Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Can we truly be healthy if we see ourselves as separate from nature?

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 298 of the podcast with Dr Zach Bush.

Zach spent many years as a conventional medical doctor but, disillusioned with the state of Western medicine, he began taking an integrative approach, studying the body’s microbiomes in relation to health, disease and food systems. 

In this clip, we discuss why traits of ego, individualism and competition aren’t really human at all and how a practice of solitude can help us reconnect with our true nature.

Thanks to our sponsor https://www.drinkag1.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/298

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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If you ever feel anxious, whether that’s a low-level worry, a sudden fear, or full-on panic, can you sense where it’s coming from in your body? Perhaps your chest feels tight, or your gut feels uneasy. Or, perhaps, you have no idea. My guest on this episode, believes that understanding where this feeling lives inside your body is the key to treating anxiety – for good.

Dr Russell Kennedy is a medical doctor, neuroscientist, and someone who suffered with crippling anxiety for over 30 years. He is the author of Anxiety RX: A New Prescription For Anxiety From The Doctor Who Created It and has recently launched MBRX, an online course to help people permanently heal their anxiety.

Russell insists anxiety isn’t a disorder of the mind. Our worries are merely a symptom that keeps us in our heads and away from the real problem. He favours the term ‘alarm’ and says we need to find where the alarm is in our bodies. This alarm is a physiological pattern that’s been left by events in our past, usually in early childhood. It signals to our brain that we aren’t safe – and so our mind gets to work trying to think us out of danger.

Russell shares his own journey through anxiety. He talks about how growing up with a father who was schizophrenic and bipolar, left alarm signals, imprinted in his body. And, for over 30 years he searched for relief from his anxiety. But nothing worked.

In Russell’s view, most treatments for anxiety, including medication and CBT, fail in the long term because they don’t address the root cause. For Russell, healing starts by finding out where anxiety lives inside your body and he walks you through how exactly you can start doing that.

We also discuss the simple things that parents can do to help their kids grow up feeling ‘seen, heard, loved and protected’. And, we also discuss the value of activities like breathwork, meditation and yoga, and also some promising therapies such as Internal Family Systems and Somatic Experiencing.

Russell’s core message has the potential to be transformative - that it’s more effective to use the body to calm the mind, than the mind to calm the body. Given how prevalent anxiety is now across society, I think this is a profoundly important conversation. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.exhalecoffee.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.boncharge.com/livemore

https://drinkag1.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/370

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Inflammation is a natural and necessary biological response to injury or infection, but due to our modern lifestyles, it’s become a response that doesn’t always go away when it should. 

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 200 of the podcast with a pioneer in the field of integrative health, Dr Andrew Weil.  

Chronic unresolved inflammation is now a widely accepted cause of many serious health conditions, thanks in no small part to Andrew’s instincts and research. 

In this clip, he shares 5 dietary tips that can help reduce inflammation in our body and improve our short-term and our long-term health.

Thanks to our sponsor https://www.drinkag1.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/200

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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What do obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, fatty liver disease, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, stroke and dementia have in common? They are all chronic diseases that together are the leading cause of death in the world today. And they’re largely caused not by genes, but by our environment, lifestyle and food choices.

This much many of us already know. But today’s guest brings some valuable new information to the table: the role of uric acid. Dr David Perlmutter is a board-certified neurologist and six-time New York Times bestselling author. He is on the Board of Directors of the American College of Nutrition and an Associate Professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. His latest book, Drop Acid: The Surprising New Science of Uric Acid, focuses on the pivotal role of uric acid in chronic metabolic diseases, claiming that lowering its level in the body holds the key to losing weight, controlling blood sugar, and transforming health.

Many of us only think about uric acid in relation to a painful condition called gout. But, as David explains even slightly raised uric acid levels, can have damaging and widespread implications for our health. David and I discuss what he calls the ‘evolutionary environmental mismatch’ - how modern lives are at odds with what serves our biology best. And one of the key elements that is driving this mismatch is the modern food environment.

Many of us simply think about food as energy or calories but David and I discuss why we need to start thinking about food as information. Every bite that we eat is giving our body cues and signals. If we give our bodies the right cues they will thrive. If we give them the wrong cues they will start to malfunction.

We also talk about the relationship between our fructose intake and uric acid levels, the evolutionary benefit for slightly higher uric acid levels, how increased uric acid can drive fat storage, high blood sugar levels, high blood pressure and insulin resistance. We also discuss what changes we can make with our food choices to reduce uric acid levels in our body.

David explains how certain food choices can make us more impulsive, less compassionate and less empathetic and how the right food choices can help us make better decisions and increase our happiness. David is a gifted communicator and someone who is committed to helping as many people as possible, live healthier and happier lives. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.seed.com/livemore

https://www.calm.com/livemore

https://www.drinkag1.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/368

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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If you find yourself struggling regularly with stress, there’s tool that you can use that will really help. It’s free, it’s easy, and the results can be instantaneous. 

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 227 of the podcast with Dr. Andrew Huberman, a professor of neuroscience at Stanford University School of Medicine.

In this clip, he explains why learning to control our nervous system is so important for our health and happiness and shares a powerful tool that can immediately reduce stress and anxiety.

Thanks to our sponsor athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/227

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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What does consciousness mean to you? It’s something that’s fundamental to who we are as humans. And yet it’s a concept that many of us would struggle to define – scientists and philosophers included. But today’s guest is someone who has spent many years and countless hours studying it, and is keen to share what he has learned.

Anil Seth is Professor of Cognitive and Computational Science at the University of Sussex and Co-director of the Sackler Centre for Consciousness Science. He is a globally respected neuroscientist and author of the Sunday Times bestseller Being You: A New Science Of Consciousness. And he is someone who excels at making complex ideas simple as evidenced by the fact that his TED talk has been viewed over 12 million times to date.

After 20 years researching the brain, Anil’s ideas on perception, reality, and what it means to be you, will have you reconsidering everything you’ve taken for granted about your experience of the world. And if that sounds scary, it really isn’t. You don’t need any prior knowledge of neuroscience, philosophy, or spirituality to enjoy this episode – but it will leave you feeling enlightened in all three areas.

During this conversation we consider death, ritual and the cultural idea of reincarnation. We talk about Near Death Experiences and what we can potentially learn from them and we dive into what consciousness and the self really mean. Anil also sets out his theory that our brains don’t read the world, they write them – all of life is a controlled hallucination.

The way we encounter reality, he asserts, is a construction. Our thoughts and perceptions are merely interpretations of external and biological cues. We’re all hallucinating, all the time. It’s just that when we agree on those hallucinations, we call it reality.

Anil’s work is fascinating and I’m convinced it could pave the way for a humanity that’s more connected, considerate, and humble. This is a conversation that I think will have you reflecting and thinking deeply about the world and your place within it. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/366

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Happiness is a choice. It’s a bold statement, but it’s one I wholeheartedly support. 

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 275 of the podcast with Former Chief Business Officer of Google X, happiness expert and best-selling author, Mo Gawdat.

The sudden and tragic death of his son, Ali, at 21 years of age set him on a path to make a billion people happier.

In this clip, he shares why he believes that happiness is a set of skills and beliefs we can choose to practice no matter what obstacles may come our way.

Thanks to our sponsor athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/275

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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By the end of today’s episode, I’m pretty sure you’ll feel inspired to reconnect with an old friend, phone that family member you don’t see enough, or make plans for a face-to-face get-together. You’ll feel happier, and even be healthier if you do, because the quality of our relationships determines the quality of our lives.

My guests, Professors Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz are co-authors of The Good Life: Lessons From The World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness. They are the directors of the Harvard Study of Adult Development which is an extraordinary research project that started back in 1938 and is now in its 85th year.

Robert is Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School.  He is also a Zen priest and meditation teacher. Marc is Professor of Psychology and Director of Data Science at Bryn Mawr College in Pennsylvania and is also a practicing therapist.

They are both passionate about spreading the crucial message that high-quality relationships are one of the biggest predictors of happiness, health and longevity and, therefore, prioritising how and with whom you spend your time may just be one of the most important things you can do for your mental and physical health.

We discuss why loneliness increases our risk of death in comparable ways to smoking or obesity and what this 85-year-old study can teach all of us about how to have a meaningful and satisfying life. The study followed the same participants and their families, taking biological measurements and asking detailed questions. Its goal has always been to understand contentment and what it really means to live a good life.

We talk about different types of relationships and how toxic friendships and partnerships can be damaging. We also discuss why frequency and quality both matter when it comes to our relationships, the importance for all of us to have one or two ‘securely attached’ relationships and we discuss the fact that vibrant social lives and close relationships, don’t come easily to everyone.

Robert and Marc share some fantastic insights on what people can do if they are struggling, the importance of listening and being ‘radically curious’ and how we can nurture better relationships with ourselves.

This really was an uplifting and inspiring conversation with two wonderful human beings. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.seed.com/livemore

https://www.boncharge.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/364

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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You may have heard that exercise can really help to support mental health, but which type of exercise is best?

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 242 of the podcast with California based medical doctor, Roger Seheult.

In this clip, Roger explains the connection between stress, inflammation and immunity, and he shares the type of exercise that studies show is most effective in lowering stress, anxiety and fear.

Thanks to our sponsor athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/242

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee

Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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For long-term listeners, Dr Gabor Maté needs little introduction. This episode will be his fourth appearance since we first met in 2018 and I cherish our meaningful, valuable conversations. Gabor is a fellow physician, renowned author, speaker and friend. His is one of the most important voices globally on health, trauma, stress, addiction, and childhood development.

Gabor believes that many of the physical and mental conditions doctors see can be traced back to our earliest experiences and subsequent environmental influences. In his most recent book, The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness and Healing in a Toxic Culture, he joins the dots between individual trauma and the pressures of modern-day living.

We begin by discussing what’s behind the current mental health epidemic. In the UK, one in six people over the age of 16 report moderate to severe depression; eight million people have an anxiety disorder. The statistics are more startling in North America. It’s almost ‘normal’ to have some sort of mental health dysfunction. Gabor and I explore our current day mental health epidemic, discuss the causes and potential solutions.

Gabor explains that the most important factor for good mental health throughout life is the parent-child relationship, especially in the early years. Children need parents and caregivers who are present and emotionally attuned. Sadly, these days, the stresses of modern life can prevent some parents from being able to provide these things, despite their best intentions.

We discuss the various ingredients that all human brains need for healthy development, the critical need within all of us to be able to express our authentic selves, why blaming and shaming is unnecessary and unhelpful and the importance of being open and vulnerable.

We also discuss, in depth, Gabor’s recent live interview with Prince Harry, which received a significant amount of negative press. As is often the case, parts of the interview were used out of context across mainstream and social media, and what in my view, was a thoughtful, enlightening exploration of mental health became widely misrepresented and misunderstood.

This public criticism certainly took its toll on Gabor and he openly shares what he has personally learned by going through this experience. We also explore what Prince Harry’s story (and the polarising views that surround it) can potentially teach all of us, both individually and societally.

This really was a special conversation. A conversation that, at its core, has a message of hope and optimism. It is only by recognising where we currently are, that we can move on and create a better future. Gabor and I discuss the practical steps we can all take in order to better our lives and heal.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.calm.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/362

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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CAUTION: This episode contains themes of an adult nature.

Is there a change you’d like to make in your life? Something you’re desperate to overcome, but can’t see how? Or a goal you’re scared to aim for, because it feels too far off?

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 210 of the podcast with endurance athlete and author, the inspirational John McAvoy.

John was born into a notorious crime family and served 10 years in prison for armed robbery.

Since then, he has achieved incredible self-transformation and, in this clip, John shares why we all have the power to rewrite our own life story.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/210

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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Right now, there are more than 13 million peri- or post-menopausal women in the UK. That’s around 25% of the population, you may be in that category or you will be interacting with women in that category. That’s why it’s imperative that all of us have a deeper understanding of what exactly is going on for women at this stage of life.

Menopause has become one of the most talked about health topics over the past few years. And, as topics get talked about more, the variety of information available increases. But is all the information we are consuming accurate?

Today’s guest is one of the UK’s most respected medical experts on women’s hormones and menopause. Professor Annice Mukherjee is a leading UK endocrinologist and author of the bestselling book: The Complete Guide To Menopause. She has over three decades of clinical experience and has supported thousands of women going through menopause to manage their symptoms and improve their wellbeing. She is an Honorary Professor at Coventry University, on the British Menopause Society Medical Advisory Council and was recently named in the Financial Times list, of ‘Women of 2022’.

Our aim for this conversation was to make it a comprehensive guide for all things menopause related and we managed to cover a wide variety of topics, including:

• What happens in the lead up to the menopause
• What symptoms are commonly caused by fluctuating hormone levels
• Why not all women experience menopause symptoms
• How it IS possible for women to prepare their bodies for menopause
• The impact of stress and other lifestyle behaviours on symptoms
• Why menopause should not be thought of as a hormone deficiency state
• The Pros and Cons of HRT

And so much more.

We explore something that Annice calls the ‘menopause paradox’ – there has never been a better time in history to be a woman, with greater equality and better treatment options for symptoms, yet at the same time more women are struggling with their midlife health than ever before.

Annice also speaks from personal experience - having been diagnosed with breast cancer she went through menopause herself at the age of 41. Annice passionately wants all women to know, that they have more control over their health and wellbeing, than they think. This is a wonderful conversation, it is jam-packed full of information and practical insights. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.seed.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/360

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Our family is wired in us genetically and it shows in our responses to life, our beliefs, and the ‘fault lines’ that trigger us in daily life. Could finding out more about our families be the key to knowing more about ourselves?

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 246 of the podcast with Julia Samuel - renowned psychotherapist and author of the book ‘Every Family Has a Story: How We Inherit Love and Loss’.

In this clip, Julia explains why our present-day struggles probably didn’t start with us and how finding out more about our family history can help us heal.

CAUTION: Contains mild swearing

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/246

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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CAUTION: The advice in this episode may not be suitable for anyone with an eating disorder. If you have an existing health condition or are taking medication, always consult your healthcare practitioner before making changes to your diet.

My guest this week believes that how you feel right now is directly linked to your blood-sugar level. And if you want to feel better than you do right now, you don’t necessarily need to change what you eat – just how.

Jessie Inchauspé is a French biochemist and author, whose first book, Glucose Revolution, spoke to the life-changing power of balancing your blood-sugar and her latest book, The Glucose Goddess Method sets out a four-week, four-step plan to help you do just that.

Before writing The Glucose Goddess Method, Jessie recruited 2,700 volunteers through social media to test her programme. The results are quite astounding: 70 percent of those who followed her plan for four weeks reported better energy; 90 percent had reduced cravings; 40 percent of the participants with type-2 diabetes reduced their diabetes markers. Ninety-nine percent of those who took part said they were impressed enough to continue the habits for life.

Jessie believes blood sugar is the one metric that has the most effects in the body, from balancing hormones to improving energy, mood, immunity, skin, sleep, ageing, weight and much more. During this conversation, she breaks down the science of exactly what glucose is, how it’s used by the body, and why an excess of sugary or starchy foods can cause a blood-glucose spike. She explains why glucose is our body’s favourite energy source, used by every cell, but that too many spikes, too often, will lead to adverse health effects.

Realising that very many of us struggle with sticking to the ‘best’ or ‘right’ diet, Jessie wanted to find ways that we could all enjoy the foods we love, without suffering spikes. By adopting her four ways of eating – one at a time, bit by bit – you can minimise glucose spikes and, in turn, the short and longer-term health issues they create.

Jessie is a really fantastic communicator who is able to simplify complex science and give you actionable information that you can implement immediately. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/358

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The tired brain remembers negative experiences but forgets the positive ones. Is there a more powerful statement in favour of going to bed earlier and prioritising our sleep?

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 292 of the podcast Russell Foster, a Professor of Circadian Neuroscience at Oxford University.

In this clip, we discuss how lack of sleep can affect our health, and Russell shares some of his tips for better sleep.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/292

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

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Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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Sometimes we can feel overwhelmed by all the things we have to do or want to do, leaving us feeling stressed or anxious. 

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 260 of the podcast with Oliver Burkeman - journalist and author of the book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management For Mortals.

In this clip, Oliver reveals some of his tips to help us overcome overwhelm, make better choices, and build a meaningful relationship with time.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/260

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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What does the word status mean to you? For most of us, it probably brings up ideas of wealth, celebrity or material possessions. But could it be something much more meaningful and central to who we are as humans? Today’s guest believes status is simply about being of value, and it underpins so much of what we choose to do in life, impacting the way that we feel but also having significant implications for our health.

Will Storr is an award-winning journalist whose writings have appeared in The Guardian, The Sunday Times, The New Yorker and the New York Times. He’s also the author of 6 critically acclaimed books including Selfie, The Science of Storytelling and his latest book, The Status Game, which is all about our social position and how we use it.

In this conversation, Will argues that as humans, we’re programmed to compare ourselves to others – and to care about how we stack up. He explains that status is actually our social standing, based upon how valuable we are to those around us.

Will also shares the 3 types of status game we all play; the 3 ways in which we try to be of value to those around us. I think that throughout this conversation, you will start to identify which of those status games you have previously played and which ones you are currently playing in your own life.

We also discuss the relationship between status and health, the link between growing rates of perfectionism and rising rates of mental health problems like anxiety, depression, self-harm and eating disorders - and Will also talks about the importance of having multiple sources of status and how becoming aware of this, led to him becoming a volunteer for Samaritans - something which has enhanced his life immeasurably.

Ultimately, Will explains that we are not supposed to win the status game, just to play it. And he makes the powerful case, that simply knowing this fact, can make life feel a lot easier.

This really is a thought-provoking conversation and one that I am hopeful will have you reflecting on your life and viewing it through a different lens. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/354

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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CAUTION: This podcast episode contains swearing.

“Life will present you with people and circumstances to reveal where you’re not free” Peter Crone.

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 121 of the podcast with Peter Crone, also known as ‘The Mind Architect’. 

Peter’s mission is to help people live a life without limitations and stress and, in this clip, he offers a powerful tool we can all use to experience more freedom and peace.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/121

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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This week, I’ve decided to re-release an exceptional episode that first came out on this podcast over three years ago. My guest is Dr Kelly McGonigal. She's a Stanford psychologist, award winning science writer and the author of multiple international best-selling books, including her most recent, The Joy of Movement: How Exercise Helps Us Find Happiness, Hope, Connection and Courage.

This conversation is all about movement; why movement is essential for our brains, our bodies, and our relationships. We’ve all heard how important movement is for our physical health but actually, in so many ways, I think we have undersold movement. Kelly shares some amazing insights and science about movement, which you may have never heard before.

Kelly and I talk about the importance of music for movement, and how moving with others can improve social connections and foster a sense of support and community. We discuss how going beyond what you think you’re capable of – whether that’s an endurance event, lifting heavy weights or taking on an epic hike in nature – can provide a spiritual experience that changes the brain in positive ways.

We also emphasise that movement does not have to be hard. Kelly explains how even the simplest of movements provide an immediate reset for your mood and brain chemistry. And she shares ground-breaking new research that shows how repeatedly contracting any muscles, through continuous exercise, releases antidepressant substances called myokines that scientists have dubbed ‘hope molecules’.

Whether you’re someone who wants to move more but isn’t sure where to start – or you’re already a confirmed fitness fanatic – I think you’ll find this conversation uplifting and inspiring. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore or https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/352

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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CAUTION: This podcast episode contains swearing.

Most of us know what we need to do for the best in any given situation but acting on that knowledge can be hard. 

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 220 of the podcast with best-selling author and motivational speaker Mel Robbins.

In this clip, she describes a simple, highly effective habit you can do to stop negative thoughts and procrastination, and help you to take action to transform your life.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/220

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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Professor Tim Spector rarely eats bananas these days. He treats a glass of fruit juice as he would a can of cola. And, despite having to watch his blood pressure, he no longer restricts the salt he adds to food. Controversial views? Perhaps, if heard out of context. But, as Tim explains in this episode of my Feel Better Live More podcast, these are just a few examples of new thinking he has adopted on certain foods, since discovering his own, personal metabolic response to them.

Tim was my first-ever guest, five and a half years ago, and I’m pleased he’s returning for his fourth conversation. And if you've heard the previous three conversations, there is plenty of new information in this conversation. And if this is your first time listening to me talking with Tim, I think you are in for a treat.

Tim is an award-winning scientist, professor of genetics and author of four fantastic books, each of which challenge commonly accepted views about food, weight and health. He’s Head of the Department of Twin Research at King’s College London, and, as Director of the British Gut Project, a world-leader when it comes to gut microbiome studies. Tim’s latest book Food For Life: The New Science Of Eating Well is his most thorough yet

In this conversation, we talk about a health technology called CGM (which stands for continuous glucose monitors) and touch on what Tim has learned from using them. We talk through the biology of blood sugar spikes and why it's not the odd spike here and there that's problematic but regular ones that can lead to health issues, such as chronic inflammation and insulin resistance.

We also discuss Tim's views on calorie counting, the role that exercise plays in health and weight loss and Tim’s view on the concept that food is medicine. We both reflect on what a transformative difference it would make if more patients were offered nutrition advice as a first line of treatment.

I think one of the things I respect the most about Tim is his willingness to change his mind and his views in public. I think it helps all of us be more open minded and less stuck in our ways. I always enjoy sitting down with Tim, this is an enlightening thought provoking, and I hope inspiring conversation. I hope you enjoy listening. 

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore or https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.calm.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/350

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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When we step outside our comfort zone we can experience growth and opportunity. But when our inner voice is quietly nudging us to make a change, or to take on a new challenge, how do we find the courage to listen to it?

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 195 of the podcast with internationally acclaimed meditation teacher, speaker and author, Light Watkins.

In this clip, Light explains how we can tune into the inspiration that is all around us by training ourselves to look for it, and by cultivating our intuition and trusting our inner guide, opportunities can open up for us.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/195

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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Today’s guest is someone who I have wanted to talk to for many years. I first came across him around 10 years ago and was fascinated by his approach to movement and, in particular, natural movement.

Erwan Le Corre is the founder of MovNat, a school of physical competency entirely based on natural movement. Since 2008, it has quickly spread globally, with certification courses, weekend retreats and instructors all over the world. One of Erwan’s core philosophies is that many of us have become 'zoo-humans' and as a result, we are suffering physically, mentally, and spiritually. In his ground-breaking book, The Practice of Natural Movement: Reclaim Power, Health and Freedom, Erwan outlines a simple process to help us all get back to who we are meant to be.

As humans, we are incredibly physically versatile. We can walk, run, sit, stand, jump, swim, dive, throw, catch, climb and more. But how many of these movements do we typically do daily? Why have we become removed from these intrinsic, functional capabilities? And does going to the gym or lifting a few weights at home, really compensate enough?

Erwan currently holds the US National Record in STA (static apnea) with a 7 minute and 8 second breath hold. Over the past few years, he has been researching, experimenting with and developing his own breath-work practice, now named BreathHoldWork meditation.

He launched his method online and I completed the course. It was one of the best courses I have ever done and it really has had a transformative effect on me. So much so, that what I learned has found its way into my daily morning routine. At the start of the course, I could only hold my breath for about 1 minute. Within 4 weeks, I increased that to 4 minutes and 20 seconds! It was not because my body had adapted physiologically, it is because he taught me how to harness the power of my mind.

Erwan’s technique is completely different from The Wim Hof Method. In Erwan’s method there is no hyperventilation, which in his opinion means you can gain deeper insights, achieve greater calm and more quickly access a state of inner peace. By learning how to quieten your mind and nervous system, when your body is begging you to breathe, you learn something quite profound about yourself - and it is a skill that transfers into other parts of your life. If you can stay calm in this kind of environment, most things in life afterward appear relatively easy in comparison.

This was a really enjoyable conversation, about inspiring you to rediscover who you really are - an innately capable and resilient human. I hope you enjoy listening.

Enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. All other platforms https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/348

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast.

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Most of us would agree that a healthy diet – whatever that means to the individual – is vital to our wellbeing. But can the right foods actually prevent and even cure illness? 

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 269 of the podcast with my good friend Dr Rupy Aujla.

Rupy defied medical expectations and reversed his heart condition by transforming his diet. In this clip, we discuss why food can be medicine and how you can eat your way to better health.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/269

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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TRIGGER WARNING: CONTAINS REFERENCES TO SEXUAL ABUSE

What determines your success in life? Is it talent, opportunity, fate or luck? They can all be factors, but none of them determine your destiny. What does, according to today’s guest, is your mindset.

Lewis Howes is a best-selling author and host of The School Of Greatness podcast. He was recognised by the White House and President Obama as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in America under 30. He’s also author of a brand new book, The Greatness Mindset: Unlock The Power Of Your Mind And Live Your Best Life Today.

Lewis firmly believes that we all have greatness within us but he says that the main enemy of greatness is the lack of a clear, meaningful mission. He believes we can all overcome our fears, self-doubt and rewrite the stories of our past to propel us into a brighter future.

He is someone that most people would consider successful but this wasn’t always the case. It wasn’t until Lewis hit his 30s – around 10 years ago – that he faced his biggest fear. For years Lewis had stayed silent and felt shameful about the fact he was sexually abused as a child. He shares the extraordinarily moving story of how he finally opened up about this, and started his journey of healing. Of course, he was scared to do so like so many of us are, when it comes to talking about deeply personal experiences.

In this episode, Lewis talks beautifully about the need for us to intentionally face our fears, the importance of letting go of guilt and shame, the particular struggles that men often feel when it comes to expressing their emotions, and the incredible power of forgiveness.

This was a really powerful, raw and honest conversation. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore or https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.calm.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/346

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CAUTION: Includes themes of an adult nature.

Do you think you have an addiction, or perhaps an unhealthy relationship with a certain behaviour?

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 222 of the podcast with Dr Anna Lembke, a professor of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine and author of the book Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance In the Age Of Indulgence.

In this clip, Anna explains why we’re living in a world that’s turned us all into addicts and shares some practical tips to help us find the right balance.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/222

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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Are emotions universal? Do you think people are programmed to feel a certain way in specific situations? Or is there a clear distinction between what makes you feel angry, happy or sad, compared to someone else?

Today’s guest is someone whose work I believe can help all of us to make better connections in a fractured, modern world. Batja Mesquita is a social psychologist, affective scientist, and pioneer of cultural psychology. She’s also a Professor of Psychology at the University of Leuven in Belgium and in her ground-breaking book, Between Us: How Cultures Create Emotions, she suggests emotions don’t live within us, they arise between us. They are made, not innate; they form in response to social interaction and can differ dramatically across societies and cultures.

That’s not, of course, to deny our emotions are authentic – or to say that we don’t feel them deeply. Rather it’s a way to acknowledge that not everyone will see the same situation in the same way. We can probably all think of occasions where someone from another culture has responded unusually to us – or where our own behaviour has been misunderstood by them.

In this conversation, Batja gives examples of how, as a Dutch academic visiting America, she found her colleagues’ culture of compliments uncomfortable and overfamiliar. She explains that it’s not about our language, although the words we choose to describe our feelings can be significant. Instead, says Batja, our culture, heritage, gender, socioeconomic group or even age influences how we interpret the world – and so what our emotional norms are in a given situation.

We cover so many thought-provoking topics, including:

• What emotions really are – and why anger, shame or pride might differ across cultures.
• Parenting and how we understand and influence our child’s emotions.
• The immigrant experience and how being raised with dual cultures might affect your relationships and approach to life.
• How a better understanding of cultural differences and language interpretation could help doctor-patient relationships.

I absolutely loved Batja’s book and I think her work is really important. The more we are able to connect with our fellow humans instead of judging them, the happier and more harmonious the world is going to be. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/344

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We often turn to our inner voice for guidance, ideas and wisdom. But sometimes this voice can lead us down a rabbit hole of negative self-talk.

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 173 of the podcast with award-winning psychologist, Dr Ethan Kross.

It’s our inner voice that makes us unique as humans. In this clip Ethan explains why, instead of silencing the chatter, we can learn how to harness it.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/173

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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CAUTION: This podcast discusses fasting, and its advice may not be suitable for anyone with an eating disorder. If you have an existing health condition or are taking medication, always consult your healthcare practitioner before going for prolonged periods without eating.

Today’s podcast could transform the lives of many women – but it’s a conversation that is just as relevant for men. My guest is Dr Mindy Pelz, a nutrition expert, an author and a pioneer on the subject of women’s health, hormones and fasting.

Fasting itself is a topic we’ve spoken about before on this podcast, but when we talk about fasting and health in general, we often presume that men and women are going to respond in the same way. As Mindy explains, men and women are fundamentally different biologically and hormonally, which means they may need to adopt different approaches.

Mindy’s new book Fast Like A Girl explains that distinction and goes on to provide the protocols women can use, so fasting works in their favour. It’s billed as a women’s guide to using fasting to burn fat, boost energy and balance hormones. But I’d argue that it gives us a whole lot more than that.

Mindy sets out the key hormonal differences between men and women. With men governed primarily by testosterone, released at regular intervals and doses throughout the day. Women are led by a symphony of oestrogen, testosterone and progesterone in amounts that vary across an average 28-day menstrual cycle.

Mindy talks us through what exactly is going on hormonally during the four phases of a woman’s cycle and how this makes women feel physically, cognitively and emotionally. She explains how women can tailor everything from their working habits to their workouts, their social life to their diet, to better match their hormone profile at each stage of the cycle - this approach can help women feel more in control. We discuss the benefits for conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), infertility and irregular cycles.

We also discuss the different stages of women’s lives – reproductive, perimenopausal and post-menopausal – and how different types and lengths of fasting can be optimised in each stage.

This is not just an empowering listen for women, it is for all of us – partners, brothers, fathers, sons, and friends. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.boncharge.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/342

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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By harnessing the power of our attention, we can better meet life’s demands. Our ability to focus and pay attention plays a crucial role in every aspect of our life - at work, at leisure and in our relationships. 

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 218 of the podcast with Dr Amishi Jha - a neuroscientist and a professor of psychology at the University of Miami.

Research shows that most of us are missing up to 50% of our lives through distraction and, in this clip, she explains how we can train our attention to improve our lives.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/218

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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When was the last time you felt awe? Perhaps it’s an emotion you notice often, evoked by the trees, clouds, or people around you. Or maybe it’s something you associate with more dramatic, less frequent experiences.

Dr Dacher Keltner, has written a sublime book on the subject of awe. It’s called Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life and in it he proposes that awe is an emotion that’s all around us, waiting to be discovered – and in doing so, we can transform our health and lives for the better.

Dacher is one of the world’s foremost emotion scientists and Professor of Psychology at the University of California. He’s also Director of the Greater Good Science Center, which studies the psychology, sociology, and neuroscience of happiness and wellbeing. He has spent decades studying the science of happiness and believes that across the world, we are collectively having a moment of reflection and looking for more meaning.

In this conversation, Dacher defines awe as our response to powerful things that are obscure, vast, and mysterious. They’re beyond our frame of reference, making us feel small and filling us with wonder. But you don’t have to go to the Grand Canyon or see the Northern Lights to find them. Having studied people’s understanding and experience of awe in 26 different countries, he’s found eight types that are common and easily available to us all.

They include nature, music, moral beauty (noticing others’ kindness), birth and death, and my favourite ‘collective effervescence’. This is that feeling of coming together with others, moving as one, and sharing the same consciousness – you may have experienced it in a sports stadium, at a music concert, on a dancefloor, in worship, in a choir, or even at parkrun.

We spoke in depth about how birth and death are strong triggers for awe, sharing our own painful yet precious experiences of watching close relatives die. We also considered how awe reduces the ego and makes you humble. And how having a regular practice of contemplation, like meditation or breathwork, can open us up to easily noticing and benefitting from everyday awe.

I truly believe that Dacher’s work can help all of us find greater meaning and greater health. He’s done a fantastic job of finding the science to support his words, but I think we also know intuitively that what he says makes perfect sense. This was a wonderful and deeply profound conversation that contains science, storytelling, raw emotion and so much more.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/340

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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CAUTION: This podcast contains swearing 

Our mindset is so important for living a happier, healthier life. We can all learn from unwelcome challenges and, more often than not, become better as a result of them. 

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 224 of the podcast with TV presenter and fellow podcast host Jake Humphrey.

Jake went from failing his A level exams to becoming one of the UK’s best known TV presenters.

In this clip, he explains why happiness comes from the stories we tell ourselves and why failure is an important part of the journey to success.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/224

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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My guest today is someone who has been leading a global health revolution around using food as medicine to support longevity, energy, mental clarity and happiness. Dr Mark Hyman has been a practicing medical doctor for several decades, he is the Head of Strategy and Innovation at the Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine and the author of an incredible 18 books. His latest one, Young Forever: The Secrets To Living Your Longest, Healthiest Life, challenges us to reimagine our biology and the entire process of ageing. 

In our conversation, Mark walks us through the 10 hallmarks of ageing, and explains what we can all practically do to influence them. He talks about the difference between our chronological age and our biological age and wants to reframe the idea that growing older means becoming frail, weak and less independent. In fact, Mark believes that as a society we have normalised what he calls ‘abnormal ageing’.

We talk in detail about food and how our daily choices influence the speed at which we will age. Mark explains how all the chronic diseases of modern life – heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes and dementia – are in some way related to disturbances in how we regulate blood sugar. And he details the ‘wildfire of downstream effects’ this can lead to - things like inflammation, increased belly fat and an increase in stress hormones.

Mark also shares powerful research showing that we can reverse our biological age by up to three years in just eight weeks. We also cover the controversial topic of protein, the crucial need for resistance training as we get older, and what exactly Mark learned from visiting the Blue Zones – places around the world where the population naturally thrives into old age. Their default culture, he says, is a diet rich in whole foods and phyto-chemicals, a naturally active lifestyle, being socially connected and a strong sense of meaning.

People who live well into old age, it seems, live close to the earth and each other. How’s that for a health goal worth aspiring to?

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore or https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.calm.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/338

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Learning to harness the power of your breath can be life changing. It’s free, it’s easy, it doesn’t require much of your time and the results can be instantaneous. 

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 197 of the podcast with journalist and author James Nestor.

Breathing is information, and in this clip, James explains why the way we breathe is so important for the health of our body and our mind.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/197

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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CAUTION: This conversation contains themes of an adult nature and references to sexual assault.

My guest today is someone who I’ve been wanting to speak to for a very long time. Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine and President of the Trauma Research Foundation in Massachusetts. He’s also the author of the wildly popular book, The Body Keeps the Score, a book about trauma, published in 38 languages and read by millions of people worldwide.

The central philosophy behind Bessel’s work is that traumatic, psychological experiences in life leave a physical imprint within us, which can result in physical and mental health problems. We begin by talking about what exactly trauma is, how it differs from stress, and why it is important for all of us to have compassion and empathy for those affected. He explains the factors that lead to some people becoming traumatised by an experience while others aren’t. And we talk about the importance of family, support, and community when it comes to emotional resilience.

We discuss the variety of different medical conditions and symptoms that may have their root in trauma, from misunderstood illnesses like fibromyalgia to mental health disorders and autoimmune disease. Often, these are the conditions where western medicine really struggles to help.

Bessel has carried out years of research into trauma and studied the many modalities that can help us finally heal. Because our bodies quite literally keep the score and store the trauma, it’s often body-oriented therapies that may prove most helpful. We discuss why yoga (the union of body and mind), dancing or singing can be powerful ways to do this. Movement, he says, is the opposite of being ‘stuck’ in trauma. It’s a somatic pleasure response, an expression of life, and can put vulnerable, traumatised people back in touch with their bodies.

Bessel also shares some fascinating evidence on the power of EMDR (eye movement desensitisation reprogramming), neurofeedback, and talks about his involvement in psychedelic therapy. Such is the prevalence of trauma in society that whether we have experienced it ourselves or we know people who have, it’s vital that we all learn about it and the various ways we can heal.

This is a powerful and insightful conversation with one of the world’s leading authorities on trauma. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore or https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.boncharge.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/336

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Downtime had been eroded out of our lives, but what impact is this having on our health?

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 93 of the podcast with my good friend and fellow podcast host, Rich Roll.

In this clip, Rich talks about the importance of having time alone with our thoughts and why we need discomfort in order to grow.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/93

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Is love something that happens magically between two people – or is it something that needs to be nurtured? Does it come from within us, or is it something we’re given? My guest today is here to help us figure out these answers and more. Jay Shetty is a former monk who wanted to share his learnings with a wider audience. He’s now one of the world’s most influential, modern self-help gurus – with a social media following in the tens of millions. He’s also a bestselling author, host of the podcast On Purpose, and Chief Purpose Officer for the meditation app Calm.

I first welcomed Jay to the podcast in 2020 and he’s now back to share his wisdom on purpose and relationships to celebrate the launch of his new book, 8 Rules Of Love: How To Find It, Keep It, And Let It Go, and his world tour to support the book, which hits the UK in May.

We begin our conversation talking about the importance of purpose and how we can go about finding or refining our own. Jay also shares his morning routine which includes thankfulness, intention, meditation and exercise and explains how this helps him to live each day with more purpose. We then go on to talk about relationships and discuss the idea that solitude and self-knowledge are the foundations of love.

We talk about the fact that challenges in a relationship are more often issues within ourselves; how we often take our stresses out on those closest to us – and how we can stop doing this. Jay explains why difficulties arise when we communicate what we want from a partner, but not why we want it, the satisfaction that comes with mutual growth, the importance of finding a partner who shares your values and how the qualities you attract in others, will be the same ones you use to impress them.

Whether you’re someone who is looking for love, happily single, recently separated, in a new relationship, or you’ve been with someone for many years, you’ll find nuggets of wisdom throughout this deep and raw conversation. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.calm.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/334

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast discusses fasting, and its advice may not be suitable for anyone with an eating disorder. If you have an existing health condition or are taking medication, always consult your healthcare practitioner before going for prolonged periods without eating. 

It’s not just what we eat that’s important for our health and longevity, but also when we eat, and how much.

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 236 of the podcast with Dr Pradip Jamnadas, a Florida-based consultant cardiologist and a clinical assistant professor.

In this clip, Dr Jamnadas shares a beginner’s guide to fasting and describes some of the dramatic and restorative processes that take place in our bodies when we start to take periodic breaks from food.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/236

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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This week’s episode is all about a subject familiar to many of us: self-sabotage. Whether it’s the inability to stick to our health goals, leave a toxic relationship, or get that promotion, we often seem to be our own worst enemies. Self-sabotage is a spectrum of feelings, beliefs, and behaviours, but they all set us up to fail. 

Dr Ramani Durvasula is a clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychology at California State University, and a world-renowned expert on narcissistic personality disorder. She’s written two books on the subject, Should I Stay or Should I Go and Don’t You Know Who I Am. She hosts the podcast Navigating Narcissism, and posts regularly on her YouTube channel, which has over 1 million subscribers.

In this conversation, we talk about relationships not with others, but with ourselves. Dr Ramani talks us through the common ways in which many of us self-sabotage, including procrastination, social comparison, taking on too much and not living in alignment with our values. She explains their links to anxiety and perfectionism and shares the practical solutions that she uses with clients to overcome them. If you’ve ever considered having therapy, Dr Ramani provides some useful insights about how it can work.

We discuss a wide range of topics, including why so many of us stick around in toxic, unsupportive relationships, the importance of cultivating friendships and communities outside the home and not expecting our romantic partner to be all things to us. And you’ll hear Dr Ramani explain a new way of thinking about our inner critic.

Dr Ramani has decades of real world experience helping her clients, she is a brilliant communicator and this is a conversation full of fresh insights and practical insights that you are going to be able to implement immediately.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/332

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

CAUTION: Contains swearing and themes of an adult nature.

Being kind to ourselves is so important for our wellbeing and our physical and mental health, but often the negative voice in our head can start to overwhelm our thoughts.

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 230 of the podcast with my good friend - fellow podcast host and author, Fearne Cotton.

Fearne has been a talented and high-profile star on UK TV and radio since the age of 15, but living life in the spotlight led to depression and anxiety. 

In this clip, she shares her eye-opening experience of fame and why she believes self-compassion is key to living an authentic life.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/230

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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My guest today is on a mission to help people feel better, live longer, and maximise their brain health by optimising their diet. Max Lugavere is a science journalist and a New York Times bestselling author. He believes brain decline is not inevitable, we all have agency in how we age, and the secret lies in our food. This drive began following his mother’s diagnosis with Lewy body dementia aged just 58, and his frustration at the medical world’s ineffective, drugs-only approach to treatment. Years spent trawling the research and asking experts, “Why her?” has given him a wealth of knowledge that he is keen to share with others.

Through his books Genius Foods, The Genius Life, and cookbook Genius Kitchen, as well as a long-running podcast, Max shares evidence-based principles that will help all of us protect our brains. And his passion, along with an encyclopaedic ability to recall and communicate the science, is why I really wanted to talk to Max on my show.

Max talks us through the three food types we should think about cutting out – and why. We discuss ultra-processed foods and why it’s not in our nature to consume them in moderation. He explains the wholefood matrix, and the protective synergy that comes with eating foods, in a minimally processed state. If you’ve ever wondered about the healthiest fats to cook with, Max covers this in detail.

He also shares which specific foods he recommends we all include in our diets and what brain-healthy nutrients they provide. Perhaps controversially, we discuss the adage ‘Everything in moderation’ and why this might not be the healthiest approach. If we’re going to declare some foods good, says Max, other foods must therefore be bad. And within the context of a sick population, surely we should be bolder about advising people to quit the food types we know are unnatural and harmful?

Having experienced the trauma of his mother’s illness, Max isn’t bothered about the critics, he’s just really keen to help people. He’s an advocate for informed consent, sharing facts to enable us to make tailored, better food choices. Above all, his message is one of balance and realism. We can all make choices every single day that set us on the path to better health, even if we’re only taking baby steps. I immensely enjoyed my conversation with him. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/330

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Burnout is a type of chronic, unmanaged stress that has significant consequences for our physical and mental health. It’s characterised by feeling exhausted all the time, with no energy for everyday tasks, and little enjoyment in everyday activities. A survey by YouGov for the charity Mental Health UK in 2020 found one in five people felt unable to manage pressure and stress levels at work. Other research found that 88 percent of the UK workforce has experienced burnout since 2020.  

It’s staggering statistics like these that led me to record this bonus episode. It’s a different format from usual: rather than a conversation with a guest, this is my take on what burnout is, why we often don't recognise it until it is too late – and why I believe it’s so important that each and every one of us is aware of it.

Many of us think we can keep pushing day after day, week after week, without any consequences. But we can’t. What I have seen time and time again is that this constant pushing always come back to bite, it is just a case of when. Many of us are on the road to burnout without even realising it. In the past, we might have thought of burnout as a phenomenon that only affected high-flying CEOs. But it’s fair to say the world of work has completely transformed over the past few years. Pressures on everyone are through the roof, no matter what your paygrade or level of responsibility. Add to that the rise in home working, the cost-of-living crisis and the fact that boundaries between work and home have become increasingly blurred means that it is something that more and more of us are experiencing.

In this podcast, I outline 7 signs that may indicate you are on the road to burnout: things to look out for in your mood, your behaviour, your habits and your health. I then walk you through 10 practical tools you can think about introducing into your life that will quickly start to help. I truly hope you find this episode helpful and, of course, if you know someone in your life who could benefit from listening, please do share this episode with them.

PLEASE NOTE: the signs I mention in this episode are very common and are not exclusive to burnout. If you have the odd sign and it is short lived - please do not worry - we all will experience some of these signs from time to time. Just be mindful if these signs are becoming longstanding. Also, please note that some of these signs can also be found in a variety of other conditions, for example, depression. If you have any concerns, please seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional ***

***DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard in this podcast.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore or https://fblm.supercast.com for all podcast platforms.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.calm.com/livemore

https://boncharge.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/329

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There’s a simple, free habit that you can do every morning to improve your health and reduce fatigue, and it only takes 5-10 minutes per day.

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 227 of the podcast with Dr. Andrew Huberman, a professor of neuroscience at Stanford University School of Medicine.

In this clip he shares a powerful daily habit that you can do to optimise your health, boost your energy and improve your sleep.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/227

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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This week’s guest is regarded as one of the all-time music greats. Named on Time magazine’s list of the ‘100 most influential people in the world’, he is none other than the legendary record producer, Mr Rick Rubin.

Whether you know the name Rick Rubin or not - it is almost certain that the music he has been involved with making has made its way into your life at various points. Having worked with a huge variety of different artists in very different genres - Tom Petty, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Adele, Johnny Cash, Jay Z, Neil Young - to name just a few, he is one of the most celebrated record producers of all time. But I think one of the reasons that Rick has reached an almost mythical status across the world is because of his Zen-like manner and his artistic approach to life.

In his new book The Creative Act, Rick says that we’re all artists – and he defines art as whatever our ‘curated output’ in life is. And you don’t have to be a musician, or even a music fan to appreciate this book (or this episode), because it’s really about the art of living.

We talk about how his artistic life philosophy applies to health. He shares his own path to wellness - how changing his diet, living in harmony with his circadian rhythms and seeing a nutritionist - helped him lose over a third of his body weight and gave him his vitality back.  We also touch on the similarities between creating beautiful records and creating optimal health. Rick also shares how suffering from depression has actually left him more grounded and empathetic, and why he is such a big fan of saunas and cold-water therapy.

Just like in Rick’s book, there are all sorts of thought tangents to follow in our conversation, and I think, what you will hear and take away, will hugely depend on what you need to hear in your life right now.

We talk about the value of deadlines, the beauty of imperfection and whether it’s OK to be motivated by success. We also touch on authenticity, values, and his firm view that ‘the audience should come last’ in any creative endeavour. 

This really was a special conversation, full of timeless wisdom, from a remarkable man. If you’d have told the teenage Rangan that he’d one day be sitting down for an in-depth conversation with Rick Rubin about why medicine is more art than science, I don’t think he would have believed you - and yet, this is what you are about to hear - so strap yourself in, get yourself ready and enjoy!

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/327

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Our gut health, unlike our genes, is something we can influence - improving almost all aspects of our health and wellbeing.

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 291 of the podcast with leading expert on the gut microbiome, Professor Tim Spector.

In this clip Tim shares some of the latest science, along with his tips for building more gut-friendly foods into your diet.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/291

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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Every morning, my guest on this week’s episode starts her day with 30-minutes of exercise. She knows – from personal experience backed by scientific research – that this makes her more focused, happy, motivated, and even creative. She knows it’ll help her grow new brain cells and neural pathways, long into old age. And she wants you to reap all these benefits too.

Dr Wendy Suzuki is a neuroscientist and a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology at New York University’s Center for Neural Science. Her 2016 book Healthy Brain, Happy Life is a thought-provoking, life-changing look at the plasticity of the brain – and the research-based ways we can change it for the better.

In our conversation, Wendy shares her realisation that the ‘bubble bath of feelgood chemicals’ released during movement were having powerful unexpected effects in her brain. And she explains how even just a small amount of exercise creates profound changes in the brain that go much further than simply boosting mood.

We talk about the effect exercise had on the hippocampus, the part of the brain critical for long-term memory and imagination, as well as the pre-frontal cortex, responsible for our working, moment-to-moment memory. It’s all inspiring proof that our brains are plastic and can change at any age, and that we can take action to make them healthier, younger and stronger.

We also discuss anxiety. Wendy’s latest book, provocatively titled Anxiety Is Your Superpower is all about reframing this ‘misunderstood emotion’ as a signal designed to protect us. Anxiety and fear levels have certainly risen over the past few years but if we can understand anxiety as part of the fight or flight stress response, says Wendy, we can begin to see it as an evolutionary tool for productivity. The key, she says, is turning a panicked list of ‘what ifs’ into a practical list of ‘to dos’.

Wendy explains the detrimental effects of alcohol on brain health, the wonders of meditation and how listening to your favourite piece of music is one of the easiest ways to nourish your brain.

This is a practical and inspiring episode that I’m certain will have you taking action immediately.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.calm.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/325

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Doctors working in general practice have never faced such challenges as they do today – and yet there’s a perception that they’re just not working hard enough. The reality, says this week’s guest, is there are fewer doctors and resources and soaring patient numbers with increasingly complex needs. But Dr Ayan Panja might just have hit on a solution.

Ayan, as regular listeners will know, is a returning guest to the podcast and a good friend of mine. Together we developed the RCGP-accredited Prescribing Lifestyle Medicine course, which we offer to fellow healthcare practitioners. As well as being a very busy NHS GP with almost 25 years of experience, Ayan is an exceptional health communicator. His brand-new book, The Health Fix: Transform Your Health In 8 Weeks, contains life-changing insights about how we can all improve our health and wellbeing using techniques and strategies he has seen work time and time again in over 2 decades of clinical practice.

In our conversation, Ayan explains the eight key factors which affect our health the most day to day and shares the simple ways that we can start to improve them. We talk about autoimmune disease and how the underlying mechanisms behind these diseases often start in the body years before we actually get a diagnosis. We also discuss the limitations of evidence-based medicine and why real-world experience often counts as much, if not more than laboratory findings. And of course, we talk about the practical things that we can all implement immediately to improve our health and happiness.

One of the things that I love the most about Ayan’s approach is that it really understands that you are unique and it's going to allow you to generate your own targeted lifestyle prescription. And this episode will put you on the right path to discovering your own, individual health story – and the right interventions for you. 

Find out about the LIVE, Prescribing Lifestyle Medicine event for healthcare practitioners http://www.prescribinglifestylemedicine.org/

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/324

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Our ability to focus and pay attention plays a crucial role in every aspect of our life: reaching our goals, maintaining close relationships, thinking deeply, as well as our ability to be kind, compassionate and empathetic. 

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 228 of the podcast with the brilliant Johann Hari, author of the book ‘Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention’.

In this clip, Johann explains how our attention is being stolen and shares some steps that we can take to get it back.   

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/228

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee

Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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Cold showers, icy plunge pools, outdoor swimming – are you a fan, or does the very idea make you shiver? Today’s podcast is all about one of the biggest wellness trends of the past few years: cold water immersion therapy. My guest is Dr Susanna Søberg who is arguably one of the leading researchers on the topic.

Susanna studied at the University of Copenhagen, looking at metabolism and the role of brown fat. Her research on the physiology of deliberate cold and heat exposure is helping to back up what many cultures have known instinctively for thousands of years – changing our temperature is good for us. Her new book Winter Swimming: The Nordic Way Towards a Healthier and Happier Life is a beautifully illustrated volume, which looks at cold-water traditions around the world and shares what incredible benefits they can provide for our health and wellbeing.

In this conversation, Susanna talks us through the many physical benefits, from increased metabolism, immunity and lowered insulin resistance, to the potential to reduce excess weight and ease muscle and joint pain. The key player in all these benefits? Brown fat, a type of healthy fat stored around the spine that acts as our body’s temperature regulator, boosts metabolism and can even aid blood-sugar response and weight control. The more we expose ourselves to the cold, the more brown fat cells we have. So it’s a case of use it or lose it.

There are also incredible mental health benefits from engaging with the cold. The very act of pushing out of your comfort zone and braving the cold can give you a sense of confidence. It releases mood-boosting hormones and exposes us to a form of ‘healthy stress’, building our resilience to modern life. It’s also the ultimate in mindfulness – a sensory experience that takes you out of your head and into your body.

In 2021 Susanna published research setting out the minimum amount of time that we need to spend in the cold to receive all these incredible health benefits. It’s now been dubbed the Søberg Principle and it’s not nearly as extreme as you might think. Even just a cooler blast at the end of your shower is a very effective place to start.

I really was delighted and honoured that Susanna came over from Denmark to record her first ever long form podcast. Whatever your view on the cold – whether you embrace it fully or whether you think this is a trend that is not for you – I really think you are going to enjoy listening and I’m pretty sure that after listening, you may well be tempted to give the cold a go.

CAUTION: If you have uncontrolled hypertension or heart disease it is not advised that you start practising cold water immersion. If you have any doubt at all as to whether you are fit enough to give this practice a go, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.boncharge.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/322

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have.

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Do you believe habits are ‘good’ or ‘bad’? Are you constantly trying to create better habits and quit those that don’t serve you? Today’s guest has insights that will help get your New Year off to a great start by truly understanding what habits are – and how to optimise them.

James Clear is an entrepreneur and New York Times best-selling author of Atomic Habits a handbook for anyone who wants to finally get to grips with successful behaviour change. He shares his learnings via his hugely popular newsletters, to help people use the psychology of habit formation to live healthier, fuller lives.

We talk about ‘designing your environment’, building a tribe around you who support what you want to achieve and finding the path of least resistance to what you want to do. When it comes to good versus bad habits, James says it’s more about which are effective – are they serving you?

We also discuss how true behaviour change is really identity change. Every action you take towards your goal is a vote for the person you wish to become. You’re no longer that someone who tries to go for a run three times a week, you’re a runner. James says we can all begin by asking ourselves ‘Who do I want to become?’ then looking at what habits we might need to build that identity.

This is such a useful conversation, packed with practical tips, and I think it’s a great way to kick off the year. I know you’re going to feel fired up to seek out your new identity once you listen. 

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.calm.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/321

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices