Healthy Beast

Bellator's Alfie Davis: rising star of mixed martial arts prepares for his big fight

Alfie returns to the Healthy Beast studio to talk about the final preparations for his fight. Tipped as a future world champion, Alfie is two fights - and two wins - into his contract with Bellator, the biggest mixed martial arts promotion in the world after the UFC.

It is great to have him back, he is one of the nicest men you will find in a fight game full of much nicer people than you might think. Alfie is a knockout specialist, but also has a degree in sports science and puts a lot of thought into perfecting the art of fighting. 

See Alfie fight at Bellator London  on June 22. 

Alfie is @alfierdavis on Instagram and his kickboxing school in Putney is @alfiedaviskickboxing.

The Breath Guy - control stress and fight illness just by breathing properly

Richie Bostock, also known as The Breath Guy, teaches how to use breathing exercises to stay calm, but also to get the body into a flow state that fires up your immune system and makes you far less likely to get ill. I tried it and after a bit of light-headedness it makes you feel amazing.  

Richie will be teaching at the lululemon Sweatlife festival in London on 22nd and 23rd June. The following week he will be at Glastonbury, then at the beginning of August he will be bringing a sense of calm to the festivalgoers at  at Wilderness. 

You can find out more at thebreathguy.co.uk  and he is @thebreathguy on Instagram.

 

Actor and mental health campaigner Stephen Uppal

Stephen is one of the most hard-working, positive people I have ever met. He was in Hollyoaks for years, which taught him both good and bad things about the acting game.

He has made a film, Abe, which could have killed him, but it is the most important thing he has ever done. He made the film to raise awareness of mental health issues after losing his big brother Lacky.

Loved talking to the man. You can watch Abe here, or see the many faces of Stephen here. 

Using your own blood to fight pain - exploring platelet-rich plasma treatment (PRP)

In this episode you can hear me trying out a virtually painless pain treatment that involves drawing blood, spinning it very fast in a centrifuge, then injecting the best bits back into your body. The idea is it stimulates the healing process and so can reduce pain. Definitely worth a try, I thought...

Find out more about PRP and other treatments at bodyvie.com.

From obesity and cancer to champion martial artist

A few years ago Trent Scanlen was a morbidly obese businessman. Then he got cancer. Now he runs an MMA gym, is a jiu-jitsu champion and also a fine example of just getting the hell on with it.

Trent would also like me to remind you of his line of CBD products, which you can find at truthnaturals.co.uk.

Dr Michael Mosley's Fast 800: eat right, live longer

Dr Michael Mosley made his name with the 5:2 - the diet that popularised intermittent fasting. Now he's back with the Fast 800, which builds on the 5:2 and includes everything Dr Mosley has learnt since a decision to restrict his food intake reversed his diabetes and inadvertently set him on the path to becoming a diet guru. 

Find out more at thefast800.com.

Surgeon: engage with your health before it's too late

After seeing a patient whose death could have been prevented, Dr Zeeshan Akhtar decided on a career change. He became a tech entrepreneur, launching an app that encourages people to engage with all aspects of their health while they are still young enough to make a difference.

Find out more at scout-health.com.

Dr Harry: without medical training I could have died

If illness or injury is stopping you from training, have a listen to Dr Harry Weisinger. He is a great doctor for anyone dealing with recovery, partly because he writes scientific papers on nutrition and physiology, but also because he has fought back from terrible health problems of his own and is now in far better shape than he has any right to be. 

Dr Harry also provides expert advice to a supplement company called Truth Origins.

Sophrology – mind control of champions

Dominique Antiglio is the author of The Life Changing Power of Sophrology, the first widely-published book in English about the relaxation and meditation technique that kept Seve Ballesteros calm under pressure. Dominique treats patients in London using a method described as the "dynamic cousin of mindfulness". Find out more at be-sophro.com  or go to @besophrolondon on Instagram.

 

Why do we feel pain? A neurologist's view

What should you do if you are in pain? The doctor can give you medicine, which might help. But there is so much more to it than that. Patients come looking for simple answers, but often there is not just one cause. I ask consultant neurologist Dr Steve Allder to help untangle the complexity of what it means to be in pain. 

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Dr Allder works at the Harley Street clinic Re:Cognition Health and specialises in traumatic brain injury, as well as unexplained neurological conditions.