We’re Getting Longevity All Wrong | Professor Colen Murphy

How much do we actually know about living longer? In this episode of Degrees of Health, Ben Hopkins sits down with Professor Coleen Murphy, a leading researcher in aging and longevity at Princeton University, to talk about what the science really tells us about how we age. They get into some of the biggest ideas in longevity right now, from calorie restriction and exercise to GLP-1s, peptides, vaccines, AI and the possibility that viruses could play a role in age-related disease. Coleen also explains why she thinks we shouldn't be obsessed with simply living as long as possible. The bigger goal might be staying healthy, active and cognitively sharp for as long as we can. They discuss: Why we still have so much to learn about aging The science behind calorie restriction and whether it's actually worth it Why Coleen is much more interested in exercise The idea of "longevity escape velocity" Where AI could speed up longevity research Why prevention may be more important than trying to fix problems later in life The surprising connection between vaccines and dementia risk What we really know about GLP-1 drugs and longevity The risks and hype around longevity peptides Why women and reproductive aging could hold important clues about longevity How sleep and wearables could help us understand our own aging Why the brain and the rest of the body are much more connected than we once thought The role of optimism, mindset and purpose in healthy aging Why simply measuring and tracking what you do might be more useful than extreme longevity protocols One of the biggest takeaways from the conversation is that longevity isn't necessarily about finding one magic pill or living an incredibly restrictive lifestyle. It's about understanding the biology of aging and figuring out how we can stay healthier for longer. A fascinating conversation with someone who has spent decades studying the science behind how we age. Find out more about Coleen Murphy and her research: Princeton University / Murphy Lab Book: How We Age: The Science of Longevity by Coleen Murphy If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe to Degrees of Health and let us know in the comments: Would you rather live longer, or simply stay healthier for longer? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 🌈 Exploring the benefits of red and infra light therapy? Our community receive 10% off the FlexBeam from Recharge Health via this link: ⬇️ https://rechargehealthas.sjv.io/DyJ3mn (learn more about the benefits of healing with light in our 'Light as Medicine' Playlist). 🤝 Join the community - by subscribing, you are self-selecting as a health nerd. We like you. We applaud you. You are shaping the future of health information in real time. As a thank you, we pledge to bring you the best we can, where we are, with the tools we have. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.