Outlive by Peter Attia

2024-04-20 3 min read Sincheenz

This is a book on longevity. It explains how we can maintain fitness and health well into our 80s,90s and even later. The book focuses on tactics for prevention over cure, suggesting that conventional medicine, or Med 2.0, is less effective as it addresses diseases only after they’ve manifested, often after years of development. Therefore, the author advices focussing our attention and treatments on prevention, which he elaborates on and refers to as Med 3.0 throughout this book.

The first part of the book discusses the “four horsemen” (Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes, Cancer, and Neurogenerative Diseases), their underlying causes, blood markers, what to watch for, and strategies for prevention. The second part focuses on the effects of exercise, nutrition, and mental health. It’s remarkable how little we know about our bodies and how much trust we place in medical professionals. Unfortunately we cannot all be experts in medicines, but I love it that he has explained things so simply and yet in great depth.

In the second part of the book,he focuses on Fitness, Nutrition and Mental health. I am not completely sold on his recommendation and ideas here, but they were interesting. I liked his description of Zone 2 training and it made lot of sense, however, I am not completely convinced of his fixation on strength training. Nonetheless, I am going to give it a try. The nutrition advice was somewhat vague. It is a very difficult topic to address, and each individual must find out what works best for themselves. His dismissal of Intermittent fasting was somewhat surprising. I have been practicing it on and off for the last 4 years and notice changes in my digestion, my concentration levels, activity levels, skin condition each time. Then again, what works for one may not work for another.

The last chapter on mental health was unexpected. I did not think that he would share his own personal experience in such details. It made me think more about mental health of men around us. In the exercise chapter he mentions that we should not depend too much on personal trainer, cause it is like wearing a wetsuit and swimming. You have to try and do it without the wetsuit to truly master it. I think it is the same for mental health. You cannot count on a therapist or rehab centers. It has to be your own effort. Family and friends can be supportive, but everyone is carrying there own baggage and have too less bandwidth to be your rescue ring.

Here is my take on dealing with my issues and maintaining a stable state of mind. I owe no one an explanation unless I am harming them through my words or actions. I don’t have to be someone somebody else wants me to be. I have to own up to my choices and decisions. Things around me may influence my choices, but I have to remember that I opted for them over everything else, and that’s what makes them important. I have to now work with them and see if I want to keep them or get rid of them, which is again a choice I will make for myself. Doing things for the sake of doing them or to look good in the eyes of society or for the approval of your loved ones is not beneficial for anyone.

Love yourself so much that you actually want to live forever! Definitely recommend reading the book, though with a critical eye.