My Top 10 Longevity Habits – What I Do to Stay Sharp, Strong, and Spiritually Rooted as I Age #1

“Aging is not something that we need to fear or something we need to fight. Aging can truly be a gift. It is a time for growing and wisdom in spiritual maturity and yes even physical renewal and thriving.”

Hello friends, Dr. Cindy here—and welcome to the very first episode of ReThink Aging. I’m so glad you’re here.

This channel is for you if you’re in your 40s, 50s, or beyond and you’ve found yourself wondering, “Is this all there is?” I want you to know: it’s not all downhill from here. I created this channel to spread a hopeful message about the aging process.

I’ve learned in my 20+ years of doctoring—and through functional medicine training—that it’s possible to reverse your risk factors for cognitive decline and chronic disease. Dementia is potentially preventable. Heart disease, cancer, diabetes—all potentially preventable. And the foundational lifestyle changes that move the needle are often simple, but don’t underestimate them.

Rather than “chasing the next quick fix… expensive stem cells,” let this be “an invitation to return to what truly works… the time-tested evidence-based principles that support not just a longer life, but a flourishing one.”

So today, I’m sharing my personal Top 10 Longevity Habits—the things I practice to stay “mentally sharp, spiritually grounded, and physically resilient.”

Longevity Habit #10: Optimize Your Sleep

“Sleep is absolutely vital to your brain…”

Just like a city has crews that clean and repair overnight, your brain has a night crew too—microglial cells that “sweep out the metabolic waste that builds up in your brain during the day.” Deep sleep is when that cleanup happens. Without enough sleep, debris accumulates over time.

With “two dogs, two cats, three teenagers, and a husband, and a medical practice,” I still try to prioritize sleep. I remind myself: “It’s not selfish to go to bed… when I wake up feeling refreshed, I can actually serve and love people better.”

A few things that help me:

• Power down screens by 9:00 p.m. (“Blue light is like caffeine for your brain.”)
• Journal, read, reflect, and pray
• A nightly “reverse chronological review of my day,” seeing where God showed up and where I fell short
• A bedroom that’s “cool and dark and cozy”

“Quality sleep is not optional… Protect your sleep like your life depends on it because it does.”

Longevity Habit #9: Stay Hydrated

“I want you to think about your bloodstream like a river.”

When you’re dehydrated, your “river of life becomes sluggish,” and even a 1–2% drop in hydration can affect focus, mood, and memory.

I start my day with a tall glass of water, often green tea, and I sip herbal tea throughout the day. If you’re foggy, fatigued, or moody—check your water intake first.

Longevity Habit #8: Nutrition and Whole Foods

“Food… actually is information. It informs our genes.”

Every meal is like a message—either toward healing or toward inflammation and disease. Over time, I realized the habits I grew up with were “slowly making me sick.” Now I choose “foods that love my body back.”

Some basics I aim for:

• Protein-rich breakfast (smoothie, eggs + vegetables)
• A big salad with protein at lunch
• Protein + lots of vegetables at dinner
• At least five servings of vegetables a day (and “eat the rainbow”)

I also try to avoid packaged processed “food impostors… masquerading as food.”

Longevity Habit #7: The Power of Connection

“We are wired for belonging.”

After Hurricane Helene in Asheville, something beautiful happened: neighbors checked on each other, shared meals, and prayed together.

“Connection really does heal… it protects our heart and it literally rewires our brains to thrive.”

Community isn’t always easy, but it’s life-giving. If you don’t have it, I urge you to take a next step—reach out, volunteer, or attend a worship service. “Faith community is really powerful medicine.”

Longevity Habit #6: Physical Activity

“Movement isn’t just about looking good… it’s how we keep our mitochondria… bones… brain all vibrant.”

Prolonged sitting, we know, is dangerous. I try to do strength training 2–4 days/week, get 10–11k steps/day when I can, stretch, work on fascia, and walk outside in nature most days.

Find movement that brings you joy—“because we’ll stop doing it if it’s no fun.”

Longevity Habit #5: Managing Stress

“Imagine an alarm that just never shuts off.”

Chronic stress keeps cortisol high, burns out the adrenals, and “damages your hippocampus, the memory center of the brain.”

I’ve had to learn to “guard my peace”—deep breathing, scripture, tracking stress resilience (HRV), and learning to say no, even to good things, to protect margin.

Longevity Habit #4: Regular Medical Checkups

Think of your annual checkup like a “safety inspection for your car… check under the hood.”

I keep up with screenings, monitor blood pressure at home, track body composition, check labs, and also prioritize hearing checks—because “hearing loss is an often overlooked risk factor for cognitive decline.”

If you’re due, schedule the appointment.

Longevity Habit #3: Functional Medicine

Sometimes patients say, “My labs are all normal, but I feel terrible.”

Functional medicine looks deeper for root causes—nutrient deficiencies, inflammation, toxic exposures—and helps personalize nutrition, supplements, and lifestyle. If you have symptoms, “there is always a reason.”

“Don’t settle for just suppressing symptoms… pursue root cause medicine.”

Longevity Habit #2: Breath Work

“It is the remote control for your nervous system.”

Breath is a bridge between body and mind. And changing your breath can change your brain.

Try this:

• Inhale for 4
• Pause
• Exhale for 6

Keeping the exhale a bit longer helps shift the nervous system toward calm.

Longevity Habit #1: Cultivating a Growth Mindset

“Your brain is always listening to the thoughts that you have.”

“Aging is not necessarily this continual decline.” It’s an opportunity to step into a growth mindset—because we have neuroplasticity.

“I believe that God wired it into us… to continually renew ourselves.”

We don’t have to accept decline as inevitable. We can take deliberate steps, stay connected to meaning and purpose, and learn to “speak kindly to yourself… surround yourself with truth… never stop learning. That is how we stay young.”

🎧 Watch or listen to this episode of ReThink Aging: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiyKkVkoI1M 

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