In the podcast “Lithuania is Recovering,” hosted by Laura Dabulytė, he explained why longevity should not be sought only in dietary supplements, tests, or the latest wellness trends, and what simple everyday things really matter for how we will feel in older age, according to a press release.
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“The real goal is probably that all of us in Lithuania live as healthily as possible. The goal is not to add as many years as possible to life, but to add life to years. So that life, especially in the last decades, is as fulfilling as possible – so that you can be active, have a healthy mind, and ultimately feel needed,” says S. Čaplinskas.
It matters not only how long, but how we live
According to the professor, as society ages, there will be more frequent discussions not only about life expectancy but also about the condition in which we reach older age. Many people spend their last years seriously ill, having lost independence or no longer able to live as they were used to.
Therefore, the goal of healthy aging is not a promise to never get sick at all. It is important to avoid diseases as long as possible, and when they appear – to diagnose them as early as possible, prevent complications, and help the person recover as well as possible.
“There are many diseases that, if diagnosed in time, we can simply either completely cure or avoid complications. Or, if the disease has already occurred, so that the person can recover afterward,” says the professor.
According to S. Čaplinskas, this is also important for the entire healthcare system. People live longer, the number of older residents increases, and along with that – people living with not just one but several diseases. This inevitably increases the demand for healthcare services.
“No country can ever provide everyone with the health or medical services that knowledge and technology allow. This means we have to find ways for people to remain healthy as long as possible, and if they do get sick – that help is as effective as possible and costs as little as possible,” says S. Čaplinskas.
Longevity has become a trend, but the basic rules have not changed
In recent years, longevity has become a very popular topic. There are more and more tests, dietary supplements, studies, and methods promising to help stay healthy and young longer. However, according to S. Čaplinskas, when talking about healthy aging, it is first worth turning to much simpler things.
“The basic rules are very clear – for healthy aging and longevity, sleep, food, movement, good mental state, communication, and feeling socially needed are very important,” lists the professor.
Although these principles may sound familiar, today their importance, according to the speaker, is increasingly supported by science. What previous generations knew from experience is now being studied at the cellular, tissue, and molecular levels.
“All these factors that determine our health, longevity, and aging trends are now supported not only by the wisdom of the elders but also by research at the cellular, molecular, and tissue levels. In other words, science now speaks the language that the elders knew long ago,” says S. Čaplinskas.
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Turning existing knowledge into real actions
However, even well-known healthy lifestyle rules do not necessarily become daily habits. According to the professor, one of the biggest challenges today is to turn existing knowledge into real actions.
According to him, it is important not only what information a person receives but also who and how it is delivered. When it comes to health, authority and the ability to explain complex information understandably can help a person not only hear the message but also encourage changing their behavior.
“I would like the knowledge about longevity, how to remain independent and healthy both in spirit and body for as long as possible, to be conveyed by those who are authorities, and in a language that perhaps touches first the heart and mind. So that the desire to change arises,” says the professor.
But changes do not have to wait for the right Monday, a new month, or the next year. The most important thing is to start at all.
Healthy aging begins much earlier than old age
The term “healthy aging,” according to S. Čaplinskas, helps to look at this process more broadly. Aging does not begin at retirement age – the human body changes throughout life, so one should take care of future health much earlier.
Sleep, movement, nutrition, or emotional state are not just questions of today’s well-being. Daily choices gradually become the foundation on which how we feel in a few decades may depend.
According to the interviewed professor, the essence of healthy aging is not only the desire to avoid diseases or live as many years as possible. Equally important is to maintain the ability to live independently, communicate, be active, and feel needed.
Summer – an opportunity to change the routine
Summer, according to S. Čaplinskas, can be a good time to at least slightly change the usual routine and pay more attention not only to physical but also emotional well-being.
“Summer is the time when we can all change our routine to have more positive emotions, more sun. But most importantly, each of us should have that light in our heart and mind. Then probably everything will look different,” says the professor.
S. Čaplinskas also reminds of the well-known comparison of a half-empty or half-full glass. According to him, summer can become a time when we consciously choose to move more, communicate, change the routine, and accumulate positive emotions.
You can find the episode of the show on the “Lithuania is Recovering” Youtube channel.
