TED'S TAKE // LONGEVITY HACK: WALK FAST. TALK FAST.

Two simple – and free – tests can help us monitor our aging: walking speed and talking speed.

Are walking and talking fast keys to aging well? Everyone is looking for ways to measure aging or at least get an early indication of how we’re aging– good or bad. There are two important contributors to how long you live and how well you live: physiological and mental acuity.

Physiological degradation is your physical decline. Think weight gain, mobility or other ways the body slows down and it’s a growing problem in the U.S. That’s understandable given the general lack of exercise or even movement in our population. Personally, I don’t think we have been right, as a society, since P.E. or gym classes were cut or limited in schools decades ago. It strikes me that’s when things turned downward.

Mental degradation, or mental decline, is also a big issue in the U.S. Just look at and the growing number of people diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s. We are just now scratching the surface on what causes mental degradation. I think it’s that we don’t use our brains enough or as we age, we stop using them as much. Like our musculature, if you don’t use it, you lose it.

For both physical and mental, the extent and level of degradation finds its way into our health care system and has a dramatic effect on health care costs. I believe these are both big issues and begin to explain why the U.S. spends more on health care – roughly $3,500 per person – than other developed countries yet has lower life expectancy.

Two simple – and free – tests can help - walking speed and talking speed.

There is a scale of our walking pace degradation as we age, and studies show it’s a good indication of our aging status. The exact pace is not that important for the initial test.

When we walk, a normal pace is around 3.0 mph when we’re younger but degrades as we age. While walking pace can indicate varied types of fitness - cardio, weight, muscle structure and strength,  a walking pace slower than 2.0mph is not good for any age. Measuring the walking pace of any individual may point to their physical degradation rate. A walking pace of 3.0mph for an 80-year-old is pretty good!

A good test of mental acuity is how fast we talk - and make sense, of course. If we talk fast, our brain has to be leading the conversation; thinking ahead of what comes out ahead of our mouths. Monitoring our talking speed could be an indication of how fast we are thinking.

These are simple tests that could allow us to monitor ourselves but the best way to live long and live well is to begin a physical fitness and mental acuity program as early as possible. Delaying degradation  might not eliminate the inevitable, but it will help us in maintaining our life and health spans as long as practical.