Could your gut be influencing your mood, anxiety levels, hormones, and even the way you think?

In this episode of the Mood Food Podcast Gut Health Series, hosts Prreeti Butani and Pramila Vishvanath, LCEH, PA, ND bring together many of the topics explored throughout the series to examine one of the most fascinating areas of health science today: the gut-brain connection.

The conversation explores how the microbiome communicates with the brain and how disruptions in gut health may contribute to symptoms such as anxiety, brain fog, migraines, digestive discomfort, PMS, inflammation, and mood changes. Through personal experiences and practical discussion, the hosts examine how lifestyle, diet, stress, hormones, and the microbiome may all be connected.  

The episode also dives into questions many people ask themselves:

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In This Episode:

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The gut and brain are in constant communication. Understanding that relationship may change the way you think about your health.

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Have you ever noticed changes in your digestion when you’re stressed—or changes in your mood when your diet changes?

Share your experience in the comments below.

You can’t eliminate stress—but you can change how your body responds to it.

In Part 2 of the Mood Food Podcast Stress & Gut Health Series, hosts Preeti Butani and Pramila Vishvanath, LCEH, PA, ND continue their exploration of the powerful relationship between stress and the digestive system.

After examining the science behind the gut-brain connection in Part 1, this episode focuses on the practical side of stress management: what we can do each day to support both our mental and physical health.

Through an engaging discussion, the hosts explore how simple lifestyle choices—from sleep and nutrition to movement, breathing, and social connection—can help regulate the nervous system, improve gut function, and build long-term resilience.

 In This Episode:

Stress is an unavoidable part of life. The goal isn’t perfection—it’s developing the tools to respond in healthier ways and create a stronger foundation for long-term wellness.

This episode completes our two-part series on Stress & Gut Health, offering practical insights that listeners can begin applying immediately.

 Join the Conversation

In this episode of the Mood Food Podcast Gut Health Series, hosts Preeti Butani and Pramila Vishvanath, LCEH, PA, ND begin a special two-part conversation exploring the relationship between stress and gut health.

This first episode focuses on how chronic stress impacts the body — especially the digestive system — and why the gut is often one of the first places stress shows up physically.

Joined by a gut health expert, the discussion explores the science of the gut-brain connection, the role of the nervous system, and how stress can contribute to symptoms like bloating, reflux, digestive discomfort, inflammation, fatigue, brain fog, and mood changes.

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 In This Episode:

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Stress affects more than the mind — it affects the entire body. Understanding that connection is the first step toward better health.

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 Join the Conversation

In Part 2 of the Mood Food Podcast Gut Health Series, hosts Preeti Butani and Pramila Vishvanath, LCEH, PA, ND continue their exploration of gut health across the lifespan — this time focusing on adulthood through aging.

Building on Part 1 (conception through the 20s), this episode dives into how the gut microbiome changes over time and why factors like stress, hormones, medications, and lifestyle begin to have a greater impact on digestion, immunity, and overall health.

Joined by a gut health expert, the discussion breaks down what’s normal, what’s not, and how to better support your gut at every stage of life.

✨ In This Episode:

How gut health evolves in adulthood and later life

The impact of stress, sleep, and lifestyle on digestion

Hormonal changes and their effect on the gut

The role of medications and antibiotics over time

Common digestive issues in adulthood — and what’s normal

How to support a healthy microbiome as you age

Practical, sustainable habits for long-term gut health

Together with Part 1, this episode completes a full picture of how gut health develops, changes, and can be supported across a lifetime.

💬 Join the Conversation

Watch Part 1 to understand gut health from conception through your 20s

Subscribe for more conversations on food, health, and culture

Comment below: What changes have you noticed in your gut health over time?

In this episode of the Mood Food Podcast, hosts Preeti Butani and Pramila Vishvanath, LCEH, PA, ND kick off a special two-part series exploring gut health across the lifespan.

Part 1 focuses on the earliest stages of life — from conception and infancy through childhood, adolescence, and into the 20s — and how the gut microbiome develops during these critical years.

Joined by a gut health expert, the conversation unpacks how early-life factors like birth method, diet, antibiotics, and environment shape digestion, immunity, and overall health for years to come.

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 In This Episode:

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Understanding what’s normal is the first step toward better health — for yourself and for the next generation.

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 Join the Conversation

Your gut is talking. Are you listening?

In this episode of the Mood Food Podcast Breast Cancer Journey series, hosts Prreeti Butani and Pramila Vishvanath, LCEH, PA, ND sit down for a moving and eye-opening conversation about the realities of breast cancer treatment in India.

Featuring candid reflections from two breast cancer survivors and their surgeon, this episode explores the many layers of the patient experience — from diagnosis and decision-making to family involvement, emotional resilience, and recovery. The discussion sheds light on how cultural values and strong family support systems can both strengthen and complicate the treatment journey, especially when women are navigating major medical decisions within broader social and familial structures.    

A major focus of this conversation is patient empowerment: the importance of asking questions, understanding treatment options, and building trust with medical professionals who truly listen. The episode also tackles an especially important issue in global breast cancer care — access to breast reconstruction — including the startling reality that less than 1% of women in India undergoing mastectomy are offered immediate breast reconstruction, despite how profoundly body image, identity, and quality of life can be affected.    

This is an honest, compassionate, and thought-provoking discussion about what it means to treat the whole patient — not just the disease.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment experiences in India

• The role of family, community, and social support

• Cultural influences on medical decision-making

• Why patient education and self-advocacy matter

• The importance of trust between patients and physicians

• Breast reconstruction awareness and access disparities

• What healthcare systems around the world can learn from one another       

If this conversation resonates with you, please like, comment, and subscribe — and share it with someone who may need to hear it.

This episode of the Mood Food Podcast is personal — and powerful. Host Prreeti Butani sits down with Vikram Butani, co-founder and CEO of KUBTEC, and Tom Siffringer, Vice President of Clinical Sales, to look back on 20 years of purpose-driven innovation in surgical imaging.

From a single idea printed at Kinko’s to a global company transforming breast cancer care, this is the story of how vision, science, and compassion can change lives. Together, they discuss the origins of KUBTEC, the development of the MOZART® System for intraoperative specimen imaging, and how the company’s mission — to reudce the chances of repeat surgeries and improve patient outcomes — continues to guide every breakthrough.

QUESTIONNAIRE : https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IkFUlVqr5-bKyhin6c09tPVqSEd8PSU1?usp=drive_link

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In This Episode: • The humble beginnings of KUBTEC and its first big break • How surgical imaging technology evolved into breast cancer innovation • What “no more cancer” means to the people behind the company • Overcoming challenges — from fire to pandemic — with resilience and purpose • Why patient care and human connection remain the company’s foundation • The power of small companies to drive medical innovation • Empowering women with knowledge and choice in their treatment

⸻ Guests: Vikram Butani, Co-founder & CEO, KUBTEC Tom Siffringer, Vice President of Clinical Sales, KUBTEC Host:  Prreeti Butani

⸻ Join the Conversation • Subscribe for more stories in the Breast Cancer Journey series • Share this episode to celebrate innovation and hope in healthcare • Comment below: What does “no more cancer” mean to you?

⸻ Connect with Us Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/moodfood_podcast/

TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@moodfood1111

Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4yXMyV4V3bQfr01KRbZSPt

Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mood-food/id1813460257

⸻ #MoodFoodPodcast #BreastCancerJourney #KUBTEC #BreastCancerAwareness #MOZARTSystem #InnovationInMedicine #SurgicalImaging #WomenInMedicine #ClearMargins #PatientCare #MedicalTechnology #HopeAndHealing #NoMoreCancer

In this special episode of the Mood Food Podcast, hosts Dr. Prreeti Butani and Dr. Pramila Vishvanath LCEH, PA, ND speak with internationally recognized breast surgeon Dr. Ashutosh Kothari who was the Clinical Lead of the Academic Breast Cancer Unit at Guy’s & St. Thomas’ NHS Trust in London. He leads one of the busiest tertiary referral centres in the UK. He chairs multiple breast-cancer leadership groups, teaches globally, mentors future surgeons, and has led first-in-man clinical trials exploring new imaging technologies for breast cancer. He is European Representative of the Indian Association of Surgical Oncology and contributing to clinical development and surgical collaboration at H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai, where he is director of breast surgery at one of India’s leading centres for cancer care.

With decades of clinical experience and a global teaching footprint, Dr. Kothari brings rare insight into the evolving world of breast cancer surgery, from oncoplastic techniques to patient-centered decision-making and innovation in margin assessment. In this thoughtful conversation, he reflects on how surgical training has changed, what patients value most in a surgeon, and why precision and compassion must coexist in modern breast cancer care.

⸻ In This Episode:

• The evolution of oncoplastic breast surgery

• How surgeons balance cancer control and cosmetic outcomes

• Why communication and shared decision-making matter more than ever

• International differences in breast cancer care

• Innovations improving surgical precision

• The future of training the next generation of breast surgeons

• Dr. Kothari’s philosophy: treating the patient, not just the disease

⸻ Guest: Dr. Ashutosh Kothari, Consultant Breast & Oncoplastic Surgeon Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

Hosts: Dr. Prreeti Butani Dr. Pramila Vishvanath, LCEH, PA, ND

⸻ Join the Conversation

• Subscribe for more episodes in the Breast Cancer Journey series

• Share this episode to support global awareness in breast health

• Comment below: What questions do you have about breast surgery or reconstruction?

⸻ Share your biggest takeaway in the comments - it helps more women find this episode. Watch all episodes from our Breast Cancer Awareness Series on our Youtube channel.

⸻ Connect with Us Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/moodfood_podcast/

TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@moodfood1111

Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4yXMyV4V3bQfr01KRbZSPt

Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mood-food/id1813460257

⸻ #BreastCancerJourney #BreastSurgery #OncoplasticSurgery #DrAshutoshKothari #BreastCancerAwareness #MoodFoodPodcast #WomenInMedicine #SurgicalInnovation #ClearMargins #GlobalHealth #PatientCare #CompassionInMedicine

In this special episode of the Mood Food Podcast, hosts Dr. Prreeti Butani and Dr. Pramila Vishvanath LCEH, PA, ND speak with internationally recognized breast surgeon Dr. Ashutosh Kothari who was the Clinical Lead of the Academic Breast Cancer Unit at Guy’s & St. Thomas’ NHS Trust in London. He leads one of the busiest tertiary referral centres in the UK. He chairs multiple breast-cancer leadership groups, teaches globally, mentors future surgeons, and has led first-in-man clinical trials exploring new imaging technologies for breast cancer. He is European Representative of the Indian Association of Surgical Oncology and contributing to clinical development and surgical collaboration at H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital in Mumbai, where he is director of breast surgery at one of India’s leading centres for cancer care.

With decades of clinical experience and a global teaching footprint, Dr. Kothari brings rare insight into the evolving world of breast cancer surgery, from oncoplastic techniques to patient-centered decision-making and innovation in margin assessment.

In this thoughtful conversation, he reflects on how surgical training has changed, what patients value most in a surgeon, and why precision and compassion must coexist in modern breast cancer care.

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In This Episode:

• The evolution of oncoplastic breast surgery

• How surgeons balance cancer control and cosmetic outcomes

• Why communication and shared decision-making matter more than ever

• International differences in breast cancer care

• Innovations improving surgical precision

• The future of training the next generation of breast surgeons

• Dr. Kothari’s philosophy: treating the patient, not just the disease

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Guest:

Dr. Ashutosh Kothari, Consultant Breast & Oncoplastic Surgeon

Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK

Hosts:

Dr. Prreeti Butani

Dr. Pramila Vishvanath, LCEH, PA, ND

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Join the Conversation

• Subscribe for more episodes in the Breast Cancer Journey series

• Share this episode to support global awareness in breast health

• Comment below: What questions do you have about breast surgery or reconstruction?

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Share your biggest takeaway in the comments - it helps more women find this episode.

Watch all episodes from our Breast Cancer Awareness Series on our Youtube channel.

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Connect with Us

Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/moodfood_podcast/

TikTok → https://www.tiktok.com/@moodfood1111

Spotify → https://open.spotify.com/show/4yXMyV4V3bQfr01KRbZSPt

Apple Podcasts → https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mood-food/id1813460257

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#BreastCancerJourney #BreastSurgery #OncoplasticSurgery #DrAshutoshKothari #BreastCancerAwareness #MoodFoodPodcast #WomenInMedicine #SurgicalInnovation #ClearMargins #GlobalHealth #PatientCare #CompassionInMedicine