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Join Dr. Sandra Cammarata and Dr. Giovanni Campanile as they speak with Mark D’Esposito, Distinguished Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, practicing neurologist at the Northern California VA Health Care System, and adjunct professor of neurology at UCSF.

Dr. D’Esposito is internationally recognized for his pioneering research on working memory, cognitive control, and frontal lobe function—the neural systems that allow us to focus, plan, reason, and adapt our behavior. Trained as both a physician and neuroscientist, his work integrates functional MRI, transcranial magnetic stimulation, pharmacological approaches, and behavioral studies in healthy individuals and patients with neurological disorders.

In this episode, Dr. D’Esposito discusses:

• What working memory is and why it is central to human cognition

• How the frontal lobes regulate attention, decision-making, and goal-directed behavior

• Why cognitive control breaks down in neurological and psychiatric disorders

• What brain imaging and stimulation studies reveal about how the mind holds information

• How neuroscience reshapes our understanding of focus, effort, and mental flexibility

Former editor-in-chief of the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, Dr. D’Esposito has authored over 400 scientific publications and seven books and has served as president of both the Society for Behavioral and Cognitive Neurology and the Organization for Human Brain Mapping. His contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Norman Geschwind Prize in Behavioral Neurology and election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Academy of Neurology, and the American Neurological Association.

Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how the brain supports thought, attention, and self-control—and why these systems are fundamental to both everyday function and neurological health.

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Join Dr. Sandra Cammarata and Dr. Giovanni Campanile as they speak with Dr. Valter Longo, Professor of Gerontology and Biological Sciences and Director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California Leonard Davis School of Gerontology—one of the world’s leading centers for research on aging and age-related disease.

Dr. Longo is internationally recognized for his pioneering research on the biology of aging, fasting, and longevity. Trained in biochemistry at UCLA under calorie-restriction pioneer Roy Walford, MD, and mentored by longevity expert Caleb Finch, PhD, his work bridges basic science with real-world clinical applications aimed at preventing disease and extending healthy lifespan.

In this episode, Dr. Longo discusses:

• The science behind fasting and the fasting-mimicking diet
• How nutrition influences aging, cancer, and chronic disease risk
• Why periodic fasting can promote cellular protection and regeneration
• The role of stem cells, metabolism, and nutrient sensing in longevity
• How dietary interventions can be both effective and accessible

Dr. Longo’s research has helped redefine how we think about aging—not as an inevitable decline, but as a biological process that can be influenced by lifestyle and nutrition. He is the author of the bestselling book The Longevity Diet and donates all book proceeds to research and public health initiatives through his foundations in the U.S. and Europe.

Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how fasting-based strategies and longevity science can be applied thoughtfully and safely to support long-term health and disease prevention.

Find more of Dr. Valter Longo here:

Find more of us here:

Websites:
https://siciliansecret.com/
coraeon.com
functionalheart.com
Our Book: https://www.amazon.com/Sicilian-Secret-Diet-4-color-trade/dp/189969496X/
Our Supplements: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWZLCM6H
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@siciliansecretdiet
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siciliansecretdiet/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sicilian-Secret-Diet-106204798725447
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@siciliansecretdiet
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sicilian-secret-diet/id1566575032

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A Harvard professor explains why Mediterranean lifestyle principles—nutrition, sleep, and culture—may be our most powerful tools for preventing chronic disease, especially in high-stress professions.

Join Dr. Sandra Cammarata and Dr. Giovanni Campanile as they speak with Dr. Stefanos N. Kales, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Professor and Director of the Occupational Medicine Residency at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Dr. Kales is also Chief of Occupational Medicine and Medical Director for Employee Health at Cambridge Health Alliance, a Harvard-affiliated hospital system.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Kales explores how Mediterranean lifestyle principles—nutrition, physical activity, sleep, and social connection—can be powerful tools for disease prevention, particularly in high-stress and safety-sensitive professions. Drawing on decades of research and real-world intervention work, he explains why lifestyle medicine is not abstract theory, but a practical, scalable solution for improving health outcomes in workplaces, hospitals, and communities.

Dr. Kales shares insights from his leadership of landmark Mediterranean diet conferences, as well as his ongoing “Survival Mediterranean Style” initiative, which brings evidence-based nutrition and lifestyle strategies to firefighters, first responders, and other high-risk occupational groups. He also reflects on how cultural traditions, family food practices, and lived experience shape long-term health more powerfully than short-term interventions.

Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how Mediterranean living can move beyond the kitchen—into schools, workplaces, and healthcare systems—as a sustainable model for chronic disease prevention and healthier lives.

Find more of Dr. Kales here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefanos-kales-500739a0/

Find more of us here:

Websites:
https://siciliansecret.com/
coraeon.com
functionalheart.com
Our Book: https://www.amazon.com/Sicilian-Secret-Diet-4-color-trade/dp/189969496X/
Our Supplements: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BWZLCM6H
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@siciliansecretdiet
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/siciliansecretdiet/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sicilian-Secret-Diet-106204798725447
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@siciliansecretdiet
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-sicilian-secret-diet/id1566575032