A Better Way To Slow Aging

Welcome to the positive corner of the internet. Every weekday, we make sense of the confusing world of wellness by analyzing the headlines, simplifying the latest research, and offering quick tips designed to make you healthier in less than 5 minutes. If you were forwarded this message, you can get the free daily email here.

Today’s Health Upgrade

• What no one tells you about fasting and longevity

• A surprising source of heavy metals

• A new way to predict Parkinson’s?

Health
You Don’t Need To Starve In The Name Of Longevity

Fasting is hyped as the best way to increase autophagy—the body’s way of cleaning out damaged cells and fighting aging. But cutting out food might not be necessary.

Research suggests that high-intensity exercise increases autophagy and might be more effective than fasting.

Autophagy is your body’s internal cleanup crew. When activated, it clears out broken or dysfunctional parts of your cells so your body can run more efficiently, recover faster, and stay healthier over time. While fasting can activate this process, researchers wanted to know if exercise could be a more practical trigger, especially when combined with fasting.

In this study, well-trained athletes were split into groups: some did low-intensity cycling, others did high-intensity cycling, and some served as controls. Each group was trained both in a fasted and fed state. After analyzing their muscle tissue before and after workouts, the results were clear:

It didn’t matter whether the athletes had eaten or not—the intensity of the workout was the primary trigger.

If you want the benefits of autophagy—like faster recovery, better aging, and healthier cells—you don’t have to go hungry. You just have to train hard. That could mean sprint intervals, heavy strength training, or anything that makes you sweat and breathe hard.

If fasting works for you, then keep doing it. But you don’t need to overthink it. Autophagy isn’t just about anti-aging—it’s about rebuilding better. And your intensity might be the key to unlocking it.

You don’t need to be perfect or push to exhaustion every time. But aiming for intensity a few times per week might be the key to unlocking one of your body’s most powerful repair systems—no fasting required.

Together With Our Place
A Surprising Source Of Heavy Metals

You probably check nutrition labels. Maybe even your water filter. But when was the last time you questioned what your cookware adds to your meals?

Research suggests that pots and pans—especially older or cheaper ones—can leach trace amounts of heavy metals like lead, cadmium, or aluminum. And it doesn’t take extreme misuse.

Researchers tested 33 cookware items for lead content and leaching potential, using an X-ray fluorescence analyzer and simulated cooking/storage conditions. Many products contained beyond safe levels and leached enough lead to exceed daily intake limits, especially for children.

The researchers stress that leaching occurs under real-world cooking conditions, meaning this isn’t just lab theory—it’s what could happen in your kitchen when you boil, fry, or simmer food.

Additional research suggests that heavy metals can also leach from other materials, such as lead and cadmium from poorly glazed ceramic cookware or aluminum from pots and pans. 

Again, it’s important to stress that your body can manage, filter, and fight to keep you safe. But, when possible — just like with microplastics — it’s good to limit your exposure.

That’s why we love Our Place’s Titanium Pro Cookware Set—one of the safest options for your kitchen. It’s made with pure titanium, which is 100% nontoxic and non-reactive and doesn’t leach anything into your food.

Our Place has no coating or heavy metals, and is PFAS-free. It’s 300% harder than stainless steel, meaning you can use metal utensils, cook under high heat, and even throw it in the dishwasher. Most importantly, it’s built to last, so you’ll never have to wonder if it’s time to replace it because it’s backed by a lifetime warranty.

If you’ve never replaced your cookware, it might be time. For one more week — until May 12th — Pump Club readers save up to 30% OFF everything. Free shipping. Free returns. Zero risk. Just peace of mind—served with every meal.

On Our Radar
Is Gut Damage the First Warning Sign of Parkinson’s?

We often think of Parkinson’s as a brain disorder, but what if one of its earliest warning signs is in your stomach?

New research suggests that people with GI damage are more likely to develop Parkinson’s disease later in life.

The scientists studied nearly 10,000 adults with no prior history of Parkinson’s. They examined patients who had undergone upper endoscopy with biopsy between 2000 and 2005 and followed them for nearly 15 years. Some patients had visible GI damage (ulcers, erosions, esophagitis, or peptic injury), while others did not. The researchers wanted to know: Could this kind of gut damage be linked to future brain changes?

After controlling for factors like smoking and infection, those with gut damage had a 76 percent greater risk of developing Parkinson’s.

On average, the Parkinson’s diagnosis came 14 years after the gut damage was first observed, suggesting these GI issues may appear well before the more recognizable motor symptoms like tremors or stiffness.

Because only about 10 percent of Parkinson’s cases are genetic, identifying environmental or lifestyle-based “triggers” like mucosal damage could be key for prevention or early detection.

But there’s no need to panic. Most people with ulcers or acid reflux won’t develop Parkinson’s. Still, this study offers a helpful reminder: if you’ve had long-standing gut issues, especially with documented damage, it’s worth mentioning during checkups—and being vigilant about early symptoms like constipation or swallowing problems.

Gut health and brain health might be more connected than we thought. Taking care of one might protect the other.

—

Publisher: Arnold Schwarzenegger​

Editors-in-chief: Adam Bornstein and Daniel Ketchell