3 Longevity Myths An Expert Wants Us To Ignore

Longevity seems to be the word of the moment, with the exciting potential for a longer, healthier life capturing the attention of millionaires and the Vatican alike. But while the more extreme steps some take in the hopes of an unnaturally extended lifespan may grab headlines, expert after expert recommends simple steps: eat well, exercise, get enough sleep, and stay social.Author and public health researcher Professor Devi Sridhar, whose longevity-focused book How Not To Die (Too Soon) is set to come out on 12 June, says even that doesn’t take it far enough.“Have you ever questioned why, despite the avalanche of self-help books and optimisation hacks, we remain embroiled in multiple global health crises?” her book’s blurb reads. “The stark reality is that we’ve been sold a monumental lie.”HuffPost UK spoke to Professor Sridhar about some of those myths.Myth #1: Your lifespan is completely in your handsProfessor Sridhar’s book focuses on how individual health tips “distract” us from the reality: our lifespan isn’t all in our control. A Social Determinants Of Health paper found that “40% of an individual’s health is determined by socioeconomic factors such as education, occupation, or income,” compared to only 30% determined by lifestyle choices (such as not drinking or exercising). So, she said, we should see government policy as a far more effective way to “significantly extend our lifespans” than the latest superfood.Myth #2: Lifespans are getting longer across the boardAs financial inequality booms, Professor Sridhar said some people may be left with shorter lives, despite healthcare improvements.Life expectancy is “tightly linked to income,” she explained.“The basic drivers of health are linked to resources – whether money, time, social networks, access to green space or leisure centres and gyms, nutritious food, and so increased inequality means the bottom quintile struggling to maintain existing life expectancy, or even going backwards.” In England, the life expectancy for men in the most deprived areas is 73.5 years, compared with 83.2 years in the least deprived areas (where life expectancy has fallen over the past decade).Earlier this year it was reported that the number of children living in poverty in the UK is at an all-time high (since records began in 2002). There are 4.45 million children living in a household of relative low income, according to the BBC. Myth #3: You need to get everything just right to achieve a longer life When it comes to health and longevity, the professor told us that “perfection is a myth”.Let’s say you have a “nutritionally poor” day of eating, she said – “just make the next day different with more vegetables, fruits and grains, and [the] same with exercise.” Speaking of which, the movement enthusiast said those who expend “mild to moderate effort (even weekend warriors who exercise just 1-2 times per week) get the bulk of the benefits” of working out. “Same for diet. What are you eating 80% of the time?” she added. “Basically, don’t make food or diet or sleep something to stress about. Stress is also implicated in dying too soon!” Though we do have some control over our longevity, then, ignoring the impact of policy on our lifespan, assuming they’ll improve no matter what, and stressing too much about your individual one might not be the best way forward.Related...3 Diet Rules A Longevity Expert Swears ByLongevity Expert Said Women Should Be Able To Do 11 Push-Ups – And Experts Have Thoughts'There’s No Silver Bullet': The Longevity Lie A Doctor Wants You To Stop Believing

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