I finally got around to watching Chasing Life, and I was let down. Not by the report itself, but how little ground it seems we have gained in twenty years of longevity studies. The program can be summed up in a few, very brief suggestions: don't smoke. Eat a plant-based diet. When you do consume animal protein, make it deep water fish. Calorie reduce. If you drink, drink red wine. Exercise. Get enough sleep. Reduce stress. Brush and floss twice a day. The jury is still out on stem cell therapy. The jury is still out on gene therapy. The jury is still out on supplements and selenium. Covert Bailey has literally been making these points since I was in high school. Today I'm 38.

When I think of "longevity," I don't think in terms of "living to age 80 and still being able to play golf" .... I think in terms of "living to age 80 and not having to worry about increased risk of cancer, immune collapse, organ failure, heart disease, atherosclerosis, Alzheimer's, or any number of other things that have long resulted in pain and death for people in your age group."
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Though I can certainly appreciate that many sites and books these days are promoting the value of healthy living, I think they're aiming too low.
--Anne Corwin, at her Existence is Wonderful blog, here

Corwin goes on to describe research areas such as this one, aimed at curing mankind of aging, which we now understand to be a form of illness, not some impenetrable bodily function that simply measures the weight of time. Money quote: "The first person to live to 1000 was probably born by 1945."