JEN’S VIDEO JOURNAL

It's Jennifer Shepherd, your Integrative Manual Physical Therapist. I wish I didn’t have to talk about inflammation again… but here we are. I wish sugar wasn’t so bad for us. It’s delicious, comforting, and lights up our brains like fireworks — but it also destroys our cells, triggers inflammation, and wakes up every old injury hiding in our tissues. In this video, I share what happened when I stress-ate my way through the weekend (yes, it involved a Dunkin’ spider donut 🕷️🍩). Within hours, my feet hurt, my energy crashed, and my old plantar fasciitis flared. Here’s the thing — most people live in a constant inflammatory state and don’t even realize it, because it’s become their “normal.” But once you clean house and feel what healthy feels like, you can’t unfeel it. I’ll talk about how to start identifying what triggers your inflammation, how to learn your “edge,” and how to enjoy life without wrecking your body. Let’s be real — it’s not about being perfect. It’s about being aware, resilient, and learning how to come back home to health when you veer off course. #Inflammation #FunctionalMedicine #IntegrativeHealth #SugarAddiction #WholeBodyHealth #HolisticHealing #AntiInflammatoryLifestyle #GutHealth #LeakyGut #MetabolicHealth #ManualTherapy #ShepardMethod #HealthyLiving #MindBodyConnection
I Ate a Spider Donut… and My Body Told Me Everything I Needed to Know About Inflammation
It's Jennifer Shepherd, your Integrative Manual Physical Therapist. I get asked all the time — “What should I do for my back?” or “What’s the best exercise for my hip?” But the truth is… it’s not that simple. Modern medicine and even parts of physical therapy have fallen into reductionism — breaking the human body down into parts instead of seeing it as a connected, living, communicating whole. The area that hurts is often not the root cause of the problem. In this video, I explain why true healing comes from treating the whole person: restoring healthy mechanics throughout the body, improving mobility, and building deep stability — not just chasing pain or strengthening one muscle group. If you’ve been dealing with chronic pain or injuries that never quite heal, this message is for you. Let’s reframe how we look at the body — not as isolated pieces, but as an intelligent, integrated system. #WholePersonCare #FunctionalMedicine #ManualTherapy #IntegrativeHealth #PhysicalTherapy #ChronicPainRelief #StructuralHealth #HolisticHealing #MovementMatters #PostureHealth #ShepardMethod #BodyMechanics #MobilityAndStability #InjuryPrevention #MindBodyConnection
Stop Treating Symptoms — Start Treating the Whole Person
It's Jennifer Shepherd, your Integrative Manual Physical Therapist — and today I’m sharing my personal experiment with fasting, inflammation, and metabolic health. I never recommend anything to my patients that I haven’t tried myself. With my own genetic vulnerabilities (including a family history of Alzheimer’s), my goal is prevention — keeping inflammation low, my brain sharp, and my energy high. In this video, I talk about how I’m using fasting, tracking tools like the Oura Ring, Keto Mojo, and a Continuous Glucose Monitor, and what I’ve learned about how my body really responds — including the surprise lesson I got after a fasted tennis session! 🎾 You’ll also hear why understanding your baseline, food sensitivities, and inflammation levels is essential before jumping into any health trend — because what works for one person might not work for another. If you’re curious about fasting, glucose, and how to truly listen to your body, this one’s for you. 👉 Resources I Mention: Fast Like a Girl by Dr. Mindy Pelz thef3h.com — My site for functional and structural health foundations #FastingJourney #FunctionalMedicine #MetabolicHealth #GlucoseMonitor #KetoMojo #OuraRing #IntegrativeHealth #Inflammation #BrainHealth #MindyPelz #HealthyAging #FastingForWomen #FunctionalFitness #ShepardMethod #HolisticWellness
Why Fasting Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All (and How I’m Tracking My Progress)
Most people are training their core all wrong. In this video, Integrative Manual Physical Therapist Jennifer Shepherd breaks down why common “core” exercises like bird dogs, crunches, and twists don’t build real stability — and what actually does. Discover how your core fires automatically when you’re in the right alignment, why bench press and squats can be incredible core workouts, and how the Shepherd Method for Structural Health helps you retrain your body to move efficiently, prevent injury, and restore deep stability. Your abdominals are not your core — your body deserves more than superficial strength. #CoreTraining #FunctionalMovement #PhysicalTherapy #CoreStability #IntegrativePT #ManualTherapy #StructuralHealth #SpineHealth #BackPainRelief #StrengthTraining #Biomechanics #ShepardMethod #PhysicalTherapist #FunctionalFitness
Stop Doing Bird Dogs — They’re NOT Functional Core Exercises!
Turning 50 has been both exciting and humbling. Even with years of experience in functional medicine and integrative manual therapy, I’m learning firsthand how our bodies continue to change — hormonally, metabolically, and structurally. In this video, I share my personal journey through hormonal shifts, metabolic challenges, and what it means to truly adapt your health strategy as you age. From detox support and fasting insights to understanding genetic factors like insulin resistance, this conversation is about listening to your body, making thoughtful adjustments, and aging with intention and vitality. #HealthyAging #IntegrativeMedicine #FunctionalMedicine #ManualTherapy #HormoneHealth #MetabolicHealth #MidlifeWellness #WomenOver50 #DetoxSupport #FastingForWomen #BioIndividuality #CellularHealth #PerimenopauseSupport #InflammationReduction #AgingWell #WellnessJourney #HealthyLifestyle #MindBodyConnection #JenniferShepardPT #FunctionalHealing
The Real Work of Aging Well: What I’ve Learned About Metabolism, Hormones, and Healing
Back pain while driving? You’re not alone — and your car seat might be the reason why. In this video, Jennifer Shepherd, Integrative Manual Physical Therapist and Certified Practitioner in Functional Medicine, explains how the shape and angle of modern car seats can roll your pelvis backward, strain your spine, and push your head into poor alignment. Jennifer demonstrates a simple, effective way to restore neutral alignment using a pillow — helping you stack your pelvis, spine, and head in a more natural position for comfort and long-term spine health. Whether you drive a Jeep or any other vehicle, this easy adjustment can make a big difference for your back, neck, and posture. 00:00 – Why car seats cause back pain 01:00 – What happens when your pelvis rolls back 02:00 – The pillow trick: how to support your pelvis 03:30 – How proper alignment relieves strain and tension #PostureFix #BackPainRelief #DrivingPosture #PhysicalTherapy #FunctionalMovement #PelvicAlignment #NeckPain #HealthySpine
Why Your Car Is Hurting Your Back — and a Simple Fix!
Could limited pelvic mobility be causing hip pain, SI issues, or even femoral acetabular impingement (FAI)? I’m Jennifer Shepard, integrative manual physical therapist, and in this video, I break down a patient case where severe pelvic restrictions forced the hips to overcompensate, potentially contributing to spurring and chronic pain. Learn how old injuries, surgeries, or even daily movement patterns can affect your pelvis and gait, why proper leg swing and hip mobility are essential, and how restoring efficient movement can prevent injury, reduce pain, and improve overall function. Whether you’re a patient or a fellow clinician, this video shows the importance of combining manual therapy with targeted mobility and stability work to keep your hips and pelvis healthy. #HipPain #PelvicMobility #FAI #FemoralAcetabularImpingement #IntegrativePhysicalTherapy #ManualTherapy #MobilityTraining #StabilityTraining #MovementMatters #HipHealth #PainRelief #FunctionalMovement #PreventInjury #GaitAnalysis #HealthyHips
Femoral Acetabular Impingement Explained: Why Your Pelvis Might Be to Blame
Jennifer Shepherd, Integrative Manual Physical Therapist, discusses why traditional approaches to back pain often fail—especially in young athletes. Using a case of a 16-year-old track athlete with disc pain, she explains how rest, generic physical therapy exercises, and steroids may mask pain without addressing the root cause: inefficient spinal mechanics and restricted movement. Learn why assessing joint mobility, segmental rotation, and proper force transfer through the spine is critical for safe athletic performance and long-term spinal health. #BackPain #TeenAthletes #AthleteInjury #YouthSports #PhysicalTherapy #ManualTherapy #SpineHealth #InjuryPrevention #FunctionalMovement #SportsRehab #CoreStability #TrackAndField #Throwers #PreventInjury #HealthySpine
Why Your Teen Athlete’s Back Pain Keeps Coming Back
Today in the Shepherd household, we’re testing new shoes! 👟 My son noticed his foot felt like it was moving one way while the shoe went another. I show how important shoe flexibility is for proper foot mechanics—landing on the midfoot, rolling through the forefoot, and pushing off the big toe. Many modern shoes have stiff soles that block motion, concentrating forces in the wrong areas. I compare a new shoe versus his old, broken-in shoe to show how flexibility allows healthy foot movement. When shoe shopping, test the sole’s bend—your feet need to roll naturally! #FootHealth #ShoeShopping #RunningShoes #HealthyFeet #FootMechanics #ManualTherapy #ParentTips #ShoeFlexibility #WalkingTips #IntegrativeHealth
How to Test Shoe Flexibility for Healthy Feet 👟
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