The Livelong Newsletter

Good morning,

For those of you in the U.S., I hope you had a wonderful 4th of July celebration. I love the holiday because it means family, friends, fireworks, parades, games, and backyard grilling.

Grilling is a great method of infusing food with deep flavor, but charring the food, particularly meat, can be carcinogenic. To enjoy future BBQs without the health risks, try marinating meat in citrus prior to grilling, avoid cooking it over direct heat, and serve it alongside antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables.

The week is July 1. In today’s issue:

• Access hundreds of lab tests to live to 100.

• Intermittent fasting myths, debunked.

• Possible cure for celiac disease.

• Why you might not want to trust airplane coffee.

• 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].

SPOTLIGHT

New health platform makes hundreds of lab tests accessible to mainstream

The celebrity-endorsed company Function is empowering people to live to 100 years old.

Matt Damon is one of numerous celebrities backing Function, a new health platform that gives members access to 100+ comprehensive lab tests to track health and stay ahead of disease, according to CEO Jonathan Swerdlin.

The goal: “Empower you to live 100 healthy years,” according to its website. 

The cost: An annual membership fee is $499.

What’s included: 100+ lab tests for cancer detection and key biomarkers for heart health, thyroid, autoimmunity, female and male health, metabolism, stress & aging, liver and kidneys, blood, and more. 

Members can also pay more for additional tests, such as a multi-cancer detection or food allergy tests.

Why this matters: Patients currently face many barriers to lab testing, and limitations with the current healthcare and food systems are perpetuating disease and health disparities.

This platform aims to disrupt this trend by giving members access to the comprehensive lab testing and a digestible summary of findings, along with actionable and doctor-recommended insights to improve their health and a place to track changing lab results over time. 

WELLNESS WATCH

The truth about intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting may still be considered somewhat controversial, but a new publication from the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC) affirms that it is safe and healthy.

The commentary, published in the journal Nature Reviews Endocrinology, dispels common myths about the negative consequences associated with fasting.

Myth 1: Intermittent fasting leads to poor diet.

Fact: Clinical evidence suggests that people are not more likely to indulge in excess sugar, saturated fat, cholesterol, fiber, sodium and caffeine during a fast, nor are they more likely to consume a different percentage of fat, protein, or carbohydrates.

Myth 2: Intermittent fasting catalyzes eating disorders.

Fact: In studies, fasting was not associated with causing eating disorders (although participants were screened for history of eating disorder).

Note that experts do not recommend that people with a history of eating disorders try intermittent fasting.

Myth 3: Fasting can cause increased loss of lean muscle mass.

Fact: Any diet for weight loss can contribute to lean muscle mass loss, which can be reversed with resistance training and eating more protein. 

Myth 4: This diet can impact sex hormone function.

Fact: Estrogen, testosterone, and other sex hormones are not affected by fasting.

THE MORE YOU KNOW

Intermittent fasting includes 2 main types of eating patterns:

1. Alternate-day eating—a dietary pattern that consists of eating minimal calories vs. eating whatever you want on alternate days. 

2. Time-restricted eating (TRE)—a dietary pattern of eating like normal during a 4- to 10-hour window, followed by a fast for the duration of the day.

TRE is the more common form of intermittent fasting, and studies link TRE with lower blood pressure, better blood sugar control, optimized metabolism, and lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

📰 IN OTHER NEWS

How you store food matters

Storing blood oranges at a cooler temperature (40-53 degrees F) can make the vitamin C-rich fruit even more healthy because it promotes the development of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory anthocyanins. Read more.

Other stories to tune in to:

• A common type 2 diabetes drug is now recognized as the first-ever drug that can treat irregular breathing from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Read more.

• Celiac disease may have met its match. Transglutaminase 2 inhibitor could be the first drug to treat inflammation linked with the disease, caused by severe gluten allergy. Read more.

• Older adults should perform structured exercise to reduce the risk of falls, according to an updated recommendation by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Read more.

TRAVEL WITH LIVELONG

The unsanitary source of airplane coffee

It may be in your best interest to avoid any coffee, tea, or beverages that use hot water on a flight, according to a Food & Wine article discussing a cautionary TikTok post made by former flight attendant Kat Kamalani.

Why? “The reason being is that those water tanks [on the aircraft] are never cleaned and they are disgusting,” said Kamalani.

She adds that the coffee is also prepared right near the lavatories.

Moreso, results from a 2019 study from researchers with the Hunter College NYC Food Policy Center found that most regional airlines, and many mainstream ones, have poor water quality.

Researchers of this study even suggest that flyers do NOT wash their hands in the bathroom because of poor water quality; rather, they should bring hand sanitizer.

Is it really that bad? Some experts say that the water is safe because it is boiled long enough to kill pathogens, according to the article. On a subreddit thread discussing this issue, an airline mechanic claims the water is safe because the water system is cleaned with a mixture that has bleach.

Not all flight staff are convinced. A different flight attendant took to social media to make a similar plea, claiming that the hot liquid that is not consumed is dumped in the toilet and there “may some kind of backsplash of particles.” This is only his speculation.

Share your travel stories with [email protected].

POLL RESULTS

Last Friday, we asked “What is your favorite longevity beverage?”

Here’s what you said:

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🔔 Catch up on the last newsletter

Check out last week’s feature to learn how napping can help you achieve optimal health.

About Livelong

Our goal is to provide you with credible and actionable information about health and longevity so you can live a longer and healthier life and guide you toward making insightful decisions that support you during your health and longevity journey. 

Have feedback for us? Email us at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you!

Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health care 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.