Is kombucha just another health trend? Something you drink because it’s “better than soda”?

Or have we completely misunderstood it?

On the latest episode of the Wellness Club Social, our guest Leela, founder of @me_kombucha , explains how her journey into fermentation started long before it became fashionable - with her mother’s cancer diagnosis and a lesson about food, immunity, and prevention that stayed with her for life.

In this conversation, we talk about why most kombucha on the market isn’t what it claims to be, how fermentation really works, and why real health often comes down to patience, process, and not cutting corners.

00:00 Intro — Meet Leela, Founder of ME Kombucha

01:59 Kombucha, Cancer & Fermented Foods

02:38 Nursing, Cancer Care & Gut Health

05:08 What Is Kombucha?

05:30 Homemade vs Commercial Kombucha

06:48 Pasteurized vs Non-Pasteurized Kombucha

08:28 Why Kombucha Must Be Made Locally

09:11 “Zero Sugar Kombucha” Explained

12:16 First Emirati Kombucha Brand in the UAE

13:20 Kombucha for Kids & Immunity

15:26 Why Fermented Foods Taste Strong at First

18:07 How to Store Kombucha Correctly

19:31 Sugar, Honey & Kombucha Myths

21:32 Chromium, Insulin & Metabolism

23:31 What Makes ME Kombucha Unique

24:49 Best Time to Drink Kombucha

26:38 Bloating, SIBO & Fermented Foods

28:55 Is Fermentation Natural for Humans?

35:56 Health Benefits of Kombucha

38:24 Future of Wellness in the UAE

40:42 Education Over Profit

46:06 New Kombucha Flavors Coming

47:28 Expansion Beyond the UAE

49:14 Where to Buy ME Kombucha

To learn more about ME Kombucha:

Instagram: @me_kombucha

Website: https://mekombucha.com/

Most of us think kombucha is just another health trend.Something you drink because it’s “better than soda.”But what if we’ve completely misunderstood it?Today’s guest is Leela Doogchi, founder of ME Kombucha, and her journey into fermentation started long before it became fashionable - with her mother’s cancer diagnosis and a lesson about food, immunity, and prevention that stayed with her for life.In this conversation, we talk about why most kombucha on the market isn’t what it claims to be, how fermentation really works, and why real health often comes down to patience, process, and not cutting corners.This episode isn’t about chasing wellness.It’s about understanding it.

00:00 Meet Leela, Founder of ME Kombucha

01:59 Kombucha, Cancer & Fermented Foods

02:38 Nursing, Cancer Care & Functional Medicine

05:08 What Is Kombucha?

05:30 Homemade vs Commercial Kombucha

06:48 Pasteurized vs Non-Pasteurized

08:28 Why Local Kombucha Matters

09:11 The Truth About “Zero Sugar” Kombucha

12:16 Building the First Emirati Kombucha Brand

13:20 Kombucha for Kids & Immunity

15:26 Why Fermented Foods Are an Acquired Taste

18:07 How to Store Kombucha Properly

19:31 Sugar, Honey, & Stevia Kombucha

21:32 Chromium, Insulin & Metabolism

23:31 What Makes ME Kombucha Different

24:49 When to Drink Kombucha

26:38 Bloating, SIBO & Starting Slowly

28:55 Is Fermentation Natural?

35:56 Health Benefits of Kombucha

38:24 The Future of Wellness in the UAE

40:42 Education Over Business

46:06 New Flavors & What’s Next

47:28 Expansion Beyond the UAE

49:14 Where to Find ME Kombucha

50:09 Outro

Please like, subscribe, and leave a review.Share with someone who cares about wellness and their gut health.To learn more about ME Kombucha:Instagram: @me-kombucha🎧 Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts & Spotify▶️ Watch now on YouTube

Most of us think health is about doing more.More supplements. More routines. More rules.But what if real health is about slowing down…and going back to what our bodies have always known?Our guest, Hadil AlKatib, is the founder of The Roost, The Broth Lab and Catcha Matcha. But before building some of the region’s most trusted wellness brands, she was a corporate executive, a new mother, and quietly struggling with her own health.In this conversation, Hadil shares why modern wellness often misses the point, how ancestral foods helped her heal her gut after postpartum burnout, and why the future of health isn’t about hacks - it’s about foundations.This episode is a reminder that sometimes, the way forward…is backwards.

00:00 Meet Hadil AlKatib

01:08 Postpartum Health Crisis

03:20 Women, Wellness & Abundance

07:46 Gut Health Confusion After Motherhood

10:58 Feeling Unwell Despite “Perfect” Tests

13:34 Learning Nutrition & Microbiome Health

18:36 Food as Medicine & The Broth Lab

22:08 Why Health Is “Backwards”

27:23 Bone Broth Quality Explained

31:26 When & How to Drink Broth

36:00 Healing Kids’ Gut Health

41:47 Katcha Matcha & Ceremonial Quality

49:01 First Gut-Health Advice

51:18 Hormones, Ageing & Nutrition

54:44 Tallow, Retreats & Community

1:01:02 The Future of Wellness

1:05:27 Closing & Next Episode

Please like, subscribe, and leave a review.Share it with someone who cares about wellness and their gut health.To learn more about Hadil:Instagram: @healwithhadilInstagram: @thebrothlabInstagram: @theroost_aeInstagram: @catcha_matcha🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts ▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube

What if the supplements you’re taking aren’t doing what you think they are?

What if the glossy wellness branding, the celebrity endorsements, and the “all-in-one” miracle powders are actually the red flag?

In this episode of The Wellness Club Social, we sit down with Borna Bandari, CEO of Cymbiotika Middle East and former California litigation attorney, to unpack the uncomfortable truth about the modern supplements industry - from inside the boardroom and the lab.

Borna shares how burning out as a lawyer on an 18-hour-a-day case led him to a radical health transformation: solo hikes with a backpack and tent, losing 25–30kg, and eventually moving to Dubai to bring Cymbiotika to the region. We talk about ancestral wisdom vs. flashy marketing, why Cymbiotika refuses to pay celebrities or influencers, and what that really says about where other brands are putting their money: in ingredients… or in endorsements.

We go deep on:

• The real difference between a AED20 vitamin C and a AED200 vitamin C

• Why ingredient integrity, sourcing, and bioavailability matter more than the label claim

• The truth about “all-in-one” powders and why they’re Borna’s least favorite wellness trend

• Borna’s own morning protocol: salt water, NMN, molecular hydrogen, glutathione & Turkish coffee

• How influencers, fake engagement and paid posts distort trust in wellness

• Why the future of wellness is a return to basics: real food, clean water, quality salt, sleep, stress management - with supplements as a powerful addition, not a shortcut

This conversation will change the way you look at your supplement shelf, your food shop, and the brands you trust with your health. If you’ve ever wondered “Do I actually need supplements?”, “Which ones are truly essential?” or “How do I know which brands are legit?”, this episode is your playbook.

00:00 – Meet Borna Bandari

01:10 – The Philosophy Behind Cymbiotika

01:54 – From Lawyer to Wellness Leader

04:58 – The Origins of Cymbiotika

07:05 – Obsession With Ingredients

09:52 – Why Cheap Supplements Don’t Work

12:00 – The Rise of Wellness Apps & Consumer Awareness

13:59 – Mushroom Brands, Lion’s Mane & Regulations

17:05 – US vs UAE: How Wellness Markets Differ

20:11 – Do We Really Need Supplements?

22:49 – Why Some Supplements “Don’t Work”

27:02 – Bioavailability & Liposomal Technology

29:06 – Inside Borna’s Morning Routine

31:05 – The Myth of Supplements as a Quick Fix

35:07 – The Wellness Trend That Annoys Borna Most

38:24 – The Truth About Influencer Marketing

43:08 – How Cymbiotika Markets Without Marketing

46:07 – Are Events Worth It?

49:00 – The Future of Supplements

52:15 – Building a Brand With Integrity

53:05 – How to Buy Supplements Like a Pro

Please like, subscribe, and leave a review.

Share it with someone who cares about wellness - or someone who has a supplement shelf that needs rethinking.

To learn more about Cymbiotika:

cymbiotika.ae

Instagram @cymbiotikame

YouTube @cymbiotika

TikTok @cymbiotika

🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube

We live in a world fueled by caffeine, overstimulation and burnout — and most of us call it “normal.”But what if the fog, the fatigue, the anxiety… isn’t a personality trait, but a biological response?

In this episode, we sit down with Justin Ford, founder of Life Within, to uncover how functional mushrooms, ceremonial cacao and ancestral African superfoods can help reset the body and rebuild the mind from the inside out.

This is a conversation about nervous system healing, conscious nutrition, and the moment Justin realised he was living a life completely disconnected from himself.If you’ve ever felt tired, wired, anxious or overwhelmed - this episode is for you.

00:00 Intro – Meet Justin, Founder of Life Within

00:43 What Is Life Within & the Cacao Wizard’s Mix?

02:01 First Taste: Cacao Ritual & Grounding Exercise

08:43 How a Lion’s Mane Curry in Singapore Changed Everything

14:27 What Are Functional (Not “Medicinal”) Mushrooms?

16:04 African Excellence & Conscious Sourcing of Ingredients

19:04 Heavy Metals, Mold & Testing for Safe Cacao and Mushrooms

21:17 Why Justin Chose Dubai & Burning Out in Corporate Life

26:49 Where to Start With Functional Mushrooms & What Is “Mushroom Stacking”?

31:25 Sprays vs Powders – Which Form Works Best and Why

33:55 Tremella & Beauty From Within: Skin Hydration and Glow

35:17 Mushrooms and Hormones: Support Through Perimenopause & Menopause

40:12 Fertility, Pregnancy & Why Justin Won’t Overclaim Benefits

42:32 Coffee Addiction & Discovering Manibrew (Caffeine-Free “Espresso”)

45:39 Cacao vs Coffee – Energy, Mood & the Science Behind Both

49:29 How to Prepare Ceremonial-Grade Cacao at Home

51:12 Can You Take Too Much Cacao? Safe Doses & Side Effects

52:28 Closing Thoughts, Gratitude & Next Guest Teaser

Learn more about our guest Justin Ford and Life Within:

Instagram @justin4d @wearelifewithin

YouTube @wearelifewithin‬

wearelifewithin.com

If this conversation challenges the way you think about energy, focus and wellness, share it with someone who needs it.

🎧 Listen now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

▶️ Watch the full episode on YouTube

In Episode 2, we sit down with Dr. Maria Alonso - the UAE’s leading voices in preventive and integrative medicine. We unpack how gut health shapes our mood, skin, immunity, and longevity - and why true wellness is never about perfection but rather about connection with yourself.

01:14 Dr. Maria’s Journey from Spain to Dubai

04:28 From Conventional to Integrative Medicine

07:10 Why We’re More Confused Than Ever About Health

09:25 What Your Gut Is Trying to Tell You

12:05 The Myth of Clean Eating

14:52 How Microbiome Diversity Shapes Your Mood

17:40 Gut–Skin Connection: Healing From the Inside Out

20:33 Intuition & the Biology of the “Gut Feeling”

23:11 The Truth About Emotional Eating

25:45 The Hidden Enemies of a Healthy Microbiome

28:12 Personalized Nutrition — Help or Hype?

31:25 Cravings, Travel & Gut Imbalance

34:49 Are We Too Clean for Our Own Good?

37:25 Dr. Maria’s Daily Wellness Rituals

40:10 The Future of Gut Health & Longevity

In Episode 1, we dive into the idea that true health isn’t something you can shortcut — it’s about consistent habits, mindset, and the small decisions you make daily.

00:00 Intro & Why “Feeling Healthy” Isn’t a Cheat Code

02:15 The Myth of Quick Fixes: Why They Fail

05:30 Short-Term Gains vs. Sustainable Health

08:05 The Role of Sleep, Stress & Recovery in Real Health

10:40 Nutrition: It’s Not Just What You Eat, But How You Eat It

13:20 Movement & Exercise: Less About Extremes, More About Consistency

15:55 Why Mindset Shifts Matter More Than Metrics

18:45 Habits Over Hacks: Building a Foundation You Can Trust

21:30 When “Doing Everything” Becomes Doing Too Much

23:50 Slumps & Plateaus: How to Navigate Them

26:15 You Can’t Cheat Feeling Healthy

28:00 Final Thoughts