Mouthing Off With Dr Lewis Ehrlich

Dr Peta Wright is a gynaecologist and fertility specialist. She completed her undergraduate medical degree with Honours at Monash University and obtained her RANZCOG Fellowship in 2013. She has completed a Masters of Reproductive Medicine and a certificate in Womens's Integrative Medicine. Peta is deeply committed to all aspects of women's healthcare and founded Vera Women's Wellness in 2021. She has recently written the book Healing Pelvic Pain.

Leslie Kenny is the Founder and CEO of Oxford Healthspan, a nutraceutical company based on Oxford research into healthy aging compounds which can naturally slow down the effects of aging. Oxford Healthspan bridges the gap between Eastern wisdom and Western science in the longevity space.

David Eagleman is a Neuroscientist, Pulitzer prize-nominated author, and science communicator. He teaches Neuroscience at Stanford University and is CEO and co-founder of Neosensory, a company that develops devices for sensory substitution. He also directs the  Center for Science and Law and is Chief Science Officer and co-founder of BrainCheck. He is known for his work on brain plasticity, time perception, synesthesia, and neurolaw. He is a Guggenheim Fellow and a New York Times-bestselling author published in 32 languages. He is the writer and presenter of the international television series, The Brain with David Eagleman, and the host of the podcast "Inner Cosmos with David Eagleman".

Today we are talking about some of the latest research on how a mother can influence a child's health. We discuss intergenerational trauma, the transference of the microbiome, methylation, mitochondria, and the influence of microchimerism. We also talk about post-natal depression, ways to minimise risk; and the way a mothers brain changes throughout life (neuroplasticity).

Melissa is a Positive Psychology Coach, who works with individuals and couples to enhance the quality of their life. Through applied positive psychology and coaching psychology, Melissa works with her clients to develop their wellbeing in ways that are personally meaningful, sustainable and energising.   With a Masters Degree in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology and a Bachelor of Human Resources Management, Melissa also specialises in positive psychology within workplaces. She has over 12 years' experience in human resources, and is currently the Positive Psychology Advisor at the Starlight Children's Foundation where she implements evidenced-based strategies to support the mental health, wellbeing and positive impact of individuals, teams and the organisation. 

Dr Sean O'Mara MD is the only physician in the world specialising in Health & Performance Optimisation. He works with individuals and corporations interested in the biological optimisation of humans through innovation and safe natural lifestyle strategies shown to be more effective than medications. He especially enjoys working with exceptionally motivated individuals such as business executives, professional performers and athletes whose livelihood is predicated upon performance.

In this episode I sit down with Professor Rachelle Buchbinder and Professor Ian Harris. They have co-authored the book Hippocrasy: How Doctors are Betraying their Oath. Using the Hippocratic Oath as a framework they discuss themes such as doctors and health professionals using inadequate research to drive their practice, conflicts of interest in research, the need for more training on how to conduct and read research in medical school, medical errors, misdiagnosis, over-treatment, why old habits are hard to shift, whilst also offering solutions to these problems.

For episode 33 of the podcast, I am sitting down with Neurosurgeon Dr Vanessa Sammons to talk about brain tumours, the functions of nerves in the body, neck Pain, back Pain, what it takes to become such an advanced surgeon and so much more.  

Leah is a naturopathic clinician, researcher, author and educator who specialises in fertility, pregnancy and reproductive health for men and women.  In this episode we cover Leah's PhD, the importance of preconception preparation for men and women, endometriosis, oral contraceptives, the factors driving poor sperm quality and quantity, reductions in male testosterone, the importance of thyroid health in fertility, what tests to do with your health practitioner in the lead up to conceiving, the nutrients that are vital for fertility and so much more.    

For this chat, I sit down with a true ‘jack of all trades', Dr Olivia Lesslar. We discuss how to build a strong foundation for health using nutrition, movement, mindset and sleep, but also go into the unique benefits of cold and heat exposure, breathing techniques, the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for recovery, transcranial magnetic stimulation to help with recovery from brain injuries, anxiety and depression and so much more.   Her interest is in complex multi-system chronic conditions like cancer, neurodegeneration, and also in personalised health optimisation utilising genetic testing. In 2019, she moved to the USA to practice as the functional medicine practitioner for the Neuroimmunology Associates of New York under world-renowned double-board certified neurologist and psychiatrist Dr Jay Lombard before moving to LA to work as a concierge medical consultant under Dr Chris Renna at LifeSpan Medicine, a position she still holds, working remotely from Australia. Her other current appointments include: Resident Medical Consultant for CFS Health, Medical Director for Scott Laidler Fitness UK, Integrative Medicine Consultant to Queensland Allergy working with Prof Pete Smith, and Functional and Preventative Medicine Consultant working with Prof Charlie Teo at Cingulum Health in Sydney.   

Alexx Stuart is an Author, educator, speaker, columnist and consultant to businesses. In 2010 she created her business ‘Low Tox Life' after seeing the lack of transparency in our food system, personal care and cleaning products. She's built a movement that's non-judgmental, positive and committed to the health of individuals and in turn the environment. She runs online courses that focus on making living a ‘low tox life' practical and easy. In recent times has written an amazing second book called ‘Low Tox Life Food'.  

Professor Nikolai Petrovsky comes back on the podcast to discuss the results of his Phase 3 trials and his protein-based vaccine which has now been approved overseas. It is the first Australian produced vaccine that has been brought to market and is currently one of only 23 COVID-19 vaccines approved in at least one country.

I thought I would sit down with a root canal specialist to build a better understanding of root canals, what they are, the notion that not all root canals are the same, when they are advised and when they are not, what the research says about their links to systemic disease and so much more. Dr Yoganathan completed her Bachelor of Dental Surgery at the University of Otago, New Zealand. After time spent working in Dentistry at Westmead Hospital, she returned to New Zealand to continue her training and achieved her qualification of Doctorate of Clinical Dentistry (Endodontics). Dr Yoganathan established Australian Dental Specialists - a state of the art endodontic practice located in Norwest Sydney.  

It is a great honour to have Australian of the Year 2020, Dr James Muecke on the podcast. Jamesgraduated with Honours from the University of Adelaide Medical School and then went on to train as an Ophthalmologist. He is the founding chairman of Sight For All, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting avoidable blindness in the world. This organisation provides around 1 million eye treatments to those in need. Using his platform as Australian of the Year, James has focused his attention on raising awareness around the dangers of sugar, processed foods and the prevention of type 2 diabetes which is one of the leading causes of preventable blindness, ill-health and death in the world. James is seeking reform to the dietary guidelines and predatory marketing from the processed food industry in an attempt to improve the metabolic health of all Australians.

Professor Nikolai Petrovsky graduated from Medicine at the University of Tasmania in 1982. He then went on to do his Fellowship specialising in Endocrinology. Not stopping there, he completed a PhD in Immunology at the Walter & Eliza Hall institute in Melbourne, one of the world's leading Immunology research centres. In addition to being an active clinician, Nikolai is a Professor of Medicine at Flinders University and Chairman and Research director of Vaxine Pty Ltd, an Adelaide-based biotechnology company focused on vaccine development. Over the last 18 years he has been awarded over $50 million dollars in vaccine research grants including multiple grants from the US government's National Institutes of Health. He has authored over 200 peer-reviewed research papers and has won many prestigious awards including Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2010 and Asian Executive of the Year award in 2011. His current focus is completing development of his company's protein-based vaccine against COVID-19 that is just entering final Phase 3 clinical trials and is expected to be approved overseas before the end of 2021.

Australia is the epicentre of allergies in the world and is on the rise amongst kids and adults alike.  Allergy is problematic for our health because it makes the body feel like it is in a constant state of danger and promotes inflammation. To talk us through why we are seeing such a rise in allergies, all the factors that are contributing to it and the practical things that you can do for yourself and your family to reduce your risk, I had the pleasure of sitting down with one of the leading Allergists in Australia and the world, Professor Pete Smith. Pete commenced his medical studies at the University of Tasmania and went on to specialise in paediatrics in Adelaide, before completing his PhD in molecular immunology at Flinders University. He has worked as an allergy specialist at the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, and was a senior lecturer at the Institute of Child Health, University College London. In 2002, Pete set up Queensland Allergy Services in Southport, on the Gold Coast, where he provides patients the highest level of quality medical care in the diagnosis and treatment of allergies. Pete is a Professor in Clinical Medicine at Griffith University and Bond University. He currently conducts research studies into the molecular aspects of pain in allergic conditions. Pete is an active member of the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology & Allergy, and a regular expert commentator in the media. He is a member of the World Allergy Organization, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, and the European Academy of Clinical Immunology & Allergy.

Dr Yoganathan graduated in medicine from the University of Otago in New Zealand. His training in internal medicine was undertaken in the Westmead Public Hospital. His Advanced training in Gastroenterology was completed in major teaching hospitals in Sydney.  He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Physician (FRACP) and a member of Gastroenterological Society of Australia (GESA). He has accredited expertise in Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and Colonoscopy as certified by the Conjoint Committee for the recognition of training in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Dr Yoganathan has a strong interest in the field of human nutrition. He practices an approach to healthcare that assesses the lifestyle of the patient to see how it impacts on their gastrointestinal and metabolic health.  Dr Yoganathan believes that the current day nutritional guidelines may not be based on perfect evidence and he passionately strives to provide the most up to date literature in healthcare and science to provide “Evidence-Based Medicine”.  He Is a strong motivator and aims to empower his patients to embark on a journey of self-healing using the philosophy of “let food be thy medicine”. Dr Yoganathan has a special interest in conditions such as Gastro-oesophageal Reflux (GORD), Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and abdominal bloating. He takes a very thorough approach to resolve these issues using dietary manipulation In conjunction with an accredited highly qualified dietician rather than resort to long-term medications.

For this episode I sit down with Dr Ron Ehrlich for a 2020 year in review. Through Ron’s own podcast, which is called “Unstress”, he has interviewed such a large array of guests on so many important topics, that I wanted to extract the key health tips from his guests and my guests so that you can be as healthy as possible in 2021.  We focus on what our guests have said about breathing, heart health, immunity in the context of COVID-19, climate change, sleep and nutrition. Enjoy!   https://drronehrlich.com/

Sugar is all around us and most of us are addicted to a certain extent. This addiction or habit has a profound impact on our health. Tooth decay, Diabetes, Obesity, Mental Health and so many other conditions are influenced by how much sugar we are consuming. So, to help you reduce your sugar intake and inspire you to do so, I am talking with Liv Kaplan. Liv is an Australian nutritionist (BSc Human Nutrition & Genetics), specialising in sugar-free and gut-friendly food. With an approach like no other, focusing on real food over products, Liv’s ideas and knowledge cut through the noise, helping you understand food and wellness in a way you’ve never thought of before. With a focus on lifestyle, Liv’s teachings allow for transformational changes with the ease and flow of life that can be implemented no matter your schedule or commitments.  

In a world where we seem to be staring down at our phones all day and sitting at our desks typing away on computers, maintaining a healthy neck has never been more important. So for today’s episode, I am sitting down with Dr Trudy Rebbeck. Trudy is a specialist musculoskeletal physiotherapist that focuses on whiplash, neck pain and headaches at her clinic, the Sydney Specialist Physiotherapy Centre. Trudy is a wealth of knowledge and a true expert in this field of health. She has a BAppSc: Physiotherapy, a MAppSc: Manipulative Physiotherapy, a PhD from the University of Sydney and is a Fellow of the Australian College of Physiotherapists. Trudy’s output includes over 40 research publications in the highest impact journals within and external to her profession, she has been cited over 1000 times, and has won over $5 million in competitive grant funding.

Today I am talking all things breathing with Dr Rosalba Courtney. Rosalba is a true expert in the field of breathing . she has a PhD in breathing and is also an Osteopath with 35 years of experience. Rosalba's PhD was on 'Dysfunctional Breathing: Its Parameters, Measurement and Clinical Relevance" and she has published over 15 peer review articles and book chapters on this topic. She works in Edgecliff and in Avalon Sydney helping patients and athletes improve their breathing. She also conducts training programs for Oesteopaths , Physiotherapists, Dentists, Speech Therapists and other health professionals on Integrative Approaches to Assessing and Treating Dysfunctional Breathing. 

This episode is about pre-conception preparation for both males and females, how to improve fertility, maintain health throughout pregnancy, how best to recover and re-build optimal health post-pregnancy, as well as so much more. Preparing for conception can shorten the time it takes to conceive whilst also having a very positive effect on the health of the new-born child and set them up for a life of good physical and mental health. To talk us through it all is Brittany Darling. Brittany is a Nutritionist and Herbalist with a focus on paediatric nutrition, preconception, fertility optimisation, IVF support, pregnancy health, lactation and post-natal nutrition.  

In this episode. I am speaking with Dan Lowry. Dan is a former Australian Army Paratrooper who has done a number of active service tours overseas. Since leaving the Army in 2006 he has worked in a number of roles within the fitness industry. From Personal Training, to Fitness Management, PT Education and also in his current role as the owner operator of GTT Performance Centre in Hobart, Tasmania. Dan has a Diploma in Sport Science and has completed numerous high-level industry certifications. Dan has a passion for all things health, fitness and leadership, empowering people to learn and integrate life-enhancing practices and protocols into their life. Dan is also the host of ’The GTT Podcast’ where he talks all things fitness, nutrition and performance with the leading minds in the health and fitness industry. In this episode, we cover Dan’s time in the military, how he prepared mentally and physically for going into a war zone on the front lines, we talk about strategies to overcome your fears and achieve your goals, training for best health outcomes and longevity, how to achieve long-lasting behaviour change and so much more.

In this episode I am sitting down with professional soccer player, Petur Vidarsson. Petur and I have been great friends for well over a decade. We used to play soccer together over in Boston, USA. Petur has since gone on to have a very successful and long-lasting 10-year career as a professional soccer player. He has played over 250 games for one of Iceland’s most successful clubs, FH. He has won 5 Icelandic premier league titles and 1 national cup. He has also played 28 games for his club in the UEFA champions league and Europa league, which are the best club competitions in the world. In this episode, we discuss his soccer career, what it is like and what it takes to be a professional athlete, how he prepares nutritionally, physically and mentally to be at his best, the importance of sleep for athletic performance, and the strategies that can be utilised to get a team to work towards a common goal effectively. He even does his bit for Icelandic tourism and throws out some travel tips.

If you are planning on having kids, have kids, or were a kid…this podcast is for you. In my dental practice, I treat a lot of children. Many of them have some sort of ailment. Whether it be asthma, allergies, autism, ADHD or sleep disorders, it seems that the health of our kids is on the decline. In fact, it is predicted that today’s children may be, on average, the first generation to not out live the last. So, to dissect these issues and provide solutions to some of the biggest threats to our kid’s health, I was fortunate enough to interview paediatrician Dr Leila Masson. Leila is a true expert in the field of children’s health. Leila received her medical degree in Berlin, Germany and then went onto to become a specialist Paediatrician graduating from the University of California, San Francisco. Not stopping there, Leila then went on to do her Master in Public health graduating from Harvard University. She is also a board-certified Lactation Consultant and is a Fellow of the Australasian College of Physicians and the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine.

Sleep is, in my opinion, the most important part of the day and has such a huge impact on our overall health. Get it right and you will be infinitely more healthy. Many people think that sleep is just a matter of putting your head on the pillow and hoping for the best. However, how we prepare for sleep, how long we sleep for, and how well we breathe while we sleep are so important. So to talk us through the importance of sleep, the range of sleep disorders, how to improve our sleep and how it reduces our risk of systemic disease, I thought I’d speak to Dr Anup Desai. Dr Desai is a specialist Sleep and Respiratory Physician with a PhD in Sleep Medicine. He sees all Sleep and Respiratory conditions, and has a particular interest in non-respiratory sleep disorders, such as insomnia, parasomnias, restless legs, narcolepsy and unexplained sleepiness/tiredness. He has extensive experience in issues related to obstructive sleep apnoea and motor vehicle safety and has helped to draft regulatory guidelines in this area. His focus is on a broad and realistic approach to each patient's sleep disorder. You can find Dr Desai at his clinic Sydney Sleep Centre in Sydney’s CBD.

A few months ago, I did a social media post letting you all know that for one of my upcoming podcasts, I would be doing a dental Q and A and I would be interviewing one of my colleagues to answer your questions. Needless to say, I was inundated with questions which I was very happy with because it shows that people out there are really taking an interest in their oral health. So, I thought who better to interview than my colleague at the Sydney Holistic Dental Centre, Dr Craig Wilson. Craig graduated from the University of Sydney with First Class Honours. He has been practicing dentistry for over 25 years and has continued to remain at the cutting edge of dentistry through continuing education throughout his entire career When it comes to health practitioners, there are those that have a good understanding of their field, and there are those that understand concepts and how it fits into the broader picture to a far deeper level. Craig certainly fits into the latter and he has been a tremendous mentor to me over the years.  

This episode is a really fascinating interview about chronic pain and its management. Whether it is back pain, neck pain, an injury or even a tooth ache, we have all been in pain at one stage in our lives. Yet, pain is such an individualised experience and sometimes the stimulus doesn’t match the level of pain. So, to delve into one of the most complex areas of health, I thought who better to interview than Dr Roberta Chow. Dr chow really is a wealth of knowledge. She is a world leading clinical practitioner and PhD in the field of laser therapy for pain management. Originally, a general practitioner in private practice, Dr. Chow is focused solely on pain management and has used laser therapy to treat patients since 1988. This led her to undertake a PhD in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, studying laser therapy (LLLT) in neck pain although she treats a wide variety of musculoskeletal pain issues. Her further studies have included a Master of Applied Science and Grad Dip Pain Management (Sydney Uni).

This podcast is such an important one. We are talking about spinal and postural health. With desk jobs, the sedentary nature of life and our obsession with looking down at our phones, we are putting more stress on our musculoskeletal system than ever before. Repeated postural stress can lead to headaches, neck tension, back pain, fatigue, weight gain, breathing problems, digestive problems and even constipation. So, to help us avoid all of these issues, I thought who better to chat to than one of the best holistic Chiropractors out there, Dr Nick Wood. Nick completed a Bachelor of Sports science from the University of Queensland then a Masters of Chiropractic from Macquarie University in Sydney. Since then he has done post-graduate studies in musculoskeletal acupuncture, clinical neurology, and advanced injury rehabilitation to name but a few. Nick is a member of the Australian Spinal Research Foundation and has for many years worked with elite sporting teams helping keep athletes at their best. Nick is also a business ‘dynamo’. He is the founder of ‘Health Space’ and since opening his first clinic in 2003 has gone on to open another 17 clinics across Sydney. In this chat, we talk about how to maintain a healthy spine and improve your posture, but we also talk about how to grow a business, what he has learned from his failures and how to maintain morale and a consistent holistic culture across all his clinics. I really hope you enjoy this chat I had with Dr Nick Wood.

This podcast is a very important episode about an issue that is such a common health problem, but due to its non-specific nature, it often falls under the radar. We are talking about thyroid health. The thyroid gland is situated at the front of the throat, and its role is to secrete hormones to regulate many metabolic processes, including growth and energy expenditure. If the thyroid gland is overactive or sluggish, then metabolism will be affected as well as so many other aspects of our health. Around about half a million Australian’s are affected and there are so many more that have thyroid issues that don’t even know it. So for this episode, I thought I would get my friend Natalie Douglas on the show to discuss the things that are putting our thyroid under stress and how to keep our thyroid healthy throughout our life. Nat is a qualified dietician and in recent years has focused on using the power of real food, smart supplementation, quality sleep, stress management, appropriate movement, and spiritual wellbeing to transform people’s thyroid health. I found this chat very informative and practical – I sure hope you guys do to.

This episode is all about something that is so important to the health picture: Movement. Many of us aren’t doing enough of it, many don’t know where to start, some people arguably are doing the wrong type of movement for them, some of us are looking for short term gain at the expense of long-term health, there are fitness fads and there are people over promising and under-delivering. So to cut through all the confusion I thought, who better to interview than one of Australia’s best movement and lifestyle coaches, Aaron Mckenzie. Aaron has been making people fitter, healthier and stronger for around 20 years and runs his gym Origin of Energy in Sydney where he trains anyone from grandparents to elite athletes. Throughout his time as a trainer he has developed a holistic model for movement and health, integrating sustainable lifestyle changes, coupled with practical, functional, every day movements in his programs. The thing I’ve always found so inspiring about Aaron is the way he combines breathing, nutrition, and movement into his functional movement programs including not only movement of muscles but all the tissues of the body including cardio, respiratory, digestive and lymphatics.

In today’s episode we are “Mouthing Off” about all things heart health. We all have a heart, and we all need our ‘ticker’ in fine working order to live a long, happy and productive life. I read an interesting statistic the other day that said that if we live for 80 years and we average 80 beats per minute throughout that time, our heart will beat well over 3 billion times. What an amazing muscle! So, for today’s episode, I thought I would interview the inspiring cardiologist Dr Nikki Bart. Although I don’t believe there is such thing as an over achiever, if there was such a thing, Nikki would tick all the boxes. Nikki is a specialist cardiologist at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney and did a PhD at Oxford University in the UK where she studied what a lack of oxygen does to the heart. Nikki is also an incredible Mountaineer. In fact, Nikki and her mother Cheryl were the first ever mother-daughter team to climb the highest peaks on all seven continents. Nikki has literally been to the top of the world when she made the summit of Mt Everest. I should also mention that Nikki has achieved all of this and is still only in her early 30s. In this episode, we talk about the role of the heart, how to keep it healthy, the habits that are making your heart sick, the links between heart health and dental health, training for Everest, what it was like at the top, the mental tenacity it takes to be a cardiologist and climb the highest peaks in the world, plus so much more. I hope you enjoy this interview and find it informative.

In this episode, I’m fortunate to be interviewing the inspiring Deano Gladstone. Many of you may know Deano from the internationally recognised TV show Bondi Rescue which has been on air for an amazing 13 seasons. It is a show that has really stood the test of time. Not only is Deano an amazing lifeguard who has kept so many people alive over the years, he is also a Fitness Trainer, Yoga Teacher and has also studied at the Wim Hof academy. Many of you may be thinking: ‘What on earth is the Wim Hof Academy?’’. Essentially it is using a certain breathing technique and exposure to extreme cold every day for small periods of time to change your body’s physiology and make the immune system more resilient. This explores the notion of ‘hormesis’ – the idea that small exposures to things that in higher exposures, would otherwise kill us, actually improve our adaptive capacity. In today’s world where we are largely ‘coddled’, bringing some deliberate, short and sharp stresses into your life, might be a good idea. From a dental standpoint, Deano has a very unique story. He was the victim of a cowardly and unprovoked attack which resulted in severe trauma to his front teeth. We discuss how we take our teeth for granted and how crucial they are to nutrition, digestion and self-esteem. This is such a fascinating chat about so many different aspects of health as well as turning a huge negative into a positive. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!  

Continuing on from the theme of anxiety and mental health with Dr Jodie Lowinger last episode, this one is all about meditation. So many of us know that we should be doing it but don’t really understand why or how. I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve heard people say, “I can’t do it…I can’t clear my thoughts”. So to help people understand why they should be doing it for good health, improved mental states and performance, I thought who better to talk to than Vedic meditation teacher, Janoah Van Kekem. Janoah learnt the art of Vedic meditation in 2014 and has been passing on his wisdom ever since. What I like about Janoah’s philosophy is that he hasn’t used mediation to abstain from the things he enjoys, but rather he uses meditation as a way of being the most creative, engaged and happy version of himself doing the things he has always enjoyed. Janoah’s easy going and practical approach to meditation makes it so easy for people to incorporate into their busy lives. Let’s face it, we are busier than ever and the vast majority of us live in a ‘fight or flight’ state. Eventually, something has to give. I hope this chat with Janoah encourages you to take some time to ‘treat yourself’ every day and get some meditation into your life.

When we think of health, we tend to focus on the physical, but mental health is such a major piece of the health puzzle. When we hurt our muscles we might see a physiotherapist, when we feel unwell we might see a doctor, and when we have a toothache we go and see a dentist, but when we are anxious, down, depressed or worried, so many see admitting to mental trouble and seeking help as a sign of weakness. That’s why, for this episode I’m really excited to be chatting to the inspirational psychologist, Dr Jodie Lowinger. Jodie has worked as a Clinical and Corporate Psychologist for more than 20 years. Jodie holds a Doctor of Clinical Psychology and a Master of Science from the University of Sydney, and was awarded the University Medal for Psychology. Jodie combines a compassionate and engaging personal style with a pragmatic, solutions-oriented approach. Jodie developed her skills in anxiety treatment, through her work at the Anxiety Disorders Clinic at St Vincent’s Hospital, the Boston Children’s Hospital, Sutherland Hospital and The Child Behaviour Research Clinic in Randwick. Jodie is also an experienced leadership and executive coach, having worked for and with organisations including Macquarie Bank and PWC. In this episode, we discuss mental health, anxiety, and depression. As well as the toolkit of evidence-based practice to help. This can include things like harnessing worry, getting out in nature and focusing on something as simple as exercise. We also talk about the challenges we all face, but particularly young minds, from technology. This affects us all and we talk about some strategies for dealing with it.  

When it comes to achieving good health, most of us know that we have to exercise, get a good night’s sleep and eat well, but what many of us don’t think about when it comes to our health is environmental toxins that we are exposed to on a day to day basis. Whether it is that facewash we use, that one food we just can’t get enough of, those pots and pans we use to cook on every day, those candles we light in our homes to set the mood, or even that toothpaste we are using day in day out….we often have no idea what is in them and what they may be doing to our health over time.   That’s why, for this next episode, I’m really excited to be talking with the inspirational, Alexx Stuart. Alexx Stuart is an Author, educator, speaker, columnist and consultant to businesses. In 2010 she created her business ‘Low Tox Life’ after seeing the lack of transparency in our food system, personal care and cleaning products. She's built a movement that's non-judgmental, positive and committed to the health of individuals and in turn the environment. She runs online courses that focus on making living a ‘low tox life’ practical and ease and in recent times has written an amazing book called “Low tox life…a handbook for a healthy you and a happy planet” which is a must read!

In this episode we are 'Mouthing Off about cancer. Whether it is a family member, friend or a friend of a friend... we have all been affected by cancer in some way. It is one of the most common diseases in Australia. So I thought who better to talk to than Dr Olivia Wells. Liv graduated from Monash University with Honours and is on her way to becoming a paediatric oncologist.. or in more simple terms, a kids cancer specialist. Liv has seen cancer up close and personal and in this interview, she sheds light on the reality of being at the coalface of cancer. We discuss the rigours of what it takes to become a doctor, we define what cancer is, how it occurs, the risk factors, ways to reduce your cancer risk, the rise of oral cancer, the ways that Liv deals with such an emotionally demanding job and so much more. I hope you enjoy this chat I had with Liv.

Dr Ron Ehrlich amassed over 35 years of clinical practice. He is truly a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the many links between oral health and general health. Dr Ron is the cofounder of Sydney Holistic Dental Centre and has a Fellowship from the Australasian College of Nutritional and Environmental Medicine (ACNEM). He has also recently published a book A Life Less Stressed: The Five Pillars of Health and Wellness with his associated podcast Unstress and has spoken internationally about the importance of taking control of your oral and general health. In this podcast we discuss why health messages can be so confusing and what to do about it,  why your oral health is so important to your general health, we also identify the stresses that can break us down, ways to build resilience in the modern world, and Dr Ron’s own health battles. Dr Ron is a true ‘Wellness Warrior’ and whenever you listen to him, there is always so much to learn.   

In episode 1, I sit down with Drew Harrisburg, Exercise Physiologist and Diabetes Educator. At age 23, Drew was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes. This changed his life forever. We talk about the differences between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes, the importance of maintaining healthy blood sugar levels for people with and without diabetes, the mental tenacity and strategies it takes to deal with a life-changing diagnosis, as well as the influence of sleep, nutrition, exercise, mindset, and of course oral health on the management of diabetes but also for good health generally. Enjoy!