Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

We all know what to do to keep physically fit, but few of us think about what we need to do to keep our minds fit and healthy. Writer and mental-health and body image campaigner,

Natasha Devon argues that just as there is mental illness, there is also mental fitness. She believes that mental illness is no different to physical illness – the mind and body do not exist in silos. She talks about her campaign to get parity of treatment for mental illness and require workplaces to have mental health first aiders – just as there are physical health first aiders.

We talk about body image for both men and women and the role of social media. We also discuss why debating is excellent for building resilience in children. Finally, Natasha gives her top tips for maintaining mental fitness. This is a really informative and thought-provoking conversation – I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/natasha 

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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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Although you can’t see it, stress is everywhere. Once pushed aside as something that couldn’t be explained, stress is now a quantifiable, identifiable, solid thing that has real physical effects on our bodies and our long-term health. But what can we do about it?

Neuroscientist, researcher and guest on this week’s episode, Dr. Mithu Storoni, has read over 1,000 academic papers to answer that question. 

Mithu shares the finding of her research and explains just what stress can do to our bodies and how we can measure it using modern technology. She gives some brilliant practical tips on how we can buffer ourselves from the consequences of stress. I hope you enjoy the conversation!

Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/56

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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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What do we need to eat in order to live a long and healthy life? World-leading researcher in longevity, Professor Valter Longo, shares his views on diet and nutrition in this week’s episode.

We discuss high protein diets, ketogenic diets and the concept of a low carb diet. Valter believes that we have over-simplified nutrition by looking at macronutrients in isolation - carbohydrates, fats and proteins – but in actual fact, we need all of these in our diets. And just as there are ‘good’ fats and ‘bad’ fats - some that we should be eating more of and others less of, the same is true of carbohydrates. Finally, Valter talks about fasting and his novel approach to research whereby he takes ancient knowledge and wisdom and marries it up with the latest science.

This is the approach he used when formulating the fasting mimicking diet (FMD), a five-day plan that causes the body to go into fasting mode. Valter talks about the amazing benefits the diet - such as reducing visceral fat and abdominal fat. Although it hasn’t been proven in humans yet, it has been shown to reduce fatty liver, insulin resistance and even improve some autoimmune conditions in mice. This is a really eye-opening conversation – I hope you enjoy it!

DISCLAIMER: Dr Chatterjee accepts no responsibility for anyone deciding to undertake the Fasting Mimicking Diet(ProLon). Please read all the disclaimers on the ProLon website – they state that ProLon is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Also, that it should not be used to treat either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes. Finally, please pay close attention to the ‘Is ProLon Right For Me’ section of the ProLon website if you wish to undertake the diet.

Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/55

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CAUTION ADVISED: this podcast contains swearing and themes of an adult nature.

What really makes us happy? Is it a big house, lots of money, marriage and children? Not necessarily. Yet so many of us base what we do upon the ‘stories’ we tell ourselves of what we think should make us happy without paying attention to whether these things actually do make us happy day-to-day. Professor of behavioural science and guest on this week’s podcast, Professor Paul Dolan, believes that happiness is subjective in every way and if we free ourselves from the myth of the perfect life we might each find a life that is worth living.

We discuss how happiness lies in the small stuff, not the big life-changing things. It is located in the things we do and the things we pay attention to – and how we feel about those experiences. Paul argues that the right balance of things that you find fun on one hand and fulfilling on the other, lead you to a happy life. He shares lots of practical tips that can help us all find more fulfilment and ultimately more happiness. I hope you enjoy this conversation.

Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/54

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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 life’s mundane tasks like paying bills, answering emails or booking appointments feel like a whole other job? The stuff of life never ends. It piles up in junk drawers, steals our time, weighs on our minds and, if avoided for too long, can have painful consequences. We are all drowning in things to do and it is a major stressor on our bodies – impacting our health, wellbeing and the quality of our relationships. 

A big part of the problem is that this “life admin” is invisible: we forget it exists, and the people around us don’t value the labour involved. Not only that, but the constant bombardment of unwanted work gets in the way of our big life goals and our self-care.

This week, I talk to professor of law and author of ‘The Art of Life Admin’, Elizabeth Emens, about how we can make this work visible, better manageable and fairer. She gives some brilliant tips on how we can all steal back some time to do the things we want to and bring more calm into our lives. I hope you enjoy the conversation!

Show notes 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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CAUTION ADVISED: this podcast contains swearing and themes of an adult nature.

This week, I continue the conversation with the inspirational Johann Hari, who shares insights from his forty-thousand-mile journey across the world to interview the leading experts about what causes depression and anxiety, and what solves them. But it was not those experts that taught Johann the most, it was the incredible people of a Berlin district called Kotti – he shares the heart-warming story of how an unlikely community was borne out of desperation and the unbelievable transformations that occurred for the whole community as a result of it.

We discuss how our isolated lives mean that our basic psychological needs are not being met and how this is impacting suicide rates, particularly for white males. We delve into how a dramatic change in societal ideals is leading to more unhappiness. Also, how people are turning to screens, social media and other addictions to fulfill their unmet needs.

Finally, Johann shares some truly inspirational top tips. This really is a captivating and incredibly important conversation – I hope you enjoy it!  My new book, ‘The Stress Solution’ contains lots of practical solutions to help you with many of the issues discussed in this podcast. It is available to order on Amazon now.

*Please note: this podcast contains swearing and themes of an adult nature.

Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/52

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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 ADVISED: this podcast contains swearing and themes of an adult nature.

For the past few decades, almost every year, levels of depression and anxiety have increased in Britain and across the Western world. But why? One of the most important voices in this area, Johann Hari, went on a forty-thousand-mile journey across the world to interview the leading experts about what causes depression and anxiety, and what solves them.

He shares the fascinating findings of his research in this week’s podcast. Johann explains that although we have been told a story that drugs are the solution to depression and anxiety, in many cases, the cause is not in our biology but in the way we live.

He argues that being depressed or anxious does not mean that you are crazy, weak or broken, rather, that your natural psychological needs are not being met. And it’s hardly surprising - we are the loneliest society there has ever been.

We discuss how loneliness affects us and how social prescribing can transform lives. We delve into the role trauma plays and how shame is both physically and emotionally destructive. Johann believes that societal values have been corrupted and explains the effect that this is having on our health.

Finally, we talk about the role of the workplace and how having autonomy and choices can reduce the likelihood of depression and anxiety. This is a gripping conversation and Johann's anecdotes are truly captivating - I hope you enjoy it!

Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/51

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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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How did this happen? We’re all living ultra-connected lives. In our pockets we have tiny technological miracles through which we can communicate, instantly, with anyone on the planet. Yet we are lonelier than ever before. Research has shown that levels of anxiety and depression have exploded, especially in the younger generation, who push time spent connected to the extreme.

Professor of computer science and author on this subject, Cal Newport, explains why. We have evolved to be part of a mutually supportive human tribe, where being isolated, meant danger. As far as our brains are concerned, digital interactions do not play the same role as real conversations. Instead, they pull our time and attention away from real-world interactions and our brains react as if something is wrong. In addition, constant connection means that downtime is being eroded from our lives and we are losing the ability to just be.

We discuss the concept of digital minimalism and how we all need to spend time doing what Cal calls, ‘high quality leisure activities’. Finally, Cal gives some brilliant tips on decluttering your digital world.

This is a thought-provoking conversation – I hope you enjoy it! I cover these issues in my new book, ‘The Stress Solution’ and suggest simple ways in which we can all bring back real-life connection into our lives.

Show notes 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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“In a single glance through a picture, you can be transformed into another world”

It’s no secret that we are facing unprecedented levels of anxiety. But what if there was a parallel world that offered us a different way of thinking about life?

Director of the Art Fund, Stephen Deuchar, believes that museums and art galleries offer just that. He talks about the fascinating findings of a recent report that found that actively deciding to take time for cultural activities and pursuits can have a profound impact on our overall wellbeing. 

Stephen believes that every human could be moved by a piece of art or culture and that there is something on offer for everyone. And it needn’t take hours – even a short visit will be beneficial. After talking to Stephen, I feel inspired to explore the rich diversity that is on offer. I hope you do too!

Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/artfund

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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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“Our body is our own high-performance vehicle and our engine is our metabolism turning our food into energy.”

Who doesn’t want to achieve their personal best – whether it’s at work, during an exercise class or playing with their children? Yet how many of us think about how we are fuelling our bodies to cope with the demands of the day? Elite sports nutritionist, James Collins, has worked with the likes of Arsenal FC, England Football and Team GB to ensure they are on peak form when it counts.

He believes that there is too much focus on aesthetics and not enough on energy and how we use food to fuel our bodies. James discusses simple food principles that we can all follow to feel at our best in our daily lives.

We also discuss how sleep and caffeine can affect performance. And, how we are all more capable than we think we are at any age. I hope you enjoy this conversation! Lack of energy is a common complaint that I see in my practice – I have therefore created a FREE energy video-series. You can sign-up to watch it on my website: drchatterjee.com/subscription/

Show notes available at drchatterjee.com/jamescollins

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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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