Three Not-So-Bad Things on Aging and Longevity

It’s a big week for birthdays. The US turns 247 and, not to be ageist about it, is looking a little worse for wear. And the TNSB newsletter is turning 40—weeks, that is—and in contrast is feeling downright sprightly. But just to ensure that TNSB will be vigorous and active when it turns 92 in a year, we have three tips on improving health and productivity as we roll gently into middle age—as research shows that this is?a key time ?to change habits and make significant positive impacts on health.

1. Carrot-dog eating contest, anyone?

You may not be able to teach an old dog new tricks, but you can certainly change his dog food. As it turns out, your dietary choices in midlife matter enormously. Despite the common belief that our bodies do the most changing and growing early in life, midlife actually brings with it a similar breadth of bodily changes that, if left unaddressed, can lead to the earlier onset of chronic conditions and?more difficulty in later life .?

But the corollary is true too: healthy eating habits in midlife—coupled with other healthy behaviors—is?strongly associated with ?increased odds of good health and well-being among those surviving to older ages.?One 2018 study ?published in Nutrients found that, in adults aged 40-65, those who ate a healthy variety of foods, including plenty of vegetables, fruit, grains and good oils, had more gray matter and larger brain volume than those whose diets included less of those foods, importantly displaying an association with a decreased risk of dementia.?Another 2021 study ?from the American Heart Association found that a healthy diet in midlife, paired with regular exercise, may be the key to achieving cardiometabolic health in later life.?

The recommendation:?eat less processed foods, and more fruits, vegetables, grains and healthy proteins. We know, you’ve heard that before, but it doesn’t make it any less true.?

2. Uncle Sam wants you ... to take a hike.

TNSB is kicking back in celebration of all these birthdays, but will soon be back at it, getting the steps in. It’s pretty important, because exercise is even more critical to health as you ease into your 40s, 50s, and 60s. Even in healthy—albeit more sedentary—middle-aged adults,?aging causes the heart to stiffen , making it less effective at pumping blood to the lungs and throughout the body. Research indicates that despite a decreasing plasticity associated with age, the heart’s ability to bounce back persists throughout midlife.?A 2018 study ?published in Circulation found that, in previously sedentary healthy middle-aged adults, 2 years of exercise training “improved maximal oxygen uptake and decreased cardiac stiffness.” By introducing moderate exercise into your regimen in midlife, you help maintain the plasticity of your heart—therefore reducing the risk of a cardiac-related event later in life. The effects of the 2018 study are a testament to this idea, as the author of the study described in?an NPR interview: ?"We took these 50-year-old hearts and turned the clock back to 30- or 35-year-old hearts.” TNSB doesn’t necessarily want to be 30 again—that’s so April—but the idea of being active and keeping up an appropriate exercise regimen is pretty important.

The recommendation:?try out some high-intensity, interval exercise programs that suit your needs. Check out some suggestions?here .

3. Design the winning float for the Fourth of July parade.

Truth be told, TNSB was feeling a little bit down and worried that its most creative editions might be in the rear view mirror. It was long thought that creativity in some professions, especially in the sciences, peaked in early life, and who knows how that might apply to the science of newsletter writing.

It is true that physicists once did their best work in their 20s and 30s, but studies now show that the age in which scientists do their best work is trending older and older. By 2000, only 19% of physicists did their breakthrough work before 40, and that?almost never happens ?now with chemists. It is likely now that TNSB is just beginning to hit some of the most?productive periods of life .??

Learning all this has given TNSB a new energy and productivity heading into week 41, which will be an interview with Mike Fredericson, the head of the Lifestyle Medicine Program at Stanford (TNSB’s zest for shameless self-promotion has only increased in middle age). That’s pretty important because?new data ?suggests that retaining or finding a purpose in midlife promotes resilience to brain damage caused by aging.??

The recommendation:?Check out some of Chip Conley’s work on?midlife learning opportunities , or check out more science-backed creative recommendations?here .

Which Not-So-Bad Thing surprised you the most? Let us know by sharing below!