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The world’s top scientists explain the latest health, nutrition, and gut health research and translate it into practical advice to improve your health & weight. Join ZOE Science & Nutrition, on a journey of scientific discovery. Hosted by Jonathan Wolf.

ZOE Science & Nutrition

Today we’re talking about gynaecological health.

Conditions like endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome are more common than might think. Yet they’re often misunderstood, frequently undiagnosed, and are all too easily dismissed.

That’s why it’s essential for us to build a clear understanding of these conditions: How lifestyle factors can influence them, and when it’s time to seek expert care.

America’s gynecologist, Dr Jen Ashton, joins me to break down these complex conditions. Helping you to feel more informed and empowered in your own body.

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

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

Listen to the full episode here

Recap: Understanding endometriosis and PCOS | Dr Jen Ashton

Are fermented foods the missing link in our health, or just the latest wellness trend? 

In this episode, Professor Tim Spector, a world-leading scientist in gut health and co-founder of ZOE, challenges what we think we know about yogurt, cheese, kombucha, and more.

Tim uncovers why milk and cheese aren’t the same in your body - and the surprising science showing cheese might not be the heart villain it was once made out to be. He also shares emerging evidence that fermented foods could influence inflammation, immunity, metabolism, and even mood, often in a matter of weeks.

From a groundbreaking Stanford study to insights from ZOE’s research on 9,000 people, this episode reveals why fermented foods are more powerful, and more misunderstood, than most of us realise.

Tim breaks down the easiest ways to actually eat more fermented foods without overhauling your life. By the end, you’ll be questioning what’s in your fridge - and wondering if one tiny daily habit could do far more than you’d ever expect.

Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 ⁠Get the ZOE app 

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

04:00 The critical difference between healthy fermentation and rotting

09:55 What 'double fermented' food means (and why it's better for you)

11:23 The cheese paradox: why is it so much healthier than milk?

14:12 Why you shouldn't be afraid of 'chemicals' in your food

17:02 Common fermented foods you didn't even know you were eating

18:47 The surprising reason microbes in beer and bread are killed

20:10 Surprising new science: the health benefits of dead microbes

22:07 Why did English-speaking countries stop eating fermented foods?

24:05 What is the real difference between pickling and fermenting?

26:55 The groundbreaking Stanford study that proved the power of fermented foods

30:00 ZOE's 9,000-person study: the results in just two weeks

30:55 The impact of 3 ferments a day on mood, energy, and bloating

34:50 The gut-brain axis: how microbes calm 'neuroinflammation'

37:30 Eating fermented food is like a 'vaccine' for your immune system

39:48 Why sourdough bread is easier to digest than regular bread

40:11 Are fermented foods better than probiotic pills?

44:47 The biggest myth about probiotics: they don't colonize your gut

46:39 Tim's breakfast hack to get two ferments in at once

48:15 The one simple pantry swap for all your stock cubes

49:05 A simple trick to train yourself to like kimchi

51:45 The simplest home ferment: garlic and honey

53:55 How to make your own sauerkraut with just two ingredients

55:08 What is the 'jellyfish' that makes kombucha?

01:00:06 Summary: the top 5 takeaways from this episode

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Mentioned in today's episode

 
Gut-microbiota-targeted diets modulate human immune status, Cell (2021)

 
Fermented Food Consumption Is Associated With Improvements in Bloating, Hunger, Energy and Mood in the General Population, CDN (2025)

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Fermented foods: what to eat to cut inflammation | Prof. Tim Spector

Today we’re diving into our immune health.

You can think of your immune system as your body’s personal physician. Diligently working around the clock to monitor, detect, and repair anything that might disrupt your health.

However, because it’s work is so seamless and silent, we often take it for granted. 

So, how can we better support our internal MD?

Immunologist Jenna Macciochi joins me to explore how simple, everyday actions - from what we eat to how we breathe - can profoundly enhance our immune health.

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

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

Listen to the full episode here

Recap: Tips for a healthy immune system | Jenna Macciochi

Is flavour just a sensory experience? Or the secret key to eating for health? In this episode, Spencer Hyman, flavour expert and co-founder of Cocoa Runners, joins Professor Tim Spector, world-leading scientist in nutrition and gut health, to uncover how the food industry manipulates taste to make us overeat, and how rediscovering real flavour could transform our wellbeing.

Spencer reveals the fascinating science of flavour and why we “taste” with our noses, how chocolate became the world’s first hyper-palatable food, and why modern diets are full of fake flavours designed to make us eat faster. Tim explains how “big food” exploits the brain’s reward system to override fullness signals, creating products that keep us hooked - and what we can do to fight back.

For listeners curious about how to rebuild a healthy relationship with food, this episode includes a practical guide to retraining your taste buds. Spencer and Tim share tips on how to eat more slowly, savour each bite, and use flavour as a natural marker of nutrient-rich, satisfying foods.

Could learning the language of flavour be the most powerful way to eat better - without restriction?

Try ZOE’s NEW app and gut health test: ZOE.com

Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 ⁠Get the ZOE app 

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Download Spencer's Flavour Wave guide FREE: https://cocoarunners.com/cocoa-runners-on-zoe/

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

01:10 The surprising truth about how taste really works

02:45 Why flavour matters more than nutrition labels

05:12 The ‘bliss point’: how junk food hooks your brain

07:40 How big food manipulates your taste buds

10:05 Why eating too fast damages your health

12:32 The 20-minute rule your brain uses to feel full

14:25 Why you should chew more (and talk while eating)

16:58 The simple trick to eat less and enjoy more

19:05 What chocolate reveals about human evolution

21:15 Why most processed foods are designed to deceive

23:48 How to spot hyper-palatable foods instantly

26:10 Why we’ve lost our ability to taste real food

28:55 What ‘bitterness’ really means for your health

31:40 The forgotten skill of flavour literacy

34:25 How to retrain your taste buds in one week

36:45 Why flavour is the one thing big food can’t fake

39:20 How mindful eating can rewire your brain

41:05 The shocking stats on mindless eating

43:30 What the data says about processed food risk

45:25 Why flavour could be your best health tracker

47:40 Can technology teach you to eat better?

49:30 Why enjoying food is essential for good health

51:00 The big takeaway: flavour is your superpower

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Mentioned in today's episode

 
Savouring strikes back: healthiness, satiety, mindfulness, community, planet 

 
How Important Is Eating Rate in the Physiological Response to Food Intake, Control of Body Weight, and Glycemia?, Nutrients (2020) 

 
Hyperpalatability and the Generation of Obesity: Roles of Environment, Stress Exposure and Individual Difference, Current Obesity Reports (2018)

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

How learning to savour flavour can transform your health | Spencer Hyman

Try ZOE’s NEW app and gut health test: ZOE.com

Winter is almost here! Temperatures are dropping, clouds are descending, and the clocks have changed. 

Many of you might be worrying that the Winter Blues are on their way, but perhaps they don’t need to be? Perhaps we can work with our natural, biological rhythms to fend off this blue phase.

Today, we’re joined by Prof. Debra Skene, Section Lead of Chronobiology at the University of Surrey and a global authority on circadian rhythms. With over 190 research publications, she’s spent 25 years studying how light and timing affect sleep, mood, and metabolic health.

After listening to this episode, you’ll be armed with solid advice that will help you weather winter with a smile, maintaining good health and good mood until the warmth returns.

Timecodes:

00:15 The surprising link between your body clock and major diseases

01:25 Quick-fire round: Body clocks, weight gain, and meal timing

03:25 You have a 'master clock' ticking in your brain

10:05 What is 'gut lag'?

11:40 Why light is the most reliable signal for your body (it's not weather)

14:45 Light's 'non-visual' effects: How light affects your mood and performance

16:30 What studies on blind people reveal about our internal clocks

18:50 The shocking health risks of night shift work

21:05 Why you are 'definitely eating at the wrong time'

22:30 The same meal at midnight gives you higher blood fats

25:20 Why living in a cave for a month is 'pretty healthy'

26:20 Are you a 'lark' or an 'owl'? The biology of chronotypes

29:10 What is 'social jet lag' (and why is it linked to weight gain)?

33:05 How winter light changes your body clock

38:30 The direct link between light and 'winter depression'

39:30 Do light boxes actually work for winter depression?

40:40 The discovery of melanopsin: The specific color of light that controls your clock

43:45 Does blue light from your phone really matter for sleep?

45:05 Why light intensity matters more than blue light

48:15 The cheapest and most effective way to get morning light (even in winter)

50:00 Food sets your 'peripheral clocks', but not your master clock

52:20 Why mealtime consistency is the most important rule

53:30 Is daylight saving time bad for our health?

55:35 Summary: Key takeaways for sleep, mood, and eating

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

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

Episode transcripts are available⁠ here⁠.

The science of winter depression with Prof. Debra Skene – leading chronobiologist

Get 6+ FREE breakfast recipes from nutrition experts: https://zoe.com/breakfastguide

Why do so many of us eat a "healthy" breakfast like cereal or muesli, only to feel hungry, tired, and foggy by 11 AM? And why is it so hard to break this routine, even when we know it’s not working?

In this episode, Jonathan Wolf speaks to Professor Ben Gardner, a leading expert in habit psychology, and Professor Tim Spector, a world-leading scientist in nutrition and gut health. 

They explore the science behind why our breakfast routines are broken, how they set us up for a daily blood sugar rollercoaster, and what to do to fix things. 

Tim breaks down the latest science on common breakfast foods, explaining why most cereals, muesli, fruit juices, and "high-protein" options are failing us, leading to energy dips and mood changes.

Ben explains the psychology of why we're stuck. He reveals why bad habits run on autopilot, why our environment is more powerful than our willpower, and busts the persistent "21-day" myth, explaining how long it really takes to form a new habit.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

01:25 Does building a new habit take 21 days?

02:05 Is breakfast the most important meal of the day?

04:05 The 'healthy' breakfast that causes an 11 AM energy dip

05:15 How your breakfast creates a blood sugar rollercoaster

07:15 Can today's breakfast affect tomorrow's hunger?

08:05 The 'healthy' cereal trap: "Only if you're a shareholder of Kellogg's"

10:10 What is a 'habit' in psychology? (It's not what you think)

11:15 The 'autopilot' breakfast: Making food without realizing

13:50 The stale popcorn experiment: Why you eat food you don't even like

16:30 The secret to change: Identify your environmental triggers

18:30 The 'fresh start effect': Why Monday is a powerful day to change

20:40 The "I've already failed today" mindset (and why it's wrong)

22:30 What are 'keystone habits'?

25:45 The 3 ways to break a bad habit (it's not just willpower)

28:00 How to use breakfast as your 'first win' of the day

29:40 Tim Spector's ideal breakfast to avoid a sugar crash

32:30 The 'high protein' cereal lie: "Most of them are rubbish"

33:30 Is Marmite actually healthy?

34:55 Tim's 3 simple principles for a healthy breakfast

38:20 The 21-day myth busted: How long it really takes to form a habit

40:50 What is 'habit stacking'?

41:55 Does missing one day ruin your new habit?

42:35 How to swap your cereal habit (Ben's practical plan)

45:00 How long until a new habit feels 'automatic'?

46:00 A 3-step practical guide to change your breakfast habit

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Tired and hungry? How the wrong breakfast will ruin your day | Prof. Benjamin Gardner & Professor Tim Spector

Get your free 5-step plan for hearing loss diagnosis and treatment: click here

Hearing loss affects 1 in 5 people globally, increases the risk of developing dementia, and has no cure. 

An astonishing half a billion people have hearing loss, which impacts their ability to communicate and connect with others. Hearing loss cases are increasing fast, especially among younger people. 

For many, hearing aids and cochlear implants can be life-changing, but they can’t help everyone. But there is hope:

Scientists around the world have been working tirelessly to develop NEW treatments for hearing loss. 

In this episode, Jonathan speaks to Dr. Marcelo Rivolta, a professor of sensory stem cell biology at Sheffield University. 

He’s on the cusp of a major breakthrough that could mean hearing loss becomes a thing of the past. 

What you’ll learn:

 
Why hearing loss is becoming more common

 
The shocking link between hearing loss and a 500% increased risk of dementia

 
How modern headphones and loud concerts cause permanent, irreversible damage

 
Why hearing loss can be more isolating than blindness

 
The simple ways you can protect your hearing today

 
How current technologies like hearing aids and cochlear implants work

 
About the groundbreaking new science that could cure deafness using stem cells

About Marcelo Rivolta

Marcelo Rivolta is a Professor of Sensory Stem Cell Biology at the University of Sheffield. For over two decades, his research has focused on the use of human stem cells for the understanding and treatment of hearing loss. His lab was the first to demonstrate that it was possible to create both auditory hair cells and neurons from stem cells, and his pioneering work is now moving towards clinical trials in humans.

Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction 

00:26 Does hearing loss only affect older adults?

03:37 Is permanent hearing loss reversible?

06:03 At what volume do headphones start to cause hearing loss?

08:26 Why hearing loss is more isolating than blindness

09:41 The shocking link between hearing loss and dementia

12:00 Can hearing aids reduce your dementia risk?

13:13 How do we hear? A simple explanation

15:15 Why is your microphone just like your ear?

18:07 What goes wrong in your ear to cause hearing loss?

19:20 The cells in your body you’re born with that have to last a lifetime

20:51 Why does loud noise cause irreversible damage?

23:15 Do hearing aids solve hearing loss for everybody?

24:08 The difference between a hearing aid and a cochlear implant

26:20 Is the hearing from a cochlear implant natural?

32:25 Can we find a cure for hearing loss?

34:15 Using stem cells to create new hearing cells

37:32 Can we reverse deafness? Groundbreaking study in animals

38:45 When will a cure for hearing loss be available?

42:25 What is auditory neuropathy?

45:06 What is tinnitus and could this research cure it?

46:46 Top tips to protect your hearing

50:03 Jonathan's summary

Information about the Rincell-1 clinical trial, such as patient eligibility and other related aspects, is available at https://www.rinri-therapeutics.com/our-clinical-research/#rincell

For further details, please contact enquiries@rinri-therapeutics.com

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Episode transcripts are available here: https://zoe.com/learn/category/podcast

The #1 Dementia risk factor nobody talks about, and what to do

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at http://zoe.com 

Have you ever wondered why you can lose weight on a diet, only for it to come back with a vengeance? If you’ve blamed yourself for a lack of willpower, our guest today argues you’ve been misled. The old mantra of “eat less, move more” is failing us, and the key to understanding why lies deep within our biology.

In this episode, Jonathan is joined by Dr. Andrew Jenkinson, a bariatric surgeon and author with decades of experience in the science of metabolism. Dr. Jenkinson dismantles the calorie-counting myth and explains the powerful biological system that controls our weight: the "set point." He reveals how our modern diet and lifestyle have broken this system, but also provides a clear, science-backed path to fixing it.

Dr. Andrew Jenkinson is a consultant bariatric surgeon and the author of Why We Eat (Too Much): The New Science of Appetite.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

 
Why the idea that weight loss is simply about willpower is a damaging myth.

 
The science of the "weight set point" and how your brain fights to keep you at a certain weight.

 
How your metabolism acts like a "dimmer switch," slowing down to prevent weight loss when you diet.

 
The crucial role of hormones like leptin and insulin, and why our modern diet causes "leptin resistance" — the reason your brain can’t tell it’s full.

 
How yo-yo dieting can actually raise your set point, making you heavier in the long run.

 
A practical, step-by-step plan to lower your set point by changing what you eat, not just how much.

 
The truth about new weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and their long-term effects.

 
How managing stress and improving sleep can be as important as your diet for sustainable weight management

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30: https://zoe.com/daily30?utm_medium=zoe_podcast&utm_source=podcast_platform&utm_campaign=d30

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

Follow ZOE on Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/zoe/

Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

00:20 Is gaining weight as we age inevitable?

01:38 Why ‘eat less, move more’ is a myth

03:53 Is your weight predetermined by your genes?

06:36 How your mother's experience in the womb can alter your dna

10:35 Why most diets are doomed to fail in the long term

12:16 Your brain has a weight 'set point' it tries to defend

15:27 The 'weight anchor': your body's powerful defence against weight loss

17:22 The reason you often end up heavier after a diet

19:00 A shocking study: yo-yo dieting made mice fatter than a junk food diet

21:35 The 'joker in the pack' controlling 70% of your energy burn

23:12 Your body has a hidden metabolic 'dimmer switch'

27:53 The mystery of the missing calories

32:35 Why dieting can actually raise your weight set point

34:31 The master hormone that tells your brain when you're full

36:08 The hidden reason your brain can't tell you're full

37:35 Why feeling hungry and lazy are symptoms, not causes, of obesity

39:00 The 'broken gas tank meter' analogy for weight gain

41:26 Step 1 for resetting your weight: the 30-day challenge

42:07 Why you need to stop snacking between meals

43:50 What is mindful eating and why does it matter?

46:22 Can time-restricted eating lower your set point?

48:37 The truth about new weight loss drugs like ozempic

50:28 The surprising impact of stress and sleep on your weight

51:42 The single most important thing to understand about weight loss

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Lose weight by controlling these hormones | Bariatric surgeon Dr. Andrew Jenkinson

Today, we’re talking about plants.

For years, our diets have been guided by a simple three word slogan: ‘five a day’. While it’s well established that eating fruit and vegetables is good for us, some experts believe the ‘five a day’ message puts too much emphasis on quantity, and not enough on variety.

So, is time to adjust our guiding plant principle?

I’m joined by Professor Tim Spector and chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who advocate for a new goal: eating 30 different plants each week. Together, we’ll explore why diversity is key for your microbiome and share some delicious ways to bring more plants onto your plate.

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

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

Listen to the full episode here

Recap: Why you should eat 30 different plants every week | Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall & Tim Spector

Is your smartwatch just a fun gadget, or a serious medical device? 

In this episode, Jonathan Wolf is joined by Dr. Malcolm Findlay, a leading consultant cardiologist, to explore the powerful health data available on your wrist. They decode the most misunderstood metric, Heart Rate Variability (HRV), and reveal how your wearable can provide clinical-grade insights into your heart's health.

Dr. Findlay explains the counter-intuitive science behind HRV — why more ‘wobble’ in your heartbeat is a sign of good health — and breaks down the two opposing nervous systems that control it. He shares the latest on how these devices can accurately detect serious conditions like atrial fibrillation and why he, as a cardiologist, trusts the ECG function on a consumer smartwatch to make diagnoses.

For listeners who track their own data, this episode is a practical guide to what your numbers actually mean. Dr. Findlay explains how to interpret your personal HRV trends, what constitutes a significant change, and when you should use the ECG feature. He also debunks common myths about heart rate zones, revealing the level of exercise intensity that truly benefits your long-term health.

The episode concludes with an empowering look at how this technology is shifting control into our own hands. Can a simple alert from your watch really help prevent a catastrophic event like a stroke? Discover which metrics matter most and how to use them to guide your wellness journey.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com

Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+ *Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system.

Timecodes 

00:06 Quick-fire questions on heart health

01:45 What is heart rate variability (HRV)?

03:05 Is a steady heart rate a healthy sign?

05:15 Atrial fibrillation makes HRV an invalid measure

07:30 What controls our heart rate?

10:00 Your heart is much more than a pump

11:10 Your thoughts can directly affect your heart

13:45 What lifestyle factors influence your HRV score?

15:15 How does stress impact your HRV?

17:15 Your watch's ECG is a clinical-grade tool

20:20 Wearables can help diagnose serious heart conditions

23:45 Are expensive wearables more accurate?

26:20 Does diet impact your HRV score?

29:15 How to track your HRV score correctly

30:00 Don't panic about small HRV fluctuations

32:30 When to use your watch's ECG function

34:10 The truth about heart rate training zones

36:50 The minimum exercise for a healthy heart

37:40 Does sleep consistency matter?

39:50 What is VO2 max and does it matter?

41:10 Stop comparing your health data to others

41:50 Key takeaways from the episode

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

Studies referenced for today's episode Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use, 1996, European Heart Journal Diagnostic Accuracy of a Smartwatch App for the Detection of Atrial Fibrillation, 2019, The New England Journal of Medicine The Effects of Alcohol on Heart Rate Variability and Heart Rate, 2017, The American Journal of Cardiology The relationship between mental stress and heart rate variability, 2007, Journal of Psychosomatic Research

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

HRV vs. VO2 max vs. ECG: Which wearable metric ACTUALLY matters? | Prof. Malcolm Findlay

Research continues to confirm how important the gut is for overall health. From energy to immunity and even mood, it all seems to start with the gut. It’s no surprise then that the hunt for the next gut boosting hack has exploded in recent years.

So, are probiotics really the answer? Or is the fix already sitting on our supermarket shelf?

In this episode, Dr. Karan Rajan helps us separate science from marketing hype and shares the simple, evidence-backed changes that can make a big difference to your gut.

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system

📚Books by our ZOE Scientists

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Better Breakfast Guide

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

Listen to the full episode here

Recap: Simple ways to improve gut health today | Dr. Karan Rajan

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