⚡️ Is it all or nothing when it comes to ultra-processed foods? Or can we have our cake and eat it too? There’s a lot of fear around UPFs, but is it doing any good?

⚡️ Dr Chris Van Tulleken is a BBC broadcaster and author of “Ultra Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food … and Why Can’t We Stop?”

⚡️ In this episode Chris and I dig into the science of ultra processed food and its effects on human health while asking - are we overcomplicating the matter?

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎ How worried you really need to be about additives, preservatives and artificial sweeteners in UPF

➡︎ How food companies make this stuff so addictive (and why it’s not your fault for eating too much)

➡ If adding vegetables to ultra processed meals can mitigate its damaging effects

➡︎ Whether UPF’s effects on the microbiome are overblown

➡︎ The good side of UPF and why it’s a valuable resource for many 

📕 Chapters

(2:26) UPF’s role in obesity

(8:50) The benefits of ultra processed food?

(14:20) Simplifying the problem of UPF

(23:08) The fibre problem: could veggies fix UPF?

(29:28) For those who rely on UPF

(33:17) How to regulate it?

(42:46) How UPF impacts the microbiome

(53:19) Are artificial sweeteners really dangerous?

(55:17) How to live with UPF

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Chris:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorchrisvt/ 

X: https://x.com/doctorchrisvt 

📕 Crab Chris’ book here: https://amzn.eu/d/454h534 

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 

🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “There is so much nonsense out there. The harm of brand marketing to the trust of skincare in general is hard to come back from.” ~Dr Muneeb Shah

⚡️ Dr Muneeb Shah, known as the ‘DermDoctor’, is a board certified dermatologist and one of the most followed science-based skinfluencers in the world.

⚡️ In this episode, Muneeb and I dig into the anatomy of the skin and what drives various skin conditions. We also discuss the overblown, unrealistic claims anti-aging skincare brands make - and what actually works to take years off your face.

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎ The anatomy of the skin and the role of your gut and diet in skin health

➡︎ The differences between skincare for men and women 

➡ Why skin cancer needs to be taken more seriously

➡︎ How mood and stress can cause flare ups

➡︎ Dr Shah’s exact skincare routine and what you’ll find in his cupboards

📕 Chapters

(1:22) Anatomy of the skin

(5:28) What affects our skin?

(9:33) Differences between men and women

(14:41) Common skin conditions

(15:46) Skin cancer

(21:18) How mood affects skin health

(24:56) Gut skin axis

(31:29) A cure for BO?

(36:33) Diet and skin health

(40:44) Is anti-aging a scam?

(45:34) How to use retinoids

(48:07) The damage of skinfluencers

(52:45) Dr Karan is challenged on his routine

(59:31) What’s in Dr Shah’s cupboards?

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Muneeb:

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dermdoctor 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorly/ 

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 

🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “When a 13 year old boy stumbles across pornography, I don't think very many of them are interested in seeing women being gagged or choked or degraded. But that is likely to be what they'll see” -Maree Crabbe

⚡️ Maree Crabbe is the Co-Founder of ‘It’s Time We Talked’, an organisation helping children and young people avoid porn’s influence. She has been interviewing people about porn and its impacts for 15 years.

⚡️ In this episode, Maree and I discuss the sharp rise in violent sexual acts being depicted in mainstream, online pornography - and how that’s crossing over into the bedroom.

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎ How hardcore porn is reaching children as young as 9

➡︎ How strangulation, coercion and deep-throating is becoming more prevalent

➡ Why the industry is increasingly promoting incest, teen and non-consesual themes

➡︎ What too much extreme porn is doing to our sexual health

➡︎ Strategies to reduce or eliminate porn from your life

📕 Chapters

(1:11) More young people are watching porn

(7:02) Rising aggression in porn

(14:19) Is violence what the audience wants?

(18:17) Violence in the bedroom

(23:20) How porn causes sexual dysfunction

(27:31) Is there “good” porn?

(31:44) What can we do about porn?

(38:25) Improving sex ed

(42:17) Body image and rise in surgery

(47:17) The problem of deepfake porn

(50:02) What about porn stars?

(52:21) Are you addicted?

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Maree:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mareecrabbe/ 

Websites: https://itstimewetalked.com/

https://www.breathlesscampaign.com/

https://www.notthenorm.com.au/ 

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 

🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “We've seen a marked increase in the amount of food allergy that's around, and it now affects 5% of UK children. Even in the adult population, it's become a major health issue.” -Prof Adam Fox

⚡️ Dr Adam Fox is a professor in paediatric allergy and runs award-winning private practice Allergy London. He’s also vocal on social media, helping people to better understand allergies and the treatments that are available.

⚡️ In this episode, Adam and I find out why allergies are on the rise globally, what the leading risk factors are for developing an allergy, and science-backed ways to reduce symptoms and reactions.

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎ A discovery that’s turned the allergy world upside down

➡︎ Why eczema is so closely linked to the risk of developing allergies

➡ The science of the allergy response and why it happens

➡︎ The link between the gut microbiome and rising rates of allergies

➡︎ Why allergy tests are often a waste of time

📕 Chapters

(1:02) Why allergies are on the rise

(6:36) Science of the allergy response

(12:39) May contain traces of…

(15:58) Can allergies worsen over time?

(17:35) How we outgrow allergies

(20:03) Links to microbiome

(25:42) Environment and climate change

(34:12) Do allergy tests work?

(38:03) Allergy v intolerance

(43:02) Penicillin allergies

(47:48) Sharing allergies with doctors

(49:49) Allergy desensitisation

(57:47) Strategies to control allergies

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Adam:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradamfox/ 

Website: https://www.allergylondon.com/ 

References: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/255793/food-allergy-doubles-uk-over-last/ 

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 

🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Death is not a dirty word. You can say it. You can say he's dying. You can say they've died.” -Julie McFadden 

⚡️ Julie McFadden, known as Hospice Nurse Julie on social media, uses her firsthand knowledge and experience to alleviate the fear and stigma around death and dying. It’s the subject of her new book “Nothing to Fear”.

⚡️ In this episode, Julie and I explore why we should be talking about death more, so we can stop fearing it and start living our lives more fully.

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎ What happens to the body in the lead up to death

➡︎ Why death isn’t the worst outcome - suffering is

➡ Why most people are wrong about hospice care

➡︎ The strange deathbed phenomena Julie sees more commonly than you’d think

➡︎ How to learn from people’s most common deathbed regrets

📕 Chapters

(1:03) Why we fear death

(4:23) Why we need to talk about death

(6:55) Cultural and religious traditions

(9:39) The science of dying

(14:36) Misconceptions about palliative care

(16:58) Death is not the worst outcome

(21:44) Death is not a dirty word

(26:49) Strange deathbed phenomena

(30:06) How to have a good death

(33:19) Worst diseases to die from

(37:55) Preparing for death

(40:57) Deathbed regrets

(44:14) Faith and religion

(45:42) One thing everyone should know about death

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Julie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hospicenursejulie/ 

Website: https://www.hospicenursejulie.com/ 

📕 Find Julie’s new book ‘Nothing to Fear’ here: https://amzn.eu/d/fSZVYAZ

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 

🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “If you're feeling a particular way - sad, upset, angry, thirsty, hungry - your automatic reaction is ‘I've got comfort in my phone’. So it becomes a pattern that is ingrained. Not deeply ingrained, because we can break it.” -Dr Nicole Vignola

⚡️ Dr Nicole Vignola is a well-known neuroscientist and brain expert, and author of Rewire: Break the Cycle, Alter Your Thoughts and Create Lasting Change. 

⚡️ In this episode, Nicole and I explore how to break bad habits, phone addiction, negative self-talk, anxiety and rewire your brain for happiness, health and performance.

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎ A simple trick to break smartphone addiction and why you should avoid it in the morning

➡︎ How to keep your brain adapting and developing at any age

➡ The science of how walking resets our brain by quieting fear receptors in the brain

➡︎ How to reframe negativity and reinforce positive self-talk

➡︎ The true extent of poor sleep on brain health

📕 Chapters

(1:42) How neuroscience affects you

(4:30) How to avoid cognitive decline

(10:21) Meditation and mental breaks

(12:04) Breaking phone addiction

(16:02) Properly dealing with stress

(22:07) Reframing negative self-talk

(31:27) Healthy dopamine hits

(34:47) Improving brain performance at any age

(39:25) Manifestation

(41:53) Benefits of doing nothing

(44:38) How Nicole optimises her brain

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Nicole:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolesneuroscience 

Website: https://www.nicolesneuroscience.com/ 

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 

🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Is it something truly in our water, what we eat, the types of stressors that we have in the life that we lead today? It's very challenging to pinpoint.” -Dr Austin Chiang

⚡️ Dr Austin Chiang is a gastroenterologist and well known health influencer. He’s also the author of ‘Gut: An Owner’s Guide’ and is the Chief Medical Officer of Medtronic.

⚡️ In this episode, Austin and I discuss various issues concerning gut health, including the rise in both IBS and colorectal cancer, and what you can do to protect your health.

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎ The signs and symptoms of IBS - and why you should always seek professional advice

➡ Why colorectal cancer is set to be the #1 cancer killer among young people

➡︎ How AI is advancing the field of gut health

➡︎ The dangers of colonic irrigation, probiotics and other “gut hacks”

➡︎ The truth about “leaky gut syndrome”

📕 Chapters

(1:40) What does the gut do?

(6:08) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

(13:30) Brain gut connection

(15:49) Colorectal cancer rising

(21:00) Dangers of gut “detoxes”

(23:13) Probiotics

(25:29) Leaky gut syndrome

(27:24) Taking action on gut health

(33:31) AI and tech advancements

(37:16) What’s in Austin’s cupboards?

(40:09) Three things you should never do

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Austin:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinchiangmd/ 

Website: http://www.austinchiang.com/ 

📕 Find Austin’s book ‘Gut: An Owner’s Guide’ here: https://amzn.eu/d/41gEHdO 

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 

🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Nature has lots of things that are really harmful. It has lots of things that are really benign. And that's the same with synthetic things. Synthetic things can be really toxic. They can be really safe.” -Dr Michelle Wong

⚡️ Dr Michelle Wong is a science educator, cosmetic chemist and founder of Lab Muffin Beauty Science, where she helps people figure out which beauty products are and aren’t worth buying.

⚡️ In this episode, Michelle and I put the chemical vs natural debate to the test, and look at the science of skin care products. What’s safe and what’s toxic?

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎ Why it doesn’t need to be edible to go on your face

➡ Why homemade and DIY sunscreen is a terrible idea

➡︎ Why skin care ingredients actually work and which are overhyped

➡︎ A simple skin care guide for beginners

➡︎ The truth about preservatives like paraben

📕 Chapters

(4:15) Does skin care actually work?

(6:30) Inventing new skin care ingredients

(9:45) Chemicals vs natural

(12:39) DIY sunscreen

(22:17) Sunscreen and vitamin D

(28:47) Science of collagen

(31:19) Overhyped ingredients

(34:27) Parabens and preservatives

(41:41) Becoming more skin care savvy

(44:20) Science based skin care routine

(50:01) Skin microbiome

(52:50) Natural products that work

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Michelle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/labmuffinbeautyscience/ 

Website: https://labmuffin.com/ 

📕 Find Michelle’s book ‘The Science of Beauty’ here: https://amzn.eu/d/inztPnb 

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 
🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “It's giving you very perverse and misleading and possibly even damaging advice by this glucocentric approach to nutrition.” -Dr Nicola Guess

⚡️ Dr Nicola Guess is a nutrition scientist at the University of Oxford, specialising in the dietary prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. She also debunks pseudoscience and misinformation on Instagram and Substack.

⚡️ In this episode, Nicola and I look at the latest diet trends and advice that you really shouldn’t be worrying about, and could actually be harming your health - with a particular focus on blood glucose and the CGM craze.

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎Why continuous glucose monitors are useless, except for people who are actually diabetic

➡ Which diet “hacks” work for controlling glucose levels (and if they’re even necessary)

➡︎Why “personalised” diet advice from microbiome tests is a sham

➡︎Why it’s not all-or-nothing with ultra processed foods 

➡︎The health markers you should actually be looking out for, with actionable tips

📕 Chapters

(1:16) Cutting through the pseudoscience

(3:58) CGMs and glucose spikes

(14:25) The real harm of worrying about glucose

(18:31) What should you ACTUALLY be tracking?

(23:03) How to control glucose (if you need to)

(30:36) Microbiome tests and personalised nutrition

(37:45) Probiotics

(43:52) Reality of ultra processed foods

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Nicola:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr__guess/

Substack: https://drguess.substack.com/

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook

🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Breast milk really is a nutritional powerhouse. It's more than nutrition. So many different factors come together to give your infants the best start in life.” -Dr Sioned Jones

⚡️ Dr Sioned Jones is the co-founder of BoobyBiome, an all-female team of doctors working out the science behind breast milk, what makes it so beneficial to the health of babies, and how we might be able to replicate its benefits.

⚡️ In this episode, Sioned and I explore the nutrients and bacteria that make up breast milk, and the crucial role it plays in establishing a healthy gut microbiome in infants.

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎The side-effects of poor gut health in infants

➡︎How one of puzzling component of breast milk can now be harnessed to improve gut health

➡︎How a mother’s own microbiome impacts her baby’s

➡︎Why pumping and storing breast milk can compromise its health benefits

➡︎Whether you should be heading to your nearest lactation bar to chug down shots of the stuff!

📕 Chapters

(2:04) What makes breast milk so great?

(5:19) Breast milk vs formula

(10:46) How mothers make breast milk

(15:12) Adults drinking breast milk?

(18:49) What causes poor gut health in babies?

(22:01) Critical window for microbiome developments

(26:00) Actionable strategies for mothers

(28:32) Why storing breast milk may compromise its benefits

(31:38) Benefits of colostrum

(33:17) How breastfeeding benefits the mother

(33:48) Scientific advancements

(37:02) Fixing an unhealthy gut

(40:04) Will formula ever match breast milk?

(41:30) Other people breastfeeding your baby

(43:57) Does a mother’s health affect breast milk quality?

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Sioned:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsionedjones

https://www.instagram.com/boobybiome

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sionedfjones/

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook

🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.