5 ways to slow aging

Lifespan, health span, and five lifestyle choices for longevity.

There’s nothing wrong with getting old. What’s wrong are the biological dysfunctions that happen with age. When we talk about slowing aging, it’s not just about increasing the lifespan. It’s also about increasing the healthspan.

We are fortunate that longevity experts like Peter Attia, David Sinclair, and Mark Hyman are experimenting enough in their labs and on their bodies to find ways to slow or even reverse aging.

Here are five such ways:

Skipping a meal randomly

The goal of skipping a meal is to reduce the calorie intake of the day. People who are smaller and who eat less tend to live longer. So if you want to look and feel younger, surprise your body by skipping a meal randomly.

Incidentally, I’m fasting today for Karwa Chauth. For non-Indian readers, it’s a festival where married women fast all day for the long life of their husbands.

As much as I and my fasting friends would love for this logic to work, we are working on our longevity by fasting 😅. Our husbands have to skip a meal or two to work on theirs!

Adopting Mediterranean diet

The Mediterranean diet is the gold standard of all diets.

A study published in 2022 suggests that adopting a Mediterranean diet can add years, up to a decade, to your life!

It is because plant-rich foods and olive oil intake are known to improve overall fitness and reduce the risk of chronic diseases later in life.

This doesn’t mean we can feast on baklava, the dessert pastry, though 😉. High intake of sugar is the root cause of all sicknesses.

Quitting added sugars

If there is one thing that’s screwing up our aging and health, it’s sugar. As natural foods like fruits, dairy, grain, etc. already contain sugar, it’s best to avoid added sugars.

I already wrote a post describing my journey to quitting added sugars so I won’t go into details here. Please check it out if you haven’t already.

Making your home junk food free

Changing your environment is easier than relying on willpower.

• If your freezer has a tub of your favorite ice cream, you will be tempted to have it after a tiring day at work.

• If you have a junk food drawer, kids will be tempted to pick up candy every now and then.

• If your fridge contains sweet drinks, you will grab them someday.

The worst thing I can possibly eat in a moment of weakness is a piece of dark chocolate.

— Peter Attia

This holds true, especially during festivities. As we know, festivities and sugary, junk food go hand in hand!

As we approach Diwali, Halloween, Christmas, and New Year’s, let’s make our homes junk food free.

Walking post dinner

Blood sugar levels tend to peak after meals. Walking after meals, especially post-dinner is especially beneficial in minimizing blood sugar spikes.

I find a 30-minute walk (~ 3000-4000 steps) to be ideal. Although it’s a good idea to walk post dinner every day, it’s super helpful if you have had a heavy and/or a late meal.

The best part about making these lifestyle choices is that they won’t just lead to a healthier life when you’re older, they will also 10x your mind and body in current times 🙌.