Lifespan
How I’m Working to Add More Years to My Life
Table of Contents
Why I Care About Lifespan
I’ve been through some things that made me look time in the face. My dad had a stroke that left him unable to care for himself. My mom slowly disappeared into the grip of dementia. And then came my own wake-up call — a triple bypass that brought everything to a halt.
That surgery didn’t just make me think about how I live. It made me think about how long I might live. From what I’ve read, the average life expectancy after a surgery like mine Is 18 years. That would put me at 71. My father lived to 72, & my mother to 76.
I don’t want to be gone too soon. I want more years. More birthdays. More days to sit on the porch, talk with family, share a meal, or take a walk. I want to outlive the odds — and I want those years to count.
This page is about what I’m doing to stack the deck in my favor. To live a little longer.
What Lifespan Really Means
Lifespan is the total number of years we’re alive. It’s not about how good those years are — that’s Healthspan. Lifespan is the number on your birth certificate and the dash on your headstone. It’s how long your body sticks around.
For most people, life expectancy in the U.S. is around 76 years for men, and a little longer for women. But that’s just the average. Some people live into their 90s and beyond — others don’t make it past 60.
What makes the difference? That’s the question that’s been driving me lately.
📌 Link to my Healthspan page – for how I’m working to live better
What Cuts Our Lives Short
When I was younger, I never really thought about how I might die. Most of us don’t — not until we’re forced to.
But after watching my parents decline, and going through my own heart surgery, I’ve had to face the hard truth: life is fragile, and it can be cut short in a dozen different ways. Sometimes it’s sudden. Sometimes it creeps in over decades. Either way, it takes people long before their time.
These are the things most likely to end our lives too early:
Heart disease
Cancer
Stroke
Diabetes
Chronic respiratory disease
Accidents and injuries
Substance use (smoking, alcohol, drugs)
Poor diet and inactivity
Some of these come down to luck. But many — maybe most — are shaped by the way we live. I’ve seen it, lived it, and now I’m doing my best to change it.
Of course, genetics matter. We all inherit some risks. But what’s been eye-opening to me is that we’re not powerless. Lifestyle choices, habits, even mindset — they can flip genetic switches on or off. That’s called epigenetics, and it means we have more control than we think.
I can’t undo the past, and I can’t predict the future — but I can work every day to give myself a better shot at a longer life.
What Science Says About Living Longer
There’s no magic pill for a longer life, but science has uncovered a lot. Here’s what I’ve found in my research — and in my own experience so far.
A. Modern Medicine That Can Add Years
I’m alive right now because of modern medicine. There’s no denying that. And when used wisely, it can extend lifespan dramatically.
Statins & blood pressure meds — help prevent heart attacks and strokes, I’m on both. Metoprolol Tartrate for my Blood Pressure, Atorvastatin for my Cholesterol, and Aspirin as a blood thinner.
Bypass surgery & stents — can give people like me a second chance. I had hoped I’d have stents at the worst. Turns out it was even worse & I had to have a Triple Bypass.
Cancer screenings — colonoscopies, prostate checks, mammograms save lives. These are next in line for me, I’ve already been contacted and need to call them back to get my colonoscopy scheduled.
Vaccines — flu, pneumonia, shingles are just some of the deadly infections we need to fight as we age. Of course, I need to catch up on all of these as I’m writing this.
Longevity research — things like metformin, rapamycin, and fasting-mimicking diets are being studied to slow aging
B. Lifestyle Habits That Extend Lifespan
This is the stuff we can control. Studies show people who live longer tend to:
Not smoke
Stay lean (but not underweight)
Eat a plant-based diet and avoid processed foods
Exercise regularly (even walking counts)
Avoid acohol
Sleep 7–8 hours a night
Reduce chronic stress
Get regular checkups
Even moderate lifestyle changes can add 5–10 extra years to your life, according to Harvard research.
Related Links:
🔗 Harvard Health: Longevity lifestyle strategies for living a healthy long life
C. Longevity Lessons from the Blue Zones
In five regions across the world — Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya (Costa Rica), Icaria (Greece), and Loma Linda (California) — people regularly live into their 90s and beyond. What’s more, they do it with vitality, purpose, and often without major disease.
Dan Buettner and his team at Blue Zones studied these areas to find out why. What they discovered became known as the Power 9 — nine shared habits that support not just health, but a longer life.
Here’s what they found:
The Power 9:
🏃♂️ Move Naturally
They don’t hit the gym. Instead, they walk, garden, do chores, and move regularly throughout the day — without even thinking about it.
🎯 Purpose
They have a reason to wake up each morning. Okinawans call it ikigai, and the Nicoyans call it plan de vida. Having a purpose adds up to 7 extra years of life.
🧘 Downshift
Even the healthiest people face stress — but they manage it. Blue Zoners nap, pray, meditate, or take quiet time daily to reduce inflammation and cortisol.
🥗 80% Rule
In Okinawa, they follow hara hachi bu — a reminder to stop eating when they’re 80% full. This helps avoid overeating and obesity.
🫘 Plant Slant
Diets are based largely on plants — especially beans, greens, sweet potatoes, and whole grains. Meat is eaten rarely, usually as a small side dish.
🍷 Wine at 5
Except for Loma Linda, many Blue Zoners enjoy 1–2 glasses of wine per day — socially, and always with food and friends. It’s not about drinking; it’s about connection.
(do your research on this, personally I’ve stopped drinking)
🛐 Belong
Almost all centenarians belong to a faith-based community. Attending religious services (of any kind) four times per month is linked with longer life.
❤️ Loved Ones First
Families are tight-knit. They live with or near elderly parents, invest in their kids, and build strong marriages — which brings emotional and physical benefits.
👥 Right Tribe
Long-lived people are part of social circles that support healthy behaviors. In Okinawa, friends form lifelong “moai” groups that meet regularly and support one another.
These folks aren’t chasing longevity. They’re living in ways that support it.
Related Posts:
📌Discovering Purpose: Finding my Ikigai
📌 Nutrition – My W.O.E. (Way of Eating)
Related Links:
🔗 BLUE ZONES: Power 9
My Personal Lifespan Plan
I’m not trying to live forever. I just want more time. More years with the people I love. More chances to enjoy the life I’ve worked for.
After my triple bypass, the numbers hit me hard — the average life expectancy after a surgery like mine is around 18 years. That would put me at 71. My dad made it to 72. My mom to 76. I’m doing everything I can to outlive those odds.
Here’s where I’m putting my energy now:
🚶♂️ Walking
This is where my journey started years ago — short walks, 15 minutes at a time. Now? I’m walking 8 hours a day at work. It’s not fancy, but it works. Movement is medicine.
💤 Sleep
Sleep has always been a struggle for me — but I’m working on it. Better sleep means better recovery, better heart health, and a better shot at a longer life.
⚖️ Weight Loss
I’ve fought my weight my whole adult life. I’m aiming for 170 pounds — not for looks, but for longevity. Every pound lost is pressure off my heart.
🥗 Eating Better
I struggle here — cravings, habits, even money. But I’m learning to eat more like the Blue Zones: simple, plant-forward, and less processed. I’m not perfect. But I keep trying.
🧍♂️ Staying Connected
I’ve always been a bit of a hermit. But lately I’ve been reaching out more — family, old friends, even folks I meet online. Loneliness shortens lives. I’m working on that.
❤️ Heart Health
This is new territory for me. I didn’t get a new heart — but I got a second chance with the one I’ve got. After my triple bypass, I’m more aware than ever of how fragile life can be. I’m tracking my blood pressure and cholesterol, staying on top of appointments, and doing my best to protect the repairs that saved my life.
💊 Meds
I’m on Metoprolol, Atorvastatin, and daily Aspirin now. Keeping up with my prescriptions is non-negotiable. No more skipping or winging it. This is life-or-death stuff.
These are my non-negotiables — not because I enjoy them all, but because I want to be here longer. I’m playing the long game now. Every small step I take is an investment in time I hope to spend with the people I care about.
Final Thoughts: More Years, More Life
Lifespan is time. And time is the one thing we can’t get back once it’s gone.
I don’t know how long I’ll be here. But I know this — I want to do everything I can to be here as long as I can. For the people I love. For the life I still want to live. For me.
If you’re in the same place — trying to live longer, not just better — I hope what I’m sharing helps you. None of us can control the end. But we can fight for more time between now and then.
Let’s live like every year counts.
🧭 Next Steps:
👉 Read my Healthspan page – living better, not just longer
👉 See my Amazon Items (affiliate) – real things I use and recommend. Everything in my shop are things I personally bought and use. Items are also in my Amazon Store. (at the time of writing this I’m having to restore it all, everything got deleted somehow)
