The MEN1 Mosaic

What happens when your life no longer feels like home?

In this soft, soul-level conversation, Diwa and I explore the identity shifts that happen when illness, change, or pressure pull you away from your authentic self. We talk about how to come back to your body—gently, compassionately, and without judgment.

In this episode:
• Illness, identity loss, and the grief of change
• What to do when your body doesn’t feel safe
• Kundalini yoga and the release of stuck emotions
• Boundaries, self-permission, and everyday self-love
• Why community and vulnerability are key to healing

Diwa’s work supports women—especially travelling partners—who are navigating emotional transitions, inner disconnection, or simply yearning for more joy. Connect with her here.

Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here

Disclaimer
I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

Could your dog’s behaviour—or even their health—be reflecting what’s going on inside you?

In this eye-opening episode, animal communicator and energy practitioner Viviana reveals how our dogs often mirror our emotional wounds, energetic imbalances, and stress. Whether it’s anxiety, illness, or “bad behaviour,” what if your dog is actually showing you something about you?

In this conversation, we explore:

• How your dog may be absorbing your stress or trauma
• The energetic connection between humans and animals
• Why gut health is key to your pet’s emotional and physical well-being
• How to support your dog’s true nature in a human world

About Our Guest:
Viviana is an animal communicator, energy healer, and founder of Skool of Drool. Her work helps dogs and their guardians reconnect through intuitive communication, bodywork, and energetic healing—so both can live in alignment, authenticity, and health. Connect with Viviana here.

Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here

Disclaimer
I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

How do you eat well when your pancreas isn’t playing ball?

Clinical dietitian, Yasmin Chotai de Lima, joins me on the MEN1 Mosaic Podcast to unpack some of the most misunderstood issues around food, digestion and low blood sugar in MEN1 and neuroendocrine cancer.

We cover:

The truth about 'carcinoid trigger foods'

What to do if you've had pancreatic surgery (or haven't—but still have gut issues)

What PERT is, why it matters, and how to navigate UK shortages

How to manage insulinomas or blood sugar crashes while protecting long-term health

Why trusting your gut matters when faced with confusing or conflicting advice

Yasmin Chotai de Lima is a registered clinical dietitian based at the Royal Free Hospital, London, where she specialises in supporting people with neuroendocrine cancer. Her expert knowledge and calm, compassionate approach have helped many patients navigate some of the most complex dietary challenges that come with these rare conditions.
Learn more about Yasmin’s work here.

Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here

Disclaimer
I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

What if the first signs of a child’s health issues weren’t in the blood—but in their breathing, jaw, or even sleep? I didn’t realise just how much oral health and orthodontics had clashed with my own MEN1 journey until I met Dr Steffan Decker. In this episode, he explains why mouth breathing, tongue position, and under-treated dental issues may be doing more than just affecting our smile—and why UK families might be missing crucial opportunities to intervene early.
 • Why mouth breathing matters far more than we’ve been told
 • How misdiagnosed orthodontic problems may mask deeper health issues
 • What MEN1 parents should know about sleep, growth, and jaw development
 • Why functional screening is worth doing—even if treatment comes later
 • How other cultures (and healthcare systems) approach this very differently

Dr Steffan Decker is a specialist orthodontist and airway-focused practitioner with clinics in London and Amersham. He combines orthodontics with cranial osteopathy, breathing therapy, and myofunctional approaches—treating patients not just for aesthetics, but for long-term stability and health.

Visit Dr Decker’s website here

Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here

Disclaimer
I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

What if blood sugar swings aren’t just about what you eat—but how and why you eat it? Christina Lile is a diabetic health consultant, registered nurse, and type 1 diabetic with over 40 years of lived experience. In this episode, we talk honestly about food, freedom, blood sugar, and how to stop letting health advice make you feel small.

We cover:

Why eating carbs isn’t the enemy

What binging and guilt really mean

How exercise, hormones, stress and weather affect blood sugar

Why personalised care must include mindset and curiosity

How Christina built a life and business around what the system didn’t teach her

Christina’s approach is refreshingly real, radically empowering, and rooted in community. Whether you’re navigating MEN1, diabetes, or just sick of cookie-cutter solutions, this episode will give you the permission you didn’t know you needed.

Learn more about Christina’s work:
https://mynurseadvocatecoaching.com

Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here

Disclaimer
I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

What if your chronic disease symptoms aren't just physical—but the result of a nervous system stuck in survival mode? In this deeply personal and thought-shifting conversation, I speak with Dr Erin Hayford, a naturopathic doctor and somatic practitioner who has lived on both sides of the healing journey. From being bedbound with Crohn’s disease to exploring what it really means to feel safe in your body, this episode dives into why trauma, people-pleasing, and misalignment with self can all play a role in how chronic illness expresses—and what can actually help.

Key takeaways:

How nervous system dysregulation affects chronic illness

The emotional root of symptoms (even in genetic conditions)

Why food fear and over-restriction might be doing more harm than good

A simple technique to reconnect with your body and calm your system

Learn more about Dr Erin Hayford and her work at:
https://www.drerinhayford.com

Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here

Disclaimer
I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

What does good parathyroid surgery look like for someone with MEN1? In this rare interview, leading UK endocrine surgeon Professor Fausto Palazzo shares what really matters — from timing and surgical options to what you should know before and after the operation.

Whether you’re newly diagnosed or weighing up next steps, this episode will help you feel informed, empowered, and ready to ask better questions.

You’ll learn:

Why MEN1 surgery isn’t the same as non-MEN1

What “success” means for MEN1 parathyroid surgery

The biggest pitfalls to avoid

Recovery tips most patients don’t hear

When surgery during pregnancy might be necessary

ABOUT OUR GUEST - Professor Fausto Palazzo is a leading UK endocrine surgeon specialising in parathyroid, thyroid, and adrenal surgery. Based in London, he is known internationally for his expertise in complex endocrine conditions and syndromes like MEN1. Professor Palazzo leads the endocrine surgery service at Hammersmith Hospital and regularly contributes to research, education, and multidisciplinary care.
Website - click here.

Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here

Disclaimer
I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

Could your gut be the missing piece in your MEN1 health journey? 

Dr. Pinelopi Chrysikou, a Functional Medicine and Lifestyle Medicine Specialist, shares groundbreaking insights into the gut’s role in immunity, inflammation, hormone balance, and overall health. We dive into why gut health is crucial for chronic conditions, the real impact of food intolerances, and practical steps to start healing from within.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:42 Understanding Functional Medicine
03:37 The Importance of Gut Health
04:19 Identifying Deficiencies and Their Causes
05:44 The Role of Stress and Nutrition
10:20 Autoimmunity and Gut Health
15:18 Functional Medicine in Practice
15:30 Consultation and Costs
18:31 Patient Experiences and Success Stories
27:21 Conclusion and Contact Information

ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Dr Pinelopi Chrysikou is a highly regarded lifestyle medicine specialist with a focus on integrating holistic, science-based approaches to optimise health and well-being. Her main areas of expertise include sleep disorders, anxiety management, lifestyle medicine, functional medicine, nutrition, as well as homeopathy. 

With extensive training and experience in both conventional medicine and lifestyle medicine, she takes a comprehensive approach to healthcare, emphasising prevention, disease management, and overall wellness through lifestyle interventions. Dr Chrysikou is deeply committed to the belief that the root causes of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, can be addressed and even reversed by adopting healthier lifestyle habits.

Her practice revolves around educating and empowering patients to make meaningful changes in areas such as nutrition, physical activity, stress management, sleep quality, and emotional well-being. By combining medical expertise with practical, sustainable lifestyle strategies, Dr Chrysikou offers patients a personalized pathway to improved health. Her expertise in nutrition is one of the cornerstones of her practice.

Dr Chrysikou provides tailored dietary plans that focus on whole, nutrient-dense foods, helping patients improve their metabolic health, manage weight, and reduce the risk of lifestyle-related diseases. She is an advocate for plant-based nutrition, recognizing its potential in reducing inflammation, improving cardiovascular health, and supporting overall vitality.

https://www.holistichealthplus.gr/cv/

Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here

Disclaimer
I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

Gut health expert and food scientist Janice shares her passion for fermented foods and explains how they transform our microbiome, health, and even our food cravings. She reveals how our gut bacteria influence everything from inflammation to immune function and mood.

• Just one tablespoon of fermented food daily can dramatically impact gut health
• Our gut houses trillions of microbes that fight inflammation, heal gut lining and produce 90% of serotonin
• 70% of our immune system is in the gut with microbes instructing immune cells what to do
• Modern processed foods, emulsifiers and additives damage the gut microbiome
• Aim for 30 different plant foods weekly rather than eating the same limited selection
• Food cravings originate from gut bacteria - unhealthy microbes demand sugar while beneficial ones crave nutritious foods
• Restrictive diets and stress about food choices can damage gut health
• Listen to your body's intuition rather than following rigid dietary rules
• Even beginners can make fermented foods as "the microbes do the cooking for you"

Find Janice on Instagram @benourishedbynature, on Facebook at Nourished by Nature UK, or join her wellness hub for £12/month at nourishedbynatureuk.

Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here

Disclaimer
I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.

How does stress affect your body, and what can you do about it?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Gail Sharman, a functional medicine doctor specialising in stress and anxiety, to explore how our thoughts, emotions, and lifestyle choices impact our health. We discuss the mind-body connection, the role of nutrition, and practical ways to reduce stress and build resilience—which I relate back to my journey healing MEN1.

ABOUT OUR GUEST:
I have had careers as both a qualified medical doctor and lawyer,  and I know all too well the demands of a high-pressured job as well as that of a mother.

I am a Certified Functional Medicine doctor having trained with Dr Georges Mouton who is an internationally renowned pioneer of Functional Medicine. I completed a postgraduate training course with the BSEM (British Society of Ecological Medicine) in collaboration with the ACNEM (Australian College for Nutritional and Environmental Medicine), which is fully accredited by the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP).

I have additional qualifications in coaching and NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming).

The coaching I am trained in is as follows:
· Resilience Coaching
· Confidence Coaching
· Neuroscience and Coaching
· Mindfulness
· Behavioural Coaching with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

I have a passionate interest in the integrative approach to health and the impact of stress on our bodies as well as how our physiology can affect our minds.

Having started my practice in Hong Kong, I now see patients either privately at my office in London or via skype/zoom. Reach out to me here.

Are you sure MEN1 can’t be influenced? Join my community to learn how better quality conversation and radical self-responsibility has kept me away from symptoms, surgery & meditation. Click here

Disclaimer
I share my personal experience as a MEN1 patient. Nothing in this episode, including the opinions of my guests, is intended as medical or holistic advice. Please consult a qualified professional before making changes to your care.