The Nutrition Nuggets Podcast

Plant sources of omega 3 are a poor choice. Sorry to break that to you but, they are! There is a very distinct reason for this and also, thankfully, an easy way to counter this I you do follow a plant based diet. 

In this episode I am joined by the wonderful Dr Megan Rossi aka 'The Gut Health Doctor'. We discuss her new book 'Eat More, Live Well'. We cover:How a diversity of plant foods improve the microbiome.How our gut influences immunity locally and systemically.How the gut and brain interact.Busting some frequently held gut myths. Answer listener questions.And a whole lot more...Find Megan online at: theguthealthdoctor on all socials and the web. Megan's new book 'Eat More, Live Well' can be found at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Eat-More-Live-Well-Favourite/dp/0241480469/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3BPYA88SR5U6L&keywords=dr+megan+rossi&qid=1639677766&sprefix=dr+mega%2Caps%2C167&sr=8-1

PART 1 - PART 2 to follow soon. This first episode of season 5 is an absolute belter!! I welcome my good friend Dr Alex Richardson from Oxford University and the charity 'Food and Behaviour Research' to discuss her specialist field - omega 3 fatty acids, particularly in brain function. But as is always the case with me and Alex, the conversation goes far far broader. Part 2 will follow in a week or so. The content on this episode is absolutely incredible with some mind blowing 'ahaaa' moments. To find out more about Dr Alex Richardson, visit: https://fabresearch.org/viewItem.php

I had a question on instagram asking how we should support our immunity going into the autumn. Well, whatever the season, the recommendations remain the same. Here I share my top four natural products to support immunity. We go down the rabbit hole a fair bit in this one!

I often get asked "how do I get my husband/wife/kids to eat better when they won't even try healthy food". I have a sure fire tactic that works a charm and doesn't case dinnertime warfare. 

This listener question is a common one. How does someone go about reducing belly fat post menopause? Well, the actual recommendations in practice are very simple.....we just need to understand the why, and that is what this session outlines. 

This listener question is a tricky one. 'Can nutrition assist with long COVID recovery'? As this is a novel virus and we still no very little about it, any answer would be an educated guess. That being said, working from the point of view of how I would work with a patient with Post Viral Syndrome, improving mitochondrial sufficiency can deliver some rapid symptomatic relief in the early stages and this will be my focus in this answer. 

I had 6 people ask me this on the same day so thought I would do a short snappy nugget on it The short answer....supplements! Find out the how and the why. 

Welcome along to the new season. We're baaaaaaaack!!! In the first episode of the new season I am bringing on my friend Dr Gemma Newman. Gemma is a GP, practicing medicine for 17 years, and teacher on my 'Diploma in Culinary Medicine'. Gemma is a vocal advocate for a whole food plant based diet which has become a core part of her clinical practice. This is a great start to the new season :o)

Is food medicine? Thats a big question and it is oddly a battle that has been raging for a couple of decades now. I have a firm view that diet and lifestyle is an important part of the overall therapeutic spectrum of someones management of or recovery from disease. But what do YOU think on this?

There has been a huge amount of talk about vitamin D in the last 12 months, particularly in the context of supporting our immune system. But do you know HOW and what it does?  In this short nugget, I give you the lowdown. 

I am joined once again by popular guest Dr Alan Desmond - Consultant Gastroenterologist and advocate of a plant based diet. To mark the release of his new book, Alan joins me to discuss the broad impact and power that increasing the amount of plants in the diet can have. As always we go down the rabbit hole and really get into the detail. Another fascinating session. 

Sarah Macklin is a high flying model, turned nutritionist that, like me is an omega 3 nerd, and has a passion for guiding people in the fashion industry towards better health and healthier relationships with food. Her NPO The Be Well Collective is a wonderful organisation that does just this. What I like about it particularly is that it rapidly moved beyond just the fashion industry, and is becoming an important resource for young adults across the board

I have received so many messages in the last week or two from people who have found that they are starting to lose their way again as the headlines begin to tell tales of despair and uncertainty. These dark and challenging times are pulling many people off track and many of us are losing our commitment to a healthier lifestyle, and turning to old habits to find comfort. The simple act of remembering why you started, re tapping into the emotions that accompanied that will be your rocket fuel that will help you to break through.

Emily English is, in my opinion, the best up and coming nutritionist on the circuit at the moment. Her insight into nutrigenetics, epigenetic and nutritional biochemistry just blow me away, and it is not often I say that! In this fascinating session we cover the shortcomings of many common home tests, but also look at the level of clinical insight that can be gained from regulated clinician only testing that Emily offers in her clinic. A fascinating session for the nutrition nerds!

ME and Chronic Fatigue affect millions across the globe and the symptoms can be debilitating and life altering. But how do we even begin to to manage and improve this multi system and complex condition? This podcast explores they why's and the how's.Lauren Windas is a Nutritionist that specialises in working with this, and has a very personal experience with it, having suffered with and battled through it herself. This is a FASCINATING session, and a great start to the new season of the podcast. You won't want to miss this one!!Find Lauren at: Instagram: @laurenwindasnutritionistOnline at: https://www.laurenwindas.com

This episode I am joined by Consultant Gastroenterologist Dr Alan Desmond. We discuss the role that the gut microbiome plays in developing and supporting our immune system. We also discuss a few gut myths such as serotonin in the gut being unrelated to depression, and that gluten isn't a universal poison. We also take a few listener questions. Apologies for my microphone - new system that I am still getting used to. Thankfully Alan chats for most of it!

In this episode I am joined by Cardiologist and outspoken Nutritional Medicine advocate Dr Aseem Malhotra. A storm is brewing in the health of our nation. For a long time in burned quietly slowly causing more and more damage. Now that COVID 19 has hit we have started to get an acute awakening as to the true price of poor metabolic health - something so prevalent in our population. What causes this, why is it firing the flame of COVID 19 and burdening our healthcare system, and what if anything can we do about it?Be sure to check out Aseem's work on the web: http://doctoraseem.com 

I was recently interviewed on TV about Adele's dramatic recent weight loss, I didn't have all the information and misunderstood what she was actually doing. I wanted to set the record straight and invite my good friend and creator of the Sirtfood Diet (what she is ACTUALLY doing) Aidan Goggins onto the Podcast to tell us what this scientifically sound programme actually is!.

Fatigue can affect us all to varying degrees, and there are a million different reasons why. But, there are a few things we can do to take the edge off, help us feel more energised, and feel much better. 

Hair loss in young women is very commonly associated with nutritional status. Find out how and what to do about it!

Eating out regularly can present some challenges when sticking to a healthy diet, however, a few key tricks and you are sorted. 

Under active thyroid is a common complaint and one I get asked about frequently. There are a few key dietary strategies that can make a difference and improve the negative effects of impaired thyroid function. 

I get asked about this so often, and I think that the answer is pretty simple, and may surprise you!

What are resistant starches? Where are they found and what should we know about them?

How does diet affect blood pressure and can we take steps to lower it by changing what and how we eat?

Can diet be used in treating asthma? Well, yes to a degree. Find out how.

Intermittent fasting has become incredibly popular in recent times, but what does the evidence say about the benefits?

Candida and its link to disease is a total con and more Star Trek than medical science. Heres why!! Sorry for the slightly loud mic on this one!

Stress is an inevitable in life, but how can we use diet to ease it and reduce the damage it does to us?

Plant based milks are big business, but are they all as good as they claim?

This week I answer a listener question, this time on the topic of orthorexia. 

Staying on track with healthy eating while travelling doesn't need to be difficult!!

Serotonin in the gut! Gut health and depression. Mucoid plaque in the gut. We have all heard and seen and read these things, but its time to shine a little light on the situation!!

Summer is here which for many means a lot of discomfort. But, can our diet have any influence on this?

Back after a short hiatus I get straight into answering some of your questions. This week vegan diets for children, and calcium in supplements. 

Many people overlook the potential nutrition has to influence our mood day to day. here I discuss my four top nutrients for improved mood. 

Skeletal health and bone density is a huge concern for many people, and something I get asked about a great deal. Everyone talks about calcium, but this is actually the LEAST important part of the picture!! Listen in to find out why!

Our gut bacterial colony has long been viewed as a vital alli to support digestive health. We now know however that its role goes way deeper than that, especially where our immunity is concerned. We no know some of the mechanisms by which our gut flora supports and regulates immunity. The picture is truly fascinating. 

Skin health is the whole reason I got into the nutrition World to begin with. In a 25 year journey, I have distilled all I have learned into 3 simple to apply strategies for better long term skin health. 

Memory and learning CAN be supported and enhanced by nutrition. In this weeks session I discuss my top 3 nutritional recommendations to ramp this up. 

Nutritional supplements are one of the most hotly debated areas of Nutrition and the thing that I seem to get the most questions about. Here I discuss my views on the subject and what you need to consider. 

Learning the importance and the practice of blood sugar management is an absolute cornerstone of good long term metabolic health. here we discuss the why's and then the how's. 

There are a million and one things that can zap our energy and make us feel under par. Nutrition is certainly one of them. Here I discuss three simple strategies to give yours a boost, plus I answer listeners questions, and this weeks selection are GREAT. 

SO many people get a diagnosis of 'High Cholesterol' and are told a number. If this is the extent of the information given to you, you really don't have much of an idea of exactly what your overall state of health really is. There is more information that you need and in this episode I give you a quick guide to what that is. 

Managing chronic inflammation is of vital importance to long term health, and diet can play a huge role in this. Here we discuss the simple steps you can take to keep it at bay. 

Cardiovascular disease is the biggest killer in the Western World. We know full well that diet has a role to play in 98% of cases, and research around it is revealing some very interesting information. In this nugget I talk about three nutrients in particular that have significant cardiovascular benefit. 

For many, sticking to their decision to eat healthier and make improvements to their diet and lifestyle, can be challenging. Life can get in the way. I believe though that these three methods can help people stick to their commitments and make real meaningful lasting change. 

Sleep is a top priority. Period! Poor sleep can lead to some serious health issues from reduced immune function through to increased risk of cardiovascular disease, not to mention poor resistance to stress. While there are many factors that can affect sleep, there are a couple of nutritional tools that can help improve the quality of our sleep. here I discuss these and how to use them. 

Every week I get dozens of questions like 'what oil should I use for cooking'? 'Should I eat butter or margarine'? 'How much fat should I be eating'? People are just confused about fat and this confusion and misinformation has led to one of the biggest public health cockups in history. This is my take on the problem, and hopefully I can shed a little light on this potentially confusing subject. 

This episode covers the three most evidence based nutritional interventions to support our immunity, and how they work. There has been a great deal of conversation lately around supporting immunity naturally, much of which has arisen from the reports that antibiotics are becoming less effective due to overuse. It is becoming ever more important to learn how we can get in the driving seat and safeguard our own health.