Longevity medecine - a guide

Bacca Bacca shares a unique vision of longevity, at the intersection of science, data, and art de vivre.
What approach to longevity medicine do I want to support?
How should one choose a care pathway to increase their “healthspan” (years lived in very good health)?

In the case of accidents or disabling symptoms, curative (or “reactive”) emergency medicine is a necessity.
Today, in France, this form of medicine is well established: it treats disease and saves lives - often at the expense of their quality.

In other situations, such as longevity, which is the focus here, adopting a proactive and preventive approach is essential.
If one remains passive, waiting for disabling symptoms and entering a position of vulnerability within a “reactive” medical framework, one should expect painful care - and a sharp decline in overall health, and even in healthspan.

I have had difficult experiences with “reactive” medicine. I felt weakened, dominated, silenced.
This history - despite having been relatively healthy over the past 41 years - has shaped my relationship to healthcare.
I postpone appointments, I approach them with apprehension - I need to reprogram my relationship to care, and imagine a form of medicine that feels good, during, before, and after treatment.

Two voices and practices have shaped my vision of medicine: Dr Peter Attia, author of Outlive, and Dr Sarah Merran, a functional medicine physician and MAPS faculty member.

Dr Peter Attia defines Medicine 3.0 - preventive and individualized - in contrast to Medicine 2.0, which is modern curative medicine focused on diagnosing and treating disease.
Medicine 2.0 has increased life expectancy, but often intervenes too late, with heavy and standardized treatments.
Medicine 3.0 aims to intervene earlier and more precisely, relying on lifestyle (exercise, nutrition, mental health), biomarkers, and genetic specificities (polymorphisms).

Reading Outlive was decisive in shaping my thinking. Dr Merran’s teaching and clinical practice have grounded and strengthened it.

At the core of Dr Merran’s practice is listening to the patient — their lived experience is central data.
She treats patients of all ages and backgrounds: elderly dog-sitters, skiers, lifeguards, autistic children…
From this rich material, she investigates, adapts, and uses sometimes highly original methods, with remarkable outcomes.

These are the contours of the longevity medicine I want to support:

1- Precise and targeted testing, guided by clinical context.
Some functional medicine approaches tend to multiply tests, sometimes burdensome and costly. Conversely, conventional medicine often relies on too few markers for a nuanced investigation.

2- A precise and personalized prescription, giving priority to nutrition and micronutrition, physical activity, cognitive and social engagement, and stress regulation — while maintaining restraint in the use of medication.

3- A strong focus on prevention.
In cases of imbalance or deficiency, the body adapts. Years can pass before the first symptoms appear.
This asymptomatic pre-disease stage is a key moment, where adjusting lifestyle or supplementation can restore full health.

4- A curious and resourceful follow-up for each individual.
Each case becomes an investigation — often leading to rapid and meaningful improvements in quality of life.

Today, this movement is driven by private initiatives, outside the traditional care pathway.

Zoï is a preventive health center in Paris offering a new generation check-up, combining biological testing, medical consultation, and a highly curated care experience.
On the testing side, Lucis Life, which I have personally tried, offers a broad analysis of biomarkers.

These actors are powerful initiators of preventive health. They create the desire to engage more deeply with one’s health, through precise data and a refined care experience.

For long-term follow-up, finding a trained and open-minded practitioner remains both essential and complex, until this shift reaches a broader part of the medical field.

I will continue to share the practitioners and approaches that align with this vision.