The Nudge Health Podcast

Are you looking to lose weight in 2023? in this episode, we discuss the strategies that are effective for weight loss, the role of nutrition supplements, and what you need to look out for before starting on any supplement. The guests are passionate about weight loss and have put together a weight loss challenge that will run for 90 days starting on the 1st of March 2023.  Listen and learn from a clinical nutritionist who specializes in weight loss, (Micah) and Anne who shares about nutrition supplements that are helping people manage their weight

Diabetes remission is becoming more common today, and one major factor that contributes to diabetes remission is weight loss. But how does someone living with type 2 diabetes safely lose weight? Is bariatric surgery safe for people with type 2 diabetes? I had a very insightful conversation with Dr. Hilda, A.K.A. the diabetes doctor, to answer this, and more. Remember to share this with your friend, family, or colleague who could benefit from this information.

In this week's episode, we explore the nudging strategy of behaviour change. Nudges have been used by marketers to influence consumer's choices, and evidence shows, we make most decisions automatically and fast, rather than slowly thinking through it. So what can you do to help you choose what is healthy?Listen and learn!

One of Meshack's biggest challenges in his weight loss journey was giving up pancakes. How did he overcome it? In this episode Meshack shares the challenges he went through in his journey of losing weight and how he overcome them. He also shares how he plans to sustain the weight and so much more. You will be inspired!

Weight loss is a journey. One that requires realistic yet ambitious goals, discipline and consistency, and a complete lifestyle change. That is the inspiring story of 43-year-old Meshack Mbinda. A tech guru who on turning 40 decided he need to make lifestyle changes to enjoy 'the life begins at 40 era'. As you will pick from the conversation, Meshack is decisive and driven, critical traits for successful weight loss and lifestyle change. Studies have shown that the majority of people who struggle with weight loss lack willpower. Now if you have weight loss as a resolution in 2023, or are planning to make changes for better health, listen to this episode to learn all about setting achievable goals and staying on course. Please note, no amount of alcohol is considered safe for health, regardless of the type. Be inspired!

Do you believe that you are overweight or obese because it is genetic? Are you eating whatever, whenever because your BMI is within the normal range? Are you preparing different food for different people in the house? Do you serve particular food for the adults and other foods for the children, then get frustrated when the kids refuse to eat what is on their plate? As Micah says, Charity begins at home. This episode answers those questions and more. There is a lot to take away. Listen and learn! Don't forget to share.

"Show me your kitchen and I'll make a diet plan for you". Micah, a clinical nutritionist explains the role of diet in the management of diabetes. He uses a lot of practical analogies and shares a lot of insights on how to make healthy habits a lifestyle. It should also go on record that there is no such thing as a diabetic diet. There is so much to learn!

Do you know someone living with diabetes who is no longer taking anti-diabetic meds as advised by their medical team? Are they cured of diabetes? In this episode, we discuss diabetes remission. What it is and whether indeed diabetes can be cured. I do also share my dad's journey with diabetes.

People living with diabetes can be especially isolated when festivities set in. Now we are in November and technically the festivities are just about to start (if they haven't already) for individuals, groups, and institutions. So what does self-care look like for someone living with diabetes especially since sel-care among people living with diabetes makes 90% of diabetes care? Moses explains why for people living with diabetes and anyone else for that matter, health should be an all-year-long concern, rather than something we pick up at certain times of the year, and drop at others. Listen, learn, remember to leave feedback and share with a loved one.

What health habits do you usually go slow on, or drop in the last leg of the year, or the festive season? Why did you not achieve the health goals you set for yourself this year, and possibly every other year? How can you enjoy the festive season without compromising your health? We continue the conversation with Nutritionist Moses Mogesi.

You probably know what you need to do for better health. So why are you not doing it? Well, Moses Mogesi, a nutritionist, and our first male guest (yeey), explores the process of behavior change, and some of the common individual and external barriers to behavior change. He also shares tips that make the change process easier. You need to listen to this.

Intermittent fasting has become a trend. But trends aside, evidence shows many health benefits of IF, not just weight loss. Now the diet is mostly used for weight loss so then, does it work? Is it for everyone? This episode explores these questions and provides insight into the intermittent fasting diet.

Have you heard about human milk banks? Unlike the usual banks, these handle human breast milk with the aim of making the best nutrition available for vulnerable neonates and infants, as the first best option, for infants who are not able to get breast milk from their mothers. The World Health Organization recommends donated breast milk as the best and superior alternative to artificial infant formula for such babies. Learn from Angela Kithua, a public health nutritionist in Kenya who coordinated the establishment and implementation of the first human milk bank (HMB) in Kenya. It is very interesting!

How do low birth weight, premature and sick newborns get introduced to breastmilk? What kind of support do such mothers need? Why is breastfeeding especially important for them? Did you also know teen mum's commonly give birth to low birth weight or premature babies? Angela Bily is a nutritionist who works in the newborn unit and she shares expertise and experiences, as we continue with the conversation about how to support breastfeeding.

When is breastfeeding considered successful? What ensures successful breastfeeding? What hinders it? Carol Mola, a nutritionist specializing in maternal, infant, and young child nutrition discusses the Kenyan breastfeeding guidelines, some of the most common breastfeeding challenges breastfeeding mums go through, common myths around breastfeeding and so much more!

What are the characteristics of a toxic work environment? What red flags can you look out for? Can we have employee wellness in a toxic environment? Rose (HR Business Partner) answers these and more questions.

What are the opportunities in the workplace for tackling NCD risk factors? What is keeping workplaces from taking these actions? How do we move forward? We answer these questions and more.

Research has shown that employee wellness is critical for business success. How? Well, it improves employees' productivity and performance, talent retention and so much more. So has this been embraced by Kenyan businesses or businesses operating in Kenya? What are the challenges in implementing an employee wellness program? How can we make such programs successful? Rose (a HR practitioner) helps answer these and more questions. 

New research shows that empathy is the most important leadership skill. Empathy contributes to positive outcomes for both the organization and the employee. More employees are quitting jobs where they feel mistreated. Listen as I share my heartbreaking experiences in the workplace, and also learn how you can harness and promote empathy in your organization. Keep in mind, that empathy fosters empathy. 

Did you know that 80% of Kenyan children aged 10-14 years have already used alcohol? It even goes lower to 8 years in certain areas. Now alcohol is known to impair or regress brain development in children and young adults below the age of 25. Even so, it is the most used and abused drug among young people. Who then become more exposed to the ill effects of alcohol consumption. So how does alcohol use affect young people? What can we do to keep our youth safe? Are there some life skills that can help our children avoid the trap of alcohol? What is the role of parents and mature adults in preventing alcohol abuse among young people? What are the key things one needs to remember regarding alcohol and young people? We answer these and more questions with the help of child Therapist Brenda, addiction counselor Phyllis, and myself Christine

What do you understand by codependence? Did you know people who take care of addicts can actually become addicted to the chaos brought about by the addict? That they can become enablers of the destructive behaviour? So how then can such a person practice healthy self preservation and set healthy boundaries? Learn this and more...

How do you know when your alcohol is getting out of hand? Why do people who abuse alcohol deny it? Could you be having a personality disorder? Grace Kariuki - a relationships and addiction therapist joins me in answering these and more questions.

Are you well acquainted with the harmful heath effects of alcohol? What do you consider to be harmful? Do you think there is a safe amount? In this episode, we answer these questions and more.

Ramadan is fast approaching and practice is that people with diabetes often fast. But should they fast? What is considered safe fasting? In this episode, I answer these questions and more. This show is produced by Maina Mundi and myself (Christine).

If you set resolutions at the start the year, then March is the time to review progress in the first quarter. But if you just officially started your year, or you are yet to set your health goals, learn about the key questions to ask yourself to make goals that will stick.

What is the role of the government in ensuring people living with diabetes access care? What is your individual role in getting care for diabetes? We discuss access to safe food, safe places to exercise, screening and treatment services available for diabetes and much more. We also share some of the lessons and best practices we picked for diabetes management, during the pandemic. This show is produced by Christine Nderitu and Maich Mundi

Are you confident you are taking proper care for your child who is living with diabetes? Do you and your child struggle managing the sugar? Diabetes educator Salome shares in detail what care and management entails in type 1 diabetes which is common in children. She also explores gestational diabetes (GDM). Are you at risk? How do you protect or prevent GDM and the related complications? Grab a notebook and save this very educative episode for future reference. This episode is produced by me (Christine) and Maich Mundi.

Did you know that diabetes is getting younger? Well more and more people are getting diagnosed with diabetes in their 20s and 30s. Unfortunately, diagnosis is still very low so many people who are diabetic don't know they are diabetic, yet it is critical that everyone living with diabetes is put on care. And care varies depending on the type of diabetes. Salome a diabetes educator explains this and more in this very informative episode. This episode was produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi.

2021 marks 100 years since the invention of insulin. Even so, we still have so many people who do not have access to it, or to the diabetes medicines even though we have over 537 million adults across the globe who are living with diabetes. Not to mention that diabetes is also increasing in young people including children, while also risk factors such as overweight and obesity continue to increase. Hence the need for me diabetes care as soon as now. This year's World Diabetes Day theme, ' Diabetes care: if not now when?' starts a 3 year access to diabetes care campaign. So listen and learn about some necessary actions that the government, and you can take to increase access to diabetes care. This show is produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi

Do you have control over your risk of developing breast cancer? What can you modify to minimize your risk of developing breast cancer or prevent it? What is considered effective in preventing breast cancer? I answer these questions in this episode. This show is produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi

There are many factors that could increase your risk of developing breast cancer. These include factors that we can change (modifiable) and those we cannot (non-modifiable). Interestingly, only about 5-10% of cancer have a genetic predisposition. I discuss the genes that can predispose you to breast cancer, how they vary in risk and how you can go about knowing if you have a genetic mutation and especially for the high relative risk genes like BRCA 1 and 2 genes. I also encourage you to assess your risk of breast cancer using the breast cancer risk calculator by the National Cancer Institute. This show is produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi.

In this last episode of the COVID-19 series, I summarize by sharing some tips to strengthen the immune system. Did you know nearly, if not all diseases start in the gut? Well, a leaky gut is what happens when your diet is made up of high sugar, high fat, low fibre processed food. You have nutrients, microorganisms and others toxins leak into the bloodstream because of a porous guy, and this causes chronic inflammation. Further, the western diet also causes an imbalance in the gut microbiome further exacerbating a leaky gut and metabolic anomalies. And all these impair your immune function. Here are a few tip that can help to strengthen your immune system. Listen and learn! This show is produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi.

Public health messaging on weight and obesity management has focused on calorie control and physical activity premised on the principle that you must expend more calories than you consume (The energy balance model). This model however doesn't include the biological mechanisms that promote weight gain. So a new study introduces the Carbohydrate- insulin model, which expands the EBM in that it puts into consideration, the biological mechanisms of weight gain. It explains that overeating doesn't cause obesity, rather the process of getting fat causes over eating. According to this new model, it is more about what you eat and not how much you eat. Interesting. Right? Listen to the interesting ways the body responds to the kind of food you eat. This show is produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi.

Many of us think that obesity is a personal responsibility. It is people eating too much/too much of, and not exercising. But obesity can result from many other reasons including the obesity culture propagated in the society today. Indeed, we all are contributing to the growing numbers of obesity and not just by the choices we make for ourselves, but how we treat others. Take for instance fat shaming. Does shaming someone's body help them lose weight? Does encouraging people to love their bodies threaten efforts to fight obesity? Nduta Wambura helps to shed light on this very topical issue. Enjoy. This show is produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi.

People with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes appear to be more vulnerable becoming severely I'll with the COVID-19 virus. Are What impact is COVID-19 having on people with diabetes? Is COVID-19 resulting in diabetes post treatment? How can people living with diabetes stay healthy? Betty Okere a dietitian working in diabetes and chronic conditions, answers these questions and tells us more. This episode is produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi.

It's the legal right of every mom to breastfeed wherever, whenever the baby needs to. But there are those who feel uncomfortable doing so in public. More importantly, most mum's wish to breastfeed up to six months becomes threatened when they go back to work as they struggle to find a place to nurse or express breast milk when not at home. Kerry Türk, a child care care consultant tells us more about the lactation suites and emphasizes the needs for a family friendly spaces. You can find more about the lactation suites on the Mother Goose Kenya website. This show is produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi.

Why are people with obesity more vulnerable to COVID-19 infection? Why are they experiencing severe illness from the infection? We discuss how obesity mirrors ageing and impairs immunity. This episode is produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi.

Sandra continues with the topic of nutrition in COVID-19 management and control. What role do concoctions play? What can you do to improve your immune system? What are some interesting things about COVID? We answer these questions and more. This show is produced by myself (Christine) and Maina Mundi.

Nutritionist Sandra Mugodo helps to answer some questions on the role of nutrition in immunity and COVID-19 management and control. Does nutrition boost immunity? Do supplements prevent COVID? Tune in and learn. This show is produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi.

You'll find more about me. Christine Nderitu. Who I am, a snippet of my biggest health challenge, and a little about my background. I also explain why NUDGE Health, the 4 main reasons I am doing this podcast and some of the things we'll talk about. This show is produced by me (Christine) and Maina Mundi.