Delicious Ways to Feel Better

We talk to psychologist Ethan Kross – a world expert on controlling the conscious mind – on how we can harness the ongoing chatter in our heads, the ongoing internal conversation, to silence streams of self-doubt from our inner critic. From how ruminating on negative thoughts impacts on our relationships, work, physical health and stress levels; to why venting our emotions isn’t the answer and the tools we need to stop ruminating on negativity and catastrophising.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We talk to Dr Rangan Chatterjee on finding healthy habits, why we need to move away from quick fixes and why we need to look after ourselves as a whole; from finding a healthy weight and stopping yo-yo dieting to the role of sleep and bedtime routines, moving our bodies, morning rituals, getting outside and the impact of stress.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Why do we respond more to the negative over the positive; to criticism more than praise? Why do we worry so much? How can we stop our negative thought patterns? Science shows this negative thinking is innate, it’s our negativity bias and it explains why negative events and emotions affect us more strongly than positive ones. Our guests today, John Tierney and Roy Baumeister, explain why our brains work in this way and how we can recognise the negativity effect and break destructive patterns.    Ella and Matt’s recommendations: This Is Us, History Hit, Tudor Dynasties and Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library John Tierney and Roy Baumeister, The Power of Bad  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dr Alan Desmond, an NHS consultant with over twenty years of clinical experience, joins us to talk about the science behind a plant-based diet, the latest research and how it can help all of our wellbeing. Dr Desmond specialises in gastroenterology and the effect what we eat has both on our gut health and our overall wellbeing, he’s revolutionary in the sense that he prescribes a plant-based diet to his patients and he’s seen first-hand the extraordinary impact it can have.   Dr Alan Desmond, The Plant Based Diet Revolution  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The last year has been full of unprecedented, unexpected, uncertain moments, which have thrown many of us through a loop. Today we talk to Gelong Thubten, a Buddhist monk, about how we can sit with that fear, how we can stop our minds from racing ahead and projecting into the future and how we can find moments of calm even when the world feels upside down. We look at the many positives, the irony of missing our busy lives and how we can cultivate more compassion and appreciation of lockdown; as well as the questions we should be asking ourselves in our collective quest for happiness when our external pick-me-up’s aren’t there.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

We take a look at the simple, every day practices that can transform our mental and physical health from what we eat to how we sleep, the role of exercise, water and moments of calm. We’re answering all the key questions on why your five-a-day matters, why gut health has such a big impact on our wellbeing, what mindfulness means and whether we really need eight hours of sleep.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Ella and Matt reflect on 2020 from May’s birth story to navigating a business through the covid crisis, plans for next year, their personal favourite recipes and what happens behind the scenes at Deliciously Ella. A Monk's Guide To Happiness: Gelong Thubten   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

With the world feeling increasingly uncertain and scary, finding the humour in life can often be a struggle but in this week's episode, Ella talks to author Naomi Bagdonas about why it's more important than ever. Despite seeming like a frivolous thing, they explore how humour has the power to actually connect us more as humans as well as the science on why it can impact our physical and mental health and ultimately our wellbeing. Jennifer Aaker and Naomi Bagdonas: Humour, Seriously  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Leading wellness speaker Gabby Bernstein talks about shifting the lens on the life we lead to create more ease, joy, calm and centring. From the importance of internalising our self-worth to why rock bottom can be a good thing, choosing to be open to new perspectives, stepping away from judgement, affirmations, self-sabotage, stress management and why doing the work to make the change isn’t always easy  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

An empowering conversation on the power of supporting one another with Cyndie Spiegel. We talk about turning complex emotions like jealousy into positive paths of self-awareness, grace and curiosity; why supporting one another starts with compassion for ourselves and overcoming imposter syndrome; how to build bridges even when we feel uncomfortable and why it’s ok to be ourselves, even if that doesn’t make everyone happy.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Vex King, the #1 best-selling author of Good Vibes, Good Life talks about how to shift your mindset, how he overcame huge obstacles to create the life he wanted and in doing so learnt to truly internalise positivity and gratitude. We talk about the importance of stopping seeing yourself as a victim in order to move forwards, the balance between positive well-being practices and a chasing of perfectionism, why the idea of self-love is misunderstood and how we can allow change in our lives.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pauline Beaumont – therapist, author, mum of six and passionate baker – outlines the importance of slow, calming, mindful activities for nurturing our mental health. We talk about why balancing the frenetic, technology led parts of our lives with activities that allow us to find more presence, creativity and community is so important, why we need to celebrate life’s imperfections, what simple ingredients like flour and water can teach us about life and how emotional eating plays a role in our everyday.   Pauline Beaumont, Bread Therapy  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Dr Daniel Lieberman, a Harvard professor, talks us through why we’re over simplifying exercise in the modern world; why ‘just do it’ doesn’t work and why exercise really does matter. We look at how it’s connected to our mental and physical health, from coronavirus to depression; whether there is an optimal form or duration of exercise; how we’ve evolved – the biological and anthropological foundations of movement and whether sitting is the new smoking?   Book: Daniel Lieberman, Exercised Our app: IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/deliciously-ella-app/id1445510165?mt=8 Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.deliciouslyella.delella  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tal Ben-Shahar created the most popular course in Harvard’s history, studying the science of happiness. He guides us through the universal pillars of happiness from the importance of learning and curiosity to our relationships, meaning and purpose, as well as the universal detractors from the downfall of technology to the gap in our expectations, the modern rat race and the misunderstanding of the connection between, wealth, success and happiness.   Poem – The Guest House by Rumi Book – Happier by Tal Ben-Shahar The Happiness Studies Academy - https://www.happinessstudies.academy  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Our September back to school special is on how to de-stress and de-clutter your life, looking at how we can bring more joy, ease and efficiency into our every day. We talk to author of Life Skills Erin Zammett Ruddy about morning routines, skipping the snooze button, boosting our energy in three minutes, organising the house, creating a positive working from home environment, streamlining our overflowing inboxes, de-stressing in less than a minute, meditation, saying no and walking into a room with confidence with tips from wellness leaders like Arianna Huffington and Dr Oz.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.