Scientists name eight measures that can slow ageing by up to six years

984 points by nikola28 2 years ago on reddit | 83 comments

sweetnsourgrapes | 2 years ago

> Eat a healthy diet

> Be more active

> Quit smoking

> Get healthy sleep

> Maintain a healthy weight

> Control cholesterol

> Watch blood sugar

> Manage blood pressure

Which simplifies down to:

  1. Eat healthy

  2. Sleep well

  3. Exercise

  4. Try not to poison yourself too much

Anyway I feel it's wrong to focus on length of life. Quality of life is what we should be mostly trying to pin down. We all live long enough already, generally speaking.

KarmicWhiplash | 2 years ago

Following this advice will likely result in better quality of life as well.

Twisted_Cabbage | 2 years ago

The healthy weight part is where a lot of people trip themselves. Eating disorders, and pills, while they can get you to a "healthy" weight, do not lead to any health and longevity.

Sharticus123 | 2 years ago

Yep. Healthspan is more important than lifespan. I’d rather live a healthy mobile life and die at 70 than live to 100 but spend the last 30 years in a wheelchair.

ElbowStrike | 2 years ago

Ok but in those last 30 years can I play the latest re-re-re-re-remaster of Skyrim?

ElbowStrike | 2 years ago

Being healthy and mobile at 70 will greatly increase your chances of reaching 100 though.

colintbowers | 2 years ago

Nothing about alcohol? Phew!

Noiserawker | 2 years ago

Cheers!

Kimorin | 2 years ago

sooo... not planking like the thumbnail would suggest?

sfcnmone | 2 years ago

I’m 70, in pretty good shape, walk or swim 5 days per week, and I blew out a cervical disc trying to increase my planking time up to 60 seconds during lockdown.

I’m pretty salty about it. That is not an exercise your basic old person should be trying to do.

PM-me-YOUR-0Face | 2 years ago

Pretty dope you're doing shit on the internet, living a healthy lifestyle, and (based on this post), doing a bunch of active shit in your day to day.

I only write this because I had a bad few weeks lately and I've barely passed the "do work, make food, sleep" necessities.

Destiny_Victim | 2 years ago

But you got this homie. Barely means you still pulled it off. Make sure you make some time for you to celebrate your self pulling it off. Life’s hard as fuck as is. Don’t be hard on yourself. And if as we all do you’ve done anything your not happy with yourself about don’t try to change everything in a day. Just try to do one very little thing better. You got this. Frfr.

sfcnmone | 2 years ago

One day at a time, friend.

LurkLurkleton | 2 years ago

That is exercise

yungstinky420 | 2 years ago

That’s why I do all those but I smoke weed and drink light beer

I just tell myself I’m counteracting the other so it all balances out 🤣😇

spikecurt | 2 years ago

Yes, ground-breaking research 🙂

Elrox | 2 years ago

I do all of those except sleep, I get about 5 hours a night. I want to sleep but I cant sleep. I miss sleeping.

alpharowe3 | 2 years ago

That doesn't seem worth to me. All that to MAYBE live to 84 instead of 78? I'd rather eat pepperoni pizza every day and die younger.

LurkLurkleton | 2 years ago

People often mistakenly think that by eating and drinking whatever they want they're just going to shave the bad years off the end of their life. You'll still have the bad years, they'll just come earlier. Death by lifestyle diseases is usually a long, slow, annoying process of ever worsening health.

MrEHam | 2 years ago

You’re also going to look pretty unhealthy starting around your 30s/40s and won’t have much energy.

Twisted_Cabbage | 2 years ago

Yup and good luck with a descent sex life without viagra.

alpharowe3 | 2 years ago

The "eat pepperoni pizza every day" was a gross exaggeration for humorous effect. Granted it wasn't meant to be a top tier joke or anything.

yoshhash | 2 years ago

You are falsely presuming that healthy food is not just as delicious if not more.

alpharowe3 | 2 years ago

I don't think I presumed anything. However, is the idea humans are more drawn to high fat and sugary foods false?

yoshhash | 2 years ago

ok, I apologize. A lot of people do this though.

surrsptitious | 2 years ago

No.. That's why nobody eats it. If seaweed tasted like pizza...

Twisted_Cabbage | 2 years ago

You just have sugar and salt addiction. That's it. Detox and learn to eat healthy, and you will quickly find the junk food tastes like butt.

balerionmeraxes77 | 2 years ago

So... Eat, Pray, Love??

thoughtlooped | 2 years ago

Where does it say pray? And why then does the bible belt have a stark difference in life expectancy?

TheColorblindDruid | 2 years ago

Praying to the wrong gods obviously lol

JustJay613 | 2 years ago

I'm with you. Same old crap. How long are scientists going to milk this stuff. Nothing new from the last 30+ years on the list. I don't buy adhering to this leading to better quality. Six years? Who cares when you are in your 80's. I'd rather have 74 years living my best life than 80 years sticking to this. Eating healthy, 50%-60% of the time. Active, never enough but some. Sleep, not happening. I feel better next day on 5-6 hours than 8. Smoking and weight, yeah, don't smoke and maybe 15-20lbs overweight. Cholesterol? I don't do anything. Blood tests fine so back to steak and wings. Blood sugar? Same as cholesterol. Blood pressure, now that I have a pill for because it is elevated.

Bumango7 | 2 years ago

How old are you? Maybe 25?

JustJay613 | 2 years ago

Much older. That's why I remember all this from 30 years ago. But thanks for attributing my wisdom to the stupidity of youth.

JoanofBarkks | 2 years ago

Where exactly was the wisdom?

JustJay613 | 2 years ago

The wisdom is of living your life and to not take all the garbage spewed personally and allowing it to affect your life. We are all individuals and no one approach works for everyone. A lot is hereditary. I get regular physicals and bloodwork, etc, and fall well within the parameters of being healthy. You might eat healthy and still have high cholesterol. I know chain smokers that lived into their 80's and I know people who died in their 30's from lung cancer who never smoked. I know people who can eat anything and never gain weight versus others who gain weight no matter how hard they try. Point is don't let lists like this dictate your life. Have the steak, another drink, don't go to the gym today. If you are otherwise healthy enjoy the limited time we have here. Being older but still young enough to enjoy myself I choose enjoyment. Living the next 20-30 years in a way I wouldn't enjoy to possibly add 6 years is not worth it. Using sleep as an example. By sleeping 6 hours instead of 8, based on being awake 16 hours a day I gain 6.25 years of being awake and active over 50 years. I've will have already outperformed the study. I'm enjoying the time when I am young enough to do so. Watch your health and do what YOU need to do to live your best life.

Lionheart_Lives | 2 years ago

Well done!!

JohnnyRelentless | 2 years ago

Hmm. Got anything that takes no effort, time, or money?

Cyber_Lanternfish | 2 years ago

Lenght goes in pair with a longer quality life.

IdontOpenEnvelopes | 2 years ago

The implicit goal is higher quantity at higher quality. There are plenty of vegetables in vegetable farms already.

SanguineOptimist | 2 years ago

I haven’t read the article yet, but I’m guessing it’s 95% exercise and diet.

PM-me-YOUR-0Face | 2 years ago

Lifestyle mags hate this 1 trick.

Because it's the only trick? Shit you can simplify it to "eat less food / eat healthier food (and fewer calories)" and hit most people who need help becoming healthier.

Exercise is the magic 10% that is a multiplier to already-healthy (or trying to get healthier).

Lowmondo | 2 years ago

I bet you did read it but you just wanted to seem like a smart arse. Don’t reply I’m guessing you’ll say you really didn’t and I’m being overly cynical.

motorhead84 | 2 years ago

I mean why even use Reddit when you can have an entire conversation with yourself?

Objective-Aardvark87 | 2 years ago

Caloric restriction and controlled fasting is possibly also some measures to slow ageing, behind it is that the body breaks down, recycles and replaces worn out and damaged cells via apoptosis and autophagy.

razordenys | 2 years ago

Aren't there enough studies that show that healthy social relationships are even more important?

MushroomsAndTomotoes | 2 years ago

I think they are important in the sense that it's dangerous to live depressed and alone.

TheColorblindDruid | 2 years ago

What studies? Never seen this claim before tbh

razordenys | 2 years ago

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2023/02/how-long-will-you-live-8-social-factors-are-key/

You might search a bit deeper, that us just news I found.

loreys | 2 years ago

How many more studies telling us to exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, sleep and not smoke do we need?

green-thumb_red-eyes | 2 years ago

Who tf wants to live longer? Y’all seen the world lately?

PM-me-YOUR-0Face | 2 years ago

I will live long enough to view an entire collapse,

Or not...

But I've got plans to see it through, and then quickly check out. If we get future novelists they're going to have a rough ass time with the genre.

duppyconqueror81 | 2 years ago

In this economy, our retirement plan is already to go have a hunting accident after our 2 year savings run out. Can’t afford 6 more years.

IWanttoBuyAnArgument | 2 years ago

>Everyone wants to live longer

To a point.

Darebarsoom | 2 years ago

No Nivea? From the blue can? List is garbage then.

OddBallCat | 2 years ago

Low protein diets work too

triggz | 2 years ago

No, lack of muscle mass from chronic protein restriction is a weakness. Protein fasting, however, does to promote autophagy and prepare for growth. You just move your protein intake to a restricted window, but dont actually miss any for the week. Works good for carb cycling too for ketosis.

OddBallCat | 2 years ago

Low protein and vegetarian diets promote longevity. High carb diets promote weight loss.

Kimorin | 2 years ago

this seems like some facebook science right here... how the fk can high carb diet promote weight loss, it's like the one thing that caused the modern day obesity crisis

Objective-Aardvark87 | 2 years ago

It probably also promotes insulin release and insulin resistance. Leading to the bodys inability to regulate blood pressure, higher cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.

OddBallCat | 2 years ago

It really does.lol

AnyAnimator7045 | 2 years ago

How do high carb diets produce weight loss? Genuinely curious

OddBallCat | 2 years ago

It's just the way the body works, despite trendy notions otherwise

AnyAnimator7045 | 2 years ago

Interesting, in my personal experience excess carbs have led to me gaining weight and fat. I think its that a lot of it turns into sugars and in America contains added sugars as well (such as fructose)

triggz | 2 years ago

Only the bodies of mice used in those studies.

TheColorblindDruid | 2 years ago

As a vegetarian please stfu. You’re making us look like absolute fools

OddBallCat | 2 years ago

Except it's true, people just have a narrow view, and would rather trust supplement companies who own the magazines these articles are written in

TheColorblindDruid | 2 years ago

Please cite even a single study to back your claim

OddBallCat | 2 years ago

You don't need to believe me.

BlackKhajiit | 2 years ago

So you just claim shit on a science subreddit and think we are gonna blindly believe you like your mindless tiktok followers or some shit?

Wrong social media for misinformation

triggz | 2 years ago

Veg diets are extremely highly inflammatory and over-hydration from bulky stools strips you of water soluble vitamins and minerals. You only need enough soluble fiber to feed gut bacteria. All that insoluble fiber irritates your gut lining, and phytic acid (among other things plants create to kill the creatures eating them) create microulcers leading to leaky gut. Animal oils go inside to feed and sustain, plant oils go on the outside as a protective barrier. Plant protein is not absorbed nearly as well as animal protein and is highly inflammatory (intentionally, the plants dont want to be eaten!). You are not a ruminant, at least have eggs and fish.

High carb as weight loss makes me think you are a troll.

LurkLurkleton | 2 years ago

Only in /r/everythingscience would this litany of contradiction to scientific consensus get upvoted.

triggz | 2 years ago

Exactly.

distant2soul | 2 years ago

Imagine added up six years at the end of your life when does the family say” don’t worry only six years left”

NewYorkJewbag | 2 years ago

Pap

Psychological-Ear157 | 2 years ago

How about take sirolimus, metformin, and NMN?

ZeroEqualsOne | 2 years ago

God damnit… why is healthy sleep always so important??

TaiwanCowboy | 2 years ago

What's truly amazing is that this article gives you the information directly and in the second paragraph.

sublimesting | 2 years ago

There are 2. Consume healthfully and exercise.

JoanofBarkks | 2 years ago

Sorry but adequate sleep is critical. Gotta have all three. 🙃

sublimesting | 2 years ago

Oh yeah forgot that. 3

bowtuckle | 2 years ago

Also don’t win Darwin award