A 101-Year-Old Neurologist Shares His 3 Nonnegotiable Tips For Longevity 

What is the secret sauce of longevity? 

As 101-year-old neurologist Howard Tucker, M.D., shares on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, the key to living a longer life is quite simple. No special superfoods, trendy treatments, or biohacking tools here; just regular movement, purpose, and a youthful mindset—and a Friday night martini, for good measure. (No lie! Listen to the episode to learn more.)

That's not to say you absolutely must keep your full-time job (well, unless you want to). Tucker emphasizes the sense of purpose that work brings; if you retire, just make sure you don't lose your why.

"If you do retire, [try] meaningful volunteering," he notes. "That's acceptable because it maintains your interests and your vitality." (You could also take a class, learn a new hobby, join a book club, etc.) 

And don't think that keeping a job is the secret to longevity. Make sure you actually enjoy your work, Tucker says; otherwise, you likely won't reap the purposeful benefits.

"I continue to exercise," Tucker says. "I used to run outside, but it's too rough for me now, so I do it on the treadmill. I do 2 to 3 miles a couple of times a week." 

The link between movement and longevity is well documented. Take this 2022 study of over 400,000 adults2, in which researchers found that as little as 10 minutes of brisk walking per day was associated with longer telomeres—enough that their biological age appeared 16 years younger by midlife. 

According to Tucker, you really can think yourself younger. "I have several friends who are now gone, who always talked [about being old], even though we were the exact same age, and they died earlier," he explains. "I think I'm going to live forever. I know it's not reality, but I have no fear of dying." 

Again, the science is on his side: According to a study measuring 68 healthy adults between 59 and 84 years old, those who "felt younger" actually had the structural characteristics of a younger brain4—they were more likely to score higher on a memory test, and they had more gray matter in their brain, which is associated with better cognitive function.

We talk a lot about longevity at mindbodygreen, but according to those actually walking the walk, it's the simple lifestyle habits that make the biggest difference. It's a refreshing take, especially in our world of fancy biohacking tools, gadgets, and whatnot. That said, Tucker does follow a specific menu to fuel his body and brain—tune in to the episode to learn more.