The Gabby Reece Show

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

NBC Reporter on the Gut Symptom She Ignored at 25 | Chloe Melas Nov 09, 2026

Show notes

Women will talk about IVF, career setbacks, even losing a home, but almost never about their gut. What happens when the thing you’re too embarrassed to say out loud is the thing your health depends on?

Chloë Melas, NBC News correspondent and co-author of The Girl’s Guide to Guts. She’s known for her reporting at CNN and NBC News and her 15-year fight with ulcerative colitis. We talk about resilience, relentless work ethic, and the IBD warning signs she ignored at 25. Blood in your stool is never normal. See a GI now, and keep asking questions until you get answers.

What we explore:

- How childhood bullying builds lifelong resilience.

- Why rectal bleeding at any age means seeing a GI.

- How antibiotics and lifestyle trigger ulcerative colitis.

- What to eat to manage IBD flares.

- How to handle nerves and imposter syndrome.

Chapters:

00:00 How Childhood Bullying Builds Resilience in Adults

09:57 Why Consistency Beats Talent: Showing Up Every Day

15:28 IBD and Gut Health: Why Women Stay Silent

22:00 Blood in Stool at 25: Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms

25:20 Ulcerative Colitis and Depression: Laxative Dependence Explained

28:40 Is IBD Genetic? What Causes Ulcerative Colitis Flares

31:46 Rectal Bleeding: When to See a Gastroenterologist

36:13 How to Talk About IBD When Dating

40:06 Best Diet for Ulcerative Colitis: Foods to Avoid

43:04 What a Stool Test Reveals About Gut Health

49:30 How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome and Nerves

54:20 Infertility, IVF and Motherhood: Lessons in Resilience

About Chloë Melas:

Chloë Melas is an NBC News correspondent and former CNN entertainment reporter who has spent nearly two decades breaking stories and doing serious investigative work. After years of living quietly with ulcerative colitis, she now uses her platform to break the stigma around IBD, IBS, and colon cancer, so no one has to figure this out alone.

Connect with Chloë Melas:

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

–

The Gabby Reece Show

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

How I Stay Consistent With Exercise, Healthy Habits & Self-Care Without Motivation | Gabby Reece Nov 05, 2026

Show notes

Motivation tends to leave right when you need it, when you're tired, stressed, and standing at the gym door with a pit in your stomach. Even the most disciplined people you admire have days they don't feel like it, so what keeps them showing up anyway?

Today it's just me, and this one is about design over discipline. We talk about why waiting to feel like it keeps us stuck, the three things I've protected for almost 40 years, and how to build a system around your food, training, community, and spirit. Pick the one thing you're protecting and write it on your calendar like any other appointment. Then take one obstacle out instead of adding another habit.

What we explore:

- Why motivation fades under stress, and how systems take over.

- Why disciplined athletes rely on structure over willpower.

- How a 5-minute morning check-in protects your relationships.

- What it means to lead from love instead of fear.

- How removing obstacles beats adding more health habits.

The Gabby Reece Show

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

Why Peroxide & Alcohol Slow Healing (And What Your Body Uses Instead) | Justin Gardner Nov 02, 2026

Show notes

The people who get hurt most often are usually the ones living the fullest lives, and most of us are still treating their wounds with products that slow the healing down. What if the most effective thing you could put on your skin is something your own immune system already makes?

Justin Gardner, founder of Active Skin Repair. He’s known for bringing hypochlorous acid, the molecule your white blood cells use to fight infection, from hospital burn units to an FDA-cleared spray you can buy over the counter. We talk about how HOCl kills bacteria without slowing healing, why many products that list it don’t actually work, and what ten years of building a brand in a regulated space really takes. Before you reach for the first aid kit, check any HOCl product you own for a lot number and an expiration date. If they’re missing, the chemistry probably is too.

What we explore:

- What hypochlorous acid is and why it beats harsh antiseptics.

- Why peroxide and alcohol slow wound healing.

- How to spot an HOCl spray that actually works.

- Why eczema flare-ups are often caused by staph.

- What it takes to stay in business long enough to get lucky.

Chapters:

00:00 Hypochlorous Acid Spray: From Hospital Wound Care to Home

03:45 What Is Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl) and How It Works

07:51 Best Natural Diaper Rash Treatment and Neosporin Alternative

11:23 Skin Microbiome and Natural Eczema Treatment for Staph

14:11 How to Choose an Effective Hypochlorous Acid Spray

17:35 How to Grow a Skincare Brand: Startup Lessons

22:39 How to Stay Motivated as an Entrepreneur

26:08 Hypochlorous Acid for Chafing, Microneedling, Hand Foot Mouth

30:00 How to Treat Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Biofilm Naturally

35:40 Is Chemical Sunscreen Safe for Kids? Mineral Zinc Sunscreen

42:08 Hydrogel vs Spray: Best Way to Heal Cuts Faster

47:21 Where to Buy Active Skin Repair Hypochlorous Spray

About Justin Gardner:

Justin Gardner spent years helping launch regenerative medicine products in hospitals before licensing stabilized hypochlorous acid technology and founding Active Skin Repair in 2016. A surfer, former endurance athlete, and dad, he built the brand on medical-grade manufacturing and EWG-verified formulas. Today it’s used by World Surf League doctors and sold in every CVS in the country.

Connect with Justin Gardner:

Website: https://activeskinrepair.com

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

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

–

The Gabby Reece Show

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

How to Protect Your Eyes and Brain in the Screen Age | Dr. Meenal Agarwal Oct 26, 2026

Show notes

Your kid can read the bottom line of the eye chart and still be lost in the real world. What if the meltdowns, the clumsiness, and the fear of driving aren't behavior at all, but a brain that has forgotten how to read space?

Dr. Meenal Agarwal, a board-certified optometrist with 20 years in practice. She is known for her book Stuck in a Flat World and her podcast Uncover Your Eyes. We talk about how screens rewire spatial awareness, what your eyes reveal about whole-body health, and how menopause affects vision. Your eyes can flag disease years before you feel a thing. Book a full eye exam, and give your brain more of the 3D world it was built for.

What we explore:

- Why screen time weakens spatial awareness and makes kids afraid to drive.

- How space, movement, and play calm an overwhelmed child.

- What an OCT eye scan reveals about stroke, heart, and brain health.

- Why menopause raises glaucoma risk and causes dry eyes.

- How rising myopia in kids increases retinal detachment risk.

Chapters:

00:00 How Screen Time Hurts Kids' Spatial Awareness and Development

09:28 How to Improve Your Child's Spatial Awareness: 3 Tips

20:34 What Your Eyes Reveal About Heart Disease and Stroke

27:11 Does Menopause Raise Glaucoma Risk? Plus Glaucoma at 11

35:20 When Kids Need Their First Eye Exam and a Phone

42:06 Costco Effect, Helicopter Parenting, and Why Girls Shrink

52:32 20/20/20 Rule for Eye Strain and the Myopia Epidemic

01:02:48 Sunglasses, Circadian Rhythm, and Eye Warning Signs

01:10:58 Vision Loss and Dementia Risk, Plus Athlete Eye Training

01:18:52 Sharp Vision at 80 and Missed Glaucoma Signs

01:24:40 Comprehensive Eye Exam Checklist and Does Alcohol Hurt Eyes?

01:32:17 Kindle vs iPad vs Paper Books: Which Is Best?

About Dr. Meena Agarwal:

Dr. Meenal Agarwal is a board-certified optometrist and spatial awareness expert known for her work on the eye-brain connection, with a clinical focus on myopia control and dry eye therapy. She is the author of Stuck in a Flat World and host of the podcast Uncover Your Eyes.📘 Get early access to Dr. Meenal's new book, Stuck in a Flat World, plus a free gift. This coming November 2, 2026: https://www.drmeenal.com/stuck-in-a-flat-world

Connect with Dr. Meena Agarwal:

Website: https://www.drmeenal.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.meenalagarwal

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UncoverYourEyeswithDr.Meenal

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/dr.meenalagarwal

–

The Gabby Reece Show

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

How I Stop Overthinking and Take Back Control of My Inner Voice | Gabby Reece Oct 22, 2026

Show notes

Some days you haven't trained, haven't pushed, and still end the day wired and exhausted. What if the biggest drain on your energy is the voice in your head you keep mistaking for yourself?

In this solo episode, I'm talking about the inner voice, the one that is you and isn't you. It's built to keep us safe, but in modern life it misfires constantly and drains energy meant for our people, our work, and our training. We cover the voices in your head, Byron Katie's four questions, and tools to separate a thought from a decision. This week, swap "I'm going to fail" for "I'm having the thought that I'm going to fail." Name it, check the facts, then choose your next move.

What we explore:

- Why your inner critic misfires in modern life.

- How to spot borrowed voices from parents and culture.

- What Byron Katie's four questions reveal about your stories.

- Why feeling anxious isn't the same as having anxiety.

- How grounding and journaling stop a thought spiral.

The Gabby Reece Show

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

How to Release Tension, Improve Mobility & Regulate Your Nervous System | Lauren Roxburgh Oct 19, 2026

Show notes

You can be strong, disciplined, and still spend every hour of the day braced for impact. What if the tightness you keep stretching isn't a mobility problem at all, but stress your body was never meant to carry?

Lauren Roxburgh, a fascia and body alignment expert I've known for nearly 13 years. She is known for her work on fascia, the nervous system, and body intelligence. We talk about why "working in" matters as much as working out, where stress gets stuck in the body, and why fascia may be the missing link between tension, pain, and how you age. Start with five minutes tomorrow morning: get outside, take a few deep sighs, and move before the day pulls at you. Strength gets built on that foundation, not in place of it.

What we explore:

- Why "working in" balances your training and calms a wired-and-tired nervous system.

- What fascia is, and why stretching alone misses it.

- How the physiological sigh resets stress and improves sleep.

- Why pelvic floor tension isn't just about childbirth.

- How to heal old injuries with whole-body alignment.

Chapters:

00:00 What Is the Lorox Method for Fascia?

05:55 Stuck in Fight or Flight? Try Working In

11:26 Where Stress Hides in Your Body

21:11 The Physiological Sigh for Instant Calm

24:51 Are Tight Muscles Stored Emotions?

30:17 What Is Fascia? 5-Minute Morning Flow

38:43 Somatic Snacks for Your Vagus Nerve

43:48 Bedtime Rituals for Deeper Sleep

46:42 How to Respond, Not React

52:01 Pelvic Floor Health With or Without Kids

58:17 Can a Torn Labrum Heal Naturally?

01:04:43 Lift Heavy, But Build Foundation First

01:12:15 Building a Business Through Motherhood

01:19:12 Full Body Yes vs. Full Body No

01:23:49 Fascia Trends That Miss the Point

About Lauren Roxburgh:

Lauren Roxburgh is a structural integration practitioner, Classical Pilates instructor, and author of Taller, Slimmer, Younger. Dubbed "The Body Whisperer" by Goop, she works with athletes, orthopedic surgeons, and everyday people, and teaches her Lo Rox Method to movement educators.

Connect with Lauren Roxburgh:

Website: https://laurenroxburgh.com

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@LoRoxburgh

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

–

The Gabby Reece Show

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

How I Handle Stress: 5 Simple Ways to Calm Your Nervous System | Gabby Reece Oct 15, 2026

Show notes

I'm stoic by nature, yet this week my kids had me in tears twice and fantasizing about walking out the door. Being tired and stressed is the worst combination, and since your brain can't feel gratitude and fear at the same time, the real test is pulling the levers you already have when it counts.

Today it's just me, sharing a solo episode on stress management from two of the hardest days I've had in a while, between a tense call with Laird while he's traveling and real friction with my kids. I talk about why training and sleep are my first line of defense, how a five-minute silent meditation and simple breathwork calm my nervous system, and why gratitude and anxiety can't share the same space. Pick one lever this week, like getting to bed earlier or breathing with a longer exhale. Then use it the next time things get heated.

What we explore:

- Why training and sleep are the best stress management tools.

- How a five-minute silent meditation resets your mood.

- Why crying can be a healthy emotional release.

- How box breathing down-regulates your nervous system fast.

- Why gratitude and anxiety can't coexist in the brain.

The Gabby Reece Show

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

Can You Reprogram Your Brain? Hypnosis, Anxiety & Breaking Bad Habits | Richard Barker Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

You already know what would make you feel better, and you keep doing the opposite anyway. What if the fix isn't more willpower, but one small win and a new script running in your head?

Today I sit down with Richard Barker, the Incredible Hypnotist. He is known for going from British soldier and police officer to performing comedy hypnosis in 38 countries. We talk about how language shapes the subconscious, why change takes 5 to 30 days, and how to separate pain from suffering.

This week, do one thing you didn't do yesterday and celebrate it. When you hear yourself say "I can't," try "just pretend I can."

What we explore:

- Why small wins rewire habits faster than willpower.

- How hypnosis reprograms anxiety and self-sabotage.

- What grief teaches about separating pain from suffering.

- How playfulness lowers stress and anxiety.

- How to overcome stage fright with simple public speaking tips

Chapters:

00:00 How Language Changes Minds

03:57 Why Crime Victims Need to Feel Heard

08:55 Can Anyone Be Hypnotized?

14:00 Hypnosis for Anxiety and Bad Habits

19:39 How Long Does Hypnosis Take to Work?

28:08 How Playfulness Melts Away Stress

33:12 How to Stop Self-Sabotage

39:44 Small Wins That Rewire Your Habits

46:43 How to Stop Suffering After Loss

50:49 How Gratitude Rewires Your Brain

01:03:42 How to Turn Stage Fright Into Energy

01:06:57 RSVP: 4 Public Speaking Voice Tips

About Richard Barker:

Richard Barker, the Incredible Hypnotist, is a former British Army soldier and UK police detective turned comedy stage hypnotist, author, and keynote speaker. He has performed in 38 countries and appeared on The Today Show and The Late Late Show with James Corden. He uses the stage to open the door, then helps people change anxiety, fears, and habits one-on-one.

Connect with Richard Barker:

Website: https://incrediblehypnotist.com

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

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/incrediblehypnotist

–

The Gabby Reece Show

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece:

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thegabbyreeceshow.substack.com

How I Keep Muscle at 56: Protein, Strength Training & Hormones | Gabby Reece Oct 08, 2026

Show notes

After 50, your body starts to melt unless you give it a reason not to. It isn't rocket science, just the basics we tend to skip, done consistently.

Today it's just me, answering the question I get asked more than any other: how do I keep muscle at 56? I'm a former professional volleyball player, and I've carried lean muscle since I was 18 that I had to work hard to build and now work to maintain. We talk about getting your hormones and thyroid checked, leading every meal with protein, lifting three days a week, and protecting your sleep. Get the basics right before you reach for the sexy levers like creatine and amino acids. This week, book your blood work, put protein first on your plate, and aim to be in bed by 10.

What we explore:

- Why bloodwork, HRT, and thyroid health come first.

- How to lead with protein without chasing gram targets.

- Why lifting three days a week protects muscle and bone density.

- What sleep has to do with muscle recovery after 50.

- Why your body changes week to week, and why that's okay.

The Gabby Reece Show

If you are here, you probably already know that health is not a destination. It is how you live. I am glad you are along for it.

Connect with Gabby Reece: