Your Lifestyle Medics (Your Lifestyle Medics)

On this episode we welcome IBS specialist dieticians Kelsey and Bianca from The Friendly Food Co!

Kelsey and Bianca are NZ based registered dieticians, who specialise in gut health issues, namely Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), through evidence based sustainable nutrition strategies.

They trained in IBS management through Monash University (one of the world’s leading IBS research institutions), and love helping people overcome their fear of food, and bring joy and taste back into their diets!

FODMAP diets are one of the few clinically proven ways to improve IBS symptoms, and Kelsey and Bianca focus on supporting people to identify what foods are triggering symptoms, and then using a structured approach to re-introducing foods and diversity back into their diets - to make gut friendly changes that last.

They also founded the Friendly Food Co, which produces delicious low FODMAP spice mixes; and have recently released an online IBS course to help people gain back control of their gut health!

We loved chatting with them, and learnt so many useful tips - this is a must listen if you’ve ever struggled with bloating, gut issues, or IBS and want to know what you can do to help it!

We also cover the gut microbiome and why diversity is important; how to eat plant based diets when you have IBS; and ways to get more legumes and fibre rich foods into your diet, without the bloat 😉

Their website is https://www.thefriendlyfoodco.nz/about-us/

For more information on IBS and FODMAP research, visit here https://www.monashfodmap.com/

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Linda Dear, a menopause specialist who works in Tauranga, New Zealand

Linda is the founder of Menodoc; a specialist menopause clinic that also provides education, support, and resources to women who are wanting to know more about perimenopause and menopause.

She has an impressive list of qualifications - as well as being a General Practitioner (GP)  with a postgraduate qualification in women’s health, she is a qualified menopause specialist; has a degree in psychology; a qualified personal trainer and yoga instructor; and even competed in the Commonwealth games in rhythmic gymnastics!

Linda brings a wonderful blend of knowledge, humour, and practical tips to this podcast; as we talk about everything exercise and menopause-related. 

We discuss why exercise is so vital for well-being in perimenopause and beyond; what types of exercise women should be focusing on; and tips to counteract common menopausal symptoms (in particular weight gain!). 

Whether you’re just entering perimenopause and wondering what to do; or are through the other side and wanting tips to stay well, you’ll love our chat with Linda!

For more information her website is https://menodoctor.com/pages/about

In this weeks episode, we’re joined by Lily Henderson, registered dietician, and National Nutrition Advisor at the New Zealand Heart Foundation.

Lily has spent over 15 years working as a registered dietitian in New Zealand, the UK and Australia with a wide range of population groups, and is passionate about translating the latest evidence into simple, practical and meaningful advice. She is also a Board member of the Australasian Society of Lifestyle Medicine. 

She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to our chat, as her job involves staying up to date with all the latest nutrition research for heart health - so we’re stoked to have her as our guest!

In this episode, we talk about why nutrition is THE biggest factor in keeping our hearts healthy; what the evidence shows around how to eat for heart health; and simple practical tips to improve your diet today.

We also cover facts vs myths around food and heart health; what current research is focusing on; and where to focus your energy and dollars if you want to eat for better heart health!

Lilys info is here https://nz.linkedin.com/in/lily-henderson-65925359

And more on eating for a healthy heart from the NZ Heart Foundation here https://www.heartfoundation.org.nz/wellbeing/healthy-eating/eating-for-a-healthy-heart

For this week's episode of the podcast, we're chatting to Sara Widdowson from @yourmonthly, all about polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and the power of food and nutrition to help manage it! 

Sara is a Dietitian & Women's Health Expert based in Christchurch, who believes in empowering women to know more about their bodies, their hormones, and their fertility. She has a Masters degree as well as many years of experience, helping women apply essential nutrition and lifestyle strategies to improve their hormonal health. Sara specializes in PCOS, endometriosis, menopause, eating disorders and RED-S, and works at Oxford Women's Clinic as well as running her private clinic at 'Your Monthly''. 

In this episode, we talk about the hormonal changes that cause PCOS, the role insulin resistance plays, how diet and lifestyle interact to affect these, and most importantly simple things YOU can do to improve your hormonal health. Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common hormonal condition affecting women of childbearing age and can present in many different ways. It's an incredibly important topic to cover, as it affects not just periods and fertility, but metabolic and heart health too. 

We really enjoyed this episode and learnt so much talking to Sara, we hope you enjoy it too!

You can check out Sara's website 'Your Monthly'here:
https://www.yourmonthlyclub.co.nz/

In this week's episode of the podcast we're joined by clinical exercise physiologist Caitlin Milne, to talk about exercise and heart health.

Caitlin is originally from Mount Maunganui and started her career with a Bachelors degree (honors) from Otago University majoring in Exercise Physiology. She then moved back to her hometown to complete further education to become a registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist. 

She works for Specialised Health, providing structured rehabilitation, and also works independently, seeing a range of conditions from cardiac issues to long covid. 

In her work, Caitlin specialises in taking an evidence-based integrative approach to health with her clients, helping to engage, empower and guide them on their health journey.  She believes ‘knowledge is power’, and goes above and beyond to empower her clients and ensure they have a complete understanding of the what, why, and how things work.

In this episode, we talk about the impact exercise can have on improving heart health,  preventing heart issues, as well as improving outcomes for people with existing heart conditions. We also chat about what kinds of movement we should be doing for our heart and blood pressure and ways to get moving if you struggle with palpitations or breathing issues. 

It's an info-packed episode we got so much out of, and we hope you will too!!

In this week's episode, we're talking mood and hormones with Dr Samantha Newman!

We loved chatting with Samantha all about how hormones affect mood, including:

• how our hormone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle, and during perimenopause
• why hormones affect how we feel
• how this can impact on mood and energy levels
• the link between oestrogen, progesterone, and serotonin
• what to expect at different parts of your cycle
• her top tips to help improve mood and hormonal symptoms
  
  Samantha is a GP in Napier who works in women's health and runs the FemaleGP clinic. She enjoys integrating lifestyle and hormonal health together with positive ageing and feels that General Practice is key to good midlife care.
  
  Samantha grew up in London, trained at The University of Bristol, and has now been in New Zealand for almost 10 years.  She is happy to call Hawkes Bay her forever home.
  
  Samantha is an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Auckland, an Adjunct Associate Researcher at the Health and Research Centre at the University of Monash, is an Accredited Forensic Examination for MEDSAC and does a couple of tenths of General GP at a local practice.  

You can find Dr Samanthas website here: https://www.femalegp.co.nz/, and follow her on FB here https://www.facebook.com/FemaleGP

In this week's podcast we're joined by Scott Pierce, to talk all things breathing!

We discuss how breathing affects our health, common breathing disorders, the symptoms that disordered breathing can cause, and some simple tips to breathe better.

Scott is a breathing physiotherapist and a co-director of Breathing Works in Auckland, which focuses on the treatment of breathing dysfunction. He's also a co-director of the Bradcliff Breathing Method, which runs education courses for physios from around the world, as well as corporate workshops. Scott is considered an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of Breathing Pattern Disorders, and has published original research in this area, he also has over 20 years of experience working in outpatient clinics and hospital settings

We absolutely loved this episode and learned SO much, we're looking forward to having him back for another episode in future!

You can find out more about Scott on his website: https://breathingworks.com
As mentioned by Scott: a good book to read: How to take a breath

In this episode, we are joined by Dr Linda Dear, a menopause specialist in Tauranga, New Zealand. We discuss one of our favourite topics - gut health - this time in relation to perimenopause and menopause! 

Gut health and our gut microbiome is an exciting rapidly growing area of research, with more and more evidence showing its key to health We chat to Linda about how our gut microbiome can change during the menopausal transition; the implications this can have for our general well-being; how hormones affect our gut microbes; and what you can do to support it. 

Linda is the founder of Menodoc; a specialist menopause clinic that also provides education, support, and resources to women who want to know more about perimenopause and menopause. She has an impressive list of qualifications - as well as being a General Practitioner (GP) with a postgraduate qualification in women’s health, she is a qualified menopause specialist; has a degree in psychology; a qualified personal trainer and yoga instructor; and even competed in the Commonwealth Games in rhythmic gymnastics! Linda brings a wonderful blend of knowledge, humour, and practical tips to this podcast; as we talk about everything exercise and menopause-related. 

Whether you’re just entering perimenopause and wondering what to do; or are through the other side and wanting tips to stay well, you’ll love our chat with Linda! For more information her website is https://menodoctor.com/pages/about

In this episode, we are joined by Helen Duyvesten, a mental health nurse who uses nutrition and lifestyle medicine to support people with mental wellbeing

We discuss the very important topic of how nutrition can impact on mental health, and how you can eat to boost your mood

The role nutrition and lifestyle can play in mental health is an area of research that's gaining increasingly more attention, with some exciting studies starting to come out showing just how effective a 'mood healthy diet' can be - improving depression as much as commonly used antidepressants in some people!

We chat to Helen about exactly how and why nutrition affects mental well-being, the key nutrients your brain needs to produce happy hormones, and how to eat a mood-boosting diet (plus foods that can negativity impact mood).
It's an information-packed episode we learnt a lot from, and we know you will too!

Helen is a registered nurse who has worked in acute psychiatric services in South Auckland for over 20 years. After observing the limited success of conventional treatment when it comes to mental illness, Helen went on a journey to discover what else we could do to 'do mental health' better. She started up ‘One Life’, which approaches building resilience and supporting our mental health through nutritional and lifestyle medicine alongside (or sometimes instead of!) the traditional treatment of medication and talk therapy. Helen now lives in the beautiful Bay of Plenty where she speaks & educates corporates and individuals on supporting mental well-being from a holistic approach.

Helen has a Diploma in Nursing, an Advanced Diploma in Nursing (Mental Health), a Master in Health Science, Adv. Cert Nursing & is a certified life coach. She's also certified in DBT and other mental health modalities.

You can find out more about Helen and her business called Onelife: https://www.onelifenz.com/

In this week's episode, we are joined by Dr Lisa Connelly, an integrative dermatologist (skin specialist), who takes a whole-person approach to skin health.

We take a deep dive into acne, including what causes it,  how nutrition and lifestyle can affect it, and her top tips for managing acne with an integrative approach.

Acne is an issue that plagues many teenagers (and adults!), and nutrition and lifestyle can have a huge impact on it.

Lisa takes a wonderful holistic view of acne, looking at the whole person, and using evidence-based therapies to optimise skin health, as well as self-confidence!

Dr. Elizabeth “Lisa” Alvaraz Connelly is a specialist Dermatologist with over 15 years of experience. Dr. Connelly specializes in treating all conditions related to the skin, hair and nails with additional interest and expertise in Pediatric Dermatology conditions. Currently, she is one of a handful of Paediatric Dermatologists in New Zealand, and the only one in New Plymouth.

This is an episode you won't want to miss if you struggle with acne (or have a loved one who does), its packed full of useful practical tips and ideas!

You can find more information about Dr Connellys on her website: https://www.iderm.co.nz/

This week's episode is a little bit different- as we are the guests this time!
We chat with Tessa Nielsen from @specialised health about our stories, how we discovered lifestyle medicine, why we love it, and why we believe a holistic approach to well-being should be a core part of health care.

Plus we discuss the challenges to doing this, why conventional medicine does a great job in some areas but lacks in others, and our vision for the future.
We felt very privileged to be able to share our journey with Tessa, and hope you enjoy listening to it!

This episode was kindly recorded and hosted by Building Function, a podcast run by the wonderful exercise physiologists at Specialised Health.  It focuses on improving the function of those with chronic health conditions, and help patients break down barriers to well-being so they can come out the other side stronger than ever.

To learn more about Specialised Health : https://specialisedhealth.com.au/
To learn more about Dr Taisia & Dr Marissa: https://www.yourlifestylemedics.com/

In this week's episode, we're joined by fertility dietitian Claudia Vavasour, to chat about healthy nutrition in pregnancy, and how to eat to support a growing baby. 

Diet and pregnancy can be a confusing topic as we want to do our best, yet it's very easy to become overwhelmed by well-meaning yet sometimes conflicting advice. There is also often a huge amount of pressure on women to eat the perfect diet when pregnant, which can lead to guilt and stress when things don't go to plan. 

We chat about essential nutrients to include in our diet, what a general healthy eating pattern looks like in pregnancy, the supplements you need to know about, and how to choose a good prenatal vitamin (including the real facts on folic acid!) Claudia also shares her top tips on eating well when you're suffering from nausea or hyperemesis, and how to ensure you still get enough nutrition when you can't face the thought of food! 

This is an info-packed episode that takes a wonderful balanced evidence-based approach to food and pregnancy, and we know you'll love it .

AND as always, please share with anyone you know who might be interested, and join our mailing list or follow us on social media to get notified each time a new episode is released!! 

Claudia is a leading Fertility, Pregnancy & Women’s health Dietitian, with a special interest in unexplained infertility & recurrent miscarriage. She is a New Zealand Registered Dietitian (NZRD) with a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Post Graduate Diploma in Dietetics. She went on to become a certified Dietitian in Fertility and Pregnancy and a Monash University certified FODMAP dietitian. As a mother herself, she founded Fertility Nutrition 4 years ago, which is an online nutrition private practice that provides expert nutrition advice for optimal fertility, pregnancy and hormone health. 

You can connect with Claudia through Instagram @fertility_nutrition_dietitians and the web at https://fertilitynutrition.co.nz

In this episode we welcome IBS specialist dietitian Kelsey Paterson from The Friendly Food Co, to talk plant plant-based nutrition for athletes!

Kelsey is a NZ-based registered dietitian, who specializes in sports and performance nutrition and is a Dietitian at High Performance Sport NZ.

We cover:

• the importance of adequate nutrition when you’re an athlete, and the consequences of undernourishing
• what nutrients are most needed to fuel you body
• the pros and cons of protein, and how much you need
• ways to get adequate protein on a plant-based diet
• what you need to know about protein powders
• how to balance your diet when training

She has worked in professional sports as a dietitian for over 4 years, and loves working with athletes to optimize their health.

She also co-founded the Friendly Food Co, which produces delicious low FODMAP spice mixes; and have recently released an online IBS course to help people gain back control of their gut health!

We loved chatting with her, and learnt so many useful tips - this is a must listen if you’re an athlete following or interested in a plant-based diet!

Their website is https://www.thefriendlyfoodco.nz/about-us/

For this week's episode of the podcast, we're chatting to dietitian Sara Widdowson about what to eat when you're trying to get pregnant! 

While we hear a lot about what to eat during pregnancy, there's really not much out there on eating to optimize fertility- yet it's a vital part of the puzzle!

Fortunately, there's SO MUCH you can do to improve your chances of a healthy pregnancy In this episode we cover: -why your diet has a big impact on your fertility 

-the key nutrients to include when you're trying to conceive 

-what foods to eat, vs what to avoid 

-top tips for improving the quality of your eggs (and sperm!) 

-how to eat a balanced nutrient-rich diet to optimise the likelihood of a healthy pregnancy 

-supplements you should be taking, and when 

Whether you're trying for a baby for the first time; going through fertility treatment; or even just wanting to plan for the future, this episode is for you! 

Sara is a Dietitian and Women's Health Expert based in Christchurch, who believes in empowering women to know more about their bodies, their hormones, and their fertility. She has a Masters degree, as well as many years of experience, helping women apply essential nutrition and lifestyle strategies to improve their hormonal health. Sara specializes in PCOS, endometriosis, menopause, eating disorders and RED-S, and works at Oxford Women's Clinic as well as running her private clinic at Your Monthly. 

She is also a dietician for the incredible femmi.co, a collaboration to inspire and educate female athletes. We really enjoyed this episode and learnt so much talking to Sara, we hope you enjoy it too! 

You can check out Sara's website 'Your Monthly' here: https://www.yourmonthlyclub.co.nz/

As mentioned on the podcast as a good resource: https://www.fertilitynz.org.nz/

In this week's episode, we're joined by women's health dietitian Claudia Vavasour, to chat about all things endometriosis and nutrition!

It's an extra special longer episode, as we take a deep dive into what endometriosis is, what causes it, symptoms to look out for, and most importantly simple steps you can take to help improve it with nutrition and lifestyle!

Endometriosis is an incredibly common condition, affecting up to 1 in 10 females in NZ.
Yet it's historically been poorly recognized and discussed, with research showing it takes an average of 8.7 years for women to be diagnosed approximately.

Endometriosis can also have a massive impact on health and quality of life, causing not just pain, but also fatigue, digestive issues, depression, anxiety, and infertility.

There is increasing evidence suggesting endometriosis is a multifactorial inflammatory disorder, being impacted by genetics, environment, diet, and the gut microbiome - meaning a holistic approach is absolutely vital.

We explore all these factors and more, and dive into simple effective nutritional strategies that can make a big difference, to both symptoms and overall health!

This is an absolutely brilliant episode that we hope you love as much as we did!

AND as always, please share with anyone you know who might be interested, and join our mailing list or follow us on social media to get notified each time a new episode is released!!

Claudia is a leading Fertility, Pregnancy & Women’s health Dietitian, with a special interest in unexplained infertility & recurrent miscarriage. She is a New Zealand Registered Dietitian (NZRD) with a Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition and Post Graduate Diploma in Dietetics. She went on to become a certified Dietitian in Fertility and Pregnancy and a Monash University certified FODMAP dietitian. As a mother herself, she founded Fertility Nutrition 4 years ago, which is an online nutrition private practice that provides expert nutrition advice for optimal fertility, pregnancy and hormone health.

You can connect with Claudia through Instagram @fertility_nutrition_dietitians and the web at https://fertilitynutrition.co.nz

In this episode, we’re joined by mental health nurse and advocate Helen Duyvesten, to discuss attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD), and how nutrition can be used to improve symptoms, functioning, and quality of life if you’re impacted by it.

ADHD is the most common neurodevelopmental disorder in children and adolescents, affecting around 5–8% of the population worldwide.

It can cause significant impairment and disability if not recognized and treated, yet access to diagnosis and treatment is often challenging.

While genetics plays a large part in ADHD,  standard treatment usually involves medications, nutrition and lifestyle interventions can play an important role too - with increasing evidence showing our gut microbiome is also involved.

We chat to Helen about exactly how and why nutrition can impact on ADHD symptoms and severity; foods that have the potential to exacerbate it; the key nutrients to be aware of that may help; and what to eat if you want to try improve ADHD with diet.

We loved this episode, and we know you will too!

Helen Duyvesten is a registered nurse who has worked in acute psychiatric services in South Auckland for over 20 years. After observing the limited success of conventional treatment when it comes to mental illness, Helen went on a journey to discover what else we could do to 'do mental health' better. She started up ‘One Life’, which approaches building resilience and supporting our mental health through nutritional and lifestyle medicine alongside (or sometimes instead of!) the traditional treatment of medication and talk therapy. Helen now lives in the beautiful Bay of Plenty where she speaks & educates corporates and individuals on supporting mental well-being from a holistic approach.

Helen has a Diploma in Nursing, an Advanced Diploma in Nursing (Mental Health), a Master in Health Science, Adv. Cert Nursing & is a certified life coach. She's also certified in DBT and other mental health modalities.

You can find out more about Helen and her business here: https://www.onelifenz.com/

Podcast edited by Jacob Barrow.

In this week's episode, we are joined by Dr Lisa Connelly, an integrative dermatologist (skin specialist), who takes a whole-person approach to skin health and anti-ageing treatments.

We explore a topic that's on many peoples mind these days - how to minimize skin damage, wrinkles and the visible signs of ageing!!

We dive into what actually makes skin age, how our diet and environment impact the appearance of our skin, and most importantly practical steps you can take to keep your skin looking healthy, smooth and glowing over time!

We also talk about what causes skin cancers (which are sadly so common in NZ), and ways to prevent them, even if you've had a previous skin cancer removed.

You won't want to miss this episode, so download it now!

Lisa takes a wonderful holistic approach to ageing, looking at the whole person, and using evidence-based therapies to optimise skin health, as well as self-confidence!

Dr. Elizabeth “Lisa” Alvaraz Connelly is a specialist Dermatologist with over 15 years of experience. Dr. Connelly specializes in treating all conditions related to the skin, hair and nails with additional interest and expertise in Pediatric Dermatology conditions. Currently, she is one of a handful of Paediatric Dermatologists in New Zealand, and the only one in New Plymouth.

You can find more information about Dr Connellys on her website: https://www.iderm.co.nz/

In this episode we welcome celebrated cookbook author Nicola Galloway from Homegrown Kitchen, to take a deep dive into fermented foods.

We discuss what fermented foods are, the history of fermentation, and why they're so good for our health and gut microbiome.

We also explore how what to look for when choosing fermented foods to buy, how to get started making your own at home, common myths and mistakes when fermenting, and her top tips and tricks and favourite recipes!

Nicola is a trained chef and has written and published 5 popular cookbooks.
She teaches workshops around New Zealand on sourdough and ferments as well as writing recipes for magazines and publications.

Nicola has a strong interest in whole foods and traditional cooking methods, taking a garden-to-table approach. At the heart of her food philosophy is cooking good food and sharing this with others, and this shows in her wonderful recipes and cookbooks.
You can find her at https://www.homegrown-kitchen.co.nz/

Food and ferments are some of our favourite subjects so we absolutely loved having Nicola as a guest, we hope you love it too!

Please remember to like, share, and subscribe if you enjoy our podcasts, so you don't miss out on a single episode 

In this week's episode, we're talking about how to exercise with your menstrual with Dr Samantha Newman, a specialist women's health GP!

We really enjoyed this episode, and learnt so much - so we hope you will too 

We chat about:

• how our hormone levels fluctuate throughout the menstrual cycle
• the impact these changes have on our energy and fitness
• how oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone affect strength and our cardiovascular system
• what you can do to optimize exercise throughout your cycle, and ways to adapt your workout to suit your body and hormones

Samantha is a GP in Napier who works in women's health and runs the FemaleGP clinic. She enjoys integrating lifestyle and hormonal health, together with positive ageing and feels that General Practice is key to good midlife care.

Samantha grew up in London, trained at The University of Bristol, and has now been in New Zealand for almost 10 years.  She is happy to call Hawkes Bay her forever home.

Samantha is an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Auckland, an Adjunct Associate Researcher at the Health and Research Centre at the University of Monash, is an Accredited Forensic Examination for MEDSAC and does a couple of tenths of General GP at a local practice. 

You can find Dr Samanthas website here: https://www.femalegp.co.nz/, and follow her on FB here https://www.facebook.com/FemaleGP

Resources: mentioned on the podcast:
https://www.fitrwoman.com/
https://iapmd.org/