Unlock the secrets to longevity and a fulfilling life. Drawing from extensive research, we delve into five key strategies that promise to enhance your life's journey. Prepare to redefine your understanding of living long and living well.
Exercise is Medicine
We all know exercise is good… but most of us just don’t do it
- 50% of adults and 73% of high school students don’t meet minimal levels of physical activity, and 70% never exercise in their leisure time
- The health industry has a lot of pre-existing health conditions
- Daniel Lieberman decided to do an informal study to see how many people took the escalator vs. stairs
- In ten minutes, 151 people walked past him and only 11 used stairs, that’s just 7%
- Why are we so lazy about exercise? How much do we need? What kind? How do we get motivated?
Exercise Isn’t Natural. But Neither Is Being Sedentary
The idea that we’re wired to want to exercise is a myth.
- Sure, some people enjoy exercise but you’re not broken if you aren’t intrinsically motivated to do it.
- Evolution thought we’d always have a reason to move a lot. But in the modern world we’ve been really good at getting rid of reasons.
Motivation
It comes down to two things: good reasons and socializing
- For people not prone to exercise, there’s no immediate, visceral reason to do it, so try a sport
- Once there’s a goal, it’s not pointless
- Pair it with something rewarding in the moment
- Socializing – don’t white knuckle exercise alone, find something that involves others
The Age of “Mismatch” Diseases
Daniel calls these “mismatch diseases” the result of a mismatch between how we were designed to live and how we actually do.
- Type 2 diabetes: It’s virtually unheard of in hunter-gatherers, but it’s now the fastest growing disease in the modern world, increasing more than sevenfold between 1975-2005
- Exercise reverses insulin resistance
- Heart attacks: Before World War II, heart attacks were not nearly as big of an issue as they are today, but now cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death, and exercise is the best way to prevent them
- Cancer: In 1800s, less than 1% of people died from cancer, but by 2050 it will be one of the most common killers
- Alzheimer’s: It is twenty times more common in the West than in the developing world and projected to increase fourfold by 2050, but there is no cure and no effective treatment
Sum Up
Exercise is not natural. Neither is being sedentary. We did not evolve to move for no reason but we have been excellent at eliminating reasons.
- Mismatch Diseases: Many of the illnesses we attribute to age are not due to age
- Motivation: Create a good reason and socialize
- From Exercised: Make exercise necessary and fun. Do mostly cardio, but also some weights
- Be grateful for our easier lives, for our modern conveniences
No, The Problem Is Not Just Too Much Sitting
Sitting, by itself, is not gonna kill you. The problems here are caused by weight gain, chronic low grade inflammation and too much sugar and fat floating around in your bloodstream.
- So what’s the answer? Regular exercise combined with occasionally getting up from the couch.
How Much? What Type?
Studies show there is not the standard “u-shaped curve” when it comes to exercise. In the vast majority of cases, more is better, albeit with diminishing returns past a certain point.
- The negatives from too little far outweigh the problems from too much. Plain and simple, the impact of exercise outweighs the benefits.
