By Dr Attia Anwar
“The path isn’t a straight line. It’s a spiral. You continuously come back to things you thought you understood and see deeper truths.” — Barry H. Gillespie
Longevity and wellness are among the most talked-about topics today. Despite all the material advancements designed to make our lives easier, we keep returning to the same essential question. How can we live longer without suffering cognitive and physical decline? In other words, how can we extend our health span, not just our lifespan? If we aim to live longer, it should be a life worth living. Massive investments are being made in this field, as interest continues to grow. Expensive genetic and biomarker tests promise personalized health recommendations. 24/7 monitoring devices alert you to even minor dysfunctions. These innovations have their place, and those who can afford them should take advantage of them. However, for those who cannot or choose not to spend on these technologies, there is still a clear, powerful path to a long, healthy, and productive life. That is returning to basics. Move your body. Eat fresh, whole foods. Sleep in the dark. Wake with the sun. These simple behaviors, when practiced intentionally, are the foundation of wellness and long healthy life.
Returning to basics doesn’t mean idealizing the past or going back to the Stone Age. People then were neither especially healthy nor happy. Knowing about the function of systems and organs of the body separately gave us the basis to study their effects upon one another. Through centuries of scientific study, examining organs and systems in isolation, we’ve gained deep insight into how the body functions as a whole. Now, we understand that every part is interconnected. You cannot change one system without affecting others. We’ve gone full circle from considering the whole body, then understanding every system of the body in isolation, and then again considering the body as a whole. But now we know more, and we are better than before in understanding.
On the road of scientific discoveries, we always find inner and deeper truths. After the hype surrounding the latest supplements and bio hacking trends, we’re rediscovering that the best nutrition still comes from real food. You can map your genome and predict your risks of cancer or chronic disease. But influencing how your genes express themselves still comes down to the same proven actions. Eat well, move more, and avoid toxins. You don’t need to be hooked up to electronic monitors to live a fulfilling, healthy life. What matters most is, not how much you know about your body, but what you do with that knowledge. Your wellness depends more on how many healthy habits you have. It is about the actions you take for your wellness. You can wear all the necessary equipment, modern gadgets for wellbeing, and there is no harm in them. Although the real challenge is taking action. We cannot be healthy by monitoring ourselves or by knowing all about our particular body needs. We fully appreciate the need for resources and personalized change in the process for individuals, but the most important thing is the journey and actions taken. Knowledge is useful. But without consistent effort, it leads nowhere. Fortunately, the journey towards wellbeing is relatively simple. They are time-tested fundamentals like eating healthy, fresh food, sleeping properly, being physically active, and avoiding harmful substances. If we just stick to these principles without using expensive gadgets because of non-affordability, we will get every benefit of being healthy and happy. The road towards wellness requires intentional planning, taking action in small steps, and then reflecting on the impact of new behavior. Sometimes you have an immediate reward, like after a good night’s sleep, but sometimes the process is subtle and lengthy; you have to wait, like developing muscle mass.
There is a hard truth that there is no magic pill that can fix you. Many pills are available, but they may have serious side effects. We cannot replace the basic foundation of healthy living. There is no fountain of youth, but tried and tested methods of exercising, eating right, socializing, and enjoying life are going to help. All the things to keep us healthy and well, do not require spending any money. This is just habit formation, and it requires willpower. Keep moving, whether it is walking, cycling, or dancing, every day. Using your body weight or small weights is good for building muscles. It is important to do strengthening exercises at least twice a week, especially after the age of fifty. Gardening is a good activity that gives you the benefits of walking and muscle strengthening, with the added benefits of being close to nature. Eating plant-based fresh and healthy food with added proteins from healthy resources is of fundamental importance. Adjusting our expectations to life is also important. Everyone, even a marathon runner, will have a physical decline with age. It is important to adjust gracefully to these changes. Connecting with people and socializing is good for mental health and prevents cognitive decline. These actions are simple and do not require anything extra, but they are not easy. Ultimately, the decision to live a healthy life is yours.it would be you who is going to take small steps toward healthy living by reading from books, online resources, or consulting a behavior therapist. Starting with small, simple goals is easy. They should be manageable, small, and consistent steps. Once you start acting, everything is going to be easy, and in a year or two, you will be able to achieve all the benefits that you considered unachievable.
These habits don’t require expensive tools or technology. They’re accessible to anyone, regardless of income or location. What they do require is intention and consistency. Wellness is a journey. It demands planning, small daily actions, and ongoing reflection. You don’t need to overhaul your life overnight. Start small. Replace one unhealthy habit with a healthier one. Read a book. Follow credible online resources. Talk to a behavioral therapist if needed. What matters most is taking that first step. Then another. Then another. Eventually, what once seemed unachievable becomes second nature. Nothing on this list is extraordinary, surprising, or expensive. But these basic exercises, quality sleep, healthy eating, gratitude, and mindfulness are everything. You just need reminders, now and then, to re-align with them. These are the real secrets to longevity, and they cost almost nothing. You can spend money if you have it and get help from experts; there is no harm in that. However, at the end of the day, it is you who have to walk the road; nobody else can do it for you.
The author, Dr. Attia Anwar, is a consultant family physician with a postgraduate degree from the Royal College of GPs UK. She is a strong advocate of health and well-being and wants patient participation in decision-making regarding health.
