Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

We’ve been conditioned to think that if we aren’t perpetually exhausted, we’re not doing enough. So how can we avoid overwhelm, protect our time, and focus on the things that really matter? 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 183 of the podcast with writer, speaker and podcast host Greg McKeown. In this clip, Greg describes what we can all do to avoid burnout, and the one simple question we should ask ourselves every day so that we focus on the things that are truly important. Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/183 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.

14 Apr 202212min

Jonny Wilkinson is one of the most decorated and recognisable faces in rugby history and he’s probably best known for kicking the winning goal in 2003 to help England win the Rugby World Cup. But this episode of my podcast is not a conversation about rugby. It’s a conversation about what it truly means to live a meaningful and contented life.   Jonny shares how winning the World Cup led to disappointment, discontentment and a mental health crisis. He explains how he spent his entire life trying to realise his dreams, only to discover that achieving them did not make him happy. In this deep and soulful conversation, Jonny explains how his relationship with rugby changed from initially being a ‘celebration of his talent’ to later becoming something that only caused him stress, anxiety and made him fearful.    Jonny has been to the extremes of life - extreme levels of success but also extreme levels of discontentment. And, by going to those extremes, I think Jonny has learned some incredible truths and wisdom, which he shares in our conversation. We talk about the difference between success and happiness, the price we often pay for pursuing our dreams, the importance of awareness and living in the moment, as well as the importance of letting go of old beliefs when they no longer serve us. We also talk about Identity and how limiting the labels we put on ourselves can be, how we can use micro-moments of resistance in our daily lives to grow and learn and how our past can actually change, depending on what perspective we put on it in the present moment.   This is a powerful, thought-provoking and engaging conversation with an incredible human being that I truly believe has the potential to transform the way you look at life - I hope you enjoy listening. Thanks to our sponsors: http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore https://www.calm.com/livemore Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ, US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/257 Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. 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.

12 Apr 20221h 54min

This is the third in a series of re-released episodes from the Feel Better Live More archives. In this conversation, I speak to arguably one of the world’s leading and most original thinkers on modern relationships, the wonderful, Esther Perel, who has long been on my dream guest list.   We talk about the many differences between relationships of the past and the relationships of now. How we are now all under pressure not only to have the perfect relationship, but also to portray this illusion to others as well.   Esther believes that it’s the quality of our relationships that determines the quality of our lives. And who we are is actually a combination of how we see ourselves and how others see us. We only really get to know ourselves through our interactions with others.   We talk about the idea that we are not one person but different with each person – and rather than being one-way, all interactions are reciprocal. We discuss the value of couples’ counselling and whether it’s something all relationships, healthy or otherwise, need. Reassuringly, we learn that there’s no such thing as a perfect relationship, they all follow a rhythm of harmony, disharmony and repair.   Esther and I touch and expand on our own situations and how the family history and values you bring to a relationship or marriage impacts the dynamic between you. She talks us through how much the concept of marriage has changed over the past century, and how it’s a tall order to ask just one person in our lives to meet all of our needs – needs which once would have been shared across our extended families and communities. This episode is a joyous celebration of all the relationships in our lives. It’s challenging, poignant but ultimately hugely practical. Esther offers some wonderful examples of practices we can all start implementing today, from rituals to build strength in our intimate relationships, to advice on reframing criticism or starting difficult conversations at work. The upshot? Rather than hoping others will change, we can be the change ourselves. It was a great pleasure to speak with such an incredible lady and I know that you will get a lot of value from hearing what she has to say. Thanks to our sponsors: https://www.leafyard.com/livemore https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version https://amzn.to/304opgJ US & Canada version https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp  Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/256 Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. 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 qualified health care provider with any questions you 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.

9 Apr 20221h 24min

We all want to be happy, but what truly brings us happiness is often not what we think. 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 151 of the podcast with Laurie Santos, Professor of Psychology at Yale University. In this clip, Laurie explains why our happiness is so important for our health, our wellbeing and our longevity, and she shares the results of some surprising research that could help us live a happier life. Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.   Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/151 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.

7 Apr 202215min

Today’s conversation is all about cues - the small signals that we give and pick up that have a big impact. The head tilt, the smile, the open-palmed gesture – they all carry meaning that people intuitively understand. And if you’ve ever felt misunderstood, overlooked or underestimated, you can change that by using the right cues. Everything from the way you walk into a room to how you stand, your choice of words to your intonation, can affect how people perceive you. My guest today is Vanessa Van Edwards, an expert in body language, facial expressions, and nonverbal communication. Her latest book Cues: Master the Secret Language of Charismatic Communication is packed with practical tools and exercises to help you understand more about others – and communicate your own ideas with warmth and competence. Vanessa likes to introduce herself as a ‘recovering awkward person’. She certainly doesn’t come across as awkward anymore, in fact she exudes confidence and charisma. And during our conversation, she reveals some of the tricks that helped transform her. She begins by explaining that confidence and charisma are unique to each of us. You don’t have to be an extrovert to have confidence in what you do and say. She defines charisma as the combination of competence and warmth and says these two components are essential for trust. Research has shown that when people assess one another, what they’re looking to find out is, ‘Can I trust you?’ followed by, ‘Can I rely on you?’ By identifying and using the cues that convey trust and reliability, we can instantly come across as more charismatic and likeable. But it’s not just about how we want to come across. Understanding the cues other people are giving us can help us deal with conflict and build better connections. Arguably, there is nothing more important because at our core we all want to belong, to understand and be understood. I’m convinced that mastering cues can help us improve communication and nourish connection in all areas of our lives, from business to romance. This was such a fun and uplifting conversation that is full of practical tips that you can use immediately. I hope you enjoy listening.  Thanks to our sponsors: https://www.blublox.com/livemore https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore https://www.leafyard.com/livemore Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ, US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/254 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 qualified health care provider with any questions you 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.

5 Apr 20221h 29min

Caution: contains themes of an adult nature. This is the second in a series of re-released episodes from the Feel Better Live More back catalogue. This is a powerful story that my guest delivers with extraordinary wisdom. Today’s conversation will stop you in your tracks. It’s powerful, confronting and challenging and I am so grateful for my guest’s honesty, empathy and willingness to share the wisdom of her 93 years. Dr Edith Eger is a Holocaust survivor, psychologist and expert in the treatment of post-traumatic stress but above all, she’s an incredible human being with an extraordinary story to share. Her latest book, The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life, is quite simply a phenomenal read and in my view a must-read for all of us. As a Jew living in Eastern Europe under Nazi occupation, Edith was taken to Auschwitz concentration camp with her parents and sister, at the age of 16. She explains how she found her inner resources, how she came to view her guards as the real prisoners, turn hate into pity and, incredibly, she even describes her horrific experience as ‘an opportunity’. She has liberated herself from the prison of her past through forgiveness. I’m acutely aware that for many of us listening, myself included, it’s hard to put our own problems alongside anything Edith has faced. Which makes her teaching that, ‘There’s no hierarchy in trauma’ all the more beautiful. Edith is not here to make us put our own suffering into perspective and overcome it. Rather, she explains, we can learn to come to terms with pain, reframe it and become stronger. We cover so many different topics in this conversation, from parenting and relationship wisdom to insights on semantics and depression. Edith’s message to us is that we can change the thoughts and behaviours that are keeping us imprisoned in the past. I felt grateful and humbled to have had the opportunity to speak to Edith and the conversation really changed me. I hope you get as much out of it as I did. Thanks to our sponsors:   https://www.leafyard.com/livemore   https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp  Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/250 Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. 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 qualified health care provider with any questions you 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.

2 Apr 20221h 39min

There are so many health benefits associated with a consistent practice of meditation, and the benefits of a regular practice can extend beyond the meditation itself into daily life, benefitting our health and increasing our happiness. 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 2 of the podcast with co-founder of the meditation app ‘Calm’, Michael Acton Smith Michael admits he wasn’t initially convinced about trying meditation until he researched the science.     Since then, the practice has transformed his life and, in this clip, he explains how we can all experience the many benefits by making it an enjoyable daily habit. Thanks to our sponsor http://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ, US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/3oAKmxi. For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.   Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/02 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.

31 Mar 202211min

My guest on this week’s Feel Better Live More podcast is Dr Robert Lustig, Professor of Paediatric Endocrinology at the University of California. He’s a leading public health expert who has long been exposing the myths of modern medicine and the food industry. His passion is communicating how sugar and ultra-processed food is fuelling the chronic disease epidemic that we are all facing today. Obesity, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, heart disease and so much more are caused, in Rob’s view, by the foods that we are eating. In his latest book, Metabolical: The Lure and the Lies of Processed Food, Nutrition and Modern Medicine, he outlines what he calls the ‘hateful eight’ – the eight root causes in our body that underlie all chronic disease. He explains how food and sugar impact on them and, most importantly, suggests strategies to counteract them. In this conversation, Rob explains why sugar can be so damaging and explains that just like alcohol, our bodies can cope with sugar in small amounts. But in excess will end up in the liver and ultimately trigger us to get sick. Rob’s decades of clinical experience and research has led to his bold and compelling assertion that the answer to all chronic disease can be found in real food. His solution? To ‘protect the liver, feed the gut’. I think these 6 words are an elegant way of summarising the nutritional advice that all of us should consider taking on board in order to improve our health and wellbeing. We talk about what constitutes ‘real food’ and how different levels of food processing are classified. Rob explains why sugar-sweetened drinks can be so disastrous for health, particularly in children – and why diet drinks do just as much damage, if not more. We also talk about TOFI (thin on the outside, fat on the inside) and fascinatingly, Rob outlines the three types of fat gain that we can all experience: subcutaneous (which you can see); visceral (stress-related fat around the middle), and liver fat. It’s only the first of these that you’re likely to notice – but it’s the latter two which we really need to fix, especially as they’re already appearing in kids. This conversation is full of mind-blowing facts and insights but it’s also really empowering and contains simple, practical tips that all of us can use to improve our lives. I hope you enjoy listening. Caution: contains mild swearing. Thanks to our sponsors: https://www.leafyard.com/livemore https://www.vivobarefoot.com/livemore https://www.athleticgreens.com/livemore Order Dr Chatterjee's new book Happy Mind, Happy Life: UK version: https://amzn.to/304opgJ US & Canada version: https://amzn.to/3DRxjgp Show notes available at https://drchatterjee.com/251 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 qualified health care provider with any questions you 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.

29 Mar 20221h 47min