Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common with women about 30 times more likely to develop one than men. The bacterial infection of a UTI can cause painful burning sensations when urinating, frequent and strong urges to urinate, and changes in the composition of the urine. Antibiotics are the most common first-line treatment for UTIs, but there is growing interest in the role that nutrition-related treatments can play in reducing the risk of developing a UTI in the first place. Enter the most common self-prescribed and best-researched treatment: the humble cranberry. In this podcast, I’ll look at the evidence for cranberries in all their forms for helping to reduce the risk of developing UTIs.Links referred to in the podcastCochrane review of cranberries and the risk of developing UTIs   https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001321.pub6/fullEpisode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

Tendons play a vital part in helping us move. They are a collagen-infused super-strong bridge that connects muscles to bones allowing you to move your limbs. When overused, overloaded or damaged, these same tendons can cause us a lot of pain and movement impairment. Outside of the well-defined medical treatments and physiotherapy rehabilitation programs that assist with recovering from tendon injuries, there has been growing interest in the role of specialised tendon-targeted nutritional supplements in aiding repair and recovery. And for good reason, hydrolysed collagen is a key component of many of these supplements. In this podcast, I’ll look at where the evidence stands for nutritional supplements helping with tendon healing.Links referred to in the podcastReview of nutritional supplements in the management of tendinopathy https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37146985Review of collagen peptide supplementation on joint injury and recovery https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8521576Collagen supplements: the science behind the health benefits https://www.thinkingnutrition.com.au/collagen-supplements-healthSystematic review of the effect of collagen supplements on skin ageing https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/9/2080Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

Do you want to lose weight, boost your metabolism, improve your digestion, detox your body, and have glowing skin all while keeping your body nicely alkalised and in balance? You can. All you need do is start each day with a glass of water with the juice of a freshly squeezed lemon in it. I mean water is good for you. And lemons, being a fruit, are good for you. So why not combine the two and get a quantum level of health-boosting synergy? Okay, so now for a dose of reality as I explore the whole lemon water trend and pull apart those amazing health claims to see what is hype and what is reality. Links referred to in the podcastEffect of lemon juice on the glycaemic response to bread https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35013789Effect of lemon juice on kidney stone recurrence https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8683665Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in the potential negative health effects of lectins. What are lectins? They’re a type of protein found in many plant foods such as legumes, wholegrains and some fruits and vegetables. If you take YouTube clips and popular diet books on their word, then these lectins are harmful to human health and are a major driver of inflammation, weight gain and many chronic diseases. Of course, to believe all this, you need to suspend the reality that humans have been eating these foods for thousands of years and it is only in modern times that we have been hit with all these major health problems. But hey, we need to blame it all on something I guess and lectins seem like a great way to sell books and get website clicks. In this podcast, I’ll explore the role of lectins in the diet, the alleged health risks, and counter that with the health benefits of eating lectin-containing foods.Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

It is something that all regular and not-so-regular exercisers have experienced: muscle pain and soreness in the days following a particularly hard training session. It is the price paid for the benefits exercise, especially resistance training, can have on growing muscle mass and strength, stability, glucose tolerance and bone density. The list of ways that people deal with exercise-induced muscle soreness is long, but in this podcast, I’ll explore one aspect. And that’s how protein helps with the recovery process and how it can be doing you good even if the aches and pains don’t feel any less.Links referred to in the podcastMeta-analysis on the effect of protein supplementation on exercise-induced muscle damage https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-022-01250-yReview of protein timing https://jissn.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1550-2783-10-5Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

Olive oil is a core staple in a Mediterranean-style diet. And it is for good reasons that it takes a central place as a ‘go to’ salad and cooking oil in kitchens around the world. In this age where too many foods are dubiously anointed with the title of ‘superfood’, extra virgin olive oil may just be one food deserving of this name in the oil category. In this podcast, I’ll look at the unique properties of olive oil and delve into what the scientific evidence says about its health benefits.Links referred to in the podcastOlive oil consumption and risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.1041203/fullThe PREDIMED Study https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4030221Coconut oil consumption and cardiovascular disease risk https://academic.oup.com/nutritionreviews/article/74/4/267/1807413Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

If you’re active on social media in the health and nutrition space, it’s very likely you’ve seen health advice over the last few years warning you about the evils of seed oils. These seed oils are toxic don’t you know? And they’re blamed for a whole host of health ills such as inflammation, lowered immunity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer and more. But the reality about seed oils is far less scary and there are few health concerns you need worry about. And likely quite a few health benefits to be gained by having them. In this podcast, I’ll look at what seed oils are, explain where all those health warnings have come from and put this all into context for what it means for your health and the foods you choose to eat.Links referred to in the podcastBlood levels of omega-6 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30971107Cochrane review of omega-6 fatty acids and cardiovascular disease https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD011094.pub4/fullDietary fats and inflammatory markers in IBD https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33084958Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

Nightshades are a group of plants that belong to the Solanaceae family. They include some very commonly eaten foods such as tomatoes, peppers, eggplants and potatoes. These foods have been eaten for centuries by many cultures around the world and are considered a staple food in many traditional diets. Despite this, if you go digging into ‘health and wellness’ advice on the Internet, you’ll sometimes come across health warnings about nightshades. Digestive issues and inflammation feature prominently. In this podcast, I explore the evidence for any health harms arising from eating nightshades and put this into context for the many health benefits that they also provide.Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

From the common cold right through to the flu, it is something most people are faced with many times over in their life. And all of us could do with less coughing, sore throat, runny nose, body aches and fatigue in our lives. Our gut microbiota plays an important part in our immune system, so scientists for some years have looked at how changing our gut microbiota could influence respiratory tract infections. In this podcast, I’ll look at the current state of play for the role of supplemental probiotics, prebiotics and synbiotics in tackling acute respiratory tract infections.Links referred to in the podcastSystematic review of probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics for respiratory tract infections https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35948276Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

What we eat is increasingly recognised as an important element in influencing fertility. With almost one in six couples experiencing fertility problems, knowing more about lifestyle factors such as diet that can alter this has major consequences. Most research in this area has focused on specific nutrients or food groups. But we don’t eat foods or nutrients - we eat whole diets which are described as dietary patterns. In this podcast episode, I profile new research into the area of dietary patterns and fertility to see what clues it can give to an optimal ‘fertility diet’.Links referred to in the podcastDietary patterns and fertility in two large cohorts https://ajcn.nutrition.org/article/S0002-9165(23)03668-7/fulltextEpisode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

Food porn is all about posting and engaging with photos of desirable and stylised food on social media. And those digital images can do real things to our brains. Researchers are now digging below the surface level of social media trends and are exploring how the sharing of food porn images can influence the food choices we make. In this podcast, I look at how that influence can help nudge us in the direction of better food choices.Links referred to in the podcastCan food porn prime healthy eating? https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-022-01139-wAssociation between indulgent descriptions and vegetable consumption: twisted carrots and dynamite beets https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/fullarticle/2630753Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term that describes chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the two most common forms of IBD. In recent years, research into the role of diet in the cause and treatment of IBD has been gaining traction. In this podcast episode, I look at some of that evolving research into potential dietary triggers linked to causing IBD as well as possible treatments for managing IBD with diet.Links referred to in the podcastReview of diet for IBD https://www.nature.com/articles/s41430-021-01051-9Faecal microbiota transplantation for the treatment of IBD https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2020.574533/fullEpisode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

For decades, carbohydrates have been at the centre of sports nutrition guidelines to help maximise physical performance and maintain muscle glycogen levels. But interest in an alternative approach, that being very low-carbohydrate ketogenic diets, has been growing for some time. With the dual aim of reducing body fat and enhancing the use of fat as a primary fuel source during exercise, there are plenty of glowing social media testimonials attesting to the benefits of this way of eating for athletes. But the research evidence for some years has been painting a very different, and often, opposing picture. And that’s what I explore in this podcast episode when I look at the findings of a recent systematic review on the topic of how the keto diet performs on exercise performance and body composition in athletes and trained individuals. Links referred to in the podcastEffect of a ketogenic diet on performance and body composition in athletes and trained individuals https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35757868Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of vision loss in people over the age of 50. AMD is a progressive disease seen as damage to the retina, which can lead to permanent central vision loss and even blindness. Good nutrition is important for eye health. And for many years, a range of nutrients have been specifically promoted as having a role in helping to protect the eye from AMD progression. Much of the evidence to support the role of nutrition in AMD has come from observational research. But there have been some long-term clinical trials using specific nutritional supplements that give a clue to what may work. In this podcast episode, I profile the results from a follow-up study to one of the biggest intervention studies in this area.Links referred to in the podcastNutrition supplements and AMD in the AREDS2 trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35653117Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

Eczema is a general term for rash-like skin conditions with atopic dermatitis being the most common form. Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterised by itching and recurrent eczema patches. Up to 20 percent of children can be affected by atopic dermatitis, but even in adults, it is far from uncommon with prevalence rates of between 1 and 3 percent. One growing area of study in the cause and treatment of atopic dermatitis is the role of the gut and skin microbiome through its effects on our immune system. One area of interest is the role of probiotics in treating eczema. And while much of the research here has been on infants and children, there has been a growing evidence base for adults as well. And that’s what I’ll be exploring in this podcast.Links referred to in the podcastSystematic review of probiotics in adults with atopic dermatitis https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35670101Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

It was my second ever podcast episode released way back in February of 2020, but it has proven to be the most popular. It was titled The User’s Guide to Intermittent Fasting. Now, it is time to revisit the topic of intermittent fasting with an update on the clinical evidence for how fasting stacks up for its effects on body weight and metabolic health compared to other ways of eating. And that’s what I’ll be exploring in this episode by profiling the results of a recent review on this topic.Links referred to in the podcastReview of intermittent fasting vs calorie restricted and unrestricted diets https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35586738Episode transcript|To access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.com Connect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

Advice to ‘eat the rainbow’ has been circulating in the nutrition sphere for some time. And no, it is not a call to action to get more Skittles in your life. Instead, it is all about choosing a variety of fruits and vegetables primarily based on their colour. Red, blue, orange, purple, yellow and green are the important colours here. And those colours occur because of the presence of a family of different polyphenol and other phytonutrient and other phytonutrients naturally found in foods. It is those coloured pigments that could explain many of the health benefits from eating these foods on your longevity, body weight, blood lipids and risk of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes and heart disease. In this podcast episode, I’ll explore the science behind ‘eating the rainbow’.Links referred to in the podcastReview of colourful pigments in fruits and vegetables and health https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/27/13/4061/htmEpisode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

If variety is the spice of life, then for some, a hot chilli dish is the ultimate way to add spice to life. But outside of the Mexican fiesta party happening inside your mouth and the waterworks from your sweat glands, could there be some benefits for your health? It's time to turn up the heat on chillies as I look at the science and health benefits linked to eating them.Links referred to in the podcastEffects of capsaicinoids supplementation on metabolic syndrome https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-020-77983-2Effect of capsaicinoids on sports performance https://journals.humankinetics.com/view/journals/ijspp/16/4/article-p464.xmlEpisode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) are a popular sports supplement with bodybuilders and athletes. But you don’t need to look for them in a bottle as our diet naturally contains them as part of the amino acid building blocks of protein. With claims of increased muscle protein synthesis, decreased muscle protein breakdown, enhanced endurance and less muscle soreness, they seem to be an essential supplement that no athlete can do without. In this episode, I’ll look at those claims and explore the evidence. TL;DR – save your money on BCAA supplements and just eat a variety of high-protein foods which is what athletes pretty much do already.Links referred to in the podcastAIS fact sheet on BCAAs https://www.ais.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0013/1000417/36182_Supplements-fact-sheets_BCAA-v4.pdfEpisode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim

Counselling and medication gain most of the treatment attention for depression, but the promise of dietary changes to help to improve the outlook of people with depression and other common conditions such as anxiety is gaining traction. Welcome to the rapidly moving world of nutritional psychiatry which is uncovering key links between diet and mental health. And one such dietary pattern, the Mediterranean diet, is now building a research base behind it to support a change to the dietary themes this diet promotes to help improve mental health. And that’s what I’ll be exploring more about in this podcast episode.Links referred to in the podcastSMILES trial https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-017-0791-yEffect of a Mediterranean diet with fish oil on depression https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29215971Effect of a Mediterranean diet on depression in young men https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35441666Episode transcriptTo access the full episode transcript, go to the following link and select the individual podcast episode and then click on the ‘Transcript’ tab https://thinkingnutrition.buzzsprout.comConnect with meInstagram: doctimcroweFacebook: Thinking NutritionTwitter: CroweTim