Solutions Manual Podcast

Solutions Makers
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Biweekly

Dr Maciej Zatonski and Dr Sara Farwell cut through the noise with science-driven conversations on brain health, behaviour change, and personal and professional performance. Each episode blends medicine, neuroscience, and real insights for solutions that actually work and help make lasting change. zatonski.substack.com

  1. Episode 42 – Samyal and Mindset with Sasi Krishnan

    May 25

    Episode 42 – Samyal and Mindset with Sasi Krishnan

    What can samyal (Tamil for “cooking”) and cricket teach us about life’s universal challenges? As Sasi Krishnan puts it – well, everything. In our next episode, we speak with Sasi, a cookery teacher, speaker, and recently published author on how lessons learned in the kitchen can transform how we approach the uncertainties and stresses of life. She speaks about her own lived experience, how we can approach food with a fresh mindset (to match the ingredients), and what happens when we stop chasing perfection. This episode is best paired with your favourite coffee or chai. Meet and Connect with Sasi: Sasi Krishnan is a UK-based cookery teacher, speaker, and author of Silent Innings. Her work centres around authentic Indian home cooking, rooted in everyday practice rather than restaurant-style food. Through her teaching and speaking, she explores the role of food beyond recipes and how it connects to mindset, routine, and overall wellbeing. With subtle Ayurvedic influences, her approach focuses on balance, simplicity, and cooking in a way that fits real life, not perfection. Alongside her work in food, her book Silent Innings reflects on life through the lens of cricket, offering a quiet perspective on resilience, timing, and the phases we all move through. At the heart of her work is a simple connection – the way we cook, the way we live, and the way we show up, are not separate. Sasi Krishnan | LinkedIn Sasi | Online Indian Cookery Classes (@sasisamyal) • Instagram photos and videos Life doesn’t come with a solutions manual – so we made one! The Solutions Manual Podcast is where Drs Sara Farwell and Maciej Zatonski talk about the challenges and solutions to a healthy mind, body, relationships, and career. Featuring super guests with personal stories, the science behind human behaviour change and transformation, and everyday tips for living fully. Get full access to Solutions Manual at zatonski.substack.com/subscribe

    59 min
  2. Episode 41 – Sport Mentality

    May 17

    Episode 41 – Sport Mentality

    Join us as we explore the deep connections between physical performance, cognitive resilience, and emotion regulation. Drawing from Sara’s lifelong background in sport and physical performance coaching, our discussion examines how athletic principles apply not only to elite performance, but also to everyday health, longevity, and mental wellbeing. This episode is packed! * How sport shapes resilience, discipline, and teamwork * The psychological side of training and competition * What you should expect from your personal trainer, physio, and coach * Emotion regulation in high pressure sports and work * Why physical performance is “90% mental” * The relationship between mindset, self-talk, and injury risk * Overtraining vs undertraining in modern life * Why most people need more movement, not more optimisation * Consistency and habit formation in exercise * The dangers of social media fitness culture and misinformation * The role of sleep, nutrition, recovery, and balance * Genetics, body composition, and realistic expectations * How movement supports brain health and cognitive performance * & more! Life doesn’t come with a solutions manual – so we made one! The Solutions Manual Podcast is where Drs Sara Farwell and Maciej Zatonski talk about the challenges and solutions to a healthy mind, body, relationships, and career. Featuring super guests with personal stories, the science behind human behaviour change and transformation, and everyday tips for living fully. Get full access to Solutions Manual at zatonski.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 34m
  3. Episode 40 – Menopause Shifts with Vicky Mose

    May 4

    Episode 40 – Menopause Shifts with Vicky Mose

    Imagine how different our personal and professional lives will be when menopause is addressed for the people first? Our next conversation is with Vicky Mose, founder of Imagine How and one of the UK’s leading trainers and advocates for menopause support for the workforce. We talk about how menopause is a people risk first and a business-critical issue. With the recent UK legislation change, menopause reporting and support needs to go beyond “nice to have wellbeing add-ons” which means a major shift in leadership and business. This episode is a step towards that mindset shift. Join us as we discuss * The 10% Quit Club and the human, financial, and business costs that continue to increase * What the changes are in legislation, and what companies can do to support women * What interventions don’t work based on past failures from mental health initiatives * Personal insights into recognising and managing the menopause “monkey” * And more! Meet and Connect with Vicky Imagine How Vicky Mose | LinkedIn With three decades of expertise, Vicky has established herself as a transformative leader across health, education, and workplace wellbeing. From leading innovation within major charities to shaping professional standards in the fitness and education sectors, her impact is both strategic and far-reaching. Today, as the Founder of Imagine How, Vicky is at the forefront of workplace menopause strategy. She works with organisations to move beyond awareness and into action, helping them understand their menopause demographic, mitigate risk, and implement meaningful, measurable support. Her approach positions menopause not just as a wellbeing topic, but as a critical workforce, retention, and governance issue. A menopause mentor and trainer, Vicky combines her background in psychology, health and fitness, and awarding organisation leadership with lived experience to help organisations move from awareness to action. She is known for translating complex legal, cultural, and organisational expectations into clear, practical steps that support both people and performance. Her work has gained growing recognition. In 2026, Vicky was shortlisted for the London UK StartUp Awards in the Education and Training category, reflecting the impact and momentum of Imagine How as a business and movement. Imagine How is not just a platform, it is a call to action. Through her work, Vicky is helping organisations create menopause-ready workplaces where people can thrive, and where support is not left to chance. Get full access to Solutions Manual at zatonski.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 14m
  4. Episode 39 – Success Mindset with Johnny Els

    Apr 25

    Episode 39 – Success Mindset with Johnny Els

    Our next guest is Johnny Els, founder of TruFit academy and human performance coach for veterans, triathletes, and entrepreneurs going through life transitions. Johnny shares his transition from grueling collegiate sports to helping others build sustainable habits without extreme changes. In this episode we talk about identity, getting to the emotional driver of your “why”, why taking care of yourself really matters, and how to redefine success for longevity. Thank you, Johnny for sharing your approach! Connect with Johnny: Johnny Els | LinkedIn TruFit Academy • Health Coach For High Performance Leaders Read more: Effortless Motivation Movement as the ultimate brain and body boost You live inside your brain's predictions. And your life depends on it. Life doesn’t come with a solutions manual – so we made one! The Solutions Manual Podcast is where Drs Sara Farwell and Maciej Zatonski talk about the challenges and solutions to a healthy mind, body, relationships, and career. Featuring super guests with personal stories, the science behind human behaviour change and transformation, and everyday tips for living fully. Get full access to Solutions Manual at zatonski.substack.com/subscribe

    28 min
  5. Episode 38 – Master Your Slumber

    Apr 13

    Episode 38 – Master Your Slumber

    Sleep is the most overlooked foundational pillar of health and performance. This is paradoxical since nothing in human biology operates independently of sleep. Come with us into this episode where we discuss all things sleep and how to master your slumber: * Myths and misunderstandings of sleep * Sleep deprivation as the cultural badge of honour * Dr Matt’s personal insights and experiments with sleep * Core principles of sleep and cognition, immune function, cardiovascular health, metabolism, and hormonal regulation * Sleep architecture and how sleep actually works * Deep sleep and REM sleep and why they are critical to your health * What “good sleep” means, and why drugs don’t help * Timing, regularity and circadian rhythms * Why people struggle with sleep * How to get better sleep - immediately * And more! Download our free guide: Go to Bed! The Solutions Manual for Sleep (Free Download) Read on: Life doesn’t come with a solutions manual – so we made one! The Solutions Manual Podcast is where Drs Sara Farwell and Maciej Zatonski talk about the challenges and solutions to a healthy mind, body, relationships, and career. Featuring super guests with personal stories, the science behind human behaviour change and transformation, and everyday tips for living fully. Get full access to Solutions Manual at zatonski.substack.com/subscribe

    2h 6m
  6. Episode 37 – Sustainable Movement with Awie Spies

    Apr 4

    Episode 37 – Sustainable Movement with Awie Spies

    Awie combines human movement science with evidence-based practice for helping people move beyond recovery and into thriving. This conversation is packed with a different view on health, longevity, clearer thinking, and personal development. We cover: * Exercise as medicine; and why the rest of the world is paradoxically behind * How personal drivers influence how we help others * The importance of continuous education for practitioners and their responsibility for helping patients * The realities of putting behaviour change into practice * Communication as a clinical skill * Supplements and the longevity perspective * And more! Thank you, Awie for being a part of The Solutions Manual! Meet and Connect with Awie: After experiencing a serious shoulder injury and rehabilitation myself, I became focused on bridging the gap between research and real-world outcomes. My approach is individual-first, adaptive, and grounded in what consistently works in practice rather than rigid protocols. I’ve worked across clinical rehabilitation, chronic disease management, and high-performance sport, and I believe meaningful change happens when sound science meets human context. Spies Biokinetics (@spies_biokinetics) • Instagram photos and videos Awie Spies | LinkedIn Life doesn’t come with a solutions manual – so we made one! The Solutions Manual Podcast is where Drs Sara Farwell and Maciej Zatonski talk about the challenges and solutions to a healthy mind, body, relationships, and career. Featuring super guests with personal stories, the science behind human behaviour change and transformation, and everyday tips for living fully. Get full access to Solutions Manual at zatonski.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 35m
  7. Episode 36 – SMS 6: Lifestyle Loops Part 2

    Mar 23

    Episode 36 – SMS 6: Lifestyle Loops Part 2

    We continue our conversation and cover the pharmaceuticals that, if used properly, could be helpful tools in breaking repeated behavioural loops and building new lifestyle habits. Unfortunately, they are rarely used that way. This is especially concerning since they have effects on your cognitive health and long-term performance. In this Solutions Manual Short, we talk specifically about what GLP-1s, benzodiazepines, and SSRIs do the brain, why it’s very difficult to come off of them, and what the data trends are showing for the future (scary!). Learn to use the tools to break loops and re-build for a better, healthier life. Please subscribe, like, comment, and share with your favourite humans. Catch up on Part 1: Episode 35 – SMS 6: Lifestyle Loops Part 1 More on GLP-1s: GLP-1s for weight loss? Life doesn’t come with a solutions manual – so we made one! The Solutions Manual Podcast is where Drs Sara Farwell and Maciej Zatonski talk about the challenges and solutions to a healthy mind, body, relationships, and career. Featuring super guests with personal stories, the science behind human behaviour change and transformation, and everyday tips for living fully. Get full access to Solutions Manual at zatonski.substack.com/subscribe

    31 min
  8. Episode 35 – SMS 6: Lifestyle Loops Part 1

    Mar 6

    Episode 35 – SMS 6: Lifestyle Loops Part 1

    In this Solutions Manual Short, we talk about the all-too-familiar loops and downward spirals that happen when we only manage symptoms and not make small changes to what’s underneath. We talk about the cycles of sleep deprivation, supplementation, and taking the “easy” pill that keep us from feeling better and getting healthy – and some simple things to do to break those loops. Please subscribe, like, comment, and share with your favourite humans. On sleep and magnesium supplementation: Life doesn’t come with a solutions manual – so we made one! The Solutions Manual Podcast is where Drs Sara Farwell and Maciej Zatonski talk about the challenges and solutions to a healthy mind, body, relationships, and career. Featuring super guests with personal stories, the science behind human behaviour change and transformation, and everyday tips for living fully. Get full access to Solutions Manual at zatonski.substack.com/subscribe

    23 min
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About

Dr Maciej Zatonski and Dr Sara Farwell cut through the noise with science-driven conversations on brain health, behaviour change, and personal and professional performance. Each episode blends medicine, neuroscience, and real insights for solutions that actually work and help make lasting change. zatonski.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Solutions Makers
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Solutions Makers Ltd
  • Show Website
    Solutions Manual Podcast