Top 4 Choices that Affect Longevity More Than Any Medicine
I talk a lot about hormones, laboratories, and advanced therapies, but every now and then the science reminds me of something extremely important: your daily habits are still the most important thing.
A recent review in Medscape looked at some of the best lifestyle medicine research from the last few years. What jumped out was not how complicated it was, but how clear it was.
Four main points.
Four choices per day.
Each one softly affecting your health, cognition, and life span.
Allow me to show you them.
1. Movement is Medicine
One of the most important things that even experienced doctors learned was that fitness is more important than the number on the scale. Even someone is officially overweight, people who were physically fit were not more likely to die. But being inactive doubled or tripled the risk of death, no matter how big or small the person was.
Movement also lowers the risk of cancer, makes it easier to survive after colon cancer, and slows down cognitive deterioration. Exercise not only prolongs lifespan but also enhances healthspan. Problems build up when people stop moving.
2. Food Is Information—Not Just Fuel
Ultra processed foods currently make up around half of the calories eaten in the U.S. These aren’t just “easy”; they’re bad for your health.
The numbers are scary:
- More deaths from heart disease
- Higher risk of diabetes
- More despair and anxiety
- Less sleep
- Shorter life span
When you eat Mediterranean-style, on the other hand, you have fewer inflammatory signs, less amyloid formation in the brain, better memory, and better thinking.
Real food delivers messages to your metabolism that calm it down and keep it stable.
Ultra processed food makes noise.
3. Sleep Is a Metabolic Reset Button
When you sleep, your neurological system lets go.
If you sleep less than six hours a night, your chances of getting diabetes, heart disease, a stroke, obesity, mood problems, and dying young go up. Not being able to sleep well isn’t a matter of willpower; it’s a physiological stressor. When you don’t get enough sleep, your cortisol levels go up, your insulin sensitivity goes down, your appetite hormones go wrong, and your emotional strength goes down. Deep sleep washes your brain and removes the plaques that cause Alzheimer’s, you release growth hormone that repairs tissues, you process information and memories, and boosts your immune system.
4. Stress and Connection Are Two Sides of the Same Coin
Chronic stress, especially when you work hard and don’t get anything in return, almost doubles your risk of heart disease. And being alone raises the risk of death more than many other common risk factors.
We are made to connect with other people. When we feel seen, supported, and valued, our nervous system calms down. The Stoics said that we can’t control everything, but we can choose where we put our energy and how we develop our inner and outer circles. Loneliness and isolation are as bad as smoking.
What super agers had in common was social connection. They lived longer and happier lives.
The Bottom Line
These four pillars are not fads. They are a solid foundation for overall health and longevity. You don’t have to wait for the “right time.” You don’t need everything to be flawless. You don’t need any further information. Just move in whatever way “moves” you, eat whole foods and ditch the processed ones, rest, sleep deeply, and connect with others over and over, even if you don’t do it properly.
That’s where true medication is. If you need to learn how, try one of our Feel Good Again Courses. Master sleep, stress reduction, cortisol and hormone regulation so you can live younger longer.
FAQs
What is longevity?
Longevity is how long a person lives in years. Three main factors play into a person’s longevity – genetics, lifestyle and environment. We cannot control genetics, and sometimes there is limited control over environmental factors, but lifestyle is one area where most people do have a lot of control over. What we eat, how we exercise, what our sleep patters are, and what medical interventions we adopt can all contribute to a what our longevity will be like.
Is longevity genetic?
Genetics do play a part in longevity, but it’s only part of the overall picture. Studies have estimated that genes contribute about 20–30% to how long we live, whereas lifestyle, environment, nutrition, stress, sleep, and daily habits influence the remaining 70–80%. This means that even though your DNA sets a baseline, your daily choices have a large impact on how long you live.
How to improve longevity?
Improving longevity means making lifestyle choices that support your overall health and aging process:
- Eat a balanced, nutrient-rich diet
- Stay physically active, maintain a healthy weight and and maintain your strength
- Prioritize restful sleep
- Manage stress effectively
References 1–6
- Liang S, Zhou Y, Zhang Q, Yu S, Wu S. Ultra-processed foods and risk of all-cause mortality: an updated systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies. Syst Rev. 2025;14(1):53. doi:10.1186/s13643-025-02800-8
- Baker LD, Espeland MA, Whitmer RA, et al. Structured vs Self-Guided Multidomain Lifestyle Interventions for Global Cognitive Function: The US POINTER Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2025;334(8):681-691. doi:10.1001/jama.2025.12923
- Psychosocial Stressors at Work and Coronary Heart Disease Risk in Men and Women: 18-Year Prospective Cohort Study of Combined Exposures | Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. Accessed January 15, 2026. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.122.009700
- Lifestyle Medicine’s Four Pillars: A Year-End Review. Medscape. Accessed January 15, 2026. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/lifestyle-medicines-four-pillars-year-end-review-2025a10010tc
- How Much Ultra-Processed Food Are People Eating in the United States? | Blogs | CDC. August 7, 2025. Accessed January 15, 2026. https://blogs.cdc.gov/nchs/2025/08/07/7825/
- Vyas CM, Manson JE, Sesso HD, et al. Effect of multivitamin-mineral supplementation versus placebo on cognitive function: results from the clinic subcohort of the COcoa Supplement and Multivitamin Outcomes Study (COSMOS) randomized clinical trial and meta-analysis of 3 cognitive studies within COSMOS. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2024;119(3):692-701. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2023.12.011
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She is a recognized and award-winning holistic, functional, integrative and anti-aging healthcare practitioner, speaker and author, and has been featured in ABC News, Forbes, WOR Radio and many media outlets to spread the word that you can live younger and healthier at any age.