A Year in Review with Dr Nina fuller-shavel and Octavia Hamilton

In this episode Dr Nina and Octavia Hamilton reflect on 2022 as they share their personal and professional challenges of the last year as well as their achievements, successes and favourite podcast episodes.

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:
Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, health coaching, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of BANT and the College of Medicine and the Director of Synthesis Clinic, specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases and integrative cancer care. Alongside her clinical and research work, Dr Fuller-Shavel provides training and mentorship programmes for nutrition and medical professionals.


About Octavia Hamilton:
Octavia Hamilton is a musculoskeletal physiotherapist with a keen interest in women’s health and cancer rehabilitation. Utilising a blend of ScarWork, acupuncture, Pilates and breathwork, as well as drawing on a decade’s experience in complex trauma rehabilitation, Octavia works to restore resilience and confidence in her clients.


To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here. You can also keep up with any news via our clinic newsletter here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Integrating psychology and nutrition with Dr Emma Weymouth

In this episode, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel speaks to Dr Emma Weymouth who offers a wonderful combination of clinical psychology and nutritional therapy. We discuss the importance of considering the whole person picture in supporting mental wellbeing and how nutrition and lifestyle can offer synergistic benefits when combined with psychological approaches.

About Emma:

Dr Emma Weymouth is an accredited Clinical Psychologist specialising in Clinical
Health and Neuropsychology with over ten years' experience in the NHS and
private sector supporting people in managing health conditions. Emma is also a
registered Nutritional Therapist. Emma’s approach aims to incorporate nutritional
science and psychological approaches to promote health and vitality of body and mind.

Website
Instagram

Resources:

The Inflamed Mind book
Dr Bonnie Kaplan website
Dr Deepak Ravindran website
Dr Julia Rucklidge website


About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:

 Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, health coaching, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of BANT and the College of Medicine and the Director of Synthesis Clinic, specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases and integrative cancer care. Alongside her clinical and research work, Dr Fuller-Shavel provides training and mentorship programmes for nutrition and medical professionals.


To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here. You can also keep up with any news via our clinic newsletter here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Cannabinoids - A personalised integrative approach with Dr Dani Gordon

In this episode Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel speaks with Dr Dani Gordon about cannabinoids and their uses in a broad spectrum of conditions - from mental wellbeing and sleep support to pain management and women's health. We discuss some of the myths and misconceptions around cannabis use as a plant medicine, as well as responsible and personalised use of this tool within the overall integrative medicine toolkit. We hope you find this discussion interesting and valuable in supporting your health and wellbeing.


About Dr Dani Gordon

Dr Dani Gordon MD is a double board certified integrative medicine physician and leading expert in integrative and cannabinoid medicine, and resilience. She has treated thousands of patients with medical cannabis, is vice chair of the UK Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society and is the author of ‘The CBD Bible.’ She is the founder and Medical Director of Resilience.clinic, her UK medical practice and wellbeing platform with a focus on mental health, chronic fatigue and complex chronic disease. She is regularly interviewed for TV and the media and has been
featured in the Sunday Times, The Guardian, BBC, Vogue and Marie Claire.


Connect with Dr Dani Gordon:

Resilience Medicine Clinics’ website
 LinkedIn
Twitter
Instagram:
Youtube

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel

Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, health coaching, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of BANT and the College of Medicine and the Director of Synthesis Clinic, specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases and integrative cancer care. Alongside her clinical and research work, Dr Fuller-Shavel provides training and mentorship programmes for nutrition and medical professionals.
To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here. You can also keep up with any news via our clinic newsletter here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!). 

Scar work for breast cancer with Emma Holly

In this episode Octavia Hamilton speaks with Emma Holly, a leading scar massage therapist, educator and researcher who takes us through the full holistic approach to scar care that is becoming common practice and encouraged as part of your recovery process.

About Octavia Hamilton:
Octavia Hamilton is a musculoskeletal physiotherapist with a keen interest in women’s health and cancer rehabilitation. Utilising a blend of ScarWork, acupuncture, Pilates and breathwork, as well as drawing on a decade’s experience in complex trauma rehabilitation, Octavia works to restore resilience and confidence in her clients.

Octavia offers a ScarWork package with The Synthesis Clinic which includes a 60 min physiotherapy assessment and a 45 min ScarWork session.

Book a ScarWork package with Octavia

About Emma:

Emma is a specialised clinical scar massage therapist, a leader in her field, with a reputation for excellence. Well known for championing non-invasive scar treatment approaches. With almost 30 years of experience as a therapist, Emma is UK's leading teacher for scar therapy and regularly teaches to NHS and private hospital staff, as well as therapists working in private practice. Emma has pledged to provide opportunities for people to access free scar therapy via her training school, with over 1,650 free treatments already provided - so anyone looking for help with scarring is invited to get in touch.

Special offer to allow our listeners a £50 discount on Understanding Scars: Advanced Online Theory course. Add 'Synthesis50' to receive your discount.

Website
Instagram

Resources:
https://www.physiopod.co.uk/

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here. You can also keep up with any news via our clinic newsletter here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!). 

Breast cancer surgery choices with Dr Tasha Gandamihardja

In this episode, Octavia Hamilton talks to Dr Tasha Gandamihardja,  a consultant oncoplastic breast surgeon. They discuss different options of surgery and reconstruction (if desired) during and after breast cancer treatment and how other breast cancer therapies can impact surgery choices.

About Dr Tasha

Dr Tasha Gandamihardja is a Breast Cancer and Reconstructive Surgeon based at the Holly Private Hospital located in Buckhurst Hill, Essex.  She is highly-qualified with over a decade of experience. Dr Tasha brings a kind, compassionate and highly-professional approach to breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. 

As a recognised expert in her field, Tasha is also a medical educator, training some of the future’s brightest doctors and surgeons.

Website
Instagram
YouTube

Resources
https://metupuk.org.uk

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here. You can also keep up with any news via our clinic newsletter here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!). 

Yoga and breathwork for cancer support with Vicky Fox & Sophie Trew

In this episode we introduce you to the benefits of yoga and breathwork in cancer support.  We start the episode with Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel talking to Vicky Fox, an experienced senior yoga teacher and teacher trainer. Vicky teaches yoga for cancer in person and online, and has recently published a book 'Yoga for Cancer: the A to Z of C'.   

Next Octavia Hamilton speaks to Sophie Trew,  a member of our clinic referral network. Sophie is a cancer thriver, breathwork and mind body coach and a qualified EFT, NLP and Reiki practitioner. Sophie has worked with women in the integrative cancer space for a number of years, running workshops, talks and events.

About Vicky:

Vicky is a senior yoga teacher and trainer with Yoga Alliance Professionals. She has been teaching yoga since 2008 and specialises in teaching yoga to anyone impacted by cancer. She runs free classes through triyoga, Future Dreams Charity and Paul’s Cancer Support Centre. She is the author of Yoga For Cancer, A-Z of C exploring how yoga can help with the side effects of treatment for cancer.

Twice a year Vicky runs a 40 hour training for teachers to provide a safe place so that anyone living with cancer can practice yoga, feel empowered and sense that they are a co-crafter of their well-being.

Website
Instagram

About Sophie:

As a breathwork coach and holistic mentor, Sophie works with clients to support their health goals and empower them to realise their body’s self-healing capacities. 

Sophie has worked with women in the integrative cancer space for 6 years running workshops, talks and events. Her entrance into the world of holistic health came from her own experience with blood cancer in her early 20s where she used an integrative medicine approach in her recovery.

Sophie is trained in transformational breathwork, meditation & mindfulness, EFT & Matrix Reimprinting, NLP, Thai Massage and Reiki.

Website
Instagram

Resources

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here. You can also keep up with any news via our clinic newsletter here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!). 

Meet our network - trauma informed yoga for mothers

In this episode we introduce you to one of our referral network partners, Kelly Thistlethwaite. Kelly is a yoga and breathwork practitioner specialising in supporting women with perinatal trauma (trauma around birth) and following pregnancy loss.

About Kelly:

Kelly helps women to feel safe in the world again, to find connection, to build resilience and to navigate their journey with compassion and understanding.

Kelly is also a Mama Rising facilitator and motherhood support coach supporting women through their Matrescence, which is the huge transformation and identify shift that you experience when we become a mother and again sadly if you lose a child.

The foundations of her approach are firmly set in the teachings of Dr Stephen Porges and Deb Dana on the polyvagal theory, Peter Levine’s teaching of trauma and somatic experiencing and Irene Lyon's approach to somatic and nervous system regulation and health.

Kelly has over 15 years of experience in healthcare delivery, eight years of which was trauma specific experience working with British Military. Kelly has collaborated with one of the UK's  experts in c-section recovery Hannah Poulton to write and deliver a 2 day course which is the first of its kind - a trauma-informed approach to c- section recovery for health care professionals.

Kelly partners with the global maternal networking app ‘Peanut’ to deliver talks around Matrescence and perinatal trauma. She is  also the co-founded of FLY Mama, an online motherhood support platform which provides mothers with safe, professional and accessible education and guidance throughout their pregnancy and postpartum journey.

Kelly believes that we can all heal and recover from our traumatic experiences at any stage in our lives and be the women and mothers that we desire and deserve to be.

Website.

Fly Mama

Resources:

Polyvagal Theory: https://www.stephenporges.com
Somatic experiencing: https://sosinternationale.org/se-training
Irene Lyon: https://irenelyon.com

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Nutrition and lifestyle in fertility support with Sandra Greenbank


In this episode Octavia Hamilton and Dr Amy Shacaluga talk with Sandra Greenbank about the role of nutrition and lifestyle in fertility support. We hope this information will  benefit many individuals who are seeking to start a family.

About Sandra

With 12 years experience as a nutritional therapist working with clients across the UK, Europe and the US, Sandra has helped countless women get to the root cause of their fertility issues and achieve the healthy pregnancy and baby they didn’t think was possible.

 When working with couples,  Sandra takes  an in-depth look at  genetics, healthy history, seemingly random and unrelated signs and symptoms, mindset, hormones, and environment giving you a full ‘fertility MOT’ through in-depth questionnaires, saliva, blood and urine testing. From there she formulates a diet and lifestyle plan together that is tailor-made for her clients.  

Sandra studied for four years at the Institute of Optimum Nutrition and qualified in 2009 and is a member of BANT. She is currently undergoing training at the Institute of Functional Medicine as part of her commitment to attaining the highest standards of knowledge and competence in the practice of evidence based Nutritional Therapy and Functional Medicine.

Website: www.sandragreenbank.co.uk

Instagram: @sandragreenbank_fertility

Resources

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Period-Power-Harness-Hormones-Working/dp/147296361X

https://thyroiduk.org/

2022 NIHR Imperial BRC study, funded by Tommy's pregnancy charity:

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Colour, creativity and flow with Dr Deanna Minich

In this episode, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel speaks with Dr Deanna Minich, a nutrition scientist and international lecturer, teacher and author. We cover a wonderful spectrum of topics from how eating the rainbow of colourful whole foods impacts your health and wellbeing to the power of creativity and finding flow in our lives. 

About Dr Deanna Minich:

Deanna Minich, MS, PhD, CNS, Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner (IFMCP), is a nutrition scientist, international lecturer, teacher, and author, with over twenty years of experience in academia and in the food and dietary supplement industries. Throughout the years, she has been active as a functional medicine clinician in clinical trials and in her own practice (Food & Spirit™), which has now become oriented towards groups, workshops, and retreats. She is the author of six consumer books on wellness topics, four book chapters, and fifty scientific publications. Her academic background is in nutrition science, including a Master of Science (M.S.) degree in Human Nutrition and Dietetics from the University of Illinois at Chicago (1995) and a Doctorate (Ph.D.) in Medical Sciences (nutrition focus) from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands (1999). For a decade, she was part of the research team led by the “father of Functional Medicine,” Dr. Jeffrey Bland, and has served on the Nutrition Advisory Board for The Institute of Functional Medicine, as well as on the Board of Directors for the American Nutrition Association. Since 2013, she has been part of the faculty for the Advanced Practice Module in Environmental Health offered by the Institute for Functional Medicine and has been teaching a graduate level course in metabolic detoxification at the University of Western States. Over the decades, she has taught thousands of nutrition classes for health coaches, fitness trainers, and healthcare professionals, including for programs offered by the Functional Medicine Coaching Academy and the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. In conjunction with her academic degrees and extensive teaching experience at the university level, she is both a Fellow (FACN) and a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) through the American College of Nutrition. She is Chief Science Officer at Symphony Natural Health, where she leads the medical advisory team, oversees scientific communication, and provide educational leadership for the company’s plant-derived nutraceuticals. She is passionate about helping others to live well using therapeutic lifestyle changes that impact their physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health.

Visit her at: www.deannaminich.com (you can find the Food and Mood tracker here, as well as a wonderful collection of recipes and resources)

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:

Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, health coaching, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of the College of Medicine and the British Society for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Co-Chair of BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology). Dr Fuller-Shavel is the Director of Synthesis Clinic, specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases (including hormones, gut health, autoimmunity and mental health) and integrative cancer care. Alongside her clinical and research work, Dr Fuller-Shavel provides training and mentorship programmes for nutrition and medical professionals. 

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here. Please see the clinic’s phytonutrient resources mentioned in the podcast here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Meet our network - health coaching for women’s health

In this episode we introduce you to Dr Jen Cooney, an expert health physiologist and certified health coach. She has a long and varied career, working predominantly in research and academia with a focus on supporting health and wellbeing in people with chronic disease.

About Dr Jen Cooney
Dr Jen is a health physiologist, University Lecturer and Researcher at Bangor University and a certified health coach. She has been researching and working in the area of health and well-being since 2004, and through her work she has helped and supported people of all ages to improve their current and future health and well-being.

Dr Jen has a personal and professional interest in women's health (including PCOS, primary ovarian insufficiency, perimenopause and menopause). Through her research, applied work and collaborations with the NHS, Dr Jen also has extensive experience working with people living with additional health challenges, e.g. arthritis, cancer, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, kidney disease, autoimmune conditions, anxiety and depression. Her research in this field has been published in many peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Instagram
Facebook
Website

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Building resilience and supporting immune regulation

In this episode Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel talks with Dr Jenna Macciochi, a leading immunologist with a special interest in the interaction between lifestyle and our immune systems. We cover a broad range of topics, from building whole-person resilience and making small sustainable lifestyle changes to autoimmune disease. We discuss the important role of nutrition and gut health in maintaining a balanced immune response and how this may play into autoimmunity. 

About Dr Jenna Macciocchi:

Dr Jenna Macciochi is on a mission to unravel the science around the immune system. An immunology lecturer and researcher at the University of Sussex, she is Chair of several degree programmes, editor of a scientific journal and a member of the University Senate. 

Jenna provides accessible, science-backed information on how we can take care of our immune system through her online health and wellbeing platform and social media. She is a regular contributor to TV, print and online media.  She published her first book about the immune system in 2020 and her second in February 2022.

Website 

Immunity The Science of Staying Well

Your Blueprint for Strong Immunity

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:

Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, health coaching, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of the College of Medicine and the British Society for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Co-Chair of BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology). Dr Fuller-Shavel is the Director of Synthesis Clinic, specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases (including hormones, gut health, autoimmunity and mental health) and integrative cancer care. Alongside her clinical and research work, Dr Fuller-Shavel provides training and mentorship programmes for nutrition and medical professionals. 

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Changing healthcare paradigms from medical school

In this episode Octavia Hamilton and Dr Amy Shacaluga talk  with Maria Gresham, who is a fourth year medical student and a former Synthesis Clinic patient.

Through her personal experiences, Maria has become passionate about integrative medicine, and in this episode we discuss how this has impacted her training and development as a doctor.

About Maria Gresham:

Maria is a 4th year medical student at Bristol Medical School. Her multilingual background and the desire to unite the best of various cultures and traditions brought a natural progression into Integrative Medicine. Alongside her medical training, she is about to finish a Postgraduate Diploma in Integrative Medicine with NCIM. Maria has been involved in curriculum reform at Bristol Medical School, empowering future doctors with more education about nutrition and lifestyle medicine. She has been part of Nutritank, a thinktank and medical student organisation founded in Bristol, as well as undertaking research projects with Penny Brohn UK, Culinary Medicine and the Mistletoe in Breast Cancer research trial. 

Maria’s own health journey with PCOS launched her into an adventure obstacle course, which brought her to medical school, then the Diploma in Integrative Medicine, then to seeing Dr Nina at Synthesis Clinic. The reversal of her PCOS through lifestyle alone bamboozled all her health professionals and kindled a specialist interest in women’s health.

When she’s not transcending her step count on the hospital wards, Maria enjoys playing the fiddle, singing, writing poetry, calligraphy, swing dancing, being active (especially in nature) and keeping her vagus nerve in check. Maria is determined to reinstate the importance of spiritual health into medical care, and her own faith underpins everything she is and does. 

Having plunged into the integrative medicine scene since the very start of medical school, Maria is determined to weave together conventional, lifestyle and holistic approaches into her clinical practice and hopes to pave the way for Integrative Medicine to just be called Medicine.

Resources:

https://ncim.org.uk
https://nutritank.com/recipes/
https://culinarymedicineuk.org/
https://www.pennybrohn.org.uk
https://thedoctorskitchen.com/recipes/

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Importance of lifestyle in mental health with Dr Charlotte Marriott

In this episode, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel speaks with  Dr Charlotte Marriott, a consultant, NHS psychiatrist and certified lifestyle medicine physician.  Dr. Charlotte's mission is to inform and inspire people to optimise their own health and wellbeing with evidence-based lifestyle medicine and lifestyle psychiatry information.

She also aims to educate healthcare professionals on how to incorporate a lifestyle medicine approach into standard medical care and to influence public health policy and national health guidance, something we are huge advocates for at Synthesis Clinic.

About Dr Charlotte Marriott:

Dr Charlotte is a Consultant NHS Psychiatrist and a Certified Lifestyle Medicine Physician.  She likes to inspire and empower her patients (and everyone else!) to make small changes to their lifestyles to improve their physical and mental health and well-being.


Instagram

Website

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:


Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, health coaching, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of the College of Medicine and the British Society for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT) and the Co-Chair of BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology). Dr Fuller-Shavel is the Director of Synthesis Clinic, specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases (including hormones, gut health, autoimmunity and mental health) and integrative cancer care. Alongside her clinical and research work, Dr Fuller-Shavel provides training and mentorship programmes for nutrition and medical professionals. 

Resources:

Losing Eden, Lucy Jones

https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/305/305463/losing-eden/9780141992617.html

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Meditation for modern women

In this episode of the Synthesis Clinic Podcast, Octavia Hamilton talks to Laura Coleman, the founder of Be.Modern Meditation about the benefits of mindfulness and meditation and how to incorporate these approaches into our lives.

About Laura Coleman:

Laura Coleman is an established and highly regarded expert in the field of meditation and the founder of Be. Modern Meditation. She is particularly passionate about helping women to manage stress and overwhelm to reduce anxiety and improve performance and happiness. Laura helps her clients to harness the power of meditation, mindfulness and positive psychology to achieve their fullest life potential. 

She also delivers talks and workshops for organisations, corporate clients and business communities; with audiences as diverse as Ernst and Young, The Cancer Research Council and the World Health Organisation (WHO), as well as in Construction, Finance and Marketing .

Links: 


www.bemodernmeditation.com
www.facebook.com/bemodernmeditation
www.instagram.com/bemodernmeditation

You can download Laura's free guide “4 Ways to find Calm in Your Day that DON’T involve Sitting on a Cushion” (which includes a free 5 minute audio practice):

https://www.bemodernmeditation.com/4-steps-to-calm
You can also find Laura's meditations on one of our favourite meditation apps, Insight Timer.

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Integrative cancer care - meet the team

In this episode, we will be introducing you to key members of our multidisciplinary integrative cancer care team at Synthesis Clinic, starting with Aga Kehinde, a health and wellbeing coach and qualified EFT practitioner. We will then meet our registered nutritional therapists, Linda Sims and Emma Marshall. You will hear about our weekly MDT (multidisciplinary team) meetings at the clinic, which provide an opportunity for all our specialists to cross-refer and discuss integrative management with input from our Director, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel. 

About Aga Kehinde

Aga’s background is in oncology and oncology research working as a cancer educator and clinical nurse specialist for over 20 years. Her areas of specialist interest are cancer coaching, pre-habilitation and rehabilitation, supporting clients with cancer and other chronic diseases (including autoimmunity) and emotional wellbeing coaching for anxiety, stress and burnout.

Aga deeply believes in human’s inherent abilities to move through life’s adversities, heal, grow and thrive in spite of life's challenges. Aga partners with clients to support and navigate them through the chaos of a medical diagnosis and everything that comes with it,  co-creating strategies to reclaim purpose and meaning in life and support mental and emotional wellbeing.

Find out more about Aga here.

About Linda Sims

Linda is a qualified Nutritional Therapist with a diploma from the College of Naturopathic Medicine (CNM) where she lectured in cancer for several years. Post-graduation Linda decided to specialise in cancer nutrition, and she now supports people with a range of solid tumour diagnoses, from lung and colorectal cancer to ovarian, endometrial and prostate cancer. As a member of the British Society of Integrative Oncology, she bases her approach on the latest evidence in the field of nutritional therapy. Linda is registered with The British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT), Association of Naturopathic Practitioners (ANP) and with the Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council (CNHC). Linda has completed an NTEC in Nutrition and Cancer from the Institute of Optimum Nutrition and a more recent NTEC-approved Systems Approach to Cancer course created by Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel, which is the model we practice at the clinic. 

Find out more about Linda here

About Emma Marshall

Emma is a registered Nutritional Therapist with Functional Medicine training and an experienced chef who specialises in working with breast cancer patients.

Constantly learning through formal education and research, Emma combines her evidence-based nutrition knowledge with over 25 years of cooking experience both in professional and domestic environments.  This enables her to take the science of nutrition and the healing it can bring and make it accessible for her clients through her recipes and menu plans.

Her focus is on breast cancer nutrition, working with you to provide a personalised and supportive approach to identify and reduce your risks and optimise your overall outcome. She regularly uses functional testing and is experienced with using detailed testing, including nutritional genomics.

Find out more about Emma here

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary cancer support team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Integrative care for metastatic colorectal cancer - a patient’s story

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In this episode of the Synthesis Clinic podcast, you will be hearing from one of our wonderful patients, Helen, who has had a truly transformational journey since finding Dr Nina and our team. With a 5-year history of metastatic colorectal cancer, Helen has certainly had a challenging time but despite an initial rocky ride through multiple treatments,  she has stabilised and thrived. Helen is continuing to undergo cancer treatment but now has a completely different quality of life and newfound resilience,  as well as feeling heard and seen as a whole human being, not just her cancer diagnosis. 

During her time at the clinic Helen has worked with Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel for integrative medicine input, Octavia Hamilton for post-operative rehabilitation and building strength and Aga Kehinde for emotional wellbeing support. The liquid biopsies that are mentioned in the episode include Guardant360 and Datar Cancer Genetics Exacta.

To find out more about integrative oncology and how we support individuals before, during and after cancer treatment, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice.

Integrative oncology - collaboration and empowerment with Dr Penny Kechagioglou

In episode 4 of the Synthesis Clinic podcast Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel and Dr Penny Kechagioglou discuss integrative oncology, which seeks to rationally combine the best of conventional, nutritional, lifestyle and evidence-informed complementary medicine to improve the lives of people affected by cancer. Integrative oncology aims to support better quality of life, improve resilience, minimise the side effects of treatment and improve clinical outcomes.

About Dr Penny Kechagioglou:

Dr Penny Kechagioglou is a senior Consultant Clinical Oncologist in the NHS and private sector, specialising in breast cancer, and she integrates the latest evidence-based medicine with lifestyle and complementary approaches to cancer care. Dr Kechagioglou holds senior leadership roles in the NHS. She is the Co-Chair of the British Society for Integrative Oncology and a Board Trustee member at Penny Brohn UK and CoppaFeel UK. Dr Penny Kechagioglou is also chairing the upcoming Integrative Oncology UK 2022 conference in May.

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:
Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of the College of Medicine and the Co-Chair of BSIO, specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases and integrative cancer care with a particular interest in precision integrative oncology. Dr Nina is the Director of Synthesis Clinic, combining her clinical work with education for healthcare professionals and participating in national and international expert panels in cancer care.

Further information and resources:

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Integration in Women’s Health – Meet the Team

In this episode, we will be introducing you to key members of our multidisciplinary women’s health team at Synthesis Clinic, starting with Octavia Hamilton, the clinic’s physiotherapist and the co-host of this podcast. We will then meet Dr Amy Shacaluga, consultant gynaecologist passionate about personalised approaches to women’s health, and wrap up with Anna Coles, our Level 4 personal trainer and GP referral exercise specialist.

About Octavia Hamilton
Octavia Hamilton is an experienced musculoskeletal physiotherapist with a keen interest in women’s health and cancer rehabilitation. Utilising a blend of ScarWork, acupuncture, Pilates and breathwork, as well as drawing on a decade’s experience in complex trauma rehabilitation, Octavia works to restore resilience and confidence in her clients.
Find out more about Octavia here.

About Dr Amy Shacaluga

Dr Amy Shacaluga is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Lifestyle Medicine Physician and Functional Medicine Practitioner, with over 14 years’ experience in women’s health. She has always been committed to the pursuit of evidence-based, whole-person approach to medical care. Dr Amy’s long-term goal is to empower women to take ownership of their health goals and concerns, affording them the opportunity to future-proof their health. Dr Shacaluga specialises in a broad range of women’s health concerns, from PCOS, endometriosis, heavy and painful menstrual bleeding and PMS to complex multisystem cases that involve hormone health, gut health and emotional wellbeing.

Find out more about Dr Amy here.

About Anna Coles

As a GP Exercise Referral Specialist, Anna supports a range of individuals living with differing chronic conditions and has a special interest in working with women who have metabolic disorders and assisting with key physiological changes around perimenopause and menopause. Anna has also recently completed her course work to add cancer rehabilitation to her broad toolkit. Her particular interests are in functional movement, stretching and resistance training - absolutely essential for good mobility, strengthening bones, joints and maintaining muscle mass.

Find out more about Anna here.

To find out more about Synthesis Clinic, our philosophy and our multidisciplinary team, please click here.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Supporting Trauma Recovery with Dr Cheryl Cross

Episode Two - Supporting Trauma Recovery with Dr Cheryl Cross

In this episode, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel interviews Dr Cheryl Cross, an experienced integrative clinical psychologist specialising in trauma recovery. We discuss the broad psychological and physiological impact of trauma and some important theories that can help us understand our nervous system and how we relate to others, including polyvagal theory and attachment theory. While there are many approaches to working with trauma, this episode focuses on finding appropriate psychological support, including therapies such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) and AF-EMDR. We conclude with some exciting new developments in trauma therapy and a message of hope for trauma recovery and post-traumatic growth. The human capacity to overcome adversity and the power of neuroplasticity is truly amazing, and a change for the better is possible with the right support.

Resources – websites and directories

·      https://emdrassociation.org.uk

·      https://drlaurelparnell.com

·      https://www.bps.org.uk

·      https://www.drcherylcross.com/

Resources – useful books

·      The Body Keeps the Score: Mind, Brain and Body in the Transformation of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

·      Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory by Deborah Dana

·      It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle by Mark Wolynn

About Dr Cheryl Cross
Dr Cross is a dedicated and passionate Chartered Clinical Psychologist with extensive experience in working with adults who have experienced trauma and have symptoms of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Complex PTSD (C-PTSD), dissociative disorders, anxiety and depression.

Dr Cheryl’s absolute passion and area of expertise is using working with people who have experienced trauma and/or are presenting with dissociative symptoms, including people who have experienced a traumatic bereavement and are presenting with both PTSD symptoms and complex grief. Dr Cross uses a range of psychological therapies to suit the needs of each individual, including EDMR and AF-EMDR, CFT, CBT, DBT, ACT, Internal Family Systems (IFS), mindfulness and Schema Mode Therapy. 

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:
Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of the College of Medicine and the Co-Chair of BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology), specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases and integrative cancer care. Dr Nina is the Director of Synthesis Clinic, combining her clinical work with education for healthcare professionals.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).

Introduction to Synthesis Clinic, precision health and integrative medicine

Episode One - Introduction to Synthesis Clinic, precision health and integrative medicine

With Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel & Octavia Hamilton

We are delighted to share our first Synthesis Clinic podcast episode.

Over the next few episodes, we will be introducing you to our multidisciplinary team at Synthesis, starting with our director, Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel. We will discuss what Synthesis is about, what precision health and integrative medicine is and hear some of the amazing patient stories and fascinating conversations with a wide range of healthcare professionals.

In this first episode, Dr Nina and Octavia have an initial conversation about integrative medicine and precision health, how Synthesis Clinic started and our passion for supporting women’s health.

About Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel:
Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel is an Oxbridge-trained medical doctor and scientist with over a decade’s experience in integrative health and in-depth additional training in nutrition, integrative and herbal medicine, yoga, mindfulness and other modalities. Dr Nina is a Fellow of the College of Medicine and the Co-Chair of BSIO (British Society for Integrative Oncology), specialising in complex multisystem women's health cases and integrative cancer care. Dr Nina is the Director of Synthesis Clinic, combining her clinical work with education for healthcare professionals.

About Octavia Hamilton:
Octavia Hamilton is a musculoskeletal physiotherapist with a keen interest in women’s health and cancer rehabilitation. Utilising a blend of ScarWork, acupuncture, Pilates and breathwork, as well as drawing on a decade’s experience in complex trauma rehabilitation, Octavia works to restore resilience and confidence in her clients.

Please rate, review and subscribe to the Synthesis Clinic podcast on your platform of choice. If you are enjoying the podcast, please support us by buying us a coffee (or a green tea!).