Real Health with Karl Henry

This week on Real Health we’re discussing eating disorders, what they are and how they impact on the health of somebody suffering from them. Eating disorders are complex and affect both the mental and physical health of the person with one. So, when someone gets help, it's often from a team of people with different expertise. Today I’m joined by Aveen Bannon, Dietitian at the Dublin Nutrition Cent...

With International Women’s Day coming up, we have decided to dedicate a whole episode to female health. Joining me this week is nutritionist and founder of The Fit Clinic, Dr Michelle Hone. We will be discussing everything from hormones and fertility to the importance of carbs in a woman’s diet. Michelle says women need to be treating their health and fitness differently to the way men do. She exp...

It’s the body’s largest organ, but how much do we really know about our skin? Chances are, most of you have had some type skin concern, be it acne or rosace or a mole that didn’t look quite right. On this week’s show I’m joined by Consultant Dermatologist, Professor Nicola Ralph to discuss skin health as well as some of the most common skin concerns people have. Acne for example affects millions o...

With life returning to some kind of normality and restrictions easing despite Covid-19 still circulating, many of us may be feeling lots of different emotions around the change to our daily lives. Now that we’re transitioning back to the way we used to live, some might feel apprehensive about the change, stress about the virus and maybe even anxiety at the thought socialising again. Joining me tod...

On this week’s show, we’re taking a look at how to improve our mental strength, by challenging our inner critic, understanding what drives our behaviors and how we can successfully hit our goals by focusing on the journey and not the end result. To discuss this, I’m joined by health and wellness coach, Pat Divilly, who’s written a book all about this. Fit Mind: 8 Weeks to Change Your Inner Soundtr...

On this week’s show, it’s all about mindset. Why it’s important and how having the right mindset can be the key to unlocking your health goals. Joining me to chat about this, is sports nutritionist and strength and conditioning coach, Brian Keane. His new book, The Keane Edge looks to help you find the right mindset and motivation so you can stick to your fitness journey. Brian says for many peopl...

Setting resolutions to be healthier and focus on wellness can be a great way to kick off the new year. That, however, does not mean it is an easy change to make. While many will embrace a new way of living at, it is common for some to find themselves struggling to keep the motivation going as the months go on. That’s why on this week’s episode, I thought it was the perfect time to chat through som...

While exercise, hydration and diet are all important aspects of health, it can be difficult to hit our goals if we are worried about money. It is something that can cause stress and anxiety to many people, which can impact on our sleep and motivation. With our wallets exhausted from the December spending, this week on Real Health we are looking at how we can get our finances back on track. I’m joi...

While many of us have decided to kick off the new year determined to improve our health and fitness, it is important that we also look at the other ways to improve our overall wellbeing. That is why on this week’s show, we will be looking at just that. I’m joined by Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Trinity College Dublin, Jim Lucey. We discuss how to build resilience, manage stress and how to m...

Happy New Year everyone! On this week’s show, we are kicking off 2022 with a top tips episode. Rather than focusing on new year's resolutions, this time it's all about giving you small but achievable goals that will get you on track to lifelong health. Joining me to bring you his tips for getting your new year off to a great start, is fitness coach and nutritionist Shane Walsh. Shane’s advice is t...

For the last episode of Real Health for 2021, I’m bringing you an inspirational weight loss story. I’m joined by Leah Punch, who’s here to tell us about her incredible journey after getting a gastric by-pass. From being her heaviest at almost 22 stone, Leah has managed to lose a whopping 160 pounds. Leah says she has struggled with her weight since the age of six. After years of dieting, it was in...

On this week's episode of Real Health, we thought we’d change it up and bring you an episode that is a little different to what we usually do. This week, I’m delighted to be joined by the Investigations Editor of the Sunday World, Nicola Tallant to talk all thing's journalism, how the world of crime has changed and how she copes with the pressures of her job. Nicola says being a journalist was som...

On this week’s show, we are keeping on the Christmas theme, but it’s a slightly different approach than usual. While many of us are looking forward to the Christmas season, for some it’s a time of year that can be really challenging. From staying with family, to avoiding challenging conversations around the dinner table it’s not always the picture-perfect time it's made out to be. Here to help us...

Christmas is fast approaching and many of us are looking forward to some time off work, eating our favourite festive foods and indulging a little more than usual. With that in mind, I thought this week is the best time to bring you some of my top tips to surviving the season. I’m going to teach you all the tips and tools that I can, to get you through the festive period in the healthiest way possi...

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday over and done with, Christmas is well and truly underway. So, this week we’re going festive bringing you a Real Health Christmas gift guide. Struggling to find the perfect gift for your fitness fanatic friend or family member? Well, we have everything you need right here. From recovery boots to fitness wearables, we have presents at all price points. It’s not all...

This week on Real Health, I’m doing a follow on from last week’s show, where I gave you top tips to measure your health. For this episode, I’m looking at the best tests and screenings you should be getting that will tell you where your health is at. From skin checks to diabetes screenings, we have it all here. Joining me to take us through his top health checks that could save your life is Profess...

On this week’s show, I’m bringing you the best ways to measure your health. It’s possibly the most overlooked aspect of health and wellness. In this politically correct age, measuring your health in some respects has become a bit of a taboo topic. Some people recommend that you don’t do it at all. However, it's something I feel very strongly about. Having worked in the fitness industry for over tw...

On this week’s Real Health episode, we’re going back to basics bringing you the best tips and tricks you need to make cooking at home hassle-free.   To chat us through her top tips for making cooking as easy as possible, I’m joined by food influencer Sarah Butler. Her new book, Home Cooking, Simple Food For Busy Lives is about helping people get out of their food rut and develop cooking skills, al...

With lockdowns behind us and life returning to some form of normality, many of us have found we are carrying a little extra fat than we’d like. So, for this week’s Real Health episode I’m bringing you the top things you’ll need to help you lose fat.  I’m delighted to be joined by former Munster and Ireland rugby player Peter Stringer. Now a certified personal trainer, Peter takes me through his to...

On this week’s Real Health episode, I’m delighted to be joined by hotelier John Brennan to discuss lessons he’s learned throughout his life and how he overcame obstacles along the way; from struggling in school to finding his passion for hospitality.   In his new book, My name is Jhon, John writes about his battle with dyslexia, life as an entrepreneur and how a cancer diagnosis wasn’t going to st...

On this week’s show I’ll be looking at how you can achieve your best potential for a healthy lifestyle in your 40s.    I’m joined by Dr Marc Bubbs, naturopathic doctor and performance nutrition lead for Canada Basketball. His new book, Peak 40 looks to give you all the tools you need to reignite your energy and passion at any age, but particularly in your 40s.      Marc says between the age of 41...

On this week’s show I’ll be talking about sleep, something so many people are interested in - probably because we feel we aren’t getting enough. With many workers having returned to the office, how will this impact our sleep?    
  I’m joined by Professor Andrew Coogan, behavioural neuroscientist who specialises in sleep. He is also the director of the Chronobiology and Sleep Research Laboratory a...

On this week’s Real Health episode, I’m bringing you the top ten tips you’ll need to overhaul your diet.     No fads, no gimmicks, just easy things you can do to improve your health. I’ll be looking at why we shouldn’t skip meals, the importance of hydration and why incorporating colour into every meal can be a simple yet effective way to improve what you eat.     To discuss all this, I’m joined b...

On this week’s show I’m talking about sex, the importance of communication and the stigma around seeking help for sexual issues. My guest is sex and relationship educator Grace Alice O’Shea. Grace has a qualification in Occupational Therapy and a master’s in Health Promotion, specialising in sexual health. She says she is passionate about making Ireland a more sex-positive country, where people ca...

On this week’s show, how to get motivated and how to stay motivated. Many people feel they put on weight over the summer with a change in routine and increased alcohol consumption. This is totally normal. We’ve all been through a tough year and a half, and we’ve had the chance to enjoy a slice of normality over the summer so don’t beat yourself up. Get a pen and paper out when you’re listening and...