Embodied With Kathy Covington

Welcome to the Embodied podcast! I’m Kathy Covington, and today I’m joined by Mark Worster, a Marine veteran, registered nurse, former tech CEO, and breathwork facilitator. Mark and I dive into how early-life “hidden vows” that form in those first seven years, when we’re like little sponges in a theta-like, hypnotic state, can shape the patterns that follow us through life. Mark shares his own story of believing he was unlovable, a belief that fueled his success but also led to repeated relationship struggles and even depression that didn’t respond to treatment.We talk about the difference between implicit (felt) memory and explicit memory, and how breathwork, or consciously working with our breath, can help us shift our nervous system and access what’s beneath the surface. Mark walks us through holotropic and rebirthing-style breathwork, the science behind it, like what happens to CO2 levels, the prefrontal cortex, and the limbic system, and why safety and knowing your limits are so important. He also shares simple tools for regulation, such as slowing your exhale or trying a “one-minute breath,” and we touch on why set and setting matter so much in psychedelic work. We wrap up with the reminder that each of us is whole, complete, and perfect, and we’ll let you know how to connect with both Mark and me.00:00 Science Meets Soul Intro00:55 Meet Mark Worster03:48 Hidden Vows Unlovable05:16 Why First Seven Years07:36 Ego Safety Patterns11:31 Implicit Memory Science14:31 Breathwork Defined15:51 Nervous System Breath20:15 Holotropic Origins23:57 Rebirthing Birth Imprints26:33 Breathwork Journey Story27:23 Physiology Altered States30:14 Beyond Separation Identity31:31 First Breathwork Session32:17 Letting Go and Dropping In33:58 Grief Release Story35:27 Safety and Contraindications36:47 Breathwork vs Psychedelics37:46 Breathwork for Pilates40:44 Parasympathetic Exhale Key41:45 Coherence and Breath Styles43:55 Dysregulated Nervous System46:21 One Minute Breath Reset48:13 Qero Healing Meets Medicine50:40 Psychedelics Set and Setting53:43 Apps and How to Find Mark55:58 Final Takeaway and Wrap UpAbout Today's GuestMark Worster is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, former Inc. 500 tech CEO, and past President of EO Boston who now serves as a work-life coach, blending his business acumen with healthcare insights, breathwork, and plant medicine to help entrepreneurs conquer burnout and unlock radical joy.Connect with Mark WorcesterWebsite: https://www.nurse-mark.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theofficialnursemark/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markworster

Alexander Audit | Chief Scientific Officer | NAD ClinicAlexander Audit is a former chemical engineer turned integrative clinician, trained in traditional Chinese medicine and nutritional medicine. As Chief Scientific Officer of NAD Clinic — a global leader in cellular health and performance medicine operating in more than 40 countries — he bridges hard science with real-world application. His work centers on NAD, the molecule at the heart of cellular energy, brain health, and longevity.Last week, Alexander Audit joined Kathy at the Global Wellness Summit in Dubai to break down the science of NAD — what it is, why levels begin declining as early as our 30s, and how that shows up as fatigue, brain fog, and accelerated aging. He walked us through the history of NAD therapy, its powerful applications in mental health and addiction recovery, and how methylene blue works alongside it to boost mitochondrial energy. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, it's a great place to start.This week, the conversation goes deeper into the practical side of longevity. Alexander shares the lifestyle habits that can naturally raise your NAD levels — and the everyday choices quietly draining them. From the surprising cellular cost of a single drink of alcohol to the science behind intermittent fasting and why muscle mass is one of your greatest longevity assets, this episode is packed with actionable insight.We also explore how NAD Clinic approaches performance optimization through tools like VO2 max breath testing, and what it means to turn data into something you can actually act on. Whether you're new to longevity science or already building your wellness stack, this episode will meet you where you are.If you're ready to stop guessing and start understanding what your body actually needs to thrive, this episode will give you a science-backed, practical roadmap to get there.What You'll LearnThe lifestyle habits that naturally raise NAD levels — and which ones silently deplete themWhy alcohol costs your body two NAD molecules, plus magnesium, zinc, and B1 — for every single drinkHow sleep deprivation drops NAD levels and drives up inflammationWhy intermittent fasting triggers autophagy and boosts cellular renewalThe role of muscle mass in longevity and why both aerobic and anaerobic exercise matterWhat VO2 max testing and breath analysis reveal about your metabolism and performanceConnect with AlexanderWebsite: www.nadclinic.comResources MentionedNAD Clinic — Global leader in cellular health and performance medicine; nadclinic.comPNOE — Breath analysis and VO2 max testing used by NAD Clinic for performance optimizationMethylene Blue — Mitochondrial energy tool discussed in depth in Part 1; referenced again here as part of the longevity toolkitGlobal Wellness Summit (Dubai) — Where this conversation was recordedChapters00:00 — Recap & welcome to Part 202:57 — Lifestyle habits that naturally boost NAD03:50 — Exercise, muscle mass, and mitochondrial health04:08 — How alcohol depletes NAD and key co-nutrients05:01 — Intermittent fasting and autophagy explained06:03 — Testing NAD levels and optimal ranges by gender and athlete status08:18 — IV vs. oral supplementation — which is right for you?08:43 — Inside NAD Clinic's science-based approach09:08 — VO2 max and breath analysis with PNOE10:35 — Where to start — nadclinic.com