What can we learn about living longer from centenarians? | Peter Attia and Nir Barzilai

This clip is from episode #204 - Centenarians, metformin, and longevity with Nir Barzilai, M.D.

In this clip, they discuss:

- If we want to live an extra year (or 5), what are the most important lessons we can take away from centenarians?
- The importance of exercise and nutrition
- What do most centenarians have in common?
- And more

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About:

The Peter Attia Drive is a deep-dive podcast focusing on maximizing longevity, and all that goes into that from physical to cognitive to emotional health. With over 90 million episodes downloaded, it features topics including exercise, nutritional biochemistry, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, mental health, and much more.

Peter Attia is the founder of Early Medical, a medical practice that applies the principles of Medicine 3.0 to patients with the goal of lengthening their lifespan and simultaneously improving their healthspan.

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[circa]

My grandmother lived till she was 100 - happy at home with her friends coming over every night. Gardened every day..

When I asked her what the secret was, she said .. "Walnuts and homemade yogurt every day."

She was overweight and lived through a genocide. But she was very grateful and joyful. No heart disease or cancer - actually died of "old age" on her death certificate.

[sabinadonofrio]

My dad at 90 said he lived to eat
not eat to live😅
Mom grew the flowers, he grew the veggie garden.
Friday night dates were at Pizza hut for all the salad they could eat. McDonald's for ice cream and coffee. They went to bed with their bottle of Tylenol PM. Mom loved Chinese buffets.
And she would always take some chicken for my puppy. Otherwise she gave her the silent treatment. Bijou smelled the food on us before we even got past the door😂. Loved my little fur baby❤❤❤❤❤

[martinep]

My approach to increasing healthspan is mostly thru lifestyle optimization. Just like I do not eat crap that is not food, I try not to include unproductive/negative habits and to try out what may be good ideas😂. It is a long term project. It is kind of fun to monitor the changes. I dont do a lot of testing for potential future diseases. I just think that increasing my body's strenght and resilience should help me fight the onset of major diseases or slow down their progression.
Not exactly scientific but I know that every year makes a clear difference. Obviously the more you increase your abilities the more challenge you can introduce....that is the more freedom you gain and it is very motivating.
I am not obsessing about people my age dyjng. People I care about started dying already 20 years ago.
In my activities people around me are much much younger, with some rare exceptions. I dont have a choice.

The main issue with most people my age is most do not want to change or even reconsider their habits. In my mind it is a rather toxic behavior that makes us incompatible as it infiltrates everything in life and society. My mother used to point out that this resistance to self examination and questioning IS THE #1 SIGN of irreversible/self destructive agjng.

Now more than ever question everything😂

[davidlaksa]

Of course prevention is the best approach. This can only be afforded to the wealthy on a complete level. I have good insurance and I can’t get my cardiologist to do a cat-scan of my arteries. I paid out of pocket for a CAC scan and I have a build up in the most important artery of my heart, the Widowmaker. He still would not recommend the expensive dye scan. At least I get the Pcsk9i Repatha.

[robynhope]

I am firmly convinced that their personalities keep them alive..and let's not forget religion. "God is looking after me" helps survival".

[RoyalPurpleStar]

I don’t even want to live another 20 years, much less 100.

[robynhope]

Ik of a man who made it to 99 and a half...he saw life as a stage and himself as an entertainer. He charmed everyone. His son died from prostate cancer at 56...had no problem accepting it. If he didn't have a fall at 98, he'd probably still be alive.

[robynhope]

This is a subject that interested me since much younger...and here is what I observed: people who are selfish and self centered live long lives. Ik of a 96 yr old woman who told me: "nobody, but nobody, but nobody is worth my nerves...not siblings, not uncles, aunts, cousins, children, etc...NOBODY!" This woman walks unaided.., no walker, no cane, walks upright and has minimal body aches, and is planning for her 100th birthday.

[RoyalPurpleStar]

There was a woman that lived to 110 even though she smoked for 90 years? Was he saying that in jest? Because if was true, it’s really hard to believe.

[stevencole]

I have come to find out longevity is more about staying active and being engaged . I think these people are more social . You need to stay in motion . 5 percent of the population get to 90 so that's a feet in itself . Maybe diet and exercise have an impact on healrhspan but maybe not as much as we think on lifespan

[robynhope]

None of the ppl I mentioned had sensitive natures...nor did they much care what goes on in the world "not my problem".

[Cathy-xicb]

When you live that long, ALL of the people you knew your age are dead. All of them. Having great grandchildren doesn't make up for there being no one who knew you in a mature way for the first 40 years of your life. You watched them all DIE. ALL OF THEM. This is not a joy. It is just lots and lots of ...loss.

[robynhope]

Stubbornness is another personality trait... they're too stubborn to die!

[Ginetta-qlhw]

Before my 103-year-old grandmother passed away, I requested and received a kit for his study on centenarian DNA. However, when I tried to contact them, the number was disconnected, and it turned out that the study or the person in charge was a scam. I no longer trust anything this person says, and neither should you. It's fraudulent.

[thinking-ape]

LOL. The only thing you need to learn is to choose better parents next time for better genes. You cannot exercise your way into your 100s without the genes necessary to get there.

[gondwana]

In short, get yourself a set of centenarian genes! PS, Peter for all his efforts appears to be aging fast.

[acornsucks]

In the hospitals people are killed other ways? Its truthful, but why he laughs about it I don't know.

[victoratanasov]

This is a low value guest...and has always been.