The Wellness Pendulum: Reclaiming Balance with Renee Brown
BY SOPHIE CHUNG
Inside the philosophy and practical rituals of sustainable daily habits.
28 MAY - 2026
‘You simply don’t have the time to feel rubbish.’
In an online landscape currently romanticising the ‘corporate girlie’ grind and reviving the vintage aesthetic of the cigarette, it feels like we’re experiencing a massive, collective exhaustion, retaliating against the hyper-disciplined wellness feed that pressured us into extreme regimes like the unforgiving ‘75 Hard’ mindset.
To be honest, it has been refreshing to see the transition away from the goodie two shoes ‘clean girl’ image and bring back the 90s brat - after all, I’m a millennial with a penchant for delicious tipples and cheeses - most recently, the Italicus Spritz has been quite the wonder for my palate.
However, with ‘heroine chic’ pervading Hollywood, thanks to GLP-1s, which causes osteoporosis, by the way - alongside excessive nicotine consumption and the glorification of productivity - it feels like the cultural pendulum is racing right past the optimal point of balance.
But despite what is trending in society, it doesn’t change the fact that health is our ultimate wealth. As both our life expectancies and retirement ages continue to climb, instilling sustainable, healthy habits isn’t just a luxury - it’s a survival strategy for longevity.
Burnout is real, quiet and insidious - and we don’t need to be productive in our 5-9s before and after our 9-5. Alex Hormozi has some excellent pragmatic tips for business but his notion of ‘working like a slave’ seems rather excessive. As someone who has experienced and witnessed burnout in its fantastical explosion through various diseases, I can tell you that it’s very real and debilitating.
After my health collapsed again in November last year, I decided to ditch the rat race (again), leave the BHAGs as a long game only concept, and focus purely on finding the perfect balance that has me productive enough to pay my bills, eat what I want, save some money each month for my future self (compounding interest is a mathematical gift) and socialise with good people who make me feel good. I’m searching for balance, not just physically but in all forms - mental, emotional and social too. It’s been a very long journey to assess all of this and follow through on my perceived solutions - and it’s not as easy as it sounds, especially when people are involved and you’re reconfiguring who you’re having in your circle and spending time with.
I first met Renee at an event by introduction from Fiona Wright, the makeup artist who went viral for being raw and real about her separation from her husband. Every time I see Fiona, we’re the type who never answer ‘how are you?’ with ‘good.’ We don’t go on auto-pilot for it and we both answer it really honestly. Most of the time, life is pretty good and we’re grateful for all the things it has to offer but it’s always tinged with some BS that we have to deal with at the time. And I love that our conversations are honest and relatable. A sorrow shared is a sorrow halved, right?
Renee had this incredibly great energy and glow about her. There’s a lot of awesome, beautiful people in the social media industry but like any industry, there’s cliques and pods and sometimes, there’s some downright wankers who suffer from clinical narcissism and a superiority complex who are drowning in the shallows. ‘Numbers’ in the form of likes, followers, reach and engagement make for pretty shit chat, to be honest. What about human stories? What about… substance?
Boring experiences like this usually makes me a bit cautious when getting to know people but Renee was different. Not only is she drop dead gorgeous but she’s also down to Earth, radiates positive energy, and has an unwavering passion for helping people and her ingenious BYRÉ creations have helped me in a huge way.
I personally am really sensitive to caffeine because of how much it pumps my cortisol and crashes my nervous system. The highs and lows make me feel so insane that each day feels like an exhausting rollercoaster but there’s no real alternative (aside from Ritalin or Dexys which are just amphetamines… Remember when the pre-workout ‘Craze’ was banned in 2013 for having amphetamines in it that mimicked the effects of meth? We’ve got two generations of people bouncing off the walls on amphetamine pills. Am I the only one that’s skeptical of what the bigger picture is here for big Pharma? Anyway, that’s another discussion for another time but food for thought!) to wake the brain up and be productive enough to work at a similar pace to everyone else.
What Renee has done is fuse the modern day’s necessity of daily caffeine with adaptogens to create a well-rounded elixir that has you jazzed about life without any of the negative side effects. No jitters, no crash. Ever since trying her products, I’ve been telling anyone who will listen to try her High Vibe Matcha as it’s packed with nervous system regulating adaptogens that make you feel invincible and optimistic.
To describe its target audience - I’d say it’s for the ‘clean girl baddie.’
And because every great brand and product has a backstory, I thought it would only be natural to interview Renee.
As a qualified nutritionist, health coach, content creator, and the wellness entrepreneur behind BYRÉ, Renee has mastered the art of turning daily routines into beautiful, functional rituals. We’re circling back to my aforementioned trajectory towards a balanced lifestyle.
She’s on a mission to redefine how women approach their well-being. Navigating life as a mum of two and running a business alongside her husband, Renee understands the relentless juggle of modern motherhood and entrepreneurship. Her philosophy is grounded, scientific and intentional: wellness shouldn’t feel like a chore but rather a collection of non-negotiable daily moments that help you step into your highest self.
Balancing life is immensely challenging and although Renee herself has a strict 5am start, she makes her community feel seen and heard with an approach to health that is both accessible and deeply inspiring.
How did BYRÉ come about?
I’ve always loved feeling my best. I think that has been my biggest motivator towards wellness my whole life, and especially after having my kids, because you simply don’t have the time to feel rubbish. I knew I wanted nutrition to be my foundation because food really is the starting point to all wellness and has the power to heal our bodies, which is why I chose to study nutrition and health coaching.
Once I finished studying, I started seeing private clients half the week and modeling the other half. It was fun, but definitely a very different rhythm to my days. I loved it though and did that for many years before falling pregnant with my daughter Georgia. After that, I wanted to be a stay-at-home mother and that’s where I really leaned into my personal brand. I started creating recipe books, resets, online courses, and guides to help people feel their best day-to-day while leading busy, hectic lives.
It was my absolute passion, something I adored for so long, but I still craved something more. Helping people through courses and books was amazing, but there is something so powerful about a product - about having something you consume every day that helps you feel incredible in a way that’s easy and accessible.
BYRÉ combined my focus of helping women feel incredible, while adding beautiful rituals into their day that make them stop, slow down, and remain deeply functional and effective, something I always struggled to find. Products were either cheap, full of ingredients I would never put in my body, and felt very hippy, or they were targeted at a very young audience. I wanted to create something so beautiful you wanted to leave it out.
Think of your most beautiful beauty products - you never want to hide them away. They become part of your routines and help you show up as the version of yourself you want to be. That’s what I wanted to create with BYRÉ: beautiful products that are deeply functional and, of course, taste amazing.
I actually came up with BYRÉ, the name, the products, the whole idea one evening when I was meditating. I had to keep stopping to write down my ideas. I remember it so clearly and that was the start and three years later we launched.
So many women ignore symptoms, push them down, or feel too busy to deal with them and over time, those things compound. What starts as something small can turn into multiple issues, and it becomes much harder to bring the body back into balance.
What does a typical day look like for you?
A typical day for me starts at 5am with my husband as we move through our morning routine. I start with lemon water followed by a Pilates workout (I’m loving Melissa Wood Health or Pilates by Bryony at the moment). Then we have a sauna followed by meditation, a red light mask, and then finally my reward for getting up early - my morning matcha.
I love this drink and have it with collagen, homemade cashew milk, raw honey, and our pure matcha, which is such a vibrant green and so beautiful.
I sip it in bed while I journal, and by that time, the kids are up and it’s all go - breakfast, lunches, school drop-off, and then from 9–3pm it’s work mode.
My husband works on BYRÉ with me, so we each tackle our own areas. I’m normally creating content a few days a week, working on our newsletter, packing orders, doing new product development, planning events, and more. No day is ever the same and they are usually jam-packed until school pick-up. Then I try to fit in the last few things before mum mode kicks in, homework, school activities, family dinner, and getting the kids into bed.
I finally stop for the day once the kids are in bed. This is my time. I make an After Dark Coco as it curbs my sugar cravings and helps me wind down and sleep so well. We love to watch a show before I start my evening routine and then I’m asleep before 10pm.
How do you stay organised and juggle being a busy mama who runs a business?
It’s not easy and I definitely don’t have it perfect, it’s something I’m always working on. One thing I am great at doing is only focusing on what needs to be done today. I literally put tomorrow’s tasks out of my mind and don’t even think about them until the evening before. It stops me from feeling too overwhelmed.
I also think we can't do it all. Often, I have dishes that need putting away, things to pick up, and laundry to do and it just has to wait. My priorities right now in this stage of my life are my family, my health and my business. Everything else gets second priority until I've looked after these areas. That's how I stay sane during this busy stage of life and juggle it all.
In the time that I’ve followed you, your content comes across very differently to other matcha businesses. I can tell that you care about the wellbeing of women and that there’s a bigger reason behind BYRÉ than just running a business. Can you share your ‘why’ with us?
Thank you so much, that’s so kind of you to say, and I’m so happy you noticed. BYRÉ, which is actually short for By Renee, is all about helping you show up as the version of yourself you want to be.
It’s your tools, your rituals, and your daily practices that create this version of you - the version that is nourished, happy, vibrant, rested, confident, healthy, and in flow.
That version of you isn’t just there. You have to create her. She comes from daily non-negotiables that keep your energy, mindset, and mood aligned, and that’s what BYRÉ is all about. It’s helping you be her.
It’s so much more than just matcha. Yes, we started with our High Vibe Matcha because it literally helped build my energy back postpartum and helped me feel like myself again thanks to the functional doses of some of the most amazing adaptogens (reishi, ashwagandha, maca and lions mane).
But we are not just a matcha brand. We are one of the rituals in your wellness routine that you add in daily to come back to your highest self. Matcha is one of them. After Dark Coco is there to help you sleep deeply and wake up feeling your best, and we’ll continue to build on the range so it becomes even easier for you to feel incredible and do all the things you want to do each day.
Beyond the "many hats" struggle, what is one skill you had to learn from scratch that surprised you the most?
Oh I love this one - honestly, so many. One thing I learned very early on is that no one cares about your business as much as you do. That was a big shift.
From there, we had to learn everything from supply chain to packaging to timelines and how long everything actually takes. We had so many issues early on with labels and jars, which was frustrating but also such a learning curve.
I also learned to never assume anything. You really have to stay close to every detail, especially in the early stages.
I struggle with health problems and just found out that dysmenorrhea is not covered by health insurance and once again, felt how women are not taken care of in society. What are the things you wish more women knew about so we can better care for ourselves?
I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this, it can be incredibly frustrating. As someone with PCOS, I really understand how challenging it can be to navigate women’s health.
One of the biggest things I wish more women knew is to truly take their health into their own hands. So many women ignore symptoms, push them down, or feel too busy to deal with them and over time, those things compound. What starts as something small can turn into multiple issues, and it becomes much harder to bring the body back into balance.
Another big one is learning to actually listen to your body. We’re not meant to feel the same every single day. Our hormones shift, which affects our energy, hunger, mood, and even how we respond to stress. When you start to understand your own patterns and what’s normal for you, you can meet your body where it’s at, give yourself more grace, and support it in a much more aligned way.
And lastly, your health really is everything. It impacts how you show up in every area of your life, so it deserves to be prioritised, protected, and cared for daily.
As a nutritionist, what are the simple habits you advocate for better health and why?
I strongly believe in building your wellness foundation daily with some of these non-negotiables.
Morning sunlight
Getting sunlight into your eyes first thing in the morning helps regulate your circadian rhythm by signalling to your brain that it’s time to be awake. This supports cortisol timing, melatonin production later in the day, and overall sleep quality. It also impacts your cravings and hormones so it's a must.
Matcha over coffee
This was a huge shift for me. Matcha contains L-theanine, which slows the absorption of caffeine and promotes a calmer, more sustained energy without the spike and crash. It’s also rich in antioxidants, which support skin health and reduce inflammation. Basically matcha keeps you calm and energised, coffee causes you to spike and crash.
Prioritising your mornings
Your morning sets the tone for your entire day, your energy, mood, and mindset. Having a routine you love removes decision fatigue and allows you to start the day feeling grounded rather than reactive. It's essential if you're busy and doing a million things all day. Think of it as a nervous system reset.
Time in stillness
This is a non-negotiable for me. Even just 10 minutes in the morning and evening whether that’s meditation or simply sitting in quiet helps regulate the nervous system, lower stress hormones, and improve both sleep and mental clarity.
An anti-inflammatory way of eating
This is foundational. Focusing on whole, nutrient-dense foods like berries, salmon, olive oil, nuts, and matcha helps reduce inflammation in the body, which is linked to most diseases. It’s not about restriction, it’s about crowding your diet with foods that support your body so you naturally reduce the ones that don’t.
What is one book or podcast that completely shifted your mindset this year?
I have two books I always come back to.
Manifest by Roxie - I revisit this whenever I’m working toward a big goal or trying to step into a new level. It always brings me back to clarity and belief.
The Slight Edge - this one is all about how small daily habits compound over time and completely shape your life. It’s such a powerful reminder that consistency is everything.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Your inner thoughts dictate your outer world, so make sure you are filling them with positive thoughts, gratitude, love, kindness, compassion, inspiration, and the belief that anything can happen.
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