Clarifying the purpose and direction of the New Normal Project (NNP #50)
Release Date: 03/18/2019
"I am an Intensive Care doctor and today I feel scared" (NNP #72)
New Normal Project
The coronavirus pandemic is becoming a global catastrophe and in this episode Andrew talks about why we all need to do social distancing extremely well so we can reduce the number of deaths.
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Milk's effect on health - The New Normal in Action - February 2020 (NNP #71)
New Normal Project
Dr Andrew Davies summarises a recently published scientific paper from a high impact factor journal entitled "Milk and Health" to help you understand what the science says about the effect of cow's milk consumption & other dairy products on your health.
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Helping your brain to think and work smarter with Phil Dobson (NNP #70)
New Normal Project
Phil Dobson, who runs “BrainWorkshops”, talks about maintaining brain fitness; managing brain stress; optimising brain health with exercise, sleep and learning; dealing with the distractions of modern life; and the value of mental rehearsal.
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A focus on some sleep science - The New Normal in Action - January 2020 (NNP #69)
New Normal Project
Host Dr Andrew Davies talks about a recent scientific paper on sleep he enjoyed reading; several others on sleep you might wish to read; some books and podcasts he's recently read and listened to; and some of the recent habit challenges he’s made.
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Gut health, the microbiome, and optimal nutrition for gastro-intestinal disorders - a replay episode with Dr Alan Desmond (NNP #68)
New Normal Project
UK gastroenterologist Dr Alan Desmond speaks about gut health, the microbiome, pre- & probiotics, bowel cancer, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, fibre, processed food, antibiotics, cancer screening and a whole food plant-based diet.
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The health benefits and risks of exercise - a replay episode with Dr John Orchard (NNP #67)
New Normal Project
Australian sport and exercise medicine physician, Dr John Orchard, talks about how much daily exercise benefits your health, which diseases can be prevented and even treated with exercise, and how you can exercise to prevent an overuse injury.
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A plant-based diet helps the climate & your health - a replay episode with Dr Neal Barnard (NNP #66)
New Normal Project
A pioneer of plant-based nutrition, Dr Neal Barnard, of the PCRM in Washington DC, describes the value of a plant-based diet, for the climate and many medical conditions, and just how easy it actually is to start eating this way.
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Andy Ramage on why you should consider an alcohol-free challenge - a New Year’s eve replay episode (NNP #65)
New Normal Project
Andy Ramage, the co-founder of the One Year No Beer movement, tells us his story of trying an alcohol-free challenge, how significant the social pressure was, and just how good he felt as he understood his relationship with alcohol more clearly.
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Self-discovery and health transformation through exercise, diet and yoga - Jeff Lester (NNP #64)
New Normal Project
Jeff Lester talks of self-discovery as he transformed from an obese and troubled young adult to a wise, kind and purpose-focused man teaching yoga and meditation retreats, through a healthy and spiritual approach to exercise, plant-based diet and yoga.
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Some experience & information to help you - The New Normal in Action - December 2019 (NNP #63)
New Normal Project
Host Dr Andrew Davies talks about 3 recent scientific papers; what videos, podcasts & books he's recently watched, read and listened to; what's happening for him in the health pillar of sleep; and some new challenges he’s made over the last few episodes.
info_outlineEpisode 50 of the podcast is here! And it’s the 2nd birthday of the podcast too. That’s two years and many hours of enjoyable podcasting to acknowledge, especially given the value our inspiring guests have provided.
After a busy first year followed by 12 months of far fewer episodes, I thought it was time to clarify what the true purpose of the podcast is and to realign its direction. My wife, Claire, and I started the New Normal Project with the aim to produce a podcast on the topic of a healthy lifestyle. We made our lifestyle transformation based on 6 healthy pillars: (1) eating more plants, (2) getting more sleep, (3) practicing mindfulness, (4) being more active, (5) building healthy relationships with people and things, and (6) better understanding our authentic purpose. We continue to aim for the most healthy, fulfilling and conscious life we can live.
50 episodes later the podcast is still going and, despite Claire deciding not to work on the podcast for the time being, I remain passionate to listen, read and think about what I call a plant-based, body-moving, mind-focused lifestyle. As a Doctor I wish to demonstrate the healthiest lifestyle I can, to keep learning from guests on the podcast, and to gently educate and guide you as a listener to find out what works best for you.
I’m also a Doctor working in the Intensive Care Unit, which can be an unpleasant, uncomfortable and intimidating environment for those critically unwell people who are our patients. Intensive Care is a focal point for people with chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, dementia, asthma, emphysema, chronic liver disease, mental illness and obesity. We now have evidence that many of these diseases are modifiable with healthier lifestyle choices. This means the same lifestyle that gives you the highest chance of staying alive longer and disease-free is the very same lifestyle that in my view can stop you from being admitted to the ICU. As an ICU doctor this is my genuine desire and is how I wish to help you with the podcast.
I’d like to bring more scientific information to the show using the experience I’ve gained from conducting a number of research studies in the ICU. But I also understand that scientific information can be insufficient on its own to change medical practice and people’s lifestyles, so a mix of story-telling and information is the way the New Normal Project podcast can help to transform or enhance your lives.
Whilst I think more about how I can bring more scientific evidence, how I can combine this with telling you of my own lifestyle change experience, and how I can challenge us all to try new lifestyle habits together as a community, I’ll continue to bring you guests who are experts on one of the pillars of a healthy lifestyle, people who have made lifestyle changes successfully or simply people who inspire by the way they lead their lives. That is what makes this really a Project of living a New Normal and which hopefully inspires and empowers you to live a healthy lifestyle.
Thanks for reading and listening. I am very grateful for your support of the podcast.
Live well, feel well, do well.
Andrew Davies
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Links to people, organisations & other resources mentioned:
Episode 1 of New Normal Project podcast
Mastering Intensive Care podcast
Episode 49 of New Normal Project podcast with Scott Stoll
New Normal Project on Facebook
New Normal Project on Instagram @newnormalproject
New Normal Project on Twitter @newnormalproj
Andrew Davies on Instagram @andrewdavies66
Andrew Davies on Twitter @andrewdavies66