How to Live a Longer and Healthier Life According to “Limitless”

Highly recommend watching the National Geographic series “Limitless” on Disney+. It features Chris Hemsworth‘s search for the tools, routines and mindset for a longer and healthier life. In each episode, Hemsworth takes on a challenge while he receives guidance and coaching from some of the top scientists and experts in their field to help him prepare for and tackle the challenge.

An episode ranges from 44 min to 1h 15 min and typically interweaved with stories and scenes from indigenous people around the world who have lived for generations through practices for a long and healthy life such as e.g. routinely fasting. An episode usually ends with how Hemsworth intends to incorporate what he has learned into new habits in his daily life.

• Episode #1 – Stress-Proof (55 min): Hemsworth learns to tame his stress response to his fear of heights while attempting a crane walk, as well as floating and swimming in a pool with his arms and legs tied up.
  • Modupe Akinola: Social Psychologist (Columbia Business School), researcher/educator on stress and performance
  • Harry Moffitt: Australian Special Forces
  • Justin Kay: Australian Special Forces
    
    
• Episode #2 – Shock (48 min): Hemsworth heads to Lofoten in Norway in his search for health and longevity. He learns about the benefits of heat and cold exposure. For further info, read this article. We also learn about cold exposure through ice-cold waterfall meditation by the Yamabushi monks in Japan.
  • Peter Attia: World-class scientist and longevity physician, author of e.g. Outlive: The Science and Art of Longevity. See our summary of the key points from the book here.
  • Ross Edgley: Sports scientist, world-record holder athlete, author of e.g. The World’s Fittest Book
    • 06-11.2018: “The Great British Swim” 157-day 2 884 km (1 792 miles) swim around Britain.
    • 22.01.2016: “The World’s Strongest Marathon” (42.2 km / 26.2 miles) pulling a 1 400 kg (3 100 lb) car.
    • 22.04.2016: “World’s Longest Rope Climb” 8 848 m (29,029 ft, height of Mount Everest) in 19 hours 54 min.
    • 1 600 km (1 000 miles) barefoot run in a month carrying a 50 kg (110 lb) backpack.
    • Completing an Olympic Distance Triathlon carrying a 45.4 kg (100 lb) tree trunk.
    • Swimming over 100 km (62 miles) across the Caribbean Sea pulling a 45.4 kg (100 lb) tree trunk.
    • Completing 30 marathons in 30 days.
      
      
• Episode #3 – Fasting (47 min): Hemsworth turns to longevity doctor Peter Attia to find out how changing his eating habits by exploring how fasting/intermittent fasting can help his quest for longevity. He takes on the challenge of fasting for four days along with two friends, and Peter Attia, and attempt to hunt for his next meal by spearfishing off the Great Barrier Reef.
  We also learn about slowing the breath down to dive for longer from Tanya Streeter and about fasting in connection with ancient traditions of hunting exemplified through a tribe in Kenya.
  • Peter Attia: World-class scientist and longevity physician
  • Tanya Streeter: Professional free diver and world record holder
    
    
• Episode #4 – Strength (50 min): Hemsworth takes on a rope climbing challenge from a cable car, and learn about the benefits of incorporating rope climbing into your exercise regime. We learn about how endurance training such as cycling can have significant longevity effects through the story of Dr. Norman Lazarus. We are introduced to the tradition of Raramuri women running through the mountains. Ernestine Shepard demonstrates that age is only a number and show how senior citizen can stay healthy and fit.
  • Ross Edgley: Sports scientist, world-record holder athlete
    
    
• Episode #5 – Memory (44 min): Hemsworth has always worked to keep his body healthy, now it is time to challenge his brain. Neurologist Dr. Sharon Sha sends him off-grid into the wilderness without a GPS or map to challenge his mind with regards to memory in one of the best ways. Hemsworth teams up with his buddy, first nations artist Otis Hope Carey, they need to tune into nature to navigate through Otis’ remote ancestral homeland. We also learn from Notger Müller research how dancing can significantly improve memory and stave off deceases such as Alzheimer’s as we go through the second half of our life.
  • Peter Attia: World-class scientist and longevity physician
  • Notger Müller: German Center for Neurodegenerative Disease
  • Dr. Sharon Sha: Neurologist, Stanford University
    
    
• Episode #6 – Acceptance (1h 15 min): Thus far in the series the focus has been on uncovering what can be done to delay the aging process. In this episode Hemsworth takes on three days in a retirement village while wearing an age simulation suit developed at MIT, which is custom fit to his body to simulate him being about 50 years older (around 89 years old). He meets a range of people with powerful stories to share and explore whether a key way to combat aging and fear of mortality could be be to not fight it, but rather accept it. Among other things, he confronts mortality and meets his death doula (a guide to soothe the experience for the final days and hours before dying), and conducts a death meditation session. It is worth considering and lingering on that aging is beautiful part of life and to someone who faces death through decease at any point early in their life, they would want nothing but to age, love to grow old, give anything to experience it.
  • BJ Miller: Physician and counselor, TED talk “What really matters at the end of life“

The series serves as an inspiration and a good introduction to several important topics in to better and healthier life, that can be further explored in your own time. Due to this introductory nature of the show, you are always left wanting more after completing an episode. You may find yourself yearning for more in-depth scientific info in each topic and receiving more practical guidance to get the sense that you were trained in the same way as Hemsworth. However, the series points out some scientists and world-class experts which is worth paying attention to, and perhaps look into further by reading their papers, books or look for interviews on podcasts to rapidly learn even more.

It is an enjoyable “feel good” series, that takes you on an emotional ride and is filled with beautiful scenery from nature, and sparks a feeling of awe, wonder and love of life.

If you liked the series “Down to Earth” with Zac Efron on Netflix, you will mostly likely enjoy this one as well.