Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

CAUTION: This episode contains mild swearing.

I’m delighted to welcome James Nestor, the brilliant science journalist and author of Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art back to the podcast. James and I first spoke last September on episode 124. It was such a popular episode – in fact the YouTube version is my most-watched show! And I knew there was so much more I wanted to talk about with this inspiring guest, who’s such a wealth of knowledge on the untapped potential of breathwork.

Since its publication last spring, James’s book has become an international bestseller, translated into 30 languages. Much of its appeal, I believe, comes from the author’s easy-to-read yet rigorous, objective approach. James isn’t trying to convince us that any one technique is better than another, or to push his opinion. He writes as an enquiring journalist, looking for the science to support effects that have been celebrated for thousands of years.

It doesn’t matter if you missed last year’s conversation or you’re new to the concept of breathwork, as this episode is a handy recap. We cover all the basics of nasal breathing, the science of carbon dioxide tolerance, and the benefits of harnessing our breath for conditions ranging from asthma to anxiety, emphysema to scoliosis. And if you did catch our previous chat? Rest assured we go way deeper in this one! We delve into some of the super-breathing techniques like Tummo breathing (as popularised by Wim Hof), Holotropic Breathwork and Sudarshan Kriya. James shares his own experience of each, as well as the evidence behind them.

Not only has James spent years researching and collating his work, he’s been talking about his findings non-stop to a fascinated audience for the past year. And yet his enthusiasm shows no sign of waning. That, he says, is because he has first-hand knowledge of how life-changing breathwork can be. It’s free, it’s easy, it doesn’t require much of your time, and the results can be instantaneous. I think you’ll be motivated and inspired to try some of the tips that James shares as you listen. So why is it that we have come so far from what should come naturally to us? Answers to all this, and more, in today’s episode. I hope you enjoy listening. 

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/197

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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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Do you think that running just isn’t for you? Or do you already enjoy running?

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 31 of the podcast with sports reporter, author, and endurance runner, Vassos Alexander.

In this clip, he shares his inspirational journey - from being unfit and out of shape to running ultramarathons. He believes it doesn’t matter how far you run or how fast, just giving it a try could benefit your life in so many positive ways, and he gives some great tips on how to get started.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/31

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

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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: This episode contains mild swearing.

My guest today is internationally acclaimed meditation teacher, speaker and author, Light Watkins. I first spoke to him back on episode 23 of the podcast, when I know he inspired many of you to start a practice of meditation by breaking down common misconceptions and stripping away some of the rules and rigidity around meditation. So we begin this episode by talking about how our own approaches to meditation have evolved. We discuss the importance of consistency and how meditation is a catalyst for change even when you’re not meditating.

Light explains how he committed to sending out a Daily Dose of Inspiration – a positive story, anecdote, or learning - to his email list back in 2016. Now, some of these emails have come together in Light’s latest book, Knowing Where To Look: 108 Daily Doses Of Inspiration. We talk about how he managed this huge undertaking – by approaching writing in the same way he meditates: consistently. The process quickly showed him that it’s possible to find inspiration everywhere you look. It trained him to look at life through a different lens and find life’s silver linings. In this conversation, Light shares how we can all find the inspiration that is all around us by training ourselves to look for it.

We talk about how you can learn to trust your inner guide by starting small - Light calls it his ‘divine GPS’, a power greater than himself that’s showing him the way to go. Whether you believe in a higher power or not, just being open to the idea that there’s a different way to view every situation is a powerful skill to cultivate. Think, ‘Why is this happening for me’ not ‘Why is it happening to me’, he advises.

This conversation is full of inspiring anecdotes and advice that I hope will give you a new perspective. 

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/195

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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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We often think of sleep as the third pillar of health underneath diet and exercise, but Matthew believes sleep is the first pillar on which all others sit.

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 guest is world-leading sleep researcher, author of the international best-selling book ‘Why We Sleep’ and Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology, Matthew Walker.

Matthew shares research on how important sleep is for our health and the amazing power it has to recharge our mind and body.

We explore how proper sleep can benefit your life and Matthew shares his tips for better sleep.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at https://drchatterjee.com/26

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

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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 themes of an adult nature.

I believe that we can all learn something about ourselves from every single person we interact with and that it is through hearing other people’s stories that we can learn the most. Today’s guest has a really powerful story to share – he is the singer-songwriter, Benjamin Francis Leftwich. I’ve been a huge fan of his work since his 2011 debut album and I think his music connects with people in an incredible way. Ben’s fourth studio album, To Carry a Whale, has just been released – the first that he has recorded in sobriety.

Ben and I begin by talking about the disconnect between success and happiness. At the peak of his early fame a decade ago, he confesses that contentment still eluded him. He had success, fame, opportunities, riches – Ben acknowledges all his privileges. But he could not shake feeling uncomfortable in his own skin, like there was a hole in his heart that he could not fill.

In Benjamin’s case, it was drink and drugs he tried to fill the hole with. But as we discuss, addiction comes in many guises. I think to some degree we’re all seeking to fill that hole in our souls, to ‘fix’ whatever we feel is wrong or missing in our lives. We can all feel an emptiness at times. And whether it’s alcohol, sugar, caffeine, gambling, sex, shopping or something else we choose to fill it with, few of us are strangers to that feeling.

That’s not to diminish what, for Ben, has clearly been a long and traumatic journey. It’s a privilege to hear him share so honestly about his experience – and what he’s learned in recovery over the past three years.

There’s so much in what Ben does in recovery, one day at a time, that I feel could be helpful to each and every one of us. For example, we discuss the difference between saying sorry and really making amends – how the latter means being accountable, asking for forgiveness, while not trying to manipulate the other person’s response. And we talk about the importance of connection and community. How the regular meetings Benjamin and other recovering addicts attend have adapted online during the pandemic and retained their power.

We cover so much in this conversation – including, of course, plenty about the music. We talk spirituality, the inherent goodness in people and his goal of progress not perfection. I’m struck by Ben’s gratitude and energy and grateful for his authentic and touching words. This is a powerful conversation and I really think you are going to enjoy listening.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction and would like help, here are some sites that you/they may find helpful:

Alcoholics Anonymous (UK) https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/

Alcoholics Anonymous (US & Canada) https://aa.org/

Alcoholics Anonymous (Australia) https://aa.org.au/

Narcotics Anonymous (UK) https://ukna.org/

Narcotics Anonymous (Worldwide) https://na.org/

Help Me Stop (UK) https://www.na.org/meetingsearch/

Help For Families (UK) https://adfam.org.uk/help-for-families/useful-organisations

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/193

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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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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 56 of the podcast with neuroscientist, researcher and author of the book ‘Stress-Proof, Dr. Mithu Storoni.

In this clip, Mithu reveals the results of her research on the common causes of stress and how it affects our health. She gives some great practical tips on how we can help to buffer ourselves from the consequences of stress by changing some of our daily habits.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/56

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

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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We’ve been told that the more we move, the more calories we will burn but today’s guest is here to explain why this way of thinking is wrong. Dr Herman Pontzer is an evolutionary biologist who researches how our deep past shaped the way our bodies work today.

Over the past 20 years, Herman has conducted ground-breaking research across a range of settings, including pioneering fieldwork where he lived with the Hadza hunter-gatherers in northern Tanzania. The Hadza are considered one of the last hunter-gatherer tribes in the world and provide a unique insight into the way we used to live.

In our conversation today and in his new book, Burn: The Misunderstood Science of Metabolism, Herman reveals his findings that despite the fact that Hadza men and women get between five and ten times more physical activity every day than most women in the USA or Europe, their total energy expenditure – the amount of calories they burn – is the same.

Exercise does not increase our metabolism. Instead, we burn calories within a very narrow range: nearly 3,000 calories per day for men and 2,400 calories for women, no matter our activity level. In fact, our metabolism - the way our body burns energy – affects every aspect of our biology from our pace of growth, reproduction and ageing to our weight and health. If we burn more energy in one area, our bodies will adjust by spending less energy in another. But all this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t exercise. Far from it. Herman explains why movement is essential for humans.

We also discuss what the real paleo diet looks like and how many of us have been seduced into expecting every meal to be mind-blowingly tasty. Finally, Herman describes what it was like living with the Hadza and shares the lessons he learned from observing this ancient way of life. This is an enthralling episode and I hope you enjoy listening.

Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/191

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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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Digital technology is slowly eroding downtime from our lives. The constant flow of digital noise is affecting our ability to be alone with our thoughts, to focus, and to cultivate authentic relationships. Is it time for a digital detox?

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 50 of the podcast with Professor of computer science and author of the book ‘Digital Minimalism’, Cal Newport.

In this clip, Cal explains how our digital interactions are pulling us away from real-world connections and activities, and the effect this is having on our attention, our health and our relationships. He gives some brilliant tips on how to declutter your digital world and pursue more meaningful connections.

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

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/50

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

Today’s conversation is about unlocking your full potential, striving for peak performance and ‘going big’. My guest, Steven Kotler, lives and breathes ‘flow’. He’s an expert in this optimal state of consciousness, where we feel and perform at our best. And you don’t have to be part of the business or sporting elite to benefit from his research. Steven believes we can all attain flow, because as humans we’re hard-wired to achieve. Whether you’re taking a walk, writing an email or cooking a meal, you could find yourself in flow. 

Steven is a prolific author, journalist and entrepreneur. He founded the Flow Research Collective, which uses neurobiological findings to train people to achieve peak performance in all walks of life. By understanding what’s going on in the brain and body when humans are performing at their best, his goal is to help us access the flow state more often and realise our full potential. 

Flow is something I’ve written about in my own books and I describe it as being so absorbed in a pleasurable activity that time seems to disappear. Steven and I talk about how psychologists and neurobiologists identify and measure flow. He provides insights on the brain chemicals involved and we discuss the links between flow and happiness. We also uncover tools you can use to access this creative state; why initial struggles are part of the process, and why active recovery is vital if you want to avoid burnout. 

This is a super-charged episode, packed with insights, information and enthusiasm. Steven is certainly an advert for the energy and productivity that results from seeking out a flow state. I hope this conversation sets you on a path to finding yours.

Show notes available at https://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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Rates of stress and anxiety are increasing and it’s estimated that 1 in 4 of us will experience mental health problems at some point in our 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 61 of the podcast with best-selling author, and one of the most prominent voices in the mental health arena, Matt Haig

As someone who has suffered from depression and anxiety, Matt shares his personal journey and explains what has helped him find optimism. We explore how modern life is affecting our mental health, and Matt gives some great tips on how we can all improve the way we feel.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/61

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

Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee

Follow me on facebook.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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