Every time you cook a meal, you could be shaping your mood, energy and how clearly you think, as well as supporting your long-term brain health.

In this episode, we explore the links between diet, gut microbes, inflammation and brain health with Professor Tim Spector.

And we get really foodie, talking through a day of eating, from his go-to breakfast to easy midweek dinners.

Professor Spector is Professor of Genetic Epidemiology at King’s College London, a pioneering gut microbiome researcher, scientific co-founder of ZOE and bestselling author. His new cookbook, Good Mood Food, explores how what we eat shapes how we feel, think and age.

We cover:

• How inflammation and the gut–brain connection may influence your mood
• Blood sugar, brain fog and the debate around glucose spikes
• Tim’s yoghurt and kefir breakfast bowl, with berries, nuts and seeds
• What to look for when buying kefir
• Easy lunches
• Oily fish, omega-3s and ways to use sardines, anchovies and mackerel
• Adding more plants and fermented foods to your everyday dinners
• A two-week breakfast challenge and how to track how you feel

📌 Turn these ideas into delicious meals with The Doctor’s Kitchen app.

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Every time you sit down to eat, you’re giving your body information.

Compounds in your food act as signals that influence your gut microbes, immune response and even the expression of your genes.

That’s the idea we explore today with biochemist Dr Jeffrey Bland, widely known as the father of functional medicine. He co-founded the Institute for Functional Medicine and wrote The Disease Delusion, one of my all-time favourite books!

We bring the research back to your kitchen with four food priorities for gut health, immune resilience and healthy ageing: polyphenols, fibre, healthy fats and fermented foods. Plus, why we all need to eat more bitter foods!

In this episode:

• How food can influence gene expression
• The link between immune health, metabolism and ageing
• Polyphenol-rich foods and why variety matters
• Fibre and fermented foods for gut health
• Omega-3s, olive oil and inflammation
• Fish versus fish oil supplements
• Bitter foods and how they may help regulate appetite

If you want to put food as medicine on your plate, try The Doctor’s Kitchen app for free. Every recipe has these principles baked in.

Dr Jeffrey Bland’s new book ’The Nourished Gene’ releases on April 27, 2027 and is available for preorder now at https://jeffreybland.com/

More to watch, cook and try 👇

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👉 If you’d like help eating a more anti-inflammatory diet, try The Doctor’s Kitchen app free for 7 days.

Inflammation has become a huge wellness buzzword, but it isn’t always bad. It’s an essential part of how your immune system protects and repairs your body.

The problem is long-term, unwanted inflammation. It’s linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other chronic health problems. And it may also play a role in how we feel day to day, including our energy, gut health, skin and more.

The good news is that simple changes to what you eat and how you live can help keep inflammation well regulated.

Today, I’m joined by Dr Jenna Macciochi, an immunologist, author and inflammation expert with over 20 years of experience.

We walk through:

• What inflammation actually is and why everyone is talking about it
• The biggest everyday drivers of inflammation
• What to eat to support a healthy inflammatory response
• How light, movement, stress and sleep affect your immune system
• Simple habits to build into your day, from morning to evening

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If you want to stay healthier for longer, one of the best things you can do is lower chronic inflammation.

The great thing is, food is one of the most powerful tools we have.

So I sat down with Professor Rob Thomas, consultant oncologist at Addenbrooke's and UCLH, Professor of Sports and Nutritional Science, and one of the UK's leading experts in healthy ageing, to talk about what makes the biggest difference.

We cover:

• The best foods to lower chronic inflammation
• The link between inflammation and ageing
• How to reduce your biological age
• Why grip strength predicts how well you'll age

There are so many practical takeaways in this one. I hope it inspires you to add a few more anti-inflammatory foods to your plate this week!

–

One of the most important ways we can impact our health, feel stronger and more energetic everyday and even slow ageing is by lowering inflammation. And the good news is, that what you choose to put on your plate is a powerful lever to reduce it, alongside improving sleep, moving more and stressing less.

So today I'm joined by Professor Robert Thomas, NHS Consultant Oncologist at Addenbrooke's and Bedford Hospitals, and Head of Integrative Oncology at The Royal London Hospital for Integrative Medicine, where he advises lifestyle, complementary and nutritional strategies to improve patient outcomes.

We’re going to discuss the 8 key foods he believes we should be eating everyday to optimise inflammation to help us live longer, healthier lives and protect us from diseases of ageing including cancer and heart disease.

Professor shares 8 longevity foods to eat daily to protect against ageing

OR

Eat these 8 foods daily to reduce inflammation and age slower

SEE SUGGESTED DISCUSSION POINTS FROM ROB BELOW.

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Next time you look at the calories on the back of a packet or the nutritional breakdown of a recipe, remember that number doesn't tell you the whole story.

It says nothing about the nutrients, the quality of the food, how satisfying it'll be, or even how many calories your body will actually absorb.

To unpack it all, I'm joined by Professor Giles Yeo, Professor of Molecular Neuroendocrinology at the University of Cambridge, MBE, and author of the brilliant book Why Calories Don't Count.

We cover:

• 5 reasons calorie counting matters less than we think
• Why "low-cal" doesn't always mean healthy
• Why we don't absorb every calorie we eat
• Why the calories in nuts, avocados and seeds aren't the same as the calories in a ultra-processed foods, even when the numbers match
• Is fruit juice really healthy?
• 3 strategies to maintain a healthy weight

I hope this changes the way you think about calories and gives you a few practical ideas you can start using straight away. If you know someone who's always checking the calorie label before anything else, send this episode their way.

As always, thanks for listening!

Dr Rupy x

More from Professor Giles Yeo

https://www.wolfson.cam.ac.uk/people/giles-yeo

https://x.com/GilesYeo

https://www.instagram.com/gilesyeo/?hl=en

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How do you become happier?

Professor Arthur Brooks describes 3 “macronutrients” for a happier life: enjoyment, satisfaction and meaning. Rather than chasing positive feelings, the idea is to build more of each into our everyday lives.

We get into some really practical ways to do this, including:

• Why being bored is good for your brain

• The three times to put your phone away each day

• How to make your downtime more meaningful

• How to find more meaning through love, awe and spirituality

👤 About today’s guest: Arthur Brooks is a professor at Vanderbilt University, a senior fellow at Harvard Business School, a New York Times bestselling author and a leading researcher on happiness and meaning.

His latest book, The Meaning of Your Life, is out now. From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of From Strength to Strength, it's an account of how the modern world sets us up to fail at finding meaning, and a plan for finding what you seek.

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I’ve been talking a lot about eating healthy high protein. And sometimes it feels like you have to choose a side. High protein or plant-focused.

But both play really important roles for energy, appetite, muscle health, gut health and healthy ageing.

My guest today actually describes them as a dynamic duo 🤝 They work best together. You want both on your plate, not one crowding out the other.

Dominique Ludwig is an accredited nutritionist and registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioner with more than 30 years of clinical experience helping people improve their health, energy and relationship with food.

She’s also the author of the brilliant new book ‘No-Nonsense Nutrition’, which is filled with practical, realistic advice and beautiful recipes that make healthy eating feel really achievable.

We cover:

• Protein recommendations for every meal
• Why protein becomes more important after 30
• The benefits of prioritising protein during menopause
• Top protein foods and easy 10g protein top-ups
• How to upgrade breakfasts, salads and pasta
• Whole carbs vs refined carbs
• How to lose weight without counting calories
• Building balanced plates that keep you full

🎬 Watch the podcast on YouTube here

📱 Download The Doctor’s Kitchen app

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What if I told you that two people could eat the exact same meal, with the exact same calories, and have completely different hormonal responses because of what they believed about what they were eating?

These aren't fringe findings.

A growing body of evidence suggests that the way we think about our health can meaningfully impact our biology.

In this episode, I'm joined by nutritionist and Sunday Times bestselling author Sarah Ann Macklin to unpack four ways our thoughts can either help or hinder our health.

We explore:

• How your beliefs about food can influence hormones, appetite and metabolism

• Why the way you think about exercise may affect the health benefits you experience

• Whether your genes are really your destiny

• Why self-compassion could be one of the most powerful tools for lasting health

This is a fascinating conversation about the hidden connection between mind and body, and how changing the way we think could help shape our health for the better.

Hope you enjoy this one and find something practical you can apply to your own life.

Dr Rupy

Learn more about Sarah's work

Sarah's latest book 'Healthy Shouldn't Be This Hard' is out now

Instagram: @sarahannmacklin

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@livewellbewellsarah

Substack:https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

Website: www.sarahannmacklin.com

Join the Doctor’s Kitchen

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Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.