(1) I want to live a very long time. I want to do so with health. I want to enable cryopreservation with the best possible odds of resurrection. So how I live my life matters. This is my battle plan.
(2) I am, broadly, in good health. Probably.
(3) My blood pressure is good, my resting pulse is OK-ish (mid 50's). Some of my family are long-lived. I have a stimulating life, a strong network of friends on whom I can and have leant, and a good economic foundation. These are the good.
(4) I also live a busy life. I struggle to prioritise myself and my wellbeing. I struggle to make time to get enough sleep. I have a sweet tooth. I suffered a head injury when I was younger. My maternal grandfather had his first heart attack in his early 40's and a triple bypass. My maternal great uncle also died of a heart attack in his 40's. These are the bad.
(5) The overall approach is good habits, and a divide-and-conquer strategy to identify, prioritise and change them.
(6) Sleep. Sleep is critical. It has a significant impact on metabolic health, on emotional wellbeing, and on long term brain health (there's also that head injury and the increased risk of Parkinson's). 8 hours sleep is strongly recommended, 7 is the minimum for optimal long term health. Therefore I must change the structure of my life to enable this. Specifically:
- I set my alarm and wake up at 0615
- No caffeinated drinks after 1500
- No food after 2115
- I have all but intermittent screens off from 2200
- I am in bed and lights out by 2300
- My room is as dark as possible
- Sauna's, hot tubs and hot showers just before bed are all really good
(7) Learn. Always and forever. I aspire to wealth but must avoid indolence. I will continue to do things that stretch my brain and my body. I will continue to write. I will continue to do good work. I will make sure I am always challenged.
(8) Exercise. Exercise is critical. Every hour of exercise gives 3 more hours of healthy life. Exercise is cardio, strength and flexibility.
(9) Cardio exercise. Once a week push my VO2 max: 6 repetitions of 4 minutes at max pace sustainable for that time, followed by 2 minutes slow to get heart to 100-120. And 3-4 times a week do 45 minutes at "level 2", viz speaking a full sentence is a struggle. Rucking walks and jiu jitsu also for cardio. Early rises and the rowing machine in Cornwall, long weekend runs and gym sessions in London.
(10) Strength exercise. Concentric and eccentric. Practical day to day. Weights in Cornwall, alternating with cardio. Calisthenics on the other days. Some pressups, box steps on the stairs, jiu jitsu, dead hangs, pull ups, carrying weights, rucking. Again, the early rise is essential.
(11) Flexibility. Before and after every exercise. Hamstrings, calves, glutes, lats, abs, triceps, wrists. Also some stability exercises. Nerve glides. Toe lifting and control exercises. Segment-by-segment, super-slow cat/cow. Shoulder blade, hip, wrist, ankle circles. Neck.
(12) A detailed schedule for exercise. This fits my life now. I'll adjust as and when.
- C Mon - morning calisthenics, day VO2, evening stretch/stability
- C Tue - day weights, day cardio, travel overnight
- L Wed - day cardio, evening stretch/stability
- L Thu - morning calisthenics, day jitsu, evening stretch/stability
- L Fri - morning calisthenics, day jitsu, evening stretch/stability
- L Sat - morning long cardio, evening stretch/stability
- L Sun- catch up day, evening stretch/stability
- L Mon - morning calisthenics, day cardio, evening stretch/stability
- L Tue - morning calisthenics, day cardio, evening stretch/stability
- L Wed - morning calisthenics, day cardio, travel overnight
- C Thu - day weights, evening stretch/stability
- C Fri - day VO2, evening stretch/stability
- C Sat - day weights, evening stretch/stability
- C Sun - catch up day, evening stretch/stability
(13) Diet. Diet is calories, spices, and supplements.
(14) Calories first. Manage the caloric intake. Eat the right foods. Avoid carbohydrates and eat lots and lots and lots of above-ground vegetables, as much as possible. Minimise alcohol. Monounsaturated fats are better than other fats. Especially given my potential heart. Fasting is good way to lose excess weight.
(15) Healthy long life is supported by reduced inflammation, telomere maintenance and the health of my mitochrondria and other organelles. Nutritionally, aim for 120-150g of protein per day. This is to support strength and fitness.
(16) Great foods include broccoli, bok choi, brussel sprouts, cabbage (healthy coleslaw), avocado, peas, fruit, other vegetables, olive oil, soup, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans. Also Huel, eggs, frittata, some fish, some chicken, spinach, kale, carrots. Healthy curries and spicy food. Aim to mostly eliminate junk food - diabetes, metabolic dysfunction - but it's OK to have it from time to time.
(17) A list of good meals - this needs expansion:
- Breakfast: Eggs, fruit, porridge (maybe - blood sugar impact?), vegetables and salad, or skip
- Lunch: Huel, eggs, omelettes, frittata, salad, baked beans, fruit, protein bars (Chia Charge), nuts, soup
- Dinner: Fish, chicken breast, salad, chickpeas, vegetables, bean dishes, spinach and did I mention veg?
(18) Snacking and light meals are OK-to-good. So long as they don't create caloric excess. Structurally get rid of the sugary snacks. Visceral fat, heart stress and metabolic dysfunction. Replace with protein bars, other high-protein snacks and fruit. Drink water and green tea (appetite suppressant).
(19) Spices. The following all have moderate to significant benefits. Immune function. Glucose regulation. Chlolesterol. Brain function. Cancer risk. Antioxidants and cellular health. Alphabetical order, just use them often. Flavoursome food FTW:
- Basil
- Black pepper
- Capsaicin (from cayenne pepper or chilli powder or paprika)
- Cinnamon
- Coriander
- Cumin
- Curcumin (tumeric)
- Dill
- Fenugreek
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Oregano
- Parsley
- Saffron
- Sage
(20) Supplements. Some basics first. Wear sunscreen. Drink lots of water. Then, aim for most of the following daily but 5/7 days or more is OK too:
- 6000mg of Omega 3 (inflammation)
- 1400mg insoluble fibre (gut health)
- 1-2x RDA multivitamins, nutrients and anti-oxidants (general health)
- Extra vitamin K/D2, 2x booster pills December-Feb inclusive, 1x March to November
- Greens supplement (nutrients, vitamins, digestive health, brain health, immune capacity)
- Amino acids after intense exercise (maximise the benefit of the exercise)
- Also berberine, dosage TBD (blood sugar and anti-inflammatory)
- Also coenzyme Q10, ubiquinol form preferred over oxidised ubiquinone, dosage TBD (mitochondrial health)
(21) Emotional health. Good emotional health is a direct road to good quality of life. It also has a significant impact on my long term physical health. Therefore emotional health must be prioritised.
(22) Four threads weave my emotional health. The satisfaction of learning (para. 7) is one. The others are recreation, helping others and awareness.
(23) Recreation. Fun. Good times. Relaxed times. Schedule sabbath days. Schedule me-weekends away. Play, by myself and digitally. Play, physically. Play, with others. Hone skills. Plan exciting holidays. Plan relaxing holidays. Give myself permission to write out of my life the energy sinks and negative spirals. Curate my social sphere. Decisive action to foster my own happiness.
(24) Help others. Critically important to my own happiness. Help partners and friends and my family. Also find a community to help, one that is not geographically bound. Use this to articulate my ikigai, my 目的, my telos, my dent. Write it down. See it. Symbolise it in the art that surrounds me. Be mindfully aware of it and how I can and do help others. Work on it. Recognise my wins.
(25) Self awareness. Frame awareness. These enhance my emotional wellbeing and contribute to my happiness. Useful questions to ask myself: How am I feeling? How have I slept? Am I in pain? Am I in conflict? For greater resilience, consider my distress tolerance. Act to widen the window. Sleep. Exercise. Fun. Manage away external factors that narrow it. Choose my work. Curate my social sphere. Choose the frame deliberately. Practice gratitudes - my journal. Meditate as time allows. Stoic reflections.
(26) Routine and habit. Some routines above. Daily routines also critical to implementation. An iteration of Each day.
- Each morning. Alarm 0615. Sit up. Get up. Intend kindness, diligence, compassion. Exercise. Cold start to shower. Stoic mind. Stop. Review my OKR. Review the day. Set the no-fail goal and fun time goal for the day. Live with intent.
- Each night. Alarm 2200. Stop. Stretch. Journal. Read. Lights out 2300. Sleep with satisfaction.
- Accept that, on some days, one or both will not happen. That is OK.
(27) Sources:
- Aurelius (e.g., an excellent translation)
- The Case Against Sugar (Gary Taubes)
- The China Study (Colin Campbell)
- Epictetus (e.g.)
- Fat Chance (Robert Lustig)
- The Longevity FAQ
- Man's Search for Meaning (Viktor Frankl)
- Matt Lovell (Aminoman)
- Outlive (Peter Attita)
- Why We Sleep (Matthew Walker)