It's The 500th Episode Of The mindbodygreen Podcast! The Top 5 Tips We've Heard

We are so grateful for all of you who have tuned in over the years, whether you listen on your favorite audio platform or watch on YouTube. Let me tell you, it's only going to get better.

Make no mistake: Purpose is just as important as exercise and nutrition when it comes to longevity. After all, identifying—and maintaining—your why in this life is crucial in order to extend it. 

Howard Tucker, M.D., a 101-year-old, still-practicing neurologist, specifically finds purpose in his work. "Retirement remains the enemy of longevity," he shares on the podcast. "I'm so sure about that." A 2021 study even found that retired participants were more likely to experience cognitive decline than non-retired individuals1. 

Top memory coach Jim Kwik backs up the claim during his podcast interview: "When people retire, their minds also retire, and their body is not far behind," he says. 

We likely don't need to remind you how important exercise is for longevity2. But rather than hitting the gym for an hour and calling it a day, mobility pioneers Kelly and Juliet Starrett recommend a series of simple, everyday activities that enhance your capacity for free and easy movement—like a daily walk. 

"If there's a pill you could take that will reduce your all-cause mortality by 50%, you can give it to your whole family, and it's free, everyone's going to take that pill," says Kelly during the episode. It turns out, that "pill" exists—it's walking 8,000 steps a day3. "The research is very clear that when people walk just 8,000 steps3, they get the lion's share of benefits. Not 10,000 steps. Not 12,000 [steps]… 8,000 steps," Kelly adds.

Humans are social beings, so it makes sense social connection is crucial for a longer, healthier life. In fact, humans have a biological need for social connection.

"Social connection is the greatest factor we know in longevity and happiness," says personalized medicine physician Molly Maloof, M.D., in her episode. Research has even shown that social isolation is associated with a higher risk of developing dementia. On the flip side, a study on elderly individuals found that those who provided emotional support to others ended up living longer lives4. 

And yet: "I just don't think we prioritize it like we do weight, food, movement, and stress management," she adds. So we should consider nurturing positive social relationships a "biohack" for longevity.

We've discussed simple yet powerful longevity staples, but there is absolutely a time and place for buzzy biohacking technology. It's an exciting time to explore longevity treatments—why not take advantage of them if you can?

Take NAD+ therapy, for instance: "We have NAD+ constantly in every cell in our bodies all the time, going from a high energy state to a low energy state and facilitating expansive biochemical reactions," explains Matt Cook, M.D., founder of BioReset Medical, during his interview. "Those could be making energy in your mitochondria, turning on DNA repair, [or] turning on sirtuin super-family, which has to do with extending longevity." 

Like most good things, your natural supply of NAD+ declines with age—but supporting your NAD+ through supplements, lifestyle habits, and treatments can help you maintain solid levels. One that Cook is particularly interested in is NAD+ IV therapy, where NAD+ is administered through a vein in a standard saline solution.

Longevity specialist and board-certified surgeon Darshan Shah, M.D., also counts himself a fan: "Your sleep is better, you think clearer…you just have much more energy throughout your day," he shares in his episode. You can read more about NAD+ IV therapy here if you're still curious. 

High-tech treatments are cool and all, but "don't be hyper-focused on the longevity technology," says Shah. "Really put a lot of energy and time into developing routines and habits you [follow] on a daily basis."