Documentary director Zach Fiedler joins the Illumined Wellness podcast to talk about the life of Saint Junípero Serra: the Franciscan friar from Mallorca who left a university professorship to become a missionary in Mexico and California. Zach spent years reading Serra’s letters and journals and tracing his route from Petra, Mallorca to Mexico City to the California missions. He then filmed a documentary series about it.

We cover:

• Serra’s journey from a tiny Mallorcan village to the missions of Mexico and California
• The leg infection he carried for about 20 years, and how close he came to dying on the walk to California
• The motto “Siempre adelante, nunca atrás” (“Always forward, never back”)
• The statue removals and the main accusations against him (racism, slavery, disease, mistreatment of Native Californians), and what Zach found in the primary sources
• The forgotten story of Mission San Antonio and the bell Serra rang for nearly an hour
• Why Zach calls his documentary “a love letter to California” and a defense of Serra
• Why the saints are your friends, and how ordinary people can live out their faith

Links from Episode

🔗 Find Zach Fiedler:

👉 Instagram: @zachfiedler

👉 Substack: https://substack.com/@zachfiedler

👉https://tr.ee/EUqkS43TH1

🔗 Andrew's work:

👉 IlluminedWellness.com | humanality.org | smart-families.org

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on the art of living human.

Medical Disclaimer:

The content shared on the Illumined Wellness podcast — including all episodes, show notes, and related materials — is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Andrew Laubacher is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). He is not a licensed physician, dietitian, psychologist, or other medical provider, and the information presented does not constitute medical, psychological, or nutritional care. Health coaching is distinct from medical treatment and is not a replacement for the care of a qualified healthcare professional.

Listening to this podcast does not create a coach-client or provider-patient relationship of any kind. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified provider before beginning any new diet, supplement, exercise, light-exposure, or wellness practice, and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you heard here. Guests' views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Illumined Wellness LLC.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately. You assume full responsibility for any actions taken based on this content.

In this episode, Dr. Stillman (author of The End of Autoimmunity) breaks down why autoimmunity tends to strike the most capable, conscientious people in the prime of their lives — and why chronic fatigue, brain fog, and inflammation are so often just the surface labels for deeper issues like heavy metal burden, mold toxicity, hidden infections, and nutritional deficiencies.

We get into:
 🔆 Why morning sunlight is non-negotiable (and what to do if you live somewhere dark and cold)
 🌙 The hidden cost of artificial light at night — from shift work to carotid artery plaque
 🧠 The "driven" personality type and why it makes you more prone to burnout and autoimmune flare-ups
 🍽️ The simple habit shift (moving your dinner time up) that can transform your sleep
 💛 Why five minutes of encouragement a day matters more than you think

If you're tired, foggy, and feel like something's "off" even though your labs look normal — this one's for you.
 📖 New book: The End of Autoimmunity

Find Dr. Stillman on social media! @StillmanMD

Dr Stillman's Products 

Links from Episode

🔗 Find Dr. Stillman:

👉 Instagram/X/Facebook: @StillmanMD

👉 Substack: drstillmanuncensored.com

👉https://stillmanmd.com/ 

🔗 Andrew's work:

👉 IlluminedWellness.com | humanality.org | smart-families.org

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on the art of living human.

Medical Disclaimer:

The content shared on the Illumined Wellness podcast — including all episodes, show notes, and related materials — is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Andrew Laubacher is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). He is not a licensed physician, dietitian, psychologist, or other medical provider, and the information presented does not constitute medical, psychological, or nutritional care. Health coaching is distinct from medical treatment and is not a replacement for the care of a qualified healthcare professional.

Listening to this podcast does not create a coach-client or provider-patient relationship of any kind. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified provider before beginning any new diet, supplement, exercise, light-exposure, or wellness practice, and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you heard here. Guests' views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Illumined Wellness LLC.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately. You assume full responsibility for any actions taken based on this content.

Shereen Yusuff's story defies a single category. Raised in Oman as a nationally ranked tennis player training four hours a day, she lost her sport to academics, became a petroleum engineer, and spent years chasing meaning through Ironmans, ultra-marathons, and high-altitude mountaineering across 60+ countries. Along the way she moved from a devout Muslim upbringing into indifferent atheism — only to be pulled back toward God through an overwhelming, unexplainable encounter in a restaurant in Warsaw.

In this episode, Shereen traces that winding path: her return to Islam, the mystical experiences that followed, a surprising call from Christ that led her — through the Missionaries of Charity — into the Catholic Church out of obedience rather than logic. She and Andrew dig into what it actually felt like to encounter divine love for the first time, why she believes Islam prepared her for Catholicism rather than opposing it, and how she now combines her Wim Hof, Buteyko, and Oxygen Advantage breathwork certifications with a distinctly Catholic spirituality to help people access "the heart" — the subject of her book, Seeking the Spirit Within.

Topics covered:

• Growing up a competitive tennis player and the trauma of leaving the sport
• Losing and rediscovering faith across cultures and continents
• A profound spiritual experience in Poland and what followed
• Transitioning from a devout Muslim life to Catholicism
• Meeting Wim Hof and becoming a breathwork teacher
• The framework behind her 12-week book/program on breath, the heart, and love
• Encouragement for anyone who's "done all the right things" but hasn't yet felt that encounter with God

Medical Disclaimer:

The content shared on the Illumined Wellness podcast — including all episodes, show notes, and related materials — is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Andrew Laubacher is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). He is not a licensed physician, dietitian, psychologist, or other medical provider, and the information presented does not constitute medical, psychological, or nutritional care. Health coaching is distinct from medical treatment and is not a replacement for the care of a qualified healthcare professional.

Listening to this podcast does not create a coach-client or provider-patient relationship of any kind. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified provider before beginning any new diet, supplement, exercise, light-exposure, or wellness practice, and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you heard here. Guests' views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Illumined Wellness LLC.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately. You assume full responsibility for any actions taken based on this content.

Links from Episode

Shereen's Book: Seeking the Spirit Within: https://sites.prh.com/seeking-the-spirit-within-book 

🔗 Find Shereen:

👉 Instagram: @shereenyusuff

👉 LinkedIn: Shereen Yusuff

👉Facebook: Shereen Yusuff
👉Email: info@suda-prem.com
👉Website: suda-prem.com

🔗 Andrew's work:

👉 IlluminedWellness.com | humanality.org | smart-families.org
🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on the art of living human.

⏱️ Timestamps:
00:00 The Changing Landscape of New York City
03:12 Aubrey's Journey to New York and Career Evolution
06:01 Exploring Bitcoin and Financial Literacy
08:44 The Complex Relationship with Money
12:06 Faith Journey and Personal Growth
17:54 Rediscovering Faith and Spirituality
23:34 The Impact of Technology and AI on Humanity
32:04 Fear of Death and NDEs
39:00 Finding Contentment and Encouragement in the Single Life

🔗 Aubrey Strobel:
👉 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheAubservation
👉 Ave Series: https://www.instagram.com/ave.series/?hl=en
👉 Twitter/X: https://x.com/aubreystrobel?lang=en

🔗 Andrew's work:
👉 https://www.illuminedwellness.com/ | https://www.humanality.org/ | https://www.smart-families.org/

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on the art of living human.

#Faith #Bitcoin #Catholic #Relationships #NewYorkCity

Medical Disclaimer
The content shared on the Illumined Wellness podcast — including all episodes, show notes, and related materials — is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Andrew Laubacher is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). He is not a licensed physician, dietitian, psychologist, or other medical provider, and the information presented does not constitute medical, psychological, or nutritional care. Health coaching is distinct from medical treatment and is not a replacement for the care of a qualified healthcare professional.

Listening to this podcast does not create a coach-client or provider-patient relationship of any kind. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified provider before beginning any new diet, supplement, exercise, light-exposure, or wellness practice, and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you heard here. Guests' views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Illumined Wellness LLC.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately. You assume full responsibility for any actions taken based on this content.

🔗 Paul George's work:
👉 Book, "Holy Grit" https://www.avemariapress.com/products/holy-grit

🔗 Andrew's work:
👉 https://www.illuminedwellness.com/ | https://www.humanality.org/ | https://www.smart-families.org/

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on the art of living human.

#Masculinity #Faith #MensMinistry #ChristianLiving #HolyGrits

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Medical Disclaimer
The content shared on the Illumined Wellness podcast — including all episodes, show notes, and related materials — is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Andrew Laubacher is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). He is not a licensed physician, dietitian, psychologist, or other medical provider, and the information presented does not constitute medical, psychological, or nutritional care. Health coaching is distinct from medical treatment and is not a replacement for the care of a qualified healthcare professional.

Listening to this podcast does not create a coach-client or provider-patient relationship of any kind. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified provider before beginning any new diet, supplement, exercise, light-exposure, or wellness practice, and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you heard here. Guests' views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Illumined Wellness LLC.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately. You assume full responsibility for any actions taken based on this content.

🔗 Dr. Bob Schuchts' work:
👉 John Paul II Healing Center: https://jpiihealingcenter.org/
👉 Be Healed: https://jpiihealingcenter.org/product/be-healed-dr-bob-schuchts-copy/

🔗 Andrew's work:
👉 https://www.illuminedwellness.com/ | https://www.humanality.org/ | https://www.smart-families.org/

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on the art of living human.

#BeHealed #InnerHealing #CatholicPodcast #FaithAndTherapy #HealingJourney

Medical Disclaimer
The content shared on the Illumined Wellness podcast — including all episodes, show notes, and related materials — is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Andrew Laubacher is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). He is not a licensed physician, dietitian, psychologist, or other medical provider, and the information presented does not constitute medical, psychological, or nutritional care. Health coaching is distinct from medical treatment and is not a replacement for the care of a qualified healthcare professional.

Listening to this podcast does not create a coach-client or provider-patient relationship of any kind. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified provider before beginning any new diet, supplement, exercise, light-exposure, or wellness practice, and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you heard here. Guests' views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Illumined Wellness LLC.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately. You assume full responsibility for any actions taken based on this content.

What we cover:
- Why "doom vs. boom" is a false choice when it comes to AI
- The requisite organization theory of thinking in nuance instead of certainty
- ADHD, entrepreneurship, and why intrinsic motivation matters more than ever
- What's broken about the standard American education system
- Edmund's divorce, the mystery of suffering, and finding God in the middle of it
- One simple word of encouragement for anyone in the thick of a hard season

🔗 Edmund Mitchell:
👉 Edmund's site: https://www.edmundmitchell.com/
👉 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/edmundmitchell/?hl=en

🔗 Andrew's work:
👉 https://www.illuminedwellness.com/ | https://www.humanality.org/ | https://www.smart-families.org/

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on the art of living human.

#FaithAndAI #ChristianPodcast #ADHD

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Medical Disclaimer
The content shared on the Illumined Wellness podcast — including all episodes, show notes, and related materials — is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Andrew Laubacher is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). He is not a licensed physician, dietitian, psychologist, or other medical provider, and the information presented does not constitute medical, psychological, or nutritional care. Health coaching is distinct from medical treatment and is not a replacement for the care of a qualified healthcare professional.

Listening to this podcast does not create a coach-client or provider-patient relationship of any kind. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified provider before beginning any new diet, supplement, exercise, light-exposure, or wellness practice, and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you heard here. Guests' views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Illumined Wellness LLC.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately. You assume full responsibility for any actions taken based on this content.

- The "tech idiot paradigm" — why saying "it's just a tool" keeps us blind 
  to what technology actually costs us
- Walker Percy and Susan Sontag saw the photograph problem coming long before 
  Instagram existed
- Why curiosity itself can become a vice, and how Aquinas's virtue of 
  temperance applies to how much content we consume
- The concept of discarnation — how media pulls us out of our bodies — and 
  why the internet does it more intensely than anything before it
- One word that can reorient your relationship to your phone, your community, 
  and your faith: participation

🔗 Justin Bonanno:
👉 Blog / Substack: teachdelightmove.com
👉 Media Ecology Association: [add link]

🔗 Andrew's work:
👉 https://www.illuminedwellness.com/ | https://www.humanality.org/ | https://www.smart-families.org/

🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on the art of living human.

#MediaEcology #DigitalWellness #ArtOfLivingHuman

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Medical Disclaimer
The content shared on the Illumined Wellness podcast — including all episodes, show notes, and related materials — is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Andrew Laubacher is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). He is not a licensed physician, dietitian, psychologist, or other medical provider, and the information presented does not constitute medical, psychological, or nutritional care. Health coaching is distinct from medical treatment and is not a replacement for the care of a qualified healthcare professional.

Listening to this podcast does not create a coach-client or provider-patient relationship of any kind. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified provider before beginning any new diet, supplement, exercise, light-exposure, or wellness practice, and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you heard here. Guests' views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Illumined Wellness LLC.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately. You assume full responsibility for any actions taken based on this content.

- Why discernment feels like agony — and why that's actually the point
- How your childhood experience of love shapes your image of God (and your ability to trust Him)
- The trap of making your vocation the idol instead of seeking union with God
- Why you need a guide — and how the Church already offers more community than we realize

🔗 Bobby Angel:
👉 Website & Mentorship: https://jackieandbobby.com/catholic-mentorship
👉 Book — Pray, Decide, and Don't Worry https://ascensionpress.com/products/pray-decide-and-don-t-worry-five-steps-to-discerning-god-s-will
👉 John Paul II Field Guide (coming September): https://www.avemariapress.com/products/the-jpii-field-guide

🔗 Andrew's work:
👉 https://www.illuminedwellness.com/ | https://www.humanality.org/ | https://www.smart-families.org/

🔔 Subscribe for honest conversations about faith, healing, and what it actually means to be human.

#Discernment #CatholicMen #SpiritualDirection

Why young people are being diagnosed with personality disorders that disappear after 4 weeks offline?
How social media algorithms deliberately exploit your psychological vulnerabilities.
The "aspirational illness" phenomenon — why teens are now begging for psychiatric diagnoses.
What AI, the Singularity, and tech's God complex mean for the future of human flourishing.
Practical ingredients for reclaiming your mind, your relationships, and your humanity.

🔗 Dr. Nicholas Kardaras:

👉 Omega Recovery (Austin, TX — residential, ages 17–35): https://www.omegarecovery.org
👉 NY Center for Living (outpatient, adolescents–young adults): https://www.centerforliving.org
👉 Glow Kids — https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250146557/glowkids/
👉 Digital Madness — https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250472663/digitalmadness/

🔗 Andrew's work:

👉 IlluminedWellness.com | humanality.org | smart-families.org
🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on the art of living human.
#MentalHealth #DigitalAddiction #TechAndMentalHealth

Medical Disclaimer

The content shared on the Illumined Wellness podcast — including all episodes, show notes, and related materials — is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Andrew Laubacher is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). He is not a licensed physician, dietitian, psychologist, or other medical provider, and the information presented does not constitute medical, psychological, or nutritional care. Health coaching is distinct from medical treatment and is not a replacement for the care of a qualified healthcare professional.
Listening to this podcast does not create a coach-client or provider-patient relationship of any kind. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified provider before beginning any new diet, supplement, exercise, light-exposure, or wellness practice, and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you heard here. Guests' views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Illumined Wellness LLC.
If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately. You assume full responsibility for any actions taken based on this content.

🔗 Find Tristan:

👉 Instagram/X: @tristan__scott

👉 Substack: http://tristanhealth.substack.com

👉 Daylight Computer: DaylightComputer.com

👉 Incandescent bulbs: DaylightComputer.com/labs

🔗 Andrew's work:

👉 IlluminedWellness.com | humanality.org | smart-families.org
🔔 Subscribe for weekly conversations on the art of living human.

Medical Disclaimer
The content shared on the Illumined Wellness podcast — including all episodes, show notes, and related materials — is provided for general educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as, and should not be treated as, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Andrew Laubacher is a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC). He is not a licensed physician, dietitian, psychologist, or other medical provider, and the information presented does not constitute medical, psychological, or nutritional care. Health coaching is distinct from medical treatment and is not a replacement for the care of a qualified healthcare professional.

Listening to this podcast does not create a coach-client or provider-patient relationship of any kind. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified provider before beginning any new diet, supplement, exercise, light-exposure, or wellness practice, and never disregard or delay professional medical advice because of something you heard here. Guests' views are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host or Illumined Wellness LLC.

If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately. You assume full responsibility for any actions taken based on this content.

#LightTherapy #CircadianRhythm #DaylightComputer