In A Nutshell is back! We are delighted to bring you season seven of the podcast, starting with a truly inspiring guest, Drew Harrisberg, an exercise physiologist, sports scientist and diabetes educator who has lived with type one diabetes since the age of twenty-one.

So who better to help us make sense of the science behind carbohydrates, and their place in a healthy diet?

For people living with type one diabetes, carbohydrates can sometimes feel like the enemy. And with the explosion of low-carb and ketogenic diets, glucose monitoring and social-media advice around 'controlling' blood sugar, it's easy to come away with the impression that the fewer carbohydrates you eat, the healthier you are. But is that really the case?

Drew has taken a fascinating personal journey through different approaches to nutrition, including paleo, keto and ultimately a whole-food, plant-based diet. He shares what he learned from each approach, how his diet affected his blood glucose and insulin requirements, and why he ultimately moved away from keto towards plant-based eating.

But this conversation isn't simply about diabetes - it's about our relationship with carbohydrates more broadly. We explore why carbohydrates aren't inherently unhealthy, why a rise in blood glucose after eating isn't necessarily something to fear, and whether the current obsession with flattening glucose curves is distracting us from the bigger picture of dietary quality.

To find out more about Drew:https://drewsdailydose.com/To get your tickets for The Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine Conference:https://nlmc.org.uk/To sign up to the online plant-based nutrition course and the cancer course from The University of Winchester:https://www.winchester.ac.uk/study/short-courses/courses/Plant-based-Nutrition/https://www.winchester.ac.uk/study/Short-courses/Courses/Lifestyle-medicine-for-cancer-prevention-and-survivorship/Further reading:
https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/low-carb-plant-based-diet-what-to-eat\

How do you stay healthy, strong and performing at your best- not just this year, but for decades to come?

In this episode of The Nutshell, we welcome two leaders in lifestyle and performance medicine: Dr Sharon McDowell-Larsen and Dr Regan Stiegmann, co-authors of Staying in the Game. Together, we explore the science of performance longevity and explain why the daily choices we make around food, movement, sleep, and recovery can help us maximise both healthspan and lifelong athletic performance.

Whether you're an athlete, healthcare professional, weekend runner or simply want to maintain your physical and cognitive performance throughout life, this conversation is packed with evidence-based advice.

We discuss why it's never too early-or too late-to invest in your future health and how the habits that support peak performance are often the same ones that protect against chronic disease.

More about our guests: 

Dr. Sharon L. McDowell-Larsen, PhD is an exercise physiologist, leadership performance expert and internationally recognised endurance athlete. She holds a PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where her research focused on exercise and immune function. During her career she has worked at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, taught graduate-level exercise physiology, and spent more than 25 years at the Center for Creative Leadership, helping senior leaders optimise health, resilience and cognitive performance through evidence-based lifestyle practices. Sharon is also a multiple national champion and Xterra and Ironman age-group world champion.

Regan A. Stiegmann, DO, MPH, FACLM, DipABLM is a board-certified physician in Preventive Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine, a former U.S. Air Force Flight Surgeon, and Associate Professor of Preventive and Lifestyle Medicine at Rocky Vista University. She holds a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) and a Master of Public Health (MPH), is a Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (FACLM) and a Diplomate of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine (DipABLM). Dr Stiegmann is a nationally recognised leader in lifestyle and performance medicine, working at the intersection of human performance, preventive medicine and healthy ageing.

Together, Sharon and Regan are the co-authors of Staying in the Game: Leveraging Lifestyle Medicine to Elevate Health, Outsmart Aging, and Enhance Performance, an evidence-based guide featuring nearly 1,800 scientific references that explores how nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress management and other lifestyle factors can help us optimise health, extend healthspan and maintain peak performance throughout life.

To get your copy of their book:

https://stayinginthegame.org/

To connect with our guests :

Dr Sharon McDowell-Larsen:  

https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-mcdowell-larsen-4666a7a/

https://sharonmcdowelllarsen.substack.com

Dr Regan Stiegmann

https://www.linkedin.com/in/docstieg/

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast and leave us a rating or review- it really helps others discover the podcast.

To buy tickets to this years Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine Conference:

https://nlmc.org.uk/

To find out more about the International Board of Lifestyle Medicine Diploma:

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/lifestyle-medicine/get-certified-in-lifestyle-medicine

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health;  with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

This week’s nugget leaves wholefoods behind as we look at food regulations affecting the marketing of some of the UK's most popular foods. We explain how recent updating of the UK’s nutrient profiling model (NPM) could push some foods into the High Fat Sugar Salt (HFSS) category and what the implications of this could be. Will Daisy be able to stomach bran flakes in a new, lowest free sugars form?

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below: 

⁠https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership⁠ You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health;  with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

References:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/nutrient-profiling-model⁠

⁠https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/bda-responds-to-the-application-of-the-new-nutrient-profile-model-consultation.html⁠

⁠https://www.nesta.org.uk/⁠

When we think about pandemic prevention, we may think about vaccines, surveillance and emergency preparedness. But what if the most effective way to prevent the next pandemic starts much earlier- by reducing the conditions that allow new diseases to emerge in the first place?

In this episode, we are joined by Esme Wheeler, a science policy and advocacy professional specialising in the connections between human, animal and environmental health.  

Given that most emerging infectious diseases originate in animals, we explore how the One Health approach reveals the links between how we farm animals, our relationship with wildlife, and the risk of future pandemics.

The conversation examines the evidence linking habitat loss, biodiversity decline and the expansion and intensification of animal agriculture with zoonotic disease risk. Esme sets out the case for addressing our human impact to reduce the risk of future pandemics and more.

To connect with Esme:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/esme-primrose-wheeler-aa275a23b/

If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to the podcast and leave us a rating or review- it really helps others discover the podcast.

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health;  with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

If you've ever felt the need to nod seriously when zoonoses are mentioned, but had the thought 'I'll look that up later', then this week's nugget could be for you. We're unpacking a little more about diseases that first infect animals and then pop up in humans. A bit of homework, if you like, before we get deeper into the issues in next week's full episode.

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below: 

⁠https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership⁠

 You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health;  with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

References:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950248926000040

https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp048039

Animals, viruses, and us. ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZq-OnumvtU⁠

In this episode, we are joined by registered dietitian and public health nutritionist Ginny Messina, MPH, RD, one of the most respected voices in plant-based nutrition.

We dive into the growing controversy surrounding plant-based meat alternatives and ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Are plant-based burgers and sausages really as unhealthy as some headlines suggest? Does the UPF label tell us everything we need to know about a food's health effects? And how should we think about plant-based meat within the context of an overall healthy dietary pattern?

Ginny is the author and co-author of several influential books, including Vegan for Life, and Even Vegans Die. She has spent decades helping people adopt nutritionally adequate plant-based diets grounded in science  In this episode she brings her trademark evidence-based and nuanced perspective to explore:

• What the science actually says about plant-based meat alternatives
• The strengths and limitations of the NOVA classification system
• Whether all ultra-processed foods should be viewed equally
• The role of plant-based meats in supporting dietary transitions
• Nutrient considerations for vegans and vegetarians
• How to separate nutrition science from social media sensationalism

https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2025.1641234/full

To connect with Ginny: 

Website: The Vegan RD
https://www.theveganrd.com

Substack: Resistance Kitchen
https://theresistancekitchen.substack.com

Books:
https://www.theveganrd.com/mybooks/

Vegan Nutrition Resources:
https://www.theveganrd.com/vegan-nutrition-101/

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who may be interested in learning more too. If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health;  with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

A study published at the end of May provides more evidence that adherence to lifestyle recommendations endorsed by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research reduces the risk of dying from any cause. This week's nugget explains more.

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below: ⁠

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership⁠ You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health;  with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Cancer-factsheet-03.02.25.pdf

https://www.winchester.ac.uk/study/Short-courses/Courses/Lifestyle-medicine-for-cancer-prevention-and-survivorship/

https://acsjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/cncr.70437

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40361185/

When we think about oral health, most of us think about brushing, flossing, and avoiding cavities. But what if the health of your mouth could influence your overall health and well being?

In this episode, we're joined by Elizabeth Peters, a board certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional, to explore the fascinating connection between oral health and whole-person health.

With more than 30 years working closely with clients as a dental hygienist and earning a graduate degree in public health, Elizabeth has expanded her focus beyond oral health to support overall wellbeing. She now helps individuals make sustainable lifestyle changes through her work as a health and wellness coach and educator.

Elizabeth explains how the mouth is not an isolated part of the body but a gateway to overall health. We discuss how lifestyle factors such as nutrition, stress management, physical activity, and other pillars of lifestyle medicine can influence oral health, inflammation, and risk of disease.

We also dive into emerging research linking oral bacteria to chronic conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, and discuss why oral health professionals are increasingly recognising their role in supporting broader health outcomes.

Whether you're interested in prevention, healthy ageing, nutrition, or simply understanding your body better, this conversation highlights why oral health plays an integral part of the health discussion.

To find out more and contact Elizabeth:⁠https://preventionistas.com/

For Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine Conference tickets:

https://nlmc.org.uk/nlmc-2026/nlmc26-live/

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing it with someone who may be interested in learning more too. If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health;  with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.

Can we boost our health with a beverage? In this week's nugget we ask whether the green powder that is matcha is worth our attention. Can it perhaps help with attention (and cognition, and energy levels)? Would productivity in the work place go up if we replaced the 'Bean to Cup' machine with ceremonial grade matcha powder and a bamboo whisk?

Disclaimer: this last question may not be fully answered.

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health;  with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.And if you liked this episode please consider leaving us a rating or a review, it helps more people discover the podcast and supports our mission to share evidence-based nutrition.Further reading:

Sławińska, P.; Raczkowska, E. Matcha as a Source of Bioactive Compounds: A Review of Health-Promoting Properties and Potential Applications. Nutrients 2026, 18, 1613. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu18101613

White, H.M., Meyer, B.R., McCormack, J.D. et al. Comparison of culinary and ceremonial matcha green teas: relationship between phytochemical composition and antioxidant properties. Food Measure 19, 7070–7079 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11694-025-03448-7

In this episode, we’re joined by Dr Ayesha Sherzai MD, neurologist, researcher, and co-author of The 30 Day Alzheimer’s Solution, to explore one of the most important questions in modern medicine: how much control do we really have over the future health of our brains?

For decades, cognitive decline and dementia were often viewed as an inevitable consequence of ageing or genetics. But emerging research is painting a far more hopeful picture. Dr Sherzai explains how lifestyle factors, including diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, social connection, and cognitive engagement may significantly influence long-term brain health and dementia risk.

We also discuss why brain health needs to become a much earlier public health priority rather than something we only think about later in life.

To find out more about the Sherzais' work:

https://www.thebraindocs.com/

To buy the book:

https://www.thebraindocs.com/books/

Further reading:

https://www.thelancet.com/commissions-do/dementia-prevention-intervention-and-care

https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/diet-lifestyle-and-brain-health

If you'd like to support our work and be part of a growing community of like-minded people working towards creating a healthier and more sustainable future please join the Plant-Based Health Professionals UK following the link below:https://plantbasedhealthprofessionals.com/membership

You don't have to be a health care professional to join, but by doing so you’re not only supporting our work, you'll be improving your own health;  with membership starting from as little as £15 a year, join us now and be part of the change you want to see.And if you liked this episode please consider leaving us a rating or a review, it helps more people discover the podcast and supports our mission to share evidence-based nutrition.