The October 2026 issue of the Wellness Index Report, titled "Built to Last: The Engineering of Healthspan," highlights a growing shift from hoping for a longer, healthier life to actively designing one. The report, released by Wellness Eternal, features three experts from The Wellness Index Report Podcast who are addressing different aspects of the aging process. Its release coincides with World Menopause Day on October 18, underscoring the report's focus on how aging may occur in distinct phases and how individuals might proactively prepare for future stages.
The first expert, Dr. Garan, is the Director of Bioinformatics at the Center for Research & Education on Aging (CREA) at the University of California, Berkeley, and a researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He coined the term "phenomics" and played a key role in developing the Automated Imaging Microscope System (AIMS). His research focuses on the hypothalamus, which he describes as the brain's master clock for major life milestones, from adolescence to menopause. On the podcast, he explained why he views aging as a program driven by the brain rather than simple wear and tear.
The second expert, Whitman, is Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Nexus Health. With over a decade of experience building systems where failure was not an option—including as Principal Systems Engineer at SpaceX, where he built infrastructure for launch systems, the Starlink network, and Starbase—Whitman now applies that rigor to precision medicine. Nexus Health integrates DNA, lab results, and intake data so clinicians can see how clues connect across the body. Every finding includes its reasoning, and nothing reaches a patient without clinician review. The platform is HIPAA compliant and SOC 2 Type 2, with zero data mining.
The third expert, Horinek, invented Celliant, a mineral-infused textile technology that captures the body's own heat and returns it as infrared energy, and co-founded Hologenix. The idea originated in the 1990s when he sought to support his grandmother's mobility. In 2002, he and Seth Casden founded Hologenix, and Celliant is now woven into apparel, bedding, and recovery products from brands worldwide. His conversation with host Lindsay O'Neill-O'Keefe will be available on The Wellness Index Report Podcast in November.
The report identifies three trends shaping healthspan: aging as a program rather than just wear and tear, with research moving toward the brain and the hormones it governs; AI that connects the dots in precision health, with explainable findings and the clinician in control; and wellness woven into everyday life through products like sleepwear, bedding, and recovery apparel that work quietly in the background.
Profiles for each featured expert are now available on the Wellness Index, allowing the public to explore their work, leave reviews, and view upcoming events. The full October 2026 Wellness Index Report is available at https://www.wellnessindexreport.com/indexreports/wellness-index-report-october-2026.
