My son asked me today, if we all have to die. The answer is yes. But he at least demanded that we life until 100, so we can be longer together. This inspired me to read Outlive by Peter Attia to get clarity of what most of us struggle when getting older and understand what to do about it.
What you’ll find inside:
According to Attia, longevity has two components. The first is your chronological lifespan – the hope of my son to spend as much time together as possible. The second component is called health span the quality of your life which he defines as free from “disability and disease”. All action you take to improve the health span will result in longer lifespan.
Spoiler alert: eat healthy, exercise and sleep well is what impacts both. But how to do this is not so simple answer for each individual. The right tactic to approach is trying to improve the overall health aspects as well as individual measures depending on your life situation. The book will not reveal what exactly to do, but you will learn how to think about these things. It explains the system holistically, so you can adjust what might work for you to “outlive”.
The Four Horsemen of chronic disease
In his speech for … Steve Jobs inspired us with the quote “life you live as it was the last day”. This does not mean to go wild, but rather to make yourself aware of what is really important for you right now and also to think if you would spend your time on it, if you’d know that this is the last 24h you have.
Attia calls out the four horsemen of death chronic disease that might challenge your quality of life.
- Cancer: F*ck cancer! I bet you also lost someone to that.
- Neurogenerative disease leading to performance decrease of your brain like Alzheimer.
- Atherosclerotic disease affecting your blood flow causing heart attack or brain stroke.
- Diabetes: disfunction of how your body handles Insulin. Causing fat liver etc.
Today’s medicine has answers for all of these diseases. There are pills, surgeries or therapy that might get you out of trouble for some time. Due to technological advancements this will improve in future even more. Still today’s medicine is not there to address the nuances involved when treatment is applied, impacting our unique mix of symptoms and risk factors.
“Risk is not something to be avoided at all costs; rather, it’s something we need to understand, analyze and work with”
– Peter Attia MD, Outlive: The science and Art of Longevity
This fall in line the what I mentioned in my post about risks, that every single thing we do in life is based on some calculation of risk versus reward.
That is why Attia states, that at the level of the individual patient, we should be willing to ask deeper questions of risk versus reward versus cost for any therapy. You must be certain about your goals well informed and understand the true nature of these risks.
Eat, Exercise and Sleep as health factors
It is no surprise that Attia dwells into the topics of nutrition, exercise and quality of sleep as factors to improve your health. On the other hand he clearly states, that there is no silver bullet that fits all of us. It is rather to seek tactics that are likeliest, based on what we know now, to deliver a better-than-average return for our health span.
Attia proposes that with some unorthodox but very reasonable lifestyle changes, you can minimize the most serious threats to your lifespan and health span and achieve your own measure of longevity alpha
If you exercising consistently you might secure an increased mobility at high age. This on the other hand exposes you to the risk of injuries, that might decrease your chances of mobility in future.
The same is true for what and how you eat. Calorie reduction diets or time restrictions for calorie intake might lead to weight loss. On the other hand you might miss the chance to provide your body with the nutrients required to renew cells etc. Attia calls that you might fall short on proteins with some diets.
If you are one of them who believes that sleep is a waste of time, think twice. Evolution would have already found a way to get rid of sleep, wouldn’t this be helpful of our system. Not only your body is recovering from dem strapazen of the day, but also your brain will sink in all the information you collected. Consistent good quality of sleep is the baseline for emotional health.
Emotional Health
Diving into the topic of emotional health is worth another post. So spare with me, if you are here for further details. But to get you started with this topic, I’d like to leave you with the following:
The emotional state might be the least factor you’d associate with longevity. Thinking about living beyond your 80s, life can be lonely. Not all your friends will follow your lead in consistently challenging yourself on your eating, exercising or sleeping habits to achieve longevity. You might truly outlive them – then what?
Behind the facade of a best nutrient, exercised and out slept person in the world you might end up as an emotional douchbag constantly fighting over things you feel attached to.
You might want to dwell into the science of belief or “The power of Now” by Eckart Tolle for further inspiration about emotional health.
Derived habits from “Outlive”
As summary on strategies and habits that promote longevity and enhance overall well-being, here are my three habits:
1. Regular Physical Activity:
- Action: Engage in a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility workouts throughout the week. Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, along with strength exercises twice a week.
- How it Helps: Regular physical activity improves cardiovascular health, enhances muscle strength, and boosts metabolic function. It plays a crucial role in maintaining a healthy weight, reducing the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes, and improving mental health by reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
2. Nutritional Excellence:
- Action: Follow a balanced, nutrient-dense diet that emphasizes whole foods such as vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy fats. Limit the intake of processed foods, sugar, and unhealthy fats.
- How it Helps: A nutritious diet fuels the body with essential vitamins and minerals, supports immune function, and reduces inflammation. It also helps maintain optimal body weight and reduces the risk of chronic illnesses, thereby contributing to longevity and improved quality of life.
3. Prioritize Sleep:
- Action: Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night by establishing a regular sleep schedule, creating a restful environment, and minimizing exposure to screens and blue light before bed.
- How it Helps: Adequate sleep is critical for cognitive function, emotional regulation, and physical health. It allows for cellular repair, supports brain function, and reduces the risk of conditions such as obesity, heart disease, and mental health disorders. Prioritizing sleep is essential for recovery and longevity.
The more I learn about life, the more I realize it is truly a miracle. Life is like a gift that deserves to be opened with intention and care.
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