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BITESIZE | 5 Food Tips to Heal Your Body, Boost Your Brain Health & Live Longer | Dr William Li #562

Jun 5, 2025 24m 26s 14 insights
You probably already know that your diet can hugely influence how well you feel, but did you know that the food you choose to eat can change the make-up of your entire body, all the way down to the health of your cells? Feel Better, Live More Bitesize is my weekly podcast for your mind, body, and heart. Each week I’ll be featuring inspirational stories and practical tips from some of my former guests.   Today’s clip is from episode 485 of the podcast with internationally renowned physician, food scientist and bestselling author, Dr William Li. In this clip, we explore the intricate relationship between what we eat and how our bodies function and Dr Li shares how certain foods can stimulate and protect our vital stem cells, which enhances our body’s natural ability to regenerate and heal. Thanks to our sponsor ⁠⁠⁠https://www.drinkag1.com/livemore⁠⁠ Show notes and the full podcast are available at https://drchatterjee.com/485 Support the podcast and enjoy Ad-Free episodes. Try FREE for 7 days on Apple Podcasts ⁠⁠https://apple.co/feelbetterlivemore⁠⁠ For other podcast platforms go to ⁠⁠https://fblm.supercast.com.
Actionable Insights

1. Prioritize Blood Vessel Health

Pay super attention to how well your blood vessels are functioning, especially after age 40, as healthy circulation is a critical starting point for optimizing all other aspects of your health.

2. Harness Food for Stem Cells

Understand that certain foods can stimulate and protect your vital stem cells, enhancing your body’s natural ability to regenerate and heal from the inside out.

3. Eat More Plant-Based Foods

Incorporate a variety of plant-based foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, healthy oils, and seeds, as they contain natural substances that can activate your stem cells.

4. Read Prepackaged Food Labels

Always check the ingredient labels of prepackaged foods, avoiding those with added sugar, emulsifiers, artificial chemicals, preservatives, and stabilizers; opt for minimal ingredients or prepare food yourself.

5. Focus on Net Daily Consumption

Recognize that the cumulative effect of your daily dietary choices, rather than isolated instances, significantly contributes to maintaining healthy blood vessels and overall circulation.

6. Small Tweaks, Big Impact

Make small, consistent dietary and lifestyle tweaks, as these choices can lead to profoundly important improvements in your future health, vision, brain function, and muscle strength.

7. Don’t Peel Your Fruit

Consume the peel of fruits like apples, pears, cranberries, and blueberries, as it contains ursolic acid which stimulates stem cells to aid in regeneration and blood vessel repair.

8. Eat Beta-Glucan Rich Foods

Include foods rich in beta-D-glucan, such as mushrooms (especially the stem), steel-cut oats, and barley, in your diet to stimulate stem cells and regenerate circulation.

9. Daily High-Cacao Dark Chocolate

Consume high-quality dark chocolate (80% cacao or higher), potentially as two cups of hot chocolate daily for 30 days, to double circulating stem cells and improve blood vessel resiliency.

10. Choose High-Polyphenol Olive Oil

Select high-quality extra virgin, first-press, monovarietal olive oils for their higher polyphenol content, which protects your stem cells against oxidative stress.

11. Select Specific Olive Varieties

When buying olive oil, look for monovarietal Spanish PICUAL, Greek Koroneki, or Italian Moriolo olives, as these varieties contain the highest levels of protective polyphenols.

12. Drink Tea and Coffee

Incorporate tea (containing catechins like EGCG) and coffee (containing chlorogenic acid) into your diet, as their polyphenols protect blood vessels, lower inflammation, and support gut health.

13. Daily Gut Health Drink

Consider taking AG1 daily, a health drink containing five strains of gut bacteria and plant-based compounds, to support digestion and enrich the gut microbiome.

14. Subscribe to Friday Five

Sign up for the free ‘Friday Five’ email at drchatterjee.com/FridayFive to receive weekly doses of positivity, articles, books, quotes, and research not shared on social media.