Live Well Be Well with Sarah Ann Macklin | Health, Lifestyle, Nutrition

👉 Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/What if cognitive decline is not inevitable, but quietly shaped by how we live, think, and engage with the world each day?This week on Live Well Be Well, I’m joined once again by Dr Tommy Wood, neuroscientist, researcher, and author of The Stimulated Mind, for a deeply hopeful conversation about brain health, ageing, and dementia prevention.In this episode, Tommy brings clarity to one of our biggest modern fears: losing our minds. Drawing on decades of human research, he explains why up to half of dementias may be preventable, how genetics interact with lifestyle, and why stimulation, not resignation, plays a central role in protecting the brain across a lifetime.Here’s What We Dive Into:- Why dementia is not an inevitable part of ageing, and what the evidence actually shows about prevention.- How genetic risk factors such as APOE4 interact with lifestyle, environment, and daily behaviours.- Why women are disproportionately affected by Alzheimer’s disease, and how education and cognitive stimulation influence risk.- How believing you are “too old” can accelerate cognitive decline through reduced engagement and agency.- Why mental and physical stimulation protect the brain, and how learning, novelty, and effort preserve neural networks.- What artificial intelligence may be doing to memory, attention, and critical thinking when it replaces effort.- How sleep quantity, quality, and regularity support long term brain health and repair.- Why hearing, vision, and smell loss increase dementia risk, and how restoring them protects cognition.- How sensory input, movement, and recovery work together to support lifelong brain resilience.Love, Sarah Ann 💛***This episode is sponsored by:NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com***Let’s be friends!📷 Instagram:  / sarahannmacklin📹 Subscribe:   / @livewellbewellsarah  🐦 Twitter:  / sarahannmacklin  📱 TikTok:  / sarahannnutrition  💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/***About Dr. Tommy Wood📘 Book - The Stimulated MindA science-backed guide to boosting mental sharpness, preventing cognitive decline, and future-proofing your brain at any age (available for preorder).https://www.drtommywood.com/stimulated-mind📸 Instagram:@drtommywood🐦 Twitter: @DrRagnar🌐 Website: https://www.drtommywood.com***If You Enjoyed This Episode, You Might Also Like:A 7-Step System to Unlock Your Brain’s Full Potential |  Nicole VignolaNicole Vignola: The 7-Step Process to Rewire Your Brain***Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter:Science Simplified, Health Humanised.Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact.https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/***Highlights00:00:00 Why dementia is widely misunderstood00:02:05 Dementia, Alzheimer’s, and what is actually preventable00:06:40 Genetics, APOE4, and lifestyle as a risk multiplier00:09:35 Why women face higher Alzheimer’s risk00:13:55 Education, work, and declining dementia rates00:17:30 How mindset and self talk shape cognitive ageing00:21:10 Autonomy, movement, and brain resilience00:26:55 AI, effort, and the future of thinking00:32:05 When technology supports cognition, and when it erodes it00:39:45 Hearing, eyesight, and dementia risk00:47:10 Smell, memory, and sensory stimulation00:55:20 Sleep, recovery, and how the brain adapts***Love what you’re hearing?My small ask is to please rate and review Live Well Be Well. This helps the show expand and allows me to keep producing these with the best quality guests. It means a huge amount to me, so thank you.

Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/7kfykswH6IoWhy is zone two training so important for mitochondrial health? It’s linked with improvements in fat oxidation and lactate clearance, which are used as surrogates of mitochondrial function in sports science.This clip explores how different exercise intensities drive distinct metabolic responses, why athletes are useful models for understanding cellular energy, and how laboratory testing with metabolic carts and lactate measurements led to practical training zones from easy efforts to sprints. I’m exploring with my guest how zone two work consistently improved fat oxidation and lactate clearance in testing, while higher intensities remain essential for performance and VO2, since competitions are decided at the top end. Here, I’m discussing the balance between building a metabolically efficient engine at the mitochondrial level with zone two, and training the “turbo” at zones four and five plus sprint work for race demands, all in clear, everyday language you can apply.As a nutritionist and health communicator, my aim is to translate these lab insights into practical training decisions that respect both mitochondrial function and cardiorespiratory adaptations.***This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com***Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter: Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/***Let’s be friends!📷 Instagram: / sarahannmacklin📹 Subscribe: / @livewellbewellsarah 🐦 Twitter: / sarahannmacklin 📱 TikTok: / sarahannnutrition 💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/XXwgXDeOYJIAre seed oils the real issue, or are we missing the bigger picture? We examine the weak evidence for harm, the role of rancidity and context, and why blanket bans miss the mark. This clip explores public health messaging, the push for simple slogans, and claims about beef tallow versus seed oils. We also touch on how activism, diet context, and overconsumption shape risk, and why nuance matters.***This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com***Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter: Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/***Let’s be friends!📷 Instagram: / sarahannmacklin📹 Subscribe: / @livewellbewellsarah 🐦 Twitter: / sarahannmacklin 📱 TikTok: / sarahannnutrition 💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/

👉 Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/Longevity is everywhere right now, but has it become a trend instead of a truth?In a world overflowing with health hacks, supplements, and promises of a longer life, it has never been harder to know what actually works. Beneath the noise, there is a clear science to living well for longer, but only if we learn to tune out the hype and return to what our biology has been asking of us all along.Today I am joined by Dr. Darshan Shah, medical doctor, longevity expert, and founder of Next Health. Dr. Shah became a doctor at 21 and has since guided thousands of patients through metabolic healing, functional medicine, and evidence-based longevity. Together, we explore what truly extends your healthspan and what does not.This conversation is a practical and compassionate look at longevity, what it means, where to begin, and why most people focus on the wrong things. Dr. Shah breaks longevity into a simple health pyramid, starting with foundational habits, then biomarkers, hormones, detoxification, brain health, and emerging therapies such as peptides.Here’s What We Dive Into:- What longevity truly means, and why adding years is different from adding healthy years.- Why metabolic health is the most important predictor of long term wellbeing.- How simple habits before and after meals support better blood sugar regulation.- Why quarterly biomarker testing may be the most effective prevention tool we have.- What optimal blood ranges look like, and why normal ranges are not always healthy.- How functional medicine identifies the eight root causes behind most chronic disease.- Why toxins, microplastics, and everyday chemicals affect long term health.- How women’s hormones, menopause, and brain health relate to Alzheimer’s risk.- What creatine offers for muscles, cognition, and healthy aging.- Why peptides are rising in popularity, and how to approach them with safety and clarity.Love,Sarah Ann 💛***This episode is sponsored by:NOWATCH: The compassionate health trackerConnecting body and mind with unique stress recovery insights so you can live fully today15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com***Let’s be friends!📷 Instagram:  / sarahannmacklin📹 Subscribe:   / @livewellbewellsarah  🐦 Twitter:  / sarahannmacklin  📱 TikTok:  / sarahannnutrition  💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/***If You Enjoyed This Episode, You Might Also Like:Improve Your Health With Biohacking: Expert Tips From Dr Molly MaloofNo.1 Gut Scientist: Insane Fiber Benefits to HEAL YOUR GUT & Beat Disease | Dr Will Bulsiewicz***Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter:Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/***HighlightsWhat real longevity means and why it matters (00:00:00)The rise of chronic illness and metabolic decline (00:03:12)The eight root causes behind most modern diseases (00:06:58)How continuous glucose monitors reshape daily habits (00:09:41)Using data without falling into overwhelm (00:13:28)The biomarkers that matter most for preventive health (00:16:44)Why normal blood sugar is not always optimal (00:20:26)Muscle mass and metabolism across the ageing process (00:20:26)Creatine for strength, cognition, and longevity (00:28:14)Toxins, microplastics, and their impact on long-term health (00:32:48)Alzheimer’s risk and the role of women’s hormonal health (00:38:07)Peptides, benefits, and precautions for safe use (00:47:22)***Love what you’re hearing?My small ask is to please rate and review Live Well Be Well. This helps the show expand and allows me to keep producing these with the best quality guests. It means a huge amount to me, so thank you.

Watch the FULL podcast here: https://youtu.be/7kfykswH6IoAre you getting the balance between Zone 2 and HIIT right? I’m exploring how an 80/20 split by sessions, with most training at lower intensity and select high-intensity work, supports results without burning you out.This clip explores why all-HIIT programs often feel unsustainable and can lead to fatigue or injuries, what 80/20 really means when you count sessions rather than minutes, and why only about 5 to 10 percent of total minutes across a season tend to be truly high intensity in athletic programs. We discuss how Zone 2 should be harder than easy cruising to drive mitochondrial adaptations, practical ways for busy people to blend mostly Zone 2 with a small dose of intensity toward the end of some sessions, and why complete off days can be more restorative than so-called active recovery. I also share my experience of feeling awful doing fasted HIIT, and we touch on how women may find certain efforts tougher due to muscle fibre differences related to ATP production. As a nutritionist and health communicator, I connect the training plan with recovery needs, including the role of rest for immune health.***This episode is sponsored by: NOWATCH: Health tracking reimaginedKnow your body, trust yourself.15% off with code LWBW15 at nowatch.com***Sign up to Sarah’s Compassionate Cure newsletter: Science Simplified, Health Humanised. Join thousands in exploring actionable insights that prioritise compassion, clarity, and real-life impact. https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/***Let’s be friends!📷 Instagram: / sarahannmacklin📹 Subscribe: / @livewellbewellsarah 🐦 Twitter: / sarahannmacklin 📱 TikTok: / sarahannnutrition 💌 Newsletter: https://sarahmacklin.substack.com/