Live Aligned with Dr. Brent

Dr. Brent Anderson
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Hosted by Dr. Brent Anderson, this podcast draws on more than 35 years of clinical practice, research, and teaching. He is a doctor of physical therapy, professor, founder of Polestar Pilates, and pathokinesiologist. Dr. Brent has long been fascinated by the dynamic relationship between movement and pathology, and how understanding that relationship can help people move better, feel better, and live more aligned lives. Each episode features conversations with special guests, colleagues, and friends who are making meaningful contributions across healthcare, movement science, wellness, and education. Together, we explore how movement shapes not only our bodies, but how we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world. Live Aligned is about curiosity, compassion, and clarity, inviting practitioners, students, and lifelong movers alike to think more deeply, move more intentionally, and be kind along the way.

Episodes

  1. Train Your Breath, Change Your Brain: Respiratory Muscle Training with Dr. Lawrence Cahalin

    4D AGO

    Train Your Breath, Change Your Brain: Respiratory Muscle Training with Dr. Lawrence Cahalin

    You breathe about 20,000 times a day without thinking — but what if that automatic act could be trained to lower your blood pressure, sharpen your thinking, and even strengthen your heart? Dr. Lawrence Cahalin, clinical professor of physical therapy at the University of Miami and a Fellow of the American Physical Therapy Association and the American Heart Association, has spent his career studying exactly that. His research on respiratory muscle training is revealing just how much the breath influences nearly every system in the body. In this conversation, Dr. Cahalin joins Dr. Brent Anderson to explore the science behind training your breathing muscles — not just for lung health, but for cognitive performance, cardiovascular function, and healthy aging. They discuss why a slightly irregular heartbeat during deep breathing is actually a sign of a healthy nervous system, how weak breathing muscles can literally steal blood flow from your legs, and what everyday breath training tools look like for patients and athletes alike. They also explore the emerging research on Wim Hof breathing, the connection between breath and sleep quality, and why ancient practices like Pilates, yoga, and qigong may have been onto something science is only now catching up to. In this episode: How heart rate variability and sinus arrhythmia signal autonomic nervous system health The respiratory metaboreflex — why weak breathing muscles reduce walking ability in people with heart and lung disease Research on inspiratory muscle training improving blood pressure, mitochondrial metabolism, and cognition Devices for respiratory muscle training at home, including the PowerBreathe, threshold trainers, and a DIY sphygmomanometer hack The science behind Wim Hof breathing and intermittent hypoxia How breath pressure gradients affect blood flow to and from the brain The connection between better breathing, self-efficacy, and quality of life Resources mentioned: Research by Dr. Doug Seals, University of Colorado Boulder (high-intensity inspiratory muscle training) Seals Lab — Integrative Physiology of Aging Laboratory CU Boulder: "Could Focused Breathing Be a Key to Better Health?" (2023) CU Boulder: "5-Minute Breathing Workout Lowers Blood Pressure" (2021) Pro2 respiratory training device PowerBreathe device University of Miami Department of Physical Therapy

    51 min
  2. The Brain on Fire: Chronic Pain Science with Dr. Adriaan Louw

    APR 22

    The Brain on Fire: Chronic Pain Science with Dr. Adriaan Louw

    Chronic pain affects one in four people worldwide — and most of us don't understand why. In this episode, Dr. Brent Anderson sits down with Dr. Adriaan Louw, physical therapist, author, and co-founder of Evidence in Motion, to break down the science of pain in plain language. Dr. Louw explains the three types of pain — nociceptive, neuropathic, and nociplastic — and why understanding the difference matters for treatment. Together, they explore why pain exists as a protective mechanism, why tissue damage and pain intensity don't always correlate, and how the nervous system can become sensitized over time, leading to persistent and widespread pain conditions like fibromyalgia. The conversation covers the role of movement, sleep, nutrition, and education in managing chronic pain, the science of neuroplasticity and desensitization, and how positive movement experiences can literally rewire the brain's pain response. Dr. Louw also shares his thoughts on the current pharmacological options with the strongest evidence behind them and leaves listeners with an important message: chronic pain can get better. In this episode: The difference between acute, neuropathic, and nociplastic pain Why pain is a protection mechanism — not a punishment How the nervous system becomes sensitized in chronic pain Fibromyalgia, central sensitization, and what actually helps The role of movement (including Pilates) in pain rehabilitation Finding hope and qualified providers in the chronic pain space Resources mentioned: whyyouhurt.com — free patient education videos and provider directory Evidence in Motion — evidenceinmotion.com

    49 min
  3. Welcome to Live Aligned with Dr. Brent

    SEASON 1 TRAILER

    Welcome to Live Aligned with Dr. Brent

    Hosted by Dr. Brent Anderson, this podcast draws on more than 35 years of clinical practice, research, and teaching. He is a doctor of physical therapy, professor, founder of Polestar Pilates, and pathokinesiologist. Dr. Brent has long been fascinated by the dynamic relationship between movement and pathology, and how understanding that relationship can help people move better, feel better, and live more aligned lives. Each episode features conversations with special guests, colleagues, and friends who are making meaningful contributions across healthcare, movement science, wellness, and education. Together, we explore how movement shapes not only our bodies, but how we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world. Live Aligned is about curiosity, compassion, and clarity, inviting practitioners, students, and lifelong movers alike to think more deeply, move more intentionally, and be kind along the way. More info at: https://drbrentanderson.com/podcast/

    1 min

Trailer

About

Hosted by Dr. Brent Anderson, this podcast draws on more than 35 years of clinical practice, research, and teaching. He is a doctor of physical therapy, professor, founder of Polestar Pilates, and pathokinesiologist. Dr. Brent has long been fascinated by the dynamic relationship between movement and pathology, and how understanding that relationship can help people move better, feel better, and live more aligned lives. Each episode features conversations with special guests, colleagues, and friends who are making meaningful contributions across healthcare, movement science, wellness, and education. Together, we explore how movement shapes not only our bodies, but how we relate to ourselves, to others, and to the world. Live Aligned is about curiosity, compassion, and clarity, inviting practitioners, students, and lifelong movers alike to think more deeply, move more intentionally, and be kind along the way.

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