Urinary leakage, chronic constipation, pelvic pain, painful sex, organ prolapse and changes after childbirth or with aging are incredibly common. But that doesn’t mean they’re something you simply have to accept.

In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser sits down with Laura Bunso, PT, MTC, a physical therapist who has specialized in pelvic health, women’s and men’s health and spine care since 1999.

Laura explains what the pelvic floor actually does and why these muscles are so important for bladder and bowel control, stability, movement and sexual health. Like other muscles in the body, the pelvic floor can become weak, overly tight, injured or poorly coordinated after childbirth, surgery, menopause, aging, athletic activity and other changes throughout life.

One of Laura’s most important messages is simple: just because something is common doesn’t mean it’s normal. Urinary leakage, for example, may become more prevalent with age, but that doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do about it.

The conversation also challenges the idea that better pelvic health simply means doing more Kegels. Some people need to strengthen their pelvic floor, while others need to learn how to relax and coordinate these muscles correctly. Even someone who is very active and physically strong can have pelvic floor dysfunction.

Laura and Dr. Esser also explore the connection between the pelvic floor and chronic constipation, postpartum recovery, pelvic pain, organ prolapse and changes that occur as we age. Laura explains why maintaining muscle strength and coordination matters and when working with a pelvic floor physical therapist may help.

Most importantly, this is a conversation about understanding your body and knowing that it’s okay to talk about symptoms that can feel personal or embarrassing. Laura shares practical ways to support pelvic health, from staying active and hydrated to learning how the pelvic floor should contract and relax.

Whether you’re experiencing symptoms now or simply want to maintain strength and function as you age, this episode offers an important reminder: your pelvic floor is part of your overall health, and it deserves attention too.

Smart Body Physical Therapy:
https://www.smartbodypt.com/

Listen to Laura’s podcast, Pelvic Like It Is:
https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/pelvic-like-it-is/id1871478598

Follow Dr. Stephan Esser on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/esserhealth/

Watch NHA Today on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@nationalhealthassociation

Learn more about the National Health Association:
https://www.healthscience.org/

There’s always another diet, supplement or biohack promising better health. But what if we’re making it more complicated than it needs to be?

Dr. Asa Frey and Dra. Joanna Frey believe the fundamentals of human health haven’t changed. At their residential lifestyle center, Back to the Garden in Puerto Rico, they focus on seven foundational pillars: presence, whole plant foods, movement, nature, sunlight, sleep and healthy relationships.

In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser talks with Dr. Asa and Dra. Joanna about why these basic principles can be more powerful than constantly chasing the latest health trend and why knowing what to do is only part of the equation.

They explore the role of presence in actually making healthy habits stick, simple ways to interrupt stress during a busy day and why getting outside, moving your body and protecting your sleep are non-negotiables in their own lives. They also discuss their medically supervised water fasting program, how they prepare patients before a fast and why fasting isn't meant to be a quick fix for the habits that contributed to poor health in the first place.

You’ll also hear how they bring these same principles into family life, what they’ve learned from raising their children with healthy habits and why lasting change often begins by becoming the example rather than trying to change everyone around you.

Better health may not require another hack. It may mean getting back to the things your body has needed all along.

Back to the Garden:
https://www.backtothegardenpr.com/en

Back to the Garden en Español:
https://www.backtothegardenpr.com/

Get the Back to the Garden App:
https://www.backtothegardenpr.com/en/btgapp

Follow Dr. Esser on Instagram:
@esserhealth

Watch NHA Today on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@nationalhealthassociation

Learn more about the National Health Association:
https://www.healthscience.org/

What if getting older didn’t have to mean slowing down?

At 84, Vesanto Melina, MS, Registered Dietitian, is living proof that our later years can still be active, productive and full of purpose. She’s still writing books, speaking, counseling clients and hitting the gym for five fitness classes a week. And she has decades of science and experience behind what she teaches.

Vesanto is the author or co-author of 15 books on plant-based nutrition, including books recognized by the American Library Association as go-to resources in the field. Her latest, Plant-Powered Seniors, was written with Brenda Davis, RD and Dr. Charlyn Black. She also co-authored the #1 Amazon bestseller Plant-Powered Protein. Vesanto has taught nutrition at Bastyr University and the University of British Columbia, received both the Ryley-Jeffs Memorial Award and a lifetime achievement award as a dietitian and served as lead author of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ position paper on vegetarian diets across the life cycle.

In this episode of NHA Today, Dr. Stephan Esser talks with Vesanto about what she’s learned from more than three decades of vegan living and a lifetime spent studying nutrition. They dig into why she now emphasizes a well-planned plant-based diet, why legumes deserve a bigger place on our plates and the nutrients that become especially important as we age, including protein, calcium, vitamin D and omega-3s.

They also explore the other side of healthy aging: staying strong and independent. Vesanto shares how exercise supports bone health, balance and fall prevention, why small changes can make a meaningful difference and why it’s never too late to improve the way you eat and live.

Whether you’re already in your 70s or 80s or thinking about the health you want decades from now, this conversation offers a different vision of aging and practical ways to stay strong, active and engaged for the years ahead.

Order Plant-Powered Seniors:
https://plant-poweredprotein.com/

Learn more about Vesanto Melina:
https://nutrispeak.com/

Follow Dr. Esser on Instagram:
@esserhealth

NHA Today on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@nationalhealthassociation

National Health Association:
https://www.healthscience.org/