#385 What Everyone Needs To Know About Cancer with Professor Thomas Seyfried

A topic that I’m truly passionate about is the introduction of social media and smartphones into all aspects of our lives – and what impact this is having on us individually, collectively and, perhaps most urgently, what impact this is having on our children. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 456 of the podcast with world-renowned psychologist and author of the best-selling book ‘The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness’, Jonathan Haidt. In this clip, Jonathan shares some eye-opening insights and we delve into practical strategies for parents. Thanks to our sponsor ⁠⁠⁠https://www.drinkag1.com/livemore⁠⁠ Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/456 Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts ⁠⁠https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore⁠⁠ For other podcast platforms go to ⁠⁠https://fblm.supercast.com.⁠⁠ DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Could our healthcare system be making us sicker rather than healthier? In the UK, autism diagnoses have increased by a staggering 787% between 1998 and 2018, and one in five people now has some form of mental health disorder. But what if some of our health struggles aren't diseases to be cured, but normal human experiences being medicalised? This week, I'm joined by Dr Suzanne O'Sullivan, a consultant in clinical neurophysiology and neurology at The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, who specialises in the investigation of complex epilepsy and also has an active interest in psychogenic disorders.  Her latest book, The Age of Diagnosis: Sickness, Health, and Why Medicine Has Gone Too Far, aims to challenge long-held assumptions about medical progress and change the way we think about our health.  In this thought-provoking conversation, we explore: Why giving someone a diagnosis is never neutral – it can fundamentally change how a person views themselves, their body and their future possibilities How the definition of autism has dramatically expanded over the past few decades from its original concept of "extreme autistic aloneness" to now potentially including 1 in 20 children in Northern Ireland Why screening for diseases like prostate cancer can lead to unnecessary treatment The potential problems of genetic testing - when results are misinterpreted or used without proper context, especially with tests that aren't clinical grade Why early detection and treatment aren't always better, particularly when it turns healthy people into patients decades before they might develop symptoms The profound story of how Suzanne diagnosed a rare genetic condition in a 15-year-old girl, only to question whether she had actually done the right thing by medicalising someone who believed herself to be healthy This is a nuanced, compassionate discussion that challenges many of the widely held assumptions in modern healthcare and I would urge you to listen with an open mind. Throughout our conversation, Suzanne emphasises that she's not arguing against the existence of these conditions or suggesting everyone should refuse diagnosis. Rather, she encourages both patients and doctors to consider whether medicalising our struggles is always the right approach. I hope you enjoy listening.   Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore.  For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.   Thanks to our sponsors: https://thriva.co https://drinkag1.com/livemore https://vivobarefoot.com/livemore https://airbnb.co.uk/host   Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/553   DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Today’s guest is a leading public health expert who has long been exposing the myths of modern medicine and the food industry. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 251 of the podcast with medical doctor and Professor Emeritus of Paediatrics, Dr Robert Lustig. Dr Lustig’s passion is in communicating how excess sugar and ultra-processed foods are fuelling the chronic disease epidemic that we are all facing today. And, in this clip, he explains why eating too much sugar can be so damaging for our health and shares some practical strategies that we can all use to help. Dr Robert Lustig will be a guest speaker at Prescribing Lifestyle Medicine Live: The Evolution of Metabolic Health – from gut to brain and beyond, held at County Hall in London on Saturday 10th May. If you are a Healthcare practitioner, join me, Dr Emily Leeming, Dr Ayan Panja, Dr Robert Lustig and others. Book your ticket using code DRC50 and save £50 on the ticket price. https://www.tickettailor.com/events/practiceunbound/1535137 Thanks to our sponsor ⁠⁠https://www.drinkag1.com/livemore⁠⁠ Show notes and the full podcast are available at https://drchatterjee.com/251 Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts ⁠https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore⁠ For other podcast platforms go to ⁠https://fblm.supercast.com.⁠ DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

This week, I'm joined by the remarkable Erling Kagge, Norwegian adventurer, philosopher and acclaimed writer. Erling is the first person to complete the "Three Poles Challenge" - reaching the North Pole, the South Pole, and the summit of Mount Everest on foot. After this record-breaking feat, Erling attended Cambridge University to study philosophy.  He’s also the author of multiple best-selling books, including, Silence: In the Age of Noise and Walking: One Step at a Time. When Erling was 29, he did something most of us can't imagine - he walked alone to the South Pole for 50 days in complete silence, with no radio contact whatsoever. What started as a physical journey across ice became something far more profound - a journey into himself.  In our conversation, we explore  Why Erling believes silence is where "the world's secrets are hidden" and how finding quiet moments can help us get to know ourselves better - and appreciate others more Erling’s surprising relationship with fear and how being "one with the environment" creates an unexpected sense of peace even in extreme danger - like facing a charging polar bear! The three simple origins of true gratefulness that Erling found during his expeditions: feeling warm after being cold, feeling full after being hungry and resting after exhaustion – experiences most of us rarely have in our comfortable modern lives How our experience of boredom has completely changed – from being bored because nothing is happening to feeling bored because too many things are happening at once Why Erling believes we should actually "make our lives more difficult" on purpose and how this approach helps us find meaning and satisfaction Practical ideas for bringing moments of silence into our busy lives – whether it's walking without your phone, taking the stairs instead of the lift, or just standing still for a few minutes As Erling reminds us, most of us don't realise what we're truly capable of. His encouragement to break free from limiting beliefs, to move our bodies more, and to add variety to our routines offers a practical path toward a more meaningful life.  In his words, finding fulfilment is about "finding your own North Pole" – a journey that asks us to be brave enough to face ourselves in silence. I hope you enjoy listening.  Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore.  For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com.   Thanks to our sponsors: https://drinkag1.com/livemore https://vivobarefoot.com/livemore https://airbnb.co.uk/host   Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/551   DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Journalling regularly has been shown to decrease emotional stress, make it easier to turn new behaviours into long term habits, improve the quality of our relationships and, ultimately, help us lead more mindful and intentional lives. It can help improve sleep, lead to better decision making and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. Today’s clip is from episode 413 of the podcast which was a solo episode where I outlined the transformative power of journaling.  I’ve recommended a journalling practice to thousands of my patients over the years, but I’ve also seen the positive impact it has had on my own life as well. In this clip, I share how you can get started really easily by asking yourself 3 powerful questions every morning. They are deceptively simple and answering them will take less than 5 minutes, but doing so can prove transformative. If you want to take a look at ‘The 3 Question Journal’ go to https://drchatterjee.com/journal Thanks to our sponsor https://www.drinkag1.com/livemore Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore For other podcast platforms go to https://fblm.supercast.com. Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/413 DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.