Kefir is Your Ally Against Toenail Fungus

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jul 15 20:00:43 PDT 2017

So, do you want to know why you have certain persistent problems with things like ringworm, toenail fungus, and athlete’s foot? All of these are caused by a fungus that can spread and grow like crazy and last for years and years. “Onychomycosis” is the medical name for the infection that causes the fungi to […]

Local Meetings

by @ Active Goals RSS Feed

Mon Aug 18 12:17:00 PDT 2014

Goal Runtime: 18 August 2014 - 07:17 PM - Continuous Goal
To support local meetings during for the International Longevity Day and beyond.

Cultured Veggies ~ Saving Lives

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Sep 09 20:41:58 PDT 2017

Forget everything you think you know about vegetables and let me tell you what happens when you culture them. Grow your own probiotics in a jar of vegetables, and you’ll be shocked and amazed at all they can do. I feel like I’ve been standing on the top of a mountain singing the praises of […]

Even UFC Champion, Georges St-Pierre, Suffers From Ulcerative Colitis

by Jason Hooper @ Fix Your Gut

Mon Feb 12 06:00:02 PST 2018

Many people come to Fix Your Gut frustrated and looking for answers or information to assist them and their doctors with figuring out and solving a gut issue. Often they feel like it is only happening to them. They are ill because of their poor lifestyle choices,

The post Even UFC Champion, Georges St-Pierre, Suffers From Ulcerative Colitis appeared first on Fix Your Gut.

DIY Hand Soap with Lavender & Mint Essential Oil

by Lauren Bonsell @ Blog – Well.ca Blog

Fri Feb 02 07:00:02 PST 2018

This DIY hand soap has a great lavender and mint scent that everyone will love! Kids will love to help make it, and parents will love that it’s made with natural, recognizable ingredients. Adding moisturizing carrier oils like almond or jojoba gives it added moisturizing benefits....

The post DIY Hand Soap with Lavender & Mint Essential Oil appeared first on Well.ca Blog.

What Kind of Sugars Can I Use in Kombucha?

by Maci @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Oct 15 19:58:52 PDT 2016

When you’re brewing kombucha, you need to feed the microbes so they can make probiotics. Sugar is the fuel source for these hungry critters. Always remember that the sugar is for those little microbes and not for you. They consume the sugar and then make probiotics and naturally occurring carbonation through the process of fermentation. It’s […]

Food Care is Health Care

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Feb 27 23:00:38 PST 2016

“Is it just a coincidence that as the portion of our income spent on food has declined, spending on health care has soared? In 1960, Americans spent 17.5 percent of their income on food and 5.2 percent of national income on health care. Since then, those numbers have flipped: Spending on food has fallen to […]

How to Unjam a Garbage Disposal System

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Wed Oct 18 03:00:10 PDT 2017

Introduction Having a clogged waste disposal system is a problem that every homeowner will encounter occasionally. Your waste disposer can get blocked due to...

Nootropics in human trials (Intro)

by @ Articles - Articles

Sat Sep 09 06:57:38 PDT 2017

The word "nootropic" derives from the Greek words nous, or "mind", and trepein meaning "to bend or turn". It was first coined by Romanian psychologist and chemist, Corneliu E. Giurgea after synthesizing Piracetam.
For Giurgea a nootropic drug should have the following characteristics:
1. They should enhance learning and memory.
2. They should enhance the resistance of learned behaviors/memories to conditions which tend to disrupt them (e.g. electroconvulsive shock, hypoxia).
3. They should protect the brain against various physical or chemical injuries (e.g. barbiturates, scopalamine).
4. They should increase the efficacy of the tonic cortical/subcortical control mechanisms.
5. They should lack the usual pharmacology of other psychotropic drugs (e.g. sedation, motor stimulation) and possess very few side effects and extremely low toxicity.

In fact, most drugs commonly labelled as nootropics do not fulfill all of these requirements. Some of the best known (e.g. Adderall, Modafinil) seem to not fulfill any, as discussed later. Instead, other characteristics like (reputed increased alertness, focus or motivation) seem to be key to their popularity.
Because of deviating definitions nootropics are more broadly defined (e.g. in wikipedia) as drugs, supplements, or other substances that improve cognitive function, particularly executive functions, memory, creativity, or motivation, in healthy individuals. 

Some nootropics from the very common to the :

Caffeine
Caffeine is the world’s most widely used stimulant (Nawrot, et al., 2003). It is used by over 90 % of North Americans every day (Mednick et al., 2008). It is widely used because of its positive effects on mood and alertness (Lorist & Tops, 2003)and vigilance and attention (Lieberman et al., 1987). However, these effects do not seem applicable / transferable to motor learning and verbal memory and are unable to reverse effects of sleep deprivation, with a dose of 200mg in low to moderate users (< than 2 cups a day) (Mednick et al., 2008). It is also shown to be ineffective in higher cognitive tasks involving working memory (Battig et al., 1984). Overall conclusions regarding the relation of caffeine and memory have been mixed. Positive effects might stem from caffeine withdrawal in high dosage users (Mednick et al., 2008).

Nicotine
With about 1,1 billion smokers worldwide in the year 2015 (WHO 2015) nicotine takes second place as the most widely used stimulant. It was shown that the application of nicotine in non-smoking males enhances performance in continuous performance tasks and therefore is said to improve attention and working-memory (Kumari, et al., 2003), which is in line with other studies suggesting that nicotine affects short-term memory in delayed free recall tasks (Sarah & Fox, 1998)
Another study examined nicotine’s effects on alertness and performance on a covert orienting task were measured. While nicotine decreased overall reaction times in the covert orienting task, there was no change in the validity effect, the reaction time difference between validly and invalidly cued targets. However, nicotine significantly improved both EEG and self-rated measures of alertness. Nicotine seems to increases alertness in non-smokers, with no improvement in spatial attention using a covert orienting task (Griesar et al., 2002). Furthermore Nicotine seems to reduce distraction under low perceptual load by acting as a stimulus filter that prevents irrelevant stimuli entering awareness (Behler et al., 2015).

Methylphenidate/ Ritalin
Most college students I know will immediately think of Ritalin or Modafinil if they are asked to name a cognitive enhancer. Studies have found that 4.1% to 10.8% of college students in the US reported using prescription stimulants non-medically during the past year (Garnier-Dykstra, et al., 2012).
Methylphenidate (MPH - common brand name ‘Ritalin’) is used in treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Most studies focused on the its effects on Attention, Mood, Memory and executive functions. A single dose of MPH showed a positive effect on memory. Repeated doses of MPH had a mood elevating effect but also enhanced anxiety. No statistically significant effect was found in the outcomes attention, mood and executive functions. MPH had no significant effect on sleep-deprived individuals (Repantis et al., 2010). In a 2015 review the authors found some ‘publication bias’, relating to long-term and working memory and conclude that the effect in healthy subject is probably modest overall and that healthy users resort to stimulants to enhance their energy and motivation more than their cognition (Ilieva et al., 2015). 

Modafinil
Modafinil is used in treatment of disorders such as narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and excessive daytime sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea. Most studies focused on its effects on attention, mood, memory, wakefulness and executive functions and motivation. A single dose showed positive effects on attention only. On sleep deprived individuals it was shown to have an impact on executive functions, on memory and wakefulness but there was an insignificant effect on mood and attention (Repantis et al., 2010). A 2012 meta-analysis found that Modafinil was likely effective but criticised the gaps in the literature. (Kelley et al., 2012) 
A recent study on chess players found significantly enhanced performance with Modafinil or Ritalin but only when the players were not under time pressure (Franke et al. 2017). 

Adderall
Mixed Amphetamine Salts also known under the brand Name Adderall became increasingly popular in recent years as an athletic performance enhancer and cognitive enhancer. Like Ritalin, it is also used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy.
Overall effects of Adderall on cognition have been reviewed as very modest, while having a huge effect on perception. It was found to enhance performance in word recall, embedded figures and Raven's Progressive Matrices, but only for lower performing individuals (Ilieva et al., 2013). Adderall might also impair creativity in high performing individuals (Farah et al., 2009).

L-theanine & Caffeine
L- theanine is primarily found in plants (e.g. in the leaves of green and black tea) and fungus. Results evidently demonstrated that L-theanine clearly has a pronounced effect on attention performance and reaction time response in normal healthy subjects susceptible to having high anxiety (Higashiyama et al., 2011).
A dose of L-theanine equivalent to eight cups of black tea improves cognitive and neurophysiological measures of selective attention, to a degree that is comparable with that of caffeine. The combination of Theanine and caffeine seem to have additive effects on attention in high doses (Kahathuduwa et al.,2016).
Studies suggest that 97 mg of L-theanine in combination with 40 mg of caffeine helps to focus attention during a demanding cognitive task (Giesbrecht 2010).

Bacopa Monnieri
Bacopa Monnieri is an herb which has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Bacopa's primary mechanism of action is still unclear, it seems to be an anti-oxidant, a weak acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and a cerebral blood flow activator (Aguiar & Borowski , 2013).
There is some evidence to suggest that Bacopa Monnieri improves memory with little evidence of enhancement in any other cognitive domains (Pase et al., 2012).

Piracetam
Closing the circle to the beginning of this short introduction to the topic: Giurgea first coined the term "nootropic" when he synthesized Piracetam in 1964. Since it is not approved by the US FDA, it is primarily used in Europe, Asia, and South America. It is commonly prescribed for cognitive impairment and dementia in several countries of Europe. Research suggests that Piracetam might also have a positive effect on healthy individuals. Subjects were given 3×4 capsules at 400 mg per day, in a double blind study. Each subject learned series of words presented as stimuli upon a memory drum. No effects were observed after 7 days but after 14 days verbal learning had significantly increased (Dimond & Brouwers, 1976). It might also be beneficial for cognitive decline associated with age. Aging subjects did significantly better in a computerized perceptual-motor tasks when on piracetam than on a placebo. (Mindus et al. 1976). While these old studies may not be that reliable, it is still held that Piracetam's “efficacy is documented in cognitive disorders and dementia, vertigo, cortical myoclonus, dyslexia, and sickle cell anemia. While high doses are sometimes necessary, piracetam is well tolerated” (Winblad, 2005). Since Piracetam was first synthesized many structurally similar compounds have emerged. These so called Racetams have poorly understood mechanisms of action; however, piracetam and aniracetam are known to act as positive allosteric modulators of AMPA receptors and appear to modulate cholinergic systems (Gualtieri et al., 2002).

Candida and Cultured Foods

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Tue Jul 04 20:37:34 PDT 2017

I get hundreds of emails about the subject of Candida, and a lot of them are asking me why so many health care practitioners don’t recommend the consumption of fermented foods if you have Candida. Most physicians and well-meaning practitioners only know of fermented foods made with vinegars rather than the cultured or fermented foods […]

Life Changing – 20 Second Kombucha Mayo

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Oct 21 20:00:21 PDT 2017

Mayonnaise is a common condiment that so many of us use regularly. Mayo was said to be the invention of one of the great chefs of France. Marie-Antoine Carême was the personal chef of the Duke de Richelieu in 1756. While the Duke was defeating the British at Port Mahon, his chef was creating a victory feast that […]

8 Reasons to reach out to 'the public'

by @ LongeCity - Articles

Sun Mar 08 16:35:01 PDT 2015

While the idea that drastic life extension may be an option for humankind in the future has been encountered by many through the media and fiction, the vast majority of the public do not grasp whether and how this could realistically apply to them or their loved ones. 
 
Some argue that since life is an universally desirable good and age-related suffering and death universally feared and avoided, ‘public perception’ is something that will take care of itself. If anything, the inherent attractiveness of the concept will always guarantee media interest perhaps even to the point of generating unwarranted hype and the empty promises that have been the bane of the scientific life extension movement for centuries. 
 
Others argue, with great conviction, that public perception and ‘marketing a life extension movement’ should be a prime objective. Here is a list of eight reasons why:  
 
1. Broaden the pool of ideas. Generally, the more minds are altered to and focused towards a common objective, the greater the chance than innovative or groundbreaking ideas will be generated. If Life Extension is a more broadly known, accepted and prestigious topic of interest, more bright minds will be attracted to it.  
 
2. Increase public sector funding and donations. As businesses tend to fund research only when profitability is close it often falls to the public sector and philanthropists to fund the "starter end" of research that will eventually lead to usable products which business will then want to take up. 
 
3. Reduce opposition.  There is an element of ‘shock’ associated with the concept that aging and death may not be inevitable which can lead to denial or impatient dismissal. Visceral or ideological opposition to life extension translates into less government funding, less scientific interest, less favorable laws and less industry support especially if there is no widely established counter-position.   
 
4. Improve regulation.  Whether we are thinking about laws allowing or prohibiting life extension treatments in general, or the speed and efficiency at which the FDA similar entities conduct their reviews, the support of government agencies is important at every stage of the process of getting treatments to the public. Responsive regulation can be generated through public pressure and media attention. 
 
5. Focus corporate interests towards effective treatments.  Only if there is a clear and well-informed demand for proven and validated treatments will effective products become more profitable to the industry than ineffective ‘snake oil’.
 
6. Build economies of scale.  Given the urgent need for life extension treatments for many people there is an interest in helping to bring costs down as soon as possible. If pent-up public demand becomes more clearly visible, consideration of scale-up will become a part of more business plans and healthcare reforms. 
 
7. Improve public health.  A focus on life extension often comes with increased health consciousness. Prevention is better and cheaper than cures and if more people participate in a wider programme of health-conscious living, this is likely to bring overall healthcare costs down.
 
8. Reduce social unrest and disruption.  Even once society accepts the concept of life extension and associated treatments there will still be people who are unwilling or unable to participate. Moreover, extended lifespans will affect society profoundly. Careful public engagement ensures that social unrest and discrimination can be minimised.  
 
If at least one of these reasons makes sense to you, then you may want to think about how you could help ‘connect’ the LongeCity’s mission with others. Generally, the ‘self-multiplying’ effect of outreach should not be underestimated. People act as role models and influencers of their peers. Beyond all media spin, if a person acts and speaks with conviction, others will take note; and if people realize that their friends and family members could live longer they will be more willing to engage in the idea themselves.  
 
 
-- 
This article is based on an original drafted by Sanhar in response to a LongeCity tender.

Hey fellow seekers

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Thu Feb 08 17:34:56 PST 2018

Hi,

So im here to learn about all different things and hopefully contribute some of my experiances of life etc

My main interests are Nootropics and alternative pain relief due to fibromyagia..

Hope you're all having a pleasent evening and Take Care!

(I have dyslexia and Dyscalculia) which you will notice in my many spelling and mathimatical errors.

 

The Benefits of Taking Biotin Supplements (it’s known as a beauty booster!)

by Gundry MD Team @ Gundry MD

Sun Feb 04 02:13:08 PST 2018

The thing about growing older is … it happens to everyone. There’s no real way to avoid it. But there are some age-related symptoms that you can slow down a bit… including hair loss or thinning. That’s why, when Dr. Gundry talks with patients who are concerned about thinning hair, he recommends biotin. It’s simply […]

The post The Benefits of Taking Biotin Supplements (it’s known as a beauty booster!) appeared first on Gundry MD.

Assessing the effects of c60 on human cancer pr...

by @ Articles - Articles

Mon Sep 08 08:12:36 PDT 2014

 View attachment: c60re02.png 

"Assessing the effects of c60 on human cancer proliferation in vivo"

is led by life-extension trailblazer Kelsey Moody. It is interesting that he turns the attention of his new venture Ichor Therapeutics to the potential health effects of 'buckyballs' - a topic that has received significant attention on LongeCity ever since it was claimed in a scientific report that rats fed on olive oil infused with these structures experience dramatically increased maximal lifespans. (Review here). 
True to it mission, LongeCity hosts the leading international discussion forum on this topic. Previously, the LongeCity community has come together to fund further grassroots research on C60 in mice and these studies are on-going.

Meanwhile though, in keeping with the pioneer spirit often found on the LongeCity forums, reports have come in from people trialing C60 in olive oil on themselves. As Kelsey points out, the long-term safety of this has yet to be established, and this project is particularly interested in whether C60 in olive oil has any cancer-inducing properties. Conversely, it may be the case that the compound has a tumor–suppressing function. 
To investigate this, the team  plans to infuse a total of 25 mice with C60-olive oil of various strengths or with an inert ‘control’ solution, graft a human cancer cell line to the mice and study the results. (Full research proposal here) 
 
If the fundraiser succeeds it will further support the revolutionary notion of stakeholder-oriented, grass-roots science which complements, challenges and enriches academic research at those junctures that the community actually cares about. Moreover and perhaps even more importantly the fundraiser will help to built capacity and community interface at a dedicated life-extension research facility. Already, Ichor has housed an intern on a LongeCity stipend (Report here- Members only). Ultimately, we hope to create a network of such community-friendly labs around the globe, to provide aspiring young scientists
with training and networking and all members with easily accessible sources of expert advice.

LongeCity has facilitated 'crowdfunding' well before many other platforms in use today. This year, we have decided to try to tap into the potential of these external sites, but to add something to the process: This project is the first one to run on an external fundraising page that has received an official ‘stamp of endorsement’ from LongeCity.
The team has mooted the project at LongeCity, submitted for formal peer review and informal members comments and the board looked into the ability of the team to use the donated money responsibly and to deliver success (Internal link here).  In the end, the project received a high rating of 3 stars and LongeCity decided to match each dollar donation from our general funds. And, awesomely, a generous Member immediately stepped forward to match them as well!
 
This means we only need to raise $6.000 via the external crowdfunding page at indigogo. Please give generously and spread the word!

For any queries about the project to Kelsey and the team, please post below.

Biotic Tomatoes are Super Foods Times Ten!

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jul 23 20:00:21 PDT 2016

 65,000,000+ probiotics There is a cultured Green Tomato dish on the market, made by Bubbies pickles, that is fermented. They had it analyzed for probiotics and they sent the results (65,000,000+) to me when I asked. They don’t use added cultures like Cutting Edge Cultures as I do, which means that my cultured tomatoes have significantly more […]

Find out why water kefir is one of the most beneficial probiotic ferments

by ben @ Obi

Tue Dec 27 15:13:52 PST 2016

You may already be familiar with dairy kefir, which is available in the dairy aisles of a number of national grocers. Water Kefir is a close relative of dairy kefir and contains many of the same strains. Water kefir cultures originate from a variety of different plants in nature in areas where sugar and water... Read more »

18 Ways To Use Fermented Garlic!

by Maci @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jun 24 20:00:42 PDT 2017

Fermented Garlic is a MUST-have for your refrigerator! It’s a wonderful medicine-like food, and making it a part of your diet can work wonders for many health concerns. Garlic fights colds and flus Garlic has a compound called allicin which has many health and medicinal uses. It has been used to fight colds and flus and […]

How to Meal Prep like a Boss (and only cook twice per week!)

by Zoe (Social Media Manager) @ Blog – Well.ca Blog

Thu Feb 01 07:00:41 PST 2018

Mandy King | Holistic Nutritionist | Founder of HEAL (Healthy Eating and Living) When I was first diagnosed with Celiac disease (an autoimmune disease where you have to be strictly gluten free) nine years ago, gluten free takeout just wasn’t an option like it is now....

The post How to Meal Prep like a Boss (and only cook twice per week!) appeared first on Well.ca Blog.

A Sincere Introduction

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Thu Feb 08 22:00:00 PST 2018

Hello those of you interested in a non-woo-woo way to longevity and increased cognition! I am a similar soul. I have been interested in how science, diet, medicinal practices, and psychology can alter the way I currently transgress this solemn world; this has lead me in the direction of all sorts of different experiences, some of which, admittedly, have been quasi-rational. So, it is in my docket, it is my modus operandi, my purpose to encourage rational, evidence based discussion in a community whose goals I admire a great deal. Cheers, to those of you who are here, and to those who are not--they may still benefit from our discussion and progress.

On an unrelated tangential note my interests are as follows: Literature, Medicine, Film, Art, Philosophy (unstructured unfortunately, I know who Hegel, Wittgenstein, Kant etc. is, though I can't really sustain conversation on their ideas.)  

I'll welcome any conversation on those topics, and conversations not on those topics-- though I can't promise I'll be too much use!

Best of Cultured Food Life 2017: Our Top Articles and Videos!

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Dec 30 21:00:13 PST 2017

I hope 2017 was a wonderful year for you. I hope you incorporated cultured foods into your life and saw the difference they can make. I’ve been making and eating these foods for over fifteen years and they never cease to amaze and teach me. I was talking with one of my good friends about […]

Probiotic Pets!

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Mar 19 23:00:22 PDT 2016

This little guy in the picture is my puppy Scoby (pronounced like kombucha SCOBY) enjoying his kefir. Kefir is incredibly good for dogs and we hear many stories of how it helps them in so many ways. Did you know that your pets need probiotics, too? In fact, most vets and animal experts have known this […]

Dr. Gundry’s Vegan Curry Cauliflower Soup Recipe

by Dr. Steven Gundry @ Gundry MD

Tue Jan 09 17:13:30 PST 2018

With record-breaking cold temperatures sweeping much of the U.S., Dr. Gundry’s Curried Cauliflower Soup is the recipe you need. This warm, comforting soup is deceptively creamy, easy to make, and it works well as a hearty vegan dish in the winter. Not only will this soup warm you from head to toe, it’ll help give […]

The post Dr. Gundry’s Vegan Curry Cauliflower Soup Recipe appeared first on Gundry MD.

Health Benefits of Pancreatin Enzyme Supplement

by Dr. Rasheed Huma @ MicroBiomePlus

Mon Jan 15 14:47:42 PST 2018

1. Promotes normal Digestive Health The Pancreatin supplement is a blend of three key digestive enzymes, namely protease, amylase, and lipase, which aid in the digestion of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats respectively. These degraded food particles are small enough to be absorbed through the intestine. On the other hand, inefficient breakdown of nutrients results in […]

The post Health Benefits of Pancreatin Enzyme Supplement appeared first on MicroBiomePlus.

Turning Back the Clock on Body Composition -FGF19

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Sun Feb 11 04:39:55 PST 2018

I have not seen any discussion on FGF19-understandable given how many such damn peptides have emerged over the last few years alone.

However, this does look promising
http://www.longlonglife.org/en/longevity/lifespan-news/fgf19-hormone-might-help-fight-sarcopenia-degenerative-loss-muscle-mass-associated-aging/

Rodent study, of course.... and this may or may not play out as expected in humans. But this part of the above link is interesting:

"For seven consecutive days, they administered FGF19 to different mice models......

All mice models that received FGF19 gained less weight and developed less fat tissue than mice in the control groups, when they had in fact been eating more."

To observe an effect in seven days makes me think that the effect size here is rather large.

The piece continues with the following comment: "In addition, their skeletal muscles became more developed, as well as their muscle strength."

This is even more significant. To see an effect on muscle mass and strength in seven days is amazing. The vast majority of anabolic steroids do not work that quick. 

Comments???

How Digestive and Immune Systems Work Together

by Dr. Rasheed Huma @ MicroBiomePlus

Tue Jan 30 14:36:21 PST 2018

Our digestive health has a lot to do with our immune health and vice versa. Its role in maintaining our immune health and, eventually, our overall well-being cannot be underestimated. The two systems work closely to keep us in good physical shape. Here, we’ll see how the two systems partner each other and what one […]

The post How Digestive and Immune Systems Work Together appeared first on MicroBiomePlus.

Starting an Amazon FBA Business

by Linda Krantz @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Sat Jan 20 04:32:04 PST 2018

Have you ever wanted to work for yourself and have the freedom that comes without being at work from 9 to 5? Working for...

What’s the benefit of natural probiotics found in yogurt, kombucha and kefir versus lab strains found in pills and supplements?

by ben @ Obi

Sun Jul 24 14:28:27 PDT 2016

Fermented cultures occur naturally in foods and beverages like water kefir (used in Obi), milk kefir, kombucha, yogurts, miso, sauerkraut, and tempeh. Every human culture throughout history has taken advantage of fermented cultures for health, food preservation, and recreation. Isolated strains of microorganisms are a relatively recent phenomenon that has only really been an option since... Read more »

Antibiotic Therapy & Probiotics: When You’re on Antibiotics & Need “THE BEST” Probiotic, Think SPORE Probiotics…

by Chris @ Thrive Probiotic

Mon Jan 22 11:35:14 PST 2018

The cold and flu epidemic has reached an all-time high this season. It’s even been reported that the occurrence of flu this season alone has doubled. Visits to the ER due to cold/flu instances have risen from 5% to over 11%. But it’s not just common flu or bacterial illnesses that are causing issues…there are […]

The post Antibiotic Therapy & Probiotics: When You’re on Antibiotics & Need “THE BEST” Probiotic, Think SPORE Probiotics… appeared first on Thrive Probiotic.

Spend a Day Getting Cultured at Keys Creek Lavender Farm

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Tue Aug 01 20:02:12 PDT 2017

This one-day retreat takes you into the world of making and eating cultured foods. We combine an inspiring day of information with lessons on how to make our trio, The Trilogy: kefir, kombucha, and cultured vegetables. We’ll be serving a delicious cultured meal served with bubbly probiotic sodas and a view that can’t be beat. […]

Carrot Cake in a Jar – Culture Your Carrots! 🥕

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Apr 15 20:31:31 PDT 2017

I have glass jars everywhere in my house, and I have lots of cultured foods in many of them. I have a new book coming out this year — Cultured Food Life in a Jar. Everything is made in a jar, and what fun it was creating this book (due out in September 2017). I’m […]

6 Ginger Sodas That Can Do Amazing Things

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Feb 18 20:00:54 PST 2017

Pain touches everyone in some way; and when this happens, all of us reach for something that we believe will help us. The older I get, the more I find that every ounce of pain is here to teach me something. When I learn the lesson, the pain will vanish and I will have gained […]

New York Class – The Trilogy! 4-8-17

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Tue Jan 03 16:48:26 PST 2017

Meet the new Super foods that can heal you when nothing else works. I am excited to be going back to New York to teach – The Trilogy, three foods that changed my life and can change yours too. This is the most extensive class I teach. This is a crucial time in history when […]

Hi!

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Mon Feb 05 18:36:20 PST 2018

Hello, all!

I am Alex and I've lurked on here as well as on Reddit's nootropic threads for some time, and recently came across someone's post who swore by NSI 189. I recently quit Zoloft and Wellbutrin, which I had been taking for anxiety as well as MDD, cold turkey and have felt the full force of my depression, and all I want is some relief. I joined LC to find a reputable source so I can stop suffering and live my life more positively. As a college student, feeling this badly is really taking a toll on my academics and life in general... I came across a few listings on Ebay but as many have said, Ebay is like the Russian Roulette of nootropics and I'd rather not waste my money or compromise my health by foolishly taking something that probably hasn't even been tested fully. I hope joining this site can lead me in the right direction in terms of getting my life back. Thanks.

How Many Calories Are in Red Wine

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Mon Oct 02 07:04:14 PDT 2017

Introduction We’ve all heard the adage that red wine is heart healthy. Today’s modern medicine also suggests that it’s full of antioxidants.  The presence...

Recently taken a course of antibiotics? Find out why you should be re-populating your body with probiotics

by ben @ Obi

Sun Jan 15 13:59:31 PST 2017

Antibiotics came into widespread medical use in the 1940s. They give us the ability to deal with emergency infections in a powerful way. Before antibiotics, people were more likely to die because of diarrhea and basic infections – or from simple sickness in old age. However, antibiotics work by indiscriminately killing your body’s bacteria, both... Read more »

Upper Gut Dysbiosis, Anxiety, Brain Fog, Fatigue, Is Ammonia the Cause?

by John Brisson @ Fix Your Gut

Fri Jan 12 13:17:53 PST 2018

When someone is suffering from dysbiosis, imbalances within the body can readily occur and make people ill. Upper gut dysbiosis is becoming more well-known and is separate from SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and colonic overgrowth. With new research, we get great insight on previously unknown health

The post Upper Gut Dysbiosis, Anxiety, Brain Fog, Fatigue, Is Ammonia the Cause? appeared first on Fix Your Gut.

Assessing the effects of c60 on human cancer pr...

by @ Articles

Mon Sep 08 08:12:36 PDT 2014

 View attachment: c60re02.png 

"Assessing the effects of c60 on human cancer proliferation in vivo"

is led by life-extension trailblazer Kelsey Moody. It is interesting that he turns the attention of his new venture Ichor Therapeutics to the potential health effects of 'buckyballs' - a topic that has received significant attention on LongeCity ever since it was claimed in a scientific report that rats fed on olive oil infused with these structures experience dramatically increased maximal lifespans. (Review here). 
True to it mission, LongeCity hosts the leading international discussion forum on this topic. Previously, the LongeCity community has come together to fund further grassroots research on C60 in mice and these studies are on-going.

Meanwhile though, in keeping with the pioneer spirit often found on the LongeCity forums, reports have come in from people trialing C60 in olive oil on themselves. As Kelsey points out, the long-term safety of this has yet to be established, and this project is particularly interested in whether C60 in olive oil has any cancer-inducing properties. Conversely, it may be the case that the compound has a tumor–suppressing function. 
To investigate this, the team  plans to infuse a total of 25 mice with C60-olive oil of various strengths or with an inert ‘control’ solution, graft a human cancer cell line to the mice and study the results. (Full research proposal here) 
 
If the fundraiser succeeds it will further support the revolutionary notion of stakeholder-oriented, grass-roots science which complements, challenges and enriches academic research at those junctures that the community actually cares about. Moreover and perhaps even more importantly the fundraiser will help to built capacity and community interface at a dedicated life-extension research facility. Already, Ichor has housed an intern on a LongeCity stipend (Report here- Members only). Ultimately, we hope to create a network of such community-friendly labs around the globe, to provide aspiring young scientists
with training and networking and all members with easily accessible sources of expert advice.

LongeCity has facilitated 'crowdfunding' well before many other platforms in use today. This year, we have decided to try to tap into the potential of these external sites, but to add something to the process: This project is the first one to run on an external fundraising page that has received an official ‘stamp of endorsement’ from LongeCity.
The team has mooted the project at LongeCity, submitted for formal peer review and informal members comments and the board looked into the ability of the team to use the donated money responsibly and to deliver success (Internal link here).  In the end, the project received a high rating of 3 stars and LongeCity decided to match each dollar donation from our general funds. And, awesomely, a generous Member immediately stepped forward to match them as well!
 
This means we only need to raise $6.000 via the external crowdfunding page at indigogo. Please give generously and spread the word!

For any queries about the project to Kelsey and the team, please post below.

Honorary Member: Fred Chamberlain (boundlesslife)

by @ Articles

Mon Apr 08 15:02:47 PDT 2013

View attachment: fred.jpg

In the early 1970's Fred Chamberlain, together with his wife Linda founded the cryonics corporations Manrise and the Alcor Society for Solid State Hypothermia, The latter continues until today as the Alcor Life Extension Foundation one of a very few cryonics providers.

Fred joined LongeCity in 2005 as boundlesslife and shared his thought and experiences with the community over the years.

He was placed in cryostasis at Alcor on 22 Mar 2012.

Suspension case report:
View attachment: casereportA1002FredChamberlain.pdf

His wife Linda remembers him in an 'Ode to Fred'
View attachment: OdeToFred.pdf


He was elected honorary lifetime member for 'services to cryonics'.

The curse of noopept/piracetam/pramiracetam

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Sun Feb 11 21:47:30 PST 2018

I see a number of newer threads of people on Reddit who have sexual issues after taking these nootropics, years ago no one took it seriously, does anyone have any hard data on how to fix this issue or what is the cause of this.

Selecting the Right Skin Care

by nayelle @ NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare – Formulated For Sensitive Skin

Thu Jan 05 23:00:35 PST 2017

With so many options to choose from selecting the right skin care line for you could be an overwhelming task.  Knowing what goes on your skin is as important as what you put in your mouth. We all should read the labels and pay attention to marketing claims that could be misleading at times. [...]

The post Selecting the Right Skin Care appeared first on NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare - Formulated For Sensitive Skin.

What Does RSVP Mean in an Invitation Card?

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Fri Oct 20 03:00:47 PDT 2017

At some point in your life, you have most likely been invited to an event and received an invitation card. When invitations arrive, you...

Not for profit people pharmaceutical R&D company

by @ Action

Sun Feb 04 19:26:27 PST 2018

Testing the waters to see if there is any interest in a cooperative research and development company funded by forum members and crowdfunding from other forums reddit etc. The company could provide reliable nmr testing, in vitro and eventually in vivo studies all without the motive of profit. Drug candidates could be sold into the for profit market to expand capabilitiesss. Thoughts?

Look below for microbiome modifiers added

by lassesen @ CFS Remission

Sat Feb 03 13:55:46 PST 2018

A reader wrote: “Hi Ken, what is your take on reducing, I can only find 3 things that may reduce Proteobacterium, L. taurine, and walnuts from your site and Chris’s pubmed study above which shows L. Reuteri works. It seems to me this would be a great direction. I’m thinking of adding L. Reuteri and […]

Strawberry

by admin @ Pressed Probiotic Waters – Suja Juice

Sat Jan 02 13:57:23 PST 2016

Strawberry Probiotic is hydration plus gut health all in one bottle - this light and refreshing water enhanced with a hint of crushed strawberry and 2 billion vegan probiotic CFUs is great for digestive and immune health!

Essential Tools For Off Grid And Simple Living

by Gary Collins, MS @ Primal Power Method

Wed Apr 26 05:00:45 PDT 2017

In this article I go over the basic tools I have used and recommend for people either looking to live off the grid or move into the simple living lifestyle. I have provided the links below to all the tools I not only recommend, but I actually own myself, you can rest assured they are... Read more »

The post Essential Tools For Off Grid And Simple Living appeared first on Primal Power Method.

7 Reasons I Have Kefir Every Day

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat May 07 23:00:52 PDT 2016

Lots of articles are popping up about reasons you should have kefir, but few of the people writing the articles have actually drunk kefir every day for 14 years. This post is specifically talking about milk kefir and not water kefir.  My reasons for drinking kefir are very personal and specific to me. But here […]

Healthy Treats for Your Summer Sweet Tooth

by Tisha Simpkins @ Webber Naturals

Tue Jul 25 20:57:57 PDT 2017

Long sunny days can inspire you to reach for a cold, sweet treat to satisfy your summer sweet tooth. To stay refreshed in a truly delicious (and healthy) way, check out these fun recipes! There’s even a little science involved…. Tea-sicles If like me, you’re a big fan of tea, summer weather can cramp your style. […]

The post Healthy Treats for Your Summer Sweet Tooth appeared first on Webber Naturals.

3 Tips on How to Unclog Your Kitchen Sink

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Sun Sep 24 02:07:22 PDT 2017

Introduction Trying to use a clogged kitchen sink can be one of the most annoying things to deal with when working in your kitchen....

Geroprotector Review: Rapamycin and other mTOR...

by @ Articles - Articles

Tue Jul 18 14:03:16 PDT 2017

Sven Bulterijs continues his discussion of prominent compounds with potential life extension efficacy by looking not just at rapamycin but also at its target, the mTOR pathway, which has likely a key role in mediating lifespan. ⇒ read the article in "Sven's Science Corner" blog

Does Your Bacteria Whisper?

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Sep 26 21:33:26 PDT 2015

I had just started my blog in April of 2010 and was afraid that nobody would be interested in cultured foods. I decided to do it anyway. I believe we are all guided to do things but it comes in whispers, not loud sounding trumpets. One such whisper came from my daughter Maci. She told […]

Episode 13: Try Probiotic Foods for a Healthier Holiday

by Chris Johnston @ Cultured Food Life

Tue Dec 12 05:00:37 PST 2017

There are certain times of the year when you need to strengthen your inner micro-biome and the holidays is one of those times. Find out how in this upcoming show. ‘Tis the season to be happy! It’s easy, fun, and delicious!

The Best Extended Car Warranty

by Philip Palermo @ Reviews.com

Thu Feb 01 10:29:30 PST 2018

Sunflower lecithin causing burning lips

by @ Health

Mon Feb 12 19:23:38 PST 2018

About 45 minutes after eating anywhere from 1/4 ts to 1 1/2 tb of powdered sunflower lecithin (NOW brand) I develop a raw, tingling, burning sensation at the corner of my lips that lasts a few minutes. The higher dose caused insomnia, reflux, and migrating muscle aches/cramps, I assumed this was due to excess acetylcholine; the lower dose did not.

Citicoline/CDP Choline at a dose of 250 mg twice a day did not cause any symptoms or noticeable effects, though I did have vivid dreams after discontinuing it. I'm now doing a trial of alpha-GPC and have started at a very small dose of 10 mg.

This study found some evidence that lecithin may boost immune function: Soy lecithin supplementation alters macrophage phagocytosis and lymphocyte response to concanavalin A: a study in alloxan-induced diabetic rats:

Dietary soy lecithin supplementation decreases hyperlipidemia and influences lipid metabolism. Although this product is used by diabetic patients, there are no data about the effect of soy lecithin supplementation on the immune system. The addition of phosphatidylcholine, the main component of lecithin, to a culture of lymphocytes has been reported to alter their function. If phosphatidylcholine changes lymphocyte functions in vitro as previously shown, then it could also affect immune cells in vivo. In the present study, the effect of dietary soy lecithin on macrophage phagocytic capacity and on lymphocyte number in response to concanavalin A (ConA) stimulation was investigated in non-diabetic and alloxan-induced diabetic rats. Supplementation was carried out daily with 2 g kg(-1) b.w. lecithin during 7 days. After that, blood was drawn from fasting rats and peritoneal macrophages and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes were collected to determine the phospholipid content. Plasma triacylglycerol (TAG), total and HDL cholesterol and glucose levels were also determined. Lymphocytes were stimulated by ConA. The MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) dye reduction method and flow cytometry were employed to evaluate lymphocyte metabolism and cell number, respectively. Soy lecithin supplementation significantly increased both macrophage phagocytic capacity (+29%) in non-diabetic rats and the lymphocyte number in diabetic rats (+92%). It is unlikely that plasma lipid levels indirectly affect immune cells, since plasma cholesterol, TAG, or phospholipid content was not modified by lecithin supplementation. In conclusion, lymphocyte and macrophage function were altered by lecithin supplementation, indicating an immunomodulatory effect of phosphatidylcholine.

I have Lyme, Bartonella, and Babesia. Is it possible that sunflower lecithin is boosting my immune system enough to cause a herxheimer reaction, could there be another explanation? 

Best FM Transmitter

by Jonathan Maxwell @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Mon Sep 25 08:52:44 PDT 2017

We spent 29 hours trying out different car FM transmitters to come up with this list of the 5 best ones. Our checklist included...

Nick from Bakersfield

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Mon Feb 05 17:24:56 PST 2018

Greetings all!

My Name is Nick, and like the title states, I am from Bakersfield California. I've lurked around the forums here for quite some time, and my primary interest is in the area of nutrition and supplementation/nootropics. I have a little experience, primarily with Piracetam and Choline supplementation, but am looking to broaden my horizons so to speak. Anyways, just wanted to introduce myself and thank everyone in advance for their advice and contributions!

Regards,

Nick

Episode 19: 3 Foods That Can Change Your Life ~ The Trilogy

by Chris Johnston @ Cultured Food Life

Tue Feb 06 05:00:51 PST 2018

Three foods that provide different good bacteria and yeasts that enhance the trillions of bacteria in the body and allow them to thrive, grow, and multiply. This allows you, the host, the opportunity to heal disease, remove pathogens, enhance digestion, make serotonin, and experience a multitude of other opportunities for healing that otherwise would not […]

Dr. Gundry’s Citrus Fennel “Winter Salad” Recipe

by Gundry MD Team @ Gundry MD

Thu Feb 01 10:20:34 PST 2018

You know, everyone seems to take the same approach to cooking meals around this time of year – it’s always winter soups, winter stews, and winter casseroles. And sure, there are some days when you just want to curl up with a mug of soup and a good book. But life can’t come to a […]

The post Dr. Gundry’s Citrus Fennel “Winter Salad” Recipe appeared first on Gundry MD.

Hi

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Tue Feb 06 03:24:00 PST 2018

Hi, starting the uridine / DHA / B complex stack soon and can't wait to see what happens.

Flourless Pumpkin Protein Pancake Recipe

by Nora Lynch @ Suja Juice

Wed Oct 18 16:48:06 PDT 2017

Fall is finally here and the pumpkin craze has begun! From carving pumpkins to pumpkin spice lattes and beer to pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving – it’s everywhere! Sometimes pumpkins get a bad rep because more often than not, they’re used to make delicious recipes that can unfortunately be loaded with unwanted sugar and calories. In reality, pumpkins are rich with vitamins and nutrients and can have major […]

How To Build The Perfect Charcuterie Board

by Zoe (Social Media Manager) @ Blog – Well.ca Blog

Mon Feb 12 07:00:43 PST 2018

MANDY KING | HOLISTIC NUTRITIONIST | FOUNDER OF HEAL (HEALTHY EATING AND LIVING) The perfect charcuterie board has an unexplained power to wow any guests that you have over for dinner. Luckily, it’s also a surprisingly easy appetizer to throw together! There’s usually no cooking involved...

The post How To Build The Perfect Charcuterie Board appeared first on Well.ca Blog.

Episode 8: Sneaky Sugar Wears a Costume

by Chris Johnston @ Cultured Food Life

Tue Oct 31 04:00:15 PDT 2017

Sugar is a tricky thing in the body, and it can drop your immune system by 75%. It’s mistaken for a vitamin that your body desperately needs to keep your immune system running strong. Before you eat all that Halloween candy, have a listen to my podcast.

Six Easy Ways To Store Your Cultured Foods

by Maci @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Mar 25 20:00:59 PDT 2017

Having lots of fermented foods in your fridge is the same as having a medicine cabinet stocked with natural remedies. We reach for these foods not only to keep us healthy and disease free but also when we find ourselves struggling with a virus, stomach ache, or any other kind of ailment that requires extra […]

9 Ways to Use Extra Kefir Whey!

by Maci @ Cultured Food Life

Sat May 27 20:00:51 PDT 2017

If you’re making kefir, and especially kefir cheese, you’re going to wind up with a lot of whey. Whey has been called liquid gold, and it has been used throughout history to help with many diseases.  In fact, Hippocrates and Galen, two founding fathers of medicine, frequently recommended whey to their patients to heal them. […]

Save on Play Doh!!!!

by Heather @ I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household

Tue Feb 13 03:24:26 PST 2018

...

The post Save on Play Doh!!!! appeared first on I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household.

You Need These Condiments

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Sep 05 20:28:28 PDT 2015

We all eat condiments. They are easy to make, but most people just buy them.  Why don’t you let me help you make them in as little as 5 minutes? They will have billions of probiotics and are perfectly preserved for months. You will love them, your family won’t know they’re eating billions of good […]

Ego, here to introduce myself

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Sun Feb 11 18:46:52 PST 2018

Hey,

For a few years now, I've been more or less regularly reading discussions, learning about a host of interesting topics and exploring all Longecity has to offer while never creating an account for some reason. Personally, I believe that this at least in part may have been rooted in the fact that, even though I might appear knowledgeable and am very interested in a number of topics at home on this site, I never truly felt as if I could add something so substantial that it would warrant me making an account and actively participating. I've now decided to do so anyway and, if we are lucky, I may actually be able to add something to this project.

In terms of interests, I am first and foremost fascinated by technology. Of any kind. The mechanics behind an automated watch are just as interesting to me as the inner working of a heater. A circuit board just as mesmerizing as a well engineered differential. You name it and I will want to understand it. This, being the case since my early childhood, though has lead me to realize that, what fascinates me the most isn't technology itself, as incredible as it is, but rather that we, as humans are able to accomplish so much with so little.

With other words, I've been struck with awe ever since I first looked into the human brain that many years ago. On average around 3lb heavy, is it the most complex thing in the as yet known universe. Despite its diminutive size though, we as a species owe everything to it. So what when, or rather if, there will be a day at which our brains have reached their limit?

The printing press was invented and popularized in the 15th century. It revolutionized the way information was accessible, the way information could be stored and the way information could be stored and the way information could be transferred. Now, not even 600 years later, a large chunk of the Earth's population has free and open access to most everything our species has accomplished. At any point in time and almost anywhere.

Technology is going to progress even further and, depending on whom you ask, may actually advance exponentially. We have been lucky so far that humans are very good at adapting to new scenarios. Though there will come a point, maybe in the not-so-distant future, or maybe 10000 years from now, that this won't be enough. That technology out-paces our monkey-brains. You may disagree, but I personally feel that this is more a question of when, rather than if.

Now, this line of thinking has led me, a few years ago, to consider whether or not it may be a good idea to at least entertain the thought, that science should look into the idea of "enhancing" the human brain. That lead me down a rabbit hole so deep, I'm still falling. The research being done is highly fascinating, so much so that I wrote a "pre-university paper" (part of the Austrian equivalent to the "A-Levels") looking into "Neuro Enhancement", its viability, the science behind it, dangers stemming from it, moral and ethical considerations, as well as much more.

I could get into it in length again, talking about key questions like "How would one measure "cognitive performance" and what does actually fall under that label?" among others. But I'll leave it at this for now.

Now, you may think that this has only a minimal relation to the actual focus of Longecity, as, on first sight, I appear to not really be focused on the main reason this site exists, considering and, perhaps someday, finding ways to make death a choice, rather than a necessity. But for me, this is a matter of perspective. My personal hypothesis, our monkey-brains are to "stupid" to ever find a proper way to immortality among other things, aside, I have a key believe.

Even if, some day, we find a way to stop our telomeres from shortening (or whatever you personally believe is the root cause of ageing), our brains, is my firm belief, are going to become older anyway. Thinking back, the way I was able to connect, understand and learn new information during my childhood is inherently different to what I am experiencing now. For the record, I am currently at the age believed by some to be the "ideal age" for a humans brain. Young enough to still be adaptable, yet already more or less "properly wired up". With other words, around 20. Yet I believe that there are some things that, as a child, I might had been able to more efficiently "learn". That for me, is something I feel we should always keep in mind when it comes to "proper anti-ageing", not just the body, but the mind need to be kept young.

My biggest fear is that there may come a day when I get to test whatever new amazing device the tech-giants release, yet I am unable to properly understand what I'm doing. I may be able to learn operation, I may be able to become proficient, but I may never again be able to explain why and how what I'm doing works.

If you are around my age, you may know this from your (grand-)parents. You might be able to show them how to properly operate their new smartphone, you may even get them to more or less get the hang of social networking, but still, the way they use these devices they never grew up with is inherently different from you. Even if you do not understand what happens in the background, you interact different with the tech you grew up with. That is something I am slightly terrified off.

Anyway, this introduction is already going on for quite a bit longer than almost anybody will care to read so thanks to those who actually managed it. You are either very patient or on Adderall, the latter I personally do not like from a neuroscientific level, as I do detest the "all-or-nothing" approach to Neuro Transmitters substances like it bring to the table. Same goes for Dopamine-Reuptake-Inhibitors and the lot.

By the way, I live in Austria, like salty stuff more than sweets, am somewhat of a Car guy, enjoy Games, as well as Anim(ation of all kind)e and movies, hope to try as much as I can in this lifetime, would kindly ask for criticism of any kind as I feel it is necessary to improve and apparently enjoy writing.

Bye,

Ego

Southern California – The Trilogy Class!

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Fri Nov 27 20:10:40 PST 2015

Sold Out! Saturday, February 6th, 2016   Have you heard about The Trilogy? Kefir, kombucha, and cultured veggies are three cultured probiotic foods that can change your life and your body. These are three of the most powerful superfoods you can eat and Donna wants to teach you how to make them a part of […]

Cultured Classes in Your Kitchen

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Nov 19 19:00:17 PST 2016

I was taking my daughter to acting class this week, and I got a text from one of my team members. He told me to get a box of kleenex and to read the email. I stopped the car to read the email, and with tears streaming down my cheeks I was reminded once again […]

Hydrogen Water & The Benefits To Your Skin

by nayelle @ NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare – Formulated For Sensitive Skin

Tue Dec 26 10:32:14 PST 2017

The Tiny Molecule with Super Powers HOW CAN HYDROGEN WATER HELP YOUR SKIN? The health benefits of enriched hydrogen water are well documented in scientific papers. It helps to rejuvenate not only your internal organs, but hydrogen is an antioxidant that protects your skin. Hydrogen water is now available for consumers by "MiLi Pure Spray" [...]

The post Hydrogen Water & The Benefits To Your Skin appeared first on NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare - Formulated For Sensitive Skin.

How to Make Ketchup and Grape Jelly Meatballs

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Tue Feb 13 00:00:15 PST 2018

What can be more reminiscent of cocktail parties than meatballs cooked in ketchup and jelly sauce? It’s something about the mix of the tart...

Picamilon Source?

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Mon Feb 05 18:57:19 PST 2018

I'm looking for a source for Picamilon that is obtainable from the US.

I don't use this recreationally.  Basically I'm using it as a rescue dose for extreme anxiety that is the result of protracted withdrawal from years of prescription z-drug use.  Apparently my gaba receptors have not yet normalized 30 months after quitting nightly use of eszopiclone. 

When I really get into a high anxiety state it's the only thing that will reliably pull me out of it that I feel isn't a massive threat to undoing whatever recovery I'm managed to build. I'm really trying to stay away from GABA receptor PAMs and don't believe that GABA itself will be as down regulating to these receptors.

I use maybe 150mg every week or so.  I've got a bottle from 2015 that will be depleted in another month or two. 

So does anyone know a reliable source that can get this material into the US in spite of our idiotic laws?

Causes of Dry and Dehydrated Skin

by nayelle @ NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare – Formulated For Sensitive Skin

Wed Mar 22 18:58:32 PDT 2017

Dry skin can be a temporary condition or a lifelong concern. Dry skin can be genetically determined or a product of an increasingly stressful lifestyle coupled with continual exposure to the sun, wind and chemicals in the environment. It can also be caused by the use of poor quality skin care products. It becomes extremely [...]

The post Causes of Dry and Dehydrated Skin appeared first on NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare - Formulated For Sensitive Skin.

Is it Bad to Feed Bread to Ducks?

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Tue Dec 26 00:00:26 PST 2017

What could be nicer than spending a lovely afternoon by your local pond feeding the ducks? In fact, some studies suggest that watching the...

Purex Bathroom Tissue

by Cindy @ I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household

Tue Feb 13 05:12:57 PST 2018

...

The post Purex Bathroom Tissue appeared first on I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household.

How to Make a Sweet Potato Casserole

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Tue Oct 31 01:00:48 PDT 2017

Introduction Nothing signifies fall and the holidays like a sweet potato casserole. So, if you’re looking for a great recipe to cook as the...

Advanced Strength Probiotics

by Paul C @ Probiotics – Clever Guts

Sat Nov 04 02:35:40 PDT 2017

The post Advanced Strength Probiotics appeared first on Clever Guts.

20 Smart Ways To Use Your Kombucha SCOBYs!

by Maci @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Aug 27 20:00:13 PDT 2016

So, you all keep asking . . . What do I do with all these SCOBYs?! If you are anything like me, you have a pile of SCOBYs in a massive SCOBY hotel just waiting . . . It feels somehow wrong to throw them away when you have taken care of them and watched […]

Significance of Consuming a Vegan Probiotic

by Dr. Rasheed Huma @ MicroBiomePlus

Wed Dec 13 15:47:02 PST 2017

What are vegan probiotics? These are the probiotics that are free of animal products, fish, GMOs, soy, gluten, or harmful additives of any kind. What are the benefits of consuming a Vegan Probiotic? Being entirely vegan makes a probiotic allergy safe. Moreover, it could be an ideal option for the vegans who face a challenge […]

The post Significance of Consuming a Vegan Probiotic appeared first on MicroBiomePlus.

Gingerbread is Healthy and Historical

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Dec 03 19:35:43 PST 2016

“An I had but one penny in the world, thou shouldst have it to buy gingerbread.” ~ William Shakespeare Ginger Better Than Ibuprofen Food as medicine is the way that I live my life. Cultured foods are front and center, but there are many other things I turn to when we need extra help and […]

crowdsourced multivitamin

by @ Articles - Articles

Tue Dec 18 17:41:21 PST 2012

Extending maximum human lifespan will likely require a wide range of new biotechnology. Powerful interventions such as pharmaceuticals, stem cell technology, and gene therapy are in development but could be years or decades away from widespread implementation. During the intervening time the best way to ward off the ravages of disease and aging is to take care of yourself.

Members of LongeCity are keenly aware of this reality. That is why LongeCity forum discussions about exercise, nutrition, and supplements are very active and comprehensive. Members are constantly on the lookout for the latest research lending insight into which supplements are beneficial, cost-effective, and readily available.
Much has been made of the deficiencies of current multivitamin formulations and this has led to a community effort to design the “perfect multivitamin”.


In a long process of collaborative discussion, Members designed what in their view comes closer to the 'perfect' anti-aging supplement than any other product on the market.
LongeCity then found a partner in RevGenetics Ltd (FDA RegNo: 12757922694) to produce it.

Under the brand name VIMMORTAL the formula was promoted during 2011.Many members enjoyed the heavy discount that RevGenetics generously provided to LongeCity members.

After over a year of sales, members decided to revisit the formula. The inclusion of choline in particular proved controversial in light of current research. VIMMORTAL was stopped and a new group convened to collate suggested tweaks and improvements. The revised formula was relayed to the previous partner Revgenetics.

After many delays and extensions throughout 2012, it became clear eventually that Revgenetics was not going to take the second generation of the crowdsourced supplement further.
This is a setback for the project, in which LongeCity was at the forefront of connecting supplement sellers and consumers in an innovative dialogue at the cutting edge of nutritional supplement design. However, we are proud of this effort and the experience and data generated by it.

The VIMMORTAL formula is 'open source' and we are optimistic that another manufacturer/seller will see the opportunities of connecting directly with the life extension community to provide the 'ideal' supplement solution.

Check the Vimmortal project forum.

Is SIBO Causing Your Digestive Woes?

by Doug Cook @ Doug Cook RD

Mon Oct 30 02:00:10 PDT 2017

(DougCookRD.com) Bacteria have been part of the human experience since the very beginning. Ever since the germ theory of disease was accepted, we’ve been fighting bacteria in the hopes of ridding ourselves of every ailment known to humankind.   Bacteria have always been seen as something negative, but we know better. Fast forward to today […]

My Favorite Cultured Vegetable Recipe

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Aug 20 20:00:56 PDT 2016

A few years back, a woman named Shelley came to my cultured food class. I couldn’t stop staring at her while I spoke, and I told my daughter that I thought I saw a light over her and was trying to figure out where it was coming from. She had been very sick when I […]

Pineapple Lemon Cayenne

by admin @ Pressed Probiotic Waters – Suja Juice

Mon Jan 04 16:48:43 PST 2016

Hit your body’s reset button with this enhanced water that combines a hint of cayenne spice with citrusy lemon and pineapple plus 2 billion vegan probiotic CFUs to aid in digestive and immune health.

Everything you need to know about Tinctures

by Zoe (Social Media Manager) @ Blog – Well.ca Blog

Wed Feb 07 07:00:11 PST 2018

When you feel a cold or a headache coming on, it’s probably a Tylenol bottle you reach for. But tinctures might actually be a more effective treatment! So why not give them a try? Maybe you’ve heard the word “tinctures”. But you don’t know exactly...

The post Everything you need to know about Tinctures appeared first on Well.ca Blog.

Senescent Cell Blog

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Mon Feb 12 08:49:59 PST 2018

For some strange reason we do not have a section in bioscience for senescent cells as a major anti-aging target. So I am posting this here.

Someone linked this informative blog with a few articles explaining cellular senescence, its causes and possible treatments.

https://cellsen.wixsite.com/senescentcell

Immortality through cloning

by @ Action

Mon Jan 01 08:08:20 PST 2018

Huston, we have a problem - humans are mortal. 

Since ancient times, alchemists have tried to find a drink of immortality - unsuccessfully.

Now we know why - our genetic mechanism is set up to kill us after we manage to make offsprings. This make sense in a light of evolution:

nature needs flexibility, which can only be achieved by constantly creating new genetic combinations.

It was an immutable truth until we got the ability to manipulate genomics and the birth process. Have you heard of 'Three-parent babies' ?

The next step is human cloning. We will be able to clone ourselves so that we can live as many lives as we want. Hundreds, thousands of times.

My Project Idea is to create a full personality backup.  I will talk about this in the next article.

LongeCity science support: quick guide/FAQ

by @ Archive - Articles

Wed Jun 12 17:36:16 PDT 2013

What is LongeCity?
LongeCity is a registered, members-based non-profit organisation.
More info here.


What THEMES of science projects does LongeCity support?
We support research into ageing and the extension of human lifespan. This means we support many types of medical research and research into basic biology, but there should be an angle that will allow people to live longer, healthier lives.


What TYPES of science projects does LongeCity support?
We support laboratory research, clinical research, bioinformatics and theoretical research in the ‘hard sciences’. We do not normally support social science research.
We do support some events, mentorship and travel to scientific conferences, but not under the ‘research budget’.


Where can the research take place?
Anywhere in the world. Laboratory research should normally be conducted in an established lab.


What does LongeCity expect in return?
Scientific integrity. Normally a written report. Interim updates for longer projects. Acknowledgement of the funding received. We may approach previous grantholders to be available as peer reviewers for future research applications.


What grant schemes are available?

a) Small Grants
Funding: up to $500
Who can apply: any LongeCity Member, it helps if you have a sponsor/supervisor with some track record
Type: typical cases are support for summer projects, internships, workshops, review paper writing, selected consumables
Next deadline: none, applications are welcome until the annual budget is exhausted
Details: http://www.longecity...s/action/grants

b) Matching Fundraiser
Funding: up to $20.000 (in total- matching fundraiser)
Who can apply: Scientists
Type: For selected projects, LongeCity will issue a call for donations and for every dollar received LongeCity will match (or better) the donation. The entire money goes to support the research project.
Next deadline: July 1^st 2013
Details: http://www.longecity...ts/research2013


Questions?
Contact us.

Nootropics in human trials (Intro)

by @ Articles

Sat Sep 09 06:57:38 PDT 2017

The word "nootropic" derives from the Greek words nous, or "mind", and trepein meaning "to bend or turn". It was first coined by Romanian psychologist and chemist, Corneliu E. Giurgea after synthesizing Piracetam.
For Giurgea a nootropic drug should have the following characteristics:
1. They should enhance learning and memory.
2. They should enhance the resistance of learned behaviors/memories to conditions which tend to disrupt them (e.g. electroconvulsive shock, hypoxia).
3. They should protect the brain against various physical or chemical injuries (e.g. barbiturates, scopalamine).
4. They should increase the efficacy of the tonic cortical/subcortical control mechanisms.
5. They should lack the usual pharmacology of other psychotropic drugs (e.g. sedation, motor stimulation) and possess very few side effects and extremely low toxicity.

In fact, most drugs commonly labelled as nootropics do not fulfill all of these requirements. Some of the best known (e.g. Adderall, Modafinil) seem to not fulfill any, as discussed later. Instead, other characteristics like (reputed increased alertness, focus or motivation) seem to be key to their popularity.
Because of deviating definitions nootropics are more broadly defined (e.g. in wikipedia) as drugs, supplements, or other substances that improve cognitive function, particularly executive functions, memory, creativity, or motivation, in healthy individuals. 

Some nootropics from the very common to the :

Caffeine
Caffeine is the world’s most widely used stimulant (Nawrot, et al., 2003). It is used by over 90 % of North Americans every day (Mednick et al., 2008). It is widely used because of its positive effects on mood and alertness (Lorist & Tops, 2003)and vigilance and attention (Lieberman et al., 1987). However, these effects do not seem applicable / transferable to motor learning and verbal memory and are unable to reverse effects of sleep deprivation, with a dose of 200mg in low to moderate users (< than 2 cups a day) (Mednick et al., 2008). It is also shown to be ineffective in higher cognitive tasks involving working memory (Battig et al., 1984). Overall conclusions regarding the relation of caffeine and memory have been mixed. Positive effects might stem from caffeine withdrawal in high dosage users (Mednick et al., 2008).

Nicotine
With about 1,1 billion smokers worldwide in the year 2015 (WHO 2015) nicotine takes second place as the most widely used stimulant. It was shown that the application of nicotine in non-smoking males enhances performance in continuous performance tasks and therefore is said to improve attention and working-memory (Kumari, et al., 2003), which is in line with other studies suggesting that nicotine affects short-term memory in delayed free recall tasks (Sarah & Fox, 1998)
Another study examined nicotine’s effects on alertness and performance on a covert orienting task were measured. While nicotine decreased overall reaction times in the covert orienting task, there was no change in the validity effect, the reaction time difference between validly and invalidly cued targets. However, nicotine significantly improved both EEG and self-rated measures of alertness. Nicotine seems to increases alertness in non-smokers, with no improvement in spatial attention using a covert orienting task (Griesar et al., 2002). Furthermore Nicotine seems to reduce distraction under low perceptual load by acting as a stimulus filter that prevents irrelevant stimuli entering awareness (Behler et al., 2015).

Methylphenidate/ Ritalin
Most college students I know will immediately think of Ritalin or Modafinil if they are asked to name a cognitive enhancer. Studies have found that 4.1% to 10.8% of college students in the US reported using prescription stimulants non-medically during the past year (Garnier-Dykstra, et al., 2012).
Methylphenidate (MPH - common brand name ‘Ritalin’) is used in treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and narcolepsy. Most studies focused on the its effects on Attention, Mood, Memory and executive functions. A single dose of MPH showed a positive effect on memory. Repeated doses of MPH had a mood elevating effect but also enhanced anxiety. No statistically significant effect was found in the outcomes attention, mood and executive functions. MPH had no significant effect on sleep-deprived individuals (Repantis et al., 2010). In a 2015 review the authors found some ‘publication bias’, relating to long-term and working memory and conclude that the effect in healthy subject is probably modest overall and that healthy users resort to stimulants to enhance their energy and motivation more than their cognition (Ilieva et al., 2015). 

Modafinil
Modafinil is used in treatment of disorders such as narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, and excessive daytime sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea. Most studies focused on its effects on attention, mood, memory, wakefulness and executive functions and motivation. A single dose showed positive effects on attention only. On sleep deprived individuals it was shown to have an impact on executive functions, on memory and wakefulness but there was an insignificant effect on mood and attention (Repantis et al., 2010). A 2012 meta-analysis found that Modafinil was likely effective but criticised the gaps in the literature. (Kelley et al., 2012) 
A recent study on chess players found significantly enhanced performance with Modafinil or Ritalin but only when the players were not under time pressure (Franke et al. 2017). 

Adderall
Mixed Amphetamine Salts also known under the brand Name Adderall became increasingly popular in recent years as an athletic performance enhancer and cognitive enhancer. Like Ritalin, it is also used to treat ADHD and narcolepsy.
Overall effects of Adderall on cognition have been reviewed as very modest, while having a huge effect on perception. It was found to enhance performance in word recall, embedded figures and Raven's Progressive Matrices, but only for lower performing individuals (Ilieva et al., 2013). Adderall might also impair creativity in high performing individuals (Farah et al., 2009).

L-theanine & Caffeine
L- theanine is primarily found in plants (e.g. in the leaves of green and black tea) and fungus. Results evidently demonstrated that L-theanine clearly has a pronounced effect on attention performance and reaction time response in normal healthy subjects susceptible to having high anxiety (Higashiyama et al., 2011).
A dose of L-theanine equivalent to eight cups of black tea improves cognitive and neurophysiological measures of selective attention, to a degree that is comparable with that of caffeine. The combination of Theanine and caffeine seem to have additive effects on attention in high doses (Kahathuduwa et al.,2016).
Studies suggest that 97 mg of L-theanine in combination with 40 mg of caffeine helps to focus attention during a demanding cognitive task (Giesbrecht 2010).

Bacopa Monnieri
Bacopa Monnieri is an herb which has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for centuries. Bacopa's primary mechanism of action is still unclear, it seems to be an anti-oxidant, a weak acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and a cerebral blood flow activator (Aguiar & Borowski , 2013).
There is some evidence to suggest that Bacopa Monnieri improves memory with little evidence of enhancement in any other cognitive domains (Pase et al., 2012).

Piracetam
Closing the circle to the beginning of this short introduction to the topic: Giurgea first coined the term "nootropic" when he synthesized Piracetam in 1964. Since it is not approved by the US FDA, it is primarily used in Europe, Asia, and South America. It is commonly prescribed for cognitive impairment and dementia in several countries of Europe. Research suggests that Piracetam might also have a positive effect on healthy individuals. Subjects were given 3×4 capsules at 400 mg per day, in a double blind study. Each subject learned series of words presented as stimuli upon a memory drum. No effects were observed after 7 days but after 14 days verbal learning had significantly increased (Dimond & Brouwers, 1976). It might also be beneficial for cognitive decline associated with age. Aging subjects did significantly better in a computerized perceptual-motor tasks when on piracetam than on a placebo. (Mindus et al. 1976). While these old studies may not be that reliable, it is still held that Piracetam's “efficacy is documented in cognitive disorders and dementia, vertigo, cortical myoclonus, dyslexia, and sickle cell anemia. While high doses are sometimes necessary, piracetam is well tolerated” (Winblad, 2005). Since Piracetam was first synthesized many structurally similar compounds have emerged. These so called Racetams have poorly understood mechanisms of action; however, piracetam and aniracetam are known to act as positive allosteric modulators of AMPA receptors and appear to modulate cholinergic systems (Gualtieri et al., 2002).

Pumpkin Spice Bread Recipe with Cider

by Suja Juice @ Suja Juice

Thu Nov 16 14:20:55 PST 2017

Call us obsessed but we can’t get enough of our new Mulled Apple Cider! When we’re not drinking it straight or mixed up in a fun cocktail, we’re adding it to a tasty treat. This pumpkin cider bread combines our favorite flavors of the season like pumpkin and cardamom, sweetened with maple syrup, and can […]

Episode 3: Do Microbes Control Your Food Cravings?

by Chris Johnston @ Cultured Food Life

Mon Sep 18 20:35:29 PDT 2017

Do you crave junk food and can’t stop eating it? You can manipulate your gut microbes and start craving foods that love you back.

How do You Make a Better Than Sex Cake?

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Mon Nov 13 00:00:35 PST 2017

Sex is a natural human desire. Eating sweets and comfort food is also a natural human desire – especially cake! It is the perfect...

How to Make the Perfect Scrambled Eggs

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Sat Oct 14 03:00:16 PDT 2017

Introduction Breakfast is well known as being the most important meal of the day. A good breakfast can set the tone for a perfect...

How to Get Rid of Underarm Odor

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Thu Oct 05 03:00:55 PDT 2017

You can thank your apocrine glands for any underarm odor you routinely deal with. Unlike eccrine glands, which release sweat made mostly of water...

Kefir and Diabetes

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Nov 04 22:00:22 PDT 2017

Captain of your ship and the master of your destiny. We’re shaped by the light we let through us. I remember that day quite vividly. It was over fifteen years ago. It was February and bitter cold outside. I made myself a breakfast that I thought was healthy – high-fiber cereal and skim milk. Thirty […]

Anyone Tried Probiotics To Prevent Gas?

by @web_kunoichi web_kunoichi @ Anyone Tried Probiotics To Prevent Gas?

Mon Jun 30 14:03:54 PDT 2014

@web_kunoichi wrote:

I noticed a huge difference when I remembered to take my probiotic. Mine has L. acidophilus, L. casei, L. plantarum, L. rhamnosus, B. lactis, B. longum, and S. thermophilus in it.

Read full topic

Itchiness of Summer Heat

by Rebecca @ UP4 Probiotics

Thu Jul 07 10:54:24 PDT 2016

By Lynda Robbins, UP4™ Probiotics Education Specialist As a child, I suffered horribly with skin issues.  I’m going to date myself here and tell you that “back then” probiotics were sitting in a time capsule in the distant future (not too distant…I’m not THAT old!) waiting for the lid to be opened and probiotics supplements […]

The post Itchiness of Summer Heat appeared first on UP4 Probiotics.

Why do some turtles outlive humans?

by @ Articles - Articles

Wed Feb 08 16:45:06 PST 2017

(⇒ write for LongeCity )


The oldest human recorded in modernity was Jeanne Louise Calment, she died in the age of 122 years and 164 days [1] .

There are rumors that the oldest tortoise called Adwaita (Aldabra giant tortoise) died in the age of about 250 years [2] or that it was 188-year-old radiated tortoise named Tui Malila [3] , or that the highest verified age of 177 years had Galapagos giant tortoise Harriet [4] . The oldest currently living turtle is considered to be Jonathan (Seychelles giant tortoise), estimated to be over 180 years old these days [5] . Although all aforementioned numbers are estimations, it seems these turtles were older than human supercentenarians.

All previously mentioned species are terrestrial tortoises, a group with longest lifespans among turtles. The most famous of them, well-researched Galapagos giant tortoise, was observed by Charles Darwin when he was forming his well-known theory of evolution by natural selection [6] . There is only one freshwater turtle known to be able to outlive human, it is the common snapping turtle estimated to live up to more than hundred years [7] . While being considerably less researched, recorded maximal lifespan of sea turtles is usually shorter, not exceeding 80 years, however, it is believed that the green sea turtle can live up to 100 years. [8]

It is a difficult question to answer why these reptiles can outlive us because even to determine the actual age of animals with a long lifespan is complicated – partially due to the fact that it takes such a long time to study. Furthermore, many turtles are endangered species [9] so there may not be as many organisms to hand as needed for proper statistics. Nonetheless, we can still claim that turtles are among the most long-living vertebrates on earth [10] . Why?

Firstly, turtles, like all reptiles, benefit from being ectothermic organisms. They do not maintain body temperature and thus save a lot of energy. But that also means they are less flexible: it is crucial for their lifespan to be in natural temperature environment of daily cycles with night-time temperature drop [11] . If they do not live under these conditions in captivity, metabolic pathways change and turtles die much sooner. [12]

Turtles are well-adapted in other ways: their famous shell – the carapace –is good protection against natural predators. Most of hatchling turtles with a soft shell do not survive the first year [13] . A research of natural populations of freshwater turtles showed that only one per cent of them can celebrate the twentieth birthdays, but once the adulthood is reached, mortality rate drops and remains constant throughout the rest of life [14] .

Some turtles can survive under extreme environmental conditions, such as freezing [15] or lack of oxygen for months [16] . They can even undergo hibernation and anaerobic metabolism and therefore deal with hypoxia and anoxia, it was also proposed that the same genes can play a role in longevity itself [17] and also in oxidative stress resistance [18] that further promotes longer life [19] .

Turtle’s bones and shell are used as lactate buffer lowering metabolic acidosis caused by anaerobic glycolysis during the period of lack of oxygen [20] ; [21] Their organism is protected by strong innate immunity compensating slow acquired immune reactions [22] .

Because turtles have very slow metabolism as well as growth, their bodies do not need to deal with excessive metabolic heat and byproducts as mammals [23] . Their natural diet is very simple but also necessary for their longevity. [24]

According to the evolutionary theories, staying alive is less important after menopause. Galapagos giant tortoises achieve sexual maturity late (around the age of up to forty years in the wild, and between twenty and twenty-five years of life in captivity [25] ), then staying fertile until death [26] .

The Hayflick limit is said to determine how many times a cell can divide [27] . The Hayflick limit of Galapagos giant tortoise was said to be about 110 divisions [28] , approximately twice as many as 50 of human cells [29] . Studies in this context have highlighted the importance of telomeres, the protective end sequences of chromosomes, that get shorter with each cell division [30] , can play at least a partially role in life expectancy. It was observed that telomeres in European freshwater turtle’s cells are of the same length in both embryo and adult organism [31] .

Thus, it was believed that turtles are negligibly senescent organisms [32] . In other words, the cells do not age and no age-related diseases appear, which is very different cell behavior than in human bodies [33] and probably the key to any natural longevity. However, evidence now suggests that turtles may not be really negligibly senescent because of observations of survival and reproductive senescence in late age in the painted turtle population [34]

As we can see, turtles have some advantages in the lifespan field. Some of these might inspire researchers to increase lifespans in humans.

wellbutrin + sertraline to block DAT efficiently

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Tue Feb 06 09:50:49 PST 2018

The occupancy of dopamine transporter (DAT) sites by bupropion and its metabolites in the human brain as measured by positron emission tomography was 26% according to GlaxoSmithKline researchers .

in any case, the above findings suggest that, although weak DAT occupation may occur, oral bupropion at clinically-used doses does not have the actual capacity to elevate dopamine levels in the human brain.[14] In accordance with this finding, based on analogy with serotonin reuptake inhibitors, higher than 50% inhibition of DAT would be needed for the dopamine reuptake mechanism to be a significant mechanism of the drug's action. Moreover, 65%75% DAT occupancy is necessary for euphoria and abuse potential.[82]

Ki values of sertraline at the human SERT, DAT, and NET of 0.29, 25, and 420 nM, respectively.[93] The selectivity of sertraline for the SERT over the DAT was 86-fold.[93] In any case, of the wide assortment of antidepressants assessed in the study, sertraline showed the highest affinity of them all for the DAT, even higher than the norepinephrinedopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs) nomifensine (Ki = 56 nM) and BUPROPION (Ki = 520 nM).[93][104] Sertraline also has similar affinity for the DAT as the NDRI methylphenidate (Ki = 24 nM).[93][104] Tametraline (CP-24,441), a very close analogue of sertraline and the compound from which sertraline was originally derived, is an NDRI that was never marketed.[109]

So if wellbutrin alone is 27% on DAT and sertraline has higher affinity for dat than wellbutrin it should equal more than 50% if taken together thus block DAT efficiently and increase dopamine neurotransmission right and produce anti depressant effect?  The text say sertraline has similar affinity for the DAT as the NDRI methylphenidate (ritalin).. I dont know how much that is .But the good thing with sertraline is its long half life 26 hours and ritalin has very short 7 hours or something similar.

Whey – The Liquid Gold in Kefir

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Fri Sep 02 23:00:15 PDT 2016

Little Miss Muffet sat on her tuffet, eating her kefir and whey. Along came a spider who ate alongside her, and happily digested all day. In the summertime, I receive many letters from people who have trouble with their kefir separating into whey and curds. Part of this is the warmer temperatures and also the […]

Bio-Kult – Advanced Multi-Strain Formula – 60 Capsules

by Paul C @ Probiotics – Clever Guts

Sat Nov 04 02:33:50 PDT 2017

The post Bio-Kult – Advanced Multi-Strain Formula – 60 Capsules appeared first on Clever Guts.

Community Testing of Aging Bio-Markers

by @ Action

Wed Feb 07 15:58:56 PST 2018

Legitimate bio-marker testing is important to our community to help determine what current approaches are the best for slowing aging

It is 2018, and I can't believe how many anecdotal placebo-driven reports populate the LongeCity forum. Here is one egregious recent example if you want to chuckle: http://www.longecity.org/forum/topic/99447-hello-everybody-im-the-longest-continuous-user-of-hgh-in-human-history/

There was a budgeted effort to promote legitimate bio-marker testing last year, but it required members to pay for their first test, before embarking on an anti-aging regimen, where at the conclusion of the regimen time period, LongeCity would pay for a second test.

I am proposing a simpler approach. Here is the outline:

1. LongeCity pays for a standard aging-biomarker test. The most cost effective, easy to implement, and robust test available today is probably DNA methylation. LongeCity has a current relationship with Osiris Green and their test is the cheapest on the market, however, the standard deviation on their test is +/- 5 years. I have spoken with ZYMO and they will offer their test "at cost" for an effort such as this. ZYMO is HIPPA compliant and their standard deviation is only +/- 1.7 years.

2. We aim to offer this as a member benefit and to engage other communities such as the calorie restriction society.

3. Test subjects can opt to remain anonymous.

4. A simple questionnaire accompanies each test. This would ask each subject to rank their general approaches to life extension. Supplements, Diet, Exercise, Other. Depending upon the response, we could drill down further into regimens, but I would want to keep it simple at first to ensure a larger response.

5. We aim to complete the study before the end of Summer 2018, and present findings at RAADFest in September.

6. Stretch goal: Have a small number of people do DNA methylation testing at 3 different times of day. It is currently unknown if there is inter-day variability in DNA methylation.

7. Perhaps work in conjunction with newly formed OpenCures to complete and promote the study.

8. If successful, continue with testing on an annual or semi-annual basis. preferably with the same study participants.

Drawbacks/Objections

1. There are already a lot of groups (example: patients like me) that share test data, and there are many studies involving aging bio-markers. However, I am unsure that there are any studies that have easily accessible data AND focus upon longevity activists.

2. It is unlikely that a small study of a few dozen people will produce statistically valid results. To me, that is okay. We WILL learn something and I am certain there will be incredible marketing and community-building opportunities with such a study.

3. Cost. 5-10K, maybe higher if we can get some other groups to promote the study or if we can use other crowd-funding platforms. With 10K we could test between 50 and 75 people.

Leadership: I would be lead organizer and promoter.

LongeCity certainly has the budget for such a study and has enough connections to get a good number of people involved. LongeCity has not done much of consequence as of late. This could be a solid effort to help the community, not only functionally (what regimens work), but also as a promotional effort (life-extensionists are younger and healthier). 

Legitimate bio-marker testing is important to our community to help determine what current approaches are the best for slowing aging

Your Top 5 Health Questions Answered by a Naturopath

by Zoe (Social Media Manager) @ Blog – Well.ca Blog

Sat Feb 03 07:00:37 PST 2018

Dr. Laura Belus, ND  Want to improve your health but don’t know what vitamin or supplement you need to be taking for maximum results? The best way to get started is with the basics, which is exactly why I put them all together in the...

The post Your Top 5 Health Questions Answered by a Naturopath appeared first on Well.ca Blog.

Bourbon Cider Cocktail Recipe

by Suja Juice @ Suja Juice

Mon Nov 06 13:55:05 PST 2017

We’re gearing up for the holidays with a seasonal apple cider cocktail! This delightful drink features our Mulled Apple Cider full of seasonal flavors like cinnamon and clove, plus a healthy dose of bourbon to keep you warm. This cocktail keeps things simple with only two main ingredients, and scales up easily – perfect for […]

Movie Screening: “Food Evolution” & Interview With Canadian Farmer Greg Hannam

by Doug Cook @ Doug Cook RD

Mon Feb 05 21:43:25 PST 2018

(DougCookRD.com) I had the great pleasure of attending a screening of the movie Food Evolution presented by CropLife Canada, Life Sciences Ontario, UofW Faculty of Science Foundation, Partners in Research, Ontario Agri-Food Technologies, Food Starter, Royal Canadian Institute of Science and narrated by none other than scientist extraordinaire Niel deGrasse Tyson which tackles the hotly debated […]

Organic Milk vs. Regular Milk – a Complete Guide

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Thu Jan 25 00:00:36 PST 2018

People have varying opinions concerning which is healthier, better, and safer between organic and conventional milk. Of course, we all know that milk can...

Dairy-Free Kefir- Every Kind You Can Imagine

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jan 09 23:00:48 PST 2016

Sometimes food is more than food. That’s what I call  kefir. It’s cold and raining outside, and I perform one of my usual morning rituals. I throw together a cup of coconut kefir, a spoonful of cocoa powder, a few heaping spoonfuls of coconut flakes, a few cashews, a little stevia and stir it all […]

Vitamin D, Colds & The Flu. Oh My!

by Doug Cook @ Doug Cook RD

Fri Dec 15 00:45:41 PST 2017

(DougCookRD.com) Colds are big business. In the United States (and proportionately similar here in Canada no doubt) Americans suffer their way through about 1 billion respiratory infections each year (yup, if you’re doing the math, most people get 2-3 ‘colds/flu’ per year; some poor souls even more). They spend about 2 billion dollars on non-prescription […]

The DivaCup – Challenge the Menstrual Status Quo

by Zoe (Social Media Manager) @ Blog – Well.ca Blog

Thu Feb 01 09:00:42 PST 2018

Sponsored by DivaCup Let’s talk tampons (and pads. And periods). The average North American woman uses around 20-25 tampons (or pads/plus pads) during each menstrual period that she has. Many girls begin menstruating around age 11 and continue, like clockwork (barring things like pregnancy), until...

The post The DivaCup – Challenge the Menstrual Status Quo appeared first on Well.ca Blog.

Can You Make Happiness in Your Gut?

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Sep 02 20:00:17 PDT 2017

Emotions are my best friends. They help me not only understand my present state but also how my body is doing.  Researchers are discovering that an imbalance in your gut can cause mental symptoms. They call the gut the second brain, and boy are they right. I have witnessed firsthand those with ADD, anxiety, depression, […]

Probiotics Improve Oral Health

by Dr. Rasheed Huma @ MicroBiomePlus

Thu Nov 16 12:08:05 PST 2017

Overview According to a scientific report of 2015, about 46% of the adult U.S. population has some form of tooth disease. This percentage increases with age, affecting about 70% of adults aged 65 years and older. [1] Just like our gut, our mouth is also home to over 700 good and bad bacterial species, collectively […]

The post Probiotics Improve Oral Health appeared first on MicroBiomePlus.

Community Labs and GenSpace with Oliver Medvedik

by @ Longecity Podcast

Sun Aug 13 10:47:37 PDT 2017

Coming soon on the Longecity podcast is an interview with Oliver Medvedik, co-founder of the world's first community laboratory, Genspace. It is an open biotechnology laboratory that enables individuals, unaffiliated with any institution, to use the tools of biotechnology in a shared, co-working, biosafety level one laboratory space, on various biotech projects. He presently teaches CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing workshops that he has designed for the public at Genspace.

Some of the questions we'll be covering are:

- How they all came up with the idea and brought it from concept to reality.

- What achievements have been made by community labs around the world.

- What projects are being pursued currently.

- What the is the potential for community labs.

- What this means for the life extension community.

If there are any questions you would like us to add, mention them in the comments below!

LinkedIn

Genspace

LongeCity Affiliate Labs

by @ Articles

Sun Jun 19 18:16:58 PDT 2016

The Longecity “Affiliate Labs” are small, research-focused enterprises or independent academic research groups led by a scientists with strong ties to the Longecity community and a proven track record of commitment to scientific inquiry directly relevant to the Longecity mission.
These leaders and their colleagues are not just trailblazers in advancing important areas of regenerative and rejuvenation research, but also incredibly helpful when there is a community need for peer review, when providing advice and training to a young scientist, and in providing the expertise and tools to test the novel, controversial, or promising scientific leads sourced from the Longecity community and beyond.

Community Funding
There is a small support fund that the labs can draw on to flexibly support their research activities. While not a substitute for private investment and public sector grants, the ability to flexibly ‘just try’ out a new idea without needing to ‘pitch’ in lengthy proposals can be an invaluable accelerator to research progress. All Affiliates have an active link to the Longecity community, so there is a level of accountability and responsiveness beyond anything encountered in ‘traditional’ research donations.
By donating to the Affiliate Labs fund, Members can be assured that every penny goes directly to an expert personally and professionally committed to making a difference in the scientific conquest of death.
Donate HERE

Current Affiliate Labs
- Alexandra Stolzing, Loughborough University, UK & Leipzig University, Germany.
- James Clement - Betterhumans, USA
- João Pedro de Magalhães, University of Liverpool, UK
- John Schloendorn – Gene&Cell Technologies, USA
- Kelsey Moody, Ichor Therapeutics, USA.
- Kevin Perrott – Buck Institute, USA
- Matthew O’Connor – SENS Foundation, USA

Hello, and an open invitation to you in South Florida

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Tue Feb 13 07:49:39 PST 2018

Hello, 

I would like to invite you to our monthly meetings in South Florida at the Church of Perpetual Life.  If you can not come in person, you can join the Live Streaming.

There is NO Cost to attend or to watch the Live Stream.

Our Speaker this month is Dr. Michael Rose.  His presentation will begin at 7 PM, with the Live Stream starting at 7:15 PM, Eastern Time.  (12 15 UTC)

Please let me know if you can make it!

Neal VanDeRee, Officiator at the Church of Perpetual Life.

Perpetual Life is a science-based church that is open to people of all faiths & belief systems.  We are non-denominational and non-judgmental and we are a central gathering place for Transhumanists.  What brings us together is our common faith, belief and desire in Unlimited Life Spans.

Upcoming Schedule of Events at Perpetual Life:

How a Classical Singer Became the Lectin-Free Mama Blogger

by Lanee Neil @ Gundry MD

Tue Jan 30 18:16:04 PST 2018

Book clubs, support groups, food blogs and more…For thousands and thousands of people across the globe, Dr. Gundry’s latest book, The Plant Paradox, has spurred an entirely new way of life, free from physical discomfort and disease. Autumn Boyle, founder of the food blog called, Lectin Free Mama, is a great example this. For this […]

The post How a Classical Singer Became the Lectin-Free Mama Blogger appeared first on Gundry MD.

Inhale Essential Oils, Exhale Anxiety with These Oils & Recipes

by Zoe (Social Media Manager) @ Blog – Well.ca Blog

Fri Feb 02 07:00:16 PST 2018

Bonita Barth | Herbalist & Aromatherapist at The Aromatherapist State of mind is the one thing that can colour every other aspect of our lives – it directly impacts our health and well-being, as well as that of those around us. How can an essential...

The post Inhale Essential Oils, Exhale Anxiety with These Oils & Recipes appeared first on Well.ca Blog.

PROBIOTICS FOR THE MATURING GUT

by Rebecca @ UP4 Probiotics

Wed Aug 31 09:20:06 PDT 2016

PROBIOTICS FOR THE MATURING GUT By Lynda Robbins, UP4™ Probiotics Education Specialist There are two things in life we can absolutely count on.  One is that change is inevitable and two is that our bodies age.  Since ancient times, people have searched in vain for a magic anti-aging potion. Having spent most of my life […]

The post PROBIOTICS FOR THE MATURING GUT appeared first on UP4 Probiotics.

Advertisers sought

by @ LongeCity - Articles

Tue Dec 18 15:50:45 PST 2012

For over a decade LongeCity has presented a bustling platform for discussion and information exchange on advanced life extension. As a non-profit org we have consistently promoted grassroots science and advocacy projects by the international life extension community. Funding for these initiatives is raised in large part through donations, but also to some degree from advertisers. 
Those choosing to advertise at LongeCity gain unique access and exposure to a dynamic, growing and committed community of life extension enthusiasts, and the goodwill of well-educated thought leaders in life extension science and advocacy. It is also a great way of 'giving back' something to the bigger cause of healthy life extension that many of our advertiser support.

There are different ways of placing an advertisement at LongeCity: 

Automated: Anywhere on our page where you see an advert and text similar to "support LongeCity by booking this space for YOUR ad"   - you can click on the text and it should take you to an order page for that slot. You can upload your ad straight from there. Payment via paypal.
CLICK HERE to see a list of all 'bookable'slots.

Sponsored thread: Normally, discussing an advertiser's product range is not allowed on the open forums. Sponsored threads however are the exemption. Click here to learn more.  

Non-automated: the following spaces may also be available for ads, but not via the automated route. 
If you want to go for one of the following, use the contact page supplying as much info as possible.

Ø1- Rolling ad in the carousel on left-hand of forum -- this feature is not always in use, the equivalent would be another 'carousel' place where topical items are displayed at a common location. (~$180/month)
Ø2- Text ad on left-hand of forum  -- A short piece of text/link that is visible prominently from any place anywhere on the page (~$280/month)
Ø3- Individual subforum -- For a much boarder variant of 'individual thread'  (~$400/year)
Ø4- Featured article -- An article on the portal. To be effective and useful, his should be more than a simple advert and also contain some useful information about a topic relevant to LongeCity (~$300). 
Ø5- Associate link -- A 'featured' entry in our database of interesting links (~$50)
Ø6- Discount for members -- A free form of advertising that generates significant exposure. Member discount codes can be shared at the restricted members forum or more sophisticated discount schemes can be devised (usually free) 
Ø7- Sponsored item in 'thank you 'store' -- LongeCity has a unique system of rewarding volunteers with 'Thank You' points. These points can be exchanged for small gifts: a book voucher, a DVD... or perhaps a product from a valued sponsor (usually free). 
Ø8- Mention in newsletter -- The LongeCity newsletter is sent monthly to over 12.000 users with a live email address. Some of the above options may entail a free mention in the newsletter (~$280/month). 


NB: There are a few things that advertising money cannot buy at LongeCity (please don't ask). Among these are 'privileged' status that exempts you from the forum user agreement (including the prohibition against 'viral' marketing), any right in how the site is run (you can become a Member and vote in referenda instead) and any content that appears as if it was coming from LongeCity without making it clear that such content was 'sponsored by'. 
For the broader advertising framework at LongeCity please read this article.

Correct Thread Title?

by @ Action

Sun Feb 11 11:28:50 PST 2018

I somehow managed to spell Breakthrough as Breakthroygh in the thread title "Cancer Breakthrough!!! TLR 7/8/9 Ox40 intratumoral injection"

in Bioscience -->Cancer. I appear to be unable to correct this error. This is an important cancer development, so correcting the spelling would be appreciated.

4F therapy: how to apply to human

by @ Action

Mon Feb 05 15:45:29 PST 2018

Ok, I know this is quite risky, so I thought I'd ask you how we would mitigate the risks given there are some truly crazy people who are willing to play the human lab rat?

http://longevityfacts.com/regenerative-reprogramming-aging-researchers/

Any general or specific recommendations on how to decrease the cancer risk when extended to a human subject would be welcome.

Best Wishes,

exa

Creatine for gut and mental health?

by Doug Cook @ Doug Cook RD

Thu Jan 25 21:00:00 PST 2018

(DougCookRD.com) Creatine monohydrate is probably best known for it’s use as an ergogenic aid, something that enhances physical performance. Creatine exploded onto the fitness & sport nutrition scene in the 90s; almost everyone I knew at the gym was using it and why not? There’s good science to support its use for exercise and fitness-related […]

UP4™ PROBIOTICS DAILY FOR QUALITY and VALUE

by Rebecca @ UP4 Probiotics

Fri Oct 28 11:58:48 PDT 2016

  by Lynda Robbins, Product Education Specialist It seems to me that in the great big world of shopping- bargain and value pricing typically do not go hand in hand in with quality.  It is more the norm to find lower priced products in the “cheaply” made category or on the “marked down” shelf where […]

The post UP4™ PROBIOTICS DAILY FOR QUALITY and VALUE appeared first on UP4 Probiotics.

7 Reasons to Make Goat Milk Kefir

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jan 27 19:00:15 PST 2018

Goat milk was a godsend for my tiny daughter, Holli. She was born eight weeks premature and this little one rocked my world. I became a woman on a mission to help her be well. Nursing this tiny infant was a challenge. She was born so early that she didn’t have the strength to nurse […]

Need help making sense of blood glucose readings

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Sun Feb 11 03:44:28 PST 2018

Hi!

I'm usually only reading at these forums but decided that I need some help to figure out what is going on with my blood glucose.

Fasting in the morning it is 75-83 mg/dL typically. After my typical breakfast (1l yogurt, some cottage cheese and a slice of bread or some oatmeal) the blood glucose looks like this:
Before breakfast 75
15 min post 75
1 hour post 65
2 hour post 65
3 hour post 84

Before lunch 80
45 min after lunch 85
75 min after lunch 78
110 min after lunch 97
2.5 hours after lunch 86

This lunch consisted of gluten free pasta (rice pasta)
Cottage cheese, meatballs

What I'm not getting is why my blood glucose drops to hypo range after breakfast, but not after lunch?

I do 16:8 IF

Supplements are:
Rhodiola,
Zinc carnosine for stomach issuer
Boron 10 mg
Lifeextension two a day multi @1 a day
B-right
Tmg
Omega 3 4g
L-tyrosine 800mg

All taken in the morning before breakfast.

I do heavy weight lifting twice a week.

Please comment and give advice to what is going on.

My suspicion so far is the high amount of dairy in the breakfast. I tried to reduce it bit with little effect. Im considering to omit it from breakfast. Other than that I dont know.

Thanks in advance

Mucuna Pruriens builds tolerance? Your experiences?

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Sun Feb 11 21:36:33 PST 2018

I have seen some topics about people who take Mucuna Pruriens... And they say that it is followed by a low/causes dopamine downregulation?

I am wondering if that's true, because in the end I am looking for a way to increase my dopamine constantly, not just for an hour or two, and not to increase it for a day and then feel sluggish the next day even if I take it.

I have not tried this herb, but I do not want to spend money on something that doesn't work the way I want it to work.

So please comment and let me know your experiences with this herb? And perhaps some suggestions on other herbs that would increase my dopamine, since I have been low on dopamine for over a decade now, except for an occassional random high that lasts for like 20 or 30 hours when I get really excited about something...

Thanks! 

Anyone Tried Probiotics To Prevent Gas?

by @biab biab @ Anyone Tried Probiotics To Prevent Gas?

Mon Jun 30 14:16:42 PDT 2014

@biab wrote:

@ ILoveLamp - Which probiotic? (Amazon link would be usefur.)

Read full topic

How to Get Rid of Outdoor Flies

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Tue Nov 07 00:00:25 PST 2017

While an essential part of the food chain, flies can be extremely annoying. Flies that you find inside your home were most likely outdoor...

Benefits of Fermented Botanicals

by Suja Juice @ Suja Juice

Thu Oct 12 16:33:28 PDT 2017

Fermented products have such great health benefits and have become all the rage these days! Walk in to your regular grocery store and you can now find an entire refrigerated set dedicated to fermented beverages. No longer is fermentation just being applied to milk or cabbage but we’re seeing fermented teas and vinegars like Kombuchas […]

LongeCityNow_Mantas_Matjusaitis_2017.mp3

by @ Last 10 Submissions RSS Feed

Tue May 09 10:48:32 PDT 2017

In this podcast we hear from one of the more recent entrants into the field of senescent cells - Mantas Matjusaitis, the founder of CellAge. Find out how his start-up company plans to reduce and reverse aspects of aging related to senescent cells.

Episode 5: When hormones go #!%& crazy, check your gut!

by Chris Johnston @ Cultured Food Life

Mon Oct 09 16:48:45 PDT 2017

Hormones can rule the day! Help your hormones out when things get out of whack by keep your gut in check. Learn how to keep things in balance with the help of your microbes.

Step-By-Step Guide to Perfectly Melt Chocolate

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Tue Jan 30 00:00:44 PST 2018

While melting chocolate is simple in theory, the process can be a bit tricky. If you’re not careful, your chocolate can become greasy, separate...

Carrots, Kombucha, and Eyes! Oh, My!

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jan 16 23:00:48 PST 2016

Did you ever stop to taste a carrot? Not just eat it but taste it? You can taste the beauty and energy of the earth in every bite. A Bright Orange Liquid I was young, nine years old, and sitting in a classroom staring at my teacher’s desk. She had a thermos; and from it she […]

I Am Having Difficulty Straining My Kefir 📹

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Feb 03 19:00:06 PST 2018

I love kefir that is thick like yogurt. However, it can sometimes be difficult to strain out the kefir grains. There is a super easy remedy for this. Enjoy the benefits of kefir and find an easy and quick way to strain it. Check out the video for tips. To strain kefir that is really […]

Why Do We Need To Lower Our LDL Cholesterol?

by Dr. Rasheed Huma @ MicroBiomePlus

Tue Nov 28 15:46:09 PST 2017

Overview Low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, more appropriately referred to as LDL-C or LDL cholesterol is the bad form of fat in our blood. Within the normal range, LDL-C does not harm the body. It is only when the levels cross their upper limit that LDL-C can pose a significant risk to your health. It can affect several […]

The post Why Do We Need To Lower Our LDL Cholesterol? appeared first on MicroBiomePlus.

Episode 16: What Probiotics Do You Need for Different Ailments

by Chris Johnston @ Cultured Food Life

Tue Jan 16 05:00:51 PST 2018

Open minded health providers are starting to prescribe probiotics for different health ailments. Learn which probiotics they’re prescribing and how you can heal yourself by eating probiotic cultured foods.

Cox Communications Review

by Philip Palermo @ Reviews.com

Fri Feb 02 12:54:57 PST 2018

IBS/CFS Insight from Bergen’s Giardia Infection

by lassesen @ CFS Remission

Fri Feb 09 18:00:04 PST 2018

I have been following the 2004 Giardia infection population studies because it is a good size population with a laboratory-confirmed root cause of CFS and IBS for the patients in the population. The 10 year report has just be published on PubMed Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Chronic Fatigue 10 Years after Giardia Infection [2018] “In 2004, the drinking water […]

Argentine Black and White Tegu – The Complete Guide

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Wed Nov 01 03:00:52 PDT 2017

The Argentine black and white tegu, also known as the Argentine giant tegu, is an omnivorous lizard native to semi-deserts, savannas, and the tropical...

You’ll Never Think of Fruit Salad the Same Way Again 🍓🍎

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jul 01 20:00:16 PDT 2017

It was a warm summer day and I needed a salad, and a fruit salad was just the ticket. When I said I needed a salad this is not just because I think that it’s good for me, but rather because I needed certain nutrients that only these special foods could provide. One of my […]

Anyone Tried Probiotics To Prevent Gas?

by @ILoveLamp Rayan @ Anyone Tried Probiotics To Prevent Gas?

Mon Jun 30 11:37:36 PDT 2014

@ILoveLamp wrote:

I tried it, but only for 4 days. I didn’t notice a difference.

Read full topic

Evidence for Tau Accumulation and Failing Cerebrospinal Fluid Clearance to be the Starting Point for Alzheimer's Dis

by @ LongeCityNews

Tue Feb 13 03:42:39 PST 2018

Alzheimer's disease might be considered as the consequence of the related, interacting buildup of two primary forms of metabolic waste in the brain, tau and amyloid-β. Either, independently, can cause neurodegeneration, but they have a complicated relationship with one another in which the presence of both makes the pathology worse. Which comes first? There is evidence to suggest that amyloid aggregation leads to tau aggregation, and there is also evidence for things to be the other way around, such as that presented in the research materials here.

Both of these options could be the case, in that either tau or amyloid-β produces disruption that can accelerate aggregation of the other. Or it may be that a third mechanism, such as loss of effective drainage of cerebrospinal fluid, causes aggregation of both, and interactions between the two are less important to the amount present and more important to the damage done. Alzheimer's is a very complex area of study. Until therapies start to make some inroads into improving the condition, thereby quantifying some of the mechanisms and their effects, it is likely that greater understanding of the details of the progression of the condition, and the degree to which different aspects contribute to cognitive decline, will be slow to arrive.

In the commonly held definition of Alzheimer's disease, one type of amyloid-beta (Aβ42) starts to form clumps between nerve cells, injuring them. Worsening injury is then marked by the release and toxic buildup of a second protein called tau. Together, changes in Aβ42 and tau levels represent the standard international measure of a patient's risk for future cognitive decline. A new study found that the build-up in the brain of amyloid beta cannot be the sole trigger of subsequent nerve damage because many relatively younger people who develop disease later do not show signs of the buildup. "Once you stop assuming that the starting point of Alzheimer disease is marked by the buildup of Aβ42 in brain cells, a different picture emerges. By recognizing an earlier disease phase, we may be able to start treating earlier and in tailored ways based on a better understanding of disease biology."

For many years, neuroscientists have sought to predict AD risk by tracking protein levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that fills the spaces around brain tissue, and which can be sampled by lumbar puncture as part of a spinal tap. In 1999, researchers started collecting clinical and CSF protein level data from healthy normal subjects every two years. Combining this database with two others, the current study is the largest of its kind to date, including roughly 700 patients. The study found that the best predictor of future AD risk was not, as currently thought, decreased CSF Aβ42 levels with elevated tau. Elevated CSF Aβ42 levels were also found to confer future AD risk.

The results add to the evidence that an increase in CSF tau over a lifetime may be the more relevant, early feature of AD than a drop in CSF Aβ42 (taken as evidence of a buildup in brain cells). While the actual mechanism behind Alzheimer's disease and the trajectory of Aβ42 and tau levels remains obscure, the results provide evidence in support of the "clearance theory." It holds that the pumping of the heart, along with constriction of blood vessels, pushes cerebrospinal fluid through the spaces between brain cells, clearing potentially toxic proteins into the bloodstream. Mid-life cardiovascular changes that bring on heart failure and hypertension may lessen the CSF flow needed to clear tau, and perhaps disease-causing proteins yet to be identified.

Aside from Aβ42 which is readily deposited into the brain, the team found that CSF levels of two other common forms of amyloid beta that are less able to build up, Aβ38 and Aβ40, increase in proportion to rising tau throughout the normal older adult lifespan, even after CSF Aβ42 starts to decrease. This is further evidence of a decline in clearance with age. "Future CSF studies need to follow normal subjects, starting at age 40, for decades to get an unbiased look at the trajectory of CSF proteins and the likelihood of developing cognitive impairment decades later."

Link: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2018-02/nlh-rab020618.php

Can I Eat Probiotic Foods While Taking Antibiotics?

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Feb 11 20:00:37 PST 2017

Probiotic [Pro= for, Biotic= life] = Life-promoting or For-life as opposed to Antibiotic [Anti= against, Biotic= life]= Against-life. I routinely talk about each member of The Trilogy (Kefir, Kombucha, and Cultured Vegetables) and how each member has specific things your body needs to help you change your life. But here is even more good news […]

Hyaluronic Acid in Skin Care

by nayelle @ NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare – Formulated For Sensitive Skin

Fri Feb 03 10:28:52 PST 2017

HYALURONIC ACID is the multitasking work horse of any quality skin care product. When we refer to “baby skin” it usually means flawless, smooth, glowing skin… or in other words perfect skin! It is not a surprise that babies’ skin has the highest levels of HYALURONIC ACID. As we age those levels lower as do [...]

The post Hyaluronic Acid in Skin Care appeared first on NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare - Formulated For Sensitive Skin.

Chipits

by Heather @ I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household

Tue Feb 13 01:10:30 PST 2018

...

The post Chipits appeared first on I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household.

Want A More Youthful Brain? Get More Lutein

by Doug Cook @ Doug Cook RD

Wed Nov 08 00:30:00 PST 2017

(DougCookRD.com) Growing up I remember my grandmother giving me little nutrition nuggets taken from Canada’s Food Guide such as “you should always have one dark orange and one dark green vegetable each day”. From a young age, we’re taught about healthy eating and how different foods help to keep us healthy; milk of course has […]

UP4 Probiotics Now Available at Target

by Rebecca @ UP4 Probiotics

Tue Apr 19 11:24:06 PDT 2016

We are proud to announce that UP4™ Probiotics are now available at Target stores nationwide!  Visit our Store Locator to find a location near you. 

The post UP4 Probiotics Now Available at Target appeared first on UP4 Probiotics.

Orange Ginger Pineapple

by admin @ Pressed Probiotic Waters – Suja Juice

Sun Jan 03 16:45:18 PST 2016

Love your guts with this hydrating water that delivers a refreshing touch of orange, pineapple and ginger and is enhanced with 2 billion vegan probiotic CFUs to aid in digestive and immune health.

LongeCity Affiliate Labs

by @ LongeCity - Articles

Sun Jun 19 18:16:58 PDT 2016

The Longecity “Affiliate Labs” are small, research-focused enterprises or independent academic research groups led by a scientists with strong ties to the Longecity community and a proven track record of commitment to scientific inquiry directly relevant to the Longecity mission.
These leaders and their colleagues are not just trailblazers in advancing important areas of regenerative and rejuvenation research, but also incredibly helpful when there is a community need for peer review, when providing advice and training to a young scientist, and in providing the expertise and tools to test the novel, controversial, or promising scientific leads sourced from the Longecity community and beyond.

Community Funding
There is a small support fund that the labs can draw on to flexibly support their research activities. While not a substitute for private investment and public sector grants, the ability to flexibly ‘just try’ out a new idea without needing to ‘pitch’ in lengthy proposals can be an invaluable accelerator to research progress. All Affiliates have an active link to the Longecity community, so there is a level of accountability and responsiveness beyond anything encountered in ‘traditional’ research donations.
By donating to the Affiliate Labs fund, Members can be assured that every penny goes directly to an expert personally and professionally committed to making a difference in the scientific conquest of death.
Donate HERE

Current Affiliate Labs
- Alexandra Stolzing, Loughborough University, UK & Leipzig University, Germany.
- James Clement - Betterhumans, USA
- João Pedro de Magalhães, University of Liverpool, UK
- John Schloendorn – Gene&Cell Technologies, USA
- Kelsey Moody, Ichor Therapeutics, USA.
- Kevin Perrott – Buck Institute, USA
- Matthew O’Connor – SENS Foundation, USA

Cranberries Have Healing Powers + 8 Cultured Recipes

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Fri Nov 25 16:45:27 PST 2016

Cranberries are usually eaten only around the holidays. It’s really a shame we don’t eat them all year long as they are powerful foods that can work like preventative medicine. I got all emotional when I discovered all the things cranberries can do for us. Don’t you think it’s a divine plan that foods have […]

Eight Days With Kombucha

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat May 20 20:00:26 PDT 2017

Watching tea turn into kombucha is quite a thing to behold. You give it the ingredients and let it work its magic. Billions of microbes and yeasts transform the tea into a bubbly probiotic tea that you will love. When you first start making kombucha you might be concerned and not know what to expect, […]

Buffalo Kraut ~ You Simply Must Try ☺️

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jan 06 19:00:26 PST 2018

I’m always trying to find ways to help you eat more cultured foods. Taste is important as well as ease, and this recipe captures both. You will love this Buffalo Kraut created by my daughter Maci. It’s crazy good and just a spoonful is going to give you billions of probiotics. Your body loves to […]

caliban's Blog - Shalots

by @ LONGECITY Community Blog List

Thu May 18 13:42:00 PDT 2017

“Shalot” = a made-up word for a type of person active in life extension, cryonics, artificial intelligence and related fields. Sometimes encountered on LongeCity.

The word is a constriction of ‘zealot’ and ‘shallow’ and also a reference to Tennyson’s poem ‘the Lady of Shalott’ (2x’t’) as someone who is removed from the real world, obsessed with images and appearances and likely to disappear suddenly and pointlessly.
“Shallot” (2x’l’) Is a word for a type of onion. A bland yet pungent vegetable that can make you cry when you work with it…

Characteristics of a shalot:

1) Shalots know little about the history of science and technology, let alone in life-extension. They fail to appreciate how much they risk repeating the past, and moreover, how much they themselves are –hopefully unwittingly– playing the part of a peddler of hype and false promises in the footsteps of hundreds who have come before. Instead, they are usually convinced that it’s all new and unheard of –including their own schemes and fancies.

2) Shalots don’t understand a lot about science. Most of the time they obfuscate this fact, sometimes they are quite upfront, even aggressive about it. They make a distinction between scientists as people who do the grunt work and people like themselves who are ‘organisers’. They understand even less about medicine.

3) They are interested in media buzz and talk a lot about ‘mass movements’ and ‘marketing’ about ‘policy’ – but usually fail to demonstrate where these factors have ever been truly relevant in producing tangible scientific advances.

4) Shalots often lament that different activities are not well-coordinated enough and paint a picture where global innovation would function much more efficiently if only someone would be in charge to co-ordinate.

5) They are usually not very successful in their professional life but are fairly sure that they were born to greatness. Even worse, if they have been successful once, they are now convinced that they have all the answers.

6) When a shalot accepts a specific, useful, or even important task they often under-perform… which should come as a surprise because the things that they really wanted to do would have been much more demanding.

7) Shalots tacitly assume Life Extension is a kind of ‘pill’ – something that will be invented at some stage and then solve all medical issues associated with aging in one go. They therefore talk about things like “before and after” and “until”. Some shalots declare that they realise it is more complicated than that, but their attitudes don’t suggest this is true.

8) They come onto the scene with a splash, a rush of activity. Sometimes that is very welcome because you can’t or don’t want to identify them as a shalot straight away. Sometimes, it is clear to most who have been there before that shalot shenanigans are in evidence, but not giving them a minimum of time would look bad and –who knows?– maybe, just maybe, the shalot can make a useful contribution before wandering of. And they will disappear after a while. Sometimes they get a job or a girlfriend.

You can tell that my own studies about shalots are as frustrating as they often purport themselves to be. I try to avoid them. Nonetheless I might return to this polemic with more observations as my experience may regrettably inspire.
This is a private rant, in no way related to anything I do at LongeCity or elsewhere.

Post lyme disease treatment advice...diet, bpc 157 and or?

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Sun Feb 11 17:35:26 PST 2018

Hey everyone,

Thank you in advance for taking the time to read and respond to my post. I’m a 23 year old (otherwise healthy) male who was diagnosed with lyme disease about two months ago. After undergoing an intense supplement/herbal/energetical therapy cleanse and detox, my docotor confirmed that the lyme had left my body. However, I am still experiencing all of my original symptoms, including random shaking, a neck tremor, intense brain fog, a really infammed gut/liver/kidneys, etc. I’m struggling to determine my next course of action — has anyone reading his post dealt with lyme? — have you tried dietary changes to help heal your system? I’m also curious if bpc 157 would be a good option for me? I already eat a fairly well balanced diet that is exclusively organic/non gmo, as well as taking about 15 relevant supplents a day (including probiotics). I guess, in general, I’m seeking any lyme, dietary, or other advice that you might have for me.

Thanks for your time,

-Braden

Aging theories: Is there a unifying factor in a...

by @ Articles

Sun Aug 20 11:04:47 PDT 2017

When Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection was established, biologists were puzzled by the existence of senescence and aging among all organisms. Why did the evolutionary pressure not produce immortal species? They concluded that even the power of evolution has its limitations. It took almost hundred years to reach the idea that mortal individuals may be preferred by nature for following reasons — the genes resulting in advantage in early life might cause damage in late life, and the reproduction starts as soon as possible. Around the middle of twentieth century, there finally was a framework for the gerontological research conduced in the following decades — the first evolutionary theories of aging (Gavrilov & Gavrilova, 2002). 
There are two major groups of theories aiming to explain the mechanism of aging, so-called programmed and error theories. The programmed ones are based on the senescence-causing nature of certain genes (these are also called evolutionary theories), hormones or the immune system. Error theories claim that we age because of general damage caused by cell weariness, metabolic rate, cross-linked proteins, free radicals or somatic DNA changes (Jin, 2010).
The beauty of various aging theories is that most of them are not mutually exclusive. We can see that newer theories do not necessarily oppose the old ones, but rather shed more light and offer more in-depth views on the process of senescence.
The pioneering idea from 1882 was Weismanns’s theory of programmed death (also called wear-and-tear theory) claiming something like apoptosis of the multicellular organism. Although disproved by experiments, his theoretical explanation of the mechanism predicted the discovery of Hayflick limit (Gavrilov & Gavrilova, 2002). According to Weismann’s first conception, nature priorities young individuals over elderly because of limited resources. Pearl stated his ‘rate of living’ theory of aging in 1928, although the idea comes from Rubner who, in 1908, suggested that every organism has limited amount of metabolic energy and therefore its age depends on the rate of metabolism which correlates with organism’s size (Pearl, 1928). Most consider the rate of living theory to be flawed (Lints, 1989; de Magalhaes, Costa, & Church, 2007; Vaanholt, Daan, Schubert, & Visser, 2009).
A few decades later, the following evolutionary models have emerged: Medawar’s hypothesis of mutation accumulation proposes that aging is a by-product of natural selection — genes causing senescence in later stadium of life cannot be eliminated because the genetic information was most likely already transferred to successors by individuals in their early adulthood (Gavrilov & Gavrilova, 2002). This theory from 1952 is considered the first modern theory of aging. Charlesworth confronted Medawar’s model with a discovery of late-life mortality plateaus and in 1994 presented so-called modified mutation accumulation theory (Charlesworth, 2001; Ljubuncic & Reznick, 2009). In his antagonistic pleiotropy theory (also called ‘pay later’ theory), Williams in 1957 expressed the idea that even the same genes which cause trouble at advanced age may be advantageous in earlier stages of life, and therefore be not only tolerated, but even preferred by natural selection (Gavrilov & Gavrilova, 2002). In 1979, Kirkwood extended this theory to the disposable soma theory — organisms may save energy by reducing accuracy in cells metabolism and invest it in faster development and reproduction (Kirkwood & Holliday, 1979). This is the last one of famous, genes-orientated evolutionary models.
The following can be classified as programmed theories: The neuroendocrine theory proposed in 1954 by Dilman says that the main cause of aging is a loss of receptor sensitivity of the hypothalamus over time, and therefore its control of adequate production of hormones declines which leads to ineffectiveness and lower hormone levels in organism. It is an attempt to explain a high occurrence of degenerative diseases in late age (“Neuroendocrine Theory of Aging: Chapter 1,” 1999). Research on hormonal signaling pathways confirms that hormone levels have at least a partial role in determining longevity (van Heemst et al., 2005). In 1964, Walford suggested his immunologic theory of aging — due to increasing diversity of cells, the immune system looses its efficiency with age which leads to insufficient responses against pathogens as well as to autoimmune reactions against self proteins (Walford, 1964). 
All following attempts to explain the mechanism behind a process of aging are usually called error or damage theories. Bjorksten’s "crosslinkage theory" says that proteins become linked together in presence of certain crosslinking agents, and after some time, accumulation of these molecular aggregates causes decline in tissue functions. This theory from 1942 is no longer popular (Bjorksten, 1968). Later research has showed that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulate in collagen and lead to outcomes predicted by Bjorksten (Verzijl et al., 2002; Aronson, 2003). 
These days very popular among researchers and public, the free radical theory was suggested by Harman in 1956. His idea was that the occurrence of free radicals, or reactive oxygen species naturally produced in living organisms, leads to macromolecular damage which accumulates and causes physiological changes known as senescence (Harman, 2009). Later he suggested the reactive oxygen species formation takes place mainly in mitochondria which causes a decline in important mitochondrial functions (Harman, 1972). Because of the theory’s popularity, various extensions of Harman’s model were created, usually considering different sites as a main target of free radicals. 
Failla’s somatic mutation theory from 1958 posits that increasing number of mutations of genetic material causes a decrease in cellular, organ and body functions (Failla, 1958; Gensler & Bernstein, 1981; Kennedy, Loeb, & Herr, 2012). The theory received a lot of criticism in previous decades (Vijg, 2000). Kaya, Lobanov and Gladyshev (2015) investigated aging in yeast and failed to find evidence in support of Failla’s thesis. 
Orgel proposed his error catastrophe theory in 1963. He saw the cause of aging in accumulation of malfunctioning proteins coming from errors during protein translation (Orgel, 1963). This theory never gained popularity and was soon disproved (Gershon & Gershon, 1976). 
Alexander in 1967 extended Failla’s theory by hypothesizing that DNA damage instead of mutation is the cause of aging (Alexander, 1967). These days, this version called "somatic DNA damage theory of aging" is more often used by scientists (Freitas & de Magalhaes, 2011; Soares et al., 2014). Evidence suggests that more damage happens in mitochondrial DNA than in nuclear DNA (Ames, 2009).
In 2002, Brunk and Terman published the mitochondrial-lysosomal axis theory. It states that defective macromolecules derived from mitochondria undergo further changes in lysosomes to become lipofuscin inclusions. These end products decrease cell’s autophagocytotic capacity which leads to more mitochondrial defects (Brunk & Terman, 2002). 
Zs.-Nagy’s "membrane hypothesis" focuses on a decline of mitochondrial functions due to lessened membrane permeability caused by residual heat coming from nerve signals as well as by reactive oxygen species (Zs.-Nagy, 2014). 
Recent versions of damage theories claim that free radicals are only one kind of senescence-causing by products of metabolism but the real initiator of all the inevitable damage is biological imperfectness. In other words, there are always types of damage which lack adequate repair mechanisms in organism and the most severe source of errors depends on actual conditions (Gladyshev, 2013; Gladyshev, 2014). This idea comes from the "reliability theory", which focuses on systems failure in machines (Gavrilov & Gavrilova, 2001). In spite of many research programs and lots of scientists involved, the unifying factor in aging is at the moment still unknown.

References

• Alexander, P. (1967). The role of DNA lesions in the processes leading to ageing in mice. Symp Soc Exp Biol, 21, 29-50.
• Ames, B. (1989). Endogenous Oxidative DNA Damage, Aging, and Cancer. Free Radical Research Communications, 7(3-6), 121-128. http://dx.doi.org/10.3109/10715768909087933
• Aronson, D. (2003). Cross-linking of glycated collagen in the pathogenesis of arterial and myocardial stiffening of aging and diabetes. Journal Of Hypertension, 21(1), 3-12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.hjh.0000042892.24999.92
• Bjorksten, J. (1968). The Crosslinkage Theory of Aging. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society, 16(4), 408-427. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.1968.tb02821.x
• Brunk, U., & Terman, A. (2002). The mitochondrial-lysosomal axis theory of aging. European Journal Of Biochemistry, 269(8), 1996-2002. http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1432-1033.2002.02869.x
• Charlesworth, B. (2001). Patterns of Age-specific Means and Genetic Variances of Mortality Rates Predicted by the Mutation-Accumulation Theory of Ageing. Journal Of Theoretical Biology, 210(1), 47-65. http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/jtbi.2001.2296
• De Grey, A. (1997). A proposed refinement of the mitochondrial free radical theory of aging. Bioessays, 19(2), 161-166. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/bies.950190211
• Dean, W. (1999). Neuroendocrine Theory of Aging: Chapter 1. Warddeanmd.com. Retrieved 30 March 2017, from http://warddeanmd.com/articles/neuroendocrine-theory-of-aging-chapter-1/
• Failla, G. (1958). The Aging Process and Cancerogenesis. Annals Of The New York Academy Of Sciences, 71(6 Genetic Conce), 1124-1140. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.1958.tb46828.x
• Freitas, A., & de Magalhães, J. (2011). A review and appraisal of the DNA damage theory of ageing. Mutation Research/Reviews In Mutation Research, 728(1-2), 12-22. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mrrev.2011.05.001
• Gavrilov, L., & Gavrilova, N. (2001). The Reliability Theory of Aging and Longevity. Journal Of Theoretical Biology, 213(4), 527-545. http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/jtbi.2001.2430
• Gavrilov, L., & Gavrilova, N. (2002). Evolutionary Theories of Aging and Longevity. The Scientific World JOURNAL, 2, 339-356. http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/tsw.2002.
• Gensler, H., & Bernstein, H. (1981). DNA Damage as the Primary Cause of Aging. The Quarterly Review Of Biology, 56(3), 279-303. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/412317
• Gershon, D., & Gershon, H. (1976). An Evaluation of the ‘Error Catastrophe’ Theory of Ageing in the Light of Recent Experimental Results. Gerontology, 22(3), 212-219. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000212136
• Gladyshev, V. (2013). The origin of aging: imperfectness-driven non-random damage defines the aging process and control of lifespan. Trends In Genetics, 29(9), 506-512. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tig.2013.05.004
• Gladyshev, V. (2014). The Free Radical Theory of Aging Is Dead. Long Live the Damage Theory!. Antioxidants & Redox Signaling, 20(4), 727-731. http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/ars.2013.5228
• Harman, D. (1972). The Biologic Clock: The Mitochondria?. Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society, 20(4), 145-147. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-5415.1972.tb00787.x
• Harman, D. (2009). Origin and evolution of the free radical theory of aging: a brief personal history, 1954–2009. Biogerontology, 10(6), 773-781. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10522-009-9234-2
• Jin, K. (2010). Modern Biological Theories of Aging. Aging and Disease, 1(2), 72-74.
• Kaya, A., Lobanov, A., & Gladyshev, V. (2015). Evidence that mutation accumulation does not cause aging inSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Aging Cell, 14(3), 366-371. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/acel.12290
• Kennedy, S., Loeb, L., & Herr, A. (2012). Somatic mutations in aging, cancer and neurodegeneration. Mechanisms Of Ageing And Development, 133(4), 118-126. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mad.2011.10.009
• Kirkwood, T., & Holliday, R. (1979). The Evolution of Ageing and Longevity. Proceedings Of The Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 205(1161), 531-546. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.1979.0083
• Lints, F. (1989). The Rate of Living Theory Revisited. Gerontology, 35(1), 36-57. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000212998
• Ljubuncic, P., & Reznick, A. (2009). The Evolutionary Theories of Aging Revisited – A Mini-Review. Gerontology, 55(2), 205-216. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000200772
• Magalhaes, J., Costa, J., & Church, G. (2007). An Analysis of the Relationship Between Metabolism, Developmental Schedules, and Longevity Using Phylogenetic Independent Contrasts. The Journals Of Gerontology Series A: Biological Sciences And Medical Sciences, 62(2), 149-160. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/gerona/62.2.149
• Muller, F., Lustgarten, M., Jang, Y., Richardson, A., & Van Remmen, H. (2007). Trends in oxidative aging theories. Free Radical Biology And Medicine, 43(4), 477-503. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2007.03.034
• Orgel, L. (1963). The Maintenance of the Accuracy of Protein Synthesis and its Relevance to Ageing. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences, 49(4), 517-521. http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.49.4.517
• Soares, J., Cortinhas, A., Bento, T., Leitão, J., Collins, A., Gaivã, I., & Mota, M. (2014). Aging and DNA damage in humans: a meta-analysis study. Aging, 6(6), 432-439. http://dx.doi.org/10.18632/aging.100667
• Vaanholt, L., Daan, S., Schubert, K., & Visser, G. (2009). Metabolism and Aging: Effects of Cold Exposure on Metabolic Rate, Body Composition, and Longevity in Mice. Physiological And Biochemical Zoology, 82(4), 314-324. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/589727
• Van Heemst, D., Beekman, M., Mooijaart, S., Heijmans, B., Brandt, B., & Zwaan, B. et al. (2005). Reduced insulin/IGF-1 signalling and human longevity. Aging Cell, 4(2), 79-85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1474-9728.2005.00148.x
• Verzijl, N., DeGroot, J., Zaken, C., Braun-Benjamin, O., Maroudas, A., & Bank, R. et al. (2002). Crosslinking by advanced glycation end products increases the stiffness of the collagen network in human articular cartilage: A possible mechanism through which age is a risk factor for osteoarthritis. Arthritis & Rheumatism, 46(1), 114-123. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/1529-0131(200201)46:1<114::aid-art10025>3.0.co;2-p
• Vijg, J. (2000). Somatic mutations and aging: a re-evaluation. Mutation Research/Fundamental And Molecular Mechanisms Of Mutagenesis, 447(1), 117-135. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0027-5107(99)00202-x
• Walford, R. (1964). The Immunologic Theory of Aging. The Gerontologist, 4(4), 195-197. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/geront/4.4.195
• Zs.-Nagy, I. (2014). Aging of Cell Membranes: Facts and Theories. Aging, 62-85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000358900

How to Make Delicious Spaghetti Sauce with Ground Beef

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Wed Nov 08 00:00:52 PST 2017

For an amazing, rustic, homemade meal, there is nothing better than spaghetti with meat sauce. More properly called bolognese, meat sauce is a hearty,...

Why do some turtles outlive humans?

by @ Articles

Wed Feb 08 16:45:06 PST 2017

(⇒ write for LongeCity )


The oldest human recorded in modernity was Jeanne Louise Calment, she died in the age of 122 years and 164 days [1] .

There are rumors that the oldest tortoise called Adwaita (Aldabra giant tortoise) died in the age of about 250 years [2] or that it was 188-year-old radiated tortoise named Tui Malila [3] , or that the highest verified age of 177 years had Galapagos giant tortoise Harriet [4] . The oldest currently living turtle is considered to be Jonathan (Seychelles giant tortoise), estimated to be over 180 years old these days [5] . Although all aforementioned numbers are estimations, it seems these turtles were older than human supercentenarians.

All previously mentioned species are terrestrial tortoises, a group with longest lifespans among turtles. The most famous of them, well-researched Galapagos giant tortoise, was observed by Charles Darwin when he was forming his well-known theory of evolution by natural selection [6] . There is only one freshwater turtle known to be able to outlive human, it is the common snapping turtle estimated to live up to more than hundred years [7] . While being considerably less researched, recorded maximal lifespan of sea turtles is usually shorter, not exceeding 80 years, however, it is believed that the green sea turtle can live up to 100 years. [8]

It is a difficult question to answer why these reptiles can outlive us because even to determine the actual age of animals with a long lifespan is complicated – partially due to the fact that it takes such a long time to study. Furthermore, many turtles are endangered species [9] so there may not be as many organisms to hand as needed for proper statistics. Nonetheless, we can still claim that turtles are among the most long-living vertebrates on earth [10] . Why?

Firstly, turtles, like all reptiles, benefit from being ectothermic organisms. They do not maintain body temperature and thus save a lot of energy. But that also means they are less flexible: it is crucial for their lifespan to be in natural temperature environment of daily cycles with night-time temperature drop [11] . If they do not live under these conditions in captivity, metabolic pathways change and turtles die much sooner. [12]

Turtles are well-adapted in other ways: their famous shell – the carapace –is good protection against natural predators. Most of hatchling turtles with a soft shell do not survive the first year [13] . A research of natural populations of freshwater turtles showed that only one per cent of them can celebrate the twentieth birthdays, but once the adulthood is reached, mortality rate drops and remains constant throughout the rest of life [14] .

Some turtles can survive under extreme environmental conditions, such as freezing [15] or lack of oxygen for months [16] . They can even undergo hibernation and anaerobic metabolism and therefore deal with hypoxia and anoxia, it was also proposed that the same genes can play a role in longevity itself [17] and also in oxidative stress resistance [18] that further promotes longer life [19] .

Turtle’s bones and shell are used as lactate buffer lowering metabolic acidosis caused by anaerobic glycolysis during the period of lack of oxygen [20] ; [21] Their organism is protected by strong innate immunity compensating slow acquired immune reactions [22] .

Because turtles have very slow metabolism as well as growth, their bodies do not need to deal with excessive metabolic heat and byproducts as mammals [23] . Their natural diet is very simple but also necessary for their longevity. [24]

According to the evolutionary theories, staying alive is less important after menopause. Galapagos giant tortoises achieve sexual maturity late (around the age of up to forty years in the wild, and between twenty and twenty-five years of life in captivity [25] ), then staying fertile until death [26] .

The Hayflick limit is said to determine how many times a cell can divide [27] . The Hayflick limit of Galapagos giant tortoise was said to be about 110 divisions [28] , approximately twice as many as 50 of human cells [29] . Studies in this context have highlighted the importance of telomeres, the protective end sequences of chromosomes, that get shorter with each cell division [30] , can play at least a partially role in life expectancy. It was observed that telomeres in European freshwater turtle’s cells are of the same length in both embryo and adult organism [31] .

Thus, it was believed that turtles are negligibly senescent organisms [32] . In other words, the cells do not age and no age-related diseases appear, which is very different cell behavior than in human bodies [33] and probably the key to any natural longevity. However, evidence now suggests that turtles may not be really negligibly senescent because of observations of survival and reproductive senescence in late age in the painted turtle population [34]

As we can see, turtles have some advantages in the lifespan field. Some of these might inspire researchers to increase lifespans in humans.

The Healing Crisis and Cultured Foods

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Aug 22 21:00:23 PDT 2015

What is a healing crisis? A “healing crisis” is something that happens when the body starts a detoxification process which is really a program of natural healing. This is a common occurrence among some individuals who start consuming cultured foods. When you start consuming cultured foods, your body is flooded with good bacteria. Then there is a […]

My Grandparents Knew

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Aug 29 23:00:13 PDT 2015

My grandparents knew. They knew the grandkids were eating badly. They fussed at our parents but nobody listened, because the foods we were eating were so addictive. We reasoned that they were the older generation and they were just being cranky. They didn’t like it when we ate sugar-laden cereals for breakfast or soda pop […]

Kefir in Every Town

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Aug 15 19:22:53 PDT 2015

My daughter Maci moved to Mission Viejo, California, in April and I went to visit  a few months later. I was blown away with all the healthy food choices and health food stores on every corner. We would get up at 6 a.m. and spend our days going to the beach, farmers markets, and healthy […]

Reasons You May Have Low Testosterone

by Gary Collins, MS @ Primal Power Method

Sun Mar 26 13:09:35 PDT 2017

I am a regular on the The Survival Podcast, as an expert on Primal/Paleo health, nutrition, exercise, simple living and living off the grid. I share a lot of great information during this question and answer format. I have realized I cover a lot of information that may not be contained on my website or... Read more »

The post Reasons You May Have Low Testosterone appeared first on Primal Power Method.

Cultured Foods For Kids

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jul 11 21:25:29 PDT 2015

Life changing events Each day, you’re headed down a certain path knowing for the most part how your day will unfold. Then suddenly an event takes place that rocks you to your core. A whole series of powerful events changes your trajectory and in the process can change the focus of your mind, your heart, […]

The Secret According to Kefir Ice Cream

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Feb 06 23:00:47 PST 2016

Somebody asked me the other day how I come up with recipes for cultured foods. Many times they come suddenly into my brain.  This will often make me miss my exits while driving on the highway because I am thinking about the specifics of how to make it. Another way they come is through a […]

Can Two Dozen Marginal Ways to Treat Aging be Combined into One Useful Therapy?

by @ LongeCityNews

Mon Feb 12 16:27:32 PST 2018

Comparatively little work on combinations of therapies takes place in the research community. I suspect this to be a matter of regulatory incentives. For example there is little room for commercial entities to be able to make money by combining established treatments owned by other entities. Similarly for researchers, the world of possible approaches is balkanized by intellectual property, while the disposition of the majority of research funding is ultimately guided by the promise of a pot of gold at the end of the road. That pot of gold is much harder to obtain when someone else owns the therapies involved, and all that is being done is to apply them together. The edifice of intellectual property is a great evil, and this is one of many reasons why that is the case.

Given this long-standing state of affairs, there is at present little data to guide our expectations on the bounds of the possible when it comes to combining large numbers of therapies in search of additive and synergistic effects. Some people think that we should forge ahead in the matter of slowing aging: take every intervention with good evidence to date, and run large numbers of them in the same mice to see what happens. Should we believe that various ways of manipulating the operation of cellular metabolism demonstrated to achieve 5-10% life extension in mice can combine to double life span in that species? Intuition suggests not, but I don't think it to be completely out the question. Nor is it unreasonable to try it and see, given a rigorous approach to experimental design. Sadly, no established funding institution would go for this; it would have to be funded through philanthropy.

Why do I think that this is unlikely to produce large enough results to make it worthwhile? Because the evidence to date strongly suggests that the scores of methods of manipulating metabolism to modestly slow aging are operating on just a few core processes, such as autophagy. These are the stress responses that produce the lengthening of life observed in calorie restriction, and we know that these mechanisms don't produce anywhere near the same degree of life extension in humans as they do in short-lived species. Everything is connected to everything else in cellular biochemistry. A given interaction between two proteins can be influenced by adjusting levels of any number of other proteins, with widely varying degrees of effectiveness and side-effects. So most methods of slowing aging are different views into the same method of action. The few combinations of approaches tried to date, involving only two methods, have resulted in mixed outcomes. Calorie restriction and mTOR inhibition may be additive, while growth hormone receptor knockout and mTOR inhibition interfere with one another, for example. That gives little insight as to the rest. It is hard to predict other results, beyond noting that a majority of interventions do appear to function through enhanced autophagy, and thus we might expect them not to combine in an additive way to any great degree.

What of the SENS rejuvenation biotechnology approach to aging, in which independent fundamental forms of cell and tissue damage are repaired? How will repair therapies combine? In this case we should expect additive effects: removing damage should be beneficial in proportion to the amount removed, at least when considered from a fundamental, reliability theory perspective. The mortality risk and longevity of a complex system of many redundant parts is dependent on its current load of damage. At this point we have no idea as to how that will turn out in practice, however. The contributions of different forms of damage may be significantly larger or smaller than one another. The results of two independent root cause forms of damage are not themselves independent: they interact, and probably significantly. Functional decline in one system spurs greater damage and functional decline in others, which is why age-related degeneration accelerates greatly in later life. It is a complex business. It isn't unreasonable to think that in some circumstances the results of rejuvenation therapies A and B will be indistinguishable from A alone, or that B will never achieve a great deal without being combined with C.

Can we envisage a world in which repairing cellular senescence alone produces no extension to life span because other, largely independent chains of damage and consequence are still life-limiting for old humans? That is becoming increasingly hard given the evidence to date for reversal of numerous age-related diseases to result from removal of senescent cells, not to mention the PAI-1 mutants who exhibit increased life span - but we know far more about senescent cell clearance than we do about any of the other SENS strategies. No-one is in a position to do more than make educated guesses about the results of combining senescent cell destruction with removal of mitochondrial DNA damage, or with clearance of specific lysosomal aggregates. Beyond "two should be better than one, but perhaps not in some specific cases" everything else will remain a mystery until the biotechnology is ready and the work is carried out. Making predictions seems a fool's game, given the degree to which the people closest to senescent cell research have been surprised by the scope and size of benefits observed in mice over the past few years.

There are Many Possible Paths to Immunotherapy for Senescent Cell Destruction

by @ LongeCityNews

Mon Feb 12 03:09:52 PST 2018

Rising numbers of senescent cells are one of the root causes of aging, a process that arises from the normal operation of youthful metabolism, yet results in accumulated damage and failure over time. Senescent cells generate signaling that degrades tissue function, breaks down and remodels tissue structure, spurs chronic inflammation, and alters the behavior of surrounding cells for the worse. Evidence shows their presence to be a contributing cause of a range of common fatal age-related conditions. In a youthful body, near all cells that become senescent and fail to self-destruct as a result are promptly eliminated by the immune system. In an aged body, the immune system is worn and degraded; as a consequence many more senescent cells survive to linger. We are machines of interacting, dependent parts. Damage and failure in one component speeds the onset of damage and decline in others. The age-related failure of the immune system is an important part of the acceleration of functional decline in later life.

Much of the current work on methods to selectively destroy senescent cells, and thus produce a narrow form of rejuvenation, is focused on pharmaceuticals. Given that the immune system is already capable of destroying senescent cells in the normal course of events, why not immunotherapies, however? I'm only aware of the one company working along those lines, SIWA Therapeutics, and I believe that their immunotherapy approach doesn't interact at all with the natural immunosurveillance of senescent cells. Is it possible to do better than this, to build on the existing evolved mechanisms to induce high levels of clearance even in old and damaged immune systems? Alternatively, could the general methods of immune rejuvenation currently under consideration (such as restoring the thymus, destroying malfunctioning or overspecialized immune cells, or inducing greater stem cell production of immune cells) result in youthful levels of senescent cell destruction?

Whilst there is currently little understanding concerning the mechanisms governing macrophage mediated recognition of senescent cells, the processes are probably not specific to senescent cells. Rather, the more characterised molecular mechanisms associated with macrophage recognition during cancer immunosurveillance and apoptotic cell clearance may also be pertinent for senescence surveillance. Apoptotic cells have been shown to preferentially express specific cell surface antigens which can be recognised by naturally occurring antibodies (IgMs) that enable phagocytosis by macrophages. As such, it can be speculated that senescent cells may also express specific cell surface antigens which would not only provide insights into the mechanisms mediating immune clearance, but would also provide a means to specifically identify senescent cells in tissues.

Surface expression of CD47 acts as a "don't eat me" signal, sending inhibitory signals through SIRPα, a receptor expressed on the surface of macrophage, ensuring that healthy cells are not inappropriately phagocytosed. Therefore, the downregulation of CD47 would be required for macrophages to target damaged "self" cells. One study has demonstrated that induction of tumour cell senescence via c-Myc inactivation leads to the downregulation of CD47 which consequently promoted tumour regression. Whether CD47 downregulation in this instance is a specific response to c-Myc inactivation or activation of the senescence program is unclear. It would make biological sense to downregulate CD47 during cell senescence to enable removal of damaged "self" cells, but further research is required.

Immunotherapeutic strategies already in development for combating cancer may one day be repurposed for targeting senescent cells for the alleviation of age-related diseases. In addition, identifying further molecular changes associated with senescent cells, especially cell-type specific alterations, would be advantageous for developing therapeutic approaches for targeting senescent cells. Since senescent cells can also be beneficial in the short term, the elimination of acute senescent cells could be problematic. Therefore, the identification of therapeutic targets specific to chronic senescence which are absent in acute senescent cells would be highly desirable.

One of the mechanisms by which natural killer (NK) cells specifically recognise and kill senescent cells is via the surface expression of NKG2D ligands. Since many tumour cells also express NKG2D ligands, such ligands have been suggested to be a useful target for immunotherapeutic approaches in cancer, and so could be adapted for senescent cell clearance. For example, the use of engineered immune cells such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells to target specific molecules on cancer cells has great potential as an anti-cancer therapy. As such, it may be possible to target senescent cells by engineering T cells to express a NKG2D CAR which recognise NKG2D ligands on the surface of senescent cells.

An adaption of cancer vaccines could also be considered for boosting immune clearance of senescent cells. Although a universal biomarker of cell senescence has not been identified, the exposure of senescent cell membranes to immune cells may evoke an immune response to antigens not yet identified. In one approach, senescence vaccines would involve the isolation of senescence specific antigens (SSAs) which are then exposed to dendritic cells, professional antigen presenting cells. In response to SSA uptake, dendritic cells process and express these antigens on their cell surface which can then be recognised by T cells. T cell interaction with these antigens promotes T cell activation, differentiation, and ultimately killing of target cells.

Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.arr.2018.02.001

How to Cast On in Knitting

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Sun Oct 29 01:00:04 PDT 2017

Introduction Do you love knitted things? Have you always wanted to learn how to knit but never had the time to commit? Learning how...

Supplement Development - Great results as of late

by @ LONGECITY Community Blog List

Thu Nov 16 10:12:00 PST 2017

I've been using a bunch of supplements and improvised materials that just haven't been done yet and have been getting great results. Then two nights ago I add a half dose of an adjuvant to my existing regimen that can slowly remove glucosepane, or so it seems. I have it on good authority that this mechanism will be effective. The new ingredient is working wonders. After I shaved this morning, my face felt smoother than it had in years (I change my blades very infrequently, this one is at least a few months old and the disposable battery is about a month). The over all appearance of my skin has improved greatly in the last few weeks. At this point it looks like a pointalism painter painted some younger spots on my skin in layers and the layering is continuing. Interestingly enough, I was out walking about in the sun and overcast skies at a nearby college for several hours yesterday and was expecting my skin to look worse. I do take 4 supplements to minimize the effect of the sun on my skin as I have a somewhat mild (in cosmetic terms... medically it's atypical, basically I have a high enough adrenaline response to deal with the inflammation rapidly and systemically so I feel the effects differently and only get a few zits and a spell of anxiety) case of polymorphic light eruptions or what I refer to as sun sensitivity. The supplements virtually ameliorate the sensitivity most of the time.

Anyways, my skin got much better, though it was perhaps a little red and more wrinkled in areas such as that between my thumbs and pointer fingers, and I was exhausted by the end of the day. The skin returned to normal when the inflammation subsided.

I feel like we're getting real close for those of us who are informed enough to start defeating aging on our own.

The Many Ways Cultured Foods Detoxify Your Body

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Oct 01 20:42:54 PDT 2016

I love  my microbes and all they do for me. Not a week goes by that I don’t discover something new that my 100 trillion microbes are doing just for me. I used to think that my liver was mostly responsible for filtering and removing compounds from within my body including hundreds of toxic chemicals […]

Too Much Sourdough Starter? I Can Help

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Dec 12 23:00:17 PST 2015

 A sourdough starter has only two ingredients: flour and water. Combined with unseen organisms of bacteria and yeasts and its mysterious ability to transform food, you have a universe of possibilities. It’s Tuesday night and I usually make bread on Wednesdays. I take my sourdough starter out of the fridge to feed it. I check […]

Midsummer 2011 Redesign

by @ Archive - Articles

Sun Aug 28 10:12:33 PDT 2011

During today's downtime a number of new features were implemented:


1) Design: with the help of the winning desinger we are starting to implement customisations. We are also looking at a new 'skin' for the forum for a fresh new look.


2) Tags: Topic starters can now designate tags to their posts and thereby cross-reference posts to broader themes and topics. Potentially a very powerful tool to make LongeCity a more powerful information repository while maintaining the community-driven ethos.


3) Customised 'recent topics' - many people who use this feature regularly will enjoy the new capacity to only include certain forums in the automated collection.


4) Operability: a number of technical tweaks should hopefully make the forums quicker to navigate.




These are just some of the new features, others are still bedding in.
A few words about that and a request for feedback here.

----

How to Cook Perfectly Tender Ribs on a Gas Grill

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Tue Oct 03 13:48:38 PDT 2017

Introduction You may think that cooking the perfect rack of ribs on your grill is impossible. It can be extremely intimidating because people have...

Morning Food ~ Kefir Blueberry Pecan Pancakes

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Oct 14 20:00:08 PDT 2017

We love pancakes at our house. I mostly make sourdough pancakes, but I made a new pancake recipe this week, and switched out my sourdough starter (which I love) and replaced it with kefir. Oh my, they were wonderful, fluffy pancakes. The kefir acts in a manner similar to sourdough and helps the pancakes rise. […]

taking action...

by @ LongeCity - Articles

Tue Jan 08 12:11:21 PST 2013

What can I do!?

This is a natural question that those sharing the mission to abolish the blight of involuntary death often ask.
At LongeCity, we are providing a lot of community-sourced suggestions and for a long while we have wrestled with a succinct answer. Such a ‘take action’ page as provided by other organisations is still something we are looking to polish… but maybe the question also deserves a slightly longer answer – especially for those young people (whether in life or at heart, we get a lot of them especially at LongeCity) who ask the question in the context of planning to (re)orient their entire life and career towards life extension. 

Over the next few months, I’m hoping to develop a short ‘primer’ to help with this most weighty of decisions.
This task is certainly too big, too important to be monopolized. I would therefore welcome any suggestions and alternative perspectives during the drafting stages.

to be continued...

5 Tips for Getting Rid of Poison Ivy

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Sat Sep 30 05:28:30 PDT 2017

Introduction Encountering poison ivy can be a very painful experience – especially when you have no idea how to go about alleviating its effects....

Everything You Need to Know About Guayusa

by Suja Juice @ Suja Juice

Thu Jul 13 15:09:47 PDT 2017

At Suja, we love using unique ingredients in our juices and functional beverages! Guayusa is a native tree leaf that is grown in Ecuador, specifically in the Amazon rainforest where it has been part of the Amazonian culture and cultivation for over 2000 years. (3) It is known to have great health benefits and although […]

How to Make Ginger Soda – Delicious Medicine for Your Body

by Maci @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Sep 24 20:00:25 PDT 2016

The “ginger bug” has grown in popularity over the years and is a fantastic way to make soda for your family. You don’t need a starter culture or even kefir whey.  A ginger bug is a mixture of sugar, ginger, and water that captures wild yeasts and beneficial bacteria. Let it ferment for a few […]

Artifical Organs + Brain Therapies (Best bet for next 20 years)

by @ Action

Thu Jan 04 03:59:15 PST 2018

Hey there folks.

Please:

1. share with me any links or posts/lists relating to robot organs in particular, or brain health.

2. let me know if you want to work on these.

3. challenge me that there's a better thing to work on for the next 10-20 years than artificial organs + brain health

I'm assuming it will take at least that long to get the nanobots and DNA repair + all the other stuff figured out that's need to keep bio going long term, and that to go full digital risks losing conscious awareness until we understand more about it.

Three Foods That Can Change Your Life ~ The Trilogy

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jul 30 10:00:20 PDT 2016

Trilogy is a set of three works of art that are connected, and that can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. Fermentation is an art form and each individual cultured food is, in and of itself, unique. The three foods of The Trilogy each provide different good bacteria and yeasts that enhance […]

My New Book “Cultured Food in a Jar”!

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Tue Aug 22 01:46:29 PDT 2017

Cookbooks — I have a lot of them, 229 to be exact, and as you can see from the picture of the bookcase in my living room, I have quite a collection. My daughter Maci said to me, “I have a lot of cookbooks too, but you know which one I use the most?” I […]

Will Eating Probiotic Foods Make Any Difference?

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jul 09 23:00:30 PDT 2016

Most of you don’t know what processes are actually happening inside of you every day. There are microorganisms everywhere and you can’t see them, but they are inhabiting you and everything else. You are 100 trillion cells of bacteria. Do you know how much that is? To get a point of reference, you could take […]

I am running a Rapamycin, Rifampicin and Allantoin cycle

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Sat Feb 10 15:42:49 PST 2018

mTor, JNK, AMPK, IGF-1/Calorie Restriction seem to be the four major routes that most supplements and drugs that have been shown to extend lifespan work through.  A few months ago it was shown that Rapa, Rifa and Allantoin could consistenlty double the lifespan of flies and c.elegans.  (Here is the full study: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2017/06/21/153205.full.pdf) 

Most of us that have been watching longevity animal studies over the years have noticed that when researchers add two or more drugs that are known to extend lifespan independently, the end result is often a decrease in lifespan.  The authors above noted that this phenomenon is likely caused by adding supplements with mechanical overlap/working through the same pathway which ends up negating each other's activity.  Therefore, they identified these three supplements to work on all four of these pathways with minimal overlap.  

So I am running Rapamycin at 1-2mg a week, Rifampicin at 150mg once every three days, and Allantoin through comfrey root with the harmful chemicals extracted.  I have dropped Metformin, which has unimpressive results with Rapa in multiple studies.  The only other supplements I will be taking are spermidine (which has been shown to have up to a 20% increase in mouse lifespan) and resveratrol (which works synergistically with spermidine on different pathways to promote autophagy).  I rotate these into the regime after the Rapa is out of my system, because Rapa also promotes autophagy.  I also rotate in Sulforphane Glucosinolate (Brocco Max) with NR to increase AMPK twice a week.  I try to add in some glycine from time to time, which was shown to increase rodent lifespan up to 40% but, it may overlap with the other CR mimetics (Allantoin and Rapa) so I use it when those two are not in my system.    

Thus far the only thing I have noticed is a surprising boost of energy about an hour after taking the Rifampicin and lasting several hours onward.  I am going to be taking periodic liver functions tests to make sure the Rifa isn't causing any hepatotoxic problems.  I will let you all know if anything comes of this, but I believe this regime is probably just about the best one available given the information we have thus far on longevity.  

DIY Projects: Knowing When to Call a Professional

by Gary Collins, MS @ Primal Power Method

Sat Dec 02 10:39:25 PST 2017

  Part of living off-the-grid is being self-reliant. Being able to address the different issues you encounter with ease helps you maintain your DIY status. Frankly, sometimes you live too far away to find anyone that will come fix your problems. If problem-solving and taking the steps necessary to fix an issue with your home... Read more »

The post DIY Projects: Knowing When to Call a Professional appeared first on Primal Power Method.

LongeCity and others

by @ LongeCity - Articles

Wed Jul 18 18:44:43 PDT 2012

A) Background

LongeCity's origins lie with a personal website: On his private page where he chronicled his engagement with life extension, Bruce Klein also maintained a private bulleting board 'home for immortals'. Soon, visitors reached a critical mass.

And then it happened: Rather than staying at that level, we transcended it together. Bruce agreed to give up his control for something greater: the 'Immortality Institute' was founded as a members-based organisation.

This 'big tent' approach stood the test of time: Protagonists came and went, the original founders passed on the torch. The organisation endured, because it was no longer any individuals private agenda, it became an idea, a mission, and a community. We have left the days of the founding behind. We even changed our name, but, as an acknowledgement to this first, bold step into a unique community, LongeCity still refers to its internal Members section as the 'Immortality Institute' and remains open to Members from across the globe.

Also, until this day, our history shapes how we look at working with others: we celebrate the fantastic potential that lies in each person's own initiative and seek to empower individuals to pursue exactly those projects they feel passionate about, but we also try to link, to integrate, to join together and to collaborate in a broader context for maximum effect.

B) Private Individuals and their efforts/websites

There are many of personal websites around of the type Bruce started with. Some are just one person's way of discovering a new field, others grow into great resources or global benefit.
The great thing about them is the freedom they give you as the author to manage them largely as you please. Downsides exist: personal websites often have limited circulation beyond a particular social sphere or topic, missing chances for cross-pollination. A lot of energy is spent on re-inventing the wheel many times over, while it could be more productively channelled into improving what is already there. Mainly, they are fickle things, and anyone with internet experience learns not to trust them remaining as they often grind to a halt or disappear as the sole author/owner gets engaged in other priorities.

So on balance, LongeCity aims to make it easy for people to contribute directly to a larger pool. Members can have their own webspace or blogs or fora or linklists etc. without needing to home brew. If they want control, they can have as much as possible as long as it doesn't clash with others. (1)

On the other hand, some people only tap their full potential if they feel a project is fully and entirely their own.
IF that aspect is important to you, then please, by all means, do your own thing! We would much rather let a thousand flowers bloom than no growth at all. For maximum benefit, maybe you could still cross-reference to LongeCity?  (2)


C) Other initiatives and Organisations  

Now, this is a slightly more complicated topic.(3)

LongeCity understands itself as part of a movement. As usual in any movement, there are different preferences, protagonists, perspectives, powers and priorities. On the one hand, there is a real opportunity cost associated with not combining forces. It is sometimes very difficult to wish people good luck in setting up their own initiatives when, very clearly, their creative and financial resources could be much more effectively leveraged by using existing links and mechanisms.

On the other hand, different approaches and competition are absolutely essential to ensure that as many paths for success as possible are being pursued. LongeCity does not exist for its own sake. If it was not clear that we can make a unique contribution to the greater cause, we would close down and direct everyone to other initiatives. We need to be clear about what contribution we are making, when others are doing a better job and also when we are duplicating or being duplicated and why.

To all similar initiatives out there: If it looks like we are doing something very similar, please lets discuss if there are ways to generate greater synergies. This may simply mean that we stay in touch, it could mean collaboration on specific projects or it might go as far that LongeCity stops doing something and leaves it to you. OR you might decide to do what you are doing as part of LongeCity.

Two things in particular, we would much prefer to collaborate on:
1) if you are doing anything that involves a forum, we would be thrilled if you could do that at LongeCity. Over the years we have seen so many forums come and go, that we really think it a great shame to reinvent the wheel time and again. We'd gladly give you all the support and 'moderation' powers to run your own forum section at LongeCity, and a suite of powerful IT tools together with a great deal of experience as well.

2) if you are blogging or writing regular articles on life extension. Again, it is a great shame to see so many fantastic contributions swept away in the winds of time, whereas they could have been archived at LongeCity. We can easily supply you with all the tools and support, in fact we might even be able to pay you a little bit of money for your efforts - and the copyright still stays with you!

In summary, we have a mission, but not a specific 'line'. Instead we want to be a 'city'- a place where people come together. A place where different 'homes' exist fruitfully together, an umbrella group and a forum for exchange.
We would like to be a 'one-stop' info point for life extension on the web, from which people can move on to pick exactly those aspects or initiatives -at LongeCity or elsewhere- that they like. Any fellow initiatives out there, please get in touch to help make that vision a reality from which everyone benefits.

D) Advertisers at LongeCity 

This is a slightly different topic. Anyone who visits LongeCity will not fail to notice that it attracts the attention of people who do not care much about our mission. Some come to debate, many to learn about nutrition (but not with an ultimate interest in life extension), some try to make money. To be quite frank, part of LongeCity's particular approach is to try to extract funds from these dynamics in order to re-allocate them towards the common mission. In this context, we sometimes partner with advertisers. Now, we do in fact discuss each advertiser internally and have rejected quite a few as not something we would affiliate with. However, at the end of the day the imperative is to raise money for a cause that we consider of life-saving importance. In that context we do not necessarily choose advertisers based on their own, (or their products) life-extension credentials. LongeCity does not endorse any advertisers beyond the fact that they have made a donation to the community in exchange for exposure. Advertisers never influence our policy, ever. Advertisers get banners (please click on them) -- thats it.
Having said that, advertisers featured at LongeCity very often have a real commitment to the cause- they would not have found us otherwise. When we say something nice about an advertiser, then that is NOT something they paid for but a genuine observation regarding their conduct and contribution to the cause.

E) Members representing LongeCity?

Membership of LongeCity is a strange thing: On the one hand, its a strictly in-or-out affair. On the other, Membership is just one way (and perhaps not a good one) to differentiate the 'talkers' from the 'doers'. If you are clearly a 'doer' we would probably consider you a Member of the life extension community whether you have joined the Immortality Institute or not. One way of simulating that is to give people 'points' for activities in connection with LongeCity. If you get enough points, Membership is free. Anyone who wants to join LongeCity but can't afford the (very modest) Membership donation, please get in touch, we have never denied membership to a committed peer based on inability to pay.
LongeCity is an open place. Membership as such does not entail 'vetting'.(4)

We hope that our Members conduct themselves in an exemplary manner that reflects well on the broader community at all times. But clearly, this is not always on the cards, not least because we are deliberately opening our doors to a diverse range of backgrounds and perspectives. Thus, whether someone is a Member does not mean that this person is in any way representative of our Membership or can speak on behalf of the organisation.

What about leadership? The case is not too different. Really, the only requirement to move into a leadership position at LongeCity is some tangible commitment. We don't vet people apart from a very basic appointment review and a requirement to sign the leadership agreement. Directors and certain key officers are asked for ID, but that's about it. Now, leaders *are* expected to behave in certain ways when representing LongeCity. Clearly, they owe as much to the Membership and community. But when not wearing the LongeCity hat, leaders are free to express their views and pursue their activities as they please and without any review by LongeCity. Some leaders may have gone on to do some strange things in their lives – LongeCity does not pry into a persons private affairs, successes or failures, ventures or missteps as long as it does not affect or organisation, community and mission.
If there is uncertainty whether a LongeCity leader is doing something in an official capacity, the fault is with us for allowing this ambiguity to prevail- please let us know and we'll make sure to clarify the situation.

F) CONCLUSION

The above are observations that I make from the Chair... but with the proviso that this perspective and policy might well change as time moves on – as you have seen from our history LongeCity is certainly able to evolve!
I hope the above is useful as a reference point regarding how LongeCity relates to 'others'. I also hope it has become clear that we really don't see a lot of 'others'. Anyone who shares our mission is 'one of us'. People interested in life extension are often individualists -- and any talk of a 'community' will need to take this into account. But mindful of this fact, as gently and effectively as possible, LongeCity aspires to provide a hospitable 'home' for a community, for diverse communitIES and lone travellers alike.  

Footnotes:

(1) A good example of such a compromise are forum threads: A new discussion is initiated by a 'threadstarter'. A certain amount of responsibility comes with selecting a good topic, framing it well, giving it a good exposition. It can be frustrating if people spoil 'your' thread with inappropriate remarks. On your own website, you could just remove comments at will. On LongeCity, Members can ask to become Moderators of their own threads. It should be made clear in the first post if that option is used, so that other contributors are aware of this.

(2) For example, did you know that you can maintain a blog externally, AND a 'mirror' blog at LongeCity? Every post you make in your own blog can be automatically imported into your LongeCity blog. Ask if you need help setting this up.

(3) A reference to the 'Life of Brian' may help to set the scheme in a humorous way:

(4) There are some conditions of membership --they are listed in our bylaws, and I shan't go into them here, but suffice it to say that it is not very difficult to join. Very few Members have ever been expelled and where that happened it was based on activities that were directly in connection with activities on the site. While Members might sometimes be rebuked or even banned from posting on our public forums, even that does not entail automatic removal of Membership.    

How to Share Good Bacteria with Your Friends

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Aug 26 20:00:22 PDT 2017

It was the summer of 2003. A friend came into my kitchen and asked what was on my counters. I excitedly told her about my beloved cultures and I watched her face change expressions. “These jars have been brewing for days on your counters?” she said. I got that sick feeling in my stomach that […]

Whippet Cookies

by Heather @ I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household

Tue Feb 13 01:08:30 PST 2018

...

The post Whippet Cookies appeared first on I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household.

Episode 9: Swap Yogurt for Kefir and Watch What Happens

by Chris Johnston @ Cultured Food Life

Tue Nov 07 05:00:47 PST 2017

Kefir convinced me, it made me a believer, it changed my body and my life. The results were in and I never looked back. 15 years later no one can convince me otherwise. Food is powerful and so is knowledge, it can change everything. Listen — so it can change you too.

Longecity Blog - win$100 for 'best regimen'

by @ LONGECITY Community Blog List

Fri Jun 09 02:08:00 PDT 2017

The forum structure at the heart of LongeCity works well in facilitating a free flow of communication and information exchange.
Other more structured ways of curating information have their own advantages, but their adoption appears to be more difficult.

In 2014 we closed the 'regimen' forums for brain enhancement and general supplements in favour of a new 'stacks' function.
aiming to generating a searchable database of combinations as an easily accessible resource.

It took some time for the new feature to gain traction. In some areas this worked ok, in others we still don't have any entries.

To further promote the feature we are launching a small COMPETITION for the BEST REGIMEN in each category.

On Sept.1st LongeCity leadership will draw up a shortlist of the most promising entries for each existing category:

• Life Extension, General Health;
• Alertness, Cognition, Mood
• Sports, Performance, Bodybuilding
• Medical
• Weight Loss
• Beauty, Cosmetics, Skin, Anti-Aging

(* yes, that means that the winning chance in the currently empty, or sparsely populated categories might be higher)

At least for the duration of the competition, the old 'stacks' forums will re-open. We hope that by now everyone has understood the distinction we are aiming for: the 'regimen' feature is for presenting and discussing structured regimens that can be considered, compared and potentially adopted by others down the ages, the forums are for more free-wheeling conversation that might be more speculative, protracted and less likely to hold a swift take-away message for others.

Spicy Watermelon Margarita Recipe

by Suja Juice @ Suja Juice

Wed Oct 04 16:27:40 PDT 2017

It’s National Taco Day and we’ve got the perfect drink to go with dinner! Just because Summer is officially over doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy watermelon, and as far as we’re concerned, margaritas are always in season. The unique flavor of Radiate – our cold-pressed watermelon juice featuring fermented lemongrass, pairs perfectly with silver […]

How to Rock a Summer Road Trip

by Tisha Simpkins @ Webber Naturals

Tue Jul 11 15:16:46 PDT 2017

When I moved to Canada from the UK, the idea of a summer road trip got turned on its head. Being that you could drive for a day, barely make it halfway across a province, and not see a grocery store or watering hole for several hours, a shift in geographical mindset was required. I […]

The post How to Rock a Summer Road Trip appeared first on Webber Naturals.

Can Cultured Foods Hurt Me?

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jun 18 23:00:01 PDT 2016

I get a lot of people writing me letters indicating that they are afraid they are going to get sick from eating cultured foods. They don’t understand cultured foods and how they work; preconceived ideas and the media have created fear, a lot of fear. I get a lot of letters about one particular story […]

Probiotic Mocktails! Kefir, Kombucha, and More!

by Maci @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jun 04 23:00:07 PDT 2016

A recent study, published in the journal PNAS, suggested that bacteria in the gut may play a role in alcohol addiction and the risk of relapsing after rehab. The study was done on 60 alcohol-dependent individuals. They tested their intestinal bacteria composition and found that 26 out of the 60 alcohol-dependent subjects suffered from leaky gut syndrome […]

3 Reasons Yogurt Isn’t Enough for Good Gut Health

by Rebecca @ UP4 Probiotics

Mon Aug 31 10:39:18 PDT 2015

By now you’ve heard all about how adding probiotics to your diet can be very beneficial to your health. And you’re absolutely right! Unfortunately, when most people think probiotics, they think yogurt. We get it, yogurt is delicious and can be a healthy snack, but it should not be your only go-to product when seeking […]

The post 3 Reasons Yogurt Isn’t Enough for Good Gut Health appeared first on UP4 Probiotics.

The Probiotic Superstar in Cultured Veggies 🍆🍠🌶🥒

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jun 03 20:00:55 PDT 2017

Be grateful, ferment your vegetables, love others. I have been getting a lot of letters asking if you can ferment vegetables with water kefir or kombucha. You can ferment vegetables with these two different cultures, but the vegetables tend to get mushy and don’t last very long. You will get different bacteria and you will […]

Easy Recipe for Corned Beef and Cabbage

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Sun Nov 05 01:00:44 PDT 2017

If you are American, it is likely that you associate St. Patrick’s Day with corned beef and cabbage dinners. For many Americans, this tradition...

Serotonin and the amygdala

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Tue Feb 06 07:46:19 PST 2018

everyone seen this study by now
http://www.uu.se/en/news-media/news/article/?id=4918&typ=

from the article
"In the new study, it was discovered that participants with social phobia produced too much serotonin in a part of the brain’s fear center, known as the amygdala. The more serotonin produced, the more anxious the patients were in social situations."



My belief is I have this problem. Overactive serotonin receptors which leads to an overactive amygdala thus more fear.

Are there any drugs that can help me? I have tried serotonin antagonists in order to reduce the activity but they dont work. The only drugs that has worked (kind of worked) for me has been Memantine and tianeptine .
apparantly memantine reduces amygdala activity and tianeptine has some actions on the amygdala and reduces serotonin. Now I was thinking of taking the two together.. Are there any better ways to deal with this issue?

What are the Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power?

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Tue Nov 21 00:00:28 PST 2017

While we may not technically be in the midst of an energy crisis, we are still at a crucial time in history where we...

LongeCity Small Grants

by @ LongeCity - Articles

Sat Jun 09 07:14:53 PDT 2012

With the support of our Members and advertisers LongeCity is able to offer a limited number of small grants and financial prizes. 


The following types of projects can be supported:  

10 Ways to Use Your Over-Fermented Kombucha!

by Maci @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Feb 25 20:00:04 PST 2017

Kombucha is a wonder drink. This fermented tea has been around for centuries and is legend in many countries such as China, Russia, and Korea. There are even stories that Genghis Khan drank it often and gave it to the men in his armies.  It can become a part of your life very quickly and […]

Write for LongeCity

by @ LongeCity - Articles

Tue Jan 08 11:39:43 PST 2013

There are 4 ways of writing for LongeCity:

(1) Commissioned topics 
800-1500 word (ca. 2-3 pages) articles on any of the topics listed below. 
As long as the topic is listed, it remains open for submissions.
Authors are invited to submit a finished manuscript directly to caliban@longecity.org. Responses can be expected with 14 days after submission. 
Editors may require certain alterations for style, quality or based on peer-reviewed references, but publication is guaranteed for commissioned articles if the article meets a basic quality threshold.

(2) Submit an exposé for a new topic
You can send us a 200 word article outline, accompanied with a few lines about yourself. If accepted, you will be invited to submit a full article. 
Please use the contact form. 

Reward per published article: $180 (a premium may be awarded for particularly well-researched articles)

(3) Write a blog or (4) write on the forum
You can either start a blog at LongeCity or easily synchronise a blog that you maintain elsewhere. If your blog is consistently of interest and of good quality, you will automatically be awarded ‘Thank You’ points which can be redeemed for vouchers at online stores such as amazon. We might also ask you to do a regular column.
Thank you points also accrue to forum posts, as readers 'like' your posts. 

All articles and other written contribution are subject to the general LongeCity User agreement. In short authors keep full copyright of the article, but grant a free perpetual and worldwide license to LongeCity for non-commercial use. 

Inhibition of Wnt Signaling as a Treatment for Osteoarthritis

by @ LongeCityNews

Tue Feb 13 03:30:00 PST 2018

Researchers here find that inhibition of Wnt signaling can improve the state of cartilage and joint function in a mouse model of osteoathritis. Wnt and its closely related proteins are a complex topic, but the short version is that they are involved in the regulation of growth, regeneration, and embryonic development. They are also significant in cancer, as well as in other, less dramatic ways in which regeneration can run wild or fail, producing fibrosis and functional problems rather than a useful restoration of tissue. Numerous research groups are investigating ways in which Wnt signaling can be adjusted to produce beneficial effects such as enhanced healing, or a reduction in function damage to tissues following injury. This is a representative example.

Wnt family proteins are a class of morphogens associated with embryonic skeletal formation, tissue repair, fibrosis, and joint homeostasis. Wnts regulate multiple signaling cascades, including the β-catenin-dependent (canonical) pathway. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which is typically quiescent in many adult organs, is activated in response to injury. Its role in tissue repair and regeneration is complex and incompletely understood, although an increasing body of data suggests that its activation augments fibrotic repair. Our group recently published studies demonstrating that brief therapeutic Wnt inhibition following both full thickness cutaneous or ischemic cardiac injury resulted in improved regenerative repair with less fibrosis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease typically characterized by articular cartilage degeneration, bone remodeling, and osteophytosis as well as fibrosis and hyperplasia of the synovial membrane. In OA pathogenesis, activation of canonical Wnt signaling is observed in both articular cartilage and synovium following injury, with increased expression of both Wnt ligands and target genes. Induced overexpression of β-catenin within mature chondrocytes has been shown to exacerbate cartilage degeneration, chondrocyte hypertrophy, and expression of matrix proteases. However, significant or complete ablation of β-catenin in chondrocytes also results in the deleterious effect of chondrocyte apoptosis. Moreover, increased canonical Wnt expression in the synovium resulted in strong induction of cartilage pathology. Although the sum of the published data using genetic modulation of Wnt suggests deleterious effects of Wnt on OA pathogenesis, there is little known about the therapeutic effect of inhibiting the Wnt pathway within the context of disease.

Multiple Wnt inhibitory therapeutics are being investigated at various stages of clinical development due to Wnt pathway activation, not only in fibrotic diseases, but also cancers. We sought to study Wnt signaling and the effect of local therapeutic Wnt inhibition in a murine model of traumatic OA caused by destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM). To assess the effect of Wnt inhibition on OA progression, we injected the small-molecule Wnt inhibitor, XAV-939, in the intra-articular space. We further studied the cell-specific effects of Wnt modulation in vitro using primary human synovial fibroblasts and chondrocytes in order to understand the cellular basis for the disease-modifying effects.

Our study demonstrated that traumatic joint injury through DMM surgery induced robust activation of canonical Wnt signaling, most striking in the synovium, and this upregulation was downregulated with intermittent (every 10 days), local (intra-articular) treatment using a small-molecule Wnt inhibitor, resulting in amelioration of both synovitis and cartilage loss. An important advantage of identifying therapeutic benefits with local administration is avoiding systemic effects of Wnt inhibition on Wnt-dependent tissues, such as intestinal stem cell/intestinal turnover, hematopoiesis, and bone density. The use of small-molecule Wnt inhibitors bypasses the restrictions of genetic approaches by targeting the entire injury milieu, rather than a particular cell type, as is the case in genetic models. Additionally, since different cell types exhibit different levels of Wnt activation and sensitivity to Wnt inhibition, one can also fine-tune the degree and timing of Wnt inhibition using dosing strategies that are calibrated.

Link: https://doi.org/10.1172/jci.insight.96308

Vitamin B-12 and Your Gut

by Jason Hooper @ Fix Your Gut

Tue Dec 12 01:43:45 PST 2017

Cobalamin (vitamin B-12) is a fascinating nutrient with unique properties unlike anything else discovered. It is named for the cobalt molecule that is central in its molecular structure and provides an inorganic component which supplies and receives electrons. It is critical for animal life and algae, but

The post Vitamin B-12 and Your Gut appeared first on Fix Your Gut.

Retinol, Retinoids and Retin-A. The Work Horses of our Skin Cell System

by nayelle @ NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare – Formulated For Sensitive Skin

Thu Feb 09 21:00:05 PST 2017

Retinol, retinoids or retin-A are all forms of vitamin A. Research has shown that these vitamin A forms are the anti-aging work horses of our skin cell system. As we age, our skin elasticity decreases and cellular turnover increases, giving way for wrinkles to appear. Our love of sun tanning combined with the pollution in [...]

The post Retinol, Retinoids and Retin-A. The Work Horses of our Skin Cell System appeared first on NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare - Formulated For Sensitive Skin.

How do You Identify Poison Ivy?

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Fri Oct 27 03:00:30 PDT 2017

Introduction If you have ever had the terrible infection caused by poison ivy, you know how important it is to recognize this plant when...

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH UP4™ KIDS CUBES Probiotics

by Rebecca @ UP4 Probiotics

Fri Jul 29 11:26:49 PDT 2016

By Lynda Robbins, UP4™ Probiotics Education Specialist In many regions throughout the country, it’s still the middle of summer sizzle.  Most folks aren’t in the mood yet for back to school mania; however, it’s never too early to be taking action to strengthen kids’ immune systems in preparation for the onslaught of germs that tend to […]

The post BACK TO SCHOOL WITH UP4™ KIDS CUBES Probiotics appeared first on UP4 Probiotics.

Two New Summer Camp Trilogy Classes

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Wed Jun 22 19:24:03 PDT 2016

When? Saturday July 16th and August 20th We have two new classes coming up this summer. I hope you can make one of them and learn all about the Trilogy! Have you heard about the Trilogy? Kefir, kombucha, and cultured veggies are three foods that can change you life and your body. These are three of the […]

Tresemme Hair Care

by Heather @ I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household

Tue Feb 13 01:22:44 PST 2018

...

The post Tresemme Hair Care appeared first on I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household.

Probiotics for Joint Health

by Dr. Rasheed Huma @ MicroBiomePlus

Mon Nov 27 13:46:13 PST 2017

Overview Our joints can get painful merely from routine activities. Some of us are more unfortunate to develop serious inflammatory joint problems. A sedentary lifestyle is one of the greatest enemies of our joints. To make things worse, we consume a diet full of high fat and cholesterol, high sugar, and excess salt, which sows […]

The post Probiotics for Joint Health appeared first on MicroBiomePlus.

Quaker Oatmeal

by Heather @ I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household

Tue Feb 13 01:02:40 PST 2018

...

The post Quaker Oatmeal appeared first on I Love Savings | Coupons | Grocery | Health | Beauty | Household.

Probiotic Salads and Dressings

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat May 14 23:00:46 PDT 2016

Everybody knows we should eat more salads, but if you make probiotic salads you quadruple the benefits. The most powerful food combo you can have is prebiotics (food for bacteria) and probiotics (cultured foods) together in a meal. These salads will do just that. When you eat a probiotic salad, you’re getting billions of probiotics. […]

Healthy Cooking Oils: Best Uses and Benefits

by Tisha Simpkins @ Webber Naturals

Wed May 24 15:19:22 PDT 2017

With the abundance of cooking oils available, choosing the right one can be intimidating. The key to choosing healthy cooking oils lies in understanding that each one has its own specific culinary and nutritional benefits. This primer on cooking oils will explain the basics and arm you with the knowledge to choose the best oils for you […]

The post Healthy Cooking Oils: Best Uses and Benefits appeared first on Webber Naturals.

Kefir Ice Creams +10

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Sep 10 08:00:11 PDT 2016

I am pretty sure that owning a frozen ice cream machine has solved 90% of all my problems. I’m always looking for ways to enjoy my kefir, and kefir ice cream can be enjoyed anytime – even for breakfast! If you don’t have an ice cream maker that sits on the counter, you may want […]

Restlessness

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Fri Feb 09 14:17:49 PST 2018

Any ideas for restlessness? My problem is mainly sitting still when I am not able to distract myself with work, tv shows, video games etc. For a workaholic this problem might actually be helpful or a motivation in a way, but work as an addiction is not necessarily a good thing obviously.

The one thing that helped me with this was C60- it induces an inner optimism where I can sit around feeling that everything is okay. But I don't take it, because it seems too risky.

Any help is appreciated.

Sleep issues due to herbs

by @ Health

Tue Feb 13 07:38:29 PST 2018

Hi all,

Whenever I take maca or tribulus or mucuna pruniens or muira puama, even in very small dose. My sleep is completly disturbed.

Does anyone know the root cause of this? Excess dopamine or noradrelanine? How to conteract this?

Your toughts are welcome.

Senescent Cell Blog

by @ Health

Mon Feb 12 08:49:59 PST 2018

For some strange reason we do not have a section in bioscience for senescent cells as a major anti-aging target. So I am posting this here.

Someone linked this informative blog with a few articles explaining cellular senescence, its causes and possible treatments.

https://cellsen.wixsite.com/senescentcell

Healthy Cherry Chocolate Smoothie Recipe

by Lauren Bonsell @ Blog – Well.ca Blog

Wed Jan 31 07:00:30 PST 2018

Have a chocolate craving but want to stay away from processed sugar and sweets? We all know the feeling. That’s why we created this craving-busting and healthy cherry chocolate smoothie recipe! It’s creamy and has the same flavours you love in Black Forest cake – but...

The post Healthy Cherry Chocolate Smoothie Recipe appeared first on Well.ca Blog.

How to Get Rid of Chipmunks in Your Backyard

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Fri Oct 13 03:00:47 PDT 2017

Chipmunks may look cute and harmless, but they can wreak havoc on your backyard. They are burrowing animals and will disrupt roots underneath your...

Anyone Tried Probiotics To Prevent Gas?

by @ILoveLamp Rayan @ Anyone Tried Probiotics To Prevent Gas?

Mon Jun 30 11:00:28 PDT 2014

@ILoveLamp wrote:

I am on Soylent for 40+ days. The gas does not go away.

Mind you, I am having Soylent for 5-6 days a week, not 7 days a week.

I purchased probiotics a week ago. It has helped significantly. It does not eliminate it, but I would say a 90% decrease would be a reasonable estimate. I feel much, much better with the probiotics. I bought a generic off-the-counter from my local grocery store.

Read full topic

Featured on Healing Quest: Kiran Krishnan

by Chris @ Thrive Probiotic

Fri Jan 19 14:14:35 PST 2018

Check out Just Thrive Probiotic microbiologist Kiran Krishnan’s latest radio interview on Healing Quest radio! The Just Thrive segment starts 8 minutes in! CLICK HERE TO LISTEN >> http://bit.ly/2Dv2TEM

The post Featured on Healing Quest: Kiran Krishnan appeared first on Thrive Probiotic.

4 Key Tips for Choosing a Probiotic

by Rebecca @ UP4 Probiotics

Mon Jan 25 06:37:40 PST 2016

With so many probiotic supplements on the market today, it can be difficult navigating the sea of products to choose from. Luckily, we are here to help with our 4 key tips of what to look for when picking a probiotic supplement that is right for you.  1) CFUs Probiotics are measured in CFUs (Colony Forming […]

The post 4 Key Tips for Choosing a Probiotic appeared first on UP4 Probiotics.

VIDEO: Microbiologist Kiran Krishnan on Immune Health

by Chris @ Thrive Probiotic

Mon Feb 05 14:20:29 PST 2018

There’s a lot on the news about the flu and viruses going around, and it can be very scary. Here, Just Thrive microbiologist Kiran Krishnan talks about how and why taking spore probiotics can help enhance your immune health. Click the video below to watch now!  

The post VIDEO: Microbiologist Kiran Krishnan on Immune Health appeared first on Thrive Probiotic.

Sleep issues due to herbs

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Tue Feb 13 07:38:29 PST 2018

Hi all,

Whenever I take maca or tribulus or mucuna pruniens or muira puama, even in very small dose. My sleep is completly disturbed.

Does anyone know the root cause of this? Excess dopamine or noradrelanine? How to conteract this?

Your toughts are welcome.

3 Amazing Mexican Street Corn Recipes

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Tue Jan 16 00:00:28 PST 2018

There’s nothing quite like Mexican street corn; traditionally referred to by locals as Elotes. If you’ve never had a chance to try Mexican street...

Life Extension Pseudoscience and SENS Plan

by @ Action

Fri Jan 19 06:01:35 PST 2018

Life Extension Pseudoscience and the SENS Plan

Quote from the above document:

However, given the recent successes and highly emotional nature of life extension research, Aubrey de Grey is not the first, nor will he be the last, to promote a hopelessly insufficient but ably camouflaged pipe-dream to the hopeful many. With this in mind, we hope our list provides a general line of demarcation between increasingly sophisticated life extension pretense, and real science and engineering, so that we can focus honestly on the significant challenges before us.

May be when the mission, vision and goals of a company, or in this case a research foundation and public charity in financial distress, sound too good to be true the alarm bell should be ringing.

After 8 years since its foundation (2009) is there any available tested application/therapy coming out from SENS line of research?

Calorie Restriction Primer

by @ Articles - Articles

Fri Nov 18 13:03:14 PST 2011

by Sven Bulterijs & Paul McGlothin,

Often described as the only proven intervention that extends mean and maximal life-span in mammalian species, it is also a lifestyle choice for the committed immortalist. But why and how does it work? How to begin and what are the downsides?

These and other questions are dressed in a short feature by Paul McGlothin, Co-author of “The CR Way” and
in a voiced slideshow by Sven Bulterijs, LongeCity Director and student in biochemistry and biotechnology.


-- Articleon Calorie Restriction by Paul McGlothin (.pdf)

-- Lectureon Calorie Restrictionby Sven Bulterijs (.pptx)

tianeptinestore.com is S L O W and I'm A N N O Y E D

by @ Health

Mon Feb 12 15:53:50 PST 2018

I placed an order on tianeptinestore dot com on Feb 7. Got a notification saying they keep orders on hold until payment clears, ok fine. 

They emailed notification that package was SHIPPED via USPS on Saturday Feb 10 and gave tracking number. 

USPS tracking page says  "pre-shipment info sent to usps, usps awaiting item."  It's a small order but I wish I could cancel it.

Not the end of the world...I just felt like venting.

Cryonics Hardship Fund

by @ LongeCity - Articles

Fri Jul 18 16:26:34 PDT 2014

Cryonics is a method of ‘medical time travel’ - placing the body in biostasis after legal death with the hope that future technology will be invented which can revive the body. To most people who share LongeCity’s mission cryonics is the ‘second worst thing’ that can happen to you, but nonetheless a viable alternative to burial or creation.

Cryonics prices vary (an overview can be found on this page maintained by Cryonics expert and LongeCity Advisor Ben Best) but it is affordable to nearly everyone via life insurance… nearly everyone. A few people who really want cryonics cannot get life insurance: After an accident, LongeCity Member James Swayze found himself quadriplegic and unable to get insurance. The life of LongeCity Member William O’Rights took a turn for the worst when he was diagnosed with aggressive throat cancer after having been suddenly deprived of all funds. Kim Suozzi was 23 and had not yet heard about cryonics when she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Aaron Winborn heard of her case - and cryonics- only when the debilitating effects of Lou Gehrig's Disease had already begun to paralyse him. All these people were eventually offered a cryonics provision through the generous donations of others in our community.
We want to continue this proud tradition, looking out for those who share our common dream in unlimited lifespans, in the shadow of imminent death and despair.

However, this needs to be done carefully. It cannot be stressed enough that cryonics is affordable to most people if they only have the foresight to act early and arrange affordable life insurance. This element of personal responsibility is at the heart not just of cryonics. If we establish a hardship scheme, it must not create a moral hazard, and incentive to put things off as too unpleasant and complicated to think about until it is too late. Of course, we must also ward against fraud and abuse. An element of careful analysis and due diligence is therefore required, looking into the circumstances of each individual case.

The LongeCity cryonics hardship fund has two purposes:
1) To support a (volunteer based) infrastructure for maintaining the scheme and exercising the due diligence mentioned above
2) When a hardship case has been endorsed by LongeCity, we will use the hardship fund to help to fundraise for that individual by matching further donations. All these donations will go to a dedicated account for that person’s cryopreservation, never to the individual directly.

Applicants to our cryonics hardship fund must
- co-operate fully with LongeCity appointed auditors and reviewers
- genuinely be unable to not fully fund their cryosuspension and not have a reasonable chance of doing so prior to their likely death
- help to fundraise for their cause and help raise public awareness for cryonics

In the past, we have partnered with our friend in the Venturist community on cryonic hardship cases. We hoping to do so again on future occasions.



Click HERE to make a contribution to the fund

To apply email the full details of your case: contact@longecity.org

Best Way to Unclog a Drain

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Tue Sep 26 01:19:34 PDT 2017

Introduction If you are dealing with clogged drain issues, you have most certainly noticed that it can take a toll on your family. It...

Hello all. Looking for topics to improve myself from CKD

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Thu Feb 08 05:29:53 PST 2018

Hi Guys,

I have had igA nephropaty in the past and lost some kidney function. It seems that the igA issue is under control and kidney function is stable now, but I am looking for some alternative to make my kidney function(Creatinine 2.14) better.

Thank you,

Cassio

Physis Advanced Probiotics

by Paul C @ Probiotics – Clever Guts

Sat Nov 04 02:37:03 PDT 2017

The post Physis Advanced Probiotics appeared first on Clever Guts.

The Foods That Made Me Change My Life

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sun Nov 13 21:00:58 PST 2016

A lot of suffering in this world comes from the fear of discomfort. In my own personal life, pain has come to teach me things and get me to change. I resisted it, fought it, and finally changed when I could do nothing else. When it came in a health crisis in 2001 and I […]

The Milk Test

by Rebecca @ UP4 Probiotics

Fri Jan 06 11:09:48 PST 2017

THE MILK TEST By Lynda Robbins, Education Specialist For those of you who are inclined to do science experiments in your kitchen, I applaud your curiosity and your desire to venture into the art of discovery. As my children made their way through elementary school, my kitchen often became a science lab where all manner […]

The post The Milk Test appeared first on UP4 Probiotics.

Cryonics

by @ Articles - Articles

Tue Feb 21 13:06:47 PST 2012

The following is a quick overview on Cryonics.

NB: The information below is periodically reviewed for accuracy, but LongeCity makes no representations or gives any warranties whatsoever that the following information is accurate and complete at any point in time. LongeCity accepts no responsibility or liability for information contained on this page. The discussion of cryonics service providers and services in no way entails any endorsement on part of LongeCity. The lead author of this page, its editors and other contributors from time to time may be affiliated with one of the service providers mentioned below. Without qualification to the foregoing disclaimers, LongeCity strives to present the following information in an objective and balanced manner. If you feel that information on this page is inaccurate or imbalanced please contact the LongeCity Support Email.

INDEX

• Cryonics Overview
• Existing Cryonics Organizations
• Cryonics Services Offered
• Sizes of the Organizations
• Whole Body/Neuro Options
• Cryopreservation and Yearly Fees
• Human Cryopreservation Procedures
• Funding Cryonics by Insurance

Cryonics is based on the idea that future medicine will have capabilities well beyond those of current medicine, including the ability to cure all diseases, rejuvenate and repair damage incurred in the cryopreservation process — through the use of nanotechnology and other technologies. Cryonics can be an ambulance or time capsule to future medicine which can allow us to live many thousands of years or longer in youth and good health. Stored at very low temperatures there will be very little molecular motion in cryonics patients for tens of thousands of years, although most of us do not believe that we will have to wait anywhere near so long for future medicine.

Although cryonics patients must be legally dead before cryonics procedures to reduce or eliminate ischemic damage and ice formation can be applied, cryonicists do not believe that cryonics patients are dead in an ultimate sense. Nearly all the cells of the body are alive for quite some time after the heart stops — including neurons. A standby team can be used to minimize the time between pronouncement of death and cooling, cardiopulmonary support, etc. Cryonicists believe that the anatomical basis of mind can survive much longer than six minutes after stoppage of the heart in the absence of cooling — despite the inability of current medicine to revive patients without neurological damage after more than six minutes of cardiac arrest. (See Quantifying Ischemic Damage for Cryonics Rescue for more details.)

Existing Cryonics Organizations

For most of cryonics history (which began in the mid-1960s), all of the cryonics organizations offering cryonics services have been in the United States. In 2005 a cryonics organization was created in Russia (just northwest of Moscow) and there are plans for another cryonics organization in Australia to offer perfusion and storage of cryonics patients within a few years. LongeCity does not endorse any particular cryonics organization. The data below is taken from the cryonics organizations without LongeCity attempting to verify the accuracy of their claims or the extent of the services they claim to provide. If you are considering utilizing any of these organizations, you should conduct your own investigation.

Alcor Life Extension Foundation and the American Cryonics Society (ACS) are organized as 501©3 charitable organizations, whereas the Cryonics Institute (CI) is simply a non-profit corporation. Although Suspended Animation, Inc. (SA) is ostensibly a for-profit company, it is mainly engaged in research and development of cryonics capabilities financed by the principals of the Life Extension Foundation. By 2012 KrioRus had relocated to a facility closer to Moscow, but a newer facility is being built midway between Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Oregon Cryonics was incorporated in 2005, but accepted its first patient (a pet patient) in May, 2014. Jordan Sparks is the owner/operator, but he has plans for a Board of Directors or other mechanism to out-live him (to allow for the organization to continue).

Cryonics Services Offered

Not all cryonics services are offered by all cryonics organizations. Patient administration service is offered by cryonics organizations that sign-up Members who are to be cryopreserved upon legal death and maintain responsibility for those Members while they are Patient's in cryopreservation storage. Perfusion is the replacement of normal body fluid with cryoprotective solutions to reduce or prevent ice formation at cryogenic temperatures. Storage is the storage of a cryonics patient in liquid nitrogen. Standby/Stabilization/Transport (SST) involves standing by the bedside of a medically terminal patient destined to be cryopreserved, the application of a heart-lung resuscitator and ice-water cooling as soon as possible after declaration of death,and transport to a perfusion facility while tissues are still being stabilized at low temperature.

The following table represents the services which cryonics organizations say they provide.

All standby cases done for Alcor Foundation outside of Arizona, but inside the continental United States are handled by Suspended Animation, Inc (SA). Alcor does standby for Alcor Members who are terminal in Arizona, Hawaii, and Alaska as well as in Canada. SA does not provide SST services outside the continental United States for any organization.

The American Cryonics Society (ACS) states that it mainly contracts with Suspended Animation,Inc. (SA) for perfusion and standby/transport, and contracts with the Cryonics Institute (CI) for storage. ACS also states that it has equipment, contractors and volunteers which are available for use in perfusion and standby in California should the need arise, although this is far less sophisticated and formal than what SA provides. ACS creates and manages individual charitable trusts for its patients. ACS regards these trusts as an important feature of the benefit gained by being an ACS Member.

Cryonics Institute (CI) Members who reside in the continental United States have the option of contracting directly with SA if they desire professional SST.In some cases volunteers or paid funeral directors have provided these services to CI Members. SA will keep records of CI Members who have arranged to have SA SST, but does not continue any administrative responsibility after the patient has been cryopreserved.

Trans Time is currently storing patients, but (despite what their website says) is not currently seeking new Members or Patients.

Sizes of the Organizations

There are various ways by which organization size could be measured, but for the purposes of this section size is represented by the number of Members in the organization, the number of patients currently being stored in liquid nitrogen and the number of full-time paid staff in the organization. The figures below are for April 2017, and are based on the statements of the organization in question.

The Membership statistics reported above are for living Members only. Both Alcor and CI patients are Members (except for the ACS patients at CI). The American Cryonics Society (ACS) has an organizational policy against publishing the number of Members it has in its organization. As of April 2017 the 20 ACS patients were all in storage at the Cryonics Institute (CI). ACS has had one part-time clerk to do office work and has otherwise relied on volunteers. Alcor has 9 full-time staff, 1 consultant, and 1 regular volunteer. The 151 patients in storage at CI includes 20 ACS patients. KrioRus has no Membership program, and the method of counting patients is odd — a few are not stored by KrioRus. KrioRus has 4 full-time and 3 part-time employees as well as numerous volunteers.

CI is a subcontractor for storage of 20 ACS patients. CI has three paid staff (two full-time and one part-time), a few contractors and many volunteers. Accounting is done by CI Treasurer Pat Heller (a CPA) with auditing by another CI Director. Trans Time does not report its Membership numbers. Suspended Animation (SA) is a subcontractor which provides Standby/Stabilization/Transport (SST) only to other cryonics organizations (ACS, Alcor and CI), so it has no Members or Patients — so the reporting of Members or Patients for SA is "Not Applicable" (N/A). SA makes extensive use of subcontractors when needed.

As of April 2017, CI reported 136 pets, Alcor reported 58 pets, KrioRus reported 21 pets, and Oregon Cryonics reported 2 pets in cryopreservation.

Alcor and CI member numbers are not directly comparable because the word "Member" has different meanings for the two organizations. Membership in CI provides the privilege of obtaining cryopreservation services: pet, DNA or human cryopreservation. Many join CI only to store DNA or pets or to support CI, including some Alcor Members. Some Alcor Members have even made arrangements to use CI as a "back-up". Alcor does not allow its Members to have Alcor as a "back-up". Prior to April, 2012, all Alcor Members had made arrangements (ie, funding and contracts in place) for human cryopreservation and SST, but in April 2012 the Associate Alcor Member program was introduced. Associate Alcor Members do not have any cryopreservation arrangements with Alcor.

ForApril 2017, Alcor reported 1,639 living Members, 1,132 of whom had made arrangements for human cryopreservation, and 357 of whom were Associate Members. Of the 1,384 CI Members in April 2017, 212 of those had made arrangements for both human cryopreservation and standby/stabilization/transport (all with SA). In September 2015, CI ceased reporting how many of it Members have funding and contracts for cryopreservation. Historically, less than half of CI Members have been funded (prior CI statistics). Since 2006, CI offers a 'partnership' arrangement for CI Members for SA SST.

As noted in the previous section, Trans Time is currently storing patients, but (despite what their website says) is not currently seeking new Members or Patients.

In 2011 and 2012 SA reorganized its staff to have more part-time employees and contractors, and for much of 2012 and 2013 SA was re-organizing to have facilities in both California and Florida.

Oregon Cryonics has an owner (Jordan Sparks) and four other full-time employees. OC has 9 Members, but is no longer accepting new Members..

Accounts of patient histories and membership growth can be found at:
--Cryonics Institute (CI) Patient Details
--Cryonics Institute (CI) Statistics Details
--Complete List of Alcor Cryopreservations
--Alcor Membership Statistics

Whole Body/Neuro Options

The term neuropreservation (or "neuro") generally refers to the practice of cryopreserving only the head rather than the whole body. A "neuro" is usually a whole head, not just the brain, but sometimes only the brain is cryopreserved. Keeping the whole head to preserve the brain is convenient for both perfusion and storage (the skull protects the brain). In some cases, however, "neuros" are brain-only. The following represent options various organizations say that they offer.

Alcor states that its Members have the option of having their whole body cryopreserved or only their head ("neuro") — with different fees applicable to each choice. In April 2017, Alcor reported having 93 neuro, 54 whole body, and 4 neuro+whole bodypatients, whereas KrioRus reported 25 neuro and 27 whole-body patients. Trans Time has one whole body and two brains.

All CI Members with human cryopreservation arrangments are "whole body". ACS states that it does not have a policy against neuropreservation, but as long as it only uses CI as its subcontract or for storage it cannot offer neuro-cryopreservation as an option. Suspended Animation (SA) is a subcontractor which provides Standby/Stabilization/Transport only to other cryonics organizations, not storage, so the question of storage options with SA is "Not Applicable" (N/A).

Oregon Cryonics only stores heads and brains. As of February, 2016 Oregon Cryonics was chemically preserving three human brains, and cryopreserving one dog brain.

Cryopreservation and Yearly Fees

Comparing fees for human cryopreservation and yearly Membership or Emergency Responsibility is difficult to summarize in table form because the policies, procedures and options between the cryonics organization are so different. A great deal of explanation is required. Note that the high prices for human cryopreservation are generally covered by life insurance policies. The following represent the fees that the following organizations state that they charge.

The prices given for the American Cryonics Society (ACS) are intended to reflect comparable service to what Alcor provides. In fact, ACS has a very wide menu of options and prices available, including reference to a "California Procedure" which is intended to be distinguished from the"Michigan Procedure" offered by the Cryonics Institute. The yearly fee for an ACS Member is $376 for the first four years and $300 per year thereafter. For details on ACS options and fees, see:www.americancryonics.org.

The Cryonics Institute (CI) charges $28,000 for perfusion and storage of a Lifetime Member and $35,000 for a Yearly Member. These prices do not include funeral director costs or shipment to CI for non-local cases. (When CI was begun it was imagined that every state would have at least one cryonics service provider.) The Lifetime CI Member has paid a one-time $1,250 fee and the Yearly CI Member has paid a $75 initiation fee and is paying a $120 yearly fee. Discounts for additional family members and underage family members apply only to Lifetime Memberships. For service more comparable to what Alcor provides — including Standby/Stabilization/Transport (SST) — a Lifetime Member pays $88,000 and a Yearly Member pays $95,000. For details on CI pricing see Membership andDetails Concerning SA Standby and Transport for CI Members.

For $49,000 KrioRus states that it offers Russians (Europeans?) the option of shipment and storage at the Cryonics Institute in the USA.

Oregon Cryonics charges $25,000 to cryopreserve a whole head, $18,000 for a brain with braincase, and $14,000 for a brain without the braincase. Oregon Cryonics will chemically preserve a brain for as little as $1,000 (see Oregon Cryonics Service Fees for details).

As noted in previous sections, Trans Time is currently storing patients, but (despite what their website says) is not currently seeking new Members or Patients.

Suspended Animation (SA) is a subcontractor which provides SST only to other cryonics organizations, not Membership or storage, so the question of these options with SA is "Not Applicable" (N/A).

Human Cryopreservation Procedures

Human cryopreservation procedures are much too complex to be summarized effectively here.

Alcor's procedures are summarized on a page of the Alcor website called Alcor Procedures. But is it also very helpful to read actual case reports of Alcor patients in the Cryopreservation Case Reports section of the Alcor website library.

CI has a summary of its procedures on its website calledGuide to Cryonics Procedures. CI procedures do not include Standby/Stabilization/Transport (SST), though CI will advise Members on obtaining assistance through local funeral directors. CI Members residing in the continental United States who wish to obtain SST can do so by subcontracting with Suspended Animation, Inc. (SA).

Although the American Cryonics Society (ACS) has equipment and volunteers which could be used if necessary, ACS basically relies on SA for Standby/Transport and CI for Perfusion/Storage.The human cryopreservation procedures of Trans Time and KrioRus are not documented on their websites.

Funding Cryonics by Insurance
The cost of cryonics is many thousands of dollars, but most cryonicists cover these costs with life insurance policies that name a cryonics organization as beneficiary. Premiums of life insurance policies are most affordable for those who are young and healthy. It is not prudent to seek life insurance in old age or after a terminal illness (when life insurance may be unobtainable). Nor is it prudent to believe that cryonics arrangements can be made efficiently or successfully when in a terminal condition.

Rudi Hoffman sells the great majority of cryonics life insurance policies. It makes good sense to take advantage of Rudi's considerable expertise in matters of cryonics and life insurance. (A sincere and unpaid plug for Rudi.)

Lyric Hijacking - Neffex: Watch Me (LongeCity Version?)

by @ LONGECITY Community Blog List

Tue Oct 17 13:57:00 PDT 2017

This song has become a favorite, but I'm I'm a lyrical hijacker, so here's my version:

I never take doubt as a lesson
I never second guess it
Take negativity and reject it
I got my mind blind to rejection
So I'll be just fine don't be wasting any time with discretion

I run this campaign like I'm running an election
I pop this champagne like we're not in a recession
I feel no damn pain rejuvenation is a blessing
Feel it pumping through my veins got me feeling like I'm finessing yea

I'm in motion I'm obsessive
Like the ocean I'm relentless
No promotion still progressing
Overdosing on these lessons

And these words my only weapon
Cut aging deep oh yea I threaten
Feel the heat and all the tension
Feel relief from this whole session

And I keep myself progressing
Cuz I creep around suppressants
I don't sleep enough you guessed it
Every second is a blessing

Got no time to be depressed
On this grind your always stressed
So I work harder than the rest
Dad always said to do my best

I don't ever doubt myself
Can't count on pharma, or else
And I do not need their help
I was told to show not tell
So watch me

Man this beat got me aggressive
Got me on the straight offensive
You can't stop this trains direction
Cuz it runs on rejuvenation

Oh and did I fail to mention
That I need all your attention
Cuz we're failing in retention
Listen up or just forget it

I ain't here to spit perfection
I embrace my imperfections
I just want all that's neglected
To hear something they connect with

So I use my only method
All this words that I've invested
I don't hope that they're impressive
I just hope that they're effective

I swear to God if you want it then you got to get it
Cuz when your on your death bed you will regret it
You only got one life one shot don't let it
Slip away today get up and make a big change
Huh?
You decide your own future
A winner or a loser
A headline or a rumor
On the bench or a shooter?
Superstar or recruiter
Defense or prosecutor?
Just livin' a consumer or will you be a producer

If you think you have a dream go capture it
Go act a bit
Get off ya ass and take some action bitch
Start acting like you want this shit

Cuz passion ain't compassionate
Too many people want this shit
It's not enough your talented
You have to fuckin' grab at it

I'm sick of aging adequate
Another college graduate
Just looking for an advocate
To pack my urn and get paid for it

You want it? Take a stab at it
You need it then go after it
These people they don't matter kid
Just block them out and capture it

I don't ever doubt myself
I can count on no one else
And I do not need their help
I was told to show not tell
So watch me

The sped up nightcore/nightstep version sounds best, but could be faster:

Original:

Lyric Hijacking - Fall Out Boy: Immortals (LongeCity Version)

by @ LONGECITY Community Blog List

Tue Oct 17 13:58:00 PDT 2017

They say we are what we are
But we don’t have to be
I’m glad to hate you but I do it in the best way
I’ll be the watcher of the eternal flame
I’ll be the guard dog of all your forever dreams
I block the sand from the bottom half of the hourglass (Glass, glass)
I’ll try to picture me without you but I can’t
'Cause we could be immortals, immortals
It won't be long, be long
If we live forever then, pull the blackout curtains down
It won't be long, be long
We will be immor immortals, immor immortals
Immor immortals, immor immortals
Sometimes the only payoff for having any faith
Is when you test it again and again everyday
I’m still improving your model to get to my future
It's never over, they’re not the last sutures

I stop the sand from the bottom half of the hourglass (Glass, glass)
I’ll try to picture me without you but I can’t
'Cause we will be immortals, immortals
It won't be long, be long
If we live forever then, pull the blackout curtains down
Just not for long, for long
We will be immor immortals, immor immortals
(Immortals)
And if we live forever then, pull the blackout curtains down
We will be immortals, immortals
It won't be long, be long
We will be immor immortals, immor immortals
Immor immortals, immor immortals
Immortals

Episode 17: 12 Reasons You Should Drink Pickle Juice

by Chris Johnston @ Cultured Food Life

Tue Jan 23 05:00:54 PST 2018

Find out why the juice from pickles and fermented vegetables can change your gut for good! If you don’t like fermented vegetables then drink the juice, the benefits are huge! If you listen I will convince you, just you wait and see!

The Trilogy Class! – Santa Barbara

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Mon Jan 11 20:24:08 PST 2016

Sold OUT! Saturday, February 20th, 2016 Where: The Kitchen – located in the Santa Barbara, California Public Market   Have you heard about The Trilogy? Kefir, kombucha, and cultured veggies are three cultured probiotic foods that can change your life and your body. These are three of the most powerful superfoods you can eat and […]

The Seeds That Love Your Gut

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sun Aug 09 03:06:00 PDT 2015

For years I’ve been trying to find something to naturally thicken kefir without heating it and adding gelatin. I wanted to make it thick like pudding, and adding chia seeds seemed to work well; but there was a better answer and it was a probiotic’s best friend.  The prebiotic psyllium husk makes the good bacteria […]

The Cow Named Donna Moo

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Jul 04 21:40:15 PDT 2015

I have always had an obsession with cows and goats. I’m not quite clear why, but when twelve goats wound up in our front yard on the 4th of July one year, I begged to keep them. They had knocked their fence down after being scared off by fireworks and they came to the safest […]

Hi, there. new guy on the block

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Tue Feb 06 07:01:50 PST 2018

I'm 71 YO.  trying to out run mother nature with exercise, diet and enjoy it more with occasional use of mainly stimulatory, legal supplements.  I mainly use phenylpiracetam, piracetam, coffee.  I am a master's level psychologist (industrial/organizational by occupation).  Retired from that an now teach 5 Intro, Child psych classes at several 2 year colleges in southern New Jersey.

My fitness routine involves resistance work and sprinting.

Long Distance Hiking for Increased Health and Lifespan

by @ LongeCityNews

Sun Feb 11 18:27:24 PST 2018

Does walking 20 miles a day with a 1 to 2 thousand foot elevation gain for about 120 days in a row increase health and promote a longer lifespan?

All sorts of longevity studies suggest that this may be the case and my subjective personal experience tells me this is true, but I have no way to measure it.

If it were possible to physically measure the effects of a long distance hike it might become possible to identify ways to improve it and make it easier for others to enjoy these benefits – on and off the trail.

I would like to offer my upcoming 3^rd thru-hike of the 2,650 mile long Pacific Crest Trail for a legitimate researcher to study. Am open to some level of experimentation, mostly in improved diet, and possibly with life extension products.

Am 63 years old. In basically good health and physical fitness. Maintain a reasonably healthy diet. I am fully geared up, have the trip planned out and am able to finance it out of pocket. I am not looking for someone to subsidize the hike unless time or costs are increased beyond what my estimate of a normal hike would require.  

In the event that no researcher is interested, the following is a list of benefits which I associate with long distance hiking. Readers of this forum are encouraged to comment on it and add to it.

1) This sort of walking doubles and sometimes triples the demand for calories. Due to backpack weight restrictions, it is impossible to carry as much food as a hiker would like to have. As a result, hikers sort of starve their way to the next resupply point. Within a month this becomes a semi-permanent condition called hiker hunger. Is this a kind of calorie restricted diet?

2) Walking seems like the perfect form of exercise. At 20 miles a day plus elevation gain, does this produce an equivalent to the Jack LaLanne level of exercises he thought was needed for health and longevity?

3) Seems like all of the automatic functions such as digestion, blood circulation, perspiration, breathing and etc appear to operate better than normal all day long. While walking, it is also easy to monitor body functions and balance things out when needed, such as resting or drinking water or taking in nutrition or eliminating.

4) Being outdoors all day long in wide temperature and weather variations, surrounded by panoramic views, listening to nature sing, breathing freshly produced oxygen, drinking unadulterated water from the source and etc have long been known for its health benefits. What happens when this becomes the default norm over a 5 month period?

5) Seems like most stress comes from toxic people, life burning cultural situations and financial - political chaos. On the trail, its pretty much all gone. This alone would add years to anyone’s lifespan. How is this sort of thing measured?

6) The daily hike frequently becomes a kind of walking meditation. I particularly enjoy how the avalanche of accumulated experience almost automatically sorts itself out so that the truly important matters are then easier to think about. Is there a link between disorganized, undigested memories and physical brain degeneration? 

7) After a full day on the trail, hikers lay their exhausted, sore bodies down to get 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night and arise in the morning at very high levels of recovery. Sleeping directly on the ground appears to have the same effect that household earthing gear produces (duh). How to measure this?

8) Obviously there is more. Obviously each of these will have some positive benefit. But what is the effect of all of it together? Can these benefits be carried over from the trail into ‘real life’? (don't get me started) Can these benefits help non hikers?

What Say Ye?

Probiotic Foods and Cancer

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Nov 11 21:00:31 PST 2017

In 2010, I had just started my blog and Facebook page, and the second person to post on my page was a man named Chris asking me How to Make Kombucha. He was a friend of my older kids and what I didn’t know at the time was Chris had just been diagnosed with stage 3 […]

Episode 20: How To Keep Your Gut Healthy if You Have To take an Antibiotic

by Chris Johnston @ Cultured Food Life

Tue Feb 13 05:00:59 PST 2018

If you have to take antibiotics we have good news! Let me show you how to keep your healthy bacteria alive and thriving, even when you must take antibiotics. It’s really important that you help your good gut flora thrive. This can prevent you from ever needing to take antibiotics again.Your body knows how to […]

I Want to Get Cultured —Where Do I Start?

by Donna Schwenk @ Cultured Food Life

Sat Sep 16 20:00:54 PDT 2017

Do you want to change your life and feel better? Here’s the truth. I have tons of resources to help you. You can find everything you need on my site to get started, and that information is free. I have other resources that I sell to expand and help you grow, but everything you need […]

Mission Automotive Tow Hitch Tightener Product Review

by Gary Collins, MS @ Primal Power Method

Sun Mar 19 15:28:08 PDT 2017

Anyone has owned a tow hitch bike rack knows, they like to wobble around, usually driving you crazy. There is nothing worse than seeing your expensive bikes being continuously shaken, without you even riding them. I did all kinds of modifications to my last tow hitch bike rack just so it wouldn’t wobble as much.... Read more »

The post Mission Automotive Tow Hitch Tightener Product Review appeared first on Primal Power Method.

Lavender. Almost as good as Pregabalin

by @ ImmInst Active Topics

Fri Feb 09 05:41:57 PST 2018

I've been testing a few drops of  lavender essential oil for my sky-high levels of anxiety. This stuff is potent. I took 8 drops today, and it's almost as efficient as 100mg of pregabalin ( I've been taking up to 400 mg of pregabalin daily these last months for anxiety and insomnia ). Make sure it's for oral consumption , some essential oils are for use diluted on skin only. Mix the drops with something fat , or just take it in water . It did create some heartburn though, but I took a very high dosage.

I've also taken  Silexan ( an extract of lavender ) before. It's bloody expensive, and cheap lavender oil works just as well.

Interestingly, lavender essential oil seems to work the same way as pregabalin :

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23637742

 

 

Lavender oil-potent anxiolytic properties via modulating voltage dependent calcium channels.

Schuwald AM1, Nöldner M, Wilmes T, Klugbauer N, Leuner K, Müller WE.

Author information

 

Abstract

Recent clinical data support the clinical use of oral lavender oil in patients suffering from subsyndromal anxiety. We identified the molecular mechanism of action that will alter the perception of lavender oil as a nonspecific ingredient of aromatherapy to a potent anxiolytic inhibiting voltage dependent calcium channels (VOCCs) as highly selective drug target. In contrast to previous publications where exorbitant high concentrations were used, the effects of lavender oil in behavioral, biochemical, and electrophysiological experiments were investigated in physiological concentrations in the nanomolar range, which correlate to a single dosage of 80 mg/d in humans that was used in clinical trials. We show for the first time that lavender oil bears some similarities with the established anxiolytic pregabalin. Lavender oil inhibits VOCCs in synaptosomes, primary hippocampal neurons and stably overexpressing cell lines in the same range such as pregabalin. Interestingly, Silexan does not primarily bind to P/Q type calcium channels such as pregabalin and does not interact with the binding site of pregabalin, the α2δ subunit of VOCCs. Lavender oil reduces non-selectively the calcium influx through several different types of VOCCs such as the N-type, P/Q-type and T-type VOCCs. In the hippocampus, one brain region important for anxiety disorders, we show that inhibition by lavender oil is mainly mediated via N-type and P/Q-type VOCCs. Taken together, we provide a pharmacological and molecular rationale for the clinical use of the oral application of lavender oil in patients suffering from anxiety.

 

Anyone Tried Probiotics To Prevent Gas?

by @Muggle @ Anyone Tried Probiotics To Prevent Gas?

Mon Jun 30 11:29:30 PDT 2014

@Muggle wrote:

Yes but for diy only…So far it’s working perfectly, but I don’t know if it’s the probiotic or just the diy…need official soylent to test…

Read full topic

GRASS Principles to Select Your Skin Care

by nayelle @ NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare – Formulated For Sensitive Skin

Tue Jan 31 21:38:54 PST 2017

So what is GRASS? It is a simple method to remind you of what to look for on labels. Each letter stands for following ingredients: Growth Factors, Retinols, Antioxidants, Specialty Products and Sun Protection. It is no longer enough to just look for skin care that avoids ‘BAD” chemicals in their formulations. Your skin [...]

The post GRASS Principles to Select Your Skin Care appeared first on NAYELLE Probiotic Skincare - Formulated For Sensitive Skin.

What is the Average Lifespan of a Cat?

by Alisha Land @ ThoroughlyReviewed.com

Thu Dec 21 00:00:43 PST 2017

Are you thinking of getting a cat? Or perhaps you already own one and are wondering how long you can expect it to live....

Research funding 2013: Expression of interest s...

by @ Archive - Articles

Mon Aug 29 16:46:25 PDT 2011

LongeCity continues to support small-scale, high-impact life extension research with community crowdfunding.
(For a review of previous projects see here)

Projects should:
- aim to make a scientific contribution to the extension of the human lifespan
- be applied research or basic research with some potential for applied development
- present short updates for LongeCity Members with interim data, photos from the facility etc at agreed intervals
- be led or overseen by a person with a postgraduate qualification in the relevant field or by a person with demonstrable equivalent experience
- have a flexible project structure that can be adjusted according to the amount of money raised
- be small in scale - one or two key workers
- be short in duration - approx 6 months maximum
- not be confidential. LongeCity will expect open and public presentation and discussion of research results. However, confidentiality will be accepted where a manuscript or patent is in preparation.

In 2013, we are not just matching, but trebling donations
LongeCity will launch a call for donations. Every donation received will be trebled. Projects can have a total budget of $3.000- $21.000. (Hence needing to raise only $1.000-$7.000)

Interested applicants should send
- a project outline of no more than 1000 words written in lay language (can be supported by up to 10 literature references)
- a curriculum vitae of the project leader
to research@longecity.org


Deadline: July 1st 2013 (or until further notice).