Dennis, my friend,1 after being sort of convinced with my arguments / explanations about life extension and age reversal, was eager to meet again. Dennis and his savvy wife Jaya invited me for a drink and as soon as I got there, Dennis started “all your stories of age reversal, etc. are fine, but what should I start doing, which will get me to reverse my age and extend my life as well?” Jaya took mercy on me and offered me a glass of wine, while Dennis continued to wait on me impatiently!
“Let’s start with the most important element - the goal”, I started. “To achieve success in any endeavor, we must have a clear vision of where we want to reach - let’s start with how long do you want to live, assuming you will be in good health and active till you die, I call it the ‘AG’ short for ‘Age Goal’”, I continued.
AG: AGE GOAL
After deliberating a little, Dennis replied “Let’s say my AG is 100, assuming I will stay in good health and be as active as I am today”.
“Excellent, my own AG is a minimum 120 years and subject to upward revision in coming years”, I replied. “As the tools for a direct intervention to the pathways of ageing - thereby enabling healthy life extension and age reversal, are still under development, in the interim, we need to stay healthy and alive, and await their commercial availability”, I continued. “In the current period, we must develop what I call the longevity mindset - visualizing the impact of every activity that we plan to do, on our AG, and only then dive into that activity. At this stage, having an AG focus and discipline is imperative. It will help us focus on and indulge in healthy longevity supporting behaviors,” I explained.
Jaya was listening very intently and asked “Can you explain the AG mindset when it comes to say food habits? Also drink habits,” she added as an after thought, with a sharp gaze on Dennis, who was busy refilling our drinks!
“Before we get into the diet factors, let us clear the base first. Your body weight is a key factor to keep you healthy and free from diseases - you don’t want to die first, right? So please ensure that your body weight is close to the ideal, as per your height and gender. Further, for a healthy lifespan, you also need to ensure that your body fat is close to suggested norms for your height, age and gender. You can apply the BMI measure or measure the actual body fat percentage and take the necessary measures to stay within the recommended norms. I call these the ‘WFG’ short for ‘Weight and Fat Goals’. If you find the task daunting, keep focusing on your AG target. You need to do what you need to do, to have a healthy journey!” I was focusing on Dennis now, given that he is a little on the heavier side!
“Let us now get to the diet factors for healthy longevity. Our diet plays a key role in reprogramming our biology and if we follow findings from new research in this space, we can directly impact our physiology and enable age reversal as also healthy life extension. Let me share the insights that I got after going through numerous research findings.” I started.
I continued, “New research also tells us that When we eat is as important as What and How much we eat, if not more! Let me explain
‘When’ refers to the eating time window or eating hours that we follow and this includes concepts of Intermittent fasting, Time restricted eating, Skipping meals, etc.
‘How much’ refers to the quantity of food we eat and includes concepts of Calorie restriction, etc.
‘What’ obviously refers to what we eat”.
Both Jaya and Dennis were listening very intently, Dennis to the ‘When’ and ‘How much’ element and Jaya to the ‘What’ element!
“Let’s start with the ‘What’ and ‘How much’ we eat part”, I announced.
I continued “There are as many suggested Do’s as there are Don’ts when it comes to ‘What and How much we eat’ for age reversal and healthy Life extension - I call this ‘DG’ the ‘Dietary Guidelines’. While you are most probably aware of a lot of dietary Do’s and Don’ts, as these get splashed in the news on a consistent basis, the recommendations I am sharing are based on healthy longevity benefit research only.
DG: DIETARY GUIDELINES : DON’TS
“Lets start with the suggested Don’ts2 for maximum longevity benefits:
Avoid, or consume sparingly: packaged foods / dairy / sugar and sugary drinks / animal fats / red or processed meats / excess salt / smoked or char grilled or burnt food - opt for their alternatives or make other choices.
Also reduce refined flours and gluten consumption.
DG: DIETARY GUIDELINES : DO’S
“Here are the suggested Dietary Do’s for maximum longevity benefits:
Eat LESS - recent research on mice has shown that eating 30% less, extended their life by 30%. This correlation is not proven in humans, atleast to this extent, but eating less is highly recommended. It is recommended to eat only upto being 80% full. This is basically called a “Calorie restricted” diet - you consciously eat only upto 75 - 80% of your stomach’s capacity at each meal.
Have proteins in each meal - in toto it is recommended that we consume about 1gm of protein per kg of body weight, everyday.
Reduce intake of carbohydrates in favor of proteins.
Eat good fats in every meal. Good fats for longevity: avocado, olive oil, dark chocolate, nuts and seeds.
Eat diverse plant based foods, eat more fresh, organic, local, in season produce. Eat more vegetables - the more colorful the better. Best for longevity: Broccoli, spinach, peppers, kale, cauliflower, cabbages, peas, brussels spout, carrots, ginger, sweet potato, beets. Eat salads with beans, sprouts and a home made dressing, to enhance nutrient absorption.
Eat more fruits - atleast 3 servings a day, preferably first thing in the morning. Best for longevity: Pomegranate, banana, blueberries, kiwi, papaya, watermelons, grapefruit.
Other food items which have proven longevity benefits: garlic, turmeric with peppers, lemons, cayenne pepper, coconut oil, cooked tomatoes, mushrooms, oats, spices such as cinnamon, red chilis, cardamom, cloves, saffron.
Eat nuts daily, unsalted, unoiled - about 30gms (1/3rd of a cup) of diverse nuts including deskinned almonds, cashew, pistachio, walnuts, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, etc. You can also have 2 tablespoons a day of diverse seeds like flaxseeds / chia seeds / pumkin seeds, etc. Nuts and seeds to be consumed at different times.
For our omnivore friends I can only recommend fish and chicken for their protein content, for longevity benefits.
Reduce oil consumption. Try more steamed, roasted, stir fried or boiled food.
Finish dinner atleast 3 hours, preferably 4 hours, before bedtime. It is also recommended to walk for 20-30 minutes, 30 minutes after dinner.
Eat mindfully. Make a point of chewing each bite at least 10 times before swallowing.
Try to avoid reheating food and try to eat freshly cooked food. Cooking gear: avoid plastic, non sticks, aluminum and microwave.
Drink adequate amounts to water everyday to remain well hydrated. The only sure sign of dehydration is when you pass yellowish urine. Try to avoid this state. Drink water in the morning and throughout the day, but avoid drinking large quantity of water during / after a meal. Drink filtered water and avoid storing in a plastic container. Water at room temperature is best for our health.
Drink alcohol in moderation, if you must. Drink of choice is Wine - Organic Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon (go for one with higher Resveratrol) or Beer. Quantity - no more than 2 glasses of wine or beer, twice a week.
Drink 1-2 cups green tea / matcha green tea a day - it will add years to your life. Black tea / coffee also has benefits for longevity, but you should consume these with no milk or sugar and in limited volume, to avoid a caffeine rush.
“These are the major Do’s and Don’ts DGs recommended for healthy longevity. We must also keep in mind that research continues very aggressively in this field and we must stay tuned in for new research findings.
“Based on the Do’s and Don’ts, you should make your personal DG”, I recommended.
Dennis was clearly very upset with the entire DG recommendation for longevity, as he needed to make major changes to his current food and drink habits, not to mention his weight and body fat levels. “Assuming I buy into your suggestions and go on some weight reduction diet program also adding an exercise routine, and reach the recommended levels of weight and body fat for me, your food and drink recommendations appear impossible to sustain on a regular basis!” he responded.
“Let me finish with the ‘When’ element please and maybe you will have an answer” I replied. This is a guideline for eating time window and I call it ‘FG’ short for ‘Fasting Guidelines’.
FG: FASTING GUIDELINES
“Current research has indicated a huge impact of Intermittent fasting, periodic fasting3, time restricted eating and skipping meals on longevity. Incorporating these into our daily / weekly schedules has provided longevity benefits4.
“We can follow some sort of fasting technique on a regular basis - and there are so many options:
a 12 hour fast daily or 18 / 20 hour fast few times a week,
1 or 2 days fast in a week,
skipping 1 or 2 meals a week
“It is recommended to follow any protocol from the above or in combination for longevity benefits and finalize your FG.
“A routine of not eating for a reasonably long period of time triggers autophagy benefits5. Autophagy, meaning self eating, is, simply put, a process in which the body's cells clean out any damaged or unnecessary components. It is now reasonably clear that autophagy supports both healthspan and longevity6. Current Longevity and age reversal research has shown remarkable benefits of following good FG, perhaps even more than of following the DG”, I shared.
Dennis intervened “But I have never done any kind of fasting in my life, nor have I ever skipped a meal. How am I supposed to start on these at my age?”
“Well, there’s a first time for everything, right? But seriously, I had no fasting experience either and intermittent fasting has come very easily to me. To start, ensure to keep your AG in mind and it will be quite easy, I assure you. Start slow - first ensure daily 12 hour fasts - which is easy and we can all do this, move ahead to skipping a lunch or breakfast and then try to skip a dinner after a small snack at say 4pm so you will get a 15 hour fast when you break at breakfast the next day, next continue with no dinner and no snack to get a clean 18-19 hour fast. Once there, you can keep building on this. Trust me, it is not difficult, once you have decided to do it”, I replied.
Jaya questioned me “I am so confused about which path to follow - DG or FG or what? What do you suggest we do and what ‘Plan’ do you follow?”
I replied “I prefer to follow both - the DG and a good FG. In my DG I try and follow the Do’s and the Don’ts as best as I can. For my FG, I follow a 18:6 intermittent fasting program once a week, skip breakfast 2 to 3 days a week and generally follow a calorie restricted diet. I do not overdo fasting as I am of normal weight and worry about muscle leeching if I fast too much. However, what to follow and to what extent, depends on each individual’s comfort. After a few iterations, I am sure that you can zero in on a weekly schedule for calorie consumption, intermittent fasting, skipping meals, etc. and develop a good FG.
“I would therefore recommend that you have both - a DG and a FG. As for you Dennis, you can start with both plans right away while you are also working on bringing your body weight and body fat to normal levels.
“Also, to address your earlier query Dennis, and perhaps your very real fear of not being able to follow the DG on a regular basis, given your heavy duty traveling and otherwise busy social calendar - I have a way out.
“If you find that you have deviated from your DG by binging on the ‘Don’t’ guidance or not following the recommended ‘Do’s’, double down on the FG, add some more intermittent fasts / skip some meals, and compensate for the DG deviations. Conversely if you have deviated from your FG, you can alter your DG, reduce some more calories, cut out your cheat meals, etc. and compensate for the deviations.
“But this is going to work only when you keep your AG path an uppermost priority and are intent on following a disciplined approach. This is the simple but workable option, for busy souls like you, Dennis!” I explained.
“To sum up: you need to remember the key points that I have shared :
AG: Age Goals
DG: Dietary Guidelines
FG: Fasting Guidelines
Active relationship between your DG and your FG
WFG: Weight and Fat Goals as a base measure”
I continued, “Research is on going, to show us the impact of different foods and eating times on longevity. And we need to stay updated with the latest research to get to our AG. I am an active follower on this path and I invite you to join me on this exiting journey. Wishing you my best on following your DG and FG paths and reaching your AGs. Cheers.”
Akkshay Mehta
(Life Extension and Age Reversal Evangelist)
This blog is my effort to inspire you with the latest developments in the space of healthspan, life extension and age reversal. In simple English! Expect my blog on the 2nd and 4th weekend every month. Do share and Stay tuned.
I would love to hear from you. I can be reached at mehtaakkshay@gmail.com
References
See my blog no # 2 for my past history with Dennis.
Will I be 25 again?
https://bit.ly/3p3IagI
The Don’ts and Do’s suggested here are derived from my understanding of research on different foods on longevity. The references are too numerous to detail here but the some of key researchers that I have based these suggestions on are: Dr Sara Gottfried, Tim Spector, Dr Steven Gundry, David Sinclair PhD, Dr William Li, Dr Michael Greger and Andrew Steele.
Research article published in Nature on 14 January 2021 “Intermittent and periodic fasting, longevity and disease”,
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-020-00013-3
Article by Prof Valter Lango in USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology magazine, titled “Eat less, live longer? The science of fasting and longevity”,
https://gero.usc.edu/2019/04/18/eat-less-live-longer-the-science-of-fasting-and-longevity/
Article in Healthline magazine on 23 August 2018 titled “Autophagy: What You Need to Know”,
https://www.healthline.com/health/autophagy#benefits
Article in Frontiers magazine on 6 September 2019 titled “Maximizing Longevity and Healthspan: Multiple Approaches All Converging on Autophagy”,
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fcell.2019.00183/full
Concisely written all the health advise. Thanks
Good, practical and sensible advice. Thanks, Akkshay !!