Movement for Life - April 2025

by Lauren Walker

Dr. John Scharffenberg is 100-year-old nutrition professor and he is a Harvard-trained physician, nutritionist, and longevity expert, who has dedicated over sixty years to studying the impact of lifestyle on health.

Here’s what he recommends:

Prioritize exercise:

Dr. Scharffenberg reinforces the importance of daily exercise, particularly during midlife and throughout life. Exercise helps manage weight, prevent hypertension and diabetes, and contributes to overall well-being.

Avoid alcohol and tobacco:

He encourages people to abstain from alcohol and tobacco for obvious reasons.

Maintain a healthy weight:

He recommends practising intermittent fasting and limiting calorie intake, to stay at a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of various health problems, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Manage stress

Stress management is crucial for overall health and longevity. Engaging in (prayer or) meditation, gardening or exercise are healthy ways to manage stress. Taking time to engage in a creative pursuit such as painting or writing also helps to manage your stress.

Stimulate your brain:

Engaging in mentally stimulating activities, such as reading, learning new things or playing games, can help maintain cognitive function and contribute to a longer, healthier life. If you don’t use it, you lose it!

Engage socially:

Maintaining social connections and relationships is important for mental and emotional well-being which can also contribute to longevity. Engage with people who share similar interests such as local art groups or walking groups.

What’s the message?

At the end of the day, he’s really not telling us anything we don’t know. Common sense advice is worth repeating and reinforcing. Living a long and healthy life means making your physical and mental and even your spiritual health a priority. It is never too late to make healthier decisions, and doing so can mean enjoying a better quality of life.

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