Long before Brian Johnson became famous for his extreme biohacking — undergoing countless tests, following strict eating habits, and taking dozens of supplements in the name of longevity — Walter Longo was obsessed with longevity.
In the profile of the scientist The New York TimesLongo, professor of gerontology in California and director of the USC Longevity Institute, says he wants to live 120 to 130 healthy years. His drive for longevity coincided with a growing interest in increasing health span, the number of disease-free years lived relative to age—referring to the number of years lived.
The Italian lifestyle has long been considered the gold standard for longevity, with a focus on the Mediterranean diet, walkability and community. Sardinia, Italy, is one of the five original blue zones—where people live the longest, healthiest lives. The lessons of Sardinia’s residents were the focus of an episode of Dan Boettner’s Netflix documentary. Live to 100.
Longo, who was born and raised in Italy, points out that today, “almost nobody in Italy eats a Mediterranean diet.”
Italy’s youth are suffering from obesity due to what Longo calls the “toxic five pies”—pizza, pasta, protein, potatoes, and Pan (or bread),” writes Jason Horowitz. Longo fears that if this style continues to dominate the culture, Italians will live longer but not healthier lives.
How to reverse it? Longo, author Longevity foodadvocates the original Mediterranean diet, which consists of plant-based foods and nuts. She has her own recipes for longevity on her website, including sweet and sour sardines, stuffed artichokes, cauliflower patties, and onions in walnut sauce.
He also champions another relatively new concept in the space—false fasting or fasting-mimicking diets. This refers to limiting food intake, which helps the body reap the benefits of fasting without completely abstaining from food. According to Longo’s website, the protocol includes low amounts of carbohydrates and protein and high amounts of fatty acids. “The fasting-mimicking diet’s patented formula allows your body to go into a fasting-like state, triggering a set of protective measures that the body has developed through natural selection,” he said. The site reads. “It allows the body to improve its performance, rejuvenate its cells and thrive in difficult conditions.”
Research has found both benefits and harms of intermittent fasting, but its continued popularity reflects the lengths people will go to in hopes of extending their lives.
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