Live Well Be Well with Sarah Ann Macklin | Health, Lifestyle, Nutrition

We all believe we have a choice when it comes to choosing healthy food options, but do we really? Is our choice merely a small selection of what it chosen to be put in front of our eyes in the limited selection available to us? Seducing claims and health halos such as ‘natural’, ‘superfood’ and ‘low fat’ lead many of us to overestimate how healthy a food is, and it can discourage us to look at the...

Food can be a powerful drug. A taste of sugar hits the brain 20 times faster than a lungful of tobacco smoke. For some, food addiction can be very dangerous. Food addiction is a behavioural addiction and disentangling food addiction can announce heavy feelings of shame, guilt and embracement. So how do we define food addiction? And what do we do when we are surrounding ourselves in an environment...

The term narcissist is often used to described anyone who is self-absorbed and it is a common discussion that someone we know has been affected by a narcissist. However, is it as common as we all think or are we mis diagnosing vain friends and family? What does a true pathological narcissist look like and if we are in contact with one what are the consequences for the victim? Will they ever change...

Many of us drink to relax and socialise, but are we aware of how much we are drinking on a daily basis and what affects it may be having on our health?  During January this year, alcohol sales surged by 30%. This significant jump in sales has been linked to stress, boredom, anxiety and loneliness caused by the pandemic. When we look at our relationship with alcohol, do we consider the health...

Imposter syndrome is defined as doubting your own abilities and feeling like a fraud. A google search yields more than 5 million responses.  Imposter syndrome has been said to people such as, Sheryl Sandberg the COO of Facebook and even first lady Michelle Obama. What I feel seems to be less explored is why does imposter syndrome exist in the first place and what role does our surroundings an...

Can we transform our food system and fix the double burden of malnutrition? In recent decades we have seen food become one of our greatest public health threats. Around two billion people on the planet are overweight or obese. The highest mortality rate comes from non-communicable diseases, with a poor diet playing one of the five main risk factors. Our planet is overwhelmed by food waste, with 1...

Want to know how to embrace feeling uncomfortable? Life is tough, but you are tougher and you only discover that you are tougher by stepping into the discomfort zone and challenging yourself.  "discomfort is never as bad as we think it will be…. It also never lasts as long as we think it will… discomfort is not a constant; it is fleeting. Neither is discomfort debilitating; on the contrary, it is...

Opening up the conversation surrounding sobriety can feel daunting for many people. In the UK we have an ingrained drinking culture and you can feel ostracised if you don’t drink. People quickly form the opinion that you have a “problem”.  Reevaluating our relationship with alcohol and becoming sober curious shouldn’t need a reason. Alcohol is classed as a pharmacological drug and can heavily...

At any one time IBS affects between 10-20% of the UK. You may have endured weeks, months or even years of anxiety, embarrassment and crippling stomach symptoms, and many people can be lead down a path of google searches which prove baffling in treatments and food anxiety. Nutrition plays a huge part in IBS symptoms, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. In today’s episode I am thrilled to speak...

The fashion industry has portrayed a large influence on society for decades. It defines how we as human beings perceive reality and the outlook we have on body image.  Victoria Secret models symbolises beauty and perfection with their flawless figures, for many young girls, women and men. The Victoria Secret angels are looked too as role models,  but are these images affecting how we critique our...

How can we achieve a dietary intake which protects our health and our planet at the same time? One that is affordable and equitable? When we look at food sustainability, we need to include protecting populations from non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, producing our food with fewer resources, such as land, water and fuel to help feed to fast growing popula...

Food is complex. It doesn't just effect our health and general wellbeing, it also effects how we farm, how accessible it is to us and the affordability as well as political issues such as the recent agriculture bill. Yet, how could we help create a more sustainable and attainable food system? Will this begin with the children of today?  George Lamb shares his personal story of leaving his celebrit...

With 2.5 million in the UK living with cancer, and breast cancer is the number one cancer for women, affecting 1 in 8 women in the UK. Yet, with 23% of breast cancers preventable in the UK, what could we be eating more and less of to help reduce our risk? Why is it that black women have the poorest health outcomes when it comes to breast cancer? Why are health inequalities still so prevalent in 20...

With children’s free school meals being taken away for October half term, and the country going into a second lockdown, how can we eat well on a budget? This pandemic has highlighted pre-existing health, socio-economic, and ethnic and racial inequalities. Diet is currently the biggest risk factor for disease in England, accounting for 10.8% of the total disease burden. There is an emerging associa...

A 2019 study from Nottingham university claims that 7 in 10 workers in the UK had suffered from complex ‘imposter’ feelings that can sabotage careers and harm our mental health. Sadly, 7 in 10 (71 percent) of those who have found themselves furloughed, laid off, or made redundant this year are experiencing this feeling.  In this weeks episode, I speak to Henry Holland, legendary British fashion de...

Understanding how and why we suffer with mental health, is critical to supporting it. Do you often feel fear, stressed or anxious? You are not alone. Anxiety can persist; whether you know the root cause or not. It can make you imagine that things in your life are worse than they really are, and can prevent you from confronting your fears – you might even think you’re going mad.   Jodie Kidd, inter...

It is not very often that we get to hear an agents view on models health. Many times people compare models to athletes. Needing to be strict with their diets and vigorous exercise regime, a short career in a high pressured environment. Mental health is known to suffer from daily comparisons of high standards and rejection. In the last of the LFW special season, I speak to Karen Dimond, owner and d...

We all become caught up in our thoughts, and can feel trapped in. Meditation can feel overwhelming for many and out of grasp, but it shouldn’t be.  Meditation has been part ancient history, increasing calmness and physical relaxation, and is now recognised a topic of modern science improving physical health such as blood pressure and irritable bowel syndrome as well as easing symptoms of anxi...

The NHS recommend us to engage in 150 minutes of movement a week, and now the evolution of home fitness in 2020, the fitness market in the UK is worth around £5 billion. The importance of movement can be used to help protect mental health. Taking steps to become more active is something that we personally can do to help us deal with the stress brought about by uncertainty and to feel positive abou...

No sensible discussion about body image can start without an understanding of Social Comparison Theory (SCT). We all compare ourselves, whether it is a physical trait, psychological quality, talent on finical value to others. The SCT looks at the pattern of those comparisons and the impact this has on our wellbeing and very importantly how this can affect our body image. In this special LFW episod...

The London fashion week series, brings you insightful talks from the Be Well Collective summit, sharing discussions address mental health from within the fashion industry.  To kick start the series, I speak to Caroline Rush, CEO of the British Fashion Council and Rose Percy, head of production at the prestigious British fashion brand Burberry.  Find out more @sarahannmacklin | @be_well_collective

We spend three quarters of a billion pounds on probiotic products that promise to balance our microbiome. We sip on kombucha and pickle kimchi. The evidence stacks when we discuss the connection between our brain and gut. With two out 10 people in the UK suffering with IBS, and no cure for those who suffer with IBS, severe IBS symptoms can heavily implode on peoples lives.  In this episode I...

Understanding how your body responds to stress can be key to managing stressful situations and reducing the impact it has on your health, but are we coping with stress? Stress seems to be one of the greatest public health challenges of our time. Stress is a significant factor in mental health problems including anxiety and depression. It is also linked to physical health problems like heart diseas...

We all have an emotional connection with food, and for some during lockdown this has been emphasized more than others. Disruption to many of our carefully planned routines, lack of access to social networks and increased anxiety means food has become a comfort in time of need. Alongside the current media pressure to “transform yourself” during lockdown, these messages can amplify the internal...

It can be extremely hard to not compare ourselves to one another, yet this holds a negative impact in how we view ourselves. Changing your thoughts and beliefs because someone else either approves or disapproves, and ascribing your self-worth to the approval of others can become tiresome. It can also lead to anxiety, depression and eating disorders, among other mental health illnesses. I speak to...