Dr. S continues a conversation with ultra-runner Charlie Engel about addiction as part of human evolution, the loss of identity and belonging that can come with quitting substances, and the need to develop skills for grief, transition, and loneliness rather than numbing out. Engel describes getting sober on July 23, 1992 by committing to an AA meeting and a run every day, taking sobriety one day at a time, and how this helped him become a father and husband, though he later divorced amicably. He explains how endurance running taught him to avoid catastrophizing, focus on the next “aid station,” and make clear-headed decisions rather than quitting in emotional moments. Engel recounts running across the Sahara for 111 consecutive days at two marathons per day, learning to detach from outcomes, and he previews a planned expedition from the Dead Sea to Mount Everest as a metaphor for life’s peaks and valleys, emphasizing integration over constant self-help consumption and prioritizing basic movement like walking for longevity.

00:00 Welcome Back Part Two
01:13 Beyond Shame and Numbing
02:27 Identity After Quitting
05:48 Meetings and Running Daily
09:57 Running as Mind Training
16:21 Ultra Performance Questions
19:12 Sahara Run and Mindset
22:16 Travel Trust and Humanity
27:15 Everest Metaphor Peaks Valleys
33:25 Integration Over Consumption
36:09 Longevity Basics and Walking
37:44 Closing Reflections Thanks

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Dr Safia Debar
Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator

One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020
www.drsafiadebar.com
contact@drsafiadebar.com
IG: @drsafiadebar
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Dr. S interviews ultrarunner and author Charlie Engle about addiction, wellness, and the choices people make in response to hardship. Engle recounts his years of crack cocaine and alcohol addiction, prison time, and later extreme endurance running, and discusses how “healthy” addictions can still be criticized due to others’ fear of losing belonging. He traces contributing factors to insecurity, loneliness, and early life experiences, describing how alcohol initially brought comfort but led to predictable cycles of destruction and attempted resets. He explains the codependent dynamics with his first wife, argues ultimatums don’t work, and emphasizes caregiver self-care, avoiding enabling, and letting consequences land. Engle lists prior attempts to change (AA, church, a shaman, meditation) and describes a final binge after his son’s birth that led to a sincere prayer to stop feeling his inner burden. He advises asking how a behavior is serving you rather than debating labels.

00:00 Meet Charlie Engle
03:38 Addiction and Wellness
06:29 Fear and Tribe Dynamics
11:35 Roots of Addiction
19:15 Wiring and Binge Patterns
22:01 Codependency and Enabling
29:02 The Moment of Sobriety
32:35 What He Tried Before
36:57 Ask the Right Question
39:17 Part One Wrap Up

Connect with Dr Safia Debar

Dr Safia Debar
Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator

One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020
www.drsafiadebar.com
contact@drsafiadebar.com
IG: @drsafiadebar
Tiktok: drsafiadebar

Find our free resources here: www.drsafiadebar.com/resource

In the final episode of a three-part series on gut health, Dr. S and guest Haley Paul discuss preferred gut tests, how to choose them based on clinical needs and budget, and principles of supplementation. Hayley compares tests including GI 360 Complete (noting add-ons like H. pylori), GI-MAP as a more cost-effective but less replicable option that includes markers such as calprotectin, secretory IgA, enzymatic markers, H. pylori, and an IgA reaction to wheat, and GutID for deeper microbiome profiling that currently lacks functional digestion data. She shares a case where GutID identified an overgrown commensal bacteria linked to the client’s homeland exposure, helping reduce longstanding severe diarrhea (up to 12 explosive bowel movements daily) to three normal bowel movements within four months, alongside bile acid support. They also mention GI Effects and Vibrant’s Gut Zoomer, and note Haley often pairs gut testing with hormone analysis (including cortisol) and an organic acids test. On supplements, both emphasize food and lifestyle first—diet, exercise, and sleep as foundational (with sedentary behavior and ≤6 hours sleep associated with lower microbial diversity)—and describe supplements as temporary tools to address gaps and fast-track recovery rather than lifelong regimens. Haley supports baseline supplementation for highly stressed city professionals, advocates food-based, low/slow dosing when possible, highlights widespread magnesium insufficiency, suggests non-oral options like Epsom salt baths, discusses winter low serotonin and SAD with preference for light therapy over supplements (though 5-HTP may be used), and recommends vitamin D support in the UK typically from October to March based on testing. They underline personalization, strategic use of adaptogens ahead of predictable stress (noting they may take up to six weeks), and the goal of patient autonomy. Haley shares how to find her (Haley Paul on Dr. Phi), her clinic Habitude, and her practice locations and consultation options (HCA Outpatients on Wimpole Street, Portland Hospital privileges, in-person Thursdays and online on other days). The episode closes with encouragement to start small with practical steps like adding apples, chia and flax (soaked), and focusing on hydration.

Connect with Dr Safia Debar

Dr Safia Debar
Speaker / Coach | Medical Doctor | Breathwork Facilitator

One of Tatler's "Top 21 private doctors in Britain" 2020
www.drsafiadebar.com
contact@drsafiadebar.com
IG: @drsafiadebar
Tiktok: drsafiadebar

Find our free resources here: www.drsafiadebar.com/resource