Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

“In a single glance through a picture, you can be transformed into another world” It’s no secret that we are facing unprecedented levels of anxiety. But what if there was a parallel world that offered us a different way of thinking about life? Director of the Art Fund, Stephen Deuchar, believes that museums and art galleries offer just that. He talks about the fascinating findings of a recent report that found that actively deciding to take time for cultural activities and pursuits can have a profound impact on our overall wellbeing.  Stephen believes that every human could be moved by a piece of art or culture and that there is something on offer for everyone. And it needn’t take hours – even a short visit will be beneficial. After talking to Stephen, I feel inspired to explore the rich diversity that is on offer. I hope you do too! Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/artfund 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.

“Our body is our own high-performance vehicle and our engine is our metabolism turning our food into energy.” Who doesn’t want to achieve their personal best – whether it’s at work, during an exercise class or playing with their children? Yet how many of us think about how we are fuelling our bodies to cope with the demands of the day? Elite sports nutritionist, James Collins, has worked with the likes of Arsenal FC, England Football and Team GB to ensure they are on peak form when it counts. He believes that there is too much focus on aesthetics and not enough on energy and how we use food to fuel our bodies. James discusses simple food principles that we can all follow to feel at our best in our daily lives. We also discuss how sleep and caffeine can affect performance. And, how we are all more capable than we think we are at any age. I hope you enjoy this conversation! Lack of energy is a common complaint that I see in my practice – I have therefore created a FREE energy video-series. You can sign-up to watch it on my website: drchatterjee.com/subscription/ Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/jamescollins 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.

“If we have a problem with our tooth, it’s really a sign that things could go wrong later on” Many of us think of the dentist as a place we go when we have a hole in our tooth. The dentist fixes the hole and that’s the end of the story. But dentist, Dr Steven Lin, explains why oral health is really a message of what’s going on in the rest of the body. He believes that we can prevent diseases by understanding the signs and symptoms and recognising that chronic diseases don’t just happen overnight. He explains why good oral health is about so much more than just brushing and flossing – our breathing, our sleep and our nutrient levels all play an important role. We discuss the link between the oral microbiome and the gut microbiome. Steven also talks about the simple strategies that we can all adopt to improve our overall health. This is a really fascinating conversation - I hope you enjoy it! Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/oralhealth 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.

“It’s not just about encouraging people to change, we have to enable them to.”   In Greater Manchester alone, inactivity-related illness is costing the NHS £500,000 a week. In fact, there are 250 million car journeys every year in Manchester that are less than one kilometre. And it’s not just Greater Manchester, the situation is the same across the UK.  I delve into the reasons behind this with former Olympic gold medallist, Chris Boardman in this week’s episode.  Chris, who is now cycling and walking commissioner for Greater Manchester, has a refreshing approach to empowering people to be the architects of their own health. He believes enabling people is key and explains how he is using this approach to build a high-quality, safe, dedicated cycling network across Greater Manchester. We also discuss how we can all build movement into our everyday lives and where to get started. Chris’s mission is really inspiring, I hope you enjoy hearing about it!  Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/cycling 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.

“Touch is not just a sentimental human indulgence, it’s a biological necessity”   Did you know that being touched is essential for healthy brain development? Yet with teachers, healthcare professionals and work colleagues being increasingly hesitant about social touching, for the first time in the evolution of human history, many of us are being exposed to less touch than ever before. But what effect is all this having on our emotional health? World-leading researcher Professor Francis McGlone explains the importance of touch for humans and the devastating consequences of not receiving it. The research in this area is mind-blowing and learning about it has changed the way I interact with my family. I hope you find this conversation useful. I dedicate a chapter of my new book ‘The Stress Solution’ to touch, which is available to order on Amazon now. Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/touch 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.

Can adults grow new neurons? Until relatively recently, experts believed the answer was no. But neuroscientist, Sandrine Thuret explains why she believes humans can indeed generate new brain cells, a process called neurogenesis.  She discusses the findings of the fascinating research in this area and gives practical advice on how we can help our brains better perform neurogenesis through our lifestyles- improving mood, increasing memory formation and preventing the decline associated with ageing along the way.  This is an empowering and eye-opening conversation – I hope you enjoy it! Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/sandrine 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.

"How I hold myself during the day impacts how I feel."   At this time of year, many of us are wanting to kick-start lifestyle change. But where do we start? Personal trainer to the Hollywood stars, David Higgins, shares his top tips on this week’s episode. David believes that no matter who you are, the issues and obstacles are the same.  We discuss how to bring about lasting behaviour change and create long term healthy habits. We delve into the problems of exercising with incorrect posture and the importance of breathing correctly. David explains how he empowers people to take control of their bodies and live fuller, healthier lives. I hope you find this conversation useful. Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/hollywood 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.

 "Somewhere in peoples DNA is a desire for them to be part of a community" Parkrun began 14 years ago, with a simple concept: a free five-kilometre time-trial around Bushy Park, south west London. It was a low-key, unofficial affair with socialising at its heart. Now over 5 million people across 20 countries have registered for the event! But why has it become so popular? Nick Pearson, Chief Executive of Parkrun and guest on this week’s Feel Better, Live More podcast, explains why. He believes that community is a basic human need that has been squeezed out by our lifestyles. We all crave community and that is what Parkrun is all about. It is inclusive and it doesn’t matter whether you run, jog or walk – there is always someone behind you. Even if you can’t run, you can volunteer, which can be even more beneficial than running for your social wellbeing and confidence. In fact, because of its success in making movement accessible to all, the Royal College of General Practitioners has partnered with Parkrun to promote the wellbeing of its staff and patients.  Parkrun really is more than a health movement – it is a social movement that makes you feel part of your local community. It has transformed my weekends. If you haven’t already, I hope this podcast inspires you to give it a go! Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/parkrun 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.

“We need to give our mental health the same care we give our physical health.” This week, I’m in the hot seat being interviewed by friend, fellow GP and lifestyle medicine advocate, Dr Ayan Panja. We talk about the whirlwind of the last year and how those experiences have shaped me. After the huge success of my first book, The 4 Pillar Plan, it became clear to me that the area that people struggle with the most, myself included, is relaxing. In fact, The World Health Organisation have named stress as the health epidemic of the 21st Century. Indeed, one study found that 80-90% of what GPs see is in some way related to stress. Ayan and I discuss why stress has become such an issue and why it can be so damaging to our health. But what can we do about it? I talk about the areas covered in my new book, The Stress Solution, which is full of simple, practical tools that you can apply in your lives. I also share my top tips for reducing stress, from having a golden hour every morning without your phone to prioritising your relationships. I hope you find this conversation useful! You can pre-order the book on Amazon now. Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/stress 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.

Are you struggling with IBS or some aspect of your gut health? Right now, IBS affects almost 20% of the UK population at some point in their lives and it can be a major cause of distress and disability for the people who suffer from it. This week, I talk to nutritional therapist and author, Jeannette Hyde, about some of the common problems that she sees in her practice. She shares simple tips for treating these, improving symptoms of IBS and manipulating our microbiome - from time restricted eating to the foods that can help (and hinder) our gut health. Jeannette explains why she steers clear of the FODMAP diet for her clients and how personalisation is key when it comes to finding a diet and lifestyle that works for us. Jeannette and I also discuss alcohol consumption, something that is often overlooked or underestimated when we take a look at our lifestyles. But gut health isn’t all about what we eat. We discuss how stress and other factors can also play a huge role. This conversation is full of great tips and I hope you find that it helps you! Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/gutmakeover 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.