Podcast
Fit As A Fiddle
Hosted by Dr. Sneha Gazi · EN
If you want the "in" on your health, search no further. Fit As a Fiddle brings you top tips from experts in many fields of health and wellness. Grow with our community as you learn how to enhance your overall physical and mental wellbeing.
16episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Antidote to Modern Over-Parenting
4w ago00:55:19Tap to summarizeIn this episode, returning guest Allison Beck, a psychotherapist and parent coach specializing in reproductive psychology and anxiety, joins us to discuss the powerful concept of how "doing less is more". In an era dominated by an abundance of conflicting social media advice, the parenting pendulum has swung toward an exhausting state of over-parenting. Allison explains how this constant pressure to manage, fix, and perfectly execute every interaction can actually block the essential experiences and manageable doses of discomfort that children need for healthy development.The conversation dives deep into the psychology of childhood anxiety and a phenomenon Allison calls "yellow lighting". She explains how well-intentioned parents often inadvertently speed up or escalate a child's emotional distress by either over-demanding or over-accommodating their feelings. Instead of swooping in to fix the problem, the most effective strategy, recognized as a gold standard for treating childhood anxiety and OCD, is to offer a brief supportive statement and then literally do less. Allison also emphasizes the crucial difference between parental agency and control, reminding listeners that parenting behaviors cannot completely override a child's genetics or natural development.Finally, Allison unpacks the practical steps parents can take to sit with their own discomfort and regulate their nervous systems. She highly recommends meditation as a tool to build the neurological skill of observing without reacting, which directly translates to calmer, more flexible parenting. By redefining what it means to be a "good parent", and accepting that calmly and accurately responding to your child's needs just 20 to 30 percent of the time is a massive success, parents can finally let go of perfectionism. Tune in to learn how to parent more intuitively and find out more about Allison's one-on-one coaching and therapy offerings.Allison has served as an advisor and written contributor on perinatal mental health, child development and parenting for various professional service providers and organizations. She received a BS in Human Development with a dual concentration in Early Childhood and Adolescence from Cornell University and an MSW from NYU. Allison has been supporting individuals and families as a Psychotherapist and Parent Coach in NYC agencies, hospitals, and in private practice for over a decade.Connect with Allison: allisonbeck.com@_allisonbeckCheck out her past episode here: “Tackling Anxiety & Depression: One Thought At A Time”Click here and use your exclusive 20% listener discount (Code: Fit20) to enroll in Master Your Pelvic Floor, our signature self-paced course that will change the way you understand and care for your body.
Transcribe →Ditch the Diet: How to Eat With Joy
Jul 1600:40:21Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Fit as a Fiddle, we welcome back registered dietitian and women’s nutrition coach Brigitte Zeitlin to talk about what it really takes to feel healthy without dieting, deprivation, or obsessing over every bite. Brigitte shares how she supports women who are “doing all the right things” but not seeing results, reframing health away from restriction and toward sustainable routines that include carbs, dessert, and real life: Italy trips, birthday cake, and all. Together, we explore why what you do to reach a goal has to be something you can keep doing, or it was never truly a solution in the first place.Brigitte dives into practical strategies for breaking the all-or-nothing cycle with food and exercise, from simplifying healthy choices to using accountability and habit pairing so your goals fit into a busy, real-world day. Brigitte explains why she doesn’t label foods as “good” or “bad,” focusing instead on habits and consistency, and how to build self-trust around things like chips, sweets, and social eating rather than avoiding them altogether. Brigitte offers a simple, flexible framework for eating every three to four hours with protein and produce at each meal or snack, along with ways to honor both nutrient needs and “soul foods” tied to family, culture, and joy. If you’re tired of starting over every Monday or waiting for the “perfect time” to be healthy, this episode will help you reconnect with your long-term why and follow the plan instead of your mood.Connect with Brigitte:@brigittezeitlinrdbznutritionny.com Check out her past episode here: “Eating Right: Holiday Edition”Click here and use your exclusive 20% listener discount (Code: Fit20) to enroll in Master Your Pelvic Floor, our signature self-paced course that will change the way you understand and care for your body.
Transcribe →Endometriosis to Empowerment in Birth and Movement
Jul 900:42:29Tap to summarizeWhat if your chronic pain could lead you to a completely new career and purpose?In this episode of Fit as a Fiddle, I sit down with Jenny Hoofnagle, pre and postnatal fitness specialist, birth doula, and founder of Freya Movement Studio in NYC. Jenny shares how her journey with endometriosis, pelvic floor dysfunction, and chronic pain shaped her approach to women’s health, pregnancy fitness, and postpartum recovery. From pelvic PT and surgery to rebuilding strength through Pilates and nervous system based training, her story highlights the connection between healing and movement.We dive into what makes Freya Movement Studio unique, including pregnancy safe strength training, postpartum fitness, pelvic floor and diastasis recti focused programming, and doula support under one roof. Jenny also explains how hypnobirthing, breathwork, and mind body techniques can support pain management and nervous system regulation during labor.Jenny also opens up about navigating endometriosis, including diagnosis, treatment options, and the reality of living with a chronic and often misunderstood condition. This conversation is a must listen for anyone experiencing pelvic pain, preparing for birth, or working in women’s health.To connect with Jenny Hoofnagle and Freya Movement Studio:freyamovement.comClick here and use your exclusive 20% listener discount (Code: Fit20) to enroll in Master Your Pelvic Floor, our signature self-paced course that will change the way you understand and care for your body.
Transcribe →Progress Over Plateaus: Intensity, Progression, and the Pitfalls of Trendy Workouts
Jul 200:50:51Tap to summarizeClick here and use your exclusive 20% listener discount (Code: FIT20) to enroll in Master Your Pelvic Floor, our signature self-paced course that will change the way you understand and care for your body.Now onto our episode!In this episode, we are joined by a powerhouse trio of returning guests from Physical Equilibrium: Sara Dimmick, Sarah Currie, and Jesse Barnett. Based out of New York City and the Hamptons, these seasoned experts specialize in a wide variety of modalities, including post-rehab fitness, beginner weightlifting, Pilates, and tailored nutrition counseling. The conversation dives deep into the current landscape of boutique fitness, exposing the hidden pitfalls of popular group classes that prioritize an exhausting "ass-whooping" over smart, progressive programming, warm-ups, and injury prevention.The guests tackle major fitness misconceptions, unpacking the buzzword "toned" and explaining the physiological realities behind actual muscle growth and body composition. They explain why adding tiny three-pound weights to a cycling or Pilates class will not make you significantly stronger, emphasizing that true strength requires much heavier loads. The episode also explores the concept of "newbie gains," shedding light on why simply showing up to the exact same high-intensity class four or five days a week will inevitably lead to a physical plateau. To see continuous results, whether your primary goal is longevity, injury prevention, or aesthetics, your exercise routine must involve periodization and adapt over time.Finally, the team shares their undeniable truths for physical adaptation: whatever exercise you choose must consistently apply the right intensity, duration, and frequency to force your body to change. They stress the importance of balancing your personal fitness weaknesses. For example, runners need to start lifting weights, and weightlifters need to incorporate cardio. They also highlight the massive role that dedicated diet and nutrition work plays in any physical transformation. Tune in to learn how to move past your fitness fears and discover more about Physical Equilibrium's customized offerings, from their beginner "Lift Club" classes to precise metabolic resting rate testing.Connect with them: physeq.comPast Episode with Sarah Currie- Strength Training: The Holy Grail of Fat LossPast Episode with Sara Dimmick- Triathlons: Train for the Race!Past Episode with Jesse Barnett- Don’t Dance Till You Break: Injury Prevention for Performers
Transcribe →Why Tune In?
Jun 2600:01:35Tap to summarizeFit As A Fiddle brings you thoughtful conversations and real-world health tips to support your wellness journey, one episode at a time.
Transcribe →The Maternal Mental Health Crisis
Oct 3, 202400:45:55Tap to summarizeLet’s get political folks! As mental health overall has gotten more attention in the media over the last 4 years, so has the very important topic of PMADs, or Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. After the latest CDC findings on the alarming maternal mortality rate, many facets of government are starting to pay attention to mothers and birthing individuals and the toll that pregnancy and child-rearing can take on their mental health.Today, we have a returning guest on the show, Paige Bellenbaum, LCSW. Paige is the Founding Director and Chief External Relations Officer at The Motherhood Center of New York. She discusses the baby steps that are being taken to protect and elevate mothers in NY and America at large, although she points out that it is just a drop in the ocean of change that is required to truly support mothers in this country. She touches on some new research and statistics that have shockingly helped change the narrative on maternal support. We discuss the highly divisive and high-tension topics surrounding motherhood and child care in America during a very heated election year. For 20 years, Paige worked in the non-profit sector, holding senior leadership positions at Hamilton Family Center Homeless Shelter, The Partnership for the Homeless, Habitat for Humanity, and Settlement Housing Fund. She has worked in the field of public policy, advocacy, community organizing and direct practice with disadvantaged communities including homeless families and incarcerated young adults and has held several appointed and elected political positions including the District Leader of Brooklyn’s 52nd Assembly District. After her first child was born, Paige suffered from severe postpartum depression and anxiety that nearly ended her life. However, once she began to heal, she became committed to fighting for PMAD education, screening, and treatment so that no more women would have to suffer silently. She drafted legislation in New York State championed by State Senator Liz Krueger, mandating hospitals to provide education on PMADs and strongly encouraging screening of all new and expecting mothers. This bill was signed into law in 2014. She has continued to be an outspoken maternal mental health advocate and clinician and uses her story as a tool for change. Paige works closely with multiple New York City agencies on maternal mental health best practice and policy, including the NYPD, DOHMH’s Maternal Hospital Quality Improvement Network, and the Nurse Family Partnership, and the Administration for Children’s Services. She was a member of the NYC Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee and currently sits on the NYS Maternal Mental Health Working Group. She has appeared on the Today Show, Good Morning America, NPR, PBS Newshour, Fortune, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.Connect with her at:themotherhoodcenter.com
Transcribe →Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) & Chronic Pain
Sep 26, 202400:36:58Tap to summarizePain is real whether it is felt immediately after a traumatic event or in the absence of apparent tissue damage on imaging. We now know through pain neuroscience research and understanding the biopsychosocial approach to chronic pain that patients’ perceived experiences of pain are unique to them and are entirely valid. On the show today, we have Dr. Neel Mehta, MD. He is the Division Chief of the Weill Cornell Pain Management Center and an Associate Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology at Weill Cornell Medical College. He also leads research on Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN).We chat about the uses, benefits, and side effects of LDN and how it can be used with patients with hypermobility, fibromyalgia, interstitial cystitis, and more. Dr. Mehta discusses how little research has been done on the drug and how he hopes to delve deeper into it to maximize patient outcomes. Dr. Mehta also serves as a Co-Director of Och Spine at Weill Cornell Medicine. He is the Immediate-Past President of the Eastern Pain Association and Secretary of the New York Society of Interventional Pain Physicians. Dr. Mehta completed his fellowship in Interventional Pain Medicine in the Tri-Institutional Pain Medicine Fellowship at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, and Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Connect with him and his team:646-962-7246weillcornell.org/services/pain-management@wcmpain
Transcribe →PT Pearls: The Patients, The Practice, The Passion
Sep 19, 202400:33:15Tap to summarizeMost healthcare professionals strive to put patients first. But what does that really mean? In the practice of physical therapy specifically, it means a lot of things, beginning with listening to the patient. On our show today, Dr. Diana Mayants joins us to chat about the physical therapy profession as she sees it. Diana is a dual-board certified orthopedic manual physical therapist, with over 13 years of experience as a doctor of physical therapy. We discuss the importance of full-body screening in completing a holistic picture of the patient’s movement and posture. We also touch on how to integrate new evidence into our practices and help patients catapult their recovery. Diana emphasizes that we can serve our patients better by communicating with them more effectively.Diana has helped numerous patients return to their baseline and in many cases left patients feeling the best they have in years. She has earned the prestigious title of Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS) through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties in 2015. In 2017, she completed the rigorous NAIOMT (North American Institute of Orthopedic Manual Therapists) earning the prestigious title of Certified Manual Physical Therapist (CMPT). Diana earned her doctorate in physical therapy with honors from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Diana's practice is located in Livingston, NJ where she offers one-on-one sessions and sees clients with various musculoskeletal conditions.Connect with her:orthopronyc.com@Orthopronyc
Transcribe →New Neurosurgical and Robotic Approaches to Back Pain
Sep 12, 202400:31:18Tap to summarizeWith advances in AI and robotics, neurosurgery has become an important field to begin integrating new technology for better patient care. Dr. Osama Kashlan, a Neurosurgeon at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital joins us today for a lively chat on his recent work. On the show, he discusses the standardization of back pain and care at Weill Cornell along with the interdisciplinary approach that he supports for all of his patients. He dives into how robotics works in surgery along with its benefits of reducing risk and time, both for the surgery itself and the recovery process. He also shares with us what motion-sparing surgery is and the new understanding that surgeons have of the complex nature of the spine. He advocates for the least invasive treatments (PT, medication, and injections) before patients are considered as surgical candidates. Dr. Osama Kashlan is Director of Spine Surgery at New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. His specialty is minimally invasive spine surgery, including innovative new endoscopic approaches to the spine. He takes pride in ensuring all motion-sparing options— including disc replacement, facet replacement, and decompressive non-fusion endoscopic procedures—are exhausted prior to offering his patients fusion operations. Before joining the faculty at Weill Cornell Medicine, Dr. Kashlan served as Director of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery at the University of Michigan, where he was also in charge of the spine fellowship. Outside of the hospital, Dr. Kashlan is an officer in the Air National Guard and has been involved in projects to improve treatment of head injuries on the battlefield in addition to spreading awareness regarding spinal cord injuries in special warfare operators. He also has a special interest in global neurosurgery and has led multiple neurosurgery mission trips around the world. Connect with him:@osamakashlanmd
Transcribe →Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and Pelvic Health
Sep 5, 202400:25:45Tap to summarizeEhlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) is a multifactorial condition that can affect people across ages and genders. It can be very difficult to diagnose as some types of EDS are very rare and symptoms can be vague or be confused with other diseases. Pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is also a condition that can be difficult to diagnose for so many reasons. Both EDS and PFD are not taught to the extent to which they should in healthcare schools and is usually something that care providers need to research on their own or obtain higher education on. For this reason, when people with EDS have PFD, there are not a lot of health care professionals who fully understand both conditions to be able to treat them effectively.For this reason, Leia Mitchell, a women’s sexual health physician assistant in NYC took it upon herself to research the intersection between EDS and PFD. In the episode, we cover the basics of EDS and PFDs and why they can be correlated. If you have hypermobility and vaginal issues (or either one), listen up!Leia works at The Centers for Vulvuvaginal Disorders and has recently published and article called "Identifying a correlation between hypermobile ehlers-danlos syndrome and genito-pelvic pain in cisgender women" and has won the Erwin Goldstein “Best Abstract Award” at the International Society for for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH).Leia Mitchell is originally from Atlanta, GA but grew up in Chattanooga, TN. She graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology with a B.S. in Biochemistry. Ms. Mitchell obtained her Master in Biophysics and Physiology from Georgetown University and Masters of Medical Sciences from Mercer University where she graduated as Valedictorian. After working as a PA for several years, she is currently beginning school again to become a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.Connect with her:@the_womenshealth_pa
Transcribe →