Today we learn that Neeraj has a weakness for biscuits (cookies for our American listeners) and that the only time Nicholas thinks about diet is when he’s halfway through some artery clogging treats. We discuss our experience of trying to eat healthier, the challenge of untangling all the information, and recent dietary recommendations. Most shockingly, we discover that the potato is essentially a grain in a vegetable’s clothing.

Resources we reviewed for this episode include:

Nutrition for the ageing brain: Towards evidence for an optimal diet - PubMed (nih.gov)

Nutrition Misinformation: How to Identify Fraud and Misleading Claims - 9.350 - Extension (colostate.edu)

The rising cost of a healthy diet: changing relative prices of foods in high-income and emerging economies | ODI: Think change

Diets for Health: Goals and Guidelines - PubMed (nih.gov)

Other useful resources:

The Eatwell Guide - NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Neeraj returns for this final (for now) episode on techno-optimism. We share our thoughts on the previous episodes and maybe for the first time this season, hear some kind words about Elon Musk. Neeraj puts forward Amazon as an example of the techno-utopian dream with their next day deliveries and ever expanding reach into our homes, but Nicholas, taking a leaf out of Ned’s book, wonders if Amazon is really a techno-serfdom nightmare in the making.

We discuss transit planning, electric vehicles, and a little about how those topics relate to our previous discussions on techno-optimism.

Ned calls in to give his thoughts on our previous conversation on techno-optimism.

Neeraj is on holiday, so here’s one from the vault. Nicholas and Neeraj have a conversation about techno-optimism, the idea that technology will be a net positive for humanity and will help us solve serious challenges in the future.

Neeraj and Nicholas discuss the many long-term positive outcomes associated with regular physical activity. It’s a timely episode with Neeraj still coming to terms with his current physical status and Nicholas reflecting on his teenage attitudes towards public health guidance.

Despite the clear benefits, Nicholas is unsure whether he can begin and importantly maintain an exercise routine, which spurs a conversation about motivation and exercise, informed by the paper (PDF) Learning to Like Exercising: Evaluative Conditioning Changes Automatic Evaluations of Exercising and Influences Subsequent Exercising Behavior (researchgate.net).

Other resources

How much physical activity do adults need? | Physical Activity | CDC

Facing Up to the Global Challenges of Ageing

Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition (health.gov)

After a particularly chastening badminton match (actually two in short succession), Neeraj is concerned that he may be aging less than elegantly. He asks Nicholas a simple question, how can he age like a boss? This kicks off a new season on the Wild Truth Chase podcast covering the topic of successful aging. The first episode takes stock of how our aging is going, aspects of aging as we understand them and last resort options which leads to a learning moment for Neeraj on cryogenic freezing.