Dr Karan Explores

💬 “Chocolate has got more complexity of flavour than just about anything else on the planet” ~Spencer Hyman ⚡️ Spencer Hyman is the Co-Founder & Chair of Chocolate at Cocoa Runners, a company that sources the world’s best craft chocolate and brings them all together under one roof. Spencer is a chocolate and flavour nerd and hosts regular tasting events to share his passion. I even get to taste some myself! ⚡️ In this episode Spencer and I explore the history of humankind’s love of the cocoa bean, why craft chocolate is so much healthier than your classic supermarket bar, as well as the surprising range of health benefits it offers. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ How modern processing strips all of the good out of supermarket chocolate bars ➡︎ The sneaky tricks “Big Chocolate” uses to get you to scoff bar after bar ➡ The difference between flavour and taste, and how to savour your food more ➡︎ Whether dark chocolate really is healthier than milk ➡︎ Why toxic heavy metals have been showing up in chocolate bars 📕 Chapters (1:47) How your chocolate is made (3:38) Chocolate’s history (5:08) Why it matters where your chocolate is from (6:31) Normal vs craft chocolate (11:29) Health benefits of good chocolate (17:21) Can milk or white chocolate be healthy? (22:12) Flavour, taste and mouthfeel (26:15) Chocolate and heart health (32:38) Why you should savour your food (37:26) Why we find it hard to describe flavour (41:46) Taste test (58:39) Where can you buy craft chocolate? (1:00:25) How much chocolate should you eat? (1:01:58) Heavy metal contamination (1:06:47) Why ‘fair trade’ isn’t very fair 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Spencer: Website: https://cocoarunners.com/  🔥 Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy to action health tips, interesting facts and science to fill your curiosity: https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Microbes can influence things like behaviour, mood, cognition. We're starting to see links with things like Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease as well.”  ~Dr Jonathan Swann ⚡️ Dr Jonathan Swann from the University of Southampton is one of the UK’s leading experts on the gut microbiome, with a particular interest in the gut-brain axis. ⚡️ In this episode Jonathan and I explain how your brain and gut communicate with each other, and why you might experience IBS, depression and other negative health effects when that connection breaks down. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ How your gut not only talks to your brain, but your brain also talks to your gut ➡︎ Why meditating monks have super-healthy guts. ➡ How you can give a mouse depression by messing with its gut microbiome ➡︎ Whether gut-brain therapies like psychobiotics are any good ➡︎ News about human trials of poop transplants 📕 Chapters (1:12) How the gut-brain axis works (6:22) How many microbes live in the gut? (9:32) What can go wrong with the gut-brain connection? (18:19) Diet and mood (20:07) Gut transplants (21:48) The role of fungi and viruses (24:35) “A gut feeling” (26:11) Psychobiotics (32:22) Antibiotics (33:37) Microbiome’s impact on Alzheimer’s (36:34) Age-related cognitive decline (38:28) Management strategies (43:24) The problem with poop analysis 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Jonathan: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-swann-58a83b66/?originalSubdomain=uk Website: https://www.southampton.ac.uk/people/5y5nsv/doctor-jonathan-swann  🔥 Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy to action health tips, interesting facts and science to fill your curiosity: https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “If you are doing it with too much grit and a snarly face and “I'm really tough”, it's not actually that sustainable and enjoyable. It's not that deep. You're just going for a run” -Tommy Lewis ⚡️ Tommy Lewis is a London based ultra runner with a love of the outdoors. He shares his passion for running with a devoted following on Instagram, in an attempt to inspire people of all fitness levels to enjoy the sport. ⚡️ In this episode Tommy and I explain how running might just change your life, and debunk the myth that running will injure you. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ How to embrace the boredom of running ➡︎ Why running is actually GOOD for your knees ➡ How running deepens your self-awareness ➡︎ From fitness trackers to electrolytes, what gear you really need ➡︎ The best shoes you should be wearing (and what to avoid) 📕 Chapters (1:12) How to overcome the boredom of running (3:47) Running benefits your whole life (9:25) The “runner’s high” (11:21) Running vs other sports (12:58) Fuelling creativity (15:52) 30% drop in all cause mortality (21:36) Stop taking running so seriously (24:46) Does running kill your knees? (31:29) Best shoes for running (38:10) Avoid Nike trainers? (42:11) Are fitness trackers important? (44:25) Important of zone 2 training (45:59) Are electrolytes worth the money? (48:19) What drives an ultra marathon runner (50:33) Tommy’s top three tips 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Tommy: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tommyrunpt/  Website: https://www.tommyrunpt.com/  🔥 Get my free weekly newsletter filled with easy to action health tips, interesting facts and science to fill your curiosity: https://drkaran.beehiiv.com/subscribe 🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “I'm out here to raise awareness about something that is so precious. We only realise the value of it when we lose it.” ~Dr Joseph Manjaly ⚡️ Dr Joseph Manjaly is a consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon, who works at the internationally renowned Royal National ENT Hospital in Central London. He also runs The Ear & Hearing Specialist Clinic and has a strong following on social media. ⚡️ In this episode Joseph and I discuss everything from tinnitus to earwax and even eargasms, to help you better understand how to protect your hearing and look after your ears. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ How to spot hearing loss (and the biggest warning signs) ➡︎ Why earwax is NOT a hygiene issue (and how to safely clean your ears) ➡ How hearing loss is linked with up to a 5x increased risk of dementia ➡︎ Why people with misophonia hate the sound of people chewing food ➡︎ That tinnitus doesn’t have to be a lifelong condition 📕 Chapters (1:03) Getting proactive with your hearing(4:00) What can go wrong with the ear (6:02) How does sound damage hearing? (8:14) Impact of headphones (9:30) The earbud craze (15:01) Dealing with earwax (22:30) Dementia and hearing loss (27:39) Misophonia (30:56) Tinnitus (34:06) Eargasms (37:25) Action based strategies (41:27) Red flag symptoms to look out for 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Joseph: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earsurgeonjoe/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@earsurgeonjoe YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/jm2476  🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “82% of people in Japan over the age of 100 turned out to be dead. And they didn't check them all. It is crazy. It is completely crazy.” -Dr Saul Newman ⚡️ Dr Saul Newman from the Oxford Institute of Population Ageing, won an Ig Nobel Prize for research debunking data on the world’s oldest people. His soon to be released book ‘Morbid: an iconoclastic debunking of ageing science’ is all out about fraud, wishful thinking, and ageing research. ⚡️ In this episode Saul and I debunk the fantasy of “blue zones”, where an extraordinary number of people live beyond 100. Should we really be basing health and fitness advice on these longevity hotspots? 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ Why some of the most unhealthy and poorest regions are churning out so many centenarians ➡︎ How “blue zone certificates” are being sold to US towns for $40mil ➡ Why the blue zone myth is dangerous to our health ➡︎ The real secret to living beyond 100 ➡︎ How blue zones even impact insurance premiums 📕 Chapters (6:14) What classifies as a blue zone? (15:35) Do people forget their age? (18:05) The real secret to a long life (25:25) Dangers of the blue zone myth (27:31) Facing “big alcohol” (31:07) What do we know about longevity? (33:19) Corruption all the way down (35:59) How blue zones impact insurance premiums (38:19) Who benefits from the blue zone lie? (46:51) What works for healthy ageing? (48:17) Selling blue zone certificates for $40mil (54:18) Will blue zones ever go away? (56:56) Anti-ageing drugs? 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Saul: X: https://x.com/saul_newman  📕 Sources: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.06.24313170v1.full-text https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/704080v3.full 🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “People think I’m anti-physics. I’m not anti-physics. Calories don’t give you the information to improve your diet.” ⚡️ Dr Giles Yeo is a geneticist at Cambridge University specialising in obesity and how our brain controls food intake. He’s also the author of ‘Why Calories Don't Count’ and ‘Gene Eating’. ⚡️ In this episode Giles and I dig into the science of genetics and hunger hormones and why some people struggle with their weight more than others. I also challenge him on the notion that calories don’t count. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ How over 1000 genes are involved in body weight and controlling your appetite ➡︎ Why obesity isn’t a moral failing and should be thought of as a disease ➡ The huge variety in how different ethnicities are impacted by obesity ➡︎ What exactly “calories don’t count” really means ➡︎ Why fad diets should be ignored and how to find the diet that works for YOU 📕 Chapters (1:29) Obesity is not a moral failing (4:01) Is obesity a disease? (6:00) The role of genetics (8:39) Obesity phenotypes (10:59) Best diet for weight loss? (13:14) Where’s the data coming from? (15:44) How different ethnicities are affected by obesity (20:02) Calories don’t count? (24:34) The truth about ozempic (26:49) Hungry hormones (30:11) Not all calories are the same (32:09) How poverty affects obesity (34:14) Environment v genetics (36:19) Reframe the blame (39:16) Do we need policy change? (43:18) Our outdated biology (49:04) Does taste affect weight gain? (53:59) The microbiome (58:07) How to take action 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Giles: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gilesyeo/ X: https://x.com/GilesYeo  📕 Grab Giles’ book here: https://amzn.eu/d/hoAnVLr  🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

⚡️ Is it all or nothing when it comes to ultra-processed foods? Or can we have our cake and eat it too? There’s a lot of fear around UPFs, but is it doing any good? ⚡️ Dr Chris Van Tulleken is a BBC broadcaster and author of “Ultra Processed People: Why Do We All Eat Stuff That Isn’t Food … and Why Can’t We Stop?” ⚡️ In this episode Chris and I dig into the science of ultra processed food and its effects on human health while asking - are we overcomplicating the matter? 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ How worried you really need to be about additives, preservatives and artificial sweeteners in UPF ➡︎ How food companies make this stuff so addictive (and why it’s not your fault for eating too much) ➡ If adding vegetables to ultra processed meals can mitigate its damaging effects ➡︎ Whether UPF’s effects on the microbiome are overblown ➡︎ The good side of UPF and why it’s a valuable resource for many  📕 Chapters (2:26) UPF’s role in obesity (8:50) The benefits of ultra processed food? (14:20) Simplifying the problem of UPF (23:08) The fibre problem: could veggies fix UPF? (29:28) For those who rely on UPF (33:17) How to regulate it? (42:46) How UPF impacts the microbiome (53:19) Are artificial sweeteners really dangerous? (55:17) How to live with UPF 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Chris: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorchrisvt/  X: https://x.com/doctorchrisvt  📕 Crab Chris’ book here: https://amzn.eu/d/454h534  🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “There is so much nonsense out there. The harm of brand marketing to the trust of skincare in general is hard to come back from.” ~Dr Muneeb Shah ⚡️ Dr Muneeb Shah, known as the ‘DermDoctor’, is a board certified dermatologist and one of the most followed science-based skinfluencers in the world. ⚡️ In this episode, Muneeb and I dig into the anatomy of the skin and what drives various skin conditions. We also discuss the overblown, unrealistic claims anti-aging skincare brands make - and what actually works to take years off your face. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ The anatomy of the skin and the role of your gut and diet in skin health ➡︎ The differences between skincare for men and women  ➡ Why skin cancer needs to be taken more seriously ➡︎ How mood and stress can cause flare ups ➡︎ Dr Shah’s exact skincare routine and what you’ll find in his cupboards 📕 Chapters (1:22) Anatomy of the skin (5:28) What affects our skin? (9:33) Differences between men and women (14:41) Common skin conditions (15:46) Skin cancer (21:18) How mood affects skin health (24:56) Gut skin axis (31:29) A cure for BO? (36:33) Diet and skin health (40:44) Is anti-aging a scam? (45:34) How to use retinoids (48:07) The damage of skinfluencers (52:45) Dr Karan is challenged on his routine (59:31) What’s in Dr Shah’s cupboards? 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Muneeb: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dermdoctor  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doctorly/  🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “When a 13 year old boy stumbles across pornography, I don't think very many of them are interested in seeing women being gagged or choked or degraded. But that is likely to be what they'll see” -Maree Crabbe ⚡️ Maree Crabbe is the Co-Founder of ‘It’s Time We Talked’, an organisation helping children and young people avoid porn’s influence. She has been interviewing people about porn and its impacts for 15 years. ⚡️ In this episode, Maree and I discuss the sharp rise in violent sexual acts being depicted in mainstream, online pornography - and how that’s crossing over into the bedroom. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ How hardcore porn is reaching children as young as 9 ➡︎ How strangulation, coercion and deep-throating is becoming more prevalent ➡ Why the industry is increasingly promoting incest, teen and non-consesual themes ➡︎ What too much extreme porn is doing to our sexual health ➡︎ Strategies to reduce or eliminate porn from your life 📕 Chapters (1:11) More young people are watching porn (7:02) Rising aggression in porn (14:19) Is violence what the audience wants? (18:17) Violence in the bedroom (23:20) How porn causes sexual dysfunction (27:31) Is there “good” porn? (31:44) What can we do about porn? (38:25) Improving sex ed (42:17) Body image and rise in surgery (47:17) The problem of deepfake porn (50:02) What about porn stars? (52:21) Are you addicted? 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Maree: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mareecrabbe/  Websites: https://itstimewetalked.com/ https://www.breathlesscampaign.com/ https://www.notthenorm.com.au/  🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “We've seen a marked increase in the amount of food allergy that's around, and it now affects 5% of UK children. Even in the adult population, it's become a major health issue.” -Prof Adam Fox ⚡️ Dr Adam Fox is a professor in paediatric allergy and runs award-winning private practice Allergy London. He’s also vocal on social media, helping people to better understand allergies and the treatments that are available. ⚡️ In this episode, Adam and I find out why allergies are on the rise globally, what the leading risk factors are for developing an allergy, and science-backed ways to reduce symptoms and reactions. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ A discovery that’s turned the allergy world upside down ➡︎ Why eczema is so closely linked to the risk of developing allergies ➡ The science of the allergy response and why it happens ➡︎ The link between the gut microbiome and rising rates of allergies ➡︎ Why allergy tests are often a waste of time 📕 Chapters (1:02) Why allergies are on the rise (6:36) Science of the allergy response (12:39) May contain traces of… (15:58) Can allergies worsen over time? (17:35) How we outgrow allergies (20:03) Links to microbiome (25:42) Environment and climate change (34:12) Do allergy tests work? (38:03) Allergy v intolerance (43:02) Penicillin allergies (47:48) Sharing allergies with doctors (49:49) Allergy desensitisation (57:47) Strategies to control allergies 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Adam: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dradamfox/  Website: https://www.allergylondon.com/  References: https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/255793/food-allergy-doubles-uk-over-last/  🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Death is not a dirty word. You can say it. You can say he's dying. You can say they've died.” -Julie McFadden  ⚡️ Julie McFadden, known as Hospice Nurse Julie on social media, uses her firsthand knowledge and experience to alleviate the fear and stigma around death and dying. It’s the subject of her new book “Nothing to Fear”. ⚡️ In this episode, Julie and I explore why we should be talking about death more, so we can stop fearing it and start living our lives more fully. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ What happens to the body in the lead up to death ➡︎ Why death isn’t the worst outcome - suffering is ➡ Why most people are wrong about hospice care ➡︎ The strange deathbed phenomena Julie sees more commonly than you’d think ➡︎ How to learn from people’s most common deathbed regrets 📕 Chapters (1:03) Why we fear death (4:23) Why we need to talk about death (6:55) Cultural and religious traditions (9:39) The science of dying (14:36) Misconceptions about palliative care (16:58) Death is not the worst outcome (21:44) Death is not a dirty word (26:49) Strange deathbed phenomena (30:06) How to have a good death (33:19) Worst diseases to die from (37:55) Preparing for death (40:57) Deathbed regrets (44:14) Faith and religion (45:42) One thing everyone should know about death 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Julie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hospicenursejulie/  Website: https://www.hospicenursejulie.com/  📕 Find Julie’s new book ‘Nothing to Fear’ here: https://amzn.eu/d/fSZVYAZ 🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “If you're feeling a particular way - sad, upset, angry, thirsty, hungry - your automatic reaction is ‘I've got comfort in my phone’. So it becomes a pattern that is ingrained. Not deeply ingrained, because we can break it.” -Dr Nicole Vignola ⚡️ Dr Nicole Vignola is a well-known neuroscientist and brain expert, and author of Rewire: Break the Cycle, Alter Your Thoughts and Create Lasting Change.  ⚡️ In this episode, Nicole and I explore how to break bad habits, phone addiction, negative self-talk, anxiety and rewire your brain for happiness, health and performance. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ A simple trick to break smartphone addiction and why you should avoid it in the morning ➡︎ How to keep your brain adapting and developing at any age ➡ The science of how walking resets our brain by quieting fear receptors in the brain ➡︎ How to reframe negativity and reinforce positive self-talk ➡︎ The true extent of poor sleep on brain health 📕 Chapters (1:42) How neuroscience affects you (4:30) How to avoid cognitive decline (10:21) Meditation and mental breaks (12:04) Breaking phone addiction (16:02) Properly dealing with stress (22:07) Reframing negative self-talk (31:27) Healthy dopamine hits (34:47) Improving brain performance at any age (39:25) Manifestation (41:53) Benefits of doing nothing (44:38) How Nicole optimises her brain 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Nicole: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolesneuroscience  Website: https://www.nicolesneuroscience.com/  🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Is it something truly in our water, what we eat, the types of stressors that we have in the life that we lead today? It's very challenging to pinpoint.” -Dr Austin Chiang ⚡️ Dr Austin Chiang is a gastroenterologist and well known health influencer. He’s also the author of ‘Gut: An Owner’s Guide’ and is the Chief Medical Officer of Medtronic. ⚡️ In this episode, Austin and I discuss various issues concerning gut health, including the rise in both IBS and colorectal cancer, and what you can do to protect your health. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ The signs and symptoms of IBS - and why you should always seek professional advice ➡ Why colorectal cancer is set to be the #1 cancer killer among young people ➡︎ How AI is advancing the field of gut health ➡︎ The dangers of colonic irrigation, probiotics and other “gut hacks” ➡︎ The truth about “leaky gut syndrome” 📕 Chapters (1:40) What does the gut do? (6:08) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (13:30) Brain gut connection (15:49) Colorectal cancer rising (21:00) Dangers of gut “detoxes” (23:13) Probiotics (25:29) Leaky gut syndrome (27:24) Taking action on gut health (33:31) AI and tech advancements (37:16) What’s in Austin’s cupboards? (40:09) Three things you should never do 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Austin: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinchiangmd/  Website: http://www.austinchiang.com/  📕 Find Austin’s book ‘Gut: An Owner’s Guide’ here: https://amzn.eu/d/41gEHdO  🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook  🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Nature has lots of things that are really harmful. It has lots of things that are really benign. And that's the same with synthetic things. Synthetic things can be really toxic. They can be really safe.” -Dr Michelle Wong ⚡️ Dr Michelle Wong is a science educator, cosmetic chemist and founder of Lab Muffin Beauty Science, where she helps people figure out which beauty products are and aren’t worth buying. ⚡️ In this episode, Michelle and I put the chemical vs natural debate to the test, and look at the science of skin care products. What’s safe and what’s toxic? 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎ Why it doesn’t need to be edible to go on your face ➡ Why homemade and DIY sunscreen is a terrible idea ➡︎ Why skin care ingredients actually work and which are overhyped ➡︎ A simple skin care guide for beginners ➡︎ The truth about preservatives like paraben 📕 Chapters (4:15) Does skin care actually work? (6:30) Inventing new skin care ingredients (9:45) Chemicals vs natural (12:39) DIY sunscreen (22:17) Sunscreen and vitamin D (28:47) Science of collagen (31:19) Overhyped ingredients (34:27) Parabens and preservatives (41:41) Becoming more skin care savvy (44:20) Science based skin care routine (50:01) Skin microbiome (52:50) Natural products that work 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Michelle: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/labmuffinbeautyscience/  Website: https://labmuffin.com/  📕 Find Michelle’s book ‘The Science of Beauty’ here: https://amzn.eu/d/inztPnb  🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “It's giving you very perverse and misleading and possibly even damaging advice by this glucocentric approach to nutrition.” -Dr Nicola Guess ⚡️ Dr Nicola Guess is a nutrition scientist at the University of Oxford, specialising in the dietary prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. She also debunks pseudoscience and misinformation on Instagram and Substack. ⚡️ In this episode, Nicola and I look at the latest diet trends and advice that you really shouldn’t be worrying about, and could actually be harming your health - with a particular focus on blood glucose and the CGM craze. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎Why continuous glucose monitors are useless, except for people who are actually diabetic ➡ Which diet “hacks” work for controlling glucose levels (and if they’re even necessary) ➡︎Why “personalised” diet advice from microbiome tests is a sham ➡︎Why it’s not all-or-nothing with ultra processed foods  ➡︎The health markers you should actually be looking out for, with actionable tips 📕 Chapters (1:16) Cutting through the pseudoscience (3:58) CGMs and glucose spikes (14:25) The real harm of worrying about glucose (18:31) What should you ACTUALLY be tracking? (23:03) How to control glucose (if you need to) (30:36) Microbiome tests and personalised nutrition (37:45) Probiotics (43:52) Reality of ultra processed foods 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Nicola: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr__guess/ Substack: https://drguess.substack.com/ 🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Breast milk really is a nutritional powerhouse. It's more than nutrition. So many different factors come together to give your infants the best start in life.” -Dr Sioned Jones ⚡️ Dr Sioned Jones is the co-founder of BoobyBiome, an all-female team of doctors working out the science behind breast milk, what makes it so beneficial to the health of babies, and how we might be able to replicate its benefits. ⚡️ In this episode, Sioned and I explore the nutrients and bacteria that make up breast milk, and the crucial role it plays in establishing a healthy gut microbiome in infants. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎The side-effects of poor gut health in infants ➡︎How one of puzzling component of breast milk can now be harnessed to improve gut health ➡︎How a mother’s own microbiome impacts her baby’s ➡︎Why pumping and storing breast milk can compromise its health benefits ➡︎Whether you should be heading to your nearest lactation bar to chug down shots of the stuff! 📕 Chapters (2:04) What makes breast milk so great? (5:19) Breast milk vs formula (10:46) How mothers make breast milk (15:12) Adults drinking breast milk? (18:49) What causes poor gut health in babies? (22:01) Critical window for microbiome developments (26:00) Actionable strategies for mothers (28:32) Why storing breast milk may compromise its benefits (31:38) Benefits of colostrum (33:17) How breastfeeding benefits the mother (33:48) Scientific advancements (37:02) Fixing an unhealthy gut (40:04) Will formula ever match breast milk? (41:30) Other people breastfeeding your baby (43:57) Does a mother’s health affect breast milk quality? 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 📱 Connect with Sioned: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drsionedjones https://www.instagram.com/boobybiome LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sionedfjones/ 🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬“The mistake people make is thinking the route to mental health is in self deprivation - in discipline - and I think that is probably misguided.” -Camilla Nord ⚡️ Camilla Nord is an award-winning neuroscientist, leads the Mental Health Neuroscience programme of research at the University of Cambridge, and is the author of The Balanced Brain: The Science of Mental Health. ⚡️ In this episode Camilla and I discuss what’s happening in your brain when you experience issues like depression and anxiety, as well as actionable strategies on how you can improve your mental wellbeing - whether you’re currently suffering or not. 🎧 Stay tuned to find out: ➡︎Why we need to get better at interoception - understanding our internal bodily signals ➡︎Why some people are more likely to suffer mental health problems ➡︎The truth about serotonin and dopamine ➡︎How closely linked mental health is to gut health ➡︎Why classic mental health advice sometimes backfires 📕 Chapters (2:08) Interoception (4:55) Your brain when depressed (8:51) How perception affects experience (16:11) Negative vs positive self-talk (20:09) Genetics vs experiences: which causes depression? (21:32) Why treatment is lacking (26:08) We need to stop blaming neurotransmitters (29:40) Brain stimulation (33:44) Link between gut health and mental health (38:55) How to improve your mental wellbeing (47:31) Why neuroscience is important 📱 Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr 🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

“We have, because of the nature of our information landscape now, essentially zero capacity to hold any accountability to sources of misinformation. So it's a really terrible time to be an evidence-based healthcare professional.” -Dr Alan Flanagan Dr Alan Flanagan is a major myth buster in the nutrition space, holding an MSc and PhD in nutrition from the University of Surrey. In this episode Alan and I debunk common nutrition advice you might be following, and explain the dangerous real life impact online influencers and “gurus” are having on your health. Stay tuned to find out: The dangers of following extreme diets like keto and carnivore Why you don’t need to be worried about glucose spikes The limitations of personalised nutrition and microbiome research Why sweeteners and seed oils have been wrongly demonised How to spot a charlatan online Chapters (2:12) Real life consequences of misinformation (8:00) Why people look to online “gurus” (13:17) Personalised nutrition con (20:36) Continuous glucose monitors (26:59) Seed oils are healthy! (32:50) Artificial sweeteners (39:49) Cancer misinformation (45:18) Does the time you eat matter? (49:22) Microbiome research (54:21) How to spot a charlatan online Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook An OG Podcasts production.

“The human body is made for pleasure. Every bit of your body can give you an intense amount of pleasure. It just depends on how you treat it” -Seema Anand Seema Anand is an expert in sexual health and pleasure and an authority on the ancient Indian text the Kama Sutra. In this episode Seema and I break the taboo around sex and she explains how people can find a deeper sense of pleasure and sexual satisfaction in their relationships. Stay tuned to find out: The real meaning of the Kama Sutra and what it teaches us about sexual pleasure How to start exploring your own pleasure senses Why you should listen to erotic podcasts instead of watching porn How to actually satisfy your partner in bed Chapters (2:03) Religion and sex (4:51) Truths about the Kama Sutra (12:09) The orgasm gap (16:19) Increase your pleasure diet (26:00) How men can pleasure their partners (33:55) How to increase libido (36:28) Tackling shame in relationships (38:36) Bedroom red flags (42:10) “No fap” and other myths (46:02) Why we’re having less sex Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook An OG Podcasts production.

“The vegans hate the carnivores. The carnivores hate the keto people. And a lot of these folks are in a battle for a non-existent entity, and that entity is the crowned king of ‘this is the best diet for everyone’.” -Dr Mike Israetel Dr Mike Israetel is an exercise scientist, bodybuilder, YouTuber and founder of Renaissance Periodization. He’s known for his no-nonsense, science backed approach to fitness and diet. In this episode, I ask Mike just how often and how hard you have to workout for health, and whether there really is one diet that is best for everyone. Stay tuned to find out: What diet tribes get wrong about good nutrition Why you can get away with training a lot less than you think The truth behind “calories in, calories out” Whether nutrient timing is important Why creatine might just be the best supplement around Chapters (2:00) How little can you workout? (10:19) Calories in, calories out (18:57) Which diet tribe is right about health? (26:25) Are artificial sweeteners bad for you? (34:46) Why diet is so individualised (40:35) The benefits of creatine (47:47) Nutrient timing and protein absorption (55:26) Dr Mike’s 4 tenants for success Connect with me: TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook An OG Podcasts production.