Modern Rituals by Exhale

What are most people getting wrong when it comes to cold water therapy?📧 Hear more health hacks and wellness news by subscribing to our (free!) newsletter: https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/emailIn this episode of Modern Rituals, Alex is joined by Kevin O’Neill – one of the UK’s leading cold water and breathwork practitioners – to cut through the noise around ice baths, cold showers and breathwork. Kevin explains why most people are doing cold exposure wrong, how stress, trauma and immunity all intersect, and how to use cold water as a tool for resilience rather than burnout. From breathwork safety to ideal temperatures, intention setting and common mistakes, this episode is essential listening for anyone experimenting with the cold.🎙️ About the guest:Kevin O’Neill is the founder of Breathevolution and a trauma-informed cold water therapist. He trains practitioners across the UK, works with PTSD, ADHD and anxiety, and is often described as the UK’s answer to Wim Hof – with a far more cautious, therapeutic approach.✍️ Kevin's modern rituals:• Cold shower every morning• Wait an hour until cold water therapy• ECG before cold water therapy• Add cold to the end of your warm shower • Start cold water therapy in the summer• Wait an hour after coffee for cold water• Empty stomach before cold water• Step in on the exhale • Change your seating in your sauna• Altitude mask• Mouth taping before sleep 🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:Instagram: @yourexhaleTikTok: @yourexhaleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/Follow Kevin O'Neill:Instagram: @breatheolutionTikTok: @breatheolutionWebsite: https://breatheolution.com/☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/00:00 – Ice bath or sauna: Which should you choose?02:30 – What temperature is best for cold water therapy?05:10 – Why cold water triggers fight-or-flight07:45 – Response vs reaction: The real goal of cold exposure10:30 – Do cold showers improve immunity and resilience?13:50 – Why breath work before ice baths can be dangerous16:20 – How posture and body language affect cold tolerance18:55 – Is colder always better? The truth about 5°C plunges22:10 – Cold exposure, stress stacking and burnout risks25:45 – Why cold water therapy isn’t for everyone28:20 – Should you eat or drink coffee before cold exposure?31:10 – How to breathe properly during cold water immersion34:00 – Common cold water mistakes most people make37:30 – Using heat and sauna to train stress resilience40:20 – Breaking stress habits through discomfort43:40 – Mouth taping, breathing and nervous system health47:10 – CO₂ tolerance and the Bolt score explained51:00 – One habit Kevin is trying to stop54:00 – The most overrated health advice55:40 – One daily ritual everyone should add56:20 – Where to find Kevin and his work#coldwater #coldwatertherapy #exhalecoffee

At 61, Laird Hamilton is still performing at a level most people never reach – at any age. Here’s how.📧 Hear more health hacks and wellness news by subscribing to our (free!) newsletter: https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/emailIn this episode of Modern Rituals, Alex sits down with big-wave surfing pioneer Laird Hamilton to unpack the daily rituals that keep him strong, resilient, and fully alive well into his sixties. From breathwork, heat and cold exposure, and ocean movement, to mindset, recovery, and redefining what “ageing well” really means — this is a masterclass in long-term performance without shortcuts or gimmicks.🎙️ About the guest:Laird Hamilton is widely regarded as one of the greatest surfers of all time and a pioneer of tow-in surfing. Beyond the waves, he’s an entrepreneur, father of three, and lifelong advocate for movement, nature-based training, and sustainable high performance.✍️ Laird's modern rituals:• 4-6 espresso shots in the morning• Shilajit and ocean minerals• Morning shower• Mineral water and lemon water• High fat diet• Protein and fats in coffee• MCT oil, palm oil• 6 raw eggs• Breath work• Strength training to failure• Stick to a sleep schedule• Hyperbaric chamber• Red bed• Solargaze every morning 🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:Instagram: @yourexhaleTikTok: @yourexhaleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/Follow Laird Hamilton:Instagram: @lairdhamiltonTikTok: @thereallaridhamiltonWebsite: https://lairdhamilton.com/Laird's wife Gabby Reece's podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/3KWrxXEWEJ5MTsA6tyDGTh00:00 – Surfing 100-foot waves02:16 – What “real” big-wave surfing means04:32 – Quitting alcohol + patience in midlife06:38 – Beginner mindset: Curiosity over ego08:44 – How surfers read waves11:10 – Why routines matter after 6013:25 – Laird Hamilton’s morning routine15:47 – High-fat coffee + fasted training18:16 – Endurance fuel: Fat vs protein21:29 – Training intuitively after injuries23:48 – Breathwork, heat + cold for durability27:33 – Lifestyle training vs rigid routines31:21 – Strength training for longevity37:44 – Pool training: Lifting in water39:59 – Cold exposure: Ice baths vs cold pools43:13 – Food flexibility + metabolic resilience45:56 – Sleep rules for recovery50:22 – Sunlight, solar gazing + health53:33 – Health hacks for city living56:24 – Why nature is non-negotiable1:00:25 – One habit to start tomorrow1:04:19 – Where to find Laird Hamilton☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/#lairdhamilton #exhalecoffee #health

Is everything you’ve been told about fertility, pregnancy and “healthy routines” actually helping – or quietly working against you?📧 Hear more health hacks and wellness news by subcribing to our (free!) newsletter: https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/emailIn this episode of Modern Rituals, Alex sits down with Grace Kingswell to cut through the noise around fertility, pregnancy and everyday health habits. From protein-first breakfasts and fasting myths, to caffeine, supplements, light exposure and oral health, Grace shares what actually matters — and what’s wildly overhyped. Expect practical, sometimes uncomfortable truths about food, stress, exercise and modern wellness advice, grounded in real-world experience and current science.🎙️ About the guest:Grace Kingswell is a nutritional therapist (BANT, CNHC) with 7 years clinical experience. She supports couples on their fertility journey either trying naturally or with ART (IVF, ICSI) cycles. She specialises in fertility and complex cases (Autoimmunity, Mould etc) as well as early years childhood and starting solids. ✍️ Grace's modern rituals:• Breakfast with protein, fat, fibre & carbs• Eggs, veg, ferments, meat, sourdough • Yogurt with whey protein, seeds & fruit• 70% beef 30% beef liver mince meat• Jump up and down x 100• Morning daylight exposure • Red lighting• Oil pulling• Fluoride free toothpaste• High quality pre-natal• Vaginal probiotic• Oura ring• Sensate• Turn your wifi off overnight🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:Instagram: @yourexhaleTikTok: @yourexhaleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/Follow Grace Kingswell:Instagram: @gracekingswellGrace's website: https://www.gracekingswell.com/Grace's podcast State of Mind: https://www.gracekingswell.com/my-podcastGrace's podcast Two's Company: https://open.spotify.com/show/77x1bItC7xvo0UHs9Glgtg☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/00:00 – NHS pregnancy guidance is outdated + why Grace “bashes” Pregnacare02:05 – Grace’s story: IVF, second pregnancy + what’s different this time04:17 – “Breakfast doesn’t have to look like breakfast”: what to eat for fertility06:06 – Eggs & veg, choline for fertility + Grace’s egg intolerance workaround09:58 – First trimester survival mode + why prep before conception matters12:09 – Pregnancy food fearmongering13:14 – Caffeine debate: NHS guidance vs research + what Grace recommends14:46 – Coffee & fertility: tolerance, cortisol, and exercise intensity considerations18:33 – Fasting: why Grace is cautious (especially for women) + better timing if you do fast21:09 – Trendy “intermittent fasting” patterns + should pregnant women avoid fasting?23:26 – Ice baths & sauna in pregnancy: what’s safe, what’s not25:03 – Lymph health: the “100 jumps” morning routine + why it matters26:25 – Morning routine + circadian health: daylight exposure and avoiding blue light27:22 – LEDs, circadian lighting, blue blockers + evening light hygiene31:19 – Oil pulling & oral microbiome: why mouth health matters for fertility33:42 – Morning brushing, tongue scraping + oil pulling best practices35:33 – Fluoride vs hydroxyapatite toothpaste + mouth breathing and oral biofilm37:50 – Fertility supplements: why quality matters + what Grace prioritises39:25 – Sleep in pregnancy: progesterone effects, magnesium, glycine + realistic expectations42:16 – Sleep trackers (Oura/Garmin), stress scores + what actually helps44:10 – Sensate/vagus nerve stimulation + HRV improvements46:54 – What HRV is + how to interpret it properly48:32 – Closing Q1: habit to stop (and why Grace wants more weight training)49:22 – Exercise in pregnancy: what to avoid starting mid-pregnancy + why strength matters52:06 – Closing Q2 + Q3: veganism, daylight exposure + turning Wi-Fi off at night52:54 – Where to find Grace + her podcasts & next steps#icewater #coldwater #iceswimming

What really happens to your mind and body in just two minutes of cold water? 📧 Hear more health hacks and wellness news by subscribing to our (free!) newsletter: https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/emailIn this episode of Modern Rituals, Alex sits down with Fenwick Ridley, AKA the 'Ice Viking', to separate cold water facts from fiction. Fenwick shares what cold exposure actually does for stress, focus and resilience – why longer isn’t better, how to avoid common mistakes, and how anyone can safely build cold tolerance at home.This is cold therapy without the macho nonsense.🎙️ About the guest:Fenwick Ridley is the captain of Team GB Ice Swimming and an extreme cold exposure coach. Known as the “Ice Viking”, he competes in sub-zero waters and helps people use cold and heat to build resilience, recovery and mental strength — safely.✍️ Fenwick's modern rituals:• pool and open water swimming• Ice bath & gym• Sauna• Burst training• 30 sec - 2 min of cold water exposure• Wearing shorts and T-shirts all year round • Cold shower on shoulders first• Conscious breathing• Music & mantras• Elite Hydrate• Sugary drink• Cocooning to warm up• 10 min sauna at 100 degrees• 3-4 reps of hot and cold🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:Instagram: @yourexhaleTikTok: @yourexhaleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/Follow Fenwick Ridley:Instagram: @fenwickridleyTikTok: @gbicevikingYouTube: @fenwickridleySaunas with Fenwick: https://www.northumbriansauna.co.uk/about-5☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/00:00 Ice swimming in sub-zero temperatures (cold open)02:32 Is there a temperature that’s too cold for the human body?05:51 The mindset needed for cold water swimming08:08 What competitive ice swimming actually involves10:36 How ice swimmers train week to week13:02 Chopping ice and training safely in frozen lakes14:59 Listening to your body vs pushing through discomfort17:16 Becoming friends with discomfort and pain19:30 How sauna training improves cold tolerance21:36 Why longer ice baths don’t mean more benefits23:04 Brown fat explained and how to build it26:01 Daily habits that increase cold tolerance27:42 How beginners should start cold exposure30:22 How long you actually need in cold water32:22 Using cold exposure as a daily ritual34:48 Breathing and mental preparation before cold exposure36:40 Is cold exposure safe if you have Raynaud’s?40:27 Understanding cold shock and afterdrop44:17 The safest way to rewarm after cold water48:03 Why jumping around after cold exposure can be dangerous52:12 How to use sauna and cold for contrast therapy55:01 Beginner guide to sauna and cold cycles57:34 How often to do contrast therapy1:00:43 Why hydration matters for cold and heat exposure1:03:27 Swimming in the Arctic and extreme cold adventures1:05:13 Habits to stop for better resilience1:07:25 The daily habit everyone should build: discomfort#icewater #coldwater #iceswimming

Could ditching the shoes & ditching your furniture be the best thing for your mind and body?☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/In this episode, Alex sits down with natural lifestyle pioneer Tony Riddle to explore the daily habits that reconnect us with how our bodies are meant to move, breathe and live. From barefoot running to posture, breathwork, cold exposure and rewilding our routines, Tony breaks down what we’ve lost in modern life – and how this is impacting our minds and bodies. 🎙️ About the guest:Tony Riddle is a natural lifestyle coach, ultra-endurance athlete and author of Be More Human. His work focuses on rewilding modern life through movement, breath, nature and grounded, human-first habits.✍️ Tony's modern rituals:* No sitting furniture * Run barefoot* Wildsole or Earth runners shoes * Red light therapy* Daily grounding * Wake up at 5am* No eating after 6pm* Train in the morning* Circadian light bulbs* The Breathing app🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:Instagram: @yourexhaleTikTok: @yourexhaleFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/Follow Tony RiddleInstagram: @thenaturallifestylistTikTok: @naturallifestylistYouTube: @thenaturallifestylistWebsite: https://www.tonyriddle.com/homeTony's next 10-month transformation program 'Redefining 50' starts in January 2026 so do check it out!#naturalist #dailyroutine #grounding