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From My Desk...
Each week, I’ll be sharing a little about what’s happening in my world—whether it’s in my role as a cardiologist, the work I’m doing with the Healthy Heart Network and our new Healthy Life Network, or even personal updates from my family and life. My goal is to give you a closer look at what’s been keeping me busy, while also sharing tips and insights to help you on your own heart health journey. I hope you enjoy these updates and find them helpful as you strive to live well and stay healthy.
Hello and welcome to this week's Healthy Life Network.
A week of celebrations, send-offs, and a few unexpected turns along the way. Let's get into it.
Family & Personal Highlights
Lots to celebrate this week. My brother Al's birthday, my co-writer Penny's birthday, and my good friend Sandy's birthday back in Adelaide. We're also heading up to Queensland shortly to catch up with Karam Kostner — a close friend and colleague, and the man I co-wrote Cholesterol Explained with — as it's his birthday too.
I visited "OsteoPam" for the third time this week... osteo and muscle therapy delivered by a woman named Pam, aimed at my calves, which have been sore for years after a lot of running. It was a genuinely painful session, working to break down old scar tissue and kick off proper healing. Early days... I can't say I feel a lot better yet, but I'm cautiously optimistic.
Early in the week I recorded a podcast with Professor Peter Smith on his new book, 30 Minutes to Longevity. The man holds three professorial titles and it showed... genuinely one of the most fascinating conversations I've had. Almost certainly the longest podcast I've ever recorded — there just wasn't a natural place to cut it. Keep an eye out for it.
Chelle and I had a date night this week, out at a Mexican place in North Hobart. Always good to slow down and reconnect properly.
I also had a really valuable meeting with Graham Russell from Talius Group Ltd and Advara, about remote monitoring for cardiac patients. Genuinely exciting territory if it can help improve care for heart failure patients.
Big news for Ella and Tallam, who set off this week on their great Australian adventure in the van. The night before departure, the engine light came on... so they've now got engine trouble, to do with the fuel system I believe, to sort out in Melbourne before they can properly begin. Frustrating timing, but far better to deal with it now than somewhere remote in the outback.
I caught up with my friend and colleague Dr Jon Lane, chief psychiatrist for the Australian Defence Force, and a man who makes an excellent coffee. Always a good conversation when we get the chance.
Chelle and I had good friends over Friday night, which was relaxing and thoroughly enjoyable, and Saturday was a genuinely quiet one at home... exactly what we both needed. As an aside, we finished the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. Somewhat to my surprise, it actually improved as it went, and I enjoyed it more than expected by the end.
Tonight I'm joining Dr Ross Walker on his radio show to talk about Cholesterol Explained. Looking forward to reaching a new audience with the book.
Professional & Business Updates
OsteoStrong™ Hobart
Steady, gradual growth continues. Sean is doing a great job managing the downstairs floor, and the rest of the team continue to pull their weight well. Sean is also moving house over the next two weekends... busy times.... and helping with upstairs.
Longevity Lab
An interesting week on the naming front. We've hit a possible snag with trademarks and word marks around the "Longevity Lab" name, so we're now seeking legal advice before we settle on the final name. Upstairs, the painting work is soon to be underway, and things are starting to take shape... we'll share the new name as soon as it's confirmed.
I also caught up with Twee Shaw about a potential end-of-year Wellness Summit, working title "Longevity on Fire." We're looking at pitching it for November this year, or perhaps early in 2027.
Breath Lab
A quiet week here — steady as always under Jen.... and we are exploring opportunities to offer stress relief more broadly.
Podcast Highlight
EP448: Dr Fenton and the 5CH Lifestyle, Part 1
👉 Listen to EP448 here: drwarrickbishop.com/podcast/episode/1/ep448-dr-fenton-5ch-life-part-1
Featured Reminders
Here are a few products and tools that Chelle and I personally use and I have discussed on the podcast show.
These are affiliate links and are commercial in nature. They provide a genuine win–win — you receive access at a discount through your association with the Healthy Life Network, and I receive a financial recognition if you choose to purchase through them.
I only share products I personally use or believe may be of benefit, and you should always make your own informed decision.
NuCalm — nucalm.com, code DrWarrickNuCalm, 15% off plus a 7-day trial.... this is a fantastic tool for stress, Chelle and I are using it daily.
Fatty15 (C15:0) — partners.fatty15.com/WARRICKBISHOP a great way to look after aging cells
PEMF (BestCellf) — bestcellf.com.au/?ref=HealingMats reduce inflammation, improve sleep and healing
Community — Free to join: healthyheartnetwork.com/page/community - please sign up if you haven't already, but please share also.
Cholesterol Explained — Now available in print and on Amazon and other digital bookstores. Order here: drwarrickbishop.com/bookstore/8/cholesterol-explained
Quiz Corner
Last Week's Answer
Fasting affects the body differently depending on how long you go, and the benefits tend to build in stages.
At around 16 hours — the standard overnight, time-restricted eating window — the body shifts into fat-burning mode and insulin sensitivity starts to improve. Research on 16:8 style fasting consistently shows reductions in inflammatory markers and improvements in insulin resistance, making it a genuinely useful entry point for most people.
Push through to 24 and then 48 hours, and autophagy becomes more prominent... the body's own process of clearing out damaged or dysfunctional cells, including, in theory, cells with cancerous potential. This is where much of the interest in fasting as a cancer-supportive strategy comes from.
Beyond 48 hours and into 72 hours, something more dramatic appears to happen. Work out of Valter Longo's lab at USC found that prolonged fasting can trigger a "regenerative switch" in blood stem cells, essentially clearing out old or damaged immune cells and prompting the body to rebuild fresh ones on refeeding. Most of this evidence sits in animal models and small pilot studies in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, so it's promising rather than proven at a population level... but it's a fascinating insight into just how adaptable the body is when given the chance to rest from constant digestion.
Worth noting... anything beyond 24 hours is best undertaken with some experience behind you, and longer fasts warrant medical guidance, particularly for anyone with an existing health condition.
This Week's Question
What's the actual difference between lymphoma and leukaemia? Two conditions people often lump together, but they're distinct in important ways.
(Answer next week.)
Final Reflection
A week of goodbyes and beginnings, side by side. A daughter and her partner setting off, even with a hiccup at the start. Old friends marking another year. A therapy that hurts before it helps. Most growth works that way... a little discomfort now, in service of something better down the track.
Warm regards,
