This week I’m finding out all about pilates and yoga, the difference between them, the importance of movement, and the massive benefits that can be had from their practice.

To give me insights, tips and advice, I speak to two of Ireland’s leading experts and practitioners, Annie Kirwan and Lee Tracey, who are co-founders of Reformation, a Dublin-based studio.

Annie and Lee also reveal how and why yoga and pilates became so important to them, how they ditched careers in science and finance to pursue their dreams and why we need to all start re-connecting with ourselves to find quiet time in this world of busy-ness.

For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to:
www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/

And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and Twitter and [email protected].

Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unless you've been living under a rock in 2019, my guest on this week's Real Health podcast is known to pretty much everyone in Ireland after winning ITV's Love Island. He was a hugely popular winner and not only is he a proud Limerick man, he is also a very talented international athlete in rugby and athletics.

Greg O'Shea joins me on this week's episode to tell me about his Love Island experience, how he convinced his Mum to let him do it, what life has been like since the TV show, and we also talk about his sporting life, health and fitness, and how a serious injury nearly ended his rugby career.

“My long term plan before Love Island came along was to play rugby for as long as I can and then move into being a solicitor. But Love Island has now opened up so many doors for me. Never in a million years did I think I would be presenting a breakfast show. I’m a lucky man.”

For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to:
www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/

And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and Twitter and [email protected].

Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In his work with Leinster Rugby and Dublin GAA, elite performance nutritionist, Daniel Davey, has seen how consistently eating good food can help you perform at your highest level.

But it’s not just in elite sport that this is true either. Anyone can feel and perform better with the right food choices. A healthy diet with appropriate energy and nutrients will make you feel energetic, positive, healthy, fit, strong and confident.

Tremendous results can be accomplished through the right diet and on this week’s Real Health podcast I speak to Daniel about his new book, Eat Up Raise Your Game: 100 Easy, Nutritious Recipes to Help You Perform Better.

He tells me how we can improve on the food that we eat, and has tips and advice for what we should be eating and drinking, before, during and after the gym.

Listen to the episode, read Daniel’s book and you’ll find out what you should be eating and at the right times to help improve your body and mind.

For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to:
www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/

And you can get in touch - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and Twitter and [email protected].

Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s the 40th anniversary of the Dublin Marathon and is the biggest one yet. So, if you’re one of the 22,500 runners taking part – or if you’re just into any kind of running – on this week’s Real Health, I wanted to bring you some race tips and advice from one of Ireland’s greatest ever runners, Catherina McKiernan.

Catherina has been an Olympian, European cross-country champion, four-time, World cross-country silver medallist, and is still the national marathon record holder with her victory in Amsterdam in 1998 in a time of 2 hours 22mins and 23 seconds. Who better to give you the tools needed to perform your best?

Incredibly, Catherina didn’t start running competitively until her final year of secondary school when she won the national cross country schools title and then realised she had a talent to go further.

Catherina has lots of great tips from rest, tapering your training, to the importance of relaxing your muscles during the race and visualisation and I’m sure you’ll find plenty in the interview to help improve your running.

“Know what you’re capable of doing,” she tells me. “Stick with the pacers and don’t go off too fast. When you do feel tired, have a plan in place so the mind doesn’t overpower you. Feed it positive thoughts all the time. There will be parts when you’re going to feel tired and accept it when it happens.”

Let me know how you get on if you are running in the Dublin Marathon - I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and Twitter and [email protected].

For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to:
www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/

Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s cold, damp and dark, the fire is looking more inviting each evening and it is becoming more and more difficult to train. Yes winter is arriving, so how to make sure you stay on track during these next few months?

For this week’s Real Health podcast I’ve got my top ten tips for winter training success. The key is to set yourself up for success. Write them down and put them into action so you don’t put on weight or don’t lose your training routine. Try any one of these tips – even better do all ten! – and you will find they will make a difference to your health and fitness.

If you’ve got your own tips that work for you, why not share them with me and the Real Health community – I’m @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and Twitter and [email protected].

For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to:
www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/

Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It massively impacts you in terms of running, training and everyday life and yet it’s not an area of health and fitness that people pay much attention to. What am I talking about? Your mobility, and on this week’s Real Health podcast, I speak to Brian O’Loughlin of Movement101 and find out why movement and mobility are the real secrets to Real Health.

“It’s not about stretching or foam rolling,” explains Brian. “It’s about being able to physically move the way you want to move. Foam rolling and stretching can help but they’re too passive.”

After a bad shoulder injury got worse over time without a solution, Brian decided to take matters into his own hands and focused on mobility and better movement. It’s a rapidly growing area of fitness and he trains many inter-county stars, including players from the Dublin football team.

“The body craves movement, give it more and more,” he tells me. “Once you’re aware of it, the onus and responsibility is on you. Move as much as you can every single day. The biggest indicator is: can you do what you want to do well?”

As always, if you have any questions for me or suggestions for show guests or topics, I'm @KarlHenryPTon Instagram and Twitter or [email protected].

For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to:
www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/

Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've covered nutrition before on the Real Health podcast from performance to healthy eating and this week I'm discussing fuelling your life with nutrition advice and tips from Danny Lennon of Sigma Nutrition.

Danny is the founder of Sigma Nutrition and has a master’s degree (MSc.) in Nutritional Sciences from University College Cork, during which time he completed his research thesis directly under the world-renowned vitamin D researcher Professor Kevin Cashman.

On this episode, Danny has ten key take-aways that you can use today in your everyday life with nutrition-specific tips around protein intake, snacking, food preparation and environment.

Plus, he also covers non-nutrition, lifestyle habits that will ensure you are living a well-balanced and healthy life.

As always, if you have any questions for me or suggestions for show guests or topics, I'm @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and Twitter or [email protected].

For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to:
www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/

Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aoibhín Garrihy, entrepreneur, former Fair City Actress and former Dancing with the Stars finalist, joined me on this week’s Real Health podcast to talk about family, career and health.

Aoibhín gave up acting and headed west to Clare, where, she says, she has found happiness.

“Every time I headed to the west I felt a weight lift off me, felt happier and at ease. The outdoors is my happy place. When you free yourself from shackles it can be very free-ing and liberating.”

Aoibhín also talks about family life, being Mum to Hanorah and expecting her second child in December with husband John Burke, and why everyone has an opinion on motherhood, especially on social media.

For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to:
www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/

Aoibhin Garrihy was speaking as part of Avonmore Fresh Milk’s Farmfulness campaign: www.avonmore.ie/our-story/our-farmers

If you want to contact me with your own Real Health questions, I'm @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and Twitter or [email protected].

Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“I didn’t really know who I was and most of us aren’t really comfortable with who we are.”

Alison Canavan, the personal wellness coach and former model, has been through her own struggles and now wants to bring self-empowerment and awareness to more people.

Joining me on this week’s Real Health podcast, Alison opens up about her journey, dealing with insecurities and how mindfulness has helped her deal with life’s struggles.

She also takes me through the 5 As – Awareness, Acceptance, Accessibility, Attitude and Alignment – that can act as the structure and foundation for re-connecting yourself.

“If we give back to ourselves with time we give back to our own lives,” she says.

Alison will also be appearing along with other leading health and wellness experts at the Vitality Expo, ‘a celebration of healthy living’ in the RDS on Sept 28-29th and to get discounted tickets for just €8 including the booking fee, go to VitalityExpo.ie and enter the discount code ‘Karl’.

For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to:
www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/

If you want to contact me with your own Real Health questions, I'm @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and Twitter or [email protected].

Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a special bonus episode live from the 2019 Ploughing Championships in Carlow, the Real Health podcast finds out about the health of the nation from Kate O’Flaherty, Director of Healthy Ireland, and Conor Owens, Child Psychologist with the HSE.

We’re living longer, and slowly but surely, as a country, we're eating healthier and getting fitter, but there is still a lot more to do with obesity a major issue and set to become even more so in the future.

Karl talks to Kate and Conor about what we can all be doing to help ourselves, our families and our kids in the drive for healthier living, including the thorny issue of screen-time.

How much is too much? Zero for 0-2 year olds and an hour for up to five year olds, says Conor. And for adults? 'Once it’s not interfering with your sleep, social interaction and physical activity. It's about quality v quantity,' he explains.

For more episodes, tips and advice from the show just go to:
www.independent.ie/podcasts/the-re…health-podcast/

If you want to contact me with your own Real Health questions, I'm @KarlHenryPT on Instagram and Twitter or [email protected].

Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe on Apple and Google Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts from.

The Real Health podcast is in association with Laya Healthcare.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.