ZOE Science & Nutrition
ZOE
Recent Episodes
How soon should we start taking our dementia risk seriously?
In today’s episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan is joined by Prof. Claire Steves to explore the multifaceted world of dementia. They delve into the significance of dental health, genetics, diet, and physical activity — plus, they unpack the latest research — to give you practical strategies for preventing dementia.
Claire is a consultant physician in geriatric medicine at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. She’s also a senior clinical lecturer at King's College London and deputy clinical director of the institution’s Department of Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology where she leads research on the characterization of physical and mental aging traits and frailty.
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Get the FREE ZOE gut health guide — download here
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes:
00:00 - Introduction
01:26 - Quickfire questions on dementia
02:42 - Main discussion: understanding dementia
04:18 - Control over fate with dementia
06:52 - Why older people get more fractures
08:32 - Warning signs of dementia
09:55 - Unique aspects of dementia
12:12 - Cellular level discussion on dementia
15:49 - Risk factors for dementia
16:07 - Inheritance and dementia
18:29 - High-risk factors for dementia
19:15 - Fetal development and dementia risk
21:47 - Brain reserves and mental health
24:24 - New advances in dementia treatment
30:47 - Medications and life expectancy
33:21 - Diet and dementia prevention
35:58 - The role of physical activity
39:45 - Oral health and dementia
42:10 - Social interaction and brain health
44:02 - Diabetes and dementia
45:36 - Women, HRT, and dementia
49:09 - Recap: Types of dementia
53:39 - Hearing aids and dementia prevention
55:39 - Episode sign-off
Studies related to today’s episode:
- Brain-age is associated with progression to dementia in memory clinic patients from NeuroImage Clinical
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Are you interested in a specific aspect of dementia? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll do our best to cover it.
Episode transcripts are available here.
In today’s episode, we’re talking about a disease so widespread that it touches nearly every family in some way: type 2 diabetes. It’s not just a health issue, it's a rapidly expanding crisis. And many people don’t know that they have it.
In the U.S. alone, 100 million people have prediabetes, and more than 37 million have type 2 diabetes, a chronic condition with life-altering effects.
Prof. Naveed Sattar joins us to shed light on preventing, treating, and potentially reversing type 2 diabetes.
Naveed is a medical doctor and Professor of Metabolic Medicine at the Institute of Cardiovascular & Medical Sciences at the University of Glasgow. He’s one of the world’s top 1% most cited clinical scientists, and he’s worked on many clinical trials of lifestyle changes and drugs to prevent and manage diabetes.
Learn your diabetes risk score:
If you’re in the U.K. click here.
If you’re in the U.S. click here.
Get the FREE ZOE gut health guide — download here
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Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction
01:00 Topic introduction
02:28 Quick fire questions
05:33 What is blood sugar and why does it matter?
07:15 What is insulin and what is its relation to blood sugar and diabetes?
08:48 Why doesn't the body allow sugar to increase in the blood?
10:45 What happens when somebody gets pre-diabetes or type 2?
14:34 What is HBA1C?
17:08 Why has there been such an increase in diabetes?
23:05 How does muscle mass have any impact on diabetes?
24:54 Are risks different between men and women?
27:08 How does ethnicity come into this?
31:04 What other personal risk factors are there?
32:29 What are the symptoms of diabetes?
33:53 When do these symptoms begin?
35:09 What should you do if you have concerns?
36:33 How to find out your own likelihood of risk
38:34 How can we avoid getting diabetes?
42:10 How can we combat genetic risk factors?
44:26 Is it possible to lower blood sugar and reverse the effects of diabetes?
47:18 What is the science behind the new drugs coming on the market?
49:20 Summary
53:39 Outro
Mentioned in today’s episode:
- Primary care-led weight management for remission of type 2 diabetes (DiRECT): An open-label, cluster-randomised trial in The Lancet
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll do our best to cover it.
Episode transcripts are available here.
Do you know what SIBO is and how it could be affecting your health?
In today’s episode, Jonathan and Dr. Will Bulsiewicz dive into the world of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), a condition that may underlie common health issues ranging from irritable bowel syndrome to brain fog.
Together, they tackle myths and share insights into SIBO diagnosis and treatment. Could rebalancing your gut microbiome be the answer you've been searching for?
Dr. Will Bulsiewicz is board-certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology. He’s also a New York Times bestselling author. Dr. B has won multiple awards and distinctions for his work as a clinician.
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
ZOE's FREE gut health guide - download it here.
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Introduction to SIBO
01:01 What is SIBO?
02:43 An overgrowth of bacteria
03:41 SIBO Myth #1 debunked
04:34 What is the link between SIBO and other diseases?
06:12 What are the challenges with SIBO Testing
06:48 Understanding testing methods
07:08 Myth #2 debunked
08:28 The issues with breath testing for SIBO
11:38 What are the root causes of SIBO
14:35 What is the impact of medication on SIBO?
16:12 Dietary management and low FODMAP diet
17:45 Probiotics and SIBO management
18:00 Myth# 3 debunked
19:55 Verdict
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Fiber supplementation protects from antibiotic-induced gut microbiome dysbiosis by modulating gut redox potential from Nature Communications
Our earlier podcast on the low-FODMAP diet
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll do our best to cover it.
Episode transcripts are available here.
Are you navigating the twists and turns of perimenopause and beyond? Traditional exercise advice often misses the mark for women in this phase, mostly because its source is research focused on men.
In today’s episode, we're joined by the acclaimed Dr. Stacy Sims, a leading expert on women's exercise science. Stacy delves into how menopause affects our exercise responses, and she offers strategies to adapt your fitness routine for optimal health during and after menopause.
Ready to transform your approach to health and fitness? Tune in for expert insights and actionable tips.
Dr. Stacy Sims is an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who researches exercise performance and nutrition with a focus on women’s health and performance. She holds a Ph.D. in exercise physiology and sports nutrition from the University of Otago, and she did a postdoc at Stanford, where she remains an adjunct faculty member. Stacy is also a research associate at the AUT Sports Performance Research Institute New Zealand.
Follow Dr. Stacy Sims on Instagram, and find her podcasts here.
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.
Get the FREE ZOE gut health guide — download here
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction
00:34 Quickfire questions
03:39 Menopause and perimenopause explained
08:23 What happens when oestrogen levels change?
11:28 When does perimenopause start to happen?
14:15 What is the role of exercise in menopause?
17:00 What are hot flushes?
20:20 How can exercise have a positive impact on menopause?
21:57 What are the best exercises to do?
25:20 You are NOT going to get bulky lifting weights!
28:36 Alternatives to going to the gym
33:08 What is high-intensity training?
41:32 What is the minimum exercise needed to have a positive health impact?
47:27 How does fasted training affect women?
51:36 Summary
Mentioned in today’s episode:
And these books by Dr. Stacy Sims:
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll do our best to cover it.
Episode transcripts are available here.
Many of us love coffee, but we may not be aware of its health benefits. If you thought coffee was just a caffeine kick, think again.
In today's episode, Jonathan, Prof. Tim Spector, and coffee expert James Hoffmann explore the intricate relationship between coffee and health. They uncover truths and myths about caffeine and describe coffee’s fascinating role in improving gut health.
Tim also shares exciting news about soon-to-be published research. The topic: coffee and the gut microbiome. Plus, James brews coffee live in the studio and helps us understand the different coffee variants. He even dives into the world of coffee kombucha.
James Hoffmann is an English barista, YouTuber, entrepreneur, coffee consultant, and author. He came to prominence after winning the World Barista Championship in 2007 and is credited as a pioneer of Britain's third-wave coffee movement.
Tim is a professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London, director of the Twins UK study, scientific co-founder of ZOE, and one of the world’s leading researchers.
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Find top tips for gut health from ZOE Science and Nutrition — download our FREE gut guide.
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction
01:50 Quickfire Questions
04:24 Why are we all so obsessed with coffee?
05:02 What are the health benefits associated with coffee?
06:40 There is a lot more fiber in coffee than you think
09:47 The effects of caffeine and gender differences
12:31 Why is coffee full of polyphenols?
15:12 Tim’s new research teaser
21:21 What is the health relationship between fiber, microbes and our bodies?
27:32 Should we all start drinking coffee and should we choose decaf?
31:52 Modern coffee is all about flavor
33:03 Does the way that we make coffee impact our health?
37:55 James explains his mini laboratory!
43:42 Why is coffee not regulated in coffee shop chains?
44:35 What's the best way to make coffee?
44:40 Coffee #1 Filter Coffee
47:10 Coffee #2 Decaf Coffee
51:00 Coffee #3 Instant Coffee
1:00:50 How does caffeine affect high blood pressure?
1:05:36 Summary
Mentioned in today’s episode:
How to Make the Best Coffee at Home by James Hoffman
Editorial correction: James refers to chlorogenic acid as a polyphenol. We have since learnt that this is incorrect. Rather, it is a phenolic compound or a phenolic acid. James has shared this short video on his YouTube channel clarifying this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IszQ2JR3Olc
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at [email protected], and we’ll do our best to cover it.
Episode transcripts are available here.