Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

‘People who score the highest for overall life satisfaction - meaning, purpose, wellbeing – those are the people with the most flow in their lives’.

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 189 of the podcast with Steven Kotler, a human performance expert. 

In this clip, Steven explains the link between the flow state and happiness, and he gives some great tips to help you access flow state, avoid burnout, and feel and perform at your best.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/189

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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CAUTION: Contains swearing and themes of an adult nature.

Today’s guest has a remarkable life story which includes addiction, mental health struggles, eating disorders, guilt, shame and so much more. Bryony Gordon is a prominent mental health campaigner, a journalist and a bestselling author. Bryony’s latest book, Let Down Your Hair, is a novel about social media, mental health, self-esteem and body image. She’s also recently released a Sunday Times bestseller, No Such Thing As Normal: What My Mental Illness Has Taught Me About Mental Wellness in paperback form.

You may be familiar with Bryony from her Telegraph column, her many books, or her Mad World podcast. Perhaps you’re one of the 206,000 people who follow her updates on Instagram. Or, maybe you know her as the Founder of peer support group Mental Health Mates. Even if you’re new to Bryony and her work, you’re about to get to know her pretty well, thanks to her hallmark honesty and authenticity when it comes to telling her story.

We begin this conversation by talking about Bryony’s experience of obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. This condition is often misunderstood, with people reducing it to being ‘just’ about excessive tidiness or needing things in order. But Bryony shares the reality of the dark, obsessive thoughts that ruled her life from her early teens. She’s unflinchingly honest about how it led her into alcoholism, drug addiction and bulimia.

We also talk about her surprising relationship with marathon running, her new-found commitment to exercise for how it makes her feel, not how it makes her look and the coping mechanisms she uses to deal with the negative voices inside her head.

Although she would be the first to say she’s a ‘work in progress’ – as all of us are – Bryony passes on some real gems of practical advice and encouragement throughout this conversation which is fun, uplifting and inspiring.

Trigger Warning: This episode discusses eating disorders and may not be suitable for everyone.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/314

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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We are living in the middle of a stress epidemic - the World Health Organization calls stress ‘the health epidemic of the twenty-first century’.  But what can we do about it?

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 116 of the podcast with Dr. Tara Swart – neuroscientist, executive coach, and author of the best-selling book ‘The Source’.

In this clip, she explains how to build micro-habits into your day that can increase your resilience to stress.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/116

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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When was the last time someone was kind to you – or you did something kind for someone else? I’m sure you won’t have to think back far to find a few examples. And that’s because the world is a much kinder place than we might think.

Today’s guest, Claudia Hammond, is an award-winning broadcaster, author, and psychology lecturer at the University of Sussex. In her latest book, The Keys to Kindness, she’s on a mission to encourage us to look out for the acts of kindness that are all around us.

In this conversation, she shares the results of the world’s largest in-depth study on kindness, and highlights the wide range of mental and physical health benefits for both giver and receiver. We talk about what kindness and compassion really mean, and the huge range of ways we can make a difference. We discuss the fears and obstacles that prevent people from being kind, how to overcome them, and why we should practice more kindness in relationships, as well as in the workplace. Among many other topics, we also look at unkindness on social media, why empathy is a skill you can learn, and how being kind to others starts with being kind to yourself.

I sometimes think kindness has a PR problem. It’s something we see as a bit throwaway, undervaluing it at best, dismissing it as ‘soft’ at worst. But by bringing us the psychology and neuroscience on why kindness matters, Claudia provides a powerful call to action to notice and create more of it in daily life. I hope this conversation inspires you to rise to the challenge.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore or https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/312

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Stress can affect every aspect of our lives – our jobs, relationships, sleep, and mental health. 

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 130 of the podcast with Dr. Deepak Chopra - someone who Time magazine has described as ‘one of the top heroes and icons of the century’.

In this clip, Deepak shares some great practical tips and techniques to reduce stress and overwhelm and help us wake up to our true potential.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/130

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

Headaches, migraine, back, neck or joint pain, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), fibromyalgia – they’re just some of the common causes of chronic pain, which is estimated to affect between a third to half of all UK adults.

If you or someone close to you is one of them, you don’t need me to tell you it can be physically and emotionally draining. You probably feel like you’ve tried everything – so today’s podcast has the potential to be a life-changing listen for you. My guest is Dr Howard Schubiner, Director of the Mind Body Medicine Center in Michigan and author of Unlearn Your Pain: A 28-day Process to Reprogram Your Brain.

Emerging neuroscience tells us our brains actually create what we experience in our bodies, through a process called predictive processing. Pain doesn’t come from the body part where it’s felt, it’s created by our brain, signalling that something needs attention. And as Howard explains, our emotions and stress activate the same pain centres in our brain as an injury. If you’ve ever had a broken heart and experienced chest pain? That’s what’s happening.

The same thing occurs with chronic pain. In the vast majority of cases, there is no structural problem – such as injury, infection or a tumour – although of course these must be ruled out. Instead, your brain has created a neural pathway that remembers the pain and keeps you trapped in a vicious cycle. You fear the pain, that causes you stress, and the stress makes the pain real.

And that is the absolute key here: it’s not ‘all in your head’, your pain is real. And there is something you can do about it. During this conversation, Howard reveals why the key is changing your narrative on pain. His revolutionary therapies – which you can easily access – have been proven to work not just with chronic pain but in other persistent conditions such as depression and anxiety, chronic fatigue and long Covid.

We discuss the role healthcare practitioners can play in these conditions, through listening and empathy.

Chronic pain isn’t a subject we’ve covered in depth on this podcast before, so I’m very pleased I have the chance to bring this important conversation to you. Howard is one of the leading researchers in this field and his work represents a game-changing, paradigm shift in thinking about how we approach this epidemic. I hope what you’ll take from this episode is that the power of your brain is immense, and that knowledge is power. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore or https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/310

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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CAUTION: This podcast episode contains swearing.

By doing this one simple habit each morning you could experience transformative effects in your life.

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 220 of the podcast with the wonderful Mel Robbins.

Mel is one of the most sought-after motivational speakers in the world and, in this clip, she explains how to take control of your life with her ‘High 5 Habit’.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/220

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee

Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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Have you ever felt held back by a habit or pattern of thinking that you feel powerless to break? Or perhaps felt frustrated by a loved one’s failure to see mistakes they’re repeating? The reason it’s so hard, says today’s guest, is that these actions are programmed into our subconscious minds from early childhood. And they affect not just our behaviour but our whole experience of life and even our risk of disease. The chances are we’re completely unaware of these programs but, importantly, we can change them.

Dr Bruce Lipton began his career as a cell biologist graduating from the University of Virgina before joining the Department of Anatomy at the University of Wisconsin’s School of Medicine in 1973. Today, he describes his work as bridging science and spirituality and in his bestselling book The Biology of Belief, he sets out the idea that our thoughts affect all the cells in our body.

Bruce explains how, as children, our subconscious minds ‘download’ what we see and hear adults around us doing and saying – and these become the programs that drive our habits and thinking throughout life. Depending on our early experiences, they might be programs like ‘I’m not good enough’ or ‘It’s my fault’ – and it’s not much of a leap to see how these might create unwanted behaviours as we grow up.

Happily, we can cultivate self-awareness and learn to reprogram our minds, to create positive behaviour change. Bruce shares his practical guidance on how we can start to do that immediately. As we go on to discuss, reprogramming our minds can be incredibly liberating, affecting our happiness, confidence, health, work and relationships – with others and, crucially, with ourselves.

This was a warm and empowering conversation with a wonderful, kind-hearted man. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Order Dr Chatterjee's latest book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ, US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/308

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Every act of kindness is significant and has more impact than you can imagine.

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.

Today’s clip is from episode 104 of the podcast with pharmacist turned author, Dr David Hamilton.

David has a special interest in the mind body connection. In this clip, he shares some wonderful research which shows why kindness is so good for our happiness and our health.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/104

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee

Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website. 

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CAUTION: This podcast discusses fasting and its advice may not be suitable for anyone with an eating disorder. If you have an existing health condition or are taking medication, always consult your healthcare practitioner before going for prolonged periods without eating.

Ten years ago this week’s guest published a seminal paper on time-restricted feeding (TRF) and this research was hugely influential in kick-starting a global health phenomenon, now known as intermittent fasting. Professor Satchin Panda is a leading expert in the field of circadian rhythm research. He’s associate professor at the prestigious SALK institute, he’s recipient of the Dana Foundation Award in brain and immune system imaging and he’s also the author of two best-selling books The Circadian Code and The Circadian Diabetes Code.

Over the years, Satchin’s work has had a significant influence on the way I practise medicine and I’m delighted to welcome him back onto the podcast today for our second conversation so that he can update us on where we are with our understanding of this topic today.

Research has shown that around 50% of us currently spread our meals and snacks across 15 or more hours of the day. But Satchin’s research suggests that 10 hours may well be the optimum window for eating for many of us. Having periods of time in every 24 hours where we are not eating is essential for repairing, resetting and rejuvenating all of our organs and tissues – and ultimately releasing anti-inflammatory signalling molecules that strengthen our immune system.

We talk about the multiple benefits that people can experience when they compress their eating window. People sleep better, their digestion improves and their energy increases. Further proven benefits over time include weight loss, improved gut health and kidney function – not to mention some incredible results when it comes to reducing pre-diabetes and type 2 diabetes symptoms.

And food, while important, is not all that counts when it comes to optimising our daily circadian rhythms. Satchin talks about the other simple lifestyle factors that are hugely important. He also shares some great advice on jet lag, shift work, ‘social hangovers’ and the optimum time for naps and exercise.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Satchin’s work has revolutionised our understanding of health and wellbeing and it was a huge honour to speak to him again. I hope you enjoy listening.

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore or https://fblm.supercast.com.

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/306

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices