Food For Thought

Being ill or weak can really knock us for six. We often blame those around us for passing something on, or assume our diet is at fault or in some instances, thinking we have an allergy to something specific. But are these legitimate thoughts or is something else at play?! Joining me to sort fact from fiction is Dr Jenna Macciochi, an immunologist who specialises in understanding how nutrition and...

It is believed over 1.25 million people in the UK have an eating disorder and around 25% of those affected by an eating disorder are male. Eating disorders are complex with no one sole cause, but we know from research that individuals might be predisposed due to their genetic or biological make up. Although many eating disorders develop during adolescence, it is not at all unusual for people to de...

The fitness industry has exploded over the last few years. And with 1 in 4 women and 1 in 5 men in the UK deemed physically inactive and with lack of physical activity costing the NHS almost £1 billion a year, anything that encourages us to move our bodies more is certainly welcomed. But as with any booming industry, there are those who seek to exploit it which in part has led to so much confusion...

Every two minutes, someone in the UK is diagnosed with cancer, and it is predicted that one in two of us will be diagnosed at some point in our lives. But there is hope, with new pioneering ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, over the past 40 years survival has doubled and today half of us will survive the disease. Interestingly, 4 in 10 UK cancers are thought of as preventable throug...

There is so much pressure these days to be the ‘perfect’ parent. From preparing the best packed lunch in the playground, to getting disapproving looks from when breastfeeding in public - it must feel like its impossible to get it right! And whilst it’s true that the nutritional needs of a child differ somewhat from our own, I truly believe that finding an approach that works for the whole family i...

Some of us can definitely say we have a sweet tooth. Whether it’s cakes, chocolates, cookies, lollies or fizzy drinks, our world is filled with intensely pleasurable sweet treats. In the UK, we are consuming more than double the recommended amount of sugar. We’re surrounded by it, not only in its pure form but also in foods we’re told are healthy. Like it or lump it, few of us get through the day...

I wonder if you think you know what the world’s biggest killer is? Smoking, cancer, road accidents? You might be surprised to hear that it is in fact heart disease. According to the World Health Organisation, over 18 million people die from it every single year, that’s over 30% of all global deaths. But how do we know if we are at risk of heart disease, and do we have any control over reducing thi...

Although we can’t always see it, it seems we can’t avoid it. Pollution is increasingly cited as one of the world’s biggest threats to health. It’s there when we step outside for some supposed ‘fresh air’, it’s present throughout our commute to work, it can even be found in our very own homes. So, should we fear pollution and is there really anything we can do to avoid it? Joining me to understand...

We all have good days and bad days; we all have foods we like more, or like less. But is there a connection between feeling a certain way and the foods we have eaten?  Joining me to share the latest research is Dr Aria, a chartered psychologist specialising in the relationship between food and the brain. As a doctor in clinical psychology, a mindfulness specialist and an expert in the fields...

As scientists increasingly discover the central role that gut bacteria play in our overall health, it’s tempting to believe the seemingly daily headlines suggesting the next gut wonder foods to revitalise everything from your weight to mental wellbeing. But, the science has a way to go before we know exactly what nutrition is best for your gut, so joining me to help translate exactly what we know...

With the constantly changing landscape in nutrition, it's hard to know which information is accurate. Everywhere we look we are bombarded by conflicting messages about food, stipulating what we should and shouldn’t be eating. New diets hit the headlines on a daily basis, we are made to question whether gluten is good or bad for us and see foods being disguised as healthy despite their alarmingly h...

We live in an age of misinformation and pseudoscience. One minute something is good for us, the next its deadly. From national newspapers to instagram, everyone’s talking about nutrition but such a constant stream of information can make it difficult for even the most intelligent to distinguish reliable research from weak studies and sensational headlines. Nutrition research is complex, and is all...

I truly believe we should strive to learn to accept ourselves as we are, to embrace our changing faces and physiques as the years pass. But given the on-going obsession with finding ways to cheat nature, I know we’re all intrigued as to what the answer to good skin health is! Joining me to help sort fact from fiction is Dr Anjali Mahto, one of the UK's leading dermatologists. With her medical trai...

Gary Barlow is one of the most successful British musicians and songwriters of all time, but fifteen years ago, as he himself admits, he hit rock bottom - he was out of work and unhealthy. His mental and physical health were at an all-time low, and he struggled to see a way out. Faced with an uncertain future in music, and other cruel twists of fate, Gary turned to food. For nine years, he struggl...

The list of taboos that affect a woman’s health is endless, and let’s be honest, most women have no idea what's going on 'down there'. Culturally and personally, no body part inspires so much concern and confusion. It’s time to put an end to these taboos, and talk openly about women’s health, sex, pain, trauma, birth, motherhood, menstruation, menopause and simply being a woman. Helping us say goo...

I bet you spend quite a bit of time and effort nourishing your relationships, whether it's with your significant other, your pals, your parents or your children. But what about your relationship with food? This relationship impacts not only our health, but for many it's closely tied to other relationships including that with our own body. Our relationship with food is so important to health, welln...

We should all aim to eat a healthy, varied diet which matches our energy needs, and having worked with Olympic athletes, I have witnessed the complexities of performing at such a high level where getting their nutrition right is absolutely crucial. People often ask what they can learn from these phenomenal people. So, joining me to discuss if there is really anything we can do to enhance our own p...

We are often warned about the damaging effects of technology on our health, from making our eye sight worse to anxiety-inducing social media. But what about when it comes to things like step counting apps and digital GP appointments; aren’t these positive aspects of technology?! With new technologies emerging all the time, should we be concerned, or should we be embracing them, and what does the f...

The world of science is constantly evolving and we now know our genes may play a larger role than we ever once knew, but can it impact our appetite and our behaviour around food? Is there a deeper physiological role involved with how much food we intake on a day to day basis? There is also a school of thought that believes calories tell us everything there is to know about food; healthy or unhealt...

For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition Melanie Sykes is one of the nation’s best known TV and radio presenters. Since starting out as the face of Boddingtons Bitter and reporting on The Big Breakfast in the 90s, Mel’s long running career has seen her present on some of the UK’s most popular TV shows, including Loose Women, The Paul O’Grady Show and so many more. Sh...

For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition Chessie King is body-confidence campaigner, presenter and fitness blogger whose no-nonsense social media has become a viral inspiration. Her honest attitude has seen her work with the United Nations, Team GB and Nike Women. Championing an international community of body positivity and raising awareness for silent disabilities,...

For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition Lucy Mecklenburgh is an actress, model and entrepreneur. She may be widely recognised for her role in the reality TV series The Only Way Is Essex but since leaving back in 2010, she has co-founded fitness platform Results with Lucy, battled it out on Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls and her enviable style has seen her model f...

For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition Zanna Van Dijk is a Personal Trainer, Author and entrepreneur. She is one of the UK’s most recognisable voices in health and fitness, and the first female UK Adidas Global Ambassador. She is co-founder of the GirlGains, a movement empowering women, host of BBC’s Fit and Fearless Podcast with her two best friends Tally and Vic,...

For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition Alice Liveing is one of the UK’s most recognisable voices in health and fitness. Having started her career on stage in popular musical Annie, she’s now a three-time bestselling author and Personal Trainer whose global reach has seen on the front cover of Women’s Health and is behind their number 1 app Transform. She’s worked w...

For more information, visit Rhitrition.com and Instagram.com/Rhitrition Rangan Chatterjee is a medical doctor, author and presenter best known for his TV show Doctor in the House and resident doctor on BBC One's Breakfast Show. His acclaimed first book The Four Pillar Plan shares How to Relax, Eat, Move and Sleep Your Way to a Longer, Healthier life and has become an international best-seller. His...