The Poop Lady Who Changed How We Think About Pelvic Floor Health: Dr. Melissa Oleson on Breathing, Hip Pain and 300K Followers

In this fascinating episode, Lauren sits down with Dr. Melissa Oleson aka “The Poop Lady” to teach us how to breathe, sit and use the bathroom (because you are likely doing it all wrong). As a physical therapist and content creator with thousands of thousands of followers, Melissa walks us through the surprising links between pelvic floor tension and hip pain, back aches, constipation, and even painful sex.

Melissa shares how a years-long battle with debilitating hip pain that doctors had given up on led her to discover the world of pelvic floor health. Her passion for running meant she was ready to try anything and apparently the answer was…breathing? Melissa’s discovery  that pelvic floor issues are caused by tension, not weakness, motivated her to share educational videos on YouTube and Instagram.

Lauren and Melissa also get into the realities of building an online presence from scratch, the slow grind behind seeming like a success, and what it looks like to build a business while creating a beautiful life with your partner.

Key Takeaways

Why in three women struggle with pelvic floor issues

The biggest misconceptions in pelvic floor health and why kegels are probably making your pain worse

Why it’s possible to breathe “wrong” and how Melissa can help you fix it

Why stress and chronic fight-or-flight mode keeps your pelvic floor permanently switched on, creating the tension that causes full-body health issues

How Melissa went from 4,000 followers to 300,000+ in YEARS

Why couples therapy is more than just a last resort

Defy by Dr. Melissa, the app she built to navigate men and women from overwhelmed to okay, step by step while in genuine community

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