Modern Wellness Podcast

As the nights draw in and January resolutions loom, Adrienne, Oli and Sammi go through the winter wellness toolkit to work out what’s actually backed by science and what’s just good marketing.

They cover immunity supplements (and why you can’t really “boost” your immune system), keeping moving when it’s dark by 4pm, staying hydrated when it’s cold, why a consistent sleep routine matters more than extra hours in bed, and morning light versus red light.

They also look at whether eating seasonally really does anything for your immunity, and each of them shares what’s in and what’s in the bin for their own winter; from vitamin D and probiotics to porridge, saunas and Adrienne’s legendary pan-fried sprouts.

Plus, Sammi builds a website and a shelf, and Oli explains why he’d rather pay someone else to do both.

To see the finished website (not the shelf) head to modernwellnesspodcast.com for every episode, our mailing list and exclusive listener offers.
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Two years after her first Neko Health scan, Adrienne is about to go back for a second, and before she does she sits down with Dr Sam Rodgers, Neko’s Medical Quality Lead, to find out what the numbers actually tell you.

Dr Sam explains why a health check is designed to feel more like a hotel than a GP surgery, and why he expected 30-something optimisers when the Marylebone clinic opened, but saw everyone from 18 to 88 in the first fortnight. He shares what Neko sees when members come back: in some cases their hearts are ageing about nine months for every year that passes, and around a quarter of smokers have quit by their second scan. They also cover why “do 10,000 steps” is lazy advice, and whether your family history really decides your future.

Then there’s ferritin, the blood marker all over social media right now. Dr Sam explains what it is, why so many young women are running low, and reveals that it’s now being added to the Neko scan, just in time for Adrienne’s return visit.

They finish on the optimisation backlash and the people ditching their wearables, and what Dr Sam would say to anyone who feels fine and doesn’t see the point of knowing their numbers.
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First up, can you actually be allergic to cleaning? The team dig into a Times piece by a writer who found herself coughing and wheezing every time she wiped down her kitchen, and the science behind why. It turns out many everyday sprays release irritants and volatile compounds that can bother our lungs, and the “natural” or “eco” labels don’t always mean much. So what does this mean for homes? Fewer products, less spraying and the windows open - but what about Adrienne’s candles? The cleaning product brand Oli shouts out is Seep.

Next up, the news that global fitness racing series HYROX partnered with World Triathlon (TRI) to establish governance of the sport of Hybrid Racing as it pursues Olympic inclusion.
Becoming a recognised discipline sanctioned and governed by World Triathlon, HYROX will jointly develop a sprint (Fast) and endurance (Ultra) format to complement its signature race, designated as “Ultimate.” Read more at Fitt Insider.

And lastly, in trending, we look at the worrying side of AI, with the recent news that the death of a 31-year-old Seattle software engineer has raised serious questions about the risks of relying on artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots for medical decisions.
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Sammi sits down with Ben Alderton, founder of Solo60, the private, app-bookable training spaces now across London and expanding internationally. What started as a personal trainer's frustration with gym rents has grown into 27 locations, 3,000+ trainers on the platform, and a blueprint for the future of fitness.

Ben shares the unfiltered journey from burn outs, to the mistakes made in early tech builds, why real estate is harder than software, and the patience required to scale a physical business. Together Ben and Sammi dig into PT retention in an industry where 80% leave within two years, gym intimidation as an untapped market, and how landlord partnerships are reshaping expansion. Plus they discuss international franchising, making premium fitness more accessible, and where personalisation, GLP-1s, and biomarkers are taking the industry next.

And Modern Wellness listeners can use code MWP20 for 20% off Solo60 bookings.
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Mirror mirror on the wall, who’s the fittest of them all?

We start with the news that the initial backers of Soho House and Monica Vinader are backing an AI company. In a story that sounds like something out of a modern day fairytale, MAGIC AI, the London business behind the award-winning MAGIC AI Mirror, has closed an $11 million Series B round to launch in the United States, and capitalise on the surging $35 billion AI fitness market.

The MAGIC AI Mirror was named one of TIME Magazine’s Best Inventions of 2024 and was a recipient of the King’s Award for Enterprise in the Innovation category in 2026 joining Dyson, Rolls Royce and ARM – with King Charles himself giving the AI company his Royal Seal of Approval this year. Read more at Fitt Insider.

Up next, research from Yale University has shown that book readers experienced a 20% lower risk of dying over the 12-year follow-up period compared to non-book readers.

The study showed that reading up to 3.5 hours per week (about 30 minutes a day) reduced mortality risk by 17%, and reading more than 3.5 hours per week reduced mortality risk by 23%. They’re pretty incredible stats, but what’s driving these benefits?
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