Longevity experts tell the secret to living a long life

The multi-billion dollar longevity industry grows in parallel with people’s need for care. Today’s super-rich are willing to spend tens of thousands of dollars to implement strange measures such as increased blood exchange. However, according to Mary Ní Lochlainn, a gerontology researcher at King’s College London, implementing healthy habits early can have the same effect and is not expensive.

She shares some tips to help increase longevity naturally without using drugs, supplements or extreme forms of therapy.

Combine resistance exercises and cardio

Ms. Ní Lochlainn combines strength and resistance training with cardio exercises. She cycles 6 miles to work every day, plays tennis weekly and does one hour of resistance training each week with a personal trainer.

According to experts, aerobic and cardio exercises, such as cycling, are very good for the cardiovascular system. However, endurance exercises are the key to helping people age healthily. Research shows that the human body begins to lose muscle mass in their 30s. Maintaining muscle as you age helps prevent falls and weakness. To do that, people need to build muscle from a young age.

A 2022 study of 99,000 people ages 55 to 74 conducted by researchers at the National Cancer Institute found that people who exercised resistance once or twice per week had a 41% lower mortality rate than those who did resistance training. others.

Supplement vitamin D

Ms. Ní Lochlainn always pays attention to vitamin D supplementation, partly because of the characteristics of her living environment. With weather conditions in the UK, people are often deficient in this vitamin. The above situation also occurs in America. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, one in four Americans do not get enough vitamin D. This nutrient is important for bone health and preventing osteoporosis.

The agency recommends that adults 19 to 70 years old get 15 micrograms of the vitamin every day by sunbathing, taking dietary supplements, and eating whole grains and fatty fish.

Intermittent fasting

Ms. Ní Lochlainn practices intermittent fasting. This is one of the popular forms of diet that many people have adopted in recent years. This is a term that describes cyclical dieting and fasting. The method gives the body enough time to fully consume food, while strictly limiting the amount of calories consumed.

There are two forms of intermittent fasting: restricting your eating time during the day (eating for 6-8 hours and fasting for the remaining 16-18 hours) or continuous fasting for 16 to 24 hours, twice a week .

Unlike famous diet trends that are hyped on social networks, intermittent fasting is supported by many experts and has clear research on its benefits. This regimen is recommended by some doctors for people with type 2 diabetes, or people who need to lose weight.