Live Well Be Well with Sarah Ann Macklin | Health, Lifestyle, Nutrition
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Alain De Botton: Can Radical Honesty Save Your Relationship?: Communication, Trust, and Emotional Safety | Be Well Moments
13 maart 2026 · 7 min
How can couples talk about hard feelings without hurting each other? This clip explores building a therapeutic atmosphere where jealousy, mixed feelings, and the need for space can be shared gently. Here, I’m discussing why self-understanding must come before communication, how “I feel” language respects two realities, and what an examined relationship means beyond formal therapy. We also consider going to bed on an argument, avoiding freeze-outs by returning to the table quickly, and setting WhatsApp rules to avoid aggravating anxious or avoidant attachment. Lees meer
Alain De Button in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah
🐦 …
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Why Doctors Keep Ignoring Women’s Symptoms | Dr. Nighat Arif
11 maart 2026 · 2 uur 1 min
Exciting news - pre-order my debut book Lees meer
https://linktr.ee/HealthySBTH?utm_source=linktree_profile_share
This week on Live Well Be Well, I'm joined by the extraordinary Dr. Nighat Arif, NHS GP, women's health advocate, author of The Knowledge and the brand new The Family Health Bible, and one of the most courageous voices in medicine today.
Dr. Nighat has spent nearly two decades in the NHS holding space for the women the system has failed and she's built an online community of millions by doing exactly what she does in her surgery: speaking honestly, clearly, and without shame about the things nobody else will say.
Here's What We Dive Into:
- How a dare from Dr. Nighat's sister during lockdown sparked a global conversation about vaginal dryness and why she chose to begin it in Punjabi.
- Why perimenopause can begin as early as 38 to 40, and what the research says about Black and Asian women going through this transition two to five years earlier than average.
- How medical gaslighting and medical misogyny show up in real consultations including Dr. Nighat's own experiences of being dismissed as a patient, both for PCOS and for lichen sclerosis.
- Why Dr. Nighat now recommends that women start moisturising their vulva and vagina from the age of 20, and which ingredients to avoid.
- How the vaginal ring works, why it's barely spoken about, and why the seven-day pill break has more to do with the Pope than with medicine.
- Why Trump's defunding of women's health research and the framing of female bodies as a "business opportunity" is one of the most urgent issues facing medicine right now.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today
15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.
Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailo…
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Does the Birth Control Pill Change Who You're Attracted To? | Be Well Moments
9 maart 2026 · 12 min
Can your cycle and contraception influence who you find attractive? This clip explores how rising estrogen near ovulation aligns with stronger preferences for facial, vocal, and behavioral masculinity, why testosterone can signal immune robustness, and what happens when ovulation is suppressed by the pill. It also examines data on changes in attraction after stopping hormonal birth control, including the 25 percent less, 25 percent more, 50 percent no change pattern, and reported differences in sexual frequency among women depending on when they chose their partner. Lees meer
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/tNoDNnpSkdA
Sarah Hill in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmackl…
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New Year Wellness Reset: The Simple Beverage Habit That Actually Supports Healthy Aging | Be Well Moments
6 maart 2026 · 10 min
Want a simple way to reset your health in the new year? Start with your beverages: water, tea and coffee can support hydration, polyphenols and healthy aging. This clip explores filtered water to limit microplastics and metals, avoiding plastic bottles, loose leaf tea and an easy steeping tip, medium roast and organic coffee for more polyphenols, what changes with decaf, skipping dairy milk and added sugar, and why to avoid artificial sweeteners. We also cover thirst vs hunger, keeping water in sight, water before meals for fullness, and how cold water can activate brown fat. Watch the FULL podcast here Lees meer
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/yZDzsfNjG_M
William Li in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: …
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76% of People Don’t Get Enough Omega-3 - And It Affects Your Brain | Philip Calder
4 maart 2026 · 1 uur 1 min
Exciting news - pre-order my debut book Lees meer
https://linktr.ee/HealthySBTH?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=9db12bc6-b7d3-4df4-bc5c-260e0303792c
Did you know that 76% of the world is failing to meet even the minimum intake of Omega-3?. It’s a staggering number that honestly stopped me in my tracks. We often hear about "healthy fats" in a vague way, but when you realize we are living in a global deficit crisis, it changes how you look at your dinner plate. This isn't just a "nutrition fact", it is a fundamental building block of our health that most of us are simply missing.
I’m joined by Professor Philip Calder, a world-leading expert in nutritional immunology. He has spent decades researching how what we eat literally communicates with our immune system, and today, he’s breaking down the science of Omega-3 in a way that is so practical and easy to understand.
Here’s What We Dive Into:
- The Global Omega-3 Deficit: Why 76% of the world is failing to meet basic requirements and what that means for our long-term health.
- Fire Brigade vs. Firewall: A genius analogy to help you understand how Omega-3s actually "put out the fire" of inflammation rather than just masking the symptoms.
- The Truth About Intake: Why the government recommendation of 450mg might not be enough, and why Philip suggests aiming for at least 1g a day.
- Silent Inflammation: Understanding the "low-grade" inflammation that could be happening in your blood vessels or brain without you even knowing it.
- Cognitive Health & Alzheimer’s: The deeply personal connection between fatty acids and protecting our brains as we age.
- The "Dimmer Switch" Effect: How Omega-3 acts as a specialized mediator to resolve inflammation and return your body to balance.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today
15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Moj…
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Why You Can’t Stop Scrolling & The Simple Fix That Actually Works | Anders Hansen
2 maart 2026 · 5 min
Are your habits helping or hijacking your brain? This clip explores how learned routines like toothbrushing, with oral health linked to heart disease and dementia, contrast with habits we never learned for our minds. Lees meer
This segment examines why calorie-rich foods and constant phone access exploit evolved instincts, why Christmas grazing happens, and how removing cues helps. Practical ideas include keeping junk food and phones out of reach, placing your phone in another room for meetings or class, and exercising daily despite excuses unless you’re genuinely ill.
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/HHvG8HEYdjA
Anders Hansen in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
Exciting news - pre-order my debut book 👇😆✌🏻https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/471807/hea…
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Alain de Botton: Why You're Drawn to the Wrong People and How Attachment Styles Explain It
27 februari 2026 · 9 min
Do anxious and avoidant partners keep finding each other? Often, we’re drawn to familiar dynamics and hope to solve old problems as adults. Lees meer
This clip explores the anxious-avoidant pattern, repetition compulsion, and why styles rarely change but can be managed. We discuss dialing conflicts down, naming your pattern early, and setting firm boundaries such as asking for regular check-ins. It also considers choosing calmer relationships over intense fireworks to support your nervous system.
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/eTbA81qNYt4
Alain De Button in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
Exciting news - pre-order my debut book 👇😆✌🏻https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/471807/healthy-shouldnt-be-this-hard-by-macklin-sarah-ann/9780857509970
***
Let’…
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How To Heal From Heartbreak (Backed by Science) | 5 Experts on Love & Heartbreak
25 februari 2026 · 1 uur 6 min
Exciting news - pre-order my debut book https://linktr.ee/HealthySBTH?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=9db12bc6-b7d3-4df4-bc5c-260e0303792c Lees meer
This episode is a deeply personal one for me because I know exactly how it feels to have your sense of self completely dismantled by a loss. I wanted to bring together the voices that helped me navigate the wreckage of my own heart, moving away from the clichés and toward a real, compassionate understanding of what it means to truly heal.
I’m joined by some of the world’s leading minds on philosophy, psychology, and human connection, including:
- Alain de Botton, a world renowned philosopher and the founder of The School of Life who has spent his career making the complexities of the human heart accessible, helping us find meaning in the most painful parts of our existence.
- Mo Gawdat, the former Chief Business Officer at Google [X] and author of Solve for Happy who combines a logical mind with a deeply soulful perspective to help us navigate grief and find a path back to peace.
- Paul Brunson, a global relationship expert and master matchmaker who understands the intricate dynamics of connection and the vital importance of self-respect when choosing to walk away.
- Guy Winch, a clinical psychologist and celebrated TED speaker who is a leading voice on emotional health, providing us with the practical "emotional first aid" tools we need to fix a broken heart.
- Dr. Emilia Vuorisalmi, a brilliant medical doctor and expert in the science of love who bridges the gap between our emotions and our biology, explaining how our hormones and nervous system respond to loss.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today
15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.
Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts w…
-
Why Do Women Leave Partners in Their Late 30s? The Science of Female Desire | Sarah Hill
23 februari 2026 · 8 min
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes Lees meer
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/tNoDNnpSkdA
What really happens to attraction and relationships as women enter their late 30s, perimenopause, and menopause? This clip explores how shifts in estrogen and a late 30s testosterone surge can reshape desire, partner preferences, and satisfaction, while men’s attraction often tracks cues tied to fertility. This segment examines why some couples grow closer and why many divorces are initiated by women, the reproduction expediting idea, and how hormones can nudge orientation, including late-life female partnerships. Understanding these patterns can help women contextualise feelings and make steadier choices during temporary changes.
Sarah Hill in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
***
Let’s be …
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The #1 Science-Based Way To Improve Focus Starting Today | Anders Hansen
20 februari 2026 · 9 min
Struggling to focus in a tech-filled world? Lees meer
Here, I’m discussing why our brains evolved to be easily distracted and how simple habits can protect attention. This clip explores exercise-driven brain benefits: about 20% higher blood flow, sharper focus and creativity for roughly an hour after, and better memory for study. We also cover the long-term mental health gains from three pulse-raising sessions a week of around 45 minutes, why daily movement still matters, and practical tips like keeping your phone out of the room and building movement into your day with walking, cycling, or stairs.
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/HHvG8HEYdjA
Anders Hansen in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagr…
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The Nutrition Advice Making You Less Healthy: Four Signs To Watch | Nutritionist Sarah Ann Macklin
18 februari 2026 · 40 min
Do you ever find yourself standing in front of the fridge at 6 PM just staring into the light? It is that heavy feeling of being completely "done" for the day. It is not just physical fatigue. It is your brain telling you it has nothing left to give. I have been there so many times and I want you to know that it is not a failure of willpower. Lees meer
This week is a little different because it is just you and me. I wanted to sit down and have a real heart to heart about why staying healthy feels so incredibly hard right now. We are living in such a loud and polarizing world when it comes to nutrition and honestly it is exhausting. I am sharing the concept of the Brain Bank Account which has been a total game changer for how I manage my own energy. We are moving away from the "shoulds" and looking at how to build gentle systems that actually hold you up when life gets messy.
Here’s what we dive into:
- Why the world of nutrition feels so loud and confusing and how to find your own quiet center again.
- How to use the Brain Bank Account method to stop overdrawing your internal energy.
- What happens to our brains when we hit that 3 PM slump and how to nourish our way through it.
- Why making decisions about food is actually one of the most taxing things we do every day.
- How to align your natural biological rhythms with your busy social life without the stress.
- What the Great British Veg Out is all about and why adding more is always better than taking away.
- Why your health is individual and how to stop comparing your "off days" to someone else's highlight reel.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today
15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.
Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.
15% off with…
-
Alain De Botton: How Do You Heal a Broken Heart? The Importance of Closure & Self-Compassion
16 februari 2026 · 7 min
How long does heartbreak really last and what actually helps you heal? This clip explores heartbreak as a trauma that can take years, the call for real closure, and how unexplained breakups shatter trust and sense of self. I’m exploring with my guest the quieter, tragic view that not all pain becomes growth, even while we may learn boundaries and ask sharper questions. Here, I’m discussing the slow turn toward self-compassion, moving from siding with the rejector to being on your own side, and what recovery realistically looks like. Lees meer
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/eTbA81qNYt4
Alain De Button in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.…
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Estrogen vs. Progesterone: Why Women Need Both for Brain Protection | Sarah Hill
13 februari 2026 · 6 min
FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/tNoDNnpSkdA Lees meer
Do you feel like two different people across your cycle? Understanding the brain effects of estrogen and progesterone can help you trust both advisors within you. This clip explores the often overlooked luteal phase, why progesterone matters for mood, sleep, and decision making, and how it's used after concussion to protect the brain. We also touch on perimenopause care and why progesterone isn't just for the uterus, plus emerging questions about neuroprotection and Alzheimer's. Watch the
Sarah Hill in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/Sarah…
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Why You Still Can’t Orgasm (The Step-By-Step Guide) | Dr. Laurie Mintz, Sex Therapist
11 februari 2026 · 1 uur 20 min
Why is it that we often feel like we need to solve the mystery of our own bodies in total silence? For so many of us, the path to pleasure has been paved with confusion or even shame, leaving us feeling like there is something broken within us when there truly isn't. Lees meer
This week on Live Well Be Well, I am sitting down with the pioneering Dr. Laurie Mintz. Laurie is a psychologist and author who is on a mission to close the orgasm gap and help us reclaim our right to feel alive and connected in our most intimate moments.In this conversation, we dismantle the cultural lies that have taught us to prioritize everyone's pleasure except our own.
Here’s what we explore together:
- What the clitoris actually is and why it has been linguistically and scientifically erased for centuries.
- How the myth of the penetrative orgasm is keeping women from experiencing true fulfillment.
- Why your brain is your most powerful sexual organ and how to stop overthinking in the bedroom.
- How to bridge the orgasm gap by moving away from patriarchal scripts and toward pleasure equality.
- Why masturbation is a vital first step in understanding your own unique biological language.
- What it means to be truly in your body and how play can transform your adult health.
- How to navigate the honest and awkward conversations that lead to the most meaningful connections of your life.
- Why information is the ultimate power in reclaiming your body and your joy.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more…
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Why do healthy people still get Alzheimer’s disease? | Dr Darshan Shah
9 februari 2026 · 4 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/qHFymGgsYyE Lees meer
Can you do everything right and still face Alzheimer’s risk? It can happen, and we discuss how environmental toxins, metabolic health, and shifting hormones may play a role. This clip explores two grandmothers with opposite lifestyles, highlighting possible factors like hemoglobin A1c, menopause-related drops in estrogen, and other hormones including IGF-1 and thyroid. We also consider genetic resilience and detox capacity, and why relying on luck isn’t wise. Women are addressed directly, with advice to see a good hormone doctor during perimenopause and menopause.
Dr Darshan Shah in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
**
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/
📹 Subscribe:…
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This One Gut Microbe Could Decide If Cancer Treatment Works | William Li
6 februari 2026 · 10 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/yZDzsfNjG_M Lees meer
Curious what Akkermansia actually does for your health? It’s discussed here as a keystone gut microbe linked to improved insulin sensitivity, lower A1C in clinical studies, GLP-1 release and healthier blood vessels, with associations to cancer immunotherapy response. This clip explores the gut brain circulation connection, how metabolism and energy relate to this microbe, and why people considering immunotherapy might also focus on gut health. We also touch on the importance of discussing immunotherapy with an oncologist and staying within medical advice boundaries.
William Li in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/…
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Why Compatibility is Overrated: Alain de Botton’s Guide to Relationships That Last
4 februari 2026 · 1 uur 41 min
We spend so much of our lives trying to be impressive. We polish our edges and hide our cracks because we’re terrified that being "real" means being weak. But what if the very things we are hiding are actually the only bridges to real connection? It is a scary thought, but one that completely changes how we show up in the world. Lees meer
Here’s what we explore together:
- Why being "invulnerable" is sometimes just as important as being open and how to know the difference.
- How accepting your own foolishness can actually make you invincible to humiliation.
- Why we feel "boring" with some people and alive with others and why it is not your fault.
- How to use curiosity to metabolize pain and crisis into understanding.
- Why following your "gut" in love can sometimes lead you straight into disaster.
- Why the truth sometimes needs to be delivered in "small pieces" to be heard.
- Why a functioning relationship is the most difficult achievement of a human life.
- How to find a path that fits your unique nature in a world that wants you to conform.
Love, Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today
15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.
Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.
15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg Out
How to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-out
Reset Your Health
If your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.
Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.
https://open.substack.com/pub/sara…
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How much social connection do we actually need? Loneliness, stress, and midlife health | Anders Hansen
2 februari 2026 · 11 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/HHvG8HEYdjA Lees meer
Are we built to manage only about 150 meaningful relationships, and what does that mean for our health? It matters because small, real-world connections help lower loneliness-driven stress that can worsen heart disease prognosis and raise some cancer risk. This clip explores the 150-person social limit, why in-person cues beat screens, a call-based study that eased loneliness, concerns about AI companions and hyper-independence, and lessons from hunter-gatherers on movement, sleep, and mood. Together we consider balancing fast tech with our unchanged human needs.
Anders Hansen in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscr…
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Can gut bacteria influence brain disease? The microbiome, Parkinson’s and dementia | William Li
30 januari 2026 · 7 min
Can specific gut and mouth bacteria influence brain health and conditions like Parkinson's or Alzheimer's? We look at early clinical work on Lactobacillus plantarum PS128 and its potential to slow Parkinson's progression, links between gum disease and dementia, and how Lactobacillus reuteri may stimulate oxytocin. This clip explores the gut-brain and oral-brain connections, the idea of a brain microbiome, and emerging views on brain regeneration and healthy aging. Lees meer
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/yZDzsfNjG_M
William Li in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/SarahAnnMacklin
📱 Ti…
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Why Women Feel Like TWO DIFFERENT PEOPLE Every Month (The Science of Hormones) | Dr. Sarah Hill
28 januari 2026 · 1 uur 35 min
Ever feel like you’re waking up as two different people depending on the week of the month? One week you’re taking on the world with total confidence, and the next, you’re second-guessing every decision you’ve ever made. It turns out, that isn’t just "you being emotional", it’s actually a sign of your brain responding to a very specific biological rhythm. Lees meer
This week on Live Well Be Well, I’m sitting down with the brilliant Dr. Sarah Hill. She’s an evolutionary psychologist and the author of This Is Your Brain on Birth Control and The Period Brain. Sarah has this incredible way of explaining how our hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone, aren’t just about reproduction; they are actually "wise advisors" that shape how we think, who we’re attracted to, and how we show up in our work and relationships.
Here’s what we explore together:
- Your Hormones as Information: How these biological signals act as internal guides for your behavior and motivation.
- The "Two Advisors" Theory: Why feeling different across your cycle actually makes you a better, more well-rounded decision-maker.
- The Power of Progesterone: Why this often-ignored hormone is actually a neuroprotective "superpower" that helps your brain slow down and recover.
- Cycle Variability: Why your "symptoms" can change every month based on everything from sleep to stress.
- The Male Perspective: A fascinating look at how men’s testosterone is actually more reactive to the environment (like sports or competition) compared to the predictable cycles of women.
- Bridging the Cultural Gap: How to stop overriding your body’s natural cues in a world that expects you to be the same person every single day.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today
15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/ Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.
Le…
-
Is Your Phone Killing Your Creativity? 3 Ways to Boost Brain Health | Tj Power
26 januari 2026 · 7 min
Can boredom and daydreaming actually boost creativity and calm? Here, I’m discussing how a solo writing sprint in nature left my HRV higher and my mind clearer, then we examine the default mode and executive networks, task switching, and screen-free habits. This clip explores the Meals, Bedroom, Bathroom rule for no phones, the value of nature time, and reframing boredom as daydreaming to restore the brain. We talk practical steps for dopamine-heavy habits, why reflection improves decisions, and how daydreaming can spark ideas and support mental health. Lees meer
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/ZoyEJ0WD99g
Tj Power in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimagined
Know your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/SarahAnnMacklin📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livewellbewellpodcast💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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Longevity Doctor: Alzheimer’s Is Preventable If You Do These 5 Things Early | Dr Darshan Shah
22 januari 2026 · 4 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/qHFymGgsYyE Lees meer
Worried about Alzheimer’s and what you can do now? You’ll hear practical, testable steps to lower risk by targeting metabolism, inflammation and toxins, plus daily habits for brain rest and sleep. This clip explores the idea that Alzheimer’s can have different drivers, the importance of early testing (continuous glucose monitors, hs-CRP, urine toxin tests), and simple changes like meditation, less phone time, better sleep, air purifiers, filtered water, non-toxic skin products, and eating organic while avoiding ultra-processed foods.
Dr Darshan Shah in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/SarahAnnMacklin
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livewellbewellpodcast💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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We Weren't Designed to be Happy: The Scientific Reason You Feel "Off" | Anders Hansen
21 januari 2026 · 1 uur 21 min
This week on Live Well Be Well, I’m joined by Dr Anders Hansen, psychiatrist, neuroscientist, and bestselling author of The Real Happy Pill and Brain Blues, to explore how modern life is reshaping our mental health, focus, and emotional resilience. Lees meer
In this conversation, Anders explains why anxiety, low mood, and restlessness are not failures of the mind, but evolutionary responses that no longer fit our current environment. We discuss how movement, boredom, attention, and social connection shape brain chemistry, and why understanding our evolutionary wiring can help us respond to stress with more compassion and clarity.
Here’s What We Dive Into:
- Why the human brain evolved for survival, not constant happiness or comfort.
- How modern environments amplify anxiety, low mood, and attention problems.
- Why physical movement is one of the most effective interventions for mental health.
- How boredom and mental rest support creativity, emotional regulation, and focus.
- What social connection does to the brain, and why isolation increases psychological distress.
- How dopamine, serotonin, and stress hormones respond to modern stimulation.
- Why chasing happiness can backfire, and what a healthier goal looks like.
- How understanding evolution helps reduce shame around mental health struggles.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today
15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/
***
The Great British Veg Out
How to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-out
Reset Your Health
If your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.
Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during …
-
Why Women Face Higher Alzheimer’s Risk (And The One Thing That Lowers It) | Dr Tommy Wood
19 januari 2026 · 7 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/QeNdkCVYquU Lees meer
Are women at higher risk of Alzheimer’s, and can life roles influence dementia risk? This clip explores why two-thirds of Alzheimer’s cases are in women, how vascular dementia differs, and how age-specific dementia risk has fallen over recent decades. We discuss factors like improved nutrition, better heart health care, and environmental complexity, jobs, education, and social engagement, linked to maintaining cognition into our 80s. A long-running study found lower environmental complexity, common among midcentury housewives, tracked with greater decline. We also touch on the importance of keeping the mind stimulated.
Dr Tommy Wood in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/SarahAnnMacklin
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livewellbewellpodcast💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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The Brain Has Bacteria? What the Brain Microbiome Means for Health and Longevity | William Li
16 januari 2026 · 6 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/yZDzsfNjG_M Lees meer
Could your brain host healthy bacteria? This clip explores how parts once taught as sterile, such as breast milk, the bladder, and the brain, contain beneficial microbes, and what they might be doing. We touch on gut and brain communication through the vagus nerve, the idea of dysbiosis versus infection, and why modern findings ask for humility in medicine. Here, I’m discussing practical takeaways like paying attention to how your body feels and using biohacking to monitor health when tests fall short.
William Li in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/SarahAnnMacklin
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livewellbewellpodcast💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
-
The Hardest Thing I’ve Learned About Self-Talk — and How to Stop Beating Yourself Up
14 januari 2026 · 24 min
A quick note before we begin Lees meer
This year, I’m doing something I’ve wanted to do for a long time.
I want to start this year by sharing something a little different.
After four years of Live Well Be Well, I’m introducing regular solo episodes. It’s taken me a long time to get here. Not because I didn’t have things to say, but because it’s taken a lot of belief in myself to sit here and share my own thoughts, reflections, and opinions, alongside the voices of the people I speak to on the show.
These episodes aren’t about giving answers or telling you what to do. They’re about making sense of the patterns that keep showing up — in science, in health, and in ourselves.
And I feel incredibly privileged to say that. I speak to some of the most respected, iconic people in this field a few times a week, and over the years, I’ve accumulated such a breadth of knowledge through those conversations. That breadth really matters when it comes to health, because nothing exists in isolation.
These solo episodes are a way for me to distill all of that. To share what’s staying with me, what’s shaping the way I think, and what’s been on my mind each month.
I also want this to feel like a conversation. Use the comments. Ask me questions. Tell me what you want to hear more about. These episodes, and this space, are where I want to respond.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
👉 Practical beats perfect.
Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.
https://open.substack.com/pub/sarahmacklin/p/download-your-free-5-recipes-to-relieve
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who read
The Compassionate Cure each week. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today
15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
The Great British Veg Out
How to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not…
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The Three S Model: Stimulus, Supply and Support for Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk | Dr Tommy Wood
12 januari 2026 · 6 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/QeNdkCVYquU Lees meer
Can nutrition and supplements meaningfully lower dementia risk or mainly boost day-to-day focus? They matter within a broader Three S model that links stimulus, supply, and support for brain adaptation. This clip explores why cognitive challenge is the primary stimulus, how supply depends on blood flow, oxygen, and fuel, and how support includes sleep and less chronic stress. We discuss omega-3s, B vitamins, choline, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, iron, and hydration, the heart-brain connection, and vascular dementia overlap, plus associations showing compounded risk from low D, poor omega-3 and B status, anemia, and homocysteine.
Dr Tommy Wood in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.
15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
The Great British Veg Out
How to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 sarahannmacklin.com/vegoutReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 sarahannmacklin.com/reset-your-health
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who read
The Compassionate Cure each week.
https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/SarahAnnMacklin
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livewellbewellpodcast💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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Human Performance Scientist: Are GLP-1 weight loss drugs a solution or a risk? | Andy Galpin
9 januari 2026 · 5 min
Are GLP-1 weight loss drugs a smart first step for obesity? They’re helping many people lose significant weight, yet concerns remain about side effects, muscle loss, cost, and regaining weight after stopping. This clip explores the promise and limits of GLP-1s, the call for long term data, and the need to pair medication with nutrition education, counseling, and strength training. It also considers real world access and whether short term success can translate into lasting health. Lees meer
Andy Galpin in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.
15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
The Great British Veg Out
How to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 sarahannmacklin.com/vegout
Reset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 sarahannmacklin.com/reset-your-health
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who read
The Compassionate Cure each week.
https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/SarahAnnMacklin
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livewellbewellpodcast💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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Akkermansia, Cancer & GLP-1: How Your Gut Microbiome Shapes Immunity & the Brain | Dr William Li
7 januari 2026 · 1 uur 8 min
In this episode of Live Well Be Well, I’m joined by Dr. William Li, physician scientist, bestselling author, and president of the Angiogenesis Foundation. William is one of the world’s leading voices on food as medicine, and together we explore how nutrition, immunity, and brain health are deeply connected, often in ways we underestimate. Lees meer
In this conversation, Dr. William Li shares how the body’s defence systems are constantly communicating with the brain, influencing inflammation, cognition, mood, and ageing. Drawing on decades of research, he explains how everyday foods can strengthen immunity, protect blood vessels, and support brain function, not through restriction or perfection, but through consistent, nourishing choices.
We discuss why immune health matters far beyond avoiding illness, how inflammation silently impacts mood and cognition, and why nourishing the body is one of the most accessible tools we have for long term resilience. This episode is an invitation to move away from fear based nutrition and toward a calmer, evidence led understanding of how the body heals, adapts, and thrives when supported consistently over time.
Here’s What We Dive Into:
- How the immune system influences brain health, mood, and cognitive ageing.
- Why chronic inflammation quietly undermines wellbeing long before symptoms appear.
- What angiogenesis is and why healthy blood vessels matter for brain function.
- How specific foods support the body’s natural defence and repair systems.
- Why food as medicine is about consistency, not restriction or perfection.
- What the science really says about nutrition and disease prevention.
- How everyday dietary choices shape long term resilience and longevity.
- Why empowering people with knowledge creates healthier relationships with food.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully tod…
-
Neuroscience Explains: Can You Prevent Alzheimer’s If It Runs In Your Family? | Dr Tommy Wood | Be Well Moments
5 januari 2026 · 6 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/QeNdkCVYquU Lees meer
Does having APOE4 mean Alzheimer’s is inevitable? It doesn’t, and I explain how genes interact with lifestyle and environment to shape risk. This clip explores early-onset familial mutations versus common late-onset cases, APOE4 as a risk multiplier, population data from some Indigenous groups, Nigerians, and Sicilians, key lifestyle factors like smoking, alcohol, poor diet, and sedentary behavior, polygenic risk scores, and why an estimated 40 to 50 percent of dementia may be preventable at a population level.
Dr Tommy Wood in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.
15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
The Great British Veg Out
How to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 sarahannmacklin.com/vegout
Reset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 sarahannmacklin.com/reset-your-health
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.
https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: / sarahannmacklin
📹 Subscribe: / @livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: / sarahannmacklin
📱 TikTok: / livewellbewellpodcast
💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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Why Do You Wake Up at 2–3am? The Real Sleep Physiology Most People Miss | Dr Andy Galpin | Be Well Moments
2 januari 2026 · 15 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/ZXLWY5HcPXE Lees meer
In this conversation, I sit down with Andy Galpin to talk about sleep, and why so many of us are still struggling with it despite doing “all the right things”.
We unpack why sleep is getting worse globally, even as awareness and spending on sleep continue to rise. Andy explains why focusing on sleep duration alone misses the bigger picture, and why exhaustion is not the same as being physiologically ready for sleep. We also explore why waking up around 2–3am is so common, and how stress, heart rate, and nervous system regulation before bed play a bigger role than most people realise.
Andy Galpin in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
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***
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What We Learned About the Brain in 2025 | Stress, Perception & Healing
31 december 2025 · 47 min
What if the qualities you’ve been taught to override are actually the ones keeping you well? Lees meer
To round of 2025, I’m joined by world-leading thinkers including Simon Sinek, Dr. Rick Doblin, Robin Sharma, Professor Nicolau, and Dr. Sarah McKay to explore what truly shapes our wellbeing when the noise fades and the signal becomes clearer.
This episode weaves together some of the most powerful moments from conversations across the year. From introversion and energy boundaries, to trauma, inflammation, digital overload, recovery, and the stories we tell about our bodies, this is a reminder that health is not about optimisation, it’s about understanding cost, context, and care.
Across neuroscience, psychology, leadership, and physiology, a shared truth emerges. Our systems are intelligent. But they are not limitless. And when we listen earlier, we protect ourselves from paying a higher price later.
Here’s What We Dive Into:
- How introversion can be a strength in leadership, communication, and meaningful connection.
- Why wellbeing is less about right versus wrong, and more about understanding personal cost.
- How MDMA
-assisted therapy works in the brain to support healing from PTSD — and why context matters more than the compound.
- What recovery actually looks like in a world that rewards constant output.
- Why strategic rest and “going ghost” can unlock creativity, clarity, and long-term performance.
- How social media content — not just screen time — may drive inflammation and immune stress.
- Why chronic stress and burnout can permanently shift our inflammatory baseline.
- How cultural narratives shape emotional experiences, including PMS and mood changes.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
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***
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📷 Instagram: / sarahannmacklin
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How Do You Know You’re in Zone 2? Finding the Right Training Intensity Without a Wearable | Inigo San Milan | Be Well Moments
29 december 2025 · 7 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/7kfykswH6Io Lees meer
This clip explores how to identify zone two intensity without relying on a wearable. I discuss the link between breathing rate, conversation ability and the underlying metabolic changes that define this training zone. We take a closer look at why many people unintentionally drift into higher intensities, suppress fat oxidation and struggle to lose weight despite working hard.
The conversation also touches on fat max, mitochondrial function and the practical implications for long-term weight management.
Inigo San Milan in conversation with Sarah Ann
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Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter: Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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The Biology of Health & Longevity | Top Expert Insights from 2025
28 december 2025 · 1 uur 1 min
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/ Lees meer
👉 Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
As we wrap up another incredible year of Live Well Be Well, I found myself asking one simple question. What truly stayed with me?
In this conversation, I’m joined by world-leading voices who helped shape some of the most meaningful discussions of 2025, including:
Dr. Stacy Sims, exercise physiologist redefining how women should train, fuel, and recover
Dr. Andy Galpin, performance scientist translating elite physiology into everyday health
Doug Evans, longevity thinker exploring how nutrition and lifestyle shape long-term vitality
Dr. Iñigo San Millán, physiologist uncovering the role of mitochondria in metabolic health and endurance
Jason Van Blerk, founder of Human Garage, offering a new lens on fascia, movement, and healing
This episode is a reflection not only on science, but on perspective. Across these conversations, a shared message emerged. Our bodies are not machines to override. They are intelligent systems that respond to care, context, and consistency.From female specific physiology and metabolic flexibility to recovery, fascia, and longevity, these voices bring clarity to a crowded wellness space. Together, they remind us that sustainable health is built through understanding rather than optimisation alone.
Here’s What We Dive Into:- How female physiology changes the way women should train, fuel, and recover.
- Why performance science must move beyond one size fits all advice.
- What metabolic flexibility really means and why it matters beyond elite sport.
- How mitochondrial health underpins energy, endurance, and long term wellbe…
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Are You Recovering Enough? Stress,Sleep, and Daily Homeostasis Explained | Joana De Calheiros Velozo | Be Well Moments
26 december 2025 · 5 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/IIenBH9xAEk Lees meer
This segment explores how stress affects the body and why recovery matters just as much as the stress itself. The discussion makes clear that stress is normal, but what truly impacts health is how quickly we return to homeostasis once the moment has passed.
Here, we examine the difference between ongoing strain and healthy regulation, the role of sleep in stress resilience, and why two people with the same workload can experience completely different levels of overwhelm. The conversation also looks at locus of control, daily demands, and why recovery is more about how you respond than what’s in your “stress bucket.”
Joana De Calheiros Velozo in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter: Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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Happy Holidays | Thank You for Being Part of This Journey
24 december 2025 · 2 min
👉 Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/ Lees meer
During this special holiday, I wanted to pause for a moment. Not to teach or analyse, but simply to say thank you.
This is a short and heartfelt message from me to you. A moment to reflect on the year we’ve shared together, the community we’ve built, and the conversations that continue to shape what it means to live well and be well.
This year has been one of growth, experimentation, and learning. But more than anything, it has been about connection. Building this community has become one of the most meaningful parts of my work, and I wanted to take this moment to acknowledge that, to honour it, and to wish you rest, warmth, and wellbeing over the Christmas period.Here’s What I Reflect On:
- How grateful I am for the time and trust you bring to this space each week.
- Why this community has become such a meaningful part of my life and work.
- What we’ve learned together through curiosity, openness, and conversation.
- Why taking time to rest matters, especially at the end of a full year.
- How important it is to recognise those working through the holidays.
- What I’m quietly preparing to share with you in 2026.
- Why living well looks different for everyone, and why that’s something to honour.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
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📷 Instagram: / sarahannmacklin
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How To Reduce Toxic Exposure At Home Without Going Extreme | Dr. Darshan Shah | Be Well Moments
22 december 2025 · 5 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/qHFymGgsYyE Lees meer
Want to reduce everyday toxins at home without overhauling your life? This conversation shares practical swaps for cleaners, pest control, and plastics that lower exposure while keeping things simple. This clip explores why antibacterial cleaners and strong fragrances aren’t necessary, how a single non-toxic concentrate can replace multiple products, and using peppermint to deter bugs. We also touch on microplastics, an 80/20 approach to detoxing your routine, and how your liver eliminates toxins through bile, stool, sweat, and hydration.
Dr Darshan Shah in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
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This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimagined
Know your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
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Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter: Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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The #1 Mistake Women Make Trying to “Get Healthy” in Midlife | Dr. Andy Galpin | Be Well Moments
19 december 2025 · 8 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/ZXLWY5HcPXE Lees meer
Finding it hard to stay healthy in your 40s while raising kids? This clip explores choosing one non-negotiable habit to protect your time, the midlife mental load, and why what worked in your 20s may not now. This segment examines childbirth’s lasting impacts on sleep, mood, and body composition, plus staged sleep strategies for conception, pregnancy, the third trimester, and the nine months after birth. Here, I’m discussing nutrition too: protein targets, post-pregnancy taste shifts, and taking a flexible, low-stress approach when foods trigger nausea or aversion.
Andy Galpin in conversation with Sarah Ann
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Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
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Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter: Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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Neuroscientist’s 3 Proven Steps to Improve Brain Health & Prevent Cognitive Decline | Dr Tommy Wood
17 december 2025 · 1 uur 30 min
👉 Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/ Lees meer
What if cognitive decline is not inevitable, but quietly shaped by how we live, think, and engage with the world each day?
This week on Live Well Be Well, I’m joined once again by Dr Tommy Wood, neuroscientist, researcher, and author of The Stimulated Mind, for a deeply hopeful conversation about brain health, ageing, and dementia prevention.
In this episode, Tommy brings clarity to one of our biggest modern fears: losing our minds. Drawing on decades of human research, he explains why up to half of dementias may be preventable, how genetics interact with lifestyle, and why stimulation, not resignation, plays a central role in protecting the brain across a lifetime.
Here’s What We Dive Into:
- Why dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing, and what the evidence actually shows about prevention.
- How genetic risk factors such as APOE4 interact with lifestyle, environment, and daily behaviours.
- Why women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s disease, and how education and cognitive stimulation influence risk.
- How believing you are “too old” can accelerate cognitive decline through reduced engagement and agency.
- Why mental and physical stimulation protect the brain, and how learning, novelty, and effort preserve neural networks.
- What artificial intelligence may be doing to memory, attention, and critical thinking when it replaces effort.
- How sleep quantity, quality, and regularity support long term brain health and repair.
- Why hearing, vision, and smell loss increase dementia risk, and how restoring them protects cognition.- How sensory input, movement, and recovery work together to support lifelong brain resilience.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
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Why Zone 2 Matters for Mitochondria: The training intensity that improves cellular health | Be Well Moments
15 december 2025 · 6 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/7kfykswH6Io Lees meer
Why is zone two training so important for mitochondrial health? It’s linked with improvements in fat oxidation and lactate clearance, which are used as surrogates of mitochondrial function in sports science.
This clip explores how different exercise intensities drive distinct metabolic responses, why athletes are useful models for understanding cellular energy, and how laboratory testing with metabolic carts and lactate measurements led to practical training zones from easy efforts to sprints.
I’m exploring with my guest how zone two work consistently improved fat oxidation and lactate clearance in testing, while higher intensities remain essential for performance and VO2, since competitions are decided at the top end.
Here, I’m discussing the balance between building a metabolically efficient engine at the mitochondrial level with zone two, and training the “turbo” at zones four and five plus sprint work for race demands, all in clear, everyday language you can apply.
As a nutritionist and health communicator, my aim is to translate these lab insights into practical training decisions that respect both mitochondrial function and cardiorespiratory adaptations.
Inigo San Milan in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
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This episode is sponsored by:
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The Seed Oil Debate: Evidence, Context, and Public Messaging | Dr. Andy Galpin | Be Well Moments
12 december 2025 · 7 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/XXwgXDeOYJI Lees meer
Are seed oils the real issue, or are we missing the bigger picture? We examine the weak evidence for harm, the role of rancidity and context, and why blanket bans miss the mark. This clip explores public health messaging, the push for simple slogans, and claims about beef tallow versus seed oils. We also touch on how activism, diet context, and overconsumption shape risk, and why nuance matters.
Andy Galpin in conversation with Sarah Ann
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Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
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This episode is sponsored by:
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Why You’re Tired, Gaining Weight & Aging Faster - Fix Metabolic Health | Dr Darshan Shah
10 december 2025 · 1 uur 19 min
👉 Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/ Lees meer
Longevity is everywhere right now, but has it become a trend instead of a truth?
In a world overflowing with health hacks, supplements, and promises of a longer life, it has never been harder to know what actually works. Beneath the noise, there is a clear science to living well for longer, but only if we learn to tune out the hype and return to what our biology has been asking of us all along.
Today I am joined by Dr. Darshan Shah, medical doctor, longevity expert, and founder of Next Health. Dr. Shah became a doctor at 21 and has since guided thousands of patients through metabolic healing, functional medicine, and evidence-based longevity. Together, we explore what truly extends your healthspan and what does not.
This conversation is a practical and compassionate look at longevity, what it means, where to begin, and why most people focus on the wrong things. Dr. Shah breaks longevity into a simple health pyramid, starting with foundational habits, then biomarkers, hormones, detoxification, brain health, and emerging therapies such as peptides.
Here’s What We Dive Into:
- What longevity truly means, and why adding years is different from adding healthy years.
- Why metabolic health is the most important predictor of long term wellbeing.
- How simple habits before and after meals support better blood sugar regulation.
- Why quarterly biomarker testing may be the most effective prevention tool we have.
- What optimal blood ranges look like, and why normal ranges are not always healthy.
- How functional medicine identifies the eight root causes behind most chronic disease.
- Why toxins, microplastics, and everyday chemicals affect long term health.
- How women’s hormones, menopause, and brain health relate to Alzheimer’s risk.
- What creatine offers for muscles, cognition, and healthy aging.
- Why peptides are…
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Zone 2 vs HIIT: How Athletes Structure Sessions and Avoid Overtraining | Inigo San Milan | Be Well Moments
8 december 2025 · 8 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/7kfykswH6Io Lees meer
Are you getting the balance between Zone 2 and HIIT right? I’m exploring how an 80/20 split by sessions, with most training at lower intensity and select high-intensity work, supports results without burning you out.
This clip explores why all-HIIT programs often feel unsustainable and can lead to fatigue or injuries, what 80/20 really means when you count sessions rather than minutes, and why only about 5 to 10 percent of total minutes across a season tend to be truly high intensity in athletic programs. We discuss how Zone 2 should be harder than easy cruising to drive mitochondrial adaptations, practical ways for busy people to blend mostly Zone 2 with a small dose of intensity toward the end of some sessions, and why complete off days can be more restorative than so-called active recovery. I also share my experience of feeling awful doing fasted HIIT, and we touch on how women may find certain efforts tougher due to muscle fibre differences related to ATP production. As a nutritionist and health communicator, I connect the training plan with recovery needs, including the role of rest for immune health.
Inigo San Milan in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
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How Wearables Affect Your Mindset and Long Term Health Tracking | Dr. Joana De Calheiros Velozo | Be Well Moments
5 december 2025 · 9 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/IIenBH9xAEk Lees meer
Are wearables helping you understand your health or making you feel more stressed?
This clip explores how our relationship with daily health scores can shape how we feel and why long term trends matter more than single-day data.
This discussion focuses on the mindset behind using wearables, why subjective sleep quality often predicts wellbeing better than objective scores, and how even small changes in reported data can alter mood. Sarah reflects on her own experience of becoming overly focused on sleep scores and explores how relying too heavily on metrics can distance us from our internal signals.
Dr Joana De Calheiros Velozo in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
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Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter: Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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Dr. Andy Galpin: Why You’re Not Losing Fat & How Metabolism Really Works
3 december 2025 · 1 uur 31 min
👉 Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/ Lees meer
What if everything you’ve believed about “fast” and “slow” metabolism has quietly been steering you off course? And what if the real barriers to sustainable fat loss have less to do with willpower, and far more to do with how your body protects you when it senses scarcity?
This week on Live Well Be Well, I’m joined once again by Dr. Andy Galpin, professor of kinesiology and one of the world’s leading experts on human performance and metabolism. Together, we explore the truths behind fat loss, metabolic rate, weight cycling, and the misunderstandings that keep so many people stuck in frustration.
Here’s What We Dive Into:
- Why the idea of “fast versus slow metabolism” misleads us and what metabolic rate actually reflects.
- How fat oxidation differs from real fat loss and why marketing often blurs the line.
- What boosts metabolism acutely versus chronically and why most fat burners rarely matter.
- How basal metabolic rate, thermal effect of food, exercise and NEAT interact to shape long-term weight outcomes.
- Why sustainability is the strongest predictor of successful and lasting fat loss.
- How the body adapts to caloric deficit and why NEAT drops more than most people realise.
- What strategic refeeds can support and when they matter most for mood, hormones and motivation.
- Why GLP-1 medications are reshaping obesity treatment and what gaps still concern experts.
- How food confusion, ultra-processed marketing and seed oil panic distract from the fundamentals.
- What whole food patterns, education and self-awareness offer that shortcuts cannot replicate.
Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
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… -
How Fascia Work and Daily Rotation Changed His Face: Posture, Skin and Eye Clarity | Jason Van Blerk | Be Well Moments
1 december 2025 · 9 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/HQepDqbCIyI Lees meer
How can changes in fascia and daily movement influence the face and overall wellbeing? This clip explores a four-year journey shown through photos, highlighting shifts in facial alignment, skin tone and emotional expression as he adjusted lifestyle habits. This discussion focuses on reducing everyday chemical exposure, addressing past injuries, and using rotational fascia movements to ease tension and restore flow. He also explains how posture, breathing and restricted fascia can affect the eyes, jaw, and complexion.
Jason Van Blerk in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
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Is VO2 Max Enough? Why Mitochondrial Function Matters for Longevity | Inigo San Milan | Be Well Moments
28 november 2025 · 6 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/7kfykswH6Io Lees meer
This clip explores why VO2 max, despite being a long-standing marker of fitness, does not capture the full picture of our metabolic and longevity potential. We take a closer look at how oxygen is actually used at the cellular level and why mitochondrial function is emerging as the next frontier in understanding performance and healthy ageing.
The discussion moves into how mitochondrial health can be assessed in a practical, non-invasive way, including the use of gas exchange measures and lactate as proxies for cellular efficiency.
Inigo San Milan in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
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***
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Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact.
https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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Let’s be friends!
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Stress Researcher: What Person A Does That Person B Doesn’t (Avoid Burnout) | Joana De Calheiros Velozo
26 november 2025 · 1 uur
👉 Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/ Lees meer
Here's the thing about stress that nobody tells you: it's not actually happening to you. You're actively participating in creating it.
That sounds provocative, maybe even annoying if you're genuinely stressed right now. But stay with me, because what Dr. Joana de Calheiros Velozo reveals in this conversation genuinely changed how I think about stress—and it might do the same for you.
Joana is a researcher in biomedical science who specialises in stress and mental health. But here's what makes her perspective unique: she's not just studying this from an ivory tower. She personally experienced panic disorder so severe that she couldn't leave her house. Agoraphobia. Panic attacks. The full experience of feeling like your body has completely betrayed you.
We go deep on why daily micro-stressors (spilling coffee, traffic, emails) matter more than occasional crises. Why recovery is more important than the stress itself. Why most people can't even identify how they're feeling (seriously—emotional granularity is a genuine skill most of us lack). And why wearables, despite being everywhere, often make our relationship with stress worse by creating dependency on scores instead of a connection to our bodies.
Here’s what we dive into:
- What stress truly is, and why perception shapes biology.
- Why two people experience the same event but respond so differently.
- How upbringing and genetics influence stress sensitivity from birth.
- Why emotional vocabulary is essential for stress regulation and mental health.
- How daily micro-awareness can reshape the stress system.
- What resilience means scientifically, and why it is not just pushing through.
- How the body warns us before burnout, and when to listen.
- Why letting go, not control, may support recovery.
- How technology can help or harm our relationship to stress.
-…
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The Freedom You Find When You Stop Trying to Control Everything | Oliver Burkeman | Be Well Moments
24 november 2025 · 7 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/KO_kNTtWahU Lees meer
Do you want to feel more alive without having to earn it by ticking everything off first? I’m exploring how the natural drive to improve is healthy, but using it to reach a standard so you can finally relax keeps you gripping for certainty you can’t get.
This clip explores the relief of seeing that the future can’t be made certain, why “getting everything done” is impossible, and how simple permission slips can loosen that grip. I’m exploring with my guest practical ways to regain perspective during the day: step away, move your body, change your physical context, and then ask, as Jung put it, “What is the next most necessary thing?” We also look at mindfulness as presence of mind in everyday life — repeatedly calling yourself back, noticing when you’ve drifted into control-seeking, and returning without self-criticism. As a nutritionist and health communicator, I connect these ideas to sustainable wellbeing habits that fit busy days: short breathers, physical movement, and realistic self-permission that supports focus and energy.
Oliver Burkeman in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
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This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
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Hydrogen Water vs Alkaline Water: What the Science Says About Antioxidants and pH | Andy Galpin | Be Well Moments
21 november 2025 · 9 min
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/XXwgXDeOYJIIs Lees meer
hydrogen water worth the hype? I look at what it is, how it differs from alkaline water, the simple chemistry behind it, and what early human research does and does not show. This clip examines how hydrogen water is not the same as alkaline water, why changing pH via drinking water is unlikely to matter, and the proposed mechanism where added hydrogen could help neutralize excess oxidative stress by forming water.
I’m exploring with my guest the limited but emerging human evidence suggesting possible antioxidant or anti-inflammatory effects, alongside many open questions on performance outcomes, dosing, timing after activation, acute versus chronic use, who might benefit most, and how it compares with vitamin C or antioxidant-rich foods. We also note a clear conflict of interest, since my guest’s lab is running an ongoing study funded by a hydrogen water company, and he does not recommend routine use until better data are available. As a nutritionist and health communicator, I aim to keep this balanced, practical, and evidence-led.
Andy Galpin in conversation with Sarah Ann
Listen to the full episode here.
Watch the full episode on YouTube here.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter: Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: / sarahannmacklin
📹 Subscribe: / @livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: / sarahannmacklin
📱 TikTok: / sarahannnutrition
💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/