We’re back with a Science You Can Use episode. Why? Because science is always evolving, and with it comes new research, regulations, and insights that shape the way we eat, move, and care for our health. In this special episode of 1,000 Waking Minutes, Dr. Wendy Bazilian breaks down three timely studies and what they mean for your daily life:

• A trio of behaviors that work together to slow biological aging and reduce disease risk.
• What the FDA’s new ‘healthy’ food label really means.
• How polyphenols—or ‘fighter nutrients’—may help protect brain health and support memory.

We’ll look at the science, the practical takeaways, and how to bring it all into your 1,000 waking minutes.

From the Episode

“This powerful trio works together to help slow biological aging and lower disease risk. Think of these as like the longevity dream team.”

We Discuss:

 (1:47) Introduction: Why science updates matter and what’s on today’s agenda

(4:13) Approaches to longevity:  What the latest research says about a trio of nutrients and lifestyle behaviors 

(10:33) The FDA’s new definition of “healthy” for food labels—what’s changed and why it matters

(18:41) Polyphenols and brain health—how these “fighter nutrients” support cognition

(27:02) Practical takeaways and how to use this research in daily life

CONNECT WITH WENDY:

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Email me: 1KWM@wendybazilian.com

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Thank you for tuning in to 1,000 Waking Minutes and being part of this journey—together. A huge thank you to our amazing collaborators including our production and marketing teams, and Gabriela Escalante in particular. To the ultra-talented Beza for my theme music, my lifelong friend and artist Pearl Preis Photography and Design, to Danielle Ballantyne, Jen Nguyen, Joanna Powell, and of course, my family and everyone working tirelessly behind the scenes.

HEALTH DISCLAIMER:

The information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not be considered individual medical or health advice. Always consult with your trusted healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, exercise, or medical treatment.

REFERENCES:

Bischoff-Ferrari, H.A., Gängler, S., Wieczorek, M. et al. (2025). Individual and additive effects of vitamin D, omega-3 and exercise on DNA methylation clocks of biological aging in older adults from the DO-HEALTH trial. Nature Aging. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-024-00793-y

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2024). FDA finalizes updated “healthy” nutrient content claim. FDA News Release. https://www.fda.gov/food/hfp-constituent-updates/fda-finalizes-updated-healthy-nutrient-content-claim

Carrillo, J. Á., Arcusa, R., Xandri-Martínez, R., Cerdá, B., Zafrilla, P., & Marhuenda, J. (2025). Impact of polyphenol-rich nutraceuticals on cognitive function and neuroprotective biomarkers: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Nutrients, 17(4), 601. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17040601

Science isn't changing its mind,

it's evolving.

The more we learn, the

more we can refine what

truly supports our health.

And today we'll talk about

three pieces of newsworthy science.

First, a nutrient lifestyle combo

that packs a one-two

punch on longevity.

Next, a piece of legislation

at long last to help

us better understand when you're

looking at a food, what

the heck they mean by

'healthy'.

And finally, some powerful research

about a category of nutrients

in plant foods that I

affectionately call 'fighter nutrients' and

their role in protecting our

brain.

The thing is, when we

understand the research a bit

better, we can do more

than just read about it,

we can actually use it.

So let's break it down

and bring the evidence into

our everyday life.

We experience 1,000 waking

minutes on average every day.

How are you spending yours?

I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian and

you're listening to 1,000 Waking

Minutes.

I can't wait to connect

with you here with practical

ways to eat well, move

daily, and be healthy, to

optimize every waking minute you

live for a happier, healthier

life.

Thank you for sharing some

of your waking minutes with

me today.

Let's get started.

I'm saying yes to better

days, yes.

I'm on my way, yes.

It's gonna be okay, yeah.

Welcome to 1,000 Waking Minutes.

I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian and

I'm so glad you're here.

As we periodically do, today's

episode is a science update.

This is where we take

a look at some of

the latest research in nutrition

and movement and our overall

health and well-being and

talk about what it can

really mean for you.

Because science is always evolving

and new studies come out,

new headlines grab our attention,

and sometimes official recommendations shift

based on what we're learning.

Some of this information is

exciting and some of it

makes you pause and wonder,

"but what does this really

mean for me?"

And some of it, let's

be honest, can feel overwhelming

or frustrating or even conflicting.

So what I want to

do and enter into today,

and my goal, let's say,

is to make sense of

the science, to help us

filter through the noise, and

to offer some practical tips

to bring some of these

insights and learnings into your

every day.

I'd like to clarify some

of the partial and misinformation

and bring the good stuff

into our 1,000 waking minutes

because these are the moments

that shape your health, your

well-being, and your daily

choices.

So today we're looking at

three recent topics that are

making waves in nutrition and

health.

First, there's a compelling new

study on omega-3s, vitamin

D, and exercise, and how

this combination may slow biological

aging and reduce disease risk.

Next, we'll talk about the

long-awaited update from the

FDA on what qualifies as

healthy on food labels, the

actual word 'healthy'.

We'll talk about why this

change matters and what to

look for when you're shopping.

And finally, I'll share some

findings from some of the

latest research on polyphenols.

Those phytonutrients, or as I

like to call them, are

'fighter nutrients' that are found

in fruits and vegetables and

play a role in supporting

brain health as well as

memory.

So we'll break these down,

what the findings really mean,

and most importantly, how you

can apply them in your

daily life.

All right, let's start with

something we all care about.

The first one, staying strong,

capable, and resilient as we

age.

I'm not talking about aging

in the ways that we

see, like our skin or

hair or energy, those are

important of course, but at

the biological level, what's happening

in our cells, in our

muscles, and even in our

DNA.

So a new study published

this year in Nature Aging

looked at just that.

They looked at the biological

aging as a metric.

In fact, scientists look specifically

at how the combination of

omega-3s, vitamin D, and

exercise work together to slow

biological aging and reduce the

risk of serious disease.

This research comes from the

DO-HEALTH trial, which stands

for vitamin D, the D

in DO, omega-3, the

O in DO, and home

exercise for health, H-E

there, the do health.

It followed 777 adults over

the age of 70 for

three years and sought to

see how these three factors

taken separately and also together

could mean for health outcomes.

So what were the results,

you wonder?

Well, they were pretty compelling.

People who took one gram

of omega-3s daily and

2,000 IUs of vitamin

D per day and did

strength training three times per

week showed significantly slower biological

aging by three to four

months over a three-year

study period.

So about a month per

year gained over that study

period by those three practices,

and I'll break that down

in a minute.

But even more significant, this

group had a 39%

lower risk of frailty and

a 61% lower risk

of invasive cancer.

That's pretty stunning results for

that trio, that trifecta of

sorts.

So this isn't just good

news, it's a powerful example

of synergy, the way these

three factors, two are nutritional,

one is movement - exercise and

our body mechanics - and how

they work together, and that

they're greater than what any

one of them did on

their own.

So what I want to

point out here is that

while this study was done

in adults who are 70

and older, these are habits

that anyone can benefit from

no matter what your age

may be, what our age

may be.

So how do we apply

this to our everyday into

your waking minutes?

Well first, omega-3s.

If you're not taking a

supplement, you can actually get

plenty from food.

Think of fish like salmon

and sardines and mackerel, and

think of the plant sources

like walnuts and chia seeds

and flax, and even some

algae-based sources.

But you might be wondering

how much they ate daily.

The amount that they used

was the equivalent of, so

they use supplements, but to

get that about a thousand

milligrams a day is the

equivalent of about seven walnut

halves, or about a teaspoon

of chia seeds, or

one-third teaspoon of chia oil.

Not so difficult if you

think about it in those

terms.

And keep in mind that

the plant sources in particular,

the nuts and the seeds,

don't just give us omega

-3s, they give us a

matrix bringing fiber and plant

protein and other phytonutrients that

work together for overall health.

And then the marine sources

like fish also give us

not just the omega-3s,

but important protein sources as

well.

How about vitamin D though

in the DO-HEALTH study?

Well sunlight is actually the

best source as our skin

can convert a precursor hormone

that our skin has into

the active vitamin D we

need, but we do know

we have to be careful

about the balance of the

positive with the risk of

exposure to the UV harmful

rays.

And food sources are a

bit more limited, but they

do come in things like

egg yolks, in mushrooms that

have been exposed to light,

so you can find vitamin

D rich mushrooms, in fortified

dairy, and in fortified plant

-based milks.

So to match the study

amount there, which was

2,000 IUs daily, you actually

would likely need some form

of supplement.

It's a little bit challenging

to get it all through

diet, you'd have to be

pretty strategic there.

But again I want to

emphasize that food sources still

matter because they provide that

full matrix of nutrients beyond

just the vitamin D, and

those work together in interesting

ways that we are continuing

to learn about.

And finally strength training.

For some that's the biggest

hurdle to overcome, and others

that's the thing they've been

doing all along.

How much and how intense?

Well thankfully it doesn't mean

you have to start powerlifting,

or like I like to

watch others do, tossing tires

from 18 wheeler big rigs.

I'm pretty impressed to see

that when I do.

But for you it can

be bodyweight exercise, it can

be resistance bands, it can

even be carrying your groceries

with a little extra control

and intention.

Three days a week as

the study showed.

So the practical takeaway for

us here is that these

small consistent choices, combined and

layered, over time really add

up.

Remember the results, those were

stunning.

And beyond the numbers there's

still practical, relatively affordable, and

generally safe habits when they're

done as recommended.

They support not just longevity,

but our quality of life

too.

All right, shifting gears, let's

talk about the still often

confusing topic of food labels.

Probably the forever-confusing topics

to some, but we can

distill it and decipher it

little by little more and

more.

And in particular we're going

to talk about the term

healthy.

For years the word 'healthy'

has been slapped on everything

from granola bars, to sugary

cereals, to fortified foods and

packages, to maybe an apple.

And not all the foods

have exactly lived up to

the claim, as you likely

know.

So this is something that

I've been following closely my

entire professional career, but especially

since the beginning when there

was a push to redefine

or get a clearer definition

based on science on the

term itself.

And it really started in

late 2015 and into early

2016 when the FDA was

really first pushed to start

making moves to revisit its

outdated regulations and definition for

'healthy'.

It wasn't just regulators who

were working for the change,

in fact, it was certain

citizen and invested groups who

were pushing for the change.

And it actually came on

the public radar into particular

when the then CEO of

KIND Snacks, like the KIND

bars with the nuts and

fruits in them, simple ingredient

lists, I really like them

still to this day, but

then their then CEO of

KIND, Daniel Lubetzky, he challenged

the outdated rules because he

was told that he couldn't

use 'healthy' on the bars

anymore.

At the time they were

flagged for not being able

to call themselves healthy because

of their fat content, even

though that the fat in

those bars came from nuts,

from whole nuts, nothing was

processed as, I mean, it

was processed into a bar,

but nothing was broken down

and there were no ingredients

added in the form of

fat, they came from the

food ingredient themselves, all recognizable

ingredients.

And that this kind of

bar, the KIND bar, had

really simple ingredient lists.

Meanwhile, highly processed lower fat

cereals were allowed to carry

the healthy term on their

boxes because it was based

on rules that had been

set in the early 1990s,

that foods to carry healthy

had to meet some minimal

criteria for the presence of

certain nutrient vitamins, minerals, and

other things that were there

naturally or not.

So maybe they were fortified

in, as is the case

many times with cereals, and

they fit into a category

like low fat or low

cholesterol, the rules of the

time.

So it wasn't the type

of fat and it wasn't

whether it was whole food

or naturally occurring either.

This was very outdated and

it was a improperly oversimplified

system.

It didn't reflect real nutrition

science and even using common

sense, it just didn't make

sense or feel right.

And yet that's how 'healthy'

was being deemed and utilized

by the rules of the

era.

Now FDA has finally updated

the definition of 'healthy' on

food labels.

Keep in mind this was

2015-2016 when it

started and now we're in

early 2025.

These things take time.

But it now makes a

lot more sense.

Now in order to qualify

as healthy, foods must meet

some specific limits on added

sugar, saturated fat, and sodium.

And whole foods like fruits,

vegetables, nuts, and seeds automatically

qualify.

I think that's the best

thing that came of this

because of course you would

think that they would qualify.

You'd think that they've always

qualified and yet that hasn't

been the case.

Before this update, nuts, as

I mentioned before, didn't qualify

as healthy because they were

high in fat.

Even though we know that

nut consumption is linked to

better heart health and longevity

and the type and quality

of the fat makes a

difference.

Surprisingly, avocados also didn't qualify

under the old rules even

though we know it's rich

in 20-plus vitamins and

minerals and fiber and healthy

fats.

Meanwhile, those low-fat sugar

cereals that were fortified in

minerals and vitamins did count.

Also, highly processed foods now

have stricter requirements to carry

the label.

So in sum on this

whole thing, the new definition

is more aligned with current

nutrition science and dietary guidelines

and it's meant to help

us, the consumers - this is

when I use consumers like

we're consuming food, the consumers,

but we also are purchasing,

make better informed choices.

We can bring more transparency

into food labeling, so that's

important on the part of

the food brands that are

engaging with us.

And keep in mind that

the use of the term

is actually voluntary, but you

can't use it incorrectly if

you choose to use it.

So that's what the definition

puts in place.

In other words, some things

may still feel a little

less clear and undefined, like

words like natural and wholesome,

for example, but if you

see that word healthy on

a label, well, always check

twice because some people aren't

doing the right thing.

But you should have confidence

that at least it's meeting

that criteria because it is

a law.

Actually, it was supposed to

come into effect on February

25th of this year, but

it was slightly delayed because

we went into a new

administration and as that happens

when you go enter in

a new political administration, it's

not uncommon that things get

delayed slightly.

And so by April of

this year, end of April,

you should be seeing that

mandate front and center and

clear.

So why should we really

even care about all this

stuff?

Especially, I've been talking 20

plus years about eating more

toward whole foods, more real

foods, the superfoods or the

nutrients that bring us protection

for our health or reduce

the risk.

Well, it is a positive

step, I think.

And I really do like

more clarity for us, the

consumers.

I think that's a good

thing.

But also remember that food

labels don't tell the full

story.

Just because a product doesn't

have a healthy label doesn't

mean it's not nutritious.

And just because a product

doesn't qualify for the label,

you know, doesn't mean it

is or is not the

best option for you.

So the practical takeaway on

all of this, putting this

rule into our reality, is

first, always look beyond the

front of the package.

You know, 'healthy' might get

you in the door, but

always look at the nutrient

facts and especially the ingredient

list to see what's really

there.

Also, again, to reiterate whole

food nutrition, focus on whole

real foods when you can.

When you're looking for convenience,

read that ingredient list.

The best choices often don't

even need a healthy label

at all, of course.

And this doesn't mean everything

has to be fresh out

of the garden or even

the farmer's market, although I

love to support them.

It can be frozen and

jarred and canned and dried.

It can be great options

and you can feel good

about them being whole foods.

And finally, watch out for

the health halos.

Just because a package says

made with whole grains or

natural doesn't automatically make it

a smart choice.

So ultimately, remember, you, not

the label, get to decide

what's best for your health

and what constitutes the word

healthy for you.

All right, last up on

our review of some of

the current science, I want

to talk about brain health.

It's a super hot topic

these days.

It's on everyone's minds, pun

intended there.

And before we get into

the latest research, I want

to share a quick story

here.

Years ago, I think it

was at least 10 years

ago, I was giving a

presentation to a room of

more than 500 - I can

picture this room, more than

500 or so salespeople from

a major global company.

And I was asked to

give a keynote on health

and wellness.

And I was talking about

phytonutrients to this group, those

incredible compounds that are found

in plants that help us

protect and repair and defend

and neutralize and eliminate damage

in the body.

And to bring it to

life, I had this interactive

moment, maybe I'll bring it

to you someday also.

But I got everyone to

stand up.

So we got to have

a little stretch in between

the talk.

And I had them use

their hands to engage in

like a repeat-after-me-

style activity to act out

these multiple, really cool functions

that plant nutrients do.

I wanted to get already

beyond this idea that antioxidants

were 'everything', but that phytonutrients

is bigger category of 1,000s

of nutrients actually did a

lot of different, very important

things in the body.

So for example, some of

the gestures that I had

were like a superhero motion

for defending hands on hips.

I had a sweeping gesture

for eliminating kind of like

calling you're safe, or you're

out at a baseball game,

and so on.

Finger-thumbs that would

throw you out of the

ballpark things that were demonstrative

of the actions of some

of these phytonutrients.

And one of those moments

that I was doing this,

I sort of got caught

up into the swing of

the moment and people were

following along and we were

all having fun and, and

got a little rowdy in

the room.

And I was saying the

word phytonutrient again, and it

came out sounding more like

'fighter nutrient'.

And you know what, it

fit.

And it's stuck.

Because that's what exactly what

these plant nutrients are.

They are fighters.

They are here in our

bodies to fend off oxidative

stress, to support our immune

system.

And yes, even protect our

brain.

So with that backstory, let's

talk about a specific type

of 'fighter nutrient', a big

category called polyphenols, and how

they're making headlines in brain

health.

So a randomized controlled trial

published just recently in Nutrients

this year, found that polyphenols,

this powerful plant-based compound,

this category, may play a

major role in supporting cognitive

function and memory.

So people in this study

who took polyphenol-rich supplements,

that's the way that it

was delivered to them, so

that it could be consistent

methods, of course, the participants

took these polyphenol-rich supplements

for 16 weeks.

And what the researchers found

is that they perform better

on cognitive tests than those

who took a placebo.

The scientists found that people

who consumed more polyphenols had

higher levels of two key

brain-supporting compounds, one called

CREB, which plays a big

role in memory formation and

learning, and another called BDNF,

brain-derived neurotropic factor, which

essentially helps neurons grow, survive,

communicate.

Some call it sort of

like the fertilizer of the

brain, I sort of like

that analogy.

But in simpler terms, these

compounds work with brain plasticity,

and they're like executives of

the memory, and they help

protect cognitive function and keep

your memory sharp.

So this is exciting research.

But it's not altogether surprising,

because this adds to the

growing evidence supporting the role

of polyphenols and brain health.

There's lots of studies on

walnuts, which are rich in

polyphenols, and the relationship to

cognition, and reducing some of

the age-related deficits in

brain health over time.

There's research on the Mediterranean

diet, on to cacao and

chocolate and the polyphenols there,

and improving mental performance.

So this is yet another

exciting, another piece of the

puzzle, and helps us gain

further evidence and confidence that

plants play a key role

in our brain health.

So how can you bring

more polyphenols into your waking

minutes?

Well here are a few

ideas for you.

Number one, eat colorful produce.

You've certainly heard this before,

you've heard it from me.

Fruits and vegetables, even beans

and nuts and seeds are

rich sources.

The dark berries, the pomegranates,

green tea, nuts, dark chocolate

are some of the most

concentrated sources.

Number two, keep it simple.

If you've heard the phrase

'eat the rainbow', this is

what it means.

It's an easy strategy.

One of the things I

like to say is try

to get at least three

colors on your plate at

every meal, and it's sure

to be at least one

or two fruits or vegetables

there.

And include a fruit or

vegetable at least once a

day in a snack.

Third, think about using your

daily staples to make it

almost effortless.

So do you enjoy smoothies?

If you do, they're a

great place to land you

some polyphenols in your day.

If you like soups, a

vegetable-rich soup, maybe something

you make on the weekend

and you use throughout the

week as sort of a

starter for a meal or

as a snack unto itself

is another easy shoo-in

for a polyphenol boost.

And maybe find your go

to meal or snack that

you already love and make

it your 'polyphenomenal' habit.

That's a term that I've

affectionately used for polyphenols.

"It's polyphenomenal!"

And finally, think about making

some simple swaps and upgrades

to your diet and add

more polyphenols.

So what could a swap

be?

Maybe you like or you

just choose some milk chocolate.

Maybe you can do that

upgrade to the darker chocolate

60%, 70%, 85% or

higher.

It's an easy upgrade to

add more polyphenols.

Or maybe reach for a

green tea instead of a

sugary drink or some other

alternative.

You have another point of

polyphenol success with that.

So cognitive health, as you

know, isn't just about what

we do later in life.

It's built every day by

the choices we make now.

It's food.

It's activity.

It's learning and engagement.

It's being part of life.

And when you think about

it, out of our 1,000

waking minutes, most of us

are eating two to three

meals a day and one

to three snacks a day.

There are a lot of

opportunities to support your brain

through your mouth.

Again, I think that this

study is an important one

to share with you not

only for what it says

on its own, but as

a reminder that this study

adds to the growing body

of evidence showing that polyphenols,

these 'fighter nutrients', play a

vital role in long-term

brain health.

And the best part, you

don't even need supplements to

benefit from this.

Whole foods have these nutrients

built in.

They work alongside other beneficial

compounds in the food in

a way that's very hard

to replicate in a supplement

form.

And at the end of

the day, your brain health

is shaped by those small

daily choices you make.

Whether it's adding a handful

of berries to your breakfast,

a sprinkle of walnuts on

a salad or in a

snack, or sipping away your

green tea in the afternoon,

it all counts.

So we've now covered three

timely, well-designed studies that

add to the growing body

of evidence, shaping what we

can do - our personal agency -

in making choices that support

our health within our 1,000

waking minutes.

And as always, the real

magic happens when we take

this science and apply it

to our daily lives.

So here's a quick recap

for you.

The synergy of practices matters.

In this case, the DO

HEALTH study, Omega-3s, vitamin

D, and movement (strength training)

are a powerful trio that

work together to help slow

biological aging and lower disease

risk.

Think of these as like

the longevity dream team.

We discussed what's up with

the word 'healthy' on food

packages.

Finally, and the FDA's new

labeling requirement that goes into

effect in just a couple

months here in April, 2025.

And we also remembered that

a label doesn't always define

what's best for you.

You get to do that.

And to round it out,

we talked about the ever

-evolving field of knowledge - brain

pun intended - but the knowledge

about phytochemicals.

And here we learned a

little more about polyphenols, sort

of like our brain's best

friends.

These are the fighter nutrients.

They're sort of like bodyguards

for your cognition.

So there's yet another reason

to load up on those

plant foods, the produce that

support your health, the nuts

and seeds, the berries, the

grains, the salads, the soups,

so rich, so colorful, so

delicious.

Your 1,000 waking minutes are

full of opportunities to make

small intentional choices that support

your health, your energy, and

how you feel every day.

And I'd love to hear

from you about some of

the choices that you're making.

Also, if there's a study

or health headline that you've

seen that have made you

pause or wonder, or gotten

frustrated about, please send it

my way.

I just might take you

up on the inquiry either

between us or maybe feature

it on a future episode

as a science update.

You can find me at

wendybazilian.com.

You can always email me

at 1KWM@wendybazilian.com.

And if you found this

science update, this episode helpful,

please share, please subscribe, please

leave a review.

It truly helps as we

build this community together.

Thank you for sharing some

of your waking minutes with

me today.

And until next time, be

well.

Thank you for tuning into

1,000 Waking Minutes.

A huge thank you to

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production and marketing teams and

Gabriela Escalante in particular, to

the ultra talented Beza for

my theme music, my lifelong

friend and artist, Pearl Preis

photography and design, to Danielle

Ballantyne, Jen Nguyen, Joanna Powell,

and of course my family

and everyone working tirelessly behind

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I so appreciate your support.

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Until next time, find some

simple opportunities to optimize those

1,000 waking minutes each day.

I'm saying yes to better

days.

Yes.

I'm on my way.

Yes.

It's gonna be okay.

Yeah, I'm saying yes to

better days.

Yes.

I'm on my way.

Yes.

It's gonna be okay.

Yeah.

.