Introducing: ZOE Shorts

Obesity is a physiological condition that can be managed with the right education and treatment.

In today's episode, Dr. Louis J. Aronne, a leading expert in obesity research, sheds light on the science behind weight management and obesity treatment.

Dr. Aronne dives into groundbreaking weight loss medications. He also explores how lifestyle and eating habits affect long-term health and why medications combined with dietary changes can unlock transformative results.

Louis J. Aronne, M.D. is a leading authority on obesity and its treatment. He’s a former president of The Obesity Society, which publishes the peer-reviewed scientific journal Obesity, of which Dr. Aronne is an associate editor. He has also authored more than 60 papers and book chapters on the topic. 

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Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

01:01 Quickfire questions

03:51   What is obesity?

05:06  What’s the difference between overweight and obesity?

07:38 Why has there been such a quick rise in obesity?

10:55   Why it’s not just a lack of willpower

13:50 The complexity of weight regulation

15:54 What is Leptin and why is it so important for weight control?

19:51 The brain’s role in weight regulation

20:36 Curing obesity in animal studies

22:29 Why hunter-gatherers did not gain weight

23:58 Natural experiments in weight gain and loss

26:01 How medications can cause weight gain

28:42 The impact of calorie restriction diets

30:13 Reducing diabetes risk through weight loss

34:10 Research into medications as a tool for weight loss

38:36 How well do weight loss drugs work?

41:38 The future of weight loss drugs

43:51 Will you regain the weight if you stop taking weight loss drugs?

48:08 Can obesity be avoided without the use of drugs?

49:42 Concerns about weight loss drugs

Books by our ZOE Scientists:

• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Fibre Fuelled by Dr Will Bulsiewicz

Mentioned in today's episode:

• Persistent metabolic adaptation 6 years after "The Biggest Loser" competition in Obesity 
• The Finnish diabetes prevention study (DPS) in Diabetes Care
• The National Diabetes Prevention Program of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

Our modern lifestyles mean that most of us don’t live our lives in sync with our circadian rhythms, which puts our health and well-being at risk. Eating and sleeping at the right time are important tools to help us align our circadian rhythms and reduce our risk of chronic disease. 

In this episode, circadian rhythm expert Prof. Satchin Panda will tell us how light and food act as master regulators of our body clock, how aligning our lifestyles with our body clock can improve our health, mood and energy levels and how to do this in practice. 

Satchin is a world-leading expert in the field of circadian rhythm research. He’s associate professor at the prestigious SALK institute, he’s recipient of the Dana Foundation Award in brain and immune system imaging and he’s also the author of two best-selling books, The Circadian Code and The Circadian Diabetes Code.

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Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

01:00 Quickfire questions

03:02 What are circadian rhythms?

03:48 How do we know about circadian rhythms?

04:44 Are all body parts on a 24 hour clock?

06:40 How the body enters sleep mode

09:25 What happens during sleep?

12:08 Why you’re not sleeping enough

13:30 The surprising impact of daylight savings time

17:00 Circadian rhythms aren’t just about light

19:55 The dangers of shift work

21:20 Should you go to bed at sunset?

25:40 Why should stop snacking at night

26:10 Satchin’s famous mice study

33:00 The best eating window for health

37:27 Does intermittent fasting promote better food choices?

40:40 Should you drink black coffee when you wake up?

Satchin’s books:

• The Circadian Code 
• The Circadian Diabetes Code

Books by our ZOE Scientists:

• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Fibre Fuelled by Dr Will Bulsiewicz

Studies referenced in today’s episode: 

• Effects of 3 months of 10-h per-day time-restricted eating and 3 months of follow-up on bodyweight and cardiometabolic health in Danish individuals at high risk of type 2 diabetes: the RESET single-centre, parallel, superiority, open-label, randomised controlled trial, published in Lancet Healthy Longevity
• Neuronal reprogramming of mouse and human fibroblasts using transcription factors involved in suprachiasmatic nucleus development, published iScience
• Learning from circadian rhythm to transform cancer prevention, prognosis, and survivorship care, published in Trends Cancer
• The Untapped Potential of Circadian Timing as a Variable for Discoveries and Reproducibility, published in Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepato

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are...

After the tragic news of Michael Mosley's passing, we are re-releasing our episode with him, originally released in March 2023:

If you had to do just one thing to improve your health, what would it be?

Our busy lives mean it can be difficult to keep up healthy habits, and with so much conflicting advice out there it’s tricky to separate fact from fiction. In today’s episode, Jonathan is joined by medical doctor, journalist, and presenter Michael Mosley, who is alongside ZOE regular Tim Spector, to discuss Michael’s four key habits to improve our health. 

Michael’s latest book ‘Just One Thing’ explores these habits and has seen him speak to singing scientists and eccentric iceman to healthy habit experts and evangelists. And of course, being Michael, he tried every habit out himself. We talk about which methods are the most effective, which he has incorporated into his life, and how he makes his new habits stick.

If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your membership.

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Timecodes:

00:00 Tim Spector's tribute to Michael

01:01 Introduction

01:55 Quick Fire Questions

05:15 Are cold showers good for you?

06:48 How long do you need to be immersed in cold water for the benefits to work?

8:20 Can cold showers improve mental wellbeing?

11:30 Potential dangers of cold water swimming

12:45 Do cultural differences present different outcomes across the world?

13:58 Can these small stressors help us?

14:27 What is the theory behind this working?

16:15 Will this work for everyone or is this very personalized?

18:30 What effects does breathing have on your health?

19:55 How breathing exercises affect our brain

22:27 How do you keep up the breathing exercises?

23:27 ZOE app breathing exercise

25:40 Is there a difference between breathing through your nose and your mouth?

27:20 How important are plants and nature for our health?

30:25 Can exposure to nature improve things like mental health and even gut health?

32:00 Can herbs also help improve our health?

32:47 What are the benefits of exercise?

33:30 What are endo-cannibinoids?

34:41 Are preferences for exercise genetic?

36:12 Is it endorphins that make us feel good after / during exercise?

37:31 How exercise affects us is extremely personalized

39:42 How do we encourage people who don't enjoy exercise to do it?

41:13 Tips to improve your exercise routines

44:08 Are there benefits to walking downhill?

46:42 Summary

Michael Mosley’s book 'Just One Thing' is available to buy here

Episode transcripts are available here

Meat consumption continues to be high in both the US and the UK. Yet many governments advise reducing meat consumption, particularly red meat, due to both environmental and health concerns. 

In this episode, we delve into the sizzling world of meat alternatives. They promise sustainability, animal welfare, and better health. Buzzwords like "plant-based" and "meat-free" proudly adorn their packaging. But are they actually healthy? Or should we consider them as ultra-processed foods and avoid them?

Christopher Gardner is a Professor of Medicine at Stanford University and the Director of the Stanford Prevention Research Centre, and a world-leading expert in how the food that we eat impacts our health. 

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Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

01:25 Quickfire questions

03:50 What is a meat alternative?

05:22 What's driving the trend for more alternatives?

07:47 Should you eat less red meat?

08:38 What is in meat alternatives?

10:22 Traditional meats vs meat alternatives

13:41 Are meat alternatives ultra-processed?

14:47 Latest scientific studies

23:56 What were the findings?

29:48 Is the quality of the protein as good as real meat?

34:00 Are meat alternatives healthy?

38:53 Are whole food based meat alternatives healthier?

40:05 What are the practical tips around meat alternatives?

43:21 How do ultra-processed foods come into this?

45:23 What are other ways people can transition away from red meat?

50:33 What are the differences between bad and good quality meat?

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Fibre Fuelled by Dr Will Bulsiewicz

Studies referenced in today’s episode: 

• Study With Appetizing Plantfood—Meat Eating Alternative Trial (SWAP-MEAT), published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
• SWAP-MEAT Athlete (study with appetizing plant-food, meat eating alternatives trial) a randomized crossover trial, published in Nutrition Journal.

Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.

Episode transcripts are available here.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about periods.

Jonathan and Sarah are joined by “The internet’s gynecologist” Dr Jen Gunter to get a better understanding of our body's behavior during the menstrual cycle. Jen will provide you with her period toolkit and offer solutions to the most common problems of modern-day period health.

Dr. Jen Gunter is a gynecologist and pain medicine physician at the Permanente Medical Group in northern California. Her books ‘The Vagina Bible’ and ‘The Menopause Manifesto’ were both New York Times bestsellers. Her 2024 book ‘Blood’ tackles the science, medicine and mythology of menstruation.

Learn how your body responds to food. Take our FREE quiz and get 10% off here.

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Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

01:26 Quickfire questions

02:31 Shame culture around menstruation

04:20 The evolution and purpose of the menstrual cycle

06:30 Menstrual cycle mechanics

11:08 Understanding heavy periods and iron deficiency

14:01 Addressing period pain and discomfort

21:39 Diet, appetite, and periods: what's the connection?

26:09 Understanding PMS and PMDD

27:55 PMS causes and symptoms

30:52 Treatment options for PMS and PMDD

31:51 Demystifying polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)

35:42 The role of diet and obesity in PCOS

37:32 Advice for managing PMS

40:19 Menstrual cramps and pain management

47:08 Iron supplementation strategies

Studies related to today’s episode:

• Prevalence of Iron Deficiency and Iron-Deficiency Anemia in US Females Aged 12-21 Years, 2003-2020, from the Journal of the American Medical Association
• The Role of Estrogen in Insulin Resistance: A Review of Clinical and Preclinical Data, from The American Journal of Pathology

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it.

Episode transcripts are available here.

55 million people suffer dementia worldwide with numbers expected to double every 20 years. Understanding the link between our heart health and brain function is critical, illuminating the profound impact that heart health has on preventing dementia.

Dr. William Li, an expert in cardiovascular and metabolic health. He reveals how caring for our heart is not just about longevity but maintaining sharp, effective brain function as we age. His groundbreaking work has impacted more than seventy diseases including diabetes, heart disease, and obesity. Dr. Li is also a New York Times best-selling author.

In today’s episode, Dr. Li explains how simple lifestyle choices in diet, exercise and sleep can drastically shape our brain's health and stave off dementia.

If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your membership.

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Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

01:23 Quickfire questions

03:30 Understanding dementia and Alzheimer's disease

04:50 Dementia versus ageing

06:35 The role of blood vessels in brain health

07:55 How circulation affects brain function

09:23 What causes blood clots and strokes?

11:06 The importance of maintaining healthy blood vessels

12:15 The impact of lifestyle choices on brain health

15:01 What happens in our brains when we sleep?

19:35 What is the glymphatic system?

22:40 Vascular dementia may be the most common form of dementia

24:35 The role of glucose in brain function

27:10 What causes dementia and why does it happen when we get older?

29:00 Preventing dementia with lifestyle changes

31:10 What are healthy blood vessels like?

37:50 The surprising role of EPCs in brain repair

41:30 Can you slow down or reverse dementia?

52:08 The connection between gut health and brain health

51:40 The importance of exercise for brain health

56:30 How to avoid dementia

01:01:16 The link between mental health and cardiovascular disease

Relevant studies:

• A human brain vascular atlas reveals diverse mediators of Alzheimer’s risk, published in Nature
• Heart-brain connections: Phenotypic and genetic insights from magnetic resonance images, published in Science
• Cocoa flavanol consumption improves cognitive function, blood pressure control, and metabolic profile in elderly subjects: the Cocoa, Cognition, and Aging (CoCoA) Study—a randomized controlled trial, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Dr. William Li's books:

• Eat to Beat Your Diet
• Eat to Beat Disease

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

Episode transcripts are available here.

Inflammation is a complicated topic. Short-term inflammation plays an essential role in fighting infections and healing injuries. But too much inflammation can be a catalyst for chronic ailments, like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, and obesity.

What we eat can influence our inflammatory responses and contribute to chronic, low-grade inflammation.

In today’s episode, Prof. Philip Calder helps us understand the science behind inflammation, how it impacts our health and what food has to do with it.

Philip is head of the School of Human Development and Health, as well as a Professor of Nutritional Immunology, in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton. He’s also an internationally recognised researcher on the metabolism and functionality of fatty acids. His work focuses on the roles of omega-3 fatty acids and the influence of diet and nutrients on immune and inflammatory responses. 

If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your membership.

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Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

01:20 Quickfire questions

02:55 The role of inflammation in immunity

05:30 Chronic inflammation and disease

08:30 How to measure inflammation

09:53 Low-grade inflammation and disease risk

12:30 What causes blood vessel inflammation?

15:23 What creates the narrowing of blood vessels?

17:20 How inflammation can cause blood clots, heart attacks and strokes

19:15 Inflammation and aging

21:40 Inflammation and lifestyle factors

25:07 Obesity and inflammation

28:45 Muscle loss and inflammation (sarcopenia)

30:52 The impact of meals, sugar and fats on inflammation

33:35 How diet could reduce inflammation

34:42 Why we all respond to food differently

38:42 Dietary choices to manage inflammation

40:00 What are omega-3s?

41:17 Anti-inflammatory foods

43:40 Health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids

45:55 Challenges with farmed salmon

Mentioned in today's episode:

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and inflammatory processes: Nutrition or pharmacology? in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology

Omega-6 fatty acids and inflammation in PLEFA

Omega-3 fatty acids and inflammatory processes in Nutrients 

Another relevant study:

Health relevance of the modification of low-grade inflammation in ageing and the role of nutrition in Ageing Research Reviews

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

Episode transcripts are available here.

The menopause transition can bring unexpected challenges — the effects can significantly impact daily life and long-term health.

Dr. Mary Claire Haver is a board-certified gynaecologist and a menopause specialist. She's helped thousands of women in perimenopause and menopause to realise their health goals. In today’s episode, she joins Jonathan and ZOE's Chief Scientist Dr. Sarah Berry to shed light on what to expect during these life stages.

Sarah and Mary Claire describe practical strategies for managing symptoms, critical conversations to have with healthcare providers, and how to advocate for yourself effectively in medical settings.

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If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your membership.

Follow ZOE on Instagram. 

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

01:33 Quickfire questions

05:53 There is a lack of menopause training in medical school

07:02 Most women are going into menopause blind

07:43 Why menopause symptoms vary

09:30 The hormonal ‘zone of chaos’

11:45 ZOE PREDICT data on menopause symptoms

13:36 How long do perimenopause symptoms last?

17:52 Perimenopause at age 35?

18:34 Why hormone tests are worthless

20:53 The risk of chronic disease after menopause

24:53 Why does menopause increase hunger?

28:39 Why medicine and research is male-dominated

32:34 How to talk to your doctor about menopaue

34:12 Pregnancy research - 10x more extensive than menopause research!

35:14 Mary Claire’s toolkit of strategies for menopause

36:34 What are the long-term health benefits of hormone replacement therapy?

38:36 Is HRT safe for most women?

42:47 Brand new ZOE study results: diet and menopause

49:16 Top 3 tips to help with symptoms

54:34 What is ‘frozen shoulder’ and how can you treat it?

Mentioned in today's episode:

• Menopause transition and cardiovascular disease risk: Implications for timing of early prevention: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association in Circulation
• The controversial history of hormone replacement therapy in Medicina
• Dr. Vonda Wright’s website

Books by Mary Claire:

• The New Menopause

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

Episode transcripts are available here.

In today’s episode we’re uncovering the medicines hiding in your kitchen. 

Molecular biologist Kanchan Koya joins Jonathan and Sarah to explore the incredible health benefits of spices. From controlling blood sugar to soothing a sore throat, we’ll discover what the latest research says about household favorites including ginger, cinnamon and cloves. 

Kanchan Koya is a food scientist, founder of the spice-centric food blog Chief Spice Mama and author of the cookbook ‘100 Recipes with Healing Spices for Your Family Table’. She will show us how to get the most out of spices, with simple cooking tips and delicious recipes. 

Want to make Kanchan’s show stopper spice dish? Find the recipe here.

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If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your membership.

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

01:26 Quickfire questions

03:08 What are spices?

03:43 Polyphenols in spices

07:25 Spices and your health

11:01 Cinnamon and blood sugar control

14:49 Anti-inflammatory benefits of spices

21:08 A practical guide to using spices

31:40 Reviving old spices

33:11 The wonders of ginger: from morning sickness to gut health

35:56 Spiced cooking tips

37:41 Breakfast ideas: add spices to start your day

39:44 Simple spicy snacks

42:05 Dinner delights: spicing up main meals

44:11 Spices for kids

46:24 Spiced drinks: from chai to golden milk

48:24 The ultimate spice dish

Studies related to today’s episode:

• Safety and efficacy of curcumin versus diclofenac in knee osteoarthritis: a randomized open-label parallel-arm study published in Trials
• Analgesic effect of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of clove, published in Avicenna Journal of Phytomedicine
• Effect of cinnamon spice on continuously monitored glycemic response in adults with prediabetes published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
• Star anise (Illicium verum): Chemical compounds, antiviral properties, and clinical relevance published in Phytotherapy Research
• Ginger-Mechanism of action in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, published by Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it.

Episode transcripts are available here.

• Brain Fog and Irritability Linked to Glial Cell Health
• Today's Guest - Sara-Chana Silverstein -Find Balance Using Herbal Remedies, Aromatherapy, and More

An Access to Health Experts interview with special guest Dr. Hyla Cass author of  Supplement Your Prescription: What Your Doctor Doesn't Know About Nutrition. Hyla Cass is one of the country's foremost authors and speakers on the subject of integrative medicine. In this segment, Hyla explains what the general public has to learn about natural healing to improve health and that finding the underlying issues is more important than prescribing for symptoms. Hyla also talks about how medications can deplete your body of vitamins and minerals necessary for the medications to work correctly.

Access to Health Experts is not only an interview series, it's also a membership website featuring user forums, special reports, monthly teleseminars, and much more. Visit www.accesstohealthexperts.com for more information.

Selenium may be a micro mineral, but it is essential for important functions in the body such as immune defenses, heart health and more.

Take advantage of an exclusive podcast offer today by visiting http://www.invitehealth.com/podcast.

For more information on the products or studies mentioned in this episode, as well as a complete transcript of the audio, click here. 

Happy Saturday, everybody! I hope yall are well.

We really do have a magician  joining us, today! I swear anyone who works as a Registered Nurse, a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Health Coach, *AND* an Endocannabinoid (Google it) System Nurse Consultant *at the same time* is either related to Copperfield or walks on water for fun.

BUT, Marsha Kentish, RN, BSN, CNS, LDN, is SO down to Earth, engaging, and relatable. Trust me, I had a Blast interviewing her!

We talked about everything from the nutritional needs of our aging women, preventable diseases, vitamins/minerals/supplements, stress, popular diets, meds & midlife, and MORE!

Listen to what she has to say about the gut-brain connection, fluctuating moods, and hormone imbalances. Hmmm...

Dont forget yall sparkly red pen and notebook! Thanks SO much for ya'll support, as always.

AJ

Every Wise Traditions journal is full of articles that are relevant, scientific, and significant for our health. In today's episode, the President of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Sally Fallon Morell, reviews some of the top articles featured in the latest Wise Tradition Journal, Summer 2017. The topics are varied but they are all equally fascinating. Highlights include:

• The importance of sulfur for the heart and arteries and where to find it (& even how to help our bodies produce it)
• How extruded grains are a danger to our health and how they have contributed to all the issues we see in digestion of grains today
• The hot topic of CRISPR, the new genome editing tool, and how it is far from accurate
• The problem with vitamin D supplementation and why supplements are generally not recommended
• The role of nutritional deficiencies in today’s increasing number of c-sections
• How the Feingold diet helps children improve their behavior
• And more on vitamin A, saturated fats, and childhood diseases

After listening you may want to dive deeper into the topics. In that case, consider becoming a member of the Weston A. Price Foundation. Membership is only $40 and includes a subscription to this quarterly journal. It's a great way to stay up to date with the latest news and research on health and nutrition. Join today at westonaprice.org.