Live Like a Vampire: Tricks to Living Healthier, Longer (Part 1)

“Each life makes its own imitation of immortality.”  — Stephen King

Longevity is all the rage. Living as long as you possibly can while remaining as young as you possibly can. Basically, trying to be a vampire. Vampires are so alluring because they are immortal, coupled with eternal youth. No one wants to live to one hundred in horrible health. Without having to spend millions on treatments per year, the question then is: What is the best way to live longer?

Honestly, most of the proven ways to live a long, healthy life are things your grandmother could have, and probably did, tell you. First and foremost is to get off your butt and exercise. The minimum recommendations for exercise are 150-300 minutes/week for moderate exertion and 75-150 minutes/week of vigorous activity. However, participants who did two to four times the recommended amount of moderate physical activity had 26% to 31% lower all-cause mortality¹. Exercise is shown to fight depression, which leads to a happier life. Another large factor is quality of relationships. An almost 80 year old study points to the correlation between how happy we are in our relationships has a powerful influence on our health and longevity². Double down by being active with your friends and family.

Unsurprisingly, longevity also has much to do with what you put into your body. Like any engine, put in junk and the engine will burn out. Over the course of 23 years, individuals who consumed higher amounts of ultra-processed foods were 10% more likely to die from all-cause mortality than those who had diets high in natural foods³. Want to live longer? Stop eating things out of packages. It’s not only what you eat, but how much. Prolonged calorie restriction has been shown to extend both the median and maximal lifespan⁴. Watching your waistline not only provides more energy, but prevents things such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. We know ‘dieting’ can be an evil word, but similar results can be achieved through counting macros.

Although grandma wasn’t a vampire (for most of us), she was right about health. Even the guy who spends $2 million per year on health admits longevity comes down to the basics of staying active, getting good sleep, being happy/having good relationships, eating healthy food, and watching your waistline⁶. Obviously, there are some nuances in the details, but the rules are pretty consistent. Make good choices. Get out there and move. Then enjoy the best version of immortal youth you can achieve.

Action: Evaluate your weekly routine, are you set up for maximum longevity? Modify to improve.

Further Reading:

1. Long-Term Leisure-Time Physical Activity Intensity and All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Cohort of US Adults
2. Good genes are nice, but joy is better
3. Intake of Ultra-Processed Foods Linked with Increased Risk of Death
4. Caloric Restriction in Humans: Impact on Physiological, Psychological, and Behavioral Outcomes
5. Daily multivitamins may not promote longevity, study finds
6. Inside Bryan Johnson Don’t Die Summit