1 in 3 people have anxiety. It’s the most common mental health disorder in the world. And many of us know what anxiety feels like: palms sweating before a job interview, losing your appetite before a looming deadline, a pit in your stomach when you get bad news. It’s not just in your head, it’s in your gut.

Today, we’ll learn how food could help us cope. Our guest explains the rising global trend toward increased anxiety: its rise through the pandemic, and explosion among young people. 

Dr. Uma Naidoo is on the forefront of nutritional psychiatry. She directs the first hospital-based Nutritional Psychiatry Service in the US, at Massachusetts General Hospital and teaches at Harvard Medical School.

Uma will help you understand the symptoms and biology of anxiety, painting a picture of the risks it poses for long-term health. And her diet tips will help you fuel your gut for a healthy mind.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

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

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Timecodes:

00:00 Change your diet to beat anxiety

01:23 Quickfire questions

02:52 What is anxiety?

05:58 Are humans more anxious now than in the past?

08:50 This is where anxiety occurs in the brain

11:29 The gut-brain connection

12:45 Serotonin: the happiness hormone

20:05 How gut bacteria impact the brain

21:20 What happens 2 hours after stress?

23:10 Foods that disrupt dopamine pathways

24:50 Is food addiction real?

30:35 How chronic stress affects hunger

34:00 The importance of feeding good gut microbes

41:00 Eat more of these vegetables

45:02 How to overcome diet anxiety

49:20 How to use Uma’s ‘Calm’ approach

53:13 The anti-anxiety plate

Find Uma's Cauliflower Tikka Massala recipe here

Get Uma's latest book 'Calm Your Mind With Food'

📚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

Free resources from ZOE

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks 

Mentioned in today's episode

Eat to Beat Stress (2020), published in American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine

Effect of fecal microbiota transplant on symptoms of psychiatric disorders: a systematic review (2020), published in BMC Psychiatry

A review of dietary and microbial connections to depression, anxiety, and stress (2018), published in Nutritional Neuroscience 

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re discussing how the food we eat can lower cholesterol.

It’s an important question, as high cholesterol can increase our chances of developing heart disease. Around half of adults have high cholesterol, and it gets more common as you age.

So, how can we break this trend?

Today’s guest, Professor Sarah Berry has led more than 30 human studies on cardio-metabolic health. It’s safe to say she knows a thing or two about heart health and cholesterol.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 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 from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

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

Listen to the full episode on Apple or Spotify

A good gynecologist is like a detective. She gathers evidence to diagnose infections. She uncovers the truth behind stages like puberty, pregnancy and perimenopause. Yet many women still feel that their physiology is a mystery. 

What if a clue to that mystery hides in our diet? Similar to the gut, certain foods make the vaginal microbiome thrive. New research suggests that the right diet could alleviate symptoms of the most common gynecological diseases.

Dr Jennifer Ashton is former Chief Medical Correspondent at ABC News and is a double-board certified OBGYN. She joins us today to discuss ‘nutritional gynecology’, a term she coined after realizing multiple women’s health issues have a direct relationship to nutrition.

Alongside Jen is King’s College London professor and ZOE’s Chief Scientist Sarah Berry. Sarah shines light on the growing evidence of the role of nutrition in offsetting uncomfortable, and sometimes dangerous, symptoms of menopause.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 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

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Timecodes:

00:00 What you eat matters

02:00 Quickfire questions

04:05 What gets treated in gynecology?

07:19 What is the vaginal microbiome?

11:30 This affects the vaginal microbiome

13:46 The new field of nutritional gynecology

15:57 Does estrogen affect appetite?

17:19 The gut bacteria that breaks down estrogen

21:22 How food impacts puberty

23:21 Do glucose spikes affect pregnancy?

28:35 Symptoms of PCOS

33:00 Dr Jen explains endometriosis

37:20 Does diet affect these conditions?

42:00 How to test diet changes on yourself

📚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

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks

Studies relevant to this episode

Diet and Nutrition in Gynecological Disorders: A Focus on Clinical Studies (2021, published in Nutrients

Effects of caloric intake timing on insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism in lean women with polycystic ovary syndrome (2013), published in Clinical Science

Weight Regulation in Menopause (2022), published in Menopause

Menopause, the gut microbiome, and weight gain: correlation or causation? (2020), published in Menopause

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Did you know you can now buy ice cream with added protein? Even breakfast cereals are jumping on the trend, boasting an extra protein punch.

In nearly every supermarket aisle, you'll spot the catchy slogan "high in protein" plastered across packaging.

But why is that? Are we not getting enough protein already, or are these high-protein products giving us too much?

Our guest is Christopher Gardner, a professor at Stanford University and a member of ZOE’s scientific advisory board, who has published widely on the relationship between protein and our health. 

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 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 from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

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

Listen to the full episode on Apple or Spotify

Over the last two years, there’s been a rise in “immune-boosting” foods, supplements and trends. Today's guest, immunologist Dr. Jenna Macciochi, believes the immune system doesn’t need boosting. Instead, it should be balanced.

In this episode, Jenna - a Senior Lecturer in Immunology at the University of Sussex - reveals how your immune system is your body’s housekeeper. Jenna highlights the case for the ‘good bugs’ in our gut microbiome, the role of micronutrients and how our immune system isn’t born, but made.

We'll also tackle the age-old question: do we really need Vitamin C supplements?

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 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:

01:21 Quickfire questions

04:51 What is the immune system?

06:49 How your immune system works

09:35 What are natural killer cells?

14:18 Is your immune system inherited?

16:42 The impact of sleep and stress 

19:53 Cancer and immunotherapy

28:23 This can trigger inflammation

30:25 Are vitamin C supplements worth it?

31:30 Foods to empower your immune system

40:10 How inflammation affects your brain

44:10 New science of the impact of stress

48:52 Immunity and your body clock

📚 Get Jenna's book Your Blueprint for Strong Immunity

📚 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

Mentioned in today’s episode:

“Immune Boosting” in the time of COVID: selling immunity on Instagram (2020), published in Allergy, Asthma & Clinical Immunology

Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold (2013), published in Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

Effects of stress on immune function: the good, the bad, and the beautiful (2014), published in Journal of Immunology Research

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re discussing why muscle strength is so important to our health.

Our guest tells us how it's possible to harness the power of your muscles to enhance your quality of life. Professor Karyn Esser is from the Department of Physiology and Aging at the University of Florida. 

We kick off with a surprising quirk of human anatomy. Did you know that there’s one time of day when we’re all at our strongest?

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 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 from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free resources from ZOE:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

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

Listen to the full episode on Apple or Spotify

As adults, food shopping can be a minefield. But when it comes to feeding your kids, the stakes are even higher. Our food environment is rife with misinformation. Brightly coloured labels on packaged, often ultra-processed foods promise high protein, high fibre and low calories. The additives, emulsifiers and mountains of added sugar are hidden in the small print. 

So how can parents navigate this confusing landscape? Today, we hear from two of the UK’s most-trusted nutritionists (and both parents of small children) on how to keep your kids eating well. 

Rhiannon Lambert has authored four books, including recent Sunday Times bestseller The Science of Plant-Based Nutrition. Half a million people follow her for nutrition advice on Instagram. ZOE’s Head Nutritionist, Imperial College London lecturer and bestselling author of Every Body Should Know This, Dr. Federica Amati, joins Rhiannon for today’s conversation.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 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 Food shopping is a struggle

01:53 Quickfire questions

04:10 What’s the problem with children’s food?

10:05 Why more kids are at the dentist than ever before

12:32 Can you trust food labels?

19:35 How to improve your child’s lunchbox

23:55 Stress-free ways to keep your kids healthy

25:48 Healthy kids food on a budget

29:05 Make your home a healthy food environment

36:23 Healthy breakfast ideas for kids

39:52 Should you give your kids cereal?

Rhiannon's latest books:

The Science of Plant-based Nutrition

The Science of Nutrition

Books from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Mentioned in today’s episode:

Bite Back 2030 Report 'Are food giants rigging the system against child health?'

ZOE’s famous pancake recipe

Our episode on emulsifiers with Dr Federica Amati | Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we're discussing how to build a healthy habit. Making changes to our lifestyle can be hard. Our behaviours are often hardwired, ingrained into a regular routine that is reluctant to budge. So, what can we do to make a new habit stick?

Author of Atomic Habits James Clear is here to tackle this question. He has four simple steps that will significantly increase your chance of success.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 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 from our ZOE Scientists:

The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector

Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector

Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

Free ZOE resources to try:

Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 

Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks

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

Listen to the full episode on Apple or Spotify

Menopause can disrupt sleep, emotions, and intimacy. Yet much of this remains taboo. Whilst every woman will go through menopause, these highly personal questions are hard to confront. Questions like: Does lack of sleep lead to problematic weight gain? And why does intimacy feel so hard to rekindle?

In this episode, Dr. Kameelah Phillips joins us to bring clarity and compassion to these sensitive questions. She debunks the biggest myths around sleep, intimacy and emotional wellbeing in menopause. Her energy and positivity will empower you to thrive in this stage of life. Kameelah is joined by ZOE’S Chief Scientist Professor Sarah Berry who shares details of ZOE’s groundbreaking new menopause research.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 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 The silent consequences of menopause

01:40 Quickfire questions

04:06 When does menopause start?

05:08 What causes hormonal chaos?

10:20 Biggest menopause myths

12:30 ZOE’s new menopause research

19:52 Does menopause lower libido?

24:16 Sex myths in menopause

25:14 Does testosterone increase libido?

29:15 How menopause affects sleep

38:59 Does exercise impact sleep and sex?

42:08 Weight loss during menopause

43:19 Does HRT affect sleep and intimacy?

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

Mentioned in today's episode:

• Menopause Is a Key Factor Influencing Postprandial Metabolism, Metabolic Health and Lifestyle: The ZOE PREDICT Study (2022), published in Current Developments in Nutrition
• Diet may counteract menopause metabolism change, ZOE study shows (2024), published by ZOE
• Menopause weight gain and why you should stop dieting (2024), published by ZOE 
• Spotlight on the Gut Microbiome in Menopause: Current Insights (2022), published in International Journal of Women’s Health
• Sleep disturbances may contribute to weight gain in menopause (2021), published by Endocrine Society

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Vitamin D is the world’s favorite supplement. Governments around the world recommend people take the supplement for at least six months out of the year. But do we really need these pills? Do they even work? And could they actually be harming us?

In this episode, two ZOE scientists - Professor Tim Spector and Dr Federica Amati reveal the truth about vitamin D.

Tim is scientific co-founder of ZOE and professor of epidemiology at King’s College London. Federica is head nutritionist at ZOE and author of the Sunday Times bestseller ‘Every Body Should Know This’.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member a zoe.com - 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 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 The sunshine vitamin

01:50 Quickfire questions

04:05 What is vitamin D?

07:12 Is sunlight the best source of vitamin D?

09:40 Does vitamin D keep my bones strong?

15:34 Are vitamin D levels a marker of good health?

20:00 What counts as normal levels of vitamin D? 

24:42 Supplement controversy

29:10 Do calcium supplements help bones?

31:29 Can I take too much vitamin D?

37:50 Could vitamin D prevent these health conditions?

42:54 Tim’s sunscreen controversy

46:46 Vitamin D and immunity

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

Mentioned in today’s episode:

• The VITAL Trial - Principal results of the VITamin D and OmegA-3 TriaL (VITAL) and updated meta-analyses of relevant vitamin D trials (2020), published in The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
• Cut-points for associations between vitamin D status and multiple musculoskeletal outcomes in middle-aged women (2016), published in Osteoporosis International
• Assessment of the genetic and clinical determinants of fracture risk: genome wide association and mendelian randomisation study (2018), published in British Medical Journal

Other ZOE Science & Nutrition episodes to try:

• What to eat to avoid osteoporosis with Prof. Tim Spector & Prof. Cyrus Cooper | Listen on Apple or Spotify
• Mushrooms as medicine: Uncovering the health secrets of fungi | Listen on Apple or Spotify

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re discussing mushrooms. Neither animal nor plant, mushrooms are entirely unique. Their novel chemistry provides us with powerful - and often surprising - health benefits.

So, how can we take advantage of this mushroom magic?

Tim Spector and fungi expert Merlin Sheldrake explain how and why you should invite more mushrooms into your diet.

🥑 Make smarter food choices. Become a member at zoe.com for 10% off with code PODCAST

🌱 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

Free resources from ZOE:

• Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition 
• Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
• MenoScale Calculator - learn about your symptoms

📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:

• Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
• Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati

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

Listen to the full episode here