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"I’m a surgeon. These are the five things I recommend to live healthier for longer"

"I’m a surgeon. These are the five things I recommend to live healthier for longer"

Forget extreme biohacking. A surgeon and medical researcher shares five everyday habits she prioritises for healthy ageing.

Dr Prarthana Venkatesh / Maskot / Getty Images

Ruairidh Pritchard

Published: October 2, 2026 at 3:44 PM

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From cold plunges and biological-age tests to complicated supplement routines, the wellness world can make healthy ageing feel like another full-time job. And when you’re already juggling work, family life and the never-ending mental load, finding extra hours for an elaborate ‘longevity’ routine probably isn’t high on the to-do list. But one surgeon says her own approach is considerably simpler.

Dr Prarthana Venkatesh, a surgeon and CEO of supplement company Longevita, says she focuses on increasing her ‘health span’, the years we spend healthy, active and independent, rather than chasing the idea of living forever. Having worked in NHS hospitals, she says her medical career has also made her think more about the steps we can take to look after our health before problems arise.

And while the longevity industry can sometimes make staying healthy sound complicated, expensive or dependent on the latest wellness trend, Dr Venkatesh’s five priorities put familiar lifestyle basics including sleep, exercise and nutrition front and centre. Her approach is less about trying to ‘turn back the clock’ and more about building realistic habits that can support our health in the years and decades ahead.

Here are the five things Dr Venkatesh says she prioritises in her own life for healthier ageing.

1. Make sleep a health priority

A senior woman sleeps at home in sunny day, day napping.

Tatiana Maksimova/Getty Images

When you’re juggling work, children and everything else life throws at you, sleep can quickly slip down the priority list. Dr Venkatesh argues it should be treated as a fundamental part of looking after your physical and mental health.

She says her own experience of long hours during her medical career changed how she thinks about rest.

Sleep is often one of the first things we sacrifice when life gets busy. I've certainly experienced the pressure of long hours during my medical career, and it can be tempting to think that functioning on very little sleep is somehow a sign of productivity, but it isn't.

Dr Prarthana Venkatesh, surgeon and medical researcher

2. Exercise with your future self in mind

Athletes share a supportive high five while resting after rowing. The scene captures encouragement, connection, and team spirit.

Tom Werner/Getty Images

Rather than exercising purely for short-term appearance goals, Dr Venkatesh says she thinks about maintaining strength, mobility and cardiovascular fitness for later life.

Her advice is particularly reassuring if lengthy gym sessions simply aren’t realistic. She points to research into Vigorous Intermittent Lifestyle Physical Activity, or VILPA, which has investigated the relationship between brief bursts of vigorous everyday activity and health outcomes.

Her motivation, she says, is being physically capable and independent as she gets older, rather than simply focusing on lifespan.

3. Don't expect supplements to do all the work

An elderly woman searching for products in a pharmacy, we can the pharmacist in the background.

Catherine Delahaye/Getty Images

As the founder of Longevita, Dr Venkatesh sells a longevity supplement and believes supplements can play a role in supporting health. Importantly, she also says they shouldn’t be treated as a substitute for everyday healthy habits.

No supplement can compensate for consistently poor sleep, inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption or a poor diet.

Dr Prarthana Venkatesh, surgeon and medical researcher

She says she considers why she is taking a supplement, the evidence behind it, the dose, where it was manufactured and the quality controls involved.

If you're considering supplements, particularly if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication or have a health condition, speak to your GP, pharmacist or another appropriate healthcare professional about what's suitable for you.

4. Think consistency, not the latest diet trend

Mature woman picking out vegetables in a grocery store

Angel Santana/Getty Images

Nutrition advice can feel overwhelming, particularly when a new food or eating plan seems to become a wellness must-have every few weeks.

Dr Venkatesh’s approach is to focus instead on choices she can realistically maintain over time.

Longevity isn't created by what you eat on one particularly healthy Monday. It's shaped by the habits you can sustain over decades.

Dr Prarthana Venkatesh, surgeon and medical researcher

In other words, there’s no need for one supposedly ‘perfect’ day of eating. Her focus is on the bigger picture and the habits that can actually fit into everyday life.

5. Pay attention to your health before something feels wrong

Senior woman with eyes closed while meditating in a yoga studio. Portrait of a senior woman practicing a breathing and relaxation exercise

Jordi Salas/Getty Images

The final habit comes directly from Dr Venkatesh’s experience in medicine. She argues that looking after your health shouldn't begin only when you become unwell.

That can include understanding relevant personal risk factors, attending health checks that are appropriate for you and seeking medical advice about changes or symptoms rather than ignoring them.

For Dr Venkatesh, this prevention-focused approach is at the heart of healthy ageing, and it doesn’t require turning your routine into an elaborate experiment.

You don’t need to ‘biohack’ your way to better health

Longevity trends might make healthy ageing look expensive and complicated, but Dr Venkatesh’s broader message is much more straightforward: prioritise sleep, stay active, eat well over the long term and engage with your health proactively.

None of these habits can guarantee a longer life, and individual health needs vary. But they’re a useful reminder that looking after your future self doesn’t necessarily require the latest gadget, test or wellness trend.

About our expert

Dr Prarthana Venkatesh is a surgeon and medical researcher who has worked in NHS hospitals. She is also the founder and CEO of Longevita, a supplement company focused on healthy ageing and longevity. Dr Venkatesh provided the expert commentary featured in this article and has a commercial interest in the supplement industry.

Authors

Ruairidh PritchardDigital Growth Lead

Ruairidh is the Digital Lead on MadeForMums. He works with a team of fantastically talented content creators and subject-matter experts on MadeForMums.