From the team behind the hit Radio 4 series Sliced Bread, this is Toast. You can find more episodes in the Sliced Bread feed only on BBC Sounds, or by searching for Toast on BBC Sounds. BBC business journalist Sean Farrington investigates wonder products and businesses which promised so much to consumers... but ultimately ended up as toast. Sean is joined by the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, to conclude what went wrong. Together they look at why a product or business failed, and what we can learn from their stories today. In this preview episode, Sean talks about wearable tech and Google Glass. These futuristic looking spectacles, with a heads-up display which showed text messages and street directions and allowed users to record video footage of what was happening around them, were named in Time Magazine as one of the best inventions of 2012. There was plenty of hype. Google even demonstrated them by live-streaming a sky dive using Google Glass. But by 2015, just two years after their release, Google announced that Google Glass Explorer, the consumer version of the glasses, was going to be shelved, and the version used by businesses has since been ditched too. Sean and Sam speak to former BBC technology correspondent Rory Cellan Jones and the 'godfather' of wearable technology Professor Sandy Pentland, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, to discover how Google Glass went from being the best thing since sliced bread to toast. Presenter: Sean Farrington Producer: Jay Unger

When things go wrong, you might think that focusing on the bad and writing about them would make things worse. But in some cases, the opposite seems to be true. Michael Mosley investigates a technique called “expressive writing”, a simple tip which can have surprising benefits for your health. The idea is to set aside 15 minutes to write about any worries that keep you up at night, showing many benefits - from improving lung function in people with asthma, to improving scores on exams and cognitive tests. In this episode, Michael Mosley speaks to the man who kick-started it all, Professor James Pennebaker from the University of Texas, Austin. He tells Michael about his original findings in the 1980s and the astonishing link between expressive writing, reduced doctor’s visits, your immune system and how quickly your body heals wounds…

Turmeric is a close relative of ginger – it has a similar knobbly root-like stem. The golden-hued powder of turmeric adds colour and flavour to food, but it’s also been linked to some surprising health benefits. As well as helping with wound healing and skin conditions, it’s been linked to better brain health. Michael Mosley speaks to Dr. Benny Antony from the University of Tasmania in Australia who has found that turmeric extract was as effective as ibuprofen to reduce pain levels. Meanwhile, our volunteer Yu She cooks up a storm with chicken korma and turmeric pancakes.

Nuts are a rich source of fibre and polyphenols. They are also very high in fats and calories, but studies have shown that eating these bite-sized snacks won’t add to your waistline. These nutrient powerhouses could also help slow-down the ageing process. Research has found that walnut eaters live, on average, over a year longer than those who don’t. What’s more, adding nuts to your diet can help your brain! Michael Mosley is joined by Dr Sze-Yen Tan from Deakin University in Australia who reveals how eating nuts can benefit the brain, and why eating moderate amounts of nuts won’t add to your waistline. A recent study of his found that people who ate nuts performed better in cognitive tests and had improved short-term memory. Meanwhile, our volunteer Emma swaps out her usual snack for a handful of mixed nuts!

Lifting weights is obviously great for your strength, but it can also boost your brain power, improve your immune system, and even reverse signs of cellular ageing. Michael enlists Jenny, a self-confessed weight-lifting novice, to try strength training at home using milk bottles and a sturdy rucksack. He speaks to Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose at the University of British Columbia, Canada, who has recently found that strength training can lead to better memory. She reveals how activating your muscles can release special chemicals called myokines which, astonishingly, can travel around the body and cross your blood-brain-barrier where they can have beneficial effects on your brain.

Taking good care of your teeth can prevent tooth decay and boost your oral health - but, surprisingly, the benefits extend well beyond your mouth. Keeping your teeth and gums clean can help your heart and your brain, reducing the risk of diseases from diabetes to dementia. To find out why, Michael Mosley speaks to Dr. Sim Singhrao from the University of Central Lancashire School of Dentistry. She reveals bacteria in your mouth can travel from your gums into your blood causing problems in other organs, including your brain. Meanwhile, our volunteer Lowri has a go at brushing and using interdental brushes every day to see if it’s something she’d like to fit into her lifestyle.

Most of us in the UK use our phones for over three hours/day! They are incredibly useful - but using them just a little bit less can have big benefits for your health and wellbeing. Studies have shown that reducing your phone use by one hour each day can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. It can also increase life satisfaction, reduce smoking and enhance physical activity levels. On top of that, limiting social media use to 30 minutes a day has been found to reduce feelings of loneliness. But if you can’t bear doing any of that, just putting your phone out of sight whilst you’re doing something can have significant benefits. Michael Mosley speaks to Dr Adrian Ward from the University of Texas at Austin who has found that just the sight of your phone can have a powerful impact on your cognition. He finds out about the alluring pull of our phones on our brains (which can attract our attention even when they’re off), and why multitasking is a myth!

All alcohol is bad for you but if you’re already a drinker, switching out your usual drink for a small glass of red wine could bring surprising benefits to your health - improving blood sugar and fat levels and reducing the risk of diabetes. In this episode, Michael Mosley speaks to Dr Tim Spector, Professor of Epidemiology at King’s College London to find out about the secret ingredient in red wine. He reveals why red wine is rich in chemicals called polyphenols. They raise a (metaphorical) glass to celebrate the effects of red wine on the diversity of our gut bacteria!

If you’re looking to add more exercise into your lifestyle why not consider Tai Chi. It’s an ancient Chinese martial art – it’s sometimes called “meditation in motion”. It’s a series of different postures that gently flow into each other in slow movements. One of the big benefits to Tai Chi is that it can significantly enhance the activity of our immune system. And although it looks gentle, it can be a surprisingly good workout! Michael Mosley speaks to Dr. Parco Siu from the University of Hong Kong, who has been studying the health benefits of Tai Chi for over a decade. His research has revealed that Tai Chi can lead to faster brain benefits than other exercises. He also found that Tai Chi was as effective as conventional exercise like moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or muscle strengthening activities for reducing body weight and visceral fat!

It turns out having friends has big benefits for your health. Fascinating research shows social contact can boost your immune system and your brain power. In this episode, Michael Mosley is joined by Professor Pamela Qualter from Manchester University, who explains how reaching out in the simplest of ways - from sending a simple text to helping your neighbours - can significantly reduce loneliness levels, helping you feel more connected and a part of a community. People appreciate being contacted much more than you think. So, the next time you wonder whether to reach out to a friend – just do it.