All I Want for Christmas Is to Live Longer!

An extra 10 years would be nice, wouldn’t it? Well that is what researchers are showing is possible with the ever-growing knowledge of how we age as human beings.

Often we are asked if we would like to live longer, and this may or may not surprise you but the most common answer to that question is ‘no’.

The reason for that answer is the perception that with living longer, comes longer suffering and morbidity. This does not have to be the case.

So, my gift to you are some great tips on how to slow aging in the human body and increase your life span. This all comes from real cutting-edge research, some proven and some still being tested. But like all research, I like to look through the theory and see the logic.

The key to reducing aging and living longer, is to keep the body ‘stressed’, which means keeping the body thinking about its survival and essentially, its life. Often in western society we become too comfortable, and in doing so, our physiology also becomes comfortable. Our body becomes lazy and this can lead to poor gene code reading, poor cell repair and inadequate immune responses.

So, here are Epoch’s top 3 tips to longevity:

1. Move.
   Get sweaty and out of breath at least 3 times per week. It is essential to increase your heart rate; a gentle walk will not prime your body’s defenses.
2. Eat at the right times.
   When it comes to longevity studies, it was not necessarily the food types chosen, but it was when they were consumed that made the difference. Shorter eating windows and longer fasting windows were the key. So, for this one, why not try skipping breakfast and eat your evening meal sooner? My additional note on this one, although the studies did not say which food was best, make sure it is ‘real’ food that you are consuming.
   
3. Smile!
   Happiness has long been linked with longevity. All subjects who have lived to an extraordinary age have been shown to be happy. The research has not proven this as it is difficult to measure, but we know happiness improves the immune system and therefore your ability to stay well for longer. Find out what really brings you joy and do that daily, or at least every week.

I am intrigued to know what you think and whether you have any gems of wisdom around living longer?

With love,

Dr Tom