The Livelong Newsletter

Happy Friday!

Hollywood icon Dick Van Dyke celebrated his 99th birthday this month. What’s the secret to his long life? In addition to maintaining an active lifestyle, he says to have a little fun along the way. A positive attitude, he adds, can get you far in life.

Want to get a head start on your 2025 goals? You don’t have to wait until January. Keep scrolling for tips that you can start today to promote your longevity journey.

In today’s issue:

• Your heart has a “little brain”

• Realistic resolutions

• Exploding cancer cells

• And much 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 “little brain” behind our heartbeat

A new discovery opens up possibilities for heart-focused treatment and therapy options.

Researchers found that the heart houses a “little brain” complete with its own intricate nervous system, which could introduce better treatment options for those with irregular heartbeats. 🫀

🔎 In a study conducted on zebrafish, scientists found that neurons (or nerve cells) in the heart contain a ‘pacemaker’ to keep the heart pumping. 

The mini-brain creates a local network essential for a healthy functioning heart.

• The most common form of irregular heartbeat, atrial fibrillation, affects 10.5 million Americans, according to UC San Francisco. 

• If left untreated, it can lead to stroke or death, making it one of the most prevalent causes of stroke. 

The scientists hope that the study can reveal more about how the heart works in humans and lead to ways to better treat cardiac issues. 💗

“Our study supports the proposed model of the heart’s ‘little brain’ [that can provide] essential information for heart functionality,” the study notes.

➕ LIVE MORE

• 💡 The risks of fluttering “holiday heart syndrome.” Read more.

• ✅ A few minutes of exercise could cut heart disease risk in half. Read more.

• 🌱Mediterranean plants may treat cardiovascular disease. Read more.

WELLNESS WATCH - Diet & Nutrition

Weight-loss among the ‘worst New Year’s resolutions’ for longevity

Weight loss should not be one of your major health goals for 2025, according to a longevity expert

💬 Losing weight is one of the most common New Year’s resolutions for 2024

But how effective is it, really?

Considering over 80% of Americans fail a New Year's resolution within the first two weeks of setting it, here’s why weight loss might be hard to achieve.

Unsustainable and unrealistic goals

• Drastic weight loss goals hinder you from taking actionable, manageable steps, and you’re more likely to fall off the wagon, Dr. Sonja Rosen, medical director of geriatrics at Cedars-Sinai, told Parade.

Rosen recommends creating simple and attainable goals, which include 30-minute daily walks and diets like the Mediterranean diet, which may extend lifespan by over 4 years. 

👍He also emphasizes the importance of reducing processed foods and alcohol intake, as these changes can significantly impact longevity and overall activity levels.

📰 IN OTHER NEWS

Combustible cancer: Vitamin K makes cancer explode?

A vitamin that causes cancer cells to explode? 

You read that correctly. In a recent study, 🧬vitamin K3, a synthetic form of vitamin K, killed prostate cancer cells, causing them to burst 

Here's the research:

👉The pro-oxidant supplement menadione (or vitamin K) has shown promising results in suppressing cancer growth in mice. The discovery holds the potential to revolutionize the treatment of prostate cancer in human patients, which currently affects about 300,000 people.

“It’s like a transport hub, like JFK. If everything that goes in is immediately de-identified, nobody knows where the airplanes should go next,”  said Lloyd Trotman, author of the study, in a statement. “New stuff keeps coming in, and the hub starts to swell. This ultimately leads to the cell bursting.”

Quick reads

• 📺 Longevity Hackers follows actor Edward Norton as he explores breakthroughs in aging science and biohacking. Read more.

• 🍬 Study finds sweet treats lower your risk of heart attack? Read more.

• 🍽️ Skipping breakfast could raise your dementia risk, a new study suggests. Read more.

• 💆🏻‍♀ Is there an age limit for longevity treatments? Read more.

LONG-LEVITY

Drink up! Coffee may help you live longer

The anti-aging effects of coffee were found to reduce age-related diseases and mortality.

Your cup of morning joe is not only an energizing way to start the day, but it could help you live longer, according to a December 2024 study published in ScienceDirect. ☕

Scientists have found a connection between coffee consumption and healthier aging, specifically reducing age-associated diseases such as stroke, cancer, and dementia.

Coffee's relationship with a healthy lifespan may be a breakthrough in the therapy of age-related diseases. It was recognized by the National Institutes of Health as an “effective beverage for healthful aging, especially with respect to maladies such as cardiovascular disease and mild cognitive impairment.”

The main components of coffee, caffeine, and chlorogenic acids, help to preserve the main biological mechanisms responsible for the aging process — quite the “perk” for coffee lovers.

Mark Your Calendar 🗓️

🌴 The Livelong Experience is an exclusive longevity gathering coming to Palm Beach Island, March 28-29, 2025. Details coming soon.

Livelong gift guide

From wearables to self-filtering water bottles, our assortment of products will support anyone’s longevity journey.

LIVELONG BOOKSHELF • Essentials

Longevity books everyone should read

The value of taking care of yourself now means being healthy for your entire life. These essential longevity books will kickstart your path to health and vitality this winter.

☝️ Find your next transformative read here.

🔛 What’s next?

• 📥 Subscribe to the community — If you haven’t subscribed, please do so. You’re joining a great community of life.

• ➡️ Share this newsletter — Share with a friend so they can get fresh, actionable, and evidence-based information to support their health journey, too.

• 🔔 Find us on YouTube — Livelong is excited about our new podcast, highlighting conversations with the experts.

• 🌱 Our most recent edition —That gut feeling

🦉 WISDOM FOR LIFE

About Livelong

Be your own expert. Optimize your health. Look beyond the conventional.

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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.