The Proof with Simon Hill

We tend to treat pregnancy as the starting line for a child's health. In this episode, Dr Federica Amati, Head Nutritionist at ZOE, makes the evidence-based case that the window opens earlier, in the months before conception, and that it shapes fertility and lifelong health in ways most of us were never told.

What I valued most is her balance. The science is striking, but she frames it as information to act on rather than a reason for guilt, and she is honest about how much sits with environment and policy rather than individual choice.

What we cover:

Why the first 1,000 days may be the longevity lever almost no one talks about

How a father's metabolic health links to his child's brain, and a mother's to their metabolism

The 90-day preconception window, and what both partners can do

What the decline in sperm counts really means for individuals

GLP-1 medications, fertility, and a contraception detail too few people hear

Protein, eggs, soy, and choosing a prenatal supplement, myths included

Whether you are planning a pregnancy, supporting a partner, or simply curious about how much of our health is set before birth, I think this one will stay with you.

To connect with Dr Federica Amati, follow her on Instagram and explore her work at ZOE.

If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to rate and review The Proof on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people find these conversations.

Intro (00:00)

Why Your Baby's Health Is Set Before Birth (03:13)

Dr. Federica Amati's Background in Maternal Nutrition (07:41)

What 48 of 52 Cell Differentiations Means for Your Baby (15:33)

How Egg and Sperm Health Drive Conception Outcomes (21:40)

Does What You Do Preconception Affect the Baby Too (26:09)

Sperm DNA and Placental Health: The Father's Hidden Role (30:39)

Heat, Laptops, and Sauna: What Kills Sperm Quality (32:56)

Is the 50% Sperm Count Decline Real (39:32)

Soy Foods, Testosterone, and Male Fertility Myths Debunked (44:30)

Foods to Avoid in the 90-Day Preconception Window (48:10)

GLP-1 Drugs, Fertility, and Unplanned Pregnancies (54:28)

First Trimester Nausea: What Actually Helps (59:42)

How to Choose a Prenatal Supplement (01:04:34)

How Much Protein Do You Actually Need in Pregnancy (01:07:30)

Can a Plant-Based Diet Work During Pregnancy (01:11:59)

Tylenol in Pregnancy: Is It Safe (01:15:55)

Want to support the show?

The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family.

We'd love your feedback. Complete our quick 2-minute audience survey to help us better understand what content, topics, and guests you enjoy most. Take the survey at voicingchange.media/simon.

This episode is brought to you by:

38TERA

Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout.

38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

IM8

With 92 nutrients, including Vitamin B12, Iodine, Selenium and Vitamin D, in highly absorbable forms, IM8 Daily Essentials is the perfect all-in-one daily multi-vitamin to ensure you meet your daily micronutrient needs. IM8 is offering an exclusive 10% off your first order with a free welcome kit when you enter the promo code SIMON at checkout on im8health.com.

IM8 ships to 27 countries including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and many regions across Europe, Asia, and South America.

Function Health

Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health offers a practical way to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Learn more and join at functionhealth.com/simonhill for a $25 credit toward your membership. Only available to those living in the United States.

Function Health ships to 48 U.S. states, excluding Rhode Island, Hawai‘i, and Puerto Rico.

Pique

Pique’s Nandaka combines fermented Pu’er tea, full-spectrum Reishi, ceremonial cacao, and L-theanine for calm, sustained energy without the coffee crash. Unlock 20% off and establish your powerful foundation for sustained well-being at Piquelife.com/SIMON.

Pique ships within the U.S. and to Australia, Canada, and select EU countries.

Truemed

Truemed helps qualified customers use pre-tax HSA or FSA dollars on health-related products like fitness, recovery, and sleep tools, often saving around 30% on average. Visit truemed.com/THEPROOF to see what qualifies. This is hands down the best way to make the most of your health dollars.

WHOOP

Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon.

Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia.

Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

Creator of theproof.com

Host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

Subscribe & Connect:

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Instagram: @simonhill

Twitter: @theproof

Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill

Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

In late 2024 a CT scan revealed a small amount of soft plaque in my arteries. Sixteen months later I scanned again, and my plaque volume had dropped by around forty percent. In this episode I ask the cardiologist behind the technology whether a result like that can really be trusted.

Dr Campbell Rogers is an interventional cardiologist, a former Harvard faculty member who ran the cath lab at Brigham and Women's Hospital, and now Chief Medical Officer at Heartflow.

What we cover:

The difference between a calcium score, a CT coronary angiogram, and AI plaque analysis

Why a calcium score of zero does not mean you are free of disease

What my own scans showed, and why Campbell believes the result

Soft versus calcified plaque, and why calcification can be a sign of stabilisation

Treating the plaque you can see rather than just an ApoB number

Who should consider getting scanned, and the honest trade-offs

This is a conversation about seeing a disease we used to only guess at, held with the right amount of scientific humility. If you want to understand your own heart health, I think it is well worth your time.

If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to rate and review The Proof on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. It genuinely helps more people find these conversations.

To connect with Dr Campbell Rogers, visit Heartflow.

How Campbell Rogers went from cardiologist to Heartflow (00:00)

What Heartflow is and how it works (07:26)

Coronary CT angiogram vs. stress test (11:54)

Why symptoms alone miss early heart disease (13:18)

How Heartflow analyzes CT scans in 90 minutes (15:58)

Calcified vs. non-calcified plaque: which is riskier (21:28)

Why calcium score zero doesn't mean no heart disease (28:45)

Who should get a CT angiogram with AI plaque analysis (31:09)

Why seeing your plaque improves medication adherence (34:04)

Simon's 2024 Heartflow scan results (39:12)

How plaque rupture triggers a heart attack (43:25)

Simon's 2026 Heartflow scan: 40% plaque reduction in 16 months (45:43)

How long to wait between CT scans (51:14)

Heartflow vs. Cleerly vs. QAngio (53:12)

How Heartflow results led Simon to start statins (58:21)

JAMA study: Heartflow tracks plaque in prostate cancer patients (1:00:10)

What is low attenuation plaque and why it's high risk (1:02:53)

Who should ask their doctor about a coronary CT angiogram (1:07:37)

Want to support the show?

The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family.

We'd love your feedback. Complete our quick 2-minute audience survey to help us better understand what content, topics, and guests you enjoy most. Take the survey at voicingchange.media/simon.

This episode is brought to you by:

38TERA

Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout.

38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

Eight Sleep

Upgrade your sleep with the Pod 5 Ultra by Eight Sleep. Clinically validated to deliver up to 1 extra hour of quality sleep per night through temperature control and biometric tracking. Use code THEPROOF at eightsleep.com/theproof for up to $500 off. The 4th of July sale ends July 12, and you get 30 days to try it at home and return it if you don't love it.

Eight Sleep ships to the U.S. (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and territories), Canada, Mexico, most of the EU, the U.K., Australia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland.

LMNT

Stay hydrated with LMNT. Get a free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavours with any purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/SIMON Find your favourite LMNT flavour, or share with a friend. And if you don’t like it? Full refund, no questions asked.

LMNT ships to the U.S. and Canada, with sparkling flavors available only in the contiguous U.S.

Shopify

Shopify, the world's leading e-commerce platform, helps you turn browsers into buyers with the internet’s best-converting check out–up to 36% better compared to other leading e-commerce platforms. To boost your conversion rate, and grow your business, sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial at shopify.com/proof.

Momentous

My go-to supplement brand for protein and creatine is Momentous. Use code THEPROOF for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com.

Momentous ships to many countries worldwide depending on local import regulations.

WHOOP

Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon.

Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia.

Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

Creator of theproof.com

Host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

Subscribe & Connect:

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Instagram: @simonhill

Twitter: @theproof

Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill

Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

Can a supplement actually reverse the plaque in your arteries, or only slow it down? It is the question I am asked most, and after a 2024 scan revealed early plaque in my own left anterior descending artery, it became a personal one too.

This is part two of my three-part series on reversing atherosclerosis. In this solo episode I work through eight of the most popular supplements and rank them by the strength of the human evidence, not the strength of the marketing.

What we cover:

Why pure EPA has by far the strongest evidence for regressing plaque, and what EVAPORATE, CHERRY, JELIS, and REDUCE-IT showed

The REDUCE-IT versus STRENGTH debate, and why the form of omega-3 may matter as much as the dose

Aged garlic extract and vitamin K2: what the imaging and calcification data suggest

Niacin and the biomarker trap: raising "good" cholesterol without lowering risk

Where CoQ10, berberine, nattokinase, and pomegranate extract really sit, plus a fact-check of a popular nattokinase claim

My own plan after that scan, and a preview of part three on the pharmaceuticals

Only one of these eight has strong evidence behind it, and even then it is a prescription rather than a tub from the supplement aisle. Supplements can be useful additions, but never a replacement for the proven basics.

You can see exactly what I take over at my personal supplement stack.

If you are enjoying the series, the simplest way to help is to leave a quick rating and review on Apple Podcasts, and to share this episode with someone whose heart health you care about.

Can Supplements Actually Reverse Arterial Plaque? (00:00)

EVAPORATE Trial: High-Dose EPA Reversed Plaque by 9% (02:09)

Why Pure EPA Outperforms Standard Fish Oil (07:22)

JELIS to REDUCE-IT: EPA Cuts Cardiac Events by 25% (10:10)

REDUCE-IT Controversy and RESPECT-EPA 2024 (13:47)

VITAL Trial: Omega-3 for Healthy Adults + 2026 Lp(a) Data (16:51)

Aged Garlic Extract: 3 Trials on Plaque and Calcification (20:09)

Vitamin K2: Does Redirecting Calcium Lower Heart Risk? (23:17)

Niacin Failed: Why Raising HDL Didn't Save Lives (27:50)

CoQ10: Promising Mechanism, No Plaque Imaging Proof (33:18)

Berberine: The Gut Pathway No Other Supplement Uses (38:21)

Nattokinase: One Study Says 36% Drop, One Says Zero (41:16)

Pomegranate Extract: Strong Animal Data, Weak Human Trials (49:16)

Which Supplements Can Actually Reverse Atherosclerosis? (53:18)

Simon's Personal Protocol for Reversing LAD Plaque (55:24)

Want to support the show?

The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family.

We'd love your feedback. Complete our quick 2-minute audience survey to help us better understand what content, topics, and guests you enjoy most. Take the survey at voicingchange.media/simon.

This episode is brought to you by:

38TERA

Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout. 38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

LMNT

Stay hydrated with LMNT. Get a free Sample Pack of LMNT’s most popular drink mix flavours with any purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/SIMON Find your favourite LMNT flavour, or share with a friend. And if you don’t like it? Full refund, no questions asked.

LMNT ships to the U.S. and Canada, with sparkling flavors available only in the contiguous U.S.

Function Health

Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health offers a practical way to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Learn more and join at functionhealth.com/simonhill for a $25 credit toward your membership. Only available to those living in the United States.

Function Health ships to 48 U.S. states, excluding Rhode Island, Hawai‘i, and Puerto Rico.

Momentous

My go-to supplement brand for protein and creatine is Momentous. Use code THEPROOF for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com.

Momentous ships to many countries worldwide depending on local import regulations.

HomeServe

Help protect your home systems – and your wallet – with HomeServe against covered repairs. Plans start at just $4.99 a month. Go to HomeServe.com to find the plan that’s right for you.

HomeServe is not available everywhere. Most plans range between $4.99 to $11.99 a month your first year. Terms apply on covered repairs.

WHOOP

Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon.

Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia.

Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

Creator of theproof.com

Host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

Subscribe & Connect:

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Instagram: @simonhill

Twitter: @theproof

Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill

Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

For decades we have treated the number on the scale as the goal of metabolic health. Dr Mauricio Gonzalez, a triple board-certified physician and endocrinology fellow practising in New York, makes the case that we have been measuring the wrong thing.

In this conversation we explore why liver fat, not body weight, is becoming the real target, what the latest weight-loss medications can and cannot do, and how to cut through the hype and dogma that surround this field.

What we cover:

Why isolated blood tests and blood pressure readings tell you very little

The myth that GLP-1 medications are "the easy way out"

Why liver fat may matter more than body weight

How diabetes clinics now remove medications instead of adding them

Which supplements earn their place, and which Mauricio has cooled on

The minimum effective dose for exercise, and knowing when "enough" is enough

A grounded, practical conversation with a doctor who meets people where they are. If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to rate and review The Proof on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, it genuinely helps more people find these conversations.

To connect with Dr Mauricio Gonzalez, follow him on Instagram, X, and YouTube, or visit his website at drmauriciogonzalez.com.

Intro (00:00)

Minimum Effective Dose for Exercise (01:38)

Why Continuity of Care Reduces Mortality (07:09)

How Type 2 Diabetes Silently Develops Over 12 Years (09:23)

Statin vs. PCSK9 Inhibitor: How Doctors Choose (12:45)

How GLP-1 Drugs Transformed the Diabetes Clinic (21:46)

Why Doctors Now Measure Organ Fat, Not Body Weight (30:25)

How Fatty Liver Disease Is Diagnosed (34:05)

How Liver Fat Drives Insulin Resistance (40:47)

Wegovy vs. Zepbound: How to Choose a GLP-1 (48:18)

Should Lean People Use GLP-1s for Metabolic Health? (51:53)

Why Patients Feel Guilty Taking GLP-1s (54:13)

How Mauricio’s Nutrition Advice Has Evolved Over a Decade (01:04:35)

Supplements on GLP-1s: What's Worth Taking (01:09:42)

Minimum Effective Dose for Resistance Training (01:16:52)

When Health Optimization Becomes Counterproductive (01:21:20)

Want to support the show?

The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family.

This episode is brought to you by:

38TERA

Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout.

38Tera ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

SwimClub

SwimClub is a science-backed supplement designed to support male fertility, sperm health, and reproductive wellness. Head to swimclub.co to get 25% off your first order with code THEPROOF.

Eight Sleep

Upgrade your sleep with the Pod 5 Ultra by Eight Sleep. Use code THEPROOF at eightsleep.com/theproof for up to $500 off. The 4th of July sale ends July 12, and you get 30 days to try it at home and return it if you don't love it.

Eight Sleep ships to the U.S. (excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and territories), Canada, Mexico, most of the EU, the U.K., Australia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland.

Truemed

Truemed helps qualified customers use pre-tax HSA or FSA dollars on health-related products like fitness, recovery, and sleep tools, often saving around 30% on average. Visit truemed.com/THEPROOF to see what qualifies. This is hands down the best way to make the most of your health dollars.

ProLon

ProLon’s 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet is a science-backed, plant-based program designed to support metabolic health while keeping your body in a fasting-like state. Get 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift at ProLonLife.com/THEPROOF.

ProLon ships within the United States.

WHOOP

Whoop, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon.

Whoop ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia.

Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

Creator of theproof.com

Host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

Subscribe & Connect:

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Instagram: @simonhill

Twitter: @theproof

Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill

Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.

In this episode, exercise physiologist Dr Margie Davenport walks me through what the evidence actually shows about exercise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Margie chaired the 2019 Canadian Guideline for Physical Activity throughout Pregnancy, the 2025 Canadian postpartum guideline, and the upcoming International Olympic Committee consensus statement on athletes through pregnancy and postpartum.

We cover where the 140 bpm rule came from, the scale of the benefits at the population level, what direct fetal monitoring during HIIT and heavy lifting really shows, the new postpartum data, and why so many of the historical prohibitions do not survive contact with the data.

What we cover:

Where the 1985 "stay below 140 bpm" rule came from, and why it has long outlived its evidence

Around 40 percent fewer cases of preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, and around 67 percent fewer cases of depression during pregnancy

HIIT, heavy resistance training, and what fetal monitoring shows

The 51 percent reduction in complications among women who kept lifting heavy

Postpartum: the six-week myth, breastfeeding and injury risk, and a 45 percent reduction in postpartum depression

The short list of actual "don'ts": scuba diving, and a few situational cautions

The paradigm shift from prohibition to shared decision-making

If this episode is useful, please leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and share it with someone in your life who is trying to make sense of conflicting advice.

To connect with Dr Margie Davenport, visit exerciseandpregnancy.ca, follow her on Instagram at @DrMargieDavenport, or find her on LinkedIn and YouTube.

Intro (00:00)

Why Pregnancy Exercise Advice Feels So Confusing (01:15)

The Most Damaging Myth About Exercise In Pregnancy (03:08)

How Exercise Cuts Pregnancy Complications By 40% (05:05)

Why Pregnant Women Were Excluded From Research (07:46)

Can You Do High Intensity Workouts While Pregnant (12:49)

How Exercise Lowers Preeclampsia And Diabetes Risk (16:43)

How Much Exercise Is Safe During Pregnancy (27:03)

Is Heavy Lifting Safe During Pregnancy (32:10)

What You Should Never Do While Pregnant (40:41)

Pelvic Floor Exercises Every Pregnant Woman Needs (47:41)

How To Know If You're Overexerting While Pregnant (56:12)

Does Exercise Affect Fertility And Conception (1:00:42)

Why The 140 BPM Myth Still Exists (1:04:52)

How Exercise Improves Postpartum Mental Health And Sleep (1:09:28)

The Truth About The 6 Week Postpartum Rule (1:11:32)

Does Breastfeeding Increase Your Risk Of Injury (1:17:13)

Why Pregnant Athletes Need Better Policy Support (1:19:56)

What Future Pregnancy Exercise Research Will Reveal (1:24:50)

Want to support the show?

The best way to support the show is to use the products and services offered by our sponsors. To check them out and enjoy great savings, visit theproof.com/friends. You can also support the show by leaving a review on the Apple Podcast app and sharing your favourite episodes with friends and family.

This episode is brought to you by:

38TERA

Consider 38TERA's DMN prebiotic supplement a daily multivitamin for your gut. Formulated by yours truly and gastroenterologist Dr Will Bulsiewicz. Use code THEPROOF for a discount at checkout.

38TERA ships to the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.

Function Health

Take charge of your health with advanced blood testing and personalised insights. Function Health offers a practical way to track key health markers such as cholesterol, blood sugar, and more. Learn more and join at functionhealth.com/simonhill for a $25 credit toward your membership. Only available to those living in the United States.

Function Health ships to 48 U.S. states, excluding Rhode Island, Hawai‘i, and Puerto Rico.

Momentous

My go-to supplement brand for protein and creatine is Momentous. Use code THEPROOF for up to 35% off your first order at livemomentous.com.

Momentous ships to many countries worldwide depending on local import regulations.

ProLon

ProLon’s 5-Day Fasting Mimicking Diet is a science-backed, plant-based program designed to support metabolic health while keeping your body in a fasting-like state. Get 15% off sitewide plus a $40 bonus gift at ProLonLife.com/THEPROOF.

ProLon ships within the United States.

IM8

With 92 nutrients, including Vitamin B12, Iodine, Selenium and Vitamin D, in highly absorbable forms, IM8 Daily Essentials is the perfect all-in-one daily multi-vitamin to ensure you meet your daily micronutrient needs. IM8 is offering an exclusive 10% off your first order with a free welcome kit when you enter the promo code SIMON at checkout on im8health.com.

IM8 ships to 27 countries including the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and many regions across Europe, Asia, and South America.

WHOOP

WHOOP, the most advanced fitness and health wearable available. Your personalised fitness and health coach to recover faster, sleep better, and train smarter. Claim your first month free on join.whoop.com/simon.

WHOOP ships to 56+ international markets, including the US, Canada, most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Singapore, and parts of Asia.

Simon Hill, MSc, BSc (Hons)

Creator of theproof.com

Host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

Subscribe & Connect:

YouTube

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Instagram: @simonhill

Twitter: @theproof

Facebook: The Proof with Simon Hill

Nourish your gut with my Plant-Based Ferments Guide and download my Two-Week Meal Plan.