All Posts
What Scares You More? Global Warming or Nuclear Winter?
Global warming and nuclear winter are two different, and in some ways contrasting, risks to the lives of the nearly 8 billion humans living on this planet. My last few posts have focused on what we can do individually to live healthier and longer lives (See 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), and I’ll get […]
Would Restricting Calories Improve Your Health? Would Fasting? Let’s See.
Do we benefit by restricting calories? As I’ve mentioned before (see here), scientists for years have known that a calorie-restricted diet, or simply eating less, improves the health and extends the lives of laboratory species ranging from yeast cells to primates. But what about you and me? If we limited our intake of calories, would […]
Healthful Effects From Resveratrol and Pterostilbene
In my last post, I described some of the healthful effects produced by resveratrol, a chemical found in grapes, blueberries, peanuts, and cocoa powder, among other food sources. Not surprisingly, it also is available in differing forms from numerous commercial sources. Resveratrol has a chemical cousin named pterostilbene, which I’ll mention below. Resveratrol seemingly is […]
Resveratrol, a Brief History, Pro and Con
Resveratrol is a highly touted compound that has multiple health benefits, but it also has characteristics that seem to limit its effectiveness. Here I offer a condensed account of this intriguing chemical. The story begins almost a century ago, with the discovery in1935, that calorie restriction can increase […]
Lost Weekend: Computer Catastrophe
I had planned to post another essay on longevity this weekend, adding to my most recent ones (see here, and here) but my computer was dithering over every word as its hard drive spun recklessly and out of control. So Saturday morning I took my old PC in to a national chain and had its data transferred to […]
Simple Reasons Why You Should Exercise
Centuries of human experience have shown beyond doubt that exercise is a powerful stimulus for better health (1). Exercise also builds more efficient muscles. Here we’ll discuss some simple reasons why you should exercise. I’ll keep it simple because that’s the level I understand. Most of you know this, but I’ll mention it […]
Does Exercise Improve Your Health? A Brief Review
First a personal question. Do you exercise regularly? I have a hunch some of you do, and some of you don’t. That’s fine. All are welcome here. Does exercise improve health? Lets see. Over twenty five centuries ago, a well-regarded physician observed “All parts of the body, if used in moderation and exercised […]
What is Autophagy? Should you care?
In my previous post (1), I highlighted a word I recently came across, autophagy, a word with plenty of air beneath its wings, a word I predict soon will become common in languages around the world. Why? Because autophagy is a vital biological process that, when defective, underlies the development of a myriad of […]
Methods to Preserve Your Health, and Extend Your Life
As I mentioned in an earlier post (1), most of us have the power (ignoring accidents and bad luck) to help preserve our health and extend our lives. How exactly can that be accomplished? Well, I’ve done some digging. (You never know what will happen when you send a 90-year-old brain to investigate a […]
Would you like to live for, say, 110 years?
Would you like to live for, say, 110 years? Does a long life appeal to you? Is it even possible to achieve? Seemingly so. Present-day science is oozing with promises to extend our lives. How would I answer my opening question? That depends. If I were able to survive for well over 100 years […]
