How to beat heart disease: 8 habits you must fix | Dr. Nour Makarem
Heart disease is the world’s biggest killer—and it often strikes without warning. It’s responsible for around 1 in 5 deaths in the US. While these figures are deeply worrying, heart disease is not inevitable.
Decades of research have unearthed many of the risk factors associated with heart health, like poor diet or a sedentary lifestyle. In this episode, Dr. Nour Makarem outlines the latest scientific discoveries in this field and unveils some less-familiar risk factors. Drawing from large-scale population data and the latest wearable tech, she uncovers what makes heart disease so hard to spot, and what we can do today to prevent it.
Nour is a cardiovascular epidemiologist at Columbia University, whose research focuses on how our behaviors—like sleep, stress, and daily rhythms—impact heart disease risk. Her research has helped shape the American Heart Association’s Essential Eight guide to heart health.
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Timecodes
00:00 What is heart health?
01:50 Can poor sleep make you age faster?
03:25 What is heart disease?
06:01 Why high blood pressure is called the ‘silent killer’
07:44 Heart disease is the leading cause of death, but it’s highly preventable
08:54 How good lifestyle choices can add an extra decade of healthy life
10:32 Good heart health can make you biologically 6 years younger
12:19 The 6 pillars of good sleep you’ve never heard of
13:54 The shocking sleep habit that can double your risk of heart disease
15:02 How much can your sleep schedule vary before it becomes a risk?
16:19 Why how you feel about your sleep is a key health metric
19:43 The surprising link between not sleeping enough and gaining weight
22:02 Are sleep tracking devices actually helpful?
24:19 It's never too late to improve your heart health, even with bad genes
27:32 The best time to eat breakfast for a healthier heart
32:20 The American Heart Association's 8 essential habits for a healthy heart
33:39 The recommended amount of exercise you need per week
34:17 Is vaping a risk for your heart?
36:30 The growing health crisis almost 40% of people are facing
37:54 Cholesterol isn't the only number that predicts your heart attack risk
39:50 Why sleeping in is also bad for your heart health
40:55 Avoid these stimulants before bed for better quality sleep
42:12 The single most surprising risk factor for your heart
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
The Food For Life Cookbook
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Mentioned in today's episode
Redefining Cardiovascular Health to Include Sleep: Prospective Associations With Cardiovascular Disease in the MESA Sleep Study.
Multidimensional Sleep Health Is Associated with Cardiovascular Disease Prevalence and Cardiometabolic Health in US Adults.
Variability in Daily Eating Patterns and Eating Jetlag Are Associated With Worsened Cardiometabolic Risk Profiles in the American Heart Association Go Red for Women Strategically Focused Research Network
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.
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Recap: Davina McCall's menopause experience
For Davina, menopause wasn’t just a transition - it was a quiet crisis. She felt like a stranger in her own body, overwhelmed by symptoms she wasn’t prepared for and didn’t fully understand.
But she didn’t stay silent. Her book ‘Menopausing’ has helped millions of women feel supported and seen during this transformative stage of life.
In this episode, Davina joins us to share her personal journey, and we share ZOE research that shows how diet can be a powerful tool for managing menopause symptoms.
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:
The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Free resources from ZOE:
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here
Listen to the full episode here
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Food additives exposed: The artificial dyes and chemicals to avoid | Marion Nestle
Those long, unpronounceable ingredients at the bottom of food labels—what are they really doing to your health?
In this episode, we’re joined by Professor Marion Nestle, a world-leading nutrition expert and author of the groundbreaking book ‘Food Politics’. Marion has spent decades exposing how powerful food companies influence what ends up on our plates — and how little regulation may stand in their way.
We dive into the hidden world of food additives and the regulatory systems meant to protect us. While the U.S. allows companies to self-certify ingredients as “safe” without independent FDA approval, Europe and the UK take a stricter approach. But does stricter always mean safer?
Marion unpacks how these systems differ, which substances might be harming our health, and what consumers can do to reduce their risk. We explore what the science says about additives, inflammation, gut health, and more.
Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 Get the ZOE app (US Only)
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes:
00:00 Are common food additives tested for safety?
02:44 The shocking number of additives in a simple loaf of bread
04:14 The real reason your bread is so soft
05:55 The loophole that allows 10,000 additives into our food
07:24 How companies get to approve their own additives
08:46 Why it's so hard to prove an additive is harmful
10:27 The concerning difference between US and European food regulations
12:30 When the FDA revoked an additive's "safe" status
14:23 You won't believe where this common food dye comes from
15:36 A study linking food dyes to behavioral problems in children
18:59 Are the thousands of other food additives safe to eat?
22:51 Why we can't trust food companies to police themselves
26:45 The US state that just banned 44 common additives
28:52 Why food companies say they can't get rid of artificial colors
31:42 The hidden additives you'll never see on a food label
34:21 The surprising reason farmers use antibiotics to fatten animals
36:16 Why your chicken is probably contaminated
40:39 The hidden health and environmental costs of cheap food
43:51 How food companies use the "pester factor" to market to your kids
47:56 The one regulation that would fix our broken food system
51:36 The simple 7-word rule for a healthy diet
55:13 The childhood discovery that shaped my diet for life
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
The Food For Life Cookbook
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Mentioned in today's episode
Navigating the U.S. Food Additive Regulatory Program Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety (2011)
Oral administration of potassium bromate induces neurobehavioral changes, alters cerebral neurotransmitters level and impairs brain tissue of swiss mice Behavioural and Brain Functions (2016)
Safety assessment of titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive EFSA Journal (2021)
Food Dyes a Rainbow of Risks Center For Science in the Public Intrest (2010)
Health risk assessment of exposure to ractopamine through consumption of meat products International Journal of Advanced Research (2014)
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.
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Recap: The healthy way to feed your kids | Rhiannon Lambert and Dr. Federica Amati
Today, we’re tackling the challenge of feeding our children.
Getting kids to eat a balanced meal can often feel like an uphill battle, especially when they’re surrounded by eye-catching marketing campaigns that aim to lure them into unhealthy habits.
So, how can busy parents help their children build a better relationship with food?
In this episode, nutrition experts Rhiannon Lambert and Dr. Federica Amati share straightforward strategies to guide your children away from processed foods and towards a lifelong love of healthy eating.
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
📚 Books from our ZOE Scientists:
The Food For Life Cookbook by Prof. Tim Spector
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Free resources from ZOE:
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - for a healthier microbiome in weeks
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here
Listen to the full episode here
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Forget crash diets: How to maintain a healthy weight | Alan Aragon & Prof. Sarah Berry
Most people who try to lose weight and keep it off end up failing. But what if the problem isn’t you - it’s the diet?
In this episode, we cut through the noise of weight loss fads to explore a science-backed method that’s helped countless people make real, sustainable changes. It’s called flexible dieting, and it’s built around the idea that personalised macronutrient targets, food quality, and consistency matter more than restrictive rules or trendy plans.
Our guest is Alan Aragon, a leading expert in fitness nutrition who’s spent over 30 years coaching clients and publishing research that’s reshaped how the industry thinks about fat loss. Alongside Alan is Professor Sarah Berry, ZOE’s Chief Scientist, who brings insight from her studies on metabolism and how our bodies respond to food.
Together, they unpack what actually works for long-term fat loss — and how you can get started with a realistic, effective approach that doesn’t require cutting out the foods you love.
Unwrap the truth about your food 👉 Get the ZOE app
🌱 Try our new plant based wholefood supplement - Daily 30+
*Naturally high in copper which contributes to normal energy yielding metabolism and the normal function of the immune system
Follow ZOE on Instagram.
Timecodes
00:00 Forget crash diets
03:42 The REAL reason we're all gaining weight
10:50 Does the keto diet work?
13:15 High-carb or high-fat diet for weight loss
18:22 The biological reason you regain weight
19:26 What is the 'YOLO margin' and how can it help you lose weight?
22:53 How a single treat becomes a daily habit
24:22 The mindset trick to stop binge eating for good
27:53 How to turn your body into a metabolic engine
29:26 No.1 rule for PROTEIN intake
33:53 A surprising take on Ozempic
38:00 The hidden danger of weight loss drugs
39:23 Step one is NOT diet or exercise
42:02 Why poor sleep makes you crave junk food
47:50 Optimal protein for fat loss
49:07 The easiest way to hit your daily protein goal
51:17 The only 3 exercises you really need
53:58 How to do 80 squats a day without even trying
56:32 This simple eating trick can cut 15% of your calories
59:50 A final warning for anyone trying to lose weight
📚Books by our ZOE Scientists
The Food For Life Cookbook
Every Body Should Know This by Dr Federica Amati
Food For Life by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Mentioned in today's episode
Resistance Training Combined With Diet Decreases Body Fat While Preserving Lean Mass Independent of Resting Metabolic Rate: A Randomized Trial
Effects of meal frequency on weight loss and body composition: a meta-analysis
Does Timing Matter? A Narrative Review of Intermittent Fasting Variants and Their Effects on Bodyweight and Body Composition
International society of sports nutrition position stand: diets and body composition
New insights in the mechanisms of weight-loss maintenance: Summary from a Pennington symposium
Have feedback or a topic you'd like us to cover? Let us know here.
Episode transcripts are available here.
The world’s top scientists explain the latest health, nutrition, and gut health research and translate it into practical advice to improve your health & weight. Join ZOE Science & Nutrition, on a journey of scientific discovery. Hosted by Jonathan Wolf.
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