After Hours with Dr Vincent

Immunity: Flu Season, Vax and the Autoimmune Trap - After Hours #031

Winter is here in the southern hemisphere and cold and flu season is already making itself known. In this episode, Stephen and I dig into how the immune system actually works, and the first thing I need to clear up is the biggest misconception in the wellness space: you do not want to boost your immune system. A system that is over-activated is called autoimmune disease, and there are close to a hundred of them. What you want is an immune system that is calibrated, not supercharged. We also go deep on vaccination, including why I think flu shots are more important than most people realise, how vaccines act as a training program for your immune system rather than just a one-time fix, and the genuinely alarming research linking regular immunisation across a lifetime to lower rates of dementia and Alzheimer’s. We also talk honestly about why so many parents feel hesitant when it comes to infant vaccination, and why I think the medical system needs to do a better job of having that conversation before the delivery suite rather than during it. The second half of the episode is the practical stuff: hydration in winter (your brain will lie to you about being thirsty), sleep as a non-negotiable reset for your immune function, and food as medicine. I wrap up with a story from our recent US trip where I picked up a loaf of bread at the supermarket and checked the best before date. It was nearly a month away. At room temperature. What followed was an ingredient list I can only describe as the longest thing I have read all year, and I pride myself on knowing food additive codes. That bread was not bread. We are what we eat, and this episode is a reminder of exactly why that matters. After Hours is where science gets personal. Hosted by Dr Vincent, your friendly neighbourhood scientist and Stephen!This podcast is part of the Ask Dr Vincent on Substack. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode📩 Weekly newsletter every Sunday at AskDrVincent.com 📺 Full video episodes every Thursday after 5pm Let’s be mates! [https://linktr.ee/AskDrVincent] Get full access to Ask Dr Vincent at www.askdrvincent.com/subscribe [https://www.askdrvincent.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

In the Kitchen - After Hours #030

Everyday things we do in the kitchen that may be sabotaging our health and wellbeing. After Hours is where science gets personal. Hosted by Dr Vincent, your friendly neighbourhood scientist and Stephen!This podcast is part of the Ask Dr Vincent on Substack. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode📩 Weekly newsletter every Sunday at AskDrVincent.com 📺 Full video episodes every Thursday after 5pm Let’s be mates! [https://linktr.ee/AskDrVincent] Get full access to Ask Dr Vincent at www.askdrvincent.com/subscribe [https://www.askdrvincent.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Why are we not healthier?

With all the tech and innovation, why are we not healthier? After Hours is where science gets personal. Hosted by Dr Vincent, your friendly neighbourhood scientist and Stephen!This podcast is part of the Ask Dr Vincent on Substack. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode📩 Weekly newsletter every Sunday at AskDrVincent.com 📺 Full video episodes every Thursday after 5pm Let’s be mates! [https://linktr.ee/AskDrVincent] Get full access to Ask Dr Vincent at www.askdrvincent.com/subscribe [https://www.askdrvincent.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The Health Halo Effect

This week on After Hours, we unpacked something that quietly shapes almost every decision you make in the supermarket: the health halo effect. It’s the idea that a single “good” word on packaging, like plant-based, natural, or added vitamins, creates a perception that the entire product is healthy. In reality, that same product could still be high in sugar, salt, or heavily processed. As I shared, this isn’t accidental. Brands understand how our brains work. We’re busy, we’re time-poor, and we rely on shortcuts. So instead of reading the back label, we trust the front. And that’s where the disconnect happens. The takeaway isn’t to become paranoid, but to become a little more aware. Most people genuinely want to be healthier, but the system doesn’t always make that easy. Between marketing, pricing strategies, and limited time, even the best intentions can be misled. My advice is simple: be a little more skeptical, focus less on the claims and more on the substance, and understand that “healthy” is not a label, it’s a composition. When you know better, you can choose better. And that’s really the goal, not perfection, but progress. After Hours is where science gets personal. Hosted by Dr Vincent, your friendly neighbourhood scientist and Stephen!This podcast is part of the Ask Dr Vincent on Substack. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode📩 Weekly newsletter every Sunday at AskDrVincent.com 📺 Full video episodes every Thursday after 5pm Let’s be mates! [https://linktr.ee/AskDrVincent] Get full access to Ask Dr Vincent at www.askdrvincent.com/subscribe [https://www.askdrvincent.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Winter Is Coming

Winter is coming — and I have to say, I find it a little cheeky that I came up with that title while sitting at my desk in 30-degree Sydney heat on a Saturday. By Sunday it was 12 degrees overnight, so perhaps the universe agreed with me. In this episode, Stephen and I get into the real biology of why we fall sick when the temperature drops. It is not just about germs — it is about how our behaviour changes, how we stop drinking enough water without even realising it, how our gut health suffers, and how the dry air that comes with cold weather quietly inflames our airways. We also talk about skin as your first line of immune defence (something most of us only think about when it comes to vanity, myself included), the 33% drop in daily steps our community experiences every winter, and why what you do in summer genuinely determines how well you hold up in the cold months. We also go somewhere I always love going — scuba diving, eating seasonally, the magic of yuzu, and somehow, Neanderthals. Stephen keeps me mostly on track. Mostly. Stay well this winter. Your body is worth looking after before it needs it. Thank you to everyone who tuned into our live video! Join us for my next live video in the app. Please also check out my Daily Dose daily podcast [https://www.askdrvincent.com/s/daily-dose]: Simple science, real news, no hype. *** Daily Dose is your daily hit of health, wellness & tech news; made simple. Hosted by Dr Vincent, your friendly neighbourhood scientist. Part of the Ask Dr Vincent universe on Substack. Let’s be mates! [https://linktr.ee/AskDrVincent] Get full access to Ask Dr Vincent at www.askdrvincent.com/subscribe [https://www.askdrvincent.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]