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- The natural 'Ozempic alternative' in your gut
The natural 'Ozempic alternative' in your gut
Plus Ozempic alternatives, magnificent mushrooms, and AI eye exams.
Alexandria Perry
January 31, 2025
Issue 44 | January 31, 2025
Happy Friday!
In today’s issue:
A ‘natural’ alternative to Ozempic
Golden oyster mushrooms to combat aging 🍄🟫
Inspire Your Heart With Art Day 🎨🖌️
And much more…
Let’s dive in!
We love to hear from you—our community. Please share your feedback, stories, questions, testimonials, ideas, and more with us at [email protected].
👁️🗨️SPOTLIGHT
Natural Alternative to Ozempic? Study says your gut may hold the key.
image credit: freepik
A recent study suggests a potential “natural alternative” to Ozempic that could help manage type 2 diabetes and reduce sugar cravings.
Scientists may have discovered a natural alternative to Ozempic–the popular medication that's used to manage type 2 diabetes and aid in weight loss–and you probably already have it!
Researchers at Jiangnan University discovered a gut protein called the "free fatty acid receptor 4" (FFA4), which can naturally regulate blood sugar levels and cravings without the need for the Ozempic drug, as reported by ScienceAlert.
In a study on diabetic mice, FFA4 and its interaction with metabolites (produced during digestion) affected sugar cravings by impacting hormones.
More FFA4 → more GLP-1 production
More FFA4 + metabolites means more glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) secretion, a hormone that controls blood sugar and feelings of fullness.
Increased GLP-1 secretion also boosts secretion of the FGF21 hormone, improving blood sugar control and cravings.
Why create an alternative to Ozempic?
While the celebrated treatment is changing lives, it can have nasty side effects (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) that may prevent people from using it. This “natural alternative” could offer similar benefits without the side effects. ✅
💬 These findings could pave the way for more natural treatment options (potentially with fewer side effects), offering a promising alternative to Ozempic.
➕ LIVE MORE
Look Good, Feel Better, and Live Longer at the Livelong Experience
Want the latest research on heart, brain, and genetic health? Curious which exercise and wearable tech actually makes an impact? Join us at the Livelong Experience, March 28-29, where we’ll tackle these questions and more.
Gain insider access to cutting-edge longevity science, precision medicine, and breakthrough technologies reshaping how we age. With an emphasis on peer-to-peer learning and direct access to top experts, this event is an unparalleled deep dive into the future of longevity—immersive, fast-paced, and designed to transform your approach to health.
WELLNESS WATCH - Mental health
Today is ‘Inspire Your Heart With Art Day!’ Here’s how art can improve your health 🎨
“Inspire Your Heart With Art Day” spotlights art and its positive effects on mental and emotional well-being.
🎭 Today, we are observing ‘Inspire Your Heart With Art Day.’
✍ Creating art, whether it's through music, dance, writing, storytelling, collage-making, or painting, can be both a joyful and therapeutic experience for most people.
These creative outlets also have healing properties, boost serotonin levels, increase blood flow to the part of the brain associated with pleasure, and foster a sense of purpose, according to Mayo Clinic. 💫
🖼 Even if you're simply viewing the artwork rather than creating it, engaging with art can reduce anxiety and stress in adults and strengthen creative expression and emotional resilience.
Try any of these activities to start living with a more healthy and arts-oriented life:
Visit an art gallery.
Attend a live theatre performance.
Read a good book.
Listen to music.
Attend a ballet performance.
Start your masterpiece.
Teach someone how to play an instrument.
Attend an art lecture.
Explore a new technique.
See an inspirational film.
Share your art with others.
📰 IN OTHER NEWS
AI as the future of eye exams and early dementia testing could arrive as soon as 2026
👀 An artificial intelligence tool will be able to analyze eye scans to detect early signs of dementia and Alzheimer's.
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland are developing a new AI tool to help eye doctors detect early signs of dementia by examining pictures of people’s eyes.
The algorithm examines the health of tiny blood vessels inside the retina, which can signal brain diseases like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease sooner.
Each photo, taken during routine eye exams, provides valuable information about brain health, making it a promising option for early disease detection. While the CDC recommends routine eye exams, early diagnosis through AI could allow families to prepare and even seek treatments much sooner.
🤓 The tool is almost ready for prototype testing, and if all goes well, it could be available to opticians nationwide by 2026, BBC writes.
Quick reads
LONG-LEVITY
Majestic mushrooms: How they can slow down aging
Golden oyster mushrooms are deemed a potential anti-aging superfood that may promote heart health and lower mortality risk.
Golden oyster mushrooms (or Pleurotus citrinopileatus) are emerging as a potential anti-aging superfood. In a recent study at Japan’s Kumamoto University, middle-aged mice who ate golden oyster mushrooms had better heart function with fewer signs of heart failure.
🌏 The mushroom is rich in the antioxidant ergothioneine, which has been linked with lower mortality risk and incidence of cardiovascular diseases. 💪
The fungi is native to Russia, China, and Japan, and its compound is naturally found in certain foods like mushrooms and beans, according to New Scientist.
🔎 Eating foods rich in ergothioneine could be a new avenue to improve heart health. Thankfully, there are several ways to prepare golden oyster mushrooms: sauteed, seared, and more! 😋
LIVELONG BOOKSHELF • Essentials
Longevity books everyone should read
Author credit: Elizabeth Blackburn and Elissa Epel
Here are some essential longevity books to kickstart your path to health, vitality, and longevity in 2025.
☝️ Find your next transformative read here.
🔛 What’s next?
Join us in Palm Beach for the Livelong Experience. Don’t miss this chance to learn, connect, and transform your health. Experience includes:
🧬 World-renowned doctors, nutritionists, and researchers
✔️ Updates on the latest health advancements
🌺 Luxury and oceanside living
And more…
Be sure to also subscribe to the community, share this newsletter with a friend, and find us on YouTube, where we’ll be publishing conversations with the experts.
🦉 WISDOM FOR LIFE
“The time is always right to do what is right.”
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