Health feeds Performance podcast

About Health feeds Performance podcast

The Health feeds Performance podcast is hosted by the Centre of Integrative Sports Nutrition (intsportsnutrition.com). Their belief is that for a sportsperson is to achieve their performance goals, they firstly need to aspire towards optimal health. CISN focusses on bridging the gap between performance nutrition ideals and the integrative, or functional, approach in nutrition and health. Interviewer Ian Craig is an exercise physiologist, nutritional therapist, ex-elite athlete, and a practitioner with diverse experience in sport, exercise and health. He is the co-author of Wholesome Nutrition for You and the Textbook of Integrative Sport and Exercise Nutrition, to be published in early 2025. His guests include nutrition, psychology, and exercise specialists, both practitioners and academics, who apply the principles of personalisation and integrative thinking into their professional practice.

Publisher

cisn

Category

health & fitness

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

5 Mar 2024

Latest episode

21 Feb 2025

Latest episodes

12 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   21 Feb 2025

   Natural sports cookery: is 'food' the missing ergogenic for athletes? – Rachel Jesson

   So often within sports nutrition you hear lots of discussion around numbers (for example; grams of carbs, fats and proteins), but not too much mention of the food itself. But surely food forms the basis of nutrition? That is the belief of natural chef and food coach Rachel Jesson - paying attention to how we source and prepare our food can make the difference between health and disease or sporting success and failure. In this podcast, host Ian Craig asks Rachel about the topic of natural sports cookery. Within their discussion, they explore topics such as upgrading to whole foods, energetic nutrition, cooking with our senses, intuitive eating, and how to make foods digestible and assimilable. Additionally, as a health practitioner, Rachel shares her practice style, particularly focussing on helping her clients to nourish their personal relationships with food, which can improve their health and leverage their physical performance. Tune in to learn more! About Rachel Rachel Jesson B.Phys.Ed M.Phil is a teacher at CISN and the School of Natural Cookery and was the first natural chef to extend these cooking methods out into the demanding field of athletic performance; hence being the host of the CISN natural sports cookery course. Rachel insists that for health we need to keep things simple; she takes inspiration from previous generations with regard to the preparation of wholesome food. Rachel is also the co-author of Wholesome Nutrition (with Ian Craig), and therapeutically, within the Nutritional Institute she works as a health food coach, helping individuals to put nutritional interventions into a practical, food-focused form. Website: www.intsportsnutrition.com

2. 

   6 Dec 2024

   Nutrition and training insights for skeletal muscle hypertrophy – Simone do Carmo

   Sports nutritionist Simone do Carmo MSci SENr CISNCert shares evidence-based insights on optimising skeletal muscle hypertrophy through training and nutrition strategies for athletes and healthy ageing.

3. 

   25 Nov 2024

   Cardiovascular nourishment with plant-based polyphenols – Joseph Lillis

   Host Ian Craig and postgraduate sports nutrition researcher Joseph Lillis explore the overlooked role of plant-based polyphenols in cardiovascular nourishment and energy provision.

4. 

   1 Oct 2024

   Nourishing a female athlete’s active phases of life – Karen Harrison

   Any woman will tell you that their health, training, and nutrition needs are different to that of a man, but yet much of the research data in the field of sports nutrition has come from male subjects. So, what if exercise and nutrition practitioners could personalise their advice to the particular needs of female athletes, and in particular, the unique case presentations of individual female clients? Would their health and performance improve? In this podcast, host Ian Craig asks nutrition and genetic practitioner, Karen Harrison, about the way she works with female athletes, which leads into a guided tour of the phases of life in active women. Specifically, Karen addresses the now-popular notion of periodising training and nutrition around the menstrual cycle, she considers the peri-menopausal years, adding nutrition and lifestyle recommendations to make the transition into menopause easier, and she also talks about supporting active ageing women, who have ‘healthspan’ in mind. The ultimate focus of this podcast is to emphasise the individualised health needs of a woman, considering her nutritional intake, exercise training, stress load, and unique hormone rhythms. About Karen Karen Harrison MSc BSc is the owner of Team Gene, providing genetic reports for active individuals, looking into energy production, repair potential, sleep and lifestyle. Her main objective with genetic testing is to create a bespoke report specifically for the individual, depending on their health concerns and the type of training they are doing. Karen is one of 45 alumni from St Mary’s University in Twickenham who completed an MSc in Nutrition and Genetics. She also holds a BSc in Nutritional Science from CNELM, and has been lecturing for seven years in this subject, and has run her own nutrition clinic since 2010. www.teamgene.co.uk

5. 

   20 Aug 2024

   Understanding sudden death syndrome in performance athletes – Heidi du Preez

   It has been estimated that 1 to 3 in 100,000 apparently healthy young athletes die suddenly during exercise; especially in sports like basketball, football, and American football (McKelvie et al., 2022). Cardiac events are considered the most common medical cause of sudden death syndrome in performance athletes: myocarditis, inflammation of the heart muscle, is considered by the American College of Cardiology a very likely reason for such traumatic events, with chronic inflammation and oxidative stress as the main underlying etiological factors. In this podcast, host Ian Craig asks nutritional scientist and practitioner, Heidi du Preez, about the underlying factors that could contribute to sudden cardiac death susceptibility among performing athletes. Included within this discussion is a deep dive into sulphur metabolism and the importance of sulphation for cardiovascular health: the degree and position of sulphate groups in the endothelial layers of the heart has an important effect on its function. Additionally, the factors that contribute to the sulphate pool, and those that deplete it, will be explored. This podcast ultimately aims to provide nutrition and lifestyle strategies that should lesson the likelihood of sudden death syndrome during sporting events. About Heidi Heidi du Preez PhD candidate is a professional registered scientist, specialising in nutritional biochemistry. She obtained a masters degree in food science in 1995, and has been working in the arena of functional medicine since 1999. Heidi is currently registered for a PhD in Clinical Medicine at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, with sulphur metabolism as her area of specialisation. Heidi runs a private nutrition practice in Cape Town, South Africa, and online. She follows a functional approach, applying the principles of precision medicine or personalised medicine, which is based on the concepts of nutritional therapy. She specialises in integrative oncology, environmental illness, heavy metal toxicity, neurological diseases, digestive disorders and systemic candidiasis. Heidi is a co-author of the health recipe book Naturally Nutritious Wholefood Cookbook. Email: heididp@heididupreez.com

6. 

   9 Aug 2024

   What can we learn from the Blue Zones that can empower longevity in sport, and for life? – Prof Justin Roberts

   Since the publication of the Blue Zones book, a National Geographic exploration of areas in the world where many healthy centurions are found, there has been an increasing interest in health and longevity; ‘healthspan’. But, what lessons can we learn from such populations that might be of interest to athletes and active individuals? Professor Justin Roberts has done a lot of research into the Blue Zones, plus has experienced the zone in Sardinia first hand. Podcast host Ian Craig asks him to define key aspects of this way of life, that contribute to incredibly healthy states of wellbeing. Their conversation delves into eating patterns, communities, culture and faith, polyphenols, ‘downshifting’, and symbiosis with the environment. But how do the Blue Zones relate to athletes? More and more active individuals view sport and exercise as a means towards better health and fitness, but the way in which we engage in exercise affects the health or ‘dis-ease’ experienced during it. These learnings also apply to longevity of a sports career (think of the footballer Ronaldo) and duration and quality of life thereafter. Tune in to learn more. About Justin Professor Justin Roberts PhD is a Professor in Nutritional Physiology for Health and Exercise at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge and Director of Research at the Cambridge Centre for Sport & Exercise Science, plus Program Leader for Muscle and Mobility platforms at Danone Nutricia Research. With over 20 years’ experience in sport and exercise physiology and nutrition, Justin’s current research interests include the effect of polyphenol phytonutrients on fat oxidation and cardio-metabolic health, as well as nutrition factors aligned with the ‘muscle-gut-brain’ axis, in particular probiotic and protein interventions to support muscle recovery and adaptations to exercise. He is a registered nutritional therapist with the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). Website: www.aru.ac.uk/people/justin-roberts LinkedIn: /justin-roberts Twitter: @drjustinroberts

7. 

   4 Jul 2024

   Harnessing our metabolism through the lens of nutrigenomics – Emma Beswick

   Although we are genetically 99 per cent the same, differences in our genetic code impact every aspect of our lives: how we look, feel and behave… our DNA is what makes us – Us. Specific to this discussion, our unique code innately impacts our metabolism: how we absorb (digest), transport, and metabolise fats, carbs and proteins for energy, and how we build body tissue or store energy for later use. Emma and Ian discuss the genes that most impact individual ability and preference to use fats or carbs for fuel, and how this knowledge can inform our dietary choices with respect to optimally supporting exercise training, and improving athletic performance. By revealing their personal ‘nutrigenomics of metabolism’ results, Emma and Ian compare and contrast their own unique macronutrient preferences in the context of sport, and also delve into a few genes that are particularly impactful for metabolism. They also consider the micronutrient and phytonutrition needs of these metabolic pathways, along with strategies to improve the metabolic flexibility of an athlete. Ultimately, within potentially quite complex subject matter, the goal of this podcast is to join the dots between a deep dive analysis of the genes of metabolism, and the big picture application of this information within the personal perspective of a sports person. About Emma Emma Beswick Bio MBA, BA (Hons), Dip (NatNut) is an experienced nutritional therapist and co-founder of Lifecode Gx – the foremost nutrigenetic testing and training company. Emma lectures widely on the subject of nutrigenomics and is well known and respected for her knowledge and ability to present complex aspects of nutrigenomics in an accessible and clinically relevant way. As a keen runner (and ‘good for age’ marathoner), she has particular, and personal interests in women’s health, sports nutrition and healthy ageing, and attempts to walk (or run) the talk by applying nutrigenomics in practice. Website: www.lifecodegx.com

8. 

   24 Jun 2024

   Protecting an athlete’s joints with nutrition and lifestyle – Dr Ruth Wilde

   Medically, an athlete’s joints tend to be viewed simply as mechanical structures, to be replaced when they’re worn out! But thankfully Dr Ruth Wilde thinks and works differently – she sees joints as living, breathing tissues, just like the rest of our physiology, which must be nourished by what we consume. What’s more, an athlete’s joints are affected by the training pattens and life load of the individual, plus the inflammation and oxidative stress expressed systemically by gastrointestinal and hormonal imbalances. Host Ian Craig asks Ruth, from a functional medicine perspective, how she assesses the condition of an athlete’s joints, and the types of lifestyle, nutrition and medical interventions she uses to sustain the health of an athlete’s joints for longer. Self-empowerment is critical to any health intervention, and as Ruth makes clear in this podcast interview, when an athlete brings attention to aspects of their lives under their control, including training patterns, nutritional quality, and overall self care, their joints can enjoy a longer active career. Tune in to learn more. Podcast hosted by The Centre for Integrative Sports Nutrition. About Ruth Dr Ruth Wilde MBBCh MRCEM AFMCP is an integrative medicine doctor, who specialises in the sports and rehabilitation field, as well as in health optimisation. She spent 17 years in the British military, training in both emergency medicine and general practice, and supported severely injured military personnel through their recovery. Ruth has tremendous personal insight into the determination and commitment it takes to work through physical and emotional challenges and to re-establish an equilibrium that brings fulfilment. She is an experienced instructor for the UK Resuscitation Council, a member of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and the Institute of Functional Medicine, and has qualifications in Wellbeing Coaching and Personal Training. Website: www.drruthwilde.com

9. 

   21 May 2024

   Why are athletes experiencing anxiety, and what can they can do about it? – Dr Patricia Worby

   Ever since the delayed Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held during the times of Covid 19 restrictions, anxiety in sport has become an evident problem for many athletes. The most publicised case at the time was the highly medalled American gymnast Simone Biles, who withdrew from the women’s gymnastics team competition, suffering from anxiety. But what is causing these anxiety problems in sport, and why does it seem so prevalent now? And what can highly focussed sports people do to maintain mental and emotional steadiness? These are just some of the questions that Ian will pose to his guest Dr Patricia Worby during this deeply applied and insightful mindbody discussion. With the goal of consistent training and improved performances, mindbody resonance is of fundamental importance to overcome anxiety in sport, and according to Patricia, to achieve this we must lead life with our heart more than our (over) analytical mind. Tune in to learn more. Podcast hosted by The Centre for Integrative Sports Nutrition. About Patricia Dr Patricia Worby PhD is a therapist, educator and author who uses somatic trauma therapy to release trapped emotional energy in the autonomic nervous system, which can cause symptoms of anxiety, fatigue and pain. A former university and NHS scientist and researcher, Patricia has developed her unique protocol to release childhood imprints of chronic stress, leading to recovery from chronic conditions such as anxiety, ME/CFS and fibromyalgia. She is the author of seven books on natural medicine and psychology (the Mindbody Collection), including the ground-breaking The Scar That Won’t Heal which focusses on chronic stress and the creation of disease. Patricia is currently writing her opus Emotional Alchemy, about the practice of creating altered states to release unconscious imprints. Therapy, courses and group programmes: www.alchemytherapies.co.uk Books and education: www.patriciaworby.com

10. 

    29 Apr 2024

    Using functional laboratory testing to optimise physical excellence – Dr Warren Brown

    The integrative systems biology perspective is slowly and progressively seeping into sport and exercise nutrition practice. This way of working considers the health of an athlete’s digestive tract, neuroendocrine, immune, and musculoskeletal systems, along with factors such as mitochondrial energy production from available macronutrients; all of which can be measured by laboratory testing. Dr Brown has honed his craft to assess the state of these body systems using functional laboratory testing, and talks to Ian Craig about his clinical experiences. In this podcast, Warren considers what is different about an athlete’s body compared to that of a lay person, and shares some of his favourite tests that he uses in a sporting context. What’s more, not all important clinical information can be found in laboratory test reports, no matter how detailed, so Warren tells Ian about the ‘X-factors’ that he includes within the assessment and treatment of his athletic clients. Podcast hosted by The Centre for Integrative Sports Nutrition. About Warren Dr. Warren Brown earned his doctorate degree from The School of Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University in Seattle, Washington, followed by completion of a CNME-accredited, clinical residency program in Tacoma, Washington. He has lectured at functional medicine conferences worldwide on the topic of laboratory testing and was a contributor to the 5th Edition of the Textbook of Natural Medicine. Since 2012, Dr. Brown has been helping athletes and active individuals to reach their highest levels of health and performance through his advanced clinical program. He currently serves as the Clinical Science Liaison for Genova Diagnostics, as well as a laboratory consultant for medical staff from several professional sports teams and Olympic teams. www.ca4sport.com

11. 

    21 Mar 2024

    The Goldilocks Zone: is there a sweet spot for sporting adaptations? – Paul Ehren and Alex Kirchin

    In the current sporting arena, we are surrounded by extreme practices: extreme training regimes, extreme dietary manipulations, and extreme lifestyle measures. These are intended to create a hormetic driver to stimulate a physiological response for the betterment of certain health parameters and sporting adaptations. And in many cases that’s exactly what happens. But how much is too much? How many tough training sessions can your body handle before maladaptation, injury, illness, and overtraining ensue? How regularly can you exercise fasted before running out of the ‘fuel for the work required’? And just how often can you immerse yourself in cold water before your body stops adapting in a desirable manner? These are just some of the questions that Ian posed to his guests Paul Ehren and Alex Kirchin during this philosophical and applied discussion of sporting adaptations. If we can assume that health is a requisite to sporting success, it will then be pertinent for sport and exercise practitioners to help their athletic clients find the sweet spot for physiological health and sporting adaptations. Not too hard, not too soft; not too hot, not too cold; and not too little, not too much. Podcast hosted by The Centre for Integrative Sports Nutrition. About Paul and Alex Paul K Ehren. Following a successful career in the City of London, Paul formed his own personal fitness consultancy based in Essex and East London, which he has now run for over 20 years. During this period, Paul competed as a Masters Bodybuilder and in a career that spanned some 20 years, became British Champion and also won various regional and international titles. The lack of competitions and the uncertainty surrounding the Covid pandemic forced Paul to retire from competition at the age of 62. Paul’s current focus on ‘HealthSpan’ for practitioners and for clients has been prompted by observations he has made along the way in his career, together with reflections on his own life experience. Paul believes that individuals who work at the ‘coal face’ of practitioner-client interaction are best placed to navigate a path through the plethora of sometimes conflicting advice on healthy ageing, and to guide athletes to maintain optimal functional health throughout life stages. From extensive client experience he is well equipped to discuss sporting adaptations. Website – www.paulkehren.co.uk Twitter – @PaulEhren Facebook – @pketraining Alex Kirchin MSc is a nutritionist, lecturer, and product formulator. He began to explore the role of diet, health and performance in the 1980s when attending catering college and working as a professional vegetarian chef in London. He then entered the world of nutrition, completing his nutritional therapy studies at the Institute for Optimum Nutrition, an MSc in Nutritional Medicine from Surrey University, and a Herbal Medicine qualification at the University of Westminster.  Since those formative years Alex enjoyed privileged positions as the technical director for prestigious global food supplement companies, but he always retained a keen interest in phytochemistry; examining how specific nutrients and botanical interventions could optimise physiological functioning and lead to improved health and performance. Alex’s interest in phytochemistry led him to develop a range of nutrition products that are underpinned by phytonutrient-rich, micronutrient-dense formulations that support the demands of active lifestyles, reflecting the challenges of the Scandinavian outdoor lifestyle. This resulted in an award winning, contemporary food supplement range, NORDIQ Nutrition. Website: www.nordiqnutrition.com Email: alex@nordiqnutrition.com

12. 

    5 Mar 2024

    Immunity tips for athletes to thrive during the winter months – with Amy Desborough

    Most athletes are only afraid of two things – injury and illness. Unfortunately, for many athletes the winter months can coincide with heavier training volumes or tough competition schedules, which can increase the incidence of an upper respiratory tract infection, or other type of illness. Immunity tips for athletes form a vital part of maintaining a regular training programme throughout the year. In this interview, Ian Craig asks Amy Desborough, athlete and nutritional therapist, about what active individuals can do to support their immune system during the colder months. As you will hear, there are many immune strategies available to us, from basic lifestyle strategies through to specific supplement support. Ian and Amy discuss the germ versus terrain theory of immunity, plus the effect that training load, stress, compromised sleep, and lack of rest can have on immunity for athletes. They also consider specialised immune strategies, including yoga and cold water immersion, and how much of these we should potentially be doing. Then they engage in a nutrition discussion, including consideration of a ‘rainbow diet’, anti-inflammatory strategies, and how to maintain vibrant gut-based immunity. Immune-supporting nutrition supplements are also discussed; including vitamins and minerals, such as vitamins C and D, the methylating B-vitamins, CoQ10, and zinc; plus certain speciality supplements like beta glucans and immune-active mushrooms. Podcast hosted by The Centre for Integrative Sports Nutrition. About Amy Amy Desborough BA(Hons) PGCE NutDip BANT CNHC CISNCert has been a nutritional therapist for 13 years. She trained initially with The College of Naturopathic Medicine and is registered with BANT and CNHC. During the past 10 years she has continued to train in various disciplines, including kinesiology, the Certificate of Integrative Sports Nutrition course, and more recently, the Lifecode GX Nutrigenomics Practitioner Programme. Her main areas of interest are in supporting gut health and autoimmune conditions for athletes and non-athletes. Amy lives in Pembrokeshire in Wales, seeing clients in person and from all over the country via Zoom. Website: www.eatwell-feelwell.co.uk Email: amy@eatwell-feelwell.co.uk

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

4,440

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Podcast Authority Score: 20 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

13

Social presence

0

YouTube

68

Engagement

0

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