Michael Mosley shares poignant advice for 'living a good life' in his final interview

The tragic news of Michael Mosley's death has garnered a huge emotional response from the health industry as well as the showbiz world - not to mention the countless people he helped with his revolutionary diet advice.

The TV presenter and nutrition expert, 67, was sadly found dead on Sunday after an extensive four-day search on the Greek island of Symi. He vanished while on holiday with his wife Dr Clare Bailey after embarking on an afternoon walk in extreme heat on Wednesday, June 5.

Known for his appearances on The One Show and This Morning, and the many health documentaries he fronted, he dedicated his career to helping people live longer, eat healthier and improve their health.

Which is why it's so fitting that the final ever episode of his BBC Sounds podcast Just One Thing should be focused on just that - how to live a good life.

The episode, entitled There's Only One Michael Mosley, features an interview recorded with psychologist Paul Bloom at the Hay Festival on May 25 this year.

The pair discussed what it truly means to 'live a good life' with Michael fondly drawing on his own experiences and research that he carried out over the years.

And according to Paul, one of the main things a person can do to become happier is to 'seek out contrast' with pleasure and pain - although he stressed that this pain must be something that you choose to do.

Remembering one of his own tips, Michael confirmed this was indeed true, referencing his cold shower routine after washing in warm water. He described that it was a challenge, but the feeling afterwards made it all the more worthwhile - and 'singing very loudly' also helped, which his wife Clare 'really hated'.

And this act of doing something difficult 'shows us the type of person we want to be'.

Another thing that can be hugely beneficial for your wellbeing is getting out of your head and 'losing yourself' in an activity, whether that's writing, singing or sports. Although interestingly, Michael admitted he wasn't big on meditation - even though him and Clare did try.

He said: "I mean to do it - I have long discussions with my wife about how we're going to do it tomorrow, and then somehow we never get round to it."

Interestingly, actively trying to pursue happiness might not actually be the most helpful tool for living a good life. Instead of looking for happiness in everyday life, what you should be searching for is 'meaning, morality, maybe spirituality, and satisfaction', according to Paul, which drew an appreciative applause from the audience.

And similarly, adding in some 'voluntary suffering' can be hugely rewarding too especially when there are benefits to reap while doing so. While Paul gave an example of doing difficult crosswords daily, Michael mentioned his daily routine of press-ups and squats.

He said: "I know that [these] are really good for my body and my brain, but they never become enjoyable. The same is true for a run - I go out for a run, at no point do I ever feel anything other than 'I wish this was over'."

But it's important to remember that the more challenging something is, 'the more meaningful it becomes to us'.

And truly 'knowing yourself' and what makes you feel good is a very useful tool for becoming happier. Paul suggested keeping a journey or diary of how you're feeling each day and why this is - writing about yourself in the third person - in order to get a better handle on things.

Our own ideas about ourselves can sometimes be wrong, with the people closest to us often actually knowing us better. Michael reflected on a touching moment he'd gotten his friends and family, including himself, to fill out a personality test as if he was doing it.

He said: "The only person who got close to accurate was my wife. Which to be honest was more accurate than I was."

By taking these tips into account, we may have a chance at living a better life - and it's clear that Michael spent his doing just that.

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