What if the food you eat every day is quietly shaping not just your physical health, but your brain, your mood, and your long-term resilience?
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.
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 💛
👉 Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact.
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***
This episode is sponsored by:
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***
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Intro (00:00)
Why Social Connection Is Essential for Longevity and Brain Health (02:11)
Reframing Ageing and Letting Go of the Decline Narrative (04:26)
How Metabolism Shapes Ageing, Energy, and Disease Risk (11:03)
Why Biohacking Misses the Bigger Picture of Longevity and Health (15:26)
The Brain Microbiome and How Gut Bacteria Affect the Mind (19:12)
Probiotics and Brain Health What the Science Shows (23:29)
How to Choose the Right Probiotic Based on Evidence (30:40)
Akkermansia and Its Role in Metabolism and Diabetes (35:46)
Gut Health, Immunity, and Cancer Treatment Support (40:02)
How to Increase Akkermansia Naturally Through Diet (41:37)
Do Restrictive Diets Support or Harm Gut Microbiome Health? (47:56)
Hydration, Polyphenols, and Healthier Beverage Choices (50:54)
The Simple Hydration Habit That Prevents Mindless Eating (57:12)
Balancing Longevity Goals With Joy and Simplicity (1:01:42)
***
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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.
***
This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.
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***
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
***
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Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/ZXLWY5HcPXE
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.
***
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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👉 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
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What if the qualities you’ve been taught to override are actually the ones keeping you well?
In this end-of-year reflection, 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:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
***
Let’s be friends!
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***
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***
If You Enjoyed This Episode, You Might Also Like:
Simon Sinek on Leadership, Energy, and Meaningful WorkSimon Sinek: The ADHD Superpower - Why It’s My Greatest Advantage
Dr. Rick Doblin on Trauma, Healing, and Psychedelic ScienceHow Psychedelics Change the Brain: MDMA, Psilocybin, Benefits & Risks | Dr. Rick Doblin
Dr. Sarah McKay on Women’s Brains, Hormones, and Emotional HealthWomen's Brain Health: What Science REALLY Says About Hormones, PMS & Menopause | Dr Sarah McKay
***
Highlights:
00:00:00 Intro
00:02:00 My ADHD Superpower - Why it’s my greatest advantage | Simon Sinek
00:11:23 How Psychedelics Change the Brain: MDMA, Psilocybin, Benefits and Risks | Dr Rick Doblin
00:18:51 Stop Chasing Money: 8 Hidden Forms of Wealth You Need Now | Robin Sharma
00:24:05 The Brain Immune Expert: Alert! Social Media is Reprogramming Your Immune System | Dr Dan Nicolau Jr
00:39:24 Women’s Brain Health: What Science Really Says About Hormones, PMS, and Menopause | Dr Sarah McKay
***
Love what you’re hearing?
My small ask is to please rate and review Live Well Be Well. This helps the show expand and allows me to keep producing these with the best quality guests. It means a huge amount to me, so thank you.
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/7kfykswH6Io
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.
***
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!
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👉 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/
👉 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 wellbeing.
- Why recovery is an active biological process, not simply rest.
- What fascia reveals about pain, movement, and whole body connection.
- How modern lifestyles disrupt our biology and what helps restore balance.
- Why longevity depends more on fundamentals than shortcuts.
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 nowatch.com
***
Let’s be friends!
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***
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***
00:00:00 The question that shaped this year end reflection
00:04:18 Female physiology and outdated fitness narratives
00:09:42 Performance science beyond extremes
00:15:06 Metabolic flexibility explained simply
00:20:31 Mitochondria and sustainable energy
00:26:47 Recovery as a biological skill
00:32:10 Fascia, pain, and whole body communication
00:37:58 Longevity through fundamentals
00:43:21 What listening to the body really means
***
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My small ask is to please rate and review Live Well Be Well. This helps the show expand and allows me to keep producing these with the best quality guests. It means a huge amount to me, so thank you.
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/IIenBH9xAEk
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.”
***
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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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:
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
***
Let’s be friends!
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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/
***
Love what you’re hearing?
My small ask is to please rate and review Live Well Be Well. This helps the show expand and allows me to keep producing these with the best quality guests. It means a huge amount to me, so thank you.
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/qHFymGgsYyE
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.
***
This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimagined
Know 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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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.
***
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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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:
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
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: / sarahannmacklin
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💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
About Dr. Tommy Wood📘 Book - The Stimulated Mind
A science-backed guide to boosting mental sharpness, preventing cognitive decline, and future-proofing your brain at any age (available for preorder).
https://www.drtommywood.com/stimulated-mind
📸 Instagram:@drtommywood
🐦 Twitter: @DrRagnar
🌐 Website: https://www.drtommywood.com
***
If You Enjoyed This Episode, You Might Also Like:
A 7-Step System to Unlock Your Brain’s Full Potential | Nicole VignolaNicole Vignola: The 7-Step Process to Rewire Your Brain
***
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/
***
Highlights
00:00:00 Why dementia is widely misunderstood
00:02:05 Dementia, Alzheimer’s, and what is actually preventable
00:06:40 Genetics, APOE4, and lifestyle as a risk multiplier
00:09:35 Why women face higher Alzheimer’s risk
00:13:55 Education, work, and declining dementia rates
00:17:30 How mindset and self talk shape cognitive ageing
00:21:10 Autonomy, movement, and brain resilience
00:26:55 AI, effort, and the future of thinking
00:32:05 When technology supports cognition, and when it erodes it
00:39:45 Hearing, eyesight, and dementia risk
00:47:10 Smell, memory, and sensory stimulation
00:55:20 Sleep, recovery, and how the brain adapts
***
Love what you’re hearing?
My small ask is to please rate and review Live Well Be Well. This helps the show expand and allows me to keep producing these with the best quality guests. It means a huge amount to me, so thank you.
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/7kfykswH6Io
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.
***
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.
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***
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Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/XXwgXDeOYJI
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.
***
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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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 rising in popularity, and how to approach them with safety and clarity.
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 nowatch.com
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: / sarahannmacklin
📹 Subscribe: / @livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: / sarahannmacklin
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💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
If You Enjoyed This Episode, You Might Also Like:
Improve Your Health With Biohacking: Expert Tips From Dr Molly Maloof
No.1 Gut Scientist: Insane Fiber Benefits to HEAL YOUR GUT & Beat Disease | Dr Will Bulsiewicz
***
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***
Highlights
What real longevity means and why it matters (00:00:00)
The rise of chronic illness and metabolic decline (00:03:12)
The eight root causes behind most modern diseases (00:06:58)
How continuous glucose monitors reshape daily habits (00:09:41)
Using data without falling into overwhelm (00:13:28)
The biomarkers that matter most for preventive health (00:16:44)
Why normal blood sugar is not always optimal (00:20:26)
Muscle mass and metabolism across the ageing process (00:20:26)
Creatine for strength, cognition, and longevity (00:28:14)
Toxins, microplastics, and their impact on long-term health (00:32:48)
Alzheimer’s risk and the role of women’s hormonal health (00:38:07)
Peptides, benefits, and precautions for safe use (00:47:22)
***
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My small ask is to please rate and review Live Well Be Well. This helps the show expand and allows me to keep producing these with the best quality guests. It means a huge amount to me, so thank you.
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/7kfykswH6Io
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.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: Health tracking reimagined
Know 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
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💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/IIenBH9xAEk
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.
***
This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: Health tracking reimagined
Know 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/
👉 Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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:
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
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: / sarahannmacklin
📹 Subscribe: / @livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: / sarahannmacklin
📱 TikTok: / sarahannnutrition
💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
If You Enjoyed This Episode, You Might Also Like:How HRV, Sleep & Hydrogen Water Impact Longevity | Dr Andy GalpinHow HRV, Sleep & Hydrogen Water Impact Longevity | Dr Andy Galpin
Your “Healthy” Food Is the Problem | How Ultra-Processed Foods Affect Women’s Hormones & Gut HealthYour “Healthy” Food Is the Problem | How Ultra-Processed Foods Affect Women’s Hormones & Gut Health
***
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/
***
Highlights:
The myth of fast and slow metabolism (00:00:00)
Fat oxidation versus real fat loss (00:04:12)
Why most metabolism boosters fall short (00:06:45)
Thermal effect of food and what it contributes (00:10:21)
Why exercise alone often does not result in expected fat loss (00:13:47)
NEAT and the invisible drop that happens during dieting (00:16:30)
Strategic refeeds and how they support hormones and motivation (00:19:48)
Healing disordered eating patterns through flexibility (00:25:12)
The obesity epidemic and the role of metabolic health (00:31:03)
GLP-1 medications and the future of weight loss treatment (00:33:42)
Seed oil panic and why it misses the point (00:38:01)
Navigating whole foods and processing confusion (00:55:27)
The problem with choosing the least bad option (01:03:10)
***
Love what you’re hearing?
My small ask is to please rate and review Live Well Be Well. This helps the show expand and allows me to keep producing these with the best quality guests. It means a huge amount to me, so thank you.
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/HQepDqbCIyI
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.
***
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/
Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/7kfykswH6Io
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.
***
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/
👉 Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
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.
- What just-in-time interventions are, and how timing shapes healing.
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 nowatch.com
***
Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: / sarahannmacklin
📹 Subscribe: / @livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: / sarahannmacklin
📱 TikTok: / sarahannnutrition
💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***
If You Enjoyed This Episode, You Might Also Like:Why Being ‘Strong’ Is Making You Weak | Sophie ScottSophie Scott on Breaking Free from Anxiety: Practical Strategies That Work
4 Types of Stress: How To Manage Each One | Mo Gawdat & Alice LawWhat's the REAL Reason Stress is Making You Sick? | Mo Gwadat
***
Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter:
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/
***
Highlights:
The Stress Question That Changes Everything (00:00:00)
Why Stress Feels So Different for Everyone (00:06:55)
When Stress Becomes Too Much (00:15:18)
The Emotions We Forgot How to Name (00:23:03)
Her Story: Panic, Fear… and a Turning Point (00:31:13)
What Your Body Is Really Doing Under Stress (00:37:59)
How Two People Live the Same Day… Differently (00:42:06)
The Mindset Shift That Alters Your Stress Response (00:49:30)
Technology That Knows When You're Stressed (00:55:31)
A New Kind of Wearable: Compassion in Tech (01:02:50)
A Different Way to Live With Stress (01:13:33)
***
Love what you’re hearing?
My small ask is to please rate and review Live Well Be Well. This helps the show expand and allows me to keep producing these with the best quality guests. It means a huge amount to me, so thank you.