Sandra Kaufmann: Setting the bar high to stop aging

05/12/21 • 31 min

The science of aging is so infinitely fascinating that Dr. Sandra Kaufmann decided to immerse herself in the field, as a hobby. A pediatric anesthesiologist from Florida, Dr. Kaufmann, is also an athlete who manages to fit swimming, running and rock climbing around her busy hospital schedule. Determined to enjoy physical activity for as long as possible, she decided to carry out an extensive review of the scientific literature, to better understand our bodies as we grow old. She focussed on the mechanisms of aging at a cellular level and set out to sort fact from fiction when it comes to the substances or interventions that might help us age more slowly. The result is, The Kaufmann Protocol: Why We Age and How to Stop It, a book in which she sets out seven key tenets to maintaining optimum health. In this LLAMA podcast conversation, with Peter Bowes, Dr Kaufmann explains everything from the importance of mitochondrial health and the maintenance of metabolic pathways, to her live and let live attitude towards eating a donut a day.

In this interview we cover:

Setting the bar high to "overcome all aging"
The most ornate out-of-control hobby anybody can have
A light-bulb moment having off a cliff.
Is it selfish to focus on the science of 'stopping' aging?
Becoming a human guinea pig to try to figure out why cells age.
Nurturing the seven protocols
Debunking myths - or ideas behind grandma's remedies - about interventions to slow down the aging process
Junk food, including a donut a day. Really?
Being an exercise junkie
Biohacking: striving to improve what we are, but is the term realistic?
Feeling like a teenager at 52

This episode is brought to you in association with Clinique La Prairie, the award-winning spa-clinic - and pioneering health and wellness destination - nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva in Montreux, Switzerland. Combining preventative medicine with bespoke lifestyle and nutrition plans, Clinique La Prairie offers a holistic approach to living fuller, healthier and longer lives.
The Live Long and Master Aging podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice. If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

Support the show

The Live Long and Master Aging (LLAMA) podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice. If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

In this interview we cover:

Setting the bar high to "overcome all aging"
The most ornate out-of-control hobby anybody can have
A light-bulb moment having off a cliff.
Is it selfish to focus on the science of 'stopping' aging?
Becoming a human guinea pig to try to figure out why cells age.
Nurturing the seven protocols
Debunking myths - or ideas behind grandma's remedies - about interventions to slow down the aging process
Junk food, including a donut a day. Really?
Being an exercise junkie
Biohacking: striving to improve what we are, but is the term realistic?
Feeling like a teenager at 52

Support the show

Previous Episode

Simone Gibertoni & Adrian Heini: A holistic approach to healthspan

Embracing science and a holistic approach to living a healthier life, has been a hallmark of the Swiss spa-clinic, Clinique La Prairie (CLP), for the past ninety years. Known for its signature treatment, cellular therapy, the medical center opened in 1931, under the guidance of Dr Paul Niehans, an early expert in the field. Today, CLP melds cutting edge technology with a mission to help people optimize their healthspan, though advanced clinical and wellness programs. The LLAMA podcast is teaming up with CLP to discuss the big issues surrounding human longevity. In this episode, Peter Bowes is joined by C.E.O. Simone Gibertoni and Medical Director, Dr. Adrian Heini. In a wide-ranging conversation they cover the clinic's history, scientific developments, including Epigenetic screening, and the future of wellbeing as a priority in the post-Covid world.

Recorded: April 20, 2021 | Read a transcript and show notes at the LLAMA podcast website.

Topics covered in this interview include:

Clinique La Prairie's 90-year legacy
The history of a medical spa that melds science and luxury relaxation
The scientific gatekeepers monitoring the science behind health and wellness programs
Using natural tools to curate a holistic approach to living better and longer
Developments in genetics and epigenetic tests to reveal predispositions to certain conditions
Tailored programs to focus on conditions such as oxidative stress and inflammation
Plants, herbs and fatty acid profiles
The lifestyle trails that influence longevity
Personalized healthy living programs and the four pillars for longevity
Changing lives and following up to ensure long-term health
Why there is no "magic pill"
Mindfulness, meditation and bespoke physical exercise modifications
The eye-opening impact of Covid on the business of wellness and the long term implications for healthcare
The lasting impact of a week's intensive therapies?
Implementing long-term health programs though CLP hubs around the world.
The importance of lifestyle changes and work/life balance.
Morning routines and daily health.
Taking the long view and imagining the wellness conversation for decades to come.

“This episode is brought to you in association with Clinique La Prairie, the award-winning spa-clinic - and pioneering health and wellness destination - nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva in Montreux, Switzerland. Combining preventative medicine with bespoke lifestyle and nutrition plans, Clinique La Prairie offers a holistic approach to living fuller, healthier and longer lives.”

The Live Long and Master Aging podcast, a HealthSpan Media LLC production, shares ideas but does not offer medical advice. If you have health concerns of any kind, or you are considering adopting a new diet or exercise regime, you should consult your doctor.

Support the show

Next Episode

Daniel Kennedy: Longevity secrets from around the world

Some of the world's healthiest people spend little or no time pondering their propensity to live a long life. They just do it. Their lifestyles are a model for longevity. There is much we can learn from these vibrant populations, in countries such as Italy, India, Japan, and (even) parts of the United States. In this episode of the LLAMA podcast with Peter Bowes, filmmaker Daniel Kennedy discusses his quest to better understand global food and ancient healing traditions. Daniel's documentary series, Healthy Long Life, is an exploratory journey around the globe and considers the discrepancy between lifespan and healthspan; he asks why, for many people, the final years of life are spent in sickness and pain and shares observations about spirituality, mealtime traditions and chronic diseases.

Recorded: April 19, 2021 | Read a transcript and show notes at the LLAMA podcast website.
Topics covered in this interview include:

Filming Healthy, Long Life over four years and Daniel's motivation behind the project
Lifespan vs healthspan and what it means for our children and grandchildren
Are chronic diseases pre-determined? Searching for answers.
Deriving inspiration from people with cancer to help others avoid the disease
Meeting physicians who use plants as medicine, including T. Colin Campbell, the author of the China Project
Pinpointing the world's longevity hotspots and learning from ancient healing traditions
Fighting illness or promoting health?
Plant based diets and the risk of contracting cancer
Science, spirituality, food and faith
The long lives of Seventh Day Adventists from Loma Linda, California
The idea that "genetics may load the gun but it's diet and lifestyle that pull the trigger."
The relative benefits of a healthy dietary regime and a life full of physical activity.
Is there a French paradox - wine, cheese, butter and good health?
Portion size and caloric restriction.

This episode is brought to you in association with Clinique La Prairie, the award-winning spa-clinic and pioneering health and wellness destination - nestled on the shores of Lake Geneva in Montreux, Switzerland. Combining preventative medicine with bespoke lifestyle and nutrition plans, Clinique La Prairie offers a holistic approach to living fuller, healthier and longer lives.

Support the show