How to Lengthen Your Telomeres So You (Hopefully) Live Longer

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Pineapples and mangos in a bin at a market

I want to live as long as possible. That may seem like a sentiment shared by all, but some people would rather not go beyond 75. Not me. I love living, and I want to live as fully as I can for as long as I can. I believe humans can meaningfully contribute to society even very late in life. 125? Sounds great. More years to do all the things I want to do!

Given my attitude toward aging, I’m interested in research that studies longevity. I find the concept of telomeres fascinating. Telomeres are “the protective caps on the ends of chromosomes,” and they shorten as your cells divide. When they get too short, the cells die. If you are genetically predisposed to suffer from heart disease, for example, you’ll likely develop it sooner if you have shorter telomeres.

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The Weekend Listen

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A pair of wireless headphones for podcast listening

I listen to a lot of podcasts while driving, working out, and doing chores around the house. In this weekly feature, I’ll tell you about one episode I particularly enjoyed that week.

This week’s selection is HerMoney Episode 44: Moneyball, The Dating Edition.  As you might have guessed from its name, HerMoney is a women-focused financial advice podcast.  This episode is a little different than some, though.  In honor of Valentine’s Day, host Jean Chatsky interviews Date-onomics author John Birger about his economics-driven analysis of dating.  Interesting!

Have a lovely weekend, and if you are listening to a podcast you think I should hear, let me know about it!

 

Five Things Your Lawyer Can’t Do

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This post is not intended as legal advice. Please read the Disclaimer posted above.

Lawyers get a bad rap. I’ve had the “lawyers and liars are the same thing” jab thrown at me before, and there’s no short supply of jokes painting lawyers as bad guys. Are there less-than-honest lawyers in the world? Sure–there are bad apples in any bunch. But day in and day out, I see dedicated, hardworking attorneys counseling clients to do the right thing and fighting for their clients’ rights in court.

Non-lawyers might be surprised to know that attorneys are governed by strict ethical rules, and violations of the rules are taken seriously. Attorneys and judges are encouraged to report violations to disciplinary boards, and investigations often lead to suspension of lawyers’ licenses to practice or disbarment.

Here are five things your lawyer can’t do:

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Let’s Talk About Sleep

- Alexis 2 Comments

A koala sleeps in a tree

I recently heard an interview of Dr. Michael Breus, a sleep specialist and author of The Power of When: Discover Your Chronotype — and the Best Time to Eat Lunch, Ask for a Raise, Have Sex, Write a Novel, Take Your Meds, and More. That got me thinking about sleep.

I need 7-8 hours of sleep a night to function well. I can occasionally get by on 5 or 6 hours if necessary, but generally only for one night. When I don’t get enough sleep, I’m not just sleepy and ineffective; I get physically ill. Sleep deprivation is a reliable precursor to a headache, and as a lifelong migraine sufferer, headaches can be bad news for me. When I chronically get less sleep than I should, my immune system takes a noticeable hit, and I’m likely to come down with a cold. Therefore, I prioritize sleep. Even during law school and while working demanding private practice jobs, I almost always got 7-8 hours of sleep each weeknight. (I didn’t sleep very well last night, for no apparent reason, and I know I’m going to be feeling the effects of that poor sleep later today).

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