diet and health

My guest today is on a mission to help people feel better, live longer, and maximise their brain health by optimising their diet. Max Lugavere is a science journalist and a New York Times bestselling author. He believes brain decline is not inevitable, we all have agency in how we age, and the secret lies in our food. This drive began following his mother’s diagnosis with Lewy body dementia aged just 58, and his frustration at the medical world’s ineffective, drugs-only approach to treatment. Years spent trawling the research and asking experts, “Why her?” has given him a wealth of knowledge that he is keen to share with others.

Through his books Genius Foods, The Genius Life, and cookbook Genius Kitchen, as well as a long-running podcast, Max shares evidence-based principles that will help all of us protect our brains. And his passion, along with an encyclopaedic ability to recall and communicate the science, is why I really wanted to talk to Max on my show.

Max talks us through the three food types we should think about cutting out – and why. We discuss ultra-processed foods and why it’s not in our nature to consume them in moderation. He explains the wholefood matrix, and the protective synergy that comes with eating foods, in a minimally processed state. If you’ve ever wondered about the healthiest fats to cook with, Max covers this in detail.

He also shares which specific foods he recommends we all include in our diets and what brain-healthy nutrients they provide. Perhaps controversially, we discuss the adage ‘Everything in moderation’ and why this might not be the healthiest approach. If we’re going to declare some foods good, says Max, other foods must therefore be bad. And within the context of a sick population, surely we should be bolder about advising people to quit the food types we know are unnatural and harmful?

Having experienced the trauma of his mother’s illness, Max isn’t bothered about the critics, he’s just really keen to help people. He’s an advocate for informed consent, sharing facts to enable us to make tailored, better food choices. Above all, his message is one of balance and realism. We can all make choices every single day that set us on the path to better health, even if we’re only taking baby steps. I immensely enjoyed my conversation with him. I hope you enjoy listening.

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Iliza Shlesinger is a comedian, actor, writer, and host of the podcast "Ask Iliza Anything." Her new book, "All Things Aside: Absolutely Correct Opinions," and her new Netflix special, "Hot Forever," both premiere on October 11.

www.iliza.com

My guest on the show today is David A. Sinclair, Ph.D, a tenured Professor of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, he is best known for his work on genes and small molecules that delay ageing, including the Sirtuins, NAD precursors, Resveratrol and other epigenetic modifiers. 

He has received many honours including a feature on TIME magazine’s list of the “100 most influential people in the world” and this podcast episode about how to treat and reverse ageing will give you a glimpse into why he is so deserving.

On the show we talk about:

• The hallmarks of ageing and why to distinguish it as a disease
• Instead of trying to tackle each one of the 8 central tenants of ageing, how Prof is looking at the epigenome
• Sirtuins and their role in ageing, DNA repair and gene expression
• AMPK, MTor, Sirtuins as regulators of lifespan and defence pathways
• Methods of fighting ageing and activating the body’s natural defence systems
• Energy restriction, aerobic exercise, sauna and cold shock therapy
• energy restriction, exercise triggering hypoxia, sauna, cold shock therapy,
• NAD and NAD precursors, Metformin, rapamycin and resveratrol as molecules that can improve ageing
• Why we need to treat ageing like a disease, which forms the foundation of multiple diseases. If we cure ageing, we cure a lot.
• The ethical considerations of increasing lifespan

Do check out David’s work and his latest book - Lifespan - Why We Age and Why We Don’t Have To.

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In this episode, Rick Johnson, Professor of Nephrology at the University of Colorado, explains how his research into the causes of blood pressure resulted in a change of research direction to focus more on how fructose has such profound metabolic effects. Rick discusses the relationship between salt and high blood pressure, provides a masterclass into uric acid, and expertly reveals the mechanisms and pathways by which sugar (specifically fructose) can profoundly impact metabolic health. From there, he explains how he applies this information to real life patients, as well as touches on some of the most promising ideas around pharmacotherapy that are being developed in response to the epidemics of fatty liver, insulin resistance, diabetes, and obesity. Furthermore, Rick gives his take on artificial sweeteners compared to real sugar, discusses cancer’s affinity for fructose, and much more.

We discuss: 

• The connection between blood pressure and fructose that shifted Rick’s professional focus [4:00];
  
• The relationship between salt and blood pressure (and the role of sugar) [5:45];
  
• Defining fructose, glucose, and sugar [19:30];
  
• An ancient mutation in apes that explains why humans turn fructose into fat so easily [23:00];
  
• The problems with elevated uric acid levels, and what it tells us about how sugar causes disease [31:30];
  
• How sugar causes obesity—explaining the difference in glucose vs. fructose metabolism and the critical pathway induced by fructose [40:00];
  
• Why drinking sugar is worse than eating it [50:00];
  
• Unique ability of sugar to drive oxidative stress to the mitochondria, insulin resistance, and diabetes [54:00];
  
• Why cancer loves fructose [1:00:15];
  
• The many areas of the body that can use fructose [1:05:00];
  
• Fructokinase inhibitors—a potential blockbuster? [1:07:15];
  
• Treating high uric acid levels—Rick’s approach with patients [1:10:00];
  
• Salt intake—what advice does Rick give his patients? [1:16:30];
  
• How excess glucose (i.e., high carb diets) can cause problems even in the absence of fructose [1:21:00];
  
• Artificial sweeteners vs. real sugar—which is better? [1:29:15];
  
• Umami, MSG, alcohol, beer—do these have a role in metabolic illness? [1:33:45];
  
• Fructose consumption—Is any amount acceptable? Is fruit okay? Where does Rick draw a hard line? [1:38:45]
  
• How does Rick manage the sugar intake of his young kids? [1:43:00]; and
  
• More.

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Mikhaila Peterson is a food blogger tracking her experiences with the Carnivore Diet at "Don't Eat That" http://mikhailapeterson.com/