In this episode Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel talks with Dr Jenna Macciochi, a leading immunologist with a special interest in the interaction between lifestyle and our immune systems. We cover a broad range of topics, from building whole-person resilience and making small sustainable lifestyle changes to autoimmune disease. We discuss the important role of nutrition and gut health in maintaining a balanced immune response and how this may play into autoimmunity. 

About Dr Jenna Macciocchi:

Dr Jenna Macciochi is on a mission to unravel the science around the immune system. An immunology lecturer and researcher at the University of Sussex, she is Chair of several degree programmes, editor of a scientific journal and a member of the University Senate. 

Jenna provides accessible, science-backed information on how we can take care of our immune system through her online health and wellbeing platform and social media. She is a regular contributor to TV, print and online media.  She published her first book about the immune system in 2020 and her second in February 2022.

Website 

Immunity The Science of Staying Well

Your Blueprint for Strong Immunity

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:

Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, health coaching, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of the College of Medicine and the British Society for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Co-Chair of BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology). Dr Fuller-Shavel is the Director of Synthesis Clinic, specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases (including hormones, gut health, autoimmunity and mental health) and integrative cancer care. Alongside her clinical and research work, Dr Fuller-Shavel provides training and mentorship programmes for nutrition and medical professionals.

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In this episode Octavia Hamilton and Dr Amy Shacaluga talk  with Maria Gresham, who is a fourth year medical student and a former Synthesis Clinic patient. Through her personal experiences, Maria has become passionate about integrative medicine, and in this episode we discuss how this has impacted her training and development as a doctor.

About Maria Gresham:

Maria is a 4th year medical student at Bristol Medical School. Her multilingual background and the desire to unite the best of various cultures and traditions brought a natural progression into Integrative Medicine. Alongside her medical training, she is about to finish a Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Medicine with NCIM. Maria has been involved in curriculum reform at Bristol Medical School, empowering future doctors with more education about nutrition and lifestyle medicine. She has been part of Nutritank, a thinktank and medical student organisation founded in Bristol, as well as undertaking research projects with Penny Brohn UK, Culinary Medicine and the Mistletoe in Breast Cancer research trial. 

Maria’s own health journey with PCOS launched her into an adventure obstacle course, which brought her to medical school, then the Diploma in Integrative Medicine, then to seeing Dr Nina at Synthesis Clinic. The reversal of her PCOS through lifestyle alone bamboozled all her health professionals and kindled a specialist interest in women’s health.

When she’s not transcending her step count on the hospital wards, Maria enjoys playing the fiddle, singing, writing poetry, calligraphy, swing dancing, being active (especially in nature) and keeping her vagus nerve in check. Maria is determined to reinstate the importance of spiritual health into medical care, and her own faith underpins everything she is and does. 

Having plunged into the integrative medicine scene since the very start of medical school, Maria is determined to weave together conventional, lifestyle and holistic approaches into her clinical practice and hopes to pave the way for Integrative Medicine to just be called Medicine.

Resources:

https://ncim.org.uk
https://nutritank.com/recipes/
https://culinarymedicineuk.org/
https://www.pennybrohn.org.uk
https://thedoctorskitchen.com/recipes/

If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).
To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!). 

In this episode, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel speaks with  Dr Charlotte Marriott, a consultant NHS psychiatrist and certified lifestyle medicine physician.  Dr. Charlotte's mission is to inform and inspire people to optimise their own health and wellbeing with evidence-based lifestyle medicine and lifestyle psychiatry information.

She also aims to educate healthcare professionals on how to incorporate a lifestyle medicine approach into standard medical care and to influence public health policy and national health guidance, something we are huge advocates for at Synthesis Clinic.

About Dr Charlotte Marriott:

Dr Charlotte is a Consultant NHS Psychiatrist and a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician.  She likes to inspire and empower her patients (and everyone else!) to make small changes to their lifestyles to improve their physical and mental health and well-being.

Instagram

Website

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:

Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, health coaching, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of the College of Medicine and the British Society for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Co-Chair of BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology). Dr Fuller-Shavel is the Director of Synthesis Clinic, specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases (including hormones, gut health, autoimmunity and mental health) and integrative cancer care. Alongside her clinical and research work, Dr Fuller-Shavel provides training and mentorship programmes for nutrition and medical professionals. 

Resources:

Losing Eden, Lucy Jones

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/305/305463/losing-eden/9780141992617.html

If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).
To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary cancer support team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!). 

In this episode of the Synthesis Clinic Podcast, Octavia Hamilton talks to Laura Coleman, the founder of Be.Modern Meditation about the benefits of mindfulness and meditation and how to incorporate these approaches into our lives.

About Laura Coleman:

Laura Coleman is an established and highly regarded expert in the field of meditation and the founder of Be. Modern Meditation. She is particularly passionate about helping women to manage stress and overwhelm to reduce anxiety and improve performance and happiness. Laura helps her clients to harness the power of meditation, mindfulness and positive psychology to achieve their fullest life potential. 

She also delivers talks and workshops for organisations, corporate clients and business communities; with audiences as diverse as Ernst and Young, The Cancer Research Council and the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as in Construction, Finance and Marketing .

Links: 
www.bemodernmeditation.com
www.facebook.com/bemodernmeditation
www.instagram.com/bemodernmeditation

You can download Laura's free guide “4 Ways to find Calm in Your Day that DON’T involve Sitting on a Cushion” (which includes a free 5 minute audio practice):

https://www.bemodernmeditation.com/4-steps-to-calm

You can also find Laura's meditations on one of our favourite meditation apps, Insight Timer.

If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary cancer support team, please click here.

In this episode, we will be introducing you to key members of our multidisciplinary integrative cancer care team at Synthesis Clinic, starting with Aga Kehinde, a health and wellbeing coach and qualified EFT practitioner. We will then meet our registered nutritional therapists, Linda Sims and Emma Marshall. You will hear about our weekly MDT (multidisciplinary team) meetings at the clinic, which provide an opportunity for all our specialists to cross-refer and discuss integrative management with input from our Director, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel. 

About Aga Kehinde

Aga’s background is in oncology and oncology research working as a cancer educator and clinical nurse specialist for over 20 years. Her areas of specialist interest are cancer coaching, pre-habilitation and rehabilitation, supporting clients with cancer and other chronic diseases (including autoimmunity) and emotional wellbeing coaching for anxiety, stress and burnout.

Aga partners with clients to support and navigate them through the chaos of a medical diagnosis and everything that comes with it,  co-creating strategies to reclaim purpose and meaning in life and support mental and emotional wellbeing.

Find out more about Aga here.

About Linda Sims

Linda is a qualified Nutritional Therapist with a diploma from the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM) where she lectured in cancer for several years. Post-graduation Linda decided to specialise in cancer nutrition, and she now supports people with a range of solid tumour diagnoses, from lung and colorectal cancer to ovarian, endometrial and prostate cancer. As a member of the British Society of Integrative Oncology, she bases her approach on the latest evidence in the field of nutritional therapy. Linda is registered with The British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT), Association of Naturopathic Practitioners (ANP) and with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). Linda has completed an NTEC in Nutrition and Cancer from the Institute of Optimum Nutrition and a more recent NTEC-approved Systems Approach to Cancer course created by Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel, which is the model we practice at the clinic. 

Find out more about Linda here

About Emma Marshall

Emma is a registered Nutritional Therapist with Functional Medicine training and an experienced chef who specialises in working with breast cancer patients.

Constantly learning through formal education and research, Emma combines her evidence-based nutrition knowledge with over 25 years of cooking experience both in professional and domestic environments.  This enables her to take the science of nutrition and the healing it can bring and make it accessible for her clients through her recipes and menu plans.

Her focus is on breast cancer nutrition, working with you to provide a personalised and supportive approach to identify and reduce your risks and optimise your overall outcome. She regularly uses functional testing and is experienced with using detailed testing, including nutritional genomics.

Find out more about Emma here

If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!). To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary cancer support team, please click here.

In this episode of the Synthesis Clinic podcast, you will be hearing from one of our wonderful patients, Helen, who has had a truly transformational journey since finding Dr Nina and our team. With a 5-year history of metastatic colorectal cancer, Helen has certainly had a challenging time but despite an initial rocky ride through multiple treatments,  she has stabilised and thrived. Helen is continuing to undergo cancer treatment but now has a completely different quality of life and newfound resilience,  as well as feeling heard and seen as a whole human being, not just her cancer diagnosis. 

During her time at the clinic Helen has worked with Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel for integrative medicine input, Octavia Hamilton for post-operative rehabilitation and building strength and Aga Kehinde for emotional wellbeing support. The liquid biopsies that are mentioned in the episode include Guardant360 and Datar Cancer Genetics Exacta.

To find out more about integrative oncology and how we support individuals before, during and after cancer treatment, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice.

In this episode Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel and Dr Penny Kechagioglou discuss integrative oncology, which seeks to rationally combine the best of conventional, nutritional, lifestyle and evidence-informed complementary medicine to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.  Integrative oncology aims to support better quality of life, improve resilience, minimise the side effects of treatment and improve clinical outcomes.

About Dr Penny Kechagioglou:

Dr Penny Kechagioglou is a senior Consultant Clinical Oncologist in the NHS and private sector, specialising in breast cancer, and she integrates the latest evidence-based medicine with lifestyle and complementary approaches to cancer care. Dr Kechagioglou holds senior leadership roles in the NHS. She is the Co-Chair of the British Society for Integrative Oncology and a Board Trustee member at Penny Brohn UK and CoppaFeel UK. Dr Penny Kechagioglou is also chairing the upcoming Integrative Oncology UK 2022 conference in May.

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:
Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of the College of Medicine and the Co-Chair of BSIO, specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases and integrative cancer care with a particular interest in precision integrative oncology. Dr Nina is the Director of Synthesis Clinic, combining her clinical work with education for healthcare professionals and participating in national and international expert panels in cancer care.

If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Further information and resources:

• Integrative oncology care impact - recent studies:
  • Breast cancer - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34961816/ 
  • Gynaecological cancer - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33404816/ 
• Integrative Oncology UK 2022 conference for healthcare professionals:
  • https://integrativeoncologyuk.com/ 
• Blogs by Dr Nina and Dr Penny for BSIO:
  • https://www.bsio.org.uk/blog/integrative-oncology-matters
  • https://www.bsio.org.uk/blog/integrative-oncology-principles-and-directions 
• Professional organisations
  • BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology) - https://www.bsio.org.uk/
  • SIO - https://integrativeonc.org/ 
• Selection of IO guidelines:
  • https://integrativeonc.org/practice-guidelines/guidelines 
• Your Life and Cancer event
  • https://www.yourlifeandcancer.com/ 
• Charities:
  • Yes To Life - https://yestolife.org.uk/ 
  • Penny Brohn UK - https://www.pennybrohn.org.uk 

In this episode, we will be introducing you to key members of our multidisciplinary women’s health team at Synthesis Clinic, starting with Octavia Hamilton, the clinic’s physiotherapist and the co-host of this podcast. We will then meet Dr Amy Shacaluga, consultant gynaecologist passionate about personalised approaches to women’s health, and wrap up with Anna Coles, our Level 4 personal trainer and GP referral exercise specialist.

About Octavia Hamilton
Octavia Hamilton is an experienced musculoskeletal physiotherapist with a keen interest in women’s health and cancer rehabilitation. Utilising a blend of ScarWork, acupuncture, Pilates and breathwork, as well as drawing on a decade’s experience in complex trauma rehabilitation, Octavia works to restore resilience and confidence in her clients.
Find out more about Octavia here.

About Dr Amy Shacaluga

Dr Amy Shacaluga is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Lifestyle Medicine Physician and Functional Medicine Practitioner, with over 14 years’ experience in women’s health. She has always been committed to the pursuit of evidence-based, whole-person approach to medical care. Dr Amy’s long-term goal is to empower women to take ownership of their health goals and concerns, affording them the opportunity to future-proof their health. Dr Shacaluga specialises in a broad range of women’s health concerns, from PCOS, endometriosis, heavy and painful menstrual bleeding and PMS to complex multisystem cases that involve hormone health, gut health and emotional wellbeing.

Find out more about Dr Amy here.

About Anna Coles

As a GP Exercise Referral Specialist, Anna supports a range of individuals living with differing chronic conditions and has a special interest in working with women who have metabolic disorders and assisting with key physiological changes around perimenopause and menopause. Anna has also recently completed her course work to add cancer rehabilitation to her broad toolkit. Her particular interests are in functional movement, stretching and resistance training - absolutely essential for good mobility, strengthening bones, joints and maintaining muscle mass.

Find out more about Anna here.

If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).
To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice.

In this episode, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel interviews Dr Cheryl Cross, an experienced integrative clinical psychologist specialising in trauma recovery. We discuss the broad psychological and physiological impact of trauma and some important theories that can help us understand our nervous system and how we relate to others, including polyvagal theory and attachment theory. While there are many approaches to working with trauma, this episode focuses on finding appropriate psychological support, including therapies such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) and AF-EMDR. We conclude with some exciting new developments in trauma therapy and a message of hope for trauma recovery and post-traumatic growth. The human capacity to overcome adversity and the power of neuroplasticity is truly amazing, and a change for the better is possible with the right support.

Resources – websites and directories

·      https://emdrassociation.org.uk

·      https://drlaurelparnell.com

·      https://www.bps.org.uk

·      https://www.drcherylcross.com/

Resources – useful books

·      The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

·      Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory by Deborah Dana

·      It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle by Mark Wolynn

About Dr Cheryl Cross
Dr Cross is a dedicated and passionate Chartered Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience in working with adults who have experienced trauma and have symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), dissociative disorders, anxiety and depression. 

Dr Cheryl’s absolute passion and area of expertise is using working with people who have experienced trauma and/or are presenting with dissociative symptoms, including people who have experienced a traumatic bereavement and are presenting with both PTSD symptoms and complex grief. Dr Cross uses a range of psychological therapies to suit the needs of each individual, including EDMR and AF-EMDR, CFT, CBT, DBT, ACT, Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness and Schema Mode Therapy.  

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:
Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of the College of Medicine and the Co-Chair of BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology), specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases and integrative cancer care. Dr Nina is the Director of Synthesis Clinic, combining her clinical work with education for healthcare professionals.

If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).
Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. 

We are delighted to share our first Synthesis Clinic podcast episode.

Over the next few episodes, we will be introducing you to our multidisciplinary team at Synthesis, starting with our director, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel. We will discuss what Synthesis is about, what precision health and integrative medicine is and hear some of the amazing patient stories and fascinating conversations with a wide range of healthcare professionals.

In this first episode, Dr Nina and Octavia have an initial conversation about integrative medicine and precision health, how Synthesis Clinic started and our passion for supporting women’s health.

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:

Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of the College of Medicine and the Co-Chair of BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology), specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases and integrative cancer care.

About Octavia Hamilton:
Octavia Hamilton is a musculoskeletal physiotherapist with a keen interest in women’s health and cancer rehabilitation. Utilising a blend of ScarWork, acupuncture, Pilates and breathwork, as well as drawing on a decade’s experience in complex trauma rehabilitation, Octavia works to restore resilience and confidence in her clients.

If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).
To find out more about Synthesis Clinic and our multidisciplinary team, click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice.