Stronger Minds (Kimberley Wilson)

Audio from the July 2020 book club.

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This episode is the long-awaited Q&A with specialist performance and eating disorder dietitian Renee McGregor. Renee is the UK’s leading expert in Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport and is on the European Taskforce for Orthorexia. She has managed the nutrition for athletes at the the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Olympics and the 2018 Commonwealth Games, and she is currently working with the Scottish Ballet.

In this episode she answers a wide range of questions submitted by you. Everything from how important body fat percentage is for athletic performance, tips on challenging eating disorder beliefs and how to maintain hormonal health during training for sport. 

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My guest is journalist Felicity Morse who up until very recently was the online editor of the I newspaper, responsible for all the digital news content. She left that role just before Christmas to focus on investigating and writing about sex and relationships. Felicity is also exploring ideas around vulnerability and in this very honest conversation we talk about her experience of emotional eating and social media addiction. I am enormously grateful to Felicity for her openness and I hope you find the conversation as insightful and fascinating as I did.

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For this episode I want to talk to you about something that I think is incredibly common but that you might not be entirely familiar with. I want to talk to you about a psychological concept called the False Self and how it relates to the more well-known phenomenon of People Pleasing. I'll introduce the concept of the self and how it develops, the conditions that lead to the development and reliance on a false self and what the implications are for mental health and wellbeing. 

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In this session of the Thinking Space Book Club the featured book is Lost Connections by Johann Hari and in the discussion I give an overview of the biopsychosocial model of depression, The Serotonin Hypothesis, the difference between the colloquial ego and the analytical ego, how trauma can become lodged in the body and outline my manifesto for improving GP assessments.

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In this episode I go back to visit Sheryl Hill and Ellen Carr, the directors behind the Sheryl Talks Obesity theatre production looking at the complexities of living with obesity. In this conversation we talk about some of the feedback the team have had from research and focus groups and what they have learned about how we respond to larger bodies.

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Audio from the November 2020 book club

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This episode is an urgent response to some very sad recent news about two high-profile individuals taking their own lives and some very worrying statistics. In the same week as the deaths of designer Kate Spade and chef and TV presenter Anthony Bourdain, a report was published in the UK showing that teen suicides are on the rise and have increased by 107% in London in the last 5 years, which is four times the national average. Recent research from the CDC showed that since 1999 the suicide rate in the US grew by more than 25%. Last week the funeral was held for Tim Bergling, also known as Avicii, who is also believed to have taken his own life.  

So, in this episode, I have teamed up with a colleague to help offer some support for people struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide or anyone worried about a loved one. Dr Sarah Vohra (@themindmedic) is a Child Psychiatrist, Columnist and Bestselling Author of Mental Health in Children and Young People and we discuss how to identify depression and suicide risk in yourself, children and adults. We offer strategies on how to intervene during the early stages of depression before it reaches crisis point but also describe what the priorities are if you believe someone is at imminent risk of self-harm or suicide. Crucially, we offer practical tips on how to have the very difficult but incredibly important conversation, how to ask someone if they are having thoughts of taking their own lives. We talk about what happens after an attempt and provide resources for people bereaved by suicide.

This was a heavy conversation even for us and we understand that these issues are very difficult to think about, talk about and listen to. So please, if you are concerned about yourself or someone else right now, do call emergency services immediately. This episode is for information only and should not be taken as diagnosis or treatment. It does not replace contact with a health professional. If you are feeling particularly fragile it may be best for you not to listen to this episode but to reach out to a friend or one of the resources that I have attached to the show notes that can be found on my website www.kimberleywilson.co/podcast. 

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In this episode I am breaking bread with Pixie Turner. Pixie, who goes by the name Plant Based Pixie on social media is a nutritionist registered with the association for nutrition. She can be found across her social channels and often on the news debunking nutritional myths and promoting an evidence-based and balanced approach to nutrition. But it hasn’t always been like that.

For around three years Pixie was deep into the very side of wellness that she now tries to protect others from. At the same time she was building a name and a following as a wellness blogger, subscribing to ideas and practices that have no grounding in science despite her background in biochemistry. So how did she get drawn in and, maybe more importantly, how did she get out? In this conversation Pixie tells me her story, in which she describes, amongst other things, the differences between wellness trends in different parts of the world and explains how compelling it is to receive glowing praise from complete strangers.

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New and ongoing research has shown a link between the microbiome and the body's response to fasting on the health and repair of nerve cells. In this episode I report on the latest research on fasting and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) a common autoimmune neurodegenerative disease. Are we standing on the verge of new nutritional interventions for neurological disorders? Tune in to hear what two leading researchers, Dr. Valter Longo and Dr. Jeremy Chataway, think is going on and the future directions of their research.

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In case you have missed it, Kim Kardashian recently posted an advertisement on her Instagram account endorsing an apparently appetite-suppressing lollipop to her, at that time, 111m Instagram followers. Her caption under the photo said that the lollipops were ‘literally unreal’ and as I describe in the episode that comment couldn’t be more true. 

Much of the backlash about the post was linked to the effect that promoting a diet product would have on her followers, but I was also interested in the claims themselves. In this brief bonus episode I take a look at the evidence behind this apparently 'powerful weight-loss agent' that the makers claim provides 'spectacular' effects.*

*NB: Don't hold your breath...

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In this episode my guest is Beca Lyne-Pirkis. Many of you will know Beca as a fellow baker on my series of the Great British Bake Off, which is where we met and bonded over a shared love of personal challenges and Thai food. After the series Beca secured her own television cookery programme in her native Wales, now in its fourth series, and has another exciting project underway, which I will tell you about as soon as I am allowed to! In this conversation I talk to Beca about her food history, the role of food and cooking in her own childhood and how she passes these important life skills on to her children. We also talk about how she balances being a working mother with two young children and a husband in the military, and how food is an important part of her self-care.

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a complex and common illness that affects the function of the gut, creating uncomfortable and embarrassing symptoms for sufferers. In this episode I give a brief overview of research in to IBS, outline aspects of the brain-gut-microbiome axis in the disorder, and highlight the critical role of psychological stress in driving symptoms.

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This episode follows the podcast on Self, False Self and People Pleasing. I received so many comments and questions after that episode went out that I thought it would be helpful to do a separate episode where I could answer your questions and go in to more depth on some aspects of the theory. So thank you to everyone who submitted your questions and if you haven’t listened to the previous episode I recommend listening to that first as I do refer back to it. I hope you find it helpful.

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This episode is a little different as it is the audio recording of the latest book club session. For those who don’t know I have an online book club called Thinking Space where we look at the psychological themes of a range of books.

This month’s book was Attached by Amir Levine and Rachel Heller. The synopsis says: Attached guides readers in determining what attachment style they and their mate (or potential mate) follow, offering a road map for building stronger, more fulfilling connections with the people they love.” 

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My guest is Renee McGregor. Renee is a Performance and Eating Disorders Specialist Dietitian. As part of her very impressive career so far she has been the dietitian for athletes at the London 2012, Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralmpic Games, and the 2018 Commonwealth Games. In addition, she is a member of the International Task Force on Orthorexia. Orthorexia is a relatively new mental health condition which is characterised by a dangerous obsession with clean or ‘perfect’ eating, and its rise has been linked to the growth in wellness bloggers and influencers promoting restrictive diets on social media.

In this conversation Renee gives some incredibly touching, and at times shocking, descriptions of the struggles of some of the people she has worked with, really illuminating the seriousness of the challenge of eating disorders and feeding problems and why she, I and others care so much that the information about food, diet and nutrition that is out there on social media is safe and accurate.

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Laura Thomas is a registered Nutritionist with a Phd in Nutritional Sciences who specialises in Intuitive Eating, Health at Every Size, and non-diet nutrition. Through a non-diet approach she strives to help her clients and followers to develop a healthy and relaxed relationship with food that relies on acknowledging and trusting their own internal body cues rather than external rules and regulations. She was the nutritionist for the 2017 BBC1 documentary Mind Over Marathon, which followed a group of people with a range of mental health concerns training to run the London Marathon.

When she's not working with clients 1-1 she can be found calling out nutritional nonsense on her social channels. In this wide-ranging conversation Laura explains why she declared war on Diet Culture and her take down of Women’s Health Magazine. Actually, since then she also launched a successful Instagram campaign to get GymBox to take down a post that promoted exercise as punishment. She also describes the paradigm of Intuitive Eating (and its misappropriation), and the link between veganism and orthorexia.

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In this episode, I am Breaking Bread with Ryan Riley. Ryan is a food writer and stylist and the founder of Life Kitchen, a charity he launched in memory of his mother, Krista, who died of cancer. About 50% of people who undertake chemotherapy experience changes in taste that can take away the pleasure in eating. Life Kitchen designs recipes and runs cookery classes to help guests enjoy food again.

In this episode Ryan describes how he set up Life Kitchen, what his mum would have thought of the endeavour and shares some very touching anecdotes about his close relationship with his best friend.

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In this episode I am Breaking Bread with MiMi Aye.

MiMi is British-born to Burmese parents, and has spent her whole life soaking up Burmese food, language, and culture through endless trips to see family and friends in Burma aka Myanmar.

She is a passionate advocate for Burmese cuisine, the founder of supper club and online community, Burmese Food and Beyond, and author of NOODLE! 100 Great Recipes. Her next book, MANDALAY: Burmese Food & Beyond is out in June 2019 and contains nearly 100 simple but authentic recipes revealing the secrets of the Burmese kitchen.

This is a real foodies’ episode. MiMi describes many of the key foods of Burmese culture, their preparation and symbolism. She shares her meaningful food in a story about prawn curry that brought us both to tears, as well as the legends of the illegal prawn procurement and the take of an unwanted edible gift from a military dictator. This episode was really a crash course in the traditions of the Burmese dinner table and cultural food practices, and it was absolutely fascinating. I hope you enjoy sitting around the table with Mimi Aye.

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Audio from the October 2020 book club.

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This is the second follow-up to the Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder episode. In this episode I talk to mental health blogger Bryan. Bryan started tweeting and vlogging about BPD after he noticed that it was rare to see men talking about the diagnosis. In this conversation he sheds light on some aspects of the invalidating environment characteristic of the later development of BPD and describes how his symptoms can impact his relationships. 

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How to Build a Healthy Brain - I realised that while those of you who follow on Instagram will know where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to I hadn’t officially announced it on the podcast. So, in case you didn’t know I have spent the last year writing a book all about taking care of your brain and I thought I would give you a quick audio overview of it.

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Audio from the September 2020 book club.

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Heather is a scientist, educator, and author. She earned her PhD in Biology from the University of Michigan, where she earned the university’s top honor for her dissertation. On top of that she has a B.A. in Anthropology, which is the study of human societies and behaviour. She has researched the evolution of social systems across a range of organisms, including humans, and her book, Antipode, is based on her experiences in Madagascar while studying the sex lives of poison frogs.

In 2017, she resigned from her tenured professorship at The Evergreen State College, where for fifteen years she provided undergraduates an evolutionary toolkit with which to understand what it is to be human, and how to be critical, engaged citizens of the world. She designed courses that prioritized the scientific method, and pushed students outside of their own certainty and comfort zones. And this is most of what we get in to – the relationship between safety and risk, the growing attack on science, and how to improve your critical thinking skills.

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My guest is Professor John Cryan, who is Professor and Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience at University College Cork, and along with his long-time collaborator, Prof Ted Dinan, has lead much of the burgeoning field of the gut microbiome and the gut-brain axis.

In this episode we talk about what exactly is meant by the term ‘gut-brain axis’, the link between the gut and brain disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease and depression and what you can do to look after your own gut bugs.

It is a fascinating conversation full of useful information, and he also answers some questions from the audience, so make sure you have your notebooks at the ready. 

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My guest today is baker and activist Gavan Knox. Gavan is a man of many pseudonyms. He has a baking blog and business as Mr. Moms and also answers to The Bearded Baker. Five years ago Gavan and his husband adopted two children, siblings aged four and five. In this conversation we talk about his experience of becoming a father, including the challenges and triumphs, and how food is a way to build family traditions with his children.

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Today, I step away from food for a moment and talk about an important issue that almost everyone will experience, but that doesn’t get very much air time. This episode is about grief. It’s a difficult and painful subject that can leave us feeling helpless and lost for words. But we will all experience grief and we will all encounter people in our lives who are grieving and so I think it is really important to think about what is happening in the grief process, what can help and what can hinder coming to terms with loss.

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Food and Mood - The October book was Brain Changer by Prof. Felice. Jacka. Felice was kind enough to give some of her time at the end of a very successful ISNPR conference and joins me for a live Q&A where she answered some audience questions. 

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My guest is Clare Knivett. Clare is the last ever food editor of Jamie Oliver’s Jamie Magazine, which published its last edition in December 2017. She took some time out before setting off on her travels to talk to me about the role, what it was like to work with one of the world’s most famous chefs and shares a whole bundle of heart-warming food memories. We have only just met but she has already shown me such openness, warmth and generosity that she is rapidly becoming one of my favourite people. 

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In this episode I speak to Victoria Prever, food editor of the Jewish Chronicle, the world's oldest continuously published Jewish newspaper. She tells me about the symbolism of dairy foods during the festival of Shavuot and the role of food in Jewish culture.

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My guest is Professor Felice Jacka. Felice is a Psychiatric Epidemiologist working in the new field of Nutritional Psychiatry, which she helped to establish. Her PhD was the first to examine the impact of overall dietary intake (as opposed to individual foods or supplements) on mental health risk and she lead the SMILES trial, a ground-breaking randomised controlled trial using dietary improvement as a treatment for depression. In the episode Felice gives a behind the scenes look at what it was like conducting that research and the reaction from the international science community, and helps shed some light on some nutrition myths.

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In this short episode I share some thoughts on understanding and managing a particularly harmful aspect of envy.

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There is a growing ideological chasm between the men and women of Gen Z, which is unlike anything we have seen before. What's behind it, what are the implications for society. And what has Joe Rogan got to do with it?

Refs

King's College Survey https://www.kcl.ac.uk/policy-institute/assets/emerging-tensions.pdf

Change Research Survey https://changeresearch.com/post/young-women-are-more-liberal-than-young-men/

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In this episode I describe the phenomenon of regret: the different types of regret, how it is generated in the brain, what our biggest regrets are, and how to reduce the amount of regret you experience in the future.

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Hyper independence is described as a trauma-related response that includes behaviours like a fear of relying on others and a reluctance to ask for help even when it is needed. But...says who? Where's the evidence? And what are the harms?

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The concept of Love languages, the five ways we give and receive love, is hugely popular, spawning thousands of posts and articles where people confidently proclaim what their or their spouses primary love languages are. But is it real? In this episode I look at the science - and pseudoscience - behind Love Languages and ask when will there be justice for Ann?

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In this Q&A episode, I answer your questions including:

• Does sugar cause anxiety symptoms?
• What does magnesium do for the brain?
• What foods support brain health

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This is part two of the brain health Q&A and I’ll be covering binge eating and the links between stress and dementia.

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This episode is all about Ozempic or, more specifically, the GLP-1 receptor agonist medications that have, far beyond their original medical use, taken the dieting and weight loss world like an absolute hurricane and now clinical trials are recruiting children aged 6-18.

In the episode I give a very brief outline of their physical targets and actions, but really I want to talk about the psychology of these drugs and to speculate on what they might mean for body sovereignty and how we relate to weight loss and bodies of different sizes in the future.

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This episode is all about microbes. Specifically, the ones in your gut that we are discovering play important roles in supporting your overall health, including your brain and mental health. But there is a lot of noise out there, and a lot of grand claims being made. In this episode I want to help you cut through the noise and make sense of this fascinating but complex area of research and to know, when it comes to gut health, where you should be spending your time and money.

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This episode is a follow-up to the previous episode: Prebiotics, Probiotics, Postbiotics & Psychobiotics. This time I want to talk to you about leaky gut.

• What is it?
• How much of a problem is it?
• And what, if anything, can we do about it?

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In this episode I want to talk about a mental health disorder that I think is poorly understood and can leave sufferers mischaracterised as deliberately manipulative or attention seeking. This misrepresentation of the illness drives hostility and stigma and can make people experiencing these symptoms reluctant to come forward and ask for help they are entitled to. I will be talking about Borderline Personality disorder, which in the UK is also known as Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder, and in the two accompanying episodes I speak to two people who are living with this diagnosis so that you can benefit from hearing them tell their own stories.

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The world’s largest food and drink company, Nestlé, hit the headlines recently due to unethical practices with baby foods in countries in the global south: Asia, Africa and Latin America. But this isn’t their first rodeo. In this episode I discuss the original baby food scandal from the 1970s, which caused millions of excess infant deaths, and their latest moral failings.

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References

The original ‘The Baby Killer’ report from 1974

The 2024 Public Eye Investigation

Baby Milk Action Chronology

New Internationalist Babies Edition

VoxDev Analysis

Nestlé brands

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Over 50 million people have taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to profile their personality. What can it tell you about yourself and is it worth the money?

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MBTI website quotes accurate on 29th April 2024.

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The Five Factor Model of Personality is the most empirically supported paradigm for personality assessment, with five traits that have been identified universally – across sex, age, geography and culture.

In this episode I outline the five factors and how they link to physical and mental health. 

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Big Five Questionnaire

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Dementia is the disease that most adults are frightened of and global rates are set to triple by 2050. But too few of us know that there is anything we can do reduce our chances of developing the condition. Yet, research indicates that around 40% of global dementia cases could be delayed or prevented through changes in lifestyle.

In this episode I overview the 12 known modifiable risk factors for dementia and how you can start to look after your long-term brain health starting right now.

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Conformity, the act of adjusting your behaviour to fit in with group norms or expectations, is one of the strongest, most consistent and yet subtle social pressures that we experience. In this episode I’m talking about the evolutionary roots of shame and its links to conformity and physical pain.

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This episode is in response to a request from someone whose family has been bereaved by the death of a child.

So I reached out to Dr. Martha Deiros Collado, a Clinical Psychologist who specialises in working with children and families, and who spent over a decade working with and developing services for children with life limiting and life shortening conditions.

I am enormously grateful to Martha for her support with this episode in which she covers issues like:

• Why the language you use around death is important
• The value of creating rituals
• How to manage important dates like birthdays after the death of a child
• What to say and not say to parents after their child has died

We hope this will be a helpful resource for bereaved parents, family members and people around the family.

Support & Resources

Sue Ryder

Winston’s Wish – support for children who are grieving -the loss of a sibling or the loss of a parent

Child Bereavement UK

Lullaby Trust

Tommy’s

Sands

Gingerbread – Support for single parents including those who are bereaved

Child Death Helpline – helpline operated by a dedicated team of volunteers who are all bereaved parents

 ____

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A new idea in psychology suggests that mental health awareness campaigns and activities are driving up the recorded incidence of mental illness in both good and bad ways.

In this week’s podcast, I overview the hypothesis, share my thoughts, and highlight the additional factors that, if it is true, might make young people particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon.

Social Media Contagion – TikTok tics

Read the paper

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Even when we know we should, even when we want to, apologising can feel impossible. In this week’s episode , I present six psychological barriers to apologising, looking under the surface to see why sorry really is the hardest word. 

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Most of us can think of someone in our lives that we own an apology, but put it off because of shame, embarrassment, or not knowing where to start. But apologies can be hugely important not just in helping the person who has been hurt to heal and move forwards, but in supporting our own emotional maturity. So, this week’s episode is a science-backed guide to the perfect apology.

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Do you knock on wood for good luck? Throw a pinch of salt over your shoulder? Maybe you’re someone who avoids opening an umbrella indoors just in case?

Superstitions sit on a spectrum from common habits and rituals to symptoms of mental illness. In the world of psychology we call these beliefs magical thinking.

The nature, pros and cons of magical thinking is the topic of this week’s podcast.

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Pareidolia (coming soon!)

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Manifesting, the idea that you can bring the things you want into being through controlling your thoughts, is hugely popular around the world, with people claiming that the practice has changed their lives. But can attaining success and riches really be that simple and are there truly no downsides? 

In this episode I outline the psychology of manifesting and discuss its links to Margaret Thatcher.

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How do you choose what you are going to eat? Do you think about it for a long time? Do you plan it in advance? Or do you wait for inspiration in the moment? The science and psychology of what we choose to eat is as fascinating as it is complex. The unconscious, internal and external drivers of food choice are the topic of this week’s episode.

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Your stomach’s rumbling. You can’t concentrate. And if one more person annoys you… We experience hunger every day but what is it all about and how does it affect us psychologically? The intricate, complex and exceedingly clever science of hunger – including how it affects our mood - is the topic of this week’s episode.

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Why am I hungrier before my period? Am I addicted to cheese? And is it true that we confuse hunger and thirst? I’m answering your questions on hungry in today’s episode.

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Getting your five servings of fruit and vegetables a day good for you. But why exactly? And more specifically, what are some of the nutrients in fruits and veggies doing for your brain? In this episode, I’m bringing you some fresh data on Antioxidants & Alzheimer’s disease. 

Refs

Low Xanthophylls, Retinol, Lycopene, and Tocopherols in Grey and White Matter of Brains with Alzheimer’s Disease

Biomagnification

Supplements and dry AMD

Lutein zeaxanthin AD diagnosis

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I talk a lot about the importance of building a brain healthy lifestyle, but what does it look like in practice? In this episode, I share how I translate the research into simple daily habits for brain health.

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Going for a walk. Having a mindful cup of coffee. Keeping a gratitude journal. These common self-care practices can be helpful and have their place. But some of us have to go back a step. To the basics. In this week’s episode, I’m bringing you an absolute beginners guide to self-care.

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How to keep your teeth clean - NHS

Tooth brushing video

Flossing video

Register with a doctor - NHS

Feelings wheel

How to cope with financial worries - NHS

Sleep Hygiene

My Body Back Project - Sensitive and trauma informed cervical screening, contraceptive care, STI testing and maternity care for people who’ve experienced sexual violence.

Instagram link to this post

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Is there a link between childhood trauma and stress eating? And what’s the deal with emotional hunger? I’m answering your questions on the psychological side of hunger in this week’s episode.

https://www.intuitiveeating.org/about-us/10-principles-of-intuitive-eating/

---

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Called ‘the sunshine vitamin’ vitamin D is the only vitamin that the UK Department of Health and Social Care recommends that adults and children over the age of four should supplement daily because insufficiency is widespread. While there is some controversy about the threshold for deficiency in the general population, what is consistently observed is that Black and Brown communities have lower serum levels compared to white individuals in the same countries, and that this difference may contribute to some of the observed health disparities.

In this week’s episode I’m explaining why vitamin D levels can be so low in these groups, the potential implications, particularly in relation to brain health, and what you can do about it.  

---

Diabetes Risk Tool

The company I used for ny vitamin D testing (OmegaQuant) no longer offers this specific test.

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The average full term baby weighs just over 7lbs. One pound of that is the baby’s brain. Nature, via the mother’s body, devotes enormous amounts of energy into building the baby’s brain during and just after pregnancy. And as you’ve heard me say many, many times, the brain is the hungriest organ in the body and requires specific nutrients from the diet for proper structure and function.

So why, dear listeners, is brain development completely absent from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline update on pregnancy and child nutrition?

In this week’s episode I am a starting a teeny tiny beef with NICE.

Think Through Nutrition

The Food Programme

NICE Maternal & Child Nutrition Stakeholder List

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Greater social and political awareness, mediated by social media, has allowed more of us to participate in important social movements. But it’s also given us unprecedented access to horror. From body cams of police brutality and killings to harrowing images of war. To what extent is it our responsibility to bear witness to these events versus the need to protect our own wellbeing? The whys and hows of managing horror is the subject of this week’s Stronger Minds Podcast.

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Here are the episodes of BBC Radio 4s The Food Programme (and Start the Week) that I have appeared on, in case you would like to listen.

Food and Mood: how eating affects your mental health

Broadcast: 19th July 2020

Start the Week - The food we eat

13th February 2023

Feeding Your Brain: A User's Guide

Broadcast: 30th July 2023

The Brain Gut Connection

Broadcast: 27th September 2024

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The signal to stop eating comes from your stomach when it is full, right? Well…kinda but that’s not the whole story. This week’s episode is all about the science of satiety.

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Anger is an emotion that a lot of people struggle with. We find it uncomfortable, overwhelming and unwelcome. Many people simply don’t know what to do when they feel angry. One common suggestion is to let it out in an act of safe aggression like punching a pillow. In fact an entire industry of rage rooms – spaces devoted to wilful, rage-fuelled destruction – often with a baseball bat - has emerged, encouraging people to work through their fury at a colleague by smashing things. But…does it work? In this week’s episode, I’m exploring the science behind 'blowing off steam'.

Original paper

Understanding Anger Episode

Image credit: By mrAnmol - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=132764560

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Artificial intelligence permeates the full range of our lives, from something as casual as a song recommendation to matching us with our perfect partner. But, increasingly, we are building relationships with AI itself. Last week mother filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Character.AI, a generative AI chatbot platform. She says that the technology played a key role in her teenage son’s death by suicide. In this week’s episode, what happens when the human brain meets AI?

If you are based in the US, and need urgent mental health assistance, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org.  If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

US deaths by suicide

Access to a firearm

Pareidolia

New York Times Article

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A report from Goldman Sachs estimates that generative AI like ChatGPT could expose the equivalent of 300mn full-time jobs to automation. Therapy is one of the current parts of the workforce that is considered to be more resilient to these technological changes. But not immune. This week: what are the capabilities of AI in the therapy space? And what are the limitations? Ultimately, are the robots coming for my job?

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Over the last few years you may have heard a lot of talk about the gut-brain axis. But do you know what it is? And more to the point, why should you care? In this week’s episode I’m giving you a beginner's guide to the gut-brain axis. 

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The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

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Ninety percent of us experience food cravings – the intense desire to eat a specific food that is often distinct from physiological hunger. But if they’re not about being hungry, why do we get them, what do our cravings mean and what, if anything, should we do about them? In this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds Podcast, we’re digging in to the Science of Food Cravings.

Urge surfing

Feelings Wheel

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The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

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According to the news headlines, ultra processed foods (UPF) can do everything from increasing your cancer risk to giving you dementia. But most people would have a hard time even defining UPF. If that’s you, then you’re in luck because in this week’s episode, I’m giving you the lowdown on ultraprocessed foods. What they are and what’s so bad about them.

In part two I'll be answering your questions on UPF.

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The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

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We now know the technical definition ultra-processed foods. These ready to eat or ready to heat products whose ingredients have individually gone through several stages of processing, and require ingredients or processes that you won’t find in a domestic kitchen. But how does this affect your everyday food choices? Should it?

In this week’s episode, I’m talking practical tips and answering your questions about ultra processed foods.

• Why are sweet chilli crisps (potato chips) UPF but salted ones not?
• Are there any ultra-processed foods that are good for you?
• Is all cereal ultra-processed?
• Why do I crave them so much?
• Do ultra-processed foods affect sleep?

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The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

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I often meet people for whom this time of year is incredibly difficult. Maybe family relationships aren’t where they’d like them to be, maybe they visit their family more out of a sense of duty than pleasure, maybe they find themselves pulled into early life dynamics they wish they could leave behind. It can be really challenging to navigate, which is why, in this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds podcast, I’m giving you my guide to surviving your family during the holidays.

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One in four adults around the world describes themselves as lonely, and loneliness can feel even more acute during the holidays when the cultural emphasis is on family and socialising. Whether it’s the office party or adverts filled with images of tables bursting with guests, if you are lonely at this time of year, it can be easy to feel like you’re the only one. If this is you, I want to tell you 1) that you are not the only one and 2) you will be amazed at how many of us have felt like that at one time or another. So, in this week’s episode, I’m giving you my guide to managing loneliness during the holidays.

Resources

100 best movies of all time

Open Culture

Befrienders.org – find a helpline near you, wherever you are in the world.

You Are Not Alone – our service for helping people aged 16-25 fight loneliness

Campaign against Living Miserably, 0800 58 58 58 – call or web chat if you need someone to talk to

LGBT Foundation – advice and support

Samaritans, 116 123 – call or web chat if you need someone to talk to

The Silver Line, 0800 4 70 80 90 – provides support and advice for people over 55

Stand Alone – supporting people who aren’t in contact with their family

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'Drinkable meals' are being touted as the future of food, with the makers claiming they are the perfect nutritional solution for time-poor, ambitious professionals. In this episode of the podcast I take a look at the world of drinkable meals. As well as giving an Honest Review, I look at the nutritional claims, get feedback from other users and think about what the rise of these products says about our changing relationship with food.

I'll be asking the following questions:

• What are they?

• Where did they come from?

• Are they food?

• What's the point?

• Are they any good?

• What does they say about how we think about food?

Heads up: this is a pretty nerdy episode, it's kind of an audio-documentary, so it might not be for everyone. But if the socio-politics and marketing of food are your thing then I hope you find it interesting!

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Hello Everyone and Happy New Year!

I hope you had a little time to rest and restore. I am back at work this week and I can finally reveal the podcast that I have been working on. It's all about the link between the brain and body (my fave!) and how simple body hacks can improve your brain health and support your mental wellbeing. Tune in!

Episodes 

Episode 1: Eat A Rainbow

Eating brightly coloured plant foods is having a bigger effect on your brain and mood than you might realise - welcome to the world of nutritional psychiatry.

Episode 2: Let the Light In

Explore the health benefits to your body and your mind by getting a burst of sunlight first thing in the morning.

Episode 3: Think Before you Drink

If you’ve been over-indulging during a busy social period, discover the easy hacks to cut back on alcohol, and be kind to your body and brain.

Episode 4: Reboot with a Nap

Why, if you do it right, a short sleep can restore your cognitive alertness and re-charge your brain to take on the rest of the day.

Episode 5: Walk yourself Happy

Why even a short stroll can have the surprising benefits of reducing anxiety and building mental resilience, especially if you add in green spaces.

Episode 6: Time to Play

By bringing back more playfulness and fun into our lives, we can jumpstart fresh brain connections and help reduce stress.

Episode 7: Harness Your Breath

Find out why taking slow deep breaths is not only good for your physical health but could also boost your cognitive performance and emotional wellbeing.

Episode 8: Feel The Chill

Could immersing yourself in cold water, whether it’s in the shower, sea or lido, be as good for your body and mind as cold water swimming enthusiasts claim?

Tune in here!

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Proper hydration helps to prevent constipation and kidney stones, and some even claim that it will help plump out your wrinkles. But what about your brain? If, like me, you have recommitted to staying hydrated this year, but you’re in need of a little motivation, then this one is for you. In this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds podcast, how staying hydrated can give your brain a boost.

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It’s the New Year and we’ve all pledged to stay hydrated. This week, I answer your question on water and hydration including, whether hot drinks count, should you get a water filter and the best way to stay hydrated without having to spend the day running to the loo!

WHO Water Filter Report

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It’s the last week of Dry January. Some people will be looking forward to the first sip of their favourite tipple. While other will perhaps be thinking about how much better they feel going alcohol-free. And perhaps some of your are just curious about what goes on in the brain when we have a drink. So, on this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds Podcast, I’m digging in to the science of what happens to your brain when you drink.

• Drinkline is the national alcohol helpline. If you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking, you can call this free helpline in complete confidence. Call 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).
• Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a free self-help group. Its "12 step" programme involves getting sober with the help of regular support groups.
• Al-Anon Family Groups offer support and understanding to the families and friends of problem drinkers, whether they're still drinking or not. Alateen is part of Al-Anon and can be attended by 12 to 17-year-olds who are affected by another person's drinking, usually a parent.

You can find moe option on the the NHS website

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Inflammation is one of the big buzzwords in health and wellness. It’s been linked to everything from skin complaints to cancer. But do you really know what it is? And is it all bad? If all the talk about inflammation has left you more confused than a mosquito in a mannequin factory then listen on. Because in this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds Podcast I’m giving you the lowdown on inflammation and what you can do about it.

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How are you feeling right now? Tired? Flat? A bit…meh? Maybe you can’t really remember the last time you felt mentally sharp, fresh and raring to go? That resonates with you then stick around because, in this week’s episode, I am going to guide you through the clouds of brain fog: what it is, why it happens and what you can do about it.

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Data published last week shows that more Brits than ever have high blood sugar and diabetes. The charity Diabetes UK is calling for government action on prevention because complications of diabetes include damage to the retina, kidneys, hearts and impaired sexual functions. But, we hear much less about the impacts of conditions of high blood sugar on the brain. So, that’s what we’re gonna do today, in this week’s episode : Blood Sugar & the Brain.

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The simple truth is that the quality of your decisions determines the quality of your life. So getting better at making choices is itself a great decision. In this week’s episode, we’ll explore the brain regions involved in decision-making, the internal and external influences that shape our choices, and how to improve our decision-making skills for a better life.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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Original music by Juan Iglesias

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The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

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In the previous episode we looked at the process of decision-making, the brain areas involved, your brain as a simulator creating alternate futures based on the available options, and the internal and external factors that affect even our smallest decisions. But you had questions. How do I cope with decision paralysis, what’s the impact of childhood trauma on decision-making ability and how to make the best decision? This week’s episode, I’m answering your questions about decision-making.

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If you’ve been feeling exhausted, detached from your work, or like no matter how hard you try, you’re running on empty—this episode is for you. Because, in this week's episode of the Stronger Minds podcast we’re taking a look at Burnout. What its, what causes it, and how to recover.

NB: There is not set amount of time that it takes to recover from burnout or chronic stress. That will depend on the extent of the stress, the opportunity and resources for rest and recovery, and individual differences.

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How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the previous episode we looked at burnout, the physical and emotional exhaustion associated with chronic workplace stress. One of the supportive tools I mentioned was a breath practice and I promised to record a guide for you. And here it is. 

You'll find two versions, with and without background music.

Time Stamps

1.40 Start or practice with background audio

9.15 Start of practice without background audio

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Corporate Speaking

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I know, I know. You have felt stress enough times to know what it is. But do you really? Maybe you think stress ius all in your head or that a couple of drinks will take the stress away? In this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds podcast I am deep diving into stress – what it is, the different types, how it affects the brain and body and some surprising things that might just be able to help. 

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Corporate Speaking

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You’ve probably experienced the sensation of butterflies in your stomach, or the urge to rush to the toilet when you are nervous. These are some of the clearest indications of the relationship between the gut and the brain. But is there more to the story of psychological stress and gut symptoms? Should you be worried? And what, if anything, should you do about it? In this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds Podcast we’re digging in to the science of stress and the gut.

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Corporate Speaking

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Whether it's a difficult breakup, a stressful job, or an unexpected crisis, our ability to handle distressing situations without becoming overwhelmed plays a crucial role in our mental well-being, so on this week’s episode we’re going to get better at feeling bad as we learn all about Distress Tolerance.

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Corporate Speaking

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the episodes on stress and burnout I mentioned how magnesium played a role in the stress response and how an adequate intake of magnesium can support stress resilience. But that is far from all that magnesium gets up to. In this much-requested episode of the Stronger Minds podcast, I’m taking you through the many and marvellous actions of magnesium in the brain. 

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Corporate Speaking

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Audio from the April 2020 book club.

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This is a follow-up to the Understanding Borderline Personality Disorder episode. In this episode I talk to Rosie from Talking About BPD

Rosie is a blogger, writer and artist. Her blog, Talking About BPD, shares the details of her life with a diagnosis of borderline personality disorder (BPD). Rosie hopes that through sharing her thoughts, feelings & ideas, she can help change perceptions of this much stigmatised and often misunderstood mental health condition. She has an MSc in Medical Humanities, is a qualified primary school teacher and currently works in psychosocial support services in a charity. Rosie’s next big project is to write a book based on her blog and she won’t stop talking about her BPD until all people with this condition are treated with respect, compassion and understanding.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

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This is just a quick to give you the heads up on some changes that you may have noticed around here. 

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This is a special episode featuring a panel discussion on the state of diversity, racism and cultural representation in the food industry. The catalyst for this discussion was a series of incidents that took place in July 2018. Members of London’s South East Asian and food communities criticised a series of racist videos and social media posts from White British chef, Shaun Beagley. After initial requests for them to be taken down were not actioned the content was brought to the attention of one of his employers, Andy Oliver, Chef Proprietor of Som Saa, a successful London restaurant specialising in Thai food. It then became apparent that Andy and other prominent London food personalities were already aware of some of this content and, in some cases, had endorsed it.

What followed was a huge amount of anger, confusion and disappointment at how people who were preparing and profiting from the food of South East Asia could at the same time be so denigrating of the culture and the people. This incident also raised other concerns about how the food and culture of minority groups is used and represented in London and the food industry in general.

Following this, Adam Coghlan, the editor of the Eater London food website hosted a panel discussion on the events and the issues it raised. I was invited to be a member of that panel along with identity theorist Anna Sulan Masing, food and culture writer Jonathan Nunn, and chefs Asma Khan, of Darjeeling Express and Andy Oliver of Som Saa. The event was not recorded on the night but the panel reconvened at my London office for this special episode.

The hope is that these events can be the start of meaningful change and improvement in the treatment and representation of the minority people and cuisines on which so much of the success of the food industry is based. Please join this conversation by adding your thoughts, sharing this podcast and raising these issues when you see them.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

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This is the audio recording of the February 2020 book club.

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Audio from the September 2020 book club.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

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Every year in early summer members of the Sikh community take to the streets to hand out cool, sweet drinks to passers-by offering them relief from the heat. In this episode I talk to Gurmeet Dhillon about the significance of this tradition and the broader importance of food in the Sikh faith.

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In this episode I have the pleasure of breaking bread with a food hero of mine. Stella Parks, also known as Bravetart, is a pastry chef who trained at the CIA, the Culinary Institute of America. In 2012 she was named one of Food and Wine’s Best New Pastry Chefs and was this year nominated for a prestigious James Beard Foundation award. Stella is the resident Pastry Guru at Serious Eats, the website renowned for its meticulously researched recipes with a generous dose of the science behind your favourite foods. I have been a fan of Stella’s for years now and really appreciate the time, effort and generosity of everything she puts out. In this episode we talk about how boxes of cake mix set her on her culinary path and the link between Oreos and time travel. Stella also troubleshoots questions from followers on US/UK baking recipes.

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In this episode I talk to Sheryl Hill. Sheryl is an independent theatre director and her company, Ships in the Night Theatre, in January launched a new project, part-funded by Arts Council England looking in to the complexities and real-life experience of obesity in the UK. Sheryl describes herself as an obese woman and was frustrated by the way that the public discussion on obesity didn’t seem to relate to her own experience or those of other overweight people that she knew. She and her team are in the process of developing a theatre production that will highlight the varied and individual experiences of overweight and obesity with the hope of opening up a more nuanced and compassionate public conversation on the topic. Sheryl and I found some time to talk while she was in London undertaking some research for her project.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

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