251 Microplastics and Biological Aging: Separating Evidence from Fear-based, Stress Inducing Headlines that Accelerate Aging: with Chris DeArmitt Ph.D.
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Release Date: 02/06/2026
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
What if the most powerful breakthroughs in reversing chronic disease had less to do with new drugs—and everything to do with understanding human behavior? Type 2 diabetes is widely treated as a lifelong, progressive condition. But what if that assumption is wrong? In today’s episode, we explore how reclaiming personal agency, supported by behavioral science and AI-driven personalization, can fundamentally reshape how you age—because age is just a number, but how you age is a choice. Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases associated with aging, yet conventional...
info_outlineGrowing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
In recent years, headlines warning about microplastics in fish, water, and even the human body have triggered widespread anxiety. While fear-based narratives grab attention, they also keep the nervous system in a chronic stress state—driving inflammation, impaired decision-making, and accelerated biological aging. The question is no longer just environmental, but deeply personal: what happens when alarming headlines age us faster than reality? For those committed to healthy longevity, constant environmental alarmism can quietly undermine well-being. Chronic stress is a known driver of...
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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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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_outlineIn recent years, headlines warning about microplastics in fish, water, and even the human body have triggered widespread anxiety. While fear-based narratives grab attention, they also keep the nervous system in a chronic stress state—driving inflammation, impaired decision-making, and accelerated biological aging. The question is no longer just environmental, but deeply personal: what happens when alarming headlines age us faster than reality?
For those committed to healthy longevity, constant environmental alarmism can quietly undermine well-being. Chronic stress is a known driver of inflammation and epigenetic dysregulation. When fear replaces evidence, people make choices that are not only unnecessary—but often harmful to both human health and the environment.
Chris DeArmitt, PhD, is an internationally recognized materials scientist and founder of the Plastics Research Council. After reviewing more than 6,000 peer-reviewed studies, he challenges widely accepted myths about plastics, microplastics, ocean pollution, and toxicity. His work is independent, unfunded, and published verbatim from the scientific literature—without political or emotional spin.
Listeners will gain clarity on what microplastics research actually shows, why plastics often have the lowest environmental impact when assessed by life-cycle analysis, and how exaggerated claims distort public policy. This episode equips you with practical filters for evaluating environmental headlines and making rational, health-supportive choices.
Episode Timelines:
00:00 — Introduction and fear-based clickbait headlines
03:10 — Why media alarmism accelerates aging
05:38 — What materials science covers
10:52 — Why the Plastics Research Council was founded
15:47 — Materials life-cycle analysis and plastic bag myths
20:44 — Microplastics, exposure, and toxicity data explained
27:58 — Debunking floating plastic island and other myths
38:04 — Key takeaways for consumer rational decision-making
Connect with Chris DeArmitt
Website: https://plasticsresearchcouncil.org
Call to Action:
Contact Dr. Gillian Lockitch at askdrgill@gmail.com to explore your personal roadmap to longer healthspan and living younger longer.
If you want information about how you can get your Prysm io, email me asap at askdrgill@gmail.com