Being Human with Leana Deeb

Hi, my name is Leana Deeb, and this is the space I wish existed when I was growing up, finding myself, and figuring out who I truly wanted to be. We all go through seasons of growth and realignment, trying to stay grounded, build discipline, and stay true to ourselves. Every week, I’ll share honest conversations and reflections around faith, identity, discipline, purpose, health and everything in between. Sometimes it’s just me talking about what I’m learning, and other times I’ll sit down with people who inspire me to think deeper and live better. Some episodes will challenge you. Others will bring peace. But every one of them is here to remind you that you’re not alone, and that growth is never perfect, it’s personal. Welcome to Being Human with Leana Deeb.

  1. 16 hr ago

    Why Discipline Beats Motivation Every Time with Bradley Martyn

    In this episode, Leana sits down with Bradley Martyn — fitness pioneer, entrepreneur, and one of the earliest creators in the social media fitness space. Bradley has been doing this for over 15 years, and this conversation goes far beyond fitness. He opens up about losing his father to suicide at age six, the anxiety that sent him to the ER four times, how psychedelics reshaped his view on life and death, and why being authentically himself has been the only strategy he has ever needed. He built Zoo Culture from the ground up, is now expanding to Miami, and has quietly been one of the most copied creators in the industry — from his coaching model to his gym concept. This one is raw, reflective, and genuinely refreshing. This one is for anyone who has ever questioned what they're building, why they're building it, and whether any of it actually matters. Bradley and Leana get into: Losing his father to suicide at age six and how grief quietly shaped everything Health anxiety so severe he went to the ER four times in a row - and how he got out of it Why proactive mental health practices matter more than reactive ones How he found Instagram before anyone knew what it was - and built one of the earliest fitness followings Posting every single day for eight years and what that kind of consistency actually costs you Getting addicted to validation and what it took to grow out of it → Why he has always winged everything - and why it worked Building Zoo Culture, almost not doing it, and why he undershot how big it would be Zoo Culture Miami finally happening after three years of searching Being one of the most copied creators in the fitness space and what that did to him Why he keeps his relationships off the internet - and when he would change that How to tell who is actually in your corner versus what you have built Trust, loyalty, and why he stopped expecting people to show up the way he does His views on God, religion, karma, and whether any of it adds up What it means to be human - and why his answer comes back to love "Everything we do is for love — to receive love, to give love. And all the stuff we've dressed it up as, money, success, notoriety — it's all just that." — Bradley Martyn TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) — Cold Open: Losing Faith, Losing a Father (01:05) — Life Before Social Media: The Twitter & Instagram Beginnings (04:22) — First Bodybuilding Shows & Early Instagram Fame (08:48) — Losing His Father at Six (10:31) — Views on Death, the Afterlife & the Soul (11:52) — Battling Anxiety and Learning to Cope (20:59) — Chasing Validation, Staying Authentic & Longevity Online (27:54) — Building Zoo Culture Gym From the Ground Up (37:37) — Faith, Karma & Questioning Religion(54:58) — Real Friendships, Relationships & What It Means to Be HumanStay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod Stay connected with Bradley Martyn: Instagram: @bradleymartyn TikTok: @bradleymartyn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 3min
  2. 2 Jul

    What I Learned About Womanhood, Faith & Hormonal Health at a Women’s Retreat

    In this solo episode, Leana opens up about everything she learned on her week-long faith-focused retreat in Deià, Mallorca, Spain. The healing plants, the women's health deep dive, the spiritual lessons, the connection with her mom - and she is bringing all of it back to you so you can feel like you were right there with her. She gets into the Quranic plants that have been used for centuries as medicine, breaks down the four phases of the female hormonal cycle and the herbs that support each one, and shares the personal reflections that hit her hardest during the retreat, from her relationship with God to her relationship with the women in her life. This one is equal parts wellness education and soul nourishment. This one is for every woman who wants to feel more in tune with her body, her faith, and herself. Leana gets into: Why who you surround yourself with is one of the most transformative choices you can make Her relationship with her mom and the Islamic teaching that heaven is at the feet of your mother The 99 Names of Allah and the name Ya Jabar - the One Who Mends All Things The healing power of olive oil, black seed, pomegranate, dates, and figs as mentioned in the Quran How to identify real, medicinal cold-pressed olive oil and why most store-bought versions don't count Black seed oil as a remedy for blood pressure, anxiety, skin, memory, joints, and more The four phases of the female cycle, what you feel in each one, and why it matters The herbs to take in each phase: raspberry leaf, nettle, yarrow, cramp bark, red clover, chaste tree berry, and dandelion root Seed cycling for hormone balance and irregular cycles Why God removes the obligation of five daily prayers from women during their cycle and what to do instead Cooking with intention and how the retreat chef Aisha inspired Leana to bring more beauty into her kitchen Why Leana came home and signed up for Arabic and Spanish lessons "When you start to approach life in this way of trying to find the beauty in everything, you find the beauty in people, you find the beauty in food, you find the beauty in every single situation of your life." — Leana Deeb TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Intro (00:13) Welcome Back & The Retreat Setting in Mallorca, Spain (02:22) Lesson 1: Who You Surround Yourself With (04:39) Lesson 2: Your Relationship with Your Mom - "Heaven is at the Feet of Your Mother" (06:54) Lesson 3: Understanding Who God Is - The 99 Names of Allah & Ya Jabar (13:55) Plants of the Quran #1 & #2: Dates & Olive Oil - Health Benefits & How to Choose the Right One (20:46) Plants of the Quran #3: Black Seed Oil - "A Cure for Everything But Death" (23:07) Plants of the Quran #4 & #5: Pomegranate & Fig + Cooking with Intention & Love (27:52) Women's Hormonal Cycle - Phase 1: Menstrual (Days 1–7) & Phase 2: Pre-Ovulation (Days 7–13) - How You Feel & Herbs to Take (30:07) Women's Hormonal Cycle - Phase 3: Ovulation (Days 14–20) & Phase 4: Pre-Menstrual (Days 21–28) - How You Feel, Herbs, Seed Cycling & Women in Islam During Their Cycle Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min
  3. 25 Jun

    Roxie Nafousi on Love, Manifesting, & How To Become Your Highest Self

    In this episode, Leana sits down with Roxie Nafousi, bestselling author, manifestation coach, and founder of the Manifest app, for one of the most honest and wide-ranging conversations on the show yet. Roxie opens up about a decade of addiction, crippling body dysmorphia, losing her father, and how hitting rock bottom at 28 led her to build a global community of millions of women. She and Leana connect deeply over growing up as Arab Muslim women in the West, navigating identity, faith, culture, and the relentless pressure to fit in. This episode is equal parts raw, healing, and deeply practical. A reminder that your past does not define your ceiling, and that the work you do on yourself is never wasted. Leana and Roxie get into: Growing up Iraqi and Muslim in 1990s Oxford and hiding her Iraqi heritage after 9/11 How manifestation and Islam are more aligned than people think, and what the Quran says about gratitude, purpose, and mindset Manifesting her partner Wade, an Islamic marriage seven weeks in, a baby a year later, and what co-parenting looks like now Dating as a successful, independent woman: why what she's attracted to has completely changed Why making love your entire goal is exactly what blocks it from coming in Vision boarding your whole life across six categories, not just the relationship box High-vibe vs. low-vibe emotions and how your frequency is pulling things toward you or pushing them away Body Dysmorphic Disorder: what it actually is, why external validation never fixes it, and the panic attacks she had before every camera appearance Cosmetic procedures that changed everything on the outside and nothing on the inside What finally worked: medication, CBT, journaling, affirmations, and why she's sharing it publicly Losing her father in October 2024: the last words he said to her, the signs she still receives, and how grief has drawn her family closer Why discipline is not about being hard on yourself and knowing the difference between giving yourself grace and indulging in your sadness Her daily non-negotiables and how she built them all into the Manifest app "To be human is to evolve, grow, and unlock all the potential within you." — Roxie Nafousi TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Intro — Meet Roxy Nafisi01:32 Growing Up Arab in the UK + Identity Crisis (05:30) Manifestation, Faith & How They Coexist (08:00) Depression, Addiction & Hitting Rock Bottom (14:43) Manifesting Love — Meeting Wade & Starting a Family20:38 Dating as a Successful Woman & What Changes (32:00) Removing Fear, Doubt & Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone (38:39) Sacrificing Your Social Life to Build Your Purpose (43:18) Losing Her Father & Finding Signs from the Universe (46:41) Grief, Letting Go & Overcoming Tests from the Universe (56:00) Body Dysmorphia, BDD & Learning to Heal from the Inside Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcastTikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod Stay connected with Roxie Nafousi: Instagram: @roxienafousi _____ Thank you to our sponsors! Head to Jonesroadbeauty.com and use code LEANA at checkout for a FREE full sized Mascara on their first purchase For a limited time, try OneSkin with 15% off using code LEANA at oneskin.co/LEANA Head to truenutrition.com/LEANA and use code LEANA for 20% off your first custom protein blend _____See Roxie Live in NYC here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 8min
  4. 18 Jun

    What I Found in My Blood & Hair Tests (And Why Every Woman Needs to Do This)

    In this solo episode, Leana opens up about the health journey she has been on behind the scenes. The fatigue, the mood swings, the painful periods, the bloating and she finally shares the full results of her blood test, stool test, and hair toxin panel. She gets into what it felt like to finally have answers after years of wondering if what she was experiencing was just normal. From discovering she has leaky gut, to finding out she has mold and mercury in her body, to talking honestly about the emotional weight of being a woman who overthinks and over-stresses, this episode is equal parts health deep dive and raw personal reflection. This one is for every woman who has ever felt like something was off in her body but couldn't quite explain it. Leana gets into: Why she decided to finally get her blood, stool, and hair tested  Low ferritin and how iron deficiency connects to heavy periods, hair shedding, and exhaustion  Vitamin D deficiency and why it affects so much more than just energy  Low riboflavin (B2) and the supplements she is now taking to correct it  Her leaky gut diagnosis and why it explains her IBS symptoms, mood swings, and acne  The gut-brain connection and how a disrupted gut can make your emotions feel out of control  Mercury toxicity from raw fish and what she is doing to detox  Mold in her body, potentially from coffee or a past apartment in New York  Her sauna and hydration protocol to cleanse her system  Why she chose a naturopathic doctor over a conventional one  Her experience with birth control and spironolactone and why she will not go back  The cortisol and hormone panel she is doing next through the Dutch Plus test  Overthinking and anxiety as a physical stressor, not just an emotional one  What it is like to be a woman in business and why being stern gets misread as being emotional  The book Start with Yourself by Emma Greed and why it made her feel seen  Her morning routine as an anchor for peace before a chaotic day  Boundaries, stress, and the version of herself she is working toward "I envisioned so much for myself, and I have to go through these chapters of being able to tolerate more stress, being more calm in certain situations, to get to that next level and be the person I really want to be." — Leana Deeb TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Intro (00:43) Welcome Back & Episode Setup (01:44) Blood Test Results: Low Iron, Vitamin D & B2 (03:20) Stool Test: Leaky Gut & the Gut-Brain Connection (05:53) Choosing Natural Over Synthetic Medication (06:34) Toxin Test: Mold, Mercury & Detoxing (10:35) Stress, Boundaries & Balancing Training (15:13) On Being "Stern": Stress Tolerance & Growth as a Woman in Business _____ Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod _____ Thank you to our sponsor! Use code BEINGHUMAN for 20% off at curehydration.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    25 min
  5. 11 Jun

    Leo Skepi: On Hate, Healing, and Why He Opened the Bible

    In this episode, Leana sits down with Leo Skepi, TikTok's most unapologetically real creator, host of the Aware and Aggravated podcast, and someone whose depth goes far beyond what most people see on their FYP. Leo opens up about being bullied as a kid, coming out as gay, a year of daily cocaine use, giving away over half a million dollars for the wrong reasons, and how he ended up reading the Bible trying to figure out how Jesus loved people who wanted him dead. This conversation goes places you will not expect. If you think you already know Leo, you don't. Leana and Leo get into: Growing up Albanian, coming out nearly dead at birth, and being bullied relentlessly in school and how fighting back forged the protector side of Leo that still shows up today Coming out as gay, being disowned by his grandmother, and navigating faith in a community that was not always welcoming Why Leo started reading the Bible, not for religion, but to understand how Jesus loved people who hated him to death, and what that restraint actually looks like Looking at God as a verb and the mindset shift that changed how he handles conflict, rage, and misalignment in real time Giving away over $500,000 in a single year and why God had to jolt him out of it - the difference between giving from love and giving to feel worthy The real weight of having a massive platform, the feelings no one can understand but you, and how Leo holds that privately His evolving relationship with fitness and discipline - why stoicism and grinding yourself into the ground is over, and what actually lasts Why you do not need a religious community to have a relationship with God, and how he navigates backlash for sharing his faith journey publicly His Houston pop up where 5,000 people showed up, his new merch drop, and what he is quietly plotting next "I used to scream at God. Like, actually, just like how I would cuss out somebody I don't like." — Leo Skepi TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Intro (00:46) Welcome & Guest Introduction (02:38) The Pop-Up Store: 5,000 People Showed Up (03:48) Who Was Leo as a Kid? (06:32) The Duality: "Little Leo" & the Protector (07:53) Albanian Culture & Where His Personality Comes From (09:54) Before Social Media: Nursing School & a Toxic Ex (10:53) Suicidal Thoughts & What Kept Him Going (15:16) Turning Inward: Journaling & Self-Knowledge (18:33) Prayer as an Open Dialogue (26:38) Faith Background: Finding His Own Path (27:46) Why He Started Reading the Bible (28:50) "God Is a Verb" (33:27) Navigating Scripture Without Gatekeepers (38:49) Giving $500K Away & Learning the Hard Lesson (44:16) Relationships & What Money Can't Buy (46:48) Cutting People Off & Communicating First (52:04) Loneliness, Solitude & Finding Himself (54:32) The Isolating Side of Fame Nobody Talks About (57:41) Thick Skin, Hate & Online Critics (1:01:16) Weight Loss & Dropping the Grind Mentality (1:14:58) Sharing His Bible Journey Online (1:16:37) Coming Out: Resisting His Sexuality & Finding Peace (1:19:33) Celibacy, Scripture & Homosexuality in the Bible (1:23:37) Coming Out to Family (1:25:18) Why He Thinks Souls Choose Their Parents (1:28:22) Jesus Loved the Outcasts (1:30:35) What's Next & Where to Find Leo _____ Stay connected with Leo Skepi: Instagram: @leoskepi TikTok: @leoskepi Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod _____ Thank you to our sponsors! Get 15% off OneSkin with the code LEANA at https://www.oneskin.co/LEANA #oneskinpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1hr 34min
  6. 11 Jun

    The Health Journey Nobody Believed: PCOS, Hair Loss, Hypothyroidism & Building Milamend with Mila Magnani

    In this debut episode of Being Human, Leana sits down with Mila Magnani, founder of Milamend, for a vulnerable conversation about PCOS and hormone imbalance. Mila opens up about spending years living in a body nobody took seriously. From stealing her dad's razor blades before school to manage facial hair, to passing out in SoulCycle at 16, to a Paris doctor telling her to simply "eat less and move more" after years of suffering. She shares how she took her healing into her own hands, built her own supplement protocol from scratch, and accidentally built a business that reached $250,000 in sales in a single week. This one is for every woman who has ever been dismissed, misdiagnosed, or told that what she is feeling is normal. Leana gets into: What PCOS actually is and why it is so hard to diagnose  Growing up as a Mexican immigrant in Dallas with undiagnosed hormonal issues  Stealing her dad's razor blades at school to manage facial hair as a teenager  Severe childhood allergies and weekly immunotherapy at the children's hospital  POTS, spironolactone, and passing out in a SoulCycle class at 16  A six month long period that no doctor could explain  30 pounds of weight gain, moon face, and hypothyroidism developing during Covid  Panic attacks, night sweats, and irrational fears taking over her relationship  The Paris endocrinologist who told her to "eat less and move more" and lit a fire in her Lucas, her husband, finally understanding what women go through with doctors  Building her own supplement protocol from scratch with her pharmacist  Why most hormone balance supplements on the market are underdosed and ineffective  The guide that went viral and led to $250,000 in a single week  The hospital stay that changed everything and made her decide to share her story  A shaman who told her she was put on this earth to help women heal  The Paris woman with a wrinkle-lined smile who changed how Mila sees beauty  Body image, moon face before and after, and beauty standards across cultures  A singing talent she was never allowed to share, and why it still sits with her  Her grandmother's connection to Hollywood and Vincente Minnelli  Protecting independence as a founder and why she never wanted to raise VC  Evil eye, superstition and why she waits to share things she is working on  What it means to be human, through the lens of Aristotle, philosophy, and the soul "She lit a fire in me and I said, oh my God, I am going to prove you wrong." — Mila Magnani TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Intro (00:08:30) Growing Up Different: Early Symptoms & Body Hair (00:08:59) The Doctor Who Said "You're Just Mexican" (00:14:11) Birth Control, Painful Cycles & No Real Answers (00:55:19) The Endocrinologist Who Told Her to Accept It (00:58:54) Building Her Supplement Stack with a Pharmacist (01:02:10) Going Viral on TikTok After a Life-Changing Surgery (01:05:06) The Supplement PDF That Changed Everything (01:07:59) From Guide to Product: Founding Mila (01:46:39) Beauty, Aging & the Woman in Paris (01:51:19) The Music Career She Was Never Allowed to Have (01:57:13) What It Means to Be Human_____ Stay connected to Mila: Instagram: @milamagnaniTikTok: @mila.magnani Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod _____ More about Milamend: Milamend is a supplement company that specializes in Hormone Balance Supplements for PCOS Management. With only 16 ingredients, Milamend was created by a woman who found a supplement stack that finally helped her PCOS symptoms and turned it into a solution all women can try. Try Milamend at Milamend.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    2 hr
  7. 4 Jun

    I Had to Let Go of People to Find Myself: Here's What God Was Teaching Me

    In this solo episode, Leana gets real about the season she's currently in: one of realignment, protecting her energy, and learning to trust what God removes just as much as what He brings. She opens up about the dangers of the wrong circle, over-sharing your goals, and how people-pleasing quietly keeps you out of alignment with yourself. She also responds to a listener DM about navigating the desire for a partner while staying rooted in faith, and shares why loneliness is often a sign you're not pouring enough into your purpose. This episode is a reminder to lock in, guard your energy, and trust that God knows exactly what He's doing with your life. Leana gets into: Why Leana chooses to have only one close friend and what that cost her to get to The danger of oversharing your goals, even with people who seem to have good intentions Evil eye, prayer, and why she kept an exciting podcast guest completely private until it happened A real situation: being leveraged by someone she thought was a genuine friend People-pleasing on the podcast and in daily life and how she's working to stop it Love shouldn't feel hard: what healthy relationships actually look like Men who feel threatened by ambitious women and recognising that pattern The concept of naseeb (what's meant for you will find you) and how it applies to relationships Responding to a listener DM: how to handle the desire for a partner while staying in faith Why filling the void with the wrong person makes loneliness worse, not better Loneliness is a selfish feeling and how pouring into others dissolves it Locking into one thing instead of chasing every opportunity Gary Breck's insight on isolation and craft The nafs in Islam: battling your desires and impulses and how discipline wins that fight Why gratitude needs to be practised at the same level in highs and lows Curating what you consume: why scrolling politics first thing destroys your energyBeing grateful for what you have as a prerequisite for receiving more "God is not going to bring you this far just to leave you this far." — Leana Deeb _____TOPICS DISCUSSED(00:00) Intro (01:45) Your Circle & Who You Surround Yourself With (05:10) The Danger of Oversharing Your Goals (08:30) Not Everyone Is Meant to Stay (11:20) People Pleasing & Losing Yourself (14:18) Not Every Person That Comes Into Your Life Is From God (17:00) You Attract a Reflection of Yourself (20:30) Loneliness Is a Selfish Feeling (23:15) Answering a DM: How Do You Deal With Not Having a Partner? (27:00) Naseeb — What's Meant for You Will Find You (30:45) Lock Into One Thing (34:00) Faith, Gratitude & Giving 100% Every Day _____ Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    36 min
  8. 21 May

    Why I Stopped Training with Music

    In this solo episode, Leana comes back from the London Marathon and gets radically honest about where she is right now. She talks about breaking through the wall at mile 17, her complicated history with music and why she gave it up, and the faith dip she has never spoken about publicly until now. This one is less of a structured episode and more of a venting session, and that is exactly what makes it worth listening to. Leana gets into: Running the London Marathon, going numb at mile 17, and why pushing through 26 miles is more of a mental battle than a physical one How setting physical goals trains you to handle the pressure and pain that shows up in real life Her history with music as emotional numbing, the withdrawals she went through when she gave it up, and why she no longer trains with it The honest question she is sitting with: are we filling our lives with noise to avoid the feelings we actually need to face Why she feels distant from faith right now and what it feels like to know the sweetness of closeness to God and then lose it The moment she sat on her prayer mat and just started ranting to God out loud, and why she thinks you should try it too The pressure of growing an audience online while still figuring out who you are as a creator and a host How toxic environments can make you lose yourself without realising it, and why setting boundaries is how you find your way back Why blaming the world for your circumstances keeps you powerless, and how taking ownership hands the control back to you The verse she returns to every time life feels impossible, and what it actually means to find ease inside of hardship "God is not going to put me through something I cannot handle." — Leana Deb TOPICS DISCUSSED (00:00) Intro (00:46) London Marathon Recap (02:11) Marathon Is More Mental Than Physical (04:49) Running for a Purpose Bigger Than Yourself (06:01) My Relationship With Music (08:28) When Music Dependency Becomes a Problem (09:02) Music, Faith & What Religions Say (14:53) Turning to the Quran Instead (18:01) You Can't Have Both in Your Heart (20:36) Finding Balance, Not Extremism (22:15) Feeling Far from Faith Right Now (24:37) Platform Pressure & Locking Back In (27:35) Practical Steps When Struggling with Faith (30:29) When Staying Feels Scarier Than Leaving (31:12) Misalignment & Taking Back Control (34:17) Don't Numb the Pain, Sit in It (36:40) Closing _____ Stay connected with Leana Deeb: Instagram: @leanadeebb / @beinghumannpodcast TikTok: @leanadeeb / @beinghumannpod _____ Thank you to our sponsors!  Visit Carawayhome.com/LEANA to take an additional 10% off using code LEANA on your next purchase Head to cozyearth.com and use my code LEANA for an exclusive 20% off Use code BEINGHUMAN for 20% off at curehydration.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    39 min

About

Hi, my name is Leana Deeb, and this is the space I wish existed when I was growing up, finding myself, and figuring out who I truly wanted to be. We all go through seasons of growth and realignment, trying to stay grounded, build discipline, and stay true to ourselves. Every week, I’ll share honest conversations and reflections around faith, identity, discipline, purpose, health and everything in between. Sometimes it’s just me talking about what I’m learning, and other times I’ll sit down with people who inspire me to think deeper and live better. Some episodes will challenge you. Others will bring peace. But every one of them is here to remind you that you’re not alone, and that growth is never perfect, it’s personal. Welcome to Being Human with Leana Deeb.

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