
Mikkipedia
Mikkipedia is an exploration in all things health, well being, fitness, food and nutrition. I sit down with scientists, doctors, professors, practitioners and people who have a wealth of experience and have a conversation that takes a deep dive into their area of expertise. I love translating science into a language that people understand, so while some of the conversations will be pretty in-depth, you will come away with some practical tips that can be instigated into your everyday life. I hope you enjoy the show!
Latest episodes

Apr 25, 2023 • 1h 11min
Dr Mark Cucuzzella returns to talk Zone 2 training for health and performance
This week on the podcast Mikki speaks to returning guest Mark Cucuzella all about zone 2 training for health and performance. They talk about what zone 2 training is, why it matters from a health perspective, and how to works to increase fatty acid uptake and improve metabolic flexibility , saving someone from an energy crisis that can occur when they are unable to burn fat (and why its so important in terms of metabolic health). They also discuss the benefits from an athlete perspective and how an athlete can determine if they need more zone 2 training. They also touch on the athlete heart, and the latest updates around what is known with regards to cardiovascular disease risk.Lt. Col. (Dr.) Mark Cucuzzella is a Professor at West Virginia University School of Medicine. As a US Air Force Reservist he designs programs to promote healthier and better running with the US Air Force Efficient Running Project. Mark has presented running workshops on over 50 military bases. He has been a national-level Masters runner, having competed for over 35 years with more than 100 marathon and ultra-marathon finishes. Mark is a two time winner of the Air Force Marathon and has a marathon PR of 2:24. As well as being the race director of Freedom’s Run race series in West Virginia, Mark is director of the Natural Running Centre, an education portal designed to teach healthier running. He is also the owner of Two Rivers Treads – A Centre for Natural Running and Walking in his hometown of Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Mark’s innovative work and story has been featured in the New York Times, NPR, Outside Magazine, Running Times, Runners World, Air Force Times, the Washington Post, JAMA, and other medical and media outlets.Contact Mark: https://www.drmarksdesk.com/Link to previous podcast with Mark https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com/23 Drop box articles http://tinyurl.com/lowcarbathleticsIs it time for a lockdown on sugar? https://journals.lww.com/cjsportsmed/Fulltext/2022/05000/Is_It_Time_for_a_Lockdown_on_Sugar_.1.aspxIts time to quarantine junk food https://wvumedicine.org/diabetes-obesity/2020/04/28/is-it-time-to-quarantine-junk-food-dr-mark-cucuzzella/
Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKI at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

Apr 23, 2023 • 19min
Mini Mikkipedia - 50 fat loss tips (part 1)
In this episode Mini Mikkipedia, Mikki discusses 50 weight loss tips that can be useful when tying to change your body composition
Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKI at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

Apr 18, 2023 • 59min
Testosterone and men's health - with Ali Gilbert
This week on the podcast I speak to men’s health expert Ali Gilbert on … mens health! Ali and I talk about the normalisation of the ‘dad bod’ and implications this has on the optimal health and wellbeing of men. We discuss myths around testosterone supplementation, when it could be beneficial for men, and the consequences of low testosterone (and what is considered normal on lab tests which is actually functionally low).We talk about what are the main issues that are driving down mens testosterone levels, common signs that this might be the case and practical things men can focus on to help optimise and change their energy. Finally, Ali talks about her virtual summit, the Silverback Summit, that is taking place in early May, it is free to register, which has a range of experts in the field that discuss all things mens health.Just a reminder that the best way to support the podcast is to hit the subscribe button on your favourite podcast listening platform. That increases the visibility of the podcast out there in amongst the literally 1000s of other podcasts, so more people get the opportunity to learn from the guests that I have on the show.Ali has 20 years of experience as a Strength & Conditioning Coach specializing in Men’s Health and Hormone Optimization. Ali graduated Springfield College in 2003 with a degree in exercise science. From there she worked for Velocity Sports Performance. She then began training people in her hometown of Greenwich, CT, which led her to specialize in golf fitness becoming a 2-time Golf Digest Top 50 Golf Fitness professional, as Greenwich had 9 golf clubs.This brought her a primarily male clientele, and eventually landed her in the mens health arena. She lectures nationally and internationally on testosterone, TRT, and her approach to coaching men online. She has been featured in Muscle & Fitness, T-Nation, + various podcasts for her work in mens health. Certifications include CSCS, SFG, FMS, FRC, TPI.The Virtual Silverback Summit.
Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKI at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

Apr 16, 2023 • 31min
Mini Mikkipedia - Food Cravings

Apr 11, 2023 • 1h 6min
Do you need to alter your training through the menstrual cycle? - Lauren Colenso-Semple
Welcome to this episode of our podcast, where we delve into the evidence-based approach to menstrual cycle training. Our guest today is Lauren, who has extensive experience in this field as a coach and researcher. Lauren holds a bachelor's degree in psychology and nutrition from the University of Buffalo, and a master's degree from the University of South Florida. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. at McMaster University in Canada, under the guidance of Stu Phillips.In this episode, Lauren shares her insights on the topic of menstrual cycle training based on her PhD research. She talks about this from both a coach and a researcher experience, and talks about the limitations of current techniques used in the literature to determine menstrual cycle stage and how her research will contribute to a more robust evidence base that will determine whether the added complexity of menstrual phase training is necessary to understand more fully the female experience in training and performance.Overall, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding the evidence-based approach to menstrual cycle training.Lauren is currently pursuing a PhD in Integrative Physiology at McMaster University. Her research focuses on the impact of exercise, nutrition, and hormones on skeletal muscle. Lauren has worked with hundreds of clients in person and online, including recreational lifters, moms-to-be, and aspiring powerlifters and physique athletesJust a reminder that the best way to support the podcast is to hit the subscribe button on your favourite podcast listening platform. That increases the visibility of the podcast out there in amongst the literally 1000s of other podcasts, so more people get the opportunity to learn from the guests that I have on the show.Lauren can be found here: https://www.strongerbyscience.com/coaching/lauren-colenso-semple/Lauren’s most recent paper just published can be found here: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspor.2023.1054542/full
Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKI at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

Apr 9, 2023 • 21min
Mini Mikkipedia - Gut and metabolic health

Apr 4, 2023 • 54min
Glucose metabolism and continuous glucuse monitor use in sport - Amy-Lee Bowler PhD.
Curranz Supplement: Use code MIKKI to get 25% off your first order - go to www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk to order yours This week on the podcast Mikki speaks to Amy Lee Bowler, PhD Candidate, sports nutritionist, and registered dietitian about the use of CGMs for athletes. We discuss glucose metabolism and what impacts glucose use outside of just the food we eat and the sporting contest. We discuss what CGM measures, and what it might be able to tell us about fuelling for the athlete (or not). We discuss the strengths and limitations of CGM in the athlete context and where Amy feels the application for this is going. We also discuss a recent paper from her PhD looking at dietitian practices at assessing for energy availability in athletes and the key considerations her research found.Amy is a seasonal dietetics tutor and teaching fellow at Bond University. Her research seeks to understand the current current practice pathways and subsequent dietary management used by sports dietitians when assessing and managing energy availability in athletes. Her PhD research ultimately aims to support sports dietitians managing energy availability in elite triathletesMIKKI gets you 25% off your first order - go to www.curranz.co.nz to order yours or click the link in the show notes.
Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKIPEDIA at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.com

Apr 2, 2023 • 28min
Mini Mikkipedia - Supplements in older age
Podcast - Exogenous ketones and exercise through the lifespan - Dr Brendon Egan Podcast - Mini Mikkipedia - Mikki talks bone health strategiesBone Health Blog - Run up a mountain and broke a legPodcast - Stuart Gray - Omega 3s, Muscle Function and Ageing
Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKI at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

Mar 28, 2023 • 1h 5min
Obesity, metabolism and mitochondrial health - Dr Vyvyane Loh
This week on the podcast Mikki speaks to Dr Vyvyane Loh, board certified physician specialising in obesity and internal medicine. But Vyvyane is so much more than that. She is a dancer, a choreographer and an award winning fiction writer. Mikki and Dr Loh go into the depths of obesity, what the ‘problem’ is that the body is trying to solve when somebody stores excess body fat. They discuss the different types of body fat (including visceral fat and what the problem is with it), the interaction between adipose tissue and the immune system and also talk about how Vyvyane’s work in her obesity clinic when the 2020 pandemic hit, and what she did when she discovered that her patients would be at higher risk. Vyvyane is passionate, charming and so so brilliant. You’ll love this podcast.Dr Loh is board-certified in Obesity Medicine and Internal Medicine. She graduated from Boston University School of Medicine and trained at Newton-Wellesley Hospital, where she also served as Chief Resident.Dr Loh worked at HMR and was the medical obesity specialist at Newton-Wellesley Hospital’s Centre for Weight Loss Surgery before starting her own practice. Her other achievements include choreography and writing.She was the recipient of the Bunting/Radcliffe Fellowship in Fiction in 2006, a Guggenheim Fellow in Fiction in 2008, and shortlisted for the 2005 international IMPAC Award in Literature. Her diverse skills support her commitment to celebrating the full range of our humanity in an increasingly technological and disembodied world through art and the healing sciences.Dr Loh has a you tube channel and podcast with information on obesity and metabolism that is worth checking out. It’s called vlmd rounds – : https://vyvyanelohmd.com/ Her website is: http://www.vyvyanelohmd.comEmail: drloh@transform-afh.com
Contact Mikki:https://mikkiwilliden.com/https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutritionhttps://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/https://linktr.ee/mikkiwillidenSave 20% on all Nuzest Products WORLDWIDE with the code MIKKI at www.nuzest.co.nz, www.nuzest.com.au or www.nuzest.comCurranz supplement: MIKKI saves you 25% at www.curranz.co.nz or www.curranz.co.uk off your first order

Mar 26, 2023 • 26min