The fundamentals of living longer better

While technology will empower us in many ways, let's not forget that it is the simple things in life, whatever our age, that matter most. It is striking that in most of the interviews for this book, when asked about the secret of living longer well, and what they do personally to achieve this, it really boiled down to the fundamentals.

I often refer to Dan Buettner's work, where he coined the term "Blue Zones^[1]"—the places around the world, like Okinawa in Japan and Sardinia in Italy, where people live some of the longest, healthiest, happiest lives. His research shows that people living in those zones all share five crucial ingredients: following a good diet, incorporating exercise, possessing a sense of purpose, having good social connections, and venerating age.

Diet is crucial. I have always eaten well myself, with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables; lately I have become obsessed with seeds! I take...