Health Versus Wealth With Dr Ben

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Do the people you work with, or the team you lead, struggle with stress, sometimes lack motivation or feel they’re flagging from time to time?Clinical Psychologist and Organisational and Coaching Psychologist Dr. Jared Watson has a wealth of experience in helping businesses overcome such challenges. @dr.jared.watsonIn episode 44 of our podcast, ‘Health Versus Wealth with Dr Ben’, host GP Dr Ben Sinclair and his guest Dr Watson turn their conversation to supporting the corporate sector.As part of the Dr Finlay’s Private Practice team, Dr Watson helps businesses, leaders and employees overcome barriers, manage stress, boost motivation and improve workplace performance.With experience in senior NHS leadership, private practice and corporate consulting, he combines his psychological expertise with real-world business insights. His approach views organisations like individuals, assessing their wellbeing to enhance team dynamics, leadership effectiveness and overall success.If you're curious to learn more about how improved mental wellbeing can shape your business performance, don’t miss this insightful episode and discover actionable strategies for a healthier, more engaged workplace. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Andrew Shaw is Founder & CEO of the multi-award-winning diagnostics company, Attomarker. The business describes itself as being “dedicated to the personalised medicine market, providing gold-standard rapid diagnostics that facilitate better and timelier health decisions.” Prof Shaw describes himself as “an academic entrepreneur”, attributing this to encouragement he received at Stamford University, (where he studied) and which instils in all its students a link between science and entrepreneurship, between having a great idea and commercialising it.Attomarker’s capital value is currently around £30m. Prof Shaw, now in his 50s, is an associate professor of physical chemistry at Exeter University, which is where Attomarker started. He is also a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. As an eminent scientist and academic entrepreneur, Prof Shaw has dedicated his work to advancing science and helping doctors in the treatment of their patients. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Claudia Indries, a dentist all her life, was born in Romania, coming to the UK in 2009. In Romania, she ran her own private practice for 10yrs. Later she decided to come to Britain due to changing family circumstances, and after she heard that the UK needed dentists. Claudia’s work involves treating special needs referrals patients, people with both physical and mental disabilities, including children. “The job brings big rewards to see people smiling is the best feeling,” she says.In this episode, Claudia talks about how her 2-year struggle with Long Covid has substantially impacted her life. She’s currently on a Long Covid recovery journey having initially caught Covid in July 2022. She felt very ill for 3-4 weeks and looking back, she says she should have called the ambulance and her GP said she was “lucky”. She recalls: “We dressed like astronauts with PPE, masks and protection, but I worked through the whole pandemic”. After 3 months, Claudia developed LC, going on to develop balance problems, sleep-deprivation, gastrointestinal issues, memory issues, brain fog. “It was scary. I couldn't recognise myself. Losing myself was the worst thing.”She adds: “Long Covid is the biggest challenge I have ever faced and recovering from it the toughest thing I've ever had to do. I'm still working on that recovery and not sure if I will be able to return to work. Two years ago, my life stopped. I feel like I am under a glass and separated from the rest of the world. People can see us under the glass but cannot understand how we feel. I cannot travel, lots of days I don't leave the house, life has become very simple. I cannot plan anything. But I feel a duty of share a duty to share my experience and if by telling my Long Covid story I help only one person, I'll be happy.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Mitton is the Lead Pastor at an Anglican church in Birmingham. A father of 3, he studied Theology at university and worked at other churches before arriving in the city. His father was a vicar until Chris was aged 4 and his mother also did administrative work in the Church. But it was not until Chris turned 18 that he decided his studies and career path would also lead him to becoming a clergyman, which he has now been for 7 years. Having contracted Covid at Easter 2023, Long Covid followed that summer. The impact of Long Covid on his health has been “mostly cerebral”, he says, citing headaches and brain fog. He loves running, has done one marathon (Edinburgh) and some HMs, but now feels “wiped out” if he tries to run. He believes reclaiming the ability to run may be the last stage of his LC recovery, which he currently puts at 80%.On the subject of “Wealh”, unlike many in business, he doesn’t view his wealth monetarily. At school in exams, he got ‘A’s and it later occurred to him he could’ve chosen other career paths that attracted bigger salaries. “Sometimes I think it would be really nice to take the kids to Alton Towers or eat steak more often, but the satisfaction I get from helping people convinces me I made the right choice,” he says. “To me, ‘wealth’ is about making a positive contribution, going to bed thinking that people's lives have been improved due to my contribution. It's also about relationships, like spending time with my kids. Theology touches all aspects of life. I love the potential of helping people. That was the draw, to give them a sense of purpose.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Moon MBE, double amputee & inspirational speaker, returns to Dr Ben’s podcast studio for a second conversation, this time about the topic of resilience and mental toughness. He believes people can learn to grow their Willpower, that it’s not something you are merely born with, or without, but a quality you can nurture. Chris devotes his working life to sharing his wisdom and approach with others through his public speaking and business workshops. He believes it’s important to develop self-awareness and recognise we need to do things to recharge our psychological batteries. He says: “It’s important how we talk to ourselves, our internal dialogue, how we think inside our heads, and important to make that constructive and positive. We should practise helpful thinking.”Chris is usually up at 6am, he’ll often meditate in the morning, to “get his head in right place” and own the day. He offers listeners tips on exercises they can do to develop mental toughness. “We need to recognise that’s a constant journey, we need to make our thinking appropriate to our environment and do things that make you feel better,” he says.He advises us to “develop healthy mental and physical habits”. Be gentle and kind to yourself, and others, he says, but you have to get yourself in order before you can help others. He believes it’s important to develop a support network and ask for help. “Don’t be a stranger. What makes us the people we are is a mixture of nature and nurture, but we are who we choose to be. You CAN learn willpower and help others develop it.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Moon MBE is a double amputee who has triumphed despite adversity having been injured while clearing landmines for a charity in Africa. Today he’s well known as a Keynote speaker, big on the After Dinner Speaker circuit, a Director of corporate Workshops and a Programme Director, a Conference Facilitator, author and a Motivator, whose expertise lies in helping others improve their performance and resilience.Despite physical challenges he overcomes daily having lost his right arm and a leg, he’s travelled widely, delivering inspiring talks on every continent, 100+ countries, to audiences of all ages, from schoolchildren to CEOs. A former British Army officer, he was in Mozambique, Africa (in 1995) clearing landmines when the accident happened. Becoming a double amputee didn’t put him off his stride in life. Less than a year after leaving hospital, he completed the London Marathon and, at the age of 62, he continues to run the world’s most gruelling ultra-marathons.He’s also one of the few Westerners to have survived being taken prisoner by Cambodia’s ruthless Khmer Rouge guerrillas. “I am one of the luckiest people to be alive whom you’re likely to meet,” he says. In this episode, the first of two, he shares his life experiences and offers advice for people in business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Concluding the second episode of a two-part conversation with gut health expert Vaughan Wickins, says recent figures show that over half the UK population over 50 will suffer constipation, but stigma exits around talking about it. “Men regard it as equally embarrassing as talking about erectile dysfunction,” he says.Episode 2 focuses on the importance of breathing. He says while people can benefit from improving their understanding of gut health, even less is known about the importance of breathing. “After experimenting with many strategies, there were still days when I found myself struggling. I learned what could really kick-start my gut. I discovered more about breath work and the importance of your diaphragm. This has the ability to activate your parasympathetic nervous system PNS. It's also one of the largest muscles in your gut.”Vaughan’s interest in exercises around the diaphragm were sparked by a TED Talk he saw 3 years ago hosted by the Danish Freediving world champion Stig Severinsen, who holds his breath for more than 20 minutes. Vaughan also qualified as a Certified Breathology breathing instructor. He can hold his breath for two and a half minutes. People who suffer from constipation and poor gut health should start exploring freediving and holding their breath, he believes, as it's a natural way to stimulate your gut and activate your PNS system.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the first of a two-part conversation, gut health expert Vaughan Wickins tells Dr Ben Sinclair about his passion for the topic. Vaughan’s website sells online mini-courses on gut health, he has a new book (‘Gutwise’), and he also hosts other digital courses, in-person live talks & workshops. Why is he devoted to raising people’s awareness of gut health? “It struck me how little gut health is understood. Breathing is even less understood,” he says.Moving to the UK from South Africa in 2005 in his mid-20s, he spent 15 yrs in the City of London in mining finance. He worked “a minimum of 12-hour days, from before 9am to 9pm”, eating very late at night, takeaway food at his desk, sleeping around 6 hrs nightly, working “hunched over a desk and screen”. It was around this time his gut health issues surfaced, in his early 30s. It surprised him because he enjoyed exercise, had a voracious appetite and didn't put on a lot of weight. “But I thought I was healthier than I actually was.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emma Hewitt, born in Coventry, now based in Birmingham, is a hard-working solicitor who specialises in HR and employment law. She works 60 hours a week and has 2 small children. Supporting employers and employees, her job is very stressful, especially when it comes to helping employees, who turn to her in their darkest hour. “I would say that my role is 90% counselling and 10% law,” she says. Emma deals with clients crying on the phone “most days”. She’s also had clients with “suicidal thoughts”. She is dedicated to supporting her clients, whether they be “Employers” or “Employees”. Which does she prefer? “Both have their challenges,” she replies diplomatically. During her childhood at home, she and her family used to watch ‘Kavanagh QC’ and she decided “she wanted to do that, although at that age you don’t realise there’s a difference between a barrister and a lawyer.” The famous TV series ran for 6 years (1995-2001) with the title role played by actor John Thaw, who went on to star in 'Minder' and 'Inspector Morse'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dean Russell, aged 40, joined the West Midlands Police Force, where he spent 12 years as a PC. But after a road accident where his police van flipped on its side and hit a tree, he decided to begin a new, less mentally stressful chapter – he founded ‘Pier 52’, a water-sports business based on a reservoir in Chasewater Country Park, near Walsall, Staffordshire.Customers at his water-sports business are 50%-50% adults / children. As a parent-of-two kids himself, he is a great advocate for healthy fresh air and outdoor exercise, especially for kids, although he is keen to talk about the physical and mental benefits from exercise for all generations. “My police accident in 2008 affected my mental health,” admits Dean, who returned to work after his crash, but found himself in tears in his office. The water-sports business “was a release, a get-away,” he says. “It was a massive factor in me getting better in my mental health.”Pier 52 offers his clients, aged 7 to 80, a chance to enjoy Cable Wakeboarding (Dean’s favourite & hobby), Stand-Up Paddleboarding (SUP), Kayaking, ‘Ringo Rides’ and SUP Yoga. He welcomes lots of schools, youth groups, clubs, Scouts, and youngsters from ‘alternative schooling’, who aren’t comfortable in the mainstream education system. Dean likes to keep his police background separate from his role as a water-sports instructor, but adds: “There have been some moments involving anti-social behaviour when I’ve had to go into ‘police officer mode’. Mostly though, when the children come here, they really appreciate and respect the water. We give them water confidence. Some can’t swim but that’s not a barrier to enjoying water-sports. We give them a life vest.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Elisa Astorri, MD, PhD, is a Rheumatology specialist concentrating in all aspects of rheumatology ranging from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, back pain, gout, Lupus, Sjogren’s Syndrome, Ankylosing spondylitis, fibromyalgia and osteoporosis. She’s the Founder of her own clinic, Rheumatology Harley Street, which she launched seven years ago. Born in Geneva, Switzerland, she grew up in Rome, studied there and in France before moving to London in her early 20s. She’s always wanted to be a doctor, since aged 13-14, and now treat patients with chronic conditions from all around the world, which she says is “very rewarding”. Scoring her own health 8 or 9 out of 10, a mother of 3 kids, aged 13, 9 and 3, Dr Astorri was amused when asked by podcast host Dr Ben about her diet. “That’s a naughty question!”, she said. “I tell my patients to eat healthily but my own dinners are often my kids’ leftovers. I love chicken nuggets!” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jo Smedley, 51, based in Leeds, describes herself as a “speaker, coach, entrepreneur” and “a ‘Rebel with a cause”. She’s also a children’s author, business mentor and mother of 3. Strong-willed, self-aware and experienced as a business executive, she now runs a successful consultancy ‘Zest’, which helps entrepreneurs and business leaders. Her “cause” is “to enable others by helping them feel safe enough to say what they think and be who they are” .. to “unlock people’s potential or enable them to unlock their own.” Delighted to be Dr Ben Sinclair's guest, she believes: “I believe that your health IS your wealth.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James Crystal, 31, today a social entrepreneur, public speaker, mentor and mental wellbeing advocate, was first sent to prison aged 19. Later, in 2017, he was released at the age of 23 and now looks back on his turbulent younger years and reflects: “I'm really glad I went to prison because it saved my life.” Now he dedicates himself to helping others avoid going to prison and become addicted to drugs, as he was. He says he had “an expensive cocaine and opiate addiction”, as a result of which he lived through (in his own words) the death of friends, the loss of friends and family, a complete loss of self-worth, numerous court appearances, two custodial prison sentences, mental ill health and complete, visceral, soul-destroying darkness. His main area of focus during the current 2024/25 academic year is touring the UK to deliver drug prevention talks to young people in schools and colleges. He says he has “had the privilege of” talking at organisations like the Home Office, Bank of England, Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, also universities, colleges, schools, conferences and other events. He mentors young people in prison helping prepare them to get released. He's a regular panellist at inspirational talks. “I don't beat around the bush,” he says. “It's real comment, raw and unfiltered”. The glowing testimonials he receives far and wide are a clue to the impact he has on his audiences. He is setting up a charity named ‘Released To Change’ with the aim of helping youngsters coming out of prison trying to find their way in society. The charity is launching soon and James is currently looking for investors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Michael Andrews is a Managing Consultant for an American company in the business and finance sector. But his Long Covid diagnosis in 2021 has significantly and adversely affected both his health and career. Still recovering, he’s had to set a new work-life balance to manage his symptoms. Since his Long Covid diagnosis, Michael has been striving to adjust his work-life balance and to adapt to living with a chronic illness. Before Covid, he felt comfortable ‘pushing himself’, but now he feels the need to rest more. His job post-Covid became very demanding and was starting to affect his health. Now, he says, he is having to “build a new career”. His LC symptoms include two years of feeling feverish, brain fog, swollen glands and impaired sleep. “I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep since October 2021,” he says. Pre-Covid, he could get by on 6 hours’ sleep and feel ok. Post-Covid he now spends 10-12 hours in his bedroom resting, “although quality sleep is hard to come by. Nowadays, I find I have a tiny tank and it’s hard to refill,” he says. He’s started taking lighter duties at work, although his employers have been extremely supportive in recognising his LC status and encouraging him to adapt the way in which he contributes to the firm, now engaging on more strategic matters. Not all employers are so supportive, he says, and they should be. Now Michael is travelling less and being more ‘regimented with his time’, incorporating rest. Michael typically wakes around 6am and goes to the gym for 1 hour to exercise; does yoga, rowing, running and cardio/flexibility-related exercises. His working day starts around 8:30am & he makes sure he has time to eat meals with his colleagues should he be away on business. He states: “My journey has been about realising that [with Long Covid] the world looks very different for me. My world has been turned upside down.”   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Audiology clinic owner and clinical audiologist Charmain Leek was diagnosed with MS 17 years ago. But that doesn’t stop her working a 55-60-hour week. Charmain is an example of a hard-working business owner who is spinning many different plates in her personal and professional lives, battling many different challenges and coping with stresses from the various demands on her time – by working long hours and neglecting some aspects of a healthier lifestyle. Two nearly grown-up daughters, a husband not in the best of health, her own diagnosis of MS, plus the demands of 2 pets, dog walking at 6.30am before she chases to the office – all add up to a super-busy life as she runs her own audiology business in Worcester.Charmain believes the Covid pandemic created extra hearing issues for patients. Post-Covid, many patients think they have wax problems, but on inspection, there’s none. She believes fluid in the middle ear is often Covid-induced. There’s been a Tinnitus rise since the pandemic, she says. She caught Covid herself and now maintains a busy workload with the influx of patients. What about taking breaks for lunch? “I never take a lunch break,” she replies, “but there are a lot of eaten apple cores in my car.”    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve Spriggs and his son, Ben, 21, bring a fresh perspective to the ‘Health Versus Wealth’ discussion as they recount their remarkable family story of how Ben, a couple of weeks before his 16th birthday, fell ill and was diagnosed with Burkitt lymphoma (BL), a rare and fast-growing type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), namely blood cancer.At first their GP thought Ben just had “a bacterial infection”, but after a trip to A&E, and after Ben’s blood sample was sent to Germany for checking, his diagnosis was confirmed. Dad Steve, from Coventry, a teacher for 13 years, wife Jenny, a teaching assistant, and their 2 other kids suffered a huge strain. Recently, Ben celebrated 5 years in remission. What’s Steve’s message to listeners who pursue wealth and neglect their health? He replies: “I’d say to them there are more important things in life than work, like family and your own health. Business and work can be enjoyable and it’s nice to have more money. Everybody would like more money to have the freedom to go and do more, and better things. But at end of the day the value of that is miniscule compared to the health of the people you love and sharing time in their company.”  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Daksha Parekh, also known as ‘Chef D’ and ‘The Veggie Virtuoso’, has been a chef for 25+ years, and describes herself as “a visionary, serial entrepreneur”. She is Birmingham born & bred, and after suffering a family bereavement, and then also a ‘pivot’ in Covid lockdown, she changed from ‘cheffing’ to teaching others, including children, about how to achieve better health through the power of nutrition.Daksha champions the power of Millets, super ancient grains grown in China, Russia, Ukraine, Africa and India, originally for fodder, not for humans. Wheat and rice took over precedence, but millets hold important healing properties and can reverse lifestyle conditions such as diabetes, high cholesterol, gut issues and more, she says.Daksha is also an expert in “non-toxic cooking equipment”. People buy non-stick pans which are coated in chemicals, she says. “The minute you clean or scrub them, you are taking off protective layers and the toxins go into your food. You also inhale the fumes. People can be caused all sorts of problems with autoimmune illnesses, mental and physical problems, too,” she says. Having researched this in depth, she advises that it is best to buy good-quality stainless steel cooking equipment. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chris Williams, aged 65, has lived an extraordinary life – in two halves. Ten years ago, he had it all. Owning a successful business with a £4m turnover, he employed 25 staff. But working up to 100 hours a week and a “crazy” globetrotting lifestyle led to his marriage & relationships with his 3 children being casualties.His business was selling machinery to the UK clothing industry, and a massive turning point came in 1998 when Marks & Spencer announced they were no longer going to source everything just made in Britain but were going offshore. He’d just bought a building in Tamworth, but the market changed overnight. Previously, his business was 90% home-based in UK & 10% exports. Travel meant to the North / North-East of England, South Wales, Leicester, Manchester, centres of UK textile industry. Suddenly he had to fly via Dubai to China, Philippines, India, Sri Lanka, North Africa. Chris spent so much time abroad, he was 2 days short of being classed as non-resident in the UK. He lost his marriage and relationships with children, whom he adored. So he made a drastic lifestyle change.After “a lightbulb moment”, he turned his life around. Now he proudly pioneers ‘The 10-Hour Working Week’. His 3Fs priorities, in order: Family, Fitness and Finances. He re-married, has a daughter (11yrs), and has radically changed his priorities. His favourite expressions is: “I'm going to live to 100 – or die trying”. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Jessey (MSc, DipNT, mANP, mNNA, mGNC) is a Registered Naturopathic Nutritionist and a Long Covid and Chronic Illness Nutrition Specialist. Rachel has recently joined the award-winning team at Dr Finlay’s Private Practice.Born in Nottingham, she grew up in Southampton, by the New Forest, a well-known hotspot for Lyme Disease. “I used to roll round on the forest floor. My Dad was always pulling ticks out of me, I had more ticks than the dog.” Rachel has encountered many health challenges in her life and believes that when the body is provided with the right environment, nutrients and conditions, many issues resolve on their own. Her approach is to blend naturopathic principles, nutritional science, circadian and quantum biology into a practical, holistic approach tailored to each person's life.Rachel provides specialised care to clients seeking nutrition and lifestyle support. With her wealth of experience in the nutrition and integrative healthcare space, she has developed a particular interest in circadian biology, the microbiomes and lifestyle medicine.At home, she’s up at 5.30am, takes a daily walk at sunrise, eats breakfast, and doesn’t switch on any electronic screens until work starts at 9am.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rob Butler, 31, born and bred Solihull, is the Founder & Director of Tri Wellness in Solihull, a personal trainer and successful business owner. His flourishing 4-year-old business is the first multidisciplinary wellness centre in Solihull. He says: “My purpose is to use my experiences and education to help as many individuals as possible live happier and healthier lives.”In 2017, Rob graduated with a first-class degree in Sports Therapy from University College Birmingham, then 2 years later founded Tri Wellness. But during his early years growing up, Rob faced challenges at home. He suffered anxiety, depression and self-esteem issues growing up. He felt “crippled inside”, he says. He was diagnosed with anxiety and a year ago was also diagnosed with ADHD.Rob believes that a lot of personal trainers do the job because they have personal issues and want to look good. He’s used his own knowledge and experience, gained through overcoming his own personal obstacles, to grow his business, which now employs 12-15 people, e.g. personal trainers, sports therapist, psychotherapist, yoga instructors, Pilates instructor, breathwork practitioner, meditation practitioner, remedial massage therapist & nutritionist. Business growth and success are very important to him and he’d like to build a nationwide franchise with more Tri Wellness branches. First and foremost, he genuinely wants to help people. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Lalitaa Suglani is an award-winning psychologist, leadership empowerment expert, international speaker and author. She’s just published her first book, ‘High-Functioning Anxiety’, about high-performing businesspeople who suffer from anxiety in a stage she describes as “just before burnout”. She supports clients in the areas of health and wealth, so feels great synergy with podcast 'Health Versus Wealth With Dr Ben'. Born in Birmingham as a member of “a second-generation ethnic minority”, her Dad “lived in a field in a hut in India” and came to the UK when he was 17. Both parents had big work ethic & traditional Indian values, so Lalitaa was brought up strictly. “As a female, that meant you were primed to get the right skillset to look after your husband and the family you were going to be married into. You weren’t allowed to cut your hair, wear makeup or paint your nails until you got married. That's when you got freedom. But I was the cycle-breaker, the rebel in the family, the only one in my family who went down a very different route and did not get married.” The pressures she felt brought her own taste of anxiety, this partly inspiring her book. In her late 20s, was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD. \Her name ‘Dr Lalitaa’ is the name of her business, which launched 11 years ago in 2013. Her clients are business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals who are outwardly very successful, but inwardly very stressed and worried. Lalitaa says they hide their stress, which often comes from not having set boundaries and saying “yes” all the time. "Highly sensitive and empathetic, they feel responsible for everyone else and carry people's emotions. I help them understand these patterns and to pick up the pieces, otherwise they remain on the treadmill of “go, go, go” until they hit burnout." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mitesh and Minal Parmar have been called “a Power Couple”. They set up their business, Wellspace Architects, in 2020 and won Architects Firm of the Year at the 2023 Midlands Property Investment Awards. Their mantra and guiding principle for their business is “Design Well, Live Better” and their focus when creating buildings is very people-focused. Their clients include not only homeowners, but many others in the education, health and care sectors, and their consultancy work also helps the corporate sector better to support the people in their work buildings, which improves their performance. In this episode, Mitesh and Minal share a fascinating conversation with Dr Ben about how people's choice of (1) colours can have a major impact on a building's occupants; (2) how the positioning of walls and windows can create shadows in corners, which can adversely affect people with dementia; (3) how ventilation, if poor, can create “Sick Building Syndrome” and migraines. Wellspace Architects’ clients include homeowners (who may have a family member suffering from a health condition), organisations in the education, health and care sectors, and the office / corporate client, keen to support employees in their buildings. Says Mitesh: "We thought, ‘What can we do to give back and make a difference? What could we do together to use our skills and knowledge of how the built environment, the buildings we are in make an impact on people?’. That’s where we came up with the name Wellspace Architects. Our philosophy is designing around health and wellbeing."Minal (who keeps herself fit as a keen Hoola-Hooper) adds: "The company came from our own personal situations and experiences. There is research by scientist, doctors and psychologist on how buildings impact people. A lot of the time, architecture is about bricks and walls and the hard elements of a building. People often forget to acknowledge that we are designing and creating places and spaces for people.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Narinder Sheena, a solicitor and mother-of-two from Bromsgrove, has been on a deeply transformative personal and professional journey in the past few years. Having worked in the legal sector for 15 years, she suffered a severe right disc prolapse and was advised by a neurosurgeon that she needed surgery. However, despite encountering chronic pain – she couldn’t even stand up to brush her teeth and could hardly walk – she decided to explore another route. She connected with some authors, experts and health and wellness coaches in America and felt determined she would tackle her medical problems without medical intervention. She became a coach herself, placing her legal career on hold, and has instead written a moving story about her experiences. The book, her first, is titled ‘From Pain To Power’, and has just been published. She describes it as “a toolkit to help people get through pain barriers”.Narinder’s business is MAP Coaching (MAP stands for Mind Action Progress). She says she is aware that, as a business owner now, she is coaching and writing her book for profit as well as for a wider purpose. She is also interested to pursue opportunities for public speaking. Keen to strike a healthier balance in life, she still works hard to build up her coaching business and raise her professional profile. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jim Thorp, 49, who was born in Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital, recalls: “As a child, all I ever wanted to do was fly planes and play rugby for England. I did neither, though I came relatively close to doing both!” Rory Underwood, England's record international try scorer, who was also an RAF pilot for 18 years, was Jim's childhood hero. Jim spent 9 years in the Air Force but never flew. He made the England Under-21 rugby squad, turned professional in 2000 and as a loosehead prop, lining up on the left of the scrum next to the hooker, he suffered many injuries over the years. Forced to retire from rugby after “4 shoulder reconstructions, 1 neck surgery, countless back injuries, numerous shoulder dislocations, broken bones and a barrel-shaped body that topped over 19 stone, Jim has, for past 21 years, run ‘JT Ethos’, the Midlands’ leading corrective exercise and holistic health company”. Based in Sutton Coldfield, Jim helps clients find long-term solutions to back, neck & health problems and specialises in scoliosis, sciatica and long-term & repetitive back and neck issues. He also helps 35–60-year-olds overhaul their health.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

GP Dr Neera Jaitly and her son Jay, 13, who’s had Long Covid for past two years and is in a wheelchair, are Dr Ben's guest as we highlight the struggles of Britain's 70,000 children who have Long Covid. Despite her medical experience (Dr Neera has been a GP for nearly 25 years), her son’s illness raised issues she couldn’t understand. Some specialists “gas-lit him”, she says, didn’t believe his symptoms, which was “frustrating”. And Jay was keen to appear on the podcast because he wants everyone to better understand Long Covid and he hopes that his own experience may help other children.Dr Neera speaks highly on the episode about the tremendous support she and her family have received from Long Covid Kids, the charity that represents and supports children and young people living with Long Covid and related illnesses and the parents and caregivers that look after them. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mac Alonge, aged 38, is the Founder & CEO of The Equal Group, a data-driven diversity and inclusion consultancy, which helps companies and organisations identify bias within the workplace and advises them on the actions they can take to eliminate it. Mac’s world focuses on E.D.I. (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion). He and his team are hired by organisations, including many large ones with thousands of employees, and he tells us that businesses sometimes engage in “Diversity Washing”, a well-known term in his world equivalent to “greenwashing”. When Mac encounters “Diversity Washing”, he says, companies often try to “earn the badge” saying they’ve gone through the process. “There’s all sorts of badges & charters you can sign up to, but no checking whether you have committed to doing what you pledged. People put these badges on their website to say they are diversity inclusive, and will flood their websites with images of diverse individuals or those with disabilities. The idea is to give the impression they engage widely in ethnic diversity. Usually, the images used with the same person featuring on every page, photographed at a number of different angles, to give the impression there are loads of culturally diverse employees. This diversity washing can lead to some difficult conversations with leaders.”   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Qian Xu, a specialist in rejuvenation and health optimisation, is Medical Director at Clinicity in central London, where our podcast host Dr Ben Sinclair's award-winning medical business, Dr Finlay’s Private Practice, is based. Dr Qian was born in China and came to UK when she was aged 10. Her mother was a doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology, her father a medical research scientist. After graduating at Southampton Uni, Dr Qian worked at Southampton General Hospital, and later in A&E at St George’s Hospital, London, a major trauma centre.At Clinicity, she is building up a team of practitioners, “all experts at the top of their field”. She declares: “The human body and mind are amazing. The links between mind and body, and how they affect physical symptoms, are something Western medicine takes a different view on. I feel it is very much focused on disease processes, what medications we can use to treat symptoms, making them better in the short-term – rather than delving into the root causes of diseases. Traditional Chinese medicine, herbal medicine, the naturopathic specialities are more holistic. Western medicine’s ‘quick-fix approach’ is relatively recent and I'm not sure is very good or healthy for the general population.” Dr Qian also enthusiastically recommends rejuvenating red-light therapy, available at Clinicity, and the NovoTHOR machine, of which Hollywood star Tom Cruise is also a big fan. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jas Rohel is the Founder of the annual Education Awards, which she launched 8 years ago after she noticed many people leaving the sector without the recognition they deserved. They began small, only in the Midlands, with 200-250 people attending each year. Now the awards are staged nationally, held at 5 venues, Manchester, London, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Midlands, each attracting 500-600 people and held throughout the year. The awards' headline sponsor is the international bank HSBC.Jas has also recently become CEO of the education charity the Titan Partnership, which has been going for 35 years and has established a fine record for making an impact in schools. It began with a group of head teachers coming together to discuss teacher training, but now involves much more. They target youngers from primary schools to Higher Education. “As CEO I aim to grow the network as every school needs to be part of Titan. We want to grow the charity on a national basis," says Jas. "More needs to be done to support the young generation due to the landscape of the world today. Youngsters have it 100% tougher today than it used to be in my day as a youngster. I don't remember walking around worried about knife and gun crime. There is the influence of social media and the impact it has on youngsters today. There is so much negative information about.” In her other roles, Jas Rohel is also a Council member at Solihull Chamber of Commerce and is Station Controller at Solihull Radio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Jared Watson, an experienced clinical psychologist, was born, raised & educated in New Zealand, including at the University of Wellington, before he came to the UK in 2016. Part of the award-winning team at Dr Finlay's Private Practice, Dr Jared divides his time between supporting people with severe and enduring mental-health issues, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, and working with NHS staff who report a range of conditions relating to their work and stressful lifestyles. Dr Jared also supports individuals and teams within the corporate sector, specialising in what is termed ‘organisational psychology’. His work involves helping companies and their employees to optimise their performance. In this episode, he also discusses the impact on mental health brought by social media today. He also discusses the rise in mental health diagnoses in past 20 years in the UK, and the possible reasons for this. "That’s not so much related to the recent Pandemic and could be partly influenced by the fact that people are more comfortable talking about mental health issues today.” He sees this as a good thing. Mental Health has been on a journey and there is less stigma and shame attached to it and talking openly about it these days. Hence the expression: “It's OK not to be OK”. Dr Jared adds: “It's not such a taboo subject anymore.” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

John Street is the Founder & Director of one of Birmingham’s most famous and longest-established charities, Free At Last, which is dedicated to improving the lives of the children and young people of Nechells, an area of the city. Now in his 50s, John started as a community youth worker aged 17 and has worked in the sector for over 30 years. He works punishing hours and is devoted to supporting the charity, its staff, the children, and is constantly fire-fighting problems. Free At Last is celebrating its 25th anniversary. It currently helps 2,000-3,000 people a year and John manages a team of 65 staff. He attends the centre Monday-Fridays and usually has Saturdays and Sundays off, but he also works approximately 26 weekends a year. “In the last 5 weeks I’ve worked Monday to Friday, then Saturday and Sunday, too,” he says. Free At Last has won many awards, notably The Queens Award for Voluntary Service 2019, citation: “For improving the lives of the children and young people of Nechells, Birmingham”. Asked about his own health, John says: “I don’t do stress and I choose not to do stress”. Pressure helps him. He unwinds by climbing mountains and leading outdoor expeditions. John was listed in the Independent newspaper’s ‘Happy List’ in 2013 for being one of top 100 happiest people in the country for helping others.   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth Muir, a Musculoskeletal & Pelvic Health Physiotherapist and Clinical Pilates Practitioner, is part of the Dr Finlay's Private Practice team in Birmingham. Her “hybrid” credentials, combining and merging Physio and Pilates, also inspire her own business, Elizabeth Alexander Physiotherapy and Pilates. Beth offers listeners valuable tips and advice based on her 14 years’ experience treating and supporting everyone from new-born babies one day-old, right up to her oldest patient, who was 99.Beth is passionate about encouraging people to move more. Breathing is also a major topic discussed at length, as it affects many areas of the body and mind. Our focus on mental health, as well as physical, has grown hugely post-pandemic, she says, and Pilates and Physio are central to this. There’s not enough post-natal care and support today, and Beth as a mother-of-two, talks about her own experiences, also of supporting clients in this area. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alan Kinnaird, a business development manager originally from Glasgow, started in Finance in 1987 and his accreditation is “FCSI” (a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investments). Alan now lives in York and is marking his 30th anniversary in the sector where he is now a Portfolio Manager & Relationship Manager. Alan's main expertise is advising clients on the running costs involved in managing a portfolio of investments and handling their investments. In a wide-ranging conversation with Dr Ben, Alan talks about how people can look after their physical and mental health at the same time as managing their financial health. He is an expert on topics raised by his many clients over the years, such as * When should I build my wealth check and why? * Why Protection ranks first, investments second * How to carefully select and monitor your first team of dedicated Legal, Banking, Tax & Investment Advisers, plus the subs’ bench * How to save and build wealth without excessive compounding costs * What he has learned from 35 years of investing in funds and ETFs (Exchange-Traded Funds) * How to segregate and protect your assets * Online safety: measures to practise and * 3 steps to building a long-term financial plan. Alan also talks about pensions - and his passion for karate and the Israeli martial art of ‘Krav Maga’! Not a man to be messed with, he holds a black belt. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rachel Ingram has run her own business since 2020, Cadmium Partners, and brings 17 years of global board-level search expertise. The firm finds and places senior executives, also helps individuals with career planning. Her clients are listed, FTSE and scale-up companies. She advises on managing succession, building pre-IPO board slates and making boards and leadership teams more diverse and effective. She says she has also been “at the vanguard of helping women to get on boards”. Her expertise includes sectors Consumer, Digital + Technology, Financial Services, FinTech, Cyber, Data & AI.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr James Gill is an Associate Professor of Clinical Skills at Warwick Medical School. As Head of Dr Finlay’s SPEEDS Clinic, James is a runner and cyclist who’s completed 10ks, half marathons, Tough Mudders and has twice climbed Kilimanjaro (5,895m; 19,340ft), reached Everest Basecamp (5,364m; 17,598ft), and Ben Nevis many times. At 6ft 2ins tall, James has also been an onscreen medical doctor on Bear Grylls’ ‘The Island’ TV series. He’s provided medical support on ‘Survivor’ series ‘Heros vs. Villains’ and ‘Titans Vs Rebels’. He’s also worked recently on ITV’s ‘Gladiators’. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dr Heather Currie MBE is an NHS doctor & gynaecologist and has been practising for 38 years. She is the publisher of sector-leading magazine Menopause Matters. Awarded the MBE in 2021 for ‘services to healthcare’, she’s written a book, “Menopause Essentials”, which won an award. The Menopause Matters website and magazine (launched in 2005) are dedicated to providing accurate information on Menopause to women and men everywhere. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 2 of Dr Ben’s interview with Birmingham-born businessman Ninder Johal, who describes his role as: “Connecting and celebrating wealth creators internationally through publishing and events.” However, his punishing schedule took its toll on his health and Ninder came close to potentially life-threatening illness before he had a change of heart and dramatically improved his lifestyle.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Birmingham-born businessman Ninder Johal, 60, has no previous entrepreneurial family background but built his career to become head of a major media, events and publishing company. As part of the small VIP team supporting Sir John Crabtree OBE, Lord-Lieutenant of the West Midlands, representing King Charles, Ninder has also spent 5 years as a Deputy Lieutenant of the West Midlands. In his early 20s, he joined a ‘Bhangra’ band. Later forming his own record label, he went on to sell 15 million records worldwide. His company, Nachural Group, (of which he has been CEO for 21 years), has helped him forge UK & international networks and he is now a highly respected campaigner and advocate for SMEs. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Libby Lawlor, aged 18, has just finished her first (of 3) years at Birmingham City University studying ‘Media Production’. She’s living away from home for the first time and has responsibility for making her own diet & health decisions for the first time. Living on a tight student loan budget, Libby faces a range of challenges surrounding her diet and health, which have been suffering – as she balances those daily issues with her other commitments. In this episode, Libby also talks openly about having suffered from Emetophobia and how it changed her relationship with food. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon Phipps, 57, lives near Long Eaton, between Nottingham & Derby, is married (Jayne) with 2 children (aged 26 & 22), and has for the past nearly 40 years been a top, self-taught programmer and video game designer in an industry that’s bigger than the film business – the electronics manufacturing sector has an estimated worth of £90 billion. The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held in Las Vegas, is one of the world’s biggest and Simon has attended it and presented at it many times. He started his career in his 20s routinely “working 7 days a week, starting at 8am, finishing at 1am”. Now taking retirement 10 years early, he espouses the “retire well” concept, having made significant lifestyle adjustments. He’s a man who’s prioritised his Health over his Wealth and advises listeners: “Don’t overlook the hidden benefits of taking early retirement!” Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.