The main goal of the Physiology and Philosophy podcast is to arm the viewership with digestible tools they can use to improve their physical and mental health. If you do not have a formal education in exercise science, it is difficult to know which way is up or where to start. Though many things are up for debate, there are several foundational principles related to strength training and nutrition that, once understood, can help you dramatically. As a society, we often seek quick and easy fixes or a magical pill that will improve our health. Fortunately for you, the magical "solution" does exist, but it comes in the form of sound nutrition and exercise science principles rather than pill form. This platform will meet you wherever you are and give you tools that you can apply to meet your specific life circumstances. Fortunately, there is a link between your physical and mental health. A lot of the physical practices may alter your brain chemistry and put you in a better place mentally. However, for some, a sound nutrition and exercise program alone are not enough to optimize their mental health. That's where the philosophy side of this podcast comes into play. Though there is no tradeoff for professional help, this side of the podcast will expose you to practical ways you can shift your mental state in both acute and chronic fashions. Many practices and principles here are ancient, but some are novel. There is no magic set of tools that will work for everyone, rather it is up to you to sample the varying techniques out there and see which work best for you. The host, Jacob Rauch, is here to help you along your journey along with many others, so you are not alone. Anxiety and depression can be a lonely, debilitating journey, let's work through it together. Have you ever had a day or week where you felt fit, healthy, calm, present, and joyful? The goal of this platform is to give you the tools to have more days like that. But let's be honest, life is not that simple, setbacks and unexpected events occur. Nevertheless, even in those instances, having the tools to pick yourself back up while shortening the duration and intensity of your funks is equally as important to learning how to lean in and embrace the good days. About the host: Jacob Rauch PhD (c) has over a decade of research experience in the exercise science field. Jacob has applied experience working with professional basketball and baseball players alongside 13 peer-reviewed publications. Along this journey, Jacob has developed a sound understanding of the foundational exercise and nutrition science principles. For where Jacob is not an expert, he will lean into his network of more experienced researchers and practitioners to help make evidence-based practices digestible for you. Throughout his entire life, Jacob has dealt with depression and anxiety. Through an academic lens, Jacob became his own test subject looking for any practice that could help him find a more stable peaceful ground. Over the past decade, Jacob has attended seminars, read research papers, and read books of some of the current leaders in the "mindfulness" space. Jacob will aggregate these resources for the viewership while sharing some of his personal practices, all with the goal of helping you find more peace in your day-to-day life. We look forward to embarking on this journey together.