Every now and then the two facets of my life come together in a moment of perfect harmony. This happened recently as I researched the Blue Zone of Sardinia for our Age-Well Project – which also happened to be the same time I was completing research for my novel, Frieda: The Original Lady Chatterley (which…
WHY ‘INFLAMM-AGEING’ COULD START IN THE GUT AND HARISSA-ROASTED VEGETABLE SALAD
While wrinkles and grey hair may be the external signs of ageing, there’s a whole other process going on inside our bodies. ‘Inflamm-ageing’ is the term coined by doctors to describe the low-grade inflammation intrinsically linked to the process of growing older. It plays a central role in the all the chronic conditions of ageing:…
WHY I GOT VERY, VERY HUNGRY ON YOUR BEHALF: FASTING DIETS
The things we do for Kale & Cocoa! Annabel and I see ourselves as human guinea pigs, testing out (as far as we can) the latest recommendations for healthy ageing. Which means we end up trying all sorts of things on your behalf. So, recently, I have been VERY VERY HUNGRY. AND ANGRY. SO HANGRY…
CHRISTMAS STRESS – AND HOW TO BEAT IT
Right now I’m sitting at my laptop thinking I can’t possibly find time to write a blog post: I need to order the turkey, work out what to give my impossible-to-buy-for brother-in-law, get the dishwasher fixed, wrap presents, find the tree decorations, actually buy a tree….you get the picture. It’s Christmas stress time and we’ve…
THESE NUTS COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE (YES, REALLY!)
Sometimes it is the simplest things which can make the biggest difference – like eating a handful of nuts each week. New research published this week revealed that eating 28g of nuts each week can reduce the risk of heart disease by up to 23%. I got the kitchen scales out to weigh 28g of…
PEAS & BEANS WITH LEMON & PINK PEPPERCORNS
This is one of those throw-together recipes that can be made in minutes and dressed up or down, to suit. It’s rich in Spermidine (see our last post) and can be made even richer with a topping of crumbled blue cheese or parmesan (both work brilliantly). I often add quartered deli artichokes for a touch…
WHY YOU NEED MORE SPERMIDINE … AND WHY WE STILL LOVE CHEESE
Yes, you read that correctly. No, it’s not exactly what you’re thinking. Spermidine is a polyamine that was first found in human semen but has since been found in almost all human tissue. We wrote about polyamines two years ago, in a post that has become one of our most frequently read. It’s worth reading…
THREE AGE-WELL FILMS TO WATCH ON NETFLIX NOW
Netflix isn’t just all about Stranger Things 2, or The Crown or whatever your particular binge-watch bag is. It’s also home to a raft of documentaries about healthy living. As a TV producer, and healthy ageing blogger, watching health docs is where my much-loved day job meets my passion project. The films on Netflix are…
GET THEE TO A FOREST (ON FOOT) AND HERBY COURGETTE/ZUCCHINI SOUP
Now is the time to boost our immunity, particularly given recent predictions that this winter may see a severe flu epidemic. In addition to the usual dietary advice (more on this next month), there’s something very simple we can do – take advantage of these glorious autumn days and hit the woods. There’s a new…
WHY WE LOVE LONGEVITY HOTSPOTS – TOMATO AND MOZZARELLA SALAD
Intrigued by the world’s longevity hotspots? So are we. I’m particularly interested in the so-called Blue Zones because their inhabitants never take supplements (or join gyms!) and yet they have fabulously long, disease-free lives by doing very ordinary things. Which means we can too. Every so often a new longevity hot spot or blue zone…
![Want to age well? You need to activate your brown fat…
Medically known as Brown Adipose Tissue (BAT), brown fat stores energy, burns calories, regulates blood sugar and insulin levels. It may do many other magically life-enhancing things, such as protecting against obesity, heart disease, cancer, T2 diabetes and Alzheimer’s.
At its simplest, Brown Fat exists to produce heat – and so keep us alive.
Which is why cold is the very best activator of Brown Fat.
Here are a few tips on how to increase your own Brown Fat supplies:
- [ ] Go for a regular wild swim
- [ ] Take a cold shower or ice bath. The Cleveland Clinic suggests twice a week.
- [ ] Go for a walk and expose your neck to the air for a few minutes. Brown Fat collects around the neck, shoulders and chest.
- [ ] Turn the thermostat down every now and then. You want to be feeling a little cool, not violently shivering.
Want to know more about brown fat? It’s all on the blog agewellproject.com](https://agewellproject.com/wp-content/plugins/instagram-feed/img/placeholder.png)