Alimentary!

In this episode of Alimentary, I have a lovely chat with a philosopher, who has spent years exploring the ethical, environmental, and social implications of our food choices. In new book Hungry, Beautiful Animals, author Matthew C. Halteman aims to transform our perception of vegan living by focusing on what it promotes rather than what it restricts. Now, I am not a vegan myself but I am concerned about our food chain and love animals so, this was a really interesting conversation. Some of the perspectives that Matthew shares, we can absolutely apply to other areas of our lives.

His book is a heartfelt, humane, and humorous exploration of how going vegan has brought abundance into his life. The book is a love letter to life itself in all forms, and presents an imaginative vision of a true, beautiful, and good world that motivates and sustains our deepest desires to be well. It’s not about shame and blame, but about finding joy in the journey. Matthew is professor of philosophy at Calvin University in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and a fellow at the Oxford Centre for Animal Ethics in the UK. He is the author of Compassionate Eating as Care of Creation and co-editor of Philosophy Comes to Dinner: Arguments about the Ethics of Eating. He brings a philosopher’s precision and a dog-lover’s joyto explaining how human connection, humor, and forgiveness (for oneself and others) has been a part of his journey. So, I hope that you will enjoy my conversation with Matthew C Halteman. The store cupboard staple for this episode is Broccoli, which I can't believe hasn't been featured before!! Resourceshttps://calvin.edu/people/matthew-c-haltemanhttps://www.hungrybeautifulanimals.com/Effects of different cooking methods on health-promoting compounds of broccoli - PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2722699/https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/sulforaphane#section=TopDietary Sources of Lutein and Zeaxanthin Carotenoids and Their Role in Eye Health - PMC https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3705341/https://www.eatingwell.com/gallery/8076952/broccoli-recipes-to-make-forever/The Encylopaedia of Healing Foods by Dr Michael Murray, Dr Joseph Pizzorno with Lara Pizzorno MA, LMT

Interview with Sally Pacholok about Vitamin B12 Deficiency #16 Could It be B12? An Interview with Sally Pacholok R.N. by Alimentary!Importance of Vitamin B12 #11 Why Vitamin B12 is so Important for Optimum Health by Alimentary!

Tips on a Vegan Diet #11 Why Vitamin B12 is so Important for Optimum Health by Alimentary!Music composed by cascreativearts, copyright Lyn Sharkey Nutrition. Lyn's website Homepage - Lyn Sharkey Nutrition

Any sort of gastro intestinal issue, even if non-fatal, can really impact our quality of life and our enjoyment of our food. Gastro oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of these conditions which is on the rise. In this episode of Alimentary! I had a really interesting discussion about GERD with Lauren O'Connor. We talked about the difference between occasional heartburn or reflux and GERD, and some of the surprising symptoms which might indicate an issue. We also chatted about lactose intolerance which can be a driver if not managed, the impact of stress, timing of meals and how a personalized approach works best. It was great to hear a perspective from someone who is not only a professional in this field, but also has dealt with this condition herself.My guest Lauren O'Connor MS,RDN, RYT is a private-practice dietitian, five-time cookbook author, and freelance writer with a passion for gut health, fitness, and culinary nutrition. She is a regular contributor to health and wellness publications with numerous articles in Health and Livestrong. On her website, NutriSavvyHealth.com, she shares evidence-based nutrition advice and a wide variety of gut-healthy recipes for everyday living. In addition to all of this, Lauren is a yoga teacher and enjoys hiking in her local hills. She is also a member of the community singing group Band of Singers. ResourcesLauren's Instagram @laurenoconnor.rd Lauren's Linkedin @lauren-oconnor-ms-rdn-rytLauren's Facebook NutriSavvyHealth Follow @theHealingGERDrd on TwitterLauren's website http://nutrisavvyhealth.comhttps://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34326345/https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28257716/The Encylopaedia of Healing Foods by Dr Michael Murray, Dr Joseph Pizzorno with Lara Pizzorno MA, LMTMusic composed by cascreativearts, copyright Lyn Sharkey Nutrition. Lyn's website www.lynsharkeynutrition.ie

So, Polyphenols might not be a term that rolls off the tongue, but these plant compounds have some pretty impressive health benefits, from reducing inflammation to fighting oxidative stress, and even supporting healthy aging. In this short episode of Alimentary! Lyn breaks down what polyphenols are, where we can find them, and most importantly, why they are so important for our health. So, if you are interested in living and ageing well, I hope that you stick around because you won’t want to miss this episode!ResourcesPolyphenols: Benefits & Types | StudySmarterhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6160559/Tea Polyphenols in Promotion of Human Health - PubMedDark chocolate: An overview of its biological activity, processing, and fortification approaches - PubMedHealth Benefits of Quercetin in Age-Related Diseases - PubMedPlant polyphenols as dietary antioxidants in human health and disease - PubMedSign up for my newsletter www.lynsharkeynutrition.ieMusic composed by cascreativearts, copyright Lyn Sharkey Nutrition

Recently I read an article from 2020 which noted that colo-rectal cancer diagnosis in young adults was on the increase and has been for some time. So, in this episode we are taking a deeper dive into bowel health, from discussing the health of our cells right through to the importance of bowel screening and what is involved in that.

In this episode of Alimentary! I am delighted to welcome Penny Sharkey (and yes we are related!) to discuss how Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) can be used either by itself or with other therapeutic tools in therapy to support mental health and wellbeing.

From an early age, Penny developed a curiosity in how the power of human connection and the resilience of the human spirit worked. This passion was sparked by witnessing a friend struggle with severe anxiety and depression and seeing how effective therapy was in

In this follow up to the previous episode with Kasia O'Reilly, I dive deeper into the foods and other habits which support the health of our skin and nourish it from the inside out. Our skin is made up of cells, like all of our other organs and we need to consume the nutrients they need to be healthy, or else whatever we apply to the outside won't work as well as it could.

Listen in to find out why we also need to take care with what we apply to our skin. Our daily habits and the anti-oxidants that we eat are more powerful than any anti-ageing cream so good healthcare starts in our shopping trolley,

The store cupboard staple is a recipe for a skin healthy smoothie incorporating some of the foods mentioned in the episode and is below in case it is handier for you to copy and paste it.

Recipe for Smoothie

Would you like to simplify your skincare routine, using natural ingredients which are working with your skin and are not harming the environment? Well then this chat is for you. In this episode of Alimentary we are focusing on skincare and how using a simple routine with pure plant products inspired my guest to start her own business. Joining us is Kasia O’Reilly from Sana Naturals who is going to share her experience and insights on the "less is more" approach. Kasia also believes that we can have high performance skincare which doesn’t harm the environment.

Consuming fermented food daily is a great way to replenish our good gut bacteria and so boost our overall health. I am delighted to be joined by my guest Rose Greene from 4 Hands Food Studio, to tell us more about the fermentation process and the benefits to our gut health. Rose's journey from being a chef through to a food producer is really interesting and I am definitely keeping an eye out for her next pop up restaurant! While her passion for fermenting food (even fish!) began because of the flavours, she also became interested in the health and sustainability benefits. From food sauerkraut to kombucha, we can incorporate some fermented food daily into our diet to support and improve many areas of our health.

In this episode of Alimentary! I cover the importance of prebiotics and probiotics, what they are individually and how they work together. I also explain the microbiome vs microbiota.

Maintaining a healthy gut is fundamental and crucial for our overall health and well-being. Incorporating both prebiotics and probiotics into your diet is a great way to support our digestive system. Together, prebiotics and probiotics create a balanced, thriving gut microbiome that supports everything from digestion and immunity to mental health.

The store cupboard staple is a prebiotic food - the good old reliable onion! We all use them but do you appreciate just how much they do for us? Listen in to find out...

References and Resources

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7306068/#:~:text=The%20human%20microbiome%20comprises%20bacteria,of%20metabolic%20and%20immune%20functions.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41392-022-00974-4#:~:text=Gut%20microbiota%20is%20considered%20the%20most%20significant%20one%20in%20maintaining%20our%20health.&text=The%20gut%20bacteria%20serve%20several,immune%20response%2C%20and%20vitamin%20production.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8775962/#:~:text=The%20microbiome%20of%20the%20urinary,as%20promoting%20local%20immune%20function.

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/25201-gut-microbiome

PodcastGut Brain Connection Episode https://open.spotify.com/episode/2Y9KgvrPMPEFnNKbaA8UJf?si=09241ff3c7964377

4 Hands Studio Producer of fermented food and drinks https://www.4handsfoodstudio.ie/

The Encylopaedia of Healing Foods by Dr Michael Murray, Dr Joseph Pizzorno with Lara Pizzorno MA, LMT

Music composed by cascreativearts, copyright Lyn Sharkey Nutrition www.lynsharkeynutrition.ie