What a way to wrap up 2025! Join Mike and Carolyn for the last time this year on The House of Wellness with Chemist Warehouse on the Breeze, as they look back on some of our favourite guests, Paddy Gower, Dr Stacy Sims, Dr Libby and Hayley Holt.

Plus, we hear from ArrowKat creator and school principal Michael Fletcher, psychologist Sara Chatwin and resident pharmacist Piyara Perera. 

Featured Guest: Sara Chatwin

Registered psychologist Sara Chatwin says that whilst the festive season is full of joy, it can easily tip people into burnout, especially when it becomes all about meeting everyone else’s needs. 

She recommends making a plan, explaining that writing everything down helps cut through the mental “white noise,” often revealing that the to-do list is more manageable than it feels. 

Sara also encourages easing the false urgency that surrounds December and remembering that catch-ups and commitments can happen after Christmas.

“There’s a lot of stuff that we can’t control, so let’s just get a handle on the stuff that we can,” she said. 

Featured Guest: Michael Fletcher

School principal Michael Fletcher is the founder of ArrowKat, a coaching approach born from his own experience of burnout and imbalance. 

At the height of his stress, Michael realised work was taking the bulk of his energy, leaving only “crumbs” for his family, and that there was little structured support for leaders, especially in education. 

Describing himself as a “meerkat coach,” he encourages people to pause, take a breath and look at the bigger picture, shifting from constantly firefighting problems to preventing them.

2025 Wrap: Paddy Gower, Dr Stacy Sims, Dr Libby & Hayley Holt

Earlier in the year, journalist and June’s cover of The House of Wellness magazine, Paddy Gower, sat down with host Mel Homer to share how sticking to daily habits has significantly improved his wellbeing. 

Paddy explained how removing alcohol, reducing screen time, exercising, hydrating and eating well have enhanced his sleep, energy and creativity. 

Dr Stacy Sims joined us to discuss practical strategies to help menopausal women feel and move better, focusing on recovery, mobility and sustainable lifestyle habits rather than quick fixes. 

She emphasised the importance of quality sleep, strength training with heavy weights, supportive nutrition and daily mindfulness to manage stress.

Dr Libby was in to discuss monitoring iron levels, particularly for women who train hard, menstruate or are in perimenopause. 

She highlighted how low iron can contribute to anxiety, poor sleep and fatigue due to its role in neurotransmitter production.  

Broadcaster and May’s cover of The House of Wellness magazine, Hayley Holt shared her deeply personal experience of pregnancy loss, grief and rebuilding her life. 

She explained how living through the pain, rather than avoiding it, helped her heal, and she reflected on how the experience taught her compassion and resilience. 

Resident Pharmacist Piyara Perera

This week, Piyara had all the best tips and advice for surviving the Kiwi summer. 

As the summer heat intensifies, there is a predictable rise in warm-weather health issues, with sunburn and dehydration topping the list. 

Sunburn often catches people out when sunscreen isn’t reapplied or on those overcast days that still deliver damaging UV. Dehydration, on the other hand, can quietly escalate into heat exhaustion or even heat stroke, especially for children, older adults and outdoor workers. 

Piyara recommends staying well hydrated by eating water-rich foods, carrying electrolyte sachets to replace the salts lost through sweating, and, of course, drinking plenty of water. 

Featured Product: Biolage Professional Hair Spa

Biolage Professional Hair Spa is haircare that syncs science with nature. 

Each franchise of Biolage has a unique concentration of two key ingredients - each measured in micrograms per 100ml, for the perfect dose of the concentrate’s benefit per formula. 

All of the Biolage formulas are vegan with no animal-derived ingredients or byproducts and are cruelty-free. The bottles and caps are made with 100% recycled plastic, and they are made in a factory using 100% renewable energy. 

Biolage offers a conscious choice to nourish the hair, uplift personal spirit and care for the planet - all in a bottle. 

For full details, visit chemistwarehouse.co.nz

Catch you all in the new year for The House of Wellness on the Breeze.