Jennifer Welsh's Reviews > Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity

I just finished watching the 5 blue zones a documentary on Netflix. You may want to check it out, Jennifer! It’s all about longevity :)

Jen CAN wrote: "I just finished watching the 5 blue zones a documentary on Netflix. You may want to check it out, Jennifer! It’s all about longevity :)"

It looks good, Jen, thank you!

Glad this was a good one for you.
I think it all boils down to eating well, consistently moving the body, sleeping well, and having a strong social network.

Nice one Jenifer, I agree with Lisa above - particularly the 'strong social network' bit!

Oh, Lisa, please don’t dismiss this brilliant work with such simple broad strokes! I know you have more knowledge than I do about this stuff, but Attia has such an astounding wealth of it that I’m sure you will learn from him. He never made me feel like he was data-dumping, and yet he’s very specific: what does good exercise mean, exactly, for example? He not only gives you the biological reasons for his suggestions, he also provides specific exercises based on your priorities for the future: which tasks do you want to still be good at in each decade of your life? He points out how contradictory and confusing he found all the nutrition info out there, even for him with his traditional medical training at Johns Hopkins, and his dive into alternative medicine after and ongoingly. He debunks news findings with behind-the-scenes info on studies, points out what’s wrong with our medical system’s whole approach, and dedicates a chapter each to cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, and metabolic dysfunction and syndrome because these four areas are the main causes of death. He digs deeply into Hormone Replacement Therapy for women, and goes into personal stories about how essential mental health is, as well. I love his voice, I listened to this twice, and now own the physical book which has become a kind of Bible to me. I rarely get so passionate about a single person’s work, but he is amazing, and his learning and sharing dynamic. If his findings were taught in required classes from middle school to college, our society would stand a chance.

Haha, Mark, I’m guessing your comment was written with a nod to our community here 😅. As for agreeing with Lisa on the other points, pls see my response above…

I was speaking with my daughter the microbiologist yesterday and she said the secret to longevity was slowing down the methylation of your histones, but didn't provide a step-by-step guide as to how that could be done.

Hi Justin, nowhere in this book does Attia discuss this, and although I’m now a member on his site there is no search option—extremely frustrating for a site with so much information.

I did find some articles on the NIH site, however, which I can’t paste here for your convenience.

You’ve probably done your own research, but this sounds more like a procedure one would need done, rather than a lifestyle change, which is what this book is about. I should mention another important factor Attia stresses here: it’s not just about living longer, but about extending your quality of life while living. He calls this healthspan, and it really helps distinguish from the American obsession of not letting people go to the point of cruelty.

Thanks for the info., I can’t help my curiosity to learn more…

My husband reads this and he is marked by it.

Hi Adina, thanks so much for commenting. I was never one to read much about health until now, but Attia has marked me, too, in the best of ways. If you’re curious, you may want to go straight to the back of your husband’s copy for the specific physical exercises and other useful info….

I really like the concept of 'Healthspan,' which is so much more meaningful than 'lifespan'.

Right? Justin, you’d love this guy!

I am so looking forward to this one!!

I really hope you love it, Julie. It’s chock full, so there should be something there for you.

Jennifer, I recognize this cover. I have flipped through it in the book store, and it didn't seem to offer me anything new. I'll go back, though, and take another look since it impressed you.

Lisa, I cannot imagine this not offering anything new! Did you see my detailed comment to you above?

I just started the Audiobook today and am very impressed with his ability to distill information so clearly. I’ll be listening to his podcast (The Drive) as well. In skimming some episode synopses, it looks great.

Ok Jennifer, I did read this one. It really didn't offer anything new to ME. And remember, I am a health junkie that reads these papers ad nauseum.

I found Attia's tone a bit smug, and I had to keep reminding myself that I was in this for the information. Smug isn't quite the word and at the moment I can't think of a better one.

Attia does a tremendous job compiling a lot of the science and telling me how he uses this information. I appreciate your enthusiasm. And agree that it is wonderful and refreshing to see the component of emotional health addressed here.

There are some components missing, and I know at some point an author has to decide what to include and what to leave out for the sake of page length if nothing else.

I do wonder how much of this can easily be put into practice by the everyday individual. Think time and money.

Also, sadly, the Western medical establishment, what Attia dubs Medicine 2.0 is VERY resistant to change. It took about 50 years in the 1800's for the discovery of washing hands saving lives to finally be integrated into standard practice. And look how quickly we are bombarded with new information nowadays. Okay, I digress. I do hope that we can move forward from 15 minute doctor visits where there is little time for interaction and engaged listening.

That all said, anything that gets people to make positive changes, especially if they are lasting, has great value.