From high-functioning burnout to quiet disconnection in the body, this episode explores why so many women feel “fine” on the outside, yet chronically tense, exhausted, or overwhelmed underneath.

Hosts Judy Daghestani and Tamara Khoury sit down with Constanze Witzel, Frankfurt-born, Dubai-based trauma-informed somatic coach and breathwork facilitator, to unpack what nervous system regulation actually means, beyond trends, performative healing, or surface-level wellness.

Together, they explore how stress, trauma, and modern life live in the body, why many women move through life in a state of functional freeze, and how true healing begins with safety, not force, discipline, or optimization. Constanze shares her own journey through early instability, modeling, and spiritual bypassing, and explains why embodiment, gentleness, and awareness are the missing pieces for many high-achieving women.

This conversation reframes healing as a process of listening rather than fixing and offers grounded tools that can be integrated into real life, not just retreats or perfect routines.

In this episode, we explore: – What the nervous system really is and how it shapes daily life – Somatic healing vs performative wellness trends – Why women burn out in their 30s despite “doing everything right” – Functional freeze, over-stimulation, and chronic tension – The role of safety in trauma-informed healing – Why intensity (ice baths, forceful breathwork) can backfire for women – Somatic breathwork explained in plain language – Micro practices that support regulation in work, family, and relationships – Technology, AI, and why human presence still matters

At its core, this episode is a reminder that your body isn’t broken, it’s responding intelligently to the world around you. Healing doesn’t require becoming someone else. It starts with remembering how to feel safe inside yourself.

If this conversation resonates, share it with a woman who needs permission to slow down without guilt.

🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify & YouTube @balancednotboringpodcast

🔁 Share with a parent or woman who needs better answers

🔔 Subscribe to Balanced Not Boring for real conversations about modern life, wellness, and womanhood

From filters that turn faces into templates… to procedures that promise “fixes” instead of understanding – this episode opens a conversation about aesthetics, aging, and identity in a culture where women feel pressure to look forever 35.

Host Judy Daghestani sits down with Dr. Dany Touma, a US-trained, board-certified dermatologist and laser surgeon, to unpack the rise of esthetic medicine, the psychology behind “tweak-ments,” and why wanting to look good doesn’t have to mean losing yourself in the process.

They explore how social media and technology distort our perception of beauty, why so many people regret being “overdone,” and how true expertise can make the difference between aging well and erasing individuality. This isn’t a debate about whether cosmetic work is right or wrong – it’s a conversation about context, safety, and self-connection.

If you’ve ever felt torn between embracing aging and keeping up with unrealistic standards, this episode offers nuance instead of judgment.

We dive into: – The cultural shift toward cosmetic enhancement – Filters, AI, and why beauty feels more performative – How medical expertise changes safety + results – Identity loss from look-alike trends and over-filled faces – Why some people reverse cosmetic work – What “aging well” actually looks like – Boundaries, pressures, and choosing for yourself

At its core, this episode reframes aesthetic medicine as a tool – not a mandate – and invites women to make informed, aligned decisions rather than reactive ones.

If this episode resonates, pass it to someone navigating the noise around beauty, aging, and modern aesthetics.

🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify & YouTube @balancednotboringpodcast

🔁 Share with a parent or woman who needs better answers

🔔 Subscribe to Balanced Not Boring for real conversations about modern life, wellness, and womanhood

From the quiet changes most women never see coming… to the confusion that gets mislabeled as stress or “just life” – this episode unpacks what perimenopause actually is, and why it deserves better language than fear or silence. Host Tamara Khoury sits down with Tina Chagoury, a licensed clinical dietitian specializing in women's hormone health, to break down a transition that touches everything – energy, sleep, mood, metabolism, body composition – long before anyone calls it menopause.They explore how erratic hormones can look like anxiety, fatigue, inflammation, or stubborn weight gain, why so many women feel “off” in their mid-30s, and how to support the body without extremes, restriction, or fear-driven nutrition. The message here isn’t decline – it’s clarity, context, and compassion.If you’ve ever wondered why your body feels different despite nothing changing on the outside, this episode will make things make sense. We dive into:– What perimenopause actually is– The early signs nobody explains– Estrogen, progesterone & testosterone in plain language– Misdiagnosis & mental health during hormone shifts– Why blood sugar + muscle are major players for women 35+– The problem with “eat less, train more” culture– How to nourish instead of deplete– Why this phase isn’t the end – it’s an evolutionAt its core, this conversation reframes perimenopause as a second learning curve – one that becomes far less overwhelming when women are given information instead of fear.If this episode resonates, share it with a woman who deserves to feel informed, not blindsided.

🎧 Listenon Apple, Spotify & YouTube @balancednotboringpodcast

🔁 Sharewith a parent or woman who needs better answers

🔔Subscribe to Balanced Not Boring for real conversations about modern life,wellness, and womanhood

What if your allergies aren’t just environmental — but emotional too?

In this all new episode of Balanced Not Boring, we explore how stress, emotional load, hormones, and gut health can quietly trigger allergies, histamine reactions, eczema, and sensitivities — especially in women and children.

We’re joined by Dr. Shireen Marzouk, Consultant Pediatrician & Allergist at Circle Care Clinic, to unpack why allergy rates are rising, why women experience symptoms differently than men, and how burnout, PMS, pregnancy, and modern life can push the immune system into overdrive.

We talk about:
-Histamine intolerance vs true allergies
-Why “burnout” symptoms can actually be immune reactions
-Daily antihistamines vs addressing the root cause
-How a mother’s stress and gut health shape her baby’s immunity
-Early signs of allergies, eczema, and food reactions in kids
-Modern triggers like ultra-processed foods, mold, dust, and fragrance

This is a grounded, research-backed conversation for anyone feeling reactive, inflamed, or dismissed — or raising a child with unexplained symptoms.

📩 DM ALLERGY for our allergy testing cheat sheet that can save you a lot of time!🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify & YouTube @balancednotboringpodcast 🔁 Share with a parent or woman who needs better answers

Motherhood changes everything — but it doesn’t have to erase you.

In this honest, feel-seen episode, new mama Tamara sits down with co-host Judy, a seasoned mom of two, to talk about the identity shift no one prepares you for after having kids. We unpack the messy middle of motherhood: learning who you are now, balancing ambition with family life, letting go of outdated timelines, and realizing that growth doesn’t stop — it evolves.

This is a conversation about choosing yourself without guilt, redefining success on your own terms, and understanding that age is just a number — especially when you’re becoming more you than ever.

Whether you’re a new mom, a mom of many, or simply navigating your next chapter, this episode is your reminder: you’re allowed to want more and love your life as it is.

🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts & Spotify @balancednotboringpodcast
🔔 Subscribe to Balanced Not Boring for real conversations about modern life, wellness, and womanhood

Is this the loneliest we’ve ever been?

In this cozy, honest episode, Judy and Tamara reflect on modern loneliness — the kind that exists even when you’re constantly connected, scrolling, and “keeping up.”

We talk about how social media quietly reshapes our capacity for friendship: how being inundated with information, updates, and comparison can leave us emotionally maxed out — with less energy for real connection.

From friendship changes in our 30s, to motherhood, to connection fatigue, to the loss of spontaneity, this conversation is for anyone who feels close to people online… but far from them in real life.

Maybe connection doesn’t need to be constant.
Maybe it just needs to be real.

🎧 Share this episode with someone you miss — or comment “Friend” and we’ll send it your way.

Chapters

00:00:00 – Welcome to Balance Not Boring & today’s topic

00:00:20 – Are we more connected yet lonelier than ever?

00:01:45 – The loss of spontaneity & unannounced visits

00:04:15 – Why phone calls feel draining in modern life

00:07:28 – Ambition, FOMO, and the nonstop pace of adulthood

00:10:46 – Community, neighbors, and why village life disappeared

00:13:25 – Childhood friendships vs friendships in your 30s

00:16:20 – Social media, overstimulation, and emotional burnout

00:19:32 – Disconnection, virtual friendships, and growing isolation

00:22:34 – Tech, the future, and longing for a slower life

00:25:22 – Burnout, boundaries, and protecting your energy

00:27:34 – Accepting changing friendships as you grow

00:30:45 – Letting go, maturity, and emotional vs logical thinking

00:33:10 – Being your own best friend and narrowing your circle

00:36:12 – How this friendship and podcast came together

00:36:58 – Final reflections on evolving friendships & priorities

Welcome back to Balanced Not Boring 🎙️ A wellness podcast that keeps things real, relatable, and science-backed.

We’ve talked about gut health before — but today, we’re uncovering one of the most misunderstood topics in women’s wellness: the gut-hormone connection.

Ever feel like you’re eating healthy, working out, and sleeping okay... yet still feel bloated, tired, or off? You’re not imagining it. Your gut could be sending signals about your hormones; and today, we’re decoding what that means.

Joining us is Tonie-Maria Abi Nader, Registered Dietitian & Nutritionist, mom of two, and founder of Generation H. Tonie helps women simplify nutrition, balance their metabolism, and build sustainable habits that actually work.

✨ Tune in to learn:

-How your gut impacts your hormones & mood

-Why “doing everything right” might still not work

-Signs your metabolism needs a reset

-How to eat and live in sync with your body

Because balance isn’t built in a smoothie — it’s built in how you eat, sleep, move, and recover.

Chapers:

00:00 Episode Introduction

00:45 Sponsor Message – Generation H

02:00 Welcome to Balanced Not Boring

02:40 Toni Maria Story and Gut Health Journey

07:00 Gut Health Basics Explained

12:00 Daily Habits for Better Digestion

17:00 Blood Sugar and Energy Control

22:00 Protein, Snacks and Meal Timing

27:30 Leaky Gut and Inflammation

32:00 Supplements You Actually Need

37:00 Food Myths Debunked

42:00 Best Foods for Gut Healing

47:00 Generation H – Brand Story

50:00 Generation H – Purpose and Vision

54:30 Final Advice and Wrap Up

🎧 Listen now on YouTube, Spotify & Apple Podcasts @balancednotboringpodcast

Episode sponsored by @generationh.ae (www.generationh.ae); your easy one stop shop for healthy eats pre approved by TONIE herself!

#guthealth #hormonebalance #balancednotboring #podcast #womenshealth #nutrition #metabolism #bloating #energy #wellnesspodcast #generationH #uaepodcast #dubaiwellness

From teen years spent trying to fit in… to motherhood that reshapes not just your body but your identity — this new episode peels back the layers on how women’s relationships with their bodies evolve. 🩶

Co-host Judy Daghestani + Baraa El Sabbagh - a Dietitian and Adidas Athlete - open up about growing up between California + the Middle East during the era of Victoria’s Secret models and beauty pageants, cultural beauty pressures, and the unspoken weight of comparison.

They explore what happens when admiration turns into obsession — and how to find your way back to partnership with your body instead of judgment through structured, flexible eating habits.

If you’ve ever looked in the mirror and felt you weren’t enough, this one’s for you. 🪞

We dive into:

-Seeing your body as an object to treating it like a partner

-Generational + cross-cultural beauty trends that shaped our self-worth

-Body comments during family visits that stayed with them

-Pregnancy & motherhood as turning points for body appreciation

-Simple food structure that supports freedom, not fear

-Why our body is only 10% of who we are

-Reparenting themselves so their kids inherit a healthier narrative

00:00 – Intro: Welcome to Balanced Not Boring

00:29 – Guest Intro: Baraa Sabbagh’s Wellness Journey

01:15 – Understanding Body Image in Women

02:04 – Trigger Warning & Episode Overview

02:25 – When Body Image Awareness Begins

02:56 – Cultural Shifts & Body Comparison

04:05 – Puberty, Identity & Belonging

05:01 – Thinness Culture & Media Influence

05:42 – Victoria’s Secret & Unrealistic Beauty Standards

07:03 – Impact of Teenage Body Ideals

07:39 – How Early Conditioning Affects Women Today

09:02 – Shifting From Pressure to Body Respect

09:56 – Pregnancy’s Role in Body Acceptance

11:07 – Seeing the Body as Miraculous, Not an Object

12:05 – Mindful Nourishment During Pregnancy

12:40 – Fitness Extremes & Perfectionism in Our 20s

13:23 – When Healthy Becomes Controlling

14:21 – Perfectionism, High Standards & Self-Pressure

16:13 – Stress, Gut Health & the Mind-Body Connection

17:47 – Breaking the Cycle of Extreme Dieting

18:27 – Asking “Why?” Behind Your Health Goals

19:30 – Balancing Discipline With Flexibility

20:49 – Intuitive Eating vs Structured Eating

22:47 – Building Trust With Your Body

23:37 – Enjoying Food Without Guilt

24:55 – “Just Get Back On Track” Mindset

25:44 – Big Picture Thinking Around Health

26:25 – Accepting Natural Body Changes

27:15 – Emotional Eating & Mindful Awareness

28:33 – Breaking Unhealthy Eating Cycles

29:06 – Motherhood, Stress & Healthy Routines

29:56 – Glow With B: Supporting Women Holistically

31:40 – Why Meal Variety Matters for Families

32:10 – How to Raise Kids With a Healthy Body Image

33:01 – Food & Body as Only 10% of the Pie

34:02 – Embodying Balance as a Parent

36:04 – Body Comments in Arab Culture

37:29 – Disempowering Hurtful Comments

38:07 – Breaking Generational Conditioning

39:33 – Confidence & Protecting Your Peace

40:08 – Body Ideals Across Cultures

41:19 – What She Eats in a Day (Realistic Day of Eating)

42:09 – One Tip to Start Eating More Mindfully

43:12 – What Her Body Would Say Today

43:39 – Working With Your Body, Not Against It

44:26 – Practicing Real (Not Cringe) Self-Love

45:13 – Your Body as a Partner, Not an Enemy

46:06 – Final Thoughts & Where to Find Baraa

🎧 Listen on Apple, Spotify & YouTube @balancednotboringpodcast