She was 52, healthy, a non-smoker — and diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer

during the pandemic. Alone. In lockdown. With no roadmap.

Mel Erwin didn't wait to be told how to recover. She built her own path —

overhauling her diet, eliminating stress, taking up cycling with one and a

half lungs, dancing in her kitchen, and combining conventional medicine with

Chinese herbs, acupuncture, and qigong.

Five and a half years later her tumours are tiny, her energy is real, and

she is living more fully than most people who have every reason to.

This episode isn't really about cancer. It's about what happens when you

stop waiting for life to slow down — and start choosing it deliberately.

Mel's message to every healthy woman running on autopilot: don't wait for

a diagnosis to start living.

—

(0:00) Meet Mel — how she lives today with stage 4 lung cancer

(3:06) Who she was before — the director running on full speed

(9:04) The diagnosis — shock, surgery, chemo, and no roadmap

(16:03) What actually changed — diet, movement & integrative medicine

(27:04) What her doctors never told her about lifestyle

(32:06) Her message to the healthy woman running on autopilot

(37:04) What matters now — joy, dancing & what she guards fiercely

(39:20) Quick close

—

Reclaim is a podcast for women in their 40s and 50s who are ready to take

their health, energy and life back. Hosted by Olga, certified nutritionist

and hormone coach.

New episodes dropping 2026. Follow so you don't miss them.

Intermittent fasting is everywhere, and many women wonder if delaying food will help them feel clearer, steadier, or more in control of their day.This episode offers a calm, realistic way to decide whether intermittent fasting fits your life right now — without putting your body through unnecessary stress.Mornings often begin before the day even starts.The mind is already moving.Responsibilities are already present.In this conversation, I explain how intermittent fasting interacts with real life, nervous system load, stress, sleep, and energy — especially for busy women who already carry a lot.⏱️ Timestamps0:00 Is Intermittent Fasting right for you? 0:34 Meet Olga: My journey from Corporate to Coaching 1:03 Important Context About Intermittent Fasting01:20 When Intermittent Fasting is not a right approach01:55 When Intermittent Fasting Can be Good idea to Try it out 02:32 What Does Intermittent Fasting replace for You? 02:50 How does Stress affect Fasting03:12 It doesn't need ot be that strict03:53 - Real life healthIntermittent fasting is not a test of discipline.It’s a tool that either supports the nervous system — or quietly asks it to carry more.This channel focuses on realistic health for busy women, shaped around full lives rather than ideal routines.As you move through your mornings, consider this question:Does delaying food give you more capacity — or quietly take some away?🔗 Stay connected with RECLAIM📸 Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/olgadavidoff_/🎧 Spotify Podcasthttps://open.spotify.com/show/3IIQ4OLz6y4EFjUE97Ii26🍎 Apple Podcastshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reclaim-with-olga-davidoff/id1872703661▶️ YouTubehttps://www.youtube.com/@RECLAIMbyolga⚠️ DisclaimerThis content is for educational purposes only and reflects personal and professional experience. It is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider regarding individual health decisions.#intermittentfasting #womenshealth #nervoussystemhealth #busywomenwellness #sustainablehealth

You train.
You move your body.
And yet your heart rate still feels high.

At night, it sits around the mid-60s.
During the day, simple movement sends it climbing into the 90s or even 100.

And quietly, a question starts to form:
Am I actually fit enough?

In this episode, we talk about why a higher heart rate in women often has very little to do with fitness — and much more to do with how much your body is carrying.

This is a grounded conversation for women who already train, already care for themselves, and still find themselves questioning their numbers.

We explore:

• Why women naturally have higher heart rates than men

• Why comparing heart rate numbers creates unnecessary doubt

• What heart rate really responds to beyond fitness

• Why daytime heart rate often rises in capable, mentally active women

• What your night-time heart rate can tell you about recovery

• The shift that changed how I interpret heart rate completely

A higher heart rate often reflects a full life, not a failing body.
Understanding that brings relief — and better decisions.

Download the one-page Heart Rate Reflection Guide here:
https://www.reclaim.fit/reclaim-resources

If this episode felt steady and useful, you’re very welcome to follow the podcast and stay here.
Every conversation starts from a question women are already carrying.

🔗 Stay connected with RECLAIM

📸 Instagram
/ olgadavidoff_

🎧 Spotify Podcast
https://open.spotify.com/show/3IIQ4OL...

🍎 Apple Podcasts
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...

▶️ YouTube
/ @reclaimbyolga

📄 Free reflection guide

Working out doesn’t usually feel harder because you lost motivation.
For many women, it starts feeling heavy when life gets full. More responsibility. More people depending on you. More decisions earlier in the day.

In this episode, we talk about why workouts often start feeling harder during demanding seasons — and what’s actually changing beneath the surface.

This conversation isn’t about discipline or pushing through.
It’s about how movement can still live inside a real, full life — with work, people, pressure, and limited energy.

We explore:

• Why most fitness advice assumes you start the day with energy

• How life load affects your nervous system and motivation

• A more flexible way to think about consistency

• What to do on mentally heavy days

• How everyday movement still supports your body

• Why eating enough matters more than willpower

There’s also a one-page reflection guide linked in the show notes to help you notice where movement could realistically fit in your own day — without turning it into another thing to manage.

Before you go, I’ll leave you with one gentle question:
Where in your day could movement live if it didn’t need to be perfect?

🔗 Stay connected with RECLAIM

📸 Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/olgadavidoff_/

▶️ YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@RECLAIMbyOlga

You go to bed tired. You sleep through the night. And yet, you wake up feeling flat and not restored.

In this first episode of the RECLAIM series, we explore why sleep alone often isn’t enough for real recovery — especially for capable women who carry a lot of responsibility.

This episode looks at how nervous system load, daily stimulation, caffeine, mental carryover, and the pace of your day quietly affect how well you recover at night — even when your sleep looks “good” on paper.

There’s no fixing here, and no pressure to change everything.
Just clear explanations, real-life patterns, and a calmer way to understand what your body is responding to.

👉 You can download the one-page reflection & action guide for this episode here:
https://www.reclaim.fit/reclaim-library

The guide is optional and designed to help you choose one or two small, realistic adjustments — nothing more.

This episode is part of Season 1: “I’m Always On” — a series about energy, recovery, and nervous system balance inside real life.

This is a short introduction to what RECLAIM is, and how to use this podcast in real life.

I’m Olga Davidoff, a competitive athlete, nutrition, fitness and hormone coach, ex-corporate professional nd a mother.

This episode explains why RECLAIM exists and how it can help you better understand your energy, recovery, and body — without pressure, extremes, or adding more to your plate.