Which Diet Actually Works? Evidence from 80+ Studies

This episode explores the real art of delayed gratification — resisting immediate rewards to build stronger habits, improve focus, and reduce anxiety. It explains the Marshmallow Test, how the prefrontal cortex supports self-control, and why waiting often leads to greater long-term gains. It also covers savoring success: mindfully appreciating small and big achievements to reinforce motivation via the brain's reward system. Practical tips include pausing before impulses, reflecting on your choices, journaling small victories, and celebrating wins with others. The episode ends with a simple challenge: insert a pause before impulse-driven actions and consciously savor at least one small success today to strengthen habit formation and long-term goals.

This episode exposes how ultra-processed "junk" foods have been normalised and engineered to hijack our reward systems, driving overeating through dopamine, hormonal imbalances, and cultural cues. Listen for practical steps to notice cravings without guilt, choose whole foods, and start a quiet, sustainable shift toward healthier eating for yourself and the next generation.

Does More Make Us Happier? Materialism, Minimalism, and the Power of “Enough” This episode examines whether acquiring more actually increases happiness, distinguishing normal consumption from consumerism and defining materialism as prioritizing money, possessions, appearance, and status. It argues minimalism is not aesthetic deprivation or moral judgment but an intention to be deliberate with space, time, money, and attention, asking what is “enough.” Drawing on research (including a meta-analysis and limited but promising findings on minimalism), it explains that stronger materialistic values are consistently associated with poorer wellbeing, relationships, and self-appraisal, partly due to hedonic adaptation and social comparison undermining autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The script highlights hidden costs of possessions (maintenance, cognitive load, digital clutter), notes decluttering can correlate with relief and wellbeing, differentiates voluntary simplicity from poverty and hoarding disorder, and concludes that possessions can be useful but cannot reliably substitute for belonging, purpose, self-respect, and love.  References The Relationship Between Materialism and Personal Well-Being: A Meta-Analysis. Dittmar H, Bond R, Hurst M, Kasser T. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 2014;107(5):879-924. doi:10.1037/a0037409. Materialistic Values and Goals. Kasser T. Annual Review of Psychology. 2016;67:489-514. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-122414-033344. Goodbye Materialism: Exploring Antecedents of Minimalism and Its Impact on Millennials Well-Being. Jain VK, Gupta A, Verma H. Environment, Development and Sustainability. 2023;:1-27. doi:10.1007/s10668-023-03437-0. The Problematic Role of Materialistic Values in the Pursuit of Sustainable Well-Being. Isham A, Verfuerth C, Armstrong A, et al. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(6):3673. doi:10.3390/ijerph19063673. Living Both Well and Sustainably: A Review of the Literature, With Some Reflections on Future Research, Interventions and Policy. Kasser T. Philosophical Transactions. Series A, Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences. 2017;375(2095):20160369. doi:10.1098/rsta.2016.0369. Scared and Surrounded by Clutter: The Influence of Emotional Reactivity. Crone C, Norberg MM. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2018;235:285-292. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2018.04.066. Patient Perspectives on What Alleviates Hoarding Disorder Symptoms and Improves Wellbeing: A Systematic Review of Qualitative Data. Jones M, Weir B, Yap K. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy. 2025 Sep-Oct;32(5):e70146. doi:10.1002/cpp.70146. Actual Cleaning and Simulated Cleaning Attenuate Psychological and Physiological Effects of Stressful Events. Lee SWS, Millet K, Grinstein A, et al. Social Psychological and Personality Science. 2023;14(4):381-394. doi:10.1177/19485506221099428. Clusters of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviours Are Associated With Symptoms of Depression, Anxiety, and Psychological Distress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Bourke M, Wang HFW, McNaughton SA, et al. Clinical Psychology Review. 2025;118:102585. doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2025.102585. Lifestyle and Mental Health. Walsh R. The American Psychologist. 2011;66(7):579-92. doi:10.1037/a0021769. Materialistic Value Orientation and Wellbeing. Dittmar H, Isham A. Current Opinion in Psychology. 2022;46:101337. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101337.

At a time when most people set New Year's resolutions but only a few keep them, this episode explains the neurobiology and psychology behind habits—how the striatum, frontal cortex and dopamine create shortcuts that drive behaviour. Learn the habit loop (cue → craving → response → reward) and the four laws for change: make cues obvious, cravings attractive, responses easy and rewards satisfying. Practical tips include habit stacking, shaping your environment, removing bad cues, and using accountability and gratitude to reinforce success.

This episode explains why joy is not an accident but a learnable skill, blending neuroscience, psychology, and real-life practice. Listen for clear explanations of the brain systems behind happiness, the role of habits, relationships, and purpose, and simple daily steps you can use to increase contentment and resilience.

This episode reviews an umbrella meta-analysis of randomized trials examining popular diets (Mediterranean, DASH, low-carb, low-fat, high-protein, vegetarian/vegan, low-GI, paleo, intermittent fasting and more) and their effects on weight, BMI, lipids, glucose, insulin, HbA1c and blood pressure. Key takeaways: the Mediterranean diet showed the most consistent benefits with no reported harms, DASH showed some benefit, while many other diets produced short-term or mixed results. Overall evidence quality was often low and highly variable, so the episode emphasizes sustainable, whole-food, plant-forward eating patterns and long-term adherence over short-term fad diets.

Join us in welcoming back Dr. Elizabeth Jackson for an illuminating discussion on Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and its distinction from Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). This episode delves into the hormonal dynamics that lead to PMDD and provides valuable insights into how it differs from PMS, highlighting the psychological and physical impacts on women's lives. We explore lifestyle and medical interventions that offer relief, including the role of estrogen fluctuations and the potential of hormonal therapies. Dr. Jackson emphasizes the importance of awareness and proactive management, encouraging listeners to consider lifestyle adjustments and consult healthcare professionals for personalized advice. Listen in to discover the significance of understanding and addressing PMDD, debunk common myths about menstruation, and gain practical advice for taking control of your hormonal health.

This mindful moment meditation is designed to help you reset habits and manage impulses, every day. In this short guided session, we use the power of mindful breathing to create space between impulse and action. Whether you’re tempted to overeat, endlessly scroll, or reach for quick distractions, this practice invites you to pause, reflect, and choose differently. With each breath, you'll strengthen your ability to respond with intention rather than react automatically. Join us as we take a small but powerful step toward lasting change and more mindful living.

Hello, my name is Dr. Lynn Reid and I want to introduce you to the Aurora Wellness Coaching App. I've created this app really in response to what I was practicing day to day and what I felt patients needed to know, learn and then be able to consolidate. And this is lifestyle medicine. It's about making meaningful change in both small ways and big ways to improve your health, longevity and general happiness. So, Aurora app is about giving you structured guidance, there are daily coaching lessons, reflective journaling, lots of resources and heaps of information to help you guide yourself towards a better healthier future. There is a limited-time only seven day introductory course that allows you to have a bit of a taste of what's available and the different topics that we can cover. After you do the introductory course, you have the option if you want to deep dive into one of the bigger topics like nutrition, sleep, stress, exercise, menopause, building good habits, breaking bad habits. And these are all available to you and conveniently wrapped up in one place in the Aurora Wellness Coaching app. Have a look and join us on a transformative journey where we're looking to heal, thrive and empower ourselves towards a really healthy future take care and I look forward to seeing you on there.

In this episode, Dr. Lynne Reed explores the surprising benefits of embracing discomfort in our comfort-driven lives. She delves into how our constant chase for pleasure and avoidance of discomfort can lead to mental suffering. By normalizing slight discomfort, such as delaying gratification or digital disconnection, we can build resilience and find a natural state of contentment. Discover practical techniques to integrate small discomforts into daily life and join Dr. Reed in redefining happiness beyond the cycle of desire and dopamine.