“Loneliness is as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes a day—and social connection may be the real key to living to 100.” — Ken Stern  Key Links & Resources  Healthy to 100: How Strong Ties Lead to Long Lives by Ken Stern is HERE  Learn more about the Longevity Project HERE Listen to Ken’s podcast Century Lives HERE  In this episode of AGE BETTER, I’m joined by Ken Stern—former CEO of NPR, founder of the Longevity Project with Stanford, and author of the brand-new book Healthy to 100: How Strong Social Ties Lead to Long Lives. His groundbreaking research reveals that the real secret to longevity isn’t diet, exercise, or genetics—it’s our social connections.  We explore what the U.S. can learn from the world’s longest-lived societies, why intergenerational communities thrive, and how purpose and engagement can add years to your life. Ken also shares why loneliness has become a public health crisis, and what we can do to build stronger social ties for a healthier, happier future.  Why listen?  Learn why social connection is as critical as diet and exercise  Discover how loneliness impacts health as much as smoking  Explore practical ways to build your own “social health infrastructure”  This conversation will inspire you to think differently about aging—and about the relationships that matter most.  If you’re enjoying Age Better, I’d be so grateful if you left a quick review wherever you listen.       And if there’s a topic or question you’d love for me to cover in a future episode, send a note to agebetterpodcast@gmail.com -- I love hearing from you!     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices