Dr Karan Explores

Getting children to eat well can turn mealtimes into a battle - especially when vegetables are involved. But could pressure, worry and the way we serve food actually make fussy eating worse?
In this episode, I speak to baby and child nutritionist and Sunday Times bestselling author Charlotte Stirling-Reed to explore what helps children build a healthy relationship with food. 
Timestamps
(0:00) Why mealtimes become a battle
(1:16) Why babies prefer sweet foods - and how to introduce vegetables
(4:30) Repeated exposure: don’t give up after a few tries
(6:01) Why children’s appetites go up and down
(8:37) The division of responsibility: what parents decide and what children decide
(10:11) Buffet-style meals and helping picky eaters
(12:00) Why pressure can backfire and harm a child’s relationship with food
(14:45) Sneaking vegetables into meals - and why exposure still matters
(18:24) Getting children involved in shopping and cooking
(19:02) Food play and why modelling eating matters
(21:01) Starting weaning: family foods, finger foods and variety
(23:55) Introducing a range of flavours and textures during weaning
(26:24) When and how to introduce peanut and egg
(28:24) Easy ‘fridge raid’ meals and offering food in different ways
(34:57) Do children need extra protein?
(36:27) Ultra-processed foods: avoiding fearmongering and finding balance
(40:01) Baby food pouches: texture, sweetness and how to use them
(44:01) School meals: new guidelines, fussy eating and funding
(47:24) One simple behaviour swap - plus Charlotte’s food swap
(49:14) Why Charlotte recommends adding lentils
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About Dr Karan:
Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, Founder of LOAM Science and Chief of Science at Throne Science, dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor.
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Website: www.drkaranrajan.com 
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Do we really need all the supplements we're being told to take? And could some of them actually be doing us more harm than good?
In this episode I speak to specialist dietitian and GLP-1 expert Josie Porter. We discuss the science behind popular supplements, the myths around nutrition and how to get the most out of your diet. Plus, what you should know about taking GLP-1 weight loss medications.
Timestamps
(0:00) Intro - Are we taking too many supplements?
(01:40) Do we really need electrolytes for daily hydration?
(07:10) Is creatine really good for your brain?
(10:00) Can creatine make endometriosis worse?
(11:55) How to spot misleading supplement marketing
(14:40) Why taking too many vitamins can be dangerous
(17:10) The myths around prenatal supplements and folic acid
(19:20) When should you take iron supplements?
(20:40) The best foods for getting all your essential nutrients
(23:45) Can food really be medicine?
(24:55) The best foods for relieving constipation
(27:00) Why different types of fibre matter for gut health
(29:55) How to control your appetite and food cravings
(34:15) What should you eat when taking GLP-1 medications?
(38:55) How to avoid regaining weight after stopping GLP-1s
(42:30) Are GLP-1 weight loss medications really dangerous?
 🦠LOAM Science 
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📕 This Book May Save Your Life
The No.1 Sunday Times bestseller packed with evidence-based advice to improve your health.
https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 
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Order my new book covering everything you're too embarrassed to ask your doctor but really should.
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🤖 Dr Karan's Digital Twin
Ask my AI twin your health questions anytime.
http://DrKaran.ai 
About Dr Karan:
Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, Founder of LOAM Science and Chief of Science at Throne Science, dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor.
📱Connect with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan/ 
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaranR/ 
Website: www.drkaranrajan.com 
X: https://twitter.com/drkaranrajan

Do we really need to be so worried about our testosterone levels? And is it really the solution to all of our health problems?
In this episode I speak to reproductive health specialist Dr Channa Jayasena. We discuss testosterone, the myths around it and the latest in reproductive science!
Timestamps
(0:00) Intro - Are we really facing a low testosterone crisis?
(02:35) Why testosterone prescriptions have increased by 135%
(08:17) What your testosterone levels reveal about your overall health
(12:04) Testosterone, masculinity and the male body image crisis
(17:56) What are the real symptoms of low testosterone?
(21:26) Should healthy men get their testosterone tested?
(23:05) Does testosterone really decline as we age?
(26:25) What other factors can lower testosterone?
(30:31) Does testosterone replacement therapy mask underlying health problems?
(34:53) The dangers of peptides and hormone cocktails
(36:12) Can you naturally boost your testosterone?
(38:31) The health risks of taking testosterone you don't need
(40:06) Why testosterone levels don't tell you about sperm health
 🦠LOAM Science 
The world's first invisible fiber blend with a clinical trial! Get 10% OFF LOAM with code DRKARAN10: https://loamscience.com/products/loam-prebiotic-fiber-formula?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=drkaran 
📧Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy to action health tips, interesting facts and science to fill your curiosity: 
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📕 This Book May Save Your Life
The No.1 Sunday Times bestseller packed with evidence-based advice to improve your health.
https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 
📕 This Is Vital Information
Order my new book covering everything you're too embarrassed to ask your doctor but really should.
https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation 
🤖 Dr Karan's Digital Twin
Ask my AI twin your health questions anytime.
http://DrKaran.ai 
About Dr Karan:
Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, Founder of LOAM Science and Chief of Science at Throne Science, dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor.
📱Connect with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan/ 
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaranR/ 
Website: www.drkaranrajan.com 
X: https://twitter.com/drkaranrajan

What role does gut health have to play in the menopause? 
In this episode I speak to Cynthia Thurlow, author of The Menopause Gut, who explains how a woman’s microbiome shifts during menopause - and why understanding this can dramatically improve health outcomes.
Timestamps
(0:00) Intro - Why gut health becomes so important during the menopause
(05:16) Why menopause feels like accelerated aging
(13:34) The role of fibre in managing changing hormones
(20:45) Understanding the estrobolome
(26:44) Are we missing a whole treatment avenue for perimenopause?
(31:04) Common gut signs when going through perimenopause
(33:31) The gut-brain axis and its impact on anxiety and brain fog
(36:42) Does menopause gut advice differ from normal gut advice?
 🦠LOAM Science 
The world's first invisible fiber blend with a clinical trial! Get 10% OFF LOAM with code DRKARAN10: https://loamscience.com/products/loam-prebiotic-fiber-formula?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=drkaran 
📧Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy to action health tips, interesting facts and science to fill your curiosity: 
https://drkaran.kit.com/subscribe 
📕 This Book May Save Your Life
The No.1 Sunday Times bestseller packed with evidence-based advice to improve your health.
https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 
📕 This Is Vital Information
Order my new book covering everything you're too embarrassed to ask your doctor but really should.
https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation 
🤖 Dr Karan's Digital Twin
Ask my AI twin your health questions anytime.
http://DrKaran.ai 
About Dr Karan:
Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, Founder of LOAM Science and Chief of Science at Throne Science, dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor.
📱Connect with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan/ 
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaranR/ 
Website: www.drkaranrajan.com 
X: https://twitter.com/drkaranrajan

Microplastics are everywhere - in the food we eat, the air we breathe, and the environment around us. But how much do we actually know about what they are doing inside the human body?
In this episode I speak to microplastics researcher Dr Stephanie Wright to discuss everything from the difference between micro and nanoplastics, how particles interact with cells and the immune system and how researchers even measure plastic in blood and tissues.
Timestamps
(0:00) Intro - Are microplastics actually harming us?
(0:51) What do we actually know about the health effects?
(2:00) What animal studies can - and can't - tell us
(4:16) Should we be more concerned about nanoplastics?
(5:52) How could microplastics cause harm inside the body?
(7:50) Microplastics, the gut and the immune system
(9:03) How do we measure microplastics in the body?
(12:06) Microplastics in the brain - what was wrong with the research?
(14:19) How much microplastic are we actually exposed to?
(15:40) Can microplastics be removed from the body?
(17:01) The biggest sources: heating plastic, tea bags and tyre wear
(19:16) Which foods contain the most microplastics?
(20:37) Can plants absorb nanoplastics from soil?
(21:45) Microplastics in the placenta and fetus
(24:00) Will microplastics accumulate as we age?
(25:50) Are we blaming microplastics for too many health problems?
(27:00) The 'exposome' - why your whole environment matters
(30:58) How dangerous are microplastics compared with other pollutants?
(32:14) Can fibre help remove microplastics?
(38:50) What we still don't know about microplastics
🦠LOAM Science 
The world's first invisible fiber blend with a clinical trial! Get 10% OFF LOAM with code DRKARAN10: https://loamscience.com/products/loam-prebiotic-fiber-formula?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=drkaran 
📧Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy to action health tips, interesting facts and science to fill your curiosity: 
https://drkaran.kit.com/subscribe 
📕 This Book May Save Your Life
The No.1 Sunday Times bestseller packed with evidence-based advice to improve your health.
https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 
📕 This Is Vital Information
Order my new book covering everything you're too embarrassed to ask your doctor but really should.
https://linktr.ee/ThisisVitalInformation 
🤖 Dr Karan's Digital Twin
Ask my AI twin your health questions anytime.
http://DrKaran.ai 
About Dr Karan:
Dr. Karan Rajan is a doctor, author, Founder of LOAM Science and Chief of Science at Throne Science, dedicated to making health and medical science accessible to all. Through evidence-based analysis, he addresses topics such as gut health, brain health, and healthy lifestyle choices, while dispelling common medical myths with a touch of dark humor.
📱Connect with me:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan/ 
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DrKaranR/ 
Website: www.drkaranrajan.com 
X: https://twitter.com/drkaranrajan