What is healthy life extension? Put simply, it is utilizing science to increase healthy life span and reduce the risk of suffering age-related conditions in later life. It is the use of the best present day methods, while supporting research to develop more effective methods for tomorrow. Practitioners of healthy life extension use good diet, lifestyle choices, technology, and proven medical advances to live healthy, longer lives.

Healthy life extension is fun! The value of keeping your health for longer cannot be overstated. Health and wellness make a longer life well worth living. Why settle for misery and ill-health in senior years when you could be canoeing, running, playing sports, and otherwise living an active life? Why settle for a life that is shorter, less active, and less fun?

Healthy Life Extension is NOT...

Healthy life extension is not herbal remedies, expensive spa treatments, wrinkle-removing creme, mysticism, quackery, nor any of the other non-scientific, often fraudulent schemes that seem to abound these days. There is a great deal of misinformation, especially online, and especially from the anti-aging marketplace. You should always check with reputable sources before believing anything you read. Check twice as hard if someone is trying to sell you something. Healthy life extension is not static. It encompasses and embraces research into the causes of aging and advances in serious anti-aging, regenerative medicine. Many notable and well-known scientists, academic and corporate, work in this field. While most practitioners of healthy life extension are not qualified to participate directly in advancing medical science, we should certainly help to support and promote such work.

The degree to which healthy life extension is advocated, practiced and pursued is an individual choice. Some people simply wish to live young and live well for what is presently a long human life span. Others want to live in good health and spirits for far, far longer. These radical life extensionists look forward to a future in which the causes of aging are understood and conquered. Present day methods of healthy life extension are important stepping stones that will enable practitioners to live to benefit from ever more impressive future medical advances. Imagine living to see a future in which you can have the health of a thirty-year-old and the wisdom and experience of a centenarian!

For all practitioners of healthy life extension, supporting and advocating research should be just as important as the use of present day healthy life extension techniques. The regenerative medicine and anti-aging medical technologies of years to come hold great promise, but will only come to pass if we all work towards these common goals. If we do not speak up and say that we want and are willing to pay for real anti-aging medicine, then research and investment will decline. If we do not speak out against legislation that slows or criminalizes anti-aging research, then we hurt our own future health, longevity, and well being. Here at the Longevity Meme, we help by offering ways for you to take action in the fight against aging.

If you are new to the concept of healthy life extension, you will find informative, introductory articles, news, and links to resources here at the Longevity Meme. One of our aims is to make it easy for you to find out about healthy life extension and meet fellow practitioners.

The online healthy life extension community is large, vibrant and friendly. Many different interest groups exist within and alongside this community. Transhumanist, calorie restriction, and cryonics groups are especially active. Our resources section offers pointers to mailing lists and forums, and we provide an overview of the community for newcomers.

Come on in! Join the fun!

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