283 Seven Pillars for Healthy Longevity. How I Built my Healthspan Routine and How You can Build Your Own

What does a physician-scientist actually do each day to support her own healthy aging? This is a question Dr. Gillian Lockitch hears often. Her answer is not a prescription, a shopping list or a collection of fashionable biohacks. Healthy longevity is personal: our genetics, health histories, medications, priorities and goals differ, so the most useful routine is one designed for the individual.
In this solo episode, Dr. Gillian organizes her approach around the seven pillars of healthy longevity described in her book, Growing Older, Living Younger. She explains how epigenetics offers a more hopeful way to think about aging, how food and movement send biological signals, why skin must be treated as an important organ, and how sleep, curiosity, purpose and relationships help protect health and independence. Dr. Gillian also shares her own daily routine—from nutrient-dense foods and time-restricted eating to walking, resistance and balance work, skincare practices and carefully selected supplements. She discusses mitochondrial support, CoQ10, collagen peptides, carotenoid antioxidants, nutrients for bone, joint and eye health, and support for autophagy. She emphasizes that supplements complement beneficial lifestyle habits such as healthy nutrition,  movement, sleep, stress management and where needed, medical care.
Her own post-retirement health challenges—including emergency spinal surgery, myopic macular degeneration, and atrial fibrillation have made prevention, resilience and measurement deeply personal concepts. Blood pressure, laboratory testing, bone density, fitness and carotenoid scanning can provide useful feedback, but no single measurement tells the whole story.
Her central thesis is simple: do not simply copy someone else’s routine. Begin with the fundamentals of your lifestyle, work with healthcare professionals you trust, measure what matters, notice how your body responds, and remain willing to adapt as evidence and circumstances change. Noting that as a retired physician she does not treat or prescribe for medical diseases, she offers one on one conversations on constructing your own Roadmap for Growing Older Living Younger and extending healthspan not just lifespan. A plan for healthy longevity is not a fixed blueprint; it is a lifelong practice developed through curiosity, consistency and purposeful choice and she would love to work with you on your plan. 

Episode Timeline

00:11 — Introduction: why Dr. Gillian is sharing her routine—but not prescribing it 

03:10 — Pillar 1: Your genes are not your destiny and the promise of epigenetics 

06:14 — Pillars 2 and 3: Food is information and movement is medicine 

10:00 — Pillars 4 and 5: Caring for skin and nourishing the brain 

15:00 — Inside Dr. Gillian’s daily healthspan, nutrition and supplement routine 

17:59 — Pillars 6 and 7: Lifelong learning, curiosity, connection and community 

21:30 — How health challenges reshaped her approach to prevention and resilience 

25:00 — Measure what matters: testing, carotenoid scanning and guiding principles 

28:40 — Closing invitation: create your own healthy-longevity roadmap with Dr. Lockitch

About Dr. Gillian Lockitch 

Dr. Gillian Lockitch is a physician, medical biochemist, professor emerita, researcher, international speaker, author and host of the Growing Older Living Younger podcast. After retiring from academic medicine, she began a new chapter in entrepreneurship and healthy-longevity education. Through her book, podcast and Growing Older Living Younger programs, she helps people understand how lifestyle, epigenetics, measurement and purposeful action can support vitality and independence across the lifespan.

Dr. Gillian Lockitch is an independent Nu Skin Brand Affiliate. You can join her team as an affiliate ( and build your own business), or a member to buy product or devices at member prices. She may earn a commission from qualifying product purchases. Products and devices mentioned in this podcast reflect her personal routine and are shared for educational purposes only. They are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease, and individual results may vary. She emphasizes  that supplements and skincare devices should complement—not replace appropriate nutrition, movement, sleep or healthcare professionals advice. 

Call to Action 

Your best healthy-longevity plan is the one designed with you for your lifestyle. Visit askdrgill.com or email [e-mail] to begin a conversation about your personal Growing Older Living Younger Roadmap. Subscribe to the podcast, leave a review, and share this episode and the show link with someone ready to invest in extending their healthspan. 

Website: www.askdrgill.com 

Podcast: Growing Older Living Younger on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other platforms

Join the evolving Growing Older Living Younger Community