ZOE Science & Nutrition ZOE

Admit it, exercise isn't everyone's favorite pastime. Of course, our ancestors weren't hitting the gym by choice — our evolution has wired us to stay active, and this natural activity actually slows down the aging process.
The good news is that you can achieve the benefits without feeling like you're "exercising."
In today’s episode, Prof. Daniel Lieberman debunks exercise myths. He also teaches us how exercise impacts our health and how learning from our evolution can unlock the secrets of a longer life.
Daniel Lieberman is a paleoanthropologist at Harvard University. He’s the Edwin M. Lerner II Professor of Biological Sciences and a professor in the Department of Human Evolutionary Biology. He’s best known for his research on the evolution of the human mind and the human body.
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide
Timecodes:
00:00     Introduction
01:34    Quickfire questions
03:22    The  Rudyard Kipling view of our ancestors
04:54    Is exercise good for us and why do most of us hate it?
06:19    For millions of years, people were physically active for 2 reasons only…
15:38    Our bodies have evolved to save calroies and preserve energy
18:31    It’s normal to think your life is normal
22:27    We need to exercise because we don’t move enough!
34:00   Diet, exercise and sleep can prevent these diseases…
39:54    The active Grandparent hypothesis
43:10    Study of men matriculating as undergraduates at Harvard University
49:44    How can we enjoy keeping physically active?
01:00:00   The importance of weights exercise
01:06:43   Summary
Mentioned in today’s episode: 
Three generations of HSPH researchers explore health benefits of exercise from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Stanford marshmallow test experiment, a summary from Simply Psychology
We also mention Daniel’s book Exercised: The Science of Physical Activity, Rest and Health, and you can find it here.
Episode transcripts are available here.
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it. 

We’ve been working for the past 2 years on a randomized controlled trial of ZOE membership. 
Participants used personalized nutrition advice to try to improve their health — and the results are fascinating. 
In today’s episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan, Sarah, and Tim ask: How did ZOE hold up as part of this trial?
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
01:03 - Quickfire round
02:10 - Sarah’s first impression of Jonathan
05:29 - What is an RCT
10:20 - What is ZOE and how does it work
14:14 - What did the RCT participants experience
16:16 - Using cookies to measure blood sugar
20:07 - What is blood fat
25:02 - What happens once you’ve done your tests
26:17 - Recent dietary changes Jonathan, Sarah and Tim have made
34:52 - How are you guided through the ZOE program
37:19 - Control group vs ZOE group
41:23 - Results of the ZOE RCT
45:03 - Do other wellness products have RCTs
47:57 - Will the results be greater after a year of ZOE
54:44 - Does the ZOE membership work
57:02 - The difference between ZOE and other medical devices
58:44 - Summary and outro
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it
Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Epidemiology of constipation in Europe and Oceania: A systematic review published in BMC Gastroenterology Recent advances in understanding and managing chronic constipation published in F1000ResearchHuman Postprandial Responses to Food and Potential for Precision Nutrition published in Nature MedicineMicrobiome connections with host metabolism and habitual diet from 1,098 deeply phenotyped individuals published in Nature MedicinePostprandial glycaemic dips predict appetite and energy intake in healthy individuals published in Nature Medicine
Episode transcripts are available here.
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it.

Heart disease is among the top five causes of death globally, and it’s the first in the United States and United Kingdom. In the U.S., it causes 1 in 5 deaths.
But what is heart disease, exactly? Can we take steps to avoid it? Prof. Eric Rimm, of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, is here to enlighten us. 
In today’s episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Eric explore what we can do to reduce our chances of getting heart disease. 
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to zoe.com/podcast, and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Follow ZOE on Instagram. 
Timecodes:
00:15 - Intro
01:07 - Quick fire questions
02:10 - Biggest myth about Heart Disease
03:2 6 - What is Heart Disease?
08:03 - What is a stroke?
10:29 - What are the differences in Heart Disease symptoms between men and women?
12:51 - Did you know that…
14:24 - The multi-decade diet study
21:24 - The 4 ways to lower chances Heart Disease
28:16 - Weight and Heart Disease
32:09 - What can you do to reduce Heart Disease risk?
34:30 - Exercise and Heart Disease risk
37:11 - Body Weight and Heart Disease risk
38:01 - Diet and Heart Disease risk
41:06 - Sleep and Heart Disease risk
46:18 - What is the cutting edge research in Heart Disease?
49:35 - Summary
53:18 -  Conclusion
Mentioned in today’s episode: 
Optimal dietary patterns for prevention of chronic disease from Nature MedicineFrequency, type, and volume of leisure-time physical activity and risk of coronary heart disease in young women from CirculationDiet, lifestyle, biomarkers, genetic factors, and risk of cardiovascular disease in the Nurses’ Health Studies from the American Journal of Public Health
Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com and we’ll do our best to cover it.
Episode transcripts are available here.

What are lectins, and are they dangerous? These “antinutrients” have come under attack and were recently the subject of a dietary fad fueled by a popular book. As always, there’s more to the story.
In today’s episode, Jonathan is joined by Dr. Will Bulsiewicz to dive deep into the world of lectins. They dissect questionable studies, debunk myths, and offer expert advice about how to approach foods containing these misunderstood compounds.
Will is a board-certified gastroenterologist with 14 years of experience. He’s also the New York Times best-selling author of Fiber Fueled and ZOE’s U.S. medical director. 
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Mentioned in today’s episode:
Lectins as bioactive plant proteins: A potential in cancer treatment from Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition
Plant-derived lectins as potential cancer therapeutics and diagnostic tools from BioMed Research International
A legume-based hypocaloric diet reduces proinflammatory status and improves metabolic features in overweight/obese subjects from the European Journal of Nutrition
Dietary legume consumption reduces risk of colorectal cancer: Evidence from a meta-analysis of cohort studies from Scientific Reports
Intake of legumes and cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis from Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases
Legume consumption is inversely associated with type 2 diabetes incidence in adults: A prospective assessment from the PREDIMED study from Clinical Nutrition
The effects of legume consumption on markers of glycaemic control in individuals with and without diabetes mellitus: A systematic literature review of randomised controlled trials from Nutrients
Effects of dietary pulse consumption on body weight: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials from The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 
The "white kidney bean incident" in Japan from Methods in Molecular Biology
Fructan, rather than gluten, induces symptoms in patients with self-reported non-celiac gluten sensitivity from Gastroenterology
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Can the power of your thoughts help defy aging? Could your mind help improve your eyesight or even heal wounds faster? 
These ideas might seem far-fetched, but our guest, Harvard Professor Ellen Langer, has spent four decades uncovering the real science behind this.
In this episode, discover how to harness your mind-body connection to enhance your well-being.
Ellen Langer is an American professor of psychology at Harvard University. In 1981, she became the first woman ever to be tenured in psychology at Harvard. 
Prof. Langer studies the illusion of control, decision-making, aging, and mindfulness theory.
Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes:
00:00 Introduction
01:48    Quickfire questions
04:34    The mind and body should be understood as one unit
05:42 The counterclockwise study
06:51 Chambermaid exercise study
09:33    What is Mindfulness?
10:59 All of the misery we experience is a function of our mindlessness
14:47    Mindful optimism
23:12    Everything should be different, every day of your life
25:33    How Ellen approaches a simple eyesight test    
28:21 We have more control over our health and lives than we think…
33:35    Placebos could be our strongest medicines…
39:00    Blood sugar study results
44:50    How to approach mindfulness
54:05    Summary
Mentioned in today’s episode: 
Ageing as a mindset: A counterclockwise experiment to rejuvenate older adults sponsored by Catholic University of the Sacred Heart
Mind-set matters: Exercise and the placebo effect from Psychological Science
The Mindful Body and Mindfulness, two books by Prof. Langer
Episode transcripts are available here.
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it.

Do you feel like your muscles are shrinking or getting weaker? Many people gradually lose muscle mass as they get older. And this leads to an increased risk of falls, osteoporosis, and fractures. 
When it comes to your muscles, it’s a case of use them or lose them. But what is the most effective way to use our muscles and maintain strength? Ex-bodybuilder and professor of exercise science Brad Schoenfeld tells us how. And it’s easier than you might think!
In today’s episode of ZOE Science & Nutrition, Jonathan and Brad ask: How can you maintain muscle mass as you age? 
If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program.
Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide
Follow ZOE on Instagram
Timecodes:
00:00 - Introduction 
1:25 - Quickfire round
2:38 - How do our muscles work
3:01 - Why are muscles important for our health
5:15 - The loss of muscles and how to prevent it
8:19 - Resistance training - How it builds muscles
11:24 - Nutrition and muscle growth
13:01 - How muscle growth changes with age
17:45 - Resistance training vs Cardio
20:20 - How to do resistance training
28:11 - No time to exercise?
30:28 - What weight to train with
36:10 - How menopause affects muscle maintenance
41:13 - Summary and outro
Mentioned in today’s episode: 
Effects of resistance training on muscle size and strength in very elderly adults from Sports MedicineStrength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance Training from The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research
Episode transcripts are available here.
Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it.