In this special compilation episode, we explore the evolving science of pregnancy, exercise, and recovery through conversations with two innovative voices in women’s health: Dr. Shon Rowan and Dr. Lindsey Mathews.

Dr. Shon Rowan, an OB-GYN and researcher, shares groundbreaking insights from his work studying heart rate variability (HRV) throughout pregnancy and postpartum. His findings reveal fascinating physiologic adaptations—including measurable changes in HRV and resting heart rate that begin almost immediately after conception, reverse in the weeks leading up to delivery, and may ultimately rebound postpartum to levels even higher than pre-pregnancy.

Dr. Lindsey Mathews, a Doctor of Chiropractic and prenatal movement specialist, offers practical guidance on how women can use HRV as a tool to better understand stress, recovery, and readiness—helping inform training intensity during pregnancy and postpartum in a way that honors the body’s changing needs.

Together, these conversations challenge outdated beliefs about pregnancy and exercise, highlight the incredible adaptability of the female body, and offer a more informed, empowering perspective on movement during one of life’s most transformative seasons.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How HRV and resting heart rate change during pregnancy
• Why postpartum HRV may exceed pre-pregnancy levels
• Using HRV trends to guide training and recovery
• Why pregnancy research has historically been limited
• The future of wearable technology in women’s health
• How exercise can support—not hinder—a healthy pregnancy and recovery

Related Episodes:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1019070179?i=1000532952176Ep 210 -  HRV + Pregnancy with Dr. Shon Rowan 

Ep 263 - Resilience, Recovery + Performance with Kristen Holmes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1019070179?i=1000564649843

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Natalie Crawford, MD is board certified in both Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility and is co-founder of Fora Fertility, a boutique fertility practice in Austin, Texas. Dr. Crawford is CEO and co-founder of Pinnacle, a professional network for women in medicine. She completed her undergraduate at Auburn University obtaining a degree in Nutrition Science, Medical School at UTMB, OBGYN Residency at UTSW, and REI Fellowship at UNC, concurrently obtaining a Master of Science in Clinical Research. Dr. Crawford is a digital health educator on social media, YouTube, and hosts the podcast  “As a Woman” with over 6 million downloads. Her debut book, “The Fertility Formula”, will be released by Penguin Random House.

Follow Dr. Crawford on Instagram at @nataliecrawfordmd and check out her book, The Fertility Formula.

Related Episodes:

Ep 155 - Dr. Marguerite Duane on FACTS about Fertility

Ep 314 - The Fertility Crisis + Support for Couples with Ronit Menashe + Vida Delrahim

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

In this special compilation, former CrossFit Games athletes Lindsey Valenzuela, Kara Saunders, Annie Thorisdottir, and Camille Leblanc-Bazinet share their experiences transitioning from elite competition to motherhood, and back again.

They discuss how training evolved before pregnancy, what changed during pregnancy, and how they approached postpartum recovery and return to performance.  Enjoy this honest conversation about identity, expectations, and redefining strength as a mom.

Related Episodes:

Ep 81 - Lindsey Valenzuela on Postpartum Training and the Road Back to the CrossFit Games https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pursuing-health/id1019070179?i=1000406935633

Ep 110 - Kara Saunders on CrossFit and Expecting Baby She-Bear https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1019070179?i=1000435062288

Ep 141 - Annie Thorisdottir and Camille Leblanc-Bazinet: From the CrossFit Games to Pregnancy  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1019070179?i=1000472870644

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

In this episode of Pursuing Health, Julie shares what she learned from a year-long experiment of starting 100 conversations with strangers.

As an introvert, this challenge pushed her beyond fear, discomfort, and self-doubt.

She reflects on rejection, surprising moments of connection, and why first impressions rarely tell the full story.

This episode explores how helping others feel seen opens the door to real, meaningful connection.  If you’ve ever wanted more connection but felt held back by fear, this episode is for you.

 Please share your thoughts with [email protected], or connect with me on Instagram @JulieFoucher.

Related Episodes:

Ep 323 - Four Questions to Overcome Limiting Beliefs

Ep 281 - Dr. Kwadwo Kyeremanteng on Becoming an Unapologetic Leader

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

In this episode of Pursuing Health, Dr. Julie Foucher Brown explores direct primary care as a model that restores time, trust, and relationship to medicine. Through conversations with physicians practicing DPC, Julie examines what becomes possible when care is no longer driven by insurance—but by people.

Related Episodes:

Ep 111 - A New Model for Primary Care with Dr. Kenneth Rictor

Ep 128 - Dr. Jeffrey Geller on Loneliness and the Power of Groups

Ep 308 - Dr. Lilian White on Providing Empowered Care

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

What do you do when your mind is racing, emotions feel overwhelming, and meditation doesn’t help?

In this episode of Pursuing Health, I share a personal moment of overwhelm and the simple, unexpected technique that helped me regulate my nervous system in just minutes. When sitting quietly felt impossible, I turned to Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), or tapping—and experienced a powerful shift.

I’ll explain why meditation isn’t always the right tool in intense moments, the science behind tapping, and guide you through a short practice you can follow along with in real time.

If you’ve tried tapping, I’d love to hear what you think.

 Please share your thoughts with [email protected], or connect with me on Instagram @JulieFoucher.

Related Episodes:

Ep 223 - Tapping to Reduce Stress with Nick Ortner

Ep 303 - Exploring Consciousness + Transcendental Meditation with Tony Nader

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

What if medicine focused less on naming diseases and more on understanding why the body falls out of balance in the first place?

This episode brings together some of the most respected thinkers in functional medicine: Dr. David Haase, Dr. Mark Hyman, Chris Kresser, and Dr. Bob Rountree.  Together, they explore how a systems-based approach—one that looks at root causes rather than isolated symptoms—can transform the way we understand health, healing, and the human body.

This episode offers a clear and compelling look at functional medicine as a framework—not just for treating disease, but for truly pursuing health.

Related Episodes:

Ep 007 - Dr. Mark Hyman on Functional Medicine, the Future, and Community

Ep 189 - Chris Kresser HPA Axis Dysfunction and the Stress Response

Ep 233 - Dr. Bob Rountree on Healthy Aging

Ep 193 - Superhuman: Dr. David Haase on Unlocking your Brain’s Potential

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

In this solo episode, Julie shares a deeply personal story about discovering the profound connection between physical movement and mental health.  What began as a lesson in self-care during her early medical training became a lifelong understanding that our physical habits—exercise, sleep, nutrition, and recovery—are essential to maintaining emotional resilience.  This experience reshaped her approach to physical health—not as a performance pursuit, but as a foundation for emotional balance and well-being.

Please share your thoughts with [email protected], or connect with me on Instagram @JulieFoucher.

Related Episodes:

Ep 139 - Stress: The Elephant in the Room with Dr. George Slavich

Ep 299 - Dr. Wayne Jonas on Whole Person Care for Cancer and Healing

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

How do meditation, breathwork, and tapping influence the brain—and what can they teach us about healing, connection, and resilience?

In this episode, I speak with four thought leaders exploring the neuroscience and practice of inner calm:

• Niraj Naik, creator of SOMA Breath, on breathwork rooted in Pranayama and how rhythmic breathing and brief hypoxia strengthen mitochondria and balance energy.
• Nick Ortner, founder of The Tapping Solution, on how Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) calms the amygdala, lowers cortisol, and helps rewire stress and cravings at the brain level.
• Dr. Lisa Miller, author of The Awakened Brain, on how meditation shifts us from rumination to guidance, activating the brain’s natural capacity for oneness and enduring alpha waves associated with peace and spiritual connection.
• Dr. Tony Nader, neuroscientist and leader of the Transcendental Meditation movement, on TM’s measurable effects on blood pressure, brain coherence, and even collective consciousness.

From ancient practices to modern neuroscience, this episode explores how tuning the mind and body can transform stress into clarity—and reconnect us to our shared field of consciousness.

Related Episodes:

Ep 289 - Niraj Naik on Efficiency with Breath

Ep 223 - Tapping to Reduce Stress with Nick Ortner

Ep 277 - Dr. Lisa Miller on the Science of Spirituality + Mental Health

Ep 303 - Tony Nader on Exploring Consciousness + Transcendental Meditation 

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Have you ever felt trapped in a thought you couldn’t shake? In this episode, Julie shares how the belief “I’ll never be organized” kept her stuck in anxiety and overwhelm—and how Byron Katie’s The Work helped her break free. Through four simple questions, she discovered a way to shift limiting beliefs into empowering ones. Listen in to learn how this tool can open new possibilities in your own life.

Please share your thoughts with [email protected], or connect with me on Instagram @JulieFoucher.

Related Episodes:
Ep 309 - How I Created My Life Plan

Ep 20 - Julie Foucher on Her Current Daily Schedule, Medical School Applications, Preventing Injury, and Advice for the CrossFit Games Open

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

What matters more—quality or quantity when it comes to nutrition? And how does diet connect to stress, longevity, and overall health?

In this episode, we’re bringing together highlights from some of my favorite past conversations on nutrition and lifestyle. You’ll hear from:

• Brigid Titgemeier on how changing her diet transformed her health and why food quality comes first
• Dan Buettner, author of Blue Zones, on what the world’s longest-lived communities teach us about diet, environment, and relationships
• EC Synkowski on foundational nutrition principles, the 800g Challenge, and protei
• Chris Kresser on how stress and restrictive dieting can slow metabolism
• Dr. Cate Shanahan on the impact of seed oils and dietary toxins on cellular health

It’s a packed episode with practical takeaways to help you think about food—and health—in a more holistic way.

Related Episodes:

Ep 22 - Brigid Titgemeier on Functional Nutriton

Ep 272 - The Secret to Longevity: Dan Buettner on the Blue Zones

Ep 95 - EC Synkowski on Optimizing your Nutrition

Ep 189 - Chris Kresser on HPA Axis Dysfunction and the Stress Response

Ep 302 - Cate Shanahan on The Dangers of Seed Oils

If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice.  I recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.