I wonder what choices I can make this year to extend my lifespan until 150-years old.

Yes, that’s right! 150-years old. I have been motivated to be a centenarian ever since I watched Willard Scott celebrate the poster children of longevity on the Smucker’s Jam segment of The Today Show. I vividly recall pointing to the television multiple times over the years and enthusiastically exclaiming to my mom, “I want to be 100-years old so I can have my picture on the Smucker’s Jam!”. Consequently, I proceeded to frame my life within the four quarters that divide a year, excited that since autumn and winter are my favorite seasons, they would become a metaphor for the best years of my future. My mindset shifted, however, when I discovered Dr. David Sinclair, an Australian molecular geneticist, and his extraordinary Information Theory of Aging featured in his book Lifespan: Why We Age – and Why We Don’t Have To.

My journey toward an extended lifespan began 10 years ago. I have a friend who invited me to join her family during an annual Christmas event. Her cousin is a Nobel Prize winner, and I Googled him to know more about his achievement. While reading about his professional work, I learned about another Nobel winner, Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn. I discovered her fascinating work with telomeres and what they do to protect our chromosomes and DNA from damage and how choices can be made to lengthen its caps and protect our cells through diet, exercise, and stress-reduction. As curiosity propelled my inquiries over the years, I found the additional research of Dr. Cynthia Kenyon, Dr. Aubrey de Grey, and, ultimately, Dr. David Sinclair.

Since 2018, Dr. Sinclair’s scientific revelations have challenged how I re-frame my perception of aging and motivation for increasing my healthspan and extending my lifespan. I think I am blessed with longevity genes on my maternal side, so reaching my 150-year goal is within the realm of possibility. But how do I qualify extending my life into longer thirds instead of shorter quarters (i.e., 1-25 years [spring], 26 – 50 years [summer], 51 – 75 years [autumn], 76 – 100 years [winter])? I can consider: Beginning, Middle, End; First, Second, Third; Ascension, Arch, Descension; Inaugural, Medial, Terminal; or Dawn, Twilight, Dusk.

Or maybe I frame my lifespan within six quarters similar to a Product Life Cycle: Development, Introduction, Growth, Maturity, Saturation, and Decline. The six stages of Bloom’s Taxonomy, however, are entirely more mentally motivating: Remember, Understand, Apply, Analyze, Evaluate, and Create.

Regardless, my main choices toward life extension this year are attainable:

1. Continue 3-day water fasts once a quarter (e.g., March, June, September, December)
2. Reduce my processed sugar intake significantly
3. Prioritize my digestive wellness following Dr. G’s guidance (aka Dr. Mycobiome) and recipes in his book Total Gut Balance
4. Arrange for blood work to determine my biological age and other bio-markers via Inside Tracker
5. Begin ingesting NMN (Nicotinamide MonoNucleotide) supplements to restore my NAD (Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide) and boost the health and energy of my cells