Eat Burn Sleep

What if the way we experience childbirth pain is shaped as much by hormones, breathing, and emotional safety as it is by the physical process itself?
Jenny Smith tells Yalda how breath, mindset, and feeling supported can transform the birth experience and help the body release its own natural pain relief.
In Part 2 of this conversation, experienced midwife Jenny Smith shares powerful insights into how women can feel calmer and more in control during labour. The discussion explores the role of breathing techniques, visualisation, and sound in helping the body release endorphins, its own natural painkillers.
Jenny also explains vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC), why listening to the mother’s instincts matters, and how the concept of a “natural cesarean” can create a more connected birth experience through delayed cord clamping and immediate skin-to-skin contact.
Jenny Smith is a clinical NHS and private midwife with over 35 years of experience across hospitals, community settings and home births. She has transformed mainstream labour wards, raising awareness of how infrastructure shapes birth culture — coining the term “Maternity Architecture.”
She has received awards for her work, lectured internationally, and is the author of Your Body, Your Baby, Your Birth and co-author of The Natural Caesarean: A Women-Centred Technique. Jenny founded the Jentle Childbirth Foundation and later established BirthContinua to empower and prepare parents for pregnancy, birth and parenthood.
Jenny is currently raising funds through her Walking the Circuit campaign to support her ongoing work improving maternity environments and birth experiences for families. You can support her fundraising efforts here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/walkingthecircuit
You can find out about Jenny at ⁠www.birthcontinua.com.
Share this episode with someone who is preparing for birth or who would benefit from understanding the powerful connection between mindset, physiology, and the birth experience.
#Childbirth #BirthEducation #EatBurnSleep

What if feeling safe, calm, and heard was the most powerful tool you had in labour?
Jenny Smith tells Yalda why listening to a mother’s instincts can completely change the birth experience.
In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Yalda speaks with midwife Jenny Smith about instinct, calm, and choice in labour. Drawing on over 35 years of experience, Jenny explains why birth should be led by women, not systems, and how stress, adrenaline, and environment can directly influence labour progression.
They explore positioning, privacy, and the importance of feeling heard, while also addressing guilt and fear around different birth outcomes.
This conversation is a reminder that every birth is unique, and that informed, supported choice matters.
Jenny Smith is a clinical NHS and private midwife with over 35 years of experience across hospitals, community settings, and home births. She has transformed mainstream labour wards, raising awareness of how infrastructure shapes birth culture, coining the term “Maternity Architecture.”
She has received awards for her work, lectured internationally, and is the author of Your Body, Your Baby, Your Birth and co-author of The Natural Caesarean: A Women-Centred Technique. Jenny founded the Jentle Childbirth Foundation and later established BirthContinua to empower and prepare parents for pregnancy, birth, and parenthood.
Jenny is currently raising funds through her Walking the Circuit campaign to support her ongoing work improving maternity environments and birth experiences for families. You can support her fundraising efforts here: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/walkingthecircuit
You can find out about Jenny at birthcontinua.com/

What if PCOS isn’t just about ovarian cysts, but about blood sugar and inflammation?
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome affects up to 1 in 10 women worldwide, yet it’s widely misunderstood.
In this episode, Yalda breaks down the real driver behind most PCOS cases: insulin resistance. She explains how blood sugar dysregulation, cortisol, sleep, gut health, and inflammation all interact to influence hormone balance.
You’ll learn why extreme fasting and high-intensity workouts can sometimes worsen symptoms, and why research consistently shows dietary and lifestyle changes as the first line of treatment. This episode is empowering, practical, and grounded in science.
Yalda Alaoui was diagnosed with two autoimmune diseases (Ulcerative Colitis in 2007 and Autoimmune Hemolytic Anemia in 2012), which catalyzed her research into health and nutrition. She traveled the world to find a solution, learning from specialists, nutritionists, naturopaths, and holistic doctors.
She is now the founder of Eat Burn Sleep, a science-based anti-inflammatory lifestyle platform helping people improve their health naturally.
Share this episode with a woman who needs to hear that PCOS is not a life sentence.
#PCOS #HormoneHealth #AntiInflammatoryLifestyle

Is food addiction really about sugar — or is it about unresolved emotional pain?
Steve Burns tells Yalda why sustainable weight loss requires emotional awareness, not just dietary discipline.
In Part 2 of this powerful conversation, therapist and addiction specialist Steve Burns joins Yalda to explore the emotional roots of food addiction. They discuss why sugar and dairy can trigger powerful neurological responses, how childhood reward systems shape adult cravings, and why restriction often backfires.
The episode dives into the role of emotional health in sustainable weight loss and explains why tracking emotions may be more important than counting calories. A must-listen for anyone struggling with cravings, emotional eating, or weight regain.
Steve Burns is a coach, therapist, and addiction specialist with over 20 years of experience working one-to-one with clients. His work focuses on emotional responsibility, healing unresolved pain, and helping people create lasting behavioural change without relying on quick fixes.
You can find out more about Steve at https://thetherapylounge.com.
Share this episode with someone who struggles with food addiction and don’t forget to follow the podcast for more conversations on sustainable health.

Addiction isn’t the problem. Pain is.
Steve Burns explains why healing starts with responsibility, not restraint.
What if addiction isn’t about lack of willpower, but about trying to survive emotional pain?
In Part 1 of this episode, Yalda sits down again with addiction specialist Steve Burns to unpack what addiction really is and why substances, food, work, or habits are often just coping strategies rather than the root problem.
They explore why lasting change only happens when someone chooses it for themselves, how unresolved trauma or emotional imbalance drives addictive behaviours, and why commitment, especially self-commitment, matters more than motivation. This is a powerful conversation about responsibility, healing, and why the body and mind are always wired for recovery.

Steve Burns is a coach, therapist, and addiction specialist with over 20 years of experience working one-to-one with clients. His work focuses on emotional responsibility, healing unresolved pain, and helping people create lasting behavioural change without relying on quick fixes.

You can find out more about Steve at https://thetherapylounge.com.