Push Pull Health

#30 | Is It Time To Cast Away Your Multivitamin?

Ben Davis Season 1 Episode 30

What does your rotten health attitude struggle with most?

Ever wonder if those multivitamins you're taking are actually doing anything? 

You're not alone. 

In this eye-opening exploration of micronutrients, we cut through the confusion and marketing hype to reveal what your body genuinely needs and what's just expensive urine.

The truth about vitamin deficiencies is surprisingly nuanced. While many of us associate true deficiency with severe conditions like scurvy or rickets, there's a vast middle ground where we're not technically "deficient" but definitely underperforming. Think of it like your car – when it's truly deficient in oil, warning lights flash and it breaks down. But long before that point, it runs inefficiently, spluttering through the week while you wonder why your energy and performance aren't what they could be.

Vitamin D emerges as perhaps the most critical supplement for anyone living in the UK and Europe. With minimal sunlight exposure, especially during winter months, nearly everyone falls short of optimal levels. The therapeutic dose range far exceeds what most people get through diet alone. This isn't just about bone health – vitamin D impacts everything from immune function to mood regulation and potentially even strength gains and fat loss.

We also tackle the complex relationship between different nutrients. 

Calcium without vitamin D is largely wasted, as your body needs the latter to absorb the former properly. Iron absorption varies dramatically between animal sources (heme iron) and plant sources (non-heme iron), with various compounds in food either enhancing or blocking uptake. These interactions explain why simply popping a multivitamin isn't the solution many hope for.

Perhaps most surprisingly, we reveal how many "sleep-enhancing" supplements like magnesium might actually be working through the placebo effect and improved sleep habits rather than direct physiological mechanisms. 

Whether you're feeling chronically fatigued, struggling with recovery, or want to optimise your nutrition, this episode provides the evidence-based framework to make informed decisions about supplementation. Because as we discovered, taking a multivitamin with your McMuffin doesn't make it a balanced meal.

With a temper as short as her legs, Fiona joins Ben every week to forcefully "Push Your Health From The Pulls Of Life."

Expect Foul-mouthed narcissistic ramblings on fitness, nutrition, film, and life's daily rot.

This weekly audio & video expansion on the world-famous 'The Daily (ish) Rot' email and video ramblings also includes:

Usefully Useless Fitness and Diet Advice.
Half-arsed film reviews.
The exploitation of children.
True Crime recommendations.
Nutritious leprechaun-inspired recipes (short and to the point)
Narcissistic wisdom.

WHO THE FU*K ARE WE?

Howdy,

I'm Ben, the only 'health' coach (not a life coach) who allows you to embrace your Rotten attitude towards exercise and nutrition!

Empowering You to give the middle finger to your yo-yo diet and half-arsed exercise routine in JUST 30 Days!

Are you sick of yo-yo-ing from one restrictive diet and hideous exercise plan to the next, begging for it to end so you can slip back into old habits?

Only to start the same rotten cycle again?

YOUR COMPLIMENTARY 30 DAY DIET KICK-UP-THE-ARSER

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Speaker 1:

We're off, let's go. How's the camera? Camera's good. How's the light?

Speaker 2:

Good.

Speaker 1:

That's not even facing me, that light's not even facing me. It's not even facing me grip, it's facing you.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I need all the light I can get Drown me out. Keep this in. Oh yeah, and that's really facing you, that's facing the wall. Oh, up again. Musical bloody chairs here okay, let's go.

Speaker 1:

Let's go full start. Full start because the grip is useless. The lights were terrible.

Speaker 2:

Oh, one job they were perfectly fine the lights one job. I actually think you've made a worse job of it, but that's my opinion. We're all entitled to them let's go let's go. Who are you ben?

Speaker 1:

ben ben, push pull health. I'm bad push pull. This is push pull health.

Speaker 2:

That's mnuU, evidence based nutrition wonderful, and how do they tie in together? Evidence based nutrition yeah, and push, pull health. What does that mean?

Speaker 1:

so I am an evidence based practitioner for what? Everything nutrition, but I'm studying MNU excellent. Wow, I might have to take this blazer off. It's hot. Yes, it's summer, oh dear. Oh, this blazer off. It's hot. Yes, it's summer, oh dear. Oh, this is quite hot actually.

Speaker 2:

It's really hot, oh wow.

Speaker 1:

Oh God, yeah, the reason I'm wearing a blazer. This is the first episode you've watched of the MNU series side series. I'm trying to be more professional. Mnu is an established, very professional organisation, so I'm wearing a blazer which I'm sweltering in Dedication Ben. I just hope the wonderful people who run MNU are sort of in on the joke that I'm here in my Batman pyjamas wearing a blazer and I'm not sullying the good name of MNU. I'm like this guy's a bit of a clown but he's good and he's giving good information, evidence-based information around nutrition Personally.

Speaker 1:

Sorry.

Speaker 2:

I've learned lots personally.

Speaker 1:

There we go.

Speaker 2:

And I'm helping, you aren't I?

Speaker 1:

I'm trying to appeal to the masses while talking about evidence-based research. It's not easy.

Speaker 2:

No.

Speaker 1:

I'm very hot.

Speaker 2:

Take it all off.

Speaker 1:

Okay, so, yeah, more of the same. We're just going to have you, the lame person, over there reading out all this stuff.

Speaker 2:

The dyslexic person reading out all this stuff.

Speaker 1:

I know Well how do you do it it's a lot, isn't it? It's a lot. Okay, we're just going to get in and get out.

Speaker 2:

Okay, but I don't know how else to do it. Let's get in then.

Speaker 1:

How else do you do it?

Speaker 2:

By getting in.

Speaker 1:

For many people this is probably quite a boring subject. Be very useful.

Speaker 2:

Yes, even though it could be very boring. Lots of words, lots of recommendations. Shall we get in?

Speaker 1:

what's the title of this episode? Cast away the multivitamin uh, yeah, sorry it's, it probably should be. It will be called. Should you cast away your multivitamin vitamin vitamin?

Speaker 2:

vitamin, then we're not sure Vitamin Vitamin.

Speaker 1:

So we're going to be doing the film Cast Away very briefly, because that's all part of the shtick here, but I think that's a pretty good title, isn't it? It is, it is. Should you cast away your multivitamin? Oh, you're so clever, mnu. This is serious. Like this is serious. Mnu is very serious yes, I'm here, ben.

Speaker 2:

So first of all, what are micronutrients? They are vitamins and minerals needed in small amounts. The vitamins include fat soluble A, d, e, k versus water soluble B, complexcomplex and C. Minerals include iron, calcium, magnesium, zinc.

Speaker 1:

We use the RNI. Even you know it's a joke. Even you know, even you can't keep a straight face.

Speaker 2:

The reference nutrient intake, that's interesting.

Speaker 1:

Okay, that's not very professional, is it?

Speaker 2:

I knew you were going, let me just jump in here very quickly.

Speaker 1:

So there's lots of. You'll see lots of terms and lots of ways of talking about micronutrients RDA, rni. There's just lots. It's very it can be very confusing and some vitamins have got their own term, very confusing, so we're just going to stick with R-N-I.

Speaker 2:

R-N-I. Yes, so when I say or, I mean R. Yeah, okay, there we go so.

Speaker 1:

R-N-I is.

Speaker 2:

R-N-I Reference nutrient. Reference nutrient intake.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so anything that we talk about, any vitamins that we talk about, we will say the RNI, sorry, vitamins, not vitamins vitamins, vitamins. This is for a global audience. Oh, we'll be talking about them and saying the RNI for this vitamin.

Speaker 1:

Vitamin is so and so we won't get too bogged down in that. If you need any support, go to examinecom. You can't go too wrong, of course. Do mnu, do mnu. But you can't go too wrong by going to examinecom and type in the micronutrient or the mineral and that should give you a good indication. That should give you a good indication. That should get you started.

Speaker 2:

Or just listen to this podcast.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and listen to this as well. This may confuse you more than anything.

Speaker 2:

The RNI, the reference nutrient intake is the bare minimum to avoid deficiency. It's not the ideal amount for performance, energy or recovery.

Speaker 1:

Okay, that was a slow start. Let's go, let's motor.

Speaker 2:

Water versus fat-soluble vitamins. Fat-soluble include A, d, e and K. They are stored in the body's fat tissues and liver. You okay, you can overdose. I had to move and I got really distracted.

Speaker 1:

Give that one more go, because we need to move on, we need to move on.

Speaker 2:

Water versus fat soluble vitamins oh from the beginning. Okay, Would you please stop interrupting because you're just delaying.

Speaker 1:

Sorry about that.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, water versus fat soluble vitamins. Fat soluble include A, d, e and K stored in the body's fat tissue and liver. You can overdo these if supplementing stupidly.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, be careful.

Speaker 2:

Take what meals that contain fat for better absorption, water soluble, include B-complex and C. They are not stored. The excess is peed out. You need a regular supply through diet. Taking more doesn't mean you'll absorb more, it just means expensive wheat Can do.

Speaker 1:

Or urine more doesn't mean you'll absorb more. It just means expensive weed can do on your own. Yeah, certainly, car analogy. So this is actually pretty good. This isn't. This isn't me, unfortunately. I wish it was. This is from. I heard this from greg knuckles. Oh, stronger by science he's. He's very intelligent, very renowned person in the industry okay and this is the issue with some of these topics.

Speaker 1:

So I would have listened to and read 10 to 15 hours worth of information around micronutrients and I'm sitting here getting you to try and read all this out and condense this into an hour. It's tough, isn't it? And on top of the mnu lectures, do you see my point? I? Do it's very difficult to take all these subjects, which I find very interesting. But I'm on a cliffhanger here and condense them into an hour's podcast. It's very hard.

Speaker 2:

I'm on a cliffhanger. I'm waiting for this care analogy.

Speaker 1:

Oh, okay, sorry, right, yeah, so Greg Knuckles. Yeah, so he. So they five part series on micronutrients, five parts which were like two and a half hours each.

Speaker 2:

I've listened to them all. I'm still on the cliff.

Speaker 1:

So, out of those ten plus hours of info in terms of micronutrients, deficient, inefficient, we're going to use the car analogy Just to clarify what we're talking about.

Speaker 2:

So think of micronutrients like food and fuel in your car.

Speaker 1:

Like fuel and oil in your car.

Speaker 2:

What did I say?

Speaker 1:

Food. You can have food in the car. Yeah, it doesn't run the car.

Speaker 2:

So when your car is deficient it'll have warning lights, it'll stall and it'll break down. If it's running insufficiently, the engine's running, but badly, it's spluttering through the week. So the adequate RNI is fine for basic errands, not for race days or performances. If you want strength, sharpness, better recovery, you need more than the minimum. Deficiency means there's a serious problem Insufficiency you are underperforming, but still functioning, and adequate enough to avoid issues, but not necessarily thrive.

Speaker 1:

Okay, is it my notes? Fiona, seems like you're struggling a little bit this week, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

You okay.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I'm okay, thanks.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, just tired of a date. Maybe we need to look at the show. Yeah, we're getting more and more subscribers every day, fiona, maybe we need to look at the show, but I just need to conserve my energy. I'm the talent. I need to conserve my energy, so I'll get you to read it out. Shall we continue? Did that make sense? Yes, it did. If you're deficient if you're actually deficient in something you trouble, I don't think you're gonna be walking around. If you're deficient in a certain vitamin or mineral for a sustained period of time, actually deficient, you'll be unwell very quickly.

Speaker 2:

I think that's the point oh yeah, if you're truly deficient well, when you think about vitamin d. If you're really deficient in vitamin D or C, then you're kind of in trouble, aren't you? Especially when you get older.

Speaker 1:

Vit C is scurvy, isn't it, the old Vit C?

Speaker 2:

That's what came to mind, and then osteoporosis for the D.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, along with calcium, which we'll get to. I had planned on doing micronutrients and hydration again, just not feasible wildly unrealistic. And hydration, god it's.

Speaker 1:

It's very boring hydration is key oh, it's so boring but not too much it's really boring, so we might do an episode with it in briefly, but this was just about people obsessing is Is this a thing? Do you think this is a thing? Yes, people the last few years have started to get really giddy about increasing their hydration. And all these big water bottles have come out and it's oh God.

Speaker 2:

Yes, you need two liters per day.

Speaker 1:

Take it easy. That's it. Take it easy, not five, not ten, don't worry about it too much. Not three five. So this was just about if you are drinking excessively. If you jumped on the obsession with this whole, you must be hydrated, bandwagon that you might be peeing out a lot of minerals and vitamins.

Speaker 2:

All you have to say is obsessing over clear wee, and drinking five litres of water a day may leave you less nourished if you're not replacing the minerals that you're weeing out.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

So the nutrients we're checking out, the most important one is vitamin D. Well, it's not the most important one, but important one is vitamin D. So the RNI is about 400 units per day for both men and women. Who's at risk of being deficient in vitamin D? Basically everyone in the UK, especially those with darker skin.

Speaker 1:

Europe Should have said Europe, really Okay well yeah, For the most part in terms of how much? Sunlight we're getting.

Speaker 2:

Yes, so the therapeutic dose range is between 2,000 to 4,800 units per day. This may be effective for correcting deficiency and maintaining levels long term. So why does vitamin D matter? It boosts immune function. It supports calcium absorption for bone health. It reduces fracture risk, especially those who are older. Deficiencies are linked to cardiovascular disease, cancer, irritable bowel disease and autoimmune disorders. It may reduce depressive symptoms.

Speaker 1:

it potentially improves strength and fat loss oh yes, I don't think I included the notes. That did I. As to why, no, no, okay, so improves insulin sensitivity, which may help reduce fat storage, support appetite regulation and mood. And strength wise, I think it's. I didn't write this down. Strength wise, I think it's. I didn't write this down. Strength wise. I think it's to do with an increase in type 2 fibres, fast twitch and then also just overall muscle function, especially for people who are older and potentially perimenopausal women and you hear about brittle bones all the time, don't you?

Speaker 2:

Yes, in high doses Osteoporosis yes absolutely Most foods, such as eggs, fortified milk, cereals, provide small amounts, tiny amounts, of vitamin D. Realistically, you will not hit the recommended nutritional intake from diet alone. In the UK and europe most people need to supplement with vitamin d3, especially from october to march. Why?

Speaker 1:

because there's less sun yeah, yeah, bombshell, you didn't know, you didn't notice it gets darker a little bit earlier, you know did we get any of it d from those?

Speaker 2:

absolutely not. Oh, it's not natural then, is it?

Speaker 1:

uh, anything worth reading out or expanding upon. Lots of notes there. So vit d very important. I didn't mention how long you need in direct sunlight to start for your body to start producing vitamin D. I believe it's 15 to 20 minutes. What's the IU number for how much your body is able to create during that 15 to 20 minute burst of sunlight? Go and double check that. That's some homework for you.

Speaker 2:

There you go Write in the notes comment section. We're testing you now. Don't forget to wear your sun cream, though. If it's hot and someone's out for 20 minutes, you need to wear your sun cream. Very important, no see?

Speaker 1:

that's not very good advice.

Speaker 2:

I don't think.

Speaker 1:

Why this is the issue? Because if you're out in the sun for 15 to 20 minutes, Well, surely you'll be popping back out later. This is one of the reasons why the VIT-D thing has become a bit of a problem.

Speaker 2:

Why. Because, Don't tell me sun cream sucks it For kids, for example.

Speaker 1:

So kids who go outside to play for 15 minutes it's a nice sunny day do they need to be wearing sun cream? I'm not trying to be controversial. I'm not trying to say let your kids go out for two hours in 30 degree heat with no sun cream. But if they're wearing a hat, for example, and they're just going outside for 15 minutes just to run around and play and be kids, have fun, they need to be slathered with sun cream.

Speaker 2:

Well, no, but if they're going out with no hat on, no t-shirt on, oh, they've got a hat, there's a hat, no t-shirt, hat and t-shirt. Well then, yeah, because your risk areas are less exposed, but if you're going out for anything longer, then yeah, of course you need sun cream yes right. But then it'd be very hard coming back in at 20 past 12. They'll want to go out more.

Speaker 1:

I'm talking more specifically around school.

Speaker 2:

Yeah you send children to school with sun cream now.

Speaker 1:

Yes, that's fine, but what I'm saying is that a bit OTT If they're already covered as well. So kids have got a hat on, they've got a t-shirt on, so their legs and their forearms are out. That's the only part of their body that's actually in direct contact with the sun. And there they are with their factor 50 on. In the UK, for example, in Europe, where people are already potentially deficient.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, but my argument is does sun cream block it? Vitamin D Absorption no.

Speaker 1:

Well, it blocks the sun. It blocks the sun's rays, doesn't it?

Speaker 2:

It blocks the UV rays. It makes it a lot harder. It just blocks the UV rays, the harmful rays.

Speaker 1:

That's going to stop absorption. That's going to slow down absorption from the sun. You're blocking the UV rays, you're blocking the sun from hitting the skin, so it's going to make it harder for your body to start creating vitamin D based on being in the UK or Europe where we're not getting a lot of sun.

Speaker 2:

So vitamin D is technically a hormone, not just a vitamin. Your body produces it via UVB exposure to the skin, so poor sunlight exposure is limited production, especially in the UK and Europe. So vitamin D isn't just a vitamin, it's a hormone you probably aren't making but definitely aren't eating enough of.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's hard to get into your food. Yeah, it's hard to get into your diet.

Speaker 2:

it's hard to get into your diet, so you should be supplementing yes, yes, especially if you are in europe yes or yeah, or do you care?

Speaker 1:

and you can take a week's worth in one hit. So if you are trying to get up to that 4000 threshold, you can supplement all in one hit, so you haven't got to worry about taking a supplement every day. The only thing with vit d is being conscious of having it with food, ideally with food that's higher in fat to help with absorption. That's where I went wrong. I was taking my vit d tab in the morning oh no, you need to eat first. On an empty stomach.

Speaker 2:

That's why I always forget.

Speaker 1:

So well I say it's not the end of the world. It will just help with absorption if you're eating it with food.

Speaker 2:

Especially fat.

Speaker 1:

Yes, Okay, right, that's anything else to say about vitamin D.

Speaker 2:

No, it's all been said.

Speaker 1:

Vitamin D Vitamin D vitamin, vitamin vit.

Speaker 2:

Calcium Calcium. The recommended nutritional intake is 700 mg per day per adults. Why does it matter? It is essential for our bones, teeth, muscle contraction and blood clotting. The chronic shortfall is weaker bones over time. Vitamin D required for proper absorption. So you need vitamin D with vitamin C. Without it, calcium will not be absorbed effectively into the gut. So vitamin D deficiency often means calcium deficiency. So symptoms of a vitamin C deficiency muscle cramps, brittle nails, weak bones, confusion. The long-term effect.

Speaker 2:

The long-term effect I have obeyed that the long-term effects include higher risk of osteoporosis, especially in post-menopausal women and adults. Food Food sources of vitamin C include dairy, fortified plant milks, tofu, sardines, leafy greens. Calcium on your plate doesn't mean calcium in your bones. If you're short on vitamin D, it may never get there.

Speaker 1:

I'm trying not to use the word deficient. I'm getting stressed now I'm making myself stressed, but I think we've established what we mean by being properly deficient. So I'm going to continue using deficient, just because it's. It's an easier term than saying inefficient or lack of, maybe lack of, but we've clarified, haven't we, fiona, what what true deficiency means. So if I keep using the term, you could be deficient in this Technically.

Speaker 2:

You might just be lacking.

Speaker 1:

You might just be lacking.

Speaker 2:

yes, Because if you were truly deficient, you would really know about it.

Speaker 1:

You'd be in hospital. Yeah, you'd be in bed, is that fine?

Speaker 2:

That's fine Ben.

Speaker 1:

That's not too confusing.

Speaker 2:

No, I don't think so. I think, people will hopefully get it.

Speaker 1:

Okay, great, anything to say about that.

Speaker 2:

I'm not finished.

Speaker 1:

No.

Speaker 2:

The vitamin D and the calcium link. Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium efficiently. As we said, without enough vitamin D, calcium from food or supplements cannot be used properly and it can lead to bone loss over time. Pair them if you are supplementing, especially if dairy-free or over 50. Calcium, vitamin D they work together. So, vitamin D, take your vitamin C with it, hand in hand. Two peas in a pod A couple.

Speaker 1:

Calcium.

Speaker 2:

Vitamin D and calcium.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, vitamin D and C you've just said.

Speaker 2:

Oh, I'm in calcium always no worries.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I think I'm finding during this episode that this is tough. This is tough because this is useful information. Of course, it's evidence-based, it's the best, but for the average person is it just like, just like, oh, give it a rest, give it a rest.

Speaker 2:

Just take your vitamins.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I know, but even that it's just more stuff to worry about, isn't it? I'm trying to find a form of exercise I can stomach and a diet I can stick to A diet, any diet that I can stick to for longer than 10 minutes. And now you're telling me that I need to take all these supplements as well. Two, and I'm deficient in this and that, and I'll give it a rest. Two, but do you see what I'm trying to say?

Speaker 2:

It has to come hand in hand. So what's the point? Do you want to? I don't know. Perform better, take your vitamins.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Or do you want to just get by?

Speaker 1:

As of recording, it's been a pretty rough week.

Speaker 2:

It has.

Speaker 1:

We've lost a couple of big hitters in the world, haven't we?

Speaker 2:

We have.

Speaker 1:

So this links in. This links in perfectly. Do you know the holster Hulk Hogan?

Speaker 2:

I do. Do you know his?

Speaker 1:

famous catchphrase no. There's a few of them, but Say your prayers and eat your vitamins, and if you do those two, you'll be as big and strong as the Hulkster was. Didn't mention the anabolics. But apart from that, do those two things and you'll be like Hulk Hogan one day. Rip.

Speaker 2:

Yes.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I won't go too much into Hulk Hogan because I know a lot of people didn't like him too much, but in terms of wrestling, just yeah the face. Anyway, don't need that, do we? You got no interest? No, did that make sense, fiona?

Speaker 2:

What about Hulk Hogan, or Vitsy vitty? I mean calcium, wow, wow it's just.

Speaker 1:

I'm just. I'm just hoping that this episode doesn't just confuse people and this is based on people actually listening and watching it and there's not many of those yet. We're getting there. But I'm there with you. The people that I'm trying to target, the people I'm trying to help, I'm there with you. I can appreciate that. I'm trying to target the people I'm trying to help. I'm there with you. I can appreciate that listening to this is like, oh God, even more stuff that I'm not doing, even more stuff that I have to start adding to my diet and routine. Go away, fine, just wanted to get that across.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 1:

I'm hot, oh dear.

Speaker 2:

Okay, oh, sweetheart, okay, why is?

Speaker 1:

there a cat outside.

Speaker 2:

Can we let him in? Oh sweetie.

Speaker 1:

Quickly, fiona quickly. This is a studio, right? What are you doing, donald? We are recording an episode. Oh, you've gone straight back out. Okay, perfect, great. Thank you for that intrusion Brilliant. Oh, this episode's going to be a nightmare to edit. Oh my God.

Speaker 2:

Right, we're a wall away, wow.

Speaker 1:

Right. So there's lots of other vitamins and we're just trying to get through this episode without bogging people down too much. So there's other vitamins in the mnu lectures vitamin a, e, k and c, again examinecom or join mnu. But we're not going to get into them all now because it will just take too long and we don't want to bore you either. True, yes, so we continue with other vitamins that the general public, or a lot of people, might be deficient in. Or on average oh sorry. Or on average are lacking in their diet.

Speaker 2:

Okay.

Speaker 1:

Wow, that's uncomfortable. I feel uncomfortable, right, very uncomfortable.

Speaker 2:

Vitamin B12.

Speaker 1:

For certain people. For certain people, depending on what type of diet you follow.

Speaker 2:

It helps to make red blood cells, it's essential for nerve function and DNA synthesis, and it supports brain health, memory, energy and mood.

Speaker 1:

Right.

Speaker 2:

If you are fatigued.

Speaker 1:

Sounds quite important.

Speaker 2:

You may be deficient in vitamin B12.

Speaker 1:

Okay, lovely. Who's at risk? Everyone, by the sounds of it.

Speaker 2:

Okay's get through it then quickly, shall we? Let's have a quick look. So most at risk? Well, not most at risk, but those who are at risk include the elderly. As we age, stomach acid levels drop, which reduces our ability to absorb b12 from food, which is what I said the first time. Even with a meat-heavy diet, low stomach acid equals poor B12 absorption. B12 from supplements or fortified foods is more easily absorbed, in this case, vegans and vegetarians. B12 is found almost exclusively in animal products. Fortified foods or supplements are essential, not optional. Optional.

Speaker 1:

That's great.

Speaker 2:

People with digestive disorders or taking certain medications such as Crohn's celiac disease. Metformin use acid reflux medications can all impair B12 absorption. I did not know that. So me Rennies. Yeah, that's terrible B12 absorption. I did not know that. So me Rennies? Yeah, that's terrible, stop getting me.

Speaker 1:

B12. But you're not taking any form of medication, though, are you?

Speaker 2:

Well, I'm taking me Rennies, which is an acid reflux med technically, so you're a moprizol and zoprizole. You don't have to, though, do you, and not every day?

Speaker 1:

No, I'm assuming this is for people who are on medication, yeah. Not just taking the odd Rennie.

Speaker 2:

Okay, then Okay, okay. Symptoms of deficiency oh, you've got it here Fatigue brain fog, tingling or numbness, pale skin, memory issues, mood changes and, in some cases, irreversible nerve damage, which would be the more severe ones. Yikes Supplement if you don't eat animal products and are over 50. Only found in animal products. If you're vegan or veggie and not supplementing, you are likely low in B12. Deficiency can mimic dementia or depression.

Speaker 1:

Yikes, I can appreciate the need for some people to have their vitamin B12 shot then yes, every 3 months or 12 weeks.

Speaker 2:

However, you want to say it, and usually about 2 weeks before you'll start feeling that fatigue right, ok and that mood change.

Speaker 1:

I'm sure if any vegans listen to any of these episodes, I'm sure they get quite gross. Sometimes it sounds like you're always dunking on vegans Like well, you're missing this. Lacking that, oh dear. Maybe you should reconsider.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, but this episode's everyone, Everyone in the UK and everyone in but vegans. You're just more likely to be low on it.

Speaker 1:

Well, if you're taking being a vegan seriously and I'm sure everyone who is plant-based is this is just part of the routine. It's just part of the setup. It's the new norm you just have to be more conscious of the fact that you might be lacking in essential micronutrients and vitamins and minerals.

Speaker 2:

Okay, Ben I don't understand.

Speaker 2:

Okay, I don't know why I used that Multivitamins. What's happened there? It fell off. Multivitamins insurance not a fix Can help shorten calorie deficits. Poor diets, high stress Not a replacement for actual nutrition or lifestyle Common issues people use them to justify eating crap. Multis can plug gaps but they can't patch a lifestyle built on poor choices and no daylight. Taking a multivitamin with your McMuffin doesn't make it a balanced meal. Additional considerations Multis rarely hit optimal doses for everything. Formulas are more often about shelf appeal than effectiveness. Most don't include enough magnesium, vitamin D or iron to matter. Most multivitamins also lack enough of the one thing you are probably low in.

Speaker 1:

That's a pretty big line, isn't it?

Speaker 2:

That is yes.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

So if you're taking it for vitamin D, it probably does not have enough of the RNI yeah.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, more than likely. Yeah, We've discussed this previously about supplements, haven't we as well, that people might have a pretty poor diet, lack of sleep, don't exercise oh, it's okay, I'll just take the, the supplement, and I think sometimes multivitamins can sometimes fall into that category. Oh, it's okay, I'll just take that, that'll sort me out yeah.

Speaker 2:

Well, most people just think well, why would I take seven different vitamins when I can get a multivitamin, not realizing that it's lower quantities of the said vitamin?

Speaker 1:

people that might have a, a poor diet, lack of sleep, stressed, don't exercise. A multivitamin will not do the job, won't fix the problem, but I think for the most part, multivitamins if you have a balanced diet. As the title says, fiona, which was very confusing to you insurance, not a fix okay if it makes you feel better just to top yourself up with a multivitamin, no problem.

Speaker 1:

But if you've got all these things to work on, if your diet is not too good lack of sleep, stress, not exercising, taking a multivitamin will not be the fix now do you appreciate that header a bit more?

Speaker 2:

I do now that it's been explained to me, ben, will not be the fix.

Speaker 1:

Hmm, now do you appreciate that header a bit more?

Speaker 2:

I do. There was some confusion.

Speaker 1:

Now that it's been explained to me, ben, yes, there was a heated discussion about the fact that the header was very confusing.

Speaker 2:

I wouldn't say he should. And I was like you know what, Just read the information I'd say, you're just a little bit on the defence side of it and I think it has, hasn't it, and I think it has isn't it it has.

Speaker 1:

Now you've got some clarity. Yeah that's all I ask for. Why don't you just trust the process, trust the talent?

Speaker 2:

If you're taking a multivitamin and still feel tired, foggy or run down, it's either underdosed, poorly absorbed or your diet still needs work. Multivitamins are a backup plan, not a strategy.

Speaker 1:

Nice.

Speaker 2:

Very good, Benjamin Brilliant.

Speaker 1:

Anything else to say about that?

Speaker 2:

No, have you. What are you taking vitamin-wise Ben?

Speaker 1:

I'm not at the moment yeah. I've been very much on and off things.

Speaker 2:

I've got. D was out the other day. I've seen it on the side. Oh, sorry, I am taking a out the other day.

Speaker 1:

I've seen it on the side. Oh sorry, I am taking a vitamin D yes, and what about your calcium? I hope that for the most part, my calcium is good enough, but that's the point. Even people that have got a well-balanced diet, exercise, etc, etc. All the good stuff that you know you should be doing in life there probably will still be some form of deficiency Not the deficiency which means you're bed bound. Most people, even people that are health conscious, will still be lacking or might not be getting the RNI or falling below it.

Speaker 1:

Good moving on okay, yeah, that's, that's good. You okay doing those multivitamins were so hilarious, I think. For the next part, I'm not gonna say much. I not going to say anything actually.

Speaker 2:

Praise be.

Speaker 1:

I'm just going to let you read off all this stuff, because there's a fair bit here there is a fair bit yeah. And that's the thing with this episode. I think it's been a it's been a quite tough episode to get through because a lot of it's just reading information off. Really there's not there, really there's not. There's not that much room to have an opinion. Well, it says it entertained, doesn't it? Yes, and I think that's probably why I struggle yeah, because I'm saying stuff for the sake of saying it.

Speaker 1:

I want to have an opinion and getting tongue-tied then but and also you have to be very careful it's mnu, it's evidence-based nutrition, it's evidence-based practice. So I'm always conscious. Naturally, I've got the blazer on, I'm taking this thing seriously, not to put my foot in it. Very stressful, but a lot of this is just reading off information and I'm just conscious of the watcher and the listener that they're just, they've gone, they've fallen asleep. And also, like I said already, it's just more information, it's more stuff you need to worry about. Oh my God, that they're just, they've gone, they've fallen asleep. And also, like I said already, it's just more information, it's more stuff you need to worry about. Oh my God, am I deficient in this? Oh my God, do I need to start taking a multivitamin?

Speaker 2:

Oh.

Speaker 1:

I'm so stressed as it is, I'm not sleeping, I'm not moving. My diet could be better. Oh my God, I'm very stressed. I'm not evidence-based. I haven't done MNU. I haven't got a blazer. I hate this guy. She's terrible. She could barely speak, or what's that? Not a word. We're 45 minutes in. I've not understood a word that she said. I'm stressed, I've turned off.

Speaker 2:

Push for health mnu don't think so, not for me. Iron RNI for men 8.7 mg per day, 14.8 milligrams per day for women, but if you're pregnant you need to increase that to 27 mg. Why it matters Oxygen transportation, energy and brain function. Who's at risk? Women with periods, oh, oh. And plant-based those who are having a plant-based diet.

Speaker 1:

The microphone is away.

Speaker 2:

Iron deficiency is the most common cause of anemia. Anemia is not enough haemoglobin to carry oxygen around the body, and these are the most common signs Fatigue, breathlessness, pale skin, dizziness, lightheadedness, cold hands and feet because of poor circulation, brain fog or poor concentration. It's not just about feeling tired Anemia can seriously affect daily function, mood and exercise tolerance. Food sources include red meat, liver, lentils and vitamin C for absorption. Watch for calcium blocks absorption by up to 20%. This is wonderful. Anything you want to say oh gosh, him versus none. I'm just oh, it's been continue, I'm just oh it's been continue.

Speaker 1:

Oh, what's funny? Sorry, which part is funny?

Speaker 2:

I'm just not used to you being so quiet have to be alright, put it back down really need a boomer hame versus non-hame iron.

Speaker 2:

What you need to know. There are two types of iron in food. Haim iron is found in animal products like red meat, poultry, chicken and fish. It's absorbed well. Your body takes in around 15 to 35% of what you eat and it's not heavily influenced by what else is in your meal. Non-haame iron is found in plant-based sources like lentils, beans, spinach and fortified cereals. Absorption is much lower, around 2-20%, and it's easily blocked by other things in your diet.

Speaker 1:

Yikes.

Speaker 2:

So what blocks it? What blocks non-hame iron absorption?

Speaker 1:

What are we saying? Hame, hame.

Speaker 2:

Heme, heme, heme, heme, haemoglobin, haemoglobin, haem, haem, haem, haemoglobin. Okay, okay, I need a bit of help here. Phytates.

Speaker 1:

Phy kind of, yeah, Phytates.

Speaker 2:

Phytates.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Which are found in whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. Tannins, which is found in tea and coffee. Calcium, if consumed in high amounts with iron. So what helps? Vit C can dramatically improve non-heme iron absorption. Hemoglobin yeah. Add anything like peppers, citrus tomatoes or a squeeze of lemon to plant-based meals. Avoid having tea or coffee with your iron-rich meals if you're relying on non-heme sources.

Speaker 1:

Okay, how's that sound?

Speaker 2:

Very good, very good. Yeah, I'm happy now. Right, that makes sense.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, that makes perfect good, yeah, I'm happy now. Right, that make sense, yeah, that makes perfect sense. Yeah, so don't poop the bed, even if these foods can sometimes block the absorption. If you then pair them with other foods, like you said there lentils, oh my God, we can't eat lentils. Oh Jesus, oh, it's going to block the absorption of iron.

Speaker 2:

But then if you start adding the peppers, the tomatoes, etc nice rounded meal yes but then also vitties and minis negates the issue with the absorption doesn't it yes?

Speaker 1:

yes, but as you alluded to unfortunately plant based yeah, just be mindful. Just be mindful. Okay to unfortunately Plant-based. Yeah, just be mindful.

Speaker 2:

Just be mindful, okay.

Speaker 1:

That's the annoying thing about a lot of these vitamins is that sometimes they block the other. Real pain Take your vitamins but then if you're taking them with another vitamin, sometimes it blocks the other one and then you have to take something else both aren't absorbed very well it's a vicious circle really frustrating yeah vitamin B9, also more commonly known as folate.

Speaker 2:

Recommended nutritional intake 200 micrograms per day for adults, 400 for those who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Why it matters? It is important for cell health, pregnancy and mood. Who is at risk? Those with a low vegetable intake, those who are consuming alcohol and pregnant women. Food include leafy greens, citrus, avocados and beans. Fix Supplement before and during pregnancy. It is essential for people trying to conceive. The risk of low folate is too high to ignore. Most people don't get enough true vegetable alone.

Speaker 1:

It's a common trend, isn't it? It's a common trend with all these vitamins With food, whatever diet you're on, Some easier than others in terms of getting them into your diet and getting anywhere near the RNI, but a bit of a common theme going on, isn't there? Yes which is what you're lacking.

Speaker 2:

You need to supplement.

Speaker 1:

You're not getting enough, no, well that's. You can't just say that, can you fiona? You can't just say you must supplement I didn't say you're.

Speaker 2:

You're probably lacking if you want to get to the recommended. It's just being mindful.

Speaker 1:

Yes, being mindful. If you've got some of these symptoms which we've highlighted, get your bloods, get tested, have a look, don't just make do. Oh well, it's just the way it is. Oh, I'm distressed, oh, I'm tired all the time. Fatigue headaches, it's just the way it is. I'm just stressed, oh, I'm tired all the time. Fatigue headaches, nausea, it's just life. Yeah, could be quite an easy fix, though Lots of just awkwardly staring at me Because I'm just waiting for you to finish, Ben.

Speaker 2:

Oh, right.

Speaker 1:

Okay, oh sorry, oh God, oh sorry, am I boring? Am I boring you?

Speaker 2:

But you're just going off on tangents.

Speaker 1:

In what way is that a tangent? Not a tangent? That was completely irrelevant.

Speaker 2:

That was not a tangent. That's the wrong word. I just never know when you're finished it's just you being you, okay, you being a twat, you being you keep going magnesium cheers.

Speaker 1:

I don't know if you caught that, it's magnesium magnesium.

Speaker 2:

Alright, what I just said. Recommended nutritional intake between 410 to 420 micrograms per day for the men and 320 to 360 per day for those women. Mineral and electrolytes. Why does it matter? We need it for muscle and nerve function, blood pressure and maybe sleep maybe we'll get to that in a minute. Okay, who is at risk? Athletes, stress people and those who have poor diets.

Speaker 1:

Stress people, everyone, the whole population.

Speaker 2:

Everyone's at risk of this one, guys, not just the vegans Chronic stress, I don't know Extra stressed. Food sources include pumpkin seeds, nuts, greens, dark chocolate. Magnesium for sleep is like placebo for most.

Speaker 1:

Hang on, whoa. No Magnesium for sleep is likely placebo for most. Sort your habits first. Dot dot dot.

Speaker 2:

That's what he said. That's what I meant to say. Yeah, it's likely a placebo Probably needs an A in there, I suppose yeah chat GPT a lot of the sleep hype around magnesium comes down to correlation, not causation oh, we've mentioned that a few times.

Speaker 2:

We have, oh, we have evidence based yeah often, when someone starts taking a sleep supplement, they also start going to bed earlier, turning off their phone, meditating, avoiding caffeine or cutting back on stress, all of which actually improve their sleep. The placebo effect is real and powerful. If you believe it's helping, your body will often respond as if it does. It's quite um. Body will often respond as if it does. It's quite um. What's the word? It's quite true for us, isn't it? I've been put on pillow spray on our pillows and, oh, magically, we've both been sleeping so much better.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, what's in that lavender, isn't it?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, we've both been sleeping so much better. We just don't have the cat coming in and annoying us anymore.

Speaker 1:

There you go. Wow, that's fascinating, Fiona, isn't it? That's powerful.

Speaker 2:

But we'll just keep telling ourselves that's really powerful Is the pillow spray.

Speaker 1:

That's important, isn't it? Yeah, there you go A real life example Yep right there. Brilliant.

Speaker 2:

Where am I?

Speaker 1:

I will say with magnesium. Where am I? I will say with magnesium, again, like other supplements, sometimes you just need to take it for a period of time. I don't think I've. I've really gone all in on magnesium for sleep, zma magnesium. I don't think I've ever given them a fair shot when it comes to stress and improving my sleep what's the other one that people take? Oh, sorry, I wasn't finished.

Speaker 2:

Oh, ashwagandha.

Speaker 1:

Ashwagandha again. Can it help with stress? Maybe, yeah. How long do you have to take it before you start to see results?

Speaker 2:

Well, that's what I was going to say, because that's probably why you haven't given magnesium a chance, because you're probably taking it for 30 days and then you're just well, I don't feel any different, so I'm not going to continue it. That's what I'm like. But it takes longer to get into your system, doesn't it?

Speaker 1:

Yes, but then also, sometimes it's well, what else am I doing? Am I taking this supplement because it's the buzzword? What about Huberman? Andrew Huberman, what about his sleep stack? Oh, okay, everyone seems to be shouting about this. Oh, maybe I'm missing out on this. How do I get the extra 1%? I'll start taking this. Maybe I should look at other stuff in my life first. What could be affecting my sleep? What am I doing that I could change, change that I could start making tweaks to?

Speaker 2:

stop doom scrolling before bed I don't really do that no not a lot and you've got your little glasses for you and you're reading yes again placebo probably yeah you've got your pillow spray now placebo causation, if it's working if you're taking a magnesium supplement and it's helping with sleep, great, keep going.

Speaker 1:

It just depends if you want to keep spending the money on taking the supplement as well. If it's not causing you any stress continuing to buy your magnesium supplement and you find it's helping with sleep and making a big difference, brilliant, great, keep going. But like some of the vitamins that we've discussed, they might not be necessary. But, like a lot of things in life, sometimes the placebo effect massive if that's actually not making any changes physiologically, but has improved your health and has improved your life dramatically. Keep going ashwagandha, keep using it, keep going.

Speaker 2:

The thing about the placebo is it's. I'm not baffled by it, because it's true, but it is so powerful. As you said. We've talked about it before. It's amazing the studies that are out there where people have literally completely changed their life around no more pain symptoms, no more whatever symptoms, no more. And they weren't even given the medication that they thought they were taking. It was all placebo. It's amazing.

Speaker 1:

David Robson. No, robson or Dobson. What's his name? Sorry, david, come on the show. David Robson. The expectation effect Fantastic. Have a look at that. Mentioned that before there's your phone there, fiona, check david's last name, goodness sake david who I believe it's robson, but it could be dobson. Just type in the expectation effect probably. That's probably the oh god, just use, just use your, use your head yeah.

Speaker 2:

Did you mean David W Robson?

Speaker 1:

Sorry, it's Robson.

Speaker 2:

Yes, it's Robson. Okay, brilliant, that's lovely.

Speaker 1:

Great Good bloke.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, nice bloke.

Speaker 1:

Okay, anything else to say about that? Yes, wow. Okay please, yeah, nice, look okay. Anything else to say about that?

Speaker 2:

yes, wow, okay, please, let's finish off while magnesium is often promoted to vegans, a well planned plant based diet with leafy greens, beans, lentil seeds and whole grains usually provides enough. So, unless you have a gut absorption issue, overtrain or severely under-eats, it's rarely needed as a stand-alone sleep fix.

Speaker 1:

Under-eat. There's an extra S there for some reason, I'm not sure why.

Speaker 2:

No, didn't even notice that.

Speaker 1:

But you read verbatim, don't you, fiona?

Speaker 2:

I do.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, excellent as it is is how it comes out, of course, of course. Well, that's good, isn't it, for vegans?

Speaker 2:

there we go we've said something positive well, it's not negative, I'm not.

Speaker 1:

I'm not having to go at people who are plant-based, I'm not saying they suck but you're getting enough magnesium I'm just aware of saying, oh, uh-oh, if you're plant-based, you could be deficient. Oh, here we go again. Oh, one more. I'm just highlighting it but not magnesium potentially yeah, right, but anything else to say about magnesium no, I think that's interesting.

Speaker 1:

It is interesting I thought that you had to take magnesium before bed. I don't think that's the case. I was sold on the whole thing about oh well, if you're going to start supplementing on magnesium, I thought that you had to take magnesium before bed. I don't think that's the case. I was sold on the whole thing about oh well, if you're going to start supplementing on magnesium and it's linked to you trying to improve your sleep, you must take it before bed. No, I don't think it really matters. Like most supplements, in terms of timing, yes, you might have to think about taking one, like we've said about with certain foods or not, on an empty stomach if you want to maximise absorption. But magnesium you can take whenever you want. You haven't got to take magnesium before bed.

Speaker 2:

Well, it's not a. It's not something to help you get to sleep, is it? Essentially, it's not like a melatonin or a prescribed medication. It's not a sleeper.

Speaker 1:

No.

Speaker 2:

It's just something to help improve. No, but you, so you can take it yeah.

Speaker 1:

You hear, oh, magnesium.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I would have said oh for sleep.

Speaker 1:

Oh, I'll take that just before I get into bed then.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I would have said that Right.

Speaker 1:

There we go.

Speaker 2:

What are we doing now? Just a thing on salt or sodium.

Speaker 1:

No.

Speaker 2:

Don't panic over a sprinkle of sea salt on your eggs.

Speaker 1:

Panic, 90% of your meal comes in wrappers. That's not useful, though, fiona, so we'll cut that because that's not useful for anyone, because there's a lot of information there To eat the rainbow trush. Okay, don't talk over me because that's annoying. Oh is it, let's start.

Speaker 2:

Oh, is it annoying.

Speaker 1:

It's annoying in the editing process. Oh, okay, so we will get to sodium and salt and electrolytes and LMNT have you heard of?

Speaker 2:

All of those other boring things.

Speaker 1:

LMNT.

Speaker 2:

LMNT.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's really annoying actually what they've called it L-M-N-T.

Speaker 2:

Oh, lmnt, lmnt.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, electrolytes, why do they call it?

Speaker 2:

LMNT L-M-N-T.

Speaker 1:

LMNT.

Speaker 2:

What does that mean?

Speaker 1:

We'll get to this in the hydration episode or whenever we oh, I'm not doing an episode on hydration. Well, we're including another one.

Speaker 2:

We don't need to.

Speaker 1:

So, but we will then talk about electrolytes and sodium and salt intake and Elementi, which is a big thing. Lots of lots of podcasters just love talking about Elementi.

Speaker 2:

Is it another Charlotte on thing? Because?

Speaker 1:

everyone Potentially. Ooh, because everyone. You like those episodes, everyone now needs electrolytes and everyone's deficient in salt and stuff like this. Oh so, yeah, we'll get to that. We'll bring that in at another point, so let's finish off. Eat the rainbow. Yeah, okay, here we go. Let's just finish off. Last couple of bits.

Speaker 2:

Okay, is the mic down? Thank you To eat the rainbow trout, generic advice, but still salad. Most people are under eating colour, fibre and nutrient dense plant foods, leafy greens, root veg, berries, peppers, beans start here. Volume trap. You'd need a salad bowl the size of a wheelbarrow to match the micronutrients. The micronutrients in a handful of liver, oily fish or eggs Build variety. I can't say that word variety yep, build variety week to week, not every meal. Rainbow doesn't mean you need fine veg at every sitting.

Speaker 1:

Five veg at every sitting oh, should we start that again? Yeah, give that, give that light one more, go, go on, we've got time. Give it another shot.

Speaker 2:

Build variety Week to week. Not every meal Rainbows.

Speaker 1:

It's a shame, isn't it? That's a shame. Let's do one more. Let's do one more.

Speaker 2:

I need a takeout. You've got it. You've got it.

Speaker 1:

We'll keep all this in. Ben editor. Do you mind keeping this in? Will do Ben Good, bloke Works hard. Build variety, that's gone Build variety Week to week, not every meal. Rainbow doesn't mean you need five veg at every sitting.

Speaker 2:

What he said.

Speaker 1:

Yeah.

Speaker 2:

Line to use.

Speaker 1:

No, you're rocket and that's enough, let's move on. Let's move on. Finishing off. Was that useful? Yeah, generic advice Eat the rainbow. But yeah, start there, start there. You can't go too wrong. Everything else we could have just done that Most people have heard of eat the rainbow.

Speaker 2:

I've never heard of it.

Speaker 1:

Is that what?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I didn't understand. I was going to say explain what you mean, but Eat the rainbow.

Speaker 1:

I've never heard of it. Get your colours in. Yeah, well, I get it now. You've never heard the phrase eat the rainbow, when I was reading leafy greens root oh right, well, there we go then.

Speaker 2:

oh, apologies everyone yeah, never, there's me just. Oh, everyone's heard of eat the rainbow.

Speaker 1:

Nope, the masses are over here, ben, so well, that actually then doubles down on my point. We could have just had an episode started off with that and then turned off eat the rainbow.

Speaker 2:

If you eat the rainbow, you'll probably be okay I do feel like we do get a lot of leafy greens, yes, but I'm saying we've been talking now for over an hour and we could have just started with eat the rainbow.

Speaker 1:

I probably just thought oh well, everyone knows that boring advice yeah we know, eat the rainbow, but it's. You know I don't like a lot of the rainbow, but you've just told me that you don't know what it is never wow, there we go yeah so finishing off, common supplement pitfalls, just rounding everything off propriety blends equals called for.

Speaker 2:

We're hiding the crap.

Speaker 1:

Doses is that right, yeah, so a lot of supplements will have, like a multivitamin say. We'll have a lot of different ingredients put in to the same supplement but do not have to then say on the label what percentage of each thing is in the bottle. Oh, we've got this in it. We've got this in it. It's like okay, right, how much? Who knows?

Speaker 2:

oh, you put me on the spot the other day with me, my one, didn't you? My multivitamin thingy, my bob.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2:

Yeah.

Speaker 1:

Oh yeah, We'll get to that. Yeah yeah, Woman's health wasn't it. Oh, Jesus Christ.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, I'm back to you tree. Mercifully, it was cheap.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it was, but it doesn't have to, or an eye no Now.

Speaker 2:

I know those values.

Speaker 1:

Yes, yes, it will have the list of ingredients. You'll be oh brilliant, it's all here, but it won't tell you how? Much of that ingredient is in the bottle or the supplement.

Speaker 2:

So once again, you might still be lacking, could be useful, could be useless. Overly branded, gender specific multis with vague benefits.

Speaker 1:

Like we just discussed. Okay, a supplement or a vitamin.

Speaker 2:

Women's health, men's health, yeah men's Child's health, testosterone booster.

Speaker 1:

Take this Really, you sure?

Speaker 2:

Yeah, it's natural. Excess vitamin A or E long-term risk when over-supplemented Multis. Claiming to do everything, they usually underdose everything. This is what you just said.

Speaker 1:

Yes.

Speaker 2:

Men's vitality or women's hormones, with no doses listed.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, boosting unlimited energy, whatever, whatever buzzword, boost is normally the one it boosts. This Does it.

Speaker 2:

If it promises more energy, libido, muscle and mortality, it's probably just caffeine in a shiny box.

Speaker 1:

Potentially, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Okay, okay.

Speaker 1:

Okay, last bit Fiona, micronutrients and a calorie deficit.

Speaker 2:

The less food you eat, the fewer nutrients you're likely to get. This makes food quality and nutrient density even more important. Low calorie diets plus low micronutrient intake leads to fatigue, poor recovery cravings. You can't diet on toasties and expect your brain and hormones to perform like you're eating salmon and spinach. That's a good one.

Speaker 1:

Is it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you can't diet on toasties and expect your brain and hormones to perform like you're eating salmon and spinach.

Speaker 1:

Oh, thanks for saying that again.

Speaker 2:

That's really good. Okay, I like that?

Speaker 1:

Oh, he's clever, isn't he? Is that you, or she?

Speaker 2:

Is that you or is that GB?

Speaker 1:

is that you or is that gb? That's chat gbt. Yeah, yeah, they like to. That's brilliant. It changes every time for whatever reason, but sometimes he just takes my notes. He's always got to end with a witty line. Why I don't say that, I don't say oh, end of a witty line. Will you try, gbt? I just say here are my notes, here are my fantastic notes. Just stretch them a little bit better for me if you can, no problem. Oh, witty line why? Why the witty line?

Speaker 1:

it is a good line some of them aren't very good though, but there we go. Keep them all in. Be careful when recommending to a client to start eating more fruit and veg it.

Speaker 2:

It's got high in sugar, doesn't it as well? What does, what did?

Speaker 1:

you just say you have to be careful with those sort of lines Fiona.

Speaker 2:

What did you just say?

Speaker 1:

Be careful when recommending to a client to start eating more fruit and veg.

Speaker 2:

Why would you need to be careful, Ben?

Speaker 1:

Because sometimes it can lead to them eating more food, and I don't mean just eating more fruit and veg, which is more calories. It can then lead to them eating more other foods. That might be because, for example, they're not satisfied so they eat more fruit and veg, or they try and shove this sort of food into their diet because they've been told oh you know, fruit and veg is very good for you. What about your vitamins? Are you deficient? And it's so underwhelming and they're so dissatisfied that then the cravings and everything else that are still there anyway. Oh God, that was rubbish. That meal was awful. Right, I'm going to have to eat something else. I was banging about the whole thing about oh, we're trying, when you get into a calorie deficit, I'm going to get you eating more food, not less. Initially I thought that was quite good. Oh, that sounds great, doesn't it? That's the dream, but now I'm sort of a bit bored of it, because it sounds great, doesn't it?

Speaker 2:

What do you?

Speaker 1:

mean? What do you mean? I can eat more in a calorie deficit. That doesn't make any sense. Yeah, just eating more volume, more fruit and veg.

Speaker 2:

So it's great.

Speaker 1:

And then you can teach people and educate them, like, well, like, look at this McMuffin. Nothing wrong with a McMuffin, but for the same calories, etc. You can eat all this, which is fine. It's not a bad habit to get into eating more volume and eating more food and finding ways to make that food tasty. But it can backfire because you may not be satisfied exactly.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, what's that hormone called that food tasty, but it can backfire, hmm, because you may not be satisfied. Exactly yeah.

Speaker 1:

What's that hormone?

Speaker 2:

called Ghrelin Leptin. That's the ones. That's the ones, little boogers. Does that make sense? It does, yes.

Speaker 1:

Anything to add? No, okay, that will do. There's well, there's so much more notes, but that will do. There's well, there's so much more notes, but that will do. That will have to do. I think that was okay. I got some of the information out. I think the points. I think we got our point across. I hope so, without boring people to death.

Speaker 2:

I hope so nutrients that block absorption. Calcium can reduce iron absorption. Don't mega dose them together. If iron's low Phytates reduce absorption of iron, zinc and magnesium, they are found in whole grains, legumes and seeds. Tannins reduce iron absorption found in tea, coffee especially if consumed with meals. Zinc and copper compete for absorption, so high zinc can deplete copper levels over time.

Speaker 1:

Just a quick bit there just to round off, because we mentioned the whole pairing certain nutrients and vitamins together. Micronutrients can be a pain at times because they block each other. That needed. Should I just cut that bit out? Is that remotely useful? Is that again more of just? Oh, my god so I can't have. This is high in copper and this is high in calcium, but but that's also high in iron, and if I eat both at the same time is that just gonna stress people out? Yes oh right and plus.

Speaker 2:

We've already said it at the beginning have we we spoke about calcium Talk a little bit louder, if you can. We spoke about it earlier. That's beautiful.

Speaker 1:

That sounds so clear.

Speaker 2:

Crystal clear.

Speaker 1:

Okay, right, there we go. That will do Five, ten minutes on the film Cast Away. Do we need to be a bit more? Do we need to summarise stuff? Are we doing that? Well, no, you're talking through stuff. We need to summarise the point.

Speaker 2:

No, I think at the end it needs to be just summarised very briefly.

Speaker 1:

Oh, right, okay.

Speaker 2:

Because you jumping in summarising each point is not working for me. I'll let you speak and then, at the end, Right, okay, so how would you?

Speaker 1:

you summarize that episode then In a sentence.

Speaker 2:

Take your vitamin D and your calcium and your iron.

Speaker 1:

That's not great, though, is it Because a lot of people don't need to worry about that?

Speaker 2:

Well, we need to worry about the vitamin D and the calcium.

Speaker 1:

Maybe. Yeah, yeah, people who live in the UK and Europe. Yeah, people who live in the UK and Europe.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, definitely, there we go. That's what you take away, Some people maybe not, how would you? Summarise it Ben in one sentence, One sentence, Can you do it?

Speaker 1:

If you're feeling a bit rubbish and you can't quite put your finger on it, maybe investigate further.

Speaker 2:

Oh, that's a good sentence. You're so clever.

Speaker 1:

But don't stress out about it. I'm sure if you looked in the mirror, how's your diet, how's your sleep, how stressed are you? Are you moving enough? If you can honestly tick all those boxes and you still feel a bit off, have a look.

Speaker 2:

That's a paragraph.

Speaker 1:

Get your bloods done. Go and talk to your doctor, because you might be deficient in one of those things and you'd have never known. Even if your diet is balanced and, for the most part, you're covering a lot of the bases, there you go.

Speaker 2:

Very good, ben, very good.

Speaker 1:

Right, the film Cast Away, let's link it in. I think we need to start doing the film at the start of the episode where energies are a bit higher, maybe because my energy is quite low now.

Speaker 2:

Cast Away 2000. 7.8 on the IMDB thing 2000.

Speaker 1:

This film is 25 years old, wow.

Speaker 2:

Yep. A FedEx executive undergoes a physical and emotional transformation after crash landing on a deserted Ireland. That executive is Tom Hanks.

Speaker 1:

It is.

Speaker 2:

He is going out with Helen Hunt.

Speaker 1:

Where is she when?

Speaker 2:

is she?

Speaker 1:

She was in. She hasn't as Good as it Gets.

Speaker 2:

Oh, fantastic film.

Speaker 1:

Her husband yeah it is yeah, Mr Baker, he's. Oh, did he not go through some problems in the real world? Did he, I don't know. I think he's been a bit of a naughty boy.

Speaker 2:

Right, so what you got to say about it, ben?

Speaker 1:

Oh, I don't know. You tell me.

Speaker 2:

What would you do if you were on a deserted island?

Speaker 1:

Not a lot. I don't think I'd be very good.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, you'd die.

Speaker 1:

Probably. Yeah, You'd be trying to ring me Fiona.

Speaker 2:

where's my ketchup? Fiona, where is this?

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I'm not sure, I guess I don't know. You just try and make it work, I suppose. But yeah, diy skills not the best.

Speaker 2:

Would you be able to make a fire Well? I'd give it a go yeah, what about fishing and cooking the fish Again?

Speaker 1:

I'd give it all a go, but no, I don't think I'd give it all a go, but no, I don't think.

Speaker 2:

I'd give you five days, you'd be done. You'd be a goner.

Speaker 1:

Well, that's that's the reason why. Well, more the sailing part. But we there's the clip of where you go to his house or whatever, and then it pans down to yeah, he's got experience, he's a sailor. Oh look, he's an adventurer. If anyone's gonna survive is going to survive being on a deserted island, it's Tom Hanks.

Speaker 2:

But he did struggle with building the fire.

Speaker 1:

For a man with this experience.

Speaker 2:

he did struggle quite a bit, but he was there for four years, wasn't he? Yeah, true.

Speaker 1:

Amazing, really Amazing, not to give up hope, but I suppose it's something you don't do.

Speaker 2:

But sure. Why didn't he build a raft four years ago?

Speaker 1:

Why did it take four years?

Speaker 2:

I don't know, he couldn't find the right materials.

Speaker 1:

That's why he had to climb that cliff to go and find the what was it? What was it?

Speaker 2:

The bamboo shooting.

Speaker 1:

Yes to then tie it all together. So he tried his little dinghy, didn't he, which didn't work out too well.

Speaker 2:

Oh yeah. Yeah, he went through the element though, didn't he On that plane?

Speaker 1:

Oh yes, the plane crash was very good. Holds up very well. And it falls in Minimal CGI he goes into the water. That's mostly practical. That looks pretty good.

Speaker 2:

There's an engine, there's a storm and he still manages to survive all of that. Yeah, well, it's Tom Hanks and just at the end he just floats up to a big boat well, it's obscene, isn't it?

Speaker 1:

it's ridiculous, the whole thing, the whole thing's ridiculous, just yeah interesting you can hear yourself that we can't hear you. You can hear that yourself, so well done. Well done for correcting it, I do.

Speaker 2:

I would like to know how much FedEx paid for advertisement. It's there at the beginning for 20 glorious minutes. It's all throughout on the island where those little FedEx boxes are, just there it's a bit slow, isn't it?

Speaker 1:

And at the end in the office when he's meeting your man, Paul Shanjaz. Mr Big.

Speaker 2:

Mr Big, it's there. The plane is in the background the FedEx plane. There's a FedEx cup on the plane when he's getting home as well. Just a lot of.

Speaker 1:

FedEx going on. It's a bit long actually, this film.

Speaker 2:

Two hours 25 minutes.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, the first 20,. What five minutes is just like? Oh, it's FedEx.

Speaker 2:

Just say goodbye, it's okay.

Speaker 1:

The opening where you watch the plane like oh, here it is at the start, and look how it travels through and gets to Russia, oh wow wow, what would you do if you thought that I died on a plane for four years?

Speaker 2:

Would you go off with someone else?

Speaker 1:

This is the thing, isn't it? This is the thing Helen Hunt and the affair. There's videos on YouTube. I didn't really watch them, I'd skim them, but yeah, the videos point out that Helen Hunt was definitely having an affair with Mr Big. Oh, she's just a bit awkward, helen Hunt. She's just a bit uncomfortable and you think, oh, is it because Tom's?

Speaker 2:

got to go away again. She's so sick of him going away all the time. No, no, I think she's having an affair with Mr Big. Yeah, but if he's gone for four years, she's got an 18-month-old kid.

Speaker 1:

No, I haven't explained it very well, but I think the timeline judging by the very small clip I watched the video makes it make a bit more sense. There was a crossover, so she was already seeing Mr Big before Tom Hanks apparently died.

Speaker 2:

But she's still lying. She still loves him.

Speaker 1:

Yes.

Speaker 2:

Because they're kitty.

Speaker 1:

Yes. So, Okay, four years Long time, fiona. Years long time, fiona. Yeah long time. I think me and Donald would have to move on.

Speaker 2:

That's what you'd want no right, okay because then I'd come back and I'd get you, I'd haunt you right there'd be signs god, that'd be tough, wouldn't it?

Speaker 1:

that'd be tough. You come back after four years and Donald just ignores you even more than he does now he ignores me now.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, so as do you right.

Speaker 1:

So no, I wouldn't wait. Don't think so.

Speaker 2:

I don't think I'd wait for you either, just to let you know.

Speaker 1:

I need someone else to do this conjure me up. I'll wait a week, I suppose, and it's like well, it's recording tomorrow, so I'm assuming she's not coming back. Find a bit of bloody grip. That shouldn't be too hard, should it?

Speaker 2:

I did a great job okay, yeah right.

Speaker 1:

Anything else to say about the film, about the film what's the crack with his leg?

Speaker 2:

he hurts his leg oh, it's not really. And then it's infected. It's infected, it's fine, yeah, and then it's grand. You never hear of it after. I'm assuming he manages to sort that out.

Speaker 1:

yeah, All the boxes that he opens, he doesn't find any instruments to help him with his infected leg, does he?

Speaker 2:

What instrument would he need for an?

Speaker 1:

infection, I don't know. You tell me nurse, I don't know, right, no, I think that's just. You need med. He's a survivor, he gets it down, he sorts it out. How would you sort out an infected leg on a desert island if you didn't have antibiotics?

Speaker 2:

I don't know right bit of a hole then yeah god, I'm slouching god it is a bit of a hole, jesus, but if I was on a desert, island very unprofessional slouching. I'd do a lost scenario and I'd go looking for a hatch in the ground.

Speaker 1:

Oh, that's right, You've been watching lost, you've been catching up and go deep, deep down into the underground where there's washing machines. You'd find Desmond yeah.

Speaker 2:

And all this food.

Speaker 1:

Yes.

Speaker 2:

And all of these things, perfect, you can have a shower, wonderful.

Speaker 1:

Right, yeah.

Speaker 2:

Maybe just Tom wasn't looking hard enough. If he'd have looked hard enough he'd have found lock round the corner yeah, there we go, but I'd need to have a friend or two with me right to help me.

Speaker 1:

So you've been watching Lost. That's why you brought it up. I have been watching Lost. I have been watching Lost. How are you finding it?

Speaker 2:

oh, I struggled initially. Now I'm getting into it again, but I'm on season three now coming up to well. No, I've got like about 15 more episodes to go before I hit the next one.

Speaker 1:

Long seasons yeah.

Speaker 2:

But I am starting to struggle again, right? So I think I need another break and then come back to it.

Speaker 1:

It's crazy. It is crazy how I think other shows were doing that.

Speaker 2:

back at those, oh what's your other Grey's Anatomy?

Speaker 1:

Oh God, yeah, Was that the same? Was it? Yeah, like 25, 30 episodes, okay.

Speaker 2:

And like 20 bloody seasons or something.

Speaker 1:

That's quite something. Yeah, I suppose with something like Lost there's lots of characters so you can just spend episodes just focusing on one character. So, yeah, gets away with it to a point point. But to continue doing 20 plus episodes after season two, jeez yeah, it's a lot, but well, there is one.

Speaker 2:

I think it's this one, is it? Or is it the next one where it's only 12 or 14?

Speaker 1:

oh okay, oh, so it does reduce them, right, yeah but then it goes back up there's only one, one season, one season okay, back to the film. Talk to the mic. Talking to the mic, can't hear you anything more about the film no, not really.

Speaker 2:

How is he surviving with the water scenario?

Speaker 1:

oh, does it not show when it rains? He, he's in. There's the scene in the cave where he's licking it up from the cave nice yeah, so yeah so he's getting it that way and then he manages to stop finding food and fishing.

Speaker 2:

Coconuts. Oh, coconuts of course, yes, lots of coconuts, yeah, so Struggled to open them, though didn't he Bless him. Well, he got there. It's a good film. I've just seen it a few times, just long.

Speaker 1:

I've just seen it a few times. It was like having an affair with Mr. Big.

Speaker 2:

I'm pretty sure she was can you send me it after post production?

Speaker 1:

I'm delirious just keep laughing at this. I need to go nothing anything else, absolutely nothing, darling. Tom Hanks comes back and then they have the buffet and the party and oh Tom right, see you tomorrow. Woo, yeah, it's like this guy needs help.

Speaker 2:

He's been gone for four years. What's his mental health?

Speaker 1:

like. He's just lost his wife Jeez, or his partner whatever Helen Hunt's in the bloody car, oh, send Mr Big in.

Speaker 2:

He's like, oh, come on. Helen, get yourself in there, please years to adjust socially lucky Tom and to be integrated back into a society, into social.

Speaker 1:

I bet he's devastated about it.

Speaker 2:

Yeah just like that alone would need time so he wants to get back to Kelly.

Speaker 1:

Well, that's what kept him going. That's what's keeping him going, yeah the picture.

Speaker 2:

Well, he drew a picture of her, didn't he?

Speaker 1:

wants to get back to society as a whole. I don't think so, Tom.

Speaker 2:

I think you'd better off there with your coconuts.

Speaker 1:

Don't forget Wilson, wilson, the ball.

Speaker 2:

Oh, the ball you must have seen Wilson.

Speaker 1:

Yes, when he went, when he flicked him away and he had the handprint on him. Okay, there's quite a funny family guy sketch where Wilson's got a hole and the guy's and the guy's holding him Wilson Well, I believe he's humping Wilson.

Speaker 2:

Right, yes, thanks for that then.

Speaker 1:

In the film. I don't think there's a hole. I think Wilson is just the ball, Okay, but in the family guy sketch he's humping Wilson. Bloody family guy Robert Zemeckis. What's he done recently? Very quick, Just finishing off. That's it, Bloody family guy Robert Zemeckis what's he done recently?

Speaker 2:

Very quick, just finishing off. That's it. That's enough, that will do. Who the director?

Speaker 1:

The director Jesus you've got one job, I know. What has Robert Zemeckis done? He's done Forrest Gump, of course he's done this. He's done Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey, did that?

Speaker 2:

Back to the Future. He was the writer for that Of course, right Back to the Future. Not a big fan Clip.

Speaker 1:

that Not a big fan, ben editor. I am not a fan of. Back to the Future.

Speaker 2:

He's done quite a lot Ben.

Speaker 1:

He's done a lot. Yeah, there's quite a lot. There's quite a list. He's pretty good. Here I'm trying to go recent he's got a recent one, christmas Carol. Christmas Carol, that's Jim Carrey the Reaping, the what?

Speaker 2:

The Reaping 2007. I haven't seen that producer director only, oh director only it doesn't give me the option.

Speaker 1:

He's got a new one coming out, I believe, at the end of this year, with Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. They're reuniting from Forrest Gump. Oh, they're reuniting from. Forrest Gump Pretty sure it's coming out this year.

Speaker 2:

The King and In Development is in development. That's upcoming. And the last, mrs Parrish, is in production.

Speaker 1:

Is it Mrs Parrish? Maybe?

Speaker 2:

Don't know. It's in production.

Speaker 1:

Okay.

Speaker 2:

No.

Speaker 1:

I don't think it's that. No, this is terrible. This is terrible, fiona. You can't do this on the no. No, this is terrible. This is terrible, fiona. You can't do this on the fly during the episode. This is done pre-production.

Speaker 2:

I didn't know you were going to ask me these questions, did I? That's useful oh, he does an icon for director, only I didn't realise that it's not working though oh god, you're not working. You're not working right he did the Polar Express Ben, it's not working though, oh God, you're not working.

Speaker 1:

You're not working.

Speaker 2:

Right, finish me off the Polar Express. Ben, he directed that.

Speaker 1:

Oh, not a big fan of that either.

Speaker 2:

Cast of it.

Speaker 1:

It's weird, it's creepy.

Speaker 2:

It's creepy, creepy film. Here Is the most recent one, 6.3. Director.

Speaker 1:

Oh, it's already out. Yeah, yeah, pinocchio oh Pinocchio, oh god, I never watched that.

Speaker 2:

The Witches. He did that. The new release back in 2020, no, he didn't say that.

Speaker 1:

Do you know the?

Speaker 2:

Rodal book, oh god, with Anne Hathaway. Oh god, that looked awful. I'm assuming that's what it is that looked awful oh yeah, I'm watching that what else Flight? I know that one.

Speaker 1:

I've seen that okay, that will do, that will do. Excellent, god enough. Okay, right, there we go, that's it.

Speaker 2:

That's it.

Speaker 1:

Right, finish off then.

Speaker 2:

Okay, thank you.

Speaker 1:

Bye Push pull health, push, pull health. Mnu. Evidence-based practice, evidence-based nutrition. I imagine that was a bit of a slog for everyone. Push for health, pushing your health from the pools of life. Find a form of exercise in your stomach and a diet you can stick to for longer than 10 minutes. There is an app. If you're watching this online, there is an app. It's very good. Have a look at it, check it out. All the details in the bio and all that good stuff no-transcript.

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