Fabulously informative episodes about living young and dying old. We find the world’s top scientists & experts on living younger, healthier lives. There’s so much conflicting information about longevity—from supplement companies, social media stars, pop book authors, and food marketers who seek fame & fortune. This channel is unique because we find the top researchers in their fields, the ones too busy actually doing science to be social media stars, and help them tell their stories. Our mission is to make longevity research fascinating and fun without compromising accuracy. Our channel is not commercial—no product promotions, no Patreon page, we turn off all optional ads. About our founder: Chris began his career as an earth scientist, involved in water and air testing for population health. He later worked for Steve Jobs at NeXT computers, which was purchased by Apple and became OS10 for computers and iOS for iPhones. Viva Longevity is Chris’ passion and retirement hobby.
Dr. Selina Wang is the world's expert on edible oils. Her new paper went viral because she called out major brands who claimed their products were based on avocado oil when they were really based on cheaper seed oils.
Selina knows everything about smoke points, rancidity, fat profiles, and toxicity.
Viva Longevity's mission is to find the best scientists and and help them tell their stories. We have no sponsors.
PAPERS:
Authenticity of Avocado and Olive Oils Used As Ingredients In Commercially Processed Foods by Selina Wang
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772502226007274
Study Finds 82 Percent of Avocado Oil Rancid or Mixed With Other Oils
https://www.ucdavis.edu/food/news/study-finds-82-percent-avocado-oil-rancid-or-mixed-other-oils
Effect of Dietary Linoleic Acid on Markers of Inflammation in Healthy Persons: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2212267212004649
Influence vs. Evidence: The Science Supporting Seed Oils
https://publichealth.jhu.edu/2025/the-evidence-behind-seed-oils-health-effects
Dietary oxidized n-3 PUFA induce oxidative stress and inflammation: role of intestinal absorption of 4-HHE and reactivity in intestinal cells
https://www.jlr.org/article/S0022-2275(20)43184-0/fulltext
EDIBLE OIL COMPOSITION POSTER:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GlQ40z1s7pXKP57oKQbQyMFgqEUPcU-u/view?usp=sharing
0:00 Dr. Wang, edible oil scientist
1:01 Fried in avocado oil?
2:52 What extra virgin means
4:47 What expeller pressed means
5:56 Hexane!
7:05 What is bleaching?
8:21 Are seed oils toxic?
10:57 Reviewing Catherine Shanahan's book, Dark Calories
14:47 The history of seed oils
17:12 Rancid oils
20:52 Oils and mortality
23:56 Smoke point
25:06 Harvard's famous oil vs. mortality chart
27:32 All about olive oil
41:09 Taste testing olive oil
43:16 Chris' conclusions
22 Jul 2026
What Harvard & USC Just Learned About Protein
Is your daily protein shake or meat-heavy diet actually aging you faster? A groundbreaking new paper lead by Dr. Maura Fanti, Postdoctoral Researcher at the USC School of Gerontology, may answer this question. Chris interviews her to find out.
VIDEOS:
America's Protein Obsession Is Making Us Fat I Dr. Christopher Gardner
https://youtu.be/3LDe3k6lyac
Why High Protein Diets Could Be Dangerous | Dr. Valter Longo
https://youtu.be/2_sMFBuY3y4?si=ZQ0UlEBGtxKuy9LT
Harvard says Red Meat is WORSE than Junk Food
https://youtu.be/LPXWCIFDkgM?si=18oUewJUuu36p9US
PAPERS:
Methionine-supplemented longevity diet increases growth hormone, GLP-1, and FGF21; reduces frailty; and promotes healthspan, by Maura Fanti
https://www.cell.com/cell-metabolism/abstract/S1550-4131(26)00225-1
Dietary plant-to-animal protein ratio and risk of cardiovascular disease in 3 prospective cohorts, by Andrea Glenn
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916524007378?via%3Dihub
Dietary Protein Intake and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes in US Men and Women
https://academic.oup.com/aje/article-abstract/183/8/715/1739876
0:00 Diet obsessions
2:43 New landmark paper on protein
11:00 The problem with methionine
11:46 Plant vs. animal protein effect on heart disease
17:00 Keto diet effects
18:58 Mouse testing
21:05 Fasting mimicking diet (FMD) effects
25:20 Increased frailty from Western & Keto diets
28:35 Increased fat & lean mass from Western & Keto diets
29:37 Chris's takeaways
26 Jun 2026
A Cardiologist's China Discovery: How Centenarians Cured Him
How a cardiologist got off all his medications by studying centenarians in China's Longevity Belt.
Viva Longevity's mission is to find the best scientists & doctors, and help them tell their stories. The channel is a labor of love that declines all sponsorship offers.
BOOKS:
The Longevity Plan: Seven Life-Transforming Lessons from Ancient China by Dr. John Day
https://www.amazon.com/Longevity-Plan-Life-Transforming-Lessons-Ancient-ebook/dp/B01MECO99C/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0
The AFib Cure, Updated Edition: Get Off Your Medications, Take Control of Your Health, and Add Years to Your Life by Dr. John Day
https://www.amazon.com/AFib-Cure-Updated-Ediiton-Medications-ebook/dp/B0DL7W7Y65/ref=sr_1_1
VIDEOS:
Dr. John Day's TEDx talk about the secrets of Chinese centenarians
https://youtu.be/1xXHntrJnPk?si=-8Ghcx4vMSnAjEab
Cut Your Stroke Risk Dramatically by Preventing AFib | Dr. John Day
https://youtu.be/jW0uxwNkHPQ
7 Ways to Stop an AFib Attack by Dr. John Day
https://youtu.be/W9a54B-7oyE
PAPERS:
Which Factors Influence Healthy Aging? A Lesson from the Longevity Village of Bama in China
https://www.aginganddisease.org/EN/10.14336/AD.2022.1108
Understanding the coupled relationship between regional longevity and physical geographical environment in Hechi, Guangxi, China
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-82522-4
The validity of Blue Zones demography: a response to critiques
https://academic.oup.com/gerontologist/article/65/12/gnaf246/8381533
0:00 Five medications!
1:09 Longevity Plan book
7:07 The health lessons of China's Longevity Belt
11:10 Resolving all of Dr. Day's health conditions
12:07 The wisdom of elders
14:55 Environment is the key
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