Amanda's Wellbeing Podcast

Today’s podcast guest is Sam Alfred, Emergency Medicine Consultant and Clinical Toxicologist. Sam and I discuss his role as a toxicologist, that is the management of envenomations and of poisonings, including self-harm via overdoses of prescription or illicit drugs. For those of you who love hiking, trail running and mountain bike riding, we focus much of our discussion on snake bite, which is a very real risk, especially during the warmer months. Sam allays some of my fears about snakes when he explains that snakes most definitely do not want to come into contact with humans; they would much rather avoid us. Snakes do not actually attack and only bite if they are startled or threatened e.g. if you were to accidentally step on them. Should you unfortunately get bitten, which is actually rare in Australia, the level of care is excellent and there are very, very few deaths. Sam also offers some first aid tips if you do happen to get bitten - knowledge that is really useful to have.We touch on Sam’s involvement

Today's podcast guest, Mark Heard, with the assistance of a team of school parents, has been instrumental in transforming a school canteen (tuck shop) into a haven of healthy offerings. You will not find any white bread or confectionary items there. Instead, students and staff select from nutritious, seasonal meals made from locally sourced produce. Daily specials are offered and any cakes, muffins or biscuits are baked on site from real food ingredients. Mark and I discuss how he and the team were able to implement this transformation, the amazing positive impact it has had on the students and the wonderful community it has created.We also discuss Mark's passion for organic and bio-dynamic food and how it is more than just food but a lifestyle. Mark is a community minded person who participates in many local groups like the bio-dynamic farmer's association, where information is exchanged and shared.It was a genuine pleasure to sit down with Mark; his story shows how passion for a healthy life, with a solid d

Today’s podcast guest, Amanda Rattay, is a personal trainer and promoter of finding balance.When you “meet” Amanda today, you will be listening to someone who has worked hard to find self-acceptance and cultivate balance in her life. Amanda openly shares her interesting journey, which includes qualifying as a personal trainer, and she does not shy away from her more challenging times - including a very active inner-critic (which she refers to as her “mean girl”), years of cycling through extreme diets followed by self-sabotage in the form of binge eating making her feel like a failure. Sadly, so many women (including me) can relate to this. But, there is hope!It is truly inspiring to hear Amanda speak about how she has successfully navigated a path through all of that to become the healthy, upbeat and confident person she is today. Amanda is passionate about helping others achieve their wellbeing and fitness goals and focusses on creating practical and achievable plans that fit into her clients’ lives. Amanda

Today's guest, Carmel Taylor, is a yoga teacher and stretch therapist. From her years of experience, Carmel has a wealth of knowledge which she generously shares with us in this episode. Carmel took up yoga over 30 years ago when it was still considered a "hippie" thing to do, unlike today where it has become mainstream and features in one form or another in most gyms. What Carmel loves most about yoga is the mind-body-soul connection and how that contributes to overall wellbeing. She also enjoys bringing yoga to as many people as possible, including those who, for whatever reason, cannot get up and down off a mat; her chair yoga classes cater for those people.Stretch therapy is distinct from yoga although they can complement each other nicely. Carmel explains the concepts of stretch therapy and its numerous benefits such as reducing the risk of injury for athletes and loosening up tight muscles, like tight shoulders many of us have from sitting at desks for hours at a time.In or busy lives, most of us only b

Today’s podcast guest is Dr. Scott Coussens, a neuroscientist and sleep expert. This is quite a lengthy podcast because it turns out that when we are asleep; it is far from a passive state. Scott shares his wealth of knowledge starting with an explanation of the different stages of sleep like rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and non-REM sleep and how they differ. He then delves into the functions of sleep which include the body repairing itself by cleaning out metabolic waste and preserving the integrity of cells and how sleep helps us consolidate memories and therefore learn.We discuss the optimal amount of sleep required and as you will learn (and probably instinctively know) there is no universally correct number of sleep hours. Many of us are fixated on 8 hours being the magic number - eventually I wrestle out of Scott that 7 to 9 hours of sleep is within the normal range for adults. He rightly points out that how much sleep a person needs depends on a range of factors including their age, sleep quality and

Today's podcast guest is Lara Casanova, yoga teacher, life coach and professional counsellor specialising in grief and loss. She is also trained in Pilates instruction and remedial massage.The main topic of discussion today is grief. Lara shares her own story of grieving her dearly loved father, which prompted her to write her second book, 'Grief, Grace and Gratitude: Transforming through your grief journey'. Lara's book is like your companion on the bewildering and often lonely journey through grief. We discuss what prompted Lara to write the book, what to expect when you encounter grief, the importance of self love and compassion and much more. Despite the sad subject matter, I really enjoyed interviewing Lara - her kind and gentle nature was uplifting and it was an honour to spend time with her.Link to Lara's website, Life in the Pink: https://www.lifeinthepink.com.auLink to my review of Lara's book: https://amandaswellbeingpodcast.com/grief-grace-and-gratitude-transforming-through-your-grief-journey/

Today's podcast guests, Maria Harpas and Tim Jaeger, work in natural health. Maria is the director of the Natural Health Medicine Clinic where she and Tim practice. Maria is a clinical nutritionist and a naturopathic practitioner and Tim, a nutritional medicine specialist and Bredesen Protocol certified.Between them, Tim and Maria, have a wealth of knowledge and they generously share some of that with us. Maria talks us through how she treats her patients and some of the processes she goes through to determine where to start in what can often be a complex situation of interrelating health issues. What I loved hearing about was Maria’s practical approach and about how she assesses what changes will have the most impact for her patients. Maria is modest but it is obvious that her patients adore her and she has helped change many people’s lives for the better.One of Tim’s areas of expertise is the management of Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive decline through the application of the Bredesen Protocol, developed

In today’s Five Minute Food Facts episode I will discuss that sticky subject, sugar. I’ll walk you through what sugar actually is, what it does in the body and where we obtain it in food.I’ll discuss how sugar can be “hidden” in manufactured foods with all the fancy and confusing-sounding names it can go by. In that respect, I refer to an article by Catherine Saxelby - here is the link: https://foodwatch.com.au/blog/carbs-sugars-and-fibres/item/48-shades-of-hidden-sugars.htmlI look at some of the digestive issues caused by some sugars, like lactose intolerance, and the negative health impacts of excess sugar consumption including metabolic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes. Finally, I let you know recommended daily consumption amounts.In the podcast, I refer to Jamie Oliver’s 2010 TED talk, “Teach Every Child About Food” - here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=go_QOzc79Uc

Today on the podcast, I (Amanda) discuss my recent experience racing the 70.3 (otherwise known as a Half Ironman) in Cairns, Queensland. The race involved a 1.9km swim, a 90km bike ride and a 21km run. I talk about my lead up to the event including my training, my gear and some of the set backs I encountered, my week before the race and the actual race itself. I mention some of the amazing people I crossed paths with and chat about triathlon generally.

Today's Five Minute Food Facts episode is about antioxidants. I explain what they are and why they are considered defenders of good health.Antioxidants protect our bodies against free radicals that can harm our cells and contribute to the development of chronic disease. I talk about how antioxidants do this and where we can obtain these helpful little molecules. I also touch on the antioxidant supplement industry.

Today’s podcast guest is Rachelle Martin, a nutritionist who specialises in low carbohydrate (carb) and ketogenic (Keto) diets. Rachelle and I studied our Masters in Human Nutrition at Deakin University together and she alludes to our many interesting discussions and debates during that time. I thoroughly enjoyed this episode with Rachelle; her attention to detail and depth of knowledge is apparent in the interview. Rachelle explains the difference between the Paleo and Keto diets, both of which are low carb diets but are significantly different in terms of the ratios of fats, proteins and carbs consumed. Given the current popularity of the diets with celebrities and the like, it can be tempting to lump them into the fad category. However, in relation to the Keto diet, Rachelle explains its scientifically documented anti-inflammatory effects and the numerous benefits that flow from that. In her nutritional practice Rachelle has seen weight loss, the reversal of Type 2 Diabetes, improvements in symptoms of pat

Today's podcast guest is Caroline Webber, a psychotherapist who works in the area of adolescent mental health. After a distinguished career in publishing Caroline, who has always been intrigued by the workings of the brain, decided to follow this interest more formally and studied psychology and then completed a Masters degree in psychotherapy and counselling. Caroline talks about some of the issues she commonly sees in different age groups, the importance of gaining the trust of her clients and some of the warning signs to look out for in youth struggling through tough times. She also clarifies the difference between what psychologists and psychoanalysts do which I found very interesting as I had it somewhat muddled up. I hope you enjoy listening to my discussion with Caroline as much as I enjoyed chatting with her.

In today’s Five Minute Food Facts episode, I will discuss the health impacts of drinking my favourite beverage, coffee. I will talk about the active ingredients in coffee, most notably caffeine and what it does in your body. The surprising benefits of coffee consumption will be mentioned, as will any health risks. In the podcast, I refer to an article - “How much caffeine is in that drink?” - and here is the link: https://www.healthyfoodguide.com.au/articles/2013/june/how-much-caffeine-drink

Today’s Five Minute Food Facts episode is about vitamins and minerals. I explain what they are, why we need them, what they do in our bodies and where you can obtain them. I also mention what happens when someone is deficient in certain vitamins and minerals. This is such a big topic so today’s episode is a general overview and I will be publishing individual Five Minute Food Facts episodes on the major vitamins and minerals.

Today’s podcast guest is Charlotte Weigold, a registered psychologist who practices clinical hypnosis. We have an interesting discussion about hypnosis including what it is and how it can be used as part of psychological treatment to change certain behaviours. Hopefully, we also dispel some myths about hypnosis. Charlotte also shares her insights into relaxation, another important part of her clinical practice. Interestingly, many things we might think of as relaxing are not actually relaxing. Listen the podcast to find out what those are.The book that sparked Charlotte’s interest in the study of hypnosis, given to her by her mother, is "Brief Therapy Approaches to Treating Anxiety and Depression" edited by Michale Yapko. It is a collection of 17 insightful papers on topics such as "a hypnotheraputic approach to panic disorder".Charlotte has a private practice, Charlotte Weigold Psychology Adelaide. If you would like to learn more about Charlotte's practice, here is the link to her website: https://www.charlo

Today’s podcast guest is Belinda Holmes, a yoga and pilates teacher. Belinda trained in Bikram yoga, otherwise known as hot yoga, in Los Angeles. She owns Eastside Yoga & Pilates studio in Adelaide, a beautiful space where she offers a range of classes including Bikram Yoga, Hot Pilates, Yin Yoga, Mat Pilates and several others. One of Belinda's goals at Eastside Yoga & pilates studio is to accommodate and welcome everyone who is keen to practice.Yoga practice and mindfulness are inextricably linked and Belinda explains to us how she practises mindfulness in her busy life as a business owner and mother of 6 children! Belinda exudes calm, she is kind and compassionate and it is a pleasure to be in her company. I hope you enjoy our discussion and gain some insights into the health benefits of yoga and pilates and how to maintain mindfulness in our hectic world.If you would like to connect with Belinda or attend her studio (if you live in Adelaide) here is a link to the Eastside Yoga & Pilates websit

Today's Five Minute Food Facts episode is about salt and how salt consumption impacts your health. Of particular significance, excess salt intake is linked with high blood pressure (hypertension) and cardiovascular disease.I will discuss practical ways you can cut your salt consumption and dietary patterns that have been scientifically shown to reduce hypertension and improve your health.

Today’s podcast guest is Eliza Richards. Eliza is an extraordinary woman - she is a personal trainer, holds a black belt in karate and is a mother of four (including triplets). What I love about Eliza is that she fits a lot into her life yet she also manages to maintain a balance and you’ll hear how she does that. She is organised and disciplined but that is not at the expense of having fun and spending time with friends.We discuss Eliza’s path to setting up her own personal training business, The Studio Trainer, and how she approaches training her clients.Eliza shares her tips on the top exercises - the ones that give you the most bang for your buck - and can be done anywhere.Eliza also publishes an excellent blog, Eliza Louisa, her motto for which is “celebrating the strength of authentic humans”. Eliza writes with empathy and passion.If you would like to connect with Eliza, here is a link to her website https://thestudiotrainer.com.au and here is a link to her blog https://elizalouisa.com.auhttps://amandas

Today’s podcast guest is Margaret Boylan. Having escaped a successful career in the public service as a lawyer, Margaret is now a Level 1 cycling coach and a Level 1 strength and conditioning coach and, of course, an accomplished cyclist herself especially in the time trial arena.Margaret coaches both privately through her company, First Principles Coaching, and for Cycling Australia with the She Rides program, encouraging women to develop cycling skills, build fitness and creat a social riding community. Her enthusiasm for cycling is infectious as is her positive attitude to life. Margaret’s story is fascinating, not least because she has had to overcome a very significant hurdle, and because she is an example of how we can build a career out of our passion.So, strap on your helmet (I mean headphones) and enjoy my discussion about cycling with Margaret.If you would like to connect with Margaret here is a link to her website, First Principles Coaching: https://firstprinciplescoaching.com.au

Today’s podcast guest is Nick Muxlow. Nick is an accomplished athlete with over 15 years experience as a competitor in endurance events and that includes some pretty handy finishes like Ultra Trail Australia (100km), 5 Peaks Ultra Marathon (winner), Yurrebilla 56K Ultra (2nd), seven Ironman races (PB of 9h10m at Kona, Hawaii) and more. Nick is an endurance coach and author.We discuss why and how Nick became an endurance coach and Nick shares plenty of useful training and racing tips.Nick has kindly given me 3 copies of his book, “Journey to 100: How to run your best 100km ultramarathon - and love it”, to give away. I will send copies to three people who contact me via the Contacts page on Amanda’s Wellbeing Podcast website and let me know what their ultra running dream is.https://amandaswellbeingpodcast.com/contact-us/If you would like to connect with Nick here is a link to his website, The Ultra Journey: https://www.theultrajourney.comLink to Nick’s Book JOURNEY TO 100: HOW TO RUN YOUR FIRST 100KM ULTRAMARAT