HEALTHSPAN - NEXT STEPS

Last week I introduced a new concept in health care put forth by Dr. Peter Attia called Healthspan. We talked about the difference between lifespan and healthspan, and how the goal of living into triple digits is now a very achievable goal.

The 3 areas we will focus on for the next several weeks are Physical Function, Cognitive Health and Emotional Health. This new approach is all about being proactive instead of reactive. Taking positive steps in each of these categories long before we see deficiencies or manifestations of disease. Our focus will be on early intervention, prevention and understanding individual risk factors ahead of time so we can mitigate the risks. Ideally, I’d love to see an integration of allopathic medicine with its technology and data and holistic medicine, looking at the whole person, body, mind and spirit to achieve the best possible results. So let’s get going!

Imagine knowing your specific risk for cardiovascular disease, cancer, or Alzheimer’s based on your genetics, family history, and biomarkers, and then being able to take targeted actions to mitigate those risks decades before the first symptoms appear.

Instead of waiting for disease, you take control of your health trajectory, actively working to prevent the conditions that have plagued previous generations.

It's about empowerment. It’s about providing you with the knowledge and tools to actively manage your health, improve your longevity, and compress your morbidity, allowing you to live your longest and best life by shifting from passive and reactive to active and intentional. In the coming weeks, we are going to focus on the following Principles:

·        Proactive Care: Focus on preventing disease rather than treating it once it’s entrenched.

·        Personalization: Leverage genetics, biomarkers, and lifestyle data to tailor interventions.

·        Empowerment: Equip individuals with tools and knowledge to actively manage their

health.

This new way of looking at your health empowers you to take control of your health trajectory, transforming healthcare from passive treatment to active prevention. Today we’re going to look at how to strategically approach your longevity by setting the right goals, understanding the risks you face, and the most effective tactics to mitigate those risks.

Goal-setting frameworks like the Marginal Decade™ and the Centenarian Decathlon™, concepts put forth by Dr. Peter Attia, help you plan for a vibrant life well into old age. This would involve envisioning what you want your  final years to look like. What do you want to be able to do in your seventies, eighties, and nineties? This exercise forces us to confront the realities of aging and set goals that are both meaningful and achievable.

Also, identify the ten most important physical tasks you want to be able to perform as you approach 100 years of age. This could be anything from athletic endeavors like swimming or hiking to everyday activities like lifting a suitcase into an overhead compartment or picking up a child from the floor. For example, to maintain the ability to lift a 20-pound suitcase when you’re 80, you need to be training to lift 40 to 50 pounds today, as strength declines with age. Other examples would be:

·        Hike 1.5 miles on a hilly trail.

·        Get up off the floor using minimal support.

·        Carry two five-pound bags of groceries for five blocks.

·        Lift a 20-pound suitcase into the overhead compartment on a plane.

·        Climb four flights of stairs in three minutes.

What does your list look like? Take some time to think about it, then formulate a plan to be able to accomplish those things right now.  It’s a paradigm shift. These two exercises are tools to help you redefine your approach to aging. They encourage you to set goals that prioritize healthspan, focusing on maintaining physical and cognitive function as you age.

By setting clear objectives, we can strategically prepare for the later years of life, ensuring they are vibrant and fulfilling.

Next week we will look at the concept of The Four Horsemen of Chronic Disease and how they threaten both lifespan and healthspan. Then, we’ll look at Five tactical domains—exercise, nutrition, sleep, emotional health, and medications & supplements—that form the foundation of your approach to longevity.

I can’t wait to go further into these concepts with you and help guide you on your wellness journey. Getting older doesn’t have to be scary and it doesn’t have to be degenerative. You can move into your golden years strong, vital and happy. And I’d love to be the one to help you get there.

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