Want the real keys to longevity? Pay attention to these 3 critical numbers at your next physical

1.  Blood pressure is treated but don't care about perfection.
2. No clue on blood sugar
3. Not worrying about cholesterol, taking statins, so there.

Want the real keys to longevity? Pay attention to these 3 critical numbers at your next physical

There is no silver bullet to ensuring a longer, healthier life (and no single supplement, treatment, or hack). Rather, longevity is a complex interplay between genetics, lifestyle, environment, access to health care, and pure luck. But one top longevity doctor says there’s a great way to increase your odds of seeing your 100th birthday: Fight back against chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s or other dementias.

“Preventing chronic disease can extend the number of healthy years people have,” says David Dodick, MD, a neurologist and the chief science and medical officer at Atria Health + Research Institute. “We’re preventing diseases that will kill them sooner.”

There are lots of daily habits that can help you slash your risk of chronic disease, and we bet you’re familiar with the greatest hits: eating a nutritious diet, exercising regularly, prioritizing sleep, and reducing stress. But Dr. Dodick says that there are three key numbers that can forecast your risk level and signal that it’s time to make healthy changes before disaster strikes. And they’re found at your annual physical.

Intrigued? Dr. Dodick shares the metrics you should pay attention to on your next doctor’s visit—and why they matter so much for long-term health.

1. Blood Pressure

Why it matters: Your blood pressure—the force of your blood pushing against your arteries—is a key sign of your cardiovascular health. High blood pressure, known as hypertension, is a major risk factor for stroke, heart attack, and dementia, says Dr. Dodick. While about half of all American adults have hypertension, not all of them are properly getting treated for it, he adds.

 Related video: The six pillars of longevity most people ignore (KFMB San Diego)

Your ideal range: You want your blood pressure consistently below 120/80 mm Hg, says Dr. Dodick. (And we mean both the top and bottom numbers.) Stage 1 hypertension is diagnosed with a blood pressure reading of 130/80 mm Hg or higher, per the American Heart Association (AHA).

2. Blood Sugar (A1C)

Why it matters: Type 2 diabetes is an incredibly common chronic disease in the U.S., says Dr. Dodick, and can raise your risk of developing dementia, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and other serious health issues. The condition doesn’t happen overnight; it manifests slowly in your blood work in the form of ever-higher blood glucose (sugar) and hemoglobin A1C scores. (The latter denotes the average amount of blood sugar in the previous three months, and is reported as a percentage.)

Your ideal range: While a normal A1C is anything under 5.7 percent, Dr. Dodick says that an optimal score is less than 5.5 percent. “The lower your A1C, the healthier you’re going to be,” he says. Meanwhile, prediabetes is defined by a score of 5.7 to 6.4 percent, and diabetes is 6.5 percent or greater.

3. LDL Cholesterol

Why it matters: Despite its “bad” moniker, your body needs moderate amounts of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol to move cholesterol and other lipids through your bloodstream to your cells. But too much of it contributes to plaque buildup in your arteries and is one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease and dementia, says Dr. Dodick.

Your ideal range: Dr. Dodick likes his patients to have an LDL of less than 90 mg/dL—a slightly more aggressive number than the AHA’s recommendation of less than 100 mg/dL.

Hate Your Numbers? What to Do Next

It can be scary when your labs reveal issues, even if they’re small. Thankfully, there’s a lot you can do now to improve your numbers and curb your risk of serious health issues in the future. Your doctor can offer specific recommendations, but these are a great starting point:

• Tweak your diet: We’ve said it once, we’ll say it again: Have you considered the Mediterranean diet? It’s flexible, delicious, and linked with reduced weight, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and diabetes risk.
• Move daily: Exercise isn’t just good for your heart health; it’s also critical for reducing diabetes risk and boosting your cognitive health. While 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, plus two days a week of strength training, is the gold standard, even five-minute “exercise snacks” can make a difference.
• Eat more fiber: Fiber: It’s not just for gut health. According to the National Lipid Association, eating 5 to 10 grams of soluble fiber a day can help lower total and LDL cholesterol by up to 11 points. If Metamucil makes you sad, add more helpings of foods like berries, apples, and lentils.
• Find some peace: Easier said than done in 2026. But unmitigated stress wreaks havoc on your blood pressure and glucose levels and is linked to various chronic diseases. Make time every day for meditation, yoga, embroidery, puzzling, or any other mindful activity that helps you recenter.
• Consider medication: Sometimes, all the lifestyle changes in the world can’t compensate for your unique genetic wiring. That’s where meds enter the picture. Talk to your doctor about your options and when they think a prescription would be necessary.

Poor metabolic health tied to concerning new aging risk

 Which means your competent? doctor needs to get you 100% recovered so you don't gain weight and can exercise properly for lower blood pressure and better blood sugar control. My doctor completely failed at that leading to a 30 lb. weight gain.

Poor metabolic health tied to concerning new aging risk

Poor metabolic health may affect the brain through a biological pathway distinct from normal aging, a new study suggests.

The research, published in PLOS Biology, found that while aging naturally alters the brain over time, metabolic dysfunction follows its own distinct pathway, primarily affecting the brain’s blood supply rather than its structure.

Factors like obesity, high blood pressure and elevated blood sugar could all individually increase the risk of cognitive decline.

The findings suggested that even younger adults with poor metabolic health could experience brain changes more commonly associated with older age.

The Results

Researchers analyzed data from 597 adults between the ages of 36 and 100, comparing MRI measures of brain structure, connectivity and blood flow with common clinical markers.

The team identified two independent “axes” influencing brain health.

The first reflected chronological aging, linked to cortical thinning, loss of structural integrity and vascular dysfunction that slows blood flow through the brain.

The second reflected metabolic health—higher BMI, elevated blood pressure, increased glucose and insulin, lower HDL cholesterol and higher liver enzyme levels. All those markers are linked to reduced cerebral blood perfusion.

The Different Pathways

Unlike the aging pathway, which cannot be modified, the metabolic pathway is driven by health factors that are often treatable through lifestyle changes and medical management.

The researchers found the metabolic effects remained even after statistically removing the influence of age, indicating that metabolic dysfunction exerts its own independent effect on the brain.

Reduced blood flow emerged as the strongest brain feature associated with poor metabolic health across both study populations.( Does your doctor have ANY PROTOCOLS TO ENSURE YOUR CERBRAL BLOOD FLOW IS CORRECT? I thought not, so incompetence is standard for your doctor!

cerebral blood flow (51 posts to December 2015)

oxygen delivery (41 posts to June 2016))

The researchers said impaired cerebral perfusion may represent one of the earliest and most sensitive indicators of metabolic damage to the brain, potentially preceding more obvious structural changes.

The Results

The study also linked poorer metabolic health to reduced cognitive performance.

Participants with greater evidence of metabolic dysfunction generally performed worse on tests measuring cognitive flexibility, the ability to switch between tasks or adapt to changing demands. The relationship was particularly strong among women.

The findings add to growing evidence that brain health is closely connected to cardiovascular and metabolic health.

Measures like BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose are routinely collected in clinical practice, which the researchers said could help identify people at higher risk long before symptoms of cognitive impairment appear.

Future studies incorporating broader panels of biological markers may uncover additional pathways linking the body and brain.

For now, the researchers concluded that maintaining a healthy weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar may help preserve cerebral blood flow and support long-term brain health.

Previous Studies

Newsweek has previously covered the associations between a big waist and cognitive decline.

In that study, the team found a higher body mass index (BMI) was linked to a thinner cortex, which has previously been tied to Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.

Another study, also reported by Newsweek, examined the connections between belly fat and Alzheimer’s.

The findings suggest we should be focusing less on body weight and BMI and more on the distribution of fat and muscle around our bodies, and the percentage difference between the two.

Newsweek has reached out to the study authors for comment via email.

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Lower Blood Sugar Diet Linked to Slower Brain Aging

Since there is no specific factual basis for what exactly a Mediterranean diet is, maybe you want your doctor to give you a transfusion of young blood or bone marrow or brain fluid! 

Young Blood Revitalizes the Aging Brain June 2014 

Characterizing the Mechanism of Young Bone Marrow Derived Microglia-Like Cells on Restoring Cognitive Function in the Aged Brain and After Ischemic Injury

March 2022 

Or this:

Young brain fluid improves memory in old mice October 2022

The latest here:

Lower Blood Sugar Diet Linked to Slower Brain Aging

Summary: The Green Mediterranean diet may help slow brain aging by controlling blood sugar levels, benefiting cognitive health in older adults. The study found that lower blood sugar levels were linked to a younger brain age, particularly in regions critical for memory and sensory processing.

Using advanced MRI scans, researchers observed that participants on the Green-Med diet exhibited a slower rate of brain atrophy over 18 months. Components of this diet, rich in polyphenols from plants like Mankai and green tea, may support brain structure and function.

This dietary approach provides a potential pathway to reducing age-related cognitive decline. The findings offer promising insights into dietary and lifestyle changes as practical strategies to protect brain health.

Key Facts:

• Lower blood sugar levels were associated with a younger brain age, delaying brain atrophy.
• Green-Med diet, rich in polyphenols from plants, slowed brain aging in study participants.
• The DIRECT PLUS trial used MRI scans to show reduced brain tissue loss in those with improved glycemic control.

Source: Ben-Gurion University

Age-related brain atrophy, the gradual loss of neurons and shrinkage of brain tissue, is a natural part of aging, which can lead to cognitive decline and other neurological issues.

While so far aging cannot be prevented, recent research from an 18-month dietary intervention offers hope that lifestyle and dietary changes can slow brain aging.

A new international study, led by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev as part of the DIRECT PLUS Brain MRI trial, has brought to light how blood sugar control can significantly impact brain health.

This study is one of the first large-scale trials to directly link dietary changes, particularly those associated with the Green-Med diet, to improved glycemic control and slower brain aging. Credit: Neuroscience News

Brain age, as evaluated by MRI measurements of the hippocampus and lateral ventricles, reflects the biological aging of the brain, which can differ from a person’s chronological age. Chronological age is the number of years lived, while brain age indicates the brain’s actual health.

Typically, as we age, the hippocampus shrinks and the lateral ventricles expand, serving as markers of brain aging. Some individuals have a brain age younger or older than their chronological age.

A younger brain age suggests better cognitive health, while an older brain age may indicate accelerated aging and increased risk of cognitive decline.

The study, which was published recently in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2024, was conducted by an international team of brain and nutrition experts, including researchers from Ben-Gurion University, Harvard University, Leipzig University, and more.

The research was primarily carried out by Ph.D. student Dafna Pachter and overseen by Prof. Iris Shai, along with several international collaborators.

A previous study published two years ago, reported that Mediterranean (MED) and green-MED diets significantly attenuated age-related brain atrophy by ∼50% within 18 months.

In the current study, the researchers aimed to understand the mechanism by which the slowing of brain atrophy occurs.

The study found that a decline in HbA1c, and key markers of long-term blood sugar levels, are associated with significant positive changes in specific brain regions commonly affected by age-related atrophy.

Brain MRI results showed that lower HbA1c levels corresponded to greater deviations in the thalamus, caudate nucleus, and cerebellum – areas crucial for cognitive function, motor control, and sensory processing.

The study suggests that improved blood sugar control could be one of the most important factors in slowing down age-related brain changes.

The Green Mediterranean Diet Shows Promise

Earlier research has highlighted the benefits of the Green Mediterranean (Green-Med) diet, including better blood sugar control. The Green-Med diet is rich in polyphenols from plant-based sources like Mankai (a high-protein aquatic plant) and green tea, while being low in red and processed meats.

The current study further strengthens this connection by suggesting that the Green-Med diet may not only support metabolic health but also exert protective effects on brain structure and function.

DIRECT PLUS Trial – One of the Largest Brain MRI intervention Studies in the World

The DIRECT PLUS trial, one of the longest and largest brain MRI studies conducted to date, involved approximately 300 participants who were divided into three dietary groups. Whole-brain MRI measurements were taken before and after the 18-month trial to track changes in brain health.

The researchers used Hippocampal Occupancy (HOC), as a proxy for brain age which predicts future risk of dementia. HOC typically decreases with age. Interestingly, some participants exhibited a brain age either younger or older than their chronological age.

Using NeuroQuant, an FDA-authorized fully automated tool, the research team quantified and segmented the brain MRI-derived data. The study aimed to examine whether improved glycemic control and specific dietary components could slow down brain aging.

The results indicated that participants who managed to improve their blood sugar levels and achieve normal glucose status experienced a more pronounced attenuation of brain aging.

Notably, those who consumed higher amounts of green tea and Mankai duckweed shakes demonstrated the most significant improvements in both blood sugar levels and brain health.

Glycemic Control and Polyphenols: The Key to a Younger Brain Age?

The study’s lead researcher, Prof. Iris Shai, from Ben-Gurion University, an adjunct professor at Harvard University, and an Honorary Professor at Leipzig University, explains, “Maintaining low blood sugar levels, even within the normal range, shows promise for preserving a younger brain, especially when combined with a healthy diet and regular physical activity.

“Specifically, polyphenols found in plant-based foods may cross the blood-brain barrier and help reduce brain inflammation, which is crucial for memory”.

Dafna Pachter, a Ph.D. student and the first author of the paper, adds, “This trial offers a safe approach to potentially slow down our brain aging—by adopting the components of a green-Mediterranean diet.”

A Pathway to Reducing Age-Related Cognitive Decline

This study is one of the first large-scale trials to directly link dietary changes, particularly those associated with the Green-Med diet, to improved glycemic control and slower brain aging.

While further research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms at play, these results suggest a potential avenue for reducing the risk of age-related cognitive decline through relatively simple dietary adjustments.

Funding: The DIRECT PLUS trial was funded by grants from the German Research Foundation (DFG), Israel Ministry of Health, Israel Ministry of Science and Technology, and the California Walnuts Commission.

None of the funding providers were involved in any stage of the design, conduct, or analysis of the study, nor did they have access to the study results before publication.

The researchers: Dafna Pachter, Alon Kaplan, Gal Tsaban, Hila Zelicha, Anat Yaskolka Meir, Ehud Rinott, Gidon Levakov, Moti Salti, Yoram Yovell, Sebastian Huhn, Frauke Beyer, Veronica Witte, Peter Kovacs, Martin von Bergen, Uta Ceglarek, Matthias Blüher, Michael Stumvoll, Frank B. Hu, Meir J. Stampfer, Alon Friedman, Ilan Shelef, Galia Avidan, and Iris Shai.

About this brain aging and diet research news

Author: Ehud Zion Waldoks
Source: Ben-Gurion University
Contact: Ehud Zion Waldoks – Ben-Gurion University
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access.
“Glycemic control contributes to the neuroprotective effects of Mediterranean and green-Mediterranean diets on brain age: the DIRECT PLUS brain-magnetic resonance imaging randomized controlled trial” by Dafna Pachter et al. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

What are ideal blood sugar levels for preventing repeat strokes, heart attacks?

Not sure if my blood sugar levels were even tested 15 years ago. Now they are perfectly fine, no diabetes or even pre-diabetes.

What are ideal blood sugar levels for preventing repeat strokes, heart attacks?

ScienceDaily Top Health|September 30, 2021

Blood sugar control has always been important for people with diabetes when it comes to preventing a stroke. But a new study finds for people with diabetes who have a stroke, there may be an ideal target blood sugar range to lower the risk of different types of vascular diseases like a stroke or heart attack later on. The research is published in the September 29, 2021, online issue of Neurology^®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

"We know that having diabetes may be associated with an increased risk of having a first stroke," said study author Moon-Ku Han, MD, PhD, of Seoul National University College of Medicine in Korea. "But our results indicate that there is an optimal blood sugar level that may start to minimize the risk of having another stroke, a heart attack or other vascular problems, and it's right in the 6.8% to 7.0% range."

The study involved 18,567 people with diabetes with an average age of 70. All participants were admitted to the hospital for an ischemic stroke, which is caused by a blood clot. Upon admission, researchers used a test called the hemoglobin A1C to determine people's average blood sugar level over the past two to three months. This test measures a percentage of hemoglobin proteins in the blood coated with sugar. A level below 5.7% is considered normal; 6.5% or higher generally indicates diabetes. The participants had an average A1C of 7.5%.