Lon Schneider - recruiting volunteers to help study early prevention of Alzheimer’s disease

Live Long and Master Aging - Episode 37

"Alzheimer's disease, a devastating disease that affects the cells of the brain, is now regarded as the major form of old age “senility,” said President Ronald Reagan in 1983, as he designated November as National Alzheimer's Disease Awareness month.   "Because there is an association of dementia with aging and because Americans are living longer, the numbers affected by this disease will continue to grow,” he added.  

A decade later Reagan was diagnosed with the disease and November is still recognized as a month to focus on a condition that affects over 47 million people, worldwide.  

Dr. Lon Schneider (@LonSchneiderMD) is professor of psychiatry, neurology, and gerontology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California. He is also the director of the California Alzheimer's Disease Center and a longtime researcher into the disease for which there is no cure. There has been much progress since Reagan’s time and Dr. Schneider is currently studying ways to halt the progress of Alzheimer’s disease, decades before it begins. In this in-depth interview, he explains how an intervention 10 to 12 years before Alzheimer’s manifests, it may be possible to stop the diseases in its tracks; why an understanding of our genetics could be vital to stave off the disease and how people can volunteer to be part of this long term study.

Lisa Marsh Ryerson - creating opportunities for older adults and planning for the 100-year life

Live Long and Master Aging - Episode 35

We are living longer and the pace of population aging is growing faster than ever. Globally, the proportion of people over 60 years old will almost double by 2050. Aging comes with many challenges - from health and wellbeing to housing, mobility and maintaining social networks. The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) caters for the social welfare needs of nearly 38 million Americans. Lisa Marsh Ryerson is president of AARP Foundation, the organization’s charitable affiliate. The foundation focuses on support programs and initiatives to help older people, especially those living in poverty. It is currently collaborating with a pilot program to connect senior citizens with transportation. In this in-depth interview, recorded at the University of Southern California’s annual Body Computing Conference, Lisa explains how she has been inspired by her work to help others achieve purpose and happiness; why ‘elderly’ may not be the best word to define older adults; what it means to be an "intentional neighbor" and why she believes a mindful attitude helps in planning for the 100-year life.

Lisa discusses a pilot project announced at USC Body Computing Conference to study how the health of older populations can be improved by helping them become more mobile. The pilot is a collaboration with the insurance company UnitedHealth and the ride sharing company Lyft.  

Pete Tong: DJ

Radio One's Pete Tong joined me on BBC Radio 5 Live, with Nick Garnett, to talk about his upcoming show at the hallowed Hollywood Bowl, to celebrate Ibiza Classics.
October 19, 2017 | LISTEN

Jane Goodall: The woman who taught us about chimps

When Jane Goodall first went to Africa to study chimpanzees, she had no formal scientific training - but still managed to win the trust of the primates, leading to groundbreaking observations. In Jane, those studies come to life in 140 hours of never-before-seen footage of Goodall from 1962.

Dan Trigub - reimagining transportation to improve healthcare for older people

Live Long and Master Aging - Episode 34

Older adults often miss medical appointments because they are unable to get the hospital or doctor's office. A lack of transportation has been shown to be a major factor.  The inability to get around also leads to social isolation and loneliness and could contribute to the failing health of many senior citizens.  In the age of on-demand car services, younger generations take for granted the ability to hail a relatively cheap ride, but older people are less likely to embrace the technology that makes it possible. This may be about to change, with an inspiring collaboration between several organizations with an interest in helping older people get around. The ride sharing company Lyft has teamed up with the University of Southern California (USC) Center for Body Computing and the AARP Foundation to pilot a program to connect senior citizens with transportation. With a $1 million grant from the insurance company UnitedHealth, the aim is to study how the health of older populations can be improved by helping them become more mobile. Lyft's Dan Trigub (@datrigub) works on projects to develop the company's healthcare partnerships.  In this in-depth interview he explains how the pilot scheme will work; why he views Lyft as more than just a service to take millennials to bars; how driverless cars could help older people with physical challenges; and why he believes his 3-year old son will never know what it means to have a driving license.

More information
Pilot project announcement at USC Body Computing Conference

HVMN: Fasting for Longevity

Was fun to chat longevity and fasting with Geoff Woo for the human enhancement podcast of HVMN:  "We all know a healthy diet is essential for all aspects of health, but what if we can further hack our lifespans by controlling our feeding windows? You can...it's called intermittent fasting! If the direction current science is heading is any indication, taking charge of when to eat means taking charge of many levers in your biology that can lead to a long, healthy life.  Episode 44 features Peter Bowes, a BBC reporter and host of the LLAMA Podcast. One of the earliest supporters of HVMN's foray into intermittent fasting, Peter shares our core value of creating an open forum for the community to support and become educated. Peter has always had a foundational interest in longevity, spurring him to experiment with various practices and connect with thought-leaders around the world. The experimentation will never end, but it's safe to say that Peter, like many biohackers, found intermittent fasting to be a biohack he will implement for the rest of his life.   Geoffrey Woo and Peter discuss the biological mechanisms of fasting (such as lowering IGF-1 levels, a hormone that has been linked to cancer when it reaches higher levels), the difference between working towards a long health-span vs. a long life-span, ponder how to keep that "spark" in you alive as you age, and answer questions from the community."

Jerry Greenberg: Music executive

Jerry Greenberg was named the President of Atlantic Records in 1974, at 32, the youngest president of a major U.S. record label. From Abba to Michael Jackson, Led Zeppelin to Roberta Flack, his stories are eye-popping and hugely entertaining. 

He also pays tribute to Tom Petty and talk about his extraordinary life in the music business. 

Oct 4, 2017 | LISTEN

Brianna Stubbs – record-breaking British rower biohacking for human longevity

Live Long and Master Aging - Episode 33

Brianna Stubbs (@BriannaStubbs) has been a competitive athlete all her life. At the age of 12, in 2004, she became the youngest person to row across the English Channel.  She went on to win a gold medal with the GB Rowing Team at the 2016 World Rowing Championships and twice rowed for Oxford in the Women’s Boat Race against Cambridge.  Alongside her athletic endeavors, Brianna pursued an academic career, completing her PhD in metabolic biochemistry at Oxford. She is particularly interested in the effects of exogenous ketones on human performance. Earlier this year she joined the San Francisco biohacking company HVMN to pursue her research into the science of human enhancement.  In this in-depth interview Brianna breaks down the theory and shares her understanding of ketone supplementation to promote physical performance. She also describes a day in the life of a semi-retired British athlete, discovering a new life and occasionally fasting in sunny California.

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