When we think about improving our health, we often think about changing our diet, increasing how much we move, improving the quality of our sleep and lowering stress, but how many of us think about ‘working’ on our vision?

Every day, many of us experience symptoms like brain fog, fatigue, headaches or poor concentration – and never realise that our eyes might be playing a central role.

In today’s Bitesize, pioneering neuro-optometrist Dr Bryce Appelbaum explains why our visual system is about far more than simply how well we can see. Many of us don’t realise just how much our vision influences how we think, feel and perform.

We explore the surprising connection between vision and stress, and Bryce shares some simple, practical exercises we can all use today to better support our visual system and our wider health.

Show notes and the full podcast are available at ⁠https://drchatterjee.com/576⁠

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Why does struggling for something make it more satisfying? And why can getting what you want leave you feeling flat? In this episode, I sit down with Arthur Brooks, one of the world's leading voices on the science of happiness, for a conversation that might change how you feel about your life.

Arthur is a professor at Vanderbilt University, senior fellow of Harvard Business School and bestselling author of multiple books, including new title, The Meaning Of Your Life. He walked away from a successful career when he realised that despite a happy marriage, strong faith and good income, he struggled to feel happy. That personal reckoning led him to years of research into what really makes people thrive – and in this conversation, he shares the framework he developed to explain it.

Using an analogy from nutrition science, Arthur describes happiness as requiring three macronutrients: enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning. We talk about why so many high achievers get the first one wrong. Suffering and struggle, he says, aren’t obstacles to a fulfilling life but essential ingredients of it – hence removing all friction from our lives can leave us feeling empty rather than content.

We also get into goals, and why reaching them tends not to deliver the lasting happiness we expect. Arthur calls this the arrival fallacy, and understanding might change how you approach your next big challenge.

On relationships, Arthur shares research showing that the healthiest marriages are not the ones with the least conflict, but the ones with the most honesty. We talk frankly about what that has looked like in our own marriages, what we can all learn from our parents when it comes to happiness, and the best (and easiest) way to send a positive message to our children. Arthur also shares what he’s learned about presence, faith and love from his relationship and his daily practices.

We explore the difference between solitude and loneliness and how levels of social connection can be individual. And I hope you’ll pay attention to the section on why leisure needs to be treated as seriously as work.

This is a warm, honest and personal conversation with someone who’s spent decades studying happiness – but who’s candid about how hard he’s worked to feel it himself. By reframing happiness as a direction not a destination, I think it could be a life-changing listen for you.

The Thrive Tour: Transform Your Health and Happiness, a live show: Book Your Tickets https://drchatterjee.com/live

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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/675

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Most of us assume that memory loss and cognitive decline are just part of getting older. In this episode, a world-leading neurologist says that’s simply not true. That, far from being inevitable, Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases result from decades of metabolic damage – which we have the power to prevent and even reverse.

I’m speaking with Dr David Perlmutter, a board-certified neurologist, six-time New York Times bestselling author, and one of the world's leading experts on brain health. And in this fascinating conversation, we discuss the single biological mechanism that sits at the heart of virtually every neurodegenerative condition, from Alzheimer's and Parkinson's to long Covid and depression, and why understanding it changes everything about how you approach your lifestyle.

David’s key insight is that our brain's own immune cells, called microglial cells, have the power to make or break our future brain health. Keep them in their protective state through diet, exercise, and metabolic testing, and we can safeguard our brain for life. Feed them with ultra-processed food and they will shift into a destructive state that drives neuroinflammation.

We discuss how, exactly, ultra-processed food damages the brain, why metabolic health is the key to cognitive longevity, and why the diagnosis of Alzheimer's is really the end stage of a process that began decades earlier. The choices you make right now, in your 30s, 40s and 50s, are already shaping the brain you will have in your 70s and beyond.

If this all sounds science-heavy, rest assured David approaches it, just as he does in his new book, Brain Defenders, with clarity and plenty of practical takeaway. He outlines the specific blood biomarkers he believes everyone should be tracking, including fasting insulin, homocysteine and uric acid, for a remarkable window into your long-term brain health. We discuss why knowing your numbers is one of the most empowering steps you can take, how to go about getting tested, and how to act on what you find.

There is a great deal of fear around dementia, and understandably so. But what I hope you take from this episode is something David emphasises: we needn’t be scared because we have agency. The research is clear that lifestyle choices have a profound impact on your risk, and it is never too early, or too late, to start making them.

This is one of the most distinct and important conversations I’ve had about the future of your brain, and I think you will find it incredibly useful, thought-provoking and, above all, hopeful.

The Thrive Tour: Transform Your Health and Happiness, a live show: Book Your Tickets https://drchatterjee.com/live

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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/674

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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As we get older, have you ever wondered why the exercise advice we’ve been given doesn’t seem to work as well as it once did? As we move into our 40s and beyond, our physiology changes in ways that can often feel confusing and frustrating. But what if we could harness those changes to feel stronger, healthier and more resilient than ever before?

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. 

Today’s clip is from episode 578 of the podcast with exercise physiologist and nutritional scientist, Dr Stacy Sims.

Stacy is dedicated to helping active women – and the people who support them – take back control of their bodies, health and lives through science-based knowledge and practical tools.

In this clip, Stacy shares why conventional fitness advice often fails women in midlife, and what many of us may be missing when it comes to improving our health, vitality and resilience as we age.

Stacy’s insights remind us that with the right information and support, we can build strength, confidence and better health at any stage of life.

Thanks to our sponsor https://heights.com/livemore

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/578

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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“Sleep is a lot like love: the less you look for it, the more it shows up.” So says my guest on this episode, one of the world's leading sleep doctors, who’s here to reveal the five common traps that are stopping us getting the rest we need.

Dr Michael Breus is a clinical psychologist and sleep specialist based in California. He’s the author of several books, including the brilliantly helpful, Sleep, Drink, Breathe. Over the course of his 25-year career, he’s helped thousands of people transform their health by changing the way they sleep. You’ll love his bold, no-nonsense manner and warm, practical advice.

In this conversation, we unpack the sleep myths that are keeping us stuck. We talk about why chasing eight hours could be working against you, why sleeping in at the weekend may be doing more harm than good, and why freaking out about your sleep is making it worse. We also explore what is really happening in your body to cause that 3am wake-up, and the practical techniques that can help you get back to sleep quickly and calmly.

Michael shares his own diagnosis of sleep apnoea, which will surprise you given his background, and opens up a conversation I think many of you will find both reassuring and galvanising. He dispels common myths around testing and treatment, and makes a clear case for investigating your symptoms – it could change your life.

We also cover sleep tracking and how to interpret what your wearables say without driving yourself to distraction. Michael gives his view on the supplements worth considering and those that are not. We talk about the specific challenges facing women going through perimenopause and menopause, and he gives practical advice for shift workers, parents, and carers who feel they can’t get the hours they need.

We close by talking through his five-step plan, which is simple, evidence-based, and immediately actionable. It will help you sleep better from tonight. Wherever you are in your journey towards restful, restorative sleep, you will hear something new in this insightful and surprising conversation. By going back to basics, Michael offers some truly fresh perspectives on this most fundamental pillar of your health.

The Thrive Tour: Transform Your Health and Happiness, a live show: Book Your Tickets https://drchatterjee.com/live

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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/672

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Today’s guest belongs to the 35th generation of Shaolin Masters and began practising Kung Fu at the age of four. In the 38 years since, he’s acquired a wealth of knowledge in Chinese martial arts and Zen Buddhism.

Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. 

Today’s clip is from episode 426 of the podcast with Master Shi Heng Yi. 

In this clip, he shares a beautiful concept - and caution - that our thoughts may shape our destiny, and explains why cultivating greater awareness of our inner world could transform the way we experience our lives.

Thanks to our sponsor ⁠⁠⁠https://thewayapp.com/livemore 

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/426

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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We’re living in a world that has become extraordinarily skilled at measuring success. But most of us never stop to question which standards really matter to us. Are you chasing success by someone else's definition, without even knowing it? This episode will help you figure that out.

My guest is C Thi Nguyen, Associate Professor of Philosophy at the University of Utah and the author of The Score: How to Stop Playing Someone Else's Game, one of the most thought-provoking books I’ve read. This conversation explores where our values really come from, what games and hobbies can teach us about living with freedom, and why so much of what matters most in life resists being measured at all.

Thi has developed a fascinating framework for understanding one of the defining problems of modern life: what he calls ‘value capture’. It’s the process by which our own rich, personal values are replaced by simplified external metrics (think followers and likes, salaries, exam grades – even health metrics like your weight or blood pressure score). These metrics can never show the full picture of a human life – but they can end up running it. And once you understand this concept of value capture, you’ll start to notice it everywhere.

Thi and I discuss why our culture is so poor at honouring the ‘unmeasurables’. We talk about why joy, love, forgiveness and the quality of our relationships are the substance of a life well lived. Yet they’re systematically undervalued, not because they’re unimportant, but because they’re hard to count.

He’s somewhat of an expert on play, whether through sport, board games or hobbies, and we discuss what these activities, often dismissed as trivial, can teach us about meaning and how to live well. Plus, we debate the difference between principles and algorithmic rules – a distinction that might change how you approach your health and your life more broadly.

What I love about Thi's thinking is that he’s not telling us to throw out all forms of measurement. He’s more nuanced than that. He is asking us to wake up to the difference between the scorecard we have inherited from the world around us, and the one we would choose for ourselves. He wants us to know that the first step towards genuine fulfilment is simply becoming aware of whose game you have been playing.

The Thrive Tour: Transform Your Health and Happiness, a live show: Book Your Tickets https://drchatterjee.com/live

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://thewayapp.com/livemore

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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/670

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Today’s guest believes brain decline is not inevitable, we all have agency in how we age, and the secret lies in our food.



Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests. 



Today’s clip is from episode 330 of the podcast with science journalist and New York Times bestselling author, Max Lugavere.

Max is passionate about helping people improve their brain health, their longevity and how they feel by optimising their diet.

In this clip, he shares three food types that he believes are worth reducing or removing from our diets, and explains why doing so could have many benefits for our health.

Max’s message is one of balance and realism. We can all make choices every single day that set us on the path to better health, even if we’re only taking baby steps. Making small changes could have a meaningful impact on our health.

Thanks to our sponsor https://heights.com/livemore

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/330

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts ⁠⁠https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore⁠⁠

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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Could the stress you barely notice be more harmful than you think? Most of us know chronic stress is bad for us, but few of us realise how deep that damage can go – or how much power we have to reverse it. In this enlightening episode, I speak with one of the world's leading stress researchers Dr Elissa Epel, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, to explore the latest science of stress, ageing – and why deep rest may be the remedy we’re overlooking.

Elissa's research as a health psychologist reveals that chronic stress can age our immune systems by as much as 10 years. But with the right habits we can activate the repair mechanisms that slow and even reverse that process. We talk about her framework of four mind states – red, yellow, green and blue – outlined in her book, The Seven-Day Stress Prescription. I find it one of the most useful tools for understanding our place on the stress spectrum at any given moment. We explore why so many of us have lost the ability to relax, the importance of deep rest for cellular repair, and the evening habits that transform the quality of your sleep.

We also discuss the very latest in wearable technology and the metrics Elissa believes are worth tracking. She makes the distinction between monitoring daily stress levels and the tech that can now track longer-term trends. And she shares her experience with continuous glucose monitoring and what it revealed to her about the relationship between stress, sleep and metabolic health.

I loved hearing about the Big Joy Project, Elissa’s ongoing study of around 20,000 people, finding that small, simple acts of kindness and connection can shift our emotions over the course of a week and make us more altruistic and prosocial. At a time when the world can feel divided, I think that matters enormously.

Finally, we explore how changing the story you tell yourself about a stressful situation, current or past, can transform your physiological response. This reframing is something I’ve learned to do and find endlessly empowering. Our perception is not just a mental experience. It shapes our biology.

Elissa is an open-hearted communicator, whose generosity comes across in everything she shares with us here. Whether you struggle with overwhelm, or you suspect you’re more stressed than you realise, I know this conversation has advice you’ll want to take on board.

The Thrive Tour: Transform Your Health and Happiness, a live show: Book Your Tickets https://drchatterjee.com/live

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://exhalecoffee.com/livemore

https://boncharge.com/livemore

https://thewayapp.com/livemore

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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/668

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A lot of people are struggling with anxiety at the moment, especially in a world that often feels out of control.
Feel Better Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart.  Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.
Today’s clip is from episode 370 of the podcast with physician and neuroscientist, Dr Russell Kennedy, who previously suffered with crippling anxiety for over 30 years.

Russell insists anxiety isn’t a disorder of the mind. Our worries are merely a symptom - and one that keeps us in our heads and away from the real problem.

His core message is that it’s often more effective to use the body to calm the mind, than the mind to calm the body. In this clip, he explains why anxiety may have less to do with our thoughts than we realise, and shares practical strategies that could help us begin breaking the anxiety cycle.

For Thrive Tour tickets and info visit: https://drchatterjee.com/live/

Join my 21-day energy reset: https://drchatterjee.com/reset

Show notes and the full podcast are available at drchatterjee.com/370

Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts ⁠⁠https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore⁠⁠ For other podcast platforms go to ⁠⁠https://fblm.supercast.com.

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

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You might assume that how you’ll age is down to your genes. That your disease risk is out of your hands, sealed by midlife, and something to manage rather than change. But Dr Florence Comite has spent 30 years proving that assumption wrong. And for this conversation, she’s brought the evidence.

Florence is a clinician-scientist, Yale and National Institutes of Health-trained endocrinologist, and some might call her a disruptor. Her life’s work has been built on the radical idea that decline is not inevitable, it is detectable. And because it’s detectable, it’s reversible. Her new book, Invincible: Defy Your Genetic Destiny to Live Better Longer, has the core message that our health trajectory is far from fixed. By tuning into our body’s signals, and understanding our physiology, we can make targeted changes to improve how we feel, function and age.  

In this episode, Florence and I explore why the Western medical model – built around treating disease not creating health – leaves people in the dark when it comes to disease risk. We discuss why the type and frequency of blood tests your doctor currently offers is lacking, as well as what you should ask for (or seek privately) if you want to truly understand your health.

Florence talks us through the five blood biomarkers she believes every adult should know about, including one – fasting insulin – that your doctor is highly unlikely to check but that I agree with her is absolutely critical. And she explains why free testosterone is vital for both men and women, how it connects to muscle, memory, bone density, blood sugar and heart health, and why optimising it has transformed some of her patients’ lives.

We also sing the praises of continuous glucose monitors. We discuss what they reveal about your individual response to food, why two people can eat the same meal with different results, and how the order in which you eat your meal can change your health.

This is a conversation about taking control. It’s about owning your data, your trends – and your future. Florence and I share the belief that our healthcare systems need to move from reactive to proactive. In time, I’m hopeful that will happen. But in the meantime her clinic – and my own Do Health app – are paving an exciting way for you to get ahead of the curve.

The Thrive Tour: Transform Your Health and Happiness, a live show: Book Your Tickets https://drchatterjee.com/live

Thanks to our sponsors:

https://heights.com/livemore

https://dohealth.co/livemore

https://hellolingo.com/livemore

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Show notes https://drchatterjee.com/666

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices