The Secrets To Protecting Our Memory

Summary

Podcast Summary: Am I Doing It Wrong?

Episode: The Secrets to Protecting Our Memory

Hosts: Raj Panjabi Johnson, Noah Michelson
Guest: Dr. Wendy Suzuki (Dean of NYU College of Arts & Science; Neuroscience & Psychology professor; author, Healthy Brain, Happy Life and Good Anxiety)
Date: February 5, 2026

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Overview

In this episode, Raj and Noah dig into the anxieties and confusion around memory: How does it work? Are we forgetting too much? And what can we actually do to protect—and even improve—our memory as we age? With expert guidance from Dr. Wendy Suzuki, the conversation ranges from brain science basics to practical, science-backed strategies for keeping our minds sharp and vibrant through all stages of life.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Is Memory, and How Does It Work?

• Episodic Memory & the Hippocampus
  • Dr. Suzuki explains that episodic memory—the recollection of facts and events from our lives—is what makes us human and is mediated by the hippocampus, a seahorse-shaped structure deep in the brain.
  • Quote (Dr. Suzuki, 04:34):
    “Our own personal histories are made up of the facts that we understand about the world and all the things that have happened to us…there’s one brain structure... the hippocampus…it glues it all together in an episodic memory.”
• The Creation and Recall of Memory
  • The more you think about or revisit a memory, the stronger it becomes.
  • Memory is not a perfect recording—how we recall events can differ from person to person.
• Short-Term vs. Long-Term Memory
  • Short-term (immediate) memory relies on the prefrontal cortex (“scratch pad”), enabling us to remember fleeting details (e.g., a phone number long enough to dial it).
  • Long-term memory is also dependent on the hippocampus, especially for emotionally significant or repeatedly reinforced experiences.

2. Why Do We Forget and Can We Control It?

• Forgetting Is Normal
  • Dr. Suzuki reassures listeners that it's normal to forget things, especially as life gets busier and more complex.
• Emotion, Repetition, and Relevance
  • Emotional resonance and repetition make memories stick (e.g., song lyrics from seventh grade).
  • Quote (Dr. Suzuki, 12:00):
    “Music is very, very powerful…especially music at that age... you practiced it over and over…”
• Psychological Interference
  • As we age, our volume of information increases, causing “interference”—like a clogged hard drive—which slows recall but doesn’t mean memory is “bad.”

3. What Happens When Memory Is Disrupted?

• Damage to Memory Structures

  • Damage to the hippocampus severely impedes the formation of new long-term memories (e.g., Patient HM, who lost the ability to create new memories after both hippocampi were removed).
  • Quote (Dr. Suzuki, 11:04):
    “He was not able to form a new long term memory for the rest of his life.”

• Suppression and Loss

  • Memories may be inaccessible due to trauma or substance use, but whether they’re lost or merely repressed is hard to know.

4. Protecting and Improving Memory

Exercise

• The “Neurochemical Bubble Bath”

  • Exercise releases dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, and endorphins, uplifting mood and supporting brain health.
  • Exercise, even simple walks or power walking, triggers the release of growth factors in the hippocampus, helping grow new brain cells at any age.
  • Quote (Dr. Suzuki, 27:06):
    “Every time you move your body, you are releasing a whole cascade of neurochemicals...I like to call it a neurochemical bubble bath for your brain.”

• How Much and What Kind?

  • Anything that gets your heart rate up—walking, strength training, or mixing cardio and weights. Fun counts as bonus points.

Sleep

• Essential to memory function—sleep deprivation impairs recall and learning. Sleep needs are individual, but both too little and too much can be harmful.

Stress & Anxiety

• High levels of stress and anxiety worsen memory. Managing these (through exercise, sleep, and routine) is crucial.
• “Good anxiety” can be helpful if harnessed deliberately, not overwhelming.

Nutrition

• Follow a Mediterranean-style diet: colorful vegetables, fruits, fish, low red meat.
• A healthy gut (microbiome) links to a healthy brain.

Social Connection

• Consistent, real-life social interactions exercise crucial brain networks and foster positive “brain plasticity.”
• Quote (Dr. Suzuki, 35:07):
  “Social connections are the key to a happy life, and it calms us. It also works the brain in a good way.”

Mental Challenge

• Learning new skills or languages, playing strategy games, and doing hard crossword puzzles all promote brain plasticity and memory strength more than repetitive or formulaic challenges.
• “Deep reading" and continually stretching cognitive skills are beneficial.

Tech and Memory

• Over-reliance on tech (e.g., GPS, digital contact lists) may weaken our memory’s “muscles.”
  • Challenge yourself to memorize routes or phone numbers.
• Quote (Noah, 33:26):
  “One article I read was saying…an easy thing you can do for your memory is to stop using GPS, because you have to actually then remember the pathway…”

Drugs and Alcohol

• Most substances in moderation are not catastrophic, but chronic use can impede memory (e.g., marijuana impacts the hippocampus).
• Good news: The brain can recover function through plasticity and healthy habits, like increased exercise and stopping use.
• Quote (Dr. Suzuki, 42:50):
  “That is where the beauty of brain plasticity comes in...people in their 90s still have new brain cells that grow in their hippocampus…”

Supplements

• No supplement or nootropic pill has robust evidence of helping memory. If it worked, “everyone would be taking it.” Rely on lifestyle factors.

Dementia & Alzheimer’s

• Alzheimer’s is the most common dementia, beginning with damage to the entorhinal cortex (input to the hippocampus).
• Earliest symptoms are memory problems; later, widespread brain deterioration occurs.
• Dementia is not the same as normal aging.

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Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On the uniqueness and fragility of memory:
  “Memories are ethereal…It makes it more precious when you actually remember it.”
  — Dr. Wendy Suzuki (09:09)

• On growing older and memory “interference”:
  “So many people complain…‘Oh, my memory’s so bad, is something wrong?’…as we go further in our careers, there’s more stuff, some would say crap, to get to remember. That makes it harder to remember anything new.”
  — Dr. Wendy Suzuki (13:04)

• On exercise as powerful brain self-care:
  “Moving your body is the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain today...”
  — Dr. Wendy Suzuki (25:29)

• On the (limited) role of supplements:
  “Frankly, if it really worked, everybody would be taking it.”
  — Dr. Wendy Suzuki (31:02)

• On the brain’s capacity to heal:
  “That is where the beauty of brain plasticity comes in...people in their 90s still have new brain cells that grow in their hippocampus, which is so optimistic.”
  — Dr. Wendy Suzuki (42:50)

• On the power of social connection:
  “Social connections are the key to a happy life...regular social, person-to-person interactions is one of the most powerful ways that you can give yourself...good brain plasticity.”
  — Dr. Wendy Suzuki (35:07)

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Segments & Timestamps

• Memory Formation and the Brain – 04:27–08:40
• Forgetting, Emotional Memory, and Music – 11:30–13:19
• Aging and Memory: Normal vs. Concerning – 16:43–18:32
• Lifestyle Impact: Sleep, Stress, and Exercise – 18:32–25:20
• Exercise Benefits Explained – 25:29–30:01
• Supplements and No Magic Pills – 30:27–31:39
• Harnessing Tech vs. Memory Muscle – 32:49–34:48
• Nutrition and Gut-Brain Connection – 39:43–41:01
• Alcohol, Drugs, and Reversing Past Damage – 41:01–43:59
• Actions to Take Today for Brain Health – 44:19–44:46

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“Better in Five”: Episode Takeaways (47:44)

1. Memories are dynamic—emotion, timing, and context all influence what we remember.
2. Memory recall improves with practice—the more you actively try, the better you get.
3. Forgetting is normal with aging—intervene if it affects daily life or essential tasks.
4. Limit tech reliance for better brain fitness—challenge yourself with phone numbers, routes, and face-to-face connections.
5. Move your body—exercise is the easiest, most effective way to strengthen memory at any age.

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Final Challenge

• Noah and Raj challenge each other to memorize each other's phone number (“Let’s memorize each other’s phone numbers… I might quiz you on the air!” 49:21–49:51), modeling how everyone can make small changes to keep their memory sharp.

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Episode Tone

Warm, hopeful, and gently humorous—with frequent reassurance from both the hosts and Dr. Suzuki that imperfection is normal, the brain is remarkably resilient, and small daily actions can have powerful effects on memory and well-being.

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Practical Takeaways

• Focus on exercise, sleep, nutrition, and reducing stress to keep your brain and memory strong.
• Socialize in person and challenge your brain with new learning.
• Don’t panic about forgetting—practice recall and forgive yourself.
• Skip the supplements; do the science-backed basics instead.

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Listen to this episode for more science, stories, and lively real-talk about all the things we get right—and wrong—about protecting our memory.

Transcript

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Before we had AT and T Business.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Wireless coverage, our delivery GPS wasn't the most reliable.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Once our driver had to do a.

[Noah Michaelson]

14 point turn to get back on route. A 14 point turn.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

An influencer even livestreamed the whole thing.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Not good for business.

[Noah Michaelson]

Now with AT&T business Wireless, routes are updating on the fly and deliveries are on time.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

And the influencer did get us 53 new followers though.

[Noah Michaelson]

AT&T business Wireless Connecting changes everything.

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[Noah Michaelson]

Hey, it's Noah and Raj. If you're looking for even more honest conversations about navigating the ups and downs of life, then I highly recommend listening to the Signal award winning podcast no.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Small Endeavor, this weekly podcast explores what it means to have a fulfilling existence. Each episode, host Lee Seacamp sits down with special guests to talk to you about what it means to flourish in our day to day life.

[Noah Michaelson]

If you need somewhere to start, why don't you check out their recent interview with Carlos Whitaker about hope and humanity.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Follow no Endeavor on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Hi, I'm Raj Panjabi Johnson, Head of identity content at HuffPost.

[Noah Michaelson]

And I'm Noah Michaelson, head of HuffPost Personal.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Welcome to Am I Doing It Wrong? The show that explores the all too human anxieties we have about trying to get our lives right.

[Noah Michaelson]

Okay, I have some exciting news for you Raj. You know how we just did the episode about habits and I've been trying to read more and I said that I wanted to read before bed. Okay, well that crashed and burned. I have to scroll before bed. I cannot not do it.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

You're a human.

[Noah Michaelson]

I'm not putting my phone in the kitchen.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

No.

[Noah Michaelson]

Okay, but I started reading on the subway and I bought myself some books that I actually like. And it is like Wendy Wood was saying, like if you just start reading, doing it, reinforcing it, having a reward. And I just make sure when I get to the subway platform I take the book out, I have it in my hand, I put my phone in my pocket and I read.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I love that.

[Noah Michaelson]

And I've been reading like 20 pages every time I go on the subway.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

That's amazing.

[Noah Michaelson]

So it does Work, folks. Try it.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

That sounds.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

That sounds great. And you're inspiring me.

[Noah Michaelson]

Yeah.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

To actually take the advice we get on the show.

[Noah Michaelson]

It's just nice once in a while that we actually do do the things that we learn.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

All right. I pledge. I pledge that in 2026.

[Noah Michaelson]

Anyway, so now, today's show. I have a question for you.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Go.

[Noah Michaelson]

Do you think you are protecting your memory? Wrong.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Oh, my God. Any questions that are related to aging are, you know, triggering? No, I'm not doing anything. I do do crosswords sometimes, and I think my memory is okay for right now, but I'm really interested in, you know, giving my brain and memory a hug. So what about you?

[Noah Michaelson]

I have some memory loss. I don't remember a lot of my childhood, and I hate that.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Okay.

[Noah Michaelson]

But when we get into these topics, I always think of you and me, like, getting the magic school bus and, like, we're about to enter the brain. Anytime we do a show about the brain or things like that, I know nothing about it. So I love these shows because I feel like I learn so much. I know nothing about the memory. I don't know how they're made, what we should be doing. So I'm excited about this one.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I mean, I think brain science is so incredibly cool. So I'm ready to get on that school bus with Mrs. Frissell, aka Dr. Wendy Suzuki, who is the dean of the College of Arts and Science and professor of neuroscience and psychology at nyu and the author of several books. That's a flex, including Healthy Brain, Happy.

[Noah Michaelson]

Life, let's Make Some memories.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I love it. All right, Wendy, we are so excited to have you. Thank you so much for being here.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

I am so excited to be here.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I mean, this is such a. And, you know, so incredibly complicated sometimes that I'm gonna read the first question right from my phone.

[Noah Michaelson]

Okay.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

From what we understand, there are multiple stages of memory or how we store things in our brain. Can you tell us a little bit about that?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Sure. So my specialty is a really, really important form of memory, which is called episodic memory. It's memory for the facts and events of our lives. And when you think about it, that is what defines us as human beings. Our own personal histories are made up of the facts that we understand about the world and all the things that have happened to us. Who was there, how it felt, what it smelled like, what it felt like. And so we know there's one brain structure. Okay, I said one, but there's one on each side of the brain. So actually, there's two, but it's called the hippocampus, and it's in the temporal lobe. Deep down in the temporal lobe. I think of it as really protected way down there inside. Hippocampus means seahorse. It actually has the shape of a seahorse. And what this structure does is it takes all the things that are happening, the lights in the studio, what your faces look like, your voices and what they sound like. And what I'm feeling right now, anticipation for what are the questions you're going to ask? And it glues it all together in an episodic memory. And with practice, when I think back later tonight about the fun time I had talking to both of you, that will strengthen the memory over time. And that right there is the basics of how your memories get stored. The more you think about it, the stronger it becomes. If you talk to other people who are there and say, oh, well, I remember this thing well, you're looking at a completely different area than I am.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

So.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

So everybody has a slightly different memory of it. And I'm gonna remember the best questions that you asked me, but you're gonna remember the best answers I give you. So that's also a difference. So that is why memory is not like a computer. It's not one thing. And you ever get it right or wrong. There are interpretations, but the key structure is the hippocampus.

[Noah Michaelson]

Okay, that makes sense. Situational, contextual. What about long term memory versus short term memory? Are those different things medically?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yes. There are different parts of the brain that are involved in different kind of durations of memory. That immediate memory, so that I could remember that your name is Raj, for example, is dependent on the prefrontal cortex. It's called scratch pad memory. And when we used to have phone books, I don't know if you remember phone books.

[Noah Michaelson]

We're old.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

We just look cute, but we're old.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

So you looked up a phone number and then you had to remember that phone number between the time the phone book moment and then when you go to the phone and dial it on the phone. That ability to keep things in mind is dependent on the prefrontal cortex. That's immediate memory. So the hippocampus is involved in that form of memory. Your hippocampus is critical for remembering what you had for breakfast this morning. Just this morning. Okay, whatever. It's 2:00 or 2:30 right now. That is dependent on the hippocampus, but also your memories from your favorite Christmas when you were a kid, when you got that best present is also dependent on the hippocampus. I'm going to venture out and guess that what you had for breakfast this morning is not going to be remembered 20 years from now. You can remember it, but. But the hippocampus is involved in all of that. That what's happening in your life and what decides on what stays in your long term memory is relevance, emotional resonance, reinforcement. Reinforcement, absolutely. Repetition will make those memories stick. But also, if it is the happiest or saddest moment of your life, you will also remember that because that's also something that becomes very, very memorable and salient for your hippocampus.

[Noah Michaelson]

Interesting.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

So interesting.

[Noah Michaelson]

I had a somewhat traumatic childhood. I've also smoked a lot of marijuana. I don't remember a lot of my childhood. So are those memories still there and I can't access them or do memories, can they end up disappearing for some.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Reason, or is his body protecting him from remembering certain things?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah, I'm going to say a little bit all of the above. Nobody can prove that. You know, somebody says this happened to you and you're like, I don't remember it. Is it there? Is it not there? Is it repressed? Is it not repressed? It's very, very hard to actually tell with equipment that you can verify. Memories are ethereal in that sense of the word. So it makes it more precious when you actually remember it. I think that it's a mix of different things. My expertise is not psychiatry and what causes memories to be suppressed or repressed, But I focus mainly on normal memory formation.

[Noah Michaelson]

If that part of the brain gets damaged, that can then do something to the memory. So I would imagine.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah, oh, absolutely. We know a lot about that. In fact, my whole early studies of memory, human memory, focused on a very famous neurological patient. His initials were HM. So for his whole life, which was about 80 years, he was known as patient HM. In the 1940s, he had very, very severe epilepsy. And at that time, including today, we know that a very useful cure for epilepsy is to remove one hippocampus. Not both of them, but one of them. Because epilepsy often starts in the hippocampus. His epilepsy was so severe, they said, well, let's just remove both of them because that should really help him. And it was experimental. He agreed. His parents agreed. He was only a teenager at the time, and they did the surgery. It went successfully. He woke up. But it immediately became clear that while his epilepsy had clearly decreased, he was not able to form a new Long term memory for the rest of his life.

[Noah Michaelson]

Wow.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

And so he was studied as well. First they said, okay, we're never going to do this again. Nobody can ever do this again. But he became the poster child for understanding what the hippocampus does. It was the first time the hippocampus was put on the map as critical for forming those memories. I started out with that. We know that every Psych 101, Neuroscience 101 student knows that because of him.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Wow.

[Noah Michaelson]

I had never heard that.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I know.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

That's.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

What a sacrifice to make.

[Noah Michaelson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yes, it was.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Okay. So how do we prioritize what we want to retain as far as our memories? Because no one knows this, but I struggle with short terms that I struggle with. Like the logline for this podcast. I have to, like, look at the teleprompter, but I remember every word of TLC's waterfalls, left eyes, rap. Like, just like lyrics from seventh grade.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Right in here. Never going away.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

What?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Why? Because music is very, very powerful and especially music at that age. Everybody remembers those favorite songs that you just listen to over and over and over. It is so strong because you practiced it over and over. And the thing you want to remember, you're going to have a different thing tomorrow. So it's not nearly as strong in your memory for a reason. So it is about repetition, but it's also about the way that you put it into your memory. So trying to free recall it perhaps a couple of times before the actual podcast, you need to do it. That might be a good way to see whether that helps your memory online. Yeah. Exercise is also a great way.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I mean, no one knows I'm up in the gym.

[Noah Michaelson]

Yeah, you are.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I also have this theory that when I was in seventh grade, there wasn't a lot in my brain at the time. I just feel like I had less things to remember or care about or.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

What we all did. We had less to remember. And now we all have more.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

You got more.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

And so many people complain to me, oh, my memory's so bad. Is something wrong? And the thing is, as we get older, as we go further in our careers, there's more stuff, some would say crap to get to remember and keep.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Track of that we're expected to remember.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

That we're expected to remember, and that makes it harder to remember anything new. If there's too many things, there's. It's called a psychological term, interference. Too much interference. And I could feel it, you know, all the home stuff that is going on that's in the background, and it's much more complicated than it used to be. That is affecting how you're able to remember the stuff that you need for your job. You're on the air. You have to remember that key word that you're gonna ask me about.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

This is making me feel a lot better and more gentle toward myself.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Okay.

[Noah Michaelson]

Jon, do you remember we had another neuroscientist on, and she said that the way that she talked about it was that our heads are like a computer. And as you get older, there's more information on the hard drive and it gets harder for the computer to access it or it's slower. And it doesn't mean it's a bad thing. It's just because, like you said, there's more information there, more to go through to get to it. And I thought that was such a good way to think about it.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yes, yes, absolutely.

[Noah Michaelson]

You were just talking about memory recall.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah.

[Noah Michaelson]

Is there a way to get better at memory recall? I once heard this person say, like, if you're trying to remember a name of something in the morning, just tell yourself you wanna remember it. And usually by that night it will come back to you. And I was like, that sounds a little bit like, I don't know, far fetched. But how do we get better at memory recall? Or can we?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

The answer is not what anybody wants to hear, but it's practice. So again, repetition. Recalling it at various times, cueing yourself to do it multiple times a day. Instead of, you think about it once, and then weeks later you say, oh, I want to remember it. Sorry, you have to practice it a little bit. And cue yourself to recall those things, including names. And, you know, everybody's notoriously. Some people aren't. But I'm also notoriously bad at names. And it definitely works. Picture something that reminds you of the name. Picture it above their head. Use it three times. Raj, Raj, Raj, Raj. I'm going to remember your name is Raj. Play a game with it. It's like, I really want to remember. Raj, Raj, Raj. But do it regularly. And it actually works.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

In the movie House Bunny, the main character holds the person's face and she's like, Noah says it in a really funny voice. And I've started doing that.

[Noah Michaelson]

Maybe we can do a version of that. That's not exactly.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I love it. It makes me so happy.

[Noah Michaelson]

That's hilarious.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Okay, I have a question. My favorite piece of tech from any movie is in Men in Black, the Neuralyzer, where they point it at you and you forget Everything erases your memory. Is there a way we can erase our memories? Because I would like to erase a couple of my memories.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

No, there's no clear way. People are working on that for ptsd.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Oh yeah.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

You know, in situations and there are strategies that we're working on. There's not one that can say, okay, here's what you do. Step one, do this to erase your memory. I will say that there are some positive steps for very traumatic memories that can be used, but it's nothing that is ready for. Yeah, it's not magical and it's not ready for everyday consumption.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Okay. When it is, can you just give me a call?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Sure, sure, sure. Absolutely.

[Noah Michaelson]

So let's talk a little bit about normal typical memory related. Like when you're getting older and it's starting to get not as sharp.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah.

[Noah Michaelson]

What does that look like? When does that start and what are some of the signs of it?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah. So that is a really hard question to answer because people age at such different rates. There are 90 year olds that you would say, oh my gosh, I wish my memory, you know, my brain worked. I know some of them and others that you know in their 40s start forgetting this, this and that, and that is normal. That happens. I would say that when the memory problems start to affect your job and your ability to take care of yourself or your family. Absolutely. Go see a neurologist. Don't try and take a test online, just go see a neurologist. They are experts in figuring out what is out of bounds and what is inbounds. And that is the question you want answered by, by an expert.

[Noah Michaelson]

I worry about it sometimes. I'm 47 and I won't be able to remember the name of like an actor or an actress.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah.

[Noah Michaelson]

But it usually comes back to me. And it doesn't feel. That feels like very sort of specific in a way. It's not like my daily life, I'm forgetting things or things like that. But is that sort of like a normal, typical.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yes, I would say that's normal. Now if it happens every single day and you can't come up with, you know, very close people to you, not an actress that you might never have met before, then you might be start to worry. Yeah, but you know, that happens to me regularly. Also, other things to consider before you go to a neurologist or get really worried. Many of us are sleep deprived. Oof.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

When I'm sleep deprived, I am nearly not functional in any way.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah, me too. Which is why I try not to make myself Sleep deprived. And I really focus on giving myself what I need, which is about eight hours. And I've also learned that too much is almost as bad as not enough for myself. But this is something that everybody can do. This is an experiment that I did on myself during the pandemic. I was home. What else could I do? I'm gonna do a little sleep experiment on myself and see what duration makes me feel best the next day. And, you know, everybody had a little bit more time to do that. It was very, very helpful for me. But that's not the only thing that will affect your memory. Stress anxiety levels will also really do a number on your ability to remember things. This is why, you know, speaking in front of an audience is one of the most scary things, because that fear will make you forget what you're gonna say, and then it makes it all worse. So ask yourself, what level of stress, what level of anxiety, what sleep level, how you feel in your body? Exercise, as I've been saying so much for the last 10 years, is so critical for the optimal functioning of your brain. These are all things that you could improve immediately.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

You know, I actually didn't know about the link between anxiety and memory and forgetfulness and all of that stuff. And at the peak of my, like, anxiety, when I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder 10 years ago, it. When it was bad, I was so forgetful and absolutely could not remember things and was not being as adult as I could be about my life. And when I learned it was my anxiety, and when I got that in control, I again, like, forgave myself and was like, I'm not an idiot. Like, this thing was happening to me. And I do think we're. We're. We don't often. We're not conditioned to examine our lives and sleep and exercise and things like that. We immediately go to, like, what the hell is wrong with me?

[Noah Michaelson]

Right? We hear about that.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Right?

[Noah Michaelson]

Of course. We hear people saying, we need sleep, we need exercise, we shouldn't be stressed. But I think we don't often, like you said, make the direct connection between that and something like memory. Yeah, that's really interesting.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

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[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

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[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Well, many thanks, good sir. Here is my Discover card.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

They accept Discover at Renaissance?

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[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Here Discover is accepted at the places I love to shop. Geth with the times.

[Noah Michaelson]

With the times.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

You're playing the loot.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Yeah.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

And it sounds pretty good, right?

[Noah Michaelson]

Discover is accepted at 99% of places that take credit cards nationwide, based on.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

The February 2025 Nielsen report.

[Noah Michaelson]

We want to get into more ways that we can help our memory or protect it. But first, let's just briefly about some of the conditions that like dementia or Alzheimer's. Can you just talk to just touch on those and what those are?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Sure. So Alzheimer's disease, very famous disease, is the most common form of dementia. So Alzheimer's dementia starts with damage to the hippocampal system. Not the hippocampus itself, but the main input to the hippocampus called the entorhinal cortex. That's where you see the earliest damage that becomes Alzheimer's dementia. Many people have heard of the plaques and tangles that are famous that are basically like gunking up of the cells that eventually kill cells in this entorhinal cortex, but then throughout the hippocampus. That is why the early signs of Alzheimer's dementia is memory problems. This beautiful critical structure that allows you to form new memories is starting not to work as well. And then unfortunately, what happens in later stage Alzheimer's disease is that it moves outside of the hippocampus and related structures and moves out into the cortex. And that's when you get generalized dementia. People don't recognize their family members anymore. They start talking nonsense. That's when it gets really, really severe. And if you pass away, it's that your, your critical kind of life support areas of the brain that keep your heart pumping get damaged as well. So that is what can happen. Normal aging is not the same as dementia. Although it can come with some plaques and tangles in your brain, it is milder. There is some synapse loss. Again, it's also very, very variable. And so this is why it's so important to think about, not just think about, but do something about your sleep, your regular exercise, your nutrition, your hydration, your social connection. All of these things are everyday things that everybody can do. Doesn't matter what your income level is. Everybody can do something to help their brain every single day.

[Noah Michaelson]

That's. Yeah.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Should we get into those one by one? Okay, let's start everyone's favorite exercise.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

Okay.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

You know, tell us about it.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

Absolutely.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

So I like to say that moving your body is the most transformative thing that you can do for your brain today. Because here's what happens. Every time you move your body, you are releasing a whole cascade of neurochemicals in your brain that is physiologically what is happening. And you've heard of some of these neurochemicals. They include dopamine and serotonin and noradrenaline and endorphins. And they make you feel so good. I mean, they are the feel good neurochemicals. This is why everybody has experienced this. I can't stand it at work anymore. I'm going for a walk. I don't care if it's raining outside, I'm going to go for a walk and then come back and oh, I feel better. Neurochemicals in your brain, I like to call it a neurochemical bubble bath for your brain is what you're giving yourself every single time you work out. And this is why imagine doing that. Not just when you're so fed up at work you can't stand it anymore, but doing it regularly. This is what happens. You give yourself this regular neurochemical bubble bath. You literally change the baseline levels of those feel good neurochemicals in your brain. And you go from baseline, I don't know, I'm a little bit pessimistic to I feel great at the baseline. Who wouldn't want that? And that is with regular moving your body, not even marathon running. But we live in New York City. This is a city of walking. We are so lucky to be able to have so many great places to walk. And that is a gift for the brain.

[Noah Michaelson]

Wow.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I mean, even when I do like a little yoga flow, you know, one minute, it's almost like trance, like, like I will immediately feel it. But I didn't know there were a lot long term effects to that, are there?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yes, there are absolutely long term effects. And so let me get into what we know about the mechanism because I know some astute listeners out there will be saying, well, how does moving your limbs out here get to the brain? What's exactly happening? And we don't know the full story, but there are at least three pathways that go from moving muscles that release myokines that go into the bloodstream, go up into the brain. And what they do is they go straight to our favorite brain structure, the hippocampus, and they release growth factors. Growth factors are released in the hippocampus that grow new brain cells in your hippocampus. And who doesn't want shiny new brain cells in your hippocampus? That is what's happening. So there's myokines released by the muscles, There are ketone bodies released by the liver. That happens every single time you're working out. It's automatic. You don't have to do anything special. That also goes up and releases even more growth factors. And then even your fat cells get into the picture because they release pre growth factors that go up and then become growth factors in the hippocampus. So there's multiple cascades that are going up. Now cells don't pop up like mushrooms in your hippocampus, but imagine it like growing a garden of hippocampal cells. What do you want? You want regular watering of that garden with those growth factors, which means regular working out, regular getting your heart rate up. And for those of you that are wondering how much, how long, what kind, the answer that I can give you from the science is anything that gets your heart rate up. I will emphasize power walking. Power walking gets your heart rate up. You don't even have to change your clothes. But whatever your favorite thing is, including everybody, the next question I always get is I love strength training. I love, you know, lifting those weights. And what about anaerobic? And it's like, well, you know, I've tried to lift weights. I mean, I've tried, I've lifted weights before. And actually that's my favorite workout is a cardio weights kind of. Because it gets your heart rate up and it gives you that, that resistance training So I think you have to work. This is my personal opinion. I think you have to work hard not to get your heart rate up when you are lifting your weights. So that is great. And my formula, my prescription is anything that gets your heart rate up is good for your brain. It ranges from walking to cardio weights. Take your choice. Almost anything is in there. And extra special bonus points if it's fun.

[Noah Michaelson]

Mm. I love that because, again, I think sometimes you think it has to hurt or it has to be hard.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Right.

[Noah Michaelson]

And you're supposed to be something you hate. I was even hearing about, like, micro bursts of exercise. Like, if you're at your desk doing squats for 30 seconds even. They've seen really great things happen to the body. What do you think about. I love to watch Jeopardy. I think I've mentioned this on the show, and I think it's like me and like a lot of people even older than me who love to watch it. There are always these ads. I think one of them is Prevagent.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Mm.

[Noah Michaelson]

It's like a supplement that supposedly is good for your brain and memory. Do. Do you have any faith in a supplement or a pill that actually can show some kind of protective anything for memory?

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

And I'm gonna add cognitive enhancers and nootropics, those things that are even less tested.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Well, that's the key, that there is little to no regulation, or I'm just gonna say there's no regulation on supplements. So they can say anything, they can do anything. And frankly, if it really worked, everybody would be taken.

[Noah Michaelson]

That's what I figured. It just seems so sexy. But, like, I'm like, yeah, I think everyone would be on it.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

I would say that we've already been talking about the things that we know to work to improve your overall brain health and function. Exercise is one sleep. We've talked about de stressing. I'm sure we're going to talk about what good anxiety is and how to get it again. I think it's so important to keep it real. I'm not trying to sell you a supplement. I'm trying to give you the science that you can use today to make your brain stronger.

[Noah Michaelson]

Yeah.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Wait. Is good anxiety good for your brain, good for memory?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Good anxiety is beneficial. It's not going to release growth factors, but it is a de stressor. It's about harnessing the power, which is activation energy in your brain that is at the core of anxiety and learning to use it for good. Because at its core, anxiety is a protective emotion. And so everybody has the Potential to use it as protection. And instead, because it's so high levels across the world and in our society, it tends to weigh us down like a rock around our neck. However, it has the potential to be a superpower. And that's what I wrote about in my book Good Anxiety. How to harness the power of anxiety to actually improve your life and make everything better.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I cannot wait to read it.

[Noah Michaelson]

I feel like we're gonna have to have you back on and do an episode about good anxiety.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

Yeah, sure.

[Noah Michaelson]

Are we doing anxiety wrong? We did one already, but this sounds like.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Yeah, but no, I think we can never have enough episodes on anxiety. There's so much of it all just swaddled in it.

[Noah Michaelson]

I would love to hear your idea about this. I was reading, people were saying, like, we like, tech is a great thing.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah.

[Noah Michaelson]

But we rely on it so much now that we're actually doing a disservice to our memory and our brains. Like, one article I read was saying, like, one easy thing you can do for your memory is to stop using gps, because you have to actually then remember the pathway home from the grocery store. And now that we're relying on that or I think about too, when we were kids, we had to remember phone numbers of our best friend, of our grandma. I can still remember my grandma's phone number. My best friend, too. 632-7339. That's Annie Lee's from 40 years ago.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

People are gonna be calling Annie.

[Noah Michaelson]

Yeah, but we don't do that anymore. You meet someone and you just trade, you know, literally put your phones together. So is tech actually maybe not as good for us as we think it is in this way?

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Absolutely.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

I mean, there are clear instances where it does the job that your brain was designed to do for you. There are other ways that it is wonderful. I call my mother on the telephone, a form of tech every three days. And that is wonderful. Texting can be great in an emergency. However, for your brain and for all of the social circuits that evolved to allow me to be able to interpret what your emotion is and how it changed and. Oh, does that. Is that interesting to you or maybe not so interesting to you? You know, everybody's making those. Those calculations. You can't do that with this little old emoji.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I have not thought about that.

[Noah Michaelson]

Yeah, it's so true.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

And think about how you feel when you call your best friend. Like my best friend, Corinne. Her voice immediately calms me and makes me feel hugged. Like, I think calling I Gen Z doesn't like doing this. And I also, as a millennial, don't like calling. I. I like texting, but you're making me want to call people more.

[Noah Michaelson]

I started doing it during the pandemic because we couldn't be together. And I started taking walks and I would just call a friend.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah.

[Noah Michaelson]

And I think everything in me kind of fought it at first, but I really like phone calls now. It is such a different experience.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

And those social connections are important to our memory and brain.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yes, absolutely. So social connections are the key to a happy life. And it calms us. It also works the brain in a good way. So I became a neuroscientist because I got fascinated with something called brain plasticity, the ability of the experiences in our life to change the brain either for good or for bad. And I was interested in the good stuff, like, how can I change my brain for the better? And those regular social, person to person interactions is one of the most powerful ways that you can give yourself what I call good brain plasticity. It is using all your brain's functions of facial recognition, emotional recognition, maneuvering. You know, maybe you don't like what I say, you know, what am I going to do then? It's much easier to get a frowny face on your text than it is to navigate. Oh, actually, you're not happy with my last answer. Or, you know, you don't like what I'm saying right now. And it's a little bit too easy to get away from that. Those difficult situations. But that's also emotional intelligence, which is so important for everybody throughout their lives. So it is a wonderful way to work. Work the brain on all cylinders. Work the thing that we evolve to do, which is to be social beings.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

Wow.

[Noah Michaelson]

Absolutely. How do you feel about things like crossword puzzles or. Or word.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah.

[Noah Michaelson]

Is that as good as we hear it is for the brain, or should.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

We all be learning a new language?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Well, learning a new language is great. I mean, crossword puzzles work. Work the brain. Sudoku gets perhaps a little. Sorry, nothing against Sudoku. My mother loves Sudoku. And it's. It's, you know, it's a great little exercise, but it's formulaic. I think some of the hard crossword puzzles are good. That vocabulary and just.

[Noah Michaelson]

And like recall.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yes, recall and the breadth of knowledge you need to do to be successful. I think that's good. But the thing is that there's a lot of evidence that those deeper learnings, strategy games like chess, language learning, just deep reading of a variety of things, those are all great for your Brain. They cause positive brain plasticity. Absolutely.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

You know what the cool thing is? My partner and I are currently learning Spanish. And when we go somewhere where they speak Spanish, it's easier for us because it's more around it and it feels so good. And it seems that our brains want us to be better at it. Like they're like quietly rooting for us, you know what I'm saying? When it's all around you. So I feel like that's like. Learning a new language can be very frustrating. Yeah, but it's like, remember that your brain's rooting for you. Your body does amazing things. Like, I don't know, it's easy to do the thing that, that you're talking about. Like, I'm getting old. I do it all the time. I'm like, I'm old now. I can't do this. Like, no, I think our bodies do really cool things.

[Noah Michaelson]

Well, that makes me wonder what age should we start doing these things? I mean, are you saying we should always be doing these?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Oh, absolutely.

[Noah Michaelson]

Ye.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

Absolutely.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

I mean, I think that if you go back to the analogy of that neurochemical bubble bath, imagine a kid growing up just always playing outside. I grew up in California, so I was always outside. We played tennis. My mom was a great tennis player. I played basketball. There was just always an opportunity to do that. Imagine all those neurochemical bubble baths during that great time as my brain was developing. And imagine that going through your lifetime. I've always wanted to do a study of on Olympic athletes that stay active through their lifetime. And there is a effect, a positive effect on that, on your brain. And there's so many correlational studies that show that the more you participate in sports and physical activity, the longer it is of any onset of dementia or age related cognitive decline.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Isn't it crazy that there used to be a stereotype that if you play sports and you're kind of a meathead that you're like, like not as smart or something like that? Like, it's weird. It's like the opposite of that. Like being active is going to help your brain.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

However, I think that came up with football. Sorry, no.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Okay, that makes sense with all the cte.

[Noah Michaelson]

Okay, how about food? Does diet play a part in protecting memory?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Well, diet plays an important part in making a healthy brain. Okay, So I would not say eat this to make your hippocampus nice and fast. Not that level. But your, your brain is part of your body. What is the diet that has the most evidence that's good for your Brain is the Mediterranean diet and its variations, the mind diet. And they have lots of. They're a specialist. I'm not a specialist in. In nutrition for the brain, but what do I eat? I do try and follow the Mediterranean diet and low red meat and lots of fish, lots of colorful fruits and vegetables. Absolutely. Really good for both your brain and your body.

[Noah Michaelson]

We did an episode on the microbiome, and she was saying that there's such a connection between our gut and our brain. And we had never really thought about that. But, yeah, she was saying, you know, eat 30 different fruits and vegetables a week, get the rainbow of colors. And that's what I try and do, too.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I try being the operative word. I'm getting better. I have to. I hate asking this question because I hate the answer always. But, like, let me ask about vices. Your girl likes her martinis. Drugs and alcohol. What is it doing to our memory?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

First, everything in moderation is fine. But the reason why I gave up alcohol and I love a good cocktail, that was hard to give it up. But this came with my personal experiment that I told you about during the pandemic where I was asking how much sleep would be good. Then I also asked myself, actually, before I asked myself that, I was like, what would happen if I didn't drink for a week? How would that affect my sleep? And I was so sad to see how much better my sleep was with zero alcohol. And there's so much evidence, there's just no getting around it. And the thing is that it gets more prevalent as you age because sleep gets worse as you age, and so any disruption gets more disruptive as you get older. And so for me, the relative difference of no alcohol on my sleep was enough for me to give up my beloved cocktails.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Listen, multiple people have told me that.

[Noah Michaelson]

Everyone comes on the show.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I have friends who have. They said that when they've given up alcohol, they, like, ascended to nirvana on a lotus and, like, turned into Rihanna. Like, I understand. It's just hard. I mean, I love.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

I didn't turn into Rihanna. Did I do it wrong?

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

There's time.

[Noah Michaelson]

Yeah.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Or maybe you are the Rihanna of neuroscience already and you've already ascended. That could already. You know, we need Rihanna's.

[Noah Michaelson]

What about. I was a stoner for a lot of my life. I haven't. I haven't. Still a bit of a stoner five years, though. Well, I guess my question too is, like, once you've done, quote, unquote damage.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yeah.

[Noah Michaelson]

Can I, like, when you stop smoking, I know that Your lungs can kind of heal themselves. Can the brain do the same thing or is once you've done damage, is it just the damage is done?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

No. That is where the beauty of brain plasticity comes in. And one of the structures that does get damaged with weed is the hippocampus.

[Noah Michaelson]

Okay.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

And you know, it's well known that too much weed smoking impairs your memory. But as I've just told you, exercise builds up that growth factor that goes directly to the hippocampus and grows new brain cells. It works in you, just as it works in me. And also the beautiful thing is that it also works across the age. There have been studies that people in their 90s still have new brain cells that grow in their hippocampus, which is so optimistic. I think it's such a beautiful vision that Even in your 90s, you have these new brain cells growing and your little walk that you're gonna take as a 90 year old is gonna help that. So what I can't answer is, is it going to like repair everything back to the start? But I mean, just look at stroke patients that can come out of a stroke in bad shape and then rehabilitation. That is brain plasticity working. So that shows us that the adult brain can heal.

[Noah Michaelson]

I'm very active, so I feel like maybe if I weren't as active as I am, I'd be even more of a potato than I am, you know.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I mean, not only are you active, like tease, veg, vegetarian, I'm trying to.

[Noah Michaelson]

Make up for all the sins that I, that I did in my younger years.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Great. That is great. Your brain is definitely benefiting from all of that.

[Noah Michaelson]

That's what I want to hear, I guess. Lastly, what would you say, the number one thing, if someone's listening that they should do today for the brain, is it the exercise for the brain? Bubble bath?

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Yes. Why? Because it's the easiest thing to do. You don't have to change your clothes, go out and walk anywhere. I don't care where it is. Take a friend along. That is what's going to immediately help your brain. Number one.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I love that.

[Noah Michaelson]

Me too. I feel better.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

Okay.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Go for a walk with me, Noah.

[Noah Michaelson]

I will go for a walk with you anytime. Thank you so much, Wendy. This was so good.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Thank you so much. This is a lot of fun.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Before we had AT&T business wireless coverage.

[Noah Michaelson]

Our delivery GPS wasn't the most reliable.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Once our driver had to do a.

[Noah Michaelson]

14 point turn to get back on route.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

A 14 point turn, an influencer, even livestream.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

The whole thing not good for business.

[Noah Michaelson]

Now with AT&T business Wireless, routes are.

[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

Updating on the fly and deliveries are on time.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

And the influencer did get us 53 new followers though.

[Noah Michaelson]

AT&T business Wireless Connecting changes everything.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

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[Dr. Wendy Suzuki]

I'm Mark Bittman from the podcast Food with Mark Bittman. I am not a sentimental person, but I am a romantic and my plan is to cook my beloved a beautiful meal on Valentine's Day. If you're doing the same, let me recommend Whole Foods Market as the place.

[Noah Michaelson]

To plan the perfectly indulgent and romantic evening at home. And don't forget flowers. Taste the love all month at Whole Foods Market. It's time for better in five. These are the top five things that we learned on today's episode.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

All right, number one. Memories are dynamic and depend on when they were created, emotional circumstances and so many Other factors?

[Noah Michaelson]

Absolutely. Number two, you can actually get better at memory recall with more practice.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Love that. Number three, forgetting things is a normal part of aging. But if you start to notice significant change or if it's affecting your work life or caregiving, that's when you want to see a doctor.

[Noah Michaelson]

Right. Number four, relying less on tech, like gps, can be a good way to stimulate your brain. And social connections are golden for brain health, too.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

And number five, the easiest way to strengthen your memory is to get moving. So go out and take a walk right now. Or lift a weight. I love a weight.

[Ad/Promo Voice]

Or both.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Yeah, it's cute. Noah. So did it turn out that you were protecting your memory? Wrong.

[Noah Michaelson]

So you know what? I think this is one of those ones where I'm not. Because I'm exercising. I'm eating pretty well. I feel like I have done some damage with the weed in my life, but I've repented. I've given that up. But I do like to have a cocktail. I'm like you. I don't know if I can give that up.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I feel like you're doing a lot of other stuff right, though.

[Noah Michaelson]

So you think it's like, balancing.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Yeah.

[Noah Michaelson]

Moderation.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

She said moderation. You're not drunk right now, are you?

[Noah Michaelson]

I. No comment.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Okay, fine.

[Noah Michaelson]

What about you?

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

You know, I actually think I'm doing a better job than I thought I was.

[Noah Michaelson]

Okay.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Because when we were talking about tech, I realized that I sometimes don't use it when I could.

[Noah Michaelson]

Yep.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Like, if I forget an actor's name, I. I have a habit of resisting Googling, and I. I will think and think and think until I remember it.

[Noah Michaelson]

I like that.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Yeah. I'm just trying to.

[Noah Michaelson]

I just thought we should do a challenge. I'm gonna challenge you and myself. Let's memorize each other's phone numbers.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Okay.

[Noah Michaelson]

Because I don't even know Benji's phone number. If you ask me right now, if I had to, like, call him and I couldn't look it up on my phone, I couldn't do it.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

It might be more useful if you memorize Benjamin's.

[Noah Michaelson]

Benji's. But that is not. That's not as much fun. So we're gonna memorize each other.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Let's do it.

[Noah Michaelson]

And, like, in two weeks, I. I won't tell you when, but I'm gonna make. I'm gonna quiz you.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Okay.

[Noah Michaelson]

So you really have to do this.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Great. I'm gonna memorize it.

[Noah Michaelson]

I might quiz you on the air.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

I'm ready.

[Noah Michaelson]

Okay, good. Ready.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Pressure's good.

[Noah Michaelson]

All Right. In the meantime, if you want to email us and you have a question for us, a comment. Not a mean comment.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

No, not mean.

[Noah Michaelson]

Email us. We get show ideas. We love to get emails. We did that episode about, I don't know, something about snacking or something, and people email me for my salad recipe. Do you remember that?

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

It's a great salad recipe.

[Noah Michaelson]

I was happy to give it out. So you can reach us at amidoing it wrongover huffpost.com we'd love to hear from you. And until next time, as long as there are things to get wrong, we're going to be right here to help you do them better.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Am I doing it wrong? Is a co production between huffpost and acast.

[Noah Michaelson]

Our producers are eve bishop, carmen borca, carillo and malia agadello.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Our executive producers are jenny kaplan and emily rudder.

[Noah Michaelson]

Special thanks to huffpa head of audience.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

Abby williams, head of video will took.

[Noah Michaelson]

As well as kate palmer, marta rodriguez and terry d'. Angelo.

[Raj Panjabi Johnson]

And we're your hosts raj panjabi johnson and noah michaelson.

[Noah Michaelson]

Blood donation is now more inclusive More people are able to donate blood with the American Red Cross through FDA guidelines that eliminate eligibility questions based on sexual orientation. The Red Cross celebrates this historic change and welcomes those who may be newly eligible to donate blood. There's a place for everyone in the mission of the Red Cross. The Red Cross is committed to achieving an inclusive blood donation process that treats all potential donors with equality and respect while maintaining the safety of the blood supply. Join us and help save lives. To learn more and make your appointment to donate blood, visit redcrossblood.org LGBTQ that's redcrossblood.org LGBTQ hey, it's Elise Hu from.

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