Is chronic pain just a function of our brains? If so, how do we change our perception of pain? Today, we speak with licensed clinical psychiatrist and pain researcher Dr. Afton Hasset. Throughout her career, Afton has delved into the connections between the brain, chronic pain, physical activity, and emotion. She remains at the forefront of her field, and in our conversation she shares several of her favorite takeaways from her most recent book with us. Those of us intimately familiar with chronic pain know just how severely it can impact quality of life and happiness. With that in mind, join us to learn new, game-changing pain management strategies and therapies.  What kind of SuperAger are you? Take our quiz today and find out!Visit ageist.com/quiz – Dr. Afton is a Fox!Thank you to our sponsors: Ned Mellö Magnesium — essential supplement to improve sleep, reduce stress, increase energy, and more. Use code “AGEIST” for 15% off at helloned.com/AGEISTInsideTracker – the dashboard to your Inner Health. Listeners get 20% off on all products at InsideTracker.com/AGEIST.Timeline Nutrition — our favorite supplement for cell support and mitochondrial function. Listeners receive 10% off your first order of Mitopure with code AGEIST at TimelineNutrition.com/ageist. Key Moments“A little bit of pain is proper. What happens, though, is pain can change from being something like a stimulus response, meaning that you burn your finger and you experience pain. It can turn into something that's not just pain experienced by a burning finger and the brain, sometimes brain actually creates the experience of pain.”“What we see in chronic pain is that the default mode network is talking way too much to another network called the salience network, which is a network that says, hey, pay attention, this is really something big, watch out. And so these two networks are over connected. And so what we look for sometimes in interventions is does the treatment actually start disentangling these two networks?”“So when we define pain, pain is a sensory, it's an emotional and it's a cognitive, for it's a thought derived process. Pain exists because there is this awareness of it. So when people are anesthetized, you don't feel pain.”About Dr. Afton Hasset:Chronic Pain Reset: 30 Days of Activities, Practices, and Skills to Help You ThriveLinkedInBioSay hi to the SuperAge team!

This week, we welcome Elli Kaplan, co-founder of Neurotrack onto the show. Her company is dedicated to the detection and management of cognitive health. Elli and I chat all about the difference between cognition and IQ exams, highlighting the importance of tests like hers in identifying temporary or long-term cognitive changes ranging from overmedication to age-related mental decline. Bonus: we kick the episode off with AGEIST’s infamous Tinder origin story. What kind of SuperAger are you? Take our quiz today and find out!visit: ageist.com/quizThank you to our sponsors: DIVI – Take back control of your hair and scalp health, and do it with Divi's clean, science-backed ingredients. Listeners get 20% off your first Divi order at diviofficial.com/AGEIST or enter code "AGEIST" at checkout. InsideTracker – the dashboard to your Inner Health. Listeners get 20% off on all products at InsideTracker.com/AGEIST.LMNT – our favorite electrolytes for optimal hydration. Listeners receive a free 8-serving sample pack with their purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/AGEIST. Key Moments“This is not an IQ test, this is a cognitive function test and everybody should want to understand how their brain is functioning and if there are issues that you could then fix–and that may be. As you point out, it may be that someone is on too many medications that are conflicting with each other. It may also be that they are eating fried food seven days a week, are not sleeping, and never exercise.”“You know, historically we haven't had good drugs for, or even good supplements, from a treatment perspective, for cognitive issues. I think that is also starting to change, at least on the lifestyle side. We know that there's a tremendous number of things that you can do to help your brain function.”Get in Touch with Elli Kaplan:NeurotrackLinkedInSay hi to the SuperAge team!

Today we have Phd professor and researcher Michael Leon on the show alongside perfume entrepreneur and founder of Scents of Wood, Fabrice Croisé. In July, Prof Leon published a study which identified a link between olfactory stimulation and memory improvement. Participants in the enriched group’s memories improved by 226%. Michael also discusses how regular exposure to varied scents (think 40 per day) can actually combat the effects of dementia. Join us to learn about this fascinating connection and what you can do to take advantage of this new knowledge. Thank you to our sponsors: Timeline Nutrition — our favorite supplement for cell support and mitochondrial function. Listeners receive 10% off your first order of Mitopure with code AGEIST at TimelineNutrition.com/ageist. InsideTracker — the dashboard to your Inner Health. Listeners get 20% off on all products at InsideTracker.com/AGEIST.Ned Mellö Magnesium — essential supplement to improve sleep, reduce stress, increase energy, and more. Use code “AGEIST” for 15% off at helloned.com/AGEISTKey Moments“We gave humans different odors on a regular basis, and over the course of six months, they too had a massive improvement in their memory 226% better than a similar group of older adults who didn't get this kind of olfactory enrichment”“When you look at sommeliers and perfumers, the memory parts of their brains have expanded significantly. So it's not just that they're experiencing a nice odor, it's that it's actually changing the memory centers of their brain.” “I'm fascinated. I mean I've never, of the many, many, many things that I've heard about about smelling and fragrances and scent over the past 30 years of my career, I've never heard this and it's obviously not the angle that we usually take when we create a fragrance, but it is incredibly fascinating.”Get in Touch with Dr. Michael Leon:Memory Airmleon@uci.eduMichael’s StudyGet in Touch with Fabrice CroiséScents of WoodInstagramSay hi to the SuperAge team!

We are back this week with Dr. Kelly Stankiewicz, our favorite Dermatologist. Dr. Kelly is at the forefront of her field, specializing in laser skin treatments that combat the effects of aging and can even create a youthful glow–if that is your jam. In addition to discussing the latest and greatest in dermatology, we also break down the four core pillars of a sound skincare routine: cleanse, exfoliate, nourish, and protect. Lastly, I ask Dr. Kelly to give us some context around Jimmy Buffett’s tragic passing in terms of the skin cancer that he battled and what we can all do to protect ourselves. Want personalized SuperAger tips? Check out the all-new SuperAge Quiz!Thank you to our sponsors: Timeline Nutrition — our favorite supplement for cell support and mitochondrial function. Listeners receive 10% off your first order of Mitopure with code AGEIST at TimelineNutrition.com/ageist. LMNT Electrolytes — our favorite electrolytes for optimal hydration. Listeners receive a free 8-serving sample pack with their purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/AGEIST. InsideTracker — the dashboard to your Inner Health. Listeners get 20% off on all products at InsideTracker.com/AGEIST.Get in touch with Dr. KellyWebsiteContactKey Moments:“What's important is that you're hitting all four of the categories: sunscreens, antioxidants, exfoliants, and cleansers.”“So people, when they hear that someone has died of skin cancer they get very concerned because skin cancer is quite common. The type that Jimmy Buffett had is very, very rare. So all of my patients who've had multiple basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas, which don't typically metastasize, are, you know, kind of up in arms because they don't really understand the difference.”“When you're doing fractional resurfacing, you're decreasing your risk for skin cancer probably (or at least according to this one study) by about two times or maybe a little bit more.” Say hi to the SuperAge team!

Dr. Scott Sherr has been a frequent guest and audience favorite with his information-dense guest appearances on The SuperAge Show. This week we speak about new information on some of the brain chemical influences on depression, sleep, and anxiety- specifically the overlooked neurotransmitter GABA. We review the symptoms of GABA dysregulation and the methods for correcting it. Dr Sherr is a clinician, meaning he sees patients and comes at the issues from a more nuanced point of view than pure researchers sometimes do. In the middle of the episode, Dr Scott brings up a surprisingly simple zero risk trick to increase sleep effectiveness. Toward the end of the conversation, David asks about how to increase concentration and focus, and we get into the practical usage of nicotine, methyl blue, and low-dose psychedelics.Additionally, don’t forget to check out the all-new SuperAge Quiz!Thank you to our sponsors: SRW Labs – Science Research Wellness — improve your cellular health. Listeners receive 20% off all products with code AGEIST20 at SRW.co. InsideTracker — the dashboard to your Inner Health. Listeners get 20% off on all products at InsideTracker.com/AGEIST.Ned Mellö Magnesium — essential supplement to improve sleep, reduce stress, increase energy, and more. Use code “AGEIST” for 15% off at helloned.com/AGEISTKey Moments“So when I do analysis with patients, I'm usually looking at a gamut of labs and what I found over the last several years is that GABA is a big problem, and it's not GABA itself that you're typically looking at, but you're actually looking at some of the amino acids and some of the cofactors that are typically deficient in these kinds of patients that are having symptoms like that are very much correlated with GABA deficiency, and some of those are symptoms that all of us have gone through in our life. From a mental health perspective, we know GABA deficiency is associated with anxiety, with fear, with depression, with short temper, with phobias, with impulsiveness, with disorganization, and addiction.”“The problem with GABA as a supplement is that it's a very big molecule and it doesn't cross the blood brain barrier very easily at all. There are only a couple of different ways to get GABA through. One of them is using something called nicotinoyl GABA or vitamin B3 attached to a GABA”“Cava is a GABA agonist so it helps increase the amount of GABA that binds. It doesn't bind to that GABA site itself, it binds to a separate site a little further away, but it helps with increasing the amount of GABA that's going to bind and you're going to have that feeling of feeling like you've had a couple beers, kind of thing. But the nice thing about cava is it doesn't bind with the same affinity and it also binds to other receptors that help increase wakefulness.”“The first part of this conversation is that nicotine is a fantastic cognitive enhancer. It's very short acting. It's about one to two hours and if you don't smoke it or vape it, keep it very low, and dose less than four milligrams a day. The chance of addiction is minutely small, minuscule. So it's very, very powerful and very quick, and so for people that are looking to feel more of a cognitive edge. They can actually just have some nicotine on its own and it will do that.“Connect with Dr. SherrInstagramHBOTSay hi to the SuperAge team!

This week, we dive in with Dr. Mike Wagner, a Stanford-trained anesthesiologist, to examine the balance between longevity and health practices. Dr. Wagner provides insight into the vast and evolving landscape of health, blending the science with his personal and practical commitment to healthspan, as we explore the intersection of medicine and age. Dr. Wagner shares his perspective on living the most enjoyable and healthy life. Thank you to our sponsors: Timeline Nutrition — our favorite supplement for cell support and mitochondrial function. Listeners receive 10% of your first order of Mitopure with code AGEIST at TimelineNutrition.com/ageist. InsideTracker — the dashboard to your Inner Health. Listeners get 20% off on all products at InsideTracker.com/AGEIST.LMNT Electrolytes — our favorite electrolytes for optimal hydration. Listeners receive a free 8-serving sample pack with their purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/AGEIST. Key Moments:“The best drug you can have is exercise, and so I try to stay fit with both aerobic and strength resistance training because I think both are important. You know, as you get older, one of the major causes of death is falling, certainly over the age of 65.”“When it comes to healthspan and longevity, we're probably never going to have great randomized placebo-controlled studies because simply nobody's going to pay for that and it would take way too long to start people at 50 and then follow them for 40 or 50 years to see who lives longer; that would be hard.”“I started statin when I was 35, I'm 49 now, just because I had a strong family history of heart disease and that was most likely going to be the thing that would kill me later in life.”“I take statins because there are hundreds of different randomized placebo-controlled, well done studies that show a direct correlation: the lower you get your LDL, the less likely you are to have a cardiac event. You know, what we call MACE, or a major adverse cardiac event. So the lower you go the better.”Say hi to the SuperAge team!

What if the key to navigating life's unanticipated storms lies not just in physical strength, but in the resilience of the mind?  Dr. Sharon Bannister is a retired Air Force Major General who's spent her career harnessing the power of resilience. Drawing parallels between military and civilian life, our conversation delves into the necessity of adaptability, mental strength, and the art of preparing for the worst-case scenario.Dr. Bannister encourages us to step out of our comfort zones, embrace new experiences, and always be ready to lend a helping hand. She reminds us that every action, no matter how small, is vital in cultivating a sense of community and resilience. This conversation is not just about survival, but about how we can better build community, navigate big life transitions, and thrive in the face of adversity.Thank you to our sponsors: InsideTracker — the dashboard to your Inner Health. Listeners get 20% off on all products at InsideTracker.com/AGEIST.SRW Labs – Science Research Wellness — improve your cellular health. Listeners receive 20% off all products with code AGEIST20 at SRW.co. LMNT Electrolytes — our favorite electrolytes for optimal hydration. Listeners receive a free 8-serving sample pack with their purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/AGEIST. Key Moments“So what are those things that you're doing for yourself that make you more resilient when bad things happen?”“To me, one of the interesting aspects about the military is this idea of adaptability. We can sort of control how we think and how we prepare, but we need to be adaptable to circumstances. In that line of work you never know what's going to happen, right?”“I think that it would be easy to sit in your house and worry, and worry, and worry. I think that it's a lot more productive to get out and go do something a little bit different to keep you moving.”Get in touch with Dr. BannisterProfileLinkedInSay hi to the SuperAge team!

There is a science to retirement, and if we do it with purpose it can turn out very well. Ever wonder how to make the most of your money, work, and time as you age? There is data out there about this and we will dive into it. Today we talk with professor Michael Finke about finding the happy medium between these three, the meaning of money and the impact of work. Michael Finke, Ph.D. is a Professor of wealth management and Frank M. Engle Distinguished Chair in Economic Security at The American College of Financial Services and an expert on all things related money, retirement satisfaction and the psychology of retirement.Knowing that various 'asset classes' like relationships, health, and intellectual curiosity can provide both immediate and long-term rewards, we explore opportunities to  balance finances while still pursuing these other joy-forward assets. We also talk about the struggle of transitioning from a saving to a spending mindset in retirement - and where people often go wrong-which involves the limbic system of the brain and how it conflicts with our pre-frontal cortex. Thank you to our sponsors: Timeline Nutrition — our favorite supplement for cell support and mitochondrial function. Listeners receive 10% off your first order of Mitopure with code AGEIST at TimelineNutrition.com/ageist. InsideTracker — the dashboard to your Inner Health. Listeners get 20% off on all products at InsideTracker.com/AGEIST.LMNT Electrolytes — our favorite electrolytes for optimal hydration. Listeners receive a free 8-serving sample pack with their purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/AGEIST. Key Moments:“It's the spending of the money on the right kind of things that make you happy.”“And in retirement, money facilitates. It's an avenue towards activities that actually do make you happy.”“People feel differently about spending money from savings than they do spending money from income… Well, people spend more when they have $35,000 of income versus having $500,000 in savings. That's an example of how using your money the right way can actually help you get more satisfaction.”Get in touch with Michael FinkeWebsiteTwitter (X)Facebook ContactSay hi to the SuperAge team!

Today, we have an informative chat with the celebrated plastic surgeon Dr. Carolyn Chang, from San Francisco, who shares her insights and thoughts about the societal consequences, moral implications, and realities of aesthetic improvement. We know this can be a hot-button topic for our AGEIST community, so not only do we discuss the pros and cons of aesthetic procedures, but we also get Dr. Chang's inside opinion on operations, and hear why some of her clients make this choice. From the risks associated with Cool Sculpting to the effectiveness of tummy tucks for people over 70 to the psychological and emotional aspects of plastic surgery, highlighting that it is more than just a vanity-driven choice. Join us for this conversation and let us know your thoughts on plastic surgery; I would love to field questions and comments in next week's show. Email me: david@weareageist.comThank you to our sponsors: Timeline Nutrition — our favorite supplement for cell support and mitochondrial function. Listeners receive 10% off your first order of Mitopure with code AGEIST at TimelineNutrition.com/ageist. InsideTracker — the dashboard to your Inner Health. Listeners get 20% off on all products atInsideTracker.com/AGEIST.LMNT Electrolytes — our favorite electrolytes for optimal hydration. Listeners receive a free 8-serving sample pack with their purchase at DrinkLMNT.com/AGEIST. Key Moments:“It is surgery. It's not something you want to take lightly.”“What I really enjoy in plastic surgery is the immediacy of the outcome and the joy that it gives people. It's a pretty simple thing. If you feel good about yourself, life changes.”“So many more people get orthodontia as children, they don't really think about it quite the same way; but it is the same. You can see how good [Invisalign] made you feel. That's what's going on with plastic surgery.”“Patients that I have are normal people. They're your neighbors, they're your brothers, they're your sisters, and they really just wanna fix something that bugs them.” Get in touch with Dr. ChangWebsiteInstagramFacebook Contact HerSay hi to the SuperAge team!

What if the key to a healthier, more satisfying midlife isn't about adhering to perfection, but rather learning to create, navigate and break habits? This serves as the foundation of today's conversation with Tamsen Fadal. Tamsen is, among many things, a TV journalist, author, women’s health advocate, and good friend of the AGEIST team. First, we jump into the process of identifying behavioral patterns and turning a critical eye on ourselves without judgment. We discuss how to replace less healthy habits and celebrate our successes, no matter the size. Tamsen and I touch on the role of social media and the damaging effects that unrealistic expectations can often have on our self-perception.To conclude, we address the critical phase of menopause and the need for self-advocacy during this time. We share thoughts on finding the right medical support and establishing sustainable, healthier habits for a more fulfilling life. Thank you to our sponsors: Timeline Nutrition — our favorite supplement for cell support and mitochondrial function. Listeners receive 10% off your first order of Mitopure with code AGEIST at TimelineNutrition.com/ageist. InsideTracker — the dashboard to your Inner Health. Listeners get 20% off on all products at InsideTracker.com/AGEIST.Science Research Wellness — improve your cellular health. Listeners receive 20% off all products with code AGEIST20 at SRW.co. Key Moments“If I find myself doing something I’m not proud of, I tell myself: that's not who I am. I'm doing this thing, but it's not who I am.”“With modern social media we've never been so overexposed to everybody else's life and everyone else's everything, so I think that puts a lot more pressure on us, right?”“There’s an interesting interplay between habit and accomplishment in the long term and the short term. I often overestimate what can happen in the short term and I really underestimate what can happen in the long term. It is always fantastic to look back a few months or even years and see how far things have come.”Connect with TamsenWebsitePodcastInstagramFacebook YoutubeSay hi to the SuperAge team!