Modern Rituals by Exhale

What if you could skip the noise and go straight to the habits that actually work?

📧 Hear more health hacks and wellness news by subscribing to our (free!) newsletter: https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/email

In this special compilation episode, your host and Exhale Co-Founder Alex Higham pulls together the 10 most powerful, practical and talked-about moments from our first 10 Modern Rituals guests.

From creatine dosing and fasting science to cold exposure, breathwork, sleep optimisation and stress resilience – this episode is your shortcut to the rituals that high performers actually use in real life.

You’ll hear:

• Dr Rupy on how much creatine most people actually need
• Tony Riddle’s simple starting point for breathwork
• Davinia Taylor’s non-negotiable sleep upgrades
• Fenwick Ridley’s step-by-step cold shower protocol
• Sarah Ann Macklin on what fasting gets right – and wrong
• Laird Hamilton on nature, light and performance longevity
• Grace Kingswell on why your oral microbiome matters more than you think
• Alex Manos on building real resilience (not just chasing biohacks)
• Dame Kelly Holmes on instinct vs data in health and performance
• Kevin O’Neill on using heat and cold to reset stress patterns

If you’re new to Modern Rituals, this is the perfect place to start!

If you’ve been with us since episode one, this is your reminder of the habits worth keeping 💪

🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/

☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/

#productivity #biohacking #exhalecoffee

Can you “biohack” better sleep, calmer cravings, and more energy – without living like a monk?

☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/

In this episode, Alex sits down with Davinia Taylor – biohacker, bestselling author and founder of WillPowders – to unpack the real-life rituals behind her energy, training, and “biological age” claim. They dive into fat-fasting, bone broth, dopamine, coffee quality, night-time carbs, and the simple sleep upgrades that make the biggest difference when you’re juggling kids, work, and a busy brain.

🎙️ About the guest:
Davinia Taylor is one of the UK’s most influential biohackers with a huge online community. She’s the author of multiple bestselling books on health and longevity, and the founder of Wool Powders, creating food-based products designed to support energy, cravings and everyday performance.

✍️ Davinia's Daily Rituals
• Grounding mat
• Ray lighting
• Blue light blocking glasses
• Blocking blue light from 4pm
• 9pm bedtime wind down
• 8-9 hours sleep
• Silicone ear plugs
• Blackout blinds
• Eye mask for sleep in the summer
• Nasal strip
• Melatonin drops
• Chamomile tea with collagen
• Windows open when sleeping
• All natural bed linen
• Bacon and eggs in the morning
• Black coffee first thing in the morning
• Gratitude list
• Run everyday
• Walk the verses and run the chorus of your favourite song
• Fat fasting
• Pop up infrared sauna

🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/

Follow Davinia:
Instagram: @daviniataylor
Website: willpowders.com
Facebook Group: For Fat Sake (FFS)

00:00 – Biological age of 20: inflammation markers explained
02:08 – What “biological age” really means
04:16 – “White knuckling”: sugar, alcohol & addiction loops
06:10 – Sleep as a longevity pillar (why modern life ruins it)
08:08 – Grounding mats, circadian lighting & blue light blockers
10:22 – Night routine stack: earplugs, melatonin, collagen & chamomile
14:42 – The “4pm chill” hack: calming magnesium + family chaos
18:20 – You can’t beat nature: food vs supplements (evolution wins)
20:07 – Saturated fat, cholesterol & why the science is changing
24:54 – Morning routine with 4 kids: eggs, bacon & fat-fuelled mornings
26:38 – Coffee & anxiety: moldy beans, dopamine & the right ritual
30:36 – Bacon debate: nitrates, local farming & ultra-processed food
33:42 – Sobriety & gratitude: rewiring your brain under pressure
35:53 – Ketones, electrolytes & the calm energy stack
36:58 – Running for dopamine: nootropics, dog runs & runner’s high
41:30 – Building a biohacking office: sauna, ice bath & Oura rings
44:15 – Fat fasting & autophagy: reducing cravings and staying sharp
50:41 – Carbs at night: the “carb coma” sleep strategy
56:16 – Best daily habit: infrared sauna for stress + better sleep

#daviniataylor #exhalecoffee #biohacking

What does it really take to stay strong, fast and resilient as we age?

📧 Hear more health hacks and wellness news by subscribing to our (free!) newsletter: https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/email

In this episode of Modern Rituals, Alex sits down with double Olympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes to unpack the habits, routines and mindset that have kept her moving for decades – long after elite sport.

From Parkrun and injury recovery to strength training, mobility, menopause and mindset, Kelly shares what she’s learned through the highs of Olympic success and the lows of long-term injuries and hormonal change. This is a grounded, honest conversation about adapting your training, letting go of perfection, and building a body that lasts.

🎙️ About the guest:
Dame Kelly Holmes is a double Olympic champion, former British Army physical training instructor, speaker and founder of Athena Effect – an annual event supporting and inspiring women through key life transitions.

🤝 Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/

Follow Dame Kelly Holmes:
Instagram: @damekellyholmes

✍️ Kelly's Modern Rituals:

• Hot bath and magnesium evening fore a big event
• Park run
• Couch to 5K
• Ice injuries immediately
• Hot and cold for injuries after 24 hours
• Creatine
• Turmeric and cumin
• Vitamin D
• Collagen
• Ashwagandha
• Interval training and fartleks to rebuild fitness
• 3-4 runs a week
• HIIT training
• Mobility every day

☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/

00:00 – Dame Kelly Holmes: Olympic Gold Mindset, Motivation & Quickfire Qs
03:36 – Parkrun Power: 100+ Runs, Community Stories & Grace’s Finish-Line Bench
07:32 – It’s Never Too Late to Start Running (Couch to 5K + Confidence Shifts)
10:14 – Injuries & Comebacks: How to Adapt Training Instead of Quitting
13:20 – Recovery Protocol for Runners: Ice First, Then Heat + Cold & Compression
15:58 – Best Supplements for Recovery: Creatine, Collagen, Turmeric, Vitamin D, Magnesium
20:33 – British Army PT Lessons: Discipline, Leadership, Resilience & Training Everyone
23:55 – Army to Olympics: “Corporal Holmes”, Qualifying Fast & The ‘What If’ Mindset
27:56 – Pro Runner Training Week: Twice-a-Day Sessions, Speed Endurance & Intensity
30:01 – Heart Rate Training Myth: Why “Numbers-Only” Can Hold You Back
33:35 – Training Now: Long Runs, Intervals & Fartlek (Plus Gym Alternatives in Winter)
43:21 – Strength Training for Longevity: Bone Density, Menopause & Lifting Smarter
51:58 – Daily Mobility Routine: Staying Supple, Preventing Injury & Running Consistently
55:01 – Nutrition for Performance (and Real Life): Balance, Protein, Race Prep & Recovery
1:04:29 – Menopause & Training: Strength Loss, Joint Pain, HRT + Anti-Inflammatory Support
1:10:04 – Final 3: Stop Procrastinating, Protect “Me Time” + Athena Effect Event

#kellyholmes #damekellyholmes #exhalecoffee

How do you actually build resilience and reduce stress in today's world?

📧 Hear more health hacks and wellness news by subscribing to our (free!) newsletter: https://exhalecoffee.com/pages/email

In this episode of Modern Rituals, functional medicine practitioner Alex Manos breaks down the science of resilience and how to build it through simple daily habits. We cover HRV and stress, gut health and fibre, breathwork, strength training, cold water therapy, and why most people are overcomplicating health. This is a practical, evidence-led conversation on how to improve your nervous system, immune resilience and long-term health – without chasing endless biohacks.

🎙️ About the guest:
Alex Manos is a functional medicine certified practitioner with a master’s in personalised nutrition. He’s the founder of Healthpath and creator of the Resilience Programme, specialising in gut health, breathwork and nervous system regulation.

✍️ Alex's modern rituals:

• Track your HRV
• Fermented foods
• Fruit, veg, wholegrains, lentils, chickpeas
• Psyllium Husk, PHGG
• Strength training
• Resistance training
• Values list
• Breath work and therapy
• Calm or Headspace app
• 5 mins of breathwork in the morning
• Cold water on your face daily
• Journal straight from the mind

Stay up to date with Modern Rituals podcast on:
Instagram: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/

Follow Alex Manos on:
Instagram: @alexandermanos
YouTube: @healthpath
Alex's resiliency program: https://www.alexmanos.co.uk/the-resiliency-program/
Gut microbiome testing: https://healthpath.com/gut-health-test/?referral=15

☕️ Brought to you by Exhale Coffee: https://exhalecoffee.com/

00:00 – Quick-fire health questions: Sleep trackers, supplements and gut myths
01:50 – What resilience really means (and why it’s hard to define)
04:30 – Hormesis explained: Why small stress builds long-term resilience
07:50 – How to know when stress becomes harmful (and where people go wrong)
08:55 – HRV explained: What heart rate variability actually tells you
11:20 – Low vs high HRV: Stress, burnout and nervous system states
14:40 – Using HRV to guide training, recovery and illness
17:45 – Why health tracking can increase anxiety for some people
18:55 – Physical resilience explained: Returning to baseline vs burnout
21:20 – Gut health and microbiome resilience
24:05 – Fibre intake explained: The most underrated longevity tool
26:25 – Supplements vs foundations: Why fibre beats biohacks
27:50 – Exercise and resilience: Strength, muscle and ageing
30:15 – Do you really need the gym to stay strong?
32:00 – Movement, strength and everyday resilience
34:35 – Mental resilience: Values, focus and decision-making
37:10 – How to identify your values and long-term direction
39:45 – Emotional resilience and managing stress responses
42:35 – Social connection and community as a health pillar
45:15 – Breathwork for nervous system regulation
47:10 – Why most people add too many habits (and should subtract instead)
49:10 – Cold water therapy explained: Benefits, risks and myths
51:20 – Cold exposure for immunity, recovery and mental resilience
54:00 – How often to do cold water therapy (and who should avoid it)
56:00 – Face dunking, vagus nerve stimulation and cold showers
58:40 – Building mental resilience through discomfort
01:01:00 – Simple daily breathwork practices anyone can start
01:03:40 – Spiritual resilience and staying grounded during stress
01:06:55 – Preparing for adversity before it happens
01:09:40 – The most overrated health advice
01:11:00 – One daily habit everyone should add
01:14:00 – Where to find Alex + current projects

#longevity #chronicstress #exhalecoffee

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/email

In 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: @yourexhale
TikTok: @yourexhale
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yourexhale/

Follow Kevin O'Neill:

Instagram: @breatheolution
TikTok: @breatheolution
Website: 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-flight
07:45 – Response vs reaction: The real goal of cold exposure
10:30 – Do cold showers improve immunity and resilience?
13:50 – Why breath work before ice baths can be dangerous
16:20 – How posture and body language affect cold tolerance
18:55 – Is colder always better? The truth about 5°C plunges
22:10 – Cold exposure, stress stacking and burnout risks
25:45 – Why cold water therapy isn’t for everyone
28:20 – Should you eat or drink coffee before cold exposure?
31:10 – How to breathe properly during cold water immersion
34:00 – Common cold water mistakes most people make
37:30 – Using heat and sauna to train stress resilience
40:20 – Breaking stress habits through discomfort
43:40 – Mouth taping, breathing and nervous system health
47:10 – CO₂ tolerance and the Bolt score explained
51:00 – One habit Kevin is trying to stop
54:00 – The most overrated health advice
55:40 – One daily ritual everyone should add
56:20 – Where to find Kevin and his work

#coldwater #coldwatertherapy #exhalecoffee