When Life Gives You Lemons

Thomas Hal Robson-Kanu was on the path to becoming a professional footballer when at 15 years old, a tackle ruptured all his knee ligaments. After two gruelling surgeries and two years of rehabilitation, the club doctors handed him a prescription for painkillers and told him to get on with it. But his body rejected the painkillers and he was in agony every morning.

So Thomas and his father did something remarkable. They started researching. They looked at ancient cultures, Ayurvedic practices, herbs and spices used as medicine for centuries. They went on to create a homemade golden elixir from whole raw ingredients; turmeric, ginger, pomegranate, watermelon, that within six weeks left Thomas completely pain free for the first time in years.

What followed was a Premier League football career, an iconic goal at Euro 2016 for Wales and eventually, the founding of The Turmeric Co, one of the most exciting health drinks businesses in the UK.

But this episode is about much more than turmeric. It's about rejection, reinvention, purpose, and what the world could look like if we put prevention before treatment.

In this episode:
Two ACL ruptures at 15 and the surgeon who told him to find a new career
How his father's Nigerian grandfather, a herbalist, inspired the remedy that changed everything
The Premier League career nobody thought he would have and the iconic Euro 2016 goal
What professional football teaches you about rejection that most people never learn
Why reinvention isn't luck - it's a decision
The truth about the juice industry and why fresh doesn't always mean fresh
What the world would look like if the NHS put prevention before treatment
Why sugar is the biggest drug in the world

🌿 Find out more: @theturmericco on instagram
🎧 When Life Gives You Lemons available on all podcast platforms
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What does it take to be the best in the world and keep coming back every time life knocks you down? Lucy Charles-Barclay is one of the most dominant athletes in the history of long-course triathlon. A 2023 Ironman World Champion, two-time 70.3 World Champion, and the fastest swimmer in the sport, Lucy's journey to the top has been anything but straightforward.

She started as an elite competitive swimmer, trialled for the London 2012 Olympics, and when she didn't make it, walked away from the sport entirely. She then signed up for an Ironman almost on a whim and what followed is one of sport's most remarkable stories of reinvention.

But it's not just the victories that make Lucy's story so compelling. It's everything in between. Stress fractures, a calf tear on mile one of the marathon at the very race she went on to win, a life-threatening DNF in Kona when her husband and coach Reece pulled her from the course. Then, just four weeks later she was back on top of the podium as 70.3 World Champion in Marbella.

And through all of it, she recently received a diagnosis of coeliac disease that explained years of unexplained injuries and finally gave her the answers she'd been searching for.

This is a conversation about resilience, reinvention, the power of a great team, and what it really means to never stop coming back.

In this episode:

Missing out on the London 2012 Olympics and how it accidentally led to triathlon
What a peak training week really looks like - 30 hours, 5am starts and very little sleep
The coeliac disease diagnosis that changed everything and explained years of injuries
Being pulled from the Kona World Championships by her husband
Four weeks later winning the 70.3 World Championships in Marbella when the world had written her off
The mental strategies that get her through the darkest moments in a race
What still drives her at the very top of the sport
Her big goal for October 2026 - returning to Kona to go one better

🎧 Follow Lucy on Instagram @LucyCharles93 and on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@LucyCharlesBarclay

🌐 Follow When Life Gives You Lemons — available on all podcast platforms
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How do you rebuild your life when a split second changes everything forever?
Darren Edwards was an experienced climber, adventurer, and thrill-seeker when a rock collapse at a cliff face called World's End sent him falling 350 feet, breaking his back and leaving him paralysed from the chest down.
What followed is one of the most extraordinary stories of resilience, reinvention, and raw human courage you'll ever hear. In this conversation, Darren takes us from that terrifying moment on the cliff face and the best friend who threw himself on top of Darren to stop him falling to his death. Through the heartbreak of rehabilitation, the pursuit of Paralympic glory, and the record-breaking expeditions that followed; including kayaking 1400km from Land's End to John O'Groats and attempting to sit-ski to the South Pole.
Darren is living proof that adversity isn't the end of the story. It can be the beginning of an even greater one.

In this episode:
· The moment at World's End that changed everything and the friend who saved his life
· What it truly feels like to be told you will never walk again
· Hitting rock bottom in rehab and the physio whose words lit the way back
· Why it took four years to stop wishing the accident had never happened
· Kayaking 1400km around the British coastline with four friends who had each faced life-changing trauma
· Seven marathons, seven days, seven continents and why it was the worst week of his life
· The South Pole expedition and what "failure" really means

Find out more at https://redefiningimpossible.co.uk/
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Dame Kelly Holmes is a double Olympic gold medallist and a true symbol of resilience. In this milestone 100th episode, Kelly shares her incredible journey from overcoming injuries and personal challenges to becoming a leading advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community.

In this honest conversation, Kelly opens up about her struggles with mental health, including her experiences with self-harm and the pressures of being a high-performing athlete. She reflects on her groundbreaking achievements at the 2004 Athens Olympics, where she made history as the first British female athlete to win two gold medals at the same Games.

Kelly also discusses her time in the military, the challenges of discovering her sexuality in an environment where being gay was illegal, and the impact of societal expectations on her life. She shares her decision to come out publicly in 2022, emphasising the importance of living authentically and the freedom that comes with it.
This episode is not just about sports; it's about resilience, identity, and the power of community. Tune in to hear Kelly's inspiring story and the lessons she's learned along the way.

You can now subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts which allows you to listen to the full episode ad-free and enjoy some bonus Behind The Scenes content.

Don't forget to please follow the show and leave a review to help us grow.

This episode is sponsored by @physiquemgmt. Use code lemon10 for a 10% discount on their website. (Discount codes cannot be used in conjunction with other offers or promotions, and exclusions apply to select high-value items.)

Follow Dame Kelly Holmes on Instagram @damekellyholmes
Follow the podcast on Instagram @lifelemonspodcast
Emma’s Website: https://emmalevy.me
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Dr Miriam Stoppard is a doctor, journalist, author, columnist and TV presenter. She was one of the first TV doctors and her knowledge and expertise have helped guide generations of people across the country. She has published more than 80 books on health, parenting and sex, which have sold over 25 million copies worldwide.

Her recent book ‘Sex, Drugs and Walking Sticks’ offers a guide to living your best life in your 60’s and beyond. At 88 years young, Miriam is passionate about sharing the joys of ageing, emphasising the importance of having optimism whilst staying active, both physically and mentally.

In this episode, Miriam also candidly discusses her personal experiences with family, relationships, and the impact of her upbringing on her outlook on life. This conversation is filled with wisdom, humour and a refreshing perspective on growing older.

Don't miss this empowering episode that will honestly leave you feeling excited about the future and ready to embrace life's challenges with optimism.

You can now subscribe to the show on Apple Podcasts which allows you to listen to the full episode ad-free and enjoy some bonus Behind The Scenes content.

You can find this episode wherever you listen to your podcasts or watch on YouTube.

Don't forget to please like, follow and leave a review to help us grow.

This episode is sponsored by @physiquemgmt. Use code lemon10 for a 10% discount on their website. (Discount codes cannot be used in conjunction with other offers or promotions, and exclusions apply to select high-value items.)
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.