We cannot see them, but the tiny bugs inside our bodies are crucial to our long-term health.  The problem is, they're becoming extinct. Martin Blaser, MD and Dr. Gloria Dominguez-Bello are microbiologists from the Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine at Rutgers University in the US state of New Jersey. In the feature documentary, The Invisible Extinction, they investigate the impact antibiotics and other common medical practices have on our microbiome and gut health. Their...

Peter Allison and Peter Bowes – school friends 50 years ago, now contemplating the next chapter in life - return with another conversation about the latest science that could help us achieve a longer healthspan. In this episode: Optimum diet for longevity - a  new study suggests that focusing on consuming protective foods rather than avoiding damaging foods may lead to better health outcomes. And what can be done to improve our memories as we grow older? The latest longevity science...

Could red light therapy be used to help us sleep and help us relax more? In this second installment of our series exploring the technology behind the handheld red light device we discuss the significance of the circadian rhythm and our ability to release the hormone melatonin.  We also explore the longer-term implications for our energy levels during the day and healthspan. Dr. Zulia Frost is a medical doctor and clinical director at Recharge Health, creators of a targeted red-light device,...

Do we live longer if we live next to green spaces? And what can we learn about longevity from squishy creatures in the sea? Peter Allison and Peter Bowes - school friends in North East England 50 years ago - discuss the latest science that could help us achieve a longer healthspan. Topics covered in this conversation include: Peter A. shares his goals for the next 15 years, which include scuba diving and hiking.The goal of healthspan over lifespanA discussion of a study on the regrowth...

Photobiomodulation has long been a potent tool in the promotion of good health,  but now it is easier than ever to benefit from the healing power of light.  This is the first of four LLAMA podcast episodes exploring the benefits of red light therapy. Dr. Zulia Frost is a medical doctor and clinical director at Recharge Health, creators of a targeted red-light device, known as FlexBeam. Dr. Frost explains that the technology has many applications, including the treatment of sports injuries,...

How do we create tasty food that is not only satisfying but promotes good health? At the Swiss longevity-focussed medical spa, Clinique La Prairie (CLP), Chef David Alessandria caters for diners who want to nurture their healthspan while also enjoying a gourmet experience. CLP's SEEDS restaurant has a plant-based menu, serves modestly sized dishes and discourages alcohol and coffee consumption. Live Long and Master Aging host Peter Bowes recently spent a week at the clinic to meet the team...

By Peter Bowes Imagine reconnecting with an old school friend, reminiscing about the good old days, and discovering you share a deep interest in health and longevity? That's exactly what happened when I caught up with Peter Allison, my classmate from the 1970s. We took a trip down memory lane, discussing our school days  - the good, the bad and the ugly - including our knack for avoiding physical education by playing chess. Beyond the nostalgia, Peter and I explored how to optimize our...

Tuesdays with Morrie touched countless hearts and inspired millions around the world to try to live better lives. Now, almost three decades later, a new book, The Wisdom of Morrie, written by Morrie Schwartz and edited by his son, Rob, reintroduces us to the man whose wisdom and humanity left an indelible mark.  Morrie Schwartz was a writer and a professor of sociology. Late in life he developed Lou Gehrig's disease or ALS. Having seen Morrie on television, talking about his terminal illness,...

Imagine a future where you can support your body's aging process through nutrition, instead of pharmaceuticals. Chris Rinsch co-founded Amazentis, the Swiss life science company behind Timeline, to do just that. Timeline, as we have previously reported, supports mitochondrial function and muscle strength.  The essential ingredient is Mitopure, a synthetic, highly pure form of the gut metabolite urolithin A. At the LLAMA podcast, we have been been following Timeline's progress since before the...

Loneliness kills. Just like cigarettes. Social isolation is such a problem that it is shortening lives and US health officials have declared it to be an epidemic.  Earlier this month, the US Surgeon General Dr. Vivek H. Murthy said: "It is associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death.  We're publishing this interview on Memorial Day in the US - a public holiday which for many people is a day of socialization, family...

What is the most important thing in your life?   What is the most important thing in your life?  For most of us the answer is a no-brainer - it's our health and the wellbeing of our loved ones. It is a philosophy that Simone Gibertoni carries with him every day, in his role running Clinique La Prairie (CLP) in Montreux, Switzerland.  The medical spa has been nurturing the longevity of its clients and patients for more than ninety years, with science-based interventions to extend...

Professor Valter Longo, director of the Longevity Institute at the University of Southern California (USC), returns to the LLAMA podcast to discuss his pioneering work and fascination with "youth-span." Over the past 30 years Prof. Longo has published ground-breaking research focussing on the role nutrients play in aging and age-related diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. During this time the age-old practice of fasting has emerged as one of the most powerful interventions to promote good...

Researchers in Germany have found that a compound found in pomegranates may play a key role in fighting cancer.   Human trials are needed to establish whether findings seen in mice and test tubes also apply to people, but early results look promising.  Let's dive into the detail.  Pomegranates and other foods, such as nuts, contain ellagitannins. We use them to produce Urolithin A (UA) which is important for the health of our mitochondria, the energy centers of cells. Scientists say it also...

Starting a fitness journey is one of the most challenging things we can do.  There are obstacles, excuses and setbacks that many find overwhelming.  Shebah Carfagna, a single mother of an autistic child, knew she had to be strong to confront the challenges she faced - not only for the sake of her son, but her own wellbeing. Pre-dawn workouts and a lifetime of learning led to a career in fitness, with movement at its core. The co-founder of Ageless Workout, a Miami-based health and wellness...

Aging, according to Bill Rawls, MD, is the loss of functional cells as we go through life. An author and physician, Dr. Rawls is on a mission to elevate the importance of  caring for the basic building blocks of our body.  Our cells, he says, are the key to healthy longevity.   The fourth generation physician, from Raleigh in North Carolina,  confronted a mid-life health crisis of his own that transformed his view of personal wellness.  He now focusses his energies on holistic health...

Choosing the most appropriate supplementation for optimum health and longevity can be a perplexing process.  This episode is the first of a series, over the coming months, in which we will focus on a single nutrient and its importance for our every day health.   Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant.  It is important to maintain the immune system and cellular health. It is found in many foods but do our diets provide enough for our needs?  Dr. Barrie Tan is a leading expert on vitamin E.  A...

The search for the Fountain of Youth has intrigued and challenged scientists for centuries. Now, longevity is a buzzword - a multi-billion dollar industry with myriad interventions that could help us live longer and better. But are we any closer to fully understanding what it takes to extend healthy lifespan or healthspan? Nicklas Brendborg is a biotechnology researcher and the author of Jellyfish Age Backwards: Nature's Secrets to Longevity. The Copenhagen-based PhD student explores, with a...

Telling the stories of long, healthy and productive lives is what we do here.  We share insights into how people conduct themselves - the habits, hacks, lessons and learning curves that evolve over time.  We hear about relationships, athletic adventures and career achievements - the highs and the lows of a life well-lived. One day, hopefully in the distant future, it will be obituary-time. A few paragraphs politely mentioning some of our milestones along with funeral arrangements and options...

Our balancing skills start to decline as early as our late 20s and our ability to balance is high on the list of things that determine our lifespan. Toppling over and requiring hospital treatment could signal the beginning of the end, in fact the leading cause of injury-related death for people 65 and over is falling. How often have you heard that an older person 'had a fall' and was never the same again? In this episode, Nathan Estrada, a physical therapist with Denver-based Nymbl Science,...

As we prepare to welcome 2023, what better time to kick start a new healthy longevity lifestyle.  We're excited at LLAMA to continue our never ending journey of learning, with this inspiring conversation about living for a million hours. Have a wonderful New Year!  Dr. Alka Patel is a London-based General Practitioner who believes that it is possible to live for well over a century, with targeted self-care and "compassionate lifestyle changes." In this interview Dr. Patel shares her wisdom...

Of all the lifestyle interventions that could help us live longer and better, fasting has been hailed by some as the holy grail of health. It comes in many - and somewhat confusing - forms.  From time restricted eating to intermittent fasting and longer term food deprivation, fasting has a long and fascinating history.  Steve Hendricks is a freelance journalist and the author of The Oldest Cure in the World, Adventures in the Art and Science of Fasting.  The book attempts to put into...

An understanding of the hallmarks of aging is at the heart Dr. Nick Bitz's mission to achieve a long healthy life.  The hallmarks are the functional mechanisms - such as mitochondrial health - that drive the aging process. The challenge is to identify how lifestyle interventions can be implemented to mitigate the decline in biological resilience of the human body.  Dr. Bitz is a Los Angeles-based naturopathic doctor specializing in integrative medicine. He works alongside other medical...

We are built to move.  The human body thrives on it and relies on it to live life to the full. As we age, ailments and diseases can hinder our ability to get around, but it is never too late to nurture the body's fundamental urge to move.  It can be extreme, repetitive and invigorating in nature, but even gentle movement also has the power to heal.  Judith Sachs is the founder of Anyone Can Move,  a program that promotes movement in all its forms - dancing, walking, swimming, as a tool to...

Extending lifespan is the goal of many in the field of human longevity, with myriad companies developing pharmaceuticals to target the key biological markers of aging. But which interventions actually work? A team of researchers at BioWorld  recently delved into the latest science to try to make sense of the many clinal trials focused on the biology of aging. Anette Breindl is a co-author of the magazine's special report on aging, which also explores whether the large sums of money going into...

How often have you heard an older person refer to themselves as being so many "years young?" What about those who blame a "senior moment" for the occasional memory lapse?  These are examples of what the writer Priscilla Long describes as "toxic ageism." Oftentimes, she argues, ageist attitudes are perpetuated by the very people who're thriving in old age, but for some reason, view being old as a state of mind or body to be disavowed. Priscilla is a prolific and award-winning author of...