The Livelong Newsletter

Good morning,

June 26 was National Day of Joy. According to a dictionary definition, joy is an emotion linked with well-being and good fortune. By this definition, health brings happiness; therefore, we can choose good fortune by choosing health. 

The week is June 24. In today’s issue:

• How to slow face aging.

• Is inhaling insulin as good as injecting it?

• Crazy about coffee? It may be in your genes.

• 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

What to do about facial aging

Facial aging is a completely natural part of the aging process, but that doesn’t mean you can’t slow it down.

There are expensive surgeries to combat signs of aging, but the research shows that there are many non-surgical solutions too, including preventative and clinical treatments.

Preventative treatments: Wear sunscreen every day; do not smoke; consume minimal alcohol; eat a balanced diet; exercise; wash your face with a gentle cleaner; and moisturize.

• Pros: Relatively inexpensive, accessible to most, and prevents further damage in the first place.

• Cons: It is not as effective at targeting deep wrinkles and age spots, it requires daily maintenance and lifestyle choices, usually does not lead to dramatic effects.

Rejuvenating clinical procedures: Botox (immobilizes muscles that contribute to expression lines); dermal fillers (usually a hyaluronic-based injection that reduces lines caused by collagen- and fat- loss); and laser treatment, which strips away the top layer of skin, including the wrinkles, age spots, and scars.

• Pros: Directly targets visible signs of aging, works beneath the skin surface, and can have more dramatic effects.

• Cons: Expensive and invasive. Botox and fillers require recurrent procedures, and it takes weeks for the skin to heal from laser surgery.

💡 QUICK TIP

Consider these anti-aging ingredients when choosing skincare products:

1. Vitamin C

2. Retinol (bidens pilosa for sensitive skin)

3. Niacinamide

4. Peptides

5. Alpha hydroxy

See full list of ingredients here.

TECHNOLOGY

Breathe in better diabetes treatment

What’s the story? Inhaled insulin (Afrezza®, MannKind Corporation) may be even more effective for maintaining a healthy A1c compared to traditional insulin injections, according to new study results.

What’s the study? Researchers compared inhaled insulin (plus daily basal injection) with traditional injectable insulin for helping patients with type 1 diabetes to achieve glycemic control. Results were collected after 17 weeks.

Study results:

• 30% of the inhaled insulin group achieved the glycemic target compared to 17% with standard pump delivery.

• 24% of the inhaled insulin group stayed in optimal glycemic range at least 70% of the time (13% with standard pump) without increased hypoglycemia.

• 50% of people taking inhaled insulin are willing to continue it.

Why does it matter? Diabetes is one of the fastest growing diagnoses worldwide and is one of the worst conditions for prolonging longevity, as it contributes to many other diseases and conditions. 

Big picture? Advancements in drug delivery can improve medication adherence and make care more accessible to a broader range of people.

SPILL THE BEANS

When blood runs coffee

• Drinking coffee may be a heritable habit, according to a new study. However, it may not be an entirely healthy one.

• What is the study: Researchers looked at 2 huge datasets (one from the U.S. and one from the UK) for characteristics associated with coffee consumption.

• What the study shows: Coffee was associated with worse health outcomes (i.e., obesity).

• Factors that complicate this finding:

  • Anxiety. In the U.S. dataset, having a genetic disposition for anxiety was linked with having a disposition for coffee intake; yet, anxiety genetics were negatively correlated with coffee intake genetics in the UK.

  • Type of coffee. Is it a frappuccino or instant coffee? Sweetened or unsweetened? In the U.S., it may be more socially acceptable to choose insanely sweet coffee beverages, as one researcher notes, and this would negate any health benefits associated with the drink.

• Coffee is not necessarily unhealthy: Sans the sweet additions, there are a TON of longevity upsides associated with drinking coffee, as it promotes lifespan and reduces all-cause mortality risk.

• Big Picture: Our behaviors can make this genetic trait more harmful or more beneficial, according to one of the authors. ⚖️ The choice is yours on how to drink coffee.

☕ POLL

📰 IN OTHER NEWS

• Acupuncture can reduce hot flashes for women undergoing endocrine therapy for breast cancer, according to a recent study. Read more.

• An experimental wearable can accurately measure the concentration of chemical biomarkers in sweat. This health monitor could eventually be used to diagnose disease and monitor ongoing conditions. Read more.

• Pine wood has natural antiviral properties that work in as little as 5 minutes. Having more pine wood surfaces may be a natural way to prevent disease spread and reduce need for disinfectant. Read more.

LONG-LEVITY

Most U.S. adults are best friends with their parents

In a recent survey, 58% of U.S. adults over the age of 40 said that they consider their parent to be their best friend (I am not 40 yet, but I can attest to this 🙋.) Most of the parents, now in their golden years, were reported to have a positive outlook on aging.

Share your happy with [email protected].

⚠️ Poll Results

Last Friday, we asked “Should social media platforms have mental health warning labels?”

• 🏅 There should be a mental health warning label (31%)

• 🥈 A warning label should go to all social media users (24%)

• 🥈 Those who use social media already know it’s risks (24%)

• 🥉 It’s dangers are not comparable to alcohol/tobacco (21%)

Stay tuned →

We have a feature interview you don’t want to sleep on…maybe just nap on it. 💤 Coming on Tuesday.

In the meantime…

Check out last week’s feature and learn about resiliency as a remedy for stress with acclaimed psychologist Dr. Stephen Sideroff, PhD, author of The 9 Pillars of Resilience.

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About Livelong

Longevity science can feel a bit like Alice in Wonderland at times—it is a rabbit hole of intrigue, but laden with misinformation: where one magic pill claims to make you bigger, another makes you smaller. Our goal at Livelong 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. 

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.