Forget longevity and focus on living better, experts say
On February 19, hundreds of longevity devotees attended the Don't Die Summit in Manhattan, each paying $349 in the hopes of discovering the secret to extended life. Keynote speaker, US tech millionaire Bryan Johnson, the subject of the recent Netflix documentary, Don't Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever, took to the stage to tell the audience: 'We are at war with death. We are trying to eliminate death from our environment.' Johnson made headlines last year when he revealed he spends over $2 million a year on his Project Blueprint, for which he receives plasma transfusions from his teenage son along with gene therapy injections in a bid to reverse or stop ageing. As far as health buzzwords go, longevity has, no pun intended, stuck around. Claims by the likes of Johnson and his researchers might dominate headlines, but his experiments remain unapproved by the health authorities, further muddying the waters of what longevity actually means. Add in vague phrases such as 'biohacking', 'rejuvenation' and 'somatic' and it's clear that the meaning of longevity has got a little lost. Just as the vague catch-all term 'wellness' replaced and repackaged a collection of words such as 'diet' and 'healthy lifestyle', longevity has become an all-encompassing concept that covers everything from diet and exercise to genetics. So what exactly is it? 'Longevity, in the medical sense, refers to an individual's ability to live a long and healthy life while maintaining good physical and mental well-being,' says Dr Afshan Zulfiqar, general practitioner at Aster Clinic, Nuaimiah in Ajman. 'It is the period during which a person remains free from serious illness and enjoys a high quality of life free from chronic diseases and disabilities. 'While 'longevity' has gained significant popularity in recent years, it has always been a crucial focus of medical science. Historically, medicine has been concerned with prolonging life and improving overall health through disease prevention, early diagnosis, and effective treatments,' she adds. 'Modern advancements and research in healthcare, nutrition and lifestyle modifications have further refined and increased our understanding of what contributes to a longer and healthier life.' According to Alberto El Bitar, founder and chief executive of Re Wellness Club, one common misconception about longevity is that people think it's simply about living a longer life. 'In reality, longevity is more about the quality of life rather than just its duration,' he says. 'It's about maintaining the ability to move, run, play and stay in good health and shape as we age.' The array of new wellness centres across the UAE dedicated to longevity treatments and programmes is a testament to the popularity of the concept, which boils down to developing a series of short-term habits and goals that make up the bigger picture of an individual's overall health. Traditional routes to health such as nutrition and exercise are supported by the development of daily habits which focus on mental and emotional well-being; recovery in the form of rest, sleep and active recovery; and adaptability, allowing the individual to change behaviours and pivot seamlessly between activities as necessary. Adds El Bitar: 'By focusing on these short-term aspects consistently, we create a strong foundation for long-term longevity, allowing us to stay active, healthy, and resilient as we age.' The sheer scale of modern medicine and the amount of health information available online concerning alternative and complementary therapies, supplements, exercise and more means it can be difficult to know how to put together a personalised programme. This is where longevity come in, pulling together a variety of aspects based on the results of things such as blood work assessment, cardiovascular health and fitness levels. 'Longevity is a deeply personal journey, and its success lies in tailoring interventions to everyone's unique physiology, lifestyle and goals,' says Paulina Mercader, general manager of the Longevity Hub by Clinique La Prairie at One & One Za'abeel. 'This means moving beyond traditional healthcare's reactive model and instead focusing on preventive precision medicine, leveraging cutting-edge diagnostics, metabolic assessments and genetic insights to create an individualised blueprint for longevity.' Areas such as stress management, sleep quality, mental and emotional health and preventive measures are considered alongside the traditional health markers of nutrition, exercise and lifestyle. 'Health and strength lay the foundations,' says Sarah Lindsay, owner of Roar Fitness. 'Your nutrition and sleep are two major contributing factors to health that you have immediate control over and then strength comes down to your training programme design.' El Bitar adds: 'For true longevity, three key factors must be in alignment: biochemical health, biomechanical health and mental health. These elements work together to support overall well-being. Additionally, having a strong, supportive community and being mindful of where and how you spend your time can significantly impact brain health and overall longevity.' The general acceptance that no hack will make us immortal, at least in this century, has led us to focus on how to make our finite lives better, says Dr Nas Al Jafari, co-founder and chief medical officer at DNA Health & Wellness. 'Despite all the medical advances of the postwar period, research indicates today's 50 to 70-year-olds are at greater risk of chronic illness and disability than their predecessors, with rising rates of cancer, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease,' he says. 'Viewing longevity as life enhancement as opposed to extension helps manage expectations around what biohacking can actually achieve, by putting the focus on living healthier for longer.' Lindsay of Roar Fitness adds: 'All my grandparents lived [to] between 95 and 101 years old, which is truly amazing. I want to do everything I can to remain as capable and young as possible for as long as possible.'
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Hair loss and semaglutides: Do weight-loss drugs make hair fall out?
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'Men typically experience androgenetic alopecia, commonly known as male pattern baldness, which presents as receding hairlines and thinning on the crown due to genetic sensitivity to DHT [dihydrotestosterone, a hormone that plays a key role in male sexual development],' says Dr Jasmin Malek, women's health and hormone therapy expert at Euromed Clinic Dubai. 'In women, hair thinning is more diffuse, often a general reduction in volume rather than complete bald spots. Female pattern hair loss is influenced by declining oestrogen and progesterone levels, especially around perimenopause and menopause, which disrupt the natural protection these hormones provide to hair follicles.' Other factors include genetics, whereby thinning hair is hereditary, chemical hair treatments, environmental aspects such as infection, weather and water; underlying health conditions including anaemia, hypothyroidism and vitamin deficiency and pregnancy. 'Stress is more than just a mental burden – it has physical consequences, including on our hair,' says Dr Victoria Mountford, psychology lead and eating disorder service lead at Sage Clinics. 'When we experience ongoing psychological stress, the body releases higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. This disrupts the normal hair growth cycle, often pushing more hair into the resting phase, which leads to increased shedding.' She adds: 'In fast-paced environments like the UAE, where many of us juggle demanding careers and personal responsibilities, chronic stress is a common – but often overlooked – contributor to hair issues.' Tackling the underlying causes of stress is key to ending the cycle of stress-related hair loss, with Dr Zahir noting: "Fortunately, this type of hair loss is often temporary and reversible with proper stress management and care.' Experts suggest relaxation techniques, a balanced diet and professional guidance as the best ways to manage stress. 'Mindful prayer or meditation, breathwork, daily movement, screen-free wind-down time, and connection all have proven stress-relieving benefits,' says Dr Mountford. 'Making sure your diet includes protein, zinc and biotin will support hair health.' 'I have indeed noticed an increase in hair loss due to weight loss injections,' says Maria Dowling, founder of Mariadowling Salon Dubai, of her clients. 'The negative impacts of these injections on hair can vary between clients. I have two clients who had really curly hair, and as a result of the jabs, their hair has lost the curl pattern and instead is now frizzy. In other instances, clients have simply lost hair.' Medically, hair loss is treated with oral or topical medications, hormonal therapy, dietary changes and environmental adjustments. Dr Malek says: 'The best approach is multifactorial and tailored to the individual. In menopausal women, restoring hormonal balance with BHRT can reduce shedding and promote regrowth. 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