Want your patients’ brains to feel younger for longer?

In this episode, we explore neuro longevity through a practitioner lens with chiropractor and naturopath Damien Kristof - challenging the idea that better brain health comes from adding more hacks. Instead, Damien unpacks a clear hierarchy: heal the nervous system from the top down and inside out, remove interference, and let the body do what it’s designed to do.

Drawing on decades of clinical practice and lessons from Blue Zones like Icaria and Sardinia, we examine why purpose ignites the brain, community keeps it resilient, and daily, natural movement consistently outperforms punishing exercise. Nutrition still matters - but it’s the unsexy fundamentals that protect mitochondria and calm inflammation: adequate protein, fibre-rich and colourful plants, and stable blood sugar.

Together, we map seven pillars that shape health span, not just lifespan: purpose, engagement, movement, nutrition, community, spirituality, and finance. You’ll hear why spirituality provides nervous system perspective, how financial security reduces chronic stress load, and why social connection is one of the most under-prescribed neuroprotective tools. We also tackle Australia’s “last twelve years” problem and how habit-first, systems-based care can help patients age better, not just longer.

From a clinical standpoint, Damien reframes nutrients as messengers and building blocks rather than fixes, explains the value of tracking trends over ninety days, and shares simple, practical strategies to support vagal tone through posture and breath. For targeted support, we discuss calming nervines for wired-tired states and spotlight emerging evidence on saffron for neuroinflammation and mood support.

The key takeaway for practitioners: build a life—and a care plan—that protects the nervous system first, then layer in supplements and herbs with precision

Connect with Damian: Damian Kristof | Wellness Professional

Shownotes and references are available on the Designs for Health website


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DISCLAIMER: The Information provided in the Wellness by Designs podcast is for educational purposes only; the information presented is not intended to be used as medical advice; please seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional if what you have heard here today raises questions or concerns relating to your health

What if your gut symptoms aren’t about what you’re taking, but who you’re feeding?

Gut change doesn’t start with a supplement aisle sweep. It starts with the small but mighty species running your internal ecosystem. In this episode, functional naturopath Dan Sippel joins us to unpack how keystone bacteria shape gut barrier integrity, immune tolerance and metabolic health, and why the right polyphenols, fibres and bile acids can stabilise a volatile gut without triggering flare-ups.

We explore short-chain fatty acids, especially butyrate, as the microbiome’s currency, influencing inflammation, insulin sensitivity and even brain signaling. Dan shares a laddered strategy for IBS- and SIBO-prone patients: start with low-aggravation polyphenols like pomegranate peel and green tea to lift Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium; introduce partially hydrolysed guar gum as tolerance improves; then progress to resistant starch once the gut lining calms. Along the way, we break down cross-feeding, when direct butyrate makes sense, and why single-strain probiotics only work when you know the strain’s job.

We also dive into bile acids as the missing link in many stuck cases, including constipation, fat maldigestion, hormone symptoms and perimenopause transitions. You’ll learn how dysbiosis disrupts primary-to-secondary bile acid conversion and how to run a practical gut oil change using choleretics, ox bile or TUDCA. Plus, we cover iron repletion without microbiome damage, the role of sleep and melatonin in T-reg signaling, vagal tone support with L-theanine and kava, and a simple daily polyphenol five you can rotate with patients: cacao, blueberries, pomegranate, raw carrot and green tea.

If you’ve cycled through fibres, probiotics and antimicrobials without lasting results, this conversation offers a sequence that sticks. Build the terrain first, protect keystone species, match fibres to the phase, and retest to prove progress as SCFAs rise and inflammation falls.

Connect with Dan: The Functional Naturopath

Shownotes and references are available on the Designs for Health website


Register as a Designs for Health Practitioner and discover quality practitioner- only supplements at www.designsforhealth.com.au

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DISCLAIMER: The Information provided in the Wellness by Designs podcast is for educational purposes only; the information presented is not intended to be used as medical advice; please seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional if what you have heard here today raises questions or concerns relating to your health

Why isn’t your acne responding, no matter how “clean” your skincare routine is?

In this eye-opening episode, skin specialist nutritionist Jacinta Barbagallo shares why stubborn breakouts rarely start on the skin’s surface—and why real solutions lie far deeper. Together, we explore the three root causes of acne: retention keratosis, hypersebum secretion, and skin pH imbalance, and the surprising internal drivers behind them, from nutrient deficiencies and cortisol surges to gut dysfunction and metabolic imbalances.

Jacinta unpacks how to go beyond surface-level treatment with targeted clinical tools like strategic blood testing (e.g. SHBG, fasting glucose, insulin, hormone panels) and foundational nutritional strategies, including 30g of protein per meal, omega fatty acid balance, and key herbal medicines like burdock, Oregon grape, and peony licorice.

Most importantly, she reframes what progress really looks like. With hormones taking months to recalibrate and skin cells needing 6–8 weeks to renew, Jacinta shares what signs to look for along the way, like faster breakout recovery and reduced inflammation.

Whether you're navigating your own skin challenges or supporting clients through theirs, this episode offers a comprehensive and empowering roadmap to finally understanding what your skin is trying to tell you.

Connect with Jacinta

Discover the Clear Skin Blueprint

Shownotes and references are available on the Designs for Health website


Register as a Designs for Health Practitioner and discover quality practitioner- only supplements at www.designsforhealth.com.au

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Instagram: Designsforhealthaus

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DISCLAIMER: The Information provided in the Wellness by Designs podcast is for educational purposes only; the information presented is not intended to be used as medical advice; please seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional if what you have heard here today raises questions or concerns relating to your health

Shownotes and references are available on the Designs for Health website


Register as a Designs for Health Practitioner and discover quality practitioner- only supplements at www.designsforhealth.com.au

Follow us on Socials

Instagram: Designsforhealthaus

Facebook: Designsforhealthaus

DISCLAIMER: The Information provided in the Wellness by Designs podcast is for educational purposes only; the information presented is not intended to be used as medical advice; please seek the advice of a qualified healthcare professional if what you have heard here today raises questions or concerns relating to your health