We spend a lot of time on this show talking about what you can do for your healthspan. But if you're a parent, you have an incredible opportunity—and responsibility—to set up another human being for a lifetime of health. And the window to do that isn't unlimited.

In this episode, we get personal. We share our own parenting decisions—some that went against what everyone around us was doing, and some we definitely didn't execute perfectly. (Yes, there have been Goldfish crackers. There has been screen time we said we wouldn't allow.)

But through it all, we kept asking one question: What actually matters here? What's the forest—and what's just trees?

Why childhood habits echo forward for decades—and the research that proves it

#1: Make Real Food the Default — The alarming data on ultra-processed food consumption in kids (67% of calories), our family's 70-day UPF elimination challenge, and why family dinner is a whole intervention wrapped in one simple habit

#2: Movement as Part of Life, Not a Task — Why we pulled back from travel sports, the irony of sedentary parents driving kids to "be active," and our son's journey from struggling with the mile to running a half marathon

#3: Connection as the Priority — The mental health inflection point of 2012, why boredom matters more than we think, and the hard choices we've made about technology and social media

#4: Let Them Do Hard Things (and Fail) — The "steeling effect," why we don't rescue, and how resilience is built one uncomfortable moment at a time

#5: Give Them Real Independence — The decline of children's independent mobility, the story of singed eyelashes and a four-year-old learning about fire, and why overparenting is often about our anxiety

Bringing it all together—playing the long game as parents

• Healthy and unhealthy lifestyle patterns established in childhood track into adulthood with remarkable consistency
• Ultra-processed foods now account for ~67% of calories consumed by American children
• Kids who participate persistently in physical activity are much more likely to be active as adults than those pushed through intense organized sports
• The shift to smartphone-based childhood around 2012 correlates with dramatic increases in adolescent anxiety and depression
• Resilience isn't something you can download later—it's built through age-appropriate challenges and the freedom to fail

Website: mdlongevitylab.com
Instagram: @mdlongevitylab

If this episode resonated, share it with another parent who might need to hear it—especially the ones doing their best and still feeling like it's not enough.

Keep playing the long game.

Dementia doesn't start when symptoms appear — it begins 20 to 30 years earlier. In this episode, Vikas and Nisha break down the real biology of cognitive decline, the metrics that predict your future brain health, and the evidence-based strategies that can dramatically reduce your risk. From the power of dance and racket sports to the critical role of sleep, ApoE genetics, and why that influencer's 230°F sauna protocol is a red flag — this is your complete dementia prevention blueprint.

• Dementia is a midlife problem, not an aging problem. The biological changes that lead to dementia begin in your 30s, 40s, and 50s — decades before symptoms appear.
• The Four Horsemen are interconnected. Cardiovascular disease and metabolic dysfunction are upstream drivers of neurodegeneration. Fix those, and you dramatically reduce dementia risk.
• Muscle is cognitive insurance. Low muscle mass increases dementia risk 2–3×. Grip strength predicts cognitive decline as well as — or better than — cognitive tests.
• VO₂ max is a brain metric. Low cardiorespiratory fitness correlates with 5.3× higher Alzheimer's risk. High VO₂ max is associated with a brain that tests 10 years younger.
• ApoE4 is a risk amplifier, not a destiny gene. Carriers often benefit more from lifestyle intervention than non-carriers. Early, precise action matters.
• Sleep is non-negotiable. The glymphatic system clears amyloid 20× faster during deep sleep. Alcohol — even one drink — destroys sleep architecture.
• Complex movement beats brain games. Dance reduces dementia risk by 76%. Racket sports reduce all-cause mortality by 47%. Sudoku makes you better at Sudoku.
• Social connection is neuroprotection. Loneliness increases dementia risk by 50%. Community isn't a luxury — it's biology.

Connect With Us

Website: www.mdlongevitylab.com

Podcast: MD Longevity Lab: Playing the Long Game — available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever you listen

If this episode helped you think differently about your brain and your future, here's how you can support the show:

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We read every review. Thank you for being part of the Long Game community.

How to Play the Long Game and Build for 30 Years, Not 30 Days : The Anti-Resolution Manifesto

Hosts: Vikas Patel, MD & Nisha Patel, MD

Episode Summary

80% of New Year's resolutions fail by February. This episode is for the other 20%—and for everyone who's tired of the annual cycle of restriction, guilt, and giving up. This is our anti-resolution manifesto. No 30-day detoxes. No white-knuckling through meals you hate. Instead, we're laying out a framework for health that actually lasts—one built on muscle, not deprivation; purpose, not motivation; and the question no one in medicine is asking: what do you want your life to look like in 30 years?

• January 19th — "Quitters Day," when most New Year's resolutions are abandoned
• 80% of resolutions fail by February 1st
• 12-15 years — average time Americans spend in decline before death
• 70% of 65-year-olds will need long-term care at some point
• 80% of healthspan is determined by lifestyle, not genetics
• 63% higher mortality risk associated with low muscle mass in older adults
• 3-8% muscle mass lost per decade after age 30
• 30% of muscle loss occurs between ages 50-70
• 1 in 4 older adults falls each year; falling once doubles your risk of falling again
• 30% one-year mortality rate after a hip fracture in those 65+
• 15-25% reduction in resting metabolic rate from aggressive caloric restriction

The Resolution Trap

• Why intensity without direction doesn't last
• Your body doesn't know it's January 1st—it only knows consistent signals over time

Lifespan vs. Healthspan

• Lifespan: how long you live
• Healthspan: how well you live
• The goal: compress morbidity into the shortest window possible

Reverse Engineering Your Future Self

• Start with the question: What do you want your life to look like at 85?
• Physical requirements for independence: getting up from a chair, catching yourself if you trip, carrying groceries, climbing stairs, recovering from illness
• Muscle as the "organ of longevity"

The Long Game Is Not Punishment

• Deprivation backfires—extreme restriction leads to worse psychological outcomes and weight regain
• Order the wine, eat the pasta in Italy, have the dessert when it's worth it
• The difference: not indulging by default

Health as the New Status Symbol

• You can't fake being fit at 50
• You can't lease a low resting heart rate or put muscle mass on a payment plan
• Unlike a Rolex, this status symbol is available to everyone

Why Quick Fixes Fail

• Your body is a skeptical investor—it needs years of consistent returns
• Crash dieting signals scarcity; your body responds by slowing metabolism and preserving fat
• Muscle loss during aggressive dieting can take years to reverse (or may never fully recover)

When Life Throws a Curveball

• Nisha's personal story: rare blood cancer diagnosis 10 years ago
• Diagnosis is not destiny—lifestyle dictates disease progression
• Higher VO2 max and muscle mass dramatically improve surgical and cancer outcomes
• Prehabilitation: one of the most powerful interventions in medicine

1. Think in decades, not days — Every health choice is a deposit in an account you'll draw from later
2. Prioritize muscle — Lift heavy things, eat enough protein, repeat
3. Don't confuse thinness with fitness — The scale is a terrible proxy for health
4. Build sustainability — If your routine requires suffering, it won't last
5. Start where you are — Five minutes of movement is a start; you don't need perfection

"The long game has room for wine, pasta in Italy, skipping the gym when life gets crazy. It just doesn't have room for decades of neglect disguised as a New Year's resolution."

Website: www.mdlongevitylab.com
Instagram: @mdlongevitylab
Location: Chicago, IL

Thank you for listening to MD Longevity Lab: Playing the Long Game. Take care of yourselves—your future self is counting on it.

In this episode of MD Longevity Lab: Playing the Long Game, Drs. Nisha and Vikas Patel sit down with world-leading aging researcher Dr. Matt Kaeberlein to cut through the noise in longevity medicine.We discuss why most biological aging clocks fall short, what mTOR actually does, how rapamycin works (and why it’s widely misunderstood), what truly moves the needle for healthspan, and where AI and preventive medicine are headed.This is an evidence-based conversation focused on clarity, nuance, and long-term thinking—without the hype.Topics Covered • Why biological aging clocks are unreliable at the individual level • mTOR explained and its role in aging biology • Rapamycin: risks, benefits, and unknowns • Fasting and caloric restriction myths • What actually improves healthspan (exercise, sleep, connection, hormones) • AI, wearables, and the future of longevity care • The Dog Aging Project and slowing aging in companion animals About Our GuestDr. Matt Kaeberlein, PhD is a world-renowned scientist in the biology of aging, founder of Optispan, and co-founder of the Dog Aging Project. He is known for prioritizing evidence over hype and for advancing translational longevity science.Links & Resources • Follow Dr. Matt Kaeberlein: @mkaeberlein • Optispan & the Optispan Podcast: https://www.optispan.com https://www.dogaginginstitute.org • MD Longevity Lab: https://www.mdlongevitylab.com • Watch on YouTube (MD Longevity Lab Podcast): https://www.youtube.com/@MDLongevityLab Dr. Kaeberlein also hosts the Optispan Podcast, available on YouTube and all major podcast platforms. If you’d like to support his valuable work advancing longevity science in companion animals, donations to the Dog Aging Institute (a 501(c)(3) nonprofit) are tax-deductible and help make this research possible.

Peptides are everywhere right now — online, in wellness clinics, and all over TikTok. But what’s real? What’s risky? And what actually supports longevity? In this episode, Dr. Nisha and Dr. Vikas break down the hype vs. the science, explain why the Five Pillars of Longevity (Lift, Move, Sleep, Fuel, Connect) always come first, and walk through the peptides patients ask about most.

The Five Pillars come first.
No peptide replaces strength training, daily movement, sleep, nutrition, or connection. Peptides amplify biology — they don’t repair a broken foundation.

GLP-1 is the only peptide with strong human data.
Semaglutide and tirzepatide have large trials, years of safety data, and real cardiometabolic benefits — but they do not protect muscle, so lifting and protein matter.

Growth hormone secretagogues (CJC-1295, Ipamorelin, Tesamorelin) carry higher uncertainty.
Only tesamorelin is FDA-approved. Long-term data in healthy adults is lacking. There are theoretical cancer risks and concerns around worsening insulin resistance.

Fat-burning peptides are mostly hype.
AOD-9604 has minimal human benefit. 5-Amino-1MQ has no human trials.
If fat loss is the goal: Lift, Move, Sleep, Fuel.

Healing peptides (BPC-157, TB-500) are interesting but early.
Most data is rodent-based, purity varies widely, and angiogenesis pathways carry theoretical risks.

Cognitive peptides (Semax, Selank) are not approved in the US/EU.
Human data is weak. Possible side effects exist. They won’t override poor metabolic health.

Cosmetic peptides like GHK-Cu have some human data.
But sunscreen still outperforms everything.

MOTS-c is promising but very early in humans.
Rodent data is strong — human data is sparse.

NAD is not a peptide.
It plays a key cellular role but has limited clear measurable benefit when supplemented.

The TikTok peptide culture is unsafe.
If your peptide has no certificate of analysis or arrives with a free sticker, it’s not longevity — it’s roulette with a needle.

Peptides are tools, not shortcuts. GLP-1s have real evidence; most others range from early to uncertain. The Five Pillars determine your healthspan — and peptides only work when those fundamentals are solid.

Lift for longevity.
Move for metabolism.
Sleep to repair.
Fuel your cells.
Connect with real humans.
Peptides don’t replace the pillars — ever.

This episode is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not establish a doctor–patient relationship, and should not be used as a substitute for individualized medical guidance.

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In this episode of MD Longevity Lab: Playing the Long Game, Dr. Vikas and Dr. Nisha explore how human connection and gratitude act as powerful, evidence-based tools for both mental health and longevity. They unpack the evolutionary origins of our social brain — from Dunbar’s number to cooperative child-rearing — and explain why humans are biologically wired to thrive in community. The episode highlights the growing loneliness epidemic and how social isolation increases mortality risk, drives chronic stress, and directly contributes to depression. Drawing on neuroscience, they discuss how connection improves oxytocin, serotonin, dopamine, inflammation, and default mode network activity, while loneliness dysregulates these pathways.

The conversation then turns to gratitude, including new research showing it reduces anxiety and depression, improves cardiovascular health, and continues to strengthen benefits over time. Gratitude letters, journaling, and “gratitude spotting” are presented as accessible, clinically meaningful practices — especially for patients with depression. The hosts also connect ancient Stoic wisdom to modern mental health strategies, showing how reframing, acceptance, and intentional connection have always been part of human resilience. The episode closes with practical “prescriptions” anyone can try: reach out to one person, practice a moment of gratitude, and build small daily habits that strengthen social bonds and mood. This Thanksgiving, the Patels remind us that while VO₂ max, DEXA scans, and biomarkers matter, the relationships and experiences we cultivate are equally essential for healthspan — and often the true foundation of emotional well-being.

Protein isn’t just for bodybuilders — it’s the longevity macronutrient. In this episode, Drs. Nisha and Vikas Patel break down why protein is essential for muscle, metabolism, and long-term health — and how outdated dietary guidelines have been underselling its importance for decades.

From the science of muscle protein synthesis and turnover to practical strategies for hitting your protein goals (without turning your life into a spreadsheet), this episode separates myth from mechanism and gives you a roadmap for optimizing your nutrition for healthspan.

The Role of Protein in Longevity
Protein is more than a muscle nutrient — it’s a marker of aging and resilience. Higher lean body mass predicts lower risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and all-cause mortality. Your body replaces roughly 250–300 grams of protein daily through constant turnover. Without enough dietary intake and resistance training, that process breaks down, leading to loss of function and vitality over time.

Why the RDA Is Outdated
That familiar 0.8 g/kg recommendation? It was based on old data aimed at preventing malnutrition, not optimizing health. Most adults need closer to 1–1.6 g/kg, or roughly 1 gram per pound of ideal body weight. Too many adults over 40 barely hit the minimum, leading to preventable loss of lean mass, slower metabolism, and higher visceral fat. Aging isn’t the only culprit — under-protein-ing and under-movement are.

Protein and Metabolism
Protein burns more calories to digest than carbs or fats, and muscle acts as a glucose sponge, stabilizing blood sugar and reducing inflammation. It also improves satiety by regulating hunger hormones, so before you reach for appetite suppressants, check your plate — protein first makes a big difference.

Plant vs. Animal Protein
Animal proteins contain all nine essential amino acids, especially leucine, which triggers muscle protein synthesis. Plant-based diets can work beautifully too — they just require more planning and variety. Combine lentils with quinoa, beans with rice, or tofu with edamame to get a complete amino acid profile. A “climate-conscious omnivore” approach can balance health, ethics, and sustainability.

Myth Busting
High protein doesn’t damage kidneys in healthy individuals.
You can absorb more than 30 grams per meal — that number just refers to the amount that maximally stimulates muscle building.
And no, protein won’t make you bulky — you’d need years of heavy training for that.

Protein Timing and Real-World Tips
Consistency matters more than timing. Hitting your daily protein goal within 24 hours of a workout is what counts — not whether you drink a shake within an hour. Whey protein powder might be technically “ultra-processed,” but it’s a functional one — a tool to help you meet your goals efficiently.

Real Talk: Balance and Longevity
Most adults under-eat protein and overeat processed carbs. The result is fatigue, poor recovery, more visceral fat, and faster muscle loss. Focus on building your plate intentionally — start with a palm-sized portion of protein, then veggies, then carbs. For those in their 40s and beyond, this is especially crucial. Older adults need more protein, not less, to offset anabolic resistance. For women, especially post-menopause, adequate protein supports bone density, muscle retention, and metabolic health.

Practical Takeaways
Aim for around 1 gram of protein per pound of ideal body weight.
Distribute it evenly across your meals — 30 to 40 grams each.
Pair it with regular resistance training for the biggest payoff.
Choose quality over perfection — whole foods first, supplements as needed.
Longevity is about progress, not perfection.

Closing Thoughts
The RDA is outdated. Aim higher, eat intentionally, and think long-term. You don’t need to be perfect — you just need to be consistent. Longevity isn’t about restriction; it’s about fueling your future.

Get in touch
Follow us on Instagram @MDLongevityLab and share this episode with someone who still skips breakfast — because you’re not saving calories, you’re just starving your muscle. Visit us at www.mdlongevitylab.com