The Livelong Newsletter

It’s Friday!

Today is No One Eats Alone Day 🥹. If you see someone eating alone, be bold. Invite them to join you. Eating together is better for our health, increases nutrition, lowers the risk of anxiety and depression, both of which are linked to chronic pain and risk of dementia.

In today’s issue:

• Harnessing the brain for less pain

• Breaking news in the diet/Alzheimer’s link

• Cancer cells and a chance at redemption

• 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

Using the brain to overcome chronic pain

Neuromodulation is a groundbreaking procedure that uses electrical stimulation to relieve pain.

For the 50+ million people who deal with chronic pain, band-aid treatments and pills only offer so much relief—a one-hour procedure called neuromodulation could be the ultimate surgery-free form of pain relief, according to researchers at Loma Linda.

What is Neuromodulation?

The pacemaker-like device shoots electrical impulses to specific brain and spinal cord areas. This effectively prevents the brain from recieving pain signals.

Using AI, the system can also analyze movement patterns that trigger pain, offering extra support when needed, according to Namath Hussain, MD, MBA, a neurological and spine surgeon at Loma Linda University Health.

What conditions benefit from neuromodulation?

Nerve-related disorders, diabetic neuropathy, spinal cord injuries, pain following joint replacements, headaches, migraines, depression, and more.

Big picture

With new restrictions on opioids and addictive pain killers, patients need alternative and sustainable forms of care. “This technology isn’t just about reducing pain. It’s about giving people their lives back,” says Hussain.

LIVE MORE+

• The key protein to keep your tendons healthy. Read more.

• Stress affects pain receptors in the brain. Here’s how.

• Noise-cancelling headphones linked to an uptick in diagnoses of a neurological condition in young people. Read more.

WELLNESS WATCH - Brain health + Nutrition

Intermittent fasting for Alzheimer’s

80% of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) experience circadian rhythm dysfunction (the circadian rhythm is our internal biological clock that regulates when we are asleep versus awake) but diet might help.

In a recent study, researchers discovered that shortening a patient’s eating window (time-restricted feeding [TRF]) could slow the progression of—or even prevent—AD, as it improved circadian disruption.

The proof: Researchers at UC San Diego School of Medicine compared TRE to unrestricted eating in mice models mimicking AD. Mice with a limited eating window (the equivalent to a 14-hour fasting window in humans) experienced dramatic symptom improvements:

• Better memory, less nighttime hyperactivity, consistent sleep patterns, and better performance in cognitive assessments.

The TRF mice also had less hallmarks of AD:

• Less build-up of problematic amyloid proteins in the brain

• Different expression of Alzheimer’s-related genes

“The capability of a mere adjustment in feeding schedules to modify Alzheimer’s progression at the molecular level is nothing short of revolutionary,” according to the author of the article.

The bigger picture

• Poor sleep not just a byproduct of AD. Disrupted sleep was also shown to drive brain changes that lead to AD.

• We need more human research. Especially if healthy circadian rhythm really is a key factor in managing, or preventing, the disease.

IN OTHER NEWS

What your finger nails might say about your longevity

Finger nails do more than protect your fingers and unstick food from between your teeth—they may be a determinant of aging, according to longevity researcher Dr. David Sinclair.

• While faster-growing nails are linked with slower aging, rate of nail growth starts declining as early as age 30.

Different finger nail colors and textures can also hint at other causes of aging and poor health, writes New York Post.

Pale/White: anemia, liver disease, heart failure
Yellow: Fungal infection, diabetes, thyroid disease
Ridges: Nutritional deficiency, autoimmune disease
Clubbing (curved and thick): lung, cardiovascular, or bowel disease
Brittle nails: protein-, vitamin B-, or iron- deficient, according to dermatologic surgeon Dr. Mary Stevenson in The Post.

Quick reads

• 🍄 Mushroom fiber acts as flu barrier. Read more. 

• 🫖 Korean teas to boost immunity. Read more.

• ⏳Study confirms that feeling sad may age you. Read more.

LONG-LEVITY

Cancer cells get a chance at redemption

Cancer cells might have a chance at redemption, as researchers in Korea identify the ‘tipping point’ when a cell turns cancerous, which is also the moment it can be reverted back to a healthy cell.

• At this ‘critical’ moment, the tumor cell is both cancerous and normal.

• It’s comparable to water that has almost reached boiling point (212°F (100°C))—neither a liquid or gas, authors write.

There’s more. The team also identified the enzyme which determines the fate of cancer cells at this point.

• Blocking the enzyme suppressed tumor growth, and the cell became healthy again.

A better understanding of these ‘critical transitions’ and the key cellular mechanisms in tumor cells could invite novel approaches to treating cancer, authors write.

LIVELONG+ 

📚READ: Essential longevity books that will transform your approach to health in 2025.

🎧 LISTEN: Stay strong for decades! Dr. Vonda Wright on female aging, strength, and longevity. Build a better gut microbiome features a great conversation with Dr. Will Bulsiewicz on gut health, probiotics, and disease-reversal.

🍽️ TASTE: Indulge in a nourishing, easy-to-make meal for long-term health.

💬 SHARE: Know someone who’s passionate about living longer and healthier? Share this newsletter to spread the knowledge.

🌳 GROW: Don’t forget to grab your ticket to the Livelong Experience—March 28-29—we are so excited to meet you and dive deeper into longevity together.

🦉 WISDOM FOR LIFE

Food tastes better when shared with friends

About Livelong

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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.