Longevity - the science of healthy ageing
What would it be like to remain mentally sharp and physically fit beyond the age of 100? And what is our body capable of when we take optimal care of it? The fascination with longevity has captivated us for centuries. The term longevity is derived from the Latin word longaevitās. In ancient Rome, clever minds combined the words longus (long) and vita (life). In this blog, we delve into what it is and offer tips on how you can enhance your longevity. Will you join us?
Today, longevity is seen as the science of (healthy) ageing. It is a branch of science concerned with how we can live longer and healthier lives. The primary goal is not just to blow out more candles but also to ensure that we remain fit, active, and healthy enough to do the things we love most. Even in later life.
Previously, the focus was solely on extending our lifespan, but now the emphasis is on living our years as healthily and vitally as possible (healthspan). Healthspan goes beyond mere lifespan. It emphasises staying healthy and preventing chronic (age-related) diseases.
Life expectancy now vs. then
Compared to a century ago, we live much longer today. If you are born in the Netherlands now, the average life expectancy is 81 years. Whereas our great-grandparents born around 1900 had an average life expectancy of only 44 years. Nowadays, we live almost twice as long! This leap in life years is mainly due to improvements in medicine, technology, healthcare, living conditions, and nutrition.
The rapid advances in medicine and technology have also led to a long focus on life extension and new ways of healing. This resulted in prevention and health maintenance receiving too little attention. So, we are living longer, but not necessarily healthier.
Healthspan vs. lifespan
The term "healthspan" refers to the years in which we enjoy both good health and a high quality of life. We also have the term "lifespan," which represents our average life duration. Healthspan goes beyond just how old we become. It emphasises staying healthy and preventing chronic (age-related) diseases.
And although our lifespan has been increasing for years — our life expectancy has doubled in the last 100 years — our healthspan is still lagging. We are getting older, but our quality of life is not growing proportionately.
The gap between lifespan and healthspan has even been scientifically demonstrated and is estimated to be around 9 years. The World Health Organisation (WHO) predicts that a child born in the Netherlands today will spend 71 (70.89) of the 82 (81.79) years of life in good health. Within longevity, a great deal of research is being conducted on this. For example, studies are being conducted on how ageing works precisely, as well as ways to slow, stop, or even reverse the ageing process.
The revolution of longer life
In the past, longevity enthusiasts purely aimed to live as long as possible, at least 150 years. But what is the use of those extra years if you cannot live them in good health? If you do live to such an age, then naturally, you would want to be super vital and full of energy so you can continue doing the things you love the most.
"Longevity is only desirable if it prolongs being young, not drags out being old." - Alexis Carrel
Today, proponents of longevity embrace Alexis Carrel's principle. The new resolution is to reach the same age, but fitter, more vital, more energetic, and more self-aware. If this also leads to getting older, then that's a bonus.
Good to know: the influence of our DNA and genetic makeup on our life expectancy is relatively small; only about 20-30 percent. The remaining 70-80 percent is determined by factors such as lifestyle, mindset, and environment. Regardless of your situation, there is always room for (potential) improvement so that you can age healthily.
Blue Zones
Before Dan Buettner published the article "The Secrets of Long Life" in National Geographic magazine in 2005, 'blue zones' mainly referred to the oceans. Today, the Blue Zones are five hotspots in the world where the population lives exceptionally long lives.
At that time, Buettner and his team searched for places where not only an above-average number of centenarians lived but also people who aged without health problems. Based on these criteria, the five Blue Zones were identified:
- Ikaria in Greece
- Okinawa in Japan
- Ogliastra in Sardinia
- Loma Linda in California
- Nicoya in Costa Rica
What do the Blue Zones have in common?
What stands out most is that the inhabitants of Blue Zones live somewhat isolated lives – whether on a (peninsula), in mountainous areas, or in a village. Despite living quite remotely, they all have access to medical care.
The Blue Zones are mainly located in sunny, subtropical to tropical areas, so a vitamin D deficiency is rare. This is beneficial because researchers suspect that a deficiency in the sun vitamin can shorten lifespan. Moreover, the inhabitants all follow a lifestyle rich in tradition, family, and community. They mainly live on their own farms and work as shepherds or fishermen. This means they are constantly active and spend a lot of time outdoors in nature. Their diet mainly consists of local (self-caught or grown), fresh, and unprocessed foods, while processed products rarely or never appear on the menu.
What can we learn from the Blue Zones? With these tips, you can support your longevity
We cannot really compare the living conditions of our society with those of the Blue Zones, but we can certainly learn a few things:
- Exercise every day, preferably outdoors. Alternate between gentle forms of physical activity (walking, yoga, cycling) and a good session where you work up a sweat. Did you know that just 15 minutes of exercise a day can help you live 3 years longer? Read more in this blog about how to incorporate exercise into your daily routine.
- Eat the rainbow. Although there is always much debate about which diet is best, almost every diet agrees that eating unprocessed foods and more fruits and vegetables is the way to go. Eating a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, berries, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and legumes has been shown to be good for health and reduces the risk of various diseases. Read more about how to eat healthily and with great variety in this blog.
- A spoonful less. A lot of research is currently being done on the link between the number of calories we consume and our lifespan. Several (animal) studies suggest that reducing a normal calorie intake by 10-50% can extend our life years.
- Work on your sleep routine. Sleep is incredibly important for our health; without sleep, our bodies cannot recover properly. Researchers have discovered that healthy ageing is even linked to having a regular sleep pattern. It is therefore worthwhile to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. Not only to make the most of your day with energy, but also for later! Read more in this blog.
- Stress less and relax more. Stress is often called a silent killer because prolonged or chronic stress significantly increases the risk of health problems. If you have to juggle multiple responsibilities, it's important to make time to relax every day. Read more about how to teach your nervous system to relax again.
- Hug your loved ones. Being close to friends and family is not only enjoyable, but it also makes us happier and healthier, and helps us live longer. Various studies have shown that a strong social network has a positive effect on the health of our heart, brain, hormone balance, and immune system. How amazing is that?
Mark Hyman writes in his book Young Forever: "Live close to nature. Love deeply. Eat simple food raised sustainably. Move naturally. Laugh and rest. Actually live (And live longer, as it turns out).”
Sources:
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