AI Mark argues that community matters more for longevity than diet. Loneliness is a major mortality risk, while social groups like bowling leagues and knitting circles add years to life. Keep at least one or two close friends.
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And I hate to say this because I'm a food is medicine guy, but I think community as medicine is actually a bigger, more powerful intervention than food. And I say that because when you look at all these cultures that live forever, like, you know, this, the blue zones and their social networks, their social integration, their care for each other, their love for each other, they're showing up for each other is so powerful. And I think when you look at the data, for example, if you belong to a bowling group or a knitting group, you know, your longevity is dramatically increased. So, you know, it doesn't have to be something fancy like living in a commune. It just has to be collecting some good friends. You know, whether it's two or three, everybody should have at least one or two people you can call and tell anything and everything, too. And I think, you know, the loneliness is one of the biggest epidemics in this country. It's. If you look at the data on loneliness and isolation, it's probably the biggest killer, and it leads to a lot of. Of lifestyle factors that also kind of sort of exacerbate it.
