Remembering Michael Mosley

Michael Mosley was a British radio and television journalist, presenter, producer and
writer who worked for the BBC from 1985 until his tragic death in June 2024.

Despite gaining a medical degree, Mosley decided to join the BBC as a trainee
assistant producer. He helped produce an abundance of science programmes and
built a respected and established career as a science communicator, making
complicated medical research engaging and accessible for millions.

An aspect of his work I found especially entertaining and interesting was his podcast
‘Just One Thing’. His simple, light-hearted episodes received, and still do, an
extraordinary amount of support and were extremely popular.

In each episode, he explored how one small change could help improve a person’s
health and wellbeing in ways you might not expect. From taking a walk in the rain, to
singing, to drinking coffee, he revealed surprising top tips that are scientifically
proven to make a difference.

For each topic, Mosley would get in contact with a listener, explain the idea and its
benefits, and then reconnect a week later to assess the impact. He also discussed
the topic with a professional to gain further insight into the benefits and studies that
have been done. Episodes are around fifteen minutes each, making them easy to
follow and perfect for listening on the go.

Some of my personal favourite topics he explores are:

1. Enjoy oily fish

• The SMASH acronym can be used to remember the five important oily
  fish: Salmon, Mackerel, Anchovies, Sardines, Herring.
• Oily fish are high in Omega-3 fatty acids. Seaweed or Omega 3
  supplements are a good alternative for vegans or vegetarians.
• Increasing your level of Omega-3 can help your heart, brain, joints and
  muscles. It may also protect you against the effects of high air pollution,
  and reduce inflammation.
• White fish, while high in protein and other nutrients, is low in Omega-3.
• Listener Carl swapped out his processed fish for two portions of oily fish
  over a week. He enjoyed the taste far more than anticipated and decided
  to make oily fish a regular part of his diet.
• Mosley advised incorporating oily fish into three meals a week to gain the
  full benefits.

2. Listen to music

• Michael explored the power of music, including its ability to ease pain,
  boost exercise performance, and forge strong family relationships.
• He spoke with Neuroscientist Dr Loui, who revealed how just eight weeks
  of music listening can change brain activity, explained how this impacts
  our reward centres which helps with healthy ageing.
• Listener Roberta tried ‘mindful’ listening for a week. She found it increased
  her productivity and helped her enjoy being active.

3. Reheat Pasta

• In this episode, Mosley uncovered how reheating carb-heavy food boosts
  the resistant starch within them.
• Resistant starch can benefit your gut microbiome, reduce blood sugar
  spikes and lower your cancer risk.
• Simply cooking your pasta, potatoes or rice, cooling, and reheating them
  significantly boosts the resistant starch within the food.
• Listener Jasmine tried reheating her carbohydrates for a week; she
  noticed no change in taste, and saved plenty of time, so she decided to
  continue doing this in the future.
• Freezing bread also increases its resistant starch. An easy way to become
  healthier and reduce food waste!

4. Eat chocolate

• A few squares of dark chocolate a day can, according to research, be very
  beneficial.
• Dark chocolate can not only satisfy cravings, but it can also lower blood
  pressure, improve cardiovascular health, and boost your brain.
• Listener Christine was tasked with substituting her regular milk chocolate
  for very dark chocolate.
• Christine stuck with it for the week and found it helped increase her energy
  levels and attention, so she decides to continue this habit!

Sadly, Mosley passed away unexpectedly in June 2024 after taking a walk on the
Greek island of Symi. He was found four days after he was reported missing, and is
believed to have died due to heatstroke or an unidentified pathological cause. There
has since been an outpouring of love and appreciation for the ‘kind’, ‘funny’, ‘curious’
and ‘incredible’ man who quietly and humbly changed people’s lives for the better.
It has been announced that BBC will continue Mosley’s legacy through a new series
of ‘Just One Thing’, hosted by Zoe Ball, Roman Kemp and Clive Myrie. Each host
will bring their own unique perspective to the show’s simple but powerful message:
small changes can reap great rewards.

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