Longevity tells us how to live longer and healthier, and to ensure we live active, productive, and healthy lives even as we age. How exactly does medicine define longevity? And what simple changes to your lifestyle can you make to live beyond your life expectancy?
Longevity is a field of medicine which tells us how to live longer and healthier. Its main goal is to not only prolong the lifespan, but also ensure we live active, productive, and healthy lives even as we age. How exactly do we define longevity? What simple changes to your lifestyle can you make to live beyond your life expectancy? To learn the answers, read the article.
What does longevity mean?
The definition of longevity is living a longer and healthier life. It means how long a person is going to live, and how healthy his later life will be. You can also understand the term longevity as the description of the state when a person lives beyond their average life expectancy (1).
Longevity includes three concepts:
- extending individual’s lifespan
- expanding the health of an individual (healthspan = living longer free of diseases)
- controlling and reversing the hallmarks of aging
3 factors that affect your longevity
Many factors may determine how long and how healthy you live. These factors include:
1. Genetics
Longevity is influenced by genetics. Studies show that about 25% of longevity differences among people are influenced by genetic contributions. These gene variants are genes responsible for housekeeping the cell against the hallmarks of aging. They are responsible for maintaining the telomeres (ends of chromosomes), repairing DNA, and protecting the cell against oxidative stress (production of reactive oxygen species by mitochondria) (2).
2. Environment
The environment plays a crucial role in longevity. For example, one of the environmental factors is air quality. During the lockdown, Europe's mortality decreased thanks to reduced air pollutants from vehicles and industries (3). Another environmental factor that can extend longevity is living in higher altitudes.
- Did you know that there are a few geographic areas in the world called Blue Zones, where people live longer and have lower risks for chronic diseases (4)? These Blue Zones include Okinawa (Japan), Ikaria (Greece), Sardinia (Italy), Loma Linda (California), and Nicoya (Costa Rica).
3. Lifestyle
Along with the genetic and environmental factors, you can directly influence your health and longevity by your lifestyle choices. A healthy diet and a programmed physical routine can boost health and thus enhance longevity (5). However, it is important to keep in mind that every person is individual, and the things that work for you will be different from the things that work for others. The best way to improve your longevity is to base your lifestyle on the results of your personalized medical diagnostics.
What longevity diagnostics are there?
The aim of Healthy Longevity Clinic is to shift medicine from treating the symptoms of disease to preventing it. Tracking your body gives insights about how you can control your aging process and promote a healthier life. That’s why we always start every treatment with detailed, highly individualized longevity diagnostics. We use different diagnostic tools to assess longevity, such as genetic screening, physiological measures, or epigenetic clocks.
Genetic screening
Genetic Screening is used to quantify genetically the risks you have for having certain diseases. Scientists have discovered several potential life-shortening genetic variants. These genetic risk variants may increase the risk of specific diseases such as cancer, dementia, and heart disease. If you have these variants, you should take extra precautions and aim for a healthy lifestyle early in life to mitigate adverse outcomes (6). Book a free consultation with a longevity specialist to learn more.
Physiological measurements
Many changes occur to the cells as you age. Some of these changes are microscopic that lead to modifications in the cell and have many consequences on physiological levels. Here is a list of physiological tests that are actionable today in a health or longevity clinic to quantify health:
- Pulse wave velocity for cardiovascular aging: with age, arteries stiffen and the heart becomes less able to expand. Electrocardiogram and tonometry (tests eye pressure) should be tested (6).
- Heart rate variability: with age, a change in heart rate variability ultimately becomes associated with heart failure. Subsequently, any aging intervention for the heart should demonstrate a return to more youthful patterns (7).
- Grip strength and mortality: there is a strong correlation between reduced grip strength and mortality, assessed in multiple studies. Grip strength correlates with mortality and specific diseases such as cardiovascular problems and general frailty. It has become a "gold standard" in geriatric medicine and should be tested before and after any aging intervention (8).
- Visceral fat accumulation: visceral fat accumulates more with age and is tied to all-cause mortality in many studies and specifically cardiovascular health (9).
- Vital lung capacity (VO2 max): lung function declines with age, reducing exercise capacity. It can be quantified with spirometry and plethysmography (10).
Learn more about the tests we use in Healthy Longevity Clinic.
Epigenetic clocks
In addition to the genome that you inherit from your parents, there is the epigenome. Epigenome controls the expression of genes by specific mechanisms. Epigenetic clocks are designed to target the epigenetic regions that control age-related diseases. The one that so far has the best prediction for mortality endpoints is the GrimAge clock (11).
4 ways to improve your longevity
Based on your specific biomarkers revealed in medical testing, you can go beyond your life expectancy and maximize your longevity by following some approaches and changing your lifestyle. These approaches include:
1. Regular exercise
Exercise is one of the most critical factors for health and longevity, regardless of age. There are many positive effects of exercise. They involve almost every aspect of the body and brain by decreasing risk, treating, and preventing diseases, including non-communicable and, in particular, cardiovascular diseases (12). It may take as little as 15 minutes of exercise each day to gain many benefits, like additional three years of life (13).
2. Eat healthy plant foods
The kitchen might be the key to better longevity. Many studies link eating plants to a lower risk of death. It also decreases the risk of many diseases such as metabolic syndrome, cancer, heart disease, depression, and brain deterioration. This protective role of plants can be attributed to antioxidants found in them, which include polyphenols, carotenoids, folate, and vitamin C (14).
3. Good sleep pattern
Sleep is needed to regulate cell function and heal your body. Having a regular and consistent sleeping pattern is crucial, therefore you should try to have a specific time to sleep and wake up every day (15). Sleeping duration is also important. Sleeping too little or in excess may decrease your longevity (16, 17).
4. Nurture social life
You can live up to 50% longer with a healthy social network (18). It has been found that having just three social ties can decrease your premature death risk by more than 200% (19). Having a strong and healthy social circle is linked to less stress, which explains social life's positive effect on longevity (20, 21).
You can prolong your life
Extensive research has been conducted to prove that human longevity can be extended with proper interventions. Effective strategies include physical activity, a healthy diet, proper sleep schedule, and many others. In addition, there are some supplements that can enhance longevity. But prior to adopting or undergoing any of the approaches listed above, it is always recommended to seek a healthcare professional’s advice.
Regular check-ups, tests, and preventive care can help you stay healthy and live longer. At the Healthy Longevity Clinic, you will find many tests that reveal what changes you should make in your lifestyle to boost longevity. Book a free consultation to find out more.
Longevity is a field of medicine which tells us how to live longer and healthier. Its main goal is to not only prolong the lifespan, but also ensure we live active, productive, and healthy lives even as we age. How exactly do we define longevity? What simple changes to your lifestyle can you make to live beyond your life expectancy? To learn the answers, read the article.
What does longevity mean?
The definition of longevity is living a longer and healthier life. It means how long a person is going to live, and how healthy his later life will be. You can also understand the term longevity as the description of the state when a person lives beyond their average life expectancy (1).
Longevity includes three concepts:
- extending individual’s lifespan
- expanding the health of an individual (healthspan = living longer free of diseases)
- controlling and reversing the hallmarks of aging
3 factors that affect your longevity
Many factors may determine how long and how healthy you live. These factors include:
1. Genetics
Longevity is influenced by genetics. Studies show that about 25% of longevity differences among people are influenced by genetic contributions. These gene variants are genes responsible for housekeeping the cell against the hallmarks of aging. They are responsible for maintaining the telomeres (ends of chromosomes), repairing DNA, and protecting the cell against oxidative stress (production of reactive oxygen species by mitochondria) (2).
2. Environment
The environment plays a crucial role in longevity. For example, one of the environmental factors is air quality. During the lockdown, Europe's mortality decreased thanks to reduced air pollutants from vehicles and industries (3). Another environmental factor that can extend longevity is living in higher altitudes.
- Did you know that there are a few geographic areas in the world called Blue Zones, where people live longer and have lower risks for chronic diseases (4)? These Blue Zones include Okinawa (Japan), Ikaria (Greece), Sardinia (Italy), Loma Linda (California), and Nicoya (Costa Rica).
3. Lifestyle
Along with the genetic and environmental factors, you can directly influence your health and longevity by your lifestyle choices. A healthy diet and a programmed physical routine can boost health and thus enhance longevity (5). However, it is important to keep in mind that every person is individual, and the things that work for you will be different from the things that work for others. The best way to improve your longevity is to base your lifestyle on the results of your personalized medical diagnostics.
What longevity diagnostics are there?
The aim of Healthy Longevity Clinic is to shift medicine from treating the symptoms of disease to preventing it. Tracking your body gives insights about how you can control your aging process and promote a healthier life. That’s why we always start every treatment with detailed, highly individualized longevity diagnostics. We use different diagnostic tools to assess longevity, such as genetic screening, physiological measures, or epigenetic clocks.
Genetic screening
Genetic Screening is used to quantify genetically the risks you have for having certain diseases. Scientists have discovered several potential life-shortening genetic variants. These genetic risk variants may increase the risk of specific diseases such as cancer, dementia, and heart disease. If you have these variants, you should take extra precautions and aim for a healthy lifestyle early in life to mitigate adverse outcomes (6). Book a free consultation with a longevity specialist to learn more.
Physiological measurements
Many changes occur to the cells as you age. Some of these changes are microscopic that lead to modifications in the cell and have many consequences on physiological levels. Here is a list of physiological tests that are actionable today in a health or longevity clinic to quantify health:
- Pulse wave velocity for cardiovascular aging: with age, arteries stiffen and the heart becomes less able to expand. Electrocardiogram and tonometry (tests eye pressure) should be tested (6).
- Heart rate variability: with age, a change in heart rate variability ultimately becomes associated with heart failure. Subsequently, any aging intervention for the heart should demonstrate a return to more youthful patterns (7).
- Grip strength and mortality: there is a strong correlation between reduced grip strength and mortality, assessed in multiple studies. Grip strength correlates with mortality and specific diseases such as cardiovascular problems and general frailty. It has become a "gold standard" in geriatric medicine and should be tested before and after any aging intervention (8).
- Visceral fat accumulation: visceral fat accumulates more with age and is tied to all-cause mortality in many studies and specifically cardiovascular health (9).
- Vital lung capacity (VO2 max): lung function declines with age, reducing exercise capacity. It can be quantified with spirometry and plethysmography (10).
Learn more about the tests we use in Healthy Longevity Clinic.
Epigenetic clocks
In addition to the genome that you inherit from your parents, there is the epigenome. Epigenome controls the expression of genes by specific mechanisms. Epigenetic clocks are designed to target the epigenetic regions that control age-related diseases. The one that so far has the best prediction for mortality endpoints is the GrimAge clock (11).
4 ways to improve your longevity
Based on your specific biomarkers revealed in medical testing, you can go beyond your life expectancy and maximize your longevity by following some approaches and changing your lifestyle. These approaches include:
1. Regular exercise
Exercise is one of the most critical factors for health and longevity, regardless of age. There are many positive effects of exercise. They involve almost every aspect of the body and brain by decreasing risk, treating, and preventing diseases, including non-communicable and, in particular, cardiovascular diseases (12). It may take as little as 15 minutes of exercise each day to gain many benefits, like additional three years of life (13).
2. Eat healthy plant foods
The kitchen might be the key to better longevity. Many studies link eating plants to a lower risk of death. It also decreases the risk of many diseases such as metabolic syndrome, cancer, heart disease, depression, and brain deterioration. This protective role of plants can be attributed to antioxidants found in them, which include polyphenols, carotenoids, folate, and vitamin C (14).
3. Good sleep pattern
Sleep is needed to regulate cell function and heal your body. Having a regular and consistent sleeping pattern is crucial, therefore you should try to have a specific time to sleep and wake up every day (15). Sleeping duration is also important. Sleeping too little or in excess may decrease your longevity (16, 17).
4. Nurture social life
You can live up to 50% longer with a healthy social network (18). It has been found that having just three social ties can decrease your premature death risk by more than 200% (19). Having a strong and healthy social circle is linked to less stress, which explains social life's positive effect on longevity (20, 21).
You can prolong your life
Extensive research has been conducted to prove that human longevity can be extended with proper interventions. Effective strategies include physical activity, a healthy diet, proper sleep schedule, and many others. In addition, there are some supplements that can enhance longevity. But prior to adopting or undergoing any of the approaches listed above, it is always recommended to seek a healthcare professional’s advice.
Regular check-ups, tests, and preventive care can help you stay healthy and live longer. At the Healthy Longevity Clinic, you will find many tests that reveal what changes you should make in your lifestyle to boost longevity. Book a free consultation to find out more.
- Garmany A, Yamada S, Terzic A. Longevity leap: mind the healthspan gap. NPJ Regenerative medicine. 2021;6(1):57.
- Passarino G, De Rango F, Montesanto A. Human longevity: Genetics or Lifestyle? It takes two to tango. Immunity & ageing : I & A. 2016;13:12.
- Schneider R, Masselot P, Vicedo-Cabrera AM, Sera F, Blangiardo M, Forlani C, et al. Differential impact of government lockdown policies on reducing air pollution levels and related mortality in Europe. Scientific reports. 2022;12(1):726.
- Buettner D, Skemp S. Blue Zones: Lessons From the World's Longest Lived. American journal of lifestyle medicine. 2016;10(5):318-21.
- Fastame MC. Well-being, food habits, and lifestyle for longevity. Preliminary evidence from the sardinian centenarians and long-lived people of the Blue Zone. Psychology, health & medicine. 2022;27(3):728-33.
- Manolio TA, Chisholm RL, Ozenberger B, Roden DM, Williams MS, Wilson R, et al. Implementing genomic medicine in the clinic: the future is here. Genetics in medicine : official journal of the American College of Medical Genetics. 2013;15(4):258-67.
- Almeida-Santos MA, Barreto-Filho JA, Oliveira JL, Reis FP, da Cunha Oliveira CC, Sousa AC. Aging, heart rate variability and patterns of autonomic regulation of the heart. Archives of gerontology and geriatrics. 2016;63:1-8.
- Bohannon RW. Grip Strength: An Indispensable Biomarker For Older Adults. Clinical interventions in aging. 2019;14:1681-91.
- Kuk JL, Katzmarzyk PT, Nichaman MZ, Church TS, Blair SN, Ross R. Visceral fat is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in men. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md). 2006;14(2):336-41.
- Sharma G, Goodwin J. Effect of aging on respiratory system physiology and immunology. Clinical interventions in aging. 2006;1(3):253-60.
- Lu AT, Quach A, Wilson JG, Reiner AP, Aviv A, Raj K, et al. DNA methylation GrimAge strongly predicts lifespan and healthspan. Aging. 2019;11(2):303-27.
- Pedersen BK. Which type of exercise keeps you young? Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care. 2019;22(2):167-73.
- Wen CP, Wai JP, Tsai MK, Yang YC, Cheng TY, Lee MC, et al. Minimum amount of physical activity for reduced mortality and extended life expectancy: a prospective cohort study. Lancet (London, England). 2011;378(9798):1244-53.
- Chrysohoou C, Stefanadis C. Longevity and diet. Myth or pragmatism? Maturitas. 2013;76(4):303-7.
- Mazzotti DR, Guindalini C, Moraes WA, Andersen ML, Cendoroglo MS, Ramos LR, et al. Human longevity is associated with regular sleep patterns, maintenance of slow wave sleep, and favorable lipid profile. Frontiers in aging neuroscience. 2014;6:134.
- Cappuccio FP, D'Elia L, Strazzullo P, Miller MA. Sleep duration and all-cause mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis of prospective studies. Sleep. 2010;33(5):585-92.
- Gallicchio L, Kalesan B. Sleep duration and mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Sleep Research. 2009;18(2):148-58.
- Berkman LF, Syme SL. Social networks, host resistance, and mortality: a nine-year follow-up study of Alameda County residents. American journal of epidemiology. 1979;109(2):186-204.
- Brummett BH, Barefoot JC, Siegler IC, Clapp-Channing NE, Lytle BL, Bosworth HB, et al. Characteristics of socially isolated patients with coronary artery disease who are at elevated risk for mortality. Psychosomatic medicine. 2001;63(2):267-72.
- Thoits PA. Stress, coping, and social support processes: where are we? What next? Journal of health and social behavior. 1995;Spec No:53-79.
- Glynn LM, Christenfeld N, Gerin W. Gender, social support, and cardiovascular responses to stress. Psychosomatic medicine. 1999;61(2):234-42.
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