The Gabby Reece Show

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 Adults09:57 Why Consistency Beats Talent: Showing Up Every Day15:28 IBD and Gut Health: Why Women Stay Silent22:00 Blood in Stool at 25: Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms25:20 Ulcerative Colitis and Depression: Laxative Dependence Explained28:40 Is IBD Genetic? What Causes Ulcerative Colitis Flares31:46 Rectal Bleeding: When to See a Gastroenterologist36:13 How to Talk About IBD When Dating40:06 Best Diet for Ulcerative Colitis: Foods to Avoid43:04 What a Stool Test Reveals About Gut Health49:30 How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome and Nerves54:20 Infertility, IVF and Motherhood: Lessons in ResilienceAbout 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 ShowThis is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.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:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficialWebsite: https://gabriellereece.com 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

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 ShowThis is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.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:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficialWebsite: https://gabriellereece.com 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

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 Home03:45 What Is Hypochlorous Acid (HOCl) and How It Works07:51 Best Natural Diaper Rash Treatment and Neosporin Alternative11:23 Skin Microbiome and Natural Eczema Treatment for Staph14:11 How to Choose an Effective Hypochlorous Acid Spray17:35 How to Grow a Skincare Brand: Startup Lessons22:39 How to Stay Motivated as an Entrepreneur26:08 Hypochlorous Acid for Chafing, Microneedling, Hand Foot Mouth30:00 How to Treat Diabetic Foot Ulcers and Biofilm Naturally35:40 Is Chemical Sunscreen Safe for Kids? Mineral Zinc Sunscreen42:08 Hydrogel vs Spray: Best Way to Heal Cuts Faster47:21 Where to Buy Active Skin Repair Hypochlorous SprayAbout 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.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/activeskinrepairFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/ActiveSkinRepair–The Gabby Reece ShowThis is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.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:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficialWebsite: https://gabriellereece.com 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

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 Development09:28 How to Improve Your Child's Spatial Awareness: 3 Tips20:34 What Your Eyes Reveal About Heart Disease and Stroke27:11 Does Menopause Raise Glaucoma Risk? Plus Glaucoma at 1135:20 When Kids Need Their First Eye Exam and a Phone42:06 Costco Effect, Helicopter Parenting, and Why Girls Shrink52:32 20/20/20 Rule for Eye Strain and the Myopia Epidemic01:02:48 Sunglasses, Circadian Rhythm, and Eye Warning Signs01:10:58 Vision Loss and Dementia Risk, Plus Athlete Eye Training01:18:52 Sharp Vision at 80 and Missed Glaucoma Signs01:24:40 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-worldConnect with Dr. Meena Agarwal: Website: https://www.drmeenal.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.meenalagarwalYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UncoverYourEyeswithDr.MeenalLinktree: https://linktr.ee/dr.meenalagarwal–The Gabby Reece ShowThis is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.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:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficialWebsite: https://gabriellereece.com 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

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 ShowThis is where I have real conversations with the people I find most worth listening to: scientists, athletes, coaches, parents, and thinkers who are doing the hard work of building a life that holds up over time. No hacks. No quick fixes. Just honest, practical conversations about performance, longevity, relationships, and what it actually takes to show up well at every age.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:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreece/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gabbyreeceofficialWebsite: https://gabriellereece.com 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