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Try This

The Washington Post

“Try This” from The Washington Post is a series of audio courses designed to jump-start the parts of life where we can all use a few pointers — with pithy, snackable solutions you can easily use. Host Cristina Quinn brings exactly the right amount of motivation with her endearing enthusiasm and the curiosity to learn along with you. Each course is a quick and practical guide that provides new perspectives on the kinds of hurdles we all share. If you’ve been searching for the right place to start, Try This.

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20 episodes
Avg 17 min
English

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S10 · E2
Dec 8, 2025 · 22 min
I want to give back! How do I afford it?
When it comes to giving, it can be challenging figuring out how to make it right for you financially. Personal finance columnist Michelle Singletary talks to host Cristina Quinn about how to give based on your comfort level and budget and how you can experience gratitude through giving back.
S10 · E1
Dec 1, 2025 · 20 min
Anyone can be an altruist
How are altruists different from the rest of us? Host Cristina Quinn talks to neuroscientist and psychologist Abigail Marsh about what it means to be an altruist and how you can build your altruistic muscle.
S9 · E4
Nov 6, 2025 · 5 min
Got 5 minutes? Take a breather with me.
Join Try This for a breathing exercise! Host Cristina Quinn walks us through a 5-minute box breathing exercise. You’ll feel better at the end!
S9 · E3
Nov 6, 2025 · 15 min
Breathe: Reducing stress can help your brain
Breathing is powerful — it can help fight off stress. Host Cristina Quinn sits down with Washington Post Brain Matters columnist Richard Sima and UCLA neuroscientist and psychiatrist Helen Lavretsky to unpack what chronic stress can do to the brain and how simple breathing exercises can help.
S9 · E2
Oct 30, 2025 · 19 min
Simple lifestyle changes to reduce your risk of dementia
About half of dementia cases are potentially preventable – even if it runs in your family. In this episode, host Cristina Quinn talks with Laura Baker of the U.S. POINTER study and Monica Parker about simple lifestyle changes we can make to reduce our risk of cognitive decline.
S9 · E1
Oct 23, 2025 · 18 min
The Ever-Changing Brain: Adapting, Aging, and Cognitive Health
Our brains are always adapting to our environments and routines. Host Cristina Quinn talks with Washington Post “Brain Matters” columnist Richard Sima about what a healthy aging brain looks like and when we should worry about forgetting where we put our keys.
Sep 11, 2025 · 33 min
Strength Training – Get stronger to live longer
Weight lifting isn’t just for athletes or bodybuilders. Host Cristina Quinn talks with Washington Post health columnist Gretchen Reynolds about what strength training is and why even a small amount of it can improve your overall health.
Jul 23, 2025 · 25 min
How to find your personal style
Finding your own personal style can be easy. Host Cristina Quinn chats with The Washington Post’s fashion critic Rachel Tashjian and Style Memo newsletter writer Shane O’Neill about finding your style amid a barrage of trends, dressing authentically, and feeling good in your clothes.
Jul 15, 2025 · 32 min
Smarter, cheaper, happier travel
Travel reporter Natalie Compton shares the latest tips on how to book better, pack lighter and travel smarter no matter where you're headed.
S8 · E4
Jul 10, 2025 · 2 min
Gut Check: Our new “Try This” newsletter
Host Cristina Quinn introduces Gut Check, a new five-part newsletter from Try This that explores gut health science minus the stress, supplements, or hype.
S8 · E3
Jul 8, 2025 · 17 min
Simple tips to build and maintain a healthy gut
Learn what to eat to make your gut microbiome flourish. Trisha Pasricha and Karen Corbin will explain the do’s and don'ts of what it takes to have a gut-healthy life.
S8 · E2
Jul 1, 2025 · 14 min
Listen to your gut
Foods affect your gut health – and science proves it. Nutrition and metabolism researcher Karen Corbin talks to host Cristina Quinn about her first-of-its-kind study on how the gut responds to different foods and helps to manage our body’s energy.
S8 · E1
Jun 24, 2025 · 11 min
What exactly is the gut microbiome?
What's going on inside that microbiome of yours? Host Cristina Quinn talks to gastroenterologist Trisha Pasricha about the leading role the gut microbiome plays in our digestive health and how certain foods support its function.
Apr 30, 2025 · 30 min
Become someone everyone wants to talk to
What separates good talkers from great communicators? Host Cristina Quinn talks with author Charles Duhigg about the neuroscience of connection, why asking deeper questions matters, and simple ways you can instantly become a better listener and conversationalist.
S7 · E4
Apr 8, 2025 · 14 min
Limits that last
Physical and social boundaries to reduce screen time, like keeping your phone out of the bedroom and creating device-free time with family, are as important as digital ones. And this isn’t just a personal challenge; it’s one we need to tackle together.
S7 · E3
Apr 1, 2025 · 14 min
Let’s set some boundaries
Small changes like setting app limits and reorganizing your home screen can have a big impact on your focus. Host Cristina Quinn and Washington Post tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler lay out techniques for how to take back control.
S7 · E2
Mar 25, 2025 · 15 min
How to reset your brain’s reward system
How to resist digital temptations, reset your dopamine levels and take back control of your attention.
S7 · E1
Mar 18, 2025 · 9 min
This is your brain on dopamine
Why do we get so hooked on our devices, even when we know they’re not great for us? Host Cristina Quinn talks to psychiatrist Anna Lembke about the neuroscience behind digital addiction, how dopamine drives our scrolling habits and what we can do to break the cycle.
S6 · E3
Dec 23, 2024 · 11 min
Why doing good feels great
Host Cristina Quinn and “The Joy You Make” author Steven Petrow dive into practical ways to bring joy to others and to yourself — whether it’s through helping a neighbor, writing an anonymous letter or even sharing a simple moment with a stranger.
S6 · E2
Dec 19, 2024 · 9 min
Get lost. And play a little.
Learn creative exercises to help you embrace joy in everyday life. Steven Petrow, author of “The Joy You Make,” teaches host Cristina Quinn how things like wandering without a destination and rediscovering play can open the door to more joy, even during life’s toughest moments.

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