The Doctor's Kitchen Podcast

This episode is for anyone whose life doesn’t always follow a perfect routine. Shift workers, new parents, students, frequent flyers... basically, all of us at some point. 💤🌍✈️If you’ve ever felt out of sync, foggy, tired at odd hours, or struggled with digestion or mood your circadian rhythm might be to blame. Today I dive into …🧠 How your body clock governs everything From digestion, hormones, and metabolism to brain performance, mood, and sleep quality, your circadian rhythm is your internal conductor.💡 Why modern life throws us off Artificial light at night, late-night meals, inconsistent sleep and screen time.🌙 Simple, practical tips for shift workers 🕐 When to sleep 🍽️ What to eat (and when) 🌞 How to recover and realign when your schedule gets messy🥦 Nutrition strategies to support your rhythm Learn how to time meals, caffeine, and light exposure to protect your energy, digestion, and mental clarity even during chaotic weeks.We can’t always control our schedule but we can work with our biology, not against it.🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan📷 Follow on Instagram

“You can take a human out of being in nature, but you can’t take nature out of the human being” This is the statement I pose to Dr Leo right at the beginning of our chat today, and I think it encapsulates the essence of our conversation.Today we’re going to discuss the comfort crisis and the importance of ‘ancient stressors’ to support modern health.To give some context to this discussion, it seems like we’ve made life easier than ever. Meals on demand, warmth at the press of a button, and barely a reason to move. But this relentless convenience could be silently eroding our health. In this episode, we ask the provocative question: Has modern comfort become our newest disease? In other words, our biology still expects challenge. When we remove all friction from daily life, we also remove the very triggers that kept us metabolically flexible, mentally sharp, and emotionally resilient.From fasting and thirst to cold plunges and plant toxins, we explore the science of intermittent living, the idea that reintroducing short bursts of ancient stressors might act like a vaccine against the chronic diseases of modern life.We unpack:Why stress isn’t always the enemy but a tool, when used wiselyHow ancient triggers like hunger, cold, and heat can reboot resilienceWhat it means to recover well, and how purpose, stillness, and nature complete the cycleWhether biomarkers like CRP or HRV really change with these practicesHow to start your own intermittent living journey safely and simplyDr Leo Pruimboom is a physiologist, medical biochemist, who has dedicated hislife to the development of PNI as a clinical science converting a translationalmedical science into a solution focused discipline in which the body is considereda complete interconnected soma in which everything is everywhere at the sametime. In 1987 he established the European Academy of CPNI and collaborated withmultiple international Universities. Today, Pruimboom Institute holds 10 differentCampuses worldwide to provide specialised CPNI training to medical professionalsand other healthcare practitioners.Throughout his career, Dr Pruimboom has helped thousands of patients fromaround the world and has become an internationally recognised researcher andlecturer. 🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan📷 Follow on Instagram

Let’s unpack the world of probiotics. What they are, how they work, and who might actually benefit from taking them.Today you’ll learn about the science behind probiotic strains, explore whether fermented foods like kefir and kimchi are enough, and discuss when probiotics may help with issues like IBS, supporting our immune health, or even preventing antibiotic related side effects.To help us with this complicated topic, we have Dr Megan Rossi on the show today. She’s the founder of The Gut Health Doctor®, and is one of the most influential gut health specialists internationally, and a leading Research Fellow at King’s College London. She’s a registered dietitian and nutritionist but Dr Megan has an award-winning PhD in Probiotics.She is also the founder of the gut health food brand, Bio&Me, and she has launched a targeted range of clinically-proven live bacteria supplements, SMART STRAINS®.Dr Megan also shares how to navigate the supplement aisle with confidence, what to look for on a label (such as the Genus, Species and Strain), and how probiotics compare to other foods with probiotic-like effects and other foundational gut health habits like fibre and plant diversity.There is no financial affiliation of any kind with Doctor’s Kitchen and Dr Megan’s brand of probiotics.🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan📷 Follow on Instagram

If you ordered a steak at a restaurant are you essentially ordering a heart attack or a nutrient-rich whole food?Few foods spark more debate than red meat. It’s been blamed for heart disease, cancer and diabetes, but some people praise it for being high in iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and quality protein. So, if you add red meat to your plate is it helpful or harmful?Whether you eat meat or avoid it, I think you’ll find today’s conversation cuts through the noise of social media and clears up a lot of confusion in the nutrition space. I wanted to disentangle the obvious issues surrounding environmental concerns of eating animal products from today's discussion, and simply talk through the data as we have it. It’s given me a lot to think about when it comes to recommendations for people, as well as how concerned I would be about red meat consumption overall.Today we’re chatting with researcher and academic Dr. Kevin Maki, PhD, who specialises in clinical studies on nutrition, metabolism, and chronic disease risk factors. He's also an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University School of Public Health, a Master and Past President of the National Lipid Association, and a Fellow of the American Heart Association and The Obesity Society. Dr. Maki has participated in over 300 clinical trials and published more than 250 scientific papers, books and book chapters.You’re going to learn about:Whether red meat is actually unhealthier than poultryWhat red meat really does to your cholesterol, your blood pressure and your long-term health riskWhether red meat is a source of unhealthy fatsTypes of red meat and which ones are less healthy than othersHow much red meat you can safely consumeWe also talk about seed oils, plus high protein diets and their relationship to kidney disease, longevity and diabetes risk.The 4 big takeaways I got from this episode were:Moderate amounts (50g per day) of unprocessed lean red meat in the diet is fineDiet quality and the addition of whole unprocessed foods is more importantHigh Protein is very important in middle aged and older adultsBeware of the 4 white poisons: Sugar, Salt, Saturated Fat and refined Starches🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan📷 Follow on Instagram

Are you truly allergic to dairy or just intolerant? Can headaches, joint pain or fatigue be signs of hidden allergies? And what about those online food intolerance tests? Can you trust them?In this episode, Dr Helen brings clarity and evidence to the confusing world of food allergies, intolerances and sensitivities.We cover:🧠 Whether allergies can show up as migraines, fatigue, gut issues or mood changes🔬 Why allergy rates are rising🧪 The truth about IgG testing and other common myths🥜 Whether it’s safe to give babies peanut or egg before age one, and why early exposure matters💬 How to approach elimination diets and reintroductions safely❤️ The emotional toll on families and where to find supportWe also explore rising allergy rates, the hygiene hypothesis, environmental triggers including plant-based proteins, and what is actually working in clinics today, such as immunotherapy and support networks.If you or someone you love is navigating the food allergy maze, this episode is full of practical and science-based insights.Dr Helen Evans Howells is a GP with a Master's in Allergy with distinction from the University of Southampton. She trained and worked with the hospital’s allergy team for over four years. She now runs a specialist allergy clinic offering food immunotherapy for children and lectures widely across the UK and internationally. Dr Helen is a trustee of Anaphylaxis UK, Chair of its Clinical and Scientific Panel and former Chair of the Primary Care Group at the British Society of Allergy.🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan📷 Follow on Instagram

Have you ever wondered if some people simply have a fast metabolism? You know the kind of people that seem to be able to eat anything and still maintain a healthy weight? Does your metabolism slow as you age? What about the effect of the menopause? And are intermittent fasting and certain supplements evidence based ways to speed up your metabolism?These are the questions I put to Dr Adam Collins, researcher at University of Surrey where I completed my Nutritional Medicine Masters. Dr Collins is a well-known expert in metabolism and nutrition science. He's done a lot of research on energy expenditure, intermittent fasting, and how different diets affect metabolism.Topics we cover include …🔬 What is metabolism?🐢 Can you actually have a “slow” metabolism?📉 Metabolism and aging❄️ Cold exposure for metabolism😰 Stress and metabolic dysfunction🔁 What is metabolic flexibility?❤️ Why it matters (beyond weight)⚡ Carbs vs fat—who fuels what?🧠 How to boost metabolic flexibility🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan📷 Follow on Instagram

Up to 40% of cancers are attributable to modifiable risk factors, including diet, obesity, alcohol, tobacco use, and physical inactivity. The WCRF estimates that about 1 in 3 cancer cases in high-income countries could be prevented by healthier diets, maintaining a healthy weight, and regular physical activity. And according to the National Cancer Institute in the US, physical inactivity is a recognized risk factor for colon, breast, and endometrial cancer.But even with the best intentions there’s a lot of confusion around lifestyle and cancer. One day it’s red meat, the next it’s microwaves. We hear about them in headlines, social media posts or passed around in conversation, which can make it really hard to know what matters most.I’m joined today by Professor Robert Thomas, an NHS oncologist and researcher who’s spent decades studying how lifestyle (from food and movement to gut health and supplements) affects cancer risk and recovery.We talk about …🧠 Common cancer myths - mushrooms and herbs🥗 Anticancer diets – What to eat to reduce your risk.🦠 Gut health & cancer – The powerful connection between your microbiome and cancer.🔥 Inflammation & risk – How chronic inflammation increases cancer susceptibility.🏃‍♂️ Exercise & cancer – The science behind how movement helps fight cancer cells.🧴 Microplastics & personal care products – The hidden risks in everyday items.💄 Aluminium in makeup & deodorants – Investigating the potential health impacts.👶 Fertility impact – How lifestyle and environmental exposures may affect reproductive health.He’s also recently appointed Head of Integrative Oncology at The Royal London Hospital for Integrative Medicine making him the UK’s first NHS Integrative Oncologist, to complement his existing role as an NHS Consultant Oncologist at Addenbrooke's and Bedford Hospitals. He is also a Clinical Teacher at Cambridge University. At the start of our conversation we talk about his new role and the types of patients he encounters.View the podcast on our YouTube ChannelYou can find out more from Professor on his YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@ProfThomasMDBooks: How to Live, Keeping healthy with Cancer🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan📷 Follow on Instagram

Today marks the 300th episode of The Doctor’s Kitchen podcast!I started this journey 8 years ago and since then I’ve sat down with world-class researchers, doctors, nutritionists, neuroscientists, exercise physiologists and many more, all with the aim of sharing their knowledge so you can improve your health and understanding of food and lifestyle medicine.What has made the biggest difference to me personally are a few simple rituals I return to, even when I am sleep deprived, overwhelmed… or caring for a very cute but very demanding newborn.In this episode, I’m walking you through the daily and weekly habits, shared by some of our amazing guests, that have actually stuck. The ones that help me feel better, think more clearly and stay grounded, no matter what the week throws at me.Episodes referenced in this podcast:Ep #281 with TJ Power - Digital devices and mental healthEp #291 - Prof Leigh Breen - Exercising for older adultsEp #6 - Dr Michael Farquar -  Sleep for Night shift workersEp #282 - Dr Kiran Chopra - Exercise strategies for longevityEp #193 with Johann Hari - Why You Can't FocusEp #267 with Dr Louisa Nicola - Sleep health and how to optimise your brain🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan📷 Follow on Instagram

It’s World Gut Health Day this week (officially known as World Digestive Health Day), and I wanted to do a dive into something I get asked about more frequently. And that’s leaky gut.I’m cutting through the supplement marketing and scary-sounding terms to talk about:Why your gut might need support even if you feel totally fineWhy gut health is linked to bloating, fatigue, brain fog and moreWhat “leaky gut” actually meansCan you test for leaky gut, and are the online kits worth itMy favourite foods for a healthy gutFor gut-friendly recipes, check out our collection in the Doctor’s Kitchen app and website – all designed with fibre, polyphenols and plant variety in mind to support a healthy gut.👉 https://tdk.link/gut-health-recipesPapers referencedhttps://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6790068/#S10 https://www.clinicalnutritionjournal.com/article/S0261-5614(21)00416-7/fulltext https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29519916/ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8427160/#s1🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app🌐 View full show notes, including guest details, on our website☕️ Try Exhale Coffee here🥗 Join the newsletter and receive a 7 day meal plan📷 Follow on Instagram