Catch the latest episode of The House of Wellness with Chemist Warehouse on the Breeze where Mike is joined by former Masterchef winners Kārena and Kasey Bird, Tomas and Michael from Two Dudes, editor of The House of Wellness magazine Vanessa Marshall, resident G.P Dr. John and resident pharmacist Piyara Perera. 

Featured Guests: Kārena and Kasey Bird

2014 MasterChef champions and the cover stars for the December issue of The House of Wellness, Kārena and Kasey Bird joined the show to reflect on a remarkable decade spent cooking, travelling and sharing their love of Māori kai. 

The sisters spoke about the strength of their bond, shaped by a tight-knit whānau community, and how reconnecting with te reo Māori had deepened both their identity and culinary story telling. 

“We’ve been all over the world, we’ve won all these prizes with cooking, but one of the most fulfilling things we’ve ever done is taking the time to learn te reo Māori,” Kasey said. 

“It’s given us so much grounding,” Kārena agreed. 

With Christmas approaching, the pair look forward to a relaxed potluck at home with their extended whānau. 

Featured Guests: Tomas and Michael

Founders of grooming brand Two Dudes, Tomas and Michael, return to the show to celebrate their record-breaking Movember campaign, which raised an extraordinary $145,000 and counting, in partnership with LSKD. 

The pair say their mission has always been to make men’s health more approachable by connecting physical care with mental wellbeing. 

“It’s about massive tangible impact for men’s health, and Movember is all about cancer research, suicide prevention and men’s mental health,” Tomas explained. 

“There’s no doubt in my mind that that money will literally save lives.”

Editor of The House of Wellness Magazine: Vanessa Marshall

This week Vanessa joined Mike to chat about the Christmas issue of The House of Wellness, featuring 2014 MasterChef winners Kārena and Kasey Bird on the cover. 

This edition is full of seasonal inspiration, from the Birds’ delicious salmon dish to Nadia Lim’s effortless no-bake ricotta cheesecake. 

Readers will also find gift ideas from the Chemist Warehouse team, tools for staying active and gentle reminders for managing holiday stress. 

Find the latest issue in your local chemist warehouse or online here. 

Resident G.P: Dr. John

Resident G.P Dr. John explained that summer can bring its own haul of injuries and illnesses, from skin infections and urinary tract infections, to the annual spike in ‘gravitational injuries’ such as middle-aged men falling off trampolines, bikes, and other toys.

He stresses the importance of carrying a simple first-aid kit in the car, using only saline or clean seawater to wash cuts and watching for signs of infection. 

With measles resurfacing in New Zealand, Dr. John ends with a firm reminder. 

“If in doubt, get jabbed, it is safe, it is effective, please please please.”

Resident Pharmacist: Piyara Perera

This week Piyara sat down to talk about scalp concerns, saying the most common problems she sees are dandruff, dryness, irritation, excess oil and thinning hair - an issue that often stems from the scalp rather than the hair itself. 

Piyara explained that dandruff is typically caused by an overgrowth of natural yeast on the scalp and can be worsened by stress. 

She advised choosing shampoos that prioritise scalp health, favouring dermatologically tested formulas containing active ingredients like piroctone olamine, salicylic acid and amino acids or ceramides. 

Featured Product: Dercos Anti Dandruff DS Shampoo

50% of people suffer from dandruff, with a huge impact on quality of life. Dercos Anti Dandruff DS Shampoo for normal to oily hair is the number one dermatologist recommended anti-dandruff brand worldwide. 

It eliminates up to 100% of visible dandruff from first use and rebalances the scalp microbiome, the invisible ecosystem of microorganisms on your scalp, to get 6 weeks of anti-relapse. 

It contains 1% selenium disulfide and also has 1% salicylic acid which gently exfoliates the scalp, Vitamin E which is an antioxidant and Ceramide R which recovers barrier function. 

For full details visit chemistwarehouse.co.nz

Check out our extended chat with Kārena and Kasey here and join us next Sunday for The House of Wellness on the Breeze.