Welcome to Running: A FEVER, a show about fitness, diet, and medicine. It’s basically about livin’ long and lovin’ life. I’m Michael Davis.
I came across an article in National Geographic from a few months ago. It’s called “The Secret to a Long, Healthy Life: Your lifespan is overrated. It’s health span that really matters now.” It’s about longevity and what some people call health span. Health span, as opposed to lifespan, refers to the period of life when you are healthy. We all hope we won’t end our lives in an extended illness or disability that impacts our quality of life, and, as I usually say in the opening, my goal is to live a long, healthy, happy, active life right up to the very end.
Researcher Nir Barzilai works with centenarians at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He studies people with what he calls compression of morbidity. That is, they are sick for a tiny portion of their lives.
For some of these centenarians, it’s just genetics. But if those genes can be identified, drugs could be developed that mimic their effects.
What about prevention vs. treatment? Sharon Inouye, director of the Aging Brain Center at the nonprofit Hebrew SeniorLife, says this prevention includes eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and low in carbs, avoiding tobacco and excess alcohol, and staying mentally active and socially engaged through activities like volunteering and regular aerobic and strength training. Research shows that all of these factors can significantly help preserve brain health.
I mean, these are things we can all do without waiting for a genetic drug to come along. Of course, it’s not as easy as taking a pill.
Matt Kaeberlein of the University of Washington emphasizes getting at least 7 hours of sleep each night. This can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, poor mental health, and even early death, according to the CDC. He also recommends regular lab tests to monitor factors such as vitamin levels, hormone levels, and blood sugar levels.
The social aspect is of concern because our friend circles naturally tend to decrease as we get older. And social engagement can help keep you mentally sharp and reduce stress.
Just getting out, for example, walking your cat… just kidding, walking your dog, has been shown to boost overall happiness, not to mention the benefits of the exercise. It turns out, the secret to living a long, healthy life is also the secret to living a good one.
If you’re interested in more information on longevity, check out our other episodes. On the YouTube channel at http://YouTube.com/@runningafever, there is a playlist called “Living to 100 and Beyond,” which focuses on the longest-lived people. Another, called “Longevity,” gives you 55 videos about living a long, healthy life.
Thanks for listening. I hope you enjoyed this episode. Please check out my over 400 other episodes on fitness, diet, and medicine at http://RunningAFEVER.com. I also recommend checking out the other podcasts we have on this network by people of faith. You can find them all at http://PaduaPodcastNetwork.com. If you liked the episode, please click the thumbs-up button, and why not hit the subscribe button as well? It doesn’t cost anything, and I think you’ll be glad you did. I certainly will be. And remember, if you’ve got the fever, keep it burning. And if you don’t, catch the fever, and I will see you next time on Running: A FEVER.
References:
Maron, Dina Fine. “The Secret to a Long, Healthy Life: Your Lifespan Is Overrated. It’s Health Span That Really Matters Now.” National Geographic, vol. 247, no. 2, Feb. 2025, pp. 52–71.