BeWellLongevity

Live Well Journal Issue #168 The winter health habit we swear by Winter is here, and honestly? We couldn’t be more excited about it.   There’s something almost magical about stepping into the warmth of an infrared sauna when the temperature outside is doing its best to keep you indoors. At Be Well, we think winter is actually the best time to make sauna a regular part of your health and wellness routine. Here’s why we love it, and why science backs us up. Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDJune 7, 2026 Read time Winter is here, and honestly? We couldn’t be more excited about it. There’s something almost magical about stepping into the warmth of an infrared sauna when the temperature outside is doing its best to keep you indoors. At Be Well, we think winter is actually the best time to make sauna a regular part of your health and wellness routine. Here’s why we love it, and why science backs us up. What makes infrared different? Unlike a traditional steam sauna that heats the air around you, infrared saunas use light to gently warm your body directly. Infrared light penetrates 4–5cm below the skin surface to directly stimulate mitochondria, meaning the real action is happening invisibly at the cellular level, and the heat you feel is almost a side effect. The result? A deeply penetrating heat at a lower, more comfortable temperature, so you can stay in longer and get more benefit without feeling like you’re melting. Most of our members say it feels less intense but somehow more restorative. We’d have to agree. What the research actually shows The evidence on infrared sauna has grown significantly in recent years, and it’s genuinely impressive. Your heart loves it. A 2024 systematic review confirmed that regular infrared sauna use reduces blood pressure, improves arterial stiffness, and supports long-term cardiovascular health. Think of it as a passive cardio workout; your heart rate rises, circulation improves, and your body works hard, all while you’re sitting still. Your muscles will thank you. A 2025 study from the University of Jyväskylä found that post-exercise sauna sessions significantly improved neuromuscular recovery and reduced soreness after resistance training. If you’ve been pushing yourself in the gym this winter, a sauna session afterwards is a smart move. Your mood gets a lift. This one’s big for winter. Research shows a single infrared sauna session can increase endorphin levels by over 200%. A landmark UCSF clinical trial published in late 2025 found that whole-body heat therapy produced meaningful reductions in depression symptoms, with over 86% of participants no longer meeting criteria for major depression at their final assessment. The ‘winter blues’ are real, and warmth is a powerful antidote. Chronic pain relief. For members managing fibromyalgia, lower back pain or joint stiffness, a 2023 systematic review found 40–50% reductions in pain scores after 8–12 weeks of regular sessions. Consistent, gentle heat makes a real difference. Making it a winter ritual We recommend 3–4 sessions per week for 30 minutes each to start seeing cumulative benefits. Hydrate well before and after, and give yourself a few minutes to cool down gradually. Many of our members pair their sauna with a yin yoga afterwards, a ritual that turns a wellness visit into genuine self-care. Whether you’re coming in after a workout, on your lunch break, or just need somewhere warm and restorative to land on a grey winter afternoon, the sauna is ready for you. Sauna season is officially open. Come get warm. You’ve earned it. Longevity snip Regular sauna use triggers heat shock proteins, lowers inflammation, and improves insulin sensitivity A systematic review of Finnish and infrared sauna studies found these cellular effects closely mirror what exercise does to the body, but the evidence behind the many claimed benefits varies widely.  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 #167: Navigate the peptide boom without the risk Issue #167: Navigate the peptide boom without the risk Jan Owen AM • May 31, 2026 Issue #166: Why jetlag hits women harder Issue #166: Why jetlag hits women harder Jan Owen AM • May 24, 2026 Issue #165: A century of lessons for the Be Well community  Issue #165: A century of lessons for the Be Well community  Jan Owen AM • May 17, 2026

Live Well Journal Issue #167: Navigate the peptide boom without the risk There’s a lot of buzz surrounding peptides at the moment. Driven by the massive success of metabolic treatments like semaglutide, peptides have exploded from specialised medical circles straight into mainstream health conversations. Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDMay 31, 2026 Read time There’s a lot of buzz surrounding peptides at the moment. Driven by the massive success of metabolic treatments like semaglutide, peptides have exploded from specialised medical circles straight into mainstream health conversations. Promoted by wellness influencers and biohackers alike, they are frequently framed as the ultimate toolkit for weight loss, muscle recovery, anti-aging, and cognitive enhancement. But what is the actual science behind the hype and what are the hidden dangers?  Let’s break down what peptides actually are, the latest clinical breakthroughs, how they enter the body, and how to safely navigate the strict regulatory landscape here in Australia. What exactly are peptides? Think of peptides as short strings of amino acids, essentially the mini-building blocks of proteins. They act as biological messengers, binding to specific cell receptors to instruct your body to perform precise tasks, such as releasing growth hormones, dampening inflammation, or speeding up tissue repair.  Because they mirror the body’s natural signalling processes, medical-grade peptides offer unprecedented clinical precision, treating complex conditions with far fewer side effects than traditional chemicals. The latest research The therapeutic potential of peptides is moving at a breathtaking pace. While the public focus remains heavily on weight loss, the latest global clinical trials are exploring entirely new horizons: Targeting the hallmarks of aging Gerontology research is focusing heavily on peptides capable of cellular restoration, tissue repair (such as GHK-Cu), and protecting the brain from age-related decline. Next-gen oncology Scientists are using Peptide-Drug Conjugates (PDCs) to fight cancer. Because peptides can seek out specific receptors on solid tumours, they are being used to deliver high-precision chemotherapy payloads directly to cancer cells while leaving healthy tissue untouched. Fighting superbugs With traditional antibiotics losing their efficacy, Antimicrobial Peptides (AMPs) are a massive focus for destroying multi-drug resistant bacteria by disrupting their outer membranes. AI-driven discovery High screening and deep learning have allowed researchers to use AI to simulate exactly how a synthetic peptide will fold and behave before it is ever manufactured, compressing decades of laboratory trial-and-error into months. How peptides are used Because peptides are delicate biological chains, how they are administered drastically changes how well they work and how the body tolerates them. In medical circles, you will primarily see them in four forms: Injections: this remains the gold-standard medical delivery method. A tiny needle delivers the peptide into the fat layer just under the skin. This bypasses the digestive tract completely, allowing the peptide to absorb cleanly and predictably. Orally: traditionally, pills didn’t work because stomach acid destroys peptides. Modern medical formulations now utilise permeation enhancers that protect the molecule, allowing it to absorb through the stomach lining. Still, oral absorption is lower, meaning much higher doses are required compared to an injection. Topical: widely used in dermatology, cosmetic peptides are applied directly to the skin. While excellent for local tissue repair and boosting collagen, these molecules are too large to sink deep enough to impact your internal organs or systemic metabolism. Infusions: IV delivery puts the peptide directly into a vein for instant, high concentration cellular impact. So which peptides are OK to take in Australia? The golden rule of peptides is simple: a peptide is safe and lawful to take only when it is included on the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) and prescribed by an Ahpra-registered medical practitioner.  Clinically established options available in Australia include: Metabolic & weight management: Ozempic/Wegovy and Mounjaro. These mimic natural gut hormones to regulate insulin and appetite with massive clinical backing. Growth hormone secretagogues:Sermorelin or Tesamorelin. These can be prescribed medically to address specific growth hormone deficiencies under strict blood work monitoring. Cosmetic & skin health: Copper Peptides and Palmitoyl Pentapeptide. Safe and highly effective when used topically in premium, over the counter skincare products. The TGA compounding ban: to protect public safety, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has strictly banned compounding pharmacies from making replica or custom-mixed versions of GLP-1 weight-loss peptides. This means you can only legally and safely access the official brand name products direct from a licensed pharmacy. The online market The sudden surge in peptide popularity has created a thriving, online underground ‘market’. Many lifestyle peptides, such as BPC-157, CJC-1295, Ipamorelin or Melanotan (tanning peptides) are sold on unregulated websites under the guise of research chemicals or not for human consumption. Buying these substances online poses severe health and legal hazards. Importing unapproved peptides without an explicit, specialised prescription is a federal offense under the Therapeutic Goods Act and the Australian Border Force regularly seizes these packages. More importantly, these compounds are frequently manufactured without strict medical oversight leading to incorrect dosages, chemical impurities or dangerous contaminants. In peptide chemistry, missing even a single amino acid link can cause the molecule to fold incorrectly, transforming a supposed wellness solution into a toxic threat to your organs. The advice is pretty clear: don’t experiment with online research chemicals or unverified wellness trends.  On the upside, peptides are another high impact potential breakthrough in our health and wellness. If you are interested in exploring legitimate, medical grade peptide therapies consult a qualified doctor not the insta biohackers   Longevity snip Smarter cancer drugs that spare healthy cells Current “guided missile” cancer drugs (ADCs) work well but can be toxic and lose effectiveness over time. Researchers are now developing a lighter version, swapping the bulky antibody for a small peptide, that may be easier to fine-tune and less harmful to the body. Early-stage research, but the design logic is compelling.  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

Live Well Journal Issue #166: Why jetlag hits women harder I’m not imagining it!   I have been in Europe and London working my day job for the past two weeks. It’s been immersive, fun and exhilarating exploring AI, design and visiting Drakonheart, the most amazing Hogwart’s type school for neuro-diverse children and young people in Denmark. Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDMay 24, 2026 Read time I’m not imagining it!  I have been in Europe and London working my day job for the past two weeks. It’s been immersive, fun and exhilarating exploring AI, design and visiting Drakonheart, the most amazing Hogwart’s type school for neuro-diverse children and young people in Denmark. I can’t wait to get back to the family and Be Well but I am not looking forward to that Eastward flight + jetlag combo. Have you ever wondered why you feel completely destroyed after a time zone shift while your male travel partner seems to bounce back? Those middle-aged or older women who feel like jetlag hits them harder than the men in their lives aren’t imagining it. Leading women’s health experts and the latest breakthroughs in circadian biology agree: biological sex and hormonal stages play a massive role in how we experience sleep disruptions. Estrogen (or lack thereof) Recent research reveals a fascinating biological paradox: in our younger years, our hormones actively fight to fix jetlag. When exposed to a simulated six hour time change, females with optimal estrogen levels completely resynchronised their internal clocks to the new light-dark cycle roughly two days earlier than males. Estrogen acts as a protective shield, helping the brain’s master clock snap back into place. However, during perimenopause and menopause, this biological advantage completely vanishes. As estrogen and progesterone plummet, the master clock in the brain loses its primary stabilizer. Without that hormonal shield, the clock becomes fragile, making it significantly harder to adjust to new time zones.  The brain fog toll The cognitive aftermath of fighting your internal clock is also profound. Real-world data from female flight attendants on long-haul routes reveals distinct learning deficits and a reduction in brain volume in these areas. Crucially, this brain fog isn’t just caused by stress; it is driven directly by the chaotic scrambling of the circadian clock itself. The direction matters Travelling East (shortening the day, like flying from Europe to Australia) is universally tougher on the body than traveling West (lengthening the day, like flying from the US to Australia) because our natural biological clock prefers a slightly longer day. Then there’s social jetlag You don’t need to board a plane to experience this. Modern women are highly susceptible to ‘social jetlag’: the discrepancy between your biological clock and the demands of daily life. Your Jetlag Action Plan We aren’t powerless against our biology. Whether we are navigating menopause or just trying to survive a brutal flight, here is how to strategically protect your rhythm: The 11,000 step buffer: Recent data shows that maintaining a physical activity target of 11,000 steps per day successfully minimises jetlag and alleviates daytime exhaustion. Getting these steps in early morning light is the single best way to manually anchor a fragile clock. Master your melatonin timing: melatonin is a clock-shifter, not a sleeping pill. Clinical guidelines suggest taking a low-dose (0.5mg to 3mg) rapid-release formulation close to your target bedtime at your destination. Avoid mega doses, which linger too long and confuse your brain. Ruthless temperature control: if you are navigating menopause, your internal thermostat is already compromised. Keep your destination bedroom at 16–18°C to combat travel-induced hot flushes. ​Time your caffeine: use caffeine strategically in the morning of your destination time zone to accelerate resynchronization. Avoid it late in the day, as it pushes your internal clock backward. Anchor your wake time: forced to choose, I believe this strategy is the most important: keep your wake-up time within 60 to 90 minutes of the same time every day, even on weekends. My Be Well Jetlag Action Plan After arriving at Tullamarine, I get myself to Be Well ASAP address two things jetlag destroys: cellular oxygenation/circulation and core body temperature regulation. ​Step 1: The Hydroxy Airpod (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy) ​When to do it: Morning or early afternoon after landing. ​How it helps: The Hydroxy Airpod floods your plasma and tissues with pressurized oxygen. This reverses cellular hypoxia, dramatically reduces systemic inflammation and delivers an immediate hit of cognitive clarity. It essentially reboots your cells after the flight. ​Step 2: Compression Boots ​When to do it: Immediately after your Airpod session. ​How it helps: Flying causes severe blood pooling in the lower extremities and reduces lymphatic drainage. Compression boots use sequential pneumatic compression to mimic the body’s natural muscle pump, flushing out accumulated metabolic waste and forcing freshly oxygenated blood (courtesy of the Airpod) back up to your core and brain. ​Step 3: The Infrared Sauna  When to do it: late afternoon/ evening  ​How it helps: Sweating in the sauna helps flush out travel toxins, relaxes tight muscles from the flight, and artificially spikes your core body temperature. ​Step 4: Hot / Cold Baths (Contrast Therapy) ​How it helps: Move straight from the sauna into the contrast baths, ending with the Cold Plunge. ​How it helps: Your brain’s master clock decides it is time to sleep by looking for a rapid drop in core body temperature. By heating your body up in the sauna/hot bath and then plunging into the cold bath, you trigger a massive, rapid cooling effect. When you step out of the cold plunge, your blood vessels dilate, heat escapes your body, and your core temperature plummets. This drastic drop sends a powerful, unambiguous signal straight to the brain’s master clock: it is night time. This releases melatonin immediately. Safe travels, Be Well Members, and recover quickly from jetlag! Longevity snip Your body clock runs your hormones too. Research shows disrupted circadian rhythms, from shift work, jet lag, or poor sleep are linked to irregular cycles, lower conception rates, higher miscarriage risk, and increased breast cancer rates in women.

Live Well Journal Issue #165: A century of lessons for the Be Well community  On 8 May 2026, the world paused to celebrate a monumental milestone: the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough. Be Well PUBLISHEDMay 17, 2026 Read time On 8 May 2026, the world paused to celebrate a monumental milestone: the 100th birthday of Sir David Attenborough.  For many of us in the Be Well community, Sir David isn’t just any broadcaster; he is the most influential environmentalist we have ever known, enthralling us with stories of the animal kingdom, both land and sea, since we were children. Watching his response to thousands of people sing him Happy Birthday at the Royal Albert Hall last week brought tears to my eyes. It was clearly a moment of pure joy and delight. At 100 years old, Sir David Attenborough is the gold standard for vitality. While we might instantly recognise his whispering, soothing voice, we sometimes forget the sheer physicality required to be the world’s greatest naturalist for over seven decades.  Sir David’s journey is a powerful reminder that staying well is an active pursuit. Seven decades on the move Since his first major expedition, Zoo Quest to Guiana in 1954, Sir David has been in a state of constant motion. His office has been the most unforgiving terrain on Earth. He has traveled to over 83 countries across all seven continents. To put his activity in perspective, while filming The Life of Birds alone, he traveled 256,000 miles,  the equivalent of circling the globe ten times. From the dense rainforests of Borneo to the freezing plateaus of Antarctica, Sir David has spent thousands of hours on his feet, proving that functional fitness (the ability to move effortlessly through your environment) is the ultimate longevity tool. Scaling the heights Sir David didn’t just walk; he climbed. His career is marked by ascents that would challenge people half his age. He famously scaled Mount Roraima in Guyana (a 9,000-foot “tepui” or table-top mountain) and navigated the steep, misty slopes of Mount Kinabalu in Borneo. Even into his late 80s and 90s, he was filming in the high-altitude Sierra Nevada and the rugged deserts of China. He views every mountain not as an obstacle, but as a classroom. At 100, David Attenborough looks incredibly alive, young, healthy and happy!  When asked about his longevity, Sir David greets the question with his trademark humility. He attributes his health to simple good luck. While science suggests that living to 100 is significantly influenced by genetics (up to 70% in centenarians), Sir David’s life proves that what you do with that so-called luck matters most.  Everything we believe in at Be Well  Here’s a few Sir David longevity hacks! Movement with a purpose: whether you’re climbing a flight of stairs or a local hill, do it with the spirit of an explorer. Plant forward: Sir David has spoken openly about his shift away from red meat, citing both environmental and health reasons. His meals are rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains & occasional lean protein.  The ‘small meal’ rule: rather than multi-course meals, he prefers smaller, balanced portions that keep his energy levels stable throughout the day. Joyful indulgence: he hasn’t given up everything at all. He still admits to a great love for the best cheeses in the world! Quiet observation: Sir David advocates for a practice he calls quiet observation. He suggests sitting still in a woodland for ten minutes and simply waiting. This forest bathing reduces cortisol (the stress hormone), lowers blood pressure and provides mental clarity. The retirement trap: he has famously stated that the very thought of stopping work is horrifying. This sense of ‘Ikigai’ a Japanese concept meaning a reason for being, keeps his mind sharp and his spirit resilient. Special Announcement  In the same week Sir David turned 100, a new Be Well team baby arrived!  Gorgeous little Billie Lynch was born on Mothers Day to Pat and Monica. We are all delighted and send a huge welcome to the world to Billie and congratulations and love to her besotted new parents, Pat & Mon. Billie, Sir David showed us that a passionate life well-lived is the greatest adventure of all. We can’t wait to share yours. Longevity snip Mix It Up to Live Longer New research tracking 111,000 people over 34 years found that doing a variety of exercises, not just one, cuts death risk by 19%. Walk, lift, play tennis, climb stairs. Almost any movement helps, but mixing it up helps more. 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 #164: There’s a New Secret to Longevity Issue #164: There’s a New Secret to Longevity Jan Owen AM • May 10, 2026 Issue #163: 4 years of living healthier, happier, younger, together Issue #163: 4 years of living healthier, happier, younger, together Be Well • May 4, 2026 Issue #162: The reason that got you here won’t keep you here. Issue #162: The reason that got you here won’t keep you here. Be Well • April 26, 2026

Live Well Journal Issue #164: There’s a New Secret to Longevity This April has been a watershed moment for the longevity research and practitioner community. We are moving away from the idea of aging as an inevitable ‘breakdown’ and toward a much more empowering concept: biological harmony. Jan Owen AM Co-founder, Be Well Hawthorn PUBLISHEDMay 10, 2026 Read time This April has been a watershed moment for the longevity research and practitioner community. We are moving away from the idea of aging as an inevitable ‘breakdown’ and toward a much more empowering concept: biological harmony. Earlier this month at the Targeting Longevity 2026 conference in Berlin, the world’s leading researchers reached a new consensus. They’ve realised that aging isn’t just a collection of cellular accidents; it’s a coordination failure. Imagine your body is a massive orchestra with 30 trillion musicians (your cells). The old view: Aging is when the violin strings snap. ​The new view: Aging is when the musicians stop watching the conductor. They’re all still playing, but they’re out of time with each other, creating noise instead of music.  Longevity is now about keeping the rhythm and the tempo in sync. Future therapies won’t just target one problem gene. Instead, they will act to recalibrate and re-sync the communication between your immune system, your gut and your brain. We are officially entering the age-reversal era, with the first FDA-approved human trials for epigenetic reprogramming now underway. We are learning how to reset the biological clock of our tissues without changing our DNA. What you can do to help yourself now Variety is the key to longevity. We’ve always known movement is medicine, but a massive study published in BMJ Medicine on April 27th gave us a new prescription. It turns out that diversity of movement is actually more protective than the sheer volume of exercise. The data showed that people who mixed up their activities, combining walking, weight training and cycling had between a 15-40% lower risk of death than those who did high volumes of just one thing. This metabolic flexibility keeps your nervous system sharp and your body adaptable. So if you’ve been stuck on a reformer or treadmill, this is your permission to also jump on the bike, try a bone vitality class, yoga class or Be Strong class! There’s more good news  New research published on April 3rd in Cancer Research uncovered a fascinating phenomenon regarding our immune systems. While we’ve long feared that our defenses simply decline with age, researchers found a rebound effect. A specific group of immune cells, called gammadelta T cells, often dip during middle age but can actually surge back in later life to provide a powerful defense against tumours. This new science suggests that our bodies are incredibly well designed for long-term survival. I love that! Find your rhythm  Prioritise sleep, manage stress, keep your body guessing with diverse movements, nourish your body and trust in it’s profound ability to find and keep its rhythm. Happy Mother’s Day to all the incredible women keeping our families, communities and networks together. Longevity snip Mix It Up to Live Longer New research tracking 111,000 people over 34 years found that doing a variety of exercises, not just one, cuts death risk by 19%. Walk, lift, play tennis, climb stairs. Almost any movement helps, but mixing it up helps more. 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 #163: 4 years of living healthier, happier, younger, together Issue #163: 4 years of living healthier, happier, younger, together Be Well • May 4, 2026 Issue #162: The reason that got you here won’t keep you here. Issue #162: The reason that got you here won’t keep you here. Be Well • April 26, 2026 Issue #161 Neither the journey nor the destination… Issue #161 Neither the journey nor the destination… Be Well • April 20, 2026

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.