The Mind Body Connection with Dr. Sula Windgassen

Most of us have woken up with the mother of all hangovers at some point in our lives, vowing to ditch the booze or be more mindful next time. In a society where alcohol comes hand in hand with celebrations, commiserations and everything in between, it's very easy to forget our previous declarations of mindfulness while we order the next bottle of wine. So what's it like to really go full-on sober? Hamish Adam-Cairns is here to share his experience with us, and I have to say, it's really made us consider what alcohol is holding us back from. Hamish co-hosts the award-winning podcast, the Sober Awkward Podcast, and with his co-host Vic, brings a refreshing, honest and hilarious account of what joy and awkwardness being sober brings. Hamish and Vic have also set up the 'Cuppa Community', a place for you to share, get advice, join groups, create events and meet people that have decided to quit booze. Head over to their podcast hear more, and you can find resources on their website https://www.soberawkward.com/IG: @soberawkward Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we explore the powerful connection between the mind and body. While it may seem obvious, we often overlook how deeply our mindset influences our physical health. Trauma, stress, and thought patterns can impact our bodies, just as our physical state affects our minds. Joining us is Dr. Sula Windgassen, PhD MSc, a leading health psychologist specialising in women's gut, gynecological, and bladder health. With her expertise in chronic pain and persistent symptoms, Dr. Sula shares how evidence-based bio-psychosocial strategies can help us foster harmony between mind and body, reclaiming wellness from chronic stress and trauma.https://www.healthpsychologist.co.uk/IG: the_health_psychologist_ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following last week’s insightful episode with Kate Thornton on her perimenopause journey, we’re bringing in an expert to shed light on what to expect during this transformative phase of life.  Dr. Sohère Roked is one of a kind. Known for her expertise, warmth, and empathy, she’s a leader in the field of integrative medicine, offering a holistic approach to health and wellness.  Dr. Sohère has a rich medical background, having worked in the NHS since 2003 across A&E, women’s health, otolaryngology, psychiatry, and as a GP. While her NHS work was rewarding, she recognised the need to support patients more comprehensively. Today, she blends conventional medical practice with holistic care, focusing on hormone balance and integrative medicine—a practice that considers emotional, spiritual, environmental, social, nutritional, and psychological factors for overall well-being.  Learn more about her work at www.drsohereroked.co.ukIG: drsohere_hormonesandhealth Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, we step away from our usual lineup of medical experts to chat with the wonderful Kate Thornton. A celebrated presenter and broadcaster, Kate first rose to prominence hosting The X Factor in the early 2000s. She has since graced our screens as a regular on Loose Women and This Morning and now leads her own podcast, White Wine Question Time, alongside her work as a radio broadcaster.But life took a dramatic turn when Kate entered perimenopause, a period she describes as feeling like she’d been completely “burgled.” Struggling with a whirlwind of physical and emotional symptoms, Kate faced a profound sense of losing her identity. Through the support of an incredible doctor and a network of friends, she’s emerged stronger and more passionate than ever about raising awareness of menopause. Now a dedicated advocate for menopause education, Kate is helping to spark crucial conversations on a topic often overlooked.We absolutely loved hearing Kate’s story and gained so much insight from her journey. We’re deeply grateful for her openness and hope you’ll find this episode as inspiring and enlightening as we did.Kate's podcast: White Wine Question TimeIG: @thekatethornton Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of us have faced anxiety at some point in our lives. Sometimes it feels manageable, but other times it can escalate into something much more overwhelming—panic, intrusive thoughts, OCD, and more.We’re often offered countless ways to tackle anxiety: meditation, ice baths, CBT, CBD drops, and so on. But what if none of these approaches work for us? What if we don’t need them at all?That’s where Lily Sais comes in. With over 17 years in the mental health field, Lily began her career as a psychologist but personally struggled with anxiety, panic, and OCD for seven years. She realised she needed a different approach, and when she discovered a transformative approach and power of acceptance, she finally found lasting relief. This led her to found her company "Peace From Within" in 2020. For the past three years, Lily has used her expertise as an anxiety coach, and is also helping masses of people through her insightful social media content.www.peace-from-within.comIG @_peacefromwithinTikTok @peacefromwithin Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most women only consider their pelvic floor health when it comes to pregnancy & birthing, but it's important for everyone at all life stages - including men!Our pelvic floor health influences so many of our bodily functions - from how we wee & poo, to our sexual satisfaction - and it's such a key set of muscles to train as we get older. If you don't want to fart as you walk like your nan, it might be an idea to start training those muscles now.Clare Bourne is a pelvic health physiotherapist, and a passionate advocate, author and speaker on the subject. She has written the book Strong Foundations: The ultimate guide to pelvic floor health and uses her social media to break down barriers to information & empower people to advocate for themselves when it comes to their pelvic floor health. Clare teaches us all about training our pelvic floors, and to our surprise, it's not all about the squeeze and hold!@clarebournephysiohttps://www.clare-bourne.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sleep: the more you want it, the less you get it. Difficulty with sleep is something a lot of us have in common - 1 in 3 people have experienced insomnia and, in our manic world, time spent working, socialising and scrolling is increasing and our time in bed is decreasing. Counting sheep, camomile tea, lavender spray, magnesium on your feet - the list of sleep remedies is endless, but do they really work? What do you ACTUALLY need to get a good nights sleep?Stephanie Romiszewski is a leading sleep physiologist, Insomnia and CBTi expert. Stephanie founded the re:sleep sleep retraining programme and has specialised in the treatment of sleep disorders for the past 15 years.IG: @stephsleepyheadhttps://re-sleep.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

'Tis the season to be wrapped up. So join us for the last episode, AKA the wrap up, of season 1!This started as a podcast about women's health but it has grown into so much more. We have learned SO much about our bodies and our health, but also have learned a deeper appreciation for everything that goes on underneath our skin without us even knowing. We've learned that if we just take a beat, and listen to our bodies a bit more, we have so much knowledge about what we need and how to help ourselves. So join Emi & Alex on the final episode of season 1 to discuss what we've learned over a glass of wine. Thank you to all the experts who came on this season. Because of you, us and our community know how to check our breasts, what's normal 'down there', how to get the right nutrition for our bodies, what effect our hormones have on us and SO much more. Thank you also to the listeners who have joined us on this journey - we appreciate you! Please write into [email protected] with feedback and requests for season 2.See you soon! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 2 of 2.This week we speak to Sarah Graham, who literally wrote the book on the Gender Health Gap. Rebel Bodies is an inclusive and empowering manifesto for change in women's healthcare. It explores systemic and deep rooted sexism within medicine, merging research and data points with real stories of gaslighting, misdiagnosis and misunderstanding within the healthcare system. The book covers everything from periods to childbirth, autoimmune diseases to menopause, and mental health to transgender care.We ADORED recording this episode, and it feels like a really important conversation to have. We have all heard of and experienced countless experiences of being fobbed off, not being believed, not taken seriously or gaslighted when having a healthcare issue. So many of us are so overlooked that we begin to question ourselves and our pain. You are not going mad and you are not alone.If you want to buy the book from bloomsbury.com, we have a discount code: The discount code is REBEL20. Valid for the hardback, UK only. Paperback is out in January!https://sarah-graham.co.uk/@sarahgraham7writer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Part 1 of 2.This week we speak to Sarah Graham, who literally wrote the book on the Gender Health Gap. Rebel Bodies is an inclusive and empowering manifesto for change in women's healthcare. It explores systemic and deep rooted sexism within medicine, merging research and data points with real stories of gaslighting, misdiagnosis and misunderstanding within the healthcare system. The book covers everything from periods to childbirth, autoimmune diseases to menopause, and mental health to transgender care. We ADORED recording this episode, and it feels like a really important conversation to have. We have all heard of and experienced countless experiences of being fobbed off, not being believed, not taken seriously or gaslighted when having a healthcare issue. So many of us are so overlooked that we begin to question ourselves and our pain. You are not going mad and you are not alone.If you want to buy the book from bloomsbury.com, we have a discount code: The discount code is REBEL20. Valid for the hardback, UK only. Paperback is out in January!https://sarah-graham.co.uk/@sarahgraham7writer Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.