Change Your Mind with New Scientist

Microbiome - Explaining how your Gut affects your Mood

What if the key to a healthier brain isn't in your head at all? This week on Change Your Mind, Health Journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson dive into the fascinating world of the gut microbiota, to ask whether the trillions of microbes living inside us could be influencing everything from our mood and stress levels to how we think and feel. With microbiome testing kits, probiotics and gut-health products booming in popularity, how much of the hype is backed by science? Can changing what you eat really alter your mental health? And do fermented foods, fibre supplements and expensive gut tests actually deliver on their promises? To separate fact from fiction, we speak to one of the world's leading microbiome researchers, Professor Ted Dinan, to find out what decades of research reveal about the gut-brain connection.  Produced by Emily Bird We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠⁠changeyourmind@newscientist.com [changeyourmind@newscientist.com] Find out more about the microbiome at New Scientist: https://www.newscientist.com/article-topic/microbiome/ [https://www.newscientist.com/article-topic/microbiome/]  Learn more about our sponsor Alzheimer’s Society: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.newscientist.com/alzheimers-society/⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.newscientist.com/alzheimers-society/%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Sources:  https://www.factmr.com/report/gut-microbiome-testing-kit-market [https://www.factmr.com/report/gut-microbiome-testing-kit-market]  https://mybioma.com/en/pages/analysis [https://mybioma.com/en/pages/analysis]  https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5501039/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5501039/] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23910373/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23910373/] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21876150/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21876150/] https://www.newscientist.com/article/2502203-the-gut-microbiome-may-play-a-role-in-shaping-our-personality/ [https://www.newscientist.com/article/2502203-the-gut-microbiome-may-play-a-role-in-shaping-our-personality/]  https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-33609-x [https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-022-33609-x] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28661940/ [https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28661940/]

Manifesting - Is there any Neuroscience behind the Mood-Board?

Manifestation has gone mainstream. From vision boards and affirmations to TikTok trends promising abundance and success, millions of people believe they can turn their thoughts into reality. But is there any science behind it? In this episode of Change Your Mind, New Scientist journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson investigate the neuroscience of manifestation. Can visualising your goals really change your behaviour? Why does the brain focus so heavily on negative outcomes? And could techniques often dismissed as "woo" actually help you achieve what you want? Joining them is neuroscientist Dr Sabina Brennan, who explains what happens in the brain when we focus our attention, challenge limiting beliefs and imagine future success. Together, they explore the surprising links between manifestation, neuroplasticity and goal-setting and reveal why the real power may not lie in the universe, but in your own mind. We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠changeyourmind@newscientist.com⁠ [changeyourmind@newscientist.com] Learn more about Manifesting https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480659-can-imagining-a-better-future-really-make-it-come-true/ [https://www.newscientist.com/article/2480659-can-imagining-a-better-future-really-make-it-come-true/] Learn more about our sponsor Alzheimer’s Society: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.newscientist.com/alzheimers-society/⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.newscientist.com/alzheimers-society/%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Produced by Emily Bird

Cold-Water Swimming and Sauna - Can hot and cold therapies boost mental health?

If you’ve ever wondered whether the cold‑water swimming craze is a genuine brain booster or just a very chilly fad, this episode is for you. New Scientist journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson plunge into the science behind cold dips, ice baths and saunas, asking whether they really can lift mood, protect the brain and build resilience, or if a warm pool and a chat with friends would do just as much. Along the way, Cat and Helen explore why so many people feel transformed by getting into very cold water, and what might really be driving those post‑swim highs. Is it something special happening inside the brain and body or the simple magic of nature, community and ritual?  They’re joined by Professor Mike Tipton, a world‑leading expert in how our bodies respond to extreme environments. Together, they ask: in an age of central heating and air conditioning, have we made ourselves too comfortable for our brains and bodies’ own good?  We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to changeyourmind@newscientist.com [changeyourmind@newscientist.com] Learn more about Cold-water swimming: https://www.newscientist.com/article/2506082-cold-water-swimming-has-benefits-for-the-brain-as-well-as-the-body/ [https://www.newscientist.com/article/2506082-cold-water-swimming-has-benefits-for-the-brain-as-well-as-the-body/]  Learn more about our sponsor Alzheimer’s Society: ⁠⁠https://www.newscientist.com/alzheimers-society/⁠⁠ [https://www.newscientist.com/alzheimers-society/%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0] Produced by Emily Bird

Supplements - The Surprising Pill that Actually Helps your Brain

If the wellness industry has you wondering whether your daily supplements are helping your brain, or just draining your bank account, this episode is for you. New Scientist journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson reveal the science behind multivitamins, omega-3s, vitamin D, creatine and more, separating the snake oil from the evidence that actually stands up. Along the way, they unpack why even the most scientifically minded people can fall for wellness trends, how social media has transformed the supplement boom, and what researchers are really discovering about brain health as we age. They’re joined by Harvard professor and physician JoAnn Manson, who has led some of the largest and most rigorous studies ever conducted on supplements and cognition. From surprising findings on multivitamins to the truth about chocolate, fish oils and “brain boosting” pills, this episode explores what’s worth paying attention to, and what might be better left on the shelf. We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to ⁠changeyourmind@newscientist.com⁠ [changeyourmind@newscientist.com] Learn more about supplements:  https://www.newscientist.com/article-topic/supplements/ Learn more our sponsor Alzheimer’s Association:  ⁠newscientist.com/alzheimers-society⁠ [http://newscientist.com/alzheimers-society] Produced by Emily Bird

Rethinking Anxiety - The Simple Shift that Changed my Life

In the very first episode of Change Your Mind, New Scientist journalists Cat de Lange and Helen Thomson tackle one of the most common, and misunderstood, mental health challenges: anxiety. Why do some people bounce back from stress while others feel trapped in a constant state of alarm? And why is anxiety rising so sharply, especially among younger generations? Helen opens up about her own experiences with overwhelming anxiety, from panic on a flight home to the quieter daily dread that so many people hide beneath the surface. Together, Cat and Helen cut through the social media quick fixes to explore what neuroscience really tells us about anxious minds. They’re joined by psychotherapist, former NHS clinical lead and bestselling author Owen O’Kane, whose radically compassionate approach reframes anxiety not as a flaw to eliminate, but as a protective system that’s working overtime. Drawing on neuroscience, therapy and personal experience, Owen explains why calming the body must come before calming the mind and shares practical strategies that can genuinely help. We want to hear your thoughts, leave a comment or send in your ideas for future episodes to changeyourmind@newscientist.com [changeyourmind@newscientist.com] Learn more about Anxiety:  https://www.newscientist.com/definition/anxiety/ [https://www.newscientist.com/definition/anxiety/] Learn more our sponsor Alzheimer’s Association:  newscientist.com/alzheimers-society [http://newscientist.com/alzheimers-society]