The Gabby Reece Show

In this episode, I talk with Anders Corbett, microbiome researcher and founder of Craft Microbiome, about how the bacteria living inside us may be influencing far more than we realize — from performance and recovery to cognition, mood, and long-term health.Anders’ journey into microbiome science started at Harvard Medical School, where he sequenced his own microbiome as a former elite rower. What he discovered sparked a much bigger question: do elite athletes carry different microbial patterns than the rest of us?That curiosity led him to study Olympic athletes, UFC fighters, NBA players, endurance competitors, and high-performing executives — identifying how certain bacterial strains correlate with inflammation control, lactate metabolism, testosterone signaling, VO₂ capacity, and stress resilience.In this conversation, we explore the rapidly evolving science of the microbiome and human performance, including:• How the microbiome shifts before and after elite competition• Inflammation-reducing bacteria found in endurance athletes• Growth-hormone–associated strains identified in sprinters• Gut changes after concussive and non-concussive hits• The gut-brain axis and its impact on mood and decision-making• How bacteria influence dopamine and serotonin production• Microbiome changes that tend to happen around 40 and again around 60• Epigenetics and how microbes may turn genes on or off• Why sunlight, soil exposure, and environment matter for microbial health• How stress reshapes bacterial populations in the gut• The future of performance-focused probiotic formulationsWe also talk about something many of us overlook: how modern life — sterile environments, limited food diversity, chronic stress, antibiotics, travel, and poor sleep — may be reducing microbial diversity and resilience.Anders shares practical ways to begin supporting your microbiome even if you’re not a professional athlete — including simple shifts that may improve sleep, digestion, recovery, focus, and energy.This conversation bridges cutting-edge science with something more timeless: the idea that our bodies are ecosystems. And it raises a deeper question worth considering:Who’s really in charge — you or your gut?CONNECT WITH ANDERSCraft Microbiomehttps://craftmicrobiome.com(Custom microbiome sequencing and consultations available)CONNECT WITH MEInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabbyreeceYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GabbyReeceIf you enjoyed this conversation, please subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with someone who might benefit from it. Your support helps us keep these conversations going.Produced by Dear Media.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ariel Lorre, writer, podcaster, and recovery advocate who shares lived experience with addiction and long-term sobriety. She talks about how sensitivity and biology can hide addiction, addiction as misguided self-regulation, the turning point of true readiness, rebuilding identity after substance use, nervous-system tools for healing, and navigating beauty, social pressure, and purpose while staying sober.

Jiaming Ju, a Chinese medicine practitioner and health economist who treats athletes, artists, and executives. She explores hormonal disruption in high performers, digestion as the root of many chronic issues, rising autoimmune and thyroid patterns, fertility and IVF tradeoffs, ADHD patterns, and the role of ritual, rest, and integrative care in recovery.

Light Watkins, best-selling author and presence expert who teaches practical mindfulness, shares how to live more in the moment and redefine success as presence and gratitude. He explains the tortoise approach of small, consistent actions and seven-day challenges. They discuss choosing manageable discomforts, designing environments to avoid self-sabotage, and using radical accountability to sustain change.

Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe, microbiome scientist and Pendulum co-founder, translates gut bacteria research into practical products. She explores how microbes shape metabolism, GLP-1 signaling, cravings, hormones and perimenopause. Conversation highlights next-generation probiotics, resilience-building strategies, travel and antibiotic impacts, and sensible ways to start rebuilding gut health.

A live Q&A from a women’s retreat that tackles cutting through health noise and focusing on foundations. Conversation spans hormones, genetics, recovery, and strength training. They discuss doing less, avoiding overwhelm, balancing discipline with flexibility, training through transitions, and building life scaffolding instead of chasing quick fixes.

Dr. Taz, a traditionally trained physician turned integrative medicine leader and founder of Whole Plus. She discusses the shift toward whole foods and why simple carbs drive inflammation. Conversations cover food pairing, portion nuance, blood sugar and metabolic health. She also explores shared decision-making in pediatrics, micro habits to lower cortisol, and blending science with personalized care.

Luke Cook, actor, comedian, and founder of ShakeWell, shares his Hollywood journey and creative hustle. He talks about enduring years of rejection, the discipline of loving the craft, and balancing faith with ambition. Conversations shift to family, fatherhood, playful parenting, and building values-first businesses with honest, entertaining communication.

Laird Hamilton, big-wave surfer and wellness advocate who helped pioneer tow-in surfing, reflects on long-term partnership and daily rituals. He and Gabby discuss endurance, emotional bravery, teamwork, small repeatable acts, keeping passion alive, and balancing independence with deep connection. Their conversation centers on choices, reliability, and showing up for each other again and again.

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, a physician and leader in muscle‑centric medicine, explains why skeletal muscle matters for longevity and metabolic health. She discusses sarcopenia, risks of trading fat loss for muscle loss with GLP‑1s, protein rules, minimum effective resistance training, muscle quality over weight, recovery strategies, and practical ways to build strength for life.