AMA with Dr Michael Mosley, television presenter and bestselling author

[NicolaDMumsnet]

Hi everyone,

We're pleased to announce that journalist and television presenter Dr Michael Mosley will be doing an AMA this evening. Michael is the bestselling author of The Fast Diet, The 8-Week Blood Sugar Diet, The Clever Guts Diet and The Fast 800. His most recent book, Just One Thing, is based on his popular BBC podcast of the same name.

Just One Thing
‘The book brings to life Dr Mosley’s mission to find things you can introduce into your daily routine which will have a big impact on your mental and physical health. He unearths a range of Just One Things whose impacts are so surprising and intriguing you will be desperate to try them out. He chats to experts, road tests all his tips and enlists some special guests to help you find that one small thing that could really make a difference to how you feel.’

Michael is also doing a live UK tour with his wife Claire, starting in February. Find out more here.

Please post your questions below. Michael will be answering questions this evening.

As always, please remember our guidelines - one question per user, follow-ups only if there’s time and most questions have been answered, and please keep it civil.

Thanks,
MNHQ

Hi Michael,
I have Hashimotos disease and really struggle with losing weight. My TSH is currently 2.3
Any advice for weight loss for someone like me?
I know lots of people advise gluten free.

@Tulpenkavalier i am a big fan of bowel screening as it is a very effective way to pick up pre-cancerous polyps while they can still be removed. So anyone who has been offered it should absolutely take the offer up. I'm sure your consultant will let you know how often you should return. In terms of diet, things that seem to reduce your risk of bowel cancer are cutting down on processed meat (bacon, sausages etc) and increasing the amount of fibre in your diet. It is also important to give up smoking, cut down the booze, maintain a healthy body weight, be active and stay hydrated. So aim to drink a large glass of water with every meal (i did a Just One Thing podcast all about this

Why can't I stick to a diet? It's not tricky, eat less, move more.

But I don't seem to have any long lasting willpower.
Maybe if it was me living alone I'd be better but cooking for a family, working full time and trying to lose a substantial amount of weight seems to be beyond me.

Why do some people seem to be able to find willpower? Any top tips on sticking to weight loss regimes?

There is quite a lot of evidence now that current guidelines on protein are set too low, particularly for people as they get older. As i'm sure you are aware you need protein to build muscle, but it is also vital for healthy bones. I am a 66 year old male, reasonably active, and i weigh 80kg. I aim to eat around 100g of protein a day, equally divided between meals

Thanks for your Just One Things podcasts. I've found them so useful and positive.
I eat nearly all plant based food. Probably not enough fish but otherwise healthy with small amount of meat.
I'm coeliac so try to avoid bread etc as all the GF stuff is so processed. Any suggestions for GF diet?

My doctor has prescribed Movicol as I get very constipated around 70% of the time.
What can I do to come off this and help myself through diet?

@RedDoughnut Sticking to a diet and maintaining a health weight is much harder for some people than others. You only have to look at a labrador and a greyhound to see that genetics play a big part when it comes to how much you weigh and where you put on the fat. I am a labrador while my wife, Clare, seems to effortlessly maintain the same weight she was when we met at medical school, more than 40 years ago. I lost 9kg ten years ago, because i'd discovered i had type 2 diabetes, but it is still a struggle for me not to lapse. We have to keep things like chocolate and biscuits out of the house, or i will eat it. I also wear a tight belt so i know when the weight is creeping up. I eat a lot of fibre-rich food, and fermented foods, which help fill me up; there is some evidence that these foods also help cut cravings. I have written quite a few book, including the Fast 800, with the best science based tips i could find on how, not only to lose weight, but to keep it off long term. But there is no doubt that for many of us it is tough.

Do you accept people can be happy and fat?

@Whattodonut Being coeliac is tough and the fact you can't eat wheat (a great source of fibre) is probably contributing to your constipation. Have you tried adding things like porridge and lentils to your diet? They are super healthy and naturally gluten free, though as I'm sure you know you have to be wary of cross contamination and only buy the versions that are labelled gluten free

I have IBS and am menopausal. I switched to a grain free diet to try to help the IBS. It has helped the constipation side and the pain, but I still get very urgent stools 2-3 times a week and diarrhoea 2-3 times a month. Is there anything more I can do diet wise, or should I accept this is life? I’m also on HRT but only recently and it has not affected it.

Hi
ive heard the guy being referred to as a second brain.
is there a link between gut health and mental health? And would general gut health he’ll or is it something more specific to help with eg anxiety

Hello

please give me 7 healthy breakfasts.

@Pinkneonballoon Absolutely! The people i'm trying to help are those who are metabolically unhealthy, who are carrying too much weight for their physical and mental well being. The reason, 10 years ago, i lost weight and wrote The Fast Diet, is because i'd discovered i had type 2 diabetes and saw what it did to my dad. I don't think that BMI is a great measure of health. Better to rely on waist size, blood pressure and blood sugar levels. If you are significantly overweight and have metabolic syndrome (a combination of the above) then there is lots of research showing that losing weight will improve long term health outcomes. If you are a bit overweight but perfectly healthy and happy then you certainly don't need my advice.

How do you feel about long term use of psyllium/Metamucil to optimize fiber intake?

@Rummikub Yes, people call the gut the "second brain" because your gut is lined with neurons, the same sort of cells you find in your brain. I was told there are as many neurons in your gut as in the head of a cat. Your gut is linked to your brain via the vagus nerve, and also via your blood supply. So the microbes in your gut can influence your brain by producing chemicals that influence our mood. There is now a lot of research showing that if you suffer from depression or anxiety, then changing to a healthy Mediterranean diet (rich in oily fish, olive oil, nuts, fruit and veg etc) can, within a few weeks, improve mood

Thank you! A book about gut and brain health would be great!

@MangetoutsaysGetOutMan The sort of things that i eat for breakfast, and which i believe are healthy, include:
Porridge, with added nuts. Not the instant stuff, but rolled wholegrain oats with wheat bran. i buy supermarket own brand
You can also make simple overnight oats: put half a mug of oats in bowl, cover with milk, leave overnight in the fridge, and then eat the next morning with your favourite topping
Eggs. I love them scrambled, boiled or as an omlette. Plenty of healthy protein and very filling. The great thing about omlettes is you can experiment with lots of different fillings. You can find lots of omlette recipes (and more) at Dr Clare Bailey's instagram account.
I am also a fan of kippers, which i particularly enjoy with fried tomatoes.

@Rummikub a couple of years ago i wrote a book called Clever Guts which is all about the link between gut and brain health; also contained lots of recipes

Brilliant I’ll check that out.

No question, but just wanted to say how much my husband and I loved some of your programmes. We watched the three week one and follow up, and after that we asked ourselves 'What would Michael do?'. I've never been overweight but definitely tiptoed close as I hit perimenopause. Your advice helps me balance and maintain. Much obliged.

Hi Michael!

Can you explain to me the impact of genetic insulin resistance in young adults under 40 diagnosed with prediabetes, who are not obese and eat a generally good diet? Is there any evidence to suggest this needs to be actioned more aggressively than those who are prediabetic due to lifestyle and diet without any predisposing genetic heritability? Is low carb still the best way to manage it and do these individuals just need to accept they are prone to IR and need to maintain a lower body weight to stave off DM2?

What are the key things to do to lower the risk of dementia?

are there certain things in your diet that will make a difference ?

Hi Michael, thanks for all the fantastic information already. You say that people should aim for at least 20g of protein per meal and that you aim for 100g per day (so more). The only way I can see of achieving something like that is by having some kind of meat or fish at least twice a day. Yet you also advocate eventually settling on a "mediterranean style" diet which, if I understand correctly, involves only moderate amounts of fish and quite sparing amounts of meat, with grains, pulses etc. making up the rest of the protein base. Is it possible to get the kind of protein intake you suggest this way? Do you personally do it? Or is your mediterranean-style diet a bit more of a compromise with a higher meat & fish content.

I'm a 50 year old male, and don't mind eating plenty of meat and fish if that's what's best. But then there is some nutritional (and environmental) advice not to.

I managed to eventually fast properly and then not eat much above 800 calories on the other days and following the hours of eating and found it difficult to start eating more afterwards as I just felt so full. However when I did eventually start to eat a little more so three basic meals a day the weight gradually started coming back on so I switched to one meal a day which I learnt is referred to as OMAD however they now say OMAD isn’t good for you. If OMAD isn’t why is fasting good for you? IF is impossible when I’m travelling OMAD is possible, do you have any advice?

@LovelyGirlsCompetition As you probably know there is a genetic component to most forms of insulin resistance, though the majority of cases of people with type 2 diabetes are more to do with lifestyle than with genes. As with type 2, people with type 1 can be genetically predisposed to developing insulin resistance. One of the reasons i developed type 2 diabetes, despite a relatively healthy BMI, is because my father had it. Type 2 responds well to weight loss, and to carb restriction, but this may not be the case with some other types of diabetes.

@TheRealProfessorYaffle Thanks very much for you kind words. Delighted to hear that!