The Precision Health with Mirthe Podcast

6 Simple Steps To Improve Your Health & Extend Your Life

While much has been done to achieve a longer life span in the recent decades, and average life expectancy now being much higher than just a century ago, research has only just started to catch up on improving the quality of life in those years.
 
While age-related illness such as cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes have become so common that they are almost accepted as a ‘normal’ part of ageing, research in the past years has shed light onto a new fascinating area, called ‘health span’ and anti-ageing. Health span research looks into how best to keep one healthy as we get older, as to enjoy a high quality of life, void of ill health, for as long as possible.
 
One of the leading researchers in that field, Professor David Sinclair from Harvard Medical School, has become known for his team’s discovery of the ‘9 Hallmarks of Ageing’ (1) describing what underlies age related decline, including mechanisms like ‘zombie cells’ (senescent cells) accumulating and more. In easier words, it is damage to our cells that accumulates, and our renewal capacity not being able to keep up with housekeeping and repair, that, once it builds up, contributes to our bodily decline.
 
But what does that all mean in practical terms? What is one to do to extend one’s health span, and prevent age related illness and decline?
 
I am summarising the top 6 most important strategies to prevent age related decline and to optimise health in this video. To read it, head to my latest blog post: https://functionalmedicine.me.uk/2023/07/07/simple-steps-to-improve-your-health-extend-your-life/ 

5 surprising tricks to live longer better

While we have made tremendous leaps over the past century in extending how long we live and increasing our lifespan, we are living in an epidemic of chronic disease, with those added years not necessarily coming with good quality of life and health, also called health span.
 
Recent years has brought attention to the topic of health span, and how we can make sure we make the most of the years we have, and optimise health to be able to fully thrive. And while there are some advanced drugs and tools out there that take this to the next level, there are some simple tricks you can add to your daily routine that will make all the difference.

A Functional Medicine approach to stress, burnout and cortisol

Listen in to learn about the different stages of stress, such as being wired yet tired, and how it can progress to burnout. I will dive into the effects these can have on our health, but also how inflammation, nutrient deficiencies and gut issues can contribute to mental health concerns. 
 

The run down on sugar spikes’ effect on health, and what to do about it

Chronic high sugar intake has long been recognized as a risk factor for many diseases, including obesity, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes. But even long before, acute blood sugar spikes from your daily toasty with jam, or mid afternoon chocolate bar, can inflict damage on the body, even if you are seemingly healthy and slim.

Health benefits and pitfalls of ketosis

Ketosis has many great health benefits, if done in the right way, and intermittently. In this episode I share some of the research on its benefits, but also on its pitfalls if done excessively (and there are many!). 

Health Benefits & Pitfalls of Intermittent Fasting - and how to best time it

Intermittent fasting has become all the rage, and for good reason. In this episode I share some of the great health benefits of intermittent fasting, but also some potential negative effects if it is overdone or at the wrong time of the day. 

Introduction to Precision Health Optimisation, Prevention & Functional Medicine

An introduction to what precision health optimisation, prevention and Functional Medicine are. We explore the role of genetic testing such as DNA health tests, and predictive biomarker testing for health optimisation, and what to watch out for when doing these tests. We further examine the different between optimal and 'ok' test results as they pertain to health trajectories, plus a Functional Medicine take on health span and disease.