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Our oceans are vast, teeming with life, and critical to the health of our planet—but they’re also under increasing pressure from human activity and climate change. In this episode of People & Planet, I sit down with Dr. Brock Bergseth, an award-winning marine biologist and conservation psychologist, to explore the beauty, resilience, and challenges facing our oceans today.
Dr. Brock Bergseth tackles some of the most pressing issues facing our oceans, including overfishing, illegal fishing, and poaching. For the past 13 years, his work has focused on understanding and shaping how people interact with coral reef ecosystems, with the ultimate goal of strengthening protection measures and reducing conflicts between humans and nature.
As humanity’s footprint continues to expand, public sentiment toward conservation has increasingly shifted toward negativity and despondency—ironically, at a time when many positive trends and scalable solutions are emerging. In response to this, Brock is currently finishing his first pop science book, Wild Hope, a story centered on optimism for our planet’s future, aimed at shifting the narrative away from doom and gloom. I hope you enjoy this conversation.
From his years studying coral reefs on the Great Barrier Reef to his work tackling overfishing and illegal fishing, Dr. Bergseth shares his unique insights into marine conservation, the impact of climate change, and why hope remains for the future of our oceans.
Key Themes & Takeaways:
We talk about:
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Dr. Brock Bergseth
Connect with me
Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not replace the advice of your doctor or physician. Always consult a medical professional before making changes to your diet, lifestyle, or medication protocol.
Do you find the supplement world confusing and daunting? You're not alone. With an overwhelming variety of products on the market, understanding which supplements are truly beneficial can be challenging.
In this episode of People & Planet, I’m joined by Dr. Talal Sharaiha, an internal medicine doctor and fellow at the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine, to demystify the world of supplements. Dr. Sharaiha, with over a decade of experience in medical manufacturing and product development, shares his expert knowledge on evaluating supplement quality, understanding labels, and identifying common deficiencies.
From discussing regulatory standards to practical advice on starting your supplement journey, this episode is packed with actionable insights. Grab your pens and notebooks and get ready to take notes—there’s a wealth of information coming your way!
Key Themes & Takeaways:
Resources Mentioned:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not replace the advice of your doctor or physician. Always consult a medical professional before making changes to your diet, lifestyle, or medication protocol.
Have you ever wondered how the mind and body are deeply interconnected, influencing your overall health and well-being?
In this episode of People & Planet, I’m joined by Nawar Kamona, a passionate expert in health and wellness, to explore the profound relationship between our thoughts, emotions, and physical health.
Nawar Kamona is a holistic health practitioner with a background in nutrition and a deep passion for exploring the mind-body connection. Her work focuses on the impact of community, mindset, and emotional well-being on physical health. With extensive experience in addressing chronic stress, autoimmune conditions, and gut health, Nawar empowers individuals to create lasting, transformative changes in their lives through science-backed, compassionate approaches. She also volunteers with children in hospitals, bringing her insights on the healing power of positivity and play to those in need.
With a background in nutrition and a functional approach to well-being, Nawar shares insights into the often-overlooked ingredients of health—community, mindset, and the mind-body connection. We dive into fascinating studies, including the Harvard Longevity Study and the Roseto Effect, to uncover how community and emotional connections play a pivotal role in our physical health outcomes. Nawar also unpacks the impact of chronic stress, negative thought patterns, and how the nocebo effect impacts our bodies, while offering actionable strategies for healing and self-care.
Key Themes & Takeaways:
We talk about:
Resources Mentioned:
Connect with Nawar
Connect with me
Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not replace the advice of your doctor or physician. Always consult a medical professional before making changes to your diet, lifestyle, or medication protocol.
Have you ever wondered about the invisible strings pulling at the back of your mind, causing stress or anxiety in your daily life?
In this episode of People & Planet, I’m joined by Judy Heidrich, who is a licensed psychotherapist, a trauma resolution specialist, a mental health counselor, and a coach. Judy specializes in trauma resolution and integrated mind/body healing modalities, as well as energy based healing approaches. This includes RRT (Rapid Resolution Therapy), Healing Touch, SoulCollage therapy, as well as various breathwork techniques.
Judy has supported numerous clients on improving their mental health, as well as their emotional and physiological wellbeing. In this conversation we discuss anxiety and social anxiety, and a few other relational concepts such as ego states, big self vs. little self, and more, as a framework to help understand ourselves better, as well as improve the relationship we have with others. These modalities are all utilized to establish the healing connections between the physiological and emotional responses that can occur and to then assist and empower her clients to evolve and gain clarity along their healing journey.
Together, we dive into topics such as anxiety, social anxiety, attachment styles, and frameworks like ego states and transactional analysis, offering insights to better understand ourselves and those around us.
Key Themes & Takeaways:
We talk about:
Resources Mentioned:
Disclaimer:
This podcast is for educational purposes only and should not replace the advice of your doctor or physician. Always consult a medical professional before making changes to your diet, lifestyle, or medication protocol.
In today's episode, I speak with Cheyenne Carell, a somatic experiencing practitioner and co-active coach. She has been supporting people in healing from trauma for over a decade.
Cheyenne began by working in substance abuse treatment centers, and she now works on developing trauma-informed curriculum for substance abuse treatment centers and seeks to understand the root of trauma in the nervous system, which can lead to many issues.
Hope you enjoy!
Cheyenne's Links:
resolvingtrauma.org
Alya’s Links:
Follow me on Instagram:@wholesome_practice https://www.instagram.com/wholesome_practice/?hl=en
Visit my website: https://alyaalhamad.com/
Episode Timestamps:
(00:28) Introduction
(01:20) Getting to know Cheyenne and Somatic Therapy
(06:45) The Difference Between Physical and Mental Response to Trauma
(10:46) The Definition of Trauma
(20:00) Releasing Trauma in a Session
(27:30) Trauma Gaslighting
(34:20) Embodied Definition
(37:53) Do We All Walk Around With Trauma?
(50:00) Practices for Emotional Regulation
(55:40) How Emotional Trauma Impacts Physical Health
(59:10) Outro
In this episode, I speak with Dave Neale, the Global Animal Sentience and Welfare Director for the Animals Asia organization. Animals Asia is committed to ending bear bile farming and improving the welfare of animals across Asia.
In this episode, we discuss the history of bear bile farming, elephant riding tourism, circuses, and ocean parks, and the improvements in animal welfare that have been made in each industry.
Hope you enjoy!
Dave’s Links:
Animals Asia website: https://www.animalsasia.org/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/animalsasia/?hl=en
The Asia for Animals Coalition https://www.asiaforanimals.com/
Alya’s Links:
Follow me on Instagram:@wholesome_practice https://www.instagram.com/wholesome_practice/?hl=en
Visit my website: https://alyaalhamad.com/
Episode Timestamps:
(00:31) Intro
(02:28) Animals Asia & The History of Bear Bile Farming
(10:16) Intervention and Education in Bear Bile Farming
(17:32) How Bears Respond to Cruelty and Sanctuary
(26:55) Where Animals Asia is at Today
(29:50) Other Work of Animals Asia
(32:15) Elephant Riding Tourism and Developments in the Industry
(37:11) The Effects of Elephant Riding Tourism on the Elephants Themselves
(42:02) Circuses and their Harm
(47:48) The Truth Behind Ocean Parks
(56:04) The Path Forward and the Importance of Raising Awareness
(58:58) Where You Can Learn More About Wildlife Ethics
(1:03:20) Outro
In this episode, I speak with Zeina Maktabi, a functional medicine practitioner and expert in gut health, hormone balance, and menopause. In her professional life, Zeina helps women navigate the perimenopause transition through nutrition and lifestyle interventions.
In this episode, we dive into the difference between perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. Zeina helps to define each phase, while also demystifying each and making recommendations to mitigate the uncomfortable symptoms that come with perimenopause.
Hope you enjoy!
Zeina’s Links: IG @upcloseandhealthy https://www.instagram.com/upcloseandhealthy/
https://upcloseandhealthy.com/
Alya’s Links:
Follow me on Instagram:@wholesome_practice https://www.instagram.com/wholesome_practice/?hl=en
Visit my website: https://alyaalhamad.com/
(01:45) Intro
(06:06) The Symptoms of Perimenopause
(16.00) The Effects of Estrogen
(18:55) Advice to Women in Their 40s
20:39 Lifestyle Factors to Reduce Symptoms
(24:00) Gut Health and Nutrition
(30:00) Strength Training and its Benefits
(33:32) Detox
(37:02) Supplement Recommendations for Women
(40:34) Stress and the Role of Cortisol
(46:30) The Risks of Ashwagandha Overuse
(48:33) Myth Busting
(51:37) Doctors to Speak to About Menopause
(54:11) Ways Women Can Test for Perimenopause
(1:00:21) Outro
Dr. Naser Alnusif discusses injury prevention, emphasising the importance of strengthening muscles and stretching before and after exercise. He highlights the role of nutrition and rest in maintaining optimal physical health.
Takeaways
Strengthening muscles and stretching before and after exercise can reduce the risk of injuries.
In this episode, I connect with Sara Abiqwa, a self empowerment coach dedicated to helping women remember their authentic selves and connect to their natural inner power.
Sara is an expert on intuition and self-love, and has worked with hundreds of women across the globe to embrace self love.
We touch on a variety of other topics in today’s episode, including nervous system regulation, understanding triggers, managing mental narratives, and building a connection with our inner wisdom.
Hope you enjoy!
Sara’s Links:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saraabiqwa/
Website: https://saraabiqwa.com
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@saraabiqwa?_t=8mHrbISL61Q&_r=1
Podcast Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0O1ySdsikgUPyadWXErv13?si=7PCRhLP7TsCgRXNMHHlFKQ
Youtube: https://youtube.com/@saraabiqwa111?si=b2_2wrmoE9_tghKh
Alya’s Links:
Follow me on Instagram:@wholesome_practice https://www.instagram.com/wholesome_practice/?hl=en
Visit my website: https://alyaalhamad.com/
Book Links:
Solve For Happy by Mo Gawdat
Chatter by Ethan Kross
Burnout: The Secret To Unlocking The Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski
Episode Timestamps
(01:45) Intro
(06:00) Your Personality
(15:00) The Evolution of Your Truth
(19:25) Truth and The Mind
(28:20) Differentiation Between Inner Truth and Trauma
(35:30) Internal Family Systems
(47:00) Safety
(52:50) Social Media
In this episode, I speak with Samia Al Duaij, an expert in sustainable development, natural resource management, environmental governance, and climate change.
Samia’s work spans the Middle East and she focuses on a multitude of sectors, mainly oil spill contingencies, sustainable fisheries, and solid waste management.
We touch on a variety of other topics in today’s episode, including fast fashion, energy efficient homes, marine ecosystems, air pollution, and more.
Hope you enjoy!
Samia’s Links:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samia-alduaij-8649728/?originalSubdomain=kw
Instagram: @sustainablelivingkw
https://www.instagram.com/sustainablelivingkw/?hl=en
Alya’s Links:
Follow me on Instagram:@wholesome_practice https://www.instagram.com/wholesome_practice/?hl=en
Visit my website: https://alyaalhamad.com/
Episode Timestamps:
(2:21) Intro
(04:00) Coral Bleaching
(13:20) The Value of Water, Desalination
(16:00) Pollution and Air Quality
(25:00) The Importance of Indigenous Plants
(25:40) Droughts in Iraq and Syria
(32:00) Single-Use Plastics
(34:45) Conspicuous Consumption
(45:15) Textile Waste
(49:22) Climate Action
(55:37) Outro
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