The Livelong Newsletter

Happy Friday,

🍹 During hot summer days, cool down with revitalizing sea moss punch.

Sea moss—particularly from the island of Trinidad—is the “most prized seaweed in the Caribbean,” according to a BBC article.

Used for centuries as a healing tonic among the indigenous peoples, this age-old ingredient is the new superfood that everyone wants their hands on. Let us know if you give this shake a try!

In today’s issue:

• Cold plunge? Try cold shower instead.

• Protein builds your “body armor,” celebrity trainer says.

• The placebo effect is not fake.

• 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

The best way to optimize a cold shower

You don’t need an ice bath to reap the seemingly endless benefits of the cold. 

Cold showers can reduce inflammation and muscle soreness, boost immunity, speed up recovery after a workout, activate metabolism, boost circulation, and promote the release of happy hormones, to name a few benefits, according to Men’s Health.

But you might still be wondering— HOW do you do cold showers properly?

Here’s what experts and science say.

What is cold enough? Simply put, you can gauge cold enough based on a feeling. It’s the feeling of wanting to leave the shower but being able to safely stay in it, according to Men’s Health fitness director Andrew Tracey in the article.

How long is long enough? Danish researchers suggest 2-4 sessions for a total of 11 minutes/week, according to Men’s Health.

• The optimal time ranges between 1-5 minutes per session, according to researchers.

• Focusing on the breath (particularly extending the exhale) can make it easier to get through the time, Tracey said.

AM or PM? Wim Hof suggests that morning offers cardiovascular benefits, but it could be good at night during summer to lower core temperature and promote better sleep.

Before or after a workout? Showering after training can boost perceived muscle recovery, while showering before training is best if your goal is hypertrophy (increased muscle mass), according to the article.

Proof that the placebo effect is real

Can you think your way to less pain?

The placebo effect really can reduce pain, according to an article discussing the results of a new study in Nature. Surprisingly, it does not activate the part of the brain associated with pain perception.

The study: Researchers conditioned mice to experience pain relief in a way that mirrors the expectation of pain relief when humans take a pill (real or placebo).

The results:

• The placebo activated specific brain circuits associated with movement and coordination (cerebellum and brainstem) but NOT brain circuits associated with pain perception.

Specifically, it activated neurons in the Pontine nucleus (Pn) in the brainstem region.

• Pn activation reduces pain. Mice with Pn activation reacted to pain more slowly, while Pn inhibition was associated with faster reaction to pain.

• Neurons in the Pn contain opioid receptors. During follow-up, researchers found that 65% of neurons in this brain circuit actually contain opioid receptors that are usually activated by painkillers.

This research could improve the effectiveness of painkillers. New studies could try to identify how to use biological mechanisms for natural pain reduction, said Harvard neuroscientist Clifford Woolf.

POLL

Bonus points if you share your story.

📰 IN OTHER NEWS

Songs live in our minds forever

Music lasts the test of time, according to results from a study on our ability to recall music, published in PLoS ONE.

• When participants (ages 18 to 86) listened to one familiar piece of music (Mozart) and two unfamiliar pieces of music, the familiar tune was the only one recognized by everyone.

A growing body of research suggests that, despite getting older and losing other cognitive abilities, music is etched in our memories.

• This may be due to the fact that music creates an emotional reaction, according to Steffen Herff, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of Sydney, Australia.

Why this matters: Music could be “cognitive scaffolding” that people with dementia and neurodegenerative conditions could use as a foundation to remember other information, Herff says.

Other stories:

1. Science needs time to think.

2. The gut microbiome contributes to depression.

3. New blood test catches early dementia with 90% accuracy. 

4. Speaking of blood tests, the FDA approved a new blood test to screen for colorectal cancer.

WELLNESS WATCH

Eat to build your “body armor”

Muscle is the “body armor” that will keep you independent and healthy for your entire life, according to Don Saladino, a celebrity personal trainer with a focus on longevity, in an interview with Business Insider (BI).

Working out is crucial for maintaining this armor. Diet is too.

The key is getting enough protein, which protects lean muscle mass and functionality with age.

• Dietary protein is broken down into amino acids which build new proteins. These proteins are foundational to developing muscle, stimulate muscle repair, and promoting immune and bone health, according to Harvard Health.

As you age, it’s also important to consume protein at a faster rate than the body breaks it down, according an article in NPR.

Current guidelines recommend eating a minimum of 0.8 grams of protein per kg of body weight, but some experts recommend 1 g protein/kg body weight for people over age 50.

• You can use protein calculators online to understand if your food meets your daily needs.

High-quality sources of protein

🐟According to Harvard Health, these are some of the highest quality sources of protein: 

• Beans, peas, lentils

• Nuts and seeds

• Lean meat (chicken, turkey)

• Fish

• Dairy (yogurt)

• Soy products (tofu)

LONG-LEVITY

Healing trauma, one LEGO block at a time

LEGO is helping adults to heal from trauma and reduce stress, according to a recent story in The Canary.

Military veterans, people with PTSD, and those with a history of trauma have taken to online communities and social media to share the healing power of building with LEGO.

There are proven psychological benefits to LEGO and other types of play.

“Play is as important to healing from trauma as processing trauma memories and establishing good-enough relationships,” said Jay Watts, a consultant clinical psychologist and psychotherapist, in an interview with The Canary.

Thought this week’s newsletter was interesting?

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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.