Episode 20:1 Maddy Dychtwald on her national bestseller and lifelong passion to improve the lives of older adults

Maddie Dychtwald, co-founder of Age Wave, is a pioneer in the longevity revolution and author of four books, including her newest Ageless Aging, A Woman's Guide to Increasing Health Span, Brainspan, and Lifespan. Maggie shares her key ingredients to living better longer and her “holistic recipe” for aging well based on interviews with 100 different physicians, researchers and academicians and insights from the Age Wave think tank.

About Maddy

Recognized by Forbes as one of the top fifty female futurists globally, for nearly 40 years, Maddy Dychtwald has been deeply involved in exploring all aspects of the age wave and how it’s fundamentally transforming our lives and the world at-large. This has led her to become a national bestselling author, acclaimed public speaker, and thought leader on longevity and aging, health, wellness, and the new retirement.

Maddy co-founded Age Wave, the world’s leader in understanding and addressing the far-reaching impacts of longevity and our aging population. The Age Wave team has worked with more than half of the Fortune 500 in industries ranging from healthcare and medical technology to financial services and consumer products.

Key Takeaways

• Most research and clinical health trials are done on men. In 2016, the FDA requested pharmaceutical companies include women in clinical trials.
• Women live, on average, six years longer than men, but often not in good health. On average, women spend the last 12 to 14 years in a cascade of poor health.
• Genetics are not destiny—90% of our health and well-being is within our control, having to do with our lifestyle and environment.
• Women are twice as likely as men to get Alzheimer's disease. Exercise positively impacts your brain health—it can increase the size of your hippocampus, which is where we store memories,
• Not having your financial house in order increases cortisol levels. High levels of cortisol levels negatively impact your heart and increase the chances of getting a stroke.
• Your attitude towards aging has an impact on how long you live and how well you live. If you think more positively about your own aging, you generally have significantly more gray matter in your brain compared to those who don't. Long term studies show positive perceptions of aging add 7 ½ years to your life.