The Livelong Newsletter

Happy Friday!

It’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season and put wellness in the backseat. Did you know carving out time to give back not only adds more meaning to your holiday season but also carries proven health benefits? It's a chance to make a difference and feel a sense of purpose. 💝

In today’s issue:

• Your gut and Parkinson’s

• Music is medicine

• Live from the Aloha State

• 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

That ‘gut’ feeling: B vitamins and gut health for Parkinson’s treatment?

A link between gut bacteria and vitamins could lead to possible treatments for Parkinson's disease.  

🔬 There's promising news in the world of brain and gut health. Targeting gut health might be a simple treatment to slow the progression and symptoms of Parkinson's disease. 

In a recent study, researchers found a potential link between B vitamins made by gut bacteria and the development of PD.

Here's what the study found:

• 🧬Riboflavin (vitamin B2): In a clinical study, high doses of riboflavin improved motor symptoms in PD patients.

• 💊 Biotin (vitamin B7): Some gut bacteria produce biotin, and changes in gut bacteria were linked to a decrease in riboflavin and biotin in people with Parkinson's.

"The supplementation of riboflavin and/or biotin is likely to be beneficial in a subset of Parkinson's disease patients, in which gut dysbiosis plays pivotal roles," shares study author Hiroshi Nishiwaki.

➕ LIVE MORE

• 🏡 Happy home. The study links home ownership to longer life expectancy. 

• 🏃Wellness walks. Walking 160 minutes a day can add 11 years to your life.

• ✨ Live longer. Life expectancy increased for the first time in two years, the CDC says.

WELLNESS WATCH - Mind and Body

It’s official: music is medicine

It’s the therapy you choose for yourself.

Sometimes, music can heal better than medicine—whether physical or emotional, the healing can be profound, according to Daniel Levitin, author and professor emeritus at McGill University, in a new interview with Nautilus.

Connection means less depression—Connecting with music stimulates the release of prolactin, our natural ‘tranquilizer,’ which relaxes listeners and can ease symptoms.

Slower heart means less anxiety—Listening slows breathing and heart rate, and reduces the production of inflammatory ‘fight-or-flight’ chemicals.

It’s all in the brain—Music can pull patients with Alzheimer’s out of a catatonic state, and it helps patients with Parkinson’s to control their movements.

Music takes us to ‘default mode network’—This is a healing and restorative part of sleep (and wakeful daydreaming) which gets rid of dead cells, purifies blood, and creates memories.

It even heals physical wounds…indirectly—It promotes the release of immune cells and happiness hormones that stimulate healing neurochemical activities.

“Is music curing that gash on your elbow? Not directly, but it’s enabling your body to cure it,” says Levitin.

You can’t just listen to any music, though. 

Healing with music requires listening to music you like and feel ‘in tune with.’ This is music that validates your emotions and is engaging to you.

Find your tune.

📰 IN OTHER NEWS

Long life in the Aloha State

Hawaii residents live the longest compared to all 50 U.S. states. 🥥

🌴 Aloha! Hawaii—renowned for its beautiful islands, beaches, and vibrant scenery—isn’t just a popular travel destination.

Hawaii boasts the highest life expectancy in the nation, where the average Hawaiian living to 81 years old, according to U.S. News and World Report

It’s not just because of warm weather and sunshine…

According to Hawaii Business Magazine, genetics and demographics play a huge role, along with diet, which consists of locally-grown produce and low-fat meat, and physical activity.🍍

Learn more about Hawaii’s traditional diet and bring the Aloha back home.

Quick reads

• 🍽️ Bye-bye, body fat. Kimchi Diet is found to reduce fat with added health benefits. 

• 👥 BFFs for longevity. Good friendships can help you live longer. 

• 🕹️ Gaming goodies. Video games can provide brain health benefits.

LONG-LEVITY

Volunteering for vitality: How giving back can increase your lifespan

Serving others can reduce stress while increasing happiness and longevity.  🫂

The holiday season allows us to make a difference for those in need.

As volunteering increases by 50% during November and December, giving back and helping your community isn’t only good for society but longevity too.

Studies show that volunteers who engage in acts of service (like volunteering at food banks, animal shelters, etc.) have a lower mortality rate and a reduced risk of death by 25 % compared to non-volunteers. 

A good deed helps your brain release serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins that help you feel good after volunteering. 🤝

Livelong gift guide

This holiday season, give the gift of health. From wearables to self-filtering water bottles, our hand-selected assortment of products will surely support you or a loved one on your 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 Friday edition — Biohacking your health.

🦉 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.