In the past few weeks, I have been bombarded with articles, newsletters, and opinions about longevity and living. Now, this could be (is at least partly) my fault because I click on all of the links and *the algorithm* knows. In some ways it’s research for work. I need to know what crazy stuff is being recommended on the internet so I know what might come up in my sessions. Admittedly, one type of story/theory will always catch my eye and make me think. I am fascinated the research that shows social connections (or really anything other than food/exercise) as some of the best ways to increase your lifespan. This article + this article have been the most recent to show up on my feed.
Young, high school me was very interested in how food could cure illness and keep someone healthy (young) for as long as possible. I decided I wanted to be a dietitian when I was a junior or senior in high school and really thought I had all the answers. If you’ve been following along with this newsletter for any length of time you likely already know that I’ve done some work around this set of beliefs, but, as always, it’s complicated.
The reality is that food does matter. But it matters less and differently than many of us think. Having access to food makes a difference. Having access to a functioning and fully equipped kitchen makes a difference. Knowing how to cook and prepare food and then to have the time available to actually do the cooking and preparing makes a difference. Yes, our bodies need fats, proteins, and carbohydrates (and yes, bodies do their best work when given enough of all 3 macronutrients). We need vitamins and minerals in order to make all the little, tiny functions in our bodies do their thing. We poop better and feel better when we get enough fiber. And our bodies need water to survive. If we’re missing any of these components, we are missing what helps our body keep doing its body thing. Nutrition is a real thing that impacts our health.
BUT that isn’t the total picture. Because we also see that sleep can impact lifespan independent of diet. Social connections as well as wealth, discrimination, clean air, clean water, sidewalks, parks, having a good doctor and so much more also impact our longevity independent of diet. The things that determine our health are really, truly complicated and intertwined and when we try to make it simple, we are doing ourselves a disservice. Chasing the feeling of control by being hyper-consumed by everything we eat is not as healthy as we think it is. We are living through an age where the narrative around health is that we are in control + we’re in grave danger if we don’t do everything “right”. The reality is maybe even more scary - you don’t have complete control over your health. Some things are within your control, and some aren’t. I’ve seen numbers ranging from something like 19-60% of our health is impacted by lifestyle choices. That leaves 40-80% of your health outcomes as pretty much pre-determined by our genetics and our environment. I typically use the 40/60 ratio - 40% of what you do impacts your health outcomes, 60% is basically up to the genetic lottery.
What does this have to do with The Full Life? Absolutely everything. Life is about more than choking down a salad without carbs or fats in the name of nutrition. We even have some fun research that shows food enjoyment and lower stress about food as positive influences on health. What if we shifted our focus from how can I look/be perfect or have perfect health to how can I ensure that I’m living my life fully and enthusiastically? Would you do anything differently?
I’m experimenting with how to add in some bonuses for my paid subscribers. I have a couple ideas in the works, but for now I’m going to start including regular insights/tips/tricks/links that I think might be helpful or interesting to other people after a paywall. I want my full articles to be accessible, so this feels like an opportunity to get a glimpse into my brain as a perk of being a paid subscriber.
Full Life Behind the Scenes to follow:
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