StemCell Therapy

Laura Deming is not your typical venture capitalist. Then again, she isnt typical in many ways.

For starters, the 23-year-old, New Zealand native was home schooled, developing along the way a love of math and physics and, perhaps most interestingly, the biology of aging. In fact, she became so preoccupied with the latter that at age 11, Deming wrote to Cynthia Kenyon, a renowned molecular biologist who specializes in the genetics of aging, asking if she could visit Kenyons San Francisco lab during a family trip to the Bay Area. Kenyon said yes. When, soon after the visit, Deming asked if she could work in the lab, Kenyon said yes again.

Demings family moved to the U.S. to make it possible, and its highly doubtful they regret the decision. Indeed, by age 14, Deming was a student at MIT, and two years after that at the tender age of 16 she was a college drop-out, having been accepted into Peter Thiels two-year-old Thiel Fellowship program, which gives $100,000 to young people who want to build new things.

Often, those new things evolve along the way. Not for Deming, who pitched the idea of a venture fund that would support aging-related startups, and has since turned that early concept intoLongevity Fund, an early-stage venture outfit that just closed its second fund with $22 million.

Earlier today we caught up with Deming to learn more about her path and which technologies shes betting on to extend the human lifespan.

TC: Its incredible that this all started with an email to a UCSF professor.

LD: [Cynthia Kenyon] is the most amazing person Ill ever meet.

TC: What did you do in her lab, exactly?

LD: We were working with tiny, see-through worms. You put them on a plate of jelly and you see what happens if you change their genetic material. Do they live longer or die faster? If you starve them, they live longer. If you starve worms and also turn off certain genes, could you get them to live even longer? I was nave, but I really wanted to make the longest-living worms ever. [Laughs.]

TC: What did you study at MIT?

LD: I majored in physics actually, but I continued to work in a couple of labs, including [one overseen by] Lenny Guarente [a biologist known for his research on lifespan extension]. It was a lot of fun. I thought Id be a scientist, but a grad student familiar with the Thiel fellowship told me I should apply and I did. Its funny, one of the directors of the [Thiel] program told me recently that he thought Id fail, even though he was very supportive. After we closed the first fund, he was like, I never thought that would work out.

TC: Why?

LD: In part because not long ago, if you talked with most VCs about aging, they didnt think there was anything there. I think aging is such a young science, they hadnt heard about it. Meanwhile, I care a lot about it, and though we dont know if itll work or not, its not unlike [biotech companies trying to tackle] cancer in that way, and if you believe in cancer companies, you should also care about aging companies.

TC: How much did you raise for that first fund?

LD: A grand total of $4 million, and I was very proud of this. To be honest, Id assumed $100,000 was enough to build a fund until I arrived in San Francisco and realized it was really enough to live on for two years. When I started fundraising, I was 17 too young to legally sign contracts. Id never managed money before. But I could talk to people about the science and got them on board with that. In the end, we had great anchor investors come together, and we invested in five companies that kind of proved out the strategy.

TC: Were one of those anchor investors Peter Thiel?

LD: We dont really talk about our LPs.

TC: You say we, though youre the sole general partner of Longevity. Is that correct?

LD: Yes, but I have a lot of back-office support. The way Longevity is structured, Im also able to pull in the best people who have expertise from different domains, so its not one person who looks at all the deals.

TC: And these advisors get a stake in the company?

LD: Sometimes. Others especially grad students like to be paid up front. Well find the best incentive for that individual and work with that.

TC: One of your portfolio companies is Unity Biotechnology, a company thats trying to reverse aging through therapeutics. Didnt it just raise a giant Series B round this week?

LD: It did. All of the companies in that portfolio have [at least] raised Series A rounds of $30 million or more to get to that proof of concept.

TC: Given the amounts involved, is the plan to form special purpose vehicles, or SPVs, around your break-out winners?

LD:We like to help LPs follow on, so we look to do that in whatever way makes sense for both parties. With Unity, we put in money as early as possible because Ned Davis, who runs the company, is amazing and we thought its aging thesis would succeed.

TC: How many companies do you expect to fund with your newly closed fund?

LD: Eight to 10 companies.

TC: Do you think your work will be harder, given that investors seem to be paying much more attention to aging suddenly?

LD: No. With our first fund, we spent up to six months with each deal, tracking the company before it was even raising. Its something LPs really value from us; they know when they invest in something that they dont need to re-do the diligence, that weve already looked at a bunch of stuff and we know this is the best possible investment in [a particular vertical].

Earlier, our biggest challenge was getting other investors on board and convincing them that aging has become a place to play. Now thats a non-issue, which is great. Our job is to help the companies get other investors on board, so its wonderful to see excitement in the space begin to build.

TC: You look at a lot of technologies. I have to ask: do you find these new blood transfusion startupsas interesting as the writers of HBOs Silicon Valley?

LD: [Laughs.] While scientifically interesting, I think they get a little over-discussed in the press because of that vampirism. Its not as sexy to talk about new genetic regulatory elements that control the aging process. Thats not going to get as many clicks as a story about drinking the blood of your five-year-old.

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This 23-year-old just closed her second fund which is focused on ... - TechCrunch

Concierge medicine. You have heard about it. Another name for it is direct patient care or DPC. The most common perception about concierge medicine is access to longer appointments and the ability to reach a doctor easier. Well, what if..Kahn-cierge was access to longer appointments, access to Dr. Joel Kahn, Americas Holistic Heart Doc.AND the MOST advanced detection and treatment center for measuring and treating heart disease at ANY stage with a goal of optimal LONGEVITY. Not just extra time but extra expertise from the worlds first physician to be Certified by a major University medical center in Metabolic Cardiology. A Summa Cum Laude medical school graduate, author, TV personality, and speaker. Are you seeking Healthy Aging? More Energy? Fewer Medications? Early Disease Detection? Strategies for Disease Reversal? Natural Cardiology? Nutritional Cardiology? Are these of interest to you? Feeling better, looking better, sleeping better, more Kahn-fident, and enjoying and following a plan for your best health and energy! Science is advancing rapidly, and it is possible to live longer and better free of dis-ease, dis-stress, and dis-comfort. The future of healthy aging is so exciting. Dr. Kahns personalized medicine offers a plan for you, based on your individual health, nutritional profile, genetic profile, preferences, and abilities. One size does not fit all when it comes to living your most enjoyable and healthiest life. So become one of a few select members of the Kahn Center for Cardiac Longevity and lets walk together, preparing for a bright and joyful future without the worry about Americas #1 killer, heart disease.

Read this article:
Kahn Longevity Center

Allure Magazine announces it's intention to ban the term "anti-aging," and wipe it from the internet. Another veiled political attack against the successes of anti-aging sciences, but longevity medicine cannot be stopped.

First of all let us applaud the 29 celebrities in the Allure Magazine online article on August 15, 2017 (https://www.allure.com/gallery/celebrities-against-anti-aging) for what appears to be living and eating healthy, adhering to Anti-aging Medical Principles (preventative medicine), getting the proper amount of exercise, possibly buying all natural, Non-GMO foods, and being blessed with great genetics.

Unfortunately, being blessed with great genetics alone does not always help someone stay beautiful as they circle the sun more than 40 times. You have to believe that, all though age is inevitable, it is not the only factor that causes your body to deteriorate and grow older.

WorldHealth.net thinks its horrible that some people misuse terms, or that in many cases the wrong message gets attached to good philosophies. WHN doesnt believe in unnecessary plastic surgery, hormonal therapies that are not physician supervised and medically legal, stem cell therapies at the beauty shop, overzealous and sometimes completely fake claims by advertisers such as anti-aging miracle skin creams, nor does WHN or any of its affiliates believe a buzz word or coined term should be used to influence potential consumers. WHN believes that credible non-commercial information should be used as a tool to combat ignorance and protect consumers.

If you are truly interested in the mission of anti-aging medicine, subscribe to the Longevity Now newsletter here at WorldHealth.net and go to A4M.com and read about this 25-year-old revolution. Anti-aging medicine, said Dr. Ronald Klatz, President of the A4M, who is accredited with coining the Term anti-aging more than 25 years ago, for the most part is all about inner beauty, it isnt about cosmetic surgery, solely enhancing your appearance, or even living forever. Its about living healthy, growing older with a better quality of life, and slowing down or defeating diseases such as Macular Degeneration, Alzheimer's, Diabetes, disease associated with hormone inadequacies, and a host of other ailments that affect our bodies from gravity to normal wear and tear. No matter how new or old your car is you have to change the oil at regular intervals or your car simply wont last. I know this is a simple analogy, but our bodies are basically the same. anti-aging is basically preventative medicine that looks and takes advantage of natural remedies mixed with scientific gains to help the 100,000 plus doctors the A4M has trained, help their patients live happier and healthier lives.

Dr. Ronald Klatz went on further to point out, magazines such as Allure hardly focus on or promote inner beauty. They focus on outward appearance, pushing cosmetic goods, promote unbelievably attractive celebrities and models, and then they have the gall to take shots at Botox for helping many millions of people try to look and feel a little better. Unfortunately, Allure type magazines give young women unrealistic expectations on a daily basis that you need to look like Hale Berry, or Jennifer Anniston to be beautiful. Thats simply not true, but you do need to live the anti-aging lifestyle so as you advance in years youdont suffer, and decay as old folks, but rather enjoy life to your last breath. Thats the true anti-aging message.

WHN would like to recognize bias, and WHN is a proponent of anti-aging medicine so therefore WHN is slightly biased. WHN is an opponent of the abuse of the term anti-aging by advertisers, product peddlers, and financially motivated journalists. For example, WHN can only make guesses as to the intentions of Allure Magazines position on the term anti-aging. Allure could be talking about skin cream. However, WHN can use the quotes actually published by Allure titled 29 Celebrities That Are Against The Term Anti-Aging to let WHNs readers draw their own conclusions as to the intentions of Allure. If you read the quotes exactly as they appear at https://www.allure.com/gallery/celebrities-against-anti-aging, you will notice that only 3 of 29 beautiful celebrities even mentioned anti-aging.

WHN prefers to be honest and avoid Fake News. WHN would like you to know that Jamie Lee-Curtis almost mentioned the term anti-aging. Instead Jamie refers to anti-aging as anti referencing aging in the same sentence before the term anti which is the word that ends the sentence. Jamie starts the next sentence with aging with the sentence before ending in anti. This is simply journalistic dishonesty by a publications editor. This example of lack of journalistic integrity can be seen underlined below in Jamies quote:

I am appalled that the term we use to talk about aging is 'anti' (end of sentence). Aging (Start of new sentence to create anti-aging) is as natural as a baby's softness and scent. Aging is human evolution in its pure form. Death, taxes, and aging." fromThe Huffington Post

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Media's Anti-Aging Agenda without the Benefit of Scientific Evidence, Fact or Common Sense - Anti Aging News

By Mark Knauer, North Carolina State University Assistant Professor and Extension Swine Specialist; and Garrett See, North Carolina State University Graduate StudentIn recent years industry geneticists have chosen to focus on increasing sow output through increases in litter size. At some point we may reach an optimal litter size at the commercial level. Some may debate we are there now. Yet geneticists are working to enhance piglet quality which should make it easier for farmers to wean large, quality litters in the coming years.

So what future opportunities do we have to enhance female reproduction through genetics? Genetically reducing age at puberty offers producers multiple avenues to reduce sow herd costs. Recent research by Garrett See (2017) suggests genetically reducing age at puberty would allow gilts to be mated at younger ages and lighter weights. The author reported that after four generations of selection for young puberty, average age and weight at puberty were 163 days and 224 pounds, respectively.

Hence, in theory, you could farrow your gilts at an average age of 10 or 11 months versus a year of age. Not only would this allow you to substantially reduce gilt feed cost, but also potentially market late puberty gilts as full-value market animals. See (2017) further suggests selection for reduced age at puberty would increase gilt retention, enhance sow longevity and improve piglet quality. Hence the benefits of a genetically young puberty gilt are multiple. Yet more research around early puberty is warranted. Can we consistently breed genetically young puberty gilts to farrow at 10 months of age? What is the true economic value of age at puberty?

Genetic suppliers will tell you age at puberty is a challenging trait to capture at the nucleus level. They are currently correct. Yet I think there are some strategies to reduce the cost of capturing puberty data in the nucleus. At the commercial level Im not sure many changes would be needed to incorporate early puberty females, just start breeding at a younger age.

I would like to acknowledge the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and North Carolina Pork Council for their support of this project. Contact Mark Knauerwith questions.

ReferencesSee, Garrett. 2017. Correlated Responses to Selection for Age at Puberty in Swine. M.S. Thesis. North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Original post:
Genetic strategies to reduce gilt feed and development costs - National Hog Farmer

Klotho, in ancient Greek mythology, is one of the Fates controlling the span of human destiny tasked as she was with cutting the string that determined the length of a persons life. Klotho is also a naturally occurring hormone in the body. More than two decades ago, Japanese researchers discovered that this hormone plays a role in aging. People with more klotho in their body, tend to live longer and to retain more of their facultiesthat is to stay sharpwell into old age.

There are many elderly people who walk around and have completely normal, sharp vibrant brain function despite the fact that they are much older and the fact that they have a lot of disease toxins in the brain, Dr. Dena Dubal a neurobiologist at the University of California, San Franciscos Memory and Aging Center told Popular Science.

Dubal is the author on a study released today in the journal Cell Reports that looks at what happens to brain function when you inject klotho protein into mice.

Aging researchers like Dubal arent interested in extending life for its own sakethey dont have a Methuselah complexbut rather because aging is the biggest factor for disease. If they can find a way to slow aging, or at least its effects, they might find a way to allow us to avoid the cognitive declines, and diseases such as stroke, heart disease, and diabetes that tend to come as we flip through more pages on the calendar.

A few years ago, we discovered in collaboration with several people that in human populations those people that had higher levels of klotho had better cognitive functions in normal aging, says Dual.

Which is great if you happen to be genetically blessed with higher levels of klotho, less great if youre not.

Earlier studies have looked at the impacts of klotho on longevity and health, including brain health, but they tended to rely on genetically modified mice. The genes of these mice had been modified to allow them to produce more klotho or less.

Those studies found that mice modified to produce more klotho lived longer, which is promising. But despite recent advances, genetically modifying humans is still an ethical minefield away in the future, especially if the modifications are being made to improve wellbeing as opposed to preventing disease. And, genetically altering embryos might help future populations, but it doesnt do much for those of us already living. So, Dubal wanted to see is if mice injected with klothoacting essentially a hormonal supplementwould show cognitive improvements.

The answer, seems to be yes.

To get the result, Dubal and her colleagues injected three types of mice with a portion of the protein. They injected young mice, aged mice, and mice genetically altered to have brains similar to that which we would see in Alzheimers or Parkinsons patients in humans.

Within hours they showed better cognitive function, says Dubal.

Since you cant exactly administer a mouse an IQ test, they assessed brain power based on the mices ability to navigate a series of water mazes, in an experiment that sounds on par with human a trip to Wisconsins famed waterslide park, The Dells.

They found that mice that had daily injections and were better able to navigate the maze (as measured by the distance traveled to find a hidden platform) than their control group peers. In a classic example of work smarter, not harder, the klotho mice were just much more efficient seekers.

We tested them two weeks later in a different cognitive test and they were still smarter, says Dubal, which suggested that getting the klotho protein into their bodies combined with brain training and stimulation had a long-lasting effect in their brain. Because the half-life of the protein is only seven and a half hours long, any of the protein should have been long out of their system.

There are a few caveats.

First, this was an experiment in micenot in humans. While its incredibly promising, the study results are short term and they werent looking for side effects. The pace at which a promising scientific study is turned into a supplement of dubious efficacy is stunning these days, so please dont subject yourself to some back-alley klotho injection. Between resveratrol and superfoods weve been there before.

At the same time, we know that klotho levels can be affected not only by genetics - but also by stress. If you want to help your body keep its klotho levels at your own peak you might want to try proven stress reduction techniques like exercise and chilling out about your own impending mortality.

Finally, the researchers arent sure how klotho seems to be generating this effect because the protein is too big to pass from the body into the brain. For a long time, weve studied the brain in isolation from the body with the brain mostly telling the body what to do, and the body acting like a series of censors that give the brain useful data. But this study like our growing understanding of the connection between our microbiome and brain health, and exercise and brain health, this study touches on our growing understanding of how the body connects to the brain to help make the brain more resilient.

The rest is here:
An extra dose of this longevity hormone helped make mice smarter - Popular Science

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Monday, August 07, 2017

EDITORIAL

Tom Brady - is his brain immune from injury?

It has been nearly eight years since Malcolm Gladwell wrote his piece in The New Yorker about the long-term tragic impact of football on the brain of those that play the game. It outlines the post-football life, There were men with aching knees and backs and hands, from all those years of playing football. But their real problem was with their heads, the one part of their body that got hit over and over again.

Gladwell's article, Offensive Play How different are dogfighting and football? is one of a growing number of looks at the depressing post-football life of the players - viewed by many as American heroes. He wrote it 2009.

My Life Sucks

Now in 2017, Jim Plunkett, who was a Super Bowl hero back in the day and now 69, told the San Jose Mercury News, My life sucks. Plunkett's body is broken and he is in constant pain. Once a man like Tom Brady - overcoming obstacles and realizing NFL quarterback hero status -- he is now devastated physically and his wife says in the same interview that Plunketts mind is being ravaged by the years of head injuries.

Math 99% of NFL

In July, a paper in the JAMA found that Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, known as CTE, was found in 99% of deceased NFL players' brains those that were donated for scientific research. And, CTE was found in three of the 14 high school players and 48 of the 53 college players whose brains were tested. CTE is directly linked tomemory loss, confusion, impaired judgment, aggression, depression, anxiety, impulse control issues, and suicidal behavior. A slew of former NFL players have committed suicide in the past few years and their brains were found to have CTE.

Beautiful Brady

While so many love the amazing story of Bradys greatest of all-time title and marvel at his longevity built of his dedication to physical performance, luck, genetics, and kale salads, the reality is none of those things can protect his brain from the impact of years of missed blocks or blindside corner blitzes.

The collective failure of those missed blocks and defensive scheming of opponents may not have stopped the Patriots from being the great team in NFL history, but they have taken their toll on jarring the brain of Brady no less than any other player. The reality is that the longer he plays, the more his brain is impacted.

His longevity is now working against his future the statistics prove it. The list of NFL players who were found to have CTE is long and depressingly catastrophic. The Patriots alone can claim Junior Seau, Most Tatupu, and Kevin Turner -- all tested after death and all suffered from CTE. Seau killed himself at age 43, Tatupu was 54 at the time of his death, and Turner died of ALS believed to be linked to CTE at the age of 46.

Deviant Behavior

Gladwell ends the article with a passage from Dogmen and Dogfights, an academic analysis of deviant behavior by Rhonda Evans and Craig Forsyth about those involved with dogfighting.

The authors write:

When one views a staged dog fight between pit bulls for the first time, the most macabre aspect of the event is that the only sounds you hear from these dogs are those of crunching bones and cartilage. The dogs rip and tear at each other; their blood, urine and saliva splatter the sides of the pit and clothes of the handlers. . . . The emotions of the dogs are conspicuous, but not so striking, even to themselves, are the passions of the owners of the dogs. Whether they hug a winner or in the rare case, destroy a dying loser, whether they walk away from the carcass or lay crying over it, their fondness for these fighters is manifest."

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EDITORIAL: 99%, My Life Sucks, Dogfighting, and Brady's Brain - GoLocalProv

Ever since I was a kid, I was always curious about the secrets to longevity and what made people live to 100. I mean, 100 is kind of a random number, but triple digits?! Thats pretty amazing there must be some kind of secret. Seeing as you usually hear that peoples grandparents die in their 70s or 80s I was totally intrigued by these long-lived peeps.

My great grandma, who I knew until I was about 10 years old, lived to her later 90s, 97 or 98 and I was still hanging out with her at that age talking about life. Unfortunately since I was so young, the only thing I remember was how creepy she was. She was really small. Really thin. And really veiny.

Anyway, as I got older I became more interested in longevity not because I actually wanted to live to 120, but because the kinds of people that live to 120 are the ones who usually enjoy an unprecedented quality of life throughout their lives.

The people who take good enough care of themselves to live to that ripe, old age, also suffer from a fraction (or none) of the health problems that plague the majority of people today.

Interestingly enough, as I researched the secrets to their longevity I found much of the same advice, over and over.

You can find that advice below.

Exclusive Bonus: Download this bonus guidethat tells the story of how a Chinese herbalist lived to 200+ and his 4 pieces of advice.

Based on her Wikipedia entry, at age 85, she took up fencing and continued to ride her bicycle up until her 100th birthday. She was reportedly neither athletic, nor fanatical about her health.

Calment lived on her own until shortly before her 110th birthday, when it was decided that she needed to be moved to a nursing home after a cooking accident (she was having complications with sight) started a small fire in her house.

Calment smoked from the age of 21 to 117, though according to an unspecified source, she smoked no more than two cigarettes per day. (Damn babygirl you smoked for 100 years?!)

Calment ascribed her longevity and relatively youthful appearance for her age to olive oil, which she said she poured on all her food and rubbed onto her skin, as well as a diet of port wine, and ate nearly one kilogram (2.2lb) of chocolate every week.

Not a bad life, eh? Smoke, drink and eat chocolate.

Based on biographical information via Wikipedia:

Her only child, Kathryn Knauss Sullivan, who was 96 at the time of Sarahs death and lived to be 101 herself, once explained Knauss longevity by saying: Shes a very tranquil person and nothing fazes her. Thats why shes living this long.

On his 115th birthday Mortensen gave his advice for a long life: Friends, a good cigar, drinking lots of good water, no alcohol, staying positive and lots of singing will keep you alive for a long time.

He credited his longevity to funche, a boiled corn, codfish and milk cream-like dish, which he ate every day as a habit. Mercado also claimed that his sense of humor was probably responsible for his long life, and he would tell jokes and humorous anecdotes almost to the end of his days.

He would not elaborate on details of his love life, but would humorously hint about them: in one of the many interviews he gave to Puerto Rican media, Mercado claimed to have been at the dancing club (a euphemism for a bordello) owned by Isabel la Negra the day she was assassinated.

He was 82 years old at the time and reportedly hid under a table when Oppenheimers killers started firing gunshots. Asked what he was doing there, he said: praying or at least I was when the bullets started flying!

Mind your own business and dont eat junk food. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated, work hard and love what you do.

Laughter keeps you healthy. You can survive by seeing the humor in everything. Thumb your nose at sadness; turn the tables on tragedy. You cant laugh and be angry, you cant laugh and feel sad, you cant laugh and feel envious.

Do the right thing, dont smoke, dont drink, eat right and dont overdo it. If you need a little extra help, take some vitamins. Going to work is what keeps me going.

Look inside your soul and nd your tools. We all have tools and have to live with the help of them. I have two tools, my words and my images. I used my typewriter, computer and my cameras to ght injustice. Whenever I see a possibility of helping people who are in danger, I want to help them.

Eat right and do what you love. Whatever you love to do is play; doing what you dont like to do is work. I have never worked a day in my life!

Have a good appetite, lots of friends, and keep busy.

Stay active even at 100. Eat in a balanced way Dont stay mad at anythingyou have to get used to the losses, otherwise you cant win. Lastly, stay close with your family, they keep you thinking.

Have a good wife, two scotches a night, and be easy-going.

It is very important to have a widespread curiosity about life.

Take it easy, enjoy life, what will be will be. Sleep well, have a Baileys Irish Cream before bed if you have a coldyou will wake up ne the next morning.

Dont smoke, dont drink, and dont retire!

Take one day at a time and go along with the tide.

Keep busy! Do things that youve never done before.

Dont ght the day, just let it be. Get up and be positive. Avoid any and all drama; I dont get involved with silly minutiae or difcult personalities; people respect me for that.

Be good, dont complain, just get up and do. Keep on working, keep on going, and have a good time.

Get involved. Youll nd pleasure and sometimes disappointment but there is a sense of achievement if you participate in a successful undertaking, whether it is organizational or professional. Work hard, it will pay off.

Whatever is hard, you make hard, but if you take it as it comes, it doesnt come hard. Dont worry, dont want so much, and be satisfied with what youve got. Be willing to share with your friends and those less fortunate.

You must keep active or you will just wither away. Always be involved in some activity.

You have to make the best out of your life and have a good attitude.

When you live for God, talk to him, go to church, have nice people around you; that is the best medicine. God provides for you. Sometimes you dont know when it is coming, but it is coming.

Try to understand the kind of person you are and accept who you are; but if you want to improve your situation, change it. Keep your eye on the stars and try to succeed at what you want to do.

For a long, healthy life, you need a plan and a purpose. It could be family, writing a book, becoming president. Without a purpose, plan or objective, what do you need?

Never run out of responsibility; if you dont have one, nd one. Find a cause and knock yourself out for it. It will enhance your brainpower, interest in life, and keep you alive longer. Im alert because I work. Virtue is its own reward.

My longevity is attributed to my long happy marriage. We did everything together. She was perfect in my eyes.

You know whats cool?

There are definitely a few things repeated over and over.

I went back through the list and wrote down the top 5 things that appeared the most frequently. Do you know what they were?

The most commonly cited things:

[See Also: A 256 Year Old Man Reveals His 4 Secrets to His Longevity]

I think that many of us intuitively know some of the things that contribute to a long life, like relaxing and enjoying life, keeping your mind busy, and obviously eating right and exercising.

One of the craziest things Ive come across in the past few years is that some people have willed themselves to death. In extreme survival situations, people have been found in safe, secure places, with food and water, who simply gave up. Sometimes there was a journal, but other times these people had no verifiable medical reason for their death. They just didnt want to fight.

The external is seriously overrated in our society people seem to neglect the power of the mind to make a person happy or miserable, successful or unsuccessful, lazy or driven.

The oldest woman in the world smoked every day for almost 100 years. Was she lucky? Maybe.

But listen to all of these people talk they just freaking love life. A good cigar, a glass of wine, some chocolate, and good friends. Theyre living the good life no wonder they want to go on living.

So what about you? Do you know anyone who lived to a ripe-old age? What do you think contributed to it?

Yes, Im pretty biased since Im the author of the book.

But it was an instant #1 Amazon bestseller in the health category, and heres why.

Its not about diets.

Its not about stupid eating less and moving more advice.

Its not about willpower, discipline and grinding it out.

It all comes down to habits just a few in particular.

I cover all of them in my bookMaster The Day: Eat, Move and Live Better With The Power of Tiny Habits.

Check it out on Amazon here.

There are over 55 5-star reviews now. What are you waiting for?

Alex

***

Sources: Some adapted from the book Extraordinary Centenarians in America.

Other quotes were compiled from interviews listed in Wikipedia.

Images: Indian Man, Countryside, Empire State Building, Puzzle, Bridge, Sunset, Ice & Sunset, Green Vegetable, Desert

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23 People That Lived to 100 Spill Their Secrets of Longevity

Researchers have identified the largest-ever number of genetic markers most of which are brand new to science that are linked to life expectancy.

A research team based in Switzerland has pinpointed a massive haul of genetic markers. It is the largest group of such genetic markers ever identified. The vast majority of them are new to science. They are directly tied to the life expectancy of human beings. All but two of these SNPs are brand new to science. The research was made possible thanks to the support of the Swiss Initiative in Systems Biology. The findings were recently published in Nature Communications.

The Genome's Role

The length of an individual's life is predominantly determined by his environment. As an example, the place one resides, his level of wealth, dietary intake and whether he smokes all play major roles in how long he will live. Yet between one-quarter and one-third of variations in life expectancy arelikely determined by the genome.

About the Discovery

Scientists think variations at certain locations along DNA sequences, referred to as nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), provide clues about the genetic aspect of lifespan. Yet only two of these markers have been identified. The Swiss research team comprised of experts from Switzerland's Institute for Bioinformatics, the University of Lausanne, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne and the Lausanne University Hospital have utilized an innovative computational means of pinpointing a remarkable 16 SNPs tied to lifespan. It is the largest group of genetic markers associated with lifespan ever discovered.

How the Discovery was Made

The Swiss research team studied a data set comprised of more than 116,000 people derived from a United Kingdom Biobank study. They analyzed about 2.3 million SNPs. Priority was given to DNA variations known to be associated with sickness tied to age in order to scan the genome in a highly effective manner. The research determined one in ten individuals carries a configuration of these newly identified markers that can decrease lifespan by more than a year versus the population at large.

The majority of the newly identified SNPs were linked to several different risk factors or diseases like a predisposition to develop schizophrenia or the likelihood of developing a drug addiction. It is clear that it is not as simple as pinpointing places along DNA molecules that code for a distinct lifespan. The research performed by the Swiss scientists approached the links between longevity and genetics in more of a holistic manner.

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16 Genetic Markers Linked to Lifespan | Worldhealth.net Anti-Aging ... - Anti Aging News

Just as smaller animals of a given species generally live longer than their larger cousins, one might expect that taller humans are genetically programmed to sacrifice longevity for height.

But its not that simple.

A major multinational study of 841 men and women from across four populations found lower levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in men living to age 100 and yet most of them were taller than men in the younger control group.

The apparent explanation for this head-scratcher is that some long-lived men and only men have a genetic mutation that makes their growth hormone receptors more sensitive to the effects of the hormone. The cells absorb less growth hormone, yet protein expression is increased by several times.

This mutation seems to be responsible for their ability to live about 10 years longer than the control group of 70-year-old men without the mutation, even though they have a lower amount of growth hormone and are about 3 centimeters (1.18 inches) taller.

The lead author of the study is Prof. Gil Atzmon of Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and head of the Laboratory of Genetics and Epigenetics of Aging and Longevity at the University of Haifa. Since 2001, Atzmon has been studying the human genome and its impact on aging and longevity.

Longevity genes

The researchers working with Atzmon looked at four elderly populations: 567 Ashkenazi Jews in the Longevity Genes Project at Einstein, 152 from a study of Amish centenarians, and the rest from an American cardiovascular health study and a French longevity study.

In 2008, the Longevity Genes Project found a genetic mutation in the IGF-1 receptor of some women, though its not the same as the one affecting mens lifespan.

We knew in the past that genetic pathways associated with growth hormone were also associated with longevity and now we have found a specific mutation whose presence or absence is directly related to it, said Atzmon.

This study makes it an established fact that there is a relationship between the function of the growth hormone and longevity. Our current goal is to fully understand the mechanism of the mutation we found to express it, so that we can allow longevity while maintaining quality of life, he added.

The 16 researchers involved the study, published June 16 in Science Advances, are associated with institutions in Israel and France as well as the US states of New York, Maryland, California, Vermont, Massachusetts and Washington.

Clue to longer life

While more research is needed to understand why the receptor mutation affects longevity and why it happens only in men, the study suggests that making a slight change in this specific piece of DNA could possibly make people live longer.

Although the presence of the mutation almost certainly ensured longevity, Atzmon stressed that many other factors affect longevity and that many men without the mutation also live to 100 and older.

Atzmon is one of the principal researchers in the Longevity Genes Project at Einstein along with Israeli endocrinology specialist Dr. Nir Barzilai.

Their groundbreaking 10-year study of healthy Ashkenazi Jews between the ages of 95 and 112 and their children attempted to understand why humans dont all age at the same rate, and why only one in 10,000 individuals lives to 100.

The centenarians were found to have genetic protective factors (longevity genes) that overcame factors such as diet and lifestyle.

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Mutation explains why some men live to 100 - ISRAEL21c

Jacques Laplante andDavid Riendeau

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The secret of the longevity of centenarians? A combination of genetics, healthy living and unshakable confidence in itself, said Dr. Judes Poirier, to whom we owe the book Young and centenary.

The book of popular science explains the mechanisms of human ageing through the phenomenon of centenarians, always more numerous in our society.

For 15 years, a colleague has sought to know the secret of longevity of several century-old French. The answers were very varied. One swore by a glass of red daily, while for the other, it was his spoonful of honey, says Judes Poirier, director of research at the Institute of mental health Douglas.

Archival Photo Chantal Poirier

Dr. Judes Poirier has explored the factors that contribute to the longevity of centenarians

However, all claimed to have worked for all their lives and get a great pride.

The same exercise has been done, this time with their children and grandchildren.

They held that the centenarians were people decidedly positive, determined and confident in their abilities. They lived fully in the moment, and remain constantly active.

The same explanations of regularity, temperance, and work come back in most of the major studies on centenarians conducted in various countries, notes Dr. Poirier.

A complex issue

The causes responsible for the aging are multiple and it is possible to age beautifully, emphasizes the scientist, citing by example the benefits of physical activity.

The exercise by itself does not prolong the life of the human. However, it improves the quality of life of the past few years. The goal is to mitigate the risk of emerging chronic diseases such as obesity and diabetes.

Young hundred-year-old also addressed the issue of blue zones, these areas of the world where the life expectancy of their inhabitants is superior to the rest of the world.

If they have the same genes, their mode of life is different, observes Judes Poirier, who has compiled some general trends in their habits, such as having life goals clear and to live a long time with their family.

Six tips for aging well

Number of centenary over time

In 2061, it is estimated that there will be nearly 34 000 centenarians in Quebec.

Source : Institut de la statistique du Qubec

Irene Richard, 106 years

Photo Pierre-Paul Poulin

The life of Irene, Richard, 106 years, can be summed up in two words : hard work. Click here to read more

Geraldine Crevier, 100 years

Photo Chantal Poirier

When asked, Geraldine Crevier, 100 years old, replied that there was no secret to his longevity, especially as she smoked until the age of 50 years. Curious by nature, this is perhaps not his thirst for learning that keeps it alive, but it is certainly making his old days as interesting. Click here to read more

Winnifred Rees, 100 years

Photo Marc QMI Agency, Desrosiers

My secret is prayer and the Bible. I believe in the power of God, says Winnifred Rees, who will soon be 101 years old. Click here to read more

Joacquina Lalande, 106 years

Photo Chantal Poirier

From the top of its 106 years, Joacquina Lalande refuses to impose. The only daughter of a family of seven children, she has always been a go-getter who wasnt afraid of hard work. Click here to read more

Sarah Patenaude, 110 years

Photo Agence QMI, Marc Desrosiers

According to Sarah Patenaude, to live well, it takes work, but do not lay claim to. It is necessary to take a vacation, eat fruit and meat and well practice his or her religion, whatever it may be. Anyway, there is some good in all religions, she said. Click here to read more

Gisele Bright, 101 years

Photo Ben Pelosse

If several of the centenarians attribute their longevity to a trick or a secret of any kind, such as a healthy life, away from tobacco and alcohol, this is not the case of Gisle Brilliant, which celebrated its 101 years in may. Click here to read more

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The answer to how long each of us will live is partly encoded in our genome. Researchers have identified 16 genetic markers associated with a decreased lifespan, including 14 new to science. This is the largest set of markers of lifespan uncovered to date. About 10 percent of the population carries some configurations of these markers that shorten their life by over a year compared with the population average. Spearheaded by scientists from the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, the Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), the University of Lausanne and the EPFL, the study provides a powerful computational framework to uncover the genetics of our time of death, and ultimately of any disease. The study is published today in Nature Communications.

Why do some of us live longer than others? While the environment in which we live including our socio-economic status or the food we eat plays the biggest part, about 20 to 30 percent of the variation in human lifespan comes down to our genome. Changes in particular locations in our DNA sequence, such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), could therefore hold some of the keys to our longevity.

"Until now, the most comprehensive studies had found only two hits in the genome," points out Prof. Zoltn Kutalik, Group Leader at SIB and assistant professor at the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (CHUV).

In a new study, a team of scientists, led by Kutalik, has used an innovative computational approach to analyse a dataset of 116,279 individuals and probe 2.3 million human SNPs.

An unparalleled number of SNPs associated with lifespan (16) were uncovered, including 14 new to science. "In our approach, we prioritized changes in the DNA known to be linked to age-related diseases in order to scan the genome more efficiently," says Kutalik. "This is the largest set of lifespan-associated genetic markers ever uncovered."

About 1 in 10 people carry some configurations of these markers that shorten their life by over a year compared with the population average. In addition, a person inheriting a lifespan-shortening version of one of these SNPs may die up to seven months earlier.

The approach also enabled the researchers to explore how the DNA changes affected lifespan in a holistic way. They found that most SNPs had an effect on lifespan by impacting more than a single disease or risk factor, for example through being more addicted to smoking as well as through being predisposed to schizophrenia.

The discovered SNPs, combined with gene expression data, allowed the researchers to identify that lower brain expression of three genes neighbouring the SNPs (RBM6, SULT1A1 and CHRNA5, involved in nicotine dependence) was causally linked to increased lifespan.

These three genes could therefore act as biomarkers of longevity, i.e. survival beyond 85-100 years. "To support this hypothesis, we have shown that mice with a lower brain expression level of RBM6 lived substantially longer," comments Prof. Johan Auwerx, professor at the EPFL.

"Interestingly, the gene expression impact of some of these SNPs in humans is analogous to the consequence of a low-calorie diet in mice, which is known to have positive effects on lifespan," adds Prof. Marc Robinson-Rechavi, SIB Group Leader and professor at the University of Lausanne.

"Our findings reveal shared molecular mechanisms between human and model organisms, which will be explored in more depth in the future," concludes Prof. Bart Deplancke, SIB Group Leader and professor at the EPFL.

This study, which is a part of the AgingX Project supported by SystemsX.ch (the Swiss Initiative in Systems Biology), therefore brings us a step closer to grasping the mechanisms of human aging and longevity. It also proposes an innovative computational framework to improve the power of genomewide investigations of diseases more generally. As such, the framework could have promising applications in the field of personalized medicine.

Explore further: Study shows smoking doesn't always mean a shortened life span or cancer

More information: Aaron F. McDaid et al. Bayesian association scan reveals loci associated with human lifespan and linked biomarkers, Nature Communications (2017). DOI: 10.1038/NCOMMS15842

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The 16 genetic markers that can cut a life story short - Medical Xpress - Medical Xpress

Sketchy stem cell "cures" infiltrate trial database

Stem cell clinics offering unapproved treatments for ailments from hip pains to erectile dysfunction increasingly use a federal clinical-trials database as a marketing tool a strategy that confuses patients and exposes them to "unjustifiable" safety risks and costs, according to a new study.

At least 18 purported clinical trials all of which involve unregulated therapies and require patients to pay to enroll are listed on ClinicalTrials.gov, the comprehensive registry for public and private clinical trials that is run by the National Institutes of Health, according to the journal Regenerative Medicine.

Leigh Turner, who authored the study and is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota's Center for Bioethics and School of Public Health, said NIH should use much tougher screening tools to exclude from its database unapproved treatments.

"Do we really want ClinicalTrials.gov to be 'caveat emptor,' where no one is paying attention to the substance of studies being listed?" said Turner. "A lot of these studies are just marketing pitches designed to appeal to people with COPD, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease."

Most legitimate trials do not charge patients, though they might face incidental costs such as travel.

Laurie Mcginley, The Washington Post

Canadian study find a sugar spike after NAFTA

The North American Free Trade Agreement may have dramatically changed the Canadian diet by boosting consumption of high-fructose corn syrup, a new study suggests.

That boost arrested a years-long decline in total sugar consumption. And it shifted Canadians away from liquid sweeteners such as maltose and molasses toward high-fructose corn syrup, a sweetener that has been linked to the obesity epidemic.

The peer-reviewed study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found that as tariffs on high-fructose corn syrup dropped over a four-year period, consumption grew: from 21.2 calories of corn syrup per day in 1994, to 62.9 calories per day by 1998.

NAFTA may thus have contributed to growing obesity and diabetes rates over that time, its authors say.

"There are free-trade deals being negotiated all over the world, and NAFTA has been used as a blueprint for many of them," said Pepita Barlow, a doctoral student at Oxford University and the lead researcher on the paper. "In some ways, this is an opportunity to think about who benefits from these deals, and who loses and how we can craft them to better promote health and wellness."

Caitlin Dewey, The Washington Post

The smarter the kid, the longer the life?

Intelligent children tend to live longer than their less gifted peers, a new study suggests.

Scottish researchers began their study with 75,252 men and women born in 1936 94 percent of the Scottish population born that year who had taken standardized intelligence tests in 1947. By 2015, they were able to confirm a cause of death for 25,979 of them; 30,464 were still living in Britain.

After controlling for many health, socioeconomic and behavioral characteristics, they found that lower scores on the childhood intelligence test were associated with death from heart disease, stroke, respiratory disease, lung cancer and stomach cancer. All of these diseases are highly associated with smoking, and smoking did partially explain the association with mortality. But even after controlling for smoking, the link to lower scores on the intelligence test did not disappear.

The study, in BMJ, found no association of lower intelligence with cancers not related to smoking or with suicide, but there was a strong association with death by accidental injury.

The reasons for the link are far from clear. We dont know yet why intelligence from childhood and longevity are related, and we are keeping an open mind, said the senior author, Ian J. Deary, a professor of differential psychology at the University of Edinburgh. Lifestyles, education, deprivation and genetics may all play a part.

Nicholas Bakalar, The New York Times

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Health Shorts: Stem cell 'cures,' Sugar spike, Longevity - Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Geneva : A Swiss-led team conducting research on life expectancy said on Thursday it had identified the largest-ever number of genetic markers that are almost entirely new to science.

The answer to how long each person will live is partly encoded in their genomes or their genetic material, Xinhua quoted the researchers as saying, who published the findings in journal Nature Communication.

The study was led by scientists from the Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), the University of Lausanne and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL). The study used advanced computer capabilities to uncover the genetics of our time of death and ultimately of any disease.

During the research, the scientists identified 16 genetic markers associated with a decreased lifespan, including 14 that are new to science.

"This is the largest set of markers of lifespan uncovered to date," said the SIB in the statement.While the environment in which we live, including our socio-economic status or the food we eat, plays the biggest part in explaining longevity, about 20 to 30 per cent of the variation in human lifespan comes down to genomes.

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The Hindu

Study probes Greenland sharks' secret to long life - NATIONAL - The ... The Hindu Greenland sharks, the longest living vertebrates on Earth, which live for up to 400 years, could hold the secret to long life, geneticists mapping their DNA say. and more »

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Reaching immortality is still in the realm of science fiction. But using clues from our genes, scientists are one step closer to understanding why some of us live to be centenarians while others don't.

Using a specific set of genetic markers, scientists predicted with 77-percent accuracy whether someone would live to a very old age.

The findings do not mean that lifestyle factors, such as healthy diet and exercise, are not important for long life. Indeed, 23 percent of the time the genetic markers didn't predict longevity. So those long-lifers without the centenarian genes might have practiced healthy habits that allowed them to lead a longer life. [Learn more facts about centenarians]

But they do suggest our genes play an important role when it comes to living well past the average lifespan. With more research, one day people might be able to determine whether they have the genetic potential to become a centenarian.

Additionally, learning more about how centenarians ward off diseases, including dementia, heart disease and cancer, well into their elder years, might help the rest of us delay disease.

"I'm very hopeful that understanding how and why centenarians are able to do that will lead to strategies and therapies, including screening and figuring out who could be helped by whatever therapies [there] are down the road," study researcher Tom Perls, of Boston University School of Medicine, said in a press briefing Wednesday about the study.

The results will be published this week in an early online edition of the journal Science.

Longevity genetics

The researchers compared the genomes of 1,055 centenarians (average age of 103) with those of non-centenarian controls.

They identified differences in the genetic code, known as genetic variants or markers, that were common in centenarians but not in the average population.

Using a computer model, they found 150 of these markers could predict 77 percent of the time whether a person lived into their late 90s and beyond.

Additionally, they saw 90 percent of the centenarians could be categorized into one of 19 groups based on which genetic variants they had. In other words, each group had a distinguishing "genetic signature" made up of certain genetic markers.

Differences in these genetic signatures may relate to differences in the way extreme longevity manifests itself. For instance, some genetic signatures were associated with extremely old age (living 110 years or more), while others were associated with a late onset of diseases such as dementia.

So can someone live to old age without these markers? Perhaps. About 30 of the centenarians had almost none of the longevity associated markers. In these cases, extreme old age might be influenced by other markers that have yet to be identified, or by the subject's lifestyle.

The researchers were also curious if centenarians had fewer markers that are known to be linked with diseases. However, in this respect, they found little difference between the centenarians and the control group.

This might mean that centenarians owe their exceptional lifespan not to less "bad genes," but to the presence of "good genes" that override the harmful ones.

This results suggests "that what makes people live very long lives is not a lack of genetic predisposition to diseases, but rather an arrangement of longevity associated variants that may be protective, it may even cancel the negative effect of disease-associated variants," said study researcher Paola Sebastiani, of Boston University School of Public Health, who also spoke at the briefing.

Future outlook

The researchers caution that before a genetic test for longevity is developed, scientists need to have a better understanding of what kind of effect the information could have on society, such as in the context of health care.

They hope the study spurs additional research into these genetic markers and how they might biologically contribute to longevity.

"I think that we're quite a ways away still in understanding what pathways governed by these genes are involved, and how the interaction of these genes, not just with themselves, but with environmental factors, are all playing a role in this longevity puzzle," Perls said.

The study was funded by grants from the National Institute of Aging (NIA) and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

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Longevity Genes Predict Whether You'll Live Past 100

In BriefResearchers have identified a single gene deletion in E. colibacteria that influence longevity in C. elegans worms. This pointsto the role of gut bacteria in life extension and points to thepossibility of a life-extending probiotic in the future.

Researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine have found the key to longevity in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) worms and maybe, someday, humans. The team noticed that genetically identical worms would occasionally live for much longer, and looked to their gut bacteria to find the answer. They discovered that a strain of E. coli with a single gene deletion might be the reason that its hosts lives were being significantly extended.

This study is one among a number of projects that focus on the influence of the microbiome the community of microbes which share the body of the host organism on longevity. Ultimately, the goal of this kind of research is to develop probiotics that could extend human life. Ive always studied the molecular genetics of aging, Meng Wang, one of the researchers who conducted the study, told The Atlantic. But before, we always looked at the host. This is my first attempt to understand the bacterias side.

Even in cases like this, where it seems fairly obvious that the microbiome is influencing longevity, parsing out the details of how and why this happens among a tremendous variety of chemicals and microbe species is extremely complex. The team, in this case, was successful because they simplified the question and focused on a single relationship.

Genetically engineering bacteria to support and improve human health and even to slow aging and turning it into a usable, life-extending probiotic wont be easy. It is extremely difficult to make bacteria colonize the gut in a stable manner, which is a primary challenge in this field. The team, in this case, is looking to the microbiome, because the organisms used would be relatively safe to use because they would originate in the gut.

Clearly, researchers dont know yet whether these discoveries will be able to be applied to people, though it seems promising. Despite the obvious differences between the tiny C. elegans worm and us, its biology is surprisingly similar; many treatments that work well in mice and primates also work in the worm. The team will begin experiments along these same lines with mice soon.

Other interesting and recent research hoping to stop or slow the march of time includes work with induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, antioxidants that target the mitochondria, and even somewhat strangework with cord blood. It seems very likely that we wont have a single solution offering immortality anytime soon, but instead a range of treatment options that help to incrementally hold back time. And, with an improving quality of life, this kind of life extension sounds promising.

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This Study Could Help Extend the Human Lifespan - Futurism

The Hindu

Sharks could hold genetic secret to long life: Study The Hindu The genetic sequences helped the researchers understand whether the Greenland shark has evolved specific metabolic adaptations towards extreme longevity. They are now attempting to find the genes that hold the secret to why the sharks live so long.

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Sharks could hold genetic secret to long life: Study - The Hindu

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A healthy lifestyle is essential to achieving optimal wellbeing and longevity. This infographic, "11 Basic Guidelines for General Health and Longevity," gives you useful tips to help you live a long and healthy life. Use the embed code to share it on your website or visit our infographic page for the high-res version.

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When it comes to health and longevity, there is no quick fix and no fountain of youth that will help you become healthy overnight. Being fit and healthy in order to reach a ripe old age takes effort and attention this is something that I repeatedly tell my readers.

But here's the good news: there are a few simple lifestyle changes you can make to improve not only the quantity, but also the quality of your years. These changes are pretty basic, but can have a profound effect on your overall health once implemented.

One of the most basic health principles (and, sadly, the one people most often ignore) is eating a diet of whole, nutritious foods rather than unhealthy processed foods. Keep in mind that processed and junk foods are loaded with grains, sugar, and unhealthy calories that increase your insulin levels, which not only accelerates the aging process but also increases your risk of obesity and chronic disease.

I also highly advise against consuming genetically engineered (GE) foods. Not only are GE foods less nutritious than organically-grown foods, but they also pose many health risks. In fact, most processed foods today contain GE ingredients regardless of the fact that these GE components have not undergone long-term safety studies.

The best diet I would recommend for optimal health and longevity is one that's focused on whole, unprocessed foods preferably organic vegetables, grass-fed meats, raw dairy, and nuts acquired from healthy, sustainable, local sources. I also recommend consuming a good portion of your food raw, as well as adding naturally fermented foods to meals.

By implementing these basic diet changes, you can make a big leap toward longevity and optimal health.

For more useful tips in healthy eating, I advise you to follow the Mercola Nutrition Plan, which will guide you in choosing the right foods that will suit your unique biological makeup. The Mercola Nutrition Plan addresses your unique biochemical needs based on your specific genetics, allowing you to cure your health problems at the foundational level and giving you a more permanent solution for regaining your health.

Equally important to consuming a healthy diet is being physically active. According to studies, people who are sedentary are found to have a shorter lifespan. In fact, one study shows that reducing the average time you spend sitting down to less than three hours a day may increase your life expectancy by two years, and reducing the time you spend watching TV to less than two hours a day could increase it by 1.4 years.

I understand how difficult it is to avoid sitting down for prolonged periods, as computer work is very predominant today. Even I am guilty of spending a significant portion of my day sitting down. But to make up for it, I make sure that I get enough exercise daily. I also take frequent breaks every hour to stand up at my desk. I highly recommend Foundation Exercises, developed by chiropractor Dr. Eric Goodman, as well as short-burst high-intensity exercises, like Peak Fitness. You can read more about these techniques by subscribing to the Mercola daily newsletter.

Exercise also has some anti-aging effects, as proven by many studies. One study published in the American Journal of Physiology says that exercise triggers mitochondrial biogenesis, a decline of which is common in aging. This means that exercise can reverse significant age-associated declines in mitochondrial mass and, in effect, stop aging in its tracks.

Keep in mind that modifying your diet and exercising are not the only important factors of health and longevity. There are many other things that you need to implement to ensure that you will be optimally healthy.

I have created this infographic, 11 Basic Guidelines for General Health and Longevity, to summarize all the components that need to be addressed if you want to live a long and healthy life. Here, you will learn:

These guidelines form the basic tenets of optimal health. They are tried-and-tested foundational strategies that will not change, no matter what improvements modern science comes up with.

I urge you to follow these tips to significantly decrease your likelihood of disease and premature aging. Use these as the foundation of your overall wellness plan, and you will surely succeed in improving your health.

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11 Basic Guidelines for General Health and Longevity ...

Photo Credit: Free image from Pixaboy

Researchers have found a mutation in the gene for the growth hormone receptor that promotes longevity, increasing mens lifespan by an average of 10 years. This finding emerged from a new study led by Prof. Gil Atzmon of the University of Haifa. We were aware before that variants involved with genetic paths related to the growth hormone are also associated with longevity. Now we have found a specific variant whose presence or absence is directly connected to it, Prof. Atzmon explains.

Prof. Atzmon, head of the Laboratory of Genetics and Epigenetics of Aging and Longevity at the University of Haifa, and other colleagues at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have already found that dysfunction in the biological paths associated with the growth hormone and with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) contribute to longevity. Until now, however, these paths were tested in the laboratory, and few mechanism responsible for this process had been identified in the human body.

In the present study, published in the journal Science Advances from the Science group, the researchers identified for the first time a genetic variation that modify the growth hormone function and encourages longevity in men. The initial research population (established by Professor Nir Barzilai at Einstein) comprised 102 American male Jews at the age of 100. The results were then compared with three additional populations of people at the age of 100 from around the world.

In all the groups, the deletion of exon 3 from the growth hormone receptor gene was found to be significantly more common among men (and not women) at the age of 100, compared to the control group of 70-year-olds. On average, people born with this variation lived ten years longer than those without it. According to Prof. Atzmon, this variation is certainly not the only reason for longevity, and many of the participants in the study survived beyond the age of 100 without this variation. However, the presence of the variant ensured longevity with virtual certainty.

The examination of the action of the variation showed that it has an unusual impact. In nature, lower strains of the same species usually live longer. For example, ponies live longer than horses, smaller breeds of dogs live longer than larger ones, and the same phenomenon is found among various rodents and insects. In this case, the variation in the receptor allowed the cells to absorb less growth hormone, however, when the hormone absorbed the protein expression was several times higher. The result: people born with the mutation who lived for around ten years more than others were also approximately 3 cm taller than those born without the receptor.

This study nicely wraps up the connection between growth hormone function and longevity. Our goal now is really to understand the mechanism of the variation we found, so that we can implement it and enable longevity while maintaining quality of life, Prof. Atzmon concluded.

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Haifa U Researchers Find Genetic Mutation that Encourages Longevity in Men - The Jewish Press - JewishPress.com

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Last October, scientists made a splash when they determined that on average, people can only live for about 115 years . That was the magic age at which the human body and brain just petered out; it wasnt designed to chug along much longer than that, they said.

That conclusion, published in the journal Nature , sparked hot debate among longevity researchers. Some felt the results vindicated what they felt to be the case, while others took issue with pinpointing a limitand such a specific one, at that.

Now, in the new issue of Nature , the editors invited scientists who criticized the original authors methods to lay out their arguments for why there isn't necessarily a limit to human aging. In the five resulting critiques, researchers tease apart the original authors methods, noting that they made assumptions that weren't warranted and overreached in their conclusions. (The researchers who concluded that human lifespan maxes out at 115 years stand by their findings, and they responded to each of the current authors criticisms.)

The new papers dont argue that human lifespan is limitless. But they note that its premature to accept that a maximum lifespan for humans exists. Its equally possible, they say, that humans will continue to live longer, and therefore might survive beyond 115 years. It was reasonable that when everybody lived to 50 that the very long lived, for whatever reasongenetics or luckwould make it to 80," says Siegfried Hekimi, professor of genetics at McGill University in Canada and one of the authors of a criticism. "If people live on average to 80 or 90, like they do now, then the very long lived make it to 110 or 120. So if the average lifespan keeps expanding, that would mean the long-lived would live even longer, beyond 115 years."

Overall, trends in longevity have been going up, and average lifespan has inched upward since even the 1990s. Back then, life expectancy in the U.S. was just around 50 years, while babies born today live to about 79 years on average. In any given year, however, if you look at the longest-lived, or the age at which the oldest person died, there may be considerable variation. There may be several years in which the maximum lifespan drops a bit, and other years in which it jumps.

MORE: How Silicon Valley Is Trying to Hack Its Way Into a Longer Life

The maximum lifespan in a population varies so much year to year that if you take the wrong snapshot of dataas Hekimi contends the original authors didit may look like there is a flattening of the age at which the longest lived die. If you throw a die several times every year that represents maximum lifespan, by chance alone you will see a lot of spread," he says. "Sometimes it will be low, sometimes it will be high.

For example, in coming up with the maximum lifespan of 115 years, the original papers researchers divided their population data into two groups: from 1968 to 1994 and 1995 to 2006. They determined that maximum lifespan peaked in the first era and started to plateau in the next. However, that coincides with the years in which Jeanne Calment, the oldest-lived human, was alive. She passed away in 1997 at age 122, so the plateau in maximum lifespan that the original researchers saw could be wholly attributed to her, Hekimi says. He and the other authors argue that the conclusion that human lifespan stops at 115 years was based on misinterpreting the data by seeing a plateau at 115 years where there was none.

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There's No Known Limit To How Long Humans Can Live | Time.com - TIME