Latest news with #Attia
Time of India
5 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
How To Live Long, Minus Disease
Fasting, personalised nutrition, regular exercise Longevity is the new new holy grail. Naturally, therefore, the market offers magic diets, pills and exercises promising a sure-shot path to healthy nineties – and beyond. Thing is, the science of longevity is still largely a mystery. Outlive: The Science & Art Of Longevity by Peter Attia breaks it all down helpfully. Turns out we intuitively know some of the hows, but we don't quite get the whys. The problem, Attia says, is with the approach of current medicine – described as Medicine 2.0 – that has become very adept at staving off death by months or years, but not prolonging lifespan or healthspan. This is because modern medicine intervenes too late – when disease has already taken root. What's needed, per the book, is Medicine 3.0, which identifies markers of disease based on a person's unique genetic and medical history, and intervenes way before actual disease sets in. This approach has the potential to change the last bits of most people's lives – 70s or 80s – into productive disease-free years or even bestow us with a bonus decade that could see us make it to healthy nineties. What's needed though is a system-wide reorientation. Greater medical focus on prevention. And tweaking health insurance so that it covers preventive treatments. Sounds a lot. But the effort is well worth it, the book argues. It addresses the Four Horsemen of bad health – heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and Type 2 diabetes and related metabolic dysfunction. Understanding how to keep them at bay is key. The book offers plenty of scientific clues. For example, one possible longevity gene that has emerged in multiple studies of centenarians is FOXO3 and its variants. The gene actually regulates other genes that maintain cellular health. And guess what! FOXO3 tends to be more active when we are slightly deprived of nutrients or when we are exercising. Similarly, rapamycin, the miracle molecule that was discovered on remote Easter Island but is now a mainstay of transplant medicine, works on the intracellular protein complex called mToR, which plays a key role in longevity at the cellular level. When food is plentiful, mTOR is active and cells go into growth mode. When food is scarce, mTOR is suppressed and cells go into recycling or cleaning mode, making them more resilient. This bit of science on cellular mechanisms supports the logic of fasting to promote health. Exercise is the most powerful longevity drug, the book says. But it's not about strength training vs cardio. Instead, think about the 10 physical activities you want to be doing in your eighth or ninth decade and work back to determine how much fitness you should have now. To lift a 20kg suitcase overhead when you are older means being able to lift a 40kg suitcase now. Exercise can reverse both physical and cognitive decline. And almost any kind of exercise is better than none at all. High aerobic fitness and strength are linked to longer lifespan. The more aerobically fit you are, the more your body will be able to use oxygen to generate ATP – the chemical that powers our cells. Attia warns against a dogmatic approach to diet and wants the term replaced with nutritional biochemistry. Each of us reacts to food molecules in a different way. So the same diet can produce different results. Hence, nutrition has to be highly personalised and pegged to our own unique health parameters. Decode yourself, eat right, do the brisk daily walk – live long. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
30-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
What is the ‘centenarian decathlon'? Longevity expert shares the blueprint that goes beyond just living long
Speaking at the New York Times Well Festival, longevity expert Dr. Peter Attia introduced a groundbreaking approach to aging that shifts the focus from lifespan to health span—the years spent living not just longer, but better. According to a report from the New York Post, his concept challenges the way we think about old age, advocating a proactive strategy to stay physically functional and mentally sharp in our most vulnerable decade. At the heart of Attia's philosophy is the notion of the 'marginal decade' — the final ten years of your life. While you won't know when it begins, you'll definitely feel it once you're in it. The key, he says, is to start preparing now. 'You don't really know the day you enter that marginal decade,' Attia remarked at the event. 'But most people know it when they're really into it.' The Centenarian Decathlon: Not What It Sounds Like In what he calls the centenarian decathlon — a term he admits is 'neither a decathlon nor exclusively for centenarians' — Attia invites individuals to curate a list of 10 physical activities they want to be able to do with ease in old age. Think of it as your personal Olympics , tailored to your life goals. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Want to sit cross-legged on the floor with your grandkids or take your dog on a peaceful 30-minute walk? Now's the time to train. Attia warns that many of these seemingly simple activities can become difficult — or impossible — without deliberate conditioning. His prescriptions are straightforward but revealing: practice getting off the floor with just one arm, deadlift 30 pounds to simulate lifting a child, or walk 10,000 steps daily to maintain endurance. Planning an international trip in your 80s? Try lifting a 20-pound suitcase and climbing 30 stairs without needing a break. You Might Also Like: Longevity expert Bryan Johnson has a health warning for MrBeast: 'Be sure to...' Functional Fitness for the Future The brilliance of the centenarian decathlon lies in its flexibility. Your decathlon could include dancing, swimming, cooking, or even intimacy — all of which require a mix of physical and cognitive strength. 'To be able to dance is actually a very complicated physical and cognitive task as you age,' Attia emphasized, breaking down taboos around what counts as real exercise. His own goals include standing up unassisted, playing with children, driving a race car, and using a bow and arrow — each serving as metaphors for independence and personal joy. Beyond Muscles: A Holistic Approach While the foundation of Attia's training is rooted in physical fitness—spanning strength, cardio, balance, and endurance—he urges equal attention to other pillars of longevity. Diet, sleep, emotional wellbeing, and responsible use of medication or supplements all play crucial roles in keeping the mind and body agile. The centenarian decathlon isn't about defying age—it's about embracing it with purpose and preparation. By treating aging like a sport and training for the life we want to live, Attia offers a new lens to view elderhood not as a slow decline, but as a final act worth rehearsing for. You Might Also Like: Longevity decoded: 70-year-old cardiologist reveals the one change that made him stronger than ever So if you're scrolling through your feed wondering when to start — the answer, according to Attia, is now. Because the most important race of your life might just be the one you haven't begun training for yet. You Might Also Like: Want to live longer? Forget expensive experiments; longevity doctor reveals simple secrets to a healthier, happier life
New York Post
02-06-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Longevity expert reveals how to ‘train' for old age with a ‘centenarian decathlon'
Forget gold medals — this decathlon is all about your golden years. Speaking at the recent New York Times Well Festival, longevity expert and Stanford alum Dr. Peter Attia made the case for an innovative approach to preparing for old age. Rather than focusing solely on lifespan — the number of years you are alive — Attia's framework centers on healthspan — the period of life spent in good health. 4 Longevity expert Peter Attia speaking at The New York Times Well Festival. Getty Images for The New York Times He believes everyone has a 'marginal decade,' meaning the last 10 years of your life. 'You don't really know the day you enter that marginal decade, but most people know it when they're really into it,' he said. 'The way to increase the probability of enjoying that decade as much as possible is to be very deliberate about how you would prepare for it.' As such, he advises 'training' for old age in the same way that an athlete trains for a sport, with the knowledge that a soccer player and baseball player have very different workout regimens. He calls this approach a 'centenarian decathlon' — joking that it is 'neither a decathlon nor something exclusively for centenarians.' 4 Irina Zaretti celebrated her 100th birthday in 2020. Dennis A. Clark What it does entail is making a list of 10 physical activities that you most want to be able to do — enjoyably — during your marginal decade and begin training for them now. For example, if you want to be able to play on the floor with your grandchildren — which he noted 'sounds really easy,' but 'it's actually really hard to sit on the floor when you get into your 80s' — you should practice getting off the floor using only one arm for support. You should also deadlift 30 pounds so you can pick up a child, especially since muscle strength tends to decline as we age. If you want to be able to take your dog for a nice, long walk — aim to hit 10,000 steps a day now. 4 If you want to be able to play on the floor with your grandchildren, you should practice getting off the floor using only one arm for support. Halfpoint – If you'd like to still be able to travel internationally, try lifting a 20-pound suitcase and climbing 30 stairs without taking a breather. Big on cooking or swimming? Carry two heavy bags of groceries up several flights of stairs and practice getting out of a pool without a ladder. Everyone's list is bound to be different — the key is to focus on what you value most and train accordingly. 4 Bill (William) Casey (right hand side) and his twin brother Jack on their 100th birthday. McCarthy Stone / SWNS For his part, Attia revealed that some of the items on his personal list include: driving a race car, shooting a bow and arrow, playing with children, standing up on his own, and being able to walk with ease — including on uneven surfaces. He highlighted that some of these items are easy to take for granted now — but, without training, there may come a time when they become incredibly difficult, if not outrightly impossible. And if you think dancing and sex don't count — you would be wrong. 'To be able to dance is actually a very complicated physical and cognitive task as you age,' Attia said. While everyone's training will differ depending on their personal goals, he believes that — for most people — it will include a mix of aerobics, strength training, balancing exercises and cardio. Outside of fitness, some of the other areas he recommends focusing on include maintaining a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, using prescription drugs and supplements as needed and taking good care of your emotional health.
New York Times
09-04-2025
- Health
- New York Times
The More Protein, the Better?
We're in a protein craze, and it's hard to ignore. Walk into any grocery store and you'll find rows of protein-fortified energy bars, breakfast cereals, baked goods, snacks, even sports drinks. And on social media, influencers — many with medical or scientific degrees in their bios — claim that most people are woefully deficient. 'Ladies, you're NOT eating enough protein,' Dr. Elie Jarrouge, a doctor in Houston wrote to his nearly 80,000 followers on Instagram in February. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon, another Houston-based physician, said in a recent video on TikTok that the federal recommendations for protein are 'totally wrong.' One of the most well-known protein proponents is Dr. Peter Attia, a physician, podcaster and author who advises and invests in various protein-related food companies. In his best-selling book, 'Outlive,' he says that the federal recommendations for protein are 'a joke,' suggesting that most healthy and active people should consume nearly three times as much. In a 2024 survey of 3,000 U.S. adults, 71 percent said they were trying to consume more protein — up from 59 percent in 2022. So, are the federal recommendations wrong? Would most of us benefit from eating more protein? Or is the obsession just another passing health fad? The New York Times reviewed dozens of studies and interviewed 12 nutrition scientists, many of whom have been studying protein for decades. All of them agreed that we need more research on the topic, but the science we do have clarifies some of the confusion. Here is a fact-check of six big protein claims we've seen. The claim: The federal recommendation is wrong. Nutrition experts in the United States recommend that most healthy adults eat at least 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (or 0.36 grams per pound) every day. For a 150-pound adult, this translates to 54 grams per day — or the amount in an 8.5-ounce chicken breast. Some studies, which Dr. Attia and Dr. Lyon have cited, suggest this amount should be higher — by about 25 to 50 percent, or 1 to 1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight. But scientists don't agree that those studies are better than the ones used to make the federal recommendation. The best (if limited) evidence we have suggests that the current level is adequate for most people's basic needs, said Wayne W. Campbell, a professor of nutrition science at Purdue University. The federal recommendation was intended to prevent protein deficiency and to maintain lean tissues, like muscle, in most people, Dr. Campbell added. That level is not necessarily optimal for everyone. Many people — including those who are strength training or losing weight — may benefit from consuming more, he said. (Dr. Campbell, like many of the experts we spoke with, has received research funding from food industry groups. This is common among protein scientists because there is little federal funding for these types of studies.) Dr. Attia declined multiple requests for comment. In an interview, Dr. Lyon criticized the recommendation, in part because she said it was based only on data from 25-year-old men. That's not true; it was based on data from men and women ages 18 to 99. The claim: Most Americans aren't getting enough protein. According to the latest data, the average man in the United States is overshooting the federal protein recommendation by more than 55 percent and the average woman by more than 35 percent. If most people weren't consuming enough protein, there would be widespread signs of malnutrition, and there are not, said Nancy Rodriguez, a professor emerita of nutritional sciences at the University of Connecticut. People who follow a balanced diet, like one recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, are probably 'getting plenty of protein,' Dr. Campbell added — even vegetarians. That said, not everyone follows a balanced diet, and some people get less than what is recommended, which could put them at risk for deficiency. Teen girls, women and older adults, for instance, are particularly at risk of falling short of the federal recommendation. Teen girls and women are more likely to restrict their eating, Dr. Rodriguez said, and women tend to consume less meat than men. Older adults also usually eat less overall and may struggle to afford, cook or chew protein-rich foods, she added. Protein deficiency isn't a widespread problem, experts said. But people in these groups may need to be more attuned to how much they're getting. The claim: You need more protein to build muscle. Stacy Sims, an exercise physiologist and nutrition scientist who offers advice to active women online, recommends consuming up to triple the federal recommendation. Dr. Attia, Dr. Lyon and other protein proponents suggest similar targets, along with exercise. If you're strength training, experts said that you'll probably want to consume more protein than the federal recommendation. But tripling it 'is far more than most people require,' said Luc van Loon, a professor of physiology of exercise and nutrition at Maastricht University in the Netherlands. In one well-designed trial of 50 middle-aged participants who followed a rigorous strength training program for 10 weeks, half consumed about 1.5 times the federal recommendation and the other half consumed about twice as much. After the training period, both groups were stronger and had gained lean mass, with no difference in results between them. For most people who want to build muscle, consuming around 1.5 to two times the federal recommendation is plenty, said David Church, an assistant professor of geriatrics at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Beyond that amount, he added, the effects of protein on muscle gain 'kind of plateaus.' Some small studies, Dr. Church said, do suggest that certain athletes — like those doing rigorous strength and endurance training, or those recovering from injuries or restricting their calories — may benefit from consuming up to three times the federal recommendation. But more research is needed, and these scenarios don't apply to most people, he added. In an email, Dr. Sims emphasized that her recommendations were mainly for serious female athletes who are typically training for a specific sport or competition. The claim: Older adults need more protein. There is some evidence that consuming more protein as you get older can reduce the risk of age-related muscle loss, but these findings have been mixed. In a three-year study of nearly 25,000 women ages 65 to 79, for example, those who consumed about 50 percent more protein than the federal recommendation were less frail than those who consumed less. But other studies in older adults, including randomized controlled trials, have not consistently shown a benefit to consuming more protein. In a trial published in 2018, researchers provided 92 older men with diets that either matched the federal recommendation or contained 63 percent more protein. After six months, the researchers found no differences in lean mass, muscle strength, walking speed, fatigue or well-being between groups. Despite the mixed evidence, nutrition experts in Europe encourage all people over 65 to consume at least 25 percent more protein than the U.S. guidelines recommend. And, they add, older people may benefit from eating even more if they are healing from injury or recovering from surgery or hospitalization — a recommendation Dr. van Loon agreed with. The claim: High protein diets can help with weight loss. Many posts on social media — many of them geared toward women — promote high protein diets for weight loss. Some short-term trials in women and men have shown that eating 1.5 to two times the federal recommendation helped people lose more weight than lower protein diets did. Research also suggests that protein can reduce hunger hormone levels and be more satiating than carbohydrates or fats. But longer-term studies haven't always found that people lose more weight on high-protein diets compared with other weight loss diets, said Bettina Mittendorfer, a professor of nutrition and exercise physiology at the University of Missouri School of Medicine. Still, research suggests that if you're actively trying to lose weight, increasing your protein may help you lose more fat mass and retain more lean mass, which includes muscle. In a review published in 2024, scientists concluded that consuming at least 25 percent more protein than the recommended amount may help preserve muscle during weight loss. For people consuming fewer calories, whether because they are dieting or taking a medication like Wegovy or Ozempic, it's important to get adequate protein, Dr. van Loon said. Strength training at least twice a week is also key to preserving muscle during weight loss, he added. The claim: The more protein the better. If you spend time online, you may see posts urging you to eat significantly more protein and that there's no harm in doing so. But focusing too much on protein can come with some downsides, experts said. It might, for example, leave less room for other healthy foods, like fruits, vegetables and whole grains — which most of us need more of, Dr. Church said. It could also prompt you to eat more animal products, which are linked to higher risks of cardiovascular disease and earlier death, said Dr. Frank B. Hu, a professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Or, you might rely on processed sources of protein, like powders or bars, instead of whole food sources of protein like beans, tofu, nuts, whole grains, fish or chicken, which are more healthful options, he said. Too much protein may also strain the kidneys in those with chronic kidney disease, Dr. Campbell said. More than one in seven adults in the United States are estimated to have chronic kidney disease, and up to nine out of 10 don't know that they have it. 'That gives me pause about the more-is-better approach,' Dr. Campbell said. Dr. Mittendorfer sees echoes of past nutrition trends in today's protein craze. 'There are these waves in public opinion,' she said. Fats and carbohydrates were once villainized, yet scientists found that the nutrients themselves weren't bad; the issue was more about overeating certain foods they were in. As with any nutrient, she added, you shouldn't have too much or too little. There's a 'Goldilocks zone' that meets your body's needs without causing problems, she said. The same is true for protein.
Saba Yemen
27-03-2025
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Hamdan district rally celebrates steadfastness, calls for al-Quds liberation
Sana'a - Saba: A speech event held in Hamdan district of Sana'a province marked National Steadfastness Day and International al-Quds Day, emphasizing resilience and calls for the liberation of al-Quds. Organized by the local council and the General Mobilization Division, the event highlighted ten years of Yemeni perseverance in the face of aggression. District Director Fahd Attia described National Steadfastness Day as a crucial mobilization effort, aimed at bolstering resolve against "aggression" and maintaining support for front-line forces. He credited the "steadfastness and sacrifices" of the Yemeni people for transforming Yemen into a significant regional power. Attia also urged attendees to utilize the remaining days of Ramadan for increased worship and to embrace the "spirit of jihad" to liberate al-Quds from "Zionist defilement." Cultural activist Hamdan Askar, speaking at the event, lauded the Yemeni people's decade-long resistance and their military achievements. Askar called for continued preparedness against any potential escalation of "US-Zionist aggression," emphasizing the "pride, dignity, and independence" achieved by Yemen, and the perceived "defeat and shame" inflicted on the opposing aggression coalition. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
