Well Enough
Well Enough

Well Enough

The Independent

Overview
Episodes

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WELL ENOUGH is here to make sense of the wild world of health and wellness, answering the biggest questions and busting myths and misinformation wide open. How do I know if my gut is healthy? Should I freeze my eggs? What is manifestation? Do I really need therapy? And why is everyone telling me to just be grateful?Join Fitness and Wellbeing Editor Emilie Lavinia and inspiring expert guests as we uncover the truth about mindfulness, the microbiome, fertility, relationships and more. Each episode will tackle a new subject with the help of household names and leaders in their fields, dispelling the nonsense you might have read on TikTok and giving you peace of mind.Fascinated by the pursuit of wellness Emilie Lavinia is one of the UK’s leading health and wellbeing journalists. She’s tried every trend, treatment and life-altering practice, reported on it and lived to tell the tale.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Recent Episodes

Dr Alex George & Psychotherapist Anna Mathur: How to Rewire Your Brain for Happiness
DEC 5, 2025
Dr Alex George & Psychotherapist Anna Mathur: How to Rewire Your Brain for Happiness
Is "toxic positivity" ruining your mental health? In this episode, we speak to former UK government Youth Mental Health Ambassador, Dr. Alex George, and psychotherapist and author Anna Mathur to dismantle the pressure to be happy all the time and explore the science of finding joy in the small things.We discuss the difference between dopamine hits and true happiness, why we wear "masks" to hide depression, and the biology behind stress and joy. Plus, Dr. Alex and Anna share actionable tools - like Alex’s brilliantly simple “2 minute rule” and cognitive reframing techniques - to help you build mental fitness, manage ADHD, and combat loneliness.More from Well Enough: Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Subscribe to the Well Enough newsletter hereTimecodes00:00 The Role of Negative Emotions00:51 Is Happiness Just Hormones?01:29 Why Stress Blocks Joy (Fight or Flight)02:14 Cortisol vs Serotonin02:52 Dopamine Hits vs True Joy03:41 The Dangers of Toxic Positivity04:08 Depression and Wearing the "Mask"05:27 Dr. Alex on ADHD & Vulnerability06:55 Antidepressants and Breaking Stigma08:05 The Loneliness of Hiding Feelings09:28 Men's Mental Health & Fear of Abandonment11:42 Mental Fitness vs. Mental Illness13:43 Childhood Trauma & Suppressing Emotions16:47 Neuroplasticity: Can We Rewire Our Brains?18:32 Motivation vs. Discipline19:55 Overcoming Self-Sabotage22:26 Letting Go of Perfectionism24:17 Combatting the Loneliness Epidemic27:32 Decision Fatigue & Social Media Burnout28:44 The Problem with Gratitude (And How to Fix It)33:14 The 2-Minute Rule (ADHD Hack)34:55 How to Build Healthy Habits (The Snowball Effect)36:26 Reframing: "I Have To" vs. "I Get To"39:20 Wellness Non-Negotiables: Rest & NatureMore from today’s guests:Dr Alex’s new book ‘Happy Habits’ | https://www.amazon.co.uk/Happy-Habits-Steps-Build-Life/dp/0241771463Anna’s new book ‘The Good Decision Diary’ | https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Decision-Diary-making-decisions/dp/0241707226 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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43 MIN
Women’s Fitness: Instagram vs Reality with Alice Liveing and Shakira Akabusi
NOV 28, 2025
Women’s Fitness: Instagram vs Reality with Alice Liveing and Shakira Akabusi
Over 500 million people follow the #fitness hashtag on Instagram — but behind the workout videos, transformation posts, and motivational reels, what’s it really like to be a fitness influencer?In this episode of Well Enough, Emilie Lavinia is joined by two leading voices in online fitness: Alice Liveing and Shakira Akabusi.Alice Liveing has half a million followers on Instagram and shares positive advice on staying fit, in a sustainable way. But that wasn’t always the case. She began her online career as ‘Clean Eating Alice’ - an approach to nutrition which ultimately caused an eating disorder and even affected her menstrual cycle. Today, she opens up on what that lifestyle was like, sharing tips from her brand new book. Shakira - AKA Strong Like Mum - has fitness in her veins. You’ll know her as a resident fitness expert on ITV’S Lorraine.More from Well Enough: Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Subscribe to the Well Enough newsletter hereTimecodes00:00 Introduction02:45 Why Lifting Weights Is Empowering For Women04:00 "Influencer" vs Personal Trainer06:50 The "Thinness" Trap & Misinformation12:55 Best Self vs Thinnest Self14:25 Performance Goals over Aesthetics16:30 The Ozempic Era18:30 Why We Hated PE at School23:00 The Dangers of Viral Challenges25:25 "Boring" Basics - Exercises That Work Best27:30 Pros & Cons of Online Fitness Access29:40 Gen Z, Longevity & Aesthetics34:35 New Era of Female Sports Role Models38:55 Cleaning Up Your Social Feed40:05 Guide: Starting Fitness in Perimenopause40:55 What is Progressive Overload?42:15 Why Posture is Critical44:55 Tips for Gym Anxiety48:50 Wellness Non-NegotiablesMore from today’s guests:Alice’s new book ‘Give Me Strength’ Follow Shakira’s ‘Strong Like Mum’ Instagram  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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47 MIN
Millie Mackintosh Shares Sobriety Journey With Alcohol Expert Professor David Nutt
NOV 21, 2025
Millie Mackintosh Shares Sobriety Journey With Alcohol Expert Professor David Nutt
Millie Mackintosh hit our TV screens in the early 2010s on reality show Made In Chelsea. Since then, she’s made the life changing decision to quit drinking. Now, she loves her sober lifestyle and supports a huge sober curious community online. In this emotional episode, she shares her alcohol free journey with world-leading authority on alcohol and drug science, Professor David Nutt. Together, they discuss the normalization of binge drinking culture, why Gen Z is rejecting alcohol and bust a common myth about tequila.You’ll hear strategies from Millie’s book ‘Bad Drunk’ - which she co-wrote with NHS GP Dr Ellie Cannon - charting her sober journey and documenting the profound mental and physical health benefits she experienced by quitting booze. Professor David Nutt will help you make informed decisions about your own alcohol consumption with an evidence-based look at how alcohol affects the body and brain. More from Well Enough: Follow Well Enough on Instagram hereFollow Emilie on Instagram here Subscribe to the Well Enough newsletter hereTimecodes00:00 Millie Mackintosh: My Life-Changing Decision to Quit Drinking 01:07 The Normalization of Binge Drinking Culture02:12 Why We Drink: Alcohol as a Social Lubricant03:30 The Stigma of the "Problem Drinker"04:30 Understanding Shame and Dependency05:15 Does Tequila *Actually* Make You Happy?06:15 Why Gen Z is Rejecting Alcohol07:22 The Immediate Benefits: Weight Loss and Clarity09:20 Natural Dopamine Hits10:35 Why Non-Alcoholic Wine Often Fails11:30 The Science of "Functional" Alcohol Alternatives14:35 How to Quit Alcohol16:20 Navigating Pubs When You Don't Drink19:00 Handling Peer Pressure and Social Cues20:25 Losing Friends When You Get Sober21:40 How to Tell If You Are Drinking Too Much23:15 Helping a Friend: How to Talk About Drinking25:40 Alcohol and Cancer Risk26:45 Is Any Amount of Alcohol Safe?28:05 The True Economic Cost of Hangovers33:50 Advice for Partners 38:00 Sobriety and ParentingMore from today’s guests:Millie Mackintosh’s book ‘Bad Drunk’ here David’s book ‘Drink?: The New Science of Alcohol and Your Health’ here Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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42 MIN