This week we're joined by William Porter, author of Alcohol Explained, for a clear, no-nonsense look at why alcohol is so compelling, and why it can be so hard to moderate. We talk about alcohol's sedative effect, how the brain counteracts it (and why that can feel like anxiety later), why cravings aren't just "lack of willpower," and how alcohol disrupts sleep (including those familiar 3am wake-ups). We also unpack the myth of alcohol as a "truth drug," the link between drinking and low mood, and why many people find it easier to stop completely than to keep negotiating "rules" around drinking.

• Why alcohol is a sedative (and why it can still seem "stimulating")

• The brain's rebound effect: relaxation → anxiety as alcohol wears off

• How craving builds as a learned loop (not a moral failing)

• Why some people don't drink in the morning—even though it would "work"

• Alcohol and sleep disruption (REM, tiredness, 2–4am wake-ups)

• The "truth drug" myth and emotional dysregulation

• Drinking, depression & anxiety: why the relationship goes both ways

• Why quitting can feel like freedom, not discipline

• A practical tool: "play it forward" (what happens after the first drink)

William Porter — Author of Alcohol Explained

https://alcoholexplained.com/

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• Retreat: The Detox Barn www.gavinsisters.co.uk

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When Mail journalist Sandra Parsons suffered a serious back injury in her mid-40s, she knew something had to change. Years of smoking, drinking, and late-night takeaways at her desk had taken their toll—she was in constant pain and felt, quite simply, old.

Determined to heal her body, Sandra began exploring the science of ageing—and was amazed by what she discovered: that ageing is increasingly seen not as an inevitability, but as a treatable condition. By tackling its root causes, it's possible to turn back the biological clock and dramatically extend your health span.

Drawing on cutting-edge medical research and advice from the world's leading longevity experts, she developed a three-step plan focusing on how we eat, move, and rest. Designed to build sustainable long-term habits, the plan delivers noticeable results in just a few weeks. With health quizzes at each step, simple food swaps, and practical lifestyle tweaks, the book offers a realistic and empowering path to reversing years of damage—and feeling better than ever.

Now 61, Sandra recently took a biological age test—and it revealed she has the internal health markers of a 20-year-old. That's right: 61 on the outside, 20 on the inside. This book shares exactly how she achieved that transformation—and how you can too.

I keep quoting from her book because everything she uncovered aligns perfectly with what Sharon and I have learned. What I especially loved is her message that it's never too late, and that small, consistent changes can create massive results. We also really liked Sandra herself—kind, patient, and a true fountain of knowledge.

SandraParsons worked at The Times and edited T2 for 8 years, before becoming a columnist at the Daily Mail. She has now been the Daily Mail's Literary Editor for 15 years. She is also a qualified yoga instructor.

This is a must listen!!!

https://www.instagram.com/agelessthemethod/

Ageless Book

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This episode is sponsored by Funki Coffee. Organic triple certified mushroom coffee boosted by adaptogens. Great for gut health, skin, immune boosting, and no crash.

Use the code podcast for 10% off for listeners.

In this enlightening episode, author and mental health advocate Rachel Kelly joins us to explore her transformative book, The Gift of Teenagers. Drawing from her personal journey and professional experience, Rachel offers heartfelt stories and practical insights into the challenges and joys of parenting teens.

From navigating the digital age to understanding attachment styles, Rachel helps us reframe adolescence as a time of growth—not just for teenagers, but for parents too. I've realised that by keeping calm and creating my own happiness, I can have a profound effect on my children. It's not always easy, but it's powerful.

Key Topics Discussed:

• The Digital Age – How technology is reshaping parenting and the challenges it presents

• Attachment Styles – Why understanding your own attachment style can transform how you connect with your teen

• Boundaries vs. Friendship – Striking the right balance between being your teen's parent and their friend

• Emotional Regulation – Tools for managing your emotions and modeling healthy behavior

• Exam Pressure – Supporting teens through academic stress and encouraging a growth mindset

• Co-Dependency – Recognizing and shifting patterns that inhibit your teen's independence

• Building Strong Connections – How rituals and open communication strengthen the parent-child bond

Learn more about Rachel Kelly and her work: https://www.rachel-kelly.net

Rachel is an ambassador for mental health charities including SANE and Rethink Mental Illness, and the founder of wellbeing workshops rooted in practical psychology and the healing power of words. Her work has appeared in The Times, The Guardian, and Psychologies, and she regularly appears on radio and TV discussing emotional health and parenting.

Best known for her bestselling memoir, Black Rainbow, which chronicles her journey through depression and recovery, Rachel has become a powerful voice in the conversation around emotional well-being, mental health, and resilience.

Remember to hit SUBSCRIBE or FOLLOW so you don't miss any new episodes, follow us on the links below for more and please review us, even one line helps!!

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

Insta: @gavinsistersuk

TIKTOK:@gavinsisters

Facebook: @TheDetoxBarn

You Tube: @gavingavin

This episode is sponsored by Funki Coffee. Organic triple certified mushroom coffee boosted by adaptogens. Great for gut health, skin, immune boosting, and no crash.

Use the code podcast for 10% off for listeners.

In this episode, we dive into an enlightening conversation with Dr. Sui Wong, a leading consultant neurologist and NHS practitioner. After experiencing constant fatigue and low energy herself, Dr. Wong began exploring how lifestyle medicine—alongside her traditional medical practice—can dramatically improve brain health, energy levels, and overall wellbeing.

We explore:

• How lifestyle medicine complements traditional neurology in supporting brain function.

• The impact of nutrition on mental clarity, energy, and cognitive health.

• Practical, everyday strategies for incorporating healthier habits.

• The role of magnesium and resistant starch in maintaining steady energy.

• Insights into the vagus nerve and its link to relaxation and mindfulness.

• How lifestyle changes can help prevent dementia and support long-term brain health.

Whether you're looking to regain your energy or protect your brain as you age, Dr. Wong offers powerful, practical insights to help you make meaningful changes.

Connect with Dr. Sui Wong:
Visit www.drsuiwongmd.com to learn more about her work and resources.

CTA links:

Remember to hit SUBSCRIBE or FOLLOW so you don't miss any new episodes, follow us on the links below for more and please review us, even one line helps!!

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This episode is sponsored by Funki Coffee. Organic triple certified mushroom coffee boosted by adaptogens. Great for gut health, skin, immune boosting, and no crash.

Use the code podcast for 10% off for listeners.

In this episode, we sit down with Anna Donahey—an alcohol coach, podcast host, and former ad agency high-flyer—who shares her raw and honest story of walking away from alcohol and rebuilding her life from the inside out.

Anna opens up about what it was really like being the "fun" one in a drinking culture that's everywhere—especially in high-pressure, high-performance environments. She talks about the silent toll alcohol was taking on her career, her motherhood journey, and her mental health… and what finally made her say: enough.

This is more than just a conversation about quitting drinking—it's about identity, freedom, and the powerful decision to choose yourself.

In Anna's Words:
"I didn't have a rock bottom moment. I had hundreds of little ones. I just got tired of breaking promises to myself."

Whether you're sober-curious, struggling with moderation, or simply wondering what life could look like without alcohol, this episode will make you feel seen, supported, and inspired.

What We Talk About:

• Living and working in a drink-heavy culture

• Why quitting was harder after becoming a mum

• The slow unraveling (and rebuilding) of identity

• What alcohol is really masking

• Her advice for anyone thinking about cutting back

Guest: Anna Donahey, host of The Big Drink Rethink Podcast

Connect with Anna Donahey:

• Website: https://www.thebeliefscoach.com

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bigdrinkrethink

• Podcast: The Big Drink Rethink (available on all major platforms)

Sponsored by Funki Coffee
Triple-certified organic coffee with adaptogens. Use code "podcast" for 10% off at GavinSisters.co.uk

This week on the show, we're joined by Scott Hanley, a man whose Parkinson's diagnosis became a powerful catalyst for change. At 51, Scott was told his future would be a slow decline - but he chose a different path. What followed was an extraordinary journey through high-intensity, cognitively challenging workouts, a radical shift in nutrition, and a complete reframing of mindset. The result? Three years symptom-free, and a life more vibrant than ever.

Scott opens up about the early warning signs, the emotional weight of diagnosis, and the moment he decided Parkinson's wasn't going to define him. We dive into the logic and science behind his training, the mental rewiring that took place along the way, and how he reshaped deeply ingrained habits. With warmth, honesty, and a sharp sense of humour, Scott shares what it really means to choose hope over fear, and how movement, mindset, and meaning can transform our health, whatever the challenge.

This episode will leave you energised to move, motivated to shift your mindset, and reminded that it's never too late to rewrite your health story.

In this episode, we explore:

• How cognitively intense exercise helped Scott retrain his brain and reduce symptoms

• The role of intention and consistency in making lasting change

• Why the brain-body connection is key to building resilience and wellness

• The shift from medication dependency to strength and stability through fitness

• How CrossFit provided the structure, variety, and mental challenge Scott needed

• What nutrition changes made the biggest difference , and why they weren't hard to stick to

• Why mindset is so important in the face of chronic illness

• How reshaping habits created sustainable progress
  

Connect with Scott Hanley

Website: thrivehappens.com

Instagram: @thrive_happens

Remember to hit SUBSCRIBE or FOLLOW so you don't miss any new episodes. Follow us on the links below for more, and please review us; even one line helps!!

Remember to hit SUBSCRIBE or FOLLOW so you don't miss any new episodes, follow us on the links below for more and please review us, even one line helps!!

This episode is sponsored by Funki Coffee. Organic triple certified mushroom coffee boosted by adaptogens. Great for gut health, skin, immune boosting, and no crash.

Use the code podcast for 10% off for listeners.

www.gavinsisters.co.uk

Insta: @gavinsistersuk

TIKTOK:@gavinsisters

Facebook: @TheDetoxBarn

You Tube: @gavingavin

This episode is sponsored by Funki Coffee. Organic triple certified mushroom coffee boosted by adaptogens. Great for gut health, skin, immune boosting, and no crash.

Use the code podcast for 10% off for listeners.

Why do we find it so hard to respect people we disagree with? In this episode, behavioral scientist and author Paul Dolan joins us to explore the powerful ideas behind his new book, Beliefism: How to Stop Hating the People We Disagree With.

Dolan argues that it's not just what we believe that shapes society—but how we believe it. He unpacks how beliefs become personal identities, how tribal thinking fuels conflict, and why challenging our own certainty might be the first step toward empathy and connection.

Topics Covered:

• What is "beliefism" and why is it dangerous?

• How beliefs become moralised and weaponized

• The neuroscience behind identity and ideology

• Why disagreement feels like a threat—and how to unlearn that reaction

• Strategies to stay open-minded in a polarised world

This episode is a must-listen for anyone feeling overwhelmed by today's culture wars or eager to find a more compassionate path through disagreement.

Learn more about the book: Beliefism: How to Stop Hating the People We Disagree With
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beliefism-discriminate-against-disagree-difference/dp/0349128693

https://pauldolan.co.uk/

Remember to hit SUBSCRIBE or FOLLOW so you don't miss any new episodes.

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www.gavinsisters.co.uk

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Facebook: @TheDetoxBarn
YouTube: @gavingavin

This episode is sponsored by Funki Coffee: organic, triple-certified mushroom coffee boosted by adaptogens. It's great for gut health, skin, immune boosting, and no crash. Use the code podcast for 10% off for listeners. Visit their website at www.gavinsisters.co.uk

In this episode, we sit down with Gaia Ferreira to hear the refreshingly honest story of how she walked away from corporate success, followed a lifelong pull toward creativity, and found her calling helping entrepreneurs who feel stuck at the top. Gaia blends her background in business, creativity, and psychology to help people cut through the noise, reconnect with their intuition, and redefine what success really means to them.

We dive into the subconscious mind, the stories we inherit (and unconsciously repeat), and how silencing the noise of the outside world can help us hear the voice that truly matters - our own. Gaia shares personal insights and practical tools for navigating fear, embracing presence, and changing the stories that we tell ourselves. This conversation provides an honest and insightful look at what happens when we stop performing for the world around us and start making choices that actually feel good for us.

This episode will leave you feeling grounded, inspired, and ready to reclaim your own version of success.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why understanding the subconscious mind is key to lasting personal growth

• How burnout led Gaia to redefine her path and embrace creativity as a healing force

• What the "gremlin voice" is, and how to stop it from running your life

• The difference between instinct and intuition

• The role of emotional intelligence in creating aligned success

• How to say no without guilt - and why it's one of the highest forms of self-care

• Why real success means knowing your worth and living in line with your values

• The importance of presence, stillness, and choosing what you consume - physically, mentally and emotionally

• Why our education system needs a radical shift toward happiness, creativity, and self-worth

Connect with Gaia Ferreira

Website: gaiaferreira.com (currently being redesigned)

TikTok: @awakenthebob

Instagram: @gaiaferreiratitans

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gaiaferreira/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gaiaferreiratitans/

Remember to hit SUBSCRIBE or FOLLOW so you don't miss any new episodes. Follow us on the links below for more, and please review us; even one line helps!!

Website: www.gavinsisters.co.uk

Instagram: @gavinsistersuk

TikTok: @gavinsisters

Facebook: TheDetoxBarn

YouTube: @gavingavin

This episode is sponsored by Funki Coffee: organic, triple-certified mushroom coffee boosted by adaptogens. It's great for gut health, skin, immune boosting, and no crash. Use the code podcast for 10% off for listeners. Visit their website at www.gavinsisters.co.uk