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Julie Foucher MD, MS is a four-time CrossFit Games athlete and family physician. Her passion lies in bridging the gap between fitness and medicine to empower individuals to live healthier, more fulfilling lives. Every third Tuesday, she shares insightful content from a diverse lineup of guests, including medical experts and elite athletes.
Episodes

Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
James Hobart + Austin Malleolo on Developing Better Trainers PH206
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
Tuesday Jul 27, 2021
Austin Malleolo and James Hobart have been leaders in the CrossFit community for over a decade. Austin is a 7-time CrossFit Games competitor, including two individual finishes inside the Top 10. James is an 8-time Games veteran, including two first place finishes as part of Team CrossFit Mayhem Freedom.
Austin and James are also two of the most prolific CrossFit Seminar Staff Flowmasters, having been a part of hundreds of Level 1 and Level 2 Seminars, in addition to being experienced affiliate owners.
Austin and James have combined all this expertise, together with fellow Seminar Staff member Spencer Hendel, to develop CrossFit Affiliate Programming, a new resource that CrossFit Home Office is making available to affiliates. CAP provides programming, class planning, and coach development tools to affiliates with the goal of strengthening coaches’ skills and giving CrossFit affiliate members the best experience possible.
In this episode we discuss how James and Austin became so involved in CrossFit, the challenges and lessons they’ve learned from running affiliates, and why they are so passionate about creating resources to support trainers.
You can connect with James and Austin via Instagram @jameshobart, @austinmalleolo, and @hamplan.
Related Episodes:
Ep 77 - Austin Malleolo on CrossFit and Corporate Culture
Ep 28 - James Hobart on Teaching, Competing, and the Real Purpose of CrossFit
If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns

Tuesday Jul 20, 2021
The Power of Being Present: Michael Asterino PH205
Tuesday Jul 20, 2021
Tuesday Jul 20, 2021
Michael Asterino shares his journey from young lacrosse athlete managing a chronic stomach condition known as gastroparesis, to college sophomore struggling with alcohol and drug abuse. When Michael recognized that his addictions were damaging his relationships and preventing him from upholding commitments, he sought help from others who were sober. With their support, he started on a path to self-betterment. Along the way, fitness, spirituality and mindfulness played a key role in his recovery.
In this episode, he shares how he came to recognize the power of living in the present moment, and how CrossFit helps him live a life free of alcohol and drugs, and focused on connecting with the ones he loves.
You can connect with Michael via Instagram @coachasterino
Related Episodes:
Ep 67 - Sobriety through CrossFit: Brain Reap’s Story
Ep 153 - Mat Fraser + Sammy Moniz: Sweethearts on a Mission
If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Dr. Gabrielle Lyon on Maximizing Muscle Mass for Health PH204
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Dr. Gabrielle Lyon is a functional medicine physician specializing in the concept of muscle-centric medicine, which focuses on the largest organ in the body, skeletal muscle, as the key to health and longevity. By using high-quality protein diets, supplements, and resistance training, she helps a variety of patients, from those suffering with sarcopenia or pre-diabetes to elite military operators, reduce chronic disease risk and improve longevity.
Dr. Lyon received her doctorate in osteopathic medicine from the Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine and is board-certified in family medicine. She earned her undergraduate degree in Human Nutrition from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign where she studied vitamin and mineral metabolism, chronic disease prevention and management and the physiological effects of diet composition. She also completed a research/clinical fellowship in Nutritional Science and Geriatrics at Washington University in St. Louis.
In this episode, we talk about why muscle mass is so critical for overall good health, the importance of having a substantial amount of protein at each meal, and why dietary protein is not a clinically significant risk factor for developing cancer.
Links:
The Role of Meat in a Healthy Diet
Protein researcher’s rebuttal to Dr. Valter Longo’s research
Piedemontese discount code: GLYON
Related Episodes:
Ep 112 - Eating for Longevity with Valter Longo
Ep 183 - Robb Wolfe on the Case for (Better) Meat
If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns

Tuesday Jul 06, 2021
Using CrossFit to Battle Cancer PH203
Tuesday Jul 06, 2021
Tuesday Jul 06, 2021
Scott Britton is the founder of Battle Cancer, a non-profit that uses functional fitness events to raise funds for cancer charities, as well as provides free training programs to help cancer survivors thrive post-treatment.
Originally a small, personal fundraising initiative, Scott quickly recognized that when it came to creating a big impact, there is strength in numbers. He recruited others and worked hard to grow Battle Cancer into a huge movement that has raised over $1.4 million and hosted events across Europe and in the US.
Most recently, Battle Cancer has formed an official partnership with CrossFit and sits poised to become an even bigger global phenomenon as it leverages the CrossFit community to create powerful bonds and relationships that support cancer survivors.
In this episode, Scott shares how he became so passionate about the fight against cancer, the benefits of using movement as medicine, and his dream of developing a network of fitness professionals and affiliates who are trained to support those affected by this pervasive disease.
You can connect with Scott and Battle Cancer via their website and Instagram @battle.cancer
Related Episodes:
Ep 65 - Rory McKernan: CrossFit Games Update Show Host
Ep 127 - Fighting Breast Cancer with Barbells: Barbells for Boobs Founder Zionna Hanson
If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns

Tuesday Jun 29, 2021
Environmental Toxins and Your Health with Jackie Bowen & Oliver Amdrup PH202
Tuesday Jun 29, 2021
Tuesday Jun 29, 2021
Jackie Bowen is the executive director of the Clean Label Project, a non-profit with the mission to bring transparency to food and product labeling by using analytical chemistry and data investigations to research top selling products. Jackie has a Master of Science in quality engineering from Easterm Michigan University, a Master of Public Health in management and policy from University of Michigan, and has appeared on numerous media outlets including NBC, ABC, CNN, ‘The Doctors’, ‘Dr. Oz’, and ‘Dr. Drew’.
Oliver Amdrup is co-founder of the natural health and food supplement brand, Puori, as well as the founder of the first CrossFit affiliate in Denmark. His interest in food and supplement quality was borne out of a desire to ensure his own personal fish oil supplementation was coming from the best source possible. Since then, he has helped Puori grow into a company that offers a variety of supplements to address the main nutritional deficiencies of the developed world with full transparency testing across their entire product portfolio.
Together, Jackie and Oliver are working to educate consumers on how environmental toxins can lead to chronic disease and how as consumers we can make better food choices.
In this episode, we cover the basics of cleaner living, steps you can take to reduce your overall toxin load, and what to look for when purchasing supplements. We also get into some fascinating research, including why vanilla protein might be a better choice than chocolate!
Resources:
Clean Label Project brand search
You can connect with Oliver and Jackie via Instagram @comingcleanproject
Related Episodes:
Ep 38 - Micronutrients and quality supplementation with Oliver Amdrup and Julius Heslet
Ep 22 - Brigid Titgemeier on Functional Nutrition
If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns.

Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
Sam Briggs: Sights Set on Fittest 40-Year Old PH201
Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
Tuesday Jun 22, 2021
Samantha Briggs has been a staple athlete within the CrossFit community for over a decade. Her nickname, “The Engine,” refers to her incredible work capacity in longer events, but it now seems to apply to her longevity in the sport as well. Sam is a 9-time CrossFit Games competitor, the 2013 Fittest Woman on Earth, and in 2022, she has her sights set on becoming the fittest 40 year-old in history.
It’s been over 3 years since Sam last joined me on the podcast, so I was excited to have the chance to catch up with her recently to learn more about what she’s been up to lately. We talked about several of the philanthropic endurance challenges she’s taken on, her world record time at the Spartan Games, how she’s adapted her training over the years, and what drives her to continue working hard in the gym, day in and day out.
You can connect with Sam via Instagram @bicepslikebriggs
Related Episodes:
Ep 90 - CrossFit Games General Manager Justin Bergh: The Man Behind the Magic
Ep 72 - Sam Briggs on Going Back to Basics and Training for Longevity
If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns

Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
Q+A: Celebrating 200 Episodes PH200
Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
200 episodes of Pursuing Health, wow!
To celebrate, I decided it was time for a long overdue Q+A style episode. Thank you to everyone who responded to my email request for questions; there were so many fantastic ones, and I wish I was able to cover them all!
To make this Q+A session extra special, I enlisted the help of my friend Pat Sherwood. Pat was one of the first people to interview me when I began my career as a CrossFit athlete, so it was a huge treat to catch up with him now, over 10 years later!
Thank you so much for your continued support of the podcast. I know many of you have followed along on my journey from CrossFit Games athlete, to medical student, to physician and I’m honored that you continue to tune in each week. I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to listen and learn from so many amazing guests, from medical experts to elite athletes to everyday individuals with inspiring transformation stories, and it’s a privilege to get to share these conversations with you.
Here’s to 6 years of Pursuing Health, and many more to come!
You can connect with Julie and Pat via Instagram @JulieFoucher, @Sherwood215
Related Episodes:
Ep 100 - Q+A: Your Questions, Answered
Ep 21 - Pat Sherwood on CrossFit, the Games and Quality of Life and Longevity
If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns

Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
Roll Up Your Sleeves: Dr. Francis Collins on the COVID-19 Vaccine PH199
Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D., is the Director of the National Institutes of Health, and the only presidentially appointed director to serve more than one administration. In this role, Dr. Collins oversees the work of the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world, spanning the spectrum from basic to clinical research.
A pioneer gene hunter, Dr. Collins led the Human Genome Project from 1993 until 2008. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2007, and the National Medal of Science in 2009 for his revolutionary contributions to genetic research.
In addition to his numerous scientific achievements, Dr. Collins also has a longstanding interest in the interface between science and faith and is the author of The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief.
I have been a fan of Dr. Collins since I first read his book in medical school, and given his role in the response to COVID-19, I was curious to learn more about his insights on how we can bring the pandemic to an end. We cover a lot of ground in this conversation, from how the COVID-19 vaccine works, the impact of Long COVID, how lifestyle and precision medicine can play a role in the prevention of disease, and how Dr. Collins reconciles his faith in God with his role as a scientist.
*Dr. Collin’s bio adapted from the NIH website
You can connect with the National Institutes of Health via Instagram @nihgov
Resources:
To find a vaccine near you visit vaccines.gov or text your ZIP code to 438829
BioLogos Foundation
Related Episodes:
Ep 185 - Daryl Cajon on CrossFit after COVID
Ep 164 - Boosting Immunity and Reducing COVID Risk with Dr. Aseem Malhotra
If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns

Tuesday Jun 01, 2021
Fighting Parkinson’s with CrossFit: Dr. Jeff Livingston PH198
Tuesday Jun 01, 2021
Tuesday Jun 01, 2021
Jeff Livingston is a retired maternal fetal specialist who was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease at the relatively young age of 36 after noticing a tremor in his finger.
Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative, progressive neurological disorder that leads to reduced dopamine production and can result in tremors, balance problems, stiffness, and even depression.
For many years Jeff did very little to address his symptoms, but as his neurological symptoms increased and the condition grew more and more isolating, his wife and his family encouraged him to face his Parkinson’s head on. He began exercising to increase his dopamine levels and stumbled upon CrossFit. Since then, the changes he’s witnessed in his physical condition and mindset have been powerful.
Jeff and I first connected at an MDL1, and I was interested to catch up with him to learn more- not only how the high intensity component of CrossFit results in an immediate reduction in his Parkinson symptoms, but also how being a part of the CrossFit community has played such a big role in improving his mental health as well.
You can connect with Jeff via Facebook and you can learn more about the annual Fox WOD here.
Related Episodes:
Ep 169 - Taking Control of Multiple Sclerosis with Jasmine Joy
Ep 114 - Practicing CrossFit for Health with Dr. Maude Dull
If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns

Tuesday May 25, 2021
The Right Dose of Exercise with Dr. Mark Goodman PH197
Tuesday May 25, 2021
Tuesday May 25, 2021
The secret to training success? The right type of exercise in the right dose for the right person.
Dr. Mark Goodman is an emergency and sports medicine physician who utilizes this secret to help athletes understand how to make the most of their time spent in the gym. Dr. Goodman received his medical training at Oregon Health and Science University and completed his residency at University of Utah, followed by a fellowship in Sports Medicine. He has worked with athletes of all levels and volunteered as a physician for the Cascade Cycling Classic, USA Olympic Speed Skating and University of Utah team sports.
As the Director of Sports Medicine for Wild Health, a genomics based medicine practice, Dr. Goodman applies his passion for health and performance optimization to provide personalized care for issues surrounding athletes of all levels.
In this episode, Dr. Goodman and I talk about the role genetics play in our response to training, including how they can indicate what our training strengths and weaknesses will be, how much recovery time we need, and which supplements will benefit us the most. We even dig into my personal genomics and talk about some of the factors that might have contributed to my success as a CrossFit athlete.
You can connect with Dr. Goodman via Instagram @precisionsportsdoc
Related Episodes:
Ep 172 - Optimizing Health Through Genomics Based Medicine
Ep 108 - Training Smarter, Not Harder: Prevention and Recovery from Injury with Pure Physio
If you like this episode, please subscribe to Pursuing Health on iTunes and give it a rating or share your feedback on social media using the hashtag #PursuingHealth. I look forward to bringing you future episodes with inspiring individuals and ideas about health every Tuesday.
Disclaimer: This podcast is for general information only, and does not provide medical advice. We recommend that you seek assistance from your personal physician for any health conditions or concerns