WEBVTT 00:00:12.559 --> 00:00:15.300 Hello and welcome to the Smart Beauty Podcast. 00:00:15.859 --> 00:00:18.699 I'm your host, Viola Levy, beauty journalist 00:00:18.699 --> 00:00:21.640 and founder of copy led branding agency, Smart 00:00:21.640 --> 00:00:24.379 Beauty Creative. We're here to create your brand 00:00:24.379 --> 00:00:31.170 voice and craft the story behind it. Hello and 00:00:31.170 --> 00:00:34.289 welcome to today's episode. Today we are talking 00:00:34.289 --> 00:00:37.149 about mushrooms, which have been a hot topic 00:00:37.149 --> 00:00:39.829 in wellness for quite some time and for good 00:00:39.829 --> 00:00:43.149 reason, as today's guest will explain. I'm speaking 00:00:43.149 --> 00:00:47.159 with Dr. Catalina Fernandez. founder and CEO 00:00:47.159 --> 00:00:50.780 of Hifasta Terra. They're a biotech based wellness 00:00:50.780 --> 00:00:54.060 company that's been at the forefront of medicinal 00:00:54.060 --> 00:00:57.600 mushroom research for over 25 years. So there's 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:01.100 basically no better authority on the topic. They 00:01:01.100 --> 00:01:03.619 specialize in the therapeutic use of mushrooms, 00:01:03.820 --> 00:01:07.579 creating highly concentrated extracts and clinical 00:01:07.579 --> 00:01:10.400 trials in partnerships with hospitals across 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:13.060 Europe. As many of you know, mushrooms have been 00:01:13.060 --> 00:01:16.159 used in traditional medicine for centuries. but 00:01:16.159 --> 00:01:19.019 Western science seems to finally be catching 00:01:19.019 --> 00:01:22.090 up to their many benefits. In this conversation, 00:01:22.090 --> 00:01:25.329 we cover the fascinating biology of why mushrooms 00:01:25.329 --> 00:01:28.189 are so potent, the clinical results and exactly 00:01:28.189 --> 00:01:30.709 how these compounds work in our immune systems. 00:01:31.310 --> 00:01:33.430 We also discussed the shift towards integrative 00:01:33.430 --> 00:01:36.129 medicine and why this ancient remedy is finally 00:01:36.129 --> 00:01:39.250 being recognised by mainstream healthcare and 00:01:39.250 --> 00:01:41.290 can hopefully complement and lessen the side 00:01:41.290 --> 00:01:44.310 effects when it comes to harsh procedures like 00:01:44.310 --> 00:01:46.609 cancer treatments. So it's really a compelling 00:01:46.609 --> 00:01:49.569 conversation backed by serious science. Let's 00:01:49.569 --> 00:01:53.560 dive in. Catalina, thank you so much for joining 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:56.400 me today. Really lovely to have you on the podcast. 00:01:57.000 --> 00:02:00.980 Now you specialize in mycotherapy. What I'm interested 00:02:00.980 --> 00:02:04.439 in is why mushrooms now have become a really 00:02:04.439 --> 00:02:07.060 important tool for health and wellness and are 00:02:07.060 --> 00:02:10.460 now seen as medicine rather than food. So mushrooms 00:02:10.460 --> 00:02:14.460 right now, they have a long history that have 00:02:14.460 --> 00:02:17.460 been with us. I mean, they have been in the earth 00:02:17.460 --> 00:02:21.280 for millions of years and they have evolved together 00:02:21.280 --> 00:02:25.539 with us. But there is a lot of evidence in traditional 00:02:25.539 --> 00:02:28.240 Chinese medicine, in other types of medicine, 00:02:28.620 --> 00:02:33.659 traditional medicines. But nowadays we are unveiling 00:02:33.659 --> 00:02:38.919 the metabolic roots, all the molecules that are 00:02:38.919 --> 00:02:42.800 behind all of these effects. And we know now 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:46.280 that they contain bioactive compounds such as 00:02:46.280 --> 00:02:50.919 beta -glucans, tritapines, polysaccharides that 00:02:50.919 --> 00:02:54.879 are going to modulate the immune system and are 00:02:54.879 --> 00:02:57.900 going to enhance cellular communication and promoting 00:02:57.900 --> 00:03:01.159 even apoptosis, for example, in cancer cells, 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:05.659 which is very difficult to understand sometimes 00:03:05.659 --> 00:03:09.870 how they can have so many actions in one. uh 00:03:09.870 --> 00:03:13.330 in one same product or one same mushroom but 00:03:13.330 --> 00:03:17.590 it's because they contain such a vast variety 00:03:17.590 --> 00:03:21.289 of molecules of components that obviously they 00:03:21.289 --> 00:03:23.990 are in very small quantities they're not like 00:03:23.990 --> 00:03:28.270 a drug but they are in in very small quantities 00:03:28.270 --> 00:03:31.969 but very varied so you're going to see an enormous 00:03:31.969 --> 00:03:36.620 capacity of action in each mushroom when we're 00:03:36.620 --> 00:03:38.580 talking about the whole system holistically. 00:03:39.780 --> 00:03:42.840 So what we are going to see is anti -inflammatory 00:03:42.840 --> 00:03:46.180 and antioxidant properties that are going to 00:03:46.180 --> 00:03:49.199 contribute to overall health and resilience against 00:03:49.199 --> 00:03:52.819 disease, because we know that always the inflammation 00:03:52.819 --> 00:03:57.180 underlies every disease. Yes. Having these capacities 00:03:57.180 --> 00:04:00.699 and the antioxidant capacity as well, thinking 00:04:00.699 --> 00:04:06.819 that final oxidation is death. As long as we 00:04:06.819 --> 00:04:10.719 can fight oxidation, we will live longer and 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:13.740 stay stronger. And I imagine they're useful with 00:04:13.740 --> 00:04:15.900 things like fertility issues as well, and just 00:04:15.900 --> 00:04:18.500 people that are wanting to live well in general, 00:04:19.259 --> 00:04:21.199 as well as the preventative thing. I mean, it's 00:04:21.199 --> 00:04:23.240 such a hot topic at the moment. What is it about 00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:25.199 mushrooms that makes them this potent? Is it 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:26.959 because they're a night shade? Is it how they're 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:30.680 grown? Can you shed some light on that? I think 00:04:30.680 --> 00:04:34.339 it's because they're so old. On my earth and 00:04:34.339 --> 00:04:38.220 because they are sessiles meaning that they are 00:04:38.220 --> 00:04:41.540 static they're sitting there. Everything attacks 00:04:41.540 --> 00:04:47.819 them so the wind animals the temperature they 00:04:47.819 --> 00:04:50.560 need to adapt to everything because they need 00:04:50.560 --> 00:04:54.540 to adapt without being able to scape or you know 00:04:54.540 --> 00:04:59.420 to get high hidden somewhere they just need to 00:04:59.420 --> 00:05:03.379 produce very strong molecules. enzymes, they 00:05:03.379 --> 00:05:05.879 have all types of vitamins, they have strategies, 00:05:06.279 --> 00:05:10.439 antiviral strategies, they have also antibiotic 00:05:10.439 --> 00:05:14.160 properties, because they suffer from all of these 00:05:14.160 --> 00:05:17.319 illnesses as well, and they need to fight them. 00:05:17.500 --> 00:05:21.199 And they've been there since the longest period 00:05:21.199 --> 00:05:24.860 on Earth, even before humans, before animals, 00:05:25.060 --> 00:05:28.680 before many plants. So they have to evolve. What 00:05:28.680 --> 00:05:30.920 we're seeing today, the mushrooms that we know 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:37.660 today, are the evolution of the first ones and 00:05:37.660 --> 00:05:40.040 then they went to evolution like all the rest 00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:51.240 on the planet. So they are very intricate creatures 00:05:51.240 --> 00:05:57.069 that really have properties that made them stronger 00:05:57.069 --> 00:06:00.870 and resilient for themselves. So when we take 00:06:00.870 --> 00:06:04.269 them into our body, when we eat them, basically, 00:06:05.029 --> 00:06:08.089 they bring us that resilience. Just like what 00:06:08.089 --> 00:06:09.870 doesn't kill you makes you stronger, is that 00:06:09.870 --> 00:06:14.389 the case? Exactly. And in your own personal journey, 00:06:14.509 --> 00:06:16.709 was there anything that you witnessed that made 00:06:16.709 --> 00:06:18.980 you think, yes, this is the... this is what I 00:06:18.980 --> 00:06:20.959 want to study, this is what I want to get into. 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:23.220 Was there one kind of specific event or incident 00:06:23.220 --> 00:06:26.519 that was really the turning point for you? I 00:06:26.519 --> 00:06:29.720 have to say that's every day. It's every day. 00:06:29.879 --> 00:06:33.040 I mean, the strength that I see in these creatures, 00:06:33.240 --> 00:06:37.220 as I say, I mean, what they bring to humanity, 00:06:37.500 --> 00:06:40.399 it's so strong when you treat them with respect, 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:44.540 when you're putting the right amount, the right 00:06:44.540 --> 00:06:48.620 purity. and the right potency of them into a 00:06:48.620 --> 00:06:52.939 formula. What you can see the results. We work 00:06:52.939 --> 00:06:55.300 very much with cancer patients. We're running 00:06:55.300 --> 00:06:59.600 clinical trials. So why we're doing this, it's 00:06:59.600 --> 00:07:02.819 because when we started, doctors started and 00:07:02.819 --> 00:07:05.579 therapist came back to us saying, what you're 00:07:05.579 --> 00:07:08.319 doing, it's impressive. I've tested in different 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:12.259 patients and I'm seeing incredible results. So 00:07:12.259 --> 00:07:16.720 we were hand with hand with them. Trialing and 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:21.879 trying to bring evidence to us the solidity of 00:07:21.879 --> 00:07:26.319 that comes with the evidence and scientist we're 00:07:26.319 --> 00:07:28.720 always trying to backing everything up with science 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:32.939 and with evidence so what we could see is that 00:07:32.939 --> 00:07:36.199 there was a solid evidence that. you know the 00:07:36.199 --> 00:07:38.860 products are we're really working and making 00:07:38.860 --> 00:07:43.279 a difference so this was the turning point from 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:45.339 the very beginning where we said my goodness 00:07:45.339 --> 00:07:49.259 i mean this is so um so important what these 00:07:49.259 --> 00:07:52.079 mushrooms can bring to society for the improving 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:57.519 the health worldwide and so i have to say obviously 00:07:57.519 --> 00:08:00.879 the most i would say like the most impressive 00:08:00.879 --> 00:08:04.860 results i have seen always cancer That is something 00:08:04.860 --> 00:08:09.019 that really impresses me. Because we're talking 00:08:09.019 --> 00:08:11.759 that we're always working alongside standard 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:15.120 care in hospitals, always alongside. I think 00:08:15.120 --> 00:08:16.740 that's important to emphasise, isn't it? It should 00:08:16.740 --> 00:08:20.139 not replace any standard. We're never talking 00:08:20.139 --> 00:08:23.639 about alternatives. We're talking about alongside 00:08:23.639 --> 00:08:28.600 care. Yes, of course. And what we are seeing 00:08:28.600 --> 00:08:33.200 is that the treatments work faster, better, and 00:08:33.340 --> 00:08:38.840 People don't have all these side effects, so 00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:41.980 it reduces enormously all the side effects, so 00:08:41.980 --> 00:08:45.059 it improves our life quality for the patients. 00:08:45.059 --> 00:08:48.779 Yes. And we can see results faster and better. 00:08:49.700 --> 00:08:54.100 Then also, for example, with With even rare diseases 00:08:54.100 --> 00:08:57.799 we have hospitals in spain with very rare diseases 00:08:57.799 --> 00:09:00.759 where doctors have said you know in those illnesses 00:09:00.759 --> 00:09:04.799 where i cannot find anything to help the patient 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:08.679 i always go to mushrooms to your mushrooms because 00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:12.799 it's it's like i always find that they alleviate 00:09:12.799 --> 00:09:17.580 the symptoms of the patients. End and then i 00:09:17.580 --> 00:09:22.679 mean we've seen. You can see results in sleeping, 00:09:23.759 --> 00:09:26.820 in digestive issues, people that couldn't bear 00:09:26.820 --> 00:09:31.279 like an orange juice or eating red meat. And 00:09:31.279 --> 00:09:34.259 that suddenly after a month and a half, two months, 00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:37.480 they can really go back to a normal diet and 00:09:37.480 --> 00:09:41.600 they tolerate everything. Yes. People that had 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:46.059 a digestologist, a doctor, gastrointestinal, 00:09:46.600 --> 00:09:53.110 she was she had 32 allergies in food allergies 00:09:53.110 --> 00:09:56.269 she had tested everything with herself so she 00:09:56.269 --> 00:09:59.990 came to us like quite desperate and she started 00:09:59.990 --> 00:10:05.029 with lion's mane extract and after three months 00:10:05.029 --> 00:10:11.590 she had only 11 from those 32 33 and like six 00:10:11.590 --> 00:10:15.519 months after she was only left with two allergies 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:19.480 so she was impressed with this and to me is always 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:21.820 when there's not obvious when obviously when 00:10:21.820 --> 00:10:26.460 you have like us something that it's um subjective 00:10:26.460 --> 00:10:30.519 to okay it can be or it cannot be it's it's nice 00:10:30.519 --> 00:10:34.799 but when you have real data where you have analysis 00:10:34.799 --> 00:10:38.019 where you can see the numbers and you can see 00:10:38.019 --> 00:10:41.840 the clinical evidence that this is working it's 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:44.789 where it's really impressive So is that why Western 00:10:44.789 --> 00:10:46.490 medicine is finally kind of waking up to it, 00:10:46.529 --> 00:10:49.250 because that clinical evidence is now there in 00:10:49.250 --> 00:10:51.370 front of them, so they have to take notice of 00:10:51.370 --> 00:10:54.389 it? Exactly. And can you explain, kind of in 00:10:54.389 --> 00:10:56.809 layman's terms, actually, you know, how they 00:10:56.809 --> 00:10:59.850 work in the body, if that's not too much of an 00:10:59.850 --> 00:11:05.009 ask? So what, how they're going to work, they 00:11:05.009 --> 00:11:08.070 are going to work, overall, they're going to 00:11:08.070 --> 00:11:11.210 work on the immune system. training your immune 00:11:11.210 --> 00:11:15.070 system to work faster. So the difference between 00:11:15.070 --> 00:11:19.269 health and illness is the time your system takes 00:11:19.269 --> 00:11:23.929 to respond to an insult. Do they do that by balancing 00:11:23.929 --> 00:11:25.929 the bacteria in the gut? Is that how they kind 00:11:25.929 --> 00:11:28.610 of help with like retrain the immune system? 00:11:29.370 --> 00:11:32.009 Well, that's one of the ways, but the other one 00:11:32.009 --> 00:11:35.409 is with what I was saying, like they have beta 00:11:35.409 --> 00:11:38.289 -glucans. Beta -glucans, what they do is they're 00:11:38.289 --> 00:11:43.360 going to activate different lock, they're called 00:11:43.360 --> 00:11:48.080 locus of action. So places of the, uh, the cells 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:51.159 that are there are the APCs. So they are antigen 00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:54.240 presenter cells and meaning in the immune system 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:57.139 that they are like the surveillance. So they're 00:11:57.139 --> 00:12:02.179 going to activate the surveillance of the immune 00:12:02.179 --> 00:12:04.940 system. So whenever you get in touch with a virus, 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:07.200 with a bacteria, so someone sneezes in front 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:10.019 of you. And you get a virus inside or you get 00:12:10.019 --> 00:12:13.779 a bacteria and you so you need to respond rapidly 00:12:13.779 --> 00:12:17.039 to that bacteria or that virus it normally happens 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:21.320 but if at that time. You are occupied with something 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:25.470 else. Your system might not recognize that virus 00:12:25.470 --> 00:12:28.570 or that bacteria. That bacteria or virus starts 00:12:28.570 --> 00:12:32.830 to multiply and suddenly you have an army of 00:12:32.830 --> 00:12:37.529 bacteria or virus to fight. So the faster we 00:12:37.529 --> 00:12:42.610 encounter that insult, the faster we respond 00:12:42.610 --> 00:12:46.909 to that, the shorter the illness will be. And 00:12:46.909 --> 00:12:49.809 that is what mushrooms do. They orchestrate. 00:12:50.039 --> 00:12:54.159 Your response of your immune system against those 00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:58.639 insults and against those attack attackers that 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:02.059 are going to attack us or you know cancer cell 00:13:02.059 --> 00:13:05.340 that mutates. And that you need to recognize 00:13:05.340 --> 00:13:09.639 and destroy so that is one of the mechanisms 00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:13.200 that the mushrooms use another one is as we were 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:16.769 saying it's controlling inflammation. Or, for 00:13:16.769 --> 00:13:23.049 example, they are scavengers of the free radicals. 00:13:23.370 --> 00:13:29.250 So free radicals are going to oxidate us. Total 00:13:29.250 --> 00:13:33.029 oxidation is the moment we die. So the more we 00:13:33.029 --> 00:13:38.789 can contain that oxidation by controlling those 00:13:38.789 --> 00:13:42.429 free radicals, the longer we live. It's not only 00:13:42.429 --> 00:13:46.519 about how beautiful my skin will look, how well 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:51.059 my organs are being kept and younger, my digestive 00:13:51.059 --> 00:13:56.820 system, my heart, my lungs, my liver. So the 00:13:56.820 --> 00:14:01.159 longevity and the anti -ageing process or pro 00:14:01.159 --> 00:14:05.320 -aging is not only about skin, but it's about 00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:10.980 every single cell of our body or every organ 00:14:10.980 --> 00:14:14.500 of our body that needs to keep on healthy and 00:14:14.500 --> 00:14:17.360 young. And it's taking you 25 years to kind of 00:14:17.360 --> 00:14:19.659 get the medical establishment to sort of really 00:14:19.659 --> 00:14:21.639 take this seriously. I mean, what have been the 00:14:21.639 --> 00:14:24.379 biggest barriers for you throughout that time? 00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:27.559 Well, they're always the same question. Is there 00:14:27.559 --> 00:14:31.840 evidence? Then is there enough evidence? Yes. 00:14:32.220 --> 00:14:37.220 And then, you know, having Convincing with data, 00:14:37.299 --> 00:14:40.940 because one thing is to read about bibliography 00:14:40.940 --> 00:14:43.700 and what's published already and saying, okay, 00:14:43.820 --> 00:14:46.580 this and this has been published, which is what 00:14:46.580 --> 00:14:50.440 normally the industry does. So it's reading from 00:14:50.440 --> 00:14:53.500 other that have published. The difference with 00:14:53.500 --> 00:14:57.019 Eva Zatera is that what we're doing is we are 00:14:57.019 --> 00:15:00.679 creating science. That is the beauty for me, 00:15:00.820 --> 00:15:04.190 which is We are really working in the lab. We 00:15:04.190 --> 00:15:10.950 are working also in clinic with patients and 00:15:10.950 --> 00:15:14.110 with thousands of doctors throughout Europe and 00:15:14.110 --> 00:15:17.690 so on. So we are seeing the results. We are trialing 00:15:17.690 --> 00:15:20.049 the mushrooms with different concentrations, 00:15:20.470 --> 00:15:24.269 with different impurities, and we can establish 00:15:24.269 --> 00:15:28.759 where where are the limits and what they can 00:15:28.759 --> 00:15:32.100 do? And we're bringing this to evidence. And 00:15:32.100 --> 00:15:35.220 I think that's the most difficult thing that 00:15:35.220 --> 00:15:38.679 we have had to do in these 25, 26 years. And 00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:40.740 obviously there's the great kind of sustainability 00:15:40.740 --> 00:15:43.519 angle as well, because obviously mushrooms play 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:47.360 a key role in preserving ecosystems. Yes, and 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:51.639 that is beautiful to me also, this angle of how 00:15:51.639 --> 00:15:55.210 we can improve the planet. by cultivating more 00:15:55.210 --> 00:16:01.789 mushrooms by, I always ask people to change 30 00:16:01.789 --> 00:16:06.190 % of their diet in meat content for mushroom, 00:16:06.289 --> 00:16:09.929 only 30%, not even more than that. But just by 00:16:09.929 --> 00:16:13.750 doing that, we would be decreasing the pressure 00:16:13.750 --> 00:16:19.909 on that all the cattle does in the world. Yes. 00:16:20.009 --> 00:16:23.450 Contamination, the pollution. what rather than 00:16:23.450 --> 00:16:26.769 the the the mushrooms that what they're doing 00:16:26.769 --> 00:16:29.990 is they are decomposing the organic matter they're 00:16:29.990 --> 00:16:33.210 enriching the soils they are forming some biotic 00:16:33.210 --> 00:16:36.309 relations with the plants so they had they play 00:16:36.309 --> 00:16:39.690 an incredible role in biodiversity and sustainability 00:16:39.690 --> 00:16:45.149 so it's really it's really good when we the more 00:16:45.149 --> 00:16:48.389 mushrooms we grow the more we help the planet 00:16:48.750 --> 00:16:51.629 It feels to me like things are coming full circle 00:16:51.629 --> 00:16:54.090 that people are realizing that food is medicine. 00:16:54.490 --> 00:16:58.730 Would you say that's the case? Totally. I think 00:16:58.730 --> 00:17:01.970 we have moved forward a lot in the last years 00:17:01.970 --> 00:17:06.309 and I truly think that we're moving to a new 00:17:06.309 --> 00:17:10.690 paradigm where food is really recognized as medicine, 00:17:11.470 --> 00:17:18.170 either as medicine or as poison. We can either 00:17:18.170 --> 00:17:21.910 either you know increase the chances of a cancer 00:17:21.910 --> 00:17:26.569 increase the chances of autoimmune diseases and 00:17:26.569 --> 00:17:31.170 really harm ourselves with what we choose to 00:17:31.170 --> 00:17:36.549 eat or we can use it as a medicine though i can 00:17:36.549 --> 00:17:41.190 envision a future where mushrooms and other functional 00:17:41.190 --> 00:17:45.390 foods are integrated with. Conventional healthcare 00:17:45.390 --> 00:17:49.269 practices where you go to a hospital and obviously 00:17:49.269 --> 00:17:51.630 they are, you're going to have multidisciplinary, 00:17:51.630 --> 00:17:55.170 uh, teams, which is already happening in many 00:17:55.170 --> 00:17:59.869 places. And where you're going to see a nutritionist 00:17:59.869 --> 00:18:02.089 that is going to follow you and give you, first 00:18:02.089 --> 00:18:05.809 of all, your diet. Last Congress I was in, in, 00:18:05.809 --> 00:18:09.329 um, in England, in Oxford is IO, which was the 00:18:09.329 --> 00:18:12.289 Interative Oncology Congress from worldwide. 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:16.819 And we were looking at the guidelines that are 00:18:16.819 --> 00:18:21.400 set in us at ASCO this year, where exercise is 00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:28.059 also taken in as a pure medicine, saying exercise 00:18:28.059 --> 00:18:31.839 is as important as the standard care of medicine. 00:18:32.460 --> 00:18:36.319 They are putting it in already. So if we're looking 00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:41.539 at exercise, we of course need to look into the 00:18:41.539 --> 00:18:46.089 nutrition plan. Of a patient and of every person 00:18:46.089 --> 00:18:50.170 because. The path that we are going to follow 00:18:50.170 --> 00:18:54.170 in life. It's going to be led by the decisions 00:18:54.170 --> 00:18:57.890 we make every day in our choices and what we 00:18:57.890 --> 00:19:03.250 eat what we put into our system in any way. Is 00:19:03.250 --> 00:19:06.029 what makes it's the outcome we're going to have 00:19:06.029 --> 00:19:10.589 on the short or mid or long term. So I totally 00:19:10.589 --> 00:19:12.890 agree with this yes. Do you think that maybe 00:19:12.890 --> 00:19:16.130 we've become sort of not that you know Western 00:19:16.130 --> 00:19:17.829 medicine of course has its place but do you think 00:19:17.829 --> 00:19:20.230 in a way we've become so reliant on medication 00:19:20.230 --> 00:19:22.950 that we don't bother to look at these things 00:19:22.950 --> 00:19:24.950 you've just said about you know what we're eating 00:19:24.950 --> 00:19:26.809 and what we're actually putting in our bodies 00:19:26.809 --> 00:19:28.589 because we think well I've got this medication 00:19:28.589 --> 00:19:30.890 so that should be and that should be enough. 00:19:31.589 --> 00:19:34.789 Yeah it is totally like that because I think 00:19:34.789 --> 00:19:37.890 so sometimes people get to us or to me personally 00:19:37.890 --> 00:19:41.539 and they say how what can I take but I I just 00:19:41.539 --> 00:19:47.519 don't want to change my sodas, you know, or what 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:52.380 I drink, being fizzy drinks every day, or I don't 00:19:52.380 --> 00:19:56.180 want to change my meat intake, and I take meat 00:19:56.180 --> 00:19:59.359 every single day, or pork, or... And then I say, 00:19:59.380 --> 00:20:03.200 you know, I cannot help you. If you are not going, 00:20:03.359 --> 00:20:06.099 if you're not willing to change something in 00:20:06.099 --> 00:20:09.039 your life, taking pills is not going to work, 00:20:09.539 --> 00:20:14.900 you know? We need to really think that there's 00:20:14.900 --> 00:20:17.640 not a, but not even in pharma, there's not a 00:20:17.640 --> 00:20:21.019 miraculous cure. I think we grew up thinking 00:20:21.019 --> 00:20:23.460 that you could take a, you know, like a donut 00:20:23.460 --> 00:20:26.519 and, and drink fizzy drinks the whole day, but 00:20:26.519 --> 00:20:28.480 then you would take the miraculous pill that 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:30.920 would control everything. Yes. And that balances 00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:33.599 it out apparently. And that balance is out and 00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:35.759 it doesn't work like this. And we're seeing it 00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:39.900 now, you know, 70 years after. We started all 00:20:39.900 --> 00:20:44.039 of this process. Now we're seeing what is provoking 00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:47.460 and we see that we cannot go further like this. 00:20:48.099 --> 00:20:52.799 So I think that we need to change and this is 00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:55.519 what everybody's talking in the big arena of 00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:59.619 healthcare worldwide where we're seeing that 00:20:59.619 --> 00:21:03.160 we need to change the system and the medicine 00:21:03.160 --> 00:21:07.119 that intervenes for the medicine that prevines. 00:21:07.289 --> 00:21:09.890 prevent it needs a 360 approach doesn't it i 00:21:09.890 --> 00:21:12.109 think that's what people are waking up to holistic 00:21:12.109 --> 00:21:15.009 wellness it's not about replacing anything it's 00:21:15.009 --> 00:21:17.829 just about you know having that having that sort 00:21:17.829 --> 00:21:20.549 of 360 approach and have you know making sure 00:21:20.549 --> 00:21:22.410 that like you say that's kind of preventative 00:21:22.410 --> 00:21:25.569 as well as as well as just curing and and drugs 00:21:25.569 --> 00:21:28.509 are so important they're lifesavers yes of course 00:21:28.509 --> 00:21:32.769 i mean an antibiotic when you have a bad bug 00:21:32.769 --> 00:21:34.630 that's inside of you it's going to make the difference 00:21:34.630 --> 00:21:38.170 going to cure you you know But we need to leave 00:21:38.170 --> 00:21:42.250 them to act when they have to act. We cannot 00:21:42.250 --> 00:21:45.450 take antibiotics because we have a flu. That's 00:21:45.450 --> 00:21:48.250 not the way it goes. So that's why we're causing 00:21:48.250 --> 00:21:52.809 incredible resistances in the world. And we need 00:21:52.809 --> 00:21:57.769 to face now 17 really, really bad bugs that kill 00:21:57.769 --> 00:22:00.910 us and that they're killing millions of people. 00:22:01.190 --> 00:22:04.109 And so for that as well, we're looking at new 00:22:04.109 --> 00:22:07.440 antibiotics for mushrooms. And we're working, 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:10.740 we're seeing, you know, big possibilities and 00:22:10.740 --> 00:22:14.240 other big antibiotics that are coming, but we 00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:18.119 need to change the mindset of how big drugs are 00:22:18.119 --> 00:22:22.119 being used and, you know, understand that there 00:22:22.119 --> 00:22:26.420 needs to be an empowerment of the patient, of 00:22:26.420 --> 00:22:30.559 the people, of society, on taking care of ourselves 00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:36.400 by exercise and by doing mindfulness, by you 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:39.759 know, understanding our feelings, how we feel, 00:22:39.960 --> 00:22:42.319 how we express. So many factors, aren't there? 00:22:42.599 --> 00:22:46.539 So many things play a role. Yeah. Do you think 00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:51.619 that's why the traditional wellness world has 00:22:51.619 --> 00:22:53.140 that kind of stigma attached to it? Because people 00:22:53.140 --> 00:22:55.619 assume that they're trying to replace Western 00:22:55.619 --> 00:22:58.000 medicine when actually it's complementing it. 00:22:59.460 --> 00:23:04.259 I think always when something surges as something 00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:09.470 new, It's like an impact where, where people, 00:23:09.470 --> 00:23:14.549 um, tend to, to change what they were doing for 00:23:14.549 --> 00:23:18.869 this new. But then we, uh, with time with science 00:23:18.869 --> 00:23:21.690 learns is that we need to make one medicine, 00:23:22.089 --> 00:23:24.750 which is the medicine that cures. And that's 00:23:24.750 --> 00:23:28.990 it. So it's the integration of everything that 00:23:28.990 --> 00:23:32.799 cures and that keeps. society alive and healthy, 00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:35.920 it's what we need to build that new medicine. 00:23:36.420 --> 00:23:40.500 And this brings in the drugs, the natural supplements, 00:23:40.720 --> 00:23:43.940 the good food, organic, you know, well taken 00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:48.400 care without preservatives and all of this. And 00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:53.519 so that's why we do not believe on alternatives. 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:57.180 We always call this integrative, where we need 00:23:57.180 --> 00:24:01.650 the integration of everything that will keep 00:24:01.650 --> 00:24:06.509 an individual safe. And you need to use a different 00:24:06.509 --> 00:24:10.029 tool at different moments. Exactly. And as you 00:24:10.029 --> 00:24:12.890 know, the wellness industry is awash with misinformation 00:24:12.890 --> 00:24:15.369 and scaremongering. And as somebody who has an 00:24:15.369 --> 00:24:17.670 academic background, coming into the wellness 00:24:17.670 --> 00:24:20.150 industry, you must have seen certain things that 00:24:20.150 --> 00:24:22.329 you found quite shocking or thought, you know, 00:24:22.329 --> 00:24:24.609 this really needs to change. What do you say? 00:24:25.289 --> 00:24:29.859 Yeah. First of all, the quality. quality of things 00:24:29.859 --> 00:24:33.559 that are being produced i think you know innovation 00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:36.839 and the passion that i see in the wellness industry 00:24:36.839 --> 00:24:40.200 is really nice but i would really like and enjoy 00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:42.700 to see more rigorous scientific validation of 00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:47.160 the products. And because even with mushrooms 00:24:47.160 --> 00:24:51.680 mushrooms are like sponges so they are incredible 00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:55.849 beneficial incredibly beneficial. but they can 00:24:55.849 --> 00:24:58.710 also be calents, they are calents in fact, and 00:24:58.710 --> 00:25:02.710 calents of the soils or wherever they are being 00:25:02.710 --> 00:25:08.089 produced. So either you're cleaning your system 00:25:08.089 --> 00:25:10.970 or you're cleaning the system where they are 00:25:10.970 --> 00:25:13.470 growing. So you need to be very careful that 00:25:13.470 --> 00:25:16.569 when you are taking those mushrooms that they 00:25:16.569 --> 00:25:19.670 are completely free of heavy metals, pesticides 00:25:19.670 --> 00:25:23.230 or anything, because if they were produced, in 00:25:23.230 --> 00:25:26.430 a soil that was contaminated or polluted, then 00:25:26.430 --> 00:25:29.630 they might be taking all of that out. You don't 00:25:29.630 --> 00:25:35.490 want to be the final deposit for that. Also with 00:25:35.490 --> 00:25:40.710 plants, so many plants are being used with pesticides 00:25:40.710 --> 00:25:45.559 over them. They don't have this big control on 00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:48.980 it. And to be honest, none of the food that we 00:25:48.980 --> 00:25:53.160 eat has a lot of control in that sense. Pesticides 00:25:53.160 --> 00:25:55.740 and chemicals of all types. That's why we're 00:25:55.740 --> 00:25:58.240 seeing this rising of autoimmune diseases and 00:25:58.240 --> 00:26:00.059 cancer and all of it. Yes, and not everyone can 00:26:00.059 --> 00:26:02.539 afford to eat organic. So it's very difficult. 00:26:03.279 --> 00:26:06.099 What are you most excited about the future? Well, 00:26:06.180 --> 00:26:10.019 to me, the future is we have so many projects. 00:26:10.430 --> 00:26:14.529 Where I see that this is really exciting is when 00:26:14.529 --> 00:26:21.130 it can come to be used by, you know, as standard 00:26:21.130 --> 00:26:25.509 care. Where we will be seeing that in order to 00:26:25.509 --> 00:26:28.190 improve microbiota, we're not only talking about 00:26:28.190 --> 00:26:30.269 probiotics, but we're talking about periodic 00:26:30.269 --> 00:26:33.289 biotech. So when you're going to take an antibiotic 00:26:33.289 --> 00:26:36.650 and it's going to be prescribed by an MD, well, 00:26:36.829 --> 00:26:39.430 they're going to give you alongside the mushrooms 00:26:39.430 --> 00:26:43.109 as prebiotics. We're going to be taking a cycle 00:26:43.109 --> 00:26:45.630 of chemotherapy, they're going to prepare you 00:26:45.630 --> 00:26:50.750 first with the mushroom treatment, the extracts 00:26:50.750 --> 00:26:56.470 are pure and so that you then tolerate better, 00:26:56.809 --> 00:26:58.690 you know, reduces the side effects so it makes 00:26:58.690 --> 00:27:03.509 it less unpleasant. So looking always at it as 00:27:03.509 --> 00:27:06.819 how can they help? You know, how can we put them 00:27:06.819 --> 00:27:11.019 alongside standard care? The way we can see is 00:27:11.019 --> 00:27:15.660 how much can we help? What can we bring to society 00:27:15.660 --> 00:27:18.940 to help people live better? And this is what 00:27:18.940 --> 00:27:21.759 Ifa Zatera does. And I think that you've outlined 00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:24.119 that really beautifully. Thank you so much, Catalina, 00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:26.299 for speaking with me today. I really appreciate 00:27:26.299 --> 00:27:41.890 it. Thank you. Hello and welcome to the Smart 00:27:41.890 --> 00:27:45.670 Beauty Podcast. I'm your host, Viola Levy, beauty 00:27:45.670 --> 00:27:48.549 journalist and founder of copy led branding agency, 00:27:48.990 --> 00:27:51.609 Smart Beauty Creative. We're here to create your 00:27:51.609 --> 00:27:53.970 brand voice and craft the story behind it.