242 Welcome 2026. Healthspan Extension Starts Here: Your Epigenetic Path to Aging Well with Dr. Gillian Lockitch
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Release Date: 01/05/2026
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Women entering perimenopause and menopause are often told to “do more cardio,” “eat less,” and “push harder” to stay fit. Yet for many, these strategies lead to exhaustion, stalled progress, injuries, and declining confidence rather than improved health. As estrogen declines, muscle loss accelerates, recovery slows, and stress hormones become more influential on weight, sleep, and inflammation. Following outdated fitness rules during this phase can quietly accelerate biological aging and undermine long-term healthspan. Today's guest, Alicia Jones, combines kinesiology,...
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Canada’s healthcare system is under unprecedented strain, with thousands of people experiencing serious harm—or death—while waiting for diagnostic procedures, specialist care, or life-saving treatments. Despite public trust in the system, delays have become a hidden personal risk that most Canadians fail to plan for. As we age, delays in diagnosis and treatment don’t just affect outcomes—they accelerate physical decline, cognitive stress, emotional exhaustion, and financial vulnerability. Loss of access means loss of control, which directly undermines resilience, independence,...
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Extreme diets dominate social media, but what actually happens inside your body when you follow them? In this episode, registered dietitian Andres Ayesta shares the results of a 60-day self-experiment comparing a carnivore diet with a whole-foods, minimally processed approach. Using lab testing, DEXA scans, and behavioral science, he reveals what truly changes—and what doesn’t—when it comes to weight, body composition, energy, and long-term health as we age. Andres Ayesta is a registered dietitian, sports nutritionist, and founder of Planos Nutrition. With...
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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_outlineMany 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, and purpose—and shows how healthspan is not fixed by your genes or your chronological age. Instead, it is shaped daily by belief, biology, and small, consistent lifestyle choices that influence how your genes are expressed. Dr. Lockitch also explains why information alone is not enough to create lasting change, and why guided support, accountability, and community are essential for sustainable healthy aging. She outlines the Seven Pillars of the Growing Older Living Younger roadmap and previews two focused coaching pathways launching in 2026: The Ageless Mind Blueprint and The Better Body Healthspan Blueprint. If you’ve ever wondered whether there is a better way to age—this episode offers clarity, science, and hope.
00:00 – 03:45 | Opening & Welcome
“Growing older is inevitable—aging poorly is not”. Common fears listeners experience but rarely voice aloud
03:45 – 06:30 | What Is Healthspan—Defining healthspan vs. lifespan
“Adding life to your years, not just years to your life”
06:30 – 08:45 | Epigenetics: Why Healthspan Is Modifiable
Genes as a blueprint. How lifestyle, nutrition, movement, sleep, stress, and mindset influence gene expression and Why people of the same chronological age age differently
08:45 – 10:30 | Belief Comes First
Why belief shapes behavior—and behavior shapes biology, The physiological (not just motivational) basis of belief. Why believing change is possible is essential for sustainable aging
10:30 – 12:40 | Why Information Alone Is Not Enough
Knowing vs. doing. Why healthy aging requires guidance, structure, and accountability
The role of mentorship, community, and support
12:40 – 17:00 | The Seven Pillars of Growing Older Living Younger
- Your Genetic Blueprint – Don’t let your genes determine your destiny
- You Are What You Eat – Nourishment vs. toxicity
- Physical Activity & Posture – Movement, resilience, and recovery
- Beauty Is Skin Deep – Caring for your skin as a vital organ
- Mindset, Mindfulness & Mindkeep – Cognitive resilience and presence
- Choose a Challenge – Growth through discomfort
- Communication & Connection – You are not alone
Personal reflections, including transforming obstacles into opportunities
17:00 – 19:00 | Two New Coaching Pathways for 2026
The Ageless Mind Blueprint
Focus: memory, cognition, and fear of dementia
The Better Body Healthspan Blueprint
Focus: peri- and post-menopausal bone, muscle, joint, and fascial health
Same science, same pillars—different emphasis
19:00 – 21:30 | Tools, Ethics, and Lifestyle Support
Clarification of Dr. Lockitch’s role as a retired physician
Evidence-informed epigenetic nutrition, supplementation, and skin-care tools
Supporting the body’s natural repair and regeneration—no shortcuts
21:30 – 24:00 | Final Reflections for 2026
- Small, incremental changes can be transformational
- You don’t need to be perfect—progress matters
- Why you don’t need to do this alone
- Healthspan extension begins with belief
24:00 – End | Invitation & Closing
- Invitation to schedule a personal healthspan roadmap call with Dr. Lockitch
- Encouragement to share the episode and subscribe
The Seven Pillars of Growing Older Living Younger
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Your Genetic Blueprint – Your genes are not your destiny
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You Are What You Eat – Nourishment vs. toxicity
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Physical Activity & Posture – Movement as medicine
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Beauty Is Skin Deep – Caring for your body’s largest organ
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Mindset, Mindfulness & Mindkeep – Protecting cognitive health
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Choose a Challenge – Growth requires discomfort
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Communication & Connection – You are not alone
🛤️ New for 2026: Two Focused Pathways
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The Ageless Mind Blueprint
For those concerned about memory, cognitive clarity, and fear of dementia -
The Better Body Healthspan Blueprint
For peri- and post-menopausal women focused on bone, muscle, joint, and fascial health
Different emphasis. Same foundational science. Same seven pillars.
💡 Key Takeaways
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Healthspan extension begins with belief
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Small, incremental changes can be transformational
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You don’t need to be perfect—progress matters
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You don’t have to do this alone
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Your future health is worth your attention now
“If you believe you can, you can.”
📘 About the Host
Dr. Gillian Lockitch is an international speaker, retired physician, medical biochemist, author of Growing Older Living Younger, and host of the Growing Older Living Younger podcast. Known as The Bionic Dancing Doc, she empowers midlife and older adults to take control of how they age through evidence-based epigenetic lifestyle practices.
If today’s episode sparked your desire to take control of how you age, schedule a call with Dr. Gillian Lockitch to explore your personal roadmap to longer healthspan and a vibrant, purpose-filled life.
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