What's Up Docs?

Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, they turn to routines. With many families heading back to school and September still feeling like a reset for a lot of us, there's no shortage of advice on building the perfect routine, or optimising the ones we have. But are routines actually good for our health and wellbeing? And when, if ever, is breaking one a good thing?

To help cut through the noise, they’re joined by Bas Verplanken, Professor Emeritus of Social Psychology at the University of Bath.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about walking with Professor Steve Haake.

Recording in Sheffield's Botanical Gardens, they discuss how why creating opportunities for walking can have benefits far beyond physical health and how Steve got into researching walking. Together, they also take a closer look at public health initiatives, such as parkrun – one of the UK's most successful examples – examining why it has proved so popular and what it can teach us about encouraging lifelong physical activity.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, please email us at [email protected].

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What's Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, recorded while walking through Sheffield Botanical Gardens, they turn their attention to one of the simplest and most accessible forms of exercise - walking.

Joined by Professor Steve Haake, Professor of Sport Engineering at Sheffield Hallam University and a leading expert on physical activity, they explore what happens in the body when we walk, how walking differs from running, and why such a simple activity can have such profound effects on our physical and mental health.

From weight management and cardiovascular fitness to stress, mood and social connection, they examine the evidence behind the many benefits of walking. Along the way, they tackle some common myths, including whether we really need 10,000 steps a day, whether faster is always better, and whether short walks are just as beneficial as longer ones.

They also discuss why modern life can make walking harder than ever, and ask what individuals, communities and policymakers can do to help us move more.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected].

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about crying with counselling psychologist Kimberley Wilson.

They look at why people have different thresholds for crying, why other people’s tears can make some of us feel uncomfortable and how we can manage that. They also ask Kimberley why some people can’t cry. Chris is one of those people. What can he do about it? They also discuss how crying shows up in therapeutic settings. Can showing emotion validate someone else’s experience?

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you can email us at [email protected].

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, they turn to something many of us are familiar with - crying. We cry with laughter, with sadness, and in moments of awe or overwhelm, but it can also be a surprisingly confusing part of our emotional lives. Some people welcome a good cry, while others rarely, if ever, shed tears. Why do we cry? Why do we sometimes feel better after we cry? Is crying actually any good for us?

To help answer these questions, they’re joined once again by counselling psychologist Kimberley Wilson, host of What’s Up Docs? sister podcast Complex.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about relaxation with philosopher and author Julian Baggani.

They look at the history of relaxation, the activities we have chosen to do in order to switch off and how that has changed over the years. They also look at whether relaxation has become commodified and what that might mean for our ability to do it successfully.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, please email us at [email protected].

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.

In this episode, they look at relaxation. We are all aware that relaxation has an importance in our lives, when things get too much we book holidays and time off work. But what does it actually mean to relax and are the activities we chose actually allowing us to escape our stresses?

To help answer these questions, they’re joined by philosopher and journalist Dr Julian Baggini.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected] or WhatsApp us on 08000 665 123.

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4

Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation about hydration with Dr John Whittle, a consultant in anaesthesia, critical care and perioperative medicine at University College Hospitals and an honorary associate professor at University College London.

Most of the time our bodies are brilliant at regulating fluid but what happens when that process gets disrupted by illness, stress or ageing? And crucially, what can we do about it?

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, you email us at [email protected].

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Welcome to What’s Up Docs?, the podcast where doctors and identical twins Chris and Xand van Tulleken explore the ideas shaping our health and wellbeing.

In this episode they’re exploring hydration. We’ve all heard we should be drinking eight glasses of water a day, but does it hold up? Chris and Xand look at what water actually does in the body and how we regulate fluid.

They also separate fact from fiction on the hydration beliefs and trends that are everywhere right now. Does drinking more water actually help you lose weight? What about the online trend of loading water with supplements and flavourings to maximise its benefits? Should we all be adding electrolytes to our water?

To help answer these questions, they’re joined by Dr John Whittle. He’s a consultant in anaesthesia, critical care and perioperative medicine at University College Hospitals and an honorary associate professor at University College London.

If you want to get in touch, you can email us at [email protected].

At the BBC:

Assistant Commissioner: Greg Smith

Chris and Xand van Tulleken continue their conversation with Professor Sunita Sah about why humans follow advice they suspect, or even know, is bad.

They explore what first drew Sunita to this area of research, alongside her own experiences of following advice she knew she should probably question. Together, they unpack the psychology behind why rejecting advice can feel so uncomfortable, and why intelligence or expertise doesn’t necessarily protect people from poor decisions.

If you’d like to share your thoughts on this or any other topic covered on the podcast, please email us at [email protected].

Presenters: Drs Chris and Xand van Tulleken

At the BBC:

A Loftus Media production for BBC Radio 4.