Hello and Happy Thursday!

Could the secret to a long, happy life…

Be a terrible diet?

According to one of the world’s oldest women, it just might be.

Jeanne Calment — who lived to be an incredible 122 years old — spent most of her life indulging in everything doctors advise against:

Eating sausages, drinking wine, and indulging in sweets.

In fact, Jeanne ate about 2 pounds of chocolate per week — and smoked cigarettes until she was 117!

But even with these supposedly unhealthy choices… Jeanne stayed in near-perfect health.

She was able to ride her bicycle well into her 100s…

Plus she cooked, cleaned, and took care of herself without ANY help.

Needless to say, Jeanne’s story is pretty incredible.

So as a biohacker, I just had to know... what was her secret?

How could someone who seemed to “check all the boxes” for an UNHEALTHY lifestyle…

… Make it to the ripe old age of 122?

Well, in Jeanne’s case… it all boiled down to one thing:

Stress.

See, Jeanne had tough days just like anyone else… but she was practically “immune” to letting life’s little roadblocks get to her.

She once said in an interview:

“If you can’t do anything about it, don’t worry about it.” 

Truth is, Jeanne may have been onto something...

Because from a health standpoint, this is an excellent way to live.

However, I’ll be honest... as incredible as Jeanne’s story is, her dietary choices have a few things to recommend. 

And, shockingly, in the Blue Zones, most super agers are or were smokers; a fact that I’ve read in many books.

But, since stress plays such a huge role in our daily life, Jeanne’s “no worries” attitude can have some major benefits beyond lifestyle choices.

I know how quickly things can add up for my clients.

Between work, friends, family, and everyday errands — it can be tough to live a “stress-free” lifestyle.

And when life gets hectic, it can get in the way of your sleep, energy, and cognitive function.

It’s like stress DRAINS your “batteries” — making you feel tired, lethargic, and “out of it.”

But the good news is, these effects are avoidable.

You just need a few stress-busting tricks up your sleeve to keep your stress levels in check.

And that’s exactly what I want to share with you today…

Starting with two “essentials” I always recommend to clients:

Physical movement, which is hands down the best antidote to stress ever discovered…

And getting proper sleep — at least 7 to 8 hours a night.

Once you have those habits down pat, start bringing awareness to your stress levels during the day.

You have a lot more power over this than you realize!

Your conscious thoughts can either spike your stress hormone network… or calm it all down.

Now, the easiest and cheapest way to calm your body’s stress response is through controlled breathing.

I’ve been practicing breathwork for years and have had some profound experiences.

When something unexpected happens, I use controlled breathing to keep my heart rate steady and my nervous system relaxed.

It works like this:

My Favorite Stress-Busting Breath Exercise

Breathe in through your nose for a count of 3, then out through your mouth with pursed lips (like blowing out a candle) for a count of 6… repeating until you feel your tight breath deepen, your heart rate calm, and your mind become more in control.

In for 3, out for 6… in for 3, out for 6.

Try it the next time you feel stress rising and I guarantee you will notice a difference!

In addition to breath work, I also recommend setting some time each day — maybe first thing in the morning, or last thing at night — to focus on the positive things in your life.

I’ve spoken with a number of wonderful guests on my podcast about this topic…

And a surprising number of very successful folks have mentioned that having a daily gratitude practice helps them manage their stress.

Taking just a few moments to count your blessings has a remarkable effect, making it easier to get a handle on runaway negativity.

As hard as it may be to recognize in a moment of struggle… there’s always something to be thankful for.

I hope some of these tips will help you in some way and would love your feedback when you use them.

Best,

Tim Fitzgerald

PS…  I’ve got something BIG coming out next week.

It is the most impactful protocol I’ve ever put together, and the feedback we’re getting from our Inner Circle members about their experience has been incredible!

Some things it’s really helping people with is reducing stress, improving their sleep, and helping their body to heal itself from many different ailments.

More to come soon on this. ;)