26d • General discussion
The 5 Daily Habit My Sharpest 90-Year-Olds All Share
I've diagnosed over 1,000 dementia cases in 15 years.
The patients who stay sharp into their 90s all do these 5 things. None are complicated. All are free.
1. Walk 30 minutes daily
Not jogging. Walking. Preferably outside, morning.
Increases brain blood flow, promotes neuroplasticity, reduces inflammation, improves sleep, lowers blood pressure.
My sharpest 92-year-old walks her neighborhood every morning. Rain or shine. "I don't feel right if I don't walk."
2. Call someone daily
Not text. Actual conversation. Friend, family, neighbor. 10 minutes minimum.
Social isolation doubles dementia risk. Conversation requires complex cognitive processing. Prevents depression.
One 94-year-old calls a different friend every day on rotation. "I have Monday through Sunday friends."
3. Learn something new weekly
Could be anything. New recipe. Word game. Documentary. Has to require concentration.
Builds cognitive reserve, creates new neural connections, delays cognitive decline.
One 91-year-old does NY Times crossword daily. Started when she was 75. "The day I can't finish it, I'll know something's wrong."
4. Sleep 7-8 hours
Not negotiable. Same bedtime. Same wake time. Even weekends.
Brain clears toxic proteins during sleep. Consolidates memories. Reduces inflammation.
One 89-year-old: "In bed by 9, up at 5:30. For 40 years."
5. Eat mostly plants
Mediterranean pattern. Vegetables, fruits, beans, fish, olive oil. Minimal processed food.
Reduces inflammation, improves vascular health, provides neuroprotective nutrients.
One 93-year-old grew up in Greece. Never changed her diet. "I eat what my grandmother ate."
What they don't do:
Supplements beyond basic vitamin D and B12, expensive longevity protocols, complicated tracking systems, extreme diets, obsessive optimization.
Just consistent, simple daily habits.
The pattern:
These aren't my smartest patients. They're my most consistent.
They've done these 5 things for decades. Not perfectly. Consistently.
The timeline:
These habits don't work in 6 months. They work over 20-30 years.
The 90-year-olds doing well started at 60-70. The ones with dementia didn't.
Start now:
Pick one habit. Just one. Do it daily for 30 days. Then add the next.
Don't try all 5 at once. You'll fail. Build slowly.
Goal isn't perfection. It's consistency.
My take:
I track biomarkers. I optimize anything I can.
But these 5 simple habits matter more than any lab value.
My sharpest 90-year-olds aren't lucky. They've been doing these for decades.
Best time to start was 20 years ago. Second best time is today.
⁉️ Which habit are you starting this week?
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The 5 Daily Habit My Sharpest 90-Year-Olds All Share
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