Live Long and Master Aging

How many times have you checked your ‘likes' or searched for positive feedback in your social media feed today?  Perhaps you’re the kind of person who always strives to be perfect and feels deflated when you fail to live up to your own expectations. What about being judged by others for not achieving your full potential? Perfectionism, says Dr. Thomas Curran, is “everyone’s perfect flaw.” Dr. Curran, an assistant professor in the Department for Health at the University of Bath, studies the personality characteristic of perfectionism, how it develops, and its impact on mental health. If we all relaxed a bit or stopped being hard on ourselves, would our lives be better?  In this LLAMA podcast interview , recorded at TEDMED, Dr. Curran explains why he believes perfectionism can be harmful and the impact, he says, social media is having on our relationships and self-worth. This podcast is supported by affiliate arrangements with a select number of companies. We have arranged discounts on certain products and receive a small commission on sales. The income helps to cover production costs and ensures that our interviews, sharing information about human longevity, remain free for all to listen. Visit our SHOP for more details and thanks for your support! In this interview we cover:What does perfectionism mean in the modern world? Why pursuing perfectionism, in today’s culture, is potentially beneficial.When does perfectionism begin to be harmful.What are the three core elements that make up perfectionism? What are "helicopter parents" and how does their behavior affect their children? Are young people becoming more perfectionistic?How did Dr. Curran gather and analyse data for a large study into perfectionism?  What is the correlation between depression and perfectionism? How are fundamental changes in society - such as the use of technology - affecting the pressures on young people?Why is life today sometimes more about the appearance of perfection than reality?  Why do we neglect some things in life that could bring us success and happiness? Social relationships and why they matter.  Support the showThe Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice.  If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

Every two seconds, someone in the world will have a stroke. Almost two-thirds of survivors leave hospital with some form of disability.  It is a battle against time to get the most appropriate medical intervention and treatment for stroke victims and every second counts. Viz.ai, a San Francisco-based applied artificial intelligence company, was established by British neurosurgeon Dr. Chris Mansi with the goal of using A.I. to make healthcare work faster and smarter. He was inspired by a patient who underwent a successful brain operation but died because the surgery came too late. In this LLAMA podcast interview, recorded at TEDMED, Dr. Mansi explains why rapid treatment can mean the difference between life and death - and why he believes medical technology is on the cusp of transforming healthcare and dramatically improving the odds of making a full recovery from a stroke. Check out our home page at LLAMApodcast.com Twitter: @llamapodcastConnect with Dr. Mansi: viz.ai | Twitter | LinkedInIn this interview we cover:The anatomy of a stroke and large vessel occlusions.What is mechanical thrombectomy and why is it a “game changer” treatment?The devastating impact of strokes and why speed is of the essence in treatment.What is Viz.AIHow does artificial intelligence help save time and save lives.The correlation between smoking and lifelong risk of a stroke.The symptoms to watch out for that could indicate a stroke.Will A.I. ever replace doctors?How technology is democratizing health care. Why connecting the right doctors at the right time is crucial to save lives. How is artificial intelligence acquired? How technology standardizes the quality of care. Longevity ambitions and daily rules to live by. Support the showThe Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice.  If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

The sudden onset of a common cold or the flu can stop us in our tracks. Seasonal outbreaks of infectious diseases can be both debilitating and irritating, especially for those people who strive to live a healthy lifestyle.  But are they inevitable? Lydia Bourouiba is the director of the Fluid Dynamics of Disease Transmission Laboratory at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Her work involves trying to better understand the role that sneezes play in the spread of infections. She focusses, not only on the common cold, but as-yet-unknown diseases that could have widespread and devastating consequences, were they to get out of control.  In this LLAMA podcast interview, recorded at TEDMED, Professor Bourouiba explains how we are all vulnerable to infectious diseases -and probably more than we realize. She also dissects the anatomy the sneeze - how far it can go and how long it can linger.In this interview we explore:How colds are transmitted. Why, no matter how healthy we are, we are all vulnerable to infectious diseases.Living in dense populations and the implications for the spread of disease.How Dr. Bourouiba studies the mechanics of sneezing. Why droplet size matters.What happens during “exhalation events” and why our sneezes are different.Why some of us are more likely to transmit infections than others.Multi year studies to better understand the spread of colds and flu.How far can infectious droplets from a sneeze travel in a train cabin?Do masks work to prevent the spread of a virus?How big is the threat of another influenza pandemic?  How effective are flu vaccines?How far should we go to avoid infections ?Check out our home page at LLAMApodcast.comConnect with Prof. Bourouiba:  The Bourouiba research group | Bio | TEDMEDFit, Healthy & Happy Podcast Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showThe Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice.  If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

What if we could screen the body for early signs of disease by swallowing a tiny capsule, packed with futuristic diagnostic tools? Prof. Timothy Lu, a synthetic biologist at MIT, draws on his combined expertise in computer programming, electrical engineering, and microbiology, to envision as an entirely new way of practicing preventative medicine. The idea is that capsules packed with tiny electronics and genetically engineered living cells will eventually be used to spot health problems from inside the gut. Early signs of cancer could be detected without the need for a colonoscopy. In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, recorded at TEDMED, Prof. Lu explains the principles of synthetic biology and why he believes it could help us all live healthier, longer lives.In this interview we explore:What is synthetic biology and how could it help us live better?Should we be concerned about “synthetic” biology?A new set of diagnostic tools.How can human cells do mathematics? Re-wiring the human body, and what that means.Preventing and treating disease by swallowing a capsule.Detecting early signs of diseaseEngineering the human microbiome.Sequencing the bacteria that live inside us and figuring out why they impact us “profound" ways.What are the drugs of the future and how will they help us? New strategies to extend health spans.Is precision medicine worth the money?Developing sensors and memory devices that sit inside the brain.Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showThe Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice.  If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

The Beatles song, When I’m Sixty-Four, pays homage to the aging process and is a tribute to the value of enduring friendships. The light-hearted ditty encapsulates some of the values and aspirations of The SCAN Foundation, which focusses on improving the quality of health and life for older people.  SCAN’s mission is to advance a coordinated and easily navigated system of high-quality services for older adults, preserving their dignity and independence. Bruce Chernof MD currently serves as the Foundation's President and Chief Executive Officer.  In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, recorded at TEDMED, Dr. Chernof explains the challenges for all generations, as they get older, and why he believes embracing the Internet of Things will be crucial to healthy and active aging. He also suggests that the planning process for old age should start much earlier than most people realize, with the sharing economy playing a pivotal role in our way of life. In this interview we cover:Why Dr. Chernof believes we should stop thinking of aging as “somebody else’s business."The SCAN Foundation's new podcast.How Gen-Xers and Millennials are “active caregivers” and why they are stressed-out about it. Looking after an adopted grandmother, aged 102.Why we need a better word for “care-giving."Living in your own home - but for how long? The challenges of the unknown.Losing the independence that comes from being able to drive. Devising a plan to maximize mobility as we grow old. Embracing public transport before we are give up the car. Embracing the Internet of Things for healthy and engaged aging.How the sharing economy, embraced by millennials, is helping design future living models.Living longer but with chronic illness.Tackling future health challenges - beyond Alzheimer’s.Breaking out of agist thinking. Recognizing the fount of knowledge in older people.Devising a plan and aging with dignity.Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showThe Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice.  If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

The cumulative effects of chronic sleep deprivation could be shortening our lives. There is evidence that killer diseases are more likely to occur if we get too little sleep over a prolonged period. One reason why we may not be getting enough shut-eye is excessive noise. Mathias Basner is Associate Professor of Sleep and Chronobiology in Psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and President of the International Commission of Biological Effects of Noise. For the past two decades he has been studying the effects of noise on sleep. It could be the sound of airplanes overhead, the rattling of a heating system or noisy air conditioning that keeps us awake, but research suggests there is a significant connection between noise, sleep, and recuperation.  In this LLAMA podcast interview, recorded at TEDMED 2018, Dr Basner explains the basis for his research and the lifestyle lessons he’s learned through the study of environmental stresses and society’s big problem of sleep deprivation. Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showThe Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice.  If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

’Tis the season to be stressed, overwhelmed and chronically fatigued. There’s a festive thought. But that feeling of being swamped by to-do lists, meetings, appointments, shopping lists and good old daily chores, is not exclusive to the holiday season. We live connected lives - sharing, posting and liking - often at the expense of more wholesome activities such as spending quality time with loved ones or taking a quiet walk to nurture the soul.  Stress is snapping at the heels of our daily lives and possibly our longevity. So what can we do about it? Dr. Felice Gersh is founder of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine in Southern California and in this return visit to the LLAMA podcast we take on the worries that overwhelm us. Dr Gersh explains the 'stress response' and the action we can take to better manage our lives in a frenetic world.What is stress and what does it do to the body?When is stress beneficial? Is fasting is a form of stress that can be helpful to the body? How “just being alive” can be stressful - in a positive way. How the stress response is part of the survival mechanism.How the body responds to lack of sleep, worries or overwork. Leaky gut - what’s that?  How exercise of diet-induced stress can be positive. How does a state of chronic stress affect human longevity?How a hormonal imbalance could cause stress. Show we avoid watching the news to reduce stress? Environmental toxins and strength. Using guided imagery to help reduce stressBreathing exercises to reduce stress.Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showThe Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice.  If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

Royce Smith lifts weights with his gym buddies every morning at 5am. Then he goes to work - at one of two companies he runs - and puts in a full day in the office. He competes in obstacle course events like the Spartan Race, has a busy family life and at the age of 76, enjoys the best of health. What is his secret?  In many ways Royce epitomizes a lifestyle that promotes a long health span. In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes the California businessman explains how he maintains his rigorous daily routine; why he keeps pushing himself to take part in obstacle course races and how he is inspired to work out alongside younger athletes.  This is the third and final episode in our mini series at Results Fitness, featuring older athletes. In this interview we learn about:How a 76-year old works six days a week and maintains a vigorous exercise regime. Strength training to maintain stamina How Royce is motivated by his daily routine, rising at 4am to go to the gym.Working hard and playing hard Developing the right mental attitude to compete in a Spartan Race. A muti-generational approach: Inspiring younger people to work out hardDelaying retirement.Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showThe Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice.  If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

A decade ago Mark Figearo’s health was in such a perilous state that his doctors feared the worst. With a family history of heart problems the California businessman knew he had to take drastic action to reverse the inevitable decline in his health.  Now aged 68, Mark works out five days a week and is a keen obstacle course racer.  This is the second in our series of interviews at Results Fitness, in Newhall, California, featuring older athletes enjoying the best health of their lives. In this interview with LLAMA’s Peter Bowes, Mark explains his daily regime and shares the secrets behind his journey to optimum fitness and mental clarity. In this episode we learn about: How Mark’s awareness of health started as a young boy when his father passed away. The “horror” of the 1950s ‘contractor’s diet.'How a health scare ten years ago forever changed Mark’s attitude towards his own health and fitness. How Mark combined his passion for cooking with a new-found appreciation of intense exercise, to get in shape. What happens when life gets in the way of living an active lifestyle. How to overcome a life-long hatred of exercise. How Mark combined his passion for cooking with a new-found appreciation of intense exercise, to get in shape. Still working at 68 and still enjoying it. Bulletproof Coffee and Apple Cider vinegar.  Working out with fellow older athletes in a family atmosphere.Preparing for a Spartan Race and going back for more. Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showThe Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice.  If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

Rachel Cosgrove was always the coach and mentor that everyone in the gym looked up to. Lean, strong and successful she was the model, middle-aged athlete - a go-getter fitness coach who inspired her clients. But as Rachel turned forty she realized that she no longer had the body of an elite athlete.  The co-owner of Results Fitness in Newhall, California, was putting on weight and becoming a mid-life "statistic”.What happened next is nothing short of remarkable.In this interview with Peter Bowes, Rachel opens up about a personal journey that grew out of her 40s fitness crisis. This is the first of three episodes, featuring older adults (between 40 and 80), who find their form and achieve extraordinary results as obstacle course racers. In this interview we learn about: Rachel’s love of Spartan races for their unpredictability and unique challenges.The mind games Rachel plays to help her survive swimming through freezing cold water. Growing up as part of a family that struggled with weight issues and obesity. Trying different diets and exercise programs and figuring out what works best. The challenges of opening a gym and becoming an expert in the fitness industry. Following the science to devise workout programs. Confronting the time-crunch - the number one objection to exercise. How results can be achieved with just two hours per week of working out. What happened to Rachel when she turned 40. Why living in “moderation” does not work. How easy it is to let things go after achieving personal fitness success and a high-flying career. What Rachel did to get back to her former, super-fit self. How older athletes are achieving peak levels of fitness.How becoming a little more selfish and focussing on training as an older adult can reap rewards.Prioritizing time for health and fitness. Craving an obstacle course escape from everyday life.Fit, Healthy & Happy Podcast Welcome to the Fit, Healthy and Happy Podcast hosted by Josh and Kyle from Colossus...Listen on: Apple Podcasts   SpotifySupport the showThe Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice.  If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.