Nutrition
Nutrition is more than just a matter of weight—it's a cornerstone of overall health and well-being. The foods and beverages we choose influence everything from athletic performance and gut health to immunity and productivity. With no one-size-fits-all solution, finding a balanced diet tailored to your needs can help manage chronic diseases, regulate vital functions, and improve your daily life. Explore the following resources to learn how to navigate the complexities of nutrition, understand the science behind macronutrients and micronutrients, and implement sustainable eating habits that fit your lifestyle.
🍗 Healthy Lean Meats & Protein Sources
Grilled chicken breast
Ground turkey (93% lean or higher)
Wild-caught salmon
Grass-fed sirloin steak
Eggs & egg whites
🍎 Healthy Fruits
Blueberries (antioxidant-rich)
Bananas (great post-workout)
Apples (fiber-rich and portable)
Oranges (high in vitamin C)
Pineapple (supports digestion and recovery)
🥬 Healthy Leafy Green Vegetables
Spinach (iron-rich and versatile)
Kale (fiber and antioxidant-packed)
Romaine lettuce (hydrating and crunchy)
Swiss chard (loaded with vitamins A and K)
Arugula (peppery and rich in calcium)
🍠 Healthy Complex Carbohydrates
Sweet potatoes
Quinoa
Brown rice
Basil Seeds (Fiber)
Whole grain sourdough bread
In this Huberman Lab Essentials episode, Huberman explains how the nutrients and foods we eat influence emotions and overall mood. He explores the mind-body connection in shaping food choices and cravings, highlighting the roles of neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Huberman discusses the biology behind cravings, such as those for sugar, and how psychological factors affect hunger perception. He also explains the importance of nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and a healthy gut microbiome in regulating mood and supporting immune function.
This episode features Dr. Chris Palmer, M.D., a psychiatrist and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. He discusses the link between nutrition, metabolism, and mental health, focusing on his pioneering use of the ketogenic diet to treat conditions like depression and schizophrenia. Dr. Palmer highlights how the ketogenic diet, an evidence-based treatment for epilepsy, can also counter cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s, improve mitochondrial health, and benefit the gut microbiome. His work offers a groundbreaking approach to mental health that is relevant to a wide audience.
In this episode, Dr. Robert Lustig, M.D., a neuroendocrinologist and UCSF professor, examines the limitations of the "calories in-calories out" (CICO) model for metabolism and weight regulation. He discusses how macronutrients, fiber, and sugar affect this model, with a focus on the impact of fructose and liquid sugars on insulin, liver, and metabolic health. Dr. Lustig also explores how sugar, especially from non-fruit sources, can be addictive and disrupt brain circuits related to cravings and satisfaction, and discusses its role in obesity, gut health, and mental health. This episode provides valuable insights into how food choices affect long-term health.
In this episode, Dr. Justin Sonnenburg, Professor of Microbiology & Immunology at Stanford University, explores how gut microbes influence both mental and physical health. He discusses how diet and environment shape the gut microbiome, including variations across the GI tract and the effects of different delivery methods at birth. Dr. Sonnenburg highlights a study showing that fermented foods boost microbiota diversity and reduce inflammation, while Western diets with high fat and low fiber can harm gut health. The episode offers practical, research-based tips for optimizing your gut microbiome and overall health.
This episode explains the brain-body connections that allow the specific foods we eat to control our moods and motivation. Dr. Huberman discusses the vagus nerve and its role in dopamine and serotonin release in the brain. He reviews Omega-3 fatty acids and the key role of the gut microbiome in supporting (or hindering) our mental and emotional states. Many actionable tools are reviewed and discussed related to fasting, ketogenic and plant-based diets, probiotics, fermented foods, fish oils, artificial sweeteners, specific supplements that promote dopamine and serotonin, and some remarkable behavioral (and belief) effects.
In this episode, Dr. Elissa Epel, Ph.D., from UCSF, delves into how stress affects mood, behavior, and health. She explains various stress management techniques, including mindfulness, breathwork, and exercise. Dr. Epel discusses how stress influences cellular aging and offers strategies for reframing stress to improve mood and health. She provides practical tools for reducing stress and managing cravings, enhancing overall well-being.
In this episode, Layne Norton, Ph.D., a leading expert in nutrition, protein metabolism, muscle gain, and fat loss, shares insights on energy balance, various diets (ketogenic, vegan, etc.), and strategies for building lean muscle and losing fat. He covers optimal protein and fiber intake, appetite control, exercise, and gender-specific nutritional needs. Dr. Norton also discusses gut health, sugar, artificial sweeteners, and the impact of various foods and supplements on cardiovascular health. This episode offers a comprehensive guide to nutrition, metabolism, and exercise for diverse health and fitness goals.
Dr. Huberman explains how to blunt sugar cravings through a fundamental understanding of how sugar is sensed, metabolized, and utilized within the body. He covers how sugar is processed through the digestive tract and nervous system, and how both the taste and nutritive components of sugar can lead to specific appetite changes and cravings. Dr. Huberman discusses the connection between sugar, dopamine, and cravings, and outlines various tools to curb sugar cravings, particularly for highly processed refined sugars.
In this episode, Satchin Panda, Ph.D., from the Salk Institute, discusses the benefits of "time-restricted eating" (TRE) or intermittent fasting for metabolic health and longevity. He explains how TRE and longer fasts can improve conditions like obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular health, as well as enhance mood and cognitive performance. Dr. Panda also covers how eating timing, light exposure, and exercise can impact health, and how aligning these with circadian rhythms can boost overall well-being and longevity.
In this episode, Dr. Huberman explores science-backed nutrients for brain health and performance, including Omega-3 fatty acids, creatine, phosphatidylserine, and more. He details their effects on cognition and provides both food-based and supplement sources with effective dosages. Dr. Huberman also examines how gut-brain signaling, taste, and learned food preferences influence our food choices and explores the impact of non-caloric sweeteners on insulin regulation. This episode offers actionable tools to enhance and maintain brain function through modern neuroscience.
In this episode, Dr. Andrew Huberman hosts Dr. Casey Halpern, M.D., Chief of Stereotactic and Functional Neurosurgery at the Perelman School of Medicine, to discuss the use of deep brain stimulation for treating compulsive and movement disorders, including binge eating, OCD, and Parkinson’s disease. Dr. Halpern explores how this technology can alleviate symptoms of various disorders and examines future therapeutic possibilities with non-invasive brain stimulation methods such as transcranial magnetic stimulation and ultrasound. This episode provides valuable insights into the treatment of eating disorders, compulsive behaviors, and movement issues.
Huberman has a monthly newsletter (Neural Network Newsletter) you can subscribe to for the latest content. Here is a Newsletter he has on the gut microbiome:
