Unfortunately, in today’s unhealthy society, “normal” or “average” is not the same as “optimal”.
- Peter Attia
Ever since I relocated back to China, my book reviews always seem to start with: “It’s been a while since the last review, the past has been slow….” Nevertheless, it is the truth. I have slowed down because of work, or perhaps I am just getting lazy at reading books. Including this book, 2025 ends with 6 books—a record low for the past years. I need to make a bigger commitment in 2026; after all, reading is one of the best ways to learn, and most importantly, I enjoy it.
The book I want to write about this time is Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity by Peter Attia. It is a book I have long wanted to read, and I classified it as high priority on my list. Why does it get this classification? Because health is a topic I deeply care about. Having been through a tough time at the hospital, living longer—or becoming immortal if possible (I promise I am not crazy)—is something I try to achieve.
Outlive is rich in details. It starts with an introduction to Medicine 3.0, explains issues such as the Four Horsemen (the major diseases that kill us) and the modern lifestyle that blocks us from becoming centenarians. It finishes by detailing ways to outlive from different dimensions, including exercise, nutrition, sleep, and emotional health.
It also reminded me that information about nutrition is perhaps all noise, as most findings are done through epidemiology, which doesn’t always work well with nutritional biology. Most importantly, it is the mindset that I took away. Medicine 2.0 (our current medical system) focuses too much on curing the disease after it occurs, whereas 3.0 is about prevention. For some conditions like Alzheimer's, preventive measures can start as early as 20 years prior. Living longer is not merely about the number. Like Mr. Attia wrote, it is healthspan and lifespan we want to extend. It reminds me of my grandmother, who is suffering from Alzheimer's and has lost herself. It would have been different had we started the treatment in her 40s or even earlier.
I strongly agree that medicine needs to be personalised. The standard convention is just a reference; in reality, people are different from a lot of perspectives. Normal blood work results, such as standard LDL cholesterol levels, perhaps do not tell the whole story; just because you are average in a sick society doesn't mean you are healthy. The future of medicine is to become personalised and built based on the unique biology of each individual.
While the book is insightful, there is another painful fact: to actually be able to do what is described in the book, one might need a doctor as professional as Mr. Attia, which I think only the very wealthy can enjoy. It is even more difficult in countries like China, where medical resources are very limited. Perhaps after building the mindset, another thing to figure out is how to build the wealth and networks to access this care.
From Medicine 2.0 to 3.0 is a big leap; it requires technological advancement and, equally, a mindset change. Outlive taught just this lesson. If you are someone who cares about your health (and you should be), this is a book you cannot miss.