When you think about healthspan and longevity, your first thought probably isn’t “muscle” - but it should be. Here are just some of the benefits of muscle strength and mass, particularly as you age: increased metabolic rate, improved insulin sensitivity, improved bone density, better joint health, improved balance and stability, cardiovascular health, preserving mobility, improved mental health, reduced risk of sarcopenia, and even enhanced fat loss. On this week's podcast, you’ll meet an exercise physiologist who will help you understand not just the “why” but also the “how” behind strength training.

Listen and learn:

• The importance of strength training, particularly in later life
• The difference between Type I and Type II muscles
• The dangers of lifting - myth vs reality
• How to get strong without adding bulk

Link

Dan’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dan van den Hoek is a Senior Lecturer with a PhD in Clinical Exercise Physiology. His academic and professional work focuses on the physiological responses to exercise. Dan is dedicated to bridging the gap between research and practical applications in health and wellness through exercise interventions.

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Fiber is often overlooked in discussions about diet, weight loss, and immunity, but it shouldn’t be. Fiber is essential for digestive health, improving gut motility, and regulating bowel movements. It’s also key for weight management, as high-fiber foods are more filling. Research shows that fiber can reduce LDL cholesterol, potentially lowering the risk of heart disease. Additionally, fiber lowers the glycemic load of foods, helping to prevent metabolic syndrome and related conditions. Fiber also plays a crucial role in microbiome health, acting as a prebiotic to support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, which positively impacts immune function, mental health, and more. The issue? Most of us don’t eat enough fiber or a wide variety of plants. My guest on this podcast is a gastroenterologist who literally wrote the book on fiber and will share his insights on how to heal your gut.

Listen and learn:

• About fiber, resistant starch, and polyphenols as prebiotics
• Why you should aim to eat 30 plant foods weekly
• The importance of colorful plant foods
• How fiber transforms into anti-inflammatory short chain fats in your gut
• The reward vs. risks of fecal transplants

Links:

Will’s site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Will Bulsiewicz, MD, MSCI, is a board-certified gastroenterologist, gut health expert, and New York Times bestselling author of Fiber Fueled. He is the US medical director of Zoe and founder of 38Tera.

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Chronic pain affects hundreds of millions worldwide, with conditions like gastrointestinal issues, back pain, and migraine topping the list. In many cases, psychological factors play a significant role in causing or worsening pain. Despite overwhelming evidence, the mind-body connection is often ignored or dismissed as "all in your head," as though that makes it less serious. My guest this week has dedicated his work to educating both medical professionals and patients on the power of the mind to relieve and even reverse chronic pain.

Listen and learn:

• How adverse childhood experiences can contribute to or even cause chronic pain
• Why most medical professionals are not trained in psychological triggers for chronic pain
• How awareness, vocalization, and writing can potentially help
• The future of pain treatment

Learn more at:

EndChronicPain.org

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. David Clarke is President of the Psycho-physio-logic Disorders Association (PPDA), a nonprofit focused on addressing chronic pain through a biopsychosocial approach. He is board-certified in internal medicine and gastroenterology, with an MD from the University of Connecticut and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Williams College. Dr. Clarke is an international lecturer, author, and advocate for non-invasive treatments of stress-related medical conditions.

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The iconic brand Tupperware filed for bankruptcy this week, burdened with over $1.2 billion of debt. They’ve reached a point of no return, where digging out is virtually impossible. In many ways, this mirrors the struggle of those facing severe obesity—a situation where years of weight gain have led to a seemingly insurmountable challenge.

Just as companies can file for Chapter 11 and start afresh, people now have a potential reset button with the advent of weight loss drugs like semaglutide. In this week’s podcast, I’ll delve into this rapidly evolving landscape and what it could mean for those facing their own weight loss bankruptcy.

Listen and learn:

• How diabetes drugs are being used for weight loss and why
• Are diabetics missing out because of this trend?
• What are the safety concerns and risks of these new drugs?
• What happens when you stop using them?
• The risks vs rewards of long-term use
• Navigating the costs and practical considerations

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Neuroscience might be the final frontier when it comes to the human body. There is still so much to be discovered and understood about memory, attention, and how we learn. My guest on this week’s podcast runs a research lab at UCLA that uses brain imaging and electrical stimulation to see if science can move the needle and unlock our potential.

Listen and learn:

• What memory is and why it’s impossible to isolate in the brain
• Why some primates have better short-term recall than humans
• How theta wave stimulation might improve memory
• The challenges with testing and tracking attention

Links

Jesse’s Site

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Jesse Rissman is an Associate Professor at UCLA in both the Psychology and Psychiatry departments. He is also part of several research centers focused on studying the brain and memory. Dr. Rissman earned his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and completed postdoctoral work at Stanford University. His research looks at how the brain supports memory and how we control it, using methods like brain imaging and stimulation.

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You know how old you are, but do you know your biological age? Meaning, are your body and brain younger or older than your chronological years? For anyone interested in slowing down aging and preventing disease and illness, telomeres are an important part of the discussion. These chromosomal caps provide insight into the health or senescence of cells and can provide some limited insight into how well you’re aging.

Listen and learn:

• About the FOX03 gene and its role in longevity
• The predictive power of telomeres for biological age and longevity
• Why the enzyme telomerase is a crucial and often missing part of the discussion
• How longevity is a game of slowing - not stopping - the aging process
• The importance of lifestyle choices on telomere length

Links

Richard’s Work

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Richard Allsopp is an assistant professor at the University of Hawaii, with a primary focus on the biology of aging, particularly telomere biology. His research investigates the mechanisms of telomere loss and its implications on cellular aging and age-related diseases.

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Sleep is as vital for life as food, water, and breathing, but knowing its importance doesn’t necessarily provide you with the tools to improve it. What if you toss and turn and can’t sleep until late? What if you wake up five times a night to pee? What if you work night shifts and suffer from jetlag-like symptoms weekly? On this week’s podcast, you’ll meet a researcher whose work is focused on understanding and improving sleep homeostasis.

Listen and learn:

• Why some people don’t operate on a 24 hour clock
• How certain individuals seem to adapt to irregular work schedules without health problems
• Sleep pattern changes with aging and what that means for your health
• The importance of seeing a sleep specialist if you suspect any problems
• Gizmos vs. lab tech vs. subjective journaling

LINKS

Dr. Paul’s Lab

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Ketema Paul is a professor of integrative biology and physiology at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). His research focuses on the mechanisms underlying sleep and circadian rhythms. Dr. Paul has published extensively on how sleep duration and quality impact health, with a particular emphasis on the role of sleep in metabolic disorders.

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Inside your gastrointestinal tract there are trillions of microbes, about 3 lbs in total, and in terms of absolute numbers, you have more microbial cells than human cells. This collection of bacteria, viruses, and fungi are collectively referred to as your gut microbiome, and at this juncture of human history, most of us struggle with some degree of gut dysbiosis. My guest on this week’s podcast has dedicated his work to the study of gut microbiome and how to fix it when things go wrong.

Listen and learn:

• Why most probiotics haven’t been tested on humans
• How specific strains are required for specific problems
• Whether stool tests are really worth it
• The future of fecal transplants and poop banking

ABOUT OUR GUEST

Dr. Gregor Reid is a microbiologist whose work is focused on human microbiome and probiotics. He’s authored over 500 scientific publications and is the author of the book, Probiotics: A Story About Hope.

Links

www.lawsonresearch.ca

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