Be Well

It’s Be Well’s 4th Birthday and we can’t thank our Members enough for making Be Well what it is today!  A special thanks to the OG’s who joined us early when we were still working everything out. So many of you are still here! It’s 7 years since David collapsed on our front door step with a heart attack one Sunday morning.  We knew then we needed to do something different for our health and wellbeing. We’re not the same people physically, mentally or emotionally as we were in our 20s, 30s and 40s. We have weathered significant life events – sickness, loss and grief. We have learnt and grown as people experiencing the joy and wonder of creating and building family, community and work lives. Now was the time to commit to living healthier better!  As a longtime yogi I had been musing about opening a yoga with recovery studio, DJ wanted to set up an online community called ‘Hacking 60’ about health and longevity.  A combination of these ideas, our own frustrations of not being able to find somewhere that had a holistic lifestyle medicine philosophy, evidence-based and integrated fitness, recovery and wellness, and our passion and interest for health and wellbeing dreamed up Be Well. We couldn’t find a physical place that knew everything we knew we needed to stay healthy, strong and well in midlife and beyond. So we spent the final year of lockdown designing and fitting out Be Well with the brilliant Elle Critchley. We couldn’t have done this without our wonderful friends and early investors, Suparna & Peter Cooper and Tommy & Lorelle Krulis  What do they say about turning your passion into your job?  Although Be Well is not a family business per se, in fact our kids were pretty incredulous that a couple of nearly 60 year olds would decide to start any business, but particularly one they knew absolutely nothing about!  Regardless, they rallied around us and have been instrumental in so many areas of Be Well from the beginning to today. Alex on brand & messaging, Laura on operations & yoga teaching, Josh on business & finance, Nathan on all things tech and Holly hosting Be Well Conversations. Our small, core team over the 4 years from OG Pat, Rob and Dante through to Eavie, Gina and Arielle today, and every single one of our Keepers, Instructors and Allied Health team have been phenomenal – dedicated, caring and genuinely passionate about our Members. We are proud to have supported so many young health and wellness professionals to finish their study, get their start in work, grow their skills and contribute to Be Well and beyond. They too have grown with us all!  Be Well is more than we ever imagined! Some of our Members just want to get fit, strong and stay healthy, some of our Members have serious health conditions or are recovering from injuries, some are burnt out, some are in the midst of a significant life transition. Be Well is not a gym, nor a spa or a physio place. It is a ‘third space’ and sanctuary and we protect our Members right to this space with everything we have.  Members consistently tell us Be Well has changed their approach to health and wellbeing, has educated them and has expanded their horizons. We’ve also had wonderful collaborations with Thrive Health, Askle supplements, the Art of Living and numerous heath & wellbeing practitioners, so far!  More than we ever imagined, Be Well has become a community of people who look after, and look out, for each other in health, wellness and life. We cant wait for the next 4 years of life-changing impact as hundreds more people experience the joy and benefits of Be Well Health & Longevity. Here’s to living healthier, happier, younger together! Navigate to more articles! PrevPreviousIssue #162: The reason that got you here won’t keep you here. Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia.  Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.

Honouring Earth Day this morning at our Yoga in the Park with 26 Be Wellers got me thinking about motivation. Whether you joined Be Well three months ago or three years ago, if showing up has started to feel heavier than it used to, this isn’t a discipline problem. Your reason has run out of runway. Here’s what comes next.  We talk a lot about what you do at Be Well, your classes, your reps, your steps, your sleep. But the more interesting question is why you do it. Because the reason you walk through our doors today is the single biggest predictor of whether you’ll still be walking through them in five years. Behavioural scientist and renowned author, Daniel Pink, recently mapped this out as a pyramid of seven levels. Motivation, he says, doesn’t disappear when life gets hard, it just operates at a different level. Here’s where you might be standing right now, and how to take a step up. 1. Survival: You move because you have to. The check-up scared you. The stairs are getting harder. Fear is a perfectly valid place to start, it gets you in the door. But fear can’t keep you here. 2. Rewards. You move for the smoothie afterwards, the new activewear, the dopamine hit of ticking the box. Rewards work, until they don’t. Eventually the novelty wears off. 3. Approval. You move for the compliment, the comment on your transformation photo, your partner or family noticing. Approval is sweet, but it puts the steering wheel in someone else’s hands. 4. Achievement. You move to hit the number, the PB, the kilo, the kilometre. This is where most committed members live, and it’s a great level. But achievements have ceilings, and the next one is always heavier than the last. 5. Growth. You move because you love getting better. Not the trophy, the climb itself. Training stops being a transaction and starts becoming a craft. 6. Purpose. You move because it serves something bigger than you. Being strong enough to lift your grandkids. Modelling health for your daughter. Being the friend who actually turns up. 7. Autonomy. You move because it’s simply who you are. No debate, no negotiation with yourself at 6am. Movement is part of your identity, like brushing your teeth. How to climb You don’t leap from Survival to Autonomy. You ladder up. A few small shifts that work: Name your level honestlyThis week. No judgement. Just notice. Borrow from one level upIf you’re at Rewards, set one tiny achievement goal. If you’re at Achievement, ask what skill you’re actually growing. Ask a ‘why’ questionOnce each day. Why am I doing this lift, stretch or rep? Eventually the answers get bigger. Protect the streak, not the score. Identity is built through repetition, not intensity. The freeing part is that there’s no shame in any level. The person who shows up out of fear is doing the same lunges as the person who shows up out of purpose. Movement counts regardless of motive. The higher you climb, the lighter it gets. Survival is heavy. Autonomy is free. So which level are you operating from today? And what’s one small thing you could do this week to take a step up? Here’s to living longer, younger, healthier and motivated! See you again at Be Well soon!  Navigate to more articles! PrevPreviousIssue #161 Neither the journey nor the destination… Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia.  Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.

Last Week we had another one of our regular Tomorrow Party’s with Be Well Members. Tomorrow Party’s are a place where we get to ‘time travel’ to the near future we want professionally, personally, sometimes even existentially and what we will bring & leave behind. Our Tomorrow Party reminded me of this wonderful quote: “A traveler asked: ‘What’s more important, the journey or the destination?’ Their wise companion responded: ‘Neither, it’s the company you keep during your journey’. I reflected on all this as I have been listening, reading and thinking a lot about midlife recently.  For our parents’ generation, mid-life was about the destination. You hit 55+, looked at the mortgage balance and eyed the retirement finish line. In 2026, the finish line has moved, the track has changed, and midlife can often feel more like a marathon than a quiet drift into retirement. With the Age Pension age now at 67 and the 2026 workforce being reshaped by AI, 55 is no longer the home stretch. It’s around halftime. We are the first generation tasked with remaining digitally agile while leveraging decades of analog wisdom. Midlife has turned into a high-speed intersection where work, family and health collide in ways our predecessors never imagined.  I believe the quality of our midlife is defined entirely by the people walking beside us: our family and friends, our professional networks and new (ad)venture collaborators is what keeps us relevant and resilient. Midlife is not (necessarily) a downward spiral. Despite being the most connected generation in history, 2026 data shows that midlife Australians are reporting higher levels of social isolation than their parents did. We have a thousand friends but fewer people to call at a 2:00am crisis. Research shows that life satisfaction in Australia often hits a statistical low in our early 40s, the peak of the pressure years. However, after our 40’s those who treat midlife as a strategic pivot rather than a crisis, see a sharper upward swing in happiness. The longitudinal research is clear too, the Harvard Study of Adult Development (the longest study on happiness) found that the strength of our relationships at age 50 is the single best predictor of how healthy we will be at 80.  It’s more important than cholesterol, wealth or career status. Your social circle isn’t just a luxury, it’s your life support system. So I have researched the things we need in midlife to get to 90 & 100 in form! Find your ‘third space’Our parents had local pubs, churches and community halls. Whether it’s a Be Well, a local Men’s Shed or a hiking club, find a place where you are known by your name, not your facebook profile. Prioritise radical vulnerabilityThe company you keep only helps if they know you’re struggling. Men and women in midlife often mask their stress. Breaking that mask and sharing the reality of our lives creates the deep bonds that sustain us. Embrace phased agilityDon’t aim for a hard stop at retirement. The trend is Transition-to-Retirement (TTR), moving to three or four days a week to preserve your Super, your sanity, and your social status. Radical re-skillingTreat your brain like a muscle. Neuroplasticity is your best insurance policy. Learn a new language, a tech skill or a creative pursuit to keep your mental software updated. Prioritise social fitnessReal health isn’t just about your gym routine; it’s about your social circle. Are you spending time with friends who energize you or  drain you? Midlife is too short for obligation friendships. The sun isn’t setting. the light is just getting interesting. My 20’s, 30’s and 40’s were all about building friendships, careers and family. My 50’s were about getting comfortable in my own skin. Midlife is about reclaiming and refining purpose and meaning. If you look around Be Well you will find a tribe of people who challenge, support and laugh with you. There is no such thing as ‘past your prime’, but just the next stage where your experience meets opportunity. In midlife we have more agency, better health technology, more to give and more life left to live than any generation in history. The destination will come in its own time. The journey, the day to day is ever present. Reach out, reconnect and remember: it’s the company that makes it all worthwhile. Here’s to a growing younger, healthier and happier midlife and beyond!  Navigate to more articles! PrevPreviousIssue #160 Swallow This: The Tiny Robot Changing Gut Health Forever Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia.  Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.

Since the extremely common H Pylori bacterium went rogue in my husband David’s stomach, resulting in ulcers that severely threatened his life, I am thrilled to hear about the latest advance in gastroenterology! Imagine being able to have an endoscopy from the comfort of your own home, without the need for anaesthetic, hospitalisation or lengthy recovery times. This is the promise of PillBot, a groundbreaking new technology that is set to revolutionise the field of gastroenterology. What PillBot is PillBot is a swallowable micro-robotic capsule designed to diagnose and potentially even treat gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. Developed by Endiatx, a Silicon Valley startup, PillBot is a motorised device equipped with a high-resolution camera, LEDs, and three tiny pump jets that allow it to actively navigate the stomach and upper GI tract. How it works The PillBot experience is remarkably simple. Patients swallow the vitamin-sized capsule with a significant amount of water. Once ingested, the PillBot’s pump jets are activated, allowing it to swim through the fluid-filled stomach. Enter the game controller! The most incredible aspect of PillBot is its active navigation. Unlike traditional ‘pill cams’ that move passively through the digestive tract, PillBot is controlled in real-time by a doctor using a wireless connection and a standard game controller.  PillBot advantages  No anesthetic Traditional endoscopy requires sedation, which comes with its own set of risks and side effects. PillBot is completely non-invasive and requires no anesthesia, making it a safer and more convenient option.  Telemedicine ready Endiatx’s ultimate goal is to ship PillBots directly to patients’ homes for remote visits. Doctors can conduct the procedure over platforms like Zoom, eliminating the need for hospital or surgical center visits.  Disposable and flushable Once the exam is complete (typically taking about 10-20 minutes), the patient naturally passes the device and flushes it down the toilet.  Quick procedure and fast recovery PillBot procedures are significantly shorter than traditional endoscopies, and patients can return to their normal activities immediately. The Future of GI Health This technology is a significant leap forward in GI health, making diagnostics more accessible, comfortable and efficient. Currently undergoing clinical trials at prestigious institutions like the Mayo Clinic, PillBot is expected to receive FDA clearance and launch commercially in the U.S. later this year.  Here’s to healthier, happier guts! See you at Be Well again soon. Be well Navigate to more articles! PrevPreviousIssue #159 Your body keeps score of every grudge you hold Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia.  Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.

As the season shifts and the days grow longer, some of us are preparing for traditions of reflection, from the rituals of Passover and Easter to the upcoming cycles of Spring.  But regardless of your personal heritage or beliefs, this time of year offers a universal invitation: the opportunity for a ‘grace period’. I recently saw the award winning film La Grazia (The Grace), a stunningly cinematic and captivating Italian film. In the movie, grace isn’t a religious handout; it is a raw, human moment of being seen, accepted and given a second chance.  The movie has sparked conversations by moving the concept of grace into the high-stakes world of ethics and law. The story follows a fictional Italian President grappling with petitions for pardons, moments where the rigid letter of the law meets the messy reality of human regret and redemption. At Be Well, we believe ‘La Grazia’ isn’t just a cinematic theme; it is a vital pillar of human health. The biology of forgiveness In the film, characters carry the heavy burden of past actions, illustrating how regret and anger can become a form of emotional debt. Science tells us that this debt has a physical cost. When we harbor chronic anger or self-reproach, our bodies remain in a state of fight or flight. Research from Johns Hopkins Medicine shows that chronic anger keeps the body flooded with cortisol, which can increase the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Practicing grace, essentially ‘pardoning’ yourself or others, lowers blood pressure and reduces levels of IL-6, a key marker of systemic inflammation. By choosing grace over resentment, you are quite literally giving your heart a rest. Health beyond the rules We often approach wellness like a legal code: Did I hit my steps? Did I eat the right macros? When we fail, we feel guilty, as if we’ve broken a law. But true wellbeing requires the same nuance seen in La Grazia. Psychological studies on Redemptive Narratives suggest that people who view their failures not as permanent stains, but as chapters leading to growth, have significantly higher levels of mental resilience.  When we practice ‘La Grazia’, giving ourselves the grace to be imperfect, to rest or to start over, we switch our nervous systems into a state of rest and digest. Grace as a community safety net The film reminds us that grace is a collective effort. In our diverse Be Well community, spanning all faiths and philosophies, grace is the social lubricant that binds us together. When we extend unearned kindness to others, our brains release oxytocin, often called the bonding hormone. This counteracts stress and builds the social cohesion that the Harvard Study of Adult Development has identified as the Number 1 predictor of long-term health and longevity. A season of universal renewal Whether you are observing a holiday this month or simply enjoying the turn of season, consider how you can integrate a little more La Grazia into your life.   Liberation doesn’t have to be a grand historical event. It can be the simple, evidence-based act of letting go. Be Well. Be Gracious. Be You. Jan   www.bewell.com.auLifelong health, made simple Navigate to more articles! PrevPreviousIssue #158 Creatine is like glasses for my brain Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia.  Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.

The biggest difference I noticed when I started taking creatine a few years ago was my sharper brain. It was like putting glasses on when you’ve needed them for a while but not realised. Everything becomes crystal clear! I went off creatine for a few weeks last month just to see the difference and my brain felt sluggish and slow immediately. So I decided to go back in for a deep dive to see where the research is at in 2026. Why Creatine  For me staying younger longer isn’t just about looking good, it’s about cognitive agility, bone strength and metabolic resilience.  Here’s at least four reasons creatine is becoming the most researched longevity supplement of the decade!  Brain health The most exciting shift in recent research isn’t about muscles, it’s about the mind. Your brain is an energy hog, consuming roughly 20% of your body’s total calories. Recent clinical trials have shown that creatine acts as a neuro-protective buffer. For those of us juggling demanding careers, family logistics and the occasional bout of poor sleep, creatine helps maintain ATP (your cell’s energy currency) in the prefrontal cortex. The evidence? 2025 systematic reviews indicate that adults over 45 saw marked improvements in processing speed and short-term memory when supplementing. If you’ve ever walked into a room and forgotten why you’re there, creatine might be the upgrade you need.  Body We naturally lose 3-8% of our muscle mass every decade after 30, a process called sarcopenia. This isn’t just about aesthetics; muscle is your metabolic armor. It regulates your blood sugar and protects your joints. New 2026 data confirms that creatine, even with light resistance training (like yoga or brisk walking), significantly improves functional strength. It helps you stay springy and capable.   Sleep A 2025 study found that while creatine doesn’t make you sleep longer, it improves subjective sleep quality and cognitive performance following a night of poor sleep. Why? Creatine acts as a temporal energy buffer. When the brain is sleep-deprived, it depletes ATP rapidly; creatine steps in to top off those stores, meaning you feel less wrecked the next morning.  Women’s health One of the most profound breakthroughs in the last year is the focus on women’s health. As estrogen levels fluctuate and eventually drop, our internal ability to produce creatine also dips. This can contribute to the fatigue and mood swings often associated with perimenopause.  Supplementing with creatine is now being hailed by specialists as a foundational tool to help stabilize mood and maintain lean tissue during hormonal shifts. Powering up  Creatine is an evidence-backed, safe and affordable way to ensure your body and mind have the fuel they need to thrive in your best years yet. Here’s to staying younger, longer, healthier! See you again at Be Well soon Jan  PS VIP health note: While creatine is one of the most thoroughly researched supplements available, it is not a one size fits all solution. If you have a history of kidney disease, are currently taking nephrotoxic medications or manage a condition like bipolar disorder, consult your Doctor first. www.bewell.com.auLifelong health, made simple Navigate to more articles! PrevPreviousIssue #157 Why 2yr-olds laugh 150x per day, and we don’t.  Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia.  Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.

Happy International Happiness Day! Our 2 year-old granddaughter laughs a lot. As do most 2 year-olds, around 100 – 150 times per day. By the time we get to 15 years of age we have laugh around 30 – 50 times a day,  reducing to 10-20 times a day in our 50s. As we age, we don’t necessarily lose our sense of humor; we lose our playfulness. For a 2 year-old, the world is a series of surprising accidents. For a 50 year old, the world is a series of expected routines.  It’s not just about the laughs; there are profound health and wellness benefits to be gained from more joy in our lives! Recent 2026 longitudinal studies have revealed that happiness acts as a buffer.against physical decline. Research from the Unicamp Journal shows that older adults who experience frequent joy yeilds a 60% lower risk of mortality compared to their less cheerful peers. Even when chronic conditions are present, happy individuals live, on average, a full year longer. Why? It’s all in the chemistry. When you’re happy, your brain reduces cortisol (the stress hormone) and floods your system with endorphins and serotonin. This doesn’t just feel good; it: Lowers blood pressure and heart rate. Boosts the immune system, making you more resilient to viruses. Reduces pain perception, acting as a natural analgesic. The 2026 World Happiness Report has placed a massive spotlight on Social Connection. We now know that chronic loneliness is as damaging to your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. But here’s the twist: connection doesn’t always have to be deep or heavy. Science now points to the power of micro-joys, those tiny, fleeting interactions with strangers or the weak ties in your life (like the barista who knows your order). These small sparks of belonging are enough to tell your nervous system that you are safe & you belong. Boosting Your Joy  Smile, even when you don’t feel like itThis can trick your brain into releasing happy hormones. Many days I literally smile at everyone I see walking down the street, in the shops, anywhere. Try it! It’s such fun!  Play through conflictGet out the old boardgames at home and lower the stakes of daily family stressors. Set up that gigantic jigsaw that takes a week to do on family holidays and let people come and go to the table to help and have a chat. Smell joyOur nose can remember over 50,000 scents. To instantly shift your mood, pick a specific happy scent (like fresh eucalyptus or citrus) and wear it during your favorite fitness or yoga class. Eventually, just the scent will trigger a fitness high. Adopt a weekly digital sabbathThis year’s Happiness Day theme focuses on Caring and Sharing online. Whichever 1 in 7 days is your ‘sabbath’, instead of scrolling news etc, try sending three ‘gratitude’ voice notes to friends. The verdict Happiness is a practice, not a destination.  And, as we all already know from lived experience, perhaps the greatest benefit of exercise – the one that gets us back day after day –  is the how good it makes us feel, within ourselves and about ourselves. Here’s to living healthier, happier, longer! See you again at Be Well soon. Navigate to more articles! PrevPreviousIssue #156 My heart rate jumped 12 bpm without moving an inch Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia.  Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.

I did an experiment the other day. I took my pulse sitting on a plane that was running late whilst scrolling through LinkedIn and YouTube.  It was revealing to say the least! In a 30 min period I went from 64bpm – 76bpm – without moving an inch. Between the global news cycle and the daily juggle of work and life, many of us are operating in a state of anxiety, overwhelm and overdrive. When you are constantly on, your body stays in a state of high alert that wears down your immunity, disrupts your sleep and plays havoc with your hormones. We’ve been told that health is about doing more – more steps, more tracking, more intensity. But sometimes the most practical thing you can do for your long term health isn’t pushing harder or pushing through, it’s bringing your nervous system back to baseline. To keep your staying power in your career and your life, you need deliberate ways to switch off and manage your nervous system regulation, moving from fight or flight into rest and digest. So although I may not be able to control my external environment (including constant delayed flights!), I can regulate and manage my internal one. The New Essentials We are practical people; we know you don’t have hours to spend on complicated rituals, so here’s three high impact nervous system resets for you at Be Well right now: Breath as medicine  Next weekend’s Art of Meditation course led by the Art of Living team (see more info below) Our yin yoga sessions are lead by highly experienced instructors who provide neuro-recovery techniques that physically signal to your brain that you are safe to relax, allowing for healing and recovery time. Here is one of Be Well’s fantastic instructors Geri sharing some Yin moves you can try at home. Yin Yoga Speaking of breath… We’ve started a 10-week Lung Health series on Instagram with Pat. Every Tuesday, he’ll share simple practices to keep your lungs healthy as we transition from summer. EP#1 is already out and linked below. EP#1 Lung Health Series Time out  Sometimes the best ‘supplement’ for your wellbeing is a 30 minute sauna session in a space where no one expects anything from you. Our (de)compression room – with or without face masks ;-), is now a phone-free space at Be Well. Real connection  In a digital world, nothing resets the system like a face-to-face conversation. We call Be Well your third space, a place to be around like-minded people without the pressure and demands of family, a team, a boardroom or a screen. Our regular Be Well Conversations and gatherings regularly bring our community and friends together to talk deeply, laugh loudly and connect meaningfully. The bottom line The most ‘optimised’ person in the room might not be the one with the most data points, but the person with the most regulated nervous system and the vitality and calm to enjoy the life you’re living right now. See you again at Be Well soon! Jan  PS: Don’t forget to invite your friends & join us at this year’s Be Well International Women’s Day Conversation & Restore event 3 – 5.30pm, 15 March. More info below  International Women’s Day Tickets:Members, book here.Non Members, book here. www.bewell.com.auLifelong health, made simple Navigate to more articles! PrevPreviousIssue #154 I was lying on my yoga mat this morning at Be Well Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia.  Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.

I was lying on my yoga mat in Geri’s class this morning at Be Well. After an hour of flow practice I was swept away by an intense peace and calm as waves of music fell over and around us. My African grandmother name is aptly Go-Go. I move fast, eat fast, think fast, act fast, do life fast… I packed a bag and left home (for the first time) when I was about 3 years old. So time spent lying, sitting, stretching, bending and balancing on a yoga mat is a highly unlikely environment for me but I have trained myself over many years that this is my downtime whenever I can get it. We also had another Tomorrow Party at Be Well last week. A Tomorrow Party is where we ‘time travel’ into our future self with lightness, encouragement and support from others in the room (no drugs are even involved or required! ;-).  It was quite incredible to hear the places people traveled to and the ideas and opportunities that evolved in a few short hours. But what really inspired me was overhearing conversations a few days later with Members talking enthusiastically about their experience with other Members they hardly know over a cup of tea in the Well.  All whilst I was doing Ming’s Pilates class. Yes, we founded Be Well to improve our fitness, health and wellbeing. We are very clear about wanting to extend our health-span and, bonus, lifespan. We can track, assess and measure our progress in this. But the benefits of Be Well go far beyond that which we can measure. The conditions for success in fitness, health and wellbeing are more nuanced than raw metrics.  I have often shared in this blog that social fitness and connection are the most powerful complement to our exercise program. I am not sure how to measure that restorative moment of overwhelming peace and calm on my yoga mat nor the impact of a meaningful and life changing Be Well Tomorrow Party conversation. What I do know is that these things create and fuel energy and life into my body, mind and soul in intangible but deeply embodied ways. I also know that the more time spent in my parasympathetic nervous system the less likely my body will be inflamed and the less inflammation the more resistant I am to disease. This, in turn, enables me to do more pilates, lift weights and be GoGo! So maybe I have answered my own question. Everything can be measured after all! Looking forward to  seeing you all again at Be Well soon! Navigate to more articles! PrevPreviousIssue #153: Your body is full of zombie cells (here’s how to remove them) Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia.  Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.

If you’ve been into Be Well lately, you’ve probably felt that familiar post workout glow. But what if I told you that in early 2026, the ‘glow’ isn’t just coming from a good class or training session – it’s coming from the very core of our DNA? We are living through a historic shift in medicine. For those of us over 45, the conversation has moved away from the idea of ‘growing old gracefully’ toward ‘growing young strategically.’ That aspiration is certainly true for me and is In the first quarter of 2026, three massive scientific breakthroughs are changing the game for longevity – closing the gap between our lifespan and health-span. Lastest breakthroughs in Ageing 1. The end of ‘zombie cells’? By the time we hit our late 40s, our bodies accumulate senescent cells. Scientists call these zombie cells because they refuse to die, instead lingering in our joints and tissues, pumping out inflammatory signals that make us feel stiff or slow. The 2026 updateIn February, clinical trials for Precision Senolytics hit a major milestone. We now have targeted therapies designed to sweep these zombie cells out of the body. Imagine a future where age-related joint pain isn’t managed with ibuprofen, but cured by clearing the cellular ‘rust’ that causes the inflammation in the first place?   2. Know your biological age We all have two birthdays: the one on our driver’s license (chronological) and the one written in our cells (biological). The 2026 updateEpigenetic Clocks have officially moved from elite research labs into mainstream clinical care. By analyzing chemical tags on your DNA, these tests can tell you if your 48-year-old heart is actually functioning like a 40 year old or a 60 year old. This breakthrough allows us to stop guessing and start measuring. If your biological age is higher than you’d like, 2026 science shows we can actually roll it back through specific high-intensity interval training and personalized nutrition. 3. Your Digital Twin has got your back Ever wonder exactly how that extra espresso or missed hour of sleep affects your long-term health? The 2026 updateAI-powered healthspan ‘Digital Twins’ are the breakout tech of the year. By syncing your wearable data with blood panels, AI creates a virtual version of you. Doctors are now using these twins to run what-if simulations. It can predict how your cardiovascular health will look in five years based on your current habits. It’s like having a crystal ball for your health, allowing you to make course corrections today to ensure a vibrant, active 70s, 80s and 90s. Moving from maintaining to optimising? We can have levels of health, wellbeing and vitaility that enables us to live our one, wild and precious lives to the full. Whether it’s clearing out cellular debris or using AI to map our future, the science of 2026 is giving us the tools to stay under the bar, on the bike and in the game for decades to come. The future of longevity isn’t a mystery anymore; it’s a metric. Ready to see how these breakthroughs can change your future? Chat with one of our expert Physios this week about how we can tailor your program to target these longevity markers. Looking forward to seeing you at Be Well again soon! Navigate to more articles! PrevPreviousIssue #152: My neighbour is doubled over. She’s only 70 Be Well is the first-of-its- kind urban health, wellness and lifestyle club in Melbourne, Australia.  Informed by the science of longevity, Be Well nurtures the relationship you have with yourself and others, to optimise your lifestyle, and live your longest, best life.