NEW Science: Your ‘Immune Age’ Predicts How Long You’ll Live (Heal it Today) | Jenna Macciochi

Rangan Chatterjee

Apr 15, 2026

Episode description

This episode is brought to you by:
VIVOBAREFOOT: Get 15% off your first order https://links.drchatterjee.com/4nqvRI3
AG1: Get FREE AG1 Flavour Sampler, AGZ Sampler, Vitamin D3+K2 and Welcome Kit with your first AG1 subscription (worth $87, US only) https://bit.ly/43FwxQl

Most of us only think about our immune system when we're ill. But what if it's actually the single most important system shaping your health and longevity? In this episode, Dr Jenna Macciochi makes a powerful case for rethinking immunity. It’s not just a defence mechanism you call on to fight a cold. It’s your body's wellness system, quietly influencing everything from your mood and metabolism to your risk of heart disease, dementia and cancer.

Jenna is one of the UK's leading immunologists and a bestselling author. Her latest book, Immune to Age: The Game-Changing Science of Lifetime Health, explores the deep connection between our immune system, how we live, and how well we age. Jenna combines robust science and personal honesty in everything she does and this, her second conversation for the podcast, is no exception.
Jenna explains what the immune system actually is, what it does, and why ‘boosting’ it isn’t something you want to do on a regular basis. We explore the link between chronic stress and inflammation. And we discuss how your thoughts, relationships and daily habits are constantly sending signals to your immune system that either help or hinder it.

She also reveals why midlife is a genuine biological turning point. It’s the moment when genes that protected you in the first half of life start working against you, with consequences for your gut health, bone density and long-term wellbeing. But if that sounds bleak, Jenna also shares plenty of practical advice, learned from the personal upheavals that shaped her fantastic book. From leaving a misaligned marriage and job, to discovering meditation, self-compassion – and jiu-jitsu! – she transformed not just her thinking but her nervous system, too. And I love her perceptive view that the current obsession with lifespan is missing something fundamental about living well: your soulspan.

Whether you're in midlife and noticing changes in your body, or you simply want to learn about the incredible wellness system driving your long-term health, this is one episode you’ll want to bookmark.

#feelbetterlivemore

Find out about Dr Macciochi:
Website: www.drjennamacciochi.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dr_jenna_macciochi
Twitter: www.twitter.com/drjmacc

Dr Macciochi’s books:
Immune to Age: The game-changing science of lifetime health UK https://amzn.to/3ODZ6vq US https://amzn.to/4c8P5zo
Immunity: The Science of Staying Well UK https://amzn.to/4cj6STm US https://amzn.to/4vLvFsj

#feelbetterlivemore #feelbetterlivemorepodcast
-------

Order MAKE CHANGE THAT LASTS. US & Canada version https://amzn.to/3RyO3SL, UK version https://amzn.to/3Kt5rUK
-----
Follow Dr Chatterjee at:
Website: https://drchatterjee.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drchatterjee
Twitter: https://twitter.com/drchatterjeeuk
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drchatterjee/
Newsletter: https://drchatterjee.com/subscription

DISCLAIMER: The content in the podcast and on this webpage is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard on the podcast or on my website.

Mindsip insights from this episode:

Embrace 'soul span' to enhance life enjoyment

Beyond lifespan and healthspan, 'soul span' focuses on experiencing time as circular and relative, like in nature, to deepen our enjoyment of the life we already have.

#fulfillment

#longevity

Reframe immune system as central wellness system

The immune system should be thought of as the 'wellness system,' the central arbiter of our health across the life course, not just a defense against infection.

#immune-system

#wellness

Retrain your fight response through jiu-jitsu practice

Instead of always trying to be calm, it's crucial to have access to your 'fight' response, which can be retrained through activities like jiu-jitsu if you're stuck in a 'freeze' state.

#resilience

#stress

Practice self-compassion to reduce inflammation

Studies show that learning self-compassion can lower unwanted inflammation by sending a signal of safety to your nervous and immune systems, calming their protective response.

#emotion

#inflammation

Manage biological shifts at 40 to combat inflammation and aging

There is a meaningful biological change around age 40, where genes that were beneficial in youth can start to promote unwanted inflammation, accelerating aging.

#aging

#inflammation

Incorporate oleocanthal-rich olive oil for daily anti-inflammatory benefits

A polyphenol in olive oil called oleocanthal has a similar molecular shape to ibuprofen and provides daily anti-inflammatory benefits when consumed with food, not as a shot.

#olive-oil

#polyphenols

Grapple to boost oxytocin and reduce inflammation

Research shows that grappling with a partner in jiu-jitsu boosts the neurochemical oxytocin, which has significant anti-inflammatory and calming health benefits.

#inflammation

#oxytocin

Enhance interoception to predict longevity

One of the best predictors of how long you might live is your ability to sense your own body's internal signals, a skill known as interoception.

#longevity

#self-awareness

Enhance oral health to alleviate autoimmune disease symptoms

Improving oral health through regular dental cleanings can reduce symptoms of autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis by lowering whole-body inflammation.

#autoimmunity

#oral-health

Reflect on midlife gut health to predict future wellness

Your gut health in midlife acts as a mirror reflecting all the past hits it has taken from diet and medications, and as a compass predicting your future health trajectory.