Return on Wellness

Olympian Meeting

5.0 (1)
Health & Fitness
Updated Monthly

Return on Wellness brings together world-renowned experts ranging from board certified doctors, researchers, and event industry leaders, who reveal how wellness strategies can transform events, boost engagement, and drive real business impact. Get cutting-edge insights and actionable takeaways from the brightest minds in the field.

13h ago

Ayurveda Explained: Inflammation, Sleep, Travel & Event Burnout with Dr. Shivani Gupta

What is Ayurveda, and what can this 5,000-year-old system teach us about inflammation, sleep, travel, burnout, and the way we gather? In this episode we sit down with Dr. Shivani Gupta to make Ayurveda practical, grounded, and relevant for modern life and modern events. We explore doshas, circadian rhythm, gut health, “inflammaging,” nervous system regulation, food, recovery, community, and why event organizers should design experiences that help people leave energized instead of exhausted. Dr. Gupta describes Ayurveda as “the science of life,” a more than 5,000-year-old system of health and healing from India that looks at the whole person: digestion, sleep, energy, circadian rhythm, prevention, inflammation, stress, and the reality that different bodies may need different kinds of support. This conversation goes beyond Ayurveda as an individual wellness practice. It asks a bigger question: If people bring their bodies, nervous systems, digestion, sleep debt, stress, and social needs into every event, why are those things so often ignored in event design? In this episode, David and Dr. Gupta discuss: • What Ayurveda actually is • Why Ayurveda is not just turmeric, supplements, or a personality quiz • How Vata, Pitta, and Kapha can help people understand patterns in their body• Why inflammation often starts in the gut• The concept of “inflammaging” • How circadian rhythm affects sleep, energy, digestion, and recovery • Why travel can push the body into stress mode • What event organizers often get wrong about food, hydration, timing, and recovery • Why shared meals and community matter • How conferences can help people leave more regulated, not more depleted • Dr. Gupta’s book, The Inflammation Code, and where to start This episode is not about turning every meeting into a wellness retreat. It is about designing gatherings with the human body in mind. If you have ever left a conference feeling like you needed three days to recover, or if you plan events and want participants to leave better than they arrived, this conversation is worth your time. Guest: Dr. Shivani Gupta Book: The Inflammation Code Host:David T. Stevens 00:00 Introduction 01:12 What is Ayurveda? 02:12 Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine 03:15 Is Ayurveda evidence-based? 04:20 Circadian rhythm and the body’s internal clocks 05:25 What people get wrong about Ayurveda 06:20 Why Ayurveda is having a moment 08:35 The problem with dismissing ancient practices 10:00 Science, skepticism, and critical thinking 13:15 Doshas explained: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha 16:00 Why body type matters in Ayurveda 17:20 Signs your body may be out of balance 19:20 Doshas as awareness, not excuses 21:00 Inflammation, gut health, and “inflammaging” 23:10 What conference food has to do with inflammation 26:15 Travel stress, airports, and circadian disruption 33:30 The 7-day inflammation reset34:35 Morning practices: sunlight, hydration, grounding 36:15 Why Ayurveda recommends a bigger lunch 37:30 Evening routines and sleep hygiene 38:00 Dry brushing and Abhyanga massage 40:00 Community, shared meals, and collective energy 42:00 Three event design lessons from Ayurveda 43:30 Food, filtered water, tea, and better hospitality 44:00 Respecting circadian rhythm in event agendas 44:30 White space, decompression, and recovery rooms 46:00 Arrival experience, hotels, and healthy options 49:00 Sound baths, Circadian Cove, and recovery design 51:15 The Inflammation Code 53:35 What people should stop doing immediately 56:40 Where to find Dr. Shivani Gupta

56 min
May 26

It’s Not Rocket Science, It’s Neuroscience | How Better Event Agenda Design Improves Retention

In this episode of Return on Wellness, David T. Stevens sits down with cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Heather Collins to explore how event agendas shape attention, cognitive overload, memory, retention, and real human capacity. They unpack why so many conferences are still designed to cram in as much information as possible, even though that is not how the human brain learns best. Together, they dig into the difference between wow and awe, what happens when attendees get cognitively flooded, why breaks and reflection matter more than most planners realize, and how social interaction can actually amplify content instead of distract from it. They also get practical about session pacing, speaker placement, environmental distractions, curiosity, and what event professionals should rethink if they want people to leave with more than just full notebooks and fried nervous systems. If you work in meetings, events, hospitality, learning, or organizational leadership, this conversation will challenge the way you think about agenda design and attendee experience. In this episode: Why packed agendas create cognitive overload instead of better learning How working memory and attention affect retention The difference between wow and awe in live experiences Why breaks, movement, and reflection are must-haves, not nice-to-havesHow social interaction acts as a content amplifierThe question every planner should ask: are you trying to pack more in, or help people remember more?Chapters 00:00 Intro: why event agendas need neuroscience01:07 Meet Dr. Heather Collins02:25 Why conferences still cram in too much information04:38 What happens when an agenda creates cognitive overload06:25 Attention, working memory, and why overload kills retention08:37 Sleep, memory consolidation, and learning that sticks09:48 Energized vs cognitively flooded11:16 Cognitive capacity and behavior change12:00 Wow vs awe in event design14:16 How to spot overload in yourself and your attendees17:03 Attention as a limited resource18:41 Why breaks need to be longer19:48 Social interaction as a content amplifier21:09 Awe, wonderment, and why white space matters23:39 Shower thoughts, white space, and the default mode network26:52 Quiet rooms, nature, pauses, and reflection points30:11 How information gets encoded into memory32:42 What undermines retention at events37:40 Breaks, reflection, movement, and test-enhanced learning40:41 How much content can people actually absorb?42:42 The key tradeoff: pack more in or help people remember43:25 Best break lengths for 20-minute, 60-minute, and back-to-back sessions44:17 How to design a conference day for genuine human capacity47:22 QR code overload, paper handouts, and the role of play49:18 What to cut from a typical event agenda50:18 Curiosity, novelty, and keeping people mentally available53:54 The TAP framework: tune in, activate memory, play and be curious56:24 What an ideal conference day actually looks like1:06:48 The engagement myth planners need to drop1:07:17 What a high-capacity agenda really feels like

59 min
May 13

Well-Being Drives Performance: Toxic Culture, Leadership, and Events | Mark C. Crowley

Well-being is not a perk. It is a performance condition. In this in-person episode of Return On Wellness, I sit down with Mark C. Crowley, author of Lead From The Heart and The Power of Employee Well-Being, to talk about workplace well-being, toxic culture, and the leadership behaviors that actually change business outcomes. We get real about what makes workplaces toxic, why “engagement” has not delivered, and why corporate events, off sites, and SKOs can either reinforce dysfunction or become a true flashpoint for meaningful cultural change. If you lead people, plan meetings, or influence culture, this is the conversation. Guest: Mark C. Crowley Host: David T Stevens Timestamps 00:00 Welcome + why this conversation matters 00:41 Mark’s background and the core thesis 01:45 Why 2026 is the turning point for worker well-being 03:41 Well-being and performance, what leaders still misunderstand 10:31 Why many corporate events are unintentionally depleting 16:29 Engagement surveys vs real well-being, what is broken 28:54 Early warning signs a workplace is turning toxic 44:47 Friendship, belonging, and connection as business drivers 55:32 Can events and offsites reset culture and drive outcomes? 01:10:15 The simplest leadership move that proves you care 01:14:20 Wrap up Links Mark’s articles: https://markccrowley.com/articles/ Mark on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markccrowley/ Topics Workplace well-being, employee well-being, toxic workplaces, leadership, culture, psychological safety, burnout prevention, events as culture change, offsites, SKO, business performance

1h 1m
Apr 28

The Future of Wellness Is Human Flourishing with Sean Hoess

What does wellness look like when you strip away the hype and get back to what actually helps people live better? In this episode of Return On Wellness, I sit down with Sean Hoess, Founder and CEO of Eudēmonia Summit, for a conversation about human flourishing, community, credibility, and the future of wellness. We get into the meaning behind Eudēmonia, Sean’s path into building one of the most talked-about wellness gatherings in the space, and why the next chapter of wellness may have less to do with optimization and more to do with connection, curation, and experiences that actually help people feel better. We also unpack the tension between science and hype, the role of wellness influencers, what event professionals still get wrong, and why shared experiences may be more powerful than many people realize. This is a conversation for anyone working at the intersection of wellness, hospitality, meetings, events, and human performance. Episode Highlights What human flourishing really means Why Sean built Eudēmonia Summit The tension between evidence and hype in wellness Why community matters more than people think What event professionals can learn from wellness-first design The backlash to over-optimization Sean’s own wellness non-negotiables

58 min
Feb 24

Burnout, Resilience, and the “Always On” Trap

If you work in hospitality or events, you already know the truth: the job can feel like you are always on. In this episode of Return On Wellness, I sit down with Dr. Thomas Padron (PhD, CMP, CHE, CWP) to unpack what is driving burnout right now, why “resilience” is often used as a polite way of saying “push through,” and what it actually looks like to build human sustainability without sacrificing performance. We get into the real drivers behind the pressure, how leadership can stop performing wellness and start operationalizing it, and why “we’re all in the same boat” is a myth that blocks real support. Subscribe for more conversations on wellness as a performance strategy for the real world of meetings and events. Guest: Dr. Thomas Padron (PhD, CMP, CHE, CWP)Host: David T StevensSeries: Return On Wellness What we cover: The “always on” culture in hospitality and events, and why it burns people out What resilience actually means, and why the same advice does not work for everyone Why leadership empathy and follow-through matter more than motivational slogans Where wellness initiatives go wrong, and how to make them practical What the next generation is demanding from employers right now The future lens: AI, wellness, and how leaders stay relevant Chapters: 00:00 Welcome and sponsor01:00 Meet Dr. Thomas Padron09:00 The “always on” trap and burnout13:00 What resilience really means16:00 Leadership, empathy, and boundaries25:00 Wellness vs wellness washing in the workplace35:00 What students and young pros want now45:00 Practical changes leaders can implement54:00 Closing: AI, wellness, and what’s next hospitality, events industry, meeting planner, event planner, burnout, resilience, always on culture, workplace wellbeing, mental health, leadership, boundaries, employee wellbeing, sustainable performance, human sustainability, hospitality leadership, meetings and conferences, career longevity, future of work, AI and work, Return On Wellness, David T Stevens, Thomas Padron

55 min
Jan 27

Wellness-Washing Is Expensive. Susie Ellis with the Global Wellness Institute Explains the Fix.

Wellness is booming, but a lot of what gets sold as “wellness” is just expensive theater. In this episode, I’m joined by Susie Ellis, Chair and CEO of the Global Wellness Institute and the leader behind the Global Wellness Summit. We talk about how a premium event earns loyalty and repeat attendance, why the wellness economy keeps growing, and why evidence is the only filter that matters when you’re deciding what to implement at scale. We also dig into Wellness Evidence, a free resource designed to help people find credible research behind wellness modalities, and we talk about the concept most wellness marketing avoids: minimum effective dose. If you care about designing meetings that protect energy, performance, and real human sustainability, this conversation will sharpen your decision-making fast. Presented by Caesars Entertainment. Not medical advice. “What you’ll learn” How Susie designs the Global Wellness Summit for real relationship-driven outcomes Why the “bubble chart” makes the wellness economy finally understandable How to use evidence to cut through wellness-washing Why minimum effective dose matters more than trendy modality names A cleaner filter for what belongs at events versus what is just a one-off treatment wellness evidence, global wellness institute, global wellness summit, wellness economy, corporate events, event wellness, longevity, public health, behavior change, sustainable meetings

53 min
12/30/2025

Travel-Proof Wellness: Dr. Gautam Gulati’s 7 Levers for Home, Hotels & Events

Travel and event weeks do not have to wreck your routine. Physician and “Longevity Architect” Dr. Gautam Gulati shares a portable version of his 7 Levers of Bioharmony: sleep, movement and recovery, meals, connection, mindfulness, purpose, and environment and safety. Learn how to design days that work anywhere, at home, in hotels, and across conferences. Expect practical plays and a 7-day “Design Your Defaults” plan you can start this week. Chapters 00:00 Intro, design beats discipline on the road02:00 Bioharmony defined06:00 Sleep, simple protections for jet-lagged nights12:00 Movement and recovery, tiny snacks between sessions18:00 Meals, how to stack your plate at the buffet in a beneficial way24:00 Mindfulness, a 60-second reset you will use30:00 Connection, easy and human rituals36:00 Purpose, make it visible away from home42:00 Environment and safety, light and noise and flow in venues48:00 Home to events, five conference-ready plays52:00 Seven-day Design Your Defaults travel edition56:00 One non-negotiable and closeAbout Dr. GDr. Gautam “Dr. G” Gulati is a physician, innovation executive, and the Founder of The Well Home, where he designs environments that make health, longevity, and wellbeing the default. Often called a “Longevity Architect,” he keynotes on designing health into everyday life at home, in hotels, and across event venues. Connect with him here: Website: https://www.drgautamgulati.comThe Well Home: https://www.thewellho.meLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gautamgulati Instagram: @drgautamgulati

1h 11m
11/25/2025

The Uncomfortable Truth About Corporate Events with Dr David Bilstrom, MD

Most conferences quietly work against human health. In this episode, Dr David Bilstrom, MD joins me to unpack how light, sleep, food, stress and design choices can harm or heal attendees, and what it looks like when events start supporting real human biology instead of fighting it. Conferences are supposed to help people connect, learn and grow. Too often they leave people wrecked. In this episode of Return on Wellness, I sit down with Dr David Bilstrom, MD to talk candidly about what corporate events are doing to the human body, and what needs to change. No shaming, no fluff, no wellness theater. Just an honest look at the patterns we have normalized: Red-eyes and compressed travel. Windowless rooms. Over scheduled agendas. Heavy food, nonstop caffeine, late receptions. No movement, no daylight, no recovery. Dr Bilstrom is a board certified physician who specializes in autoimmune and complex chronic disease. He sees what chronic stress and inflammation do long term. In this conversation, he connects that clinical reality to the environments we build for meetings, conferences, and incentives. We get into: Why so many attendees arrive already depleted, inflamed and sleep deprived How schedule design, light exposure, meal timing, and environment impact immune function and brain performance in just a few days The difference between science based wellness and cosmetic activations that only look good in photos Practical shifts planners, venues and sponsors can make without blowing up budgets or agendas Why wellness at events now sits in the same lane as risk management, performance, public health and long term brand trust This is not about blaming planners or suppliers. Most of us were handed broken templates and told to repeat them. It is about accountability. We have enough information now to do better. If you: Plan or approve conferences, incentives, sales kickoffs or internal meetings Run hotels or venues that host them Sell or sponsor wellness experiences Or you are just tired of leaving events exhausted or sick This episode will give you a sharper lens and a starting point. Listen in, pull one idea, and ask a simple question about your next program: Are we harming, or are we helping? Then adjust accordingly. 0:00 Intro: Why We Need To Rethink Corporate Events 1:42 Meet Dr David Bilstrom: Chronic Disease, Immunology And Events 4:20 The Uncomfortable Truth: How Traditional Conferences Harm Health 8:05 Attendees Arrive Depleted: Stress, Travel And Baseline Inflammation 12:30 Sleep, Light And Hormones: The Science Event Pros Ignore 17:55 Food As Fuel Or Failure: Rethinking Menus And Coffee Culture 23:10 Movement, Breaks And Brain Performance At Events 28:40 Science Based Wellness vs Shiny Wellness Theater 34:15 Designing Conferences That Heal: Practical, Budget Friendly Shifts 41:20 Risk Management, Liability And Brand Trust 47:05 What Planners, Venues And Sponsors Can Do Right Now\ 52:30 Final Challenge: Are Your Events Helping Or Hurting?

51 min

Trailer

Return on Wellness (Trailer)

Return on Wellness

10/13/2023

•

1 min

Return on Wellness brings together world-renowned experts ranging from board certified doctors, researchers, and event industry leaders, who reveal how wellness strategies can transform events, boost engagement, and drive real business impact. Get cutting-edge insights and actionable takeaways from the brightest minds in the field.

Creator

Olympian Meeting
Years Active

2023 - 2026
Episodes

48
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Olympian Meeting
Show Website

Return on Wellness