Health Podcast 1,000 Waking Minutes Enters Its Second Season as More Americans Prioritize Longevity

Hosted by nationally recognized dietitian and public health expert Dr. Wendy Bazilian, the show explores practical, science-based strategies for healthy aging

SAN DIEGO, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bazilian, Inc. — As public interest in longevity and healthy aging continues to grow, the podcast 1,000 Waking Minutes, hosted by nationally recognized longevity expert Dr. Wendy Bazilian, enters its second year with a renewed focus on helping people extend their healthspan by optimizing how they spend life's currency – our daily waking minutes.

Against a backdrop of renewed attention to nutrition science and health policy, including the release of the updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 1,000 Waking Minutes helps listeners make sense of current and evolving science by putting it in context and exploring how it may inform practical, everyday choices that support long-term health.

Recent research from McKinsey & Company shows that consumers are increasingly prioritizing healthy aging: up to 60 percent of people say healthy aging is a "top" or "very important" priority. Additionally, a survey from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) found that healthy aging is among the top three health benefits Americans seek from their diet – a result that has held consistent for three years in a row.

"Longevity isn't about living forever. It's about extending healthspan, or the years lived in good health. It's about quality of life over the quantity of years," says Dr. Bazilian.

Launched in September 2024, 1,000 Waking Minutes explores how daily behaviors—especially around nutrition, movement, and lifestyle—compound over time to influence long-term health and well-being. The podcast's title reflects the average number of waking minutes in a day (assuming 7-8 hours of sleep per night shown to benefit health) and serves as a reminder that making meaningful choices within those minutes can support lasting health and vitality.

Dr. Bazilian brings a distinctive lens to the longevity conversation. She is a Registered Dietitian, American College of Sports Medicine Certified Exercise Physiologist, and earned a Doctor of Public Health and Nutrition from Loma Linda University, located in America's only recognized Blue Zone, communities known for exceptional longevity and quality of life.

"Longevity isn't luck. It's a lifestyle, and the secret to longevity isn't doing everything, it's doing small things consistently," says Dr. Bazilian.

Key Longevity Tips for Everyday Living

Drawing from her expertise and translating decades of research, Dr. Bazilian offers the following evidence-based longevity tips individuals can apply immediately:

Nourish:

• Eat a variety of plant foods (grains, legumes, fruits, and vegetables) to diversify your fiber intake. Greater fiber diversity is linked to lower biological age.
  
  
• Get 25–30 grams of protein per meal to support muscle preservation and metabolism. Most people load protein at dinner, but spacing it through the day is important.
  
  
• Enjoy healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocado as daily staples. Unsaturated fats improve heart health and nutrient absorption and make meals more satisfying.

Move:

• Make movement a daily rhythm, not just a daily workout. Light movement after meals, stretching between tasks, or walking with friends all count.
  
  
• Think beyond traditional exercise. Movement includes mobility, balance, coordination, and play — from stretching and dancing to what some call "adult recess" (play!)— alongside regular cardio, strength, and functional movement that support metabolic and long-term health.

Meaning:

• Share time and meals with others. Connection reduces stress and supports well-being.
  
  
• Prioritize at least seven hours of sleep per night. Adults with consistent, restorative sleep patterns can have a younger biological age by as much as six years.
  
  
• Pause daily. Just one minute of breathing or reflection can help reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and support heart health.

About 1,000 Waking Minutes

1,000 Waking Minutes is a weekly health and wellness podcast hosted by Dr. Wendy Bazilian that explores how everyday choices — across nutrition, movement, rest, and connection — shape long-term health and longevity. The show reflects Dr. Bazilian's long-standing, evidence-based framework for healthy living — eating well, moving daily, and supporting overall health in ways that are realistic, sustainable, and human. The podcast is built around a simple, powerful idea: time is life's true currency — and it's the great equalizer. We can't save it, earn more of it, relocate to get extra, or bank it for later. Each day, we're all given roughly the same number of waking minutes. What differs is how we choose to spend them.

Blending science, practical guidance, and relatable storytelling, 1,000 Waking Minutes helps listeners make informed, sustainable decisions within those minutes — focusing less on 'doing everything' or extremes and more on patterns that support healthspan, vitality, and quality of life over time. Episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and YouTube.

Expert Availability

Dr. Wendy Bazilian is available for interviews, expert commentary, and media appearances on topics including longevity, healthy aging, nutrition, movement, and lifestyle medicine. Media outlets are welcome to reference or adapt the longevity strategies above with attribution.

Website: https://www.wendybazilian.com

Media Contact:
Danielle Ballantyne
Food and Nutrition Communications Consultant
[email protected]
513-368-9780

SOURCE Bazilian Inc