Professor Tim Spector, founder of the ZOE nutrition firm, has opened up about a health scare that led him to fear he would die by the age of 57.
The professor of genetic epidemiology at King’s College London revealed to Times Magazine that despite considering himself healthy, it was his personal health crisis that inspired him to establish ZOE.
According to the official website, the company prides itself on its “holistic approach to testing”, setting it apart from competitors.
At 66, Professor Spector, who was reportedly close to the late Dr Michael Mosley, detailed how his health scare began with “double vision” and a change in blood pressure.
He said: “I started ZOE after a mini stroke at 53. I thought I was healthy. And then all of a sudden I had double vision and fears about whether I had a brain tumour.
“My blood pressure went up. I thought, I’ve got to just start doing something for myself – or I will die at 57 like my father.”
The professor also shared his thoughts on Dr Mosley, describing his death as “quite traumatic”. He added that they had “quite similar personalities” and had both taken risks, reports Gloucestershire Live.
In a recent episode of the Diary Of A CEO, Professor Spector discussed the connection between the gut microbiome and depression and disease.
He suggested that it could impact our overall health, including our mood, reports CoventryLive.
He elaborated on the influence of gut microbes on our vulnerability to diseases like cancer and autoimmune disorders, referencing a study involving identical twins.
“The only thing I’ve ever found in 30 years that’s really different about identical twins is their gut microbes. And that explains why one gets cancer, the other one doesn’t, why one gets an autoimmune disease or one’s depressed and one’s happy,” he remarked.
The health guru also shed light on an unexpected fact about low-fat yoghurt during a recent episode of the ZOE Science and Nutrition podcast, stating: “It says low fat, you’re more likely to have fake yoghurt than if it’s full fat.”