Upstairs is our brain, downstairs is our gut. Most of us think that these two organs live as two separate entities. But let’s consider this, brain health begins in the gut. The gut and the brain are in constant communication, as we speak, there are over 500 million nerves in our intestines, 5 times more than the spinal cord.A healthy gut microbiome is able to influence our brain, keep our mind sharp, our energy levels high and stabilize our emotions. On the other hand, damage to gut flora can cause migraines, headaches, chronic fatigue, and potentially lead to Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and other neurological disorders.13000 research papers on the gut microbiome have been released in the last 5 years alone. That’s 80% of the total number of papers on this topic in the last 4 decades. You may have heard the importance of the microbiome, but believe me, we are all just scratching the surface.What most of us tend to think is that when we eat food, our body will break down what it can and absorb it, the rest will come out the other end. But this is only partly true. Our microbiome, and particularly our gut microbiome is an incredibly diverse colony of 39 trillion microbes; bacteria, fungi, archaea, protozoa. These single-celled organisms outnumber human cells, 10 fold. Most of us think of microbes as germs or harmful creatures that don’t serve us, but in fact, most bacteria are here to help us. And in the last 15 years of research, we’re beginning to unfold which ones are here to support us, and which ones are here to hurt us. The depth of the microbiota is hard to fathom. So, what exactly are they doing there?They’re doing a lot, actually. In fact, they’re modulating some of the most important aspects of human health; immunity, metabolism, hormonal balance, cognition, gene expression, to name a few. They’re not just chilling because it’s warm and moist, they’re working in synergy with our body to maintain its normal function. Every single one of us has a different set of microbes living in our colon. Every single time you put something into your mouth and swallow, it will interact with the trillions of microbes residing in your gut. You might’ve heard about fiber being that part of a plant that we don’t digest. You might even think all fiber is the same, and that it just passes straight through you.There are many species of bacteria that have the ability to transform fiber into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which have incredible abilities in modulating hormone balance, digestion, metabolism, our mood, mindset, gene expression, the list goes on. If we nourish ourselves with fiber, we empower these guys. But considering there are 39 trillion microbes, there ought to be some that aren’t serving us. There are some types of bacteria that cause vicious cycles of inflammation, releasing bacterial endotoxins and the likes. These guys thrive off refined sugars, saturated fats, and animal protein, and produce substances like TMAO, a known driver of chronic low-grade inflammation.@holliejamesdietitian www.holliejamesdietitian.comhttps://dietitiansaustralia.org.au/ 

MIND BODY PLANTS - An evidence-based guide to optimal health

Gut-brain connection and why we need to be mindful reading food labels with Dietitian Hollie James

There are people who go into spiritual practice wanting to get rid of desire, not realising that they have added one more desire to their desires. Spiritual practice is not like a course that you graduate when you finally make it to a state, that you go through this step-by-step process until the completion of the course. Regarding the time involved in spiritual practice is the drawback with most spiritual practices. They give you time to get better and better at it, and to work towards the future goal of finding yourself, and that requires self-effort. Self-effort is like will power, and will power seems to yield results, but they are never lasting. There must be a certain degree of discipline because when you initially enter this path of self-discovery, effort most-definitely predominates. And it’s only progressively that effort gives place to surrender. Surrender implies a transition from resistance to non-resistance. The transition is surrender. Surrendering is both passive and active. Presence is an intrinsic aspect of the surrendered state. This then becomes less of a paradox and more of an absence of desire.

Non-dualism, self-effort and the path of surrender

Alison Tierney is a registered dietitian, nutritionist, and board-certified in oncology nutrition and started her business, Wholesome LLC in 2015. Alison is multi-passionate in nutrition and her expertise goes beyond cancer and involves helping others with the management of chronic diseases such as: heart diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and autoimmune diseases. In this episode, we speak about some of the clear and obvious benefits of adopting a plant-focused or plant-predominant diet, how it can help with hormone regulation, fertility, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). We chat about what hormones and other compounds found in dairy and meat products are doing to our hormone balance, and clear up some of the confusion surrounding soy phytoestrogens. Finally, we discussed some of the benefits of the many thousands of plant compounds that are responsible for altering gene expression, and how that can make you live longer and healthier. 

Plant-based nutrition for managing PCOS, fertility and hormone regulation

I’m Tommy Moore, qualified exercise scientist specializing in nutrition and exercise physiology and I’ve created this platform to make it more accessible to understand the science of optimal wellbeing, and help us all make more informed lifestyle decisions. This is never about putting a title to your lifestyle, but acquiring a deeper understanding of our mind and body with evidence-based information so that you are best equipped to make your own decisions for your health. I’m not here to tell you to prescribe to any type of diet, or any particular way to live, but there are some very clear underlying messages to consider when approaching your health. Health is a spectrum - the greater diversity and volume of whole-foods we eat, the more we exercise, the more we spend time with loved ones and build meaningful connections to ourselves, to other people and to nature the more our bodies thrive. My intention for this podcast is to bridge the gap between nature, science and health.

Bridging the gap between nature, science and health

There's currently a hyperfocus on macronutrients or IIFYM(if it fits your macros, but is this really the way we should be approaching nutrition? I discuss the key components of macronutrients, including their chemical structure, function, digestion and metabolism. 

Structure and Function of Macronutrients

Dr. Simon Feros is a lecturer in Functional Anatomy and Strength and Conditioning Sciences and part of the Centre for Sports Research at Deakin University, he’s been and currently heavily involved in a number of different research projects. Simon is a Sports Science Consultant at WestVic Academy of Sport and the Director of Bowl Strong; a worldwide fast bowling academy designed to develop physical, mental, technical and tactical strength for aspiring fast bowlers. Simon is also involved with Cricket Australia, which we discuss in a bit more detail in this podcast. In the past, he’s been a lecturer in Clinical Exercise Physiology and Exercise and Sport Science and was a PhD student exploring the determinants and developments of physical and biomechanical qualities of sport, specifically, fast bowling performance in cricket. We talk about sport technologies, biomechanical analysis, force-velocity testing, the 4 pillars of performance, training recommendations for building a strong body from the ground up, how to measure muscle imbalances and how that relates to common injuries amongst many young sporting athletes. We discuss his current research project for Deakin and Cricket Australia, sports psychology and the role of imagery, rehearsal and goal setting in performance, and much more.@bowlstronghttps://au.linkedin.com/public-profile/in/simon-feros-05816489?challengeId=AQE-I_jiV0Sr6QAAAXODGv9eTcRzemVQ2mAjRqvZofL0dzT9ICJ2KKMqHQ9wP3JQinQ6JMMAnrAnzG8-Tyuw4imPGm3dkd6XpA&submissionId=de6764a9-42d3-2416-e78b-fe6318877a74

Strength and Conditioning, Biomechanics and Sports Psychology with Dr. Simon Feros

Carlo Cirillo is the creator of The Conscious Podcast, which is approaching 100 episodes I thought it’d be a perfect opportunity to break down the word “conscious”. What does it mean to be conscious? Is it the same as mindfulness? Of course, we all have our own subjective definitions of these words, but hopefully this episode will inspire you to trust your intuition, listen to your body, find what motivates or excites you and be the best version of yourself. Friends, we are very blessed with today’s guest, Carlo is a connection and mindset mentor, a keynote speaker, entrepreneur, meditation teacher and podcast host. He accelerates growth and transformation within individuals on a mental, physical and spiritual level.A really great, open, honest conversation. Please enjoy.@carlo_cirillowww.carlocirillo.com@mindbody_plants

Conscious with Carlo Cirillo

Friends, we are super blessed with today’s guest, Tania De Jong. She's an inspirational speaker, singer, business woman and social entrepreneur who has founded a number of successful businesses including Creative Universe, leading innovation conference Creative Innovation Global, Inspiring Minds leadership programs, MTA Entertainment and Events, Dimension5 co-working space and acclaimed singing group Pot-Pourri, started 3 charities in Creativity Australia, With One Voice, The Song Room and in relevance to today’s episode Mind Medicine Australia. Tania performs, speaks and presents leadership workshops across the globe.As the title suggests, this episode is about the therapeutic potential for psychedelic medicines.I’ve wanted to talk about them for a long time now. I’ve been researching them for a number of years now and after finding Mind Medicine Australia, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to do so. Before we get into this conversation, I want to provide you with a bit more of an understanding of what conventional psychedelics are doing on a physiological basis. In clinical research settings across the globe, investigations are taking place for the use of psychedelic substances, particularly psilocybin, for treating illnesses such as addiction, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Since the termination of research from the 1970, most psychedelic substances were classified as “drugs of abuse”. And unfortunately, due to the government propaganda from this time, psychedelics were considered unsafe for human consumption and of no therapeutic use. Central to the revival is reestablishing it’s set and setting, set being mindset, psychological expectations and intentions for using these substances, and setting being the physical environment, as well as the therapeutic clinician-patient relationship. Set and setting are crucial elements for facilitating paradigm shifting mental patterns and recognizing positive outcomes. The general public is certainly well-versed on the potential harms, and the dangers are absolutely real, however much of this is from cases involving patients who used illicit substances in uncontrolled, undesirable, unsupervised non-medical contexts.Currently, 1 in 5 Australian adults have a chronic mental illness. That’s 4.8 million of us. 1 in 8 are on antidepressants and over 45% of Australians will experience mental illness in their lifetime. There has been no improvement in treatment in mental illness for decades. 50 years, in fact. This screams for innovation. The FDA has now granted psychedelic medicines as “breakthrough therapy designation” to fast-track the approval process. This is not just a preposterous idea, but a potentially quantum leap forward for mental illness.@mindmedicine.au@mindbody_plantsmindmedicineaustralia.org

Psychedelic-assisted Psychotherapy with Tania De Jong AM

This episode is really about "opening the conversation". This was recorded 1 week after the death of George Floyd, a massive week for the world and particularly people of colour, so at times it was a difficult conversation, but one that needed to be had. And this really is about opening the conversation. Talking to your relatives, friends and immediate family can be challenging and scary when talking about racism and systemic racism. That even if no one was racist, people of colour are still at a disadvantage. When we’re speaking to our folks, it’s important to be mindful of how we go about the conversations. If we want to teach people about this, we need to act as teachers. This requires understanding, patience, vigilance. There are 2 types of people; those who are uninformed and those who are bigoted. Bigoted just means that they’re unreasonably attached to a particular belief or belief system and are essentially intolerant to other people’s beliefs. The discussion is never easy, but doable. We can’t just wait around for the boomers to die out. We need them, and with the right strategy, respect, patience, we can teach them. Let’s start with the uninformed folks, all you need to do is inform them BUT be careful with language and tone. Please don’t say “Educate yourself” it’s not the right way of doing it, instead say “here are some materials you can read and watch” and leave it at that. For those who are bigoted, this is a little more challenging. It comes down to a lack of empathy. You must understand the mindset. When someone isn’t affected by a problem, they can have trouble understanding why anyone would care about it. They struggle imaging being hurt, or putting themselves in another perspective or another person’s shoes. So we need to talk to them about these concepts in ways they can understand, and framing the ideas with language they resonate with. Instead of saying things like “white privilege” or “black lives matter” use phrases like “Your life has been hard, but the colour of your skin didn’t make it harder” or “everyone’s life must be protected, but right now black people are in danger and they need our help”. It may be uncomfortable to let go of words you identify with often. Never tell them they’re wrong, but say things like “that’s what they mean when they use the word privilege” instead of “that’s privilege”.Conversations don’t have to be 60 minute conversations like this, but it’s just a matter of opening the conversation. Believe in people; that we can all grow and learn and adapt. @allira.potter@mindbody_plants

Racial disparities, meditation and truth with Allira Potter

In episode 20 I sit down with Fiona Tuck. She is one of the most well-respected skincare and nutrition experts in Australia. She has over 25 years of experience in the professional skincare and wellness industry and is known in the media as ‘the myth buster’. Fiona takes a forensic and often challenging approach into all things nutrition and skincare.​Fiona is an Author, Nutritional Medicine Practitioner, Skincare Expert, member of the British Dermatological Nursing Group and an accredited member of the Australian Traditional Medicine Society. Fiona’s extensive experience in the professional skincare industry includes roles as International Training Manager for Dermalogica, Corporate Trainer for Aspect and Cosmedix Cosmeceuticals, Managing Director of Skinstitut and founder of Vita-sol nutraceuticals. Her experience ranges from nutrition client consulting, hands on skin treatments, industry educator to product innovation and development culminating in both brand and company development.​​Fiona founded Vita-sol in 2017 with a mission to support skin, health and well-being with the highest quality natural wholefoods without the use of synthetic vitamin supplements, fillers, excipients or petrochemicals.​Fiona hosts a fortnightly podcast called “The Forensic Nutritionist” and her in-depth knowledge and insight into future trends within the wellness industry has made her a sought-after media commentator and one of Australia’s most televised nutrition and skin experts.​An impressive resume. In this episode I really wanted to zone in on gut health. I’ve talked about the gut and the gut microbiota in other episodes but I wanted to get a full understanding of gut health from the ground up. Fiona and I talk about fiber, prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, what causes inflammation and intestinal permeability, FODMAPs, some skin conditions and their relationship to gut health, the importance of plant based diversity, hormone appetite, hunger regulation and so on.Be sure to leave a review if you found this information useful. Please enjoy!LINKS:@fionatucknutrition @mindbody_plants www.fionatuck.com

Building a healthy gut with Fiona Tuck

In episode 19 I sit down with Tris Alexandra (Bach. HS & Nutritional Medicine) to talk all things fasting, aging and longevity. We discuss the hallmarks of aging and how they relate to different types of fasting, the benefits of fasting and calorie restriction on a cellular level, the epigenome and genome, 'survival circuits', sirtuin activity, autophagy, ketogenesis and ketosis, and much more. If you wish to connect with Tris, you can find her on instagram @trisalexandranutrition

Fasting, Aging and Longevity with Tris Alexandra

In episode 18 I sit down with Annelise Van Rooye, plant-based PT and health coach. Annelise and I talk through the importance of a holistic approach, total daily energy expenditure, energy balance, the problem with the 'IIFYM' approach to weight loss, calorie and nutrient density of food, high protein vs adequate protein, managing stress, why 'mindfulness' is a loaded term, intermittent fasting and much more. To connect with Annelise you can follow her on instagram @mykindofawesome. She also posts lots of great information online at www.mykindofawesome.com 

Energy balance, nutrition and mindset with Annelise Van Rooye

In episode 17 I discuss how our body uptakes, digests and transports fatty acids and the role they have in insulin resistance. I define key terms including insulin sensitivity, insulin resistance, and the many forms of diabetes. Importantly, what you can do to improve symptoms of diabetes, alleviate insulin, maximise insulin sensitivity and potentially even reverse diabetes. Well worth a listen. You can connect with me on instagram @mindbody_plants

Fat-Insulin Connection: What really causes insulin resistance?

In Episode 16 I go (very) deep into the science of energy metabolism. What role does our food have in energy production? What is energy? How do we get energy? I explore how our body generates energy, the function of the cardiorespiratory and circulatory systems, haemoglobin, heme-iron vs non-heme iron and what that means for our blood. I discuss energy metabolism, the role of caffeine and creatine supplementation in exercise performance, glycolysis, glycogenolysis, gluconeogenesis, the difference between saturated and unsaturated fat and what that means for energy metabolism. I put a lot of time and energy into making this one so I certainly hope you get a lot from this. Please enjoy. If you are wanting a script of this episode, I can now send out scripts on request. You can connect with me on instagram @mindbody_plants

Foundations of Energy Metabolism: Part 2 of 2

The Mind Body Plants Podcast, hosted by Tommy Moore, uncovers the science of plant-based nutrition, sport and exercise, and the mind. By providing a deeper understanding of our mind, body and the pillars of health, we can collectively become more mindful of the impact of our lifestyle choices. Tommy is a qualified Exercise Scientist who specializes in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition and teaches at a Bioscience Education Centre with a focus of sport and human Performance. Mind Body Plants explores the scientific evidence behind optimal health, performance and longevity. To connect with Tommy you can find him on instagram @mindbody_plants

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MIND BODY PLANTS - An evidence-based guide to optimal health

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