ZOE Science & Nutrition

As we age, the distribution of our body fat changes, particularly around menopause. Most people think of body fat as bad, but fat tissue plays a number of hugely important roles in our health. In today’s episode of ZOE Science and Nutrition, Jonathan is joined by Dr. Sarah Berry and Prof. Deborah Clegg. Together, they debunk the myth that fat is bad, enlighten us about why body fat is distributed where it is, and explore the differences in fat distribution between men and women. Deborah Clegg is a professor and Vice President for Research at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, El Paso. Her research focuses on sex differences in metabolism, adipose tissue, and the brain and the impact this has on our health. Dr. Sarah Berry is one of the world's leading experts on human nutrition. She has run more than 20 randomized clinical trials looking at how humans respond to different fats. Head to zoe.com/podcast if you want to uncover the right foods for your body and get 10% off your ZOE membership. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Follow ZOE on Instagram Timecodes: 00:00 Intro 04:00 What is body fat? 06:32 What is healthy fat? 07:52 Female vs male body fat 11:56 Why is belly fat the most unhealthy? 19:43 Waist to hip ratio 21:24 How estrogen affects fat distribution 27:41 Perimenopause symptoms 31:01 Fat cells producing estrogen 36:00 Hunger the menopause 38:46 Weight gain and the menopause 40:54 Physical changes in men 42:28 Exercise and fat distribution 43:26 What to eat during menopause 46:37 Estrogen supplements Mentioned in today’s episode: The evolutionary impact and influence of oestrogens on adipose tissue structure and function from Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 2023 Menopause is associated with postprandial metabolism, metabolic health and lifestyle: The ZOE PREDICT study from EBioMedicine 2022 Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

Admit it, exercise isn't everyone's favorite pastime. Of course, our ancestors weren't hitting the gym by choice — our evolution has wired us to stay active, and this natural activity actually slows down the aging process. The good news is that you can achieve the benefits without feeling like you're "exercising." In today’s episode, Prof. Daniel Lieberman debunks exercise myths. He also teaches us how exercise impacts our health and how learning from our evolution can unlock the secrets of a longer life. Daniel Lieberman is a paleoanthropologist at Harvard University. He’s the Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences and a professor in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology. He’s best known for his research on the evolution of the human mind and the human body. If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction 01:34 Quickfire questions 03:22 The Rudyard Kipling view of our ancestors 04:54 Is exercise good for us and why do most of us hate it? 06:19 For millions of years, people were physically active for 2 reasons only… 15:38 Our bodies have evolved to save calroies and preserve energy 18:31 It’s normal to think your life is normal 22:27 We need to exercise because we don’t move enough! 34:00 Diet, exercise and sleep can prevent these diseases… 39:54 The active Grandparent hypothesis 43:10 Study of men matriculating as undergraduates at Harvard University 49:44 How can we enjoy keeping physically active? 01:00:00 The importance of weights exercise 01:06:43 Summary Mentioned in today’s episode: Three generations of HSPH researchers explore health benefits of exercise from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health Stanford marshmallow test experiment, a summary from Simply Psychology We also mention Daniel’s book Exercised: The Science of Physical Activity, Rest and Health, and you can find it here. Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

We’ve been working for the past 2 years on a randomized controlled trial of ZOE membership. Participants used personalized nutrition advice to try to improve their health — and the results are fascinating. In today’s episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan, Sarah, and Tim ask: How did ZOE hold up as part of this trial? If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes 01:03 - Quickfire round 02:10 - Sarah’s first impression of Jonathan 05:29 - What is an RCT 10:20 - What is ZOE and how does it work 14:14 - What did the RCT participants experience 16:16 - Using cookies to measure blood sugar 20:07 - What is blood fat 25:02 - What happens once you’ve done your tests 26:17 - Recent dietary changes Jonathan, Sarah and Tim have made 34:52 - How are you guided through the ZOE program 37:19 - Control group vs ZOE group 41:23 - Results of the ZOE RCT 45:03 - Do other wellness products have RCTs 47:57 - Will the results be greater after a year of ZOE 54:44 - Does the ZOE membership work 57:02 - The difference between ZOE and other medical devices 58:44 - Summary and outro 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 Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Mentioned in today’s episode: Epidemiology of constipation in Europe and Oceania: A systematic reviewBMC GastroenterologyRecent advances in understanding and managing chronic constipationF1000ResearchHuman Postprandial Responses to Food and Potential for Precision NutritionNature MedicineMicrobiome connections with host metabolism and habitual diet from 1,098 deeply phenotyped individualsNature MedicinePostprandial glycaemic dips predict appetite and energy intake in healthy individualsNature Medicine Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

Heart disease is among the top five causes of death globally, and it’s the first in the United States and United Kingdom. In the U.S., it causes 1 in 5 deaths. But what is heart disease, exactly? Can we take steps to avoid it? Prof. Eric Rimm, of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is here to enlighten us. In today’s episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Eric explore what we can do to reduce our chances of getting heart disease. If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes: 00:15 - Intro 01:07 - Quick fire questions 02:10 - Biggest myth about Heart Disease 03:2 6 - What is Heart Disease? 08:03 - What is a stroke? 10:29 - What are the differences in Heart Disease symptoms between men and women? 12:51 - Did you know that… 14:24 - The multi-decade diet study 21:24 - The 4 ways to lower chances Heart Disease 28:16 - Weight and Heart Disease 32:09 - What can you do to reduce Heart Disease risk? 34:30 - Exercise and Heart Disease risk 37:11 - Body Weight and Heart Disease risk 38:01 - Diet and Heart Disease risk 41:06 - Sleep and Heart Disease risk 46:18 - What is the cutting edge research in Heart Disease? 49:35 - Summary 53:18 - Conclusion Mentioned in today’s episode: Optimal dietary patterns for prevention of chronic diseaseNature MedicineFrequency, type, and volume of leisure-time physical activity and risk of coronary heart disease in young womenCirculationDiet, lifestyle, biomarkers, genetic factors, and risk of cardiovascular disease in the Nurses’ Health StudiesAmerican Journal of Public Health Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide 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.

What are lectins, and are they dangerous? These “antinutrients” have come under attack and were recently the subject of a dietary fad fueled by a popular book. As always, there’s more to the story. In today’s episode, Jonathan is joined by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz to dive deep into the world of lectins. They dissect questionable studies, debunk myths, and offer expert advice about how to approach foods containing these misunderstood compounds. Will is a board-certified gastroenterologist with 14 years of experience. He’s also the New York Times best-selling author of Fiber Fueled and ZOE’s U.S. medical director. If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Follow ZOE on Instagram. Mentioned in today’s episode: Lectins as bioactive plant proteins: A potential in cancer treatment from Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition Plant-derived lectins as potential cancer therapeutics and diagnostic tools from BioMed Research International A legume-based hypocaloric diet reduces proinflammatory status and improves metabolic features in overweight/obese subjects from the European Journal of Nutrition Dietary legume consumption reduces risk of colorectal cancer: Evidence from a meta-analysis of cohort studies from Scientific Reports Intake of legumes and cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis from Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases Legume consumption is inversely associated with type 2 diabetes incidence in adults: A prospective assessment from the PREDIMED study from Clinical Nutrition The effects of legume consumption on markers of glycaemic control in individuals with and without diabetes mellitus: A systematic literature review of randomised controlled trials from Nutrients Effects of dietary pulse consumption on body weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition The "white kidney bean incident" in Japan from Methods in Molecular Biology Fructan, rather than gluten, induces symptoms in patients with self-reported non-celiac gluten sensitivity from Gastroenterology Is there a...

Can the power of your thoughts help defy aging? Could your mind help improve your eyesight or even heal wounds faster? These ideas might seem far-fetched, but our guest, Harvard Professor Ellen Langer, has spent four decades uncovering the real science behind this. In this episode, discover how to harness your mind-body connection to enhance your well-being. Ellen Langer is an American professor of psychology at Harvard University. In 1981, she became the first woman ever to be tenured in psychology at Harvard. Prof. Langer studies the illusion of control, decision-making, aging, and mindfulness theory. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction 01:48 Quickfire questions 04:34 The mind and body should be understood as one unit 05:42 The counterclockwise study 06:51 Chambermaid exercise study 09:33 What is Mindfulness? 10:59 All of the misery we experience is a function of our mindlessness 14:47 Mindful optimism 23:12 Everything should be different, every day of your life 25:33 How Ellen approaches a simple eyesight test 28:21 We have more control over our health and lives than we think… 33:35 Placebos could be our strongest medicines… 39:00 Blood sugar study results 44:50 How to approach mindfulness 54:05 Summary Mentioned in today’s episode: Ageing as a mindset: A counterclockwise experiment to rejuvenate older adults sponsored by Catholic University of the Sacred Heart Mind-set matters: Exercise and the placebo effect from Psychological Science The Mindful Body and Mindfulness, two books by Prof. Langer Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

Do you feel like your muscles are shrinking or getting weaker? Many people gradually lose muscle mass as they get older. And this leads to an increased risk of falls, osteoporosis, and fractures. When it comes to your muscles, it’s a case of use them or lose them. But what is the most effective way to use our muscles and maintain strength? Ex-bodybuilder and professor of exercise science Brad Schoenfeld tells us how. And it’s easier than you might think! In today’s episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Brad ask: How can you maintain muscle mass as you age? If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Follow ZOE on Instagram Timecodes: 00:00 - Introduction 1:25 - Quickfire round 2:38 - How do our muscles work 3:01 - Why are muscles important for our health 5:15 - The loss of muscles and how to prevent it 8:19 - Resistance training - How it builds muscles 11:24 - Nutrition and muscle growth 13:01 - How muscle growth changes with age 17:45 - Resistance training vs Cardio 20:20 - How to do resistance training 28:11 - No time to exercise? 30:28 - What weight to train with 36:10 - How menopause affects muscle maintenance 41:13 - Summary and outro Mentioned in today’s episode: Effects of resistance training on muscle size and strength in very elderly adultsSports MedicineStrength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance TrainingThe Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

More than 50 systemic health conditions — including Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and heart disease — are associated with oral disease. The link between systemic and oral conditions is always microbial, inflammatory, or both. So, how can we look after our gums to improve our health? In today’s episode, Jonathan and Prof. Alp Kantarci pose the question: How does the health of your oral cavity shape your general health? Dr. Alp Kantarci is a professor, scientist, dentist, oral health researcher, periodontist, dental implant surgeon, and senior member of staff at the Forsyth Institute, an independent research institute that focuses on the connections between oral health and overall wellness. Dr. Kantarci is also a faculty member at Harvard University School of Dental Medicine. He has published more than 190 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and has presented more than 170 talks and posters at dental and medical congresses. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes: 01:35 - Quickfire questions 04:11 - What is oral health? 08:35 - How is our oral health connected to the health of the rest of our body? 11:01 - Oral microbiome 18:48 - Why does bad oral health affect the rest of the body? 22:47 - How much does the state of our oral health contribute to dementia? 25:48 - The link between oral health and diabetes 28:31 - The link between oral health and cardiovascular diseases 32:41 - What are the key steps to look after our oral health? 35:36 - Alp’s view on mouthwash 37:51 - Oral health & probiotics 42:22 - Impact of food on our oral health 45:45 - Does sparkling water affect our oral health? 50:04 - Summary 52:34 - Goodbyes 52:41 - Outro Mentioned in today’s episode: Dementia and the risk of periodontitis: A population-based cohort study from the Journal of Dental Research. Microglial response to experimental periodontitis in a murine model of Alzheimer’s disease from Scientific Reports. Fusobacterium nucleatum dissemination by neutrophils from the Journal of Oral Microbiology. Safety and preliminary efficacy of a novel host-modulatory therapy for reducing gingival inflammation from Frontiers in Immunology. Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

Dr. Peter Attia doesn’t want a slow death. He doesn’t want his final years to be defined by poor mental and physical faculties that only worsen as the years roll by. But, by making changes to his lifestyle today, he’s taking control of his health tomorrow In today’s episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Peter ask: How can you maintain your health as you age? Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program Follow ZOE on Instagram Timecodes: 00:00 - Introduction 1:29 - Quickfire round 3:14 - Healthspan vs lifespan 09:52 - The difference between slow and quick death 12:23 - What diseases cause slow death 13:34 - Acting before there’s a problem 16:17 - Is it too late to improve my future health 19:20 - How to improve modern medicine 25:07 - The importance of blood sugar 33:03 - The centanarian decathlon 34:00 - Cardio training 38:00 - Strength training 40:43 - Summary and outro Mentioned in today’s episode: The inequities in the cost of chronic diseaseNational Council on Aging Early lesions of atherosclerosis in youthJournal of the American Nutrition AssociationCoronary heart disease causes and risk factorsNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

Not all of us want to go to the gym 5 times a week, but what if there was a way to do quick, short high intensity 20 second exercises and still reap benefits - or does that sound too good to be true? Javier and Jonathan break this down as they look at recent studies and results, optimizing exercise routines to achieve the desired health benefits, taking into account factors like intensity, duration, and frequency as well as discussing the effect of working from home vs commuting to the office. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Follow ZOE on Instagram Mentioned in today’s episode: The Effects of High Intensity Interval Training vs Steady State Training on Aerobic and Anaerobic Capacity; from The Journal of Sports and Science Medicine Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

Your gut microbiome, a bustling community of microorganisms, is a vital player in your overall health. It doesn’t just impact your digestive system — it has a profound influence on your brain health and well-being. However, the gut microbiome is a complex, long misunderstood realm, and figuring out how it affects daily life can leave even the most dedicated health enthusiasts scratching their heads. Here at ZOE, we’ve transformed our understanding of this bustling microbial world, where both “good” and “bad” gut bacteria reside. In today’s episode, Jonathan speaks with Prof. Nicola Segata and Prof. Tim Spector to explore how ZOE's microbiome testing and unique microbiome health scores provide personalized insights into your gut health. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Nicola SegataTim Spector Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction 01:41 Quick fire questions 03:38 Why should we care about gut microbes? 07:00 How many different microbes do we have in our gut? 11:37 Why would we want to measure our microbiome? 13:15 Can we change our microbiome? 18:00 Is it possible to make a dramatic change in your microbiome over time? 20:21 What does the latest data tell us about improving our diet? 23:24 How does the ZOE micobiome gut test work? 27:07 What goes on in the lab to get these results? 30:54 Is there enough information in the gut microbiome to make a full health assessment? 34:20 What can our microbes tell us about diseases? 35:55 What useful information does the microbiome test show us? 36:51 Are we still making new discoveries in the microbiome? 41:03 Do different microbes prefer specific foods? 43:14 How do different lifestyles around the world change your microbiome? 47:44 5 simple tips to improve gut health 50:45 How rapidly can you damage your microbiome? 53:58 Can taking painkillers regularly negatively impact the microbiome? 56:10 Summary 60:03 Goodbyes/Outro Mentioned in today’s episode: The person-to-person transmission landscape of the gut and oral microbiomesNature Sharing of gut microbial strains between selected individual sets of twins cohabitating for decadesPLoS OneA genetic gift for sushi eatersNature Find Nicola on ResearchGate and X. Episode transcripts are available

There’s been a surge in our consumption of ultra-processed foods, especially in the United Kingdom and the United States, where these foods contribute about two-thirds of people’s caloric intake. Also a cause for concern is emerging evidence of ultra-processed foods’ detrimental effect on our brain health and overall well-being. When most of our calories come from ultra-processed foods, the risk of chronic physical and mental health conditions escalates. Scientists are now uncovering the intricate mechanisms behind this relationship, particularly concerning the effects of these foods on our brains. In today’s episode, we welcome back Prof. Felice Jacka, OAM. Felice is an Alfred Deakin professor of nutritional psychiatry and the director of the Food & Mood Centre at Deakin University, in Australia. She’s also the founder of the International Society for Nutritional Psychiatry Research and the world’s leading researcher on food’s impact on our brain and mental health. Now, she’s back on the show to delve deeper into the effects of ultra-processed foods on mental health and the brain, specifically the hippocampus, an area responsible for learning and memory. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Timecodes: 00:00 Intro 01:19 Quick fire questions 04:17 What is ultra processed food? 05:37 What is the NOVA classification? 08:18 How does food impact the brain? 10:33 What does the hippocampus do to influence our brain function? 12:58 Is there a link between the size of the hippocampus and quality of diet? 13:45 Is there a link between the quality of diet and depression? 20:37 What are the effects of long term dietary habits? 21:33 Is there a link between poor diet and dementia 23:18 Is there a link between autism and diet? 24:00 How real is the link between diet and dementia? 24:57 What is the oral microbiome? 28:16 New trial between whole foods and vitamin enriched nutritional foods 29:28 How does processing foods impact the makeup of foods on a molecular level? 32:10 How does the biodiversity around us affect our body? 33:08 How does the industrialized food environment impact us? 35:50 How strong is the evidence for this? is it comparable to smoking? 39:12 Practical tips to help with our diet 40:07 How does reducing consumption of UPF affect us? 41:25 How to cut down on UPF 44:04 Is it too late to change your diet? 45:39 Does exercise impact our brain? 47:41 Summary 52:57 Goodbyes/Outro Mentioned in today’s episode: The SMILES trialBMC Medicine Ultra-Processed Food Consumption and Mental HealthNutrientsWestern diet is associated with a smaller hippocampusBMC Medicine Learn more about Felice on the Food & Mood Centre’s website. Follow Felice on Instagram. Episode transcripts are available here. Is there a nutrition topic you’d like

Get science-based nutrition advice straight to your inbox: https://bit.ly/3ExWxCG Most of us like to have breakfast before we exercise in the morning, but what happens if we don’t eat anything first? The issue goes beyond weight loss and exercise timing to involve blood sugar, insulin sensitivity, and other — perhaps unexpected — aspects of your health. In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Professor Javier Gonzalez ask: Should we exercise on an empty stomach? If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalised nutrition program. Mentioned in today’s episode: Lipid metabolism links nutrient-exercise timing to insulin sensitivity in men classified as overweight or obese from The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Body composition changes associated with fasted versus non-fasted aerobic exercise from Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition The Acute Effects of Interrupting Prolonged Sitting Time in Adults with Standing and Light-Intensity Walking on Biomarkers of Cardiometabolic Health in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis from Sport Medicine Exercising Tactically for Taming Postmeal Glucose Surges from Hindawi Exercise-stimulated glucose uptake — regulation and implications for glycaemic control from Nature Reviews Endocrinology Follow ZOE on Instagram. Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

As a listener to this show, you’ve probably heard of the gut microbiome. But did you know that your skin has its own microbiome? Recent evidence suggests that these microbiomes are vital for our skin health. So, what should we do? Which foods make an impact? And if we want our skin to look healthier, how about those collagen supplements that many of you have asked us about? In today’s episode, our guest is Dr. Justine Kluk, a consultant dermatologist with a specialist interest in acne. Justine is a member of the British Association of Dermatologists, the Royal Society of Medicine, and the Royal College of Physicians. ZOE’s Chief Scientist Dr. Sarah Berry also joins as a cohost to explore these ideas. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Timecodes: 00:00 Intro 02:01 Quick Fire questions 03:52 What does skin do? 04:51 Why is the skin so important? 06:34 Is there a correlation between aging skin and health? 07:41 What is the skin microbiome? 11:46 Is exposure to the natural environment beneficial for children? 12:39 Can we change the skin microbiome? 13:32 Would an oral or topical probiotic help improve our skin microbiome 15:11 What can we do to help support the skin barrier? 15:39 Can overwashing/scrubbing disturb your skin? 16:40 Why does acne matter? 18:37 Is acne just found in teenagers? 19:12 What effect does menopause have on your skin? 20:36 What impact does diet have on acne? 22:14 Are diets with high glycemic content bad for acne? 23:01 What is happening to create the effects of acne? 24:23 Is there a connection between our gut health and skin health? 25:15 Practical advice for people with acne 28:16 Diet tips to help support healthy skin 29:51 How has the ZOE diet gone down in Jonathan and Justine's household? 32:54 How can the ZOE diet help with day-to-day cooking habits? 35:46 What causes skin aging? 37:44 What can we do to slow down skin aging? 39:55 Do collagen supplements work to keep your skin youthful? 41:52 How can retinol help your skin? 42:30 3 things that could help keep your skin young 43:31 Top nutrition skin myths 45:50 How important is it to apply sun protection? 46:36 How does stress impact our skin? 48:38 Questions for Jonathan 54:57 Summary & Outro Mentioned in today’s episode: Mortality is written on the faceThe Journals of Gerontology: Series AToo clean, or not too clean: the hygiene hypothesis and home hygieneClinical & Experimental AllergyImpact of outdoor nature-related activities on gut microbiota, fecal serotonin, and perceived stress in preschool childrenScientific Reports Justine shares more in-depth skincare and acne information at drjustinekluk.com and as @drjustinekluk on Instagram Follow ZOE on Instagram. Episode transcripts are available

Millions of us are counting calories every day. But do we know if those numbers truly reflect the energy we get from eating? It’s about time that we debunked the “one-size-fits-all” approach to calorie counting and unmasked the outdated methodologies that contribute to inaccuracies in food labeling. In today’s episode, Jonathan and Dr. Sarah Berry ask: How exactly do we measure calories, and is calorie counting actually effective? Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe Mentioned in today’s episode: The Wilbur Olin Atwater Papers from the United States Department of Agriculture 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.

Antibiotics are one of the greatest discoveries of the 21st century. Since their inception, they’ve saved countless lives, but these miracle drugs come at a cost. In some cases, they can seriously affect your health or can even be life-threatening. In today’s episode, Jonathan puts himself under the microscope. After an injury forced him to take antibiotics, he shows you the effect they had on his own gut bacteria. Jonathan’s joined by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz and Prof. Tim Spector, who explore the impact of different types of antibiotics, how they affect your bacteria in the short and long term, and how we can reverse the unwanted effect of these drugs. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Timecodes: 00:00 Intro 00:15 Jonathan’s Intro 00:50 Quickfire round 01:40 Jonathan’s accident 04:00 Unpacking clindamycin 11:40 Antibiotic-associated diarrhea 14:45 Side effects prevention advice 22:20 Jonathan’s gut at 7 days 27:50 Fermented foods 27:00 Tips for building your gut back up 41:30 Benefits vs. risks 48:00 Summary 51:20 Outro Mentioned in today’s episode: Post-antibiotic gut mucosal microbiome reconstitution is impaired by probiotics and improved by autologous FMT from Cell Saccharomyces boulardii: What makes it tick as successful probiotic? From the Journal of Fungi Follow ZOE on Instagram. Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

Whether you’re frying, baking, or topping your toast, most of you will eat either butter or margarine at some point today. The fact that these spreads are such a staple means that we need to know their effects on our health. And It might surprise you to learn that this impact has changed quite dramatically over the past 20 years. In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Dr. Sarah ask: Which is healthier, butter or margarine? Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Follow ZOE on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/zoe/ Mentioned in today’s episode: Margarine from Science Direct Margarines: Historical approach, technological aspects, nutritional profile, and global trends from Food Research International Reduction of LDL-cholesterol as a result of the change from butter to soft margarine from Polish Archives of Internal Medicine Americans' per capita consumption of margarine & butter from the USDA Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

Unfortunately, many of us spend our later years in poor health. But is this avoidable? And can we actually increase our healthy years? While aging is inevitable, there are steps we can take to minimize its effects on our health. And surprisingly, some of these steps have nothing to do with exercise or diet. Simply spending time with others can provide countless benefits to us as we age. But how can we maintain these connections? Does retirement affect our social interactions? And can attitude alone keep you healthier in your later years? In today’s episode, one of the world’s top experts on aging, Prof. Rose Anne Kenny, joins us to explore these ideas. Rose Anne is a world-leading geriatrician at Trinity College Dublin, where she leads a huge, long-term study on aging. She’s also the author of the number one international bestseller Age Proof: The New Science of Living a Longer and Healthier Life. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Timecodes: 00:00 - Intro 00:13 - Quickfire round 01:14 - What’s the biggest myth about aging? 04:18 - What is aging? 07:43 - Aging process predictors 13:50 - Our growing elderly population 15:14 - Retirement 19:21 - Study on aging and social interaction 24:57 - Importance of social participation 27:38 - Studying the effects of loneliness 29:56 - Combating loneliness 31:13 - How attitude affects aging 33:20 - Social interaction online 36:08 - Creating social relationships 48:42 - Summary and Outro Mentioned in today’s episode: The Dunedin Study, a long-term study designed to investigate broader questions of child health and development from the Dunedin Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) from Trinity College Dublin You can buy Rose Anne’s book here. Follow ZOE on Instagram. Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

We’ve all had unpleasant toilet experiences in our time. It can be distressing to deal with and not something we like talking about. But when does normal diarrhea become chronic? And when do we need to seek medical care? In today’s episode, Jonathan and Dr Will ask what is chronic diarrhea and how can we rule out something more serious? Will also shares tricks of the trade to ease your symptoms and tells us how our amazing guts work to keep our whole body healthy. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Mentioned in today’s episode: Chronic Diarrhea by Garrett J. Descoteaux-Friday; Isha Shrimanker from the National Library of Medicine Chronic Diarrhea by Cleveland Clinic Diarrhea From John Hopkins Medicine Diarrhea From Stamford Medicine Healthcare Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI) From Loma Linda University Health Episode transcripts are available here. 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.

What does "organic" food mean? And how do you know if something's organic? Of course, foods tell you if they're organic in massive letters on the packaging. And they cost way more. But what makes a food organic? Is eating organic better for your health? And are the benefits worth the expense? Luckily, Professor Tim Spector is here today with answers. Tim is one of the world's top 100 most cited scientists, a scientific co-founder of ZOE, and the author of the bestselling book Food for Life: The New Science of Eating Well. Stick around until the end, and you'll also find out the answer to a question we get often: Does Tim eat organic? Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide Timecodes: 00:00 - Intro 01:21 - Quickfire round 02:36 - What is organic food? 03:06 - Pesticides vs insecticides 08:06 - Diseases 09:15 - Herbicide risks 16:03 - Nutrient comparison 18:21 - Natural chemical defences 20:32 - Does Tim Eat organic food? 22:15 - Foods high in chemicals 25:32 - Organic and cost 26:56 - Washing food 31:11 - Summary and outro Mentioned in today’s episode: Organic food consumption and the incidence of cancer in a large prospective study of women in the United Kingdom from the British Journal of Cancer Association of frequency of organic food consumption with cancer risk from JAMA Internal Medicine Impacts of dietary exposure to pesticides on faecal microbiome metabolism in adult twins from Environmental Health Follow ZOE on Instagram. Episode transcripts are available here. 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.