E100 Managing IBS with the low-FODMAP diet and probiotics
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints. With no one single identified trigger or treatment, IBS can be a minefield for a person to try and get on top of. Diet changes are one area that can have a positive impact on IBS and in this podcast, I’ll look at the current evidence for different approaches with a focus on the popular low-FODMAP diet as well as probiotic supplements.
Links referred to in the podcast
Low-FODMAP diet and IBS review 2018
Low-FODMAP diet and probiotics in IBS review 2022
E99 Will magnesium help you sleep better?
Magnesium is a key mineral that is essential for muscle contractions and nerve transmission while also keeping your heart beating steadily and your immune system strong. Of the many health conditions linked to magnesium, it is poor sleep quality that often comes up as a reason to take magnesium supplements. In this podcast, I’ll look at the latest evidence for magnesium and sleep. And then I’ll profile the main food sources of magnesium and critique the merits of the many different supplemental forms of magnesium.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of magnesium and sleep quality
E98 Caffeine and resistance exercise: how much do you need?
Caffeine is a popular go-to supplement for many athletes. And for good reason. Not only is it the key component of one of the world’s most widely used legal drugs – I’m talking about coffee here people – it is also a sports supplement that is well supported by scientific evidence. Caffeine can offer a performance-enhancing benefit by providing a small, but worthwhile, enhancement of performance over a range of exercise situations from short-duration events right through to endurance events. In this podcast, I look at the role of caffeine specifically in resistance exercise and outline what could be the minimum amount needed for a benefit.
Links referred to in the podcast
IOC consensus statement on dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete
Caffeine and resistance exercise meta-analysis
Sports Dietitians Australia
E97 Go nuts for nuts: why they’re great for your heart and weight
Eating nuts as part of a healthy diet is good for your heart. They’re also a super nutritious snack for any time of the day. But, what about all that fat? Be fearful not of fat as not only is the type of fat found in nuts considered healthy, but a major systematic review finds little impact of eating nuts on body weight. And that’s what I’ll cover in this episode.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of nuts and body weight
E96 Nutrient wins and losses on a plant-based diet
Plant-based eating is on-trend and has been for some time. Fuelled by health, environmental and ethical personal choices, we are seeing more people than ever adopt this way of eating. But there is no one ‘right’ way to eat. And even within a framework of ‘mostly plants’, it is possible to do it well and not so well. In this podcast, I’ll look at the latest research comparing different types of plant-based diets to one that includes meat and see how they compare on the nutrient wins and losses scoreboard.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of plant-based diets compared to meat eaters
Healthy and unhealthy plant-based diets
E95 Focussing on eating healthier is better than trying to eat less
With no end of diets to choose from, it is clear they collectively make little long-term impact on body weight with most people regaining any weight lost within months. So, rather than putting the focus on dieting to lose weight, how much impact could a change in mindset to concentrate on eating healthier have instead? Well, in an interesting twist to this question, a research study designed to educate people on portion sizes, actually found that people ate more food. But the catch was that it was healthier food options they were choosing, with the flow-on benefit of them eating fewer kilojoules overall.
Links referred to in the podcast
Effect of portion size training on food choices
E94 Want a healthy heart? Eat more of these flavonoid foods
Heard about flavonoids? They are just one group from a long list of beneficial natural polyphenol chemicals you’ll find in plant foods. While the chemistry and naming structure can be daunting, there is nothing daunting about the foods that contain lots of these flavonoids. In our body, these flavonoids can operate as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents. And that all spells good news for your heart health. In this podcast, I’ll explain what flavonoids are, what foods contain lots of them, and unveil the latest evidence linking them to good heart health.
Links referred to in the podcast
Flavonoids explained
Meta-analysis of flavonoids and heart disease risk
E93 Nut allergies: causes, consequences and emerging treatments
Nut allergies are one of the most common types of food allergy seen in children and adults. Caused when the body’s immune system overreacts to proteins found in nuts or peanuts, it can lead to a range of symptoms from mild reactions to severe anaphylaxis that is life-threatening. People with a nut allergy need to avoid the nut that triggers their allergy entirely. There is hope on the horizon though. Called oral immunotherapy, it is emerging as a possible way to desensitise people to nuts and allow small amounts to be eaten safely. And that’s what I’ll be covering in my latest podcast.
Links referred to in the podcast
Oral immunotherapy clinical trial 2016
Oral immunotherapy clinical trial 2022
AR101 oral immunotherapy for peanut allergy
E92 How probiotics can help people with bowel cancer
Bowel cancer (also called colorectal or colon cancer) is the second biggest killer of Australians from cancer each year. This is one form of cancer where diet and lifestyle choices play a big part in changing a person’s risk of developing it. But once someone is diagnosed with cancer, the outlook changes. Now emerging research is finding that the use of probiotic supplements taken in conjunction with active treatments of surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy can have a beneficial effect on the outlook of people with bowel cancer. And that’s the topic I’ll cover in this podcast episode.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of probiotics for the management of radiation-induced bowel disease
Systematic review of probiotic supplementation in people with colorectal cancer
E91 The weird way that body posture changes taste
Growing up, kids are told to sit down at the table when they’re eating. Far from just being about good manners, science is now discovering how standing up while eating can change taste perception, temperature sensation and even how much is consumed. Welcome to the weird world of altered taste perceptions which is what I’ll be exploring in this podcast.
Links referred to in the podcast
Sitting vs standing and taste perception
E90 Is a keto diet effective for strength training?
Ketogenic diets have gained popularity in recent years among athletes. While these diets are just as effective for weight loss as any other diet that causes a calorie deficit, the evidence for a real sporting advantage over other diets is very mixed and it seems only in steady-state endurance sport that they may have some role. But what about in the gym? Is keto a viable option to both shred and bulk up at the same time? That’s what I explore in this podcast by looking at the findings of a recent review paper on this very topic.
Links referred to in the podcast
Review of keto diet and effects on resistance training
E89 Alcohol facts and fallacies
Can you cure a hangover? Do drinks with bubbles get you drunk quicker? Are darker drinks worse for you than clear drinks? Is there really such a thing as a beer gut? These questions and more are what I’ll be tackling in my annual Christmas special podcast on all things alcohol facts and fallacies.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of hangover cures
Beer belly research
E88 Can curcumin help with PCOS?
Curcumin is the bioactive ingredient found in the popular spice turmeric. Medical science is backing up many of the traditional health claims made about turmeric and the compounds it contains. Conditions such as arthritis, high cholesterol, exercise recovery and even depression all have a growing positive evidence base of research behind them. Now a new research review has looked at the evidence for curcumin supplementation in treating some of the symptoms of PCOS. In this podcast, I give an overview of the use of curcumin in different conditions and explain how it may be effective in PCOS too.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of curcumin supplementation for PCOS
E87 Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO): symptoms, causes and treatment
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a condition where there is an abnormal increase in the number of bacteria in the small intestine – especially types of bacteria not normally found in this part of the digestive tract. Most of the focus on gut health is given to the population of bacteria in our large intestine, so in this podcast, I’ll look at the consequences of what happens when bacterial growth gets out of control in our small intestine.
Links referred to in the podcast
Herbal treatments in SIBO
Elemental diet in SIBO
E86 Why bitter foods are better for you
Many of us describe ourselves as having a sweet tooth. But science is now unlocking the secrets of why having a well-developed taste and tolerance to bitter foods could have a wealth of health benefits. But even with their many health benefits, the bitterness of foods such as broccoli, spinach and turnip can put people off. Now new research finds that the taste perception of bitter foods can change the more they are eaten.
Links referred to in the podcast
Bitter taste and salivary proteins adaptation
E85 Cutting back on sugar? Here’s why fruit should stay on the menu
With all the recent health focus on sugar, poor old fruit has gotten undeserved attention for the simple reason that it is high in sugar. And from that, some very average advice has surfaced that people need to limit how much whole fruit they eat. Now a systematic review puts to bed any health concerns anyone should have about fruit, finding that whole fresh fruit does not contribute to weight gain. Eat up.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of the Impact of whole fresh fruit on energy intake and body weight
Frozen fruit and veg increases
E84 Inflammatory bowel disease: the latest nutrition research for helping to manage it
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of disorders that cause painful and chronic inflammation to the digestive tract with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis being the most common forms. It is a disease that cannot yet be cured, but it can be managed with the use of medications or in some cases by surgery. Diet and lifestyle can help play a role in managing symptoms of IBD and in this podcast, I’ll look at some of the evolving research for future potential treatments.
Links referred to in the podcast
Clinical trial of a low-FODMAP diet in IBD – 2019
Clinical trial of a low-FODMAP diet in IBD – 2020
FMT for the treatment of IBD
E83 What sorcery is this? How carbohydrate mouth rinses improve sports performance
Taking on carbohydrates during exercise is a well-described way to help fuel muscle and endurance. But the research in this area took a decidedly strange turn some years ago when it was shown that the simple act of just swishing a carbohydrate-containing drink in your mouth for a few seconds can also have a performance advantage. This was research that I simply could not believe when I first came across it, but it has been replicated many times now. In this podcast, I’ll look at just how carbohydrate mouth rinsing can improve sports performance.
Links referred to in the podcast
Summary of the carbohydrate mouth rinsing research
Mouth rinsing with a pink artificially sweetened drink and running performance
E82 Collagen supplements: an update on the evidence for health benefits
It was back in episode 55 that I first tackled the topic of collagen supplements. It proved to be one of my most popular episodes ever. And for good reason as there is a growing evidence base to support many of the health claims made about collagen: from improving skin health to perhaps even helping with sports injury recovery and osteoarthritis. In this podcast, I give an update on the growing scientific evidence for the use of collagen supplements. I’ll also explain how there is certainly a plausible biological mechanism to explain how this particular dietary protein source can have a targeted benefit even after digestion.
Links referred to in the podcast
Meta-analysis of effects of hydrolysed collagen on skin ageing
E81 Blue is the new black: berries, anthocyanins and your brain health
One of the best guides to food variety is colour. And for colour, it is a group of natural plant chemicals called anthocyanins that are getting a lot of attention for their beneficial effects on our brain. Anthocyanins are the pigments that give red, purple, and blue plants their rich colouring. They’re responsible for putting the ‘blue’ into blueberries and a bunch of other berries as well as some foods with bright red-orange colouration. In this podcast, I’ll look at the science behind how these anthocyanins can help keep your brain healthy and functioning well throughout life.
Links referred to in the podcast
Blueberry supplementation and cognitive function in older adults
Systematic review of effects of anthocyanins on cognition, vascular function and cardiometabolic risk factors
E80 Weight loss supplements: how hype triumphs over substance
Weight loss supplements are big business. Fat burners, fat blockers, metabolism boosters, appetite suppressants – these are just some of the popular kinds of pills, potions and herbal concoctions that fly off pharmacy and health food store shelves. But how effective are any of these products? That’s what I’ll explore in this podcast.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of herbal supplements for weight loss
Systematic review of dietary supplements and alternative therapies for weight loss
Weight-loss supplements loosen dietary control
E79 Are chromium supplements helpful for people with diabetes?
Chromium is an essential trace mineral that is most closely tied to helping insulin work to lower glucose levels. That means you will often see it as a recommended supplement for people with diabetes. In this podcast, I’ll look closer at what chromium does in our body, where you find it in foods, and unpack the numerous health claims made about it in helping control blood sugars and even shed excess body weight.
Links referred to in the podcast
Effect of chromium supplementation on glucose control in people with T2DM
Meta-analysis of effects of chromium supplementation in people with T2DM
E78 Can you really ‘boost your metabolism?;
All manner of diet and exercise hacks are claimed to ‘boost your metabolism’, but what, if anything are they really doing to your body? In this podcast, I’ll explain what exactly is meant when you hear the term ‘metabolism boosting’, the factors that you can and can’t control that alter your metabolism and explore how much we can really blame our metabolism on weight changes.
E77 Can you be addicted to food?
Sugar addiction. Carb addiction. Junk food addiction. It seems we’re in the middle of a food addiction epidemic. But everyone is addicted to food to some degree; just try not eating for a day or two and you’ll crave the stuff. So, here it is a case of contrasting the deep physiologic survival need we have to eat versus the desire for specific types of foods. But can we really elevate what someone may consider a food addiction to that of a drug or gambling addiction? In this podcast, I’ll explore if food addiction really is a thing.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review on the evidence for ‘food addiction’
Ranking of foods based on ‘addictive potential’
E76 How the MIND diet keeps the mind sharp
E76 If there was a particular way of eating that could give you the best chance possible of keeping your mind healthy and sharp into older age, would you want to adopt it? Well there is, and it is called the MIND diet. Designed by medical researchers to help reduce the risk of dementia and loss of brain function as you age, the research base into it is growing. In this podcast, I’ll look closer at the evidence behind the MIND diet and give you all the key foods that are part of it.
Links referred to in the podcast
Outline of the MIND diet
Review of MIND diet and cognition in older adults
E75 Let food be thy sunscreen
You are what you eat. This is more than a trite phrase, as this mantra may have some direct relevance to the area of skin protection from UV sun damage. And here, it is the carotenoid family of vitamin A precursors which give many fruits and vegetables their vivid rich red, orange and yellow colours that could be getting into our skin to prevent the oxidative damage from the sun. In this podcast, I’ll look closer at those carotenoids and profile the latest research on how they could protect your skin. And as an extra reason for why you may want to eat more of these foods, I’ll explain why they could even help you get a date.
Links referred to in the podcast
Review of carotenoids in skin protection
Change in skin tone from eating more fruits and vegetables over 6 weeks
Carotenoid skin colouration and attractiveness
E74 Plant vs animal protein for the muscle gainz
Going ‘all in’ on plant foods is a trend that is showing no signs of slowing down. But for those who are all about the muscle gainz for their sport and health, should you be concerned that your hard-won muscle growth is being compromised because you’ve embraced a mostly plant-based life? In this podcast, I’ll delve into the key differences between animal and plant-based proteins, the main supplements on the market for each, and profile the latest research on how people fare for muscle growth when weight training on a vegetarian versus an omnivore diet.
Links referred to in the podcast
Differences between vegetarian and omnivore endurance athletes
High-protein plant vs animal protein diet for resistance exercise
E73 Turmeric: super spice or super overhyped?
Turmeric has been used in traditional Asian cultures for thousands of years as both a spice for cooking and for medicinal uses. Now medical science is backing up many of the traditional health claims made about turmeric and the compounds it contains. In this podcast, I investigate the turmeric story, outline why the focus seems to be on the bioactive compounds such as curcumin contained in it, what the research says about the many health conditions linked to it, and give you some guidance on the different supplemental forms available.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of curcumin and arthritis 2016
Systematic review of curcumin and osteoarthritis 2021
Curcumin and turmeric and effect on blood lipids
Curcumin and effect on exercise
Curcumin and depression meta-analysis
E72 Is adrenal fatigue a thing?
Are you tired and worn out all the time? Are you always feeling tense and anxious? Do you crave salty foods? Then you could have adrenal fatigue. Well, that is to say, you could have it if it was actually recognised as a legitimate medical condition. In this podcast, I’ll explain what your adrenal glands do, look closer at the alternative health diagnosis of ‘adrenal fatigue’ and compare that to known medical conditions that do affect your adrenal glands.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review to substantiate if adrenal fatigue exists
E71 Why I do this podcast
Welcome to the Thinking Nutrition podcast and for this week’s episode, it’s a break in the normal episode format. Instead, today’s episode is a bit of self-reflection where I’ll answer many of the common questions I get asked about this podcast and why I do what I do.
E70 ‘Feed a cold, starve a fever’: fact or fiction?
You’ve probably heard the popular advice to ‘feed a cold, starve a fever’ many times over when you’ve come down with a cold or the flu. But is there any truth to this advice? That’s what I’ll explore in this podcast.
E69 Are tart cherries the Holy Grail of exercise recovery supplements?
Tart cherries, also known as Montmorency cherries or sour cherries, are growing in popularity as a favourite sports supplement over the last couple of years. And here the interest is in their seeming ability to aid in recovery from intense exercise. In this podcast, I’ll look into what could make tart cherries different compared to other foods, the evidence for their benefits on exercise recovery and what other conditions they are being promoted for.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of tart cherry supplementation and exercise recovery
Health benefits of cherries
E68 Sports drinks: a user’s guide
Keeping hydrated is important for optimal sports performance. And for decades we’ve had that area covered by sports drinks. But are sports drinks really performance-enhancing, or are they mostly marketing spin when just plain old water will do the trick for most people? That’s what I’ll explore in in my latest podcast along with giving you my personal DIY recipe for sports drink to get these drinks into you on the cheap.
Links referred to in the podcast
AIS sports drinks fact sheet
Beverage hydration index
E67 Lactose intolerance: symptoms, diagnosis and treatments
Lactose intolerance is the most common food intolerance in the world. Rare in infants because they can easily digest lactose in breastmilk, its incidence skyrockets with age. And your genetic ethnic background is the key predictor of your risk of developing it. In this podcast, I’ll look at the causes, signs and symptoms of lactose intolerance and then go on to explain how it is diagnosed and importantly how it can be managed. And the good news is that rarely does that mean the exclusion of dairy products.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of probiotics in lactose intolerance
E66 Nutrition for healthy ageing: fighting sarcopenia and inflammageing
With a rapidly ageing population worldwide, more adults than ever are becoming at risk of nutritional frailty. Older age is a time when specific nutrient needs may be higher while the ability to meet those needs has more barriers. In this podcast, I’ll highlight how our nutrition needs change as we age, the factors that make it harder to meet these needs, and the role that nutrition can play in promoting healthy ageing and improving the outlook of age-related diseases.
Links referred to in the podcast
Meta-analysis of vitamin D supplementation on fracture and falls risk
Dietary Inflammatory Index and muscle function and mass in older Australians
MIND diet and cognitive impairment in an Australian cohort
E65 Hypothyroidism and Hashimoto’s disease: what role for diet?
Our thyroid gland plays a major role in the metabolism, growth and development of the human body. So when things go wrong with your thyroid gland, it can have systemic effects. Hypothyroidism is where the thyroid gland doesn’t make enough thyroid hormone. And the most common reason for this is an autoimmune disease called Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. The Internet is awash with all sorts of dietary advice for how a person with hypothyroidism should eat to treat and even cure this condition. In this podcast, I’ll explore the claims made about diet and hypothyroidism and see what diet changes, if any, someone with this condition should look at making.
Links referred to in the podcast
Is low carb bad for hypothyroidism?
Effect of soy on thyroid function
Selenium supplementation in the treatment of Hashimoto’s thyroiditis
E64 Can keto cure cancer?
Thanks to earlier detection and much better treatment options, cancer today is more survivable than ever. But we are still a long way from curing cancer across the board for all types of cancer with equal outcomes. If you caught my podcast from several episodes back on improving cancer survival with diet and lifestyle choices, I covered the broad lifestyle habits linked with improving cancer survival odds. I also touched briefly on many of the so-called ‘cancer cure’ diets that abound on the Internet. So, for this podcast, I’m going to home in on one that is getting a lot of attention: and that’s the ketogenic diet.
Links referred to in the podcast
Preclinical and clinical evidence for a ketogenic diet in cancer
Systematic review of use of ketogenic diet in people with cancer
Fasting as an adjunct to cancer treatment
E63 Is it safe to drink coffee during pregnancy?
Coffee is one of the most popular and safest stimulants that we consume. But during pregnancy, and potentially even when planning a pregnancy, it is one ‘legal drug’ where advice for women becomes a little more prescriptive. Alcohol, soft cheeses, raw fish and even raw sprouts are all foods that are best to limit or avoid during pregnancy. So, should coffee be added to the list and if so, how much is a safe amount to drink? That is what I’ll explore in this podcast.
Links referred to in the podcast
Impact of coffee on successful IVF treatment
Meta-analysis on effect of caffeine on pregnancy outcomes
Effect of caffeine in healthy adults, pregnant women, adolescents, and children
Should caffeine recommendations during pregnancy be lowered?
E62 Can micronutrient supplements prevent or treat respiratory tract infections?
Coughing, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, fatigue. The classic collection of symptoms synonymous with an acute respiratory tract infection. From the common cold right through to the flu, it is something most people are faced with many times over in their life. So what role nutrition, in particular micronutrient supplements, in helping to bolster your immune system to stop you from getting sick in the first place or helping to fight off an illness once an infection takes hold? In this podcast, I’ll look at the current state of play for the role of supplemental vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc in tackling acute respiratory tract infections.
Links referred to in the podcast
Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold
Zinc for preventing and treating the common cold
Vitamin D and ARIs
2021 meta-analysis of micronutrients and ARIs
E61 Inflammation: the good, the bad and the ugly
Inflammation is now getting top billing as the latest health concern you should be worrying about. From avoiding so-called inflammatory foods to eating anti-inflammatory foods to treat and even cure inflammation, is there no disease that cannot be explained by our understanding of inflammation? Far from something scary, inflammation is a natural process that helps your body heal and defend itself from harm. It is only when inflammation becomes chronic that the story changes. In this podcast, I’ll explain just what exactly inflammation is, what causes it, when it is good and when it is bad, and importantly: what role diet and lifestyle habits play in inflammation.
Links referred to in the podcast
Mediterranean diet and inflammation
Effect of probiotics on inflammatory markers
Meta-analysis of dairy foods and inflammation
E60 Apple cider vinegar: superfood or super scam?
Move aside coconut oil, your time in the superfood spotlight has passed. Today it is apple cider vinegar, the latest all-natural, all wholesome, all singing, all dancing superfood that’s here to save you from just about anything that ails you. With claims ranging from sterilising toothbrushes, curing diabetes and melting away waistlines, in this podcast I’ll look behind the apple cider trend to see what the science has to say.
Links referred to in the podcast
ACV and weight loss clinical trial 1
ACV and weight loss clinical trial 2
Meta-analysis of ACV and blood glucose responses
Review of ACV, glucose responses and potential mechanisms
E59 Improving cancer survival with diet and lifestyle choices
Eating well and positive lifestyle choices are an important part of reducing a person’s risk of cancer. But when it comes to food choices for people who have survived cancer, key themes surface. A healthy diet and other lifestyle changes are just as important to improve the chances of surviving cancer and reducing its chance of coming back. In this podcast, I’ll look at what the scientific evidence says about lifestyle choices in improving cancer survivability and what are the key recommendations someone with cancer should aim for.
Links referred to in the podcast
Adherence to cancer prevention guidelines and cancer survivability
Meta-analysis of the effect of diet on mortality and cancer recurrence among cancer survivors
Physical activity and cancer survival in men
Physical activity and colon cancer recurrence
Alternative cancer diets
E58 Lifestyle keys to cutting cancer risk
If you believe that cancer is a disease that strikes from nowhere with very little in your control that can prevent it, then you would be wrong on both counts. A person’s risk of cancer can be significantly lessened by simple and fairly obvious nutrition and lifestyle changes. In this podcast, I’ll explore where you should put most of your focus and spoiler alert, none of it has to do with avoiding 5G signals, GMO foods, artificial sweeteners, underarm deodorants or acid causing foods.
Links referred to in the podcast
WCRF cancer prevention recommendations
Adherence to WCRF recommendations and cancer risk reduction
E57 The carnivore diet raises the middle finger to the plant-based trend
Want to eat the exact opposite of plant-based? Then the carnivore diet has you covered. A diet that consists entirely of animal foods and zero carbs and plants, it offers the promise of weight loss and a cure for all that ails you from autoimmune diseases to depression. Of all the trends that buck conventional nutrition advice, the carnivore diet lies several standard deviations to the right of the diet crazy curve. In this podcast, I look at what created the carnivore diet trend, what it involves, and importantly: what can we say about its health merits.
Links referred to in the podcast
Google Trends data for carnivore diet searches
Meeting essential nutrient needs on the carnivore diet
Red meat and TMAO production
E56 Calcium: foods, functions and supplemental forms
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and it’s not just there for making healthy bones. Calcium is needed to move muscles, send nerve signals and release hormones. While dairy gets a lot of the attention for being a good source of calcium, there are plenty of other foods that help meet your needs too. In this podcast, I look at the roles of calcium, the consequences of not getting enough and tackle the controversial area of if calcium supplements are to be recommended or not.
Links referred to in the podcast
Dairy and bone health review 2018
Dairy and bone health review 2019
Calcium supplements: the good, the bad and the ugly
E55 Collagen supplements: legit or Insta influencer fairy dust?
Collagen supplements are big business. And is it any wonder when they are touted as the elixir for youthful and glowing skin. With plenty of A-list celebrities singing its praises, it’s no wonder collagen is having a moment in the spotlight. And a look at Google Trends shows search interest in collagen supplements really took off at the start of 2019 and it is showing no signs of slowing down. Reading the shopping list of health claims made about collagen – from turning back the clock on your skin, treating joint pain and even ‘healing your gut’ – you should rightly raise your sceptical flag. Yet when you look at the scientific evidence, there could just be some validity to some of these claims. That’s what I’ll be exploring in this podcast.
Links referred to in the podcast
Clinical trial of collagen supplementation and skin health in women
Systematic review of the effect of collagen supplementation on skin
Meta-analysis of the effect of collagen supplementation on osteoarthritis
E54 Alkaline diets: the antithesis of how human physiology works
What if I told you that all it takes to lose weight, boost energy and prevent diseases like arthritis, osteoporosis and cancer was to eat the right foods to keep the pH of your body in the alkaline zone? Well, if I were prepared to throw out every bit of scientific knowledge that I have of how the human body works to buffer against acidity and alkalinity then sure, I could tell you that. But I’m not. Instead, in this podcast, I’m going to investigate those wild health claims made by the celebrity-endorsed alkaline diet and explain why it is pseudoscience squared.
E53 Coeliac disease, gluten sensitivity and the rise of gluten-free diets
Coeliac disease affects less than 1 percent of the population, yet, despite its relative rarity, there has been an explosion in the adoption of a gluten-free lifestyle. It is becoming more and more common for people to report having problematic reactions to foods containing gluten. Termed non-coeliac gluten sensitivity, this is a condition still in search of a defined disease despite having a large degree of overlap in symptoms with coeliac disease. In this podcast, I’ll explore the connection between coeliac disease, gluten sensitivity and gluten.
Links referred to in the podcast
Clinical trial of gluten challenge in people with gluten sensitivity
Nutritional quality of gluten vs gluten-free foods
E52 The rise of meatless meat
There was a time when plant-based meat substitutes were the exclusive domain of vegetarians and vegans. Now the food science technology behind these plant-based foods has come of age with products designed to closely look, feel, taste and even bleed like the real thing. The rise of meatless meats is all about meeting the demands of traditional meat-eaters who want to cut down on meat and are looking for plant-based protein alternatives. But are these foods really a healthier alternative to their animal counterparts? That’s what I’ll explore in this podcast.
Links referred to in the podcast
Beyond Meat environmental impact
CHOICE survey of plant-based meats
E51 How do the plant-based milks stack up?
Gone are the days when cow’s milk was the only choice at the supermarket. There has been an explosion in recent years of plant-based non-dairy alternative milks. From the very familiar soy milk, we now have almond, coconut, oat, and rice milk plus a host of others joining the party. How well these contender alt-milks stack up against the ‘reference standard’ of cow’s milk is what I’ll be digging into in this podcast.
Links referred to in the podcast
Scientific review of plant-based milks
CHOICE review of almond milks
E50 A Christmas Carol of vitamin D deficiency
As the end of 2020 approaches, I thought I’d bring in a Christmas theme, but of course, one with a nutritionally based message. And what better way to do that than by unpacking Charles Dickens’ classic: ‘A Christmas Carol’, as a medical case study in vitamin D deficiency. Listen on to learn more.
Links referred to in the podcast
Environmental factors and Tiny Tim’s illness
E49 More nutrition myth busting
Does sugar really make kids hyperactive? Is fresh fruit and veg better than frozen? And does coffee actually make you dehydrated? The answer to all of the questions I just posed is ‘no’. Welcome to the world of nutrition myths and in my latest podcast, I’ll go over some of the more popular myths I’ve come across and explain where the truth really lies.
Links referred to in the podcast
Meta-analysis of sugar and behaviour in kids
Frozen fruit and vegetable consumption
Coffee and hydration
E48 Folate: more than a pregnancy vitamin
Folate is a vitamin important in growth and development. Everyone needs folate, but it is especially important for women to get enough of it during the early stages of pregnancy to help reduce the risk of foetal brain and spinal cord abnormalities such as spina bifida. In this podcast, I look at the key roles of folate in the body, explain how it helps prevent birth defects and the key dietary and supplement sources of it.
Links referred to in the podcast
Impact of folic acid fortification on NTD incidence in Australia
Pre- and post-folic acid fortification and colorectal cancer incidence
E47 Is organic food healthier?
Buying organic is a booming food trend. It is also a trend that comes with a health halo for being more nutritious, healthier and tastier than conventional produce. But how do these claims stack up when you look at the research behind them? And is the price premium you pay for organic worth it? In this podcast, I look at the health merits of organic food and unpick those health and nutrition claims.
Links referred to in the podcast
Systematic review of organic vs conventional food 2012
Systematic review of organic vs conventional food 2014
Serving McDonald’s to food experts prank
E46 The Mediterranean diet: the health benefits keep growing
Considered one of the world’s healthiest dietary patterns, the Mediterranean diet is linked to a host of positive health benefits. The theme of the diet is one abundant in fruits, vegetables, wholegrains, legumes and olive oil and where fish and poultry feature more often than red meat. From less chronic disease right through to a longer life, in this podcast I’ll dig deeper into the health merits of adopting some of the key themes of the Mediterranean diet for your own individual way of eating.
Links referred to in the podcast
Umbrella review of Mediterranean diet and health
Meta-analysis of the Mediterranean diet and cancer risk
Mediterranean diet and bone health
Clinical trial of the Mediterranean diet in pregnancy
E45 Vitamin B12: foods, functions and deficiencies
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient integral to the healthy functioning of the brain and nervous system. It is also involved in DNA synthesis and the formation of red blood cells. Because vitamin B12 is produced by bacteria in the large intestines of animals, plant-based foods are not a reliable source of vitamin B12 making people who follow a vegan diet a key at-risk group for deficiency. In this podcast, I’ll look at the roles of vitamin B12 and the main causes and consequences of deficiency.
Links referred to in the podcast
Review on vitamin B12 and vegetarian diets
E44 Low-carb diets: are they the best way to manage diabetes?
Low-carbohydrate diets are certainly on trend today. And it is for diabetes that such diets have attracted a lot of attention. Low-carbohydrate diets have without question helped many people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels more stable and even for some people with type 2 diabetes helped to even help to fully resolve their diabetes. In today’s podcast, I look at the history of dietary recommendations for diabetes. I’ll then look at what the scientific evidence says for how effective low-carbohydrate diets are for diabetes compared to other approaches.
Links referred to in the podcast
Meta-analysis of low-carbohydrate diets in T2DM
Review of different diets for managing T2DM
E43 Iodine: why you need it and where you find it
Iodine is a trace element that is naturally present in foods and is added to some types of salt. Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormone which plays a key role in digestion, heart and muscle function, brain development and maintenance of bones. Getting enough iodine is important for everyone, especially infants and women who are pregnant. In this podcast, I’ll look at the roles of iodine, where it is found in food and what are the health issues with not getting enough of it.
Links referred to in the podcast
Assessment of the effect of mandatory iodine fortification in Australia
E42 Sleeping your way to better health
Sleep is like good nutrition for the brain. Poor sleep is like putting your brain on a junk food diet – literally. Now a growing pool of research is linking poor sleep habits and disrupted sleep patterns from shift work with adverse health problems that include obesity and metabolic conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In this podcast, I’ll look at the sleep-health connection and explain what disrupted sleep could be doing to your food habits, hormones and weight.
Links referred to in the podcast
Meta-analysis of the effect of shift work on the risk of obesity
Effect of sleep restriction on fat metabolism
Effect of sleep deprivation on food choices
E41 Can you cure a hangover?
Hangovers are the body’s way of reminding us about the hazards of overindulgence. In this podcast, I’ll delve into what goes on behind the scenes to cause a hangover. I’ll then explore what science has to say about all those supposed ‘hangover cures’. And finally, I’ll outline the practical things that are in your control to help prevent and treat a hangover.
Links referred to in the podcast
Alcohol, caffeine and its effect on attention and reaction time
Systematic review of hangover treatments
E40 Food comas: why overeating makes you sleepy
Feeling sleepy after a big meal? Is moving to the couch the only activity you’re capable of after Christmas lunch? You may just have been the victim of a food coma. Food comas are a real thing. And there is plenty of science to explain why the food binge you just took part in has done what it has to you. In this podcast, I explore the food coma in all its physiological and neurological glory and explain how you can help prevent it.
Links referred to in the podcast
High-GI meals and sleep onset
E39 Do multivitamins make you healthier?
Multivitamin supplements are big business. Pharmacy and supermarket shelves groan under the weight of choice available to us. So, if you’re serious about your health, should you be taking one of these even if it is just as an insurance policy for a less-than-perfect diet? While multivitamins won’t boost your health as much as what people believe, they do have the potential to be useful for certain groups of people. In this podcast, I’ll investigate the evidence for any health benefits of multivitamins and then tell you for which people they could prove useful and for whom they really are just a waste of money.
Links referred to in the podcast
Review of multivitamin supplementation and cardiovascular disease
Review of multivitamin supplementation and chronic disease
Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand
E38 Five ways to cut your risk of bowel cancer
Bowel cancer (also called colon or colorectal cancer) ranks as one of Australia’s most common cancers, especially for people aged over 50. This is one form of cancer where diet and lifestyle choices play a big part in changing a person’s risk of developing it. That actually makes it a good news story because lifestyle factors are changeable. In this podcast, I’ll outline the key lifestyle habits to consider looking at that could lower your risk of bowel cancer.
Links referred to in the podcast
WCRF information on diet, nutrition and physical activity and bowel cancer risk
WCRF update report on lifestyle factors and bowel cancer risk
Meta-analysis of central adiposity and all-cause mortality
E37 Is it better to exercise fasted or fed?
To exercise fasted or fed? It’s a controversial topic with strong views coming from both camps. For those promoting weight loss, exercising fasted is often an essential criterion to ensure the most ‘fat burning’ possible. Then there is the opposing argument that you want to be well-fuelled before activity to help power the length and duration of your exercise. As with most things in nutrition, the simple logic of both camps falls down when you take into account the complexity of physiology and psychology of us as human beings. In this podcast, I’ll look at the fasted versus fed exercise debate.
Links referred to in the podcast
Meta-analysis of fasted vs fed exercise on weight loss and boy composition
Meta-analysis of fasted vs fed exercise and performance
Intermittent fasting and its effects on athletic performance
E36 How useful is body mass index (BMI)?
Carrying too much weight is linked to poorer health. But just how much weight is too much? Body fat can be measured in several different ways, with each method having its own pros and cons. Body mass index or BMI is by far the most common one as it only relies on knowing your height and weight. But with that simplicity comes flaws as those easy results can sometimes be misleading, which is why the widespread use of BMI is troubling. In this podcast, I’ll look at the different ways that body fat assessment can be made and explain why you should take any BMI label it may give you with a grain of salt.
Links referred to in the podcast
BMI calculator
Diagnostic performance of BMI to detect obesity
E35 Is cinnamon a super spice for blood sugar control?
Cinnamon is a spice that has been used around the world for thousands of years. It is far more than a food accompaniment. It’s the use of cinnamon as a medicinal agent that has scientists interested because of unique compounds found in cinnamon that appear to offer some unique health benefits. In this podcast, I’ll look at those health benefits with the spotlight firmly placed on how cinnamon may help people with diabetes keep their blood sugar levels under better control.
Links referred to in the podcast
Meta-analysis of cinnamon and blood glucose control (2012)
Meta-analysis of cinnamon use in type 2 diabetes (2013)
Meta-analysis of cinnamon use in type 2 diabetes (2019)
Meta-analysis of cinnamon and weight loss trials
E34 Chocolate and its many health benefits
Chocolate. It’s sweet, it’s tasty, we desire it and crave it. It is a food that brings immense pleasure and enjoyment. And in case you were looking for any more valid reasons to eat it, scientific research now confirms that it can be good for you. In this podcast, you’ll learn about the heart, exercise and brain health benefits of chocolate.
Links referred to in the podcast
Meta-analysis of chocolate and cardiovascular disease
Dark chocolate and exercise performance
Dark chocolate and mental health
Cocoa and cognitive performance
E33 Detox diets: their pros and cons
Detox or liver cleansing diets have been around for many years. With astonishing claims of rapid and easy weight loss, improved health, and more energy, they offer the ultimate quick fix to get you healthy again. In this podcast, I’ll give you the essential guide to detox diets, look at the claims made versus the reality and outline my list of pros and cons for anyone considering going on a cleanse.
Links referred to in the podcast
Review of the evidence for detox diets
Choice review of detox diets
E32 The perils of highly processed foods
”Just cut out processed foods if you want to be healthy”. It’s an easy throw-away line loved by nutrition wellness influencers on social media, but such advice shows naivety for what happens to food in its journey to our plate. Almost everything you eat to some extent has been processed, and not all processed foods are bad for the body. Now nutrition researchers are better defining the world of processed foods and here, it is the new term of ‘ultra-processed foods’ that you will be seeing used more in the future. In this podcast, I look at what defines an ultra-processed food and explain how they are now recognised for the unhealthy addition they make to your diet.
Links referred to in the podcast
NOVA classification system
Ultra-processed foods and obesity
Ultra-processed foods, health and mortality
Clinical trial of ultra-processed foods and weight gain
E31 This is your brain on blueberries
What’s blue, round, sweet, grows on a bush and can boost your brainpower? If you answered blueberries, you would be right. Or that should be: ‘mostly right’. The ‘brain-boosting’ part needs a bit more science to catch up to the headlines, but it is looking promising that blueberries may be one food worthy of the ‘superfood’ title. In this podcast, I’ll look at the science behind how blueberries can help keep your brain healthy and functioning well throughout life.
Links referred to in the podcast
Clinical trial of blueberries and brain function \
Berries and cardiovascular disease risk factors: meta-analysis
Frozen versus fresh blueberries
Fish oil and rheumatoid arthritis
E30 Treating IBS with diet and supplements: what does the evidence say?
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common gastrointestinal complaints. Characterised by abdominal pain and bloating and alternating periods of diarrhoea and constipation, this chronic condition can go on to cause anxiety, depression and severely affect the quality of life of a person suffering from it. With no one single identified trigger or treatment, IBS can be a minefield for a person to try and get on top of. Diet changes are one area that can have a positive impact on IBS and in this podcast, I look at the evidence for different approaches from supplements such as peppermint oil right through to the very promising research on low-FODMAP diets.
Links referred to in the podcast
Review on diet and supplements for IBS
Meta-analysis of low-FODMAP diet and IBS
Low-FODMAP diet versus traditional advice for IBS
Mindfulness and IBS
E29 How to keep up with nutrition research
Want to keep up with the latest developments in nutrition research? Nothing beats curating your own information-gathering network from a variety of credible sources. But where to start? If you want to keep up with breaking nutrition research like a boss, then this podcast is for you. I’ll let you know the key journals to subscribe to, the best search databases to use, and profile some of the best secondary sources that do a lot of the curating for you.
Links referred to in the podcast
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Annual Review of Nutrition
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
Journal of Nutrition
Nutrition Reviews
Obesity Reviews
PubCrawler
Science Daily
Medscape
Examine
Effect of diet and exercise on the risk of caesarean-section
E28 How to decipher a research paper
Nutrition is based on science. And while the science may not always agree and even change over time, just like all scientific fields of research, without credible research to inform your views you are really just flying blind in the wind at the mercy of feelpinions and what your social media news feed shows you. The base of all scientific research is the communication of it through research papers published in peer-reviewed journals. In this podcast, I’ll show you how to delve beyond the title of a research paper and instead apply a critical filter to all parts of the research study. Developing this skill will allow you to form your own view of how much influence to give to a research study, rather than be led astray from those seeking to influence you.
Links referred to in the podcast
Research study design online tutorial
Examine.com guide on how to read a scientific study
E27 Got zinc? Foods, functions and deficiencies
Zinc is an essential mineral which is needed for the proper growth and maintenance of our body. It is a key factor in helping hundreds of enzymes work and is needed for immune function, wound healing, blood clotting, thyroid function and much more. While rare, zinc deficiency in a country like Australia can occur and there are certain groups particularly at risk. In this podcast, I’ll outline the key roles of zinc, what the consequences of deficiency are and give you suggestions on the best food sources and supplemental forms of zinc.
Links referred to in the podcast
Zinc and the common cold
Breastfeeding and the infant microbiome
E26 Tracking diet trends with Google Trends
Diets are like clothing fashion trends: they come into and out of style. And if you wait long enough: back into style again. One of my favourite pop culture research tools is Google trends. Google trends keeps a global finger on the pulse of what’s hot and what’s not in the world of nutrition and diets. And tracks this over time based on the popularity of search terms. Now a research team has mined this wealth of data to produce a snapshot of the ever-changing diet trends with some surprising results.
Links referred to in the podcast
Popularity of diets using Google Trends data
Popular diets compared
Diet and association with cancer mortality and cancer recurrence
E25 My top nutrition myths
Can a slow metabolism be blamed for most people’s weight gain? Is celery a negative calorie food? Does microwaving food destroy nutrients? The answer to all of the questions I just posed is ‘no’. Welcome to the world of nutrition myths. Nutrition is a field where someone can be seen by the public as an ‘expert’ simply because of the way they eat and the benefits it has had for them. So, is it any wonder that nutrition is also an area that is ripe for the propagation of all manner of myths and falsehoods? Some of these myths are born from a base of science, but as science advances, these myths should be called out for what they are. In this podcast, I’ll go over some of the more popular myths I’ve come across and explain where the truth really lies.
Links referred to in the podcast
Review on exercise and food intake
Perceived healthiness of a food and amount eaten
E24 How what you eat affects your mental health
You are what you eat, but when it comes to your mental health, what you eat can have a profound impact on your mood and how you feel. Welcome to the rapidly moving world of nutritional psychiatry which is uncovering the key links between diet and mental health. And it could just be that it is our gut microbes, through acting as psychobiotics, that are the stars of the show here, so long as they are kept fed well.
Links referred to in the podcast
Fruits and vegetables consumption and life satisfaction
Nutrition intervention in depression: the SMILES study
Nutrition intervention in young people with depression
Meta-analysis of diet in depression and anxiety
Meta-analysis of fish oil and depression
Meta-analysis of fish oil and anxiety
Meta-analysis of vitamin D in depression
E23 Why antioxidants in food are overrated
Antioxidants. They’re a food marketer’s dream. With promises of helping to keep your waistline slim, your heart healthy, and your brain sharp, is there anything these wonder molecules can’t do? Blueberries, dark chocolate, green tea and whatever happens to be trendy in the juice bar scene makes for a great reason to eat something delicious that can also be good for your health. But the time of antioxidants has come and gone. Nutrition science has moved on and now promotes the benefits that thousands of other natural chemicals found in foods can have – most with nothing to do with their antioxidant activity. In my latest podcast, I outline the role antioxidants play in the body and explain why food is much more than antioxidants when it comes to health.
Links referred to in the podcast
Antioxidants in the prevention of cancer: meta-analysis
Shift work and the risk of obesity
E22 Magnesium: foods, functions and supplemental forms
Magnesium. It is a key mineral in our body and needed for more than 300 different chemical reactions. It is also essential for muscle contractions and nerve transmission while also keeping your heart beating steadily and your immune system strong. In this podcast, I’ll outline the key functions of magnesium as well as cover the different health conditions where magnesium is thought to play a role such as heart disease and high blood pressure, diabetes, muscle cramping and poor sleep quality. And then I’ll look at the main food sources of magnesium and critique the merits of the many different supplemental forms of magnesium.
Links referred to in the podcast
Cochrane review of magnesium and muscle cramps
Magnesium L-threonate in people with Alzheimer’s disease
Cooking skills in young adults and later life diet behaviours
E21 Are raw food diet claims overcooked?
Eating only raw foods has emerged as a popular dietary trend. Proclaiming an emotive health message, it is enough to make you think twice before next adding heat to your food. But fear not because on the scales of health, there is little to tip the balance in either direction. In this podcast, I look at the claims made about raw food diets and put these into context for the many health benefits that cooking food offers.
Links referred to in the podcast
USDA Nutrient Retention Database
Review of cooked and raw vegetable consumption and cancer risk
Study on how cooking preserves antioxidant content of foods
Early life eating habits
E20 Sports supplements essentials: beta-alanine
The sports supplement market is big business, but the reality is that most of these supplements have little evidence for a benefit. It is not all negative news though because there is a small group of supplements that are backed by science and which can play a performance-enhancing role in some athletes. In this series on sports supplements, I will profile this group of supplements and for this podcast, the spotlight is on beta-alanine.
Links referred to in the podcast
IOC consensus statement on dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete
Sports Dietitians Australia
E19 Sports supplements essentials: sodium bicarbonate
The sports supplement market is big business, but the reality is that most of these supplements have little evidence for a benefit. It is not all negative news though because there is a small group of supplements that are backed by science and which can play a performance-enhancing role in some athletes. In this series on sports supplements, I will profile this group of supplements and for this podcast, the spotlight is on sodium bicarbonate.
Links referred to in the podcast
IOC consensus statement on dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete
Sports Dietitians Australia
E18 Sports supplements essentials: beetroot juice
The sports supplement market is big business, but the reality is that most of these supplements have little evidence for a benefit. It is not all negative news though as there is a small group of supplements that are backed by science and which can play a performance-enhancing role in some athletes. In this series on sports supplements, I will profile this group of supplements and for this podcast, the spotlight is on beetroot juice.
Links referred to in the podcast
IOC consensus statement on dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete
Sports Dietitians Australia
E17 Sports supplements essentials: caffeine
The sports supplement market is big business, but the reality is that most of these supplements have little evidence for a benefit. It is not all negative news though as there is a small group of supplements that are backed by science and which can play a performance-enhancing role in some athletes. In this series on sports supplements, I will profile this group of supplements and for this podcast, the spotlight is on caffeine.
Links referred to in the podcast
IOC consensus statement on dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete
Sports Dietitians Australia
E16 Sports supplements essentials: creatine
The sports supplement market is big business. And it is no wonder that athletes gravitate to the pills, powders and potions on the market for the promises they make of enhancing training and race day performance and allowing them to get the jump on their competitors. The reality is that most of these supplements have little evidence for a benefit. It is not all negative news though as there is a small group of supplements that are backed by science and which can play a performance-enhancing role in some athletes. In this series on sports supplements, I will profile this group of supplements and for this podcast, the spotlight is on creatine.
Links referred to in the podcast
IOC consensus statement on dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete
Sports Dietitians Australia
E15 Water, water everywhere
How much water do you really need, and is possible to drink too much? In this podcast, I explain why the advice to drink ‘8 glasses of water each day’ is a myth that needs to be busted. And then I’ll outline that while even though it is very rare, it is possible for a healthy person to drink too much water with the consequences of this being potentially life-threatening. So, endurance athletes take note, this could apply to you.
Links referred to in the podcast
Hyponatraemia in marathon runners
Frozen fruits and vegetables and diet quality
E14 Your guide to vitamin C
Vitamin C is a vital nutrient for health. It is central in the functioning of the immune system and building strong bones, skin, and blood vessels. Yet despite vitamin C being abundant in fruits and vegetables, it is also one of the most popular supplements taken, despite widespread deficiency in the population not being an issue. In this podcast, I’ll look closer at the roles of vitamin C and uncover the evidence for some of the many health claims made about it.
Links referred to in the podcast
Cochrane review of vitamin C and the common cold
Eating speed, weight gain and metabolic syndrome
E13 Reasons to love your legumes
Want to know what the one food that is truly deserving of the title ‘superfood’ is? It is legumes. Packed with nutrients, offering a host of health benefits and good for the environment too, you’ve probably been overlooking these foods for years. It is time to give them another look. Oh, and they also store really well, making them ideal doomsday prepping foods which is on-trend in today’s times. In this podcast, I’ll talk about the foods that make up the legume family, uncover those health benefits and give you tips on how you can get more of them in your diet.
Links referred to in the podcast
Legumes and heart disease risk meta-analysis
Legumes and body weight meta-analysis
Legumes and blood pressure meta-analysis
Posture and food perception
E12 Drink tea and carry on
People all over the world have been drinking tea for centuries, and for good reason. A growing field of research has shown that tea has a role to play in reducing the risk of many chronic diseases. And on top of that, a good cup of tea has a real calming and relaxing effect – just what we need in these stressful times. So put the kettle on, sit back, and relax, as I explore in this latest podcast the health benefits of tea.
Links referred to in the podcast
Tea and risk of type 2 diabetes meta-analysis
Green tea and cancer prevention review
Green tea and weight loss review
Tea and risk of depression meta-analysis
Blueberries and heart health
E11 Shedding light on vitamin D and your immune system
Vitamin D is well-known for its role in building strong bones. But increasingly, research is revealing the importance of vitamin D in protecting against a host of health problems. Serving a dual role as both a hormone and a vitamin, it is the sun that is the main source of vitamin D with few foods being reliable sources of it. In this podcast, I outline the key roles played by vitamin D, profile the growing number of health areas linked to it especially as it relates to immunity, and discuss how you can keep your vitamin D levels up. That last point is especially important in today’s times with self-isolation now trending as 2020’s word of the year.
Links referred to in the podcast
Vitamin D supplementation and acute respiratory infections
Gratitude and healthy eating
E10 All things sweet: sugar and your health
Sugar. We eat too much of it, but how worried should you be about what it is doing to your health? While there can be considerable debate in many areas of nutrition science, along with conflicting recommendations on what we should eat, sugar is one food that everyone unites on in acknowledging that we eat too much of it. In this podcast, I explore the different ways that added sugar can sneak into food, explore the truths (and lies) about some of the health claims made about it, and give you tips on how to eat less of it – all with no ‘12-week sugar detox program’ needed.
Links referred to in the podcast
Sugar and body weight meta-analysis
Sugar and hyperactivity in kids meta-analysis
Whole fruit and energy intake
E9 The science of soy: health, harms and hyperbole
Soy. It’s one of the most polarising of foods. A casual search of the Internet will uncover first one article lauding it for its health benefits, while the next article will class it as food of the devil with eaters of it condemned to a hell of hormone-related disease. To help you make sense of the conflicting messages about soy, I’ll dig deeper into some of the key health areas linked to eating soy foods. And then I’ll clarify just how much credence you should give to both the health claims and the health alarms about it.
Links referred to in the podcast
Umbrella review of soy and isoflavones consumption and health
Meta-analysis of soy and cardiovascular disease
Effect of soy on reproductive hormones in men
Effect of soy on thyroid function
Soy-based infant formula
Diet and cancer risk
E8 Do you need that protein supplement?
The protein powder supplement market is big business. Popular in the world of sport where muscle growth is a priority, the marketplace is dominated by glossy pictures of cut models and an ever-expanding list of claims for how these products will pack on the muscle. So, do the bros at the gym have it right in that you need these supplements if you’re serious about the gainz, or could plain old boring ‘food’ do the same job? In this podcast, I dig deeper into the world of protein and muscle growth and see what the research says about protein supplements and then put this into context for what it means for the typical sportsperson.
Links referred to in the podcast
Review and meta-analysis of protein supplementation and muscle growth
Review of nutrient timing in exercise
Soy protein supplementation in resistance training
Pea protein supplementation in resistance training
Vegetarian versus omnivore athletes
Diet intervention in young adults with depression
E7 Got iron? Foods, functions and insufficiencies
Iron. It’s one of our most important essential minerals and sits at the heart of oxygen transport and energy metabolism in the body. In this podcast, I put the spotlight on iron, outline its key functions and explore the food factors that control how much of it we absorb. Because iron deficiency ranks as one of the world’s most common nutritional disorders, I go into detail of the consequences of this, how deficiency is tested for and importantly, how it can be managed with diet and supplements.
Links referred to in the podcast
Iron status in vegetarians
MJA review of iron and vegetarian diets
Feeding vegetables to fussy eaters
E6 Eating for two: you and your gut bacteria
There is nothing bigger in the world of nutrition and health at the moment than the gut microbiota. With potential far-reaching health implications, one of the best ways to keep your gut microbes happy is to feed them well. In this podcast, I look at some of the health areas being linked to the gut microbiota. And then explore in greater depth one area, which is that of body weight regulation as the focus for this episode. And then I’ll drill down into letting you know the types of foods and nutrients that feed your gut microbes best.
Links referred to in the podcast
Pilot study of faecal transplants in obesity
Probiotic supplementation and weight loss
Change in microbiota with diet changes in African Americans
Rapid changes in microbiota with diet changes
E5 How fermented foods benefit your health
Fermented foods are a hot food trend right now. But it has been an overnight success thousands of years in the making. In this first part of an ongoing series theme on all things gut health, gut bacteria and the gut microbiome, I explore the world of fermented foods, describe the popular ones and most importantly: look at what science has to say about their health benefits.
Links referred to in the podcast
Sauerkraut and IBS
Kimchi and blood lipids
Kefir and health benefits review
Sourdough bread and gut discomfort
Association between gut microbiota and personality
Dairy and bone health review 2018
Dairy and bone health review 2019
E4 Coffee and its surprising health benefits
Coffee. For some, it is deserving of its own essential food group. But is coffee more than just a way to achieve functioning human capacity first thing in the morning? You may have seen media headlines in the past warning about health risks of coffee. But now that the science has matured, coffee turns out to be one of the most surprisingly positive health stories of recent years. Forget about the latest superfood trend, coffee is where it is at. In this podcast, I’ll look closer at those health benefits and give you the validation you’ve been seeking to justify your caffeine habit.
Links referred to in the podcast
Review of coffee and health
Caffeine use in Parkinson’s disease
Sports Dietitians Australia fact sheet on caffeine
Caffeine and the risk of miscarriage
Intermittent fasting in sport
E3 The Blue Zones: secrets of the world’s long-lived
What’s the secret to a long, healthy life? The answer here does not lie in exotic Himalayan berries, green smoothies, or jumping on the latest fad diet bandwagon. Instead, take a step back and learn from the habits of those in the world who already have the answer. Called ‘Blue Zones’, these are areas in the world where more people enjoy remarkably long, full healthy lives than anywhere else on the planet. In this podcast episode I’ll outline their key health habits and of course bring in what the science has to say about it and then put it practical terms for how to implement this in your own life.
Links referred to in the podcast
Fruits, vegetables and happiness
Diet and telomere length
E2 The user’s guide to intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is currently one of the world’s most popular health trends. Characterised by alternating periods of food absence followed by periods of normal eating, promoters of intermittent fasting claim that it is the ‘metabolic key’ to unlocking weight loss, reducing inflammation, cutting the risk of diabetes and heart disease and maybe….even extending your life. This show covers what intermittent fasting is, how to do it, and what the evidence says about those long list of health claims.
Links referred to in the podcast
Intermittent fasting vs traditional dieting for weight loss
Review of effects of intermittent fasting on health, aging and disease
Fasting during cancer treatment
Kids watching health cooking shows research
E1 Making sense of nutrition confusion
If you want to be less confused about just how to make sense of conflicting nutrition messages that you hear about each day then you’ve come to the right place. In today’s podcast, I’ll unpack what makes nutrition appear to be such a confusing area. But importantly, I’ll help set you straight in knowing how to make sense of it all.
Links referred to in the podcast
Industry conflict of interest in research
Review of dietary patterns and health
Avocado and oxidised LDL clinical trial