Category Archives: Transhuman News

Update 3/8/2021: This post has been updated since we originally published it in August 2020. Several new studies showing the possibility of life extension in animals and humans have been added, and the post has been cleaned up and links made current.

You might live to be 150 years old.

In fact, if some scientists are to be believed, you might live to be a good deal older even than that.

Sounds crazy right? Like some wild fantasy birthed in the fevered brain of a modern-day Ponce de Len?

Perhaps.

But we thinkfrom our own initial research into the many medical, technological, and scientific advances targeting agingthat it could also be true.

Which is a very exciting possibility.

And whats more exciting is that as human life extension research becomes more mainstream, the advances it makes possible are becoming more accessible, if you know where to look.

Today tons of money and talent and time are being poured into developing life-extension treatments and technology, yet most people remain totally ignorant of the rapid progress made in the quest to reverse aging.

We live in a unique moment where life-extension science has advanced to a point that credible life-extension methods and supplements already existindeed many therapies are currently in clinical trialsbut before most of this knowledge has filtered out to the broader public and non-scientists.

We believe that theres a need for a resource for the transition. That resource is Longevity Advice.

We started researching the possibility of radical human life extension out of personal curiosity (and probably also from having read too much science fiction). But the more we dug into the subject, the more interesting discoveries we made, and so the more we felt compelled to share what we learned with a wider audience.

Buried in the reams of obtuse medical studies and scientific papers are actionable insights that we think most people can take advantage of today, not in five years, not in ten years, but right now, to extend their healthy lifespan.

Buried in the reams of obtuse medical studies and scientific papers are actionable insights that we think most people can take advantage of today, not in five years, not in ten years, but right now, to extend their healthy lifespan.

And thats exactly what we hope to do here on Longevity Advice: translate the cutting-edge of longevity science into accessible lessons so that you and your loved ones can learn what to do to live longer, starting today.

Dont believe human life extension is possible? Think were navely buying into junk science from snake oil salesmen?

Let us share with you some of the evidence thats convinced us (and many, many, practicing scientists and doctors) that treatments to delay and even reverse human aging could already be here.

Though, for that evidence to make sense to you, we first have to answer the question: What is aging?

Youd think thatd be an easy answer.

Youd be wrong.

As humans get older, they face creeping physical and psychological decline.

Wrinkles, for example, are a sign of aging. According to Scientific American, the amount of collagen the body naturally produces diminishes every year after turning about 20-years-old. Our bodies age out of producing enough elastinAn important protein that keeps skin and other tissues elastic. and glycosaminoglycansA type of polysaccharide (sugar molecules) that includes keratan and keeps tissues like skin hydrated and able to repair themselves. to keep the skin stretchy and hydrated. The result? Older skin is drier, less stretchy, and less able to protect itself from damage.

In other words, as we get older, some natural bodily functions predictably dont work as well as wed like them to.

But look at these faces. All of these people were born in the same year. Notice how some have significantly more wrinkles than others. Were their collagen, elastin, and glycosaminoglycans dissipating at roughly the same rate?

The differences in the formation of wrinkles may be genetic. For example, one study found that genetics determine whether women face a greater chance of wrinkles earlier in life depending on how efficiently their bodies process lung toxins. African-Americans have more compacted skin and a higher intercellular lipid content, which may contribute to more resistance to skin aging than Caucasians. Even epidermal thickness, which is determined entirely by your genes, impacts how quickly your skin starts to show fine lines.

With all that said, however, research has consistently shown that genetics and aging processes account for only a small fraction of what causes variability in wrinkling skin. Lifestyle factors play a massive role; one oft-cited study found that up to 90% of visible skin aging can be attributed to UV light exposure. Smoking, alcohol, and sugar consumption can all affect when and how you get wrinkles over the course of your life.

Lets think back on those 60-year-olds pictured above. They were all born in 1960they have all lived the exact same number of years. Sixty is their chronological age, but their biological age varies widely; the difference explains why one person can be 60 but look 30. Its also why some people get cancer at 65, and others dont get it until 85: their biological ages are different.

While wrinkles might be a visible indicator of biological age, scientists still disagree on the cause (or causes) of aging itself. That said, there are nine hallmarks of aging that, while were not 100% sure cause aging, are associated closely enough with aging to be able to describe it pretty comprehensively.

If these hallmarks remind you of Star Trek technobabble, youre not alone. The science of biological aging is ridiculously complicated, often requiring a Ph.D. to wade through. The point is this: chronological aging and biological aging are two separate concepts, and we are only concerned with biological aging.

Why?

The possibility of human life extensionchronological life extension, as in living to 150may be a consequence of mitigating the causes of biological aging.

(Curious about what your biological age is? We reviewed the top biological age tests available for 2021.)

In 1950, life expectancy in the United States was 63 years old. In 2020, it was 77 years old (its worth noting that COVID played a role in the decline from 78 the year prior). Thats about a 25% increase in life expectancy over 70 years but thats not the whole picture.

Calculating life expectancy is a force of averages; Americans are far more likely to survive childhood than they were 70 years ago, average life expectancy increased. Americans who survive childhood arent necessarily living longer than their parents.

Throughout history, there have been people who have lived to 100. There have even been a few who have lived to 110 (currently, there are about 60 to 70 supercentenarians total in the United States and 300 to 450 internationally). Only one person has been verified to have lived past 120. Maximum human lifespan has not increased over the course of human history. Researchers from the Albert Einstein School of Medicine concluded in 2016 that, the probability in a given year of seeing one person live to 125 anywhere in the world is less than 1 in 10,000. In other words, its incredibly unlikely to happen naturally.

Now picture being 110 years old. You might imagine yourself in a wheelchair. A lack of focus and personal independence. A life of loneliness and incontinence pads. Living for a very long time is hardly appealing because of the physical, mental, and social limitations old age tends to bring with it.

Human life extension addresses both chronological and biological aging; it asks not just how can we live longer, but how long can we live well. Healthspan, or the years of our lives when were unencumbered by disease or disability, addresses just that. What if you could have the body you had at 25 well into your 80s or 100s or 120s? What more could you do with those extra rich years of life? Who could you become?

Extending our healthspans also forces us to ask what we can do individually and as a society to change the odds of living to 110 and beyond. Right now, only 0.002% of women and .00002% of men live to become a supercentenarian. What if we could change those odds to the current odds of reaching 60 years of age after surviving childhood (91% for women and 85% for men)?

Human life extension is both science and art. It seeks to extend the maximum human lifespan while also lengthening the amount of time people spend in the prime of their physical lives.

As beautiful as the possibility sounds, theres a lot of skepticism about whether or not its possible to accomplish.

There is one major scientific discovery that indicates human life extension beyond 125 may be impossible, or at least highly improbable. Its worth acknowledging this discovery before going into all the reasons why we do think human life extension is possible.

That discovery is called the Hayflick limit.

Like cells in every other living organism, human cells divide to create daughter cells. Cell divisionand the accuracy of their replication of the mother cellis important to sustaining a healthy body; without it, you would likely die almost immediately, as its cell division that underpins the systems keeping your skin attached to your body, your brain secured in your head, and your heart beating reliably.

After several divisions, cells can either continue dividing, die, or become senescent. In broad terms, senescent cells are cells that are no longer capable of dividing. These cells are not dead but, like undead zombies, they remain active in the body.

While senescent cells are useful for repairing tissue damage, they are largely harmful to the body. Research has correlated senescent cells with cancerous tumor progression, Alzheimers, and age-related loss of muscle mass. In other words, the more senescent cells you have, the more likely you are to be biologically olderand the more prone you are to age-related diseases (youll remember cellular senescence is one of the nine hallmarks of aging we listed above).

While researching cellular division in 1961, Leonard Hayflick discovered that human fetal cells can divide up to 60 times before dying (entering apoptosisA programmed 'cell death' to get rid of damaged or malfunctioning cells. Cancer cells are cells that have malfunctioned but avoided apoptosis and continue dividing.) or becoming senescent. This theory was bolstered when Elizabeth Blackburn and her colleagues discovered telomeres. Telomeres are like a bleed for a printing jobthey protect the DNA inside chromosomes from getting cut off when a cell divides (or prints). Every time a cell divides, its telomeres get shorter. Cells with shorter telomeres are more likely to become senescent.

The Hayflick limit would support what some other scientists have found from census data and mathematical models: it is impossible for humans to live past 125 because of the inevitable accumulation of senescent cells and absence of healthy cells.

The Hayflick limit is the best argument against investing more time and energy into human life extension research (unless you believe that its unethical to try to extend human life). And though the Hayflick limit is compelling, we argue that its not a good enough reason to cease all investigations into living longer, healthier lives. For example:

So now that weve gone over the main arguments against the possibility of human life extension (that our cells have an in-built limit that, even if we cured every other disease, would still cause us to age and die), now we want to share the scientific evidence that has made us so excited about this field.

The first thing you should be aware of is that scientists know, and have known for decades (or almost a century in some cases) how to extend the healthy lifespan of a host of different organisms. In fact, in many of these organisms, specifically in animal studies, life extension interventions are so trivially easy and commonplace they are almost unremarked on anymore.

For instance, in 1988 scientists discovered that a gene mutation in the worm C. elegans that promoted greater autophagyThe process cells use to clean out damaged parts of themselves and regenerate new healthy cells. Ancient Greek for 'self' (auto) 'eating' (phagein). (literally meaning self eating of the junk and damaged cells that build up in the body over time) resulted in extending the maximum lifespan of the mutant worms by 110%, an extension that, in humans, would have extended average lifespan to 168 years.

This led to lots of research around methods to induce autophagy without having to breed a genetically altered organism. One of the most successful methods of doing so was caloric restriction. Basically, if you starve an organism, its body activates autophagy pathways in order to convert its accumulated molecular junk (like dangerous senescent cells and mutated pre-cancerous parts of cells) into energy.

The longevity-promoting effects of moderate starvation have been known as far back as 1914, when a study showed that caloric restriction in mice inhibited tumor growth, while in 1935 a different study showed that caloric restriction increased average rat lifespan from 483 days to 894 days. In humans, that would be the equivalent of getting an extra seven decades of life.

Caloric restriction has now been found to extend lifespan in organisms as varied as yeast, fish, dogs, worms, and hamsters. It also has longevity-promoting effects even if started later in life. The fact that it extends healthy lifespan in such a wide variety of different animals and life forms means it likely impacts humans in similar ways, too.

And, luckily for those of us who dont want to be perpetually hungry, recent research has shown intermittent fasting (limiting the time you eat to a specific daily window, but not limiting the amount you eat) and even drugs that act as calorie restriction mimetics can have similar effects.

In addition to caloric restriction, scientists have also found a host of different genetic pathways they can tweak to increase lifespan in fruit flies, worms, mice, and all kinds of other animals.

One method found you could breed longevity into fruit flies by pairing off the longest-lived members of a group of flies until, after a few generations, you had fruit fly descendants that live twice as long as their ancestors.

Other methods have shown genes that downregulate insulin signalling can increase lifespan by 18% in mice, and as much as 500% in roundworms, genes that activate sirtuinsLongevity enyzmes that repair damaged parts of DNA. Named after the first sirtuin gene discovered in yeast, SIR2. (a type of body-repair protein) also increase mice lifespan, and a gene therapy that increases telomeres (the caps at the ends of DNA chromosome strands) in mice increases lifespan up to 24%.

A 2020 paper showed that treatment with specific stem cell genetic factors could reverse the age of damaged mouse optic nerve cells and even allow them to regrow and restore vision.

And beyond the genetic angle, a multitude of other therapies and interventions have shown life extension and even aging reversal in lots of different animals.

One such intervention you may already be familiar with given its popularization by the media and comedy TV shows like HBOs Silicon Valley: blood transfusions.

A 1972 study stitched together old and young mice in a process known as parabiosisLiterally meaning 'living beside' and referring to the anatomical joining of two individuals. A little creepy., allowing the two to share each-others blood, and found that older mice lived four to five months longer than controls.

Since then, additional studies of mice and rats have shown that older mice given transfusions of blood from younger, healthy mice exhibit lots of signs of increased vitality and healthy tissue rejuvenation as well as signs of actually reversed aging up to 54% (as measured by an epigenetic clockA blood test that looks at epigenetic changes to the body, like methyl groups attached to DNA, to predict biological age.).

And, in fact, even just replacing a portion of old blood with a saline-albumin solution seems to rejuvenate mice, possibly by removing toxic, pro-aging signaling molecules from circulation.

But certain drugs have also been shown to increase lifespan in animals, possibly by mimicking the effects of things like caloric restriction or by activating other body repair and longevity pathways.

For instance, metformin, a common (and inexpensive) diabetes drug, has been shown to extend maximum lifespan in mice more than 10%.

Resveratrol, a compound found in small amounts in things like red wine and blueberries, increases lifespan in a host of different organisms from yeast to worms, and also increases survival rates for mice fed an unhealthy, high-calorie diet.

And rapamycin, an immunosuppressive drug first discovered in bacteria on Easter Island, has been shown to extend life in fruit flies, worms, and rather famously in aged mice (this specific study won the Methuselah Foundations M-Prize for its results) .

FOXO4-DRI, a senolyticA drug being developed to selectively destroy senescent cells. From 'senescent' and '-lytic,' meaning 'destroying.' peptide that induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) in senescent cells, has been shown in mice to restore fitness, hair density, and renal function in fast-[aging] and naturally aged mice.

Two other senolytics, Dasatinib and Quercetin, have been shown to alleviate age-related cognitive impairment and brain inflammation in mice.

As you can see, there are reams upon reams of studies showing we can slow, treat, and even reverse aging across a whole host of different animals and model organisms.

And all the stuff discussed and linked above? All that is only scratching the surface of all the anti-aging animal research thats out there.

Really, its a lot.

So if youre still of the opinion that aging cant be treated or prevented, the sheer volume of studies showing it can be done in animals should maybe give you pause.

But of course, all the animal studies in the world dont mean a thing if none of that can be translated into humans.

Luckily, theres already quite a bit of evidence that these results can be replicated in our own species.

While its very difficult for a human trial to show actual life extension from any particular treatment (because youd have to wait 80+ years for everyone in the trial to die) other measures of healthspan can be used in humans to show apparent longevity and anti-aging effects.

For example, things like immune function, tissue elasticity/regrowth, and decreased cancer risk can all be used as longevity biomarkers to measure possible anti-aging treatments on humans.

And many of the same methods that increase lifespan in animals have been shown to have positive impacts on health indicators in humans as well.

For example, a recent two-year study of 238 healthy men and women aged 21-50 called CALERIE found that caloric restriction lowers blood pressure, lowers cholesterol, and decreases inflammatory factors in the blood while increasing insulin sensitivityThis is a good thing. You want to be more sensitive to insulin because it allows your cells to use blood glucose more efficiently and reduce blood sugar..

A 1957 Spanish study of older people in a nursing home also found that intermittent fasting using an alternate-day fasting method (fewer calories every other day but the same total calories as controls) led to fewer deaths in the subjects (6 vs. 13 for people not doing the intermittent fasting) and fewer days spent in the hospital as well (123 days vs. 219 for controls).

Intermittent fasting has also been shown in men to lower blood pressure, decrease oxidative stress, and increase insulin sensitivity even without weight loss.

Drugs that have been shown to extend lifespan in animals, like rapamycin, have also been shown in humans to have positive effects like improved immune function, better response to vaccines, and lower incidences of respiratory disease and other infections.

Metformin, the diabetes drug that was shown to possibly extend lifespan in mice by 10%, seems to be acting as a longevity drug in humans as well. In addition to being associated with lower cancer risk, according to a recent metformin meta-analysis, Diabetics taking metformin had significantly lower all-cause mortality than non-diabetics.

Additionally, dozens of drugs and therapies that target different aspects of the aging process have moved past animals and are already in human clinical trials.

In fact, a study much like the one that showed certain genetic factors could reverse aging in mouse retinas and restore vision has shown human cells can be similarly reprogrammed to look and act younger.

Two additional trials, both recent and both getting larger follow-up trials to attempt replication, have shown the first-ever recorded epigenetic age reversal in actual human beings (as opposed to just human cells in a culture dish).

The first, called the TRIIM trial (for ThymusThe small organ in your chest that creates immune T-cells. They're literally called 'T' cells for 'thymus.' Regeneration, Immunorestoration, and Insulin Mitigation), treated nine men for one year using rhGH (human growth hormone), DHEAA natural hormone used by the body to create male and female sex hormones like androgen and estrogen. Like other hormones it declines in the body with age., metformin, zinc, and vitamin d3. The goal was to regenerate the thymus and help restore immune function in older men but, almost as an afterthought, each subject had their epigenetic age tested before and after the trial using Horvaths clock, one of the most accurate measures of biological age we have.

At the end of the trialand after a year of treatmentthe subjects were, on average, 2.5 years younger than they should have been (i.e. 1.5 years younger than their epigenetic ages at the beginning of the trial).

In addition, a whole host of relevant biomarkers improved, including regeneration of healthy thymus and bone marrow tissue, improved kidney function, positive changes to the ratio of immune cells in the blood, and even a reversal of gray hair reported in three subjects (and documented in two).

Already a larger TRIIM-X trial is being planned with the hopes of replicating these results with a bigger pool of subjects across a more varied range of age, sex, and ethnicity.

A second recent, but promising, intervention to show biological aging reversal in humans comes from a pilot consumer study by the company Ponce de Leon Health. The company makes a supplement called Rejuvant LifeTabs, whose active ingredient, calcium-alpha-ketoglutarateA form of mineral calcium used to restore normal calcium levels in the blood. Often used by bodybuilders who have low calcium due to high intake of protein supplements. or CaAKG, has been shown in a recent study to extend the median lifespan in mice by almost 20%.

According to Ponce de Leon Health, 17 customers had their biological age tested using an epigenetic clock before taking Rejuvant, and then again after taking it for four to six months. The results were encouraging, showing an average 8.5-year reduction in biological age across all 17 subjects.

Similar to the planned follow-up to the TRIIM trial, the company is hoping to replicate this early success with a larger, more rigorous clinical trial: Ponce De Leon is currently enrolling participants for a larger, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, to be conducted at Indiana University Medical Center later this year.

And, finally, a third study has also shown a reversal of human biological age by 1.96 years after eight weeks of treatment using diet and lifestyle interventions, including a Mediterranean-style diet high in cruciferous vegetables with some high-quality proteins like eggs and liver every week, plus 30 minutes of physical activity a day, and other interventions like breathing exercises.

While all the above is not conclusive evidence that eternal life is right around the corner, there are still compelling data showing that human life extension treatment is likely. Whats more, it may even be already available to a limited degree.

For the length of this article so far, weve been saying we a lot, and you may be wondering just who the authors of Longevity Advice are and why you should listen to these internet randos.

Well, first, to get the most important stuff out of the way right up front, there are a couple of things we are not:

What we are is a couple of interested amateurs who wanted to research this space for our own personal edification (and possible application) and who didnt really see a resource for people like us: people who want an introductory, but smart, guide to human life extension and to what sorts of things they can be doing now (not perpetually five years from now) to extend their lives and the lives of their loved ones based on good research.

On to the introductions:

More here:
Is Human Life Extension Possible? - Longevity Advice

To calculate prorated longevity, first calculate the full longevity amount the employee would receive at the next longevity anniversary.

Full Longevity = (Annual salary at time of separation) x (longevity %), rounded to the nearest dollar

Then calculate the prorated payment:

Prorated Longevity Payment = Full Longevity x (# of months now eligible / 12), rounded to the nearest cent

Example 1Employees TSSD is 2/1/93 and annual salary is $28,362. Last longevity payment received was in February 2003. Employee is terminating university/state employment on November 30, 2003.

Calculation is as follows:Full Longevity = $28,362 x 1.5% = $425.430, rounded to the nearest dollar = $425Prorated Longevity Payment = $425 x 10/12 = $354.166, rounded to the nearest cent = $354.17

Example 2Employees TSSD is 2/1/93 and annual salary is $28,362. Last longevity payment received was in February 2003. Employee is terminating university/state employment on November 10, 2003.

Calculation is as follows:Full Longevity = $28,362 x 1.5% = $425.430, rounded to the nearest dollar = $425Prorated Longevity Payment = $425 x 9/12 = $318.750, rounded to the nearest cent = $318.75

Notes:

See the article here:
Longevity Pay - UNC Human Resources

Turning back the biological clock is just the stuff of science fiction, right? Not quite. Recent studies have found that you can literally make yourself younger and increase your lifespan by making certain simple lifestyle choices. You can start doing some right now, right where you are. Read on to find out moreand to ensure your health and the health of others, don't miss these Sure Signs You've Already Had COVID.

A study recently published in the journal Cell Metabolism found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) may reverse the aging of cells and muscles in older people. "Based on everything we know, there's no substitute for these exercise programs when it comes to delaying the aging process," says Sreekumaran Nair, MD, the study's lead author. "These things we are seeing cannot be done by any medicine."

He added: "We encourage everyone to exercise regularly, but the take-home message for aging adults that supervised high-intensity training is probably best, because, both metabolically and at the molecular level, it confers the most benefits."

Danish researchers recently found that regularly playing certain sports could extend your life expectancy by yearsin one case, by nearly a decade. The top contributors to longevity: tennis (9.7 years), badminton (6.2 years), and soccer (4.7 years). The 25-year study, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, noted that all three sports are highly socialpotentially reinforcing previous research that's found social isolation and loneliness are associated with chronic illness and a shorter lifespan.

RELATED: Over 50? Don't Do This 5 Things Ever Again

This summer, researchers at Columbia University published a study that found gray hair really is caused by stressand aging might be paused or even turned back. The scientists observed stressed-out people with graying hair; they found that hair regained its color when the source of stress was removed. "Our data add to a growing body of evidence demonstrating that human aging is not a linear, fixed biological process but may, at least in part, be halted or even temporarily reversed," said Martin Picard, Ph.D., associate professor of behavioral medicine.

RELATED: I'm an ER Doctor and Here's What Omicron Feels Like

And on that note: "People who are in happier, more satisfying relationships live longer," Dr. Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, told CNN recently. The study, which has been ongoing for nearly a century, tracks the effect of various life changes on longevity. One major finding: "The most important predictor of who was going to be a healthy, happy octogenarian was how satisfied they were in their relationships," said Waldinger. Experts say you should consider social interaction to be as important to your health as diet and exercise.

RELATED: How to Smooth Out Your Wrinkles, Say Experts

Might be time to reschedule that dentist's appointment you've been avoiding for two years. According to a study published in the journal BMJ Open, people with high levels of dental plaque are 80 percent more likely to die prematurely of cancer than those who have a small amount of plaqueeven after adjusting for other major risk factors. The potential culprit: Bodywide inflammation, which can start in gums irritated by plaque. Cancer isn't the only potential dangerinflammation is so linked with the aging process that it's spurred the nickname "inflammaging." And to get through this pandemic at your healthiest, don't miss these 35 Places You're Most Likely to Catch COVID.

Link:
How to Turn Back the Clock on Aging, Say Experts Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

As the clock ticks to Dec. 31, 2021, theres also the acknowledgment that in a few days it will be January 2022. One question some people are asking quietly is, will I make it through 2022? Undoubtedly, it is a difficult question to answer.

In reflecting on our journey through 2021, we recall dramas related to COVID-19, too many gunshot deaths, family and friends who passed on and the associated stress. There were some things to smile at too. The hurricanes passed us by in 2021. Some of the money government withheld from its workers was refunded. The changes to the road east of the Legislatures building have made it scenic and different. Now, it should get a worthy name; one which evokes good, positive memories.

Usually, when a New Year begins, there is much thought about wellness. Some people set health goals and hope they can achieve them during the New Year. Unfortunately, when the year starts, young or old, sick or well, there is some uncertainty, which at times becomes stressful. And stress does have a negative impact on longevity. It is never a good experience to live with stress crippling ones life.

Meanwhile, even if we cannot answer the question about whether we will make it through the year, there are things we can do to insulate our bodies, making them resistant to illnesses. As we go through the year all of our lifestyle choices will matter.

One of the best paths to wellness and longevity for human beings is through the food we eat and drink. Always, we are what we eat. When we eat and drink junk food, our bodies become prone to numerous illnesses. During enslavement, black people were limited to left over foods. They got the blood and entrails from animals, while the planters ate the meat. Today, blood and entrails are still foods for some people. However, researchers and honest food specialists, now say that such foods are dangerous to health since they limit longevity. It is now an established fact that meats, which have been accepted as good for food and eaten through the years along with foods such as shell fish, can impact our wellness negatively.

In Blue Zones, where many people live beyond 90, they practice vegetarianism: including in their diets, greens, fruits and lots of vegetables. Sugar, salt and meats are avoided. In both young and older people, these three foods can impact wellness negatively. Water is also needed by our bodies daily and in good quantities. When this is not done, debilitating illnesses can result. Also, smoking and drinking of alcohol kill the body slowly. Our choices impact longevity.

Many people do begin the New Year pledging to eat better, walk more, and to include other exercises in their daily routine. They get started, slow down, then stop after a few weeks into the year. Despite such blunders, exercising on a regular basis remains an important path to longevity. Exercises impact the consumption of food, functioning of the heart, brain, ones attitude, and diminishes stress. While exercising is very important, one should also be aware that 24/7 work schedules can be detrimental to the body. When God created human beings, he suggested right at the start, work for six days and take one for rest.

Our societies are changed and have become very complex today. There are some people who rest seven days, while others work seven days. Neither approach to life is good for the body. If ones hope is to maintain wellness and make it safely through Dec. 31, 2022, paying attention to exercising, regular periods of rest, including hours of sound sleep daily, are all very important good health factors.

Working contributes to wellness and longevity, too. Usually we use our minds to set ourselves in place to get jobs. That includes study, learning, planning, relating to others, and exchanging ideas. All of these are aspects of human development. They contribute to wellness, and psychological normalcy. At times, too, working can bring on stress. Admittedly, any source of stress to the human body undermines wellness. Meanwhile, to go through life without having the opportunity to work, develop special skills, interact with others, and to participate in earning ones living, can have negative impacts on peoples lives and personalities, undermining sanity, wellness and longevity.

At the beginning of the New Year, young people must be included in the planning for wellness. Effort should be made by parents and societies to ensure that all children, not just some, are educated. Educating children in societies contributes to more than just personal wellness and longevity. Whenever children are not educated, such societies are doomed. Both the people and their culture die young. In every society, education is a necessary strategy for human success and long-term survival.

Being ethical when dealing with others contributes to wellness and longevity in societies. And despite the tendency at times to see one-self as the center, and to praise it for successes, human beings always need God, and a continuous development of the spiritual self. That ensures confidence, peace, and a certain calmness in this life. It also gives hope and assurance for the next!

Whitman Browne, Ph.D., St. Thomas, is a retired educator.

View original post here:
A wish for hope and good health in the coming year - Virgin Islands Daily News

Finding a way to stem ageing is a growing focus for European tech investors and startups.

At least three investment funds investing specifically in companies in this area have launched in Europe in the last quarter.

Global investments in longevity-focused early-stage companies have so far reached more than $40bn in 2021, according to the Aging Analytics Agency. And a 2019 report by the Bank of America predicted that the market is likely to grow to roughly $600bn by 2025 thats larger than the worlds water industry is today.

The longevity trend is strongest in the US, but there are European startups in the mix.

But which are likely to be the big winners? Sifted asked seven longevity and healthtech investors and experts to share the companies theyre keeping an eye on. The only catch: none of the companies could be in their portfolios already.

Apollo Health raised a $180m fund in November and has invested in companies like Samsara Therapeutics and Cleara Biotech.

Founded in 2020, Cellvie is working on therapeutic mitochondria transplantation. Mitochondria are the powerhouses of the cell, and mitochondrial dysfunction may be one of the essential drivers of age-related degeneration. Cellvies technology aims to reintroduce functional mitochondria into organs with failing mitochondria, which may increase the survival of tissues upon acute injury but may also help reinvigorate ageing tissues in general.

Founded in 2017, Curexsys is a pre-clinical stage drug development company that develops exosomes. Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles that are secreted by various cell types and package several signalling molecules. As such, stem cell-derived exosomes have high intrinsic anti-inflammatory and regenerative activities and may deliver on the promise of regenerative stem cell therapies. Curexsys is supported by strong strategic partners, such as Evotec, a major commercial research organisation, and Sartorius, a prominent research and manufacturing company in the pharmaceutical industry.

Founded in 2020 as a biotech spinout company from the University of Exeter, the company is dedicated to the development of new approaches to prevent cellular senescence, a major hallmark of ageing, by targeting a process called alternative splicing. Their approach may help restore the ability of cells to fine tune the expression of their genes to rejuvenate aged cells, which may be leveraged to target age-related diseases and aesthetic signs of ageing.

This longevity startup was founded in 2018 and has developed a screening platform that identifies new molecules that extend healthy lifespan across species. Its main focus is on autophagy, cells method for recycling damaged components, which declines with age. According to the startup, there is compelling evidence that boosting autophagy leads to increased healthspan and lifespan, while impaired autophagy drives many serious diseases. Funded by Apollo Health Ventures and Korify Capital.

Korify Capital, based in Switzerland, launched a $100m fund in December and has invested in US-based Cambrian Biopharma.

Senescent cells that accumulate in our bodies are a major cause of health problems and enable cancer development as we age. Researchers at Cleara discovered the mechanism behind how senescent cells escape the natural elimination process. Based on this discovery, they have successfully developed and optimised therapeutics to treat patients with a range of diseases caused by this failure to clear senescent cells. Backed by Apollo Health Ventures.

Founded in 2018, this stem cell company develops C-stem, a platform to accelerate the making of self-replicating cells which can form to grow any part of the human body. It raised a Series B of 64m from XAnge, Bpifrance, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Leonard Green & Partners.

This biotechnology company was founded in 2019 and develops fully automated phenotyping and identification systems for model organisms with the use of deep learning. The systems help evaluate the efficacy of ageing interventions.

Maximon is a Swiss longevity company builder with a separate 96m fund for co-investments. The first company to launch is Avea, a supplement longevity startup.

VitaDAO is a decentralised autonomous organisation collective for community-governed and decentralised drug development. Its mission is the acceleration of research and development in the longevity space and the extension of human life and healthspan. It collectively funds and digitises research in the form of IP-NFTs.

Rejuveron is a Swiss biotech platform company, that together with entrepreneurial scientists, develops and improves therapies and technologies in this space by creating subsidiary companies. Backed by London-based Apeiron Investment Group, the family office of Christian Angermayer.

First Longevity is an investment brokerage business that works with VCs and startups in the field of longevity.

Personalised medicine is the future, but measuring ageing biomarkers is a complex undertaking. Taking a different approach to measuring biological age, GlycanAge is a British-Croatian startup focused on analysing glycosylation patterns to deliver what it claims is the most accurate measure of biological age. A direct-to-consumer glycan test kit measures both biological age and chronic low grade systemic inflammation, and clinicians provide advice on lifestyle changes to improve results.

Humanity is an app designed to help slow or even reverse your rate of ageing. It calculates your rate of ageing and biological age by drawing on data from your smartphone and wearable devices to track biomarkers such as heart rate, step rate, sleep and activity.

Humanity was founded in 2019 and launched in August this year, raising $5m across two seed rounds in 2020 and 2021. The app has already amassed more than 30,000 users, and recently added a new nutrition tracking component, as it seeks to deliver more predictive and more personalised results for its users.

Rejuvenate Biomed is a biomedical company developing novel combination drugs for age-related diseases. The company has developed a proprietary AI screening platform to evaluate if safe, existing treatments can be used in new combinations to maintain our natural cellular resilience and postpone the onset of certain age-related diseases.

The company recently secured 15.7m in Series B funding, led by Rejuveron and Vesalius Biocapital. The funds will be used to accelerate the clinical development of its lead drug candidate in sarcopenia, an age-related disease defined by the loss of muscle strength, quality, and mass.

British biotech startup Genflow Biosciences is on a mission to develop gene therapies designed to halt or slow the ageing process and is leveraging the power of centenarians. Backed by investors including Longevitytech.fund, the company is developing therapies that deliver a variant of the Sirtuin 6 gene found in people aged over 100 years old. When expressed, this gene can extend lifespan in mice by an average of 30%, and Genflow aims to use this genetic variant to prevent the accelerated ageing process and already has a pipeline of compounds for human indications including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and Werners syndrome.

Mimi Billing is Sifteds Nordic correspondent. She also covers healthtech, and tweets from@MimiBilling.Kai Nicol-Schwarz is a reporter at Sifted. He covers healthtech and community journalism, and tweets from @NicolSchwarzK

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ORLANDO, Fla., Dec. 29, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (NYSE:SEAS) and the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute (HSWRI), a non-profit scientific research organization committed to marine life conservation, are proud to share that in 2021 the partnership continued its five decades of advancing marine conservation with, among other things, the publication of breakthrough scientific research, continued reintroductions of a depleted species to the wild, and responding to more than 50 marine animals in distress on the West and East coasts of the U.S., including dolphins and whales.

SEAS (PRNewsFoto/SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.)

Before there were SeaWorld parks, there was HSWRI. Established in 1963 in recognition of the importance of developing a non-profit research institute focused on ocean health, HSWRI and its team of scientists continue their work today to advance ocean science and further marine animal education. Today SeaWorld partners closely with the institute, providing financial support, collaborating on conservation research, and serving as a rescue and rehabilitation source for sick, injured, and orphaned marine animals.

"The SeaWorld and HSWRI partnership enables both organizations to provide effective solutions to conflicts that arise between human activity and marine wildlife," said Don Kent, President and CEO of HSWRI. "Through ground-breaking research and dedication to animal and ocean science, we can combat the challenges threatening the health of our marine ecosystems and the animal populations that depend on them. Our individual efforts would not be as effective without this unique partnership."

Situated near the SeaWorld parks in San Diego and Orlando, HSWRI works closely with the zoological teams there to research and study the diverse marine animal populations under human care. What they learn is applied to identifying and solving many of the challenges facing species in the wild. For example, in 2021 HSWRI advanced these important projects:

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First Scientific Guidelines for Protecting Marine Mammals from the Effects of Human-Made Noise: Hubbs scientists have been collecting hearing data on marine mammals at SeaWorld parks since the 1970s, helping set the first science-based guidelines for protecting marine mammals from the negative effects of noise. This year, Dr. Ann Bowles, a Senior Research Scientist at HSWRI, included findings from the partnership's research in a report on the severity of marine mammal behavioral responses to human-made noise. The report provides important guidance allowing scientists to document short-term behavioral changes in response to human-made noise with a goal of reducing negative impacts on animals.

Restoring Wild Populations of White Seabass: In 1986, scientists at HSWRI began releasing cultured white seabass into coastal waters in southern California as part of the Ocean Resources Enhancement and Hatchery Program. The program, first conceptualized by former SeaWorld founder and Chairman Milton Shedd, aims to restore wild populations of white seabass after the species was believed to face depletion to less than 10% of its historic level in the 1980s due to overfishing. This year the project successfully released nearly 60,000 white seabass into the wild. Water Quality Specialists at SeaWorld provided necessary expertise and assistance in maintaining fish life support systems at the hatchery to birth and raise the white seabass released.

New Species of Bacteria Found on Dolphins Helps Preserve Population Health: Wendy Durden, Research Scientist II at HSWRI, co-authored research and published a paper documenting a new species of bacteria found on dolphins in the Indian River Lagoon. That new bacteria could pose a toxic or pathogenic threat to dolphins and its discovery could lead to improving the health and longevity of dolphins both in the wild and in human care.

"We are so proud that HSWRI will celebrate 60 years next year and are honored to partner so closely with them in the conservation of marine life," said Dr. Chris Dold, HSWRI Board member and Chief Zoological Officer for SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment. "The value of the research conducted by the institute cannot be overstated as it gives us actionable proof that problems marine animal populations are facing stem from changes in the viability of their natural habitats caused by global warming, nutrient overloading and habitat loss. Human impacts affect not only the animals, oceans, and waterways around us, but those around the world. Our goal is to minimize or mitigate those impacts."

For example, the Indian River Lagoon, a main habitat for manatees, has been severely impacted by a depletion of sea grass that is the primary diet of this threatened species. HSWRI is collaborating on a program to increase seagrass in the Indian River Lagoon for habitat restoration. Scientists are collecting long-term data to evaluate how well the habitat restoration efforts are working and if aquatic mammals are responding by foraging more often in these newly replanted areas.

In 2021, HSWRI received calls for more than 50 wild marine animals in distress, including whales and dolphins. Rescued animals unable to be immediately returned to their natural environment are transported to SeaWorld facilities for care. Healthy animals are then released back to their natural environments while those deemed non-releasable due to chronic health conditions are provided long term care in accredited zoos and aquariums. In addition to coming to the aid of live animals, extensive workups are performed by HSWRI on deceased animals that strand along the shoreline. By understanding the causes of illness and mortality, such as entanglement in marine debris or harmful algal blooms, scientists can propose means to improve ecosystem health and prevent future injuries and deaths.

About Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute

Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, founded in 1963 to conduct research in the tradition of world-renowned scientists Dr. Carl L. and Laura C. Hubbs, is a public, non-profit charity dedicated to providing effective solutions to conflicts that arise between human activity and the natural world. Hubbs-SeaWorld scientists apply sophisticated technologies to seek the solutions that protect and conserve marine animals while benefiting humans and their reliance on marine resources. The Institute also recognizes the critical importance of scientific literacy as a foundation for competing in the highly technical and competitive global economy and strives to provide innovative education programs to promote scientific literacy among our children and young scientists.

About SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: SEAS) is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter, and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world. The Company is one of the world's foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, training, husbandry, and veterinary care. The Company collectively cares for what it believes is one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The Company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned, or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld rescue team has helped more than 39,000 animals in need over the Company's history. SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. owns or licenses a portfolio of recognized brands including SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, Aquatica, Sesame Place and Sea Rescue. Over its more than 60-year history, the Company has built a diversified portfolio of 12 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States, many of which showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection. The Company's theme parks feature a diverse array of rides, shows and other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its guests.

Media Contact: Mediarelations@seaworld.com

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Life expectancy has come to be the gold standard in assessing the health of a population, especially during Covid-19, where the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and others advised the elderly to "shield" for months in isolation. Health services across the industrialised world have kept their citizens alive for longer, often adding more than a decade of life over the last two generations.

But as lifespan the total number of years someone will be alive has increased exponentially, healthspan the part of a persons life when they are in good health has largely stayed the same. This creates a huge crisis a demographic, economic and, above all, a humanitarian one. And it doesnt have to be this way.

A Chinese winter swimming enthusiast swims in a cold Houhai lake in Beijing, China, December 3. Winter swimming is popular among middle-aged and elderly citizens as they believe it can keep them in excellent health. EPA

Unhealthy ageing is a human tragedy. If governments and health authorities can focus on healthspans, not just lifespans, longevity technology can remedy it. Looking and feeling younger for longer is not the preserve of beauty brands or Silicon Valley billionaires. The science is real. It just needs investment, a favourable regulatory environment and health policies that are as focused on allowing people to live as much, rather than just keeping them alive.

The quality of life is just as, if not more important, than the length of life

The adverse health effects of ageing, just like high cholesterol or high blood pressure, is a risk factor for a variety of diseases. This means ageing should be treated the same way as any other risk factor that is, something to be treated and reduced. Health policy, however, has not always caught up with the science. Ageing is not an inevitable part of life that must be accepted. It is a technical problem that can and should be overcome.

It is no mystery that some individuals age better (healthier) than others. Now we know why: In 2006, the stem cell researcher Shinya Yamanaka identified four key proteins that seemed to turn the clock back on the ageing of cells, otherwise known as the "Yamanaka factors". This discovery was so profound that it led him to win the Nobel Prize. It has been hailed by some as the most important advancement since Francis Cricks discovery of the Double Helix.

But those discoveries havent always found their way into health policy. "Bio-conservatives" have resisted the notion of dramatically tampering with the ageing process, with some describing it as nothing more than billionaires' bid to buy their way out lifes only certainty: death.

Palestinian grandmother Jihad Butto, 85, celebrates obtaining a bachelor's degree in religious studies with her family at her home in Nazareth, Israel, on October 9. Reuters

Azra draws henna on her grandmothers hands in Dubai. Azra Khamissa is a Dubai based Canadian/South-African chiropractor, fashion designer, and henna artist, on August 1, 2019. Reem Mohammed / The National

This misses the point. Every new medical discovery is seen by some as "playing God", until the meaning of playing God becomes simply "being an effective Doctor". No one is saying that we should aim to live forever. And we can all agree that human life is sacred and should be preserved. But the quality of life is just as, if not more important, than the length of life.

This is something medics, investors, policymakers and the public should support because poorly managed ageing is a huge drain on global healthcare systems and economies. According to the World Health Organisation, the number of people aged 65 or older is projected to grow from more than 524 million in 2010 to nearly 1.5 billion in 2050.

If those people are economically inactive and hugely dependent on a constant stream of expensive medical procedures, economies will collapse. That strain is already huge. According to a report in the US by the Congressional Budget Office, the US Federal government spent 40 per cent of its budget, a total of $1.5 trillion, on elderly care in 2018. The same report predicts that by 2029, over half of Federal healthcare spend, approximately $3bn, will be spent on elderly care.

When populations grow older and the age of a society becomes an inverted pyramid, older people become increasingly dependent on a shrinking working-age population. That means higher spending and taxes for the young, which disincentivises them from working. The downward spiral caused by the symptoms of ageing is something that must be avoided at all costs.

Elderly people pose in clothes they have made themselves in front of a town hall in Hongseong, South Korea, November 24. EPA

Beyond the demographic and economic statistics lies human tragedy. Ageing and its associated diseases force children to watch their parents and grandparents slowly lose their independence. People who have worked their entire lives are robbed of the opportunity to enjoy their hard-earned retirement or to keep working. A couple can be robbed of their relationship if one of them is lucky enough to have the "good ageing gene" and the other isnt.

Regulators, healthcare providers and investors must work today to close the gap between healthspan and lifespan. While the average human lifespan has increased from 47 to 73 in seven decades, the gap between healthspan and lifespan is growing. It is predicted that the average global healthspan-lifespan gap is approximately nine years. Living for more than 10 per cent of our lives in relative suffering should be consigned to the past.

Health, as the WHO defines it, is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. This definition should serve as a north star. Regulatory bodies like the FDA should create an accommodating environment for anti-ageing patents, including gene therapies, to be developed and licensed.

Similarly, healthcare providers should also look to partner with private longevity providers to get the leading products onto market if we are to have a fighting chance at closing the healthspan-lifespan disparity.

This thinking is already there: The UKs National Institute for Clinical Excellence decides which medicines to fund based on how many "quality life years" they will create.

It is time to set the bar for quality of life much higher, based on the best science available.

Published: December 23rd 2021, 4:00 AM

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Scientists should be allowed to cure ageing - The National

Long-time Rockies first baseman Todd Helton is on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the fourth time here in the 2022 cycle. He's already seen a significant leap forward with the following percentages, needing 75 percent to become a Hall of Famer.

Here's a look at his recent uptick:

That's some serious momentum that should only continue as the voting body continues to evolve. In perusing comments on social media in Hall of Fame arguments, it seems worth reiterating here a point I make every year in the aftermath of the vote. It is regarding people questioning how vote totals can change so much.

First, the ballot is different every single year and your vote is capped at 10 players. If there was no max, I might side with the people who believe vote totals shouldn't move much. But with the max, it's entirely plausible to see a good number of voters who believe more than 10 players are worthy of their vote. And then once a chunk of those worthy players come off the ballot, some of the players previously deemed worthy-but-missing-the-cut now get a vote.

Remember, the voting body changes, too. There are voters who lose their voting eligibility and other scribes gain voting eligibility.

In taking these two factors into account, it really isn't difficult to see how the voting percentage of a player like Helton could change drastically over the course of several years. Especially moving forward with Curt Schilling, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa in their 10th and final year on the current ballot, there will certainly be more open spots for Helton next year.

There's also simple mind changing. It happens. The voters are human. I re-evaluate every single player every single vote cycle in anticipation of getting my first ballot in 2024. I'm not unique. Many current voters do this every offseason.

With Helton in particular, I believe we're seeing a case unfold that pretty well illustrates the continued evolution of the voting body.

Obviously throughout the years and decades, criteria on what constitutes a Hall of Famer has been evolving a bit. Sure, some of the most important stats remain, but we've moved through phases. There was the era where the triple crown stats mattered the most for first basemen like Helton. With the 369 career homers and 1,406 RBI, that might be a bit behind for some voters, especially with Helton's longevity.

Then we moved into knowing how important the triple-slash was. For Helton, that looks stellar at .316/.414/.539.

Of course, there was the Coors Field factor. It's so much easier to hit at Coors Field! So we have to discount Helton's line, right? Just look at his 2000 season.

Helton in 2000 led the NL in hits, doubles, RBI, average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, OPS, total bases and WAR. It wasn't just that he didn't win MVP. He finished fifth. Hardly anyone blinked at the time. If you search for articles about Helton being snubbed for MVP that season, you'll mostly find a bunch of articles from these past few years. At the time, it was pretty well accepted he had a really good season that was artificially enhanced by Coors Field.

And, really, we should adjust for ballpark. It's one of the reasons we use stats like wRC+ or OPS+. Of course, Helton's OPS+ in 2000 was third in the NL. It's not like Coors was taking some glorified slapper into Barry Bonds territory.

So, yes, give us the context, but let's make sure to attempt to keep things in proper context without going overboard. On that front, we now know what a disadvantage playing 81 games in Coors is when a player heads out to the road.

In raw triple slash (AVG/OBP/SLG) and runs scored, it's pretty easy to predict every single season that the Rockies, regardless of personnel, will be one of the best offensive teams in baseball at home and one of the worst on the road. It's something in the combination of the thin air -- with what it does to both the movement of pitched balls and how the batted balls fly -- and the gigantic outfield dimensions. Players make adjustments to hitting in Coors Field and then when they hit the road, it doesn't work out. The pitchers are better, the ball doesn't fly as much and the outfielders are closer.

It seems that with Larry Walker getting into the Hall in 2020 and now Helton making a big push, the voters have started to come around to the context of the situation that, yeah, we need to factor in what Coors does for offense at home, but also what it does to hurt it on the road.

Helton's career 133 OPS+ doesn't show a mediocre offensive player in the least. In his full case workup last year, I noted gigantic home/road splits in other Hall of Famers like Jim Rice, Roy Campanella, Kirby Puckett and Hank Greenberg.

I also think there's something to be said for Helton's defense at first base. It is the least important defensive position, but it's still important.

Total Zone Runs attempts to figure the number of runs above or below average the player was worth at his position based upon the number of plays made, which means there's a range component (think about a player not being able to get to a grounder versus one making a diving stop). Helton is second in MLB history among first baseman after Keith Hernandez, a legendary defender.

In addition to the range, Helton had a great arm. He ranks second in MLB history in assists as a first baseman after Eddie Murray.

JAWS isn't perfect (nothing is), but it measures Helton's overall career as the 15th best in baseball history among first basemen. The JAWS figure of 54.2 is also exactly the average of the 22 current Hall of Fame first baseman.

If we generally accept this measure has some accuracy, a player who is equal to the average Hall of Famer is a Hall of Famer. This player happens to be one with a pretty damn good case in several other areas as well. And while it's a new franchise, Helton is the best and most iconic Rockies player ever, too.

Helton is now moving toward Hall of Fame enshrinement and it seems the correct call.

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Year-end planning is always as clear as mud, andthis year is no exception. 2021 introduced many trends we're excited to explore in the new year (includingthepopularityof the hybrid workforce). However,it also brought forth severalchallenges, most notable beingtrying to plan for a constantly changing landscape.

But the ugly truth is, before and after working through a global pandemic, we are always living amid uncertainty and are more than able to live with the illusion of control. So for 2022, focus on the HOW of planning for success rather than WHAT you should be planning for.

One of the biggest lessons I've learned over the past several years as a business owner is how essential it is to recognize the importance of your employees' mental health, especially when it comes to future planning for longevity.Employees that make time to rest,recharge, and take things in strides are less likely to experience burnout.

According to Indeed's Employee Burnout Report, over half (52 per cent) of survey respondents experienced burnout in 2021. The two most burnt out generations being Millennials (59 per cent) and Gen Z (58 per cent).

So as you plan ahead for 2022, here's how to encourage your employees to take time off for relaxation to keep them motivated and productive.

1. Lead By Example

As the saying goes: Practice what you preach. In other words, if you want to make sure your employees are taking the necessary steps to guard and protect their mental heath, your leadership team has to be the first to step up to bat.

This New Year, be sure to schedule some personal time off and announce it to the rest of your team to set a precedent of encouraging self-care.

2. Make Your RTOPolicies Clear

How many times have you gotten to December only to notice you still have 15 days off to use by year's end? As the days and weekscan often drag on, it's important for your employees to have a written reminder to take time off throughout the year.

Provide crystal clear information about taking time off during onboarding as well asin the employee handbook, and be sure to send an occasional email to remind staffof busy weeks ahead to encourage taking personal days. When time off policies are expressed in black and white, people will feel more confident about booking days off.

3. Be In Tunewith Their Needs

Consider conducting one-on-one or weekly team meetings to determine where your employees are at mentally and emotionally and come up with solutions for how each can take amental health break. If someone on your teamopens up about feeling burnt out, offer them some time off and remind them of their remaining vacation and personal days.

4. Make Regular Announcements

To work is to be human, and being human means being aware that there is a life outside of your job. Keep tabs on upcoming holidays, seasonal events and important dates for your employees.

When there's a holiday, make an announcement ahead of timeorbring it up in casual conversation to encourage your teamto talk about what they are getting up to. Your employees should feel comfortable sharing their plans and taking time off for them.

5. Offer Time Off As A Sign Of Appreciation

Read the signs! If you're sensing that an employee is stressed out and might betoo afraid to tell you, offer a gesture of kindness and share how much you appreciate their hard work and offer them a day off or two. While this may cost you a few hours of work, the time off will undoubtedlypay you back in the long run.

6. Be Genuinely Excited When Someone Takes Time Off

Be the boss that breaks the stigma of taking time off. Ask questions and be excited!

Taking an interest and encouraging team members to take family vacations and add leisure time to work trips can help break the stigma of taking time off and ultimately promote success.

The opinions expressed here by Inc.com columnists are their own, not those of Inc.com.

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How to Rest and Recharge Your Team for Success in 2022 - Inc.