Her Health™ Podcast

Welcome back to another episode of the Her Health™ Podcast by Phytoceutics – a space for women to feel informed, empowered, and supported through science-led conversations on modern health and wellbeing.

In this episode, Phytoceutics® CEO and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Laura Johnston sits down with Dr Raphaella Stander – paediatrician and mom of three – for a refreshingly honest, evidence-based conversation about some of the most debated topics in children’s health today.

From herd immunity and vaccine safety data to practical home hacks and knowing when to worry, this episode is essential listening for any parent wanting clarity, confidence and common sense when it comes to protecting their child’s health.

Together, they dive into:

Herd immunity explained – and why vaccination rates matter 🛡️
Vaccine safety, monitoring & long-term data 🧠
Why measles outbreaks are returning globally 🌍
Meningococcal disease: early warning signs every parent should know 🤒
The new influenza strains – and why flu can be serious in children 😷 ️
Zinc supplementation – when it’s useful and when it’s unnecessary 🌡️
Melatonin in children – hormone, not vitamin 💊
Iron deficiency and its link to sleep challenges 💤
When to test before supplementing 💉️️
Co-sleeping: science, culture & personal choice 🛌
Practical paediatric health hacks (from pimple patches to medication tips) ✔️
Navigating misinformation in the age of social media 📱

📌 TIMESTAMPS:

0:59 – Rapid-fire parenting & supplement ratings
2:10 – What is herd immunity?
3:24 – Vaccine safety & long-term surveillance
4:12 – Meningococcal disease explained
6:00 – Early warning signs of meningitis
8:35 – Why measles outbreaks are increasing
10:24 – Vaccines and autism: what the data says
11:28 – Zinc & over-supplementation in children
13:22 – Melatonin: risks & when it’s appropriate
15:17 – Iron deficiency & sleep
17:04 – Molluscum contagiosum hack
18:42 – Co-sleeping: science vs culture
22:35 – New influenza strain & what parents should know
25:28 – Antivirals and prevention
26:14 – Final advice for overwhelmed parents

👉 Subscribe now to join the conversation and never miss an episode of Her Health™.

🎧 Listen to the podcast:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@phytoceutics/videos
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/her-health-podcast/id1846133718
Amazon: https://a.co/d/8W7rmS2  

💸 Use the code HERHEALTH at checkout on www.phytoceutics.com for 20% off your first order.

📲 Connect with Us:

Dr Raphaella Stander | [https://www.atlanticchild.com/]
Phytoceutics® | https://www.instagram.com/phytoceutics_za/?hl=en

#HerHealthPodcast #ChildrensHealth #Vaccinations #Paediatrics #Influenza #ParentingSupport #EvidenceBased #ImmuneHealth #Phytoceutics

Welcome back to another episode of the Her Health™ Podcast by Phytoceutics® – a space for women to feel informed, empowered, and supported through science-led conversations on modern health and family well-being.
In this episode, Phytoceutics® CEO Laura Johnston sits down with Dr Nadia Khan, specialist paediatrician known for her deeply holistic, root-cause approach to children’s health.
Together, they unpack one of the most important – and often overlooked – conversations in paediatrics today: why so many children are being labelled and medicated without first investigating what may be driving their symptoms beneath the surface.

Together, they dive into:
🧠 Children’s symptoms as signals — what the body may be trying to say
⚠️ Why many children are medicated without adequate investigation
🩸 The most common nutrient deficiencies in children
📊The strong link between iron deficiency and behavioural challenges
🧩 ADHD, autism & emotional dysregulation – when to look deeper first
🦠 The critical role of the gut microbiome in brain, immune & mental health
🤧 Allergies, chronic infections & immune dysregulation explained
💤 Sleep issues, restlessness & sensory challenges as early red flags
🏠 The pressure on parents from schools – and advocating for your child
💊 Pharmaceuticals vs nutraceuticals – finding balance and common sense
🌱 How modern diets and ultra-processed foods impact children’s health
🤍 Trusting parental intuition in a complex healthcare system
🔬 Practical blood tests parents can consider requesting
✨ Simple, proactive steps to support children’s long-term well-being

📌 TIMESTAMPS:
0:51 – Rapid-fire parenting & supplement ratings
2:34 – Why nutrient deficiencies are so commonly missed
4:36 – The most common nutrient deficiencies in children
4:57 – Why parents should seek second opinions and trust their instincts
7:11 – Behavioural issues in children: looking beneath the surface
8:10 – ADHD, autism & the importance of proper assessment
10:01 – Iron deficiency in children: how common is it?
11:00 – Patterns from infancy to later behavioural challenges
12:55 –The gut microbiome and children’s health
16:08 – Frequent infections: what’s normal vs concerning
17:01 – When antibiotics and procedures may be overused
18:56 – The role of schools and early labelling
21:01 – Pharmaceuticals vs nutraceutical support
22:29 – Allergies, vitamin D & gut health links
24:10 – Why modern food is impacting children’s biology
29:13 – The many signs of iron deficiency in children
31:19 – Maternal iron status & early childhood autism risk
32:33 – Key nutrient tests parents should consider

👉 Subscribe now to join the conversation and never miss an episode of Her Health™.

🎧 Listen to the podcast:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@phytoceutics/videos
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/her-health-podcast/id1846133718
Amazon: https://a.co/d/8W7rmS2  

💸 Use the code HERHEALTH at checkout on www.phytoceutics.com for 20% off your first order.

📲 Connect with Us:
Dr Nadia Khan | https://www.instagram.com/dr.nadia.khan/
Phytoceutics® | https://www.instagram.com/phytoceutics_za/?hl=en

#HerHealthPodcast #ChildrensHealth #Paediatrics #NutrientDeficiency #IronDeficiency #GutHealth #ADHD #AutismSupport #ImmuneHealth #ParentingSupport #Phytoceutics

Welcome back to another episode of the Her Health™ Podcast by Phytoceutics® – a space for women to slow down, tune in, and feel deeply supported through science-led conversations on modern health challenges.

In this episode, Phytoceutics® CEO  Laura Johnston sits down with Dr Simone Silver, a Functional Medicine Practitioner and hormone specialist, to unpack one of the most common – and most misunderstood – health issues of our time: burnout.

Together, they explore what burnout really is (and what it’s not), why so many women are living in a “wired but tired” state, and how chronic stress silently rewires the brain, hormones, gut, and immune system.
Episode Topics Include:
📈 Rapid-fire burnout and lifestyle ratings

🔥What burnout actually is – and how it differs from stress

⚠️ Early warning signs women often dismiss

🧠 The stress response explained: HPA axis, cortisol & the autonomic nervous system

😵‍💫 “Wired but tired” – why you feel exhausted yet can’t switch off

💥 How chronic stress impacts the brain, gut, hormones & immune system

🦠 The gut–brain axis, mood changes & microbiome disruption

😞 Anxiety, low mood, brain fog & emotional overwhelm explained

🧬 Neuroplasticity & how stress rewires the brain – and how to rewire it back

🛑 Why pausing is essential (and why it’s so hard to do)

🧘 Practical tools to calm the nervous system – even in one minute

🎨 The role of creativity, joy & pleasure in healing burnout

🌙 Sleep, nutrition & movement as the non-negotiable foundations

🩸 Stress, female hormones & why PMS worsens under pressure

💊 Supplements that may support burnout recovery:Magnesium, B vitamins, Omega-3s, probiotics, adaptogens & more

✨ How to rebuild resilience without doing more

 📌TIMESTAMPS:
0:51 – Rapid-fire stress & lifestyle ratings
3:16 – Stress vs burnout: the medical difference
5:10 – Early warning signs women ignore
6:15 – Chronic stress, recovery & the “empty glass” analogy
7:18 – Why women are especially vulnerable to burnout
8:14 – The stress response triangle: brain, adrenals & autonomic nervous system
11:40 – Cortisol explained: high, low & overload
14:06 – Stress, mood & the gut–brain axis
16:25 – Stress, immunity & inflammation
17:45 – Hormones, pregnancy & autoimmune risk
18:17 – Can the body recover from burnout?
19:19 – Neuroplasticity & rewiring the stress response
21:26 – Processing stress: therapy, senses & creativity
22:10 – How to get out of burnout (stop, think, act)
26:25 – Stress, menstrual cycles & emotional overwhelm
27:25 – Progesterone, magnesium & PMS under stress
28:53 – One-minute tools to calm your nervous system
33:08 – Diet, lifestyle & the 80/20 rule
34:23 – Supplements for chronic stress support: general & targeted
36:32 – Burnout, libido & loss of creativity

👉 Subscribe now to join the conversation and never miss an episode of Her Health™.

🎧 Listen to the podcast:
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@phytoceutics/videos
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/her-health-podcast/id1846133718
Amazon: https://a.co/d/8W7rmS2

💸 Use the code HERHEALTH at checkout on www.phytoceutics.com for 20% off your next order.

📲 Connect with Us:
Dr Simone Silver | https://www.instagram.com/drsimonesilver/?hl=en
| https://www.youtube.com/@DrSimoneSilver | https://hormonalhealth.co.za/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/drsimonesilver/
Phytoceutics® | https://www.instagram.com/phytoceutics_za/?hl=en

#HerHealthPodcast #Burnout #ChronicStress #WomensHealth #HormoneHealth #NervousSystem #GutBrainAxis #Neuroplasticity #MentalWellbeing #SelfCare #Phytoceutics

Welcome back to another episode of the Her Health™ Podcast by Phytoceutics® — a platform for women to feel supported, informed, and empowered through expert-led conversations on health and wellness.
In this deeply insightful episode, Phytoceutics® CEO and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach Laura Johnston sits down with Dr Jenny Rose, a Psychologist, behavioural expert, neuroscience researcher, and mom, for a powerful conversation on children’s development, attachment, resilience, boundaries, and intentional parenting. From toddlers to teens, this episode unpacks what children truly need at each stage of development — and how parents can show up with confidence (and less guilt).
Together, they dive into:
🧠 Children’s brain development from infancy to adolescence
 🤍Attachment theory explained – and why relationship is everything
🏠 Intentional parenting vs perfection (and why guilt is so common)
🛏️ Co-sleeping, reward charts, preschool & time-outs – rated and unpacked
💊 Omega-3 and magnesium for children’s brain development and sleep
🧸 Why you can’t over-love or over-comfort a baby
🧱Boundaries, co-regulation & emotional validation in early childhood
🔥 Tantrums, meltdowns & how to respond without making things worse
🌱 Building intrinsic motivation, resilience & emotional strength
⌛ Quality vs quantity time – what children actually remember
🎨 Why boredom is essential for creativity and internal motivation
🧩 Supporting children through friendship struggles, rejection & bullying
🧠 Tween & teen brain development – what’s really going on neurologically
📲 Social media, screen exposure & rising teen mental health challenges
👥 The importance of mentors & “safe friends”
📌 TIMESTAMPS:
0:55 – Rapid-fire parenting ratings: co-sleeping, reward charts & more
2:57 – Why time-outs don’t work & the power of co-regulation
5:05 – Omega-3, magnesium & brain development in children
6:39 – Quality vs quantity time with kids
7:44 – Why boredom is essential for development
9:20 – Intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation
12:04 – What intentional parenting really means
14:25 – Letting go of perfection & parental guilt
17:52 – Attachment theory explained
19:18 – Separation anxiety & healthy independence
20:16 – Infancy (0–2): love, responsiveness & brain development
22:30 – Early childhood (2–7): boundaries, tantrums & regulation
27:59 – Tweens (7–12): friendships, resilience & rejection
32:34 – When to step in vs step back (bullying & struggle)
35:07 – Teen years (13–18): listening, boundaries & brain development
38:30 – Why teen behaviour can feel so erratic
39:24 – Mentors, safe friends & mental health support
40:30 – Teenagers’ mental health & social media
41:19 – Scaffolding independence & letting go as parents
43:54 – Jenny’s top tip: perfect parenting does not exist
👉 Subscribe now to join the conversation and never miss an episode of Her Health™.
🎧 Listen to the podcast:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@phytoceutics/videos
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/her-health-podcast/id1846133718
Amazon: https://a.co/d/85waFiw
💸 Use the code HERHEALTH at checkout on www.phytoceutics.com for 20% off your first order.
📲 Connect with Us:
Dr Jenny Rose | https://www.instagram.com/drjennyrose/
Phytoceutics® | https://www.instagram.com/phytoceutics_za/?hl=en
#HerHealthPodcast #Podcast #IntentionalParenting #ChildDevelopment #AttachmentTheory #ParentingSupport #ResilientKids #WomensHealth #BrainDevelopment #MentalHealthAwareness #Phytoceutics

Welcome back to another episode of the Her Health™ Podcast by Phytoceutics® – a space for women to learn, connect, and be empowered through expert insights into health and well-being throughout all stages of life.
In this episode, Phytoceutics® CEO and Integrative Nutrition Health Coach, Laura Johnston, sits down with Natasha Smit, a Clinical Neuropsychologist, for a fascinating deep dive into the brain – how it develops, how it changes over time, and how we can actively invest in our brain health at every stage of life. From neuroplasticity and dopamine to dementia prevention and children’s brain development, this conversation is packed with practical, science-backed insights every woman (and parent) should know.

Together, they dive into:
💊 Rapid-fire ratings on brain tools & supplements:
Omega-3, exercise, cold therapy, melatonin, PQQ, NMN, dopamine detoxes & more
🧠 How the brain develops from birth through adulthood
🔄 Neuroplasticity: how the brain can rewire and change at any age
📊 The shocking dementia statistic – and why lifestyle matters decades earlier
😴 Why sleep is the number one non-negotiable for brain health
🏃‍♀️ Exercise, blood flow & why movement fuels cognition
🥑 Diet for the brain: fats, protein, inflammation & nutrient deficiencies
📵 Dopamine dumps vs dopamine drips – and how social media hijacks the brain
🧩 The 63-day rule for habit change and rewiring your brain
👶 How children’s brains develop (and why early years matter most)
🌈 Neurodivergence, early intervention & setting children up for success
🌅 Negativity bias, mindset & retraining your brain for well-being
🍄 Can psychedelics really benefit your brain? 
 
📌 TIMESTAMPS:
0:55 – Rapid-fire brain & supplement ratings
3:08 – Dementia risk & why brain health starts early
3:44 – Why investing in your brain matters
5:07 – Sleep, exercise & lifestyle foundations
8:00 – Diet, inflammation & the cost of nutrient deficiency
9:24 – The 63-day rule & neuroplasticity explained
11:35 – Building cognitive reserve & lifelong learning
12:08 – How children’s brains develop
13:37 – Parenting, stimulation & early brain foundations
15:35 – Screen time, dopamine & boredom
17:07 – Neurodivergence & early intervention
19:12 – Teen brains, pruning & executive function
21:00 – Dopamine dumps vs dopamine drips
23:04 – Negativity bias & rewiring thought patterns
24:59 – How to rewire your brain for positive thinking & habits
25:52 – One key tip to foster your relationship with your brain
27:35 – Brain fog explained

👉 Subscribe now to join the conversation and never miss an episode of Her Health™

🎧Listen to the podcast:
YouTube: https://youtu.be/2FYKELcfWFM
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ep-6-neuroplasticity-rewiring-your-brain-her-health/id1846133718?i=1000744040982
Amazon: https://music.amazon.co.uk/podcasts/89df8e78-60a1-46f3-88fd-66551e317339/episodes/3c437c15-79d5-43c3-b4bc-97a610f8c0c1/her-health%E2%84%A2-podcast-ep-6-neuroplasticity-rewiring-your-brain-%E2%80%93-her-health%E2%84%A2-podcast

💸 Use the code HERHEALTH at checkout on www.phytoceutics.com
for 20% off your first order.

📲 Connect with Us:
Natasha Smit | ⁠https://www.njsmit.com/⁠
Phytoceutics® | ⁠https://www.instagram.com/phytoceutics_za/?hl=en⁠

#HerHealthPodcast #Phytoceutics #BrainHealth #Neuroplasticity #DementiaPrevention #WomensHealth #MentalWellBeing #Parenting #Neurodiversity #Dopamine #SleepHealth #HealthyAgeing #WellnessJourney