The Wellness Scoop

Can you rebuild your gut after a course of antibiotics? This week, we look at what really helps the microbiome recover, from fibre and fermented foods to what you might want to eat in those first few weeks.

We also tackle the fear around microplastics and chemicals in tinned foods, how to bring carbs back into your diet after years of diet culture, and whether the 80/20 rule is actually useful.

Plus, can a healthier lifestyle today help offset some of the choices you made in your teens and twenties? We talk heart health, cancer risk and why it’s never too late to make positive changes. And we get personal on raising children with a healthy relationship with their bodies, before finishing with a much lighter recommendation: the Korean exfoliating mitt we keep talking about.

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The Way 30-day trail: https://www.thewayapp.com/wellnessscoop

Send your questions for our weekly Q&A to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

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Could loneliness really affect how many healthy years we live? Could letting our minds wander actually be good for our brains? And can tiny bursts of movement throughout the day make a meaningful difference to our heart health?

This week, we unpack fascinating new research linking loneliness and social isolation with fewer years spent free from major physical and mental health conditions. We also explore the surprising benefits of letting our minds wander, from memory and learning to decision-making, and ask whether our phones are stealing the empty moments our brains need. Plus, eight brilliantly simple ways to support heart health, why a Huel advert promoting an all-Huel diet has been banned, and whether your daily cup of tea is actually good for you.

The Way 30-day trail: https://www.thewayapp.com/wellnessscoop

Send your questions for our weekly Q&A to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

For more from Rhi and Ella: 

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How do you actually break a habit that’s been part of your life for a decade? Does eating more protein really help with weight loss? And should you worry about eating dark chocolate before bed?

This week, we answer your questions on the science of habits and why willpower might not be the best way to make lasting changes. We also unpack the link between protein, fullness and weight loss, and why fibre and healthy fats matter too. Plus, how to fuel an active lifestyle, whether you really need electrolytes, the difference between omega-3s from seeds and fish, and whether a few squares of dark chocolate at night are really worth worrying about.

The Way 30-day trail: https://www.thewayapp.com/wellnessscoop

Send your questions for our weekly Q&A to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

For more from Rhi and Ella: 

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Why do so many of us hit an energy slump around 3pm? Could what you eat during the day help you sleep better that night? And when it comes to exercise, does every minute really count?

This week, we unpack new research linking fibre and a greater variety of plant foods with better sleep, and look at why the answer isn’t one magical “sleep food”. We also explore the science behind the afternoon energy slump, what to eat when it hits and why fruit sugar isn’t the same as the sugar in sweets. Plus, fascinating new research on why maintaining movement as we age matters, whether obsessing over your sleep score could actually make you feel worse, and the growing evidence behind tai chi.

The Way 30-day trail: https://www.thewayapp.com/wellnessscoop

Send your questions for our weekly Q&A to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

For more from Rhi and Ella: 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can you actually do anything to avoid the endless stream of winter coughs and colds? Why do so many of us wake up at 2 or 3am and struggle to get back to sleep? And when is resting actually better for you than pushing through another workout?

This week, we answer your questions on navigating cold and flu season, from vitamin D and probiotics to honey and what’s actually worth keeping in the medicine cupboard. We also unpack those frustrating middle-of-the-night wake-ups, whether they could be linked to perimenopause and what can genuinely help. Plus, how to eat, sleep and exercise around night shifts, how to recognise chronic stress and why sometimes the healthiest thing you can do is give yourself permission to rest.

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he Way 30-day trail: https://www.thewayapp.com/wellnessscoop

Send your questions for our weekly Q&A to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

For more from Rhi and Ella: 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Feeling frazzled, overworked or like you’re running on empty? How are GLP-1 drugs changing not just our health, but the way we eat and shop? And could simply eating with someone you love actually be better for your health?This week, we share five practical, science-backed ways to help avoid burnout, from eating enough and setting better boundaries to properly switching off at the end of the day. We also explore the extraordinary ripple effect of GLP-1 drugsacross food, fashion and beauty, and unpack fascinating new research suggesting that eating with your partner could affect your blood sugar and stress response. Plus, are we finally reaching peak protein, and what does the Government’s latest food strategy actually mean for how Britain eats?

The Way 30-day trail: https://www.thewayapp.com/wellnessscoop

Send your questions for our weekly Q&A to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

For more from Rhi and Ella: 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are smoothies actually as healthy as we think? This week, we’re clearing up the confusion around blending fruit, what happens to the fibre and how smoothies compare with eating whole fruit.

We also look at whether organic processed meat is any better, share easy ways to make tofu genuinely delicious and tackle the eternal workday question: what can I actually take for lunch? Plus, does batch cooking reduce the nutrients in your vegetables, and is a quick stir-fry really better than a slow-cooked stew?

Please sign and share the petition to stop Krill farming for supplements: http://act.our-antarctica.com/

Ella’s recipe: Mushroom and coconut Noodle bowls 

The Way 30-day trail: https://www.thewayapp.com/wellnessscoop

Send your questions for our weekly Q&A to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

For more from Rhi and Ella: 

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Can writing actually rewire your brain and make you more resilient? Is journaling woo woo? We dig into the science of expressive writing, plus why the mackerel in your supermarket might not be what you think and what that means for your omega-3 intake. We’re also sharing our easiest packed lunch upgrades, looking at the return of ultra-thin beauty ideals, and tracking the latest crackdown on social media and addictive algorithms.

The Way 30-day trail: https://www.thewayapp.com/wellnessscoop

Send your questions for our weekly Q&A to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

For more from Rhi and Ella: 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can you eat too much healthy food? This week, we’re talking portion control, hunger and why a huge plate of vegetables might not actually leave you satisfied.

We also unpack the myths around tofu and oestrogen — what phytoestrogens actually are and whether soy really affects your hormones. Plus, we look at the rise of steak, liver and bone marrow for babies, bowel cancer anxiety and childhood diets, and how to increase fibre when you have IBS.

The Way 30-day trail: https://www.thewayapp.com/wellnessscoop

Send your questions for our weekly Q&A to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Pre-order your copy of Rhiannon's brand-new cook book for kids: ⁠'Ready, Set, Cook!' ⁠

For more from Rhi and Ella: 

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Should you really be taking vitamin D, magnesium, collagen and the rest, or are we wasting our money on supplements? We unpack the latest debate and why the NHS is warning against taking health advice from wellness influencers.

We also explore a fascinating new discovery about how plant proteins could help feed your gut microbes, and new research linking the common sweetener xylitol with heart attacks and strokes.

Plus, why reading could be surprisingly powerful for your brain, from childhood right through to older age.

The Way 30-day trail: https://www.thewayapp.com/wellnessscoop

Send your questions for our weekly Q&A to ⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Pre-order your copy of Rhiannon's brand-new cook book for kids: ⁠'Ready, Set, Cook!' ⁠

For more from Rhi and Ella: 

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices