Physical movement + mental stimulation combined, plus food, sleep and motivation.

I know you’re all busy and might only read the first paragraph so I’ll summarise what I can from the interview here, but of course, please do listen / watch the interview as you’ll get so much more from the conversation between my guests. 

The core takeaways from our experts for boosting both lifespan and healthspan:

- Challenge your brain: Aim for tasks you succeed at 70 - 80% of the time.

- Move with purpose of thought: Combine high-intensity bursts with cognitive challenges.

- Food: Favour a Mediterranean-style diet rich in plants, healthy fats, and quality protein.

- Sleep: Aim for 7 - 9 hours nightly, prioritising quality as much as quantity.

- Stay motivated: Choose activities you actually enjoy; consistency is key.

It’s one thing to live a long life. It’s another to live it well: physically sharp, mentally agile, and emotionally engaged. This week on The Lisa Burke Show, my guests are three leaders in neuroscience, nutrition, and biohacking who share the latest, evidence-based ways to extend your health span.

Professor Thorben Hülsdünker is a performance neuroscientist and sport neurophysiologist at LUNEX. His research bridges the gap between how the brain and body adapt to training, with practical insights for everyone from elite athletes to ‘normal’ adults looking to stay sharp.

Myriam Jacobs, a sports and clinical dietitian, now works full-time with the Luxembourg Institute for High Performance in Sport. With a career spanning hospital work in diabetes and obesity to elite sports nutrition, she knows what fuels what is needed for each individual body and at what time of day.

Manlio Lo Giudice is a mechanical engineer turned human potential coach, trainer, biohacker, and co-founder of MobiGym: Luxembourg’s first longevity fitness studio. He’s hosted longevity meetups around the globe, spoken with pioneers like Bryan Johnson and Aubrey de Grey, and tested countless self-optimisation strategies on himself.

Professor Hülsdünker starts by reminding us that, evolutionarily, our brains weren’t designed to last beyond 50. That’s why natural cognitive decline is so common in later life, but not inevitable. Just as we strengthen muscles, we can train the brain.

Thorben does not like most of the “brain training” apps as they rarely translate into real-life benefits. He believes in a blend of movement and mental challenges. That’s why ball sports, dance, or running whilst solving mental puzzles are best to produce the growth factors that keep neurons thriving.

Sleep is another silent superpower. Beyond memory consolidation, deep sleep clears away toxins that can accelerate dementia risk. Shift workers and those with irregular schedules face added challenges, making sleep quality crucial to their health.

From the kitchen, Myriam made the case for the Mediterranean way of eating which is not a diet but a lifestyle rich in plants, nuts, olive oil, fish, and limited red meat. On wine, the advice is still moving. Protein does matter, but so does the timing of its intake. As we age we should spread it across the day for optimal absorption.

Manlio brought the biohacker’s perspective, drawing on the Pareto Principle: 80% of the benefits often come from 20% of our actions. He suggests to focus on the minimum effective dose of exercise to trigger adaptation, avoid chronic stress, and use short, sharp challenges to strengthen both brain and body. Fasting, done wisely, can act as a beneficial stressor, stimulating cellular ‘clean-up’ processes like autophagy, but should be tailored to individual needs and lifestyles.

When it comes to the whole array of technological devices we can use or wear, Professor Hülsdünker suggests that even if they’re not accurate, they might be able to show trends.

The whole industry around longevity and all of the apps available to us to track, monitor alter are there if this aids your motivation, but motivation is another large part of what we need it order to develop habits.

If you can find a way to physically move whilst using your brain, and eat ‘well’ for your body and its needs, do this with a supportive social circle… then you’re on your way to living a good and long life.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/thorbenhuelsduenker/

https://lunex.lu/

https://lihps.lu/what-we-offer/sports-nutrition/

https://lihps.lu/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/manlio-lo-giudice-a8b7773/