Alive and Kicking with Clare McKenna
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Clare McKenna looks at ‘health’ in the widest sense of the word. From mindfulness to skin problems, from personal health journeys to tips for better exercise, Clare tries to bring you a dose of happy and healthy living.
Listen and subscribe to Alive and Kicking with Clare McKenna on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.
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Available episodes
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May 15, 2022
Sustainable Living, The Reasons People Don't Change & Dealing Rosacea
Clare is joined by Pat Kane of Reuzi on how sustainability can be achieved in small steps which can make a massive difference
And skin expert Eavanna Breen gives her advice on Rosacea
Life Coach Aidan O'Brien to speak about the top reasons people don't change, even when they say they want to.
To speak directly with Aidan, you can schedule a call here: https://calendly.com/aidanobrien/client-consultation-free-call
To learn more about Aidan you can visit is website here: https://theaidanobrien.com
Follow Aidan on Instagram @aidanobrienofficial or click here: https://www.instagram.com/invites/contact/?i=phgv1rzojgvr&utm_content=659ken
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May 8, 2022
Maeve Madden on Queen's Don't Quit and Wellfest, Tony Ward on Coming to Terms with Aging & The Gut Experts
Clare is joined by Maeve Madden of Queens don't quit.
Tony Ward speaks about coming to terms with Aging
And "The Gut Experts" - Consultant Gastroenterologist Professor Barbara Ryan and Clinical Dietitian Elaine McGowan join Clare in studio to discuss gut health and their new book " What Every Woman Needs to Know About Her Gut"
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May 1, 2022
Workplace Wellbeing Special
On Friday, April 29th Ireland celebrated National Workplace Wellbeing Day, an event dedicated to promoting the idea of a well-balanced working environment.
This week Clare is joined by 3 experts to discuss how to prevent stress and create a positive working culture in which individuals and organizations can thrive?
Brian Crooke is a wellbeing educator, speaker and adviser supporting organisations to promote and sustain wellbeing within their workplaces. He is the founder of Workplace Wellbeing Ireland and The Work Well Institute and is responsible for the design and delivery of the Postgraduate Certificate in Workplace Wellness at Tangent, Trinity College Dublin. He is also the host of The Work Well Podcast.
Niamh Brady is a Productivity Coach passionate about improving well-being at work. She helps people change their workday to make it better for in the short and long term through online courses and corporate services.
And
Wlad Rivkin is Associate Professor in Organisational Behaviour and Work Psychology at Trinity College Dublin.
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Apr 24, 2022
The Vitality Mark with Mark Rowe & Helen Mort on Mountains & Motherhood
Dr Mark Rowe has been a practicing family physician for over 25 years, after his own experience of burnout he became one of the first medical doctors in Ireland to study lifestyle medicine. His latest book The Vitality Mark – Your prescription for feeling energised, invigorated, enthusiastic and optimistic each day helps identify gaps in our wellbeing and offers evidence based strategies to transform the quality of our life. He discusses his book with Clare.
Helen Mort has always been drawn to the thrill and risk of climbing, the connection to the natural world it brings but when she became a mother for the first time she began to reexamine her relationship with the elements and she joined Clare to discuss her memoir – A Line Above the Sky – a story of mountains and motherhood.
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Apr 17, 2022
One Body, The Human Collective & The Big Active Campaign
By the time she reached her fifties, author and poet Catherine Simpson and her body had gone through a lot together – from period pain, an abortion, early menopause, birthing two daughters to shaming and harassment. When a cancer diagnosis entered the mix, Catherine began to reflect on her body and all its trials and tribulations which she documents in her book One Body.
Human Collective is a brand of what’s become known as athleisure – the comfortable clothes we embraced through the lockdowns which are happily now a fashion main stay. The brand promises to spread a message of equality and social inclusion. Clare is joined by it’s founder Conor Buckley and Paddy Smyth who has long been an advocate for people with disabilities to be reflected in fashion campaigns and beyond
And Barnardos recently launched their Big Active campaign encouraging children in classrooms throughout the country to think about their mind, body and soul. Clare is joined by Barnardos Wellbeing expert Jenny Murphy
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Apr 10, 2022
Connect The Dots; The Art and Science of Creating luck
This week on Alive and Kicking Dr Christian Busch on his book Connect the Dots – the art and science of creating luck
And Clare is joined by paediatric nurse Lynda Quigley, sleep expert Heather Dent and baby massage instructor Melissa Curtis to find out what it’s like to work with babies.
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Apr 3, 2022
Can Hypnotherapy Help Us With Our Anxiety?
This week on Alive and Kicking Fiona Brennan best selling author of The Positive Habit on what the world needs now
Nutritionist Niamh Orbinski on The Health at Every Size Summit in Dublin
And the National Health Watch Report from Webdoctor.ie found that 89% of people plan to prioritise their health more in the next six months. GP Fergus Glynn joined Clare to tell us about the report.
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Mar 27, 2022
Motherhood & Mental Health
This week on Alive and Kicking Psychotherapist & Founder of 'Sparkback' Anne Morgan on motherhood and mental health.
And, Clare is joined by author Daniel Pink to talk about his new book 'The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward'.
Listen and subscribe to Alive and Kicking with Clare McKenna on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.
Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.
You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.
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Mar 24, 2022
The Healthy Ireland Survey 2021
This week on Alive and Kicking Professor Catherine Hayes from TCD speaks with Clare about the health of the nation.
Niamh Finnucan Co-ordinator of Social Work & Bereavement Services at St. Francis Hospice speaks to us about grief.
And, Clare is joined by William and Sinead Thavenot who fundraised over €28,000 for the a bereavement room at the national maternity hospital
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Mar 13, 2022
Tom Dunne: Men need to talk about uncomfortable issues
This week on Alive and Kicking Newstalk's Own and Something Happens singer Tom Dunne talks to Clare about why men need to get comfortable talking about uncomfortable issues.
Comedian and author Gavin Oattes talks about his latest book, A Head full of everything which looks at the awkward teenager years and why they don't have to be such a struggle.
Dr Doireann O'Leary launches a new range of health supplements and dispels the common medical myths and wellness fads.
Listen and subscribe to Alive and Kicking with Clare McKenna on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.
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Mar 9, 2022
Busting the misconceptions around eating disorders
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chats to Keith Russell to bust the myths and misconceptions around disordered eating and shares his own personal story.
Denis Manzke, owner of Nufield seeds gives Clare a tour around his factory and discusses his booming business of growing quality organic sprouting and microgreen seeds.
And Personal Trainer John Belton discusses running 5 marathons across the Arctic in 5 days.
Listen and subscribe to Alive and Kicking with Clare McKenna on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.
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Feb 27, 2022
How to Speak to Children About War
How to Speak to Children About War
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Feb 20, 2022
Joanne McNally On Her Fertility Journey
Joanne McNally on Possible Future Motherhood
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Feb 13, 2022
All My Friends Are Invisible
Jonathan Joly on What Really Matters
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Feb 6, 2022
The Transformative Power of Yoga According to Julie B
One Woman's Story of How Yoga Change Her Life
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Jan 30, 2022
Is it Time To Call Time on Operation Transformation
Is Operation Transformation Bad for our Health?
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Jan 23, 2022
Why We Love
The Science of Love
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Jan 16, 2022
Your Brain on Exercise
Why Exercise Is So Good For Your Brain.
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Jan 9, 2022
The Power of Breathing According to Paddy Douglas
The Power of Breathing
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Jan 2, 2022
To New Year Resolute of Not?
Being Good To Yourself When It Comes to New Year's Resolutions
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Dec 19, 2021
The Experience of Near-Death
Experiencing Near Death
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Dec 12, 2021
Managing Life with Twins & Triplets
Managing Life with Twins & Triplets
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Dec 5, 2021
The Incredible Work of the Jack and Jill Foundation
How Jack and Jill Help
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Nov 28, 2021
Do I Need Therapy?
When Is It Time to Ask for Help?
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Nov 21, 2021
Mary Kennedy and Her Sister Deirdre on Wisdom from The Celtic Well
Mary Kennedy and Deirdre Ni Chinnéid on Celtic Wisdom
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Nov 14, 2021
Joe Barr on the Cycle of Life
Joe Barr On Going the Distance
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Nov 7, 2021
The Doctor of Happiness Andy Cope
The World's First Doctor of Happiness
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Oct 31, 2021
Changing the Conversation around Women's Health and Menopause
Changing the Conversation around Menopause.
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Oct 31, 2021
Evanna Lynch on Growing Up
Evanna Lynch chats to Clare McKenna about her powerful new memoir 'The Opposite of Butterfly Hunting'
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Oct 24, 2021
Miriam and Gerry Hussey and Making Wellness a Live Event.
Miriam and Gerry Hussey on finding more soul space in Portugal. Plus Newstalk Reporter Sarah Madden on why Feminine Hygiene products need to go green
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Oct 17, 2021
Steve Garrigan of Kodaline on his Low Moments and High Hopes
Steve Garrigan is well known as the lead singer of the band Kodaline, the group from Dublin who have found international acclaim and had a string of hits. But what you might not know is that Steve battled with anxiety and feeling like he didn’t fit in for many years. He’s documented his journey in his memoir ‘High Hopes- Making Music, Losing My Way, Learning to Live‘ and today he talks to Clare about helping others and what worked worked for him.
Future Beauty is the first live show in the world aimed at educating women on all of the latest options in aesthetic ‘tweakments’, clinical skincare, cosmetic dentistry, and plastic surgery for a range of bodily concerns. Clare is joined by its co-founder Liz Dwyer to ask if we need to except what we are given and embrace ageing.
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Oct 10, 2021
The Truth about Obesity
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chats to Professor Francis Finucane about the latest research into obesity and diabetes. Clare also talks to Fiona Lambert who was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2017. Two years later, Fiona’s cancer returned, and whilst it is not curable – it is treatable. Today she talks to Clare about not bowing down to illness and taking part in the great pink run this year.
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Oct 3, 2021
A Day in My Wheels
On Thursday Clare spent the day in a wheelchair for Spinal Injuries Ireland and you can hear how she got on over the course off the day. Clare also chats to Sinead Brophy the founder of two female focused health and wellbeing companies; Go with the Flow Coaching and Bumps and Babies. Today she talks to Clare about why men and women shouldn’t necessarily train the same way. Clare also chats to Anthony Deegan who overcame lifetime addiction at Smarmore Castle which is a residential clinic for the treatment of alcoholism, drug and behavioural addiction. He now works as a recovery advocate giving back to others at the place where he was once treated.
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Sep 26, 2021
Jacqui Taaffe- Inspire, Heal, Empower
Jacqui Taaffe was a young teenager in hospital for a minor procedure when and incident led her to carry trauma in her life for many years. This week on Alive and Kicking she talks to Clare McKenna about how she worked through it and why she was ready to document her story in her book ‘Inspire Heal Empower’
Aidan O’Brien was working as a personal trainer in Limerick when a job led him on to cruise ships where he began to speak to groups of people about mindset. Today he joins Clare to talk about how even the most successful people have a guide or mentor to nudge them in the right direction and how he’s not comfortable with the label of life coach.
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Sep 19, 2021
The Powerful Health Benefits of Dreaming
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna talks to Neuroscientist Sabena Brennan to find out more about our REM sleep and what’s really going on when we dream. A new podcast series has recently launched for people living with and affected by migraine in Ireland and Clare meets the host Debbie Hutchinson. Plus Clare brings us a report from a big sea swim when she meets June Curtin who lost her husband to suicide in 2013 and looking for some solace she embraced sea swimming and over the years she has built a community called Snaimhai Sasta
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Sep 12, 2021
Dr Joshua Wolrich on Why Food isn't Medicine
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna talks to Dr Joshua Wolrich who is the author of ‘Food is not Medicine’ and in it he talks about the turnaround he made on how he views dieting, weight-loss and why now his life’s work and personal view has changed to health and every size.
Plus we hear from Dr Catherine Kelly on our relationship with water and why we are attracted to blue spaces. She is the author of ‘Blue Spaces-How and Why Water Can Make You Feel Better’
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Sep 5, 2021
How Much Should Kids Know about Anxiety?
With the kids back to school how do we help them through the anxiety brought on by the pandemic or life in general and should we even use the term 'anxiety' around them? This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chats to Psychologist Jennifer Ryan about all of this. She is also joined by the man who has set up a research team who hope to discover a way to diagnose mental health conditions quicker based on his own breakdown. Plus Clare chats to the organisation 'Sick of Plastic' about ending the single-use scourge!
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Aug 29, 2021
Using Drugs to Treat PTSD.
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chats to Dr Corine de Boer about the clinical trials using psychedelics to treat PTSD. She is also joined by Australian author Andrew Wear to talk about his new book ‘Recovery’ which looks at how best to recover from crisis and what we can learn from the world’s biggest comebacks. Clare also talks to Dr Cliona Murphy about the latest advice on Covid 19 vaccinations while pregnant.
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Aug 22, 2021
The Power of Breath
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chats to Science journalist James Nestor who was just over a bout of pneumonia when a GP friend suggested that a breath class might help. He went along a cynic but his experience there was a catalyst to the exploration of how powerful our breathing really can be. The resulting book is called ‘Breath’ Clare is also joined by dietician Sarah Keogh to bust some food myths and tell us why so many want a fad over the basic advice.
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Aug 15, 2021
Fighting the Good Fight Inside & Outside the Ring with Eric Donovan
Prioritising sleep is a pillar of good health but with so many factors that can disrupt a good night’s rest, it can be hard to get it right all the time.
Joining Clare Mckenna to discuss what we can do to ensure we get the right kind of sleep is Dr. Neil Stanley, Director of Sleep Science at Sleep Station.org and author of 'How to Sleep Well: The Science of Sleeping Smarter, Living Better, and Being Productive'.
Also on this week's episode, Eric Donavan, host of the 'Hooked on Health' podcast, discusses his battles inside and outside of the ring and the path that led him to study counseling.
Listen and subscribe to Alive and Kicking with Clare McKenna on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.
Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.
You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.
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Aug 8, 2021
Tackling Misinformation & Nurturing Balanced Debate with Pharmacist Laura Dowling
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chats to Laura Dowling - known on social media as the fabulous pharmacist - about the misinformation being spread online and the difficulty in having fair and balanced debate concerning various health issues.
Pat Towey, Chairman of Ballaghderreen Mens' Shed joined Clare to talk about the importance of mens' sheds in the local rural communities up and down the country and how these safe spaces allow men to come out of their shells.
The issue of burnout is the focus of psychotherapist Siobhan Murray, and Clare spoke to her about her book 'The Burnout Solution'.
Listen and subscribe to Alive and Kicking with Clare McKenna on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.
Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App.
You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.
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Aug 1, 2021
Richie Saddlier on helping teens talk about Consent
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chats to former Irish International and now football pundit Richie Sadlier on how his work as a psychotherapist led him to launch an online sexual health course for young people this week. Clare also speaks with Beatrice Caffrey of The Nourished Bowl originally from Germany and now living in Wicklow about how a major life event moved her to begin nourishing herself with good food
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Jul 25, 2021
Letting the Wild Things Grow
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chats to Garden Designer Ingrid Smyth about the importance of ‘Re-Wilding’ and letting things grow. Clare also chats to Yvonne Hogan the Editor of ‘Health and Living’ with The Irish Independent about her latest health journey. Plus US Author Steven Rogers about his book ‘A Letter To My White Friends and Colleagues’.
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Jul 18, 2021
Changing Careers to a Health and Wellness Future
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna is joined by a panel of people who changed career paths to work in health and wellness; from architect to neuromuscular therapist & fitness coach, from advertising sales to pre and post-natal fitness instructor and from full time mum to nutritious food producer and triathlete. Clare also chats to Joe Koehane author of 'The Power of Strangers – The Benefits of Connecting in a Suspicious World' about what the latest science says starting conversations with people you don’t know.
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Jul 11, 2021
Daniella Moyles of Jump Starting Your Life
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chats to Daniella Moyles about releasing two bestselling books in the wellness space and her latest course on the psychology of conflict. Clare also chats to financial advisor Carol Brick of 'Her Money' about the removing the stresses of money worries from your life.
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Jul 4, 2021
Claire Fullam on losing her hair and gaining a community and business
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chat to Claire Fulham who lost her hair at 27. She documented her story on her Instagram Claire Balding building over 80,000 followers. She is now training to be a trichologist and set up her own business 'Trua Hair' where she advises clients on healthy hair and scalp. She talks to Clare about bouncing back, the effects of stress and battling her critics. And you can’t go anywhere at the moment without ‘vaccine-talk’. Clare chats through side effects and concerns with GP Dr Eleanor Galvin
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Jun 27, 2021
Jason Byrne on Minding His Loaf
Jason Byrne is probably best known as high energy comedian but more recently after finding himself burnt out after years of gigging he turned to therapy among other things and now wants to spread the message of the importance of minding your loaf and through his podcast of the same name wants to introduce people to expert advice without the hefty price tag or long wait list. He chats to Clare McKenna on this week’s Alive and Kicking. Clare is also joined by Professor Kathleen Neenan to discuss the importance of awareness and recognition of spirituality as a standard for good healthcare practice.
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Jun 20, 2021
Georgie Crawford on Keeping the Glow Good Through Thick and Thin
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chats to Georgie Crawford of The Good Glow Podcast about expanding the brand and offering wellness courses and how she pours the good and the bad that life has to offer into her work.
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Jun 20, 2021
Trisha Lewis on why we all need a reset every now and then
Trisha Lewis began documenting her health journey on instagram as Trisha’s Transformation. Now with over 200 thousand followers and two best-selling cook books her no nonsense, honest approach to health from the inside out for her head and spirit as much as anything else is infectious and she chats to Clare about her new book 'Trisha's 21-Day Reset'
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Jun 13, 2021
Lean with Lesley
This week on Alive and Kicking Clare McKenna chats to Leslie Giltinan who is the personal trainer of Lean with Lesley and she talks to me about surviving through the pandemic by moving her business online and how to get back on track if just because the gyms are open doesn’t mean your motivation is back. Clare also talks to Business owner Christine Carolan about the challenges of getting back to work after a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Plus Maria Doyle on whether or not journaling is worth giving a go.
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