Move Your DNA with Katy Bowman

Exercise Pills Explained: Hope or Hype?

Dynamic Aging Retreat Oct 3-5 2025This Episode's Show NotesJoin Our Newsletter: Movement Colored GlassesKaty Bowman and Jeannette Loram dig into the science—and the hype—around so-called “exercise pills.” They unpack what these drugs do at the molecular level, what they can—and can’t—mimic about exercise, and who might benefit—from elite athletes to people with disabilities or chronic illness. The conversation goes beyond physiology into questions of culture, psychology, and even the future of sport—where performance-enhancing technologies are blurring the lines between natural and engineered human potential.CHAPTERS 0:03:12 The Dynamic Collective 0:04:28 – How Do Exercise Pills Work?0:06:50 – Exercise Pills, Skeletal Muscle targets and ‘Enhanced’ Sport Performance0:12:30 – Who Might Benefit from Exercise Pills?0:14:08 – Why Pills Can’t Replace All The Effects of Exercise0:24:26 – Can Exercise Pills Close the Health Gap? And Why Are We Failing To Exercise Enough?0:34:26 – Beyond Blood Panels: What Pills Miss About Movement0:36:56 – Listener Question brought to you by Venn Design   RESEARCH MENTIONEDMimicking Exercise: What Matters Most and Where To Next? Hawley et al (2021)Exercise pills for cardiometabolic health cannot mimic the exercise milieu Plaza-Florido et al (2025)MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the officeSmart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10Earth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENTIkaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20

Exercise and Strong Skin: Are Calluses a Problem or Essential for Strength?

Dynamic Aging Retreat Oct 3-5 2025This Episode's Show NotesJoin Our Newsletter: Movement Colored GlassesKaty Bowman and Jeannette Loram explore skin strength, focusing on what a callus is, how calluses form on the hands and feet, and how it affects circulation. They also discuss the pros and cons of calluses, comparing them to a weight belt for your skin—reinforcing, protecting, and ultimately enabling your body to do more.They share personal stories—from rowing and kayaking to gardening—highlighting how it's often skin, not muscles, that limits activity. Katy also chats with Karri Bowen-Poole, founder of Smart Playrooms, about designing home spaces that promote hanging, build skin strength, and support kids’ physical and cognitive development. They cover equipment ideas, dynamic home design tips, and draw inspiration from Ninja Warrior athletes.CHAPTERS 00:04:30 - The Dynamic Collective 00:08:20 - What is a Callus? And the Listener Question on calluses & circulation brought to you by Sweet Skins 00:22:30 - Updated insights about the Callus, skin strength and its relationship to whole-body movement  00:35:25 - Skin Tissue and Thoughtful Progression00:42:00 - Interview with Karri Bowen-Poole, founder of Smart PlayroomsBOOKS & RESEARCH PAPERSMove Your DNA by Katy BowmanSimple Steps to Foot Pain Relief by Katy Bowman Callus Formation by Kim et al (2010)Blood Flow In The Skin in relation to temperature and pressure by J Petrofsky (2012)Foot Callus and Tactile Sensitivity by Holowka et al (2019) - Daniel Lieberman group MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENTVenn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the officeSmart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10Earth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20Ikaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10

Diabetes and Exercise: How Exactly Muscle Movement Manages Blood Sugar

Dynamic Aging Retreat Oct 3-5 2025This Episode's Show NotesJoin Our Newsletter: Movement Colored GlassesIn this episode, Katy Bowman and Jeannette Loram dive into the fascinating relationship between blood sugar, diet, and movement. They unpack how the body regulates blood sugar, what happens when this process breaks down in Type I and Type II diabetes, and why different kinds of activity play such a big role in prevention and management.Katy and Jeannette explain how contracting muscles can pull glucose directly into working cells during exercise—a powerful but site-specific effect—and how long-term training reshapes muscle to take up glucose more efficiently.They also compare the blood sugar benefits of endurance exercise, resistance training, HIIT, stretching, and even light daily movement. Along the way, they highlight two key scenarios: insulin resistance linked to excess weight and inflammation, versus insulin resistance driven by low muscle mass in people with normal weight. For the latter, they stress why resistance training—or “big body work”—is especially essential.CHAPTERS 0:06:00 - Definitions 0:16:00 - The Dynamic Collective 0:17:00 - You Can’t Exercise Off Diabetes 0:20:00 - Muscle is the Key Tissue (and the Liver)0:36:30 - Stretching & Light Activity 0:47:00 - Exercise Modality for Blood Sugar Regulation0:54:25 - Listener Question on Lupus brought to you by Peluva 1:09:09 - Blood Sugar Spikes During Exercise BOOKS & RESEARCH PAPERS My Perfect Movement Plan by Katy BowmanI know I should Exercise, But... by Diana Hill & Katy BowmanExercise and GLUT4 by Flores-Opazo et al (2020) Mechanisms of endurance and resistance exercise in type 2 diabetes by Zhao et al (2025)  Sedentary behaviour as a mediator of type 2 diabetes by Hamilton et al (2015) Impact of reduced sitting time or increasing sit-to-stand transitions on blood pressure and glucose regulation in Postmenopausal women by Hartman et al (2025) The impact of standing desks on cardiometabolic and vascular health by Bodker et al (2021) MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENTIkaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the officeEarth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10

Can Exercise Fix Aging Eyes?

Dynamic Aging Retreat Oct 3-5 2025This Episode's Show NotesJoin Our Newsletter: Movement Colored GlassesIn this episode, Katy Bowman and Jeannette Loram have a fascinating and wide-ranging conversation with neuro-optometrist Dr. Bryce Appelbaum.Dr. Appelbaum breaks down the crucial difference between eyesight—what you can see—and vision—how your brain interprets what you see and turns it into action. Together, they explore the striking parallels between physical and visual health, highlighting how prolonged screen time and visual inactivity can stiffen our eye muscles just like sedentary habits stiffen our joints. Focusing on screens all day is like clenching your fist nonstop—leading to eye strain, headaches, and long-term issues like poor eye coordination, which can affect depth perception, balance, and even increase the risk of falls.The conversation covers everything from visual tics and dry eyes to how vision is connected to musculoskeletal alignment and behavior—and even offers a glimpse into the future of eye health in our tech-heavy world. Dr. Appelbaum also shares how anyone can improve visual stamina and flexibility, and Katy and Jeannette reflect on their personal experience with his online program ScreenFit—a movement program for your eyes! Dr Appelbaum is offering our listeners $200 off ScreenFit using code MOVEYOURDNA: https://bit.ly/moveyourdnaSFCHAPTERS00:03:10 - Introducing Dr. Appelbaum 00:09:30 - Impacts of Screens on Vision  00:25:30 -  Unlocking Vision Potential Through Exercise - ScreenFit 00:41:00 - Listener Question on Dry Eyes brought to you by Earth Runners  00:50:40 - The Future of the Screen Time/Vision Connection BOOKS MENTIONEDMy Perfect Movement Plan by Katy BowmanMADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:Earth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENTIkaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the officeSmart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10

What to Do When Rucking Or Carrying Heavy Loads Hurts

Dynamic Aging Retreat Oct 3-5 2025This Episode's Show NotesJoin Our Newsletter: Movement Colored GlassesBiomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Jeannette Loram talk about rucking—walking with weight on your back—and other modes of carrying. They touch on the evolutionary history of carrying, carrying in modern Hunter Gatherer populations, rucking in the military and the benefits of fitness rucking. Jeannette and Katy focus on the challenges associated with rucking particularly pain and discomfort. They explain how different body adjustments—like leaning forward, arching the back, or shifting the hips forward—are responses to offset the backward-pulling force of a heavy load. These shifts help accommodate the extra mass, but if a single adjustment is done repetitively or without muscular support through the core, pain can be the result. Listen in to discover a more varied and mindful approach to managing your ruck; your low back will thank you!CHAPTERS  00:06:00 - The Dynamic Collective 00:07:00 -  Are Humans Born to Carry? 00:13:00 - Phases of Life and Issues with Fitness Rucking and Carrying in General  00:26:00 - What's Holding You Up? Mindfulness in Rucking  00:38:45 -  Listener Question about broken bones, brought to you by Ikaria Design  00:49:00 - A Conversation Between Katy and Jeannette: What Is the Big Movement Question?  BOOKS, ARTICLES AND RESEARCH MENTIONEDMy Perfect Movement Plan by Katy Bowman Pain-Free Baby Holding by Katy Bowman Trunk Muscle Activity In Different Modes of Carrying by Motmans et al 2006Bone Density and Intramedullary Rods by Kroger et al 2002MADE POSSIBLE BY OUR WONDERFUL SPONSORS:Sweet Skins, organic hemp and cotton clothing that is stylish, flexible and designed to move with you, take 20% off with code Movement20Peluva, Five-toe minimalist sports shoes ideal for walking and higher impact activities. Take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENTIkaria Design, creators of the Soul Seat®, a height adjustable chair that allows you to sit in diverse shapes including cross-legged, take 10% of new inventory with code DNA10Venn Design, beautiful floor cushions and ball seats that keep you moving at home or at the officeEarth Runners, minimalist sandals that mimic being truly barefoot through their grounding technology, take 10% off with code DNA10Smart Playrooms, design and products to keep you and your kids engaged and active at home, take 10% off monkey bars, rock wall panels and holds with code DNA10