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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,

Release Date: 05/18/2026

277 Chronic Pain, Mobility and Healthy Aging: The Muscle-Longevity Connection  with Stacey Roberts show art 277 Chronic Pain, Mobility and Healthy Aging: The Muscle-Longevity Connection with Stacey Roberts

Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,

Is chronic pain really an inevitable part of aging—or could it be a warning sign that deeper imbalances are affecting your healthspan, mobility, and quality of life? In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with physical therapist, registered nurse, educator, and functional wellness expert,Stacey Roberts, about the root causes of chronic pain and why conventional treatments often focus on symptom relief instead of true healing. Stacey explains how chronic inflammation, food sensitivities, hormone imbalance, gut health issues, biomechanics, and lifestyle...

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Flashback Friday 005 Susan Bock Smith and Judy Bjornson: Becoming Fall-Proof show art Flashback Friday 005 Susan Bock Smith and Judy Bjornson: Becoming Fall-Proof

Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,

“You got to just move. It doesn’t matter how efficient your movements are, what matters is that you are moving.” - Susan Bock Smith

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276 Why You Never Get Over Grief -and Why That's Good with Thomas Attig show art 276 Why You Never Get Over Grief -and Why That's Good with Thomas Attig

Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,

Grief is not a problem to be solved or something we simply “get over.” In this profound conversation, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with philosopher and grief expert Thomas Attig about mourning as a lifelong process of relearning how to live in a world forever changed by loss. Drawing on decades of scholarship and personal insight, Thomas explains how grief can deepen our love, strengthen resilience, and help us find wisdom and meaning in life’s most difficult transitions. This episode offers compassionate guidance for anyone grieving a loved one or supporting someone through loss. Thomas...

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FB 026 Brian Morgan: Think Deeply, Speak Clearly, Bridge the Divide show art FB 026 Brian Morgan: Think Deeply, Speak Clearly, Bridge the Divide

Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,

 I talk with Brian Morgan. President of Think Deeply, Write Clearly about bridging the many divides that are polarizing our society, through creative thought and communication.

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275 Reverse Diabetes and Restore Vitality Through Functional Nutrition with Lori Balue show art 275 Reverse Diabetes and Restore Vitality Through Functional Nutrition with Lori Balue

Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,

What if fatigue, weight gain, brain fog, and declining strength after 50 are not inevitable signs of aging, but signals of underlying metabolic dysfunction that can be corrected? In episode 275, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with metabolic restoration practitioner, Lori Balue, about how women can restore energy, reduce inflammation, preserve muscle, and regain metabolic resilience through personalized nutrition and functional testing. Lori shares her remarkable journey of losing 100 pounds, reversing prediabetes and chronic inflammation, and transforming her health in midlife. Listeners will...

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FB 118 Dr. Douglas Scharre: Alzheimer's ? or Simply Aging ? show art FB 118 Dr. Douglas Scharre: Alzheimer's ? or Simply Aging ?

Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,

THIS FLASHBACK FRIDAY EPISODE OF GROWING OLDER LIVING YOUNGER focuses on the effect of aging on  brain functions, affecting many attributes of cognition, like memory and processing speed; and on the importance of recognizing the early warning signs of dementia for early treatment. Today’s guest is neuropsychiatrist and creator of the SAGE test,  Dr. Douglas Scharre. Dr. Scharre  is board certified in neurology, behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry with special interests in cognitive assessment, degenerative dementias and dementia-related behaviors. He joined The Ohio...

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274 Can We Slow Aging? Perspectives from the Director of Forever Young- A Documentary - with David Donnelly show art 274 Can We Slow Aging? Perspectives from the Director of Forever Young- A Documentary - with David Donnelly

Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,

What if the future of aging is no longer defined simply by lifespan, but by how long we can remain mentally sharp, physically active, emotionally connected, and fully engaged with life? In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with documentary filmmaker,  David Donnelly, director of the acclaimed documentary,  Forever Young, about the rapidly evolving science of longevity and the questions for humanity, emerging alongside the science. Together, they explore the difference between lifespan and healthspan, the growing role of biomarkers, wearables, epigenetics,...

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074 FB Adena Sampson: Healing Oneself: The Road Back to Me. show art 074 FB Adena Sampson: Healing Oneself: The Road Back to Me.

Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: A recurring theme in this podcast is the importance of mindset in supporting consistency, when making the small changes in lifestyle and habits that can have a big positive impact on your health and vitality as you age. Your beliefs shape how you think, feel and act. And if you are to overcome life’s challenges when they strike, you have to believe in your ability to do so.My guest today, Adena Sampson, is the founder of Outloud Productions & The Unbreakable Spirit movement,  a breakthrough coach, and best-selling author of the book. The Road Back to Me: 9...

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273 Seed Oils, Inflammation and Healthy Aging with Cherie Calbom show art 273 Seed Oils, Inflammation and Healthy Aging with Cherie Calbom

Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,

Are the so-called “heart-healthy” vegetable oils in your kitchen truly supporting your health—or could they be contributing to inflammation and metabolic imbalance? In this episode of Growing Older Living Younger, Dr. Gillian Lockitch speaks with nutrition expert Cherie Calbom, MS, CN, about industrial seed oils such as canola, soybean, sunflower, and corn oil, and the growing concerns surrounding their role in oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and healthy aging. Cherie explains how highly processed oils may affect metabolic health, brain function, and overall wellness, and shares...

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029 FB Dr. Joe Verghese: Dance to Delay Dementia show art 029 FB Dr. Joe Verghese: Dance to Delay Dementia

Growing Older Living Younger: About longevity, wellness, healthspan,

Does dance also have the power to  ward off dementia?  Dr. Joe Verghese is Professor of Neurology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. His research centers around the effects of aging  and disease on gait and cognition in older adults, and whether cognitively stimulating activities such as dance, can reduce the risk of losing mobility, falling, developing dementia and general poor health. 

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More Episodes

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 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 

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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