Newsletter
Vital Years Weekly #12: Stress, Cortisol, and Accelerated Aging
Chronic stress doesn't just feel bad — it measurably accelerates biological aging at the cellular level. The telomere research is striking. Here's what to do about it.
Vital Years Team
Nutrition
Gut Health and Aging: How to Optimize Your Microbiome After 55
The human gut microbiome—the 38 trillion bacteria and other microorganisms living in your digestive tract—is one of the most important determinants of health throughout life. In older adults, the microbiome undergoes predictable changes that have significant consequences for immunity, inflammation, metabolism, and even brain function. The good news:
Newsletter
Vital Years Weekly #11: Omega-3s — The Most Underrated Supplement for Aging
Omega-3 fatty acids have more high-quality research behind them than almost any other supplement. After 55, the case for adequate intake becomes even more compelling.
Exercise
Flexibility and Mobility After 55: Why It Matters More Than You Think
Stiffness is not an inevitable feature of aging. While some reduction in flexibility does occur with biological changes—collagen cross-linking, reduced synovial fluid, decreased muscle elasticity—the degree of mobility loss most people experience is largely the result of inactivity, not inevitable biology. Why Mobility Matters for Longevity A study
Newsletter
Vital Years Weekly #10: Balance Training — The Longevity Exercise Nobody Does
Falls are the leading cause of injury death in adults over 65. Balance is trainable at any age — and a 5-minute daily practice can cut fall risk by more than 30%.
Health
Managing Inflammation: The Root Cause of Most Aging-Related Disease
Inflammation is your immune system’s primary defense mechanism. Acute inflammation is life-saving. But when inflammation becomes chronic and systemic, persisting at low levels without a clear threat, it silently damages tissues throughout the body and accelerates virtually every major age-related disease. Researchers call this state “inflammagig”—it is one
Newsletter
Vital Years Weekly #9: The Hydration Mistake Most Adults Over 55 Make
After 55, the thirst mechanism becomes less reliable — meaning you can be meaningfully dehydrated without feeling thirsty. The effects on cognition, energy, and kidney health are significant.
Nutrition
Intermittent Fasting for Adults Over 55: Benefits, Risks, and How to Start
Intermittent fasting (IF) has moved from fringe dietary practice to mainstream medical interest, driven by growing research on its metabolic effects and potential longevity benefits. For adults over 55, the evidence is genuinely promising—but it comes with important caveats that deserve honest examination. What Fasting Does to the Body
Newsletter
Vital Years Weekly #8: Cognitive Decline Is Not Inevitable
Most of what adults over 55 assume is 'normal cognitive aging' is actually driven by modifiable lifestyle factors. The FINGER trial changed what we know is possible.
Brain Health
Brain Health After 60: 8 Science-Backed Habits That Reduce Dementia Risk
The Lancet Commission on dementia prevention concluded in 2020 that up to 40% of dementia cases worldwide are attributable to modifiable risk factors. Meaningful prevention is within reach for most people through deliberate lifestyle choices. 1. Protect Your Sleep During deep sleep, the glymphatic system clears amyloid-beta and tau—the
Newsletter
Vital Years Weekly #7: Gut Health and Aging — The Second Brain
The microbiome research of the past decade has upended our understanding of immunity, inflammation, and even cognition. Aging does significant damage to your gut — but much of it is reversible.
Metabolic Health
How to Reverse Prediabetes: A Complete Evidence-Based Action Plan
Prediabetes affects 88 million American adults—more than 1 in 3—and 84% are unaware of their status. An HbA1c between 5.7% and 6.4%, or fasting glucose between 100 and 125 mg/dL, qualifies as prediabetes. The traditional medical response has often been to “watch and wait.” This