Zebra Talks: Living Your Best Bendy Life

Host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes Heidi Andersen, a licensed clinical mental health counselor supervisor and founder of Reclaiming Beauty, to discuss eating disorders and their overlap with hypermobility syndromes. Heidi describes shifting from traditional CBT/DBT-focused treatment toward Embodied Recovery for Eating Disorders, reframing disordered eating and chronic tension as adaptive responses shaped by nervous system regulation, sensory processing, trauma, attachment history, and underlying health issues, including hypermobility syndromes and related comorbidities.
 
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:
00:00 Welcome to Zebra Talks
00:41 Meet Heidi Andersen
02:45 From Burnout to Embodied Recovery
06:58 Hypermobility and Nourishment Clues
08:08 Why This Overlap Is Trending
11:07 Eating Disorder Definitions
15:41 Age of Onset and Diagnostic Confusion
18:16 Research on Anorexia and Hypermobility
21:23 Containment Safety and Proprioception
23:09 Strength Training Grounding
24:25 Developmental Movement Push
27:15 Reframing Restriction Wisdom
28:06 Autism Sensory Overlap
31:21 Treatment Window Tolerance
33:43 Medical Motility Referrals
34:55 Vagus Nerve Compression
38:07 Somatic Tools Boundaries
39:00 Directories Closing Resources
 

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:

Reclaiming Beauty

Follow Heidi Andersen at Reclaiming Beauty on Instagram @reclaimingbeauty

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Learn more about Dr. Libby Hinsley, How to Work with Her, or Join her Email List

Follow Libby Hinsley on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt

Follow Libby Hinsley on Facebook

Leave a review on iTunes

Host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes cardiologist Dr. Alexis Cutchins, who left Emory after 13 years to open a private practice in New York City with the goal of building a multidisciplinary center for hypermobility spectrum disorders. Dr. Cutchins describes how curiosity led her into treating patients with POTS, dysautonomia, long COVID, EDS, and MCAS, and explains that MCAS can both drive and be triggered by POTS physiology. She also explains pelvic venous disease/left iliac vein compression as a frequent contributor to pooling, reduced cerebral perfusion, and orthostatic symptoms, sometimes treated mechanically with venous stenting.

 

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS:

00:00 Welcome to Zebra Talks

00:35 Meet Dr Alexis Cutchins

02:13 Why She Focuses on POTS

04:24 Leaving Emory for NYC

05:09 Building a Center of Excellence

06:40 Hypermobility in POTS Patients

07:44 MCAS and Connective Tissue Link

08:35 How MCAS Worsens POTS

12:24 Treating MCAS Stepwise

14:56 Do POTS Subtypes Matter

16:30 Tilt Table Test Debate

19:07 Stigma Around POTS Diagnosis

20:04 Stigma And Awareness

20:27 Primary Care POTS Care

20:51 Heart Rate Reassurance

22:11 MCAS Symptom Overlap

23:55 Why Mast Cells Trigger

26:04 Pelvic Venous Disease

27:51 Iliac Compression Explained

31:14 Symptoms And Red Flags

33:19 Stents And Treatment

35:39 Where To Find Dr. Cutchins

36:34 Telehealth And Wrap

 

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:

Cutchins Cardiovascular Medicine

Follow Dr. Alexis Cutchins, MD on Instagram @drcutchins

Follow Dr. Alexis Cutchins, MD on YouTube @DrCutchins

 

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Follow Libby Hinsley on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt

Follow Libby Hinsley on Facebook

Learn more about Libby Hinsley, How to Work with Her, or Join her Email List

Leave a review on iTunes

Host Dr. Libby Hinsley welcomes Dr. Poorvi Desai, a board-certified hematologist-oncologist living with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and comorbidities. Dr. Desai explains genetic testing basics (single-gene, exome, and whole-genome sequencing), distinguishing somatic testing from germline inherited testing used for hereditary connective tissue disorders. She notes that 13 of 14 EDS subtypes have identified single-gene causes, but hEDS does not. They warn that direct-to-consumer genetic tests can be misleading, produce uncertain results, and may require retesting, emphasizing clinician-ordered, validated testing mainly to exclude other conditions like vascular EDS, and expressing hope for updated 2026 criteria and improved evidence-based care.

 

00:00 Welcome to Zebra Talks

00:36 Meet Dr Poorvi Desai

01:14 Poorvi’s Hypermobility Journey

03:47 Genetic Testing Basics

06:00 Germline vs Somatic Testing

08:24 How Sequencing Works Today

10:10 Why HEDS Lacks a Gene

10:37 HEDGE Study Findings

15:05 Polygenic Neuroimmune Model

18:05 Direct to Consumer Pitfalls

28:26 Using Testing to Exclude Types

32:08 Access Cost and System Gaps

34:49 Hope New Criteria and Treatments

39:10 Evidence Based Caution

41:10 Where to Find Dr. Desai

42:05 Final Thanks and Goodbye

EPISODE LINKS & RESOURCES:

Follow Dr. Poorvi Desai, MD on Instagram @drpoorvidesai

Follow Dr. Poorvi Desai, MD on Substack @drpoorvidesai

Follow Dr. Poorvi Desai, MD on YouTube @drpoorvidesai

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Follow Libby Hinsley on Instagram @libbyhinsleypt

Follow Libby Hinsley on Facebook

Learn more about Libby Hinsley, How to Work with Her, or Join her Email List

Leave a review on iTunes

In this episode of Zebra Talks, host Dr. Libby Hinsley discusses the challenges and experiences of living with hypermobility syndromes with guest Lauren Brown. Diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and POTS, Lauren shares her long and complicated journey through a diagnostic maze, frequent medical gaslighting, and the significant impact of finding knowledgeable and empathetic healthcare providers.
 
Despite her struggles, Lauren started a YouTube channel, POTS Zebra, to raise awareness and support others facing similar conditions. This episode highlights the importance of community, persistence, and self-advocacy in managing chronic illnesses.
 
Highlights of this episode include: 
 
00:00 Introduction to Zebra Talks
00:35 Meet Lauren Brown: A Journey with EDS and POTS
01:44 Early Signs and Misdiagnoses
04:13 High School Struggles and a Breakthrough
06:29 College and Beyond: Continued Challenges
12:45 A Lifesaving Diagnosis
13:46 Ongoing Health Battles and Advocacy
19:11 Finding the Right Doctor
19:45 Sharing the Journey
22:02 Medical Gaslighting and Bias
23:11 The Importance of Diagnosis
27:19 Building a Support Network
30:10 Starting a YouTube Channel
33:11 Resources and Support
36:02 Final Thoughts and Community

In this episode of Zebra Talks, host Dr. Libby Hinsley, physical therapist and author of 'Yoga for Bendy People,' talks with guest Dena Mellick, a barbell coach and founder of Strength Equity. 
 
Dena shares her journey from chronic illness and pain management to becoming a strength coach. They delve into the intricacies of training clients with hypermobility syndromes (HSD) and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), emphasizing the importance of resistance training and collaborative approaches for managing pain and improving quality of life.
 
Dena explains the benefits of strength training, particularly in combating age-related muscle loss, and offers practical tips for finding the right coach, avoiding common red flags, and accommodating individual needs. They also discuss the significance of progressive overload, appropriate equipment, and the critical role of protein in muscle recovery and maintenance.
 
Highlights of this episode include: 
 
00:00 Introduction to Zebra Talks
00:35 Meet Dena Mellick: Strength Coach and Lifter
01:47 Dena's Journey to Lifting
03:30 The Importance of Strength Training
06:19 Powerlifting and Olympic Lifting Explained
09:04 Training Hypermobile Clients
16:26 Finding the Right Coach or Trainer
19:46 Resources for Training with Pain
22:30 Training with Hand Injuries
23:26 Green Flags in a Strength Coach
23:50 Red Flags to Avoid in a Coach
25:07 Importance of Proper Equipment
28:32 Personal Experiences with Coaching
30:08 One-on-One vs Group Training
32:25 Adapting Training to Life Stressors
35:17 Encouraging Barbell Use at Home
38:12 Getting Started with Resistance Training
40:43 Final Thoughts and Contact Information