Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Why does family matter so much to us? As today’s guest, renowned psychotherapist Julia Samuel explains, every client she’s seen in 30 years of practice, mentions their family members. Like it or not, we all carry our upbringing into our adult lives. Our family is wired in us genetically and it shows in our responses to life, our beliefs, and the ‘fault lines’ that trigger us in daily life. Could finding out more about our families be the key to knowing more about ourselves?

Julia’s new book, Every Family Has A Story: How We Inherit Love and Loss is a powerful exploration of what we inherit, what we can change, and how inter-family relationships inform all aspects of our lives. Often unknowingly, we are a product of how our older relatives have coped with their experiences. It even shows up in our genes! Julia and I explore this subject of transgenerational trauma – or how our present-day struggles probably didn’t start with us (but learning and forgiveness can).

In order to protect our children and grandchildren, Julia says, we need to process our feelings so we don’t pass them on. This might mean uncovering the secrets and untold stories from generations above you. And if that sounds daunting to put into practice, she has some wonderful advice for facilitating difficult conversations. We also discuss generational conflicts over parenting techniques, setting boundaries, and how to be compassionate and respectful with family members while also recognising and protecting your own needs.

Whatever your family situation – whether you’re close, estranged or somewhere in between – there’s something we can all take from Julia’s powerful, original approach.

Caution: contains mild swearing.

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

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

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/246

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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 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.

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We are drowning in things to do and it is a major stressor on our bodies – impacting our health, wellbeing and the quality of our relationships.

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 53 of the podcast with Elizabeth Emens, author of the book ‘The Art of Life Admin: How to Do Less, Do It Better and Live More’.

Sometimes dealing with everyday tasks can feel like a whole other job.

In this clip, Elizabeth explains why ’life admin’ is getting in the way of the things we really want to do. She gives some great strategies to help us steal back some time and bring more calm into our lives.

Thanks to our sponsor 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

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.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/53

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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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This week's episode is a rather special one. In fact, I would say this is potentially one of the most important episodes I've ever released on my podcast because today, I am talking to Dr. Richard Schwartz. He's the creator of an incredible treatment modality called internal family systems, also known as IFS.

IFS has had a transformative impact on my own life - I feel calmer, more content and more at peace than I have ever done before. And without question, it has helped me to become a better husband and father. My hope is that this conversation might be the start of something life changing for you as well.

Dick begins by explaining how IFS rejects the idea that we each have one ‘true’ identity. Having multiple parts or personalities is not, as the movies would have us believe, a dangerous pathology. It’s a normal, healthy way for the mind to function. We often want to wish certain parts of ourselves away – if only we could get rid of our destructive streak, or silence the inner critic, say. But in IFS all our parts are welcome. Dick explains that they start out as valuable, but in early life trauma or attachment injuries can force these parts into destructive roles. He calls these ‘legacy burdens’. He explains how IFS works in the moment to help us revisit a trauma, retrieve the ‘stuck’ part of yourself and bring it to safety, thereby rewriting your story. It’s a guided self-healing.

The very best way to understand IFS is to witness a live demonstration. And that is exactly what happens in today’s conversation - I become the patient and Richard takes me through a real-time session.

IFS is an evidence based framework that helps a whole variety of different conditions - PTSD, addictions, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, back pain and so much more. My firm belief is that IFS is a system that can help pretty much anyone whether they have a mental health diagnosis or not.

This really is a powerful conversation. I am so grateful to Dick for creating IFS but also for making time to come and speak to me on my podcast. I really hope that you enjoy listening.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.leafyard.com/livemore

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Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version and US & Canada version

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.

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/244

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.

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CAUTION: This podcast contains mild swearing.

We can often find it hard to do small things on a regular basis that will slowly move the needle for our health and our happiness. But could consistency be the key to success?

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 153 of the podcast with my good friend and fellow podcast host, Rich Roll.

Rich believes every success in his own life has been hard fought. In this clip, he explains why the journey is often more important than the destination, and why consistency is key.

Thanks to our sponsor 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

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.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/153

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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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This week, I welcome Dr Roger Seheult back to the podcast. Roger is a medical doctor who is quadruple board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary diseases, critical care medicine and sleep medicine. As well as his clinical practice, he is passionate about teaching doctors and the public via his teaching company MedCram and his YouTube channel.

In this conversation, I was keen to focus on the topic of inflammation. Inflammation is a natural and necessary biological response to injury or infection, but thanks to our modern lifestyles, it’s become a response that doesn’t always go away when it should. Chronic unresolved inflammation in the body lies at the heart of conditions such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, depression, obesity, diabetes and dementia. And in this conversation, we look at some of the best things that you can do on a daily basis to reduce inappropriate inflammation and increase your chances of staying fit and healthy.

We begin by talking about sleep, and Roger explains why quantity, as well as quality, is so important. We discuss the impact that a lack of sleep can have on inflammation and what we now know about sleep deprivation and our risk of disease. Of course, if you’re someone who struggles to sleep, this knowledge can just make you more anxious and this is something that Roger and I discuss. We share some practical tips for shift-workers, new parents and insomniacs.

Roger explains the connection between stress and inflammation and he shares the type of exercise that studies show is most effective in lowering stress, anxiety and fear.

Finally, we discuss why it’s not what we eat but when we eat that’s key to reducing inflammation. We’re not designed to be constantly digesting food, and Roger explains why practising time-restricted eating can result in amazing improvements in inflammation, metabolism and more.

This conversation is full of actionable information to empower you to take control of your health. Roger has a brilliant way of simplifying complex ideas to motivate each and every one of us into action. I think you’ll really enjoy this conversation.

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.calm.com/livemore

http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore

Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version and US & Canada version

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/242

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.

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We often get distracted from the things that we want to do. Our plans get sidetracked and our work never seems to get done.

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 120 of the podcast with former Stanford lecturer, and author of the book ‘Indistractable’, Nir Eyal. 

In this clip he shares some actionable techniques that will help you design your time, realise your ambitions, and live the life you really want.

Thanks to our sponsor 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

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.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/120

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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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TRIGGER WARNING: 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.

Every few months or so, my team and I put together a special compilation episode, which features some of the very best tips around a central unified theme. This week’s episode is all about longevity.

Many of us think we would not like to live into old age because we associate it with illness and discomfort. But this does not need to be the case. There are simple things we can all do that could increase our health span as well as our life span. As you will hear in this episode, decline is not inevitable as we get older and there are many factors under our control that can affect how we age - from how we exercise, to how much we sleep, how we use our brain and what and when we eat.

You’ll also hear why compassion, community, purpose and friendship are important for our health and our lifespan. And why certain types of stress can actually be good for us and help us to live longer. Studies even show that our happiness, our mindset, and approach to life can be a factor in how long we live.

Finally, you’ll hear a clip about whether ageing should be seen as a disease that we can treat and a discussion about what ageing might look like in the future.

I really believe that the changes we can make to improve our health and longevity are a lot more achievable than many of us think.

I hope this episode helps you to find ways to implement some small daily habits that will help you to live a long, healthy, active and fulfilling life.

This episode includes clips from:

Episode 208 David Sinclair

Episode 147 Matthew Walker

Episode 112 Daniel Levitin

Episode 74 Felice Jacka

Episode 81 Satchin Panda

Episode 151 Laurie Santos

Episode 138 Julian Abel

Episode 167 Tommy Wood

Episode 128 Daniel Lieberman

Episode 67 Dan Buettner

Episode 197 James Nestor

Episode 206 Roger Seheult

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://www.leafyard.com/livemore

https://www.blublox.com/livemore

https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore

Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version and US & Canada version

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/240

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

A diet that gives great results for a friend may not work well for you. We are all unique, and the way we eat should be too.  

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 131 of the podcast with leading expert on the gut microbiome, Professor Tim Spector.

In this clip Tim explains why there’s no one-size-fits-all ‘correct’ way to eat, and how we could all experience benefits from experimenting with what, how, and when we eat.

Thanks to our sponsor 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

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.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/131

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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This episode is a LIVE recording of a conversation I had with Tony Riddle who was eight days into an epic journey. He was running the length of Great Britain, completely barefoot, covering 30 miles a day for 30 days. His aim? To show what human beings are biologically capable of, as well as to raise environmental awareness and funds. Even though the conversation was recorded back in 2019, it has as much relevance today as it did back then.

You might remember Tony from episode 71, What Makes Us Human. He’s also known as the natural lifestylist and one of his aims is to help people move back towards a more natural lifestyle by inspiring them to make small changes that can make a big difference.

Unfortunately, when we meet up to record this episode, in front of a small live audience at the Wild and Wild café in Congleton, acute injury meant that Tony was two days into an enforced break from his run. So, in this conversation, we talk about how he coped with that setback.

We also talk about the incredible power of being vulnerable, the idea of progress, not perfection, and Tony’s philosophy that everything in life is a process. He shares some simple – and free – tools that can help all of us cope with adversity: human contact (hugs from your loved ones), breathwork, meditation, mobility and cold-water therapy.

I ask Tony to take us through a simple breathing exercise, in real time (so you can join in, too). And we chat about the physiology of stress and how and when breathwork can help us.

In keeping with the theme of his run, we finish our chat on the topic of sustainability – the equal importance of individual and system change to protect our environment.

Tony is a really inspiring man who challenges the modern norms in society that are not in keeping with our evolution and biology. I hope you enjoy this conversation.

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 and US & Canada version

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/238

Support the podcast: Members get ad-free episodes and exclusive content including my take on the topics most requested by the FBLM community https://drchatterjee.com/membership

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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Are you performing at life, or are you really living 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 134 of the podcast with the wonderful Matthew McConaughey.

In this clip Matthew explains why authenticity is important to him and how, by understanding who we really are and showing up as ourselves more often, we can live a happier life.

Thanks to our sponsor 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

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.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/134

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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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