In this week’s episode, I am discussing the topic of BMI. I would like to preface this episode by saying that I acknowledge my thin privilege, so this is by no means a perfect conversation. However, I do believe that it is an important one to have. The definition of health is somewhat subjective. Tools such as the BMI neglect to consider psychological, environmental, and social aspects of health (to name a few), so is it really a good measure of health? Or is it simply a tool that perpetuates weight stigma? I discuss these points and more in this episode.

I discuss:

• When and why the concept of BMI was developed (6:00)
• Weight stigma and the validation of BMI. Can someone\'s BMI really tell us how healthy they are? (10:00)
• What are the consequences of using BMI in practice? (13:00)
• Is there any relationship between weight and health? (14:12)
• The value we place on the life and lived experiences of those living in larger bodies. Have you considered your own potential weight biases? (19:15)
• The impact of labeling someone as being healthy or unhealthy based on their BMI. Is it helpful or harmful (20:05)
• Why the ability to change one’s body composition, size, or weight is is a lot more complex than you think (24:46)

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In this week’s episode, I am joined by a sustainability advocate and founder of Banish, Lottie Dalziel. Following a 2018 New Years’ resolution to reduce waste, Lottie founded Banish - an online store and education platform designed to give Australian’s the tools they need to reduce their waste and ecological footprint. I asked Lottie to join me on the podcast to set the record straight on some common misconceptions regarding what it means to live sustainably and offer you some practical tips should you wish to start taking small steps towards living for a better environment.

We discuss:

• Lottie’s story and why she is so passionate about environmental sustainability (2:33)
• The shame and stigma associated with making unsustainable choices (7:58)
• Why should we care about environmental sustainability (13:25)
• The impact of population growth and consumerism on environmental sustainability (15:25)
• How climate change is impacting our health (17:30)
• Can the choices of one person really make a difference? (19:20)
• Realistic advice for those wanting to live more sustainably (24:25)
• The impact of food waste on climate change (26:55)
• Microplastics. What are they and how are they impacting our health? (35:10)

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In this week’s episode, I discuss the challenges associated with transitioning out of lockdown and how you can deal with the fear associated with returning to normal life when your weight, body composition, and/or eating habits have changed during lockdown. This episode will provide you with practical tips for increasing body confidence, navigating conversations around changes in your body composition and eating habits, and provide guidance on how you can get back to being yourself in a healthy manner. 

I discuss:

• Why there has been a change in body image and eating habits during lockdown (4:42)
• Dealing with the fear associated with returning to normality when your body is a different shape and size (13:25)
• The reality of lockdown weight gain and why it has been a common experience (19:05)
• Avoiding the comparison trap (22:38)
• The relationship with food and emotional eating (24:55)
• Tips for improving your body image as we come out of lockdown (27:26)
• Dealing with comments relating to your body composition (31:00)
• Managing anxiety around how to maintain a healthy lifestyle (35:10)
• Assessing the degree of rigidity you have developed around your food and lifestyle habits. Are they coming from a place of fear or alignment with your values? (40:40)
• Practical tips for increasing your body confidence (47:18)

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• Ashleigh’s own story with chronic pain and painful sex (3:45)
• What is pain? And is all pain bad? (10:15) 
• How common is sexual pain? (12:40)
• Common conditions that cause pain during sex and the treatment options available for these (16:25)
• Trauma-informed pain (20:30)
• The mental and emotional impact of painful sex (29:30)
• How to talk to your partner about your condition (31:00)
• Dealing with invalidation from health professionals and what to do about it (35:30)
• Dealing with the shame associated with sexual pain (39:40)
• How to begin seeking help if you are experiencing sexual pain (46:50)

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In this week\'s episode, I share my own experience living and running a business with anxiety. This is a Q+A style episode that I decided to record in light of world mental health day which was on October 10, 2021. In it, I answer questions asked by my audience to provide insight into my own journey with anxiety and the experiences of those who struggle with this mental health condition.

The questions I answer include:

• When did my anxiety start? (2:08) 
• How did I know it was time to seek help for my anxiety? (4:12)
• How did I know I had anxiety and it wasn’t just normal worry and stress? (8:30)
• Do I experience physical symptoms of anxiety? (10:57)
• What is my anxiety related to? Work? Relationships? (14:12)
• Do I see a psychologist? And if so, what is my experience in therapy? (17:23)
• Have I been on medication for my anxiety? (21:12)
• Is there a relationship between perfectionism and anxiety? And if so, do my perfectionistic tendencies relate to my anxiety? (25:07)
• Do I experience health anxiety? (27:04) 
• Do certain foods or alcohol play a role in my anxiety? (27:56)
• How can people support a partner that has anxiety? (30:34)
• How can you explain anxiety to a partner? (32:00)
• What strategies have helped me manage my anxiety? (35:14)

Should you need support, help is available
Lifeline Australia 13 11 14 
Beyond Blue 1300 224 636

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In this week’s episode, I share my journey with coeliac disease. I explore what coeliac disease is, the symptoms, how it is diagnosed, what treatment looks like, and long-term side effects if left untreated. This episode is a great one for those who would like to learn more about coeliac disease and/or my journey with it.

I discuss:

• What coeliac disease is and what damage it causes the gut (2:30)
• How coeliac disease is developed. Are some people more susceptible to developing coeliac disease than others? (6:20) 
• The story of my diagnosis with coeliac disease (8:50)
• How coeliac disease is diagnosed (16:30)
• Symptoms of coeliac disease (21:00)
• Advice for coeliacs when eating out (29:00)
• Treatment of coeliac disease and the long term risks of ignoring this (25:00)
• Healing the gut from coeliac disease. How long does it take for the gut to return to ‘normal’? (32:47)

Can you eat oats on a gluten-free diet? Click here for the answer.

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In this week’s episode, I am joined by adventurer, environmental scientist, and fellow AIA Vitality Ambassador Tim Jarvis to talk about the impact of our diet and food choices on climate change. Tim holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Science and Environmental Law, was conferred a Member of the Order of Australia for his services to the environment, community, and exploration in the 2010 Australian honours list, and was voted Conservationist of the Year in 2016 by the Australian Geographic Society. With such an impressive resume, there was no better person to join me on the podcast to talk about this topic and provide practical advice around what we can do as individuals to reduce our impact on the environment.

We discuss:

 

• How the environment can impact health outcomes (2:30)
• The origin of Tim’s passion for environmental sustainability (5:50)
• The role of dietary choices and food waste in climate change (7:10)  
• How animal-based dietary trends (such as a carnivore and keto diet) impact the environment (13:50)
• The health risks associated with a diet high in animal-based foods (17:20) 
• Plant-based meat alternatives. Are they really better for the environment? (21:20)
• What plant-based milk options have the least environmental impact? (24:20)
• Organic produce. Is it better for the environment? (27:20)
• Whether eating local and native ingredients have any environmental benefit (30:35)
• Motivators for making more sustainable dietary choices (43:52)
• Additional ways (outside of dietary choices) that we can look after the environment and reduce our carbon footprint (51:25)

Learn more about Tim’s Forktree Project here.

This week’s episode is brought to you by AIA Vitality. To learn more about how you can make small steps to improve both your own health and the health of the environment please visit www.aia.com.au/smallsteps

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Trigger Warning: Please be advised that this episode contains discussions around eating disorders, complex trauma, and suicide. Should you now, or at any time during this episode, feel triggered by these discussions, please feel comfortable leaving this space at any time.

In this week’s episode, I am joined by psychologist and founder of Gray Mind Psychology, Meghan Gray to discuss how best to support someone with an eating disorder. Meghan has a background working in severe and complex trauma settings and has a particular interest in trauma-informed practice. Within her current work with eating disorders, Meghan focuses on helping individuals to develop a healthy sense of self and new ways of coping to enable them to separate from their eating disorder self and reconnect with a fulfilling and meaningful life once again.

We discuss:

• The difference between disordered eating and an eating disorder (4:40)
• Why people develop eating disorders (8:20) 
• Whether certain personality traits make people more susceptible to developing an eating disorder (15:14)
• What is happening inside the mind of someone with an eating disorder...why can’t they just ‘stop’? (17:15) 
• What treatment looks like for someone with an eating disorder (27:16)
• How to start a conversation with someone you think may be struggling with an eating disorder (34:16) 
• Things to avoid saying when speaking to someone who has an eating disorder (37:20)
• Is it better to start a conversation with someone and say the wrong thing? Or better to say nothing at all? (44:10) 
• Eating disorder recovery - What does it look like? How long does it take? (46:50)

Resources for family and friends
Nation Eating Disorders Collaboration (NEDC) 
Butterfly Foundation 

Resources for those with an eating disorder
8 Keys to Recovering from an Eating Disorder by Carolyn Costin (book)
Butterfly Foundation Helpline 1800 334 673
Lifeline Australia 13 11 14 

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In this week’s episode, I talk about the difference between striving towards a healthy goal and disordered eating. The line between the two can be often become blurred, so this episode dives into the different ways that we can identify when healthy habits start to become unhealthy by jeopardising our physical and mental wellbeing.

I discuss:

 

• The line between flexible and rigid eating and why this is different for everyone (7:16) 
• Signs that your healthy habits are turning into unhealthy ones (10:24)
• Fears around goal setting. Can you set goals without jeopardising your mental health and wellbeing? (13:00)
• The importance of intention when setting a health goal (17:04) 
• Self-awareness and the role this plays in identifying your disordered eating risk (19:32)
• Personality traits that indicate rigid eating may not be a good choice for you (20:00) 
• Personality traits that carry a lower risk of disordered eating with rigid eating habits (21:05) 
• Building confidence in your own decision-making regarding online health advice (22:05)
• I share an activity to help you identify the health habits that make you feel good and the ones that promote anxiety or other negative thoughts and emotions (23:35)
• Food rules. Are they beneficial or do they promote disordered eating? (25:10)
• Signs your health journey isn’t so healthy (29:00)

If this episode has raised any concerns for you, you can contact the Butterfly Foundations Helpline on 1800 ED HOPE (1800 33 4673)

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