Concept-mapping longevity — the four horsemen of a long healthy life
I recently read “Outlive” by Peter Attia, MD. The topic of longevity, lifespan, and especially healthspan has interested me for more than a decade and Peter’s book is a comprehensive walkthrough of the latest research on this topic. A key point in the book is to switch from diagnostic-treatment oriented medicine to prevention-oriented medicine.
This is the first article in a series where I will use concept maps to illustrate and summarize the main aspects of longevity as this is an excellent way to create a visual understanding of this many-faceted topic.
Disclaimer: Please consult professionals (your doctor, personal trainer, etc.) before applying any of the methods mentioned here.
The four horsemen of longevity
Peter mentions four key reasons that shorten people’s lifespan and especially healthspan by 1–2 decades. They are:
- Cardio-vascular diseases.
- Cancer diseases.
- Neurodegenerative diseases.
- Metabolic diseases.
Interestingly, the metabolic diseases (diabetes 1+2, fatty liver syndrome, etc.) act as promoters for the other three.
The four horsemen above are “slow deaths”, i.e., progressing over several years or decades. They contrast “fast deaths” typically resulting from accidents or acts of violence. Somewhat surprisingly to me, the “slow…
