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Why do you catch every cold going, while others rarely get sick? Many of the cold and flu tips you grew up with are myths, but in today’s episode, world-leading immunity expert Professor Daniel Davis and Professor Tim Spector explain the five everyday habits that can protect your immune system. You’ll learn why some people get sick more often than others and test common beliefs about how to boost immunity and beat flu season: does getting cold and wet really give you a cold, and can vitamin C or immune-boosting supplements actually help? We explore the five habits that the science links to immune health and share three food tips, so you can learn how to stay well this winter. If you get sick more often than your friends, this episode will break down why that might be, and give you the tools to help.   🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Build healthy habits. Download the ZOE app today 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes 00:00 Intro 05:57 Can you really boost your immune system?  07:51 Is man flu real? The science of who suffers worse colds. 11:55 Why you take a week to shake off a cold your friend beats in 2 days. 14:20 Is catching colds in your genes? 15:54 Why your immune system slows with age, and the inflammation link. 20:16 Why do we actually get more colds and flu in winter? 21:28 Why your snot is magical, and how it fights colds. 22:31 Can wet hair give you a cold?  24:06 Vitamin C, vitamin D or zinc: do any supplements stop a cold? 27:36 The truth about immune-boosting supplements and food labels 29:38 Should you feed a cold and starve a fever? 31:30 Should you avoid crowds to prevent colds?  34:09 Habit 1: What 4 hours’ sleep does to your immune system. 36:48 How to sleep better: Tim Spector's routine  38:56 Habit 2: what the stress hormone cortisol does to your cancer-fighting cells 42:24 How to lower cortisol: do tai chi, walks or laughter work? 45:22 Habit 3: is a glass of wine bad for your immune system? 46:13 Habit 4: why gut health is Tim Spector’s main reason for not getting sick. 48:04 How gut bacteria keep your immune system in balance 49:39 Does diet change how sick you get? 51:57 Habit 5: how exercise changes your immune system, and the truth about 10,000 steps. 54:28 Is it too late to start exercising for immune health?  55:42 Tim Spector’s 3 food rules for your immune system and gut health 57:47 The 5 habits that really protect your immune system. 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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 ⁠Immune Health: A Myth-busting Guide by Prof Daniel Davis The science behind “man flu”, BMJ (2017) Sleep and food choices, ZOE (2025) Childhood adversity and inflammatory processes, Psychoneuroendocrinology (2013) Effect of Sleep Deprivation on Response to Immunization, JAMA (2002) Increased concordance of severe respiratory infection in identical twins, Pediatrics (2008) Longitudinal dynamics of gene expression and metabolomics in an aging population cohort, Science (2026) The nonlinear association between sleep duration, cognition and mental health, Nat Aging 2 (2022)  Effects of odors on sleep quality, Scientific Reports (2022)Diet quality and risk and severity of COVID-19, Gut (2021) Episode transcripts are available ⁠here⁠.

Microplastics are everywhere. Tiny fragments we can’t see, taste, or smell and yet they’ve been found in our water, our food, and even our brains. Emerging research has linked microplastic exposure to hormone disruption, chronic inflammation, and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. But with plastics embedded in almost every aspect of modern life, is there anything we can realistically do to reduce our exposure? Today, Dr Sabine Donnai and Dr Federica Amati separate the fear from the facts. They explain where our biggest sources of microplastics come from, which everyday habits may be increasing our risk, and the simple, practical swaps that can meaningfully reduce the amount entering our bodies. 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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.

What does a healthy daily routine really look like? In this episode, world-leading nutritionist Dr Federica Amati shares what she eats in a day, from breakfast to dinner, and her six everyday habits that may lower your risk of cancer, dementia and help you live longer. No 4am alarms, cryotherapy chambers, or other protocols - you’ll learn simple tips and trends you can skip.  Federica walks us through a normal day, from waking up to bedtime, and gives you six pillars of a healthy lifestyle to focus on to reduce your risk of chronic disease. Learn how Federica builds a healthy morning routine that cuts your chronic disease risk by 80%, how to put together a quick lunch, pick snacks that keep you full, and slip oily fish into meals you already love. Plus, her simple wind-down rules for better sleep. Which big habits are you missing while you chase the small ones? 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Build healthy habits. Download the ZOE app today 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes 00:00 Intro 04:45 Circadian rhythms: what your hormones expect every 24 hours 06:50 The 6 lifestyle habits that prevent 80% of chronic disease 10:10 Why sleep scientists want to scrap the clock change 13:14 Coffee on an empty stomach: science vs. social media myths 14:46 Is eating the exact same breakfast every day bad for you? 16:57 The high-protein, high-fibre breakfast you can make in seconds 19:05 The no-cook lunch for busy workdays 20:35 Are pre-cooked grain pouches healthy? 23:10 Does microwaving fermented foods destroy their benefits? 25:26 The science of beans: how fibre shuts down hunger for hours 28:23 Why sandwiches cause an afternoon energy crash 32:17 Is pasta actually bad for you?  36:04 The real reason you feel starving at 3 pm 38:14 Nutritionist-approved snacks: sweet & savoury ideas that work 40:22 The clinical evidence on red meat & cancer risk 41:15 SMASH: the 5 oily fish to eat for omega-3 44:38 Tinned tuna: mercury risk & missing healthy fats 46:52 Which cooking oil should you use?  49:19 Do gut microbes control your food cravings? 50:45 The overnight fast: should you eat dinner earlier? 52:50 The 1 screen habit that beats any sleep routine 54:29 The healthy habit wellness influencers get wrong about longevity 58:16 The single most overlooked life skill that makes healthy food cheaper 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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 Daylight-saving Time & Health Identifying Beneficial & Adverse Effects, Eur J Epidemiol (2026)  The Interplay between Early Mealtime, Circadian Rhythms, Gene Expression, Circadian Hormones, and Metabolism⁠, Clocks & sleep (2023) Episode transcripts are available here.

Why is it so hard to stop eating certain foods? Most of us assume it comes down to willpower. But according to today’s guests, the answer may actually lie in the difference between taste and flavour. Because while those two words sound interchangeable, they describe very different experiences. Taste is often engineered - carefully designed by big food companies to keep us craving more. Flavour, on the other hand, is something deeper. It’s the rich, complex experience that comes from high-quality produce. Today, Spencer Hyman and Professor Tim Spector explain how ultra-processed foods manipulate our brains and why rediscovering flavour could help us eat less without feeling deprived. They’ll reveal practical ways that you can retrain your palate and reconnect with real food. 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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.

Can using food as medicine protect your heart health, prevent chronic disease, and help you live longer? In this episode, leading cardiologist and Director of the Food is Medicine Institute, Dr Dariush Mozaffarian, explains how modern diets increase your risk of heart attacks and why standard medical advice often falls short. Dariush looks at how past dietary guidelines shaped today’s food system and why shifting focus to whole, protective foods improves your health. He also explains why counting calories fails, shows how ultra-processed foods took over our food supply, and asks whether saturated fat deserves its reputation as a cause of heart disease.  Through the idea that food is medicine, you’ll learn how to adopt healthy eating habits by identifying protective foods - forming practical diet shifts that can control your blood sugar, lower cholesterol, support your gut health, and cut your risk of heart attacks and strokes.  What if the most effective prescription for a longer, healthier life is already on your plate? 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Build healthy habits. Download the ZOE app today 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes 00:00 Intro  04:22 Is a poor diet deadlier than smoking? 09:13 Why the foods you're missing may harm you more than junk food 10:33 Could diet prevent half of all heart attacks and strokes? 11:29: Can diet reverse gut problems in months? 14:25 Why diet-related disease exploded in just 35 years 15:40 Nutrition science is younger than you think 17:51 Why poor nutrition became a national security threat in 1941 19:27 Why do we refine grains, then put the vitamins back in? 21:03 How bomb factories changed the food on your plate 24:46 Why did we go low-fat? The 1980 dietary guidelines mistake 26:45 Did tobacco companies really own food brands?  31:09 The 3 things driving the rise of chronic disease 33:52 Is fat really the problem?  36:38 Exercising more but still gaining weight? Here's why 37:33 Has our resting energy expenditure gone down?  39:28 Is modern food starving your gut microbes? 41:02 Are dietary guidelines any good? A cardiologist’s verdict 43:02 What do dietary guidelines say to avoid?  45:37 Do we really need more protein?  47:21 Healthy eating made simple: 3 food groups to know 48:17 How many calories does your gut microbiome digest? 52:29 Is red meat bad for you?  54:11 Is saturated fat bad for your heart?  56:21 How to lower cholesterol with food: a cardiologist's 2 tips 57:13 Should your doctor prescribe food? 1:00:37 Can we fix the food system in 10 years?  📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks  Better Breakfast Guide Mentioned in today's episodeFood Additives: Emerging Detrimental Roles on Gut Health, FASEB journal (2025) Diet Is the Single Most Important Predictor of Health, Alternative and Complementary Therapies (2019) Total daily energy expenditure has declined over the past three decades, Nat Metab (2023)

Fermented foods have evolved from a niche health trend into a supermarket staple. Kefir, kimchi, kombucha. Our shelves are now filled with products rich in beneficial bacteria. But with so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Today, Professor Tim Spector shares simple, practical ways to incorporate fermented foods into your daily meals. He’ll also show why fermenting at home is much easier than most people think, taking us inside his fridge to demonstrate how to make four of his favourite homemade ferments. 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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.

Can what you eat protect your memory, ease brain fog, and lift your mood? For a long time, we thought the brain was separate from the rest of the body. It's easy to assume that mood, energy, and memory have little to do with what's on your plate. But in today's episode, one of the world’s leading experts in nutrition, Professor Tim Spector, explains how your gut health shapes your brain health. From low energy and anxiety today to dementia in later years, he shares what to eat to protect your brain throughout your life. Tim shares nine foods to add to your diet - from mushrooms and eggs to tofu and fermented foods - with easy ways to eat more of them, all drawn from his new book, Good Mood Food. By the end of the episode, you will have learned quick, budget-friendly recipes that support the gut-brain connection and will clearly understand the four principles you need to start boosting brain function today.  What if your tiredness, brain fog, and low mood are linked to the food on your plate? What might change if you ate differently for two weeks?  🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Build healthy habits. Download the ZOE app today and start your trial for just £2.30 for your first week. 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes 00:00 Intro  04:24 Why better gut health shows up in your brain first 06:05 Gut-brain connection explained: the vagus nerve is 80% gut to brain 10:30 Is the “chemical imbalance” theory of mental illness wrong? 12:28 What a week of fried chicken does to your brain 15:20 How a gut-friendly diet sends calming signals to your brain 17:17 How inflammation and blood sugar spikes damage brain cells 19:33 Does type 2 diabetes really triple dementia risk? 23:03 SMILES trial: can a gut-friendly diet ease depression? 26:06 How many plants should you eat per week? 30 or 40? 28:22 Why ultra-processed food is bad for your brain:t’s not just additives 29:56 Can intermittent fasting lift your mood? 32:44 Always tired? Why it might be a brain signal 36:19 Healthy comfort food: mac and cheese, fish and chips 39:16 Are mushrooms linked to 25% lower dementia risk? 42:18 Are eggs good for brain health? How many a week is OK? 44:03 Best omega-3 foods for brain health: the SMASH fish rule 46:27 Is tofu good for your brain? How to cook it in 30 seconds 49:52 Do herbs and spices help your brain? What we know so far 52:10 Is your brain really made of fat? Why nuts and seeds matter 54:29 Do you need to soak beans and lentils for hours?  56:41 Don’t pour away chickpea water: egg white swap 58:52 Does heating fermented foods kill the benefits? Postbiotics explained 1:00:17 Where to start for better mood and brain health: try this for 2 weeks 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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 Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector The ZOE METHOD study, ZOE (2024) Daily30: Does it work?, ZOE (2026) ZOE’s Fermented Food study, ZOE (2025) The ‘SMILES’ trial, BMC Med (2017) Type 2 Diabetes and Dementia, J Int Neuropsychol Soc (2004) The Big IF Study, ZOE (2023) Mushroom Consumption and Dementia, J Am Geriatr Soc (2017) Egg Consumption and Brain Function, Nutrients (2024) Tofu Consumption and Reduced Cancer Risk, Nutrients (2024) Unlocking Saffron’s Potential in Brain Health⁠, Cureus (2025)  Episode transcripts are available here.

Sleep. It’s a bizarre process when you think about it. We lie down, close our eyes, and before we know it, we’re waking up the next morning with a head full of hazy dreams. Because of its mysterious nature, sleep has long been surrounded by all kinds of strange ideas and theories about what might help or harm it. From cheese causing nightmares to turkey making you sleepy. So today I’m joined by sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock to separate fact from fiction. She’ll debunk common sleep myths and share simple, practical tips you can use tonight to improve your sleep. 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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.

How do you build muscle and stay strong as you age? For most of us, muscle loss starts in our 30s. It’s easy to think that you can combat this and stay strong into old age by strength training and eating plenty of protein. Exercise and macros matter, but scientists are uncovering another important piece of the puzzle - a direct connection between your gut health and healthy ageing. It could change how we think about staying strong as we get older.  In today's episode, Professor Claire Steves - a world-leading expert in ageing and health - and Professor Tim Spector explore the gut-muscle axis - how your gut microbiome influences your muscle health. They explain why maximum protein doesn't mean maximum muscle, how gut bacteria ‘talk’ to muscle tissue, and why an unhealthy gut can make muscles resistant to growth.  For listeners looking for simple ways to support their muscles today, this episode includes practical advice you can easily fit into your routine. Claire and Tim share quick daily habits and explain how to get your protein from diverse plant sources.  Could changing what you feed your gut microbes today be the key to keeping your body strong for decades to come? 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Build healthy habits. Download the ZOE app today and start your trial for just £2.30 for your first week. 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes 00:00 Intro 04:08 Why muscle matters for healthy aging, not just the gym 06:37 The hidden organ: how your muscles talk to your body 10:35 Why it gets harder to keep muscle as you age 11:37 Can you have a 20-year-old's muscles at 70? 13:29 Can muscle loss increase your risk of cancer? 15:51 Why skinny doesn't mean healthy 17:40 What is sarcopenia? 20:52 How 4 days of bed rest can shrink your muscles 23:31 Gut-muscle axis: how gut bacteria talk to your muscles 23:53 Why protein stops working as you age 26:11 Can improving your gut health build stronger muscles? 28:57 Can strength training change your gut microbiome? 30:57 Can the Mediterranean diet make your legs stronger? 34:01 The diet trial that improved muscle and bones, no gym 34:55 Is there a magic gut bug for building muscle? 39:38 Intermittent fasting: should you exercise before breakfast? 44:43 Can too much protein weaken your muscles? 46:32 How much protein do you really need per day? 49:20 The best protein foods to feed your gut and muscles 52:26 Carnivore diet: what meat and shakes do to your gut 53:46 Strength training, cardio or balance: what do you need? 56:04 The easy 2-minute toothbrush habit for better muscle health 57:21 Key takeaways: muscles, microbes, and the protein myth26:11 Can improving your gut health build stronger muscles? 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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 Master Cyclist Study, King’s College London (2018) Physical Activity and Reduced Cancer Risk, Nat Rev Cancer (2008) Bed Rest and Muscle Loss, Diabetes (2016) Microbiome Interventions and Inflammation, Cureus (2025) The Gut Microbiome and Muscle Strength, BMC Geriatr (2021) Resistance Training Reshapes the Gut Microbiome, Sports Med Open (2026) The Mediterranean Diet and Muscle Strength, Physiotherapy Theory and Practice (2025) Short-Chain Fatty Acids and Muscle Mass, J Cachexia Sarcopenia Muscle (2024) Mitochondrial Properties in Skeletal Muscle Fiber⁠, Cells (2023) Episode transcripts are available here.

Every one of us runs on a biological rhythm - a finely tuned system that controls when we feel alert, when we feel tired, and even how we process food. But here’s the problem: modern life doesn’t always respect this rhythm. Late nights, early alarms, and irregular meals put many of us out of sync with our own biology. I’m joined by Professor Debra Skene to explain why this mismatch matters, and how you can transform your health by aligning your lifestyle with your internal ticker. 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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.

Most of us think of inflammation when an ankle swells or a cut turns red. It’s our body’s immune system, and without it, we couldn't fight infections or repair injuries.  But when it stays switched on, this chronic inflammation can drain your energy, can affect your health over the years, and even lead to heart disease. Eventually, 1 in 3 of us will develop an inflammatory disease. In today's episode, Professor Luke O'Neill - one of the world's top 1% immunologists - explains why that matters and what you can do about it. He explores how everyday foods can push inflammation up, or help calm it. He also explains why balance matters more than banning foods like sugar, red meat, gluten, and dairy. As for your gut, you’ll learn how anti-inflammatory foods like plants, fibre, and a healthy microbiome can help keep inflammation down.  By the end of the episode, you'll know how to eat, rest, and enjoy life in ways that can keep inflammation in check.  Could the way you eat help your body's healer do its job without going into overdrive?  🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Build healthy habits. Download the ZOE app today and start your trial for just £2.30 for your first week. 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes 00:00 Intro 04:14 Why 1 in 3 people will get an inflammatory disease 06:49 When inflammation turns from healing to harmful 10:23 Why does your immune system now damage your heart and brain? 13:46 Why does chronic inflammation make you so tired? 15:35 The link between depression and inflammation explained 18:10 Does inflammation speed up ageing? 19:56 Testing for chronic inflammation - what CRP tells you 23:01 Does belly fat cause inflammation? What Ozempic reveals 25:46 Does your gut microbiome affect inflammation? 28:04 Are ultra-processed foods inflammatory? Sugar and fat explained 30:18 Does sugar make inflammation worse?  33:15 Insulin resistance and inflammation 35:07 Fructose: fruit vs processed food 39:35 Is red meat inflammatory? How much is too much 41:52 Does gluten cause inflammation?  44:29 Does dairy cause inflammation?  46:13 Seed oils and inflammation  46:40 The anti-inflammatory diet 49:38 Anti-inflammatory plants: how willow bark led to aspirin 51:32 Do polyphenols fight inflammation?  53:44 Do anti-inflammatory supplements work? Are they worth it? 54:34 How to reduce inflammation today: why morning sunshine matters 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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 Daily 30: Does it work? The Mediterranean diet and CRP levels, Nutrients (2018) Metabolic Reprogramming in Stromal and Immune Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis, European Journal of Immunology, (2025)Episode transcripts are available here.

The world around us is louder than ever. From booming speakers to roaring traffic, our ears can take quite a beating. But have you ever stopped to consider the long-term impact of all this noise? Because hearing loss isn’t just about your ears. Emerging research suggests it could also affect your brain health in surprising ways. I’m joined by Professor Marcelo Rivolta to explore how noise exposure can cause lasting damage. He shares the early warning signs to look out for, what to do if your hearing begins to decline, and simple steps you can take to protect these vital organs on the side of your head. 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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.

Supermarket shelves are full of foods promising to be healthy: high-protein, low-fat, gluten-free, sugar-free. How do you know what's true?  Today, Professors Tim Spector and Sarah Berry, world-leading experts in nutrition and diet, share the six rules they use for their own weekly grocery shopping. They cover which food labels are worth trusting and which are just marketing scams, how to make snacking a part of a healthy diet, and why your daily staples, like bread, matter more than the occasional treat. By the end of this episode, you'll know exactly what to reach for on your next shop, and what to leave on the shelf. How many "healthy" scams are sitting in your basket? 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Build healthy habits. Download the ZOE app today and start your trial for just £2.30 for your first week. 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes 00:00 Intro 03:20 Why supermarkets stock 30,000 products (and why that's bad for you) 08:10 Is low-fat food actually healthy? A nutrition scientist explains 11:39 Why 'sugar-free' labels should make you suspicious 14:48 Why this professor avoids gluten-free food (unless you need it) 16:40 The protein label that tricks 70% of shoppers into buying junk food 19:27 How a cheap dairy waste product got rebranded as a health food 21:59 How many ingredients are really in a bag of Pringles? 24:37 The 30-second trick to spot ultra-processed food at the shop 27:33 How to tell a healthy granola from a fake one 29:24 Is cheese actually bad for your heart? Doctors got this wrong 33:37 The snack swap that cut heart disease risk by 30% in a real study 38:36 The 6 everyday foods that matter most for your long-term health 41:08 The simple fiber-to-carb ratio for picking a healthy bread 43:43 The 'unhealthy' breakfast a nutrition scientist admits to craving 46:47 Switching to whole grain could lower your risk of dying early 49:42 The label trick that makes fake kefir look healthy 50:07 What to check on a kombucha label before you buy it 52:51 Why 30 plants a week beats the old '5 a day' rule 53:42 The 'diversity jar' hack for hitting 30 plants a week fast 55:45 The pantry staple that quietly boosts your plant count 57:10 The most underrated vegetable for lowering blood pressure 59:56 The 6 rules two nutrition scientists use to shop for food 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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 The effect of snacking on nuts on heart health, The American journal of clinical nutrition (2020) Low fat diets for long-term weight loss, The Lancet (2015) Wholegrain consumption and all cause mortality, BMJ (2016)  ZOE Snacking Study Episode transcripts are available here.

From smartwatches to fitness trackers, more of us than ever are monitoring our health in real time. With just a glance at our wrist, we can check our step count, sleep quality, heart rate and, more recently, something called HRV. But what do these numbers actually mean? And more importantly, how can we use them to improve our lives? I’m joined by Dr Malcolm Finlay to break down the data behind the devices. He explains how to turn confusing metrics into meaningful action. helping you adjust your training, manage stress, and make smarter decisions for your health. 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Get our brand-new app and Gut Health Test designed by world-leading gut health and nutrition scientists to build healthy eating habits 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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.

Picture the sound of a bone snapping - the kind of sound that makes you wince - and ask yourself how often you’ve thought about your bone health. Most of us only think about bone density when something breaks. Until then, your bones stay almost invisible, carrying you through every day. In today’s episode, Professor Elaine Dennison, a world-leading expert in bone health, explains why that needs to change, why stronger bones are key to living more healthy years, and why declining bone health isn’t inevitable. Elaine explains why it’s not just about avoiding broken bones, but about learning to understand one of the most important living tissues in your body. By the end of the episode, you’ll know exactly how to protect your bones so they can look after you now and for many years to come. Could your bones be the missing anti-aging link you’ve been missing? 🌱 Try our science-backed and tasty wholefood supplement Daily30 🌿Let your gut microbes snack on the ZOE Gut Health Bar Build healthy habits. Download the ZOE app today and start your trial for just £2.30 for your first week. 👉 Join ZOE Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes 00:00 Intro 03:05 Are your bones dead tissue? The truth about bone biology 08:08 Peak bone mass: the age your bones stop getting stronger 11:06 What is osteoporosis? The condition you won't feel coming 14:01 Spinal fractures and death risk: what the research shows 15:53 What does osteoporosis do to your bones? The honeycomb explanation 17:46 Fragility fractures: why older adults break bones from a simple fall 20:02 Bone marrow function: what your bones do for your immune system 22:48 The gut-bone axis: how gut health affects bone health 27:01 Does stress affect bone health? The cortisol connection 29:45 Is alcohol good or bad for bone health? The surprising answer 30:16 Does extra weight protect your bones? What the science says 32:13 GLP-1 drugs and bone health: the risk no one's talking about 33:21 Muscle loss and bone density: why they're linked 35:37 DEXA scan: the only way to know your bone density 39:06 Osteoporosis medication: how doctors treat bone loss 40:51 Best exercise for bone density: why walking isn't enough 42:54 How much calcium do you need a day for strong bones? 44:04 Vitamin D and bone health: why you need it to absorb calcium 45:41 Why vitamin D deficiency is common in sunny Australia 47:22 Does HRT protect your bones? The benefits and risks explained 48:31 Do weighted vests improve bone density? What the evidence shows 49:44 How to improve bone health: the first steps to take 📚Books by our ZOE Scientists The Food For Life Cookbook Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati The Appetite Reset by Dr Federica Amati Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector Free resources from ZOE The Smart Snacking Guide: How to feed your gut, fuel your day, and snack without guilt The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra   Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health 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 The effect of Daily30 on Gut Health, Energy Levels, and Hunger in Healthy Adults, Cambridge University Press (2026) Mortality Rate in Patients with Vertebral Compression Fractures, Geriatric orthopaedic surgery & rehabilitation (2023) The Influence of the Mediterranean Diet on Bone Health, Nutrients (2023)  Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here. Episode transcripts are available here.