People have been using special diets, doing different rituals, growing their own food, everything under the sun in hopes of making it to 100 years old. This has been an interest to people from all walks of life for as long as we all can remember, but can we get further than 100? Well yes, we can. The longest living human was named Jeanne Calment with an age of 122 years and 164 days. But that also asks the question, Is there an upper limit to human lifespan? Is there a cap on how old we can get?
In fact, no, there isn’t. There are a lot of species that live a lot longer than us and we aren’t much different from those species. Some examples are the bowhead whale can live over the age of 200, the oldest Greenland shark was found to be 392 years old; the oldest Aldabra tortoise was found to be 250 years old, and a koi carp named Hanako in Japan lived to be 225 years old. Well then, how can we get there? We will need some assistance.
What is aging? Aging simply is damage that the body accumulates overtime. The body is set up to endure a certain amount of damage, but only a certain amount. And that is why eventually we get sick with old age diseases such as most cancers, stroke, cardiovascular disease, and Alzheimer’s. And now scientists now have a much better understanding of the aging process, how to control it and how to even reverse it.
The analogy I like to use is to think of the human body like a piano from the year 1900. There are pianos from the 1900s that still sound fantastic and are in great condition. Did the piano makers think their instrument would last 100 plus years? Probably not. Then how do they last so long and still sound great? Preventative maintenance. Think of that concept of the piano now to the human body. In the future, when we get biologically to age 60, we will be able to go to a doctor to have treatments and therapies that will rejuvenate our bodies. So that when we leave, our chronological age will still be 60 but our biological age will be 40. What’s the difference between chronological age and biological age? Chronological age is how old you are on your birth certificate and biological age is how old your cells are. So, there will be a day in the future where age really will be just a number.
I know what you’re going to ask. What can I do now to stay healthy until the technology comes out? Well, science has proven that these simple things can add an additional 14 healthy years on average to your life.
1. Don’t smoke.
2. Don’t eat too much.
3. Eat the right foods.
4. Exercise.
5. Get good sleep.
6. Manage your stress.
7. Interact with some family and friends.
This isn’t about immortality. But ask yourself this, if you were 90 years old, you had grandkids, a family, and a happy life, would you really want to die? This decade is an extremely exciting time for healthspan research and innovation. So, it’s our job to stay healthy and I believe we all can.
The books I highly recommend are:
1. Lifespan: Why We Age―and Why We Don’t by David A. Sinclair PhD and Michael D. LaPlanate.
About the book: “It’s a seemingly undeniable truth that aging is inevitable. But what if everything we’ve been taught to believe about aging is wrong? What if we could choose our lifespan? In this groundbreaking book, Dr. David Sinclair, leading world authority on genetics and longevity, reveals a bold new theory for why we age. As he writes: “Aging is a disease, and that disease is treatable.” This eye-opening and provocative work takes us to the frontlines of research that is pushing the boundaries on our perceived scientific limitations, revealing incredible breakthroughs—many from Dr. David Sinclair’s own lab at Harvard—that demonstrate how we can slow down, or even reverse, aging.”
“The key is activating newly discovered vitality genes, the descendants of an ancient genetic survival circuit that is both the cause of aging and the key to reversing it. Recent experiments in genetic reprogramming suggest that in the near future we may not just be able to feel younger, but actually become younger. Through a page-turning narrative, Dr. Sinclair invites you into the process of scientific discovery and reveals the emerging technologies and simple lifestyle changes—such as intermittent fasting, cold exposure, exercising with the right intensity, and eating less meat—that have been shown to help us live younger and healthier for longer. At once a roadmap for taking charge of our own health destiny and a bold new vision for the future of humankind, Lifespan will forever change the way we think about why we age and what we can do about it”. (Summary from Amazon.com)
2. Ending Aging: The Rejuvenation Breakthroughs That Could Reverse Human Aging in Our Lifetime by Aubrey de Grey and Michae Rae.
About the book: “Must we age? A long life in a healthy, vigorous, youthful body has always been one of humanity’s greatest dreams. Recent progress in genetic manipulations and calorie-restricted diets in laboratory animals hold forth the promise that someday science will enable us to exert total control over our own biological aging. Nearly all scientists who study the biology of aging agree that we will someday be able to substantially slow down the aging process, extending our productive, youthful lives. Dr. Aubrey de Grey is perhaps the most bullish of all such researchers. As has been reported in media outlets ranging from 60 Minutes to The New York Times, Dr. de Grey believes that the key biomedical technology required to eliminate aging-derived debilitation and death entirely – technology that would not only slow but periodically reverse age-related physiological decay, leaving us biologically young into an indefinite future – is now within reach.
In Ending Aging, Dr. de Grey and his research assistant Michael Rae describe the details of this biotechnology. They explain that the aging of the human body, just like the aging of man-made machines, results from an accumulation of various types of damage. As with man-made machines, this damage can periodically be repaired, leading to indefinite extension of the machine’s fully functional lifetime, just as is routinely done with classic cars. We already know what types of damage accumulate in the human body, and we are moving rapidly toward the comprehensive development of technologies to remove that damage. By demystifying aging and its postponement for the non-specialist listener, de Grey and Rae systematically dismantle the fatalist presumption that aging will forever defeat the efforts of medical science.” (Summary from Amazon.com)
3. Life Force: How New Breakthroughs in Precision Medicine Can Transform the Quality of Your Life & Those You Love by Tony Robbins and Peter H. Diamandis and Robert Hariri.
About the book: “What if there were scientific solutions that could wipe out your deepest fears of falling ill, receiving a life-threatening diagnosis, or feeling the effects of aging? What if you had access to the same cutting-edge tools and technology used by peak performers and the world’s greatest athletes? In a world full of fear and uncertainty about our health, it can be difficult to know where to turn for actionable advice you can trust. Today, leading scientists and doctors in the field of regenerative medicine are developing diagnostic tools and safe and effective therapies that can free you from fear. In this book, Tony Robbins, the world’s #1 life and business strategist who has coached more than fifty million people, brings you more than 100 of the world’s top medical minds and the latest research, inspiring comeback stories, and amazing advancements in precision medicine that you can apply today to help extend the length and quality of your life.”
“This book is the result of Robbins going on his own life-changing journey. After being told that his health challenges were irreversible, he experienced firsthand how new regenerative technology not only helped him heal but made him stronger than ever before. Life Force will show you how you can wake up every day with increased energy, a more bulletproof immune system, and the know-how to help turn back your biological clock. This is a book for everyone, from peak performance athletes, to the average person who wants to increase their energy and strength, to those looking for healing. Life Force provides answers that can transform and even save your life, or that of someone you love.” (Summary from Amazon.com)
By Gary Miceli