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Show Notes

Is collagen a fountain of youth in a jar or just expensive protein powder? From social media skeptics to "miracle" marketing, the world of ingestible beauty is a confusing place. If you’ve ever wondered if your morning scoop is actually hitting your skin or just hitting your wallet, this episode is your ultimate guide to the science of glow.

In our third episode, Lee Holmes and Irene Falcone welcome the "Queen of Collagen," Fiona Tuck. As a forensic nutritionist and cosmetic chemist with 30 years of experience, Fiona breaks down why your bone broth isn't the same as a peptide supplement and how to spot the "fillers" ruining your results. We also perform a nutritional intervention on our producer Justin’s "dessert-in-disguise" Jelly Bean smoothie and help listener Marrianne solve the uni-student sleep struggle.

In this episode we chat about:

✨ The Collagen Deep Dive with Fiona Tuck (05:33)

The Science: Does it actually work? (Hint: The randomised trials say yes!)

Marine vs. Bovine: Why marine takes the crown for skin hydration and elasticity.

The "Peptide" Secret: Why the molecular size (Daltons) is the difference between absorption and waste.

🥤 Womansplain: The Smoothie Intervention (30:37)

Fixing producer Justin’s "Jelly Bean" smoothie.

The truth about oat milk spikes and the "hidden sugar" in chocolate coconut water.

Simple swaps: Raw cacao, Greek yogurt, and the "Oat Hack."

😴 You’re on Speaker: The Uni Sleep Struggle (36:32)

Helping Marrianne from Balgowlah support her daughter’s sleep hygiene.

The "Mantra" Method: Why total blackout is non-negotiable for melatonin.

Raynaud’s & Sleep: The "Warm Feet" tip for better circulation and rest.

Magnesium Glycinate: The "gentle" form for a calm nervous system.

😤 Epic Rant: The Dunning-Kruger Effect in Wellness (46:05)

Fiona’s fire on "social media experts" who fear-monger about single ingredients.

Why whole foods (like an orange) trump isolated megadoses of Vitamin C.

Lee’s Nutritionist Nerd Notes

The Collagen "Peptide" Structure

Explore

Native Collagen: Found in food like steak or home-made bone broth. It’s a giant molecule ($300,000$ Daltons) that is hard for the body to utilise directly for skin.

Collagen Peptides: These are "denatured" and broken down into tiny fragments. They act as signalling molecules, telling your fibroblast cells to ramp up production of Type 1 collagen and hyaluronic acid.

The "Clean" Collagen Checklist

Source: Look for Wild Caught Norwegian Marine Collagen (The "Rolls Royce") or Grass-fed Bovine. Avoid farm-raised fish (Tilapia).

Avoid the Bulkers: Steer clear of Maltodextrin (a filler that spikes blood sugar) and Sucralose.

The 5-10g Rule: Most studies showing visible wrinkle reduction (up to 30%) require at least 5-10 grams daily. If your supplement only has 1-2g, you're likely wasting your money.

🛡️ Fact-Check: Manufactured Citric Acid (MCA)

·       Multiple industrial reports confirm that approximately 90–99% of the world’s manufactured citric acid is produced via microbial fermentation using Aspergillus niger.

·       The Reason: It is significantly more cost-effective than extracting it from citrus fruits. One metric tonne of citric acid would require tens of thousands of lemons, whereas a fermentation vat of sugar and mould can produce it in days.

·       Aspergillus niger is biologically classified as a "black mould" because of its dark spores. However, it is not the same species as Stachybotrys chartarum, the toxic "black mould" typically associated with "sick building syndrome" and water-damaged homes, ie the one that grows on bathroom walls.

·       There is a difference between Natural Citric Acid (found in fruits) and Manufactured Citric Acid (MCA). Most labels just say "Citric Acid," but if it's in a processed snack like a gummy bear, it is almost certainly the manufactured version derived from fermentation.

·       While the FDA grants manufactured citric acid "GRAS" (Generally Recognised as Safe) status, there is clinical evidence (such as a 2018 study in Toxicology Reports) suggesting that some individuals experience significant inflammatory reactions, including joint pain, respiratory issues, and skin flares, specifically from the manufactured version, but not from the natural fruit version.

·       The Cause: It is theorised that "trace residues" or "mould fragments" remaining from the fermentation process may trigger an immune response in people with mould sensitivities or Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), even though the product is considered "pure." Manufactured citric acid can contribute to the inflammation seen in asthma, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, autistic spectrum disorder, and fibromyalgia

🛡️ Fact-Check: The Maltodextrin "Hidden Sugar" Watchlist

·       Maltodextrin is a polysaccharide with a Glycemic Index (GI) often higher than table sugar.

o   The Data: Pure glucose has a GI of 100. Table sugar (sucrose) is around 65. Maltodextrin typically ranges from 85 to 105. Industrial reports (including BetterByDesign Nutrition 2025) confirm that because it is "pre-digested" via enzymatic hydrolysis, the body absorbs it as rapidly as, or even faster than pure glucose, leading to immediate insulin spikes.

·       It is classified as a "complex carbohydrate" on labels, allowing it to hide in "sugar-free" products.

o   The Data: Under many global food labelling regulations (such as FSANZ in Australia and Canada's FDA), maltodextrin is categorised as a carbohydrate rather than a sugar. This allows "Zero Sugar" protein powders and keto snacks to contain a high-glycemic filler that still causes a significant blood glucose response.

·       Maltodextrin has been linked to the erosion of the protective gut mucus layer.

o   The Study: A critically important study published in Cellular and Molecular Gastroenterology and Hepatology (Laudisi et al., 2019) and furthered in 2022 research (Frontiers in Immunology) found that maltodextrin promotes Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) stress in gut cells. This stress leads to a depletion of the mucus that protects the intestinal lining, making the gut more susceptible to inflammation and "leaky gut" symptoms.

·       It may act as a "primer" for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Crohn's Disease.

o   The Study: Research by Nickerson & McDonald (Cleveland Clinic) showed that maltodextrin actually encourages the growth and "biofilm" formation of E. coli bacteria specifically associated with Crohn’s Disease. It makes it easier for these harmful bacteria to stick to the intestinal wall. In animal models, maltodextrin consumption significantly worsened the severity of colitis.

·       Common symptoms for sensitive individuals include bloating, gas, and "brain fog."

o   The Science: Because maltodextrin is rapidly fermented by certain gut bacteria, it can cause immediate osmotic shifts (pulling water into the gut) and gas production. This is why people with IBS or SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) often report feeling "pregnant" or intensely bloated within 30–60 minutes of consuming a protein shake or "healthy" bar containing the additive.

Lee’s "Nutritionist Nerd" Rule of Thumb

"If you are managing diabetes, insulin resistance, or IBD, maltodextrin is an ingredient to vet carefully. It is used in everything from 'Natural' Stevia packets to high-end 'Clean' protein powders to give them a thick, creamy mouthfeel. Look for brands that use Tapioca Starch instead of the high-GI corn-based version."

The Magnesium Cheat Sheet

·      Magnesium Glycinate: Sleep & Anxiety. Highly bioavailable and calming for the brain.

·      Magnesium Citrate: Digestion. Can have a laxative effect (good for constipation).

·      Transdermal (Oil/Cream): Muscle Aches. Great for localised pain and bypasses the digestive system.

Justin’s "Upgraded" Jelly Bean Smoothie Recipe

Tips:

Base: Filtered water or plain coconut water (not flavoured).

Protein/Cream: A dollop of Greek yogurt and a handful of organic rolled oats

Flavour: 1 tbsp Raw Cacao powder or cacao nibs.

Greens: Spinach or Rocket (Antihistamine benefits!).

Sweetener: A frozen banana or 1 tsp raw honey.

Gut Health: Add a tsp of Love You Gut powder and 1 tsp Synbiotic 

The Rule: NO jelly beans!  

Justin’s Daily Smoothie Recipe

Ingredients

·       1 x TBS Cacao powder or nibs

·       1 x frozen banana

·       1 x TBS oats

·       2 tbs Greek yoghurt

·       1 cup filtered water or plain coconut water

·       Handful of spinach

·       1 tsp raw honey

·       1 tsp Love You Gut powder

Method

·       Blend all ingredients until smooth

·       Serve in a tall glass

Guest Info:

Follow Fiona Tuck: @fionatucknutrition

Check out her range: Vitasol

Follow us on Instagram:

@wellnessunfilteredleeirene | @leesupercharged | @cleannectarine

Join the conversation on Substack: wellnessunfilteredpod.com

Disclaimer: This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.

Listen & Subscribe on Substack Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube

Show Notes

We’ve all been there: it’s 3 p.m., the slump is hitting hard, and you’re reaching for that "healthy" dark chocolate bar. But is your afternoon treat a superfood or a chemical cocktail? Between headlines about heavy metals and labels filled with mysterious E-numbers, even the simplest indulgence has become a wellness minefield. If you’re tired of "health-washed" snacks leaving you bloated and confused, this episode is your golden ticket to the truth.

In our second episode, Lee Holmes and Irene Falcone (Founder of Clean Nectarine) dive deep into the dark side of the $100 billion chocolate industry . From lead and cadmium lawsuits rocking major brands to the "Dutch processing" that strips away antioxidants, we’re uncovering what’s really in your pantry . Plus, we "womansplain" how to fix broken capillaries for the men in your life and deliver a fiery rant on big retailers crushing small, passionate businesses.

In this episode we chat about: 

🍫 The Dark Side of Chocolate (02:30)

Cacao vs. Cocoa: Why the spelling determines the health benefits

The "Factory Fake" Scandal: Lead and cadmium lawsuits and heavy metals in soil

Emulsifiers (E475 & Soy Lecithin) and why they might be shredding your gut lining

👅 The Ultimate Blind Taste Test (14:40)

Ranking the top 10 cleanest blocks available in Australia

The "Blackout" 100% Cacao challenge

Lee’s "Gold Standard" pick for functional medicine disguised as a treat

🧔 Womansplain: The "Dickensian" Face Fix (31:03)

Treating broken capillaries and redness (the "gin blossom" look)

Simple swaps: Natural zinc, Vitamin C serums, and cooling face washes

📢 You’re on Speaker (Live with Margaret from Canberra!) (37:27)

Deciphering the "10-gram rule" for sugar on packaging

The "Bodyguard" Trick: Using raw veggies to create a physical mesh in your gut

Skincare at 68: Why serums do the heavy lifting over expensive creams

😤 Epic Rant: Big Retailers & "Marketplace" Lies (47:57)

Why big players are becoming the "Temu" of small business

The death of the niche health store and the rise of drop-shipping giants

Lee’s Nutritionist Nerd Notes

Cacao vs. Cocoa: The Antioxidant Supercharger

Cacao: Raw and cold-processed, keeping enzymes and antioxidants alive . It contains 40 times more antioxidants than blueberries and can help lower inflammation and improve heart health

Cocoa: Heated to high temperatures during processing, which strips away many of its original beauty and health benefits

The Chocolate "E-Number" Watchlist

Soy Lecithin (E322): Often used for texture but can lead to significant bloating

Polyglycerol Esters (E475): These can erode the gut lining and create inflammation throughout the body

The Rising Tide of Bowel Cancer

Bowel and colorectal cancers are no longer just "old person's diseases," with rates rising alarmingly among younger Australians

Almost 12% of cases now occur in people under 50, and it is the deadliest cancer for those aged 25 to 54

The decision to lower the screening age from 50 to 45 followed updated clinical guidelines from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC). These updates address the increasing prevalence of early-onset bowel cancer in individuals under 50, even as rates in older groups have declined

Important Note: If you are experiencing symptoms (such as blood in your stool or changes in bowel habits) or have a significant family history of bowel cancer, you should see a doctor regardless of your age, as you may require different types of testing

Lee's Rules of Engagement for Chocolate

Timing: The "sweet spot" for consumption is between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to help with energy slumps . Avoid eating it after 4 p.m. if you are caffeine sensitive

The Bodyguard: Pair chocolate with fibre-rich foods like nuts or berries to slow sugar absorption and prevent glucose spikes

The 10g Rule: When reading labels, look at the "100g column" and aim for products with less than 10g of sugar

Top 10 Chocolate Rankings

For the full breakdown of my top 10 cleanest, gut-friendly chocolate bars, including the rationale behind every rank, check out my latest blog post: www.superchargedfood.com/blog

Mansplaining: Non-alcohol drinks recommendations from Irene: Sans Drinks

Thank you so much for tuning into Wellness Unfiltered!

We're beyond grateful you're here with us in the cabin and would love a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. It helps us cut through the greenwashing and reach more truth-seekers like you.

Follow us on Instagram:

@wellnessunfilteredleeirene | @leesupercharged | @cleannectarine | @superchargeyourgut

Join the conversation on Substack: https://substack.com/@wellnessunfilteredpod

Disclaimer: This show is for educational purposes only. Please consult your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.

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Wellness Unfiltered Episode 2 Transcript

Irene Falcone: Well, hello out there! You’re Irene...

Lee Holmes: ...and you’re Lee!

Irene: And this is Wellness Unfiltered! Yay!

Lee: (Laughs) I was on such a high from our first episode, Irene, and I learned a few things, especially around sunscreens as well. I’ve been boosting Google’s business by searching the TGA website and all the numbers on the packs to find out what’s in them. You’re welcome, whoever owns Google!

Irene: Well, yeah, that first episode was so electric. And whilst you were Googling on Google about the things I was saying about sunscreens, I was lying in bed at 3 o'clock in the morning hoping I don't get any letters from the TGA over anything that I said.

Lee: Oh no!

Irene: How nice is it out here? It’s raining today in the Cabin, and it is so beautiful overlooking that garden and the smell... there’s something about the smell of the rain on the Northern Beaches, isn't there?

Lee: It’s so beautiful and I’m actually really loving my garden at the moment because it, well... it’s the first thing I look at as soon as I get out of bed. I run downstairs and have a look at the garden and it just makes me so happy. So anyway, this episode is going to be a really big one. In our "What’s Popping" segment, we are going to the dark side—literally. And we’re going to do a deep dive into the chocolate industry, from heavy metal scandals to a blind taste test, which you’re going to be doing, of the cleanest blocks widely available. And I’ve also put together a top ten ranking of the best chocolates.

Irene: I’m so looking forward to that, Lee, I have to say. Please don't say anything negative about chocolate. It is my one thing that I love. At least I'm going to have a list of things I can eat, right?

Lee: Yeah, you sure will.

Irene: Okay, good. I do feel guilty eating chocolate sometimes. And then we’re heading into "Womansplaining" to help Justin, our producer, deal with whatever issue he’s got going on this week.

Lee: And he’s had a few.

Irene: I bet! Plus, we’ve got a listener joining us in a discussion in the Cabin. We’ve got Margaret from Canberra on speaker.

Lee: And as always, we are going to be finishing with a rant or rave.

Irene: Oh pick me! Pick me! I have a rant and I was rehearsing the rant in my car on the way here and I was getting so mad.

Lee: Really? I cannot wait to hear it. I’m super excited. I can already see the sparks coming out of your headphones, Irene.

Irene: (Laughs) Yeah, you can... can you see the steam is going to start coming out of my ears on this one? Alright Lee, let's get into the big one for the week. It’s the topic that dominates everyone's WhatsApp group, every office kitchen, and definitely every woman’s 3 PM slump. We are talking about chocolate and the dark side of it.

Lee: It sure does, doesn't it? And we talk about it a lot, and I feel like it's kind of like the universal love language, you know? But it’s also become one of the most confusing topics in wellness, I find. One day we're told it's a superfood, it protects our hearts and minds, and then the next day there’s a headline that you read and it says it's got heavy metals in it and it’s going to shred your gut and it’s got emulsifiers and it’s all so confusing.

Irene: You know what? I know those things and I just eat them anyway. And I do try and get the one that looks the most healthy, but I am always looking for that Goldilocks sort of unicorn bar. The one that tastes really good but it doesn't give me that sugar crash. And I am trying to avoid sugar, but then of course I don't want to be having any fake sugar. I don't really like the taste of stevia. But I really love that indulgence. I really do have that sweet tooth and I have been seeing all of that stuff on the news lately. So I don't know if I'm eating a bunch of chemicals or lead or God knows. Can't wait to find out.

Lee: Yeah, you’re going to find out today. And did you know, talking about the chocolate and the industry, it’s literally a 100-billion-dollar industry. And it’s really mastered health-washing. So it kind of gives us all these messages that are super confusing for people. And even the word cacao—we think we’re doing our bodies a favour getting all these feel-good, real ingredients. But actually, did you know that the spelling matters more than people realise?

Irene: It’s really interesting you should say that. I didn't originally know that. I know because as I was writing many, many product descriptions in my time, I was always spelling cacao as c-o-c-a-o... I don't even know how to pronounce them actually, but I do know that I always get them muddled up in my head still.

Lee: Yeah, so there’s cacao and there’s cocoa. And they’re two completely different things.

Irene: Yes, so I’m going to guess one is good and one is bad?

Lee: Yeah, so this is the massive difference, right? So you’ve got cacao, which is yummy, but it’s generally raw and cold-pressed. And it keeps the enzymes and the antioxidants and all the good stuff alive. It’s actually got 40 times more antioxidants than blueberries, can you believe it? And there’s flavanols in there as well which can help you lower inflammation, help your heart health, and even wrangle your gut bugs into better behaviour. There’s recent research too that backs this up, that dark chocolate is linked to a 21% lower risk of type 2 diabetes if you have five-plus serves weekly. I love the sound of that. And there are so many other benefits to it as well. Cocoa, on the other hand, is roasted and processed because they heat it to this high temperature and you lose a lot of those beauty and health benefits along with it. And most of the time along with cocoa, manufacturers they dump in sugar, dairy or soy to make it more palatable. And so you know the chocolates that you find in the supermarket aisles, a lot of them have processed the life out of them and they’re just a bunch of empty calories and additives, believe it or not.

Irene: Well, I never shop in that aisle. I always buy my chocolate in the health food aisle in the supermarket. So I’m assuming that they're better, right? Tell me they are.

Lee: The jury is out on those. Really, we’re going to learn more today about that.

Irene: I do still see numbers like I’ve seen E475 and soy... how do you pronounce that? Soy... there’s always a soy leth-ith-in... what is that?

Lee: Lecithin.

Irene: Lecithin. I see soy lecithin. I always try and avoid gluten and I always try and avoid dairy and of course a lot of sugar, so I always find that that soy thing is the only thing that’s left in the allergens.

Lee: Yeah, that’s true. You know what too? Because I have autoimmune issues, I’ve always tried to pinpoint the kind of foods that were affecting me and I realised it was a lot of the E numbers in just simple little ingredients but they’re chemically laden and chemically produced. So something like soy lecithin—it’s called E322 if you’re having a look at the back of your chocolate. It helps with the texture of chocolate but it’s really... it’s really bloating. I find when I have it I get super bloated. I don't know if you do as well.

Irene: Well, I just thought... okay, so this is really interesting. I just thought it was the dairy in the milk chocolate. I wouldn't have thought in a... I mean, I know I can't have gluten and I know I can't have dairy, so I don't know why I’m still bloating. That would explain it.

Lee: Yeah, because I’m like super fine with dairy. I’m completely fine but it’s these additives... highly processed foods that really get to me. And what they do is... and there’s another one called E475 which is polyglycerol esters, and what they do—the polyglycerol ones—is they really erode the lining of your gut and they create inflammation in your gut lining and in your body. And because of that, it can contribute to a lot of inflammation, tiredness after eating, bloating after eating. That’s kind of why you feel like that. And then of course there’s refined sugar that feeds the bad bacteria in your gut. So you’re creating imbalances whether you’re having the additives or whether you’re having sugar as well. I know it kind of sounds a bit negative, doesn't it?

Irene: It sounds super negative and I really want to ask you about sugar. So firstly, I know saying zero sugar means nothing because zero sugar can mean it literally has no sweetener or it means it could have fake sugar and there's a whole bunch of fake sugars that obviously I would never put in my body ever. I also did see something recently about raw sugar not being... raw unrefined sugar not being that bad for us. And then there’s other things like maple syrup or... what's the other one? There’s another one... rice bran...

Lee: Oh, rice malt syrup?

Irene: That one! So, okay... can we have those? Tell me all about sugar and zero sugar.

Lee: Yeah, so the sugar... zero sugar bars that you see in the supermarket, they are the ones that have ingredients like erythritol which is good for your blood sugar, but then there’s also a lot of them, probably 90% of them, that have these E numbers in them. And they are the ones that are very irritating to your microbiome’s finickiness, you know? What I would do personally, and what I do, is I go for coconut sugar. And I go for ones that don't spike your blood sugar too much and more unrefined kind of sugar. So I think they’re a lot better personally. And you can also get ones, say for example if you’re having one with coconut sugar and nuts in it, the fibre actually feeds your good bugs in the gut, so no drama there.

Irene: I’ve got a nut allergy in my family so I’ve got to avoid nuts in chocolate. So, yeah, I tend to get things with some dried sort of fruit in it for sweetener. Is that okay?

Lee: I mean, sometimes they’re okay if they're natural. However, a lot of dried fruit have sulphites in them. And if you’re sensitive with your gut, because you know how you get the bloating like I do, if you’re sensitive you might react to those as well.

Irene: Yeah, right. Actually, speaking of sulphites, I’ve seen all this stuff in the news recently about hams being carcinogenic.

Lee: Oh my goodness, we’re doing an episode on that.

Irene: Are we? Okay, I can't wait for that because that scares the crap out of me. But speaking of carcinogenic, are any of these other E things related to carcinogens as well?

Lee: Yeah, well, believe it or not, obviously these ingredients do tie into bigger issues and there are trends that are happening at the moment like bowel cancer trends in young people. So by the way, I just did my home test last week for the... you know the free one that you get?

Irene: Good on you. You’ve got to do it every two years.

Lee: Yeah, that’s super important.

Irene: It seems to be on the news all the time.

Lee: Yeah, you see it a lot, huh? So it was, you know, it used to be thought of as an old person’s disease—bowel cancer and colorectal cancers—but now it’s hitting younger Australians at really alarming rates. It’s actually quite scary when you look at it. When you look at the rates of bowel cancer, almost 12% of cases are Australians under 50. And it’s the deadliest cancer for ages from 25 to 54. And you know those tests I was just talking about? They’ve actually changed the age of the screening test now and it’s down to 45. So you used to have it over 50 or 55. Now it’s 45. So that’s one screen we should be doing more of, right?

Irene: Wow, that’s super scary. And so what are the risks? Like, do we know why? Has there been any research coming out to say what’s causing this?

Lee: We know established risks like low-fibre diets, lots of processed meats that you were talking about before with the sulphites in them, a lot of red meat, obesity, alcohol, smoking, family history, those kinds of things. But with gut health under pressure from these ultra-processed foods creating the inflammation, I truly believe, and the research that I’ve done, that they definitely play a role in these rising rates too because if you look at the ingredients like emulsifiers and additives, they’re in all your plant-based milks, they’re in your protein bars. We totally have to do that episode on UPFs, ultra-processed foods, I just cannot wait for that one.

Irene: I know, can I just... I know we’re going to have a whole episode on that. But you know what makes me mad? Actually, I should just save this for another rant, but I’m just going to give you a little teaser rant here. It’s very public knowledge now and all over the news, it’s not a conspiracy theory, that these processed meats are carcinogenic. Why are we still advertising ham on the back of buses for children’s lunches? Why?

Lee: I don't understand that. Like why would they still be doing it when the research is out there?

Irene: It’s out there. It’s not like it’s hidden... if it’s as bad as it is, it’s as bad as advertising cigarettes on the back of a bus still.

Lee: I agree.

Irene: Alright, that’s a rant for another day. Alright, back to chocolate. So let’s talk about the chocolate scandal and all of this stuff that I’ve been reading about dark chocolate all of a sudden being bad for us—does it have lead in it or something? Is that what it's about?

Lee: Well, yeah, well this is the "Fine Ingredients" lie they call it. So it’s the Lindt... you know Lindt chocolate? You know you get the 85% one and you’ve got all the different versions of it?

Irene: I get the highest percentage. Surely that’s the best one... I get the highest one.

Lee: And you would think that, right? However, they’re now saying that the soil is dodgy, the chocolate is dodgy, and also that they have lead in them. The lead is in the soil and now the chocolate has lead in it. Lead and cadmium was found from the dodgy soil, it sparked this massive lawsuit, and Lindt are facing this lawsuit over their finest ingredients claims. So 2026 is all about calling out these factory fakes versus the artisan. So we need to keep it organic or at least cleaner, I would say. But this is pure marketing sadly because a lot of the time you get cacao butter which is just fat, not the flavanol-rich part, and then the real actives actually might be half of that. So there’s this processing method called the Dutch processing method and that kind of wipes out a lot of the goodness too. So if you see anything in terms of chocolate with fake flavourings, that’s a chemical pretend chocolate and it’s got zero health benefits.

Irene: I know you just said all that about Lindt, but I’m going to just pretend I didn't hear it.

Lee: (Laughs) Well, it’s in America and they haven't actually come out with this research in Australia, I will say yet.

Irene: Yeah, but is it the same chocolate? Out of the same factory?

Lee: Well, it’s localised here I’m assuming. Need to do a bit more research on that. I will let you know in our episode about ultra-processed foods.

Irene: I want to know. I really do need to know more about that. Wow. Alright, so I’m going to stop being depressed now, just tell me what I can eat. I know our producer's brought in a list. You had a... this episode was inspired... I really wanted to do this episode because I was so inspired by your Instagram post where you went into the supermarket—I think you went into Woolies or something—and you came out with a list of chocolates that we can eat.

Lee: Yes, I did.

Irene: Okay, so is that what I’m going to taste?

Lee: Yeah. You are. I’m so excited. You are going to taste them. So I’ve tested them all and I’m just going to let you know my results first and then I’m going to give you the taste test. Does that sound alright?

Irene: Yes. Okay.

Lee: So I’ve picked ten of the healthiest ranked by purest cacao, gut support, how they taste. All of them apart from number ten at the very end have no emulsifiers. The one at the very end is suspect. It may or may not... it’s not on the label but I've got a feeling it does have emulsifiers in it. Anyway, for all the purists out there, number one was the Alter Eco Total Blackout chocolate because it’s 100% cacao. It’s pure, it’s got no sugar, it’s got a really intense flavour. You’re going to try that one today. I also tried one called Ombar which I’ve tried before whenever I go to the US or the UK, I always get that one. It’s really tasty. And there’s another brand called Gutsii that I looked at as well which has got probiotic perks in it too.

Irene: Are they available in Australia, that UK one?

Lee: Yeah, the Ombar is now... yeah, yeah, the Ombar is now. You can buy it here now which is super exciting because I remember five years ago I tasted it over there when I went to America. I was like, this honestly tastes good and it’s super healthy and it’s now available in Australia.

Irene: This is my dream list. I can't even think of a better dream list.

Lee: Yeah, absolutely. Now, one I know that we both love is the Loco Love. That is far and away the tastiest. I love the brand and I also love their ethos as well. I love their philosophy and their ethos, a great company. I also looked at Pana Organic and this thing called Chow Cacao Truffalos. You’re going to try those today. Woo! And one called Noia. And another one too called Spencer's, and Spencer's does have a little bit of sugar. It’s got a bit of Bundaberg raw sugar in it. However, they use really quality ingredients so I really want you to try that one.

Irene: Yeah, that’s that raw sugar that I was telling you about—like, how bad can raw unrefined sugar be? It’s grown out of the ground, right?

Lee: Yeah, exactly. A little bit of, you know, a few squares of that, I think it’s totally fine. I also put another one from the supermarket in called Old Gold 70%.

Irene: Oh, I actually, my husband hates that one.

Lee: Yeah, I know. It’s high in refined sugar actually but there’s nothing else really in it, but like I said, it’s made by Cadbury, so you never know. The jury is out with that one because sometimes they don't say what emulsifiers are in the ingredients list and also I wonder about the lead contamination in that one. However, they were kind of my picks but I really want to get tasting, Irene. So you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to actually blindfold you. Alright, where’s your mouth? Come on.

Irene: I can't wait to do this.

Lee: So we have tasting sample number one coming over. Where’s your mouth? Here you go.

Irene: Okay, so Lee, these are your top ten healthy chocolate list, right? And now I’m going to try them and I’m going to give you my ranking on how they taste.

Lee: Yep. Okay. That’s number one.

Irene: Oh, that’s really good.

Lee: You like it?

Irene: Yes, it’s really good. It’s sweet but the sweetness goes away in a second, like, and then it’s not sweet. It’s really good, yeah. Yum.

Lee: So that’s the Pana Organic. I’ve got it at number nine on my list. It’s organic, which is really good. It’s plant-based with prebiotic fibre, smooth and salty profile—but watch creamy flavours for gums; plain dark is best at 43% cacao and sweetened with coconut sugar.

Irene: Well, interestingly with Pana in general, I don't really love their chocolate because I don't think it’s sweet enough. But this was... usually I find it doesn't have enough sweetness but that... that was nice. I like this one. Which flavour is it?

Lee: Yeah, so that’s the sea salt one and it’s sweetened with coconut sugar and it’s 43% cacao.

Irene: Alright, oh that’s delicious.

Lee: That’s a Tasmanian sea salt one. Okay, ready for number two?

Irene: I’m ready.

Lee: Alright, so this one you have to take a bite out of. I haven't kind of got you a square, I’m popping it into your hand. Take a bite. Let me know what you think.

Irene: Oh my god. Oh my god.

Lee: I’m sensing you know this one.

Irene: Oh, that’s the love chocolate. Yeah, like it’s Loco Love?

Lee: That’s the Loco Love. And it’s my favourite one, the hazelnut butter praline with maca.

Irene: Oh, actually my favourite is their peanut butter one, it’s like a Snickers.

Lee: Yes, it is.

Irene: That’s my favourite chocolate, that’s pretty much the only chocolate that I’ll eat now. And yeah, I like buy them from Flannerys. I just take about ten of them and then I have to mortgage my house to buy them but god they're so worth it.

Lee: It is gold standard for taste, right? You get the prebiotic fibre from whole ingredients, it’s got zero emulsifiers and basically it’s functional medicine disguised as a treat. You like it, don't you?

Irene: Yes, so I can tell you without trying anything else this is going to be my number one. But let’s keep going because...

Lee: Alright, so this is tasting sample number three. Are you ready for it? I’m passing it over to you now.

Irene: Okay, I’ve got to find my mouth. Oh, I don't like that one.

Lee: You don't?

Irene: No.

Lee: What don't you like about it?

Irene: It tastes bitter. That’s really bitter. I am a sweet tooth. And this tastes like it’s got no sugar and no sweetness.

Lee: Yeah, it doesn't have any sweetness. This is the one that’s the Alter Eco Total Blackout, it’s 100% cacao. It is a bit stubborn to chew, don't you think?

Irene: It’s not for me. I don't like it. No.

Lee: But it’s probably the most... I’m sure it’s the healthiest.

Irene: (Laughs) Yeah, but why does the healthiest have to taste the worst?

Lee: Yeah, but I’ve got a couple of friends who are real purists and they love it. Cause you can almost feel like after you’ve eaten it you get all that magnesium from it. However, sometimes I don't actually eat this one at night because I get jumpy from it. I feel like I get a lot of caffeine or something from the cacao. But yeah, not your favourite.

Irene: No, I will never eat that, I will tell you now. No.

Lee: Alright, well let’s move on to number four.

Irene: Actually I’ve got some left over, I’m not even going to eat that. Snap... someone take that? Yeah.

Lee: I’m going to snap number four for you, it’s coming into your hand now. This is number four. Let me know what you think.

Irene: Anything tastes better than that last one. Um, I don't like this one that much either. It just to me tastes like it’s got some sort of healthy sweetener like a syrup or something. It’s okay but it doesn't taste like chocolate, it tastes like something... oh, hang on! It tastes like when you go to those cafes, those really healthy cafes and they make you like a healthy hot chocolate and it just doesn't taste good.

Lee: Yeah, I hear you. Well, this one is the Noia, I think that’s how you pronounce it, plain milk with coconut milk version. I’ve got it at number seven on the rankings. It probably went down a bit because it’s quite clean but because of the taste. Um, it’s single-origin cacao, it’s soy and dairy free, it’s pretty clean, which is really good, but it does have some rice fillers in it as well. Maybe that’s why you’re getting that kind of thickness when you, you know?

Irene: Is that... does it have rice bran syrup in it?

Lee: No, it’s got coconut sugar in it actually, which is obviously good for your microbiome, it’s better than refined sugar though. But yeah, it is all about the taste at the end.

Irene: It wasn't great, it wasn't the worst but it wasn't like the first two.

Lee: Yeah. I’ve got a really good one for you now. I think you’re going to like it. Number five coming over.

Irene: Oh, it’s a ball! It’s like a gobstopper. Oh my gosh. Um, that’s really good.

Lee: Yeah, you like that?

Irene: Yeah, I love that. Is that caramel? That tastes good. I really like this. This is yummy. This is the third best.

Lee: Really? Well, this is number six on my list and I only recently discovered this at my health food store in Avalon. Um, it’s the Chow Cacao Truffalos. And it’s really organic, clean ingredients, it’s vegan, low coconut sugar, no junk, high cacao, really good for you. Love it, love it.

Irene: That’s my Loco Love health food store too and I love that so I’ll definitely buy this. This is great to have in the fridge because I have such a sweet tooth. That was really good.

Lee: Now, for the last one I wanted to throw in a supermarket version. Just one you can get at the supermarket. And I was going to do Lindt but then because of the whole lead thing I was like, no, let’s try something else.

Irene: So you didn't want to give me lead poisoning, thank you very much.

Lee: A supermarket one, let me know what you think coming over now.

Irene: That’s the Old Gold, isn't it?

Lee: Yeah.

Irene: I know that because let me tell you, my husband buys this one and I don't like it but I will tell you this: when there’s nothing in the house and I need something sweet, I’ll eat this because it’s all that’s there and it will do... it will do the trick.

Lee: It does, doesn't it? Yeah. It satisfies. So I’ve put it as a number ten just for a couple of reasons, because you can get it in the supermarket, it’s kind of easy to find, it’s got decent cacao but it is high in refined sugar and I think it’s got the emulsifiers because it’s made by Cadbury, they don't say it on the label but I really think it might. It’s not as pure as the rest, but if you’re really desperate you might want to try it. I don't know, the jury is out to be honest.

Irene: This is what I eat when I am desperate. Yeah. But if it... let’s play devil’s advocate on that last one then because it’s a pretty good choice and you get it from the supermarket and it’s probably about quarter the price of the others. Um, if it did have that emulsifier in it that we don't know about, does that make it still... like, does that still make the list or does that mean we have to avoid it because we just talked about how bad emulsifiers are?

Lee: I put it on the list because if you’re having it like, you know, once or twice a week a couple of squares, it’s okay. But I personally avoid emulsifiers because of the autoimmune stuff and the issues that I have with them. Some people are able to eat them and they’re totally fine, but I don't recommend it personally.

Irene: It is very... that one little square that you gave me was very satisfying. That definitely hits the spot. But how do you know if it’s got those emulsifiers? Doesn't it need to be on the label?

Lee: It needs to be on the label. It really does. However, because it’s made by Cadbury and all of theirs have emulsifiers, I just can't understand why this one wouldn't, so this is just my personal opinion, I think it does.

Irene: Right, in my opinion, if I can contradict you, if it doesn't have it on the label—because legally you have to have it on the label, I’m sure, unless it’s under a really small amount—then I think we’re pretty safe with it.

Lee: Do you know what I am going to do? (Sorry, got a mouthful of chocolate). Which one are you eating?

Irene: Loco Love.

Lee: Oh yeah, yeah, that’s the best one. I’m actually going to reach out to Cadbury and I’m going to email them and I’m going to ask them about the Old Gold.

Irene: Yeah, let’s just find out and then we’ll add that to the end of the episode when we find out. I just don't know how, if it’s not... like, labelling laws in Australia are really strict, so... let’s see. Okay Lee, that was all super interesting, but let's get some really strong takeaways because I think people are going to want to get their pen and paper out for this and take notes. So, assume it's 3 PM and we need, want, have to have a chocolate hit. Yeah. So how do we lessen that sugar hangover?

Lee: Well, first, let’s wind the clock back a few hours. Say it’s 10 o'clock, right? In the morning, 10 to 11 and that’s kind of the sweet spot for chocolate, a good time to eat it. And also in the afternoon around 2 to 3, it does help with the afternoon slump but definitely you would want to avoid it after 4 o'clock, especially if you’re caffeine sensitive, which I’m one of those people. So I have three kind of takeaways around chocolate consumption. I’ll call them my "Wellness Unfiltered Rules of Engagement." So firstly, I would avoid having it on an empty stomach because if you do you’ll get that massive glucose spike that kind of leads to the sugar sag that you get in your skin. Number two is the bodyguard. I would pair chocolate with nuts or berries because the fibre and the protein can slow down that sugar absorption.

Irene: Okay, or I can pair it with some raw vegetables.

Lee: (Laughs) If you want.

Irene: Does it actually make a difference as long as it’s fibre?

Lee: Yeah, yeah, it does slow down that sugar.

Irene: Okay, but it doesn't matter if it’s a fibre from a nut or a fibre from a broccoli?

Lee: No, it doesn't matter. If you want to pair your chocolate with broccoli, you go right ahead. And also coated is better than biscuits. So if you’re going to have something like... this is what I love to have, like the chocolate-coated almonds or hazelnuts, they’re really good. But if you’re having chocolate biscuits, it’s kind of like a double carb nightmare so I’d kind of stay away.

Irene: Oh, I wouldn't eat a chocolate biscuit. Yeah.

Lee: And then just when to have them for max benefits, I’d say a few squares of dark chocolate three to five times a week, you’re going to get all of those gut health perks, you’re going to get the polyphenols, the flavanols, and all of those good things. And it can actually improve your blood pressure and insulin sensitivity, believe it or not. And for people who are into their microbiome, which I really am, pairing them as I said with berries and nuts can really boost your polyphenol absorption too.

Irene: Well Lee, I’m going to admit something to you, I’m a little bit embarrassed about but I’ve been doing it all wrong. Do you know when I have my chocolate? At night. In bed at about after... definitely after 11 o'clock.

Lee: Really?

Irene: Yeah, while I’m doing my TikTok doom scrolling.

Lee: Well anyway, at least we’ve got that full ranked list with my rationale as well and my nerd... that’ll be in the nerd notes so anyone can kind of look at what chocolates they love as well and what’s good for you. Do you want another row of that Pana Organic or should we go with the Loco Love?

Irene: That, yeah, the Loco Love... I mean, I’ve got to stop talking about it. I actually, you know... I actually dream about that chocolate in my sleep.

Lee: Really?

Irene: Not that particular one, the Snickers version of it. I think it’s because I have so many gut issues and there’s so much I can't have. But that... the one I like’s got tremella in it. And tremella—you would know this—but that’s known as the beauty ingredient and I think it’s been used through for centuries for beauty. Do you know tremella itself is really delicious? You can just get a teaspoon and eat pure tremella out of the jar as a treat. Yeah, so having the tremella in that chocolate I think of it as a bit of a beauty treat.

Lee: Yeah. Does that mean I can have it at 11 o'clock at night still or not? I have to have it at... does it keep you awake? Because I can't have it after like...

Irene: Well, I don't sleep anyway, so I wouldn't know what keeps me awake. But I have my coffee when I wake up in the morning, I have an espresso in the morning and I don't have any more coffee during the day, but I think I’m just up thinking about... you know it’s like when you run a business, I’m just thinking about like stock bins and barcodes at 3 o'clock in the morning.

Lee: Your mind's ticking over.

Irene: On TikTok. Doom scrolling. Yeah, I know, it’s all very, I know. We all have our vices.

Lee: We sure do.

Irene: Alright Lee, it is time for that segment that I think is going to become a fast favourite. We’re calling it "Womansplaining."

Lee: (Laughs) I love it. Because let’s be real, many men are—how can I put this politely?—notoriously avoidant of their own health and beauty, don't you think?

Irene: They’re really avoidant. They’ll ignore a strange mole or a red face for a decade before they even consider getting it checked out. I know my husband is the same actually, I keep telling him he needs to get his moles checked and he keeps... you know what? He keeps going to Bunnings and getting more... deciding he needs to hang something on the wall.

Lee: Really? Yeah, that’s what they’re like.

Irene: Yeah. Well to help us out, we’ve got our very own Cabin Man representative. Justin, you are on the mic.

Justin Smidmore: Hi Lee, hi Irene.

Irene: Hi Justin.

Justin: Firstly, "Bustin" thanks you for last week’s advice on his gut girth. I’ve passed on the notes to him and he’s been having protein breakfasts and I’ve asked him to report back in a few weeks with the measurements.

Irene: We look forward to hearing from Bustin. So is this Justin or Bustin this week?

Justin: I don't know what you're talking about, Irene, it’s all... I’m Justin. This might not be a great topic for an audio medium, but can you please explain to me what I can do about these weird red lines on my face? Check ‘em out. They’re mainly around my nose and cheeks. You see ‘em?

Lee: Yeah, they look like broken capillaries, Justin.

Justin: Are they alcohol-related? Or is it just an age thing? Because the more I’m looking at myself in the mirror today, I’m beginning to look like a magistrate from a Dickens novel. Honestly, I don't like it.

Lee: A Dickensian magistrate! I love it. I can see it now actually. The ruddy look. You know that kind of gin blossom look?

Irene: Yeah, that’s a long... have you come in from advertising or marketing? Because we used to call that back in the day the long advertising lunch at Machiavelli's. They all used to come out looking like that.

Justin: Um, I plead the fifth. Whatever that is.

Irene: It’s definitely alcohol... I mean, no, you know... I don't drink alcohol. I am sober. But I do know from a previous business where I was selling non-alcoholic drinks that, yeah, definitely one of the causes of that redness is definitely alcohol. Alcohol is not good for us in any... it’s not good for our bodies, it’s not good for the ageing process and I think it accelerates the ageing process. It does make our skin red.

Justin: Sorry to cut you off but I like beer. And I don't drink tons of it, but you know, I’m going to do it. As much as I listen to you and value your opinion, so...

Irene: The thing with beer is, actually... I know a lot of non-alcoholic drinks just taste like grape juice, but with beer, beer actually you can't tell the difference in the taste. You should try non-alcoholic beer. I actually tried one the other day, it was a gluten-free one and it was really good. It tasted like beer, you wouldn't know the difference.

Lee: But it’s not just beer, is it? Because it can also be like sun damage, spicy foods, extreme temperature changes that gives you those kind of red lines on your nose. And you know if you’re a guy that loves a hot shower, your face is doing a workout it wasn't kind of really built for, right? And also rosacea, it could be that too.

Irene: Well I’ve got broken capillaries and I’ve got them definitely from hot showers on my face. And I always try and wash my face with cool water, that’s a really important trick actually.

Justin: Okay, so there’s that one. So how do I fix it? Like now and into the long term? Or do I just kind of buy a wig and start grumping?

Irene: Well I think you want to tackle it from both ends, Lee. From an internal eating perspective, health perspective, what would you suggest?

Lee: Yeah, definitely I would suggest an anti-inflammatory style diet and lots of colour in the diet, lots of antioxidants and Vitamin C-rich foods. And try and cut back on that alcohol.

Justin: Okay, is there any kind of medical thing?

Irene: Yeah, I actually haven't looked really into this that much yet, but I want to look into it more for myself and I believe you can get some sort of laser. It would definitely be worth talking to a dermatologist to see if there’s something that they can do cosmically that’s not invasive for that. But from a topical perspective as well, you’ve got to use sunscreen. So a really good natural zinc oxide-based sunscreen would be great. And then I’m a big... if you haven't noticed in this episode, I’m a huge fan of serums. If a man only does one thing for their skin other than sunscreen, just slap on a serum—a nice clean Vitamin C serum or something with niacinamide in it, which is a Vitamin B3, and even just a simple nut oil or a jojoba oil would be great. So you do want to add a little bit of moisture into your skin and then the sunscreen for a little bit of protection. But cosmically they are going to do a really great job maintaining your skin if you can get that sorted.

Justin: Yeah, that’s good advice because I literally would probably just do one thing, I’m not going to be doing a whole lots of different things. So that serum idea and the cold water face wash... two good things.

Irene: Cool water, yeah, cool water, a really simple face wash that’s, you know, in the shower already. There’s a lot of actually... I think that the natural industry has caught on to men and their simplicity because there’s a couple of really great natural skincare brands. Weleda... I love the Weleda brand, you can get Weleda from anywhere. Their men's range are all two-in-ones and three-in-ones. So they’ve got like a three-in-one cleanser, so you just wash your body, your face and your hair with the one thing. So just grab one of those.

Justin: Yeah, or any men’s range in beauty is probably known by women and none... no male knows them.

Irene: For me, skincare for men is one of my biggest selling categories but I have zero male customers, so obviously my customers are women-splaining their baskets. (Laughs)

Justin: Thanks Irene and thanks Lee.

Lee: Well there you go, ladies. If your man’s looking a bit Dickensian, sneak some Vitamin C serum onto his side of the vanity, hey? Let me tell you, my husband has been using the same blue Rexona roll-on for like 20 years. And I swapped that out for that Weleda men's deodorant, roll-on deodorant, and it’s the same colour and he has not noticed.

Irene: He’s not tweaked?

Lee: He’s not tweaked at all. He just smells good. Yeah, he hasn't even noticed the difference.

Irene: Love it. I hadn't ever really thought about that but you’ve really opened my eyes. Yeah, thanks. Alright Lee, we now have our first caller of the week. Margaret from our nation’s capital, Canberra. Hello, welcome to the show!

Margaret: Hello Lee, hello Irene! Such a pleasure to chat with you. I’m a long-time Supercharged follower, first-time listener. I think I’ve read almost all of Lee's books and I just love the informative mixed with the personal. It’s the first time I read a book that had both, so yeah, shout out to you, Lee.

Lee: Oh, thanks Margaret, that really makes my day and you know, the pleasure is all mine, of course. So, before we get to the nitty-gritty, we will ask all of our guests this: What is the one thing that you’d like the world to know about you? So what’s your lane, your Margaret superpower?

Margaret: I have a few, (laughs) but my super-superpower is that I’m a child whisperer. Because I spent 38 years as a primary school teacher, mostly in Steiner education here in Canberra. I feel like I truly understand the culture of childhood and I just love being around that energy. It keeps me young!

Lee: Oh, I love that. We need more child whisperers in the world. And I’ve heard that Steiner education is so much more about like rhythms and natural foundations, which kind of fits in perfectly with what we do here. But I know that you’ve been following my work for a long time as you mentioned, and I suspect you’re really discerning and maybe slightly wary when it comes to the wellness industry. So I’d love to know what has been on your mind lately now that you’re on speaker.

Margaret: Oh wow, thank you, this is a dream come true. Well Lee, with diabetes in the family—my sister’s diabetic—I’m hyper-aware of sugar. I’m trying to manage it without feeling deprived, especially around 3 o'clock. I’m finding the health-washing on labels is getting worse. Firstly, how do I actually decipher the sugar content on packaging? I’m forever getting out my glasses to look at the tiny print when everything claims to be natural. And secondly, I read about eating raw veggies before a meal to slow down sugar absorption. Is that a real thing or just internet nonsense? It seems to work! I don't know.

Lee: Yeah, and I know, yeah, I know I’ve heard from a lot of people that they do that as well and it is absolutely real, Margaret. It’s one of your most powerful kind of tools that you can have and bring out of your toolbox. So let’s just have a look—you did mention the labels. I want to have a look at the filler on the labels first. What I do is I have a 10-gram rule when it comes to sugar. So what I do is when you’re at the shops, ignore the per-serve column because the industry really manipulates serve sizes to make the numbers look small. So when you’re looking at labels, look at the 100-gram column and aim for less than 10 grams of sugar. So if it’s over 15, it’s basically quite sweet and it’s a dessert, even if it’s a protein bar, I would stay away from it. And then secondly, the sugar aliases. I’d look out for things like rice malt syrup, agave, maple syrup because the industry uses these to sound really healthy but they metabolise just like sucrose with high fructose loads—they can really tax the liver and spike your insulin very similar to what white sugar does to you. So despite the natural branding, I would definitely look at those sugar aliases. And then when it comes to glucose sequencing—which is your second point—the veggies is 100% clinical science! You are so right about that. If you eat the fibre like, you know, a green salad or raw carrots before you eat your starch or sugar, it creates a physical mesh in your intestine. And the result from that is that this mesh acts like a filter and it physically actually slows down how fast the sugar hits your bloodstream. So it turns what might have been a sugar spike into a sugar gentle wave.

Irene: Wow, Margaret, thank you so much for asking that question. I had never heard of it and I’ve just learned something myself. That is absolutely amazing. So are you saying that we can eat some raw veggies before our meal and then we can have a little bit of something naughty for dessert?

Lee: Yeah, I mean, yeah exactly. I mean the rule is kind of never eat your carbs naked. Always give them something to protect them like a bodyguard, like fibre or protein. So even for you Margaret, like if you were to take a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in water before that meal, it will really double down on that protection as well.

Irene: Wow, that is literally... I can't believe what I’ve just learned. That’s absolutely amazing, I’m as blown away as you are, Margaret. So Margaret, let's talk skincare. You just said you were 68 and you’ve probably seen every anti-ageing miracle cream under the sun. I’m 51 and I have. So what are you looking for at the moment for your skincare? What are you using?

Margaret: I use a moisturiser. But honestly Irene, I just want to know what I’m actually looking for on the label, just the same as the sugar. Are there cheap ones that aren't just a tub of chemicals? My skin feels like it just drinks whatever I put on it and stays dry and gets dry about five minutes later. It’s really frustrating.

Irene: Yeah, my biggest advice is to avoid anything really at the supermarket, maybe half of the stuff at your David Jones and most of the things in those sort of big cosmetic department stores. The thing is, so many of these creams, whilst they do have some really great anti-ageing benefits like peptides and like lots of lovely, you know, anti-ageing ingredients, they’re usually housed in a base of petroleum. So you want to be looking for things like mineral oil, petrolatum which is like petroleum—I don't know why they don't just say petroleum. You want to look at those things. I also have to say you do still need to look for parabens. I can't believe in 2026 that there are still brands out there using parabens in their formulations, so that’s a really important one. But one also to look out for is something called phenoxyethanol, and that’s an interesting one because that’s been added to many, many formulations that say paraben-free. So they took the parabens out and then they replaced it with phenoxyethanol. That’s also in a lot of so-called natural products as well, but interestingly banned by all of the natural and organic certification boards. So it’s a preservative, so you want to be looking for preservatives that are approved by these certification boards, that’s a really good way to know whether or not it’s sort of a healthy preservative or not. But that’s a whole long list. I think my biggest anti-ageing tip is you don't necessarily need an expensive cream. I find that serums do all the work. So you can just pick a pretty affordable cleanser, something really simple from a health food store even, you can get a pretty good cleanser for maybe 15 or 20 dollars, a nice cream cleanser, definitely look for something on the front that says 100% natural and it has a natural or organic certification logo on it. And then after you’ve done your cleanser, pop on a serum and use a serum that tackles an area that you want to address. So for example, I know for me it’s pigmentation and fine lines, so you know a Vitamin C serum for example. But if you’ve got really dry skin, then pick something with a hyaluronic acid or some beautiful nut oils to make your skin really nourished and hydrated. Or you know if it’s something else like fine lines then look for something with maybe fruit plant stem cells or some natural peptides, plant peptides. So I think serums do all the work and I think you can spend a lot more money on your serums because they really do last for months. So I would say you could spend between 50 to 100 dollars on a serum and then if you still need some moisturiser, then again just get a cheap moisturiser to lock it all in and again just keep an eye out for those nasties.

Margaret: Oh wow, thank you, that’s amazing. Wow, I can do that, that’s doable.

Irene: Just get a Vitamin C serum and you’re good to go.

Lee: Well thank you so much Margaret, I’d love for you to stay lovely and stay curious and it’s been wonderful chatting with you today.

Margaret: Oh thank you, it’s been great hearing you live for the first time. So that’s just great. Well done, you’re doing a really great service the two of you.

Irene: Thank you, Margaret! What a delight and Steiner! Oh I know I want to send my kids to Steiner but my husband is so the opposite of me and I had to give in and send them to a regular old school.

Lee: I was at this thing the other night down in Avalon. It was a shop that was closing down and they had sort of a farewell party and they had a band there and it was super fun. We were all dancing and there was one lady and she was very kind of Byron Bay, you know what I mean by that? And she was like flowing and she was really in the moment and all of that and I found out she was the local Steiner teacher. And she was just flowing, she was in the moment, it was so fun to watch her.

Irene: Oh I love that. Yeah, if only, if only. Alright, well I think my tea has gone a bit cold but my brain is buzzing so let’s get to the next segment: Rant or Rave!

Lee: Oh pick me! Pick me!

Irene: She’s been waiting all episode for this.

Lee: I have!

Irene: Okay, so this is my rant, okay? Have you noticed whenever you have wanted to go shopping for whatever product it might be, just some like a health and wellness product for example or a beauty product and you’ve gone to look for it and you’re just flooded with ads from Big W and Woolworths and I think even Kmart. Every man and their dog when it comes to those big like big retailers and big players have got these marketplaces where they don't even actually stock the product. They just list the product and then they just get it drop-shipped from somewhere.

Lee: No!

Irene: Yeah, Bunnings is a really good example but I find it a lot with, yeah, your Big Ws and your Kmarts and those stores as well. And so I think the issue with that is it is really annoying as a consumer or a customer because when you are buying something online and you buy two or three things, you’re getting them sent in multiple deliveries by multiple retailers. I think it’s really ungenuine. But from a small business perspective, like from a retailer, we’ve got all these beautiful health food stores and you know lots of really wonderful niche businesses that have been selling these products for like forever. And it’s just these big boys crushing the little guy. The little guys that have got their own warehouses and they’re picking and packing their own orders, they’ve got everything in stock, everything gets shipped beautifully to you only to be overshadowed by, you know, these Google ads. I’m telling you, I’m telling you now, these big players and their big budgets just dominate Google. They are in my opinion the Temu to small retailers. Yeah, that’s my rant.

Lee: I mean, have you ever bought anything from a store and had three different deliveries and something from a brand direct that you thought you bought from Bunnings? Has that ever happened to you?

Irene: It happens to me all the time! Yeah, they come separately and then you get all these different notifications on your phone as well so your phone's tied up with all this sort of "coming this day" and then you get an email and then you yeah.

Lee: It’s so overwhelming.

Irene: Actually probably you know and there’s a whole other thing about privacy, isn't there? Oh, I signed up for Kmart or I signed up for Bunnings but now I’m on an email list for Woolworths. I don't know that those two are connected, that’s just my example but I find... you know what I do notice too? Like when I look for something on a health food store or on your Clean Nectarine website and then I’ll get distracted and then I’ll go back to it and then I’m retargeted with all of these ads from the big players with the same item.

Lee: Oh I think that yeah I think that might be the Facebook algorithm doing that. But those big players have got huge budgets. I could rant on about Woolworths and Endeavour and oh I could rant on about them for ages. And it’s hard because like a lot of the small businesses are family-operated businesses, you know? Family-operated businesses, entrepreneurs with passion, you know products that they have curated out of love and then you’ve just got these big boys in it and I again it comes back to sticking to your lane. You know last week you talked about sticking to your lane. Stick to your lane! Like I’m all about if you want to go to Woolies and get some apples and some cereal and what you need, your groceries, then just stick to groceries Woolworths! You don't need to all of a sudden now be a niche health food store or a non-alcoholic bottle shop. Rant over.

Lee: That’s a good one. I hadn't ever really thought about that but you’ve really opened my eyes. Yeah, thanks.

Irene: Let me tell you one quick story. When I had my non-alcoholic bottle shop, Dan Murphy's sold almost no non-alcoholic drinks at all. As soon as I opened my bottle shop, you know what they did? They called themselves Dan Zero and opened up non-alcoholic bottle shops. I swear half the store turned into a non-alcoholic bottle shop. Dan everything was Dan Zero. Did you know that? Billboards and everything.

Lee: Really? Really? They love to jump on what’s, yeah, and capitalise on what’s trending.

Irene: Oh I don't know about capitalising on what’s trending rather than trying to squash and kill small business. Oh big rant, but anyway. They won't get me this time. No.

Lee: (Laughs) No.

Irene: So that’s a wrap for episode 2. We’ve covered the dark side of chocolate, Justin's red lines, met the lovely and intelligent Margaret the child whisperer. Not to mention my hot, hot, hot rant! Ahhhh, I’m now at peace with the world again.

Lee: Yeah, you came in really hot for that one which is good. I love your passion. And if you love this session, please do us a massive favour. If you don't mind, can you please hit the follow button and leave us a five-star review or six if they’ll let you. That’ll really help us.

And follow us on our Instagram. It’s @wellnessunfilteredleeirene. And drop us a line or a question.And if you'd like to come and talk to us on here, let us know. Yeah. And if you want today's Nutritionist Nerd Notes, just head over to your favourite podcast platform. Love you guys. Love you, Lee. Love you too.

Wellness Unfiltered is a production of Clean Nectarine and Supercharged Food. Produced by Lee Holmes, Irene Falcone, and Justin Smidmore. Listen & Subscribe on Substack Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube. Information is for editorial and educational purposes only, not medical advice. Consult a qualified health professional before changes to your routine.

Listen & Subscribe on Substack (wellnessunfilteredpod), Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, iHeart, TuneIn

Show Notes

So many high-performing wellness seekers look fine from the outside. The smoothies are blended. The skincare routine is on point. Life feels handled. But inside, it can feel like you're wading through one scandal after another, gut confusion, and influencer hype without clear answers. You keep scrolling for more tips, more products, more opinions, and somehow you feel less equipped, not more. If you've been chasing wellness truths amid the noise, this episode is for you.

In our debut, myself, Lee Holmes (Clinical Nutritionist) and Irene Falcone (Founder of Clean Nectarine) pull no punches from our secret cabin hideout. We'll unpack sunscreen scandals shaking Australia, demystify prebiotics vs. probiotics with a live caller, fix that stubborn "beer belly" for the men in your life, and deliver a fiery rant on influencers staying in their lane. No sugar-coating, greenwashing, or woo-woo, just 30 years of combined clinical expertise, raw laughs, and actionable hacks.

In this episode we chat about:

🛡️ Sunscreen Scandals Down Under (09:14)CHOICE bombshells on Ultraviolette SPF recall and overseas testing drama (09:51)Private-labels with identical formulas (13:03)Spotlight on sunscreen chemicals in the media (15:29)

📣 You’re on Speaker (Live with Bondi Di!) (24:38)Prebiotics vs. probiotics: real microbiome differences and daily food hacks (25:27)Spotting truly natural beauty products amid so much greenwashing (29:00)

💪 Womansplain Men's Gut Fixes (32:43)Visceral fat truths for the "skinny everywhere but belly" guy (09:52)Ditch liquid calories, boost breakfast protein, add gut-feeding fibre (34:38)Incidental exercise and why consistency beats intensity (36:05)

😤 Epic Rant: Influencers, Stay in Your Lane! (37:44)Expertise creep, private-label flops, and spotting inauthentic products (37:53)

Nutritionist Nerd Notes

Freedom of Information Article: Irene discusses Courier-Mail/Herald Sun on sunscreen ingredient.

TGA Sunscreen Search: Type ARTG # + "TGA" into Google for full ingredients here: https://www.tga.gov.au/resources/artg

Prebiotics vs Probiotics Breakdown

Probiotics: Live good bacteria (reinforcements for your gut ecosystem). Found in fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut. They populate the microbiome to keep good vs bad bacteria balanced. Disrupted by antibiotics, high sugar, smoking.

Prebiotics: Non-digestible plant fibres that feed existing good bacteria (like fertiliser for hungry babies). Examples: inulin (chicory root), resistant starch, onions, garlic, oats, asparagus, leeks, bananas, apples (with skin).

Daily Tip: Eat both, every day for short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that boost digestion, immunity, reduce inflammation.

General Gut Health Ecosystem

Microbiome = trillions of bacteria. Balance via diet; imbalance from poor habits. Pro/prebiotics restore harmony for overall wellness.

Prebiotics and Probiotics

Lee's Prebiotic and Probiotic Recipes: Pre/Probiotic Recipes

Lee's prebiotic and probiotic shopping list

Visceral Fat (Bustin's Gut) Nutrition Hacks

Targets men over 40: Stress (cortisol) + low testosterone = deep abdominal fat around organs (metabolically active, inflammatory).

Cut liquid calories: Alcohol (liver prioritises detox over fat burn), sugary drinks, juices, sports drinks.

Breakfast protein: Eggs, Greek yogurt, smoked salmon to stabilise blood sugar (prevents cortisol spikes).

Fibre focus: Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas, peas, peanuts – grow in pods), oats, fermented foods. Feeds microbiome to regulate fat storage.

No starvation: Avoid extreme restriction (raises cortisol). Aim consistency over intensity.

Learn About Legumes

Legumes are a great source of protein and fibre.

Here's my lovely legume cheat sheet for your viewing and eating pleasure, there are some great recipes in this blog post too. Green beans/snow peas/snap peas are "fresh legumes" vs. dried pulses. All feed microbiomes via prebiotic fibre!

Thank you so much for tuning into Wellness Unfiltered!

We're beyond grateful you're here with us in the cabin and would love a 5-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts it helps us cut through the greenwashing and reach more truth-seekers like you.

Follow us on Instagram here: @wellnessunfilteredleeirene @leesupercharged @cleannectarine @superchargeyourgut

Follow us on Substack here: https://substack.com/@wellnessunfilteredpod

P.S. If you’re keen to sponsor an episode and connect with our wellness audience? Reach out to: wellnessunfilteredleeirene@gmail.com for collab details.

This show is for educational purposes only, please chat with your qualified health professional before incorporating new wellness solutions.

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Wellness Unfiltered Episode 1 TranscriptWell, hello out there. So, you're Lee and you're Irene. And together we're Wellness Unfiltered. Yay! Welcome, everybody. This is the very first episode of Wellness Unfiltered with Lee and Irene. And we are coming to you live from a very secret cabin location. And we are so glad to have you here with us.

Finally, Lee, we have been talking about doing this for years because I know we're both just so done. We are so done with the sugar coating, done with the greenwashing, and done with the wellness gaslighting. Exactly. And this show is all killer and no filler and no hidden agendas either, because we just want to talk about the clinical facts. We're going to put in a bit of common sense and the unfiltered truth about what you're really putting in and also on your body.

So, this is going to be a weekly podcast on wellness and beauty, and we want to bring the heat to our industries too. We're going to shine a light on what's going to help you in your day-to-day life. You, our lovely listener. Irene and I and our unfiltered guests will bring you real, raw, and refreshingly honest chats about wellness, minus the woo woo. You bet. And I've been told I don't have a filter. And I definitely have some thoughts on the world of beauty. And I also have some bones to pick and some myths to bust.

Together, we have a combined 30 years in health and wellness and beauty, especially the natural kind. We just love what we do so much. It's so dynamic and so interesting, and change is constant but so much fun. It sure is.

Hosts' Introductions

So, I'd like to start with a little intro all about the force of nature that is sitting right alongside me. Drumroll, Miss Irene Falcone. So about 15 years ago, do you remember we met when we were both single parents, and we were kind of just trying to make ends meet? And back then, remember, you were working at Universal, and I was at ABC. Yeah. Of course. And do you remember you used to send me those free movie tickets so Tamsin and I could go to the movies? I always used to give it a try. I always used to sneak my allocation to you. You did. And I used to give you little music albums too. Sorry, Clive, if you're listening, that's my boss. We're still in touch, actually. Thanks, Clive. Thank you, Clive.

Back then, we were kind of just two young parents, weren't we, supporting each other through those pretty tough times? But fast forwarding onto today, I feel like we've really cheered each other on through wins and losses and everything in between. And we've both seen our dreams take shape. While I personally, you know, started blogging and I did my blog Supercharged Food and built my website Supercharge Your Gut, you went down another road and you became this amazing global entrepreneur, buying and selling major businesses, racking up every award and leading the way for ethical entrepreneurship.

I do remember actually, I was in Central Station one day and I was just waiting for my train, and I looked up and I saw this beautiful beaming face across a massive billboard in the station, and I thought, wow, that's you, Irene. And it was such a proud moment. Thank you for BWX for buying those billboards for me.

And fast forward to today, we actually genuinely just live around the corner from each other and we're still super close friends, which it really is a full circle moment, isn't it? It really is. And I'm just, I just almost have to pinch myself when we think about how far we've come over the last 15 years. It's actually longer. I think it's more like 20 years now. Yeah, I feel like some friendships are just meant to be hard. And looking back on those really simple acts of kindness that we did back then when we were both struggling and building our businesses, and now we kind of help others live healthier, more conscious lives. And I don't know about you, but I definitely feel a big sense of achievement from that.

You know what's interesting? I don't know if I've ever told you this, but in that business that I started after I left Universal Pictures, you know you love your gut powder was my number one selling product. Was it? Yeah. At least 3 or 4 years in a row. Yeah. I remember we would just get these deliveries and we would. And I would tell the staff not to put it away on the shelf because I knew, just leave it out the front because I knew they would all get packed directly into orders. Oh, that's so awesome. I love how our friendship is so authentic and genuine. And boy has it stood the test of time.

Oh, Lee. So, what can I say about Lee? First and foremost, your blog. You had a blog, and it was back in, I'm going to say 2008 about then, and it was literally the only really good genuine food blog at the time. And I was obsessed. In fact, I was such a fangirl of this. And I would bookmark it, I would chop off it, I would cook off it. And it's really, I don't know if I've ever told you this, Lee, it was your blog that inspired me to start my blog. No, it really was. I thought, I need to do a blog similar to this, but on beauty products. And that's what made me start the Living Toxin Free, actually was Toxin Free back then, Living Toxin Free in the City, which ended up going on to become my first business. But you really were the inspiration for that, so thank you. Oh, I'm blushing. I need, I need one of your natural concealers. Can I borrow one? Yeah, yeah, I've got one in my bag. In my bag? Why don't you have one yet? Need one?

But beyond the blog, I think you have written ten, but I've gone to at least ten book launches shortly. Yeah, you have. In fact, I just handed in my 12th book. Wow. I mean, you are such an inspiration. Your books are amazing. I'm so proud of you. Oh. Thank you. That's such a sweet intro. I'm blushing. Oh, and one other thing about Lee that you might not know that I hope I'm allowed to say, but did you know Lee is actually a singer? She used to be a singer in a band. I actually walked past the ARI Awards on my way to the cabin. Awkward. I actually played congas in a band, the Love Monkeys, back, back in my heyday. You are a multi-faceted, multi-talented Virgo, Lee. I am definitely a Virgo.

Episode Breakdown

So, here's a breakdown of each episode. Each week we are going to take a dive into what's popping. So, the news, the views, and the controversies of the week in wellness and beauty. That's all on the top of our minds. That's right. And we'll also help you help the man in your life with our Woman's Blame segment. So, let's be honest, many men are notoriously, let's say, strategically avoidant of their own health, right? Totally. They will research a car battery for six hours, but they won't take just a few minutes to look after their health.

So, every episode, we're just going to give you a few simple ideas to get your man a little healthier and looking his best. Then we are going to have a lovely listener zoom into the cabin with You're on Speaker. Oh, can't wait. Oh, and then we finish with my favorite segment, which is a rant or rave. Mostly I love the rant part of that. It's going to be so fun. Of course, unless you're doing something dodgy out there.

Well, I've always wanted to say this. So, without further ado, let's talk about what's popping.

What's Popping: Sunscreen Discussion

So, we're kicking off our very first Wellness Unfiltered episode with our What's Popping segment with one of my very favorite guests so far. Hahaha. It's you! I really am a cheap guest. Well, you're also a true pioneer when it comes to natural ingredients and clean beauty.

And I really want to chat to you today about lifting the lid on something almost every single Australian person uses, and that is sunscreen. And lately it's been such a hot topic in the news. But it's also, I think, a really confusing one for people. Oh, it's super confusing. I've actually made a sunscreen before and the process is really complicated and there is a lot of red tape, and there's also a lot of confusion out there in the market. Yeah, I do want to pick your brains today about natural ingredients as well. And I want to talk about transparency and beauty. And I might also have a few cheeky questions about the Australian regulatory landscape as well.

But yeah, we'll have another leading sunscreen expert coming on in a future episode too, which will be really good. So, we'll do a part two of this. But if you really want to know what's in the bottle and why some sunscreens have recently been taken off the shelves, and if you want to know how to choose products that protect both you, your skin, and the planet, I think this episode is going to be really illuminating. So, slip, slop, slap your headphones on and let's get into it.

What do you want to know, Lee? All right, well, firstly, just with a little bit of background, I actually had a melanoma a few years ago removed from my forehead, which was a super scary experience. And so that made me really aware of the harshness of our Australian sun and the need for us to wear sunscreen. What I want to know is there's been so much controversy around sunscreens lately, which you talk a lot about on your social media. Can you give me and your listeners a rundown on what's going on and what's the inside goss?

Oh, well, there's a few. There's a lot going on with sunscreens at the moment and oh, where do I start? I guess it all kicked off with this Choice story. It's like the X-Files. Yeah, it's a lot like the Epstein files, but for sunscreen. There's so much going on. So, Choice. I think they do it every year, but for some reason, they always catch these big brands of sunscreens out for not meeting the SPF rating that is on the pack. And I'm sure that this has happened in the past, but for some reason this year it's really been picked up, and I think it's been picked up because it was such an iconic brand that was underreporting their SPF rating.

It was Ultraviolet, and Ultraviolet is just really popular. And I think the founder came out and really defended her SPF rating. And then it was found that it wasn't hitting the SPF rating. So, I think that’s why it got more media this year than it has in the past.

That Ultraviolet sunscreen had a base formulation that was used across a whole bunch of other sunscreen formulations in Australia, and what ended up happening is that everybody that used that base formulation came out of a WA manufacturer called Wild Child. What's really interesting about that is this Wild Child manufacturer was getting the sunscreens SPF tested overseas, which I actually didn't think was allowed. When I was making my sunscreen, I had to get it SPF tested in Australia through an Australian lab.

Do you know how they do it? They actually burn your skin. They put the sunscreen on and then burn it. They pay uni students like $10 an hour to do the testing. But anyway, they were doing this overseas, which feels dubious. I've tested US sunscreens in Australia before, like BB creams labeled SPF 30 or 25 on the pack. Even though BB creams don't need TGA approval, they still must meet packaging laws. Those came back as SPF 3 here.

I cannot believe that. Things like that happen in my industry too. They get TGA regulations in Australia, then take products to China and change everything. What other controversies are there?

There's more. Another article revealed an Australian sunscreen manufacturer making private-label versions, using the exact same formulation for about 50 different brands, not just a base, but the full formula. Sometimes even the same bottle shape, just a different sticker. They all shared the same TGA number, which I'm pretty sure isn't allowed. The TGA later clarified if that's okay, but imagine 50 brands selling identical products at different prices. That's why I'm not a fan of private label.

A couple of those brands approached me to stock them, but it didn't feel right since they were all the same. In that case, Magoo's founder tested them and told the media they claimed SPF 50 but didn’t meet it. That's the second controversy. The third and fourth involve chemicals. The TGA announced before Christmas they're reviewing limits on certain ones, untested for hormone disruption.

This week, a Courier-Mail and Herald Sun article cited Freedom of Information emails about another ingredient, banned in 20 countries, in Australian sunscreens (including kids'), untested for safety in pregnant women and children. The outcry is we weren't told. Sunscreens are being pulled for safety, contamination, or dodgy ingredients. How do we choose a legit one?

We must wear sunscreen. Slip, slop, slap; you know that better than anyone. Trust the SPF rating first. Those Choice-affected ones are pulled now, and brands have retested post-scandal, so we're more confident. On chemicals, even chemical sunscreens beat none, but for natural (zinc/titanium-based), they must match chemical SPF ratings and be TGA-listed. Check the TGA number on the pack for rigorous Australian testing.

Does the TGA system work for consumers, or is it tough on small natural brands? It absolutely works for consumers. I'm pro-TGA. I love natural sunscreens but wearing any beats burning. People skip sunscreen fearing toxins, so pick natural with TGA listing. Avoid small suppliers selling plain zinc oxide with shea butter claiming protection. No TGA means no guarantee.

One annoyance: TGA-listed products only need active ingredients listed (e.g., 22% zinc oxide), implying natural. Check the full list on the TGA website by entering the number. It often reveals 15+ inactive ones. That's my trick for stocking; Google "TGA [number]" for ingredients.

On the environment, do "reef-safe" sunscreens live up to it? Some chemical sunscreens destroy coral, so avoid them at the Great Barrier Reef. Natural zinc oxide ones call themselves reef-safe, but environmental groups question if zinc or titanium dioxide truly is. It’s less bad than chemicals, but the jury’s out. It's on labels, but not 100% verified.

What about SPF ratings like 10, 15, 30, 50? Back when I made sunscreen, natural zinc maxed at SPF 30. Now SPF 50s are common. SPF measures UVB blockage. SPF 50+ blocks 98%, SPF 30 blocks 97% (just 1% difference), SPF 15 blocks 93%.

Does that mean how long it lasts? Labels say reapply every 2 hours. That’s not marketing; sweat wears it off. Reapply often, especially swimming, plus hat and shade. Follow directions based on formulation.

That's so interesting. I loved having you as our first guest. Anytime, Lee.

You’re On Speaker with Di

Welcome to the You're On Speaker episode, and Di, you're our first caller. Welcome! Thank you. It's a little bit exciting. I don't know that I've come first on a lot of things, but anyway, thanks for setting up this podcast and giving us an opportunity to ask some questions.

I've actually got a question around prebiotics and probiotics. I read a lot about it and hear a lot online, but I actually don't know what the difference is between the two, or the frequency that you should be having either of them. There's a lot of different messages online, so I was curious whether you could offer some insight on that. That's such a great question, fully over to me.

Hi, how are you doing? Yeah, good. Thanks. Thanks for answering the question. No problem. I do get this a lot in my nutrition clinic, actually, and it is really confusing. Gut health can be quite complicated, but really, at the end of the day, it's quite simple.

If you're interested in learning more about prebiotics and probiotics, I like to think of the gut as this beautiful ecosystem, and we call it the microbiome. Within it, you have trillions of different bacteria living all together in this one ecosystem. When you're really healthy, your microbiome is nice and balanced and everything's running smoothly.

But sometimes it can get out of balance. Some of the things that throw that off are smoking, antibiotics, a really high sugar diet, that kind of thing. So, we want to keep the good and the bad bacteria nice and balanced. The way that we do that is by eating more probiotic-rich foods.

When you think about probiotics, they're like the reinforcements that you bring in. There are good bacteria in foods that you can eat, things like yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut. You've probably heard of all of those. They're basically the good bacteria or the seeds, and they are the ones that are really helpful for the good microbes in your gut ecosystem.

The good microbes in your microbiome have to be fed. They're like little babies with their mouths open. That's where prebiotics come in. They act as the fertiliser for your good bacteria. They are things like non-digestible plant fibres, inulin, chicory root, or resistant starch.

These go into your body and feed all the good bacteria, and the good bacteria love to munch on them. Foods like onions, garlic, and oats can really help fuel the bacteria that is already in your gut and help it thrive and multiply.

The difference: probiotics are your good bacteria in the gut; you want to populate them and have them thriving. Prebiotics don't add new bacteria; they just nourish and support the bacteria that you already have.

You also asked about how often to take them. You can get them through your food, and it's important every day to have some kind of probiotic-rich food, some yogurt, lots of fibre, onions, asparagus, chicory, and those kinds of foods are really good. If you're having them daily, it keeps things going and moving.

Once your good bacteria flourish in your gut, you'll notice they start to produce short-chain fatty acids. These can really help strengthen your digestion, bolster your whole immune system, and dial down inflammation in the body. It sounds simple, but those are my tips on pre- and probiotics. I've got a recipe and a shopping list in the show notes too. I'll drop that if you like.

Fantastic. That's actually such a clear answer, and I can't believe I didn't know that for so long. But now I'll be thinking about little babies, the hungry babies eating the prebiotics. Thank you for that.

Natural Beauty Tips with Irene

Actually, while I've got you both on, can I ask another question, Irene? If I'm on a natural health journey or a natural beauty journey, when I'm thinking about beauty, should I be looking for natural products? Or if I am looking for natural products, how do I tell the difference between natural and not natural? Is it something as simple as the number of ingredients on the bottle?

That's such a great question, and right down my alley. If you are on a health journey, you must always think about what you're putting on your body as much as what you're putting in your body. So absolutely, you should be looking at natural products.

When it comes to natural products, often less is more. A long ingredient list might not mean the product's bad or has toxic ingredients, but it is quite confusing, and I love simplifying things. Look for words on the front of the pack or certification logos if you don't want to read the full ingredients on the back.

Anything that says "100% natural" legally can't say that if it isn't. That's a great way to know what you're putting on your skin is natural. To go one step further, look for certification logos like certified natural or certified organic. You’ll know that's a natural product full of goodness.

When you're out shopping, avoid logos that just say "cruelty free" or made-up ones saying "green" or packaging that just says "natural." If it says "made with natural ingredients," that doesn't mean the rest aren't natural. It's all in the wording, and hopefully that helps.

That's fantastic, that's actually very clear. Thanks, ladies. That was so helpful.

Thanks, Di. Great to have you on board. How good was Di? That was such a great question. Yeah, both were really good. I didn't even know all that about pre- and pro-, but I know we need them, I just didn't know the details. That was such a good visual with the babies, the hungry babies. I love that.

It's great when callers come in, isn't it? She was great with the feedback and questions. Where was Di from? Let's ask our producer. Where was Di from? From Bondi. Bondi Di! Thanks, Di, that was great. We should get more people ringing in.

If someone wants to call in with a question, how do they contact us? They can go onto our Instagram account, Wellness Unfiltered Lee Irene, and send us a DM. Get them on the line! And if you don't want to get on the line, just send a DM or add a comment to our page with a question, and we'll answer it.

I'll ask Lee if it's a health and wellness question. And if you want me to answer any beauty questions, I'm happy to do that. Green Irene! Clean Irene answers.

Woman’s Blame: Myth Busting Bustin’s Gut

It's time for a public service announcement, time for Woman's Blame, where we gently help the men in our lives with some good old information, also known as unsolicited advice.

We have our very own man right here in the cabin. Justin, take your producer hat off for a second and grab a mic. I'm here, Lee, and I'm afraid. Do you have a burning health question for us, Justin? I sure do, but I'm asking for a friend. He's called Bustin, and Bustin wants to know, he's skinny everywhere except his gut. How does he get rid of it? Bustin, that's very original.

Okay, Lee, over to you, this is definitely a Lee question. Bustin is probably a lot of men over 40. And ladies, because I know you're the ones listening right now, this one is for you too. You came here to quietly absorb it and then somehow accidentally work it into a Tuesday night dinner conversation. I see you, and I respect you. So, let's get talking about Bustin's gut.

Here's the thing most people don't realise. That specific shape, skinny everywhere but a potbelly, isn't a general weight problem. That's visceral fat, which sits deep inside the abdomen, wraps around the organs, and is metabolically active. That's the problem. It's hormonally disruptive, driving inflammation, especially for men over 40.

It's usually tied to elevated cortisol and declining testosterone, stress and age. It's not about laziness or willpower, it's biology. Here's how Bustin starts to shift it through nutrition. First, cut out liquid calories, not just alcohol, which the liver processes as a toxin, prioritising it over fat burning (so the belly stays). Also, sugary drinks, fruit juices, sports drinks, they’ve got to go.

Second, add more protein at breakfast, not cereal or toast, but eggs, Greek yogurt, smoked salmon, to stabilise blood sugar early. Blood sugar spikes and crashes raise cortisol, which deposits fat in the belly.

Third, fibre, foods that feed the gut microbiome: legumes, oats, fermented foods like sauerkraut, bananas, apples with skin, garlic, onions, leek, asparagus. The gut microbiome influences visceral fat storage, and this science is compelling.

What about exercise? He didn't mention the gym, we can leave it there if you want. No, exercise. Incidental exercise, taking stairs, parking further from the station, evening walks after dinner.

Finally, Bustin doesn't need to starve himself. Extreme calorie restriction raises cortisol more. Consistency over intensity, small strategic shifts, sustained.

Thanks, Lee, and thanks, Irene. I understood all that and listened. The only thing I don't understand is what is a legume? That's a good question, I don't know either. Is it a bean? You know what a legume is and how it grows. It grows in pods, just like us, in a pod, in a podcast. It's a seed, beans, lentils, peas, peanuts. Common ones are lentils, chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans, soybeans.

They're a good source of plant-based fibre, iron, and B vitamins. Part of a healthy diet, recommend them. Thanks, Lee.

Rant or Rave: Stay in Your Lane

So right now, let's get ranty, this is going to be my favorite segment. I can tell who's going first. You've got a rant, over to you, Lee.

Today my rant is all about staying in your lane. It's got me really ranty. This is expertise creep, it's a global epidemic. I'm just trying to see where you're going, are we naming names? Maybe, you know how I feel.

I understand nutrition, that's my lane. I've spent years studying it and practice as a clinician, day in, day out. But do I know the law? No. Litigate in court? Can't fix your car. Make bad coffee. I'm okay with that because I know my limits.

But success has become a free pass to be an expert in everything. Only if you're an influencer. Build a following, congrats, you can launch a health food product. You're a lawyer, now putting ingredients in a wellness product that wouldn't stand up in court. Mountains of excipients, preservatives, unnatural colors.

As long as you write a book or you're a public figure, make a product, call it whatever, put whatever in it. That's not expertise, it's capitalisation, jumping on the gravy train. Toot toot. The danger is people trust you and buy because of you, not the product. Many lack efficacy, just proprietary blends not helpful.

I've got a thing about private label too, slapping a name on it. Every man and their dog doing it, not really creating. Find your lane, love your lane, fix the potholes. Veer into someone else's, you're a traffic hazard. People smell inauthenticity.

Penny Lane, I love that. People are catching on; they smell it a mile away. They're intuitive, they know when they're being marketed to, especially pricey products with no value. I don't know what product you're talking about, I'm going to look it up.

Closing

That's all for episode one! We've covered sunscreens, myth-busted Bustin's gut, and met the lovely, intelligent Di on speaker.

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See you next time. Bye!

Wellness Unfiltered is a production of Clean Nectarine and Supercharged Food. Produced by Lee Holmes, Irene Falcone, and Justin Smidmore. Listen on Substack and Wellness Unfiltered podcast. Information is for editorial and educational purposes only, not medical advice. Consult a qualified health professional before changes to your routine.