New medical research is uncovering a profound connection between our internal ecosystems and long-term health. From groundbreaking findings at University College London regarding the gut-brain axis in Parkinson’s disease to the surprising cancer-fighting potential of aspirin, the latest literature suggests that the keys to longevity might be more accessible than we once thought.

The gut-brain connection: A new frontier for Parkinson’s risk

I like to keep up with the medical literature so I can occasionally share interesting findings with you, and a recent study from University College London particularly caught my attention. Researchers found that both people living with Parkinson’s disease and healthy individuals who carry a genetic risk for developing it appear to share a similar group of gut microbes.

This is significant for two main reasons. First, it may eventually provide a way to identify individuals at increased risk of Parkinson’s at an earlier stage. Second, it strengthens the growing idea that the gut could play a role not only in understanding the disease but potentially in preventing it.

Can diet reduce neurodegenerative risk?

Parkinson’s disease is a neurodegenerative condition that is increasing in prevalence worldwide. The reasons for this rise remain unclear, although researchers globally are increasingly focusing on the role of gut health.

The UCL study examined participants across several European countries. The data suggests that individuals with a more balanced and diverse diet are less likely to exhibit gut microbial patterns associated with an elevated risk of Parkinson’s. In the longer term, this raises the possibility that dietary interventions could help reduce risk.

The aspirin revival: Protecting against Lynch syndrome and cancer

Another topic that recently caught my attention concerns a well-known and often overlooked medication: aspirin. Despite its long history and proven benefits, it is frequently overshadowed by newer and more expensive alternatives. I have long supported its use, particularly as an immediate response following a suspected heart attack. More recent research now also suggests it may help prevent the formation and spread of certain cancers.

Researchers at Newcastle University have found that individuals with Lynch syndrome – a genetic condition that significantly increases the risk of bowel cancer – may benefit from a daily low dose of aspirin, which appears to reduce this risk.

From ancient willow bark to modern medicine

Aspirin itself has a remarkable history. Archaeological discoveries in modern-day Iraq have uncovered records describing medicinal compounds derived from plants, including substances obtained from willow trees. These contain salicin, which the body converts into salicylic acid, a compound we use for pain relief. Modern aspirin, acetylsalicylic acid, is a refined version of this same active ingredient, with origins that stretch back thousands of years.

The insulin factor: Why your body needs “nutrient rest”

On the subject of longevity, I was also struck by recent research highlighting the impact of dietary patterns on ageing. The underlying theory involves how food is processed into glucose, which enters the bloodstream and stimulates insulin production. While this process is essential for normal function, insulin also signals cells to grow and divide. If this signalling is prolonged or excessive, it may increase the risk of DNA mutations that can contribute to cancer development.

A simple protocol for healthier ageing

The proposed solution is relatively simple in principle: the body requires periods of rest from constant nutrient intake in order to repair and regenerate effectively. However, modern eating habits often involve continuous “grazing” throughout the day, limiting these restorative periods.

Researchers in California (where else) suggest that a daily pattern consisting of approximately 12 hours of eating followed by 12 hours of fasting may support healthier ageing. It is worth noting, however, that the ‘eating’ period does not need to be continuous in a strict or rigid sense – an important clarification for anyone considering this approach!

The information provided in this column is for educational and informational purposes only, and does not constitute medical advice. It is not a substitute for a professional medical consultation, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your own physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Dr Marcus Stephan

Ask the Officer:Your cruise questions answered by a former senior ship’s officer

“I’ve always been curious: where do the crew actually live on a cruise ship? I imagine it must be cramped but I’ve never really known what goes on below deck.”

Most passengers never see it. And that, in some ways, is the point.

The crew world sits below and behind the guest areas, a separate city running parallel to the one you inhabit. Different corridors, different staircases, different rules. When you’re a passenger, you move through wide hallways, natural light, and carefully maintained calm. When you cross into crew territory, the ceiling drops, the floors are often a worn ochre color, and the hum of the engines is no longer background noise. It is the walls themselves.

Crew cabins range more widely than most people imagine. At entry level, you are typically sharing a small cabin with one other person, usually someone from the same department: bunk beds, a narrow wardrobe each, and a bathroom that may or may not connect to the neighboring cabin through a double-door arrangement. If the person on the other side forgets to unlock their door in the morning, you are stuck. That is your start to the day.

There are no windows in most crew cabins. Your only clue about the weather outside is the ship’s navigation channel on the cabin TV. Sun or storm, you dress for it without ever seeing it first.

The one constant in those entry-level shared cabins is the curtain around each bunk. That strip of fabric becomes everything. Your world. Your shield. The only real privacy you have in a place where you live, work, and sleep alongside the same people for months at a time.

Hierarchy shapes everything below deck, including where you sleep. As you move up in rank, the cabins improve. Senior officers on larger ships can have what amounts to a small apartment: a separate bedroom, a living area, sometimes a kitchenette. I lived in one for several years on a large mainstream ship, spacious enough to decompress in after a long day, and with a bathtub I rarely had time to use. A place that felt, after a while, like home. We often joked that as our rank got higher, so did the size of the cabin, but we had less and less time to spend in it.

Here is where it gets counterintuitive. Working for a luxury cruise line does not guarantee better crew quarters. In fact it often means the opposite. The more high-end the line, the smaller the ship, and smaller ships mean tighter layouts. When space runs short, it is the crew areas that give way first. I was once offered a senior role on a yacht-style luxury line where my office would have been my cabin. On a large mainstream ship, that same rank had earned me a two-bedroom apartment. The difference was not just size. It felt like a different kind of respect.

Cabin assignment is also about logistics you would never think about from the outside. Crew are generally berthed near their place of work: bridge officers close to the bridge, entertainers near the theater, food and beverage teams near the galleys. A bridge officer starting a watch at five in the morning does not want to live next to a lounge musician finishing at one. Sleep is the most valuable currency below deck, and the ship is designed, at its best, to protect it.

For many crew members, especially those early in their careers, that small cabin with its curtain and its engine hum becomes something unexpectedly meaningful. I remember lying in my bunk in the forward section of the ship, close enough to the hull to hear the ocean slap against the steel. It was haunting at first. Then it became a kind of lullaby. The sea reminding you, even in the dark, that you were somewhere few people ever get to be.

Have a cruise question? Write to contact@theofficersdesk.com. Selected questions will be featured in upcoming columns.

Vega Mare is the author of Inside the Floating City and The Discerning Voyager.

I recently met a young man called Koen Darras, a self-proclaimed “Adventurer, Keynote Speaker and Content Creator”. He is the first person in history to climb the ten highest mountains of South America and Africa in succession and conquer the iconic peaks Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, and Eiger in just nine days.

From summiting Denali in Alaska to traversing entire continents, Koen is an undeniable risk-taker and he likes to film it all. He hopes that by pushing his own limits and sharing these expeditions as a full cinematic experience, he may inspire others to step out of their comfort zones too.

Once of his next objectives is to be the world’s first person to cross the Atlantic by kitesurf, some 5,000 kms and 60 days at sea. He plans to start out from the Canary Islands, travel via Cape Verde and then head towards the Caribbean. Although Koen will surf alone he will be accompanied by a sailing boat all the way and a very dedicated team.

In order to prepare for this 2027 mission Koen had been training in the Canary Islands and took the time to come to Marbella on his way back to Belgium to share his passion for this very ambitious adventure.

Koen was accompanied by his 10 year old daughter Lio, who kindly helped me with some recording for the TV interview that I with her dad. From just the brief encounter it was easy to see that she, like her father, embraces the belief that limits are only invitations.

What a great team they make and what an inspirational encounter all round.