The Ever-Changing Brain: Adapting, Aging, and Cognitive Health

Your brain does a lot of work. It’s processing and adapting to changing environments and routines throughout our lives.In this episode, host Cristina Quinn talks with The Washington Post’s “Brain Matters” columnist, Richard Sima, about our aging brains, what a healthy one looks like, and why we don’t necessarily have to worry about forgetting where we put our keys. For more on brain health and aging, check out some of The Post’s reporting: How does the brain age across the lifespan? New studies offer clues.How does alcohol affect your risk of dementia? Your brain health questions, answered.Is this dementia or normal brain aging? Here’s how to tell the difference.Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.

Just the thought of going to the gym or lifting a dumbbell can feel intimidating. Good news — you don’t need either of these to strength-train! In this episode of “Try This,” host Cristina Quinn chats with Washington Post health columnist Gretchen Reynolds about what strength training is and how to do it anywhere – and no matter your fitness level. Gretchen shares why building and maintaining muscle is so important as we age, and how just one hour of strength training per week can go a long way. Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.

If you look at social media these days, there’s any number of fashion influencers and brands telling you what clothes to buy and how to wear them. In this episode of “Try This,” host Cristina Quinn gets real with The Washington Post’s fashion critic, Rachel Tashjian, and Style Memo newsletter writer Shane O’Neill about moving beyond trends and finding the outfits that match your identity – inside and out. You’ll sashay away with tips on how to think about your clothes, how to experiment with different styles, and a new mindset on wearing what makes you feel good.Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.

From unpredictable flight prices to record-breaking heat waves and ever-changing rules about passports and Real IDs, travel today is more complicated than ever.This week on “Try This,” host Cristina Quinn sits down with Washington Post travel reporter Natalie Compton, who shares her best tips for navigating it all without losing your patience (or your luggage).Natalie breaks down exactly when and how to book flights for the best deals and why compression bags and eye masks might be your secret weapons. Plus, smart advice about visas, passport renewals, travel safety and how to get through customs quickly — no Global Entry required.Whether you're planning an international getaway or a local beach vacation, this episode will help you travel better, spend smarter and stay cool (literally and figuratively) this summer.Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.

The “Try This” podcast has a new companion – the “Try This: Gut Check" newsletter. It’s a five-part newsletter series that breaks down what science actually says about how to support gut health without stress, supplements, or confusing trends.In the newsletter, host Cristina Quinn explores questions like: What’s the deal with probiotics? Do fermented foods really help? How do you actually eat more fiber without overhauling your life?Each edition is practical, easy to digest (pun intended), and focused on what works.Sign up for the newsletter here.Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.

Gut health advice can be overwhelming. But science suggests that supporting the gut doesn’t have to be complicated. In this episode, Trisha Pasricha and Karen Corbin break down what research says about how to care for the gut in everyday life.They explain how to make gut-friendly choices at the grocery store, what to consider before taking a daily probiotic, and why it’s possible to support gut health without stress or strict rules. Their tips focus on what works and what’s less reliable. For more on gut health, read the 8 tips to improve gut health and why probiotics are often a waste of money.Now “Try This” has a newsletter! Think of it as a supplemental guide and sign up here.Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.

What you eat changes your gut, and your gut affects your metabolism. Host Cristina Quinn talks to researcher Karen Corbin about how your gut and metabolism work together to process certain foods, all while managing your body’s energy. Karen Corbin, a nutrition and metabolism researcher at AdventHealth Translational Research Institute, walks us through her latest research on how our gut and metabolism respond to whole vs. ultraprocessed foods. Foods that optimize this gut-and-metabolism relationship allow your body to create and use up energy. To read Corbin’s study, click here. For more on her work, go to her page on AdventHealth Translational Research Institute here. Now “Try This” has a newsletter! Think of it as a supplemental guide and sign up here.Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.An earlier version of this episode incorrectly stated that each participant in the AdventHealth Translational Research Institute study consumed a 2000-calorie diet. In fact, study participants were given customized menus so that the calories matched each person’s energy expenditure. This episode has been updated to reflect this correction.

What’s really going on inside your gut, and why should you care? In this episode, host Cristina Quinn explores the inner workings of the gut microbiome with Trisha Pasricha, a gastroenterologist and instructor at Harvard Medical School. Together, they break down what the microbiome is, where it lives, and how it influences everything from digestion to disease.Pasricha explains how the gut microbiome acts as a key player in our overall health and why fiber may be one of the most underrated tools in supporting it. She also offers insight into what science currently understands about gut function and what’s still being uncovered.Read more of Pasricha’s work, including 8 tips to improve gut health and why probiotics can be a waste of money. For more advice, follow her on Instagram. Now “Try This” has a newsletter! Think of it as a supplemental guide and sign up here.Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.

Want to be a better conversationalist, listener, and all-around great company? In this special episode, host Cristina Quinn talks with Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist and author Charles Duhigg ("Supercommunicators" and "The Power of Habit") about the science of effective communication.Duhigg breaks down why some conversations feel effortless while others leave us frustrated — and how simple skills like asking deeper questions, practicing active listening, and matching emotional tones can make a difference.They discuss the concept of “neural entrainment” — how our brains sync up during great conversations — and why feeling understood is more important than agreeing.You’ll walk away with three easy tips to practice right away, plus a new mindset that could transform how you connect with friends, colleagues, and even strangers.Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.

It’s not only about digital boundaries. Washington Post tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler, in conversation with host Cristina Quinn, shares insights on physical and social boundaries we need to put in place to reclaim our focus. He offers tips like setting expectations at work and designating screen-free hours with family. And addiction psychiatrist Anna Lembke reminds us why breaking free from digital distractions isn’t just an individual effort, but a collective one.By the end of this episode, you’ll have a full tool kit of strategies to reclaim your focus, build healthier habits and create a more intentional relationship with your devices.Geoff recommends using Common Sense Media as a source guide for creating rules and boundaries around phone use for kids. They also offer a handy family contract which you can access right here.Watch the full conversation between Geoffrey and Cristina on YouTube. Subscribe to The Washington Post or connect your subscription in Apple Podcasts.