Low Tox Life

Latest Episodes:

468. Business as a force for good: Dr Bronner’s relentless drive to prove it’s possible. Feb 15, 2026

Show notes

What does it really take to build an ethical supply chain from the ground up? In this show, we learn from one of the very best. Note: Shows are never sponsored, ie companies paying us to appear on the show. An ad is an ad, and the show is the show. I’m publishing this because we all need to believe there are companies out there with mounting proof of concept that you can design for a better world through business.

In this powerful conversation, I sit down with Gero Leson, an accomplished physicist and environmental scientist who has worked for some of the biggest companies in the world and then met David Bronner, CEO of Dr Bronner’s. David implored him to join Dr Bronner’s in the early 2000’s, on a mission to build an ethical supply chain of the highest standards. We explore how one of the world’s most values-led companies approaches transparency, cross-cultural leadership and business ethics in practice - not just in marketing.

Gero shares how Dr Bronner’s moved beyond buying ingredients on the open market, moved beyond labels and just ‘trusting it was fine because it sounds good’. They’ve built companies that farm and produce the raw materials that they use for their famous soaps and other products, as well as selling the raw materials to other brands seeking a fully transparent and ethical, regenerative supply chain. They’ve done this in Sri Lanka, Ghana, India and beyond. From creating fair-trade supply chains where none had existed to the standard they wanted to uphold, to investing in regenerative agroforestry, community education and healthcare.

This is business as a vehicle for agency and dignity.

We discuss:

Why radical transparency is becoming the antidote to consumer distrust
How ethical sourcing is not about fixing one issue, but committing to long-term engagement
The power of leadership teams over heroic individual leaders
Why dignity and agency motivate teams more than rules and control
The balance between efficiency and humanity in global business

This conversation is not idealistic. It is grounded, complex and honest about the challenges. But it is also deeply hopeful. Gero says, “We joke about saving the world with soap but in a way, it’s true”.

If you have ever wondered whether business can truly be a force for good, this episode offers real-world proof that it can - when values are embedded at every level.

Enjoy the show,

Alexx Stuart, your host.

Fancy a few more shows related to this one?

Want to learn more about this week’s guest?

Website: https://www.drbronner.com/

Instagram or LinkedIn: https://www.instagram.com/drbronner

Thank you to this month’s show partners for joining us to help you make your low tox swaps!

Receive 50% off your first @zestinyfarmlife Box when you sign up to Compact, Classic or Bounty - Regenerative grown fruit and veg delivered to your door weekly or fortnightly. Pause or cancel any time. Head to https://bit.ly/zestiny to get started. Available for locations Sydney, Newcastle, Wollongong, Blue Mountains, Central Coast

@ediblebeautyau is here with 30% off site-wide! Try the new up-sized sunscreen in 200g to carry you the rest of summer or any of their wonderful products. Enjoy! CODE: LOWTOXLIFE.

@ausclimate is our major partner giving you 10% off their range for the whole of 2026, with brilliant Winix Air Purifiers, the best Dehumidifiers I’ve ever used and their new energy-efficient heating, air-circulating and cooling range. code LOWTOXLIFE https://bit.ly/ShopAusclimate

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

467. 25% of women experience domestic violence: Patricia Gordon Stevens helps us be helpers and hold hope. Feb 08, 2026

Show notes

This podcast discusses domestic violence. Sit this one out if you need to

Many of us are enraged, shocked, and paralysed by the unfolding information from the JE files. Many of us are also dismayed at the continuing epidemic of domestic violence and murder-by-partner. What do we do? How can we help change things? We can learn how to be an ally in our own communities and circles better. Outrage and sadness must be used as springboards for action, I truly believe it.

I’m joined by counsellor and author Patricia Gordon Stevens to talk about domestic and partner violence — a subject too often minimised, despite affecting 25% of women in some of the world’s wealthiest countries. We explore why silence and discomfort only deepen the harm, and why education, community, and care matter so deeply.

In this conversation, we cover:

Why the moment a woman chooses to leave is often the most dangerous time
How coercive control can appear long before physical violence does
The subtle red flags friends, families, and colleagues can look for
How to ask caring, non-judgmental questions that keep the connection open
Why Patricia chose fiction (Madness in Memphis) to build empathy that leads to action
The role men can play in calling out harmful behaviour and changing culture locally

This episode is confronting, but it’s also hopeful. Change doesn’t start with grand gestures — it starts with noticing, staying connected, and showing up for the women in our lives.

I hope you find it useful and helpful as I did,

Alexx, your host.

Fancy a few more podcasts we’ve done over the years, related to this one?

Support is available

If this article has raised concerns for you or someone you know, help is available.

1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – Australia’s national domestic, family and sexual violence counselling, information and support service. Available 24/7 via phone or online chat.
Lifeline (13 11 14) – 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention.
Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636) – Support for anxiety, depression and mental health concerns.
Relationships Australia (1300 364 277) – Counselling and relationship support services.
Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491) – Support for men concerned about their behaviour or affected by family violence.
Kids Helpline (1800 551 800) – 24/7 counselling support for young people aged 5–25.
If you are in immediate danger, call 000.
You can also find local support services via www.1800respect.org.au

Want to learn more about this week’s guest?

Website: www.patriciagordonstevens.com

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

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/patriciagordonstevensauthor

Book: https://bit.ly/4aJE0Ve

Thank you to this month’s show partners for joining us to help you make your low tox swaps!

@ediblebeautyau is here with 30% off site-wide! My top reco’s? The Super Stem Cell concentrate serum, Exotic goddess serum, Enzyme peel or microexfoliant for some healthy skin regeneration! Or the new up-sized sunscreen in 200g to carry you the rest of summer. Enjoy! CODE: LOWTOXLIFE.

Be sure to join me on Instagram @lowtoxlife and tag me with your shares and AHAs if something resonated! I love to see your thoughts, genuinely!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

466. How to use your outdoor time for the better for immediate health benefits, with Dr John La Puma. Feb 01, 2026

Show notes

Concluding our “New Year, More Me” theme, we are invited to ponder from a 3rd angle:

What if better health were not an “added” thing to do, but a more strategic approach to the way we do it?”

This week, I am chatting with Dr John La Puma, a medical doctor and trained chef, about the “Indoor Epidemic”, a topic he is bringing to life through his upcoming 8th book.

John shares why most of us are indoors for about 93% of our time, and how repurposing just two to five hours a week of the time you already spend outside can shift sleep, stress, mood, focus and even appetite signals.

Now, most of us ‘know’ that lots of indoor time and artificially lit environments are bad for our health, or we’ve seen the alarming stats on a reel or research quote, but the action and change part? That’s often harder and this show is here to change that.

We cover simple ideas you can try right away and break down a daily, monthly, and annual framework to achieve incredible health results.

The way we use our outdoor time more strategically will show us gains in sleep quality, focus, blood pressure and inflammation.

If you feel tired, wired, or stuck on screens, this episode is a warm nudge to change up your outdoor time for the better and feel more like you.

Pre-order John’s new book - I’ve loved it. So easy and extremely empowering for anyone who finds the habits you ‘know’ are better, but yet you can’t quite seem to get things going.

Enjoy the show,

Alexx

Fancy a few more podcasts we’ve done over the years, related to this one?

Want to learn more about this week’s guest?

drjohnlapuma.com

indoorepidemic.com

instagram.com/johnlapuma

youtube.com/drjohnlapuma

Book: https://bit.ly/4ahDiOe

Thank you to this month’s show partners for joining us to help you make your low tox swaps!

@jules_stonesoup has been teaching people to cook joyfully and with foods that cultivate health and vitality for over 15 years. Head to bit.ly/joyfulcook20 and use code LOWTOXLIFE to do Jules’ next program at 20% off + 2 friends do it free! 20mins a week, 6 months, for less overwhelm, waste and cost, and increased vitality, variety and deliciousness. Sold!

Be sure to join me on Instagram @lowtoxlife and tag me with your shares and AHAs if something resonated! I love to see your thoughts, genuinely!

Want to support the Low Tox Life podcast?

Free option: Leave a 5 star review wherever you listen to Low Tox Life - thanks SO much!

Paid + Member PERKS: Join the Low Tox Club - monthly practitioner live masterclasses, a suite of low tox store discounts from around the world and the most supportive and lovely chat group on all low tox topics on the internet: Check it out and join here for just the price of a coffee per month!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

465. The practical path to a Brain that Breathes with Jodi Wilson Jan 25, 2026

Show notes

If you want more brain space and less pressure in your day, this Low Tox Life episode is for you.

I am joined by author Jodi Wilson, who wrote her new book “A Brain That Breathes” after years of writing, parenting, and pushing through burnout. Jodi noticed something big - modern life asks too much from our brains. We are always reachable, always scrolling, and always deciding. No wonder we feel foggy, edgy, and done.

Jodi shares a powerful idea: we do not always need more tools or more “self-care and it definitely does not need to ‘cost us more’ to practise it.” We often need subtraction. She calls it breathing space - small moments of downtime that help your nervous system settle and help your brain declutter.

You will hear about “soft fascination,” a science-backed reset that happens when your attention is gently held by simple things - a walk without headphones, the ocean, trees, clouds, shower water, or bubbles in the sink. In these moments, your brain gets space to sort thoughts, ease stress, and untangle stuck ideas. Jodi also shares easy ways to protect your mornings, create a calmer evening routine, and use a deep sigh as a fast reset.

This is not about fixing yourself. It is about coming home to what you need today - and choosing what is enough.

I hope you love it as much as I love that this is out in the world for you,

Alexx Stuart, your host x

Fancy a few more podcasts we’ve done over the years, related to this one?

Want to learn more about this week’s guest?

Website: Practisingsimplicity.substack.com

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

Book: https://bit.ly/4r7j4fU

Thank you to this month’s show partners for joining us to help you make your low tox swaps!

Be sure to join me on Instagram @lowtoxlife and tag me with your shares and AHAs if something resonated! I love to see your thoughts, genuinely!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

464. Too busy or scared to feel everything? Dr Jenn Rapkin explains the health benefits we’re missing and how to reconnect. Jan 18, 2026

Show notes

What if your body has been trying to get your attention - through tension, numbness, or stress - but you've been too busy to listen?

Enter our first show of 2026 to help usher a new chapter in literally feeling the feels.

Dr. Jenn Rapkin is a naturopathic doctor who helps people reconnect with their feelings through body-based care. In this episode, we talk about why many of us learned to "push through" emotions - and what that can cost our health. Jenn shares simple ways to notice feelings in the body (like "hard bubbles" in the chest) and why emotions come in waves. You'll learn gentle steps to build emotional strength, without forcing anything. Jenn also explains when it's best to get professional support, especially if trauma is part of your story. This is a kind, practical chat for real life.

Fancy a few more shows related to this one?

Want to learn more about this week’s guest?

www.drjennrapkin.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenn-rapkin-n-d-42a09ab5/

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61575991456912

https://www.instagram.com/drjennrapkin/

Book: https://bit.ly/3ZcgtFi

Thank you to this month’s show partners for joining us to help you make your low tox swaps!

@jules_stonesoup has been teaching people to cook joyfully and with foods that cultivate health and vitality for over 15 years. Head to bit.ly/joyfulcook20 and use code LOWTOXLIFE to do Jules’ next course at 20% off + 2 friends do it free! 20mins a week, 6 months, for less overwhelm, waste and cost, and increased vitality, variety and deliciousness. Sold! https://bit.ly/joyfulcook20

Our first podcast partner offer of the year with @ediblebeautyau - 30% off site-wide! My top reco’s? The Super Stem Cell concentrate serum, Exotic goddess serum, Enzyme peel or microexfoliant for some healthy skin regeneration! Or the new up-sized sunscreen in 200g to carry you the rest of summer. Enjoy! CODE: LOWTOXLIFE. https://bit.ly/Edible_Beauty

@ausclimate is our major partner giving you 10% off their range for the whole of 2025, with brilliant Winix Air Purifiers, the best Dehumidifiers I’ve ever used and their new energy-efficient heating, air-circulating and cooling range. code LOWTOXLIFE (also works over and above their sales - pro tip!) https://bit.ly/ShopAusclimate

Be sure to join me on Instagram @lowtoxlife and tag me with your shares and AHAs if something resonated! I love to see your thoughts, genuinely!

Want to support the Low Tox Life podcast?

Free option: Leave a 5 star review wherever you listen to Low Tox Life - thanks SO much!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

463. SOIL: What we do to it, we do to ourselves. Nicole Masters breaks down the regenerative shifts that change everything. Dec 11, 2025

Show notes

This week, I welcome one of the most respected voices in regenerative agriculture: Nicole Masters. She’s an agroecologist, educator, systems thinker, and author of For the Love of Soil - one of the best books I read while researching my second book FOOD.

With over 25 years of hands-on experience across North America, Australasia and globally, Nicole helps farmers, land stewards and businesses rebuild ecosystems from the ground up - literally.

My favourite aspect of Nicole’s genius, is her dot connection and analogies that can engage anyone from anywhere to care deeply for soil and understand why soil health is not just an agricultural concern but a planetary and human-health imperative - there’s no confusion: We must come together, and we must act now to turn the health of soil around to be able to turn our health around, too.

We explore what’s happening beneath our feet: the microbial networks, chemical dialogues and nutrient pathways that determine the resilience of entire landscapes, food systems, and ultimately our own bodies.

Despite the weight of global environmental challenges, Nicole leaves us with a grounded sense of possibility. Her work demonstrates that nature is astonishingly responsive when we create the conditions for recovery - and that regeneration often begins with surprisingly small, accessible shifts.

Whether you’re a farmer, a gardener, a policy-maker or simply someone who eats food and wants a livable planet, this episode offers inspiration, tangible insights, and a renewed sense of agency in a time when many feel helpless.

Enjoy the show,

Alexx Stuart,

Your Host.

Fancy a few more podcasts we’ve done over the years, related to this one?

Want to learn more about this week’s guest?

Website: www.integritysoils.com/coaches
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Integrity_soils
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolemasters1
Nicole’s book: https://bit.ly/487Z4Db

Thank you to this month’s show partners for joining us to help you make your low tox swaps!

@WatersCoFilters take everything you don’t want OUT, put precious trace minerals back IN and give you a clean water solution for any situation and budget - drinking & shower. 15% of site wide Nov 1-Dec 15. Code LOWTOX15% or use the auto-applied discount link: https://bit.ly/watersco_autocode

Be sure to join me on Instagram @lowtoxlife and tag me with your shares and AHAs if something resonated! I love to see your thoughts, genuinely!

Want to support the Low Tox Life podcast?

Free option: Leave a 5 star review wherever you listen to Low Tox Life - thanks SO much!

Paid + Member PERKS: Join the Low Tox Club - monthly practitioner live masterclasses, a suite of low tox store discounts from around the world and the most supportive and lovely chat group on all low tox topics on the internet: Check it out and join here for just the price of a coffee per month!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

462. Build your Homeopathic Remedy Confidence with Marcus Fernandez Dec 04, 2025

Show notes

How much do you know about Homeopathy?

Are you in a ‘thats woo woo’ camp?

Are you sold and sworn by it?

Do you dabble somewhere between those where you’ve found it interesting and even useful at times, but when it comes to putting things in practice confidently and knowing what you can own, vs when you need a practitioner?

Well, by the end of this hour of power you will definitely feel more clear and capable of taking the reigns on your health.

Marcus Fernandez is a 30+ year homeopath, founder of the UK’s biggest homeopathy school - The Centre for Homeopathic Education - and all round great teacher to help you build your confidence in remedy choosing and usage for you and your family.

He emphasises that the body knows how to heal when given the right tools, combining curiosity, compassion, and wisdom to make natural health both practical and deeply human.

Loved this conversation, the empowerment that came from it + hope you do too!

Alexx Stuart,

Your Host

Fancy a few more shows related to this one?

Want to learn more about this week’s guest?

Website: https://marcus-fernandez.com/

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

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Homeopathy-at-Home

Their book: https://bit.ly/4hku8SW

Thank you to this month’s show partners for joining us to help you make your low tox swaps!

Be sure to join me on Instagram @lowtoxlife and tag me with your shares and AHAs if something resonated! I love to see your thoughts, genuinely!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

461. Want a better world? Steven Nygren teaches us how to build it Nov 27, 2025

Show notes

You have to see it to be it, right?

Well for the better world we want and more prosperous, healthy communities we want to be, this week gives you exactly that sense of optimism that it’s possible to build.

“Serenbe” just outside of Atlanta, Georgia, was an idea that instead of ‘urban sprawl’ with endless streets of concrete, houses and lawns, towns could be built to preserve 70% agriculture/green spaces while also bringing in the best of what connected us to each other in cities, through healthy commerce, arts, sports and education.

I first brought Steve Nygren’s Serenbe story to the Show #143 7 years ago - a very worthwhile listen for the full backstory of how it came to be.

Now, 20+ years on, Steve is on a legacy mission to ensure people feel that change is possible if you do this one thing:

START IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD. He speaks and consults globally on healthy land development for people and planet, and now has a book in hand to inspire millions.

Steve helps people model beneficial ways to both preserve and develop land by focusing on the 12 Biophilic Development Principles that are implemented in the Serenbe community.

If you find yourself often consumed and feeling hopeless by what’s going on ‘out there,’ come spend an hour with us to focus on your power, your agency and your influence right where you are.

I hope you’re as inspired by Steve’s message as I have been since coming across his story.

Alexx x

Fancy a few more podcasts we’ve done over the years, related to this one?

- Show #146: Utopian community of Serenbe with Steve Nygren

- Show #193 – Teresa Coady on Rebuilding Earth: Designing Eco Conscious Habitats for Humans

Want to learn more about this week’s guest?

Website: https://stevenygren.com

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

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

Steve’s new book: https://bit.ly/4lqfry5

Thank you to this month’s show partners for joining us to help you make your low tox swaps!

Be sure to join me on Instagram @lowtoxlife and tag me with your shares and AHAs if something resonated! I love to see your thoughts, genuinely!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

460. Proactive Heart Health - Prevention, repair and holistic crisis support Nov 20, 2025

Show notes

Heart Health and Repair - A naturopathic approach on this show.

It’s packed with practical support you can implement from today, as well as speak to your practitioner more confidently about.

Kath McFarlane’s first career was on the chaotic trading floor of the stock market as an investment banker… until she felt she felt naturopathy was a better fit, with a focus on helping people uncover the underlying drivers of their complex health challenges and supporting wellness through evidence-informed, natural approaches.

Practising for nearly 20 years, she’s helped people through all ages, stages and challenges, and today we talk HEARTS.

The kind of blood you do NOT want to have and what to do

Women’s and men’s heart disease patterns: differences and best places to focus

What’s happening 2 decades before you end up in ER

Why baseline scans in your early 40s matter (and why worrying about radiation from the scan is the wrong focus!)

What you can do to repair minor disease processes and what to talk to your practitioner about

Dietary approaches that are proven for heart health

Gut health - of course!

Stress - there it is!

So practical. So proactive. Join us and improve your heart health today

Enjoy and share the show

Alexx Stuart, your host.

Fancy a few more podcasts we’ve done over the years, related to this one?

- Show #13: Dr Stephen Sinatra on Holistic Heart Health

- Show #91: Men’s health with Dr Ralph Esposito Part 1: sex hormones, fertility, check ups and prostate

- Show #102: Men’s health part 2 – Brain + Heart with Dr Ralph Esposito

Want to learn more about this week’s guest?

Website: https://www.kathleenmcfarlane.com.au/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturopath.kath

Thank you to this month’s show partners for joining us to help you make your low tox swaps!

Be sure to join me on Instagram @lowtoxlife and tag me with your shares and AHAs if something resonated! I love to see your thoughts, genuinely!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

459. Men's Health: Your checklist for a solid preventative health strategy with Gerald Quigley Nov 13, 2025

Show notes

Men, and those who love them, listen up!

The stats show us that men’s concern for their health tends to be a case of “I’m fine… I’m invincible… crisis…ok I guess something has to change”. But what if we could focus on the most important things to have a prevention strategy in place?

Gerald Quigley is back on the show, with a 40+ year career as both a pharmacist and master herbalist, to help men feel clear on what matters in a prevent strategy including:

What you need to test and how often

What lifestyle levers tend to be the most important ones

How to understand results and what to do about them

What issues tend to overwhelm or worry men to the point of avoidance

How to worry less

I hope you find it useful and share with the men in your life!

Gerald has a wonderful easy going approach to empowering people into action rather than scaring us into paralysis.

Alexx Stuart

Your Host & Founder of Low Tox Life

Want to learn more about this week’s guest?

Website: houseofwellness.com.au

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealgeraldquigley