The Doctor's Kitchen Podcast

Every time you sit down to eat, you’re giving your body information. Compounds in your food act as signals that influence your gut microbes, immune response and even the expression of your genes. That’s the idea we explore today with biochemist Dr Jeffrey Bland, widely known as the father of functional medicine. He co-founded the Institute for Functional Medicine and wrote The Disease Delusion, one of my all-time favourite books! We bring the research back to your kitchen with four food priorities for gut health, immune resilience and healthy ageing: polyphenols, fibre, healthy fats and fermented foods. Plus, why we all need to eat more bitter foods! In this episode: How food can influence gene expression The link between immune health, metabolism and ageing Polyphenol-rich foods and why variety matters Fibre and fermented foods for gut health Omega-3s, olive oil and inflammation Fish versus fish oil supplements Bitter foods and how they may help regulate appetite If you want to put food as medicine on your plate, try The Doctor’s Kitchen app for free. Every recipe has these principles baked in. Dr Jeffrey Bland’s new book ’The Nourished Gene’ releases on April 27, 2027 and is available for preorder now at https://jeffreybland.com/ More to watch, cook and try 👇 🎬 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

👉 If you’d like help eating a more anti-inflammatory diet, try The Doctor’s Kitchen app free for 7 days. Inflammation has become a huge wellness buzzword, but it isn’t always bad. It’s an essential part of how your immune system protects and repairs your body. The problem is long-term, unwanted inflammation. It’s linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic health problems. And it may also play a role in how we feel day to day, including our energy, gut health, skin and more. The good news is that simple changes to what you eat and how you live can help keep inflammation well regulated. Today, I’m joined by Dr Jenna Macciochi, an immunologist, author and inflammation expert with over 20 years of experience. We walk through: What inflammation actually is and why everyone is talking about it The biggest everyday drivers of inflammation What to eat to support a healthy inflammatory response How light, movement, stress and sleep affect your immune system Simple habits to build into your day, from morning to evening 🎬 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

If you want to stay healthier for longer, one of the best things you can do is lower chronic inflammation. The great thing is, food is one of the most powerful tools we have. So I sat down with Professor Rob Thomas, consultant oncologist at Addenbrooke's and UCLH, Professor of Sports and Nutritional Science, and one of the UK's leading experts in healthy ageing, to talk about what makes the biggest difference. We cover: The best foods to lower chronic inflammation The link between inflammation and ageing How to reduce your biological age Why grip strength predicts how well you'll age There are so many practical takeaways in this one. I hope it inspires you to add a few more anti-inflammatory foods to your plate this week! – One of the most important ways we can impact our health, feel stronger and more energetic everyday and even slow ageing is by lowering inflammation. And the good news is, that what you choose to put on your plate is a powerful lever to reduce it, alongside improving sleep, moving more and stressing less. So today I'm joined by Professor Robert Thomas, NHS Consultant Oncologist at Addenbrooke's and Bedford Hospitals, and Head of Integrative Oncology at The Royal London Hospital for Integrative Medicine, where he advises lifestyle, complementary and nutritional strategies to improve patient outcomes. We’re going to discuss the 8 key foods he believes we should be eating everyday to optimise inflammation to help us live longer, healthier lives and protect us from diseases of ageing including cancer and heart disease. Professor shares 8 longevity foods to eat daily to protect against ageing OR Eat these 8 foods daily to reduce inflammation and age slower SEE SUGGESTED DISCUSSION POINTS FROM ROB BELOW. 🎬 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next time you look at the calories on the back of a packet or the nutritional breakdown of a recipe, remember that number doesn't tell you the whole story. It says nothing about the nutrients, the quality of the food, how satisfying it'll be, or even how many calories your body will actually absorb. To unpack it all, I'm joined by Professor Giles Yeo, Professor of Molecular Neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge, MBE, and author of the brilliant book Why Calories Don't Count. We cover: 5 reasons calorie counting matters less than we think Why "low-cal" doesn't always mean healthy Why we don't absorb every calorie we eat Why the calories in nuts, avocados and seeds aren't the same as the calories in a ultra-processed foods, even when the numbers match Is fruit juice really healthy? 3 strategies to maintain a healthy weight I hope this changes the way you think about calories and gives you a few practical ideas you can start using straight away. If you know someone who's always checking the calorie label before anything else, send this episode their way. As always, thanks for listening! Dr Rupy x More from Professor Giles Yeo https://www.wolfson.cam.ac.uk/people/giles-yeo https://x.com/GilesYeo https://www.instagram.com/gilesyeo/?hl=en More from us 🎬 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How do you become happier? Professor Arthur Brooks describes 3 “macronutrients” for a happier life: enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning. Rather than chasing positive feelings, the idea is to build more of each into our everyday lives. We get into some really practical ways to do this, including: • Why being bored is good for your brain • The three times to put your phone away each day • How to make your downtime more meaningful • How to find more meaning through love, awe and spirituality 👤 About today’s guest: Arthur Brooks is a professor at Vanderbilt University, a senior fellow at Harvard Business School, a New York Times bestselling author and a leading researcher on happiness and meaning. His latest book, The Meaning of Your Life, is out now. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of From Strength to Strength, it's an account of how the modern world sets us up to fail at finding meaning, and a plan for finding what you seek. More from us 🎬 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 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.