To maximize the benefits, however, you need to go beyond aerobic workouts and incorporate strength training into your routine. Lifting weights helps stave off bone loss, preserve muscle, improve balance, lower inflammation, and reduce joint pain.
(What lifting weights does to your body—and your mind.)
Topol suggests about 150 minutes per week or more of moderate physical activity like dancing or yoga (or 75 minutes or more of vigorous physical activity like swimming) and resistance training at least two times per week. If you can’t make it to the gym, sprinkle in a few exercise “snacks,” like push-ups, wall-sits, or lunges throughout the day.
3. Follow this evidence-based diet for longevity
One eating pattern trumps others in terms of healthy aging: The Mediterranean diet. This diet is all about “eating the rainbow”—consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, lean proteins and healthy fats.
Scores of nutrition studies, including one published in Nature in March 2025, show that this kaleidoscope of nutrient-dense, minimally processed foods reduces inflammation, lowers cholesterol, improves blood pressure, and helps glucose control. Over time, eating Mediterranean cuts the risk of some of the top killer diseases like heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.
(The Mediterranean diet has stood the test of time for a reason: It works.)
As far as how much lean protein you need, Topol recommends about 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight—which he notes is lower than the super-high protein intake that’s common in biohacking circles.
One food group to avoid? Ultra-processed foods, which make up 60 percent of Americans’ daily energy intake, says Topol. These foods, which dominate supermarket shelves, have been linked to more than 30 health problems, most strongly heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
Not only do they crowd out beneficial nutrients on our plates, ultra-processed foods may also cause direct harm via inflammation, gut microbiome disruption, and blood sugar spikes. Cooking at home and swapping packaged foods for minimally processed ones can help avoid these effects.
Intermittent fasting and simple calorie restriction also show promise in extending lifespan, mostly in animal studies. But scientists haven’t yet nailed down the exact effects in humans—so these approaches aren’t yet widely recommended.
4. Sleep deeply
Sleep enables biological renewal, helping the brain and body to recover from activities during waking hours. But as we get older, we tend to sleep worse—and this comes at a steep cost.
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