About two decades ago, a research team in California observed a striking phenomenon: although the majority of older adults have at least two chronic diseases, some people reach their 80s without a major illness.
The researchers suspected that the key to healthier aging was genetic. But after sequencing the taken of 1,400 of these aging bijters – a cohort that they called it ‘well’ – they found almost no difference between their biological composition and those of their peers. However, they were physically more active, more social and usually better educated than the general public.
The fact that genes do not necessarily determine that healthy aging is ‘liberating’ and suggests that ‘we can do almost all better’ to postpone the disease, Dr. Eric Topol, a cardiologist and the founder of the SCRIPPS Research Translational Institute, that ran The Putderly Study.
Dr. Topol is a prominent molecular scientist who has published 1,300 research articles, has written several books and has a few hundred thousand followers on social media and his newsletter. His newest book, “Super Agers: An Evidence-Based Approach to Longevity,” On Tuesday, the rapidly evolving science of aging.
In the book Dr. Topol those tools such as such as Biological age tests And More and more advanced prediction of health risks Could ultimately paint a clearer picture of how we get older.
With these tools and new scientific insight into how Lifestyle stimulates the biological breakdown that is accompanied by age, he writes, we can now do more than ever to postpone that process. Although we are all more likely to get diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Cancer and Diabetes As we get older, these diseases can develop in the course of decades – which gives us a “long starting track” to prevent them, Dr. Topol.
Here are five strategies that he recommends for aging healthier.
Record strength training.
People who exercise regularly live longer than those who don’t do that: studies reliably show that physical activity reduces your risk of cancer” depression” diabetes And Mortality in general.
But even Dr. Topol was surprised to hear that in particular strength training can considerably lower your risks: One meta-analysis mentioned in the book Discovered that an hour of resistance training per week reduced the death risk of test subjects by 25 percent.
Strength training is also linked to better sleep” Higher bone density And Improved mental healthCompared to no exercise. Although there is no magical threshold for how strong you should be to postpone the decline, the stronger you are, the better, Dr. Topol.
Plan your sleep.
Studies show that sufficient sleep can reduce your risk of cancer” heart attack And many other diseases.
It is also important to connect a consistent sleep schedule. One analysis turned out to be irregular sleep Planning increased the death risk of the subjects by all causes.
Deep sleep is especially crucial for better aging, Dr. Topol. Research suggests that people who get fewer hours of sleeping deeply per night Higher risk of dementiafor example.
While he set up ‘superagers’, Dr. said Topol, he raised his Deep sleep From 15 minutes to almost an hour a night during the course of a year by sleeping every night at the same time, in addition to other lifestyle changes. (He used a portable sleep tracker and a smartphone app to check his sleep patterns.)
However, most sleeping aids do not get you deep, restorative sleep, Dr. warned Topol. Lifestyle changes – instead of drugs or supplements – are much more likely to increase your sleep duration and quality, he said.
Strengthen your mental health.
Manage stressAnd Improvement of your mental health More generally are crucial for Lowering your risk of chronic diseases And mortality.
There are simple steps you can take to improve your mental health and postpone the disease, Dr. Topol, such as spending time outside. One study showed that topics that have issued At least 30 minutes a week in outside green spaces, lower depression speeds and high blood pressure experienced.
Studies show that people with an active social life usually have a lower risk of death and illness. The Putderly adults in the SCRIPPS study also tended to have a rich social life, Dr. wrote Topol in ‘Super Agers’.
Use sparingly tests and trackers.
Promote a lot of lifespan of a long service life Blood and saliva Tests that claim to measure your biological age and can cost a hundred dollars or more. New protein analyzes, not yet on the market, are intended to estimate how quickly certain organs break down. Scientists are that too explore Biomarker tests to predict conditions such as Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Topol does not recommend the aging tests on the market today because they are expensive and it is unclear how accurate they are. But as these tests become cheaper and more advanced, they can help you understand your individual risks, he said.
And although he is optimistic that some portable devices such as sleep trackers or glucose monitors can help you to estimate your sleep patterns or blood sugar, there are no data that suggests that the use of trackers without real lifestyle changes can improve your health, he said.
Be wary for influencers.
Longevity enthusiasts may do their own research, especially if their doctors are not aware of the latest technological progress. But popular influencers are often biased, warned Dr. Topol.
There is no reason to experiment with medicines, therapies or supplements that have not undergone clinical studies, he said, especially when exercise, sleep, improved mental health and diet are all much more likely to extend your life and health spanhe said.
“If they are crying a supplement,” he said, “I would be from the list of credible.”
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