What's My Age Again?

This week on Dr Nichola's Second opinion we open our eyes to the fascinating science of mindfulness and its impact on aging. Discover how your thoughts, emotions, and mindset can influence your biological age—right down to the cellular level. Dr. Nic explains how stress and positivity affect inflammation, telomeres, and cognitive health, and answers your questions on meditation, optimism, and mindful movement. Whether you're a busy parent, a nature lover, or just curious about staying mentally sharp, this episode offers practical insights and science-backed tips to help you think young and stay young. If you're finding things difficult from a mental health point of view, don't suffer alone. You can find links to support services on the Hub of Hope or speak with your GP.If you'd like to send in a question for Dr Nic, email your voicenotes to [email protected] or get in touch via our socials Producer: Mick CoyleSound Design: James Stodd

There’s a new take on things for this episode as Katherine welcomes Tim Spector onto the podcast – the first guest who is no stranger to the Glycanage blood test. Tim has been tracking his biological age for several years, so there is more data to discuss with Dr Nichola, as they delve into how his internal age has changed over time and the various things he was doing to shift the needle. With Tim’s new book Ferment: The Life-Changing Power of Microbes out now in all good bookshops, expect to hear all the latest science about our gut microbiomes, Tim’s predictions for wellness trends, and more personal stories about how he recovered from a health episode in 2012 and how a fast food experiment with his son had a lasting impact on his son’s microbiome. Listen now to find out how Tim’s biological age reflects his knowledge and advocacy and hear what he has to say about how your diet could impact your biological age.

In this bonus episode, our resident scientist Dr. Nicola dives beneath the surface of cosmetic procedures to explore how modern treatments are evolving—from masking aging to actually targeting it at the cellular level.Discover the science behind biohacking, fillers, skin boosters, and polynucleotides (yes, the “salmon sperm facial”)We'll hear how these treatments affect your skin’s biology, and hear listener questions answered on long-term Botox use, microneedling and the impact of dermal fillers.Plus, Dr. Nic’s Quick Fix offers three practical takeaways to support healthy aging from the inside out.If you've got a question for Dr Nic, send it in via our socials or email [email protected] you're thinking of undergoing any procedures, or changing your diet to start your own "biohacking" journey, do seek advice from a trained medical professional, and make sure anyone conducting the procedure is trained, and linked to a licensed body.Producer: Mick CoyleSound Design: James Stodd

Katie Piper spent the second half of her twenties recovering from a violent acid attack, and coming to terms with how her life had permanently changed. Nearly two decades on, her life couldn’t be more different. In this wide-ranging conversation, Katie and Katherine cover being a wayward teenagers and how attitudes to alcohol change as you age, the false and short-acting currency of beauty, and how she found faith after her life-path was changed at 24. As Katie observes in her 2025 book Still Beautiful, age is a gift not everybody is given, which is why she’s very happy for journalists to print her real age. She doesn’t think that traumatic life events have added to her biological age, but the day-to-day reality of being married with children may well have. Listen to this episode of What’s My Age Again to find out how accurate her predictions were.

In this bonus episode of Dr. Nichola’s Second Opinion, Dr. Nichola Conlon gets into the science behind the hormonal shifts that come with aging, especially during perimenopause and menopause. She'll explain how hormones like oestrogen and progesterone impact everything from mood and sleep to skin and bone health, and why menopause isn’t just a symptom of aging—it can actually accelerate it.She'll break down the science behind how HRT can reverse some of the effects, and shares practical lifestyle tips to help you feel better and age smarter. Plus, your questions tackle everything from early menopause to visible aging and the real benefits of HRT.Whether you're navigating hot flushes or just curious about aging better, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.And if you've got a question for Dr Nic, send it in on our socials or email [email protected] Producer: Mick CoyleSound Design: James Stodd