Translating Nutrition: Clinical Nutrition, Sports Nutrition, & Health Coaching with Dr Cliff Harvey

Dr Cliff Harvey
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Powered by the Holistic Performance Institute. We are living in an era of nutritional chaos. Between the "diet wars," social media influencers, and an endless stream of conflicting advice, the public is exhausted, and serious practitioners are frustrated. Welcome to Nutrition Translated, the podcast that cuts through the noise to bring you the evidence-backed truth about what actually works for human health and performance. Hosted by Dr Cliff Harvey, founder of the Holistic Performance Institute, this show opens our massive database of living research reviews to translate the world's most up-to-date nutritional science into real-world clinical applications. Whether you are an aspiring Health Coach guiding clients through behaviour change, a Sports Nutritionist optimising elite athletic recovery, or a Clinical Nutritionist managing complex chronic conditions, this is your new required listening. Every week, Dr Harvey is joined by the world-class HPI faculty, including industry heavyweights like Dr Eric Helms, Dr Mikki Williden, and Michelle Yandle, to go beyond abstract biochemical pathways and break down: Evidence-Based Protocols: The truth about metabolic flexibility, the gut-brain axis, chronic fatigue, muscle hypertrophy, and more.Clinical Application: Exactly how to safely and effectively implement the latest science with the client sitting in front of you.Industry Realities: Navigating your scope of practice, ethical boundaries, and how to build a highly successful, accredited nutrition career. Stop guessing, drop the dogma, and step into the reality of evidence-based practice. Free Resource: Download your free Evidence-Based Practitioner's Roadmap to discover your exact scope of practice and earning potential: https://www.holisticperformance.institute/pages/roadmap Get Accredited: Learn more about our world-class vocational accreditations at https://www.holisticperformance.institute

Episodes

  1. 3d ago

    Is There a Safe Dose of Alcohol? | Dr Mikki Williden

    Is there a safe dose of alcohol? Headlines say no. The biggest meta-analysis on alcohol and death says something more nuanced. Dr Cliff Harvey sits down with longtime collaborator Dr Mikki Williden to separate "no healthy dose" from "no safe dose", and to work out what a sensible, evidence-based drinking pattern looks like for people who enjoy the odd drink. In this episode we cover: Why alcohol is such a divisive topic, and why both apologists and absolutists get the evidence wrongWhat the Zhao et al. (2023) meta-analysis of 107 cohort studies found on all-cause mortalityWhy cancer risk is where the case for "no safe dose" is strongestRelative vs absolute risk, and how to read a 3% or 20% increaseAbstainer bias: why non-drinkers once looked less healthy than light drinkersHow diet, exercise and a Mediterranean-style drinking pattern change the pictureWhy zero-tolerance messaging can erode trustThe practical take-home: a drinking pattern that sits well inside the risk thresholds Chapters: 00:00 Why alcohol is such a polarising health topic01:25 Why Mikki is the right person to discuss the evidence03:17 Tracking health metrics without obsession07:39 Why steps and movement matter more than fitness dogma09:02 Do strength training and jiu-jitsu count as cardio?12:53 Why more carbs improved Mikki's running and recovery15:47 Why low carb and high carb can both work20:34 Horses for courses: matching diet to the goal and season23:30 Why "what if they did even better?" is a weak argument25:25 Back to alcohol and mortality30:07 Why mortality is the right place to start32:11 What the major meta-analysis found on all-cause mortality35:09 Why cancer changes the conversation38:01 How alcohol-related cancer risk is usually presented40:19 Relative risk vs absolute risk explained42:13 Why cancer studies often use broad intake categories43:46 Drinking frequency and binge patterns44:46 Abstainer bias: why non-drinkers looked worse47:11 Residual confounding and why no study is perfect49:07 How physical activity and Mediterranean habits reduce risk50:43 No healthy dose, but maybe a safe dose55:56 How drinking culture has shifted58:16 Functional drinking and underestimated intake1:02:36 Why zero-tolerance messaging erodes trust1:04:51 Alcohol with food, and why culture affects outcomes1:08:13 Personal tolerance, nickel sensitivity and congeners1:10:11 Social lubrication, behaviour and context1:12:07 The biggest health levers may not be alcohol1:14:03 How mindfulness, sleep and behaviour ripple across health1:15:31 The practical middle ground on alcohol1:17:09 Where to find Mikki and the Holistic Performance Institute About Dr Mikki Williden Dr Mikki Williden is a New Zealand nutritionist with a PhD in nutrition, a former AUT lecturer, and host of the Mikkipedia podcast. She runs coaching and programmes for people who want evidence-based nutrition that fits real life, and is a long-term contributor to the Holistic Performance Institute. Find Mikki: Website https://mikkiwilliden.com · Instagram https://www.instagram.com/mikkiwilliden/ · Facebook https://www.facebook.com/mikkiwillidennutrition · Mikkipedia https://podcast.mikkiwilliden.com Studies mentioned in this episode Zhao et al. (2023), daily alcohol intake and all-cause mortality, JAMA Network Open: https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.6185Health effects associated with alcohol consumption: a Burden of Proof study (2026), Nature Health: https://www.nature.com/articles/s44360-026-00139-5Sarich et al. (2026), alcohol-attributable cancer risk in the 45 and Up Study, British Journal of Cancer: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41416-026-03403-3Perreault et al. (2017), physical activity and alcohol-related mortality, British Journal of Sports Medicine: https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2016-096194Campanella et al. (2024), Mediterranean alcohol-drinking pattern, diet and mortality, Nutrients: https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16010059Kassaw et al. (2024), Mendelian randomisation of alcohol and mortality, International Journal of Epidemiology: https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/53/2/dyae046/7632292Nutripaedia living review: alcohol and mortality (link to add when live) HPI links Roadmap: https://www.holisticperformance.institute/pages/roadmapPodcast page: https://www.holisticperformance.institute/pages/podcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/holisticperformancenutrition/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolisticPerformanceNutrition/LinkedIn: https://nz.linkedin.com/company/holistic-performance-instituteYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@holisticperformance Want the full evidence review? Cliff's living review on alcohol and mortality is going up in Nutripaedia, HPI's database of evidence reviews. Thinking about a career in nutrition? Grab the free Practitioner's Roadmap: https://www.holisticperformance.institute/pages/roadmap. If this episode was useful, follow Translating Nutrition and leave a rating, it helps other practitioners find the show.

  2. Sep 28

    Plant-Based Pragmatism: When Diet Meets Ethics | Luke Gabites

    Plant-Based and Pragmatic: When Diet Meets Ethics | Luke Gabites Most diet arguments online come down to rules: you either eat this way perfectly or you are out. Registered Clinical Nutritionist Luke Gabites spent years as an ethical vegan, and he joins Dr Cliff Harvey to talk about what happens when strict rules meet real life, real bodies and real clients. Both have plant-based roots, both have become more pragmatic, and neither is anti-vegan. In this episode we cover How Luke and Cliff each came to plant-based eating, and why both have softened over timeWhy a vegan diet isn't medically suitable for everyone, including Cliff's systemic nickel allergy and Crohn's diseaseWhether a vegan diet always results in fewer lives lost, and where food systems and consumerism fit inValues vs rules: an acceptance and commitment therapy lens on how we eatRigid diets, perfectionism and the link with disordered eatingWhat the research on plant-based eating actually shows, and where it gets overstatedWorking with clients across the dietary spectrum without pushing your own ethicsLuke's one universal principle: start with your values, then build a mostly whole-food pattern that lets you live Chapters 00:00 Intro 00:12 Cliff on pragmatism, veganism and dogma 03:49 Welcome Luke 05:05 Luke's path: migraines, student flatting and yoga in India 07:51 Holding values without rigidity 09:30 Cliff's story: hunting, Buddhism and going vegetarian 12:15 Crohn's disease, nickel allergy and eating meat again 15:36 Does a vegan diet always take fewer lives? 17:35 Food systems, gardening and killing slugs 19:20 Perfectionism in diet communities 20:04 Restrictive diets and disordered eating 22:00 Diet vs ethos: the vegan category problem 23:00 Values vs rules 26:28 Identity, performance and hypocrisy 27:39 Insects, puha and cats: where is the line? 30:17 Living in alignment and self-compassion 33:28 Backlash for changing your diet 36:58 Online criticism and when to block 39:45 Bioindividuality and lived experience 41:37 Reading nutrition research pragmatically 45:11 Working with clients of every diet 48:40 Who ends up in your clinic 53:44 Knowing when to refer on 56:47 One universal truth in nutrition 1:00:32 Coach-first practice 1:02:39 The Practitioner's Roadmap About Luke Gabites Luke Gabites is a Registered Clinical Nutritionist (Clinical Nutritionists Aotearoa) and Wellness Educator based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, and the founder of Planted Nutrition. He graduated with first-class honours from the Institute of Holistic Nutrition, completed HPN 2 clinical nutrition training at HPI, and co-hosts the Thrive: Mind & Body podcast with psychologist Jane Gabites. Find Luke: plantednutrition.nz | YouTube | Instagram Links mentioned in this episode Harvey, C. (2026). Low-nickel diet in Crohn's disease: case report and narrative review. Journal of Metabolic HealthEPIC-Oxford cohort: Tong et al. (2019), BMJKristin Neff on self-compassion: self-compassion.orgThrive: Mind & Body podcast: Apple PodcastsHPI faculty and advisors (Dr Eric Helms, Dr Mikki Williden and team): Our people HPI links Practitioner's Roadmap: https://www.holisticperformance.institute/pages/roadmapPodcast page: https://www.holisticperformance.institute/pages/podcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/holisticperformancenutrition/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolisticPerformanceNutrition/LinkedIn: https://nz.linkedin.com/company/holistic-performance-instituteYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@holisticperformance Want to do this work yourself? Grab the free Practitioner's Roadmap: career pathways, scope at each level, what practitioners charge in NZ and Australia, and which registration bodies recognise what. If helping people step out of rigid, rule-bound eating is your thing, look at HPI's Empowered Eating Coach certification. Follow Translating Nutrition so you don't miss an episode, and tell us where you land on this one.

  3. Sep 28

    How Much Protein Is Too Much? | Dr Eric Helms

    How much protein is too much? For years, 1.6 g/kg has been treated as a hard ceiling for building muscle. Dr Eric Helms was a co-author on the 2018 Morton meta-analysis that produced that number - and in this episode he explains why he now considers it out of date. Cliff and Eric work through what the newer data shows, who needs more, and why the right protein target depends on the person in front of you. In this episode we cover Why the 1.6 g/kg "limit" was never a hard limit, and why meta-analyses expireWhat the Tagawa (2021), Nunes (2022) and Refalo (2025) analyses addProtein targets for a new lifter, an advanced physique athlete and an older adult with sarcopeniaHow to set protein for larger bodies: fat-free mass and the height-in-centimetres heuristicWhether women need less protein than menWhy lean people lose more muscle in a deficit, and what that means for proteinRecomposition, energy balance and why the scale can misleadIs high protein dangerous? Kidneys, creatinine vs cystatin C, bone and longevity claimsChapters 00:00 Intro 01:13 Catching up with Eric 02:09 Is 1.6 g/kg a hard limit? 04:13 Why meta-analyses expire 06:24 Tagawa, Nunes and diminishing returns 08:08 What practitioners should take away 09:34 New lifter vs advanced athlete vs older adult 16:17 Protein in the context of the whole person 23:24 Protein for larger bodies 26:36 Medical conditions and anabolic resistance 27:22 Do women need less protein? 32:38 Leanness, dieting and muscle loss 36:32 Obesity, insulin resistance and muscle gain 40:52 Recomposition and energy balance 47:06 Is high protein dangerous? 51:02 Protein restriction, longevity and blue zones 53:43 The desert island question 56:22 Cliff's key takeaways About Dr Eric Helms Eric Helms, PhD, CSCS, AccredSpNut, is Co-director of the AUT Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand (SPRINZ), co-founder of MASS Research Review, and Chief Science Officer at 3D Muscle Journey. He is a WNBF Pro natural bodybuilder and lead author of The Muscle and Strength Pyramids. Find Eric: Instagram @helms3dmj · Linktree · 3D Muscle Journey · MASS Research Review Links mentioned in this episode Morton et al. (2018) protein supplementation meta-analysis: doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608Tagawa et al. (2021) dose-response meta-analysis: doi.org/10.1093/nutrit/nuaa104Nunes et al. (2022) protein and muscle mass meta-analysis: doi.org/10.1002/jcsm.12922Refalo, Trexler and Helms (2025) protein during energy restriction: doi.org/10.1519/SSC.0000000000000888Heymsfield et al. (2011) voluntary weight loss and body composition: doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789X.2010.00767.xGreg Nuckols on protein and the 1.6 g/kg rule (Stronger by Science): strongerbyscience.com/protein-scienceHolistic Performance Institute Practitioners Roadmap (free): https://www.holisticperformance.institute/pages/roadmapPodcast page: https://www.holisticperformance.institute/pages/podcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/holisticperformancenutrition/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolisticPerformanceNutrition/LinkedIn: https://nz.linkedin.com/company/holistic-performance-instituteYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@holisticperformanceWant the research on protein kept current? Our Nutripaedia Living Reviews are updated several times a week, so you always see where the evidence sits today. Follow Translating Nutrition wherever you listen, and leave a rating if this episode helped.

  4. Sep 28

    Protein vs Fibre: Do You Have to Pick a Side? | Dr Carlene Starck

    Protein vs Fibre: Do You Have to Pick a Side? | Dr Carlene Starck Social media has turned protein and fibre into rival camps - one side says we are all under-eating protein, the other says we are wrecking our guts by skipping fibre. So who is right? Dr Cliff Harvey sits down with protein biochemist and nutrition scientist Dr Carlene Starck to weigh the evidence and work out what should actually go on your plate. In this episode we cover: What the fibre meta-analyses show, and why randomised trials of isolated fibre undercut the "it's just residual confounding" argumentWhy protein and fibre ended up pitted against each otherIs fibre essential? What "non-essential" does and doesn't meanIf you could only prioritise one, which would a protein scientist choose (and why)Protein vs fibre for satiety, and what a week on carnivore taught CarleneWhy individual context, mental health and food culture matter more than dietary dogmaCarlene's New Zealand and Australian research showing nutrient-dense diets can cost lessA simple plate model, eating for colour, and the biggest myths about protein and fibreChapters 00:00 Intro 00:12 The protein vs fibre debate 01:35 What the fibre research shows 11:29 Meet Dr Carlene Starck 12:31 From myostatin to protein misfolding 16:53 Why protein and fibre got pitted against each other 20:13 Is fibre essential? 27:06 Protein or fibre: if you had to pick one 31:32 Satiety: protein vs fibre 33:45 A week on carnivore 35:27 Diet, mental health and individual response 40:29 The "second stomach" and enjoying food 44:21 Food, culture and community 47:20 Why dietary dogma doesn't serve people 48:54 Ayurveda and individual constitutions 51:21 Can nutrient-dense eating cost less? 56:41 A simple plate model: palms, fists and colour 58:20 Is there a fibre-to-carb target? 1:01:19 The Hadza, and why oral health matters 1:04:18 Myth busting: protein 1:05:37 Myth busting: fibre 1:07:44 When fibre supplements make sense 1:10:47 Finding the diet that works for you 1:13:39 Cliff's key takeaways 1:15:34 The Practitioner's Roadmap About Dr Carlene Starck Dr Carlene Starck is a protein biochemist and nutrition scientist with more than 20 years in nutrition research, protein and amino acid metabolism, and science communication. She holds a PhD in biochemistry from Massey University and is affiliated with the Riddet Institute. Through Starck Science she helps food and nutrition brands turn rigorous protein science into clear strategy. Find Carlene: starckscience.com · Instagram · LinkedIn Research and links mentioned Starck et al. (2021). Nutrient dense, low-cost foods can improve the affordability and quality of the New Zealand diet. doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18157950Blumfield et al. (2021). Diet and economic modelling to improve the quality and affordability of the Australian diet. doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115771Blumfield et al. (2022). Should we 'eat a rainbow'? An umbrella review of colourful bioactive pigments. doi.org/10.3390/molecules27134061Reynolds et al. (2019). Carbohydrate quality and human health, The Lancet. doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31809-9Holistic Performance Institute Free Practitioner's Roadmap: https://www.holisticperformance.institute/pages/roadmapPodcast page: https://www.holisticperformance.institute/pages/podcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/holisticperformancenutrition/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HolisticPerformanceNutrition/LinkedIn: https://nz.linkedin.com/company/holistic-performance-instituteYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@holisticperformance Want the evidence behind the episodes? Our Nutripaedia living reviews track the research on protein, fibre and more, and our HPI courses turn it into practice. Thinking about a career in nutrition? Grab the free Practitioner's Roadmap. If you got value from this episode, follow the show and leave a rating - it helps more people find evidence-led nutrition.

  5. Sep 14

    Translating Nutrition Trailer

    Dr. Cliff Harvey kicks off Translating Nutrition with a hard reset on the “one best diet” myth and shows why the right intervention depends on the individual sitting in front of you. Built from the clinical experience of the Holistic Performance Institute and its database of living reviews, this podcast is designed for practitioners who need evidence they can actually use, not abstract theory. If you work as a health coach, sports nutritionist, clinical nutritionist, or any professional helping people make better nutrition decisions, Translating Nutrition will help change how you think about nutrition advice. You’ll discover why evidence-based nutrition is more than memorising studies, how to cut through conflicting advice, and why clinical context matters more than internet certainty. If you’re tired of nutrition content that sounds smart but helps no one, this is your reset: less noise, more clarity, and better outcomes for the people you serve.

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Trailer

About

Powered by the Holistic Performance Institute. We are living in an era of nutritional chaos. Between the "diet wars," social media influencers, and an endless stream of conflicting advice, the public is exhausted, and serious practitioners are frustrated. Welcome to Nutrition Translated, the podcast that cuts through the noise to bring you the evidence-backed truth about what actually works for human health and performance. Hosted by Dr Cliff Harvey, founder of the Holistic Performance Institute, this show opens our massive database of living research reviews to translate the world's most up-to-date nutritional science into real-world clinical applications. Whether you are an aspiring Health Coach guiding clients through behaviour change, a Sports Nutritionist optimising elite athletic recovery, or a Clinical Nutritionist managing complex chronic conditions, this is your new required listening. Every week, Dr Harvey is joined by the world-class HPI faculty, including industry heavyweights like Dr Eric Helms, Dr Mikki Williden, and Michelle Yandle, to go beyond abstract biochemical pathways and break down: Evidence-Based Protocols: The truth about metabolic flexibility, the gut-brain axis, chronic fatigue, muscle hypertrophy, and more.Clinical Application: Exactly how to safely and effectively implement the latest science with the client sitting in front of you.Industry Realities: Navigating your scope of practice, ethical boundaries, and how to build a highly successful, accredited nutrition career. Stop guessing, drop the dogma, and step into the reality of evidence-based practice. Free Resource: Download your free Evidence-Based Practitioner's Roadmap to discover your exact scope of practice and earning potential: https://www.holisticperformance.institute/pages/roadmap Get Accredited: Learn more about our world-class vocational accreditations at https://www.holisticperformance.institute

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