Firstly, support for legitimate longevity science is hampered by the vast number of products currently being sold as "anti-aging" therapies without any science to substantiate their claims. See here, for example. And thus one has to be very careful when convincing people that (1) aging is something that ought to be retarded (as it increases our risks of morbidity and mortality); and yet at the same time convince them that (2) we might actually be able to slow human aging and yet (3) none of the current products being sold on the market have been demonstrated to do this (indeed, they might be harmful). The latter point is emphasized, for example, in this excellent piece in the Scientific American by Jay Olshansky, Leonard Hayflick and Bruce A. Carnes.

Now if one is pressing (as indeed I am) (1) and (2), it is of course understandable that people will be want to do something about aging (and thus be tempted to violate (3)). But when asked "So what can I do to slow aging?" my response is "(a) support increasing the amount of public funding we invest in the biology of aging and (b) encourage linkages between different fields of research-- from genetics and evolutionary biology to engineering and statistics". Well, as you can imagine, many people will find that answer rather flat! They want the solution and they want it now (today)! The same is true about climate change. Few people have an interest in being told the best solution is investing in new R&D and might be long-term. Patience never was a human virtue.

There's more in that vein, so take a look. I'm not in the "slow aging by massive government funding of the same community that's strongly resisted progress to date" clade, but the excerpt above is a fair summary of the immediacy problem - that once you've convinced people to think about healthy life extension on the merits, the natural result is a lot of waste and noise in addition to helpful additions to the community. That's the way that humans tend to act; we're given to look for the backsliding easy way out, even when we know it's not going to work. For every person who donates to the Methuselah Foundation's longevity research program, there will be another who decides to look into a new wrinkle cream.

You can lose a lot of sleep over things like this, but I think we advocates are better for accepting that other peoples' choices are not our responsibility. Everyone has free will; our task is to make better information available and persuade those who can be persuaded to help advance the state of longevity science. However well we do, there will continue to be a dubious "anti-aging" snake-oil industry and some number of people making poor choices.

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EVOLENCE is actually the first all natural dermal filler developed with a proprietary technology that mimics the formation of our body’s own collagen for natural looking results that last. The filler lasts at least six months, and results are seen almost immediately following just one treatment. EVOLENCE is most recommended for the correction of moderate-to-deep facial wrinkles and folds, such as nasolabial folds.

From the company, which explains this far better than I ever could:

EVOLENCE dermal filler is made of natural collagen, one of the most prevalent materials in your body. The advanced collagen in EVOLENCE has been naturally cross-linked, so it mimics the 3-dimensional structure of your skin’s own collagen. This allows it to integrate beautifully and support your skin’s own existing collagen network by adding structure, strength, and volume for a natural look and feel that last.

The unique collagen of EVOLENCE:

• Achieves immediate, natural-looking results, so you can walk out of your aesthetic professional’s office looking beautifully refreshed
• Causes minimal-to-no swelling or bruising, so you can get right back to daily activities
• Last for at least 6 months so it is convenient and reduces costly repeat visits
• Does not require a skin pre-test, so you can get results in 1 visit

This dermal filler has been used successfully for many years over in Europe, Israel and Canada. The dermatological community is very excited that the US had finally given the FDA approval for this revolutionary product.

As the tag line suggests, could this be the new collagen?

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In January 2008, Alcor’s self perpetuating Board came under renewed scrutiny after long-time Alcor member and cryonics activist David Pizer tried to raise interest for changing the current system to a member elected Board.

Scrutiny of the board is a fine tradition for stakeholders in for-profit and non-profit initiatives, as is stakeholder activism to produce desired change. The concern voiced in the article is that born of the perceived need for change at Alcor - to better produce growth, increased professionalism, and so forth - and the concern that a self-perpetuating board has little incentive to make the changes that the writer would like to see happen.

Member-voted boards have their own issues, of course, not least that a member (as opposed to stakeholder) has no meaningful ownership right connected to their vote, but the pendulum swings as it chooses.

This is all, I think, I fairly good illustration of the transitionary period from volunteerism to professionalism one sees in any growing industry. The cryonics industry has been going through this phase for a long time, and remaining very small in size, for reasons that are much debated. Is it the fault of the business model, incredulous public perception, heavy regulation, a comparatively undiversified technology base, or the laundry list of other potential factors? Can be solved by changing the way people pay, by changes in regulatory structures, or by increased investment in research and building spin-off technology businesses? And so forth. These are all questions that have debated at length over the years.

What I think is most telling with regard to where the cryonics industry is at present is that you don't see a lot of discussion focused on change through competition. The traditional solution to undesirable characteristics within an industry is for entrepreneurs to set forth and compete, as "undesirable" usually means "customers will pay for something less undesirable." If you want change, then help to found a new company and do things the "right" way. Ongoing for-profit experiments in any number of different "right" ways are how progress is achieved and benefit brought to customers in the long term.

There needs to be more of that in the cryonics industry if the goal is directed change. The best way to make a board change their stripes is to look like you're going to eat their lunch out from under them; by doing that, you will also have gone a long way towards proving that your "right" way is in fact the right way for progress.

DDF is a dermatologist skin care line from Dr. Howard Sobel, the renowned New York City dermatologist and dermatologic cosmetic surgeon who has been a leader in his field for more than 25 years. Dr. Sobel combines modern technology with cosmetic skin care.  Dr. Sobel was one of the first Doctor’s to pioneer this union of cosmetic dermatology and topical skin care when he founded this skin care company.

The DDF Cleansers are made specifically to address the needs of different types of skin. I have been testing the DDF Cellular Cleansing Complex, DDF Glycolic 5% Exfoliating Wash and the DDF Non-Drying Gentle Cleanser.

DDF Cellular Cleansing Complex

“A luxurious, hydrating daily cleanser formulated with enzymatic exfoliators.  Sweeps away make-up and impurities while retaining essential moisture.”

I really like the thicker cream of this and the smell is quite nice. I find that it does not lather at all, it just sort of melts away dirt and makeup, leaving my skin feeling fresh, clean and not dry at all.

DDF Glycolic 5% Exfoliating Wash

“A combination of ultra-pure glycolic acid blended with skin conditioners to sweep away dirt and debris.  Minimizes appearance of fine lines and look of pores while increasing overall skin radiance.”

This is a gel wash that does have a bit of a foaming action. It is heavily scented with a menthol like smell, which can be refreshing, if you don’t mind the heavy smell. This cannot be used around the eyes, so an eye makeup remover is needed in addition to this one for removing eye makeup at the end of the day. This wash leaves my face feeling extraordinarily clean and fresh, but I have been using it just once or twice a week.

DDF Non-Drying Gentle Cleanser

“A gentle cleanser specially suited for dry or mature skin types.  Effectively removes impurities and environmental pollutants.  A unique cocktail of humectants provides superior moisture-retaining properties helping to leave skin moist and hydrated.”

Out of all of the DDF Cleansers I am trying, I think this is my favorite. This is a thicker cream than the Cellular Cleansing Complex, and it coats my skin and seems to almost melt into my skin as it removes makeup and such. There is virtually no smell to this one, and I really appreciate how moisturized my face feels after using it. It is perfect for night time when more moisture is needed to lock in with a night cream overnight.

There are five more cleansers in the DDF line-up, but I think I picked the best of the bunch for my skin care needs. Visit the site to order online or see which cleanser might be best for you. If you give one a try or are a user of the DDF products, let me know in the comments.

images credit: DDFSkincare.com

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Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) have elevated levels of the protein called alpha-synuclein in their brains. As the protein clumps, or aggregates, the resulting toxicity causes the death of neurons that produce the brain chemical dopamine. Consequently, nerves and muscles that control movement and coordination are destroyed.

The researchers discovered that the activity of three genes that control the synthesis of heme, the major component of hemoglobin that allows red blood cells to carry oxygen, precisely matched the activity of the alpha-synuclein gene, suggesting a common switch controlling both.

The scientists then found that a protein called GATA-1, which turns on the blood-related genes, was also a major switch for alpha-synuclein expression, and that it induced a significant increase in alpha-synuclein protein. Finally, they demonstrated that a related protein -- GATA-2 -- was expressed in PD-vulnerable brain cells and directly controlled alpha-synuclein production.

Researchers are taking a similar tack to that of mainstream Alzheimer's research now that a greater understanding of alpha-synuclein exists. Get rid of the aggregate, in other words:

"Simply lowering alpha-synuclein levels by 40 percent may be enough to treat some forms of Parkinson's disease," says Dr. Clemens Scherzer of Harvard. "So far, researchers have focused on ways to get rid of too much 'bad' alpha-synuclein in Parkinson patients' brains. Now we will be able to tackle the problem from the production site, and search for new therapies that lower alpha-synuclein production up front."

...

The studies showed that GATA-1 and GATA-2 proteins find the alpha-synuclein gene, stick to it and then directly control it.

"This is not an indirect pathway; it is direct regulation of the gene," says Bresnick. "This directness provides the simplest scenario for creating a therapeutic strategy."

The problem with influencing the production side is, of course, that everything in our biochemistry has many different roles. It's next to impossible to alter any gene or mechanism without causing unwanted side-effects. This is a strong incentive to focus primarily on cleaning up aggregates rather than re-engineering our metabolism, if those are the only two options on the table. Further options will hopefully emerge as researchers progress towards an understanding of why these mechanisms change with age. What form of known age-related biochemical damage is causing changes in GATA regulation - and thus alpha-synuclein levels - and how is it doing that?

Ekoh is an eco-conscious online boutique launched with a stellar array of prestige organic, natural and environmentally conscious beauty brands.

New and existing eco-friendly brands include: Jurlique , CARE by Stella McCartney, REN, Korres, Alison Raffaele, Kevin Murphy,  Shu Uemura, Malie, Tela, Sacred Locks, Body Sonya Dakar, Hamadi, Pangea, MOP, Herban Essentials, Ecoist Bags, Essence of Vali, Baggu Bags, Cargo PlantLove Lipstick, Dr. Hauschka and many more brands to come.

To start enjoying the new boutique, ekoh has offered us a fabulous discount so you can shop and receive 20% off everything that you order online. How great is that? All you have to do is use the code splendicity at checkout to get the 20% off!

Shop Now!!! Let me know if you scoop up anything!

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philosophy ‘the microdelivery exfoliating wash’ - $48 (a $75 value)

PerriconeMD 30-Day Introductory Kit - $55 (an $86 value)
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion - $36 (a $72 value)
Shiseido ‘White Lucent’ Set - $85 (a $128 value)
Kinerase® ‘Summer Essentials’ Anniversary Kit - $125 (a $275 value)
CAUDALIE Anniversary Kit 2008 - $27 (a $35 value)
Elemis Resurfacing System - $99 (a $252.50 value)
Sisley Cleansing Kit for Dry/Sensitive Skin  - $99.50 (a $120 value)

Now, if I can only narrow it down to one or two and figure out which products I really need. Let me know if you scoop anything up. Shop Nordstroms.com soon!

image credit: nordstrom.com

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I have sought to bring those who stop by, or who otherwise stumble upon my writings, around to a more productive way of looking at aging, longevity, science and human action.

...

Sometimes our conversation is hard to find, however. People who might have learned and contributed do not do so; opportunities to broaden the healthy life extension community are lost. ... someone has to be talking on topic to keep the conversation growing, to avoid lapses in which newcomers might miss the party.

A nicely nebulous set of goals upon which to pin metrics. We can look at web statistics (one step beyond damned lies), participation in the healthy life extension community, funds raised for specific goals ... but it's a real challenge to determine what contribution my efforts made to a dynamic community or process of many contributers. Never mind how it could have all be accomplished more effectively or efficiently.

Those of you with longer memories will recall that sometimes people turn up out of the blue, lay down a seven-figure check, and say "yup, it was because of this advocacy initiative that I chose to donate." But it's rare - you can't base an analysis of success on huge checks from the blue. If you have enough of those to start counting, you've already won.

That particular seven-figure check justifies Fight Aging! for a good few more years yet, but vindication isn't really the purpose of metrics. Good advocates are one step removed from fanatics - they'll keep at it until the rest of the world gives in and admits the advocate was right all along. Metrics are about improvement: how can you do better with the resources to hand.

The online metric of first resort is web statistics, the damned lies mentioned above. I'm not all that sure that anything of worth can be derived from web statistics with respect to the goals of Fight Aging!. It's not even clear that more links, more traffic, or more aggregation are necessarily better - this is where those folk who are simply interested in monetizing websites have a much easier time of it. At the end of the day they can look at the dollars and rate of conversions to sale. Meanwhile I ponder the nature of my most popular page for this past year and wonder what most of my page views actually represent.

For Fight Aging!, a "conversion to sale" might be someone who sets off to become a molecular biologist or organize a fundraising conference for the Methuselah Foundation. I might be able to claim partial credit for one or two of those. At the less radical end of the scale, you'll find people who donate to fund SENS longevity research, or discuss healthy life extension with a friend where they might otherwise not have done. You get the idea - and I have no idea as to how well I'm doing there. Realistically, I'm never likely to know. Contributing to the new zeitgeist is not an activity for those who need personal validation, nor those who enjoy a nice, clean balance sheet of expenditure versus result.

So: I'm fairly convinced my work produces a continuing net positive influence, but proving that to anyone's satisfaction - beyond the genous million-dollar donor - is quite another story. In terms of improvement for the future, I'm left with the same old unsatisfactory metric of bulk visits and mailing list membership; I must assume that more is merrier until conclusively proven wrong on that front.

Really, when you notice on your prescription label that you should ask you doctor before taking other medicines with it, following that warning. Always ask your doctor or even your pharmacist about drug interactions - both over the counter and prescription.

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We had a very unexpected death of a family member this week because of this very thing. And the scary part is that this young girl was a nurse. Even nurses are not exempt from making a careless mistake. She took a prescribed medication with an over the counter cold medicine and she did not wake up in the morning after taking them.

Looking at her 3 year old daughter made me realize how important this is and I will be cautious - maybe over cautious when taking any kind of medication now. And I urge you to do the same.

Here is some information that I found from disabled-world.com on this very subject, and it contains a wealth of information:

Types of Drug Interactions

There are people with medical conditions who take more than one medicine at a time. Some people see more than one doctor for different reasons. Still, even with the substantiated proof on the efficacy of Western medicine, many still choose to take herbal supplements for health maintenance. It is to the patient’s advantage as well as the doctors to be aware of all the medicines and supplements that are being taken in order to avoid possible negative effects of drug interactions. Below are 3 classifications of drug interactions.

1. Drug-Drug Interactions - is experienced when two or more medicines react with each other resulting in unwelcomed side effects. Taking a sedative or sleeping pill together with anti- allergy drug or antihistamine can slow down one’s reactions making car driving or operating machineries too risky.

2. Drug-Food/Beverage Interactions - occur when drugs react with foods or beverages. For example, mixing alcohol with some drugs may cause a feeling of fatigue or slow your reactions.

3. Drug-Condition Interactions - may happen when an existing medical condition makes certain drugs potentially harmful. An example of this is when someone has high blood pressure, there could be an experience of adverse reaction if you take a nasal decongestant.

Effects of Drug Interactions

The effects of drug interactions may be as mild as making your drug less effective, or it can cause unexpected side effects such as allergies, palpitations or dizziness. It can also increase the action of a particular drug which can be detrimental to the health condition of the patient. As safety precaution, it is important that one should read the label of non-prescription or prescription drugs and should learn about drug interactions which may be critical to your health and can reduce the risk of potentially harmful interactions and its side effects.

Herbal Remedies

There is a growing number of alternative therapies such as herbal products and other supplements that are currently enjoying widespread acceptance in the United States. However, users seldom inform their physicians about it.

People should be aware that these herbal products are not tested with the scientific rigor required of conventional drugs, and they are not subject to the approval process of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Hence, herbal products are not supposed to be marketed for the diagnosis, treatment, cure or prevention of any disease. However, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 enables these products to include in the labels statements about their alleged effects on the human body such as alleviation of fatigue or how they can help in promoting the general well-being of a person such as mood enhancement.

These declared effects of herbal products have been analyzed and are proven to resemble claims of clinical efficacy for various diseases and conditions. Morever, unlike conventional drugs, herbal products are not being regulated for purity and potency. This is the reason why some of the adverse effects and drug interactions reported for herbal products are attributed to such impurities such as allergens, pollen and spores. In addition, the more potent the herbal product is, the greater the possibility of its adverse effects.

Over-The-Counter Drugs

Over-the-counter medicine labels usually contain about ingredients, uses, warnings and directions that is important to read and understand including vital information about possible drug interactions. In addition, drug labels may change as recent developments about the drug are discovered. That is why it is of great significance that labels are read every time you use a drug.

Safety Precautions

Consult with your health care professionals about the medicines and supplements you take. Everytime your physician would give a new prescription, be sure to discuss all OTC and prescription drugs, dietary supplements, vitamins, botanicals, minerals and herbal supplements you take icluding the food that you eat. See to it that whenever you buy medicines from the pharmacy, the package insert for each prescription drug is included for it will provide you with more information about potential drug interactions.

Really, we cannot be too careful when taking anything into our bodies - medications, supplements, etc. Please don’t make a mistake and be sure to ask your doctor first before mixing any type of medication at all. Please!

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Dealing with aging and death has always been a challenge. People have different ways of handling it. I see it in four categories: One is to just ignore it. This is pretty easy for awhile - you can just pretend it isn’t happening, particularly when you are young and when the manifestations of aging are not really apparent at all.

Another is, you deny it. "Death is not really real, because our soul will live eternally." Or, we will live eternally through our creations - those sorts of things. A lot of people like to feel that; it makes them feel better about the situation. Another is just to accept it. That is a common practice too, to say it is inevitable, natural, even the best thing. Leon Kass, for example, has said it is life’s finitude that gives it its meaning - as though young people who do not think about their mortality don’t enjoy life.

The final approach is to battle it. This was the strategy of Ponce de Leon, who was wandering around in the jungles of Florida. It could be Aubrey de Grey, too, who is trying to catalyze a serious effort to control the aging process. What is different now, though, is that suddenly, for the first time ever, it is actually quite plausible. As you heard from the comments of earlier speakers, we might actually be able to accomplish that.

What is interesting is that this is not the goal of biogerontology today. Its goal is not to control aging, or extend our natural lifespan, but to somehow compress morbidity, so that we can be healthier for a longer period of time and then fade away quickly. Initially that sounds reasonable, but at its logical conclusion, it really is completely out of sync with our aspirations.

As I've said elsewhere, the most important cultural battle of our time is that which started inside the gerontological community. It is the fight to build a research community whose members eagerly and vocally work to achieve what is possible with the future of biotechnology: the repair of aging and defeat of age-related degeneration.

At present that community is in only its earliest stages. The rest of the field is still mired in the views of yesterday, a place where no-one can talk about healthy life extension for fear of ridicule and loss of funding opportunities. Societies have a way of working themselves into a conservatism that holds back progress. This is slowly changing, but that change must continue and accelerate if we are to see significant progress within our lifetime.