Did you know that more than 2,000 Australians die from skin cancer every year? And that one in three Australian’s are diagnosed with skin cancer before the age of 70?

In this episode of A Higher Branch, Sam Makhoul is joined by skin therapist, nutritional medicine practitioner and educator, Chiza Westcarr to talk all things skin health and skin care.

During this interview, Chiza shares the alarming reasoning why skin cancer diagnoses are prominent in Australia and the best ways to protect yourself and your family from the sun this summer.

She also deep dives into:

How the sun impacts the different layers of our skin

The sunscreen to use and the ones to avoid

How your diet helps produce energy for you to function

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Short for time? Then, why not skip ahead using the below timestamps:

1:46 – The importance of wearing sunscreen in Australia

4:24 - What sun exposure does to your skin and how it affects your ageing

5:27 – The difference between chemical and physical sunscreen

8:23 – What your skin regime should look like

13:42 – The layers of your skin and how the sun impacts it

16:03 - How to protect your skin during the day

17:12 – Why vitamin D is important for your skin health

21:32 – How your diet can produce energy

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This week, Sam Makhoul is joined again by skin therapist, nutritional medicine practitioner and educator, Chiza Westcarr to provide you with the latest research when it comes to gut health and how it is linked to our skin health and digestive system.

In this episode, the pair unravel the truth about the correlation between gut and skin health, and share tips on how you can improve the glow of your appearance by making changes to your diet and improving the bacteria in your gut.

During this episode, Sam and Chiza also discuss:

How alcohol affects your guts bacteria

The foods to avoid and the ones to eat to improve your gut and skin health

The true impact the vegan diet has on your overall health

How dairy is a major contributor to poor gut and skin health

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Short for time? Then, why not skip ahead using the below timestamps:

2:55 – The revolution of gut health

8:54 – The importance of skin health

11:27 – The correlation between diet, gut health and skin health

18:18 – Visit Chiza's Glow Skin And Nutrition website

19:24 – How alcohol affects our gut bacteria

24:16 – How gut bacteria influences our sleep

33:07 – How your feelings drive your thoughts

34:42 – Foods that are good for gut bacteria

50:51 – Vegetables to avoid for gut health

1:04:16 – How the vegan diets impacts your overall health

1:06:16 – Tips to stopping bloating

1:10:15 – How dairy impacts our skin health and inflammation

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Have you ever wanted to say no to plans but you were worried about what other people would think or say? What if we told you, you can now say no without having the guilt attached?

This week on our podcast, we teach you exactly that. In this episode, Sam Makhoul is joined by peak performance expert and DNA-enthusiast Alessandra Edwards, who teaches us how to say the magic word, ‘no’, minus the guilt.

She also deep dives into how saying no positively impacts our mental health, sleeping patterns and stress levels. This episode is not only powerful, but also insightful.

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Short for time? Then, why not skip ahead using the below timestamps:

9:24 – How we adapt to routine disruptions

13:22 – Lonely mouth syndrome - what is it?

23:20 – Tips on how to overcome lonely mouth syndrome (stress eating)

31:00 – How our brains change our memories and the meaning of memories

33:50 – Assessing our stress threshold

34:33 – How to increase our stress thresholds

40:36 – Learn how to say no without feeling guilty

47:47 – How saying no affects our health

50:29 – Tips on how to say no

54:28 – The importance of looking after your foundations

55:27 – The three herbs that will helps manage stress and anxiety

1:05:09 – The signs of RPB (Revenge Bedtime Procrastination)

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For many of us, COVID-19 has put our lives on hold - whether it is at work, in our love lives, with our family or even with our education. But what if we looked at this global pandemic differently?

What if we used this time as an opportunity to grow - grow as individuals, grow in our careers, even grow in our relationships? This week, Sam Makhoul sits down with health and fitness expert, Rob Lyon to discuss how each of us can better utilise this period from a mental and physical health point of view.

From building on our current skillsets to investing in new ones, to taking the time to focus on our relationships with loved ones; he covers it all. Rob and Sam also deep dive into:

How our working lives have changed forever

How COVID-19 has made us fearful and anxious

The importance of creating a routine at home

How mental and physical health trumps intelligence (and why)

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Short for time? Then, why not skip ahead using the below timestamps:

6:33 – The challenges of working from home

7:18 – The four important areas of focus (health, skills, financial, community culture)

12:40 – Three morning rituals that set you up for success

14:25 – The best breakfast foods to eat for optimal energy

15:42 – How to resist your snacking temptations

18:12 – Busting the myth of effective task switching

21:18 – How to use COVID-19 as an opportunity to grow

26:26 – Tips on how to control work culture when working from home

29:57 – List of culture building exercises

32:18 - Why culture is important to productivity

37:19 – The blurred line between working from home and home life

For more information on Rob and his team, visit his website or social channels below:

Website - www.lyonhealth.com.au

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-lyon-b43a1b73/

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/lyon__health/

Relationships fulfil one very important tree of our lives. But they also involve hard work to ensure it thrives and flourishes as time passes. So on the podcast this week, Sam Makhoul is joined by one of Australia’s most sought-after couple's therapists, Melissa Ferrari.

With over 20 years’ experience in couples counselling and individual psychotherapy, Melissa has helped thousands of individuals and couples gain insight into their relationship problems and work towards maintaining and developing a loving relationship.

During this podcast, Sam and Melissa deep dive into how to reconnect with your partner and discuss:

• How COVID-19 has affected relationships

• Tips on reconnecting with your loved one

• Why conflict can help your relationship grow

• How to stop family members from meddling in your relationship

• Why people cheat and the different formats of cheating

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Short for time? Then, why not skip ahead using the below timestamps:

5:20 – How COVID-19 has affected our relationships

12:25 – The biggest cause to conflict in a relationship

15:13 - How to reconnect with your partner

18:21 – How conflict avoidance affects relationships

21:35 – The tools you need to resolve conflict

26:36 – How to make good memories

29:22 – Why couples divorce

35:26 – How adult relationships mould our children's future relationships

43:02 – The impact of family pressures

48:21 – Why people cheat in a relationship

54:18 – The signs for when couples should consider seeing a therapist

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The past six months has been a roller-coaster of a ride for many of us. Our emotions have been at an all-time high, as fear has been injected into our everyday lives.

That’s why this week, I have invited Dr Amy Silver back onto the show to share her tips on how to manage our emotions and most importantly, our fears. During the podcast, Amy and I discuss:

The emotions triggered by the pandemic

How fear is different for everyone

The relationship between fear and courage

How avoidance has become a numbing agent

Why showing children our range of emotions is important

Why we can't compare fears to others

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Short for time? Then, why not skip ahead using the below timestamps:

5:03 – The current environment in Melbourne

9:14 – How fear stops us achieving our goals

11:21 – How to reserve fear in six steps

18:00 – The difference between fear and courage

19:15 – How to separate fear from your decision making

23:58 – Micro examples of fear

27:54 – Evaluating your fears

33:00 – Different types of fears

42:10 – The numbing agent

50:40 – Is there a difference of fear between males and females

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To wrap up our three-part Beauty & Ageing Series, we sit down with popular cosmetic injector Alex Pike who opens up about her time in the beauty and modelling industry.

During our interview, Alex reveals the the importance of self-love and self-acceptance, the impact social media has our mental health and advice for parents with teenagers struggling with self-acceptance.

We also discuss:

How beauty can help you feel empowered

Why it is okay to want to look good

How hydration, sleep, and a fresh food diet can brighten your appearance

Why Botox isn’t just a cover up but also a preventative

The emotional aspects of beauty

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Short for time? Then, why not skip ahead using the below timestamps:

8:40 – The influence social media has on our mental health

13:08 – The psychology behind cosmetic injections

15:02 – The ageing process

19:31 – Why we are afraid of ageing

24:04 – Advice to young teens battling self-esteem issues

24:25 – How to love yourself

29:30 – How skin becomes reliant on products

34:31 – The difference between dynamic and static wrinkles

41:52 – How to accept the ageing process

43:52 – How grief can speed up ageing

47:33 – The stereotypes between men and women ageing

49:02 – How to start loving yourself

54:24 – Advice to parents with young teenage daughters

1:04:40 – The power of meditation

Enjoyed this week's podcast? Make sure you subscribe to our mailing list to have episodes delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

To wrap up our three-part Beauty & Ageing Series, we sit down with popular cosmetic injector Alex Pike who opens up about her time in the beauty and modelling industry.

During our interview, Alex reveals the the importance of self-love and self-acceptance, the impact social media has our mental health and advice for parents with teenagers struggling with self-acceptance.

We also discuss:

• How beauty can help you feel empowered

• Why it is okay to want to look good

• How hydration, sleep, and a fresh food diet can brighten your appearance

• Why Botox isn't just a cover up but also a preventative

• The emotional aspects of beauty

Make sure you subscribe to our mailing list to have receive our newly released podcasts straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Short for time? Then, why not skip ahead using the below timestamps:

8:40 - The influence social media has on our mental health

13:08 - The psychology behind cosmetic injections

15:02 - The ageing process

19:31 - Why we are afraid of ageing

24:04 - Advice to young teens battling self-esteem issues

24:25 - How to love yourself

29:30 - How skin becomes reliant on products

34:31 - The difference between dynamic and static wrinkles

41:52 - How to accept the ageing process

43:52 - How grief can speed up ageing

47:33 - The stereotypes between men and women ageing

49:02 - How to start loving yourself

54:24 - Advice to parents with young teenage daughters

1:04:40 - The power of meditation

Enjoyed this week's podcast? Make sure you subscribe to our mailing list to have episodes delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

There are hundreds of skincare products on the market. From moisturisers and toners, to cleansers and exfoliates, the list just goes on.

So, to help you choose the right products and regime for your skin, we sat down with O Cosmedics founder, Maria Cocciolone. With years of experience under her belt, Maria shares her recommended daily routine to ensure you preserve your skins youthfulness and natural beauty.

She also discusses:

The five major contributors to face ageing

How to slow down the face ageing process

Why your face sets your mood and success each

The products to use (and avoid) on the market

Make sure you subscribe to our mailing list to have episode three of our Beauty And Ageing Series delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Short for time? Then, why not skip ahead using the below timestamps:

6:29 - The true causes of face ageing

12:49 – The many facets to healthy skin

18:38 – Why understanding products on the market is important

21:46– The morning ritual you need to be doing

24:08 – The steps to acing your daily cleansing routine

25:15 – The importance of a good cleanser

26:01 – Why exfoliation is a must

28:09 – How to use correctors properly to secure skin health

31:04 – Finding the right hydrator

32:38 – The difference between men and women skin

37:04 – When you should start your daily skin care ritual

43:35 – How to kick start your beauty regime

Enjoyed this week's podcast? Make sure you subscribe to our mailing list to have episode three of our beauty and ageing series delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

From Australian supermodel, Elle Macpherson to international model and actress, Emily Ratajkowski, Joseph Hkeik is truly the Aesthetic Skin Doctor to the stars. And this week, the renowned aesthetic physician sits down with Sam Makhoul to officially launch our three-week Beauty & Ageing Series.

In this week's episode Dr Joseph addresses the stigma towards cosmetic surgery and discusses the emotional aspect of transformations. He also goes into detail about:

The true causes of face ageing

How you can slow down face ageing

The impact your face has on your emotions and mental state

Tips on taking care of your face

And how the face is a work of art

Make sure you subscribe to our mailing list to have episode two of our Beauty And Ageing Series delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.

Short for time? Then, why not skip ahead using the below timestamps:

3:39 – What is beauty?

5:43 - How our face and appearance affects our emotions and feelings

8:30 – The emotional aspect of a beauty transformation

9:26 – Dr Joseph's biggest transformation experience

13:59 – The causes of face ageing

15:11 – Uncovering the layers of ageing

15:50 - How the Australian sun is affecting our ageing process

19:22 – The real reason we lose more fat from our face rather than the body

22:54 – The role stress plays on ageing

23:40 – How sleep impacts the appearance of our face

24:45 – The lifestyle factors to ageing and beauty

25:39 – The three pillars of skin health (skincare, nutrition and relaxation)

31:00 – Why maintenance of the skin is important

31:28 – How the face is the most important feature when it comes to attraction

37:45 – The extravagant looks – who’s to blame?

44:00 – Visit the All Saints Skin Clinic website here; you can also head to their Instagram page here.

Enjoyed this week's podcast? Make sure you subscribe to our mailing list to have episode two of our beauty and ageing series delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up here.