My Life

My Life By Lynne Thompson

My Health

Cracking the Longevity Code

Deploying MRI-guided nanorobots into the circulatory system to break up the plaques that cause heart attacks and strokes. Editing disease-causing genes out of DNA. Creating new organs with a 3-D printer.

These are just some of the medical advances being developed that Cleveland Clinic chief wellness officer emeritus Dr. Michael Roizen describes in his latest book, The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow (National Geographic Books, $28).

“We can control whether about 80% of our genes are ‘on’ or not,” he says. “That means we are really genetic engineers for ourselves.”

To truly enjoy the “reboot,” Dr. Roizen suggests:

Saving, saving, saving. Living longer means funding a longer retirement, most likely with less government support. The age

A tankless water heater can make an endless Dr. Michael supply of hot Roizen water a reality, but only if homeowners choose wisely, according to Larry Betlejewski, service manager at WyattWorks Plumbing in Wickliffe. The key is to select one designed to cover this area’s temperature rise — that is, the difference between the 50- to 55-degree temperature of the water typically coming out of the tap on a cold winter day and the desired 120 degrees — and sized to meet the homeowner’s lifestyle. He notes that many big-box shoppers mistakenly assume they’ll get the

one can file for Medicare and/ or full Social Security benefits, for example, may be raised. Dr. Roizen suggests rethinking the concept of saving to ease any sense of deprivation. “The key is to understand that saving is just postponed consumption,” he says.

Cultivating friendships. Dr. Roizen cites studies that show the key to aging successfully is managing stress by “having friends, a purpose in life and a job with decision latitude.” He suggests cultivating a half-dozen good friends with the same life goals. “If you choose friends who do healthy habits, you’re more likely to do healthy habits,” he adds.

Preparing to work longer. In a society where people no longer retire in their 50s or 60s, it makes sense to consider training for a second career if the current one has become an unfulfilling grind. “The educational system is going to have to change to help us retrain in an inexpensive way for new jobs,” Dr. Roizen observes.

My Home

Going Tankless Not Thankless

Larry Betlejewski maximum gallons per minute stated on a unit’s packaging.

“That will never, ever happen in our area because our incoming water is way too cold,” he says. “Now, in places like Florida, southern California, Texas and Arizona, they have the potential to reach that because their incoming water supply is much warmer. It doesn’t take the heater all that much energy to raise that up to 120 degrees.”

Somewhere between 5 and 6 gallons per minute is more realistic.

Proper installation is also essential. For example, the gas line may need to be upsized for the heater to operate correctly. And the unit must be vented through an exterior wall.

My Earth

Puffers with Eco-Appeal

Eco-conscious shoppers looking for a cruelty-free alternative to the down puffer will find plenty of street-worthy styles to snuggle up in this season. Manufacturers are filling the cold weather staple with a range of recycled materials. Many of them are polyester based, according to Susan Geiger of Geiger’s clothing stores in Lakewood and Chagrin Falls.

She points out that the difference in insulation generally isn’t noticeable in higher-end light-to mediumweight coats. And “recycled” doesn’t mean “cheap,” as price tags on outdoor heritage brands such as Helly Hansen, Patagonia and Save the Duck reveal.

Geiger goes on to explain that how the puffer performs generally depends as much on the quality of the shell as the composition of the fill, if not moreso.

“If the wind does not blow through your coat, that’s 75% of the battle,” she declares. Geiger suggests buying a puffer with the following qualities:

Waterproof. Look for a garment with seams that are sealed. “Generally, a higher-quality shell has a waterproof coating which is on the backside, not on the top of the fabric,” she adds.

Breathable. The most breathable garments are the ones that boast a rating for breathability that is close to their rating for waterproofness. “A lot of the more technical outerwear companies will have that information,” Geiger says. She explains the concept by giving the example of a basic plastic rain poncho — a waterproof item that definitely doesn’t breathe.

Many puffer shells — even down-filled ones — are made of recycled materials. Geiger gives the example of Patagonia’s redesigned down sweater. It features an outer shell made completely of recycled fishing nets.

My Food

Cheese Cred for the Holidays

A cheese board is easy to put together at a moment’s notice with

Michael relatively

Januska shelf-stable items. It also has the ability to impress the finickiest of foodies. Michael Januska, owner of Old Brooklyn Cheese Co. in Cleveland and Shaker Heights, suggests five “mild to wild” cheeses, along with accompaniments to tempt guests:

Jasper Hill Creamery Harbison Bloomy Rind Soft Cheese.

This brie-like Vermont selection is wrapped in strips of spruce cambium, the tree’s flexible inner-bark layer, for aging, Januska says. He suggests cutting a miniwheel on the bias and opening it like a tin of tuna. Serve it with the Home Pantry’s Blueberry Chamomile Jam or Blackberry Lavender Jam.

Urban Stead Cheese Street

Ched Januska calls the Cincinnati maker’s traditional English-style clothbound cheddar the “best-made cheddar in Ohio, if not top 10 in the country.” It’s aged at least 12 months, yielding salt-grain-sized amino-acid crystals of textural bliss. Serve it with Old Brooklyn Cheese Co.’s Original IPA Mustard.

Don Gregorio or Don Juan

Spanish Manchego. Januska recommends picking a Spanish Manchego made with 100% sheep milk. When it comes to pairings, “it handles a lot,” he says. “Sheep milk has a lot more fat than goat or cow milk, so there’s more flavor.” Serve it with Old Brooklyn Cheese Co’s Spicy Pear Mostarda.

Moro Latteria di Moro

Sergio Fior d’Arancio. “This is the cheese that we give people who say, ‘I hate blue cheese,’” Januska says. Wheels of the Italian import are soaked in local Moscato wine, aged and topped with candied orange peels. Serve it with shards of high-quality (70% or higher) dark chocolate spiked into the cheese.

J. Haxaire Petit Munster.

Januska says every cheese board needs a “little stinker.” And a munster from France’s Alsace region puts its bland American counterparts to shame. “It has a smell and a flavor like a cured meat,” he says. “But then, on the back end, it’s all fruit.” Serve it with fresh apple and/or pear slices.