Indholdsfortegnelse for Bookazine 2024-25 i Longevity Magazine

Welcome to our Longevity print annual, themed Living Beyond 100. If you’re reading our annual print edition for the first time, we hope we inspire you to become a follower of our work. If you’re a long-time follower, thank you. We appreciate your loyalty and support. I believe we’re on the cusp of some very exciting breakthroughs in the field of longevity science. Not a month goes by that we don’t learn of some innovation in this field. The concept of longevity has moved into mainstream media, and some days I’m amazed at the amount of discussion there is. Having worked on Longevity for just over two decades, I can attest to the fact that the interest in this topic today is unprecedented. I’m also very fortunate in my work…

Since the launch of the Human Genome Project, there’s been a lot of discussion and analysis on the extent to which our genes and heritability influence our lives. Nature versus nurture… Just do a Google search and you’ll see what we mean. The launch in 1990 of the Human Genome Project initially provided a strong viewpoint that our genes are able to have a significant influence over most aspects of our life. This had a powerful impact on the world of behavioral and health sciences. Over time, views and outcomes have been moderated as scientists gained more knowledge and additional information has become available. Once upon a time, the role of genetics was pretty much unknown to the average person. Today, you don’t have to have a master’s degree in…

It’s not every day you get to interview a golfing legend–and someone who’s a longevity legend too. Gary Player is widely considered one of the greatest golfers of all time. Indeed, The World Golf Hall of Fame cites him as one of only five golfers to achieve a Career Grand Slam by winning all four majors, and Player is the only golfer on that list to have won a Grand Slam on the Senior Tour too. He has won 165 professional tournaments on six continents over seven decades, and received a Lifetime Achievement Award for Outstanding Services to Golf, from the PGA Tour, in 2012. If his playing career were not enough, Player took his passion for golf into the office and onto the drawing board. He has designed more…

Thanks to the most advanced medical scanning technology, you can now get screened for the earliest stages of heart disease, common cancers and stroke risk. Disease can be detected even before symptoms are present, which is when management is most effective. “From a cardiac point of view, we now do two scans,” says specialist radiologist Dr Mitch Kaplan. “We do a calcium score scan or a full coronary CT angiogram scan. The calcium score scan is the best predictor of a future coronary event available in medicine today, irrespective of pretext probability, irrespective of your lipids, your blood pressure, your blood sugar. It’s a three-second breath-hold scan that adds up the amount of calcium in your coronary arteries. The X-ray dose is very low, and it’s done in one breath…

MyFitnessPal: This app helps users to track their diet and exercise, offering a comprehensive overview of daily caloric intake, nutritional information and fitness goals. Headspace: Focusing on meditation and mindfulness, Headspace provides guided meditation sessions, sleep aids and stress-relief exercises. Calm: Similar to Headspace, it’s a meditation and sleep app that offers guided sessions, relaxation music and sleep stories. Fitbit: While Fitbit is known for its wearable devices, its app is also widely used for tracking physical activity, sleep and nutrition. Nike Training Club: There are a variety of workout routines and training plans here, for different fitness levels and goals. Strava: Popular among runners and cyclists, Strava tracks and analyzes users’ outdoor activities, allowing for social sharing and competition. Lifesum: Focusing on nutrition, it helps users to track their meals, set dietary goals…

Q How do you maintain your health and wellbeing? A I have a simple personal mantra: Move more. Sleep more. Eat less. Stress less. Q Tell us what moving more means to you? A I love to exercise in the early morning, and prefer to be outdoors. I’m an avid runner. I’ve run most of the leading trail runs in South Africa. I aim to run three times a week before work, and make sure to do a longer run–either road or trail–on a Saturday morning. My favorite places to run are in Cape Town (particularly on Chapman’s Peak Drive) and in Dullstroom, where you get the benefits of altitude training. I’ve completed two Comrades Marathons and have done a 100-mile trail run in the KZN midlands (running for 28 hours in one go…

The benefits of physical activity to keep you healthy have been known for eons. Hippocrates wrote about the dangers of too little activity (and too much food). Tai chi, an exercise system of graceful movements that originated in China, dates from the 12th Century, and the roots of yoga, in India, go back much further. Today these are all activities that, thankfully, are growing in popularity. And for good reason. Modern researchers have managed to capture the benefits in countless research studies, to prove the science, and to warn of the dangers of ignoring this critical activity. In 2009, US exercise scientist Dr Steve Blair wrote in the British Journal of Sports Medicine that “physical inactivity is the biggest public health problem of the 21st Century”. Indeed, over 50% of…

Research tells us that the number of centenarians is expected to rise as the rates of life expectancy around the world continue to increase. Now we’re starting to wonder, if we reach 100, not only how well we’ll feel, but how good we’ll look too. FACE THE TRUTH Many of the changes that come with aging are made evident through the skin. “As aging advances, there is greater damage to collagen and elastin in the skin,” explains Dr Tarryn Jacobs, a Pretoria specialist dermatologist. “Skin can become drier and thinner (which can lead to easy bruising), more age spots may develop, as well as deeper wrinkles. Also, as we age, we sweat less.” The decline in the levels of estrogen as a result of menopause can also contribute to dryness,…

Skin peeling has been a longstanding approach for addressing photoaging and other common skin concerns. However, it often involves discomfort and requires substantial recovery time. While stronger peels yield better outcomes, they also carry the risk of excessive peeling. In the past, topical vitamin A was rarely used to prepare the skin for peeling. Environ Skin Care advocated for the use of cosmetic vitamin A preparations instead of tretinoin, prior to peeling. This approach aims to expedite skin healing, reduce the likelihood of hyperpigmentation, and enhance collagen production. Q Why do you think it’s important to develop innovative skincare treatments? A I believe we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of the potential of skincare, so we have to constantly search for innovations and a better understanding of how skin changes with…

Passport and visas, check. Flight times and seat bookings, check. Housesitter, check. Bookings for forest bathing, sleep therapy, mindful hiking, cryotherapy and infrared saunas on the trip, double-check! For many travelers today, holidays aren’t complete if they don’t leave space on the itinerary for wellness travel experiences. They’re saying goodbye to a quick massage between destinations, and hello to tailored wellness programs. Considering the health benefits of travel, it makes sense. Research has long shown that travel can be beneficial for stress, enhance brain function, creativity and mindfulness, increase our level of activity, help us to focus on self-care, and meet the need for a sense of purpose and belonging. Paul Joseph is the founder of Health and Fitness Travel, a specialist tour operator for wellness breaks. In recent years,…

Dan Buettner’s Live to 100 docuseries on Netflix points out: “The same things that help us live a long and healthy life are the things that make life worth living.” The consistencies in Buettner’s explanation for why inhabitants of Blue Zones continue to live longer are intricately woven into the culture of the people of these areas. The families and communities are tight, they eat exceptionally well, they enjoy an active, movement-centered lifestyle, and they maintain a strong sense of meaning, purpose and faith. “Only about 20% of how long you live is dictated by your genes. The other 80% is something else, and a lot of what produces healthy longevity surprises people. People in the Blue Zones are achieving an extra 10 years without disease, and it costs them nothing.…

Anti-aging medicine isn’t perhaps the best term to describe his field of interest, says Dr Craige Golding. “It tends to suggest a focus on the exterior, giving the impression that it’s all about wrinkles and Botox treatments.” But the focus is much broader. Anti-aging medicine is really about the prevention, early detection and reversal of the chronic diseases that become more common with age, and which constitute nearly 90% of the illnesses doctors treat on an ongoing basis. HOW TO AGE BETTER As you age, the body’s demands for nutrients increases, to help to fight off disease, aging and decay. Many of the body’s systems, such as the digestive, excretory and circulatory system, become tired from years of use, functioning less efficiently. “I think the biggest shift is that people…

The COVID pandemic accelerated the use of virtual and digital platforms by individuals for a whole host of unique systems, which effectively helped to improve the value and quality of life for many. Virtual medical-doctor appointments through video or phone consultations, for example, gave healthcare professionals and patients access to more knowledge and expertise in a hassle-free and convenient way. Digital medical records are more accessible to patients now, too, and being able to view test results online enables individuals to request specific prescriptions more easily, saving time and effort. On a more futuristic level, healthcare companies are using drones to access remote areas, for the delivery of vaccines and other important medication. Moreover, on the wellness side of things, there’s significant development that can improve productivity, while enabling accurate…

The advancement of technology over the past decade has led to its implementation in every area of life. In the fitness world, there are smartwatches and smart scales. But now, with over 80% of adolescents and 27% of adults reportedly not meeting the World Health Organization’s recommended levels of physical activity, artificial intelligence (AI) is allowing for the technology of fitness to be less about devices that count your steps and more about software that can help you to break a sweat, and enhance your longevity. PERSONALIZED WELLNESS While there’s a preconception that AI’s fitness offerings are limited to individual data collection, such as heart rate and sleep patterns, it’s about much more than that. For one, the collection of this data allows for practitioners and trainers to make informed…

We’ve all strolled down the supermarket aisle looking for something to eat, and been faced with an overwhelming wall of food. Many of us will default to the “healthy” options. These are the products with labels that claim to be low in salt, fat and sugar, for example, and high in healthy nutrients. Unfortunately, sometimes the seemingly healthy foods can be harmful to our health. Food manufacturers often give us the illusion that we’re making good decisions, even if there’s no evidence to support the health claims. Imbued with a “health halo”, to increase their perceived healthfulness, the foods are labelled as low-calorie, high in fiber and low in sugar. In a country where most nutrition labels are complicated, and difficult for the ordinary person to understand, it makes sense…

For many of us, life is simply not complete without our pets, and we’ll do anything we can to give them a long and healthy life. The basics we know: • Feed them a high-quality diet;• Take them for a walk every day, for at least half an hour;• Ensure that they get their necessary vaccinations on time;• Provide them with a clean and hygienic environment;• Don’t leave them alone for long periods of time;• Ensure that they have comfortable beds;• Love them unconditionally; and• Get them professional help when they need it. But what else can we do to give our pet the best life? DENTAL HEALTH When was the last time you took your pet to the vet for a dental cleaning? While it’s recommended to brush your…

This list of the top 20 health and wellness podcasts in the world is based on data derived from Apple Podcasts and Spotify 1 ON PURPOSE WITH JAY SHETTY Jay Shetty’s purpose is to make wisdom go viral, and he lets you into fascinating conversations with some of the most insightful people in the world, with the aim of helping you to be happier, healthier and more healed. 2 HUBERMAN LAB Dr Andrew Huberman is a professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine in the US. His laboratory studies neural regeneration, neuroplasticity, and brain states such as stress, focus and fear. His podcast discusses neuroscience, and the existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how the nervous system works. 3 THAT CONVERSATION WITH TAREK ALI For the past seven…

Robert Kay interviewed world-renowned longevity scientist and author Dr Bradley Willcox in Hawaii. Wilcox is the principal investigator of the National Institute on Aging-funded Kuakini Hawaii Lifespan Study and Kuakini Hawaii Healthspan Study. He is also a professor and director of research in the Department of Geriatric Medicine at the John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii. A New York Times best-selling author of the Okinawan Program, he is the co-principal investigator of the Okinawa Centenarian Study, as part of which he has been investigating mechanisms of aging for almost two decades. Willcox’s research teams have identified numerous important genetic and environmental risk factors for aging and aging-related chronic diseases. Indeed, his research team in Okinawa identified the first longevity-associated gene and the association of the FOXO3 gene with…

Q Do you believe women are adequately equipped to manage life as they enter peri-menopause and menopause? A I’ve noticed a range of readiness levels among women approaching peri-menopause and menopause. While some grasp the importance of lifestyle factors in hormonal health during this transition, there’s still room for improvement. We emphasize fundamental health pillars such as sleep, stress management, detoxification, insulin regulation, gut health, inflammation, and omega 3:6 balance. These pillars aim to address hormonal dysregulation and empower women to navigate this phase with vitality. However, it’s important to recognize that each woman’s journey through this stage is unique, requiring personalized support and guidance. Q What are the issues that concern women most? A Women encounter a host of challenges as they navigate life’s stages, often revolving around hormonal shifts, which affect physical…

If you think living to 100 is out of the question, think again. There’s no question that we’re living longer lives. The World Economic Forum has predicted that, by 2050, the number of adults over the age of 65 will bring about the largest social, economic and political transformation of our time. The science behind aging is also telling us that the human body (at the present time) can survive up to 150 years before it’s no longer able to function. As technology improves, people become healthier, and medical innovations and treatments evolve, it may soon be possible to push those limits even further. But living to 100 and beyond comes with a host of challenges that many of us haven’t even contemplated. The sooner we start planning for a…

If you’re one to spend thousands of rands in pursuit of healthy skin, you should take a look at the skincare products you buy. The value isn’t in the brand; it’s in the ingredients. Retinol. Vitamin C. Niacinamide. Bakuchiol. Much attention is paid to ingredients that promote skin health, but what about those that don’t? While many of the following ingredients have been banned in countries around the globe, there are still some places where they’re used. 1 Oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) – sun-protection products Found in chemical sunscreens, oxybenzone works by absorbing the sun’s UVA rays, which are associated with skin aging. However, oxybenzone has been identified as a potential endocrine disruptor, interfering with hormones and affecting the endocrine system, the system responsible for regulating biological processes such as metabolism, reproduction and thyroid function.…

“You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old”- George Burns “I think you should be excited about growing into who you’re going to be and how that’s going to change over your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, 70s, and even 80s. That’s a beautiful thing. Some people don’t even get there, so you have to be grateful for all of those days and moments”- Jennifer Lopez “Some guy said to me: ‘Don’t you think you’re too old to sing rock n roll?’ I said: ‘You’d better check with Mick Jagger’”- Cher “Do not grow old, no matter how long you live. Never cease to stand like curious children before the great mystery into which we were born”- Albert Einstein “THE LONGER I LIVE, THE MORE BEAUTIFUL…