We’ve spent decades following health advice that promised to keep us well: slather on SPF daily, fear cholesterol, avoid the sun. But what if some of that well-meaning guidance has been keeping us from the very things our bodies need to thrive? As 2025 draws to a close, Liz shares the expert insights from the podcast that have genuinely shifted her thinking on ageing well.
1. Your SPF might be blocking more than UV rays
If you’re wearing SPF 50 every day and popping a vitamin D supplement to compensate, you’re not alone – but you might want to rethink that approach. Dr Veronique Bataille, consultant dermatologist, explains that taking vitamin D orally simply isn’t the same.
“The absorption of the vitamin D, the way it’s metabolized via the gut surely can’t be identical to what nature had engineered,” she says. Your body was designed to make vitamin D when UVB rays hit your skin – and that process delivers benefits that a pill can’t replicate.
The evidence backs this up. A Swedish study following 30,000 women over 20 years found that those who avoided sun exposure had significantly higher rates of death from cancer, heart disease, and autoimmune conditions – even when taking vitamin D supplements. In the UK, where we already get far less UV than sunnier countries, blocking what little we have with daily SPF means many of us are missing out on essential vitamin D production.
2. Try pro-ageing hydrogen water
“Personally, I think that hydrogen water will be a big thing for 2026,” Liz predicts. “Maybe you heard that here first.”
What’s got her so excited? Three simple things: it fights inflammation, boosts energy by supporting your mitochondria (the little powerhouses in your cells), and it’s incredibly safe – your body already produces small amounts of hydrogen naturally in your gut.
The results speak for themselves. When Dr Nicholas Perricone tested it, energy markers in the skin increased by 12 percent within 15 minutes. And in a study of people with metabolic syndrome – a cluster of risk factors for heart disease and diabetes – those drinking hydrogen water twice daily for 24 weeks saw statistically significant improvements in body composition and glucose metabolism.
3. Cholesterol is complicated
“Cholesterol is a fat and it’s been a bit demonised as a bad fat, but actually it’s also used for energy. So it has a good side,” explains Dr Ellen Fallows. While people with total cholesterol over 7.5 do show higher risk of heart attack and stroke, cholesterol is “at the scene of the crime” rather than necessarily pulling the trigger.
Research now shows that chronic inflammation plays a crucial role alongside cholesterol in arterial damage. Even more telling: big studies have demonstrated that low-fat diets have not been associated with reduced risk of heart problems, dementia, or stroke. What works? A Mediterranean diet rich in healthy fats like olive oil.
For midlife women, oestrogen loss during perimenopause disrupts the healthy balance of fats, making this an especially critical time to focus on anti-inflammatory eating rather than simply avoiding fat.
4. Your gums are talking to your brain
The oral microbiome is the second largest and most diverse after the gut, housing approximately 700 different bacteria. But functional dentist Dr Victoria Sampson shared research that should make us all pay attention to bleeding gums: a study of 19,000 citizens found that having gum disease for more than 10 years increases Alzheimer’s risk by 70 percent.
“These bacteria are producing toxic enzymes that we find in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s,” Liz explains. The bacteria involved in gum disease – particularly one called Porphyromonas gingivalis – don’t just stay in the mouth. They enter the bloodstream, travel to other organs including the brain, and appear to increase inflammation and stimulate production of amyloid beta, a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. The good news? This is a risk factor we can actually address through regular dental care, treating bleeding gums promptly, and maintaining the oral microbiome.
5. Build bone now, thank yourself later
“We can lose 15 to 20 percent of our bone density in the five to seven years between perimenopause and menopause,” warns orthopaedic surgeon Dr Vonda Wright. The culprit? Oestrogen, which helps to regulate osteoclasts – the cells that break down bone. When oestrogen drops, the balance tips: we break down bone faster than we build it.
The prescription: strength training once or twice weekly, impact exercise like hopping or stamping, plenty of protein and calcium-rich foods, and for many women, considering HRT before the mid-50s for optimal bone protection. As Liz puts it: “Our bones are adaptable. That’s empowering.”
Listen to the full conversation on The Liz Earle Wellbeing Show below or via Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
