Mikki dives into the bizarre and controversial “sugar diet” that’s been making waves on social media. Once dismissed as just another fad, it’s now gaining traction among high-profile influencers, including Mark Bell. Mikki unpacks what the sugar diet actually is, the science behind its surprising short-term results, and why its mechanism might have less to do with sugar itself and more to do with protein restriction and its effects on FGF21. She also discusses the research origins, potential risks, and why this approach may only be suited—if at all—for a very specific subset of people. If you’ve been curious about the hype, this episode delivers the context, caveats, and science you need before even thinking about giving it a go.

Highlights:

• What the sugar diet actually involves and who’s promoting it
• The role of protein restriction and FGF21 in increasing energy expenditure
• Why short-term studies don’t tell the whole story on health impacts
• Genetic and metabolic factors that could make or break results
• Long-term risks, from nutrient deficiencies to liver stress

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This week on the podcast, Mikki speaks to Dr Spencer Nadolsky — a board-certified obesity and lipid specialist known for his evidence-based, compassionate approach to helping people lose weight and improve metabolic health. Spencer has dedicated his career to bridging the gap between clinical medicine and the lived realities of people struggling with obesity, cutting through misinformation to focus on what actually works.

With the arrival of Wegovy in New Zealand — and the explosion of interest in GLP-1 medications worldwide — their conversation couldn’t be more timely. They discuss how these drugs work, how they compare to diet, lifestyle, and older weight loss medications, and why the price tag varies so widely between countries. They also explore the controversies — from “microdosing” to long-term safety, tolerance, and muscle loss — and whether these drugs can genuinely shift someone’s metabolic set point or are simply managing symptoms.

If you’ve been wondering whether GLP-1s are game-changing tools or just the latest fad, this episode will help separate the hype from the evidence.

Dr. Spencer Nadolsky is an obesity and lipid specialist (DO, ABOM, ABCL) with over a decade of experience. Through practice innovation, digital education, and previous ventures like Sequence and the Docs Who Lift podcast, he’s become a trusted, engaging voice in metabolic health.

His company, Vineyard, is a virtual obesity medicine clinic delivering personalized, science-backed, and compassionate care. Patients benefit from direct physician access, fast support, individualized plans, and ongoing research—all focused on long-term health, not quick solutions.

https://drspencer.com/

https://joinvineyard.com/

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/docs-who-lift/id1611961208

https://www.instagram.com/drnadolsky/?hl=en

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In this Mini Mikkipedia episode, Mikki breaks down a recent Australian headline claiming that diet sodas increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Spoiler: the science doesn’t support that claim. Mikki dives into the observational study at the centre of the controversy, teasing apart key limitations—like reverse causality, confounding behaviours, and reliance on a single food frequency questionnaire over 14 years. She explains why the idea that diet drinks are as harmful as sugary ones is not only misleading but potentially dangerous for public health messaging. If you’ve ever wondered whether your Diet Coke habit is sabotaging your health, this episode offers clarity backed by evidence.

What You'll Learn:

• Why observational studies can't prove causation
• The concept of reverse causality in nutrition research
• Limitations of self-reported dietary data over long periods
• How bias and confounding can distort risk estimates
• Why focusing on overall lifestyle matters far more than zero-calorie drinks

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This week on the podcast, Mikki speaks to Dr Glen Davies, one of New Zealand’s most vocal champions for reversing type 2 diabetes through therapeutic carbohydrate reduction.

From rural general practice to a mission hospital in Papua New Guinea, Glen’s clinical journey has been anything but conventional—but it was discovering the power of low-carb and fasting that made him “feel like a healer” again. Since then, he’s helped over 115 patients in Taupō put type 2 diabetes into remission—an achievement that’s not only reshaped his practice, but challenged the conventional approach to chronic disease management. He was named General Practitioner of the Year in 2021.
In this conversation, we explore what "remission" really means in clinical terms, the systems that help sustain it, and the biomarkers that shift most consistently. Glen also shares insights on the psychology of behaviour change, the risks and rewards of keto, and the real-world barriers to scaling this model across New Zealand. They also have a frank conversation of the level of knowledge that GPs have to prevent and treat the modern day health crisis that NZ (like most countries) is facing.

Glen Davies: https://reversalnz.co.nz/team/dr-glen-davies/

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Mikki dives into the evolving science behind creatine—not just for muscles, but for brain health. Long known as a powerhouse for strength and performance, creatine is now gaining traction as a potential tool for cognitive enhancement and mental health support. Miki explores recent research shared by Dr. Nicholas Fabiano on creatine’s potential role in improving outcomes in Alzheimer’s, depression, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). She explains how higher doses may be required to impact brain creatine levels and discusses key findings around mood, cognition, and neurological recovery. Whether you're already taking creatine or considering it, this episode will broaden your understanding of how it could support not just your workouts, but your mental clarity and emotional well-being too.
Highlights:

• Why creatine may support brain energy metabolism and cognitive function
• Evidence for creatine’s role in depression and SSRI-resistant cases
• High-dose creatine and its potential benefits in Alzheimer's and TBI recovery
• Differences in creatine needs between men and women
• Safety considerations and dosing strategies for brain health

https://x.com/NTFabiano/status/1950155746034758119

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This week on the podcast, Mikki speaks to Dane Fuller — sports dietitian, athlete, and founder of Fuller Foods. Dane has a background in exercise science, nutrition, and behavioural change, and he brings all of that together in his mission to make nutrition simple, effective, and sustainable.

In this conversation, Dane shares his journey from growing up in a fish and chip shop to becoming a champion lightweight rower and performance nutritionist. We talk about the lessons he learned through sport, why breakfast became such a cornerstone of his nutrition philosophy, and how that one simple habit helped not just thousands of clients—but also his own son, who lives with Prader-Willi syndrome.

We also dig into the origins of Fuller Foods and the challenges of turning a personal solution into a product that helps others. This is a great chat about food, behaviour, business, and the real-life impact of getting the basics right.

https://eatfullerfood.com/

Dane Fuller is a New Zealand-based Nutritionist, Exercise Scientist, former Lecturer, Author, and founder of Fuller Foods. With a background in competitive rowing and a passion for performance, Dane has dedicated his career to helping people fuel better, move more, and live healthier.

He designed the EatFit program—an evidence-based health and fitness system so effective it was licensed by a global multinational for their online TV series.  Dane’s coaching helps clients improve energy, manage weight, and enhance sports performance.

Dane has been featured across TV, radio, and print media, and has worked with celebrities, athletes, and everyday individuals alike. His work is grounded in human nutrition, exercise science, and behaviour change principles—including neuro-linguistic programming (NLP).

Dane is also the founder of Fuller Foods, a line of fast, protein-rich oats designed to support satiety and sustained energy. Dane’s mission is to make real, effective nutrition accessible for all.

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In this Mini Mikkipedia, I tackle a topic that comes up time and time again with clients and inside Mondays Matter: how to talk to your kids about food without passing on diet culture. If you’re a parent trying to model healthy habits without moralising food or triggering disordered thinking, this episode is for you.

I explore how to explain your goals to your kids (yes, even aesthetic ones!) while maintaining an abundance mindset. We cover why the issue isn't tracking or meal prep—but the language and energy we use around food and our bodies. This is a practical and compassionate episode for anyone navigating food conversations at home.

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This week on the podcast, Mikki speaks to Julianne Taylor, a registered nutritionist and PhD candidate, whose research is diving into one of the more complex and contested areas of nutrition science: the role of diet in managing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Julianne recently led a scoping review that sheds much-needed light on the challenges—and the promise—of using elimination and reintroduction diets for people with RA.

In this conversation, we explore the broader aims of Julianne’s research programme and what drew her into this niche in the first place. We unpack the motivations behind her review, including the striking lack of standardised protocols, the limitations of popular food sensitivity tests, and the idiosyncratic ways people seem to react to foods.

Julianne shares her insights on why dietary interventions remain underutilised in conventional care, despite strong patient interest and some compelling mechanistic leads—ranging from fasting and gut permeability to mast cells and neuroimmune crosstalk. We also discuss the impact of placebo and nocebo responses, the confounding effect of ultra-processed food removal.

If you’ve ever wondered why diet and autoimmunity remain such a grey area—or what it will take to turn that grey into actionable science—this episode is for you.

Julianne experienced first-hand the difference diet makes; she experimented with the popular Zone diet in the 90’s, and within days experienced increased energy, improved mental focus, and excellent appetite control leading to weight loss without hunger. Further experiments led to trying the paleo diet in 2009, which eliminated auto-immune joint inflammation and menstrual issues.

As a result she changed careers, from a designer to a nutritionist, and went back to University to study nutrition at Massey. In 2015 Julianne completed a post graduate diploma in nutrition science.

Julianne has been researching the connection between diet and health since 1997, and applying what she has learned to her clients with great success. She has a special interest in how diet controls appetite regulation via control of ‘hunger’ hormones. Using these diet principals she has helped hundreds of people lose weight with ease.

The effect of diet in reducing auto-immune disease is also a topic close to her heart, and in her post graduate work she researched diet studies and Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and interviewed 10 people who had successfully used a paleo diet to reduce symptoms or go into remission. Julianne is an AIP-certified coach.

Julianne is currently doing her PhD research on the topic of dietary strategies for rheumatoid arthritis, which includes an intervention pilot study on the effect of the auto-immune protocol (AIP) diet on RA

Julianne’s current hobby is powerlifting. She represented New Zealand in Sweden in 2019 in the Masters 3, 52kg category, winning a bronze medal for bench

https://juliannetaylornutrition.com/

https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com/96

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doLeFDn_Tr0&ab_channel=ArthritisNZ

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40181632/

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In this Mini Mikkipedia Monday, I break down what you actually need to know about Wegovy (semaglutide), now available in New Zealand. There’s a lot of noise around this weight loss medication—from the science to the stigma—and in this episode, I aim to cut through it with facts and context. I cover how GLP-1 agonists work, what makes them effective, and why they’re not just another “quick fix.” From appetite suppression and craving control to weight maintenance and muscle loss concerns, I offer a balanced look at the pros, cons, and common misconceptions. Plus, I share my take on why we need less judgment and more empathy when it comes to using tools like these in our broken food environment.

Highlights:

• The difference between Wegovy and Ozempic: use case and dosing
• How GLP-1 receptor agonists impact appetite, cravings, and metabolic health
• The role of semaglutide in long-term weight loss and potential downsides
• Why muscle loss isn’t a direct effect of the drug—and how to prevent it
• The wider implications for public health and why lifestyle vs. medication is a false dichotomy

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This week on the podcast, Mikki speaks to long-time strength and conditioning coach Darren Ellis, founder of Ellis Performance.

Darren brings decades of hands-on coaching experience and a no-nonsense approach to training, fat loss, and long-term health. We dive into some of the most commonly misunderstood elements of fat loss — from training style and frequency to mindset and habits — and why the basics still matter more than the latest trends.

We also talk about the rise of “entertainment fitness” (including HYROX — which, full disclosure, I love… and Darren decidedly does not). It makes for a great discussion on what truly moves the needle when your goal is body composition change — and why chasing novelty might be the very thing holding you back.

If you’ve ever felt confused about cardio vs strength, fasted vs fed training, or why fat loss feels harder in your 40s, this episode is full of practical, experience-based insights you’ll want to revisit again and again.

Darren is the S and C expert on Mondays Matter, which kicks off Monday 28 July - registrations for this kick off Monday 21 July to the public!

Darren Ellis, MSc, has an aim to share what he’s learned with as many people as possible, teaching them that there are no shortcuts with exercise, but that it can be achievable, and even fun, with good coaching and a supportive peer group. 

He is a regular contributor to a variety of popular print and web based health and fitness magazines, public speaker, and consultant to sporting organisations, businesses, universities and television.

Specialties: Strength training and nutrition for fitness, sport, weight loss, muscle gain, longevity.

Darren can be found at: https://www.darrenellis.coach/ 

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