What health habits actually protect your brain and long-term health?
In this episode, Professor Tim Spector shares the seven health ideas he has changed his mind about after reviewing new research. From oral health and inflammation to vitamin D, sleep, and exercise, Tim explains the daily habits he now prioritises and helps us understand what we should do differently if the science changes.
Tim revisits 7 common health beliefs and explains how new evidence has shifted his thinking. He explores the link between oral health, inflammation and brain ageing, and discusses vitamin D, sunlight and omega-3s. The conversation also looks at sleep timing, exercise and how everyday habits interact with our biology.
Tim also shares the small changes he now makes in his own routine and provides practical ideas for incorporating them into your daily life.
We all know that science evolves as new evidence emerges, so if the research changes, should our daily health habits change too?
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Timecodes
00:00 Intro
04:00 The nutrition advice scientists completely reversed
08:30 How scientists decide if a health trend is real
10:30 The vitamin D discovery that fooled scientists for years
12:35 The one health belief Tim is more convinced about than ever
14:00 The public health threat Tim says may be worse than smoking
15:20 The new research linking oral health to dementia
17:05 How mouth bacteria may affect your brain
18:20 The test that revealed plastic in Tim’s blood
20:15 The simple changes Tim made to reduce microplastics
21:40 The omega-3 test most doctors still don’t use
23:05 Why Tim chose food over omega-3 supplements
24:50 The omega-3 measurement scientists now care about most
26:40 Should vegans worry about omega-3?
29:25 The vitamin deficiency Tim has had since he was 18
31:20 The surprising brain benefits of folic acid
33:10 Why supplements should be personalised
34:30 Why Tim changed his mind about vitamin D
36:15 The simple way sunlight doubled his vitamin D
38:10 Why we shouldn’t fear winter sun
39:45 The exercise change Tim made this year
42:05 The muscle supplement Tim thought was “complete rubbish”
43:30 The sleep rule Tim now follows every night
45:30 The unusual sleep experiment Tim tried
📚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
Ferment by Prof. Tim Spector
Good Mood Food (preorder) by Prof. Tim Spector
Free resources from ZOE
The Hormone Harmony Guide: Tuning Your Body’s Internal Orchestra
Eating for Better Brain Health: Your brain-gut blueprint
How to eat in 2026 - Discover ZOE’s 8 nutrition principles for long-term health
Live Healthier: Top 10 Tips From ZOE Science & Nutrition
Gut Guide - For a Healthier Microbiome in Weeks
Better Breakfast Guide
Mentioned in today's episode
What is your gut-brain connection and what role does nutrition play?
Oral Health and Dementia, Journal of Dental Research (2025)
Neuroinflammation: A Distal Consequence of Periodontitis, Journal of Dental Research (2022)
Vitamin D Supplementation and the Incidence of Fractures, JGIM (2024)
Does a good diet reduce your heart disease risk?
Vitamin B12 and Age-Related Cognitive Decline-Dementia and "Alzheimer's Disease", FNB (2024)
Vitamin D and Risk for Type 2 Diabetes, Annals of Internal Medicine (2023)
Effects of Creatine Supplementation and Resistance Training, Nutrients (2024)
Why you're probably breathing wrong (and what to do about it) | James Nestor
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Episode transcripts are available here.