Return on Wellness

Olympian Meeting

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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.

2H AGO

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
11/13/2025 · BONUS

Why Men Avoid the Doctor: The Data Behind Men’s Health with Dr. Elliot Justin

This Movember, I wanted to look at something we don’t talk about enough: men’s health. In this episode of Return on Wellness, I sit down with Dr. Elliot Justin, MD, FACEP to look at the data on why men avoid the doctor, what screenings actually save lives, and how lifestyle medicine connects the dots between prevention, performance, and longevity. We get into:• The cultural and social habits that keep men from asking for help• What science says about testosterone, stress, and sleep• Real numbers on heart disease and preventable illness• How nutrition and exercise can truly change healthspan• Simple steps any man can take to take charge of his health I hope this one inspires you to check in, speak up, and start seeing your health as an investment, not a chore. Listen in and share it with the men in your life who might need the reminder. 00:00 — Welcome & Caesars Wellness partnership00:52 — Guest intro: Dr. Elliot Justin, MD, FACEP02:19 — Why men delay care and how culture shapes behavior04:09 — Cardiovascular health and everyday prevention05:00 — Movember, hormones, and men’s mental health22:00 — Nutrition and lifestyle medicine that work28:38 — Early detection mindset and personal stories50:08 — The screenings that actually save lives01:07:07 — Closing thoughts and Movember call to action men’s health, Movember, preventive medicine, testosterone, heart disease, mental health, lifestyle medicine, longevity, Return on Wellness, David T Stevens, Dr. Elliot Justin, wellness at events, public health, men’s health awareness month

1h 9m
10/29/2025

The $6.3 Trillion Wellness Lie: Dr. Tyler LeBaron on Hydrogen, Hype, and How to Think for Yourself

The wellness industry is massive, but how much of it actually holds up under a microscope? In this episode of Return on Wellness, host David T. Stevens talks with Dr. Tyler LeBaron, Executive Director of the Molecular Hydrogen Institute, about the difference between hype and honest science. Guest: Tyler LeBaron MsC., PhD Guest link: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/tyler-w-lebaron-phd-04986a56/ What started with a $4,000 alkaline-water machine turned into a sixteen-year research journey through molecular hydrogen, critical thinking, and the placebo effect. Tyler explains what real evidence looks like, how marketing twists science, and how anyone—especially event professionals—can learn to separate facts from good storytelling. You’ll learn: Why “proven” and “cure” are red flags in wellness marketing How molecular hydrogen moved from fringe idea to legitimate research field The power of placebo and what it really measures How to vet wellness products before adding them to your next event Why humility and curiosity beat certainty every time Chapters: 00:00 Aloha and Welcome to Return on Wellness 00:50 Meet Dr. Tyler LeBaron and why “trust” matters 02:00 The $6.3 Trillion Wellness Industry and its truth problem 03:30 From alkaline water skeptic to scientist 06:00 When marketing meets chemistry and contradictions 09:00 Real skepticism versus blind belief 11:00 “Proven” and “cure”: red flags in wellness marketing 13:30 Molecular hydrogen explained simply 17:00 The Hindenburg question: is hydrogen safe? 19:00 What makes hydrogen water different 22:00 How marketing distorts legitimate science 25:00 Japan’s hydrogen approval myth and what it really means 27:00 The 20% survival study that changed the conversation 28:00 How planners can vet new wellness ideas before buying in 29:00 The placebo effect and why it is not “just in your head” 33:00 The Five H’s: Hydration, Health, Hope, Hype, Hydrogen 35:00 Spotting red flags and the danger of technobabble 40:00 Survivorship bias, cherry-picking, and social media claims 45:00 Ultra-Crepadarianism and knowing your limits 48:00 The flowchart for critical thinking 50:00 What makes a study credible 54:00 Evaluating research, evidence tiers, and bias 57:00 Closing thoughts on curiosity, humility, and asking better questions ResourcesFor integrating the Four Pillars (Mindfulness, Movement, Meals, Meaning) into your next program, connect with David T Stevens: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtstevens

56 min
09/24/2025

The Neuroscience of Better Events: Micro-Movement and Meals with Michael Donovan, PhD

Michael Donovan, PhD joins Return on Wellness to map out brain-friendly event design: micro-movement, smart meals, mindful downshifts, and simple ways to read the room. Guest: Michael Donovan, PhDGuest link: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-donovan-ph-d-20a6297/ In this episode we translate nutritional neurophysiology into practical event design. You’ll hear how brief arousal spikes paired with guided downshifts prime attention; why micro-movement beats marathon sessions; how to plan meals that keep energy steady; and how social health structures multiply learning. We also cover right-sized ways to gauge attention and mood without intrusive tech. Highlights Mindfulness: quick arousal, deliberate calm to lock in content Movement: 60–90 second bursts placed where attention dips Meals: protein-forward, fiber-smart plates to avoid afternoon crashes Meaning: low-stakes connection moments that reduce anxiety and prime memory Measurement: simple pulse checks and room tweaks that actually guide design Chapters00:00 Intro + Caesars Wellness menu mention. 01:00 Meet Michael Donovan, PhD: field and research setup. 02:00 From athlete to scientist; “fit span” explained. 05:00 Lab → NIH → wearables: why raw data isn’t action. 10:00 The brain on movement: framing the core question. 16:00 How to gauge intensity in a room: RPE and “talk test.” 18:00 BDNF, attention, and anti-sedentary basics. 19:00 Low-sweat movement ideas you can do in conference attire. 22:00 Why cooling down matters after intensity; don’t sprint into a session. 24:00 Sympathetic vs parasympathetic: where learning actually happens. 25:00 Zone 4–5 spikes, hippocampus, then ramp down before you learn. 27:00 Breath as the fast lever to shift state; how to ramp down. 29:00 Focused cooldown beats doom-scroll stretching. 34:00 Day design: sprinkle short walks; stand early; plan to move. 35:00 The post-meal dip: lighter meals, “earn your carbs,” stay alert. 41:00 Social health x movement: walk-and-talks for learning and connection. 54:00 Attention spans, talk length, and what to actually measure. 56:00 Measuring engagement: surveys and “ethical facial analysis.” 1:07:00 Inclusion tips: accredited leaders, equipment-free sessions, shoe swap hack. 1:13:00 Where to find Dr. Michael Donovan + show plug. 1:14:00 End screen promo. ResourcesFor integrating the Four Pillars (Mindfulness, Movement, Meals, Meaning) into your next program, connect with David T Stevens: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidtstevens CreditsHost: Return on WellnessGuest: Michael Donovan, PhDCategory: Business • Health & FitnessExplicit: No Advisory This podcast is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice.

1h 14m
09/09/2025 · BONUS

Your genetic age revealed: A deep dive with Jeffrey Gaal

Are your organs older, or younger, than you think? Most of us only know our chronological age, but what about the true biological age of your heart, brain, or kidneys? In this episode, I sit down with Jeffrey to explore the future of wellness through AI-powered diagnostics that reveal organ-specific aging, years before disease strikes. You’ll hear how these insights can catch health risks at “pre-stage one,” why preventive care is the key to longevity, and how you can take control of your healthspan, not just your lifespan starting now. Perfect for event professionals, wellness seekers, and anyone curious about how science and technology are transforming the way we age. What you’ll learn in this episode: Why most diseases are diagnosed too late The difference between chronological age and biological age How AI is reshaping preventive health and diagnostics Practical ways to act on early warning signs What personalized wellness could look like in the near future

31 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

44
Rating

Explicit
Copyright

© Olympian Meeting
Show Website

Return on Wellness