On this heartfelt episode of the “Mindful Drinking Podcast,” host Derek Brown takes listeners on a journey through the essence of mindful social spaces and the often-overlooked power of true hospitality. Derek begins with a charming story from his days as a bartender in Washington, D.C., recounting his inventive solution for a non-alcoholic cocktail request—a delicious orgeat lemonade inspired by 19th-century bartender Jerry Thomas. This story sets the stage for a deeper discussion about the role of bars, home gatherings, and hospitality venues as crucial pillars of our social infrastructure.

Derek explores the impact of inclusive drink options, reflecting on the hospitality he witnessed from his Italian grandmother and how those lessons inspired his approach behind the bar. He highlights the growing importance and availability of non-alcoholic beverages, encouraging listeners to consider ready-to-drink mocktails, sparkling teas, and alcohol-free beers as part of building a welcoming environment for all.

The episode delves into hospitality not just as an industry, but as a deeply ethical practice—one that can break barriers, foster connection, and even improve health span by supporting social well-being. As Derek shares, creating spaces where everyone feels welcome—regardless of what’s in their glass—not only builds stronger communities, but may also help bridge divides in today’s polarized world.

In this final episode, Derek bids a warm farewell to listeners, sharing gratitude and encouraging everyone to continue building mindful, inclusive spaces wherever they gather.

If you like what you just consumed, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend to help grow our NASM health and wellness community!

The content shared in this podcast is solely for educational and entertainment purposes. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek out the guidance of your healthcare provider or other qualified professional. Any opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASM.

Introducing NASM One, the membership for trainers and coaches. For just $35/mo, get unlimited access to over 300 continuing education courses, 50% off additional certifications and specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro all-in-one coaching app to grow your business, unlimited exam attempts and select waived fees. Stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve as a fitness professional with NASM One. Click here to learn more. https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm

On this “Mindful Drinking,” host Derek Brown is joined by featured guest, Radha Agrawal, co-founder of Daybreaker and founder of Belong Center, to deep dive into social wellness and mindful drinking. Daybreaker, known for its early-morning, alcohol-free dance parties, has revolutionized how people connect and celebrate together.

The two discuss how building strong social connections can enhance overall well-being and the role mindful drinking plays in this. This special encore episode will also delve into Radha's experiences with Daybreaker and her new venture, Belong Center, which aims to combat loneliness through innovative community-building activities.

Enjoy this inspiring conversation on creating community, the importance of mindful drinking, and how both can transform your life.

If you like what you just consumed, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend to help grow our NASM health and wellness community!

The content shared in this podcast is solely for educational and entertainment purposes. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek out the guidance of your healthcare provider or other qualified professional. Any opinions expressed by guests and hosts are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of NASM.

Introducing NASM One, the membership for trainers and coaches. For just $35/mo, get unlimited access to over 300 continuing education courses, 50% off additional certifications and specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro all-in-one coaching app to grow your business, unlimited exam attempts and select waived fees. Stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve as a fitness professional with NASM One. Click here to learn more. https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm

What if wellness wasn’t a bonus in hospitality—but the foundation?

In this episode of “Mindful Drinking,” host Derek Brown is joined by featured guest, Amie Ward, also known as The Healthtender—a certified health coach, mobility specialist, and Executive Director of Safe Bars. Amie has spent her career advocating for bartenders’ physical and mental health, gender-based violence prevention, and creating safer spaces through movement, mindfulness, and education.

They dig into what it means to prioritize well-being in a demanding industry, how bystander intervention can shift bar culture, and why No/Low cocktails are part of a broader vision of inclusivity. It’s a conversation about strength—personal, professional, and cultural—and how the future of bars might look radically better than the past.

If you like what you just consumed, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend to help grow our NASM health and wellness community!

Introducing NASM One, the membership for trainers and coaches. For just $35/mo, get unlimited access to over 300 continuing education courses, 50% off additional certifications and specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro all-in-one coaching app to grow your business, unlimited exam attempts and select waived fees. Stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve as a fitness professional with NASM One. Click here to learn more. https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm

In this special monologue episode, host Derek Brown shares a personal and unflinching account of how alcohol became his coping mechanism—and how that strategy nearly unraveled his life. As a bartender, author, and former owner of one of the top cocktail bars in the country, Derek’s career was built around drinks. But behind the scenes, alcohol had become more than a profession—it was a way to manage bipolar disorder, anxiety, and the pressure to hold everything together.

Through the lens of his own experience, Derek explores the connection between mental health and alcohol use, especially when the two exist side by side—a condition known as dual diagnosis. He discusses entering an inpatient program to treat both bipolar disorder and alcohol use disorder, and the hard-won lessons of recovery that followed.

Along the way, he weaves in research and statistics that shed light on just how common—and dangerous—this intersection can be. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, nearly 8 million U.S. adults experience both mental health and substance use disorders each year. For those with bipolar disorder, the likelihood of developing alcohol use disorder can be as high as 70%.

This episode isn’t about shame or prohibition—it’s about awareness, compassion, and the power of asking: Why am I drinking? And what do I really need instead?

If you or someone you know is struggling, free and confidential support is available through SAMHSA’s helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or at findtreatment.gov.

If you like what you just consumed, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend to help grow our NASM health and wellness community!

Introducing NASM One, the membership for trainers and coaches. For just $35/mo, get unlimited access to over 300 continuing education courses, 50% off additional certifications and specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro all-in-one coaching app to grow your business, unlimited exam attempts and select waived fees. Stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve as a fitness professional with NASM One. Click here to learn more. https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm

What if everything we thought we knew about “moderate drinking” was wrong?

In this episode of “Mindful Drinking,” host Derek Brown sits down with featured guest, Dr. Tim Stockwell, renowned alcohol researcher, and former director of the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research, to discuss the data that’s reshaping how we understand alcohol and health. From the deeply held belief that a glass of wine a day is good for your heart to new findings suggesting there may be no truly “safe” level of drinking, Stockwell brings clarity to the science, humility to the conversation, and a public health perspective grounded in decades of research.

We explore what recent studies actually say, why the science has been so misunderstood, and how we might better navigate drinking in an age of information overload and industry influence.

Whether you're a mindful drinker, a policy nerd, or just someone curious about the risks and realities behind your nightly pour—this one’s for you.

Episode references: Stockwell, T., Priore, I., & Im, P. K. (2025). The US National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine was economical with the truth about alcohol and health. Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Advance online publication.

https://www.jsad.com/doi/10.15288/jsad.25-00075

https://knowalcohol.ca

If you like what you just consumed, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend to help grow our NASM health and wellness community!

Introducing NASM One, the membership for trainers and coaches. For just $35/mo, get unlimited access to over 300 continuing education courses, 50% off additional certifications and specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro all-in-one coaching app to grow your business, unlimited exam attempts and select waived fees. Stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve as a fitness professional with NASM One. Click here to learn more. https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm

You swore you’d take a break. You meant it. And then… you didn’t.

This episode is for that moment—the one where willpower runs out and shame tries to take over. Host Derek Brown explores what actually happens when we go against our intentions, and more importantly, what comes next. Why willpower isn’t enough. How to break the all-or-nothing mindset. And how to treat yourself with curiosity instead of judgment when things don’t go as planned.

Whether you’re a mindful drinker, sober-curious, or just tired of starting over, this is your reminder that growth isn’t about never slipping—it’s about knowing how to get back up.

If you like what you just consumed, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend to help grow our NASM health and wellness community!

Introducing NASM One, the membership for trainers and coaches. For just $35/mo, get unlimited access to over 300 continuing education courses, 50% off additional certifications and specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro all-in-one coaching app to grow your business, unlimited exam attempts and select waived fees. Stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve as a fitness professional with NASM One. Click here to learn more. https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm

Mindful Drinking is about drinking with intention, but what happens when it's hard to follow through with your intentions and the way you drink feels out of control?

While mindful drinking may be useful for most of us, others aren't exactly sure where to draw the line and may need expert advice.

In this special encore presentation, host Derek Brown is joined by featured guest, Dr. Nzinga Harrison, author of Un-Addiction: Six Mind-Changing Conversations That Could Save a Life, to discuss the complexity of addiction and problem drinking and what signs might help warn us of the risk. 

They’ll also deep dive into everything from adverse childhood experiences to inherited risks and help draw the line between a few drinks too many and the drink standing between you and addiction.

An in-depth conversation on addiction may be the difference between life and death.

If you like what you just consumed, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend to help grow our NASM health and wellness community!

CTA: Introducing NASM One, the membership for trainers and coaches. For just $35/mo, get unlimited access to over 300 continuing education courses, 50% off additional certifications and specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro all-in-one coaching app to grow your business, unlimited exam attempts and select waived fees. Stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve as a fitness professional with NASM One. Click here to learn more. YOUTUBE: https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm PODCAST: https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm

After a tough workout or long race, many athletes are turning to non-alcoholic beer—but does it work? And how does it compare to energy drinks or chocolate milk for recovery?

Research suggests that NA beer may reduce inflammation, aid hydration, and even support immune function. But recovery isn’t just physical—it’s also mental. The taste of beer alone—without alcohol—triggers dopamine release, influencing cravings, habit formation, and athletic rituals.

On this episode of The Mindful Drinking Podcast, host Derek Brown breaks down the science of NA beer and performance, exploring the latest research on hydration, recovery, and brain chemistry. Whether you're a runner, cyclist, lifter, or someone who loves a post-workout ritual, this episode will help you decide: Is NA beer a real recovery tool—or just a refreshing placebo?

If you like what you just consumed, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend to help grow our NASM health and wellness community!

Introducing NASM One, the membership for trainers and coaches. For just $35/mo, get unlimited access to over 300 continuing education courses, 50% off additional certifications and specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro all-in-one coaching app to grow your business, unlimited exam attempts and select waived fees. Stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve as a fitness professional with NASM One. Click here to learn more. https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm

Alcohol is one of the only widely consumed beverages in the U.S. that doesn’t require full nutritional labeling. But should it? On this episode of The Mindful Drinking Podcast, host Derek Brown is joined by featured guest, Dr. DeAnna Nara, Campaign Manager for the Center for Science in the Public Interest’s food labeling initiatives. A licensed dietitian-nutritionist and expert in food systems for health, Dr. Nara breaks down the push for greater transparency in alcohol labeling—including calories, ingredients, and added sugars.

We’ll also explore the upcoming FDA/HHS Dietary Guidelines for Americans, how alcohol fits into national health recommendations, and how it stacks up against sugary drinks, which already face strict labeling requirements. While sodas and energy drinks disclose sugar and calorie counts, alcohol remains largely exempt—should that change?

With her deep expertise in nutrition and public health policy, Dr. Nara unpacks why alcohol labeling matters—not just for mindful drinkers, but for anyone who wants to know what’s in their glass. Tune in for an eye-opening discussion on the future of alcohol regulation in the U.S.

If you like what you just consumed, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend to help grow our NASM health and wellness community!

Introducing NASM One, the membership for trainers and coaches. For just $35/mo, get unlimited access to over 300 continuing education courses, 50% off additional certifications and specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro all-in-one coaching app to grow your business, unlimited exam attempts and select waived fees. Stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve as a fitness professional with NASM One. Click here to learn more. https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm

With nonstop news of crises—wildfires, war, and uncertainty—it’s easy to reach for a drink to take the edge off. But does alcohol relieve stress, or could it be making things worse?

On this episode of The Mindful Drinking Podcast, host Derek Brown  takes a closer look at the relationship between alcohol and stress. While drinking is often linked to relaxation, research suggests that in times of high stress, we tend to drink more—and that extra drink might not have the effect we’re hoping for. How does alcohol really impact our stress levels, and are there better ways to unwind?

We may not be able to control the world around us, but we can choose how we respond. Join us for a conversation that just might change the way you think about stress drinking.

If you like what you just consumed, leave us a 5-star review, and share this episode with a friend to help grow our NASM health and wellness community!

Introducing NASM One, the membership for trainers and coaches. For just $35/mo, get unlimited access to over 300 continuing education courses, 50% off additional certifications and specializations, EDGE Trainer Pro all-in-one coaching app to grow your business, unlimited exam attempts and select waived fees. Stay on top of your game and ahead of the curve as a fitness professional with NASM One. Click here to learn more. https://bit.ly/4ddsgrm