Real Health with Karl Henry

Here on Real Health, we have looked at the topic of female health, why women are different to men and how understanding those difference can help boost wellness. But when it comes specifically to exercise, should women train differently to men, to maximize performance and results? This week I’m delighted to be joined by sports scientist David Nolan to take us through what women should consider when exercising. David is a PhD Researcher at DCU and looks at sex differences in exercise. So, we thought he’d be the perfect person to bust some myths and tell us what we really need to know. David says while women may feel their menstrual cycle impacts their performance or how they feel when exercising, research doesn’t suggest women need to train differently, depending on where stage of their cycle they’re at. “We can’t give blanket recommendations. Anyone who says that you should train this way in the follicular phase and [another] in the luteal, you can’t say that. We don’t have the evidence in science to say that.” Instead, David says it's important for women to monitor how they are feeling, which can help them maximise their workouts. “The best thing you can do is track your menstrual cycle, preferably over a long period of time, three to six months minimum and try to identify patterns...then implement individual coping strategies.” We also discuss if hormonal contraception can impact women when training and how female body composition differs from men. For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/ And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie. Don’t forget to rate, review and follow on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How much do you know about the relationship between our brains and our gut? While many of us may think we decide when and how much we eat, research now tells us that our brains have far more control over our eating habits than we might realise. So, what does this mean for our understanding obesity and what treatment is the best for those with the disease? Well, this week I’m delighted to be joined by Carel La Roux, an expert in metabolic medicine and Professor of Experimental Pathology, University College Dublin. Carel explains that when it comes to losing weight, it takes more than just willpower to help people to reach their goals. The main reason for this, is the power of the brain and its role in trying to retain bodyfat. “Anybody who has been on a diet will tell you that they’ve never been as obsessed with food as when they were on a diet. That is normal physiology. That’s exactly what the brain needs to do...that is normal.” Carel says that for people to lose weight, in particular those with obesity, the brain needs to be made feel comfortable at a lower weight. That, Carel says is where modern treatments like medicines and diets come in. We also discuss the signals that the gut sends to the brain and how some people find it easier to keep their bodyweight lower than others. For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/ And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie. Don’t forget to rate, review and follow on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Real Health, we’re bringing you something a little different than usual, with another life lessons episode. I’m delighted to be joined by dairy farmer Louise Crowley, to tell us what life as a young farmer is like in Ireland and being a woman in the job. I have been following Louise on Instagram for a long time now and am excited she was able to take time out of her busy day to join me on the podcast. Ireland as we know has a long history with farming but how much do we know about the people who look after the farms that supply us with the food we eat every day? For Louise, no two days on the farm are the same but something that makes her standout, is her social media presence. Louise says she didn’t make a decision to document her life on her platform, but instead it grew from people’s curiosity about her life and how she does things. “People were asking me questions about my farm, how many cows, what do we do...and after a few messages I thought maybe there was a few more that were interested so I started posting the answers publicly. Then it spiralled from there.” We also chat about what a typical day in Louise’s life is like, her relationship with the animals on her farm and what challenges are facing farmers right now. For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/ And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie. Don’t forget to rate, review and follow on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Now that we are half way through the summer and the weather (for the most part) has improved, it’s the perfect time to give running a try. It can be a daunting hobby to pick up, with many people wishing they could run but feel they aren’t fit enough to get involved. So, this week on Real Health, I’m bringing you my top tips for running. I have advice for everyone, from complete beginners to those looking to improve their technique and make it more challenging. One of the first things I advise people to do before they get started is to go and get a gait analysis. That might sound complicated, but it's not. It is simply a check to see how your foot hits the ground when running. When you go to buy shoes, it's no longer about the look and colour. It’s about supporting your feet as you run. When you get your gait checked, it will be easier to select the right footwear for you. For beginners, I often have people telling me they get panicked while running. They’re out of breath and just can’t figure out that aspect of it. My advice, for the first two minutes of the run, slow the pace right down and focus on your breathing. Giving your body that time to adjust, will help you become more accustomed to the technique and you will settle into the pace in no time. I also talk about the importance of changing your route, how to prevent injury and the best way to track your process. For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie. Don’t forget to rate, review and follow on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Real Health, we’re discussing female health, not just the aspects traditionally associated with the topic, like reproductive health, but everything from sleep to mood and movement. I’m delighted to be joined on the podcast again by Dr Hazel Wallace, founder of The Food Medic and author to her latest (and third) book, The Female Factor. In it, Dr Hazel takes a deep dive into women’s health with this comprehensive guide that looks at every aspect of wellness for every stage of a woman’s life. Hazel says that most of the clinical research up until now has predominately been done in men and while there are similarities to the male physiology, women also have significant differences. “There are really important differences that mean that women are not being treated as well as they could be. The fluctuating hormones is one point of difference...and if we aren’t accounting for those differences then we’re missing a huge piece of the puzzle” she explains. When it comes to mood, those hormones can get blamed for a lot, but Hazel says there are other factors aside from hormones that can impact how a woman is feeling. “I think it's very easy to assume it’s because it's your time of the month, or you’re pregnant or going through the menopause, that must be why you’re feeling upset or angry or whatever. Actually, a lot of the research shows the most important thing when it comes to determining your mood and your mental health is your social support.” We also discuss some of the dietary requirements specific to women and how important body fat is to overall health. For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/ And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie. Don’t forget to rate, review and follow on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many of us will have heard or be familiar with self-love. In theory we know what it is, but how hard is it to put it into practice and make it part of daily life? This week I’m delighted to be joined by Fiona Brennan, Clinical Hypnotherapist and author of the book The Self-Love habit, to tell us why we need to love ourselves a bit more and how it can improve so many aspects of our lives. Fiona explains that self-love isn’t the same as being cocky or overconfident, instead it is about self-acceptance. “Especially in Ireland we’re almost taught...that it is a negative thing to love yourself. This idea is that you could eat yourself if you were a bar of chocolate. “When you look at love, whether it's for yourself or for anybody else in this world, your family, any other creature or being, it is actually about compassion and compassion is love in action.” We also chat about negativity bias and how damaging a negative inner voice can be to your overall wellbeing. For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/ And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie. Don’t forget to rate, review and follow on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Real Health, we’re talking about weight loss surgery. It’s a topic we have touched on before on the podcast, but this week we are taking a deeper dive and bringing you everything you need to know about the procedure. There’s now a general acceptance that the “eat less move more” approach to dealing with complex obesity isn’t suitable. That means treatments like bariatric surgery are getting more attention. But what exactly is involved, and what do people need to know before they decide to undergo the procedure? Joining me to discuss this, is Consultant Bariatric Surgeon at St. Vincent's University Hospital, Helen Heneghan. Helen says people should understand how difficult it can be to lose excess fat. “Your body is designed to prevent you losing weight...So everything is going against you to maintain weight loss. It’s important that people acknowledge that it isn’t their fault.” For those with obesity who have struggled to keep the weight they have lost off, Helen says there are other options people can explore. “Patients who come for surgery have lost weight [before]. They’ve lost stones and stones over and over again...if they haven’t managed to keep weight off that they’ve previously lost, there are medical treatments available.” For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/ And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie. Don’t forget to rate, review and follow on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Love can be complicated; it can be hard work, but it can also be amazing and life changing too. We’ve all heard the idea that if we wait just long enough and look hard enough, we’ll find the right person for us. But is love something we need to actively seek out? And do we really understand the meaning of what love is and what it looks like? Well today I’m joined by author and meditation teacher, Conor Creighton to talk to us about love, and how many of us don’t fully understand the power it can have. His new book, The Truth about love, shows us how to change ourselves and the world around us, by simply opening our hearts up. Conor says while loving others is important, a greater focus needs to be placed on the importance of self-love. “We all run around with this feeling of, if I can perfect myself. If I can just perform at a higher level, then I’ll be worthy of love...That’s where I think you can train this idea that hey, I’m actually enough.” We also discuss how to find your own tribe, learning to trust your instincts about people and how best to accept and own a breakup. For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/ And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie. Don’t forget to rate, review and follow on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As we all start to settle into our new ways of working, be it fully remote, back in the office or a mix of both, it’s important that we develop positive healthy habits around that. That’s why on this week’s Real Health, I’m taking you through my top tips for transforming your work health. One of the easiest changes you can make, is to introduce more movement and standing to your day. That doesn’t mean you have to start introducing crazy exercise regimes into your schedule. It can be as simple as standing up from your desk and having a walk around regularly. The aim is to break the long periods of sitting, which we know can have a serious and negative impact on our health. Working from home can make it hard to keep that movement up. Introducing some exercise in place of your commute, like a walk for example, is an effective way to make sure you aren’t becoming too sedentary. On the flip side, if you are back in the office, consider getting off the train or bus one stop earlier. Or park the car a little further away from the front door. I also talk about the importance of organisation, from planning your meals, to time management and keeping control of the tasks you have to do. For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/ And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie. Don’t forget to rate, review and follow on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I’m sure like me, you find life is bit of a juggle sometimes. From work, relationships or money, it can be difficult to find the time to fit it all in and have some space leftover for yourself. Even trying to change your routines or habits for the better can be a real challenge. It’s no wonder many of us can feel stressed and overwhelmed, meaning our mental health takes a hit and we get into a negative thought pattern. But are there simple techniques out there that we could incorporate into our day, to help ditch the thoughts that can be harmful to our mental health? Well, this week on Real Health, I’m delighted to be joined by psychotherapist and former NHS Clinical Lead for Mental Health, Owen O’Kane. His new book, How to be Your Own Therapist gives just these kinds of solutions to help us form a healthier perspective on things. Owen says thoughts that are mostly negative can be a burden in people’s lives, so changing the feeling around them can be liberating: “Neuroscientists tell us we have about 60,000 to 80,000 thousand thoughts a day, which is a lot of thoughts. They know that about 60pc of those thoughts can be either negative or critical in nature...if you have fallen into those [negative] thought patterns, there’s a way out of that. You can see them for what they are, which is just unhelpful patterns.” We also discuss how to view failure, the importance of self-compassion and how there is still some stigma around therapy today. For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to: www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/ And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie. Don’t forget to rate, review and follow on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from. The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.