Welcome to 66.1

66.1 is a new healthcare company built on a simple approach: common sense education will allow you to live healthier (and longer) than profit incentives and “quick fixes”.

We’re focused on preventing disease in the first place, not waiting until you’re sick to fight it.

Tired of seeing our fellow Americans undereducated and overmedicated, we publish science-backed analyses of the latest in longevity–with the rigor expected from the scientific community, coupled with the common sense and neutrality that you deserve.

And we promise to steer clear of the SAT words that make doctors and scientists sound authoritative while leaving you even more confused than when you started reading.

Health can no longer be a luxury accessible only to the privileged elite, and how we talk about health will play a big role in this reform.

If you’re wondering why we named ourselves after a number rounded to the nearest tenth, here’s your answer: as of July 1, 2023, when the first issue of 66.1 was published, 66.1 was the average health span (years lived without a serious disease) in America. We’re here to extend that.

What to expect

As a free subscriber, you’ll get:

• Full, immediate access to Wednesday brief emails, which offer a sampling of longevity science, low-friction approaches to exercise, and a question to refine your thinking about longevity

• Limited access to Saturday Deep Dive issues

Paid subscribers get unlimited access to:

• All Saturday morning (Mountain time) deep dive posts (now including video podcast episodes!) breaking down the toughest questions in longevity science

• “Lived wisdom” posts from our team (think less science, more life lessons)

• Monthly Q&A issues answering the top reader questions about longevity

• The complete archives of 66.1 (110+ issues and counting)

• Exclusive access to the 66.1 Substack community, access to chats with other subscribers, and monthly Q&A sessions with me.

• Most importantly: a way for people who appreciate 66.1 to support and sustain our mission

• All for $66.10 per year.

To put this price in perspective, the average American spends $13,000 per year on healthcare. If the content and community from 66.1 can save you just 2% on healthcare, you’ll have 4x’d the money you invested into a subscription. We think that’s a darn good deal.

Note from Marcus: To stay sharp and make sure I’m able to write the best content possible, I reserve the right to take time off. During these times, I may invite guests to share their wisdom with the 66.1 community or repurpose top issues from the past.

From the founder

My first gig out of college was 27 months off-grid in the bush of rural Zambia.

Then I decided I wanted to go to medical school.
I took out $52,000 of student loans to complete some courses after my undergrad just so I could apply to medical school.

I worked with some of the sickest patients imaginable—cancer, heart disease, diabetes, dementia—during 3+ years at the Mayo Clinic.

I realized medicine was neither the lifestyle nor the philosophical approach to wellness that I was after.

So I started writing, and that’s turned into 66.1. Because health is about playing offense, not defense. We’re here to build your health proactively so you don’t need a medical miracle to keep you alive.

Simple, sustainable changes to your lifestyle are the way to live a healthy life for 80+ years. And education is the way to make those changes.

Thanks for being here.

Marcus