apps - Living Long and Strong with Verne and Roy

#34 Ageing Disgracefully? Part One

Ageing disgracefully; how old are you really, and does age matter?; vanity vs honesty; 3 ways to measure age; biological age markers; perceived age; psychological age; skin deep; Pitu will make you pretty!; reversing ageing: exercise, meditation and more; Human Growth Hormone promise; massage, the tender trap?

“Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?”

The Beatles

How old are you, really? And does it matter? That’s three questions already, with more to follow.

As this new year dawned – where did the last one go? – and a landmark birthday* (musically speaking) approached, I found myself thinking again about age. How significant is the number, if at all? We all know people who are old at 35, and others who still present as physically, mentally and emotionally young into what’s generally regarded as middle to old age.

Reversing ageing — At my birthday lunch last month, taken in fairly good lighting

May 13, 2022June 2, 2022

#22 How is Your Light Diet? Part Two: Circadian Rhythm

How is your light diet? For your best night’s sleep ever and to reduce unwanted body fat, VERNE MAREE recommends hacking your circadian rhythm with red light in the morning, getting plenty of natural daylight, and minimising blue light after dark.

As promised in Part One of this series on light, here are some thoughts on how sunrise and morning light sets us up for a good night’s sleep, and how too much blue light can actually make us fat!

March 20, 2022April 28, 2022

#19 When to Eat

When to eat might be as important a question as what to eat. VERNE MAREE spills the beans on how Roy and she are faring with Intermittent Fasting (IF) and Time-Restricted Feeding (TRF).

It’s not just what you eat that matters. When you eat is important, too. I’m a firm believer in both intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding. If you’re not already on track, why not give it a try?

December 5, 2021December 5, 2021

#10 A Good Night’s Sleep – Dreams and nightmares

A good night’s sleep includes plenty of dream sleep and – if possible – avoiding nightmares. Why do we dream? Dreaming helps keep us sane!

(Featured photo: In case you’re wondering, the Corpse Bride above is granddaughter Mia, Halloween 2021.)

In the wee small hours, Roy’s hairy arm reached out to prod me awake. According to him – though it’s hard to imagine from such a sweet thing as I am – his wife was snoring like a dervish.

#5 The Oūra Ring

Confessions of a biohacker generally include purchases of supplements, books, toys, technology and devices – including ones like the sleep-tracking Oūra ring – that track the success of your biohacking efforts. Here, I’ll explain what made me do it, admit it’s not the best activity tracker, describe how to order an Oūra ring, how to track your sleep and how to hack your sleep – and, most importantly, how the Oūra ring works and how to make it work for you.

I finally did it! In June 2020, I treated myself to an Oūra ring – “the world’s smartest sleep-tracker”. Paid for with husband Roy’s Singapore credit card, this was a bit of a sneaky transaction, effected one night while R C Titchmarsh himself was watching the Hungarian F1 Grand Prix next door with son Carl.

He’s never delighted when Hamilton wins, and his mood wasn’t improved when he saw the purchase confirmation in his inbox.