How To Live A Long And Healthy Life? This Book Has Some Answers

If you're into health podcasts, Peter Attia and his bestselling book Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity are probably familiar to you. He has been featured on almost every major health podcast, and after listening to a few episodes, I felt like I already had a solid grasp of what the book would be about.

Credit where it's due, my husband sparked my interest in the book. Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity is a captivating read that breaks down intricate metabolic pathways and human physiology in a style that keeps you turning the pages — a rarity in non-fiction, especially in health-related books. In today's column, I share what I believe are the book's highlights, guiding you toward focusing your efforts on the steps that offer the most significant health and longevity benefits for your buck.

The Four Horsemen Of Chronic Disease

These four diseases account for over 80% of deaths in people over 50 years of age, who do not smoke.

1. Atherosclerotic disease (comprised of cardiovascular disease and cerebrovascular disease)

2. Cancer

3. Neurodegenerative disease (most common being Alzheimer’s disease)

4. Foundational disease — This is a spectrum ranging from hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance to fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes

Studies have found that insulin resistance is associated with a 12-time increase in the risk of cancer, a five-time increase in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease and a six-time increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease. This makes insulin resistance the most important risk to tackle to lead a long and healthy life for which Attia provides a game plan. 

Steps To Tackle Insulin Resistance

Keeping quality of life and health span in mind, while avoiding the four horsemen, Attia lays out a simple game plan for exercise and nutrition. 

Exercise

Attia calls exercise the most powerful drug for longevity. He recommends that we focus on three types of exercise for longevity.

Zone 2 training — Any aerobic exercise like brisk walking or stationary cycling the body works out ‘almost hard’ without any ‘muscle burn’. While doing this exercise you should be barely able to have a conversation with someone on the side. Zone 2 exercise trains the mitochondria of your muscles to use fat as fuel.

This should be done for 45 minutes, 4 times a week. 

VO2 Max training — This is aerobic exercise that you do close to your maximum level for four minutes at a stretch, and then go easy for the next four minutes, repeat this cycle four times. Those who increase their VO2 max from below average to above average in their age group experience a 50% reduction in all‐cause mortality. Attia calls VO2 max the single most powerful marker of longevity. 

Do this once a week.

Strength Training — Strength training significantly improves metabolic health by increasing lean muscle mass, which effectively absorbs the excess glucose. “I think of strength training as a form of retirement saving. Just as we want to retire with enough money saved up to sustain us for the rest of our lives, we want to reach older age with enough of a ‘reserve’ of muscle (and bone density) to protect us from injury and allow us to continue to pursue the activities that we enjoy,” Attia writes in the book. 

A 10-year study involving 4,500 subjects aged fifty and above revealed that individuals with low muscle mass and strength faced a threefold higher risk of premature death. To enhance strength, aim to lift heavy weights three times a week. Concentrate on exercises that boost grip strength, such as farmer’s walk (holding heavy objects in each hand), and hip-hinging exercises like deadlifts, squats, or step-ups on a raised platform. The target is to perform a farmer's walk for one minute while holding half your body weight in each hand.

I would highly recommend working with a qualified strength and conditioning coach who helps you understand the right form for each exercise, to avoid injuries. 

Do this thrice a week.

 

Food

This is the second piece of the puzzle. While diets are never one size fits all, Attia recommends some basic eating rules which help with the goal of health span. 

Eating Enough Protein – “One macronutrient, in particular, demands more of our attention than most people realise: not carbs, not fat, but protein becomes critically important as we age.” 

Consume protein in grams as much as your body weight in pounds (the rule does not apply to kidney patients, who should seek their doctor’s advice), divided into four sittings, as excess protein eaten in one sitting gets converted to glucose in the liver. 

Meal Times — Don’t eat within three hours of bedtime as it affects the quality of sleep. 

Keep Glucose Levels In Mind — Stick to an eating plan that keeps average blood glucose in a safe range, i.e. under 160mg/dl post a meal. This is explained in much more detail in the book: how to check this and what steps to take. 

When it comes to exercise and nutrition, science is constantly evolving. What was the gold standard a while ago is pushed aside as newer theories and studies come forward. It is natural to be confused about the rules to follow for good health. This is where Attia’s book explains the basics of how our metabolism works and arrives logically at certain ground rules, which don’t seem too hard or complicated to follow.

If you are interested in the science of longevity, I would highly recommend picking up a copy and slow reading it to get a closer understanding of how simple rules can help us live a long and healthy life. 

Also Read: How To Navigate Health Misinformation And Spot Red Flags