What helps people stay active, strong, and independent as they age—luck, genetics, or habits built years earlier? In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with Carl Daikeler, co-founder and CEO of BODi, about why healthy longevity is rooted in consistency: regular movement, supportive nutrition, and the discipline to care for your body before a health crisis forces the issue. Carl shares his personal story of discovering a congenital heart block at age 59, receiving a pacemaker, and using that experience to deepen his commitment to healthspan optimization and aging youthfully. Listeners will come away with practical insight into how strength, cardiovascular fitness, and realistic daily routines can support metabolic health for longevity, preserve mobility, and help prevent age-related decline. Carl Daikeler is the Co-Founder, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of BODi, formerly Beachbody, a company that has helped shape the home fitness and wellness industry for nearly three decades. He is an entrepreneur and fitness innovator best known for making structured exercise and nutrition support accessible to millions of people through at-home programs and digital wellness platforms. Before founding BODi in 1998, Carl co-founded Tell America Media, where he created the breakthrough fitness program 8 Minute Abs. He later led the development of BODi's expansion into nutrition and proactive wellness, including the creation of Shakeology and a broader focus on long-term health rather than short-term appearance goals. His current work emphasizes sustainable fitness, metabolic health, mobility, and daily practices that support healthy aging and lifelong vitality. Beyond the wellness world, Carl is also a three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway producer.

Episode Timeline

00:00 – Welcome and introduction

02:03 – Why healthy aging begins long before old age: movement, consistency, and resilience

05:46 – Carl's origin story: from personal frustration in his 20s to creating 8 Minute Abs

07:06 – Building Beachbody/BODi: the Power 90 model and making home fitness practical

10:56 – Broadway, purpose, and Carl's unexpected heart diagnosis

12:04 – Discovering a congenital complete heart block and choosing a pacemaker

14:27 – From vanity fitness to longevity thinking: why exercise helps prevent lifestyle disease

15:32 – What Carl learned from watching aging and mobility loss in assisted living

17:00 – Dr. Gillian shares her own recovery journey after atrial fibrillation and ablation

18:34 – Medical vigilance, informed decision-making, and choosing high-quality care

20:21 – The foundations of healthspan optimization: movement, nutrition, connection, and lifestyle

21:35 – Whole food nutrition, supplementation, and why quality matters in wellness products

26:05 – Carl on formulation integrity, ingredient quality, and why cheaper is not always better

30:04 – Natural variability in whole-food products and what "nutrition insurance" means

34:05 – Carl's message for people who did not stay active earlier in life: start now

36:11 – The "comfort crisis," discipline, and how to protect mobility, strength, and independence

36:49 – Final thoughts and key takeaways

Connect with Carl Daikeler

BODi / Beachbody: Shakeology: https://www.instagram.com/carldaikeler/

Connect with Dr. Gillian Lockitch at https://www.askdrgill.com/ or email: [email protected]

Subscribe to Growing Older Living Younger on your favorite podcast platform and leave a review to help others discover the show.

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What if the path to healthy longevity lies not in choosing between ancient healing traditions and modern science, but in learning how to integrate both? In this episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with Dr. Mao Shing Ni—38th-generation doctor of Chinese medicine, co-founder of Tao of Wellness, and author of Secrets of Longevity—about how Traditional Chinese Medicine can complement modern approaches to healthspan optimization. Dr. Mao explains the foundational principles of Chinese medicine, including balance, the five elemental systems, and the links between organ function, emotional health, stress, and aging. This conversation also explores why daily habits, Tai Chi, Qigong, meditation, and purposeful movement remain some of the most powerful healthy aging strategies for preserving vitality, resilience, and independence over time.

Dr. Mao Shing Ni is board certified in anti-aging medicine and trained in acupuncture, herbal medicine, nutrition, Tai Chi, Qigong, and integrative East-West healing approaches. Dr. Mao is the author of more than 20 books, including Secrets of Longevity and Second Spring, and has spent decades translating traditional healing wisdom into practical modern health guidance. His work integrates Traditional Chinese Medicine with contemporary research in preventive health, resilience, and preventing age-related disease. A longtime advocate for aging youthfully, he focuses on helping people improve daily habits, restore balance, and build sustainable foundations for lifelong vitality. He is internationally recognized for bringing Taoist medicine, mind-body practice, and lifestyle medicine into the mainstream longevity conversation.

Episode Timeline

00:00 – Welcome, introduction, and why ancient wisdom still matters in modern longevity

04:05 – Dr. Mao's personal healing story and the family lineage that shaped his life's work

07:37 – The core principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine: yin and yang, balance, and the five elemental systems

13:11 – How Chinese medicine views the liver, lungs, gut, kidneys, stress, and emotional regulation

17:28 – Wearables, AI, and the intriguing intersection of modern health data with Chinese medicine principles

21:36 – Why Secrets of Longevity focuses on practical, habit-based actions rather than theory alone

24:08 – The fundamentals of longevity: sleep, movement, stress reduction, purpose, and healthy daily habits

28:02 – Tai Chi and Qigong as powerful mind-body tools for cardiovascular health, balance, bone strength, and brain health

30:21 – Ballroom dancing, movement diversity, coordination, and cognitive resilience

32:00 – Where longevity science is headed: regeneration, organ support, prevention, and extending healthspan

36:04 – Dr. Mao's final message: healthy longevity is built on habits, consistency, and personal responsibility

Connect with Guest

Tao of Wellness https://taoofwellness.com/

Yo San University https://yosan.edu/

Secrets of Longevity by Dr. Mao Shing Ni https://taoofwellness.com/product/secrets-of-longevity/

Second Spring by Dr. Mao Shing Ni https://taoofwellness.com/product/second-spring/

Connect with your host, Dr. Gillian Lockitch

Connect with your host, Dr, Gillian Lockitch

email: [email protected] For a personalized one on one conversation about health aging strategies

Website: www.askdrgill.com

https://www.facebook.com/gillian.lockitch/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillianlockitch/

How does our immune system change as we age, and what role can vaccines play in supporting healthy longevity? In this informative episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch welcomes physician, healthcare executive, and medical writer Dr. Michael Myers for a thoughtful, evidence-based discussion about immunosenescence—the age-related decline of immune function—and its implications for healthy aging. Together they explore how vaccines work, why vaccine recommendations evolve throughout life, and the importance of understanding both the science and the uncertainties surrounding public health recommendations. Listeners will gain practical insights into immune health, healthspan optimization, brain health and aging, and informed healthcare decision-making.

Dr. Michael Myers is a physician, healthcare executive, medical writer, and educator with more than 35 years of experience in clinical medicine, healthcare leadership, and public health. He trained at Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Medical School before pursuing a career in primary care medicine and physician leadership.He most recently served as Chief of Primary Care and Chief of Pediatrics for one of New Jersey's largest medical group practices. His work focuses on preventive medicine, vaccine education, public health communication, and helping patients understand complex medical science. He is the author of The Vaccine Bible: A Comprehensive, Commonsense Guide to What Keeps Us Safe from the Flu, Hepatitis Measles and More. In the Guide he explains how vaccines are developed, how they work, their safety, effectiveness, and the diseases they help prevent.

Episode Timeline

00:00 – Welcome and why vaccines matter to healthy longevity

04:15 – Dr. Michael Myers' medical career and what inspired The Vaccine Bible

09:45 – Understanding the immune system: innate immunity, adaptive immunity, and immune memory

17:45 – Immunosenescence: how the immune system changes with age

23:30 – Individualizing vaccine recommendations throughout adulthood

30:25 – Vaccines most relevant for older adults, including influenza, pneumococcal disease, RSV, COVID-19, and shingles

32:30 – Emerging research linking shingles vaccination with reduced dementia risk

34:00 – COVID-19, children, public health messaging, and lessons learned from the pandemic

42:55 – Vaccine confidence, public trust, and addressing misinformation

52:20 – Autism research, vaccine myths, and current scientific understanding

55:35 – Dr. Myers' key message on vaccines, prevention, and healthy aging

Connect with Dr. Michael Myers

The Vaccine Bible—Amazon

The Vaccine Bible—Bookshop.org

The Vaccine Bible—Audiobook

Dr. Myers' Website

Connect with your host, Dr, Gillian Lockitch

email: [email protected] For a personalized one on one conversation about health aging strategies

Website: www.askdrgill.com

https://www.facebook.com/gillian.lockitch/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillianlockitch/

What role does muscle strength play in healthy aging, longevity, and independence? In this episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with Jeanne Phares about why maintaining and building muscle becomes increasingly important for women during and after menopause. Drawing on her personal experience as a leukemia survivor and decades of strength training, Jeanne explains the connections between muscle mass, metabolism, bone health, resilience, and recovery. Listeners will learn practical strategies for strength training, nutrition, and lifestyle habits that support vitality and healthspan at every age. Jeanne Phares is Founder of Sage Lifestyle Collective and creator of the Sage Strength Transformation Program. She is a Certified Health & Wellness Coach, Strength Trainer, and author specializing in women's health after 50. Prior to entering the health field, she enjoyed a successful career as a Certified Public Accountant and executive mentor. Her work focuses on strength training, nutrition, menopause education, and healthy aging for women. She helps women build muscle, improve metabolic health, and maintain independence throughout midlife and beyond. A leukemia survivor, she credits decades of strength training with helping her withstand intensive treatment and recovery.

Episode Timeline

00:00 – Welcome and introduction

03:00 – Why muscle strength predicts healthy aging and longevity

04:36 – Jeanne's journey from CPA to health and wellness coach

05:30 – Leukemia diagnosis and the role of physical resilience in recovery

09:30 – Stem cell transplant and rebuilding strength after illness

13:15 – Turning health challenges into opportunities for growth

15:46 – Common misconceptions about lifting weights after 50

18:35 – Why walking and yoga alone may not be enough

20:00 – Muscle health, bone strength, and menopause

23:53 – Strength training as the foundation of healthy aging

25:15 – Nutrition mistakes women commonly make after menopause

28:49 – Hydration, electrolytes, and healthy aging

30:23 – Whole foods nutrition and listening to your body

34:44 – The one simple change that supports lifelong health

36:23 – Final thoughts and key takeaways

Connect with Jeanne Phares

Sage Lifestyle Collective www.sagelifestylepress.com

Free Gifts for Listeners: Each guest will receive all three: 1. Free Chapter Download: "Your Body Changed the Rules. Here's the New Playbook" from Eat for Strength for Women Over 50 2.Free Starter Guide: The Sage Strength Starter Guide 3.Lottery Entry: A chance to win one of 10 discount codes for the 8-Week Sage Strength Transformation Program or one of 10 free audiobooks of Eat for Strength for Women Over 50

Books: The Beginner's Guide to Strength Training for Women Over 50 Eat for Strength for Women Over 50

Sage Strength Transformation Program : Free strength training and healthy aging resources

Connect with Your Host: Dr. Gillian Lockitch

Email: [email protected]

website: https://askdrgill.com

THIS FLASHBACK FRIDAY EPISODE OF GROWING OLDER LIVING YOUNGER focuses on the impact of low carbohydrate and ketogenic nutrition on health and aging well. Today's Featured Expert is Anne Mullens, an award winning Canadian journalist and author specializing in Health and Science Writing,

At a time when the twin hazards of diabetes and obesity are so prevalent in our society that we say that there is a diabesity epidemic, we are bombarded with discordant messages about what, when, and how to eat, to stay healthy and age gracefully. A goal of this podcast is to cut through the noise and provide you with evidence-based insights, thought-provoking discussions, and practical tips to empower you to change your aging trajectory and stay active and vibrant. In this episode we dive deep into the ketogenic diet, and explore the science behind ketosis, its potential benefits for weight management, brain health, and overall longevity. We'll also take a critical look at the narratives perpetuated by food corporations, examining their influence on our dietary choices and exploring how these messages shape our perceptions of what is really nourishing and beneficial for our bodies.

Episode Timeline 0:11 Introduction to this episode 4.21 How Anne began in health journalism. 9:42 How low carb and keto helped her recover from pre diabetes.15:09 The impact of the corporate media narratives on healthy aging.22:21 Fasting and monitoring blood glucose26:53 What we can learn from animal genetics33:57 Nutrition is the foundation of our health41:34 Sustainable change comes from small incremental habits.

Speaker Biography:Anne Mullens has a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Guelph, and a Bachelor of Journalism degree from Carleton University. As a medical reporter at the Vancouver Sun in the 1980s and early 1990s, she has written for numerous Canadian and international newspapers and magazines, and authored two critically acclaimed books, Missed Conceptions: Overcoming Infertility and Timely Death: Considering our Last Rights, which won her the Edna Stabler award for creative nonfiction. Anne has been a health communications consultant to a wide variety of clients, and won more than a dozen national awards for her book. After reversing her own pre-diabetes through therapeutic carbohydrate restriction, she has written extensively on the role of personalized therapeutic nutrition to address chronic conditions. She has received her professional certification in low carb nutrition. After several years with Diet Doctor, she now is Director of Communications for the Institute for Personalized Therapeutic Nutrition

To learn more about Anne Mullens' writing

www.annemullens.com

Twitter: @annemullens

https://www.facebook.com/annemullensjournalist/

IPTN twitter: @IPTN_Canada

For more information on Growing Older Living Younger Email Dr. Gillian Lockitch at [email protected]

Join the Growing Older Living Younger Community and if you have not already done so, please follow, rate and review the show.

Is chronic pain really an inevitable part of aging—or could it be a warning sign that deeper imbalances are affecting your healthspan, mobility, and quality of life? In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with physical therapist, registered nurse, educator, and functional wellness expert,Stacey Roberts, about the root causes of chronic pain and why conventional treatments often focus on symptom relief instead of true healing. Stacey explains how chronic inflammation, food sensitivities, hormone imbalance, gut health issues, biomechanics, and lifestyle factors can all contribute to persistent pain and reduced function. Listeners will learn how a personalized, root-cause approach may help reduce pain naturally, restore mobility, improve resilience, and support healthy aging and longevity.

Stacey Roberts is the Founder of New You Health and Wellness and creator of The Pain-Free Formula. She is a licensed Physical Therapist, Registered Nurse, educator, and functional wellness practitioner with more than 30 years of clinical experience. Her work spans orthopaedics, sports medicine, chronic pain, pelvic health, women's health, and functional wellness. Stacey specializes in uncovering the root causes of chronic pain through an integrative approach that includes biomechanics, nutrition, hormone balance, gut health, and lifestyle medicine. Her current mission is to help people reduce inflammation, improve mobility, and reclaim quality of life without relying solely on medications, injections, or surgery. She is also the host of The Pain-Free Formula Podcast and the author of multiple books on women's health and hormones.

Episode Timeline

00:00 – Welcome and introduction

03:54 – Stacey's journey from physical therapy to functional medicine

05:00 – Discovering the connection between gluten sensitivity and chronic pain

10:27 – Why pain is a protective signal rather than the enemy

15:07 – Muscle cramps, nutrient deficiencies, hormones, and gut health

17:52 – Optimizing versus personalizing nutrition for pain relief

18:44 – Food sensitivity testing and unexpected inflammatory triggers

23:03 – The story behind The Pain-Free Formula

26:11 – Hidden risks of long-term NSAID and pain medication use

27:10 – The gut-joint connection and holistic pain management

30:46 – First steps for people who feel they have tried everything

32:57 – Key takeaways for reclaiming health, mobility, and independence

Connect with Stacey Roberts

New You Health and Wellness :

https://www.linkedin.com/in/stacey-roberts-pt-rn-mba-msn-6a26997 https://www.youtube.com/@newyouhealthandwellness2178

The Pain-Free Formula (Book)

The Pain-Free Formula Podcast

Connect with Your Host, Dr. Gillian Lockitch

Email: [email protected]

Email me for complimentary iintroduction to Growing Older Living Younger

website: https://www.askdrgill.com/

'You live as long as you dance'( Rudolph Nureyev)

'You got to just move. It doesn't matter how efficient your movements are, what matters is that you are moving.' (Susan Bock Smith)

In this early Flashback Friday episode from Growing Older Living Younger 05, Susan Bock Smith and Judy Bjornson indicate that though balance, strength and flexibility may decline as we grow older, if you're willing to learn and adjust, you can protect your body from this risk of falling that increases with advancing age. Adversities may limit our abilities but if we're willing to learn and adjust we can continue to do what we love. So they suggest you constantly challenge yourself, and never tell yourself that you're too old to do anything

Susan earned a Bachelor of Education with a Major in Physical Education from McGill University and taught Elementary Physical Education prior to raising her family. She is FallProof certified (California State Fullerton) as a Fall Prevention Balance & Mobility Specialist. Through Surefeet, founded to deliver Seniors' Balance & Mobility Training, she has instructed over 4300 Balance & Mobility classes to over 3900 registrants. She is a PWR!Moves (Parkinsons' Disease) Certified Instructor and a certified Urban Poling (Nordic Walking) Instructor. Susan combines cognitive activities with physical exercise as a staple of the Surefeet program. Her mission is to reduce the fall risk of Seniors and enhance well-being, quality of life and independent living ability

Judy received her FallProof Balance & Mobility Specialist certification from California State University in 2010 and has been a Surefeet co-owner, trainer and educator since, She is a Certified PWR!Moves Instructor and an Aquatic Rehabilitation Specialist. Judy is a Certified Master Trainer for WaterART Fitness International, teachesl aquatic certifications and one of two WaterART specialists in Central/Western Canada qualified to administer WaterART Certification examinations. Judy was selected as Program Coordinator to head the Brain Gain program of the Vancouver Brain Injury Association. Judy strives to positively affect the lives of all those she encounters.

Surefeet Website: http://www.surefeet.ca/ | https://www.facebook.com/pg/surefeet/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-bock-smith-51268737/

Reach out to Judy at: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/judy-bjornson-a877992a/

Contact Dr. Gillian Lockitch to learn how you can decelerate your aging trajectory, stay vibrant and vigorous, or start your own online business in wellness and anti-aging:

Email: [email protected] to schedule a complimentary Living Younger Call

Join the Growing Older Living Younger Community

Grief is not a problem to be solved or something we simply "get over." In this profound conversation, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with philosopher and grief expert Thomas Attig about mourning as a lifelong process of relearning how to live in a world forever changed by loss. Drawing on decades of scholarship and personal insight, Thomas explains how grief can deepen our love, strengthen resilience, and help us find wisdom and meaning in life's most difficult transitions. This episode offers compassionate guidance for anyone grieving a loved one or supporting someone through loss. Thomas Attig is an internationally recognized philosopher, educator, and authority on grief, death, and bereavement. He earned his BA and PhD in philosophy from Northwestern University and Washington University in St. Louis. During his career at Bowling Green State University, he helped establish the world's first PhD program in applied philosophy. He is a Fellow of the International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement. Dr. Attig is the author of several influential books, including How We Grieve and Seeking Wisdom in Death's Shadows.

Episode Timeline

00:00 – Welcome and introduction

00:30 – Why grief is central to healthy aging and emotional well-being

04:06 – Tom Attig's early experiences with death and family loss

08:45 – Teaching the first university course on death and dying

11:30 – Grief as relearning how to live in the world

13:11 – Dr. Gillian shares the loss of her husband

15:44 – Grief reaction versus grief response

18:00 – Learning to love in separation

22:00 – Moving from sorrow to gratitude

24:52 – The purpose and structure of Seeking Wisdom in Death's Shadows

27:00 – Problems versus mysteries in life and grief

31:42 – One essential truth for anyone who is grieving

Connect with Thomas Attig PhD

Book: Seeking Wisdom in Death's Shadows: Collected Writings on How We Grieve

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Website: Thomas Attig Author Page

30% Discount Code: AUFLY30

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Connect with Dr. Gillian Lockitch at https://www.askdrgill.com/ or email: [email protected]

Download Guide to Nature's Colorful Antioxidants 2026

Albert Einstein wrote 'We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.'

This Flashback Friday episode from Nov 2021 reminds us that too often we may listen but what do we actually hear? The intent of the Growing Older Living Younger podcast is to introduce new ways of thinking about the problems of how we age, to help our listeners discover their personal roadmaps to aging well. As this episode kicked off Season 2, we reflect that we have listened to many experts, but what did we actually hear them say?

I talk with Brian Morgan. President of Think Deeply, Write Clearly about bridging the many divides that are polarizing our society, by creative thinking and communication. We discuss the rampant proclamations of unsubstantiated information through myriad digital platform and social media, and the replacement of informed and constructive debate by 'cancel culture'.

As communicators how can we best share valuable information or ideas, knowing that our listeners will interpret our words in the context of their unique lived experience? As listeners how do we find the underlying context of the facts or opinions that are being put forward in discussion, to have a civilised discussion even though we may disagree? Listening to our expert guests, how can we best hear what they say, and put it into the context of our lifestyles to make decisions that are appropriate for ourselves.

The act of thinking deeply and creatively, being curious and laying down new neural pathways and connections, is one way to help our minds stay active, and our brains age youthfully.

To connect with Brian Morgan https://www.thinkdeeplywriteclearly.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/brianmorganthinkdeeplywriteclearly

To learn how you can decelerate your aging trajectory, stay vibrant and vigorous, or become an entrepreneur in wellness and healthy aging: Contact Dr. Gillian LockitchEmail: [email protected] to Schedule a complimentary Living Younger Call

check out the GOLY website at https://www.askdrgill.com

What if fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, and declining strength after 50 are not inevitable signs of aging, but signals of underlying metabolic dysfunction that can be corrected? In episode 275, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with metabolic restoration practitioner, Lori Balue, about how women can restore energy, reduce inflammation, preserve muscle, and regain metabolic resilience through personalized nutrition and functional testing. Lori shares her remarkable journey of losing 100 pounds, reversing prediabetes and chronic inflammation, and transforming her health in midlife. Listeners will learn how to identify hidden barriers to wellness and take practical steps toward aging with strength, confidence, and vitality. Lori Balue specializes in helping women over 50 overcome fatigue, weight gain, and metabolic dysfunction. She combines functional diagnostic testing with personalized nutrition, targeted supplementation, and lifestyle strategies. Her work focuses on blood sugar regulation, inflammation, hormones, gut health, and mineral balance to help women rebuild resilience, restore metabolism, and age with strength and confidence.

Episode Timeline

00:00 – Welcome and Introduction

Dr. Gillian introduces Lori Balue and the concept of metabolic restoration for women over 50.

05:07 – Lori's Personal Transformation Story

Lori shares how years of obesity, asthma, depression, and prediabetes led her to discover low-carb nutrition and keto.

12:10 – Why Women Feel Different After 50

The role of declining estrogen, protein deficiency, adrenal stress, and mineral imbalances in metabolic dysfunction.

15:58 – What Is Metabolic Restoration?

Why Lori focuses on root causes rather than quick-fix weight loss.

22:54 – Identifying Inflammatory Foods

How wheat, dairy, and food sensitivities can contribute to chronic inflammation.

28:22 – Functional Diagnostic Testing Explained

The GI-MAP stool test, DUTCH hormone test, and MRT food sensitivity test.

33:27 – The Most Important First Step

Why increasing protein and improving protein digestion can be transformative.

35:14 – Animal vs. Plant Protein

Which protein sources are most bioavailable and effective for healthy aging.

36:51 – Final Words of Encouragement

Metabolic dysfunction is fixable, and lasting change is possible at any age.

Connect with Lori Balue

Website: https://agingadventurously.com

Free Recipes and Resources: Available on Lori's website https://contact.loribalue.com/recipebook

Connect with your host, Dr. Gillian Lockitch

https://www.askdrgill.com/

email: [email protected]

Join the Growing Older Living Younger Community