The Wellness Scoop - The Longevity Diet, Jennifer Aniston’s Workouts and the Science of Strength

Episode Date: November 3, 2025

This week we’re diving into the latest research on how to live longer, move better and feel stronger. We explore the Green Mediterranean Diet, the plant-rich way of eating that’s been shown to improve gut health, lower inflammation and even slow biological ageing. We unpack Jennifer Aniston’s new “micro-lifting” workouts and the growing science behind lighter, smarter resistance training that supports strength, balance and longevity without the burnout. Plus, we look at the simple nutrition tweaks that protect your vision and boost brain health as you age, and share practical takeaways to help you build a sustainable routine for long-term wellbeing. 50% off code for Quick Wins with Waterstones - ‘QUICKWINS50’ (enter the code at checkout) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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The substance. This balance is not working. And the naked gun. That was awesome. Now that's a mountain of entertainment. Paramount Wolf. Welcome to the Wellness Scoop. your weekly dose of health and wellness inspiration and we are here as your hosts i'm ella mills

and i'm reanna lambert and after a decade in this wellness industry we know that it's overwhelming and confusing and that's why this podcast is here to cut through the noise and make healthier living simple fun and personal exactly that and we have got a jam-packed show today reee what have we got coming up oh it's a good one we've got the green mediterranean diet and how it could extend your lifespan, Jennifer Aniston's new workout trend and the truth about microlifting, simple nutrition tweaks to protect your eyes and boost your brain health and the science behind dogs, which I know Ella can't wait to discuss, daylight and longer, happier lives. And of course, practical steps to build sustainable strength and fill your best.

Rhee, how are you? I'm good. Thanks, my love. I was actually thinking I met someone at the weekend. I was away with the family. Another Rian, Ella. I know. She came up to me. I was at a breakfast buffet and she just wanted to say. She said, I didn't know if I should approach you or not, but I just, I love the podcast so much. And we love to hear it. We love to meet you in person. I think it makes a huge difference. Well, I went shopping at the weekend with May and we were buying like towels and sheets and stuff because we had our first guest to stay in our new house because we had our first guest room that someone could sleep. in which was so exciting so my father-in-law came and the lady in the shop was like oh my god i'm such a fan of the show yeah we do genuinely love to hear it reading the reviews the feedback it's

just very heartwarming but ella i really really really really want to ask you very very quickly about disney because i am disney obsessed but i do think even when i went to paris it was a strange one oh yeah it's so like off topic and so i won't dwell on it for too long don't worry guys but it's we went to disney with the kids for three days first of all oh my goodness me the food really was as bad as lots of you said it was as bad as really said it was like and i don't mean that in a rude way in the sense of like i wasn't trying to get the healthiest meal or like the world's most delicious meal i just really wanted to get some pizza for the kids or like something's you know simple like just a croissant for them like something to keep them going

that wasn't just candy floss and that's nigh on impossible if it's one away in a queue for like an hour and a half. Just the amount of candy floss and lollipops and things, it was really quite a interesting experience and we were really thrilled to cook when we got home. But the girls had the time of their lives and then it's half term and I've been at home all this week and I'm like really living this new life which I'm loving. I've been planting my garden. I planted about 100 daffodils yesterday. Oh, well done. Fingers crossed for those. Put my garlic in ready for some garlic next year. Shillots next. I'm about to make water kaffir today. Oh, you got the grains.

Got the grains. And next week I'm going on a sourdough course. So I'm in my, I feel like I'm in a sort of some kind of trad wife era going on here. You do know I'm expecting some of this bottled up Ella's special produce very soon. When it gets good, I'll bring you my sourdote and I'll bring you some water to kaffir. But I can't promise it will be good straight away. Amazing. Do you know, I think there's something about gardening that's, you know, it's therapeutic.

I was also getting into drawing, Ella. You know, things that you just, there's something about being in the garden or getting a bit of pen and paper out. I haven't drawn since I was tiny and I was drawing Disney characters for the kids, pepper pig. It's really therapeutic. Honestly, it's so therapeutic. I could go off on such a tangent and I'm not going to do that. But I started therapy actually a few months ago and I have been reading quite a lot of books, a lot of focus on the nervous system recommended by this woman who's fantastic. And these books were talking so much about the flow state.

and how powerful it is for our mind, our body when you get in that state where you are just kind of doing an activity. It could be running, swimming, gardening, drawing, something that's kind of mindful. And you do, you kind of completely switch off and you go into this flow state and how beneficial it is. And I really found that yesterday with my gardening. It was so lovely. And I'm in my new home office today as well, the first time. So it's all go. It's very exciting. It's amazing. And also, I feel like you're kind of disconnecting from tech, which I think, helps massively and then of course haven't you also been prepping for cookbooks that's coming up as well I mean that's only what a month two months yes quick wins which is my new cookbooks coming out in yeah

just under two months 18th of December I have got a special half price link from waterstones so I will put it on the show notes but if you want to do it if you go to waterstones dot com quick wins and then you have to put the code in at checkout so it won't come up automatically and it's just quick wins 50, the number 50, in capital letters. And you will get it half bright, so 12 pounds 50. And it's healthy cooking for busy lives. So there's a full eight week meal plan, fridge, suppers, batch cooking with a second way to use your batch cook. So you don't just feel like you're eating leftovers. It was a really, really fun book to create. So I'm kind of curious, a bit nervous as we get closer to about what people think. Honestly, everybody, I saw the

process here of Ella going through her notepad, you know, with all the recipes. It's going to be so incredible. And this time of year where we're all manically busy, quick wins is definitely the appropriate title. We all just need quick wins, same way. We need quick wins, Ella. So let's start with the health headlines that matter this week. So we break down the biggest trending story is what makes the news. And this week we've got a lot to discuss. Oh my gosh. There were so many headlines for this week that we already have like three more episodes It's basically done with just what's happening this week. I don't know what it was.

There's some really interesting stuff we'll pick up next week on bacon and doctors and scientists pushing for cigarette-style warnings on ham and bacon. And actually, my dad's husband, who often text me these things now, texted me an article on it. And then on the same newspaper, it then had on the front page, like, recipes using bacon. And he was like, this is so weird on what you have, one article here being like health warning should be added like smoking, another one being how to use this delicious ingredient and this sense of this irony and how people meant to know what to do or not do. Anyway, we'll

pick up on all of that next week, guys. But first of all, we're going to talk to us about creatine. I'm not in the loop here. So you take the lead, please. Okay. Well, yes, this is why we're here, everybody, to make your life simple to make it easier and break down those headlines. So first of all, the internet, this isn't really something that appears in print because, as we all know in the scientific world, they're very, very small studies, but they get blown out of proportion when they make the Instagram sphere, when they make TikTok, remember less than 2% of nutrition information is accurate on platforms like TikTok. So the biggest news that came out was we finally have an actual randomized control trial, so like gold standard research on creatine that came

out over the weekend. And the big news is that creatine and menopause, basically there may be some slight improvement. And I'm going to say slight, but the reason it got blown out of proportion is particularly interesting study was because it's the first of its kind. So in the world of science, everyone's like, yay, now we can make room for more research for women, which I'm all for, and career team. But just to kind of ham it down a bit before I read the results, there were only 36 women in this study. So it's tiny, teeny, teeny tiny. It ran over eight weeks. They split everybody into four groups. And there was a placebo group. And it was a placebo group. done very, very effectively a really good research trial. And what they did was they checked

different cognitive impacts. So on mood, brain fog, all sorts of things. And the researchers did find a difference that if you take creatine between 6 to 16 percent's worth of a difference, that it is significant. Creatine could help with concentration. It could help with brain fog. And the reason behind this is because our mitochondrial cells, they're less efficient when we go through menopause as we age, you know, the way that we function does change. And I think think we all are aware of that. It's common sense as we age things slow down a little bit. And what creatine may do is kind of create this almost buffer of energy and help improve the function within those cells. But, you know, nine participants that saw those benefits is a really

small sample size. And while you will see people shout about this now on the internet, they're going, creatine does help with menopause, grain fog. You know, I was nearly there, Ella. I saw it and I thought, oh my goodness, now's the time. I'm going to buy creatine. And then I went and looked at the study and I was like, 36 people, just nine people saying they saw a benefit. Yes, I'm excited for research for women. Yes, I'm excited for menopause research because I feel like by the time Ella and I get to that point in our life, there's going to be so much research and so much to help us. So thank you to everyone that's paving the way because for every woman out there, wow, this is a game changer. But we definitely need larger sample sizes and a lot more research.

Yeah, and just to remind you as well, creatine, it's made from three different amino acids, and it's naturally produced in the body, stored in the muscles where it's this quick energy reserve, but you can supplement it, is what we're saying. And obviously, it's just had a lot of hype recently. We've covered it a couple of times. So there's a bigger 101 on what creatine is if you want to go back and listen to it. But I think it was interesting. That was very much our conclusion when we covered it.

The first time wasn't it in terms of, like, get behind this or not, kind of myth or fact, is that it just needs much more research and this is the beginning of it which is really exciting. I also want to see the quality of supplements improve. So, you know, at this stage as well, I want to see quality,

vegan sources of creatine. I just want to see more research in this area massively and also regulation of what's being sold on the internet so you know what you're buying is actually what you think you're buying. But there's a lot to be said for placebo.

It's not harmful, but just three to five grams a day of creatine is what researchers are recommending. But let's what. Watch the space all right. So we have a lot of headlines. We do. Okay. So yeah, the green Mediterranean diet. Rhee, you contributed to an article on this and I was reading it and I thought this is so interesting. The articles in country and town house. And essentially the green Mediterranean diet is like your classic Mediterranean diet, but with a glow up. So Ray, tell us about the glow up that

the Mediterranean diet has had to turn it green. The glow up of the mediter. The glow up. So So researchers are basically finding that a few small green tweaks to a traditional med diet. So let's talk about the traditional diet could really be beneficial. So you've got olive oil, nuts, seeds, pulses, basically a whole food diet. It does have animal produce, but in smaller amounts than we consume over in Western society, it can also be plant-based. The med diet is a very healthy, family-based, whole food, full of beans pulses. Lots of whole grains. Tons of whole grains, lots of beautiful, fresh veg.

I mean, let's be honest, their climate is just beautiful for growing things like tomatoes and they taste different anyway. I think the other thing about the Mediterranean diet, though, as well, is like it's not one of these diets like a keto diet and a paleo diet where it has these really strict rules and regulations. You know, ultimately, because you're abundant in all that beautiful food, you're low on ultra-processed food. Again, you're limiting foods that are high and saturated fat. It's much more olive oil than it is butter. It's much more whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, than it is lots of red meat for. example. But it is that lifestyle and it's cooking and it's fresh produce, eating with other people, enjoying those meals. And I think that's a really important point, which is like,

if you're like, I'm going to follow Mediterranean diet, you're not on a diet that you can come on or off, come like on the bandwagon off the bandwagon. You are just following this really nutrient rich, plant rich lifestyle that is so widely studied in terms of humongous health benefits. Ella's hit the nail on the head. It is the lifestyle. It's the social interactions as much as the nutritional completion of the whole rounded plate. But it also varies across southern Europe. So countries like Spain, their diet drastically changes to a country like Italy or Greece. But they've all got those similar elements and common themes that run throughout their diets. And it's the most research diet in the world, guys. It's

linked to heart health. It's linked to reduced risks of cancer. It's really good. And there's decades of evidence behind it. So the landmark study in the 1950s basically found that people in the med countries had those lower rates of heart disease compared to everywhere else in the world. And more recently, scientists have now gone on to look at brain health, which we love to hear because we know very sadly there are rising rates of neurodegenerative diseases. Things like Alzheimer's definitely should be spoken about more. And with a 2023 study that linked the Mediterranean diet to eating basically and helping lower the risk of Alzheimer's, we're now getting more studies that are showing that a healthy gut microbiome is a key player here.

Because if we eat well, we support our gut microbes, you then support your immune system, which we discussed before, your microbes in your gut, the beneficial bacteria, helps train your immune cells. That in turn helps play a row of keeping us healthy, of course, and perhaps also our metabolism and our mood. But the green Mediterranean diet takes it even further because it's basically adding more and more to it with in terms of colour, in terms of emphasising those polyphenol-rich compounds whilst further reducing the red and processed meat. Essentially, it's another glorified title Ella for plant-based diets.

Interesting. So you've got all your core components of your classic Mediterranean diet, your fruit, your veg, whole grains, legumes, your extra virgin olive oil, your nuts. But then you're adding in specific high polyphenol rich foods like your green tea, walnut, and then now tell us about this other one, Mankind. Yes, so Mankai is essentially a plant-based protein source.

Now, I'm going to try and pronounce, is it, Wolfia Globosa? I always find it amusing when I'm introduced to these new components of diets and I'm writing about it for the press and I do a little bit of research. I'm like, ooh, how interesting. Because one of the studies that was published in genome medicine back in 2022 tracked 294 people with abdominal obesity for 18 months. So we're talking basically, when we say abdominal obesity, just about storing extra weight around your middle,

which is one of the most dangerous areas. You can store weight. That's something that I think a lot of us are aware of. And it does happen more for women as we age as well with menopause because of estrogen distribution. We then stop storing weight where we used to and a lot of us start to store in the middle. We've never done that before.

So in this study, they split participants. into three different groups. One followed the standard healthy eating guidelines, so like the eat well plate. The other followed a traditional Mediterranean diet. And then the other, here's the kind of crux, followed the green Mediterranean diet. And both of the Mediterranean diets showed significant improvements to their gut microbiome. But the green one, Ella, that's what led to more prominent compositional changes. So the diversity of the bacteria, this is why we talk about 30 different plants a week.

In my next book, the fibre formula, I really go into beneficial bacteria to another level because it's so, so important with reduced inflammation, which again, I think we have a listener question for this week we're going to cover, aren't we, on inflammation? Exactly. But basically, the green Mediterranean diet was still brilliant, but the green one then had greater microbial diversity, stronger increase in beneficial bacteria. And obviously is really saying that the more diverse your microbiome is the better in terms of better immune function, reduce inflammation, improves mood, lower risk of chronic disease. Like it's the epicentre of it. And actually we have had, again, so many questions as well on

gut health. We have got Tim Specter answering all your gut health questions on our Q&A. He's such a guru, if one of the better word in the world of gut health. So lots more coming on gut health next week. He really is. And Ella, it's that particular component, though, in that green group, you know, the one that I tried to pronounce earlier. But essentially, it contains all nine amino acids. And if you add that to your diet, that's what showed a reduced risk of visceral fat. So what's so interesting is if you are storing weight around your middle, it's not just about restriction. We're not trying to restrict food again. We are just trying to support gut health. Like you said, listen to Tim's episode coming up. Something that a lot of people get in Asia as well,

which contains a lot of these similar polyphenols, is soy, soy foods, things that are really beneficial for our health and around 200 different polyphenols and powerful antioxidants and vitamins A and zinc and all sorts of things that are associated with this particular duckweed, which is this wolfia globosa. I mean, that's amazing to think this one food can have all of those properties and different effects on our body, but you can't just find manukai, mankai in shops here in the UK. No, exactly, as you said, so you can use the soy products as well. And then one other thing on the green med diet was there was another trial, the direct plus trial, and that showed again that the green Mediterranean group, they saw the greatest reduction in visceral fat in improving

cholesterol and lowering levels of blood proteins they're associated with brain aging. So it really is very, very powerful stuff. And again, I think as we said at the top, it's such a lifestyle that you can bring in. It doesn't need to be something where you're like, right, as of today, I am on this diet and I'm going to do it for six weeks. It's like, no, this is a lifestyle to gently follow for the rest of your life, essentially. And I think if you just break it down in terms of what could that actually look like in your life, basically you want to build every meal around plants. So you're filling your plate with vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seed. You don't need to become a vegan or a vegetarian or a plant-based person. It's just that

you're building the meal around plants. So that's the kind of first thing that you're thinking about. Yeah. Using extra virgin olive oil is your main cooking, dressing fat. You're adding in those daily polyphenol rich foods, your green tea or walnuts, duck chocolate, colorful fruit and veg. So fermented foods like cafe, yogurt, sauerkraut, kimchi, miso. Remember, those are all wonderful things to cook with miso. So underrated. And I think maybe we should talk a bit more about miso another time.

Limit those red and processed meats. Prioritize those plant proteins, the soy. And also, what I do every day because I've always been a green tea or match a drinker is I start the day for me with a cup of tea pigs green tea or my matcher. I was trying quite a few of those that we had before and we mentioned previously. But a 2025 study found that even if you just drink two or three cups a day of green tea, you can help prevent dementia. And I know that's just cherry picking, a small, tiny study.

But what Ella and I are just trying to say is it's just teeny tiny things that if it works for you, like some people don't like green tea, that's never going to be an option for them. But if you can try and cook a little bit more of tempe or tofu, you're also doing wonderful benefits. It doesn't have to be directly green-colored. Or edamame. Like another great one. Just chuck them in. They're so easy.

Like even when I'm doing a simple meal for the kids, like pasta pasta, I'll add edamame halfway through cooking the pasta. And along with some peas, it's just such a win. Buy massive bags, frozen of them. Yeah, magic beans are a win for me. That's what we call them in my house because they like popping them out. I get them in the shells, the edamame frozen, because, For the kids, it's novel to pop them out the bag. But anyway, I thought this article was fascinating

because once again, it's just saying a Mediterranean diet is just the way to go and you can pimp it up how you like. A hundred percent. And I think of the final thing to remember on it is it's not restrictive, it's abundance, it's balance, its connection and it has all those health benefits. And I think in a world where we often feel

we have to follow a fad, a trend, something rigid, something dogmatic. Like you actually really don't. The most research diet in the world with the biggest number of health benefits is not a strict diet with rules and regulations. It's a lifestyle that you can tap into. This episode of the Wellness Scoop is sponsored by Stripe and Stair. I have been wearing their pants and their PJs since the start of the year and it is honestly the only brand in my draw now. Me too. And I don't think you really think about underwear until you try

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Oh, I don't even notice it. I usually drown it out with the radio. How's this? Oh, yeah, way better. Save on insurance by switching to Bel Air Direct and use the money to fix your car. Bel Air Direct, insurance, simplified. Conditions apply. If you are a dog owner, headline two for you is definitely something that's going to make you very happy.

So it is official. You live longer with a dog and in the headlines in brackets, it says, and it'll be more fun. And more chaos, I can add. Especially if we decided to have three, including two puppies at the same time. Heller has taken the dog life to the extreme. I cannot wait to cud all these little ones.

Now, I'm obviously Team Cat at Home. And there are also headlines, guys, just to reassure you that having a pet in general can, of course, help with your long-term health outcomes. But today, we are discussing the 24% lower risk of all-cause mortality and 31% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease if you own a dog. I mean, that is absolutely mad.

Like, just your recap. So this is from a meta-analysis, again, this is proper data here. And it is showing that dog owners have got almost a quarter reduced risk of all-caused risk of all-caused mortality and over 30% lower risk of death from cardiovascular disease, so from heart disease. I mean, that's really quite something, isn't it? I think, Ella, predominantly, this is, A, if you're a good dog owner, like you are a lovely animal-friendly person who loves to take your dogs for walks and you're able to give that time to your animals because I think it's definitely linked with not just the therapeutic aspect. I mean, you know, I'm the biggest animal fact. Gosh, I love them all so much. And I think they relax you. There's something about mental health, which must offer so much benefits of glucose control, blood pressure. But it's the walking. I'm so sure.

that this is basically a walking headline as well. You know what I think as well. I know we've just done a big section on diet, and diet is so important and, you know, so a complete foundation of health. But I think this headline, apart from it being fun if you have a dog, is again, just another proof point

that we're talking about such huge statistics here, as I said, like almost a third reduced risk of heart disease, almost a quarter reduced risk of all-caused mortality. And it's not actually from the dog, to your point. What it is, it's about, know that two of the things that we all lack in modern world that are so fundamental to our health is connection. You know, we know loneliness is one of the biggest risk factors when it comes to health and animals can give you that amazing sense of love and connection and reduce loneliness

and it gets you moving and we all collectively struggle to move enough. And as you said, if you're a vaguely responsible animal owner, like you are going to walk your dog. And so you've got to get those steps in. And we know that for like each thousand steps you get, there's increased health benefits. And so I just think it's a yes, it's really fun if you have a dog. But actually I think much more than this, I feel like this headline is another reminder of the small things. And that is the little things that add up that change your life, like having more green tea, like having that Mediterranean-style diet, like going outside for walks, like trying to connect with people and have those stress lowering tools in your life of which a dog can be an amazing one. They also mentioned

in the research. We talk a lot about stress on the podcast, you know, how it's really not good for us. And it's really hard. Life can be really difficult. And Ella's got some stats here with financial implications as well, which I think definitely leads to stress if you're, you know, it's a difficult time right now. But the research has said that our primary stress hormone is linked to our ill health and the increase of oxytocin that you get from dogs. So it's the bonding, it's the calmness. And you don't just have to have a dog to do that. We just need to generate more oxytocin and social interaction, which is so, so key. Cuddles, hugs, if you're a hug person, hug a friend when you see them. Those little things, we don't realize it,

but they play such a key role in reducing those stress hormones. And if you've got your dog, just give it all the cuddles. I'm actually, like, just personally quite obsessed with stress at the moment. I, um, and on the kind of, yeah, in the nervous system and the impact that chronic stress is having on us as a collective. I definitely feel like this might be my next career path, the psychological side of it all. But it's just, um, it's, it's, And as they said, in a world of fads, quick fixes, you must buy this powder, you must do this, you must do this, you must do that. No, you must stop. You must do something that calms you. Cuddling a dog can be one of those things, or a cat, or a bunny rabbit, or a friend.

But I think it's just we do, we lack connection so much. And obviously, loneliness stats are absolutely huge. And, you know, it used to be that the eldest generations in our society with the lonelius is now the youngest. You know, we feel this chronic disconnection. And I think it's extraordinary. As I said, I feel like a dog here is really representative of, as you said, boosting your oxytocin, lowering your cortisol, getting yourself moving. And we can't forget nature. We talk about it a lot as well. And it's really hard when it gets cold. And I think having a dog does make you go outside. And of course, getting fresh air, gosh, does it pick up your mood? Even just going for a walk around block if it's two, three minutes long in the

middle of your working day. I'm speaking to myself for this advice, do it, Riannan, because I don't do it enough and I need to get out to the house. Do you know what? We also have had so many questions from people about like staying not necessarily motivated, but just like continuing to look after yourself over winter and like it is really hard when it's pitch black by five o'clock. And I would say not in like an extreme way by any sense. But I do think an accountability friend partner is a really interesting tool in terms of

this like how do you continuously like support yourself and your health and your mental the well-being. And as I said, it doesn't, not in like some intense way of like, how many squats did you do today? But just a kind of friendly reminder, like maybe it's your neighbor, maybe it's a really good friend, maybe it's your colleague of like, should we go for a walk at lunchtime? Have you been for a walk today? Like, what did you do? Just those little reminders to kind of support each other because actually it's these 10 minute habits as we keep saying that really change your life. But finding the motivation when you're halfway through quite a boring work day you know you feel a bit like stuck and uninspired can be really really difficult and it's

like if anything use this as your motivation like get up when you can go outside do something calming nice for yourself and it can take five minutes like I know you don't most of us don't have huge amounts of time to do these things but don't forget that five minutes can make a huge difference yeah and what I love about this podcast is actually the first time because we've only been going we haven't been going a year so what I love about recording this time of year is here for you all and you're here for us, which is so nice. I felt we can perhaps motivate each other. We can share our tips. And Ella and I are here every week. So we can definitely help each other through what I would consider before Christmas is quite a dark and gloomy period.

And I'm really looking forward to being there for you all as well for January and February because gosh, I find those months particularly difficult, Ella. I don't know about you. Oh my gosh. Yeah. When it was suddenly, like when the after the clock's changed on Saturday night and it was suddenly kind of pitch black up by five o'clock on Sunday. I was like, oh no i know here we're in for it now here we go so talking of pitch black let's move on to headline number three to do with eye health um simple diet tweaks to boost your eye health because i mean carrots and seeing in the dark is one of those classic phrases i just think it's the one thing that most people have heard with diet it really is carrots helping you see in the dark

do you remember being told that a lot as a child so there was a fun article in the telegraph which was exactly those. Simple diet tweaks to boost your eye health. Do carrots really help you see in the dark? Experts reveal the easy nutritional tweaks you can make to help protect your eyes, which was quite a nice one. And as we said, the headline was kind of asking, yeah, we all grew up hearing these things. Are they old wives tales? Are they true? But the heart of the piece is actually reminding us again that nutrition is so much more about aesthetics or six packs or how you look or being beach body ready. It's actually, you know, something like protecting our eyes from age. related to Klein, which is a little bit boring in a way, but so crucially important.

It is so important. I wear my glasses as we record this episode. And I'm short-sighted and have been my whole life. And I know that there are so many people. So around 35% of people in the UK report having an eye health issue. And whether that's dryness, blood vision, it could be a more serious condition like macular generation. There are also so many things to consider here. We've got to remember genetics at age. If you're undergoing treatment, my mum, for instance, after her chemotherapy, she had to have a cataracts operation because of the damage to her eyes. And I think if we all knew there is actually an element of truth that nutrition can help a little bit, it gives us a little bit of reassurance and control that we can

do something. In one of my first ever lectures at university, we studied old wives tales. It's a really interesting lecture. And it was really reassuring to know that that just stems from the fact that you are protecting your retinae and your eye by consuming some vitamin A. So that's where the old wives tale comes from. With the carrots, because carrots are rich in vitamin A. Orange foods, guys. So also pumpkins. This time of year, if you are pumpkin picking or pumpkin carving, Ella, I should have asked you to do tips on what to do with pumpkins, like soups and things, because that's full of vitamin A, which is good for your eyes. A roasted pumpkin or a roasted squash is so delicious. And top jokes.

I would do because those need to go in the oven for quite a long time is get a whole bulb of garlic. Slice off the top so you can just see the top of the cloves. Wrap it up in baking paper with olive oil on top of the garlic and salt before you wrap it. Sorry, pop it on the baking tray with the squash or sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkins, all these slow roasting root veggies and roast that a huge bulb of garlic for the 45 to 60 minutes that you roast those. And then when you pop it all in your blender or stick blender, what you do is get a huge bulb of garlic for the garlic for the 4, that whole garlic and squeeze from the bottom. And all of that really like soft, tender,

fragrant roasted garlic will squeeze out. And it adds so much flavor. My favorite soup is actually like super, super, super simple. It's literally like tin of tomato, miso, ginger, coconut yogurt, lemon. You've really not got much going in there, but you roast it garlic for an hour and you squeeze it all in and like, oh, it's so good. Last week, Ella said it's like popping a spot I know. I nearly said that again. And then I was like, it's actually quite rank when you use that analogy, isn't it? But there's the satisfaction of the like oozing out. But for some people they may find puts them off their food. So there are a few key ingredients that can make a difference for our eyes. And we do get some of those in our garlic. So let's start making those soups. Everybody's so lutein and ziazanthin, which are found in your leafy greens like spinach, kale, peas, egg yolks if you cook with eggs. And these acts like internal sunglasses. They filter harm. full blue light and protect the retinas. Remember the vitamin A from carrots in particular

also does this sweet potatoes and red peppers support the cornea and it helps you see in low light which is where you can see in the dark bit comes from and healthy fats. I think we talk about this a lot with our love of walnuts on this podcast which thankfully so many wellness scupers also love as well. But the omega three fatty acids and salmon sardines, cheer seeds, flaxseeds do help prevent dryness. They keep inflammation low. and keep our retina healthy. And those are such easy things to chuck in. Like I did porridge for the kids this morning and I,

and I just always cook it with cheer seeds now as I've had it. It's always oats and cheer seeds. Just because it's such an easy way to get more omega-3. And then, of course, you've got everyday foods that I like to think most of you are probably consuming citrus fruit, satsuma at lunch, you know, peppers, things that have vitamin C, E and seeds and things, fat-soluble vitamins, all prevent against oxidative damage.

So, Ella, there are tons of, of lovely yummy soups, probably in your next book as well, that will help our eyes. Yeah, and I think, as you said, with that oxidative stress, that damage, it's really interesting because I don't think we think of it in terms of our eyes. It feels pretty disconnected. But all of ourselves, you know, they're constantly releasing free radicals and these sort of harmful waste substances. And as we age, our ability to clear them away decreases, which creates this oxidative stress. And it does damage ourselves. And that can happen in your eyes, too. And so that was kind of the crux of this, basically.

They had a professor, Professor Nolan in this article, and it was talking about that oxidative stress, saying the starting point of all illness in the body is that oxidative stress. And the retina and the macular, the parts of the eye that control focus and central vision, they're really sensitive to that damage, which is where nutrition comes in. So all of those nutrients, like the lutein, the zinc, the vitamins ACE, that we was just talking about, those all help neutralize these free radicals and stop them, therefore, harming the tissues that keep our eyes sharp and healthy. So obviously it's not like when you eat an almond and you get the vitamin E from the almond. It's choosing just to look after your eye, which is the whole thing about collagen supplements. Just because you take it, it doesn't mean it will help your wrinkles. It might help your baby toe. But when you put all of these things together, all of these really nutrient rich, these really beneficial compounds and vitamins and minerals and all the rest of it that we can eat, we can consume, we can have in our lifestyles. They help every part of your body from your wrinkles to our

eyes to your baby toe. And so it's, you know, I think it's just a reminder that what we do and what we put in our body and how we look after ourselves. Like it does affect absolutely everything. It's skin, heart, brain, mood, energy. So we don't need to go on a special eye diet. This isn't just about eyes, but I think it is, again, a really helpful reminder that, as I said, like what you choose to eat for dinner this week, it matters and it will affect your future health and well-being. I think it's a lovely positive message, Ella, because like you said, you're either born like me, short-sighted or with different eye conditions or genetics. You can't ever outrun. But we can definitely help keep things at bay and help her overall health. Interestingly, Catherine Ryan, this should have been a recommendation at the beginning of the show. I love her podcast, which is, how old am I really? I can't remember the exact title of it. Ella, please look it up. Well, I explain this, but she has celebrity guests on her show. And they take a age test to figure out what their actual biological age is. She, because Catherine Ryan has a autoimmune condition, her age is 77 and she's only in her early 40s.

And it goes to show that sometimes because of your inherit genetics, there is just a line. But how you live can really help with that, how you eat, how you drink. And she interviews so many guest experts. And some people that said they drank and binge drank their whole teens, now are only aged 20 when they're in their 40s because they eat so well. So it goes to show it was a very interesting listen is what I'm trying to say. Called what's my age again. What's my age again? To speak to exactly what you're saying. And she's hilariously funny if you just want a bit of a pick me up. I love Catherine Ryan. Well look guys we all got to get out on a walk today. We are a little

micro habits. So that could be what you listen to on your walk to make you feel good or you could be like me and listen to the new Taylor Swift album for the like 500th time, six hundredth, maybe. Did you see that her old performance at the Victoria's Secret show was going viral again? She sang on the catwalk of Victoria's City. I know you love. I've watched that video also, at least a dozen times. Ella's Taylor obsession is almost like my obsession with Disney.

I think it's so great. Oh my God. I'm just so cheesy, like I love Taylor Swift. It's so good. I feel like I missed it and I'm gutted. I'm really gutted. I miss the Taylor Swift beginning, you know, and I do appreciate her songs. I really like the trending TikTok dances, which does lead me on to what's trending and wellness, Ella.

Oh, what a segue you gave us there, really? I was about to go up on a tangent about how we're like, also like Elton John and Chapel Road. Okay, guys, we are, yeah, we're fully in, classic celebrity land here. Jennifer Aniston is back. what we're really talking about is light versus heavy weights, but obviously, as we know, people love a good click baity headline. And let's be honest, Jennifer Anderson is like one of those phenomenal, everlasting celebs that stays in the spotlight forever.

And I imagine always drive clicks. And so to get her in the headline is very impactful. So this came from the times. And it was basically all about Jennifer Aniston's workout routine. I think she's also heralded as like the ultimate babe, isn't she? And so everyone wants to know what happens. Do you remember the viral Jennifer Aniston salad? About 18 months ago that she said she ate every day

on the set of friends. We remade it. Actually, it was delicious. Really good. Not sure I could eat it every day, but I could eat it a lot. It was 10. But her workout routine, it was all about microlifting. Now, Ria and I, whenever we have headlines about how good, like, hit training is or something.

Both of us are like, oh, God, because we hate it. So there's one really cool to me because I was like, yes, I can get on board with this. It's microlifting. Love it. And essentially the idea is you swap big, heavy weights for small controlled movements, so using lightweight, so often just three pounds or something. And you're doing it really slowly and precisely. And it was really interesting. Yeah, I think it's a good starting point for people because it's quite joint friendly, being low impact. And it doesn't feel overwhelming because a lot of the times when you see fitness trends going around to somebody, like to Ella and I, it just does seem out of reach because there's no way we can get into that routine or have

the time to invest in getting to that point. But Jennifer's kind of feels, I say Jennifer's like, you know, Jennifer. My bestie, Jen. My bestie Jen. I adore Jennifer Aniston. I feel like she's had a really tough run in the media her whole life. And I feel like this is a really nice, positive headline to be associated with for her as well. Exactly like I know my friend Jen.

But the science does support this. So a 2023 review of 1902. trials. It's a lot of guys involving more than 5,000 participants. I like this already, found that both heavy and light resistance training led to significant gains in muscle mass and strength. And we have to remember that I think everybody should be lifting in some capacity, be it shopping bags, being more boxes at home, garden equipment, anything. We just have to keep using our muscles because we know that that helps as we age, keep us fit, keep us healthy and prevent the decline of a poor quality life when we are in our 80s to 90s.

And the difference isn't just the weight, it's consistency. So it's something you can stick at. Exactly. And I think to this point of like sticking at something, finding what you love is the most important thing when it comes to exercise. And I think that's what I really actually wanted, the reason this article as much as we love Jen Franlinson and we love that microlifting's good because it suits both of us.

I think of what it shows as well is it highlighted this 2023 review of 192 different trials. So this is, again, like, fantastic. This was involving more than 5,000 participants. So this is really, really meaningful data as we always focuses on. And what it found is that both heavy and light resistance training led to significant gains in muscle mass and strength. So I think this exactly is this point, like it's effort and consistency. And I think we see so much when it comes to our transaction and it comes to our kind of social feeds and things like that. There's like, I'm a Pilates girl. Pilates is the only way to get the, you know, long lean toned body you want or like no it's weight training only if you don't do heavy weights

you're doing it all wrong like you're going to get osteoporosis and it's a disaster and there's just this really again like oh this dogmatic world of like it's my way or the highway and it find it's so frustrating and I think what this really highlighted is like it's just actually factually incorrect like both are really beneficial but ultimately where you benefit from is doing something and doing something consistently and if you find what you like and what you look forward to doing, that is going to be so much more effective than dreading something and putting it off for indefinite. It's interesting. And I also feel that it's when a woman discusses exercise. So when Ella and I at the very beginning of the podcast, we used to talk about protein quite a bit

because it was really everywhere at the beginning when we started the podcast. Oh my God, it was, that was like, I feel like when we started Wellness Scoop, that was the height of people's protein obsession. Really the height. And thankfully, it's definitely died down a lot. But then we were getting a lot of people that were like, oh, you're saying protein is not important. We're like, no, we know protein is important. Just like we know lifting weights is important everybody. So I don't want this to be taken the wrong way. What we're trying to say is what is achievable for everybody. And it's really interesting. You have to put a voice like Jennifer Aniston or a name for people to almost take things seriously or for it to get

traction because I remember when Ella and I were discussing weightlifting at the very beginning of the podcast. And some people were saying, oh, look, they're slim. They can't be strong. And You know, there's assumptions consistently about body, shape, size, fitness, strength, nutrition. We just want everyone to just do what you're capable of doing every day and not feel shamed. I'm fed up with a shame, Ella. So have you got any kind of tips for microlifting that anyone can try at home? Because all of us have the right to have a go. A hundred percent.

I just so agree with you. And as I said, I think what's so effective here is it's just showing like all of it's effective. So you've got to find what works for you. think when it comes to microlifting, I think the key bits though to take away is like you do obviously as with any ways you want to focus on form, what's all quality over quantity. You want to do it slowly and you know, so you kind of do work to fatigue, which is what they're always talking about in Pilates classes and things like that. And then with anything like recover well, you know, again, this is resting, stretching, staying consistent. You don't need to go to extremes. I think the

big take home from that is just that little weights and big weights super effective. So yeah, you can look like Jennifer Aniston with baby weights apparently. I love that. I absolutely love it. I feel like today's episode has actually been really uplifting. We've had eye health. We've had Jennifer Aniston's workout. I almost wanted to say JLo then, Ella, I was getting them a bit jumbled up. She's another complete inspiration for me, Jailo, when it comes to exercise and fitness.

She's remarkable. And we've just had the green Mediterranean diet and having pets. It's been an overly positive episode. It has. So I think in terms of takehomes, remember, longevity's with small consistent choices. Green Mediterranean diet really highlights how those simple tweaks, more plants, more colour, a little bit less meat, can really improve your gut health, reduce inflammation, slow biological ageing, focus on that. Lift smart consistently doesn't have to be

heavy. Microlifting can be fantastic and, you know, controlled strength training can be just as effective as heavy weights. So you can build strength at last without burnout, without injury. It's something that actually works for you. Remember that diet to protect your eyes and your brain just as much as anything aesthetic. Get out there. You know, the dog study has reminded us, I think that movement, daylight connection matter just as much as diet.

So it could be a morning stretch. It can be a little walk. It could be out with your dog or not. But just find these small, joyful routines that lower stress. Again, boost that longevity and make those daily wellness habits feel fun, feel effortless. And just remember, guys, this is long term. This is not all or nothing.

Longevity, health span, you know, it's all about things that you're enjoy. It's not about extreme. It's about balance, fun, sustainability. Keep doing those small little tweaks and habits that make you feel good today. You deserve it. And you'll keep doing them. Oh, 100%. So thank you for tuning in everyone. We'll see you again on Thursday when we take your questions. Keep them coming. We read every review on Spotify. Some of the strange ones on Apple, but also the really lovely ones. So do please keep those coming. And we look forward to seeing you Thursday. We will see you then. Bye.

Thank you. Thank you.