In the last few years, mindfulness and meditation have grown in popularity due to their positive impact on stress management, disease treatment, and prevention. Mindfulness and meditation are part of an extensive group called contemplative techniques.

What are contemplative techniques?

Contemplative techniques are tools used to reach a state of relaxation and focus inspired by old traditions and religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, the Anahuac’s (America Continent), and Christianity, among others.

Other examples of contemplative techniques are gratitude practice, contemplative walking, silent retreat, Lectio Divina, Akido, contemplative prayer, and yoga, which are used by contemplative science to study first-person experiences.

What is contemplative science?

Contemplative science studies the subjective examination of the mind and its relationship with nature using tools (contemplative techniques) to cultivate attention, mindfulness, and introspection to observe consciousness states and mental functions.

This science aims to produce knowledge about subjective phenomena arriving from our five senses and from a hardly developed mental perception, which can be defined as the observation of first-person experience.

For instance, we can observe a flower with our sight, but we can use mental perception to visualize that flower in our minds even if we become blind. Therefore, the question is how contemplative methods or techniques help humanity improve health. So far, science has shown that these methods can support healing in two ways: prevention and recovery.

How are scientists using contemplative methods to help prevent diseases?

Tania Singer, a prominent social psychologist in Germany, has shown that contemplative methods, specifically focus meditation, love-kindness and compassion meditation, and perspective meditation (on self and others), reduced subjective stress reactivity. This stress reduction comes from cultivating awareness of thoughts and perspectives during contemplative training. Furthermore, she concludes that contemplative training can play a role in preventing diseases derived from daily stressors by changing standpoints and finding out what matters to each other in life.

How are scientists using contemplative methods to aid in the healing process?

Based on a small study, scientists from the University of Northern Arizona concluded that a three-week self-compassion meditation during pregnancy and postpartum significantly reduces body shame and dissatisfaction and boosts body appreciation and self-compassion in 71 women. This encouraging result shows that self-compassion meditation could become a valuable tool for improving mental health.

In addition, other studies have indicated the usefulness of contemplative techniques for the healing process of people suffering from diverse diseases such as acromegaly, asthma, heart failure, obesity, and many others. For instance, in a short review, researchers investigated how yoga (a contemplative method) aids obese people to not only lose weight but also reduce BMI, body fat, waist size, waist-to-hip ratio, lean body mass, bone mineral density and bone mineral content by practising an average of 3 to 4 sessions per week lasting each session 60 to 90 minutes.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the use of contemplative methods?

The advantage of contemplative methods is that they can get into the root causes of stress, anxiety, and disruptive behaviours when these tools are taught adequately. However, they do not provide quick solutions like antidepressants or anti-psychotropic drugs; on the contrary, they take longer to have an effect, but they can last for a lifetime when done correctly.

How can contemplative methods benefit you on a daily basis?

Contemplative technology has massive potential and could become a game changer in preventing and aiding people with chronic diseases. Furthermore, there are many benefits you can have by incorporating these techniques into your everyday routine:

• Becoming less reactive to daily stressors
• Knowing yourself
• Making better decisions to live a contempt and fulfilling life

Above all, contemplative methods can help you cultivate calmness, kindness, compassion and wisdom. Besides, they can allow you to see what life is about so you can live in harmony with nature, that is, with yourself and all your surroundings.

“When properly facilitated, psychedelic therapy can kindle the release of some of the most deeply entrenched negative affective states and thought processes, resulting in clinical recovery and positive growth” – Jennifer Mitchell, Ph.D. Neurology professor at UCSF

When did psychedelics emerge in history?

Indigenous people from Central America, Siberians and Egyptians have used mind-altering substances (psychedelics) to heal, celebrate and honour their gods dating back to 4000 BC. Moreover, ancient cultures depicted their psychedelics usage in artworks, showing that these practices were part of their rituals and culture.

Humphry Osmond, a British psychiatrist, coined the word psychedelics in 1950. In the 60s and the 70s, researchers and laypeople employed psychedelics for research and recreation. However, the UN drug convention placed psychedelics as Schedule I drugs in 1967, signifying that they could not be used for medical purposes because of their potentially addictive properties.

During the first quarter of the 21^st century, researchers conducted clinical trials to treat non-psychotic psychiatric disorders with psychedelics, particularly with psilocybin. Results suggested their efficacy and safety in controlled environments. Specifically, psilocybin decreased symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, and anxiety. Encouraged by these results, researchers have, in recent years, intensified their study of psychedelics to investigate their effects on mental conditions.

What are psychedelics?

Psychedelics are a class of compounds that induce profound changes in consciousness. The word is a combination of two Greek roots, psyche (soul, mind) and deloun (to manifest): “mind- manifesting.” Other names given by researchers to psychedelics are entheogens (“possessed by god”), empathogens (“empathy-generating”), entactogens (“touching within”), hallucinogens and finally, psychoplastogen. The last term highlights the drugs’ function in brain neuroplasticity.

What are the main categories of psychedelics?

Psychedelics are grouped into three categories based on their action mechanism and effects on the brain:

1. Classical or serotonergic psychedelics are divided into 3 classes based on their chemical structures:

These psychedelics interact with the serotonergic system.

2. Dissociative Anesthetics

Dissociative anaesthetics are chemical compounds with psychedelic-like effects and a dissociative-like state resembling the anaesthetic condition. Dissociation separates connected functions like consciousness, memory, emotions, and behaviour.

The two well-known dissociative compounds are esketamine, derived from ketamine, and ketamine, derived from PCP (phencyclidine, “angel dust”). Ketamine interacts with the serotonergic, opioidergic and endocannabinoid systems and voltage-gated sodium channels.

3. Empathogens-entactogens

Empathogens- entactogens are structurally related to psychedelic phenylethylamines. Examples are 3,4- methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDA) and 3,4- methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). These compounds do not cause a complete distortion of perception and consciousness compared with other psychedelics. They potentially affect fear extinction and memory reconsolidation.

How do psychedelics affect the human brain?

Psychedelics affect the human brain by promoting the structural and functional plasticity of synapses in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Plasticity of synapses or synaptic neuroplasticity refers to the ability to make long-lasting changes in the strength of neuronal connections.

Psychedelics enhance synaptic neuroplasticity by mainly binding to the serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor, which is highly expressed in the brain, and the affinity to this receptor strongly correlates with the hallucinogenic effects. Furthermore, psychedelics bind to other receptors, such as 5-HT1A, 5-HT2 and dopamine receptors. On the other hand, ketamine produces its effect by interacting with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and muscarinic receptors. Binding to these receptors mainly results in upregulating different pathways that impact cognition, perception, emotion, vision, and sense of body integrity.

What mental health conditions can psychedelics help to treat?

Psychedelics may help treat the symptoms of some mental health disorders and diseases in a controlled clinical environment. The following table presents the mental health conditions that researchers have treated with psychedelics in controlled settings:

What are the cons and side effects of psychedelics?

Psychedelics consumed in clinical settings seem to be nonaddictive with mild side effects. The mild side effects include headaches, nausea, vomiting (especially when using ayahuasca or psilocybin), increase in blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature.

Also, in controlled clinical settings, psychedelics produce hallucinations, a sense of unity and transcendence, mystical experiences, feelings of bliss and boundlessness, dissociation, derealization, revelations, and re-experiencing of traumatic memories. Therefore, a trained therapist guides the patient through the entire experiment: before, during and after the psychedelic drug administration.

On the other hand, consuming psychedelics in uncontrolled settings can have physiological and psychological fatal consequences, including suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, and exacerbation of psychiatric conditions (schizophrenia, bipolar disorders, and anxiety). 

Can psychedelics be prescribed in a medical setting?

It depends on the geographical location and the mental condition to treat. For instance, in Australia, psychiatrists can prescribe psychedelic therapies only under the approval of the Authorised Prescriber Scheme by the Therapeutic Goods Administration TGA following the support of the Human Research Ethics Committee.

In Mexico, the situation is different. Many psychedelics, such as Psylocibin, can be used for traditional and spiritual practices since our native people used them to connect with our gods. Other substances, such as Ketamine, are prescribed only in a medical setting.

Furthermore, Canada has included psilocybin and MDMA in its Special Access Programme (SAP), where healthcare professionals can request these psychedelics to treat severe or life-threatening conditions in cases where other treatments have failed or are not available in Canada.

In the EU, esketamine and ketamine are approved treatments for depression, whereas, in the US, only esketamine can be used.

The main obstacles to prescribing therapeutic psychedelics in other parts of the world are research methodology because placebo can be identified from psychedelic treatment by patients and clinicians during blinding trials; the lack of safety data on drug-drug interactions and pharmacological properties; and the UN classification of psychedelic substances as schedule 1 drugs.

Despite all these obstacles, a researcher in the field of psychedelics for over two decades at John Hopkins, Roland Griffiths, Ph.D. , is confident that psychedelics treatment can be a life-changing event for people with mental health conditions, as he stated in an interview for the John Hopkins magazine:

“It’s curious, almost to the point of being unbelievable, that a single kind of (psilocybin) intervention might be efficacious across these widely disparate medical conditions (referring to alcohol and cigarette addiction, depression, anxiety, and anorexia). It’s fascinating and unprecedented within psychiatric treatment with medications. How could that be? And the answer is that there’s a meta-story going on here about a change in sense of self and worldview—the ability to let go of old narratives or old beliefs and opening oneself up to alternative ways of thinking and being.”

Learn why the living microorganisms inside your body are so crucial for keeping you healthy and how you can take care of them so they can take care of you.

What is the microbiota?

The living microorganisms (bacteria, archaea, viruses, protozoa, and fungi) inside your body sharing the same space (niche) are called microbiota. The microbiota is present in different parts of the human body. Most of the microbiota is composed of bacteria. Scientists have calculated that the ratio of human cells and bacteria cells in our body is approximately 1:1. If we were to weigh the bacteria cells, they would weigh around 200 grams.

What is the function of the microbiota?

The microbiota performs different functions in the body:

Your microbiota can become imbalance (decrease its harmonious relation with your body) due to at least three main events:

• Increase in “bad” bacteria such as Clostridium spp.
• Decrease in “good” bacteria such as Lactobacillus spp.
• Appearance of harmful bacteria coming from the environment, such as in food or water, for example, Salmonella

An imbalanced microbiota can lead to diseases when not treated properly.

What diseases are related to an imbalanced microbiota?

Researchers have found that some chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer and diabetes mellitus, are related to an imbalanced microbiota. 

When your microbiota is imbalanced, an increase in certain bacteria like Proteobacteria can contribute to hypertension and inflammation, leading to cardiovascular diseases. Proteobacteria possesses a toxic molecule called Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an important factor in the pro-inflammatory effects observed in the onset of cardiovascular diseases.

Moreover, modern research has shown that Helicobacter Pylori infection is a risk factor for gastric cancer. Also, other bacteria like Fusobacterium nucleatum, Chlamydia trachomatis and mycoplasmas have been associated with colorectal, cervical and prostate cancer.

If you have an imbalanced microbiota, you are more susceptible to developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The fact that prediabetics have a decrease in “good bacteria,” such as Akkermansia muciniphila, can indicate that the microbiota is a crucial player in developing T2DM. Moreover, people with T2DM have an abundance of pathogenic bacteria, such as Clostridium symbiosum, whereas, in healthy people, those species are reduced or non-existent.

Furthermore, mildly imbalanced microbiota can upset digestive function, resulting in abdominal pain, flatulence, diarrhea, constipation, and brain fog, among other symptoms.  

How can you treat a mildly imbalanced microbiota?

Mildly imbalanced microbiota can be treated with probiotics and fermented foods or beverages. The most used probiotics are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium; they resolve gastrointestinal problems like abdominal pain, flatulence, and diarrhea and improve stool consistency. You can also find these probiotics in health stores. Just be careful with the quality of probiotics you are taking; therefore, you should talk to your health practitioner before taking probiotics.

Fermented foods or beverages are produced through controlled microbial growth and contain probiotic microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria. The most common are kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, tempeh, natto, miso, kimchi and sourdough bread. They possess several health benefits. For instance, a clinical study showed that kefir aids with lactose malabsorption and Helicobacter pylori eradication. Other potential benefits of fermented foods and beverages include their antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, and reduced severity of irritable bowel syndrome.

Also, you can treat an imbalanced microbiota with antibiotics for a more serious condition such as an infection. They are the standard way to eliminate pathogenic bacteria; however, when they do not target a specific bacterium, they can kill the microbes that allow us to be healthy (symbiotic microbes). Therefore, you can take probiotics to avoid the loss of good bacteria during antibiotic treatment.

How can you keep a healthy gut microbiota?

Many physicians recommend the following to have a healthy gut microbiota:

• Eat garlic, onions, seaweed, fruits (bananas), vegetables (leeks, asparagus), beans and whole grains like oats, wheat, and barley. These foods are sources of prebiotics (food consumed by your microbiota). It would be best to slowly increase your intake of these foods to avoid increased flatulence and bloating. Also, if you have any gastrointestinal problems, you should eat small amounts of these foods to assess tolerance; with time, you can start increasing the amount with fewer side effects.
• Eat foods like kefir, yogurt, pickled vegetables, tempeh, kombucha tea, kimchi, miso and sauerkraut.
• Exercise according to your age and health status
• Have good social and family relationships
• Relax, breathe, and tame your mind

Your microbiota protects, heals and nurtures you; therefore, take care of your beneficial microbes, and they will do the same for you – giving rise to a harmonious and healthy body.

Until next month, stay plant!

Researchers have estimated that more than 80% of chronic diseases could be prevented by following healthy lifestyle recommendations, such as physical activity, restorative sleep and stress management tools.

What is a chronic disease?

A chronic disease is one that endures longer than a year, requires medical attention and limits daily living activities.

The most common chronic diseases are:

• Cardiovascular diseases (coronary artery disease, heart disease, arrhythmias)
• Cancer
• Diabetes mellitus
• Respiratory diseases
• Mental diseases (Alzheimer’s disease, dementia)
• Chronic digestive diseases
• Chronic kidney diseases

These diseases account for 74% of all deaths globally. They are also known as non-communicable diseases. A non-communicable disease is not caused by a pathogen leading to infection; therefore, lifestyle changes can prevent them.

What are the risk factors leading to the development of chronic diseases?

The common factors for the development of chronic diseases are:

• Tobacco use
• Harmful use of alcohol
• Physical inactivity
• Unhealthy diets

Luckily, a healthy lifestyle can modify these factors. Moreover, lifestyle medicine can help you to reach a healthy state.

What is lifestyle medicine?

Lifestyle medicine is a medical specialty using lifestyle interventions as the primary modality to treat chronic conditions. It applies the six pillars:

• A whole-food plant-predominant eating pattern known as a plant-based diet
• Physical activity
• Restorative sleep
• Stress management
• Avoidance of risky substances (alcohol)
• Positive social connections.

Researchers and medical doctors have investigated the impact of the six pillars on the deadliest chronic diseases. Evidence is overwhelming regarding the effect of lifestyle pillars on preventing these diseases, especially using a plant-based diet eating pattern and physical activity as interventions.

Can a plant-based diet prevent chronic diseases?

A plant-based diet is an eating regimen where vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains, and seeds are predominantly eaten with little or no consumption of any meat and animal-derived products. Many studies suggest that a plant-based diet is critical for preventing chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

Based on scientific data, the European Society of Cardiology has suggested that a diet low in saturated fat, focusing on whole grain products, vegetables, fruits, and fish, can prevent cardiovascular diseases. Moreover, a systematic review of 85 research articles shows that a plant-based diet improves the circulatory system health by:

• Stabilizing blood pressure
• Increasing insulin sensitivity
• Reducing fasting glucose
• Stimulating lipid metabolism

Furthermore, preliminary results suggest that this eating pattern can stabilize and even reverse type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

What is the relation between the reduction of meat and cancer?

Decreasing meat and processed meat consumption may help to reduce the risk of developing different types of cancer. A meta-analysis with 148 publications revealed that consuming 100 g per day of red meat was associated with:

• 11% higher risk of breast cancer
• 14% higher risk of colorectal cancer
• 17% higher risk of colon cancer
• 26% higher risk of rectal cancer
• 29% higher risk of lung cancer

Furthermore, each 50 g per day of processed meat intake was associated with:

• 16% higher risk of colorectal cancer
• 17% higher risk of colon cancer
• 8% higher risk of renal cell cancer

What does a healthy pattern of eating contain?

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, plant-based diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate and can prevent some chronic diseases when done properly.

A prominent registered dietitian and nutritionist, Brenda Davis, suggest that an optimal diet should minimize the risk of disease, treat existing disease and meet nutritional requirements. Therefore, this guideline can help you to achieve optimal health.

Consult a nutritionist before making a drastic change in your eating habits.

Apart from adopting a plant-based diet, adding physical activity to your life is essential.

Can physical activity prevent chronic diseases?

Different meta-analyses indicate that muscle–strengthening exercise can prevent/treat sarcopenia and maintain physical function. Furthermore, it enhances skeletal muscle mass/strength and bone mineral density.

Besides, cross-sectional studies (from large samples – 10k to 1.7 million adults) included in the meta-analysis show that performing aerobic and strengthening exercises (according to the guidelines below) reduces the prevalence of:

• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Cardiovascular disease
• Arthritis
• Chronic pulmonary disease
• Asthma
• Depression/depressive symptom severity
• Obesity
• High blood glucose (hyperglycemia)
• Lipids imbalance (dyslipidemia)

Other studies reveal that those who exercised (meeting the recommended guidelines) had a decrease of 15 to 20% in the risk of breast cancer and a reduction of colorectal cancer by 24%. In another review, studying gastric cancer, people who exercised lowered their risk by 19%.

Physical activity has many more benefits, which come with specific types of exercise, duration, and intensity.

What are the recommendations for physical activity depending on age?

The WHO recommends the following types and intensities of exercises for different age groups:

If you have a chronic disease, consult your health professional before starting any physical activity. If you want to start exercising, you should start slowly until you reach the recommended amount of physical activity.

Suppose you adopt a whole-food plant-predominant eating pattern and a physical activity routine. In that case, you reduce the risks of developing chronic diseases, stop disease progression and, in some cases, even revert chronic diseases.

This lifetime investment will make your life more enjoyable, and make you feel more contempt and attune with your whole being.

Do you know that Paul McCartney was asleep when he composed Yesterday? Or that Dmitri Mendeleev saw the periodic table while in a sleep stage?

Sleep plays a role in creativity and problem-solving. Furthermore, sleep is essential for cognition, especially memory, learning and human development. Sleep is not a waste of your life; it is life and vital for our well-being.

Why is sleep crucial for a wholesome living?

Research has shown that sleep strengthens motor skills, and being sleep deprived has a negative effect on learning and memory. Memories are consolidated during sleep. The active system consolidation theory explains one possible mechanism of how the consolidation of memories occurs in our brain.

The active system consolidation theory proposes a two-step process for memory formation where the information is stored in the hippocampus (temporary storage). Then it is redistributed to the neocortex (long-term storage) during the slow-wave-sleep (SWS) stage.

Besides reinforcing motor skills, memory consolidation and learning, sleep positively correlates with weight maintenance and weight loss, immune response and a balance gut microbiota in which the different sleep stages participate in the observed beneficial effects. 

What are the different sleep stages?

Sleep is structured in two main stages: rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM (NREM).

NREM consists of three stages.

• Stage N1 is the transition between wake and sleep.
• Stage N2 is the light sleep.
• Stage N3 is the deep or slow wave sleep (SWS).

We have between one to eight cycles per night, beginning with NREM followed by REM. Each cycle lasts 90 minutes, including light sleep, SWS, REM, and then going back to NREM.

We spend most of our sleep in N2 and N3. These two stages play a part in memory consolidation. Conversely, REM sleep, which lasts about 10 minutes, is where you tend to have intense dreams. The number of complete cycles, NREM and REM, depends on your total sleep hours. 

How many hours do we need to sleep every day?

How much sleep you need depends on your age and varies from person to person. According to the National Sleep Foundation’s recommendations for healthy people with no sleep disturbances, the proper sleep duration for each age is as follows:

If the sleep duration is less or more than recommended, this could lead to poor sleep quality. 

What is sleep quality and what happens when we do not have enough of it?

Sleep quality encompasses a group of different qualities.

• Sleep efficiency is the ratio between total time asleep against total time in bed. A sleep efficiency of 85% or more indicates good sleep quality.
• Sleep durationis the total sleep time (see the previous section for the recommended hours for each life stage).
• Sleep latency (SL)is the time it takes to transition from the state of wakefulness to sleep; a sleep latency of 16 – 30 minutes is considered a good sleep quality, whereas an SL of 60 minutes or more is poor sleep quality. 

When you do not have good sleep quality, you might feel exhausted, tired, and not functioning well during the day, with an altered mood despite the morning coffee and excessive sleepiness, forgetfulness, irritability, inability to concentrate, and increased use of alcohol and sleep medications. In other words, poor sleep quality can lead to cognitive impairment. 

What are the leading causes of poor sleep quality?

Cognitive impairment due to poor sleep quality is driven by digital media usage at night. A study investigating the use of digital media at night by 15 – 20-year-old Finish adolescents found that watching movies or listening to music late at night was correlated with increased daytime tiredness, whereas the use of social media was related to poor sleep quality by going later to bed; thus, reducing sleep duration. 

Another study showed that young adults between 16 – 24-year-olds in Denmark who use digital media at bedtime have poor sleep quality, shorter sleep time and daytime tiredness.

Two mechanisms are involved in the observed sleep disturbances. One is the exposure to blue light at night that suppresses melatonin release in the evening, making it hard to fall asleep. The other mechanism is the production of a hyperarousal mental state caused by social media use at night, blocking the relaxation needed to fall asleep. 

Many other studies indicated that bright display usage before sleep decreases REM sleep, a crucial phase for adolescents’ brain recovery and development associated with the ability to learn new things. 

What can we do to have good sleep quality?

You can follow these tips to have a restoring and healthy sleep:

• Have enough sleep every night (according to your age)
• Sleep in a dark, quiet and cold sleep environment free from TV, cell phone and computer
• Avoid caffeine (coffee, colas, certain teas, chocolate) and nicotine since they are stimulants. Caffeine effects can take up to eight hours to wear off completely. 
• Avoid alcoholic beverages before bed. One drink may help you to relax, but heavy drinking keeps you in lighter sleep stages.
• Desist from late-night screen usage (do not use them at least one hour before going to bed)
• Abstain from eating large meals and beverages late at night because it can cause indigestion interfering with sleep.
• Adopt a consistent bedtime and wake-up time seven days a week (Yes, including WEEKENDS!)
• Exercise, but not late in the day (2 – 3 hours before bedtime) for at least 30 minutes on most days.
• Relax before bed by taking time to unwind. You can have a short meditation to relax or recall positive memories, feelings, or concepts.
• Take a hot bath before bed. Your body temperature drops after the hot bath allowing you to feel sleepy. Also, it can help you to relax.
• Expose yourself to sunlight. Daylight is crucial to regulate sleep patterns. Expose yourself to natural light for at least 30 minutes each day.

Sleep is crucial to have a sharp memory and as the sleep researcher Matthew Walker stated: “Sleep is the elixir of life. It is the most widely available and democratic powerful healthcare system I could ever possibly imagine.”

With that, my best wishes for you are to have a good sleep quality every night!

“Rather than searching for answers in a test tube or a petri dish (on how to live longer), I looked for them among populations that have achieved what we want—long, healthy lives and sharp brains until the end.” — Dan Buettner, Blue Zones expert and best-selling author

What is aging?

Aging is a physiological process that starts when we are born. It is characterized by a change in the physical composition or makeup of the person over time.

What are the factors contributing to an accelerated aging?

Accelerated aging occurs when the natural aging process is disturbed by increasing the aging mechanisms’ rate. Accelerated aging can reduce our life span (how long we live) and/or our health span (how long we remain healthy). Moreover, some external factors causing the accelerated aging are:

• Chronic stress
• Chronic inflammation
• Infections (HIV)
• Alcohol misuse
• Smoking, drugs
• Adverse events in childhood (prenatal exposure to maternal stress, repeated abuse experiences)
• Unhealthy diet
• Physical inactivity
• Poor sleep habits (leading to impaired sleep quality)
• Loneliness and isolation

These external factors accelerate aging by generating chronic inflammation, increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and malfunctioning mitochondria. They also alter cellular communication, the microbiota and protein production. 

Aging is inevitable, but we can experience this process more naturally and less painfully by being aware and adopting the pillars of healthy aging and a longer and happier life.

What are the pillars of healthy aging and a longer and happier life?

The pillars for healthy aging and a longer and happier life came about through a compilation of research performed by several groups, including the group of Giovanni Mario Pes (University of Sassari, Italy).

He located places where people live longer and studied their habits and lifestyles. Giovanni named these places Blue Zones. In Blue Zones, a higher density of people >90 years old live (referred to as centenarians) compared with the rest of the country. Some examples of Blue Zones are Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, Ikaria in Greece, and Nicoya in Costa Rica.

Giovanni and other scientists observed that inhabitants of Blue Zones possess specific characteristics that contribute to their living longer. They concluded that no magic bullet or habit is the sole cause of these people’s longevity; instead, it is a combination of habits and lifestyles, which differ from zone to zone, depending on their environment and culture. However, researchers identified shared characteristics of the 4 Blue Zones, known as common denominators:

Diet

The food consumed by the Blue Zones inhabitants is quite diverse. For instance, local foods such as sweet potatoes, kombu seaweed, and soybeans (tofu) are staples in Okinawa. Furthermore, calorie restriction, known to extend life span, is central to their eating routine. They eat until they are 80% full: Hara Hachi Bu.

In Ikaria, people mainly follow a Mediterranean diet rich in lettuce, green onions, chickpeas, lentils, and fresh fruit. They also consume tea from an endemic plant, Sideritis sipylea, known for its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and gastroprotective effects. Besides, over 87% of the people drink boiled Greek coffee, which correlates with endothelial function improvement.

On the other hand, in Sardinia, people consume animal foods such as cheese, meat, and pork fat. However, the staple foods are sourdough wheat bread and minestrone (vegetable soup with onions, fennel, carrots, and legumes). Furthermore, Sardinians drink red wine regularly during meals and coffee at least 3 to 5 times weekly.

In Nicoya, people eat predominantly plant-based foods, with meat and dairy products consumed moderately. Rice and black beans are the staple foods. Besides, they eat plenty of fruits such as mango and papaya and moderate amounts of tubers (potato, sweet pruned, and cassava).

The dietary patterns in the 4 Blue Zones are different; however, it is worth noting that a plant-based diet is predominant together with low to moderate consumption of animal products, coffee, and red wine.

Physical activity

Centenarians living in the 4 Blue Zones share an active lifestyle. Their active lifestyle consists of a continued natural movement during their day resulting from their daily activities that require them to move from one place to another to do yard work, take care of their animals (pastoral community), work the ground, and perform manual labour instead of using mechanical conveniences.

Good relationships and social connectedness

People from the Blue Zones emphasize the importance of building good family relations. They keep aging parents and grandparents nearby, commit to a life partner, and nourish their kids with quality time and love. Furthermore, centenarians are part of social circles that support healthy behaviours. For instance, in Okinawa, centenarians form “moais”, groups of friends that commit to each other for life.

Moreover, a nearly 80-year-long study revealed that even more than money or fame, close relationships help delay mental and physical decline and predict long and happy lives better than IQ or genes.

Purpose and spiritual connection

Centenarians in Blue Zones have a reason to wake up every day. For centenarians in Okinawa, it is “Ikigai,” and for the centenarians in Nicoya, it is “Plan de vida.” Moreover, most centenarians belong to some faith-based community, allowing them to cultivate inner freedom.

What can you do to age gracefully and live a longer, healthier, and happier life?

No single pill, supplement, or specific habit can make you live to your 90s or longer; instead, it is a combination of different factors. Furthermore, centenarians from Blue Zones and the extended study showed us the lifestyles and habits that increase our probability of living a longer, healthier, and happier life:

• Eating a plant-based diet predominantly. You can enjoy some red wine, beer, and coffee in moderation during your day. Try to keep your consumption of animal products to a minimum.
• Calorie restriction. Reducing the amount of food consumed daily can make you lose weight and extend your health and life span. Let Hara Hachi Bu (eat until you are 80% full) be your mantra when eating your meals.
• Move naturally. You do not need to go to a gym or run a marathon to move (unless you want to); instead, you can organize your life to include physical activity such as walking (into nature is better), doing manual work that requires you to lift some weight, and climbing stairs. Besides, from time to time, add some sparks of a fast walk/run or heavier weightlifting to feel your heart speed up.
• Build and cultivate harmonious relationships. Build good relations with your relatives (when possible) and choose wisely your partner and friends. Spending quality time (no mobile phones around) with your kids, partner, relatives, and friends would be best. Treat them the way you would like them to treat you. You can create or join a community that resonates with your values and be open to listening to other people’s opinions without judging.
• Discover your purpose. What makes you wake up every day and live life today? What moves you to act in the right direction? How can you be of service to others? Remember, it is not always about you; sometimes, it is about the other.

To live a longer, healthier, and happier life is a lifetime investment, and you can start where you are. Time is in your favour, and with the given tools, you can mould your future by acting here in the present. But above all, enjoy the unique opportunity to live this life with Earth.

“A habit is something that you do often and regularly, sometimes without knowing that you are doing it.” Cambridge Dictionary

I decided to adopt a habit that allowed me to be healthy, do yoga, travel, and jog for many years. With this idea in mind, I knew that lifestyle changes increase my probability of being in reasonable physical, mental, and emotional states, which are all interconnected.

Since 2018, I have mostly eaten plant-based food. I was a marathon runner, and as I wrote in one of my entries, I realized that too much of something “good” such as running; can have detrimental consequences. Both changes, stopping running long distances and adopting a plant-based diet, were the initial points for building the core of my morning habit.

To create my morning habit, first, I did a self-analysis. I knew that after work, I felt tired, and I could not do cardio workouts such as running or strength such as lifting weights. Therefore, I thought the morning would be ideal for getting my training done.

Then, I tested different waking hours and sleeping times. Until I found the time to wake up where I could read before my workout, then shower and prepare a nourishing breakfast. I also found out that I need at least 7.5 hours of sleep.

After figuring out the time of the day to exercise and my waking up and sleeping times, I adjusted my workout. Now, it consists of 4 days of an easy run. After the run, I do strength exercises. On the other days, I walk for 40 minutes and do yoga. 

In summary, my morning habit consists of waking up early, reading for 1 hour, working out for 1 h 20 min, taking a shower, eating breakfast, and getting to work. In building this habit, I learned three important lessons:

1. Focusing on the process rather than the goal
2. Making a habit requires time and experimentation
3. Avoiding temptation rather than resisting it

In the end, improving one aspect of yourself positively impacts your whole being. So, I encourage you to start thinking about the person you would like to become and find strategies to get there.

“Success is the product of daily habits and not once in a lifetime transformation.” – James Clear.

Until next time,

Stay plant

Climate change has been a hot topic in the news for the last years and more during the previous month. The conference of parties 26 (COP26) took place during the first two weeks in November, where representatives of 196 countries, including world leaders, scientists, activists, gathered in Glasgow, UK.

The objective of these annual COPs is to monitor and review the implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change signed in 1992 by 154 nations and territories referred to as Parties. 

However, mitigating global warming is not solely the responsibility of political leaders; each of us living on Earth shares the duty to take care of and heal our living environment. 

How can you contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions?

Three years ago, I bought a book called SOS, simple actions that make a difference. In this book, the author describes what we can do to reduce climate change at an individual level, for example:

– Travel locally, reuse hotel towels, and eat local cuisine. If you want to go abroad, you can plan to do it every other year rather than every year; besides, you save money.

– Use your car as little as possible or get an electric or hybrid car. 

– Choose public transport, bicycles, or another way to commute other than your car.

– Eat mostly an all plant based-food diet

– Eat fish and plants instead of poultry and red meat

– Choose seasonal/local food over food that has been transported by air or has been grown in greenhouses

– Keep perishable foods in a visible place to encourage you to eat them on time

– Store fruits and vegetables in the fridge when possible so they last longer

– Live close to work if possible

– Get renewable energy such as solar panels in your house

– Own a smaller home or share your living space

– Air dry your clothes

– Switch to efficient lightbulbs like LEDs

– Engage in climate advocacy by joining an organization

What are the nations’ commitments towards mitigating global warming?

Besides our efforts, nations around the world are also implementing changes to curb global warming. The Parties achieved two crucial milestones in COP15 and COP21 held in Copenhagen and Paris, respectively. In Copenhagen, the Parties set a goal of limiting warming to 2 °C above pre-industrial temperatures. In Paris, for the first time, the Parties signed the first international climate agreement in which they agreed to stay between 1.5- 2 °C above pre-industrial levels.

How will nations achieve the goal of limiting warming by 2 °C?

Parties discussed that to achieve the goal; global emissions need to hit net zero by 2050 to limit warming by 2 °C above pre-industrial levels (pre-industrial refers to any time before the industrial revolution). 

To hit net zero means that all carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases produced by a country are entirely absorbed via natural solutions or technology. For instance, carbon removal can occur via forest restoration (natural solution) or direct air capture and storage (DACS) technology. Furthermore, limiting warming to 1.5 – 2 °C depends on how fast the highest emitters (USA, China, EU&UK, India, and Russia) reach net-zero emissions.

How many degrees are we above the pre-industrial temperature now?

We are 1.1 °C above the pre-industrial level. We see the consequences already, such as ice melting, heat waves, and intense storms affecting poor people worldwide more often. 

What should happen to achieve the goal of limiting warming to 1.5 – 2 °C by 2050?

– Supplying 70-85% of electricity by renewable energies such as solar and wind

– Improving efficiency of food production

– Modification of dietary habits

– Stopping deforestation

– Restoring lands

Finally, I am hopeful that by working together, we can save not only our lovely Planet Earth but, together with it, ourselves.

“If we cannot stop, the course of our destruction will just continue.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Being active since childhood

I have been physically active since I was a little girl. I took ballet lessons when I was in kindergarten. In elementary school, I played basketball, and I was the varsity team’s captain for six years.

I stopped playing basketball as an undergrad because I did not have time to attend the training sessions; however, I needed some physical activity to release my stress. I chose jogging because of time flexibility and the lack of special equipment and teammates. 

During my graduate studies, I began to run every day around 8-12 kilometers. I bought books and watched videos to improve my running technique and trained for my first half-marathon, which I did and felt good. Then, at the end of my Ph.D., I ran my first full marathon in less than four hours, which was a significant accomplishment. To prepare for the full marathon, I trained almost every day. I woke up around 5 am, ran on the running track, then showered, had breakfast, and began my day in the research lab.

As a postdoc, I continue running. The goal was to reduce the time of the full marathon to 3 hours 30 minutes. The challenge was even more difficult since I moved to a place with cold winters compared to South California. I trained when it was raining, snowing, or in very high temperatures. In the end, I reached my goal and finished the marathon in 3 hours and 30 minutes after running one marathon before (in total, I ran three marathons). However, it brought detrimental consequences to my physical, mental, and emotional being.

Reaching the limit

Running became an obsession. Even when I was injured, I ran. For example, I hurt my left knee, and it was swollen; and still, I ran. Moreover, I had a problem with my foot, and it got worst while running my fourth marathon; therefore, I ran only 15 kilometers because the pain was unbearable. After that, I stopped running for 15 days, and I was feeling depressed and anxious. 

Apart from the physical injuries, I had hormonal imbalances. The origin was factorial, but mainly due to the training for the marathons. I know this because my hormones’ levels were slowly going back to normal as I stopped training. 

With the physical and emotional states that I reached, I decided to stop the training and start the healing. 

Cultivating a healthy living

Now, I jog four times a week, my pace is 6 minutes per kilometer, and I practice yoga and breathing meditation to reduce my stress and anxiety. From my time as a marathon runner, I learned valuable lessons:

To listen to my body. My body was telling me to slow down with all the injuries and the hormonal imbalance. So, I paid attention to these cues, and I did slow down. 

To manage an addictive behavior. I was addicted to running, but now, it is a tool to be aware of my breathing and hang out with friends.

To find the middle way for my physical activity. Doing physical activity is good for the whole body; however, doing it at the extremes can be detrimental physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

Finally, I learned to treat my body with compassion and love. There are days that I am stressed and anxious, but slowing down allows me to see things from a different perspective and to let healing take place. The most important lesson was to pay attention to my breathing which enables me to be in the present moment and recognize that my body is a marvelous wonder.

Until next time,

Stay plant!

Women reaching menopause are at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s than their male counterparts. In addition, researchers have shown that older adults with low levels of estrogen are more susceptible to developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

What is estrogen?

Estrogen is a hormone known to function in sexual development and menstrual cycle regulation. It can also regulate lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, cardiovascular system, and the central nervous system in males and females. Estrogen exists in three forms; the most physiological relevant is estradiol (E2). Estradiol is the raw material used to synthesize estrone (E1) and estriol (E3).

Estrogen is produced in the ovaries but also the brain. The neurons can synthesize estradiol from cholesterol. Aromatase is an essential enzyme for synthesizing the hormone and is highly expressed in the hippocampus (the brain region associated with memory and learning). 

What is estrogen’s role in cognition?

Many studies have shown that estrogen plays a crucial role in cognition. For example, E2 promotes the production of new neurons in the hippocampus. The generation of new neurons in the hippocampus is linked with spatial learning and memory. Moreover, E2 increases the number of specific connections between neurons and their targets (other neurons or cells), allowing information flow, thus improving cognition.

How are estrogen and Alzheimer’s related?

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by two main events: the presence of Aβ-amyloid plaques (insoluble and nonfunctional protein) and the accumulation of tau protein in the space outside the cell. These two events happen years before the appearance of symptoms.

Many studies in vitro and in vivo – in mice and humans – suggest different pathways in which E2 might delay the progression of AD. One path consists of enhancing the production of soluble amyloid precursor protein (APP). This protein protects neurons against the detrimental effects of Aβ-amyloid plaques. 

Oxidative stress is a condition where antioxidants are low. This state contributes to neurodegeneration in AD and aged brains. To counteract the damage, E2 can induce the production of certain antioxidants such as nitric oxide synthase (NOS) to protect the brain against this type of stress. 

Can we use estrogen as a therapeutic tool?

The critical window hypothesis states a specific time when sex hormones can serve as therapy to treat cognitive symptoms. That period is during the menopausal transition when the levels of E2 are declining or shortly after. Studies in rodents and non-human primates support this hypothesis, in which mice received E2 treatment right after having their ovaries removed. As a result, female rodents showed an enhanced cognitive performance. 

Another potential therapeutic strategy is the use of phytoestrogens. Phytoestrogens are plant-based compounds that have a similar structure as E2. Isoflavones, a type of phytoestrogens, can mimic more the function of E2 in the body. In a meta-analysis study (a statistical combination of several studies), isoflavones could improve cognition in postmenopausal women. Also, isoflavones possess neuroprotective, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects, as shown in several animal models. Finally, in research done with an AD mice model, isoflavones can reduce Aβ and tau levels; thus, improving cognition.

Estrogen is more than a sex hormone! It regulates a myriad of processes in the body. For example, estrogen plays a crucial role in protecting from neurodegenerative diseases in the brain, especially in women during menopause. However, it is recommended to talk to your physician about hormonal therapy since some synthetic forms of estrogen are harmful and have the opposite effects as those mentioned here.

Reference

1. Li, Rena et al. “Brain sex matters: estrogen in cognition and Alzheimer’s disease.” Molecular and cellular endocrinology vol. 389,1-2 (2014): 13-21. doi:10.1016/j.mce.2013.12.018
2. Russell, Jason K et al. “The Role of Estrogen in Brain and Cognitive Aging.” Neurotherapeutics: the journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics vol. 16,3 (2019): 649-665. doi:10.1007/s13311-019-00766-9
3. Cheng, Yu-Jung et al. “From Menopause to Neurodegeneration-Molecular Basis and Potential Therapy.” International journal of molecular sciences vol. 22,16 8654. 11 Aug. 2021, doi:10.3390/ijms22168654