Live Long with Peter Bowes

The concept of healthspan - the number of years that we enjoy optimum health - has come a long way, in recent years.  In fact, Dr. Nir Barzilai, founding director of the Institute for Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine,  believes we are "ushering in a future where the norm will be for people to be healthy, active and mentally sharp, during the last quarter of their lives.&q...

Lee Gutkind has spent much of his life denying his age. The Pittsburgh-based writer and teacher, renowned for his skills as an immersion journalist, has long been fascinated by the aging process and the insecurities that come with growing old. Now, aged seventy-seven, he has overcome his anxieties and age-related tensions. It followed a dark period of time, marked by the loss of loved ones and lon...

Matters of the mind may be more important to us now, than ever before. The number of new coronavirus cases is continuing to rise in many countries.  The United States - as well as dealing with political uncertainty - is reporting over 100,000 infections every day and England has just gone back into lockdown.  There are encouraging exceptions, like Australia, which, earlier this week, recorded its...

They say, 'you’re never too old.' Never too old to do something for the first time, take on a new challenge, push yourself to your physical and mental limits, or step out of your comfort zone. You only live once. But how many of us would embrace such an  adventurous attitude, in our nineties.  in this episode we meet the writer, Heidi Herman, who was inspired by her mother, to “spread mo...

What if we run out of money, as we get older?  If we live a very long, healthy and active life, will we be able to afford the kind of lifestyle that we aspire to, as a nonagenarian or centenarian?  The so-called longevity risk poses a dilemma for many people. The goal is to enjoy a vibrant healthspan but it could prove to be expensive.   In this episode of the Live Long and Master Aging podcast we...

A key pillar of human longevity is our ability to remain physically strong and active as we age. Frailty is an all-too-familiar downside of growing old. But there is much we can do to slow down and even reverse the process that leads to the weakening of our limbs.  In this episode of the Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, we delve into the latest clinical discoveries that could help us st...

The science and marketing sectors don’t often intersect. But when clinically validated advancements emerge from the laboratory, this unlikely alliance comes into play.  In this LLAMA podcast episode we explore how cutting edge research can be applied to our everyday health and longevity.  Dr. Stephanie Blum, Head of Translational Science at Nestle Health Science, is responsible for transforming  s...

The science of aging is rapidly evolving. Many of us are more aware of our capacity to live a long healthy life, than ever before. But the quest to understand human longevity - and perhaps figure out how we can slow down the process - is still a huge work-in-progress. Why do we age? Is it due to wear and tear on our bodies, is it all predetermined by our genes - or is there an invisible killer all...

Eventually, we will all face the challenges that come with old age. We will have less strength and energy than we once had. But what if it were possible to rekindle the drive and physical endurance of youth as we grow older?  Prof. Johan Auwerx directs the Laboratory for Integrated and Systems Physiology at École Polytechnique Fédérale (EPFL) in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he studies the mechanis...

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." The quote, attributed to the Greek physician, Hippocrates, encapsulates the importance of nutrition and the extraordinary ability of certain foods to enhance our wellbeing. In this episode of the LLAMA podcast, we explore the rich array of benefits to be gained from plant foods and natural products and discover why foods rich in compou...

The art and science of aging well is a complex business - a nuanced melding of a finely tuned diet, essential exercise and a healthy mind. For over twenty years, Prof. Luigi Fontana has been studying the lifestyle regimes that could help us live a longer, healthier life. One of the world’s leading experts in the field of human longevity, Dr. Fontana, a physician and professor of medicine and nutri...

This episode of the Live Long and Master Aging podcast is the first in a series produced in association with the Swiss life science company, Amazentis.  It will explore the history of the company and the science behind its goal of promoting healthy aging. Professor Patrick Aebischer, chairman and co-founder of Amazentis, is a medical doctor, neuroscientist and longtime researcher.  He has held dis...

We are bombarded with advice and information about diet and exercise, but what about the impact of friendship, optimism and kindness on our longterm wellbeing? It is eye-opening to discover that a strong support network of family and friends lowers mortality risk by about 45 percent, while volunteering your free time reduces the chances of early death by a staggering 20-60 percent, depending on th...

How many times have you heard about an older person doing extraordinary things, despite their great age? In recent weeks the story of the 100-year-old war veteran, Captain Tom Moore, has captivated millions, for his marathon fund raising efforts in the UK. Walking lengths in his garden he has raised more than £30m for the National Health Service, during the Covid-19 crisis. He is amazing. In this...

We are in the war against Covid-19 for the long term. The virus is likely to be with us for many months, if not years, and as we emerge from the global lockdowns, everyday life is looking very different. Re-imagining a post-coronavirus world will likely involve changes that go to the heart of how we live - our diet, personal hygiene, social behavior and work/life balance.  As we learn more about t...

There are some encouraging signs around the world that the Covid-19 curve is flattening in some places, while falling in others. During the course of this pandemic we are focussing, on this podcast, less on longevity and more on our immediate futures. But as life slowly evolves towards a new normal, there are many lessons to be learned from the pandemic and the role science plays in our lives. In...

The coronavirus pandemic is threatening every facet of normal life. This episode of the LLAMA podcast was recorded before the global health crisis hit home for so many of us. It focusses on the work-life initiatives of a rapidly growing US company that could be a blueprint for how we live in the future.  But not until life returns to normal. VideoAmp founder and CEO, Ross McCray, is currently deal...

Coronavirus is the only topic on our minds at the moment. People are panic shopping, a national emergency has been declared in the United States and widespread travel bans have been implemented around the world. There is also much confusion over testing for Covid-19 and how we should be looking after ourselves as the pandemic unfolds. Living long and well may be our goal in normal times, but getti...

The ticking clock is often used as a metaphor for life. But is a tick-tock approach to the advancing years an accurate way to measure the aging process? Dr. Joseph Antoun, a physician and CEO of the nutrition technology company, L-Nutra, believes a “biological aging score” is the best way accurately to assess our state of health. He says the human body has the potential to age more slowly than its...

Do we all fret too much about growing old and potentially suffering ill health? The purpose of this podcast is to highlight lifestyle interventions that could help us live longer, healthier lives. It focusses on extending health span - the number of years that we enjoy optimum health. But could it be that such aspirations are over-rated and rather pander to paranoid personalities. Dr. Magomed Khai...

There’s an old saying that money doesn’t buy happiness. But what about lifestyle hacks to optimize wellbeing and overall health? David Hauser is a hugely successful businessman who has overcome multiple health problems and self-esteem issues - including weight gain, exhaustion and failed diets - to transform his life.  Once a slave to pseudoscience and fad diets, David says he eventually embraced...

Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly occurring diseases in men. There is a high survival rate and living a long life with the condition is possible for many men. There are also lifestyle changes that could delay the onset of the disease and help men achieve a long health span - the number of years they enjoy optimum health.  Dr. Mark Scholz is a prostate cancer specialist and a strong advoc...

Frailty and a decline in overall physical strength are irksome signs of aging.  Regular exercise is essential to maintain optimum muscle mass and movement, but are there other interventions that could curb age-related muscle weakening?  A Swiss biotech startupis developing a supplement that could slow down the process, by replacing damaged mitochondria, the parts of cells that generate energy. It...

There are some people who just ooze optimism.  Approaching life with a positive and inquisitive attitude is half the battle, when it comes to aging with vigor and purpose. It also helps to be a little defiant and rebellious - if not, downright disobedient. Writer, businesswoman and model, Dian Griesel, has embraced the power of living agelessly through her blog, Silver Disobedience.  The author of...

Joel Einhorn lives life at a pace that sometimes defies gravity. The extreme sports enthusiast is an avid athlete - a cyclist, snowboarder and surfer.  His enthusiasm for the fast life almost ended in tragedy while training for an ironman triathlon, but the accident, in Prague, ended up opening Joel’s eyes to a new world of medicine. The founder and CEO of HANAH, a supplement company that embraces...