It's easy to let the stresses of life overwhelm us. Our lives in modern society are busy and stuffed full of "things to do". We often don't even notice the underlying stress.

How to Make Big Changes Podcast

Today I want to tell you how I realised that I was in a chronic state of stress and anxiety. I wasn't showing up as the parent, wife or person that I wanted to be.

At times overwhelmed swept over me. Leaving me frustrated and angry.

I snapped at my kids. 

I whined at my husband.

I sabotaged myself.

Why Do We Get Stuck in Negative Behaviour?

Why would I do that you ask?

Because our brains are wired to be negative. It's easy to get into a spiral of negative thinking.

When you're aware of it, you can stop it and replace it with helpful and positive behaviour.

My journey started when I looked at my family and wanted to create a "harmonious and loving family".

I started by working on myself. Including loving myself and prioritising my own needs.

What Do You Want to...

We all want to reduce our risk of getting cancer. It can be difficult to wade through the conflicting advice and sensational headlines.

Today I am talking to Dr Mhairi Morris, lecturer at Loughborough University UK and founder of Essential Cancer Education.

Mhairi explains (in simple terms) the current research. Which foods and diets will increase your risk of cancer, which won’t and which need more research to decide.

Cancer and Diet Podcast

Good Cancer Diets

There is enough evidence to say that these diets can help reduce our risk of getting cancer.

1. Ketogenic (high fat diet that works on keto genesis rather than carbohydrate metabolism)
2. Mediterranean Style Diet (see Episode 1 The Health Benefits of the Med Style Diet.)
3. Intermittent Fasting

You can combine intermittent fasting with either the ketogenic or Med Style Diets.

Mentioned by Mhairi: The Longevity Diet by Volter Longo

Stopping Eating After 8pm Can Reduce Your Risk of Breast Cancer

Easy to do if you eat dinner...

Today I want to talk about why you should bother to lose weight. Many people want to lose weight to look good or feel confident. These are powerful motivating reasons. But there is one reason that trumps them all. Your health!

Health and Weight Loss Podcast

I Was Listening to Two Women Talking About Losing Weight

One of the women had struggled with weight loss and was now a healthy weight.

Both women had struggled with “the inner critic” and had learnt to accept their bodies.

The second woman accepted her body and described herself as “fat”. She was content with her body and didn’t feel the desire to lose weight.

Losing Weight Starts With Self Acceptance

Both women started their “weight loss journey” by accepting the bodies. They learnt to love themselves. And to approach weight loss from a place of love rather than criticism.

I 100% agree with this philosophy.

We don’t teach our children by shouting at them. We know that...

We all know that too much stress is bad for you. But is all stress created equally? And what can we do to have more of the “good stress” and less of the “bad stress”.

Dr Orlena Kerek talks to Dr Marianne Van Den Broek, psychiatrist and leadership coach to find out all about how to manage the stress in our lives.

Coping with Stress Podcast

What is Stress?

Stress is the activation of our sympathetic nervous system when our body perceives danger. Such as being chased by a lion!

Our flight, fight or freeze reaction kicks in. Our heart starts to pound (beat faster and with more force), our blood pressure goes up and our pupils dilate.

This is a “physiological” response triggered by the hormone adrenaline. (That’s the same hormone you get injected with when you have a heart attack or an anaphylactic shock. It’s strong stuff.)

The adrenaline surges around our body helping us to run away for the lion. Or tiger. Or bear.

My Pelvic Floor Journey

After having 4 kids, including twins, my pelvic floor was practically non existent!

I found it really difficult to run after my kids.

It was so embarrassing when I had to cross my legs to sneeze or cough.

One day, my mother borrowed a trampoline. The kids loved bouncing around and begged me to join them. Even after popping to the toilet, I still couldn’t bounce without the embarrassing leak.

All About Stress Incontinence Podcast

I decided it was time to do something about my pelvic floor.

I went to the midwife who examined me and told me that I had 0/5 strength!

He recommended doing kegel exercises and hypopressive exercises. (Confession: I’ve tried kegel exercises so many times! I haven’t found them very useful and don’t enjoy doing them.)

After a few weeks of the hypopressive exercises, I went back and was re-examined. I now had 2/5 pelvic floor strength!

What is Stress Incontinence?

Urine escapes when the pressure...

You might be surprise to know that exercise isn’t a great way to lose weight (more about that in a bit.) There are loads of benefits to exercise. Both health benefits and feeling amazing benefits!

The Health Benefits of Exercise Podcast

Shout out to Hilary

Congratulations to Hilary for the “audacious exercise award”….swimming outdoors in the UK in winter….without a wet suit.

You are amazing. And slightly bonkers!

Exercise Isn’t a Great Way to Lose Weight

Unless you plan to become a marathon runner! If you’re overweight and want to make changes to lose weight, you’re better off making changes to your diet.

Exercise will HELP you lose weight. It will also help you to feel fit and fabulous.

As the saying goes: You can’t out run a bad diet!

Well Being Benefits of Exercise

• You feel amazing after doing exercise! (Not to begin with but once your body gets used to it.)
• Less stress (see Dr Marianne’s...

Losing weight can feel like an impossible task. It’s easy to find yourself in a “bubble of overwhelm”. You find yourself not knowing what to do.

You don’t have to make millions of changes all at once.

You can make small changes over a period of time.

7 Easy Things To Lose Weight Podcast

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Here are 7 easy things that you can do to lose weight.

1. Eat More Vegetables

   At least half your plate should be fruit or vegetables. More vegetables than fruit.

   Remember to include leafy greens and not just starchy vegetables.

2. Eat Less Refined Carbohydrates

   Not all carbs are created equal. Some carbohydrates are refined (pasta, bread and white rice). They will spike your blood sugars more quickly than carbs found in most vegetables. (white potatoes spike your glucose level too.)

3. Reduce the Junk

   I’m not judging you! You need to put on your big girl (or boy) pants and be honest with yourself. Is this an area you can cut down on?

4. Add Good Fats

   Not all...

The vast majority of heart disease is preventable. In the first part of “how to reduce your risk of heart disease” we looked at nutrition and a heart healthy diet.

Today we’re going to look at lifestyle and how we can prevent heart disease.

Dr Zarrin Shaikh, Consultant Cardiolgist

Thank you so much to Dr Zarrin for coming and chatting to us.

A Heart Healthy Lifestyle Podcast Episode

How to Live a Heart Healthy Lifestyle

1. Exercise (at least 25 minutes of getting out of breath a day).
2. Reduce Stress.
3. Mindfulness and Meditation.
4. Sleep Well (7-8 hours a night).
5. Friends an\d Community.

Exercise Gives Us More than a Healthy Heart

A sedentary lifestyle is a major risk factor for heart disease. Regular exercise is associated with significantly lower risk of heart disease.

Walking 25 minutes a day can add up to 7 years to your life!

Exercise can also make you happier!

Exercise can lengthen your telomeres and help you live longer.

You need to do enough exercise...

A Lot of Heart Disease is Preventable

Today I want you to grasp this message! The vast majority of heart disease is preventable.

You can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease by eating a healthy diet and making good life style choices.

Dr Zarrin Shaikh, Consultant Cardiologist

Today, Dr Zarrin is talking about what to eat to prevent heart disease.

Next week she’ll tell us about lifestyle choices.

Protect Your Heart Through Diet Podcast Episode 4

World wide heart disease is the leading cause of death.

In the UK around 7 million people are living with heart disease.

Heart disease causes a quarter of all deaths.

This includes all “cardiovascular disease”.

In the UK the death rate is falling due to advances in medical technology. However, more people are getting heart disease due to life style choices.

Patients With Heart Disease Are Getting Younger and Sicker

Dr Zarrin tells a story about a 25 year old who she treated who had had a massive...

Mediation is a fantastic way change your way of being from “grumpy, stressed and angry” to “calm and happy”. There are heaps of benefits of meditation. Health benefits, emotional benefits and even being more productive.

People have been meditating for thousands of years. In recent years, we’ve started to study the effects of meditation.

Meditation for Beginners Podcast

Benefits of Meditation

There are so many health benefits to meditation that I’m not going to list them all.

Meditation also helps us sleep well which helps us reduce our stress levels.

Meditation has a direct impact on stress as well.

1. Stress reduction
2. Weight loss (ref https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29076610)
3. Anxiety
4. Productivity
5. Self awareness
6. Sleep
7. Health benefits: Pain
8. Blood pressure

Article of 76 positive benefits: https://liveanddare.com/benefits-of-meditation/

What is Meditation?

Essentially meditation is shutting off that “constant train of...