Michael explores the best way to help you look younger as well as live longer and healthier – revealing how strength training can benefit your waistline, preserve muscle fibres and increase healthy lifespan.Pumping up your muscles is one of the best ways to protect from the ravages of time and injury. In this episode, Michael speaks to Professor Abigail Mackey from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, to find out how resistance training can strengthen the connection between your brain and muscles, and keep them looking younger at the cellular level. And it’s not just your muscles that benefit, maintaining your muscle mass can boost your brain function, improve sleep, and significantly reduce your risk of diabetes. It may even be better at reducing belly fat than cardio! Champion weight-lifter Shirley Webb reveals how lifting weights transformed her life and mobility even though she only started pumping irons in her mid-70s.  Producer: Catherine WylerAssistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Executive Producer: Zoe HeronA BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4

Michael explores the best way to help you look younger as well as live longer and healthier – revealing how strength training can benefit your waistline, preserve muscle fibres and increase healthy lifespan. Pumping up your muscles is one of the best ways to protect from the ravages of time and injury. In this episode, Michael speaks to Professor Abigail Mackey from the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, to find out how resistance training can strengthen the connection between your brain and muscles, and keep them looking younger at the cellular level. And it’s not just your muscles that benefit, maintaining your muscle mass can boost your brain function, improve sleep, and significantly reduce your risk of diabetes. It may even be better at reducing belly fat than cardio! Champion weight-lifter Shirley Webb reveals how lifting weights transformed her life and mobility even though she only started pumping irons in her mid-70s. Producer: Catherine Wyler Assistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Executive Producer: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4

Stay Young - Ep 5: Stay Strong

Michael reveals the best food to boost your mood, your energy levels, reduce inflammation and improve your immune system.  In this episode, Michael discovers the benefits of fermented foods and their live bacteria.  He speaks to Professor Justin Sonnenburg from Stanford University who’s recent clinical trial revealed that eating fermented foods can increase your gut microbiome diversity and reduce inflammation, one of the main drivers of ageing. They discuss the role of your gut bacteria in increasing the activity of key immune cells with knock-on effects across the body, and why a healthy gut microbiome is so important for feeling good. 63 year-old Donna Schwenk from California reveals how discovering fermented foods has transformed her life and given her the energy of someone decades younger. Producer: Catherine WylerAssistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Executive Producer: Zoe HeronA BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

Michael reveals the best food to boost your mood, your energy levels, reduce inflammation and improve your immune system. In this episode, Michael discovers the benefits of fermented foods and their live bacteria. He speaks to Professor Justin Sonnenburg from Stanford University who’s recent clinical trial revealed that eating fermented foods can increase your gut microbiome diversity and reduce inflammation, one of the main drivers of ageing. They discuss the role of your gut bacteria in increasing the activity of key immune cells with knock-on effects across the body, and why a healthy gut microbiome is so important for feeling good. 63 year-old Donna Schwenk from California reveals how discovering fermented foods has transformed her life and given her the energy of someone decades younger. Producer: Catherine Wyler Assistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Executive Producer: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

Stay Young - Ep 4: Stay Feeling Good

Want to get the mental sharpness of someone decades younger?  Challenging your brain with something difficult, like learning a new language or taking up juggling, can trigger your brain to form new connections, increasing your brain’s white matter and making it more resilient against age-related decline. In this episode, Michael speaks to Dr Rachel Wu from the University of California Riverside who has discovered that learning three new skills at the same time can significantly boost the memory in older adults - so much so that they performed as well as someone 50 years younger in a series of cognitive tests. Superager Lord Richard Wilson shares his top tips for a sharper mind and the role of grit, determination, and insatiable curiosity. Producer: Catherine WylerAssistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Executive Producer: Zoe HeronA BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

Want to get the mental sharpness of someone decades younger? Challenging your brain with something difficult, like learning a new language or taking up juggling, can trigger your brain to form new connections, increasing your brain’s white matter and making it more resilient against age-related decline. In this episode, Michael speaks to Dr Rachel Wu from the University of California Riverside who has discovered that learning three new skills at the same time can significantly boost the memory in older adults - so much so that they performed as well as someone 50 years younger in a series of cognitive tests. Superager Lord Richard Wilson shares his top tips for a sharper mind and the role of grit, determination, and insatiable curiosity. Producer: Catherine Wyler Assistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Executive Producer: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

Stay Young - Ep 3: Stay Sharp

How a simply dietary change can reduce wrinkles, improve skin texture and slow ageing.   In this episode Michael reveals how a daily portion of colourful fruit and vegetables can help retain skin moisture and boost collagen.  Carotenoids are compounds that give carrots, mangoes and tomatoes their bright red and orange colour – and they have been shown to boost your skin’s collagen and moisture, improving wrinkles, skin plumpness and texture. He speaks to dermatologist Dr Raja Sivamani from the University of California, Davis, whose research shows that eating a daily portion of mango could help reverse existing wrinkles and prevent new ones from forming. And we meet 81-year-old Annette Larkins from Florida who explains why she thinks her youthful looks are thanks to her diet consisting mainly of fruits and vegetables.Producer: Catherine WylerAssistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Executive Producer: Zoe HeronA BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

How a simply dietary change can reduce wrinkles, improve skin texture and slow ageing. In this episode Michael reveals how a daily portion of colourful fruit and vegetables can help retain skin moisture and boost collagen. Carotenoids are compounds that give carrots, mangoes and tomatoes their bright red and orange colour – and they have been shown to boost your skin’s collagen and moisture, improving wrinkles, skin plumpness and texture. He speaks to dermatologist Dr Raja Sivamani from the University of California, Davis, whose research shows that eating a daily portion of mango could help reverse existing wrinkles and prevent new ones from forming. And we meet 81-year-old Annette Larkins from Florida who explains why she thinks her youthful looks are thanks to her diet consisting mainly of fruits and vegetables. Producer: Catherine Wyler Assistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Executive Producer: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

Stay Young - Ep 2: Stay Looking Young

Exercise is one of the best things you can do to rejuvenate yourself at the cellular level – but what’s the best way to do it?  In this episode, Michael speaks to Associate Professor Matt Robinson from Oregon State University, who has discovered that just a few minutes of high-intensity exercise can help rejuvenate you at the cellular level, by helping restore your mitochondria, your cell’s energy powerhouses. They discuss how exercise has many benefits across your body - from your muscles, to your heart, your brain and even your skin! And we meet octogenarian and healthy ageing expert Dr Norman Lazarus, who didn’t start exercising until his fifties, and now cycles 100km a week, feeling at his prime.Producer: Catherine WylerAssistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Executive Producer: Zoe HeronA BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

Exercise is one of the best things you can do to rejuvenate yourself at the cellular level – but what’s the best way to do it? In this episode, Michael speaks to Associate Professor Matt Robinson from Oregon State University, who has discovered that just a few minutes of high-intensity exercise can help rejuvenate you at the cellular level, by helping restore your mitochondria, your cell’s energy powerhouses. They discuss how exercise has many benefits across your body - from your muscles, to your heart, your brain and even your skin! And we meet octogenarian and healthy ageing expert Dr Norman Lazarus, who didn’t start exercising until his fifties, and now cycles 100km a week, feeling at his prime. Producer: Catherine Wyler Assistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Executive Producer: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.

Stay Young - Ep 1: Stay Fit

Michael Mosley

In his new podcast series, Dr Michael Mosley reveals simple things you can do to rejuvenate yourself from the inside out.

Welcome to Stay Young - with Michael Mosley

Tim Spector

Professor Tim Spector, a leading expert on nutrition and gut health, takes Michael Mosley through his top food and nutrition tips, sharing stories from his life and research along the way. Joined by an audience at the Hay Festival, Michael learns what happened the time Tim convinced his son to eat an ultra-processed food diet for two weeks and the surprising ways your gut influences your immune system. Tim, who is professor in epidemiology at King's College London, shares the shocking moment he realised that even as a doctor, he was on track for major health problems, and how he took control over his diet and his health - and how you can, too. Tim also reveals what cutting edge science shows about how you should be eating to benefit your health and wellbeing.

Food Special with Tim Spector

When things go wrong, you might think that focusing on the bad and writing about them would make things worse. But in some cases, the opposite seems to be true.Michael Mosley investigates a technique called “expressive writing”, a simple tip which can have surprising benefits for your health. The idea is to set aside 15 minutes to write about any worries that keep you up at night, showing many benefits - from improving lung function in people with asthma, to improving scores on exams and cognitive tests.In this episode, Michael Mosley speaks to the man who kick-started it all, Professor James Pennebaker from the University of Texas, Austin. He tells Michael about his original findings in the 1980s and the astonishing link between expressive writing, reduced doctor’s visits, your immune system and how quickly your body heals wounds…

When things go wrong, you might think that focusing on the bad and writing about them would make things worse. But in some cases, the opposite seems to be true. Michael Mosley investigates a technique called “expressive writing”, a simple tip which can have surprising benefits for your health. The idea is to set aside 15 minutes to write about any worries that keep you up at night, showing many benefits - from improving lung function in people with asthma, to improving scores on exams and cognitive tests. In this episode, Michael Mosley speaks to the man who kick-started it all, Professor James Pennebaker from the University of Texas, Austin. He tells Michael about his original findings in the 1980s and the astonishing link between expressive writing, reduced doctor’s visits, your immune system and how quickly your body heals wounds…

Write It Out

Turmeric is a close relative of ginger – it has a similar knobbly root-like stem. The golden-hued powder of turmeric adds colour and flavour to food, but it’s also been linked to some surprising health benefits. As well as helping with wound healing and skin conditions, it’s been linked to better brain health.  Michael Mosley speaks to Dr. Benny Antony from the University of Tasmania in Australia who has found that turmeric extract was as effective as ibuprofen to reduce pain levels.  Meanwhile, our volunteer Yu She cooks up a storm with chicken korma and turmeric pancakes.

Try Some Turmeric

Nuts are a rich source of fibre and polyphenols. They are also very high in fats and calories, but studies have shown that eating these bite-sized snacks won’t add to your waistline. These nutrient powerhouses could also help slow-down the ageing process. Research has found that walnut eaters live, on average, over a year longer than those who don’t. What’s more, adding nuts to your diet can help your brain! Michael Mosley is joined by Dr Sze-Yen Tan from Deakin University in Australia who reveals how eating nuts can benefit the brain, and why eating moderate amounts of nuts won’t add to your waistline. A recent study of his found that people who ate nuts performed better in cognitive tests and had improved short-term memory.  Meanwhile, our volunteer Emma swaps out her usual snack for a handful of mixed nuts!

Nibble Some Nuts

If time is tight, what's the one thing that you should be doing to improve your health and wellbeing? Michael Mosley reveals surprisingly simple top tips that are scientifically proven to change your life.

Lifting weights is obviously great for your strength, but it can also boost your brain power, improve your immune system, and even reverse signs of cellular ageing. Michael enlists Jenny, a self-confessed weight-lifting novice, to try strength training at home using milk bottles and a sturdy rucksack. He speaks to Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose at the University of British Columbia, Canada, who has recently found that strength training can lead to better memory. She reveals how activating your muscles can release special chemicals called myokines which, astonishingly, can travel around the body and cross your blood-brain-barrier where they can have beneficial effects on your brain.

Lifting weights is obviously great for your strength, but it can also boost your brain power, improve your immune system, and even reverse signs of cellular ageing. Michael enlists Jenny, a self-confessed weight-lifting novice, to try strength training at home using milk bottles and a sturdy rucksack. He speaks to Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose at the University of British Columbia, Canada, who has recently found that strength training can lead to better memory. She reveals how activating your muscles can release special chemicals called myokines which, astonishingly, can travel around the body and cross your blood-brain-barrier where they can have beneficial effects on your brain.

Lift Some Weights

Taking good care of your teeth can prevent tooth decay and boost your oral health - but, surprisingly, the benefits extend well beyond your mouth.   Keeping your teeth and gums clean can help your heart and your brain, reducing the risk of diseases from diabetes to dementia. To find out why, Michael Mosley speaks to Dr. Sim Singhrao from the University of Central Lancashire School of Dentistry.   She reveals bacteria in your mouth can travel from your gums into your blood causing problems in other organs, including your brain. Meanwhile, our volunteer Lowri has a go at brushing and using interdental brushes every day to see if it’s something she’d like to fit into her lifestyle.

Clean Your Teeth

Most of us in the UK use our phones for over three hours/day! They are incredibly useful - but using them just a little bit less can have big benefits for your health and wellbeing. Studies have shown that reducing your phone use by one hour each day can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. It can also increase life satisfaction, reduce smoking and enhance physical activity levels. On top of that, limiting social media use to 30 minutes a day has been found to reduce feelings of loneliness. But if you can’t bear doing any of that, just putting your phone out of sight whilst you’re doing something can have significant benefits. Michael Mosley speaks to Dr Adrian Ward from the University of Texas at Austin who has found that just the sight of your phone can have a powerful impact on your cognition. He finds out about the alluring pull of our phones on our brains (which can attract our attention even when they’re off), and why multitasking is a myth!

Put Your Phone Down

All alcohol is bad for you but if you’re already a drinker, switching out your usual drink for a small glass of red wine could bring surprising benefits to your health - improving blood sugar and fat levels and reducing the risk of diabetes.  In this episode, Michael Mosley speaks to Dr Tim Spector, Professor of Epidemiology at King’s College London to find out about the secret ingredient in red wine. He reveals why red wine is rich in chemicals called polyphenols. They raise a (metaphorical) glass to celebrate the effects of red wine on the diversity of our gut bacteria!

Choose Red Wine

If you’re looking to add more exercise into your lifestyle why not consider Tai Chi. It’s an ancient Chinese martial art – it’s sometimes called “meditation in motion”. It’s a series of different postures that gently flow into each other in slow movements. One of the big benefits to Tai Chi is that it can significantly enhance the activity of our immune system.  And although it looks gentle, it can be a surprisingly good workout! Michael Mosley speaks to Dr. Parco Siu from the University of Hong Kong, who has been studying the health benefits of Tai Chi for over a decade. His research has revealed that Tai Chi can lead to faster brain benefits than other exercises. He also found that Tai Chi was as effective as conventional exercise like moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or muscle strengthening activities for reducing body weight and visceral fat!Tai Chi videos:BBC - The Taste of Tai Chi Challenge: https://bit.ly/40IFshINHS - Tai Chi videos: https://bit.ly/3AyiUFO

If you’re looking to add more exercise into your lifestyle why not consider Tai Chi. It’s an ancient Chinese martial art – it’s sometimes called “meditation in motion”. It’s a series of different postures that gently flow into each other in slow movements. One of the big benefits to Tai Chi is that it can significantly enhance the activity of our immune system. And although it looks gentle, it can be a surprisingly good workout! Michael Mosley speaks to Dr. Parco Siu from the University of Hong Kong, who has been studying the health benefits of Tai Chi for over a decade. His research has revealed that Tai Chi can lead to faster brain benefits than other exercises. He also found that Tai Chi was as effective as conventional exercise like moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or muscle strengthening activities for reducing body weight and visceral fat! Tai Chi videos: BBC - The Taste of Tai Chi Challenge: <a href="https://bit.ly/40IFshI" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/40IFshI</a> NHS - Tai Chi videos: <a href="https://bit.ly/3AyiUFO" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://bit.ly/3AyiUFO</a>

Try Tai Chi

It turns out having friends has big benefits for your health.  Fascinating research shows social contact can boost your immune system and your brain power. In this episode, Michael Mosley is joined by Professor Pamela Qualter from Manchester University, who explains how reaching out in the simplest of ways - from sending a simple text to helping your neighbours - can significantly reduce loneliness levels, helping you feel more connected and a part of a community. People appreciate being contacted much more than you think. So, the next time you wonder whether to reach out to a friend – just do it.

Reach Out

Cutting back on free sugars can not only do wonders for your waistline and your oral hygiene, surprising research shows it could also improve your memory and help your brain.  But it can be hard to resist those sugar cravings!  In this episode, Michael Mosley is joined by Dr Evelyn Medawar from the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, who has been studying the effects of our gut microbiome on our eating preferences, and reveals a potential tip to help crack sugar cravings. The secret lies in dietary fibre, like that found in fruit. So, trade your sweet treats for fruit and learn how this healthy switch can transform your brain, biome and your life.

Swap Out Sugar

Get comfortable, let go of the cares of the day and take a sonic journey with Dr Michael Mosley. In this new sound-filled podcast series, designed to help you drift off, each episode focuses on a scientifically-proven sleep technique and takes a deep dive through some incredible sleep-related bodily mechanisms.With sleep - because one size doesn’t fit all - you can benefit by listening more to your body and letting go of expectations. We invite you to meet a whole cast of biological characters that work together to pave the way to sleep.Guest: Professor Nicole Tang, Director of the Sleep and Pain Lab at the University of Warwick.Producer and Sound Designer: Richard WardAssistant Producer: Gulnar MimarogluEditor: Zoe HeronA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4.

Get comfortable, let go of the cares of the day and take a sonic journey with Dr Michael Mosley. In this new sound-filled podcast series, designed to help you drift off, each episode focuses on a scientifically-proven sleep technique and takes a deep dive through some incredible sleep-related bodily mechanisms. With sleep - because one size doesn’t fit all - you can benefit by listening more to your body and letting go of expectations. We invite you to meet a whole cast of biological characters that work together to pave the way to sleep. Guest: Professor Nicole Tang, Director of the Sleep and Pain Lab at the University of Warwick. Producer and Sound Designer: Richard Ward Assistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Editor: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4.

Sleep Well - Ep 5: Listen to your body

Get comfortable, let go of the cares of the day and take a sonic journey with Dr Michael Mosley. In this new sound-filled podcast series, designed to help you drift off, each episode focuses on a scientifically-proven sleep technique and takes a deep dive through some incredible sleep-related bodily mechanisms.Discover a simple hack for the temperature-related, sleep-preparing systems of the body. Plus dilating blood vessels, shapeshifting and taking a hot bath.Guest: Anna Wirz-Justice, Emeritus Professor at the Centre for Chronobiology at the University of Basel, Switzerland.Producer and Sound Design: Richard WardAssistant Producer: Gulnar MimarogluEditor: Zoe HeronA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4.

Get comfortable, let go of the cares of the day and take a sonic journey with Dr Michael Mosley. In this new sound-filled podcast series, designed to help you drift off, each episode focuses on a scientifically-proven sleep technique and takes a deep dive through some incredible sleep-related bodily mechanisms. Discover a simple hack for the temperature-related, sleep-preparing systems of the body. Plus dilating blood vessels, shapeshifting and taking a hot bath. Guest: Anna Wirz-Justice, Emeritus Professor at the Centre for Chronobiology at the University of Basel, Switzerland. Producer and Sound Design: Richard Ward Assistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Editor: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4.

Sleep Well - Ep 4: Warm up to cool down

Get comfortable, let go of the cares of the day and take a sonic journey with Dr Michael Mosley. In this new sound-filled podcast series, designed to help you drift off, each episode focuses on a scientifically-proven sleep technique and takes a deep dive through some incredible sleep-related bodily mechanisms.There are some simple yet powerful steps you can follow to form new and positive connections around bedtime habits, your bed, and sleep itself. And encounter a chemical that’s in every cell in the body and which makes us drowsy.Guest: Dr Colleen Carney, Director of the Sleep and Depression Laboratory at Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada.Producer and Sound Design: Richard WardAssistant Producer: Gulnar MimarogluEditor: Zoe HeronA BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4.

Get comfortable, let go of the cares of the day and take a sonic journey with Dr Michael Mosley. In this new sound-filled podcast series, designed to help you drift off, each episode focuses on a scientifically-proven sleep technique and takes a deep dive through some incredible sleep-related bodily mechanisms. There are some simple yet powerful steps you can follow to form new and positive connections around bedtime habits, your bed, and sleep itself. And encounter a chemical that’s in every cell in the body and which makes us drowsy. Guest: Dr Colleen Carney, Director of the Sleep and Depression Laboratory at Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada. Producer and Sound Design: Richard Ward Assistant Producer: Gulnar Mimaroglu Editor: Zoe Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Radio 4.

Sleep Well - Ep 3: Enjoy your bed

Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley

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