Issue 65 | June 27, 2025
image credit: freepik
Happy Friday,
Learning never stops. Did you know that hundreds of universities offer free (or close-to-free) programs for retirees looking to continue their education? Learning drives a strong sense of purpose, keeps the brain sharp, and extends health span.
This week
This 10-minute exercise beats running
Is ice cream dangerous?
The party doesn’t stop at 80
And more…
👁️🗨️SPOTLIGHT
NASA identifies one exercise that is almost 70% more effective than running
You might want to jump on the bandwagon.
image credit: freepik
It’s hard to find time to exercise and even harder to find what works. But a resurfaced 1980 study from NASA might hold the surprising answer to total-body fitness at any age.
🦘 According to the study, just 10 minutes of rebounding–a mini-trampoline workout–was nearly 70% more effective workout than 30 minutes of running, according to Women’s Health.
What is rebounding? A low-impact cardiovascular workout of jumping on a mini trampoline and performing simple movements.
Why is it effective?
Unlike running—which can disproportionately stress leg joints—rebounders absorb 85% of impact upon landing, spreading the force.
The uneven surface challenges balance and stability, the workout engages more muscle groups/joints, and improves oxygen efficiency (despite having a similar impact on heart rate and oxygen uptake to running ♥️).
In other words, rebounding makes your body work harder, according to Women’s Health. 😮💨
Low-impact, joint-friendly
Adaptable intensity and scaleable
Boosts balance and stability
Strengthens cardiovascular fitness
Supports recovery
How to start? Start with up to 10 minutes a day for three to four days/week, recommends fitness expert Aly Giampolo. It does not replace traditional strength training, but rather supplements your current fitness routine.
WELLNESS WATCH
These 80-year olds are clubbing to fight loneliness
The party doesn’t stop when you get older.
image credit: freepik
🕺 Who says clubbing is a young man’s game? In one Brussels club, 80- and 90-year-olds from a nearby nursing home can be found dancing, drinking, and fighting loneliness until the wee hours of the morning, writes New York Times.
Connection beyond convention
This clubbing excursion was organized by Papy Booom, a nonprofit working to combat loneliness in older adults—around the world, one in four older adults experiences social isolation, says Hans Henri P. Kluge, director of the World Health Organization (Europe).
“We are living longer, but not healthier and not more connected,” Kluge says. “There’s a cheap cure: It is called social connectivity.”
✨From hot-air balloon rides to daytime raves, the group plans unconventional activities to prevent the “fading of spirit” that can come with age, says Youssef Kaddar of Papy Booom.✨
Preparing for fun: The clubbers may require special accommodations—nursing home staff on site, help with restroom breaks, and removing hearing aids—but that did not stop the party.
Young people exceedingly benefit too: Studies show that intergenerational connection promotes physical, emotional, and social health in younger adults, as well as older adults.
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TOP STORY
Is ice cream dangerous?
image credit: freepik
Would you eat soap or eye drops? Probably not. 🤢 Yet commercial ice cream contains an emulsifier found in these products, and growing research suggests the additive is hurting your gut microbiome.
Polysorbate 80 improves ice cream texture and prevents it from melting too quickly. The issue is it harms beneficial gut bacteria while feeding harmful bacteria, parasites, and viruses, says nutritionist and gut health expert Daryl Gioffree. Other studies confirm it may create lasting damage to gut function.
Rule of thumb? 🍨 Ice cream is completely OK in moderation as part of a healthy diet. But try sticking to brands or shops that use simple, whole ingredients—milk, sugar, vanilla, etc..
POLL
SHORT READS
🧗 Scale up your health: The best smart scales that measure muscle mass, body fat percentage and bone density.
❄️ Cool these foods down: Let these foods cool down to get even more nutritional benefits.
🌳 Becoming a decade younger: This Stanford professor’s natural lifestyle shift reduced his biological age by 10 years.
PERSPECTIVES
‘Do I like aging?’
For the sake of your health, you may want to consider trying.
image credit: freepik
Your self-perception (beliefs) about aging directly influences how successfully you age, from reducing your risk of disease to staying engaged in life.
Positive perception heals: Positivity promotes physical and mental health by optimizing pathways associated with life span, contributing to:
🦴 Less risk of disability, frailty and dementia
📏 Protection against obesity
🫂 Less loneliness, more life engagement
⏱️ Slower biological aging
Society needs to flip the script too, with experts calling for a “reengineering of core societal institutions.”
Current narratives around aging tend not to be positive, making it harder for people to change their perspective (which are actually formed at a young age). Improving perception might also foster new ways to promote successful aging on a mass scale.
3 strategies to improve perception around aging
Self-compassion: Be kind to yourself as you navigate age-related changes. Try writing yourself a self-compassion letter or practicing mindfulness.
Engage in society–individualism can drive loneliness and create a worse perception of aging.
What’s your reason to live? Purpose fuels healthier choices, reduces stress, and life satisfaction.
LIVELONG+
🎧 WATCH: Are high-protein diets dangerous?
🍽️ TASTE: Kale, quinoa, and cauliflower soup is dinner.
💬 SHARE: Share this newsletter to connect others with longevity tips.
🙂 REWIND: Beware Toast. The hidden risk.
✏️ Poll response
❓ Last week we asked you a question: Would you eat lab-grown fish?
The alternative offers a more sustainable, ethical, and possibly nutritious source of protein. Based on your responses, more than 60% of you would be excited to try lab-grown fish in some capacity. That’s nearly 3x more than the number of people willing to try lab-grown meat just two years ago (18%).
Until next time,
- 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.
- Please note: Some links in this newsletter are affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through them. This helps us continue to bring you credible and actionable health and longevity insights at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
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