Advertise on podcast: Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,

Welcome to Season 5 of Growing Older Living Younger, and a new way of exploring what it means to grow older while continuing to live younger. In this solo episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch introduces a new themed format designed to move beyond individual topics and create a clearer pathway from information to action. Season 5 will explore healthy aging through three interconnected themes: Ageless Brain, Ageless Body and Ageless Living. Each series will look more deeply at one major dimension of healthy aging, bringing together different experts, perspectives and areas of science while asking a practical question: The central question is how can we turn the rapidly expanding science of healthy aging into practical choices that help us remain healthy, capable, engaged and independent throughout our lives?  The Three Season 5 Themes: Ageless Brain How can we give our brains the best possible environment in which to remain healthy, adaptable and engaged? The Ageless Brain series will explore memory and cognitive aging, dementia and potentially modifiable risk factors, cardiovascular and metabolic health, inflammation, nutrition and micronutrients, the gut-brain relationship, sleep, stress, social connection, hearing, vision, smell, exercise and neuroplasticity. It will also examine some of the rapidly expanding claims around supplements, biomarkers, brain-training programs, devices and longevity technologies—asking what is supported by meaningful evidence, what remains preliminary and what may simply be effective marketing.  Ageless Body: An ageless body is not a body that looks 25 at 75, 85 or 95. The more important question is how well does your body allow you to live? This series will explore muscle and sarcopenia, resistance training, protein, bone health and osteoporosis, balance, falls, joints, mobility, cardiovascular fitness, metabolic health, body composition, nutrition, energy, mitochondrial function, inflammation, immunity, recovery, vision, hearing and skin. The emphasis will be on maintaining function, strength, mobility, energy, resilience and the physical independence that allows us to participate fully in our own lives.  Ageless Living: Healthy aging is about more than preventing disease. It is about what we do with the life that our health makes possible. Ageless Living will explore purpose, relationships, friendship, family, community, resilience, retirement, lifelong learning, technology, independence, creativity, curiosity, play, travel, ambition and continuing to set meaningful goals.  Each Ageless Series will begin with an introductory episode from Dr. Gillian explaining why the subject matters and providing a framework for the conversations that follow. Approximately six to eight guest conversations will then explore different perspectives and areas of expertise.  Each guest episode will end with the speaker suggesting two practical elements that you can consider: One Immediate Action — something you could potentially begin today or this week. One Longer-Term Healthy Aging Objective — the larger goal that repeated actions can help you work toward over months and years. At the conclusion of each themed series, Dr. Gillian will return to connect the dots: Where did the experts agree? Where did they disagree? What surprised us? And, most importantly, what can we actually implement? The goal is not many new habits starting tomorrow morning. It may be two or three meaningful changes that you can make part of everyday life. Episode Timeline: 00:30 Welcome to Season 5 and why the podcast is changing 03:00 Introducing Ageless Brain, Ageless Body and Ageless Living 06:12 Ageless Brain: cognition, cardiovascular health, sleep, senses and neuroplasticity 11:29 Ageless Body: muscle, mobility, bones, metabolism, nutrition and independence 17:04 Why ambition should not have an expiry date 22:36 Moving from information to transformation 27:57 What "ageless" really means 29:32 Closing and medical disclaimer About your host: Dr. Gillian Lockitch is a physician, medical biochemist, professor emerita, researcher, author, international speaker, entrepreneur and host of Growing Older Living Younger. She translates the science of healthy aging into practical strategies designed to help people protect their brain, body and independence as they grow older. She is the author of Growing Older Living Younger: The Science of Aging Gracefully and the Art of Retiring Comfortably and an independent Brand Affiliate with Nu Skin, a global integrated beauty and wellness company. Her work in entrepreneurship complements her longstanding interest in healthy aging, wellness, lifelong learning and helping people take an active role in how they age.  Medical Disclaimer: Each episode is for education and entertainment only and does not offer medical advice. As a retired physician Dr. Lockitch does not diagnose, treat or prescribe for any medical conditions and suggests that you should consult your personal practitioner before making any therapeutic changes. Connect with Your Host: Website: https://www.askdrgill.com/ Email: [email protected] to schedule a conversation

oes an increase in forgetfulness or increasing "senior moments" imply developing dementia? One of the greatest fears associated with growing older is losing memory, cognitive ability and ultimately independence. But dementia is not a single disease, and not every change in memory or thinking represents irreversible neurodegeneration.  In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch welcomes Dr. Brad Montagne, a functional medicine practitioner, educator, author and host of the podcast Your Health Reclaimed.  Brad begins by describing a personal history of gastrointestinal illness, vertigo, food intolerances and other health problems beginning in childhood. He explains how his experiences led him toward functional medicine and an approach emphasizing extensive investigation of chronic health problems.  They discuss hydration, nutrition, medications, sleep disorders, thyroid disease, depression, infection, nutritional deficiencies, gut health and metabolic factors. Dr. Montagne also presents his functional-medicine perspective on food intolerances, toxicity, Lyme disease and alternative testing methods. In this spirited conversation, Dr. Gillian questions several broad claims during the conversation and emphasizes the need to distinguish established evidence from emerging hypotheses and unproven approaches. They agree on the essential message: new cognitive symptoms deserve investigation—not the assumption that they are simply an inevitable part of getting older.  Episode Timeline 00:30 — Is memory loss always irreversible dementia?  03:36 — Brad Montagne's background and personal journey through chronic illness  06:39 — Normal forgetfulness, mild cognitive impairment and dementia  07:04 — Hydration and Brad's perspective on cognitive symptoms  09:16 — Minerals, nutrition and dietary patterns  11:14 — Dr. Gillian's approach to individualized nutrition  13:10 — Food intolerance and Brad's approach to testing  14:40 — Conventional laboratory testing, muscle testing and bioenergetics  19:07 — Can dementia really be called "avoidable"?  19:31 — Lyme disease, neurological disease and claims requiring careful evaluation  24:40 — Reversible conditions that can mimic dementia  25:30 — Brad's approach to extensive functional testing  28:02 — Sudden versus gradual cognitive change  30:37 — The 2024 Lancet Commission and modifiable dementia risk  31:30 — How to evaluate expensive tests, programs and treatment claims  31:56 — Three questions Brad recommends asking a practitioner  32:54 — Why memory changes should not simply be dismissed as aging  34:39 — Protecting brain health and independence  Resources from Brad Montagne https://healthfullyu.com/ https://healthfullyu.com/lyme-book/ https://www.instagram.com/healthfullyu/ https://www.facebook.com/healthfullyu/ https://diet.healthfullyu.com/ Your Host, Dr. Gillian Lockitch website: askdrgill.com schedule your consult  The Growing Older Living Younger Community

Is it possible to eat nourishing whole foods without letting grocery costs overwhelm your budget? Grocery industry insider and author Carol Ann Kates joins Dr. Gillian Lockitch to share practical ways to plan meals, shop sales, select produce, understand labels, and store food so less goes to waste. Their conversation offers useful ideas for smaller households as well as families. Rising prices and confusing product claims can make a healthy grocery trip feel expensive and complicated. A thoughtful plan can help you bring home only food you will enjoy and use. For people who want to stay healthy and independent as they age, a sustainable eating routine has to work in everyday life. Carol Ann explains how planning around weekly specials, checking what is already in the pantry, and shopping with a list can protect both your food budget and your time.  Raised in her family's corner market, Carol Ann later helped run its supermarkets and wrote recipes for store advertisements. She is the author of "Grocery Shopping Secrets" and the award-winning cookbook "Secret Recipes from the Corner Market". She shares what that experience taught her about fresh ingredients and the real cost of convenience. Dr. Gillian and Carol Ann discuss frozen versus fresh vegetables, pre-cut produce, choosing avocados, prioritizing purchases when organic foods cost more, and interpreting food date labels. They also explore storage habits, batch cooking, and ways to make the same ingredients work across several meals. They recommend starting with one change before your next trip: plan the week's meals around what you already have in your kitchen and what you will actually eat. Episode Timeline: 00:30 — Why healthy food and grocery costs belong in the same conversation 04:34 — Carol Ann's family markets and the path to her books 10:50 — Meal planning around store specials 11:48 — Lists, impulse buys, coupons, and loyalty offers 14:06 — Pantry organization, food waste, and date labels 18:47 — Shopping for whole foods, frozen produce, and convenience costs 22:12 — Organic produce and the Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen discussion 26:07 — Grass-fed and free-range labels; where Carol Ann prioritizes spending 28:44 — Selecting avocados 29:59 — Produce storage and reducing spoilage 32:51 — Shopping and cooking for one or two 34:24 — One practical change before your next grocery trip Connect with Carol Ann Kates https://www.facebook.com/p/Carol-Ann-Kates-Kitchen https://www.carolannkates.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/carol-ann-kates https://www.instagram.com/carolannkates https://www.pinterest.com/CarolAnnKates/Pinterest https://x.com/CarolAnnKates Connect with Your Host, Dr. Gillian Lockitch Explore physician-led resources designed to help midlife and older women remain healthy, active, independent, and engaged in life. Website and podcast episodes: https://www.askdrgill.com Download the Growing Older Living Younger app For your personalized one-one-one lifestyle strategies conversation email me at [email protected] Join the Growing Older Living Younger Facebook Community

What if ingredients that can enrich a healthy lifestyle are already growing in your garden, waiting at the farmers' market, or sitting in your spice cupboard? Too often, eating for longevity is framed as a list of restrictions, a mindset that can drain pleasure from food and make healthy choices feel difficult to sustain. or healthy longevity, nourishment must be practical enough for daily life and enjoyable enough to continue.  Fresh ingredients, seasonal variety, herbs, plants, and mindful attention to what works for your own body can help make the kitchen a place of creativity rather than deprivation. Growing even one herb can also reconnect us with the source of our food and turn nurturing a plant into a small, restorative ritual.  In this episode, international culinary consultant, award-winning pastry chef, cookbook author, and former professional ballerina, Natasha MacAller joins Dr. Gillian to discuss her new book, The Apothecary Chef: Recipes with Beneficial Herbs & Plants for a Long and Healthy Life. She shows how everyday herbs, edible plants, fresh seasonal ingredients, and sensory pleasure can support a more nourishing approach to healthy longevity. She and Dr. Gillian Lockitch explore responsible food-based guidance, simple ways to begin—even from a condo windowsill—and the importance of curiosity, movement, resilience, and joy in aging youthfully.  Natasha explains how the book grew from her New Zealand garden, how its food and health statements were researched and reviewed, and how celebrated chefs around the world created recipes around carefully chosen "hero" ingredients.  You will learn how to begin with familiar alliums such as onions, garlic, shallots, and chives; how to use color, aroma, seasonality, and curiosity at the farmers' market; and why mistakes are part of becoming a confident cook. Natasha also recommends approachable recipes and combinations, including a sunshine citrus salad with lemon balm vinaigrette and simple avocado, tomato, pickled onion, and fresh-herb salads.  This reunion podcast is especially meaningful for Dr. Gillian, who first interviewed Natasha when Vanilla Table was published for her lifestyle website reviewfromthehouse.com . Their shared stories of dance, spinal injury, reinvention, and recovery bring a deeply personal dimension to a conversation about resilience—and remind us that creativity, curiosity, nourishing food, and joyful movement can continue to grow throughout life.  Episode Timeline: 00:00 — Welcome and the promise of beneficial plants, flavor, and healthy aging  06:12 — From Vanilla Table to The Apothecary Chef: Natasha's garden-inspired journey  14:18 — Responsible food-based guidance, research, and culinary medicine review  19:12 — Gut health, calm, immunity, longevity, resilience, and the book's chapter themes  21:03 — Where beginners can start: alliums, windowsill herbs, and familiar ingredients  23:52 — Why healthy longevity does not have to mean a restrictive diet  26:18 — Movement, spinal recovery, resilience, and finding physical joy  34:44 — One simple action to take today and easy recipes to try  39:24 — Final reflections: nourishment, creativity, curiosity, and lifelong resilience  Connect with Natasha MacAller The Apothecary Chef: https://www.dancingchef.net/cookbooks  https://www.octopusbooks.co.uk/titles/natasha-macaller/the-apothecary-chef/9781804192818/  Natasha's cookbooks: https://www.dancingchef.net/cookbooks  Vanilla Table, Spice Health Heroes, The Apothecary Chef: Recipes with Beneficial Herbs & Plants for a Long and Healthy Life  PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/  Disclosure: No affiliate relationship with Natasha MacAller or the book publisher is indicated. As always, this episode is educational and does not provide medical or nutritional treatment advice.  Connect with Your Host Dr. Gillian Lockitch  Explore physician-led resources designed to help midlife and older women remain healthy, active, independent, and engaged in life.  Website and podcast episodes: https://www.askdrgill.com For your personalized one-one-one lifestyle strategies conversation email me at [email protected] Call to Action  Download your Quick Guide to Medicinal and Culinary Mushrooms Subscribe to Growing Older Living Younger and leave a review to help more people discover practical, joyful ways to age youthfully—and share this episode with someone who would love to bring more flavor, color, and beneficial plants into their kitchen.

Could difficulty hearing conversations today affect your brain health, independence and quality of life in the years ahead? Hearing loss is often treated as a minor inconvenience of growing older, yet it can affect communication, relationships, social connection, confidence and independence. In this episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with hearing-health advocate and author Robert "Bob" Keefer, MD, about the association between hearing loss and cognitive decline, why so many people delay seeking help for hearing deficits and what questions to ask before choosing a hearing-care provider. Listeners will learn how hearing is assessed, why the fitting of a hearing aid matters, and how proactive hearing care may support brain health and healthy longevity. Dr. Gillian also shares her own experience of unequal hearing following a minor head injury, feeling she had no time to follow up, and her decision to arrange a new audiology assessment after this podcast. Bob Keefer,is a physician, hearing-health and Alzheimer's-prevention advocate, author and former founder of an audiology clinic. After discovering that many hearing-care professionals were not consistently using their profession's recommended fitting practices, he created a clinic centred on evidence-informed care. His books, Hear Better, Live Longer and The Alzheimer's Hearing Aid Paradox, explore the relationship between hearing, cognition and quality of life, as well as the importance of properly assessed and fitted hearing aids.  Episode Timeline: 00:11 — Welcome to Growing Older Living Younger  00:30 — Why hearing health matters for brain health and independence  04:31 — Bob Keefer's path from medical-product consulting to hearing-health advocacy  07:59 — Why millions of people delay hearing tests and hearing aids  11:19 — Dr. Gillian's personal experience with unequal hearing after a head injury  13:56 — When family members notice hearing loss first—and how to start the conversation  16:23 — Hearing loss, cognitive decline and dementia: what the research can and cannot show  24:02 — How better hearing may improve connection, confidence and quality of life  26:03 — Choosing a hearing-care provider and asking about real-ear measurement  27:50 — What to expect during hearing testing and hearing-aid fitting  30:54 — One practical action to take for hearing and brain health  32:22 — Closing thoughts and invitation to create your healthy-aging roadmap  Contact Robert C Keefer MD Website: https://www.hearbetterlivelonger.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drrobertkeefer Book information: https://www.hearbetterlivelonger.com/  Books: Hear Better, Live Longer by Dr. Robert Keefer  The Alzheimer's Hearing Aid Paradox by Dr. Robert Keefer  Contact Your Host: Dr. Gillian Lockitch Explore the Growing Older Living Younger approach to extending healthspan, protecting independence and aging youthfully.  Website: https://www.askdrgill.com/ Podcast page: https://www.askdrgill.com/podcast  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillianlockitch/  Subscribe to the Growing Older Living Younger Newsletter Message  Dr. Lockitch to schedule a one on one conversation about healthy longevity

Health care professionals emphasize optimizing cholesterol, blood sugar and hormone levels and from that assessing biological age. These measurements can provide useful information, but do they tell us whether the body is still resilient, adaptable and capable of recovering from illness, injury or stress? In this episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch and Dr. Sean Fletch explore the difference between moving a laboratory number into the desired range, and addressing the upstream conditions that caused it to change.  Dr. Fletch reframes healthspan as more than the number of years lived without disease. It is the functional capacity to meet life's demands, recover from disruption and continue doing the things that matter to you. Measures such as grip strength, gait speed, balance, cardiovascular recovery and the ability to get down to and rise from the floor may reveal changes in resilience that conventional blood tests can miss.  Drawing on more than 30 years of clinical, athletic-performance and rehabilitation experience, Dr. Fletch introduces his HealthSpan Framework. He describes the body as an orchestra rather than a machine: light, sleep, movement, nutrition, stress and recovery must work together, while circadian rhythm helps keep the entire system synchronized.  The conversation also examines fasting insulin, insulin resistance and continuous glucose monitoring; the limits of chasing individual biomarkers; and the growing enthusiasm for GLP-1 medications and peptides. Dr. Fletch explains why an intervention should be evaluated not only by whether it changes a number or symptom, but by whether it restores underlying biological capacity.  You will also hear how concussion rehabilitation has evolved, why appropriate graded rehabilitation matters, and how movement supplies essential sensory information to the brain. Dr. Fletch concludes with one deceptively simple practice: obtain outdoor light early in the day to help synchronize circadian biology and support the many systems involved in long-term health.  Episode Timeline: 00:00 — Why reassuring biomarkers may not reveal declining resilience  03:52 — How a college neck injury changed Dr. Fletch's career  07:48 — Biological resilience, health literacy and upstream signals  13:33 — Why biomarkers are a map—not the terrain  20:13 — The HealthSpan Framework and functional self-assessment  26:56 — Peptides, GLP-1 medications and the difference between regulation and resolution  29:56 — Concussion recovery, brain metabolism and movement  34:08 — The first practical step: reset your circadian clock with outdoor light  38:39 — Closing reflections and key takeaways   Connect with Sean Fletch Website: DrSeanFletch.com  Practice: BeyondSports.ca  LinkedIn: Dr. Sean Fletch  Book: HealthSpan: Redefined—Biological Principles for the Long Game of Health  Newsletter: The Long Game  Contact Your Host: Dr. Gillian Lockitch Explore the Growing Older Living Younger approach to extending healthspan, protecting independence and aging youthfully.  Website: https://www.askdrgill.com/ Podcast page: https://www.askdrgill.com/podcast  https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillianlockitch/  Subscribe to the Growing Older Living Younger Newsletter Message  Dr. Lockitch to schedule a one on one conversation about healthy longevity

What does a physician-scientist actually do each day to support her own healthy aging? This is a question Dr. Gillian Lockitch hears often. Her answer is not a prescription, a shopping list or a collection of fashionable biohacks. Healthy longevity is personal: our genetics, health histories, medications, priorities and goals differ, so the most useful routine is one designed for the individual. In this solo episode, Dr. Gillian organizes her approach around the seven pillars of healthy longevity described in her book, Growing Older, Living Younger. She explains how epigenetics offers a more hopeful way to think about aging, how food and movement send biological signals, why skin must be treated as an important organ, and how sleep, curiosity, purpose and relationships help protect health and independence. Dr. Gillian also shares her own daily routine—from nutrient-dense foods and time-restricted eating to walking, resistance and balance work, skincare practices and carefully selected supplements. She discusses mitochondrial support, CoQ10, collagen peptides, carotenoid antioxidants, nutrients for bone, joint and eye health, and support for autophagy. She emphasizes that supplements complement beneficial lifestyle habits such as healthy nutrition,  movement, sleep, stress management and where needed, medical care. Her own post-retirement health challenges—including emergency spinal surgery, myopic macular degeneration, and atrial fibrillation have made prevention, resilience and measurement deeply personal concepts. Blood pressure, laboratory testing, bone density, fitness and carotenoid scanning can provide useful feedback, but no single measurement tells the whole story. Her central thesis is simple: do not simply copy someone else's routine. Begin with the fundamentals of your lifestyle, work with healthcare professionals you trust, measure what matters, notice how your body responds, and remain willing to adapt as evidence and circumstances change. Noting that as a retired physician she does not treat or prescribe for medical diseases, she offers one on one conversations on constructing your own Roadmap for Growing Older Living Younger and extending healthspan not just lifespan. A plan for healthy longevity is not a fixed blueprint; it is a lifelong practice developed through curiosity, consistency and purposeful choice and she would love to work with you on your plan.  Episode Timeline 00:11 — Introduction: why Dr. Gillian is sharing her routine—but not prescribing it  03:10 — Pillar 1: Your genes are not your destiny and the promise of epigenetics  06:14 — Pillars 2 and 3: Food is information and movement is medicine  10:00 — Pillars 4 and 5: Caring for skin and nourishing the brain  15:00 — Inside Dr. Gillian's daily healthspan, nutrition and supplement routine  17:59 — Pillars 6 and 7: Lifelong learning, curiosity, connection and community  21:30 — How health challenges reshaped her approach to prevention and resilience  25:00 — Measure what matters: testing, carotenoid scanning and guiding principles  28:40 — Closing invitation: create your own healthy-longevity roadmap with Dr. Lockitch About Dr. Gillian Lockitch  Dr. Gillian Lockitch is a physician, medical biochemist, professor emerita, researcher, international speaker, author and host of the Growing Older Living Younger podcast. After retiring from academic medicine, she began a new chapter in entrepreneurship and healthy-longevity education. Through her book, podcast and Growing Older Living Younger programs, she helps people understand how lifestyle, epigenetics, measurement and purposeful action can support vitality and independence across the lifespan. Dr. Gillian Lockitch is an independent Nu Skin Brand Affiliate. You can join her team as an affiliate ( and build your own business), or a member to buy product or devices at member prices. She may earn a commission from qualifying product purchases. Products and devices mentioned in this podcast reflect her personal routine and are shared for educational purposes only. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease, and individual results may vary. She emphasizes  that supplements and skincare devices should complement—not replace appropriate nutrition, movement, sleep or healthcare professionals advice.  Call to Action  Your best healthy-longevity plan is the one designed with you for your lifestyle. Visit askdrgill.com or email [email protected] to begin a conversation about your personal Growing Older Living Younger Roadmap. Subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share this episode and the show link with someone ready to invest in extending their healthspan.  Website: www.askdrgill.com  Podcast: Growing Older Living Younger on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other platforms Join the evolving Growing Older Living Younger Community

Could retirement actually become the beginning of your most meaningful work? In this personal solo episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch shares how spinal surgery, ballroom dancing, entrepreneurship and podcasting transformed her understanding of healthy longevity. You'll discover why curiosity, consistency and a renewed sense of purpose can help you remain mentally sharp, physically engaged and excited about the future at any age.  For most of her professional life, Dr. Gillian Lockitch was a physician, medical biochemist, researcher, university professor and department head. She expected retirement to bring more travel, reading, dancing and time with her family—not a new career as an entrepreneur, author, podcast host and healthy longevity advocate. Her journey changed when severe spinal stenosis led to emergency surgery and a lengthy recovery. Faced with the challenge of regaining her strength, mobility and independence, Gillian began exploring healthy aging not simply as a scientist, but as someone personally determined to age differently. That shift in perspective became the foundation of Growing Older Living Younger. In this episode, Gillian describes how curiosity led her from exploring a Wellness Trade Show into entrepreneurship at 70. She explains how her scientific training shaped the way she evaluated wellness products and opportunities, why she remained committed to evidence, and how she discovered that people were looking for trusted guidance rather than another sales presentation.  She also shares the lessons she learned from ballroom dancing, building a business, adapting during the COVID-19 pandemic, writing a book and launching a podcast on her 76th birthday. Each new undertaking required her to become a beginner again, develop unfamiliar skills and learn that consistency is more important than occasional intensity.  Finally Gillian reflects on the setbacks and opportunities that have shaped her purpose. Her message is simple but powerful: your purpose has no expiry date, retirement does not have to mean withdrawal from action, and reinvention is possible for anyone who remains curious. Although we inherit our genetic blueprint, everyday lifestyle choices can affect how our genes are expressed—and ultimately  help us live gracefully as we grow older. Episode Timeline: 00:00 — Introduction: How did a physician and scientist become an entrepreneur at 70?  06:00 — Spinal stenosis, emergency surgery and the decision to reclaim an active life  08:15 — A visit to the Vancouver Wellness Show changes the direction of retirement  11:22 — Scientific skepticism, personal experimentation and the beginnings of entrepreneurship  16:19 — Becoming a beginner again and the lessons learned from ballroom dancing  19:05 — Adapting during COVID-19 and discovering the possibilities of podcasting  21:52 — Launching Growing Older Living Younger and finding a new mission  24:00 — Atrial fibrillation, patience and the lessons hidden within setbacks  26:53 — Purpose, legacy and the promise of epigenetics  30:15 — Why reinvention belongs to anyone who remains curious   Connect with Your Host: Dr. Gillian Lockitch Dr. Gillian Lockitch is an independent Nu Skin Brand Affiliate. You can join her team as an affiliate (and build your own business), or as a member to buy products or devices at member prices. She may earn a commission from qualifying product purchases. Any products and devices mentioned in this podcast reflect her personal routine and are shared for educational purposes only. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease, and individual results may vary. Dr. Lockitch emphasizes that supplements and skincare devices should complement not replace appropriate lifestyle habits — nutrition, movement, sleep  and others, nor healthcare professionals advice.  Call to Action  Your best healthy-longevity plan is the one designed with you for your lifestyle. Visit askdrgill.com or email [email protected] to begin a conversation about your personal Growing Older Living Younger Roadmap. Subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share this episode and the show link with someone ready to invest in extending their healthspan.  Website: www.askdrgill.com  Podcast: Growing Older Living Younger on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other platforms Join the evolving Growing Older Living Younger Community Email: [email protected] website: https://askdrgill.com To learn how to become an affiliate with the "World's Number 1 Home Beauty Device Brand" contact Dr. Lockitch at [email protected] or message her through The Growing Older Living Younger community.

What helps people stay active, strong, and independent as they age—luck, genetics, or habits built years earlier? In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with Carl Daikeler, co-founder and CEO of BODi, about why healthy longevity is rooted in consistency: regular movement, supportive nutrition, and the discipline to care for your body before a health crisis forces the issue. Carl shares his personal story of discovering a congenital heart block at age 59, receiving a pacemaker, and using that experience to deepen his commitment to healthspan optimization and aging youthfully. Listeners will come away with practical insight into how strength, cardiovascular fitness, and realistic daily routines can support metabolic health for longevity, preserve mobility, and help prevent age-related decline. Carl Daikeler is the Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of BODi, formerly Beachbody, a company that has helped shape the home fitness and wellness industry for nearly three decades. He is an entrepreneur and fitness innovator best known for making structured exercise and nutrition support accessible to millions of people through at-home programs and digital wellness platforms. Before founding BODi in 1998, Carl co-founded Tell America Media, where he created the breakthrough fitness program 8 Minute Abs. He later led the development of BODi's expansion into nutrition and proactive wellness, including the creation of Shakeology and a broader focus on long-term health rather than short-term appearance goals. His current work emphasizes sustainable fitness, metabolic health, mobility, and daily practices that support healthy aging and lifelong vitality. Beyond the wellness world, Carl is also a three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer.   Episode Timeline  00:00 – Welcome and introduction  02:03 – Why healthy aging begins long before old age: movement, consistency, and resilience  05:46 – Carl's origin story: from personal frustration in his 20s to creating 8 Minute Abs  07:06 – Building Beachbody/BODi: the Power 90 model and making home fitness practical  10:56 – Broadway, purpose, and Carl's unexpected heart diagnosis  12:04 – Discovering a congenital complete heart block and choosing a pacemaker  14:27 – From vanity fitness to longevity thinking: why exercise helps prevent lifestyle disease  15:32 – What Carl learned from watching aging and mobility loss in assisted living  17:00 – Dr. Gillian shares her own recovery journey after atrial fibrillation and ablation  18:34 – Medical vigilance, informed decision-making, and choosing high-quality care  20:21 – The foundations of healthspan optimization: movement, nutrition, connection, and lifestyle  21:35 – Whole food nutrition, supplementation, and why quality matters in wellness products  26:05 – Carl on formulation integrity, ingredient quality, and why cheaper is not always better  30:04 – Natural variability in whole-food products and what "nutrition insurance" means  34:05 – Carl's message for people who did not stay active earlier in life: start now  36:11 – The "comfort crisis," discipline, and how to protect mobility, strength, and independence  36:49 – Final thoughts and key takeaways  Connect with Carl Daikeler BODi / Beachbody:  Shakeology:  https://www.instagram.com/carldaikeler/  Connect with Dr. Gillian Lockitch at https://www.askdrgill.com/ or email: [email protected]  Subscribe to Growing Older Living Younger on your favorite podcast platform and leave a review to help others discover the show. Join the Growing Older Living Younger Community

What if the path to healthy longevity lies not in choosing between ancient healing traditions and modern science, but in learning how to integrate both? In this episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with Dr. Mao Shing Ni—38th-generation doctor of Chinese medicine, co-founder of Tao of Wellness, and author of Secrets of Longevity—about how Traditional Chinese Medicine can complement modern approaches to healthspan optimization. Dr. Mao explains the foundational principles of Chinese medicine, including balance, the five elemental systems, and the links between organ function, emotional health, stress, and aging. This conversation also explores why daily habits, Tai Chi, Qigong, meditation, and purposeful movement remain some of the most powerful healthy aging strategies for preserving vitality, resilience, and independence over time.  Dr. Mao Shing Ni is board certified in anti-aging medicine and trained in acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, Tai Chi, Qigong, and integrative East-West healing approaches. Dr. Mao is the author of more than 20 books, including Secrets of Longevity and Second Spring, and has spent decades translating traditional healing wisdom into practical modern health guidance. His work integrates Traditional Chinese Medicine with contemporary research in preventive health, resilience, and preventing age-related disease. A longtime advocate for aging youthfully, he focuses on helping people improve daily habits, restore balance, and build sustainable foundations for lifelong vitality. He is internationally recognized for bringing Taoist medicine, mind-body practice, and lifestyle medicine into the mainstream longevity conversation.  Episode Timeline  00:00 – Welcome, introduction, and why ancient wisdom still matters in modern longevity  04:05 – Dr. Mao's personal healing story and the family lineage that shaped his life's work  07:37 – The core principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine: yin and yang, balance, and the five elemental systems  13:11 – How Chinese medicine views the liver, lungs, gut, kidneys, stress, and emotional regulation  17:28 – Wearables, AI, and the intriguing intersection of modern health data with Chinese medicine principles  21:36 – Why Secrets of Longevity focuses on practical, habit-based actions rather than theory alone  24:08 – The fundamentals of longevity: sleep, movement, stress reduction, purpose, and healthy daily habits  28:02 – Tai Chi and Qigong as powerful mind-body tools for cardiovascular health, balance, bone strength, and brain health  30:21 – Ballroom dancing, movement diversity, coordination, and cognitive resilience  32:00 – Where longevity science is headed: regeneration, organ support, prevention, and extending healthspan  36:04 – Dr. Mao's final message: healthy longevity is built on habits, consistency, and personal responsibility  Connect with Guest  Tao of Wellness https://taoofwellness.com/  Yo San University https://yosan.edu/  Secrets of Longevity by Dr. Mao Shing Ni https://taoofwellness.com/product/secrets-of-longevity/  Second Spring by Dr. Mao Shing Ni https://taoofwellness.com/product/second-spring/  Connect with your host, Dr. Gillian Lockitch Connect with your host, Dr, Gillian Lockitch email: [email protected]  For a personalized one on one conversation about health aging strategies Website: www.askdrgill.com https://www.facebook.com/gillian.lockitch/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillianlockitch/

How does our immune system change as we age, and what role can vaccines play in supporting healthy longevity? In this informative episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch welcomes physician, healthcare executive, and medical writer Dr. Michael Myers for a thoughtful, evidence-based discussion about immunosenescence—the age-related decline of immune function—and its implications for healthy aging. Together they explore how vaccines work, why vaccine recommendations evolve throughout life, and the importance of understanding both the science and the uncertainties surrounding public health recommendations. Listeners will gain practical insights into immune health, healthspan optimization, brain health and aging, and informed healthcare decision-making. Dr. Michael Myers is a physician, healthcare executive, medical writer, and educator with more than 35 years of experience in clinical medicine, healthcare leadership, and public health. He trained at Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Medical School before pursuing a career in primary care medicine and physician leadership.He most recently served as Chief of Primary Care and Chief of Pediatrics for one of New Jersey's largest medical group practices. His work focuses on preventive medicine, vaccine education, public health communication, and helping patients understand complex medical science. He is the author of The Vaccine Bible: A Comprehensive, Commonsense Guide to What Keeps Us Safe from the Flu, Hepatitis Measles and More. In the Guide he explains how vaccines are developed, how they work, their safety, effectiveness, and the diseases they help prevent. Episode Timeline 00:00 – Welcome and why vaccines matter to healthy longevity 04:15 – Dr. Michael Myers' medical career and what inspired The Vaccine Bible 09:45 – Understanding the immune system: innate immunity, adaptive immunity, and immune memory 17:45 – Immunosenescence: how the immune system changes with age 23:30 – Individualizing vaccine recommendations throughout adulthood 30:25 – Vaccines most relevant for older adults, including influenza, pneumococcal disease, RSV, COVID-19, and shingles 32:30 – Emerging research linking shingles vaccination with reduced dementia risk 34:00 – COVID-19, children, public health messaging, and lessons learned from the pandemic 42:55 – Vaccine confidence, public trust, and addressing misinformation 52:20 – Autism research, vaccine myths, and current scientific understanding 55:35 – Dr. Myers' key message on vaccines, prevention, and healthy aging Connect with Dr. Michael Myers The Vaccine Bible—Amazon The Vaccine Bible—Bookshop.org The Vaccine Bible—Audiobook Dr. Myers' Website Connect with your host, Dr, Gillian Lockitch email: [email protected]  For a personalized one on one conversation about health aging strategies Website: www.askdrgill.com https://www.facebook.com/gillian.lockitch/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillianlockitch/

What role does muscle strength play in healthy aging, longevity, and independence? In this episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with Jeanne Phares about why maintaining and building muscle becomes increasingly important for women during and after menopause. Drawing on her personal experience as a leukemia survivor and decades of strength training, Jeanne explains the connections between muscle mass, metabolism, bone health, resilience, and recovery. Listeners will learn practical strategies for strength training, nutrition, and lifestyle habits that support vitality and healthspan at every age. Jeanne Phares is Founder of Sage Lifestyle Collective and creator of the Sage Strength Transformation Program. She is a Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Strength Trainer, and author specializing in women's health after 50. Prior to entering the health field, she enjoyed a successful career as a Certified Public Accountant and executive mentor. Her work focuses on strength training, nutrition, menopause education, and healthy aging for women. She helps women build muscle, improve metabolic health, and maintain independence throughout midlife and beyond. A leukemia survivor, she credits decades of strength training with helping her withstand intensive treatment and recovery.  Episode Timeline  00:00 – Welcome and introduction  03:00 – Why muscle strength predicts healthy aging and longevity  04:36 – Jeanne's journey from CPA to health and wellness coach  05:30 – Leukemia diagnosis and the role of physical resilience in recovery  09:30 – Stem cell transplant and rebuilding strength after illness  13:15 – Turning health challenges into opportunities for growth  15:46 – Common misconceptions about lifting weights after 50  18:35 – Why walking and yoga alone may not be enough  20:00 – Muscle health, bone strength, and menopause  23:53 – Strength training as the foundation of healthy aging  25:15 – Nutrition mistakes women commonly make after menopause  28:49 – Hydration, electrolytes, and healthy aging  30:23 – Whole foods nutrition and listening to your body  34:44 – The one simple change that supports lifelong health  36:23 – Final thoughts and key takeaways  Connect with Jeanne Phares Sage Lifestyle Collective  www.sagelifestylepress.com Free Gifts for Listeners: Each guest will receive all three: 1. Free Chapter Download: "Your Body Changed the Rules. Here's the New Playbook" from Eat for Strength for Women Over 50 2.Free Starter Guide: The Sage Strength Starter Guide 3.Lottery Entry: A chance to win one of 10 discount codes for the 8-Week Sage Strength Transformation Program or one of 10 free audiobooks of Eat for Strength for Women Over 50 Books: The Beginner's Guide to Strength Training for Women Over 50 Eat for Strength for Women Over 50  Sage Strength Transformation Program : Free strength training and healthy aging resources  Connect with Your Host: Dr. Gillian Lockitch Email: [email protected] website: https://askdrgill.com

THIS FLASHBACK FRIDAY EPISODE OF GROWING OLDER LIVING YOUNGER focuses on the impact of low carbohydrate and ketogenic nutrition on health and aging well. Today's Featured Expert is Anne Mullens, an award winning Canadian journalist and author specializing in Health and Science Writing, At a time when the twin hazards of diabetes and obesity are so prevalent in our society that we say that there is a diabesity epidemic, we are bombarded with discordant messages about what, when, and how to eat, to stay healthy and age gracefully. A goal of this podcast is to cut through the noise and provide you with evidence-based insights, thought-provoking discussions, and practical tips to empower you to change your aging trajectory and stay active and vibrant. In this episode we dive deep into the ketogenic diet, and explore the science behind ketosis, its potential benefits for weight management, brain health, and overall longevity.  We'll also take a critical look at the narratives perpetuated by food corporations, examining their influence on our dietary choices and exploring how these messages shape our perceptions of what is really nourishing and beneficial for our bodies. Episode Timeline   0:11 Introduction to this episode   4.21 How Anne began in health journalism.   9:42    How low carb and keto helped her recover from pre diabetes. 15:09 The impact of the corporate media narratives on healthy aging. 22:21 Fasting and monitoring blood glucose 26:53 What we can learn from animal genetics 33:57 Nutrition is the foundation of our health 41:34 Sustainable change comes from small incremental habits. Speaker Biography: Anne Mullens has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Guelph, and a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University. As a medical reporter at the Vancouver Sun in the 1980s and early 1990s, she has written for numerous Canadian and international newspapers and magazines, and authored two critically acclaimed books, Missed Conceptions: Overcoming Infertility and Timely Death: Considering our Last Rights, which won her the Edna Stabler award for creative nonfiction. Anne has been a health communications consultant to a wide variety of clients, and won more than a dozen national awards for her book. After reversing her own pre-diabetes through therapeutic carbohydrate restriction, she has written extensively on the role of personalized therapeutic nutrition to address chronic conditions. She has received her professional certification in low carb nutrition. After several years with Diet Doctor, she now is Director of Communications for the Institute for Personalized Therapeutic Nutrition To learn more about Anne Mullens' writing www.annemullens.com Twitter: @annemullens  https://www.facebook.com/annemullensjournalist/ IPTN twitter: @IPTN_Canada For more information on Growing Older Living Younger  Email  Dr. Gillian Lockitch at [email protected] Join the Growing Older Living Younger Community and if you have not already done so, please follow,  rate and review the show.

Is chronic pain really an inevitable part of aging—or could it be a warning sign that deeper imbalances are affecting your healthspan, mobility, and quality of life? In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with physical therapist, registered nurse, educator, and functional wellness expert,Stacey Roberts, about the root causes of chronic pain and why conventional treatments often focus on symptom relief instead of true healing. Stacey explains how chronic inflammation, food sensitivities, hormone imbalance, gut health issues, biomechanics, and lifestyle factors can all contribute to persistent pain and reduced function. Listeners will learn how a personalized, root-cause approach may help reduce pain naturally, restore mobility, improve resilience, and support healthy aging and longevity. Stacey Roberts is the Founder of New You Health and Wellness and creator of The Pain-Free Formula. She is a licensed Physical Therapist, Registered Nurse, educator, and functional wellness practitioner with more than 30 years of clinical experience. Her work spans orthopaedics, sports medicine, chronic pain, pelvic health, women's health, and functional wellness. Stacey specializes in uncovering the root causes of chronic pain through an integrative approach that includes biomechanics, nutrition, hormone balance, gut health, and lifestyle medicine. Her current mission is to help people reduce inflammation, improve mobility, and reclaim quality of life without relying solely on medications, injections, or surgery. She is also the host of The Pain-Free Formula Podcast and the author of multiple books on women's health and hormones. Episode Timeline  00:00 – Welcome and introduction  03:54 – Stacey's journey from physical therapy to functional medicine  05:00 – Discovering the connection between gluten sensitivity and chronic pain  10:27 – Why pain is a protective signal rather than the enemy  15:07 – Muscle cramps, nutrient deficiencies, hormones, and gut health  17:52 – Optimizing versus personalizing nutrition for pain relief  18:44 – Food sensitivity testing and unexpected inflammatory triggers  23:03 – The story behind The Pain-Free Formula  26:11 – Hidden risks of long-term NSAID and pain medication use  27:10 – The gut-joint connection and holistic pain management  30:46 – First steps for people who feel they have tried everything  32:57 – Key takeaways for reclaiming health, mobility, and independence  Connect with Stacey Roberts  New You Health and Wellness : https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-roberts-pt-rn-mba-msn-6a26997    https://www.youtube.com/@newyouhealthandwellness2178  The Pain-Free Formula (Book)  The Pain-Free Formula Podcast  Connect with Your Host,  Dr. Gillian Lockitch Email: [email protected] Email me for complimentary iintroduction to Growing Older Living Younger  website: https://www.askdrgill.com/

'You live as long as you dance'( Rudolph Nureyev) 'You got to just move. It doesn't matter how efficient your movements are, what matters is that you are moving.' (Susan Bock Smith) In this early Flashback Friday episode from Growing Older Living Younger 05, Susan Bock Smith and Judy Bjornson indicate that though balance, strength and flexibility may decline as we grow older, if you're willing to learn and adjust, you can protect your body from this risk of falling that increases with advancing age.  Adversities may limit our abilities but if we're willing to learn and adjust we can continue to do what we love. So they suggest you constantly challenge yourself, and never tell yourself that you're too old to do anything Susan earned a Bachelor of Education with a Major in Physical Education from McGill University and taught Elementary Physical  Education prior to raising her family. She is FallProof certified (California State Fullerton)  as a Fall Prevention Balance & Mobility Specialist. Through Surefeet, founded to deliver Seniors' Balance & Mobility Training, she has instructed over 4300 Balance & Mobility classes to over 3900 registrants. She is a PWR!Moves (Parkinsons' Disease) Certified Instructor and a certified Urban Poling (Nordic Walking) Instructor. Susan combines cognitive activities with physical exercise as a staple of the Surefeet program. Her mission is to reduce the fall risk of Seniors and enhance well-being, quality of life and independent living ability  Judy  received her FallProof Balance & Mobility Specialist certification from California State University in 2010 and has been a Surefeet co-owner, trainer and educator since, She is a Certified PWR!Moves Instructor and an Aquatic Rehabilitation Specialist. Judy is a Certified Master Trainer for WaterART Fitness International, teachesl aquatic certifications and one of two WaterART specialists in Central/Western Canada qualified to administer WaterART Certification examinations. Judy was selected as Program Coordinator to head the Brain Gain program of the Vancouver Brain Injury Association. Judy strives to positively affect the lives of all those she encounters.   Surefeet Website: http://www.surefeet.ca/  | https://www.facebook.com/pg/surefeet/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-bock-smith-51268737/  Reach out to Judy at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judy-bjornson-a877992a/  Contact  Dr. Gillian Lockitch to learn how you can decelerate your aging trajectory,  stay vibrant and vigorous, or start your own online business in wellness and anti-aging: Email: [email protected] to schedule a complimentary Living Younger Call  Join the Growing Older Living Younger Community