From drinking more water and finding happiness within to the forgotten fruit hiding in plain sight, good health doesn't have to be complicated.
Reading it on your phone or tablet? Click HERE
We live in a world where being healthy has somehow become unnecessarily complicated. There’s always another supplement to buy, another fitness trend to follow or another wellness expert telling us we’re doing everything wrong. But what if good health isn’t about doing more, but about doing the simple things consistently? This week on After Hours, Stephen and I explore five habits that I believe can make a meaningful difference to our health and happiness: drinking more water, paying attention to our posture, practising genuine kindness, learning to enjoy our own company and, perhaps most importantly, not outsourcing our happiness to someone or something else. We also discuss the importance of staying connected, switching off from technology occasionally and eating more fruits and vegetables. None of these habits requires perfection, expensive equipment or a complete lifestyle overhaul. They simply require us to be a little more intentional about how we live.
And speaking of simple things, we take an unexpected detour into the wonderful world of choko, an often-overlooked fruit that’s surprisingly versatile in the kitchen. We explore its fascinating origins, its place in Indonesian cooking and even debunk the long-standing myth that McDonald’s uses choko in its apple pies. There’s also a refreshing choko and green apple salad recipe worth trying. Finally, we turn our attention to something particularly close to my heart: the science of phenolic antioxidants. Apples contain remarkable plant compounds that may influence inflammation, our body’s antioxidant defences and gut health. I explain why the amount of antioxidants in a food is only part of the story, and why extraction, digestion and biological activity matter when understanding their potential benefits. It’s the science that inspired my work developing Activated Phenolics. Ultimately, whether we’re talking about nutrition, movement, relationships or happiness, the message remains the same: good health isn’t built through occasional extraordinary efforts. It’s built through ordinary things we choose to do, day after day.
With my best
Dr Vincent
After Hours is where science gets personal. Hosted by Dr Vincent, your friendly neighbourhood scientist and Stephen!
This newsletter and podcast is part of the Ask Dr Vincent on Substack.
🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode
📩 Weekly newsletter every Sunday at AskDrVincent.com
📺 Full video episodes every Thursday after 5pm
