Podcast

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E102 How the Mediterranean diet benefits mental health

Counselling and medication gain most of the treatment attention for depression, but the promise of dietary changes to help to improve the outlook of people with depression and other common conditions such as anxiety is gaining traction. Welcome to the rapidly moving world of nutritional psychiatry which is uncovering key links between diet and mental health. And one such dietary pattern, the Mediterranean diet, is now building a research base behind it to support a change to the dietary themes this diet promotes to help improve mental health. And that’s what I’ll be exploring more about in my latest podcast episode.

Links referred to in the podcast
SMILES trial
Effect of a Mediterranean diet with fish oil on depression
Effect of a Mediterranean diet on depression in young men

E101 How beetroot juice lowers blood pressure and improves sports performance

Nitrates are inorganic compounds found in many vegetables such as spinach, celery, radishes, and lettuce, but beetroot is one of the highest sources. Nitrate contributes to the production of nitric oxide, which has an important role to play in immune function as well as regulating the tone of blood vessels which impacts blood pressure. In this podcast, I look at the evidence for using nitrate-rich beetroot juice to treat high blood pressure as well as its role as a supplement to improve athletic performance.

Links referred to in the podcast
Nitrates from beetroot juice and effect on hypertension
IOC consensus statement on dietary supplements and the high-performance athlete

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