The Human Upgrade: Biohacking for Longevity & Performance

The Science of Supper: Transform Your Health Through Family Meals – Shawn Stevenson : 1142

Mar 12, 2024

Shawn Stevenson, author of bestsellers like "Eat Smarter" and creator of "The Model Health Show," joins the conversation to explore the transformative power of family meals. He shares how communal dining fosters connection and supports health and longevity. Shawn emphasizes the importance of cooking as an act of love, detailing how involving children in meal preparation can nurture deeper family bonds. Drawing on personal anecdotes and research, he highlights the emotional benefits of shared meals and their role in fostering wellness in today’s busy world.

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INSIGHT

Creating Environments

Humans are not just products of their environment.
They are also creators of their environment, influencing habits and outcomes.

INSIGHT

Microculture Impact

Culture significantly controls our thoughts and guides our choices.
Creating a healthy microculture at home is more effective than changing the larger culture.

INSIGHT

Social Bonds & Longevity

Healthy social bonds are the strongest determinant of longevity, outweighing factors like obesity and smoking.
Relationships influence how we engage in other health-related behaviors.

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Today’s guest is none other than Shawn Stevenson. If you’re not already familiar with Shawn’s work, he’s the author of the USA Today National bestseller Eat Smarter, the international bestselling book Sleep Smarter, and the creator of the widely popular health podcast, The Model Health Show.

Shawn is one of those guys who embodies peace and calm, after an impressively transformative journey stemming from a background of health challenges at least as severe as mine. After recovering, he became a researcher and nutritionist experienced in biology and nutritional science.

We dive into a crucial element of biohacking I am always keen to highlight—friendship, or in this case, community.

Based on research from Shawn’s latest book, Eat Smarter Family Cookbook, we talk about his current mission on the path to wellness: creating a culture of wellness around the dinner table, how communal meals impact our health and longevity, and filling the void of connection we all so desperately need these days.

Shawn shares insights from his own family’s dinner table, his tips for implementing family meals into your weekly routine, and the encouraging science and data behind how it supports physical and spiritual nourishment, nervous system regulation, stress management, and more.

If you like this episode, I encourage you to go pick out a good cut of meat and cook food for someone you care about—or simply do anything that's an act of service that nourishes another human being. Here’s to cultivating strong relationships, imbuing our food with love, and honoring the act of nourishing ourselves and our families.

(00:01:16) Cultivating Peace & Presence Through Nervous System Regulation

(00:10:00) Cultural Connections to Health, Longevity & Childhood Obesity

(00:25:20) Family Dinners for Nourishment, Mindfulness & Building Stronger Bonds

(00:43:45) Kids in the Kitchen: Fostering Enjoyment, Skill & Service in Cooking

(00:59:48) Heart Meditations, Trauma Healing & the Science of Emotional Exchange