Episode 15: Mind, Body, Wallet: A Field Trip

In this episode Kate Thomas, an AHPRA-registered pharmacist with 25 years of clinical experience, covers:

• EMF harmonisers, orgone energy devices, structured water and crystal healing: the evidence examined
• The strange history of orgone energy and why the scientific community rejected it
• Why structured water cannot store molecular memory and what the physics actually says
• What rouleaux formation actually means in real haematology versus wellness marketing
• The science behind beta-caryophyllene and CB2 receptors
• How THC, CBD and the endocannabinoid system actually work in the body
• New RACGP calls for national reform of medicinal cannabis prescribing in Australia

Episode 15 is one of the most entertaining and educational in the On the Mones catalogue. Kate takes her microphone to the Mind, Body, Spirit Festival in Sydney and wanders the aisles with the same clinical curiosity she brings to every episode. Between handmade pottery and beeswax candles are stalls making extraordinary claims about human biology and physics. Kate engages with them genuinely and good-humouredly, asking the question that underpins the entire On the Mones project: is there evidence behind this, or are we in the territory of wishful thinking? The result is a fascinating, funny and genuinely informative field trip through the modern wellness economy. 

The honest answer, as Kate unpacks in Episode 14, is that it depends on which symptoms you are talking about. The evidence for mind-body exercise in perimenopause and menopause is strongest in the areas of mood, stress resilience and overall psychological wellbeing. Women who practice yoga or similar disciplines regularly during perimenopause report meaningful improvements in anxiety, emotional regulation and quality of life. The evidence for physical symptoms like hot flushes is less clear cut, with results across studies being inconsistent. Kate presents this nuance clearly and without dismissing the genuine value these practices offer. 

Three of the most prominent wellness claims at the festival get the full Kate Thomas treatment in Episode 15. Orgone energy, a concept developed by Wilhelm Reich in the 1930s and rejected by the scientific community, underpins a range of devices still being sold as health and wellness products today. EMF harmonisers claim to protect the body from electromagnetic field exposure, despite no credible evidence that they do so. Structured or frequency water claims to store molecular memory, a concept that contradicts fundamental principles of chemistry and physics. Kate unpacks all three with clarity, precision and the appropriate amount of raised eyebrow. 

Rouleaux formation, the stacking of red blood cells visible under a microscope, is a real haematological phenomenon with specific clinical causes. In wellness marketing it has been repurposed as evidence of toxicity, poor diet or the need for expensive supplements. Kate explains what rouleaux formation actually means in a clinical context, why the wellness industry's use of it is misleading, and why live blood analysis as offered at wellness festivals is not a recognised diagnostic tool. 

The endocannabinoid system is a genuinely fascinating and well-established biological system that plays a role in pain, mood, appetite, sleep and immune function. In Episode 15, Kate explains how it actually works, how THC and CBD interact with it differently, and why the gap between legitimate endocannabinoid science and the claims made in wellness marketing about cannabinoid oils and CBD products is so significant. Kate also covers new calls from the RACGP for national reform of medicinal cannabis prescribing in Australia, providing important context for women who are considering or already using medicinal cannabis as part of their perimenopause or menopause management. 

One of the more nuanced sections of Episode 15 covers beta-caryophyllene, a compound found in many plants including black pepper and cloves, which interacts with CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system. Kate explains the legitimate science behind this interaction, what it does and does not mean for human health, and how a genuine and interesting piece of biochemistry gets stretched well beyond its evidence base in wellness marketing. 

Kate's signature Prescribe or Pass framework gets a full workout at the Mind, Body, Spirit Festival. Some of what she encounters is beautiful and harmless. Some of it is genuinely interesting from a scientific perspective even if the marketing overstates the evidence. And some of it makes claims that simply do not hold up to scrutiny. The episode is a masterclass in how to engage with the wellness industry curiously and critically, without dismissing everything or accepting everything, which is exactly the approach Kate brings to every aspect of perimenopause and menopause care. 

 If this episode has raised questions about medicinal cannabis, CBD, supplements or your perimenopause and menopause treatment options, a telehealth pharmacist consultation with Kate is a great next step. In a dedicated one-on-one session you can go through your symptoms, your current medications and your treatment options in plain language, without rushing. 

Kate Thomas offers a range of in-depth telehealth medication consultation and medication review services to help you understand your body and your medications.

You can view the transcript for this episode below