Hello Everyone and Happy New Year!

I hope you had a little time to rest and restore. I am back at work this week and I can finally reveal the podcast that I mentioned I was working on. It's all about the link between the brainand body (my fave!) and how simple body hacks can improve your brain health support your mentel wellbeing.

Episode 1: Eat A Rainbow

Eating brightly coloured plant foods is having a bigger effect on your brain and mood than you might realise - welcome to the world of nutritional psychiatry.

Episode 2: Let the Light In

Explore the health benefits to your body and your mind by getting a burst of sunlight first thing in the morning.

Episode 3: Think Before you Drink

If you’ve been over-indulging during a busy social period, discover the easy hacks to cut back on alcohol, and be kind to your body and brain.

Episode 4: Reboot with a Nap

Why, if you do it right, a short sleep can restore your cognitive alertness and re-charge your brain to take on the rest of the day.

Episode 5: Walk yourself Happy

Why even a short stroll can have the surprising benefits of reducing anxiety and building mental resilience, especially if you add in green spaces.

Episode 6: Time to Play

By bringing back more playfulness and fun into our lives, we can jumpstart fresh brain connections and help reduce stress.

Episode 7: Harness Your Breath

Find out why taking slow deep breaths is not only good for your physical health but could also boost your cognitive performance and emotional wellbeing.

Episode 8: Feel The Chill

Could immersing yourself in cold water, whether it’s in the shower, sea or lido, be as good for your body and mind as cold water swimming enthusiasts claim?

Tune in here!

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One in four adults around the world describes themselves as lonely, and loneliness can feel even more acute during the holidays when the cultural emphasis is on family and socialising. Whether it’s the office party or adverts filled with images of tables bursting with guests, if you are lonely at this time of year, it can be easy to feel like you’re the only one. If this is you, I want to tell you 1) that you are not the only one and 2) you will be amazed at how many of us have felt like that at one time or another. So, in this week’s episode, I’m giving you my guide to managing loneliness during the holidays.

Resources

100 best movies of all time

Open Culture

Befrienders.org – find a helpline near you, wherever you are in the world.

You Are Not Alone – our service for helping people aged 16-25 fight loneliness

Campaign against Living Miserably, 0800 58 58 58 – call or web chat if you need someone to talk to

LGBT Foundation – advice and support

Samaritans, 116 123 – call or web chat if you need someone to talk to

The Silver Line, 0800 4 70 80 90 – provides support and advice for people over 55

Stand Alone – supporting people who aren’t in contact with their family

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How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I often meet people for whom this time of year is incredibly difficult. Maybe family relationships aren’t where they’d like them to be, maybe they visit their family more out of a sense of duty than pleasure, maybe they find themselves pulled into early life dynamics they wish they could leave behind. It can be really challenging to navigate, which is why, in this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds podcast, I’m giving you my guide to surviving your family during the holidays.

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Newsletter sign up

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We now know the technical definition ultra-processed foods. These ready to eat or ready to heat products whose ingredients have individually gone through several stages of processing, and require ingredients or processes that you won’t find in a domestic kitchen. But how does this affect your everyday food choices? Should it?

In this week’s episode, I’m talking practical tips and answering your questions about ultra processed foods.

• Why are sweet chilli crisps (potato chips) UPF but salted ones not?
• Are there any ultra-processed foods that are good for you?
• Is all cereal ultra-processed?
• Why do I crave them so much?
• Do ultra-processed foods affect sleep?

___

Newsletter sign up

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

According to the news headlines, ultra processed foods (UPF) can do everything from increasing your cancer risk to giving you dementia. But most people would have a hard time even defining UPF. If that’s you, then you’re in luck because in this week’s episode, I’m giving you the lowdown on ultraprocessed foods. What they are and what’s so bad about them.

In part two I'll be answering your questions on UPF.

____

Newsletter sign up

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ninety percent of us experience food cravings – the intense desire to eat a specific food that is often distinct from physiological hunger. But if they’re not about being hungry, why do we get them, what do our cravings mean and what, if anything, should we do about them? In this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds Podcast, we’re digging in to the Science of Food Cravings.

Urge surfing

Feelings Wheel

___

Newsletter sign up

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Over the last few years you may have heard a lot of talk about the gut-brain axis. But do you know what it is? And more to the point, why should you care? In this week’s episode I’m giving you a beginner's guide to the gut-brain axis.

___

Newsletter sign up

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

The information shared on this podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. Reliance on any information provided here is solely at your own risk. Remember, your health is unique to you, so consult your healthcare provider for guidance tailored to your personal needs.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A report from Goldman Sachs estimates that generative AI like ChatGPT could expose the equivalent of 300mn full-time jobs to automation. Therapy is one of the current parts of the workforce that is considered to be more resilient to these technological changes. But not immune. This week: what are the capabilities of AI in the therapy space? And what are the limitations? Ultimately, are the robots coming for my job?

___

Newsletter sign up

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Patreon

Original music by Juan Iglesias

*Affiliate links

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/strongerminds.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.