The FitMind Podcast: Mental Fitness, Neuroscience & Psychology

Social neuroscientist Dr. Tania Singer joins us to explore the science of empathy, compassion, and the plasticity of the social brain. She breaks down why empathy and compassion are entirely different neural states, what her research with Buddhist monks revealed, and why compassion, not empathy, is the more resilient response to suffering.

We discuss the ReSource Project's surprising findings, including why interpersonal "dyadic" practices reduce social stress far better than solo meditation. Dr. Singer also shares how these practices are being brought into schools, healthcare, and even economic thinking to help create a more caring society.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind

Website: www.fitmind.org

SHOW NOTES

00:00 | Empathy vs. Compassion: Understanding the Brain Networks 

02:57 | The Journey into Social Neuroscience

06:15 | Landmark Studies on Empathy and Pain

10:50 | Compassion: A Deeper Understanding

14:32 | The Resource Project: Mental Training Programs

20:47 | Dyadic Practices: Enhancing Social Connection

24:34 | Cortisol Levels and Social Stress

28:40 | Implementing Programs in Education and Healthcare

34:14 | Caring Economics: A New Vision for Society

40:49 | Where to Find Dr. Singer's Courses

Dr. Singer's Website: https://taniasinger.de

Cognitive scientist Dr. Therese Huston joins The FitMind Podcast to share practical, research-backed ways to sharpen focus, lower stress, and keep the brain healthy at any age. Drawing from decades of neuroscience, she explains why multitasking quietly erodes attention and memory and what to do instead.

We explore simple, realistic habits that help your mind function at its best: 20-minute single-task blocks, 40 Hz binaural beats for deep focus, and a brief 5-2-7 breathing technique that can quickly calm the nervous system. Dr. Huston also highlights how aerobic movement, dance, and social connection drive neurogenesis and long-term brain vitality.

If you've ever felt scattered, stressed, or mentally drained, this episode offers grounded science and clear tools for regaining clarity and calm in daily life.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind

Website: www.fitmind.org

SHOW NOTES

00:00 | Intro to Dr. Therese Huston

07:45 | Wellness overwhelm and how she filters research into usable habits

10:06 | Why "practical" matters more than trendy protocols

12:20 | The multitasking myth: short-term mood boost, long-term costs

17:09 | Live demo: single-tasking vs alternating tasks

19:40 | Errors, brain activity, and stress during multitasking

21:51 | Escaping the multitasking loop with timers and clear agreements

24:30 | Focus tools: how to use 40 Hz binaural beats

28:47 | Why multitasking feels productive and how to reframe arousal

32:33 | Before a talk: "excited, not anxious" and stress-as-fuel

36:03 | Guided 5-2-7 breathing and what it does in the body

41:18 | CO₂, vagus nerve, and decision quality after breath cycles

43:19 | Rethinking "amygdala hijack" and protecting prefrontal control

48:18 | BDNF, neurogenesis, and an aerobic exercise target for memory

51:24 | Dance, social connection, and brain longevity

52:53 | Quick fire: myths to ditch and personal focus resets

54:45 | Exercise snacks and team culture ideas

World champion freediver Will Trubridge explores the depths of the mind and ocean, sharing mental techniques honed through decades of extreme performance.

In this episode, he explains how breathwork, mindfulness, and what he calls the "mental immune system" can help us face fear, build resilience, and expand awareness.

Discover how lessons from the deep sea translate into a healthier, more conscious life on land.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind

Website: www.fitmind.org

SHOW NOTES

00:00 | Intro to Will Trubridge

01:21 | Will's Background & Early Freediving

04:59 | Role of Breathwork

09:43 | Physiological Adaptations Underwater

14:16 | Overcoming Fear and Mental Barriers

19:41 | Consciousness in Freediving

26:23 | Parallels to Meditation

31:59 | Limits of the Mind

39:56 | The Mental Immune System

43:59 | Practical Mental Techniques

50:26 | Applying Freediving Lessons to Life

54:53 | Science of Freediving

1:01:31 | Mind-Body Connection

1:09:41 | Awareness Training & Breathwork Exercises

1:14:59 | Closing Insights

Website: https://www.williamtrubridge.com

Mental Immune System: https://mentalimmunesystem.com

Can cells outside the brain learn, remember, and make decisions?

In this episode, neuroscientist Dr. Nikolay Kukushkin shares groundbreaking research that shows even non-neuronal cells can recognize patterns, count, and store information in ways strikingly similar to brain cells.

We explore:

• Why memory may not be limited to the brain

• What sea slugs can teach us about human cognition

• How prediction and perception shape our sense of self

• The parallels between AI and biological intelligence

• Whether trauma could be "stored" in cells outside the nervous system

Dr. Kukushkin's work suggests we rethink intelligence, not as something exclusive to the brain, but as a fundamental property of life.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind

Website: www.fitmind.org

SHOW NOTES

0:00 | Intro to Nikolay Kukushkin, PhD

5:10 | Memory in Seaslugs

10:25 | Cells Can Recognize Patterns

20:28 | Memory Defined

23:02 | Do Cells Store Trauma?

30:40 | Treatment for Neurological Conditions

38:40 | Brain & Memory Connection

42:25 | Optimal Interval for Superior Memory

44:52 | Layering of Predictions

50:35 | AI Inspired by Neuronal Behavior

52:27 | Cellular Cognition & Memory

54:47 | Intelligence of Non-Brain Cells

58:38 | Consciousness in Microtubules

1:06:15 | Where to Follow His Work

Website: https://www.nikolaykukushkin.com

One Hand Clapping Book: https://www.nikolaykukushkin.com/press-1

Follow on X: https://x.com/niko_kukushkin

Dr. Iain McGilchrist, a psychiatrist, philosopher, and author, joins the FitMind Podcast to explain how the brain's two hemispheres shape our perception, attention, and consciousness. He explores how the left brain's dominance in modern culture leads to a fragmented, analytical worldview, while the right hemisphere offers a more connected, meaningful experience of reality.

We discuss the moral and spiritual dimensions of attention, the limits of language, the nature of consciousness and the self, and how walking supports fluid thinking. McGilchrist also shares insights from his recent work with biologist Mike Levin on emergence and form.

This episode combines neuroscience, philosophy, and spirituality, inviting a shift toward a more balanced and integrated perspective on the world.

FitMind Neuroscience-Based App: http://bit.ly/afitmind

Website: www.fitmind.org

SHOW NOTES

0:00 | Intro to Iain McGilchrist

2:09 | Attention in Left & Right Brain

17:00 | How the Left Brain Came to Dominate

19:08 | Brain Hemispheres & Happiness

25:25 | Why Right Brain is the True Master

34:30 | Great Truths

35:19 | Morality of Attention

41:44 | Explaining Sacred

45:12 | Shortcomings of Language

51:28 | Distinct vs. Divided

56:20 | Balancing Brain Hemispheres

1:06:31 | Sense of Self & Relations

1:12:15 | Mirror Neurons

1:14:32 | Walking for Fluidity of Thought

1:23:34 | Consciousness Theory

1:31:07 | Water Analogy

1:35:52 | Work with Mike Levin

1:46:22 | Where to Follow His Work

Substack: https://iainmcgilchrist.substack.com/

Website: https://channelmcgilchrist.com