How to Live Longer & Why Superfoods Are Less Important Than You Might Think.

Look, I don’t want to live forever, (that sounds exhausting).

I just don’t want to die whilst I still have sh*t to do.

Hence, the whole subject of longevity – and why the 3-pack-a-day octogenarian might still be going strong, whilst the cardio-tastic, clean living 40 -yr-old is not – is interesting to me.  Thankfully, it is also of interest to other people, which has saved me from decades of study, research and analysis, not to mention squillions of dollars in funding. What these clever people have found, time and time again, is that genetics only tell a small part of the story. Yes – Gran (bless her) might have hung on until she was 94, but that’s no guarantee that you will too. Obviously, lifestyle choices do matter (be it fags, fizzy drinks or your particular poison of choice), but not nearly as much as we might like to believe. Living to a ripe old age, has far more to do with the quality and frequencies of our connections – even the ones we take almost for granted.

Superfoods may be all well and good, but if you aren’t having the odd chat with your Uber driver from time to time, or mending your best friend’s broken heart, then the goji berries are sort of, well, besides the point. You don’t have to take my word for it. Other people have dug deep into this stuff and there are reams of data to prove it.

Researchers at Brigham Young University, led an in-depth study into the lives and habits of 100’s of thousands of middle-aged people, and 7 years later they came back to see who was still alive, and to work out why. Their focus was on understanding what reduced these peoples chance of dying Most? From their final list of 10, access to clean Air and whether you were thin, or fat were the least powerful predictors. Exercise rated lower down than getting a flu jab. Smoking and excessive drinking, predictably rated pretty high up in 3rd and 4th places respectively. BUT………..the two things that reduced their chance of dying THE MOST was:

2. Close Relationships – the handful of people who would scrape you off the floor when times are tough. Having the kind of friends that you can call in the middle of the night, or from jail, or in the middle of some mid-high-level crisis, was a crucial indicator of longevity.
3. Social Interaction – Interacting with real people*, on a regular basis, was the number 1 indicator of these people still being alive, 7 years later.

The longest study ever done on happiness was discussed in the Ted talk, ‘What makes a good life?’ – Same Thing. It showed that ‘Good relationships keep us happier and healthier. Period.’ Loneliness was the biggest indicator of earlier death and even saw those who were the most isolated, lose brain function earlier than their more social counterparts. And in the same way that there is no nutritional quick fix, (which is kinda what we think Superfoods are), relationships take time to build and don’t flourish unattended. Yet these are the the things that matter the most.

Every time I read about this stuff, I am stunned by how blatantly obvious it is, but equally I always find it a fascinating reminder. A reminder that no amount of turmeric or kimchi is going to guarantee you outlast your neighbour. No amount of reps at the gym can promise you additional time. And it’s highly unlikely that baked potatoes or a big night out will be the cause of your early demise. 

Look – I get it. I have as much coconut oil and quinoa in my kitchen as the next person. But before you beat yourself up for not making training this morning or race to buy the latest superfood fad (anyone for algae?), don’t forget about what really matters. All the busy and hustle is all very well. All the body, blah blah, temple stuff is definitely going to help. But, don’t forget to put down your phones from time to time and really connect.

This Get Healthier post is brought to you by someone who is clearly feeling a little cheesy, but who also believes a little extra Parmesan never hurt anyone.

*Facebook/Messenger/Insta – not going to cut it. Smart people have also done studies showing how our brains react differently with  real people vs machines. No contest. Watch this Ted Talk is see why More Connected = More Alone.