The Charlene Gisele Show

How do you make decisions about having children when your career is thriving, your life is busy, and you feel like you should be able to plan everything?

Dr. Lucky Sekhon, double board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist at RMA of New York and author of The Lucky Egg, shares how she helps ambitious women feel informed and empowered at every stage of their fertility journey. She has guided thousands of individuals and couples, and her mission is to replace fear and misinformation with clarity and hope.

We explore why fertility includes an element of luck that no amount of planning can control, and why that means you never need to blame yourself. Dr. Lucky explains what a fertility check-up can and cannot tell you, how hormones like AMH, insulin, and cortisol fit into the picture, and why the basics matter more than any supplement. We also talk about the role of the male factor, how to think about fertility alongside a busy career, and what she learned from her own journey freezing embryos as a fertility doctor.

This episode is about fertility, egg freezing, hormones, misinformation, and the uncomfortable reality that biology does not always work according to our carefully planned timelines.

 

Timestamp

00:00 Intro

04:23 Why fertility involves an element of luck

07:48 Balancing career and fertility goals

17:29 What age does and does not mean for fertility

20:13 What fertility testing can and cannot tell you

23:17 What a fertility check-up includes

27:52 Supplements, lifestyle, and what actually helps

32:46 Hormones and fertility: AMH, FSH, progesterone, and insulin

40:10 What a low AMH really means

44:22 The most common causes of infertility, including male factor

48:51 Dr. Lucky’s own fertility journey

 

What We Cover

Why fertility includes an element of luck that no amount of planning can control

How to plan around your biology with a clear roadmap

What AMH and ultrasound can show, and why no test can measure egg quality

What a fertility check-up includes and what questions to expect

Why a healthy baseline matters more than 20 different supplements

How AMH, FSH, progesterone, insulin, and cortisol affect fertility

The most common causes of infertility, including ovulation problems, PMOS (formerly PCOS), and male factor

How to weigh career decisions alongside your personal goals

Dr. Lucky’s own experience freezing embryos and why self-blame is so common

The impact of chronic stress, under-eating, overtraining and sleep deprivation on fertility

Why Dr. Lucky wrote The Lucky Egg and the fertility knowledge gap it fills

 

Key Takeaways

AMH is not a fertility score. It provides information about ovarian reserve, but it cannot tell you the quality of your eggs or whether you will get pregnant.

You cannot biohack your way out of biology. A healthy lifestyle matters, but supplements and optimization protocols cannot erase the biological clock.

No test measures egg quality. AMH and follicle counts show how many eggs you have, which helps guide treatment, but they cannot predict whether you will get pregnant.

Know when to ask for help. A fertility doctor can step in after one year of trying if you are under 35, six months if you are 35 or older, and three months at 40.

Fertility is a two-person equation. Male factors contribute to a substantial proportion of infertility, so both partners should be evaluated.

Information creates options. Understanding your biology earlier can help you make decisions about timing, egg or embryo freezing and family planning from a position of knowledge rather than panic.

Basics beat supplements. What is good for your heart is good for your fertility, including regular movement, strength training, and enough food.

A low AMH is not a verdict. It does not mean you cannot get pregnant, and it can vary from cycle to cycle.

Be kind to yourself. Even fertility doctors struggle with self-blame, and everyone’s path is different.

Guest Resources

Get The Lucky Egg: Understanding Your Fertility and How to Get Pregnant NOW: https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250408716/theluckyegg/

 

Connect With Me
🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/
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What if one of the things missing from your high-performance life is something that has absolutely nothing to do with performance?

Laura González, art historian and cultural strategist from Puerto Rico, shares how she helps collectors, galleries, and philanthropies build meaningful art collections. She began in the auction world as a Contemporary Art specialist and later Director of Latin American Art, before launching her own advisory practice in London. She is also the co-founder of THEMUST.CO, an artist-made design platform inspired by museum stores.

We explore how exposure to art shapes us from childhood, why artists “live at the edge of the possible,” and how spending time with a painting can change the way we think. We also get practical about collecting: developing confidence in your own taste, building relationships with galleries, starting locally, and why you should probably flirt with art before you commit to it. Along the way, Laura covers collecting for love versus return, the mistakes most beginners make, and why AI is unlikely to threaten art the way many fear.

 

Timestamp

00:00 Intro

02:14 How Laura fell in love with art

04:43 Why art matters for high performers

07:07 Art, awe, and the reset for a burnt out brain

13:46 How to build a sharper eye and start collecting

16:41 How to start collecting art

19:38 When to hire an art advisor

20:13 Building confidence in your own taste

29:01 Art as an investment vs. collecting art for love

37:04 Collecting art for generational wealth

42:52 Are auction houses worth your time?

45:55 The most common beginner collector mistakes

47:25 Will AI threaten art?

55:47 Where to start and parting advice

 

What We Cover

How growing up around artists and museums shaped Laura’s love of art

Why art works as a reset for high performers who are always on the go

The close-looking exercise taught in art history and why it feels like meditation

How to build a sharper eye and start collecting with a method

When it makes sense to hire an art advisor and what they actually do

Collecting for love versus return, and why holding time matters

How auction houses, commercial galleries, and public galleries each serve different collectors

The most common mistakes beginner collectors make

Why art has survived every new technology, from photography to AI

Simple ways to start engaging with art in your own city

 

Key Takeaways

Art makes you slow down. Close looking pulls you out of circular thinking and into something physical and real.

Develop confidence in your own taste. Collecting only works when you choose what speaks to you, not what you are supposed to like.

Start with galleries. They are free to visit, and asking about a work or its price begins a conversation.

Hold, do not flip. Five years is rarely enough for an artwork to appreciate meaningfully, so a short term investment mindset works against you.

Patience protects you. There will always be another piece, so wait if trends or friends are pushing you.

Your collection can change with you. The relationship you have with a piece can evolve as your life changes.

Art doesn't need to be useful to be valuable. Sometimes the value is simply in creating space to experience something beyond productivity.

 

Guest Resources

THEMUST.CO: https://themust.co

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauragonzzz

 

Connect With Me
🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/
✉️ Subscribe to my Life Less Burnt Out Newsletter: https://charlenegisele.com/newsletter/

What if some of the health issues you’ve been trying to solve have been starting in your mouth all along?

Dr. Dominik Nischwitz, known as Dr. Dome, is a world leader in biological dentistry, ceramic implantology and functional health integration. He is the founder of Biodentistry 3.0 and creator of the Biodentistry Global Standard, a clinical and educational system designed to look beyond symptoms and investigate the connection between oral health and the rest of the body.

In this episode, we explore why Dr. Dome believes oral health is one of the most overlooked pieces of the health puzzle. We talk about metals in the mouth, root canals, wisdom tooth removal, silent inflammation, the oral microbiome, breathing, airway health and the ways previous dental work may influence whole-body health. Dr. Dome also shares his approach to biological dentistry and why he believes optimal health and longevity start with the mouth.

Timestamp

00:00 Intro

02:33 The three questions Dr. Dome asks every patient

04:52 Why optimal health starts in the mouth

08:10 How oral health connects to the rest of the body

12:47 Biodentistry 3.0 and the evolution of dentistry

16:45 The hidden sources of inflammation in your mouth

18:07 Root canals, metals and previous dental work

20:23 Why oral health matters for longevity

31:07 Rethinking everything we were taught about oral hygiene

32:11 Tooth decay and what actually causes it

35:38 Your oral microbiome

43:11 Root canals and sinus problems

44:42 What bleeding gums may be telling you

49:57 Dr. Dome’s approach to removing metals and root canals

51:18 What happens after dental restoration

55:30 The connection between oral health, EMFs and mold

57:26 A patient case and the hidden impact of dental work

 

What We Cover

Why Dr. Dome believes oral health is a missing link in whole-body health

The potential impact of metals, root canals and wisdom tooth removal

Silent inflammation and the connection between the mouth and nervous system

Why the oral microbiome matters

What Dr. Dome believes causes tooth decay

The relationship between breathing, facial development, posture and the airway

Biological dentistry, ceramic implants and his approach to dental restoration

Why longevity doctors are increasingly paying attention to oral health

 

Key Takeaways

The mouth is an extension of the brain. Previous dental repair can affect mental health, gut health, hormones, and more.

Tooth decay is not a fluoride deficiency. It is a sign of nutrient depletion and lifestyle, not a lack of brushing.

Metal in the mouth is never fully inert. It can corrode, trigger immune responses, and even act as an antenna for EMFs.

Root canals and cavitations can hide chronic infection. These areas can harbour bacteria, mold, and parasites for decades without pain.

Most sinus issues trace back to the teeth. Up to 80% may have a dental origin that goes undiagnosed.

Bleeding gums are a sign of depletion, not poor hygiene. Nutrients like vitamin D3, K2, and collagen matter more than brushing harder.

Oral health is foundational, not optional. No amount of biohacking or supplementation can outperform unresolved dental infections.

Moderation beats restriction. One mindful glass of wine or a well-timed coffee does less damage than guilt and overcorrection.

 

Guest Resources

Become a patient at Dr. Dome's Center for Biological Dentistry: https://dnaesthetics.de/?lang=en

Institute of Biological Dentistry, Biodentistry 3.0 Certification Program: https://theinstituteofbiologicaldentistry.com/

Find a trained REAL Biodentist: https://directory.theinstituteofbiologicaldentistry.com/

Supreme Oral Health (USA): https://supremeoralhealth.com/

SUPZ Nutrition (Europe): https://www.supznutrition.com/en

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drdome1/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrDominikNischwitz/featured

Podcast appearances: https://drdomeofficial.com/podcast/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drdominiknischwitz

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drdomeofficial

 

Connect With Me
🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/
✉️ Subscribe to my Life Less Burnt Out Newsletter: https://charlenegisele.com/newsletter/

How much of your chronic fatigue, your missed periods, or your recurring injuries might actually come down to simply not eating enough?

Florence Sargent, founder of RED-Scue, a nutrition company created from her own experience with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). A former Spanish national athlete, Florence tore her Achilles at 17 after years of overtraining and under-fuelling, and later realised just how much the culture around performance, perfectionism and restriction had shaped her relationship with food and recovery.

In this episode, we unpack why RED-S is not just a problem for elite athletes. Long working hours, missed meals, fasted training, marathon training and the constant pressure to perform can leave busy professionals chronically under-fuelled too. Florence explains the signs to look out for, why carbohydrates have become so unnecessarily demonised, how under-fuelling can affect everything from sleep and gut health to hormones and injuries, and why burnout and energy deficiency can become a vicious cycle.

Get 20% off on your first RED-Scue order with code CHARLENE20: https://www.red-scue.com/products/red-scue-remedy-jars

Timestamps
00:00 Intro

03:13 Florence's athletic career and how RED-S began for her

07:18 What chronic energy deficit actually means

09:32 How under-fuelling can contribute to injury

11:56 RED-S, female health and fertility

13:02 Why carbohydrates have become so demonised

18:44 Common warning signs and symptoms of RED-S

23:11 Why marathon training is so attractive to type A people

31:06 Getting a RED-S diagnosis and the gap in medical awareness

38:43 The role of carbohydrates in sleep and recovery

51:19 The link between RED-S and burnout

55:34 How RED-Scue was built to be corporate-friendly

What We Cover

Why RED-S can affect busy professionals, not just elite athletes

The physical and psychological signs that someone may be under-fuelled

The connection between chronic energy deficiency, burnout and overtraining

Why missing meals and carbohydrates can have serious consequences

How restriction, perfectionism and “discipline” can disguise under-fuelling

What sleep, gut health, injuries and hormonal changes can tell us

Why rest and recovery need to be treated as part of performance

Why female athletes and high performers often lose their periods and how that connects to fertility and early perimenopause

How marathon training culture can quietly fuel over-training in busy professionals

Key Takeaways

RED-S is a metabolic injury. When the body is chronically under-fuelled, entire systems start switching off to conserve energy.

Carbohydrates are the main fuel for the brain and body. Restricting them does not support performance, it undermines it.

Burnout and under-fuelling can reinforce each other. When exhaustion becomes the norm, working and training harder can feel like the only productive response.

Your body’s warning signs matter. Fatigue, sleep disruption, gut issues, injuries and hormonal changes can all be signals worth investigating.

Fuel without fear. Florence’s message is ultimately about moving away from rigid food rules and towards giving your body what it needs to perform.

Guest Resources

Website: https://www.red-scue.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/red_scue_/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/red-scue/

Substack: https://redscue.substack.com/

Global RED-S Awareness Day (Nov 21st): https://awareness-days.co.uk/awareness-day/global-reds-awareness-week/2025-11-18/

Get 20% off your first order with code CHARLENE20: https://www.red-scue.com/products/red-scue-training-pack

 

Connect With Me
🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/
✉️ Subscribe to my Life Less Burnt Out Newsletter: https://charlenegisele.com/newsletter/

What does your gut have to do with how well your brain performs? More than you might think. And if your stomach acts up before a big meeting, your gut may be responding to the same stress that is affecting your brain!

Kiran Krishnan, research microbiologist with over 20 years of experience in health and nutrition, has conducted more than 50 human clinical trials on digestive health and the microbiome. He co-founded Microbiome Labs and now co-founds five other health and wellness companies, and has published in peer-reviewed journals and written chapters for global medical textbooks.

In this episode, we explore the gut-brain axis and why the relationship between your gut and brain goes both ways. Kiran explains what stress can do to digestion, why chronic stress can contribute to leaky gut, and how poor sleep, stress, diet and other lifestyle factors can affect the health of your gut microbiome. We also unpack the five practical pillars he recommends for improving gut health, including fiber, polyphenols, stress management, sleep, exposure and supplementation, with simple strategies that can actually fit into a busy professional life.

 

Timestamp

00:00 Intro

02:41 Why brain performance depends on gut health

05:12 How the gut repairs the brain during sleep

08:02 The gut brain axis as a two way superhighway

11:39 How stress physically disrupts digestion

16:45 Stress, inflammation and leaky gut

19:10 What exactly is leaky gut?

30:32 Common signs and symptoms of leaky gut

34:20 Why you can assume you have leaky gut

36:28 The habits that make leaky gut worse

38:43 The five pillars for improving gut health

1:00:25 How to get deeper into Kiran's work

 

What We Cover

Why the brain needs a healthy gut to repair itself overnight

How the gut brain axis works as a two-way communication highway

Why stress can trigger bloating, constipation, diarrhoea and other digestive symptoms

What leaky gut actually means

Why leaky gut is linked to anxiety, depression, joint pain, and blood sugar issues

The everyday habits that quietly worsen leaky gut, from alcohol to poor sleep

The five pillars of gut health

Why fiber and polyphenols are the most powerful tools for gut repair

How movement, even in small bursts, lowers stress and supports the gut

Why sleep quality matters more than sleep quantity for gut and brain repair

The gut-brain connection and cognitive performance

Practical strategies for high performers who do not have time for a complete lifestyle overhaul

 

Key Takeaways

Your gut and brain are in constant communication. What happens in one can influence the other.

Stress physically damages your gut. Chronic stress is a major driver of leaky gut and the inflammation that follows.

Leaky gut has a real name. Metabolic endotoxemia is the clinical term, and it is linked to conditions far beyond digestion.

Stress does not stay in your head. It can directly affect how your digestive system functions.

You don't need to overhaul your life. Small, consistent changes to diet, movement, stress and sleep can make a meaningful difference.

Fiber and polyphenols matter. They help support the bacteria and compounds involved in maintaining the gut barrier.

You cannot supplement your way out of poor lifestyle habits. Supplements come last, after the foundations are in place.

 

Guest Resources

Learn more about Kiran Krishnan: https://www.sivcare.com

 

Connect With Me
🌍 Website: https://charlenegisele.com
📸 Instagram: https://instagram.com/charlenegisele
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/charlène-gisèle-bourliout/
✉️ Subscribe to my Life Less Burnt Out Newsletter: https://charlenegisele.com/newsletter/