The Brain Food Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome back for episode 23! I've been following my guest, Neha, for about two years now on Instagram, watching her bodybuilding journey while she balances her corporate job. As another young Indian woman, it's been so inspiring to see her pursue her passion for fitness in the media space, where it is so rare to see young Indian girls. Neha created her account because, growing up, she never saw girls who looked like her in media, and she wanted to become a representation that she lacked. As a bodybuilder, model, and speaker while working a full-time corporate job, Neha proves it is possible to pursue dreams and goals that are unconventional and that you are not defined by one experience or role.

If you’ve ever wrestled with negative thoughts or struggled to embrace a healthy relationship with food—and yourself—this one’s for you! Join me as I chat with Dr. Angela Claffey, a trailblazer in mental wellness, specializing in eating disorders and body positivity. Her insights will transform the way you think, feel, and speak to yourself.

In this special episode of the Brain Food Podcast, I am so excited to be partnering up and working with Sahaas for Cause, a non-profit organization that focuses on creating impactful programs to stabilize the lives of the South Asian community.. Our main goal with this project is to engage south Asian community members in tobacco control efforts with an emphasis on advancing policy or systems change and increasing awareness about tobacco or tobacco-related products after a CEA study was done showing how many youth younger than age 14 would start smoking e-cigarettes without the knowledge of its harmful side effects. Today I am speaking with Dr. Hemant Kulkarni a Consultant in Paediatric Respiratory and Sleep Medicine at Sheffield Children's Hospital in the UK. His clinical interests include general respiratory, ciliary brush biopsies, sleep-disordered breathing, and long-term ventilation, making him an incredible speaker on the subject of the effects of tobacco. More information regarding Sahaas for Cause!: https://www.saahasforcause.org/

In this new episode of the Brain Food Podcast, we cover all things INFLAMMATORY. “Inflammatory” and “anti-inflammatory” are among the most common buzz words in the health world today. Join me as I speak with Staci Shacter, MS, a registered dietitian, and licensed nutritionist who specializes in providing tips for various conditions linked to inflammation with her delicious recipes and lifestyle changes. If you have been looking for the tools to be successful in transitioning to a healthy lifestyle, listen in! We cover the foods which promote physical and mental wellbeing, how food can directly affect your mood, and how to curb cravings. Staci even has a book, The Meat & Potatoes of a Healthy Meal Plan…no bun intended, which you can find anywhere books are sold, as well as a blog where she posts all her recipes and tips!! Both are linked below. Staci’s Book: https://www.amazon.com/Meat-Potatoes-healthy-meal-intended/dp/1540486672 Staci’s Blog: https://www.stacisplate.com/ The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson: https://markmanson.net/books/subtle-art#:~:text=The%20Subtle%20Art%20of%20Not%20Giving%20a%20F*ck%20is,opposite%20of%20every%20other%20book.

Welcome back to my incredibly informative episode with Dr. Gupta. Listen in to part two of this episode for more information on how to combat food addiction and what eating certain foods does to your gut! If you haven’t already, go listen to part one! The Naked Brain: https://ournakedbrain.com/ Eat Smarter by Shawn Stevenson: https://www.amazon.com/Eat-Smarter-Metabolism-Upgrade-Transform/dp/B08RSK9GJL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3GEONYDAVZLB5&keywords=eat+smarter&qid=1654275241&s=books&sprefix=eat+smarte%2Cstripbooks%2C134&sr=1-1

In this first episode of a two-part series, we cover a topic very personally connected to me as my guest, Dr. Gupta, shares a passion quite similar to mine in her endeavors to find how food can be used as medicine while investigating the scientific mechanisms of the brain-gut connection. Dr. Arpana (Annie) Gupta, has completed a Ph.D. degree in psychology, followed by an APA accredited clinical internship. Her line of research focuses on the interactions between environmental and biological factors in shaping phenotypes associated with obesity, combing the two systems of the brain and the gut in order to better understand the mechanisms of altered ingestive behaviors. Get ready to hear all about how what you eat can affect levels of food addiction, from your dopamine receptors to your microbiome diversity, and find out how you can use food to help restore the brain-gut microbiome axis to help counteract obesity and food addiction. The Naked Brain: https://ournakedbrain.com/

Join me in episode 8 of the Brain Food Podcast as I speak with Lauren Cunningham, a recipe developer, and integrative health coach who was inspired to help others learn the importance of nutrition in overall health through her rollercoaster journey with Crohn’s Disease. We cover foods that trigger inflammation, how processed foods in the Western diet can lead to IBS symptoms, and how it is in fact possible to live a healthier lifestyle in the midst of busy, young adult life. You can find Lauren on Instagram at @laur_cunningham and some of her incredible recipes and contact information on her website laurencunningham.co !!

Welcome back to part 2 of my incredible conversation with Dr. French! In this episode, we continue our discussion of holistic health. Dr. French emphasizes the importance of nutritional content over calorie counting and how important keeping a plan for yourself is. She also shares many of the healthy habits she includes in her daily life and shares her advice on how to look at health to create a sustainable, balanced lifestyle rather than a short-term intervention. The book recommendation this week: The Microbiome Solution by Dr. Robyne Chutkan. Learn more about Dr. Anu French at her website! https://www.anufrench.com/

Have you ever thought to yourself that you want to become healthier, sleep better, or be more productive while balancing a fun, social life? In the first of a two-part episode, I speak with Dr. Anu French, a holistic pediatrician, about all aspects of health she has advised her patients: nutrition, sleep, balance, how to manage stress, and mindfulness. We discuss the importance of sleep, being present in the moment as a means to reduce stress, and how to create habits that balance the fun and healthy parts of life.

Back again with another incredible episode after a bit of a break! In this shorter episode, we cover a subject I have not yet explored on this podcast. I am speaking with Payal Sawney, a mental health clinician with a master's in social work and psychiatry. She has worked in both India and the United States, giving her a unique perspective of mental health through a cross-cultural lens. We speak about the disparities in health administration and mental health awareness that exists globally, as well as how our lifestyle factors influence our mental health.