Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Burnout is a type of chronic, unmanaged stress that has significant consequences for our physical and mental health. It’s characterised by feeling exhausted all the time, with no energy for everyday tasks, and little enjoyment in everyday activities. A survey by YouGov for the charity Mental Health UK in 2020 found one in five people felt unable to manage pressure and stress levels at work. Other research found that 88 percent of the UK workforce has experienced burnout since 2020.   It’s staggering statistics like these that led me to record this bonus episode. It’s a different format from usual: rather than a conversation with a guest, this is my take on what burnout is, why we often don't recognise it until it is too late – and why I believe it’s so important that each and every one of us is aware of it. Many of us think we can keep pushing day after day, week after week, without any consequences. But we can’t. What I have seen time and time again is that this constant pushing always come back to bite, it is just a case of when. Many of us are on the road to burnout without even realising it. In the past, we might have thought of burnout as a phenomenon that only affected high-flying CEOs. But it’s fair to say the world of work has completely transformed over the past few years. Pressures on everyone are through the roof, no matter what your paygrade or level of responsibility. Add to that the rise in home working, the cost-of-living crisis and the fact that boundaries between work and home have become increasingly blurred means that it is something that more and more of us are experiencing. In this podcast, I outline 7 signs that may indicate you are on the road to burnout: things to look out for in your mood, your behaviour, your habits and your health. I then walk you through 10 practical tools you can think about introducing into your life that will quickly start to help. I truly hope you find this episode helpful and, of course, if you know someone in your life who could benefit from listening, please do share this episode with them. PLEASE NOTE: the signs I mention in this episode are very common and are not exclusive to burnout. If you have the odd sign and it is short lived - please do not worry - we all will experience some of these signs from time to time. Just be mindful if these signs are becoming longstanding. Also, please note that some of these signs can also be found in a variety of other conditions, for example, depression. If you have any concerns, please seek advice from a qualified healthcare professional *** ***DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard in this podcast. Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore or https://fblm.supercast.com for all podcast platforms. Thanks to our sponsors: https://www.calm.com/livemore https://boncharge.com/livemore Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/329

22 Tammi 20231h 12min

There’s a simple, free habit that you can do every morning to improve your health and reduce fatigue, and it only takes 5-10 minutes per day. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 227 of the podcast with Dr. Andrew Huberman, a professor of neuroscience at Stanford University School of Medicine. In this clip he shares a powerful daily habit that you can do to optimise your health, boost your energy and improve your sleep. Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/227 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk   DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

20 Tammi 202314min

This week’s guest is regarded as one of the all-time music greats. Named on Time magazine’s list of the ‘100 most influential people in the world’, he is none other than the legendary record producer, Mr Rick Rubin.   Whether you know the name Rick Rubin or not - it is almost certain that the music he has been involved with making has made its way into your life at various points. Having worked with a huge variety of different artists in very different genres - Tom Petty, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Adele, Johnny Cash, Jay Z, Neil Young - to name just a few, he is one of the most celebrated record producers of all time. But I think one of the reasons that Rick has reached an almost mythical status across the world is because of his Zen-like manner and his artistic approach to life.   In his new book The Creative Act, Rick says that we’re all artists – and he defines art as whatever our ‘curated output’ in life is. And you don’t have to be a musician, or even a music fan to appreciate this book (or this episode), because it’s really about the art of living.   We talk about how his artistic life philosophy applies to health. He shares his own path to wellness - how changing his diet, living in harmony with his circadian rhythms and seeing a nutritionist - helped him lose over a third of his body weight and gave him his vitality back.  We also touch on the similarities between creating beautiful records and creating optimal health. Rick also shares how suffering from depression has actually left him more grounded and empathetic, and why he is such a big fan of saunas and cold-water therapy.   Just like in Rick’s book, there are all sorts of thought tangents to follow in our conversation, and I think, what you will hear and take away, will hugely depend on what you need to hear in your life right now.   We talk about the value of deadlines, the beauty of imperfection and whether it’s OK to be motivated by success. We also touch on authenticity, values, and his firm view that ‘the audience should come last’ in any creative endeavour.    This really was a special conversation, full of timeless wisdom, from a remarkable man. If you’d have told the teenage Rangan that he’d one day be sitting down for an in-depth conversation with Rick Rubin about why medicine is more art than science, I don’t think he would have believed you - and yet, this is what you are about to hear - so strap yourself in, get yourself ready and enjoy! Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Thanks to our sponsors: https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/327 DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

18 Tammi 20232h 36min

Our gut health, unlike our genes, is something we can influence - improving almost all aspects of our health and wellbeing. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 291 of the podcast with leading expert on the gut microbiome, Professor Tim Spector. In this clip Tim shares some of the latest science, along with his tips for building more gut-friendly foods into your diet. Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/291 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk   DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

13 Tammi 202315min

Every morning, my guest on this week’s episode starts her day with 30-minutes of exercise. She knows – from personal experience backed by scientific research – that this makes her more focused, happy, motivated, and even creative. She knows it’ll help her grow new brain cells and neural pathways, long into old age. And she wants you to reap all these benefits too.   Dr Wendy Suzuki is a neuroscientist and a Professor of Neural Science and Psychology at New York University’s Center for Neural Science. Her 2016 book Healthy Brain, Happy Life is a thought-provoking, life-changing look at the plasticity of the brain – and the research-based ways we can change it for the better.   In our conversation, Wendy shares her realisation that the ‘bubble bath of feelgood chemicals’ released during movement were having powerful unexpected effects in her brain. And she explains how even just a small amount of exercise creates profound changes in the brain that go much further than simply boosting mood.   We talk about the effect exercise had on the hippocampus, the part of the brain critical for long-term memory and imagination, as well as the pre-frontal cortex, responsible for our working, moment-to-moment memory. It’s all inspiring proof that our brains are plastic and can change at any age, and that we can take action to make them healthier, younger and stronger.   We also discuss anxiety. Wendy’s latest book, provocatively titled Anxiety Is Your Superpower is all about reframing this ‘misunderstood emotion’ as a signal designed to protect us. Anxiety and fear levels have certainly risen over the past few years but if we can understand anxiety as part of the fight or flight stress response, says Wendy, we can begin to see it as an evolutionary tool for productivity. The key, she says, is turning a panicked list of ‘what ifs’ into a practical list of ‘to dos’.   Wendy explains the detrimental effects of alcohol on brain health, the wonders of meditation and how listening to your favourite piece of music is one of the easiest ways to nourish your brain.   This is a practical and inspiring episode that I’m certain will have you taking action immediately. Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Thanks to our sponsors: https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore https://www.calm.com/livemore Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/325 DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

11 Tammi 20231h 31min

Doctors working in general practice have never faced such challenges as they do today – and yet there’s a perception that they’re just not working hard enough. The reality, says this week’s guest, is there are fewer doctors and resources and soaring patient numbers with increasingly complex needs. But Dr Ayan Panja might just have hit on a solution. Ayan, as regular listeners will know, is a returning guest to the podcast and a good friend of mine. Together we developed the RCGP-accredited Prescribing Lifestyle Medicine course, which we offer to fellow healthcare practitioners. As well as being a very busy NHS GP with almost 25 years of experience, Ayan is an exceptional health communicator. His brand-new book, The Health Fix: Transform Your Health In 8 Weeks, contains life-changing insights about how we can all improve our health and wellbeing using techniques and strategies he has seen work time and time again in over 2 decades of clinical practice. In our conversation, Ayan explains the eight key factors which affect our health the most day to day and shares the simple ways that we can start to improve them. We talk about autoimmune disease and how the underlying mechanisms behind these diseases often start in the body years before we actually get a diagnosis. We also discuss the limitations of evidence-based medicine and why real-world experience often counts as much, if not more than laboratory findings. And of course, we talk about the practical things that we can all implement immediately to improve our health and happiness. One of the things that I love the most about Ayan’s approach is that it really understands that you are unique and it's going to allow you to generate your own targeted lifestyle prescription. And this episode will put you on the right path to discovering your own, individual health story – and the right interventions for you.  Find out about the LIVE, Prescribing Lifestyle Medicine event for healthcare practitioners http://www.prescribinglifestylemedicine.org/ Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Thanks to our sponsors: https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/324 DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

8 Tammi 20231h 43min

Our ability to focus and pay attention plays a crucial role in every aspect of our life: reaching our goals, maintaining close relationships, thinking deeply, as well as our ability to be kind, compassionate and empathetic.  Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 228 of the podcast with the brilliant Johann Hari, author of the book ‘Stolen Focus: Why You Can’t Pay Attention’.   In this clip, Johann explains how our attention is being stolen and shares some steps that we can take to get it back.    Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/228 Follow me on instagram.com/drchatterjee Follow me on facebook.com/DrChatterjee Follow me on twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk   DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

6 Tammi 202313min

Cold showers, icy plunge pools, outdoor swimming – are you a fan, or does the very idea make you shiver? Today’s podcast is all about one of the biggest wellness trends of the past few years: cold water immersion therapy. My guest is Dr Susanna Søberg who is arguably one of the leading researchers on the topic. Susanna studied at the University of Copenhagen, looking at metabolism and the role of brown fat. Her research on the physiology of deliberate cold and heat exposure is helping to back up what many cultures have known instinctively for thousands of years – changing our temperature is good for us. Her new book Winter Swimming: The Nordic Way Towards a Healthier and Happier Life is a beautifully illustrated volume, which looks at cold-water traditions around the world and shares what incredible benefits they can provide for our health and wellbeing. In this conversation, Susanna talks us through the many physical benefits, from increased metabolism, immunity and lowered insulin resistance, to the potential to reduce excess weight and ease muscle and joint pain. The key player in all these benefits? Brown fat, a type of healthy fat stored around the spine that acts as our body’s temperature regulator, boosts metabolism and can even aid blood-sugar response and weight control. The more we expose ourselves to the cold, the more brown fat cells we have. So it’s a case of use it or lose it. There are also incredible mental health benefits from engaging with the cold. The very act of pushing out of your comfort zone and braving the cold can give you a sense of confidence. It releases mood-boosting hormones and exposes us to a form of ‘healthy stress’, building our resilience to modern life. It’s also the ultimate in mindfulness – a sensory experience that takes you out of your head and into your body. In 2021 Susanna published research setting out the minimum amount of time that we need to spend in the cold to receive all these incredible health benefits. It’s now been dubbed the Søberg Principle and it’s not nearly as extreme as you might think. Even just a cooler blast at the end of your shower is a very effective place to start.   I really was delighted and honoured that Susanna came over from Denmark to record her first ever long form podcast. Whatever your view on the cold – whether you embrace it fully or whether you think this is a trend that is not for you – I really think you are going to enjoy listening and I’m pretty sure that after listening, you may well be tempted to give the cold a go. CAUTION: If you have uncontrolled hypertension or heart disease it is not advised that you start practising cold water immersion. If you have any doubt at all as to whether you are fit enough to give this practice a go, please consult a qualified healthcare professional. Thanks to our sponsors: https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore https://www.boncharge.com/livemore https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/322 DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have.

4 Tammi 20232h 22min