My Annual Birthday Post: 9 Longevity Tips + My Exact Supplement List

Welp… I turn 52 on Wednesday, and as I have done for the past two years, ever since turning half a century old, I am sharing with you everything I know that is medical studied and validated to help boost your longevity.

Not guessing or hoping that something helps — you see this all the time, everything from skin gua sha to the latest fad supplement — that promises to be anti-aging.

That doesn’t appeal to me, as I don’t care about anti-aging as much as I care about protecting your actual health span — sometimes called your Wellspan: the years that you have in your body where it is working it’s best and allowing you to experience life in a vibrant way, as long as possible.

I’d so much rather feel like a phenomenal kick ass 52 year old at 52 than try to look any other age.

Because OMG what I went through to become a 52 year old woman… let’s not wipe that away!

I’ve had to fight my way to be accepting into medical school and get my MD at a time when only 20% of my classmates were female — I was surrounded by a male dominated medical world that was 80% male and had to fight against so much sexual harassment and sexism in general to become not just the first physician in my entire family, but the first female physician to boot. I endured being in the minority of females as an officer in the military (which again — no shock — male dominated, especially 25 years ago) and the mental and emotional abuse that came with my military career.

I endured several abusive relationships and then a marriage where I was abandoned in the middle of the night — literally waking up to a Dear John letter on the kitchen table after 15 years of marriage — with two utterly traumatized children looking up at me wondering where their father was.  I endured being homeless for a period of time because of it and stuggling to put a roof over my children’s head and a sense of security back into their life.  I endured watching my children wade through trauma and PTSD, I endured my own traumas and PTSD.

But I also grew my own business from the ground up with no help.  I also solo parented and am so damn proud of my kick ass adult children that I can barely see straight when I think of them, I love them so much.

I wrote the first (and I believe still to this day the only) book written by a female physician on grounding as a healing modality, The Earth Prescription.  I started a new branch of medicine that I call Conductive Medicine, based off of the new research coming out about the electrical nature of our body’s health. And I have done it while being a kind, honest, transparent, and hardworking person.  I have no desire for anyone to wipe away a single day of my 52 years by telling me I look younger.

It feels better to me to claim being 52 and focusing on health and function than it does trying to trick a single person into thinking I’m younger based off of looks.

Instead, I’m going to focus, as I always have done, on my physical health over my physical appearance.

So to that end, here are some of the things I’ve started doing as a baby 52-year-old-newly-minted-older person in the path to feel the best I can for however many decades I have ahead.

As I talked about in my last video on aging, aging can be simplified down to a balance between inflammation that accrues over a lifetime vs. your body’s stem cell regeneration.  So we can approach longevity by both sides, decreasing inflammation in the body and protecting (even boosting) stem cell function so we can renew and refresh our organ systems for longer.

The above graphic comes from this fabulous meta-analysis on what we know about longevity so far and all the validated, research based ways to protect and even boost your health-span.

Don’t want to read that article right this minute?  Or ever?

I’ll talk you through all the data from that meta-analysis plus other medical research in today’s video.  In just 12 minutes, I go over 9 evidence based ways to help protect your body’s longevity and stem cell regeneration, all based off of the current medical literature.

Plus I provide a list of many of the studies below, in case you want to read them for yourself!  Click here to learn the 9 best ways to protect your health span that we know of so far, all based on actual medical studies that validate these actually make a difference and boost stem cell regeneration.  

9 Longevity Tips That Boost Stem Cell Regeneration

I’ve even put all of the supplements I mention in the video above into one simple Anti-Aging & Stem Cell Boosting protocol… you can find this in my online dispensary right here:

Overview:

For more journal articles that present an overview on longevity, beyond the meta-analysis mentioned above, you might like:

• Franceschi, C. et al. Inflammaging and anti-inflammaging: a systemic perspective on aging and longevity emerged from studies in humans. Mech. Ageing Dev. 128, 92–105 (2007).
• Miki C, Kusunoki M, Inoue Y, Uchida K, Mohri Y, Buckels JA, McMaster P. Remodeling of the immunoinflammatory network system in elderly cancer patients: implications of inflamm-aging and tumor-specific hyperinflammation. Surg Today. 2008;38(10):873-8. doi: 10.1007/s00595-008-3766-y. Epub 2008 Sep 27. PMID: 18820860.
• De Martinis M, Franceschi C, Monti D, Ginaldi L. Inflamm-ageing and lifelong antigenic load as major determinants of ageing rate and longevity. FEBS Lett. 2005 Apr 11;579(10):2035-9. doi: 10.1016/j.febslet.2005.02.055. PMID: 15811314.
• Li X, Li C, Zhang W, Wang Y, Qian P, Huang H. Inflammation and aging: signaling pathways and intervention therapies. Signal Transduct Target Ther. 2023 Jun 8;8(1):239. doi: 10.1038/s41392-023-01502-8. PMID: 37291105; PMCID: PMC10248351.
• Giunta, S., Wei, Y., Xu, K. & Xia, S. Cold-inflammaging: When a state of homeostatic-imbalance associated with aging precedes the low-grade pro-inflammatory-state (inflammaging): meaning, evolution, inflammaging phenotypes. Clin. Exp. Pharmacol. Physiol. 49, 925–934 (2022).  (2X – 4X increase in cytokine levels during aging)
• Clegg, A., Young, J., Iliffe, S., Rikkert, M. O. & Rockwood, K. Frailty in elderly people. Lancet 381, 752–762 (2013).

1. What to eat:

Antioxidants, polyphenols and healthy fats (polyunsaturated fats found in fish, nuts, seeds, tofu, flax seeds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc…)  Basically fruits, veggies, fish, seeds & nuts:

• Katz, D. L. & Meller, S. Can we say what diet is best for health? Annu. Rev. Public Health 35, 83–103 (2014).
• Halliwell B. Role of free radicals in the neurodegenerative diseases: therapeutic implications for antioxidant treatment. Drugs Aging. 2001;18(9):685-716. doi: 10.2165/00002512-200118090-00004. PMID: 11599635.
• Sharma, R., Diwan, B., Sharma, A. & Witkowski, J. M. Emerging cellular senescence-centric understanding of immunological aging and its potential modulation through dietary bioactive components. Biogerontology 23, 699–729 (2022).
• Del Bo, C. et al. A polyphenol-rich dietary pattern improves intestinal permeability, evaluated as serum zonulin levels, in older subjects: The MaPLE randomised controlled trial. Clin. Nutr. 40, 3006–3018 (2021).
• Ames BN, Shigenaga MK, Hagen TM. Oxidants, antioxidants, and the degenerative diseases of aging. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1993 Sep 1;90(17):7915-22. doi: 10.1073/pnas.90.17.7915. PMID: 8367443; PMCID: PMC47258.

2. What not to eat:

Avoid or at least decrease sugar & gluten intake. Sugar inhibits stem cell production and gluten is a neuro-irritant that increases neuroinflammation:

• Tysoe O. Ketosis improves muscle stem cell resilience. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2022 Aug;18(8):458. doi: 10.1038/s41574-022-00713-3. PMID: 35715508.
• Cramer C, Freisinger E, Jones RK, Slakey DP, Dupin CL, Newsome ER, Alt EU, Izadpanah R. Persistent high glucose concentrations alter the regenerative potential of mesenchymal stem cells. Stem Cells Dev. 2010 Dec;19(12):1875-84. doi: 10.1089/scd.2010.0009. Epub 2010 Sep 11. PMID: 20380516.
• Kovács, Z.; Brunner, B.; Ari, C. Beneficial Effects of Exogenous Ketogenic Supplements on Aging Processes and Age-Related Neurodegenerative Diseases. Nutrients 2021, 13, 2197.

3. Fasting:

Intermittent fasting is relatively easy — hop over to this blog post I wrote for you to walk you through it!

Want To Give Fasting A Try? That’s Awesome & Here’s How

And here are some additional medical studies you might like:

• Benjamin DI, Both P, Benjamin JS, Nutter CW, Tan JH, Kang J, Machado LA, Klein JDD, de Morree A, Kim S, Liu L, Dulay H, Feraboli L, Louie SM, Nomura DK, Rando TA. Fasting induces a highly resilient deep quiescent state in muscle stem cells via ketone body signaling. Cell Metab. 2022 Jun 7;34(6):902-918.e6. doi: 10.1016/j.cmet.2022.04.012. Epub 2022 May 17. PMID: 35584694; PMCID: PMC9177797.
• Belsky, D. W., Huffman, K. M., Pieper, C. F., Shalev, I. & Kraus, W. E. Change in the rate of biological aging in response to caloric restriction: CALERIE biobank analysis. J. Gerontol. A 73, 4–10 (2018).
• Longo, V. D. & Mattson, M. P. Fasting: molecular mechanisms and clinical applications. Cell Metab. 19, 181–192 (2014).  
• Brandhorst, S. et al. A periodic diet that mimics fasting promotes multi-system regeneration, enhanced cognitive performance, and healthspan. Cell Metab. 22, 86–99 (2015).
• Barzilai, N., Huffman, D. M., Muzumdar, R. H. & Bartke, A. The critical role of metabolic pathways in aging. 61, 1315–1322 (2012).
• Fontana, L. Neuroendocrine factors in the regulation of inflammation: excessive adiposity and calorie restriction. Exp. Gerontol. 44, 41–45 (2009).

4. Supplements:

An easy way to protect your longevity, just by taking some key supplements. Evidence based supplement recommendations include a multivitamin, Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamins D, C & E, Resveratrol, NAD, probiotics and zinc. And again, here is that protocol that includes every single one of these supplements all in one place:

And here are some studies you might find helpful:

• Uciechowski, P. et al. TH1 and TH2 cell polarization increases with aging and is modulated by zinc supplementation. Exp. Gerontol. 43, 493–498 (2008).
• Martens, C. R. et al. Chronic nicotinamide riboside supplementation is well-tolerated and elevates NAD+ in healthy middle-aged and older adults. Nat. Commun. 9, 1286 (2018).  
• Claesson, M. J. et al. Composition, variability, and temporal stability of the intestinal microbiota of the elderly. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA108, 4586–4591 (2011).  
• Eckburg, P. B. et al. Diversity of the human intestinal microbial flora. Science 308, 1635–1638 (2005).
• Jeong, J. J. et al. Orally administrated Lactobacillus pentosus var. plantarum C29 ameliorates age-dependent colitis by inhibiting the nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway via the regulation of lipopolysaccharide production by gut microbiota. PLoS ONE 10, e0116533 (2015).   
• Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. et al. Omega-3 supplementation lowers inflammation in healthy middle-aged and older adults: a randomized controlled trial. Brain Behav. Immun. 26, 988–995 (2012).   
• De la Fuente, M. et al. Vitamin C and vitamin C plus E improve the immune function in the elderly. Exp. Gerontol. 142, 111118 (2020).  
• Wong, C. P., Magnusson, K. R., Sharpton, T. J. & Ho, E. Effects of zinc status on age-related T cell dysfunction and chronic inflammation. Biometals 34, 291–301 (2021).
• Zhang W, Li J, Duan Y, Li Y, Sun Y, Sun H, Yu X, Gao X, Zhang C, Zhang H, Shi Y, He X. Metabolic Regulation: A Potential Strategy for Rescuing Stem Cell Senescence. Stem Cell Rev Rep. 2022 Jun;18(5):1728-1742. doi: 10.1007/s12015-022-10348-6. Epub 2022 Mar 8. PMID: 35258787. (NAD)
• Basaga HS. Biochemical aspects of free radicals. Biochem Cell Biol. 1990 Jul-Aug;68(7-8):989-98. doi: 10.1139/o90-146. PMID: 2223017.

5. Grounding:

The best overview on why grounding is so powerfully anti-aging is this blog post (with a video you can watch) that I recorded for you last month… it’s a great overview of all of the medical studies on grounding and longevity so far:

The Immense Anti-Aging Benefits Of Simply Touching The Earth

And since there are so many toxic, plastic based, crappy landfill-destined grounding tools on the market that hurt the earth and introduce microplastics to your body as you are trying to heal, I have created my own line of eco-friendly, ethically hand crafted grounding tools… organic cotton, organic hemp, stainless steel fabrics that can be machine washed and work for years and years, no plastic at all… healthier for you, healthier for the planet.  That’s win-win, and you can find them here:

Grounding Boutique

6. Exercise:

Exercise boosts your muscle mass and protects your bones, both of which produces stem cells.  It can be as simple as a short walk each day. Studies on this you might enjoy:

• Li, Y. et al. Impact of healthy lifestyle factors on life expectancies in the US population. Circulation 138, 345–355 (2018).
• Usas A, Huard J. Muscle-derived stem cells for tissue engineering and regenerative therapy. Biomaterials. 2007 Dec;28(36):5401-6. doi: 10.1016/j.biomaterials.2007.09.008. PMID: 17915311; PMCID: PMC2095130.
• Duggal, N. A., Pollock, R. D., Lazarus, N. R., Harridge, S. & Lord, J. M. Major features of immunesenescence, including reduced thymic output, are ameliorated by high levels of physical activity in adulthood. Aging Cell 17, e12750 (2018).
• Pollock, R. D. et al. Properties of the vastus lateralis muscle in relation to age and physiological function in master cyclists aged 55–79 years. Aging Cell 17, e12735 (2018).
• Chakravarty, E. F., Hubert, H. B., Lingala, V. B. & Fries, J. F. Reduced disability and mortality among aging runners: a 21-year longitudinal study. Arch. Intern. Med. 168, 1638–1646 (2008).
• Moore, S. C. et al. Leisure time physical activity of moderate to vigorous intensity and mortality: a large pooled cohort analysis. PLoS Med. 9, e1001335 (2012).
• Zhang, X. et al. Exercise counters the age-related accumulation of senescent cells. Exerc. Sport Sci. Rev. 50, 213–221 (2022).
• Werner, C. et al. Physical exercise prevents cellular senescence in circulating leukocytes and in the vessel wall. Circulation 120, 2438–2447 (2009).
• Tompkins, B. A. et al. Allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells ameliorate aging frailty: a Phase II randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 72, 1513–1522 (2017).

7. Sleep:

Just  2 hrs makes a difference… 2 hours less sleep shown to decrease stem cell activity, 2 hours more increases it.  Hop over here to read a free blog post I wrote for you on boosting your restorative sleep:

12 Ways To Improve Your Sleep

And here are some medical studies on sleep and stem cell regeneration:

• Micheu MM, Rosca AM, Deleanu OC. Stem/progenitor cells and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome – new insights for clinical applications. World J Stem Cells. 2016 Oct 26;8(10):332-341. doi: 10.4252/wjsc.v8.i10.332. PMID: 27822340; PMCID: PMC5080640.
• McAlpine CS, Kiss MG, Zuraikat FM, Cheek D, Schiroli G, Amatullah H, Huynh P, Bhatti MZ, Wong LP, Yates AG, Poller WC, Mindur JE, Chan CT, Janssen H, Downey J, Singh S, Sadreyev RI, Nahrendorf M, Jeffrey KL, Scadden DT, Naxerova K, St-Onge MP, Swirski FK. Sleep exerts lasting effects on hematopoietic stem cell function and diversity. J Exp Med. 2022 Nov 7;219(11):e20220081. doi: 10.1084/jem.20220081. Epub 2022 Sep 21. PMID: 36129517; PMCID: PMC9499822.
• German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ). “A good night’s sleep keeps your stem cells young.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 18 February 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150218122951.htm>.

8. Cortisol:

Lowering your stress level lowers your cortisol, which in turn boosts stem cell function.  We can measure your cortisol levels as well as track them over time as you implement some stress reduction techniques (including grounding and better sleep as mentioned above!) so we can make sure they normalize over time.  Your own physician can order this for you, or I can… email me via my contact form if you would like me to order a cortisol salivary test for you.

And here are some studies for more on how cortisol affects stem cells:

• O’Hara, R. et al. Serotonin transporter polymorphism, memory and hippocampal volume in the elderly: association and interaction with cortisol. Mol. Psychiatry 12, 544–555 (2007).
• Casaletto, K. B. et al. Perceived stress is associated with accelerated monocyte/macrophage aging trajectories in clinically normal adults. Am. J. Geriatr. Psychiatry 26, 952–963 (2018).
• Walter, D., Lier, A., Geiselhart, A. et al. Exit from dormancy provokes DNA-damage-induced attrition in haematopoietic stem cells. Nature520, 549–552 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature14131

9. EMFs:

Decrease EMF exposures, as EMFs are linked to neuroinflammation and other health issues.  For more guidance on how to navigate reducing EMF exposures (in a reasonable, real world way that doesn’t overwhelm you) hop into my next Electrosensitivity Relief Class here:

Meanwhile, some studies the might interest you:

• Ownby, R. L. Neuroinflammation and cognitive aging. Curr. Psychiatry Rep. 12, 39–45 (2010).
• Kıvrak EG, Yurt KK, Kaplan AA, Alkan I, Altun G. Effects of electromagnetic fields exposure on the antioxidant defense system. J Microsc Ultrastruct. 2017 Oct-Dec;5(4):167-176. doi: 10.1016/j.jmau.2017.07.003. Epub 2017 Aug 2. PMID: 30023251; PMCID: PMC6025786.
• Lu YS, Huang BT, Huang YX. Reactive oxygen species formation and apoptosis in human peripheral blood mononuclear cell induced by 900 MHz mobile phone radiation. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2012;2012:740280. doi: 10.1155/2012/740280. Epub 2012 Jun 14. PMID: 22778799; PMCID: PMC3384892.
• Leszczynski D, Joenväärä S, Reivinen J, Kuokka R. Non-thermal activation of the hsp27/p38MAPK stress pathway by mobile phone radiation in human endothelial cells: molecular mechanism for cancer- and blood-brain barrier-related effects. Differentiation. 2002 May;70(2-3):120-9. doi: 10.1046/j.1432-0436.2002.700207.x. PMID: 12076339.
• Kim JH, Lee JK, Kim HG, Kim KB, Kim HR. Possible Effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field Exposure on Central Nerve System. Biomol Ther (Seoul). 2019 May 1;27(3):265-275. doi: 10.4062/biomolther.2018.152. PMID: 30481957; PMCID: PMC6513191.

To a long healthy life full of resiliency!

xoxox, Laura Koniver MD