Stronger Minds

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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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.

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174. Alexithymia

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:05:00 GMT

How not having words for your feelings affects your physical and mental health - and what you can do about it.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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173. Brain Bite: Emotion Granularity

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 00:05:00 GMT

Researcher - Serena Wilson

Assistant Producer - Serena Wilson

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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172. Grudges & Grievances - Part 2

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 00:05:00 GMT

Difficult Conversations

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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171: Brain Bite: How Food Texture Affects Ultra-Processed Eating

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 00:05:00 GMT

A report on a new study on how texture affects eating speed and total food intake.

Notes

Episode 99 - The Science of Satiety

Psychology of Food - Waitlist

Source

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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170. Grudges & Grievances - Part One

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 00:04:00 GMT

Are you a grudge holder o do you find it relatively easy to forgive and forget? In this part one episode I'm getting to grips with grudges; what they are and what they help us to achieve and avoid.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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169. Brain Bites: The Sustaining Phantasy

Fri, 07 Nov 2025 00:05:00 GMT

Shining the spotlight on a special kind of daydream used as a source of comfort at times of high stress.

Read the essay

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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168. Introducing 'Complex'!

Wed, 05 Nov 2025 00:05:00 GMT

Head on over to BBC Sounds to listen to the first episode!

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167. Something New Is Coming!

Tue, 04 Nov 2025 00:05:00 GMT

Keep your ears peeled this Wednesday!

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166. Brain Bite: Spooky Night Visions - Sleep Paralysis

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 00:05:00 GMT

The Old Hag in Newfoundland, kanashibari in Japan. Cultures across the world have given this phenomenon a spiritual or supernatural connotation But what is sleep paralysis, why does it happen and is there anything we can do to control it?

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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165. Understanding & Managing Seasonal Affective Disorder

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 00:05:00 GMT

SAD isn’t a simple lack of motivation or laziness; it’s a circadian timing problem. In this episode we unpack the biology, the common signs, and the small, repeatable habits that lift winter mood and energy.

You’ll learn

What SAD is (and how it differs from “winter blues”)
How short daylight shifts your body clock, sleep, hormones and appetite
The biggest lever
Food & routine basics for steadier energy
Sleep anchors and wind-down choreography,
When to seek extra support

Join the cohort: Breaking SAD

A 12-week, evidence-based programme: light therapy done right, sleep & daily routines, nutrition for winter, low-day tools, holidays/workplace support and much more.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE/ENROL

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164. Brain Bite: Morning Sunlight & Your Mood

Thu, 23 Oct 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Some practical tips for making the most of thr sun's anti-depressant effects.

Check out my free training here.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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163. Breaking the Paywall

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 23:05:00 GMT

What happens when the science you’ve already paid for is locked behind a paywall?

In this sponsor supported episode I trace how academic publishing shifted from learned societies to commercial houses and paywalls, why this creates global inequities in health and research, and how the Gates Foundation’s refreshed Open Access (OA) policy aims to change the system.

The Gates Foundation's Open Access Policy

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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162. Brain Bite: Why We Dream

Thu, 16 Oct 2025 23:05:00 GMT

What, if anything, do our dreams mean?

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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161. Denial: The Knowledge We Refuse to Know

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 06:17:54 GMT

This week I explore this most common yet most slippery states of mind, and the harms of getting stuck in it.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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160. Brain Bite: What Oedipus Can Tell You About Yourself

Thu, 09 Oct 2025 23:05:00 GMT

This episode is primer on Oedipus and why this tragic mythical king is so important to psychology.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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159. Sugar-Coated Anger: Understanding Passive Aggression

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Passive aggression is conflict in disguise, characterised by indirect resistance, sugar-coated jabs and strategic delays. In this episode, we unpack what passive aggression is, why it shows up in otherwise kind people, and how to replace sideways signals with clear, respectful language. You’ll get short scripts for saying the real thing and a calm, practical way to respond when passive aggression is aimed at you.

You’ll learn

A clean definition of passive aggression
Common forms: delaying tasks, backhanded compliments, 'forgetting', weaponised precision, performative 'it’s fine'
The psychology underneath: fear of conflict, power asymmetries, attachment triggers
How to be less passive aggressive
How to respond as a recipient

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Big Conversation Toolkit

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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158. Brain Bite: Why We Can't Accept That Life Isn't Fair - The Just World Belief

Thu, 02 Oct 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Why we cling to ideas about cosmic fairness, and how they hurt empathy.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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157. B12 & the Brain

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 23:05:00 GMT

From brain development during pregnancy to dementia risk in later life, get to know one of the most important nutrients for brain health.

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Join me on Substack

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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156. Brain Bite: Don’t Cling to a Mistake Because You Spent a Long Time Making It

Thu, 25 Sep 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Why we feel compelled to cling to past mistakes and justify past investments even when it would be better to cut our losses - and how to shift away from it.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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Thu, 11 Sep 2025 23:05:00 GMT

An important finding in the search for better brain health

Omega level testing - OmegaQuant

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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151. The Dos & Don'ts of Looking for a Therapist

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 23:05:00 GMT

My top tips from both sides of the coffee table.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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150. Brain Bite: Hydration & Cortisol

Thu, 04 Sep 2025 23:05:00 GMT

How underhydration is stressing you out.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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Mon, 07 Jul 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Have you ever felt like you were the problem in your family?

Like no matter how hard you tried, no matter how consistently you showed up with your best effort, you were always the one in crisis? The one who “acted out”? The one who got blamed for why things were falling apart?

If that resonates with you, if that sounds familiar in your bones, the first thing I want to say is: I am so sorry. It’s such as a confusing, painful and often lonely place to be. And you’re not alone. But, more importantly, what if I told you… it might not be true? That story you’ve been told, or maybe the one you’ve carried quietly for years; the idea that you were the difficult one, the broken one, the one who couldn’t get it right - what if that story isn’t actually yours? And it never was?

Coming up in this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds Podcast – the plight of the Identified Patient.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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141. Brain Bites: RBC DHA

Thu, 03 Jul 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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140. How to Improve Your Memory & Attention

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 23:05:00 GMT

If you feel like you've got a sieve for a brain these simple, practical strategies could make all the difference to your memory function today and for the long term.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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139. "How Can I Help My Husband?"

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Does a strong family history mean that it is inevitable that someone will develop dementia?

No. Not only are these complex conditions where genes are just one component, but international studies like the Finnish Geriatric Intervention Study to Prevent Cognitive Impairment and Disability (FINGER) give us reasons to be optimistic about the power of lifestyle interventions on dementia risk. In people already at increased risk of dementia, aged 60–77, this multidomain intervention including diet, exercise, cognitive training, and vascular risk management delayed, and in some cases halted, cognitive decline.

In this episode I share what I would optimise if I was in this situation.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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138. Emotions & the Body

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 23:05:00 GMT

In this episode we’re diving into something that might just change the way you think about your feelings. We’re talking about how your body, your actual physical state, plays a huge role in shaping your emotions.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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137. Brain Bites: The MIND Diet

Thu, 19 Jun 2025 23:05:00 GMT

New data showing that adherents to this way of eating saw a 25% decrease in dementia risk, regardless of their starting age. Listen on to find out how.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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136. Why Invisible Work is Burning You Out - And What To Do About It

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 23:05:00 GMT

In this episode:

Understand 'invisible work' and its unique impact on mental health
Learn effective strategies to help reduce the burden of invisible work and quanitfy your impact

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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135. Brain Bites: People Pleasing

Thu, 12 Jun 2025 23:05:00 GMT

How 'people pleasing' hurts everyone.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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134. Nutrition & Neurodegeneration

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 23:05:00 GMT

In this episode:

The seven foods and nutrients shown to promote and protect long term brain health
Where should you save your money
What a day of neuro-nourishing eating might look like

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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133. Introducing 'Brain Bites'!

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Introducing the new fun-size episodes!

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

The Big Conversation Toolkit

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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132. How to Deal with Conflict

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 10:17:21 GMT

In this episode:

Learn the six common reason that we become conflict averse
Discover what really makes for a stronger relationship
Learn how to go from conflict-avoidant to conflict-competent

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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131. Recovery from Burnout

Mon, 26 May 2025 23:05:00 GMT

You’ve done it. You made it through a period of prolonged stress—maybe it was caregiving, a difficult job, medical treatment, or even burnout. It was tough but you got through it. Yes, you feel relieved but you’re now wondering: Why don’t I feel better yet?

If you can relate, then please listen on because in this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds Podcast, I’m giving you effective, evidence-based tools to help you recover from burnout and chronic stress.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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130. How to Tackle Fatigue and Reclaim Your Energy

Mon, 19 May 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Your alarm goes off on another Tuesday morning. You’ve been asleep for seven hours. You wore the eye mask and the ear plugs and listened to whale sounds. And you’re still bloody knackered. What’s going on? If this sounds familiar, then keep listening because in this week’s episode, we are getting to grips with non-sleep related fatigue.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

The Big Conversation Toolkit

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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129. The Big Conversation Toolkit

Sun, 18 May 2025 23:05:00 GMT

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128. How to Have a Difficult Conversation

Mon, 12 May 2025 23:05:00 GMT

The Big Conversation Toolkit

I’ve created a step-by-step toolkit to accompany this podcast. The 26 page guide contains:

My tried-and-tested 10-step process I use with clients
Reflective exercises and prompts to help you gain clarity
Example scripts and language to help you manage difficult moment
Grounding techniques to regulate anxiety
Links to additional resources and support
A Big Conversation Readiness Checklist

Click here to get the guide

We all have one conversation we keep putting off. Maybe it’s a long-overdue apology. Maybe it’s asking for what you need. Or maybe it’s telling someone how much they hurt you. These unspoken issues can eat away at our peace of mind and wellbeing, as well as threatening the strength of our relationships. In this episode I walk you through my tried and tested 10-step process for tackling these conversations with confidence.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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127. Nutrition & Sleep

Mon, 05 May 2025 23:05:00 GMT

It’s one of the most common questions that I get asked. 'Is there anything I can eat that will help me sleep?' And, listen, it’s not as simple as saying ‘eat this and have eight uninterrupted hours’. But, in as far as sleep is the product of your brain and your brain is an organ that depends on good nutrition for optimal function, there are some foods and nutrients that have been associated with changes in sleep quality. So, in this week’s episode, I’m giving you the lowdown on nutrition and sleep.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Food, Brain Behaviour: The Missing Piece

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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126. Nutrition & Prison Violence

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Prison violence is a chronic global crisis. With rates rising in the UK, US and around the world. Prison violence can have a devastating effect on prisoners, prison staff and wider society. So, in this episode, I'm asking a bold question: Can improving nutrition reduce violence in prison? And if so—why aren’t we doing it already?

Crime & Nourishment Series

The Kids Aren't Alright

The Prison Studies

You be the Judge

Think Through Nutrition

Think Through Nutrition on Instagram

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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125. Gestational Diabetes & Baby's Brain Development

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 23:05:00 GMT

You may have read recent articles discussing new data linking maternal diabetes and ADHD and autism in children. Maybe you’re planning a pregnancy or trying to conceive and you’ve never heard of gestational diabetes. Or you’re currently pregnant and worried about what this means. So, in this week’s episode, I give you an overview of what we know about gestational diabetes and baby’s brain development – and how to reduce your risk.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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124. Magnesium & the Brain

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 23:05:00 GMT

In the episodes on stress and burnout I mentioned how magnesium played a role in the stress response and how an adequate intake of magnesium can support stress resilience. But that is far from all that magnesium gets up to. In this much-requested episode of the Stronger Minds podcast, I’m taking you through the many and marvellous actions of magnesium in the brain.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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123. How to Feel Bad

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 23:05:00 GMT

Whether it's a difficult breakup, a stressful job, or an unexpected crisis, our ability to handle distressing situations without becoming overwhelmed plays a crucial role in our mental well-being, so on this week’s episode we’re going to get better at feeling bad as we learn all about Distress Tolerance.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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122. How Stress Affects the Gut

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 23:05:00 GMT

You’ve probably experienced the sensation of butterflies in your stomach, or the urge to rush to the toilet when you are nervous. These are some of the clearest indications of the relationship between the gut and the brain. But is there more to the story of psychological stress and gut symptoms? Should you be worried? And what, if anything, should you do about it? In this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds Podcast we’re digging in to the science of stress and the gut.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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121. Stress

Tue, 25 Mar 2025 00:05:00 GMT

I know, I know. You have felt stress enough times to know what it is. But do you really? Maybe you think stress ius all in your head or that a couple of drinks will take the stress away? In this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds podcast I am deep diving into stress – what it is, the different types, how it affects the brain and body and some surprising things that might just be able to help.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Original music by Juan Iglesias

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120. Guided Breathwork

Tue, 18 Mar 2025 00:05:00 GMT

In the previous episode we looked at burnout, the physical and emotional exhaustion associated with chronic workplace stress. One of the supportive tools I mentioned was a breath practice and I promised to record a guide for you. And here it is.

You'll find two versions, with and without background music.

Time Stamps

1.40 Start or practice with background audio

9.15 Start of practice without background audio

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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119. Burnout

Tue, 11 Mar 2025 00:05:00 GMT

If you’ve been feeling exhausted, detached from your work, or like no matter how hard you try, you’re running on empty—this episode is for you. Because, in this week's episode of the Stronger Minds podcast we’re taking a look at Burnout. What its, what causes it, and how to recover.

NB: There is not set amount of time that it takes to recover from burnout or chronic stress. That will depend on the extent of the stress, the opportunity and resources for rest and recovery, and individual differences.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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118. Decision-Making - Part 2: Audience Q&A

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 00:05:00 GMT

In the previous episode we looked at the process of decision-making, the brain areas involved, your brain as a simulator creating alternate futures based on the available options, and the internal and external factors that affect even our smallest decisions. But you had questions. How do I cope with decision paralysis, what’s the impact of childhood trauma on decision-making ability and how to make the best decision? This week’s episode, I’m answering your questions about decision-making.

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117. Decision-Making

Tue, 25 Feb 2025 00:05:00 GMT

Get the guide! Overcome Decision Paralysis

The simple truth is that the quality of your decisions determines the quality of your life. So getting better at making choices is itself a great decision. In this week’s episode, we’ll explore the brain regions involved in decision-making, the internal and external influences that shape our choices, and how to improve our decision-making skills for a better life.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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116. Blood Sugar & the Brain

Tue, 18 Feb 2025 00:05:00 GMT

Data published last week shows that more Brits than ever have high blood sugar and diabetes. The charity Diabetes UK is calling for government action on prevention because complications of diabetes include damage to the retina, kidneys, hearts and impaired sexual functions. But, we hear much less about the impacts of conditions of high blood sugar on the brain. So, that’s what we’re gonna do today, in this week’s episode : Blood Sugar & the Brain.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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115. 8 Ways to Tackle Brain Fog

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 00:05:00 GMT

How are you feeling right now? Tired? Flat? A bit…meh? Maybe you can’t really remember the last time you felt mentally sharp, fresh and raring to go? That resonates with you then stick around because, in this week’s episode, I am going to guide you through the clouds of brain fog: what it is, why it happens and what you can do about it.

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Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

How to Build a Healthy Brain*

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114. Inflammation 101

Tue, 04 Feb 2025 00:05:00 GMT

Inflammation is one of the big buzzwords in health and wellness. It’s been linked to everything from skin complaints to cancer. But do you really know what it is? And is it all bad? If all the talk about inflammation has left you more confused than a mosquito in a mannequin factory then listen on. Because in this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds Podcast I’m giving you the lowdown on inflammation and what you can do about it.

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113. Alcohol & The Brain

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 00:05:00 GMT

It’s the last week of Dry January. Some people will be looking forward to the first sip of their favourite tipple. While other will perhaps be thinking about how much better they feel going alcohol-free. And perhaps some of your are just curious about what goes on in the brain when we have a drink. So, on this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds Podcast, I’m digging in to the science of what happens to your brain when you drink.

Drinkline is the national alcohol helpline. If you're worried about your own or someone else's drinking, you can call this free helpline in complete confidence. Call 0300 123 1110 (weekdays 9am to 8pm, weekends 11am to 4pm).
Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a free self-help group. Its "12 step" programme involves getting sober with the help of regular support groups.
Al-Anon Family Groups offer support and understanding to the families and friends of problem drinkers, whether they're still drinking or not. Alateen is part of Al-Anon and can be attended by 12 to 17-year-olds who are affected by another person's drinking, usually a parent.

You can find moe option on the the NHS website

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112. Hydration Q&A

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 00:05:00 GMT

It’s the New Year and we’ve all pledged to stay hydrated. This week, I answer your question on water and hydration including, whether hot drinks count, should you get a water filter and the best way to stay hydrated without having to spend the day running to the loo!

WHO Water Filter Report

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111. Water & the Brain

Tue, 14 Jan 2025 00:04:00 GMT

Proper hydration helps to prevent constipation and kidney stones, and some even claim that it will help plump out your wrinkles. But what about your brain? If, like me, you have recommitted to staying hydrated this year, but you’re in need of a little motivation, then this one is for you. In this week’s episode of the Stronger Minds podcast, how staying hydrated can give your brain a boost.

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110. Introducing: Hack Your Body, Heal Your Mind!

Tue, 07 Jan 2025 15:32:18 GMT

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 have been working on. It's all about the link between the brain and body (my fave!) and how simple body hacks can improve your brain health and support your mental wellbeing. Tune in!

Episodes

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!

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109. Managing Loneliness During the Holidays

Tue, 17 Dec 2024 00:08:05 GMT

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

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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108. Surviving Your Family During the Holidays

Tue, 10 Dec 2024 00:05:33 GMT

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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107. Ultra-Processed Foods - Part 2: Audience Q&A

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 00:05:14 GMT

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?

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106. Ultra-Processed Foods - Part 1: A Beginner's Guide

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 00:05:05 GMT

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.

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105. The Science of Food Cravings

Tue, 19 Nov 2024 00:05:07 GMT

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

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104. The Gut-Brain Axis

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 00:05:17 GMT

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.

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103. AI Vs Therapy

Tue, 05 Nov 2024 00:05:12 GMT

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?

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102. AI Vs The Human Brain

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 00:05:35 GMT

Artificial intelligence permeates the full range of our lives, from something as casual as a song recommendation to matching us with our perfect partner. But, increasingly, we are building relationships with AI itself. Last week mother filed a wrongful death civil lawsuit against Character.AI, a generative AI chatbot platform. She says that the technology played a key role in her teenage son’s death by suicide. In this week’s episode, what happens when the human brain meets AI?

If you are based in the US, and need urgent mental health assistance, call or text 988 or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In the UK, people having mental health crises can contact the Samaritans at 116 123 or jo@samaritans.org. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.

US deaths by suicide

Access to a firearm

Pareidolia

New York Times Article

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Understanding Anger Episode

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101. Blowing Off Steam

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 23:05:00 GMT

Anger is an emotion that a lot of people struggle with. We find it uncomfortable, overwhelming and unwelcome. Many people simply don’t know what to do when they feel angry. One common suggestion is to let it out in an act of safe aggression like punching a pillow. In fact an entire industry of rage rooms – spaces devoted to wilful, rage-fuelled destruction – often with a baseball bat - has emerged, encouraging people to work through their fury at a colleague by smashing things. But…does it work? In this week’s episode, I’m exploring the science behind 'blowing off steam'.

Original paper

Image credit: By mrAnmol - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=132764560

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100. The Food Programme Episode Round Up

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 23:01:08 GMT

Here are the episodes of BBC Radio 4s The Food Programme (and Start the Week) that I have appeared on, in case you would like to listen.

Food and Mood: how eating affects your mental health

Broadcast: 19th July 2020

Start the Week - The food we eat

13th February 2023

Feeding Your Brain: A User's Guide

Broadcast: 30th July 2023

The Brain Gut Connection

Broadcast: 27th September 2024

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99. The Science of Satiety

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 23:04:25 GMT

The signal to stop eating comes from your stomach when it is full, right? Well…kinda but that’s not the whole story. This week’s episode is all about the science of satiety.

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98. Managing Horror

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 23:15:16 GMT

Greater social and political awareness, mediated by social media, has allowed more of us to participate in important social movements. But it’s also given us unprecedented access to horror. From body cams of police brutality and killings to harrowing images of war. To what extent is it our responsibility to bear witness to these events versus the need to protect our own wellbeing? The whys and hows of managing horror is the subject of this week’s Stronger Minds Podcast.

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NICE Maternal & Child Nutrition Stakeholder List

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97. Why I'm Starting a Beef with the NICE People

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 23:05:43 GMT

The average full term baby weighs just over 7lbs. One pound of that is the baby’s brain. Nature, via the mother’s body, devotes enormous amounts of energy into building the baby’s brain during and just after pregnancy. And as you’ve heard me say many, many times, the brain is the hungriest organ in the body and requires specific nutrients from the diet for proper structure and function.

So why, dear listeners, is brain development completely absent from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline update on pregnancy and child nutrition?

In this week’s episode I am a starting a teeny tiny beef with NICE.

Think Through Nutrition

The Food Programme

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96. Vitamin D for Black and Brown People

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 23:17:33 GMT

Called ‘the sunshine vitamin’ vitamin D is the only vitamin that the UK Department of Health and Social Care recommends that adults and children over the age of four should supplement daily because insufficiency is widespread. While there is some controversy about the threshold for deficiency in the general population, what is consistently observed is that Black and Brown communities have lower serum levels compared to white individuals in the same countries, and that this difference may contribute to some of the observed health disparities.

In this week’s episode I’m explaining why vitamin D levels can be so low in these groups, the potential implications, particularly in relation to brain health, and what you can do about it.

---

Diabetes Risk Tool

The company I used for ny vitamin D testing (OmegaQuant) no longer offers this specific test.

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https://www.intuitiveeating.org/about-us/10-principles-of-intuitive-eating/

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95. Psychological Hunger Q&A

Mon, 16 Sep 2024 23:05:41 GMT

Is there a link between childhood trauma and stress eating? And what’s the deal with emotional hunger? I’m answering your questions on the psychological side of hunger in this week’s episode.

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How to keep your teeth clean - NHS

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94. Absolute Beginner's Guide to Self-Care

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 23:02:29 GMT

Going for a walk. Having a mindful cup of coffee. Keeping a gratitude journal. These common self-care practices can be helpful and have their place. But some of us have to go back a step. To the basics. In this week’s episode, I’m bringing you an absolute beginners guide to self-care.

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Tooth brushing video

Flossing video

Feelings wheel

How to cope with financial worries - NHS

Sleep Hygiene

My Body Back Project - Sensitive and trauma informed cervical screening, contraceptive care, STI testing and maternity care for people who’ve experienced sexual violence.

Instagram link to this post

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93. My 9 Simple Daily Habits for Better Brain Health

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 23:05:18 GMT

I talk a lot about the importance of building a brain healthy lifestyle, but what does it look like in practice? In this episode, I share how I translate the research into simple daily habits for brain health.

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Low Xanthophylls, Retinol, Lycopene, and Tocopherols in Grey and White Matter of Brains with Alzheimer’s Disease

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92. Research Bite - Antioxidants & Alzheimer's

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 23:22:31 GMT

Getting your five servings of fruit and vegetables a day good for you. But why exactly? And more specifically, what are some of the nutrients in fruits and veggies doing for your brain? In this episode, I’m bringing you some fresh data on Antioxidants & Alzheimer’s disease.

Refs

Biomagnification

Supplements and dry AMD

Lutein zeaxanthin AD diagnosis

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91. Physical Hunger Q&A

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 23:06:54 GMT

Why am I hungrier before my period? Am I addicted to cheese? And is it true that we confuse hunger and thirst? I’m answering your questions on hungry in today’s episode.

Instagram

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90. Hunger

Tue, 16 Jul 2024 00:00:51 GMT

Your stomach’s rumbling. You can’t concentrate. And if one more person annoys you… We experience hunger every day but what is it all about and how does it affect us psychologically? The intricate, complex and exceedingly clever science of hunger – including how it affects our mood - is the topic of this week’s episode.

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89. The Psychology of Food Choice

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 23:01:28 GMT

How do you choose what you are going to eat? Do you think about it for a long time? Do you plan it in advance? Or do you wait for inspiration in the moment? The science and psychology of what we choose to eat is as fascinating as it is complex. The unconscious, internal and external drivers of food choice are the topic of this week’s episode.

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88. Manifesting

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 23:01:34 GMT

Manifesting, the idea that you can bring the things you want into being through controlling your thoughts, is hugely popular around the world, with people claiming that the practice has changed their lives. But can attaining success and riches really be that simple and are there truly no downsides?

In this episode I outline the psychology of manifesting and discuss its links to Margaret Thatcher.

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87. Magical Thinking

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 23:01:23 GMT

Do you knock on wood for good luck? Throw a pinch of salt over your shoulder? Maybe you’re someone who avoids opening an umbrella indoors just in case?

Superstitions sit on a spectrum from common habits and rituals to symptoms of mental illness. In the world of psychology we call these beliefs magical thinking.

The nature, pros and cons of magical thinking is the topic of this week’s podcast.

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Pareidolia (coming soon!)

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86. How to Apologise

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 23:01:11 GMT

Most of us can think of someone in our lives that we own an apology, but put it off because of shame, embarrassment, or not knowing where to start. But apologies can be hugely important not just in helping the person who has been hurt to heal and move forwards, but in supporting our own emotional maturity. So, this week’s episode is a science-backed guide to the perfect apology.

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Social Media Contagion – TikTok tics

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85. The Hardest Word

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 23:01:02 GMT

Even when we know we should, even when we want to, apologising can feel impossible. In this week’s episode , I present six psychological barriers to apologising, looking under the surface to see why sorry really is the hardest word.

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84. The Prevalence Inflation Hypothesis

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 23:01:37 GMT

A new idea in psychology suggests that mental health awareness campaigns and activities are driving up the recorded incidence of mental illness in both good and bad ways.

In this week’s podcast, I overview the hypothesis, share my thoughts, and highlight the additional factors that, if it is true, might make young people particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon.

Read the paper

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Winston’s Wish – support for children who are grieving -the loss of a sibling or the loss of a parent

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83. Coping with the Death of a Child

Mon, 27 May 2024 23:01:20 GMT

This episode is in response to a request from someone whose family has been bereaved by the death of a child.

So I reached out to Dr. Martha Deiros Collado, a Clinical Psychologist who specialises in working with children and families, and who spent over a decade working with and developing services for children with life limiting and life shortening conditions.

I am enormously grateful to Martha for her support with this episode in which she covers issues like:

Why the language you use around death is important
The value of creating rituals
How to manage important dates like birthdays after the death of a child
What to say and not say to parents after their child has died

We hope this will be a helpful resource for bereaved parents, family members and people around the family.

Support & Resources

Sue Ryder

Gingerbread – Support for single parents including those who are bereaved

Child Death Helpline – helpline operated by a dedicated team of volunteers who are all bereaved parents

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82. Shame & Conformity

Mon, 20 May 2024 23:01:08 GMT

Conformity, the act of adjusting your behaviour to fit in with group norms or expectations, is one of the strongest, most consistent and yet subtle social pressures that we experience. In this episode I’m talking about the evolutionary roots of shame and its links to conformity and physical pain.

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81. Dementia Prevention

Mon, 13 May 2024 23:01:33 GMT

Dementia is the disease that most adults are frightened of and global rates are set to triple by 2050. But too few of us know that there is anything we can do reduce our chances of developing the condition. Yet, research indicates that around 40% of global dementia cases could be delayed or prevented through changes in lifestyle.

In this episode I overview the 12 known modifiable risk factors for dementia and how you can start to look after your long-term brain health starting right now.

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80. The Big Five

Mon, 06 May 2024 23:01:37 GMT

The Five Factor Model of Personality is the most empirically supported paradigm for personality assessment, with five traits that have been identified universally – across sex, age, geography and culture.

In this episode I outline the five factors and how they link to physical and mental health.

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Big Five Questionnaire

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79. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator

Mon, 29 Apr 2024 23:01:53 GMT

Over 50 million people have taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to profile their personality. What can it tell you about yourself and is it worth the money?

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MBTI website quotes accurate on 29th April 2024.

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78. “For Nestlé, not all babies are equal” - The (Latest) Nestlé Baby Food Scandal

Mon, 22 Apr 2024 23:01:05 GMT

The world’s largest food and drink company, Nestlé, hit the headlines recently due to unethical practices with baby foods in countries in the global south: Asia, Africa and Latin America. But this isn’t their first rodeo. In this episode I discuss the original baby food scandal from the 1970s, which caused millions of excess infant deaths, and their latest moral failings.

Links

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

The original ‘The Baby Killer’ report from 1974

References

The 2024 Public Eye Investigation

Baby Milk Action Chronology

New Internationalist Babies Edition

VoxDev Analysis

Nestlé brands

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77. Leaky Gut

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 23:01:41 GMT

This episode is a follow-up to the previous episode: Prebiotics, Probiotics, Postbiotics & Psychobiotics. This time I want to talk to you about leaky gut.

What is it?
How much of a problem is it?
And what, if anything, can we do about it?

A probiotic I use and trust*

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76. Prebiotics, Probiotics, Postbiotics & Psychobiotics

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 23:01:50 GMT

This episode is all about microbes. Specifically, the ones in your gut that we are discovering play important roles in supporting your overall health, including your brain and mental health. But there is a lot of noise out there, and a lot of grand claims being made. In this episode I want to help you cut through the noise and make sense of this fascinating but complex area of research and to know, when it comes to gut health, where you should be spending your time and money.

A probiotic I use and trust*

Kefir How To

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75. Ozempic

Mon, 01 Apr 2024 23:01:34 GMT

This episode is all about Ozempic or, more specifically, the GLP-1 receptor agonist medications that have, far beyond their original medical use, taken the dieting and weight loss world like an absolute hurricane and now clinical trials are recruiting children aged 6-18.

In the episode I give a very brief outline of their physical targets and actions, but really I want to talk about the psychology of these drugs and to speculate on what they might mean for body sovereignty and how we relate to weight loss and bodies of different sizes in the future.

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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74. Brain Health Q&A - Part 2

Tue, 26 Mar 2024 00:01:54 GMT

This is part two of the brain health Q&A and I’ll be covering binge eating and the links between stress and dementia.

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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

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73. Brain Health Q&A - Part 1

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:01:13 GMT

In this Q&A episode, I answer your questions including:

Does sugar cause anxiety symptoms?
What does magnesium do for the brain?
What foods support brain health

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Instagram post for this episode.

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

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72. Love Languages

Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:01:45 GMT

The concept of Love languages, the five ways we give and receive love, is hugely popular, spawning thousands of posts and articles where people confidently proclaim what their or their spouses primary love languages are. But is it real? In this episode I look at the science - and pseudoscience - behind Love Languages and ask when will there be justice for Ann?

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

Instagram post for this episode.

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

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71. Hyper Independence

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 00:01:04 GMT

Hyper independence is described as a trauma-related response that includes behaviours like a fear of relying on others and a reluctance to ask for help even when it is needed. But...says who? Where's the evidence? And what are the harms?

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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

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70. Regret

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 00:01:43 GMT

In this episode I describe the phenomenon of regret: the different types of regret, how it is generated in the brain, what our biggest regrets are, and how to reduce the amount of regret you experience in the future.

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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

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69. Don't Let Joe Rogan Ruin Your Love Life

Fri, 16 Feb 2024 15:38:53 GMT

There is a growing ideological chasm between the men and women of Gen Z, which is unlike anything we have seen before. What's behind it, what are the implications for society. And what has Joe Rogan got to do with it?

Refs

King's College Survey https://www.kcl.ac.uk/policy-institute/assets/emerging-tensions.pdf

Change Research Survey https://changeresearch.com/post/young-women-are-more-liberal-than-young-men/

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*

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

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68. Envy

Thu, 01 Feb 2024 18:21:49 GMT

In this short episode I share some thoughts on understanding and managing a particularly harmful aspect of envy.

Unprocessed: What Your Diet is Doing to Your Brain*