Live Well Be Well with Sarah Ann Macklin | Health, Lifestyle, Nutrition

Exciting news - pre-order my debut book 
https://linktr.ee/HealthySBTH?utm_source=linktree_profile_shareHave you ever felt on fire from the inside, with no language to describe what was happening? That is exactly where Matt Haig found himself at 24. And what he chose to do with that experience has since helped millions of people feel less alone.

This week on Live Well Be Well, I'm sitting down with bestselling author Matt Haig. Over two decades, he has written with raw honesty about depression, anxiety, and neurodiversity. Diagnosed with ADHD and autism in his mid-40s, he writes not to have the answers, but to make you feel like your questions are valid.

Here's what we dive into:
- How Matt's crisis at 24 in Ibiza, including agoraphobia, panic attacks, and suicidal despair, became the turning point that made him a writer.
- Why writing about mental health was never about being an expert, but about finding language so a younger, suffering version of himself could feel less alone.
- What a late ADHD and autism diagnosis in midlife actually feels like, and why understanding your brain does not mean you suddenly understand everything about yourself.
- How ADHD can be quietly advantageous when you stop fighting it, and why an interest-driven brain can lead to a deeply authentic life.
- Why the opposite of depression is not happiness. It is the boring, beautiful neutrality of a mind that can spend one minute thinking about an ordinary email.
- How the word "impossible" became Matt's greatest source of motivation: if you survived the most impossible thing, everything else becomes possible too.
- How running, routine, and the most unglamorous physical basics were the things that actually brought Matt back.

Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***
This episode is sponsored by:
DIOME: Rest deeper. Stay grounded.
Rested is available now and Grounded lands later this month.
👉 Get 20% off with code SARAH20 at DIOME.CO
***
The Great British Veg Out
How to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-out
Reset Your Health
If your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.
Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.
https://open.substack.com/pub/sarahmacklin/p/download-your-free-5-recipes-to-relieve
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who read
The Compassionate Cure each week. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

***
If You Enjoyed This Episode, You Might Also Like:
ADHD or Depression? Watch This! Kelly Williams Brown on Feeling Stressed & Overwhelmedhttps://youtu.be/lz7-R_TlJg4

***
Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter:
Science Simplified, Health Humanised.
Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact.
https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/
***

Highlights
00:00:00 Intro00:02:47 Writing Reasons to Stay Alive before therapy, before diagnosis
00:06:49 The "two for one" diagnosis: ADHD and autism in midlife
00:10:11 Why Matt hates the word diagnosis and how language shapes recovery
00:14:40 Shoplifting, dopamine, and an undiagnosed ADHD brain
00:22:25 Why Matt would not take his suffering away: darkness and light
00:27:25 The breakdown in Ibiza at 24 and the crisis within the crisis
00:31:58 Recovery counted in lampposts from his front door
00:36:00 The boring email moment and why neutrality is the goal
00:41:16 The word "impossible" and how surviving it opened everything
01:01:09 Winnie the Pooh as the wisest mental health book ever written
01:09:18 Social media, authenticity, and losing followers as exfoliation
01:29:46 The body budget and why physical basics are the real medicine
01:33:00 Matt's definition of Live Well Be Well***

Are you wondering how dating has changed since 2008, and why authenticity now matters so much? In this conversation, we explore how the main way people met partners used to be through work or church, compared with today where online dating is the most common route and communication often starts through a phone screen.
Listen to the full episode ⁠⁠here⁠⁠
Watch the full episode on Youtube ⁠⁠here⁠
***

This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/

Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell

***

The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

***

Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/SarahAnnMacklin
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livewellbewellpodcast💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

Most women were never taught the most basic, scientifically supported thing they can do for their own wellbeing — and the shame around that silence is doing real damage. In this clip, Dr. Laurie Mintz, sex therapist and researcher, shares the study showing that 93% of women who had never experienced orgasm became orgasmic with one straightforward intervention — and why that statistic has been hiding in plain sight. If you have ever felt broken, ashamed, or simply uninformed about your own body, this is the conversation you didn't know you needed.
Dr Laurie Mintz in conversation with Sarah Ann

Listen to the full episode⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Watch the full episode on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

This episode is sponsored by:
NOWATCH: The compassionate health tracker
Connecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at https://nowatch.com/

Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell

***

The Great British Veg OutHow to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-outReset Your HealthIf your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.https://sarahannmacklin.com/5_free_recipes
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who readThe Compassionate Cure each week.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

***

Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/
📹 Subscribe: http://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah
🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/SarahAnnMacklin
📱 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@livewellbewellpodcast💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

Exciting news - pre-order my debut book 
https://linktr.ee/HealthySBTH?utm_source=linktree_profile_shareYou've seen the headlines. You've watched the celebrities transform. Maybe you've even wondered, quietly, if it could be for you. But what is the science really saying?

This week on Live Well Be Well, I sit down with Dr. Jack Mosley, GP registrar, and author of Food Noise. Jack brings a perspective that is honest, nuanced, and completely free of hype. We get into what these drugs can genuinely do, who they are truly for, and why taking them without lifestyle support is like putting on noise-cancelling headphones without ever learning to listen to yourself.

Here's What We Dive Into:
- Why up to 40% of weight lost on GLP-1 medications can come from lean muscle, not fat, and why that matters more than the number on the scale.
- What "food noise" actually is and why silencing it with medication is only half the story.
- The 80% reality: why most people regain all their weight within 20 months of stopping and what the 20% who don't have in common.
- Why these are not cosmetic medications, who they are genuinely for, and the real risks of microdosing without clinical need.

Love,
Sarah Ann 💛
***

Want to put what Jack shared into practice? The Fast 800 combines intermittent fasting, nutrition, and guided lifestyle support in one place. Co-founded by his father Dr. Michael Mosley. Try it free for 7 days:
👉 www.thefast800.com

***

This episode is sponsored by:
DIOME: Rest deeper. Stay grounded.
Rested is available now and Grounded lands later this month.
👉 Get 20% off with code SARAH20 at DIOME.CO

***

The Great British Veg Out
How to support your gut, energy, and hormones by eating more — not less.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/p/the-great-british-veg-out
Reset Your Health
If your body feels off after stress, travel, or burnout — this is where to start.
👉 https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/s/reset-your-health-in-30-days
👉 Practical beats perfect.
Here’s a free 5-recipe PDF I use to support energy and stress during busy weeks.
https://open.substack.com/pub/sarahmacklin/p/download-your-free-5-recipes-to-relieve
👉 If this resonates, you can join the thousands who read
The Compassionate Cure each week. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

***

Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sarahannmacklin/
***

If You Enjoyed This Episode, You Might Also Like:
Fat Loss, Metabolism & The Myth Holding You Back | Dr Andy Galpin
https://youtu.be/ZXLWY5HcPXE
***

Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter:
Science Simplified, Health Humanised.
Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact.
https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

***
Highlights
00:00:00 Intro00:01:45 The obesity crisis: how we got here and what's driving it
00:04:10 The string test: a simple way to assess your metabolic health
00:06:30 Muscle loss on GLP-1 medications and the stat no one is talking about
00:10:20 Benefits of GLP-1 drugs: heart disease, sleep apnea, and beyond
00:12:00 Food noise explained and how these drugs work like noise-cancelling headphones
00:15:00 GLP-1 and addiction: alcohol, opioids, and the reward system
00:20:30 Side effects, hair loss, and the dangers of unregulated sources
00:23:30 Microdosing Ozempic: what you really need to know
00:35:00 Shame spirals and the role of self-compassion in sustainable change
00:41:00 Managing cravings without medication: urge surfing and habit stacking
00:47:00 Weight regain after stopping: the 20-month reality check
00:50:30 The Mediterranean diet, the 5:2, and the Fast 800 programme
01:05:30 What live well, be well means to Dr. Jack Mosley

***

Love what you’re hearing?
My small ask is to please rate and review Live Well Be Well. This helps the show expand and allows me to keep producing these with the best quality guests. It means a huge amount to me, so thank you.

Most women have heard of creatine — but only as something for gym bros loading up before a workout. What the sports science research actually shows is that creatine monohydrate may be one of the most important supplements for women navigating perimenopause, brain fog, gut issues, and mood changes — and almost no one is talking about it outside of performance circles. This clip breaks down exactly which form to take, how much, why it takes three weeks to work, and what the collagen supplement industry isn't telling you about protein intake and joint health.
Dr. Stacy Sims

Listen to the full episode⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
Watch the full episode on YouTube ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com
Mojo: the app for expert-led courses in better sex.Learn from world-class sex therapists and relationship experts with courses tailored to your needs.15% off with code LiveWell15 at mymojo.com/livewellbewell
***

Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter: 
Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

***

Let’s be friends!
📷 Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / sarahannmacklin⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
📹 Subscribe:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   / @livewellbewellsarah  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
🐦 Twitter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / sarahannmacklin  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
📱 TikTok:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  / sarahannnutrition  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠