Living Young: Biohacking Techniques and Exercises to Improve Your Lifespan

Stem cell researcher Hemeryck (5-Minute Brain Workout for Longevity) teams up with Mabel, the Sergey Young Foundation’s head of communications and author of Your 5-Minute Reset, for a practical guide to optimizing physical and mental health. They assert that only 20% to 25% of longevity is determined by genetics while the rest is influenced by factors like daily habits and social connections. Their guidance is broken down into five categories: how to eat, move, sleep, think, and live. For nutrition, they recommend the Mediterranean diet, which consists of whole foods like fruits, vegetables, and fish, and has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and cognitive decline. Building and maintaining muscle is also key to lowering the risk of chronic disease and lengthening one’s lifespan, they contend, encouraging at least two strength-training sessions per week. Elsewhere, the authors offer tips for maintaining deep, restorative sleep (the supplement 5-HTP may help) and discuss the importance of meditation and mindfulness, noting that being stuck in a perpetual state of stress has negative effects, like hormone imbalances and a weakened immune system. Their straightforward and accessible advice effectively demonstrates that maximizing one’s health doesn’t require expensive therapies or products. Readers seeking to take control of their well-being will find much of value. (Dec.)