From an evolutionary perspective, we only live as long as we need to replace ourselves efficiently. For example:<ul><li>Mice live 2-3 years. They divert most of their resources into reproducing rapidly and little into preserving their bodies.</li><li>Whales live hundreds of years because they're at the top of the food chain and they can live as long as they want. So they breed slowly and build a body that lasts.</li><li>We, as humans, are somewhere in between mice and whales.</li></ul>From a biological perspective, there's no maximum to human lifespan. There's nothing that says biological organisms have to die.

Aging

<ul><li>Eat a moderate amount of calories and eat during a shorter period during the day. You can do this through intermittent fasting and calorie restriction.</li><li>Eat plenty of leafy greens, such as broccoli, spinach, kale, or Brussels sprouts.</li><li>Reduce fruits that give you a sugar high because spiking your sugar is unhealthy in the long run. High sugar fruits include grapes, cherries, pears, watermelon, and bananas.</li><li>Limit your servings of red meat.</li></ul>

Diet

<ul><li>Fasting is one of oldest ways to improve health. We know it works, but we don't know why. Current research is aimed at figuring out what's optimal and how it works.</li><li>It's been shown that fasting activates some longevity genes, but the research is ongoing, so no recommendations can be made to the general public yet.</li><li>Results from animal studies show it's more important when you eat than what you eat. Mice that ate general food once a day lived longer than mice that ate carefully chosen food 3 times a day. But you want to focus on both — eat good food at the right time.</li></ul>

Research on fasting

It's been proven that exercise extends lifespan. People who exercise regularly have lower risk of major diseases such as heart disease.A basic routine with aerobic and strength training, done a few times a week, is enough. The main goal is for the aerobic training to reduce your heart disease risk, and for the strength training to maintain your hormone levels.However, bear in mind there are diminishing returns to exercise. Over-exercising is detrimental to your health as you wear out your joints.

Exercise

Get into a constant sleep-wake cycle.Results from studies on people who work shifts show that disrupting your sleep-wake cycle accelerates aging and increases your risk of developing certain age-related diseases.

Sleep

<ul><li>Diet: Eat healthy food. Don't overeat. Don't become obese</li><li>Exercise: Do aerobic and strength training a few times a week</li><li>Sleep: Get into a constant sleep-wake cycle</li><li>Manage your mental stress</li><li>Don't smoke because it accelerates aging</li></ul>

Tips to slow down aging

What is the best way to live longer? Here are a few factors within your control

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

longevity

Longevity

food

Food

health

Health

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

How To Live A Long Life

TIL diseases show up more often in older people because of aging. It's causation, not correlation 🤯 So if we slow down aging, we decrease the risk for many age-related diseases

David Sinclair is a geneticist at Harvard and author of Lifespan. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Onnit: https://lexfridman.com/onnit to get up to 10% off - Clear: https://clearme.com/lexpod and use code LexPod to get 2 months free - National Instruments (NI): https://www.ni.com/perspectives - SimpliSafe: https://simplisafe.com/lex and use code LEX to get a free security camera - Linode: https://linode.com/lex to get $100 free credit EPISODE LINKS: David's Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidasinclair David's Website: https://lifespanbook.com PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ Full episodes playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4 Clips playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOeciFP3CBCIEElOJeitOr41 OUTLINE: 0:00 - Introduction 1:34 - Staying young at heart 5:30 - Bringing people back to life 11:05 - Wearables and tracking health data 20:18 - How to solve aging 30:22 - Why do we age? 35:50 - Genetic reset switch that reverses aging 38:20 - AI in biology 40:52 - Health data 48:58 - Fasting 56:29 - Diet 1:04:40 - Exercise 1:10:01 - Sleep 1:18:29 - Data 1:24:00 - Extending lifespan 1:26:42 - Immortality 1:32:28 - Denial of death 1:35:45 - Meaning of life without death SOCIAL: - Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman - LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman - Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman - Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/lexfridman - Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman

exerciseandfitness

Exercise & Fitness

David Sinclair is a geneticist at Harvard and author of Lifespan. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors:
- Onnit: https://lexfridman.com/onnit to get up to 10% off
- Clear: https://clearme.com/lexpod and use code LexPod to get 2 months free
- National Instruments (NI): https://www.ni.com/perspectives
- SimpliSafe: https://simplisafe.com/lex and use code LEX to get a free security camera
- Linode: https://linode.com/lex to get $100 free credit

EPISODE LINKS:
David's Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidasinclair
David's Website: https://lifespanbook.com

PODCAST INFO:
Podcast website: https://lexfridman.com/podcast
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/2lwqZIr
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/2nEwCF8
RSS: https://lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/
Full episodes playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOdP_8GztsuKi9nrraNbKKp4
Clips playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrAXtmErZgOeciFP3CBCIEElOJeitOr41

OUTLINE:
0:00 - Introduction
1:34 - Staying young at heart
5:30 - Bringing people back to life
11:05 - Wearables and tracking health data
20:18 - How to solve aging
30:22 - Why do we age?
35:50 - Genetic reset switch that reverses aging
38:20 - AI in biology
40:52 - Health data
48:58 - Fasting
56:29 - Diet
1:04:40 - Exercise
1:10:01 - Sleep
1:18:29 - Data
1:24:00 - Extending lifespan
1:26:42 - Immortality
1:32:28 - Denial of death
1:35:45 - Meaning of life without death

SOCIAL:
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexfridman
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lexfridman
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lexfridman
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lexfridman
- Medium: https://medium.com/@lexfridman
- Reddit: https://reddit.com/r/lexfridman
- Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/lexfridman

Lex Fridman

David Sinclair: Extending the Human Lifespan Beyond 100 Years | Lex Fridman Podcast #189

You’re sitting in traffic, late for an important meeting, watching the minutes tick away. Your hypothalamus, a tiny control tower in your brain, decides to send out the order: Send in the stress hormones! These stress hormones are the same ones that trigger your body’s “fight or flight” response. Your heart races, your breath quickens, and your muscles ready for action. This response was designed to protect your body in an emergency by preparing you to react quickly. But when the stress response keeps firing, day after day, it could put your health at serious risk.

Background 

This image has a list of physical effects that are caused by stress.

Physical Effects Of Stress?

Stress is a natural physical and mental reaction to life experiences. Everyone expresses <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/whats-your-stress-type">stress </a>from time to time. Anything from everyday responsibilities like work and family to serious life events such as a new diagnosis, war, or the death of a loved one can trigger stress. For immediate, short-term situations, stress can be <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-stress-you-didnt-know-about">beneficial to your health</a>. It can help you cope with potentially serious situations. Your body responds to stress by releasing hormones that increase your heart and breathing rates and ready your muscles to respond.

What Is Stress?

Your central nervous system (CNS) is in charge of your “fight or flight” response. In your brain, the hypothalamus gets the ball rolling, telling your adrenal glands to release the stress hormones adrenaline and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/cortisol-urine">cortisol </a>. These hormones rev up your heartbeat and send blood rushing to the areas that need it most in an emergency, such as your muscles, heart, and other important organs. When the perceived fear is gone, the hypothalamus should tell all systems to go back to normal. If the CNS fails to return to normal, or if the stressor doesn’t go away, the response will continue.

The Science Behind Stress

Your muscles tense up to protect themselves from injury when you’re stressed. They tend to release again once you relax, but if you’re constantly under stress, your muscles may not get the chance to relax. Tight muscles cause headaches, back and <a href="https://www.healthline.com/symptom/shoulder-pain">shoulder </a>pain, and body aches. Over time, this can set off an unhealthy cycle as you stop exercising and turn to pain medication for relief.

Muscle Pain

During the stress response, you breathe faster in an effort to quickly distribute oxygen-rich blood to your body. If you already have a breathing problem like <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/asthma">asthma </a>or <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/emphysema">emphysema </a>, stress can make it even harder to breathe.Under stress, your heart also pumps faster. Stress hormones cause your blood vessels to constrict and divert more oxygen to your muscles so you’ll have more strength to take action. But this also raises your blood pressure.So, frequent/ chronic stress will make your heart work too hard for too long. When blood pressure rises, so do risks for having a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/stroke-treatment-and-timing/risk-factors">stroke</a>/ <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-attack">heart attack </a>

Stress Hormones And Respiratory And Cardiovascular Systems

Under stress, your liver produces extra blood sugar (<a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/glucose">glucose </a>) to give you a boost of energy. If you’re under chronic stress, your body may not be able to keep up with this extra glucose surge. Chronic stress may increase your risk of developing <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes-and-stress">type 2 diabetes </a>.

High Blood Sugar

It’s not unusual to lose your desire when you’re under constant stress. While short-term stress may cause men to produce more of the male hormone testosterone, this effect doesn’t last, as long term stress can see begin to drop. This can interfere with sperm production and cause <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/erectile-dysfunction-anxiety-stress">erectile dysfunction </a>/ impotence. Chronic stress may also increase risk of infection for male reproductive organs like the prostate and testes.For women, stress can affect the menstrual cycle. It can lead to irregular, heavier, or more painful periods. Chronic stress can also magnify the physical symptoms of <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause">menopause </a>

Reproductive System

The rush of hormones, rapid breathing, and increased heart rate can also upset your <a href="https://www.healthline.com/human-body-maps/digestive-system">digestive system </a>. You’re more likely to have heartburn or <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/gerd/stress">acid reflux </a>thanks to an increase in stomach acid. Stress doesn’t cause ulcers (a bacterium called H. pylori often does), but it can increase your risk for them and cause existing ulcers to act up. Stress can also affect the way food moves through your body, leading to <a href="https://www.healthline.com/symptom/diarrhea">diarrhea </a>or <a href="https://www.healthline.com/symptom/constipation">constipation </a>. You might also experience <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/nausea-and-vomiting">nausea </a>, vomiting, or a <a href="https://www.healthline.com/symptom/abdominal-pain">stomachache </a>.

How Stress Can Affect The Digestive System

Stress stimulates the immune system, which can be a plus for immediate situations. This stimulation can help you avoid infections and heal wounds. But over time, stress hormones will weaken your immune system and reduce your body’s response to foreign invaders. People under chronic stress are more susceptible to viral illnesses like the <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/flu">flu </a>and the <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-flu/cold">common cold </a>, as well as other infections. Stress can also increase the time it takes you to recover from an illness or injury..

Stress And The Immune System

Temporary stress can induce a short fight or flight response, but chronic stress can cause permanent damage to our heath. As someone who has not been relaxing at all due to the heat of mock exams, university interviews, intense revision plus a never-ending to-do list, I decided to read this article to deter me from pressurising myself and force myself to pause and make a better system for me.

Constant stress can increase your risk for long-term health issues like heart attack and diabetes. Learn the toll stress can take on the body.

mentalhealth

Mental Health

The Effects of Stress on Your Body

Your to-do list should be an extension of your mind. It's a way of storing away tomorrow's work so that you can focus on what you have to do today.
However, if we don't regularly tidy up our list, it can get cluttered. Instead of a reliable to-do list, it can become a cumbersome task in itself that cease to fulfil the function it was designed for. Learning from Marie Kondo, we can declutter our task list in a similar way she tidies physical belongings.

Decluttering a to-do list

"To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose."

We can't know what is worth doing if we don't know where we are going.
<ul>
<li>Before touching any clutter, visualise what it would mean to have a clutter-free to-do list. Maybe you want to have a successful business, or get in shape.</li>
<li>Then identify why you want to get in shape or have a successful business. Write down your "why". This is what you will use to determine if a task is worth doing.</li>
<li>Break your vision down into several goals for each area of your life, and create a task for each.</li>
</ul>

Before you start, consider your destination

Your to-do list may be stuffed with half-baked ideas, empty projects, and tasks you forgot to check off. Make a complete inventory of all the tasks and projects on your to-do list. Then see what you can delete. The purpose is to cut away the nonessential to make space for what's important to you now.
As you do your inventory, ask yourself:
<ul>
<li>Does this task bring you closer to the life you want to live?</li>
<li>Some items you have to keep, such as doing your taxes.</li>
<li>If you don't want to let go of long-standing tasks, such as writing a book, save it in a "Maybe later" file and archive it.</li>
</ul>

Discard first

Once your task list is clear and aligned with your goals, take steps to keep it clear.
<ul>
<li>For every new task that comes to your to-do list, ask if it leads to your vision. If not, discard it immediately.</li>
<li>Unhelpful tasks will sneak in from time to time. Weed them out with a weekly review so you can start each week with a clearly prioritised to-do list.</li>
<li>Check in on your big-picture every few months.</li>
</ul>

Change your mindset first, then your habits

Now that you have the right tasks, it's time to sort and organize. Every task on your to-do list should be related to your goal.
<ul>
<li>Keep your projects visible. Seeing every project you've committed to keeps you from adding too many.</li>
<li>Sequence your tasks in a logical order before you get to work.</li>
<li>Add priorities. Some tasks are more important to your goal.</li>
<li>Give each task a due date. As a rule of thumb, estimate how long a task will take, then double it.</li>
<li>Ensure your to-do list sparks joy. Consider the wording, colour theme and emojis.</li>
</ul>

Give every task a place

Taking a cue from Marie Kondo, you can declutter your task list in the same way she tidies physical belongings, with the help of Todoist.

productivity

Productivity

problemsolving

Problem Solving

timemanagement

Time Management

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up Your To-Do List

When dehydrated, airways are restricted by the body in an effort to minimize water loss. This can make <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/asthma/">asthma</a> and allergies worse.

The airways need it

Water may also help with weight loss, if it is consumed instead of sweetened juices and sodas. “Preloading” with water before meals can help prevent overeating by creating a sense of fullness.

Weight loss

Cartilage, found in joints and the disks of the spine, contains around 80 percent water. Long-term <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/153363.php">dehydration</a> can reduce the joints’ shock-absorbing ability, leading to joint pain.

It lubricates the joints

Up to 65% of the human adult body is water. According to H.H. Mitchell, Journal of Biological Chemistry 158, the brain and heart are composed of 73% water, and the lungs are about 83% water. The skin contains 64% water, muscles and kidneys are 79%, and even the bones are watery: 31%.

We are water

When partying, unsweetened soda water with ice and lemon alternated with alcoholic drinks can help prevent overconsumption of alcohol.

It reduces the chance of a hangover

These <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/multimedia/functions-of-water-in-the-body/img-20005799">dissolve in water</a>, which makes it possible for them to reach different parts of the body.

It makes minerals and nutrients accessible

Dehydration can affect brain structure and function. It is also involved in the production of hormones and neurotransmitters. Prolonged dehydration can lead to problems with thinking and reasoning.

It cushions the brain, spinal cord, and other sensitive tissues

Water is needed in the processes of sweating and removal of urine and feces.

It flushes body waste

Blood is more than 90 percent water, and blood carries oxygen to different parts of the body.

It delivers oxygen throughout the body

The kidneys regulate fluid in the body. Insufficient water can lead to <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/154193.php">kidney stones</a> and other problems.

It prevents kidney damage

Saliva helps us digest our food and keeps the mouth, nose, and eyes moist. This prevents friction and damage. Drinking water also keeps the mouth clean. Consumed instead of sweetened beverages, it can also reduce tooth decay.

It forms saliva and mucus

A lack of water can cause blood to become thicker, increasing <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270644.php">blood pressure</a>.

It helps maintain blood pressure

With dehydration, the skin can become more vulnerable to skin disorders and premature wrinkling.

It boosts skin health and beauty

The middle layers of the skin and the stored water in these work like a radiator for the body. When the body temperature rises, the water accumulate the heat and starts to evaporate, cooling the body.

It regulates body temperature

The bowel needs water to work properly. Dehydration can lead to digestive problems, <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150322.php">constipation</a>, and an overly acidic stomach. This increases the risk of <a href="https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/9151.php">heartburn</a> and stomach ulcers.

The digestive system depends on it

Drinking water is often overlooked as a necessary part of staying healthy. The body and blood are largely made of water, and so we need a lot of fluid to function. Consequences of not drinking enough include urinary infections and kidney stones. Find out here how drinking enough water helps the body function.

15 benefits of drinking water and other water facts

<ul>
<li>In 1891, James Naismith, a physical education teacher, created a new game to keep his students engaged during the winter months. The game had to be playable indoors and accommodate several players at once. It needed to provide exercise without a chance for more severe injuries.</li>
<li>Two peach baskets nailed to the lower rail of the gymnasium balcony served as goals. The students would play on teams to try and get a ball into their team's basket. The first game was a complete brawl.</li>
<li>During the first game, the students were tackling, kicking and punching. One boy was knocked out, some had black eyes, and one had a dislocated shoulder. Afterwards, they nagged Naismith to let them play again.</li>
<li>He created some rules and continued to modify them into 13 rules - known as the original 13 rules. Some of the original rules are still part of the modern game today.</li>
</ul>

Origins of basketball

The first game used baskets as hoops and turned into a brawl. Soon after, basketball evolved into a pillar of American sports.

David Sinclair: Extending the Human Lifespan Beyond 100 Years | Lex Fridman Podcast #189

The Effects of Stress on Your Body

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up Your To-Do List

It's time to
Read like a Pro.

15 benefits of drinking water and other water facts

CURATED BY

David Sinclair: Extending the Human Lifespan Beyond 100 Years | Lex Fridman Podcast #189

The Effects of Stress on Your Body

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up Your To-Do List

It's time to Read like a Pro.

15 benefits of drinking water and other water facts

CURATED BY

It's time to
Read like a Pro.