“Recent discoveries in the field of epigenetics suggest we might be able to slow aging, based on the realization that not everyone ages at the same rate. Evidence suggests that drugs or other medical procedures can slow epigenetic aging, but other factors, such as diet and disease states influence it too.”
“And one potential strategy for mitigating our risk for Alzheimer's disease as we age is a "cognoscopy" – a battery of assessments that measures some of the key biomarkers associated with the disease and can inform the trajectory of treatment.”
“Cholesterol is vital to human health, but an oversimplified view of cholesterol — that high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is good, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is bad — has led to a gross misunderstanding of the nuances that define the differences in cholesterol-containing lipoproteins.”
“Statins can reduce the risk of heart disease by 30 to 40 percent due to their ability to increase LDL receptor activity and reduce blood cholesterol levels. Whether the drugs are overprescribed (or perhaps under-prescribed) is a matter of great debate.”
“Zinc is an essential nutrient that participates in many biological processes and plays critical roles in immune function, protein synthesis, wound healing, DNA synthesis, cell division, and brain health.”
“Eating a typical Western diet – high in processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages – raises blood glucose and insulin levels, promotes inflammation, and contributes to many neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease.”
“This episode of the Aliquot features FoundMyFitness guests with expertise in fields including lipid metabolism, Alzheimer's disease, and micronutrient biochemistry sharing their recommendations regarding blood tests that a person should consider adding to their yearly checkup.”
“While infection with the SARS-CoV-2 virus shares symptoms with the common cold and influenza such as sore throat, cough, and runny nose, there are critical differences in the severity and duration of COVID-19 illness.”
“The arrival of a new year is a great opportunity to make health-focused resolutions – promises to ourselves that we're going to live better, healthier, and (hopefully) longer. We all age at different rates, however, so our chronological age – the number of years we've lived – often differs from our biological age.”
“Diet stands out as low-hanging fruit for influencing our lifespan. Optimizing macronutrient intake, practicing time-restricted eating, and consuming healthful bioactive compounds are critical aspects of a healthy diet. In part II of this two-part Aliquot, Drs.”