Unlocking the Secrets to Longevity: 5 Health Markers You Should Be Tracking
We all want to live longer, but longevity isn’t just about how many years you live. It’s about how well you live today, tomorrow, and into your later years. The key to long-term health lies in tracking and improving the right health markers—ones that reflect not just your chronological age but your biological age—the true indicator of how your body is functioning. By focusing on five critical assessments, you can take control of your health, improve your quality of life, and extend your longevity.
Why Biological Age Matters More Than Chronological Age
Chronological age is simply the number of years you’ve lived, but biological age is a reflection of how well your body is functioning. The difference? Biological age can give us a more accurate picture of how your daily habits, lifestyle, and overall health are impacting your future. Tracking certain biomarkers can help you understand your biological age and give you the tools to take action.
5 Key Health Markers to Track for Longevity
1. Blood Chemistry: A Window Into Your Health
Regular blood tests provide a wealth of information about your current health status. Once disease and pathology has been ruled out (or ruled in) by analyzing blood markers, you can gain insights into your:
- Nutritional status. Deficiencies, insufniciencies, energy balance and absorption.
- Sleep quality. Sleep quality or lack of quality can impact insulin resistance, inflammation, lipids and blood vessel health.
- Hormone levels. sex hormones, sleep hormones, energy hormones, (thyroid, insulin, cortisol).
- Acute/Chronic inflammation.
Blood work allows you to monitor how lifestyle changes—like diet and exercise—are impacting your body in real time. I recommend getting a comprehensive blood analysis at least twice a year when all is going well. This gives you the opportunity to make adjustments to your lifestyle before any significant health challenges develop.
The most important thing to know about your labs is that they are a missed opportunity. Labs reveal so much about where you’ve been, where you are and where you are going. To use them simply as a screening tool for disease and prescription medications is a waste of an incredible opportunity to teach, to inform and to inspire needed change.
2. Strength: It’s About More Than Muscles
Grip strength has been one of the most reliable predictors of overall health for the last 50 years. Research shows that grip strength is associated with lower risks of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and even cancer. However, it’s not just about hand strength—grip strength reflects your overall muscle health and stability. Grip strength says a lot about who you have been for years. Loss of grip strength is tied to loss of activity of the muscles that directyl impact the ‘grip’, but it also is a reflection of the activity of the muscles up the chain all the way up to the spine. Muscles that provide stability when doing heavy activities involving grip strength are the same muscles that give us balance and antigravity support.
Improving your grip strength can positively affect your:
- Cardiovascular health
- Bone density
- Nutritional status
- Muscle mass
- Risk of falls and fractures as you age
Whole-body exercises like the farmer’s carry (carrying heavy objects while walking) or the dead hang (hanging from a pull-up bar) help strengthen your grip while improving your core and spinal stability. These activities will protect you against muscle loss as you age.
3. VO2 Max and Resting Metabolic Rate: Boost Your Cardiovascular Health
Your VO2 max measures how well your body uses oxygen during exercise, and it’s one of the best indicators of cardiovascular fitness and mitochondrial health. A higher VO2 max means better endurance, stronger heart health, and increased longevity. Aim for an elite level of VO2 max based on your age group.
In addition, tracking your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) tells you how efficiently your body burns calories at rest. A higher RMR helps you maintain lean muscle mass and avoid fat storage. Both VO2 max and RMR are essential for understanding how well your body is functioning and how it will age.
4. Flexibility: Keep Your Joints Healthy
As we age, maintaining flexibility is crucial for preventing injury and staying active. The range of motion in your joints tells you a lot about your muscle and connective tissue health. Decreased flexibility often signals muscle tightness, loss of collagen, and even nervous system issues.
Tracking your flexibility—especially in areas like your hips, shoulders, and spine—helps you:
- Prevent injuries
- Improve joint stability
- Enhance overall mobility
Maintaining your flexibility through stretching, yoga, or other activities that promote range of motion is key to long-term physical health.
5. Body Composition: The Muscle-to-Fat Ratio
Measuring your body composition—the amount of lean muscle versus fat in your body—gives you a clear picture of your metabolic health. While maintaining muscle mass is essential for strength, energy, and metabolism, reducing visceral fat (the fat around your organs) is critical for preventing chronic diseases.
By aiming for a healthy muscle-to-fat ratio, you can:
- Improve your metabolic health
- Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
- Enhance physical performance and endurance
Strength training, a balanced diet, and regular activity help you maintain a healthy body composition as you age.
The Bottom Line: Longevity Starts Today
Tracking these five key health markers—blood chemistry, strength, VO2 max, flexibility, and body composition—gives you a clear roadmap to improving your health and extending your life. Regularly monitoring these markers allows you to catch potential health issues early, adjust your lifestyle, and take control of your future. Remember, longevity isn’t just about how long you live—it’s about how well you live each and every day.
Start today by assessing where you are with these five markers, and begin making small, actionable changes to ensure a healthier tomorrow.
References
- Seals, D. R., & Melov, S. (2014). Translational geroscience: Emphasizing function to achieve optimal longevity. Aging, 6(9), 718-730. https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.100698
- Dodds, R., Syddall, H., Cooper, R., Benzeval, M., et al. (2014). Grip strength across the life course: Normative data from twelve British studies. PLOS ONE, 9(12), e113637. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0113637
- Ross, R., Dagnone, D., Jones, P. J., Smith, H., et al. (2000). Reduction in obesity and related comorbid conditions after diet-induced weight loss or exercise-induced weight loss in men. Annals of Internal Medicine, 133(2), 92-103. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-133-2-200007180-00008
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