Move Your DNA with Katy Bowman Podcast By Katy Bowman cover art

Move Your DNA with Katy Bowman

Move Your DNA with Katy Bowman

By: Katy Bowman
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Movement isn’t optional—our bodies need it to thrive. Many of us struggle to get regular exercise, and even when we do, it can fall short of truly nourishing the body from head to toe. How can we move more—a lot more—when parts of us are sore, stiff, or simply forgotten in our busy lives? Join biomechanist Katy Bowman, M.S., and biologist Dr. Jeannette Loram on Move Your DNA, where big-picture science meets practical action. Together, they explore biomechanics, kinesiology, physiology, cellular biology, and natural human movement—and translate it into simple, effective ways to wake up your trillion body parts. With humor, curiosity, and a focus on longevity, Katy and Jeannette help you move smarter, move more, and create a more natural habitat for yourself and your communities in today’s mostly sedentary world.Nutritious Movement 2014 - 2025 Alternative & Complementary Medicine Hygiene & Healthy Living
Episodes
  • Nine Minutes to a Healthier Heart: Vigorous Exercise, Menopause & Hypertension

    Nine Minutes to a Healthier Heart: Vigorous Exercise, Menopause & Hypertension
    Mar 11 2026
    Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr. Jeannette Loram explain how just nine minutes of vigorous activity can make a measurable difference for your cardiovascular health. They break down what counts as vigorous exercise, how to gauge it “old skool” without complicated gadgets, and how much is needed based on the movement patterns of the heart-healthy Hadza. Plus, they share nine practical ways to fit short bursts of higher-intensity movement into your day, from running stairs and kitchen dance parties to treading water in a pool.The episode also explores a personal experience related to the menopause transition, including the onset of salt sensitivity, water retention, and hypertension. Katy and Jeannette discuss the link between estrogen and salt management, explaining why the loss of estrogen can make women more susceptible to salt-induced high blood pressure—and what lifestyle shifts can help protect heart health.Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript00:00 — Introduction & Sponsors01:50 — Heart Health and Midlife Movement03:45 — What Counts as Vigorous Exercise?07:00 — How Much Vigorous Do We Actually Need? Insights from the Hadza 12:30 — Nine Minutes of Vigorous Movement: Practical Ideas to fit into your life25:00 — Listener Question: Vigorous Movement in the Pool36:20 — Warming Up for Vigorous Movement Snacks 41:30 — Salt Sensitivity, Menopause & Blood PressureLinks & Research Mentioned:Physical Activity Patterns and Biomarkers of Cardiovascular Disease Risk in Hunter Gatherers by Raichlen et al (2017) Lifestyle and Patterns of Physical Activity in Hadza Foragers by Sayre et al (2023)Association of wearable device-measured vigorous intermittent lifestyle physical activity with mortality by Stamatakis et al (2022) Postmenopausal Salt Sensitivity and Hypertension by Kim et al (2014)Estrogen negatively regulates the renal epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) by promoting Derlin-1 expression and AMPK activation by Zhang et al (2019) Salt Sensitivity of Blood Pressure in Women by Barris et al (2023)Connect, Move & Learn:Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored GlassesFollow Katy on SubstackTry Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors:Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus.Peluva: Five-toe minimalist shoes that move like you do—take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENTMy Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA.Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs that encourage dynamic sitting.Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10.Smart Playrooms: Beautiful playroom design and movement-rich equipment—save 10% on monkey bars and rock-wall items with code DNA10.Thoughts/questions email us at podcast@nutritiousmovement.comYour Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits
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    58 mins
  • Feel Better Knees: Anatomy and Loads

    Feel Better Knees: Anatomy and Loads
    Feb 11 2026

    Biomechanist Katy Bowman and biologist Dr. Jeannette Loram explore the prevalence and underlying causes of knee issues, from popping and noisy knees to everyday pain and osteoarthritis. The knee is not just a simple hinge, and Katy explains its anatomy using a helpful “cube” model that includes bones, ligaments, cartilage, and the meniscus. Together, they clarify the difference between osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and examine how movement patterns influence the forces and loads placed across the knee joint. Katy and Jeannette share practical strategies for changing knee loading through gait retraining, along with tools to improve muscle strength, stability, and proprioception to help protect ligaments and cartilage. They also discuss why women tend to experience more knee problems due to hormonal and biomechanical factors, and why prehab and post-surgery exercise training play a critical role in achieving better outcomes after knee surgery.

    Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript

    00:00 Introduction: The prevalence of knee issues and arthritis
    02:00 Why movement and position matter for knee health
    04:08 Sponsors: The Dynamic Collective
    05:58 The knee as a “cube,” not just a hinge
    10:58 Ligaments vs muscles: Why ligaments are seat belts, not brakes
    14:20 Cartilage and the knee meniscus: Function and damage
    18:00 Changing movement patterns for knee pain: Gait retraining
    24:21 Noisy knees explained
    26:22 Knee instability: Strength, proprioception, and hypermobility
    33:07 Listener question: Why do women have more knee issues? Hormones and Q-angle
    46:40 Prehab and post-surgery knee care


    Links & Resources Mentioned:
    The Pelvic List


    Connect, Move & Learn:
    Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
    Follow Katy on Substack
    Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!

    Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors:
    Smart Playrooms: Beautiful playroom design and movement-rich equipment—save 10% on monkey bars and rock-wall items with code DNA10.
    Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs that encourage dynamic sitting.
    Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus.
    Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10.
    Peluva: Five-toe minimalist shoes that move like you do—take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT
    My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA.

    Thoughts/questions email us at podcast@nutritiousmovement.com
    Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits

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    51 mins
  • Move Smarter, Not Harder: Three Movement Plan Must-Haves

    Move Smarter, Not Harder: Three Movement Plan Must-Haves
    Jan 29 2026

    Set yourself up for success: how to create a sustainable movement plan. We walk through their own real-life movement plans to explore the three things every movement plan needs: a clear focus, a small set of daily “ride-or-die” exercises linked to that focus, and movement integrated across the many domains of life—not just exercise.

    This episode offers a practical, honest look at how to build a sustainable movement plan that actually works, highlighting flexible planning and simple environmental makeovers that reduce resistance and make movement easier to return to—again and again.

    Enhanced Show Notes and Full Transcript

    00:12 Movement Plan Introduction
    00:45 Resources for Your Movement Plan
    01:30 Sponsor Acknowledgements
    02:50 The Three Movement Plan Must-Haves
    03:50 The First Essential: A Movement Focus You Re-Evaluate
    06:25 Daily “Ride-or-Die” Exercises
    10:30 Psychological Flexibility: Why Time Targets Often Backfire
    19:18 Containers for Movement: Exploring the SLOTH Model
    20:13 Sleep, Repetitive Positioning, and Supportive Rest
    23:16 Leisure Activities
    26:28 Incorporating Movement Into Your Occupation
    28:55 Transportation and Home Makeovers
    33:00 Listener Question: Underuse vs. Overuse of Body Parts

    Books Mentioned:

    My Perfect Movement Plan by Katy Bowman

    Links & Resources Mentioned:
    Download a printable Movement Plan
    Hamstring curls with a ball
    Side bend on the ball
    Ball push-ups


    Connect, Move & Learn:
    Join Our Newsletter: Movement Colored Glasses
    Follow Katy on Substack
    Try Katy's Virtual Studio Free for 7 days!

    Made Possible By Our Wonderful Sponsors:
    Smart Playrooms: Beautiful playroom design and movement-rich equipment—save 10% on monkey bars and rock-wall items with code DNA10.
    My Happy Feet: Toe-spacing socks that gently realign toes for comfortable recovery—take 20% off with code MYDNA.
    Venn Design: Beautifully upholstered ball-shaped Air Chairs that encourage dynamic sitting.
    Movemate: Active standing boards with smoothly articulating wooden slats. Designed to keep you moving without interrupting your focus.
    Ikaria Design: The Soul Seat® offers height-adjustable, multi-position sitting—get 10% off new chairs and desks with code DNA10.
    Peluva: Five-toe minimalist shoes that move like you do—take 15% off with code NUTRITIOUSMOVEMENT

    Thoughts/questions email us at podcast@nutritiousmovement.com
    Your Voice on the Podcast: Read The Credits


    Show more Show less
    43 mins
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I love the education! There are so many "lightbulb" moments sprinkled throughout each podcast.

Entirely Fascinating!

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