2710: Live to 100 w/ These Proven Steps

Summary

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Mind Pump: Raw Fitness Truth

Episode 2710: Live to 100 w/ These Proven Steps
Hosts: Sal Di Stefano, Adam Schafer, Justin Andrews, Doug Egge
Date: October 20, 2025

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Main Theme

This episode explores the eight most science-backed steps to maximize both lifespan and healthspan, making the case for not just living longer, but living better. The Mind Pump hosts break through longevity myths and fads using data, real-world observations, and their characteristic wit, offering practical strategies anyone can employ to stack the deck toward 100 healthy, fulfilling years.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

How Much Does Genetics Matter? [03:50–06:28]

• Genetics play a role, but lifestyle matters far more.
  • Only 20–25% of longevity is determined by genetics; 75–80% is lifestyle-based.
• Notable Quote:
  • Sal: “So, 75 to 80% is controllable. Is your lifestyle.” (05:26)
  • Adam: “That’s actually really interesting. I did not know that. I would have guessed the genetics played a much bigger role.” (05:32)
• Discussion of twin studies revealing lifestyle’s dominant impact.

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Step 1: Eat a Nutrient-Dense Whole Food Diet [06:28–11:49]

• Balanced, whole-food diets—not fads—are linked to longevity.
  • Includes fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and meat.
  • Debates re: “blue zones,” but consensus on minimally processed, diverse diets.
• Whole foods make weight management easier.
  • Adam: “I’ve never ever in my life trained somebody who I looked at their diet and it was all whole foods and they’re sitting across from me, 30, 40, 50 pounds or more overweight.” (09:38)
• Processed foods = overeating and poor satiety
• Fiber, phytonutrients, antioxidants—specifically protective.

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Step 2: Maintain a Healthy Body Weight [11:49–12:29]

• BMI as a broad metric:
  • Maintaining a healthy range correlates with 30% lower mortality risk.
• Whole foods and regular activity make this attainable naturally.

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Step 3: Regular, Moderate Exercise [12:29–15:52]

• “Maximum performance comes at the expense of longevity.”—Sal (12:30)
• Longevity is associated with daily activity, not high-intensity, competitive exercise.
  • Walking, gardening, everyday movement beats ultra-endurance or strength extremes.
• Walking towns, hillside villages as examples.
• Exercise may reduce mortality risk by up to 35%.
• Quote:
  • “Exercise is king, diet is queen, and together you have a kingdom.” (15:29, attribution to Jack LaLanne)

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Step 4: Prioritize Sleep [15:53–17:38]

• Consistent, quality sleep decreases mortality by ~12%.
• Shift work and chronic sleep deprivation markedly reduce longevity.
• Traditional cultures prioritized natural sleep rhythms (early to bed, up with the sun, siestas).
• Sleep becomes even more important with higher exercise intensity.
  • Adam: “…the closer you get to focusing just on longevity, well, you’re not going to have the best aesthetics. You’re not going to have the best performance, necessarily.” (13:22)

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Step 5: Manage Stress—Through Purpose [17:38–22:03]

• Purposeful stress is different than distress.
  • Simply reducing stressors is less effective than having purpose within your stress (careers, relationships, parenting).
• Notable Quote:
  • Sal: “The data shows that the better approach is to have purpose behind the stress in your life.” (17:38)
  • Adam shares his own story: “…I feel this unbelievable pressure right now to solve things…but at the same time too, underlining joy around it. What I attribute that to at least is because the purpose behind this business…” (19:03)

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Step 6: Foster Strong Social Connections [22:03–27:32]

• The most powerful single lever for longevity—cuts mortality risk by 50%.
  • More protective than diet, exercise, or even smoking cessation.
  • Strong, authentic, vulnerable relationships are key (family, marriage, friendship, religious/community groups).
• Superficial social media connections do not substitute for real connection.
  • Sal: “For a relationship to really provide this… it has to be a real relationship.” (23:43)
• Quote:
  • “Having poor relationships in your life was like smoking two packs of cigarettes a day.” (22:16)
• Family and religious/spiritual networks yield the sharpest gains.
• “Family, your community, church, marriage, kids—huge impact on longevity and health span.” (27:32)

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Step 7: Abstain from Drugs, Alcohol & Smoking [27:32–29:20]

• Obvious but vital—regular smoking and excessive drinking are destructive.
• Moderate, social consumption (e.g., wine with family dinners) is less concerning and may even signal stronger social connection, which is independently protective.
• Context matters:
  • Adam: “I would always encourage my client, who’s not a drinker, to go have a drink with a close friend or family member as a way of connecting and socializing than to not at all.” (28:29)

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Step 8: Lifelong Learning & Brain Engagement [29:20–31:20]

• Continuing to learn drastically reduces dementia risk (by 50%).
• Learning, teaching, mentoring, or volunteering after retirement supports healthspan.
• Has more to do with purpose and engagement than brain “exercise.”
• Sal: “I think it has to do with purpose. Yeah. Because learning, when you’re learning something that you’re really into, it does give you kind of a sense of purpose. Right.” (30:26)

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Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

• Sal on Genetics:
  “20, 25% is what the data supplies.” [05:03]
• Sal on Blue Zones/Whole Foods:
  “You have the Seventh Day Adventists who eat a… vegetarian diet, then you have like the island of Sardinia… men in particular eat lots of meat… but they are whole food diets.” [07:36]
• Adam on Training Clients:
  “Never ever… have I trained somebody who… ate only whole foods and is 30, 40, 50 pounds or more overweight.” [09:38]
• Sal on Exercise, Diet, and Longevity:
  “Exercise is king, diet is queen, and together you have a kingdom.” [15:29]
• Sal on Social Connection:
  “Strong social connections… that cuts mortality risk? 50%.” [22:03]
• Sal on Purposeful Stress:
  “If you have purpose, stress is not stressful.” [21:13]

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Timestamps of Key Segments

• Genetics vs. Lifestyle: 03:50–06:28
• Whole Food Diet: 06:28–11:49
• Healthy Body Weight: 11:49–12:29
• Moderate Exercise: 12:29–15:52
• Sleep: 15:53–17:38
• Purposeful Stress: 17:38–22:03
• Social Connection: 22:03–27:32
• Avoid Drugs/Alcohol: 27:32–29:20
• Lifelong Learning: 29:20–31:20

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Final Thoughts

This episode blends straightforward science with practical advice, reminding listeners that adding years to your life depends as much—if not more—on meaningful connection, daily movement, good sleep, and purposeful living as on diet or supplements. The Mind Pump team brings a realistic but optimistic approach, maintaining their signature no-nonsense tone while sharing useful frameworks for anyone who wants not just to live long, but to live well.

Transcript

[Jeff Bridges]

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[Dana]

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[Sal Destefano]

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[Dr. Z]

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[Justin Andrews]

To pump your body and expand your mind, there's only one place to go. Mind Pump. Mind Pump. With your hosts, Sal Destefano, Adam Schaefer and Justin Andrews, you just found the.

[Sal Destefano]

Most downloaded fitness, health and entertainment podcast. This is Mind pump. Today's episode 8 Steps to Live to 100. Based on the best data and science. This episode is brought to you by a sponsor, Jolie Skin company. So this fits on your shower. So replace your shower head with it and it filters your water. For better hair, better skin, it takes out all the chemicals, the chlorine makes the water Feel real good. Improve the health of your hair and your skin. It's easy. It's as easy as simply replacing your shower head. Go check them out. Go to jolieskinco.com that's J-O L I E Skinco. So that's S K-I-N C O.com mindpump. Try it out for yourself for free with free shipping. By the way, if you don't like it, you can get a full refund within 60 days. But I promise you, when you try it, you'll see what I'm talking about. Also, Maps GLP1 is half off. This is a workout program with diet recommendation, supplement recommendations and lifestyle recommendations for people who are on a GLP1. So if you're using Ozempic, Wegovy, Semaglutide, tirzepatide, this program will maximize fat loss, help you keep your muscle, and make everything far more effective. Go check it out. Go to maps glp1.com, use the code GLP50 for the 50% off discount. All right, real quick.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

If you love us like we love you, why not show it by rocking one of our shirts, hats, mugs, or training gear [e-mail] I'm talking right now. Hit pause, head on over tomy pump store.com. that's it. Enjoy the rest of the show.

[Sal Destefano]

Longevity, or as we like to say it, health span. How would you like to live to 100 but also be healthy? Let's go hooked up to machines and taking tons of medications. Live a long, healthy life. Here's what we did. We took the eight things that data shows have the biggest impact on your longevity and health span. We're going to talk about them today.

[Adam Schaefer]

I was going to ask you how you came to these eight, because I definitely agree with them. But I was just curious to how certain things maybe didn't make it. Why those made it. So these are the eight with the most data to support with the biggest return.

[Sal Destefano]

Yeah, the data will show because, you know, people make different kind of arguments, but these right here make the biggest difference. The ones we're going to talk about. And I will say this, genetics plays a role. So I also looked up data on genetics and there are studies on twins, twins that live in air, you know, that end up moving to different areas, live different lifestyles. And those are the best studies for, like, how big of a role does genetics actually play? You guys want to take a guess? What percentage of your longevity?

[Adam Schaefer]

Oh, I was 70. Yeah, I think it's a good guess. 60, 70.

[Sal Destefano]

At least 20 to 25.

[Adam Schaefer]

No way.

[Sal Destefano]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Real talk. So. Okay, that's crazy to me because I. You have family. Katrina has this on her side of her family. She's got family members. Her dad is this way. Wow. Who's they? Just, they're. They're living to 90. Smoking.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

Yeah.

[Adam Schaefer]

Drinking.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

I know the same.

[Adam Schaefer]

And I'm like, that's got to be genetics. You got to just be. You got to have that.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

Women in my family lived to 100. Really?

[Adam Schaefer]

Only 20%, Sal.

[Sal Destefano]

20, 25% is what the data supplies.

[Adam Schaefer]

Okay, that's cool. Because then there's other. There's other theories that I've had. I was like, how does this dude live, have such a healthy life? And he's not healthy for all means. But I think that just really highlights some of these other things that you're going to go over.

[Sal Destefano]

That's right.

[Adam Schaefer]

I think he did really well.

[Sal Destefano]

That's right. That's right. So. Yes, because some of these things have a bigger impact than others. As we're going to get into.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

I would have environmental.

[Sal Destefano]

So. 70. Yeah, 70. 70. Sorry. 75 to 80% is controllable. Is your lifestyle.

[Adam Schaefer]

It's controllable.

[Sal Destefano]

Control.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's actually really interesting. I did not know that. I would have guessed the genetics played a much bigger role.

[Sal Destefano]

No, that's what I thought, too. But by the way, 20 to 25% is nothing to sneeze at. No. You know, this is the difference between two people living identical, healthy lives. One person living till they're 80, the other person living till they're 100. So that's significant. Yeah, it still is, but it's not as much as we think.

[Adam Schaefer]

It's not as much as what? Well, I think it's exciting.

[Sal Destefano]

It's.

[Adam Schaefer]

It. Because that's. You can't use genetics. You got it or you don't got it. The fact that you can control 75 to 80 of.

[Sal Destefano]

That's right.

[Adam Schaefer]

Is a really positive. That's right now, which also, kind of. Sorry to cut you off, but I just. I think there's a popular. You know, there's an attitude that I feel like the generation before us would have. I'm gonna die anyways, and so may as well smoke, drink, do the thing. But it's like, no. A lot of your choices play a much bigger role than.

[Sal Destefano]

Well, I'm glad you said that, Adam, because that's why I said health span in the beginning. And I remember Dr. Seeds made that point. He hated the term longevity because, okay, cool, you don't die, but are you independent of what's the quality? Right. What's the quality of life that you have? And so that's, I think the most. If I made the argument you're Gonna Live to 100, but the last 20 years of your life in a wheelchair. Yes. You're dependent on other people, you have full time care, you're in chronic disease. Like, that's not, I don't think anybody wants that. Right. So we're talking about the things that, where you live a long time, but they also keep you independent, healthy and largely devoid of chronic ailments that can make life very difficult for the last, especially the last 10 years of your life. So the first one is to eat a nutrient dense whole food diet. Now the best studies on this show that these are balanced diets. They include lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and they have meat. They have meat in them.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

It's interesting because, I mean this kind of reminds me of the blue zones and all that whole talk of where they're really trying to find that key formula. Right. What's the best food groups? And you see it in this culture and that. But yeah, it tends to be like the balanced diet.

[Sal Destefano]

Well, what's interesting, one of the areas in that, which by the way, is a lot of controversy around that. So some people poke holes in those studies. I don't know if we have any better ones, cherry picking. But if you look at some of those areas, like you have the Seventh Day Adventists who eat a, I believe, largely vegetarian diet, then you have like the island of Sardinia where the men there live a long time, both the women and the men, but the men in particular eat lots of meat. And people think, oh, they eat lots of fish, it's an island. Which is true if you live on the coast, but if you live in the mountains, many of them don't even know how to swim. And they eat things like lamb and cheese and goat and stuff like that. So. But they are whole food diets.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

Okay.

[Adam Schaefer]

So I think that's what this highlights the most, which I love this being the first one in. The point that you're trying to make right now is that this is why I think, which is crazy, after probably a decade of all of us training, did we distill the, our diet recommendations to something as basic as this is because I think if you just stick to whole foods, whether there's lots more fish or more steak or more, if you just stick to whole foods, it kind of takes care of a Lot of the big rocks as far as getting your body what it needs and not over consuming a lot of things it doesn't need or isn't healthy for. And I think that just general advice of eat whole foods. And of course we say eat protein first because I think that helps keep the calories in management. But that takes care of most the big rocks in concerns of nutritional health.

[Sal Destefano]

Well, when you talk about calories, it's far less likely to be overweight and eat a whole food based diet. Your body's will tell you when you're full in a more accurate way than when you're eating processed foods. Processed foods are very well engineered to make you overeat. And so trying to eat an appropriate amount with processed foods is like good.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

Luck devoid of nutrients. I mean it's just gotten worse and worse over the years with our options with yeah, like calories are abundant but getting like real quality nutrients is difficult.

[Adam Schaefer]

Have either one of you ever trained somebody who was obese who only ate whole foods? Never. No, I've never ever in my life life trained somebody who I looked at their diet and it was all whole foods and they're sitting across from me, 30, 40, 50 pounds or more overweight. Never. It's always the highly processed, palatable foods that have got those people. No.

[Sal Destefano]

And getting people to switch to just if you know, this was something I learned later in my career as a trainer. If I just got my clients to switch whole foods, it took care of like 85, 90% of everything that they wanted from diet was just that right there. And we, there were things we could do within that. But if they just did that. By the way, you know, you made a good point Justin. Calorically, you know, processed foods are calorically dense but nutrient devoid. Now that doesn't mean they don't have nutrients, but when you look at the amount of calories you get for the amount of micronutrients you get.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

Right.

[Sal Destefano]

It's not a great ratio like you would with whole natural foods. And we're not just talking about micronutrients like vitamins and minerals because processed foods sometimes come fortified also.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

It's like fiber and all these other.

[Sal Destefano]

That's right, phytonutrients and antioxidants and compounds that we know have benefit. It's hard to narrow down just how much of a benefit. But we know in combination they have anti cancer properties. Some of them have a hormetic effect where they produce a small stress which then strengthen the body. Fiber seems to play a role Contrary to what some carnivore diet advocates will say that the data on fiber is pretty incredible. So yeah, if you just ate a nutrient dense whole food diet, this is what people who live a long line long life tend to have in common. They tend to have this right here in common with diet. Next up is to maintain a healthy body weight. So when you look at like BMI for example, this could lower mortality risk by 30% just having it. Now BMI isn't perfect. BMI refers to a, you know, your body weight versus your height. But this does point to a better body composition, generally speaking, than any other broad data that we have, maintaining a healthy body weight. Like if, again, if we go back to the first one, you eat whole natural foods, you're far, far less likely to be overweight. Far less likely.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, I think a lot of, you know, what would you, what would you put a number on? Like the range, like I think of a man maintaining always between 10 and 19, even 10's kind of low, 11 to 19 in that range.

[Sal Destefano]

You're gonna fall there.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal Destefano]

If you eat a whole food diet.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, if you, if you, especially if you exercise and as long as you, and that like as you always kind of keep it in there, like maybe sometimes you, you tend to tip towards the higher end and then you kind of rein it back in and like there's a lot of flexibility within that, that range. So long as you're active eating whole foods and then the next point you're gonna make, which is like exercise, I think those really take care of, of that exercise.

[Sal Destefano]

So here's what the data says for longevity. Because there's a difference between exercising to maximize performance, maximize aesthetics, maximize muscle building. Right. And exercise that contributes to longevity. Once you pass a certain point with intensity and intent with exercise, you start to sacrifice longevity. So maximum performance always comes at the expense of longevity. So if you want to be like the fastest, the most endurance, the strongest, just know you're going to be trading some longevity there. Because what the data shows is regular, moderate intensity exercise does the best for, for longevity.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's why I've always liked that analogy. I think Jason gave it to on the show first, where the triangle of longevity, performance and aesthetics and that, you know, anytime and if it's like a.

[Sal Destefano]

You move too far in one.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah. You move too far in one, you take from the other two. No matter, it's impossible. You're always going to be doing that. Right. So you have to understand that the closer you get to focusing just on longevity well, you're not going to have the best excitus. You're not going to have the best performance, necessarily.

[Sal Destefano]

Well, the reason why I like to communicate what I just did is the examples we tend to get in media for people who we think are going to live a long time are actually extreme performance athletes. And if you look at the data on this, by the way, you look at, like, the top endurance runners. Look at the top. I don't have to say this, but strength athletes, the top, you know, athletes, their longevity is better than the average, sometimes not. But it's not the best longevity because they're pushing their bodies to extreme limits. Now, of course, there's. I think there's value in doing that. It's fun, all that stuff. But I think if you're looking for longevity, what it kind of looks like is I exercise movement most days, and I just enjoy the movement. I just enjoy the exercise. And I'm not necessarily pushing my body to accomplish crazy feats of performance. I'm just active. And when you. Again, you look at the studies on these blue zones, which I know some people poke holes in, what you have are people that walk up hills every day. You know, they're gardening every single day. They're fishing every single. Into their 90s. They're just doing this daily activity.

[Adam Schaefer]

What town is that in Italy? That's like all stairwells and it's on the side.

[Sal Destefano]

That was Sardinia.

[Adam Schaefer]

Is that Sardinia? Yeah, yeah, it's like that.

[Sal Destefano]

By the way, look, you know, these old towns, they were designed differently than what you'll see now. For lots of walking and stuff, I would visit family. I have family in Sicily. And in some of the older towns, you know, I'd have, you know, older relatives in their 70s and 80s, and in order for them to go to the grocery store, they'd have to walk down, like, a steep hill and, like, bunch of stairs, and then they'd have to walk back with their grocery. The street's too small for cars. Like, this is the only way you can get up and down. And so, like, every day going to the grocery store was a lot of.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

Places like that in Europe, too. Yeah, it's cool.

[Sal Destefano]

Yeah.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

When they used to do that with towns and cities, they'd structure it where it was all walking distance.

[Sal Destefano]

But exercise will contribute, in some studies, 35%, actually more than diet will for longevity. By the way, I love the way that Jack LaLanne used to say this. He used to say, exercise is king, diet is queen, and together you have a kingdom. And I Think that's very, very true. You want to do both to really have the best benefit, not just one or the other.

[Adam Schaefer]

I like that.

[Sal Destefano]

Next we have sleep. Prioritizing sleep. This makes a big difference. This will lower mortality risk by about 12%. People who have really poor. Some of the best studies on this will point to people who work like a swing shift or night shifts. Even people who lead otherwise healthy lives have a reduced longevity score. Or they live not as long because of the stress of just poor sleep.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

They never fully recover. It's definitely not an advantage.

[Sal Destefano]

No. And again, if you go to these old cultures, they actually prioritize sleep. They'd go to bed early, they'd wake up when the sun would rise.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

They have siestas in some places, many.

[Sal Destefano]

Of them, many of these old cultures even value a 30 minute, 40 minute nap.

[Adam Schaefer]

Would you, would you argue too that it becomes even more paramount when you com. When you also include exercise intensity for say, performance and aesthetics.

[Sal Destefano]

Better sleep more.

[Adam Schaefer]

Right? Like so. Because you have to understand that to your point, exercise for longevity is more like moving for the sake of moving and because it feels good, not because you're trying to build a bunch of muscle or look a certain way. And so as you move into that direction of I want to look better and I want more muscle or I want this look well, then sleep, which was already important, becomes even more important because you have to recover from a higher level of stress that's beyond longevity. Healthy for you, totally healthy for you. I'm not saying that exercising hard is not healthy. They don't want that message to be received. But understand that when you start to push yourself more in the direction of aesthetics and I want to build more muscle and I want to look more sleep, sleep becomes even more of a priority because you have a higher stress that you're putting on the body to try and obtain a higher level of aesthetics.

[Sal Destefano]

100%. Next up is to manage stress. Now, this is what's interesting about managing stress. We've been led to believe that managing stress means what it means entirely is to reduce stressful things in your life. But here's what the data shows. The data shows that the better approach is to have purpose behind the stress in your life. And what they find in these studies is that these people do things who live a long time. They have a lot of stuff going on, but it's purposeful. Like stress with no purpose is just stress like you could have. And we'll get to this a little bit later, but you could have kids, kids Add stress to your life, but they also add a tremendous amount of purpose. What does the data show with having kids, you live longer. You live longer.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's interesting. I mean, you could even apply that to things like work. Like, work can be totally. Can be very stressful. But when you're driven by a greater purpose than just receiving a paycheck every two weeks, it adds a different type of fulfillment.

[Sal Destefano]

Such a great example. I'll paint a scenario. You have a job that is stressful. It's very stressful. But you're making, I don't know, computer monitors or you're making phones or you're working in tech. Like, that's okay. It's stressful. It's hard right now. Imagine you have a stressful job, but you're. You're feeding orphans or you're doing something that has so much purpose for you, at least. It's not the same. It's not the same stress at all.

[Adam Schaefer]

You know, it's funny you say this, because I don't know if I think I shared this with you guys. It might have been on here or not, but, you know, we. We went this last quarter or two for our business has been. In the 10 years that we've been doing this, I would consider it the most stressful. And I know people are probably laughing on the other side watching this, going, if you sit on a podcast all day, how good would be that stressful?

[Sal Destefano]

There's a lot that goes on.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sal Destefano]

This is a fraction of what is 5%.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yes, but. And my point of that is that. But the point I'm making, and Katrina has been with me for 15 years, so she's been with me through multiple businesses and has seen me at all levels of financially things, ups, downs, all the stuff. Right. And beginning of a business when it's really stressful, peak business, all that. And she was making a comment of saying, you know, I know how, how much you're carrying right now and stressed out about work, yet you don't look like it and you don't act like it. And I go, you know, it's strange you say that, because I feel that same way too. I feel this unbelievable pressure right now to solve things and fix and get things going again. But at the same time, too underlining joy around it. What I attribute that to at least is because the purpose behind this business, the things that we're providing, the people that we're serving, and then also the combination of the amount of lives that impact this, not just from, again, customers, but even the people that work for us. Yeah, yeah, totally. And a lot of that pressure is I want to. I want to provide so they don't stress and don't worry and they have a great place to come work to. And that gives it. It's a different type of stress is. I would argue that it's as. Or more stressful than almost any other period or I felt, but it's received differently. And she goes, I can see it on you. It's. You carry it differently. You have a different attitude about it. She goes, admittedly, I can be a bit of a bear to be around in moments where we're. We would been stressed out over business or finances in the past. And I haven't. I haven't felt it that way. So.

[Sal Destefano]

No. And I think it speaks to your purpose. Super important because we just keep hearing when it comes to stress, like take stressful things out of your life and do things that are relaxing and all that stuff.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

Right.

[Sal Destefano]

But it's. What's more powerful than that, what has a larger impact on your longevity in this case is to have purpose. If you have purpose, stress is not stressful. It's not stressful. Not nearly as stressful as when you don't have. When you don't have purpose, most things are stressful. You have no purpose in your life. Sitting at home doing nothing can be tremendously depressing and stressful versus being out there making things happen. But you believe in what you're doing. So the key here is to gain purpose, which is slightly connected to the next one, which is. This is crazy. Fostering social. Strong social connections. Okay, so we talked about diet, you know, 30%, exercise. 30. 30 to 35%. Managing stress. That'll. That'll reduce mortality by 24%. Strong social connections. You know how much that cuts mortality risk? 50%.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

That's high. Yeah. Yeah. That's so crazy.

[Sal Destefano]

Nothing comes close.

[Dr. Z]

Crazy.

[Sal Destefano]

Nothing comes close to this.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

And I've heard that from so many different articles I've read. You know that. That connection there was that one that equated smoking cigarettes.

[Sal Destefano]

Yeah. Having poor relationships in your life was like smoking two packs of cigarettes a day.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal Destefano]

Which is pretty wild. It's a big study that showed that. So this one is huge. And it's funny, it's number six. It should be number one. Because I think of all of these. I mean, diet and exercise are obviously. But we're so aware in modern societies, we're so aware of how bad our health is because of our diet and our exercise. But people are not nearly as aware as they should be that our social connections have totally dissolved and we live in a modern life with lots of conveniences like that, especially these days. But just depressed anxiety.

[Adam Schaefer]

I think a bit of it is we're deceiving ourselves to think that we have more connection than what we really have. I think that's part of the problem. Sol. I think that a lot of people, if you would ask them, I mean, shoot, I bet a lot of people that would. If you would ask them, oh, name ten of your friends or whatever, they would list people on their social media platforms, you know what I'm saying? You versus, like how. Okay, now.

[Sal Destefano]

Or even if they name people. So how often do you see them?

[Adam Schaefer]

Well, yeah, I was gonna say, then I. The follow up question I'd say is like, when's the last time one of those people have been to your house for a barbecue? Or, you know, when last time you went to a movie or had dinner with one of them in person? And I bet a lot, a lot of people would say they hadn't. And so there's this false, you know, feedback loop of like, oh, I'm talking to a lot of people. I've got a lot of. I'm popular on Instagram, you know, I have all this. But really missing that connection with people on a daily basis that's close to you.

[Sal Destefano]

Well, social media, and this can actually be true for even relationships we have in the real world. But for a relationship to really provide this right here, it has to be a real relationship. Meaning if the relationship I have, I'll use Justin. Let's say Justin and I are friends, but what he sees and knows of me is what I put up in front of. So we see each other. He just sees the surface, either through social media or maybe we just hang out, we just talk about kind of surface stuff that's not the same as like, we do life together. He knows my struggles, he knows my kids, you know, he knows what's going on in my life. I know what's going on in his life. I can call him and talk to him about all the hardest, deepest stuff. That's the social connection that contributes to longevity. And in the data, church and a religious community serves this tremendously. And now there's a few reasons that are explained in a secular way as to why. One of them is when you have a faith with other people, it tends to be very vulnerable and honest. Many faces, especially Christian religion, encourages confession to each other and struggle and help and doing life with each Other. So that makes a big impact. Marriage makes a big impact. This contributes to longevity. Tell me marriage isn't stressful. It's very stressful. It's much easier, I think on the surface to not be married, to just live for yourself. But then you don't live as long, you're not as happy. Why is that? Yeah, you don't have that vulnerability.

[Adam Schaefer]

What do we know about like, you know, some challenges? You see this in some, some families, right, are really good. I think your family would be a good example of this where you have big one, two, three generations of, of, of your family that live nearby each other. I would think that that's as powerful, if not more powerful than even like a church relationship like that. I would think being near grandma, grandpa, uncles, aunts and, and connecting with all them would be.

[Sal Destefano]

Here's what's crazy about what you're saying. So I went, I've done like cross data reference and I'm. So explain to me why people who pray regularly go to church regularly. In other words, people who are really a part of a faith, they don't just claim it, but they're really a part of it. Why do they have such a huge longevity boost? And compare that to people who belong to strong networks that are not religious, social networks, family networks. And it does account for a large percentage of it, but there's a percentage there that they can't account for.

[Adam Schaefer]

So that's got to be.

[Sal Destefano]

Say what you will.

[Adam Schaefer]

Well, that's got to be the, that's got to be the built in spiritual purpose component.

[Sal Destefano]

I, I think that's, I think that's a big part.

[Adam Schaefer]

That's totally. Because you could have the family connection, opening secrets, confession. Yeah, right. But then there's still. Why am I doing this thing called life that I think.

[Sal Destefano]

Or I got this terrible thing that just happened.

[Adam Schaefer]

Right, right. I can't explain it exactly. So I think that's gotta, that's gotta be that extra percentage. It's got to be. Well then it also adds that element.

[Sal Destefano]

Yes.

[Adam Schaefer]

Obviously, ultimately being able to have both is like. But not everybody has that right. Not everybody has, you know, a lot of people are, you know, live in a different state than their, their family. And I mean I could have easily been that person. I definitely, I, until having a kid, selfishly, I, I don't think I, I saw the value like I do, you know, for myself, whether that be. I became numb to it or whatever the case may be, having a kid, seeing it. I go, oh, it's like very clear to me now, that. And now I wish I could go back and, you know, which is crazy to think I'm the guy that now, if we bought 100 acres, I could put everybody I know, which is so wild because I'm like, the opposite of that. I remember telling Katrina when we first date, I'm like, you, Florida. Would you move all the way across? Oh, yeah. If she would have agreed to something, say, five, six years or longer ago, before Max, I would have up and left, no problem and been okay with that. But I. I see now, and I feel it. I don't just see it. I feel it from being that close to a big family.

[Sal Destefano]

Yeah. So family, your community, church, marriage, kids, huge impact on longevity and health span. Health span. Next one. This one's an easy one. We'd have to spend a lot of time here. But no drugs or alcohol, no cigarettes. Those are all pretty damaging to your health. There's lots of, you know, I think. I don't think people know. Have any question as to whether or not that's good for you or not. It's not good for you.

[Adam Schaefer]

Our most. It's obvious it's not good for you. But our most. This, like, let's say for alcohol, like, you know, you. You go to dinner, you know, every Friday night with a wife, and you guys have two glasses of wine when you do that. And that's your. Your level of drinking. So that still, you're probably.

[Sal Destefano]

It's probably not much. When I'm looking at the studies, it's like smoking. People smoke every single day. When you want to see when alcohol really has a negative impact. It's 14 drinks a week. People are drinking twice. Two. Two drinks a night. Yeah. Like, that's having a pretty good.

[Adam Schaefer]

So that's what. That's what I was. Because I would think that. And we've talked about this on the podcast when we've encouraged people and clients of ours, like, I would always encourage my client, who's not a drinker, to go have a drink with a close friend or family member as a way of connecting and socializing than to not at all. I think the positive effects from the connecting to the family out or a friend and the community. To your point, if that's 50% outweighs the even slight.

[Sal Destefano]

No, it's funny, too, because if you. If you look at the data on, you know, how they always show those studies, like, a little bit of alcohol actually improves longevity, what they're actually realizing is when they look at these cultures and societies where people will Have a little bit of alcohol. What they're actually looking at are people who are, have. Who really do a lot of communal stuff. So it's like dinner with the family, have a glass of wine.

[Adam Schaefer]

It's not drinking by yourself. By yourself.

[Sal Destefano]

No. It's not sitting in front of your TV eating and having a glass of wine.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

It points to the community advantage.

[Sal Destefano]

That's right.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

So like get you. If that's what gets you into the social situations for some people will have like a. Anxiety over that. I guess you could kind of make a case that that would be a positive.

[Sal Destefano]

That's right. Next up, Always Learn. This is an interesting one. Engaging in lifelong learning seems to reduce dementia risk by 50%. 50%, I think. Always learning. I don't necessarily think it's because you're exercising your brain because if you want to see what exercises the brain, the most activity actually does this quite well from a physiological, like just the brain is an organ, you know, I think.

[Adam Schaefer]

It'S another form of purpose.

[Sal Destefano]

Yes.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

Yeah, that's it.

[Sal Destefano]

100.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

Yes, 100% that top of mind. So, yeah, I just. And we talk about this with people that retire and it's like this like real like quick decline, you see.

[Sal Destefano]

Yeah, a lot of people. Arthur Brooks talks about this. He wrote a book on this. But he showed there was a huge, there was a clear split with people who retired and those that did well and those that didn't do well in terms of health and longevity. The ones that didn't do well did nothing else. So they would retire and they stopped working.

[Podcast Co-host (possibly Justin or another Mind Pump host)]

They just stopped.

[Sal Destefano]

The ones that did well stopped working and started teaching. Yeah, they actually entered into kind of mentorship or volunteer or they'd go to companies and they'd consult and stuff like that. So I think it has to do with purpose. Yeah. Because learning, when you're learning something that you're really into, it does give you kind of a sense of purpose. Right.

[Adam Schaefer]

You're sure it's built tomorrow I got to be better or smarter or I got to teach this class on Friday, so I better learn these things. And, and so it gives. It's built in purpose again. And I think it has more to do with that than. Although I'm sure it has some neurological benefits. You're firing things, you're connecting.

[Sal Destefano]

But again, if you look at exercise.

[Adam Schaefer]

That compared to a squat, that's a barbell back squat is going to give you all that and some. And all the benefits of that.

[Sal Destefano]

But also like try to not learn and have a very strong social network. Like you're going to learn, you're going to grow as an individual because you're with other people the entire time. So I do think it points to purpose.

[Adam Schaefer]

Yeah.

[Sal Destefano]

Look, if you like the show, come find us on Instagram. We'll see you. It's at mindpump Media.

[Justin Andrews]

Thank you for listening to Mind Pump. If your goal is to build and shape your body, dramatically improve your health and energy, and maximize your overall performance, check out our discounted RGB super [e-mail] the RGB Super Bundle includes Maps, Anabolic Maps, Performance and Maps Aesthetic. Nine months of phased expert exercise programming designed by Sal, Adam and Justin to systematically transform the way your body looks, feels and performs. With detailed workout blueprints and over 200 videos. The RGB Super Bundle is like having Sal, Adam and Justin as your own personal trainers, but at a fraction of the price. The RGB Super Bundle has a full 30 day money back guarantee and you can get it now. Plus other valuable free [e-mail] if you enjoy this show, please share the love by leaving us a five star rating and review on itunes and by introducing Mind Pump to your friends and family. We thank you for your support and until next time, this is Mind Pump.

[Chris Gethard]

Hi, I'm Chris Gethard and I'm very excited to tell you about Beautiful Anonymous, a podcast where I talk to random people on the phone. I tweet out a phone number. Thousands of people try to call, talk to one of them. They stay anonymous. I can't hang up. That's all the rules. I never know what's gonna happen. We get serious ones. I've talked with meth dealers on their way to prison. I've talked to people who survived mass shootings, crazy funny ones. I talked to a guy with a goose slap, somebody who dresses up as a pirate on the weekends. I never know what's gonna happen. It's a great show. Subscribe today. Beautiful Anonymous.