Man's ultimate desire is to live longer and healthier lives. Every day, new discoveries and innovations are made in medicine and health. It all leads to the same conclusion: these studies show that as humans, we need to go "back to basics."

It refers to the way we used to eat and live decades ago. With increasing stress, environmental conditions and our lifestyles have changed over time.

Humans are attempting to find ways to avoid disease and live longer lives. Functional Medicine is one tool that has contributed to the opening of new doors in the fields of nutrition and lifestyle.

Every human being is unique because of their race, gender, demographic make-up, and genetics. As a result, it stands to reason that everyone's nutritional needs and requirements will differ.

Many studies over the last few decades have helped us understand human genes and the factors that influence them. We now have extensive research on how the food we eat and our environment affect our genes and, as a result, our health. This science is known as epigenetics.

I've discovered that implementing the six factors will result in good health and longevity.

1. Social Circle and Longevity

An individual's social behavior is the most crucial factor that contributes to better health and longevity. This may come as a surprise, but a "healthy" social life is far more important than a healthy diet and exercise. A healthy social circle consists of happy relationships with family members, friends, or coworkers.

Social bonding makes people happy, and having a sense of community is beneficial to one's health. It provides a person with a sense of worth and satisfaction. Humans have always lived in groups, and we are social animals by nature. Those who live in isolation or alone are more likely to die young than those who have a vibrant social life.

Our social behavior and circle have a significant impact, and we can say that it is the number one secret among the top six secrets to great health and longevity.

2. Gut Health is very Important

Gut The second most important predictor of your health status and longevity is your health. The microbiome in our intestine regulates our immunity and health from the moment we are born until the day we die.

A baby is born with a sterile intestine that contains no bacteria. For the first few months of an infant's life, the mother's milk is the primary source of intestinal microbes. Following that, whatever we feed the baby.

Every day, hundreds of toxins and pathogens enter our digestive tract. We exist because of these intestinal bacteria and the vital work they perform. These microbes aid in the production of short-chain fatty acids. These beneficial bacteria are commonly referred to as Probiotics.

What are Short-Chain Fatty Acids?

Digestible fiber, particularly soluble fiber, is a food source for our intestinal microbes. They accomplish this by fermenting digestible fiber within the intestine and producing SCFAs.

Anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties are shared by these short-chain fatty acids. Several fibers contribute to the production of SCFAs. The following are the various fiber subtypes and their sources:

Garlic, onions, leeks, artichokes, and asparagus contain inulin.

Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are polysaccharides found in bananas, onions, garlic, and a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Rice, green bananas, legumes, potatoes, and grains contain resistant starch. When rice, grains, and legumes are cooked and cooled, they produce resistant starch.)

Carrots, ginger, apples, and oranges contain pectin.

Role of SCFA’s

SCFAs aid in the production of vitamins, minerals, and the development of immune cells. The gut microbiome contains both good and bad bacteria. The healthy bacteria make up 80% of the total gut microbiome population, while the unhealthy bacteria make up the remaining 20%.

This ratio is greatly influenced by the quality of food, water, pathogens, toxins, and various environmental exposures. Consuming foods that are bad for one's diet, such as processed foods, meats, trans fatty acids, and heavy metals, promotes the growth of unhealthy bacteria. Intestinal Dysbiosis results as a result of this.

Intestinal Dysbiosis gives pathogenic and unhealthy bacteria a chance to overgrow. This throws-off needed 80-20 balance. To keep our gut microbiome healthy we need to feed it with high-quality food, and pure water, and avoid exposure to toxic elements.

Digestive health is one of the most important among the 6 Secrets to Great Health and Longevity.

3. Food affects our Health

Food is ranked third among the top six secrets to great health and longevity. It is not only a source of calories but also of nutrients, which fuels our bodies. The human body requires calories on a daily basis to perform the vital functions required for survival.

Food nutrients serve a variety of functions. They function as cofactors and enzymes in the body to support various functions and biochemical reactions. Nutrients include phytonutrients, polyphenols, and other antioxidants in addition to vitamins and minerals.

The phytonutrient help to neutralize the free radicals and support detoxification. The higher a person’s free radical production rate, the greater the need for antioxidants.

Any imbalance in neutralizing capacity can cause an overload of free radicals. This imbalance leads to a condition known as Oxidative stress. These free radicals can damage the genes and signal bad genes to express disease or ill health.

Food and Genetics

Human beings differ and have genetic differences. Our biology occasionally misses some genes, which is referred to as 'Genetic mutation.' This genetic mutation disrupts the processing, metabolism, or detoxification of specific nutrients or chemicals. This is an example of something that distinguishes each individual.

Because of this mutation, one food can be a lifesaver for one person while causing illness or death in another. Through genetic testing, science has developed a method for determining your genetic defects.

Many labs conduct genetic testing to identify missing genes or links. Even though we can only identify and read a few hundred of genes, this is still useful.

Using genetic variations to help us determine what is best for our biology. It determines the additional nutrient or supplement required to support the function of the missing gene. As a result, the proper nutrients and food prevent the expression of bad genes.

Which Diet is Best?

There are a lot of diets out there that advocate for better health and longevity, look at how many get talked about on the news! Hence we can’t say any diet is better than the other.

The basic principle of a diet is to eat a well-balanced diet containing natural unprocessed foods. A balanced diet is a mix of complex carbs (a lot of vegetables), healthy fats, and clean protein in your meals. Another option is to eat according to the demographics and seasons.

We should eat foods that our grandparents or even great-grandparents would have eaten. It makes sense to include similar types of food categories in our diet to compensate for the lack of foods available to certain demographics. People who live far from the ocean or a seashore, for example, can supplement their diet with more nuts and seeds to get the Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish.

4. Spirituality promotes Longevity

Many studies have shown a link between spirituality, health, and longevity. In the interviews, people over the age of 100 stated that spirituality and religion were important factors in their longevity.

Spirituality, according to these centenarians, helped and guided them through the highs and lows of life. These studies also claim that spirituality can be useful in later life as a coping mechanism.

Religious and spiritual beliefs influence how people perceive life and situations. It raises one's awareness and consciousness. It also instills a sense of responsibility for society and individuals.

Yoga, meditation, chanting, and prayer are spiritual activities that improve coherence and resilience. Through the increased parasympathetic activity, these activities also lower blood pressure and heart rate. Our Heart Rate Variability is affected by the food we eat and the spiritual activity we engage in (HRV).

How does HRV affect our Health & Longevity?

HRV is a health and longevity predictor. There are minute gaps between the beats. These beat intervals are non-linear and vary from beat to beat. A higher HRV value indicates better health, while a lower one indicates poor health.

HRV is greatly influenced by the foods we eat, the amount of exercise we get, and how we respond to stressors. There are numerous devices available for measuring HRV. As previously stated, we can modulate HRV by engaging in various spiritual practices.

Our heart rate is influenced by emotional stress and our reaction to it. Our heart rate changes in response to autonomic nervous system stimulation. The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are part of the autonomic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system promotes relaxation and calmness. However, Sympathetic has the opposite effect. Higher parasympathetic activity and HRV correlate with better health and longevity.

5. Fasting is Anti-ageing

Since ancient times, fasting has been used to improve health and longevity in India. Fasting has long been practiced in India as a means of staying healthy and disease-free. People in India used to fast on specific days associated with religious events that occurred throughout the year.

It is now clear that a low-calorie diet and fasting can increase telomere length. A telomere is similar to the plastic encasement at the end of a shoelace that protects the gene from damage. Telomere length decreases with age as free radical production increases.

What is Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting is a period of time between your last meal of the day and your first meal the following day. To reap the benefits of intermittent fasting, avoid eating for at least 14-16 hours per day.

Fasting also allows our bodies to rest from expending excessive energy on digestion. This loss of digestion-focused energy has an impact on our brain and mental health.

Fasting also promotes the production of ketone bodies, which can cross the blood-brain barrier. These ketones serve as brain fuel and have additional health benefits. Diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic diseases are reduced by following a low-carbohydrate diet. [Study]

Intermittent fasting is one of the six secrets to health and longevity that, when used wisely and consistently, can be a lifesaver.

6. Exercise

Moderate exercise or any physical activity can help you live a healthier and longer life. Exercise prolongs life and prevents telomere shortening. It also boosts immunity and gut function.

Exercise has cardiovascular and respiratory benefits, as well as preventing age-related declines in brain function. Moderate exercise promotes healthy arteries by increasing the production of nitric oxide.

Extreme endurance exercise, such as marathon running, places additional strain on the cardiovascular system. It also puts a strain on the adrenal system, resulting in an increase in cortisol levels. Cortisol elevation for extended periods results in lower testosterone levels in men.

Men with low testosterone levels are more likely to suffer from depression and libido loss. It also causes a loss of bone density, muscle mass, and brain function. As a result, over-exerting oneself with excessive exercise is not a wise decision.

Moderate exercise is wise and has no negative consequences. Indeed, one study found that moderate exercise 4-5 days per week has numerous health benefits.

Moderate exercise not only lowers oxidative stress but also boosts immunity. It also reduces stress by releasing endorphins, as well as increasing growth hormone and other anabolic hormones for vitality and health. One of the six secrets that promotes health and longevity by balancing neurotransmitters and hormones is exercise.