Feel Better, Live More with Dr Rangan Chatterjee

A note from Dr Chatterjee: this episode includes descriptions of the
humanitarian impact of war, including death, serious injury, violence and
suicidal thoughts. You may find them distressing so please listen with care.

How do you help a child heal while they’re living in a war zone? And what can those methods teach the rest of us about caring for the people we love? My guest this week has spent nearly two decades finding out.

Dr Alexandra Chen is a Harvard-trained trauma psychologist and psychotherapist who has worked in around 15 different conflict zones across the world. Her Early Light Foundation charity provides ‘a haven of trauma healing and hope for war-affected children and families worldwide’.

We begin with the realities of her work, including the invisible wounds war leaves behind, and why her team’s first rule is never to make promises they can’t keep. Alexandra shares the moving patient stories of a seven-year-old dancer learning to carry an unbearable loss, and a torture survivor who asked her to document his suffering, so he would never have to speak it again. He carried that written testimony across borders and later told her it had saved his life.

She takes us back to how it all started: an affluent childhood in Hong Kong, grandparents who never spoke of their trauma, and a trip to a refugee camp at 18 that changed the course of her life. We talk about the role of dance and movement as therapy, why we must trust children to set the pace for their healing, and the conversation with one mother that led Alexandra to start her project connecting therapists, interpreters and children in desperate need.

Alexandra also explains why some therapeutic techniques don’t work in a war zone – because it’s only post traumatic stress disorder when the danger has passed – and what that reveals about how our nervous system protects us. There’s an important discussion on what it really means to be resilient and the hidden cost of having to be strong for a lifetime. And I ask Alexandra how she protects her team and manages to keep an open heart herself, after everything she’s witnessed.

Towards the end, we talk about how overwhelming the news is. Alexandra explains that empathy needs action and gives some practical suggestions for how to turn feelings of helplessness into something useful. And we close with two stories of connection that will leave you feeling hopeful.

At its heart, this is not a political conversation. It is about compassion, kindness, our shared humanity and the life lessons that can apply to anyone, at any time. I hope it leaves you feeling more connected to the world and the people you share it with – and more confident in the difference you can make.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised, Samaritans are
available 24/7 on 116 123 (UK and ROI).

If you'd like to write a Letter of Love you can submit a letter here https://bit.ly/HFG-LettersfromtheWorld.

To donate or find out about volunteering you can find our more here https://healingforgaza.org/.

Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/693



DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
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We live in a culture that often celebrates the ‘perfect’ relationship but does little to prepare us for the reality of long-term commitment. Modern life is filled with idealised images of love and marriage – but the truth, as today’s guest suggests, is far more human, messy and ultimately hopeful.

Today’s Bitesize is from episode 574 of the podcast with author, internationally renowned philosopher, and founder of The School of Life, the wonderful Alain de Botton.

In this clip, Alain shares a refreshing perspective on relationships, why he believes love is a skill rather than just a feeling, and how changing our expectations could help us build deeper, more lasting connections.

There’s something deeply reassuring in knowing that love doesn’t have to look like the stories we grew up with. And by letting go of these cultural myths and by embracing each other’s flaws, we improve not only our relationships, but also how happy and contented we feel.

Thanks to our sponsor https://heights.com/livemore

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/574

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Are you in control of your nervous system – or is it in control of you? It's a question that deserves your attention, because the answer affects everything from how well you sleep to how you react when life is hard. And my guest this week believes most of us have more agency than we realise.

Dr Kristen Holmes is Global Head of Human Performance and Principal Scientist at the wearable-tech company WHOOP. She’s also a former US national field hockey player and one of the most successful coaches in Ivy League history. In her new book, Aligned, she argues that a well-regulated nervous system is the foundation for our health, performance and relationships.

We start by exploring what a balanced nervous system looks like in daily life, why some people need to begin with their body and others with their mind, and why Kristen prefers the word agency to control.

Kristen then talks me through a study she led with WHOOP, in which 39,000 of its members tried four simple, free daily behaviours, and what happened to their sleep and heart health as a result. She explains why most of us have no idea when our body naturally wants to fall asleep, why sleep consistency predicts health more strongly than sleep quantity or quality – and the single metric she believes reveals most about someone’s health.

We also cover why variety matters in how we move, why eating earlier suits our metabolism, and why so many of us fall ill as soon as we go on holiday. And Kristen shares a powerful 72-hour exercise for auditing your daily actions against your values.

In the second half, the conversation becomes deeply personal. Kristen talks about growing up around alcoholism, the trauma she experienced as a child, and how she found her way to forgiveness through curiosity. We discuss emotions rooted in trust versus fear, the role of nostalgia, and how joy differs from happiness. She also shares the meditation practice that helped her learn to love herself, and the science showing how it benefits the body.

This is a conversation for anyone who wants practical, evidence-based steps to better sleep, energy and resilience. But, perhaps more importantly, it’s for anyone who senses that lasting change also requires some inner work. Kristen brings both the data and the lived experience – and I think everyone will find something here to carry into their own life.

The Thrive Tour: Transform Your Health and Happiness, a live show: Book Your Tickets https://drchatterjee.com/live



Thanks to our sponsors:

https://boncharge.com/livemore

https://thewayapp.com/livemore

https://hellolingo.com/livemore

https://drinkag1.com/livemore



Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/691



DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
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You probably already know that your diet can hugely influence how well you feel, but how much power do your food choices really have over your health?

Today’s Bitesize is from episode 376 of the podcast with physician and author, Dr William Li.

In his book, Eat To Beat Your Diet, Dr Li explores some of the science around how we can harness the power of food to activate our innate fat-burning systems and transform our health.

In this clip, he shares some common foods that aren't necessarily as healthy as we might think, the important role that our gut bacteria play in our metabolism, and reveals some of his favourite foods that have fat-burning potential.

Dr Li is really keen not to villainise any food – there are many reasons why humans choose to eat certain foods and drink certain drinks, from our innate sweet tooth to cultural, social or religious traditions. He just wants us to be mindful of what we’re consuming, how and why.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at ⁠drchatterjee.com/376⁠

Thanks to our sponsor ⁠⁠⁠https://thewayapp.com/livemore

Built To Thrive Community https://drchatterjee.com/community

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts ⁠⁠https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore⁠⁠

For other podcast platforms go to ⁠⁠https://fblm.supercast.com.

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
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What happens when the boundary between you and the world around you dissolves? It’s something I experienced myself recently, and this week I sat down with Zen Master Henry Shukman to try and make sense of it. What results is a conversation that moves from the practicalities of a sitting practice, to the outer edges of what meditation can reveal about who we really are.

Henry has been meditating for almost 40 years and is the guide behind The Way, the meditation app I use myself and have long recommended to you. He’s Director of the Mountain Cloud Zen Center in Santa Fe, New Mexico, an award-winning poet and the author of several books. This is his third appearance on the podcast, but our conversation this time goes somewhere we've never been before.

We begin by talking about how meaning, purpose and happiness are found within us, not externally. Our culture may measure worth through outward achievement, but meditation can show us a deeper reality beneath the striving – a natural, open heart that doesn't need to prove itself.

I share the deeply affecting experience I had at a retreat earlier this year –
one that changed how I understand connection, identity and what it means to feel truly at peace. Henry helps unpack it, drawing on Buddhist teaching, his own blissful awakening at 19, and decades of guiding others through similar moments. We talk honestly about what this means for people living ordinary, busy lives, and why none of it requires stepping away from our responsibilities.

Our conversation also touches on ageing and independence, prompted by reflections on my own parents and what they taught me about serenity in circumstances that looked far from peaceful. And in the second half, I invite Henry to answer some of your most-asked questions. Among many useful topics, we cover building a consistent meditation habit, fitting it into family life, coping with shame, cravings and addiction, and how to stay grounded in a difficult relationship.

This episode moves effortlessly between the practical and the profound, and I think it will mean something different depending on where you are in your own life right now. But whether you're new to meditation or have been practising for years, rest assured there's a powerful message here for you.

The Thrive Tour: Transform Your Health and Happiness, a live show: Book Your Tickets https://drchatterjee.com/live



Thanks to our sponsors:

https://drinkag1.com/livemore

https://thewayapp.com/livemore



Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/689



DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices