Longevity Menu

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION

Stem cells are the body’s shapeshifter cells. Unlike regular cells, which typically have a fixed, specialised role, stem cells are unspecialised so can stay flexible and ready to respond when the body needs healing. They have the ability to make copies of themselves and turn into other types of cells - like skin, muscle, or blood cells. This makes them essential for repairing damage, renewing tissues, and keeping us healthy.

Over time, they can lose this shape/cell-shifting ability - a process called stem cell exhaustion - which contributes to slower healing and ageing.

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS

Spermidine

Longevity dinner link: beans, mushrooms

Spermidine supports a process calledautophagy, where cells clean out damaged parts to stay healthy and efficient. This “cellular housekeeping” is crucial for keeping stem cells youthful and functional. By promoting autophagy, spermidine helps stem cells maintain their ability to renew themselves and produce healthy new cells, which may delay or reduce the effects of stem cell exhaustion [2,3].

Polyphenols

Longevity dinner link: Strawberries, olive oil

Polyphenols are natural plant compounds that have strong anti-oxidant properties [4].

What are antioxidants?
When our cells produce energy or respond to stress, they also create unstable molecules called free radicals. These can damage DNA, proteins, and cell membranes - a process known as oxidative stress. Antioxidants neutralise free radicals before they can cause this harm.

In the case of stem cells, oxidative stress is one of the major reasons they age and stop working properly. Polyphenols help protect stem cells from this kind of damage, preserving their ability to divide and regenerate tissues [4,5].

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION

Mitochondria are the energy producers of our cells. As we age, mitochondria become less efficient and more prone to damage, meaning our cells have less energy and produce more waste, contributing to fatigue and cellular ageing.

One key process to keep mitochondria healthy is mitophagy, mitochondria’s specialised autophagy system that identifies and removes old or damaged mitochondria so they can be replaced with fresh ones. 

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS

Spermidine

Longevity Dinner Link: Beans, mushrooms

Boosts mitophagy, helping cells identify and remove dysfunctional mitochondria. This keeps energy production running efficiently and reduces harmful waste buildup. [6]

Glutathione

Longevity dinner link: onions, asparagus

Acts as the body’s master antioxidant. It neutralises harmful byproducts created during energy production, acting to protect mitochondria from stress and damage. [7-9]

Omega-3s

Longevity dinner link: Grey mullet

Support the structure of mitochondrial membranes, keeping them flexible and functional. They also help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which can damage mitochondria [10,11].

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION

Proteins are like the tools your cells use to do important jobs - like building structures, sending signals, and carrying out repairs. But to work properly, they need to be shaped just right. 

As we age, the systems that build, monitor, and clean up proteins become less effective. This means that damaged or misshapen proteins can pile up, interfering with how cells function and speeding up ageing.

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS

Spermidine

Longevity Dinner Link: Beans, mushrooms

Activates the body’s internal cleanup system (autophagy), which helps remove old or damaged proteins and keep cells running smoothly [3].

Glutathione

Longevity Dinner Link: Onions, asparagus

Glutathione neutralises free radicals - unstable molecules that can damage proteins - by donating electrons, stabilising them before harm is done. It also supports enzymes that repair or break down misfolded proteins, helping cells maintain clean, functional protein systems [8-10].

EGCG

Longevity Dinner Link: Matcha

Binds to proteins and protects them from oxidation, preserving their proper shape and function. It also activates autophagy, the cell’s internal recycling system, which clears out damaged proteins to prevent toxic build-up [12].

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION

Epigenetics are how your body controls which genes are turned on or off, like using dimmer switches. All your cells have the same DNA, but epigenetics decides which parts of it each cell uses.

As we age, or when exposed to things like poor diet or stress, these gene switches can get stuck in the wrong position - turning off helpful genes and turning on harmful ones. The good news: nutrients and compounds in food can help protect or reset these switches, supporting healthier ageing.

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS

Sulforaphane

Longevity Dinner Link: Kale

Sulforaphane can activate a key protein in cells called NRF2, which acts like a master switch for turning on protective genes. These genes help the body detox harmful substances, reduce inflammation, and repair damage, essentially giving cells a healthy “reset” [13].

EGCG

Longevity Dinner Link: Matcha

EGCG influences enzymes called DNA methyltransferases and histone modifiers, which help control whether genes are turned on or off. By balancing these processes, EGCG may help maintain healthy gene expression patterns [14].

Folate and Choline

Longevity Dinner Link: Leafy greens

Provide key nutrients for methylation, a process that helps control gene expression and DNA repair [15,16].

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION

Cells in your body are constantly sending signals - like chemical messages - to stay in sync. These messages help coordinate everything from immune responses to tissue repair. But as we age, this communication system can break down, causing confused or harmful signals.

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS

Omega 3

Longevity Dinner Link: Grey mullet

Used to build flexible cell membranes, which helps cells send and receive signals properly. They also reduce inflammatory molecules, keeping communication between cells, especially in the brain and immune system, balanced and clear [17].

Fucoidan

Longevity Dinner Link: Kombu

helps immune cells communicate clearly by interacting with special sensors on their surface. This helps control the release of chemical messengers (like cytokines), making sure the immune response is well-coordinated - not overactive or confused [18].

As we age, this messaging system can become unbalanced. Fucoidan helps to restore healthy, balanced communication between cells, especially in the immune system.

Carnosic acid

Longevity Dinner Link: Rosemary

Carnosic acid activates protective pathways in brain cells and helps reduce oxidative stress, which can interfere with nerve signal transmission. This supports clear communication between neurons - your brain’s communication network [19]. 

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION

Your body is constantly replacing old or damaged cells - this happens through a process called cell division, where one cell makes a copy of itself. At the end of each cell’s DNA are protective caps called telomeres, - kind of like the plastic tips on shoelaces. Every time a cell divides, the telomeres get a little shorter. When they become too short, the cell can no longer divide properly and either stops working or dies. This shortening is one reason cells age and why tissues become weaker over time.

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS

Spermidine

Longevity Dinner Link: Beans, mushrooms

Spermidine may activate telomerase, an enzyme that helps rebuild and maintain telomeres. This can slow down the shortening process and support longer-lasting, healthier cells [20].

Carotenoids

Longevity Dinner link: Loquats

Carotenoids are powerful antioxidants that protect cells from oxidative stress - one of the main causes of telomere shortening. By reducing this stress, they help preserve telomere length over time [21].

Omega 3

Longevity dinner link: Grey Mullet

Omega-3s can lower chronic inflammation and reduce oxidative damage, both of which speed up telomere loss. By calming these stressors, omega-3s help protect telomeres [22]. 

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION

As we get older, our immune system can stay slightly switched “on,” even when there’s no real threat of infection. This creates chronic, low-level inflammation - a kind of background irritation inside the body.

Over time, this silent inflammation can damage healthy cells and tissues, contributing to ageing and many age-related diseases, like arthritis, heart disease, or memory problems.

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS

Quercetin

Longevity Dinner Link: Onions

Quercetin helps calm the immune system by blocking substances that trigger inflammation and allergic reactions. This can reduce swelling, irritation, and everyday aches linked to ageing [23].

Carnosic acid

Longevity Dinner Link: Rosemary

Carnosic acid activates ‘NRF2’, a protein that turns on the body’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory defenses. This helps protect cells from stress and reduce unnecessary inflammation [24].

Glutathione-rich Veg

Longevity Dinner Link: Asparagus

Glutathione is known as a master anti-oxidant, neutralising harmful molecules, potentially helping cells clear out toxins that drive inflammation [9].

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION

Your cells constantly monitor and respond to nutrients like sugar and fat to keep your body energised and balanced. But as we age, this system can become less accurate - like a thermostat that’s out of sync. This can lead to problems like weight gain, fatigue, blood sugar spikes, and slower metabolism.

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS

Acetic acid

Longevity Dinner Link: Beet Vinaigrette

Acetic acid improves how well cells respond to insulin, so sugar is taken out of the blood more efficiently. It can also slow stomach emptying, reducing sudden rises in blood sugar after meals [25].

Magnesium

Longevity Dinner Link: Sweet potatoes, beans, leafy greens

Magnesium helps cells use sugar to make energy and supports the function of insulin. Sweet potatoes offer a steady source of natural carbs and nutrients that keep blood sugar stable [26].

Butyrate precursors

Longevity Dinner Link: Ghee, resistant starch in cooked potatoes

These feed good gut bacteria, which then produce butyrate - a compound that helps reduce inflammation and improve insulin sensitivity. Butyrate also plays a role in helping cells know when to burn or store energy [27,28].

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION

Autophagy, as you’ve likely gathered from its consistent appearance in the above hallmarks, is the body’s vital natural cellular clean-up system. It clears out or recycles damaged parts of cells to make room for new, healthy ones. As we age, this process slows down, allowing waste and clutter to build up inside cells, ultimately contributing to ageing cells.

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS

Spermidine

Longevity Dinner Link: beans, mushrooms

Spermidine helps to re-activate autophagy when it slows down with age. By reactivating this process, especially in the brain, heart, and immune system, spermidine helps clear out cellular waste that would otherwise build up and cause dysfunction [29].

Sulforaphane

Longevity Dinner Link: Kale

Sulforaphane helps reactivate the genes that control autophagy. By turning these genes back on, it helps the body resume regular cellular cleanup [30].

EGCG

Longevity Dinner Link: Matcha

EGCG helps trigger autophagy by influencing cell signalling pathways that tell the body when it’s time to do a cleanup. It also helps cells maintain balance and function under stress [31].

Chlorogenic acid

Longevity Dinner Link: Loquats

Chlorogenic acid reduces stress inside cells and helps stimulate autophagy, supporting the removal of waste and improving cell energy and health [32].

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION:

Some cells can become too damaged to function properly but don’t die as they typically should. Instead, they enter a state called senescence, where they stop dividing and start releasing harmful chemicals. These “zombie-like” cells can affect nearby healthy cells, leading to increased inflammation, slower tissue repair, and faster ageing. 

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS:

Fisetin

Longevity Dinner Link: Strawberries

Fisetin is being studied for its potential as a senolytic, meaning it may help the body clear out senescent cells. It appears to trigger pathways that encourage these damaged cells to die naturally, making space for healthier, active ones [33].

Quercetin

Longevity Dinner Link: Onions

Quercetin may work alongside fisetin to weaken the survival mechanisms of senescent cells, making them easier for the body to remove. It also has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, which may help limit the impact of these dysfunctional cells on surrounding tissue [34].

Sulforaphane

Longevity Dinner Link: Kale

Sulforaphane may not remove senescent cells directly, but it helps reduce the harmful signals they release. By calming this inflammatory output, sulforaphane may help protect nearby healthy cells and reduce the tissue damage caused by senescent buildup [35].

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION:

Your genome is the complete set of DNA in your cells - it contains all the instructions your body needs to function, repair itself, and stay healthy. These instructions guide everything from how your cells grow to how they respond to stress or damage.

Over time, your DNA can become damaged by things like UV light, pollution, or the natural byproducts of metabolism. Normally, your cells have repair systems to correct this damage. But as we age, these systems become less effective. When DNA damage starts to build up and isn’t properly repaired, it leads to genomic instability: meaning the genetic information becomes less accurate and reliable. 

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS:

Glutathione

Longevity Dinner Link: Onions, asparagus

Glutathione is a key cellular antioxidant and detoxifier. It helps neutralize harmful molecules (like free radicals and toxins) that can damage DNA. It also plays a role in supporting DNA repair enzymes, helping the body manage and fix small-scale genetic damage more effectively [36].

EGCG

Longevity Dinner Link: Matcha

EGCG helps protect DNA from oxidative stress, which occurs when too many free radicals build up. It may also support repair processes by influencing proteins involved in DNA maintenance, though most evidence for this comes from lab-based studies [37].

Omega-3s

Longevity Dinner Link: Grey mullet

Omega-3s help lower chronic inflammation, which can otherwise stress cells and contribute to DNA damage. By creating a more stable internal environment, they help reduce the chance of harmful mutations or errors during cell division [38].

HALLMARK DESCRIPTION:

Your gut is filled with bacteria - some good, some not so good. When you have a healthy gut, the good bacteria dominate, helping with digestion, immune function, and keeping inflammation low.

But, as we age, or when we’re stressed or eat poorly, this balance between good and bad bacteria can shift. Gut dysbiosis happens when harmful bacteria outweigh the beneficial ones, which may affect digestion, increase inflammation, and even impact how we absorb nutrients or feel day to day.

KEY TARGETING COMPOUNDS:

Fibre

Longevity Dinner Link: Lentils, beans

Fibre feeds the good bacteria in your gut, helping them grow and crowd out less helpful types. It also supports the production of butyrate, a compound thought to keep the gut lining strong and reduce irritation [39].

Butyrate Precursors

Longevity Dinner Link: Ghee, or cooled cooked potatoes

These foods help certain gut bacteria make butyrate, which may support a healthier gut environment and help calm low-level inflammation. While more research is ongoing, it’s considered important for gut and overall health [40].

EGCG

Longevity Dinner Link: Matcha

EGCG may help shape the balance of gut bacteria by supporting helpful species and discouraging harmful ones. It also has natural anti-inflammatory effects, which might help ease gut-related immune stress [41].