Today's podcast is with the Neurosurgeon (yes, Neurosurgeon) Dr Alex Koefman . Alex has undertaken specialist training in neurosurgery throughout Australia, including The Canberra Hospital, the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, the Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and Princess Margaret Hospital for Children in Perth, and the Princess Alexandra, Royal Brisbane, and Lady Cilento Children’s Hospitals in Brisbane. During this time, Alex was trained and mentored by many of Australia's most senior subspecialty neurosurgeons and today we discuss his journey to Neurosurgery and what it's like opening up peoples' brains! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's WW centres on the latest kids' mental health statistics for Australia as well as the shocking food budgets for childcare centres - anyone else see connections here? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

My guest today is Ken Mogi, a Japanese neuroscientist, a senior researcher at Sony Computer Science Laboratories and a visiting professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. He has written over 100 books – yes 100 – in Japanese on topics as diverse as brain science philosophy, history, art, education, and linguistics. Ken is known as a rock star neuroscientist in Japan and it’s easy to see why, as he’s a super-cool, super-smart guy. He recently released his first book in English, titled Ikigai, which translates as ‘A reason to live’ and today, we discuss how to find you Ikigai.  You can buy his excellent Ikigai book here.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this short segment, I discuss the NOVA classification of Ultra-processed foods and some of the research into the negative impacts on our health, and a quick guide for minimising them in your diet.Here is a link to help with reading of food labels.Make sure you subscribe to the newsletter to get the links to the studies that I mention.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Felice Jacka, an international leader in Nutritional Psychiatry research, discusses the connection between food and mood. Topics include the gut-brain axis, gut bacteria's impact on neurotransmitters, high antibiotic use's effect on mental health, the microbiome's composition in newborns based on birth method, feasibility studies on fecal transplants for mental disorders, transformative effects of diet on the microbiome, men's preconception health's influence on child outcomes.

Here is the link to the study in the Journal Nature See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the second part of mine and Harps' live podcast, we go to the audience for their questions. Enjoy...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's WW explores why Creatine is not just for athletes, but for anyone who wants to have a healthy brain.To access the studies I mention, sign up to the newsletter at mindbodybrain.com.au See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's podcast is a live one with me and my old mate Harps - hope you enjoy the discussion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is a short podcast exploring some recent research on the impact of sleep on the aging process.   If you'd like summaries and a link to the studies, sign up to our newsletter at mindbodybrain.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.