Living Well Festival Editorial · October 19, 2026.
Research is exciting. Daily life still matters.
A July 22 CityNews report by Monika Gul explores B.C. research on biological aging, muscle and nutrition, alongside community programs that help older people stay connected. It raises a useful question: what does living well look like between the headlines? Our answer starts with everyday habits. No single pill, product or ritual can promise to stop aging. Prescribed medicines can still be essential; healthy routines support care rather than replace it.
Build a plate you can come back to
A balanced diet is a pattern, not a perfect meal or an expensive supplement shelf. Canada’s food guide recommends vegetables and fruit, whole grains and protein foods. Plan meals you enjoy and can prepare consistently. Cooking with someone, sharing food and making room for cultural traditions can make that pattern easier to maintain. Individual nutritional needs vary; ask a clinician or registered dietitian about significant diet changes when managing a health condition.
Keep working out—or start with a walk
You do not need to become a marathon runner to begin. Walking, gardening, dancing and movement adapted to your abilities can make activity part of an ordinary day. A short, manageable outing is a starting point, not a competition. Where appropriate, build strength and balance as well as walking; one activity does not cover every need. Choose a pace and progression that fit your health, mobility and circumstances.
Enjoy the daylight and protect your skin
There is something inviting about taking a walk outside, sitting with a friend in the garden or having lunch in the shade. Make room for outdoor time without turning sunshine into a prescription for unprotected exposure. Health Canada notes that ultraviolet radiation contributes to skin aging and skin cancer. Use shade, protective clothing and sunscreen as appropriate. You do not need a sunburn or a tan to enjoy being outdoors.
Let breathing be a pause, not a performance
Gentle breathing and focused attention may help some people relax and manage stress. You can pause, sit comfortably and let the breath remain easy, without chasing a dramatic sensation. Stop if a practice causes dizziness or distress. Claims that breathwork reverses biological aging go beyond the evidence discussed here. It is an optional relaxation practice, not a replacement for treatment or a reason to postpone care.
Grounding: enjoy the experience, examine the claim
Taking your shoes off on clean, safe grass may feel like a welcome way to slow down and notice nature. People sometimes call this grounding or earthing. Small studies have measured changes before and after grounding, including laboratory measures related to blood cells. Those findings are preliminary. A before-and-after difference alone cannot establish cause, prove a lasting clinical benefit or show that aging has been reversed.
What the grounding research does—and does not—show
The pilot paper linked below investigated short-term blood measures; it did not demonstrate a longer lifespan or an anti-aging treatment. Its authors also disclosed financial connections to a business supporting earthing research. Larger, independent, well-controlled studies with meaningful health outcomes are needed before making broad therapeutic claims. Enjoy a quiet moment outdoors if it suits you, while keeping the pleasure of the experience separate from a medical promise.
Nature does not require bare feet
Shoes can stay on. You can sit beneath a tree, listen to birds or share a park bench and still have a meaningful break. Bare feet add risks from sharp objects, hot surfaces and infection; people with reduced sensation, poor circulation or foot wounds should seek individual advice and use appropriate protection. Grounding is not a recommendation to stop medication, change blood-thinning treatment or purchase a device.
Connection belongs in the picture
The CityNews feature also follows efforts to help isolated older adults reach community activities and support. That fits the spirit of Living Well: food, movement, creativity and conversation are often easier to enjoy together. Invite someone for a walk, cook a meal with a friend or find an accessible local gathering. Living well should make room for different bodies, budgets and abilities, without blaming people for illness or how they age.
Make the next step small enough to repeat
Choose a useful meal, a little movement, a safe outdoor break and a moment to settle your breathing. Reach out to someone. Repeat what works, adjust what does not and keep appropriate health care in the plan. The goal is not to defeat your birthday. It is to support the life you want to keep living.
Read the sources
- CityNews / Monika Gul: B.C. aging research and community programs
- WHO: aging and health
- Health Canada: healthy eating recommendations
- Health Canada: sun safety
- NCCIH: relaxation techniques and stress
- Grounding pilot study: methods, findings and disclosed conflicts
General wellbeing information, prepared with editorial and source checks; not a personalised treatment plan. The cited researchers and organisations do not endorse the festival or its exhibitors.