The Method - Health in the Real World

Ep. 10 - Debunking cognitive decline: why your brain doesn't have to slow down with age, with Dr. Tommy Wood

Most of us assume cognitive decline is an inevitable part of getting older. But what if the science says otherwise? Dr. Tommy Wood says this is a modern health myth. His argument: if stimulated in the right way, the adult brain can stay sharp and high-functioning well into retirement age. A neuroscientist, performance consultant, and recent author of The Stimulated Mind, Tommy has spent his career applying the principles of brain performance to a wide range of lifestyles - from Formula 1 drivers to busy professionals. This week, he sits down with Charlie and Greg, to explore what it actually takes to keep your brain healthy and adaptable across time.  Starting with the science, Tommy will walk us through how the brain develops, and why being challenged through learning is good for neuroplasticity. He helps us wrap our heads around this with a helpful shorthand he calls “the 3-S Model”: Stimulus, Supply, and Support. Our guest also makes a case for freeing up “headroom”; we’ll let you find out what that means. Together, we’ll explore why cognitive decline is so often the result of a more sedentary lifestyle, and find out how to circumvent that. In the practice segment, Tommy, Greg, and Charlie will get into tangible exercises and small habits we can all try to improve our brain's ability to learn. Including: * Why video games are actually good for us (31:30) * Which physical activity sustains brain health best (35:05) * The case for learning a language - and yes, this includes coding (38:19) * How to stay challenged in a world where AI starts doing the thinking for us (40:55) Finally, in the experience section, we turn to real-life learning challenges and answer your listener questions. We’ve got a fascinating discussion on access to information in the age of the internet, and how that impacts our memory capacity. We also bring you practical answers to reconcile the enjoyment of learning new things with long-term cognitive benefits. Enjoy this conversation, and if you'd like to send us your health questions for future episodes, remember to email us a voice note or write in at themethod@thriva.co [themethod@thriva.co] To explore further: * Tommy Wood - Website [https://www.drtommywood.com/stimulated-mind] * Tommy Wood - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drtommywood/] * Greg Potter - Website [https://gregpotterphd.com/] * Greg Potter - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gregpotterphd/?hl=en] * Thriva - Website [https://thriva.co/]

Ep. 9 - Training and the menstrual cycle: the science of resistance training for women, with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple

In the gym, there’s often a pattern: women on the cardio machines, men in the weights section. It's a divide that says a lot about how we think women should train, but how much of that is science, and how much is just habit? This week, Greg and Charlie sit down with Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple, a researcher specialising in female physiology and strength training,to answer the question: should women train like men? Lauren is also the co-owner of the MASS Research Review, which helps bridge the gap between cutting-edge research and practical fitness strategies for coaches and trainers. As always, we’ll start with the science, unpacking the key biological differences between the sexes and what they actually mean for how women should train, their risk of injury, and their relationship with exercise across different life stages. From hormonal fluctuations across the menstrual cycle to the effects of menopause symptoms, we explore how the body changes and what that means for getting the most out of your training.  From there, we move into the practice, where Lauren, Charlie, and Greg discuss tangible ways to improve our training routines. They discuss: * How socialisation shapes women's access to sport from an early age (19:08) * Why resistance training is conducive to healthy aging (26:23)  *  What should we consider before pursuing Hormone Replacement Therapy? (31:52) Lauren walks us through what physical training can look like across different life stages, including how contraception and menopause factor into the picture.  Finally, in the experience section, we turn to your questions. How to get back into training post-partum? Can pilates and stretching help relieve period cramps? Are there exercises we should be prioritising to better manage our cycles? Tune in to find out.  While we’re here, just a note on language: throughout this episode, we use the term "women" for accessibility, but this episode makes an important distinction between gender and biological sex. To explore further: * Lauren Colenso-Semple - Website [https://www.drlaurencs.com/] * Lauren Colenso-Semple - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drlaurencs1/] * Greg Potter - Website [https://gregpotterphd.com/] * Greg Potter - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gregpotterphd/?hl=en] * Thriva - Website [https://thriva.co/] If you’d like to send us your health questions for future episodes, you can email us a voice note, or simply write in with your question at themethod@thriva.co About Thriva: Thriva [https://thriva.co/] is a proactive health platform built for the modern age. The promise of longevity often comes with years spent in poor health. We want to bridge the gap between lifespan – how long we're living – and healthspan – how well we're living. We combine powerful at-home blood testing with wearable insights and expert guidance. So you can know exactly what’s going on inside your body - and what to do about it - before issues arise. With this podcast, we hope to bring listeners confidence in everyday health decisions.  To learn more about Thriva’s values and services, visit https://thriva.co/ [https://thriva.co/].

Ep. 8 - Q&A: fat loss, cholesterol, caffeine, and beating jet lag, with Greg and Charlie

Have you ever written to us and been waiting expectantly for your question to make the cut? Well, it's time we finally answered you.  This week, Greg and Charlie are back behind the mic for something a little different; a special Q&A episode. Over the course of 8 episodes, we've gathered a number of fascinating listener questions that don't always fit neatly into the subjects we cover. So today, we give four questions the spotlight they deserve, drawing on Greg's depth of knowledge and experience in the world of science. We cover three big themes: nutrition, caffeine, and sleep. From the basics of fat loss to the science of jet lag, Greg – or Dr. P, as we like to call him – breaks down the science, while Charlie brings the questions you actually want answered, including: * Low fat or low carb: which is best for weight loss? (3:53) * Can you lower cholesterol through diet alone, without taking statins? (13:26) * How does caffeine work, and does it affect everyone's sleep in the same way? (19:07) * What's the best way to prepare for and recover from jet lag? (And is May a good time to see the cherry blossoms in Japan?) (33:32) Whether you're fine-tuning your diet, navigating your relationship with coffee, or counting down to a long-haul flight, there's something in this episode for you. And if you stick around, you might just hear from our producer Lise, who may or may not be drinking an alarming amount of French press coffee every morning. We hope you enjoy this alternative format; and let this be your reminder to send in your questions to themethod@thriva.co [themethod@thriva.co]. Greg's brain is officially on tap. Links: * Susanna Holt’s Satiety Index [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7498104/] * Timeshifter App [https://www.timeshifter.com/] * Greg Potter - Website [https://gregpotterphd.com/] * Greg Potter - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gregpotterphd/?hl=en] * Thriva - Website [https://thriva.co/] About Thriva: Thriva [https://thriva.co/] is a proactive health platform built for the modern age. The promise of longevity often comes with years spent in poor health. We want to bridge the gap between lifespan – how long we're living – and healthspan – how well we're living. We combine powerful at-home blood testing with wearable insights and expert guidance. So you can know exactly what’s going on inside your body - and what to do about it - before issues arise. With this podcast, we hope to bring listeners confidence in everyday health decisions.  To learn more about Thriva’s values and services, visit https://thriva.co/ [https://thriva.co/].

Ep. 7 - Should we all be eating differently? Personalised nutrition beyond the hype, with Dr. Lucia Aronica

We all know that eating well matters; but what does that actually mean for you, specifically? Low-fat, low-carb, mediterranean, keto, intermittent fasting… What if the reason no single diet works for everyone is because no single diet should? In this episode, Greg and Charlie sit down with Dr. Lucia Aronica, an epigenetics and nutrigenomics scientist at Stanford University School of Medicine, who has contributed to the DIETFITS study, one of the best-known trials in the field of personalised nutrition.  Lucia will break down what factors shape personalisation, and what the research really shows. We discuss the findings of the DIETFITS study, explain how individual responses vary, and break down what variables really matter for a healthy diet. We then zoom out to ask the bigger question: is there actually compelling evidence that a personalised nutrition plan beats a well-designed, healthy, generic one? From there, we move into our practice segment, where Lucia shares what this all means day-to-day. We cover: * The healthy eating principles that apply to all of us, whatever our goals (21:41) * Why testing insulin is crucial (25:06) * Why pleasure is the key to adopt long-lasting healthy eating habits (29:21) Finally, in the experience section, we pick up on your questions. From the future of DNA-based nutrition to the truth about keto and your microbiome, meal timing, insulin spikes, and whether that daily tablespoon of olive oil is as good as people say, Lucia gives her take on some of the most common (and most debated) questions in nutrition today. Personalised nutrition is a genuinely exciting scientific territory, but at times, it can be overhyped. This episode helps you figure out what the evidence actually supports, and what practical steps you can take right now.  To explore further: * Lucia Aronica - Website [https://drlucia.com/] * Lucia Aronica - Stanford Profile [https://profiles.stanford.edu/lucia-aronica] * Lucia’s Clinical Epinutrition Course [https://drlucia.com/course/] * The Standford DIETFITS Study [https://med.stanford.edu/nutrition/research/completed-studies/diet-study.html] * Greg Potter - Website [https://gregpotterphd.com/] * Greg Potter - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gregpotterphd/?hl=en] * Thriva - Website [https://thriva.co/] If you’d like to send us your health questions for future episodes, you can email us a voice note, or simply write in with your question at themethod@thriva.co About Thriva: Thriva [https://thriva.co/] is a proactive health platform built for the modern age. The promise of longevity often comes with years spent in poor health. We want to bridge the gap between lifespan – how long we're living – and healthspan – how well we're living. We combine powerful at-home blood testing with wearable insights and expert guidance. So you can know exactly what’s going on inside your body - and what to do about it - before issues arise. With this podcast, we hope to bring listeners confidence in everyday health decisions.  To learn more about Thriva’s values and services, visit https://thriva.co/ [https://thriva.co/].

Ep. 6 - Stress is inevitable: what you can do about it, with David Spiegel

We all know what stress is like. The adrenaline on a deadline. Sweaty palms, a racing heart, or a tingling in your fingertips. Sometimes it also feels like a hovering feeling that keeps you stuck at your desk, unable to focus. So where does stress come from, why does it feel like this, and most importantly, how can we learn to handle it? In this episode, Greg and Charlie sit down with Professor David Spiegel, psychiatrist at Stanford University and a leading expert on the connection between mind and body, to unpack the science of stress and explore what we can do to manage without medication. We start by breaking down what stress actually is. David explains the biology behind the “fight or flight” response, how stress can snowball, and why our bodies react to psychological pressures as if they were physical threats. We also explain what hypnosis actually is: a state of focused attention that can help us regulate our response to stress. From there, we move into our practice segment and David shares simple techniques listeners can try straight away: * Self-hypnosis tools you can use at home (19:22) * Breathing exercises like cyclic sighing (22:34) * How to set up your environment to enhance relaxation (26:40)  Finally, in the experience section, we hear from listeners navigating stress in their own lives. From questions about supplements and sleep to managing stress in neurodivergence, or getting better at recognising the signs, David offers his guidance on how to take the next step. While stress is a deeply human thing, we don’t have to suffer from it! With the right tools, we can learn to work with our bodies rather than against them and build resilience to life’s challenges. Listen to this episode to find out how.  To explore further: * Reveri App [https://www.reveri.com/] * David Spiegel - Research [https://med.stanford.edu/profiles/david-spiegel] * Greg Potter - Website [https://gregpotterphd.com/] * Greg Potter - Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/gregpotterphd/?hl=en] * Thriva - Website [https://thriva.co/] If you’d like to send us your health questions for future episodes, you can email us a voice note, or simply write in with your question at themethod@thriva.co About Thriva: Thriva [https://thriva.co/] is a proactive health platform built for the modern age. The promise of longevity often comes with years spent in poor health. We want to bridge the gap between lifespan – how long we're living – and healthspan – how well we're living. We combine powerful at-home blood testing with wearable insights and expert guidance. So you can know exactly what’s going on inside your body - and what to do about it - before issues arise. With this podcast, we hope to bring listeners confidence in everyday health decisions.  To learn more about Thriva’s values and services, visit https://thriva.co/ [https://thriva.co/].