The Wellness Breakdown

Eve Kalinik & Rose Ferguson

Welcome to The Wellness Breakdown; a podcast where we try out the latest health trends and see if they work. Each week our two hosts, Eve Kalinik and Rose Ferguson, challenge each other to try a fad diet, test a heath gadget or explore an issue that's become the latest craze. They'll record their experience testing out these trends over several days or weeks and report back. As wellness experts, they separate the pseudo from the science, and give you a frank and honest account of their experience. So please join us for The Wellness Breakdown. Rose Ferguson is a nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner & Eve Kalinik is a nutritional therapist and author. read less

Is Pilates more than just about the pelvic floor?
Apr 19 2023
Is Pilates more than just about the pelvic floor?
Despite having its first wave of celebrity endorsement in the 90’s, pilates has been around since the 1920’s.  It was created by Joseph Pilates who famously said “in 10 sessions you feel better, in 20 sessions you look better, 30 sessions you have a completely new body”. The main premise being on strengthening core muscles around the spine and the pelvic floor with a focus on strategic working of the muscles rather than exhaustion to create length and strength alongside its signature breathing. Pilates can be done on a mat or using a reformer machine which uses springs, ropes and pulleys. Research shows that pilates can help with recovery and certain injuries, increase strength and endurance as well as improving flexibility, balance and posture.We wanted to put it to the test and for this challenge we have literally ‘roped in’ our first guest of the season, the amazing author, integrated health practitioner and founder of her eponymous chai brand, Mira Manek to see if she found any benefits from it.Does Mira find more flexibly, mobility and strength in her core? Or does she just want to get back to being her usual gym bunny self?Listen in to find out!This season is kindly sponsored by Ancient and Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earthWith special thanks to @moveyourframe Other pilates apps mentioned in the podcast are:The Pilates Class by Jacqui Kingswell Pilates By BryonyChloe's Pilates by Chloe Hodgson This podcast is produced by Elisa KennedyWe love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod
Is calorie counting a waste of time?
Mar 29 2023
Is calorie counting a waste of time?
TRIGGER WARNING: Eating disorders are discussed in this episode Calories are universally recognised as a means to measure the amount of energy in foods that are present on the pack of every food we buy. This has been used as a way to monitor the amount of energy we take in through our food and implemented in certain weight loss programmes. In more recent years it has gained a lot more popularity through certain apps. However whilst calories can give some indication of the units of energy in food they do not give any data on the nutritional value and quality of food which is why this method has come under more scrutiny. So much so that the phrase “calories in, calories out” for weight loss is really not that straight forward at all and has been refuted by many. We want to see if calorie counting has any validity or use in helping us to support our health and wellbeing or is it just a total waste of time?The rules:Rose has to count calories for a week using an app which will have been calculated according to her age/height/weight and meet the target amount over the course of the week. She has to upload everything she eats and drinks for the duration of the week and note how she is feeling throughout the week both physically and mentally.Does she find this useful or just a way to feed into a dysfunctional relationship with our food?Listen in to find out!This season is kindly sponsored by Ancient and Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earthThis podcast is produced by Elisa KennedyWe love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod
DO WE NEED TO ‘CLEANSE’ OUR LIVER?
Mar 22 2023
DO WE NEED TO ‘CLEANSE’ OUR LIVER?
Liver cleanses and detoxes can be big business in the wellness industry. Essentially these various programmes or protocols are based around the notion that they promise to 'rid the body of various toxins’. Despite some quite bold claims there is virtually no scientific evidence to back this up. There are many different interpretations of what these cleanses look like including the ‘liver flush’ which includes drinking a cocktail of ingredients designed to do just that. However pseudoscience a lot of these are, is there a bigger question of looking to support our liver health more generally? We wanted to dig into this. So in this episode Rose challenges Eve to follow a 3 day protocol including an…erm…delicious drink?!The rules: For 3 days Eve has to cut out all caffeine, alcohol and sugar and eat vegetables, wholegrain, fruit, nuts & seeds and protein in the form of chicken, fish and pulses. She also has to have a daily 'liver flush’ drink.Does Eve notice any benefits at all or is it just another ridiculous fad? Listen in to find out!This season is kindly sponsored by Ancient and Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earthThis podcast is produced by Elisa KennedyWe love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod
Is acupuncture really that ‘on point’?
Mar 15 2023
Is acupuncture really that ‘on point’?
Acupuncture is based on an ancient Chinese medicine philosophy using needles to trigger specific points in order to influence areas of the body and to bring into alignment ‘qi’ which refers to the body’s life-giving force. Despite this sounding a little woo woo to some people the anecdotal evidence is vast and there are more and more scientific studies to demonstrate its effects on chronic pain, hormone balancing and reducing stress. So with this in mind we wanted to see if it can be a point in the right direction and this is the challenge for this week’s episode. The rules: Rose has to go for 1 acupuncture session every week for 4 weeks.Can this help address Rose’s longstanding shoulder injury and help balance some of the stressors in her life? Or does it live up to her rather sceptical expectations? Listen in to find out!This season is kindly sponsored by Ancient and Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earthAcupuncture name checks:Rose visited her local acupuncturist Richard Agnew - https://richardagnew.co.uk/People and practises also mentioned in the show @rossjbarrclinic @kookantherapy This podcast is produced by Elisa KennedyWe love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod
What happens when you eat only junk food (aka UPF’s) for a week?
Mar 8 2023
What happens when you eat only junk food (aka UPF’s) for a week?
Ultra-processed foods or UPF’s are foods that have undergone heavy processing using largely manufactured ingredients on industrial-scale levels. This usually means using methods like hydrogenation and moulding and chemical additives such as preservatives, stabilisers, emulsifiers and artificial sweeteners. These foods are typically calorie dense and low in nutritional value. Examples include crisps, cookies, cakes, many breads, ready-meals…the list is long, but they also include the so-called 'healthy' options like some milk alternatives and plant based foods. The general consensus is that ultra-processed foods are unhealthy and have been associated with an increased risk of myriad chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity and heart disease. However how bad can they be for our health?That is the challenge for this week’s episode as Rose asks Eve to go all out on junk food for a week. The rules: Eve has to eat almost exclusively UPF’s for 7 daysCan Eve make it through the week or does she literally feel sick of it? Listen in to find out!This season is kindly sponsored by Ancient and Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earthThis podcast is produced by Elisa KennedyWe love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod
Is Water Fasting a risky business?
Mar 1 2023
Is Water Fasting a risky business?
With the increased interest in the concept of fasting we wanted to push this to the extreme and explore water fasting - a type of fast during which you cannot consume anything other than water.There are a few reasons why people might fast including religious reasons as well as prepping for medical procedures but in the realms of health benefits it is most commonly used for weight loss and ‘detoxing’. Whilst neither of these have been substantiated with scientific evidence there have been a small amount of studies linking its ability to help support the process of cellular renewal and potentially improving blood sugar management.The rules: For 24 hours Rose can only consume plain water. No herbal teas or any other liquids. She must try to drink 2-3 litres of water during the 24 hours.Whilst Rose is both an advocate and a seasoned faster, using various types of fasts in her practise, she has never attempted a full on water one which makes her the perfect person for this challenge. But will this be a bridge too far, even for Rose?  Listen to find out!This season is kindly sponsored by Ancient and Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earthRose also discussed her online workout challenge - for more info go to https://www.muscleandstrength.comThis podcast is produced by Elisa KennedyWe love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod
Your Christmas Bonus Episode! 12 Days of Sprouts ...
Dec 20 2022
Your Christmas Bonus Episode! 12 Days of Sprouts ...
Love them or loathe them Brussels sprouts are synonymous with Christmas and so we thought an entire episode dedicated to them would be suitably festive. They also pack a pretty mean punch flavour and nutrition wise being that they are high in powerful compounds such as Indole-3-carbinols and sulforaphane that have been linked to myriad positive health benefits. They are also rich in raffinose which, although good for our gut bugs, is kind of the reason for their less…erm..’festive' gassy side effects. We wanted to test Brussels sprouts to the max so in this challenge both of us have to eat Brussels sprouts every day for 12 days. They can be cooked in any way we want but we do need to have them daily. Does this reaffirm Rose’s adoration of the little green fellas or does she actually feel green herself after 12 days straight on the sprouts? And can Eve actually complete one challenge this season?  Listen to find out! This season is kindly sponsored by Ancient and Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earth for more info. Some of our suggestions for tasty sprouts throughout Christmas!Raw honey glazed BrusselsIngredients1 lb. Brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil1/2 c. good quality balsamic vinegar2 tbsp. raw local honey1 tbsp. dijon mustard2 cloves garlic, mincedHimalayan saltFreshly ground black pepperMethodIn a large skillet over medium heat, heat oil. Add Brussels sprouts, cut side down, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until golden on the bottom. Add ¼ cup water and cover. Let Brussels sprouts steam until tender, 3 minutes. If the skillet seems dry, add more water a tablespoon at a time.Remove sprouts from skillet and set aside on a plate. Add vinegar, honey, mustard, and garlic and whisk to combine. Bring to a simmer and cook until thick and syrupy, 6 to 8 minutes. Return sprouts to pan, toss to coat, and heat through, 2 to 3 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.Shredded lemon maple sprouts IngredientsZest of 1 lemon, plus 3 tbsp. lemon juice2 tbsp organic maple syrup 2 tsp. Dijon mustard1 clove garlic1/2 to 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, depending on spice preference1 tbsp. Extra-virgin olive oil1 lb. Brussels sprouts, shreddedsalt Freshly ground black pepperToasted slivered almonds, for serving MethodIn a food processor or blender, combine lemon juice, anchovies, maple syrup, mustard, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Blend until smooth. (Alternatively, finely mince the anchovies and garlic and whisk into remaining sauce ingredients.) Set aside 2 tablespoons of the sauce for serving.Heat oil in a 12” skillet over medium heat until shimmering.Add Brussels sprouts and shake pan to settle them in an even layer. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes. Add all but the reserved 2 tablespoons sauce to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring until all liquid is absorbed, about 2 more minutes.Remove skillet from heat and stir in lemon zest. Transfer to serving plate, drizzle with remaining sauce, and top with almonds.This podcast is produced by Elisa KennedyWe love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod
What is the deal with Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment?
Dec 6 2022
What is the deal with Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment?
Hyberbaric Oxygen Treatment (HBOT) has been associated with improving a diverse range of conditions, mostly used for post surgical and injury recovery. More recently though it is being used to provide anti-inflammatory and immune support in conditions such as asthma. Essentially it involves sitting or lying in a pressurised chamber and breathing in approximately 95% of concentrated oxygen under atmospheric pressure which is reported to increase cell function and repair on a cellular level.We were super intrigued about this and so was our third guest of the season, the amazing Jo Good, radio presenter, broadcast journalist and YouTube sensation. Jo has suffered from really bad bouts of asthma since having COVID so we thought she would be the perfect candidate to go into the chamber!The rules:Simple really. Jo must complete two HBOT sessions at The Vital Practise in W1 @thevitalpractice https://www.thevitalpractice.co.ukCan HBOT be a way to help Jo back onto the road to recovery? And does her inner skeptic actually have a change of perspective after going into the chamber?Listen in to find out!This season is kindly sponsored by Ancient and Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earthfor more info.You can follow Jo Good on her You Tube channel Middle Aged Mibx here:https://youtu.be/fj1DEyOp690This podcast is produced by Elisa KennedyWe love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod
Can mushrooms be ‘magical’ for our immune system?
Nov 22 2022
Can mushrooms be ‘magical’ for our immune system?
Well to be clear we are not talking about the hallucinogenic ones but medicinal mushrooms that include reishi, cordyceps and lion’s mane to name a few. These medicinal mushrooms have been around for centuries and traditionally used for their health promoting benefits including helping to manage stress and anxiety, reduce inflammation and even heralded as promoting longevity. Scientific studies tell us that this is potentially due to the many bioactive compounds including immune modulating effects. This is why they have also been associated with supporting immune system health and the reason why we have decided to ask our next guest, Rose’s daughter, Elfie to take on the challenge. Elfie has had a longstanding history with her immune system health so we reckon she is the perfect candidate for this one!The rules:Elfie has to take a mushroom complex in capsule format as directed. We have also encouraged her to also use mushroom teas alongside to give her an extra hit. Because these do take a while to kick in the challenge is for 6 weeks. Can mushrooms hold the secret to getting Elfie’s immune system finally back and firing on all cylinders? Listen in to find out!The brands used and mentioned in the episode are below@mushrooms_4life@myco.nutri@dirteaworldThis season is kindly sponsored by Ancient and Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earth for more info.This podcast is produced by Elisa KennedyWe love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod
Is 30-per-week the new 5-a-day?
Nov 1 2022
Is 30-per-week the new 5-a-day?
Many of us are familiar with the mantra ‘5-a-day’ and whilst that takes into account the amount of fruit and veg we should be eating it is missing a key component when it comes to gut health which is diversity. We know that the path to a healthier and happier gut is one that is diverse as this feeds many more good microbes in our microbiome. The way to achieve this is eating a wide variety of plants and this is where the new ’30-per-week’ phrase comes in.  This week we rope in our first guest of the season, the incredibly inspiring Julia Samuel MBE, renowned psychotherapist, author, and podcaster. The rulesJulia has to meet the quota of 30 or more different types of plants per week which can come from fruit, vegetables, whole grains and nuts & seeds. Herbs and spices also count but since these are typically used in much lower amounts think of one measure of spice as a 1/4 portion. Each plant item only counts as once in the week even if Julia eats it every day. She can consume fresh, dried, canned or frozen so no restrictions there. We want to know if bringing some more variety into the plant foods we eat could be THE most important thing we do for our gut health? And how doable is it actually in a busy and convenience driven world?This season is kindly sponsored by Ancient and Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earthFor more info on our other episode sponsor Bimuno click here https://bit.ly/3TBvTPd Check out Julia Samuel MBE @juliasamuelmbe and her podcast Therapy Works https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/therapy-works/id1646616622 And for Chefs in Schools head here https://chefsinschools.org.uk This podcast is produced by Elisa KennedyWe love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod
Is Manifestation the Secret to Getting the Life you Want?
Oct 25 2022
Is Manifestation the Secret to Getting the Life you Want?
The concept of manifestation is essentially the act of bringing into reality the outcomes that you desire. More recently manifestation has been popularised by books like The Law of Attraction and The Secret. Some will refer to manifestation as simply woo woo and pseudoscience but others disagree so is there a more nuanced way to think about this?  We wanted to find out and as such Rose is taking on the challenge this episode.The rulesPeople in the business of manifesting swear by a vision board so Rose has to firstly create a vision/action board with pictures of the things she wants to manifest in her life. Thereafter Rose needs to set aside time each day to think about and write down the steps she can take to reach these goals and build them into her routine. She also has to complete a gratitude journal every day for 2 weeks.  Is there actually some science behind the idea of manifestation, of turning an idea or a wish into a real thing? Or is it literally a load of nonsense? This season is kindly sponsored by Ancient and Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earth for further info.For more on Tara Swart and her book ’The Source’ head to https://www.taraswart.com and Gabrielle Bernstein https://gabbybernstein.com Rose's recommendation on Morpheus8 treatment is  https://nilamholmes.comThis podcast is produced by Elisa Kennedy We love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod
Waste Not, Want Not
Oct 18 2022
Waste Not, Want Not
As we are in a global climate catastrophe it is vital that all of us actively strive to change our lifestyle and food practices to feed into a more sustainable system. Much of this means minimising the volume and toxicity of our waste as well as conserving as much and as many resources as we can to help support the health of our planet and everything that lives on it.Whilst both of us try to follow this concept as much as possible we also acknowledge that we can and need to do better. That’s the reason why both of us are taking on this one and also encourage you listeners to join us on it too….not just for the week but for the foreseeableThe rules:Since food is our thing we have focused on specifically reducing food waste so this means…Eating local and seasonalShopping from local markets and shops and taking a reusable bagFocus on mostly plant-based foods and only one meal with local organic meat/poultryMake food from scratch and use every morsel - anything left needs to be compostedNo single use plastics or disposable cupsRefill jars of grains, nuts & seeds, legumes, etc Swap to eco-friendly cleaning products including loo and kitchen rollWill we succeed? Listen in to the episode to find out!This season is kindly sponsored by Ancient & Brave. Head to https://ancientandbrave.earth for further info. Ancient & Brave also take a very active approach to minimise all and any waste being climate neutral and a B corp and they were also keen for us to take on this challenge being that they are a member of the powerful global initiative ‘1% for the Planet’. For Who Gives Crap enter TP4EVA which takes £5 off the first box when you sign up for a recurring TP subscription.This podcast is produced by Elisa KennedyWe love to hear your thoughts, feedback and challenge ideas and experiences so please email us at info@thewellnessbreakdown.co.uk or contact us on Instagram @the_wellnessbreakdown @rosemaryferguson_ and @evekalinikPlus you can now see our podcasts on You Tube! Go to youtube.com/@thewellnessbreakdownpod