Join Mel this week for The House of Wellness with Chemist Warehouse on The Breeze where we hear from Dr Ben Gonzalez, a leader in Metabolic and Obesity Medicine, Beauty and Skincare expert and founder of Kumo Skin Spa, Kate Michelmore, resident pharmacist Piyara Perera and resident GP Dr John Cameron.
Featured Guest: Dr Ben Gonzalez
Kicking off the episode is Dr Ben Gonzalez who joins us in the studio all the way from America to talk about metabolic medicine and how it can help perimenopause and menopausal women.
After serving and working in military trauma medicine, Dr Gonzalez pivoted towards integrative and functional medicine - where nutrition, hormone health and lifestyle are central to care.
In his clinic today, he focuses on midlife women, a group he says is often overlooked in traditional medicine.
Dr Gonzales underscored personalised care, advocating for a ‘systems biology’ approach that considers how all body systems interact.
He challenges conventional weightloss advice like “eat less, exercise more,” instead stressing muscle is metabolism and to prioritise health over numbers on a scale.
Featured Guest: Kate Michelmore
Founder of Kumo Skin Spa Kate Michelmore has been passionate about caring for others since childhood, saying she remembers giving hand and neck massages to her family long before she trained professionally.
With 25 years in the beauty and wellness industry, her journey has taken her from South Africa to London, Australia and now New Zealand.
Kate introduced the Sculptural Buccal Technique to New Zealand, a unique facial massage that includes intraoral work to release muscle tension and sculpt the face from the inside out.
She is also developing a new facial treatment focused on calming the nervous system which early trials show can reduce cortisol up to 70%.
Resident Pharmacist: Piyara Perera
This week Piyara sat down with Mel to talk about the Chemist Warehouse mobile health clinic, particularly shedding light on nicotine replacement therapies and blood pressure.
Piyara explains how pharmacists can provide nicotine replacement therapy like patches, gum, lozenges and work with individuals to create a personalised quit plan.
She also talks about common seasonal issues like low blood pressure that can flare up during the summer months when dehydration and heat can leave people feeling faint or dizzy.
Resident GP: Dr John Cameron
Burnout isn’t just feeling tired after a long week. It’s a slow, creeping overload that can leave you mentally and physically drained.
Our resident GP Dr John explained how true burnout builds over time and often goes unnoticed until you hit a wall.
Symptoms like disrupted sleep, early morning anxiety and constant pressure to ‘do more’ are red flags. How to prevent it? The key is to recognise when you’re pushing too hard, scale back your expectations and give yourself permission to slow down.
Wrapping up, Dr John finishes on a lighter note saying Easter chocolate is magically calorie-free - Doctor’s orders!
Featured Product: Glow Lab’s Ceramides Range
In skincare today, barrier and microbiome support are two of the biggest trends, so this week Mel took a moment to talk about Glow Lab’s Ceramides Range, a dermatologist-tested skincare range powered by triple ceramides.
The range is designed to help restore the skin barrier and support microbiome health, making it great for anyone with dry, sensitive or reactive skin.
By helping to repair and maintain the skin barrier, the Ceramides Range supports in reducing dryness, irritation and redness for softer, calmer, more resilient skin. Plus, it’s fragrance free and includes hyaluronic acid, postbiotics and CICA.
Glow Lab Ceramides Range - gentle hydration without all the nasties.
Listen to the full episode up top, check out our extended chat with Dr Ben Gonzales and tune in next Sunday for more wellness insights!
