Live Longer World

What if chronic diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s are caused by infections we’ve overlooked?

We assume chronic disease is caused by genetics and / or lifestyle. However, evolutionary biologist Dr. Paul Ewald says latent viruses and pathogens play a critical hidden role in many diseases.

For example, we already know that Human Papillomavirus (HPV) causes cervical cancer. And research indicates how the EBV virus shows up in Multiple sclerosis, and chlamydia pneumonia shows in Alzheimer’s. Deeper investigation into viruses and disease is warranted and will help with better diagnosis and treatment.

Dr. Paul Ewald is also the author of Plague Time: The New Germ Theory of Disease, and Evolution of Infectious diseases. Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/pewaldFind me: https://x.com/aasthajs My longevity products: https://www.livelongerworld.com/p/2024TIMESTAMPS:0:00 Role of infection in chronic disease is neglected

2:40 Role of viruses in Alzheimer’s

10:50 Connections between Alzheimer’s, diabetes, cardiovascular disease

15:57 Genes cannot explain the full reason for disease

20:47 Strong association between Alzheimer’s, chlamydia pneumonia, and APOE4

28:16 Multiple sclerosis and EBV virus

35:08 Latent viruses may in fact be active & cause cancer

41:41 Sexually- transmitted pathogens correlated with cancer

46:50 Viruses that cause cancer (EBV & breast cancer)

53:09 Hodgkin’s lymphoma and virus

57:15 Stanford study showing EBV as leading cause of MS

1:00:19 Do viruses attack the mitochondria and cause cancer

1:01:38 Glioblastoma and virus / antiviral treatment

1:07:07 Virus vs. oncogenes causing cancer

1:14:17 Breast cancer BRAC1 mutations & virus association

1:15:59 Vaccines against viruses

1:17:56 Practical steps if you test positive for infectious viruses

1:24:57 Could cancer relapse be due to persistent virus

1:27:48 Protect the immune system

1:29:38 Areas Dr. Ewald is excited aboutAASTHA, LIVE LONGER WORLD:X: https://x.com/aasthajs Newsletter: https://livelongerworld.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aasthajs/PAUL EWALD LINKS:Plague Time: The New Germ Theory of Disease: https://amzn.to/3FXjOSuEvolution of Infectious diseases: https://amzn.to/3FYaqOvEpisode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/pewaldALSO WATCH:Keto & Metabolic Therapy for Cancer | Dr. Thomas Seyfried: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tYdjcJ3G4tqbAx9Z6Bix2?si=biOOH1e5RpeZduLJv2fPHw

What if our cells have memory and cognition, which changes how medicine is done?

In this conversation with Dr. Pamela Lyon and Dr. Michael Levin, we discuss:

- Cognition and creativity is not merely associated with the brain and nervous system

- Implications of this view of cognition for regenerative medicine and longevity

- Is stress response the source of our creativity?

Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/plyon

Find me: https://x.com/aasthajs

My longevity products: https://www.livelongerworld.com/p/2024

TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 Intro, Basal cognition

1:00 Our view of cognition is incorrect

8:50 What does biology have to say about cognition?

12:12 Cognition in xenobots

14:20 Cognition and cooperation in microbes

30:03 Bioelectricity and cognition

33:58 Is stress response the source of our creativity?

43:27 Mike’s paper: Stress-sharing as a cognitive glue

47:31 Implications of cognition not only being associated with brain

56:55 Cognition in AI

1:02:33 View of cognition in the East

AASTHA, LIVE LONGER WORLD:

Twitter: https://x.com/aasthajs

Newsletter: https://livelongerworld.com/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/aasthajs/

LINKS:

Michael Levin: https://twitter.com/drmichaellevin

Pamela Lyon: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/pamela.lyon#

Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/plyon

ALSO WATCH:

Michael Levin & Denis Noble on What Biology Needs to Advance Longevity: https://open.spotify.com/episode/49WaTa4Vl67FU4zjjX1H6F?si=x1rjzVocS2OjSVdxpzNt5g

We’re only just waking up to the benefits of sunlight and red light for mitochondrial health, lowering blood glucose, and potentially treating Parkinson’s disease and cancer.

Dr. Glen Jeffery is at the leading edge of this research.

We discuss:

- Health benefits of sunlight and red light

- Harmful effects of blue light & LEDs

- In the 2nd half of the podcast, I ask him rapid fire practical questions that everyone wants to know about light, ranging from how much sunlight should one get to what time of day is best for infrared light exposure.

Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/gjeffery

Find me: https://x.com/aasthajs

TIMESTAMPS: 0:00

Intro

0:59 Light impact on public health

3:08 Light research is understudied, mitochondria is impacted by light

6:05 Red and blue light impacts on mitochondria

8:25 Benefits of red light - wound healing, lower glucose

15:09 Are there downsides to red light?

16:59 Does time of day impact red light benefits?

22:05 Red light and cancer

26:00 Blue light is making you pre-diabetic

37:46 n=1 light experiments

39:22 Mitochondria & Longevity

46:21 “Sunlight offers a unique package”

Rapid fire questions:

53:40 Is sunlight good enough for red light?

55:10 How much sunlight do we need?

56:07 When should you get sunlight?

56:55 Should you worry about afternoon sunlight?

58:57 Can you get sunlight on cloudy days?

59:38 Does sunscreen mitigate benefits of sunlight?

1:00:12 Should you not wear caps and sunglasses in sunlight

1:01:43 Clothing and sunlight

1:05:52 Sunlight through window?

1:06:16 Are blue light blocking glasses helpful? (see 1:19:31 for more context)

1:08:17 Do Artificial sunlight lamps work?

1:08:51 What wavelength red light is the best?

1:10:56 Time in front of red light device

1:12:41 Body exposure to red light

1:15:37 Lighting at home at night

1:19:31 Differences in blue light for mitochondria vs. circadian biology

1:24:18 Stop using LEDs

1:25:24 Does light impact the bioelectrics of the mitochondria?

1:26:55 Mitochondria in melatonin mop up ROS

1:31:29 Benefits of fire light?

1:35:33 Open questions on light and health

1:37:28 Support Live Longer World

AASTHA, LIVE LONGER WORLD:

X: https://x.com/aasthajs

Newsletter: https://livelongerworld.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aasthajs/

DR. GLEN JEFFERY:

Bio page: https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/7465-glen-jeffery/publications

ALSO WATCH:- Keto & Metabolic Therapy for Cancer | Dr. Thomas Seyfried: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7tYdjcJ3G4tqbAx9Z6Bix2?si=rHlCwLVqQHqiOB7yTVBtgQ

Dr. Thomas Seyfried challenges the existing paradigm that says cancer is a genetic disease. He says that instead cancer is caused by damage to the mitochondria. Understanding this completely overturns the management and prevention of cancer.

He is a Professor of biology, genetics, and biochemistry at Boston College. He has over 150 peer-reviewed publications and is also the author of books such as, ‘Cancer as a Metabolic Disease: On the Origin, Management, and Prevention of Cancer’.

WE DISCUSS:

- Why cancer is not a genetic disease

- Why cancer is a metabolic disease originating from damage to the mitochondria

- How metabolic therapy, management of glucose and glutamine, can be used to manage cancer

- His December 2024 paper outlining a proposal for ketogenic metabolic therapy in glioblastoma

Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/tseyfried

TIMESTAMPS:

5:04 Origins of somatic mutation theory of cancer

8:04 Mitochondrial damage causes cancer

13:42 Is mitochondrial dysfunction involved in every cancer

16:14 Mitochondria in cancer cells ferment

21:52 Target glucose and glutamine to manage cancer

28:51 Hyperbaric Oxygen therapy for cancer

31:04 December 2024 study: Role of glutamine in cancer

33:35 Can metabolic therapy be done at any stage of cancer

36:44 Combine chemotherapy with metabolic therapy

38:05 Drugs to target glutamine

40:30 People will say “I want metabolic therapy”

44:04 “Failure to understand biology”

47:48 National Cancer Institute’s take on Dr. Seyfried’s theory

49:34 Why does Peter Attia think cancer is a genetic disease

53:09 “I think about this 24/7; we’re right!”

55:56 Glioblastoma treatment protocol study

59:22 Resistance to breakthrough ideas in science

1:01:40 Radiation fuels cancer!

1:04:52 Current standard of care is responsible for poor survival rate in glioblastoma

1:07:14 Metabolic therapy for epilepsy, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s

1:12:22 How to prevent cancer

1:13:49 Young, healthy individuals in their 20s, 30s with cancer

1:15:05 Resources on following metabolic therapy

1:17:43 How to support Dr. Seyfried’s research

1:18:51 New cancer questions Dr. Seyfried is researching

1:21:32 Closing thoughts

Denis Noble and Michael Levin - two great minds in biology come together on Live Longer World.

The gene-centric view has failed us in advancing progress on many diseases, and we need to now take a systems based approach focused on functional networks within biological systems.

Michael Levin is an American developmental and synthetic biologist at Tufts University, where he is the Vannevar Bush Distinguished Professor. His research is focused on bioelectricity and he is my co-host for this podcast.

0:10 Denis’s journey to systems biology; cell voltage is a global property of the cell

3:45 Advice to young researchers pursuing systems biology

7:00 “Absolutely everything is wrong with Neo-Darwinism”

14:10 Epigenetic inheritance

19:12 Genetic vs. other information used by organisms

23:48 Biology textbooks have to expand beyond DNA in 50 years

25:03 Epigenetic processes are ubiquitous

28:58 If not DNA, what is the blueprint of life

36:15 Rewriting biology textbooks is fundamental

39:57 “A lot of time has been wasted” (in biology)

46:52 Darwin on the “Origin of Species”

55:38 “Unfortunate that Philosophy and science have diverged”

1:00:31 Importance of Functional networks; DNA does not predict disease

This interview is part of my series with Dr. Michael Levin where we interview significant people in the history of developmental bioelectricity.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aasthajs/

Dr. Alfonso Martinez Arias is a development biologist and the author of the book The Master Builder: How the New Science of the Cell Is Rewriting the Story of Life. He also co-authored the biology textbook Principles of Development, which was awarded the Royal Society of Biology book prize.

Towards the end, we also talk about Alfonso's fascinating work on gastruloids which are a model to unravel the mysteries of embryonic development, and understand how humans are formed.

Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/aarias

The following is a fascinating interview with Dr. Charley Lineweaver, who worked with Paul Davies on his work on cancer which we discuss. Episode Show Notes: https://livelongerworld.com/p/clineweaver

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aasthajs/

- Targeting cancer's weaknesses, not its strengths: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4282648/

This is the third in my series with Dr. Michael Levin where we interview significant people in the history of developmental bioelectricity.

0:38 Ken’s background - From physics to bioelectricity

6:10 Bioelectricity in the era of the “genetic code”

10:27 Ken’s first experiments in ion movement using light

23:25 Proton pump and its significance

26:07 Neurons respond to electrical signals

36:26 Working in Lionel Jaffe’s lab

47:39 Mike Levin as an undergrad

48:49 Membrane potential left-right asymmetry in cells

52:59 Epithelia is powerfully electrogenic

57:49 Advances for bioelectricity

59:27 Underrated people in the field

This is the second of several interviews Michael Levin and I will do with significant people in the history of developmental bioelectricity. Min Zhao's work is focused on the role of ion currents and applied electric fields in cell migration and wound repair.