Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Have we made movement and exercise too complicated? Have we lost sight of what it really means to move our bodies?

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 7 of the podcast with health and movement coach Darryl Edwards.

Darryl believes movement can be medicine and, in this clip, he shares his own journey, and describes the incredible benefits he saw when he changed his mindset and his approach to movement.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/07

Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life:

UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ

US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp

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. 

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

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.

When was the last time you had something to eat? Was the food consumed at a mealtime, or 'just because'? My guest today has a simple but powerful message that I believe could revolutionize your health. Dr Jason Fung is one of the world's foremost experts on intermittent fasting. He practices in Canada as a kidney specialist and in 2012, he co-founded America's first intermittent fasting clinic. He's published multiple international bestselling books and he runs a global online coaching program called Intensive Dietary Management. Dr Fung also works tirelessly to communicate simple messages with the public on his YouTube channel.

We begin this conversation by discussing how many unscheduled opportunities to eat there are in modern life. These days, it is normal to eat at your desk, in meetings, on public transport or even on the sofa at home. Yet, just a few decades ago, such habits would have seemed very out of place. Jason explains that the idea that it’s good to graze all day is unscientific and damaging – our bodies can only draw on our fat stores for energy when we’re not in a fed state. Our default should be not eating, with two or three meals planned in short windows over 24 hours. Instead, schools, workplaces and places of leisure are designed around opportunities to snack and for many of us, it's causing a host of problems.

Jason goes on to talk about why he believes that calorie counting isn’t the answer when it comes to getting your weight and health in check and why some foods are more fattening than others, even if they're equal in calories. Jason's approach is to encourage all of us to switch to what he calls ‘the right foods’ – whole, unprocessed foods, low in sugar and refined carbohydrates, which will not stimulate large amounts of a hormone called insulin. As a result, Jason says you'll be less hungry, less inclined to eat constantly and return your hormones to the way they're designed to work.

Jason is also a big fan of intermittent fasting for the right person and explains easy ways to practise it, the common mistakes and misconceptions, and reveals why the ‘rules’ aren’t as strict as you think. Whether you're already a fan of intermittent fasting, whether you're in the dark or whether you are someone who has yet to be convinced, I'd urge you to give this conversation a listen. Jason is a fantastic communicator who's helped countless people improve their health and well-being.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.boncharge.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/285

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.

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

Our gut health impacts so much more than simply our digestive system. The gut is now being implicated in a host of different conditions, including joint pain, brain fog, insomnia and depression.

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 40 of the podcast with nutritional therapist and author, Jeannette Hyde.

In this clip, Jeannette explains why the health of our gut microbiome is so important for good physical and mental health. She shares some great strategies she’s used with her own clients that will help us improve our relationship with our gut bugs.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/40

Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life:

UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ

US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp

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. 

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

CAUTION: This episode contains mild swearing and themes of an adult nature.

A few weeks ago, I hosted my first ever Feel Better Live More LIVE show, which took place in a beautiful theatre in London. I’m really excited to share a recording of that conversation with you today.

My guest was the brilliant author, journalist and podcast host, Elizabeth Day. Elizabeth hosts a podcast called ‘How to Fail’ which celebrates the things that haven’t gone right. She has also written two books on the subject of failure and so it seemed fitting to begin our conversation talking about this thought-provoking topic.

Life is full of uncertainty but Elizabeth believes that if anything is certain in life, it is that we will all fail. But what is important, she says, is how we respond to that failure - if we allow it to be, failure can be the key to growth, strength and self-awareness.

We covered so many important topics that I am sure will strike a chord with you. We spoke about the importance of authentic connection and how important being vulnerable and sharing our failures with others is. We also discussed how shame often holds us back from doing this. In fact, Elizabeth shares her own experience of this during the breakdown of her marriage and how she was ashamed of admitting her feelings to others but how when she did, she was astonished by how people around her responded in a positive way.

We also talked about competitiveness and people-pleasing, and Elizabeth very candidly talks about her own journey through IVF and what it taught her.

Elizabeth is a firm believer in the idea that life will generally teach us the lessons that we need to learn and we discuss how this way of thinking can be beneficial when we come across conflict and obstacles in life.

This is a beautiful, deep and honest conversation - I thoroughly enjoyed speaking to Elizabeth and I know that everyone in the audience that evening felt part of something really quite special. I hope you enjoy listening.

Thanks to our sponsors:

http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.calm.com/livemore

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

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/283

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.

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.

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

Our emotions affect our creativity, learning and problem solving, but also our physical health and our 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 179 of the podcast with Professor Marc Brackett, the founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence.

Emotions matter more than we think, and, in this clip, Marc explains why being able to understand our own and other’s feelings can have a profound impact on our lives.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/179

Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life:

UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ

US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp

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. 

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

What does the content of your mind look like? Do you sometimes have thoughts you don't want to have? Do you sometimes feel emotions you don't want to feel? My guest today has recently published a book called Cleaning Up Your Mental Mess: Five Simple, Scientifically Proven Steps to Reduce Anxiety, Stress and Toxic Thinking which contains techniques and practices that can help any of us whether we have a diagnosed mental health problem or not.

My guest is Dr. Caroline Leaf, a cognitive neuroscientist, researcher and best-selling author. Since the 1980s, Dr Leaf has researched the mind-brain connection, the nature of mental health and the formation of memory. She was one of the first in her field to study neuroplasticity and how the brain can change with directed input from our minds. Over the years, Dr Leaf has helped transform the lives of many people around the world - she's helped people with traumatic brain injury, stress, anxiety and depression, but the tools that she shares are relevant for anyone who wants to improve the functioning of their minds.

We begin our conversation talking about the difference between our minds and our brains - these two terms are often used interchangeably but Dr Leaf explains why this is a mistake. She explains how it's our mind, both our conscious mind and our non-conscious mind, that actually control our brain. It is because of this, she says, that we are much more in control of our symptoms than we might think.

Dr Leaf believes that many of the conventional clinical approaches to mental health and well-being are misguided and limiting. Her approach reframes things like depression and anxiety as a response, rather than an illness. Signs and symptoms, she says, always point to a thought or belief that has caused them. So instead of medicating them away, Dr Leaf believes that we need to spend more time looking for the cause.

It is Dr Leaf’s firm belief that we can all benefit from what she calls ‘mind management’. Whether we want to build a healthier, more resilient brain, whether we want more focus or whether we want to reduce negative thoughts that are affecting us, Dr Leaf has pioneered a five-step protocol to help us do so. In this conversation, she reveals just what those steps are and how we can all put them into practice in our everyday lives.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.leafyard.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

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

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/281

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 qualified health care provider with any questions you 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.

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

This is part of my re-release series where I am interviewed by my good friend Dr Panja about small daily changes that can make a huge difference.

Why is it that so many of us find it hard to stick to a new diet or lifestyle plan? We all start off well enough – full of energy and optimism but then the novelty soon wears off and life gets in the way. After some time, we are right back where we first started. The fact is, most health plans are based on the common, but incorrect assumption that we can make sweeping and lasting changes to our health by relying solely on willpower and motivation. But for the vast majority of us, this is just not true. This is exactly why I wrote my new book, ‘Feel Better in 5’– I want to empower people to make changes in their life not just in the short term, but ones that will stand the test of time.

This week, my good friend Dr Ayan Panja returns to the podcast and we discuss just how we can all make lifestyle changes that last. We talk about how 5 minute chunks of time really can change your life, the importance of human connection when trying to make lifestyle change, why I am such a fan of a rounded approach to health and the ripple effect – how one small change in one aspect of your life can very quickly ripple into other areas. We also discuss what, in our collective 40 years of clinical experience, we have found to actually work with our patients when making lifestyle change. We delve into the latest in behaviour science and how we can use this to help us make new healthy habits. Finally, I explain to Ayan that my goal in writing ‘Feel Better in 5’ was to make health as accessible as possible to people of all backgrounds hence the reason nearly all the recommendations within it are completely free. Ayan finishes by sharing some of his tops tips. I really enjoyed taking some time out to sit down and chat with one of my best friends – I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did!

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

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

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/280

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.

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.

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

Stress is a clear example of the mind-body connection at work, yet it remains a link modern medicine fails to address.

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 200 of the podcast with a pioneer in the field of integrative health, Dr Andrew Weil.

In this clip, he explains why our mind and body are so connected and how a simple, daily breathing method can help reduce anxiety and stress.

Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/200

Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life:

UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ

US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp

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. 

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

What does it mean to be a thriving human in the 21st century? The way we currently live is very different from the way humans have lived for the bulk of our evolution. As humanity has evolved and developed technologies to make us more comfortable, many of us have lost our instinctive connection to nature and this has had profound consequences on our physical and mental well-being. So what can we do about this? Well, as it turns out, quite a lot. My guest today is Tony Riddle. Tony is an ultra-endurance athlete and goes by the name of the natural lifestylist. He has spent the last decade developing and refining a robust way of life based upon the principles of a natural lifestyle. He's hosted retreats and workshops, where he has taught thousands of people around the world to live more naturally.

Tony has now written his very first book, Be More Human: How to Transform your Lifestyle for Optimum Health, Happiness and Vitality. The beauty of Tony's natural lifestyle philosophy is its simplicity, rather than a long list of things to incorporate into your busy life, it's actually all about stripping back and simplifying; removing what's not serving us in order to get back to a natural state of well-being. A good way to start is to learn how to ‘down-regulate’ – to calm the fight-or-flight system that’s switched on when we’re under chronic stress. It can be as easy as a minute or two of breathing, exhaling for longer than you inhale. Or a few moments spent in nature.

But he also wants us to experiment with discomfort and inconvenience, antidotes to modern life that will keep our muscles and mind from atrophy. We talk about the benefits of cold immersion and some simple ways in which we can start to bring this into our lives.

We chat about the importance of good quality sleep and why we all may not need the mythical eight hours. Tony describes some posture-enhancing positions we can all adopt, including squats and heel sitting to liberate our joints and spine. He explains why our foot strength dramatically increases when we transition to minimalist shoes and spend more time without our shoes on.

We finished off talking about Tony's deep relationship to running and why he describes it as a spiritual experience. The truth is we are never going back to being hunter-gatherers. But it doesn't mean we can't learn from them. Tony says we don't have to live in the wild to re-wild. This is such an inspiring episode, packed with practical tools that you can try right now. Tony is passionate and knowledgeable and I hope this conversation will help you become happier and healthier.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.leafyard.com/livemore

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/278

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 qualified health care provider with any questions you 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.

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

This is part of my re-release series and was first aired in 2019. 

How does alcohol fit into your life? Have you ever given it any thought?

My guest on this week’s podcast is Andy Ramage, a performance coach and author. He’s also one of the founders of One Year No Beer, a habit-changing programme that invites people to try 28, 90 or 365 days alcohol free – and see what it does for them. Andy was like many of us, he was not an alcoholic but he was what he calls ‘a middle lane drinker’. He would drink a little bit to unwind, at work events, when he saw his friends and probably a little bit more on the weekends. Andy started off on a 30 day trial without alcohol and now hasn’t drunk any alcohol for six years and says he can’t envisage doing so again. But his agenda is not to make you stop drinking for good. It’s to demonstrate that taking a break from the booze can bring a surprising host of benefits, even if you don’t think of yourself as a problematic drinker.

Andy and I delve into just what some of those benefits might be. We discuss how alcohol is so ingrained in our social lives and often our work culture that often we don’t even consider what life would be like without it. It’s linked to every part of our lives from relaxation and fun to social bonding or even just relieving boredom. We talk about societal expectations and peer pressure and both of us share our own individual stories and our own journeys with alcohol. Finally, Andy shares some brilliant, practical tips to help anyone who maybe considering tactical break from alcohol.

This is a really inspiring conversation. Whether you’re already thinking of cutting down, it’s not something you’ve considered, or even if you’re already abstaining, I hope you’ll find some life-enhancing lessons in this podcast. 

Thanks to our sponsors:

http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

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

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/277

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.

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.

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