Food For Thought

Some of us can definitely say we have a sweet tooth. Whether it’s cakes, chocolates, cookies, lollies or fizzy drinks, our world is filled with intensely pleasurable sweet treats. In the UK, we are consuming more than double the recommended amount of sugar. We’re surrounded by it, not only in its pure form but also in foods we’re told are healthy. Like it or lump it, few of us get through the day without adding sugar to our daily diet. Some call it “toxic” and “poisonous” while others say its “essential for energy, so joining me to help us understand just how much of an impact sugar has on us is Dr Kawther Hashem, Registered Nutritionist and Campaign Lead for Action on Sugar. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I wonder if you think you know what the world’s biggest killer is? Smoking, cancer, road accidents? You might be surprised to hear that it is in fact heart disease. According to the World Health Organisation, over 18 million people die from it every single year, that’s over 30% of all global deaths. But how do we know if we are at risk of heart disease, and do we have any control over reducing this risk? To help answer these critical questions and hopefully help save lives is Professor Martin Cowie, Consultant Cardiologist at Imperial College London. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Although we can’t always see it, it seems we can’t avoid it. Pollution is increasingly cited as one of the world’s biggest threats to health. It’s there when we step outside for some supposed ‘fresh air’, it’s present throughout our commute to work, it can even be found in our very own homes. So, should we fear pollution and is there really anything we can do to avoid it? Joining me to understand more about the real impact of pollution is Dr Matthew Loxham, a fellow in Respiratory Biology and Air Pollution Toxicology at the University of Southampton. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all have good days and bad days; we all have foods we like more, or like less. But is there a connection between feeling a certain way and the foods we have eaten? Joining me to share the latest research is Dr Aria, a chartered psychologist specialising in the relationship between food and the brain. As a doctor in clinical psychology, a mindfulness specialist and an expert in the fields of behaviour change and long-term health, Dr Aria has developed a science-based method to help people achieve and maintain a healthy mind and body they feel good about. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As scientists increasingly discover the central role that gut bacteria play in our overall health, it’s tempting to believe the seemingly daily headlines suggesting the next gut wonder foods to revitalise everything from your weight to mental wellbeing. But, the science has a way to go before we know exactly what nutrition is best for your gut, so joining me to help translate exactly what we know today is Tim Spector, Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College London and Consultant Physician at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital. Tim leads the largest microbiome project in the UK, which makes him ideally placed to sift fact from fiction on gut health’s wonder foods, probiotics, prebiotics and exactly what changes to your diet can genuinely boost your health. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With the constantly changing landscape in nutrition, it's hard to know which information is accurate. Everywhere we look we are bombarded by conflicting messages about food, stipulating what we should and shouldn’t be eating. New diets hit the headlines on a daily basis, we are made to question whether gluten is good or bad for us and see foods being disguised as healthy despite their alarmingly high sugar content. The list is endless! I believe that we all have the right to make our own decisions around the foods we choose to eat. We should be armed with the knowledge to look past these sensationalist media messages in order to make informed choices. Joining me today to uncover the truth behind some of the confusion is Jenny Rosborough, Registered Nutritionist and Head of Nutrition for Jamie Oliver. Having worked in both the public health and commercial side of the food industry, Jenny is perfectly placed to advise on how to navigate the world of food marketing! For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We live in an age of misinformation and pseudoscience. One minute something is good for us, the next its deadly. From national newspapers to instagram, everyone’s talking about nutrition but such a constant stream of information can make it difficult for even the most intelligent to distinguish reliable research from weak studies and sensational headlines. Nutrition research is complex, and is all too often oversimplified so joining me to sort fact from fiction and hear exactly who should we trust is nutritionist and lawyer Alan Flanagan. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I truly believe we should strive to learn to accept ourselves as we are, to embrace our changing faces and physiques as the years pass. But given the on-going obsession with finding ways to cheat nature, I know we’re all intrigued as to what the answer to good skin health is! Joining me to help sort fact from fiction is Dr Anjali Mahto, one of the UK's leading dermatologists. With her medical training, Anjali bridges the gap between traditional medical dermatology, beauty, and cosmetic medicine. With her passion for debunking myths about the latest fads, miracle products and cures, she’ll give us practical, evidence-based advice to arm us with the very best, honest information. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Gary Barlow is one of the most successful British musicians and songwriters of all time, but fifteen years ago, as he himself admits, he hit rock bottom - he was out of work and unhealthy. His mental and physical health were at an all-time low, and he struggled to see a way out. Faced with an uncertain future in music, and other cruel twists of fate, Gary turned to food. For nine years, he struggled with his health and went on every diet imaginable. Fasting, extreme dieting, and binge eating led him on a downward spiral for which he eventually sought professional help. That was the moment he realised that he wanted to change his life and relationship with food. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The list of taboos that affect a woman’s health is endless, and let’s be honest, most women have no idea what's going on 'down there'. Culturally and personally, no body part inspires so much concern and confusion. It’s time to put an end to these taboos, and talk openly about women’s health, sex, pain, trauma, birth, motherhood, menstruation, menopause and simply being a woman. Helping us say goodbye to the myths and misconceptions surrounding the female anatomy is Dr Anita Mitra who’s an NHS doctor working in obstetrics and gynaecology. For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.