This week Lee and Irene dive deep into manifestation through two very different lenses. Irene’s approach is emotional resonance and alignment, feeling as if you already have what you want and acting as if it’s already on its way. Lee’s is grounded in the science of how your brain filters reality through the reticular activating system and creates the conditions for things to move toward you. Together, they explore how manifestation works, why writing a number on a piece of paper doesn’t cut it, what happens when the universe delivers differently than you expected, and the Taoist concept of effortless action that makes everything feel like it flows.

✨ In this episode we chat about:

· The difference between manifestation and wishful thinking

· How emotional truth and feeling are at the core of real manifestation

· Irene’s origin story - the Esther Hicks event that changed everything

· The moment she wrote $20 million in her book and sold her company for exactly that amount

· Lee’s intuitive approach through vivid dreams and subconscious understanding

· The science behind manifestation: the reticular activating system and neural networks

· What The Secret got right and what it missed

· Vision boards, manifestation books, scripting and journaling as different practices

· Why letting go is harder than doing the work

· Effortless action and what true alignment feels like

🎙 What’s Popping: Manifestation, Alignment, and the Science of Getting What You Want

The Instagram Version vs. The Real Thing

The Instagram version of manifestation is about acquisition. Write a number, visualise a Ferrari, believe hard enough and the universe delivers a specific dollar amount directly into your bank account. This version has sold millions of courses and made a lot of people money. But it’s missing something critical: emotional truth. When someone says they want $5 million, it’s a figure. But it’s not a feeling. You can’t really feel $30 million, and you can’t inhabit what you can’t feel. You’re giving your brain a target it has no idea how to orient towards.

The real manifestation is about alignment. It’s about getting emotionally honest about what you actually want and why you want it, then acting as if it’s already on its way. When you’re truly aligned and genuinely clear on what you want, things start moving. But they don’t always move in the shape you expected. The universe is not limited to one route. If you want to walk away from a draining job and feel financially secure, the universe offers more than one path to that feeling. The money, the car, the house - these are possible routes. But they’re not the only routes.

This is the distinction that separates the real thing from carnival barking. And it’s free.

What Manifestation Actually Requires

Passive wishing is not manifestation. Sitting on a couch, picturing a number, and waiting for it to appear is a fantasy, not a practice. Real manifestation requires getting emotionally honest about what you want and why, feeling it as already real, then acting in alignment with it. Every single step matters. Remove the action and you just have a fantasy.

Irene’s Journey: The Manifestation Book and the $20 Million

Irene’s awakening came through her mother and a YouTube video featuring Esther Hicks, the voice for a collective consciousness channelled as Abraham. At the time, Irene was working in corporate at Universal Pictures. It was a struggle - she felt like a round peg in a square corporate box. Her mum sent her the video and it resonated immediately. She was already having a stressful week with a mortgage, driving a Volkswagen Beetle (which is now iconic to her origin story). She went deeper: read The Secret, watched The Secret, and when Esther Hicks toured Australia, her mum bought her tickets.

At the event, Irene brought a notebook and pen. On that stage, she wrote down what she wanted. Humble things by most standards - a deposit for a house, financial freedom, the basics most Australians aspire to. What came out of that event was a shift in perspective: everyone can create whatever reality they want to create. It was the most empowering realisation ever.

But there’s a twist to Irene’s story. She also wrote $20 million in that book because she wanted to start a toxin-free beauty business and felt she needed that amount. She bought a Powerball ticket at Forestville shops and told the universe she was going to win. Days later, someone won $20 million Powerball in Sydney. Convinced it was her, she pulled over to check the ticket. It wasn’t.

She sat in the gutter and cried. One of the most devastated moments of her life. Then she wiped her tears, looked up at the sky and said: f**k it. I’m going to make my own $20 million.

She never bought another lotto ticket. Instead, she decided to run her business as if she had a $20 million backing. She started Nourished Life. Fast forward to 2017 - four years later - she sold her company for exactly $20 million. The same number. The universe didn’t give it to her the way she expected, but it gave it to her nonetheless. And that’s the whole lesson: the universe doesn’t limit itself to your one expected route.

Lee’s Intuitive Approach: Dreams, Subconscious Knowing, and the Melanoma Story

Lee didn’t have a single awakening moment. She grew up with an intuitive mum. From an early age, Lee experienced vivid dreams that would later line up with real life. These dreams foreshadowed or mirrored things that would happen when she was awake. Initially she dismissed them - it’s just a dream, just your subconscious. But over time, she came to understand that her subconscious knows things before her waking mind does. She now treats those messages as a much deeper part of herself.

A recent example: Lee dreamt she had a melanoma on her forehead. She saw everything - the cutting, the operation, the entire thing. Weeks later, a small black dot appeared on her forehead. She thought it was mascara, tried to wipe it off, and it wouldn’t budge. She went to the skin cancer clinic at Warriewood and had them biopsy it. The clinic thought she was paranoid because it was the tiniest dot. The biopsy came back as melanoma. If she hadn’t listened to that dream, if she hadn’t trusted that subconscious knowing, it could have developed significantly before she would have noticed it otherwise.

The Science: Reticular Activating System, Neural Networks, and the Red Porsche

At the core of manifestation is neuroscience. Brain imaging shows that vividly imagining an experience activates many of the same neural networks as actually having it. Whether you’re having an experience or visualising it, you’re activating the same neural pathways. This is why elite athletes rehearse plays hundreds of times in their heads - they’re literally priming their brain for success.

The reticular activating system (RAS) is a bundle of nerves at the brainstem that filters the enormous amount of sensory information your brain receives every second. It lets through what you’ve told it matters and filters out the rest. When you’re manifesting a red Porsche, red Porsches suddenly appear everywhere. They didn’t just appear - your RAS stopped filtering them out because you flagged them as relevant. Manifestation is your brain doing exactly what it’s designed to do when you give it a clear direction.

The Secret calls this “driftwood”, a word that means it’s coming, it’s on its way. It appears everywhere because your brain has been recalibrated to notice it. Whether you actually get the red Porsche depends on a number of factors, but you will see a lot more of them.

What The Secret Got Right (And What It Missed)

The Secret introduced manifestation to an entire generation and sold 30 million copies. For that, both Lee and Irene are genuinely grateful. It shifted millions of people.

But there are things that bother Lee about it. The wishful thinking framing is problematic. The implication that if you’re positive, you attract good things, and therefore suffering must be your fault, that’s harmful. Especially when applied to illness, poverty, grief, or trauma. The victim-blaming is real and it’s damaging. If you create your own reality, then did a parent with a sick child create that? Lee struggles with this deeply. She doesn’t believe that people who suffer things they don’t deserve attracted those things to themselves. There’s more to the universe than that.

Irene, conversely, comes from a deep place of faith in the law of attraction and The Secret. For her, it’s become her spiritual alignment. Her religion is the secret and the law of attraction. She acknowledges she and Lee don’t agree here, and that’s okay. Both perspectives can coexist.

Vision Boards, Manifestation Books, and Different Processing Styles

Irene’s practice is visual. She’s been creating vision boards since the Esther Hicks event. She cuts images out of magazines and places them where she sees them daily - her bedroom wall. Over the years, she’s pulled out old vision boards and been amazed: oh yeah, I’ve got that Porsche in that colour. I’ve bought that house. I’ve got that. The vision boards work. The challenge now is that there are no magazines anymore. Online vision board apps exist, but the printing quality isn’t always good. She’s excited about Canva now - an Australian company that allows you to create digital designs and actually print them. You design the vision board on Canva and they can print it for you. For Irene, that’s a game changer.

Lee’s practice is verbal and written. She’s a verbal thinker. Journalling and scripting work for her. She doesn’t do mantras, though her one mantra when she does use one is “I’m healthy, wealthy, safe and wise.” For Lee, that mantra doesn’t resonate in the same way as it does for her. The key point is that different processing styles require different practices.

For kinesthetic people, they want to feel it in their body. They want to speak and feel the intentions while walking or physically acting. Some people don’t get anything from staring at a vision board, they just look at it standing there and feel nothing. That’s not the right practice for them. The format matters. The person matters. The alignment of format with how someone’s brain processes information matters.

The Hardest Part: Letting Go

You do the work. You get the intention. You create the visualisations. You do your vision boards or your journaling or your mantras. You’re aligned. And then the instructions are to release it - to let it go into the ether. It sounds counterintuitive. How can you work on manifesting something and then just... let it go?

Irene’s perspective is that if it was easy, everyone would be driving around in a Ferrari. The tools are given to us as a practice. If you can master letting go, you get what you want. If you can’t master it, you don’t. There’s nothing harder in the world than wanting something desperately and then releasing your grip on it. Because if you’re obsessed and you’re white-knuckling it, checking constantly “has it arrived yet, is it coming, is it coming?” - that’s fear energy. That’s your body telling itself “I don’t have it, I’m scared I won’t get it, it’s not going to happen.” That’s the exact opposite of the relaxed state your brain needs for creative and connective thinking to move things forward.

Older traditions give us the sense of letting go. The Taoist concept of wu wei - effortless action. When nothing is forced, when there are no hiccups, when everything flows, that’s what alignment feels like.

Effortless Action and True Alignment

All three of them - Irene, Lee, and Justin - have experienced this in their own ways. When they brought a manifestation into reality, it all flowed without hiccups. Irene sold her house and bought a new one at the same time this weekend after doing a prayer in a cafe, and it just happened effortlessly. Justin bid at an auction for a property to exact dollar he’d set and got it without any friction. Lee saw a house during COVID, made the offer, spoke to the Indian gods (her practice), and it just flowed, no issues.

When manifestations come to fruition, they come without pushing and resisting. They come with intrinsic alignment. There’s harmony in how things move. Everyone involved is happy. No one gets shafted. That’s the difference between forced effort and effortless action.

🧠 Womansplain: Justin and the Open-Ended Question

This week’s Womansplain segment features Justin asking Lee and Irene an open question about manifestation itself - how do the three of them each approach it differently, and what can listeners learn from those differences? Rather than a traditional “fix this symptom” Womansplain, this is an invitation into the conversation around different manifestation practices and what works for different people.

✨ Lee’s Practice: A Guided Letting Go

Lee offers listeners a two-minute guided practice for letting go, a short, practical meditation to help release the grip on what they’ve been working to manifest. This is the complement to all the work (the visualisation, the journaling, the vision boards). The practice of releasing.

📝 Lee’s Nutritionist Nerd Notes: Episode 19

Visualisation, Mental Imagery, and Neural Networks

Brain imaging shows that vividly imagining an experience activates many of the same neural networks that are activated when you actually have the experience. This is peer-reviewed neuroscience. Athletes use this all the time - they rehearse a golf swing, a tennis serve, a football play hundreds of times in their mind before executing it in reality. They’re priming the same neural pathways that will fire when they perform the actual action.

The Reticular Activating System (RAS)

The reticular activating system is a bundle of nerves at the brainstem. Its job is to filter the enormous amount of sensory information the brain receives every second. Your brain is bombarded with data - visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory. The RAS decides what’s relevant and lets that through. It filters out the rest. When you decide you want a red Porsche and you focus on that intention, your RAS stops filtering out red Porsches. They suddenly appear everywhere. Not because they suddenly appeared in the world, but because your brain has been recalibrated to notice them. This is manifestation at the neurological level.

Emotional Resonance and Feeling

At the core of real manifestation is emotional truth. You can’t manifest a number on a piece of paper. You can’t manifest $30 million as an abstract figure. But you can manifest the feeling of freedom, of security, of creative expression, of being able to walk away from something that doesn’t serve you. The material things are one possible route to those feelings. But the universe is not limited to that route. If you can feel the freedom, you can manifest the freedom through many different channels.

Alignment and Effortless Action

The Taoist concept of wu wei or effortless action describes a state where things move without resistance. When you’re truly aligned with what you want and why you want it, there’s no pushing, no struggling, no hiccups. Everything flows. This is the distinction between force and alignment, between white-knuckling and letting go. When manifestations come to fruition through alignment, they arrive harmoniously. Everyone involved is happy. No friction. That’s what true alignment feels like.

📌 Episode 19 Links

Supercharged Food - Lee Holmes

Clean Nectarine - Irene Falcone

www.superchargeyourgut.com

🎙 Listen & Subscribe

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Substack

Follow us on Instagram:

@theleeandireneshow | @leesupercharged | @cleannectarine

Sponsor an episode? Email [email protected]

Disclaimer: This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.

The Lee and Irene Show is a production of Clean Nectarine Pty Ltd and Supercharged Food Pty Ltd. It is hosted by Lee Holmes and Irene Falcone with editing and technical support by Justin Smithmore. It is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, health, legal or financial advice. The views expressed are personal opinions of the hosts and guests and do not represent the views of Clean Nectarine or Supercharged Food. This podcast does not establish a doctor-patient or other professional relationship. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment.

She’s also raced 1000 kilometres across Mongolia on semi-wild horses, survived the South African wilderness multiple times for the Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid Global Showdown, and turned childhood bullying and family trauma into a life mission to help women find their strength. This week Alexa joins Lee and Irene to talk about how physical strength becomes mental fortitude, why the gym became her sanctuary, what survival taught her about the human capacity to endure, and why strength training in midlife isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about living the life you actually want to live.

✨ In this episode we chat about:

· The turning point at 15 when fitness became her safe place in an unsafe world

· From bullying and family trauma to finding empowerment in the weights room

· Surviving Naked and Afraid three times. What it teaches you about yourself

· Strength training for women over 40. Not for summer bodies, but for life

· Sleep, energy, and the uncomfortable truth about getting started

· Why emotional wellness and physical strength are inseparable

🎙 What’s Popping: Alexa Towersey on Strength, Survival, and What You’re Truly Capable Of

The Girl Who Found Herself in the Weights Room

An Unsafe Childhood: Bullying at an all-girls school plus an unstable home (her mother diagnosed with bipolar or manic depression, unrecognised at the time) meant Alexa had nowhere to feel safe or empowered. At 15, after intervening to protect another student during a classroom confrontation where a chair was actually thrown, she made a decision: she needed to figure out how to take care of herself.

Walking past a gym near her home in New Zealand, Alexa spotted a fitness class pouring out. Everyone was red-faced, sweaty, high-fiving, simultaneously tortured and exuberant. When the instructor offered a free trial, something in her said yes. That moment changed everything. She found physical and mental strength in the weights room, learned the connection between physical power and psychological grit, and discovered a community and identity she didn’t have anywhere else.

Learning to lift weights became learning to protect herself. From that first deadlift and first chin-up, Alexa knew this is for life. Now, as a coach and athlete, she’s driven to pay that gift forward. She wants to help other people, especially women, discover what it feels like to become physically and mentally strong.

Surviving Naked and Afraid: Three Times

Naked and Afraid Global Showdown (Discovery Channel) drops contestants into remote wilderness with absolutely nothing. No food, water, or clothes. It films their attempts to survive for varying periods.

Alexa’s First Experience: Before her first appearance, Alexa learned survival skills in increasingly comedic ways. This included a Zoom call over her Bondi oven with her cat watching, learning to use a ferro rod (magnesium fire starter) from a professional survivalist. She was so unfamiliar with basic survival that she asked if ‘Tinder’ had a promotional partnership with the ferro rod company, not realizing tinder is simply the cotton wool used as kindling.

The show has taught Alexa that humans have far greater capacity to endure than we typically believe. The psychological component is real. Fear of hyenas, lions, and predators outside a boma (a thorn wall enclosure) circling all night is as real as the physical challenge of finding food and water. By her third appearance, she’s learned to lean into her superpower: the ability to stay calm and functional even when genuinely terrified.

Contestants have walkie-talkies and a GoPro to document the experience. Medical help is available but takes roughly 30 minutes to arrive. That’s enough time for a real threat to become very real. On one appearance, they had a tree they could climb if something tried to breach the boma.

Strength Training for Midlife Women

After a hip replacement in her 40s, Alexa’s approach to strength training changed. She stopped training for summer bodies and started training to age disgracefully. She wants to be strong enough at 60, 70, and beyond to hike on weekends, play cricket with nieces and nephews, go on adventures without worrying about pulling a hamstring.

Strength training isn’t just about lifting weight. It’s about the confidence that comes from knowing your body can do hard things. That evidence, the proof that you’re capable, translates directly into how you move through the world and how you tackle challenges outside the gym.

Alexa emphasises that people find fitness for different reasons. A mum might want to be stronger to pick up her children without strain. Someone else might want to feel stronger in business. The key is finding your own reason to train, then leveraging that physical strength into confidence that applies everywhere.

No One Regrets Being Too Strong: This is Alexa’s philosophy. In midlife, strength training becomes preventative medicine and freedom. It’s the freedom to do the life you actually want to live, not the constrained life your body forces you into.

Getting Started When You Have No Energy

The Irony: To get energy, you have to expend energy. Even when you’re exhausted and unmotivated, a 20-minute walk will return you with more energy than when you left.

How Alexa Gets Started: She leans on how good she knows she’ll feel afterwards. Not as motivation, but as a decision made in advance. When people ask how to find the confidence to go to the gym, her answer is: you have to find something about the process you enjoy, or find something about the outcome (how your pants fit, how you look in the mirror, not being puffed after a short walk) that makes it worth doing.

Irene’s personal reality, at nearly 50, with perimenopause hormones and low energy, she admitted she struggles with the entry barrier. Not with the exercise itself, but with getting out of bed in the first place. Alexa acknowledges this is where most people get stuck, and where finding something (a podcast, music, accountability) becomes critical.

Once you’ve done something (run 20 minutes on a treadmill, walked, completed a workout) and felt how good you feel after, you have proof. You know you can do it. The next step is building that into a 21-day habit so it stops requiring willpower and becomes routine.

Sleep, Insomnia, and What Actually Works

An insomniac since age 15, she doesn’t follow a strict sleep routine. Her secret sources are a weekly caramel koala for breakfast, which gives her enough of a kick to get to the gym and start her week. Diet Coke is her consistent companion.

Moderation in All Things, Including Moderation: Alexa’s philosophy is unapologetic about joy. If one caramel koala a week is what makes you happy enough to get moving, that beats zero joy and zero gym. She doesn’t believe in full restriction.

Given her chronic insomnia, Alexa relies on power naps to make up sleep debt. She notes her sleep fluctuates with her cycle. Certain parts produce more PMS symptoms and poorer sleep. Having the flexibility to nap is a privilege that helps her function.

Alexa makes a critical point: no amount of blackout blinds or an 8:30pm bedtime will work if your underlying stress or spiralling thoughts aren’t addressed. Sleep hygiene is only part of the picture.

Finding Her Purpose

After a near death experience during a hip replacement, Alexa woke up in hospital with no memory of the experience (no white light, no tunnel, no messages from the other side), but with absolute clarity about what she was meant to do with her life.

Just before then she’d done a mental health talk at a school in Townsville, sharing her story of bullying, alcoholism, and how fitness saved her life. Afterwards, a girl who’d been visibly upset waited until everyone left and gave her a hug. Through tears, the girl said: ‘Thank you. Today was the day I was going to kill myself. Listening to you made me realise I want to ask for help. I want to be here.’

That conversation was the first thing Alexa remembered when she woke in hospital. In that moment she understood: this is her purpose. Sharing her own story and how she dug herself out of her own hole has profound impact on other people’s journeys. The hope that comes from ‘I went through that, I came out the other side, and I’m here’ is powerful beyond measure.

Alexa gave up drinking by replacing one addiction (alcohol) with another (fitness) until she needed neither. Now as a mental health advocate and ambassador for LivIn (a suicide prevention charity), she uses her story to show people that even when you can’t see a way out, there is one. Movement creates momentum. A 20-minute walk can shift thinking. Physical strength builds psychological resilience.

Where to Find Alexa

Instagram: @actionalexa

Website & Programs: She’s recently launched strength training programs targeted at midlife women (though she admits marketing isn’t her strong suit). The programs are built around longevity, functional strength, and training for the life you want to live, not the summer body you think you should have.

Naked and Afraid Global Showdown: Currently appearing on Discovery Channel.

LivIn: Suicide Prevention Charity. Alexa is an ambassador.

🧠 Womansplain: Justin and the Great Urination Mystery

The Question: Justin reports weeing conservatively 10 times a day, more on big days, plus three times a night despite stopping fluids two hours before bed. He’s concerned his liquid output exceeds his input and wonders if there’s a bladder transplant donor list.

The Diagnostics: Lee runs through the red flag questions. Pain (no), unusual sensations (no), robust stream (yes). She clears him on all counts. So what’s actually happening?

Reason One: The Diuretic Drip

Justin’s daily intake: one black tea, one to two coffees, herbal teas after that, plus occasional beer and wine. This puts him on a constant caffeine drip. Caffeine is a diuretic. It actively pulls fluid out of your system. Beer adds another layer: alcohol switches off vasopressin, the hormone that tells your kidneys to hold water. So every beer he drinks is essentially beer leaving his system as urine, not water being conserved.

Reason Two: The Overactive Bladder

That 2am wee is today’s fluid, not yesterday’s tea. Justin’s bladder has become like a smoke detector that goes off when someone makes toast. It’s producing false alarms at half-full instead of waiting for a genuine need. His bladder holds 400-600ml at any given time and gives a first urge at half-full (200-300ml), but he’s developed a habit of preemptively weeing throughout the day instead of letting it reach actual capacity.

The Fix: Bladder Retraining. He needs to gradually hold it longer and let his bladder fill to proper capacity. This isn’t about forcing retention. It’s about retraining the bladder to recognize real urgency versus habit. If you wee before your bladder is actually full, it shrinks and becomes more reactive.

Reason Three: The Maths Isn’t Mathing

Justin assumes he’s drinking more than he’s producing, but his math is missing two key pieces. First: about 20% of daily fluid intake comes from food, not drinks. Fruit, veg, soup, yogurt, curry. Second: the body produces water as a byproduct of burning energy. So his actual total input is much larger than he’s calculating. One and a half to two litres across six to eight weeks is completely normal. He’s not defying physics.

The Serious Bit: When to See a Doctor

Genuine unrelenting thirst is worth investigating. It can be a sign of blood sugar issues, and any man getting up more than twice a night should have it checked out. Men typically don’t report these symptoms or talk about bladder issues, but it’s worth bringing up with a doctor.

The Female Perspective: Irene and Lee noted that women know this struggle intimately. Ask any woman who’s had a baby or hit perimenopause about bladder confidence. Trampolines have ended friendships. So really, we’re all in this together. There really is ‘we’ in ‘wee.’

💬 Irene’s Rant: EU Fragrance Labelling Laws and the Greenwashing Paradox

The Change: The EU has updated fragrance labelling laws to require declaration of up to 80 potential allergens, up from 26 previously. This sounds like transparency, but there’s a trap.

The Problem

Natural brands now have to list all 80 of these allergens on pack. But most of these allergens come from plants and plants (pure essential oils). Lavender oil, bergamot, lemongrass. These plant-driven oils naturally contain potential allergens that must now be declared.

Meanwhile, synthetic brands using petrochemical fragrance cocktails (phthalates, synthetic musks, unknown chemical combinations) don’t have to list anything because their lab-created ingredients aren’t on the 80-allergen list. They can keep their labels short and their ingredients obscure.

Result: The label makes natural products look worse than synthetic products, when the opposite is true.

The App Problem

Apps like Yuka scan ingredient labels and rate products based on these allergen listings. The apps assume any allergen listed is an additive and therefore bad. So certified natural and organic brands like Weleda and Black Chicken Remedies get flagged as harmful products because they’re listing plant-derived allergens on their pack.

The app doesn’t differentiate between a natural component of a plant (which has been there for millennia) and an actual synthetic chemical additive (which is brand new and unknown to the human body). It just sees ‘allergen’ and gives a bad rating.

To make it worse: an identical product sold in the US (where you don’t have to list that allergen) gets a better app rating than the same product sold in Australia or Europe. The product is identical, the labelling laws are different, and the app has no way to differentiate.

The Real Issue

No one has ever had an anaphylactic reaction to a component of a plant-derived fragrance. But people do have real reactions to peanut oil and macadamia oil in skincare. And those oils are never listed in bold on the front of the pack the way food allergens are. A child with a macadamia allergy might apply a product containing macadamia oil without warning.

So while the EU is mandating the listing of plant-derived fragrance allergens, actual food allergens in skincare (nuts, seeds, etc.) remain poorly flagged and inconsistently labelled across the industry.

Irene’s Take: The labelling law isn’t wrong. Transparency matters. But it creates a greenwashing effect where certified natural and organic brands look worse on app ratings than petrochemical brands with hidden ingredient cocktails. True safety requires actually knowing what certifications mean, reading full ingredient lists, and not trusting apps built by tech people off ingredient labels alone.

📝 Lee’s Nutritionist Nerd Notes: Episode 18

Movement, Endorphins and Mental Health

Endorphins are real. Through any movement, whether it’s just going out for a walk, endorphins are released, and movement creates momentum. This momentum can shift a lot of stuff for a lot of people. When you get stuck in spiralling thoughts, if you get out and move, your subconscious will often solve the problem you were ruminating on.

The Energy Paradox

The irony of energy is that to get energy, you need to expend energy. Even when you’re incredibly tired and demotivated, if you get out for a walk, you will come back with more energy than when you left. This holds true across all fitness and movement, regardless of age or hormonal status.

Alcohol and Water Regulation

Alcohol switches off vasopressin, the hormone that tells your kidneys to hold water. This means every beer or alcoholic drink you consume actively signals your body to pass it as urine rather than conserving it. This is why alcohol is dehydrating and why it directly impacts hydration status and urinary frequency.

Water Intake and Food

About 20% of daily fluid intake comes from food, not drinks. Fruit, vegetables, soup, yogurt, and curries all contribute significant water content to your daily intake. Additionally, the body produces water as a byproduct of burning energy (metabolism). For this reason, calculating ‘water intake’ by only counting glasses of water consumed is incomplete math. Actual total fluid intake is typically much higher than people think.

Survival Basics

The human body can survive approximately 3 days without water. After shelter (protection from elements) and fire, fresh water sourcing is the next priority for survival, followed by food.

📌 Episode 18 Links

Action Alexa - Instagram @actionalexa

Action Alexa - Strength Programs

Naked and Afraid Global Showdown- Discovery Channel

LivIn - Suicide Prevention Charity

Supercharged Food - Lee Holmes

Clean Nectarine - Irene Falcone

www.superchargeyourgut.com

🎙 Listen & Subscribe

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Substack

Follow us on Instagram:

@theleeandireneshow | @leesupercharged | @cleannectarine

Sponsor an episode? Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer: This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.

The Lee and Irene Show is a production of Clean Nectarine Pty Ltd and Supercharged Food Pty Ltd. It is hosted by Lee Holmes and Irene Falcone with editing and technical support by Justin Smithmore. It is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical, health, legal or financial advice. The views expressed are personal opinions of the hosts and guests and do not represent the views of Clean Nectarine or Supercharged Food. This podcast does not establish a doctor-patient or other professional relationship. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making any changes to your health or treatment.

Episode 17: Lyme Disease, Being Gaslit, and Getting Your Mojo Back - Amy Down's Four-Year Fight to Be Believed 🩺

Amy Down spent four years being told there was nothing wrong with her. Exhausted, foggy, gut in revolt, running on adrenaline while raising two small children and working full time in wellness.

Test after test came back normal. Doctor after doctor suggested it was probably just stress. This week Amy joins Lee and Irene in the cabin to tell the story of what it actually was, and what four years in the medical maze taught her about being a woman who knows something is wrong and cannot get anyone to listen.

Amy is a certified nutrition, health and life coach, a master hypnotherapist, and an EFT and NLP practitioner who spent over a decade at Australia’s biggest natural healthcare company before founding Living Mojo. She is also one of Lee’s closest friends, so this is less a polished interview and more two people who have walked a long road together finally telling the whole thing out loud.

Her diagnosis, when it finally came, was a tick-borne illness. In Australia that opens a genuinely contested conversation, and Lee and Irene handle it the way the show always does: warmly, honestly, and without pretending the science is settled. Irene, who went in convinced Lyme was something you only caught in the Hamptons, asks the questions everyone at home is thinking.

Then Justin arrives with a Womansplain for the ages (froyo versus gelato versus ice cream, with receipts), and Lee closes with a rave about the most underrated wellness tool there is. Not a supplement. A boundary.

✨ In this episode we chat about:

● Why four years of normal test results does not always mean nothing is wrong

● What a tick bite can actually do, and why Lyme is so contested here in Australia

● The MOJO framework Amy built to climb out: Mindset, Oxygenation, Optimisation, Joy

● How to advocate for yourself when you know something is wrong and you are not being heard

● Justin’s three-day froyo bender and the great gelato-versus-ice-cream-versus-froyo shootout

● Lee’s rave on boundaries, and the difference between a wall and an instruction manual

🎙 What’s Popping: Amy Down on Lyme, Being Heard, and Getting Your Mojo Back

Ten Years, and a Friendship That Started With Gut Health

● How They Met: Lee found Amy before Amy found Lee. Amy took Lee on as a gut-health writer at Blackmores, then started feeling unwell herself and came to Lee for coaching. Lee helped her feel seen and heard. Roughly ten years later, they are still at it.

● An Unusual CV: Fitness instructor and marketer in Sydney, then PR and comms in London (with a stint in India studying yoga and a meeting with the Dalai Lama), then nearly twelve years at Blackmores while she qualified in what she does now.

● From Mummy Mojo to Living Mojo: Amy started Mummy Mojo in 2014 with her Mother’s Group friend Debs, running detox programs and helping overloaded mums find some rest. When Debs moved to Queensland, the business was reborn as Living Mojo, because the one word Amy could never let go of was mojo.

The Superwoman Complex, and the Silent Thief

● The Plates Kept Spinning: Two kids under five, a full-time corporate career, study on the side, the household, community groups. Amy wore the Superwoman cape with pride and kept every plate polished on the outside while she was quietly falling apart inside.

● A Silent Thief: In Amy’s words, the illness stole her vitality, her joy, her clarity, and eventually her health. Her body was whispering long before it started shouting.

● The Line That Landed: Tired, foggy, gut playing up, running on empty, still spinning the plates. As Irene put it, that list is basically every woman over 40, which is exactly why this story travels well beyond ticks.

Four Years of Being Told It Was Just Stress

● The Medical Maze: Four years, specialist after specialist, bloods, MRIs, colonoscopies, screenings. For the most part everything came back fine while Amy was visibly falling apart.

● The Punch in the Stomach: Some doctors landed on ‘you have two young kids and a busy life, maybe it’s just stress.’ For someone genuinely unwell, not being believed is its own kind of injury.

● The Great Imitator: Along the way she was handed different labels, including chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, and mast cell activation, because so many of the symptoms cut across so many conditions. Part of her also did not want to admit she was sick in her mid-thirties, so pushing through felt easier than stopping.

Getting to the Diagnosis

● Where It Started: Late 2010. Amy was bitten by around forty tiny grass ticks after being in the ocean (they were so small the family first assumed sea lice), developed a bullseye rash and flu-like symptoms, and was told at the time that it could not be what she thought it was.

● Finding a Lyme-Literate Doctor: It took relentless persistence to find a doctor willing to investigate. Testing was done through Australian Biologics here, with further samples sent to a specialist lab overseas to build a fuller picture.

● More Than One Passenger: The results pointed to a strain of Borrelia plus co-infections. A thorough workup also picked up a reactivated Epstein-Barr virus (from a bout of glandular fever at twelve), a dormant cytomegalovirus that had switched back on, and a parasite. These opportunistic infections often ride along in complex chronic illness.

Why Lyme Is So Contested in Australia

● Not Formally Recognised: Classic Lyme is well known overseas but poorly understood here, and doctors who diagnose and treat it can face professional scrutiny, which keeps the number of willing practitioners low.

● The Official Term: Authorities describe this patient group as having DSCATT, Debilitating Symptom Complexes Attributed to Ticks. Amy notes there can be around seventy-seven symptoms attributed to this kind of illness, which is why it is nicknamed the great imitator.

● The Cost Barrier: Because much of the specialist testing has to be sent overseas, with no Medicare rebate, it can run to several thousand dollars, precisely when many sufferers have had to give up work. The full clinical picture and current Australian position are in the Nerd Notes below.

Ticks 101: What Every Australian Should Know

● Not Every Tick Carries Infection: Most tick bites, including the grass ticks that come off children, carry no infection at all. Amy’s situation was partly a numbers game: out of forty bites, it may have taken only one infected tick.

● Time Matters: It takes roughly thirty-six hours for an infection to take hold, so prompt, safe removal counts.

● Removal: Keep proper tweezers or a tick-freezing product at home if you live near the bush, or go straight to a GP to have it removed safely. Amy’s own first attempt (fully clothed in the bath, husband on tweezers) is not the recommended method.

● Alpha-Gal Is Different: A tick bite can also trigger alpha-gal syndrome, also called mammalian meat allergy, a serious allergic reaction to red meat. Unlike DSCATT, alpha-gal is well recognised and can be tested for on standard pathology.

Amy’s Recovery and the MOJO Framework

● Antibiotics Were a Start, Not the Whole Story: Early on, a few brave doctors prescribed milder antibiotics such as doxycycline based on the clinical picture; after formal diagnosis she was able to access IV antibiotics. But killing the infection begged a bigger question: why did it take hold in the first place?

● It Was the Terrain: Amy traces it to the ground the illness grew in: a mouldy house plus a genetic sensitivity to mould, chronic unadmitted stress, a sick child, and years of broken sleep. Around twenty to thirty percent of people go on to develop chronic Lyme, and terrain is a big part of why.

● The MOJO Framework: Out of all of it came four pillars. Mindset (nervous-system work through hypnotherapy and EFT). Oxygenation (gentle detox, movement, clean products, reducing EMF load, her Oura Ring for feedback). Optimisation (good food, a healthy gut microbiome, the foundations Lee lives and breathes). And Joy, which when you are bedbound can be as small as the dog and a good friend. The magic, she says, is stacking them: a walk by the ocean with the dog covers several at once.

● Drainage Before Detox: A cautionary tale. Amy once threw herself into a big detox program in Cyprus and ended up in hospital, because she had not opened her drainage and lymphatic pathways first. Detoxing too hard, too fast can flood a body that is not ready. Order matters.

Advocating for Yourself, and Parenting Through It

● Trust the Intuition: Amy’s first step is listening to that inner signal that something is off, and refusing to override it.

● Bring Receipts: Keep a written record of symptoms and timings. You are far less likely to be waved away when you arrive with facts in hand.

● Get More Opinions, and Be Relentless: If an opinion does not sit right, seek another. As Amy puts it, no one will advocate for your body better than you will. Lee’s take: every woman should get a pre-printed fortieth-birthday card that reads ‘advocate for yourself and get multiple opinions.’

● Present, Not Perfect: On mothering through an invisible illness, Amy’s message to guilt-ridden mums is that there is no such thing as a perfect mother, only a present one. Prioritising yourself teaches your children that they matter too. Her own kids came out of it more empathetic, more tuned in to their bodies, and better at honest conversation.

Where to Find Amy

● Living Mojo: livingmojo.com.au, with coaching programs, a newsletter full of free recipes, and a free three-day Mojo Reboot that works for anyone wanting a reset, not just those managing chronic illness.

● The Book: Amy’s first book, Back from the Brink: How to Get Your Mojo Back, is a memoir and self-help guide in one. It shares her Mojo Method recovery blueprint (with gut-health input from Lee) and is written to help others get help sooner than she did.

🧠 Womansplain: Froyo vs Gelato vs Ice Cream, With Justin

● The Question: Justin loves ice cream, gelato and froyo equally, ‘like my children.’ After a new froyo dealer took him from a $10 serve on Friday to $14 on Saturday to $16 on Sunday, he wants to know: if he is going to skip essentials like toothpaste to afford one, which is the best choice on value, experience, and least-worst for you?

● Irene’s Conflict of Interest: As an Italian, Irene declares gelato is not a dessert, it is heritage, so she will be ‘completely impartial’ and of course pick gelato.

● The Froyo Trap: Self-serve froyo is priced by weight, the cups are enormous, and low-fat desserts are less satisfying per spoonful, so the hand just keeps pulling the lever. Once yoghurt is sweetened, flavoured and frozen, the sugar can match or beat ice cream and the ‘live cultures’ on the poster are doing next to nothing. In Justin’s words, the froyo was farming him.

● Lee’s Verdict: Gelato takes first place. It has less fat than ice cream, is churned with far less air so it is denser, and is served slightly warmer, so more flavour hits your tongue per gram and a small cup genuinely satisfies. Quality ice cream is a respectable second, where the higher fat content actually works in its favour for satisfaction, plus calcium from the milk. Froyo finishes last in every category.

● The Nutritionist Tip: Order a gelato or ice cream with nuts (Lee’s pick is hazelnut). The fat, fibre and protein blunt the blood-sugar spike, so Justin’s instinct for a bit of crunch is not entirely wrong.

✨ Rave: Boundaries Are Information, Not a Wall

● The Rave: Lee spent most of her life treating ‘yes to everything’ as kindness, as though saying no required a doctor’s certificate, a written apology and a character reference. The result was a lot of yeses to things she did not want to do, and a slow simmer of resentment underneath.

● The Reframe: A boundary is not a wall, it is information. ‘This is what I need to stay well, and I trust you with that.’ People are not mind readers; swallowing a no just leaves you resentful while the other person carries on with no idea anything was wrong.

● Who Pushes Back: The people who love you adjust. The ones who get cranky about a boundary are usually the ones who benefited from you not having one. That reaction is data.

● The Live Demo: Lee and Irene role-play a Sunday ‘can you help me pack up my kitchen’ ask, and Lee models a warm, early, guilt-free no that protects her rest without rejecting the friendship. The point: you do not have to announce your boundaries, you just have to hold them kindly.

📝 Lee’s Nutritionist Nerd Notes: Episode 17

Lyme Disease and DSCATT: The Australian Picture

● The Term: In 2018, following parliamentary inquiries, the Australian Department of Health proposed ‘Debilitating Symptom Complexes Attributed to Ticks’ (DSCATT) to describe patients with a chronic debilitating illness that many associate with a tick bite. Authorities are clear that DSCATT is a descriptive term, not a formal disease or clinical diagnosis in itself.

● The Official Position: Australian health authorities hold that there is no conclusive evidence classic Lyme disease (infection with Borrelia burgdorferi) is acquired within Australia. Lyme is well documented overseas, in parts of the UK, US, Europe and Asia, and travellers can return infected. The Australian paralysis tick is responsible for more than 95 percent of local bites and is the leading cause of recognised tick-borne illness here.

● Where Things Stand Now: The Senate Inquiry into access to diagnosis and treatment for people with tick-borne diseases published its final report in March 2025, and the Australian Government published its response in November 2025. A government-funded DSCATT Clinical Pathway now exists to guide clinicians, and research into the cause and mechanism is ongoing.

● What the Research Shows So Far: A published Australian case series of DSCATT patients found high overlap with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia and reactivated Epstein-Barr, with no laboratory evidence of acute Lyme infection. Researchers describe DSCATT as, for now, medically unexplained, meaning a cause has not been established rather than that patients are not genuinely unwell.

Co-Infections and Reactivated Viruses

● Borrelia and Friends: Borrelia burgdorferi is the bacterium behind classic Lyme. It is often called stealth-like because it can move into tissues and evade a straightforward immune response, which is part of why presentations vary so widely.

● Opportunistic Passengers: In complex chronic illness, latent viruses such as Epstein-Barr (EBV) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) can reactivate when the immune system is under sustained load, and parasites or other infections can take advantage of a dysregulated system. This is why a thorough workup often uncovers more than one thing, as it did for Amy.

The Testing Controversy

● The Australian Reality: Standard NATA-accredited serology in Australia is generally not diagnostic for locally acquired Lyme, so patients often turn to private labs such as Australian Biologics, or send samples to overseas laboratories, at significant out-of-pocket cost and with no Medicare rebate.

● A Word on CD57 and Overseas Panels: Tests like the CD57 count and some overseas Lyme panels are used in this space, but their reliability and interpretation are debated internationally, and results can vary between labs. Given the cost, it is worth going in with clear eyes and a supportive, informed practitioner rather than chasing a single test.

Drainage Before Detox, and the Herxheimer Reaction

● Why Amy Got Sicker in Cyprus: When you kill off infection or mobilise stored toxins faster than the body can clear them, symptoms can flare. A well-recognised version of this in infection treatment is the Herxheimer reaction, a temporary worsening as bacterial die-off releases inflammatory material.

● The Sensible Order: This is the mechanism behind the naturopathic principle of opening drainage and lymphatic pathways, hydration, elimination and gentle movement, before pushing hard on detox. Aggressive cleanses on an unprepared, unwell body can backfire, which is exactly what Amy learned the hard way.

MOJO, the Nervous System, and Why Foundations Win

● Fight or Flight Keeps the Loop Going: Chronic stress and illness keep the nervous system in sympathetic (fight or flight) overdrive, with elevated cortisol and adrenaline. That state drives inflammation and a trigger-happy immune response, which in turn worsens symptoms, a self-reinforcing cycle. Calming the nervous system is not fluffy; it is part of breaking the loop.

● The Unglamorous Basics: For chronic-illness recovery, the foundations do the heavy lifting: an anti-inflammatory way of eating, stable blood sugar, gut support, adequate protein, real sleep and stress regulation. Not exotic, but as Lee puts it, this is the soil everything else grows in, and it belongs alongside proper medical care, not instead of it.

Froyo, the Health Halo, and Blood Sugar

● The Nerd Note: Frozen yoghurt’s health halo is largely marketing. Commercial froyo is usually heavily sweetened, and freezing plus low surviving-culture counts mean any probiotic benefit is minimal. Pairing a small dessert with nuts adds fat, fibre and protein, which genuinely blunts the post-sugar glucose spike, so Lee’s hazelnut suggestion is sound.

📌 Episode 17 Links

Living Mojo - Amy Down

Back from the Brink: How to Get Your Mojo Back by Amy Down - her memoir and recovery blueprint, available through Living Mojo

Supercharged Food - Lee Holmes

Supercharge Your Gut - Lee’s Products and Books

Clean Nectarine - Irene Falcone

Referenced:

Lyme Disease Association of Australia

Karl McManus Foundation

Australian Centre for Disease Control - Tick Bites and DSCATT

🎙 Listen & Subscribe

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Substack

Follow us on Instagram: @theleeandireneshow | @leesupercharged | @cleannectarine

Join the conversation on Substack: theleeandireneshow.substack.com

Sponsor an episode? Email [email protected]

Disclaimer: This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.

This week’s guest has an answer for that, and it is not the one anyone expects.

Kate Kendall has been teaching yoga in Australia for over two decades. She is the co-founder of Flow Athletic in Sydney, the author of Life in Flow, and the woman behind Active Yogi, and she walks into the cabin with a story that starts with vanity, ends with purpose, and includes one of Lee’s spookier intuitive premonitions along the way. Together they cover what yoga is actually doing to the nervous system, whether reformer Pilates has eaten yoga, why meditation is not supposed to feel blissful, and the idea Kate has built her whole philosophy around: the space between.

In Womansplain, Justin arrives with the most 2026 question possible. GLP-1s. What are they, do they actually work for cravings, and should he be anywhere near them? Lee gives him the straight, mechanism-first answer, plus the warning about where not to buy them.

And Irene has a rave. It is about Lee. She would like everyone to know that listening to this podcast is the closest thing to having a private nutritionist in your pocket, and she is the proof.

✨ In this episode we chat about:

• Irene’s birthday box that sold out in twenty minutes, and why she has still got it.

• How Kate went from a digital agency desk to her first yoga class in North Bondi, arriving for vanity and staying for the mental gold.

• The teacher who handed Kate a permission slip to teach, and later told her opening Flow Athletic was a mistake.

• Vagus nerve stimulation for beginners: gargling, singing in the shower, and humming bee breath.

• Yoga nidra, the lying-down practice the wellness world has rebranded as NSDR, and why it might be the perfect entry point for people who cannot sit still.

• What it actually means to be an active yogi, and why having all the gear is not the same as having a practice.

• Has reformer Pilates eaten yoga? Kate saw the wave coming from inside her own studio.

• What yoga is really doing to the body: fascia, the nervous system, and why the yogis were the original biohackers.

• Why meditation is not meant to be blissful, and the ocean-and-air-bubble way to think about intrusive thoughts.

• The space between: the philosophy Kate built from the pause at the bottom of an exhale.

• Kate’s reframe that changes everything for Irene: what feels like boredom in stillness might actually be withdrawal.

• Justin’s Womansplain question on GLP-1s: what they are, who they genuinely help, and what to do before considering one.

• Irene’s rave, which is, for once, entirely about her co-host.

🎙 What’s Popping: Kate Kendall on Yoga, Meditation and the Space Between

Meet Kate: Kate Kendall has been teaching yoga for over twenty years. She co-founded Flow Athletic in Sydney with her business partner Ben, which they sold last year, wrote the book Life in Flow, and now writes, teaches, and mentors under the name Active Yogi. Lee and Kate go way back: Kate reached out after reading one of Lee’s books, invited her into the studio to speak, and later swore by the gut healing protocol, which she still recommends to people today.

The Premonition: Years ago, in full intuitive flight, Lee told Kate she was going to have a little girl, when it would happen, and the letter her name would begin with. Kate’s daughter Alice is now seven. Nobody in the cabin has a rational explanation and nobody is looking for one.

Came for Vanity, Stayed for the Mental Gold: Kate is honest about where it started. She was working in a digital agency in the city, depressed, medicated, and about a decade into an eating disorder that had begun in her teens, when she walked into her first class at the Dharma Shala in North Bondi wanting long, lean limbs. She fumbled through it feeling like a baby elephant on a mat, then lay down in savasana and felt present for the first time since childhood. Walking home along the promenade that night, she stopped and cried, grief, she says, for all the times she had not let herself feel. She went back, and kept going back.

The Permission Slip: Kate’s teacher Rick stopped her at the bus stop one evening and told her she would make a really great yoga teacher. She describes it as a permission slip she did not know she needed. She trained in India, started teaching, and years later the same teacher, a purist, told her that opening a combined yoga and fitness studio was a mistake. She respected the opinion and did it anyway, riding the exact crest of yoga’s popularity wave when Flow Athletic opened.

Irene, the Beginner With All the Gear

The Confession: Irene wants nothing more than to be a cool yoga mum. She has the mat, the outfits, the tracker, everything required to be a professional yogi except an actual practice. She has been to classes, felt good afterwards, and never caught the thing Kate is describing, the healthy addiction.

The Vagus Nerve (or, as Irene Insists, the Vegas Nerve): The good news for anyone not ready for postures: the vagus nerve can be stimulated without a single downward dog. Gargling, singing in the shower, and humming bee breath all activate it, which is part of why these odd little habits leave people feeling calmer.

Yoga Nidra and NSDR: The practice Irene did not know she was looking for. Yoga nidra involves lying down for twenty to forty minutes while a voice guides you systematically through the body, relaxing it so deeply that brain waves slow right down. The trick is not to fall asleep. The wellness world has rebranded it as NSDR, non-sleep deep rest, but it is yoga nidra, it is ancient, and guided sessions are freely available on apps like Insight Timer. Research also suggests doing it after a day of learning helps the brain retain information.

What Makes a Yogi: For Kate, a yogi is not someone with all the equipment. A yogi is someone who endeavours to practise presence. She knows people who have never stepped on a mat whom she would call yogis, because of how present they are with the person in front of them. Irene concedes this is precisely her problem: all the gear, and a daily failure at being present.

The Active Yogi Philosophy

Living It Off the Mat: Kate is blunt that there is a lot of fake yoga around: the gear, the green smoothies, the aesthetics, with the point entirely missed. An active yogi is someone actively living their yoga off the mat. For Kate that means presence, lifestyle, and above all service. Before every project, including this podcast, she checks in with herself: am I doing this to look good, or to be of service?

Irene’s Duality: Irene owns hers openly. Half of her is the purist who lives a genuinely toxin-free existence, and the other half loves every bell and whistle the commercial wellness industry has to offer. She suspects the second half disqualifies her from true yogi status. Kate is not so sure, and points out Irene is probably living more of it than she thinks.

Has Reformer Pilates Eaten Yoga?

The View From Inside: Kate watched the Pilates wave arrive from inside her own studio about five years ago. Flow already offered reformer Pilates in a small room, outgrew it almost immediately, and ended up hiding reformer beds behind a curtain in the yoga room. She is candid that like every wellness trend, she half expects the moment it dies and leaves everyone holding very expensive beds.

Why Trends Turn: Kate and her business partner used to try to predict the turns and eventually gave up. Trends are a mystery. What she does observe is that yoga is the thing people always circle back to, it has been around for thousands of years, while Pilates is currently offering strength to a huge number of women who would never otherwise have found strength training. Breath work, meanwhile, is having its own hot moment, which Kate reads as a sign of the times: another doorway into nervous system regulation for people who will never sit on a meditation cushion.

What Yoga Is Actually Doing to the Body

The Original Biohackers: Kate returns to her first class and asks what actually cracked her open that night. The answer is a stack of things: the breath, the way the body moves and the joints stack, and the tending of fascia, the connective tissue she describes as a superhighway of information. The yogis, she says, were the original biohackers. They knew that putting the body in certain shapes and breathing in certain ways created a desired outcome, and the science is only now catching up.

The Body Stone: Her name for the state at the end of a good class: the whole body relaxed, the mind sharp. Lee, a yoga teacher herself, adds the feeling that every cell has new energy, and makes the case for keeping the practice simple and honest rather than tricked-up and competitive, a direction she thinks parts of the yoga scene have drifted over the last fifteen years.

Poses of Note: Kate’s long-time favourite is pigeon, the great hip opener and, per some schools of thought, the pose most likely to produce an unexpected cry, since the hips are said to hold stored emotion. Lately she is loving wheel, which demands prepared shoulders and hip flexors. For absolute beginners, her pick is cat cow: all fours, hands under shoulders, knees under hips, moving the spine through flexion and extension, exactly the way a cat does, because cats know.

Volunteer Yoga at Whale Beach: Lee mentions filling in at the volunteer class she supports at Whale Beach Surf Club, average age seventy plus, taught entirely by feel with no set list. Kate’s eighty-three-year-old mum still practises weekly with her own teacher in the country. The point lands itself: this is a practice for every age.

Meditation Without the Mystique

Resistance Is Normal: Kate resists meditation some days too. Her meditation teacher Jackie, of The Broad Place, tells a story about reporting to her own teacher. A blissful sit: good. A choppy, horrible, unfocused sit: also good. The point of meditation is not what comes up. The point is the willingness to sit with whatever is going on.

The Air Bubble Metaphor: The mind starts at the choppy surface of a wavy ocean. The mantra, or whatever technique you use, is a sinker slowly carrying you toward the still bottom. Thoughts are air bubbles that catch the sinker and drag it back toward the surface. They are not failures; they are coming up to be released. Notice them, let them go, return to the mantra. Lee, who practises Vedic meditation, describes her version: putting a spotlight on the mantra and letting thoughts float past without hooking in.

The Threshold: Kate is honest that even after decades, there is a point around fifteen or twenty minutes where the mind announces this is boring and lobbies to give up. She has learned to recognise it as the threshold, sit through it, and drop into the stillness on the other side. Meditation, she wants everyone to know, is not necessarily a blissful experience, and that was never the deal.

The Space Between

Where the Idea Came From: In her early months of regular practice, Kate noticed something in a seated forward fold. At the base of each exhale, in the pause before the next breath arrived, two things happened: she found more physical space in the posture, and her mind went almost blank. The space between breaths became the space between thoughts, and eventually a whole philosophy and course: how do we widen that space, and carry it into everything we do? Essentially, it is presence.

Honouring Beginnings and Endings: Kate finishes work and will not move to the next thing without a space between, usually a shower to wash off the day. She believes in honouring the beginnings and ends of things in a day, which prompts an audit of Irene.

Irene’s Sunday: The audit does not go well. A representative Sunday: laptop grabbed at 7.30am, straight into product descriptions, and suddenly it is 3pm, no breakfast, no shower, still in bed, coffee only. Then the everything shower, something to eat, and a block of chocolate at 9pm, though Irene notes, in fairness, that Lee has dramatically improved her chocolate standards. Her one reliable space between is the walk her husband drags her on, which she resents at the time and feels amazing after, every single time.

Hyperfocus: Irene shares that a medical professional once suggested her ability to lock in for eight or nine hours straight is a form of hyperfocus. She is careful not to label herself, but she does regard it as the superpower that built her first business, and the exact thing that makes stillness feel impossible.

It Is Not Boredom, It Is Withdrawal

The Reframe of the Episode: When Irene says yoga classes bore her, Kate offers a different reading, drawn from her own early recovery from an eating disorder and from the people she now mentors through theirs. When her old coping behaviours were stripped away, what she was left with felt like boredom, but it was actually withdrawal. She wonders aloud whether Irene, sitting in a class with no phone, no laptop, and no access to her business, is not bored at all. She is withdrawing from stimulation. Irene, whose whole body goes into a cold sweat at the phoneless prospect, concedes she is probably right.

Pratyahara: There is an ancient name for deliberately practising this: pratyahara, the yogic practice of withdrawing the senses from the external environment in order to go within. It is not easy, and it is not meant to keep you introverted and shut off. The idea is to come out the other side more connected and more turned on by life.

Discipline Creates Freedom: There is no blue pill, Kate says. It is practice and discipline, and she never regrets sitting, the same way nobody ever regrets the walk once they are out there. Her other reframe for the guilt many women feel about self-care: what a privilege to take an hour and lie on a mat. Who am I not to be doing it? Without it, she is a more impatient, angrier version of herself, and she needs the practice, in her words, to stave off the crazy.

Lee’s Non-Negotiables: Irene points out that Lee is exactly as driven as she is, twelve books, a product line, a store, talks, this show, yet somehow balanced. The difference, Lee says, is that the walking, the yoga, and the meditation are non-negotiables, protected precisely because they are what make everything else possible. The research backs her: people are more productive when they take breaks, not less.

Life in Flow and What’s Next

The Book: Kate wrote Life in Flow on her Sundays off while pregnant with Alice. It is about living your yoga off the mat: taking the philosophy off the four corners of a rubber mat, which she calls a tiny sliver of what yoga actually is, and applying it to modern life. Each chapter ends with a moving meditation, a short repeating sequence of postures used the way a mantra is used, with the reminder that you never step into the same river twice: the same posture feels different every round because you are different every round. Each chapter also profiles a real person Kate considers a yogi, including one who never rushed off after class but sat outside the studio eating breakfast with no phone. So rogue. So rebellious.

What’s Next: Since selling Flow Athletic, Kate has been teaching at other studios for the first time in thirteen years, which she describes as humbling, and writing on her Substack, Where We Soften. Her dream is a quiet room, very much like the cabin, and uninterrupted hours to write. At which point Lee has another intuitive download, live on air: Kate is going to write a book helping young girls recovering from eating disorders. Kate goes quiet. Lee is not the first person to see it. She just needs to write the first line.

🧠 Womansplain: Justin and the GLP-1 Question

The Question: Justin has heard about GLP-1s somewhere on a podcast and knows exactly one thing about them: something about stopping cravings. He is trying to lose some weight, has a sweet tooth doing him no favours, and wants to know what these things actually are and whether he should look into one.

Irene’s Position, For the Record: She cannot help, knows nothing about GLP-1s, and has instead made an executive lifestyle decision: she is over fifty, happily married, feeling better than ever, and simply going up a jeans size. She would, however, tolerate an injection if it made her look ten years younger. Priorities.

What a GLP-1 Actually Is: GLP-1 stands for glucagon-like peptide-1, and the first thing to understand is that it is not a lab invention. It is a hormone your gut naturally produces after you eat. When released, it does three specific things: it tells the pancreas to produce insulin, but only when blood sugar is elevated; it slows how quickly the stomach empties, so food moves through more slowly and you stay fuller for longer; and it signals the brain that you are satisfied.

The Medications: The drugs mimic that hormone and amplify its effect. Semaglutide is the best known, marketed as Ozempic for type 2 diabetes and Wegovy for weight management. Newer options like tirzepatide work on both GLP-1 and a second hormone called GIP, and can be more potent for weight loss.

The Food Chatter Effect: Part of why people describe the experience so dramatically is that these medications turn down the constant background food chatter, the mental noise about eating that some people, Oprah famously among them, live with all day. They also support appetite regulation, which is why the strongest case for them is in diabetes and insulin resistance, where Lee considers them genuinely very helpful.

The Caveats: For weight loss specifically, research now shows people tend to regain the weight when they stop, so it is not a quick ten-kilo fix. You still have to eat well on it, because appetite suppression without nutrition is its own problem. Side effects are real: nausea, vomiting, constipation, and reflux are the common ones, so anyone with a history of slow motility or reflux may find it a poor fit.

The Interesting New Frontier: Researchers are currently exploring another layer: GLP-1 medications appear to have anti-inflammatory effects in the body and may influence immune pathways, which could matter for people with inflammatory or immune-related conditions. Both hosts and Justin are watching this space.

The Bottom Line: Start with an honest conversation with your GP, not the black market, and the TGA recently cracked down on two million dollars worth of exactly that. Get a full health history, review current medications and contraindications, and get baseline blood tests. Go in with a really clear objective, and let a doctor help you decide if it fits.

✨ Rave: Irene’s Rave Is Lee

The Rave: Irene followed Lee’s blog for years and always felt she had good information in her pocket that she never quite put into action. Making this podcast changed that. Seeing Lee every week, she says while looking directly at her, has been the best thing that has ever happened to her health. She feels like one of those very rich people with a private chef and personal nutritionist on staff.

The Evidence: The most varied diet of her life. Restrictions let go, because, as Lee told her, you are not silly, eat the gluten, they got tested. Salmon, for the first time. Good meat. Better sleep. Feeling better than she ever has.

The Second Prong: This is the part Irene really wants heard: everything she has access to, every listener has access to, free. Listen to every episode, take notes, actually read Lee’s Nerd Notes, and you too can feel like a billionaire with a private nutritionist in your ears. Lee attempts to deflect the credit onto the guests. Irene notices the deflection and allows it, partially.

📝 Lee’s Nutritionist Nerd Notes: Episode 16 Mentions

Vagus Nerve Stimulation: The vagus nerve is the primary nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system, running from the brainstem through the throat to the major organs. Activities that engage the throat and controlled exhalation, including gargling, singing, humming, and bhramari (humming bee) breath, stimulate vagal tone and are associated with a shift toward parasympathetic (rest and digest) activity.

Yoga Nidra and NSDR: Yoga nidra is a guided, systematic body-awareness practice performed lying down, associated with slowed brain wave activity while conscious awareness is maintained. It has been popularised in recent years under the term non-sleep deep rest (NSDR). Emerging research supports its use for relaxation and stress reduction, and suggests that rest states following learning support memory consolidation.

The Neuroscience of Meditation: Regular meditation practice is associated in imaging studies with structural and functional changes in brain regions involved in attention, interoception, and emotional regulation. The evidence base spans multiple meditation styles, including mantra-based practices such as Vedic meditation.

Fascia and Interoception: Fascia is the body-wide network of connective tissue surrounding muscles and organs. It is richly innervated and increasingly studied as a sensory organ contributing to proprioception and interoception, one proposed mechanism for the felt effects of practices like yoga that load and stretch connective tissue.

Breaks and Productivity: Research on work and study performance consistently supports regular rest breaks for maintaining attention, learning, and output, contradicting the assumption that pushing through without pause produces better results.

GLP-1 (Glucagon-Like Peptide-1): An incretin hormone produced in the gut in response to food intake. Its actions include glucose-dependent stimulation of insulin secretion, slowed gastric emptying, and central satiety signalling, the mechanisms harnessed by GLP-1 receptor agonist medications.

Semaglutide and Tirzepatide: Semaglutide is a GLP-1 receptor agonist marketed as Ozempic (type 2 diabetes) and Wegovy (weight management). Tirzepatide is a dual agonist acting on both GLP-1 and GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide) receptors, with trials showing greater average weight reduction.

Weight Regain After Discontinuation: Follow-up studies of GLP-1 receptor agonists show that a substantial proportion of lost weight is typically regained after stopping the medication, supporting their positioning as long-term therapy alongside dietary and lifestyle foundations rather than a short-term fix.

GLP-1s and Inflammation: An emerging body of research indicates GLP-1 receptor agonists may exert anti-inflammatory effects and influence immune pathways independent of weight loss, an active area of investigation for inflammatory and immune-related conditions.

Side Effects and Contraindications: Common adverse effects of GLP-1 medications are gastrointestinal, including nausea, vomiting, constipation, and reflux, consistent with slowed gastric emptying. A pre-existing history of slow motility or reflux warrants particular caution, and prescribing should follow a full health history, medication review, and baseline blood testing.

Unregulated and Black Market Products: Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has conducted significant seizures of unlawfully supplied GLP-1 products. Unregulated products carry unknown ingredients, dosing, and contamination risks; these medications should only be accessed via prescription through a doctor.

📌 Episode 16 Links

Active Yogi - Kate Kendall

Where We Soften - Kate’s Substack

@activeyogi on Instagram

Life in Flow by Kate Kendall - available through Booktopia and other online book stores

Insight Timer - free yoga nidra and guided meditations

Supercharged Food - Lee Holmes

Supercharge Your Gut - Lee’s Products and Books, including Eat to Heal

Clean Nectarine - Irene Falcone

🎙 Listen & Subscribe

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Substack

Follow us on Instagram: @theleeandireneshow

Join the conversation on Substack:

Sponsor an episode? Email [email protected]

Disclaimer: This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.

This week’s guest could not be more fitting. Dr. Amelia Scott is a clinical psychologist, sleep researcher, and the founder of Circa Sleep, and she walks Lee and Irene through something both hosts have lived but never had language for: the cycle of insomnia and sleep anxiety. There is a deep dive into CBTI, the gold standard treatment that almost nobody outside the field has heard of, a fairly memorable conversation about Irene’s Oura ring, and a genuinely useful explanation of why trying harder to sleep is usually the very thing that stops it from happening.

In Womansplain, Justin returns with a question prompted by a mate’s offhand comment about low testosterone, and gets the full lifestyle-first rundown before anyone mentions a prescription.

And Lee has a rave. For walking. Yes, walking. She makes a very good case.

✨ In this episode we chat about:

• Why the show is now officially The Lee and Irene Show.

• Dr. Amelia Scott’s path into sleep psychology, and why insomnia is barely covered in clinical training despite being the second most common mental health condition.

• What insomnia actually is, clinically, and why it is rarely a standalone problem.

• The anxiety-sleeplessness cycle, and the behavioural loops that quietly keep it going.

• Why waking at 3am is normal, and what is actually happening in the brain when it happens.

• Sleep trackers, the Oura ring, and the nocebo effect of a bad sleep score.

• CBTI (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia) and the counterintuitive logic of sleep restriction therapy.

• Tired versus sleepy, a distinction that reframes a lot of chronic fatigue conversations.

• Perimenopause, burnout, and why these seasons make sleep especially vulnerable.

• What the evidence actually says about magnesium, kava, and ashwagandha for sleep.

• Justin’s Womansplain question on low testosterone, sleep, stress, and what to check before TRT.

• Lee’s rave on walking, and why she thinks it is finally getting the respect it deserves.

🎙 What’s Popping: Dr. Amelia Scott on the Cycle of Insomnia

Meet Amelia: Dr. Amelia Scott is a clinical psychologist with a PhD in clinical psychology completed in 2019, a lecturer, board-approved clinical supervisor, and founder of Circa Sleep, a practice built around evidence-based psychological support for people stuck in poor sleep. Despite insomnia being the second most common mental health condition, Amelia had zero hours of sleep-specific training in her undergraduate or master’s degree, and built her specialisation through additional training and research after noticing how often it showed up, untreated, in her early patients.

Who She Sees: Amelia describes a patient with insomnia and nothing else going on, no anxiety, no past trauma, no health conditions, no perimenopause, as a unicorn. Most people she sees have insomnia layered on top of life transitions, burnout, anxiety, chronic pain, or nervous system patterns shaped by past experience.

What Insomnia Actually Is: Clinically, insomnia means difficulty falling or staying asleep that is not attributable to a substance or medication (so caffeine at 10pm does not count), has persisted over time, and is causing distress or interfering with daily functioning. It is what Amelia calls a twenty-four hour problem, not something contained to the night.

The Cycles That Keep Insomnia Going

The Anxiety-Sleeplessness Loop: Stress or anxiety disrupts sleep, poor sleep increases anxiety about the next night, and that anxiety becomes the very thing blocking sleep. Irene immediately recognises this as her own 3am loop, lying awake running through a mental list of business worries that, by her own admission, usually resolve themselves by morning.

Behavioural Cycles: Compensating for a bad night with extra coffee, sleeping in, or a long restorative nap can unintentionally reduce the likelihood of sleeping well the following night. Amelia notes there is no universal rule on napping. For some people it disrupts the next night’s sleep; for others with severe insomnia, napping simply is not accessible at all.

Why 3am Specifically: Waking overnight is completely normal. The issue is becoming consciously aware of it and the brain immediately flagging it as a problem, which fires up the nervous system and makes returning to sleep harder. Amelia also references new research on a phenomenon called the mind after midnight, where the brain’s threat-detection systems are unusually active while the prefrontal cortex, responsible for rational thought, is offline, making night-time worries feel far more catastrophic than they would in daylight.

Sleep Trackers and the Nocebo Effect

The Oura Ring Thread: Irene’s Oura ring becomes a running thread through the conversation. Amelia explains that trackers can be a helpful nudge for people who are genuinely neglecting their sleep, but for people who already have a strained relationship with sleep, they can erode trust in the body’s own ability to rest. Several sleep score metrics, including how much deep or REM sleep someone gets, are largely outside conscious control.

The Nocebo Effect: In studies where participants were randomly told their sleep was either good or bad regardless of actual sleep quality, those given negative feedback reported feeling more tired and cancelled more plans, while those given positive feedback functioned better, demonstrating how strongly expectation alone can shape the next day.

Can You Sleep Too Much?: Once health and lifestyle confounders are properly accounted for, the data linking short sleep or long sleep to early mortality weakens considerably, and Amelia is candid that a lot of the alarming headlines come from people with something to sell.

CBTI and Sleep Restriction Therapy

The Gold Standard: CBTI, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia, is supported by more than 200 clinical trials and is considered the first-line treatment for insomnia, ahead of medication. It targets the thinking patterns and habits that keep insomnia entrenched long after the original trigger has passed.

Sleep Pressure: The longer someone stays awake, the more sleep pressure builds, making sleep more likely. People with insomnia often go to bed too early after a bad night, before enough sleep pressure has built up, and end up putting aside far more time for sleep than they are actually using, lowering their sleep efficiency.

The Counterintuitive Fix: The treatment involves temporarily restricting time in bed to match actual average sleep (tracked via a sleep diary) more closely, which raises sleep efficiency and, over time, allows sleep duration to be gradually extended again.

Effort Is the Enemy: One of Amelia’s clearest points: trying hard to fall back asleep is usually counterproductive. Good sleepers, when asked what they do to sleep well, typically say not very much. They simply get into bed when sleepy and let it happen.

Tired Versus Sleepy

Amelia draws a distinction that lands hard with both hosts. Tiredness, exhaustion, and a sense of depletion can have many causes: dietary, inflammatory, psychological, or trauma-related. Sleepiness is specifically about how likely someone is to fall asleep right now. People with chronic insomnia are very often tired but not sleepy, which explains why bloodwork and standard medical tests can come back clear even when someone feels constantly depleted.

Perimenopause, Burnout, and Sleep

Hormonal Shifts: The decline in oestrogen during perimenopause is closely linked to sleep disturbance, compounded by vasomotor symptoms like night sweats and hot flushes, layered on top of caregiving responsibilities for both ageing parents and adolescent children.

Roll With It Rather Than Battle It: Amelia’s guidance is to avoid treating every disrupted night as a crisis to be won or lost. The two hours of lost sleep matter less than the hours spent tossing, turning, and catastrophising about the next day.

Burnout Insomnia: Burnout requires rest, not just sleep. Amelia notes that people prone to burnout have often internalised the belief that rest must be earned through productivity, a hangover from hustle culture that both hosts and Justin recognise instantly from their own corporate pasts.

What the Evidence Actually Says About Sleep Supplements

Magnesium: Randomised, placebo-controlled trials generally show little difference between magnesium and placebo for sleep, though Amelia notes there may be a smaller subgroup with a genuine deficiency for whom it is meaningfully helpful, and that ritual and conditioning likely play a real role even when the mechanism is not purely pharmacological.

Kava: Acts as a central nervous system depressant with effects similar to alcohol, including reduced anxiety and relaxation, but has been linked to serious liver damage in some cases and is not recommended for long-term use.

Ashwagandha: Some signal for mild anxiolytic and sedating properties in recent meta-analyses, though the evidence base is still developing.

L-theanine and Magnesium Combined: Amelia flags promising emerging research on this combination specifically.

Sleep Hygiene: Useful as a foundation, but most people who seek Amelia’s help are already doing it well, sometimes too well, using it as an attempt to control something that ultimately cannot be controlled through effort alone.

🧠 Womansplain: Justin and the Low Testosterone Question

The Question: A mate told Justin his flat energy, low motivation, and poor sleep might point to low testosterone, and suggested getting levels checked with TRT in mind. Justin’s first instinct was to tell his friend to mind his own business, but brought the question to the show anyway.

Busting the First Myth: Low testosterone is not simply an inevitable consequence of ageing requiring a prescription. There are genuine cases where testosterone replacement therapy is appropriate, but a long list of lifestyle factors should be examined first, and most of them go unaddressed.

Sleep: Most testosterone is produced overnight, with deep sleep playing a key role. Poor sleep, the very thing discussed earlier in the episode with Amelia, can directly lower testosterone, meaning the issue may be a sleep problem presenting as a hormone problem.

Chronic Stress: Elevated cortisol can suppress testosterone production, as the body deprioritises it under sustained stress in favour of survival hormones.

Gut Health: The microbiome plays a role in hormone metabolism and clearance, though the evidence here is still emerging.

Also on the List: Alcohol, excess visceral body fat (which can convert testosterone into oestrogen), and a sedentary lifestyle.

What Helps Naturally: Zinc, an essential cofactor for testosterone synthesis and easy to test for, found in red meat, pumpkin seeds, and oysters. Ashwagandha, shown in some trials to reduce cortisol and improve sleep, with more mixed evidence specifically for testosterone. Fenugreek, less well known but with reasonable supporting evidence, possibly working by affecting how testosterone is used in the body.

The Bottom Line: Address sleep, stress, and gut health first. If levels remain clinically low and symptoms persist, that is the point to involve a doctor, rather than starting with synthetic hormones and risking suppression of the body’s own production.

✨ Rave: Lee on the Quiet Power of Walking

The Rave: Lee’s rave is for something that gets almost no respect despite doing an enormous amount of work: walking. Her daily ninety-minute walk around Palm Beach, hills included, is not just physical exercise but the place where she processes everything: problems, creative ideas, flat moods.

The Evidence: Lee points to research showing that regular walking reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression, supports cognitive function, and is one of the most accessible forms of nervous system regulation available, alongside a Harvard study finding that twenty minutes of walking five days a week was associated with 43 percent fewer sick days.

Irene’s Take: Irene finds walking far more approachable than the gym, scenery included, and both note the social and community value of walking around a familiar neighbourhood.

📝 Lee’s Nutritionist Nerd Notes: Episode 15 Mentions

Insomnia Prevalence: Insomnia is widely cited as the second most common mental health condition, yet remains under-addressed in standard clinical psychology and medical training.

CBTI Evidence Base: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia is supported by over 200 randomised controlled trials and is recommended as a first-line treatment ahead of pharmacological options in current clinical guidelines.

Sleep Restriction Therapy: A core CBTI component that works by temporarily limiting time in bed to closely match actual sleep duration, increasing sleep efficiency before gradually extending sleep opportunity.

Sleep Drive (Homeostatic Sleep Pressure): Sleep pressure accumulates as a function of time spent awake, regulated separately from the circadian rhythm governed by the suprachiasmatic nucleus in the brain.

The Nocebo Effect: The inverse of the placebo effect, where an expectation of harm or impairment produces measurably worse outcomes, demonstrated in sleep feedback studies regardless of actual sleep quality.

Mind After Midnight: An emerging area of research describing altered brain activity overnight, with heightened threat-detection circuitry and reduced prefrontal cortex regulation, contributing to disproportionately catastrophic night-time thinking.

Tired Versus Sleepy: Fatigue and sleepiness are clinically distinct. Fatigue describes depleted energy with many possible causes, while sleepiness describes the physiological propensity to fall asleep, a distinction used in sleep medicine to differentiate insomnia from other conditions.

Perimenopause and Sleep Disruption: Declining and fluctuating oestrogen levels during the perimenopausal transition are associated with increased sleep disturbance, compounded by vasomotor symptoms such as night sweats and hot flushes.

Magnesium and Sleep: Placebo-controlled trials generally show limited benefit of magnesium supplementation for sleep in the general population, though ritual, conditioning, and individual deficiency may explain reported benefit in some users.

Kava (Piper methysticum): Contains kavalactones with central nervous system depressant effects. Kava has been associated with documented cases of hepatotoxicity, limiting its recommended use to short-term contexts under professional guidance.

Testosterone and Lifestyle Factors: Sleep quality, chronic stress, visceral adiposity, alcohol intake, and sedentary behaviour are all established contributors to testosterone levels, supporting a lifestyle-first approach prior to pharmacological intervention in the absence of an underlying pathological cause.

Zinc, Ashwagandha, and Fenugreek: Zinc is a required cofactor in testosterone synthesis pathways and deficiency is straightforward to test for. Ashwagandha has shown cortisol-lowering and sleep-supporting effects in several clinical trials, with more variable results for testosterone specifically. Fenugreek extract has shown modest support for testosterone-related outcomes in a number of small trials.

Walking and Mental Health: Regular walking is associated with reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression and improved cognitive function, and is considered one of the most accessible forms of physical activity for nervous system regulation.

📌 Episode 15 Links

Circa Sleep - Dr. Amelia Scott

Supercharged Food - Lee Holmes

Supercharge Your Gut - Lee’s Products and Books, including Eat to Heal

Clean Nectarine - Irene Falcone

🎙 Listen & Subscribe

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Substack

Follow us on Instagram: @theleeandireneshow

Join the conversation on Substack:

Sponsor an episode? Email [email protected]

Disclaimer: This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.

Show Notes: Episode 14

The Lee and Irene Show

Lee Holmes Launches Her 12th Book “Eat to Heal”, the Truth About Chronic Inflammation and Zombie Cells, and Justin Gets 'Splained on Low Testosterone.

Lee has written twelve books, and this one might be the most personal yet. Eat to Heal is about chronic inflammation, the slow-burning, mostly invisible process that Lee argues sits underneath almost every major health complaint we hear about on this show, from brain fog and fatigue to autoimmune conditions and weight gain that will not budge. Irene turns interviewer for the episode and gets Lee talking about the book's origin, the science she found genuinely surprising even after fifteen years in the field, and the very practical plate-based system she built to make all of it usable on a Tuesday night.

There are zombie cells. There is a Pac-Man analogy. There is a rocky road recipe that somehow counts as part of the plan. And underneath all of it, there is a much bigger conversation about trauma, nervous system safety, and why some people cannot absorb good nutrition until their body believes it is no longer in danger.

And in Womansplain, Justin brings a question he was clearly nervous to ask, about whether low testosterone is just something that happens with age, or something worth actually investigating first.

✨ In this episode we chat about:

•       Why Lee wrote Eat to Heal, and the sentence in the introduction she is most proud of.

•       What chronic inflammation actually is, and why it behaves so differently to the acute kind.

•       Zombie cells, otherwise known as senescent cells, and the everyday foods that help clear them.

•       The gut-brain link, neuroinflammation, and why low mood is not always a purely psychological problem.

•       SPMs, specialised pro-resolving mediators, and why omega 3s do more than just block inflammation.

•       The 4321 plate method Lee developed specifically for an anti-inflammatory Mediterranean style of eating.

•       Why trauma and chronic stress can keep the body locked in a state where healing cannot properly begin.

•       Two recipes from the book, talked through ingredient by ingredient.

•       Justin's Womansplain question about low testosterone, and what is actually worth investigating before TRT.

📖 What's Popping: Lee Launches Eat to Heal

Book Number Twelve: Lee confirms it, slightly disbelieving herself, while Irene recalls the period a few years ago when Lee went fully underground to finish a manuscript and could not be reached for weeks. Irene admits she has always wanted to write a book herself, though she suspects hers would mostly be an expose of bad business dealings she could not possibly publish without being sued.

How Lee Actually Writes a Book: Lee describes it less as a plan and more as a pull. The ideas tend to arrive fully formed, sometimes within an hour of sitting down, and she credits a kind of instinctive, almost esoteric drive that has carried every one of her twelve books. The advice for anyone wanting to start is simple. Write towards something you genuinely care about, because that is the only thing that gets you through the difficult stretch in the middle.

The Cover: Unusually for Lee, she is not on the cover this time. The illustration is by a Swedish artist named Sarah, and both hosts land on the same description without quite planning to. It has the feeling of a vintage still life, fruit bowls and tea towels and faded kitchen wallpaper. Nostalgic, bohemian, and instantly homely.

What Eat to Heal Is Actually About

The Premise: Chronic inflammation, Lee argues, is not a side effect of conditions like heart disease, Alzheimer's, autoimmune disorders, depression, weight gain, brain fog, and persistent fatigue. It is a driver of them. Chapter one is titled Your Kitchen Is Your Medicine Cabinet, and that is the thesis of the entire book.

Who It Is For: Lee wrote it for the person who has been told their bloodwork is normal while their body insists otherwise. Irene relates to this directly. Her own results consistently come back clear, and the book gives her a next step beyond simply ruling things out: what can actually be done to reduce brain fog and lift energy once the medical all-clear has already been given.

Acute Versus Chronic: Acute inflammation is the immune system doing exactly what it should, the redness and swelling around a cut that signals healing is underway. Chronic inflammation is that same emergency response stuck in the on position, running quietly in the background with no specific threat to respond to. Because it is subtle, most people never connect how they feel to what is actually happening in their body.

Signs to Watch For: Persistent tiredness that sleep does not fix, brain fog, forgetfulness, digestive issues that come and go, post-meal fatigue, mood swings, migrating joint pain, recurring infections, and stalled weight loss. The book includes a sixteen question self-assessment quiz that scores inflammation as low, moderate, high, or severe.

The Research That Surprised Lee

Zombie Cells: The scientific term is senescent cells, cells that have stopped functioning properly but refuse to die, sitting in tissue and releasing inflammatory signals that disrupt the healthy cells around them. As we age, these accumulate. Certain plant compounds act as natural senolytics, helping clear them out: fisetin in strawberries and apples, quercetin in capers, onions, and berries, and curcumin in turmeric.

Neuroinflammation: Chronic inflammation does not stay contained to the body. The same inflammatory markers linked to heart disease are implicated in depression, anxiety, cognitive decline, and conditions like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. One mechanism involves a compound called kynurenine. When inflammation is high, the body diverts tryptophan toward kynurenine production rather than serotonin, meaning less of the body's own feel-good chemistry gets made. Irene shares that she was diagnosed with neuroinflammation at a holistic clinic in Byron Bay following the collapse of her previous business, alongside a SIBO diagnosis.

SPMs, the Pro-Resolution Compounds: Specialised pro-resolving mediators are a newer area of research that changed how Lee thinks about anti-inflammatory eating altogether. Rather than simply blocking inflammation the way something like ibuprofen does, SPMs actively promote the clearance of inflammatory debris and help return the body to balance. They are produced from omega 3 fatty acids, found in flaxseed, avocado, and good quality fish, strengthening the case for getting enough omega 3 into the diet.

The 4321 Map Approach

Lee built on the proven foundation of the Mediterranean diet and refined it specifically to target inflammation, with a stronger emphasis on gut health and blood sugar stability. The plate breaks down as 40 percent vegetables and leafy greens, 30 percent lean protein including legumes, 20 percent whole grains and starchy vegetables like sweet potato and pumpkin, and 10 percent healthy fats such as extra virgin olive oil, flaxseed oil, and avocado.

The philosophy is not about eliminating treats. Even dessert can fit the framework when it includes protein and good fats alongside it, which is how a rocky road bar loaded with almonds, hemp seeds, and almond butter earns a legitimate place in the book.

Two Recipes from the Book

Baked Sweet Potato Hash Browns (page 156): Sweet potato for beta carotene and skin support, chickpea flour for plant protein and fibre, turmeric and cumin for their anti-inflammatory properties, smashed avocado for monounsaturated fats and potassium, and a microgreen salad on top finished with hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, or walnuts.

Buckwheat Banana Crepes with Figs and Berries (page 159): Naturally gluten free, built on ripe banana for gut-friendly resistant starch and buckwheat flour, which contains rutin to strengthen blood vessels. Topped with fresh figs and berries for polyphenols and prebiotic fibre, plus a nut butter for additional healthy fats. Light enough for breakfast, indulgent enough for dessert.

Enjoy my Mediterranean Mezze Plate recipe here.

Trauma, the Nervous System, and Why Healing Is Not Linear

One of the book's central themes is the link between trauma, chronic stress, and inflammation. Lee explains that when the nervous system stays locked in survival mode, the body prioritises protection over repair. Digestive secretions change, gut motility slows or becomes erratic, the gut lining becomes more vulnerable to damage, and the immune system grows hyper-reactive, feeding the inflammatory cycle further.

Irene connects this directly to her own experience following the collapse of her previous business, describing a period of constant hypervigilance where even opening an email triggered a physical stress response. Lee shares a parallel experience following a serious car accident and a long bout of COVID, both of which left her nervous system similarly on high alert.

Lee's clinical approach has shifted accordingly. Rather than leading with food alone, she now looks at the whole person, gut health, inflammation, sleep, stress, emotional history, and daily patterns together, often alongside referral to psychologists or nervous system specialists. She notes that healing rarely happens in a tidy order. Sometimes mood and sleep improve before digestion does, and that is not a failure of the process.

🧠 Womansplain: Justin and the Low Testosterone Question

The Question: A friend suggested to Justin that his flat energy, low motivation, and poor sleep might point to low testosterone, and floated testosterone replacement therapy as a fix. Justin's instinct was to tell his mate to mind his own business, but brought the question to the show anyway.

The Myth to Bust First: Low testosterone is not simply an inevitable part of ageing with a prescription as the automatic answer. There is a long list of lifestyle factors that can lower testosterone, and most men have not addressed any of them before reaching for a prescription.

Sleep: Most testosterone is produced overnight, with deep sleep playing a particularly important role. Poor sleep can directly affect levels, meaning a sleep problem can present as a hormone problem.

Chronic Stress: Elevated cortisol can suppress testosterone production. Under sustained stress, the body prioritises survival hormones over reproductive ones.

Gut Health: The microbiome plays a role in how hormones are metabolised and cleared, although the evidence here is still developing.

Other Contributing Factors: Alcohol, excess visceral body fat (which can convert testosterone into oestrogen), and a sedentary lifestyle all make the list.

What Actually Helps: Zinc is an essential cofactor for testosterone synthesis and deficiency is common and easy to test for, found in red meat, pumpkin seeds, and oysters. Ashwagandha is a well-studied adaptogen shown in some trials to reduce cortisol and improve sleep quality, with mixed but reasonable evidence for testosterone specifically. Fenugreek, a herb Lee was introduced to in India, has reasonable evidence behind it, possibly by affecting how testosterone is used in the body rather than blocking its conversion to oestrogen outright.

The Bottom Line: Sort sleep, stress, and gut health first. If levels remain clinically low and symptoms persist after addressing those drivers, that is the point to have the TRT conversation with a doctor, rather than starting there and risking the body's own production shutting down.

📝 Lee's Nutritionist Nerd Notes: Episode 14 Mentions

Chronic Inflammation as a Disease Driver: Chronic low-grade inflammation is increasingly recognised as a contributing factor across cardiovascular disease, neurodegenerative conditions, autoimmune disorders, depression, and metabolic dysfunction, distinct from the acute, self-resolving inflammation involved in wound healing.

Senescent Cells and Senolytics: Senescent cells accumulate with age and secrete pro-inflammatory signalling molecules, a phenomenon researchers term the senescence-associated secretory phenotype. Compounds including fisetin, quercetin, and curcumin have been studied for senolytic or senomorphic activity, helping to clear or quiet these cells.

Neuroinflammation and Mood: The kynurenine pathway describes how, under inflammatory conditions, tryptophan metabolism is shifted away from serotonin synthesis and toward kynurenine production, a mechanism increasingly studied in relation to depression and anxiety.

Specialised Pro-Resolving Mediators (SPMs): SPMs, including resolvins, protectins, and maresins, are derived from omega 3 fatty acids and are involved in actively resolving inflammation and restoring tissue homeostasis, distinct from the inflammation-blocking action of standard anti-inflammatory compounds.

Gut-Brain-Immune Connection: Roughly 70 to 80 percent of immune tissue resides in the gut, and the majority of the body's serotonin is produced there, underscoring the close relationship between gut integrity, immune regulation, and mood.

HPA Axis and Trauma: Chronic stress and unresolved trauma are associated with dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which can manifest as persistent sympathetic nervous system activation, affecting digestion, immune function, and the body's capacity for tissue repair.

Testosterone and Lifestyle Factors: Research links sleep quality, chronic stress and cortisol elevation, visceral adiposity, alcohol intake, and sedentary behaviour to testosterone levels, supporting a lifestyle-first approach before pharmacological intervention in men without an underlying pathological cause.

Zinc, Ashwagandha, and Fenugreek: Zinc is a required cofactor in testosterone synthesis pathways. Ashwagandha has shown cortisol-lowering and sleep-supporting effects in several clinical trials, with more variable results for testosterone specifically. Fenugreek extract has shown modest support for testosterone-related outcomes in a number of small trials, though larger confirmatory studies are limited.

📌 Episode 14 Links

Supercharged Food — Lee Holmes

Supercharge Your Gut — Lee's Products and Books, including Eat to Heal

Clean Nectarine — Irene Falcone

🎙 Listen & Subscribe

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Substack

Follow us on Instagram: @wellnessunfilteredleeirene

Join the conversation on Substack: wellnessunfilteredpod.com

Sponsor an episode? Email [email protected]

Disclaimer: This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.

Episode 13, Naturopath Jane Papalia on the Mediterranean Diet, Longevity, Beauty, and Why Your Nonna Was Probably Right All Along, Wayne Gets ‘Splained on Reflux and Irene Busts Out a Rant

In this episode we chat about

·       What the Mediterranean diet actually is, and why it is much more than a Greek salad and a glass of red wine.

·       Jane Papalia’s story, from Italian family food culture to naturopathy and clinical nutrition.

·       Why the Mediterranean lifestyle is one of the most researched and respected dietary patterns in the world.

·       How food, movement, sleep, stress, and social connection all work together for longevity.

·       Why olive oil, legumes, herbs, seasonal produce, and quality proteins are the real stars of the show.

·       How to spot the difference between authentic Mediterranean foods and supermarket imposters with suspiciously confident branding.

·       Why your grandmother may have been ahead of her time without ever using the words polyphenols or microbiome.

·       How the Mediterranean way of eating supports gut health, brain health, heart health, and healthy ageing.

·       Why food is not just fuel. It is culture, connection, rhythm, and joy.

·       A very important debate about yoghurt, feta, olive oil, and whether Italians are secretly running the wellness industry

Meet Jane Papalia

Jane Papalia is a qualified naturopath and clinical nutritionist, and the beautiful mind behind The Mediterranean Naturopath. Her work centers on the Mediterranean lifestyle as a way of eating and living that supports health, energy, digestion, beauty, and ageing well without turning life into a never-ending self-improvement project.

Jane grew up in a very food-focused Italian family, where her Sicilian grandmother shaped the way food, family, and nourishment were understood long before anyone in the household was talking about anti-inflammatory diets, gut health, or longevity science. In Jane’s world, food was never just calories. It was care, connection, culture, and the kind of love that arrives in a saucepan.

She brings that lived experience together with her clinical work in a way that feels both practical and deeply grounded. The result is a philosophy that feels refreshingly sane. Eat well, move your body, share meals, and stop trying to bio hack your way out of being human.

Her journey

Jane shares how her mother’s cancer diagnosis became a turning point in her understanding of health. That experience deepened her appreciation for the fact that wellbeing is built through the everyday things. How we eat, sleep, move, connect, and support the body consistently over time.

It’s a powerful reminder that health is not one perfect supplement stack or one heroic clean-out Monday. It’s the pattern of your life. It’s the stuff you do when nobody is applauding. It’s also the thing your grandmother probably knew instinctively while everyone else was making turmeric lattes and calling it wisdom.

Jane’s perspective is gentle, real, and refreshingly free of extremes. She reminds us that the body responds to consistency, not punishment.

What Mediterranean means

If your version of the Mediterranean diet is basically olives, pasta, and one highly committed bottle of red wine, then this episode broadens the picture beautifully.

Jane explains that the Mediterranean way of eating is built around:

·       colourful plant foods

·       extra virgin olive oil

·       legumes

·       whole grains

·       seafood

·       quality proteins

·       herbs

·       fermented foods

·       seasonal produce.

But it’s also about how you eat. Slower meals, social connection, family, rhythm, and a less frantic relationship with food are all part of the picture.

This is not a restrictive plan. It’s a living pattern. And unlike many wellness trends, it does not require a label printer, a subscription box, or a complete personality transplant.

Why it matters

Jane talks through why the Mediterranean dietary pattern is so strongly associated with better health outcomes. It’s not because of one magical ingredient. It’s because the whole pattern works together.

The benefits discussed include:

·       improved digestion

·       better blood sugar regulation

·       heart health

·       brain health

·       cognitive support

·       healthier ageing

Because this way of eating is rich in fibre, plant diversity, healthy fats, and antioxidant compounds, it also nourishes the gut microbiome, which then has downstream effects on mood, immunity, inflammation, and resilience.

So yes, the humble lentil is doing some very glamorous work behind the scenes.

The longevity piece

One of the strongest themes in the episode is that longevity is not just about nutrients. It’s also about social connection.

Jane talks about how family, friendship, community, and meals shared with other people all play a measurable role in wellbeing. That’s part of what makes the Mediterranean lifestyle so powerful. It supports the body and the nervous system at the same time.

Meals are not rushed. Food is not eaten in isolation while scrolling. There is a rhythm, a social thread, and a sense that life is meant to be lived with other people around the table.

Which is lovely, and also mildly insulting to the modern habit of inhaling lunch between emails.

Olive oil and polyphenols

Jane explains why extra virgin olive oil is one of the standout foods in the Mediterranean pattern. It’s rich in polyphenols, including hydroxytyrosol, which contributes to the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits associated with the diet.

Extra virgin olive oil is mechanically pressed and retains more of its beneficial compounds than refined olive oils. It brings flavour, protection, and a bit of actual joy to food, which, frankly, is more than can be said for many healthy products.

There’s also a useful clarification around cooking. Yes, olive oil can absolutely be used in cooking, especially at moderate temperatures. So no, your family did not accidentally sabotage their health by cooking with olive oil for decades. They may have been onto something.

The food detective bit

There’s a very entertaining stretch of the episode where the conversation turns into a full supermarket investigation.

You’ll hear about:

·       how to identify proper Greek yoghurt

·       what makes a feta authentic

·       why ingredient lists matter

·       and how to tell when a product is only pretending to be Mediterranean

The yoghurt rule is beautifully simple. Fewer ingredients usually means better quality. If the label starts sounding like a laboratory internship, it may not be the product you want

And feta? Also a bit of a minefield. The conversation makes it very clear that not all feta is equal, and that the version in the supermarket may be a cheese impersonator with a Mediterranean accent

Herbs and flavour

Jane brings a lovely herbal lens to the discussion, highlighting the medicinal and culinary value of:

·       oregano

·       rosemary

·       thyme

·       sage

·       fennel

·       lemon balm

These herbs are not just decorative little green bits trying to look sophisticated on a plate. They have real digestive, cognitive, hormonal, and calming benefits.

Rosemary is linked with memory and circulation, sage is often used in the context of hormonal support, and fennel and lemon balm are especially lovely for digestion and nervous system support. It’s a reminder that the food culture of the Mediterranean is rich in flavour and function at the same time.

Which is a very nice trick.

A Mediterranean day

·       One of the best things about this episode is how practical it becomes.

·       Jane outlines a real-life Mediterranean-style day:

·       Breakfast might be Greek yoghurt with berries, nuts, and honey.

·       Lunch might be lentil soup, minestrone, roasted vegetables, or chickpeas.

·       Snacks might include nuts, grapes, or vine leaves.

·       Dinner might feature oily fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, or anchovies, alongside vegetables and legumes.

·       The message is simple. This is not a diet that depends on fussy recipes or expensive health-store ingredients. It depends on real food, prepared well, and eaten regularly.

·       Soup is also having a very good moment here and should be recognised accordingly.

Womansplain

In our Womansplain segment, we bring a very confused man into the cabin and extract a question that is relevant, useful, and just the right amount of chaotic.

This episode’s Womansplain focuses on midlife digestive changes, particularly reflux, heaviness after meals, and that general sense that your body has suddenly decided to become more opinionated about dinner.

Lee shares practical advice around:

·       eating earlier in the evening

·       slowing down at meals

·       reducing trigger foods where needed

·       being mindful of portion size

·       not lying down immediately after eating

·       paying attention to hydration and alcohol intake

The overall message is beautifully boring in the best possible way. The basics matter, especially when digestion becomes less forgiving with age.

Irene’s rave

In Irene’s rave, Irene gives a big and heartfelt shout-out to the Clean + Conscious Awards, celebrating brands and products that are doing things more thoughtfully.

It’s a lovely reminder that wellness doesn’t just live in our kitchens and clinics. It also shows up in the products we choose, the businesses we support, and the standards we keep asking for as consumers.

This rave captures that very satisfying feeling of seeing more people care about clean, ethical, responsible products without turning everything into greenwashing theatre. Very refreshing. Very welcome

Lee’s nerd notes

Here’s the sciencey bit, the part where we lovingly put the nerd back into the conversation.

The Mediterranean diet and health

PREDIMED trial. Landmark randomized trial showing cardiovascular benefit from a Mediterranean diet pattern.

Mediterranean diet and healthy ageing review.

The Mediterranean diet is one of the most researched dietary patterns in the world, with evidence linking it to improved cardiovascular health, better metabolic outcomes, and support for healthy ageing. Its strength lies not in one ingredient, but in the overall dietary pattern.

Gut health and diversity

Mediterranean diet, microbiome, and gut health review.

A major reason this way of eating works so well is that it naturally increases plant diversity and fibre intake. That helps nourish the gut microbiome, which plays a role in digestion, immune function, inflammation, mood, and brain health.

Polyphenols and olive oil

Hydroxytyrosol and olive oil review.

Extra virgin olive oil contains bioactive compounds, including polyphenols such as hydroxytyrosol, which are associated with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Quality matters here, because refined oils do not offer the same concentration of beneficial compounds.

Legumes and longevity

Legumes and satiety review.

Legumes are one of the underrated heroes of the Mediterranean table. They offer fibre, plant protein, minerals, and prebiotic benefits that support microbial diversity and satiety.

Herbs as functional foods

Rosemary and cognition review.

Sage and menopausal symptoms review.

Fennel and digestive health review.

Lemon balm and anxiety/sleep review.

Herbs like oregano, rosemary, sage, fennel, and lemon balm contribute far more than flavour. They also contain plant compounds that may support cognition, digestion, circulation, and hormonal balance.

The social piece

Social relationships and mortality meta-analysis.

Perhaps one of the most overlooked nutrients in the Mediterranean lifestyle is social connection. Research consistently shows that strong social relationships are associated with better health outcomes and longer life. Shared meals, community, and ritual are not extras. They are part of the medicine.

Jane Papalia links

Website: The Mediterranean Naturopath

Instagram: @themediterraneannaturopath

Blog and recipes: Jane’s website

Episode links

Listen on Apple Podcasts: The Lee and Irene Show

Listen on Spotify: The Lee and Irene Show

Follow us on Instagram: @theleeandireneshow

Substack: The Lee and Irene Show

Disclaimer

This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before making changes to your diet or health routine. 

Episode 12:  All hail the Sugar and Energy Queen Michele Chevalley-Hedge, and the Labels That Are Lying to You, Justin Finally Learns to Breathe, and Lee’s Rant on the Fillers Nobody Warned You About.

If you’ve ever eaten clean all day and still crashed by 3pm, reached for something sweet and felt worse an hour later, or picked up a “healthy” snack and had absolutely no idea what half the ingredients actually were, this episode is for you.

Michele Chevalley-Hedge from A Healthy View, is a clinical nutritionist, author, and health educator whose books include Beating Sugar Addiction for Dummies and Eat, Drink and Still Shrink. She has spent decades working across elite sport, corporate health, and school communities, and she brings the same principle to all of it: facts over fads, nourished not punished.

Justin, meanwhile, has been breathing incorrectly for roughly 59 years. Lee and Irene fix that.

And Lee has a rant. It has a title. It is called Fillers That Fool Us, and once you hear it, you will never look at a supplement label the same way again.

✨ In this episode we chat about:

🍬 What’s Popping: Sugar, Energy and the Labels That Are Lying to You

Meet Michele

•       A New Yorker in Australia: Michele grew up in an Italian-American family where food was love, community, and connection. Her father was a dedicated gardener. Her mother’s side was, in her words, the Chickarello Mafia, six sisters cooking abundantly for 27 cousins every weekend. She came to Australia in 1990 to speak at an IBM conference, fell in love with an Australian man within 24 hours, and never left. Thirty-six years later, she is still certain she made the right call.

•       From IT to Nutritional Medicine: Michele originally studied technology, business, and education, and worked in the IT industry before retraining. After her third child, she returned to study medicine and found her direction in her first nutritional medicine class, an emerging field at the time with relatively little evidence-based research. She recognised the opportunity and stayed.

•       The Modern Nutritionist: Michele describes herself as the nutritionist who loves a little coffee, wine, and chocolate. Her business is called A Healthy View for a reason: no extremes, no punishment, no all-or-nothing thinking.

Sugar 101: What’s Actually Going On

•       The problem is added sugar, not natural sugar: Natural sugars found in dairy, fruit, and vegetables are not the concern. The issue is the added sugar hidden in foods that look, and are marketed as, healthy.

•       The recommended maximum is 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day. Most Australians consume 36 or more. Michele’s analogy: if you took 6 times the recommended dose of any pharmaceutical drug every single day, there would be consequences. Sugar is no different.

•       What overconsumption actually does: Sustained excess sugar affects energy, cognitive function, neurological health, libido, mood, fertility, and sleep. These are not abstract risks — they are things Michele sees in clinical practice every week.

Is Sugar Addiction Real?

•       Clinically, it acts like one. It is not classified as an addiction in the same way drugs are, but it produces a dopamine feedback loop that drives repeated behaviour. The mechanism is hormonal, not just psychological.

•       The good news: the palate can be reset. Small, consistent changes, without punishment or deprivation, are enough to shift the feedback loop over time. As the body begins to regulate more effectively, sleep improves, energy stabilises, mood lifts, and the improvements become more compelling than the sugar itself 

The Blood Sugar Roller Coaster: A Real Life Example

•       The morning: A chai latte from a cafe (8 to 10 teaspoons of added sugar) and a banana muffin (another 8 to 10 teaspoons). Two things that look healthy, with 15 to 20 teaspoons of sugar already on board before 9am.

•       The crash: Ninety minutes later: fatigue, brain fog, irritability. Not low iron. Not early menopause. A blood sugar crash. The higher the spike, the harder the fall. At the bottom of that fall is where hunger, mood dysfunction, and energy collapse live.

•       The cycle: The response to the crash is more coffee or more sugar, which starts the cycle again. By 3pm, after a salad lunch with no fat, protein, or smart carbs, the body is running on empty and reaching for anything it can find.

•       Every spike drives inflammation. And chronic inflammation is the underlying pathology in virtually every major disease — cardiovascular disease, diabetes, insulin resistance, Alzheimer’s, autoimmune conditions, depression, and more.

The Gut-Brain Connection

•       Research from Deakin University’s Food and Mood Centre is producing world-class randomised controlled trials on food and mental health. The field is still in early stages, but the direction is clear.

•       Real whole foods support the gut microbiome, which in turn supports serotonin production, immune function, and cognitive performance. Fibre, diversity of plants, and the absence of ultra-processed ingredients are the primary levers.

•       The SMILES Trial: A landmark randomised controlled trial studying the effect of a real whole food diet on depression and anxiety. All foods in the study came from Coles and Woolworths. The results showed greater improvement in mood disorders than antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication alone. This is not a supplement. It is just eating real food.

Sugar by Any Other Name

•       Sugar has at least 25 different names on ingredient labels, including agave, rice malt, brown rice syrup, evaporated cane juice, barley malt, dextrose, and fruit concentrate. If it sounds like a yoga retreat in Byron Bay, it is still metabolically sugar.

•       The label detective hack: Find the sugar number on any nutrition panel. Divide by four. That is approximately how many teaspoons of sugar the product contains. A can of Coca-Cola: 40 grams, 10 teaspoons. A ginger beer: 14 teaspoons. A commercial healthy smoothie: often 21 teaspoons of added sugar from concentrated fruit syrups.

•       If sugar appears in the first five ingredients, question the product. The placement on the label tells you how much of it is in there.

Better Sweeteners, Worse Sweeteners

•       Natural sweeteners Michele supports: coconut sugar (low GI, contains inulin as a prebiotic), honey, dates, pure maple syrup (for its polyphenols and micronutrients). These come with context; fibre, nutrients, and a lower glycaemic impact than refined sugars.

•       Sugar alcohols (anything ending in ‘-ol’): Mannitol, sorbitol, erythritol, and others are used in sugar-free products to allow the “no sugar” claim. For people with sensitive digestion, these cause significant bloating, gas, and diarrhoea. Michele sees this regularly in school-age girls consuming sugar-free energy drinks. Even for people without obvious sensitivity, she recommends avoiding them.

•       Stevia and monk fruit: Michele’s preferred alternatives for those wanting sweetness without added sugar. Both have a reasonable safety profile and do not disrupt blood sugar.

•       Real Coke over Diet Coke: Michele and Lee are both on record: if it comes to a choice, the artificial sweeteners in diet drinks are more concerning than the sugar in the original. Aspartame has emerging research linking it to neurological effects. Neither endorses soft drink, but the message is to be more afraid of the synthetic substitutes than the sugar itself.

What to Eat for Sustained Energy

•       Every meal should answer three questions: Where is the fat? Where is the protein? Where is the smart carb? This combination blunts blood sugar spikes, supports satiety, and keeps energy stable across the day. Michele’s term: no naked carbs.

•       Breakfast: Eggs with avocado and a good piece of bread or leftover roasted vegetables from dinner. Fat, protein, and smart carb in one bowl. Not a sugary muffin and a cafe chai.

•       Lunch: Ideally leftovers from the night before, with legumes or brown rice added for smart carb content. Simple, affordable, and effective.

•       Hydration first: Most people confuse hunger for thirst. Starting the day with water and staying hydrated throughout is a non-negotiable foundation for energy. Without it, everything else is harder.

•       Fast food navigation: Guzman y Gomez and Fishbowl are workable if you build your bowl with protein, fat, and smart carbs. Skip the chips from the fryer; have homemade chips in olive oil at home if you want them.

Where to Find Michele

•       Michele’s clinical practice focuses on personalised nutritional medicine, including work with schools, corporate clients, and elite athletes.

•       Her books include Beating Sugar Addiction for Dummies, The Australian Healthy Hormone Diet, and Eat, Drink and Still Shrink.

•       Recommended peanut butter brands: Fix and Mayver’s (both available at major supermarkets). Look for products with one ingredient: peanuts.

🧠 Womansplain: Justin Finally Learns to Breathe

•       The Question: Justin has been shallow breathing through clenched teeth for, by his own estimate, most of his life. He knows from yoga that belly breathing is the goal. He does not always remember to do it. He wants practical instructions. Numbered, if possible.

•       Shallow chest breathing: Keeps the body in a low-grade stress state. The nervous system reads it as a signal that something is wrong, even when nothing is. The result is a constant, low-level sense of depletion that most people have simply accepted as normal.

•       Nasal breathing as default: The nose filters, warms, and humidifies air, and supports nitric oxide delivery. Mouth breathing is technically for emergencies, singing, or loud complaints. Nasal breathing is the resting standard. A larger nose, Justin was informed, offers superior filtration and is, in Lee’s words, a premium air processing unit.

•       Diaphragmatic (belly) breathing: The diaphragm is a dome-shaped muscle below the lungs. When it contracts downward, the lungs expand and the abdomen rises. The test: one hand on the chest, one on the belly. The belly rises on the inhale, the chest barely moves. If the shoulders are going up, the technique is wrong.

•       Box breathing: Inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, hold for four. Repeat. Used by military personnel before high-pressure situations. Activates a manual override on the stress response within about a minute.

•       The physiological sigh: A double inhale through the nose followed by a long, slow exhale. One of the fastest ways to offload excess carbon dioxide and reset the nervous system. The exhale being longer than the inhale is what activates the parasympathetic, rest-and-digest response. Sighing, it turns out, is clinically validated.

•       Synchronised breathing in rugby league: Justin noticed that modern rugby league teams gather in a circle and breathe together after scoring. Lee confirmed this is deliberate and evidence-based. Synchronised breathing, particularly with a shared extended exhale, pulls multiple nervous systems out of sympathetic overdrive simultaneously. Research suggests it also builds cohesion and trust between people. The shared exhale is, literally, getting on the same wavelength.

Justin’s homework:

•       Close the mouth. Nasal breathing only, on default.

•       Hand on belly at the desk. Three deep belly breaths every time you sit down.

•       When the jaw clench arrives, box breathe. Four in, four hold, four out, four hold.

🚨 Lee’s Rant: Fillers That Fool Us

•       The rant has a title. It is called Fillers That Fool Us. Lee is not calm about this.

•       Maltodextrin: A highly processed starch made in a lab. It spikes blood glucose faster than many foods people feel guilty about eating. It also acts as a feeding ground for the wrong gut bacteria, contributing to dysbiosis. Some products carry low-FODMAP certification while containing maltodextrin as an ingredient, a situation Lee considers a significant consumer betrayal. Maltodextrin is added for one reason: it is cheap, it bulks products up, and it makes expensive ingredients go further. It was not added by a nutritionist. It was added by someone looking at a spreadsheet.

•       Citric acid (the manufactured version): There are two types. Natural citric acid exists in lemons and other citrus fruits. Manufactured citric acid, found in almost all processed foods and many supplements is produced by fermenting black mould on corn sugar. For people with gut inflammation, this is the last thing they should be consuming dressed up as something citrusy. Symptoms of sensitivity include headaches, itching, watery eyes, sinus congestion, and digestive upset. It is in protein bars, bliss balls, potato chips, sugar-free lollies, and the majority of supplements on the market.

•       These are boardroom ingredients, not wellness ingredients. They were not included to improve the product for the consumer. They were included to reduce costs, extend shelf life, prevent clumping, and improve the visual presentation of the product. The irony is that consumers have become so conditioned to perfectly flowing, non-clumping supplements that they file complaints when they encounter a pure product without anti-caking agents.

•       Lee’s call to action: Audit your pantry this week. Flip over the packs. Find the products containing maltodextrin or citric acid. Tag Lee on Instagram at @leesupercharged with what you find.

•       Brands that don’t use them: Lee’s Supercharged Your Gut range contains neither. Eden Health Foods also produces a vitamin C powder without maltodextrin which does clump, because purity behaves differently than processed fillers, and that is entirely the point.

📝 Lee’s Nutritionist Nerd Notes: Episode 12 Mentions

Sugar, Blood Glucose, and Inflammation

•       The 6-teaspoon guideline comes from the World Health Organisation and is aligned with recommendations from leading researchers in cognitive, metabolic, and cardiovascular medicine. The average Australian consumes six times this amount daily.

•       Glycaemic response: When blood glucose rises rapidly, the body releases insulin to bring it back down. The speed and height of the spike determines the severity of the corresponding drop. Chronic spiking keeps inflammation elevated, which is a known driver of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, Alzheimer’s, autoimmune conditions, and depression.

•       Insulin resistance develops when cells become less responsive to insulin due to sustained overexposure. This makes fat loss harder and increases the risk of type 2 diabetes over time.

•       Natural sugars in fruit, dairy, and vegetables behave differently from added sugars. They come packaged with fibre, water, and micronutrients that slow absorption and blunt the glycaemic response. The 6-teaspoon limit applies to added sugars only.

Dopamine, Habit Loops, and Palate Reset

•       Sugar activates the brain’s dopamine reward pathway, which is the same system involved in habitual behaviour patterns. This is why consumption can feel compulsive and why restriction without substitution tends to fail. The more effective intervention is crowding in whole foods until the preference shifts.

•       Palate adaptation is real and measurable. As added sugar intake decreases over several weeks, perceived sweetness from natural foods increases and cravings for highly sweetened products tend to reduce.

Gut-Brain Axis and Mood

•       The gut-brain axis refers to the bidirectional communication network between the gastrointestinal tract and the central nervous system, operating via the vagus nerve, the enteric nervous system, and the immune system.

•       Approximately 90% of the body’s serotonin is produced in the gut. Disruption to the gut microbiome through poor diet, ultra-processed food, or inflammation has a measurable downstream effect on mood, cognition, and stress response.

•       The SMILES Trial — Food and Mood Centre, Deakin University (Supporting the Modification of lifestyle in Lowered Emotional States) was a 12-week randomised controlled trial examining the effect of a Mediterranean-style whole food diet on major depression. Participants eating from the intervention diet — foods available at standard Australian supermarkets — showed significantly greater reduction in depressive symptoms than the social support control group.

Sugar Alcohols and Sweetener Considerations

•       Sugar alcohols (-ol endings: sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol) are used in sugar-free products as a labelling loophole, they technically allow a “no sugar” claim. For people with sensitive digestion or IBS, these compounds cause osmotic diarrhoea and bloating. They are FODMAPs for a reason.

•       Erythritol: A 2023 Cleveland Clinic study found an association between high erythritol blood levels and increased cardiovascular risk. A subsequent small trial found that 30 grams of erythritol — roughly the amount in a tub of keto ice cream — temporarily increased platelet aggregation for several days. The research is not conclusive, but Michele’s clinical approach is to apply a precautionary principle and recommend stevia and monk fruit instead.

•       Aspartame: Classified in 2023 by the International Agency for Research on Cancer as possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). The evidence is not definitive, but given the availability of alternatives, both Lee and Michele recommend avoiding it.

Maltodextrin and Manufactured Citric Acid

•       Maltodextrin is a highly processed polysaccharide derived from starch (corn, wheat, potato, or tapioca). It has a glycaemic index higher than table sugar. It also feeds gram-negative bacteria and can contribute to dysbiosis in susceptible individuals. It is used as a bulking agent, anti-caking agent, and texture modifier.

•       Manufactured citric acid is produced through Aspergillus niger fermentation on glucose substrates, typically corn syrup. It is chemically distinct from naturally occurring citric acid in lemon or lime juice and has been reported to cause inflammatory and allergic responses in sensitive individuals, including headaches, skin irritation, joint pain, and digestive upset.

•       Neither ingredient was designed with the consumer’s health in mind. Both serve manufacturer interests: reduced cost, extended shelf life, improved texture, and enhanced product appearance.

Breathing: The Physiology

•       Shallow chest breathing activates the sympathetic nervous system (fight-or-flight response), maintaining low-grade cortisol and adrenaline elevation. Over time, this contributes to fatigue, anxiety, poor sleep, and immune suppression.

•       Nasal breathing supports nitric oxide production in the paranasal sinuses. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator with antimicrobial properties. It improves oxygen delivery and reduces airway resistance.

•       Diaphragmatic breathing activates the vagus nerve and promotes parasympathetic tone. It is the breath pattern associated with rest, digestion, and recovery.

•       Box breathing (4-4-4-4) is used in military and emergency services training for rapid cortisol reduction. Research supports its effectiveness in reducing subjective stress within 1 to 5 minutes of consistent practice.

•       The physiological sigh (double nasal inhale followed by extended exhale) is one of the most rapid mechanisms for offloading carbon dioxide. Dr Jack Feldman have published research identifying it as the most effective acute breath pattern for nervous system regulation. The long exhale is the key: it is what activates parasympathetic response.

•       Synchronised breathing between groups has been shown in research to increase interpersonal trust, social cohesion, and collective attentional focus. This is why team breath practices before athletic competition have measurable performance and cohesion benefits beyond the physiological effects of the breath itself.

📌 Episode 12 Links

Supercharged Food — Lee Holmes

Supercharge Your Gut — Lee’s Products

Clean Nectarine — Irene Falcone

Guest:

Michele Chevalley-Hedge — A Healthy View

Peanut Butter Brands Mentioned:

Fix Peanut Butter

Mayver’s Nut Butters

Referenced:

The SMILES Trial — Food and Mood Centre, Deakin University

Guzman y Gomez

Fishbowl

🎤 Listen & Subscribe

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Substack

Follow us on Instagram:

@theleeandireneshow | @leesupercharged | @cleannectarine

Join the conversation on Substack: https://theleeandireneshow.substack.com/

Sponsor an episode? Email [email protected]

Disclaimer: This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.

Episode 11: How to Get a Virgo Level of Cleaning on a Capricorn Budget, Justin Discovers Chiropractic, and Irene's Rave for the Customers Who Never Left. 🧹

Lee's house is, by all objective measures, immaculate. Irene has been trying to understand this for some time. This week she finally asks. What follows is a practical, funny, and useful guide to low-tox cleaning, from the products worth trusting, to the rooms worth prioritising, to the surprising science of why a clean space makes your brain feel safe enough to relax.

Justin, meanwhile, has concerns about chiropractors. Specifically, he is not convinced that cracking someone's back constitutes a qualification. Irene has recently seen one. Lee has done her research. Justin gets moved, just a little.

And this week the cabin gets a visitor. Tiki, Lee’s friend and the kind of person who turns chaos into calm without appearing to do anything joins Lee and Irene with a question that will resonate with a lot of women: what do you do when you're eating well, you're moving, and nothing is shifting?

And Irene has a rave. Not a rant this time. A genuine, heartfelt rave for the customers who found their way back.

✨ In this episode we chat about:

🧹 What's Popping: Virgo-Level Cleaning on a Capricorn Budget

•       The Cabin Observation: Irene has been to Lee's house almost every week and needs to put something on record. It is immaculate. Not in a Coco Republic showroom way. More like a genuinely-lived-in bohemian fisherman's cottage where every piece of furniture was sourced from a market or a street, and yet the whole thing somehow looks like a magazine. Irene is in awe. She is also terrified to put her coffee cup down.

•       The Virgo Confession: Lee is a Virgo. She cleans preventatively. Her house never requires a serious intervention because she never lets it get to one. She moonwalks across the kitchen floor in old socks to clean up after dinner. With the Michael Jackson Off the Wall album on. This is not a joke.

•       The Five-Star Review: Pia gives the show five stars and calls Lee and Irene a 'dynamic duo' who unravel the mixed messaging in wellness media while keeping things interesting, fun and educational. Lee jumps out of her pants. They have two reviews now. They want more.

Why Conventional Cleaning Products Are the First Thing to Swap

•       The Toxin Load Argument: Irene makes a case that if you had to choose just one area of your life to detox, cleaning products would be it. You eat off the surfaces you clean. You breathe the fabrics you wash. Your children crawl on the floor you've just mopped. The synthetic fragrances, antibacterial agents, and endocrine disruptors don't disappear after cleaning, they stay on every surface in the home.

•       Indoor Air Quality: Studies have suggested that indoor air quality with certain conventional cleaning products can be as toxic as smoking in your home. Ventilation matters. The irony of making your house look beautiful while compromising the air in it is not lost on either of them.

•       Nicole Bijlsma, Building Biologist: Irene interviewed building biologist Nicole on her podcast over a decade ago. Two things have stayed with her: the number one way to stop toxins entering your house is to take your shoes off at the door (you're tracking glyphosate from footpaths inside), and the cleaning products you use on your surfaces are one of the biggest contributors to indoor toxic load. Nicole later created the cleaning range Abode 

What to Actually Look For in a Natural Cleaning Product

•       Cleaning Labels Are Less Regulated Than Cosmetics: Irene notes that regulatory standards for cleaning product labelling appear to be looser than for cosmetics. Brands may not be required to disclose whether fragrance is synthetic or natural. Brand trust matters more here than ingredient scanning.

•       The Basics to Avoid: Sulphates, parabens, and artificial fragrances are the starting point. But Irene goes further her banned ingredient list at Clean Nectarine extends to things like phenoxyethanol, which many other 'natural' stores still stock.

•       Plant and Mineral-Based: A useful filter, but not always sufficient on its own. Not all natural formulations perform well on every surface. Testing and brand reputation still matter.

The Products Worth Trusting

•       Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap: Irene's starting recommendation for anyone transitioning away from conventional products or DIY lemon-and-vinegar. One product, multiple surfaces, naturally fragranced with essential oils. Use it on dishes, floors, even your dog. Available in one-litre bottles. A few drops mixed with water covers most of the home.

•       Ecostore: Available at Woolworths and Coles. Irene used to stock it in her first business. A solid natural range at accessible price points.

•       Abode: Irene considers this the benchmark for natural cleaning products in Australia. Fragrance-free options available. Was Irene's biggest seller to the Home and Away wardrobe department, whose cast members with eczema couldn't tolerate conventional detergents. Affordable. Does everything from laundry to dishes to soakers.

•       Koala Eco: Australian-made, certified toxin-free, multiple independent certifications. Naturally fragranced with Australian botanicals including lavender, eucalyptus, and lemon myrtle, all of which have antimicrobial properties. The packaging is beautiful. Irene loves it in the bathroom. Unlike Abode, it actually looks good sitting on a shelf.

The Priority Order for Swapping Products

•       First: Dish Soap. You're eating off what you wash with it. Make the swap here first.

•       Second: Laundry Detergent. You're breathing it all day through your fabrics.

•       Third: Dishwasher Tablets. Again, eating off those dishes.

Room by Room: Lee's Cleaning Order

•       The Fridge: Every shelf, every wall, every compartment. Natural all-purpose cleaner for the interior. Half a lemon to absorb odours naturally (or dry coffee grounds, or fresh orange peel, left overnight in a small bowl). Cotton buds or a toothbrush for the door seal folds. Bicarb in the dishwasher, not the fridge. Dry everything properly after.

•       Windows: White vinegar and water in a spray bottle, buff dry with a lint-free cotton cloth. No streaks, no residue. The newspaper-and-vinegar hack their parents used no longer works, modern newspaper ink is different and can leave residue. The same vinegar and water bottle works on benches, stovetops, and splashbacks.

•       Bathroom Grout: Bicarb sprinkled directly onto grout, white vinegar sprayed over the top, scrub gently with an old toothbrush, rinse off. The fizzing is the acid and alkaline reacting, it lifts the grime without requiring force. Be gentle with grout.

•       Floors: Steam mop. No soap required, just water. Lee uses hers regularly on hard floors. For walls, she prefers by hand.

•       The Washing Machine: One cup of bicarb soda into the drum plus a splash of white vinegar, run a hot cycle, once a month. Dissolves build-up, eliminates the damp smell that transfers to clothes. Also clean the front door seal and the glass door panel, the build-up in the folds is, in Lee's words, staggering.

•       Dusting: Damp cloth, not a feather duster. Dry dusting just moves particles back into the air where they can remain airborne for days. Work top to bottom. Wash cleaning cloths at over 60 degrees to kill dust mites.

•       Cutting Boards: Not plastic (microplastics). Wood or glass. Lee uses wood, cleans with Dr. Bronner's and water. For anything requiring proper antibacterial treatment, a plate is a practical alternative. A HEPA filter vacuum handles mould on furniture and other soft surfaces.

Dust Mites: What They Are and Why They Matter

•       What They Are: Microscopic insect-like pests that live in house dust. Invisible to the naked eye.

•       What They Feed On: Dead skin cells.

•       Symptoms: Itching, allergies, and asthma. Particularly significant for people with respiratory conditions living in dusty environments.

•       Their Preferred Environment: Humidity between 70–80 percent.

•       How to Manage: Damp microfibre cloths for dusting, HEPA filter vacuum, change bedsheets regularly, wash fabrics at over 60 degrees.

The Psychology of Cleaning

•       Cortisol and Control: The act of cleaning actively reduces cortisol and creates a sense of control over your environment. Particularly useful when things feel chaotic.

•       Behavioural Activation: A concept from psychology. Doing something purposeful and completing it lifts mood. Cleaning is one of the easiest forms of behavioural activation, you can see the before, the after, and the result is immediate and visible. Even one drawer or one bench will shift your mental state.

•       Irene's Wardrobe Moment: Irene spent the previous evening colour-coordinating her wardrobe after letting it build up for months. She arrived at the recording noticeably calmer. She has decided this was not a coincidence.

•       Lee's Rule: Clean before you go on a trip so you come home to a clean house. Then clean again when you get back. A clean ordered space tells your brain it is safe to relax.

🧠 Womansplain: Justin and the Chiropractor Question

•       The Question: Justin cannot take chiropractors seriously. It sounds, he says, like someone monetised their party trick. Cracking your back or your fingers at a party and then expecting a framed certificate for your efforts. He is open to being wrong.

•       The Pop Has a Name: It is called cavitation. The sound comes from the synovial fluid inside your joints, the lubricating fluid that contains dissolved gases including oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. When the joint moves quickly through its range of motion, a rapid pressure change causes a gas bubble to form and release. That is the pop. An MRI study suggests it is the bubble forming, not collapsing, that creates the sound. Nothing is breaking. Nothing is cracking. It is a gas bubble in fluid.

•       The Qualifications Are Real: In Australia, chiropractors are registered with AHPRA, the same national body that registers GPs, nurses, and physiotherapists. They complete a five-year university degree. This is not a weekend course with a folding table.

•       The Evidence for Back Pain Is Solid: Research strongly supports spinal manipulation for musculoskeletal conditions, particularly lower back pain and neck pain. In 2022, the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare released a low back pain clinical care standard that formally recognises chiropractors as relevant practitioners alongside GPs and physiotherapists.

•       The Bigger Claims: Treating asthma, ear infections, immune dysfunction, or colic through spinal adjustment is a different matter. Evidence-based chiropractors focus on musculoskeletal conditions. The profession has a spectrum, and the claims at the fringes are not endorsed by any serious health body.

•       Justin's Position at End of Segment: He has been moved slightly. He will not be going himself. He does get a pun in ('I'm not going to give it a crack'). The standards remain what they are.

🎤 On Speaker: Tiki on Weight That Won't Shift

•       The Guest: Tiki. Her superpower, in her own words, is turning chaos into calm. She describes herself as a doer who doesn't get stuck in drama. She organises other people's lives comprehensively and is the last person to look after herself. She is also a Mahjong enthusiast. Justin has to have Mahjong explained to him.

•       The Question: Tiki is eating well, staying active through incidental movement (dog walking, shopping, cleaning, cooking), and not seeing any change in her body. What does she look at first?

Lee's Assessment

•       Sleep Is the First Place to Look: Tiki admits her sleep has always been disrupted, she gets the hours in bed, but not deep restorative sleep. Phone beside the bed, waking in the night, ruminating, drifting off again. She has accepted this as normal for a busy life. Lee does not want her to accept it as normal.

•       What Poor Sleep Actually Does: Disrupted sleep increases hunger hormones and reduces leptin (which signals fullness), meaning you can be hungrier and less satisfied from the exact same meals. It also affects insulin sensitivity and energy levels, influencing how the body uses fuel. Poor sleep can quietly make fat loss significantly harder, not because of willpower, but because of physiology.

•       Stress and Cortisol: Tiki holds everything together for everyone else and is the last person to receive that support in return. Chronic, unrelieved stress is associated with elevated cortisol and, over time, increased abdominal fat storage. This is particularly common in midlife and is not about willpower, it is about what the body is adapting to.

•       Incidental Exercise Has Value: Lee doesn't dismiss Tiki's daily movement. Dog walking, shopping, housework, and general activity provide a solid base for mobility and cardiovascular health. The gap is structured strength training, a few weight or bodyweight sessions a week to build muscle and support metabolism.

•       Protein: Around 100 grams per day is a useful target for active women in midlife, roughly 30 grams per meal. Most people underestimate how far short they fall. Three days of tracking is enough to get an accurate picture. Protein supports fullness, muscle maintenance, and efficient energy use.

Lee's Three Things for Tiki to Focus on This Week

•       1. Treat Sleep as Non-Negotiable. Consistent timing, a sleep routine, and yes, the phone in another room or at least off the bedside table.

•       2. Add Some Structure to Movement. Keep the dog walks and incidental activity as the base. Add two or three strength-based or bodyweight sessions to support recovery and metabolism.

•       3. Track Protein for Three Days. Not forever. Just long enough to see the gap between what you think you're eating and what you're actually eating. Most people are surprised.

✨ Rave: Irene and the Customers Who Found Their Way Back

•       The Rave: Irene cannot believe her customers. After selling her first business, Nourished Life, to BWX, and eventually go into liquidation, Irene started again with Clean Nectarine. A completely new business, a new URL, years later. And her original customers came back. The same people who had been burned by BWX. The ones who had stopped receiving their orders, whose trust had been broken by a company Irene no longer ran. They found her again.

•       Why She Thinks They Came Back: Not, Irene is quick to clarify, purely because they love her. She thinks they came back because nobody else is doing what she does. They're not looking for fake natural. They don't want to scan every ingredient at the health food store and wonder which ones have slipped through. They want one destination they can trust completely. That's what she built. That's why they're back.

•       Fifteen Years of the Same Names: Irene recognises the names. Customers who bought from her out of her garage in 2011 and 2012 are now ordering again through Clean Nectarine. People ordering Lee's Love Your Gut powder through Irene's store, just like they did in 2013.

•       The Lesson: Great products and genuine trust are longer than any business disruption. People remember who fought for them.

📝 Lee's Nutritionist Nerd Notes: Episode 11 Mentions

Low-Tox Cleaning: The Science Behind the Swap

•       VOCs in Cleaning Products: Many conventional cleaning products emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) including formaldehyde, benzene, and acetaldehyde. Indoor VOC concentrations can reach levels significantly higher than outdoors. Studies have likened chronic exposure from cleaning products to the equivalent respiratory impact of smoking in the home.

•       Endocrine Disruptors in Common Cleaners: Triclosan (antibacterial agent), synthetic musks, phthalates (used to fix fragrance), and nonylphenol ethoxylates (surfactants) are all classified as potential or confirmed endocrine disruptors. They do not dissipate after use — residue remains on cleaned surfaces and accumulates in indoor dust.

•       Surface Absorption and Dermal Exposure: Cleaning product residue on food-contact surfaces (bench tops, dishes, cutting boards) can transfer to food and be ingested. Residue on floors is a particular concern for infants and young children who spend time on the floor. Dermal absorption through hand contact with recently cleaned surfaces is also a documented exposure route.

•       Essential Oils as Functional Antimicrobials: Lavender, eucalyptus, lemon myrtle, and tea tree essential oils have documented antimicrobial, antifungal, and antiviral activity. These properties support their use as functional rather than merely cosmetic fragrance ingredients in cleaning products.

•       HEPA Filtration: High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) filters are mechanical air filters capable of trapping 99.97% of particles 0.3 microns or larger. In vacuum cleaners, HEPA filtration captures mould spores, dust mites, pet dander, and fine particulate matter that standard filters allow back into the air. Recommended for anyone with allergies, asthma, or visible mould.

Dust Mites: Clinical Context

•       Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and D. farinae: The two most common household dust mite species. Microscopic arachnids, not insects. They do not bite. Allergic reactions are triggered by proteins in their excrement and shed body parts, not the mites themselves.

•       Allergen Exposure and Asthma: House dust mite allergy is one of the most common triggers for allergic asthma and rhinitis globally. The Der p 1 and Der p 2 proteins are major allergens. Reducing dust mite load through regular washing of bedding at above 60 degrees Celsius, HEPA vacuuming, and low humidity environments (below 50%) is evidence-based for symptom management.

Chiropractic: What the Evidence Actually Shows

•       Cavitation: The technical term for the sound produced during spinal or joint manipulation. Caused by the formation of a gas bubble in the synovial fluid within the joint capsule due to rapid pressure change. A 2015 MRI study (Kawchuk et al.) confirmed it is bubble formation, not collapse, that produces the audible event. The sound is not an indicator of therapeutic effect and is irrelevant to clinical outcome.

•       Musculoskeletal Evidence Base: Multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses support spinal manipulation for acute and chronic lower back pain, neck pain, and some types of headache. The evidence is most robust for low back pain. The Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare's 2022 Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard formally includes chiropractic as part of recommended care.

•       AHPRA Registration: Chiropractors are registered health practitioners in Australia under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law. The Chiropractic Board of Australia, under AHPRA, sets standards of practice, continuing education, and professional conduct requirements consistent with other registered health professions.

•       The Subluxation Model: Traditional chiropractic is based on the concept of vertebral subluxations (spinal misalignments) affecting nerve function and systemic health. The evidence base for systemic health claims beyond musculoskeletal conditions, including claims related to immune function, ear infections, or organ disease, is not supported by current research. Evidence-based chiropractors do not make these claims.

Sleep, Appetite Hormones, and Weight

•       Ghrelin and Leptin Disruption: Sleep deprivation is consistently associated with increased ghrelin (appetite-stimulating hormone) and decreased leptin (satiety hormone). This produces a state of increased hunger and reduced satisfaction from food, independent of caloric intake.

•       Insulin Sensitivity: Even partial sleep restriction (6 hours versus 8 hours) is associated with measurable reductions in insulin sensitivity, impairing the body's ability to use glucose efficiently and increasing fat storage tendency.

•       Cortisol and Abdominal Fat: Chronic stress elevates cortisol. Sustained cortisol elevation promotes visceral (abdominal) fat storage, increases appetite (particularly for energy-dense foods), and reduces the effectiveness of fat loss strategies. This is a physiological response, not a willpower deficit.

•       Protein Targets for Midlife Women: Research supports higher protein intake in women over 40 to preserve lean muscle mass, support metabolic rate, and improve satiety. A target of approximately 1.2–1.6 grams per kilogram of body weight per day is commonly cited in the literature. For a 65kg woman this equates to roughly 80–105 grams per day, consistent with Lee's recommendation of around 100 grams. Approximately 25–30 grams per meal maximises muscle protein synthesis.

•       Incidental Activity (NEAT): Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT) refers to the energy expended in all physical activity outside of formal exercise: walking, cleaning, cooking, shopping, fidgeting. NEAT can vary by up to 2000 calories per day between individuals and is a significant contributor to total energy expenditure. Tiki's active daily life represents meaningful NEAT and should not be discounted.

•       Behavioural Activation: A therapeutic technique from cognitive behavioural therapy. The principle is that engaging in purposeful, completable activities produces a mood-lifting effect through a sense of achievement and efficacy. Cleaning is a particularly accessible form of behavioural activation because it has a visible, immediate, measurable outcome.

📌 Episode 11 Links

Supercharged Food — Lee Holmes

Supercharge Your Gut — Lee's Products

Clean Nectarine — Irene Falcone

Cleaning Products Mentioned:

Dr. Bronner's Pure Castile Soap

Koala Eco

Abode Cleaning Products

Ecostore (available at Woolworths and Coles)

Referenced:

AHPRA — Chiropractic Board of Australia

Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare — Low Back Pain Clinical Care Standard (2022)

🎙 Listen & Subscribe

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Substack

Follow us on Instagram:

@theleeandireneshow | @leesupercharged | @cleannectarine

Join the conversation on Substack: theleeandireneshow

Sponsor an episode? Email [email protected]

Disclaimer: This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.

Episode 10: Mason Taylor on Mushrooms & the Ancient Art of Not Falling Apart, Justin is in a Bit of a Pickle, and Irene's Forever Rant About Forever Chemicals. 🍄

This week, the cabin gets a very special guest. Mason Taylor,  founder of SuperFeast, Daoist philosophy devotee, and quite possibly the most passionate man alive on the subject of medicinal mushrooms, joins Lee and Irene for what may be the most downloaded episode yet

Mason takes us through the ancient Chinese three-treasure system of Jing, Chi, and Shen and why your goal should never be immortality, but rather arriving at elderhood with your full self intact. He breaks down the difference between a therapeutic mushroom product and a glorified chocolate powder, explains why Tremella made Irene's skin look extraordinary, and reveals the underground Australian fungi nobody's talking about yet.

Justin, meanwhile, wants to know if 2008 pickled onion brine counts as a sports supplement. And Irene has a rant-slash-rave about France's forever chemicals ban and why the brands who quietly reformulated their products are not getting the standing ovation they were hoping for.

✨ In this episode we chat about:

🍄 What's Popping: Welcome to the Secret Cabin

•      The Cabin Guest Situation: Mason Taylor arrives, giving Justin cause for what Lee generously describes as 'wariness' and what is more accurately described as side teeth and a low growl. There is room for more than one man in the cabin. Deep breaths, everyone.

•      Mason Taylor Introduction: Founder of SuperFeast, mushroom maven, Daoist, and the man whose original podcast episode with Irene over nine years ago remains her most downloaded ever. He has come all the way from Byron Bay.

•      Mushroom Pun Cap: Three puns maximum. They exceeded this before Mason even sat down.

🌿 What's Popping Deep Dive: Mason Taylor on Daoism, Mushrooms & the Three Treasures

Daoist Philosophy & Longevity

•      The Dao (Taoism): An ancient philosophy for moving through life more synergistically with people and the world. Mason describes it as 'real deep personal development, frameworks so life happens a little more smoothly.'

•      Longevity ≠ Immortality: The goal isn't to live forever. The goal is to arrive at elderhood with enough vitality that you've done your work, tackled new projects, contributed to community, and refined yourself,  without projecting unprocessed baggage onto everyone around you.

•      The Real Question: As Mason puts it: Does the world really need David Asbury forever? He only cares that this podcast beats his on the Australian charts. It will, after this.

The Three Treasures: Jing, Chi & Shen

•      Jing (Foundational Essence): Your superannuation of vitality. Bones, sex drive, the ability to age without degenerating early. Think of it as the ship. If you're burning the candle at both ends, you're leaking Jing.

•      Chi (Vitality): The crew that runs the ship. Your capacity to integrate life, mobilise yourself, animate the machine of your body. Diet, breathwork, doing work that generates charge.

•      Shen (Spirit/Mind): The cargo. The culmination of your personality, your mind, the refined diamond of who you are. The goal: protect it through the journey so your wisdom is fully intact in old age.

•      Cultivating vs Leaking: You are always doing one or the other. Any practice, herb, work, or lifestyle choice either cultivates your treasures or leaks them. This is the core Taoist health question.

SuperFeast A Purpose-Driven Organisation

•      Built from Six Moments: Mason mapped six 'lightning strike' moments across his life that gave birth to SuperFeast, not for public branding, but as an internal compass. Every product, strategy, and company virtue derives from them objectively.

•      The Purpose Statement: To dramatically lower disease and degeneration, creating superhumans who may enter into the realms of elderhood.

•      The Business-Dao Wrestling Match: Mason openly wrestles with the tension between commercial and contemplative. His resolution: build the organisation like an ecosystem. Integrate all tiers, animism, hierarchy, flat family structure before graduating to an autonomous, purpose-driven one.

•      Getting Back in the CEO Chair: Mason is currently back at the helm, reviewing marketing strategy to realign it with SuperFeast's founding essence.

The Superior Herbs: A 2,000-Year-Old Framework

•      The Shen Nong Ben Xiao Jing: The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica one of the founding texts of Chinese medicine. It identified a handful of superior herbs; Reishi, Ginseng, Rehmannia, Goji, Schizandra, Eucommia Bark, Astragalus and specified not just which herbs, but exactly which microclimate conditions were required for them to carry their therapeutic treasure.

•      The Herbs and What They Do: These aren't symptom-treatment herbs. They're taken over a long period to protect the treasure of the body and prevent degeneration. The earlier you start, the more constitutional shifting you do.

•      Why They Work: These herbs are adaptogenic, they intelligently restore regulation in the body. Think of them as 'little friends' that come in and help the body find its own balance, rather than forcing a pharmacological outcome.

Irene's Personal Mushroom Story

•      Nine or so years ago, Irene had Mason on her first podcast. It was her most downloaded episode. She started taking Jing and Tremella. The difference in how she felt and looked was, in her words, 'unexplainable.' She has since lost her way (largely due to selling a business, stress, and the natural chaos of life) and is now deeply, publicly committed to starting again.

•      Tremella and Skin: Irene describes eating it 'by the tablespoon' and never looking so good. She is emphatic: this was not placebo. It shone from the inside out.

•      The Plateau Question: When you stop feeling a big effect, that's not a sign the herb has stopped working. It may mean you've done the constitutional shifting it was bridging. Next move: dose up, or pivot to another formula for a different season.

•      The Wrong Time to Stop: The most stressful, depleting moments of your life are precisely when you should be ramping up, not stopping. Mason's rule: when you're hammering your body, that's when these allies matter most.

Lion's Mane: The Neuroscience Catches Up

•      Mason's Mother's Stroke Recovery: Mason used Lion's Mane during his mother's stroke recovery at a time when it was considered extremely fringe. She has now made what some doctors call a miraculous and Mason calls a practical recovery.

•      The Research Has Arrived: Lion's Mane is now being studied as a primary neuroprotective agent. The science has caught up with what Daoist herbalists knew centuries ago.

•      Why It Exploded: The fear of neurodegeneration is visceral. Watching a loved one lose their mind is one of the great fears of our time. Whoever was 'doing the branding' for Lion's Mane in the Taoist immortal realms, Mason says, absolutely nailed it.

•      The 2-Minute Noodle Problem: Mason's term for venture capitalist brands that spot a market gap and add a token amount of Lion's Mane extract to a gummy or chocolate. He is visibly pained. Particularly when people with serious diagnoses, MS, immune deficiencies, reach for the quick, cheap version because they don't have time to research.

How to Know You're Getting the Real Thing

•      Look for Fruiting Body: Not mycelium grown on grain. The fruiting body is what has the therapeutic compounds. Check the label.

•      Look for Extract: You want the mushroom to have been extracted (as in a traditional tea or tincture process), not just whole-ground dried mushroom. If the label shows 'herb equivalency', it may just be whole ground product.

•      Wood-Grown: Mushrooms should be grown on wood, not grain substrate. Organic certification is a reasonable starting filter, but SuperFeast operates beyond organic, testing for way more pesticides and heavy metals than required, to standards exceeding US and Australian organic certifications.

•      Trust Through Time: Mason has been doing this since 2011, shows up everywhere, and has never had to change a product due to a quality or integrity issue. He started at markets where mothers would return after three months and tell him directly if something didn't work. That accountability never left.

•      TGA Listed: SuperFeast is now TGA-listed as a registered medicine in Australia, which Mason notes is an almost impossibly expensive and opaque process for a small company, but gives independent credibility to the therapeutic claims.

•      The Supply Chain: SuperFeast's herbs and mushrooms come from small, obscure farms in remote mountain regions, far from any industrial zone. Mason visits them. They are not mass production. Wild harvesting is used when responsible; when an herb approaches unsustainable harvesting levels, they move to growing in wild-simulating conditions five years ahead of when it becomes a problem.

Psychedelics vs Functional Mushrooms

•      The Line: Clear to most people now. Functional/tonic mushrooms are non-psychedelic, legal, accessible, and taken for cultivation and long-term vitality. Psychedelic mushrooms are a separate category.

•      Where They Overlap: Mason is a sponsor of MIND Medicine Australia, which runs psychedelic-assisted therapy training. SuperFeast supplies mushrooms to graduates specifically for integration, using Lion's Mane, Cordyceps, Chaga and Reishi to help the body and nervous system process and recover from deep psychedelic or shamanic work.

•      Jing for the Deep Dive: If you don't have the foundational Jing energy to undergo a deep dive, spiritual, psychedelic, or otherwise, Mason recommends getting on Jing herbs first to build the reserves you need to do that work without depleting yourself.

The Underground & Emerging Mushrooms of 2026

•      Tiger Milk Mushroom: Not widely known outside Singapore, where most of the research has been conducted. Offers an interesting new pathway to immunity. Worth watching.

•      Cordyceps Gunnii (Australian Native): A native Australian cordyceps found in Tasmania and Victoria. Grows on the snow moth caterpillar and turns it inside out into a mushroom. Being wild-harvested by small Australian mycologists and appearing at specialist markets. Mason encourages supporting these producers.

•      Ganoderma Applanatum (Artist's Conch): Gaining serious attention in oncology research. Endemic in both Australia and China. Mason expects it to become a significant area of therapeutic focus.

•      Australian Adaptogens: Mason is enthusiastic about the growing attention to native Australian varieties, noting that while Australian indigenous medicine was not documented and systematised in the same way as Chinese medicine, the knowledge exists and deserves respect and support.

Personalised Recommendations from Mason

•      For Everyone Starting Out: Begin with Jing to see whether you have a gap and leakage in that kidney-water foundational system. Take it for 2–3 months, especially going into winter.

•      For Irene (and women who have 'graduated' from Jing): I AM Gaia, SuperFeast's women's regulatory blend. Blood-building, blood-invigorating, uterine toning, and relevant across the whole female lifecycle from teen to post-menopause.

•      For Everyone (daily baseline): Mason's Mushrooms, eight mushrooms in one formula. Add to coffee, chai, smoothies, or soups. Heat-stable. Consistent daily intake is what matters. Do it for 2–3 months going into winter and watch what happens to immunity.

•      Tremella as Bonus: The 'dessert' mushroom. Yin-nourishing, lung and stomach tonic. Acts like hyaluronic acid, carries 500 times its molecular weight in hydration and delivers it through the lung to the skin. Radiance from the inside out. Irene will be eating it by the tablespoon again.

•      Schizandra Berry (Ancient Beauty Elixir): The five-flavour fruit, hits sweet, sour, astringent and more. A yin tonic, liver herb, and beauty elixir in one. Takes all the organs and brings them into song and harmony. A different kind of radiance from Tremella. Even more famous as a beauty herb.

•      Silica + Tremella Combo: Mason and Lee both flag the synergy between silica (which Lee and Irene have just launched) and Tremella for skin beautification from the inside.

How to Take Mushroom Powders

•      They are heat-stable. You would have to hard boil them for a very long time to damage the therapeutics. You can add them to boiling water, stir into tea, blend into smoothies, mix into soups or savoury mince.

•      Schizandra is better in drinks than food. Mason's Mushrooms powder can go in the spag bol.

•      Stop thinking of these as supplements. Think of them as a herbal practice. Once they're integrated into your daily rhythm, in your coffee, in your chai, they become invisible and consistent.

•      Capsules are available for those who can't do powder. Consistency is everything.

•      The Tremella Raw Dog: Teaspoon straight from the jar, directly into the mouth. Mason's suggestion. A perfectly viable method.

The Much Love Program

•      SuperFeast runs a program where anyone going through a serious diagnosis or extremely difficult circumstances can reach out to receive complimentary mushroom products. The pun in the name makes Mason roll his eyes, even though he came up with it.

🥒 Womansplain: Justin & the Pickle Juice Question

•      The Question: Justin has been watching footy and noticing that athletes keep chugging pickle juice. His friend Bustin (of gut-girth fame from Episode 7) is reportedly at 43% adherence to Lee and Irene's previous recommendations. Bustin is walking, playing tennis, going to the gym, and people have 'remarked on his shred.' Justin has been told, firmly, not to say 'shred' again.

•      The Science of Pickle Juice for Cramps: There is a famous study in sports science where athletes were given pickle juice mid-cramp. The cramping stopped in approximately 85 seconds; significantly faster than water alone.

•      The Surprise Finding: It works too fast to be about electrolytes absorbing. Electrolyte absorption takes longer. What researchers now believe is happening: the vinegar triggers a neurological reflex in the throat and stomach that tells the misfiring nerves to calm down. It's a nerve reset, not just a salt top-up.

•      The Electrolytes Are Still There: Sodium and potassium. For people sweating heavily during physical exertion, it does replenish what's lost. The key phrase being: 'during physical exertion.'

•      Justin's Situation: As a sedentary sports viewer rather than sports doer, his electrolyte situation during the match is, in Lee's assessment, probably fine. A glass of water and some nuts will see him through.

•      The 2008 Jar: Justin has a jar of pickled onions from 2008 in his fridge. Pickling is a preservation method, so technically it may still be viable. The consensus is to retire it.

•      Night Cramps: Pickle juice is a legitimate remedy for that 2am cramp that makes you leap out of bed feeling tasered.

•      PMS Cramps: Irene raises the question of whether it may help with period cramps given its muscle relaxant properties. The science is not yet there but the curiosity is noted.

•      Irene's Pickle Love: She is enthusiastic about all pickles. Bread and butter. Sweet chilli. Sour. New York deli style. Large. Small. She will take the pickle from your burger if you don't want it. She has a cucumber salad and adds pickles. She is aware that pickles are cucumbers. She does not care.

✨ Rant (and Rave): Irene on Forever Chemicals, France, and the Quiet Reformulation

•      The Rave: France has banned PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, 'forever chemicals', think Teflon and similar compounds) in cosmetic and beauty care products. This ban came into effect in January 2026.

•      What Are Forever Chemicals? PFAS are synthetic chemicals used in many long-lasting beauty formulations, particularly foundations and waterproof products for their durability, texture, and film-forming properties. They are called 'forever chemicals' because they do not break down in the environment or in the human body and accumulate over time.

•      The Quiet Reformulation: Estée Lauder Double Wear, one of the most beloved long-wear foundations in the world has been reformulated. TikTok and Instagram are currently flooded with side-by-side comparisons, with creators noting changes in finish, formula, and feel. Almost nobody is asking why it was reformulated. The answer, Irene argues, is the French ban.

•      The Waterproof Mascara Wave: Clinique and other brands with long-wear or waterproof formulas have also quietly reformulated. Waterproof products were among the highest-PFAS categories in beauty.

•      The Rant: These brands have had these chemicals in their products for years, in some cases, decades. They did not remove them out of passion for their customers' health. They removed them because they were legally required to. Irene is clear that this distinction matters, even if the outcome (cleaner products) is positive.

•      The Media Silence: There is no mainstream coverage of this on Channel 7, Channel 9, or the major news outlets. No equivalent of the TGA sunscreen saga. Nobody appears to want to upset Estée Lauder. Irene regrets nothing she has said.

•      The Silver Lining: Because these brands are global, the cleaner reformulation has rolled out worldwide including to Australian consumers, even though Australia has not banned PFAS in cosmetics. The French regulation has effectively improved products for everyone.

•      Still Worth Scrutinising: Even the reformulated products are not clean beauty. Silicones and other questionable ingredients remain. But the removal of PFAS is a meaningful step, even if it was reactionary rather than principled.

📝 Lee's Nutritionist Nerd Notes: Episode 10 Mentions

The Three Treasures: TCM Framework

•      Jing: In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jing is considered the foundational essence stored in the kidneys. Pre-natal Jing (inherited) and post-natal Jing (replenished through food, herbs, rest, and lifestyle) govern constitutional vitality, reproductive health, bone density, hair, and the rate of ageing.

•      Chi (Qi): The vital energy that circulates through meridians and animates all physiological processes. Influenced by food, breath, movement, emotional state, and environment.

•      Shen: Often translated as spirit or mind. In Chinese medicine, the Shen resides in the Heart and governs mental clarity, emotional wellbeing, sleep quality, and presence. A calm, bright Shen is considered a sign of good health and cultivation.

Adaptogenic Herbs & Medicinal Mushrooms

•      What Makes a Superior Herb? The Shen Nong Ben Xiao Jing (Divine Farmer's Materia Medica, ~200 CE) categorised herbs into three classes. Superior herbs; Reishi, Ginseng, Rehmannia, Schizandra, Astragalus, Goji Berry are tonic herbs taken long-term, non-toxic at any dose, and purported to restore balance across multiple body systems.

•      Adaptogens: A modern term (coined by Soviet pharmacologist Nikolai Lazarev in 1947) for compounds that help the body adapt to physical and psychological stress without disrupting normal physiology. Key adaptogenic mushrooms include Reishi, Lion's Mane, Chaga, Cordyceps, and Turkey Tail.

•      Beta-Glucans: The primary active immunomodulatory compounds in medicinal mushrooms. These polysaccharides bind to receptors on immune cells (NK cells, macrophages, dendritic cells) and help regulate immune response supporting it when suppressed, calming it when overactive.

•      Fruiting Body vs Mycelium: The fruiting body (the visible mushroom above ground) contains significantly higher concentrations of beta-glucans and other bioactive compounds than the mycelium grown on grain substrate. Whole-grain mycelium products have been shown to contain high levels of starch filler from the grain medium.

•      Extraction Matters: Many beneficial compounds in mushrooms (particularly beta-glucans and triterpenes) require hot water or dual extraction (hot water + alcohol) to become bioavailable. A whole dried and ground mushroom powder, while containing these compounds, is less bioavailable than a properly extracted product.

Lion's Mane (Hericium erinaceus)

•      Neurotrophic Compounds: Lion's Mane contains hericenones (in the fruiting body) and erinacines (in the mycelium) compounds shown in research to stimulate the production of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF). These proteins support the survival, growth, and maintenance of neurons.

•      Neuroregeneration Research: Preclinical studies have shown Lion's Mane may support remyelination, neuroplasticity, and protection against neurodegeneration. Human trials have shown improvements in mild cognitive impairment. Research is ongoing.

•      Neuroprotective Use Post-Stroke: Early and consistent use of neuroprotective compounds post-neurological event is an active area of clinical interest. Mason's anecdotal report of his mother's recovery aligns with the direction of current neuroprotective research.

Tremella (Tremella fuciformis) The Snow Mushroom

•      Polysaccharide Hydration: Tremella contains highly bioavailable plant-based glucuronoxylomannans — polysaccharides that function similarly to hyaluronic acid in their ability to attract and hold water. Some research suggests Tremella polysaccharides may outperform hyaluronic acid in hydration retention due to their smaller particle size, allowing deeper tissue penetration.

•      Lung-Skin Axis: In TCM, the Lung organ system (which governs the skin and is responsible for distributing Wei Qi (protective energy to the body surface) is nourished by Tremella as a yin tonic. This is why Mason describes it as 'working on the lung' first and the skin as the downstream outcome.

•      Antioxidant & Anti-Ageing: Tremella polysaccharides have demonstrated antioxidant activity and some evidence of skin-protective effects in UV damage studies. It is one of the primary herbs used in traditional Taoist beauty formulations alongside Schizandra and Goji.

Schizandra Berry (Schisandra chinensis) The Five Flavour Fruit

•      Five Tastes, Five Organs: Schizandra is unique in Chinese herbal medicine as a herb that simultaneously affects all five major organ systems (liver, kidneys, heart, lung, spleen) through its five flavours; sour, sweet, bitter, salty, and pungent. This makes it a powerful systemic tonic.

•      Liver Support: Schizandra has among the best evidence of any adaptogen for liver-protective effects, with research into lignans (schisandrin B in particular) showing hepatoprotective activity.

•      Skin Benefits: Historically used as a Taoist beauty herb. Modern research has looked at Schizandra's antioxidant and adaptogenic properties in the context of skin ageing, stress-related skin changes, and luminosity.

•      Yin Tonic: In TCM, Schizandra is used to consolidate and nourish yin, the cool, moist, receptive principle associated with hydration, tissue lubrication, and restorative rest.

Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) The Mushroom of Immortality

•      Immune Modulation: Reishi contains beta-glucans, triterpenes (ganoderic acids), and polysaccharides that have been extensively researched for their effects on NK cells, T-cells, and macrophages. It is considered the most studied immunomodulatory mushroom.

•      Adaptogenic & Nervine: Reishi is also studied for its calming effects on the nervous system, with some research suggesting GABAergic activity and cortisol-modulating properties.

•      Exohormesis (Hormetic Stress): Mason references this concept: growing Reishi in stressful, wild-simulating conditions causes the mushroom to produce more complex secondary metabolites (including triterpenes) as a survival response. This mirrors the hormesis principle seen in exercise, cold exposure, and fasting — a mild biological stressor that produces a stronger adaptive response.

Pickle Juice, The Sports Science

•      The 85-Second Study: A frequently cited 2010 study (Miller et al.) found that ingesting 1ml per kilogram of body weight of pickle juice stopped exercise-induced muscle cramping 37% faster than drinking the same volume of water, and 45% faster than no treatment. The cramping relief occurred too quickly to be explained by electrolyte absorption.

•      The Neurological Reflex Theory: The leading hypothesis (Schwellnus et al., 2009 and subsequent work) is that compounds in pickle juice — particularly acetic acid (vinegar) — activate transient receptor potential (TRP) channels in the oropharynx, oesophagus, and stomach. This triggers an inhibitory nerve reflex that suppresses the alpha motor neuron hyperactivity responsible for muscle cramps.

•      Electrolyte Content: Pickle juice does contain sodium (around 500mg per 100ml), potassium, and some magnesium. For heavy sweating during intense physical activity, this may offer meaningful electrolyte replacement. For watching the footy on the couch, it does not.

•      Night Cramps: The same neurological mechanism may explain anecdotal reports of pickle juice helping nocturnal leg cramps. Worth trialling if this is a regular issue.

PFAS (Forever Chemicals) in Cosmetics

•      What Are PFAS? Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances are a class of over 10,000 synthetic chemicals characterised by extremely strong carbon-fluorine bonds, making them resistant to heat, water, oil, and microbial degradation. They do not break down in the environment or in the body, hence 'forever chemicals.'

•      Use in Cosmetics: PFAS have been widely used in long-wear foundations, waterproof mascaras, lip products, and sunscreens for their film-forming, water-resistance, and longevity properties. Research has identified PFAS in a significant proportion of tested cosmetics products across multiple global markets.

•      Health Concerns: PFAS are associated with disruption of hormone and immune function, increased risk of certain cancers (particularly kidney and testicular), thyroid disruption, and reproductive effects. They bioaccumulate in blood and tissue and are found in almost all tested human blood samples globally.

•      The French Ban: France's regulation restricting PFAS in cosmetics took effect in January 2026, making France one of the first nations to impose such a ban. It applies to products manufactured in or sold into France.

•      The Global Ripple Effect: Because major cosmetics brands manufacture globally and cannot easily maintain different formulations for different markets, the French regulation has effectively driven reformulation for global product lines, benefiting consumers in Australia and elsewhere who have no equivalent domestic PFAS cosmetics ban.

•      Ongoing Concerns: Removal of PFAS does not make a product 'clean beauty.' Other synthetic film-formers, silicones, and preservatives remain. The reformulation is meaningful but partial.

📌 Episode 10 Links

Supercharged Food — Lee Holmes

Supercharge Your Gut — Lee's Products

Clean Nectarine — Irene Falcone

SuperFeast — Mason Taylor

SuperFeast Products Mentioned:

SuperFeast Jing Blend

SuperFeast Tremella

SuperFeast Mason's Mushrooms (8 Mushroom Blend)

SuperFeast I AM Gaia (Women's Blend)

SuperFeast Schizandra Berry

SuperFeast Lion's Mane

SuperFeast Reishi

Lee's Products:

Beef Liver Capsules — Supercharge Your Gut

Love Your Gut Diatomaceous Earth Powder

Referenced:

MIND Medicine Australia (Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy)

The Mushrooms at a Glance

Reishi: Immune powerhouse, adaptogen, nervine. Known as the Mushroom of Immortality. Requires wild-simulating stressful conditions to produce its full triterpene profile.

Lion's Mane: Neuroprotective, stimulates NGF/BDNF, supports nerve health and cognitive function.

Tremella: Snow mushroom. Yin tonic for lung and skin. Hydration from the inside out. Acts like hyaluronic acid through the lung-skin axis.

Cordyceps: Energy, adrenal, and athletic performance adaptogen. Native Australian variant: Cordyceps Gunnii (Tassie/Victoria).

Schizandra Berry: Five-flavour fruit. Liver protective, yin tonic, beauty herb. Takes all organs into harmony.

Tiger Milk Mushroom: Emerging. Researched primarily in Singapore. Immunity focus.

Ganoderma Applanatum (Artist's Conch): Gaining oncology research interest. Endemic in Australia and China.

Sourcing: Look for fruiting body + wood-grown + extracted. Beyond organic. Heavy metals tested to standards exceeding both US and Australian organic certification requirements.

🎙 Listen & Subscribe

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | YouTube | Substack

Follow us on Instagram:

@wellnessunfilteredleeirene | @leesupercharged | @cleannectarine

Join the conversation on Substack: wellnessunfilteredpod.com

Sponsor an episode? Email [email protected]

Disclaimer: This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.