This is our 100th episode and we’re delighted to celebrate the milestone with a remarkable man. Zab Mosenifar, MD, recently completed his 100th marathon at the age of 70 and he personifies the art of living a long, healthy and fulfilling life. Dr. Mosenifar, professor and executive vice chair of the Department of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, is addicted to running. Next week he heads to California’s Death Valley, to run in grueling heat that would see most of us wilt i...
Aug 01, 2019•57 min•Ep. 100
We will all get old, if we are lucky. Aging is a privilege, but facing up to the inevitable lifestyle changes, could leave some of us in denial. Steven Petrow is an award-winning journalist and author, best known for his candid essays in the Washington Post and New York Times, focussing on what it’s like to grow old. In this LLAMA podcast interview, recorded at TEDMED, Steven reflects on the aging process through the eyes of his parents and his own aspirations. He also discusses the challenges p...
Jul 02, 2019•29 min•Ep. 99
Anti-aging - who needs it? Surely, striving to master or embrace the aging process is better than trying to defy it? It is a philosophy we at Live Long and Master Aging share with Tara Gadomski, writer, filmmaker and director of a new short film, Signs of Aging. The story explores, through dark humor, the methods used to sell so-called anti-aging products to older women. A powerful message emerges about the appreciation of life over vanity. In this LLAMA podcast interview, with Peter Bowes, Tara...
Jun 13, 2019•36 min•Ep. 98
Living long and well involves focussing on multiple lifestyle practices, including our spiritual awareness. It is a pillar of human longevity that sits alongside a clean diet, vigorous exercise and optimal sleep habits. So let’s meditate. James Brown once thought that his life was “too crazy" to involve meditation, but after a 25-year career in advertising he is now a teacher of the practice and founder of San Francisco based Vedic Path Meditation. In this LLAMA podcast interview with Peter Bowe...
May 30, 2019•49 min•Ep. 97
Innovation in human biology is evolving at breakneck speed. Artificial intelligence, data science and pharmaceutical discoveries - combined with a deeper understanding of how the body works at a cellular level - are creating exciting opportunities to extend health span. Dr. Ron Alfa is Senior Vice President of Discovery & Product at Recursion, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, recently named by Fast Company as one the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2019. In this LLAMA podcast in...
May 14, 2019•27 min•Ep. 96
They say sixty is the new forty. Seventy, the new fifty. But what does that mean? We are living longer, but are we living better? Sandra Feaster, a registered nurse and health coach, approaches aging with the same ghusto that an accomplished mountain climber tackles the highest peaks. She says growing older is an “incredible journey” that embraces the realities of aging while continuing to live life to the full. Along with her husband, William Feaster, MD, Sandra runs the blog T60+, a website de...
Apr 30, 2019•49 min•Ep. 95
The Annual Biohacking Conference, hosted by Upgrade Labs, is a mind-boggling, mind-enhancing gathering of people, from all walks of life, who want to live better and longer. LLAMA’s Peter Bowes attended this year’s event, in Beverly Hills, California, to meet Dave Asprey, the movement’s poster boy for self-improvement, along with some of the conference’s key speakers and exhibitors. In this episode we explore everything from cryotherapy to enhancing neuroplasticity, flow meditation, mitochondria...
Apr 08, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Ep. 94
Could listening to music be an important pillar of longevity? If you feel down and listen to a favorite song it can pick you up. Some people say music helps them work harder and the power of music to evoke memories is second to none. There is anecdotal evidence that playing an instrument or enjoying a favorite album can have a lasting impact on our state of mind and, as a therapy, it can help people suffering from the chronic conditions of old age. Brandon Carone is a research assistant in the M...
Apr 03, 2019•34 min•Ep. 93
A simple smile, a friendly gesture or an offer of help and friendship, could help us all live longer, healthier lives. International Day of Happiness (March 20) is celebrated by the United Nations as a way to recognize the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. There is scientific data that suggests people who embrace the benefits of a positive attitude, are rewarded with a greater sense of well-being. Catherine Sanderson is a psychologist and professor in Life Sciences...
Mar 18, 2019•34 min•Ep. 92
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 person...
Mar 04, 2019•34 min•Ep. 91
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 ...
Feb 13, 2019•23 min•Ep. 90
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,...
Feb 04, 2019•26 min•Ep. 89
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 in...
Jan 22, 2019•26 min•Ep. 88
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 Fo...
Jan 14, 2019•37 min•Ep. 87
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 p...
Dec 20, 2018•40 min•Ep. 86
’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 ...
Dec 11, 2018•26 min•Ep. 85
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 r...
Dec 06, 2018•26 min•Ep. 84
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 int...
Nov 27, 2018•28 min•Ep. 83
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 Bowe...
Nov 19, 2018•42 min•Ep. 82
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 P...
Nov 12, 2018•33 min•Ep. 81
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 peopl...
Nov 05, 2018•25 min•Ep. 80
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...
Oct 29, 2018•30 min•Ep. 79
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...
Oct 22, 2018•22 min•Ep. 78
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 c...
Oct 15, 2018•29 min•Ep. 77
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 int...
Oct 11, 2018•26 min•Ep. 76
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 h...
Oct 03, 2018•31 min•Ep. 75
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 a...
Sep 24, 2018•1 hr 16 min•Ep. 74
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 metabolis...
Sep 18, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Ep. 73
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 ...
Sep 03, 2018•35 min•Ep. 72
Dr. Kerry Burnight is the Chief Gerontologist at GrandPad, a company that designs simple and easy to use electronic tablets for people 75 and older. New technology presents a wealth of opportunities for connecting with others. Family members across the world can video chat from mobile phones at a moment's notice, and long-lost friends from elementary school can easily reconnect. But Dr. Burnight believes that for all mobile devices have added to the world, new technology is isolating older demog...
Aug 20, 2018•53 min•Ep. 71
