**Official Longevity Thread** (1 Viewer)

[Terminalxylem]

How long do you want to live?

I've read a few books on this topic: Lifespan, Outlive, The Blue Zones , and The Longevity Bible.

The take home points are:

1. Genetics only play a minor role in how long you live.
2. Regular exercise/activity is really important.
3. Plant-based diets also help.
4. Calorie restriction and/or fasting extend life in many animals, and maybe humans.
5. Supplements are unproven.
6. Family, community, and spiritual involvement are common in long lived populations.
7. Don't neglect mental health and sleep.

I can expound on any of those points, but I'm more interested in what other people are doing. There are dozens of finance threads, but far fewer discussing our most important asset: time.

What are you doing to improve your life/healthspan?

 

[FairWarning]

Good topic and something I have thought about since losing both parents. Being a caregiver, unfortunately I question everything ithe last few years. I don’t want to suffer the crippling arthritis that my father had, nor have Alzheimer’s like my mother did.

 

[NutterButter]

I retirement plan for 100 but don't really have a specific desirable age in mind; certainly past 80. I think at that point, I'll be beyond the traveling and grandkid years. Just continue to do what I can to maximize my quality of life and find a routine that provides me with a sense of purpose.

 

[Da Guru]

The last 2 years I have slowly built up my sleep schedule. Sound sleep is the key.

Now I sleep at least 8 hours and sometimes 9. Usually right around 8 1/2 hours every night. Used to sleep 6 and now I feel 100% better.

Do some sort of exercise everyday. Usually 45-60 minutes of weight training, and walk 2-3 miles later in day. If I don`t lift I will stretch then walk 3-4 miles.

 

[rockaction]

How long do you want to live?

I want to live forever like Oasis. The group, that is. I don't want to be stuck in the desert.

2. Regular exercise/activity is really important.
3. Plant-based diets also help.
4. Calorie restriction and/or fasting extend life in many animals, and maybe humans.

Sounds right. Sound like everything I've read.

 

[DA RAIDERS]

My goal is 85 for some reason. But if my quality of life sucks, I’m good with earlier. I exercise, eat pretty well, have really cut back on drinking. Sleep is the one thing on that list that needs work. We’ll see how it goes.

 

[dutch]

72

 

[Dezbelief]

I'm shooting for 100.

 

[SoBeDad]

There are genes that cut life short, some like the breast cancer gene that Angelina Jolie had can cause early death. There are also risk factors genes like APOE that can increase risk for cardiovascular disease and Alzheimers. If you have APOE44 genotype, about 2-3% of the population, your risk for Alzheimers increases up to 10-fold and up to 10 years earlier, think 60s, instead of 70s and 80s which is more typical. Having only 1 APOE4 allele (~12% of people) increases risk for AD modestly. OTOH, the more rare APOE2 allele is a longevity gene. I've read that longevity is about 20-40% heritable. Genetics doesn't play a minor role, so pick your parents well. Exceptional longevity has a big genetic component, check out this photo of 7 generations in a Centenarian Study at BU.

I want to live as long as I'm healthy enough physically and cognitively to live independently. Happiness will also be a factor, and that may depend on finances. 80s sounds good - that's almost 20 years away and I feel like I'll be able to do things I like based on my current trajectory. I am walking 3 hours a day, 3 times a week. But alot can happen before then. For those of us with kids, longevity can mean being a burden, but also going to weddings, grandkids and more.

 

[SoBeDad]

If you expect to live into your 80s and beyond, prepare to live without a car. Uber/Lyft and other services can help.

 

[Scoresman]

Regular exercise - Define regular.
Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.
Calorie restriction - I have been counting calories and losing weight recently. Fasting? No.
Supplements - Nope
Family/Community - Family is a big deal for me.
Sleep- Now this is where I excel. I get at least 8 hours a night even though I can function on about 6. I’m hoping the extra sleep offsets the red meat and lack of exercise.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Good points above for those without cars, any additional exercise helps. But even those who can't live without them can do things like parking further away. I had a job where the company paid parking was not exactly close to my desk, the walk in and out of work was somewhat refreshing. The people I worry about are some of those who work from home and just have everything delivered. Not much of a workout/fresh air just walking to your front door.

 

[TripItUp]

Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.

Many experts are now saying plant based diets are too low in protein.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.

Many experts are now saying plant based diets are too low in protein.

which experts? It is very easy to get all the protein you need from plant based diets.

 

[NutterButter]

This thread is about to go off the rails.

 

[NewlyRetired]

My dad is 93 and my mom is 90.

My dad's mind started going a few years ago, so if I get my dad's gene's, mid to late 80's seems like a sweet spot.

My mom is sharper today than ever. If I get my mom's genes, early to mid 90's would be awesome.

Anything that does not make me a burden to my daughter though is my ultimate preference.

 

[TripItUp]

Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.

Many experts are now saying plant based diets are too low in protein.

which experts? It is very easy to get all the protein you need from plant based diets.

I disagree that it’s very easy.

Check out Peter Attia.

 

[Snoopy]

According to this, I should already be dead.

 

[General Malaise]

Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.

Many experts are now saying plant based diets are too low in protein.

which experts? It is very easy to get all the protein you need from plant based diets.

I disagree that it’s very easy.

Check out Peter Attia.

Why do you say it's not easy? There are a lot of plant based foods that have protein. Nuts have a lot of protein.

 

[General Malaise]

The Roseto Effect is what I'm banking on. Family, a sense of community and a dog. Always have a dog. A dog that you have to walk.

I'll probably go plant based diet at some point too. But not yet. I've dabbled with it, it's fine but I really like steak and chicken and cheese and fish and pork. But I can live without it.

 

[Scoresman]

So what exactly is wrong with lean meat-based proteins that they are specifically excluded in favor of a solely plant based diet?

 

[Phil Elliott]

Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.

Many experts are now saying plant based diets are too low in protein.

Protein drinks like Boost/Ensure.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Good topic and something I have thought about since losing both parents. Being a caregiver, unfortunately I question everything ithe last few years. I don’t want to suffer the crippling arthritis that my father had, nor have Alzheimer’s like my mother did.

Caregivng is rough. Definitely incentive to do everything you can to improve healthspan.

I mentioned in another thread, but adopting healthy habits can make a meaningful difference, even if you start in middle age. Although we all will likely suffer in the end, healthy behaviors can delay suffering about a decade, and reduce the duration of debility roughly in half.

 

[Terminalxylem]

There are genes that cut life short, some like the breast cancer gene that Angelina Jolie had can cause early death. There are also risk factors genes like APOE that can increase risk for cardiovascular disease and Alzheimers. If you have APOE44 genotype, about 2-3% of the population, your risk for Alzheimers increases up to 10-fold and up to 10 years earlier, think 60s, instead of 70s and 80s which is more typical. Having only 1 APOE4 allele (~12% of people) increases risk for AD modestly. OTOH, the more rare APOE2 allele is a longevity gene. I've read that longevity is about 20-40% heritable. Genetics doesn't play a minor role, so pick your parents well. Exceptional longevity has a big genetic component, check out this photo of 7 generations in a Centenarian Study at BU.

I want to live as long as I'm healthy enough physically and cognitively to live independently. Happiness will also be a factor, and that may depend on finances. 80s sounds good - that's almost 20 years away and I feel like I'll be able to do things I like based on my current trajectory. I am walking 3 hours a day, 3 times a week. But alot can happen before then. For those of us with kids, longevity can mean being a burden, but also going to weddings, grandkids and more.

The usual number, derived from twin studies, is 25%. But even if it's as high as 40%, the majority of lifespan isn't determined by your genes. That's great news, as it's a lot easier to modify your lifestyle than parents. Then again, it wouldn't be surprising to see gene therapy becoming more accessible in our lifetime.

But you're right, genetics is more important in centenarians. The oldest woman who ever lived, Jeanne Calment, smoked, drank, and ate sweets regularly, yet survived to be 122. Clearly, she had the benefit of a longevity gene(s).

 

[Terminalxylem]

Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.

Many experts are now saying plant based diets are too low in protein.

Not really. All the diets in longevity hotspots are relatively low in protein, like 10-15% total calories, or less.

For example, Okinawans, the longest lived population on the planet, eat 9% protein, and 85% carbohydrates - way different than macronutrient composition of many contemporary diets.

That said, low protein intake is associated with increased mortality in people over 65. The thought is it contributes to sarcopenia (muscle loss), which contributes to falls in old age.

Conversely, moderate-high protein intake (15-20%+ calories) in middle age is associated with increased mortality, principally from cancer.

Why the discrepancy? Growth hormone promotes cell growth, including muscle and cancer cells. Certain amino acids exacerbate the risk, namely branched chain aa, methionine, and arginine. But growth hormone naturally decreases as we age.

So there is a tightrope to walk between cancer and frailty, with the balance favoring less protein in middle age, with more as growth hormone wanes.

Also important, exercise attenuates the rate of muscle loss, even with low protein intake. And plant protein contains less of the problematic amino acids than animal products.

I know Attia preaches to ramp up protein and build as much muscle as possible, but basic science and observational evidence doesn't really support his enthusiasm. Regular activity, including some strength training, plus modest protein intake, preferably from plant sources, appears to work just fine from a longevity standpoint.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Regular exercise - Define regular.

300-600 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic activity (like brisk walking) and ~40 minutes strength training/body weight exercise per week appears optimal on a population level. A minute of high intensity exercise (running ~10 min mile) counts about twice as much as a moderate minute, and may help boost your VO2 max, which has a huge effect on mortality.

Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.

Your choice, and admittedly, nutrition is a murky science. The low hanging fruits are eliminating ultra processed foods, refined sugars, and processed meats, while increasing legumes, whole grains and nuts. If you can do all that and attain a healthy weight, you're doing better than most.

Calorie restriction - I have been counting calories and losing weight recently. Fasting? No.

Caloric restriction by 25-30% has been studied extensively, and shown to extend lifespan in model organisms, including primates. Fasting has less data in animals, and none in humans (mortality benefit, that is). There are no long term clinical trials on CR in humans though, and one small study over two years showed subjects were only able to maintain 12% caloric reduction, on average.

Supplements - Nope

I'm with you, as long as your diet is good, though some interesting studies in the works.

Family/Community - Family is a big deal for me.

Yeah, it's hard to quantify, but a support network and sense of purpose are important.

Sleep- Now this is where I excel. I get at least 8 hours a night even though I can function on about 6. I’m hoping the extra sleep offsets the red meat and lack of exercise.

Optimal is around 7. And it definitely won't offset skimping on exercise. Red meat ain't great either, though if the rest of your diet is balanced, might not be a big deal.

 

[Terminalxylem]

If you expect to live into your 80s and beyond, prepare to live without a car. Uber/Lyft and other services can help.

There really should be a cap on drivers' licenses, or more regular road testing, at the minimum. I think autonomous drivers will make it all a moot point by the time I'm 80 (2052).

 

[Da Guru]

My goal is 85 for some reason. But if my quality of life sucks, I’m good with earlier. I exercise, eat pretty well, have really cut back on drinking. Sleep is the one thing on that list that needs work. We’ll see how it goes.

I would rather check out at 80, than 90 if my last 10 years I can`t take care of myself or be in a nursing home.

 

[Caveman33]

I read an interesting theory recently. The person claimed that iron could be our leading cause of aging, i.e. it makes us rust. When taking a blood test last year, my iron levels were on the higher side of the range but my ferritin or iron storage was on the lower side. I have not been kind to my body. Drugs, bad injuries, including smashing my face many times, never sleeping well, and yet I still look somewhat young. Maybe it's because my body doesn't store much iron.

 

[Tecumseh]

I read about a study the other day where scientists used CAR-T to target senescent cells (cells that no longer divide). When given to young mice, the mice lived longer and did not develop diseases like obesity and diabetes. When given to older mice, there was a reversal of these diseases and overall health improved significantly.

Of course most mouse studies don’t end up translating, but it will be CAR-T could be a game changer when it comes to these types of diseases, as well as Alzheimer’s.

To answer the question, like many above I just want to be independent, and not a burden. My biggest fear is someone having to change and bathe me. I’ve had several concussions in my life, and already have horrible long term memory issues. I’m very concerned about the potential for early onset Alzheimer’s, and have instructed my wife that if I ever feel that I’m getting to that point, I’ll be taking a long stroll off a short pier. She thinks I’m joking. I’m not.

 

[massraider]

Plant-based diet is not the same thing as vegan or vegetarian.

The concept is: Most calories come from veggies. That's it.

You can have a sausage pizza today, and a steak next week, and still be eating a plant-based diet.

 

[Tecumseh]

I read an interesting theory recently. The person claimed that iron could be our leading cause of aging, i.e. it makes us rust. When taking a blood test last year, my iron levels were on the higher side of the range but my ferritin or iron storage was on the lower side. I have not been kind to my body. Drugs, bad injuries, including smashing my face many times, never sleeping well, and yet I still look somewhat young. Maybe it's because my body doesn't store much iron.

This is interesting to me because a fair percentage of our patients get iron infusions. A few of them (all females) are in their 20’s. I wonder what the long term effects of that would be.

 

[Long Ball Larry]

Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.

Many experts are now saying plant based diets are too low in protein.

which experts? It is very easy to get all the protein you need from plant based diets.

I disagree that it’s very easy.

Check out Peter Attia.

What is not easy about it? All necessary amino acids can be consumed through plant-based proteins. What animal-based proteins are “easier”/“better” than plant-based proteins ?

 

[Caveman33]

I read an interesting theory recently. The person claimed that iron could be our leading cause of aging, i.e. it makes us rust. When taking a blood test last year, my iron levels were on the higher side of the range but my ferritin or iron storage was on the lower side. I have not been kind to my body. Drugs, bad injuries, including smashing my face many times, never sleeping well, and yet I still look somewhat young. Maybe it's because my body doesn't store much iron.

This is interesting to me because a fair percentage of our patients get iron infusions. A few of them (all females) are in their 20’s. I wonder what the long term effects of that would be.

It will be interesting to see. Women are typically lower on iron since they have monthly periods, etc. They also typically live longer.

Iron: an underrated factor in aging

Iron is an essential element for virtually all living organisms, but its reactivity also makes it potentially harmful. Iron accumulates with aging, and is associated with many age-related diseases; it also shortens the lifespans of several model organisms. ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

This is from an academic paper on iron and aging.

In experimental organisms and animals, blocking iron extends lifespan.

In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, limitation of iron increases chronological lifespan via inducing autophagy [15]. Autophagy is essential for lifespan extension, so this may be the ultimate means by which iron restriction or depletion extends lifespan, and iron excess promotes aging [16].

 

[Caveman33]

Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.

Many experts are now saying plant based diets are too low in protein.

which experts? It is very easy to get all the protein you need from plant based diets.

I disagree that it’s very easy.

Check out Peter Attia.

What is not easy about it? All necessary amino acids can be consumed through plant-based proteins. What animal-based proteins are “easier”/“better” than plant-based proteins ?

Eating a juicy steak is an easy way to get big doses of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B. I eat a lot of almonds because they are healthy, high in calories and protein and $4/lb at trader joes.

1 lb steak has ~1227 calories and ~112g protein. 1 lb of almonds ~2550 calories, ~90g protein. Eating even a 1/2 lb of almonds feels way more laborious than 1 lb steak.

Vegan diets can contain plenty of zinc but zinc-rich plants often contain phytate which lowers absorption during digestion. As it's less bioavailable, vegans and vegetarians are more likely to have low zinc levels.

Zinc supplementation of marginally zinc-deficient normal elderly men for six months resulted in an increase in serum testosterone from 8.3 +/- 6.3 to 16.0 +/- 4.4 nmol/L (p = 0.02). We conclude that zinc may play an important role in modulating serum testosterone levels in normal men.

 

[Caveman33]

Hmm, actually reading some of the paper on iron makes me think that I can expect to start aging rapidly.

A problem that organisms face in the use of iron in biological systems is protecting cells from iron damage. The very property of iron that makes it useful, its ability to accept or donate electrons, also gives it the ability to damage molecules and organelles via the Fenton reaction, in which iron reacts with hydrogen peroxide, leading to the formation of the highly reactive and toxic free radical, hydroxyl.

Most iron in cells is bound to proteins and other molecules that safely store it and prevent it from interacting with other macromolecules. In mammals, ferritin and transferrin are such proteins; hemoglobin is, however, the quantitatively most important iron depot in mammals. In theory, these storage proteins should be enough to protect organelles and macromolecules from iron’s reactivity, but in practice another process becomes perhaps more important, and that is iron dysregulation. Storage proteins such as ferritin can themselves be damaged, leading to “leakage” of free iron, which can then react with and damage cellular structures, which in turn can lead to organ damage and the deterioration associated with aging [4]. Damage to ferritin can be caused by glycation due to hyperglycemia, a phenomenon seen more widely with the development of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and with the glycation of hemoglobin (HbA1c), elevated in diabetics. The superoxide anion can also damage ferritin, leading to a vicious cycle in which leakage of free iron leads to oxidative stress, in turn leading to more iron leakage [5].

So having low ferritin and high daily iron might indicate that there is "leakage" of free iron which will then cause oxidative stress in the body.

 

[AAABatteries]

Plant-based diet is not the same thing as vegan or vegetarian.

The concept is: Most calories come from veggies. That's it.

You can have a sausage pizza today, and a steak next week, and still be eating a plant-based diet.

Yeah, and this could be a good thread if we don’t have these arguments. Eliminate sugar and complex carbs - those two things alone are much bigger issues than whether somebody eats some animal protein or is vegan.

ETA - I’m a moron - meant processed carbs and not complex carbs.

 

[Scoresman]

Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.

Many experts are now saying plant based diets are too low in protein.

which experts? It is very easy to get all the protein you need from plant based diets.

I disagree that it’s very easy.

Check out Peter Attia.

What is not easy about it? All necessary amino acids can be consumed through plant-based proteins. What animal-based proteins are “easier”/“better” than plant-based proteins ?

Eating a juicy steak is an easy way to get big doses of protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B. I eat a lot of almonds because they are healthy, high in calories and protein and $4/lb at trader joes.

1 lb steak has ~1227 calories and ~112g protein. 1 lb of almonds ~2550 calories, ~90g protein. Eating even a 1/2 lb of almonds feels way more laborious than 1 lb steak.

Vegan diets can contain plenty of zinc but zinc-rich plants often contain phytate which lowers absorption during digestion. As it's less bioavailable, vegans and vegetarians are more likely to have low zinc levels.

Zinc supplementation of marginally zinc-deficient normal elderly men for six months resulted in an increase in serum testosterone from 8.3 +/- 6.3 to 16.0 +/- 4.4 nmol/L (p = 0.02). We conclude that zinc may play an important role in modulating serum testosterone levels in normal men.

I think the "juicy" part of the steak is what makes it deadly.

I joke a lot but I've cut a lot of saturated fat out of my diet. I recently learned how to sous vide and by doing that, you can take an incredibly lean (and usually tough) cut of beef and have it eat like a prime rib. It really blew me away. I got a terrible piece of top round, trimmed off every piece of visible fat and sous vide it for 24 hours. Incredible, and really lean. So really no more ribeyes and burgers for me.

 

[Mitchie]

Plant-based diet is not the same thing as vegan or vegetarian.

The concept is: Most calories come from veggies. That's it.

You can have a sausage pizza today, and a steak next week, and still be eating a plant-based diet.

Yeah, and this could be a good thread if we don’t have these arguments. Eliminate sugar and complex carbs - those two things alone are much bigger issues than whether somebody eats some animal protein or is vegan.

did you mean to type 'complex carbs'? those are the good kind

 

[NutterButter]

Plant-based diet is not the same thing as vegan or vegetarian.

The concept is: Most calories come from veggies. That's it.

You can have a sausage pizza today, and a steak next week, and still be eating a plant-based diet.

Yeah, and this could be a good thread if we don’t have these arguments. Eliminate sugar and complex carbs - those two things alone are much bigger issues than whether somebody eats some animal protein or is vegan.

did you mean to type 'complex carbs'? those are the good kind

Good catch. I know what he meant, but I took away my like for misinformation.

 

[AAABatteries]

Plant-based diet is not the same thing as vegan or vegetarian.

The concept is: Most calories come from veggies. That's it.

You can have a sausage pizza today, and a steak next week, and still be eating a plant-based diet.

Yeah, and this could be a good thread if we don’t have these arguments. Eliminate sugar and complex carbs - those two things alone are much bigger issues than whether somebody eats some animal protein or is vegan.

did you mean to type 'complex carbs'? those are the good kind

Yep - meant processed carbs. I think carbs are fine but the ones with all the fiber removed typically are horrible for you.

 

[Scoresman]

I’ve always wondered when is it too late to make changes. I know it’s never too late to make some kind of difference but if you go half your expected lifespan as a fatty, does a complete turnaround at that point allow for the same longevity or is there already too much damage done?

 

[NutterButter]

championship sunday and i'm feasting on a delicious bowl of quinoa and chick pea salad. 100 here I come.

 

[SoBeDad]

championship sunday and i'm feasting on a delicious bowl of quinoa and chick pea salad. 100 here I come.

My vegan daughter made a great tuna like salad with smashed chick peas and some seaweed flakes and vegan mayo for Thanksgiving. I think diet makes a small difference in longevity, but along with exercise and other lifestyle choices can make a big contribution to physical and cognitive health.

Could Personalizing Multimodal Interventions Give Them Oomph?

There have been several recent trials of lifestyle interventions to prevent or delay dementia with some showing cognitive and health benefits. Some of these studies are now incorporating biomarkers and imaging studies of early pre-Alzheimers changes in the brain. From a multidomain trial in the USA.

• Personalized lifestyle coaching boosted cognitive test scores in people at risk for decline.
• Overall health and perceived quality of life also improved.
• The effect size was bigger than that seen in the Finger trial.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Plant-based diet is not the same thing as vegan or vegetarian.

The concept is: Most calories come from veggies. That's it.

You can have a sausage pizza today, and a steak next week, and still be eating a plant-based diet.

Technically correct, though that's not the way they eat in Blue Zones. Meat typically makes up about 5% of their caloric intake, while eggs and dairy aren't big components, either.

One notable exception: Sardinians get about a quarter of their calories from dairy, mostly goat milk products.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I read an interesting theory recently. The person claimed that iron could be our leading cause of aging, i.e. it makes us rust. When taking a blood test last year, my iron levels were on the higher side of the range but my ferritin or iron storage was on the lower side. I have not been kind to my body. Drugs, bad injuries, including smashing my face many times, never sleeping well, and yet I still look somewhat young. Maybe it's because my body doesn't store much iron.

This is interesting to me because a fair percentage of our patients get iron infusions. A few of them (all females) are in their 20’s. I wonder what the long term effects of that would be.

Iron is a well known virulence factor for certain infections, and promotes free radicals when it's not bound to protein.

So yeah, too much isn't good. But in the correct amount, iron is critical for health.

 

[Terminalxylem]

Plant based diet - Yeah, not gonna happen doc. I do like lettuce and tomato on my burger though.

Many experts are now saying plant based diets are too low in protein.

which experts? It is very easy to get all the protein you need from plant based diets.

I disagree that it’s very easy.

Check out Peter Attia.

What is not easy about it? All necessary amino acids can be consumed through plant-based proteins. What animal-based proteins are “easier”/“better” than plant-based proteins ?

Plant based protein typically comes with fiber, which itself is quite healthy, but limits protein digestion. And it takes more effort to ensure all essential amino acids are present, as compared to more "complete" animal proteins.

As your body can only utilize so much protein per meal, the concern is you can't get enough, without eating a ton of plants.

As you may have guessed, I think these concerns are unfounded, often predicated on protein requirements to optimize muscle growth - not generally a priority in aging. Moreover, eating lots of plants shouldn't be seen as a bad thing.

 

[Terminalxylem]

I’ve always wondered when is it too late to make changes. I know it’s never too late to make some kind of difference but if you go half your expected lifespan as a fatty, does a complete turnaround at that point allow for the same longevity or is there already too much damage done?

Absolutely, better late than never. Attaining healthy weight and quitting smoking, even if you've done so for decades, adds years to lifespan. I mentioned the numbers upthread.

 

[Terminalxylem]

championship sunday and i'm feasting on a delicious bowl of quinoa and chick pea salad. 100 here I come.

I think diet makes a small difference in longevity, but along with exercise and other lifestyle choices can make a big contribution to physical and cognitive health.

Can you unpack how you came to this conclusion?

 

[SoBeDad]

championship sunday and i'm feasting on a delicious bowl of quinoa and chick pea salad. 100 here I come.

I think diet makes a small difference in longevity, but along with exercise and other lifestyle choices can make a big contribution to physical and cognitive health.

Can you unpack how you came to this conclusion?

Diets have been shown to have minimal effect on lipid profile, unless accompanied by serious caloric restriction. See the twinkle diet by the Kansas PhD dietary expert. I'm aware of the ape diet (aka, portfolio diet: plant protein, viscous fiber, nuts and phytosterols) which lowered cholesterol.

I'm a little skeptical of those retrospective studies showing the benefit of diet on longevity, due to the diffuliculty in controlling for confounds of other healthy lifestyle choices. But in just reviewing the reviews and meta-analyses, perhaps I'm underestimating the benefits of diet.