A doctor who claims to have reversed his age by 20 years shared the foods he eats weekly in a bid to boost his longevity.
Dr. Michael Roizen, the chief wellness officer at Cleveland Clinic who has written books on longevity, is 78 years old but told Business Insider he has a “biological age” of 57.6. (It’s important to note that there’s no consensus on what constitutes biological age and how to measure it).
He said that while genes play a part in life expectancy, “the most important thing people have got to understand is that they get to control how long and how well they live.”
“You control your genes,” he said, referring to epigenetics, or how lifestyle factors can influences if genes turn or or off.
“Your choices matter,” he added.
For example, a 2023 study published in the journal Nature found that those who switched to a healthy, longevity-associated diet in the long term were more likely to live over a decade longer. The researchers said this was likely because the participants ate more whole grains, nuts, and fruit, and cut down on sugary drinks and processed meats.
Roizen said that even the smallest additions to a person’s diets can have a positive effect on their health. He shared the seven foods he eats each week.
Olive oil
Roizen said he has a tablespoon of olive oil every day. A 2022 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that people who consumed more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day had a 19% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a 17% lower risk of dying from cancer, and a 29% lower risk of dying from a neurodegenerative disease. Plus, replacing margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fats with olive oil appeared to lower the risk of dying by up to 34%.
The authors suggested that this could be because of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of olive oil, or because people who consumed more olive oil also tended to be more active, less likely to smoke, and ate more fruits and vegetables.
Salmon and trout
Eating fish once or twice a week was linked to a lower risk of dying from any cause in one 2022 study published in the European Journal of Nutrition. A separate 2018 study by researchers at China’s Zhejiang University School of Medicine and the US-based National Cancer Institute had similar results. Participants who ate at least 227 grams of fish a week, per the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, had a 10% lower risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The current US dietary guidelines recommend people eat fish like salmon and trout because they are high in vitamin D, omega-3 fatty acids — which are important for heart health, providing energy, and building cells — and low in methyl mercury, a toxic heavy metal found in fish.
Dark chocolate
With dark chocolate, it’s not hard to eat “a little bit every day,” as Roizen recommended.
Dark chocolate has been linked to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, and a reduced risk of heart disease, BI previously reported.
Dr. Florence Comite, an endocrinologist and precision medicine specialist, previously told BI that she counts her daily square of dark chocolate as a supplement because of antioxidants it contains.
Mushrooms
Like Comite with dark chocolate, Roizen sees mushrooms as a supplement, which he eats at least five times a week.
“One of my favorite lunches is the MLT,” he said. “Instead of a BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato), you have a mushroom lettuce and tomato, which is absolutely healthy and tastes magnificent.”
Mushrooms contain ergothioneine, which researchers from Penn State University dubbed a “longevity vitamin” because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. A 2020 study by researchers from Lund University, Sweden, linked ergothioneine to a lower risk for coronary artery disease and cardiometabolic disease for the same reasons.
Avocados
A 2023 study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association found associations between eating two servings of avocado a week and a lower risk of coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Avocados contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, which can help to prevent cardiovascular disease.
Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 cause of death and disability worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Cauliflower
Roizen makes a “cauliflower creamer” by blending the vegetable with olive oil and using it as a spread.
Researchers wrote in a 2021 review of studies published in Frontiers in Pharmacology that cruciferous vegetables, including cauliflower, have been linked to lower cancer risk and the prevention and treatment of other chronic diseases, such as cardiometabolic disorders, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and musculoskeletal disorders.
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