hearthealth

We all know that walking is hugely beneficial for our health and wellbeing, but we can get even fitter, and use nearly twice as many muscles, by introducing some poles and a simple technique. Join Michael Mosley as he delves into the science of Nordic walking to find out how it can enhance our walks by burning more calories and helping to ease back pain. He speaks to Dr Jennifer Reed from the University of Ottawa Heart Institute about her research, which has demonstrated why Nordic walking is one of the best forms of exercise for improving your heart health. Our volunteer Jessica picks up some poles and transforms her regular walks into a full-body workout. Series Producer: Nija Dalal-Small Editor: Zoë Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

Michael Mosley gets his flax fix, as he finds out how flax seeds, also known as linseeds, can protect your heart, reduce your blood sugar levels, and might even keep your skin feeling smooth and hydrated! With the help of Dr Grant Pierce from the University of Manitoba in Canada, Michael learns about the key components of flaxseed, including alpha-linolenic acid, and how they contribute to its array of impressive benefits. Through his research, Grant has demonstrated that daily flaxseed can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, reducing your chance of a heart attack or stroke by a remarkable 50%! Meanwhile, our volunteer Rena finds flaxseed a welcome addition to her diet. Series Producer: Nija Dalal-Small Editor: Zoë Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

This week's throwback Addicted to Fitness focuses on a new version of a very popular diet. Nick and Shannon discuss how preliminary research suggests that a Green Mediterranean diet, which includes green tea & more plant protein, offers more cardiovascular and metabolic benefits than the traditional Mediterranean diet on this old school episode. Original air date 3/29/2021. Follow the podcast profile on Instagram @TheATFPodcast. Give it a listen and let us know what you think by leaving a rating & review in Apple Podcasts.

Michael discovers his long-time penchant for an early night could have some real health benefits. If you are someone who could go to sleep earlier and simply put it off with an extra episode or phone scrolling, Michael recommends going to bed an hour earlier than normal because getting enough sleep deeply impacts your brain, protecting against depression and other neurological problems. Professor Esra Tasali at the University of Chicago's Sleep Centre, shares her research that sleeping an extra hour a night has been found to have an incredible effect on our appetite, reducing cravings often linked to weight gain. Our volunteer Dylan, who is very health and exercise conscious, is surprised to find a little more sleep every night could benefit his fitness routine.

Series Producer: Nija Dalal-Small Science Producer: Catherine Wyler Researcher: Sophie Richardson Researcher: Will Hornbrook Production Manager: Maria Simons Editor: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

Michael takes a break to brew up a cup of green tea, warming up to its distinctive taste and its health benefits. Dr Edward Okello, from the Human Nutrition Research Centre at the University of Newcastle, reveals how green tea can benefit our brain power and health. Green tea contains the polyphenol EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate) and Professor Okello explains how this polyphenol inhibits a destructive enzyme which harms our brain cells. Michael also learns that a nice hot cup of green tea also induces calming brain waves, improves heart health and could even help delay dementia. Meanwhile, volunteer Jacqui enjoys the benefits of going green.

Series Producer: Nija Dalal-Small Science Producer: Catherine Wyler Researcher: Sophie Richardson Researcher: Will Hornbrook Production Manager: Maria Simons Editor: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

Each day this week, we’re examining one of the world’s most popular diets. Putting the latest scientific evidence under the microscope, we’ll find out these diets' true impact on your health.

Today we’re talking about the low-fat diet, popularised in the 1970s and fueled by the belief that fat was the culprit behind heart disease and weight gain.

However, the aftermath saw a surge in low-quality carbs. Food manufacturers, in the quest for low-fat options, replaced fats with sugar and refined grains, resulting in us opting for low-quality carbs over whole foods and whole grains.

In this special episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan is joined by Christopher Gardner, a professor of Medicine at Stanford University and the Director of Nutrition Studies at Stanford Prevention Research Center. Together, they unravel the complexities of the low-fat diet, addressing its potential and pitfalls. 

If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to https://zoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.

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Timecodes:

00:00 Introduction

00:42 Topic Intro

02:11 Why do people still follow low fat diets today?

03:56 What happens in the body when you cut out fat?

05:26 Does a low fat diet make you healthier?

07:01 Is it possible to have a healthy low fat diet?

09:49 If you choose a low fat diet with healthy carbs, is it better than a high fat diet?

11:39 What happens if you remove all fat from your diet?

12:06 What's the verdict?

12:35 Outro

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com and we’ll do our best to cover it.

Episode transcripts are available here.

We’re hearing a lot about the benefits of cold-water therapy, but what about heat therapy? Writer and avid cold-water swimmer Emma O’Kelly joins Liz on this episode to take a deep dive into the health benefits of heat.

Emma covers the history of saunas in Nordic bathing traditions, and shares more on what studies say on the benefits of deep heat for our physical and mental health.

Liz and Emma also discuss sauna rituals, the different kinds of saunas Emma encountered (from ice to peat bog!), and how to practise cold and heat therapy safely.

Links mentioned in the episode:

• Follow Emma on Instagram 
• Purchase Sauna: The Power of Deep Heat
• Pre-order A Better Second Half by Liz Earle
• Subscribe to Liz Earle Wellbeing

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On todays podcast we’re going to be talking about cholesterol, heart health and cholesterol lowering diet measures that you can start using today to improve your overall health and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.

As a doctor, I wish I had an hour to talk to all patients about these things, so this is going to be a nice resource that I’ll use myself! 

Today you’ll learn:

What cholesterol is and why it’s important for the body

How we measure cholesterol and what blood markers are associated with an increase risk of cardiovascular disease

The dietary patterns, ingredients and functional foods to choose from, to build a heart healthy lifestyle around

I’ll do a couple of hot takes on eggs, red yeast rice and probotics too

Wider considerations including alcohol, sugar and inflammation, drugs, plus supplements and imaging to consider I’ll do on another pod!

🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here

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You can download The Doctor’s Kitchen app for free to get access to all of our recipes, with specific suggestions tailored to your health needs and new recipes added every month. We’ve had some amazing feedback so far and we have new features being added all the time - check it out with a 14 day free trial too.

Do check out this week’s “Eat, Listen, Read” newsletter, that you can subscribe to on our website - where I send you a recipe to cook as well as some mindfully curated media to help you have a healthier, happier week.

🥗 Join the newsletter and 7 day meal plan

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We would love to get your feedback on the subject matter of these episodes - please do let me know on our social media pages (Instagram, Facebook & Twitter) what you think,and give us a 5* rating on your podcast player if you enjoyed today’s episode.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week's Addicted to Fitness recounts one of the host's experience before, during, and after a calcium score CT scan. Nick shares the background of why he wanted to get his calcium score, his feelings of the procedure & facility, and what his results informed him about his heart health. Follow the podcast profile on Instagram @TheATFPodcast. Give it a listen and let us know what you think by leaving a rating & review in Apple Podcasts.

“Omega 3s,” - we’ve all seen the name Omega 3s advertised on labels from nuts to seeds and even eggs! But are these fats healthy for us, or is this just another food myth?

In today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Sarah ask: Is fish oil and omega 3 intake essential or is this just another food myth?

Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Studies referenced in the episode:

• High-fat meals rich in EPA plus DHA compared with DHA only have differential effects on postprandial lipemia and plasma 8-isoprostane F2α concentrations relative to a control high–oleic acid meal: a randomized controlled trial
• Intake of fish and marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of cardiovascular disease mortality: A meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies
• Omega-3 fatty acids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease
• The 3 most Important Types of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
• REDUCE-IT EPA trial shows association between higher EPA levels, reduced CV events 
• Dietary supplementation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E after myocardial infarction: Results of the GISSI-Prevenzione trial
• Omega-3 Fatty Acids for the Management of Hypertriglyceridemia: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to cover? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com and we’ll do our best to cover it.

Trans fats have a bad reputation. But we now know a lot more about these fats than we did when the first horror stories about them emerged. 

So, based on the latest science, just how worried should we be?

Listen to today’s short episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition to find out. 

Follow ZOE on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zoe/

Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide

Studies referenced in the episode:

• Hydrogenation of Unsaturated Fats and Trans Fats
• Effects of dietary fatty acids and carbohydrates on the ratio of serum total to HDL cholesterol and on serum lipids and apolipoproteins: a meta-analysis of 60 controlled trials, published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
• Association of dietary, circulating, and supplement fatty acids with coronary risk: a systematic review and meta-analysis, published in Annals of Internal Medicine 
• Potential of trans fats policies to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in mortality from coronary heart disease in England: cost effectiveness modelling study, published in British Medical Journal
• WHO calls for action to totally eliminate trans fat, ‘a toxic chemical that kills’
• Trans fatty acids - are the effects only marginal? - published in American Journal of Public Health
• Fats and oils in human nutrition
• A trans European Union difference in the decline in trans fatty acids in popular foods: a market basket investigation, published in British Medical Journal
• Countries with regulations against industrially produced trans fats tripled over the past year

Episode transcripts are available here.

Is there a topic you'd like us to cover on the show? Email us to let us know!

This episode is all about the benefits of sauna on the brain and body. It covers what neurotransmitters are increased, how it reduces stress, depression and anxiety, improves focus and reduces chances of neurodegeneration. There is just so much info packed in here and so much to learn!

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Wednesday briefing: Turkey earthquake devastation; State of the Union takeaways; LeBron James makes NBA history; and more

Read today's briefing.