My resolution for 2008 is to go beyond the headline before getting too jazzed about the latest dietary or anti-aging breakthrough. 

Late last year I was enthralled about resveratrol headlines promising a cure to many ails of aging, only to learn later that resveratrol concentrations in a supplement don't come close to that used in the research. The resveratrol hype led to a big increase in red wine sales even though the resveratrol concentrations in wine are miniscule.  Score one for Robert Mondavi.

Today I felt that same resvertrol-like burst of excitement when I read the headline that University of California Irvine researchers discovered a life extension benefit from the herb Rhodiola rosea ("Herbal Extract Found To Increase Lifespan"). 

Ah, but reading on, it turns out that the leading researcher says it's too early to draw conclusions about the benefits of Rhodiola:

“Although this study does not present clinical evidence that Rhodiola can extend human life, the finding that it does extend the lifespan of a model organism, combined with its known health benefits in humans, make this herb a promising candidate for further anti-aging research.”

Rather than racing to the store for Rhoidiola supplements, I'll work on extending life through relaxation by getting a facial at Calidora (my new favorite facialists in Seattle).