I shared the story of shedding my mother and father to early onset dementia in final week’s e-newsletter (hyperlink in case you missed it) and I used to be blown away by the response. Tons of of you wrote again. Many shared your individual tales of watching family members endure by dementia, most cancers, or power illness.
In order that’s what right this moment is about.
I’m sharing my private longevity must-haves. What makes it a must have? It implies that whether or not I’m touring, buried in work, or even when I’m sick, this stuff don’t get dropped. They’re the practices that I imagine transfer the needle essentially the most for dwelling not solely longer, however higher.
They’re not meant to be prescriptive—these are merely the practices I’ve landed on after 41 years in dentistry.
Listed below are my 13 must-haves for longevity:
1. Spermidine
Autophagy—the physique’s pure “mobile cleanup” course of—is the lever for longevity. Spermidine is among the best-studied pure compounds for kickstarting autophagy. It clears out broken proteins (suppose amyloid plaques within the mind). It improves mitochondrial operate. It’s correlated with decrease all-cause mortality. That is the one I take.
2. C15:0
C15:0 is a hint fatty acid present in full-fat dairy and a few fish, and it’s starting to be acknowledged as an important fatty acid for mobile well being—very similar to omega-3s have been a number of many years in the past.
Right here’s why I take it each day:
- It strengthens cell membranes, particularly in getting older cells which might be extra susceptible to wreck.
- It helps mitochondrial operate and reduces systemic irritation.
- It’s been proven to activate AMPK and PPAR pathways—which suggests higher metabolic well being, decrease CRP, and enhanced mobile restore.
The science is early however compelling, and the protection profile is clear. It’s one of many few dietary supplements I’ve seen with direct advantages throughout longevity, irritation, metabolic resilience, and temper.
Plus, it’s vegan—so if you happen to keep away from dairy, you’re not lacking out on this important nutrient. That is the one I take day by day.
3. Flossing (Each Night time)
Scientists have discovered gum illness micro organism (Porphyromonas gingivalis, particularly) within the brains of Alzheimer’s sufferers.
In a landmark 2019 examine, researchers didn’t simply present correlation—they proposed a causal mechanism: the micro organism migrate from infected gums into the bloodstream, cross the blood–mind barrier, and launch toxins that injury neurons.
Flossing is the most cost effective, quickest “neuroprotective” behavior you’ll ever do.
In case you don’t take away the micro organism from between your enamel, they’ll discover their method into your mind. And neurologists and cardiologists are actually saying the identical factor. I predict this will probably be mainstream inside a decade.
4. Treating sleep prefer it’s my full-time job
You possibly can’t out-supplement unhealthy sleep. And mouth respiratory, loud night breathing, and sleep-disordered respiratory silently torch your mind and cardiovascular system. Sleep is the place the physique heals and the mind detoxes by the glymphatic system. Miss this, and nothing else issues.
I put on an oral equipment referred to as a mandibular development system, which maintains my airway and takes my AHI (respiratory interruptions per hour) to just about zero. I tape my mouth shut at evening. I observe my sleep obsessively with an Oura ring.
5. Every day Morning Daylight
Ten minutes outdoors—eyes uncovered to actual gentle—units my circadian rhythm, boosts nitric oxide manufacturing.
If I’m touring, I’ll stroll outdoors the resort very first thing, even when it’s cloudy.
6. Power Coaching (2–3x per week)
Longevity is muscle-centric. Sarcopenia (age-related muscle loss) predicts falls, frailty, and early demise higher than ldl cholesterol ever will.
I don’t practice for giant biceps—I practice so I can choose up my grandkids and preserve climbing stairs in my 90s. That was the angle shift that helped me get into the fitness center.
7. Oral & Intestine Microbiome Care
I keep away from alcohol-based mouthwash like poison—it wipes out the great bugs that shield your coronary heart and mind. As a substitute:
- I take advantage of this prebiotic nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste.
- I oil pull for two minutes.
- I take oral probiotics.
- I eat prebiotic meals like onion, artichokes, garlic, leeks ( bizarre quirk of mine is I don’t like bananas—however these are a great prebiotic meals as nicely)
Your mouth microbiome is your physique’s entrance line. Defend it.
8. Polyphenol-Wealthy Food plan (Olive Oil, Berries, Darkish Chocolate, Inexperienced Tea)
Polyphenols aren’t simply antioxidants—they sign your genes towards resilience.
My non-negotiables are inexperienced tea and further virgin olive oil each single day. And sure, I journey with each of those! These little inexperienced tea packets make it straightforward to carry tea with me after I’m on-the-go.
9. Strolling (Particularly After Meals)
This has turn out to be a sacred ritual in my day. After dinner—irrespective of how lengthy the to-do checklist or how tempting the sofa—my spouse and I’m going for a stroll. (It’s additionally an exquisite ritual for our marriage.)
Motion after meals blunts glucose spikes, improves insulin sensitivity, and helps digestion. It’s a easy however highly effective software for metabolic well being and longevity.
It additionally alerts to my physique that the day is winding down, helps me sleep higher, and offers me an opportunity to attach—whether or not that’s with my spouse, a podcast, or simply my very own ideas.
Even simply 10–quarter-hour makes a distinction. No particular gear and no fitness center required!
10. Magnesium (Every day)
Practically 70% of persons are poor. Magnesium calms the nervous system, regulates blood strain, helps deep sleep, and helps over 300 enzymatic reactions. I take into account it foundational.
A typical mistake individuals make: don’t take only one kind—take a mix of a number of varieties of magnesium, like this one, which I take each day.
11. Connection & Objective
This one is one thing you’ll be able to’t get from a capsule or a tool. However the knowledge is overwhelming: loneliness is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. This is among the causes I’m right here, writing this article, working alongside my daughter and enterprise accomplice each at Ask the Dentist and at Fygg—it offers me connection and function. I’ve at all times felt referred to as to the Latin root of the phrase physician which is “to show.” I discover function in being a hands-on “on a regular basis” grandpa, and persevering with to be concerned as a father to my three grownup daughters of their 20s and 30s (parenting doesn’t cease at age 18!)
12. Figuring out my fasting insulin rating
As a result of insulin resistance is the hearth behind practically each power illness—coronary heart illness, dementia, most cancers, even gum illness. And fasting insulin offers you an early warning, lengthy earlier than your blood sugar goes haywire.
This take a look at is nearly by no means ordered in an ordinary check-up. Nevertheless it ought to be. It’s low cost, easy, and tells you in case your cells have gotten immune to insulin—years earlier than a diabetes analysis.
13. Avoiding sugar (as a lot as humanly attainable)
This one’s the toughest—and I’m not good. However I’ve realized that sugar is a gradual, sneaky wrecking ball in terms of each oral and systemic well being.
It feeds the flawed microbes in your mouth and intestine. It spikes insulin. It drives irritation. And it accelerates getting older on the mobile stage—out of your mind to your arteries to your enamel.
Sugar can be deeply emotional. It’s tied to consolation, stress aid, and nostalgia. That’s why I don’t use shame-based language round it—however I do respect how highly effective it’s, and the way urgently we have to deal with it like a severe well being danger.
Right here’s how I make it manageable:
- I learn each label—sugar hides in locations like salad dressing and tomato sauce.
- I by no means drink something with sugar in it—together with espresso and tea.
- I don’t preserve it in the home. I get my “candy”from brain-building blueberries as a substitute!
- I observe what I name the “24-hour rule”: if I’m craving one thing candy, I delay it a day. More often than not, the craving disappears.
For me, avoiding sugar isn’t nearly enamel—it’s about defending my mind, my coronary heart, and my vitality.
I didn’t construct this checklist in a single day. A few of these took years to undertake. Others I’ve needed to combat arduous to maintain.
Hit reply and ship me your prime 3. I’d love to listen to what retains you going.
P.S. Discover how #2, #3, and #6 all tie collectively? The mind, the mouth, and sleep all share the identical inflammatory pathways.