Home of Healthspan

Reinvent Yourself After Midlife with Barbara Waxman - E101

Adding years to your life means nothing if the second half is weighed down by burnout, confusion, and the fear of missed potential. Midlife brings a wave of shifting identities, changing relationships, and growing self-doubt, leaving even the most successful feeling stuck between who they’ve been and who they want to become. The endless health advice and protocols can deepen the overwhelm, blurring any sense of what really matters as you face these personal crossroads. This episode breaks down how to cut through the noise and intentionally reinvent yourself in midlife and beyond. You’ll hear science-backed strategies and real-world wisdom from someone who has helped thousands turn this daunting phase into their most vital and purposeful chapter yet. Barbara Waxman is a longevity and leadership expert, gerontologist, master coach, speaker, and founder of The Odyssey Group. Her work focuses on helping people navigate aging, reinvention, and purposeful living through science-backed frameworks that bridge longevity, leadership, and adult development. She is the creator of Entrepreneurship Turned Inward™, the Seven Lifestyle Levers Assessment™, and the Longevity Lifeplan™, and serves as an advisor to the Stanford Center on Longevity and Stanford Lifestyle Medicine, as well as a Master Faculty member at the Modern Elder Academy. Barbara is also the author of The Middlescence Manifesto, with her insights featured by TEDxBoston, CBS This Morning, The Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times. “It starts with self awareness, which is that presence. It's saying your gratitude, setting your mind, practicing meditation, understanding how you work best.”- Barbara Waxman In this episode you will learn: * Why the idea of “middlescence” matters for personal growth and life changes. * The limits of using standard health “protocols” and the value of being a study of one. * How mindset and gratitude habits can shift your daily outlook and lower stress. * The importance of social ties for both health and joy, not just metrics. * The seven key levers for healthspan, ranging from movement to stress management. * Tips for finding real purpose in both small daily acts and big goals. Resources * Connect with Barbara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbarawaxman [https://www.instagram.com/barbarawaxman] * Watch her TedTalk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQoaus6I_NE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQoaus6I_NE] * Learn more about her offerings: https://barbarawaxman.com/ [https://barbarawaxman.com/] This podcast was produced by the team at Zapods Podcast Agency [https://www.zapods.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan]: https://www.zapods.com [https://www.zapods.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan] Find the products, practices, and routines discussed on the Alively website: https://alively.com [https://alively.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan]

100 Ways to Live Longer and Better - E100

After 100 episodes exploring longevity, performance, disease prevention, and the science of aging, one truth stands above the rest: living longer means nothing if you stop living well. Healthspan is, after all, what this podcast is about. This milestone episode distills the biggest lessons from the journey so far - from VO2 max and sleep apnea to dementia risk, metabolic health, and the habits that most strongly predict quality of life. It’s a powerful reflection on what actually matters if you want more energy, resilience, clarity, and vitality for decades to come. In this episode you will learn: * Why VO2 max is a top measure for long-term health, more important than blood pressure or weight. * Simple, proven steps for better sleep that boost your health. * The role of daily movement and why steady habits beat hard workouts. * How food choices and meal timing affect your energy and aging. * The strong link between social connection, touch, and lasting health. * How to spot common mistakes that drain your energy and what to do instead. Resources * Connect with Andrew on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mandrewmcconnell [https://www.instagram.com/mandrewmcconnell] * Follow Alively on Instagram for regular updates and insights: https://www.instagram.com/alively_official [https://www.instagram.com/alively_official] * Learn more about healthspan from Andrew’s blog: https://www.mandrewmcconnell.com/blog [https://www.mandrewmcconnell.com/blog] This podcast was produced by the team at Zapods Podcast Agency [https://www.zapods.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan]: https://www.zapods.com [https://www.zapods.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan] Find the products, practices, and routines discussed on the Alively website: https://alively.com [https://alively.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan]

The True Cost Of Dementia with Annalee Kruger - E99

Thinking Medicare or Medicaid will cover everything in old age is a costly misconception - many families are blindsided by care costs that soar to $30,000 or more a month. Adult children and spouses suddenly become caregivers without warning, forced into overwhelming decisions and family conflicts, all while juggling the emotional toll of watching loved ones decline. Avoidance, denial, and a lack of planning can turn a difficult situation into chaos, threatening financial security and fracturing relationships. This episode is a real-world guide to navigating these realities, showing why proactive conversations and clear planning can save families from crisis, and featuring hard-earned wisdom from someone who's navigated this journey with thousands of families. Annalee Kruger founded Care Right Inc, a virtual consultancy, in 2011, after working in Continuing Care Retirement Communities for 22 years. She has devoted her career to helping families determine their "safety triggers" for when parents need care, and the aging at home care budget to prevent families from not qualifying financially to gain admission into a quality care community. She has been curated by over 32 wealth management firms to work directly with their clients. She is a national speaker on aging, caregiving, dementia, family dynamics/mediation, and end-of-life. She authored, ‘The Invisible Patient: The Emotional, Financial, and Physical Toll on Family Caregivers’. She also created the Aging Strategy Coaching Academy (ASCA), a global coaching program that addresses aging, family caregiving, dementia/chronic illness, the landscape of senior care, dying, grief, and much more. “Kids are always blindsided because they just assume that their parents are thriving at home when oftentimes they really aren't.”- Annalee Kruger In this episode you will learn: * Why most families are not ready for the challenges of aging loved ones. * The biggest mistakes families make in planning for senior care and how to avoid them. * The real costs of aging, and common myths about Medicare and Medicaid. * How group living and social teaming can improve health and lower risk of decline. * Steps every adult can take now to make aging easier for themselves and others. * Why solo agers need to plan ahead and build a strong support network early. Resources * Connect with Annalee on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carerightinc/ [https://www.instagram.com/carerightinc/] * Watch her YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBY2WWuTdSylECzGvksCC2w [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBY2WWuTdSylECzGvksCC2w] * Learn more about Care Right Inc.:https://carerightinc.com/ [https://carerightinc.com/] This podcast was produced by the team at Zapods Podcast Agency [https://www.zapods.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan]: https://www.zapods.com [https://www.zapods.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan] Find the products, practices, and routines discussed on the Alively website: https://alively.com [https://alively.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan]

Can Aging Really Be Reversed? with Dr. Michael Fossel - E98

Most of us think aging is inevitable - a slow, steady decline we can only hope to delay. Stuck with this mindset, people scramble for small wins: another supplement, a new diet, anything to slow the clock. But this habit of only “managing” aging shuts us off from a bigger question: Could aging itself actually be reversed? The gap between current research and true breakthroughs leaves even the most motivated feeling powerless, especially with chronic diseases like Alzheimer's still taking so much from families and lives. In this episode, we rethink aging as something more dynamic and more in our control than we realize. You’ll hear from someone challenging decades of conventional wisdom, and get a glimpse into the science and persistence fueling a completely different future for healthspan. Dr. Michael Fossel serves as chairman of the board of Telocyte, a biotech company developing telomerase therapy for Alzheimer's disease, with FDA-sponsored human trials planned to target the underlying disease process. His invited lecture at Harvard Business School discussed Telocyte, age-related disease, and biotechnology. A recognized expert in aging and telomere biology, Dr. Fossel has authored over 100 scientific articles, book chapters, and books, and has lectured internationally, including at the National Institutes of Health. “Anybody who thinks you can reverse aging is naive. Anyone who thinks you can't reverse aging is just as naive.” - Dr. Michael Fossel In this episode you will learn: * Why most aging research only looks to slow, not reverse, the aging process, and what new science shows. * How advances in telomere research could shift the way we treat age-related diseases like Alzheimer's. * The main ways these new treatments might reach people and what steps are next for human trials. * What habits and daily choices still matter most while we wait for new therapies. * Why thinking about aging as a set process is mistaken and how that mind shift matters. * The role of cost, access, and ethics in making future therapies open to everyone - not just the wealthy. Resources * Connect with Dr. Michael Fossel on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-fossel-md-phd-4196255/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-fossel-md-phd-4196255/] * Learn more about his offerings: https://michaelfossel.com/ [https://michaelfossel.com/] * Buy his books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michael-Fossel/author/B000APTG28 [https://www.amazon.com/stores/Michael-Fossel/author/B000APTG28] This podcast was produced by the team at Zapods Podcast Agency [https://www.zapods.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan]: https://www.zapods.com [https://www.zapods.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan] Find the products, practices, and routines discussed on the Alively website: https://alively.com [https://alively.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan]

Lyme Disease: How Treating Her Son Changed Her Medical Career with Dr. Pamela Cipriano - E97

Why do chronic illnesses like Lyme Disease go unresolved, even after years of doctor visits and countless tests? What if the real issue isn’t a lack of treatment, but a failure to look deeper at root causes like environment, lifestyle, and nutrition? In this episode, we explore the journey that transformed one doctor’s approach to care after her own son was misdiagnosed for years. You’ll learn why conditions like Lyme disease, mold toxicity, and chronic inflammation are frequently overlooked, how nutrition and environment play a critical role in recovery, the dangers of settling for the wrong diagnosis, and why true health requires connecting the dots between symptoms, triggers, and the body’s ability to heal. Dr. Pamela M. Cipriano, DNP, APRN, is a nationally recognized nurse practitioner and founder of The Practice of Health and Wellness in Connecticut, specializing in complex chronic illness and advanced root-cause diagnostics. She is known for identifying seizure disorders misdiagnosed as epilepsy and uncovering neuroimmune, infectious, and toxic triggers behind conditions such as autoimmune encephalitis, tick-borne disease, mold exposure, and chronic inflammation. “If you don't make sure you're eating the healthiest way possible, you're just not going to get better.” - Dr. Pamela Cipriano In this episode you will learn: * Why root causes like Lyme, mold, and heavy metals are often missed in chronic illness. * Signs and symptoms to look for when standard tests and doctors fail to explain persistent symptoms. * How autoimmune diagnoses like lupus or RA can sometimes reverse by fixing the true trigger. * Key shifts in diet, from cutting sugar to choosing flour from outside the US, that can reduce body inflammation. * Simple tools like specialty labs, anti-inflammatory diets, and IV vitamins that can support better health. * Why persistence in searching for answers can change outcomes, even after years of misdiagnosis. Resources * Connect with Dr. Cipriano on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dr.Pamela.Cipriano/ [https://www.facebook.com/Dr.Pamela.Cipriano/] * Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/practicehealthwellness [https://www.instagram.com/practicehealthwellness] * Learn more about her practice: https://www.thepracticeofhealthandwellness.com/ [https://www.thepracticeofhealthandwellness.com/] This podcast was produced by the team at Zapods Podcast Agency [https://www.zapods.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan]: https://www.zapods.com [https://www.zapods.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan] Find the products, practices, and routines discussed on the Alively website: https://alively.com [https://alively.com/?utm_source=podcast&utm_medium=shownotes&utm_campaign=home-of-healthspan]