The Livelong Newsletter

Happy Friday,

Fun fact, I just learned that the Mexican food chain Chipotle is launching a new vegan lip stain product, aptly titled Lipotle, in partnership with the skincare company Wonderskin.

The lip stain—which goes on green—is inspired by guacamole, which is not only a popular add-on to Chipotle orders, but also a great source of omega-3s. The product was released on July 30, just in time for National Avocado Day (July 31) 🥑.

The week is July 29. In today’s issue:

• Khloe Kardashian’s biological age.

• Eating a longevity-optimized diet.

• Reelin in Alzheimer’s research.

• 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

Khloe Kardashian’s biological age is 12 years younger than her calendar age

Khloé Kardashian discovered that she has a biological age of 28 years old—despite her chronological (calendar) age being 40—in the longevity-focused season 5 finale of The Kardashians.

"The fat, funny sister is 12 years younger than her chronological age," Khloé exclaims.

🌍 If she were in the Rejuvenation Olympics, a competition to slow biological aging, then her pace of aging would rank seventh in the world, says Dr. Matthew Dawson, CEO of TruDiagnostic, the company administering the epigenetic tests.

The Kardashians spotlight longevity science. Members of the family spent the episode learning their biological age—which is the rate of physical aging, according to author/aging expert Dr. Kara Fitzgerald.

• Biological age is determined by epigenetics, “or the way your genes express themselves every day," said Dawson, a previous presenter at our Livelong Summit, in a press release.

• Lifestyle choices control this gene expression, and as a result, “you can slow your pace of aging," Dawson explains.

What’s her secret? Healthy lifestyle.

• She consistently works out 5 days a week—switching between HIIT, cardiovascular training, and pilates.

• "I do circuit training with cardio intervals. I’m always spiking my heart rate up and down," she reveals in an episode.

• She follows a simple, clean low-carbohydrate diet which does not include dairy and few processed foods.

• Kardashian also maintains a balanced weight, which had been a years-long struggle for her but promotes slow epigenetic aging.

DIET

What is a longevity-optimized diet?

A ‘longevity-optimized diet’ could extend life expectancy by almost 10 years, according to research in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

At age 40, switching to a longevity-optimized diet from a standard Western diet could add 9.5 years in life expectancy for people in the U.S. Starting the diet at age 60 could add 7 years of life.

• Just incorporating elements of this eating pattern into a current diet could add 3.5 to 5 years in life expectancy, depending on age. 

Experts recommend starting with feasible changes to your current diet, such as adding one serving each of vegetables and fruit, eating 3.5 servings of whole grains, consuming ½ cup of legumes, and 2.5 ounces of fish each day. Additionally, reduce your intake of refined carbohydrates, red meat, and added sugar.

✅ Checklist: Longevity-optimized diet

List includes daily portion size recommendations

• Whole grains: 7 servings (½ cup cooked grain; 1 slice of bread)

• Vegetables: 5 servings (½ cup of cooked vegetables; 1 cup salad greens)

• Fruit: 5 servings (½ cup berries; 1 whole fruit)

• Nuts: small handful

• Legumes: 1 cup beans, lentils, or peas

• Fish: 6 oz.

• Egg: ½ whole egg

• White meat: 2 oz.

The MOST impactful dietary changes for people living in the U.S.

• Increase whole grain consumption

• Increase legume consumption

• Reduce sugar-sweetened beverages

• Reduce red meat consumption

📰 IN OTHER NEWS

Reelin in the future of Alzheimer’s research

A protein called Reelin may prevent Alzheimer's disease, according to an NPR article discussing a series of impactful new studies. 

• Based on clinical evidence, Reelin promotes thinking and memory and has a “protective factor” in the brain, according to MIT professor Li-Huei Tsai in the article.

Reelin and the “remarkable man”: In 2023, Reelin made headlines when a study of a “remarkable” Colombian man—as former acting NIH director Lawrence Tabak calls him—showed that the protein prevented him from developing Alzheimer’s at middle age, despite having a genetic disposition for it.

Two studies later, scientists learned that people with neurons that produce more Reelin have higher cognitive function and that Alzheimer’s may damage the neurons that make Reelin.

Other stories:

1. Cells can become “historians” with a new method (ENGRAM) that creates a biological record of the timing and type of biological signals—i.e., when and what biological commands are responsible for turning genes on or off. Read more.

2. Parts of the brain can take micro-naps while the rest of the brain is awake, according to researchers at U.C. Santa Cruz. Understanding these unique brain patterns could help to better understand neurodegeneration (associated with sleep health). Read more.

3. Long-term health is influenced by bowel movement frequency, according to a recent paper. In healthy individuals, chronic constipation was associated with blood toxins that can cause organ damage, according to corresponding author Dr. Sean Gibbons. Read more.

4. Jury says: Chocolate is good for you! Eating organic chocolate with at least 70% cacao and minimal processing can provide good-for-the-gut flavonols, promote calm, and may reduce risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. Read more.

TWO TRUTHS

Two of these facts are true; one is not. What’s the lie?

1. The earth’s atmosphere is 23% oxygen.

2. Humans exhale carbon dioxide.

3. The longest recorded breath hold is 24 minutes.

THE OLYMPICS

These trending Olympian treatments may not lead to peak performance

In 2016, cupping was the trending form of recovery among athletes at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Today, it’s ice baths and osteopathy, according to a recent article.

Cryotherapy (most simply defined as the application of ice) is believed to promote faster recovery, treat injury, and promote better performance.

• Researchers, however, suggest this is not evidence-based and may actually prevent recovery, according to authors of an article in the British Journal of Medicine (BJM).

• Why? After exercise, cold application could delay tissue regeneration and impair acute performance, the authors write.

Osteopathy is a therapy involving muscle and joint manipulation through moving, stretching and massage.

• Studies suggest that different osteopathic methodologies are not effective, nor are they more effective than evidence-based physiotherapy.

• A 2021 randomized clinical trial found that osteopathic manipulations did not significantly improve back pain compared with "sham" treatments such as light touching.

• It only creates the feeling of well-being “without [the] curative properties," according to Pascale Mathieu, president of France's council of physiotherapists.

TWO TRUTHS ANSWER

Answer:

1. The earth’s atmosphere is NOT 23% oxygen. It is 21% oxygen.

The longest recorded breath hold is 24 minutes and 37 seconds.

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🔔 One more thing: Don’t forget to catch up on the last newsletter

Check out last week’s feature to see how we debunk the myth that aging clocks can predict your biological age.

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.