

Mind & Matter
Nick Jikomes
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)
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 18, 2022 • 1h 48min
Climatology, Climate Change, Computer Modeling, Green Energy, Politicization of Science | Judith Curry | 84
Send us a textNick talks to climatologist Dr. Judith Curry, the former chair of the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her research interests have included hurricanes, atmospheric modeling, air-sea interactions, and a variety of other areas in climate science. She runs Climate, Etc., an online blog focused on climate science. She is also writing a new book called, “Climate Uncertainty & Risk,” which she described towards the end of the podcast. They discuss: how Earth’s climate has changed over time and how climate scientists measure this; what computer models are used for in climate science and what their strengths & weaknesses are; tropical storms and severe weather events; CO2, methane, and other greenhouse gasses; different forms of energy, such as oil, natural gas, solar, wind, and nuclear; how she thinks about the tradeoffs between different energy sources in terms of their abundance, environmental impact, costs, and other factors; the politicization of climate science and why certain branches of science are especially prone to it.*Not medical advice.Support the showAffiliates: Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app. KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime) Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount. For all the ways you can support my efforts

Aug 11, 2022 • 1h 21min
Prescription Drugs, Psychiatric Medicine, Big Pharma & the Medicalization of Everything | David Cohen | 83
Send us a textNick talks to Dr. David Cohen, a professor at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. His research looks at psychoactive drugs (prescribed, licit, and illicit) and their desirable and undesirable effects as socio-cultural phenomena “constructed” through language, policy, attitudes, and social interactions. They discuss: prescription psychiatric drugs, including SSRIs, benzodiazepines and stimulants (e.g. Adderall); the history of how some of the most widely prescribed psychiatric drugs came to be so popular; how pharmaceutical companies go about marketing these drugs and the conditions they aim to treat to both physicians and the public; the quality of the evidence supporting their use; what we are learning about the potential for dependency, long-term health effects, and actual level of benefit that comes from chronic psychiatric drug use; why many psychiatric drugs are increasingly prescribed in combination; and more.*Not medical advice.Support the showAffiliates: Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app. KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime) Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount. For all the ways you can support my efforts

Aug 4, 2022 • 1h 7min
Inflammation, Memory, Epigenetics, Skin Health, Stem Cells, Tissue Repair & Cancer | Shruti Naik | 82
Send us a textNick talks to Dr. Shruti Naik, assistant professor of pathology & medicine at the NYU Langone. Her lab studies the interactions between immune cells, epithelial cells, and microbes in barrier tissues that interface with the environment (e.g. skin, lungs & gut). They discuss: inflammatory memory; how cells store memories of inflammation epigenetically; how skin cell regenerate and repair tissue damage; stem cell biology; cancer, and more.*Not medical advice.Support the showAffiliates: Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app. KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime) Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount. For all the ways you can support my efforts

Jul 28, 2022 • 1h 22min
Sex Differences in Brain, Endocannabinoid Biology, Juvenile Play Behavior, Cannabis & Pregnancy | Margaret McCarthy | 81
Send us a textNick talks to neuroscientist Dr. Margaret McCarthy, whose lab at the University of Maryland studies the origins and mechanisms of sex differences in the brain, the endocannabinoid system, and neural basis of animal behavior. They discuss: the nature of sex differences observed in the mammalian brain, including differences in the susceptibility to various diseases and disorders of the brain; differences in juvenile play behavior in males vs. females, and how these can be altered by sex hormones and cannabinoids; sex differences in brain development that lead to sex differences in behavior; how the endocannabinoid system influences brain development and behavior; how cannabis use during pregnancy may influence brain development.*This content is never meant to serve as medical advice.Support the showAffiliates: Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app. KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime) Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount. For all the ways you can support my efforts

Jul 21, 2022 • 58min
Origins of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus | Matt Ridley | 80
Send us a textNick talks to science writer Matt Ridley, who most recently published the book, "Viral: The Search for the Origin of COVID-19" together with molecular biologist Dr. Alina Chan. They discussed what is known and still unknown about the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the latest developments in that mystery which have come to light in the past few months; the relationship between institutional science and politics; whether we are ever likely to know definitively the origins of this virus, and more.*Not medical advice.Support the showAffiliates: Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app. KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime) Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount. For all the ways you can support my efforts

Jul 14, 2022 • 1h 13min
Psychedelic Startups, Biotech, Drug Discovery, Psilocybin, DMT, Psychedelics & Society | Sam Banister | 79
Send us a textNick talks to medicinal chemist Sam Banister, who is co-founder and Chief Science Officer at Psylo, a biotech startup focused on developing next-generation psychedelic medicines. They discuss: the past, present, and future of psychedelic science; Sam's journey from academia to biotech startup co-founder; Alexander Shulgin; psychedelics like psilocybin, DMT, and others; and psychedelics & society. *Not medical advice.Support the showAffiliates: Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app. KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime) Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount. For all the ways you can support my efforts

7 snips
Jul 7, 2022 • 1h 53min
Nature vs. Nurture, Neurogenetics, Personality, Autism, Schizophrenia, Synesthesia & Free Will | Kevin Mitchell | 78
Send us a textNick talks to neuroscientist & geneticist Dr. Kevin Mitchell about: 'Nature vs. Nurture,' the genetics of brain development, autism & schizophrenia, human brain and psychological variation, synesthesia, agency & free will, and more.More neuroscience & genetics content here.*Not medical advice.Support the showAffiliates: Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app. KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime) Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount. For all the ways you can support my efforts

Jun 30, 2022 • 58min
Addiction, Nicotine, Deep Brain Stimulation, Neurotechnology & Parkinson’s Disease | Michael Fox | 77
Send us a textNick talks to neurologist & neuroscientist Michael Fox, MD, PhD about his recent work mapping out an "addiction remission network" in the brain. They discuss addiction, brain networks involved in addiction, neurotechnologies like Deep Brain Stimulation and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, Parkinson's Disease, and more.*Not medical advice.Support the showAffiliates: Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app. KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime) Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount. For all the ways you can support my efforts

Jun 23, 2022 • 1h 55min
Metabolism, Fat, Carbs, Protein, Ketogenic Diet, Nutrition, Blood Sugar & Personal Health Monitoring | Dominic D'Agostino | 76
Send us a textNick talks to physiologist and neuroscientist Dr. Dominic D'Agostino about human metabolism & nutrition; fats, carbohydrates, sugar, and protein; ketogenic diet, ketosis, BHB supplementation; inflammation and polyunsaturated fats; personal health and metabolism monitoring; and general questions related to the quality of the nutritional information we receive from our institutions.Learn more about the science of diet & metabolism.*Not medical advice.Support the showAffiliates: Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app. KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime) Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount. For all the ways you can support my efforts

Jun 16, 2022 • 2h 16min
Ritual Behavior, Habits, Human Culture, Religion, Civilization, Marriage, Death, Music, Burning Man & Community | Dimitris Xygalatas | 75
Send us a textNick talks to anthropologist Dr. Dimitris Xygalatas, who is an associate professor at the University of Connecticut. His research interests center around human ritual behavior and the interaction between cognition and culture. They discuss his new Book, "Ritual: How Seemingly Senseless Acts Make Life Worth Living." Topics covered: Rituals vs. habits; the psychological purpose of ritual; ritualism as an antidote to anxiety; religion and spiritual practices; culture & the birth of civilization; the physiological and psychoactive effects of ritual; Ayahuasca and psychoactive drugs; rituals in sports, gambling, and other human activities; the evolution of language & symbolic cognition; religion, community & Burning Man.*Not medical advice.Support the showAffiliates: Seed Oil Scout: Find restaurants with seed oil-free options, scan food products to see what they’re hiding, with this easy-to-use mobile app. KetoCitra—Ketone body BHB + electrolytes formulated for kidney health. Use code MIND20 for 20% off any subscription (cancel anytime) Lumen device to optimize your metabolism for weight loss or athletic performance. Code MIND for 10% off SiPhox Health—Affordable at-home blood testing. Key health markers, visualized & explained. Code TRIKOMES for a 20% discount. For all the ways you can support my efforts


