The 5 longevity buckets you need to fill to increase your lifespan
Just about everyone wants to live a long, happy, and healthy life. So many factors in our life can affect our biological age — diet, stress, physical exercise, emotional stressors, etc.
In addition to how you live your lifestyle, your mind plays a crucial role in your aging process. Sergey Young — a longevity expert and founder of the Longevity Vision Fund, takes a psychological approach to aging. He says: “If you think you’re younger, your body actually works differently.”
Here is the thing: If you think you are 40 years old, then your mind and body will act like you are 40. It’s all within your mind. Because, in the end, physical age is just the number.
Sergey Young has made a mission to live up to 200 and has helped a billion people to live a long and healthy life. He identified what he calls lifestyle “longevity buckets” that can help you live a healthier life and increase your lifespan.
In his episode of the Mindbodygreen podcast, he shares the 5 longevity buckets you need to fill if you want to live a long and healthy life.
Do Annual Checkups
Young puts importance on comprehensive annual checkups. These are your typical wellness visits to your general doctor to assess your health and the condition of your body. Here’s why they are important.
- They help prevent illness and expedite recovery
- They are cheaper and more effective than targeted treatments of health problems
- Annual screenings and tests can help you identify early-stage health issues
Avoid Doing Stupid Things
He stresses the importance of avoiding what he calls “ stupid things.” Stupid things are mindless habits people engage in that can affect their health. One of those habits can be smoking, which takes 10 years from your lifespan. It can also be heavy alcohol consumption. Another one is as simple as not wearing your seatbelt. In the end, it all comes down to choices you make every day that can impact your health. Little mindless habits can add up and lead to bigger problems in the future.
Use Food as Medicine
You’ve heard the saying: “Take care of your body and your body will take care of you.” The basic premise of it is: If you look at food as fuel for your body, your body will support you. With that said, your diet should consist of a healthy balance between proteins, fats, and carbs.
Young, who eats meat only once every two weeks, recommends a plant-based approach to eating. If you choose to eat meat, go for grass-fed meat and wild-caught fish, which are free of antibiotics.
Stay Physically Active
It’s a no-brainer — physical activity helps you stay in shape and promote a healthy lifestyle. Young recommends engaging in some kind of cardio activity every day — for about 30–45 minutes. This is so that your heart is pumping and your cardiovascular system is active.
Doing a little bit of physical activity each day is better than being sedentary for many days in a row and then pushing yourself to extremes. As Young says, “Any movement is good. So let’s just make sure we integrate it into our daily and weekly routine.” He also suggests a daily walk for those who are seeking a simple physical activity.
Maintain Peace of Mind
The peace of mind cluster includes sleep, meditation, socialization, and purpose. Each of these aspects can affect your lifespan.
And there is a relationship between all of them — if you don’t get enough sleep, you don’t relieve your stress, and your body can’t rejuvenate. If you’re lonely, it can also affect your longevity.
So how much sleep should you get? Here’s what Young says, “My rule is eight hours in the bed, seven hours of sleep.” And it’s not just the sleep quantity that matters — quality is important too.
The Takeaway
Anyone can live a long and happy life. It’s all a matter of improving the habits we engage in every day. Practicing mindful habits such as doing annual check-ups, avoiding bad habits, using food as medicine, staying physically active, and maintaining peace of mind will help you live a longer life.
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