The Wellness Scoop

To kick off the new podcast, I’m joined by acclaimed author and journalist Michael Pollan. Michael is widely known for his work demystifying the food and agriculture industry and is now opening new frontiers in the highly controversial field of plant psychedelics, and their potential as tools for healing mental illnesses and disorders.We discuss:·         What should you eat if you’re concerned about your health·         Why cooking more automatically improves health and happiness·         Understanding your relationship with caffeine·         The health benefits of caffeineEach week I unpack a wellness trend with GP Gemma Newman. This week on Fact or Fad we’re looking at intermittent fasting. More about Michael:‘This Is Your Mind on Plants’ https://www.amazon.co.uk/This-Your-Plants-Michael-Pollan/dp/0593296907  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This special episode celebrates the 10-year anniversary of Deliciously Ella and is also the first ever live recording of the feel better podcast. Founder, Ella Mills, and CEO, Matthew Mills, are joined by journalist Laura Jackson for a candid conversation reflecting on the past 10 years, the highs and lows of the company’s journey, and to discuss what they’ve learnt in the process. They discuss: How plant-based and wellness went from niche to mainstream Why the brand has stayed relevant Being a nimble business The evolution of Deliciously Ella over the last 10 years Challenging times and learnings Staying true to Deliciously Ella’s values From a recipe blog to 6 books, a podcast, plant-based food products, a restaurant, and a holistic wellness app Advice and learnings from growing and running a company Finding a work-life balance Looking ahead to the future of Deliciously Ella See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re joined by Dr. Rangan Chatterjee, a doctor with over 20 years of experience, as well as an author and podcast host, to discuss why we need to redefine our concept of happiness, the interrelationship of health and happiness, and the simple ways to get back in control of our lives. We discuss: How happiness and health are linked The difference between core happiness and junk happiness The importance of alignment, contentment and control The want-brain Why success isn’t the source of happiness A simple but powerful exercise to cultivate greater awareness and intention Why self-compassion is at the root of long-term health and happiness The stress response The value of a daily solitude practice Why regularly taking time to reflect is so beneficial The power of taking control of your mindset Rangan Chatterjee:‘Happy Mind, Happy Life’https://drchatterjee.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re joined by Max Strom, speaker and global teacher of personal transformation, to discuss the simple tools that can transform the way we feel, the importance of regulating our emotions, the loneliness epidemic and the power of the breath to alleviate crippling anxiety, depression, PTSD and sleep problems. We discuss: The connection between our body and our emotions The stress and loneliness epidemic  Why we don’t practice emotional self-regulation in modern society Alleviating stress, anxiety, and sleep disfunction naturally The importance of expressing our emotions to heal Why breathing practices enable us to release unreconciled emotions The power of processing grief with others Why we need to come together to overcome crises Vulnerability, fulfilment and social media The power of slow, steady breathing with mindful movement Max Strom:‘A Life Worth Breathing’https://maxstrom.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re joined by Johann Hari, a writer and journalist, who travelled all over the world to interview and learn from the leading scientists investigating why we’re losing focus to what matters and what the impact of chronic distraction is, and also to those developing the solutions.We discuss: Why we’re living in an attention crisis and why willpower isn’t the problem Why we need to stop task switching The impact of being chronically distracted on our brain power Why sleep and diet are critical components of reclaiming focus Why restoring childhood is so important The individual and collective changes for solving our attention crisis How to get into a flow state to find deep focus Why stress undermines our ability to focus Johann Hari:‘Stolen Focus’ https://stolenfocusbook.comhttps://johannhari.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re joined by Anita Bean, registered nutritionist and author, to discuss how to fuel our bodies properly to best support exercise.We discuss: The rise in plant-based high-performance athletes How a plant-based diet can support athletic performance Is soya harmful or beneficial? The performance-enhancing effect of caffeine Pre-workout meals and snacks Why fasted training might not be healthy How to build a balanced meal to optimise training Post-exercise hydration and nutrition The relationship between ketogenic diets and performance Anita Bean:https://anitabean.co.uk‘The Vegan Athlete’s Cookbook’ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re joined by Guy Meadows, physiologist and leading sleep expert, to discuss his simple tips and habits that we can implement on a day-to-day basis to improve our sleep.Here’s a brief recap: The importance of prioritising sleep Why we should strive for regularity How sufficient exposure to natural light during the day helps us sleep better at night Why blue light inhibits sleep Daily habits that promote our drive for sleep and quality of sleep Why consistency is the key to better sleep Guy Meadows:‘The Sleep Book: How to Sleep Well Every Night’https://sleepschool.org/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re joined by Catherine Price, a science journalist and speaker, to talk about our relationship with our devices, how to achieve more screen-life balance, and the value of having more true fun.We discuss: How our attachment to our phones impacts our stress levels How social media manipulates our brain’s dopamine system The consequence of the manipulation of our dopamine system Practical steps for establishing a healthy relationship with our phone The 3 components of true fun Why true fun is essential to our overall wellbeing The impact of loneliness on our mental and physical health How fun supports resilience The link between fun and decision making & productivity Catherine Price:@_catherinepricehttps://howtohavefun.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re joined by Guy Meadows, physiologist and leading sleep expert, to discuss how stress impacts our sleep and the small practical tools we can implement to manage stress and sleep better. Here’s a brief recap: Why stress impacts our ability to fall and stay asleep The nervous system and sleep How to manage everyday stress to sleep better Chronic stress and sleep How sleep helps us to manage stress Small, daily habits for better quality sleep The power of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for sleep  Guy Meadows:‘The Sleep Book: How to Sleep Well Every Night’https://sleepschool.org/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re joined by Jenna Hope, a Registered Nutritionist, to talk about stress and how it impacts our bodies and our digestive systems, and how it interacts with our diets. We discuss:  What stress is on a physiological level How stress affects our overall health What chronic stress is, and why it’s detrimental to our health and wellbeing How what we eat contributes to physiological stress The relationship between stress and caffeine, sugar, and alcohol The link between stress and appetite What to eat to help manage the stress response Breaking the emotional eating cycle Why stress and gut symptoms are related How to manage gut symptoms Stress management tools  Jenna Hope: @jennahopenutritionhttps://www.jennahopenutrition.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices