WHY EXPLORER AND ADVENTURER, KATE LEEMING OAM, CHOOSES STAIT FOR ENERGY, ENDURANCE, RECOVERY, SLEEP AND COGNITION
"On 16 August 2025, I discovered the true source of the Oxus River in the Wakhan Corridor, Afghanistan, thus solving a 200 year old mystery. Standing on the edge of the small glacier lake, I took time to absorb the moment. The scene – the lake, the glacier and the surrounding wall of mountains – was mesmerising. I was there with a small team of three and our silence was broken only by the regular cracking of the nearby glaciers as they melted in the unseasonally warm sun.
"The discovery was the finale to my Breaking the Cycle Central Asia expedition, a five month bicycle journey through the heart of Central Asia. Starting on 22 March, World Water Day, my 9001km route followed the Syr Darya (Jaxartes River) from its source in the Tien Shan, Kyrgyzstan, to the Aral Sea, and from there, traced the course of the Amu Darya (Oxus River), concluding with the trek to search for the true source.
"Travelling by bicycle enabled me to bring a line on a map to life. My journey of discovery took me through the Tien Shan and Pamir mountains, the "water towers" of Central Asia, and across scorching deserts, as I explored the ethnically diverse realm of the ancient Silk Roads. The overarching theme of the expedition was the importance of water. Throughout my journey I explored water's vital role and the consequences of its mismanagement, especially in relation to the Aral Sea Basin.
"As cycling connected me to the people and the lands of Central Asia, water flowing down its glacier-fed rivers to the Aral Sea connects every aspect of life. The Aral Sea, however, is an alarming disconnect. Water from the Amu Darya no longer reaches what was formerly the world's fourth largest lake, mainly due to mismanagement of the river systems. Since the 1960s, the Aral Sea South coast has receded over 100km; now, less than 10 percent of its water defies evaporation. Toxic, saline dust causes severe health issues locally and has been detected as far away as Greenland’s icecap and in Antarctica’s penguins.
"While these facts are alarming, I always look to create a story of hope. The partial restoration of Aral Sea North, is an example of what can be done to preserve, restore, adapt and improve threatened livelihoods.
"Expeditions such as this are extremely demanding on the body and mind, over a long period of time, and my diet is typically insubstantial, unbalanced and lacking in fresh food. I choose STAIT for Women and STAIT Superfood as my health support, not only for my expeditions, but the high demands of everyday life. The benefits I receive seem endless; more energy and longer endurance, improved recovery, feeling sharper, helping my body detox and antioxidant support, better sleep, improved gut health and more.
"As I get older, I have become more discerning about what I put into my body to maintain my health, vibrancy and capacity to pull off incredibly difficult and challenging journeys. I have some ambitious plans for the future and STAIT will certainly play an important role in my success"
As an explorer/adventurer Kate has cycled 106,000km, more than 2.5X the Earth’s circumference with credible journeys on every continent and achieved several world firsts. Her major expeditions include: across Russia, 25,000km + 8600km through Australia, 22,000km west to east across Africa, from Senegal to Somalia, and 9000km through Central Asia. She’s also an educator, presenter, author, film producer and a real tennis professional. Her Australian and African expeditions were Official Ac6vi6es for the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development. Kate’s most significant awards include an Honorary Doctor of Education degree (The University of Western Australia, 2016), a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM, 2023) and Australian Geographic’s prestigious Spirit of Adventure Award (2023).
