consciouslifenews--2020-03-25--The Revolutionary Science of Aging and Longevity

Research led by David Sinclair , Ph.D. , has demonstrated it ’ s possible to reprogram cells , restoring their original youthfulness , and in so doing , reversing blindness by rejuvenating the nerves in the retina Sirtuins are proteins that act as environmental stress sensors and are responsible for longevity .
Activating sirtuins is one way to increase longevity in yeast and worms .
One compound found to activate sirtuins is NAD .
Another is resveratrol When added to a low-calorie diet and healthy lifestyle , NAD boosters such as nicotinamide riboside ( NR ) and nicotinamide mononucleotide ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect , allowing you to maximize your benefits After the age of 30 , extrapolations from animal studies suggest the longer you ’ re able to incorporate some form of regular fasting across your life span , the better Two scientifically demonstrated benefits of fasting are the suppression of the mammalian target of rapamycin ( mTOR ) and the activation of autophagy , both of which play a role in disease prevention and longevity David Sinclair , Ph.D.,1 is a professor of genetics and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Generally recognized as one of the thought leaders in the science of how to improve our life span and health span , Sinclair earned his Ph.D. in Sydney , Australia .
After working with Leonard Guarente at Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a postdoctoral researcher , he got his own lab at Harvard in 1999 , where he ’ s been teaching aging biology and translational medicine ever since .
Sinclair has also written a book , “ Lifespan : Why We Age — and Why We Don ’ t Have To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on September 10 , 2019 .
Fasting is part of the longevity solution Sinclair ’ s book covers several important strategies that can help slow down the biological clock , including calorie restriction and intermittent fasting .
Two of the scientifically demonstrated benefits of fasting are the suppression of the mammalian target of rapamycin ( mTOR ) and the activation of autophagy .
As noted by Sinclair , while fasting itself is not revolutionary , having roots dating back more than 5,000 years , what ’ s revolutionary “ is the discovery of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against disease and aging.
” Like me , he ’ s a fan of time-restricted eating , where he simply skips one meal ( breakfast ) each day .
“ There are other diets that other people have found to be effective in terms of improving biology and biochemical markers , ” Sinclair says .
“ One is the 5:2 diet … That one is also quite doable … More extreme are those diets where you [ fast ] for a whole week every couple of months or every few months … My @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going to work the best if you can do it because it doesn ’ t just trigger the short-term pathways that we ’ ve been studying in my lab .
A week of fasting will really [ trigger ] the body to start consuming its own protein … That ’ s what autophagy is .
It ’ s the consuming of biological material , which is typically a protein .
In talking with people who ’ ve done these fasting regimens , after about three days , something different starts to kick in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they have a feeling of euphoria .
They definitely get an added boost … We ’ ve been studying in my lab for the last 20 years genes that respond to diet , to fasting and calorie restriction .
The upshot of it is that our bodies respond to adversity or perceived adversity .
They turn on these defensive pathways .
It changes a bunch of genes that switch on to defend our bodies … These defenses of the body are extremely good at protecting us against diseases — from diabetes to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Alzheimer ’ s .
These are things that modern medicine has struggled to combat .
This seems to be a very simple way to get the body to fight those diseases.
” At what age should you start fasting ?
As for when to start , animal studies suggest the younger you are when you start , the better .
For humans , this would , of course , have to be done within reason .
It would be downright foolhardy to put an infant on a fasting regimen , for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20s are also not candidates for fasting , Sinclair says , as “ There ’ s still a lot going on in their bodies and their brains.
” After the age of 30 , however , extrapolations from animal studies suggest the longer you ’ re able to incorporate some form of regular fasting across your life span , the better .
As a general rule , intermittent fasting involves fasting for 12 to 16 hours a day , which will typically necessitate eliminating either breakfast or dinner .
If you eat dinner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure you do it early enough — at least three hours before bedtime .
I try to eat my last meal three to six hours before bed .
One of the reasons for this advice is because avoiding late-night eating will increase your nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide ( NAD+ ) levels , which are important for a variety of bodily functions .
Importantly , it will also reduce nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate ( NADPH ) , which is essentially the true cellular battery of your cell and has the reductive potential to recharge your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the creation of fatty acids .
If you ’ re eating close to bedtime , then you ’ re not going to be able to use the NADPH to burn those calories as energy .
Instead , they must be stored in some way .
To store them , you have to create fat , so you ’ re basically radically lowering your NADPH levels when you eat late at night because they are being consumed to store your extra calories by creating fat .
“ I tend to snack at night @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Sinclair says , “ but yes , to be able to have that fast overnight , that ’ ll boost your NAD and NADPH levels .
These are all good things .
They turn on the enzymes that we study called sirtuins .
They need NAD to function .
You can use the whole night to ostensibly repair your body and protect it from what happens during the day.
” An important part of Sinclair ’ s book delves into the balance between anabolism — the building of muscle tissue — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repair of muscle .
Counterintuitively , when you fast , growth hormone levels increase , even though there are no nutrients available .
Sinclair explains : “ Insulin-like growth hormone ( IGF-1 ) and growth hormone itself , in the short run , don ’ t seem to be healthy , at least in animal studies .
Nir Barzilai of Albert Einstein College of Medicine has studied centenarian families .
What he ’ s found , in particular [ in regard ] to IGF-1 , is that some families can have high levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time .
The reason for that is that they don ’ t have the IGF-1 receptor as active … [ I ] f you ’ re not responding to these hormones , it doesn ’ t really matter how much your body produces .
It ’ ll still have an effect that mimics the benefits you want .
It ’ s interesting actually that the growth hormone is stimulated by fasting … I ’ m unaware of exactly why .
But we know that fasting doesn ’ t lead to bigger animals .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ It could be — now I ’ m just speculating , but I think it ’ s worth discussing and thinking about — that the short-term bursts of hormones may help the body recover from injury .
But those little spikes don ’ t last long so that you ’ re not having any downsides … If I was to summarize everything that I ’ ve learned over the last 30 years : ‘ Everything in moderation , and don ’ t do anything too consistently.
’ … Your body needs to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenged and then allowed to relax .
These diets and these growth hormone spikes , I think they ’ re good .
You just don ’ t want them on all the time , because then your body doesn ’ t have a chance to recover and you don ’ t get the long-term benefits.
” The case for exercising in a fasted state A tangent to this is the idea that the ideal time to do strength training is right before you have your first meal after a 16- or 18-hour fast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still fasting .
The reason for this is because your growth hormone is already activated , allowing you to reap maximum benefit from the anabolic stress of the exercise , which increases peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha ( PGC-1α ) and mitochondrial biogenesis .
As noted by Sinclair , this is “ the cutting edge of thinking.
” “ Again , in the full disclaimer , we ’ re discussing the cutting edge of science , so we don ’ t fully know the answers to this .
But what makes sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t want too much protein in our lives .
We don ’ t want to eat a steak at every meal .
Because what we ’ ve learned through the work of David Sabatini and many others in the field is that … inhibiting the mTOR pathway by having a lack of certain amino acids is healthy and does lengthen lifespan in animals .
But does that mean that you shouldn ’ t eat protein ?
Absolutely not .
There are times when eating proteins is important .
Same for testosterone .
Same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ re getting into the nitty-gritty .
If you are pulsing these things , when do you do them together and when do you do them apart ?
Let me talk about what I do personally because that ’ s actually a better way to approach the discussion .
If I ’ m going to have a steak — I try to be a vegetarian — but let ’ s say I ’ m going to have a protein shake , I ’ m going to do that just before or just after I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ m also going to have a period in the week where I don ’ t have a lot of protein … I think … that a little bit of stress every day and a lot of stress once in a while is a great combo.
” In his book , Sinclair also discusses the importance of glycine , the shortest and most common amino acid in your body .
In the past , people got plenty of glycine from eating bone broth and connective tissue , but most people today are not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broth .
As a result , many are not getting enough .
Unfortunately , glycine is all the more important these days , as our fructose consumption has dramatically increased .
Sinclair explains : “ This is a big question in my field .
Just to take a step back , my field and a lot of what my book is about are [ about how ] to trick the body into [ thinking it ’ s ] hungry and having exercise .
One of the molecules that do that is NAD .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have it in our body .
As we exercise and get hungry , it goes up .
As we get older , it goes down .
It ’ s needed for life .
It ’ s also needed for turning on these defensive enzymes called sirtuins .
Now , to raise NAD levels , what we ’ ve done in my lab to mice for the last decade is we give them precursors to NAD .
We give them molecules like nicotinamide riboside , or NR , or nicotinamide mononucleotide , also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tough , we ’ re hungry or we ’ ve exercised , NAD levels will go up and turn on these defenses .
That ’ s why when you take a molecule like NMN … what we think is happening is that you ’ re tricking your body into thinking that it ’ s [ had ] exercise or that it ’ s hungry because the NAD levels will go up .
So , you get the protective benefits … without actually having to necessarily exercise or diet … NMN is what I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gram of it .
The thing with NMN is that it has this nicotinamide group on it .
It hangs off the main part of the chemical and it ’ s the first bond to break .
We see in animals and even in humans that the levels of nicotinamide go up quite rapidly after taking NMN or NR .
Too high a level of nicotinamide is not good , in part because the nicotinamide gets excreted through the kidneys .
That happens because it becomes methylated into methyl nicotinamide .
Methyl nicotinamide @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marker of all sorts of things … But the concern … is , ‘ Is this drain of methyl nicotinamide a problem ?
’ The methyl groups are needed for the body .
We need methyl for a whole range of things , including antioxidants .
As a precaution , I take trimethylglycine so that I continue to give my body a source of methyl groups … I take it as a precaution because I know that trimethylglycine is not going to hurt me … The other thing is trimethylglycine , also known @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ human cells ] , including protecting them against stress .
I don ’ t see any downside … The upside is that I ’ m preventing my body from being drained of methyl groups.
” None of this is to say you ’ ll be able to simply take a supplement or two and live a long life while eating junk food and being inactive .
They can improve your condition if you ’ re overweight and don ’ t exercise , but they ’ re not a panacea or replacement for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , when added to a low-calorie diet and healthy lifestyle , NAD boosters such as NR and NMN do appear to have a magnifying effect , allowing you to really maximize your benefits .
There are other NAD boosters beside NR and NMN , and open questions regarding methods of administration of NR and NMN that may influence their efficacy .
All of that is discussed in the interview so , for more details , please listen to it in its entirety , or read through the transcript .
I go into detail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ NAD+ molecule itself is likely a far better strategy than using precursors .
It is what I am currently doing for my own program .
Sirtuins , which much of Sinclair ’ s studies are focused on , are proteins that act as environmental stress sensors and are responsible for longevity .
In simple terms , you could refer to them as longevity proteins .
Evidence suggests sirtuins work by suppressing DNA expression .
As explained by Sinclair , activating sirtuins is one way to increase longevity in yeast and worms .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , once activated , sirtuins require NAD+ as a co-enzyme , and if it isn ’ t available , it won ’ t work .
Sinclair and his team screened about 18,000 compounds to identify activators , and found you need the SIRT1 gene for it to work — it ’ s not just an antioxidant effect .
“ We published 21 activators in that first paper in the Nature journal , 2003 .
Resveratrol was the best one we had at the time .
It got the most attention because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and interesting to the media .
But there were others that were very close to resveratrol in structure and potency .
Quercetin and fisetin are plant molecules as well .
They ’ re all produced in response to stress … dehydration or ultraviolet ( UV ) light .
They seem to have benefits on organisms [ that ] consume them .
Interestingly , what has later been discovered , though rarely acknowledged , is that these same molecules work on killing senescent cells … the ‘ zombie cells ’ that accumulate in your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others have shown that quercetin … have senolytic properties , same with fisetin .
But what ’ s not recognized typically , or admitted , is that these molecules were discovered 15 years ago to also be SIRT1 activators … The hypothesis Dr. Konrad Howitz and I came up with , which we published in Cell [ in ] 2005 … is called xenohormesis .
It ’ s the idea that we ’ ve evolved to sense our environment , and molecules produced by plants and bacteria in our environment when they ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or put them on our skin , for example , our bodies will recognize those .
We ’ ve evolved to sense our world around us .
That ’ s a very good way of getting a heads up if your plants are running out of nutrients or the water table is drying up … That can explain why so many molecules from the plant world have given rise to medicines and why some molecules , like resveratrol and quercetin , fisetin , even aspirin , have remarkable health benefits and target many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be well beyond what coincidence could explain … It ’ s thought that a little bit of heat , a little bit of cold , a little bit of hunger , some exercise , some hypoxia , lack of oxygen in your body , these are all ways of activating these defense pathways … such as sirtuins … the mTOR , which lower amino acids , particularly leucine and arginine , and the AMPK pathway … these are the main three defensive pathways .
There are others .
But what ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heat-shock proteins and transcription factors that turn on DNA repair enzymes … Here ’ s the good news : We used to think we had to understand everything those sensors do to be able to understand aging and be able to live longer .
But what I ’ ve been arguing for many years now is that we don ’ t need to fully know what they do … As long as we can find the right nodes in the cell , to turn them on in the right ratios at the right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ take care of the rest .
We ’ re getting to the point … where we know what these nodes are .
We have the tools to tweak them .
We can also change them naturally by fasting and exercising .
We can change them with molecules that we can ingest or inject .
But now , the cutting-edge is , when do you apply them , how much and in what combinations ?
That ’ s really what people like myself … are onto right now.
” Another strategy for increasing NAD+ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up , such as exposure to electromagnetic fields ( EMFs ) .
One of the primary DNA repair enzymes inside your cells is poly-ADP ribose polymerase ( PARP ) .
PARP repairs single- and double-stranded DNA breaks and , in so doing , it will use up 100 to 150 NAD molecules for each break .
The more DNA breaks you have , the more NAD is being used up in the repair process .
EMF exposure activates PARP and decreases NAD .
So , by limiting EMF exposure , you can , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ simply because you ’ re not activating PARP as much .
“ PARP enzymes are DNA-repair protein .
The problem is when you hyperactivate this protein … There are actually more than 14 different PARPs .
They do drain NAD quite effectively .
In fact , in my lab , we ’ ve discovered another PARP that , when you have inflammation , drains NAD as well .
It does make sense to slow them down … and in some cases , inhibit … their overuse of NAD , ” Sinclair says .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that is by avoiding insults , such as EMFs , that activate the PARPs .
“ Then you get the benefits of low DNA damage and the benefits of high NAD , ” Sinclair says , adding : “ Long story short , you want to activate PARP , but not too much … [ Even ] more interesting , I think , is how do you keep your levels of DNA double-strand breaks to a minimum ?
I think that ’ s one of the main keys to longevity .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaks drain NAD .
The second … is the idea that DNA double-strand breaks also disrupt the cell ’ s epigenome , the storage of the information that we get passed down from our mothers and fathers , mother and father , and the packaging of the DNA … Basically , what happens is , if you have a broken DNA , proteins such as the sirtuins will leave their normal sites where they ’ re regulating genes and go help repair with PARP .
But then they don ’ t all find @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from .
Some of them get lost and distracted .
Over time , what we see is that these proteins that are essential for maintaining cellular identity and function will be lost .
We see that in yeast cells .
Yeast cells get old because they ’ re moving between breaks and back again to genes.
” One of the most fascinating aspects of Sinclair ’ s book is the section on how to resolve some of this epigenetic damage , which accumulates through aging .
Using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transcription factors were spliced into blind mice , thereby restoring their vision through epigenetic resurrection .
Sinclair explains : “ This is a sneak preview of what , hopefully , will be published later this year … We ’ ve discovered what we think is very strong evidence for … epigenetic noise as a cause of aging … What does that mean ?
Let ’ s just quickly do a biology lesson for those who haven ’ t been in high school for a while … [ The ] epigenome is the organization @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cell that they should turn on this gene to be a nerve cell , and in a liver cell … Cells inherit that [ epigenetic ] information just as much as they inherit their DNA .
In my book , what I ’ m proposing is that … genomic and epigenomic information are quite different .
The genomic , the DNA , is ‘ digital , ’ which is very well-preserved and can last a long time .
We know that DVDs last longer than cassette tapes .
The problem for the epigenome @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ information .
Anyone who ’ s had a cassette tape or a record knows that you can pretty easily scratch these or lose the information .
You can [ also ] scratch a DVD and lose the information .
We think aging is similar to those scratches ; that the information to be young again is still largely in our bodies .
Our cells can access that information by metaphorically polishing the DVD … so the cell can read the right genes … With that in mind , let me explain what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a metaphorical way of scratching a mouse ’ s epigenome : We cut the DNA .
We create these double-strand breaks [ and ] let the cell heal … so there ’ s no change to the digital information .
But what we see is the process of proteins moving around and trying to repair that DNA .
It eventually introduces this epigenomic noise , and the genes that were once on , many of them get turned off .
Those that were once off come on .
Liver cells start to lose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose their identity .
The consequence , we think , is aging .
We will hopefully publish a paper that shows that if you create this noise in a mouse , it will go through accelerated aging … Second of all , we have mice now that we can change the rate of aging in … The third thing is if you can give an animal something , then you can , with that knowledge , take it away .
That ’ s what we ’ ve done … We wanted to reprogram @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on , now they go back off and vice versa … What we find is that by using these three Yamanaka factors , you can find the original information in the cell that tells it to be young again .
Those genes switch , and the cell behaves like it ’ s young again .
In the case of the retina , we have preliminary results [ showing ] we can restore eyesight by rejuvenating the nerves in the retina to be young again.
” Eventually , Sinclair ’ s goal is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the body , such that they not just act younger but literally are younger on a molecular level .
“ In my career , I ’ ve seen a lot of cool stuff .
I haven ’ t seen anything this cool before , ” he says .
Clearly , there ’ s extraordinary potential to extend the human life span beyond the current 120 limits .
In his book , he proposes there ’ s no built-in biological requirement for death , and that , theoretically at least , you could live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about Sinclair ’ s research , and the science behind aging and the potential for reversing aging , be sure to pick up a copy of his book , “ Lifespan : Why We Age — and Why We Don ’ t Have To.
” “ We could see a world where people do choose to be genetically modified , ” Sinclair says .
“ It ’ s their choice , right ?
I don ’ t think we can easily go in and modify children even though that ’ s now being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of course .
But adults know that they should be able to have a choice if they ’ re safe and it ’ s approved , then they should be able to do that .
Maybe there will be a day when we are able to carry these Yamanaka genes in our body .
And when we get sick or we have an injury … then we get an IV that turns on those genes for a month .
We recover and rejuvenate , then we turn them off again until we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pretty wild sci-fi future , but both signs are pointing to at least the biology being possible … I hope people who read the book come away with a new view of what ’ s possible .
Some people who have read it tell me that it ’ s changed the way they look at their own lives .
That ’ s what I wanted to do .
I think we forget how important this topic is , that we can do things right now to alter the course of our lives @ @

By Dr. Joseph Mercola | mercola.com
Research led by David Sinclair, Ph.D., has demonstrated it’s possible to reprogram cells, restoring their original youthfulness, and in so doing, reversing blindness by rejuvenating the nerves in the retina
Sirtuins are proteins that act as environmental stress sensors and are responsible for longevity. Activating sirtuins is one way to increase longevity in yeast and worms. One compound found to activate sirtuins is NAD. Another is resveratrol
When added to a low-calorie diet and healthy lifestyle, NAD boosters such as nicotinamide riboside (NR) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) appear to have a magnifying effect, allowing you to maximize your benefits
After the age of 30, extrapolations from animal studies suggest the longer you’re able to incorporate some form of regular fasting across your life span, the better
Two scientifically demonstrated benefits of fasting are the suppression of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the activation of autophagy, both of which play a role in disease prevention and longevity
David Sinclair, Ph.D.,1 is a professor of genetics and co-director of the Paul F. Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at Harvard Medical School. Generally recognized as one of the thought leaders in the science of how to improve our life span and health span, Sinclair earned his Ph.D. in Sydney, Australia.
After working with Leonard Guarente at Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a postdoctoral researcher, he got his own lab at Harvard in 1999, where he’s been teaching aging biology and translational medicine ever since. Sinclair has also written a book, “Lifespan: Why We Age — and Why We Don’t Have To,” which is scheduled for publication on September 10, 2019.
Fasting is part of the longevity solution
Sinclair’s book covers several important strategies that can help slow down the biological clock, including calorie restriction and intermittent fasting. Two of the scientifically demonstrated benefits of fasting are the suppression of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and the activation of autophagy.
As noted by Sinclair, while fasting itself is not revolutionary, having roots dating back more than 5,000 years, what’s revolutionary “is the discovery of the biochemical pathways that underlie this protection against disease and aging.” Like me, he’s a fan of time-restricted eating, where he simply skips one meal (breakfast) each day.
“There are other diets that other people have found to be effective in terms of improving biology and biochemical markers,” Sinclair says. “One is the 5:2 diet … That one is also quite doable …
More extreme are those diets where you [fast] for a whole week every couple of months or every few months … My view is that that’s probably going to work the best if you can do it because it doesn’t just trigger the short-term pathways that we’ve been studying in my lab.
A week of fasting will really [trigger] the body to start consuming its own protein … That’s what autophagy is. It’s the consuming of biological material, which is typically a protein. In talking with people who’ve done these fasting regimens, after about three days, something different starts to kick in. People who try this tell me that they have a feeling of euphoria. They definitely get an added boost …
We’ve been studying in my lab for the last 20 years genes that respond to diet, to fasting and calorie restriction. The upshot of it is that our bodies respond to adversity or perceived adversity. They turn on these defensive pathways. It changes a bunch of genes that switch on to defend our bodies …
These defenses of the body are extremely good at protecting us against diseases — from diabetes to cancer, heart disease, even dementia and Alzheimer’s. These are things that modern medicine has struggled to combat. This seems to be a very simple way to get the body to fight those diseases.”
At what age should you start fasting?
As for when to start, animal studies suggest the younger you are when you start, the better. For humans, this would, of course, have to be done within reason. It would be downright foolhardy to put an infant on a fasting regimen, for example.
Teens and young adults in their 20s are also not candidates for fasting, Sinclair says, as “There’s still a lot going on in their bodies and their brains.” After the age of 30, however, extrapolations from animal studies suggest the longer you’re able to incorporate some form of regular fasting across your life span, the better.
As a general rule, intermittent fasting involves fasting for 12 to 16 hours a day, which will typically necessitate eliminating either breakfast or dinner. If you eat dinner, you’ll want to make sure you do it early enough — at least three hours before bedtime. I try to eat my last meal three to six hours before bed.
One of the reasons for this advice is because avoiding late-night eating will increase your nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) levels, which are important for a variety of bodily functions.
Importantly, it will also reduce nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), which is essentially the true cellular battery of your cell and has the reductive potential to recharge your antioxidants. The largest consumer of NADPH is the creation of fatty acids.
If you’re eating close to bedtime, then you’re not going to be able to use the NADPH to burn those calories as energy. Instead, they must be stored in some way. To store them, you have to create fat, so you’re basically radically lowering your NADPH levels when you eat late at night because they are being consumed to store your extra calories by creating fat.
“I tend to snack at night, so it’s my downfall,” Sinclair says, “but yes, to be able to have that fast overnight, that’ll boost your NAD and NADPH levels. These are all good things. They turn on the enzymes that we study called sirtuins. They need NAD to function. You can use the whole night to ostensibly repair your body and protect it from what happens during the day.”
Everything in moderation
An important part of Sinclair’s book delves into the balance between anabolism — the building of muscle tissue — and catabolism, the tearing down and repair of muscle. Counterintuitively, when you fast, growth hormone levels increase, even though there are no nutrients available. Sinclair explains:
“Insulin-like growth hormone (IGF-1) and growth hormone itself, in the short run, don’t seem to be healthy, at least in animal studies. Nir Barzilai of Albert Einstein College of Medicine has studied centenarian families. What he’s found, in particular [in regard] to IGF-1, is that some families can have high levels of IGF-1 but still live a long time.
The reason for that is that they don’t have the IGF-1 receptor as active … [I]f you’re not responding to these hormones, it doesn’t really matter how much your body produces. It’ll still have an effect that mimics the benefits you want. It’s interesting actually that the growth hormone is stimulated by fasting … I’m unaware of exactly why.
But we know that fasting doesn’t lead to bigger animals. It’s actually the opposite. It could be — now I’m just speculating, but I think it’s worth discussing and thinking about — that the short-term bursts of hormones may help the body recover from injury. But those little spikes don’t last long so that you’re not having any downsides …
If I was to summarize everything that I’ve learned over the last 30 years: ‘Everything in moderation, and don’t do anything too consistently.’ … Your body needs to be primed and then allowed to relax; challenged and then allowed to relax.
These diets and these growth hormone spikes, I think they’re good. You just don’t want them on all the time, because then your body doesn’t have a chance to recover and you don’t get the long-term benefits.”
The case for exercising in a fasted state
A tangent to this is the idea that the ideal time to do strength training is right before you have your first meal after a 16- or 18-hour fast. In other words, exercising while still fasting.
The reason for this is because your growth hormone is already activated, allowing you to reap maximum benefit from the anabolic stress of the exercise, which increases peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) and mitochondrial biogenesis. As noted by Sinclair, this is “the cutting edge of thinking.”
“Again, in the full disclaimer, we’re discussing the cutting edge of science, so we don’t fully know the answers to this. But what makes sense to me is that we don’t want too much protein in our lives. We don’t want to eat a steak at every meal.
Because what we’ve learned through the work of David Sabatini and many others in the field is that … inhibiting the mTOR pathway by having a lack of certain amino acids is healthy and does lengthen lifespan in animals.
But does that mean that you shouldn’t eat protein? Absolutely not. There are times when eating proteins is important. Same for testosterone. Same for growth hormone. Now we’re getting into the nitty-gritty. If you are pulsing these things, when do you do them together and when do you do them apart?
Let me talk about what I do personally because that’s actually a better way to approach the discussion. If I’m going to have a steak — I try to be a vegetarian — but let’s say I’m going to have a protein shake, I’m going to do that just before or just after I’ve exercised.
But then I’m also going to have a period in the week where I don’t have a lot of protein … I think … that a little bit of stress every day and a lot of stress once in a while is a great combo.”
The importance of NAD boosters
In his book, Sinclair also discusses the importance of glycine, the shortest and most common amino acid in your body. In the past, people got plenty of glycine from eating bone broth and connective tissue, but most people today are not in the habit of eating homemade bone broth.
As a result, many are not getting enough. Unfortunately, glycine is all the more important these days, as our fructose consumption has dramatically increased. Sinclair explains:
“This is a big question in my field. Just to take a step back, my field and a lot of what my book is about are [about how] to trick the body into [thinking it’s] hungry and having exercise. One of the molecules that do that is NAD.
NAD stands for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and we have it in our body. As we exercise and get hungry, it goes up. As we get older, it goes down. It’s needed for life. It’s also needed for turning on these defensive enzymes called sirtuins.
Now, to raise NAD levels, what we’ve done in my lab to mice for the last decade is we give them precursors to NAD. We give them molecules like nicotinamide riboside, or NR, or nicotinamide mononucleotide, also known as NMN …
When times are tough, we’re hungry or we’ve exercised, NAD levels will go up and turn on these defenses. That’s why when you take a molecule like NMN … what we think is happening is that you’re tricking your body into thinking that it’s [had] exercise or that it’s hungry because the NAD levels will go up.
So, you get the protective benefits … without actually having to necessarily exercise or diet … NMN is what I take each day. I take a gram of it. The thing with NMN is that it has this nicotinamide group on it. It hangs off the main part of the chemical and it’s the first bond to break. We see in animals and even in humans that the levels of nicotinamide go up quite rapidly after taking NMN or NR.
Too high a level of nicotinamide is not good, in part because the nicotinamide gets excreted through the kidneys. That happens because it becomes methylated into methyl nicotinamide. Methyl nicotinamide had been used for years as a marker of all sorts of things …
But the concern … is, ‘Is this drain of methyl nicotinamide a problem?’ The methyl groups are needed for the body. We need methyl for a whole range of things, including antioxidants. As a precaution, I take trimethylglycine so that I continue to give my body a source of methyl groups …
I take it as a precaution because I know that trimethylglycine is not going to hurt me … The other thing is trimethylglycine, also known as betaine, is very good for [human cells], including protecting them against stress. I don’t see any downside … The upside is that I’m preventing my body from being drained of methyl groups.”
None of this is to say you’ll be able to simply take a supplement or two and live a long life while eating junk food and being inactive. They can improve your condition if you’re overweight and don’t exercise, but they’re not a panacea or replacement for a healthy diet and lifestyle.
However, when added to a low-calorie diet and healthy lifestyle, NAD boosters such as NR and NMN do appear to have a magnifying effect, allowing you to really maximize your benefits.
There are other NAD boosters beside NR and NMN, and open questions regarding methods of administration of NR and NMN that may influence their efficacy. All of that is discussed in the interview so, for more details, please listen to it in its entirety, or read through the transcript. I go into detail as to why I believe using the NAD+ molecule itself is likely a far better strategy than using precursors. It is what I am currently doing for my own program.
The theory of xenohormesis
Sirtuins, which much of Sinclair’s studies are focused on, are proteins that act as environmental stress sensors and are responsible for longevity. In simple terms, you could refer to them as longevity proteins. Evidence suggests sirtuins work by suppressing DNA expression. As explained by Sinclair, activating sirtuins is one way to increase longevity in yeast and worms.
One compound found to activate sirtuins is resveratrol. However, once activated, sirtuins require NAD+ as a co-enzyme, and if it isn’t available, it won’t work. Sinclair and his team screened about 18,000 compounds to identify activators, and found you need the SIRT1 gene for it to work — it’s not just an antioxidant effect.
“We published 21 activators in that first paper in the Nature journal, 2003. Resveratrol was the best one we had at the time. It got the most attention because the red wine story was pretty funny and interesting to the media. But there were others that were very close to resveratrol in structure and potency.
Quercetin and fisetin are plant molecules as well. They’re all produced in response to stress … dehydration or ultraviolet (UV) light. They seem to have benefits on organisms [that] consume them.
Interestingly, what has later been discovered, though rarely acknowledged, is that these same molecules work on killing senescent cells … the ‘zombie cells’ that accumulate in your body and cause havoc. Now, others have shown that quercetin … have senolytic properties, same with fisetin. But what’s not recognized typically, or admitted, is that these molecules were discovered 15 years ago to also be SIRT1 activators …
The hypothesis Dr. Konrad Howitz and I came up with, which we published in Cell [in] 2005 … is called xenohormesis. It’s the idea that we’ve evolved to sense our environment, and molecules produced by plants and bacteria in our environment when they’re stressed.
If we consume those or put them on our skin, for example, our bodies will recognize those. We’ve evolved to sense our world around us. That’s a very good way of getting a heads up if your plants are running out of nutrients or the water table is drying up …
That can explain why so many molecules from the plant world have given rise to medicines and why some molecules, like resveratrol and quercetin, fisetin, even aspirin, have remarkable health benefits and target many different enzymes in the body that seems to be well beyond what coincidence could explain …
It’s thought that a little bit of heat, a little bit of cold, a little bit of hunger, some exercise, some hypoxia, lack of oxygen in your body, these are all ways of activating these defense pathways … such as sirtuins … the mTOR, which lower amino acids, particularly leucine and arginine, and the AMPK pathway … these are the main three defensive pathways. There are others.
But what’s downstream of these pathways are things like heat-shock proteins and transcription factors that turn on DNA repair enzymes … Here’s the good news: We used to think we had to understand everything those sensors do to be able to understand aging and be able to live longer.
But what I’ve been arguing for many years now is that we don’t need to fully know what they do … As long as we can find the right nodes in the cell, to turn them on in the right ratios at the right time, the body has evolved to take care of the rest.
We’re getting to the point … where we know what these nodes are. We have the tools to tweak them. We can also change them naturally by fasting and exercising. We can change them with molecules that we can ingest or inject. But now, the cutting-edge is, when do you apply them, how much and in what combinations? That’s really what people like myself … are onto right now.”
The importance of DNA repair
Another strategy for increasing NAD+ is to avoid things that use it up, such as exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs). One of the primary DNA repair enzymes inside your cells is poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP). PARP repairs single- and double-stranded DNA breaks and, in so doing, it will use up 100 to 150 NAD molecules for each break.
The more DNA breaks you have, the more NAD is being used up in the repair process. EMF exposure activates PARP and decreases NAD. So, by limiting EMF exposure, you can, by default, increase your NAD, simply because you’re not activating PARP as much.
“PARP enzymes are DNA-repair protein. The problem is when you hyperactivate this protein … There are actually more than 14 different PARPs. They do drain NAD quite effectively. In fact, in my lab, we’ve discovered another PARP that, when you have inflammation, drains NAD as well. It does make sense to slow them down … and in some cases, inhibit … their overuse of NAD,” Sinclair says.
Again, the best way to do that is by avoiding insults, such as EMFs, that activate the PARPs. “Then you get the benefits of low DNA damage and the benefits of high NAD,” Sinclair says, adding:
“Long story short, you want to activate PARP, but not too much … [Even] more interesting, I think, is how do you keep your levels of DNA double-strand breaks to a minimum? I think that’s one of the main keys to longevity.
There are two reasons: One is that double-strand breaks drain NAD. The second … is the idea that DNA double-strand breaks also disrupt the cell’s epigenome, the storage of the information that we get passed down from our mothers and fathers, mother and father, and the packaging of the DNA …
Basically, what happens is, if you have a broken DNA, proteins such as the sirtuins will leave their normal sites where they’re regulating genes and go help repair with PARP. But then they don’t all find their way back to where they came from. Some of them get lost and distracted.
Over time, what we see is that these proteins that are essential for maintaining cellular identity and function will be lost. We see that in yeast cells. Yeast cells get old because they’re moving between breaks and back again to genes.”
The epigenetic noise of aging
One of the most fascinating aspects of Sinclair’s book is the section on how to resolve some of this epigenetic damage, which accumulates through aging. Using the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technique, certain transcription factors were spliced into blind mice, thereby restoring their vision through epigenetic resurrection. Sinclair explains:
“This is a sneak preview of what, hopefully, will be published later this year … We’ve discovered what we think is very strong evidence for … epigenetic noise as a cause of aging … What does that mean?
Let’s just quickly do a biology lesson for those who haven’t been in high school for a while … [The] epigenome is the organization of DNA. The epigenome tells the cell that they should turn on this gene to be a nerve cell, and in a liver cell … Cells inherit that [epigenetic] information just as much as they inherit their DNA.
In my book, what I’m proposing is that … genomic and epigenomic information are quite different. The genomic, the DNA, is ‘digital,’ which is very well-preserved and can last a long time. We know that DVDs last longer than cassette tapes.
The problem for the epigenome is that it’s ‘analog’ information. Anyone who’s had a cassette tape or a record knows that you can pretty easily scratch these or lose the information. You can [also] scratch a DVD and lose the information.
We think aging is similar to those scratches; that the information to be young again is still largely in our bodies. Our cells can access that information by metaphorically polishing the DVD … so the cell can read the right genes …
With that in mind, let me explain what we’ve discovered. We have a metaphorical way of scratching a mouse’s epigenome: We cut the DNA. We create these double-strand breaks [and] let the cell heal … so there’s no change to the digital information. But what we see is the process of proteins moving around and trying to repair that DNA.
It eventually introduces this epigenomic noise, and the genes that were once on, many of them get turned off. Those that were once off come on. Liver cells start to lose their identities. Skin cells start to lose their identity. The consequence, we think, is aging.
We will hopefully publish a paper that shows that if you create this noise in a mouse, it will go through accelerated aging … Second of all, we have mice now that we can change the rate of aging in … The third thing is if you can give an animal something, then you can, with that knowledge, take it away. That’s what we’ve done …
We wanted to reprogram cells. The genes that were … on, now they go back off and vice versa … What we find is that by using these three Yamanaka factors, you can find the original information in the cell that tells it to be young again.
Those genes switch, and the cell behaves like it’s young again. In the case of the retina, we have preliminary results [showing] we can restore eyesight by rejuvenating the nerves in the retina to be young again.”
More information
Eventually, Sinclair’s goal is to identify ways to reprogram all cells in the body, such that they not just act younger but literally are younger on a molecular level. “In my career, I’ve seen a lot of cool stuff. I haven’t seen anything this cool before,” he says. Clearly, there’s extraordinary potential to extend the human life span beyond the current 120 limits.
In his book, he proposes there’s no built-in biological requirement for death, and that, theoretically at least, you could live hundreds of years. To learn more about Sinclair’s research, and the science behind aging and the potential for reversing aging, be sure to pick up a copy of his book, “Lifespan: Why We Age — and Why We Don’t Have To.”
“We could see a world where people do choose to be genetically modified,” Sinclair says. “It’s their choice, right? I don’t think we can easily go in and modify children even though that’s now being done, unless it’s life-threatening, of course. But adults know that they should be able to have a choice if they’re safe and it’s approved, then they should be able to do that.
Maybe there will be a day when we are able to carry these Yamanaka genes in our body. And when we get sick or we have an injury … then we get an IV that turns on those genes for a month. We recover and rejuvenate, then we turn them off again until we need them again. That would be a pretty wild sci-fi future, but both signs are pointing to at least the biology being possible …
I hope people who read the book come away with a new view of what’s possible. Some people who have read it tell me that it’s changed the way they look at their own lives. That’s what I wanted to do. I think we forget how important this topic is, that we can do things right now to alter the course of our lives.”
Read more great articles at mercola.com


consciouslifenews--2020-03-25--Tell-Tale Signs That Suggest You Might Be An INFJ – The World’s Rarest Personality Type

Every day , people are reading books , watching documentaries , and seeking help with the intention of getting to know themselves better .
The rise of self-help books – increasing 13.6 % from 2005 to 2008 — speaks for itself , as does the $ 11 billion we spend on self-improvement books , CDs , seminars , coaching , and stress-management programs .
We ’ re all working hard to scrape away bad habits we ’ ve carried on since childhood and new ones we ’ ve adopted as adults so we can better navigate the stressful lifestyles we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are certain methods that allow us to better prepare ourselves when it comes to how we respond to everyday aggravations .
We can meditate , journal , and seek out help from our partner , friend , or therapist .
These tools help to quiet our mind and , sometimes , if we ’ re lucky , offer us glimpses of our true Self .
Now , what does this have to do with our personalities ?
There is no clear definition of what a personality is , but it ’ s theorized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environmental influences , and past interactions and experiences .
Psychologists have even gone so far as relating our personalities to our birth order , and how we were disciplined growing up .
The definition of personality that I resonate most with is defined by Raymond Cattell .
Cattell discovered the 16 separate primary trait factors within the normal personality sphere and created the 16 personality factor model with Maurice Tatsuoka and Herbert Eber .
It ’ s based on decades of empirical research that psychologists and mental health professionals use today as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It can also help individuals better understand which career is best suited for them .
That being said , labels and definitions of you shouldn ’ t really be taken too seriously .
Something like this is not the most helpful tool to describe you or who you are .
Sometimes with information like this , one can take on the label and its characteristics which they are told best suits them .
Sure it may assist us in our lives , but nobody can really tell you who you are .
Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the need to be defined with a specific label , don ’ t put yourself in a box .
Most of us are familiar with Carl Gustav Jung , the Swiss psychiatrist , and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology , also known as Jungian psychology .
It uses psychological methods based on regular interaction to help people overcome their problems , and “ emphasizes the importance of the individual psyche and the personal quest for wholeness , ” an idea we celebrate here at Collective Evolution , given that each human being on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be treated accordingly .
Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers were inspired by Jung ’ s theory , that humans experience the world using four principal psychological functions — sensation , intuition , feeling , and thinking — and that one of these four functions is dominant for a person most of the time .
Katherine and Isabel utilized this theory and created the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator ( MBTI ) in 1944 , a simple way to describe the order of each person ’ s Jungian preferences .
Mind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Identity are the five personality aspects that , combined , create and define personality type : You can find out which personality you are here .
Here ’ s How to Tell If You ’ re an INFJ Personality Type INFJ people are amongst the rarest of personalities , occupying less than 1 % of the population .
They are more Introverted , Intuitive , Feeling , and Judging .
These individuals are active dreamers , as they don ’ t wait for their dreams to manifest , but rather create plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make a sustainable , positive impact .
INFJs are altruistic in nature and are often found engaging in charitable tasks , but what truly sets them apart is their drive to create a world where people don ’ t need saving .
They see the good in all beings and do not hold anyone at a higher or lower standard than them .
They see all beings as equal and deserving of attention , comfort , and compassion .
People are very attracted to the warmness that INFJs exude , and usually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finding themselves divulging their deepest fears , secrets , and dreams .
This type speaks in a language of energy and empathy , which forms a sensitive language that creates a safe environment for all .
Close friends would label these individuals as extraverted and strangers would assume them to be introverts .
This combination can be very tiring , so it ’ s important they allow themselves alone time to decompress and reconnect to themselves .
INFJs are highly intuitive and can tell someone ’ s true character within minutes of meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything or anyone who is inauthentic or those they perceive to be dishonest , deceitful , or ineffectual .
This doesn ’ t necessarily categorize them as judgemental , but just shows they truly know what they like .
If any of their friends exhibit these behaviors , however , they are far more forgiving , as they have a full understanding of who that individual is and understands that their actions are based on insecurity and past trauma .
They stray away from small talk , as they prefer deeper conversations that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to know the depths of your soul , what you ’ re passionate about , what you want to achieve in life , and how and if you ’ re interested in helping mankind .
READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE…

By Amanda Monteiro | Collective Evolution
Every day, people are reading books, watching documentaries, and seeking help with the intention of getting to know themselves better. The rise of self-help books – increasing 13.6% from 2005 to 2008 — speaks for itself, as does the $11 billion we spend on self-improvement books, CDs, seminars, coaching, and stress-management programs. We’re all working hard to scrape away bad habits we’ve carried on since childhood and new ones we’ve adopted as adults so we can better navigate the stressful lifestyles we’ve been pushed into.
There are certain methods that allow us to better prepare ourselves when it comes to how we respond to everyday aggravations. We can meditate, journal, and seek out help from our partner, friend, or therapist. These tools help to quiet our mind and, sometimes, if we’re lucky, offer us glimpses of our true Self. Now, what does this have to do with our personalities?
There is no clear definition of what a personality is, but it’s theorized to be a conjunction of habits, environmental influences, and past interactions and experiences. Psychologists have even gone so far as relating our personalities to our birth order, and how we were disciplined growing up. The definition of personality that I resonate most with is the traits that predict a person’s behavior, defined by Raymond Cattell. Cattell discovered the 16 separate primary trait factors within the normal personality sphere and created the 16 personality factor model with Maurice Tatsuoka and Herbert Eber. It’s based on decades of empirical research that psychologists and mental health professionals use today as an instrument to help diagnose psychological disorders. It can also help individuals better understand which career is best suited for them.
That being said, labels and definitions of you shouldn’t really be taken too seriously. Something like this is not the most helpful tool to describe you or who you are. Sometimes with information like this, one can take on the label and its characteristics which they are told best suits them. Sure it may assist us in our lives, but nobody can really tell you who you are. Just be yourself, and let go of the need to be defined with a specific label, don’t put yourself in a box.
16 Personality Types
Most of us are familiar with Carl Gustav Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist, and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology, also known as Jungian psychology. It uses psychological methods based on regular interaction to help people overcome their problems, and “emphasizes the importance of the individual psyche and the personal quest for wholeness,” an idea we celebrate here at Collective Evolution, given that each human being on Earth has separate needs and wants and should be treated accordingly.
Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers were inspired by Jung’s theory, that humans experience the world using four principal psychological functions — sensation, intuition, feeling, and thinking — and that one of these four functions is dominant for a person most of the time. Katherine and Isabel utilized this theory and created the Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) in 1944, a simple way to describe the order of each person’s Jungian preferences.
Mind, Energy, Nature, Tactics, and Identity are the five personality aspects that, combined, create and define personality type:
Mind: Extroversion vs. Introversion
Energy: Sensing vs. Intuition
Nature: Thinking vs. Feeling
Tactics: Judging vs. Perceiving
The 16 personality types are:
Architect (INTJ, -A/-T) Logician (INTP, -A/-T) Commander (ENTJ, -A/-T) Debator (ENTP, -A/-T) Advocate (INFJ, -A/-T) Mediator (INFP, -A/-T) Protagonist (ENFJ, -A/-T) Campaign (ENFP, -A/-T) Logistician (ISTJ, -A/-T) Defender (ISFJ, -A/-T) Executive (ESTJ, -A/-T) Consul (ESFJ, -A/-T) Virtuoso (ISTP, -A/-T) Adventurer (ISFP, -A/-T) Entrepreneur (ESTP, -A/-T) Entertainer (ESFP, -A/-T)
You can find out which personality you are here.
Here’s How to Tell If You’re an INFJ Personality Type
INFJ people are amongst the rarest of personalities, occupying less than 1% of the population. They are more Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, and Judging. These individuals are active dreamers, as they don’t wait for their dreams to manifest, but rather create plans and concrete steps to realize their goals to make a sustainable, positive impact.
INFJs are altruistic in nature and are often found engaging in charitable tasks, but what truly sets them apart is their drive to create a world where people don’t need saving. They see the good in all beings and do not hold anyone at a higher or lower standard than them. They see all beings as equal and deserving of attention, comfort, and compassion.
People are very attracted to the warmness that INFJs exude, and usually feel very comfortable around them, often finding themselves divulging their deepest fears, secrets, and dreams. This type speaks in a language of energy and empathy, which forms a sensitive language that creates a safe environment for all. Close friends would label these individuals as extraverted and strangers would assume them to be introverts. This combination can be very tiring, so it’s important they allow themselves alone time to decompress and reconnect to themselves.
INFJs are highly intuitive and can tell someone’s true character within minutes of meeting them. They do not care for anything or anyone who is inauthentic or those they perceive to be dishonest, deceitful, or ineffectual. This doesn’t necessarily categorize them as judgemental, but just shows they truly know what they like. If any of their friends exhibit these behaviors, however, they are far more forgiving, as they have a full understanding of who that individual is and understands that their actions are based on insecurity and past trauma. They stray away from small talk, as they prefer deeper conversations that stimulate a positive energy exchange. They want to know the depths of your soul, what you’re passionate about, what you want to achieve in life, and how and if you’re interested in helping mankind.
READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE…


consciouslifenews--2020-03-25--5 Activities You Can Still Do During COVID-19 Quarantine

Let 's be honest .
There 's been a lot of talk about social distancing these days and self-quarantine to guard against the coronavirus that is now altering our lifestyles and habits for the moment .
Many places we visit like restaurants , schools , churches , courthouses , movie theatres and more have shut their doors until further notice .
That leaves most children and adults bored staying home and running out of and keeping their spirits up .
We 've done some digging and found wonderful activities you can get into during your COVID-19 quarantine .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entire family , but it is fascinating , fun and can take you to the finest museums around the world .
All you need is your computer to tap into and go for a ride in the comfort of your couch .
museum virtual tour is ready at the click of your mouse thanks to Google Arts & Culture 's collection .
From the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam to the Guggenheim in New York City and many others , you can have a blast looking at iconic artwork and sculptures up close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these websites offer incredible , 360-degree videos to see these exquisite pieces from every angle .
2 .
Have A Picnic In Your Living Room Set down a big , cozy blanket in the middle of the room , and dine picnic-style indoors .
You can make your own food and snacks , or you can order via Door Dash or other online food delivery services , and have the delicious eats brought right to your doorstep .
Maybe you have a favorite local restaurant or two .
When ordering for delivery , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this difficult time .
You could also take your picnic outdoors in your backyard and have a family campout .
It 's easy to like sleeping bags , a tent , coolers , etc .
Toast some marshmallows , and enjoy the night sky .
Get rid of any stress you may be feeling , and take in a little exercise by choosing a streaming class online .
Most gyms and the YMCA have closed their doors during COVID-19 , but there are tons of opportunities for staying active and burning off a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ establishments are having special online classes right now .
From yoga to aerobics to kickboxing and more , you can boost your spirit , clear your mind and work those muscles .
You can also find all kinds of video-streamed routines on YouTube .
That 's right ; the drinks can still flow , and the merriment can still be had via technology .
Just hook up with Skype , FaceTime or any other social platform to host your Happy-Hour , and virtually get together with your friends to connect and raise a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cocktails , wine , and beer .
In fact , the popular martini today is called the Quarantini , according to the NY Post .
To make it , mix 1½ to 2 ounces of vodka with ¾ ounce of citrus ( such as lemon or lime juice ) and ½ to ¾ ounce of simple syrup to sweeten things up .
5 .
Get Your Craft On This is excellent for both kids and adults .
Craft time is fun , and you can learn something you have always wanted to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make a friendship bracelet , build a coffee table , make a scrapbook , and the list goes on .
There 's a craft for every age and interest , and many of these how-tos or tutorials can be found online .
Keeping busy creating fun , artistic stuff during social distancing and lockdown is a great way to spend time on a project .
You are using your hands , relaxing and learning something new .
You can even order craft supplies online if you 're lacking some of the essentials .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ trying to navigate around COVID-19 with the proper quarantine approach .
Now 's the time to be inspired by the big , beautiful world around us and still be active and aware while we all hunker down and fill our lives with hope , optimism , and healing .
Tags : `` featured , activities to do during COVID-19 quarantine , COVID-19 , COVID-19 global pandemic , COVID-19 outbreak , COVID-19 pandemic , COVID-19 quarantine , COVID-19 quarantine activities , featured

Let's be honest. There's been a lot of talk about social distancing these days and self-quarantine to guard against the coronavirus that is now altering our lifestyles and habits for the moment. Many places we visit like restaurants, schools, churches, courthouses, movie theatres and more have shut their doors until further notice. That leaves most children and adults bored staying home and running out of ideas for having fun and keeping their spirits up. We've done some digging and found wonderful activities you can get into during your COVID-19 quarantine.
1. Visit Famous Museums Virtually
This is not only an educational activity for the entire family, but it is fascinating, fun and can take you to the finest museums around the world. All you need is your computer to tap into and go for a ride in the comfort of your couch.
A museum virtual tour is ready at the click of your mouse thanks to Google Arts & Culture's collection. From the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam to the Guggenheim in New York City and many others, you can have a blast looking at iconic artwork and sculptures up close without spending a dime.
Some of these websites offer incredible, 360-degree videos to see these exquisite pieces from every angle.
2. Have A Picnic In Your Living Room
Set down a big, cozy blanket in the middle of the room, and dine picnic-style indoors. You can make your own food and snacks, or you can order via Door Dash or other online food delivery services, and have the delicious eats brought right to your doorstep.
Maybe you have a favorite local restaurant or two. When ordering for delivery, you're supporting the local establishments during this difficult time.
You could also take your picnic outdoors in your backyard and have a family campout. It's easy to rent camping gear like sleeping bags, a tent, coolers, etc. Toast some marshmallows, and enjoy the night sky.
3. Work-Out At Home
Get rid of any stress you may be feeling, and take in a little exercise by choosing a streaming class online. Most gyms and the YMCA have closed their doors during COVID-19, but there are tons of opportunities for staying active and burning off a few calories. Many of these exercise establishments are having special online classes right now.
From yoga to aerobics to kickboxing and more, you can boost your spirit, clear your mind and work those muscles. You can also find all kinds of video-streamed routines on YouTube.
4. Host An Online Happy-Hour
That's right; the drinks can still flow, and the merriment can still be had via technology. Just hook up with Skype, FaceTime or any other social platform to host your Happy-Hour, and virtually get together with your friends to connect and raise a glass.
Some places are also delivering cocktails, wine, and beer. In fact, the popular martini today is called the Quarantini, according to the NY Post. To make it, mix 1½ to 2 ounces of vodka with ¾ ounce of citrus (such as lemon or lime juice) and ½ to ¾ ounce of simple syrup to sweeten things up.
5. Get Your Craft On
This is excellent for both kids and adults. Craft time is fun, and you can learn something you have always wanted to do like crochet, make a terrarium, make a friendship bracelet, build a coffee table, make a scrapbook, and the list goes on.
There's a craft for every age and interest, and many of these how-tos or tutorials can be found online. Keeping busy creating fun, artistic stuff during social distancing and lockdown is a great way to spend time on a project. You are using your hands, relaxing and learning something new.
You can even order craft supplies online if you're lacking some of the essentials.
We're all in this together and trying to navigate around COVID-19 with the proper quarantine approach. Now's the time to be inspired by the big, beautiful world around us and still be active and aware while we all hunker down and fill our lives with hope, optimism, and healing.


consciouslifenews--2020-03-25--Why Taking Care of Your Own Well-Being Helps Others

Friday happened to be the International Day of Happiness , but people around the world feel anything but happy right now .
Many of us are stressed and worried , wondering what this global pandemic means for our friends , families , and communities .
The pursuit of happiness is likely the furthest thing from people ’ s minds .
Yet , as a Buddhist monk and psychologist Jack Kornfield once said in an interview , cultivating a joyful spirit can actually help not only us but the people around us—especially when things are hard .
“ Our gift to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being and presence , our smile and touch , our sense of possibility and the mystery of human life , as it does in the specifics of what we do , ” he says .
It ’ s a lovely sentiment , and it also seems to be supported by science .
Study after study shows that well-being—either being in a positive mood or recognizing that you have a good life—benefits those in our social sphere , whether we ’ re talking about our families , workplaces , schools , or society at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we ’ re better relationship partners , more kind and helpful in our communities , and more productive in our workplaces—all of which may be useful during this time of crisis .
In other words , our emotional state affects others , too .
Here are some of the ways that pursuing our well-being might make a positive difference in other people ’ s lives .
Our well-being is contagious in social circles Researchers Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler have found that , in social networks , happiness can be contagious up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initial source ( you ! )
.
That means that when you are happy , the people you are connected to tend to be happier , as are the friends of those friends and the friends of your friends ’ friends—like , for example , your sister ’ s boss ’ s running buddy .
Happiness contagion can also happen in schools .
One study found that a student ’ s individual well-being and happiness at the end of the school year partly depended on how happy and satisfied with life their classmates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can happen at home in families and in workplaces , too .
Why would that be ?
It turns out that our brains are pretty attuned to the emotions of those around us .
Through a complex neural system sometimes referred to as “ mirror neurons , ” we experience the feelings of others inside ourselves .
It ’ s why when we smile , it can make others smile , and when we laugh , it tickles other people ’ s funny bones .
As long as we are in some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ online—our good feelings tend to spread to them .
Our well-being helps us bond with others Even when we ’ re isolated , good relationships are just as important as ever—offering the love , care , and connection we need for these difficult times .
And taking care of our well-being can help us maintain those relationships in a myriad of ways ( and help keep anger and tension at bay ) .
In one experiment , researchers found that inducing happiness in individual romantic partners by showing them happy imagery made them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another experiment , people expressing greater positive feelings tended to have more satisfying , less contentious marital discussions around conflicts , which could help couples stay together longer .
In a large review of these kinds of studies , authors Shannon Moore , Ed Diener , and Kenneth Tan suggested several possible ways that good feelings could contribute to relationship building , in both the short term and the long term .
Among them are : • Happy people are more likely to engage with others and be more social .
• When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have more substantial interactions and feel a greater sense of commonality than less happy people .
• Happy people are less likely to have conflicts with others and are better at negotiating differences .
• Happy people may be more kind and helpful toward others .
• Other people find it rewarding to be with happy people .
This suggests that there is some kind of reciprocal relationship between well-being and social bonds , which strengthens both .
That ’ s not only good for you , but it ’ s also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ connected to .
Our well-being can improve the health of those around us It ’ s true that happiness seems to have positive effects on your health and longevity .
Studies have found that happier people tend to have stronger immunity , maintain their weight better , and sleep better—which all , in turn , can lead to better health .
But could our well-being affect the health of those around us , too ?
At least some research suggests it does .
Studies have found that when we ’ re happier , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ longevity , though the exact reasons for that are unclear .
It could be that happier spouses have more energy for helping and supporting sick partners , as researcher Olga Stavrova speculates .
But it could also be that a cheerful spouse makes their partner feel happier or less stressed , and that ’ s what indirectly makes them healthier .
Our well-being helps us engage in social problems and help the world We all need to pitch in right now and do the right thing to protect society at large .
Fortunately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may give us the emotional resources to help those around us deal with the coronavirus .
As one study found , happier people are more likely to care about the problems of the world and to take action to alleviate suffering—perhaps because they have more personal agency and energy to do so .
Another study in Germany found that happier people tended to be more involved citizens—meaning , they voted , volunteered , and participated in community activities more than less happy people—possibly because they were optimistic and trusted others more .
Yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happier people tended to vote more and that happiness was likely the cause—not the effect—of voting .
Of course , saying that your well-being helps others isn ’ t meant to pressure you to be happy all the time , which is pretty much impossible even in more normal times .
It ’ s good to remember that all emotions can be useful under certain circumstances , including negative ones , such as when fear keeps us from taking unnecessary risks or sadness helps signal to others that we need comfort .
Nor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put on a happy face when we don ’ t feel happy .
Accepting our negative emotions is actually useful for our well-being while repressing them generally isn ’ t .
But these findings do suggest that taking care of our well-being need not be entirely a selfish pursuit , even now .
We can all try to do so as individuals—by practicing keys to more sustained well-being , like gratitude , mindfulness , awe , and compassion—and try to build societies that promote wellness .
And you can pretty much bet that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be helping those around us to cope better with the coronavirus , contributing to a better world for all .
Tags : `` featured , being creative boost your well-being , emotional well-being , emotional well-being and the pursuit of happiness , featured , International Day of Happiness , our well-being , our well-being is contagious , social circles , taking care of your well-being , the pursuit of happiness

By Jill Suttie | Greater Good Magazine
Friday happened to be the International Day of Happiness, but people around the world feel anything but happy right now. Many of us are stressed and worried, wondering what this global pandemic means for our friends, families, and communities.
The pursuit of happiness is likely the furthest thing from people’s minds. Yet, as a Buddhist monk and psychologist Jack Kornfield once said in an interview, cultivating a joyful spirit can actually help not only us but the people around us—especially when things are hard. “Our gift to the world comes as much through our being and presence, our smile and touch, our sense of possibility and the mystery of human life, as it does in the specifics of what we do,” he says.
It’s a lovely sentiment, and it also seems to be supported by science. Study after study shows that well-being—either being in a positive mood or recognizing that you have a good life—benefits those in our social sphere, whether we’re talking about our families, workplaces, schools, or society at large. When we’re happy, we’re better relationship partners, more kind and helpful in our communities, and more productive in our workplaces—all of which may be useful during this time of crisis.
In other words, our emotional state affects others, too. Here are some of the ways that pursuing our well-being might make a positive difference in other people’s lives.
Our well-being is contagious in social circles
Researchers Nicholas Christakis and James Fowler have found that, in social networks, happiness can be contagious up to three degrees of separation from its initial source (you!). That means that when you are happy, the people you are connected to tend to be happier, as are the friends of those friends and the friends of your friends’ friends—like, for example, your sister’s boss’s running buddy.
Happiness contagion can also happen in schools. One study found that a student’s individual well-being and happiness at the end of the school year partly depended on how happy and satisfied with life their classmates were earlier in the year. And it can happen at home in families and in workplaces, too.
Why would that be? It turns out that our brains are pretty attuned to the emotions of those around us. Through a complex neural system sometimes referred to as “mirror neurons,” we experience the feelings of others inside ourselves. It’s why when we smile, it can make others smile, and when we laugh, it tickles other people’s funny bones. As long as we are in some kind of contact with people—physically or even online—our good feelings tend to spread to them.
Our well-being helps us bond with others
Even when we’re isolated, good relationships are just as important as ever—offering the love, care, and connection we need for these difficult times. And taking care of our well-being can help us maintain those relationships in a myriad of ways (and help keep anger and tension at bay).
In one experiment, researchers found that inducing happiness in individual romantic partners by showing them happy imagery made them feel better about their relationship. In another experiment, people expressing greater positive feelings tended to have more satisfying, less contentious marital discussions around conflicts, which could help couples stay together longer.
In a large review of these kinds of studies, authors Shannon Moore, Ed Diener, and Kenneth Tan suggested several possible ways that good feelings could contribute to relationship building, in both the short term and the long term. Among them are:
This suggests that there is some kind of reciprocal relationship between well-being and social bonds, which strengthens both. That’s not only good for you, but it’s also good for each person you’re connected to.
Our well-being can improve the health of those around us
It’s true that happiness seems to have positive effects on your health and longevity. Studies have found that happier people tend to have stronger immunity, maintain their weight better, and sleep better—which all, in turn, can lead to better health.
But could our well-being affect the health of those around us, too? At least some research suggests it does.
Studies have found that when we’re happier, our spouses have better health and greater longevity, though the exact reasons for that are unclear. It could be that happier spouses have more energy for helping and supporting sick partners, as researcher Olga Stavrova speculates. But it could also be that a cheerful spouse makes their partner feel happier or less stressed, and that’s what indirectly makes them healthier.
Our well-being helps us engage in social problems and help the world
We all need to pitch in right now and do the right thing to protect society at large. Fortunately, taking care of our own well-being may give us the emotional resources to help those around us deal with the coronavirus.
As one study found, happier people are more likely to care about the problems of the world and to take action to alleviate suffering—perhaps because they have more personal agency and energy to do so. Another study in Germany found that happier people tended to be more involved citizens—meaning, they voted, volunteered, and participated in community activities more than less happy people—possibly because they were optimistic and trusted others more. Yet another study in Latin America found that happier people tended to vote more and that happiness was likely the cause—not the effect—of voting.
Of course, saying that your well-being helps others isn’t meant to pressure you to be happy all the time, which is pretty much impossible even in more normal times. It’s good to remember that all emotions can be useful under certain circumstances, including negative ones, such as when fear keeps us from taking unnecessary risks or sadness helps signal to others that we need comfort. Nor does it mean that we should simply put on a happy face when we don’t feel happy. Accepting our negative emotions is actually useful for our well-being while repressing them generally isn’t.
But these findings do suggest that taking care of our well-being need not be entirely a selfish pursuit, even now. We can all try to do so as individuals—by practicing keys to more sustained well-being, like gratitude, mindfulness, awe, and compassion—and try to build societies that promote wellness. And you can pretty much bet that by nurturing our well-being, we will be helping those around us to cope better with the coronavirus, contributing to a better world for all.
About the Author


consciouslifenews--2020-03-25--Grandmother, Age 95, Becomes Oldest Woman in Italy to Recover From Coronavirus

( TMU ) — In a stunning example of how wherever there ’ s life , there ’ s hope , a 95-year-old Italian grandmother has become the oldest known woman in the country to recover from coronavirus .
Alma Clara Corsini arrived at the Pavulo Hospital in the northern province of Modena on March 5 after suffering from symptoms of the deadly disease .
She was among Italy ’ s nearly 60,000 people confirmed to have the virus as of Sunday .
The country ’ s north has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic .
However , doctors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country and tended to Corsini throughout her ordeal , making her the first person in Modena to recover from the novel virus .
Earlier in the week , she confirmed : Gazzetta Di Modena reports that she was able to make a healthy recovery without any need for “ antiviral therapy , ” while her body showed a “ great reaction ” despite the infection .
Corsini ’ s good fortune was even shared by Pope Francis , who took to Facebook to post an image of her with members of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the post , the high pontiff wrote : Corsini has since been discharged from the hospital and is back at her home in Fanano .
Over the weekend , no less than 1,400 people died in Italy as the country races to control the horrific spread of the novel virus .
All movement has now been banned inside the country and non-essential businesses shuttered as the country continues to stand firmly as the epicenter of the global crisis , exceeding China ’ s death toll last week despite its smaller population .
Over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , with the average age of those dying standing at 78.5 years .
On Sunday , an additional 651 Italians died , bringing the death toll to at least 5,400 .

By Elias Marat | Creative Commons | TheMindUnleashed.com
(TMU) — In a stunning example of how wherever there’s life, there’s hope, a 95-year-old Italian grandmother has become the oldest known woman in the country to recover from coronavirus.
Alma Clara Corsini arrived at the Pavulo Hospital in the northern province of Modena on March 5 after suffering from symptoms of the deadly disease.
She was among Italy’s nearly 60,000 people confirmed to have the virus as of Sunday. The country’s north has been hit particularly hard by the pandemic.
However, doctors and specialists have been working hard across the country and tended to Corsini throughout her ordeal, making her the first person in Modena to recover from the novel virus.
Earlier in the week, she confirmed:
“Yes, yes, I’m fine … They were good people who looked after me well.”
Gazzetta Di Modena reports that she was able to make a healthy recovery without any need for “antiviral therapy,” while her body showed a “great reaction” despite the infection.
Corsini’s good fortune was even shared by Pope Francis, who took to Facebook to post an image of her with members of the medical team that saved her. In the post, the high pontiff wrote:
“In Italy, a 95-year-old granny is the first patient to be cured of coronavirus. Alma Clara Corsini has won this battle for her life to give us hope.”
Corsini has since been discharged from the hospital and is back at her home in Fanano.
Over the weekend, no less than 1,400 people died in Italy as the country races to control the horrific spread of the novel virus.
All movement has now been banned inside the country and non-essential businesses shuttered as the country continues to stand firmly as the epicenter of the global crisis, exceeding China’s death toll last week despite its smaller population.
Over 6,500 Italians test positive for Covid-19 every day, with the average age of those dying standing at 78.5 years.
On Sunday, an additional 651 Italians died, bringing the death toll to at least 5,400.