Too Young To Die
This is not the screenplay for the next James Bond movie, but rather a short reflection on ageing, or more specifically ageing as an illness, and 6 interventions we can make to treat the symptoms of ageing and maximise our lifespan and healthspan.
Let's start with a question. How long can a human live? Well, leaving aside Methuselah and any other biblical or mythical being, a French woman, Jeanne Calment is the oldest verified person at over 122 years ago. Sadly, she passed away in 1997. On average, 3% of the population will make it to 100, although this percentage continues to slowly creep up year-on-year, ignoring any pandemic blip. However, as lifespan creeps up, healthspan is not increasing at the same rate, this implies that additional lifespan time is lived out in poor health.
Ageing, at the biological level results from the impact of much molecular and cellular damage over time. This leads to decreases in physical and cognitive abilities, a growing risk of other diseases and ultimately death.
Let's think about it another way. How old could a human live to be if their life was illness free and they were not hit with the ravages of ageing above and beyond what comes naturally? This is a difficult one and science has no absolute answer to what is the maximum human lifespan, however, research is indicating that it could be 140 years plus. However, reaching 140 will not be achievable if the gap between lifespan and healthspan continues to widen
So, right now, humankind is not going to live to be 140 on average, but it is not a pipe dream either. However, we do have it in our hands to maximise our lifespan and healthspan, and yes, whilst genetics plays a part, in many ways how we live our lives and our environment dictates the end game. Over the next while, I will add blogs that discuss in greater depth the 6 interventions below.
Fast - if there is one piece of advice, one sure-fire way to stay healthy longer, one thing you can do to maximise your lifespan right now, it's this: eat less often.
Intermittent fasting - yes, the type of caloric reduction required in fasting is not for everybody. Human studies though are confirming that once-in-a-while calorie restriction can have tremendous health results, even if the times of fasting are quite transient. Research shows that 'fasting mimicking' reduces weight, reduces body fat and lowers blood pressure. I wrote about this in a previous blog and will return to it again in due course.
Get the right protein - amino acids are the building blocks of every protein in our bodies. Whilst meat contains all the essential amino acids we need, study after study has demonstrated that heavy animal- based diets are associated with high cardiovascular mortality & cancer risk. Red meat also contains carnitine that gut bacteria convert to TMAO - a chemical closely linked to heart disease. When we substitute animal protein with more plant protein, studies have shown, all-cause mortality falls significantly.
Sweat it - we all need to be pushing ourselves as we get older, yet only 10% of people over the age of 65 exercise regularly. The good news is that we don't have to exercise for hours on end - the equivalent of 15 minutes per day reduces the chances of death from a heart attack by 45% and all cause mortality by 30%. However, intensity does matter. Research has found that although many forms of exercise have positive health benefits, it is HITT - the sort that significantly raises your heart and respiration rates - that provides the greatest benefits.
Cool it - exposing your body to less-than-comfortable cold temperatures has great benefits. When the world takes us out of the thermoneutral zone - the small range of temperatures that don't require our bodies to do any extra work to stay warm or cool off - all sorts of things happen. Our breathing patterns shift. The blood flow to and through our skin changes. Our heart rates speed up or slow down. These type of stresses are extraordinarily beneficial. So take a cold swim or have a cold shower regularly.
Manage your environment - there are a whole plethora of environmental impacts that negatively influence our lifespan and healthspan. Some we can control - smoking, pollution, organohalides, plastics and BCPs and cured foods. Others we have less control over - radon and other natural radiations. All these things impact our DNA and while we can't prevent all damage there is much we can do.
