In Episode #151, I sat down with evolutionary anthropologist Herman Pontzer, PhD, to talk about ancestral eating and how his work with the Hadza (a hunter-gatherer community in northern Tanzania) can help us think about both diet and exercise as tools for weight loss. Listen to this episode to find out what we know about ancestral diets and why the ‘paleo diet’ is an oversimplification. You’ll also hear about Herman’s time spent with the Hadza, what the Hadza diet looks like, why it isn’t ‘low c...
Aug 15, 2021•1 hr 36 min•Season 1Ep. 152
Episode #150 is a Wednesday Wisdoms throwback to Episode # 36 with Suzy Amis Cameron. This was a powerful, judgement-free conversation about how our food choices affect the world around us, and inside this throwback episode are a few tips from that conversation for living a more environmentally friendly life and helping our planet heal. For more insights and reflections, visit The Proof website for the full show notes. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show? The best way to support the s...
Aug 12, 2021•29 min•Season 1Ep. 151
In Episode #149, I sat down with endocrinologist Dr Brittany Henderson to talk about thyroid health. Whether you have a thyroid condition yourself or are simply interested in learning more about how your thyroid affects your health, I’m sure you will enjoy this episode. In this episode, we cover the focuses of endocrinology, types of endocrine-related disorders, what our thyroid is and why it’s important to our health, common thyroid disorders (e.g., Hashimoto’s), blood tests to monitor thyroid ...
Aug 09, 2021•1 hr 19 min•Season 1Ep. 150
In Episode #148, I sat down with Bruce Friedrich, the founder and president of Good Food Institute, a not-for-profit organisation developing the roadmap for a sustainable, secure, and just global protein supply. Their objective? To create a world where alternative proteins are no longer alternative. See the previous episode with Bruce (#109) here. For more insights and reflections, visit The Proof website for the full show notes. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show? The best way to su...
Aug 04, 2021•36 min•Season 1Ep. 149
In Episode #147, I sat down once more with environmentalist Tim Silverwood to talk about the importance of defending our ocean. Tim is the co-founder and former CEO of Take 3 – an Australian charity that’s dedicated to educating people about the importance of sustainability and reducing marine pollution. More recently, Tim co-founded Ocean Impact Organisation, which you will hear all about in this conversation. See the previous episode with Tim (#47) here. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support t...
Aug 02, 2021•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 148
In Episode #146, we hear from cardiologist Dr Rob Ostfeld on where we are going wrong with our diet and what changes we can make to improve our cardiovascular health. Dr Ostfeld is the director of preventive cardiology at Montefiore Medical Centre and a professor of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He’s also a wealth of knowledge regarding evidence-based recommendations of how to lower our risk of developing cardiovascular disease – the number one cause of death in the world....
Jul 28, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 147
In Episode #145, I sat down with Professor Christopher Gardner from Stanford University to chat about his research on low- versus high-carb diets for weight loss. If you’re confused about carbohydrates, fat, and how to manage your body weight, then I am certain you will enjoy this episode. Dr Gardner is one of the most respected nutrition scientists in the world. In this episode, Dr Gardner shares fascinating insights into his research, including the A to Z study and the DIETFITS study. We also ...
Jul 25, 2021•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 146
In Episode #144, we hear from Adam Sud on his battle with depression and addiction, and how he ultimately turned his life around by flipping the narrative from self-hatred to self-love. This is a heart-wrenching yet extremely beautiful story that is sure to inspire. Listen to the earlier episode here: #66. Note: This episode mentions suicide. If this is a trigger for you, I recommend giving it a miss and stopping by next episode instead. Enjoy, friends. Simon Need someone to talk to? Other than ...
Jul 22, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 145
In Episode #143, the second of a two-part series, we hear from three gastroenterologists – Dr Sarina Pasricha, Dr Alan Desmond, and Dr Will Bulsiewicz – about how to optimise gut health. As the previous episodes featuring these three great minds were by far some of the most popular to date, my team and I pulled out the key messages from these episodes and brought them together into a two-part series. In this episode, we cover dysbiosis, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome ...
Jul 18, 2021•2 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 144
In Episode #142, another Wednesday Wisdoms episode, you will hear from Harvard-trained nutritional psychiatrist and bestselling author Dr Uma Naidoo on the parallel pandemic (mental illness) and how food may be affecting your mood. If you’d like to learn more from Dr Naidoo, you can grab her new book, This Is Your Brain on Food, here. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, an...
Jul 15, 2021•30 min•Season 1Ep. 143
In Episode #141, the first of a two-part series, we hear from three gastroenterologists – Dr Sarina Pasricha, Dr Alan Desmond, and Dr Will Bulsiewicz – about how to optimise gut health. As the previous episodes featuring these three great minds were by far some of the most popular to date, my team and I pulled out the key messages from these episodes and brought them together into a two-part series. Listen to Part 1 (this episode) to hear about the microbiome, dysbiosis (imbalance in gastrointes...
Jul 13, 2021•2 hr 13 min•Season 1Ep. 142
In Episode #140, Dr Will Bulsiewicz joined me for a Wednesday Wisdoms episode dedicated to exploring the health benefits of eating more fibre and better nourishing our microbiomes. If you are looking to learn more about your microbiome and how to eat to promote a healthier composition of bacteria in your gut, then I am certain you will find this episode extremely informative. It’s a beautiful blend of evidence-based information and practical tips from one of the world’s leading voices on gut hea...
Jul 07, 2021•33 min•Season 1Ep. 141
In Episode #139, I sat down with gastroenterologist Alan Desmond, MD, to talk about colorectal cancer – the third most common form of cancer globally. We had an in-depth discussion about what colorectal cancer is, who tends to get it, how it’s diagnosed, and the survival rate after diagnosis. Alan also shared the importance of colorectal cancer screening and what lifestyle modifications we can make to lower our risk of developing colorectal cancer. For more from Dr Alan Desmond, see Episodes #56...
Jul 04, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 140
In Episode #138, we hear from David Katz, MD, about eating for optimal health. In a world of diet extremes and dogma, Dr Katz offers a much-needed voice of reason. The question that I put to Dr Katz was ‘what is the optimal diet for human health?’ This is a condensed version of his earlier episode on the show, ‘Can we say what diet is best for health?’ (#108). If you are looking for a no-nonsense summary of nutrition science to help you make healthier food choices for yourself and your family, t...
Jun 30, 2021•23 min•Season 1Ep. 139
In Episode #137, I sat down with scientist Hamilton Roschel to discuss his recent study investigating whether the source of protein – animal or plant – affects muscle strength and growth in young, healthy adults performing resistance training. In this episode, Hamilton explained why this study was performed, its hypothesis and methodology, what makes it unique, and, of course, its results. He also shared information on supplements for improving performance. For more insights and reflections, vis...
Jun 27, 2021•1 hr 36 min•Season 1Ep. 138
In Episode #136, we hear from environmental researcher Nicholas Carter on how the food choices we make affect the world around us. In this episode, you’ll learn what greenhouse gases are, why the amount of land we use for agriculture is important, what feed-conversion rates are, how important ‘buying local’ is for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and much more. For more from Nicholas Carter, see Episodes #104, #111, #116, #175, and #230. For more insights and reflections, visit The Proof websi...
Jun 23, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 137
In Episode #135, I sat down with author, motivational speaker, and ex-convict Doug Bopst to discuss his journey from battling with addiction, dealing drugs, and spending time in jail to ultimately building a new life with greater self-worth, meaning, and happiness. There are a lot of great learnings in this one! For more insights and reflections, visit The Proof website for the full show notes. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the product...
Jun 21, 2021•1 hr 56 min•Season 1Ep. 136
In Episode #134, I sat down with Dan Buettner, bestselling author of The Blue Zones, to chat about longevity lessons we can learn from the healthiest and longest living populations on planet Earth. These populations, together described as the ‘Blue Zones’, are Loma Linda (California), Ikaria (Greece), Nicoya (Costa Rica), Sardinia (Italy), and Okinawa (Japan). When we understand how people in these parts of the world live, we can begin to understand what adjustments to our lifestyles may promote...
Jun 16, 2021•25 min•Season 1Ep. 135
In Episode #133, I sat down with Matthew Nagra, ND, to tackle the almighty protein topic! You know, the substance we are all fascinated by. What is protein? How much do we need? What’s the difference between animal and plant protein? What are the best types of protein for good health? How do we optimise our protein intake to promote lean muscle and strength? Is soy protein safe? We cover all of this and more in this episode – all through an evidence-based lens. For more from Matthew Nagra, see E...
Jun 13, 2021•1 hr 29 min•Season 1Ep. 134
In Episode #132, Dr Michelle McMacken walks us through the most important things we need to know about dietary fats and promoting good health. Listen to find out about the different types of fat, which types we should minimise, which types are health promoting, and what this looks like for the food choices we make day to day. For more from Michelle McMacken, see Episodes #2 and #37. For more insights and reflections, visit The Proof website for the full show notes. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to ...
Jun 09, 2021•18 min•Season 1Ep. 133
In Episode #131, I sat down with Paul de Gelder to talk about his journey to the military and his near-death shark attack experience in Sydney harbour back in 2009. For more insights and reflections, visit The Proof website for the full show notes. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also show your support by lea...
Jun 06, 2021•2 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 132
In Episode #130, the very first Wednesday Wisdoms bite-size episode, ultra-athlete and author Rich Roll talks about investing in experience, welcoming challenges, and becoming more connected to ourselves and the world around us. For more from Rich Roll, see Episodes #42 and #99. For more insights and reflections, visit The Proof website for the full show notes. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our spon...
Jun 02, 2021•14 min•Season 1Ep. 131
In Episode #129, I sat down with Hollywood actor, musician, and environmentalist Adrian Grenier to chat about his learnings from his life and the changes he has made in more recent years to add greater meaning and purpose. We chatted about Adrian’s upbringing and his road to Hollywood, specifically getting the role of Vinny Chase in Entourage, and the indulgences that come with being a Hollywood star. Adrian shared the feelings he experienced at that time and the moment when he was forced to cri...
May 30, 2021•1 hr 21 min•Season 1Ep. 130
In Episode #128, I’m joined by registered dietitians Alexandra Caspero and Whitney English to discuss raising babies and toddlers on a predominately plant-based diet. If you’re wondering why people would consider a predominately plant-based diet for young kids, what the advantages are, and how plant-predominant diets compare to plant-exclusive diets, then this episode is for you. Alexandra, Whitney, and I went over the science of growth and development in plant-based populations and addressed th...
May 23, 2021•1 hr 26 min•Season 1Ep. 129
In Episode #127, I sat down with Khory Hancock, an Australian media personality and environmental scientist, to chat about planetary health and solutions to help mitigate climate change. For more insights and reflections, visit The Proof website for the full show notes. Enjoy, friends. Simon Want to support the show? The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out, and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also sh...
May 18, 2021•1 hr 43 min•Season 1Ep. 128
In Episode #126, I have pulled together the very best of Team Sherzai from our previous episodes together to create a masterclass on improving the health of what is arguably our most important organ – our brain! In this episode, you will hear the Drs Dean and Ayesha Sherzai talk about stress and focus; multitasking; nutrition tips for a healthy brain; the importance of fats for brain health; fish oil, vegetable oils, kids getting omega-3s, and supplementing; the links between nutrient deficienci...
May 12, 2021•2 hr 3 min•Season 1Ep. 127
In Episode #125, I sat down with New York Times bestselling author Darin Olien to chat about his view on human and planetary health, as well as his time spent producing the super popular Down to Earth Netflix show that he co-hosted with Zac Efron. In this episode, we discussed ‘fatal conveniences’ – chemical and plastic exposure from modern conveniences that we all use (tea bags, tap water, spray deodorant, etc.). We also talked about how Down to Earth came to be, working with Zac Efron, the sec...
May 02, 2021•1 hr 53 min•Season 1Ep. 126
In Episode #124, I sat down with bestselling author and podcast host Melissa Ambrosini to talk about comparison; or more specifically, how unhealthy comparison can send us into a downward spiral of negative self-talk and low self-esteem. We covered what ‘comparisonitis’ is, why it’s important to be aware of it, its signs and symptoms, and unhealthy versus healthy comparison. Melissa also shares what to do when we notice unhealthy comparison, including some specific strategies from her new book. ...
Apr 21, 2021•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 125
In Episode #123, I sat back down with Dr Alan Desmond to continue our conversation on all things gut health! Alan shared his path to gastroenterology and what his role as a gastroenterologist entails, as well as the common types of gut health problems he sees in his work and why he recommends a whole-food, plant-based diet to his patients. You’ll also hear some learnings from COVID-19, a recap of some of the important things we need to know about our microbiome, and what foods we should be eatin...
Apr 11, 2021•1 hr 57 min•Season 1Ep. 124
In Episode #122, I sat down with Dr Gemma Newman to chat about her new book, The Plant Power Doctor, and the benefits of a plant-based approach. We covered Gemma’s understanding of nutrition as a young doctor, the advantages of a plant-based approach, and what Gemma sees in her medical clinic. We also talked about nature versus nurture, plant-based versus vegan, antioxidants, food and hormones (including thyroid health and polycystic ovary syndrome), the role of dietary fats and hormones, organi...
Mar 28, 2021•1 hr 34 min•Season 1Ep. 123
