Category Archives: Human Longevity

Mathias Dpfner, the CEO of Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, recently met with Tesla CEO Elon Musk for an interview.

The interviewtook place at Tesla's factory in Fremont, California,and the men discussed Russia's invasion into Ukraine, space travel, and what makes human beings special.

You can read a transcript of the conversation below.

Mathias Dpfner: Before we talk about the future, let's look at the present. There is war in Europe. If you see the horrible images of Putin's troops invading Ukraine, killing people. What are your thoughts?

Elon Musk: It is surprising to see that in this day and age. I thought we had sort of moved beyond such things for the most part. It is concerning. If you can get away with it, then this will be a message to other countries that perhaps they could get away with it too.

Dpfner:Have you been surprised by Putin's behavior? I mean, I remember the discussions in the recent weeks when most of the Europeans thought he is not going to do it. A lot of Americans were convinced he is going to invade. What was your expectation?

Musk:My best guess was that he would seek to capture the Eastern third of the country. Frankly, if you just listened to the rhetoric, then it is clear that he was going after at least portions of Ukraine that have a significant percentage of Russian speakers. He did that already in Georgia.

Dpfner:In a way, if you listen carefully to dictators, they very often say what they want to do. You just had to take it seriously.

Musk:Yeah. They are not subtle.

Dpfner:But so far, there is a possibility that Putin achieves pretty much the opposite of what he wants to achieve. He wants to disentangle America from Europe. He wants to weaken NATO. So far, he has strengthened NATO. He has united the west. It is almost a bipartisan topic that unites democracies and open societies. With regard to the long-term outcome, are you rather pessimistic that it is going to strengthen Putin and thus, paving the way for other examples like China or elsewhere? Or are you more optimistic that it could be a turning point for a different security policy of the West?

Musk:I do think this will strike the West. I suppose of course that people realize, maybe we should not have all these internal squabbles when there are more serious threats.

Dpfner:Volodymyr Zelenskyy put it very clearly. "I need ammunition, not a ride". Europe, particularly Germany, struggled a long time. How about the American government?

Musk:I think the American government has done more than people may realize. But it is just not been very public. But it is important to do something serious. We cannot let Putin take over Ukraine. This is crazy.

Dpfner:Parts of the world, particularly Europe, have learned the wrong lesson from the Third Reich and the Holocaust. And that lesson is: no military intervention ever again. Trying not to get involved. Now, there is the opportunity that we learned the real lesson, and that is never ever racism, never ever genocides and never ever appeasement.

Musk:Appeasement obviously did not work against Hitler. And how much better would the world had been if they had stopped him early. Better for everyone.

Dpfner:You did something very concrete, 48 hours, upon the request of the digital minister of Ukraine. And that was delivering Starlink material in order to grant internet access. What was the motivation, and how is it developing?

Musk:We did think that Starlink might be needed, and we took some preemptive actions to ensure that it could be provided quickly. When the request came, we acted very rapidly. It is worth noting that the satellite internet connectivity of Ukraine was taken offline by a cyberattack on the day of the invasion permanently. The cell towers are either being blown up or they are being jammed. There is a major fiber backbone which the Russians are aware of. It was quite likely that they will sever that fiber link. This would leave Ukraine with very few connections open. So Starlink might be, certainly in some parts of Ukraine, the only connection.

Dpfner:What happens if the Russians and Chinese are targeting satellites? Is that also a threat for Starlink?

Musk:It was interesting to view the Russian anti-satellite demonstration a few months ago in the context of this conflict. Because that caused a lot of strife for satellite operators. It even had some danger for the space station, where there are Russian cosmonauts. So why did they do that? It was a message in advance of the Ukraine invasion. If you attempt to take out Starlink, this is not easy because there are 2000 satellites. That means a lot of anti-satellite missiles. I hope we do not have to put this to a test, but I think we can launch satellites faster than they can launch anti-satellites missiles.

Dpfner:Russia said that they are going to stop the delivery of rocket engines. Is that a threat or an opportunity for SpaceX?

Musk:At SpaceX, we design and manufacture our own rocket engines. So we did not really own any Russian components at all.

Dpfner:Is it dangerous for the United States of America?

Musk:Boeing and Lockheed have strongly relied on the Russian RD-180 Engine. Which I should say, to be fair, is a great engine. They are hoping to move away from that in the future with engines from Blue Origin. There is also the Antares which uses the RD-180, I believe. They will not be able to fly as a result.

Dpfner:With knowledge, products and services, Elon Musk is almost a strategic weapon in modern warfare. How do you see your role in that context?

Musk:I think I can be helpful in conflicts. I try to take a set of actions that are most likely to improve the probability that the future will be good. And obviously sometimes I make mistakes in this regard. I do whatever I think is most likely to ensure that the future is good for humanity. Those are the actions that I will take.

Dpfner:A couple of months ago we had an exchange about Ernst Jngers famous book "Storm of Steel". You were very fascinated by that book, which has been published roughly a hundred years ago, about Jngers experiences in the First World War. Why is that book so important for you?

Musk:I read a lot of books, and for some reason I am fascinated by war and history in general. It is not just history of war, but just history in general. Jngers book is an excellent personal account of World War One. The lesson taken from that book is we don't ever want to do that again.

Dpfner:There is a big controversy around that book. Some people are saying this is glorifying war...

Musk:It is definitely not!

Dpfner:It is rather positive nor negative. It is just describing what happened in a terrible way.

Musk:Nobody is reading that book and says, I want to do that too. For me, it is just fascinating to read about history. I mean, learn the lessons of history, such that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past.

Dpfner:History doesn't repeat itself, but it rhymes. And we see a rhyme these days. Back to the big strategic picture. The terrible actions of Putin are, to a certain degree, also a result of strategic mistakes that Europe, particularly Germany, has made, the dropout of nuclear energy in 2011.

Musk:It is very important that Germany will not shut down its nuclear power stations. I think this is extremely crazy.

Dpfner:If we really want to reduce Putin's power as well as Europe's and Germany's dependence on Russian energy, we have to decarbonize. It's the only way. Is more nuclear energy the key to free ourselves from dictators and autocrats like Putin.

Musk:I want to be super clear. You should not only not shut down the nuclear power plants, but you should also reopen the ones that have already shut down. Those are the fastest to produce energy. It is crazy to shut down nuclear power plants now, especially if you are in a place where there are no natural disasters. If you are somewhere where severe earthquakes or tsunamis occur, it is more of a question mark. If there is no massive natural disaster risk-which Germany does not have-then there is really no danger with the nuclear power plants.

Dpfner:Aren't there any safer alternatives that could have a similar effect? Solar and wind won't do it. Do you have any other ideas in mind about future energy policy?

Musk:I think long term, most of civilization's energy is going to come from solar, and then you need to store it with battery because obviously the sun only shines during the day, and sometimes it is very cloudy. So you need solar batteries. That will be the main long-term way that civilization is powered. But between now and then, we need to maintain nuclear. I can't emphasize that enough. This is total madness to shut them down. I want to be clear, total madness.

Dpfner:Let's see whether this very clear words are heard in Germany.

Musk:I would say this is a national security risk.

Dpfner:How is the climate issue going to look like in 15 years? Better than today?

Musk:From a sustainable energy standpoint, much better.

Dpfner:So we are going to solve this problem?

Musk:Yes, absolutely. We will solve the climate issue. It is just a question of when. And that is like the fundamental goal of Tesla.

Dpfner:You once said that the decrease of birth rate is one of the most underestimated problems of all the times. Why?

Musk: Most people in the world are operating under the false impression that we've got too many people. This is not true. The birth rate has been dropping like crazy. Unfortunately, we have these ridiculous population estimates from the UN that need to be updated because they just don't make any sense. Just look at the growth rate last year. See how many kids were born and multiply that by the life expectancy. I would say that is how many people will be alive in the future. And then say, is the trend for birth rate positive or negative? It is negative. That is the best case, unless something changes for the birth rate.

Dpfner:That is also why we need alternatives. You have recently presented Optimus, a human robot, and shared great expectations, what that could do for the world. I assume it is not only about the first visit to Mars that could be done by Optimus, but it might also be a game changer in AI. Could you share this vision?

Musk:With respect to AI and robotics, of course, I see things with some trepidation. Because I certainly don't want to have anything that could potentially be harmful to humanity. But humanoid robots are happening. Look at Boston Dynamics. They do better demonstrations every year. The rate of advancement of AI is very rapid.

Dpfner:Concretely, Optimus is going to be used in Tesla factories. That is one of the use cases, but what is the broader use case beyond Tesla?

Musk:Optimus is a general purpose, sort of worker-droid. The initial role must be in work that is repetitive, boring, or dangerous. Basically, work that people don't want to do.

Dpfner:Why has Optimus two legs? Just because it looks like a human being, or is it more practical? I thought four legs were better.

Musk:Haha, four legs good, two legs bad. Kind of reminds me of Orwell. Humanity has designed the world to interact with a bipedal humanoid with two arms and ten fingers. So if you want to have a robot fit in and be able to do things that humans can do, it must be approximately the same size and shape and capability.

Dpfner: Do you think that Optimus is going to play a role in our daily life, helping us in the household and things like that?

Musk:Yes. A general focused humanoid.

Dpfner:The prototype is going to be ready by the end of this year. When is it a product that can be mass marketed?

Musk:I think we will have something pretty good at the prototype level this year, and it might be ready for at least a moderate volume production towards the end of next year.

Dpfner:You said the potential is bigger than the potential of Tesla. If that is true, then it must be really a mass market product. But anyway, Optimus is also an answer to the problem of dropping birth rates. If we have not enough human people, we need more bots to get work done.

Musk:Optimus will be helpful with respect to dropping growth rates. But if these things continue, then what happens? Humanity dies out. Is that what we want?

Dpfner:Or replaced by artificial intelligence. Human beings powered by Neuralink.

Musk:Neuralink in the short term is just about solving brain injuries, spinal injuries and that kind of thing. So for many years Neuralink's products will just be helpful to someone who has lost the use of their arms or legs or has just a traumatic brain injury of some kind. That is what Neuralink will be useful for many years.

Dpfner:Could you imagine that one day we would be able to download our human brain capacity into an Optimus?

Musk:I think it is possible.

Dpfner:Which would be a different way of eternal life, because we would download our personalities into a bot.

Musk:Yes, we could download the things that we believe make ourselves so unique. Now, of course, if you're not in that body anymore, that is definitely going to be a difference, but as far as preserving our memories, our personality, I think we could do that.

Dpfner:The Singularity moment that the inventor and futurist Ray Kurzweil has, I think, predicted for 2025 is approaching fast. Is this timeline still realistic?

Musk:I'm not sure if there is a very sharp boundary. I think it is much smoother. There is already so much compute that we outsource. Our memories are stored in our phones and computers with pictures and video. Computers and phones amplify our ability to communicate, enabling us to do things that would have been considered magical. Now you can have two people have a video call basically for free on opposite sides of the world. It's amazing. We've already amplified our human brains massively with computers. It could be an interesting ratio to roughly calculate the amount of compute that is digital, divided by the amount of compute that is biological. And how does that ratio change over time. With so much digital compute happening so fast, that ratio should be increasing rapidly.

Dpfner:Talking about speed, you have the vision that one day, Starship could be able to get from A to B in 30 minutes all around the globe. Is that correct? It's like a global super taxi. You can just go from San Francisco to Nairobi?

Musk:The landing will be loud. So you would probably be connecting cities that are next to oceans or seas. So you can land far enough offshore that the landing noise is not disturbing to people

Dpfner:Coast to coast would be a realistic option?

Musk:Yes, it is like an intercontinental rocket.

Dpfner:You have solved so many problems of mankind and presented so many solutions. I'm surprised that one topic does not seem to fascinate you as much: Longevity. A significantly increased life span. Why aren't you passionate about that? Aren't you personally interested in living longer?

Musk:I don't think we should try to have people live for a really long time. That it would cause asphyxiation of society because the truth is, most people don't change their mind. They just die. So if they don't die, we will be stuck with old ideas and society wouldn't advance. I think we already have quite a serious issue with gerontocracy, where the leaders of so many countries are extremely old. In the US, it's a very, very ancient leadership. And it is just impossible to stay in touch with the people if you are many generations older than them. The founders of the USA put minimum ages for a local office. But they did not put maximum ages because they did not expect that people will be living so long. They should have. Because for a democracy to function, the leaders must be reasonably in touch with the bulk of the population. And if you're too young or too old, you can't say that you will be attached.

Dpfner:Is there a kind of ideal, maximum age? How old would you like to get?

Musk:I think for political leadership, you want to be ideally within 10 or at least, 20 years of the average age of the population. And for me, I certainly would like to maintain health for a longer period of time. But I am not afraid of dying. I think it would come as a relief.

Dpfner:You may not be able to see the vision of SpaceX come true in your life?

Musk:I would like to live long enough to see that.

Dpfner:How do you feel, being - at a net worth of USD 260 billion roughly - perceived as the richest person on earth?

Musk:I do think that Putin is significantly richer than me.

Dpfner: You really do?

Musk:Yeah.

Dpfner:Do you know John Law?

Musk:No.

Dpfner:John Law used to be the richest person on earth 300 years ago. He was a Scottish guy and lived in the end 17th century and the early 18th century. He was a gambler, 'un homme femmes', then a very successful investor, and financial engineer. He was the biggest art collector on earth. He created a stock market bubble in France through a rush behind the shares of the Mississippi company. And was ultimately the reason for one of the first financial crises. John Law used to own roughly 30% of the United States of America then. In the end, he went bankrupt. Did you ever think about what would happen if something were to go wrong and you were to lose everything?

Musk:There have been many times when I expected to lose everything. Who starts a car company and a rocket company expecting them to succeed? Certainly not me. I had less than 10 percent chance of success. After the third failure of SpaceX in 2008, I knew that if the fourth launch failed, SpaceX would be dead. We had no money for the fifth launch. Tesla's been on the verge of bankruptcy many times. We even closed on the last day of the financing round in 2008. Remember, back then General Motors and Chrysler had gone bankrupt and Ford was on the brink of it. So, imagine trying to raise money for an electric car startup while General Motors was going bankrupt. People were very angry that I even asked. But we were able to raise just enough money to squeak by. And closed the financial round for Tesla on the last hour of the last possible day in 2008. Christmas Eve. Had we not closed the round then, we would have gone bankrupt two days after Christmas.

Dpfner:Elon Musk is not only an entrepreneur, he is also a philanthropist. What are the goals of your foundation?

Musk:I do want to emphasize that SpaceX and Tesla fundamentally intend to improve the quality of the future. Especially in terms of usefulness to humanity. Tesla by accelerating sustainable energy. And SpaceX by making multiplanetary intercourse possible. This is more than I can do myself. When it comes to donations, I'd say it is very difficult to give away money effectively. If you care about the reality of doing good and not the perception of doing good, then it is very hard to give away money effectively. I care about reality. Perception be damned. So, there's obviously environmental causes, there is education, especially science and engineering education. Pediatric healthcare. Hunger these days is more of a political and logistics problem than it is not having enough food. There is a lot of food. In the US and many countries, the issue is more obesity than it is hunger. So, I'm always looking for ways to give away money that are effective.

Dpfner:If you google Elon Musk, I think you would have more than 200 million search results and nearly 80 million Twitter followers. You are definitely one of the most popular people on earth. Is popularity a pleasure or a liability for you?

Musk:It makes it difficult to go buy coffee at the corner. It is hard to go around places, or at least be able to just go to the store or walk down the street. Now it is quite difficult to do that.

Dpfner:It reminds me a bit of a former chancellor of Germany, Helmut Kohl, who once told me, you cannot imagine how terrible it is to go into a restaurant and everybody recognizes you, comes to your table, asks you for an autograph. That is terrible. There is only one thing in life that is worse. And that is: if nobody comes to your table anymore.

Musk:Hahaha. I just try to find a corner table that is in a dimly light or something, where I can stay out of the way.

Dpfner:Is there anything that you most urgently want to achieve?

Musk:In the short run, and the most pressing is completing full self-driving, so that we have full self-driving operating at a substantially safer level than humans. Basically, it comes down to solving the problem of real world AI. That consumes a lot of my mind. And getting the starship to work. Not only getting it to orbit but achieving rapid reusability - which is really the holy grail of rocketry that is necessary for humanity to become a multiplanet species. And I think those things might happen this year.

Dpfner:Anything that you really would like to achieve, which you think is going to be impossible?

Musk:Impossible is a strong word.

Dpfner:You don't like that word.

Musk:It's a strong word. I approach things from a physics standpoint and the word impossible is more or less banned in physics. I'm really worried about this birthrate thing. That's been troubling me for many years, because I just don't see it turning around. Every year it's worse. And I drive my friends crazy with this.

Dpfner:Walter Isaacson is planning your biography. He has written about the lives of Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin, and Leonardo DaVinci. Among the four, with whom would you like to meet and have a glass of wine?

Musk:I would be honored to meet any of them. I think Benjamin Franklin would be the most fun at dinner.

Dpfner:And who is the one you think you are closest to? Would it be Leonardo DaVinci?

Musk:I am pretty different. But it might actually be Benjamin Franklin. He did a lot of science and engineering. DaVinci wrote a book, seeing himself first and foremost as an engineer. Actually, in his application for the position that eventually enabled him to create all of the art, it was all about his engineering ideas. Just in the end, he mentioned doing some art. I think it's funny that DaVinci really thought of himself as an engineer. But he was pretty impressive for his time.

Dpfner:You said that you cannot be alone. I very much share that feeling. Where does it come from?

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Musk discusses war in Ukraine and importance of nuclear power - Business Insider

The world's top innovations to support an ageing workforce have been recognised at a Newcastle awards ceremony this week.

The Work for tomorrow event saw 11 teams, from start-ups to established businesses, recognised for their ideas to influence the future of work at an event in The National Innovation Centre for Ageing at the city's Helix site.

Brazilian company Labora Tech was crowned the overall winner for its data-driven job-matching and reskilling platform while London-based community interest company Brave Starts scooped the Community Award for its programme that helps adults unsure about starting a new career to understand what they want, and how to get there.

Read more: Deloitte launches UK first 'future of work' offices in Newcastle

Coun Karen Robinson, deputy Lord Mayor and Sheriff for Newcastle, presented the awards.

The programme is run by the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC), which chose Newcastle as the location due to The National Innovation Centre for Ageing's role in helping employers turn ageing workforces into an opportunity.

Statistics cited by the ILC show show that across the G20, one in three workers is aged 50 and over, and this is set to increase to four in 10 by 2040. The ILC says too often, barriers such as poor health, caring responsibility or ageism in the workplace shut out older workers from the jobs market.

Lily Parsey, global policy and influencing manager at the ILC, said: Newcastle was an ideal location to host the awards ceremony for Work for tomorrow. The National Innovation Centre for Ageing, based at the Catalyst, is a thought-leader in breaking the misconception that ageing is a problem for our economy and helping businesses and employers turn this into an opportunity.

"The Centre and Newcastle University are close partners of ours and we hope to continue the conversation with Newcastle and international employers big and small - to shake up the narrative and transform the future of work in response to longer and changing working lives."

Nic Palmarini, director of the National Centre for Ageing, was on the judging panel for the awards, which are supported by the Innovation Resource Center for Human Resources.

He said: From supporting health in the workplace to innovative programmes developing workforce skills and policies that address discrimination at work, the Future of Work competition received more than 60 submissions from organisations and individuals across 17 countries.

"At the UK National Innovation Centre for Ageing weve been part of the whole process partnering with the International Longevity Centre and hosting - in Newcastle - the award ceremony that have seen Brazilian Company Labora Tech winning the main prize and UK based Brave Start winning of the NICA Community Award.

"This event further demonstrates NICA's commitment not only to developing innovation in crucial areas of ageing and longevity such as work, but also to using its role of national excellence as a lever to promote Newcastle and its unique qualities internationally.

Srgio Serapiao, co-founder and CEO of winners Labora Tech, said: I am delighted and honoured to win this competition. The competition has shown the quality and power of initiatives all over the world. I am sure we can contribute a lot to co-design the future of work.

Other shortlisted organisations included Australian mental wellbeing specialists Ageing Workforce Ready; American podcast 'Please Ignore Us' which tells the story of ageing workers, and Layertech Labs, a Philippine programme that helps women in rural settings to learn digital skills.

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Newcastle hosts international awards showcasing innovations for ageing workforce - Business Live

We know health and wellness are more important than ever, maybe especially for women and moms. Its not only your own health, but that of your children and families that you need to look out for.

We also know you are busy and dont always have time to seek out new information on health-related topics. We want to help. On the Minds of Moms has curated some Health Fusion tidbits from columnist and podcast host, Viv Williams. Viv is passionate about boosting people's health and happiness by helping them access credible, reliable and research-based health information. She is based in Rochester, Minn., where she has access to some of the top experts and sources at the world-renowned Mayo Clinic.

Encouraging teens to turn down the volume

Between video conference meetings, watching videos and listening to tunes, people spend a lot of time using headphones and earbuds. Does all of that listening put your hearing at risk?

Dr. Karin Ross , an Olmsted (Minn.) Medical Center audiologist, says she's seeing more teenagers with hearing loss that's likely due to cranking up the volume on listening devices. Her recommendation is for everyone to pay attention to volume. "We have the ability to turn the volume up pretty loud on most devices," Ross says.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention's website notes that 120 decibels is what you'd hear standing next to a blaring siren and it's enough to cause ear injury and pain. Ross said her kid's smartphone can put out 130 decibels at top volume, which is as loud as some military jets at takeoff.

"Turning down that volume to about half way, cuts that sound in half," says Ross. "So you're looking at about 65 decibels, which is plenty loud and causing no damage to your ears."

How does loud sound hurt your hearing? Ross says your inner ear, the cochlea, is shaped like a snail and contains hair-like cilia and fluid. Sound enters in the inner ear in waves. If the sound is really loud, the waves are strong and can bend or break the cilia, damaging hearing temporarily or permanently.

Ross has tips for keeping your hearing safe.

Is that sink full of dishes actually good for your health?

Maybe it's time to reconsider that kitchen sink full of dirty dishes. Washing and drying them may not be at the top of your list of fun things to do. But, that chore might just be good for heart health.

A new study shows simply being "up and about" doing normal, daily things can significantly benefit cardiovascular health. Yes, running or brisk walking is good for your heart health, but so are activities such as housework, gardening, cooking and even showering.

The study was done by a multi-center team led by researchers at the School of Public Health and Human Longevity Science at University of California San Diego. The researchers looked at the activity of more than 5,000 women between the ages of 63 and 97. They found that compared to women with less than 2 hours of daily routine activities, women with at least 4 hours had a 43% lower risk of cardiovascular disease, a 43% lower risk of coronary heart disease, a 30% lower risk of stroke and a 62% lower risk of cardiovascular disease death.

The study demonstrates that all movement counts toward disease prevention, said first author Dr. Steve Nguyen, a postdoctoral scholar at the School of Public Health. Spending more time in daily life movement, which includes a wide range of activities we all do while on our feet and out of our chairs, resulted in a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

The researchers say that much of our daily lives are spent doing routine activities. And it's time to consider what that type of movement does for our health. The study is published in the online edition of the Journal of the American Heart Association .

Nappuccino: What every mom needs

A study in the British Medical Journal, General psychiatry, shows napping may improve your cognitive function your mental prowess.

Dr. Chad Asplund , a Sports Medicine expert who specializes in sleep and athletics, told me that he thinks naps are underrated. He says for many people, a quick 20-minute power nap can help boost energy for the rest of the day without disrupting your sleep at night.

Asplund mentioned another type of nap that I find to be very intriguing. He calls it the "nappuccino."

"We do this with special ops in the military and with our drone pilots in the Air Force," says Asplund. "We give them a caffeine supplement or small cup of coffee, then they take a power nap."

Asplund says it takes 30 minutes for the caffeine to come on board, so when you wake up after the power nap, you experience the effects of both the caffeine and the nap. The "nappuccino" is for healthy adults who can handle the caffeine.

Time to plan that warm-weather vacation

Recently, I was lucky enough to have a short vacation in the sun. While digging my toes into the sand on the beach (after having slathered sufficient amounts of sunscreen, of course), I began to wonder about whether the sun hitting my skin would boost vitamin D levels. That thought prompted me to then dig into the recommendations and some of the research that's been published about vitamin D.

And, wow, is it confusing! Vitamin D levels seem to differ among groups of people, and depend on where you live, what you eat, the medical conditions you have and how old you are.

The Mayo Clinic News Network notes that Vitamin D boosts bone health by helping you absorb calcium and phosphorous. Too little vitamin D increases an adult's risk of osteoporosis and potentially other medical issues. And if kids don't get enough they're at increased risk of rickets.

Sunlight ultraviolet rays hitting your skin is the main source. You can get small amounts of vitamin D from foods, such as egg yolks, cheese and fatty fish. And vitamin D exists in fortified foods, such as milk, orange juice and cereal. Or you can take vitamin D supplements. The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults get 600 international units of vitamin D each day, with people over 70 getting 800 units.

So for those of us living in a northern climate, will a few days at a southern beach raise your vitamin D levels? A 2016 study from Edinburgh University published in the journal Plos One revealed that people who took regular vacations in the sun had higher vitamin D levels than those who didn't. They also found that farmers, who tend to work outside, also had higher levels.

Plus, at a recent visit to my healthcare provider for a regular exam, I learned that you need about 30 minutes of sun exposure a day to get enough vitamin D. But because I always wear sunscreen, which reduces the amount of ultraviolet rays that hit my skin, 30 minutes might not be enough.

Sun exposure does increase your risk of skin cancer. So if you are in the sun, be sure to wear sunscreen and sun protective clothing. And limit your time in the sun.

Viv Williams hosts the NewsMD podcast and writes the "Health Fusion" column. She is an award-winning health and medical reporter whose stories have run on TV, digital and newspaper outlets nationwide. Follow the Health Fusion podcast on Apple , Spotify and Google podcasts. For comments or other podcast episode ideas, email Viv Williams at vwilliams@newsmd.com . Or on Twitter/Instagram/FB @vivwilliamstv.

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Boosting your health and happiness - INFORUM

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va., March 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --LifeNet Health LifeSciences, a leader in all-human biomedical research solutions, will showcase a unique new triculture system during the Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting and ToxExpo in San Diego, March 27-31. The triculture system is the first all-human liver model to offer unparalleled human relevance, along with a new level of reproducibility and predictability.

LifeNet Health LifeSciences will also offer a live exhibitor-hosted session and four poster presentations at SOT in addition to showcasing a full portfolio of human-based cell, biospecimen, and cell-model solutions, including primary human hepatocytes and liver non-parenchymal cells; snap frozen and FFPE block liver tissue samples; healthy and diseased tissues for comparative studies; and a prospective research biospecimen program.

"Increasingly, use of human cells and tissues is a must-have during every stage of the drug discovery pipeline," said Louis Dias, General Manager of LifeNet Health LifeSciences. "Our unique innovations bring new levels of precision and consistency to in vitro biology, to accelerate development of safer, more effective treatments."

SOT attendees can learn more by visiting the LifeNet Health LifeSciences subject matter experts at booth #2204. Additional activities during the meeting include:

Get the latest SOT news and announcements by visiting LNHLifeSciences.org/SOT.

About LifeNet Health LifeSciencesLifeNet Health LifeSciences is an innovative leader, trusted collaborator, and reliable solutions provider with a commitment to providing game-changing innovations in human in vitro biology. Discover more at LNHLifeSciences.org.

SOURCE LifeNet Health

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LifeNet Health LifeSciences will showcase innovative all-human research solutions at SOT ToxExpo - PR Newswire

By Kelly Evans-Hullinger, M.D.

Life expectancy is a measure commonly considered when it comes to the overall health of a population. In this day and age, when most of us think about which medical interventions are most important to increase life expectancy, we probably think about things like treatment of cancer, interventions to treat heart attacks, or surgeries for life threatening illnesses. While those things are all important, their overall impact on a populations life expectancy pales in comparison to the prevention of infectious disease.

Average life expectancy around the world has doubled in the last two hundred years, from about 40 years to 80 years, with the bulk of that change occurring long before we had effective cancer treatment or cardiac catheterization. Before the 20th century, infant and childhood death was extremely common due to infections spread by contaminated water and food. It is estimated that through most of human history nearly half of children died before adulthood, almost entirely due to infections.

Armed with the new knowledge of germ theory, societies in the late 1800s began instituting early public health interventions such as sewage management, water treatment, milk pasteurization, and garbage collection, which resulted in rapid decreases in death from food and water borne infections, and thus increased population wide life expectancy.

Later, widespread use of vaccines for many fatal diseases led to enormous improvements in the health and longevity of populations across the globe. Try to imagine a world in which almost everyone is affected by the death of children due to polio, measles, smallpox, tetanus, the list goes on. That these deaths are now extremely rare or eliminated al together is nothing short of a modern miracle, and we ought not take it for granted.

Antibiotic use has exploded since the discovery of penicillin in 1928, and the proper use of antibiotics continues to help us prevent early death due to infections that might have been fatal left untreated. Modern science has led to effective treatments for even the most challenging infections such as tuberculosis and HIV.

Modern medicine uses abundant, wonderful technologies and treatments which help us extend lives and reduce suffering of our individual patients. But statistically, no fancy new development is likely to have the quantitative impact on human society that compares to those early public health measures. As a society, we would be careless to forget the worth of our public health institutions which have helped us thrive and double our average life expectancy. Kelly Evans-Hullinger, M.D. is part of The Prairie Doc team of physicians and currently practices internal medicine in Brookings, South Dakota. Follow The Prairie Doc at http://www.prairiedoc.org and on Facebook featuring

On Call with the Prairie Doc a medical Q&A show celebrating its twentieth season of truthful, tested, and timely medical information streaming live on Facebook most Thursdays at 7 p.m. central.

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Prairie Doc Perspectives: Historic Impact of Public Health The Kansan - Newton Kansan

The pursuit of a healthy lifestyle can sometimes divert attention away from what is most important: having fun. Its a reminder from the worlds oldest living person, Kane Tanaka, a vivacious 119-year-old woman residing in Fukuoka, Japan.

The caption reads: Tanaka did not mention a regular fitness routine or a precise food plan when questioned about the key to her longevity. Tanaka has consumed so much Coke throughout her life that the Coca-Cola company surprised her on her 119th birthday with two personalized bottles of her favorite beverage, which her great-granddaughter Junko Tanaka shared on Twitter.

So, what has kept Tanaka enthused and motivated even after he has reached the age of 100? It is not concentrating on the past, but rather focusing on the present moment, according to her grandson, Eiji Tanaka. I dont recall her discussing the past much, he told CNN. Shes really forward-thinkingshe loves living in the moment. Her family has also stated that she keeps her mind and body active by performing arithmetic, calligraphy, and staying curious. She did, in fact, work at her familys store until she was 103 years old.

The connection between health, meaning, and happiness is well-established. In fact, four of the nine longevity pillars (qualities shared by residents in Blue Zones, where people regularly live to be 100) have nothing to do with diet or exercise. Longevity is bestowed to individuals who find meaning in their lives, handle stress, participate in their communities, and stay close to their families.

Purpose leads to happiness, and happiness leads to greater health than unhappiness or indifference, says Richard Honaker, MD, chief medical advisor at Your Doctors Online. Tanakas life has long been full of meaningand she continues to learn, spend time with individuals she cares about, and develop her own mental power and curiosity on a daily basis.

All of this corresponds with information from The Human Longevity Project, a nine-part documentary series showcasing residents of the worlds longest-living and healthiest populations, as well as specialists, healers, and doctors. Working hard, creating meaningful connections, and reducing stress are all connected to living a long, healthy life, according to some of the primary conclusions from this project.

Another scientifically proven method for bringing happiness: companionship. According to one study, having good friends contributes to the link between health and happiness. You dont need a large number of friends, but rather a few dependable people who make you happy.

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Happiness and health Ingredients to living a long life - Kemi Filani News

Dr. Charles Gant MD shares his optimistic outlook on the planet's prospects in "An Earthly Chance."

WASHINGTON, March 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Recognized as a leading medical authority in the field of integrative medicine, Dr. Charles Gant has extended his expertise to climate change in his eighth book, "An Earthly Chance."

"As a doctor, I care about the health and well-being of my patients and our planet. The time has come to assert our political resolve to saving the earth's ecosystems through the intelligent application of sound agricultural and geoengineering principles," Gant says. "Without solving our carbon problem, our planet and humankind's health is not sustainable."

After completingresidency training in Family Practice and Psychiatry, Gant integrated his psychology, addiction medicine, meditation other healing methods into his practice. He pioneered the concept of "causal medicine."

For the last five decades, Gant has expanded eclectic healing approaches for the mind, body and spirit. He defines causal medicine as "an innovative approach to disease prevention and treatment that takes into account individual differences in biochemistry, immunology, endocrinology, toxicology and environmental stressors in order to optimize genetic expression and wellness."

Exploring the root causes and possible solutions for climate change was Gant's next logical subject to tackle head-on in "An Earthly Chance,"since the quality of our environment, our air, food and water, greatly impact such genetic expression and wellness.

"Sequestrating carbon into the topsoil through regenerative agriculture, and thus removing a trillion tons of carbon dioxide from our atmosphere, is a critical way to begin to markedly enhance the quality of food and reverse our epidemics of chronic disease, thus increasing our health, enhancing longevity, and averting ecological disaster," Gant says.

"Only by empowering consumers, can we take responsibility to reverse and solve climate change and bring all these positive benefits to humanity. This book explains precisely how we can do this!"

Available now in Kindle format through Amazon, "An Earthly Chance," will be published soon in both hard and soft copies https://www.amazon.com/Earthly-Chance-Charles-Gant-PhD-ebook/dp/B09TS6KXVS/ref=sr_1_4?qid=1647278565&refinements=p_27%3ACharles+Gant&s=books&sr=1-4

Getting to the root of a problem is inherent in Gant's DNA: "Climate change is primarily caused by excess carbon in the air. This occurs by burning fossil fuels and modern agricultural methods. Climate change can be solved, lifespans markedly improved and all life on our precious planet can be saved," he explained.

"We are expected to sacrifice the burning of carbon, which is the only inexpensive, plentiful, and indispensable fuel that provides for the feeding of our planet and brings us abundance and prosperity.

"Without solving our carbon problem our planet and humankind's health is not sustainable, but most countries will not jeopardize their militaries and their ability to grow, harvest and provide food because agriculture and military security totally depends on the energy derived from fossil fuels."

Gant remains optimistic that climate change is possible, "but we must recognize that restrictions in the burning of fossil fuels is a hoax. Instead we can solve Climate Change by taking excess carbon out of the atmosphere and sequestering it into our soils and plants to markedly improve health and longevity."

"It's not too late," the doctor, teacher and author says in the introduction to "An Earthly Chance." "The only sane climate change solution possible is science-based, economically responsible and depends on healing human beings and our environment."

About Dr. Charles GantDr. Charles Gant is the author of eight books, a teacher and a medical practitioner. He holds both a doctor of medicine (M.D.) and a doctorate (Ph.D.) degrees.

As a physician, Gant has practiced functional and integrative medicine and mindfulness-based cognitive psychotherapy for nearly five decades. He has incorporated Causal Medicine into his practice in the last decade. Precision medicine is an innovative approach to disease prevention and treatment that considers each individual's differences in genomics, environmental stressors, biochemistry, and lifestyles. https://www.nihadc.com/practitioners/dr-chas-gant-md-ph-d.html

He holds a B.S. in chemistry from Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia, an M.D. from the University of Virginia Medical School and postgraduate training in Family Practice, Psychiatry and Psychology(Ph.D.)

Media Contact: Dr. Charles GantPhone: (240) 800-4955

SOURCE Dr. Charles Gant, MD

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Noted Alternative Medical Guru Takes on Climate Change in his 8th Book - PR Newswire

Ruthie Charlton has been named the February 2022 Outer Banks Hotline Volunteer of the Month. She is a long-time crisis line volunteer and was nominated for the recognition by crisis line volunteer coordinator Marian William.

Ruthie was born and resided in New Jersey until her move to the Outer Banks in 1985. Soon after her move, she began volunteering with Britthaven, now known as Peak Nursing Home, until 2005, stated William. She also volunteered with Outer Banks Hospice until 2010. She has been a volunteer with Outer Banks Hotline for over 25 years and volunteers answering our crisis line calls. She is a valued volunteer. Her longevity with the Outer Banks Hotline is appreciated by the all the staff at the Safehouse and Administration.

Besides all of the volunteering Ruthie has done, she still has had the opportunity to enjoy some hobbies, such as cooking, entertaining, singing in the Outer Banks Chorus (until Covid showed up), knitting prayer shawls from her church, and reading books, William continued. Her best buddy is her cat Opi who loves to eat sushi, when he can convince Ruthie to share it.

The Outer Banks Hotline press release about the recognition states Ruthie personifies the kindness and generosity of the volunteer spirit!

Outer Banks Hotlines mission is to promote a safe and compassionate community. We are a private, non-profit human services organization that provides crisis intervention, safe house, information and referrals, advocacy, and prevention education services to residents of and visitors to the Outer Banks, stated the press release.

Hotlines volunteers and staff provide the community with crisis intervention in the areas of domestic violence and sexual assault response, prevention education, support groups and community outreach. A 24-hour crisis line (252-473-3366) connects a distressed caller to a volunteer trained to listen and make referrals. Topics include suicide, family problems, depression, substance abuse, domestic violence and sexual assault.

For more information, visit obhotline.org or call 252-473-5121. Those interested in volunteering should call or stop by a Hotline store.

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Ruthie Charlton recognized for Outer Banks Hotline volunteer work - The Coastland Times | The Coastland Times - The Coastland Times

The numbers behind the worlds shifting demographics are at times difficult to comprehend. Human life expectancy has boomed since the industrial times, doubling between 1900 and 2000. Scientists predict that more than half of babies born in rich countries today will live to be 100.

However, declining birth rates around the world means that there are currently more people over the age of 60 than children under the age of 5. In fact, according to the WHO, over the next 30 years, the proportion of the worlds population over 60 years will nearly double from 12% to 22%.

Current retirement and pension systems are not equipped for the reality of unprecedented longevity and shifting work and health outcomes. Neither are most peoples life plans. The Stanford Center on Longevity recently suggested that the 30 extra years of life people are living should be seen as a dividend that can be strategically distributed across all stages of life.

We need to be similarly imaginative in creating new and improved policies that will address the changing financial needs of all citizens over the course of a 100-year life.

This break in the traditional societal norm of going to school, building a career, and then retiring is already happening for millions of workers around the world. People might decide to take a break from work in order to raise children, care for sick relatives, or go back to school, even in mid-life, to learn a new skill so they can advance in or change their career. They might work gig jobs and work on demand, or choose freelance work that lets them set their own schedule.

As workers age, some have no desire to retire; they still feel healthy and productive, they may not want to give up the sense of community they have at a workplace, and their jobs perhaps dont have the physical demands that make continuing indefinitely impossible. Others will want a phased retirement and continue to work several days a week, while still others will be looking forward to a more traditional, and traditionally timed, full retirement..

Our different ways of working, living, and spending has made the one-size-fits-all retirement plans of the past, where money is saved up to be spent in the later years of life, neither feasible nor practical. Many people will want to spend that money during one of the aforementioned transitions perhaps, or for other reasons that today may be seen as a career interruption but will someday be considered part of the regular ebb and flow of a long, productive life.

The need to address changing demographics and the financial implications they encompass is an issue that knows no border. Every country will be dealing with this reality in the coming decades and we will need multi-stakeholder solutions to be prepared.

What should we be asking of our leaders and of ourselves to help people stay financially resilient as they live longer lives?

Policymakers: Be more innovative. Help people create better savings plans that make sense for the way we live and work in the 21st century. The pension plans from the last century will not work anymore.

Private sector: Be more inclusive and equitable. Make financial products for all of society, not just the wealthy. Gig workers, stay-at-home moms, and lower-income workers all need savings options. Update your financial literacy plans for this new demographic reality.

Individuals: Be bolder. This is the time to rethink everything. Dont be afraid to pivot and change careers or learn a new skill. There are thousands of courses, certificates, and degrees that can be obtained online at very low cost.

Society: Be kinder. Stop promoting ageist stereotypes that depict this demographic change as a problem. A longer lifespan with more choices in how we fill it is a privilege. Whatever challenge it presents to our long-held beliefs or established systems for things like retirement saving is also an opportunity to expand our sense of whats possible for ourselves and for policies covering practical needslike a better savings plan for all citizens for the next century.

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Retirement savings policies need an innovative update - Quartz

Let's chat about our primary detoxification organ: the liver. Without the liver optimally converting toxins into compounds that can be easily eliminated, those toxins can make a detour and set up shop in the brain, nerves, glands, and other tissues in the body. Left unchecked, that stresses the body unnecessarily and has health implications down the road.

However, with a holistic approach to healthy food and lifestyle choices, we can fully support detoxification in the liver and throughout the body. One of the ways to do this is upping our bodies' antioxidant network and activity.*

When toxins enter the liver, many are biotransformed into water-soluble compounds so they can be excreted via urine. (Fat-soluble ones go out via bile and then on out with our bowel movements). Free radicals are a byproduct of these processes, and the liver relies on antioxidants to neutralize these free radicals and maintain redox balance.* Without homeostasis between oxidants and antioxidants, the liver experiences oxidative stress, and that can mean less optimal conversion and elimination of toxins.*

While getting antioxidants through diet is always a great way to support whole-body longevity, cellular resilience, and, yesdetoxification, there are certain antioxidants like glutathione that are not as bioavailable in dietary sources. That's why we decided to create a premium, antioxidant-rich, glutathione-centered supplement that supports detoxification in the liver and throughout the whole body.*

mindbodygreen's daily detox+ comprehensively supports daily cellular, organ, and whole-body cleanup activities for active detoxification, which is a 24/7 affair.* Master antioxidant glutathione is the leader of this cleanup crew, cruising tissues to help clear toxins and restore equilibrium.*

In addition to delivering specific detoxifying actions in their own right, the four additional bioactives promote the master antioxidant (glutathione) by increasing its production (milk thistle), bolstering its body stores (vitamin C), helping activate its enzymes (selenium), and supporting its regeneration (NAC).*Talk about a 360-degree detox design.

This innovative, detox-supporting formula delivers daily, "boots-on-the-ground" actions against free radicals to combat oxidative stress and promote whole-body health benefitsand wellness experts can't get enough.*

See what leading experts in longevity, detoxification, beauty, and nutrition have to say about leveraging daily detox+ to boost antioxidant activity and buffer against daily biological and environmental stressors.*

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Longevity & Beauty Experts Adore This Antioxidant-Rich Supplement - mindbodygreen.com