Are you tired of your joints holding you back, or told your only options are pills, injections, or just “living with it?”

This episode of The Pain-Free Formula Podcast invites you to ditch the resignation and discover a science-backed pathway to true relief. Host Stacey Roberts, bestselling author and physical therapist, tackles the burning question: what’s the real most effective treatment for arthritis and why has nobody told you?

This episode unpacks powerful, surprising insights: why movement (done right) outperforms medications and surgery, how gut health and daily habits can radically change your pain, and what to do if “nothing seems to work.” Want less pain and more control? Don’t wait. Tune in now and stop wasting years on ineffective quick fixes. This episode reveals what truly empowers lasting change, hope, and movement.

Listen now before your next appointment or prescription. These practical truths could change your life, and you’ll only hear them here.

1. [00:00] – Why most people still believe pills and surgery are the “answer” and what they’re missing
2. [00:02:05] – The headline that rewrote Stacey Roberts’s approach: “It’s not a pill or surgery…”
3. [00:04:12] – Your arthritis isn’t just “wear and tear”—discover the unexpected factors that really drive progression
4. [00:06:10] – Rest versus movement—why doing less is making joints worse, not better
5. [00:08:31] – Tried exercise and failed? The secret reason it “doesn’t work” for so many
6. [00:11:31] – The untold story of muscle function: Why knee and joint pain respond to smarter strength
7. [00:14:40] – Real-life success: From “bone on bone” to moving better than ever. Here’s what works
8. [00:18:09] – Gut, food, and “can it really matter?” The proof (and a dramatic personal story)
9. [00:22:59] – Don’t fear arthritis: Science says you have more options than ever and you’re not broken

1. Toomey, C. (2026, January 26). The most effective treatment for osteoarthritis isn’t a pill or surgery. SciTechDaily. https://scitechdaily.com/the-most-effective-treatment-for-osteoarthritis-isnt-a-pill-or-surgery/
2. Bennell KL, Wrigley TV, Hunt MA, Lim BW, Hinman RS. Update on the role of muscle in the genesis and management of knee osteoarthritis. Rheumatic Disease Clinics of North America, 2013 Feb;39(1):145-76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rdc.2012.11.003 PMID: 23312414
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1. Pain-Free Formula Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pain-free-formula/id1802518411

Ever find yourself thinking, “I’m doing everything right, so why does my pain keep coming back?” If pain feels like a stubborn villain sabotaging your workouts, sapping your energy, and making you question your body, you’re not alone.

In this empowering solo episode, Stacey Roberts blends science and empathy to unveil the hidden reasons pain lingers after 40, from sneaky hormonal shifts to misunderstood gut triggers and what most PTs never discuss. You’ll discover why “just push through” makes things worse, what actually works to calm an inflamed system, and how to reframe pain as your body’s call for change, not a personal failure.

Don’t wait! Every day spent guessing is a day lost to joy. Listen now to unlock hope and next steps that could change everything. This approach is compassionate, practical, and simply not taught anywhere else.

1. [00:00] – Why “powering through” your pain may actually set you back for years
2. [00:01:46] – You’re stretching, exercising, doing ALL the right things… so why is your body still screaming?
3. [00:03:13] – What started as an injury may not just be about your muscles or joints anymore—prepare to unlearn what you thought you knew
4. [00:04:41] – How aging unlocks a “layer cake” of inflammation, nervous system sensitivity, and hormonal chaos
5. [00:05:44] – The massive blind spot around hormones—even the cleanest eaters can hurt if this is off
6. [00:07:59] – When standing, food, or your old workouts suddenly unleash pain: what changed, and what you can control
7. [00:09:04] – Eating “healthy” doesn’t guarantee relief: the gut-joint link that’s quietly driving pain
8. [00:13:47] – When exercise hurts instead of helps: breaking the myth of “no pain, no gain” in your 40s and 50s

Using These Common Painkillers After Surgery May Be Slowing Recovery – New Study Finds. https://scitechdaily.com/using-these-common-painkillers-after-surgery-may-be-slowing-recovery-new-study-finds/

RICE Method – Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/rice-method

Laumet, S., Edwards, A. M., Inyang, K. E., & Laumet, G. (2025). Unexpected Role of TNFα Signaling in the Resolution of Postoperative Pain in Mice. Journal of Pain Research. DOI: 10.2147/JPR.S543971

Tazreean, R., Nelson, G., & Twomey, R. (2022). Early mobilization in enhanced recovery after surgery pathways: current evidence and recent advancements. Journal of Comparative Effectiveness Research, 11(2), 121–129. https://doi.org/10.2217/cer-2021-0258

Ever find yourself thinking, “I’m doing everything right, so why does my pain keep coming back?” If pain feels like a stubborn villain sabotaging your workouts, sapping your energy, and making you question your body, you’re not alone.

In this empowering solo episode, Stacey Roberts blends science and empathy to unveil the hidden reasons pain lingers after 40, from sneaky hormonal shifts to misunderstood gut triggers and what most PTs never discuss. You’ll discover why “just push through” makes things worse, what actually works to calm an inflamed system, and how to reframe pain as your body’s call for change, not a personal failure.

Don’t wait! Every day spent guessing is a day lost to joy. Listen now to unlock hope and next steps that could change everything. This approach is compassionate, practical, and simply not taught anywhere else.

1. [00:00] – Why “powering through” your pain may actually set you back for years
2. [00:01:46] – You’re stretching, exercising, doing ALL the right things… so why is your body still screaming?
3. [00:03:13] – What started as an injury may not just be about your muscles or joints anymore—prepare to unlearn what you thought you knew
4. [00:04:41] – How aging unlocks a “layer cake” of inflammation, nervous system sensitivity, and hormonal chaos
5. [00:05:44] – The massive blind spot around hormones—even the cleanest eaters can hurt if this is off
6. [00:07:59] – When standing, food, or your old workouts suddenly unleash pain: what changed, and what you can control
7. [00:09:04] – Eating “healthy” doesn’t guarantee relief: the gut-joint link that’s quietly driving pain
8. [00:13:47] – When exercise hurts instead of helps: breaking the myth of “no pain, no gain” in your 40s and 50s

1. Pain-Free Formula Podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pain-free-formula/id1802518411
2. 
   
3. Free eBooks - https://newyouhealthandwellness.com/ebooks
4. Biomechanics: When Movement Matters
5. Heal Your Gut, Heal Your Pain - The Gut Joint Axis: A Missing Link to Joint and Muscle Health
6. Hormones: A Missing Piece in Pain Relief
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Do you feel older than you are, battling unexplained muscle or joint pain, and no one gives you a real answer? In this episode, Stacey Roberts pulls back the curtain on statin medications and exposes the newly discovered science that explains why so many people hurt after starting these drugs.

With decades of experience as a clinician and functional medicine specialist, Stacey Roberts shares proven, compassionate guidance for anyone caught between heart health and a pain-filled life.

You’ll learn about the controversial studies, the revolutionary discovery behind statin-induced pain, and what you can actually do if you need cholesterol support, but pain isn’t the price you want to pay.

Listen now for the facts your provider may not have told you because this episode could save you months, even years, of suffering. Do not miss the root-cause answers and next steps only revealed here.

1. [00:00] – The pain puzzle: “I didn’t fall… so why am I hurting?”
2. [00:01:34] – Statins, secrecy, and the rising tide of mysterious muscle pain
3. [00:02:54] – Pharma-funded studies, placebo confusion… and the missing answers
4. [00:04:46] – Game-changing breakthrough: The calcium “leak” that links statins to pain
5. [00:06:37] – Why YOU might react: Genes, mitochondria, hormones, and inflammation all collide
6. [00:09:16] – Don’t stop cold turkey: Safer strategies and when to talk to your doctor
7. [00:10:19] – Are “natural statins” or lifestyle shifts enough to help your heart?
8. [00:13:37] – Cholesterol’s misunderstood role and the truth about “good enough” levels
9. [00:14:51] – When pain is real—not “just in your head”—and how to fight for quality of life

1. Red Yeast Rice and Monacolin K
2. Soluble fiber (psyllium, oat beta glucan)
3. Niacin (vitamin B therapy)
4. Coenzyme Q10 (Ubiquinol)
5. Cryo-electron microscopy research on statin muscle effects

1. Why Do Statins Hurt? Scientists Solve 30-Year...

Are you suffering in silence with pelvic pain or painful sex, believing it’s “normal” or something you just have to tolerate? This episode shatters the stigma and reveals why pleasure—not pain—should be your expectation.

Join Stacey Roberts and pelvic health pioneer Heather Jeffcoat for a raw, uplifting conversation packed with practical strategies and science-backed hope. Heather shares what most doctors and patients miss about chronic pain, why specialized pelvic PT matters, and the real roadmap to reclaiming intimacy and vitality.

From misunderstood diagnoses to empowering tools, you’ll leave knowing how to advocate for your health and demand better care. Don’t wait for relief. Tune in now to uncover the proven formula for healing that too often gets overlooked.

Your breakthrough starts inside this episode. Don’t miss what every patient, partner, and provider deserves to know.

Timestamped Highlights

[00:00:00] The anxiety-depression-pain loop: how Covid changed everything (and pelvic PT’s explosive growth)

[00:05:18] Why Heather gave up sports medicine: the “mill clinic” dilemma and hunger for real connection

[00:09:13] Quick fixes aren’t enough: Heather’s early patient struggles and what she wishes she knew

[00:11:14] Sex Without Pain: the radical message (and why Heather had to go beyond a pamphlet)

[00:14:10] Common doesn’t mean normal—breaking generational silence around intimate pain

[00:16:29] Kegels, biofeedback, and why most PT clinics simply aren’t enough

[00:19:10] The glute-jaw-pelvic floor connection (yes, jaw tension may fuel your symptoms)

[00:22:15] SoftWave breakthroughs: how a single device transformed pelvic therapy (and saved Heather’s hands)

[00:29:06] The real next steps if you’re struggling: tools, team, and empowerment

Heather Jeffcoat, DPT is a nationally recognized pelvic health physical therapist, author, and founder of Fusion Wellness & Femina PT in Southern California. She served as President of the Pelvic Health Academy at the American Physical Therapy Association (2022–2024) and sits on advisory boards for the International Pelvic Pain Society. With two decades’ expertise, Heather’s evidence-based care and book Sex Without Pain: A Self-Treatment Guide are changing lives for patients and reshaping the field itself.

🔗 LinkedIn | Website | Publications | Email

Get 20% OFF the PDF copy of Heather’s book, Sex Without Pain!

Go to sexwithoutpain.com

Enter discount code Formula 20 at checkout for 20% off your immediate PDF download!

1. Sex Without Pain (book & resources)
2. SoftWave Therapy

Ever wonder why you still suffer even with “normal” bloodwork? Tired of symptom-chasing and quick fixes?

In this empowering episode, bestselling author and practitioner Stacey Roberts welcomes Reed Davis, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition founder and holistic health innovator. They dig deep into why conventional testing misses so much and how food sensitivity and functional labs uncover answers most have never heard.

Get real cases, testing strategies, and fresh hope to reclaim your health.

Timestamped Highlights

[00:00] Reed’s mission: from environmental law to functional health hero

[00:04:40] Why “normal labs” leave people stuck—what’s missing?

[00:07:05] Pain beyond injuries—how “hidden root causes” matter

[00:11:01] Reed’s H.I.D.D.E.N. formula: why there’s rarely a single root cause

[00:14:08] The D.R.E.S.S. protocol—real results beyond diagnosis

[00:17:05] Susan’s story: drug-free relief from chronic hives

[00:22:13] What food sensitivity testing reveals (even about “healthy foods”)

[00:26:55] When doctors dismiss functional labs—how clients can respond

[00:29:00] Metabolic chaos—the missing health link

[00:34:07] The double standard in medicine—data only counts sometimes

[00:39:43] Free resources on functional lab testing

Reed Davis, Double-Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner (HHP) and Doctor of Nutritional Therapy (DNT), is a globally recognized expert in functional lab testing and holistic lifestyle medicine. As the visionary founder of Functional Diagnostic Nutrition® (FDN), Reed has pioneered the FDN Certification Course, which has empowered over 5,000 practitioners across 50 countries to take charge of their clients' health. With more than a decade of experience as Health Director at a Southern California wellness center, Reed personally guided over 10,000 clients to optimal wellness, giving him the experience and foundational knowledge needed to teach others to build their own health careers.

🔗 LinkedIn | Website | Facebook

1. Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN)
2. H.I.D.D.E.N. framework (Hormone, Immune, Digestion, Detox, Energy, Nervous system)
3. D.R.E.S.S. for Health Success™ (Diet, Rest, Exercise, Stress reduction, Supplementation)
4. ALCAT food sensitivity test / mediator release testing
5. The Gap: Simple Steps to Reclaim Your Health and Reverse Most Chronic Diseases (Chronic Health Recovery Book...

Are you tired of chasing pain relief and feeling like you’re always one step behind your own healing?

In today’s empowering episode, Stacey Roberts cracks open the surprising, science-backed role of fiber for real, lasting relief from muscle and joint pain, often overlooked, but never more relevant for anyone ready to feel vibrant again.

Drawing from breakthrough studies and her own decades-long journey, Stacey Roberts reveals why fiber is more than a “digestion” thing—it’s the missing link in reducing inflammation, supporting your body from the inside out, and reclaiming the active, joyful life you deserve.

Don’t wait for pain to define your days. This episode unlocks proven strategies and answers you won’t find anywhere else. Listen now to start your game-changing, pain-free path because what you do today truly transforms your tomorrow.

1. [00:00:00] – Can what you eat really change your pain? The silent power of fiber revealed
2. [00:01:03] – An 8-year study uncovers the real, lasting pain relief hiding in your gut
3. [00:04:19] – Why fiber isn’t just about digestion—discover the science behind joint pain relief
4. [00:06:06] – Meet butyrate and the chemical messengers lowering your inflammation
5. [00:07:27] – Soluble vs. insoluble fiber: The difference that changes everything
6. [00:10:01] – The warning sign few know: When added fiber makes you feel worse
7. [00:12:26] – Stacey’s own battle with fiber intolerance and the surprising way out
8. [00:13:36] – Start low, go slow: How to build your fiber habit for real healing (without regret)

Blog Post: 3 Ways Fiber Can Calm Joint Pain – What You Need to Know

Fortuna R, Hart DA, Sharkey KA, Schachar RA, Johnston K, Reimer RA. Effect of a prebiotic supplement on knee joint function, gut microbiota, and inflammation in adults with co-morbid obesity and knee osteoarthritis: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials. 2021 Apr 7;22(1):255. doi: 10.1186/s13063-021-05212-w. PMID: 33827639; PMCID: PMC8025512.

Dai Z, Lu N, Niu J, Felson DT, Zhang Y. Dietary Fiber Intake in Relation to Knee Pain Trajectory. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2017 Sep;69(9):1331-1339. doi: 10.1002/acr.23158. Epub 2017 Aug 13. PMID: 27899003; PMCID: PMC5447491.

Dai Z, Niu J, Zhang Y, Jacques P, Felson DT. Dietary intake of fibre and risk of knee osteoarthritis in two US prospective cohorts. Ann Rheum Dis. 2017 Aug;76(8):1411-1419. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-210810. Epub 2017 May 23. Erratum in: Ann Rheum Dis. 2017 Dec;76(12):2103. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2016-210810corr1. PMID: 28536116.

Ma Y, Hébert JR, Li W, Bertone-Johnson ER, Olendzki B, Pagoto SL, Tinker L, Rosal MC, Ockene IS, Ockene JK, Griffith JA, Liu S. Association between dietary fiber and markers of systemic inflammation in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study. Nutrition. 2008 Oct;24(10):941-9. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2008.04.005. Epub 2008 Jun 18. PMID: 18562168; PMCID: PMC2603616.

Ma, W., Nguyen, L.H., Song, M. et al. Dietary fiber intake, the gut microbiome, and chronic systemic inflammation in a cohort of adult men. Genome Med 13, 102...

Alcohol and pain don’t mix—literally. In this episode, Stacey gets real about how even moderate alcohol consumption can wreak havoc on your joints, muscles, hormones, gut, and sleep.

Whether you’re dealing with chronic pain, perimenopause, or post-workout recovery struggles, this episode breaks down exactly how alcohol derails healing and what to drink instead if you still want to indulge occasionally. It’s the conversation your doctor probably isn’t having with you, but should.

1. [00:01:10] Why alcohol and joint pain is a touchy topic (especially in Wisconsin)
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3. [00:02:00] The #1 reason alcohol worsens joint and muscle pain: inflammation
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5. [00:03:15] Alcohol raises inflammatory markers (IL-6, TNF-alpha, CRP) and oxidative stress
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7. [00:04:47] Fascia, cartilage, and hydration—how alcohol dehydrates key tissues
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9. [00:05:41] Gut damage, leaky gut, and lipopolysaccharides that attack your joints
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11. [00:07:15] Histamines in alcohol: why wine, beer, and champagne can trigger joint flares
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13. [00:08:00] Women in perimenopause/postmenopause are especially sensitive to alcohol
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15. [00:10:00] The rebound estrogen crash: why one drink can worsen menopause symptoms
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17. [00:11:22] How alcohol affects men: testosterone suppression and man boobs
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19. [00:12:33] Alcohol + workouts = sabotage: it blocks muscle recovery and increases belly fat
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21. [00:14:35] Poor sleep, increased pain sensitivity, and blood sugar crashes
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23. [00:15:54] What to avoid: beer, red wine, sugary cocktails
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25. [00:17:28] Better options: gluten-free vodka, seltzer with citrus, dry white wine or champagne
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27. [00:19:07] How much is okay? Best practices for alcohol timing and pain management
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