body something new
[10:00] Why you should slow down your movement
[13:01] How to use your breath in your movement practice to connect with your pelvic floor
[18:17] Remember this when life gets busy

For full show notes, visit ericaziel.com/blog/277

Mindset Changes You Can Make Today That Will Support Your Fertility with Elizabeth King May 23, 2023

Show notes

You know those conversations that don't skip a beat – the ones that start with no small talk about the weather or introductions...just straight up facts?

Ladies, that's exactly the kind of conversation I had with Elizabeth King...and it was GOOD.

In fact, the very first question I asked Elizabeth was "What are your best tips for getting pregnant?"

Boosting your fertility can sound like a topic that is very tactical – take this supplement, eat this food, do this exercise – but with everything Elizabeth and I talked about, mindset played a profound roll within each point of conversation. So click play if you want to hear us talk about:

[03:22] Elizabeth's best tips for getting pregnant
[06:23] What tests should you ask your doctor to run on you when trying to conceive
[09:17] Practical guidance on getting pregnant after age 35
[12:58] What supplements will improve egg and sperm health
[13:46] Why you should take folate over folic acid
[21:36] What are the best fertility foods to eat when trying to get pregnant
[30:30] What could be causing digestive issues after taking inflammatory foods out
[32:00] How to seed cycle to support ovulation
[34:57] The best type of exercise to boost fertility
[48:30] How Elizabeth can help you get pregnant

I'm so grateful to Elizabeth for coming back on to my podcast – check out episode 192 for her first appearance on the Core Connections Podcast at ericaziel.com/blog/192 – and I hope our conversation serves you regardless of where you're at in your fertility journey.

Full podcast show notes can be found at: ericaziel.com/blog/276

Why Do Your Feet Hurt? How to Stop Foot Pain in Its Tracks May 16, 2023

Show notes

Have you ever found yourself complaining about pain in your feet? Things like bunions? Squished toes? Even plantar fasciitis?

If so, you're gonna want to click play on this podcast to hear a conversation that I have recently been having with many of my clients. In this conversation I ask you questions to help bring awareness to what's going on with your feet (hint: you don't just focus on the feet if you have foot problems) and tactical tips and exercises you can move through to get you out of foot pain.

Of course, I also dive into:

[00:50] What prompted me to record this episode
[3:44] Do you use your toes when you walk?
[6:19] The array of arches your foot can have
[8:29] How I cue feet through doing a squat (hint: you're going to want to be barefoot for this)
[12:06] How feet affect your pelvic floor function
[15:24] What shoes to wear for foot pain
[21:07] Exercises to strengthen your feet

If you need a reminder to pay attention to how your feet are function and that EVERYTHING is connected, then click play right now...I think you'll find exactly what you've been looking for.

Finding Susceptibilities to Lyme Disease with Heather Gray May 09, 2023

Show notes

I recently had a conversation with Heather Gray, Founder of The Lyme Boss, and our conversation was so good that I just couldn't wait to share it with you today.

Heather is a Functional Diagnostic Nutritionist Practitioner – but she specializes in supporting clients with chronic illnesses such as Lyme disease, Celiac disease, Hashimoto's, and Endometriosis to help others find relief.

Finding the cause of an illness and healing your body is not easy work, but it is possible work – and in this conversation, Heather shares her insights from 27 years of personal experience of living with these conditions.

Click play now to learn:

[05:10] Heather's story on how she overcame Lyme disease after years of work
[08:55] Ways to prevent tick bites
[11:37] What to do if a tick bites you
[15:21] Myth or Fact: a tick must be attached for more than 24 hours before the Lyme disease bacterium can be transmitted
[17:54] What other diagnoses Lyme disease can disguise itself as
[23:09] Why antibiotics isn't the only answer to healing Lyme disease
[27:27] How to test for Lyme Disease
[35:39] Top things you need to know about healing Lyme disease
[39:25] The importance of being open to different modalities for healing

(I told you – our conversation was GOOD).

Go grab a coffee, head for a walk, start cooking dinner – whatever you do when you listen to podcasts – and click play now. I think you'll be encouraged by our honest conversation on what it looks like to do the deeper work to heal your body.

For complete show notes for this episode, visit ericaziel.com/blog/274