The Livelong Newsletter

Happy Friday!

🌷 Yesterday was the first day of spring. That’s my cue to start spring cleaning. The ritual boosts mental health and helps clear messiness, a state of untidiness that leads to billions in stress-related health care costs. Happy Spring (cleaning!)

In today’s issue:

• Beta blockers for anxiety

• High protein vs. heart-healthy diet

• Clearing forever chemicals

• and more…

We love to hear from you—our community. Please share your feedback, stories, questions, testimonials, ideas, and more with us at [email protected].

WISDOM FOR LIFE

"A flower blossoms for its own joy."

Oscar Wilde

👁️‍🗨️SPOTLIGHT

People are taking beta blockers for anxiety

Even though it may reduce physical symptoms of anxiety, experts don’t recommend it as a first line of defense.

🫨 If you’ve ever had a panic attack, was your first thought to take heart medication? For a growing number of anxiety sufferers, the answer might be yes.

Beta blockers–a class of heart medications–are now becoming a popular treatment for anxiety, according to an article in Glamour. 

Why are people going beta? Beta blockers curb the effects of adrenaline on the heart, says expert Jayne Morgan, MD, cardiologist and vice president of medical affairs at Hello Heart, in the article.

In effect, beta blockers:

• Lower blood pressure (BP)

• Slow heart rate

That is why they work for heart failure, high blood pressure, and irregular heart beat; and since adrenaline can cause physical symptoms in anxiety sufferers (heart palpitations and elevated BP), beta blockers may have a calming effect.

BUT…it does not address the psychological root of anxiety, nor is it primarily indicated for anxiety.

Big picture: Not your first line of defense. 🛡️ Beta blockers may calm a racing heart, but they don’t offer long-term relief and practitioners like Morgan do not recommend them as a first line of defense against anxiety.

_{Always consult with your doctor if you are considering starting a new medication.}

LIVE MORE+

• 🧠 Ibuprofen speeds concussion recovery by 20%. Read more.

• 💤 Get an au natural melatonin boost without the supplement. Read more.

WELLNESS WATCH - Diet + weight loss

High-Protein fasting beats heart-healthy diet for weight loss

🍗 High-protein intermittent fasting (HPIF) may beat a heart-healthy diet for weight loss, according to a mindbodygreen article discussing findings from a new study published in Obesity.

• HPIF contributed to two-times greater body fat loss and more than 50% more weight loss (18 pounds vs 11 pounds) compared to the heart-healthy diet.

High protein vs heart healthy: The small study compared weight loss between HPIF and the heart-healthy diet in sedentary and lightly active participants with overweight or obesity.

• 🍖 A high-protein diet included 35% protein, 30% fat, and 35% carbohydrates. Foods include animal- and plant-based protein, and protein shakes, and one or two days of low-calorie intermittent fasting each week. 

• 🥣 A heart-healthy diet included 10 to 20% protein, less than 30% fat, and 50 to 60% carbohydrates, having a higher ratio of carbohydrates in the form of whole grain pita and oatmeal.

Although HPIF caused faster and more intense weight loss, a heart-healthy diet still caused weight loss, and both diets also improved blood pressure. ♥️

Why does protein contribute to weight loss?

• It takes more calories to digest

• It increases satiety more than carbohydrates

• It helps with muscle maintenance. Muscles are actually really important for weight loss, since they burn more calories than fat at rest.

Protein-forward >

Protein is one of the most important things for aging muscles; we need even more protein past age 50, since the rate of muscle loss speeds up.

We are excited to be offering a virtual ticket to the Livelong Experience, happening March 28 and 29. Get exclusive access to cutting-edge keynote sessions and approachable strategies, tips, and insights for a long and high-quality life from globally-renowned experts like Dr. Mark Hyman, Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Vonda Wright, Ella Davar, and Daniel Carcillo, plus 20 more leading figures.

Our experiential sessions in nutrition, mobility, aging innovations, and disease prevention can improve your well-being across every domain of your life. If you are finally ready to start meeting those long-term health goals, join us today.

Register here!

Interested in becoming a sponsor? Contact [email protected] to learn more.

IN OTHER NEWS

Serious menopause symptoms may indicate greater risk of dementia

Nearly every women experiences symptoms during Menopause, a phase of life characterized by the end of a menstrual period. But new research suggests that more symptoms is linked to a worse risk of dementia later in life, writes the New York Post. 🧠

By measuring cognitive function and mild behavioral impairment (MBI; an early symptom that indicates dementia risk), a team of Canadian researchers found a link between greater menopause symptoms, worse cognitive decline, and risk of dementia.

Hormone therapy (especially estrogen-based) during peri (pre-)menopause was significant linked with fewer MBI symptoms, notes one of the study authors, and more research is hopefully to come.

Today’s top reads

• 🧪 Forever chemicals may not be forever. Read more. 

• 😥 Al improves productivity, but at what cost to our health? Read more.

• ⚖️ Stop FOBO (fear of a better option) for a calmer mind. Read more.

LONG-LEVITY

Gut microbiome transplant cures a football coach’s cancer

Surgery, immunotherapy and chemotherapy failed to help 49-year-old football coach Tim Story overcome his Stage 3 colon cancer, NBC News reports.

A fecal transplant turned his luck (and health) around. 📣

In a last-ditch effort, Story joined a trial with MD Anderson Cancer Center to get a fecal transplant* from a superdonor who previously overcome their advanced colon cancer with immunotherapy. 

After his transplant, Story continued immunotherapy…he was cancer-free within two years.

On the frontier of gut-based medicine: “Certain gut microbes are be capable of activating cancer-fighting immune cells and stimulating other parts of the immune system to infiltrate tumors,” according to NBC.

🦠_{Fecal transplant is a procedure that allows a donor’s gut microbiome to repopulate in a recipient’s}

LIVELONG+ 

📚 READ: Limitless by Jim Kwik. Your brain is more than you ever thought.

🎧 LISTEN: Longevity, menopause, and women’s health. Listen here.

🍽️ TASTE: Kefir is a protein-rich fermented milk drink that is healthy for the gut. It’s tangy, sour, and has a diversity of probiotic strains. Try these brands.

💬 SHARE: Share this newsletter to spread the knowledge.

🌳 EXPERIENCE: Next week is The Livelong Experience. Join us to learn groundbreaking insights and real-world strategies to live longer from the top minds in longevity. Tickets almost sold out! Register now.

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Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare professional before starting any exercise, wellness, or health program. Nothing in our content, products or services should be considered, or used as a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Livelong is a media company and not a medical provider. We try to give the most accurate possible, but sometimes information is subject to change.