Kalibra.ai

You're a practitioner interested in longevity and preventive medicine, and you're taking the first steps to AI adoption. Expect to learn the main points to consider, as well as practical steps on where to start. (Without the consulting speak).

Why Lego is the Future of Healthcare In my previous blog, I described health data exchange as a chat group where everyone has phones in airplane mode and communicates via postal pigeon. I lamented how we force doctors—our critical air traffic controllers—to handle cargo arrangements and meal counts, wasting precious resources with real human costs. This is about to all go upside down. Three megatrends are now driving change that will make health the largest consumer market on the planet: 1. The Data Avalanche High-frequency health data is exploding, and the demand for solutions is urgent. Human ingenuity is responding. A combination of technology and civic frameworks will transform how we collect, manage, and utilise this data. 2. Holistic Real-Time Health We have dashboards for phones and cars, but not for our health. You know more about what's happening in Beijing than your own body. The connected consumer demands change and wearables are just the beginning. Most health data will come not from medical devices alone but from our beds, bathrooms, fridges, shopping habits, exercise routines, and social connections. The medical system's monopoly on health has already ended—the question is: What replaces it? See below. 3. Personalisation Revolution The future of health is personalised, real-time, and dynamic. This requires standardised data structures stored in secure health wallets that belong to us—not institutions. Sharing the correct data with service providers enables true personalisation, replacing endless paper forms that produce trapped information. Your health wallet will ultimately prove more valuable than your financial one, unlocking extra years of quality life. What does this have to do with Legos? Simple: Composability. The future of health resembles Lego bricks (your health markers) that can be assembled to serve your current needs and reconfigured as those needs change. That's where the puck is headed. The only question is: how fast? #HealthTech #DataRevolution #PersonalizedMedicine #DigitalHealth #FutureOfHealthcare

The AI Mirage: Why Healthcare Can't Run Before It Crawls I recently reviewed a clinic's plan to deploy AI decision support. It hit every word on the AI bingo card: LLM this, agent that, RAG the other... Their strategy was compelling and aligned with Kalibra's healthcare vision. However, a critical piece was missing, triggering my inner scepticism: They had no concept of data infrastructure. A showstopper. This should have been straightforward. We have integrated databases with both deterministic and probabilistic AI models. But this complex data refinery would be starved of its critical raw material: Data. The clinic operates with siloed systems: clinic management software, an EHR storing lab data as PDFs, and various intake forms and diagnostics like Dexa. It is attempting to climb the mountain of AI Enlightenment from the Cave of Siloed Data, not realising that the raw material for the "AI thing" isn't there. Yes, multi-modal LLMs will eventually bridge that gap, but it's too wide and growing in healthcare. Healthcare is fundamentally a logistics problem. The doctor should be an air traffic controller, but instead, they organise suitcases, count vegan meals, de-ice wings, and handle sick crew members. This is the AI mirage. We need to liberate data before processing it and building decision-support systems. Our scarcest resource, doctors, remains trapped in outdated structures, with regulatory chains binding them to desktops. In healthcare, we're trying to run before crawling. Amateurs talk strategy; professionals talk logistics. We have solutions on paper. Kalibra already connects wearables, lab data, DNA, and body composition into a structured, AI-ready database with HL7 messaging. The reality? We're in 1995. Most labs send PDFs—some structured, most not—with randomly changing formats that challenge OCR extraction. API connectivity barely exists due to warped incentives. Providers believe PDFs protect their IP, making data atomisation difficult and consuming engineering resources. We're addressing this clinic by clinic, but it's a systemic problem receiving insufficient attention. Looking ahead to 2025, we'll see two key developments: 1. Agentics: Small, capable specialist automation handling discrete workflow tasks, often collaborating with other agents. It's nearly always AI-powered, with humans somewhere in the loop. 2. Citizens are non-technical domain experts driving transformation. With abundant, user-friendly AI tools, they'll develop solutions independently when IT can't keep pace. Kalibra is here to arm those rebels. Our greatest challenge is reconciling expectations with reality. The AI mirage persists when we view AI as a universal remedy rather than a tool requiring robust data foundations. #AIinHealthcare #DataInfrastructure #HealthTechReality #BeyondTheHype #DigitalTransformation

Beyond Biomarkers: The Four Blind Spots in Modern Longevity Medicine On the eve of the Founders Forum Group Longevity conference in Singapore, I’m reflecting on what’s working in our field and what still needs to be solved. While we celebrate biological clocks and diagnostics, four critical tensions must be addressed: 1. Techne vs. Metis: Bridging the Knowledge Gap Science races ahead, but implementation lags. The average longevity panel now measures 50+ biomarkers, yet over 70% of clients feel overwhelmed by their results and have no clear action plan (despite receiving a written one!). We excel at generating data (techne) but struggle to translate it into practical wisdom (metis). The real opportunity isn’t more diagnostics but improving clarity and adherence. Exceptional practitioners achieve outlier health outcomes not through better diagnostics and analysis but through behavioural expertise (metis). My mission is to find and scale these outliers. 2. Data vs. Action: The Behaviour Change Challenge Even the most advanced diagnostics are useless without behaviour change. Since the cost of good habits is immediate while bad habits accumulate future costs, adherence remains an unsolved problem in digital health. In our partner clinics, clients with health coaching implement 3x more recommendations than those who receive only test results and a written plan. Success isn’t just about personalisation but identifying what benefits someone, what they’ll commit to, and what their environment supports. “Accountability-as-a-service” is under-explored and requires a talented human in the loop. 3. Evidence Models: Beyond the RCT Bottleneck Waiting for perfect RCT evidence in longevity means waiting forever. The TAME metformin trial was proposed in 2016, yet enrolment remains incomplete. Meanwhile, forward-thinking practitioners use rigorous N-of-1 frameworks, wearables, and target markers for real-time course corrections.  Real-world outcomes trump theoretical purity. 4. Whole-Person Integration: Hardware Meets Software Health isn’t compartmentalised. When we tracked HRV responses, bedtime priming with a 10-minute connection/breathing practice improved recovery metrics more than supplements or sleep aids. Of course, anecdote isn’t data. But does subjectivity make bedtime rituals worthless? I don’t think so. At Kalibra.ai, our integrated "hardware" (Nourish, Rest, Move) and "software" (Connect, Reflect, Grow) framework captures these often-missed connections. Balancing innovation with evidence and personalisation with scientific rigour is our challenge. The responsible path forward combines cautious implementation of well-evidenced interventions with meticulous tracking of outcomes using validated biomarkers and quality-of-life measures—in other words, balancing techne and metis. #LongevityMedicine #HealthOptimization #BehaviorChange #FutureOfHealth #PrecisionWellness Andrea B. Maier Craig McGee Longevity Docs Brian Kennedy Simone Gibertoni

Ageing is a gift. Have you ever met someone who seems “older” in some ways but “younger” in others? That’s because age is a tapestry of experiences that shape who we are. Here’s a new way to think about the ages we carry within us: 🔹 Chronological age – The years you’ve lived. 🔹 Biological age – The wear and tear on your body. 🔹 Maturity age – The number of contradictions you’ve made peace with. 🔹 Sociological age – The depth of your connections. 🔹 Mental health age – The storms you’ve weathered and grown from. 🔹 Emotional age – The feelings you’ve embraced and understood. 🔹 Wisdom age – The lessons you’ve absorbed. 🔹 Spiritual age – The moments you’ve found meaning in stillness. 🔹 Creative age – The possibilities you’ve dared to imagine. 🔹 Resilience age – The times you’ve chosen to start again. 🔹 Compassion age – The hearts you’ve touched without keeping score. 🔹 Courage age – The fears you’ve faced head-on. We are not just one age—we are many. Today, my emotional age resonates the most. What about you? #Longevity #PersonalGrowth #SelfDevelopment #Mindfulness #Wisdom #LifeLessons #EmotionalIntelligence #Resilience #Leadership #Growth #Wellness

🏡 Beyond Plastic: Why Your 'Clean' Home Might Not Be (And What To Do About It) Your response to my last post about microplastics was overwhelming. The most common question? "What else can we do to protect our spaces?" I changed my mind about one thing after some research linked tyre-induced microplastic pollution from roads to it. I thought (filtered) indoor air was cleaner than outdoor air, which brings pollutants. Wrong. The EPA ranks indoor air pollution as a top 5 environmental health risk. Studies show that the average home contains over 500 chemicals from everyday products, with concentrations 100 times higher than outdoor levels. The numbers are sobering: We spend 90% of our time indoors, where exposure to pollutants is often 2-5x higher than outdoors. Here's the breakdown of our daily toxic exposure from the EPA: 1. Household cleaning products: 35% 2. Building materials & furniture: 25% 3. Outdoor air infiltration: 20% 4. Personal care products: 15% 5. Electronic devices: 5% What fascinates me is that creating a healthy environment isn't just about eliminating airborne particle pollution. It's about understanding the invisible factors that shape our well-being. Let's dive into what works: Your bedroom air is often 2-5x more polluted than outside. Here's what you can do: * Open windows between 5 and 7 a.m., when air pollution is lowest. Leave them open for at least 3 minutes. * Place air-purifying plants at breathing height (NASA found that specific plants remove 87% of air toxins in 24 hours). The list is in the comments.  * Consider indoor particle filtration through air purifiers. A counterintuitive finding: Sometimes, more ventilation isn't better. Strategic timing matters more than duration. The Materials That Surround You. Many "clean" products aren't - traditional cleaning sprays can pollute indoor air up to 100 times more than city air. Smart swaps I've tested: * Use baking soda + vinegar at home instead of commercial cleaners when possible. * Consider face or body cleansers containing only ingredients you can recognise (like ground walnut shells for scrubs). I’ve tried Sukin. Warning: These feel less effective on the skin than our standard consumer products. Interesting, no? And finally, a massive one for all of us. Digital Detox Zones: Creating tech-free sanctuaries in specific rooms. 1. No devices in bedrooms 2. Designated phone charging stations away from living spaces 3. EMF testing for WIFI radiation near your sleeping space. You don't need to overhaul everything at once. Start with your bedroom, where you spend one-third of your life. Here’s what you can do right now: 1. Find one change you could make today to create your low-toxicity sanctuary. 2. Reply with '🌿' if you want to join Kalibra.ai’s toxin-free home challenge this month. Note: I chose to exclude toxin testing (mould, metals, plastics), but I will return to it. Please add your voice in the comments! #microplastics #IndoorAirQuality

The Counterintuitive Science of Balance: How your body fools you all the time Your body is lying to you right now. That "refreshing" cold shower? It's warming your core. The relaxing sauna session? It's dropping your internal temperature. And that $5 alkaline water you're sipping? It's doing absolutely nothing your tap water couldn't do. Welcome to the fascinating world of homeostasis – your body's ruthless commitment to balance that defies common sense and debunks half the wellness industry's claims. # The Temperature Paradox When you step into a 90C sauna, your core temperature drops. This isn't a glitch – it's your body's masterful temperature regulation at work. As you sweat, the evaporation creates a cooling effect that persists for hours after you've left the sauna. This is why you sleep like a baby after a sauna session. The same paradox works in reverse. When you jump into an ice bath, your body activates brown adipose tissue (BAT), specialised fat cells that generate heat like tiny furnaces. This doesn't just warm you up; it kicks your metabolism into overdrive, increasing your daily calorie burn vs baseline. # The pH Myth Industry Doesn't Want You to Know Your body maintains blood pH between 7.35 and 7.45 with ruthless efficiency. Your lungs expel 100 times more acid (in the form of CO2) than your kidneys process in a day. One deep breathing session has more impact on your pH than a week's worth of alkaline water (see comments for reference). # Beyond Temperature and pH: Your Body's Other Balancing Acts Blood Sugar Control: Think of insulin as your body's bouncer. A 10-minute walk after meals can lower blood glucose spikes by up to 33%. Blood Pressure Regulation: Just 5 minutes of box breathing can drop your blood pressure by 10 points. # How to Work With (Not Against) Your Body 1. **Temperature Training**:     - Alternate 15-minute sauna sessions with 2-minute cold showers    - Time sauna sessions 2-3 hours before bed for optimal sleep    - Start cold exposure gradually – 30 seconds is enough to begin 2. **Real pH Balance**:    - Skip the alkaline water scam    - Focus on mineral-rich foods    - Master nasal breathing – it's your built-in pH regulator 3. **Movement Medicine**:    - Mix high-intensity work with recovery days - Mix cardio with weights. Yes, runners - weights.     - Track heart rate variability (HRV) for objective recovery data The Bottom Line The next time someone tries to sell you on the latest pH-hacking, temperature-crushing wellness trend, remember this: your body's been perfecting these systems for millions of years. Work with that wisdom, not against it. #BiologyHacks #WellnessScience #HealthMyths #SaunaScience #ColdTherapy #HomeostasisHealth #BiologicalBalance #WellnessTruth #FitnessScience #HealthOptimization

A timely reminder on the benefits of regular testing.

In a world that equates speed with success, what if slowing down is the key to going faster? Slow is steady, steady is fast. This is the paradox I struggle with the most in my daily life. Yes, you read that right. Speed is not always your best ally. For a startup founder like me, that’s tough to accept, let alone put into practice. We intrinsically know that the reward for good work is more work, yet we sprint in a marathon world.  We confuse speed with pace. Speed races you; pace raises you. Formula 1 teaches us that maintaining speed through the corners, not the straight lines, helps you be the fastest overall. How often is life a straight line anyway? That’s what the Marines mean by “steady is fast”. We need to maintain the pace, and that often means sacrificing speed. Getting our minds around is hard, but I’ve experienced it enough to embrace it. Jamming too much into a single day compromises your ability to perform over the long haul due to decision fatigue and crushed creativity. Have you ever wondered why our best ideas come in the shower? Because creativity doesn't thrive in exhaustion. Innovation doesn't come from burnout. Slowing down allows ideas to percolate. A quiet mind allows your subconscious to bring the unnoticed to the forefront. Slowing down is not laziness; it’s strategy. Deceleration lifts mental fog, rejuvenates the body, and triggers creativity. When did fatigue become a status symbol? Being busy is NOT a badge of honour.  Peak performance lies in the strategic pauses. Consider the fields lying fallow for a season to rejuvenate the soil, the silence between musical notes that makes harmony. When still, we regain energy, spark innovation, and nurture genuine well-being. A quiet mind doesn’t rush; it ponders, absorbs, and discovers unlikely connections. Here’s how to slow down and remove the weeds from your time garden: 1. Start your day with 10 minutes of quiet reflection—no devices. Leave the phone, grab the notebook, and write. It feels like starting the day with a win. However, I don’t always control my phone urges well. 2. Time block your day with purposeful “unplugged” intervals. It's much harder than it sounds, but well worth it. That’s a walk for me - non-negotiable. 3. Protect certain times as sacred, no matter how busy you get. For me, that’s family dinners. Having a teenager is in direct conflict with this objective.   4. End your day with a deliberate wind-down ritual. I have started doing a gentle set of 3 stretches to mark the start of the wind-down. Slowing down doesn’t mean abandoning your goals. It means ensuring you reach them without sacrificing your health, relationships, or sanity. Finally, remember: rushing ushers us past life's infinitesimally tiny, infinitely impactful moments. Slow down. Notice the unnoticed. Revel in the detail that gets overlooked, also known as life. Embrace stillness—your future self will thank you.

Why We’ve Been Thinking About Ageing All Wrong Longevity and anti-ageing are often treated in the same way. At first glance, that makes sense—science tells us that physical capabilities and mental sharpness decline with age. But that’s only part of the story. Ageing gets a bad rap as we’re warned about decline and loss, but what if we’ve been reading the story all wrong? What if ageing isn’t a descent but an ascent—a journey into deeper wisdom, richer connections, and unexpected happiness? Here’s a surprising truth: people often get happier as they age. It’s called the “Happiness U-Curve,” a paradox that rarely gets the attention it deserves. While twenty-somethings chase uncertain futures, older adults often master the art of living in the present. Life satisfaction, which can dip during midlife, frequently rises again in later years. Why does this happen? Relationships. Not the sheer number of them but their quality. With age comes the ability to focus on what truly matters, including the people who enrich your life. Deep, meaningful bonds become your safety net—a stronger and more resilient support system than any number of fleeting social media likes. Furthermore, our emotional intelligence matures over time, like a fine wine. Older adults often navigate life’s chaos with a grace that younger versions of themselves can only aspire to. Studies show that older people react less to negativity, are better at tuning out irrelevant stressors, and remember more positive experiences than negative ones. Thanks to years of experience and perspective, they have a unique ability to insulate their thoughts from life’s turbulence. But here’s the most humbling truth: you’ve already done something for the last time and don’t even know it. This isn’t meant to scare you but to inspire you to wake up. Ageing isn’t about counting down; it’s about showing up. Fully. Authentically. The finite nature of life is what makes it so precious. Think about it: living forever might sound appealing, but would it truly make life richer? As time stretches endlessly, new experiences would become harder to find, and the tragedy of outliving loved ones would shadow even the brightest moments. Movies about immortals and time travellers capture this perfectly: infinite life often comes with endless loneliness. Don’t get me wrong—I work in the longevity field, and I’m deeply invested in extending healthspan and lifespan. But framing ageing as an enemy is short-sighted. It’s not universally negative; it’s a profoundly human experience that can bring profound gifts. Gray hair isn’t a sign of decline—it’s a crown of wisdom. Wrinkles aren’t flaws—they’re the storylines of a life fully lived. Adding life to your years is just as important as adding years to your life. Ageing isn’t a curse. It’s your unexpected superpower. Are you ready to embrace it? #AgingWithGrace #LongevityWisdom #PositiveAging #LifeLessons #EmbraceTheJourney