Mind & Matter
Whether food, drugs or ideas, what you consume influences who you become. Learn directly from the best scientists & thinkers alive today about how your mind-body reacts to what you feed it.
The weekly M&M podcast features conversations with the most interesting scientists, thinkers, and technology entrepreneurs alive today.
Not medical advice.
At M&M, we are interested in trying to figure out how things work, not affirming our existing beliefs. We prefer consulting primary rather than secondary sources and independent rather than institutional voices. If we encounter uncomfortable truths or the evidence suggests unfashionable ideas may be valid, so be it.
As the host, my aim is to help you better understand how the body & mind work by curating & synthesizing information in a way that yields science-based insights that you can choose to use or disregard in your own life. Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
I am motivated to connect the dots and distill general principles from what I learn, preferring to ask questions and play devil’s advocate to debating or incessantly pushing my own viewpoint.
My beliefs:
- Taking ownership of your health starts with taking ownership of your information diet.
- All knowledge is provisional and we must work hard to prevent ourselves from becoming attached to our favorite ideas & preferred conclusions.
- Wisdom comes from an iterative, trial-and-error process of learning and unlearning. Letting go of pre-conceived notions can be painful, but pain is information.
Sometimes modern discoveries teach us we must unlearn received wisdom. Other times, modern information overload & historical chauvinism cause us to forget ancient wisdom which stills applies. The framework for learning that I embody is inspired by three Ancient Greek maxims inscribed in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi:
- “Γνῶθι σεαυτόν” (Know thyself)
- “Μηδὲν ἄγαν” (Nothing in excess)
- “Ἐγγύα πάρα δ Ἄτα” (Certainty brings insanity)
Mind & Matter
Latest Episodes
How to Lie With Science: Seed Oils & Inflammation | M&M Livestream 1
Deep-dive into a 2026 cardiology review paper claiming seed oils reduce inflammation, exposing misrepresentations of cited clinical trials, and detailing how oxidized Ω-6 fats trigger inflammation.Companion article: Click
Ancestry & Genetic Diversity in Human Fat Metabolism: Seed Oils & Omega Fats | Floyd Chilton | Episode 294
Human genetic variation in dietary fat metabolism and its implications for health & disease.TOPICS DISCUSSED:Linoleic Acid Rise: Linoleic acid now comprises 6-8% or more of energy in Western diets.<...
Pregnenolone & Corticosteroids in Brain Health | Sherwood Brown | Episode 293
Pregnenolone, a neurosteroid derived from cholesterol, affects brain activity and shows promise for treating mood and substance abuse disorders.TOPICS DISCUSSED:Steroid Biosynthesis: Cholesterol converted to pre...
Omega Fats & ω-3 Supplements in Human Health | Bill Harris | Episode 292
How omega-3 fats in human health, including dietary intake needs, supplements, & omega fat testing.TOPICS DISCUSSED:ω-3 chemistry: EPA and DHA differ from plant ALA in chain length and double-bond count, mak...
Omega Polyunsaturated Fats in Inflammation | Philip Calder | Episode 291
How dietary fatty acids regulate the initiation, propagation, and resolution of inflammation.TOPICS DISCUSSED:Parenteral nutrition history: IV nutrition evolved from soybean oil alone in the 1960s to complex ble...
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