We’ve spent billions of dollars researching human longevity — but significantly less researching healthspan. This, in my opinion, is a significant loss. Because even as lifespans continue to rise, our healthcare outcomes continue to get worse.
Case in point: the average American lives 76.4 years, but we’re only expected to be healthy for 63.9 of them. This means 13 years of suffering from chronic diseases, multiple medications, and daily pain.
So how do we live longer and healthier lives? That mostly depends on who you ask. Some researchers point to better genetics, while others focus on medications and supplements.
Healthspan depends on multiple lifestyle factors. And most (if not all) of them are within your control.
When you look at the data, you’ll see the basics are simple.
It all goes back to restoring your metabolic health.
The difference between lifespan and healthspan
There has been much debate on the longest-lived populations and how we should define them.
Historically, researchers focused on ‘blue zones,’ or communities that appeared to live longer lives on average. But the validity of these locations has recently been called into question and they may be much less credible than they first appeared.
Other researchers have tried to measure the relative ‘healthiness’ of a population. In a study of America’s heart-healthiest states, Colorado, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire topped the list. But this doesn’t necessarily mirror states with the longest lifespans, which includes Hawaii, Washington, and Minnesota respectively.
Even then, some studies on longevity fail to define their terms. Are we talking about centenarians who are surviving on medications or struggling with a low quality of life? Or those who are active, mobile, and still enjoying the activities that bring them joy?
I propose a simpler framework that focuses on healthspan, not lifespan. This means I’m looking for factors shared across these populations:
- Healthy while aging, not just living a prolonged life. Globally, the average adult will live 73.2 years. But the healthspan/lifespan gap has risen to a whopping 9.2 years, meaning the average adjusted life expectancy adjusted for health is only 64 years. We need to focus on those who age healthily, not necessarily just those with longer lifespans.
- Humans from a wide variety of cultures, backgrounds, and locations. Different cultures and locations share different eating patterns, religions, and societal norms. We shouldn’t necessarily look at one group in isolation. We should be asking, ‘what are the factors that long-lived people groups share?’
- Groups with measurable causation, not correlation. There are always centenarians who get by on sodas, packaged foods, and cigarettes. However, that doesn’t mean they’re good for your health or able to prolong the human lifespan (they don’t).
So what are the common factors here? They all boil down to better metabolic health.
Here are the high-level particulars so you can see for yourself.
They eat whole, real food
Look at the diets of the longest-living healthy persons, and you’ll see a clear pattern of whole, real food.
Violet Brown, who lived to 117, ate mostly fish, mutton, sweet potatoes, breadfruit, oranges, and mangoes. Susannah Mushatt Jones, 116, enjoyed a diet of bacon and eggs, fruit, meat, potatoes, and vegetables.
But anecdotal evidence isn’t all we have to go on. Studies show that ultraprocessed foods lead to more than 30 chronic diseases and autoimmune disorders. People who eat diets of whole, real food (including more red meat) may have longer telomeres and therefore longer lifespans.
Of course, people have very different opinions on what the best ‘whole real’ diet is. I believe that a proper human diet is animal-based and low in carbs. Others recommend plant-based diets for longevity, although the research behind this is dubious at best.
But at the end of the day, whether you’re a vegan or a carnivore, all that matters is that you eat whole, real food. Steer clear of processed foods with unhealthy additives like sugar, seed oils, and other preservatives. Then, focus on hitting your protein goal with foods like eggs, milk, and seafood.
I want you to know it doesn’t matter how old you are — switching to whole, real food can increase your life expectancy at any age. A 20-year-old can add another 13 years to their lifespan just by switching to whole, real food. A 60-year-old can add another eight years, while an 80-year-old can add three years.
They fast regularly
Some of the longest-lived healthy people recall times where there was very little food to spare. Meals were restricted due to famine or wartime shortages. As a result, many people ate just one or two meals per day.
We tend to think of restriction as a bad thing, but periods of fasting tend to prolong both health and lifespan. For example, eating less improves rodent lifespans by 10%, and fasting raises this number to 35% (roughly 25 years in human terms).
Intermittent fasting also slows biological aging and results in fewer disease risk factors in humans. We also know this develops metabolic flexibility — which is why intermittent fasting is directly correlated with longer healthspans. In a study of more than 2,000 patients who received a cardiac catheterization, patients who fasted were more likely to live longer compared to those who did not try intermittent fasting.
Keep in mind fasting doesn’t have to be days at a time — intermittent fasting with an eight-hour eating window is easily enough for you to see positive benefits. Even a 12-hour food-free period can help with metabolic syndrome.
Remember: some fasting is better than no fasting at all.
They don’t drink
Despite what less credible research would have you believe, a glass a day does not keep the doctor away. It could very well make your metabolic health worse.
See for yourself:
- The more you drink, the shorter your lifespan becomes.
- Alcohol naturally increases inflammation, since it converts into sugar in your blood and elevates triglyceride levels.
- Regular consumption increases your risks for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, and liver disease, even if you’re not a routine drinker
Studies also show that alcohol consumption decreases lifespan by 12 to 18 months. What’s more, consuming one to two drinks four times a week increases your risk of premature death by 20%.
If we look at populations with heavy alcohol consumption, we see far worse health outcomes and much shorter healthspans. Romania, for example, consumes the most alcohol per capita. They live far shorter, healthier years than the EU average — as little as six healthy years after the age of 65.
This, of course, is a very small snapshot of the many other factors that impact healthspan. But it does indicate that excess alcohol consumption may lead to disease and less healthy lives.
Leading a longer, happier life with good metabolic health
There are hundreds of products pointing to ‘secrets’ or ‘pills’ that supposedly lengthen the human lifespan. But what we should be focusing on is a longer healthspan, which starts with improving metabolic health (and doesn’t have to cost a dime).
Lengthening your healthspan is never guaranteed, but there are still steps you can take that increase the probability. Start by ditching processed foods, incorporating exercise into your day, and avoid problematic foods like added sugar and alcohol. It won’t take long to see the results — metabolic health interventions can still make a difference whether you’re 21, 51, or 71.
If you’re just beginning your metabolic health journey, all this information likely feels overwhelming. The good news is that there are plenty of resources to learn from.
One of these articles may point you in the right direction:
- How to restore your metabolic health despite illness, injury, or disability
- How to improve your metabolic health in 12 weeks or less
- 9 habits of metabolically healthy people
