147. How to Optimize Aging by Connecting Your Mind and Body: Gretchen Terry-Leonard

Gretchen Terry-Leonard has spent over three decades asking the kinds of questions that reframe assumptions and unlock possibilities in her biotech and wellness career. Working at the intersection of health, science, and health equity, her work has been shaped by a deep commitment to making healthcare more humane and forward-looking. She created and leads I'M IN, a nationwide initiative focused on creating structural change in healthcare systems. Under her leadership, I'M IN has established Health Equity Fellowships at leading institutions across the United States, building meaningful alliances across neurology, oncology, and fertility. 
Her debut book, Your Second Prime: Does Aging Suck, or Do We Suck at Aging?, delivers a bold rethinking of what it means to age in modern society. Drawing on epigenetics, behavioral science, and a personal health scare, the book challenges why we've accepted decline as inevitable. Gretchen explores the power of purpose in defying conventional timelines and embracing what she calls "inconvenient dreams"—those aspirations that don't fit society's narrow script for aging.
In today’s episode, Nada talks with Gretchen about her new book, and they dive into a rich conversation about maintaining our agency, autonomy, and optimism as we age. Gretchen shares the medical scare that changed how she relates to time and the 20-year journey that birthed this must-read book. Parented by hippies and educated as a dietician, Grethchen discovered the interconnectedness of our minds and bodies and the imperative to find our purpose. She offers listeners a few of her favorite scientific hacks for achieving longevity and a new framework to approach aging. 

To connect with Terry, visit ⁠Your Second Prime⁠. Check out her book, ⁠Your Second Prime: Does Aging Suck, or Do We Suck at Aging?⁠. Follow on Instagram: ⁠@yoursecondprime⁠. 

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