TLDR: The 5 Pillars of Longevity

In this bonus episode of Shift Happens, we break down the 5 pillars of longevity and explore why simple, consistent habits matter more than extreme health optimisation. We also discuss the importance of accepting the ageing process, being present, and appreciating the time you have.

We reflect on how focusing on the present moment can naturally support long-term health, offering a more balanced and sustainable approach to longevity, wellbeing, and healthy ageing.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:06

So to recap on the longevity piece that we've discussed today, if you look at longevity and you break it down, what is it? It's good nutrition, good quality sleep, decent amount of sleep, it's social capital, it's movement and exercise and it's stress management. So if you're able to look at your life and assess these and which ones need maybe more or less of, um, and just in general, you're able to um maybe work on an area, say say all of them are fine, except your stress levels are too high, or everything's fine, but your nutrition. So have a look at that rather than buying into all of these supplements, the bi hacking, the uh, you know, those are your low hanging fruits. These are your low-hanging fruits. Start with that, that's your baseline. And if you can optimize all of those areas in a way which works for you and works for your life, then you are already, you know, a huge way, let's call it 80%, 90% into the longevity of your life in the pieces that you can control. Because let's face it, there's a whole realm of things out on outside your control which can terminate longevity tomorrow. Yeah. So what can I control in my longevity in my length of and the length and quality of my life? These are the five pillars, and there's a part of aging which has to be acceptance. Yeah. Because aging is a blessing, and you have to accept that there's things that you will, you know, you will go through as a process of that. But the alternative is far worse because the alternative is death.

unknown 1:51

Death.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

Yeah, I think acceptance. Um I think another one is uh being present. I think also appreciating the moments that you are in and not constantly. I think it's more the idea of how we perceive aging. Yeah. And it's not just something that we have to be resisting against. Yeah. It's also something that we can accept and we can also, by being present, just making the most of where you are right now.

SPEAKER_00 2:16

Well, yeah, because what are you doing when you're being present? You're not thinking about the next thing.

SPEAKER_01 2:19

Exactly.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

When you're by default, by being present, you're not thinking about the next minute, the next hour, the next day.

SPEAKER_01 2:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 2:25

So whereas longevity, all it's thinking about is the future. Yeah. So it's that's why by default, if you're being present, you are kind of counterbalancing the longevity concept. Exactly. Because l the people who are into longevity, they're not necessarily enjoying the moment. They're thinking, how can I be here next year and the year after and the year after and the year after? And I think that So they're conflicting, yeah. Um, in a way, they're kind of conflicting uh practices.

SPEAKER_01 2:53

Yeah. And I think it's fundamentally it's about the quality of your life rather than the quantity. For you. For me.