9 Things Experts Wish You’d Do in Midlife to Increase Longevity
How you care for yourself at this life stage matters a lot for your later years.
John Cox
Blogs · @wyome
Tagged health · everything
Plantar Fasciitis Relief Sock Light Cushion No Show Tab 3-Pack | Feetures
This 3-pack targets plantar fasciitis specifically, using light compression through the arch and Achilles to stabilize the plantar fascia rather than just cushioning the heel, paired with a light-cushion, below-ankle tab fit and moisture-wicking iWick fabric. It's positioned as an all-day/training companion for runners and walkers dealing with foot pain, backed by a 30-day trial and lifetime guarantee against wear—worth keeping if comparing targeted medical-support socks against general cushioned athletic socks.
A Nutritionist’s 5-Day Meal Plan for Balanced Blood Sugar
A nutrition consultant breaks down the mechanics of blood sugar—how carbs raise glucose, insulin's role in bringing it back down, and why the real goal is a gradual rise and fall rather than avoiding carbs entirely. It lays out practical levers beyond food (post-meal walks, sleep, stress management, consistent meal timing) and cautions against intermittent fasting for women, then delivers a concrete 5-day meal plan built around pairing protein, fat, and fiber at every meal and snack. Worth keeping for the ready-made meal plan and the actionable, non-restrictive framework for taming energy crashes and cravings.
Alcohol’s Effects on the Body: What Does Drinking Do to Your Health?
From the moment someone sips [[alcohol]], it alters neurotransmitters and suppresses activity in the [[brain]], producing relaxation, disinhibition and impaired motor skills, and over time can reduce brain volume. Alcohol and its metabolic byproduct [[acetaldehyde]] act directly on tissues they contact — the [[mouth]], [[throat]] and [[esophagus]] — increasing inflammation, DNA damage and cancer risk. Drinking also affects the [[heart]] and blood vessels, raising blood pressure and contributing to arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, and it can modestly raise the risk of breast cancer in women. In the gut and the [[liver]] alcohol causes inflammation, fat accumulation, fibrosis and, with sustained heavy use, cirrhosis and liver failure; some early damage can reverse if consumption stops. Individual risk depends on amount consumed, genetics, preexisting conditions and overall health.
Confessions of a Former Chiropractor
A former chiropractor recounts training at Palmer College and practicing through the 1990s, describing how the field's founding metaphysics (innate intelligence, subluxations) persist beneath a veneer of scientific legitimacy, and how business coaching culture pushed practitioners toward selling long-term "care plans" rather than delivering evaluable outcomes. The piece's sharpest point is structural: authority in chiropractic flows from non-practicing "paycheck" leaders who impose doctrine downward, while practitioners internalize failures as personal shortcomings rather than evidence the profession itself doesn't work—leaving the author to conclude that rigorous controlled studies consistently shrink chiropractic's apparent effects toward placebo. It's a firsthand insider indictment worth keeping for its blend of memoir and critique of how an alternative-medicine profession sustains belief against contrary evidence.
Your Anti-Inflammatory Meds Are Secretly Hurting You
Renowned exercise immunologist David Nieman found that 70% of ultramarathoners use ibuprofen during races, but his research shows it actually worsens outcomes—increasing endotoxemia, systemic inflammation, and kidney dysfunction without reducing muscle soreness compared to runners who skip NSAIDs. Nieman proposes eating blueberries daily for two weeks before a race as an anti-inflammatory alternative, while other experts recommend acetaminophen, proper fueling, caffeine, and mental strategies as safer ways to manage pain without masking the body's warning signals.
Are You Fit for Your Age? Test Yourself With These Exercises
A WSJ article offering exercises to test your fitness level appropriate for your age.
This Is Exactly What Should Be On Your Whole30 Shopping List
Whole30 is a 30-day diet eliminating processed foods, grains, dairy, legumes, added sugar, and alcohol to "reset" your body and reduce inflammation rather than focus on weight loss. The article provides comprehensive shopping lists across protein, fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, and compliant condiments and beverages to make the restrictive diet less monotonous. It also notes important caveats: the diet is difficult for vegetarians since legumes are banned, it can be expensive due to specialty product requirements, and dieters should avoid developing an overly restrictive mindset that could lead to poor eating habits after the 30 days end.
The ultimate guide to the Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet emphasizes whole, plant-based foods—vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, and olive oil—modeled after traditional eating habits in Greece and Italy during the 1960s, when these regions had notably low rates of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Extensive research shows the diet reduces cardiovascular disease risk by roughly 30%, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, aids weight loss, and is more sustainable than restrictive fad diets because people actually stick to it long-term. The approach avoids processed foods, refined grains, processed meats, and artificial ingredients while allowing moderate amounts of fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs, with red meat consumed sparingly.
Can You Change Your Metabolism?
Most claims about boosting metabolism are either dangerous or false, according to experts, because metabolism is largely determined by body composition—particularly muscle mass—and remains relatively stable despite diet trends and exercise routines. While building muscle through exercise and consuming protein can produce modest increases in metabolic rate, the body compensates for increased activity by reducing energy expenditure elsewhere, and metabolism doesn't actually decline significantly until around age 60, contrary to popular belief about a "middle-aged slowdown." Ultimately, weight loss depends on eating fewer calories overall rather than on metabolism hacks, though protein and fiber can help with satiety.
The Orphans of Flight 723
After her mother's death in 2021, Michelle Brennen discovered a box of documents about Delta Flight 723, the 1973 crash that killed her father when she was ten, and spent two years tracking down the other 88 passengers' families to understand how the tragedy had shaped their lives. She discovered striking parallels in their experiences—unprocessed grief, life paths dramatically altered, childhood exclusion from mourning rituals—and organized a 50th anniversary gathering at Logan Airport that became a moment of collective reckoning, particularly when the pilot's granddaughter spoke publicly to defend her grandfather's memory against decades of blame. The piece explores whether shared grief and community can provide healing that decades of individual silence could not, weaving together research on trauma and loss with intimate portraits of how one catastrophe rippled across multiple families for half a century.
7 Spots in Your Home You’re Probably Forgetting to Clean
Most people have cleaning routines that miss frequently overlooked spots where dust, grime, and germs accumulate—including ceilings, crown molding, tops of doorways and cabinets, air vents, door handles, light switches, walls, baseboards, and underneath furniture and couch cushions. The article provides specific techniques for tackling each area, such as using a vacuum with a HEPA filter for ceilings, degreaser spray for kitchen surfaces, and the crevice tool attachment for tight spaces. Regular attention to these neglected zones—particularly high-touch surfaces and areas prone to humidity—can significantly reduce dust, allergens, and the spread of bacteria throughout your home.
83-Year-Old Triathlete Joseph Maroon Shares the Six Daily Supplements He Swears By
Joseph Maroon, an 83-year-old neurosurgeon and competitive triathlete, credits his transformation from poor health at 40 to his current fitness level to a combination of six daily supplements—fish oil, turmeric, fisetin, resveratrol, trimethylglycine, and magnesium—along with a Mediterranean diet and avoidance of processed foods. Each supplement serves a specific function, from fish oil's cardiovascular benefits to magnesium's support for the intense exercise required in his seven triathlons since age 53. Maroon's regimen began as a response to depression and poor eating habits following personal losses, demonstrating that significant lifestyle improvements can start at middle age.
The best and worst foods a man can eat
Men’s Journal’s guide rates 54 common foods to help men choose what to eat by assigning letter grades across meal categories—breakfast, lunch, snacks, and dinner—based on nutrient profiles and health impacts. The list highlights winners like [[bananas]], [[eggs]], [[chicken]], [[spinach]], [[tuna]], [[fish]], and [[berries]] for protein, vitamins, and omega-3s, while calling out losers such as [[fast-food burgers]], [[french fries]], [[margarine]], [[buttered popcorn]], and highly processed baked goods for excess fat, sodium, and added sugar. The piece emphasizes whole foods, lean proteins, fiber-rich plants, and healthy fats like [[olive oil]] as better daily choices, and recommends limiting fried, charred, and sugar-laden items to protect cardiovascular health and maintain muscle and performance. It also notes occasional treats such as [[dark chocolate]] and [[pizza]] can fit in moderation, and advises watching portion sizes, added salts, and cooking methods to reduce risks.
22 Ways To Feel (And, Okay, Look) 5 Years Younger
Men's Health synthesizes recent longevity research into 22 practical strategies for slowing biological ageing, from cognitive training and strength work to dietary approaches like calorie restriction and fermented foods. The piece argues that while biological age is influenced by genetics, controllable factors—including exercise intensity, brisk walking, gut health, dental hygiene, and blood pressure management—can reduce biological age by years or even decades. Rather than endorsing expensive anti-ageing tech or hormone therapy, the article emphasizes evidence-backed lifestyle changes that are accessible to the average person.
Does Fasting Work? The Strange Results of Living on Soup and Water for a Week
The author, a wine-drinking, indulgent writer, undergoes a week-long fast at the Buchinger Wilhelmi clinic in Spain, consuming fewer than 250 calories daily in broth, juice, and honey while receiving massages and spa treatments in a luxurious resort setting. Initially skeptical and preoccupied with fantasies of food, he adapts by day five as ketosis sets in, loses fourteen pounds, and experiences a psychological shift—not a temporary hunger fix but a genuine recalibration of his relationship with appetite and self-discipline that makes him question whether constant indulgence actually equals living well.
A Number of Simple Ways to Make Your Home Healthier and More Sustainable | Moss and Fog
This article provides practical guidance for making homes healthier and more sustainable through incremental changes across multiple areas: improving indoor air quality by switching to non-toxic cleaners, increasing ventilation, and adding air-purifying plants; choosing eco-friendly materials like bamboo and low-VOC paints; reducing energy and water consumption through efficient appliances and smart fixtures; and adopting low-waste habits like composting and bulk buying. It emphasizes that meaningful change requires household-wide participation, with family members working together on green habits and mindful consumption practices rather than individuals acting alone.
A Timeline of What Happens to Your Body When You Stop Running for a Few Days to Months
Taking time off from running triggers measurable physiological changes, with the severity depending on the duration: a week off causes mostly psychological sluggishness and a 12% drop in blood plasma, two to three weeks produces a 7-10% decline in VO2max and stroke volume, and a month off brings accelerated losses including mitochondrial enzyme degradation that shifts metabolism toward glucose-burning. However, the body retains crucial adaptations like capillaries built during training and demonstrates strong recovery capacity—research on athletes returning from extended layoffs shows they regain most fitness within weeks and often rebound faster than training from scratch, suggesting that strategic breaks are far less damaging than runners typically fear.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Marathon Recovery
Two exercise experts—coach Scott Browning and physician-marathoner Mark Cucuzzella—lay out a practical do's-and-don'ts framework for the days immediately after a marathon, drawing on the author's own botched recovery after her 2015 debut. Key advice includes drinking only to thirst rather than over-hydrating, skipping NSAIDs like Advil in favor of Tylenol, avoiding aggressive foam rolling or deep tissue work on damaged muscle, taking up to 10 days off running, and resisting flashy recovery gimmicks like IV drips in favor of basics: fuel, hydrate, rest, and sleep. It closes on the point that celebrating the achievement—big meal, a drink, a day off work—is itself a legitimate part of recovery, not just an afterthought.
Type 1.5 Diabetes: The Overlooked Condition You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
This piece explains LADA, or "type 1.5 diabetes"—an autoimmune condition that mimics type 2 diabetes in adults but, like type 1, eventually destroys the pancreas's insulin-producing cells and requires insulin therapy. It's frequently misdiagnosed as type 2 because it develops slowly and initially responds somewhat to oral medication and lifestyle changes, delaying proper treatment and risking dangerous blood sugar complications. The article details diagnostic clues (lower BMI, family history of type 1, treatment-resistant blood sugar) and the antibody/C-peptide blood tests used to confirm it, underscoring why pushing for the right test matters if standard type 2 treatment isn't working.