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On today’s episode, you’ll meet a man passionate about helping people live not just longer, but enjoy better lives.
After a wake-up call following his father’s early death at age 73, Norwegian physician and emergency doctor Torkil Færø radically changed his life.
What began as a personal journey to improve his health turned into a bestselling book and a global health movement.
Torkil discovered how wearable technology, combined with evolutionary lifestyle habits, can empower people over 50 to monitor their stress, track their fitness and optimize their health in real time.
His message is clear that it’s never too late to add more vibrant, purposeful years to your life.
Dr. Færø offers a refreshing, science-backed approach to healthy aging. It’s one grounded not in medications or quick fixes, but in listening to your body and honoring the lifestyle our ancestors once lived.
His philosophy centers on eight key areas that dramatically influence both lifespan and health span. They are exercise, sleep, nutrition, alcohol use, smoking, stress management, relationships, and — something particularly relevant in the United States — avoiding opioid dependence.
In fact, a major study of more than 700,000 American veterans revealed that individuals who optimized these eight areas could live, on average, 24 years longer than those who ignored them. As Torkil pointed out, those same lifestyle choices also improve your brain function, physical energy and emotional wellbeing.
Perhaps most striking is Torkil’s claim that it’s never too late to start. If you’re in your 60s, adopting these changes can still double your remaining life expectancy. “Until you’re 40, your body takes care of you,” he said. “After 40, you have to take care of your body.”
One of the most powerful tools he recommends is wearable technology using devices like the Garmin watch, Oura ring, and Whoop band. They track heart rate, oxygen levels, movement, sleep, and even stress via heart rate variability.
Torkil describes these wearables as a “dashboard for your physiology,” enabling users to see the real-time effects of their choices, whether it’s poor sleep, alcohol use or even a brisk walk.
But his advice doesn’t stop at technology. Torkil encourages people to reconnect with nature and their bodies. He champions sunlight exposure, brisk movement, cold plunges, and even gardening as ways to lower stress and restore health.
Torkil said we’re living at a pace our ancestors never imagined. The chronic stress we endure today weakens our immune system and sets the stage for modern diseases like cancer, dementia and heart disease.
That’s why downtime, restorative sleep and calming hobbies, like sewing or nature walks, are not simple indulgences, but essential necessities for longevity.
His book, “The Pulse Cure,” distills all these lessons into a practical guide now translated into seven languages. The audiobook version allows people to absorb the information while moving, which is a perfect blend of learning and lifestyle.
To connect with Torkil or watch a free video lecture, visit www.thepulsecure.com or follow him on Facebook or Instagram. His book, “The Pulse Cure,” is available on Amazon and in other bookstores.
Whether you’re 50, 60, or beyond, his advice serves as a blueprint for not only living longer — but thriving into your later years.
That’s all for this week’s show. If you’d like to start living a more meaningful life, I encourage you to download our free guide to finding purpose, which is available at www.forwardfrom50.com.
I’ll have another inspirational interview on the next episode of the Forward From 50 podcast. Thanks for listening. If you like this show, please consider leaving a review wherever you download the episodes.
If you order a copy of Torkil’s book or one of the wearables mentioned from a link above, Forward From 50 may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
After closing his business and enduring several painful years of uncertainty regarding what to do with his life, Greg founded Forward From 50 to help men and women over 50 to live more purposeful lives by pursuing things they are passionate about. A Wisconsin native, Greg currently lives in Arizona.