Food & Exercise Mindset Interview

What if everything you knew about food, exercise and mindset were wrong?

"You'd be forgiven for thinking that working in the fitness industry would contribute to helping clients become healthier. Unfortunately, what we've experienced was the opposite." Says 180 Nutrition Founder Stuart Cooke

In 2013, 180 Nutrition recorded their first interview with ancestral health expert Nora Gedgaudas to be distributed via their podcast called 'The Health Sessions', after witnessing limited results from mainstream nutrition and lifestyle advice available.

'The Health Sessions' was created to engage with wide a range of health experts, challenge conventional thinking and share cutting edge research and discoveries along the way.

Having interviewed hundreds of guest experts to date and over 2.5 million worldwide downloads.

Founder Stuart Cooke said the information, advice and strategies they discovered were nothing short of amazing.

"Metabolic scientists, geneticists, medical doctors, investigative journalists, movie directors, the range of guests are so diverse".

"We found out that there is an entire online movement of pioneering health professionals who are openly discussing and sharing their latest research, " says Mr Cooke.

As well as turning the conventional food pyramid upside down, the advice that Mr Cooke now incorporates into his daily routine includes:

- Using the proven science of positive thinking to boost immunity
- Blocking blue light in the evening for a deeper restorative sleep
- Decreasing daily exercise for greater health gains
- Replacing healthy whole grains with more natural fats

Mr Cooke said "If you are willing to invest a little of your time you have the opportunity to learn some very actionable strategies to really improve your health and wellbeing. In an industry saturated with synthetic solutions our goals are to provide 'genuinely' healthy products and the latest available health information so our customers can live their best lives. We've been working hard in the background with a partner in the health space on a range of products that address gut health. We're excited and hope to launch the first of these early in the new year."

180 Nutrition have catalogued all of their interviews that can be viewed, read or downloaded for free on their website at http://180nutrition.com.au/180-tv-guests/

Interview with Stuart Cooke, 180 Nutrition Founder

Question: What inspired you to begin The Health Sessions?

Stuart Cooke: In 2009 we created Australia's first whole food protein supplement to help people replace poor food choices and avoid the high street alternatives that were filled with chemicals. This was really well received but we soon realised that people were still confused on exactly what they should be eating so we decided to find out from the experts themselves. Our goal was to connect with the world's best experts in health and wellness and discuss the latest science, uncover the myths that were confusing people and pass this over to our audience in a fun and easy-to-understand manner.


Question: What have you learnt whilst recording The Health Sessions?

Stuart Cooke: That a large part of the nutritional advice provided today is based on outdated (and in some cases) flawed science. We've also learned that the 'perfect diet' does not exist as we are all so genetically and biologically unique. It's also apparent that our mindset, movement and sleep are critical to our overall health and that we should all take steps to optimise each of these areas. We find that curiosity is the key that allows us to discover new ways to better our lives.


Question: Which of The Health Sessions interviews were you favourite to record and why?

Stuart Cooke: I enjoyed connecting with Bruce Lipton as he explained how our thoughts are directly connected to our biology and that we can literally think ourselves to better health. Michael Mosley was another great guest as he explained that hours of exercise may not be required to achieve the health benefits we desire. He documented similar benefits by exercising for as little as 5 minutes a day. There really is something for everyone in our library of interviews and each session provides such as wealth of knowledge, I frequently listen to them a second time and always seem to learn something new.


Question: How have you turned the traditional food pyramid upside down?

Stuart Cooke: Instead of eating large portions of cereals and grains which are commonly classed as carbohydrates I like to increase my fat intake (currently deemed as unhealthy by the food pyramid). Consuming healthy natural fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, olive and coconut oil are far more filling and will help to stabilise blood sugar. Once you get your blood sugar under control, it's easier to control your weight and mood and you tend to make healthier food choices. It's also very worthwhile to keep an eye on your sugar intake as you would be surprised how much we can unknowingly consume each day.


Question: How can we use positive thinking to boost immunity?

Stuart Cooke: Positive thoughts can help release health-enhancing biochemicals which can offer numerous health benefits. On the flip-side, negative thinking can release a raft of stress hormones that have the opposite effect. As humans we have a tendency to worry about the future over things that are largely out of our control. Taking steps to be more 'in the moment' can help bring us back to the present and tools such as breath work and meditation can be very beneficial for our general wellbeing.

Question: Why do we need to change our mindset in regards to exercise for greater health gains?

Stuart Cooke: Where exercise is concerned it seems that the phrase 'less is more' has a lot of science to back it up. Short bouts of high intensity interval training have been widely recommended over longer endurance sessions by the majority of health experts that we've spoken to. Building lean muscle through weight bearing exercises was the No.1 tip recently discussed with a longevity specialist so that's the basis of how I exercise these days.


Question: Do you have a morning routine, can you share it with us?

Stuart Cooke: Sure, hydration is my first priority with a large glass of water often mixed with lemon and rock salt (to kick-start the digestive and adrenal systems). I like to get a solid hit of natural sunlight for 10 minutes which helps switch off the sleepy hormones and reset our circadian rhythm. I'll follow this with a quick shower which is finished with 30 seconds of cold water to boost immunity. Breakfast is predominantly protein and fat (a smoothie with coconut cream is a favourite) and then I'll hit the gym before 8am for a 45 minute weights session.


Question: Where should we start listening?

Stuart Cooke: I'd suggest heading over to https://180nutrition.com.au/180-tv-guests/ to get an overview of our guests. We record in video so you can choose to either watch, listen or read the interviews here. If you'd rather download the podcasts on your smart phone you'll find the link to our iTunes channel on this page too.


Question: What's next for The Health Sessions?

Stuart Cooke: To keep learning by connecting with the people at the cutting edge of their speciality. We've got a great line-up of guest scheduled in over the next few months so really excited to be able to share our findings.


Interview by Brooke Hunter