Trust your gut

It took hours to make these cookies for my son's school, but it did give me dedicated podcast time along with hand cramps. Tackling 'The One Dough to Rule Them All' (my name, not theirs) was as gargantuan a task as digesting all of the material in Dr. Peter Attia's interview with Dr. Colleen Cutcliffe. There are parts of this podcast regarding your microbiome you can skip, such as the intricacies of manufacturing probiotics, and instead focus on the smaller 'Aha!' moments discussing your individual gut health and the changes you can expect based on circumstances. Ultimately, this podcast is long but important for anyone struggling to understand what their gut is up to. And, while we’re on the subject, Dr. Robert Lustig breaks down the importance of fiber, fermented food and overall gut health in the most recent episode of the Huberman Lab. While the first podcast digs deeply into the science of gut health, this one offers more actionable steps.

Just a note, I often discuss the importance of fiber and fermented foods for the love of a healthy biome. The conversation often goes like this:

Me: Gut bacteria are a big part of your overall health

Client: Should I take a probiotic, then?

Me: Um . . . . it's complicated.

Listening to this, it's still complicated, and it's still your choice after consulting with someone smarter and more qualified than me.

PS - just because I made them doesn’t mean I ate them. I may have considered it at a point, but by the time I finished making four dozen of them, I never wanted to see a cookie again!

Black magic

If this isn’t your holiday season, the next few weeks are still potentially a time of longer hours and more social obligations. We can certainly dig into what that means for your nutrition - oof! - and I can potentially give you a red light on nature’s kickstand - coffee. Thanks to the work of Science Vs and their deep dive into over a hundred research papers in this episode, a few extra cups may not be that alarming, depending on how you personally synthesize caffeine. Here are the stats:

Pro

• Can make you poop;

• Stimulates neurotransmitters such as dopamine that improve your mood;

• Blocks sleep-inducing adenosine;

• On average, it delays sleep by 30 minutes or less for the first cup and only 15 minutes per additional cup if you're a fast metabolizer of caffeine;

• Coffee drinkers averaged 1,000 more steps a day, which may translate to fantastic health benefits;

• Dials down the perception of pain;

• Some evidence that caffeine can increase your cell's calcium release, which could improve the force of muscle contractions;

• Even coffee drinkers who drink eight cups a day live longer than non-drinkers, according to one study;

• People who drink coffee have a lower risk of Parkinson's Disease, depression, Type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, and although we once erroneously thought coffee was carcinogenic, it actually might reduce your risk of some cancers like liver and breast cancer (Check the transcript for citations);

Con:

• Can make you poop (well, I mean, sometimes that's not super convenient);

• It does not sharpen your sense of humor;

• If you're a slow metabolizer, it can delay sleep by an hour or more;

• Can lead to dependency (not addiction);

• Too much can leave you feeling anxious;

Tempting

As soon as the temperature drops even a little, my brain switches from salads to soups. I blame that on my dad, though - full disclosure - one could never tell what lurks in the murky depths of his broth because he views soup as the perfect way to upcycle leftovers. Given his, uh, 'creativity' - I've advised my son to skip milk-based concoctions to be safe. But this isn't a lengthy recipe ramble - it’s a chance to discuss cravings and what we can do about them. In an episode of 'Good Life Project', Amy Shah, MD discusses what triggers a craving and how to manage dopamine to keep us out of temptation's grip.

Faking it

The podcast 'The Next Big Idea' featured Chris van Tulleken, author of 'Ultra-Processed People: The Science Behind Food That Isn't Food,' in this compelling episode. He shares a compassionate take on the perils of eating hyper-processed foods and ways to address the industry while recognizing the challenges faced by vulnerable populations. Even if we don't rely on manufactured food habitually, we've all mindlessly blown through a portion size and marveled at how impossible it was to stop eating something. Van Tulleken expertly explains why this is so and what impact it has on our bodies.