Essays & Reflections on Longevity, Health, and Human Potential
Insights, stories, and science from the evolving frontier of aging well.
Welcome to Essays & Reflections — a space where science, strategy, and spirit meet to redefine longevity. Here, we share insights, evidence-based articles, personal reflections, and philosophical musings on what it means to live well — and live long.
Whether you're a health professional, a curious mind, or someone on your own journey to purposeful aging, we hope you find ideas that inspire and empower.
Our Latest Reflections
Sensual Intelligence: The Hidden Link Between Sexual Intimacy and Longevity
Sexual intimacy is far more than a private experience—it is a powerful, biologically integrated force that shapes how we age. From hormonal balance and emotional connection to immune strength, stress reduction, and healthier sleep, intimacy plays a quiet but profound role in lifelong well-being. This post explores sensual intelligence, the deeper understanding of how touch, desire, and human closeness support vitality across the decades—and why intimacy is an essential, often overlooked pillar of longevity.
Turning Back Time: How Modified Stem Cells May Slow Aging
Aging is not fixed—it is dynamic, and perhaps even reversible. A groundbreaking 2025 study in primates has shown that cells engineered to resist senescence can slow, and possibly reverse, biological aging. In this essay, Dr. Don Howard explores how these modified progenitor cells may restore the body’s own repair capacity through biochemical communication rather than replacement. The findings, while early, challenge long-held assumptions about what it means to grow old—and invite a deeper reflection on the future of medicine as the stewardship of vitality.
Five Questions — And the One Left Behind
Nearly twenty years ago, I asked five questions in a commencement address — about God, responsibility, nation, meaning, and identity. They still echo within me. Yet one was missing. That unasked question, the most fundamental of all, has now become my book, Before Being.
Kirkus Review of The Art, Science, and Strategy of Longevity – A Guide to Aging, Healthspan & Longevity Science
Kirkus Reviews praises The Art, Science, and Strategy of Longevity for its clarity, breadth, and practical insights on aging, healthspan, and longevity science.
Why the Void Couldn’t Stay Empty
Why does anything exist at all? In this philosophical meditation, we explore the possibility that absolute nothingness—not just empty space, but the absence of time, laws, and logic—might be inherently unstable. Could existence itself be inevitable? And what might that mean for how we live, age, and search for meaning?
Why We Train Now: What Recovery Revealed About Real Strength
Injury showed us that exercise wasn’t enough. What we needed was training—real, structured, strength-building work to support recovery, resilience, and aging well. Here’s what we’ve learned about the difference between moving for health and preparing for life’s unexpected challenges.
Chronos and Kairos: Escaping the Tyranny of Linear Time
In ancient Greek thought, time had two faces. Chronos, the devourer, ruled the ticking clock and the steady march of age. Kairos, winged and fleeting, governed the opportune moment—the instant when life opens wide. In this reflection on time, health, and meaning, we explore how true longevity may lie not only in extending Chronos, but in inviting Kairos to stay a little longer.
Biohacking for Longevity: Slowing the Aging Clock Through Conscious Evolution
Biohacking is more than just optimizing biology—it's a thoughtful, intentional approach to longevity that blends scientific curiosity, self-awareness, and deep respect for one's own biology. While cutting-edge interventions like genetic therapies and senolytics hold remarkable promise, the core power of biohacking often lies in straightforward yet transformative daily habits: quality sleep, mindful eating, enjoyable movement, sunlight exposure, and effective stress management. This post explores how these accessible strategies, combined thoughtfully and tailored personally, enable anyone to shift from passive observer to active participant in their biological journey. The ultimate goal isn't adding years to life, but consciously shaping a meaningful, intentional existence— slowing the clock by evolving purposefully each day.
Why Do We Age (Part 2)? Aging and the Art of Universal Mischief
What if aging isn’t decay, but the universe’s creative engine? In this poetic exploration, we leave behind biology and enter the metaphysical—where entropy dances, impermanence sculpts meaning, and aging becomes the heartbeat of cosmic renewal.
Why Do We Age (Part 1)? Exploring the Enigma of Biological Aging
Why do we age? Explore the science behind aging through genetics, epigenetics, cellular damage, and evolution—and how this knowledge can support longevity.
Welcome to the Age of Possibility
Aging isn't just decline—it’s opportunity. Explore a bold new vision of longevity grounded in science, purpose, and the power to live better, longer.