BeWellLongevity

Live Well Journal Issue No.178: The health lesson six decades taught me The Seasons of Health From a bulletproof, free-range childhood to sixty and still moving, Jan reflects on every season of her health journey, and why the goal was never intensity. It was joy. Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDAugust 23, 2026 Read time I was reflecting on my health journey the other day. I remember vividly being young and physically bulletproof. My three brothers, I, and the neighbourhood kids climbed, jumped, swam, fought constantly in that wrestling, roll-around-but-don’t-hit-anyone way, played every sport going, crossed creeks and rivers that were flooding, rode bikes without brakes, rode horses without saddles, picked up toads and snakes, killed toads and snakes. In all that time, only one of us had an accident and broken a body part. It was when one of my brothers was using the other’s legs as cricket stumps. We weren’t free-range kids of hippy parents; we were just everyday suburban Brissy kids whose parents firmly believed children should play outside from dawn til dusk at every opportunity. In my early twenties, I used to go camping with friends. We hiked and swam all day, stayed up all night playing guitars, smoking, drinking and partying, downed the hangover Macca’s in the morning, and still got to uni or work the next day. By the time I hit my thirties, I had three young children. Our third child had died, along with my mother and young brother-in-law, all within a few years of each other. The emotional trauma was overwhelming at times, but the physical demands of life continued. I must have done tens of thousands of steps a day. Do the steps really count when you’re doing them in the middle of the night, crying with a crying baby? Or does the sheer exhaustion of hardly being able to stand on your feet and keep your eyes open cancel out the benefits? In between, I sprinted (literally, at times) between work, kids, family crises, soccer, swimming lessons, etc., and collapsed into wine o’clock on Friday night. It was hard to prioritise exercise and wellbeing when pure survival was everything. In my thirties, I discovered pump classes at lunchtime near my office. Remember pump? A precursor to Zumba, maybe. Quick, high-intensity and fun, exactly what I needed in the middle of the day to keep my energy up. During my forties, I lived in Sydney half the time and got into running, inspired by my husband running marathons and triathlons. There’s something freeing about running through streets, forests and parks. Hard on the body, though, so yoga became my antidote. Before fifty, I’d moved back to Melbourne, taken up bike riding as the transport option du jour in the most liveable city in the world, joined a doof-doof gym for about five minutes, and discovered the intense relaxation and detox benefits of saunas and hyperbaric chambers, with yoga and meditation rounding out the body-mind-soul connection. Just in time as menopause moved in. By the time I got to sixty, I had a few small injuries from running and biking, so physio-led Pilates entered the picture alongside all the other things I still love. The last few years have included weights and family pickleball on a Sunday afternoon. I don’t pump or run the streets anymore. Although the point is, I could. One long-term study tracking thousands of people for over a decade found that this everyday movement lowered the risk of heart disease by more than a quarter and cut the risk of dying early by around 30 per cent. Bring in the joy Looking back across these health seasons of my life, I sought the things which gave me the most energy, vitality, sense of wellbeing and, importantly, made me happy! Psychologist Barbara Fredrickson calls it ‘broaden and build’. Positive emotions don’t just reflect good health. They construct it, building physical, social and psychological resources that compound over time. When you feel joy, interest, or contentment, your brain lowers its defences. You see more possibilities, think more creatively, and process peripheral information better. Positivity isn’t just a reward or a pleasant side effect of success; it is an active engine for personal growth, health, and survival. Everything has its season Just as when I was a kid, I still like to move. Without effort. Without groaning. Without complaining. I like to feel and be strong. It brings me happiness and joy. In this season, I definitely understand you can’t just leave that to chance. The older you get, the more attention you have to pay. This is exactly why we built Be Well the way we did. Not a gym built around one type of class or one kind of body, but a place built for the seasons: somewhere you can lift, sweat, sauna, stretch and recover, and shift between all of them as your body and your day, year or decade demand. We didn’t want a room full of people chasing a single regime. We wanted a place people could keep coming back to year after year because it kept up with them, whatever season they were in. I have no idea what lies ahead. David and my health journeys have been completely different, but I do know that whether healthy and well or sick and recovering, Be Well is built into the foundations of our health and wellbeing and that of our hundreds of Members of all ages and stages of life. Here’s to loving and embracing your season with joy! See you again at Be Well soon. Longevity snip Movement Matters More Than Hitting a Target This piece makes the case that we’re framing exercise wrong. Nearly a third of adults don’t move enough, older adults face the biggest barriers, and yet even small increases in activity help. The authors argue society, not just willpower, needs to make moving easier. Source: here About the author Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn · Hon DLit ·

Live Well Journal Issue No.177: The MRI alternative built by an art app AI Fantasy Art Is Now Mapping Your Organs Midjourney is best known for dreamy AI art. Now they’re building a full-body medical scanner, and it says something about where AI is headed next. Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDAugust 16, 2026 Read time You know Midjourney, right? The app where you type “wizard riding a dragon over Melbourne” and it spits out a stunning image in seconds? That Midjourney. The one famous for fantasy art and dreamy profile pictures. This week, they announced they’re building a full-body medical scanner. I had to read that twice too. Here’s the pitch: you step onto a platform that lowers you into a shallow pool of light, ringed with half a million tiny sensors, sending sound waves through your body from every angle. The result is a 3D map of your body down to a fraction of a millimetre, built at nearly a hundred times the speed of a regular MRI. No radiation, no claustrophobic tube, just a pool of golden light and what they’re calling the ‘Midjourney Spa’. Think of it like the difference between a photographer setting up a tripod and waiting for the perfect shot, versus a hundred people with phones snapping you from every angle at once and stitching it all together. Same result, completely different method, much faster. Reality check The actual working prototype right now takes about 20 minutes, not 60 seconds, and has only been tried on a couple of dozen people. It has no approval to diagnose anything yet. It’s launching as a wellness tool that maps muscle, fat and bone, not as a replacement for your doctor’s MRI referral. The first spa. It opens as an actual spa in San Francisco, with hot tubs and cold plunges, where the scan happens almost as a byproduct of you relaxing. So why should you care, sitting in Melbourne, not San Francisco? Because this is what happens when AI money and AI confidence start showing up in industries that have barely changed in 50 years. Whatever you think of an art generator building medical hardware, it’s a signal: the next wave of AI isn’t just chatbots writing your emails, it’s AI companies deciding the human body is their next canvas. I’ll believe the 60-second scan when I see it working on more than a dozen people. But I’ll be watching this one closely, and so should you. Here’s the thing though, you don’t need to wait for Midjourney’s spa to open. We’ve had body composition scanning on hand at Be Well for a while now, through our Styku scanner, and it’s built into something bigger: our Well On Track program, designed and led by our physiotherapists. The difference is what happens after the scan. A picture of your muscle and fat is interesting. What a physio does with that picture, building it into a plan that actually changes your strength and longevity, is the part that matters. So if a tech company wants to spend years and millions chasing the perfect scan, good luck to them. We’ll keep doing the unglamorous work of turning the data into a better decade ahead for you. See you again at Be Well soon. Longevity snip Why Grip Strength May Predict How Long You Live In a study of 5,472 women ages 63 to 99, those with the strongest grip and quickest chair-stand times had up to 33-37% lower mortality risk, even after accounting for activity levels, sitting time, walking speed, and inflammation. Strength itself seems to matter, independent of everything else. Source: here About the author Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn · Hon DLit · Social and business entrepreneur Jan Owen AM is co-founder of Be Well Hawthorn and a social and business entrepreneur with over four decades of experience driving change across education, youth welfare and health. She is the author of Every Childhood Lasts a Lifetime and The Future Chasers, the inaugural Westpac and AFR Overall Woman of Influence, and holds honorary doctorates from the University of Sydney and Murdoch University. Jan was awarded membership to the Order of Australia in 2000 for her service to children and youth. Live Well Journal Get these insights directly into your inbox every week. Join the Be Well Health & Longevity newsletter. Written by Jan Owen AM, free for everyone, published every week. More from the Live Well Journal View all articles → Issue No.176: Thigh size predicts how long and well you live Issue No.176: Thigh size predicts how long and well you live Jan Owen AM • August 11, 2026 Issue No.175: Sleep is the cheapest longevity drug on earth  Issue No.175: Sleep is the cheapest longevity drug on earth  Jan Owen AM • August 2, 2026 Issue No.174: Massage is not a treat, it’s a treatement Issue No.174: Massage is not a treat, it’s a treatement Jan Owen AM • July 27, 2026

Live Well Journal Issue No.176: Thigh size predicts how long and well you live New research links leg muscle strength to lower heart disease risk and better long-term memory. Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDAugust 11, 2026 Read time If, like me, you’ve stood looking at the lift, escalator or stairs at the station, at work or at the airport, or if you have thought about that extra rep and hesitated… then this blog is for you! We spend a lot of time worrying about the numbers on the scale, the circumference of our waistline, or whether our jeans still fit. But what if the real number that matters for how long and how well you live is in your thighs? Healthcare and longevity researcher Neal K. Shah has been diving into the science of lower-body muscle mass, and the findings are genuinely surprising. Not in a “drink this green powder” way. More in a “this changes how I think about my legs entirely” way. Here’s the headline: people with stronger, larger leg muscles show significantly lower rates of heart disease and premature death. Your thighs are the largest muscle group in your body, and research published in the British Medical Journal and out of King’s College London suggests that the size and strength of your leg muscles are among the most powerful predictors of how long you’ll live and how healthy those years will be. High lower body muscle mass optimises blood sugar clearance, decreases insulin resistance, and reduces chronic vascular inflammation over time. Not marginally lower. Significantly. But wait, it gets more interesting. Researchers tracked pairs of identical twins over decades (twins are a gift to scientists because they share genetics, so any differences are largely lifestyle-driven). The twin with greater leg strength consistently maintained better memory and faster thinking well into later life. The legs you build in your fifties and sixties may be quietly protecting your brain for the decades that follow. The threshold effect Below a certain level of thigh muscle mass, the risk of early death climbs sharply, think of it like a cliff edge, you really don’t want to fall below it. But, and this is the reassuring bit, above that threshold, bigger isn’t necessarily better. You don’t need to be a competitive cyclist or a squatting champion. The goal isn’t maximum muscle. The goal is not to lose what you have. The warning signs. Muscle loss in the lower body is often one of the earliest signs of accelerating physical decline. It tends to happen quietly, gradually, and without much fanfare, until one day the stairs feel harder, getting up from the floor requires a plan, and balance becomes something you actively think about. The good news? The exercises that protect against this are beautifully unsexy. Walking uphill. Climbing stairs instead of taking the lift. Squats. Resistance training. Shah doesn’t frame these as vanity exercises or punishment for eating dessert. He frames them as evidence-based longevity tools, as fundamental to a long, sharp, independent life as eating well or sleeping enough. So choose the stairs if you possibly can! Or just do those few extra reps of resistance training at Be Well. Know that you’re not just burning calories, you’re investing in your brain, your heart and your future self. Turns out, thick thighs save lives! See you again at Be Well soon. Longevity snip Skinny Thighs, Bigger Risk A Danish study of nearly 3,000 adults found people with thigh circumference under about 60cm faced a notably higher risk of heart disease and early death, even after accounting for weight and waist size. Past that threshold, bigger thighs offered no extra protection. Researchers think it comes down to muscle, not fat.  Source: here About the author Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn · Hon DLit · Social and business entrepreneur Jan Owen AM is co-founder of Be Well Hawthorn and a social and business entrepreneur with over four decades of experience driving change across education, youth welfare and health. She is the author of Every Childhood Lasts a Lifetime and The Future Chasers, the inaugural Westpac and AFR Overall Woman of Influence, and holds honorary doctorates from the University of Sydney and Murdoch University. Jan was awarded membership to the Order of Australia in 2000 for her service to children and youth. Live Well Journal Get these insights directly into your inbox every week. Join the Be Well Health & Longevity newsletter. Written by Jan Owen AM, free for everyone, published every week. More from the Live Well Journal View all articles → Issue No.175: Sleep is the cheapest longevity drug on earth  Issue No.175: Sleep is the cheapest longevity drug on earth  Jan Owen AM • August 2, 2026 Issue No.174: Massage is not a treat, it’s a treatement Issue No.174: Massage is not a treat, it’s a treatement Jan Owen AM • July 27, 2026 Issue No.173: Your immune cells run on oxygen, not vitamin C Issue No.173: Your immune cells run on oxygen, not vitamin C Jan Owen AM • July 19, 2026

Live Well Journal Issue No.175: Sleep is the cheapest longevity drug on earth  Sleep is at the front of my mind, having just returned from a 27-hour flight and an intensive morning to (late) night conferencing week in Toronto, Canada, last week. Tbh, if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: ‘there’s plenty of time to sleep when you’re dead!’ Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDAugust 2, 2026 Read time Sleep is at the front of my mind, having just returned from a 27-hour flight and an intensive morning to (late) night conferencing week in Toronto, Canada, last week. Tbh, if I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a thousand times: ‘there’s plenty of time to sleep when you’re dead!’ How wrong could I have been! (my apologies to everyone over the past 30 years;-( Turns out that skipping sleep is like skimping on the foundations of a house because the paint colour felt more urgent. Everything you build on top eventually cracks. Here’s the number that changed my mind.  A study out of Oregon Health & Science University, published this year, tracked sleep habits across more than 3,000 US counties. Poor sleep turned out to be the second strongest predictor of early death they found, beaten only by smoking. Not diet. Not exercise. Not even loneliness. Sleep. And a huge Nature study published in May, tracking half a million people, found the sweet spot: 6.4 to 7.8 hours a night. Sleep less than that, or more, and your brain, heart, lungs and immune system all age faster. Not just feel worse. Age faster. Sleep isn’t a wellness extra; it’s a dial your organs are watching. Your gut & sleep Dr Stasha Gominak, a neurologist (Baylor / Mass General trained) spent 20+ years treating patients before pivoting to sleep.  Dr Gominak believes Vitamin D deficiency, made worse by decades of indoor living and ageing, is an underlying driver of poor sleep, and most people supplementing Vit D are doing it wrong or incompletely. This is her experience as a clinician, not fully researched science as yet. Dr Gominak believes our skin making vitamin D from sunlight works differently than a pill or fatty fish. Oral Vit D alone doesn’t replicate what sun exposure does. Her patients who took vitamin D often didn’t improve, some got worse, had digestive issues and no weight loss despite exercising more. Her theory is that taking vitamin D on its own can burn through your body’s B vitamins. Gut bacteria play a role in producing those Vit B vitamins in the first place, so dosing Vit D without supporting the gut can create a new deficiency instead of fixing the old one. Dr Gominak reframes insomnia as a chemical deficiency problem, not a behaviour problem. Why sleep is doing renovation work, not just downtime My friend Dr Catherine Ball’s new book, The Future of Sleep, makes a point I love: sleep isn’t spare time, it’s infrastructure. While you’re out cold, your brain runs a nightly cleaning crew, the glymphatic system, flushing out metabolic waste, including the proteins linked to Alzheimer’s.  Your body uses deep sleep to repair tissue, regulate inflammation, and reset the hormones that control appetite and blood pressure. Skip it, and the mess builds up quietly for years. Here’s what MIT researchers found: when you’re sleep deprived, and your attention suddenly drifts mid-task, that lapse isn’t random. It lines up with a wave of fluid washing through your brain, the same cleanup crew clocking on early because you didn’t give it its proper night shift. Your brain is so desperate for its maintenance window that it starts sneaking in repairs while you’re meant to be working. Skip the renovation at night, and it happens anyway, at the worst possible time, like during your Tuesday morning meeting. I have absolutely been there! Early death, burnout, low productivity… How much more convincing do you need? Another friend, Dr Amantha Imber, is coming to Be Well for our September ’In Conversation’.  In her book, The Health Habit, she writes candidly about her own chronic insomnia and how she used behavioural science, not willpower, to fix it. In her brand new book, The Energy Game, she goes further: after hitting full burnout despite two decades of coaching Google and Disney on wellbeing, she built REST into her system not as a retreat you escape to once a year, but as something you rebuild in five minutes at a time, inside a normal week. Her big insight across both books: knowing what to do isn’t the problem. Most of us know we should sleep more. The problem is building a routine that survives contact with real life. Four sleep moves that actually work 1. Protect the last hour before bed like a closing shift.  Dim the lights, put the phone in another room, and do the same lowkey thing every night. Your brain reads repetition as a signal to power down. 2. Get outside in the first twenty minutes of your morning.  Morning light sets your body clock more powerfully than anything you do at night. It’s the cheapest sleep aid that exists. 3. Keep your room properly cold. Somewhere around 18 degrees. Your core temperature needs to drop to fall into deep sleep, and a warm room fights you on it all night. 4. Give yourself a ‘hall pass’.  Imber’s term for the night’s sleep goes sideways anyway. One rough night isn’t a failed habit; it’s just a rough night. Don’t let it snowball into giving up on the whole routine. None of this requires a gadget, a supplement, or a personality transplant. It requires treating sleep as a worthy investment, a little thought and consistency, not an afterthought at the end of a long day. Tonight, pick one of the four. Just one. Longevity isn’t built in a single big leap; it’s built in the everyday, repeatable choices nobody applauds you for. This is one of them. I’m looking for the Airpod a few nights of deep sleep to

Live Well Journal Issue No.174: Massage is not a treat, it’s a treatement My mother-in-law was big on weekly massages. I thought it was for beauty reasons, but I think I was wrong. It was part of her midlife management program. For too long, I have thought of massage as a reward, something you book when you’ve had a particularly hard week, or as a birthday present or on holiday. A luxury. A splurge. Something nice but not necessary. Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDJuly 27, 2026 Read time My mother-in-law was big on weekly massages. I thought it was for beauty reasons, but I think I was wrong. It was part of her midlife management program. For too long, I have thought of massage as a reward, something you book when you’ve had a particularly hard week, or as a birthday present or on holiday. A luxury. A splurge. Something nice but not necessary. The research says otherwise. And if you’re navigating the hormonal, musculoskeletal and neurological shifts of midlife, it says it loudly. Regular therapeutic massage is one of the most evidence-backed, holistic body interventions available to you. Here’s what it’s actually doing. What happens during a massage Within minutes of therapeutic touch beginning, your body initiates a cascade of measurable physiological responses. Cortisol, your primary stress hormone, begins to fall. Serotonin and dopamine rise. Heart rate and blood pressure drop. The parasympathetic nervous system takes over from the chronic low-grade sympathetic activation that most of us are stuck in without realising it. A single 45-minute massage reduces cortisol levels by up to 31%. That’s not a subtle shift. Chronically elevated cortisol is implicated in disrupted sleep, weight gain around the abdomen, impaired immune function, accelerated bone loss, mood dysregulation and cognitive decline. Reducing it regularly through massage is a genuine intervention. The menopause connection A 2024 review and meta-analysis specifically examining massage for menopausal and postmenopausal women found significant benefits across psychological symptoms, anxiety, depression, fatigue and overall quality of life. A separate randomised controlled trial found that connective tissue massage improved physical and emotional health outcomes in postmenopausal women so consistently that researchers recommended it as a first-line approach, meaning before pharmaceutical intervention for mild to moderate symptoms. The mechanism is partly hormonal, partly neurological. Declining oestrogen affects the production of collagen, the protein that keeps connective tissue, joints, and skin supple. As collagen declines, fascial tissue (the connective web that surrounds every muscle, organ, and structure in your body) can become denser, less hydrated and more restrictive. This is why so many women in midlife describe a creeping stiffness, tightness or achiness that exercise alone doesn’t fully resolve. Therapeutic massage, particularly connective tissue and deep tissue techniques, directly addresses fascial health, restoring hydration, mobility and elasticity to tissue that has tightened with age and hormonal change. A sleep story Winter compounds an already difficult relationship with sleep for too many people. Shorter days disrupt circadian rhythm. Night sweats interrupt deep sleep cycles. Elevated cortisol from seasonal stress and reduced light keep the nervous system activated when it should be winding down. A 2024 randomised study confirmed that massage reduces insomnia severity. A 2025 systematic review found that massage reliably reduces cortisol and activates the parasympathetic nervous system, precisely the conditions your body needs to fall asleep and stay there. A massage session in the afternoon or early evening is, in neurological terms, one of the best things you can do to prepare your body for deep, restorative winter sleep. Your immune system is listening Winter is when your immune system faces its greatest annual challenge, and massage is a surprisingly powerful ally. Reduce chronic stress, lower cortisol and your immune system’s suppressed function begins to recover. Regular massage through winter is, quite literally, an investment in not getting sick. In the mood Here’s the finding that reframes everything. Massage triggers the release of oxytocin, the bonding and connection hormone typically associated with love and relationships. A study measuring oxytocin levels before and after massage found a 17% increase in the massage group, while the resting control group showed a 9% decrease. At the same time, ACTH (the hormone that drives cortisol production) dropped 20% in the massage group but rose 30% in those who just rested. Oxytocin does something remarkable beyond mood: it actively lowers blood pressure, accelerates wound healing, reduces inflammation and is associated in research with improved longevity outcomes. The research describes oxytocin as ‘the more you give, the more you get’. Regular massage sessions build a cumulative physiological benefit that single occasional massages simply don’t replicate. An infrared sauna before a massage is an exceptional combination. Heat softens fascial tissue, relaxes muscles, and makes therapeutic work deeper and more effective. Many members sauna, then massage and describe it as the most restorative session they have all week. Most things you do at Be Well, the strength training, the cardio, the sauna, the plunge, the Pilates asks something of your body. Massage is how your body answers back. It’s the recovery that makes the training stick, the stress relief that makes the sleep possible and the physiological reset that keeps you coming back with more capacity than you left with. Massage is not a luxury. It is not a reward for a hard week. It is a health intervention, and the research is unambiguous about that. Book it like you mean it.  Longevity snip Massage Isn’t Just for Sore Muscles, It May Ease Your Mind Research suggests massage calms the nervous system, lowers stress hormones, and boosts mood chemicals like serotonin and dopamine, easing anxiety and depression. A new journal issue explores why touch-based therapy may do more for mental health than you’d think. Source: here About the author Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn · Hon DLit · Social and business entrepreneur Jan Owen AM is co-founder of Be Well Hawthorn and a social and business entrepreneur with over four decades of experience driving change across education, youth welfare and health. She is the author

Live Well Journal Issue No.173: Your immune cells run on oxygen, not vitamin C You climb in, recline, and close your eyes. Within minutes, your body is quietly doing something extraordinary – absorbing oxygen at up to 50% above its normal capacity – while molecular hydrogen neutralises the free radicals that age your cells from the inside out. No effort required. Just breathe. Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDJuly 19, 2026 Read time You climb in, recline, and close your eyes. Within minutes, your body is quietly doing something extraordinary – absorbing oxygen at up to 50% above its normal capacity – while molecular hydrogen neutralises the free radicals that age your cells from the inside out. No effort required. Just breathe. Welcome to the Hydroxy AirPod. You will find me there several times a week. I am pretty obsessed. So what actually is it? The AirPod is state-of-the-art Japanese technology, a pressurised pod that combines two of the most exciting therapies in modern science: mild Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (mHBOT) and molecular hydrogen. The pod gently increases the atmospheric pressure around your body while you breathe an enriched gas mix of approximately 35% oxygen and 2% hydrogen, compared to the 21% oxygen you’re currently breathing. That elevated pressure is the magic. It forces oxygen to dissolve directly into your blood plasma, not just your red blood cells, flooding your tissues, organs and brain with fuel they rarely get enough of. Meanwhile, hydrogen gets to work as the world’s most targeted antioxidant. All the while you’re lying back quietly in a chair, or, if you’re like me, doing some work on your phone or laptop.  What the research actually shows Your cells get flooded with oxygen. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has decades of research behind it. Studies show it accelerates tissue repair, reduces systemic inflammation and supercharges the body’s natural recovery processes. Athletes use it. Surgeons use it. And now you can access it at Be Well. Hydrogen is an antioxidant superstar. Here’s the thing about free radicals – they’re unavoidable. Stress, pollution, exercise, and even breathing produce them. Left unchecked, they damage your cells and accelerate ageing. Molecular hydrogen is the only antioxidant small enough to enter cells directly and cross the blood-brain barrier, selectively neutralising the most destructive free radicals without touching the ones your body actually needs. The research on its anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects is growing fast, and it’s impressive. Together, they’re even more powerful. The Hydroxy combination is thought to amplify both effects: more oxygen in, less oxidative damage done. Regular users report sharper mental clarity, deeper sleep, faster muscle recovery, reduced stress and an overall sense of feeling genuinely restored. Not just relaxed. Restored. Why winter is the best time to Pod Here’s something most people don’t realise: the AirPod is arguably more valuable in winter than any other time of year, and the science backs it up. Your immune system needs more fuel in winter. When you’re fighting off a cold or flu, your immune cells are working overtime. And their primary fuel is oxygen. Research shows that mHBOT significantly increases the bactericidal capacity of these immune cells, giving your body a genuine edge when it needs it most. Think of it as arming your defences before the battle starts. Molecular hydrogen tackles winter inflammation. That heavy, rundown, achy feeling when you get sick? That’s your inflammatory response going into overdrive. Studies show molecular hydrogen significantly lowers the pro-inflammatory cytokines responsible, reducing the severity and duration of that awful winter slump. Winter drags your mood down. The AirPod pushes back. Shorter days mean less sunlight, which suppresses neurotransmitter production. Hello, low energy, brain fog and the winter blues. mHBOT has been shown to stimulate and regulate neurotransmitter activity in the brain, with research noting mood improvements comparable to psychotherapy for seasonal mood disorders. Pair that with the endorphin lift from your infrared sauna session, and you’ve got a seriously powerful winter wellness stack. Already come down with something? The AirPod won’t make the virus disappear overnight, but evidence suggests it shortens recovery time and, crucially, reduces the risk of that lingering post-viral fatigue that can drag on for weeks after winter illness. Who’s it for? Honestly? Almost everyone. Whether you’re pushing hard in training and need faster recovery, navigating a high-stress period at work, dealing with ongoing fatigue, or simply want to invest in long-term cellular health, the AirPod is for you. Sessions run for 30 or 60 minutes. You recline, you breathe, you let the pod do the work. Many members pair it with a sauna session for an even deeper recovery experience. Oxygen in, heat out, full reset. Give it a try! If you haven’t gotten into the Airpod yet, I encourage you to give it a try! We have carefully curated every single part of Be Well to support prevention, recovery and longevity. The Hydroxy AirPod represents some of the most exciting science in wellness right now. It’s non-invasive, drug-free and genuinely backed by research into what your body needs to thrive at the cellular level. Come try it for yourself. Your cells will thank you.  Longevity snip Breathing Deep for Stronger Bones Turns out extra oxygen might help bones heal. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, breathing pure oxygen under pressure, appears to boost bone-building cells and blood vessel growth while calming inflammation. Early studies show promise for fractures and osteoporosis. Researchers are still fine-tuning the ideal dose. Source: here About the author Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn · Hon DLit · Social and business entrepreneur Jan Owen AM is co-founder of Be Well Hawthorn and a social and business entrepreneur with over four decades of experience driving change across education, youth welfare and health. She is the author of Every Childhood Lasts a Lifetime and The Future Chasers, the inaugural Westpac and AFR Overall Woman of Influence, and holds honorary doctorates from the University of Sydney and Murdoch University. Jan was awarded membership to the Order of Australia in 2000 for her service to children and youth. Live Well Journal Get these insights

Live Well Journal Issue No.172: Cut hot flushes by 30%, no medication needed There’s a moment, about ten seconds into the cold plunge, where your brain screams ‘absolutely not.’ Your breath catches, your skin prickles, every instinct says get out.  Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDJuly 12, 2026 Read time There’s a moment, about ten seconds into the cold plunge, where your brain screams ‘absolutely not.’ Your breath catches, your skin prickles, every instinct says get out. And then, if you breathe through it, something extraordinary happens. Your nervous system resets, your blood vessels flush, and dopamine surges. And you climb out feeling more alive, more clear-headed and more you than you have all week. Welcome to contrast plunge therapy. And if you’re a woman in your 40s, 50s, 60s or 70s? The research suggests this is one of the most powerful things you can do for your body, even in winter! What’s actually happening When you move between the hot and cold baths, you’re triggering a powerful physiological response with every transition. The heat causes your blood vessels to dilate, flushing circulation to the surface, relaxing muscle tissue, and easing joint stiffness. Then the cold causes them to rapidly constrict, driving blood back to your core, activating your lymphatic system, and triggering a cascade of neurochemicals your body thrives on. This pumping action – dilation, constriction, dilation, constriction – is one of the most effective ways to boost circulation, reduce inflammation and mobilise your lymphatic system (your body’s waste-removal network), all without moving a muscle. The numbers that shocked me A landmark 2024 UCL study surveyed 1,114 women,  the majority going through perimenopause or menopause, about the effects of cold water immersion on their symptoms. The results: 47% reported significant improvement in anxiety 35% reported fewer mood swings 31% reported improvement in low mood 30% reported a reduction in hot flushes Nearly two-thirds of participants were using cold water specifically to manage their symptoms. And it was working. The mechanism is real: cold water immersion retrains the autonomic nervous system, the system responsible for regulating body temperature, to respond more efficiently to heat signals. Over time, this means fewer and less intense hot flushes, less anxiety, better mood and a nervous system that isn’t in a constant state of overreaction. What the science says about each plunge The cold plunge triggers a dramatic release of norepinephrine (up to 530%) and dopamine (up to 250%). These aren’t small increases; they’re the kind that shift how you feel for hours afterwards. Research from a 2025 randomised controlled trial found that regular cold water immersion over 8 weeks produced significant reductions in anxiety and depression scores. Cold water also reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines – the same signals that drive joint pain, fatigue, and brain fog. The hot pool is doing equally important work. Hot water immersion lowers resting heart rate, reduces blood pressure, and delivers a form of passive cardiovascular conditioning that’s particularly relevant for women post-menopause, when oestrogen’s protective effect on the cardiovascular system declines. It also deeply relaxes the connective tissue around joints, a genuine relief for anyone whose body tightens up in the winter cold. Together, you get something greater than either alone, a vascular workout for your whole system, a neurochemical reset and a full-body anti-inflammatory effect that builds with every session. Your Be Well plunge protocol  Here’s exactly how to use the pools for maximum benefit, based on the evidence: Beginner (first 2–3 sessions) Start warm, build confidence in the cold. Hot pool: 5–7 minutes Cold plunge: 30–60 seconds (focus on slow breathing – in through the nose, out through the mouth) Repeat once Always finish on cold Intermediate (once you’re comfortable) Hot pool: 3–5 minutes Cold plunge: 1–2 minutes Repeat 2–3 rounds Always finish on cold. How cold is cold enough? Research shows the sweet spot for neurochemical benefit is around 10–15°C. You don’t need ice water – you need consistent, sustained cool immersion and controlled breathing. How many times per week? Research by neuroscientist Dr Andrew Huberman identifies just 11 minutes of cold exposure per week as the threshold for meaningful health benefits. That’s roughly 2–3 sessions of 3–5 minutes each. Consistency beats intensity every time. When is best? Morning sessions deliver the biggest mood and focus boost. The dopamine and norepinephrine surge from the cold plunge sets a calm, alert tone for the whole day. Avoid cold plunging within 2–3 hours of sleep, as it can be too activating. There is no badge for suffering If the cold plunge feels daunting, you’re not alone, and you’re not behind. Start with the hot pool only for your first visit. Then try just 15–20 seconds in the cold. The goal is a sustainable practice that your body learns to love, not a test of willpower. Hot and cold plunge therapy is one of the most research-backed, time-efficient wellness tools available, and you have access to it every time you walk through our doors. For mood, for hot flushes, for joint health, for inflammation, for cardiovascular resilience, the evidence is compelling, and it only takes minutes. Go warm. Go cold. Breathe through it. Feel the difference.  Longevity snip There’s a nerve that links your brain to your heart, gut, and immune system, and mild electrical stimulation of it is treating more than doctors expected Already FDA-approved for epilepsy and depression, vagus nerve stimulation is now being trialled for heart failure, arthritis, chronic pain, and more, with 91% of published trials reporting symptom improvements.  Source: here About the author Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn · Hon DLit · Social and business entrepreneur Jan Owen AM is co-founder of Be Well Hawthorn and a social and business entrepreneur with over four decades of experience driving change across education, youth welfare and health. She is the author of Every Childhood Lasts a Lifetime and The Future Chasers, the inaugural Westpac and AFR Overall Woman of Influence, and holds honorary doctorates from the University of Sydney and Murdoch University. Jan was awarded membership to the Order of Australia in 2000 for her service to children and

Live Well Journal Issue No.171: Cut hot flushes by 30%, no medication needed Winter has a way of making stillness feel really appealing. The days are shorter, the motivation is lower, Netflix is calling, and the couch is very, very comfortable. Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDJuly 5, 2026 Read time Winter has a way of making stillness feel really appealing. The days are shorter, the motivation is lower, Netflix is calling, and the couch is very, very comfortable. But here’s what the research is telling us loud and clear: winter is actually the most important time to keep moving, and Pilates and yoga aren’t just good exercise options, they’re doing something profound for your body and brain that almost nothing else can match. Especially in winter. The nerve you never knew you had Let’s start with something genuinely surprising. One of the most exciting areas of recent neuroscience research centres on the vagus nerve, a long, wandering nerve that runs from your brainstem all the way down through your heart, lungs and gut. It’s the superhighway of your parasympathetic nervous system – the rest, digest and recover system, and it plays a starring role in regulating inflammation, immune response and mood. Research published in Frontiers in Neuroscience (2024) confirmed that vagus nerve activation directly suppresses pro-inflammatory cytokines, the same inflammatory signals that spike in winter when you’re stressed, sleep-deprived or run down. And what activates the vagus nerve? Slow, controlled breathing. Mindful movement. Exactly what yoga and Pilates are built on. Every time you move through a yoga flow with breath awareness, or hold a Pilates exercise with deliberate, focused inhales and exhales, you are literally toning your vagus nerve and, by extension, dialling down inflammation and supporting your immune system. Goodbye winter blues & stiffness Yoga takes on the winter blues. A 2025 systematic review and meta-analysis published in PMC confirmed that yoga produces meaningful reductions in depression severity, improving remission rates versus doing nothing or treatment-as-usual. For a condition that peaks in winter (seasonal affective disorder affects up to 5% of adults, and search data shows it spikes hardest in the coldest months), having a movement practice that genuinely shifts the needle on mood is a big deal. Pilates is the answer to winter stiffness. Cold weather tightens everything, including muscles, fascia, and joints. For Be Well members dealing with lower back pain, knee osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia, winter can be brutal. A 2025 meta-analysis found that Pilates significantly reduces pain and improves function in knee osteoarthritis patients, while a separate review confirmed meaningful pain relief for fibromyalgia sufferers. The slow, precise nature of Pilates is uniquely suited to winter bodies – warming tissue gently, restoring range of motion and rebuilding the deep stability that cold weather strips away. Both protect your balance. A 2024 analysis found that Pilates significantly improves static and dynamic balance, reducing fall risk. Combine that with yoga’s well-documented improvements to proprioception, your body’s ability to sense its own position, movement and force in space, and body awareness, and you’ve got two powerful tools for staying strong and coordinated through the slippery, low-light winter months. Pilates and yoga are not gentle options for people who can’t do ‘real’ exercise. However, ‘just try some yoga or Pilates’ isn’t particularly helpful. So here’s what the research actually recommends, specific enough to act on today. Which type of yoga? For mood, nervous system, and sleep → Yin or Restorative yoga. These slow, floor-based styles hold poses for 3–10 minutes, activating the parasympathetic nervous system and directly calming the stress response. Research shows that the restorative yoga group in cognitive studies significantly improved fluid cognitive function, the ability to think clearly and solve problems. Perfect for winding down a winter evening. For energy, strength, and hot flush management → Hatha / slow yoga. These movement-based styles raise serotonin, build functional strength, and improve circulation without overtaxing the body. A 2024 meta-analysis of over 2,000 women found this style of practice significantly reduced hot flushes, anxiety, and psychological menopause symptoms. Avoid: Hot yoga and intense power yoga during perimenopause and menopause; heat-based practices can worsen hot flushes and place unnecessary stress on the cardiovascular system. Which type of pilates? Reformer Pilates is the standout recommendation for women in their 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. The adjustable spring resistance supports joints, allows precise muscle targeting, and can be scaled perfectly to your current fitness level. A 2017 study found reformer Pilates produced greater gains in strength and flexibility than mat Pilates, and a separate study found it reduced fall risk and improved balance in adults over 65. Mat Pilates is an excellent complement, requires no equipment and builds foundational core strength. Many members do both: reformer for their structured sessions, mat for home practice in between. How many times per week? Pilates: 2–3 times per week is the evidence-backed sweet spot. Studies show meaningful improvements in core strength, balance, pain reduction, and mobility after 8–12 weeks at this frequency. More than 3 sessions per week offer diminishing returns; recovery matters just as much as the work. Yoga: 2–3 times per week for measurable benefits on mood, sleep and menopause symptoms. A randomised controlled trial of women aged 45–60 found that 75 minutes of yoga, 3 times per week for 20 weeks, significantly improved sleep and menopause symptoms. Even twice weekly produced a 66% reduction in hot flash frequency. Move Well Pilates and Yoga are clearly different, but both are precision tools for nervous system regulation, pain management, immune support and mental health, backed by a rapidly growing body of research that is only getting stronger. If you’re less active, spending more time indoors, eating heavier foods and getting less sunlight, your nervous system tips toward a state of chronic low-grade stress. That quiet background stress is inflammatory, immunity-dampening and mood flattening. Pilates and yoga don’t just counteract this; they actively reverse it, session by session. As a long term yogi, I was thrilled by a 2024 trial found that 12 weeks of regular yoga increased telomerase activity, the enzyme that repairs

Live Well Journal Issue #170: Should you change your supplements for winter? Most of us settle into a supplement routine and stick with it year-round without a second thought. Same products, same doses, same shelf in the bathroom or kitchen if you’re me. And while consistency matters, the research is increasingly clear: winter creates specific nutritional demands that your summer stack simply doesn’t account for. Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDJune 21, 2026 Read time Most of us settle into a supplement routine and stick with it year-round without a second thought. Same products, same doses, same shelf in the bathroom or kitchen if you’re me. And while consistency matters, the research is increasingly clear: winter creates specific nutritional demands that your summer stack simply doesn’t account for. Less sunlight. More indoor time. Higher stress on the immune system. Disrupted sleep. Hormonal fluctuations are amplified by cold and darkness. The right supplements, taken in the right amounts at the right time of year, can make a meaningful difference. So if you also take supplements, here is what I am going to do with my winter supplements, which you may find useful regarding what to keep, what to increase, and what to add.  NOTE: I am not a doctor, this is not advice, this is just what I am going to do.  My foundation stays My husband David and I have been really happy with Dr Brad Stanfield’s Multi Vitamin plus and Sleep capsules (melatonin and magnesium) as our core longevity stack. These stay regardless of the season. In addition, I also take: Omega-3 (fish oil or algae-based) is a cornerstone for cardiovascular health, brain function and inflammation regulation. Winter typically means less fresh fish, more inflammatory comfort food and less outdoor movement, all of which raise systemic inflammation. A daily dose of 1,000–2,000mg EPA/DHA maintains my baseline.  Probiotics, about 70% of my immune system lives in my gut, and winter is when I need that defence working hardest. A 2025 randomised controlled trial found that women aged 45–65 taking a daily probiotic for four months showed significant improvements in wellbeing and anxiety. A separate meta-analysis found that certain lactobacillus strains may help prevent bone loss in the spine, particularly relevant for women post-menopause. I have a multi-strain formula. I take it consistently. GlyNAC (Glycine + N-Acetylcysteine) research suggests that glutathione, the body’s master antioxidant, is maintained well until around 45 and then declines rapidly. GlyNAC directly replenishes glutathione precursors. A human placebo-controlled trial found it corrected glutathione deficiency in older adults and improved grip strength.  Dial up for winter Vitamin D3 is the single most important winter adjustment for almost everyone in Australia’s southern states, and especially for women over 40. Suboptimal vitamin D is extremely common during winter, and declining oestrogen makes absorption less efficient, compounding the problem. Low D3 impairs immune cell function, raises depression risk, weakens bone density and reduces muscle strength. Here’s the critical thing: you don’t take D3 without K2. Vitamin D increases calcium absorption but without K2 (menaquinone), that calcium can end up in arteries and soft tissue rather than bones. Research shows that D3 and K2 taken together produce significantly greater improvements than either supplement alone. This combination is especially important if bone health is a concern. Winter dose: 2,000–4,000 IU of D3 daily, paired with 100–200mcg of K2 (MK-7 form). I  haven’t had my levels tested recently, so winter is an excellent time for a simple blood test. The 2026 Winter edition Zinc earns its place during cold and flu season. A 2024 Cochrane review found zinc lozenges reduced cold duration by approximately two days. More importantly, research published in Cell confirmed that immune T-cells require adequate zinc to recognise and fight threats effectively and most women over 50, like me, are mildly deficient without knowing it. 15–25mg daily through winter is appropriate for most women. Note: zinc and copper compete for absorption, so I must avoid very high doses long-term without guidance. Vitamin C evidence for immune support is solid. It drives production of white blood cells, maintains the mucous membranes that are our first physical barrier against viruses, and acts as an antioxidant when our immune system is working overtime. I will take highly absorbable Vit C Liposomal, which enters the bloodstream directly for maximum potency and cellular delivery. It also promotes healthy connective tissue and collagen formation. At 1,000mg daily through winter, it’s within the safe and effective range. Ashwagandha is worth considering if winter hits my stress and energy levels hard. As an adaptogen, it regulates cortisol, the stress hormone that rises with cold, dark winters and disrupted sleep. Multiple trials show it reduces perceived stress, improves energy and supports sleep quality. 300–600mg of a root extract standardised to withanolides, taken in the evening, is the researched dose. Btw, the latest on NMN  I took NMN for 3 years as part of my longevity stack as a NAD+ booster, however, current evidence states that while NMN reliably raises NAD+ levels in the blood, a 2025 meta-analysis pooling 10 randomised controlled trials in adults over 60 found no clear evidence that this translates to meaningful health or longevity benefits in humans. The mice data is interesting. The human data is not yet there. There is also a theoretical concern: cancer cells consume NAD+ at very high rates. Without a confirmed benefit, an increasingly common view in evidence-based longevity medicine is that the risk profile isn’t justified by the current evidence. One last thing …. Supplements are not a replacement for good food, movement or sleep, but as a complement to a solid lifestyle foundation. For me, they genuinely improve my energy, mental health and clarity.  If you take medications or have a chronic health condition, check with your GP or integrative health practitioner before adjusting your regime as some supplements interact with common medications, particularly blood thinners and thyroid drugs. My takeaway? My body definitely has different needs in winter. Meeting them isn’t complicated, but it needs to be intentional. A few targeted additions to my daily routine, always grounded in evidence, meaningfully support my immunity, mood, bones

Live Well Journal Issue #169 Why Doing Less is Doing Everything  This is a blog close to my heart. I feel like I have been running non-stop since I could walk. Apparently, that is a fact in my case! Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDJune 14, 2026 Read time This is a blog close to my heart. I feel like I have been running non-stop since I could walk. Apparently, that is a fact in my case! It’s not just me; we live in a world profoundly addicted to speed. From dawn until late at night, we are encouraged to produce, achieve and optimise. Somewhere along the way, we began treating rest as a luxury, or worse, a symptom of laziness. My husband & Be Well co-Founder, David, gave me a beautiful book about Taoism recently. It made me think about, instead of either giving in or resisting these constant pressures we find ourselves in life, there might be another way…. What is Rest? (hint: it’s not just sleep) ​While sleep is vital, rest is a broader state of restoring energy and reducing stress across multiple dimensions of your life. Dr Saundra Dalton-Smith, a leading researcher on the subject, famously categorised rest into seven distinct types: ​Physical: sleeping, napping, or passive relaxation (like yoga or stretching). ​Mental: pausing intellectual focus to clear the brain chatter. ​Emotional: having the space to freely express feelings and cut back on people pleasing. ​Social: differentiating between relationships that revive us and those that exhaust us. ​Sensory: unplugging from screens, bright lights, and ambient noise. ​Creative: allowing yourself to be inspired by nature or art without the pressure to produce something. ​Spiritual: connecting with a deep sense of purpose, belonging, and love But true rest is not a reward we earn after running on empty. It is a biological, emotional and spiritual foundation. When we starve ourselves of rest, we aren’t just tired; we diminish our capacity to experience joy, connection, and life itself. The Rest evidence (in case, like me, you need it!) If you feel guilty for resting, remember that science now beautifully confirms what our bodies intuitively know: rest is a dynamic, active medicine that heals us across three critical dimensions.  Physically, stepping away from the rush activates your parasympathetic nervous system, the vital rest and digest mode. Clinical studies show this drastically lowers cortisol levels and stabilises blood pressure. Furthermore, a landmark 2023 study published in Nature revealed that systemic rest allows the immune system to redistribute T-cells to your lymph nodes, actively boosting your defences.  Deep sleep and rest also activate the brain’s glymphatic system, literally flushing out toxic metabolic waste accumulated during the day.  Mentally, true rest unlocks hidden cognitive potential. Neuroscientists have discovered that when we let our minds wander, a unique neural web called the default mode network lights up. Far from being ‘idle’, research from the American Psychological Association shows this is when the brain consolidates memories, solves complex problems, and sparks creative breakthroughs while preventing decision fatigue. Spiritually, intentional stillness changes our brain structure. MRI scans of individuals engaging in mindfulness, meditation, or quiet reflection show decreased activity in the amygdala (the brain’s fear centre) and increased thickness in the prefrontal cortex. This neurological shift quiets the chronic background noise of survival, restoring a profound sense of peace, interconnectedness, and purpose. Ancient Wisdom for Modern Exhaustion Thousands of years ago, Taoist philosophers recognised that life flourishes only in perfect harmony. They mapped the universe using Yang (action, heat, light, productivity) and Yin (rest, coolness, darkness, stillness). Our modern lives are overwhelmingly Yang, leading directly to a soul-weary state of burnout. The Taoists offered a profound antidote called Wu Wei, the art of effortless action. Wu Wei isn’t about sitting on the couch doing nothing; it is about recognising when to step back and let the natural current of life carry you, rather than exhausting your spirit trying to force outcomes.  As the ancient Tao Te Ching beautifully reminds us: Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. An Invitation True rest requires more than closing your eyes; it requires setting down your heavy mental To Do lists. Permit yourself to step away from the noise. Close a laptop. Leave your phone in another room. Spend ten minutes sitting in quiet observation of the sky, or taking slow, conscious breaths. Shift your mindset from constant extraction to deep restoration. Remember, you are a human being, not just a human doing. Protect your peace, cherish your stillness, and allow yourself to return home to your natural, balanced state. How will you embrace the gift of Yin today? Longevity snip Poor sleep quietly inflames your immune system A study of 237 adults found that bad sleep independently triggers an inflammatory immune response, no matter your body size. Think of it as your defences getting stuck in alert mode. The effect appears reversible, suggesting that protecting your sleep may be one of the simplest ways to keep inflammation in check. Source: here About the author Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn · Hon DLit · Social and business entrepreneur Jan Owen AM is co-founder of Be Well Hawthorn and a social and business entrepreneur with over four decades of experience driving change across education, youth welfare and health. She is the author of Every Childhood Lasts a Lifetime and The Future Chasers, the inaugural Westpac and AFR Overall Woman of Influence, and holds honorary doctorates from the University of Sydney and Murdoch University. Jan was awarded membership to the Order of Australia in 2000 for her service to children and youth. Live Well Journal Get these insights directly into your inbox every week. Join the Be Well Health & Longevity newsletter. Written by Jan Owen AM, free for everyone, published every week. More from the Live Well Journal View all articles → Issue #168 The winter health habit we swear by Issue #168 The winter health habit we swear by Jan Owen AM • June 7, 2026 Issue #167: Navigate the peptide boom without the risk Issue #167: Navigate the peptide boom without the