Show notes
When two biohackers get together, the conversation is a fascinating and educational experience. In this episode, Wade sits down with fellow biohacker Angela Foster, who was, in a previous life, a corporate attorney in London working a crazy amount of hours. She was driven, ambitious, talented, and made partner by age 30. Can you relate to the hard-driving corporate ladder climber? Soon after her overachieving run, dreams of becoming a mom kicked in. Of course, being a type A, high achiever, Angela thought she could have it all - the high-pressure career in corporate law and the "super mom," picture-perfect life with her children. The ticking biological clock, along with a sudden physical and mental illness, knocked Angela off the hamster wheel. Burnout threw her into a hospital bed. Her entire journey is an incredible story to hear - Angela was at one point on several psychiatric medications for bipolar disorder. Angela realized that recovering from burnout was going to require two things: patience and perseverance. She also figured out how she needed to make a dramatic career pivot - from attorney to biohacker coaching. Although she was great at being a lawyer, Angela discovered that practicing law was not her passion. Through her physical ordeal and learning how biohacking could help her recover and feel good again, Angela found her calling: coaching high achieving women how to stay healthy and energized while balancing a successful career and love-filled family life. Angela is a sought-after speaker to large corporations. Her talks inspire corporate executives to optimize the health and wellness of their employees. Angela is also the host of a top-rated alternative health podcast called the High-Performance Health Podcast. In this podcast, we cover: How Angela went from lawyer to biohacker Angela's struggles with depression and suicide The difference between chronic fatigue and burnout How Angela got off of psychiatric medications The critical role spirituality played in Angela's total healing Why the law firm was unfulfilling for Angela and why she loves life now How Angela shifted her mentality out of law into developing a holistic health process for her clients The first thing Angela has her clients do when starting their wellness journey She thought she was bulletproof. Perhaps you are a high achiever and can relate to Angela's story? At one point, after having her first child, Angela was diagnosed with postnatal depression. Here is how Angela responded to this news at that point in her life: "I'm bulletproof. That's exactly what I thought because I always achieved whatever I wanted. I was like, 'this doesn't happen to me.' The doctor says, 'You need to sleep more, take naps in the day when the boys are asleep. I said, 'No. I don't need that. I've run all these deals. I know what it's like not to sleep. I'm fine." "That was crazy." "So I carried on. But then my husband took some time off, and then I couldn't get out of bed till like three o'clock in the afternoon. It was like everything hit." "I called the doctor and, as a type-A personality, I said, "You need to run some tests. Because I can't get out of bed, I must be anemic. Can you check my iron levels, please?" "After the tests, the doctors told me again that I have postnatal depression. I denied it until it finally took me out." Angela's Spirituality as a Key Component to Burnout Recovery She was suffering from severe mood swings related to the bipolar diagnosis and subsequent medications prescribed. Angela realized that her ability to stop taking medication would be a process - patience and perseverance are needed. Angela knew she needed to first get "sustainable" on medication before successfully dropping it. She determined that spirituality would be required to smooth out her mood swings. The problem was the topic of spirituality caused internal struggles for Angela due to her strict Catholic upbringing. Her father was Lebanese and a strict Catholic. Angela figured out a path that led her away from that religion, yet she became more spiritual than ever. As she developed her spirituality aside from her Catholic dogma, she noticed that her mood swings became much more manageable. As she transitioned off the medications, she figured out that the bouts of depression that occur every time she lowered the dosage were a natural part of withdrawal symptoms. Today, Angela is pleased with her spiritual progress, as she is now medication-free. However, she knows her spirituality is still a work in progress. There is so much more to Angela's remarkable transformation. If you are suffering from burnout or mental health issues, work/life balance struggles, or feel like you're going through the motions in life, you must tune in to Angela! She's a living example of someone who has hit rock bottom, used pharmaceuticals at one point for years, and then was able to walk away from those medications. Check out this episode - biohacking can break through your burnout! Episode Resources: Check out more about Angela Foster: bioptimizers.com/AngelaFoster Angela Foster on Facebook Angela Foster on Instagram Angela Foster on LinkedIn