Living to 100 Club

This is an encore guest appearance by Dr. Faye Girsh. Faye was one of our early guests back in 2019, when she spoke about preparing for a peaceful death. As a former president of the Hemlock Society, Dr. Girsh is one of the preeminent authorities on the right to die movement. In this podcast, we continue with this right-to-die discussion, and specifically address the question of when we would be ready to have our life end. How would we talk with our closest family and friends about our decisions? We discuss the choices now available in different states, including stopping life-sustaining treatment and having medical assistance in dying. These are tough, thorny subjects and our guest is one of the most informed professionals to tackle these. Be sure to join us for another look at the right to die movement. Mini Bio Faye Girsh was President of the Hemlock Society USA from 1996 to 2004, following its founder, Derek Humphry.  Concurrent with this national position, she began the Hemlock Society of San Diego in 1987 and was its president for 22 years. Faye was also President of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies and currently serves as a board member. She initiated the Caring Friends program which eventually became the Final Exit Network. In 2003, she was awarded Hemlock’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Dr. Girsh received her doctorate in Human Development from Harvard University. She was Associate Professor and Chair of the Psychology Department at Morehouse College for nine years, was a Research Associate at the University of Chicago, and taught at Roosevelt and Northwestern Universities. For 18 years she practiced as a clinical and forensic psychologist in San Diego. She has lectured extensively in the U.S. and abroad and has appeared extensively on radio and TV. For Our Listeners Website: Hemlock Society San Diego

On this Living to 100 Club podcast, we talk with Peter Ross, CEO and Co-Founder of Senior Helpers. Senior Helpers is a non-clinical skilled care company, with approximately 30,000 caregivers working in 350 offices in 43 states in the US and in other countries. Peter shares his history with the company and its growth over the years. What are the goals of the company, how does it help to keep seniors living at home, and what are the unique features of this company that keep it at the forefront of home care? We also discuss the big gap of end users that lies between private pay clients and those clients who receive government-funded services, and how this company is addressing this gap in conversations with insurance companies. Be sure to tune in for this inspiring and informative conversation. Mini Bio Peter co-founded SH Franchising with Tony Bonacuse in 2004 and is the current CEO for Senior Helpers. He has led the organization to become a national leader in non-medical in-home care for seniors. Peter also serves as the President of the Home Care Association of America’s board of directors. He has devoted his career to helping in-home care excel and to improving service at all levels. For Our Listeners Website for Senior Helpers

Our guest for this Living to 100 Club Podcast is Jeff Seckendorf. At age 70, in about two years, Jeff will attempt to break a U.S. or international cycling hour record. Our guest shares with us his process-oriented training program, incorporating both mental and physical dimensions in his cycling competition. In addition, this conversation takes a close look at finding our sense of purpose, especially after a life change like retirement, separation or divorce, or other major event. We discuss the process of discovering a new purpose, especially through sports, and how finding your purpose contributes to longevity, health, and happiness. What can we learn from adopting a competitive spirit in our senior years? What is the Institute of Purpose that our guest has recently co-founded? And how do we discover a new sense of purpose in our lives? Mini Bio Jeff began his career as a photographer and filmmaker, first as a stills photographer for UPI and other national publications, then as a director/cameraman producing, directing, and/or photographing TV commercials, music videos, movies, and documentaries. One recent project documents a team of Parkinson’s patients on a trek to Mount Everest Base Camp. Jeff has won numerous awards for his cinematography, including Sundance Film Festival and Independent Spirit Award nominations for best cinematography. In 2008 Jeff founded Unified Team Diving, a global scuba training and certification agency. He has authored eight training manuals and dozens of online courses. As a masters athlete, Jeff races a bicycle on track and holds the hour record in his age group at the San Diego Velodrome and is a course record holder at the World 6-Hour Time Trial Championships. Jeff’s current project on the bike is to attempt to break the U.S. hour record in the 70-74 age group. For Our Listeners Jeff's website: Institute of Purpose

This Living to 100 Club podcast explores the world of vagus nerve stimulation (“VNS”), and the breakthrough industry of neuro-modulation. Our guest for this podcast is Vitalijus Mayorovas, the co-developer of Pulsetto. Pulsetto is a product that targets the vagus nerve with mild electro-magnetic signals. Because the vagus nerve is considered the main “highway” between the brain and our internal organs, with unique branches to every organ, VNS’s are now used in a variety of medical treatments targeting blood pressure, joint pain, headache, stress, and other medical conditions. Our guest shares his knowledge of neuro-modulators, including spinal cord stimulation and deep brain stimulation, and his company’s product, Pulsetto, as compared with others on the market. Mini Bio Vitalijus Majorovas is a certified sleep and recovery coach, as well as a certified Buteyko clinic breathing instructor. He has spent more than 12 years in the sleep product industry. And is one of the most famous sleep and longevity experts in Lithuania. In his articles, Vitalijus provides practical tips on improving the quality of your sleep and having significantly more energy, mental fitness, and productivity. During the 200-night experiment, he tested more than 70 sleep "hacks" described in scientific articles. See a collection of his articles at https://healthnews.com/author/vitalijus-majorovas/. Currently, Vitalijus is CEO and Co-founder at Pulsetto, a vagus nerve stimulation company.  For Our Listeners Pulsetto Website: Pulsetto Vitalijus' Articles: https://healthnews.com/author/vitalijus-majorovas/ PREMIUM Club The Living to 100 Club Podcast has a Premium subscription plan. Premium subscribers have access to all episodes each month. Friend sof the Living to 100 Club have access to two public episodes a month, like this one exploring vagus nerve stimulation. The monthly fee is $5.99 If these conversations bring value to you, consider a Premium subscription. To sign us as a Premium member, click on this page: Living to 100 Club Premium

David Edey is our guest on the Living to 100 Club podcast. David is a Certified Executor Advisor and has been in the financial planning industry for 35 years. From personal experience, David shares the problems that arise when families resist, avoid, and ignore conversations about death and the need for estate planning. When settling an estate, we learn that parents often do not convey their wishes out of fear of upsetting their children or procrastinate on conversations about inheritance or end of life wishes. Up to 50% of older adults do not have a will or an estate plan. And executors, when designated, can expect to spend up to 100 hours over 18 to 24 months to settle the estate even when there is a will. Tune in to hear why David says, “the biggest gift of love is to leave an estate that is organized.” Mini Bio David E. Edey is a Certified Executor Advisor (CEA) who has worked in the financial planning industry for more than 35 years. But David is not just an expert; he is someone who knows this topic inside and out from personal experience, having spent seven years and $50,000 in lawyer fees to come to an agreement with his siblings over settling his parents’ estate. And that was with a written will!  The grief, frustration, and stress of that experience were life-altering for David. He was determined to write a book in order to help others successfully navigate the difficult tasks of estate planning and executorship—so that their families could stay together, rather than fall apart. For Our Listeners David's Website: David Edey David's Discounted E-book and Audiobook for Club Listeners: https://buy.bookfunnel.com/ij75rikwqy

On this Living to 100 Club podcast, we discuss the topic of ketogenic diets. Specifically, we discuss the beneficial effect they have on reducing or “rescuing” cognitive decline in older adults. Our guest is Nicole Laurent, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and Certified in Nutrition and Integrative Health. We explore the type of diet to produce ketones, and the effect ketones have as a fuel to create “brain health” through the increase of healthy mitochondria in our cells and reduction of inflammation in our brains. This inflammation in our brain is neuroinflammation. Ketogenic diets are used in a number of medical conditions, in addition to cognitive impairment, including insulin resistance and mental disorders. Join us in this important conversation about the long-term benefits of ketones in our diet. Mini Bio Nicole Laurent has been a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in Washington state for the last 15 years. For the last five years, she has integrated nutritional therapies into her practice with patients. Her education includes an MA in Clinical Psychology from Argosy University and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Nutrition and Integrative Health from Maryland University of Integrative Health. She has additional medical training in helping patients use ketogenic dietary therapy as a treatment for mental illness and neurological issues. Nicole was recently one of seven recipients of the 2022 Metabolic Mind Award given by The Baszucki Brain Research Fund and the Milken Institute. The award was for her past work and commitment to supporting the study and use of these interventions in brain health. She works in private practice and assists people through an online program to increase accessibility to these treatments. For Our Listeners Nicole's Website: Mental Health Keto Ketones as brain energy rescue in Alzheimer's Disease - Stephen Cunnane, PhD - https://youtu.be/EifPhQeJbRc To Keto or Not to Keto? A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Assessing the Effects of Ketogenic Therapy on Alzheimer Disease - https://doi.org/10.1093/advances/nmaa073  Nutritional metabolism and cerebral bioenergetics in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias - https://alz-journals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/alz.12845 Effects of Ketogenic Diet on Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Diseases - http://dx.doi.org/10.14336/AD.2021.1217 (If the above links do not connect when selected, cut-and-paste the link directly into your browser.)

Diane Gilman is the guest on this episode of the Living to 100 Club. Diane had the number one best selling brand of jeans in tele-retailing history on the Home Shopping Network. From this, she became known as the “Queen of Jeans.” In this podcast, we discuss Diane’s inspiration for women who are embracing their “third act.” We discuss Diane’s history designing a brand of jeans suited for the 50+ age group. Her recent book is Too Young to Be Old: How to Stay Vibrant, Visible, and Forever in Blue Jeans: 25 Secrets from TV's Jean Queen. With this book in mind, we explore the need to eliminate the stereotyped views of aging. This is a conversation about re-framing aging from a time of decline, sickness, and frailty to a time to celebrate new opportunities. This is a time of harnessing our own power toward self-fulfillment. Be sure to join us in this conversation with Diane, as she shares her inspiration and charisma with our audience. Mini Bio A fashion rule-breaker with millions of loyal fans, the charismatic pearl-haired, “Queen of Jeans,” Diane Gilman is 77 years young. Her message is to embrace aging instead of fighting it. An inspiration for women embracing their third act, Diane is a tele-retailing legend who is just getting started. Not unlike many women’s stories, recognition for Diane came later in life with the launch of her DG2 Jeans line on HSN. This has become the top tele-retailing brand globally. Her latest book, “Too Young to be Old,” is another compelling take on conquering life’s challenges. Learn about harnessing one’s own power to live a “third act” filled with dream-catching and fulfillment. For Our Listeners Diane's Book: Too Young to Be Old Diane's Website: The Diane Gilman

Brian Noonan, a nurse practitioner specializing in addiction treatment, shares insights on the Sinclair Method, a groundbreaking approach to reducing alcohol consumption using FDA-approved naltrexone. He explains how this method diminishes the pleasurable effects of drinking without requiring abstinence. Brian discusses the complexities of treating alcohol use disorders and the positive impact of off-label medication use. His passion shines through as he emphasizes the importance of fostering a healthier relationship with alcohol and the convenience of accessing this treatment through telehealth.

This Living to 100 Club podcast introduces us to Boom Home Medical, and its founders, Dr. Valerie Ulene and Byrdie Lifson Pompan. Boom Home Medical is all about reinventing the inconvenient and unattractive home medical equipment, like bedside urinals. Their urinal, called Loona, is ergonomically-shaped, and easy to grip with a soft silicone mouth that fits against the female anatomy. The founders, Valerie and Byrdie, are focused on bringing products that bring dignity to self-care. They aim to design products that fit into a contemporary home and lifestyle. Tune in for this spirited episode about bringing home medical equipment into the 21st century, with style, design, and elegance. Mini Bios Dr. Valerie Ulene is a specialist in General Preventive Medicine and Public Health. She has a passion for advocating and empowering people to seek the quality medical care they deserve. In 2013 she co-founded Clear Health Advisors alongside Byrdie Lifson Pompan to help individuals with serious medical conditions navigate the complexities surrounding diagnosis and treatment. Prior to that, Dr. Ulene authored a monthly health column for the Los Angeles Times. This column ran for over a decade, served as an editor of the educational patient page in the peer-reviewed journal, Preventive Medicine, and co-authored several consumer books on health.  Dr. Ulene attended Princeton University and received her medical degree from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. She also earned a master's degree at Columbia Mailman School of Public Health. She completed her residency training at New York Hospital. In her spare time, you can find Dr. Ulene at the gym lifting weights and enjoying outdoor activities with her husband and three grown children. Byrdie Lifson Pompan has had a long career in client service and advocacy. For 20 years, she was an agent and partner at Creative Artists Agency (CAA)—the world's leading entertainment and sports agency. Through a deeply personal journey, she grew passionate about the issues surrounding patients' needs and health care quality. In 2013 she co-founded Clear Health Advisors alongside Dr. Valerie Ulene. Their goal is to improve the health care experience and outcomes for clients with complex medical conditions.  A native of Los Angeles, Lifson Pompan received her BA in Sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). She has a Masters in Healthcare Leadership from Brown University, May 2016. Lifson Pompan stays active by running and hiking with her husband and enjoys quality time with her two sons.  For Our Listeners Website: Boom Home Medical Article in Fast Company Business Magazine: Home medical equipment is about to get a big design upgrade

Our guest for this Living to 100 Club Podcast is Dr. Mike Van Thielen. It is a conversation about the many ways we can overcome barriers to tapping our true potential and unleashing our superpowers. Dr. Van Thielen is the author of  the newly released book, The IZOD Method – Unleash Your Superpower: Optimize Productivity & Focus, Free Up Valuable Time, Live Stress-Free, and Upgrade Body and Brain. What are the knowledge, skills, and strategies needed to unlock our highest potential and reach our goals? Is it possible to be in the “zone” – being at our peak performance – on demand. Or is it just a fluke when it happens. We discuss the importance of a sense of purpose, taking control of our agenda, and measuring progress toward our goals. Join us as we look at strategies to maintain a positive mindset, unlock our potential, and remain stress-free. Mini Bio As a top swimmer in his native Belgium, he gained interest in optimizing health and athletic performance. Dr. Van Thielen graduated from the University of Brussels (Belgium) in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education. He then complete a master’s degree in physical therapy in 1995. He served as the assistant coach and physical therapist for Belgian Olympic swimmers in preparation for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Dr. Mike himself is an All American and is a current World Record Holder in swimming. He also holds 31 U.S. National Titles. Dr. Mike moved to Florida in 1997, and after managing several pain management clinics, he pursued his master of science in Oriental medicine. He also pursued his bachelor of science in professional health studies. Dr. Mike is a licensed physical therapist, a licensed acupuncture physician, a doctor of Oriental Medicine. He also has a PhD in holistic nutrition. Besides being well-versed in various health applications, Dr. Mike Van Thielen has a vast business experience and a proven track record of establishing and developing successful business operations. Currently, he is an international keynote speaker, bestselling author, and a mentor to those who want to live life to their fullest. For Our Listeners Mike's Website: Biohacking Unlimited Podcasting Award for 2023 Feedspot RSS News Reader has selected again the Living to 100 Club Podcast as among the Best Aging Podcasts to Follow in 2023. Seventh place out of the top 60 - nice! Thanks to all of our listeners for tuning in, and to our guests for the great conversations.