Radical Vitality Kanchan Koya
-
- Gesundheit und Fitness
Welcome to Radical Vitality, a podcast dedicated to helping you live a healthy, vibrant, joyful life. Dr. Kanchan Koya is joined by leaders in science and medicine who are passionate about sharing their knowledge along with actionable tips for better health. Whether you’re a woman juggling the demands of modern life or someone who wants to optimize their health in an evidence-based, sustainable way, this podcast is your go-to source for cutting-edge science and practical tips.
-
No Nonsense Nutrition Strategies For Better Health with Dr. Adrian Chavez
Welcome to Radical Vitality! In this episode, I speak with Dr. Adrian Chavez about science-based nutrition, how to know what health information we can trust, and holistic approaches to lifelong health.
In a world of fad diets and rampant misinformation, Dr. Chavez’s message of science-based nutrition that debunks health fads is just what we need! Dr. Chavez comes from an exercise science background. His interest in nutrition began from a performance and body composition standpoint, which gives his approach an edge. He recalls early on in his studies reading a lot of health books that he soon learned were flat out wrong. There is so much great nutrition information available clouded by misinformation and class barriers.
Because everyone’s lifestyle and genetic markers are different, there is no single best diet for health. However, the diet that helps protect each individual in the long run is ultimately the one that provides the right amount of energy. For the most part, this is found in a diet that provides all of your micronutrients, which is basically a diet not composed of processed foods. This includes eating enough nuts and seeds, getting adequate protein and feeling good! If you are trying to upgrade your lifestyle, Dr. Chavez emphasizes that tracking is a great method to build new habits, however a lot of people just use tracking to restrict themselves, which is not effective.
Dr. Chavez shares that body fat is not harmful to our health unless it is associated with metabolic dysfunction, and that actually healthy body fat levels are much higher than we think, which are certainly more than what’s portrayed in advertising. What’s more, when people restrict themselves for too long, when they gain it back, it’s purely fat and not muscle. What most people actually need is to gain more muscle.
Dr. Chavez wraps up by debunking and clarifying several social media trends: the differences between animal and plant proteins, warnings against worrying too much about normal blood sugar spikes in response to healthy carbohydrate rich foods, intermittent fasting as a magic cure, and collagen supplements.
Episode Outline:
(1:22) Dr. Chavez’s passion for nutrition
(8:32) Human body vs human being
(11:19) The best diet for overall, long-term health
(18:56) Protein is a building block for everything
(22:36) Track calories, micro and macronutrients
(26:36) The truth about body fat
(34:19) Protein in the Blue Zones
(41:47) Plant-based protein sources
(46:07) Blood sugar spikes
(55:45) Intermittent fasting
(59:16) Collagen supplements
Resources Referenced:
NIH Bodyweight Planner
Connect with Dr. Adrian Chavez:
Follow Dr. Chavez on Instagram
Subscribe to The Nutrition Science Podcast
Work with Dr. Chavez
Enroll in Nutrition Mastery Blueprint
Connect with Kanchan:
Instagram: @chefspicemama
Website: spicespicebaby.com
Newsletter
YouTube -
How Environmental Toxins Are Making Us Sick (And What To Do About It) with Dr. Vivian Chen
Welcome to Radical Vitality! In this episode, I speak with Dr. Vivian Chen, founder of Plateful Health and Lumebox, to talk about how environmental toxins are adversely affecting our health and practical tips for managing them without feeling overwhelmed.
Conventional Western medicine trains doctors to manage disease states and symptoms but not necessarily to create health and vitality in the body by focusing on the root causes of disease. In Dr. Vivian’s experience, she encountered firsthand illnesses that couldn’t be resolved through her conventional medical training. She became fascinated by the often poorly understood root causes of disease and simple lifestyle shifts that can promote health and healing and pivoted to integrative medicine.
Detoxification is a natural human process happening 24/7, though we’ve been made to believe it's something to achieve only through pills or 10 days of juices or smoothie cleanses. The detox industry has tapped into our human nature of wanting a quick fix. Ensuring our bodies are detoxing correctly is the crux of Dr. Vivian’s work, but that has to do with what is going in and out of our bodies more than taking any miracle cleanse.
We discuss the role environmental toxins play in our bodies. Dr. Vivian emphasizes that people shouldn’t feel scared about environmental toxins or that they need to 100% overhaul their lives. Instead, the more you know, the more you can take small steps that add up to meaningful change! She offers several actionable tips for improving your body’s natural detox systems that you won’t want to miss.
Dr. Vivian is also the founder of Lumebox, an innovative red light therapy tool that improves skin conditions and decreases inflammation and pain. It is truly a fabulous product, and I swear by it! Lastly, we discuss the role of alcohol in our detox systems. She explains that when the body receives alcohol, it tries to break it down immediately, putting other functions on the back burner. This can lead other detoxification processes to slow down and show up as another symptom, like PMS or breast tenderness.
Episode Outline:
(03:42) On filling in learning gaps after medical school
(09:46) Detox fads
(17:46) The liver is in overwhelm
(20:31) Do toxins really matter?
(25:45) Toxins in the endocrine system
(31:28) “Things going in” tips
(40:46) Minimize toxin exposure through cookware
(45:55) “Things going out” tips
(53:32) Red light therapy and detox
(1:00:02) Alcohol and health
(1:04:12) Dr. Vivian Chen’s daily non-negotiable habits
Resources Referenced:
Read Count Down by Shanna Swan
Learn about your home’s water on the Environmental Working Group’s Tap Water Database
Check out the Air Doctor Air Filter use code platefulhealth
Connect with Dr. Vivian Chen:
Instagram: @plateful.health
TikTok: @plateful.health
Learn more on Dr. Vivian Chen’s website: platefulhealth.com
Learn about Dr. Vivian Chen's Detox Right Course HERE
Enjoy the benefits of red light therapy with my affiliate link Lumebox
Check out Dr. Vivian Chen’s free Cookware Guide
Connect with Kanchan:
Instagram: @chiefspicemama
Website: spicespicebaby.com
Newsletter
YouTube -
Simple Yet Powerful Tools To Transform Your Gut Health with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz
Welcome to Radical Vitality! In this episode, I speak with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, a gastroenterologist and New York Times best-selling author, to discuss the fascinating interconnectedness of gut health with every aspect of our well-being.
Gut health is inextricably linked with our overall health, disease risk and longevity. The science is emerging at breakneck speed and it’s telling us that most if not all of our chronic disease burden has a relationship of some sort with the health and vitality of our gut. There is compelling, accumulating evidence that when people have high-fiber, plant-rich diets, they significantly lower their risks of these diseases, and this is precisely what Dr. B speaks with me about today.
The microbiome is like a command center for human health, which includes digestion as well as metabolism, the immune system, hormones, mood, and brain health. Dr. B emphasizes the importance of examining one’s bowel movement patterns to identify potential problems and understand the possible interconnectedness of other symptoms with one’s gut health.
We speak about the imperative of eating a wide variety of plants and fermented foods. For me, the best way to ensure consistent diversity across plants is to make them delicious! Dr. B then walks us through two companies he is associated with, firstly Zoe, which I can vouch is amazing, that offers microbiome testing and very personalized diet suggestions, as well as 38TERA, which manufactures a truly innovative microbiome and prebiotic fiber supplement.
If you want to learn more about how gut health is connected to seemingly every pillar of our health, from inflammation, exercise, sleep, skin, and even conditions such as leaky gut and acid reflux, and simple yet powerful ways to optimize it, this episode is not to be missed!
Episode Outline:
(03:12) The importance of prioritizing gut health
(09:23) Signs that your gut health is great, or not
(12:33) Bristol Stool Scale
(19:20) Gut microbiome tests and the Zoe diet
(28:45) The gut loves consistent variety!
(34:42) Coffee and acid reflux
(38:01) Everyday foods Dr. B recommends for gut health
(42:29) America doesn’t have a protein problem but a fiber problem
(50:59) Fiber supplements vs the real thing
(52:43) Exercise and the gut connection(55:32) Small fasts yield big impact
(1:00:09) Truth behind leaky gut
(1:05:13) Hormesis, or how different kinds of stress impact the microbiome
(1:10:20) The nuance of probiotics
Resources Referenced:
Efficacy of Probiotics in Children and Adolescents With Atopic Dermatitis: research paper
Bristol stool scale: diagram
Going Head to Head with Heartburn course: enroll here
How to Become FIBER FUELLED and Revolutionize Your Health: Momlight! podcast episode
Can Spices Improve Your Health? with Kanchan Koya: ZOE podcast episode
Connect with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz:
Instagram: @theguthealthmd
Website: theplantfedgut.com
Learn more about Zoe: zoe.com
Learn more about Dr. B's new science-based prebiotic supplement: 38tera.com
Buy Fiber Fueled
Buy The Fiber Fueled Cookbook
Connect with Kanchan:
Instagram
Website
Subscribe on YouTube -
Practical Optimism: A Path To Exceptional Wellbeing
Welcome to Radical Vitality! In this episode, I speak with Dr. Sue Varma, a distinguished psychiatrist and cognitive behavioral therapist, to discuss her latest book, Practical Optimism, which holds the keys to establishing greater meaning, mastery, and acceptance in your life.
Dr. Varma’s new book, Practical Optimism, is written as a solution to the mental health crisis our society continues to face. Practical optimism is about becoming a resourceful, realistic, and thoughtful problem solver. It’s a mindset to develop so that you can cope with any crisis and use it as fuel to flourish, supported by life skills.
Optimists are predisposed to better mental health than non-optimists. Dr. Varma draws a distinct line between toxic optimists and practical optimists. Optimists are defined as taking positive action steps, investing in themselves, and having better habits than non-optimists. Ultimately, she stresses, practical optimism is a practice, like yoga or journaling.
Dr. Varma introduces the 8 pillars to becoming a practical optimist as detailed in her book. In several cases, she compares how a pessimist and an optimist might handle the same situation to illuminate the best form of behavior. She also offers quick-to-implement tips for when you’re up against negative emotions, such as the name it, claim it, frame it, tame it framework.
Ultimately, there is no health without mental health. Good and bad feelings will come and go, and they are all part of the human experience. This conversation with Dr. Varma is honestly full of amazing wellness tips that you can integrate into your daily wellness practice today!
Episode Outline:
(03:09) Dr. Varma’s passion for psychiatry began at home
(05:55) Current state of mental health
(09:02) Optimists tend to be the mental healthiest
(12:04) Research of resilience
(14:54) How to become a practical optimist
(18:58) What to do with negative feelings
(26:05) Introduction to the eight pillars of practical optimism
(31:43) Physical health supports an optimistic mindset
(38:02) Intentional social media habits
(42:51) Tips for engaging in a healthy hustle culture
(48:09) Dr. Varma’s non-negotiable daily habit
Resources Referenced:
Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zin
Connect with Dr. Sue Varma:
Instagram
Website
Newsletter
Order Practical Optimism: The Art, Science & Practice Of Exceptional Wellbeing
Connect with Kanchan:
Instagram
Website
NewsletterSubscribe on YouTube -
Thriving On The Power Of Plants With Muzammil Ahmad @dr.plantbased
Muzammil Ahmad is a medical student and a nutrition coach on a mission to raise awareness about the health benefits of plant-based diets and the importance of the role of diet in disease prevention, disease risk and disease progression.
Muzammil believes in 'food as medicine' and utilizing lifestyle changes to optimize one’s health. As a medical student, he is passionate about transforming a reactionary approach to medicine to a more proactive approach.
In this episode, Muzammil shares how his journey to a plant based lifestyle helped him conquer his health problems and how we can all lean into science behind plant-based diets to live a life of radical vitality. Learn more at www.drplantbased.ca and follow Muzammil on instagram @dr.plantbased -
Prevent Alzheimers, Optimize Your Brain Health + Live Your Best Life With Drs Ayesha & Dean Sherzai
If you are tired of the nutrition wars, mindless bickering among so called health experts and diet debates and are looking for REAL solutions for optimal brain and overall health, this conversation is for you.
Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai are clinicians, researchers and educators on a mission to help us prevent Alzheimers disease, prevent cognitive decline and enjoy optimal brain (and overall) health through the power of science-based dietary and lifestyle measures.
Learn about the best diet for brain health based on the scientific evidence and other key lifestyle practices that can help you show up as the sharpest version of yourself so you can share your gifts with the world, be present for those you love and essentially live a life of radical vitality.
Pick up their new book THE 30 DAY ALZHEIMER'S SOLUTION here and follow them on Instagram @sherzaimd.
About the Sherzais:
Dr. Dean Sherzai is a behavioral neurologist / neuroscientist whose entire life has been dedicated to behavioral change models at the community and population level. He has revolutionized the world of public health nationally and internationally. Dean finished his medical and neurology residencies at Georgetown University with a subsequent fellowship in neurodegenerative diseases at the National Institutes of Health, followed by a second fellowship in Dementia and Geriatrics at the University of California, San Diego. He also holds two master’s Degrees; in advanced sciences at UCSD and in lifestyle epidemiology from Loma Linda University. He has received a PhD in Healthcare leadership focused on community empowerment from Loma Linda/Andrews University. Finally, he completed the executive leadership program at Harvard Business School. His vision has always been to revolutionize healthcare by empowering communities to take control of their own health.
Dr. Ayesha Sherzai finished two residencies at Loma Linda University; preventive medicine and neurology. She also holds a master’s in advanced sciences from UCSD. Subsequent to completing her residency Dr. Sherzai completed a fellowship in vascular neurology from Columbia University, and is currently enrolled to finish a PhD in women’s leadership. Knowing the importance of empowering her patients, and their communities Ayesha completed an extensive culinary training program and now teaches large populations how to make tasty, easy, and healthy food for their brain health.