Mama Mudra - The Joy Movement

Mama Mudra
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Welcome to Mama Mudra - The Joy Movement. The wellness industry has a joy problem. This podcast exists to fix it. Hosted by Kate Thompson-Duwe - entrepreneur, founder, and joy advocate - Mama Mudra is where neuroscience, movement, nutrition, longevity, and conscious living collide with one radical belief: joy is the new performance metric. Not punishment. Not perfection. Not burnout disguised as discipline. Every week, Kate sits down with world-class experts, founders, and thinkers to challenge the wellness status quo and hand you tools that actually work — so you can stop forcing routines that don't fit and start building a life you genuinely want to repeat. This is the podcast for people who are done with joyless wellness. Who wants to feel good, think clearly, and live fully — without making life feel like a project. Topics we cover: happiness and neuroscience · wellness and performance · sustainable habits · longevity · mindset and self-belief · movement and emotional health · entrepreneurship and wellbeing · conscious living · joy-led performance This is The Joy Movement. Come as you are. Follow the podcast weekly, and join us in person at Sunshine People, where the joy movement comes to life.

  1. 6d ago

    Dr Sandra Kaufmann: Longevity Is About Enjoying Life for Longer

    In this episode, I speak to Dr Sandra Kaufmann, physician, scientist and creator of the Kaufmann Protocol, about what is really happening inside our cells as we age and what we can do to support a longer, healthier and more enjoyable life. For Sandy, longevity is not about living forever or following an exhausting list of protocols. It is about remaining healthy, capable and energetic enough to enjoy life for as long as possible. We discuss her journey from studying plant physiology to becoming a paediatric anaesthesiologist and one of the leading voices in longevity medicine. She explains how her research led her to identify seven key areas of cellular ageing, develop the Kaufmann Rating System and begin testing many of her ideas on herself as “patient zero.” We also look at the enormous amount of noise in the wellness and biohacking space. Sandy shares why there can never be one miracle solution for ageing, why a protocol should change according to your age, biology, medical history and goals, and why something marketed as beneficial may be completely wrong for you. Topics covered include: The difference between lifespan and healthspan Why Sandy believes many aspects of ageing can be influenced The seven areas of cellular ageing behind the Kaufmann Protocol Genetics, epigenetics and the effect our lives have on how our DNA is expressed Why much of a longevity protocol may be broadly applicable, but still needs to be personalised Which popular biohacking treatments Sandy questions, including routine hyperbaric oxygen, ozone therapy and high-dose NAD+ infusions Why context, dosage and frequency matter as much as the treatment itself Sandy’s interest in exosomes and regenerative medicine Her own approach to supplements, pharmaceuticals, exercise, light therapy and recovery Why longevity interventions do not always produce an immediate feeling or result How to decide how deeply you personally want to enter the world of longevity This conversation is a reminder that longevity does not have to become another performance contest. You can begin with a few thoughtful changes, understand what your own body needs and build from there. The aim is not simply to add more years to life. It is to protect the energy, mobility and health that allow us to experience more joy within those years. This episode is for educational purposes only. Some of the treatments and medications discussed require individual medical assessment and professional supervision.

  2. Aug 6

    The Breath: Your Most Powerful Wellness Tool, with Kylie Brons

    In this episode, Kate speaks with breathwork practitioner and Wim Hof Method expert Kylie Brons about the extraordinary connection between breath, the nervous system and our ability to experience joy. We breathe all day, every day, without thinking about it. Yet most of us have never been taught how to use our breath intentionally. Kylie explains how different breathing techniques can be used to calm anxiety, increase energy, support performance and build resilience. She unpacks the difference between the sympathetic “fight or flight” response and the parasympathetic “rest, digest and heal” state, revealing why breath is one of the few tools we can use to consciously influence our autonomic nervous system. They also explore the three pillars of the Wim Hof Method, the value of gradual cold exposure and how short, intentional periods of discomfort can train the body to move more effectively between stress and recovery. The conversation moves beyond physiology into the deeply emotional power of breathwork. Kylie explains why guided sessions can bring buried emotions to the surface, reconnect us with our bodies and create profound feelings of presence, aliveness and even joy. This episode is an invitation to stop overlooking one of the most powerful wellness tools we already possess. In this episode, Kate and Kylie discuss: - Why so many of us breathe too quickly and too shallowly - How breath acts as a “remote control” for the nervous system - The relationship between nervous-system regulation, presence and joy - How belly breathing activates the body’s relaxation response - The difference between energising and calming breathwork - The three pillars of the Wim Hof Method - Why longer and colder are not necessarily better - How intentional discomfort can build resilience - Using breath during exercise, sauna and cold exposure - Why breathwork can release powerful emotions - How breathing techniques may support stress and anxiety - A simple practice for regulating yourself after a stressful experience - The essential safety rules for activating breathwork and cold exposure Important safety note: Activating or rapid breathwork should never be practised in water, in an ice bath, while driving or anywhere that fainting could be dangerous. Certain techniques may not be suitable for people with epilepsy, serious heart conditions, during pregnancy or with other medical concerns. Seek guidance from a qualified practitioner or healthcare professional before beginning an intensive breathwork or cold-exposure practice. Because sometimes the answer we are searching for is not another supplement, device or wellness intervention. Sometimes, it is already inside us. If this conversation shifted something for you, share it with someone who may need it, and subscribe to The Joy Movement for more honest conversations redefining wellness through joy.

  3. Jul 30

    Sober Curiosity. What Happens When You Remove the Things You Thought You Needed?

    This week's episode is probably the most vulnerable one I've recorded since launching this podcast. This is not because I'm sharing some dramatic story or secret, but because I'm inviting you to watch me experiment on myself. After my conversation with Dr Simone Silver about alcohol and the concept of being "sober curious", I couldn't stop thinking about alcohol reduction, drinking culture, mindful drinking, and alcohol-free lifestyle. Not from a place of judgement or even because I think everyone should stop drinking. But because I became fascinated by one simple question... What would actually change if I removed the things I'd normalised? So for the next 90 days I'm running a personal experiment. No alcohol. No sugar. No coffee. As few environmental toxins as realistically possible. I'll be tracking my biomarkers, my sleep, my mood, my anxiety, my training, my focus and, perhaps most importantly, what happens psychologically. Because if I'm honest, alcohol has never been the thing that concerns me most - it's what comes after it. The cigarettes. The decisions I wouldn't usually make. The social confidence I've unknowingly outsourced to a glass of wine. This journey isn't about restriction, it's about understanding. I don't believe the future of wellness is telling people what they should and shouldn't do - I think it's about becoming curious enough to understand why we do the things we do. In this episode we discuss: • Why I decided to publicly commit to a 90-day experiment • What Dr Simone Silver's episode changed for me • The hidden psychology behind social drinking • Why I want to measure biomarkers, not just feelings • What I hope to discover about joy, anxiety and confidence • Why this isn't about perfection or becoming "healthier than everyone else" • The questions I'm asking myself over the next three months • Why curiosity may be one of the most powerful wellness tools we have If this conversation resonates with you, I'd love you to join me. Comment "I'm in" and let's do this together. And, as always, please share this episode with someone who's been quietly wondering the same things, and then let's see what happens together over the next 90 days. I have a feeling this experiment is about far more than alcohol - it's about discovering who we are when we stop relying on the things we've always relied on.

  4. Jul 23

    The Hidden Cost of Success | Maps Maponyane on What Nobody Tells You About Achievement

    Success is something most people spend their lives chasing, but very few people stop to ask what happens once you actually achieve it. In this episode, I sit down with Maps Maponyane to discuss a side of success that isn't often talked about. The pressure, expectations, loss of privacy, the constant visibility, and the challenge of staying grounded while the world increasingly places demands on who you should be. Maps has built an extraordinary career across media, business and entertainment, yet what has always stood out to me most is not his success. It's his consistency, humility, kindness, and his ability to remain deeply connected to who he is despite living much of his life in the public eye. Together, we explore identity, gratitude, purpose, authenticity and the importance of remembering who you are before the world tells you who you should become. This is a conversation about success, but it's also a conversation about humanity. Whether you're building a business, growing a career or simply trying to become the best version of yourself, this episode is a powerful reminder that success means very little if you lose yourself along the way. The goal isn't to become someone else - it's to become more of who you already are.

  5. Jul 16

    Can Simplicity Be the Ultimate Biohack? | Axay Shah

    On the Mama Mudra podcast, our primary motivation is life led by joy. And in following this goal, we have found some fascinating people who prove that, often times, the answer to better health isn't found in adding more supplements, more technology, or more complicated routines, but in taking things away. This week, Kate sits down with internationally recognised raw food advocate Axay Shah, whose wellness philosophy stands in stark contrast to the modern biohacking movement. After more than 16 years living primarily on a raw food diet, Axay believes that true vitality comes from simplifying our lives, reconnecting with nature, and allowing the body to function the way it was designed. At 67 years old, he's completed multiple marathons, says he feels decades younger than his age, and has built his life's work around one simple question: What if our bodies already know exactly how to heal themselves? This isn't an episode about convincing you to become a raw foodist. It's about exploring another perspective in the pursuit of health, happiness and longevity. In this episode we discuss: • Why modern wellness may be making health unnecessarily complicated • The connection between food, energy and emotional wellbeing • What 16 years of eating raw food has taught Axay about vitality • Why he believes simplification is the greatest health intervention • The difference between treating symptoms and supporting the body's natural intelligence • Whether raw food is appropriate for everyone • The mindset required to make sustainable lifestyle changes • The hidden cost of processed foods • Why consistency matters more than perfection • How to begin making healthier choices without completely changing your life overnight One of the things I enjoyed most about this conversation was that it challenged my own thinking. I'm someone who loves science, innovation and longevity technology, yet Axay reminded me that wellness doesn't always have to become more complex. Sometimes the greatest shift comes from stripping everything back. Whether or not you agree with every aspect of his philosophy, there's something incredibly valuable about questioning our assumptions and remembering that nature may still have more answers than we realise. Find Axay Shah's book on living a raw food lifestyle here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GTC25W3Q?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback. It explores his raw food philosophy in greater depth. If you enjoyed this episode please subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with someone curious about living with more energy, vitality and joy. Because we're not chasing wellness anymore. We're redefining it through joy.

  6. Jul 9

    Burnout Isn't What You Think | With Alana Moyes

    Most of us have been taught that burnout happens because we simply do too much. But what if that's only part of the story? In this episode, Kate sits down with burnout specialist Alana Moyes to explore a far more nuanced understanding of burnout, one that shifts the conversation away from productivity and towards self-awareness. Together, they unpack why some people can carry enormous workloads without burning out while others reach breaking point much sooner, and why the answer may lie less in what you're doing and more in how your nervous system is wired. This is a conversation about understanding yourself, recognising your own patterns, and building a life that works with who you are rather than against it. In this episode we discuss: - Why burnout isn't simply the result of working too hard. - The personality traits most commonly associated with burnout. - How genetics, upbringing and life experiences influence our capacity for stress. - Why nervous system sensitivity changes the way we experience work and life. - Alana's own experience of severe burnout and what it taught her. - The difference between pushing through and sustainably performing. - Why self-awareness is one of the most important performance tools we have. - The hidden cost of attaching our identity to achievement. - Practical signs your body may be asking you to slow down before burnout takes hold. - Why learning to accommodate yourself is far more powerful than trying to become someone else. Takeaways: - Burnout is rarely caused by workload alone. It often develops when the demands we place on ourselves are constantly misaligned with the way we naturally function. - Your nervous system is not a weakness to overcome. It's information to work with. - Success becomes far more sustainable when it is built around who you genuinely are rather than who you believe you should be. - Feeling numb, constantly reactive, exhausted or permanently overwhelmed are signals worth paying attention to, not badges of honour. - The goal isn't simply to recover from burnout. It's to understand yourself well enough that you don't continually recreate it. Quote: "The goal isn't to stop achieving. The goal is to understand yourself well enough to achieve in a way your body can actually sustain." Follow Mama Mudra for weekly conversations exploring health, happiness and human performance. Instagram: @mama_mudra_ YouTube: Mama Mudra Podcast If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who might need to hear that burnout isn't a personal failure. Sometimes, it's simply an invitation to understand yourself better.

  7. Jul 2

    Jeannie D and the Surprising Truth About Positive People

    We've all met someone who seems to light up every room they walk into. The person who is warm, optimistic, energetic and genuinely happy to be alive. But are people like that simply born that way, or is joy actually something we can practice? In this episode, I sit down with Jeannie D (Bekker, née de Gouveia), someone I've known for years and whose energy has always fascinated me. No matter where I've encountered her, she consistently shows up with warmth, enthusiasm and an incredible ability to make people feel seen. So I wanted to understand why. Together, we unpack the idea that happiness isn't something that happens to us - it's something we actively create. We explore resilience, positivity, energy management, difficult seasons, personal responsibility and why joy might be far more of a daily practice than most people realise. This conversation is filled with simple but powerful reminders that happiness isn't found in perfect circumstances. It's found in the choices we make every day. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, exhausted or disconnected lately, this episode offers a refreshing reminder that joy doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes it's simply a choice to keep looking for the good.

  8. Jun 25

    Passion, Discipline & Longevity | Shihan 9th Dan and World Joint Chief Instructor Chris Thompson

    What if the secret to consistency isn't discipline at all, but absolute passion? In this episode, Kate Thompson-Duwe sits down with someone who has spent almost eight decades living the principles that the wellness industry is only now beginning to talk about: movement, purpose, longevity, mastery and consistency. Chris Thompson has dedicated his life to karate. As a Shihan 9th Dan and World Joint Chief Instructor, he continues to travel internationally teaching and inspiring students around the world as he approaches his 80th birthday. This conversation is about what happens when you find something you love so deeply that consistency no longer feels like hard work. We explore the relationship between passion and discipline, why purpose creates longevity, the dangers of chasing shortcuts, and what it takes to remain physically, mentally and emotionally engaged with life for an entire lifetime. If you've ever struggled to stay consistent with your health, your habits or your goals, this episode may completely change the way you think about motivation. In this episode we discuss: • Why passion is often more powerful than discipline • The mindset that has kept Chris active and engaged for nearly 80 years • The connection between purpose and longevity • Why mastery is a lifelong pursuit • How movement shapes both physical and mental well-being • Lessons from decades of teaching and mentoring others This episode is a reminder that the healthiest people aren't always the most disciplined. They're often the people who have found something they love enough to keep showing up for.

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About

Welcome to Mama Mudra - The Joy Movement. The wellness industry has a joy problem. This podcast exists to fix it. Hosted by Kate Thompson-Duwe - entrepreneur, founder, and joy advocate - Mama Mudra is where neuroscience, movement, nutrition, longevity, and conscious living collide with one radical belief: joy is the new performance metric. Not punishment. Not perfection. Not burnout disguised as discipline. Every week, Kate sits down with world-class experts, founders, and thinkers to challenge the wellness status quo and hand you tools that actually work — so you can stop forcing routines that don't fit and start building a life you genuinely want to repeat. This is the podcast for people who are done with joyless wellness. Who wants to feel good, think clearly, and live fully — without making life feel like a project. Topics we cover: happiness and neuroscience · wellness and performance · sustainable habits · longevity · mindset and self-belief · movement and emotional health · entrepreneurship and wellbeing · conscious living · joy-led performance This is The Joy Movement. Come as you are. Follow the podcast weekly, and join us in person at Sunshine People, where the joy movement comes to life.

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