Dr. Peter Attia

Versus you could live to 100, but you spend that last 20 years in a painful state of decline. I think very few people would choose the latter, even though they're living longer. And I think what most people want is quality of life over quantity. outside of these extreme examples, which are common and tragic where people die and they're young.

Versus you could live to 100, but you spend that last 20 years in a painful state of decline. I think very few people would choose the latter, even though they're living longer. And I think what most people want is quality of life over quantity. outside of these extreme examples, which are common and tragic where people die and they're young.

But I think when you really start to think about pushing those things, most people, in my experience, are more interested in quality of life.

But I think when you really start to think about pushing those things, most people, in my experience, are more interested in quality of life.

When it comes to someone's risk of dying, you characterize the biggest risks as the four horsemen. Could you explain what those are?

When it comes to someone's risk of dying, you characterize the biggest risks as the four horsemen. Could you explain what those are?

Yeah. You can't have a discussion on this topic without talking about the four horsemen, which might seem a bit grim, but there's no reason to avoid talking about the inevitable, which is every one of us in this room is not going to be alive at some point. And I think to confront the how is important. So statistically speaking...

Yeah. You can't have a discussion on this topic without talking about the four horsemen, which might seem a bit grim, but there's no reason to avoid talking about the inevitable, which is every one of us in this room is not going to be alive at some point. And I think to confront the how is important. So statistically speaking...

All of us in this room are going to succumb to one of four processes or disease processes. So in rank order, the first of those would be cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. That's the leading cause of death in the United States. That's the leading cause of death globally. It's the leading cause of death for men, and it's the leading cause of death for women, full stop.

All of us in this room are going to succumb to one of four processes or disease processes. So in rank order, the first of those would be cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. That's the leading cause of death in the United States. That's the leading cause of death globally. It's the leading cause of death for men, and it's the leading cause of death for women, full stop.

So that's a heart attack, a stroke. The number two, and it's not that far behind in the United States, is cancer. And of course, cancer isn't just one disease. We lump it all together. But of course, prostate cancer and breast cancer are frankly as different as a pickup truck and a Corolla. They both have four wheels, but that's about where the similarity ends.

So that's a heart attack, a stroke. The number two, and it's not that far behind in the United States, is cancer. And of course, cancer isn't just one disease. We lump it all together. But of course, prostate cancer and breast cancer are frankly as different as a pickup truck and a Corolla. They both have four wheels, but that's about where the similarity ends.

Number three would be the diseases of dementia and the neurodegenerative diseases. And there's a lot of things in here. So you have Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common form of dementia, but you also have lots of other types of dementia that are not neurodegenerative, such as vascular dementia. And then the fourth horseman is kind of a spectrum of diseases that we call metabolic diseases.

Number three would be the diseases of dementia and the neurodegenerative diseases. And there's a lot of things in here. So you have Alzheimer's disease, which is the most common form of dementia, but you also have lots of other types of dementia that are not neurodegenerative, such as vascular dementia. And then the fourth horseman is kind of a spectrum of diseases that we call metabolic diseases.

The most extreme version of this would be type 2 diabetes. But of course, all along the way, you have conditions like fatty liver disease and insulin resistance. And all of these conditions form a continuum. And the most important thing to know about them is while not that many people will die directly from those diseases,

The most extreme version of this would be type 2 diabetes. But of course, all along the way, you have conditions like fatty liver disease and insulin resistance. And all of these conditions form a continuum. And the most important thing to know about them is while not that many people will die directly from those diseases,

If you have anything along that continuum, it's increasing your risk by about 50% of the other three horsemen. So we really want to think about a strategy at mitigating all four of these conditions and delaying them as long as possible.

If you have anything along that continuum, it's increasing your risk by about 50% of the other three horsemen. So we really want to think about a strategy at mitigating all four of these conditions and delaying them as long as possible.

What would you say to someone that may already be navigating these chronic diseases that come with aging? And what advice would you give them on how to manage a high quality of life and keep hope during these times?

What would you say to someone that may already be navigating these chronic diseases that come with aging? And what advice would you give them on how to manage a high quality of life and keep hope during these times?