Many of us have been told that foods like blueberries, salmon, and leafy greens are “good for the brain.” But what does that really mean? Can eating certain foods make us smarter? More alert? Less stressed? Sanjay talks to nutritional psychiatrist and personal chef, Dr. Uma Naidoo about what foods improve brain function and influence the way we feel. She’ll also share her secret sauce: a few nutritious and delicious ways to eat carbs, fats and sugar.
To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Recipe for a Nourished Brain

Many of us are setting new personal goals in the new year – like exercising, eating healthier or even trying to lose weight. What does our weight really tell us about our health? Is it possible to feel healthy without obsessing over the numbers on the scale? Are our ideas about weight and health based on outdated beliefs? On this season of Chasing Life, CNN’s Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta is talking to doctors, researchers, and listeners to take a closer look at what our weight means for our health. Plus, what you need to know about the latest weight loss drugs and how to talk about weight and better health with others, especially kids.

Nutrition

Health & Fitness

Mental Health

We've all heard of processed foods, but what about ultraprocessed foods, which make up more than half of the typical American diet? In this special Chasing Life: Spotlight, CNN Medical Correspondent Meg Tirrell explores how these foods became so widespread and the potential risks they pose to our health. She speaks with Professor Marion Nestle, a leading authority on nutrition and food policy and NIH senior investigator Kevin Hall, who conducted the first and only controlled clinical trial on ultraprocessed foods. Hear about the study's remarkable findings; it may change some of the choices you make in the grocery store. 
 
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How Worried Should You Be About Ultraprocessed Foods?

The U.S. is grappling with a recently discovered outbreak of avian influenza in dairy cows, driven by the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus. It's the first instance that the bird flu virus has been detected in US cattle. How concerned should we be about drinking milk or even eating chicken? And could this lead to the next pandemic? Sanjay speaks with epidemiologist Prof. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, about the complexities of the current outbreak and what the public needs to know right now.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What You Need to Know About Bird Flu

Global temperatures are rising, severe storms are intensifying and people are feeling climate anxiety. Does saving the planet mean living without comfort or convenience? Can policies and technology turn things around? CNN Chief Climate Correspondent, Bill Weir believes taking better care of the earth and our ourselves can go hand-in-hand. He talks with Dr. Sanjay Gupta about what’s working, what needs to change and why there is reason to be optimistic about the future. They also discuss Weir’s call to action - his new book, “Life as We Know It (Can Be): Stories of People, Climate and Hope in a Changing World.”
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What Camels Teach Us about the Future

For many of us, our weight and eating habits feel deeply intertwined. But how do you strike a balance between eating for pleasure and eating for fuel? How can we reframe our relationship with food – so it doesn't revolve around what’s “bad” or “good?” Sanjay speaks with Dr. Linda Shiue, an internal medicine physician, trained chef, and the author of Spicebox Kitchen. Dr. Shiue sheds light on sustainable approaches to healthy eating and we’ll hear from listeners about the foods that bring them joy.  
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Joy of Food

When it comes to optimizing our mental and physical health, many of us focus on managing our weight and metabolic function. But what happens when the numbers are good but the way we feel about our bodies is bad? Should we be striving to love the way we look? Or is it better to not think about our bodies at all? Actress and activist, Jameela Jamil thinks a lot about health, food and diet culture. After years of struggling with anorexia, “The Good Place,” star and host of the "I Weigh with Jameela Jamil" podcast tells Sanjay why she thinks food, mental health, and body image are intertwined.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Recipe for a Nourished Brain

Download our free app to listen on your phone