#22 Jungle Talks: How to Climb Trees and Swing a Machete at 93 Years Old

Are you looking forward to growing old?

For most people, I can imagine the answer is likely a resounding no. In fact, only around 40% of Americans are looking forward to old age (https://www.statista.com/chart/17019/looking-forward-to-old-age/).

I was recently in Costa Rica (thus "Jungle Talks"), where I met a pretty remarkable man who made me look forward to old age. Why? Well, I was close to Nicoya which is a well known Blue Zone––a hotspot of longevity, with a disproportionate amount of healthy centenarians. Though this humble cacao farmer I met doesn't technically qualify as a centenarian (he's 93 years old), he's pretty damn close.

As a friend and I stepped onto his property, a frail-looking, fairly short elderly man greeted us with a machete in hand. I immediately saw that he was mentally sharp, as he cracked joke after joke with an aliveness in his voice which is often absent from elderly people.

Though his age in itself is impressive, his physical health was equally, if not more impressive. So naturally, we asked him his secrets to a long, healthy, and fulfilling life.

For scientific references and resources check out the shownotes at: https://livedamnwell.com/defy-aging

In this episode I cover:

What this Costa Rican man does to support his longevity from diet and sleep to mindset and communityWhat the long-lived Blue Zone populations have in commonWhy a rice and beans diet isn't the be all end allHow emotions influence gene expressionWhat does the scientific research say about anti-aging and longevity practices?

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References

Mindfulness meditation and the immune system: a systematic review of randomized controlled trialsWhich is the Most Reasonable Anti-aging Strategy: Meta-analysisNutrition and longevity - From mechanisms to uncertaintiesThe Influence of Social Hierarchy on Primate HealthDecreasing Lean Body Mass with Age: Challenges and Opportunities for Novel TherapiesHuman longevity is associated with regular sleep patterns, maintenance of slow wave sleep, and favorable lipid profile

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Learn simple, free ways to reduce stress, support immune function, and calm the nervous system by downloading chapter 2 of my book "Return to Human" FREE: https://mailchi.mp/ab3797c37d7d/live-damn-well-mobile-landing-page

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NOT medical advice; not intended to treat, cure or diagnose; this video is merely for educational purposes. YOU are responsible for YOU.