Live Long and Master Aging

When Captain Derek Herrera was shot by a sniper in Afghanistan his life was forever changed. Paralysed from the chest down, he left the military to embark on a new career in medical technology.  He devoured the scientific literature to try to find solutions to the chronic disabilities he faced. One problem, neurogenic bladder dysfunction - an inability to control the bladder - mirrored the difficulties faced by millions of people with spinal injuries and other conditions such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Cpt. Herrera set up a company, Spinal Singularity, and working with doctors, engineers and potential users, he has developed a new device, known as the Connected Catheter, which could significantly improve the lives of sufferers.  In this interview with Peter Bowes, Cpt. Herrera describes the dramatic moment when his life was almost taken away; how he reinvented himself as an entrepreneur and built a company to change the way medical devices are developed.In this episode we learn about:How Cpt. Herrera went from being a “barrel chested freedom fighter" to chronically disabled and wheel-chair bound, when he was shot in Afghanistan. Embracing exoskeleton technology Building on military discipline and culture to pursue a new career in medical devices.How personal disabilities - including an inability to control his bladder - led to Cpt. Herrera to develop a new type of catheter.How the connected catheter, an electronic device, could prove to be a life-changing advance for people with chronic bladder problems. Current catheterization techniques involve multiple catheters being used every day - the connected catheter can stay in place for up to 29 days. The connected catheter could help people with multiple conditions - from Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s to traumatic brain injuries and age-related prostate problems. The philosophy of stoicism - focussing on "what you can control and not on what you can’t.”  The importance of the "refuge of the mind."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.

Advancements in science and technology make it easier and more fulfilling to grow old. But Paul Irving, chairman of the Milken Institute Center for the Future of Aging, says if we are to realize the “longevity dividend,” society must play a bigger role in promoting healthy and purposeful aging. Paul is also the chairman of Encore.org and distinguished scholar in residence at the USC Davis School of Gerontology. He says while medical breakthroughs make it possible to extend lifespans, older people face huge challenges as they embrace longer lives. In a return visit to the podcast, Paul tells Peter Bowes aging should be part of the curriculum for younger people and explains why he believes "intergenerational connection" should be a policy priority for institutions across society and for each one of us individually.In this episode we discover:Why societal support matters for our aging communities.When it is good to have an ‘older person in the room.'How integrating the generations helps promote healthy aging and wiser younger peopleHow Encore.org promotes second acts for the greater good. Why older people are our only growing natural resourceHow social norms should be challenged to benefit young people alongside older adults. Why during these “extraordinary times” there has never been a more important time to "connect generations." Why focussing on people is as important as developing new technology.How we could all benefit from more “meaning and purpose.The possible benefis of moving away from “age segregated” retirement communities.Why educational establishments should embrace young and old students alike.Listen to Paul’s previous LLAMA podcast conversation: Episode 10: Promoting purposeful aging & fighting for older peopleThis is the latest in a series of interviews recorded at the USC Body Computing Conference.  Find out more about the event hereand the USC Center for Body Computing here. Listen to event host Dr. Leslie Saxon’s LLAMA interview with Peter Bowes:  Episode 13: Wearable and implanted technology to promote longevityFit, 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.

Money worries in old age are an everyday concern for a huge number of senior citizens around the world.  In the United States, one in seven live in poverty. It is an unacceptable number and Dr. Paulo Narciso, Vice President of Impact Areas for the AARP Foundation, is determined to reduce it.  He and his colleagues are using financial technology to help vulnerable older adults save for unexpected expenses,  and Voice Enabled AI to detect social isolation and improve social connectedness.  Dr. Narciso previously founded CloudHealth Asia and, as a serial entrepreneur, he has led several startup ventures. In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, Dr. Narciso explains how even the poorest people in society can save for their old age; why unforeseen circumstances sometimes “spiral out of control,” and how Silicon Valley innovations could provide the best answers. This is the third in a series of interviews recorded at the USC Body Computing Conference.  Find out more about the event here and the USC Center for Body Computing here.In this interview we learn about:The principles of innovation that are being applied by the AARP Foundation to tackle poverty amongst older people.The four pillars of senior citizen povertyIncome security - enough money to cover expenses.Housing security - making sure we can “age in place” if desired. Food security - having access to the right foodsSocial isolation - increasing social connections and support as we ageHow digital technology and the principles of behavioral economics are being used to help people save, with an app. Living the lives that we want, with a "saving mindset.'Why human nature means many people will give money to others while neglecting their own needs."“"We see that in churches - people will tie 10 percent of their income despite the fact they don't have anything for themselves. They always are willing to give back. We just have to take that mindset and have them pay themselves as well.”Why some cultures, outside the U.S., put more emphasis on caring for older adults.How Dr. Narciso says his eyes have been opened to the plight of older people since joining the AARP Foundation.The resilience of people and Dr. Narciso’s "defining moment" working on a refugee camp during the exodus from Vietnam. Why, as a businessman, Dr. Narciso’s measure of success is based on jobs created rather than profit. Dr. Narciso is also an accomplished athlete and a veteran Iron Man competitor. Why he says the sport is “life changing” and how it mirrors his business life, when “life is not always fun and games."“What I've learned from Iron Man is, it might look hard now but just keep moving and the next mile might be a little bit better."At the 2017 USC Body Computing conference LLAMA host Peter Bowes moderated a session focussing on better outcomes for older people through the use of digital technFit, 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.

Maureen Feldman runs the Motion Picture & Television Fund’s (MPTF) Social Isolation Impact Project. The program brings together volunteers and entertainment veterans who are in need of some company. It may come as a surprise, but even in Hollywood, loneliness is at chronic levels amongst older adults. The project is working to unite isolated senior citizens with younger, like-minded professionals through its Daily Call Sheet. The service helps older film industry members make new friends. In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, Maureen explains why most of us are ignoring a vital pillar of healthy aging; how we should focus on social connections early in life, to avoid loneliness in old age; and what the MPTF is doing to make sure the oldest members of society are never without friends. This is the third in a series of interviews recorded at the USC Body Computing Conference.  Find out more about the event here and the USC Center for Body Computing here.In this interview discover:Why people in high pressure, demanding jobs, such as in the entertainment industry, often find themselves lonely and isolated in old age. Why looking after ourselves physically, sleeping enough and preparing financially for our retirement, is not enough. ”People are not necessarily prepared for aging when it comes to social connections.”How older people can suddenly feel isolated in the home they have lived in for decades. How growing to a great age and outliving our friends is a recipe for acute loneliness. "I have reached out and I look at everyone I meet as an opportunity for a social connection...it’s it's not that hard you just have to be present and available.”Why intergenerational programs are so valuable to reduce social isolation.It is never too late to make new friends. How the MPTF’s Daily Call Sheet is helping the aging Hollywood community find new meaning in their lives. How volunteers are teaching older adults to use mobile technology to help them integrate with the outside world. "This is a very high touch, low cost way to reach a lot of people and add some joy and create some quality at the end of someone's time.”The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast hacks the aging process. Peter Bowes interviews world-renowned scientists, future thinkers and biohackers, all of whom have a common goal of figuring out how we can live longer and healthier. We also talk to inspiring individuals who have already mastered the aging process. The LLAMA philosophy is that there is much can do to extend our natural health span or the length of time when we enjoy optimal health. We talk a lot about food, fasting, fitness, the brain and good fortune.If you enjoyed this episode please rate and review us here.  As ever, thank you for listening. 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.

Dr. Scott Kaiser is a practicing geriatrician at the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF), a charitable organization that provides services, support, and assistance to the Hollywood community. As the MPTF’s Chief Innovation Officer, Dr. Kaiser is committed to creating communities that support peoples' ability to live and age well, with dignity and purpose. A passionate advocate for the growing population of older adults, Dr. Kaiser bemoans what he calls “rampant agism within the medical community,” and the “institutional bias” he says he has encountered doing his job. In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, Dr. Kaiser explains his unique role, working with members of the entertainment community, and why he is privileged to hear “the best stories" from his patients. This is the third in a series of interviews recorded at the USC Body Computing Conference.  Find out more about the event here and the USC Center for Body Computing here.The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast hacks the aging process. Peter Bowes interviews world-renowned scientists, future thinkers and biohackers, all of whom have a common goal of figuring out how we can live longer and healthier. We also talk to inspiring individuals who have already mastered the aging process. The LLAMA philosophy is that there is much can do to extend our natural health span or the length of time when we enjoy optimal health. We talk a lot about food, fasting, fitness, the brain and good fortune.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.

Sean Vassilaros is the Chief Operating Officer with THREAD, a virtual research platform that helps researchers gather data for clinical research.  The company has developed the concept of a virtual visit.  It enables researchers to connect with patients and volunteers via a video chat instead of requiring them to attend on-site clinic visits. The idea is that it saves time and money over conventional ways to carry out research, but still produces reliable and secure data.  In this LLAMA podcast interview, Sean explains how the platform works and his “lofty” goal of helping researchers provide answers for "every biological question."NOTES AND QUOTESConnect with Sean and THREAD: Website | Twitter | email "One of the things that we firmly believe is that we have the ability, we as humans, have the ability to answer every human biological question at some point."In this interview we discover: Why Sean believes the time is right to answer every biological question. Is it possible to use computers to diagnose every health condition?  How reliable is patient entered data?How are clinical trial volunteers encouraged to remain engaged in the study? How THREAD technology was used in a study led by the USC Center for Body Computing to measure what personal traits determine whether a Marine makes it through the grueling Marine Corps Basic Reconnaissance Course.  Read more. "Our goal is to make sure that as researchers you have at your finger tips, at your disposal, more information than you’ve ever had so that you can make better claims than conclusions.” This interview was recorded with our friends at the USC Body Computing Conference.  Find out more about the event here and the USC Center for Body Computing here.The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast hacks the aging process. Peter Bowes interviews world-renowned scientists, future thinkers and biohackers, all of whom have a common goal of figuring out how we can live longer and healthier. We also talk to inspiring individuals who have already mastered the aging process. The LLAMA philosophy is that there is much can do to extend our natural health span or the length of time when we enjoy optimal health. We talk a lot about food, fasting, fitness, the brain and good fortune.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.

Amy Morin is a psychotherapist and the author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. She has a unique perspective on the struggles and life-stopping events that can derail even those of us who are committed to living the best life possible. Her mother passed away from a brain aneurysm when Amy was 23. Three years on her 26-year-old husband died of a heart attack and a few years later, her father-in-law lost his battle with cancer. It was a personal journey that saw Amy write a letter to herself, entitled 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do. It went viral and led to Amy writing a book, with the same title. Five years later she is still writing and talking about what makes people mentally strong.  In this interview with Peter Bowes, recorded at the annual USC Body Computing Conference in Los Angeles, Amy explains why her observations about mental strength are relevant to the aging process; why we should not look back or worry about what others think as we grow older - and why we should set limits on our daily consumption of news to avoid being consumed by media overload.This is the first in a series of interviews recorded at the USC Body Computing Conference.  Find out more about the event here and the USC Center for Body Computing here.The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast hacks the aging process. Peter Bowes interviews world-renowned scientists, future thinkers and biohackers, all of whom have a common goal of figuring out how we can live longer and healthier. We also talk to inspiring individuals who have already mastered the aging process. The LLAMA philosophy is that there is much can do to extend our natural health span or the length of time when we enjoy optimal health. We talk a lot about food, fasting, fitness, the brain and good fortune.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.

Satchin Panda is a professor at the Salk Institute and a founding executive member of the Center for Circadian Biology at the University of California, San Diego.  Dr. Panda is also the author of a new book, The Circadian Code, in which he explains his theory that our overall health and longevity is affected more by when we eat than what we eat. Timing, he says, is  everything.  Limiting the number of hours during which we consume our meals is pivotal to nurturing the body clock and could help us avoid the chronic diseases of old age, he believes. Dr. Panda’s research is compelling and potentially life-changing.  In this LLAMA podcast interview, with Peter Bowes, he explains what it means to adopt a ‘time-restricted eating’ pattern; why choosing to eat in a shorter time window could help us sleep better and be more alert during the day; and how we can all get involved in a research project cataloging the circadian rhythms of thousands of people around the world.  The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast hacks the aging process. Peter Bowes interviews world-renowned scientists, future thinkers and biohackers, all of whom have a common goal of figuring out how we can live longer and healthier. We also talk to inspiring individuals who have already mastered the aging process. The LLAMA philosophy is that there is much can do to extend our natural health span or the length of time when we enjoy optimal health. We talk a lot about food, fasting, fitness, the brain and good fortune.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.

Molly Maloof is a medical doctor based in San Francisco, where she serves as the Head of Medical Science for Sano Intelligence, a company developing a real-time continuous glucose monitoring patch. Dr. Maloof is a strong proponent of using biomarkers, particularly glucose levels, which she describes as the “ultimate lifestyle biomarker,” as a tool to improve a person's health and nurture their longevity.  By analyzing specific biomarkers, which also include vitamin D levels, sex hormone metabolism and cortisol metabolism, Dr. Maloof’s private medical practice focusses of lifestyle changes for her patients. In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, she discusses how a person's blood glucose levels can affect their daily lives, why she believes our bodies need a break from food throughout the day, and the lifestyle habits that promote long, healthy lives.The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast hacks the aging process. Peter Bowes interviews world-renowned scientists, future thinkers and biohackers, all of whom have a common goal of figuring out how we can live longer and healthier. We also talk to inspiring individuals who have already mastered the aging process. The LLAMA philosophy is that there is much can do to extend our natural healthspan or the length of time when we enjoy optimal health. We talk a lot about food, fasting, fitness, the brain and good fortune.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.

Carol Rosenstein is the cofounder of Music Mends Minds. Launched in Los Angeles, with her husband Irwin, the nonprofit organization creates musical groups for people with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and similar disorders..Music is a universal language that bridges cultures, defies barriers and brings joy to our lives. However, for those with neurological conditions, music can do much more than elevate a person's mood. Some group members have demonstrated a level of coordination and coherency they hadn't displayed in years, according to Carol. She believes it's all thanks to the power of music.In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowes, Carol explains the beneficial impact of music for members of Music Mends Minds, including Irwin, who was diagnosed with Parkinson's and early dementia more than a decade ago. Carol also discusses why it's important for a person to have something they care about and work toward later in life. We also hear from Music Mends Minds members Gene Sterling and Diana Davidow - both of whom are living with neurological disorders. They explain how music has enhanced their lives in recent years.The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast hacks the aging process. Peter Bowes interviews world-renowned scientists, future thinkers and biohackers, all of whom have a common goal of figuring out how we can live longer and healthier. We also talk to inspiring individuals who have already mastered the aging process. The LLAMA philosophy is that there is much can do to extend our natural healthspan or the length of time when we enjoy optimal health. We talk a lot about food, fasting, fitness, the brain and good fortune.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.