Master Stress with Dr. S

Safia Debar
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Welcome to Master Stress with Dr. S, the podcast that empowers high-achievers to unlock their full potential by mastering stress and achieving burnout-proof success. Hosted by Dr. Safia Debar, a renowned stress expert, medical doctor, speaker and coach. Each episode dives deep into the neuroscience of stress, blending logic and intuition to give you practical tools for thriving in a fast-paced world. Whether you’re navigating the pressures of leadership, striving for peak performance, or yearning for a life of balance and freedom, Dr. Safia Debar will guide you through powerful strategies, expert insights, and personal stories to help you regain control, nurture your well-being, and live authentically. Tune in to discover how to stop stress from holding you back and start living your best, empowered life.

  1. 4d ago

    I Am Because We Are: African Traditional Medicine and the Wisdom of Ubuntu

    Dr. Safia Debar continues “When Science Met Soul” by highlighting African traditional medicine through the story of Charles Stevens, who recovered from tuberculosis in the late 1800s using a South African healer’s plant remedy later identified as Pelargonium sidoides (African geranium), now supported by clinical trials, a Cochrane review, and UK studies for bronchitis as an antibiotic alternative. She argues African healing is the oldest yet most under-researched tradition, disrupted by colonialism’s dismantling of oral knowledge, despite widespread reliance on traditional medicine and WHO support for integration. Central is Ubuntu—“a person is a person through other persons”—presented as a clinical model of relational health, aligned with WHO 2024 findings on loneliness and research on social connection and polyvagal regulation. She also reviews evidence on rooibos and devil’s claw, and offers practical “prescriptions”: audit real co-regulating relationships, consider African geranium for respiratory infections, and mindfully drink rooibos. 00:00 Stevens TB Remedy 03:37 Why Africa Ignored 07:42 Ubuntu Explained 11:04 Connection Science 14:33 Polyvagal Meets Ubuntu 17:38 Medicinal Plants Evidence 21:51 Why Research Lags 23:34 Three Part Prescription 26:50 Series Wrap Up 29:05 Final Takeaway Connect with Dr Safia Debar Dr Safia Debar Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator  One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020 www.drsafiadebar.com contact@drsafiadebar.com IG: @drsafiadebar Tiktok: drsafiadebar Find our free resources here: www.drsafiadebar.com/resource

  2. Aug 10

    Ibn Sina and Prophetic Medicine: The Tradition That Taught the World — and the One That Keeps Being Proved Right

    Dr. Safia Debar continues her “When Science Met Soul” series with a tour of two coexisting medical traditions: Ibn Sina (Avicenna)’s empirically grounded Canon of Medicine (1025 CE) and Tibb an-Nabawi (prophetic medicine) rooted in revelation and prophetic example. She explains how the five-volume Canon shaped European medical education for about 600 years, highlights Ibn Sina’s evidence-based method, personalized constitutional medicine (mijaz), early ideas resembling germ theory and quarantine, and detailed mind-body observations akin to somatization and PTSD. She then reviews modern research aligned with prophetic practices, including clinical trials on black seed (Nigella sativa), fasting and autophagy (Nobel Prize 2016), honey’s antimicrobial uses, olive oil and cardiovascular benefits (PREDIMED), and wudu’s cold-water effects on parasympathetic activation. She closes with practical suggestions to assess mijaz, consider black seed oil and fasting with appropriate advice, and stay open and curious about shared principles like homeostasis. 00:00 Ancient Medicine Tour 02:36 Avicenna and the Canon 03:33 Who Was Ibn Sina 05:37 Scientific Method in 1025 07:38 Inside the Five Volumes 09:42 Avicenna’s Key Breakthroughs 13:58 Homeostasis and the Bridge 16:05 Introducing Prophetic Medicine 17:38 Black Seed Evidence 19:40 Fasting and Autophagy 21:57 Honey and Olive Oil 23:00 Wudu and Vagal Toning 23:56 Practical Prescription 25:50 Closing Reflections Connect with Dr Safia Debar Dr Safia Debar Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator  One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020 www.drsafiadebar.com contact@drsafiadebar.com IG: @drsafiadebar Tiktok: drsafiadebar Find our free resources here: www.drsafiadebar.com/resource

  3. Aug 3

    Hippocrates, Humours, and Why Your Gut Is Still Running the Show

    Dr. Safia Debar explains that Western medicine’s founders, Hippocrates and Galen, centered care on the body’s innate capacity to heal and the physician’s role in supporting it (“first, do no harm”), a philosophy she says modern practice kept in wording but largely abandoned. She recounts Hippocrates’ shift from supernatural to observational, evidence-based medicine; links his “healing power of nature” to homeostasis and modern stress physiology; and connects his gut-centered view of disease to contemporary gut-brain-axis and microbiome findings. She then describes Galen’s systemization of Hippocratic ideas, including the four temperaments and observations on emotion’s physical effects, and notes Arab scholars preserved and transmitted Galenic medicine to Europe. She offers four applications: ask what blocks recovery, know your temperament, prioritize gut health, and observe emotional-physical patterns, previewing a next episode on Ibn Sina and prophetic medicine. 00:00 Science Meets Soul Intro 01:50 Healing Power Forgotten 04:28 Who Was Hippocrates 06:47 Vis Medicatrix Naturae 09:22 Homeostasis And Stress 11:31 All Disease Begins Gut 14:42 Humors To Precision Medicine 17:04 Meet Galen In Rome 20:19 Four Temperaments Explained 25:08 Emotions And Disease Link 27:12 Arab Scholars Preserved Medicine 28:07 Four Practical Applications 33:28 Closing Summary Next Episode Connect with Dr Safia Debar Dr Safia Debar Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator  One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020 www.drsafiadebar.com contact@drsafiadebar.com IG: @drsafiadebar Tiktok: drsafiadebar Find our free resources here: www.drsafiadebar.com/resource

  4. Jul 27

    Traditional Chinese Medicine: The Nobel Prize and the Ancient Map

    Dr. S continues a series on ancient medical systems by exploring Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) through modern scientific parallels. The episode opens with Tu Youyou’s 2015 Nobel-winning discovery of artemisinin for malaria, traced to a 1,700-year-old text recommending Artemisia annua for fever. TCM is presented as a 2,500-year-old medical system including herbal medicine, acupuncture/acupressure, dietary therapy, Tai Chi, and Qi Gong, centered on qi flowing through meridians; fascia research is discussed as a possible physical substrate for meridians, and acupuncture is described as having mechanisms beyond placebo (endorphins, blood flow, inflammation, autonomic effects) with evidence for chronic pain and nausea. The script also notes a 2024 review on TCM for type 2 diabetes and highlights Qi Gong’s benefits for HRV and stress regulation. Listeners are given three practical takeaways: PC6 acupressure, adding bitter foods, and a 1:2 inhale-exhale Qi Gong breathing practice. 00:00 Nobel Prize Origins 03:18 What Is TCM 04:03 Qi Meridians Explained 05:27 Fascia Changes Minds 08:39 Acupuncture Evidence 10:33 Herbal Medicine Research 13:42 Qigong For Stress 15:46 Three TCM Practices 19:29 Longevity Routine Rant 21:00 Wrap Up And Next Connect with Dr Safia Debar Dr Safia Debar Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator  One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020 www.drsafiadebar.com contact@drsafiadebar.com IG: @drsafiadebar Tiktok: drsafiadebar Find our free resources here: www.drsafiadebar.com/resource

  5. Jul 20

    Ayurveda: The 3,000-Year-Old Science That Described the Vagus Nerve

    Dr. S begins a series on ancient traditions by exploring Ayurveda as a 3,000-year-old medical system, not “exotic wellness,” and highlights parallels with modern science, especially the vagus nerve, the gut-brain axis, and personalized medicine. Citing research from India’s National Ayurveda Research Institute (2019), the episode describes how five Vata subtypes in the Charaka Samhita map onto five primary vagus nerve functions described in Stephen Porges’ polyvagal theory. Key concepts include the doshas (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) and Prakriti (constitutional type), with mention of Ayurgenomics showing differing genetic expression profiles. The episode also covers Agni (digestive fire), ama, and Dinacharya aligned with circadian biology. Practical takeaways include assessing Prakriti, evaluating digestion and meal timing, and alternate nostril pranayama to support HRV, lower cortisol, and parasympathetic tone, while emphasizing integrative, not replacement, care. 00:00 Science Meets Ayurveda 06:02 Not Wellness Hype 08:09 Doshas Explained 10:50 Vata Meets Vagus 12:53 Agni And Gut Brain 14:34 Dinacharya And Circadian 17:19 Three Practical Takeaways 18:32 Prakriti Assessment 19:55 Agni Meal Timing 21:05 Pranayama For HRV 22:18 Integrative Closing Connect with Dr Safia Debar Dr Safia Debar Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator  One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020 www.drsafiadebar.com contact@drsafiadebar.com IG: @drsafiadebar Tiktok: drsafiadebar Find our free resources here: www.drsafiadebar.com/resource

  6. Jul 13

    What Did the Ancients Know That Your Doctor Doesn't?

    Dr. S introduces the “When Science Met Soul” series with an overview of major ancient medical traditions and the shared premise that humans are an integrated body–mind–soul system with an innate tendency toward balance, while disease reflects blockage or imbalance and the physician’s role is to remove obstacles rather than override healing. She contrasts this with the modern “body-as-machine” model, affirming modern medicine’s strengths in acute care while suggesting ancient systems may better frame chronic issues. She previews episodes on Mesopotamian, Egyptian (Imhotep; Ebers Papyrus), Ayurvedic (doshas, prakriti, pranayama and vagus nerve parallels), Traditional Chinese medicine (qi, meridians and fascia research), Greek/Hippocratic medicine (vis medicatrix naturae, gut focus, homeostasis), Islamic Golden Age medicine (Ibn Sina’s Canon; tabiyat; contagion; personalization), and Prophetic medicine (fasting, honey, olive oil, black seed, daily rhythm aligning with chronobiology). She closes with reflective prompts and small practice suggestions tied to whichever tradition resonates most. 00:00 Series Overview 02:12 Why Ancient Wisdom 04:38 One Shared Premise 07:43 Mesopotamian Medicine 10:54 Ancient Egyptian Medicine 15:50 Ayurveda Basics 19:24 Traditional Chinese Medicine 23:23 Hippocrates and Nature 27:31 Islamic Golden Age 32:39 Prophetic Medicine Evidence 38:17 Circadian Daily Rhythm 41:58 Your Takeaway Practices 44:00 Closing Reflection Connect with Dr Safia Debar Dr Safia Debar Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator  One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020 www.drsafiadebar.com contact@drsafiadebar.com IG: @drsafiadebar Tiktok: drsafiadebar Find our free resources here: www.drsafiadebar.com/resource

  7. Jul 6

    Who Decided Your Body and Soul Were Separate — And Why Should You Care

    The episode asks why, despite 30 years of peer-reviewed evidence linking spiritual practice to longer lifespan, better health span, improved immune function, and reduced mental health issues, spiritual health is absent from clinical guidelines, arguing the reason dates back to Descartes. After Galileo’s 1633 condemnation, Descartes suppressed a heliocentric manuscript and later proposed separating soul/mind/spirit (church) from body/material (science), publishing Meditations on First Philosophy in 1641 and enabling modern biomedical advances while excluding meaning and spirituality from medicine. The script highlights evidence challenging this split: Robert Ader and Nicholas Cohen’s 1970s rat experiments founding psychoneuroimmunology, and Candace Pert’s 1985 findings on neuropeptide receptors forming an integrated “bodymind.” It frames the gap as institutional and offers “soul prescriptions”: name the split, ask meaning-based questions, and engage the evidence. 00:00 Why Doctors Ignore Spirit 03:00 Galileo Sparks the Split 04:00 Descartes Draws the Line 06:24 Modern Medicine Wins Big 07:23 Where the Machine Fails 08:25 The Cost to Patients 11:05 Rats Prove Mind Immunity 14:53 Candace Pert and Bodymind 17:28 Evidence vs Institutional Gap 19:34 A Doctor Reunites Two Worlds 22:49 Medicine Is Incomplete Not Wrong 24:40 Your Soul Prescription 27:57 Closing and Next Episode Connect with Dr Safia Debar Dr Safia Debar Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator  One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020 www.drsafiadebar.com contact@drsafiadebar.com IG: @drsafiadebar Tiktok: drsafiadebar Find our free resources here: www.drsafiadebar.com/resource

  8. Jun 29

    I Believe in Something. I Just Don't Recognise the Version I Was Given." A different kind of consultation — on belief, belonging, and what the science says about coming home to yourself

    Dr. S revisits spirituality as a clinical intervention, acknowledging that the term can trigger memories of shame, coercion, or abuse within religious settings, and clarifying that harmful delivery by people and institutions is not the same as spirituality itself. She names religious trauma as a recognized clinical phenomenon, citing Dr. Marlene Winell’s Religious Trauma Syndrome (2011) and reporting estimates that 27–33% of adults have experienced religious trauma, with 15–20% still symptomatic, and a 2021 study finding 33% trauma symptoms among those leaving high-control religions. She discusses research on “innate belief,” including Oxford’s Justin Barrett, while noting contested aspects, and argues that spiritual practice benefits health regardless of theological content. Using a yoga-injury analogy, she invites listeners to explore belief with curiosity, attend to bodily responses, and separate essence from delivery to reclaim meaning, connection, and wellbeing. 00:00 Spirituality and Triggers 04:08 Separating Faith From Harm 08:36 Religious Trauma Is Real 10:45 Essence vs Delivery 13:58 Science of Innate Belief 17:17 Clinical Benefits of Practice 19:05 Reframing After Bad Experiences 20:55 How to Explore Safely 24:55 Invitation and Next Episode 29:23 Final Question to Sit With Connect with Dr Safia Debar Dr Safia Debar Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator  One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020 www.drsafiadebar.com contact@drsafiadebar.com IG: @drsafiadebar Tiktok: drsafiadebar Find our free resources here: www.drsafiadebar.com/resource

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About

Welcome to Master Stress with Dr. S, the podcast that empowers high-achievers to unlock their full potential by mastering stress and achieving burnout-proof success. Hosted by Dr. Safia Debar, a renowned stress expert, medical doctor, speaker and coach. Each episode dives deep into the neuroscience of stress, blending logic and intuition to give you practical tools for thriving in a fast-paced world. Whether you’re navigating the pressures of leadership, striving for peak performance, or yearning for a life of balance and freedom, Dr. Safia Debar will guide you through powerful strategies, expert insights, and personal stories to help you regain control, nurture your well-being, and live authentically. Tune in to discover how to stop stress from holding you back and start living your best, empowered life.

Information

  • Creator
    Safia Debar
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    80
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Safia Debar
  • Show Website
    Master Stress with Dr. S