The Wellness Scoop

Can we really eat in a way that supports and prevents some of the biggest health issues affecting us today? Will going vegan result in vitamin deficiencies? What's the difference between a vegan and a wholefoods, plant-based diet? Should we eat five or ten portions of fruit and veg a day, does it make a difference? What benefits does eating organic really have? With so much conflicting information about diet and lifestyle, this season finale takes a deep dive into the data, evidence and studies around the power of a plant-rich diet with Dr. Gemma Newman. Gemma goes into the facts and figures, as well as talking us through her own experience with the power of a wholefood, plant-based diet and what she’s seen in her patients, touching on everything from cardiovascular disease to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, B12, childhood nutrition, mental health, pregnancy and so much more. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you happy, present, at peace with yourself and the world around you? Can you maintain that sense of happiness when life becomes difficult? Finding true happiness is something we all strive for, but so many of us struggle with. This week we’re talking to Gelong Thubten, a Buddhist monk and meditation teacher, who believes happiness can be a trainable skill, a skill that allows us to control our thoughts and therefore consistently choose the positive. In doing so we can make happiness an internal quality, rather than something that requires external validation or something we’ll receive in the future when we achieve or complete a goal. Thubten talks us through his pillars for happiness – discipline, mental freedom, compassion and forgiveness; as well as the science behind meditation and how it benefits us physically and mentally; how you can transform a negative experience and your own suffering into something positive; how to navigate the business of modern life, social media, emails 24/7 news and where to start on your journey with meditation and mindfulness. The episode closes with a short guided mediation by Thubten. His book, ‘A Monk’s Guide to Happiness: Meditation in the 21st Century’, really is one of the most powerful reads on the subject of happiness. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you make a huge shift in your life, especially one that may make you feel isolated or insecure? This week we’re talking about alcohol, the social constructs that exist around our drinking culture, the rise of sobriety and our fear of being seen as boring. Through the lens of one woman’s journey from alcoholic to teetotaller, we look at how to be vulnerable, how to make a change, how to honestly identify when we need that change and how to deal with the fear of being different to those around us. Our guest this week is Catherine Gray, author of ‘The unexpected joy of being sober’. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is there a proven link between our diets and our mental health? Could our diets be connected to the rise of anxiety and depression? Are there foods that boost your mood? Can we really eat for happiness? How does your gut health play into your mental health? We’re joined today by Felice Jacka, who gives us a clear insight into the most recent science, definitively answering whether there is a proven link between diet and mental health and separating myth from fact. We look at all the key questions posed above, as well as the role of our gut and our immune system, the relevance of pregnancy nutrition, the extent to which what we eat as children can impact on us later on and answer all your questions on sugar, caffeine, supplements and alcohol. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does love at first sight exist? What’s the difference between love and lust? What do we look for in a partner? How does our upbringing influence our relationships? Why do people cheat? Love is a complex topic and one that we have a lot of questions on, so this week we’re breaking these common questions down, looking at idealisations versus reality; attachment theory and how to identify where you sit on this scale and how that might play out in our relationships; whether constructs like advertising, porn and Disney movies create a sense of unrealistic expectations; how often we’re really having sex and likewise how often we’re all being unfaithful; polygamy, swinging and why we’re so judgemental and so much more. Laura Mucha has spent ten years studying the above before writing the brilliant book Love Factually, and today she’s sharing an honest insight into a topic that affects us all. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do we sleep, how much does it matter, how much sleep do we really need, to what extent do lifestyle factors like coffee, alcohol and technology affect our ability to sleep? Today we’re talking to Matthew Walker, the award winning author of bestseller ‘Why We Sleep’ about sleep, getting to grips with our sleep cycles, the connection between sleep and our mental and physical health, how to sleep better and why we need to make it a priority. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why are my periods irregular, why are they heavy, why do I get cramps, should I be on the pill and how will that impact my health, why do I feel low around the time of my period, why do I break out or get bloated? These are just a few of the common question we have about our periods, a topic that we can shy away from and that can often have quite a lot of stigma and embarrassment surrounding it, yet there is so much we can learn about our bodies, our health and our mental wellbeing from understanding our cycle, the fluctuations of our hormones and how we feel across the month. The episode, with women’s health expert Maisie Hill, breaks down the most common questions, outlines what’s happening at each point of the month and allows us to get to know ourselves so much better. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We all want to be healthier and happier but how can we actually make it happen? Today we’re looking at simple, practical day-to-day practices to help create that internal transformation, focusing on yoga and meditation. From their ancient roots and philosophies to the idea of non-attachment, the power of the breath and the ability to see ourselves as enough just as we are, as well our favourite books, concepts, affirmations and intentions. This episode, with Steffy White, will help you find new ways of being present, create a sense of inner peace and calm and ensure that our happiness come from internal not external sources, most importantly it also shows that you don’t need to stand on your head to be a yogi! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Should we count calories? Are all calories created equal? Will an avocado and a chocolate bar have the same impact if they have the same number of calories? What about fat, and carbs, sugar and salt? Should we be guided by traffic light systems on packaging? Nutrition is incredibly confusing and in this episode we’re breaking down the myths and confusion that surround calories, fat, carbohydrates, sugar, salt, the glycaemic index, cholesterol and trends like ketogenic and low carb diets with nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What is the human cost of fashion, how do our choices impact on others, is feminism at odds with fast fashion and how do you define sustainable fashion? Livia Firth, the founder of the green carpet challenge is talking us through her journey with bringing glamorous, sustainable fashion to the Oscars, visiting garment factories in Bangladesh, what to look for when we shop and so much more as she lifts the lid on the industry, showing us the responsibility that we have as citizens of the world and the way in which we wear the stories of those that make our clothes. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices