Health Protocols for Optimal Mental Functioning.
Drinking hemlock is not conducive to optimal health.
Philosophy is often depicted as a leisurely pursuit. Think of Socrates and Company, conversing for hours on end in Glaucon’s home in The Republic, while feasting. In practice, it never looks like this. Properly done, philosophy is among the most cognitively demanding disciplines in existence. It requires the full and methodical application of reason to an unlimited array of problems in an unlimited array of contexts.
But despite most philosophy students’ dedication to what John Herman Randall Jr saw in Aristotle as “the passionate search for passionless truth”, we are prone to neglecting that which enables our brains to function: the physical state of our body.
In my reading of the relevant literature, I found two books on ageing and life extension particularly useful:
Outlive by Dr Peter Attia and Lifespan by Dr David Sinclair.
There is also excellent information on all health-related issues on the now-popular Huberman Lab podcast.
Here are my low-risk, high-reward recommendations:
Zone 2 cardiovascular exercise:
180-240 minutes per week, in training sessions of no less than 30 minutes.
*Which “zone” you are in is technically measured by lactate levels, but training such that your heart rate is at 75-80% of your maximum heart rate is about right for Zone 2.
Strength training:
3-5 sessions per week, with a minimum of 6 sets per major muscle group.
Behavioural tools:
Viewing direct sunlight (without staring at the sun) for a minimum of 10 minutes, within 30 minutes of awakening. Conversely, we should avoid blue light from screens in the hours prior to sleeping.
Cold exposure (such as cold showers or baths) is an excellent idea. Provided the water is sufficiently cold, it will create an immediate increase in dopamine and adrenaline, produce mental clarity, reduce long-term stress and improve mood. People who find the cold stimulus particularly difficult to tolerate stand to derive the most benefits.
Mozart’s lack of sunlight exposure and resultant Vitamin D deficiency likely contributed to his early death at the age of 35.
Sleep:
I recommend it. Most people require 7-9 hours per night. Consistency is important, so aim to go to bed and wake up respectively within the same 30-minute window.
Diet:
Nutrition is the most poorly understood component of longevity and health, but here is what we absolutely do know:
1: Avoid caloric imbalance (unless you are aiming to gain or lose weight). Most people are in caloric excess.
2: Consume sufficient protein to maintain or build muscle mass. Most people are not consuming adequate protein*.
*There are valid concerns regarding protein’s activation of the pro-ageing mTOR pathway, but on this issue I reluctantly side with Peter Attia over David Sinclair, who recommends somewhat less protein. However this inclination is in part due to my own metabolic disposition and health goals. I will introduce both sides of the protein question in my upcoming course “The Philosophy and Science of Longevity”, coming in 2024.
3: Consume enough of everything that your body requires and cannot produce endogenously. This includes omega-3 fatty acids, found in fish oil.
4: Avoid highly processed foods, eating too often, added sugar, and alcohol.
Everything else, I’m sorry to say, is controversial. I have views on other issues, such as as the role of vegetables, leafy greens, supplements, the “Mediterranean” diet and animal protein in maintaining health, but I’m simply not qualified to recommend anything beyond the rather obvious and well-established points above. It is worth noting that there is no single “perfect” diet for everyone, regardless of what any herbivores or carnivores may tell you.
Following the above protocols is an excellent starting point for achieving peak physical and mental performance, slow ageing and improving or maintaining healthspan.