The Full of Beans Podcast

Hannah Hickinbotham
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

Full of Beans Podcast: Sharing the Unheard Voices in Eating Disorders Eating disorders are complex, often misunderstood, and wrapped in layers of stigma. That’s why Full of Beans is here - to open up the conversation and foster understanding through real, raw, and research-backed discussions. Hosted by Han, founder of Full of Beans and passionate mental health advocate, this podcast explores eating disorders through the lens of lived experience, clinical expertise, and the latest research. Each week, Han sits down with guests, including individuals with firsthand experiences, clinicians, researchers, and charities, who all share one goal: to raise awareness, challenge misconceptions, and support those affected by eating disorders. With a mix of heartfelt stories and professional insights, Full of Beans is a space for education, advocacy, and connection. Whether you're navigating your own eating disorder journey, supporting a loved one, or working in the mental health field, this podcast is here to provide knowledge, compassion, and hope. Join us in creating a community where eating disorders are understood, and no one feels alone in their struggles. (Please note: This podcast is for awareness and education purposes and is not a substitute for professional therapeutic support.)

  1. Hope, Belief, Freedom and Forever After 40 years of Anorexia with Andrea Stroud

    2d ago

    Hope, Belief, Freedom and Forever After 40 years of Anorexia with Andrea Stroud

    Have you ever thought you've spent too long ill with an eating disorder, that there's just no way you can recover from an eating disorder? If that's you, this episode is for you. This week on the Full of Beans Podcast, I'm joined by Andrea Stroud, mum to Joshua, Jacob and Tommy who has lived with anorexia, in secret, for over 40 years. Andrea hopes that by sharing her story and the reality of living with an eating disorder and its impact on family life, she can give others hope that it’s never too late to recover. We also talk about years of missed red flags from medical professionals, the moment Andrea said "I am actually quite unwell," and what has made eating disorder recovery feel different this time around. In this episode, we explore: How growing up in a weight-focused family left Andrea feeling different from everyone around herHow gymnastics, dance and athletics brought an early focus on appearance and comparisonThe missed red flags across years of medical appointments, from gynaecology to gastroenterologyHow dismissal by healthcare professionals reinforced the belief of not being sick enoughThe study day that finally gave Andrea permission to say she was actually quite unwellHow Andrea opened up to her son Josh after 40 years of silent struggles Going back into treatment, and why this time felt different Why rigid meal plans can work against the very thing eating disorder recovery needs What mental hunger is and how it can be misunderstood in treatment Opposite actions as a practical tool for challenging eating disorder thoughtsWhy food is about more than fuel, it is connection, presence and belongingWhy Andrea's word for long-term anorexia recovery is connectionConnect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Andrea on Instagram (@andreainrecovery), as well as her son Joshua (@joshuahillsnutrition)⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, anorexia and disordered eating. Please look after yourself as you listen. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    1 hr
  2. The Intersectionality of Eating Disorders, Neurodivergence & LGBTQIA+ with Dr Lauren Lovegood

    May 25

    The Intersectionality of Eating Disorders, Neurodivergence & LGBTQIA+ with Dr Lauren Lovegood

    Have you ever felt like you’re constantly trying to "fit into a box" that just wasn't made for you? This week on the Full of Beans Podcast, Han is joined by Dr. Lauren Lovegood, a psychologist who specialises in the intersection of Eating Disorders, Neurodiversity (ADHD/Autism), and the LGBTQ+ community. We talk about the "internal sense of difference" that so many of us feel growing up and how, sometimes, an eating disorder can sneak in as a way to find control, "mask" our true selves, or even seek out that much-needed dopamine. In this episode, we explore: The Treatment Spectrum: Why anorexia is actually a much smaller piece of the ED puzzle than society thinks.Identity & Belonging: The unique challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and how gender-affirming care can coexist with a healthy body image.The Neurodivergent Brain: Why "Executive Function" makes university transitions so tricky and why your "fidgety brain" might be driving your food behaviours.Gender Affirming Care: We discuss the desire to align our physical bodies with our internal identity.The Glorification of Weight Loss: Exploring the challenges of restrictive behaviours in the queer community to cause a more "feminine" or "masculine" look.Identity Roles & Stereotypes: How to find where we belong without fuelling obsession with our appearance.ARFID & Sensory Safety: Understanding why "beige foods" feel safe and how to branch out without the fear and force gently.The Low Self-Esteem Trap: How external pressure to be "disciplined" can fuel the eating disorder voice.Connect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Lauren via her website⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, body image, neurodiversity, gender and sexuality. Please look after yourself as you listen. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    45 min
  3. Navigating Exercise During Eating Disorder Recovery with Dr Amit Mistry

    May 18

    Navigating Exercise During Eating Disorder Recovery with Dr Amit Mistry

    We often view exercise as the "golden ticket" for mental health, but for those navigating eating disorders, the line between movement and compulsion is incredibly thin. In this week’s episode of Full of Beans, Han is joined by Dr. Amit Mistry, a Consultant Sports Psychiatrist at the Nightingale Hospital. Amit brings a unique dual perspective to the table, advocating for the robust mental health benefits of physical activity while managing the high-stakes clinical risks of over-exercise in inpatient eating disorder settings. We explore why exercise shouldn't be a "black or white" conversation and how we can reintroduce movement without falling back into the trap of rigidity. In this episode, we talk about: The Biopsychosocial Model: How sport serves as "fertiliser for the brain" while providing self-mastery and social connection.The Social Media Myth: Why we need to challenge the "exercise is all you need" narrative and replace it with a multi-pronged approach to mental health.Inpatient Realities: The difficult balance of prioritising physical stability (cardiovascular status and refeeding) while introducing social exercises like yoga or swimming.Exercise as a Spectrum: Identifying when recreational movement crosses the line into a systemic, "drug-like" addiction that impacts bone health and fertility.Red-S vs. Depression: The clinical challenge of distinguishing between relative energy deficiency in sport and primary low mood.The "Elite" Trap: Why 99% of us aren't elite athletes and shouldn't be following the regimented, high-intake/high-output diets we see in our feeds.Diagnostic Switching: Understanding the shift into Orthorexia and why being "high functioning" doesn't mean you aren't in distress.Something that really stayed with me from this conversation was the idea of Identity vs. Performance. When we strip away the sports and the training, who are we? Recovery isn't about stopping forever; it’s about regaining the autonomy to choose rest without guilt. Connect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Dr Amit on Instagram (@dramistrypsych)⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, anxiety, restrictive eating and medical trauma. Please look after yourself as you listen. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛 Thank you to Nightingale Hospital for sponsoring Full of Beans.

    36 min
  4. New Research: The Suicide Risk Nobody Talks About in Eating Disorders with Dr Una Foye

    May 11

    New Research: The Suicide Risk Nobody Talks About in Eating Disorders with Dr Una Foye

    Anecdotally, we know there is a correlation between eating disorders and suicide, yet until now, there has been no published research to show that. This week on the Full of Beans Podcast, Han is joined by Dr Una Foye, a Research Fellow at King's College London, who is leading the qualitative arm of an MQ-funded study exploring why people with eating disorders are at higher risk of suicide and self-harm. We talk about the groundbreaking, and long overdue, research that finally puts lived experience voices at the centre of this conversation, why the data has always been harder to read than it should be, and what the findings mean for the way we think about treatment, recovery, and care. In this episode, we explore: The research gap: Why there has been almost no qualitative work asking people with lived experience about the link between eating disorders and suicidality, until now.The hidden statistics: Why deaths connected to eating disorders and suicide are so often recorded under other causes, and what stigma and the historic criminalisation of suicide have to do with it.The complexity of risk: How the eating disorder itself, identity loss, social isolation, and the function it serves can increase suicidal thoughts.Recovery as a risky period: How the removal of support at the point of weight restoration can leave people more vulnerable, not less.Intersectionality and invisibility: How being male, from a minoritised ethnic background, living in a larger body, or being autistic or neurodivergent can compound the risk, and the silence.Siloed services: Why being told "you can't be treated here if you're also self-harming" misses the point entirely, and what holistic, joined-up care could look like instead.Asking the question: Why clinicians are often frightened to ask about suicidality, and why not asking is far more dangerous than asking.Hope in small things: The realisation that support doesn't need to be dramatic - but simple changes and communication can help. Lived experience at the centre: Why Una is so passionate about lived experience and how it is the thing which shapes everything she does.Connect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Una via the KCL website⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, self-harm and suicide. Please look after yourself as you listen. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    46 min
  5. The Overlap No One Explains Between ADHD, Eating Disorders, and Hypermobility with Dr Jessica Eccles

    May 4

    The Overlap No One Explains Between ADHD, Eating Disorders, and Hypermobility with Dr Jessica Eccles

    In this week’s episode of Full of Beans, I’m joined by Dr Jessica Eccles, an award-winning researcher and neurodevelopmental psychiatrist specialising in the links between brain and body, particularly as they relate to hypermobility. Jessica is an Associate Professor in Brain-Body Medicine at Brighton and Sussex Medical School. Also, she works in the Sussex NHS Neurodevelopmental Service, where she and colleagues have set up the world’s first Neurodivergent Brain Body Clinic. She has been exploring the intersection between hypermobility, neurodivergence, and mental health since 2009, and is passionate about challenging stereotypes and encouraging curiosity. In this episode, we discuss: What hypermobility actually is, and why it is about more than being “bendy”The links between ADHD, autism, hypermobility, anxiety, and eating disordersHow gut issues, autonomic dysfunction, and interoception may play a roleWhy body sensations can sometimes be misread as anxietyThe connection between proprioception, body awareness, and emotion regulationWhy neurodivergent people may be more vulnerable to restrictive eating patternsThe importance of looking at the full picture, rather than separating the brain and bodyConnect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Jessica via her LinkTree⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, anxiety, restrictive eating and medical trauma. Please look after yourself as you listen. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    48 min
  6. ED Prevention in Schools: Inside the Parliamentary Roundtable with Dr. Hannah Lewis

    Apr 27

    ED Prevention in Schools: Inside the Parliamentary Roundtable with Dr. Hannah Lewis

    In this week's episode of Full of Beans, we are joined by Dr. Hannah Lewis, a Postdoctoral Researcher at Queen Mary University of London. Hannah’s work sits at the vital intersection of eating disorder prevention and school-based body image interventions. We step inside the halls of Westminster to discuss a recent Eating Disorder & Education Roundtable convened by the APPG on Eating Disorders and the Dump the Scales campaign. Key Discussion Points Inside Parliament: What actually happens at an APPG roundtable? We break down the meeting between researchers, MPs, and stakeholders to push for better school resources.The Evidence is Ready: We have over 20 years of research supporting cognitive dissonance-based interventions (such as the Body Project), yet they are still not standard in the UK curriculum.What the Science Says: A look at why "media literacy" alone isn’t enough to prevent eating disorders and why we need more active, group-based challenges to appearance ideals.Prevention vs. Treatment: Clarifying that prevention isn't about asking teachers to "treat" disorders; it’s about addressing risk factors like body dissatisfaction, perfectionism, and appearance anxiety.The 2017 Training Gap: Why a major hurdle remains the lack of specific body image and eating disorder training for Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) during their qualification.The "Sick Enough" Threshold: Discussing how clinical barriers are moving into schools, often preventing young people from getting help until they reach a crisis point.Diversity & Intersectionality: Why "standard" interventions can fail marginalised groups. We discuss the Brown is Beautiful project and the need to adapt the Body Project for South Asian girls.Current School Programmes: Routine weighing in PE lessons, calorie counting as a maths exercise, the policing of "high sugary foods" in lunchboxes and weight loss adverts at school are policies we can change.Neurodiversity & ARFID: Acknowledging that not all eating disorders are driven by body image. We explore the link between Autism, ADHD, and sensory-based eating struggles.The Future: Moving toward an open letter to Parliament and ensuring the outcome of these discussions leads to tangible policy action.Connect with Us: Follow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeFollow The Brown is Beautiful Project on Instagram (@thebrownisbeautifulproject)⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorder prevention, body dissatisfaction, and mental health policy. Please look after yourself as you listen. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    46 min
  7. You Can Eat That: What Growing Up Around Anorexia Taught Me About Food with Joshua Hills

    Apr 22

    You Can Eat That: What Growing Up Around Anorexia Taught Me About Food with Joshua Hills

    In this week’s episode of Full of Beans, I’m joined by Joshua Hills, a nutritionist, sports therapist, and author of You Can Eat That, whose work challenges diet culture and helps people feel calmer, more flexible, and more themselves around food. Joshua shares how growing up alongside his mum’s experience of anorexia shaped the way he understands food, connection, and recovery. In this episode, we discuss: Joshua’s experience of growing up with a parent with anorexiaHow his mum’s relationship with food shaped his interest in nutritionWhy food is about more than nutrients, and also about connection and enjoymentThe difference between helpful nutrition habits and more disordered patternsWhy the same behaviour can feel supportive for one person, but unhelpful for anotherEmotional eating, and why it is not always something to fearBuilding an “emotional toolbox” rather than relying on one coping strategyHow to start making changes around food without going all-or-nothingWhy balance looks different for everyoneJoshua’s new book, You Can Eat ThatConnect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Joshua via Instagram or email info@joshuahills.com⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, anorexia and disordered eating. Please look after yourself as you listen. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    48 min
  8. Are Eating Disorders a Form of Addiction? with Jacqui Russon

    Apr 13

    Are Eating Disorders a Form of Addiction? with Jacqui Russon

    In this week’s episode of Full of Beans, I’m joined by Jacqui Russon, an occupational therapist and accredited DBT therapist, to explore the overlap between eating disorders and addiction. We talk about the obsessive thinking, shame, rigidity, and emotional pain that can sit beneath both, and what this means for recovery. In this episode, we discuss: The similarities and differences between eating disorders and addictionWhy neither are simply a “choice”Obsessive thoughts, rigidity, and compensatory behavioursThe role of shame, guilt, and emotional avoidanceWhy understanding the function of behaviours mattersDeveloping safer, more supportive coping strategiesAnger, boundaries, and finding your voice in recoveryWhat occupational therapy actually is (and why it matters)Why recovery needs to involve real-life practice, not just talkingConnect with Us: Subscribe to the Full of Beans PodcastFollow Full of Beans on InstagramCheck out our websiteListen on YouTubeConnect with Jacqui via Purpose People or the Nightingale Hospital⚠️ Content Note: This episode includes discussion of eating disorders, addiction and trauma. Please look after yourself as you listen. If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share to help us spread awareness. Sending positive beans your way, Han 💛

    39 min
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5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Full of Beans Podcast: Sharing the Unheard Voices in Eating Disorders Eating disorders are complex, often misunderstood, and wrapped in layers of stigma. That’s why Full of Beans is here - to open up the conversation and foster understanding through real, raw, and research-backed discussions. Hosted by Han, founder of Full of Beans and passionate mental health advocate, this podcast explores eating disorders through the lens of lived experience, clinical expertise, and the latest research. Each week, Han sits down with guests, including individuals with firsthand experiences, clinicians, researchers, and charities, who all share one goal: to raise awareness, challenge misconceptions, and support those affected by eating disorders. With a mix of heartfelt stories and professional insights, Full of Beans is a space for education, advocacy, and connection. Whether you're navigating your own eating disorder journey, supporting a loved one, or working in the mental health field, this podcast is here to provide knowledge, compassion, and hope. Join us in creating a community where eating disorders are understood, and no one feels alone in their struggles. (Please note: This podcast is for awareness and education purposes and is not a substitute for professional therapeutic support.)

Information

  • Creator
    Hannah Hickinbotham
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    272
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © The Full of Beans Podcast 2021
  • Show Website
    The Full of Beans Podcast

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