Aging and longevity reimagined: Is mindfulness the secret?

Can the power of your thoughts help defy aging? Could your mind help improve your eyesight or even heal wounds faster? These ideas might seem far-fetched, but our guest, Harvard Professor Ellen Langer, has spent four decades uncovering the real science behind this. In this episode, discover how to harness your mind-body connection to enhance your well-being. Ellen Langer is an American professor of psychology at Harvard University. In 1981, she became the first woman ever to be tenured in psychology at Harvard. Prof. Langer studies the illusion of control, decision-making, aging, and mindfulness theory. Download our FREE guide — Top 10 Tips to Live Healthier: https://zoe.com/freeguide If you want to uncover the right foods for your body, head to joinzoe.com/podcast and get 10% off your personalized nutrition program. Follow ZOE on Instagram. Timecodes: 00:00 Introduction 01:48 Quickfire questions 04:34 The mind and body should be understood as one unit 05:42 The counterclockwise study 06:51 Chambermaid exercise study 09:33 What is Mindfulness? 10:59 All of the misery we experience is a function of our mindlessness 14:47 Mindful optimism 23:12 Everything should be different, every day of your life 25:33 How Ellen approaches a simple eyesight test 28:21 We have more control over our health and lives than we think… 33:35 Placebos could be our strongest medicines… 39:00 Blood sugar study results 44:50 How to approach mindfulness 54:05 Summary Mentioned in today’s episode: Ageing as a mindset: A counterclockwise experiment to rejuvenate older adults sponsored by Catholic University of the Sacred Heart Mind-set matters: Exercise and the placebo effect from Psychological Science The Mindful Body and Mindfulness, two books by Prof. Langer Episode transcripts are available here. Is there a nutrition topic you’d like us to explore? Email us at podcast@joinzoe.com, and we’ll do our best to cover it.