241 Resilience: Transforming Obstacles into Opportunities with Dr. Gillian Lockitch
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Release Date: 12/29/2025
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Chronic stress and burnout are often worn as a badge of honor, yet they can be powerful accelerators of biological aging. In this conversation, wellness entrepreneur and educator Erica Jones explains how persistent stress can disrupt sleep, increase inflammation, and influence mitochondrial function, hormones, and even gene expression through epigenetic pathways. Together, with the host, Dr. Gillian Lockitch, we focus on sustainable strategies that busy, high-capacity people can actually maintain - starting with the “unsexy basics” of hydration and sleep, plus boundaries that protect your...
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Early life trauma can leave lasting imprints on the brain, body, and emotional health well into later life, but healing is possible at any age. In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with memoirist and wellness practitioner, Wendy Correa about adverse childhood experiences, intergenerational trauma, and the profound healing power of self-awareness and creative expression. Wendy shares how writing her memoir, My Pretty Baby, became both a personal reckoning and a path to liberation. This conversation explores how movement, mindfulness,...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Chronic stress and anxiety are not just emotional experiences; they can quietly accelerate biological aging and undermine brain health. In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with integrative mental health expert Dr. Nicole Cain about how anxiety, panic, trauma, and unresolved stress shape the nervous system across the lifespan. Dr. Cain explains the critical differences between fear, anxiety, and panic, and how symptoms often serve as meaningful signals rather than disorders to suppress. This rich conversation offers science-backed, compassionate...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
What if the way you move could directly influence how well you age? In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch is joined by movement specialist and chiropractor Dr. Edythe Heus to explore how intentional, brain-engaged movement can become one of the most powerful tools for longevity. Drawing on decades of clinical experience, Dr. Heus explains how subtle changes in movement reorganize fascia, enhance balance, sharpen cognition, and reduce fall risk. This conversation reframes exercise not as punishment, but as a playful, intelligent practice that supports...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Many people believe that memory loss, physical decline, and loss of independence are inevitable parts of aging. But what if that belief is wrong? In this first Growing Older Living Younger episode of 2026, Dr. Gillian Lockitch challenges the outdated narrative that aging automatically means decline. Drawing on decades of medical expertise, cutting-edge epigenetic science, and her own lived experience, Dr. Lockitch explains why growing older is inevitable—but aging poorly is not. This episode introduces the concept of healthspan—the years of life lived with clarity, mobility, independence,...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
In this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch shares a powerful story of resilience—one that unfolds unexpectedly as she prepares to celebrate turning 80 through dance, vitality, and joy. What began as a year of celebration was abruptly reshaped by a diagnosis of persistent atrial fibrillation, forcing Dr. Lockitch to confront physical limitations, uncertainty, and the temporary loss of a defining passion. Rather than framing this episode as a story of illness, she reframes it as a story of adaptation, courage, and transformation—and what it truly means to grow older...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
In this enlightening conversation, Dr. Gillian Lockitch talks with Alison Bladh about navigating menopause and midlife with confidence, vitality, and grace. Alison shares over 35 years of experience helping women transform their health, beauty, and mindset through evidence-based nutrition, lifestyle, and self-care. Learn how small, realistic changes can rebalance hormones, improve sleep, manage weight, and restore radiant skin and energy—so you can age youthfully and thrive through every life stage. Alison Bladh is an award-winning nutritional therapist and aesthetician...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Can you build healthspan in your 50s, 60s and beyond? In our episode 239 conversation, Jeff Weiss says yes—and he’s got the miles to prove it. After his first 10K at 48, Jeff progressed to marathons, ultramarathons, and Ironman triathlons, discovering how structured training within smart guardrails, and the right mindset can unlock cardiovascular fitness, strength, confidence, and cognitive resilience in midlife. We explore practical ways to get started (and keep going), how to balance discomfort vs. danger, and why setting “big, hairy, audacious goals” fuels transformation far beyond...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Coach and educator Carla Wainwright joins Dr. Gillian in episode 238 to reframe midlife (about 40–65) as a gateway rather than a decline. Drawing on science and somatic wisdom, Carla explains how shifting sex hormones affect metabolism, sleep, stress tolerance, and body composition—and why nervous‑system regulation, metabolic basics, and pleasure practices are foundational for healthspan. You’ll learn simple micro‑resets (breath, grounding, nature time), how to stack small rituals, and why cultivating daily moments of joy/connection boosts oxytocin and nitric oxide—two...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
In Episode 237, in conversation with Dr. Gillian Lockitch, Scott Fulton reframes “successful aging” as more years, more moments, more money. He unpacks his MEDAC model—Mind, Environment, Diet, Activity, Community—and shows how small, practical tweaks compound: design homes for longevity, manage toxin exposure sensibly, eat for quality/variety/fiber, move all day (not just “exercise”), train balance, and build supportive community. They also explore simple ways to measure what matters and why stepping outside your comfort zone is a powerful aging tool. Scott Fulton is...
info_outlineIn this deeply personal solo episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch shares a powerful story of resilience—one that unfolds unexpectedly as she prepares to celebrate turning 80 through dance, vitality, and joy.
What began as a year of celebration was abruptly reshaped by a diagnosis of persistent atrial fibrillation, forcing Dr. Lockitch to confront physical limitations, uncertainty, and the temporary loss of a defining passion. Rather than framing this episode as a story of illness, she reframes it as a story of adaptation, courage, and transformation—and what it truly means to grow older while still living younger.This episode closes out 2025 with reflection, wisdom, and an invitation to re-examine how we respond when life interrupts our plans.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
Why resilience isn’t about “bouncing back,” but about becoming who you are meant to be
What atrial fibrillation is—and why it’s more common (and often quieter) than many people realize
How endurance, stress, age, and lifestyle can intersect to affect heart rhythm
What it feels like emotionally and physically to lose mobility—and identity—temporarily
How mindset, support systems, and purpose can anchor you during health setbacks
Why obstacles should not be seen as roadblocks, but invitations to listen, adapt, and choose differently
Timeline:
00:00–02:30 – From celebration to interruption: when plans suddenly change
02:30–06:30 – Living with atrial fibrillation: symptoms, risks, and realities
06:30–10:30 – Medication, loss of movement, and the emotional toll of limitation
10:30–14:30 – Cardioversion, relapse, and facing the long wait for ablation
14:30–16:30 – Pulse-field ablation, recovery, and the “blanking period”
16:30–18:00 – Redefining celebration, choosing resilience, and lessons at 80
Core Reflections from This Episode:
Resilience does not mean ignoring limitations—it means recognizing them and negotiating how to move forward.
You don’t need to be who you were at 65 to be powerful at 80.
Aging youthfully isn’t about denying change—it’s about meeting change with curiosity, courage, and compassion.
Questions to Reflect On as You Listen:
What obstacles in your life need adaptation rather than resistance?
What identities might you be letting go of—and what new one is emerging?
How can you meet 2026 with optimism, joy, and resilience?
Looking Ahead
Dr. Lockitch shares a glimpse into Season 4 (2026) of Growing Older Living Younger, featuring a curated lineup of inspiring guest experts—all focused on empowering you to change how you age.
If this episode resonated with you, please share it with someone you care about and subscribe so you never miss an episode.
Together, let’s continue spreading the belief that we are empowered to change our aging.
Important Disclaimer
This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice. Always discuss health decisions with your physician or qualified healthcare provider.