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7 Signs a 60-Year-Old Is Ageing VERY Well

Doctor Alex

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Ever wondered what your blood test results actually say about how well you're ageing? A few simple markers, from your blood sugar to how you move through an ordinary day, can tell you more about your long term health than the number on your birth certificate ever could.

In this video I walk through seven signs I've come to recognise in patients who are thriving well into their sixties and seventies, drawn from years of reviewing blood results and lifestyle patterns as a doctor. These range from a simple protein marker on a routine blood test to how your heart looks on a scan, how fit you are for your age, and what's actually on your plate at dinner.

None of these signs are about chasing perfection. Each one responds to changes you can make starting today, and improving any single one tends to support the others at the same time, from your metabolism to your memory.

In this video you'll learn:
-Why a simple blood protein marker says more about your health than you'd expect
-The everyday movement habit that matters just as much as your workout
-What a heart scan can reveal about decades of blood pressure and lifestyle
-The blood sugar marker that predicts your metabolic health months in advance
-How your fitness for your age compares with one of the strongest predictors of longevity
-The subtle memory and multitasking signs worth paying attention to
-Why what's cooking in your kitchen matters more than almost anything else on this list

TIMESTAMPS
00:00 – Introduction
02:48 – A normal protein and albumin level
06:13 – Staying active throughout the whole day
13:47 – A normal echo
16:38 – A healthy HbA1c
19:36 – Good cardiovascular fitness for your age
22:56 – Good conversational memory and multitasking
25:24 – Cooking from scratch with lots of colourful plants
28:03 – Bringing it all together

REFERENCES
Reduction in the Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes with Lifestyle Intervention or Metformin
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11832...

Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting Reduces Postprandial Glucose and Insulin Responses
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22374...

Prognostic Implications of Echocardiographically Determined Left Ventricular Mass in the Framingham Heart Study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2139921/

Association of Hemoglobin A1c With Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality in Adults: The European Prospective Investigation into Cancer in Norfolk
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15381...

Association of Cardiorespiratory Fitness With Long-term Mortality Among Adults Undergoing Exercise Treadmill Testing
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30646...

Prognostic Value of Grip Strength: Findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) Study
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25982...

Stops Walking When Talking as a Predictor of Falls in Elderly People
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9057736/

Dementia Prevention, Intervention, and Care: 2020 Report of the Lancet Commission
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32738...

Ultra-Processed Diets Cause Excess Calorie Intake and Weight Gain: An Inpatient Randomized Controlled Trial of Ad Libitum Food Intake
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31105...

Disclaimer: This is not personal medical advice and does not override what your doctor says.

#dralex #doctoralex #healthyageing #antiaging #brainhealth #hearthealth

20 Comments

@DrAlexWibberley Creator 7 days ago Pinned

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@venturabay 7 days ago

1) A normal protein and albumin level on blood test
2) Staying active throughout the day
3) A normal echocardiogram(heart)
4) A health hba1c level (blood sugar)
5) Good cardiovascular health
6) Good conversational memory
7) Cooking from scratch (diet)

@mr88cet 7 days ago

23:32 — From what I’ve seen at least, the main reason why I walk into a room and can’t remember why I went there is that I got to thinking about something else important while I walked there.

@heathereyles8909 7 days ago (edited)

Dr Alex, I got my results from my annual blood tests yesterday. I was stunned! My chloresterol was down to 5, after years of it slowly, steadily, climbing up to 5.8. HDL up. LDL down. Everything in the normal range. My triglycerides had come down to 2.1, from 3.1 last year. Still a bit of work to do there, but hugely improved. I have lost 13 lbs over the year, (with still some to go), and my BP is back in normal range, despite coming off one of my meds. This is largely down to following your advice for a year! 🎉 I've also got my arthritic knee into a much better state with exercises from YouTube. I do a workout every morning, including dumbbells. I am 77 next week, and female, and I was, to be honest, completely astonished by how good these results were. Every year my doctor has tried to get me on statins, which I refused.
I attribute the major part of these results to giving up simple carbs, ( bread, potatoes, rice, pasta ), almost completely, eating a rich Mediterranean diet, including lashings of olive oil, high fibre, loads of fruit and veg, nuts and seeds, pulses, oily fish, lots of protein, and a cod liver oil supplement. I'm not doing quite enough walking, but do 'snack ' exercises, as well as the 40 minutes first thing in the morning.
I really want to thank you for helping me achieve this, because I had almost despaired of getting my BP and chloresterol under control. It IS possible, even at my age. I feel, and look, much younger. I had both hips replaced two years ago, and they are wonderful.
My aim now is to increase my walking and lose a few more pounds. Otherwise, more of the same!

@Robin-xt7yo 7 days ago

Best wellness and health channel on YouTube. Thank you Dr. Alex.

@helencraig365 7 days ago

I wish you could present this to 15 year olds.

@DMAC1301 5 days ago

I agree. 67 and Im one of the few in my sr highrise who still walks to shop. I cook all of my meals and i dont wait for someone esle to make things happen. I read I dance and it confused my neighbors. Im supposed to be old like all of them. I have the wrinkles and creaky hips but im not dead yet.

@cootsville 7 days ago (edited)

This is something that would have been tackled by the old family doctor, sadly no longer.

@JulieanneMcginty 7 days ago

Thanks so much for these incredibly informative yet easy to follow videos you so diligently create! I don’t follow many people on YouTube and NEVER comment, but I consistently watch you and felt the need to say thanks!! Also, the emails are great too!! :))

@garybrindle6715 7 days ago

If you are outside in the colder days working or walking exercising and feel indigestion be careful. This can also be the warning sign of angina. Partially blocked arteries. Please get checked.

@KJSvitko 7 days ago

Most elderly people don't spend any time on the ground. Do yoga, play with the dog or a child. Sitting on the floor and being able to get up is key.
The more you get on the ground and play games or stretch the better. You want to be able to get up off the floor.
You don't want to be in the commercial for the first alert. "I've fallen and can't get up."

@JohnAnthony-p9g 7 days ago

I find at 71 I have to practice things I earlier had taken for granted, like putting on my trousers standing up without falling over.

@Dr.ElianNovar 7 days ago

I appreciate how clearly you explained each point. Great content!

@SchatziG 7 days ago

Ugh. It happens to younger people, as well. It’s all due to sheer neglect, most of the time. Both of my younger sisters are aging faster than me. One has uncontrolled, advancing autoimmune issues because she simply refuses to take action outside of prescribed medication. The other sister is obese, has been through cancer diagnosis and treatment and is now dealing with some kind of life-altering autoimmune disorder. I’m recovering from a Grave’s flare due partly to the stupid decision to over-drink. Then, I wasn’t being diagnosed properly, referred to therapists (giant waste of time and money, and I’m so glad that they no longer take insurance,) and left to self-medicate with alcohol for acute anxiety. I’m sure that I’ve aged faster than I should have. But, the body was built to be forgiving. I’m stronger, fitter and much more energetic than I was just a couple of years ago. I run circles around my own children- and they’re in their early thirties. This is because I’ve done the right things to heal . I’ve given up the toxins and I’ve fixed my dietary issues. I also do the physical work needed to be strong and fit. I weigh six pounds more than I did in my profile photo that was taken when I was in my mid-twenties. Six pounds of muscle.

@charleedell92 2 days ago

You can generally tell a lot by just looking at someone.

@Toni266-k4j 6 days ago

I’ve learnt so much on this channel and put some of it into practise . It’s communicated well and easy to understand . I’m 60 soon , swimming , cycling , weight training . Feeling great . Thank you 😀

@deniseg4028 6 days ago (edited)

Ability to remember conversations also has a lot to do with whether you’re able to focus during those conversations in the first place, so mean it can be a bit complex for some people rather than being a straightforward sign of memory issues

@torbjornyngvesson207 7 days ago

Thanks for so many great programs, Dr. Alex. I’m now 68 and have an amazing life with excellent health, probably thanks to starting a low-carb diet back in 2009. At 65, I changed jobs to a physically demanding mechanic job for trucks and heavy vehicles. It’s only in the past year that I’ve started to feel a bit older because it’s a little more strenuous to quickly get up from lying on the floor to standing, etc. Before, I felt like I did when I was 40. An amazing feeling to have a functioning, healthy body. I’m convinced that the main reason is my choices of natural, protein-rich, and fatty animal foods. Minimal carbs… maybe 30–40 grams total per day. For the past few weeks, I’ve also started taking my pension part-time and only working every other week. Life is wonderful.

@lspag7415 3 days ago (edited)

62 year old here, I was recently lucky enough to donate a kidney to my husband! Feel so happy that I was healthy enough to do that!
I have lived as a vegetarian for almost 50 years, I cook from scratch most of the time and love exercise, walking, swimming and yoga/pilates (Im not a fanatic at all, just have kept fit throughout life) I think this has helped me to stay healthy and well. Nothing over the top, just common sense I think :)

@Hiram8866 7 days ago

I think another good way to gauge your fitness is your heart recovery time. I cycle a lot, and my heart rate decreases quickly after high effort like going up hills.