The Mind Body Spirit Festival is always a space where inspiration takes many forms — from practical health wisdom to deeply personal journeys of empowerment. This year, one of our headliners stood on the Midlife Wisdom stage: Dr Gemma Newman, the ‘Plant Power Doctor,’ who shared science-backed ways to thrive through life’s changes.
Thriving through your Second Spring
When Dr Gemma Newman took to the warm, welcoming space that is our Midlife Wisdom stage, she brought warmth, knowledge, and deep compassion. Dr Gemma spoke about what she calls the ‘second spring’ — a beautiful reframe of menopause as a time of renewal and regeneration.
Have you heard of the Second Spring before, or know anyone who would love the reframe? Keep reading for an abbreviation you’re sure to tell everyone about.
Get ready for GLOVES, an acronym inspired by Gemma’s practical tools for navigating this transition.
- Gratitude – shifting your mindset through daily practices that lift mood and resilience.
- Love – nurturing self-compassion and strengthening connections with others.
- Outside – harnessing the healing power of nature.
- Veggies – supporting gut and hormonal health with plant-based nutrition.
- Exercise – moving the body to build strength and balance.
- Sleep – protecting rest as sacred for healing and renewal.
From EFT tapping exercises to breathwork, Gemma guided the audience through simple practices that could be woven into everyday life. She reminded everyone that healing doesn’t always come in grand gestures — sometimes it begins with a single breath, a journal entry, or a walk among the trees, proving it’s never too late to start your self-care journey, and no act is too small.
Her message was clear: this season of life is not an ending — it’s a new beginning. As the audience left, there was laughter, lightness, and an unmistakable sense of possibility. That’s what happens at Mind Body Spirit Festival; you don’t just attend talks, you experience shifts.
Experience a shift this November
If you weren’t able to be there this year, don’t worry. The Mind Body Spirit Festival will return, bringing together voices, practices, and communities that inspire and uplift.
If you’d love to see how Dr Gemma Newman showcases her science and practical wellness wisdom, and maybe even ask her your personal questions, don’t miss her slot at our 10th birthday festival in Birmingham. She’ll be back on the Midlife Wisdom stage on Sunday 16th November at 2.30pm - see you there, and remember GLOVES in the meantime!
