Longevity – a few definitions
Longevity literally means long life. The German Longevity Society writes: "Longevity means shaping the aging process consciously – in a healthy, active, and self-determined way." The focus is on healthspan, the phase of life in which a person remains healthy, functional, and independent for as long as possible. It is about quality. This is in contrast to the term lifespan, which refers to our total life duration—pure quantification without qualitative aspects. An equally important term is epigenetics—the extent to which environment and lifestyle, beyond genetics, can influence our health and healthspan. It is estimated that this is roughly 30% genetics and 70% environment and lifestyle.
Longevity is the revival of the ideas of classical naturopathy
What do I like about longevity?
Preventive medicine: The interpretation of longevity as "aging in a healthier, fitter, and more joyful way" is the timeless, sensible, and ever-valid idea of healthcare—preventive medicine in a new guise. It just has a different name now. The market is always coming up with new terminology. First anti-aging, then wellness, then medical wellness, and now longevity. It still makes sense, though.
Longevity is the revival of the ideas of classical naturopathy and its five therapeutic pillars: 1. Water (temperature) therapy – back then, it was Kneipp affusions and baths. Today, it is still Kneipp—at least at the Tannerhof. Plus ice baths, cryotherapy chambers, and saunas. The stimulus of temperature changes strengthens our immune system, helps blood vessels regulate themselves better, and the cold has anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving effects. Your mood improves. 2. Exercise therapy – back then, it was moderate endurance sports and gymnastics. Today, it is still endurance sports, supplemented by targeted strength exercises to build muscle and, increasingly, balance exercises. Maintaining muscle mass is one of the most important factors for healthier aging. Bones remain more stable, the risk of falling is lower, the metabolism is more active, leading to less weight gain and fewer metabolic diseases.
Therapeutic fasting and autophagy - impulses for cell renewal
3. Nutrition/Fasting – formerly whole-food nutrition and one therapeutic fasting cure per year. Today, it means eating as plant-based as possible with selected plant proteins, fewer animal proteins, good carbohydrates, and high-quality oils. As organic and regional as possible, with minimal processing. For example, in the spirit of the planetary health diet. And continuing with therapeutic fasting and detox, supplemented by intermittent fasting. Fasting and intermittent fasting stimulate autophagy processes, which have a rejuvenating and anti-inflammatory effect on many levels of the body. 4. Medicinal plants/supplements/medication – formerly herbal teas and plant-based medicines. Today, we still use herbal teas. Increasingly important is an individually balanced intake of supplements like Vitamin D, B vitamins (especially for vegan diets), Omega-3, Q10, and trace elements like lithium and selenium. Selected and adjusted. Not according to the motto "more is better." And finally, in individual cases, hyped longevity medications like metformin can be useful. However, even then—selected and please with sound medical advice. 5. Life structure (lifestyle therapy) – back then, lifestyle therapy meant a balanced life between tension and relaxation. Between enough sleep and being awake. With physical activity and rest. With structure in eating, taking the word "mealtime" literally. With culture, food for the soul, and a stable social environment. With meaningful work. Even as a young doctor, I felt this pillar of lifestyle therapy was particularly important, despite the somewhat misleading terminology. Today, this is summarized in the longevity pillar of "psychological well-being." I prefer the old term.
A fundamental insight, a common thread connecting these five naturopathic pillars, is the stimulus-response principle. Our body and soul need stimuli. Temperature stimuli, deprivation stimuli, movement stimuli, stress stimuli. Anyone who just sits around pampered in warmth, eating, not moving, and facing no challenges will become ill and likely depressed as well. In the longevity scene, this idea is also an important foundation with a new term: Hormesis (Greek for "stimulation, impulse," English: adaptive response). Hormesis is a beautiful and fitting term.
Lifestyle therapy and the stimulus-response principle as the foundation of longevity
Self-efficacy: The exciting thing about these five pillars of naturopathy, and thus also of longevity, is that we can implement a great deal of it ourselves. We learn about our own influence on our well-being. We become self-efficacious. Self-efficacy means taking personal responsibility for oneself, one's body, mind, and soul. Our body is our "best buddy." And that is why we take loving (not excessive) care of it. And it is not about "I must, I should," but about "I want to take care of myself because it makes me feel good." What is truly touching is that it is never too late. Even if we start at 80, our body will thank us. Those who live their own self-efficacy have also understood that you are the "architect of your own fortune." It is not the boss, the work, the system, family, friends, or where you live that are solely to blame if I am not doing well. Only I can change it. Through myself.
Longevity in the sense of "higher, faster, further" is a misinterpretation.
This seems problematic to me:
The exaggeration and literal interpretation of the term longevity in the sense of "living even longer." Living to be over 100, or even living forever because medical progress will have caught up with the natural aging process. See the "Blueprint" project by Bryan Johnson. Anyone who wants that has not come to terms with their own inevitable death. And what would the effects be on our social system? Retirement at 90? You would logically have to bear that consequence.
The exaggeration in optimization. The tense, dogmatic desire to do everything right. Where is the casual enjoyment? Anyone who is only occupied with self-optimization might live longer, but it will be quite boring and somehow "un-alive."
The insecurity of self-perception. Many have become detached from their bodies and no longer understand themselves. There is a lack of self-awareness, of feeling oneself, of self-confidence. This is particularly noticeable in our younger patients. And then they measure and track everything they can. This, of course, creates insecurity again. People seek advice—on the net, from AI, from health experts. Whether the question "How am I really doing?" is then answered holistically, we shall leave open.
The excessive commercialization in some areas that often accompanies these trends. For example, when prices for infusions (drips) with trendy longevity additives are in the range of 400 to 500 euros. When profit maximization exceeds the usual margins that are important for the healthy development of an economic enterprise. The market allows it. You don't learn self-efficacy that way.
Ease, humor, and deeper-slower-closer at Tannerhof
Conclusion:
Applied to the Tannerhof. Naturally, as a health establishment with deep roots, we must also embrace this trend and terminology. Ultimately, the interpretation of the term longevity shows that it is essentially exactly what the Tannerhof has been offering its guests since it was founded 121 years ago.
We do Longevity since 1905. With a sense of proportion, individual guidance, and no pressure. And with humor. Less is more, and deeper-slower-closer. These are our Tannerhof signatures.
A particularly important goal for my colleagues and me in our Tannerhof practice is to convey this sense of self-efficacy to our patients. It is so moving and meaningful for us when guests and patients return after a year and share stories of the new self-efficacy they have experienced in their lives.
Longevity and the concept of personal responsibility taken further. This, too, is holistic medicine…
Personal responsibility could be part of a solution for a healthcare system that urgently needs to be redesigned.
Feeling a sense of personal responsibility and self-efficacy, and being aware of one's own importance in contributing to the common good, could also be part of a solution for our current socio-political situation.
We are talking about visions here. But that is exactly what we need. Positive visions.
