Dr William Li has written about the incredible life of his great-uncle, who lived to be 104, and he says that there are three key things we can do to live longer
In the quest for longevity, people often seek tips to prolong their lives, whether it’s through simple measures like regular morning walks or the extreme lengths pursued by “super biohackers” aiming for the ripe old age of 150 or beyond.
Dr William W Li, a respected doctor and author exploring how diet affects ageing, shares insights learned from his great uncle who lived actively until an incredible 104 years old. Dr Li advocates for letting go of anger and embracing the present moment as keys to a long and fulfilling life, yet he also points to a surprising third element: a common drink available in any grocery store.
According to Dr Li, the real culprits shortening our lifespans are cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases – all threats to both heart and brain health. He underlines: “You want to live long, and you want to have good cognition. You want to be able to remember, you want to be able to problem-solve you want to be able to enjoy life.”
Dismissing the extremes of longevity extremists on severely restrictive diets, Dr Li casts doubt on their quality of life, reports the Express. He said: “You hear these numbers from the the the sort of the people who are Ultra biohackers who are really dreaming of super longevity,” before citing Peter Diamandis’ concept of the ‘Escape velocity of Ageing’.”
Dr Li questions the concept of escaping death, suggesting: “How do you escape? You’re just going to live forever? I think that’s an intriguing idea but I think it misses the point of our humanity.”
Instead, he advocates for emulating the lifestyle of his 104 year old great uncle, particularly his habit of consuming substantial amounts of green tea daily. “He lived in China, and drank probably six to 10 cups of green tea every single day of his life,” Dr Li shared. His great uncle’s longevity could also be attributed to his active lifestyle, strong community ties, and mental agility.
He added: “He was very physically active, he was really plugged into his community and had a big support network. He kept his mind really active and these are recurrent themes of people who live a really long time.
“The green tea, sourced from near his great uncle’s residence, is rich in catechins, which are believed to offer considerable health benefits.” Dr Li also points out that the timing of tea leaf harvesting impacts the tea’s composition, stating: “If you actually have catechins from regular tea picked earlier in the season you don’t have as much caffeine because caffeine is developed by the tea plant as its own natural pesticide.
“Early in the season there not that many bugs around so the caffeine is very low. A crucial aspect of his great uncle’s daily ritual was walking to a nearby temple to enjoy green tea with friends, fostering social connections and community engagement.
“He would just sip tea all day long. He had to walk to a temple kind of place where he would sit with his friends every day. He had to walk to get to his tea and those three things; mindset – trying to be a little chill – a lot of green tea over many decades and then exercising.”
