Live Long and Well with Dr. Bobby

Dr. Bobby Dubois
  • 4.8 (133)
  • Health & Fitness
  • Updated Biweekly

Let's explore how you can Live Long and Well with six evidence based pillars:  exercise, good sleep, proper nutrition, mind-body activities, exposure to heat/cold, and social relationships.  I am a physician scientist, Ironman Triathlete, and have a passion for helping others achieve their best self.

  1. Aug 11 ·  Video

    Breakfast—The Most Important Meal, or the Most Marketed?

    Sign up for my free newsletter/1 page action plans In this episode of Live Long and Well, Dr. Bobby looks at the evidence behind breakfast—not as a slogan, but as a real-life question: what problem is breakfast solving? For some people, breakfast may help with blood sugar, protein intake, morning exercise, or avoiding late-day overeating. For others, skipping breakfast may work perfectly well. And for many adults, “breakfast” may really mean coffee—which can improve alertness and exercise performance, but is not the same as food, protein, fiber, or fuel. Dr. Bobby also explores where the breakfast slogan came from, including its ties to cereal companies, health reformers, and early public relations campaigns. The episode then compares breakfast, lunch, and dinner through three practical questions: Does this meal help my body and health? Weight, blood sugar, disease risk, protein, and muscle.Does this meal help me perform today? Exercise, energy, focus, cognition, and school performance.Does this meal help me live well? Family rhythm, connection, and the social meaning of meals.The conclusion: there is probably no single “most important meal” for everyone. The best meal is the one that helps you live the day you are actually trying to live. In this episode Why “breakfast is the most important meal” may be more marketing than medical factWhat observational studies suggest about breakfast skipping and heart disease riskWhy healthy-user bias makes breakfast research trickyWhat randomized trials show about breakfast, skipping breakfast, weight loss, and metabolismHow chrononutrition raises a better question: are we eating too much too late?Why coffee may help you skip breakfast—but does not replace breakfast nutritionallyWhen eating before morning exercise mattersWhat we know about breakfast, cognition, and school performance in childrenWhy “hangry” may be realHow breakfast, lunch, and dinner each serve different rolesHow to decide whether breakfast matters for youKey takeaways Breakfast does not magically turn on your metabolism. Randomized trials do not show that simply adding breakfast leads to meaningful weight loss. Skipping breakfast is not automatically harmful. It may work well for some people, especially if it reduces total calories without causing overeating later. The observational data are complicated. Breakfast skippers often look less healthy in long-term studies, but they may also smoke more, sleep less, exercise less, work irregular schedules, or eat more late at night. Chrononutrition gives breakfast its strongest argument. The body may handle calories better earlier in the day than late at night. The issue may be less “everyone must eat breakfast” and more “be careful about pushing most calories to the evening.” Coffee is not breakfast. Coffee may improve alertness and exercise performance, and it may reduce appetite for a while. But it is not protein, fiber, or fuel. Kids are different. For a hungry child, breakfast may matter for learning readiness, behavior, and attention. Exercise changes the answer. For a short, easy workout, coffee and water may be enough. For a long run, long ride, intervals, or race-like effort, food or carbohydrate may help. Dinner may win the connection argument. Shared meals are strongly linked with well-being. Dinner may not be best for blood sugar, but it may be powerful for family, friendship, and decompression. Lunch deserves more respect. Lunch may be the underrated meal that prevents the 3 p.m. slump and the 9 p.m. snack attack. A practical experiment Rather than adopting a slogan, try a personal experiment. For two weeks, eat a real breakfast with protein, fiber, and minimal added sugar. Track your hunger, mood, exercise quality, afternoon energy, evening snacking, and sleep. Then, if it is safe for you, try two weeks of delaying or skipping breakfast while keeping your coffee/caffeine routine consistent. Ask yourself: Do I feel better or worse?Do I eat less overall—or make it up later?Are my workouts better or worse?Am I sharper or more irritable?Does skipping breakfast lead to a chaotic dinner?Am I still getting enough protein?The question is not whether breakfast works in theory. The question is whether breakfast works for you. Who should be more cautious about skipping breakfast? Be more careful with breakfast skipping if you are a child or adolescent, pregnant, diabetic, prone to low blood sugar, have a history of eating disorders, do long or intense morning workouts, or struggle to get enough protein—especially as an older adult. Dr. Bobby’s bottom line For me, breakfast is not the most important meal most days. If I have a long workout ahead, I eat breakfast. Coffee alone is not enough. If I am just writing, reading, or working in the morning, coffee may be enough until I am actually hungry. And if I am eating with family or friends, breakfast matters for a different reason. Sometimes the table matters more than the eggs. Maybe breakfast is not the most important meal of the day. Maybe it is the most marketed. The most important meal is the one that helps you live the day you are actually trying to live. 📥 Tap to join my free newsletter & get the 1-page episode checklists: drbobbylivelongandwell.com References and further reading Cahill LE, et al. Prospective Study of Breakfast Eating and Incident Coronary Heart Disease in a Cohort of Male U.S. Health Professionals. Circulation. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3797523/Ballon A, et al. Breakfast Skipping Is Associated with Increased Risk of Type 2 Diabetes among Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Journal of Nutrition. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30418612/Sievert K, et al. Effect of Breakfast on Weight and Energy Intake: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomised Controlled Trials. BMJ. https://www.bmj.com/content/364/bmj.l42Dhurandhar EJ, et al. The Effectiveness of Breakfast Recommendations on Weight Loss: A Randomized Controlled Trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4095657/Sutton EF, et al. Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Blood Pressure, and Oxidative Stress Even without Weight Loss in Men with Prediabetes. Cell Metabolism. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29754952/Aird TP, et al. Effects of Fasted vs Fed-State Exercise on Performance and Post-Exercise Metabolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29315892/Adolphus K, et al. The Effects of Breakfast on Behavior and Academic Performance in Children and Adolescents. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3737458/Swami V, et al. Hangry in the Field: An Experience Sampling Study on the Impact of Hunger on Anger, Irritability, and Affect. PLOS ONE. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9258883/Larson N, et al. Eating Breakfast Together as a Family: Mealtime Experiences and Associations with Dietary Intake among Adolescents. Public Health Nutrition. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5714511/World Happiness Report 2025. Sharing Meals with Others: How Sharing Meals Supports Happiness and Social Connections. https://www.worldhappiness.report/ed/2025/sharing-meals-with-others-how-sharing-meals-supports-happiness-and-social-connections/Send us Fan Mail Support the show 📥 Tap to join my free newsletter & get the 1-page episode checklists: drbobbylivelongandwell.com

  2. Jul 30

    No Pain, No Gain...or Time to Maintain?

    Sign up for my 1-page action steps for this episode (and others) and my Newsletter The hardest part of “no pain, no gain” is not the pain. It’s the moment you think, should I quit, and you realize the rule never told you when to stop pushing. I’m Dr. Bobby Du Bois, and I use a weightlifting moment with my trainer Nina to dig into a problem that shows up everywhere: health habits, fitness plans, weight loss, sleep, career ambition, even the way we talk to ourselves. Every habit charges a tax, whether that’s soreness, hunger, dread, time, or stress, and when the tax gets too high, people don’t just ease off, they often walk away. We look at why this happens, including the drop-off in gym membership adherence, and what the research suggests about dialing intensity down without losing results. I share a meta-analysis on strength training to failure versus stopping short, plus reassuring data that even short, slow runs can be linked to lower mortality. The theme is sustainability for longevity: keeping the gain by protecting the joy. Then I offer a simple framework: there’s a growth season and a maintenance season. Maintenance is not laziness; it’s quit prevention. Two questions help you decide: will I know when I’ve reached my goal, and what season am I in right now? We also talk about setting functional goals you can recognize, and using the 10-year test to see if your plan can actually last. If this helps, subscribe to Live Long and Well, share the episode with a friend who’s burning out on their routine, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify so more people can find the show. Sign up for my 1-page action steps for this episode (and others) and my Newsletter Send us Fan Mail Support the show 📥 Tap to join my free newsletter & get the 1-page episode checklists: drbobbylivelongandwell.com

  3. Jul 21 ·  Video

    What I worry about...and what I don't...

    Sign up for my free newsletter/1 page action plans Health advice doesn’t just inform us, it recruits us into worrying. One week it’s microplastics, the next it’s seed oils, artificial sweeteners, organic food, supplements, or the newest longevity protocol someone wants to sell you. I wanted a calmer, evidence-based way to decide what truly deserves attention, and what can be safely downgraded from daily stress to a simple “noted.” I walk through my own evidence-grounded worry list and explain the logic behind it. I put brain health and heart health at the top because the biggest drivers are common, measurable, and often modifiable: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, smoking, physical activity, sleep, weight, and social connection. I also make the case for injury prevention as a major longevity strategy, since one accident can wipe out months of fitness and strength. And I talk honestly about social connection, not as a soft “nice to have,” but as a real lever for living long and well. Then I switch to the other side of the equation: what I don’t worry much about. I explain why dose and context matter for artificial sweeteners, bacon, and ultra-processed foods, why organic-only eating can be an expensive distraction, why seed oils often get blamed for the wrong reasons, and why most supplements and trend-driven longevity testing don’t earn their hype yet. The takeaway is a simple three-bucket method: what deserves action, what deserves proportion instead of panic, and what is mostly noise. If this helps you reclaim time, money, and mental space for the basics that work, subscribe, share this with a friend who’s overwhelmed by health headlines, and leave a review on Apple or Spotify.  What’s one worry you’re ready to let go of? Send us Fan Mail Support the show 📥 Tap to join my free newsletter & get the 1-page episode checklists: drbobbylivelongandwell.com

  4. Jul 9 ·  Video

    My Evidence-Based Health Plan

    Sign up for my free newsletter and get 1-page action plans (Dr. Bobby's 1-page Prescriptions A birthday can sneak up on you and suddenly you’re asking a blunt question: what am I actually doing for my health, and am I focused on the right things? As I near 70, I share the health plan I actually follow, not as a template for you to copy, but as a clear way to think about your own evidence-based health plan for longevity, energy, and a life you still want to live. I organize my choices into three practical buckets. First: what I can influence directly, without needing anyone else or a prescription. That includes aerobic exercise (the easiest “yes” because I love endurance work), sleep (the hardest “yes” because it requires protecting bedtime), alcohol (a real tradeoff because it impacts sleep and raises concerns around dementia risk), and simple nutrition habits like maintaining a healthy weight and getting enough protein without obsessing over the perfect diet. I also talk about injury prevention as we age, because staying consistent beats proving you can suffer, plus the value of N-of-1 experiments like testing magnesium for muscle cramps. Second: where I need support from others. Knowing the evidence doesn’t guarantee I do the work, and strength training is my best example. I explain why accountability and a trainer can be the bridge between knowing and doing, and I share how getting real help for emotional health, including EMDR, can succeed when decades of solo effort don’t. Third: where medication is the right evidence-based tool. I push back hard on the wellness narrative that needing prescriptions means you failed, and I walk through how I think about blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and long-term mental health treatment. If this helps you rethink your own plan, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. What’s one part of your health plan you can do today, and what’s one part you need help with? Send us Fan Mail Support the show 📥 Tap to join my free newsletter & get the 1-page episode checklists: drbobbylivelongandwell.com

  5. Jul 1 ·  Video

    You Can Still Change Your Future Starting Today

    Sign-up for Newsletter (and get 1-page action summary) Episode Summary: In this episode, I explore whether it’s ever “too late” to change your health future—and why the science suggests that earlier is better, but later still matters.  Can you still change your future? The answer is hopeful, but nuanced. Younger listeners may assume they have plenty of time, while older listeners may wonder whether the damage has already been done. In both cases, the evidence points to a more useful truth: some risks accumulate over time, some damage may be partly repaired, and many future outcomes can still be changed. I begin with a personal update about using EMDR to address exercise-related fear. At 69, I’ve found that it has helped me feel more confident and enjoy intense exercise more. Would it have been better to try it decades ago? Probably. But that does not mean it was too late to benefit now. The episode then walks through a five-part framework for thinking about health changes. First, some changes are best made early because damage accumulates. Blood pressure is a clear example: long-term cumulative blood pressure exposure in young adulthood has been linked with later cardiovascular disease risk, which is why “my arteries are keeping score now” is such an important message.  Glaucoma follows a similar logic: elevated eye pressure can silently damage the optic nerve, so early detection and treatment matter. Second, some damage may be partly repaired. Smoking cessation is the clearest example. Lung cancer risk declines the longer someone has stopped smoking, although prior smoking risk does not disappear completely.  I also discuss the Lifestyle Heart Trial, where intensive lifestyle changes were associated with regression of coronary atherosclerosis and fewer cardiac events over time, while also noting that the study was small and required major changes that may not be realistic for everyone.  Third, even when we cannot erase the past, we can still protect the future. The Diabetes Prevention Program showed that lifestyle changes reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 58% overall and 71% among adults over age 60.  The UKPDS also reminds us that early glucose control after diabetes diagnosis can have lasting benefits, especially for complications involving the eyes, nerves, and kidneys.  Fourth, it is never too late to build certain capacities. Strength training is a powerful example. In one study of frail adults up to age 96, high-resistance training led to major strength gains and improved walking speed.  That does not mean we are trying to become bodybuilders at 90. It means we are training for independence, balance, confidence, and the ability to keep doing the things that make life meaningful. Finally, timing may matter, but sometimes we do not yet know how much. Social connection is strongly tied to health and happiness, as shown in the Harvard Study of Adult Development, but we do not know exactly how much risk can be reversed by building new relationships later in life.  Sauna use has also been associated with lower cardiovascular and cognitive risk, but it is less clear whether benefits require lifelong use or can still meaningfully begin later. The practical question becomes: does this activity also bring you joy now? Takeaways: Earlier is better, but later is not too late. Start by asking what part of your future you can still influence from here. Check your blood pressure, see your eye doctor, consider strength training, reconnect with a friend, or address a fear that has been holding you back. The goal is not perfection—it is progress, and there is still time for that. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 📥 Tap to join my free newsletter & get the 1-page episode checklists: drbobbylivelongandwell.com

  6. Jun 23 ·  Video

    Die of a broken heart? Scared to death?

    Get my Newsletter and 1-page action sheets Explore whether emotions like grief, fear, anger, loneliness, and chronic stress can truly affect the heart — and what the evidence suggests we can do to protect ourselves. Can you really die of a broken heart? Rarely, yes. The clearest medical example is Takotsubo syndrome, also known as stress cardiomyopathy or “broken heart syndrome.” It can occur after an intense emotional or physical stressor, causing chest pain, shortness of breath, and a temporary change in how the heart pumps. A large study of 1,750 patients found that Takotsubo syndrome can lead to serious complications, including acute heart failure and death.  Fear can also affect the heart, especially in someone who already has a vulnerable cardiovascular system. After the 1994 Northridge earthquake, researchers found a sharp increase in sudden cardiac deaths, suggesting that intense emotional stress may act as a trigger in people predisposed to cardiac events.  Anger may matter too. A systematic review found that outbursts of anger were associated with a short-term increase in the risk of heart attack, stroke, and dangerous heart rhythms. For most healthy people, the absolute risk after one angry episode is low. But for someone with known heart disease, anger may not build the bomb — it may light the fuse.  But the bigger issue for most of us is not one dramatic moment. It is chronic stress. Long-term stress can affect heart rate, blood pressure, cortisol levels, sleep, exercise habits, alcohol use, eating patterns, and social connection. Over time, those pathways can matter for heart health. Social connection may be one of the most overlooked protective factors. A large meta-analysis of 148 studies found that people with stronger social relationships had a 50% greater likelihood of survival than those with weaker relationships.  On the other side, loneliness and social isolation have been associated with higher risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.  Takeaways: The heart is a pump, but it is influenced by the whole life we live. Rare emotional events can affect the heart, but day-to-day stress, poor sleep, loneliness, and chronic distress may be more relevant for most of us. Protecting your heart means more than checking cholesterol or blood pressure. It also means sleeping well, moving your body, managing stress, nurturing relationships, and taking care of the people you love. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 📥 Tap to join my free newsletter & get the 1-page episode checklists: drbobbylivelongandwell.com

  7. Jun 11 ·  Video

    Good Enough Exercise

    I’m joined by Dr. Jeffrey Sankoff to talk about three exercise “rules” you may be allowed to break: you don’t always need to spread workouts across the week, intensity doesn’t have to come from a formal interval session, and most short workouts don’t require a complicated hydration or fueling plan. The Exercise Rules You’re Allowed to Break Have you ever skipped a workout because you couldn’t do the “right” one? Maybe you didn’t have time for the gym, a long hike, or a structured bike ride. Today, we revisit Voltaire’s reminder that “the great is the enemy of the good” and apply it to exercise. The evidence is reassuring: weekend workouts count, short bursts of effort during the day count, and for most workouts under an hour, hydration hype may matter far less than we’ve been led to believe. Dr. Jeffrey Sankoff, an ER physician, Ironman triathlete, triathlon coach, and host of the evidence-focused TriDoc Podcast, joins me for this conversation. While Jeff works with endurance athletes, today’s discussion is for anyone who wants to live long and well while still managing the realities of work, family, travel, and everyday life. First, we break the calendar rule. Many people assume exercise has to be spread evenly throughout the week, but a 2024 Circulation study on “weekend warrior” physical activity found that people who concentrated their moderate-to-vigorous exercise into one or two days still had lower risk for many diseases compared with inactive people, especially cardiometabolic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and sleep apnea. The study was observational, so it does not prove weekend-only exercise is ideal, and injury risk still matters. But the practical message is clear: if weekdays are impossible, weekends still count.  Next, we break the formal-interval rule. High intensity does not always have to mean a structured HIIT class, a bike trainer, or a carefully timed workout. A 2026 European Heart Journal study found that a higher percentage of vigorous physical activity was associated with lower risk across several chronic diseases and mortality outcomes. Even a small proportion of vigorous activity may matter, meaning short real-life bursts—taking the stairs quickly, walking briskly uphill, carrying groceries with purpose, or chasing a child or grandchild—can become meaningful movement when they raise your breathing and effort level. This study was also observational, so it cannot prove cause and effect, and anyone with medical concerns should check with their clinician before adding vigorous bursts.  Finally, we break the bottle rule. For endurance races, long workouts, or hot-weather exercise, hydration, electrolytes, and carbohydrates can matter. But for many 30- to 60-minute workouts in ordinary conditions, a formal hydration or fueling plan may not be necessary. The American College of Sports Medicine’s position stand emphasizes fluid replacement to support hydration during physical activity, but the need depends on duration, sweat loss, heat, and intensity. A practical “N of 1” approach is to weigh yourself before and after a typical workout to see how much fluid you actually lose.  We also discuss electrolytes and carbohydrates. Electrolytes are mostly salts, and they become more relevant with long, hot, sweaty, or repeated sessions. Carbohydrate-containing drinks can help with longer endurance performance, but for a 35-minute walk or a short gym session, sugar in your bottle is usually not the bottleneck. A systematic review on carbohydrates and exercise performance found benefits in longer exercise contexts, but that does not mean every short workout needs sports drinks or gels.  Takeaways Don’t let the perfect workout plan keep you from the good-enough workout you can actually do. If weekdays are packed, a weekend warrior approach may still provide meaningful health benefits. Look for small bursts of vigorous effort in daily life, and for most workouts under an hour, water when thirsty is usually enough. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 📥 Tap to join my free newsletter & get the 1-page episode checklists: drbobbylivelongandwell.com

  8. Jun 2 ·  Video

    Longevity Summarized: The Compass, the Detour, and the Parking Brake

    After 70 episodes, I've noticed a pattern that keeps showing up in every corner of longevity, wellness, and medicine: people don’t fail because they “don’t care.” They fail because the signal is buried under hype, and because perfectionism makes the basics feel impossible to sustain. So I step back and share a simple framework  for living long and well: treat evidence like a compass, treat hype like a detour, and treat perfectionism like a parking brake. I walk through how to read health evidence without getting lost. Randomized controlled trials vs observational studies, replication, meta-analyses, and the most important filter of all: are we looking at meaningful outcomes like fewer heart attacks, better function, clearer thinking, and longer life, or are we just watching biomarkers move. We also revisit how research in stable coronary artery disease forced a shift away from the intuitive “fix the plumbing” story and back toward the unglamorous risk factors that actually drive health. Then we get practical about what to do when averages don’t map cleanly onto you. Using sleep and melatonin as an example, we explain a careful N-of-1 approach, including the power of stopping and restarting so you can tell whether a change truly helps. From there, we break down the “hype equation” using mitochondrial health and NAD claims to show how plausible mechanisms, credentials, anecdotes, and incentives can make weak evidence feel strong. Finally, we make the case for “good enough” health: the 80-20 moves that deliver most of the benefit, plus the mindset that leaves room for joy. If this helps, subscribe, share it with a friend who’s tired of wellness noise, and leave a review so more people can find the compass. Send us Fan Mail Support the show 📥 Tap to join my free newsletter & get the 1-page episode checklists: drbobbylivelongandwell.com

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Let's explore how you can Live Long and Well with six evidence based pillars:  exercise, good sleep, proper nutrition, mind-body activities, exposure to heat/cold, and social relationships.  I am a physician scientist, Ironman Triathlete, and have a passion for helping others achieve their best self.

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