Nutrition Expert Reveals The Secrets To Health & Longevity - with Simon Hill | Know Thyself EP 54

Longevity and nutrition expert Simon Hill joins the podcast today to clear the confusion around the food we eat, and give solid evidence proving the power of a plant focused diet. Simon addresses the the polarizing views of nutrition that exist on social media, and gives an insight into why the optimal diet isn't an 'absolute'.
He answers some common nutrition questions like plant protein vs animal protein, the danger of cholesterol, debunking the soy/estrogen debate, health concerns around 'fake' meat, and so much more.
Simon also shares his personal awakening to a healthier lifestyle, and opens up about his recent journey to discovering a deeper motivation for longevity.
This is a great episode for anyone looking to have a richer understanding into what their optimal diet could look like.
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Timecodes:
0:00 Intro
3:22 Why Is There So Much Nutrition Confusion Online?
8:33 What to look for in Food Studies
13:14 The Optimal Diet For Most People
19:11 Simon’s Awakening to Studying Nutrition
27:16 Fundamentals for a Healthy Diet
30:57 The Protein & Amino Acid Myth
43:11 Comparing Plant & Animal Protein
45:24 Cholesterol in Animal Protein
49:37 Are Seed Oils Bad For You?
58:19 The Importance of Fiber
1:06:47 Increasing BioDiversity in Microbiome
1:09:21 Which Animal Proteins are Okay to Eat?
1:14:50 Are Fake Meats MORE Unhealthy than Real Meat?
1:18:56 Dietary Fat & Our Metabolic Health
1:23:29 Supplementing the RIGHT Way
1:29:48 Plants are Trying to ‘Kill’ You?
1:37:36 Debunking Estrogen & Soy
1:40:53 Vegan: Where Most People Go Wrong
1:54:07 The Danger of Carnivore Diets
1:58:20 Environmental Impacts of Meat Consumption
2:06:54 When to Eat (Fasting)
2:12:08 What’s the Point of Good Health?
2:20:19 Get Connected with Simon
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Simon Hill is on a mission to help people fuel their bodies to achieve their health and wellness goals, reduce their risk of developing chronic disease, and add more years to their life. In 2021 he published his book The Proof is in the Plants, with Penguin Random House. It is now a recognized bestseller, having shot up the charts to become the #1 non-fiction book Australia-wide in its debut week.
Simon is also the host of The Proof Podcast, which is a space for science-based conversation, exploring the health and longevity benefits that come with mastering physical exercise, nutrition, mindfulness, recovery, sleep, and alignment.
Simon’s book: theproof.com/book/
Simon’s podcast: theproof.com/podcast/
Simon's Instagram: / simonhill
Learn more about lipids with this 3 part lipid series and zero-cost cheat sheet:
theproof.com/lipid-series/
All Resources & Studies Discussed in the Episode:
www.knowthyself.one/simon-hil...
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Know Thyself
Instagram: / knowthyself
Website: www.knowthyself.one
Clips Channel: / @knowthyselfpodcast
Listen to all episodes on Audio:
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4FSiemt...
Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast...
André Duqum
Instagram: / andreduqum
Meraki Media
merakimedia.com
/ merakimedia

[@growingfoodisfun148]

Thank you Simon. Because of your work and the work of others, I became plant-based three years ago. I am growing over 100 varieties of organic veggies on less than a tenth of an acre backyard. I have much improved health, spirituality and financials. Keep spreading the word. 😊

[@sectionalsofa]

I recently discovered my favorite interviewer in the field of nutrition: Simon Hill. Now I've discovered my favorite interviewee: Simon Hill. And now I've discovered Andre. Thanks to you both.

[@krisfarrugia6490]

I've been following Simon for little over a year now and he's such a breath of fresh air in the online nutrition community. I respect his nuanced approach - he knows he can get an immensely greater number of following, but he chooses to follow the evidence and to be cautious with his claims. He brings on the experts to address the current totality of evidence, but also, and more importantly, the most common concerns and questions of the people out there, including myself. I honestly wish him all the best, may he still keep doing this with the same integrity for years and years to come.

[@TheProofWithSimonHill]

That type of feedback means a lot to me. Thanks

[@krisfarrugia6490]

@@TheProofWithSimonHill my pleasure :) wish you a great 2024, looking forward to your pods :)

[@maryallen4989]

I listen to and read as much content from Simon as possible, because he’s honestly and deeply knowledgeable about nutrition. The articulate easy manner in which he speaks of this topic demonstrates his comfort with the data. He does not have an agenda, which allowed me to develop a plant predominant pattern that supports my IBS while satisfying my husband’s desire to maintain some animal products.

[@KT-dq5cp]

Absolutely brilliant. I loved it all but especially the way you explained how Chaffee & Salindino come up with their ‘nutritional’ misinformation! Clear and concise nutritional guidance with all the research to back up! Thank you

[@brendawood6712]

Love that, there are no healthy people without a healthy planet!

[@user-lg1pu9on4f]

Great conversation. Regarding a reason to go full vegan, other than planet and animal care, goes back to the 'an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure'. Balance and moderation is probably great for generally healthy people. For myself, having worked myself into morbid obesity, hypertension, and a couple heart issues, no-oil veganism appears to be the only path for recovery. I may be wrong, but it currently seems to provide the most convincing evidence.

[@liflora8539]

Great video, very helpful information! Simon Hill brings it down to the important things. I especially like the part about changing our diet helps rewild our planet! By giving the subsidies for agriculture not into meat production but into rewilding and refordesting. Thank you! 😍

[@richardmiddleton7770]

Strength is mostly neurological. High protein is about reducing muscle loss, not gaining muscle and strength! High protein also has a higher satiety affect AND you're getting more 'thermogenic affect of food' with high protein, especially with meat.

[@rebeccaaier1]

Two of my favorite humans on this planet. Thank you for this profound and inspiring conversation 🙏🏽❤️

[@In_a_sens]

Wow.. what powerful and liberating information There is so much here I’ve found intuitively in my journey.. though having so many researched back points is so valuable for sharing this info with my loved ones Thank y’all & Simon & I have the same birthday! Waddup 🎉

[@imhassane]

Yes yes yes. I recently went vegan two months ago after being mostly vegetarian since January this year. I’ve never felt any strength decrease at all, for instance my rdl went from 130kgs x to 155 x 5kgs and my back is absolutely growing as it never did before. The thing I last the most is this feeling of wellness in the morning. I absolutely love the plant lifestyle and haven’t missed any meat since I went vegan.

[@r0bt93]

Brilliant! Great to cover 3 big aspects of plant based eating, not just for human health benefits, but the environment and animals as well. Zoonotic disease risk and antibiotic resistance are other big factors that should be considered as well, since our consumption of animals increases the risk of these too.

[@erikfrykberg6526]

Simon is a great speaker! Loved this podcast

[@WarmFuzzyPurr]

Wow, what a powerhouse interview, this holds deeply researched and confirmed wisdom, thank you for putting it all together so seamlessly :)

[@janettewechsler5790]

Another great podcast Simon! I think I know a lot of these points by heart now, but still find little nuggets of gold. I particularly like what you shared at the end. Thank you

[@lambiemum]

Loved this interview. Thank you both. 🙏Simon Hill is such a humble and grounded person. Explaining the studies and delivering the science with transparency and without bias or hyperbole. So refreshing and trustworthy. Many could learn from this.

[@endlesssmile8905]

Great conversation. Thanks for sharing Andre and Simon. :)

[@davacastillo8991]

Having just started a plant based vegan diet, the information about the gut and feeding the gut for optimal health was helpful. After two weeks I feel great, so I must be doing something right. I have OA and losing weight to reduce joint pain is important. I need to listen the conversation again because it was packed with so much valuable information. I listen to The Proof as well, so keep teaching us how to be healthy and most of all happy!

[@kyrajadebarnard]

Make sure your B12 levels are alright to absorb your amino acids!

[@skippy6462]

Dr Greger's DAILY DOZEN app is helpful and explained very well in his book How Not To Die.

[@imhassane]

I went vegan two months ago and I feel so great, it’s hard to explain. My biggest advice is to eat a lot 😂 you won’t gain weight and you’ll feel full. My vegan diet is mostly based around beans, oatmeal, a lot of fruits, flaxseeds, almonds and walnuts. Then I’ll add a lot of legumes and leafy greens in my lunch whilst in my dinner I’ll just have 50g of almonds, 50g of walnuts and 20g of grounded flaxseeds. At the end of the day I’m around 2700 calories, 150-200g of protein, 20g of omega 3 and 70g of fiber. Plus a tip is to add some oatly milk which contains iodine and nutritional yeast which contains a lot b12 and other b vitamins.

[@skippy6462]

When I gave up smoking I had a terrible health reaction but it doesn't mean I should start smoking again to feel better. Heavy drinkers are advised not to stop as it could kill them. Diets surely can be the same. Make changes slowly over time and allow your body to adjust.

[@TheRussianize]

One of the most comprehensive interviews on the subject, a thorough list of the key issues.

[@margaretcousins1395]

I am 70 this year, for most of my life I have been vegetarian (brought up on a fruit farm in Norfolk, England its no wonder). I have been plant based 95% for the past 10 years - I do occasionally put some parmesan on wholewheat pasta and some anchovie or oyster sauce in some stir fry dishes. I never liked meat and am surprised when people want a food that looks or feels like meat. We are not all the same but I am actually put off when a food is made to look like meat - I don't expect that meat eaters want their burger to look like a lettuce! Great podcast you two

[@annapodyablonskaya8180]

Thanks a lot for the podcast! I enjoyed every minute of it and made many iterations to my diet based on Simon's advice. The last few minutes were truly beautiful

[@sivanandavelama1136]

Excellent. very insightful conversation on plant based nutrition for a healthy long life. Very much useful for people considering migration to plant based nutrition. I loved the conversation very much from two young & aspiring gentlemen.👍👍.

[@justmegawatt]

I really enjoy listening to Simon's podcast, he has many different guests and experts in different health related topics, there is so much important information even in the older episodes.

[@ameliam96]

First Hitomi and now Simon?! My fave people on the internet

[@Greg-kz3cf]

Great interview. Simon you are such a knowledgeable and intelligent person who is able to take a difficult topic, synthesise the research and science and explain it in simple terms. Thank you for that. Greg

[@charmaineroper9227]

Loved this podcast! So very helpful. Thank you 😊

[@Atomicbubble1]

I would love to see Paul Saladino on the show as well, very different perspectives.

[@carinaekstrom1]

If fiber is a dose response thing, better the more you get, and also fiber is important for increasing the best kind of diversity in the microbiome, it seems to follow that anything without fiber would be a setback. Is it just that the setback is so small that it really wont wont make a measurable difference in health or longevity? Or is it that the setback is too small to tease out in scientific research?

[@bobj4006]

I'm working through you podcasts and really enjoy what you're producing! Thank you for what you're doing. You ask very good questions and your guests are great. This particular one was of interest as I am plant based. Simon helped clear the air and provided clarity that will assist me when defending my dietary practices. One thing I was curious about that was only skimmed over, IMHO, was GMO's. There was a lot of discussion about the use of soy, tofu [tempeh?]. Isn't soy one of the most GMO'd products out there besides corn? I've been avoiding its use for that reason. Your thoughts, please. Otherwise, you've got a new fan!

[@skippy6462]

My Dad also suffered and suffers from eating a meat, potato and vegetable diet. He doesn't eat processed food... he's Irish old school. All his family members eat the same way.... they grew up on Irish farms... they're all suffering and some have died. Maybe small slithers of meat for flavouring is ok but not the normal amount of meat consumed.

[@fd4468]

Simon Hill the best👍

[@panes840]

Excellent on so many levels. Great interview and superb info. Another observation, i have found most blokes the gorgeous inside and out on my humble personal experience all have issues with emotions and relationships with them have been incredibly complex as a result (thanks to their bloody parenting. The last one i was with i landed up marrying. Bedn togetger 23 years and love him dearly but i can tell you we nearky solit 3 times because of his blocking out emotions due to micro and macro traumas. When i look at my friends husbands same issues AGAIN. I dont know what's going on, but something needs to be done because these chaps are potentially missing out on rich, mutually beneficial relationships that bring joy, happiness, trust, loyalty and safety and has Simon says, happiness and connection that are meaningful not superficial. It's so incredibly sad. As gorgeous as he is (and i think he's lovely inside and out) within 6 months I'd be runnning a mile because as soon as i see emotional hangups, i lose interest. Because generally they are half arsed at wanting to fix it. Its all to do with being validated as a kid! I hope he really does find happiness in his relationships romantic or otherwise because he is absolutely spot on, so important to happiness and a fulfilling life. Kerp working on it Simon, but don't let it take you a lifetime to master. I am 51 and i can tell you it goes quick. My husband has mastered a lot, but STILL struggles. Its all actially very unnecessary. So i recommend x2 books which saved our marriage that my husband found. Running on Empty and Running on Empty No More my Jonice Webb. You can find out the subject yourselves. But both books mirror one another so you need both. Funnily enough as i write this a bloke i was with for x2 years who adored me and visa versa, found me on LinkedIn last year and tried to start up another round of a relationship with me as hes still f@/k&d up with not Ble to deal with his emotions! Couldn't care. i was married and admitted hes had a failed marriage, bedded numerous women and ipenly admitted to me had been suicidal and incredibly lonelyand just wanted a relationship that would last. Sadly, hes too scared to sort ot out. So a vicious circle. I was with him 3 years ago!!!! What does that tell you.

[@tinatodd3522]

How often should you check apo B?

[@genethfireball]

In terms of FFQs, and the validation method, would there be potential for bias in that? As in before someone participates in a FFQ if they were aware that they were the ones selected to be validated they would be more invested in being accurate

[@panes840]

Yes there is but these questionnaires are still quite sophisticated, otherwise they wouldn't get funding! These studies cost thousands to millions sometimes

[@ReyElMusic]

Vitality 💚💜

[@empowerment.artist]

I have been anticipating content about veganism from this community (blu, sahara rose, mia magik, aubrey m etc) So thank you

[@lindaripp5902]

Thanks

[@katherinefiori]

Honestly this whole thing with so called "mediterranean diet" is very confusing. Some people say this diet is mostly plant based but when you get deeper into this rabbit hole - people in these places like Sardinia they eat actually quite a lot of meat. Then some people claim that "mediterranean diet" is basically mostly eating meat. So... I don't really know what to think about this. "Eat mediterranean diet." Sure. Which one? The one which is mostly meat or the one which is supposed to be mostly plants? 🙂

[@carinaekstrom1]

Isn't it also true that an increase in dietary cholesterol will make a much bigger jump in people that already have low levels of LDL or ApoB, than in people that are at a relatively high level already?

[@carinaekstrom1]

@@TheProofWithSimonHill So that doesn't depend on if your blood LDL is at (for instance) 70 or 150?

[@carinaekstrom1]

@@TheProofWithSimonHill Ok, thanks, I was confused there.

[@80slimshadys]

The LDL level moves across a hyperbolic curve that flattens out the higher it gets as Simon said first.

[@oscarrodriguez8998]

As Simon says, you can find studies to back meat or plant based. People like Paul Saladino support animal "based" diet. but he supports fruits and honey in the diet and Foods with little to no plant toxins like lectins, phytates etc. It's hard to navigate diets but as someone who has tried a vegan diet as well as carnivore, I did feel the most drastic improvement in my health on carnivore but at the same time I don't believe it's the way to go long term, at least not for me. and I don't believe strict raw vegan is the way to go long term but regardless, people should do what's best for them as Simon mentioned.

[@L4Nigav]

about lectins and oxalates: if you miss the right bacteria in your gut, you cant really digest them and they will cause problems - so it really depends on your gut health ... and this is a big problem in the western world

[@pyarvinabbasova5491]

You can have great genes and still mess up your health by bad choices, for sure

[@leahblackburn3872]

❤

[@bendavid3129]

Please check your visceral fat with Dr. Sean Omara's methodology.

[@NarenLumpkin]

Life is 😂a spiritual affair REMEMBER remember Remembering can only be done by the forgotten, remember who you really are. ❤❤❤

[@Bmwdressage]

Love this podcast. I find it funny that “we’re all on the same page about ultra processed foods” while your mate makes a fortunate selling ULTRA ULTRA processed drinks 😅😂

[@nirvana328]

what does he sell?

[@BrysonKeenan]

Which mate?

[@raquelbelnap7252]

Plant based diet damn near killed me and was slowly destroying my health. Every week I was losing a food and i could no longer eat that food. Then u learned about plant toxins and anti nitrients. Turns out, I cannot process any plant toxins s. May people have issues with plant toxins s. Carnivore turned my health around on a dime. 4 days, 30 years of gut issues, gone, and in 2 weeks, chronic fatigue, brain inflammation and pain jist gone. Meat and meat fat DO not cause cardiovascular disease or cancer...processed seed oils do. The growing carnivore community is proving health benefits of meat

[@MrSunnyBhoy]

What works for one person, will not work for everyone. I was msotly vegetarian mostnof my life. Went full on veg for 3 yrs and then wnt ezcema went nuts. I would eat legumes and tbings like broccoli and break out and grt really bad flatulance. Now im keto and im getting better. So fibre for me was the main cause. So eliminating it for a time and bringing it back makes no sense to me. If something is bad for you it doesnt just become good after abstaining for a time. Do what works for you, but you cant say a vegan/veg diet is the healthiest or the best for the planet as thats not true. If you have no animals on land who is going to make the soil viable? You vegans seems to ignorebthat. Plus, you grt a lot of nutrient deficiencies. Lastly, judt because plants have protein, doesnt mean yoire going to absorb all of it. And they are also anti nutrients; lectins, oxilatates.

[@ModernAlpha]

Animal based eating ftw

[@80slimshadys]

Not only do plants contain all 9 essential aminos, I recently learned from the the Stanford review of protein within vegan diets that all plants contain all 20 amino acids. So to say plants don't contain the EAAs is categorically incorrect. How much of these aminos is in them is a better question. There's so much nuance that goes unspoken. Dietary Protein and Amino Acids in Vegetarian Diets-A Review; www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6893534/

[@gayzion]

Thank you for this André!!

[@sidesalad8769]

❤