ZOE Science & Nutrition

James Nestor, investigative journalist and bestselling author of Breath, shares four simple breathing techniques and short daily habits to retrain how you breathe. He explores nasal versus mouth breathing, how slow diaphragmatic breaths calm the nervous system, why modern lifestyles reshape airways, and practical fixes like gentle mouth-taping and gradual training.

Sarah Berry, a nutrition scientist studying diet and health, breaks down what oats are made of and why they matter. She discusses population links between oats and lower disease risk. She explains how beta-glucan can lower cholesterol. She covers fiber versus starch effects on blood sugar and addresses pesticide concerns and practical choices.

Prof Sarah Berry, Professor of Nutrition and ZOE’s Chief Scientist, studies diet, metabolic health and the gut. She explains why snack quality and timing matter. Short tips on spotting hidden sugars and processing. Seven simple swaps are highlighted, from apples and chickpeas to yogurt and dark chocolate, plus why avoid late-night eating.

Dr Wendy Suzuki, neuroscientist known for work on brain plasticity and exercise, explains how movement shapes the brain. She explores how aging affects connections, why exercise gives immediate mood and attention boosts, and how regular activity grows the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Practical tips include walking and moderate aerobic sessions to support memory and focus.

Tim Spector, epidemiology professor and microbiome expert, and Dr Mark Hyman, a family physician and bestselling author on nutrition, discuss how modern food drives chronic disease. They explore ultra-processed food design, how starch and sugar harm metabolism, industry and policy roles, and why shifting to whole foods and diverse plants can change health trajectories.

Dr Tamiko Katsumoto, rheumatologist and Stanford immunology professor, explores arthritis and its links to immune responses, the gut, and joint inflammation. She discusses how arthritis starts and different causes like gout. She outlines how diet, gut health, omega‑3s and Blue Zone eating patterns may influence joint inflammation and practical plate-based food choices.

Prof Tim Spector, epidemiologist and leading gut microbiome scientist, explains how microbes travel between people, homes and environments. He explores birth and early-life seeding, how families and partners swap strains, the effects of antibiotics and cleanliness, and why pets, gardening and social contact shape long-term gut diversity.

Professor Russell Foster, neuroscientist and circadian rhythm expert, explains the brain's biological clocks and their role in health. He discusses the master clock in the brain and molecular timing in cells. He explores how timing affects metabolism and eating, and the harms of circadian disruption for mood, immunity and disease risk.

Professor Sarah Berry, ZOE chief scientist and microbiome expert, and Dr Sanjay Gupta, consultant cardiologist focused on lifestyle approaches, discuss blood pressure as a dynamic signal. They explore when numbers matter, measurement pitfalls like white-coat readings, salt sensitivity and potassium, the gut microbiome link, and practical lifestyle priorities for lowering pressure.

Sarah Berry, professor of nutrition science who studies dietary fats, breaks down how types of fat, food matrices and processing shape health. Short takes on why saturated fats and refined carbs raise blood lipids. Notes on how cheese differs from butter and why food labels can be misleading.