We’re decoding the science of healthy aging, bringing it out of the lab and into the homes of a broader public. living healthy longer covers the latest in the biological, cognitive, psychological, social, and behavioral aspects of getting older—from research happening at Colorado State University, to interventions and community programs supporting our ever-growing, aging population, to news headlines that challenge what we thought we knew about aging. Join hosts from the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging at Colorado State University as we break down what science says about living a longer, healthier life.

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<a href="https://colostudy.org/" rel="nofollow">The Colorado Longitudinal Study</a> intends to build the world’s most comprehensive collection of biological samples from humans — longitudinally and paired with participants&#39; medical histories and social determinants of health. Hear from <a href="https://colostudy.org/people/meredith-guerrero/" rel="nofollow">Meredith Guerrero</a>, COO of COLS, on what biobanking is and how COLS hopes to transform aging science and studies of human health.

The Colorado Longitudinal Study with Meredith Guerrero

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<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-lum-lung-md" rel="nofollow">Dr. Christine Lum Lung</a>, CEO and founder of <a href="https://originhc.com/" rel="nofollow">Origin Healthcare</a>, introduces us to the hospital-at-home model of healthcare, which is bringing high-level, multidisciplinary care to patients in the comfort of their own homes. We discuss how hospital-at-home is different than a typical inpatient hospital stay, and how the current healthcare landscape is pushing providers toward new ways of delivering healthcare.

Hospital-at-Home Healthcare with Dr. Christine Lum Lung

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As dietary interventions, caloric restriction and intermittent fasting have been shown in animal studies to extend healthspan and reduce age-related diseases. <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&sortby=pubdate&user=a-Uv6qcAAAAJ&view_op=list_works" rel="nofollow">Devin Wahl</a>, a postdoctoral research associate in CSU&#39;s Healthspan Biology Lab, takes us through what caloric restriction and intermittent fasting are and why scientists believe they’re effective strategies to live longer and healthier.Disclaimer: This episode is intended to provide general information about health and related subjects. The information should not be construed as personal medical advice. Please consult your health provider before making dietary changes.

Anti-Aging Diets with Dr. Devin Wahl

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<a href="https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/bio-page/shelby-cox-1079" rel="nofollow">Shelby Cox</a>, RDN, director of the Kendall Reagan Nutrition Center at CSU, joins us to share general nutrition advice for healthy aging. We discuss how nutritional needs change as we get older and what a balanced diet includes for a healthy lifestyle. Cox shares strategies to make healthy eating easier and more convenient, and we cover a hot topic in aging research: using calorie restriction to boost healthspan.Visit <a href="https://www.myplate.gov/" rel="nofollow">myplate.gov</a> for more dietary guidance.Read about the <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mediterranean-diet-meal-plan" rel="nofollow">Mediterranean diet</a> and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/mind-diet" rel="nofollow">MIND diet</a> over on healthline.

Nutrition Tips for Healthy Aging with Shelby Cox

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<a href="http://www.csuvth.colostate.edu/DirectorySearch/Search/MemberProfile/vth/1599/Duerr/Felix" rel="nofollow">Felix Duerr</a>, an associate professor of Orthopedic Medicine and Mobility at CSU’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital, is interested in solving musculoskeletal problems to improve quality of life. In this episode, we focus on arthritis and the treatments and therapies that Duerr is researching to benefit both humans and dogs. We discuss why the placebo effect makes it easier to study disorders in dogs and what we can do to prevent, rather than react to, mobility issues.

Arthritis from Dogs to People with Dr. Felix Duerr

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Professor <a href="https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/bio-page/arlene-schmid-2340" rel="nofollow">Arlene Schmid</a> is a researcher who blends occupational therapy with yoga interventions to help people with chronic disabilities and diseases. In this episode, we discuss the basics of yoga, how to engage in a practice if you’ve never done yoga before, and we discuss Schmid’s research on how yoga affects chronic pain, how it helps caregivers, and a new study that will examine what happens in the brains of people with brain injuries when they take part in a yoga intervention. To learn more about the yoga and brain injuries study, or to sign up as a participant, email CSU_scorelab@colostate.edu.

The Benefits of Yoga with Dr. Arlene Schmid

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<a href="https://www.uchealth.org/provider/peggy-budai-np-c/" rel="nofollow">Peggy Budai</a>, a nurse practitioner with the Older Adult and Palliative Care programs at UCHealth, tells us how she imagined the idea for a &#34;hug tunnel&#34; to combat social isolation when residents in long-term care facilities were unable to visit with family members during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How a Hug Transformed Pandemic Isolation with Peggy Budai

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When we think about healthy aging, we often think of our diets, fitness routines, getting enough sleep — but how often do we think about the energy we put into our social networks? In this episode, Associate Professor <a href="https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/bio-page/gloria-luong-2374" rel="nofollow">Gloria Luong</a> talks to us about the difference between social isolation and loneliness, why being alone isn’t exactly bad for you, and why the quality of your friendships matters more than the quantity. We also talk about how daily routines and stressors change with age.

The Importance of Social Connection with Dr. Gloria Luong

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<a href="http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/DirectorySearch/Search/MemberProfile/cvmbs/35242/Moreno/Julie" rel="nofollow">Julie Moreno</a> — an assistant professor in CSU&#39;s Department of Environmental and Radiological Health Sciences — examines the mechanisms that prompt neurons and other brain cells to become inflamed, leading to Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.Here we discuss the processes that happen in the brain throughout neurodegeneration and what Moreno’s lab is doing to test potential therapies to slow down neurodegeneration. We also discuss a new drug for the treatment of Alzheimer&#39;s, called Aduhelm (Aducanumab), that was approved by the FDA in early June: what it is and why there’s a debate surrounding it.

Cellular Mechanisms of Neurodegeneration with Dr. Julie Moreno

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<a href="https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/erhs/directory-api/member/?id=3902" rel="nofollow">Professor Susan Bailey</a> from CSU&#39;s Department of Environmental &amp; Radiological Health Sciences joins us to discuss her project with the NASA Twins Study, an investigation of identical twin astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly that aims to identify factors in spaceflight that influence human health in preparation for human space exploration to the Moon or Mars. Bailey tells us what her study reveals about aging in space, particularly how telomeres, the caps of our chromosomes, change with spaceflight — and what this means for aging on Earth and in orbit. Read about Bailey&#39;s preliminary findings on telomeres in space <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/explorer/Investigation.html?#id=1548" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Find the Twins Study&#39; scientists first publication in Science <a href="https://science.sciencemag.org/content/364/6436/eaau8650" rel="nofollow">here</a>. Read the latest update on &#34;The Biology of Spaceflight,&#34; a package of papers from 200 NASA Twins Study investigators, published in Cell Press in November 2020, <a href="https://www.cell.com/c/the-biology-of-spaceflight" rel="nofollow">here</a>.

Aging in Outer Space with Dr. Susan Bailey

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From the moment we’re born, we’re surrounded by microbes that shape our development, especially our immune systems. In the last few years, scientists have become especially interested in these microbes, collectively called the microbiome, and their influence on a variety of diseases and conditions. Here we talk to Assistant Professor <a href="https://anthropology.uccs.edu/tara-robins" rel="nofollow">Tara Cepon Robins</a> from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs about the microbiome and aging. We get into the microbiome&#39;s role in chronic inflammation and discuss how exposure to pathogens as a child can shape your immune system for the rest of life. And, can the location of your upbringing — whether it&#39;s an urban, rural, or suburban environment — affect the development of your body&#39;s immune defense mechanisms? Read more about the Hygiene Hypothesis <a href="https://www.livescience.com/54078-hygiene-hypothesis.html" rel="nofollow">here</a>.

Microbiome and Aging with Dr. Tara Cepon Robins

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According to the CDC, every year, more than 795,000 people in the United States have a stroke. And, strokes are a leading cause of serious long-term disability. For Stroke Awareness Month, we&#39;re talking to <a href="https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/bio-page/neha-lodha-2304" rel="nofollow">Dr. Neha Lodha</a> of CSU&#39;s Department of Health and Exercise Science, whose research focuses on rehab interventions for individuals who have experienced stroke. We cover the different types of strokes and ways to recognize when a stroke is happening. We also share information about Lodha’s <a href="https://chhs.source.colostate.edu/screenings-to-determine-driving-crash-and-fall-risk-now-available/" rel="nofollow">mobility clinics</a>, which she offers to residents in Larimer County, aged 60 and above, to assess their risks for falls or driving crashes. For more information or to participate in Lodha&#39;s studies, email <a href="mailto:mnrlab@colostate.edu" rel="nofollow">mnrlab@colostate.edu</a> or fill out the contact form <a href="https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/hes-hpcrl/research/movement-neuroscience-and-rehabilitation-laboratory/opportunities/" rel="nofollow">here</a>.

Stroke Awareness with Dr. Neha Lodha

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<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-lassell-7b813718" rel="nofollow">Dr. Becca Lassell</a> is an occupational therapist whose research focuses on equine-assisted services and the impact of the equine-environment on cognitive, physical, and social well-being. In this episode, we discuss Lassell&#39;s dissertation research that examined how people with Alzheimer’s and dementia responded to a therapeutic horseback riding program, called <a href="https://www.heartsandhorses.org/home-page/programs/riding-moment/" rel="nofollow">Riding in the Moment</a>, which is offered at Hearts &amp; Horses Therapeutic Riding Center in Loveland, Colorado. We also talk about gardening, and how nature-based interventions like these seem to positively impact people with cognitive decline.

Nature-Based Interventions for Cognitive Decline with Dr. Becca Lassell

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According to the CDC, One Health is a concept that recognizes that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals and our shared environment. <a href="https://vetmedbiosci.colostate.edu/directory/member/?id=4159" rel="nofollow">Dr. Sue VandeWoude</a> leads CSU&#39;s One Health Institute, where she helps facilitate discussions and create research teams to find solutions to One Health problems. We discuss how comparative medicine informs human health and why animals are the key to understanding many human diseases and conditions, including aging. Read <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/tears-of-the-cheetah-and-other-tales-from-the-genetic-frontier/9780312339005" rel="nofollow">Tears of the Cheetah</a> by Stephen O&#39;Brien here.

The One Health Approach with Dr. Sue VandeWoude

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<a href="https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/bio-page/lise-youngblade-1137" rel="nofollow">Dean Lise Youngblade</a> of the College of Health and Human Sciences at Colorado State University is a lifespan developmental scientist whose research centers on childhood and adolescent experiences. In our conversation, we talk about the impact of experiences that happen to us in early life and decisions that we can make as we age that will help us live longer and healthier. We also discuss the history of aging research at CSU and how the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging came to be. More on <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/aces/fastfact.html" rel="nofollow">Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE)</a> here. Read <a href="https://bookshop.org/books/the-body-keeps-the-score-brain-mind-and-body-in-the-healing-of-trauma/9780143127741" rel="nofollow">The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma</a> by Bessel Van Der Kolk here.

A Lifespan Developmental Scientist on Healthy Aging with Dr. Lise Youngblade

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<a href="http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/academics/bms/Pages/stuart-tobet.aspx" rel="nofollow">Dr. Stuart Tobet’s</a> research has shown that there are cellular events that happen within sensitive periods of development, such as the prenatal stage or infancy, in which hormones have the potential to cause permanent changes in anatomy and physiology into adulthood. In this episode, we learn about the importance of environment in influencing our health, and that humans are the end product of a complex cascade of hormones, signals, genes, and more held inside of us. For a deeper dive into the complexity of sex differences, <a href="https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/164FE5CE-FBA6-493F-B9EA84B04830354E_source.jpg" rel="nofollow">visit this graphic from Scientific American</a>.

Hormonal Programming with Dr. Stuart Tobet

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The best solutions to a problem are discovered when scientists from a variety of backgrounds work together, each one providing a perspective that the other doesn&#39;t have. Dr. <a href="https://www.libarts.colostate.edu/people/jecross/" rel="nofollow">Jeni Cross</a>, a community sociologist, teaches us about the science of team science: why humans work better in teams and how research benefits from a transdisciplinary approach. We learn how teams of people foster innovation, how they communicate effectively with each other, what their relationships are like, and basically, what makes for a good team. Notes: How can we improve the creativity and performance of research teams? Read <a href="https://i2insights.org/2017/01/17/research-team-performance/" rel="nofollow">this blog</a> by Dr. Cross and Dr. Hannah Love. <a href="https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/cc/" rel="nofollow">Campus Connections</a> is a mentoring program that pairs CSU students with local youth.

The Science of Team Science with Dr. Jeni Cross

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Dr. Karyn Hamilton, a Health and Exercise Science professor and Associate Director here at the Center, talks to us about musculoskeletal aging and the ways that muscles, bones, tendons and cartilage all change as we get older. We discuss how the hallmarks of aging play a role in muscle dysfunction and how lab methods are used to study cellular stress responses in the musculoskeletal system. Read more about Dr. Hamilton and her research <a href="https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/hes-hpcrl/research/translational-research-on-aging-and-chronic-disease-laboratory/" rel="nofollow">here</a>.

Healthy Muscle Aging with Dr. Karyn Hamilton

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<a href="http://psywebserv.psych.colostate.edu/psylist/detail.asp?Num=45" rel="nofollow">Dr. Deana Davalos</a>, a neuropsychologist and cognitive scientist at Colorado State University, introduces us to the topic of cognitive decline, including dementias and Alzheimer&#39;s disease, and explains how our everyday habits and lifestyles can help us keep our brains sharp as we age. We learn about the landmark Nun Study on Aging and Alzheimer’s and leave with actionable tips for promoting healthy cognitive aging. <a href="https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/enriched-aging/" rel="nofollow">Click here</a> to learn more about The Enriched Environments for Healthy Aging Brains project, or visit the <a href="https://www.research.colostate.edu/healthyagingcenter/programs-and-services/" rel="nofollow">Center&#39;s Programs and Services page</a> for information about the THRIVE Project or Aging Clinic of the Rockies.

Cognitive Decline Isn't Destined with Dr. Deana Davalos

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We talk to Dr. <a href="https://www.chhs.colostate.edu/bio-page/tom-larocca-5943" rel="nofollow">Tom LaRocca</a>, an assistant professor of health and exercise science at Colorado State University, about lifespan vs. healthspan and how researchers are working to create personalized, biological interventions that influence aging and increase the number of healthy years we have to live.

Biology of Healthspan with Dr. Tom LaRocca

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Aging can be defined as the accumulation of small amounts of damage in our bodies across our lifetimes. In this episode, we talk with Dr. Nicole Ehrhart about the hallmarks of aging: nine cellular and molecular mechanisms of aging that are shared among all humans and are considered to be the drivers of aging. We discuss how aging relates to regenerative medicine and cancer, how dogs might be the key to understanding human aging, and how CSU&#39;s Center for Healthy Aging is poised to respond to the global aging crisis. To learn more about Dr. Ehrhart or CSU&#39;s Center for Healthy Aging, visit healthyaging.colostate.edu.

Hallmarks of Aging with Dr. Nicole Ehrhart

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Welcome to living healthy longer, a new podcast from the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging at Colorado State University. Episodes drop every other Monday. Subscribe now to hear the latest in the biological, cognitive, psychological, social, and behavioral aspects of getting older—from research happening at Colorado State University, to interventions and community programs supporting our ever-growing, aging population, to news headlines that challenge what we thought we knew about aging.  Remember to follow the Center for Healthy Aging on Facebook and Twitter @CSUHealthyAging or visit our website at <a href="https://www.research.colostate.edu/healthyagingcenter/" rel="nofollow">healthyaging.colostate.edu</a>.

Introducing: living healthy longer

decoding the science of healthy aging

We’re decoding the science of healthy aging, bringing it out of the lab and into the homes of a broader public. living healthy longer covers the latest in the biological, cognitive, psychological, social, and behavioral aspects of getting older—from research happening at Colorado State University, to interventions and community programs supporting our ever-growing, aging population, to news headlines that challenge what we thought we knew about aging. Join hosts from the Columbine Health Systems Center for Healthy Aging at Colorado State University as we break down what science says about living a longer, healthier life.

living healthy longer

Episodes