Figuring It Out

Feel good food columnist and best-selling cookbook author Melissa Hemsley is joining Dr Alex on this week's stomp. 

Melissa shares how she fell into her career as a private chef for Take That – she explains the events that occurred after a wobble with her school grades and how that led to her incredible achievements today. 

As both have ADHD, Melissa and Alex also discuss their unique perspectives and walking speeds. 

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Trigger warning: this episode discusses miscarriage 

In part 2, Melissa opens up about her pregnancy, and all the struggles she faced with her fertility. She shares how her miscarriage deeply affected her mental health, the problematic language often found in that conversation, and how it eventually led to her ADHD diagnosis. 

However, Melissa has also learnt to cherish the good days through the people she’s met on this journey, and candidly discusses her experiences of conceiving through IVF.

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In the final part of this ramble through the hills, Melissa Hemsley shares the life lessons and rituals that have supported her through difficult times.

Melissa explains why physically ‘shaking it off’ is a massive help for releasing her feelings and her favourite books and podcasts that contribute positively to her mental health.

Plus, the health fact of the week sparks a discussion on IVF and Melissa’s advice if you’re on that journey. 

Follow @melissa.hemsley

LINKS: 

• First, We Make the Beast Beautiful

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Dr Alex is joined by TV presenter and farmer Jimmy Doherty at his farm and wildlife park ‘Jimmy’s Farm’ in this unique stomping experience. 

As they walk through the butterfly house and visit the lemurs, Jimmy reminisces on how his love for wildlife came about; the simple ways to connect with nature which help your wellbeing; plus why it’s integral to understand the value of your food. 

Jimmy also opens up about how farming helps him through tough times, as life always finds a way to return. 

Follow Jimmy @jimmysfarm

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Whilst feeding the monkey’s at Jimmy’s Farm, Dr Alex asks Jimmy about the small things we can do to help nature whilst curbing our climate anxiety.  

Jimmy also shares the struggles he faces as a parent when wanting to protect his children and get them out in nature; plus the moments that drove him to take more risks – like going into farming with no farming background!

Follow Jimmy @jimmysfarm

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In the final part of this stomp around Jimmy’s Farm, Jimmy opens up about the loss of his dad; how he uses music to let his emotions out; and why we so often bottle up our feelings as Brits. 

Jimmy then challenges ‘anti-farming’ attitudes, and offers an insight on how the food system needs to change in the climate crisis battle. 

Follow Jimmy @jimmysfarm

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Author, journalist and podcaster Elizabeth Day is joining Dr Alex on an honest stomp about true friendships and how to handle failure. 

In part 1, after they reminisce about their first meeting during a wholesome Love Island interview, Elizabeth and Alex deep dive into failure. Elizabeth explains how she learnt the definition through her own failures, and shares what she considers to be her biggest failure and how it’s shaped the rest of her life to date.
Follow Elizabeth @elizabday and order her new book Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict.

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Elizabeth Day’s friends have been one of the most meaningful loves of her life, and in part 2 of this stomp with Dr Alex, they discuss the journey of writing her new book, ‘Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict’.

Elizabeth discusses why her friendships have greater meaning since the pandemic, the cost of having too many friends and how to identify if a friendship is good or bad for you.

Follow Elizabeth @elizabday and order her new book Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict.

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In the final part of this walk with Elizabeth Day and Dr Alex, Elizabeth explains how the first steps to dealing with failure is realising that everyone fails at some point. 

Elizabeth and Alex compare their failures in relation to their grief, plus Elizabeth offers advice on how you can start today with making new connections. 

Follow Elizabeth @elizabday and order her new book Friendaholic: Confessions of a Friendship Addict.

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Musician Ellie Dixon can often be found running around in wild and whacky costumes to promote her self-produced, alt-pop songs for her 1.2 million followers on TikTok. 

In part 1, Dr Alex and Ellie discuss how she grew such a huge audience with her music, where she learned to produce music and why she’s been running around dressed as a lizard…

They also discuss Ellie’s fears around losing her privacy when finding fame, how she’s managing to avoid the commercialisation that sometimes happens when an artist signs to a record label, and why in her opinion, social media has completely changed the music industry.

Follow Ellie @elliedixonmusic and listen to Big Lizard Energy. 

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