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Guest: Dr. Ian Seels | Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist

🧠 Episode Summary

In this thought-provoking episode, Brodie chats with Dr. Ian Seels, a private musculoskeletal physiotherapist with over 35 years of experience and a co-author of the paper The Relevance of Diet in Musculoskeletal Clinical Practice – A Narrative Review. Together, they explore the emerging science behind how diet influences inflammation, pain, and injury recovery—with a particular focus on what this means for recreational runners.

If you're battling persistent niggles, chronic tendon pain, or just want to run pain-free into your later years, this episode offers a fresh perspective you might not have considered: what you eat could be the missing link in your recovery journey.

🔍 What You’ll Learn

• Why inflammation matters more than weight when it comes to injury and pain
• How a high-carb Western diet may be quietly sabotaging your recovery
• The 3 pillars of "active management" for injury: mechanical, mental, and metabolic
• The basics of an anti-inflammatory diet (very low carb, high fat, moderate protein)
• The difference between nutritional ketosis vs. metabolic acidosis
• How to train your body to burn fat instead of carbs for endurance
• Simple ways to reduce oxidative stress and support your gut health
• Why omega-3 to omega-6 balance is critical for joint and tendon health
• Label-reading tips that might surprise even the most health-conscious runners
• Whether CRP and ketone testing is worth doing to track inflammation

🧪 Practical Takeaways for Runners

• A 4–6 week anti-inflammatory diet “trial” could help reduce pain and improve energy
• Reducing processed foods and increasing healthy fats can shift you into a less inflamed state
• Berries, leafy greens, herbs, and spices are powerful sources of antioxidants
• Ketone testing can “gamify” your dietary changes and provide real-time feedback
• Omega-3s from oily fish, grass-fed meats, and free-range eggs support healing

🛠️ Resources Mentioned

• 📄 Paper: The Relevance of Diet in Musculoskeletal Clinical Practice – A Narrative Review
• 📺 YouTube: Diet, Health and the Wisdom of Crowds (2018)
• 🌐 LowCarbDownUnder.com.au – A go-to hub for evidence-based low-carb/keto nutrition

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

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🎙️ The Safest Way for Runners to Lose Weight (w/ Dr. Nick Fuller)
Run Smarter Podcast

Are you running to lose weight but finding the kilos just won’t budge—or worse, keep creeping back on? In this mind-opening episode, I sit down with Dr. Nick Fuller, obesity researcher, former elite hurdler, and creator of the Interval Weight Loss (IWL) program, to expose why most diets fail and how runners can finally lose weight sustainably—without wrecking their metabolism.

🏃‍♂️ What We Cover:

• Why your body fights back when you diet (hint: it’s not about willpower)
• The shocking science behind rapid weight loss and long-term weight gain
• How to prevent injury while losing weight as a runner
• Why carbs aren’t the enemy—and how cutting them can backfire
• The 6-step Interval Weight Loss approach (with practical, runner-friendly tips)
• Patron-submitted questions on fasting, sugar cravings, and weight loss after 40

🧠 Takeaway for Runners:
You don’t need fad diets, extreme calorie cuts, or guilt-inducing weigh-ins. You need to understand how your biology works—so you can train smarter and manage your weight without sabotaging your performance or long-term health.

Lastly, we answer your patron questions around age differences & diet, intermittent fasting approaches and whether the focus should be around 'living healthy' rather than 'weight loss'.

Head to https://www.intervalweightloss.com.au/ to learn more or follow their twitter, facebook, instagram & YouTube

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨

Learn more about Brodie's Research Database & AI Assistant 📄🔍

📌 Episode Summary:

Welcome back, Run Smarter Scholars! In this special research roundup episode, Brodie dives into three fascinating new studies released in April that could change the way you train, recover, and stay injury-free. Recording from a beachside getaway, Brodie filters through over a dozen newly published papers and handpicks the most actionable and interesting ones for runners like you.

📚 Papers Covered:

1. Shin Splints: A Closer Look

Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome: A Scoping Review

• Shin splints may be the early stage of tibial stress fractures.
• Risk factors include high BMI, poor hip strength, excessive pronation, and prior injury history.
• Overuse and excessive soleus muscle activation play key roles.
• Treatment strategies include hip strengthening, gait retraining, arch support trials, and gradual return to load with walk-run programs.

2. Injury Prevention Strategies in Runners

Running-Centred Injury Prevention Support: A Scoping Review

• Most injury prevention programs fail unless supervised.
• Effective strategies include:
  • ✅ Strength training (especially supervised)
  • ✅ Gait retraining with feedback
  • ✅ Recovery education (sleep, stress, rest days)
  • ✅ Coach or group support
• Runners prefer passive tools (e.g., shoe changes), even if less effective.

3. Sprint Training Boosts Running Economy

The Effects of Intermittent Sprint Training on Running Economy and Leg Stiffness in Highly Trained Runners

• 12-week protocol: just 1 sprint session per week
• Results:
  • 💨 68% improved running economy
  • 💪 12–17% increase in leg stiffness
  • 🔄 Less vertical movement = greater efficiency
  • 🧠 Benefits driven by neuromuscular adaptations, not cardio alone
  • 👟 Improvements seen across genders and ages

🔍 Bonus Research in the AI Library (April Folder)

If you're subscribed to the Run Smarter AI Assistant, head to the April folder to explore even more papers Brodie didn't cover in full, including:

• 💉 PRP for Achilles tendinopathy
• 🧠 Psychological traits of multi-marathoners
• 🦵 Return-to-sport protocols for PHT
• 👣 Biomechanics: cadence, footwear & orthotics
• 🧬 Molecular signaling in tendinopathy
• 🍽️ Personalized nutrition for elite performance

For MORE Run Smarter Resources 🏃‍♂️📚
- Including Free Injury Prevention Courses 🩹🎓
- The Run Smarter Book 📖
- Access to Research Papers 📄🔍
- & Ways to Work with Brodie 🤝👟
👉 CLICK HERE! 🎉✨