Dementia is one of the fastest-growing health crises in the developed world, with cases expected to double in the coming decades. But despite common misconceptions, cognitive decline isn’t inevitable. The latest research shows that lifestyle choices play a far greater role in brain health than genetics alone.

In this episode, neurologists Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai share practical, science-backed strategies to help you protect your brain and reduce your risk of dementia.

As co-directors of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Program at Loma Linda University, they’ve spent their careers studying how habits like diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management influence long-term cognitive health.

🥑 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 Meet the brain doctors fighting dementia

01:04 Parents have dementia – are you doomed?

02:00 Can dementia be reversed?

02:25 Five lifestyle changes to prevent Alzheimer’s

06:07 What is dementia vs. Alzheimer’s?

08:50 Are your genes to blame?

12:49 Dementia starts 20+ years before diagnosis

14:10 Four biggest causes of Alzheimer’s

19:04 How to build brain reserve & stay sharp

22:50 Are dementia rates rising or falling?

25:30 How the brain declines over decades

29:00 This diet cuts Alzheimer’s risk by 53%

32:40 Three nutrients your brain can’t live without

38:15 The surprising link between LDL cholesterol & dementia

44:10 Leg workouts slash dementia risk by 35%

46:20 Why strength training is critical for brain health

50:36 How stress shrinks your brain

54:00 Sleep: The brain’s natural detox

📚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

Association of Lifestyle and Genetic Risk With Incidence of Dementia, 2019, published in JAMA

Dementia statistics, published by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) 

World Alzheimer Report 2015 - The Global Impact of Dementia, published by Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) 

Midlife serum cholesterol and increased risk of Alzheimer's and vascular dementia three decades later, 2009, published in Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders 

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today, we’re putting the spotlight on our brains.

As we age certain behaviours often become more noticeable - misplacing keys, struggling to recall names or forgetting why you walked into a room. Most of us have likely seen this happen to someone close to us and may have even seen these patterns develop into more serious conditions like dementia.

But are these behaviours just an inevitable part of getting older? Or is there something we can do to prevent them?

Dr William Li is here to outline the connection between our lifestyle and the health of our brain.

🥑 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 here

How old are you? A better question might be: how old do you feel? While your birthday says one thing, your biological age—the health of your cells—might tell a very different story. And here’s the best part: unlike your chronological age, your biological age can go down.

But how? For years, fasting has been celebrated as a key to longevity. Yet the challenge of skipping meals is enough to make most of us shy away. What if you could trick your body into reaping the rewards of fasting—without starving yourself? 

This week, we’re joined by Dr. Valter Longo, Director of the Longevity Institute at USC and one of TIME’s 50 most influential people in healthcare. Valter’s groundbreaking research on ageing and his FMD program have transformed how we think about health and longevity. Joining him is Tim Spector, ZOE’s co-founder and one of the world’s top 100 most-cited scientists.

🥑 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 Dr. Valter Longo on fasting and biological age reversal

01:18 Quickfire questions: Can fasting slow aging?

02:29 Surprising discoveries about rejuvenating the body

03:39 The difference between chronological and biological age

05:20 Can a single gene mutation extend lifespan?

06:29 What twins teach us about aging and longevity

08:19 Are biological age tests reliable?

10:27 Dr. Longo explains the fasting mimicking diet

12:43 Can fasting help regenerate damaged organs?

15:42 The science behind nutrient sensing and aging

18:19 Why does your body shift into "maintenance mode" during fasting?

22:04 Genetics vs. lifestyle: Which impacts aging more?

24:24 The role of fasting in longevity: Insights from lab studies

28:30 Time-restricted eating: What’s the ideal fasting window?

31:16 Does extreme fasting increase long-term health risks?

35:52 The fasting mimicking diet: How it works

41:07 Long-term studies on fasting: What’s next for science?

45:41 Reversing kidney damage with fasting research

47:10 Can a fasting protocol improve biological age by years?

55:08 Is a holistic approach to diet and fasting the key to longevity?

📚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 references in today’s episode

Programmed longevity, youthspan, and juventology, 2018, published in Aging Cell 

Yeast Chronological Lifespan: Longevity Regulatory Genes and Mechanisms, 2022, published in Cells 

Chronological Aging in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, 2012, published in Subcell Biochemistry

Low protein intake is associated with a major reduction in IGF-1, cancer, and overall mortality in the 65 and younger but not older population, 2014, published in Cell Metabolism 

Growth Hormone Receptor Deficiency is Associated With a Major Reduction in Pro-aging Signaling, Cancer and Diabetes in Humans, 2012, published in Science Translational Medicine 

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Today we’re discussing inflammation.

We hear this word a lot from guests on the ZOE podcast. It’s always coming up when we ask questions about health conditions like Alzheimer's, cancer or heart disease. 

It’s clearly very important, however many of us still don’t fully understand what inflammation really is.

Professor Phillip Calder is here to break down inflammation and share tips on what we should eat to keep it in check. Philip is Head of the School of Human Development and Health in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton.

🥑 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 here

Think weight loss is all about eating less and moving more? Think again. In this episode, Prof. Giles Yeo reveals why calorie counting isn’t just inaccurate—it could actually make weight management harder. He explains why the popular “calories in, calories out” method doesn’t add up and explores how factors like genetics, brain signals, and gut health play a major role in shaping our weight.

Giles Yeo is a Professor of Molecular Neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge and Honorary President of the British Dietetic Association. His research focuses on the influence of genes on feeding behaviour and body weight. Giles is also the author of ‘Gene Eating’ and ‘Why Calories Don’t Count’.

Giles shares the surprising impact of ultra-processed foods on how we process calories and why losing weight often feels like a battle against our own biology. With decades of research in his back pocket, Giles shares science-backed advice to help you break free from yo-yo dieting, read calorie labels smarter, and embrace a more balanced, plant-rich diet for long-term health.

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

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

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

01:17 The quickfire round on weight myths

02:05 The biggest weight loss myth revealed

03:07 What are calories, really?

04:08 Burning poop: a bizarre calorie experiment

08:05 The woman who invented calorie counting

11:41 How calories became a diet obsession

15:00 Why calorie counting doesn’t work

18:56 Why food quality matters more

20:05 The blindspot of calorie labels

23:13 We eat food, not calories

27:02 Stress eating vs. stress starving

31:00 Why we always have room for dessert

38:22 How your gut controls your hunger

45:17 Why pizza makes your brain light up

49:41 Ultra-processed foods hijack your appetite

📚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

Long-term weight-loss maintenance: a meta-analysis of US studies, 2001, published in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

How dieting might make some fatter: modeling weight cycling toward obesity from a perspective of body composition autoregulation, 2020, published in International Journal of Obesity

Weight-loss outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis of weight-loss clinical trials with a minimum 1-year follow-up, 2007, published in Journal of the American Dietetic Association

Diet or Exercise Interventions vs Combined Behavioral Weight Management Programs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Direct Comparisons, 2014, published in Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Diet, exercise or diet with exercise: comparing the effectiveness of treatment options for weight-loss and changes in fitness for adults (18–65 years old) who are overfat, or obese; systematic review and meta-analysis, 2015, published in Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders 

Is regular exercise an effective strategy for weight loss maintenance?, 2019, Physiology & Behavior

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

A lot of things change as we age. Our dress sense, our taste in music and importantly our body. The truth is your body is not the same as it was 20 or even 10 years ago. 

So why should your diet be?

Dr Federica Amati is here to explain why our nutrition needs change as we enter later life and how we can adjust our diet to support this.

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

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

📚 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 here

Belly fat is more than just stubborn weight – it plays a complex role in our health, interacting with the immune system and gut bacteria. But could gut microbes hold the key to understanding and managing belly fat?

In this episode, Dr. Suzanne Devkota, Director of the Microbiome Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai, shares groundbreaking findings on how gut bacteria interact with belly fat. Tim Spector, professor of epidemiology and scientific co-founder at ZOE, also joins the conversation to explain how the diversity of your gut bacteria affects weight and overall health.

Together, our guests share surprising ways the microbiome influences fat storage and offer practical tips for supporting gut health.

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

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

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 The risks of internal fat

01:45 Quickfire questions

03:12 What is belly fat?

04:30 How dangerous is internal fat?

05:44 How our body uses belly fat

16:20 Groundbreaking study on gut bacteria

21:05 These gut bacteria live in your fat tissue

24:50 Gut health and your immune system

31:58 Why microbes are essential to survive

38:30 Why gut health starts at birth

46:40 The importance of sampling your gut microbes

50:50 Two changes you can make right now

53:02 Easy fermented eating tips

55:10 Why not all pickles are fermented

📚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

Translocation of Viable Gut Microbiota to Mesenteric Adipose Drives Formation of Creeping Fat in Humans (2020), published in Cell

Our extended microbiome: The human-relevant metabolites and biology of fermented foods (2024), published in Cell Metabolism

Effects of a personalized nutrition program on cardiometabolic health: a randomized controlled trial (2024), published in Nature

Heritable components of the human fecal microbiome are associated with visceral fat (2016) published in Genome Biology

Dissecting the role of the gut microbiota and diet on visceral fat mass accumulation (2019), published in Scientific Reports

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Many believe that dementia is inevitable, something solely determined by our DNA. But this isn’t the case. In reality, lifestyle choices play the most significant role in determining if we develop this disease.

So, what changes can you make today to reduce your chance of getting dementia tomorrow?

Dr. Claire Steves joins us to share simple steps that will protect your brain for years to come.

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

🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+

📚 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 here

Forget crash diets this January. In this episode, we discuss simple, effective ways to eat well and truly enjoy food in 2025.

Today, Prof. Tim Spector and Prof. Sarah Berry join us to share seven essential strategies to help you improve your health this year. Based on the latest science that’s come out over the last 365 days, they bust common food myths, highlight the importance of quality over quantity, and show how the joy of eating can go hand in hand with good health.

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

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

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 What's your nutrition goal for 2025?

03:08 This choice matters most for your health

05:20 Changes that could add 10 years to your life

12:30 Tip 1: Reduce intake of these foods

21:20 Tip 2: Try eating at these times

30:50 Tip 3: Stop counting calories

41:39 Tip 4: Change drink habits

48:15 Tip 5: Eat more plants

55:48 Tip 6: Are you getting enough protein?

59:07 Tip 7: Start eating these healthy snacks

01:03:50 Add these foods to your plate

📚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

Ultra-processed foods cause weight gain and increased energy intake associated with reduced chewing frequency: A randomized, open-label, crossover study, (2024) published in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism

Counting hours or calories? Metabolic regulatory role of time-restricted eating in adults with overweight and obesity: a systematic review and meta-analysis, (2024) published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 

Changes in food preferences and ingestive behaviors after glucagon-like peptide-1 analog treatment: techniques and opportunities (2024), published in International Journal of Obesity 

The potential effects of chlorogenic acid, the main phenolic components in coffee, on health: a comprehensive review of the literature (2017), published in European Journal of Nutrition 

Differential peripheral immune signatures elicited by vegan versus ketogenic diets in humans (2024), published in Nature Medicine

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

In the second part of our 2024 recap, we take another look back at more of the best nuggets of wisdom from ZOE Science & Nutrition this year.

In this jam-packed episode, we’ll hear how your second brain affects your mood, why fasting doesn’t actually have to be difficult, and how to prevent the disease you probably don’t know much about - but can lead to hospital time. 

As you consider your New Year’s Resolutions and new habits, this episode will ready you with some great ideas. Why not share with a friend whose also trying to make positive change?

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

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

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

01:08 Should you try fasting?

10:30 Eat more mushrooms

15:40 The power of spices

27:10 Your second brain

35:10 How to prevent osteoporosis

📚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 

Enjoy the full episodes here 👇

• Intermittent fasting | Spotify or Apple
• Mushrooms | Spotify or Apple
• Spices | Spotify or Apple
• Gut health | Spotify or Apple
• Osteoporosis | Spotify or Apple

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

Episode transcripts are available here.

Let’s take a look back at our best episodes of 2024. We had an incredible lineup of guests this year who shared a huge range of actionable tips on improving your nutrition and gut health. 

A lot of what we learned might surprise you. Like the beverage you’re probably drinking every day that we thought was bad for us? Turns out it can actually be super beneficial. Or that what counts as a plant is actually so much more than just fruit and veg. Not forgetting the topic we’ve shattered the taboo on - which made our celebrity guest emotional. 

You’ll finish this episode equipped to tackle your post-Christmas slump and feel energised to build new habits with ZOE in 2025. 

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

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

Follow ZOE on Instagram.

Timecodes

00:00 Introduction

01:41 Build healthy food habits

08:15 Eat more plants with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

17:20 Reduce dementia risk

21:20 Is coffee healthy?

24:40 Why you need more olive oil

33:30 Our special guest!

📚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 

Enjoy the full episodes here 👇

• Habits with James Clear | Spotify or Apple
• Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall | Spotify or Apple
• Dementia | Spotify or Apple
• Coffee | Spotify or Apple
• Olive oil | Spotify or Apple
• Davina McCall | Spotify or Apple

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

Episode transcripts are available here.