Longevity Professor: The Key Factors To Stop Decline & Slow Aging After 40! | Rose Anne Kenny

Longevity is a hot topic these days. We’re obsessed with anti-ageing, as if getting older should be avoided or even reversed at all costs! Of course, we can’t do that and I’m not sure we’d really want to. But today’s guest brings valuable insights about what we can do, to make sure we age healthily and happily.

Professor Rose Anne Kenny is a medical gerontologist and Regius Professor of Physic and Chair of Medical Gerontology at Trinity College Dublin. She’s the Founding Principal Investigator of Ireland’s largest population study of ageing (TILDA) and the author of the international bestseller Age Proof: The New Science of Living a Longer and Healthier Life.

In today’s conversation, Professor Kenny reveals that while 20 percent of ageing is genetic and can’t be changed, 80 percent is epigenetic – in other words, we have the power to influence how quickly or how slowly we age.

Her number one recommendation is to have good quality friendships and relationships throughout our lives. Then follow a healthy diet, plenty of exercise, and reduce stress. So nothing too surprising, perhaps. But what might surprise you is just how far reaching the effects of these relatively simple measures can be – and how much what you do in your 20s can impact your 80s.

We talk about how to avoid metabolic syndrome and why it’s important to know key
biological markers throughout life. We take a deep dive into the benefits of community,
family, volunteering and inter-generational friendships, and discuss the undercurrent of
ageism that prevails in society.

Loneliness increased threefold during the pandemic, according to the TILDA study, and it’s
left some people feeling afraid to reconnect. Yet isolation is known to cause inflammation,
suppress immunity and speed ageing.

Professor Kenny believes we should flip convenience on its head when it comes to exercise.
Instead of taking the easy option that means moving less, we should look at the ‘harder’
options, such as taking the stairs or carrying heavy bags, as convenient ways to build activity
and strength training into our lives. She also shares excellent advice on sex and intimacy,
sleeping better, laughing more, and finding purpose all around you.

This really is a wonderful and practical conversation that is going to give you a variety of simple ways to play the long game when it comes to ageing. And the empowering message is that it’s never too early and it’s never too late to start.

#feelbetterlivemore
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Connect with Professor Kenny:

Professor Kenny’s book:

#feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast

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DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

[DrChatterjeeRangan]

Looking for shorter clips or content? Check out my @DrChatterjeeClips channel

[ibrahimmohamedbashe]

After watching it all come to basics

1) physical exercise
2) look into your diet
3) strong social relationships
3) enjoy your life and find the meaning of your life.

Then all factors remain constant your doomed to live the longest life 😂

Kudos for the podcast.

[mariaskrzipczyk]

I was living with friends in Sardenia for a while. Breakfast was small and sweet, lunch reduced with fresh ingredients, siesta where everybody relax and the dinner was huge with many small plates of, sourceges, fish, a vegetable plate, pasta, meat and cheese and sweets at the end. I never saw them eating between meals.They said this only make tired. What I remember well where fresh herbals they allways used like sage, rosmary...I remember I get once lost in Sassari. The family was looking out for me and I was spotted by friends in the town. If you belong there you are NEVER alone or could hide. For the evening we allways met friends somewhere and you have tight bonds. Wounderful people and everybody was talking and listening in the same time. So much laughter and fun!

[nezzieshabazz]

I’m 76 and I totally agree. I take no meds, all my vitals are normal and I am great full for that. I will buy her book and share this video.

[samieramohamed]

Recap, friendship quality, food, exercises, stress, shall add sleep, breathing, posture, clean water and clean air, exposure to natural sunlight earl in the day to tune our biological circadian clock.

[tracyfederman]

I’m beginning to worry about myself because I love my alone time. But I do spend considerable time listening to people talk about stuff like this. I realized when I was 59 that I needed to move as much as possible and I’ve been a daily exerciser ever since. Picked up ping pong and dance a couple years ago. Love my time in acting class with a dozen other women - there’s my community! Almost 70 and loving life. Thank you for this conversation. ❤️

[LTPottenger]

The biggest thing you can do to potentially increase your lifespan is to do some fasting, which increases NAD+, telomere factors and much more for longevity! Some benefits of doing occasional extended fasting: High blood pressure is lowered to normal levels very quickly while fasting. Fibrosis/scarring is reversed over time, including in the heart and lungs.

Fasting increases T cell production and regenerates the thymus. T cells are vital in fighting cancer, autoimmune disease and infections but as we age the thymus stops making as many of them. Fasting releases stem cells, which then can become new T cells. Fasting also releases growth hormone, which regenerates the thymus itself, which aids this process!

Fasting stimulates phagocytosis, the ingestion of bacteria, plaques and viruses by the immune system. This will also remove any spikes, whether natural or unnatural in origin!

Blood clotting is reduced and blood clots and arterial plaque are reabsorbed into the body.

Blood sugar and insulin are lowered when fasting, allowing white blood cells to move more freely throughout the body and do their job.

Vitamin D plasma levels are increased as fasting improves metabolic health, and vitamin D in turn increases autophagy.

Fasting restores your circadian rhythm to normal over time.

Fasting increases nitric oxide release.

Fasts from 36-96 h increase metabolic rate due to norepinephrine release!

Telomeres are lengthened and fasting also increases anti-aging Yamanaka factors.

After 72 hours or more fasted, your body recycles up to 1/3 of all immune bodies, rejuvenating your entire immune system. This helps prevent the onset of new autoimmune conditions, which develop through a leaky gut and damaged immune system.

Fasting can help with MS, Depression, BPD, Autism and seizures.

Thymus is regenerated, which suppresses aging and renews the immune system. The thymus also plays a vital role in fighting cancer.

Weight loss from daily caloric restriction has 1/4 to 1/3 of the weight lost as lean tissue while many studies show fat loss from 36 h fasts without losing any lean tissue!

The obese will lose extra tissue like loose skin while fasting, but the skinny or frail will have increased growth hormone release than the obese, which helps to make more lean tissue and reduce frailness.

When you move out of MTOR your body shuts down the building blocks of the cell required for viruses to replicate.

The hunger hormone ghrelin also lowers with extended fasting and rises from dieting.

What breaks a fast? Anything with protein or carbohydrates in it will break a fast. Most teas and herbs are OK. Most supplements and meds will either break ketosis directly or contain a filler that will. Many meds are dangerous to take while fasting.

Does fasting lower testosterone? No, it raises it when the fast is broken by increasing lutenizing hormone. Fasting also increases insulin sensitivity, which helps with muscle building.

Fasts of 36-96 will not affect short term female fertility or affect menstrual cycle. They also may increase long term fertility, especially in women with PCOS.

Fasting reduces pain and anxiety by stimulating the endocannabinoid system in a similar way to CBD oil.

One day of fasting can cut your leptin levels in half and gets your immune system working properly again! This reduces leptin resistance, which impairs immune function.

Stomach acid is reduced over time while fasting and can allow for the healing of treatment resistant ulcers. Some patients may need continued acid reduction medication while fasting.

Does the body preferentially prefer glucose as a fuel? No. Except for brief periods of very intense exercise, your body mainly burns fats in the form of free fatty acids. Your brain also prefers to burn ketones at a rate of around 2.5 to 1 when they are available in equal quantity to glucose.

Fasting stimulates the AMPK complex and activates autophagy. Autophagy (literally self eating) will cause cells to recycle damaged proteins and foreign matter such as viruses. It will can kill cancerous and senescent cells

It increases mitochondrial function and repairs mitichondrial DNA, leading to improved ATP production and oxygen efficiency. Increased mitochondrial function also has the added benefit of increasing your metabolism, fighting infection and cancer prevention!

Fasting releases BDNF and NGF in the blood which stimulates new nerve and brain cell growth. This can help a great deal with diseases like MS, peripheral neuropathy and Alzheimers.

When not in ketosis, the brain can only burn carbohydrate, which produces a great deal of damaging ROS the brain has to deal with.

Fasting also increases telomere length, negating some of the effects of aging at a cellular level.

When you fast, this stimulates apoptosis in senescent or genetically damaged cells, destroying them. Senescent cells are responsible for many of the effects of aging and are a root cause of the development of cancer.

A fasting mimicking diet for 3-5 days in a row also provides many of the same benefits as water fasting. FMD usually has 200-800 calories, under 18 g of protein and extremely low carbs.

Exogenous ketones can aid with fasting, making it easier in healthy people and allowing some people with specific issues to fast in spite of them without worrying as much about hypoglycemia. They also help with dementia and many other issues even if you take them while not fasting!

Glycine and trimethylglycine can also be useful supplements while fasting that won't break ketosis and have many benefits.

Children, pregnant or nursing women should not fast for periods longer than 16 hours. People with pancreatic tumors or certain forms of hypoglycemia generally cannot fast at all. Type 1 diabetics can also fast but it is more complicated and should be approached with caution as it could lead to ketoacidosis. If you experience extreme symptoms of some kind, especially dizziness or tremors, then simply break the fast and seek advice.

Resources:


This list compiled over years of research by the user known as Pottenger's Human on youtube. Feel free to copy and paste this anywhere you like, no accreditation needed!

My community tab will always contain an updated version of this list of fasting benefits. I also have playlists on fasting and health topics.

[psychologicalprojectionist]

Rose Anne Kenny is not saying anything new, but how many times do we need to hear it?
Thanks, Rose Anne!

[MrQuadcity]

Thank you both for the awesome discussion. The biggest takeaway from the podcast is that aging well is largely within our control, with lifestyle choices such as maintaining strong social connections, a healthy diet, regular exercise, and a positive attitude towards aging being pivotal to extending longevity and improving quality of life.

[Sunnysue]

For most, I agree social connections are VERY important !! But for some of us... It's Hell !!! Being alone, is very different from being lonely ... #LifeLongLearner 😉

[jz]

I love all of these mental stimulating conversations and the positivity and encouragement from listening.

[joshualangton]

I'm a bit tired of all these podcasts claiming social connections are the most important thing for longevity. This may be true for extroverts but it is massively different for introverts, some people are blissfully happy in their own solitude!

[frogmouth]

In Australia the treatment of older people during Covid was awful. The lockdowns did not prevent waves of covid through nursing homes. It just meant older people suffered and died without their friends and relations

[thegeraldinekuss]

What about if the person's over 80? They NEVER mention that all your friends die, your relations die, your husbands die. I make new friends, just on a short Uber trip I chat with the driver, but NEARLY ALL MY FRIENDS ARE DEAD( I'm Disco Baby survivor, now a Health Hacker, follow Dave Asprey.) Practice Keto, Intermitant Fasting & Fasting, exercise.Meditate, Breathing Wim Hof.

[chefit_Jen]

What a magnificent podcast to hear! Two very knowledgable, charismatic and humane professionals.

[FlatToRentUK]

I listen to a lot of Peter Attia's podcasts and read his brilliant book Outlive. He was recently on another podcast (might have been the Zoe one) and was asked some quickfire questions. One was something like "what's the biggest myths in health/longevity" and his response was that we have little agency over our outcomes. They are massively in our control, you see so many people talk about genes as if they're destined to impact us. Genes are probabilistic, not deterministic. Even if you have a gene associated with a higher risk of a given disease you can still act to lower that risk overall.

Just be proactive, take control and you will have better outcomes.

[lighthealerastrid]

This is really a wonderful podcast. Prof. Kenny is a delight to listen to. Plus, there is a lot of chemistry between Rangan and his guest. Nothing I haven’t heard a few times before but Rangan has the ability to “bring it out better” by applying his own emphasis. One of his best. Thanks to Prof Kenny and Dr Chattagee

[janetblanc]

Im an 80 year old grandma (from Dublin living in Lausanne) and my days are spent running around taxying my granddaughters, cooking and cleaning up after meals, running.my own home and garden. It keeps me young.😅

[anoshya]

I’m 71 and go to the gym everyday and do an hour of aerobic exercise..don’t drink or smoke …I regard exercise as a magic pill..lowers blood, pressure and relieves anxiety and depression…BMI 0f 21 but you must put effort in to get fit as you get older..Ive notice fewer older, people in the U.K. gyms than gyms in the USA

[adjusted-bunny]

I do very well with social isolation. There is nothing better.