268 Prevent Macular Degeneration and Cognitive Decline: How Essential Carotenoids Protect Your Brain and Vision with Prof. John Nolan
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Release Date: 05/18/2026
103 David Cravit and Larry Wolf. Default-Ager or Super-Ager. Which are You?
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
FlashBack Friday THIS EPISODE OF GROWING OLDER LIVING YOUNGER focuses on super aging - how to help transform longer lifespan into longer healthspan via 7 A Pillars of longevity. Today’s Featured Experts are David Cravit and Larry Wolf, co-authors of “ SuperAging: Getting Older Without Getting Old - A Boomers Guide to living well after 65.We discuss the 7 A’s of the Pillars of Superaging, how default aging has been the - well- default, for past generations and continues to be for many today. And how social, cultural, political, and economic forces oppose living younger...
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268 Prevent Macular Degeneration and Cognitive Decline: How Essential Carotenoids Protect Your Brain and Vision with Prof. John Nolan
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
What if essential carotenoid antioxidants you consume today, could protect your vision and cognitive functions now and in the future? In this episode, Professor John Nolan explains how specific carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin play a critical role in protecting the retina and brain from oxidative stress, a key driver of damage and age-related decline. As a leading researcher in ocular and brain nutrition, he shares ground- breaking insights from clinical trials showing how targeted supplementation can improve visual function and support cognitive performance. Listeners will...
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052 Dr. Helen Knaggs. Your Skin: A Window to Your Health.
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Flashback Friday: Episode 52 from Season 1 May 2022 Audrey Hepburn, a Screen Legend and a truly iconic beauty, said “The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.” I was reflecting on previous discussions I have had on ageism as I read yet another comment on beauty and aging youthfully. The debate centered around the question of whether we should accept and indeed celebrate the aging of our appearance as a reflection of the wisdom gained as we grow older, or whether, as I believe, we should do all we can to delay the...
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267 Muscle, Mitochondria and the Aging Brain: The Midlife Metabolism Reset with Dr. Elizabeth Goldspink
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
What if the fatigue, brain fog, and loss of strength many women experience after 50 are not simply hormonal, but reflect deeper shifts in metabolism, muscle, and mitochondrial function? In this insightful episode, Dr. Elizabeth Goldspink reframes midlife as a metabolic and neurological transition rather than a purely hormonal one. She explains how muscle acts as a longevity organ, how mitochondrial efficiency impacts both energy and cognition, and how targeted lifestyle and nutrition strategies can restore resilience. This empowering conversation offers practical, science-informed steps to...
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050 Dr. Paul Alan Cox: Plants, People and Culture. How Ethnobotanical Research has Changed Our Lives
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Flashback Friday Episode 50 - May 2022“Walk into any pharmacy and ask to examine a bottle of prescription medicine chosen at random. There is a one in four chance that the prescription medication you hold in your hand has an active ingredient derived from a plant. Most of these plant-derived drugs were originally discovered through the study of traditional remedies and folk knowledge of indigenous people.” (M. Balick, P. Cox.) As I read this opening paragraph in the chapter on PlantsThat Heal, from the book, Plants, People and Culture: The Science of Ethnobotany by Drs. Michael...
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266 How Smell Impacts Memory: The Science of Olfactory Training with Jonathan Askholm
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
What if one of the most powerful tools for protecting your brain health has been right under your nose all along? In this fascinating episode, Jonathan Askholm explores the science of olfaction and its direct connection to memory, emotion, and cognitive function. Drawing on emerging research and personal experience, he explains how intentional smell training may improve memory, mood, and even support healthy aging. This conversation opens a new and highly accessible pathway to brain health, reinforcing that a simple daily practice can have profound effects on how we age. Jonathan Askholm is a...
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095 Dr. Lucinda Sykes. Sleep Well, Be Well
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
THIS EPISODE OF GROWING OLDER LIVING YOUNGER focuses on sleep and the ways we can achieve sufficient natural sleep. Today’s Featured Expert is retired medical doctor and longtime mindfulness teacher, Dr. Lucinda Sykes, on her approach to promoting deep natural sleep We discuss the importance of natural deep sleep, what happens to our brains during the stages of sleep, the adverse effects of sleep medications, and the importance of consistent sleep habits in a sleep conducive environment. Episode Timeline:0:11 Introduction to today’s episode.7:18 Why is the quality of sleep so...
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265 The Move More Method: The Science of Everyday Movement for Longevity with James D. Walter
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
What if the greatest threat to your independence, your brain health, and even your lifespan isn’t aging itself—but the hours you spend sitting each day? In this powerful episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch explores a transformative approach to health with Dr. James Walter: the concept of “Move More Moments.” Drawing from his expertise in cardiovascular exercise physiology, Dr. Walter challenges the traditional focus on structured exercise programs. Instead, he introduces a more accessible strategy—re-engineering your day to reduce sedentary time and integrate movement into everyday life....
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066 Brain Health Programs to Keep Your Mind Sharp with Henry Mahncke Ph.D
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
Flashback Friday Episode 66 from 2022 "Brains at any age are capable of rewiring and changing. No one should be aging, thinking that it's all downhill from here' (Dr. Henry Mahncke). This comment on brain plasticity, made by research neuroscientist, Dr. Henry Mahncke, in Episode 10: , echoes in my head, whenever I reflect on the goal of Growing Older Living Younger, namely to extend our health span by preserving a healthy mind in a healthy body. My brain is a year older since that episode but I’m sure that by following my...
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264 The Posture Longevity Link: How Your Spine Shapes Your Healthspan with Dr. Mark Morningstar
Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,
What if one of the most powerful influences on your health, your hormones, and even your longevity was something you rarely think about—your posture? In this eye-opening episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch explores the profound connection between structural alignment and the biological systems that govern how we age. Joined by scoliosis specialist and spinal health expert Dr. Mark Morningstar, this conversation uncovers the science behind how chronic postural distortions—like forward head posture and slouching—can reduce lung capacity, alter nervous system balance, and disrupt stress hormone...
info_outlineWhat if essential carotenoid antioxidants you consume today, could protect your vision and cognitive functions now and in the future? In this episode, Professor John Nolan explains how specific carotenoids, lutein, zeaxanthin and meso-zeaxanthin play a critical role in protecting the retina and brain from oxidative stress, a key driver of damage and age-related decline. As a leading researcher in ocular and brain nutrition, he shares ground- breaking insights from clinical trials showing how targeted supplementation can improve visual function and support cognitive performance. Listeners will learn why prevention must begin early, how to identify effective nutritional strategies, and how to take control of long-term eye and brain health to extend their healthspan.
Professor John Nolan is a full professor at South East Technological University in Waterford, Ireland, where he holds the Howard Chair in Human Nutrition. He is a nutritional biochemist specializing in the role of carotenoids in vision and cognitive health. As Director of the Nutrition Research Centre Ireland he has led major international clinical trials, including the CREST studies, published over 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and is founder and chair of the International Brain and Ocular Nutrition Conference. His research focuses on targeted nutrition to prevent and manage age-related diseases such as macular degeneration and Alzheimer’s disease, advancing evidence-based nutritional strategies to support lifelong eye and brain health.
Episode Timeline
00:00 – Welcome and introduction
04:25 – Origins of carotenoid research and macular degeneration
Early work identifying nutrition as a key modifiable risk factor
09:30 – What carotenoids are and why they matter
Role as antioxidants and “internal sunscreen” for the eye
13:55 – Can macular degeneration be reversed or improved
Distinguishing regeneration, slowing progression, and functional improvement
17:30 – Brain and eye connection
How nutrition may reactivate neural pathways and support cognition
20:27 – Challenging the current medical model
Why prevention must replace late-stage intervention
25:16 – The importance of meso-zeaxanthin
Why some individuals cannot convert nutrients effectively
28:37 – Supplement quality and evidence-based formulations
Risks of unregulated supplements and importance of clinical validation
32:18 – Nutrition, lifestyle, and informed decision-making
Why education and professional guidance are essential
33:21 – Starting early for lifelong protection
“From the cradle to the dance floor” approach to nutrition
35:55 – Declining nutrient density in modern food
Why diet alone may no longer be sufficient
37:18 – Wrap-up and key takeaways
Connect with the research of Prof John Nolan
https://profjohnnolan.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
Upcoming Vision for Vision documentary (watch the trailer )
Calls to Action :
Connect with Dr. Gillian Lockitch at https://www.askdrgill.com/ or email: askdrgill@gmail.com for a personal consult
Download Guide to Nature's Colorful Antioxidants 2026
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