About this episode
Michael Mosley explores the health benefits of volunteering and speaks with Dr Edith Chen about her research on the topic.
In this episode, Michael Mosley discovers that, as well as being a very rewarding thing to do, volunteering your time, labour or spare room can really benefit your health too. Michael speaks with Dr Edith Chen from Northwestern University in the US, who has been investigating the power of helping others. She tells Michael about her studies showing that by boosting your mood and empathy, volunteering can lower chronic inflammation, cholesterol and even help you lose weight. It’s also a great way to meet new people! Meanwhile, Matt gives back to his local community by volunteering at a food bank. Series Producer: Nija Dalal-Small Editor: Zoë Heron A BBC Studios production for BBC Sounds / BBC Radio 4.
People in this episode
Host: Michael Mosley
Guest: Dr Edith Chen
Topics covered
- volunteering
- health benefits
- community service
- chronic inflammation
- weight loss
- social connections
Keywords
- volunteering
- health
- chronic inflammation
- cholesterol
- weight loss
- community
- empathy
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Northwestern University, BBC Studios, BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 4
More episodes of Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley
- Introducing a new TV series of Just One Thing · March 20, 2026 · 2 min
- A Celebration of Michael Mosley · July 13, 2024 · 44 min
- There's Only One Michael Mosley · June 14, 2024 · 41 min
- Eat Slowly · June 6, 2024 · 15 min
- Yoga · May 23, 2024 · 14 min
- Read a poem · May 20, 2024 · 15 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley podcast page.