The Doctor's Kitchen Podcast

Today, I’m joined by Professor Leigh Breen, a leading expert in muscle health and ageing. He’s Professor of Translational Muscle Physiology at the University of Birmingham, where he researches how exercise and nutrition can help us maintain muscle as we get older.

We’ll be covering:

✅ Why strength training is essential for healthy ageing

✅ The key exercises every older adult should be doing

✅ How much protein you actually need as you age

✅ Is walking enough to keep your muscles strong?

✅ How to start strength training if you’ve never done it before

✅ The hidden benefits of exercise, from sharper thinking to blood sugar control

✅ Supplements, new therapies, and what’s on the horizon for muscle health

We’ll also talk about the most important muscle groups for longevity, the best compound exercises to focus on, and how progressive overload can help you stay strong for life.

This is essential information, whether for you, your parents, or someone you love. So share this episode with family and friends who need to hear it! And as always, let us know your thoughts—your feedback helps make the podcast even better.

“Couch to Compound” exercises. These are the ones that give you the most bang for your buck and focus on the muscles that you need to prioritise for healthier ageing.

1. Squat

2. Deadlift

3. Bench or Chest Press

4. Pull Up

5. Lunges / Farmers Walk

6. Planks

Is ‘organic’ worth it or just clever marketing? We’ve all been there, standing in the supermarket, holding two identical-looking apples and wondering if the price difference is actually doing anything for our health. And if we want safer food, how do we push for a system where pesticide-free isn’t just for those who can afford organic? Today, I’m asking these big questions to Nick Mole from PAN UK.

We’ll dive into:

• What pesticides are and why they’re used?
• Whether washing fruit and veg actually removes them
• And if organic is worth it and if so, which ingredients are the most important to go organic?

This is a scary topic that goes beyond food, and where you may find a lot of people on the internet making definitive claims about the harms of pesticides and GMO, the honest answer to a lot of these questions is unfortunately … we don’t know.

But from what we do know, I think we can all afford to be more pragmatic, skeptical and aware, particularly when it comes to the “cocktail effect”, as we get into later.

Pesticide Action Network UK (PAN UK) is the only UK charity focused solely on tackling the problems caused by pesticides and promoting safe and sustainable alternatives in agriculture, urban areas, homes and gardens. 

Nick joined PAN UK in 2007, having previously worked as a campaigner for the Environmental Investigation Agency. He leads on PAN’s national policy work, undertaking research, analysing data and gathering evidence to support the organisation’s calls to government, regulators, policy-makers, industry and retailers to reduce the impacts of harmful pesticides to both human health and the environment.  

“High protein” has turned into a bit of a marketing buzzword. I’m seeing it plastered on everything from snack bars to cereals and even crisps. Is this actually necessary? 

Are we getting enough protein in our diet, or are some of us actually under-consuming this vital macronutrient? Do we need supplements and powders or are whole foods enough? And what about the debate between animal based proteins and plant based?

Feeding children can feel like a minefield. When should you start weaning, what should you start with, how to handle fussy eaters, and whether certain foods should be avoided altogether? In this episode with Charlotte Stirling-Reed, we’re diving into the science and practicalities of feeding babies, toddlers, and beyond to help parents feel more confident and less overwhelmed .. like me!

We explore weaning from the ground up, covering key questions like:

✔ How do you know when your baby is ready for solids?

✔ Should you start with vegetables?

✔ Is baby-led weaning (BLW) the best approach?

✔ What foods should be avoided in the early years?

But we don’t stop at weaning—we tackle common struggles like:

🥦 How to encourage kids to eat more than just beige foods?

🍽️ Managing food refusal and picky eating (why toddlers reject food at home but eat it at nursery!)

🥕 The best ways to sneak more fruit and veg into your child’s diet

🥜 Navigating food allergies and safe school lunch alternatives

This episode is packed with practical tips, expert insights, and realistic strategies to help make mealtimes smoother and healthier. Charlotte Stirling-Reed, known as “The Baby & Child Nutritionist”, is a registered nutritionist, bestselling author, and founder of SR Nutrition.