Dr Karan Explores – Details, episodes & analysis

💬 “If you're feeling a particular way - sad, upset, angry, thirsty, hungry - your automatic reaction is ‘I've got comfort in my phone’. So it becomes a pattern that is ingrained. Not deeply ingrained, because we can break it.” -Dr Nicole Vignola

⚡️ Dr Nicole Vignola is a well-known neuroscientist and brain expert, and author of Rewire: Break the Cycle, Alter Your Thoughts and Create Lasting Change. 

⚡️ In this episode, Nicole and I explore how to break bad habits, phone addiction, negative self-talk, anxiety and rewire your brain for happiness, health and performance.

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎ A simple trick to break smartphone addiction and why you should avoid it in the morning

➡︎ How to keep your brain adapting and developing at any age

➡ The science of how walking resets our brain by quieting fear receptors in the brain

➡︎ How to reframe negativity and reinforce positive self-talk

➡︎ The true extent of poor sleep on brain health

📕 Chapters

(1:42) How neuroscience affects you

(4:30) How to avoid cognitive decline

(10:21) Meditation and mental breaks

(12:04) Breaking phone addiction

(16:02) Properly dealing with stress

(22:07) Reframing negative self-talk

(31:27) Healthy dopamine hits

(34:47) Improving brain performance at any age

(39:25) Manifestation

(41:53) Benefits of doing nothing

(44:38) How Nicole optimises her brain

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Nicole:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolesneuroscience 

Website: https://www.nicolesneuroscience.com/ 

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 

🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Is it something truly in our water, what we eat, the types of stressors that we have in the life that we lead today? It's very challenging to pinpoint.” -Dr Austin Chiang

⚡️ Dr Austin Chiang is a gastroenterologist and well known health influencer. He’s also the author of ‘Gut: An Owner’s Guide’ and is the Chief Medical Officer of Medtronic.

⚡️ In this episode, Austin and I discuss various issues concerning gut health, including the rise in both IBS and colorectal cancer, and what you can do to protect your health.

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎ The signs and symptoms of IBS - and why you should always seek professional advice

➡ Why colorectal cancer is set to be the #1 cancer killer among young people

➡︎ How AI is advancing the field of gut health

➡︎ The dangers of colonic irrigation, probiotics and other “gut hacks”

➡︎ The truth about “leaky gut syndrome”

📕 Chapters

(1:40) What does the gut do?

(6:08) Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)

(13:30) Brain gut connection

(15:49) Colorectal cancer rising

(21:00) Dangers of gut “detoxes”

(23:13) Probiotics

(25:29) Leaky gut syndrome

(27:24) Taking action on gut health

(33:31) AI and tech advancements

(37:16) What’s in Austin’s cupboards?

(40:09) Three things you should never do

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Austin:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinchiangmd/ 

Website: http://www.austinchiang.com/ 

📕 Find Austin’s book ‘Gut: An Owner’s Guide’ here: https://amzn.eu/d/41gEHdO 

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 

🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.

“A lot of women's health stuff - there's no easy diagnosis. So very, very often women's health things end up getting put into, you have fibromyalgia, you're a hypochondriac, or something like irritable bowel syndrome.” -Dr Karen Tang

Dr Karen Tang is a gynaecologist who specialises in the treatment of pelvic pain, endometriosis and fibroids. She also does a great service educating the public on social media, raising awareness of women’s health issues.

In this episode, I ask Karen how people can figure out what’s causing their pelvic pain, what surprising habits may be causing problems, how patients can better advocate for themselves, and how she’d reimagine sex ed.

Stay tuned to find out:

• Why “stabbing butthole pain” has gone viral, and what it actually is
• Why endometriosis is so commonly misdiagnosed as IBS
• How female anatomy, especially the uterus, does NOT look like it does in the textbooks
• Why we should teach children the proper names for their reproductive organs
• Why you should get a pelvic floor PT!

Chapters

(1:24) Stabbing butthole pain

(4:36) Endometriosis - more than a pelvic condition

(6:43) Endo vs IBS

(8:45) How much pain is too much?

(10:38) The link between gynaecological conditions

(13:20) Being proactive about your health

(16:14) How to advocate for yourself at the doctor’s

(21:56) Actionable tips for perimenopause/menopause

(26:04) How to take care of your pelvic floor health

(31:36) What the uterus actually looks like

(34:49) Reimagining sex sed

(36:53) Teaching children about sexual health

(38:26) The plague of misinformation

Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook
An OG Podcasts production.

“Like most other herbal medicines, CBD is understudied, unregulated, and often wrongly vilified.” -Dr Jeff Chen

Dr Jeff Chen is co-founder of Radicle Science and is doing tons of research advancing our understanding of CBD and other herbal remedies.

In this episode, I ask Jeff about the new science of CBD - both its potential health benefits and challenges. We also explore the promising trials into another cannabis compound - CBN.

Stay tuned to find out:

• How effective CBD is for sleep, anxiety, pain and more
• How stigma and regulatory hurdles have hampered scientific progress
• What you should be looking for when buying CBD products
• How Radicle’s crowd-sources clinical trials are shedding light on many herbal remedies

Chapters

(1:54) What is CBD?

(3:27) Why herbal remedies are dismissed

(8:59) Crowd-sorucing data on CBD and CBN

(14:13) Avoiding bias and determining placebo

(19:46) Science of the endocannabinoid system

(25:11) Safety of OTC CBD supplements

(29:30) Optimal delivery route of CBD

(33:21) Best cases for CBD in clinical settings

(36:46) Choosing the right product - an unregulated market

(48:07) Benefits of lion’s mane mushrooms

Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook

An OG Podcasts production.

“Ozempic has changed the conversation around obesity. Unfortunately a lot of people are misusing the medication.” -Dr Andres Acosta

Dr Andres Acosta is an obesity expert at the Mayo Clinic, and regularly helps patients achieve double digit weight loss thanks to semaglutide, often branded as Ozempic or Wegovy. But as healthy people look to it for a quick fix, he raises a red flag about the drug.

In this episode I ask Andres how Ozempic works, what are its side-effects, and who should actually be taking it. Plus what else works for treating obesity.

Stay tuned to find out:

• The risks and rewards of Ozempic
• What’s going on in the brains of people who struggle with their weight
• How his lab has identified 4 genetic phenotypes causing obesity
• Where Dr Acosta stands on “body positivity”
• How his work is destigmatising obesity
• How close we are to a cure

Chapters

(1:55) Misusing Ozempic

(4:35) Ozempic for longevity and health

(7:49) Diet and exercise vs Ozempic + risks

(10:55) Do you need to take Ozempic forever?

(14:24) Link between the gut and obesity

(19:16) Why obesity is rising

(25:43) Weight loss vs fat loss vs health

(25:36) Cutting edge therapies for obesity

(40:19) A cure for obesity?

(43:12) The problem with BMI

(47:21) Why “fat” doesn’t equal “lazy”

(49:51) The body positivity movement

Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr Learn more about Dr. Acosta's work: https://phenomixsciences.com/

For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook

An OG Podcasts production.

“Women’s pain and women’s suffering has just been ignored” -Dr Jen Gunter

Dr Jen Gunter is an OB/GYN, known for busting myths about women’s health online. She’s the author of Blood, The Menstruation Manifesto and The Vagina Bible.

In this episode I ask Jen for the truth behind the biggest period myths, from cycle syncing, to menstrual cycles, to the effects of food and why period blood is considered dirty. We also discuss PMS, endometriosis, birth control and more.

Stay tuned to find out:

• Why we still know so little about female reproductive health
• What to do if you have painful periods - and how much pain is too much
• The truth behind “pill panic” and the demonisation of birth control
• Why exercise is the best medicine
• Whether you should be worried about forever chemicals in tampons
• What we actually know about the vaginal microbiome - are probiotics useless?

Highlights

(1:31) The taboos of menstruation

(3:15) Period myths

(5:36) Why the lack of medical research and awareness?

(10:20) The truth about cycle syncing

(12:21) Can certain foods stop periods?

(21:53) How to manage PMS symptoms

(28:47) How women’s pain has been ignored

(37:10) Endometriosis

(40:32) The truth about the birth control pill

(48:07) Toxic tampons and forever chemicals

(52:24) Probiotics for the vagina

Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook

An OG Podcasts production.

“The last 55 years of banning psychedelics is the worst censorship of research in the history of the world.” -Professor David Nutt

Professor David Nutt is THE go-to expert on psychedelics. His charity Drug Science is on a mission to break the stigma around hallucinogenic drugs, and inform the public on the real science behind their effects.

In this episode I ask David how drugs like magic mushrooms, MDMA, cannabis and Ketamine are able to treat brain disorders, like depression, so effectively - and why we’ve been led to fear these drugs.

Stay tuned to find out:

• The truth about why psychedelics were banned in the first place
• How safe these drugs are in both a medical and recreational setting
• Whether human evolution was driven, in-part, by psilocybin mushrooms
• About the most recent science and trials
• Myths and misinformation surrounding their use
• How soon we might see the legalisation of psychedelics

Highlights

(1:41) 50 years of censorship

(7:12) Emerging research

(10:24) Safety of psychedelics

(12:47) The stoned ape theory

(19:12) How psychedelics treat depression

(22:48) When will they be legal?

(25:38) Physiological changes in the brain during use

(29:54) Psychedelics versus conventional methods

(32:47) Recreational use

(35:47) Microdosing

(39:06) Enduring benefits of psychedelics

(42:26) Misinformation

(44:05) Treating addiction

(47:13) Future legalisation

Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook

An OG Podcasts production.

“It’s not that we’ve lost some microbes, it’s actually that we’ve gained others. And the ones that we’ve gained are causing us harm.”

Professor James Kinross is a world-leading microbiome expert and bowel cancer surgeon at Imperial College London. He’s also the author of Dark Matter: The New Science of the Microbiome.

In this episode I ask James about the impact of gut health on all aspects of our bodies, from growth to immune function to brain health and even personality. He also shares advice on the food you should be eating to get your gut health in check - science backed and BS-free.

Stay tuned to find out:

• How the microbiome is modifiable - you’re not doomed to have poor gut health
• How to figure out whether you have a healthy gut, and what that actually looks like
• Whether probiotics are more hype than health
• The important role of fibre in gut health - and how to get more of it
• Why cooking your own food is so important
• How ultra-processed food changes the microbiome
• The environmental factors you can alter to improve gut health

Highlights

(1:35) What is the microbiome?

(4:05) What impacts the development of the microbiome?

(9:44) Combating “bad” gut health

(15:17) Are probiotics any good?

(22:39) De-Westernising your diet

(26:46) Problem of ultra-processed food

(32:48) Impact of the modern environment on gut health

(42:43) Fibre’s role in gut health

(49:39) Are artificial sweeteners ok?

(51:56) Intermittent fasting

Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook

An OG Podcasts production.

“Instead of taking a coffee break, take a nap break!” -Professor Gina Poe

Professor Gina Poe is a world renowned neuroscientist who runs Poe Lab at UCLA, which investigates the role of sleep in learning and memory consolidation.

In this episode I ask Gina about the latest science on how to improve and optimise our sleep - with lots of actionable advice.

Stay tuned to find out:

• How to sleep longer and better
• Why naps are good for you - with strategies on how to nap better
• How a lack of sleep can tank your memory
• How long it should take you to fall asleep
• Whether you should be getting a sleep divorce
• If sleep trackers and wearables help, or hurt - and much more

Highlights

(2:49) How sleep impacts memory

(4:51) Why naps are good for you

(11:49) Optimal napping strategies

(14:10) The stages of sleep

(18:01) How deep sleep affects hormones and memory

(23:09) The glymphatic system explained

(27:01) How to tell you’re getting enough sleep

(29:19) How well do wearables measure sleep?

(32:35) Should you sleep with your pets?

(35:46) The sleep divorce

(37:31) How long should you sleep?

(39:34) Can you sleep too much?

(45:32) Strategies for getting more sleep

(48:09) How quickly should you fall asleep?

(49:34) Cutting edge sleep research and actionable tips

Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook

An OG Podcasts production.

💬 “Nature has lots of things that are really harmful. It has lots of things that are really benign. And that's the same with synthetic things. Synthetic things can be really toxic. They can be really safe.” -Dr Michelle Wong

⚡️ Dr Michelle Wong is a science educator, cosmetic chemist and founder of Lab Muffin Beauty Science, where she helps people figure out which beauty products are and aren’t worth buying.

⚡️ In this episode, Michelle and I put the chemical vs natural debate to the test, and look at the science of skin care products. What’s safe and what’s toxic?

🎧 Stay tuned to find out:

➡︎ Why it doesn’t need to be edible to go on your face

➡ Why homemade and DIY sunscreen is a terrible idea

➡︎ Why skin care ingredients actually work and which are overhyped

➡︎ A simple skin care guide for beginners

➡︎ The truth about preservatives like paraben

📕 Chapters

(4:15) Does skin care actually work?

(6:30) Inventing new skin care ingredients

(9:45) Chemicals vs natural

(12:39) DIY sunscreen

(22:17) Sunscreen and vitamin D

(28:47) Science of collagen

(31:19) Overhyped ingredients

(34:27) Parabens and preservatives

(41:41) Becoming more skin care savvy

(44:20) Science based skin care routine

(50:01) Skin microbiome

(52:50) Natural products that work

📱 Connect with me:

TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/drkaranrajan

Instagram: https://www.tiktok.com/@dr.karanr

📱 Connect with Michelle:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/labmuffinbeautyscience/ 

Website: https://labmuffin.com/ 

📕 Find Michelle’s book ‘The Science of Beauty’ here: https://amzn.eu/d/inztPnb 

🔥 For more useful science for your everyday life, grab my best selling book “This Book May Save Your Life”: https://geni.us/DrKaranBook 
🎙️ An OG Podcasts production.