A new Science You Can Use episode — three studies that translate into simple, real-world steps you can take today. In this episode, Dr. Wendy Bazilian brings evidence to life with approachable explanations, practical tips, and the kinds of changes that actually fit into your day. What recent research says about butter vs oils for cooking,  how briskly you clean your kitchen and its impact on longevity, and yes—even what fruit you eat before bed—this episode blends solid research with relatable guidance for your 1,000 waking minutes.

Whether you’re a nutrition pro, wellness enthusiast, or just someone trying to feel a little better each day, you’ll walk away with useful, doable takeaways.

WE DISCUSS

(2:29) Intro: Why this science update matters now

(4:22) Study 1: Plant-based oils vs. butter — a small swap with big benefits

(10:54) Study 2: Incidental physical activity (IPA) and mortality risk

(17:51) Study 3: The kiwi-sleep connection (and why it's back in the spotlight)

(32:47) Three things to try this week (what to do with this information right away!)

(33:45) A warm recap and invitation to share

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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:

Study 1: Plant-Based Oils and Mortality SuZhang Y, Chadaideh KS, Li Y, et al. Butter and Plant-Based Oils Intake and Mortality. JAMA Intern Med. 2025;185(5):549–560. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2025.0205

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamainternalmedicine/article-abstract/2831265

• Summary: Higher butter intake was linked to a 15% increased risk of total mortality; higher plant-based oil intake (olive, avocado, chia, walnut) was linked to a 16% reduced risk. Just two teaspoons a day of plant-based oil instead of butter was associated with a 17% lower risk of death.
• Practical Tip: Swap in olive, avocado, or chia oil for sautéing or dressings a few times a week.

Study 2: Incidental Physical Activity and Heart Disease Risk Stamatakis E, Biswas RK, Koemel NA, Sabag A, Pulsford R, Atkin AJ, Stathi A, Cheng S, Thøgersen-Ntoumani C, Blodgett JM, Bauman A, Celis-Morales C, Hamer M, Gill JMR, Ahmadi MN. Dose Response of Incidental Physical Activity Against Cardiovascular Events and Mortality. Circulation. 2025 Apr 15;151(15):1063-1075. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.124.072253. Epub 2025 Apr 14. PMID: 40228066; PMCID: PMC12002041.

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.124.072253

• Summary: Just 23 (non-consecutive=OK!) minutes of brisk movement in daily life (cleaning, walking quickly while shopping, dancing, etc.) lowered risk of dying from all causes by up to 69%.
• Practical Tip: Turn your daily chores or errands into intentional movement moments.

Study 3: Kiwi and Sleep Quality  Lin, H. H., Tsai, P. S., Fang, S. C., & Liu, J. F. (2011). Effect of kiwifruit consumption on sleep quality in adults with sleep problems. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 20(2), 169–174, PMID: 21669584. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21669584/

https://apjcn.nhri.org.tw/server/APJCN/20/2/169.pdf 

• Additional context: This older study has been gaining attention again due to renewed media coverage and follow-up research, including a 2023 athlete study showing improved sleep with kiwi.
• Practical Tip: Eat 2 kiwis about an hour before bed and track how you feel.

Also mentioned: Doherty, R., Madigan, S., Nevill, A., Warrington, G., & Ellis, J. G. (2023). The Impact of Kiwifruit Consumption on the Sleep and Recovery of Elite Athletes. Nutrients, 15(10), 2274. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu15102274

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10220871/

Sometimes the smallest shifts, a

different oil, a quicker step,

or a restorative fruit can

make real and positive impact

on our health, and we're

going to talk about it.

This is the kind of

science you can use that

actually fits into your day.

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, I'm on my way.

It's going to be okay,

yeah.

Good day, and welcome back

to 1,000 Waking Minutes.

I'm Dr. Wendy Bazilian, and

as always, I'm so glad

you're here with me today.

If you've listened before, you

know I love science, especially

good science.

And even when it challenges

what we thought we knew

or conflicts with something that

has been reported otherwise elsewhere

in the peer-reviewed research,

science does evolve.

Science helps make sense of

the world, and it helps

us test some hypotheses, real

scientific hypotheses, as well as

our own personal ideas, and

get some answers sometimes.

It can even help us

maybe establish some guidance, especially

in the complex area of

nutrition and fitness and health

and wellness.

And you know, science isn't

just about chasing the trends

or tossing out everything that

we thought we knew because

some new shiny headline breaks,

even though they are very

attention-grabbing at times.

But it's really about learning,

refining, paying attention to the

patterns and to the bigger

picture and the little details.

So it's big picture and

little details.

So we can live better

and not just longer when

it comes to our health.

So today's episode is one

of our science updates where

I bring you three studies

that caught my eyes, probably

yours, and the things that

sort of I wake up

and wonder about in the

night.

So a couple of them

are actually ones that you

all wrote me about, which

I'm super excited about.

And today we're going to

talk about them.

I'm going to break them

down and what they really

mean for our everyday choices.

So you're not here for

the clickbait, neither am I.

You're here for some clarity,

hopefully.

For some evidence it's actually

science we can use or

science to strategy, evidence we

can experience.

You know, I love alliteration

there.

So we'll talk about some

small swaps that may just

stretch your lifespan today and

improve the way that you

feel when you're in your

body.

We'll talk about the kind

of movement that protects your

heart without ever stepping foot

in the gym.

I'm not saying you shouldn't

or you might not be

doing that also, but it's

cool new research that's out

there.

And we'll also talk about

maybe a surprising food that

may help you fall asleep

faster, stay asleep longer, and

may help your overall well

-being.

Just practical shifts today and

some stories that back them

up with the science.

And as always, we'll close

with a quick recap so

that you can take away

with some actionable steps, something

concrete to try or share

this week, something that can

fit into your waking minutes.

So let's talk about the

science you can use.

First, we're going to begin

with eating well, the food

on your plate, and more

specifically what you're cooking your

food in or drizzling on

your food or using.

A new study from Harvard's

T.H. Chan School of

Public Health, the renowned team

and renowned university and research

institution that's done decades of

leading research in nutritional longevity,

they looked at how different

fats affect our long-term

health and risk of disease

from chronic diseases like cancer

and heart disease.

So here's the short version.

The type of fat you

eat matters, and in particular,

sort of the balance, not

that one's bad, but the

balance overall in your healthy

pattern of eating.

So it's not just how

much, it's the type and

the pattern.

So in this study, research

followed over 220,000 adults

over three large cohort studies.

You may have heard these

referenced before, the Nurses' Health

Study, the Nurses' Health Study

2 with Roman numeral 2

after it, and the Health

Professionals' Follow-Up Study.

This has been a study

that's been ongoing since 1990

-91.

And what they found is

that when looking at this

cohort, these three cohorts, that

those who consumed more plant

-based oils like olive oil,

avocado oil, even walnut oils

or chia oils, but plant

-based oils had significantly lower

risk of dying from all

causes, including heart disease and

cancer.

And they reported a 16

% lower total mortality risk.

That's significant.

Meanwhile, those who consumed more

butter, and I'm not coming

down on butter today, but

they had a higher risk

of total and cancer-related

mortality, in fact, a 15

% higher risk.

Those who consumed more butter

in the highest intake group,

they had a 15%

higher risk.

In other words, the risk

of dying from any cause

compared to those who ate

the least amount of butter.

Now, again, this doesn't mean

that butter is bad.

I like butter, and it's

not bad like the way

that we once thought, you

know, back in big bad

butter days, maybe the 1980s.

We've come a long way

from that fatphobic era and

that messaging, but it does

mean swapping in more plant

-based oils and that swapping

them in more and more

often can offer a science

-backed strategy, let's say.

And this isn't the first

study to report this.

This has been happening for

better over a decade, I

would say.

I think 2010, maybe, there

was a significant study or

2010, between 2010, 2015, a

significant study that really planted

this on the map, planted

plant oils, planted this on

the map as the importance

of swapping in polyunsaturated fats

for saturated fats.

This is an extension into

the plant oils, swapping some

in for butter.

So you don't have to

ban butter from your home,

but maybe we can be

a little bit more strategic.

Maybe saute your veggies in

olive oil more days than

not.

Try some other interesting plant

oils, high-quality ones, cold

-pressed oils, like in your

vinaigrettes, maybe a walnut oil,

or use chia oil, which

is cold-pressed, as I've

talked about before.

You can even put these

in smoothies or as a

baking swap or in blends

with our olive oil and

our avocado oil.

And so putting this into

everyday real life, this is

just as little as putting

in a teaspoon of oil

in one teaspoon increments, five

-gram increments, that made significant

differences.

One teaspoon of cold-pressed

organic canola oil, 15%

lower risk of death.

One teaspoon of olive oil

per day, 8% lower

risk.

One teaspoon of, again, high

-quality soybean oil, 6%

lower risk.

And we're not talking about

seed oils today.

I am talking about high

-quality oils and the importance

of plant-based oils, according

to this research.

And when it came to

evaluating cancer and heart health,

every two teaspoons or 10

grams of more plant oil

per day was linked to

11% lower risk of

dying from cancer and a

6% lower risk of

dying from heart disease.

So this really starts to

underscore the importance of some

simple swaps, like replacing two

teaspoons of butter a day

with two teaspoons of plant

-based oil.

That's a tongue twister if

I ever had one.

But replacing two teaspoons with

two teaspoons of the plant

-based oil led to a

reported 17% lower risk

of death and 17%

lower risk of dying from

cancer.

So I think it's important

for us to remember plant

oils also come with other

things that plants have, especially

when they're cold-pressed and

they're not ultra-refined with

solvents and enzymes.

They still have remaining plant

nutrients as well.

So plant oils do come

with things like polyphenols, antioxidants,

even omega-3s, as in

the case with chia oil

or high-quality flax oil

or walnut oil.

So it's not just a

fat gram or a fat

calorie, and it's not just

a trade for that.

It's part of the broader

shift toward that plant-based

equals more nutrients and more

nutrient-rich choices.

So this ultimately means small

daily swaps, like sauteing, that

they can make a meaningful

difference over time.

And it's not about eliminating

butter, but shifting the balance

or evaluating what you're already

doing well, maybe.

Maybe this just is a

study that underscores that you're

doing great things to help

manage your disease risk, to

maximize and optimize your healthy,

vital living with your waking

minutes and your choices.

So you've got those

1,000 waking minutes in your

day, so why not let

some of those be thoughtful

around the types of fats

you choose to use?

Your day can be filled

with lots of little decisions

toward this end.

And again, I love my

butter.

There are certain things that

there's non-negotiable where butter

will win, but you might

think about a trade on

some instances.

All right, so moving from

what's in your pan or

maybe what's in your vinaigrette

to how you move your

body.

So we're going to move

daily.

Remember, eat well, move daily,

be healthy.

I'm going to have a

little bit of each of

those today.

So this is about how

you move your body throughout

the day.

And if the words like

a formal workout routine or

the days you must go

to the gym, if those

things make you roll your

eyes back or just glaze

over, you're probably half-tuned

out already.

I've got a good study

to share with you today.

New studies published in Circulation,

that's the journal of the

American Heart Association, peer-reviewed

journal, real high-quality journal.

It looked at IPA, not

IPA the beer, but IPA,

incidental physical activity.

And by incidental, I mean

the stuff you're probably already

doing or could easily do

without joining a gym or

buying any gear or going

to a platform class like

I did last week as

part of a group from

my daughter's school.

We're talking actually about IPA,

so that incidental physical activity

like brisk walking while you're

running errands, like carrying your

groceries, like cleaning, cleaning, vacuuming

or cleaning with a little

extra oomph, you know, like

putting a little more into

it.

The type that breaks a

sweat even when you're hustling

around the house for guests

to come.

Think about that because it

really counts and it pays

off.

And maybe that can put

actually a new spin on

tidying up and cleaning in

this manner.

So in this study, researchers

tracked over 6,000 adults

ages 40 to 69, and

they were wearing on their

wrists accelerometers.

So that sort of measures

the calorie and energy expenditure

from movement.

They're kind of like the

Fitbits.

Some of you may even

have them.

And they can get at

more real world, like minute

to minute data.

And what they found was

really compelling.

Those who simply did their

tasks, their daily tasks at

a brisker pace, like with

more intention and purpose, like

vacuuming like you mean it

or powering through the grocery

store with your list on

a mission, they saw up

to a 67% reduction

in cardiac and cardiovascular diseases.

And they saw a 69%

lower chance of dying

from any causes.

That's called overall mortality in

science talk.

A 69% lower chance.

So in other words, people

who moved more intensely during

their everyday tasks were significantly

less likely to die from

things like heart disease, cancer,

or other major health issues

compared to those who were

least active or least doing

this.

So this is pretty remarkable.

This is research that is

compelling and, you know, sort

of maybe makes sense, but

it's nice to have numbers

and significance to show that

what you do and with

what intensity counts, and it's

cumulative.

So I want to be

more clear about this.

This wasn't the hours in

the gym.

These were short, moderate intensity

movements woven into daily life.

The benefits started around 23

minutes in a day of

brisk activity, and it wasn't

23 minutes in tandem.

It wasn't 23 minutes consecutively.

It was 23 minutes total

of more intensely moving and

doing more IPA, more of

that movement during your everyday

activities.

So I want to like

sort of hit pause on

the episode for a second

on that thought to also

say, of course, that it

doesn't mean that we don't

need structured exercise or that

the morning walk or your

strength classes, that those aren't

worthwhile.

In fact, they are worthwhile

for a multitude of reasons,

which I speak to on

a regular basis, and they

have great benefits in their

own right.

But it does mean that

the formal workout isn't essential

all the time, or if

it's not accessible to you,

that there's no point or

you're not getting any value

about what you do and

how you move.

Because if time, cost, child

care, injuries, or if you're

just feeling burned out, there's

another way in to credit

for what you're doing that

has a real health impact.

So this study really reinforces

what I always say, move

daily.

It doesn't have to mean

work out.

It can be something that's

just moving more, moving daily.

And it might unload some

of the burden that you

place on your mind.

And it might be done

by unloading something else, like

your grocery bags from your

car in one more trip

than trying to get it

all on your arms.

I've been known to do

that at one trip.

It might justify that instead

of carrying it all at

once or doing yard work

and walking briskly while you're

doing it and working hard

and knowing that it counts.

It might be justification for

actually parking further instead of

scrambling and maybe becoming frustrated

that you can't find a

spot up close because you're

tag teaming with something else

that has real impact on

your health.

And it could even be

that sort of cranking up

the music while you're getting

dinner ready.

You can do it on

your own.

You can invite someone in

like a child.

You can even dance around

with your pet if you

dare or if you care.

And if you want to,

which I think is fun.

So the key here is

really intention.

It's giving a little more

energy, a little more purpose

to your movement that you're

already doing.

And if you're doing this

while you're folding your laundry,

well, fold it, you know,

maybe march in place or

toss in a few squats

when you're doing that.

When you head out to

run errands today, purposefully park

a little further.

Or could you even walk?

Are there stairs that you

might be able to take

instead of the elevator?

Those are the kinds of

things you've heard before, but

they're not gimmicks.

They're really important and they're

grounded in evidence.

And they're about reclaiming the

idea that movement belongs anywhere

and movement belongs to everyone,

not just when you're dressed

in the proper yoga wear

or athleisure, I think they

call it, or on a

peloton or at the specialty

exercise class.

So let's all, you know,

sort of make a commitment

together that to make our

daily minutes, the errands, the

chores, our dog walks, or

just, you know, carrying around

boxes and putting things away,

make those movements with purpose.

OK, so let's now shift

into a different kind of

energy, something that lives right

on the edge of our

1,000 waking minutes.

And this is sort of

in the be healthy space.

This is something that actually

powers our waking minutes.

And if you think about

zooming out for a moment

and knowing that this podcast

is about our waking minutes,

the hours that we live

with intention, we're awake.

We know that about 440

of those, somewhere between 420

and 480 daily minutes are

meant to be spent asleep

for good health, to support

our health in a foundational

way for long term health,

for emotional balance, for mental

clarity, immune resilience, even for

creativity.

Now, why did I just

say 420 to 480 minutes?

Well, of course, because that's

between that sort of magical

7 to 8 hours that

many research papers have suggested

for most of us can

really help us get restorative

sleep that's health promoting and

health supporting.

So what we do when

we're awake totally matters.

And that's what this podcast

is about, how we use

our waking minutes, how we

choose to use them, how

we slice and dice them

and how their life's currency

that are ours to operate

around and to value toward

a well-lived life.

But also remembering that it's

sleep that can help power

those waking minutes, how we

rest is just as vital.

And that brings me into

our third study for today,

or actually rather a small

collection of studies.

And it's all about kiwis,

the fruit, the fuzzy green

fruit.

So you might wonder why

bring up a kiwi now.

And the original study that

I'm going to reference was

actually published quite a while

ago.

So it's not late breaking,

last minute, right now news.

It was published in 2001 [mispoke...actually: 2011!]

in the Asia-Pacific Journal

of Clinical Nutrition.

So it's not exactly hot

off the press, but what's

happening right now is a

surge of renewed interest, which

is why I want to

bring it up.

It's kind of a research

revival of sorts.

A few people have asked

me about kiwi for sleep

after seeing a headline or

social post recently.

And one person in particular -

thank you, Sara! - is one

of those, a personal friend.

And another friend and fellow

dietitian also wrote a piece

for Very Well Health recently

just in the last month

about kiwi and health and

referenced around some of this

information.

And so I saw it

referenced again then in another

publication talking about elite athletes

using kiwi as part of

their recovery routine.

And this was from a

study a few years ago

that actually I had shared

in a presentation about sports

nutrition and recovery around the

same time it first came

out.

This kind of spurred an

organic curiosity, and it usually

tells me like something's bubbling

up.

Is there a hot new

study?

And why are we looking

at this?

And I decided to take

a closer look.

So I dug in a

bit and sort of followed

my nose, not like a

bloodhound per se, but sort

of like a scientist detective.

And I'm just realizing that

my daughter, who has said

she was going to be

an animal doctor, since you

could say the word dog

and doctor, veterinarian, of course,

she also puts a hyphen

sometimes on her career future.

She calls herself a veterinarian

detective.

So I decided maybe that's

where it comes from.

I'm a science detective at

times.

And here's what I found

when I dug around a

little and why I think

it's timely and relevant right

now to talk about kiwi

fruit and sleep.

So in the original clinical

trial in 2011, when it

was published, researchers had adults

with self-reported sleep problems

eat two green kiwis one

hour before bed for four

weeks.

So they took no other

pills, no melatonin, just the

fruit before bed.

And the results were quite

impressive.

One small study, but the

participants fell asleep 35 percent

faster.

They slept 13 percent longer

and they had fewer nighttime

awakenings, along with improved sleep

reports.

So their sleep efficiency, it's

called, improved.

And this is significant.

And by the way, it's

also safe and simple and

affordable.

But we, the big we,

the headlines didn't hear a

lot about it back then.

You know, the idea of

sleep and health was sort

of burgeoning and bubbling, but

it was important in the

growing sleep nutrition research.

So, you know, I've mentioned

it many times.

I would.

I still do when I

talk about sleep and foods

that might help or about

different foods with nutrients and

phytochemicals that have impact on

various aspects on our health,

like gut health and sleep

and energy and skin health,

naming a few that kiwi

may be involved in through

their nutrients.

Not all research has been

on kiwi and those health

outcomes, but the nutrients in

them.

But this was not hot

off the presses at the

moment, as I mentioned.

But the idea of sleeping,

getting to sleep faster, sleeping

longer and sleeping better.

Yes, and please and thank

you to all of those.

There was another study in

2023.

So I mentioned an athlete

study.

So a couple of years

ago, not long ago, a

newer study looking at elite

athletes with a similar routine.

They were elite runners, national

level sailors, like sailing boats

who ate two kiwis before

bed for four weeks.

And even in this highly

trained group, the results echoed

the 2011 study.

Total sleep time increased by

an hour.

That's significant.

Sleep efficiency improved over 93

percent.

Nighttime awakenings dropped and the

athletes even reported better mood

and alertness and less fatigue.

So no supplements again, just

kiwi.

They're rich, by the way,

in serotonin, which is a

melatonin precursor.

They have vitamin C at

very high levels.

Your full daily recommendation, just

one kiwi.

They have folate.

They have antioxidants.

They have potassium, all of

which we know are nutrients

that can help play a

role in sleep regulation and

recovery.

And there's another study around

that same time that the

athlete study came out, published,

I think the end of

2023.

That evaluated the effects of

kiwi and vitamin C supplements.

So it's kiwi versus vitamin

C supplements.

I mentioned that kiwis are

very high in vitamin C

and it was a particular

type of kiwi that's even

higher in vitamin C in

individuals who had low vitamin

C levels.

And they measured the impact

on well-being.

And I think maybe it

was mood.

I'm a little rusty on

this study, but it came

to mind as I was

looking at it.

I didn't dig into that

one because I really wanted

to focus on sleep, but

I do recall one on

well-being overall, which re

-upped it recently for its

rediscovery in the media headlines.

So anyway, why now?

This is the long way

to say, why is there

renewed interest in this?

Aside from who doesn't want

to find another reason to

love kiwis, which I do,

recognizing that some people are

allergic, which I'm sad about,

but I understand that.

But I think that now

it's because sleep is not

just a side issue anymore.

Well-being is at the

forefront of our minds.

And these are super key.

They're foundational to our health,

our be healthy pillar.

It's right there.

Eat well, move daily, be

healthy.

And it's an intersection of

two of those, eating well

through kiwi and better sleep.

I mean, seriously, sign me

up for that one because

it's a great bridge between

the two.

And sleep is one of

our top public health concerns

that we say subjectively, like

poor sleep.

And we know in the

science that it can negatively

impact our health.

It can even impact our

workplace performance.

And so increasingly, employers and

institutions and companies, and even

if you're self-employed, you

recognize that your performance can

be impacted by poor sleep.

We're tired.

We're overstimulated.

And we're looking for something

that's not a pill, but

still effective.

I think that some of

that is why we're hearing

again about this cool research.

And I actually hope that

some researchers will repeat and

replicate and show us more

about the impact of kiwi

on sleep, on energy, on

well-being.

And by the way, it's

something that you could try

tonight without side effects or

complicated routine.

It's a humble, naturally nutrient

-rich food that I hope

that you get into your

fruit basket anyway.

But this is one of

the reasons why I'm bringing

these little bit older studies

back into the spotlight and

why probably some of my

peers and some of the

respected journalists I've seen are

looking at these right now,

even though they're not brand

new, because they're newly relevant

and they're worth considering now.

So I talked a little

bit about the nutrient 'why',

the serotonin, the vitamin C,

the folate, you know, different

key nutrients, fiber.

There's been some research on

the gut health and the

gut microbiome and kiwi and

certainly the nutrients in kiwi

and gut health.

And there's really no downside

to you experimenting with this.

So kiwis are a fruit.

They're fiber.

They're flavor.

And if the side effect

is better sleep, that's a

pretty big win in my

book.

So beyond the numbers, this

is a moment for us

to pause and think bigger.

Because if we have roughly

1,000 waking minutes each

day to be engaged and

active and creative and thoughtful,

then getting restorative sleep isn't

just a nighttime goal.

It's a daytime strategy.

So that's how I want

and why I'll come back

to sleep very often in

a podcast called '1,000

Waking Minutes'.

So if you're looking for

a nudge toward more restorative

sleep and better waking minutes,

in other words, to support

your nights and also your

days, consider this your invitation

to two kiwis approximately an

hour before bed, maybe as

the dessert instead of a

more sugary dessert, which may

negatively impact your sleep.

Maybe put it with a

herbal tea or a ritual.

Maybe not with your phone

in hand.

Maybe you take out something

else like a real live

magazine or engage in a

conversation with a loved one.

And then just see.

Notice how your body feels

on this.

Notice your energy, your focus,

your mood.

Maybe you do need to

try it out for a

number of weeks.

You know, be a scientist.

Be a scientist detective and

make discoveries about your own

body because sleep, I think,

is like a silent superpower.

We don't always get what

we need.

I'm a working mom.

I'm short on sleep.

Sometimes I do a lot

of a lot of hours

like you probably do as

well.

I wake sometimes anxiously.

I'm a big thinker, but

I'm always pursuing because I

know that sleep is a

superpower and it really helps

us do better and accomplish

more.

And it has a major

impact on our health.

It makes our waking minutes

better, makes them clearer and

sharper, kinder, more patient, and

it makes us more resilient

in our physical self and

our long-term health.

So it can put us

back on the map for

the day to be more

alert and have more presence

in your day.

And being rested isn't a

luxury.

We shouldn't think of it

that way.

It's foundational to your health.

And this is not bad

for a fruit and an

old study that's been resurfacing,

and it's not too hard

to toss them into your

grocery cart.

And maybe this is the

first time, at least along

this podcast journey that I'm

on, that I can say,

take two, call me in

the morning, and hopefully it'll

be a well-slept and

energized morning at that.

So there you have it.

Three pieces of science that

stood out, not just because

they were well-designed or

well-reported, but because they

matter, because they translate.

And this is not to

generalize what the study findings

were to us in a

direct way, because that's not

responsible science, but to take

what the science showed and

see if there's translational moments

or things that we can

try in our own life

and see for ourselves.

Because sometimes science can meet

us right in the kitchen,

or it can meet us

while we're doing our chores,

and it can meet us

in our final moments before

bed.

So as a recap, we

talked about the power of

simple and the importance of

simple fats in our diet,

the importance of them, and

choosing to swap more olive

oil, more avocado oil, more

chia oil, high-quality oils,

over butter where it makes

a difference in your life.

Sometimes, not all the time.

Again, not because butter's a

villain, but because more plant

-based fats have some little

extra goodness, some more nutrients,

and can support long-term

health.

Then we moved into how

working into moving on purpose,

doing errands, cleaning the house,

walking through a store on

a mission, that can be

good.

And maybe that's just a

reframe in your mind that

what you're doing matters toward

your health, and it can

significantly reduce your risk of

heart disease and even lower

overall mortality, according to the

research.

So worth giving a try

and to weave it into

your life.

And finally, we zoomed back

out on this small fruit

and looked at a few

studies and why the renewal

and the resurgence, and looked

at the studies, a few

that showed two kiwi an

hour before bed helped people

in these studies fall asleep

faster, sleep longer, wake up

less often.

And when you think about

it, better sleep means better

days.

And that's what 1,000

waking minutes is really about.

So three quick things you

can do this week.

Swap your cooking fat.

Try some avocado oil, some

olive oil, some chia oil,

walnut oil instead of butter

a couple times.

Move with more intention.

So pick up the pace

while you're doing what you're

already doing and know that

it adds up.

And put kiwis on your

grocery list.

Eat two an hour before

bed.

See if it helps your

sleep.

Probably not a one-time

thing.

Who knows?

Maybe there's both combination of

reality and placebo effect at

one time.

But this would be a

consistent move that you can

try.

So put them on your

grocery list.

And remember, it's not about

doing everything or doing it

all perfectly.

It's about the small meaningful

actions that add up.

And you don't need to

completely overhaul your life.

Hopefully you're getting that message

loud and clear.

Just one thoughtful choice and

knowing that you have

1,000 waking minutes, your life's

currency, deposited each day upon

waking.

So if this episode gave

you something to think about,

I'd love to hear from

you.

I'd love you to share

it with a friend.

Send me a note.

And if you have seen

a study or a headline

that's either making the rounds

or is really intriguing to

you or a health headline

that you might be confused

about, you know, scratching your

head, you know, send it

to me.

And I just might feature

it in a future episode

or we can interact and

converse.

This is really for me

about building community around our

waking minutes toward a well

-lived life, to build communities

so that we can be

in this together, this journey.

You can always find me

at wendybazilian.com or email

me directly at

1KWM@wendybazilian.com.

And if you haven't already,

please subscribe.

I'd love you to leave

a review, a kind review

if you're enjoying it, or

just tell someone you know

to listen to an episode.

I really appreciate it.

I really appreciate how this

community is growing into really

thoughtful and curious and time

-conscious health seekers.

So thank you as always

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

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 and to you,

our valued listeners.

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.

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.