By Zoe Bingley-Pullin, clinical nutritionist & WelleCo educator
As a passionate nutritionist who has been in practice for more than 25 years, I often say I learn just as much from my clients as I do from books. What is fascinating right now is how often the conversation comes back to longevity.
People are not simply asking how to live longer, they are asking how to live better, they want more quality of life. They want to feel strong, clear, energetic, and be independent for as long as possible. They want reassurance that disease risk is being reduced wherever possible, particularly when it comes to conditions like dementia, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and cognitive decline.
This is especially important for women. Women are often living well into their 80s, but for many, health starts declining much earlier, often around the mid 60s. That gap between lifespan and healthspan is where the real work sits. Longevity is not about adding years to life if those years are spent managing preventable illness — it is about protecting vitality.
Dementia is one of the biggest fears I hear from women, and understandably so. In Australia, women are disproportionately affected, both as those living with dementia and as primary carers. It is estimated that women make up around two-thirds of people living with dementia, which makes prevention and brain health a critical part of the longevity conversation.
Watching my own mother live with dementia changed the way I think about ageing completely. It made longevity deeply personal and made me think less about appearance and much more about protecting brain health, mental and emotional clarity, independence, and quality of life.
That is why I believe every woman needs to build her own longevity protocol. Your longevity protocol is the combination of daily habits, food, movement, and targeted supplementation that supports healthy ageing from the inside out. It is not about doing everything but it's more about being consistent with the right foundation. For me, the foundations are simple protein, strength training, sleep, stress management, gut health, friends and family, and the correct supplementation.
One of the biggest mistakes women make is underestimating muscle. From our 30s onward we begin losing muscle mass naturally. Muscle is not just about aesthetics: it drives our metabolism, it helps regulate insulin sensitivity, it helps protect our bones and balance which helps reduce the risk of falls.
This is why I talk so much about protein, resistance training, and creatine. Creatine is one of the most underrated longevity nutrients for women. It is not just for athletes. Women need around 3–5 grams per day, and when paired with strength training, it helps support energy production during high intensity exercise, enhances lean body mass, supports muscle strength, and may even support memory and mental recall.
Magnesium is a supplement I recommend to all my clients as so many women are depleted without realising it. Stress, poor sleep, training, hormonal shifts, and busy lifestyles all increase our need for magnesium. But it’s really important to choose a magnesium which is going to be best absorbed by the body. MetaMag Magnesium Bisglycinate is a highly bioavailable form that is gentle on the gut and supports over 300 enzymatic reactions in the body. It helps support muscle health, energy production, bone health, mood, sleep, recovery, nervous system regulation, and stress resilience — these all improve when magnesium is supported properly.
Bone health is another conversation women often leave too late, sadly by the time osteopenia or osteoporosis becomes a concern. Prevention should have started decades earlier and I’ve seen this in clients as young as 30.
Vitamin D3 helps maintain bone density, muscle strength, immune function, and calcium absorption. But Vitamin D should never be looked at alone.
Vitamin K2 helps direct calcium into the bones where it belongs rather than allowing it to accumulate in arteries and soft tissue. K2Vital Delta supports bone mass, cardiovascular health, and artery flexibility, particularly important for post-menopausal women.
Aquamin Calcium is a highly bioavailable marine sourced calcium from Lithothamnion seaweed from the North Atlantic and has been widely researched across bone, joint, and inflammation support. Together, Vitamin D3, K2, and calcium create a much stronger foundation for skeletal health and mobility.
Nicotinamide Riboside (NR) is one of the most exciting conversations in longevity right now. NR is a precursor to NAD+, the coenzyme responsible for cellular energy production, mitochondrial function, and DNA repair. NAD+ declines significantly after 40 which is one of the reasons so many women feel that noticeable shift in energy, recovery, and resilience as they age. NR helps replenish NAD+ and supports healthy ageing at the most foundational level, the cells.
Resveratrol also plays an important role here. It’s a polyphenol antioxidant found in grapes and berries, with trans-resveratrol being the most bioactive form. It supports cellular health and helps protect the body from oxidative stress, one of the major drivers of accelerated ageing. I know what you're thinking (can I get resveratrol from red wine) but unfortunately to drink the amount needed, the negative effects of the alcohol would be far greater.
My recommendation is to always focus on daily exercise, meditation, good quality well-sourced supplements and a wholefood Mediterranean style diet, as they are the cornerstone or foundation to good health and increased healthspan. As when magnesium, vitamin D3, vitamin K2, creatine, calcium, resveratrol, and NR work together, you create a much stronger foundation for long-term health.
Zoe Bingley-Pullin is a Sydney-based clinical nutritionist, author, and WelleCo educator. A trusted voice in nutrition for over two decades, she co-hosts the national House of Wellness radio show and has written three books, including Eat Your Way to Healthy Hormones.