January 12, 2019
When it comes to living a long life, demographers, epidemiologists, gerontologists and other researchers on aging have long puzzled over the theoretical question of the maximum potential for human lifespan, along with the host of proposed practices we can implement that help us achieve that potential. There is, after all, in the past decade alone a veritable laundry list of tactics we can use to make ourselves more age resistant, from nutrients, vitamins and pills such as Vitamin D, aspirin, metformin, magnesium, pterostilbene, resveratrol, blueberry extract, nicotinamide riboside and Rhodiola to lifestyle practices such as shivering our asses off, self-imposed starvation, fecal transplants, strict veganism, injecting into ourselves growth hormone, testosterone, stem cells, exosomes, the blood of younger healthy humans and speaking of younger humans, simply “having more children”.
Fact is, compared to the Biblical Methuselah, who purportedly lived to the ripe old age of 969, we don’t seem to be moving the anti-aging dial much. In fact, researchers estimate that in the U.S. today, the average adult life expectancy is still only about 77 years and, disturbingly, now plummeting due to high rates of chronic diseases (many of which are preventable with simple lifestyle changes you’ll learn about in this podcast). Currently – despite the Chinese lore of the recently perished “256-year-old” Li Ching Yuen, the longest-lived modern person in the world on actual record is Jeanne Calment of France, who died in 1997 at the exact age of 122 years and 164 days.
Yet, when we observe nature, some amount of immortality, or at least a significant amount of enhanced life extension, appears to be achievable. Take the naked mole rate, for example. The naked mole rat’s cells themselves seem to make proteins – the molecular machines that make bodies work – more accurately than us humans, preventing it from developing age-related illnesses like Alzheimer’s. Unlike humans, the way these ugly little creatures handle glucose doesn’t seem to change with age either, reducing their susceptibility to diseases like diabetes.
The naked mole rat isn’t the only animal scientists are now probing to pick the lock of long life. With a rampant metabolism and a heart rate of 1,000 beats a minute, the common hummingbird should, on paper, be riddled with rogue free radicals (the oxygen-based chemicals that make mammals old by gradually destroying DNA, proteins and fat molecules), but the tiny birds seem relatively bulletproofed against heart disease. Then there are lobsters, which seem to have evolved a protein which repairs the telomere tips of their DNA, allowing for a decreased rate of telomere shortening that most animals are incapable of.
Finally, as if rats, hummingbirds and lobsters weren’t enough to make us longevity seeking humans a bit jealous, we mustn’t forget one animal on Earth that may hold the master key to immortality: the Turritopsis dohrnii, also known as the “Immortal Jellyfish”. Most jellyfish, when they reach the end of life, die and melt into the sea, but not the Turritopsis dohrnii. Instead, it sinks to the bottom of the ocean floor, where its body folds in on itself – assuming the jellyfish equivalent of the fetal position – and regenerates back into a baby jellyfish in a rare biological process called transdifferentiation, in which its old cells somehow transform into young cells.
So is there a human equivalent of the type of immortality “powers” these animals seem to have tapped into? Many in popular anti-aging and longevity circles have suggested that – in the next several decades – we could indeed unlock the secrets to living to approximately 120 to 140 years old, and many biohackers and anti-aging enthusiasts such as Peter Diamandis, Peter Thiel, Larry Page, Elon Musk and Tony Robbins and even lil ol’ me are striving to live greater than 160 years old.
The purpose of this podcast is not to delve into the relatively advanced longevity secrets of these fringe biohackers, but instead to reveal everything you need to know about why the world’s more traditionally living longevity all-stars not only live longer but also tend to live better. They have strong connections with their family and friends. They’re active. They wake up in the morning knowing that they have a purpose, and the world, in turn, reacts to them in a way that propels them along. An overwhelming majority of them still enjoy life. They share these common behavioral and lifestyle characteristics, such as family coherence, avoidance of smoking, plant-based diet, moderate and daily physical activity, social engagement, and situations where people of all ages are socially active and integrated into the community, despite all of them being from different areas of the world and of different races, nationalities and religions.
That’s not to say that biohacking for longevity and better living through science isn’t beneficial. After spending nearly two decades deeply immersed in the health, fitness, nutrition and longevity industry, I’ve come to a growing realization that an open embrace of both the modern science and the ancestral wisdom could indeed allow one to live a long and healthy lifespan that rivals and even exceeds that of our ancestors. Perhaps that’s why my children and I engage in wild plant foraging (a longevity tactic you’ll learn more about in this podcast), but do so using a plant identification smartphone app that allows us to identify everything from mushrooms to plants with incredible accuracy, allowing us to tap into a bit of better living through science to not get poisoned or make fatal mistakes our ancestors might have while foraging; why I own a quaint and simple, off-grid, barn-style home in the forest where we grow most of our own food, yet fill that barn with tens of thousands of dollars of modern anti-aging biohacking equipment; and why the last time I disappeared into a seven day high-country elk bowhunt in the mountains of Colorado, I had a neurofeedback brain training device neatly tucked away into my camouflage backpack.
But in this podcast, rather than learning about fancy devices you can spend tens of thousands of dollars on or fringe biohacks that will get you plenty of weird looks from your neighbors, you will discover exactly how to use proven ancestral tactics to live a happy, long and fulfilled life. So you can think of today's podcast as a cookbook for longevity that gives you all the low-hanging fruit and teaches you all the basics of living a long and happy life.
During this two-part episode, in part one, you'll discover…
-Why you should never smoke and quit immediately if you do…10:19
- When you stop smoking, your body responds immediately
- Noticeable improvements within 90 days
- Sexual performance
- Cardiovascular
- After 1 year, like nothing ever happened
- Adrenal glands need to adapt to the lack of nicotine
- Use an adaptogenic herb complex
- Take a taurine supplement once per day for two months
- Diet rich in proanthocyanidine
- Polyphenols
- Use a good air filter
- Don't just stop; implement a strategy to aid your repair and recovery
- FUM essential oil vaping pen
-The benefits of wild plants…14:20
- Xeno-hormetic effect
- Not a fan of “plant paradox” diets
- Book: Eating On the Wild Side
- Higher vegetable, lower meat intake
-The dangers of processed and packaged foods…18:10
- First two ingredients often found in processed “health foods”
- Artificial sweetener
- Vegetable oil
- Difficult to eat processed/packaged foods when you're eating right
- Aim for 80% real food, 20% p/p foods
-Why legumes are your friends…22:37
- High in non-meat protein, amino acids, slow-burning carbs
- Eat other carbs (sweet potatoes, carrots, quinoa etc.) alongside the legumes
- Article: Soaking, sprouting legumes
-Low-level physical activity…25:56
- Enjoyable exercise; rarely engage in high-intensity training
- Hack your environment
- Standing desk
- Kettlebells in the cubicle
- Pomodoro breaks
- Take the stairs!
- Walking treadmill while blogging, podcasting, etc.
- Visiting the gym should be optional, unless you're training for an event, pro athlete, etc.
- Sitting for 8 straight hours negates any efficacy from a gym session
-Why you should prioritize social engagement…29:00
- Podcast: Growing Epidemic of Loneliness
-How drinking alcohol (in moderation) can be good for you…32:15
- Podcast: Todd White of Dry Farm Wines
- Reduces risk of cardiovascular disease and certain cancers
- Mediterranean diet
- Boosts benefits of low-level activity even more (these habits build off one another)
- I haven't been drunk in 6 years, but I have a drink every day (red wine, Moscow mule, “Ben and Jitters”)
-Calorie restriction and fasting…37:38
- Intermittent fasting (12-16 hours)
- Fasting mimicking diet (40% of normal calorie intake)
- My own practice:
- Intermittent fast
- 1-2x per month, 24 hour fast (dinner to dinner)
- 4x per year, fasting mimicking diet
- Podcast: The Complete Guide to Fasting w/ Jason Fung
-The importance of possessing a strong life purpose…42:08
- NIH funded study correlating purpose and longevity
- Be able to say your purpose in life in one succinct sentence
- Quick tips:
- What did you like to do when you were a kid?
- What puts you in the flow, or the zone?
- Podcast with Mastin Kipp
- Book: The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*CK
-Lower your stress levels…45:00
- Chronic stress at the root of inflammation, age-related diseases
- Don't avoid stress; learn to manage it
- Ruthlessly eliminate haste and hurry from your life
-Engage in a belief in a higher power…47:20
- Believe there's a story for your life, that you fit into a bigger picture
- Study: Church attendance, allostatic load and mortality in middle-aged adults
-Remain reproductively useful…50:17
- If you want to replenish the earth, nature will want to keep you around
- Article: Old, horny Italians
In part 2, recorded from Runga in the Dominican Republic, I respond to questions from the audience, including:
-What are the 2019 health trends…56:00
- CBD
- Keto
- Stem cell booths
- Fasting
-What is your view about high animal protein and how IGF-1 impacts longevity…58:53
-What's the best way to handle crinkle/crunch when bending at the knees…1:01:50
-What are the top 3 bio hacks for human optimization…1:03:24
- All comes down to the mitochondria
- Mineral-infused water
- Sunlight (photobiomodulation)
- Grounding with the earth (PEMF)
-Does high-fat coffee break your fast…1:05:53
- Anything with calories breaks your fast
-Top 5 quick tips for raising kids…1:07:11
- Don't say “no” unless their life is in danger. Educate, let them learn to make decisions for themselves
- Adequate Vitamin D and K
- Genetically test your kids
- Teach how to deal with the cold
- Footwear (lots of bare feet)
-Top 3 tips for increasing longevity…1:12:52
-What are your thoughts on sunblock and sunglasses…1:14:50
-The thought of eating a diet only of foods in season and allowing a break from naturally occurring plant toxins for longevity…1:17:38
-What are your top 3 tests in correlating lab/company frequency to monitor your health…
- DNA (once in your life)
- Comprehensive blood panel once a year
- Dutch test
-What type of diet would you recommend for a family of four with a budget of $100/week…1:23:18
- Calorie and nutrient dense foods
- Invest in half a cow, vertical gardening setup
-How do you find the right balance between the physical/tangible elements of what you teach and the spiritual/intangibles…1:25:44
Click here for the full written transcript of this podcast episode.
Resources:
–RUNGA – The most intensive, special personalized wellness and performance immersion on the planet
-Book: The Blue Zones Solutions by Dan Buettner
–Fum – essential oil vaping pen
-Book: The Plant Paradox by Steven Gundry
-Book: The Longevity Diet by Valter Longo
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Thanks for sharing with us such a mind-blowing post.
I read this post this is a very helpful.
UFC 271: Adesanya vs Whittaker 2MMA fight produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championships to be held on February 12, 2022 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, USA.
Thank you for your good work and post. I like this site very much. Looking forward to check more content like this.
These tips must improve yours helped. So, overall these are basic needs that many of us are missing in real life.
We like sports for some reason and appreciate seeing people do things well, yes it’s true.
Hi Ben, great podcasts. You mentioned minerals to recharge the battery. What minerals are you recommending ?
Annual papers of all matric students were organized in February, but because of Pandemic COVID-10 the livings had suffered a lot and among them, most affected are students.
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a
Shebeko/ShutterstockEarlier this month, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an modification to a federal regulation reserving using the Russian time period…
Eddie Hearn has uncovered that the expected crossing out of Anthony Joshua’s battle with Tyson Fury has been a “kick in the nuts” for the heavyweight champion.
Poirier ventured into the octagon brimming with rage, which obviously prompted a specific degree of wildness from the Louisiana local. It was this wildness that Conor McGregor profited by, taking Poirier out in the first round. Who will win in rematch.
The lack of cage time was evident in the rematch.UFC 264- Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor 3: Fight card, date, odds, rumors, location, complete guide one of the biggest fights of the summer goes down when Poirier and McGregor meet in a rubber match.
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Hi Ben. If you are going for best post, I like it. Thanks for all the information you share.
UFC 264: Poirier vs. McGregor 3 is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that will take place on July 10, 2021 at T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States. https://www.ufc254updates.com/ufc-264-poirier-vs-mcgregor-3-en-direct/
This is a very wonderful post I appreciate your work. Thank you
Hey, I am so thrilled I found your blog, Thanks
We referring to the part where you talk about if a person had cancer recommending to stop eating meat and dairy, would goats milk fall into the dairy category https://primedazn.com/
Specialist Paul Eastwood and I dove deep into the effect of dairy on the human body here (for goat milk, fast-forward to minute 30): https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/podcast/nutritio…
Hi Ben. Thanks for all the information you share….. wondering if you could link the article about breathing techniques to manage stress. Thanks https://primedazn.com/
Are you referring to this one? https://bengreenfieldfitness.com/article/the-ulti…
Hello. This is a great story. Thanks!
Awesome article. thanks for sharing
Great feed!
Here is the great one post thanks for giving the very good results here.
Hi Ben. Thank you for sharing such valuable information. It’s been 7 years since I have quit smoking.
This podcast was amazing …. telomeres!!! Wow . Coming to the end of the podcast when he mentioned turning the mice back to younger healthier versions and not to embryos brings to mind “Benjamin Button “ :) lol
Hi Ben!
I really enjoyed the podcast but I do want to mention one thing regarding one of the products you mentioned, the Fum vape pen. You had mentioned it worked great for vaping essential oils. I have worked in respiratory and immunology medicine and research for 15 years and I hate to be a downer but technically vaping anything at all is bad for your lungs/airways. Directly breathing in anything except air damages the pulmonary alveoli (tiny little air sacs in your lungs) and unfortunately they are slow to regenerate. Also, be wary of flavored liquids many vape companies sell as some varieties have led to popcorn lung (bronchiolitis obliterans). And while vaping is less harmful than cigarettes there is research that suggests vaping causes DNA damage that ultimately increases your risk of COPD, certain cancers and heart disease. The research has all been in very small groups or pre-clinical so obviously more research is needed but I would say suck on a straw and practice deep breathing- that’s how I quit and opt for other routes of administration for cannabis, CBD or essential oils. Leave the vape pens alone, your lungs will thank you!
Is there a link to the article on reducing stress and breathing work? I came looking for that as you breifly mentioned around the 45 minute mark, but not seeing an article linked there. Looks like there is also a hyperlink missing from -Remain reproductively useful…50:17
Thanks for the heads up brother! Here's the link for the breathwork article: https://goo.gl/GueZga
Hello, Ben – Great podcast full of info to make us all live healthier lives. Thank you. I have heard you advise lean females who workout to be cautious with fasting. Would you avoid it altogether in such cases or do you have an alternative recommendation?
Hey Ben! Cannabis smoke is as harmful or comparable to cigarette smoke??? Say it ain’t so!
Hi Ben, great podcasts. Under biohacks you mentioned sunlight water and minerals to recharge the battery. What minerals are you recommending one takes for longevity and mitochondria density?
Hi Ben, there’s one thing that I would add to the twelve that I am sure existed in all of the long living communities that were looked at: Ongoing interaction with Nature. I.e., daily time in and interaction with the outdoors, and less protection from it than most of us who live in cities (less air-conditioning, less sealed cars, office building, malls, etc.). This might be implied in “daily exercise” or even “wild plants” or even in the fact that these were no doubt relatively rural communities but I think it’s important enough to be specifically called out. I can’t prove it with a study but I have to believe that regular exposure to nature is beneficial to health and longevity. Thanks.
Ben,
Just curious if the KETO Diet is so popular how does that fit with longevity?
I dont see any of the 7 Blue Zones that followed this diet. Curious your take
on this…
Good article to check out: https://goo.gl/hxB73T
Hey Ben, great information as always. In the podcast shownotes, “What’s the best way to handle crinkle/crunch when bending at the knees…1:01:50 “. What’s the name of the supplement you recommend for synovial fluid replacement? Thank you for sharing your knowledge 🙏
It's called cetyl myristoleate… Check this out: https://getkion.com/shop/body/kion-flex/
Thank You! Looking forward to the January event in Culver City.
Hi Mr. greenfield,
Great episode!
Question: Would a daily four-minute hot shower followed by a one-minute cold shower be of any benefit to our immune system?
Jose
For sure, but if you can make it to 2 minutes the benefits go way up… You can also go back and forth for 30 sec of each to 5 minutes
Thank you for the advice!
Have a great week.
Jose
what is the best book on soaking, sprouting, and fermenting legumes/lentils?
Great podcast with lots of actionable information. That said, I’m not sure that “anti-aging” is the correct term to use for observations of blue zone populations. These folks are all aging just like the rest of us. They might die at an older age, and they likely stay out of nursing homes, use fewer medications, stay more active, etc. I guess “anti-aging” could mean avoiding chronic disease and disability, but when I hear the phrase I think about a 70 year-old functioning like a 50 year-old or a 90 year-old who is still looking/feeling/performing like a 60 year-old. Seems to me that most of the blue zone centenarians look and act like they are 100 years old, but maybe I haven’t seen videos or images of the ones who aren’t aging…
Hi Ben, awesome episode. Am curious about a couple things. Have a 9 month old wee boy, and am determined to do the best for him that I can. I laughed and loved your tiny superhumans book (and episode), and was hoping you could clarify a couple things:
1. The name of the genetic testing company you used for your boys based in Canada (we live deep in the mountains in BC, and would love to use a Canadian company for this).
2. I would also like to supplement him with K2 and D3, as you recommended. Presumably I can use an adult formula for this, but not sure on dose. Did check out the supplement you have here, but guess they don’t ship internationally. Any recommendations?
Thank you, you’re awesome, and the details you share of your family life with your boys is inspiring me!
Clare
We referring to the part where you talk about if a person had cancer recommending to stop eating meat and dairy, would goats milk fall into the dairy category
*When referring to…..
Hi Ben. Thanks for all the information you share….. wondering if you could link the article about breathing techniques to manage stress. Thanks
Hi Ben. Thank you for sharing such valuable information. What do you recommend to a person who is successful in quitting smoking and wants to be free of the harm of this bad habit more efficiently?