Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

Learning to harness the power of your breath can be life changing. It’s free, it’s easy, it doesn’t require much of your time and the results can be instantaneous.  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 197 of the podcast with journalist and author James Nestor. Breathing is information, and in this clip, James explains why the way we breathe is so important for the health of our body and our mind. 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/197 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.

17 Feb 202312min

CAUTION: This conversation contains themes of an adult nature and references to sexual assault. My guest today is someone who I’ve been wanting to speak to for a very long time. Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a professor of psychiatry at Boston University School of Medicine and President of the Trauma Research Foundation in Massachusetts. He’s also the author of the wildly popular book, The Body Keeps the Score, a book about trauma, published in 38 languages and read by millions of people worldwide. The central philosophy behind Bessel’s work is that traumatic, psychological experiences in life leave a physical imprint within us, which can result in physical and mental health problems. We begin by talking about what exactly trauma is, how it differs from stress, and why it is important for all of us to have compassion and empathy for those affected. He explains the factors that lead to some people becoming traumatised by an experience while others aren’t. And we talk about the importance of family, support, and community when it comes to emotional resilience. We discuss the variety of different medical conditions and symptoms that may have their root in trauma, from misunderstood illnesses like fibromyalgia to mental health disorders and autoimmune disease. Often, these are the conditions where western medicine really struggles to help. Bessel has carried out years of research into trauma and studied the many modalities that can help us finally heal. Because our bodies quite literally keep the score and store the trauma, it’s often body-oriented therapies that may prove most helpful. We discuss why yoga (the union of body and mind), dancing or singing can be powerful ways to do this. Movement, he says, is the opposite of being ‘stuck’ in trauma. It’s a somatic pleasure response, an expression of life, and can put vulnerable, traumatised people back in touch with their bodies. Bessel also shares some fascinating evidence on the power of EMDR (eye movement desensitisation reprogramming), neurofeedback, and talks about his involvement in psychedelic therapy. Such is the prevalence of trauma in society that whether we have experienced it ourselves or we know people who have, it’s vital that we all learn about it and the various ways we can heal. This is a powerful and insightful conversation with one of the world’s leading authorities on trauma. I hope you enjoy listening. Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore or https://fblm.supercast.com. Thanks to our sponsors: https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore https://www.boncharge.com/livemore https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/336 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.

15 Feb 20231h 42min

Downtime had been eroded out of our lives, but what impact is this having on our health? 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 93 of the podcast with my good friend and fellow podcast host, Rich Roll. In this clip, Rich talks about the importance of having time alone with our thoughts and why we need discomfort in order to grow. 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/93 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.

10 Feb 202310min

Is love something that happens magically between two people – or is it something that needs to be nurtured? Does it come from within us, or is it something we’re given? My guest today is here to help us figure out these answers and more. Jay Shetty is a former monk who wanted to share his learnings with a wider audience. He’s now one of the world’s most influential, modern self-help gurus – with a social media following in the tens of millions. He’s also a bestselling author, host of the podcast On Purpose, and Chief Purpose Officer for the meditation app Calm. I first welcomed Jay to the podcast in 2020 and he’s now back to share his wisdom on purpose and relationships to celebrate the launch of his new book, 8 Rules Of Love: How To Find It, Keep It, And Let It Go, and his world tour to support the book, which hits the UK in May.   We begin our conversation talking about the importance of purpose and how we can go about finding or refining our own. Jay also shares his morning routine which includes thankfulness, intention, meditation and exercise and explains how this helps him to live each day with more purpose. We then go on to talk about relationships and discuss the idea that solitude and self-knowledge are the foundations of love. We talk about the fact that challenges in a relationship are more often issues within ourselves; how we often take our stresses out on those closest to us – and how we can stop doing this. Jay explains why difficulties arise when we communicate what we want from a partner, but not why we want it, the satisfaction that comes with mutual growth, the importance of finding a partner who shares your values and how the qualities you attract in others, will be the same ones you use to impress them.   Whether you’re someone who is looking for love, happily single, recently separated, in a new relationship, or you’ve been with someone for many years, you’ll find nuggets of wisdom throughout this deep and raw conversation. I hope you enjoy listening. 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/334 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 Feb 20231h 42min

TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast discusses fasting, and its advice may not be suitable for anyone with an eating disorder. If you have an existing health condition or are taking medication, always consult your healthcare practitioner before going for prolonged periods without eating.  It’s not just what we eat that’s important for our health and longevity, but also when we eat, and how much. 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 236 of the podcast with Dr Pradip Jamnadas, a Florida-based consultant cardiologist and a clinical assistant professor. In this clip, Dr Jamnadas shares a beginner’s guide to fasting and describes some of the dramatic and restorative processes that take place in our bodies when we start to take periodic breaks from food. 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/236 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.

3 Feb 202315min

This week’s episode is all about a subject familiar to many of us: self-sabotage. Whether it’s the inability to stick to our health goals, leave a toxic relationship, or get that promotion, we often seem to be our own worst enemies. Self-sabotage is a spectrum of feelings, beliefs, and behaviours, but they all set us up to fail.    Dr Ramani Durvasula is a clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychology at California State University, and a world-renowned expert on narcissistic personality disorder. She’s written two books on the subject, Should I Stay or Should I Go and Don’t You Know Who I Am. She hosts the podcast Navigating Narcissism, and posts regularly on her YouTube channel, which has over 1 million subscribers.   In this conversation, we talk about relationships not with others, but with ourselves. Dr Ramani talks us through the common ways in which many of us self-sabotage, including procrastination, social comparison, taking on too much and not living in alignment with our values. She explains their links to anxiety and perfectionism and shares the practical solutions that she uses with clients to overcome them. If you’ve ever considered having therapy, Dr Ramani provides some useful insights about how it can work.   We discuss a wide range of topics, including why so many of us stick around in toxic, unsupportive relationships, the importance of cultivating friendships and communities outside the home and not expecting our romantic partner to be all things to us. And you’ll hear Dr Ramani explain a new way of thinking about our inner critic.   Dr Ramani has decades of real world experience helping her clients, she is a brilliant communicator and this is a conversation full of fresh insights and practical insights that you are going to be able to implement 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.athleticgreens.com/livemore https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/332 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.

1 Feb 20232h 1min

CAUTION: Contains swearing and themes of an adult nature. Being kind to ourselves is so important for our wellbeing and our physical and mental health, but often the negative voice in our head can start to overwhelm our thoughts. 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 230 of the podcast with my good friend - fellow podcast host and author, Fearne Cotton. Fearne has been a talented and high-profile star on UK TV and radio since the age of 15, but living life in the spotlight led to depression and anxiety.  In this clip, she shares her eye-opening experience of fame and why she believes self-compassion is key to living an authentic life. 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/230 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.

27 Jan 202315min

My guest today is on a mission to help people feel better, live longer, and maximise their brain health by optimising their diet. Max Lugavere is a science journalist and a New York Times bestselling author. He believes brain decline is not inevitable, we all have agency in how we age, and the secret lies in our food. This drive began following his mother’s diagnosis with Lewy body dementia aged just 58, and his frustration at the medical world’s ineffective, drugs-only approach to treatment. Years spent trawling the research and asking experts, “Why her?” has given him a wealth of knowledge that he is keen to share with others. Through his books Genius Foods, The Genius Life, and cookbook Genius Kitchen, as well as a long-running podcast, Max shares evidence-based principles that will help all of us protect our brains. And his passion, along with an encyclopaedic ability to recall and communicate the science, is why I really wanted to talk to Max on my show. Max talks us through the three food types we should think about cutting out – and why. We discuss ultra-processed foods and why it’s not in our nature to consume them in moderation. He explains the wholefood matrix, and the protective synergy that comes with eating foods, in a minimally processed state. If you’ve ever wondered about the healthiest fats to cook with, Max covers this in detail.   He also shares which specific foods he recommends we all include in our diets and what brain-healthy nutrients they provide. Perhaps controversially, we discuss the adage ‘Everything in moderation’ and why this might not be the healthiest approach. If we’re going to declare some foods good, says Max, other foods must therefore be bad. And within the context of a sick population, surely we should be bolder about advising people to quit the food types we know are unnatural and harmful?   Having experienced the trauma of his mother’s illness, Max isn’t bothered about the critics, he’s just really keen to help people. He’s an advocate for informed consent, sharing facts to enable us to make tailored, better food choices. Above all, his message is one of balance and realism. We can all make choices every single day that set us on the path to better health, even if we’re only taking baby steps. I immensely enjoyed my conversation with him. I hope you enjoy listening. 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/330 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.

25 Jan 20232h 13min