Real Health with Karl Henry

Let's talk about sex. In the first of a masterclass health series on the Real Health podcast, I'm talking about sexual health and sexual communication with sex educator and owner of Sex Siopa, Shawna Scott.Shawna gives her tips for improving sexual communication as well as explaining our evolving sexual needs and why we shouldn't be afraid to try new things out with our partner."The things we’re into in our 20s will not be the same things in our 40s and 50s and it’s the same with our sexual evolution," she explains.For more episodes from the Real Health podcast don’t forget to visit the show page:www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/And I’m @KarlHenryPT on Twitter and Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie if you want to get in touch.The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.** To celebrate our 1 millionth listen and a year of The Real Health podcast, we would love to get your feedback on the podcast and listen to your suggestions. As a big thank you for your support, we will have some great prizes to give away including a Fitbit and signed copies of my Healthy Living Handbooks.Winners will be selected at random from people who complete the survey. Looking forward to many more podcasts and hearing your suggestions!You can go to https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-real-health-podcast/ or https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RealHealthSurvey **See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Personal trainer, Dominic Munnelly, is back to answer more of your fitness and gym questions on this week’s episode of the Real Health podcast with me Karl Henry.Dominic is one of Ireland’s leading personal trainers and when he was on the show two months ago he had so much information to give I had to invite him back on again and to answer more of your health and fitness questions.Dominic covers the importance of mobility, strength and conditioning in that order but also says that mental health trumps physical health every time, so make sure you’re also living a balanced life in terms of food, sleep and stress.Plus, what are some of the most common mistakes being made by the average gym goer?Dominic answers your questions about fat loss and the truth behind calorie reduction whilst exercising and again emphasises lifestyle first and foremost.“We’re looking for the smartest way to train in the most sustainable manner that is true today and will still be true in five years’ time,” he explains.Dominic also opens up about going out on his own (‘burning your ship’) and building up his training business in the early years, to revealing what his favourite treat meals and snacks are.It’s a fascinating thirty minutes that you will get a huge amount of information and learning from.For more episodes from the Real Health podcast don’t forget to visit the show page:https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-real-health-podcast/And I’m @KarlHenryPT on Twitter and Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie if you want to get in touch.The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Marty Morrissey is one of Ireland’s best-loved TV personalities but there’s so much more to the GAA commentator that you probably never knew.Marty joined me live at Bloom 2019 where we discussed going outside your comfort zone, taking on life’s challenges and why it’s so difficult for him to find a happy life-balance.Candidly, he admitted that he still needed to lose three stone and why, having lost friends close to him through illness, he wants to keep on embracing life and trying new things.It’s Marty Morrissey, open and honest on the challenges of life that we all encounter and want to overcome.For more episode and information you can visit the show page:https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-real-health-podcast/And I’m @KarlHenryPT on Twitter and Instagram and realhealth@independent.ie if you want to get in touch.The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you want to establish healthy habits into your life then make them simple and easy to implement.People like simple things and these ten tips to help transform your life aren’t difficult – and that’s the secret.On this week’s episode, from focusing on your happiness to taking steps to improving your sleep, as well covering food, finances and training, these ten ways will help make a difference, guaranteed.Just try and slot the ones that are easiest to do for you into your life and they will become habits much quicker.Let me know how you get on – I’m @KarlHenryPT on Twitter and Instagram and realhealth@independent.ieFor more episode and information you can visit the show page:https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-real-health-podcast/The Real Health podcast with Karl Henry is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Did you know about the eating plan that says you can stay in great shape physically and mentally while still enjoying delicious food?According to dietitian and author of Mediterranean Mood Food, Paula Mee, we can have it both ways and she joined me on this week’s episode of the Real Health podcast to discuss the recipes, science and habits behind the Mediterranean style diet.It may be well established that you can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes with Mediterranean foods, now new evidence suggests that this pattern of eating also reduces the risk of depression, substantially.Inspired by this new research, dietitian Paula Mee discusses the healthy eating plan based on the Mediterranean diet that is rich in healthy fats, wholegrain, unrefined carbs, and proteins. If you want to stay fit and healthy both physically and mentally while enjoying good food then Paula’s advice will I’m sure go a long way.Let me know any Mediterranean-style recipes/tips you may have – I’m @KarlHenryPT on Twitter and Instagram and you can also email the show realhealth@independent.ie.For episodes from the Real Health podcast, visit our showpage:https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-real-health-podcast/The Real Health podcast with Karl Henry in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"If you can walk comfortably for thirty minutes, then running is worth giving it a shot. Most people stop because they’re trying to do much. Lower your expectations from the start and start small. Little wins make you more likely to get out the door."Mary Jennings, author of Get Running and founder of running classes website, ForgettheGym.ie, joins me on this week's episode to explain how and why we can all get into running.She's got great tips and advice for starting this great exercise, to maintaining your running consistency as well improving your runs if you're beyond the beginner stage.I also find out about her own career and why she ditched the 9-5 job to develop her running business instead."You’ll have ups and downs, and sometimes you have to accept that there’s stages in life when it’s not a priority," she tells me. "Most people are on running come backs and by breaking it up into small sections that's how I was able to do it. "For more information and episodes from the Real Health podcast you can visit the show page:https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-real-health-podcast/You can also contact me on social media - I'm @KarlHenryPT on Twitter and Instagram - and the show email is realhealth@independent.ie.The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As Leinster Rugby look to add a record-breaking fifth European Cup to their trophy cabinet, it’s an exciting time to be involved with the club and from a health and fitness perspective, I wanted to find out some of the tips and insights into what makes them one of true greats on the European scene.Joining me on the show from Leinster Rugby HQ were Performance Nutritionist, Daniel Davey, and Cillian Reardon, Senior Athletic Performance Coach, who reveal what training and nutrition is like for professional rugby players.But the key take-away is the fact that, while the players' intensity and volume is different, the principles around food intake and training are still the same for the average person who exercises and keeps fit.“There is nothing out of the ordinary,” says Daniel Davey. “Yes the timing and volume is different but the foods that we should eat are all the same. Nutrition, lifestyle, exercise are all about good behaviour and establishing good habits.”Likewise, says Cillian Reardon, to be fit and in good shape, you need to be strong in all your planes of movement. “The principles of training are pretty much the same but just applied in a different context.”For more information and episodes from the Real Health podcast you can visit the show page:https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-real-health-podcast/You can also contact me on social media - I'm @KarlHenryPT on Twitter and Instagram - and the show email is realhealth@independent.ie.The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The next time you reach for a snack or something to eat, ask yourself, are you really hungry? Mindful eating - the practical approach to bringing calm and awareness to meal times - is the topic for this week's episode as I'm joined by Aisling Larkin, co-founder of Foodoppi.Disordered eating can lead to things quickly spiralling out of control, but you can bring mindfulness back to where you are and start afresh for the next meal or snack. Draw a line in the sand and move on.When you’re more in tune with your body it’s about choosing quality over quantity and Aisling Larkin gives us some of the secrets and techniques to ensure that you're not eating mindlessly. Plus she has some great tips for improving your kids' relationship with food to help make meal times more enjoyable for everyone!For more information and episodes from the Real Health podcast you can visit the show page:https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-real-health-podcast/You can also contact me on social media - I'm @KarlHenryPT on Twitter and Instagram and the show email is realhealth@independent.ie.The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Waking up in a pool of blood at the bottom of a flight of stairs in a karaoke bar was the final straw for TodayFM’s Dermot Whelan. He needed to find a way to deal with life’s stresses and that’s when he discovered meditation as he explains to me on this week’s Real Health episode.Since then, he has spent a year in California to train as a mediation teacher and he now gives workshops around the country to people and companies looking to integrate more peace of mind into their days.Dermot even admits that he gets greater enjoyment from these sessions than going on stage.“I get more joy from teaching people meditation than doing stand-up comedy,” he tells me. “I played the 3 Arena and having 10,000 people laughing at your jokes is living the dream for most comedians. But a week later I got an even bigger high from teaching eighty people a mediation workshop.”Dermot also takes us through a really useful 16-second meditation that you can practise anywhere, so if you’re looking for some peace in your day listen to how Dermot Whelan has done it.For more information and episodes from the Real Health podcast you can visit the show page:https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-real-health-podcast/You can also contact me on social media - I'm @KarlHenryPT on Twitter and Instagram and the show email is realhealth@independent.ie.The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aged six, Bernard Dunne sat on Barry McGuigan's knee and told McGuigan that someday he too would be like him. Twenty-three years later Bernard Dunne became a world boxing champion and proved his skill, determination and focus to achieve.Ten years on from that magical moment, he joins me on the Real Health podcast to talk about the power of self-belief and never letting the negative thoughts in your head control you.He also discusses his role as High Performance Director for Irish boxing with the goal of being the number one High Performance team in the world as we approach the 2020 Olympic Games."It’s all about preparation, being ready and enjoying what you do," he tells me. "It’s about making the right choices. Sometimes we sabotage ourselves because of a fear of what we can achieve, whether it’s going for an Olympic medal or running a 5km race."“If you’re trying to reset anything in your life, these negative thoughts are only fleeting. And you know what, sometimes you do get knocked down. But one setback doesn’t mean you give up. Don’t let the voice that wants to take the easy road control you.”For more information and episodes from the Real Health podcast you can visit the show page:https://www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-real-health-podcast/You can also contact me on social media - I'm @KarlHenryPT on Twitter and Instagram and the show email is realhealth@independent.ie.The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.