Outlive by Peter Attia, MD and Bill Gifford

Co-owner/Editor Tara Huck shares:

Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia, MD and Bill Gifford

I am a sucker for books that help me discover ways to optimize the time I have on this earth. When Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity came up as “something you may like” from Audible, I immediately clicked to purchase. After reading it, I recommended it to my husband even though we rarely have the same taste in books. Nonetheless, we both thought this one had some good takeaways and was written in an accessible way to a non-medical audience while maintaining its appeal to critical readers.

Outlive presents information on increasing the length of one’s life, but also, and more interestingly, it talks about strategies that improve one’s quality of life; it reads like a manifesto for living better and longer. Co-written by a doctor and a journalist, it draws on the latest scientific research to offer interventions for nutrition, exercise, and sleep. It also addresses emotional and mental health. One area the book didn’t address was how spirituality affects quality of life and longevity, which I think was a weakness in the book.

Additionally, Outlive explores how to maximize the portion of life free from disability or disease. The book delves into the “Four Horsemen” of aging—heart disease, cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and type 2 diabetes—and provides actionable advice for combating their effects.

I wish I had read Outlive in my twenties. Certainly, I am not old yet, but when I see young people, I am reminded of all the years behind me that have accumulated. Some of those years were spent with better health practices than others. Outlive gave me some hope to dream of a long and healthy life.

If you’re looking to extend your healthy years of life and are willing to challenge your assumptions about aging, Outlive will inspire you.