In this week’s episode, Han is joined by Brittany Valentine. Brittany is a writer, dragon boat paddler, Shiba Inu mom, and mental health advocate. Brittany has had ARFID since birth but didn’t know until a few years ago. They now have an IG account where they are educating others on eating disorders and feeding differences, as well as documenting their journey of recovery.

This week, we discuss:

• Brittany's relationship with food and how they determined they had ARFID.
• The anxieties surrounding food that Brittany experiences, including sensory issues.
• Brittany's experience of food exposure and how this became easier as time progressed.
• Brittany's experience of using cannabis to support ARFID recovery.
• The endocannabinoid system and how this is related to food intake and eating behaviours.
• The importance of consulting with a medical professional and consuming cannabis in moderation to avoid dependence.
• The benefits of cannabis use for ARFID, based on a US study.
• Brittany's perspective on recovery and their hopes for the future.

To learn more about Brittany, please head to their IG page @myplatemybusiness.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to care for yourself while listening and seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

Please note that while we discuss the use of cannabis for medicinal purposes on the Full of Beans podcast, we do not recommend taking cannabis without proper medical guidance. It is crucial to avoid purchasing cannabis from unsafe or unregulated sources, as this can pose significant health risks. Always consult a healthcare professional before considering any form of medicinal cannabis use.

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Gemma Sharp and Alisha Randhawa. Gemma is an Associate Professor of Research and Senior Clinical Psychologist who leads the Body Image & Eating Disorders Research Program at Monash University in Melbourne. Gemma is also the lead of the International Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders which will be officially launched in September 2024. Alisha Randhawa is a Research Officer at the Body Image & Eating Disorders Research Group at Monash University in Melbourne, and an aspiring clinical psychologist.

This week, we discuss:

• The link between the menopause and eating disorders.
• The impact that the menopause can have on a woman's health, including her mental health.
• The impact of changes in hormone levels, particularly oestrogen and testosterone.
• The impact the menopause may have on a woman's relationship with her body.
• The motivation for starting the project Gemma and Alisha have worked on together and the resources required for women going through the menopause.
• How loved ones can support someone going through the menopause.

To find out more about Gemma, please head over to their research page or send any questions you have about the podcast or Gemma's work to Gemma Sharp [email protected]. You can also connect with Gemma and Alisha on LinkedIn to keep up to date with their research.

To find the menopause resource mentioned in this episode, please click here. You can also find the International Consortium for Research in Eating Disorders and online registration for the consortium launch on 25th Sept 2024 using the links attached.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week’s episode, Han is joined by Angus Castle-Doughty. Angus is an actor and film-maker known mostly for portraying Eric Foster in the award-winning Incel storyline at Hollyoaks. After taking it upon himself to lose weight for a role in a major Netflix series, he developed disordered eating and muscle dysmorphia symptoms. Now he’s making a film, Dis-Morph-Ick, in response to that experience and in a bid to increase public awareness of male eating disorders. Angus has been seen in beloved TV shows since 2020 and now is stepping behind the camera to tell this important story.

In this week's episode, we discuss:

• Angus' experience of intermittent fasting and the impact this had on his relationship with food and self.
• Angus' experience of being on holiday and the disordered thoughts that came up for him around food and his weight.
• The impact of the acting world on Angus' relationship with his body and food.
• Angus' relationship with exercise and understanding how you can have a healthy relationship with exercise after a disordered relationship.
• The impact of your body being on camera and how this can encourage rumination and body dysmorphia.
• The impact of before and after photos on your mental health and the health of others.
• Why Angus is creating Dis-Morph-Ick and the premise behind the film.

To find out more about Dis-Morph-Ick, or to get involved, you can visit the Greenlit page or check out Angus' Instagram.

In this week’s episode, Han is joined by Laura Annikal. Laura is a professional ballet dancer and sociology graduate, who has faced the pressures of body image and eating disorders in the ballet world, inspiring her to write a thesis on the subject. In ballet, where thinness is equated with success, dancers often conform to harmful body standards at the expense of their well-being. Many eating disorders go unnoticed or untreated, due to a lack of education among teachers and directors. She is dedicated to promoting body acceptance and addressing eating disorders in the ballet community, advocating for valuing health over thinness.

This week, we discuss:

• Laura's experience of developing an eating disorder and how the body standards enforced in ballet led to disordered behaviours.
• The impact of disordered eating on Laura's dancing, as well as her mental and physical health.
• The way Laura perceived her eating disorder, as she didn't have anorexia or appear emaciated, but rather struggled with bulimia.
• The different pressures put on men and women at ballet school, and how this can impact the development of disordered eating.
• The change required within the dance profession to make it more accessible, reduce the pressure to confirm to certain body types, and avoid dancers developing eating disorders and disordered eating.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week’s podcast, Han is joined by Amalie Lee! Amalie is a trained coach with a background in Psychology. Frustrated with the lack of easy-to-understand, science-backed eating disorder information online, Amalie started Let's Recover during her recovery from Anorexia Nervosa over a decade ago. Amalie is especially interested in the biopsychology of eating disorders, reactive hunger, and the cognitive-behavioural effects of undernourishment. In addition to coaching, Amalie hosts the podcast 'Recovery Talk', and writes the Substack newsletter 'Let's Recover'.

This week, we discuss:

• Our thoughts behind extreme, or reactive, hunger and why this occurs during eating disorder recovery.
• The change in hunger and energy levels during an eating disorder vs recovery, why this happens and how to navigate it.
• The secret nature of an eating disorder that makes you feel special, and how to swap this narrative.
• How to navigate intrusive thoughts from your eating disorder around your weight and food, and how to keep eating through recovery.
• The difficulty quasi-recovery brings, how to challenge eating disorder beliefs and the importance of recognising where eating disorder behaviours arise.
• The theory behind cravings and a famine response in anorexia.
• Amalie's advice when clients experience reactive hunger and how to keep engaged in recovery.

To find out more about Amalie, you can follow them on Instagram @amalielee, visit their website or check out their podcast, Recovery Talk.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Dr. Lara Zibarras, a food freedom psychologist and an eating disorder recovery coach. She combines a background in psychology and training in nutrition, intuitive eating, and eating disorders to help clients heal their relationship with food and body image. Her 20s and 30s were riddled with food anxieties and disordered eating, so finding food freedom was truly life changing. She now runs coaching programs and online courses to help clients find health without obsession and the freedom and joy in eating again.

This week, we discuss:

• Lara's experience of an eating disorder, and how this has brought her to work as an eating disorder recovery coach.
• Lara's experience of bulimia and the relief purging gave her.
• How Lara navigated the feeling of fullness which she had come to find extremely uncomfortable.
• The pressure of "bouncing back" after having a baby and losing weight for a wedding, and how this was normalised despite Lara's history of an eating disorder.
• The rise of wellness culture and how this triggered the development of orthorexia for Lara.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

This week, Han is joined by David Coyle. David is a Consultant Psychiatrist, and the Clinical Lead for Adult Eating Disorder Services across multiple Trusts in Northern Ireland. With a career spanning 18 years in mental health and 7 years specialising in eating disorders, David is dedicated to his clinical work, especially where he can be creative and innovative. He is also passionate about teaching and provides training for various regional healthcare disciplines. One of his notable interests is exploring the treatment options available for severe and complex eating disorders.

This week, Han and David discuss:

• David's journey as a consultant psychiatrist and how he began working in eating disorders.
• David's perspective on using diagnostic labels and the importance of accessing treatment.
• The importance of getting to know a patient and their difficulties to provide adequate recovery treatment.
• The need for weight restoration in recovery as well as the uncertainty this can bring in recovery.
• David's perspective on the descriptor "Severe and Enduring Eating Disorder" and when this may be supportive for patients.
• David's perspective on the Mental Health Act and when it may be appropriate to detain a patient or not.
• David's experience of supporting a patient with palliative care and the reasons for when this may be necessary.
• How to determine if a patient has the capacity to decide on palliative care. Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics such as the Mental Health Act and palliative care. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week's episode, Han is joined by Priya Tew. Priya is an award-winning, experienced registered eating disorder dietitian who specialises in IBS. Priya has experience working in the NHS and private hospitals, working with people on a 1-1 basis and as outpatients. Priya now works with clients 1-1 and in her Recovery Tribe group sessions as part of her private practice to support eating disorder recovery.

This week, we discuss:

• Common diet myths and how Priya works to reduce these in society.
• The hype around gluten-free products and why this has become a diet trend.
• The overlap between eating disorders and IBS symptoms and digestive issues.
• Tips for individuals going through recovery and experiencing digestive issues.

You can learn more about Priya by following her on Instagram @priya_tew or visiting their website.

Priya is also taking bookings for her 12-week eating disorder recovery course, The Recovery Tribe! The next course will open in September and only 10 places will be available! Each week will involve small group sessions with your community. Group sessions allow you to share recovery highs and lows with others, receive support between sessions, access an expert dietitian at an affordable cost, and engage in structured learning through video resources each week! Sign up for the Recovery Tribe waitlist here!

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week’s episode, Han is joined by Joel Frost. Joel is a qualified Health Coach & Eating Disorder Specialist. Joel founded Re-minded who support sporty and active people who have recognised that they have a disordered relationship with food and movement. Re-minded aims to empower them with the tools and education to perform at the highest level possible whilst optimising their lives further than the sports pitch. Joel was inspired to build Re-minded following his journey grappling with an eating disorder for 5 years which coincided with his dreams of pursuing a career as a professional golfer.

This week, Han & Joel discuss:

• Joel's eating disorder experience and how his dream to be a professional golfer impacted this.
• The impact of stepping away from golf on Joel's recovery.
• The impact of reframing Joel's relationship with golf, and how this has transformed his mindset on and off the course.
• Joel's relationship with alcohol and how he used this negatively during his eating disorder.
• Joel's mission with Re-minded and his hopes for supporting individuals in sport to find food and exercise freedom. To find out more about Joel, you can follow him on Instagram @joelo_frost or @re___minded. You can also visit the Re-minded website at https://www.re-minded.co.uk/. Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.

In this week's episode, Emma is a specialist Eating Disorder Dietitian and a Certified Intuitive Eating Counsellor. She works as a dietitian in a community NHS Eating Disorder Service and at Food Life Freedom, supporting people to take the stress out of food and build trust and confidence in their bodies.

Emma uses a process of reframing how you think and feel around food, building connection and trust with your unique body, and then building confidence in navigating conflicting food and body messages so you no longer get overwhelmed by food and health information.

This week, we discuss:

• Emma's introduction to the world of disordered eating and how intuitive eating can support this.
• The truth behind the use of medical tests and equipment for specific conditions and promoting them on a population level to "support health", which are actually weight-management mechanisms.
• The impact wellness programmes have on your trust and relationship with your body.
• Tips for individuals looking to move away from diet culture, as it can be scary when it is normalised in society.
• The importance of intention and flexibility around behaviours and how these behaviours may be supportive in some circumstances.
• The difference between wellness programmes and diet programmes, and how product placement can make it more enticing to sign up. You can find out more about Emma by following her on Instagram @food.life.freedom or check out their website to access Emma's service and online course. Emma is also the host of the Food & Life Freedom Podcast and has a free e-book and video training available to download.

Kindly note, that this episode delves into sensitive eating disorder topics. Remember to take care of yourself while listening, and always seek professional help if needed. This podcast is your bridge to insightful discussions, not a substitute for clinical guidance.