Unleashed – How to Thrive as an Independent Professional – podcast 315. Trond Undheim on the aftermath of the pandemic

Show Notes: Lilly Minkove shares her background in brand and strategy consulting, focusing on retail, beauty, and wellness. She discusses her time at McKinsey, Tapestry, and Louis Vuitton, emphasizing her work in the luxury sector. Lilly explains her transition from the corporate world to running ArtLogica Group, a boutique consulting practice focused on customer insights. Introduction to HeraSphere Lilly talks about her interest in health and wellness, which eclipsed her work in retail and luxury. She recounts attending a longevity talk by Dr. Darshan Shah, which sparked her interest in tracking biomarkers and consumer insights. Lilly describes the inception of HeraSphere, a women's health newsletter translating healthcare innovations into plain English. She highlights the importance of women's health, especially for those in perimenopause or menopause, and how her consulting experience translates to this new focus. The Five Pillars of Health Lilly outlines the five pillars of health: exercise and muscle, sleep, nutrition, brain health, and connection. She emphasizes the importance of strength training, noting that muscle is an anti-aging metabolic organ. She discusses the benefits of muscle, including anti-inflammatory proteins, insulin resistance, and bone density protection. The Critical Role of Sleep Lilly explains the critical role of sleep in brain function, immune system, and overall health. She discusses the importance of regularity and quality of sleep, noting that even one night of sleep deprivation can significantly impact natural killer cell activity. Lilly shares tips for improving sleep quality, such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, avoiding alcohol, and using a sleep tracker. The conversation turns to the impact of stress and anxiety on sleep and the importance of winding down before bed. The Impact of Sugar on the Body Lilly highlights the negative effects of sugar on the body, including inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. She explains the concept of glucose spikes and how eating fiber, protein, and fat before carbohydrates can reduce their impact. Lilly emphasizes the importance of a diverse diet, recommending consuming 30 different types of plants and vegetables weekly and highlights the challenges of hidden sugars in processed foods. Maintaining Brain Health Lilly discusses the significance of brain health, noting that the brain consumes 20% of daily calories and requires continuous stimulation. She shares her experience with learning a new skill, cardio dance, and how it improves muscle memory and cognitive function. Lilly explains the link between midlife decisions and cognitive outcomes, emphasizing the importance of lifestyle measures in preventing Alzheimer's. Lilly elaborates on the benefits of keeping the brain active through learning and new skills. Community and Health Connection Lilly highlights the importance of social connections for overall health, citing a Harvard study on the mortality risk of social isolation. She discusses the decline of extended family households and the need for intentional efforts to maintain social connections. Lilly emphasizes the role of small interactions with people in the community in reducing loneliness and improving well-being. Lilly discusses the benefits of having a support system and the impact of feeling less isolated on health outcomes. The Complexity of the Wellness Industry Lilly explains her dual objectives: sharing knowledge with consumers and using consumer insights to inform her consulting practice. She offers services to help brands distill what their customers want and convey value effectively. Lilly highlights the complexity of the wellness industry and her expertise in understanding the female consumer. Measuring Health KPIs Lilly outlines key health metrics, starting with blood pressure and hemoglobin A1C, which measure metabolic efficiency and cardiovascular risk. She discusses C-reactive protein (CRP) as an indicator of systemic inflammation and its association with various diseases. Lilly explains fasting insulin and LDL cholesterol, noting their importance in measuring insulin resistance and cardiovascular health. She highlights the importance of bone density and body composition, recommending DEXA scans for accurate measurement. A Focus on Longevity Lilly discusses VO2 max, a measure of cardiovascular capacity and longevity, and the challenges of obtaining accurate measurements. She mentions the use of fitness trackers to estimate VO2 max and the benefits of regular monitoring. Lilly shares her personal practice of conducting twice-yearly health panels to track biomarkers and ensure overall well-being. Timestamps: 02:47: Transition to Women's Health and HeraSphere  06:48: Key Health Pillars: Exercise and Muscle  13:57: Sleep and Its Importance  23:57: Nutrition and Sugar Impact  29:53: Brain Health and Lifelong Learning  36:20: Connection and Social Support  38:32: Lilly's Services and Consumer Insights  41:08: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for Health  47:04: Advanced Health Metrics and Longevity  Links:  HeraSphere newsletter: https://herasphere.beehiiv.com/ HeraSphere website: https://herasphere.beehiiv.com/p/herasphere-24-become-the-ceo-of-your-health Consulting practice website: https://artlogicagroup.com/ This episode on Umbrex:    Unleashed is produced by Umbrex, which has a mission of connecting independent management consultants with one another, creating opportunities for members to meet, build relationships, and share lessons learned. Learn more at http://www.umbrex.com. *AI generated timestamps and show notes.