3 At-Home Treatments That Will Supercharge Longevity, Says An MD

It's the 500th episode of the mindbodygreen podcast (!), and to celebrate the occasion, of course we're talking about longevity.

Don't get us wrong, the best longevity treatments will always be the simple, daily habits you can stick to (like movement, nutrition, and purpose), but there is absolutely a time and place for buzzy, biohacking technology. 

Darshan Shah, M.D., would agree: The longevity specialist and board-certified surgeon (fun fact: He earned his medical degree at the age of 21!) focuses on a personalized, data-driven approach to health optimization. It's why he created Next Health, the world's first and largest health optimization and longevity clinic, to offer game-changing treatments that will transform longevity as we know it. 

We're talking NAD+ infusions, ozone therapy, and the latest technology to help identify diseases like cancer and heart disease at their earliest stages. If you've ever been curious about what the future of longevity treatment looks like, this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast paints a pretty clear picture. 

"Almost everybody should consider red light therapy," says Shah. "It induces the production of nitric oxide right underneath the level of your skin. It also improves hormone function and testosterone production1. It also resets your cellular biology." (It does this by activating mitochondria2.)

Red light works via a phenomenon called photobiomodulation—while the exact mechanisms of photobiomodulation are not completely understood, the effects have been clinically studied3. 

Saunas have been linked to some pretty impressive benefits. "There's tons of research showing longevity benefits to heat saunas, specifically dry heat saunas," says Shah. 

For instance, one study out of Finland showed a link between sauna bathing and reduced risk of developing dementia4. It's also been associated with improved immune system5 and improved skin health6.

Other research has shown that sauna bathing four to seven times per week enhanced longevity by 40%7. In that same study, sauna bathing two to three times per week was associated with a 23% increase in longevity (so a higher frequency may help you reap more benefits). "I do a 30-minute sauna session every chance I get," Shah concludes. 

Finally, we have cold therapy. Brief yet intense cold exposures have been associated with a balanced inflammatory response8, improved sleep9, muscle and joint health10, and mood support11. Cold therapy acts as a hormetic stressor—aka, a short and brief burst of stress—which "stresses the cells just enough so that they go into repair and rejuvenate mode," says Shah. As a result, it helps your body become more resilient to future stress, thus enhancing longevity. 

"Even just three minutes in cold water, cryotherapy chamber, or even a cold shower really does induce a physiological change," says Shah. "Mitochondria get healthier. The endorphin and dopamine release is beneficial as well." You don't need to spend 20 minutes in freezing water—just a few minutes as often as you can will do the trick. "If I can do it every day, I'll [cold plunge] every day," Shah adds. 

Just make sure cold therapy is the last step of your "longevity circuit," as Shah calls it. "A lot of the hormetic effects of cold therapy happen not just while you're in the cold but in the time period of getting back to your normal core body temperature," he explains. "So if you're going into heat right afterward, it doesn't give your body that extended 20 to 30 minutes of warming itself up. That's why doing the cold last is important." 

When it comes to increasing longevity and health span, the best thing you can do is maintain daily well-being habits. "Sleep, exercise, gut health, and nutrition—that's going to take you the longest way in your health span," says Shah. Once you have those basics dialed down, then you can dabble in a longevity circuit.