 Ten years ago, when I was in the circus, I noticed something kind of peculiar. And it was strange because it didn't involve flipping or flying, and it didn't involve extraordinary strength or speed. It didn't appear to involve much at all. This guy had two socks with weight on the end. He was spinning them in circles around his body. Curiosity led me to try, and the second I felt that sock orbiting around me, I was hooked. What am I talking about? Poi, international poi, to be exact, because the whole world practices poi. From the modern poi you may be familiar with to poi that glow to those unimpressive socks. And the reason I'm here is because even though lots of people practice poi, nobody is researching the effects of poi on health. And I believe there's a very good reason we should be. I'm conducting a randomized controlled trial with healthy adults over 60 years old to actually measure the effects of poi on physical and cognitive function. Now, even if you aren't over 60, and even if you can't imagine twirling a sock around, this research concerns you because you're getting old. But don't worry, you are not alone. Globally the number of people over 60 is expected to double in the next 30 years. So we're living longer, but we're not necessarily having a good quality of life in our later years. And simple and effective strategies for maintaining health and old age are urgently needed. So, how can a spinning sock help? Well, the participants in my study were randomly allocated to either the poi group or a comparison group. And after one month of training, the participants in the poi group showed trends in improvement in their upper limb range of motion, grip strength, and manual dexterity. Keeping these areas fit can be the difference between your independence and the nursing home. Loss of flexibility in the upper limb makes it hard to get dressed or reach for objects. Loss of dexterity and strength in your hand makes it hard to carry bags or hold on to a railing, which in turn can leave you more prone to a serious fall. And similar to activities such as Tai Chi, which was my comparison group, poi also has a cognitive dimension. And the brain is like the body in that if you don't use it, you lose it. Participants in both groups reported improved focus, concentration, and a clear mind after practice. This is consistent with previous findings on Tai Chi, but the exciting new discovery is that poi is just as effective. The best part of all, poi is fun. There's no better way to stay in shape than doing something you enjoy. I envision poi in every nursing home, in every hospital. I envision it in your home because it's affordable, it's fun, and it engages both the body and the mind. Older adults are going to outnumber youth for the first time in history. Do you want to spend the last years of your life in poor health, or do you want to spin your quality of life around? Literally. Thank you.